Hong Kong: Health chief views hospital tech

Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau today visited the Hospital Authority's information technology (IT) and innovation facilities for an update on the use of technology to enhance its clinical and medical services.

Prof Lo toured the authoritys IT Command Centre to learn more about the work on upgrading its information technology system as well as securing its operation and maintenance.

He then proceeded to the Data Collaboration Lab and the AI Lab to understand the work on healthcare data analytics, and was briefed on the support given to the development of the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth).

The health chief also visited the IT Innovation Lab to know more about the development progress of smart hospitals.

Prof Lo said: The Hospital Authority, in support of the direction set out in the Policy Address, has established a dedicated team to drive the potential use of healthcare data for research and development by more institutions in collaboration with the authority, and enable the institutions to make use of the public hospital network for research and clinical trial purposes.

Regarding eHealth, he said work is being done to transform it into a comprehensive and integrated information infrastructure with a patient-centric perspective under the one patient, one health record principle so that an upgraded version will form a backbone for supporting healthcare development.

Prof Lo also noted that developing smart hospitals is a key strategy for the sustainable development of the public healthcare system, adding that with the assistance of 5G remote diagnosis and treatment technology as well as smart robots, healthcare staff can provide high quality services to patients.

These technologies can also alleviate, in the long run, the imbalance of manpower supply and service demands faced by the public healthcare system.

This story has been published on: 2023-07-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Wang Yi calls for maintaining, consolidating current good momentum of China-Australia relations

Xinhua) 08:45, July 14, 2023

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (R) meets with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Australia should maintain and consolidate the current good momentum, so that the bilateral ties will continue to be stable and practical with further progress, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said on Thursday.

While meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang said that with the joint efforts of both sides, China-Australia relations have stabilized, improved and developed.

Facts have once again proved that as long as both sides stay true to their commitment when they established diplomatic relations and adhere to the right way to conduct state-to-state relations, the China-Australia relationship can and should develop well, said the Chinese senior diplomat.

He said if the direction is set right, the two countries should stick to it and stay on track, let alone reverse course. He added that both sides should implement the consensus of the two countries' leaders, resume exchanges and cooperation in all fields and at all levels, and enhance mutual understanding and trust.

Noting that China and Australia have highly complementary economies and huge potential for cooperation, Wang expressed the hope that Australia would provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in Australia.

The two sides should respect each other, treat each other as equals, handle differences appropriately, cultivate a friendly atmosphere of mutual understanding and appreciation, and bring more tangible benefits to the people of both countries, he said.

Wong, for her part, said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972, Australia and China have established extensive ties and achieved remarkable results in cooperation in various fields.

She said good Australia-China relations are in the interests of both sides, and Australia will continue to uphold mutual respect, equal cooperation and candid communication in line with the original spirit of the establishment of diplomatic relations, to safeguard the interests of their respective countries, and to push for greater progress in advancing the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan's interview with France Presse

Pashinyan: We cooperate with EU, US reps regarding sanctions

PM: Complementarity is a catastrophic mistake for Armenia

Armenian PM: War is likely, unless peace treaty is signed

Journalists from all over the world, people are dying a few kilometers away from you! UJA

China supports sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia: Deputy Foreign Minister

Russia says new grain deal with Turkey is possible

Aliyev threatens Armenia

Prime Minister Pashinyan receives Igor Khovaev

Aliyev hurries to sign peace treaty with Armenia

Aliyev announces mass settlement of occupied part of Artsakh

Supply of dairy products to Artsakh no longer possible

Armenia agrees to meeting of FMs in Moscow

Aliyev once again rattles with arms

Lavrov, Bayramov discuss normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations

Aliyev confirms upcoming Moscow meeting of Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs

Erdogan hopes for continued grain deal with Russia

A legal solution acceptable for Armenia and Russia will be found: Arshakyan on Armenias joining Rome Statute

38th sitting of Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Armenian-Russian Cooperation will be held in Dilijan

Ardshinbank terminates operations with the Unistream money transfer system

Immediate measures should be taken to unblock the Lachin corridor - Lukashevich

Aliyev's latest visit to occupied Armenian Shushi

Azerbaijan is holding a media forum in occupied Armenian Shushi

The Lachin Corridor should be opened immediately - Matthew Miller

Artsakh parliament calls on Armenia to ask UN to grant international mandate to peacekeepers

Russias Federal Council urges Armenian MPs to consider risks of Armenias joining the Rome Statute

Armenian and Azerbaijani deputy PMs will meet in different parts of border each time. Sputnik Armenia

I still don't know how to shout to make them realize the situation is grave. Ombudsman of Artsakh

We are ready to recognize Azerbaijans 86,600 square km, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh. Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Russian Federation reaffirms its intention to contribute to the restoration of normal life in Nagorno-Karabakh

Artsakh President assures: All decisions will be made jointly

A handcuffed man threw himself from the 5th floor of the Investigation Department of SRC and died

Ambassador of Poland was presented with the current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

EU Council extends Toivo Klaar's mandate for one year

Turkey slows pace of rate hikes, jeopardizing the lira

EU Mission at the OSCE Council meeting: Brussels calls on Baku to ensure movement along the Lachin corridor

Zakharova evades question on sending Arstakh aid by Russian planes

Stores in Artsakh no longer sell bread

Russian MFA Spox: Artsakh is not in area of CSTO responsibility

State Revenue Committee head: Armenia cooperates with partners transparently

Armenia requests OSCE Permanent Council speacial meeting: Mirzoyan made a speech

Armenian Health Minister: Transport of medicine to Artsakh is disrupted

Russia MFA spox on organizing Mirzoyan, Bayramov meeting in Moscow: Chances are good

Russian MFA: Stability in South Caucasus should be in Turkey's interests

We should specify the cartographic basis of demarcation activities in the near future. Pashinyan

Brussels meeting brought no concrete results in opening Lachin Corridor, resolving humanitarian crisis in NK.Pashinyan

Armenian Foreign Ministry welcomes Canadas initiative to join European monitoring mission

Artsakh residents hold a protest near the UN office in Yerevan

EU foreign ministers to discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement in Brussels

Armenian-French cooperation will continue to strengthen. Nikol Pashinyan received French Ambassador

The process of the program of formation of Digital Society and Economy discussed at Government

State minister: We may have situation when we cant wait for the 7 days noted by Karabakh President

The Prime Minister hosts Aram Arzumanyan, disabled as a result of the 44-day war

Nikol Pashinyan, Mikhail Mishustin hold phone talk

Nersisyan. The more Armenia lowers bar on Karabakh issue, the harder it will be for people of Artsakh to raise it

Karabakh official: Armenia has only one thing to do in discussions with Azerbaijan

Artsakh state minister: Many illogical things are happening on European platform; is it serious conversation?

Karabakh minister of state: We managed to make our voice heard by all to which nationwide movement was directed

Lachin corridor has no alternative: Several Armenia NGOs issue joint statement on Charles Michel statement

Karabakh state minister: We are in disaster but we will never surrender

Karabakh ex-official Vitaly Balasanyan is charged on 4 counts

Analyst: Armenia has not recognized Azerbaijan territorial integrity with Karabakhs inclusion

Armenia PM is briefed on plan to establish EHL Hospitality Business School branch in Gyumri

Our link should be with Armenia only: Karabakh residents comment on their blocking of Askeran-Aghdam road

Missing servicemens parents reopen Yerevan major intersection, but on condition

Armenia army General Staff chief meets with US Air Force chief of staff (PHOTOS)

Parents of missing soldiers close off major avenue in Yerevan

Edmon Marukyan: Azerbaijan has no plan to integrate Christian Armenians

Azerbaijan MFA responds to Armenia FM with series of absurd accusations

Livestock sector is in much worse situation in besieged Karabakh, agriculture minister says

Agriculture minister: Scheduled power outages, lack of diesel fuel also cause problems in Karabakh irrigation system

Karabakh MoD: Defense Army did not carry out fortification work in Askeran Region

Newspaper: What 'tougher actions' Karabakh will take?

MoD: Armenia army did not fire at Azerbaijan positions

Worlds most expensive iPhone is sold in US

US returns 105 antiquities illegally exported from India to latter

David Babayan: Karabakh grandpa who fought at Stalingrad, took Berlin never imagined he could die of hunger

Russia, Iran FMs interested in consultations with participation of Armenia, Azerbaijan

Austria FM: Lachin corridor blockade must be stopped immediately

Deputy PM Grigoryan's office: Armenia, Azerbaijan have not made decision on any map

Armenia FM briefs OSCE Secretary General on situation in Karabakh

Armenian Foreign Minister expresses Yerevan's readiness to hold talks with Turkey in Vienna

Armenia is not going to become a space where sanctions could be bypassed: Ararat Mirzoyan

Dollar, euro increase in Armenia

Armenia FM: Regrettable that instead of engaging in dialogue, Azerbaijan pursues policy of ethnic cleansing in Karabakh

FMs sign protocol on implementation of Armenia-EU readmission agreement between Armenia, Austria (PHOTOS)

Karabakh residents block Askeran-Aghdam motorway, with concrete barriers (PHOTOS)

Armenias Pashinyan receives ex-MP Francois Rochebloine of France

Yerevan municipal election events schedule announced

Karabakh NGOs: Support being provided to Artsakh people cannot be at cost of trampling on their dignity

American University of Armenia has new president

Hyundai releases first photos of new generation Santa Fe crossover

Public Television to present dire situation in Karabakh every day live from capital Stepanakert's Renaissance Square

Teen found dead in Armenia river

European Parliament committee calls on Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide

Armenia FM visit to Vienna kicks of with private talk with Austria colleague

Karabakh operational headquarters chief: Presidents sit-in could be beneficial

European Parliament accuses Azerbaijan of bribing PACE lawmakers, some other offenses

Karabakh presidential advisor warns of taking extreme measures

Iraqi Kurdistan leader visits Azerbaijan
14:45

Even as the Maharashtra government has formally awarded the 259-hectare Dharavi Redevelopment project to an Adani Group firm, residents fear that poor people who depend on local businesses will suffer due to the project.

Among Asia's largest slums, Dharavi is dotted with huts, shanties and is home to several small businesses.

"We were shocked to know that the state government has given green signal to an Adani Group firm for the project. There are hundreds of ground-plus two storey structures in the locality, in which one room is occupied by the house owner and the other by the tenant, and the former depends on the rent money to run his household," Paul Raphel, president of Dharavi Nagrik Seva Sangh, said.

Now, if these structures are demolished as part of the project and the owners are later given just one room, what will they do, he asked.

Reacting to the state government's decision, Dharavi resident advocate Sandip Katake alleged the project would be the world's biggest land scam.

"Adani Group is getting 10 crore square feet development rights for Rs 5,069 crore and getting additional railway land with government's money. The last survey in the area was conducted in 2008 and the eligibility date for structures was kept at January 1, 2000, whereas as per the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) it is 2011," he said.

If the government really wants to redevelop Dharavi, then a fresh survey should be conducted and the last date of survey should be the cutoff date for eligibility, he said, adding 80 per cent people were dependent on local units and businesses, which need to be safeguarded.

"No family should be sent out of Dharavi in the name of redevelopment. Adani is getting six crore square feet area for sale, from which he is going to earn Rs 3,00,000 crore. Who is going to prosper in the Dharavi project? Local residents or Adani? the lawyer claimed.

For most residents, the redevelopment has brought in a sense of uncertainty about the future in terms of livelihood as well as accommodation.

"There are thousands of huts and shanties in the area, with four to five families living in each structure. After redevelopment, they may only get one flat, which may not be sufficient for them," one resident said.

"More than 2,000 idli sellers live in Dharavi and supply food to the whole city. After redevelopment such businesses will no longer exist. Small industrial units involved in making leather products, imitation jewellery among other items will be shut," said resident Tarun Das.

"Spread across 600 acres, Dharavi is a prime location in the city with four to five railway stations nearby. Adani is not working for people's welfare, he is coming to the area for his personal gain. We still don't know fully about the project. We want rooms here itself," Das said.

A social activist on the condition of anonymity said, The redevelopment project was formulated in 2004, but nothing happened till now. In 1995, there were 57,000 hutments in the area, but currently, we think the number has risen to 1.20 lakh. Nearly 50 per cent people in the locality run small businesses from their homes," he said. -- PTI
Von der Leyen says 'ball is in Putin's court'

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said grain was "the big topic" for EU and UN teams meeting near Brussels. Photo: AP

A crucial deal on Ukrainian grain exports that will collapse next week if Russia does not agree to renew it will top UN-EU talks happening outside Brussels on Thursday, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said.



"The ball is in President (Vladimir) Putin's court" on whether to extend the so-called Black Sea grain deal beyond its expiry on Monday, she said, standing next to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.



Guterres said the UN's partnership with the EU on this and other issues was essential to "rebuilding trust with the developing world... and we don't have a moment to lose".



"This is when multilateralism is more vital than ever -- to bring peace, to protect the planet, to end hunger," he said.



The UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, first struck in July 2022, expires on Monday unless Putin agrees to extend it -- something he has thus far held off saying he would do.



For Moscow, the fate of the agreement is a point of leverage as it pursues its war in Ukraine.



The deal, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan helped broker, has allowed Ukraine to ship more than 32 million tonnes of grain past Russian warships in the Black Sea.



Much of the grain has gone to feed developing countries in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere. If the exports were again blocked, food prices could spiral even higher than they are now.



Von der Leyen said the grain issue was "the big topic" on the table for the EU and UN teams as they held their annual high-level dialogue in the form of a two-day retreat in the town of La Hulpe, just south of Brussels.



The EU has organised complementary overland "solidarity lanes" that transport Ukrainian grain into the bloc on its way to other destinations. But the volume is a fraction of what grain freighters can take by sea.



Von der Leyen hailed Guterres's "tireless efforts to prolong the Black Sea Grain Initiative," saying "Russia has a responsibility to prolong it otherwise global food insecurity will be the consequence".



Other issues to be discussed in the EU-UN meeting were Russia's war in Ukraine, efforts to combat climate change, and developments in the digital economy, especially the need for international "guardrails" on artificial intelligence, von der Leyen and Guterres said. (AFP)
European Space Agency (ESA) from its various centres will be tracking India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft's progress and health, said the space agency, adding that it will also lend support to some future missions. The ESA will also lend tracking support for Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) next interplanetary mission Sun Mission- Aditya L1 a solar observatory slated for launch towards the end of August 2023, the ESA said.

And discussions are ongoing between ESA and ISRO for providing tracking support for India's first human space mission, Gaganyaan. Communication is an essential part of every deep space mission. Ground stations on Earth keep operators safely connected to spacecraft as they venture into the unknowns and risks of space, the ESA said. Without ground station support, it's impossible to get any data from a spacecraft, to know how it's doing, to know if it is safe or even to know where it is.

ISRO operates a 32-metre deep space tracking station in India that enables it to locate, track, command and receive telemetry and scientific data from its distant spacecraft. But sometimes, ISRO's operators need to track or command a spacecraft when it is outside the field of view of this antenna.

"Building new giant antennas and control stations around the world is very expensive. So, like many space agencies and commercial companies across the globe, ISRO will receive support from the stations of partner organisations instead. Not only does this significantly reduce costs, but it also fosters international spaceflight collaboration," ESA said.

With its global 'Estrack' network of deep space stations, ESA can help its partners track, command and receive data from spacecraft almost anywhere in the Solar System via its ESOC mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany. ESA's 15 metre antenna in Kourou, French Guiana, will be used to track Chandrayaan-3 during the days after launch to help ensure that the spacecraft survived the rigours of lift off and is in good health as it begins its journey to the Moon, the ESA said.

As the spacecraft recedes from Earth, ESA will coordinate tracking support from the 32-metre antenna operated by Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd in the UK. Goonhilly will support Chandrayaan-3's propulsion and lander modules. Crucially, it will support the lander during the entire phase of lunar surface operations, helping to ensure that science data acquired by the rover arrives safely with ISRO in India.

Data and telemetry sent back by Chandrayaan-3 arriving via Kourou and Goonhilly will first be forwarded to ESOC. From there, they will be sent to ISRO for analysis. "The two European stations will compliment support from NASA's Deep Space Network and ISRO's own stations to ensure the spacecraft's operators never lose sight of their pioneering Moon craft," the ESA added.

According to ESA, ISROs Aditya-L1 solar observatory is due to launch towards the end of August. Aditya-L1 is named after the Hindu Sun god and the spacecraft's future home, L1 -- the first Lagrange point of the Earth-Sun system. It will study a number of properties of our star, such as the dynamics and origins of coronal mass ejections, the ESA remarked. The ESA support to Aditya-L1 will include similar tracking activities from Kourou and Goonhilly. But it will also include support from the largest of ESA's antennas the three 35-metre deep space antennas, located in New Norcia, Australia, Malargue, Argentina, and Cebreros, Spain.

These stations are used by ESA every day to communicate with its expanding fleet of Solar System explorers such as Juice, BepiColombo and Solar Orbiter, and space observatories such as Gaia and the recently launched Euclid. They also support missions flown by ESA's institutional and commercial partners. "ESA Flight Dynamics experts were also involved in the support to Aditya-L1. ESA assisted with the validation of the 'orbit determination' software that ISRO will use for the Aditya-L1 mission. This software is vital for calculating exactly where your spacecraft is in order to communicate with it and calibrate its scientific instruments, the ESA said.
PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 14: The Global Digital Health Summit 2023, an eminent event in the healthcare industry, and an SBU of Digital Health Associates, is set to unveil cutting-edge digital solutions that are transforming the landscape of healthcare. The summit will emphasizemedical specialties, the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, and the conversion of small hospitals into smart hospitals. This event will serve as a platform for networking, collaboration, and fostering innovation. Scheduled to take place onSeptember 1-2, the summit will be held at the prestigious Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai. It will bring together visionary leaders who are at the forefront of driving digital transformation in healthcare. By attracting global delegates and industry experts, this event provides a unique opportunity to explore the potential of the Indian market and engage in discussions about the future of healthcare. The summit's agenda features a series of sessions that delve intodigital solutions for various healthcare specialties, including Cardiology, Gynaecology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, and Consulting Physicians. Additionally, topics such as the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, the impact of robotics and generative AI on healthcare, and the management of chronic patients in the digital age will be discussed. Approximately1,000 industry professionals from 40 countries are expected to attend the summit.The second edition of the Global Digital Health Summit will attractsenior leaders from both the public and private sectors in healthcare and life sciences. Moreover, the event's impact will extend beyond the physical attendees through the comprehensive Summit Outcomes Report, which will highlight the showcased solutions and provide a platform for global recognition. By being highlighted in theSummit Outcomes Report, the participants will get significant exposure, providing an excellent chance to connect with international markets. Through the summit's vast array of international partners, this report will get widespread distribution, maximising awareness and encouraging cooperation. Advancing the adoption and integration of DTx solutions for better patient outcomes, theAsia Pacific DTx Leadership Alliance will be launched as a collaborative platformto foster innovation, drive adoption, and lead the advancement of Digital Therapeutics across the Asia Pacific region. It will give solution providers a fantastic opportunity and assist the healthcare sector innavigating the fascinating possibilities of digitising healthcare. TheSmart Clinicians' Suite and Smart Hospitals' Suitewill also be launched at the summit. These platforms will aid hospitals and medical professionals in selecting the best solutions for digitising their operations. Experts will review the technology offered on these platforms, which is likely to accelerate the implementation of digital health across the nation. Looking forward to the summit, Dr. Rajendra Pratap Gupta said"We at Digital Health Associates are working to digitise the healthcare system in the country and provide solutions, not only to the patients but to clinicians and the whole healthcare fraternity. This decade will see a disruption in healthcare, and we will continue to be at the forefront of that revolution. The Global Digital Health Summit offers a forum for leaders in technology and healthcare to network and debate game-changing ideas for all forms of healthcare transformation. This will assist doctors and healthcare facilities in accelerating the adoption of digital health." As an annual gathering of healthcare pioneers, the Global Digital Health Summit aims to address challenges, foster collaboration, and ideate innovative solutions.Building on the success of the 2022 summit, which focused on achieving "Digital Health for All by 2028," this year's event is poised to propel India's journey in digital health forward. For more information on attending, exhibiting, at the Global Digital Health Summit, please visit the official website athttp://www.globalsummit.health/. About Digital Health Associates: Digital Health Associates (DHA) isfounded by Dr. Rajendra Pratap Gupta, a public policy expert who has been contributing to policymaking for over a decade and a half across sectors. He was an ex-advisor to the Ministry of Health, Government of India & is currently Chairman of the Dynamic Coalition on Digital Health at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Dr. Gupta has worked with some of the largest organizations across the world and was nominated to the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum for 2012-2014 in recognition of his work. The organization is working towards improving and transforming the healthcare sector in India with the help of digital initiatives.These initiatives are being executed under four verticals Digital Health Academy; International Patients Union; Global Digital Health Summit & Health Parliament. Global Healthcare leaders from across the world are part of the DHA board. Some of them include -Mr. Bakul Patelwho was the Founding Director of the Digital Health Center of Excellence at the US-FDA, and Former Chief Digital Health Officer- Global Strategy and Innovation at US-FDA. He is currently, theSenior Director, Global Digital Health Strategy & Regulatory Health at GoogleInc;Mr. Ashish Srivastava, an innovator and technology strategist, who has overseen the development of AI & data-driven products and solutions in Telecom, Consumer-Goods, Manufacturing, Health, and Retail. Other imminent personalities associated with DHA include Dr. Thomas Zeltner, Chairman- WHO Foundation, Dr. Jay Sanders, Founding Board Member and President Emeritus of American Telemedicine Association, Mr. Brian O'Connor, Chairman of the European Connected Health Alliance, Ms. Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of American Telemedicine Association, amongst others. Websites and links: Digital Health Associates:www.digitalassociates.healthHealth Parliament:www.parliament.healthDigital Health Academy:www.digitalacademy.healthGlobal Digital Health Summit:www.globalsummit.healthInternational Patients Union:https://internationalpatientsunion.org/ (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
NewsVoir Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], July 14: VLCC, the pioneer in Beauty and Wellness industry and Indias Facial Expert, has roped in Tamannaah Bhatia to be the brand ambassador for its facial kits. VLCC, a homegrown brand, has over 30 years of experience in understanding and serving Indian skin and beauty needs. Bringing the latest in beauty science and technology for the consumers through their services and products. VLCCs mission is to help transform people to their most beautiful and healthy versions of themselves. The brand operates in a range of beauty and personal care categories like Facial kits, Face moisturizers, Sun-care, Facewash, serums and more. The brand aims at delivering a personalized solution to beauty needs and believes in authentic and proven results. Taking its mission forward, the brand has partnered with Tamannaah Bhatia, who epitomises the same brand values of being empathetic and authentic and is going to be the face of VLCCs iconic range of Facial Kits. She has featured in their new brand campaign which promotes complete skin care using Facial Kits. The insight of this campaign comes from multiple consumer voices that highlighted the need for that extra dose of face care by the end of the week, despite using all the everyday care products like facewash, moisturizers etc. The need to deep cleanse the face, give it some deep hydration and nourish it along the way was evident and this is where Facials come in to complete the regime. Tamannaah Bhatia, with her repertoire of work and with her recent projects, Lust Stories 2 on Netflix and Jee Karda on Amazon Prime video, will now be seen in VLCCs high decibel, TV first campaign. Sharing her experienceTamannaahsays,When I feel happy from within, I feel most radiant! Taking care of yourself and your skin brings happiness, and that shines the most. Self-care = happiness = glow. Thats why I use the VLCC Gold Facial Kit, for that long lasting golden glow. Speaking of the campaign,Puneet Gulati, Group CMO for VLCCsaid,At VLCC, our mission is to help people to be the most beautiful and healthy version of themselves. For over 3 decades, we have pioneered high science products and services for our discerning consumers. Our expertise in delivering world class Facials comes forth in our Facial Kit range which gives consumers the choice of Gold, Diamond, Anti-Tan and many more. Facials end up delivering what every day skincare cannot, and that inspires our new Gold Facial kit campaign with Tamannaah." Today, VLCC enjoys a high level of consumer trust and is widely recognized for its comprehensive portfolio of services and products. The VLCC Groups operations currently span 310 locations in 139 cities and 11 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Kenya, with a staff strength of over 3,000 skilled professionals, including medical doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists, cosmetologists and wellness counsellors. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Clinikally Digital Health New Delhi [India], July 14: AAYNA Clinic, a renowned name in the world of aesthetic and cosmetic treatments, is ecstatic to announce the opening of its brand-new clinic in Gurugram. As a pioneer in the field, AAYNA is committed to providing the highest quality, individualized treatments that cater to your unique beauty and wellness needs. The new state-of-the-art clinic in Gurugram embodies the brand's essence of delivering world-class services while maintaining a warm, personalized touch. Over the years, AAYNA has been synonymous with ground-breaking treatments and technologies, coupled with the expertise of a skilled and compassionate team. With the opening of the Gurugram clinic, AAYNA continues to bring its decade-long experience in the industry, ensuring that clients receive the best possible care. Aesthetic Mastery Meets Advanced Technology The Gurugram clinic is an ode to AAYNA's commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology. Equipped with the latest treatments, the clinic brings the future of aesthetic medicine to your doorstep. The clinic's services are designed to enhance your natural beauty and improve your overall well-being. From Hydra facials and Glass Skin facials to Red Carpet facials and AAYNA Lumiage Luxury facials, our facials are customized to meet your unique needs. We also offer Ballancer treatments, which provide deep lymphatic massage for improved circulation and detoxification. Our expert team of dermatologists and aesthetic professionals utilize fillers to restore lost volume and enhance your natural features. Additionally, our new additions, AAYNA WishCare Facial and The Uber Lux LA Facial provide comprehensive skin rejuvenation, nourishment, and hydration in its own style. And, for those seeking a semi-permanent makeup solution, our exclusive German-based nano-blading technology is available for eyebrows, lips, and eyes. A Team of Dedicated Professionals At the heart of AAYNAs success lies a passionate and dedicated team of professionals who possess extensive experience in their respective fields. The Gurugram clinic is no exception, boasting a team of highly skilled doctors, dermatologists, therapists, and support staff. Each team member is committed to providing personalized care and ensuring that your experience at AAYNA Clinic exceeds your expectations. Embracing the AAYNA Philosophy The essence of the AAYNA brand is deeply rooted in the philosophy of delivering safe, effective treatments and long-lasting results. With a focus on understanding your unique needs and concerns, AAYNA designs customized treatment plans that help you achieve your aesthetic and wellness goals. The Gurugram clinic is a testament to this commitment, offering unparalleled care and attention to detail. Experience AAYNA Clinic's Gurugram Oasis The new AAYNA Clinic in Gurugram is designed to be an oasis of tranquillity and rejuvenation. With a serene ambiance, fine interiors, and the latest technology, the clinic provides the perfect setting to indulge in a transformative beauty and wellness journey. With a decade-long experience in the industry, delivering the best under the superb guidance of our founder, Dr. Simal Soin, AAYNA is all set to make the services accessible to clients in Gurugram. AAYNA Clinic's latest addition in Gurugram is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional aesthetic and wellness services. With the perfect blend of skin science and a decade of industry expertise, our new clinic is poised to become the ultimate destination for all your beauty and wellness needs. We cordially invite you to experience a world of transformative treatments, personalized care, and unparalleled expertise at AAYNA Clinic's Gurugram location. Embark on a journey of self-discovery, revitalization, and aesthetic enhancement with our team of skilled professionals who are dedicated to helping you look and feel your absolute best. Join us in celebrating the opening of AAYNA Clinic Gurugram and let us guide you on a path toward your most radiant, confident, and beautiful self. Book your appointment today and let the experts at AAYNA Clinic Gurugram help you unlock the true potential of your beauty and wellness. Address: Ground Floor, B-89, Sushant Lok Phase I, Sector 43, Gurugram, Haryana 122002 Call Now to book: +91 98109 27946 | +91 98109 48542 Website: www.aaynaclinic.com (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by Clinikally Digital Health. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Thursday said that Chief Minister must answer on the death of BJP leader Vijay Kumar Singh who died after sustaining injuires during police lathi-charge as party workers were marching towards the state Assembly. Chirag Paswan said that Nitish Kumar is accountable for this death. "I condole the death of BJP worker Vijay Singh, on behalf of my party. I also want to ask Nitish Kumar and Bihar govt, who is responsible for his death? Somebody was beaten to death by a lathi. Those who raise their voice against the state govt is silenced by lathi. Chief Minister must answer, he is accountable for this death," Chirag Paswan said. Earlier today the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that a leader of the party died after sustaining injuires during police lathi-charge as party workers were marching to the Bihar Assembly during a massive protest against the Nitish Kumar-led government in the state today. The Police allegedly fired tear gas shells, used water cannons to stop party workers from marching to the Bihar Assembly.BJP workers were holding protest on the various demands including amended teachers recruitment policy. "Arrested by Bihar Police in Patna. Jehanabad disttrict Vijay Kumar Singh died in brutal police lathi charge," Sushil Kumar Modi said. Reacting to the murder of Bihar BJP Chief Samrat Choudhary said that democracy has been murdered and party will fight against Nitish Kumar. "BJP observing today as a black day. Today, democracy was murdered. Vijay Singh was our brother and an important leader. We will fight against Nitish Kumar," Bihar BJP chief said. (ANI)
Maharashtra Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Thursday said that the cabinet expansion will be done soon as all three parties who are part of the state government are having discussions over portfolio allocations. MLAs from all the 3 parties are co-operating with each other and there are no differences among them. Rounds of meetings and discussions are happening between them. I am sure soon there will be portfolio allocation and cabinet expansion will be done soon," Sawant said while addressing a press conference here. He further said that no one is unhappy since every MLA has full faith in the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. All MLAs of our party have full faith in our leadership, Eknath Shinde. Whatever decision will be taken by him, I am sure it will be in the interest of the party and all MLAs will support him. No one is upset, he added. The minister further said that the coordination committee that will be coordinating the allocation of the ministries has been formed. The committee will coordinate among the three parties. There will be 12 leaders from all three parties in this coordination committee. Four leaders from each party have been named for the committee, Sawant said. He further said that the members from the BJP include, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Ashish Shelar, Prasad Lad and Chandrashekhar Bawankule while from Shiv Sena, Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Dada Bhuse and Rahul Shewale will be part of the team. From NCP, Dhananjay Munde, Dilip Walse Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare will be there, he added. However, speaking about the Congress criticism over Prime Minister Narendra Modi being awarded with Lokmanya Tilak Award, Sawant said, What else they can do? Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be given the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award this year. An announcement in this regard was made by the President of Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust Dr Dipak Tilak at a press conference in Pune. The award will be conferred on August 1, the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak, at a ceremony that will be held at the Tilak Maharashtra University premises in Pune. "The Lokmanya Tilak National Award, now in its 41st year, recognizes exceptional contributions to society. In addition to a memento and a certificate, the award includes a cash prize of one lakh rupees,NCPchief Sharad Pawar has been invited as the Cheif guest in the event and other guests include Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar," Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust said in a release. (ANI)
The fire broke out following a cylinder explosion in Cannt police station limits, they said.

The deceased has been identified as Ruby. The two others including a woman injured in the incident undergoing treatment at a hospital, police said.

Mangesh Kumar, CFO of Fire Brigade said, "The fire started due to a cylinder burst. Many of our fire tenders were present on the spot. A woman has died and two women have been injured, and subsequently sent to the civil hospital for treatment. The fire has been extinguished."

More details awaited. (ANI)
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with leaders of the Uttarakhand Unit at the party headquarters in Delhi on Thursday to review party preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls in 2024. During the meeting, former Chief Minister of Uttrakhand Harish Rawat and PCC Chief Karan Mahara also remained present. Earlier on Wednesday a similar meeting was held with leaders of Maharashtra Congress and discussed strategies to strengthen the party's roots in the state. During the meeting, they held discussions with the leaders of the Maharashtra Congress and took stock of the prevailing political situation, chalking out a three-point strategy to strengthen its base in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Loksabha elections and assembly polls in the state. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal, said that three major decisions were taken in the meeting. All the senior leaders of the party will take responsibility for their Parliamentary constituencies. Secondly, from the month of September a padayatra (foot march) will be carried out in every district of the state under a senior leader, which will be followed by a bus yatra in the month of December when all the leaders will jointly visit all the constituencies together, Venugopal said. The meeting was quite fruitful and lasted for four hours and all the leaders have a unanimous belief that the Congress will sweep the parliamentary elections in Maharashtra. During the meeting Rahul Gandhi specially referred to the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra where he got a phenomenal response, which was among the best in the country, he said further. Venugopal also said that the Congress will fight the elections in alliance with Maha Vikas Aghadi and seat sharing agreement will be worked out after meeting and discussion with the alliance partners. Further Venugopal asserted that gauging the mood of the people in Maharashtra, it was sure that people wanted to defeat the BJP, as they had understood its politics of dividing opposition parties and using the ED and money. He said this was going to have a very negative impact on the BJP. (ANI)
Babu announced his resignation from the Presidents post as well as the primary membership of the party at a media conference here on Thursday.

Babu is said to be dejected after he has not been given a party ticket from Pendurthi.

After submitting his resignation letter Ramesh Babu putting up a clarification said that his resignation comes in the wake of not being able to fulfil the partys aspirations and for being unsuccessful in trying to bring the party activists' dissatisfaction to the attention of the high command.

Meanwhile, the resignation letter has been dispatched to the party's headquarters.

Babus resignation has come at a time when Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that he will relocate to Andhras capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam from September onwards.

Babu who comes from the Kapu community joined YSRCP in August 2020 after quitting Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in May 2020. (ANI)
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that People of India see doctors as messengers of God as he presided over the 3rd convocation ceremony of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh Thursday. Mandaviya also lauded the efforts of doctors in countries' progress by making health affordable and emphasized aligning responsibility to serve humanity. A doctor plays a crucial role in the progress of the country by making health affordable and accessible for all. Our sense of responsibility should align with our service to humanity, accentuating that a healthy society makes for a healthy nation. Health in India is not a matter of commerce but one of service, said Mandaviya. People of our country see doctors as messengers of God. We respect and value our doctors immensely, Mandaviya said further. During his visit, Mandaviya also laid the foundation stone of 150 bedded Critical Care Blocks under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). This was followed by the inauguration of a Path Lab, ICU, Mammography and Digital Radiography Machine at Government Doon Medical College, Dehradun, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, SP Singh Baghel. At the Doon Medical College, Dr Mandaviya said, We are seeing increased facilities for medical education in India, with MBBS seats in the country now 1,07,000, and around 700 medical colleges set up across the country. It shows that we are building a necessary ecosystem of healthcare in India with doctors, nurses, paramedics, hospitals, medical colleges, as well as quality and affordable treatment, Mandaviya added further. Congratulating students at the convocation, the Union Health Minister urged them to wholeheartedly take up the opportunity of service and responsibility that medical science brings. (ANI)
The hospitals were honoured with the NQAS certificate for their outstanding patient care and healthcare delivery.

The awarded healthcare centres, recognised for their exceptional healthcare service and improved patient care, include four primary health centres and two community health centres, said officials.

Officials said that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare awarded the NSAQ certificates to the Udaipur Community Health Centre in the Surguja district and the Bagbahara Community Health Centre in Mahasamund, along with the Jarve Primary Health Centre in the Janjgir-Champa district.

The Kumharawand Primary Health Centre in Bastar, the Bataikela Primary Health Centre in Surguja, and the Bagodar Primary Health Centre in Kanker were also awarded the NSAQ certificates.

The National Quality Assurance Standard Certificates were awarded to these hospitals following an assessment conducted by experts from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare between April and June.

As per the evaluation process to assess the quality of services provided to patients, Udaipur CHC received a score of 87 per cent, while Bagbahra CHC received 85 per cent in the assessment.

Meanwhile, Jarve PHC scored 82 per cent, Bagodar PHC 80 per cent, Batikela PHC 76 per cent, and Kumhrawand PHC 75 per cent in the assessment, officials said.

Before receiving the National Quality Assurance Standard Certificate, the hospitals had to undergo a thorough evaluation by expert teams.

Various parameters, including services available to the patients, patient's rights, inputs, support services, clinical services, infection control, quality management, and outcomes, were assessed.

Hospitals that could meet these rigorous standards were granted quality certificates by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, officials said. (ANI)
BJP workers on Friday staged a protest outside the Bihar Legislative Assembly and observed 'black day' to protest against the death of Vijay Singh, the party's general secretary in Jehanabad district, allegedly due to the lathi charge by the police the day before. The BJP workers held up placards inscribed with messages and slogans such as 'Murderer Nitish goverment resign', 'Shame on Patna district administration'. During the protest, BJP MLA Sanjay Singh was marshalled out of Bihar Assembly. Speaking at the protest site, Bihar's Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and the BJP's state chief, Samrat Choudhary, said they won't back down even if the Nitish government "were to shoot" them. "Nitish Kumar wants 'Gundaraj' in Bihar. Even if they file FIRs against us, throw us in jail or open fire at us, our agitation will continue. We have informed and sought permission from the police (for the protest on Friday). We won't back down,"Choudhary said. BJP MP and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is currently leading a BJP fact-finding team in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district to inquire into the violent during the July 8 panchayat elections, condemned the police lathi charge on party workers in Patna while comparing the Bihar CM with his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee. "I condemn the attack on BJP workers in Bihar by Nitish Kumar's police force. Nitish Kumar, ever since you became friends with Mamata Banerjee, you seem to have adopted her methods (to crack down on Opposition). You think you can attack us? Beat us?"Prasad said. The former Union minister claimed several BJP leaders were beaten up by the police on Thursday while a worker was killed in the stampede that took place during the police lathi charge in the Bihar capital. "Our leaders were beaten up and a worker died in the stampede during the lathi charge.Their limbs were broken," he said. BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan, too, said several party workers were lathicharged without any provocation. "State-sponsored brutality was meted out upon the BJP workers without any provocation. This is similar to the murder of democracy in Bengal," Paswan said. He further accused the Bihar chief minister of "sitting on the lap of those who jailed Jay Praskash Narayan". "Nitish Kumar says he is the follower of Jay Praskash Narayan. Jay Prakash Narayan, in his lifetime, always fought for the Constitution and democratic values. Today, Nitish Kumar is sitting on the lap of those who jailed Jay Praskash Narayan," he claimed. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi, however, claimed that a doctor at AIIMS, Patna said there were no external injury marks on Vijay Singh's mortal remains to suggest that he was beaten by the police. "According to a doctor at AIIMS Patna, there were no marks on the body (BJP leader Vijay Singh) to suggest that he was beaten with batons. However, this is a matter of investigation," Tyagi said. The BJP on Thursday alleged that a leader from their party died after sustaining injuires during a police lathi-charge that took place as party workers were marching towards the Bihar Assembly during a massive protest against the Nitish government in the state. The police allegedly fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to stop party workers from marching to the Bihar Assembly. BJP workers were holding a protest to press for multiple demands, including amended teachers' recruitment policy. Taking to Twitter, BJP senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who was also a part of the protest, said, Arrested by Bihar Police in Patna. Jehanabad dist GS Vijay Kumar Singh died in brutal police lathi charge. Speaking to ANI, Modi said the BJP will press for a murder charge against the accused police personnel. (ANI)
The State Human Rights Commission chairman Justice GK Vyas described the incident as "serious" and issued a notice to the Kota Superintendent of Police, Kota Chief Health Officer (CHO) and Principal of Kota New Medical College Hospital where the patient died on Wednesday night.

The Commission has directed the district administration to present the 'action taken report' and the factual report of the incident before it by July 24.

Family members of the deceased claimed Vaibhav Sharma, a resident of Anantpura Talab, died on Wednesday night when an oxygen mask over his face allegedly caught fire after Direct Current (DC) Cardioversion shock treatment.

Sharma admitted to the hospital four-five days back due to an intestinal rupture. His relatives said that his health worsened at around 11:30 pm on Wednesday. During the Direct Current (DC) Cardioversion shock treatment, the oxygen mask over his face caught fire and stuck to his neck in ICU.

A spark from the electric switch board triggered a fire and the patient was scorched to death, the relatives alleged. The medical professionals did not assist the patient during the emergency leading to his death, the relatives claimed.

However, the hospital said that he was given CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) an hour earlier before the DC shock was administered to revive him.

The patient's body was sent for post-mortem.

On Thursday, the patient's relatives also gathered at the hospital demanding action against the hospital management alleging medical negligence. (ANI)
Over 200 school students arrived at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota on Friday to witness the launch of ISRO's much anticipated Chandrayaan-3 mission. "...I feel very confident, I want to become an astronaut like Kalpana Chawla. I am excited..," Subhashini, a student said. Sundari, a teacher who accompanied the group of students thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ISRO for the mission and said that the students are very excited. "A very happy moment for us. It is exciting for us to be here. Students are very excited to see Chandrayaan-3 launch live. We are thankful to PM Modi and ISRO...", she said. July 14, 2023 will always be etched in golden letters in the annals of Indias space sector history, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with only hours left for the launch of the much-awaited Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar mission. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation, PM Modi tweeted. The GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle, which will release the moon lander and rover into space, will lift off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota at 14:35:17 pm. The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth. The Launch Rehearsal simulating the entire launch preparation and process was concluded earlier by the ISRO. Chandrayaan-3 will be ISRO's follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives. Chandrayaan-3s development phase commenced in January 2020 with the launch planned sometime in 2021, but the Covid-19 pandemic brought an unforeseen delay to the mission's progress. K Sivan, former director of ISRO, told ANI that the success of mission Chandrayan-3 will give a morale boost to programmes like Gaganyan, India's first manned space mission. (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday hit back at Devendra Fadnavis' "diplomacy" metaphor which the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister had used while explaining his party's decision to include Ajit Pawar-led NCP in their alliance. Sanjay Raut questioned BJP saying how come their alliance with NCP is "diplomacy" while the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance forged by the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in 2019, is referred to as "dishonesty". "Both Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis spoke about diplomacy yesterday. They said their alliance with NCP is diplomacy, then what was our alliance with NCP and Congress? What was MVA? if you do it then it is diplomacy and if we do it, it is dishonesty?" Raut asked. The Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson further added that the Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed to keep "dishonest" people out of power. "You people are dishonest. To keep people like you away from governance, we did the same diplomacy in 2019 like you," Raut said. Speaking at a party event, Fadnavis explained that the BJPs decision to include the Ajit Pawar-led faction of NCP can be described as a "diplomacy" to win the war against those who had betrayed the party. Some BJP leaders had recently expressed dissatisfaction over the induction of NCP leaders, whom their party had earlier accused of corruption, into their alliance. Responding to this Fadnavis said the BJP has an emotional friendship with the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena and a political friendship with the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. The Deputy Chief Minister further added that the NCP will also become "an emotional friend" of the BJP over the years. A few weeks back, in a surprise move, NCP's Ajit Pawar joined hands with the Shiv Sena-BJP, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)
Implementation of the proposed Uniform Civil Code has to take several factors into consideration such as Hindu Undivided Family and traditions related to some indigenous populations where the inheritance is matrilineal, say experts. Famous lawyer Karuna Nundy said that Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) is one the most widespread entities used to run businesses. "The HUF structure applies only to Hindus and not to other religions," she said. "Will this be abolished by a UCC?" advocate Nundy asked. Advocate Karuna Nundy said that there is a strong indication that the UCC will not touch tribal populations. "In Northeast India, states like Meghalaya have many indigenous populations where the inheritance is matrilineal and governed by the sixth schedule. It is protected constitutionally so UCC can't go against that," she said. Advocate Nundy further raised the point that there is no indication that UCC would deal with any major problems relating to gender equality. There is no indication that community property between husband and wife will be equally divided. Law on permanent alimony for Hindu women is regressive, she added. Meanwhile, various lawyers have called the UCC progressive and indicated that it may solve issues relating to the oppressed class, especially women. Some legal experts have opined that though the Uniform Civil Code is complex legislation, it is progressive. On the other side, Advocate MR Shamshad said that the process of identifying the issues to make uniform laws itself is fundamental as it appears that the government wants to take up issues relating to Muslims family laws under the garb of UCC and not of other civil rights of SCs and another woman. "You have a recent example of Talaq legislation where the same action is criminal for Muslims but not for the others," he said. "It should not be done with the majoritarian urge to discipline one or two communities under the garb of gender justice and plea of national integrity," Advocate Shamshad said. The basic law, constitution of India, is not uniform; it gives accommodation to communities, castes, regions and religions, advocate Shamshad said. Article 44 of the Constitution of India says that the State shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) throughout India. UCC is a common set of laws dealing with marriage, inheritance adoption and other matters and not based on religion. However, opposition parties and the ruling government have locked horns over the issue. With regard to the reference dated June 17 in 2016, sent by the Ministry of Law and Justice, the 22nd Law Commission of India examined the subject matter of the Uniform Civil Code. The 22nd Law Commission of India had decided again to solicit the views and ideas of the public at large and recognized religious organizations about the Uniform Civil Code and asked the interested ones to present their opinions by July 14. According to noted lawyer Ashish Dixit, the Law Commission can only give suggestions in the form of a report, which is strictly not binding on the Government. If Government is of the view that the time is right to implement UCC, it would require the approval of parliament, he further added. (ANI)
Union Minister Nityanand Rai strongly criticized the Bihar government, headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for the lathi charge during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) march in Patna on Thursday and likened Bihar CM to Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, who in 1919 carried out the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and demanded his resignation. He asserted that Bihar is currently witnessing "Jungle Raj 3" and held Nitish Kumar responsible for the death of party leader Vijay Singh. "BJP workers were protesting peacefully for the demand of employed teachers. But during this, the action taken by the police at the behest of the state government was barbaric like that of General Dyer, Mamata Banerjee and Congress," he added. "Instances of corruption are surfacing all across the state, and the manner in which the police acted, resorting to brutal action in Patna on BJP workers, makes it evident that Bihar is currently under Jungle Raj 3," Rai said. Massive clashes ensued in Bihar on Thursday between BJP workers and the Bihar police after leaders of the opposition party (BJP) attempted to march towards the Bihar Vidhan Sabha in protest against the Nitish governments teacher recruitment policy. Rai also said that the way the police started the Lathi charge, it is clear that it was a state government-sponsored action. "People's sentiment was visible on the streets on Thursday through those who participated in the march. It is clear from the way the police suddenly started the Lathi charge that it was a state government-sponsored action," he said. Hitting out at the Bihar government over the death of Jehanabad district general secretary Vijay Singh in an alleged police lathi charge, Rai said that it was "a pre-planned conspiracy". "The death of Jehanabad district general secretary Vijay Singh in an alleged police lathi charge in Patna was "a pre-planned conspiracy" of the Nitish Kumar government to stop people of the state from demanding their rights and justice," Rai said. He said Its not a natural death, and demanded the resignation of the Bihar CM and action against the people behind the BJP leaders death. (ANI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team for successfully launching the Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time. "10..9876..5..4..3..21.. And #Chandrayaan3 launched ! What an exciting sight and moment ! Our @isro launches #Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Salute and congratulations to #TeamIsro! Jai Hind," Fadnavis tweeted. Earlier today, Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time. The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth. Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the countrys abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO's follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives. Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory after the orbit raising maneuvers. Covering a distance of over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments onboard will study the Moons surface and enhance our knowledge. Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a lander, a rover and a propulsion module. It weighs around 3,900 kilograms. Moon serves as a repository of the Earths past and a successful lunar mission by India will help enhance life on Earth while also enabling it explore the rest of the solar system and beyond. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday congratulated the entire team of Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) scientists for launching the Chandrayaan-3 and termed it as "New Flight of New India". "New Flight of New India". Congratulations to the entire team of @isro including great scientists of the country for the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3. The country is moving towards creating a new history under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji. Jai Hind!" CM Dhami tweeted. Earlier today, Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time. The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth. Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the countrys abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO's follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives. Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory after the orbit raising maneuvers. Covering a distance of over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments onboard will study the Moons surface and enhance our knowledge. Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a lander, a rover and a propulsion module. It weighs around 3,900 kilograms. Moon serves as a repository of the Earths past and a successful lunar mission by India will help enhance life on Earth while also enabling it explore the rest of the solar system and beyond. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Fridaylauded the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) performance in the West Bengal Panchayat Polls despite the violence witnessed during the elections. "Even bloodcurdling violence in West Bengal could not stop the BJP from putting up a stellar performance in Panchayat Election. The BJP nearly doubled its seat tally from the previous election, indicating a significant rise in the trust placed by the people," Amit Shah tweeted. "This shows that the people's affection lies with PM@narendramodiJi-led BJP, and will surely lead the party to meteoric heights in Lok Sabha and assembly polls," he said in a tweet. Amit Shah expressed his gratitude to the people of West Bengal and congratulated Sukanta Majumdar and the party workers who remained steadfast despite adverse circumstances. Amit Shah further expressed gratitude to the people of West Bengal. "My heartfelt gratitude to the people of West Bengal and many Congratulations to Shri @DrSukantaBJP, Shri @SuvenduWB and the Karyakartas who stood firm with the party despite mercilessly adverse circumstances," Shah tweeted. The Panchayat elections in West Bengal took place on July 8 and counting of the votes for 63,229 -Gram Panchayat seats took place on July 11. TMC has won in 28,985 and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 7,764 seats while Congress has secured 2,022 seats so far. TMC was leading on 1,540 panchayat seats while BJP was leading on 417, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has won 2,409 seats and is leading in 260 seats. Other parties won 725 seats and leading on 23 seats, while independents which included TMC rebels won 1,656 seats and are maintaining a led in 104 seats. Elections were held on July 8 under t vight security, with approximately 5.67 crore voters participating and deciding the fate of 2.06 lakh candidates vying for 73,887 seats in rural areas of West Bengal. However, the voting day was marred with widespread violence, looting of ballots papers and rigging. There were reports of booth capturing, damaging of ballot boxes and assault of presiding officers from several districts such as Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur and Nadia. Reports also emerged of ballot boxes being set on fire and clashes between political parties in different locations. As a result, re-polling was conducted in 697 booths across 22 Zilla Parishads, 9,730 Panchayat Samitis, and 63,239 Gram Panchayat seats in 19 districts of the state. The re-polling process was conducted under the supervision of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) without any reports of violence. (ANI)
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan adjourned the matter for further hearing of Mallik after it was informed that senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing him in the case, was not available.

Malik's counsel urged the bench to post the matter for hearing next week as Sibal was not available.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju told the bench that Malik had approached the Supreme Court against the adjournment granted on his interim bail plea by the High Court but now that his petition has been decided, the plea before the top court has become infructuous.

He said the NCP leader is required to file a fresh petition as the Bombay High Court has already decided his plea for interim bail on Thursday and rejected it.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday declined the petition of jailed leader seeking bail on medical grounds.

Malik, while seeking bail on health grounds had claimed he was suffering from a chronic kidney disease apart from various other ailments. He also sought bail on merits.

On May 16, the apex court had requested the high court to take up his bail application for a hearing.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrested Malik in February 2022 alleging that he usurped a property in Kurla with the help of Dawood Ibrahim's late sister Haseena Parkar between 1999-2006.

ED alleged that since Parkar handled Dawoods illegal businesses, the money was ultimately used for terror funding. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched a series of attacks against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is waning and that the decline of the BJP has initiated in Karnataka. Speaking in the legislative council on Friday, Siddaramaiah said, "The decline of BJP has begun from Karnataka. PM Narendra Modis influence is diminishing. BJP's loss in all the places, where Modi campaigned is the proof for this." He explained in detail about how BJP and Narendra Modi are moving away from people and becoming anti-people. "During the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi visited the state 28 times. None of the previous Prime Ministers followed this trend. Governing the country used to be the priority of other Prime Ministers. They never ran around so much during elections," he said. "Congress has won with huge margins in the assembly elections in and around the constituencies where Modi held road shows and campaigned for BJP. Therefore you accept that Modis charisma is diminishing. He advised BJP not to depend on Modi, henceforth," Siddaramaiah added. The Chief Minister also mentioned various factors that resulted in the victory of Congress in the Karnataka election and said Congress believes in the theory that the economy will grow only if poor and middle-class people have money. "Congress announced and implemented five guarantees. Congress believes in the theory that the economy will grow only if poor and middle-class people have money. But BJP has the mindset to take money away from peoples pockets and this has caused its defeat," he said Chief Minister explained the 2000-year-old harmonious tradition of Kannada soil by citing Pampa bloomed Kannada culture with the value Manushya Jati Tanonde Valam - Human race is one. "Our Constitution has imbibed the values proposed by Pampa to Basavanna. But Hitler was a dictator, who believed he, alone was the greatest. He is anti-human", Siddaramaiah said. While the CM was explaining how Hitler caused mass homicides due to his eccentricity, the BJP members obstructed him. Reacting to this, Siddaramaiah said, "Why are you angry, if I blame Hitler. Congress bagged 135 seats in the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ousting the ruling BJP, which got 66 seats while the Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19 seats in the results declared on May 13. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday informed that the first jammed gate of the ITO Barrage has been opened. CM Kejriwal said that the gate opening operation took nearly 20 hours after a diving team extracted the silt from under the water with a compressor. "After nearly 20 hours of non-stop toil, the first jammed gate of the ITO Barrage has been opened. A diving team extracted the silt from under the water with a compressor, then the gate was pulled up with a hydra crane," Arvind Kejriwal tweeted. He also thanked the Army Engineer Regiment and the divers for their efforts. "Soon all the five gates will be opened. Special thanks to the Army Engineer Regiment and the divers," he said. Earlier today Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal inspected the work to open 5 gates of Yamuna Barrage and said that they are trying to get these gates opened and bring the situation back to normal. The Chief Minister also expressed grief over the death of three children who drowned in a ditch, filled with water amid severe waterlogging in the national capital on Friday. "It is very unfortunate. Those three children went swimming in the river. We have warned so many times that do not go near the rivers. This is a very big crisis. Everyone should work together and not play the blame game," Kejriwal said. The city is witnessing a flood-like situation, with several areas inundated as the Yamuna River breached the danger mark following incessant rainfall, the highest recorded in the last 45 years. The present level of river water at Old Railway Bridge (ORB) at 09:00 PM on July was recorded at 208.07 Metres. Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted that Delhi will likely receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms for the next 4-5 days. (ANI)
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi will meet the leaders of North Eastern States Congress units except Assam on Saturday to discuss the election strategy for the upcoming general elections scheduled next year. The meeting will be held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 10 am. On Wednesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with leaders of the Uttarakhand Unit at the party headquarters in Delhi to review party preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls in 2024. During the meeting, former Chief Minister of Uttrakhand Harish Rawat and PCC Chief Karan Mahara also remained present. A similar meeting was held with leaders of Maharashtra Congress and discussed strategies to strengthen the party's roots in the state. During the meeting, they held discussions with the leaders of the Maharashtra Congress and took stock of the prevailing political situation, chalking out a three-point strategy to strengthen its base in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Loksabha elections and assembly polls in the state. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal, said that three major decisions were taken in the meeting. All the senior leaders of the party will take responsibility for their Parliamentary constituencies. Secondly, from the month of September a padayatra (foot march) will be carried out in every district of the state under a senior leader, which will be followed by a bus yatra in the month of December when all the leaders will jointly visit all the constituencies together, Venugopal said. The meeting was quite fruitful and lasted for four hours and all the leaders have a unanimous belief that the Congress will sweep the parliamentary elections in Maharashtra. During the meeting Rahul Gandhi specially referred to the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra where he got a phenomenal response, which was among the best in the country, he said further. (ANI)
Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, IT and Industries Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao took to social media on Friday and stated that he intends to pursue strong legal action for the allegations made against him by Sukesh Chandrashekhar. He tweeted, "Just learnt from media that a delusional fraudster and a noted criminal called Sukesh has made some ludicrous allegations about me. I have never heard of this rogue and intend to pursue strong legal action against him for his nonsensical utterances." He also requested the media to be circumspect when publishing such claims from fibsters. "Request media also to be circumspect when publishing such wild comments/claims from fibsters," KTR said in his tweet. According to some media reports, earlier Sukesh Chandrashekhar in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that the close associates of BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha and Telangana Minister KTR offered Rs 100 crore, land at Shamshabad and a ticket in upcoming Assembly elections to him to retract his statements given to the ED about them. He had also allegedly claimed that he has the data of transactions and the recordings of the communications between them and urged investigation into the matter. Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Leena Maria Paulose and others are presently in judicial custody since last year in the case for allegedly duping Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Ranbaxy, Shivinder Singh, of Rs 200 crore. The Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in September 2021 had arrested actor Leena Maria Paul, wife of Sukesh Chandrasekar, for allegedly supporting her partner in cases of duping. Investigations revealed that the accused Sukesh Chandrasekar had duped Shivinder's wife Aditi Singh and Malvinder's wife Japna Singh worth several crores of rupees. The women claimed that they have paid crores of rupees to the conman to secure bail for their husbands and ensure their safety, posing as an officer from the Union Law Ministry. Chandrasekhar and his associates allegedly took money from Aditi after posing as government officials and promising to get bail for her husband. As per reports, Chandrasekhar persuaded Aditi to transfer money by impersonating a central government official over a spoof call while he was lodged in Rohini jail and promised to manage bail for her husband. Both Chandrasekhar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul were arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2021 for their alleged role in the duping case. (ANI)
Eastern wild turkeys in five southern U.S. states are unlikely to adjust the date of when they start nesting, even in the event of major future climate change, according to a recent study. The findings suggest eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) could be vulnerable to shifts in climate, which could threaten the availability of their food sources, the amount of vegetation cover available to protect them from predators, and other factors. There are implications here for turkey populations if individuals are inflexible in their ability to shift their reproductive activities, as resources are certainly going to change in the future, said Chris Moorman, professor in North Carolina State Universitys Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology Program. This could result in phenological mismatch, where the timing of an animals natural history doesnt match up with the food and cover resources that are critical for successful reproduction and survival. After overhunting and habitat loss drove wild turkeys almost to extinction, the species is now common throughout North America.However, a recent survey reported wild turkey populations in the southeastern United States have been in decline since 2009.North Carolina has a stable population as estimated by hunting harvests,but some southern states have set hunting restrictions in an attempt to stop or reverse declines. Researchers acknowledge there are outstanding questions about the role of weather and climate change, emerging diseases, and other factors on turkeys. Turkeys are a highly adaptable species; this adaptability facilitated their ability to be restored, said the studys lead author Wesley Boone, a postdoctoral research scholar at NC State. We want to know if theyre going to be able to persist in a future with a changing climate, and changing landscapes, too. To determine the impact of climate change on turkey nesting, researchers tracked when eastern wild turkeys began nesting in five states in the Southeast across eight years. Working under safety protocols, researchers used nets to capture female turkeys. They attached GPS transmitters to monitor the turkeys location remotely to identify patterns in their movements that indicated turkeys had started incubating their nests, which is when they sit on their eggs to keep them warm. They visited nests to confirm their location and to see if one or more eggs had hatched. The researchers then used weather data gathered between 2014 and 2021 to see if temperature, rainfall, and the timing of spring green-up linked with the timing of when turkeys started nest incubation. They also projected whether turkey nest timing would shift by 2041-2060 under two climate-change scenarios. When they analyzed the timing for 717 total nests and 186 successful nests that hatched at least one egg, researchers found that temperature and rainfall were associated with slight changes in when turkeys began nesting. However, the changes were so slight that they could be measured in hours, and not days. When they looked at the relationship between climate change-related shifts in average precipitation and temperature changes, they found the timing of successful nests would change by less than three hours. The research team did not see any links between turkey nest timing and spring green-up. We did find relationships between nest timing, rainfall, and temperature, but when we projected that into the future, there is no biological relevance in the shift in timing, Boone said. However, the lack of change in response to a changing climate could be a problem because the critical food and cover resources linked with spring green-up are likely to shift earlier in the future. For many animals, there is variability around the timing of breeding that would allow individuals to adapt to availability of resources, Moorman said. We did not project drastic changes in the timing of when wild turkeys nest under climate change. Turkeys seem relatively inflexible as to when they reproduce nesting is initiated around the same time each year with only slight shifts in the timing, regardless of weather conditions. This is the first in a series of studies designed to understand the effects of climate change on reproduction of the eastern wild turkey. Future studies will explore other measures of turkey reproductive success, including whether temperature and precipitation affect the survival of turkey nests and the recently hatch young, which are called poults. The findings have implications for long-term turkey conservation, including the timing of hunting seasons. There could be a lot of factors interacting to cause declines, including timing of the hunting season, land-use change that impacts habitat, changes in predator populations, as well as weather, climate and diseases, Boone said. We need to begin chipping away at the questions to build a comprehensive understanding of the current and future threats to wild turkey population sustainability. (ANI)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has slammed the European Parliament for adopting a resolution on the situation in Manipur, terming it 'unacceptable'.The MEA official spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, said that such interference in India's affairs reflects a "colonial mindset". "We have seen that the European Parliament held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted a so-called Urgency Resolution," Arindam Bagchi said while responding to media queries on the development. "Such interference in India's internal affairs is unacceptable, and reflects a colonial mindset," he said. Arindam Bagchi said that Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary are aware of the situation in Manipur and are taking measures to maintain peace, harmony, law and order. The MEA spokesperson also advised the European Parliament to use its time more productively on internal issues. "Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order," he said. "The European Parliament would be well advised to utilize its time more productively on its internal issues," he added. Earlier on July 12, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra in a press briefing said that EU parliamentarians are being reached out and it has been made clear to them that it is a matter "absolutely internal to India." Notably, Manipur has seen ethnic violence after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3. Responding to a question on the European Parliament planning to adopt a resolution on Manipur, Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday said, "This is a matter totally internal to India. We are aware of what is happening in European Parliament. And we have made a reach out to the concerned EU parliamentarians, but we have made it very clear, this is a matter totally and absolutely internal to India." The statement of MEA comes after the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in Manipur calling on all sides to exercise restraint, and urging political leaders to "cease inflammatory statements." It urged authorities to allow an independent probe into the violence. The European Parliament called on the Indian government and all political actors and religious leaders to take measures to restore calm and ensure inclusive dialogue. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that Indian students who are pursuing a master's degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa. Earlier, Indian students were given two-year work visa. PM Modi made the announcement during his address to the Indian community at LA Seine Musicale in Paris. He also received a gala welcome from the people gathered there. The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a 2-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Masters in France will be given long-term post-study visa of 5 years, said PM Modi in his address. The Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport. PM Modi called his visit to France "special" as France is celebrating its National Day and congratulated the people on the occasion. He is attending the National Day Parade of France with French President Emmanuel Macron and called it a reflection of the "unbreakable friendship between India and France." The Prime Minister during his address also lauded Indias growth in UPI. PM Modi also said that in France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI...It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in Eiffel Tower. He also said that very few people know that India and France are working on archaeological missions for a long time. It's expanded from Chandigarh to Ladakh. Digital infrastructure is another sector that strengthens the ties between India and France, he added. Prime Minister Modi will be attending the Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour on invitation by Emmanuel Macron, President of France. This visit also marks the celebration of 25th anniversary of India-France Strategic Partnership. (ANI)
In a historic moment, French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (local time). It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi becomes the first Indian PM to receive this honour. PM Modi thanked French President Macron for the honour on behalf of the people of India. The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace where Macron hosted PM Modi for a private dinner. "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on 13 July 2023, by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the Ministry of External Affairs said in the statement. Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet stated, "A warm gesture embodying the spirit of India-France partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron." In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has been received by select prominent leaders and eminent personalities from across the world. These include the former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, among others. This honour given by France is yet another one in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on PM Modi. These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019, Order of St. Andrew award by Russia in 2019, Order of Zayed Award by UAE in 2019, Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan by Afghanistan in 2016 and Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud by Saudia Arabia in 2016. Earlier on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted PM Narendra Modi for a private dinner at his official residence, Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (local time). PM Modi was received by French President Emmanuel Macron and French First Lady Brigitte Macron. The Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the issues regarding the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards in Reunion Island have been resolved. He said that OCI cards are being issued there and the government is now trying to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe. While interacting with the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris, PM Modi said, "Every Indian living abroad is as much a priority for us as my countryman living in India." "A few years back, when NITI Aayog was formed, we gave a proper place to the potential and contribution of the Indian diaspora. I am happy to say that the issues regarding OCI cards in Reunion Island have been resolved now. Now, OCI cards are being issued there," Modi said. "We are also trying to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe," he added. PM Modi also spoke about academicians and professionals in other countries who want to know how they can relate their experience, and knowledge with India. He said that it has been made easier for academicians and professors to teach in Indian institutions. "Friends, there are many people in France and other nations who are associated with academia and research, such as teachers and professors. When I meet such academicians and professionals abroad, they also say that how can they relate their experience, knowledge and experience with India. And let me give you some good news that we have respected these teachers as well. It has been made easier for such friends to teach in Indian institutions," PM Modi said. He announced thatIndian students who are pursuing a master's degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa. "The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a 2-year post-study work visa. Now it has also been decided that Indians pursuing Masters in France will be given a long-term post-study-visa of 5 years," PM Modi said. PM Modi also announced that the Indian government has decided to open a new consulate in Marseille. He announced that India and France have agreed to use UPI in France and it will begin from Eiffel Tower. In his address, PM Modi said, "Be it India's UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction. India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower." In his remarks, PM Modi said that India and France are working on archaeological missions for a long time. He stressed that digital infrastructure strengthens the ties between two nations. "Very few people know that India and France are working on archaeological missions for a long time. It's expanded from Chandigarh to Ladakh. Digital infrastructure is another sector that strengthens the ties between India and France," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport. On Friday, PM Modi will be attending the Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour on the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. PM Modi's France visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the "strategic partnership" between the two countries. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that he has come to France with a resolve to create a bright future for India and its upcoming generation and that his whole body and time is for his countrymen. "Today's India is finding permanent solutions to its current challenges, problems that have been going on for decades. India is determined that it will neither miss any opportunity nor waste a moment's time. We are working with full force to make the future of the country bright, to make the future of the coming generation bright," PM Modi said while addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris. "And my friends, I would like to tell you on my behalf...Mai Sankalp Lekar Nikla Hun..Mere Sharir Ka Kan-Kan Aur Samay Ka Pal-Pal Sirf Aap Logon Ke Liye Hai..Deshwasiyon Ke Liye Hai...(I have left with a resolve. Every part of my body and each and every moment of my time is only and only for you..is for my countrymen)," PM Modi said. In his address, PM Modi also noted that India is witnessing a big change and that the command of this lies with its citizens. "Today, the land of India is witnessing a big change, and the command of this change lies with its citizens, with the sisters, daughters and with the youth of India," PM Modi said while adding that the whole world is full of new hope for India. PM Modi also pointed out that 46 per cent of the world's real-time digital transactions take place in India. He even dared people sitting in the audience to visit India without carrying cash with them and make all the payments through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) instant payment system. "Today 46 per cent of the world's real-time digital transactions take place in India. I would like to challenge you all as well that next time when you come to India, don't carry any cash with you. All you need is just a UPI app on your smartphone and you can travel all over India and live without cash," PM Modi said. Modi in his address also said, "Be it India's UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction." "India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower," he added. PM Modi also called India the "mother of democracy" and a "model of diversity." Modi also invited members of the Indian diaspora to come and invest in India. PM Modi also acknowledged that the world is moving towards new world order and added that the capability and the role of India is changing fast. He also spoke about India's G20 Presidency. "Today, the world is moving towards new world order. The capability and the role of India is changing fast. At this time, India is the President of the G20 group. It's for the first time, in a country's Presidency, that more than 200 meetings are being held across the country," PM Modi said. PM Modi said that Saint Thiruvalluvar's statue will be installed in France and called it a "great honour" for India. He said that the issues regarding the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards in Reunion Island have been resolved. He further stated that the government is now trying to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe. PM Modi is in France on a two-day visit as he has been invited as a Guest of Honour by French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day celebrations on July 14. He landed in Paris on Thursday and was welcomed by his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne.(ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and France's first lady Brigitte Macron for hosting him at the Elysee Palace. Taking to his official Twitter handle, PM Modi stated, "I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the lyse Palace this evening." Upon his arrival at Elysee Palace, the French President and his wife welcomed him. Emmanuel Macron hugged PM Modi near the entrance of the Elysee Palace to welcome him. The two leaders along with Brigitte Macron then posed for the cameras. During the private dinner, Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (local time). It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi becomes the first Indian PM to receive this honour. Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet stated, "A warm gesture embodying the spirit of India-France partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron." PM Modi is in France for a two-day official visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport.He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora in Paris. They accorded a warm welcome to PM Modi while raising slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram. PM Modi will join French President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day in Paris as the Guest of Honour on April 14. An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while Indian Air Force aircraft will perform a fly-past on the occasion. PM Modi's visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Prior to arriving for the dinner at Elysee Palace, PM Modi interacted with the Indian community in Paris. While sharing glimpses of his interaction with the Indian diaspora, PM Modi tweeted, "Glimpses from a memorable community programme in Paris. Gratitude to all those who joined us. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our diaspora." During his interaction, he highlighted the multifaceted linkages between India and France. He spoke about India's development in various sectors and invited diaspora members to invest in India. Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted, "PM highlighted the multi-faceted linkages between India & France. He appreciated the Indian community for bolstering bilateral ties. Highlighted the strides being made by India in different domains and invited the diaspora members to explore opportunities of investing in India." PM Modi also held a meeting with his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne and discussed furthering cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, energy, environment, education, mobility, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people ties. After the meeting, Prime Minister's Office tweeted, "PM @narendramodi held fruitful talks with PM @elisabeth_borne in Paris. The leaders reviewed various facets of India-France partnership as well as discussed measures to further strengthen the ties between both the countries." He also met French Senate President Gerard Larcher on Thursday at the Senate building, Palais du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Sharing details regarding the meeting, Prime Minister's Office in a press release said, "The discussions focused on wide range of areas including India's G20 priorities, democratic values in technology usage and cooperation between the two Upper Houses. Regional and global issues of mutual interest were also discussed." (ANI)
Muslim World League chief, Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa slammed terror outfits and said that they operate on distorting the image of religions while asserting that Islam and terrorism have nothing to do with each other. During his five-day visit to India, Al-Issa expressed concern over the escalating conflicts and wars worldwide. Regardless of the reasons behind these conflicts, he called for peace and love amongst all. Emphasising the significance of resolving the wars through dialogue and wisdom, Al-Issa said in an exclusive interview, So that they can be resolved, so we always support understanding and dialogue among them." When asked about terrorist organizations such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, Taliban, and Boko Haram, which pose serious threats to global peace, progress, and stability, the Muslim World League chief asserted that these organizations have nothing to do anything with religion. Shiekh Al-Issa said, These terrorist organisations dont represent anyone except themselves, they have no religion or country. The Islamic scholar also stated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has one of the strongest platforms to combat such ideas. We at the Muslim World League are working on uprooting these ideas from existence. They are ideological ideas, so thats why we need to face them in the ideological field and uproot these ideas, he added. Al-Issa has remained vocal against terrorism, and in an address to the Dialogue for Harmony among Religions, on Wednesday, he again took a dig at organisations that promote terrorism. Misconceptions, hate theories and wrong perceptions have expedited the road from radicalization to terrorism. To entrench power, many leaders have used hate narratives to ensure their own control and relevance, he said on Wednesday. Al-Issa, an Islamic scholar and renowned figure in global affairs also appealed to religious leaders, who according to him are the first in line to raise awareness on combating extremists who have taken arms. He said that he had no doubt that the role of religious leaders in this regard is very important. And of course, these ideas and these movements that take up arms, are based on distorting the image of these religions. And that is why religious leaders must take up their roles to confront them. The Muslim World League chief also bemoaned the idea of relating terrorism with Islam. Of course, terrorism which is falsely acclaimed related to Islam, the Muslim religious leaders are playing a big role in making this disassociation that Islam and terrorism have nothing to do with each other, he said. Through Muslim World League, which is the biggest umbrella for Muslim leaders around the world, Al-Issa said, we are taking up this issue and combating terrorism. He also underlined the need for dialogue, understanding, and ideological efforts to combat terrorism and promote peace. He also underscored that many Indian Muslim scholars have signed the Charter of Mecca, an important document in Islamic history, which confronts the ideas of extremism and terrorism. More than 1,200 mufti and senior scholars of the Islamic world are part of this charter and it has been signed by over 4,500 Islamic thinkers, said Al-Issa. The timing of Al-Issa's visit to India is very significant as he is close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Moreover, PM Modi is also travelling to the United Arab Emirates on July 15 to meet President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expand bilateral ties. Al-Issa who is the current Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), is on a five-day visit to India that began on July 10. He is an Islamic scholar and a leading voice on moderate Islam. He is also a promoter of inter-faith dialogue and world peace. Before being appointed as the Secretary General of the Muslim World League in 2016, Al-Issa served as the Minister of Justice in the Saudi Cabinet. (ANI)
China has been able to aggressively target the United Kingdom because of Londons failure to develop an effective strategy for dealing with the national security threats from Beijing, theBBC reported, citing a report by the Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). Accusing the UK government of failing to recognise the issues involved, the report stated that China has penetrated "every sector" of the UK's economy. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that the government had taken measures to prevent interference by reducing Britain's reliance on Chinese technology, but he wanted to have "open" and "constructive" relations with China, adding that he was "keenly aware" there was more to do, the BBC noted in its report. "China's size, ambition and capability have enabled it to successfully penetrate every sector of the UK's economy, stated the report, which was critical of the Conservative government. It added that the level of resources dedicated to tackling the threat of China's "whole-of-state" approach "has been completely inadequate. "The nature of China's engagement, influence and interference activity may be difficult to detect," the report stated further. Further as per the report, what is even more concerning is the fact that the government may not previously have been looking for it. The intelligence agencies' focus on covert Chinese activity meant that they did not even recognise that they had any responsibility for countering Chinese interference activity in the UK, BBC stated in its report. The report took a critical view ofChina's alleged interference in UK academia, targeting of industry and technology, investment deals involving China and its alleged involvement in the UK's critical national infrastructure. The report stated further that Chinese investment in the UK, has gone unchecked. It also expressed "serious concern" at the fact that the government, in the committee's view, "does not want there to be any meaningful scrutiny of sensitive investment deals". The government has shown very little interest in warnings from academia, about China's leveraging of fees and funding, influence over UK academics through inducements and intimidation and the monitoring and controlling of Chinese students, the report went further. It added that some academic institutions "seem to be turning a blind eye" to such efforts, "happy simply to take the money". The report also raised concerns on overt Chinese acquisition routes being welcomed by the government "regardless of the risks to national security." Expressing grave concerns on the matter, Committee Chairman Julian Lewis termed the situation a nightmare scenario. "We are on a trajectory for the nightmare scenario where China steals blueprints, sets standards, and builds products, exerting political and economic influence at every step, BBC stated further in the report. On Chinese investment in the UKs energy sector, the report has said that it is "naive to assume that allowing Chinese companies to exert influence over the UK's civil nuclear and energy sectors is not ceding control to the Chinese Communist Party". We question how any department can consider that a foreign country single-handedly running our nuclear power stations shouldn't give pause for thought," the report added. Responding to the report, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he still wanted to have "constructive" relations with China, but also acknowledged that it posed "an epoch-defining challenge to the international order". Sunak, who has reportedly been under pressure from some members in his party to take a tougher stance on China, said, "We are not complacent and are keenly aware that there is more to do." The UK PM also highlighted that the ISC probe began in 2019 and collected most of its evidence in 2020, which pre-dated security reviews in 2021 and 2023, the BBC reported. These comprehensive national security and international policy reviews considerably strengthen the UK's position on China. The government has already taken actions that are in line with many of the committee's recommendations," the BBC quoted Sunak as saying. However, ISC members expressed surprise at how long it has taken for a process to be put in place to identify and protect UK assets, calling it a serious failure and one that the UK may feel the consequences of for years to come. The committee recognises the difficult trade-offs involved in balancing security and prosperity, but it urges the government to ensure that it has its house in order such that security concerns are not constantly trumped by economic interest, BBC quoted the ISC members as saying in the report. (ANI)
A new collection of ancient texts on health preservation was launched on Thursday at the National Library of China, marking the first major achievement in a national project dedicated to collating and protecting ancient manuscripts on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Compiled by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, the new volume encompasses the contents from 74 TCM classics, showcasing valuable insights into health preservation.

TCM emphasizes the close relationship between lifestyle and health, advocating for the preservation of well-being in daily life.

Since 2010, experts and scholars from across the country have collaborated in the national project, selecting 2,289 traditional classics from a vast pool of 13,000 ancient TCM texts for reproduction and publication. The project has involved the participation of nearly 1,000 individuals.

Efforts should be redoubled to better protect and utilize ancient Chinese medicine texts in a bid to provide strong support for the development of TCM, said Yu Yanhong, an official with the National Health Commission.
The 10th Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Education was held in South Africa to ensure deeper cooperation in advancing research collaborations, exchange of students and staff mobility between higher education institutions within BRICS countries, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The declaration with 10-point agenda was adopted at the meeting and it will be submitted to BRICS Leadership Summit.

Taking to Twitter, Union MoS Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said, BRICS Nations have adopted the Declaration of the 10th Meeting BRICS Ministers of Education in Mpumalanga, South Africa and will be submitted to BRICS Leadership Summit. Ensured coordination and deeper cooperation on 10 agendas among the Member states.

https://twitter.com/RanjanRajkuma11/status/1679536927484026880?s=20

https://twitter.com/RanjanRajkuma11/status/1679531923968868353?s=20

Pleasure to participate in the 10th Meeting of the #BRICS Ministers of Education in South Africa. Ensured deeper cooperations in advancing research collaborations, exchange of students and staff mobility between higher education institutions within BRICS Member states, he said in an earlier tweet.(ANI)
Kenya has joined the list of countries that are getting a reality check after trusting China for development assistance, and later finding itself in the trap with its public services under the ambit of Beijing-based companies, Inside Over reported. It is known fact that China is using its growing capital resources to aggressively expand its influence worldwide through infrastructure investments, and the underdeveloped countries in Africa, that are already struggling from capital shortages, are the primary targets of Chinese debt and equity. These struggling countries often count upon China for trade, technology and equipment, and are found relying on Beijing to bolster their defence capabilities, stimulate their economies, improve infrastructure, and enhance public services. However, soon after working with Chinese entities, the experience turns distasteful for many of these countries and their institutions. While Beijing initially promotes its investment proposals as win-win deals for these countries, different contours of the agreement come into play after some time. A major African nation getting such a reality check is Kenya, Inside Over reported. The last decade witnessed Kenya forging strong trade ties with China while consistently sourcing a wide range of goods from the latter. The African nations involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative led to a substantial increase in imports from China, particularly to support its expanding infrastructure. Nevertheless, the trade balance always favoured China, as evidenced by Kenyas imports from China accounting for 97 per cent, while its exports to China being a paltry 3 per cent. The trade disparity between Kenya and China raises concerns about the sustainability and long-term benefits of their economic partnership, Inside Over reported. Another challenge for equitable bilateral relationship is the tendency of big Chinese companies, often state entities, to dominate the affairs in projects undertaken by them in Kenya. For example, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), a state-owned company, is widely engaged in infrastructure projects across the country. But, the company is a subject of criticism for its corrupt practices and discrimination against local communities which is also visible on social media. The construction of the Western Ring Road Project by the company is under public scrutiny for its high cost and plans to impose excessive toll fees on Kenyans. Similarly, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is experiencing difficulties due to negligence of CRBC in public projects. NMS had contracted the Chinese company for a project involving Water, Sewer Extensions, and Street Lighting in various areas of Nairobi. However, the civic authority is now accusing CRBC of failing to manage compliance issues, causing inconvenience to the public and even accidents. Notably, CRBC was sanctioned by the World Bank in 2009 for engaging in corrupt practices in the Philippines, Inside Over reported. CRBC has also established a subsidiary called Africa Star Railway Operation Company Limited (AFRISTAR) to work on railway infrastructure in the region. AFRISTAR was responsible for developing the communications and information system for the Kenyan Railway (KR) Corporations Standard Gauge Railway. While the system was commissioned and put into operation in 2017, it has been experiencing several issues since then. KR officials have repeatedly approached AFRISTAR for assistance, but the Chinese company has shifted the blame back to KR, claiming that the corporation failed to ensure timely maintenance of the system. AFRISTAR is now demanding a substantial payment to undertake system maintenance for several years. Furthermore, AFRISTAR has warned that any problems with train operations or passenger services will be the responsibility of KR, effectively absolving itself of liability if additional payment is not made, Inside Over reported. Fixated on increasing its profits, AFRISTAR has now started pressurizing the KR authorities for an increase in freight rates for the cargo clients. Going by its rigid stance on the matter, the Chinese company may even resort to halt the operations if its demands are not met. This has effectively made the railway hostage to Chinese dictate. The outcome of this standoff may add to a growing list of reasons why an unchecked reliance on China for development comes with challenges. Such instances may also push Kenya and other African countries towards more transparency, balanced trade, and careful scrutiny of investment terms in Chinese proposals, Inside Over reported. (ANI)
Secretary General of the Muslim World League and President of the International Islamic Halal Organisation, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, said India is a great example of Unity in Diversity and his visit to the Akshardham temple in the national capital on Thursday only served to reinforce the belief. Al-Issa, who is on a five-day visit to India, spent three hours at the Swaminarayan Akshardham on Thursday. On visit to the shrine, which draws visitors from across the globe, he said, "India is a great example of Unity in Diversity and my visit to Akshardham - a place of worship, full of love, peace and harmony, sums it up." Al-Issa said he witnessed Akshardham's art, architecture, culture and values while also notingits glorious contribution to the world. "It was also his personal desire to interact with the Swamis regarding world peace, harmony and coexistence," a press statement read. The secretary general of the Muslim World League said he was delighted to meet Swami Brahmaviharidas again after their last interaction in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, at the very first-of-its-kind global interfaith conference in 2022. He said he was fascinated by the design of the stone parikrama and the meaningful carvings of Akshardham together with the scale and detail of the work. "He was interested to know about the life, works and messages of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the gurus of BAPS, especially HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj saying, 'His eyes say it all. The message of calm, peace and harmony flows out from his aura'," the statement read. "He walked around the Gajendra Pith and appreciated the values of religious harmony and family unity. However, the Sanskruti Vihar boat ride that displays the thousands of years of Vedic culture and its final message of The world is one family resonated well with His Excellencys heart," it added.Al-Issa was happy to sit with Swami Brahmaviharidas for a dialogue on shared values of human harmony and common goals for a peaceful world, it informed further. While appreciating the ongoing global social and spiritual work of the BAPS Sanstha, he was deeply touched by the spiritual vows of the swamis and how humility and spirituality can help create world peace and harmony, the release added. Al-Issa said he was delighted to know about the upcoming iconic and historic BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi and how it is destined to become a spiritual oasis for global harmony. A special golden Amrut Kalash a pot of perfection was presented with prayers for peace and a miniature model of Akshardham was gifted as love, the release added. While his visit culminated with amultimedia Sahaj-Anand water show, Al-Issa invited the Swamis to Riyadh and shared his commitment to collectively create a happier and more peaceful world. (ANI)
Ahead of the French National Day celebrations, President Emmanuel Macron on Friday extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade. India and France are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership made of trust and friendship, which are only getting stronger with time. Dear @NarendraModi, welcome to Paris. Macron tweeted. He later tweeted the same message in Hindi, saying, "Bharat aur France 25 saal ki Ranneetik saajhedaari tatha vishwas aur dosti ke sadaiv majboot bandhan ka jashn mana rahe hain. Priya Narendra Modi, Paris mein hardik swagat." https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1679715692055068672?s=20 PM Modi arrived in Paris on Thursday to a ceremonial welcome. He was recieved by his France counterpart Elisabeth Borne and later addressed the Indian diaspora in the France capital. An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force as part of the military contingent, are also set to participate in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees, Paris. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution. This year the Bastille Day Parade will have about 6,300 soldiers in various marching contingents. This includes a tri-services contingent of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The Indian Army is being represented by the Punjab Regiment. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both World Wars, having been awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours in the first war. The Punjab Regiment participated in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in France in September 1915 during World War One. The regiment also won 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours in the Second World War. Earlier, PM Modi also thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and France's First Lady Brigitte Macron for hosting him at the Elysee Palace. Taking to his official Twitter handle, PM Modi stated, "I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the lyse Palace this evening." On his arrival at Elysee Palace, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed by French President and First Lady. During the private dinner, Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (local time). It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi becomes the first Indian PM to receive this honour. Prior to arriving for the dinner at Elysee Palace, PM Modi interacted with the Indian community in Paris, where he highlighted the multifaceted linkages between India and France. He spoke about India's development in various sectors and invited diaspora members to invest in India. PM Modi also held a meeting with his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne, with the discussions on furthering cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, energy, environment, education, mobility, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people ties. He also met French Senate President Gerard Larcher on Thursday at the Senate building, Palais du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. The two-day official visit is special because this year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. PM Modi's visit is expected to herald the next phase in the India-France Strategic Partnership by setting new and ambitious goals for our strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, and economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries, the official statement read. (ANI)
Chinese hackers breached the email of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and State Department officials in the weeks before State Secretary Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June, New York Times reported citing US officials. The investigation is underway but the US officials, on Wednesday, downplayed the idea that the Chinese hackers, who are likely to be part of the military or spy services, have stolen the sensitive information, insisting that no classified email or cloud systems were penetrated. The State Departments cybersecurity team first discovered the intrusion. Raimondo, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of Beijing in the administration, was among the targets, according to two U.S. officials. Recently, she tightened export controls on China, threatening to cut off the countrys supply of US semiconductor technology if it provides the chips to Russia. Raimondo is also expected to visit China by the end of the summer, reported New York Times. Based on their preliminary investigation, officials believe she was the only cabinet-level official to be successfully hacked. The hackers were not able to acquire emails in Blinkens Microsoft 365 account, even as they got access to other State Department email boxes, officials said. Multiple officials said the attack was aimed at individual email accounts, rather than a large-scale exfiltration of data, which Chinese hackers are suspected of having done before. US President Joe Biden's administration officials declined to give a full accounting of which the hackers had targeted officials. Earlier, on Tuesday, Microsoft revealed that the Chinese hackers with the intention to collect intelligence on the US have gained access to government email accounts. The attack was targeted, according to a person briefed on the intrusion into the government networks, with the hackers going after specific accounts rather than carrying out a broad-brush intrusion that would suck up enormous amounts of data, as per the New York Times. It is pertinent to mention that the State Department discovered the intrusion on June 16 and informed Microsoft that day, just ahead of Blinkens trip to Beijing, a US official said. He departed from Washington that evening. After Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen also visited Beijing. President Biden and Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier, agreed in a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, last November to try to stabilize relations, but tensions between the two nations ramped up when the Pentagon discovered and shot down a Chinese spy balloon that was floating over the continental United States in early February. After the discovery of the spy balloon hovering in US skies, Blinken's visit to China in February was cancelled. In a statement on Wednesday, the State Department said that after detecting anomalous activity, the government took steps to secure the systems and will continue to closely monitor and quickly respond to any further activity. After the State Department reported the hack to Microsoft, the company found that the hackers had also targeted some 25 organizations, including government agencies, according to New York Times. (ANI)
Muslim World League Secretary General Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who is on a five-day visit to India, offered Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid in Delhi. Ahead of the prayer, Al-Issa met Ahmed Bukhari, Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid. On Thursday, the President of the International Islamic Halal Organisation, spent three hours at the Swaminarayan Akshardham, saying India is a great example of Unity in Diversity and his visit to the Akshardham temple in the national capital only served to reinforce the belief. On a visit to the shrine, which draws visitors from across the globe, he said, "India is a great example of Unity in Diversity and my visit to Akshardham - a place of worship, full of love, peace and harmony, sums it up." Al-Issa said he witnessed Akshardham's art, architecture, culture and values while also noting its glorious contribution to the world. "It was also his personal desire to interact with the Swamis regarding world peace, harmony and coexistence," a press statement read. The Muslim World League Secretary General, on Wednesday, called on President Droupadi Murmu. The President stated that India, as a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, celebrates unity in diversity. More than 200 million Indian Muslim brothers and sisters make us the country with the second largest population of Muslims in the world, she said. Later, Al-Issa addressed the 'Dialogue for Harmony among Religions', an event organised in collaboration with Global Foundation for Civilisational Harmony (India) on Wednesday. In his address, he lauded Indian philosophy and tradition that taught harmony to the world and said that he salutes the democracy and Constitution of India. Hailing the Indian philosophy and tradition, Al-Issa said, "I salute the Indian democracy, I salute the Constitution of India. I salute the Indian philosophy and tradition that taught harmony to the world." He further issued a piece of advice to religious leaders saying there was a need to protect and guide the next generation. Whenever there is a lack of dialogue between two, misunderstandings and problems arise. It is hence important that a bridge for dialogue should be built. In order to prevent the civilizational clash, we need to protect and guide the next generation from childhood, said Al-Issa. Al-Issa, who is an Islamic scholar and renowned figure in global affairs, also stressed the need to stand against the narratives on the clash of civilisations and religious hatred. During his visit to India, Al-Issa also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and held discussions on furthering the inter-faith dialogue, countering extremist ideologies, promoting global peace and also deepening the partnership between India and Saudi Arabia. (ANI)
India and Ukraine held the ninth round of the India-Ukraine Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Kyiv and exchanged perspectives on the ongoing Moscow and Kyiv conflict and peace efforts. Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma co-chaired the 9th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) with Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Ministry Emine Dzhaparova on Thursday,according to the statement released by MEA. "The two sides reviewed bilateral ties in their entirety and also exchanged perspectives on the ongoing conflict and peace efforts. Global and multilateral issues of mutual interest were also on the agenda," the statement read. "During the visit, Secretary (West) called on Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine and discussed the ways to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. He also called on Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to the President of Ukraine. Secretary (West) also interacted with the Indian Diaspora and Ukrainian academia and think tanks," it added. Taking to her Twitter account, Emine Dzhaparova said, "Happy to greet@SanjayVermalFSin #Kyiv for Foreign office consultations. We discussed areas of our mutual cooperation & elaborated on #PeaceFormula of@ZelenskyyUa to ensure just and lasting peace. Confident Ukraine-India relationship will continue to prosper." Earlier in April, Emine Dzhaparova during her four-day visit to India said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy of democracy, dialogue and diversification is very important for Ukraine. She further said that India should be pragmatic in diversifying its energy resources, diversifying military contracts and diversifying political interaction." As my President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, extraordinary times need extraordinary decisions. So of course, Prime Minister Modi with his 3D policy of democracy, dialogue and, to my knowledge, its diversity. I think that this no-era-of-war and strategic application is really, really important," she added. "We hope that India and Ukraine will beeven though we are distant geographically, but we will become closer physically and politically and in many other ways," Dzhaparova added. During the visit, Secretary (West) is expected to call on Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk and Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the release added. (ANI)
Union Minister of State, V Muraleedharans productive visit to Syria has provided an opportunity to take the bilateral cooperation between the two nations to a higher level, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Muraleedharan was on an official visit to the Syrian Arab Republic from July 12-13, 2023 the first Ministerial-level visit from India to Syria since August 2016 The visit of MoS to Syria has been highly productive and provided an opportunity to find new ways and means to take the bilateral cooperation to a higher level, the MEA said in a statement. During the visit, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs called on Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and Prime Minister Hussein Arnous, and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties, including development partnership assistance, education and capacity building. The Syrian leadership widely appreciated Indias humanitarian support to Syria in the hour of need, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in February 2023, MEA stated. The MoS also announced 300 new scholarships to Syrian students for studying in India. He also conveyed that a consignment of anti-cancer medicines will be supplied to Syria at an early date. Muraleedharan also had a meeting with Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Fayssal Mekdad, on a wide-ranging matters of bilateral and multilateral matters. He also had a meeting with Syrian Minister of Health Hassan Al Ghabbash, where ways to strengthen health cooperation were discussed. He called on His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, and discussed the robust people-to-people ties between the two countries, especially between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and Kerala. The MoS along with Syrian Minister of Higher Education, Bassam Ibrahim, interacted with a group of Syrian students who have studied or are proceeding to study in India under Government of Indias scholarship scheme. He also visited NextGen India Syria Center of Excellence in Information Technology (NexGen ISCE IT) in Damascus set up by India in 2021. Syrian Minister of Communications and Technology Iyad Mohammad Al-Khatib joined him at the Centre, the MEA further stated. Syria and India have historically shared cordial relations built on deep-rooted people-to-people ties. The Indian Embassy in Syria has remained open throughout the Syrian conflict. Many people visit India as tourists, businesspeople, and patients. This visit is expected to lend further momentum to the strong relationship between the two countries. India has contributed immensely to the capacity building of the Syrian youth over the years through scholarship schemes and training courses under the flagship ITEC programme, the official release read. (ANI)
The Khaama Press is an online news service for Afghanistan.

UNICEF Afghanistan tweeted on Thursday: In the first five months of this year, UNICEF supported treatment for 273,000 children with severe acute malnutrition, with approximately 60,000 treated in May alone.

Aid organizations have said that the surge in poverty since the Taliban took control of the country has contributed to an increase in childhood malnutrition, as per Khaama Press.

The organization last month reported that it had treated 48,800 severely malnourished children in Afghanistan in April. As per UNICEF, 56 per cent of the children treated are girls.

UNICEFs representative in Afghanistan, Fran Equiza said that about 2.3 million children in the country are expected to experience acute malnutrition this year. Among them, 875,000 children who suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a disease that can be fatal, need medical attention.

Equiza further emphasized that 840,000 pregnant or nursing women are in danger of acute malnutrition, which might impair their capacity to give their children the best care possible, according to Khaama Press. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday said India is responding to global challenges by pressing for diplomacy to address conflicts; promoting global cooperation and delegitimisation to counter terrorism; and advocating expanded resource access to help the Global South. The EAM was speaking at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta on Friday. Spoke at the ARF Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta this afternoon. Underlined that India is responding to global challenges by pressing for diplomacy to address conflicts, promoting global cooperation and delegitimisation to counter-terrorism, contributing to the diversification of supply chains for economic resilience and advocating expanded resource access to help the Global South, EAM Jaishankar tweeted on Friday. The EAMs speech focused on maritime matters. He stressed on the primacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and support for ASEANs position that it is the basis for determining entitlements. We are concerned about activities undermining peace and stability. Any Code of Conduct must not prejudice the rights and interests of third parties, the EAM said. On Myanmar, the EAM conveyed that India will take into account the views of ASEAN, advance the projects of India-ASEAN connectivity, and ensure stability and security in our border areas. On terrorism, Jaishankar emphasized that ARF members must adopt a uniform, unified and zero-tolerance approach. This includes dismantling sanctuaries and financing networks and countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. The EAM applauded Indonesias leadership in ensuring a strong and united commemoration forum statement. The Twenty-Sixth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial Conference, which were held in Singapore on July 23-25, 1993, agreed to establish the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The inaugural meeting of the ARF was held in Bangkok on July 25, 1994, as per ARFs official website. The ASEAN Regional Forum aims to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern and make contributions to efforts towards confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region. The EAM is on a six-day visit to Indonesia and Thailand since July 12 and his overseas engagements in these two countries will culminate on July 18. Jaishankar on Friday met Indonesian President Joko Widodo and affirmed his support to the latter for the chairship of the East Asia summit. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote: "Honored to meet President @jokowi. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. India supports Indonesias chairship of the East Asia summit." At the 13thEAS Foreign Ministers Meeting,Jaishankarconveyed that EAS must be committed to a free, open, inclusive and rules-basedIndo-Pacific, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. "India firmly supports the ASEAN Outlook on theIndo-Pacific(AOIP) and its implementation through EAS. There is great synergy between theIndo-PacificOceans Initiative (IPOI) proposed by India and AOIP," theEAMtweeted. "Quad will always complement ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms. AOIP contributes to the vision of the Quad. India affirms ASEAN centrality in theIndo-Pacificand advocates the strengthening of the EAS," he added. At the opening session of the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference in Jakarta on Thursday, the EAM said: "ASEAN is a crucial pillar of India's Act East policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. A strong and unified ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamic of the Indo-Pacific. India firmly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific." On the sidelines of the ASEAN events in Jakarta, Jaishankar met his Russian counterpart on Thursday and discussed issues regarding the regional and international agendas, including interaction within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS. Taking to Twitter, theEAMposted, "Met with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia in Jakarta today. Discussed bilateral economic issues, as also matters pertaining to the Ukraine conflict." The Russian Foreign Ministry also tweeted about the meeting betweenJaishankarand Lavrov on Thursday. The EAM also met British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and discussed the concerns related to the security of Indian diplomats. (ANI)
The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, famous for its legendary live music performances, is undertaking efforts together with academic partners and researchers to keep its musical heritage spanning over five decades alive and catapulting it into the digital era.

Alain Dufaux, executive director of the Cultural Heritage & Innovation Center (CHC) at the world-renowned Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) told Xinhua that digitizing and preserving the audio-visual collections and adding value were a top priority.

In partnership with the Claude Nobs Foundation and other sponsors, EPFL is in charge of the Montreux Jazz Digital Project to digitize and enrich the collection of the recordings and safeguard its long-term preservation.

"EPFL is digitizing the archives of the Montreux Jazz Festival in collaboration with the Claude Nobs Foundation. We set up the project already 15 years ago," Dufaux said.

According to the Claude Nobs Foundation, more than 5,000 concerts have so far been recorded -- totaling more than 11,000 hours of video and 6,000 hours of audio -- and 200,000 professional photographs have been digitized.

Swiss music promoter Claude Nobs who died in 2013 founded the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1967, and built it into an international festival and events platform for music lovers.

The foundation oversees the curation and conservation of Claude Nobs' audio and visual archives, which are one of the world's largest collections of live music recordings, and all of which were recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival since its inception.

"Nowadays, with AI we can do a lot of things such as finding the solo performances in the collection, where we have a guitar, how to enhance the quality of the videos," Dufaux commented.

"This year, together with the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music (IRCAM) in Paris, we have started to create new performances from the archive, involving AI co-creations. Such actions are organized by the Living Archive Research Group, a joint program driven by the School of Design and Art School of Valais (EDHEA), the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences of the University of Geneva (CISA), EPFL CHC, and the Artists in Lab program from the Zurich University of the Arts."

In 2013, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the Montreux Jazz Festival audio and visual collection in its international Memory of the World Register, the documentary equivalent of "World Heritage."

"We are trying to connect instruments and musicians to the memory of the Montreux Jazz Festival, using artificial intelligence and numeric tools for interactive and generative purposes," Dr. Christophe Fellay, head of the Sound Department at EDHEA, told Xinhua.

The 57th Montreux Jazz Festival from June 30 to July 15 drew 250,000 spectators to the shores of Lake of Geneva.

Asked about potential collaboration with Chinese AI experts and musicology researchers, Fellay said: "We can have partners in China, and of course, we can develop collaborations at the university level, that would be great."

Didier Grandjean, a professor at CISA, said: "We don't have a specific project with the Chinese at the moment."

"In the past, we did specific projects in China on the relationship between affection and emotion, and developed a model for China, India, the U.S., and many countries around the world."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron on the Champs-lyses. "To mark the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, 241-member tri-service Indian armed forces contingent led by a military band also participated in the Parade," the PMO said in a statement. The Indian Army contingent was led by the Punjab Regiment, along with the Rajputana Rifles Regiment. During the parade, the Indian military contingent marched to the patriotic tune of 'Sare Jahan Se Accha,' while a squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighters participated in a flypast over the Champs-Elysees at the Bastille Day Parade. Rafale Jets of the Indian Air Force, from the 101 Squadron from Hashimara, formed a part of the fly past during the parade. "A giant in world history, with a decisive role to play in the future, a strategic partner, a friend. We are proud to welcome India as our guest of honour at the 14 July parade," President Macron said. PM Modi and President Emmanuel Macron met notable dignitaries during the Bastille Day Parade in Paris. The Bastille Day Parade, which PM Modi attended as the Guest of Honour with Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, has concluded in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron received the guard of honour at Bastille Day Parade. July 14 marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, during the French Revolution, which symbolizes the democratic values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, the central theme of both the Indian and French constitutions. PM Modi and President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the Indian tri-services contingent flew over the Bastille Day Parade in Paris, showcasing the French national flag. They also saw French and Indian soldiers march along Paris's tree-lined Champs-Elysees avenue, as Rafale fighter planes purchased by India in 2015 flew above the Arc de Triomphe."It reminds us of the valour & courage of the Indian soldiers on the French soil during the World Wars," the Indian Army tweeted. IAF's Rafale jets flypast was showcased during the parade. Later, PM Modi attended the lunch hosted by the President of French National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet. PM Narendra Modi has become the first Indian Prime Minister to have been conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron. PM Modi has joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders including former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others. Prime Minister Modi highlighted that India and France cooperate and coordinate much more closely in international forums, as the two nations together launched the International Solar Alliance, and are working together on initiatives on biodiversity, elimination of single use plastic, disaster resilient infrastructure and conserving ocean resources. Our cooperation has become especially strong in the United Nations, whether it is in reforming the UN institutions, fighting climate change or combating terrorism. Most recently, we worked closely on President Macron's New Global Financing Pact Summit. We are both leaders in the initiative on No Money for Terror Financing, he said. India gave an initial nod to buy 26 Rafale aircraft for its navy and three Scorpene class submarines, strengthening defence ties with Paris. France has been Indias one of closest partners in Europe for decades. President Macron will also host PM Modi at the Elysee Palace for dialogue prior to a state banquet at the Louvre Museum.It is noteworthy that Macron has treated only a few global leaders to the Bastille Day military parade. (ANI)
During the Ukrainian-Indian political consultations held in Kyiv on July 13, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova invited India to participate in the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and called on Indian leaders to join the International Crimea Platform and participate in its third summit. The Crimea Platform is a new international consultation and coordination format initiated by Ukraine. It aims to increase the effectiveness of international response to the ongoing occupation of Crimea and mounting security threats, respond to growing security threats, increase international pressure on the Kremlin, prevent further human rights violations and protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the main goal to deoccupy Crimea and its peaceful return to Ukraine. The Crimea Platform is a diplomatic summit initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in August 2021 and the meeting was attended by delegations from 46 countries. "Both sides (Ukraine and India) exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral relations, including security issues in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, global energy and food crises, cooperation within international organizations, humanitarian aid and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine," Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said in an official release on Thursday. Emine Dzhaparova further briefed India about the current situation in Ukraine and the international support of their in countering Russian aggression. Both countries also discussed the issue of intensification of trade and economic ties between Ukraine and India, the implementation of certain economic projects, and the development of cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian sphere. Moroever, they further discussed "The issue of the proper functioning of the Ukraine-India Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, Industrial and Cultural Cooperation and holding its meetings on a regular basis," the official statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine added. India and Ukraine also agreed to continue work on creating effective inter-parliamentary interaction between Ukraine and India. The agreements reached during political consultations proved the willingness of the both countries to intensify cooperation in various areas of mutual interest, the statement said. The 9th round of Ukrainian-Indian political consultations took place in Kyiv on July 13 with the participation of Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India Sanjay Verma and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova. Sanjay Verma arrived in Kyiv on July 12 to exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest with his counterpart Emine Dzhaparova. Earlier in April, Emine Dzhaparova during her four-day visit to India said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy of democracy, dialogue and diversification is very important for Ukraine.She further said that India should be pragmatic in diversifying its energy resources, diversifying military contracts and in diversifying political interaction. "As my President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, extraordinary times need extraordinary decisions. So of course, Prime Minister Modi with his 3D policy of democracy, dialogue and, to my knowledge, its diversity. I think that this no-era-of-war and strategic application is really, really important," she added."We hope that India and Ukraine will beeven though we are distant geographically, but we will become closer physically and politically and in many other ways," Dzhaparova added. Moreover, the next round of political consultations was agreed to be held in New Delhi at a time convenient for both the countries, the statement added. (ANI)
Astronaut and aerospace engineer Thomas Pesquet praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he is thinking about space in the right way. He also congratulated India on the success of Chandrayaan-3 launch. Space is used in navigation system, disaster relief, for urban planning and PM Modi is focused on these things, said Pesquet. "I think he (PM Modi) is thinking about it (Space) the right way. Space does many things for you, but some are very short-term. Everyday navigation systems, disaster relief, using the images from space to doing public policy, or to doing urban planning, or to doing infrastructures. So that's step one, and that's what he's focused on," Thomas Pesquet said while speaking to ANI. "The next step is to do more like exploration, go further and deeper into space and look at deeper, meaningful questions, Presquet said. "I think India is on the right track. I think it's doing the right thing. Like I was saying, he (PM Modi) is taking a lot of good decisions. He's using space for his people, and that's what you should do. I think it's great," he added. "It is hugely difficult to have a space program. To send people into space is most difficult part of that. But I think India is going at an incredible speed towards that goal," he said. He also congratulated India on the launch of Chandrayaan-3 and said that he is hopeful India will soon send astronauts too into space. "Congratulations on Chandrayaan 3 launching to the moon, and then soon we'll see Indian astronauts... I think India is going to benefit from it," he added. Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota as per the scheduled launch time. (ANI)
Indian Ambassador to Iran, Rudra Gaurav Shresth, paid a visit to the Chabahar Port on Friday, marking his first visit to the port since assuming the charge as envoy. The visit comes soon after he presented his credentials to the Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi in the first week of July. Chabahar is an important project for India and it shows that the ambassador has chosen to visit Chabahar in his first official visit outside Tehran, a source told ANI. On his first visit to the Chabahar Port, the ambassador interacted with several senior port officials. The ports General Director, Engineer Asgari, Governor of Chabahar, Dr Sepahi and India Ports Global Limited Managing Director Sunil Mukundan and senior officials of the port also interacted with the envoy. Ambassador Rudra Gaurav Shresth is a career diplomat and a member of the Indian Foreign Service. He assumed charge as the Indian Ambassador to Iran in May 2023. Earlier in his career, Shresth worked in India's Diplomatic Missions in France, Mauritius, Afghanistan, Singapore, and Bhutan. He also served as India's High Commissioner to Mozambique from 2016 to 2019. The Chabahar Port holds strategic importance for India, and the country is developing the Chabahar Port in a phased manner. The country is developing the first phase of the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar. The capacity of the port will reach 8.5 8.5 million tonnes (MT) at the end of the first phase. In May 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a contract in Tehran on the Shahid Beheshti port of Chabahar, which includes, among other things, an investment of USD 85 million for the purchase of equipment for the port. Recently, PM Modi at the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, remarked that SCO members can work towards maximizing the utilization of the Chabahar Port followingIran's membership of the SCO, the official press release by Prime Minister's Office said. Chabahar Port is a seaport in the Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.It serves as Iran's only oceanic port and consists of two separate ports named Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.Its geographic proximity to Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) gives it the potential to develop into one of the most important commercial hubs. "The International North-South Transport Corridor can serve as a secure and efficient route for landlocked countries in Central Asia to access the Indian Ocean. We should strive to realize its full potential," the PM said, as per the release. He further mentioned the importance of better connectivity. "Strong connectivity is crucial for the progress of any region. Better connectivity not only enhances mutual trade but also fosters mutual trust. However, in these efforts, it is essential to uphold the basic principles of the SCO charter, particularly respecting the sovereignty and regional integrity of the Member States," the release said. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the people of India have taken the resolve to make the country a developed nation and France is a natural partner in this journey. "Bold and ambitious goals are being set for this. The people of India have taken the resolve to make ourselves a developed nation. In this journey, we see France as a natural partner...," he added. Highlighting the significance of the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between India and France, PM Modi said that India sees France as a natural partner in the journey of charting a roadmap for the next 25 years based on the solid foundation of the previous 25 years. We are celebrating 25 years of our strategic partnership. We are making a roadmap for the next 25 years on the basis of the strong foundation of the previous 25 years, PM Modi said during a joint press meeting held at Elysee Palace on Friday. Underlining the natural partnership between India and France, PM Modi highlighted the shared vision and goals that will shape the future trajectory of the bilateral relationship. PM Modi underlined the significance of defense as the bedrock of India-France ties, symbolizing the deep trust between the two nations. He highlighted France's role as an important partner in India's initiatives such as Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, aiming to fulfill not only their own defense requirements but also those of other friendly nations. Defence ties have always been the basic foundation of our relations. This is a symbol of the deep trust between the two nations. France is an important partner in Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat...Be it submarines or Indian Naval ships, together we want to fulfill not just ours but also the requirements of other friendly countries..., he said. "We will open a new Indian Consulate in the city of Marseille. We welcome the decision to grant long-term visas to people of Indian origin studying in France. I invite French universities to set up their campuses in India... Indian athletes are excited to participate in next year's Paris Olympics." Yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron conferred me with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France. It is not my honour but the honour of 140 crore people of the country, PM Modi added. Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the Bastille Day celebrations in France is a sign that the India-France strategic partnership is very close, strong and its role will increase in time to come. PM Modi attending July 14 Bastille Day celebrations as the guest of honour in Paris is a sign that India and France's strategic partnership is very close. It is very strong and its role will increase in the coming times, not only for both of us, not only for Europe and India but also for the whole world, the Indian Ambassador to France said. PM Modi, who is in France for a two-day visit, on Friday attended the lunch hosted by President of France's National Assembly Yal Braun-Pivet in Paris. Earlier on Friday,PM Modiattended the military parade on Frances National Day as the Chief Guest. The Bastille Day Parade took place under bright and sunny skies atChamps-lysesinParis. PM Moditook the ceremonial salute from the Indian contingent as they marched at the Champs-Elysees. French President Emmanuel Macron, First Lady Brigitte Macron, topped the dignitaries attending the Bastille Day Military Parade. The French fighter jets, which led the flypast, left a trail of smoke in the colours of the French national flag, red, blue and white, leaving the skies of Champs-Elysees bathing in its afterglow. Both the Indian and French troops marched with trumpets and drums. Macron received the Guard of Honour upon his arrival ahead of the military parade.Champs-lyseswas gilded in the colours of the French Flag. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution. (ANI)
Highlighting the "historic" trust between France and India, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that the two countries together can find solutions for global crises. Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Elysee Palace on Friday, President Emmanuel Macron envisioned India and Frances future plans for students saying by 2030 we want to send 30,000 French students to India. 2030 we want"...We can't forget the youth...By 2030, we want to send 30,000 French students there (to India)...For the young Indians who want to pursue higher education in France, we want to make a conducive visa policy...," Macron said. At the joint press meeting, the French President again highlighted the participation of the Indian contingent at the Bastille Day parade. He added, "...I was proud to see the Punjab Regiment here in the heart of Paris (at the Bastille Day parade). We are going ahead on the basis of a historic trust. Together we can find solutions for global crises..." Noting that defence ties have been a strong pillar of relations between India and France and a symbol of the deep trust, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the possibilities of co-development and said the two countries together want to fulfill not just ours but also requirements of other friendly countries. Addressing a joint press conference with President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi said France is an important partner in Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives." Defence ties have always been the basic foundation of our relations. This is a symbol of the deep trust between the two nations. France is an important partner in Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat...Be it submarines or Indian Naval ships, together we want to fulfill not just ours but also the requirements of other friendly countries...," he said. The Prime Minister noted that the two countries are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership.We are making a roadmap for the next 25 years on the basis of the strong foundation of the previous 25 years. Bold and ambitious goals are being set for this. The people of India have taken the resolve to make ourselves a developed nation. In this journey, we see France as a natural partner, he said. PM Modi also announced that Indian students who are pursuing a master's degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa. Earlier, Indian students were given two-year work visas. PM Modi made the announcement during his address to the Indian community at LA Seine Musicale in Paris on Thursday. He also received a gala welcome from the people gathered there. The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a 2-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Masters in France will be given long-term post-study visa of 5 years, said PM Modi in his address. Following their delegation-level talks with President Macron here, the two leaders issued a joint press statement. Prior to delivering a joint statement, PM Modi arrived at Elysee Palace in Paris and was received by French President Emmanuel Macron. Earlier in the day, along with Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, PM Modi attended the Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. (ANI)
The groundbreaking ceremony for the solar plant with a capacity of more than 17 megawatts of electricity in Wangdue Phodrang was held on Thursday. The plant is expected to be ready in a year and a half and will produce around 25 million units of energy in a year, Bhutan Live reported. The large-scale solar plant is being constructed on an area of more than 65 acres at Yongtru village in Sephu Gewog. According to Bhutan Live, the project will cost approximately USD 11 million, or more than 900 million ngultrum (Bhutanese currency). The Asian Development Bank will fund it through grants and low-interest loans. Once in operation, the plant is not only expected to enhance domestic production but also reinforce climate change resilience. Through the Sephu Solar Project, we are looking at how we can enhance the energy in the winter to meet our domestic demand. Due to economic development, now demand has increased and we are importing from India. Importing from India not only comes at a high price and exorbitant tariff but also the long-term assurance is not there, said Ugyen, project director of the Sephu Solar Project, Bhutan Live reported. We need sufficient energy to ensure that the people have continuous power and do not face any problems. After starting this solar project, we are expecting to generate about 500 megawatts of energy after three years, said Loknath Sharma, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources. The project will be constructed through a joint venture between a local construction company and an Indian company. The works are expected to finish by December of next year. And once complete, the Druk Green Power Corporation will take over the operation and maintenance responsibilities of the plant, Bhutan Live reported. The power that is generated from this Sephu Solar will be directly fed into the grid. So, this is the first at the mega scale. So, there will be no storage as such. Energy generated from this plant would be directly fed into the grid. On average in a year, so from this Sephu Solar Plant will alone 25 million units of energy will be generated, added the project director. The project also has plans to develop several basic infrastructures for the people. Number one we are also at the community level blacktopping the farm roads through this project, we also have a plan for starting a milk processing unit through this project, and we also have a plan to set up public outreach clinic health. And we also have a plan to provide fencings for the agricultural land through this project, and also we have watershed management of Sephu community, especially the drinking part, further added the project director, Bhutan Live reported. The attempt to provide a dependable electricity supply and lessen dependency on imports includes the development of the facility. By 2025 and 2030, respectively, the government hopes to produce 500 and 1,000 megawatts of electricity from solar power facilities. (ANI)
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict in detail and its impact on the developing countries. He said that the Prime Minister has been the biggest advocate that the conflict must be resolved with diplomacy. "In today's discussions between the two leaders (PM Modi-President Macron), there is a very clear understanding and appreciation of each other's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM Modi has been perhaps the strongest advocate of resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue on diplomacy," Foreign Secretary Kwatra said. "So when the two leaders meet like they met earlier today and yesterday also they discussed at length what the current status is of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But from our perspective, and I think this has been greatly appreciated by the friend side also. They also discussed what the impact of this conflict is on developing countries, the challenges, the exacerbating challenges of food security, and the growing uncertainty that it creates for the energy security rapid increase in fertilizer security challenges which can translate into food security challenges tomorrow. So all these things came up for comprehensive conversation between the two leaders and they shared their perspective," Kwatra added. Speaking on Defence ties, Kwatra said, "The 2047 Horizon document looks at security and sovereignty in a more holistic and a comprehensive manner rather than as a set of individual transactions. The reason for that is because the metrics of defence partnership are not defined by a single acquisition or a non-acquisition, single procurement or a single transaction." "The nature of India-France strategic partnership looks at all elements of our engagement. So the document talks of the two countries, India and France committed to cooperating on co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies," he added. "It also talks of India's intent to build its own defence industrial and technological base. This is a vision document. The underpinnings and the specifics of our defence partnership have been actually undertaking technology partnerships," Kwatra said on Defence ties between India and France. "You will find an entire range of full range actually of military exercises between the armed forces in terms of military-industrial cooperation, research design, and transfer of technology. Coproduction co-manufacturing is increasingly focused on in the years ahead. Supply chain integration between the manufacturing ecosystem, in the field of defence between the two countries. technology value chain integrations going forward between the two countries," Kwatra said further on defence. Without going into any details of helicopter engines or aero engines or any other aspects, Kwatra said that a lot of these are captured in the larger rubric of advanced defence technologies. "The Prime Minister is very clear that a lot of these things have to link into the priority of Atmanirbhar Bharat," the Foreign Secretary said. (ANI)
One person was killed and three others were wounded in a shooting Thursday in East St. Louis, Assistant Police Chief Nicholas Mueller said.

Aveon N. White, 28, of Florence Street, East St. Louis, was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:12 p.m., according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr

The identities of the three wounded people were not released. They drove to Touchette Regional Hospital in a private vehicle, and one of them was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital in critical condition, Mueller said.

Mueller said an officer was in the area of North 25th Street and Henrietta Avenue around 3:10 p.m. when he was flagged down by a female who said someone had been shot in the 2700 block of Ridge Avenue.

The officer found White lying in the middle of Ridge Avenue. He had been shot, and the officer found multiple shell casings in the road.

Mueller said police are investigating a motive for the shooting.

Illinois State Police Zone 6 Division of Criminal Investigations, at the request of the East St. Louis Police Department, responded to the scene to help investigate the shooting, according to a state police news release.
An employee works on the solar cell production line of a company in Ningjin, Hebei province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's foreign trade landscape is undergoing a green transformation as traditional export categories, such as clothing and furniture, make way for high-tech innovations in the new energy sector, typified by electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells, experts said.



They said that such a trend is buoyed by growing global market demand and favorable policies, and supported by the country's supply capacity and strong industrial chain. As the global green transformation continues to present business opportunities, further efforts are needed from companies to ramp up innovation to increase competitiveness and explore new markets.

The remarks came after Lyu Daliang, a spokesman for the General Administration of Customs, said on Thursday at a news conference that China's foreign trade structure continued to be optimized in the first half. The "new three" products, namely EVs, lithium batteries and solar cells, witnessed a 61.6 percent year-on-year growth in exports, driving up overall export growth by 1.8 percentage points.

Lyu said that private enterprises have been the driving force behind the export growth of the "new three" products, whose export value surged 64.6 percent year-on-year to 346.3 billion yuan ($48.38 billion) in the first half.

Lyu said earlier these products had been exported to more than 200 countries and regions, with the top five markets being the European Union, the United States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South Korea and the United Kingdom, with export growth to all these markets exceeding 80 percent.

"The surge in export growth of these products represents a clear change in global market demand, driven by the growing need for decarbonization. Chinese new energy products, especially solar panels, lithium batteries and EVs, are competitive in the global market with relatively low prices and high quality, and companies in these sectors have gained increasing recognition and a relatively high reputation in the international market. The country's supply chain is also improving, which is also an important driver of the export growth," said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

The solar power sector is a good example. China is responsible for more than 75 percent of the global photovoltaic supply chain, and its export volume of such products has increased significantly in accordance with global growth, said Jiang Yali, a solar analyst at energy research provider BloombergNEF.

Jiang said that China has a complete life cycle supply chain in PV facility manufacturing, enjoying an obvious scale effect. Meanwhile, the technology of PV power generation is developing rapidly, which greatly promotes cost reductions, giving the country a leading role in the global PV supply chain.

Last year, China exported about 36.3 gigawatts of solar wafers and 23.8 GW of solar cells, up 60.8 percent and 130.7 percent year-on-year, respectively. Exports of solar modules last year grew 55.8 percent and exceeded 153.6 GW, both record highs, said the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.

Major Chinese PV player Jinko Solar Co, whose trade footprint reaches Europe, the US, ASEAN and Africa, expressed an intention to further expand overseas, and is currently seeking new markets. The company said that in order to further reduce the cost of using solar power and make new energy more accessible for both households and industrial users, it will increase its investment in the energy storage sector.

Qian Jing, vice-president of Jinko Solar, said, "Against the backdrop of global green transformation driven by new energy production, decarbonization goals do not mean an increase in costs, but rather a new round of robust development, which will present great opportunities (to generate new growth points)."

Experts said that against the backdrop of global green transformation, demand for the "new three" products will continue to grow.

"However, China's export rate of such green products may slow down at some point. Facing constantly changing trade policies from various countries, companies need to take real-time actions for sustainable development," Zhou said.
Bowen Yang; Ashley Nicole Black; Nicole Maines





The SAG strike of 2023 is now official!

Bowen Yang; Ashley Nicole Black; Nicole Maines

Shutterstock

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has now joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on the pickets lines as the two Hollywood labor unions fight to get fair contracts after negations stalled with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Ahead of the SAG contract running out union negotiators were trying to get the AMPTP to agree to guaranteed streaming royalties, wage increases, and rules around the use of artificial intelligence, but the streamers and studio heads refused to budge.

SAG-AFTRA represents about 160,000 screen actors, stunt performers, broadcast hosts, journalists, and more. Now, some of your favorite queer actors are speaking out in favor of the historic strike.

Here are 10 of your fav fabulous actors clapping back against greedy Hollywood behemoths.

Colman Domingo

Colman Domingo

DFree/Shutterstock

Out gay actor Colman Domingo  who you know from Candyman, The Color Purple and If Beale Street Could Talk  had a simple message he posted on Twitter, "We Closed. Period."

Bowen Yang

Bowne Yang

DFree/Shutterstock

SNL writer and cast member Bowen Yang clapped back at Disney CEO Bob Igers comment that the strikes were disruptive." In an Instagram story, he wrote, whoa almost as if thats the point!

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson

Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock

Child star Mara Wilson of Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire fame, took to Twitter to point out how hard it is to get paid enough to qualify for health insurance, citing her roles on BoJack Horseman and the Big Hero 6 as not being enough. I havent acted much as an adult, but I WAS a recurring character on one of the most critically acclaimed animated shows of all time, as well as being an actual Disney villain," she wrote. "But thanks to streaming, I have never once made enough to qualify for SAG healthcare.

Ashley Nicole Black

Ashley Nicole Black

Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

Ashley Nicole Black, from A Black Lady Sketch Show and Ted Lasso, was quick to point out the AMPTP's hypocrisy. "Its interesting how first the AMPTP said WGA was unreasonable, and now that SAG may strike, SAG is also unreasonable. Everyone is unreasonable but them," she wrote on Twitter.

Jen Richards

Jen Richards

lev radin/Shutterstock

Trans actor Jen Richards, who has acted in successful series like Blindspot and Mayfair Witches, took to Twitter to call out greedy studio execs like Disney CEO Bob Iger. "The unmitigated gall & arrogance of a small group of multi-millionaires representing multi-billion dollar companies to say the entire field of working-class writers and actors are "unrealistic" because we want to survive and afford rent and put food on our tables."

Nicky Endres

Nicky Endres

@mxnickye/Instagram

Nicky Enders is a genderqueer actor who had a role on Netflix's One Day at a Time. They took to Instagram to lambast the people in power in the industry: "The entire Industry (and the global market) has changed; contracts must evolve too! But even more than that, it is the PRINCIPLE OF THE THING for me: art is consumed as content by everyone, every day. Art connects us, makes us feel, allows us to escape, sometimes comforts us & sometimes challenges us... But throughout history, artists have been unappreciated. We are expected to suffer, to be in poverty, for the harshness of the world or of our conditions to somehow mix with our talent to create great works. This is bullshit!

Stephen Guarino

Stephen Guarino

Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

I still have a pretty good passive income from residuals, so Ive never really worried about that, but were moving toward streaming so that could be going away, out gay actor Stephen Guarino told the Los Angeles Blade.



Guarino is best known for his roles on Happy Endings and The Sex Lives of College Girls, and the queer Netflix series Eastsiders. I get no Netflix residuals, so ironically the thing I have my Emmy nomination for I get no residuals, he said.

Guy Branum

Guy Branum

Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

Comedian and Bros star Guy Branum was already striking as a writer, but has now joined in as an actor too. "Now that I am also striking as an actor, my all my picketing movements will have purpose and my strike character will have a secret," he wrote on Twitter.

Daniel Montgomery

Daniel Montgomery

@danielxmontgomery/Instagram

Daniel Montgomery, an openly gay actor you likely know from Jane the Virgin, Insecure or most recently HBO's Barry, told the Los Angeles Blade that actors live off of residuals in between jobs. At least half of my income has been from residuals," he said. "Ive relied on that. Its been a lifeline, he said. As actors, most of our time is auditioning  essentially applying for jobs. Well get that one job and we need to make that job last as long as we can to support ourselves and afford to live in the meantime.

He continued saying, Ive noticed a shift that, yes, Ive continued to book jobs, but if its for a streaming service, its not paying a living wage. Its made it non-livable as an actor."

Nicole Maines

Nicole Maines

Kathy Hutchin/Shutterstock

Anonymous studio execs told Deadline earlier this week that their endgame was to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and [...] houses." Trans actress Nicole Maines, who had a starring role in the second season of Yellowjackets, took to her Instagram Stories to call out this horrendous plan. Said like a literal cartoon villain," she wrote.
19-year-old trying to rescue dog from highway is struck by car, New York cops say

A 19-year-old woman was struck by a car and severely injured while trying to save a dog from a highway, New York cops told news outlets.

The woman walked onto State Route 96 in Manchester at about 5 p.m. on July 13, according to WHAM.





She was trying to save a dog that had been hit by another vehicle, according to Fingerlakes1.





The dog died after being struck, Finger Lakes Daily News reported.





The woman was airlifted to a hospital with injuries to her lower body, WHAM reported. The drivers of the vehicles involved remained at the scene, and police did not expect to file charges, according to the outlet.

The Ontario County Sheriffs Office said it could not provide information about the incident to McClatchy News.

Manchester is about 90 miles east of Buffalo. State Route 96 runs northwest to southeast across New York on the southeastern side of Rochester.

Zola the dog plunges off Colorado peak. A teary reunion came eight hours later

Wandering 3-year-old is hit and killed on busy Florida road at 3:30 a.m., sheriff says

Family of six scrambles to find safety after boat bursts into flames, SC officials say
The Benton Franklin Health District gave failing grades to two businesses, one in Pasco and one in Kennewick, during food safety inspections from July 3 to 7.

One Mexican food restaurant that previously had a score of 120 for the more serious red violations improved its score to 35 for red violations, although that was still short of passing.

The health districts food safety team gave passing grades on 13 inspections, six of them with perfect scores, including an ice cream shop and a McDonalds.

In the districts routine inspections, businesses or organizations that receive at least 35 points for the more serious red violations are required to have additional inspections and must meet a tougher standard on those.

To pass followup inspections, they must have fewer than 25 red points and fewer than 10 red points for previous issues.

Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illnesses, such as improper temperature control of food, lack of handwashing or bare-hand contact with foods.

Blue violations are low risk factors related to the cleanliness and physical condition of an establishment.

No notice is given before the inspections.

Inspection results are posted online so residents can look up the status and the details of any violations of individual restaurants.

Go to bit.ly/BFHDinspections. Click on the business name and then on the date of the inspection on the right half of the next page. Look for the Violations tab.

Failed inspections

El Mirador, 1315 North 20th Ave., Pasco, Re-inspection July 6 (35 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper hot holding (<130F), improper cold holding (>45F).

Wake Up Call Coffee, 2615 S. Vancouver St., Kennewick, Routine July 6 (65 Red, 8 Blue)

Notes: Food worker cards not 100%, improper hand washing, bare hand contact with ice in one instance, inadequate handwashing facilities.

Passed inspections

Garcias Market (Food service), 804 Sixth St., Prosser, Follow-up July 6 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Helados La Michoacana, 402 N. Ely St., Kennewick, Routine July 3 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Henrys Catering, 591 Stevens Drive, Richland, Routine July 4 (5 Red, 5 Blue)

Mamas Java, Event, Routine July 2 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Max Mart (store), 1400 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick, Routine July 6 (25 Red, 5 Blue)

McDonalds, 103 Merlot Drive, Prosser, Routine July 6 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

McDonalds, 2700 S. Quillan St., Kennewick, Routine July 7 (5 Red, 0 Blue)

North Prosser Market (Food service), 130702 W. Johnson Way. Prosser, Follow-up July 6 (5 Red, 3 Blue)

Papa Johns Pizza, 2909 S. Quillan St., Kennewick, Routine July 7 (5 Red, 0 Blue)

Sweet Snack Attack, Event, Routine July 2 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Sweet Squeeze Lemonade, Event, Follow-up July 4 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Tomatillo Authentic Mexican Flavors, 1360 N. Louisiana St., Kennewick, Follow-up July 6 (20 Red, 0 Blue)

Water2Wine Cruises (Caterer), Columbia Point Marina, Richland, Routine July 4 (0 Red, 0 Blue)
UPDATED: 2 hospitalized after their ATV crashes into Dayton Police cruiser; Driver cited for OVI

UPDATE @ 2 p.m.:

Two people were sent to the hospital after their ATV crashed into a Dayton Police cruiser Friday overnight.

A Dayton officer saw a four-wheeler without its lights on traveling on South Broad Street around 3:22 a.m.

>> TRENDING: Sidney house fire sends 1 to hospital with injuries, causes over $150K of damage

That officer made a U-turn and before he could alert other officers, the four-wheeler went into the eastbound lanes and hit another police cruiser, according to a spokesperson for Dayton Police.

The driver and passenger of the four-wheeler were transported to Miami Valley Hospital in stable condition.

No officers were injured in the crash.

A spokesperson said the driver of the four-wheeler was issued multiple citations, including for OVI.




Preschoolers exploring their new Seedling tablets.

A nonprofit is giving tools to some children in Buncombe County to help them have greater success in school.

NC nonprofit ApSeed on July 13 distributed 200 educational tablets to preschool-aged children from low-income families in Buncombe County. The tablets are designed to make children kindergarten-ready  an opportunity that many underserved children might otherwise go without.

Seedling tablets are custom-built to help children get a head start on literacy. The tablets are pre-loaded with apps and have no internet access or camera to ensure the safety of the children using them, according to ApSeed. A backpack accompanies each Seedling, filled with supplies to teach important fine motor skills such as scissor usage and the ability to hold writing utensils.

Our team designed the touchpad, ApSeed Executive Director Dr. Julie Morrow said. "It has educational apps for children to practice their letters, sounds, numbers, shapes, colors. It varies, but we really market for 3- to 5-year-olds.

At Wellington Estates Mobile Home Park, one of three June 13 distribution locations, Morrow was thanked by a father and son leaving with a new tablet, backpack and two big smiles. For Morrow, seeing children excited to learn underscores ApSeeds importance.

Seeing the kids light up  like that little boy, you know, just seeing his face light up and knowing that he's going to have access, and knowing that the children that we provide for are going to have access to resources, and being able to go into 14 counties in North Carolina, being able to go into South Carolina, New York  we've been able to look at the difference that the Seedling makes with the children and the level of learning that happens for a child that has that, Morrow said.

Privatizing school meals: Asheville City Schools votes to privatize school meals for the 2023-24 school year

Paid to go to school: My Daddy Taught Me That will pay Asheville kids to go to school this summer

An ApSeed news release said that underserved children are statistically less likely to be kindergarten-ready, which can stunt their opportunities for growth before theyve even started school. The nonprofit provided statistics that shows the benefit of the thousands of ApSeed tablets distributed.

In Rowan County, preschoolers attending programs at four Title 1 (high poverty and high opportunity) schools showed improvements from 21% to 83% in learning letters and numbers in one school year. County Head Start programs surveyed scored 30% higher in literacy in one semester. In Yadkin County, children have scored 30% higher on identifying numbers and 40% on letter recognition since 2019.

In the past six years we've done 15,000, Morrow said. Since April we will have done about 4,000 as of August, then after August we will have done about 7-8,000, and by the end of January we will have done about 10,000

Rain began to fall at Wellington Estates, but neighborhood preschoolers and parents filed in all the same to receive their Seedlings. One mother accompanied by her two young daughters sat down with an ApSeed employee beneath the outdoor shelter for some instruction on how to make the most of her daughters new tablet.

We do provide training, Morrow said. And on our website, if you go to our QR code, it takes them to videos that show them how-tos, and it also has parent activities and strategies for them.

Each Seedling costs $163 to manufacture, but the families who receive them pay nothing for the tablets, training or backpacks stuffed with supplies. A $2.5 million grant from the NC Department of Public Instruction has allowed them to pursue their goal of equity for vulnerable populations of children, but Morrow said ApSeed will need funding to continue expanding.

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"Our goal is to be in every county in North Carolina, Morrow said. So we're looking for grants and opportunities so that we can provide for every child throughout North Carolina.

Morrow said she hopes that the community will see how much their mission means to low-income families with preschoolers.

I had a grandmother two weeks ago to show up at the office, Morrow said. It was on a Friday afternoon, and she had driven over an hour because the Seedling that they had, theyd used to the point that it was broken. She wanted a new one because he said that it was his favorite toy, and she wanted him to be kindergarten-ready.

For more information or to get involved with ApSeeds mission, visit its website.

Iris Seaton is a news intern for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Tablets distributed to 200 low-income preschoolers in Buncombe County
A 25-year-old woman went missing after she called 911  and now, her vehicle and other belongings have been found, Alabama officials said.

Carlethia Carlee Nichole Russell told emergency officials she saw a young child wandering on the side of Interstate 459. She pulled over to check on the toddler and also called a relative to share the news about her discovery, the Hoover Police Department said in a news release.

The family member lost contact with her, but the line remained open, police wrote.

As officers responded to the 911 call late Thursday, July 13, they reportedly found Russells abandoned vehicle and personal items, including her purse, phone and Apple Watch. But they didnt find her or a toddler, according to police and AL.com.

Police also said no one in the area reported missing a young child, deepening the mystery.

As the search for clues continues, officers said there is $25,000 in rewards for information on the case. Anyone with information is asked to call 205-444-7562.

Russell was wearing a black shirt, black pants and white Nike shoes before she disappeared near the interstates southbound mile marker 11, police said. She is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs about 150 pounds.

During video from a news conference that police shared on Facebook, Lt. Daniel Lowe said the missing woman called 911 after conducting business in Birmingham and stopping for food.

Hoover is roughly 10 miles south of downtown Birmingham.

8-year-old leads cops on car chase, then crashes into another car, Alabama police say
3 face off in Aug. 1 election for Richlands council seat after the mayor stepped aside

Five of seven Richland City Council positions are up for grabs this year, but only one will be impacted in the August primary election.

Kurt Maier, Marc Newman and Kent Madsen, are competing for Position 6, the seat currently held by Terry Christensen, a longtime councilman and the citys current honorary mayor. Christensen did not file to run for election.

The top two finishers in the Aug. 1 primary will face off in the Nov. 7 general election. The Benton County Auditor mailed primary ballots on July 12. They must be returned or postmarked by Aug. 1 to count. In Washington, voters may register to vote up to the close of business on election day.

The other four races drew only two candidates each, sparing them the need for a primary. They will still appear on the primary ballot, but the votes in August will not impact the November ballot.

Richland has an unusual council election system that ensures that at least four of seven seats are open every other year: The person who wins their race in November with the lowest number of votes will receive a two-year term while the others serve for four years.

Richland council members are elected at large. Individual seats do not represent specific neighborhoods.

The Position 6 race features two candidates from south Richland residents and one from north Richland.

Although city council races are nonpartisan, local political parties frequently weigh in. The Benton County Republican Party issued endorsements in all the Richland council races. Benton County Democrats are considering making endorsements but have not yet done so.

The seven member council chooses a mayor from its ranks  currently Terry Christensen  and serves as the citys highest authority. It adopts a budget and hires the city manager  currently Jon Amundson  to manage day-to-day operations.

Richland has 580 employees and a $304 million annual budget to provide municipal activities including law enforcement, emergency services, parks, planning, public works, utilities, the library, capital projects, street maintenance and economic development.

Property taxes, sales taxes and fees for services account for most of its revenue.

The nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties will share its candidate forum events online through the election. Go to bit.ly/43oYcEr

The monthly compensation for Richland City Council members is $1,253 in 2024. Council members are eligible for the Washington Public Employees Retirement System, the citys health benefits plan and to have their vehicle expenses reimbursed.

Kurt Maier

Maier is a computer engineer at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. He served on the Richland Public Library Board of Trustees. His wife, Francesca, serves on the Richland Planning Commission.

He previously applied for appointment to the position vacated in 2022 when Phil Lemley resigned from an unexpired term but another candidate was chosen. Maier and his wife, Francesca, have two school-aged children and live in north Richland near Hanford High School. He served in the Army Reserve for eight years.

Kurt Maier is candidate for Richland City Council Pos. 6 in 2023

Maier said serving on the library board during the pandemic opened his eyes to the power of citizen involvement. the city-owned library embraced curbside service and, later, split hours to accommodate early and late patrons. Those ideas came from citizens.

Government works best when folks get involved, he said.

He wants the city council to show more leadership on subjects such as simplifying government. He cites complicated parking requirements as an example of burdensome regulations that hurt small businesses. He notes the city codes distinguish between traditional restaurants and pizza shops, on the theory pizza gets delivered.

That made sense in 1985, but today, everything gets delivered, he said. The council should take the lead rather than waiting for citizens to bring outdated policies to its attention, he suggested.

Maier said his priorities include living within a budget and bringing a problem-solving mentality to the city. Richland, he said, needs housing that is affordable to families and a city code that encourages business instead of tying them up in red tape. He said Richland should avoid becoming a rest stop for out-of-town commuters.

I believe that Richland deserves a city council focused on governing Richland; not on political party games, not on getting elected to higher offices, into or using the office as a platform to tell people what to think or how to run their business, he said in the voters pamphlet.

Maier has raised $1,000 for his campaign, according to filings with the Public Disclosure Commission. He and his wife report drawing income from his job at PNNL as well as from Fair Cape Consulting and from Veterans Administration disability compensation.

Marc Newman

Newman is account executive for Vehrs Distributing, a Spokane wine and spirits distributor that serves Oregon and Washington, and owns Wine Social on The Parkway with his wife, Kaitilin.

The couple moved to the Tri-Cities from New York. They live in south Richland, near White Bluffs Elementary.

Newman is a U.S. Army vet who enlisted after graduating from high school.

He is a Leadership Tri-Cities graduate who cites economic growth, community involvement and transparency in government as his top priorities.

He was endorsed by the local Republican party, according to a Facebook post.

Newman has raised $1,000 for his campaign, according to campaign finance statements required by the Public Disclosure Commission. He and his wife report income from Vehrs, Wine Social and from her job at Piton Wealth.

Kent Madsen

Madsen describes himself as a successful professional whose career included working with companies such as General Electric.

Madsen and his wife, Kathleen, have four children and 14 grandchildren and live in south Richland, near Meadow Springs.

He describes himself as a conservative who wants to bring Republican values to the city council, which is officially nonpartisan.

Kent Madsen is candidate for Richland City Council Pos. 6 in 2023

He brings 14 years of experience on the Richland Planning Commission. He doesnt have a lightning rod issue and feels the city is already blessed with good leaders and managers. In running for office, he wants to play a role in steering it in the right direction.

His top council priorities include fiscal prudence, accountability and public safety for families and children.

Im hoping for a conservative voice on the council, he said. His goals include promoting economic opportunity and streamlining government when possible. He cited the process of submitting a land use application as an example of an overly complex process.

Much of that is dictated by state policy, but he said that local restrictions could be less onerous and lead to speedier development.

Madsen has not raised any money for his campaign, according to Public Disclosure Records. He reported drawing income from a retirement fund.

Other Richland races

Four Richland city council races feature two candidates, so they will appear on the ballot but will not be impacted by the primary. The ballot will feature:

Position 1: Jhoanna Jones (incumbent) and Allison Ball

Position 2: Theresa Richardson (incumbent) and Elizabeth Liz Vann-Clark,

Position 5: Shayne VanDyke (appointed incumbent) and Gregery Levy

Unexpired Position 7: Ryan Whitten (appointed incumbent) and Joshua Short
UPDATE: 3 taken to hospital after vehicle crashes into Wright-Patt Credit Union in Dayton

Three people were taken to the hospital after a vehicle crashed into a Wright-Patt Credit Union in Dayton.

Police and medics were called to respond to the crash at the credit union in the 3000 block of West Siebenthaler Avenue around 10:54 a.m., Montgomery County Regional Dispatch confirmed.

>> 2 hospitalized after their ATV crashes into Dayton Police cruiser

Dayton Police Sergeant Creigee Coleman said when crews arrived on scene, they saw that a vehicle had hit the building and had also come into contact with a pedestrian.

Witnesses and officers on scene said the person driving the vehicle was possibly backing up and instead of hitting the brake hit the accelerator, Coleman said.

At that point, the vehicle jumped the curb and hit the building.

Multiple medics were called to the scene. Three people involved in the crash were transported to area hospitals to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.




30 years in prison for US man who exploited Filipino girls

A Chicago man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for soliciting sexually explicit photos and videos from young girls in the Philippines (SCOTT OLSON)

A Chicago man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for soliciting sexually explicit photos and videos from young girls in the Philippines.

Karl Quilter, 58, pleaded guilty last year to sexual exploitation of children, the US Attorney's Office for the North District of Illinois said.

Quilter was sentenced to 30 years in a federal prison by US District Judge Virginia Kendall, the US Attorney's Office said in a statement on Friday.

Quilter enticed at least nine girls in the Philippines to produce sexually explicit photos and videos and send them to him via Facebook, Viber, and Skype between 2017 and 2020, it said.

Quilter "preyed on the victims' financial difficulties, using money transfers to the victims' families to entice the girls to record the sexually explicit images," the US Attorney's Office said.

"Victim by victim, and message by message, defendant used social media and the internet to target and groom young Filipino girls," Assistant US attorney Ashley Chung said in the government's sentencing memorandum.

"This was not a one-time aberration, but rather a years-long pattern of predatory abuse and exploitation of minors," Chung said.

Quilter was arrested in Chicago in November 2020.

cl/md
The Gloucester County Sheriffs Office has charged four men in connection to an incident involving guns that put a recent school board meeting on lockdown for two hours.

According to a news release from the sheriffs office, a deputy was on duty at the meeting, located at the education center that houses a preschool and a day care. The deputy noticed a group of five men enter the meeting together but then disperse among the other attendees. During the meeting, the deputy noticed Trevor Herrin, of Williamsburg, holding a knife in scout carry position, which the sheriffs office says makes it easy to withdraw the knife from the sheath.

During the meeting Mr. Herrin came to the podium and spoke during the citizen comment period, the release from the sheriffs office reads. The male alleged that his vehicle had been vandalized during the last school board meeting and stated that (he) would strongly recommend caution and reflection before engaging in anything like that, especially with someone you dont know, with capabilities you dont know.'

The sheriffs office said Herrin told deputies in an interview that he felt attacked by the alleged vandalism, which he said involved someone slashing a tire. Security video was checked by law enforcement in an effort to see any vandalism done to Herrins vehicle, according to officers. No evidence of anyone tampering with his vehicle was seen in the video, and Herrin never filed an incident report.

After Herrin spoke, the deputy saw the grip of a gun that had previously been concealed by Herrins shirt. The five men, including Herrin, left the meeting, but the deputy approached them in the parking lot. Four of the five men  Herrin, Derek Coblentz, Chris Cordasco and Antonio Hernandez  were carrying concealed firearms on school property, according to the sheriffs office. The fifth person was not carrying a weapon, and no charges have been filed against him. All of the men except Herrin have concealed carry permits.

All four are charged with carrying a firearm on school property, and Herrin carries an additional charge of unlawful possession of a concealed firearm.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
MOC spokeswoman Shu Jueting. [Photo/Ministry of Commerce]

China has urged the United States to abandon irrational suppression of Chinese companies and lift unilateral sanctions on them ahead of a possible visit by the U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.



In recent years, the U.S. has placed a large number of Chinese enterprises on its blacklist and imposed various types of sanctions to suppress them, citing multiple pretexts like national security, human rights and issues related to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Iran and Russia, said Shu Jueting, spokeswoman of the ministry, at a news briefing.

"China is firmly opposed to this as it seriously damages the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Shu said.

In response to media inquiries about a possible visit by Raimondo, Shu said: "China is open to and welcomes Raimondo's willingness to visit the country, and communication with the U.S. in this regard is underway."

China will remain committed to addressing each other's concerns in the areas of economics and trade through dialogue and will promote constructive and pragmatic cooperation, Shu said.

Ending the U.S.'s arbitrary suppression of Chinese companies and lifting unilateral sanctions on them can help inject positive energy into bilateral economic relations, she said.

Similar views were expressed by China's Ministry of Finance on Monday in response to media inquiries about an official visit by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to Beijing last week. Yellen's visit was described as "candid and constructive" by both sides.

In the Finance Ministry's statement, China renewed its concerns over the US sanctions, and urged the U.S. to scrap tariff increases on China, stop suppression of Chinese enterprises, treat two-way investments fairly, relax export controls, and lift the ban on products related to Xinjiang.

China also said the U.S. should take concrete steps in response to China's major concerns over bilateral economic relations.

The U.S. has long been abusing its financial hegemony and technological clout, and engaging in economic coercion in the name of protecting national security and human rights, said Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the economic policy committee at the China Association of Policy Science.

U.S. sanctions against Chinese entities and individuals only reveal its true attempt to stem the development of China's high-tech enterprises, Xu said.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration has reported that about 500 Russian occupiers are present at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

Source: Yurii Malashko, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "About 500 soldiers, including Russian invaders, because there are civilian workers there, too, are at the plant itself.

We have no information about the weapons they are using, the weapons they have mined and are mining the station with."

Details: Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration has noted that the Russians are intimidating the civilian population, and for the second year in a row, provoke a man-made disaster by their actions.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration has also added that all authorities and bodies of the region are ready to respond promptly to an emergency, and the population of Zaporizhzhia Oblast is informed about the emergency procedure.

Background: Ihor Kuzin, Chief State Sanitary Doctor and Deputy Minister of Health, said that in the event of a Russian terrorist attack on the ZNPP, people would have to be evacuated from a 50-km zone around the plant.

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DES MOINES, Iowa  As Republican presidential hopefuls criss-cross the first-voting state in the primaries in the hopes of knocking off Donald Trump, the coup-attempting former president appears to be doing all he can to help them.

Trump continues to avoid the sort of small-group, retail politicking Iowans have come to expect from candidates. Last month, he skipped Iowa Sen. Joni Ernsts Roast and Ride fundraiser. Last week, he began attacking the states popular Republican governor for refusing to endorse him. And on Friday, he is skipping a major candidates forum hosted by the Family Leader, a prominent evangelical Christian group in a state where those voters make up the majority of likely GOP caucusgoers.

I dont think hes doing himself any favors in Iowa, said Thomas Bean, the 23-year-old vice president of the local Bull Moose Club for under-40 Republicans. He thinks its in the bag for him.

Trump is leading his rivals by substantial margins in both national polls as well as the relatively few Iowa polls that have been conducted so far this year. But Iowa veterans point out that polling leads six months out from voting have historically meant little  former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was leading Iowa eight years ago  and that most Republican caucusgoers have not yet started paying close attention to the race.

People want to kick the tires three or four times, said Keith Hunter, a board member of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, which on Thursday evening sponsored a house party for biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. And theyll decide late.

A common view among Republican consultants and political observers is that an Iowa loss for Trump could prove fatal to his chances to win back the White House and thereby protect himself from the various criminal prosecutions he faces.

Former President Donald Trump is greeted by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds as he arrives for an event at the Adler Theatre on March 13, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. Trump's visit follows those by potential challengers for the GOP presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who hosted events in the state last week.

Former President Donald Trump is greeted by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds as he arrives for an event at the Adler Theatre on March 13, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. Trump's visit follows those by potential challengers for the GOP presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who hosted events in the state last week.

Trump has not offered any public explanation for skipping the Family Leader Summit, where, eight years earlier, he famously told interviewer Frank Luntz that John McCain was not a war hero for having spent six years in a Hanoi prison after being shot down, and that he preferred people who did not get captured.

His campaign did attempt to send Trump ally and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as a surrogate in his place, but Family Leader officials would not permit it.

The Trump campaign did not respond to HuffPosts queries about the skipped summit or about his criticism of Gov. Kim Reynolds, who last autumn won a landslide reelection and who remains a favorite of Republicans in the state.

Its classic Trump. He feels entitled to everybodys endorsement, said David Kochel, a longtime Republican consultant from Iowa who worked on Reynolds campaigns in both 2018 and 2022. He also has a penchant for self-destructive behavior.

In posts to his personal social media platform last weekend, Trump suggested that he appointed Reynolds predecessor as his ambassador to China in 2017 specifically so she could, as lieutenant governor, step up to the governorship. He also claimed that his endorsement in 2018 allowed her to win her first, full four-year term.

Kochel called Trumps boast absurd, pointing out that in 2018 Trump was deeply unpopular among swing voters and mainly energized Democrats to turn out against him. Him endorsing her probably hurt her, Kochel said. Thats why she had a close race in 2018.

Its classic Trump. He feels entitled to everybodys endorsement.David Kochel, longtime Republican consultant from Iowa

On Thursday, Trumps public attack on Reynolds led to the withdrawal of an endorsement from Iowa state Sen. Jeff Reichman, who instead is now backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Pete Hoekstra, a former Michigan congressman who served as Trumps ambassador to the Netherlands, said he did not understand the point of going after Reynolds, and agreed that Trumps absence at Family Leader would be noticed. I know how seriously Iowans take the commitment of the candidates, he said.

Hoekstra was in Des Moines this week to help the long shot presidential campaign of an old friend from Michigan, Perry Johnson. He introduced the businessman to a small gathering of the Bull Moose Clubs members at a local brewery, where the self-made quality control expert railed against the national debt among wooden barrels and worn vinyl easy chairs.

Hoekstra said Trump had plenty of time to make up for hurt feelings, but that a bigger issue for him could be the multiple criminal charges and ongoing investigations. Republican voters, as decision time approaches, will consider that baggage as they choose their nominee for next November to face incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden.

We dont want to wake up the day after Election Day and say: Gee, we lost again, Hoekstra said.

Kochel, who has run Iowa campaigns for multiple presidential campaigns, said most of the candidates other than Trump  South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and Ramaswamy  continue to visit Republican and activist groups all over the state with the goal of making themselves the best alternative to Trump. All six are scheduled to appear at the Family Leader conference on Friday, where each will be interviewed onstage for about a half hour by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Theyre all trying to do it the old-fashioned way, trying to earn it, Kochel said. The race has not fully matured yet. ... Seventy percent of Iowans are open to somebody else. Youve got to make the case.

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Sketch by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Photo by the Jones County Sheriff's Office

Sketch by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Photo by the Jones County Sheriff's Office

A woman has been charged two years after her uncles body was found dumped on the side of a road in Middle Georgia, deputies say.

Dafredia Stephens, 44, was arrested Wednesday, July 12, on charges of abandonment of a dead body and concealing the death of another, according to a news release from the Jones County Sheriffs Office.

Her uncle, 74-year-old Frederick Stephens, was found dead near Cheehaw Trail in December 2021, deputies said. Investigators accused his niece of hiding his death so she could pocket his Social Security checks.

Unable to identify him at the time, authorities released a sketch of the man in hopes someone might recognize him.

It led to dozens of tips from across the U.S, including one that identified him as Frederick Stephens, the release said. After 18 months, investigators said they were able to confirm his identity through a DNA sample from his sister.

They learned Frederick Stephens was being cared for by his niece, who gave differing stories about where her uncle went, deputies said.

Initially, Dafredia Stephens told authorities her uncle left to live with other relatives but later said she put him in assisted living, according to authorities.

Further investigation revealed, for months, Dafredia Stephens withdrew her uncles Social Security benefits the same day they were deposited and spent the money on herself, deputies said.

Authorities didnt say how much was stolen.

Mr. Stephens cause of death is undetermined, likely passing away from natural causes, deputies said. However, we believe Ms. Stephens concealed his death so she could continue to financially benefit each month.

Dafredia Stephens remained in custody at the Jones County Jail without bond as of July 14, online records show.

Deputies said additional charges are possible.

Jones County is northeast of Macon.

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More than 8,000 visitors  twice as many as expected  traveled to Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Naperville Tuesday for an encounter with the relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina.

Also known as Padre Pio, St. Pio was born Francesco Forgione in 1887 and became an Italian Franciscan Capuchin friar, priest and mystic. In 1918 he experienced permanent wounds on his hands and feet, known as a stigmata because they replicated Jesus crucifixation wounds, leading to his beatification in 1999 and canonized as St. Pio in 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

Relics associated with St. Pio were last in Naperville in October 2018, when about 4,000 people came to Sts. Peter and Paul Church to see them.

Ron Frederick, a Sts. Peter and Paul parishioner who is part of the team that organized the stopover, said church officials were hoping to get at least the same number of people this time despite the viewing being on a Tuesday rather than a Friday, as was the case in 2018.

Instead, twice as many showed up for the one-day viewing, which began with an 8 a.m. Mass and ended at 6:30 p.m. before a 7 p.m. Mass.

Frederick said the sanctuary was filled for the morning Mass, and the line of people waiting to view the five relics extended out of the church and down the street.

They never stopped all day, he said.

When the area was hit with an afternoon storm, everyone was brought inside and the line snaked through the church pews, Frederick said.

Teresita Dinnsen, who took a 44th wedding anniversary trip and pilgrimage to Padre Pios Italian hometown of San Giovanni Rotondo two weeks ago, described having the relics at her own church as amazing. It was just amazing.

A resident of Naperville since 1985, Dinnsen attended the 6:45 a.m. Mass and she and her husband returned after lunch to find the line wrapped around the church.

Because her husband walks with a cane, they were able to use a handicapped-accessible side door where there was no line, she said.

Seeing the Padre Pio relics brought back memories of her San Giovanni Rotondo trip and the visit to the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church, where St. Pios body lies in a transparent casket, and the hospital founded by the priest, the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza or the House of Relief of Suffering.

We were there three nights and four days. Its so peaceful, Dinnsen said of the Italian city.

After the viewing and watching a movie on the life of St. Pio at Sts. Peter and Paul, she and her husband returned for the 7 p.m. Mass, she said.

It was so crowded, she said.

Padre Pio is known as the first stigmatized priest in the history of the Catholic Church.

The relics on display consisted of crusts from his wounds, cotton gauze bearing his blood stains, a lock of his hair, his handkerchief soaked with his sweat only hours before he died and a piece of St. Pios mantle/garment.

The faithful were allowed to bring religious items, such as rosaries, to carefully touch to the relics.

Sts. Peter and Paul Church was the only Illinois stop for the relics this year.
An Army veteran who received the Bronze Star with Valor in 2010 had the award upgraded last month, nearly 15 years after his combat actions.

Former Sgt. Bryan Cyr, who was serving as a mechanic with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at the time of his heroic actions, was presented with the Silver Star during a June 12 ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

The Silver Star Medal is the third highest combat valor decoration a member of the U.S. Armed Forces can be awarded.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew, commander of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, presented Cyr with the award.

Bryan was part of a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Hero Recovery in Afghanistan, Drew said. His actions are a testament to the valor of this selfless, brave young man in the face of imminent danger.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew, commanding general of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, shakes hands with Bryan Cyr on June 12, 2023, following the presentation of the Silver Star Medal at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Cyrs Silver Star Medal was upgraded from a Bronze Star with Valor device.

2009 rescue mission and firefight

Cyr's award was for his part in a firefight that erupted during a rescue mission of Sgt. Brandon Islip and Spc. Benjamin Sherman, who were swept away in the Bala Murghab River on Nov. 4, 2009, trying to retrieve supplies from an air drop on

In 2016, Airman 1st Class Benjamin Hutchins received the Silver Star for his actions in the same recovery mission.

Ultimately, the body of 21-year-old Sherman, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, would be found Nov. 10, 2009, six days after he disappeared. The body of Islip, 23, of Richmond, Virginia, was found eight days after he disappeared.

Hutchins' involvement began when the men were washed away in the rushing river and he dove into the frigid water to try to save the soldiers as enemy forces shot from an opposite riverbank.

Two days later, Cyr was part of a supply transport convoy headed to Bala Murghab when he heard a radio message that infantry soldiers conducting the recovery operation were pinned down by heavy sniper and machine gun fire. Cyr and others in the convoy grabbed ammunition and rushed to help.

Becoming separated from the other soldiers, Cyr joined Hutchins' platoon sergeant, then-Staff Sgt. Jon R. Walker, and Capt. Sean Snook in taking on a sniper, machine-gunner and rocket-propelled-grenade gunner, Walker said in 2010.

Hutchins killed one enemy armed with a grenade launcher, then provided targeting information for an overhead MQ-1 Predator to destroy the remaining fighters with a Hellfire missile.

Then-Sgt. Bryan Cyr receives a hug after receiving the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device during a Sept. 17, 2010, awards ceremony. The medal was presented to 12 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division.

Meanwhile, Cyr was armed with an M14-enhanced battle rifle, causing Walker to think he was a sniper.

Well, it turned out he was a mechanic, Walker said last month.

Yet, despite that non-combat job, Cyr was able to maneuver and shoot the enemy sniper.

"Sgt. Walker helped me out ... He was infantry, so I took all my commands from him, listening to every word he was telling me," Cyr said in 2010. "I just had a blank mind, just doing what I was told. I was trying to keep a good outlook on the situation, even though I was nervous. I just did everything I remembered from basic training and all the training I've had throughout my military career."

Walker then instructed Cyr to determine the groups distance from a nearby enemy compound while they continued taking machine gun fire.

"Cyrs coordinates were used to call in a Predator drone that launched a Hellfire missile into the compound to neutralize the enemy," according to a June 22 article from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command. Once the missile launched everything went silent, Cyr said last month. There was no firing back at us. There was nothing, he said.

Cyrs actions that day saved many lives, Walker said in the article.

I would not be here today if he had not done what he did, he said.

During last month's ceremony, Cyr said Walker recommended him for the upgraded award.

Former Pope airman receives Silver Star for Afghanistan heroics

After the Army

According to the June article, Cyr transitioned out of the Army after 12 years of service and four deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

He and his family now live in Palmer, Alaska, near Anchorage.

Cyr told Alaska media that he did not expect the initial Bronze Star or the Silver Star upgrade.

My only thought was to make sure these guys could get the mission done so we could get our guys back home.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Army upgrades award for 82nd Airborne Division veteran
These 9 House Democrats voted to block 'race-based theories' from being taught in military-run schools

Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts said it was a "tough vote" and that he was "reluctant to lend credence to the GOP's parade of preposterous claims about the military." AP Photo/Alex Brandon

9 Democrats voted for an amendment to block "race-based theories" from schools run by the military.

GOP Rep. Chip Roy gloated that those Democrats were "feeling heat from their own constituents."

Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who represents a solidly-Democratic district, called it a "tough vote."

Nine House Democrats on Thursday voted for a Republican-led amendment to the annual defense authorization bill that would prohibit "race-based theories" from being taught in military-run schools.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, proposed the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as part of a broader goal of pushing back on what he called "social engineering" in the military.

The amendment passed and was added to the NDAA, which cleared the House on Friday morning in a mostly party-line vote. It's unclear if the provision will make it into law, given that the Democratic-controlled Senate is simultaneously drafting its own version of the typically-bipartisan bill.

The text of the Roy's amendment lays out several "race-based theories" that should be forbidden from the curriculum in schools run by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which runs K-12 schools for the families of service members on military bases around the world.

Those theories include the notion that any race is inherently superior or inferior to others, that the United States is a "fundamentally racist country," and that individuals bear "responsibility for the actions committed by other members of the individual's race."

It comes as part of broader concerns on the right over the last few years about so-called "Critical Race Theory" and how race is discussed in American education. And it was just one of dozens of amendments to the defense bill that dealt with hot-button culture war issues.

In a brief interview with Insider on Friday, Roy complained that educators are "trying to teach that our country is racist."

But most Democrats have pushed back, arguing that race does have a key role in education, or that Republican concerns are overblown or manufactured.

But on Thursday evening, the following 9 House Democrats voted for Roy's amendment:

Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts

Henry Cuellar of Texas

Jared Golden of Maine

Seth Moulton of Massachusetts

Wiley Nickel of North Carolina

Chris Pappas of New Hampshire

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington

Kim Schrier of Washington

Insider reached out to all nine offices for comment on the vote, but only received a response from Auchincloss and Nickel.

'Reluctant to lend credence'

Several of those Democrats represent competitive districts, and many of them have built their political brands on occasionally voting for Republican bills. Two of them, Perez and Golden, recently voted to block President Joe Biden's student debt relief plan.

"I think at least nine of our Democratic colleagues are recognizing [the issue] and they're feeling heat from their own constituents," said Roy.

Nickel, for his part, told Insider that while he believed there were "some parts of that amendment that were concerning," he thought "Republicans were on the right track."

But he also criticized the amendments brought by Republicans, some of which dealt with abortion or healthcare for transgender service members, as "poison pills," which led him  and all but four Democrats  to vote against the House version of the defense bill.

"I'm very optimistic that we'll get a good bipartisan bill after we get it back from the Senate," said Nickel.

Nickel later provided a statement adding that while supported "teaching our students an accurate history of our nation and its diverse communities," he agreed with the text of the amendment as written. "I fully agree that our students deserve an educational environment free from such division," he said.

Auchincloss and Moulton, meanwhile, represent solidly-Democratic districts in Massachusetts.

Moulton, who ran for president in 2020, once told an interviewer during that campaign that white people need to "look ourselves in the mirror" when it comes to racism in America.

When approached for comment outside the House on Friday, Auchincloss, a military veteran, said he wasn't "doing any comments" and declined to speak on the matter. But his office later provided a statement to Insider calling it a "tough vote."

"On one hand, I was reluctant to lend credence to the GOP's parade of preposterous claims about the military, an institution I served and deeply respect for historically being on the vanguard of diversity and inclusion efforts," he said. "On the other hand, the amendment was tightly constructed to affirm that the military shouldn't teach service members' children that any race is inherently superior to any other or that an individual's worth is determined by their race."

"I think that's an appropriate affirmation for military schools at a time when both the military and schools are under increasing political pressure from bad actors on the right," he added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
AAA Insurance has announced it will issue some non-renewals for its policyholders.

The decision comes after last years catastrophic hurricane season (that) contributed to an unprecedented rise in reinsurance rates, making it more costly for insurance companies to operate, AAA said.

READ: Insurance company pulls out of Florida; 100K policyholders affected

We are encouraged by the statutory changes that have recently taken effect and believe they will provide positive results. Those improvements will take some time to fully materialize and until they do, AAA, like all other providers in the state, are forced to make tough decisions to manage risk and catastrophe exposure, AAA said.

AAA said the number of non-renewals accounts for a small percentage of our business.

READ: Farmers insurance holders: What you can do next

This decision is one we do not take lightly, yet its a necessary one to reaffirm our commitment to the state and those we insure, AAA said in a news release. We acknowledge that this is a difficult time for those affected. AAA insurance agents are willing and able to help them find alternate coverage.

The news comes after Farmers announced it is pulling out of Florida insurance, impacting 100,000 policyholders.

Read: What Floridas property insurance rate hikes mean for deals, markets

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
NEW YORK -- Long Island architect Rex Heuermann pleaded not guilty Friday afternoon to charges of killing three women in the long-unsolved Gilgo Beach murders  a brutal spree that fascinated and horrified New Yorkers for more than a decade.

The defendant stood mutely during the Long Island hearing after stating his name, with defense attorney Michael Brown entering the plea before telling Criminal Court Judge Richard Ambro that his client insisted on his innocence.

Heuermann, 59, was busted in Manhattan before an army of cops descended on his Massapequa Park home Thursday night, searching his Nassau County residence as the once-cold case turned into a law enforcement inferno.

The suspect was arrested around 8:30 p.m. Thursday outside 373 Fifth Ave., near his real estate office  where state and Suffolk County investigators descended Friday with a search warrant, sources said.

The Gilgo Beach task force ... did place one individual under arrest, and hes currently in custody, said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison outside the suspects home.

A chilling 32-page court filing charged the defendant with three counts of first-degree murder and three more of second-degree murder for the killings of sex workers Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello in 2009 and 2010.

Heuermann was also identified as the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth victim, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, last seen alive on July 9, 2007, in New York City.

The veteran real estate executive, the father of two and a life-long Long Islander, used his e-mail account to conduct searches for Long Island Serial Killer and the names of the four victims over the last 16 months, according to court documents.

Court papers also detailed cellphone site tower information used in tracing the defendants whereabouts and burner phones used to contact his victims as part of the damning evidence in the case. A pizza crust pulled from the defendants garbage this past January also linked him to a male hair found on the burlap used to restrain and transport victim Watermans naked corpse, the papers alleged.

Harrison, who made the investigation a priority last year, spoke shortly before police towed a black pickup truck from the suspects driveway.

Task force investigators first targeted Heuermann after cell phone data put him in the area around Gilgo Beach at the point where one of the victims went missing, a source told The News.

That was enough to link the suspects DNA to samples recovered during their investigation, the source. The arrest was first reported by News 12 Long Island.

I will say to you folks that its extremely circumstantial in nature, said Brown of the case against his client. The only thing I can tell you that he did say, as he was in tears, was I didnt do this.

The veteran real estate executive, the father of two and a lifelong Long Islander, was slapped with a half-dozen charges in the gruesome murders where he prayed on sex workers.

This is a day that has a long time been coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families, said Gov. Hochul. Peace that has been long overdue.

His arrest came more than a year after Suffolk County investigators announced a ramped-up effort for answers in the unsolved spate of slayings. A $50,000 reward was posted in May 2022 in the killings.

The work is not done here, said Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone. But this is a major, major step forward in achieving the goal that we have had from the beginning and that is again to bring closure to these families and to bring justice to the victims.

State police and cops from both Suffolk and Nassau counties closed off a portion of the street outside Heuermanns suburban home as the investigation of the 12-year-old murders heated up after years without answers for the victims families.

Massapequa Park is roughly 15 miles from Gilgo Beach, where a total of 10 murder victims  eight women, an Asian man dressed as a woman and a toddler  were found in 2010 and 2011.

The bodies were recovered as police searched for Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker who disappeared into a marshy area in Oak Beach, L.I., in May 2010.

Gilbert vanished after leaving a clients house on foot in the seafront community of Oak Beach, disappearing into the wetlands.

Months later, a police officer and his cadaver dog were looking for her body in the thicket along nearby Ocean Parkway when they discovered the remains of a second woman. Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another.

By spring 2011, the number climbed to 10 sets of human remains. Some were later linked to dismembered body parts found elsewhere on Long Island, creating a puzzling crime scene that stretched from a park near the New York City limits to a resort community on Fire Island and out to far eastern Long Island.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011, about three miles east of where the other 10 victims were discovered. Cops said her death was an accident, something her family has disputed for more than a decade.

In talking about the bodies near Gilgo Beach, investigators have said several times over the years it is unlikely one person killed all the victims.

In addition to Gilbert, cops identified Waterman, Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Costello, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack as victims.

Waterman was seen on surveillance video at the Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge in the days and hours before she was killed, according to police.

John Ray, an attorney for Taylors family said that he had been in contact with investigators on the case as recently as last week  and was told that detectives had received a strong, credible tip and were closing in on an arrest.

Cops released Gilberts chilling 911 call before her disappearance in the hopes to get more tips about the murders.

Theres somebody after me! Gilbert, 24, screamed in the rambling call. Somebodys after me, please. No! No! Stop no!

The case was reopened with the aid of the FBI, and Harrison repeatedly asked the public for tips that can help them.

____

(With Tim Balk)
Climate activists in Germany blocked plane traffic at two airports on Thursday by gluing themselves to the runways in protest against mass transit pollution, causing hours of delays and dozens of cancelations.

"The Last Generation isn't protecting the climate, they're engaged in criminal activity," Transport Minister Volker Wissing said.

Last Generation, the group behind the protest, demanded tougher government action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and immediate plans to cut emissions in the transportation sector, accusing officials of lacking a strategy to tackle climate crisis.

Adding to the airport disruptions the activists on Friday targeted traffic in Munich. Reuters reported one member of the group concreted himself to the street while others stuck themselves to it, using what looked like to be the same method adopted in Thursday's airport disruptions.

On July 14, 2023, activists of the Last Generation blocked at the Stachus, in Munich, Germany. Some stuck themselves and one concreted himself to the street.

This follows a similar protest in April, during which the group glued themselves the streets of Berlin to block traffic to the Alps, again looking to disrupt any holiday plans residents and travelers had.

"Instead of presenting a concrete plan to prevent this and to reach the emissions-reduction target called for by law, the Transport Ministry is relying on 'technological flexibility,'" the group wrote in a statement following the airport protests.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

100 ENERGY, FARM INDUSTRY GROUPS LINE UP AGAINST BIDEN'S GAS VEHICLE CRACKDOWN

A federal police spokesperson said Hamburg Airport had suspended flights at around 6 a.m. after nine unauthorized people entered the airfield and eight of them had glued themselves to the tarmac.

Seven people entered the airfield at Dusseldorf Airport, with all of them succeeding in gluing themselves to the runway, but after several hours authorities had unstuck half of the protesters.

Hamburg overall delayed, canceled or diverted 46 flights, German outlet DW reported. The protest occurred as the first day of school summer vacations began in the city.

NANTUCKET ON EDGE AS SWIMMING BANNED AT CERTAIN BEACHES AMID SHARK SIGHTINGS: WATCH

The activists will face charges of disturbing the peace, coercive behavior and dangerous interference with aviation, the police said.

Transport Minister Wissing and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann accused the protesters of dividing society by "ruining the well-earned and long-looked-forward-to annual vacations of others."

Wissing has blocked several proposals to cut emissions from air and road travel in recent years, according to The Associated Press.

UK CLIMATE ENVOY CALLS RAPID GREEN TRANSITION IDIOTIC DURING MEETINGS WITH JOHN KERRY

A police officer unglues a hand of a Climate Change activist of "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) as the protesters glued themselves to streets to protest against the German Industry Day, hosted by the BDI (Federation of German Industries) industry association, in Berlin June 19, 2023.

Last Generation insists its protests are peaceful, albeit disruptive, though motorists facing delays when the group blocks roads have at times attacked the activists.

German prosecutors raided the homes of several of the groups members in May on suspicion of forming or supporting a criminal organization.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Actor Billy Baldwin, the younger sibling of actor Alec Baldwin, said on Friday that he went to high school with the man who police have taken into custody for his alleged connection to the Gilgo Beach murders.

Rex Heuermann of Massapequa, Long Island, was taken into custody as a suspect in the case more than a decade after the long-unsolved murders of at least 10 women whose bodies were found on Gilgo Beach. Suffolk County police took Heuermann into custody late Thursday night, and officials announced Friday that he has been charged with multiple counts of murder for the deaths of three of the women  three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.

Rex Heuermann / Credit: Image obtained by CBS2

"Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann," Baldwin tweeted on Friday, saying they went to Massapequa's Berner High School and graduated in 1981.

"Mind-boggling," he said. "Massapequa is in shock."

Posts on the Berner High School Alumni Facebook page seem to verify Baldwin's claims. One former student posted a photo of Heruermann's yearbook portrait.

"He used to leave me little love notes in my locker," one former classmate wrote on the page. "...I was always kind to him. So sad and scary."

Heuermann is a married father of two on Long Island, with neighbors describing him as "quiet," and someone who "never really bothers anybody."

Details of Heuermann's alleged involvement in the murders have so far been scant. The women who were killed were found along a stretch of Ocean Parkway on Long Island more than a decade ago, and no arrests had been made since the investigation began all those years ago.

Heuermann is an architect who founded the New York City firm RH Consultants and Associates in 1994, according to the company's website.

In a 2022 interview with Bonjour Realty that was posted to YouTube, Heuermann said he was "born and raised on Long Island" and has worked in Manhattan since 1987.

"I'm an architect, I'm an architectural consultant, I'm a troubleshooter," he said.

European health officials investigating if drugs like Ozempic may cause suicidal thoughts

Tips for managing summer stress

Actor Ben McKenzie investigates crypto industry in new book "Easy Money"
The groundbreaking ceremony for Unit 5 (C-5) of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan is held on July 14, local time. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]



The groundbreaking ceremony for Unit 5 (C-5) of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan was held on July 14, local time. This is the third one-million-kilowatt-class unit of Hualong One, China's self-developed third-generation nuclear power technology, exported from China to Pakistan. It also marks China's seventh nuclear power unit exported to Pakistan, another milestone in nuclear energy cooperation between the two countries.

The construction of the C-5 nuclear power project will further enhance Pakistan's energy security, promote economic development, and improve the well-being of the local people. It also has significant importance in building a closer China-Pakistan partnership with a shared future in the new era.

The successful and timely operation of the first batch of four Hualong One units exported by China worldwide stands as a remarkable testament of the safety, advancement, maturity, and cost-effectiveness of China's third-generation nuclear power technology.

At the ceremony, China and Pakistan reached a consensus on enhancing collaboration across the entire industry chain and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results.
US actor Kevin Spacey denies a string of sexual assault charges (HENRY NICHOLLS)

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey on Friday spent a second day in the witness box at a London court, denying sexual assault charges and claiming the prosecution case against him was "weak".

The two-time Oscar winner, 63, is on trial accused of sexually assaulting four men dating back more than 20 years, including when he was artistic director at London's Old Vic theatre.

The prosecution has claimed he was a "sexual bully" who revelled in making others feel uncomfortable, including by aggressively grabbing men's crotches.

Spacey began giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court in south London on Thursday, calling himself a "big flirt" but denying any aggressive behaviour.

On Friday, he was questioned about one man who alleged that he drugged him and performed a sex act on him while he was asleep at his London flat.

The "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects" actor said the pair were "consensually together in a romantic situation", rejecting claims that the alleged victim was asleep when he was assaulted.

Lawyer Christine Agnew told him: "Well, that is the prosecution case."

Spacey replied: "And it's a weak one."

The defence case is that the complainants, who cannot be named as they have anonymity for life under English law, have exaggerated or fabricated their claims.

Spacey described himself as an "affectionate person", saying he had "consensual interactions" with two of the complainants, but accepted he "definitely misread" signs from one other.

His alleged victims "did not let me know" if they went further with him than they intended, he told the court, suggesting they may have regretted it later.

- Lonely -

One, who alleged that Spacey grabbed him in the crotch "like a cobra", may have been motivated by "money, money and then money", he suggested.

"He has made up his entire story from beginning to end," said Spacey.

Agnew suggested that the "crotch grab" was the actor's "trademark" move, to which he answered: "I disagree with you."

When asked whether people were attracted to him because of "who you are", Spacey said: "I hope they liked me because they liked me, not because of who I am."

Agnew asked: "You must have been aware that you were an extremely famous person?", to which Spacey replied: "I don't go through my life thinking about that."

He admitted to feeling lonely, and to "reaching out to people sexually in order to ease that burden".

"Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did," he told the jury.

Spacey denies 12 charges concerning four men, including sexual assault and indecent assault, which are alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2013.

On Thursday, he told the court his world "exploded" when he was first accused of sexual assault by US actor Anthony Rapp in the United States.

"There was a rush to judgement and before the first question was asked or answered I lost my job, I lost my reputation, I lost everything in a matter of days," he said.

Rapp's allegations were found not proven last year.

phz/jwp/imm
Zuma is battling accusations of corruption and embezzlement dating from his times as president and vice president (Phill Magakoe)

South Africa's graft-tainted ex-leader Jacob Zuma is receiving medical treatment in Russia, his spokesman said Friday, a day after the country's highest court upheld a ruling that he should return to prison.

"Zuma travelled to Russia last week for health reasons," the 81-year-old's spokesman Mzwanele Manyi said in a statement.

Manyi added that the trip "was private, it was not a secret," after the information was published by local media.

"He will be returning to the country once his doctors have completed their treatment," Manyi said.

On Thursday, the consitutional court upheld a ruling that Zuma should return to prison to complete a 15-month term for contempt of court, dismissing an appeal seeking to keep him out of jail.

However, it was not immediately clear whether he would return to custody. Prison authorities said they were studying the judgement and would seek legal advice.

Zuma served as president from 2009 to 2018 before being forced out by graft scandals.

He was sentenced in June 2021 after refusing to testify before a panel probing financial sleaze and cronyism under his tenure. He was then freed on medical parole just two months into his term, a decision that was overturned and has now been confirmed.

He faces separate charges of corruption in an arms procurement scandal dating to the late 1990s, when he was vice president.

The former head of state last week attended a conference on carbon credits in Zimbabwe, where he announced a donation of seven million credits for the country's new market, on behalf of a Belarusian company.

Belarus is a Russian ally that is often described as Europe's last dictatorship -- the leaderships of both nations are targeted by Western actions.

Zuma is one of the generation of anti-apartheid fighters whose cause was supported by the Soviet Union and who retain political or personal links with Moscow.

zam/ri
Is it against the law to leave a child in a car alone in NC? What legal experts say

Now that its summer, more kids may be tagging along with their parents or guardians for errands while out of school. But is it illegal in North Carolina to leave them alone in the car if you want to run into a store or business?

Legal experts say it depends on the circumstances, but the criminal consequences of doing so could include a conviction for child abuse.

These cases are always going to be very fact specific, Joseph Hyde, an assistant professor of public law and government at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill told The Charlotte Observer. The longer the child is in there, the more chances there are youre going to get a charge for child abuse.

In North Carolina, it is a felony for the parent or anyone supervising a child under 16 whose willful act or grossly negligent omission in the care of the child shows a reckless disregard for human life is guilty of a Class E felony if the act or omission results in serious bodily injury to the child.

It is also a misdemeanor for the parent or person providing care to a child under 16 to create or allow a substantial risk of physical injury to the child by other than accidental means.

Risks Of Leaving Your Child In A Vehicle

Leaving a child alone in a vehicle is dangerous no matter what time of year. But during the summer with the weather heating up, health officials say prolonged exposure to heat can lead to dehydration, overheating, heat illness and even death.

According to the state health department, 38 children across the U.S. under the age of 15 die each year from heat stroke after being left in a vehicle.

Never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, even for a few minutes, as temperatures inside a car reach a deadly level quickly, NCDHHS said in a media release warning of heat-related illnesses during the summer.

Health officials say temperatures inside a car can rise almost 20 degrees within the first 10 minutes, even with a window open.

To prevent and reduce the number of heat-related injuries and deaths, the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal recommends the following tips:
When Joseph Berault was growing up and his family would go on vacation, he liked riding on planes and watching them take off and land almost as much as the trip.

So when other students at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Alabama, started talking last summer about Flight Path 9, a new afterschool and summer program that teaches high school students early skills to build airplanes, Joseph was hooked.

A partnership between Bishop State Community College and airplane manufacturer Airbus, Flight Path 9 is a fledgling pre-apprentice program designed to put high schoolers on a path to careers at Airbus only U.S. airplane assembly plant located right in their backyard.

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Berault and more than 40 other just-graduated high school seniors from across the Mobile area attended classes at Bishop State from 4 to 8 p.m. two nights a week this past school year.

This summer, they pack a workshop floor at Bishop State for 32 hours a week to learn manufacturing skills like riveting, precision cutting and using multimeters.

In August, most will become full apprentices at the Airbus Final Assembly Line, where they will be paid real salaries while they continue to learn and work on the A220 airliners used by Delta, Air Canada and Air France.

Some students say, when youre going into this two days every week, I just dont want to do that, because its taking up their senior year, said Berault, who graduated this spring. But I think it was completely worth it.

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I feel like I feel like I didnt know much of anything when I came into this program, but the amount Ive learned in the past couple months is just insane.

Fellow trainee Nicole Olivares, whose parents both work for Airbus, was also excited for a chance to work in aviation. She urged students to join the program, even with the classes two nights a week.

I think its so worth it, she said. You can still do other things. You have a life outside of Flightworks.

Based in France, Airbus is one of the two largest airliner manufacturers in the world. Its also very used to training new employees at a young age. As is typical in Europe, its plants there start students as full-time apprentices at around age 15 or the equivalent of junior year of high school here.

But thats part of the culture in Europe, where general high school education typically ends after 10th grade and students must shift into either a career skills or an intense university academic path. With the United States locked into its 12-year system of students working toward a general high school diploma, Airbus cant just bring its European model here and start apprentices at 15. Students still have to finish high school.

But company officials knew even as they opened the Mobile plant in 2015 that they needed a pipeline for high school students to train to work there. Michelle Hurdle, director of workforce and economic development of Airbus Americas Inc., started visiting other Airbus facilities and began working with schools, community groups and Bishop State to create a curriculum and program that launched in 2019. After a hiatus because of the pandemic, the program re-started in fall of 2022.

We want our facility to reflect our community, Hurdle said. So what better way to do that than to recruit and train and grow from within because thats what creates loyalty.

Students in the program earn a certificate in Aviation Manufacturing Technology from Bishop State, several industry certifications for working with things like blueprints, sheet metal and multimeters and they also leave with 18 credit hours that can go toward an aviation manufacturing associates degree when Bishop launches that degree program in fall of 2024.

Having credentials that matter to most manufacturers, not just for Airbus, was important from the start, said Hurdle and Akareem Spears, dean of workforce and economic development at Bishop State,

Just say 5-10 years from now, they dont want to work at Airbus, they still have these credentials that they can take with them, Spears said. These individuals have something that are tangible that they can carry with them.

During the school year, Bishop State instructors and others from a nonprofit created by Airbus teach the evening classes. Students are not paid for that time, but are given dinner at the school.

No mama wants to cook at 8:30 when your children come home, Hurdle said.

In the summer, students are paid a $40 per day stipend as they take classes for five weeks. Airbus declined to say what apprentices are paid during the 14-month apprenticeship. As apprentices, they are monitored and have their work checked by full employees and only work independently after completing the apprenticeship.

Airbus and the college want to go even further with Flight 9 over time.

Hopefully, we can start younger, and start getting into middle schools, and maybe by elementary school, Spears said. We can introduce multimeters, and all those kind of things early on, and we built an ecosystem.

Berault said he may go back to school some day to earn the Federal Aviation Administrations Airframe and Powerplant license or to be an engineer. For now, though, he is anxious to start as an apprentice.

I love the work. he said. I love being busy. I just like having stuff to do with my hands, like getting to drill, getting to do electrical, stuff like that.
Alex Murdaugh, store owner to be tried together in Mallory Beach civil trial, judge rules

A circuit judge on Friday ruled that Alex Murdaugh and convenience store operator Greg Parker will be tried together in the upcoming civil trial involving the 2019 drowning death of Mallory Beach.

Although Parker attorney Pankaj P.K. Shere argued that the media hurricane surrounding Murdaugh  the convicted killer of his wife and son  would damage Parker if the two were tried together, Judge Daniel Hall ruled that the trial will start with both as co-defendants on Aug. 14.

Hall also denied Sheres motion to transfer the trial out of both Hampton County and the 14th Judicial Circuit in southeastern South Carolina.

The court has full confidence it will find competent jurors in Hampton County, Hall ruled.

The rulings were a victory for Beach family attorney Mark Tinsley, who argued that South Carolina law fully supports trying Murdaugh and Parker together.

Beachs family sued Murdaugh, Parker and others after Mallory Beach was killed. The lawsuit alleged that Murdaughs son Paul was driving the boat drunk when it crashed. Parker owns a chain of convenience stores, including one that sold the alcohol to Paul that allegedly contributed to the crash, according to the lawsuit. Paul, 19 at the time, was too young to legally buy alcohol.

This story will be updated.
At Penguin Air, Plumbing & Electrical in Phoenix, the brutal heat calls for all hands on deck.

With the Southwest in the grips of a severe heat wave, and with temperatures in Phoenix expected to reach 118 degrees Fahrenheit over the weekend, the locally owned company is preparing for the worst.

We know that when its 119 degrees out, that means its going to be 120 [degrees] plus in your home, said Jay Kline, the general manager at Penguin Air, Plumbing & Electrical. Were making sure that we have as much coverage as we can to help if peoples air conditioners break in this crazy, extreme heat.

Phoenix is just one city bracing for blistering temperatures this week and heading into the weekend. Record high heat is expected to build across the region, with many spots across the Southwest projected to see temperatures well over 110 F on Saturday and Sunday.

Image: Arizona's Extended Heat Wave May Break Record For Longest Ever (Rebecca Noble / Getty Images)

Around 84 million people in the United States are under heat alerts Thursday, stretching from the West Coast across the Southern Plains and into South Florida. In places that are expected to be hardest-hit by extreme temperatures, local officials are racing to prepare residents for the onslaught of heat.

Dr. Kai Singbartl, hospital medical director for the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, said he has not seen an uptick in hospital visits for heat-related illnesses, but warned that people should avoid exposure to extreme heat as much as possible and seek help if they experience symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as weakness, fatigue, dizziness or nausea.

Any kind of heat-related illness is a medical emergency, Singbartl said. This can become a life-threatening emergency very quickly. and they should seek help immediately, call 9-1-1 and ask for professional help.

Forecasts show that some parts of Arizona are likely to reach record-high temperatures between 115 F and 120 F over the weekend.

Please do not underestimate the excessively hot temperatures coming up this weekend," officials at the Phoenix office of the National Weather Service tweeted Thursday.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said Phoenix is working on ways to mitigate extreme heat, but added that the federal government needs to step up.

Ive introduced bills to add extreme heat to FEMAs list of emergencies and increase shade in urban heat islands, he tweeted Thursday.

In Nevadas Clark County, local officials are operating more than 35 cooling centers that offer people respite from the heat. Las Vegas, which is located in Clark County, is expected to hit 116 F on Saturday, and 117 F on Sunday, which could tie the citys all-time hottest temperature record.

At Death Valley National Park, which straddles California and Nevada, high temperatures over the weekend could reach as high as 129 F, prompting the National Park Service to issue a dire warning for anyone planning to visit.

Drink plenty of water and carry extra, the park service said in an emergency alert. Avoid hiking, do not hike after 10 am. Travel prepared to survive. In the case of a heat related illness, get to a cool place and seek help immediately.

In Las Cruces, New Mexico, cooling facilities have been opened up at community centers, public libraries and other spots along busy bus routes, said David DuBois, the New Mexico State Climatologist and director of the New Mexico Climate Center.

Some people dont have air conditioning, so were focused on just getting people out of the heat, he said, adding that he's most concerned about the elderly, disadvantaged communities and individuals who have to work outdoors.

Together with local health departments, DuBois said his top priorities now are to educate people in New Mexico about the heat risks over the coming days and where they can seek refuge from the scorching temperatures.

People here are used to hot summers in the upper 90s, but once you get to 105 or 108  the other day it was 110 degrees in Carlsbad  thats hard on everybody, he said.

At Penguin Air, Plumbing & Electrical in Phoenix, Kline said he is prioritizing the health and safety of the roughly two dozen air conditioning technicians who will be out in the field responding to customer calls this weekend.

Theyre working in that heat all day, so were making sure we provide ice for them, water for them and electrolyte packets, he said. We try to constantly remind them to drink fluids, because its hot and heat exhaustion or dehydration sneaks up on you.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Another bus of migrants from Texas arrives in Los Angeles

A third bus of migrants from Texas arrived in Los Angeles Thursday, Mayor Karen Bass confirmed.

The bus arrived at Union Station, the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States, at 12:40 p.m., according to a statement from Basss office.

The City has continued to work with City Departments, the County, and a coalition of nonprofit organizations, in addition to our faith partners, to execute a plan set in place earlier this year, the mayor said in a statement. As we have before, when we became aware of the bus yesterday, we activated our plan.

No further details were given about the bus, but the Los Angeles Times reported that 35 migrants were on board.

On June 14th, 42 migrants were bused from the city of McAllen to Los Angeles, and on July 1, more than 40 people from central and South America, including 11 children, were transported.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, citing overcrowding in Texas immigration facilities, started a migrant busing program last year after President Biden lifted Title 42  a controversial Trump-era policy that allowed for the rapid expulsion of asylum seekers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September, Abbott also sent a bus to Chicago, and in November, he expanded the busing to Philadelphia. Abbott has also sent migrants to Vice President Kamala Harriss home in Washington, D.C.

In addition, Arizona started busing migrants in May of last year under the leadership of former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, and the policy has since continued under Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A federal appeals court has put a temporary hold on a district court judges unusual order restricting a wide swath of federal officials and agencies from communicating with social media companies about content on their platforms.

A three-judge panel considering emergency matters for the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday granted the Biden administrations request to put the far-reaching preliminary injunction on hold for now while the case is referred to another appeals panel that will consider a longer-term stay of U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughtys Independence Day order.

That second panel will be the one to rule on the merits of Doughtys ruling, issued in connection with a lawsuit filed by the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana claiming that Biden administration officials violated the First Amendment by pressuring social media companies to remove or edit user posts that contained alleged disinformation about Covid-19, elections and the content of Hunter Bidens laptop.

Justice Department officials and the White House complained that Doughtys broadly worded injunction prohibiting various officials and agencies from discouraging social media firms from hosting First Amendment-protected content was difficult to implement and could cause cautious federal officials to refuse to deal with companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google.

Doughtys order included exceptions for various categories of content including criminal activity, signs of malicious cyber activity and threats to public safety or security, but DOJ lawyers said those categories were ill-defined.

The stay  while temporary  underscores that Doughtys ruling is unlikely to be the last word on an issue that has animated the political right. Conservatives in the House grilled FBI Director Chris Wray about the ruling during a hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

In addition, the House Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government has set a hearing for Thursday to discuss the lawsuit that led to Doughtys order. Among the scheduled witnesses is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longshot candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The appeals courts order did not explain the rationale for granting what the court called a temporary administrative stay of Doughtys injunction. The order Friday was issued by Judge Carl Stewart, an appointee of President Bill Clinton; Judge James Graves, an appointee of President Barack Obama; and Judge Andrew Oldham, an appointee of President Donald Trump.

Doughty, based in Monroe, La., is also a Trump appointee.
The Latin Bridge near the assassination site.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered World War I. Ironically, Ferdinand owned a stylish silk vest capable of stopping bullets, including, potentially, the one that killed him.

The barely successful assassination

First, let's talk about the assassination itself and how close it came to failing.

Ferdinand knew about the risks of attack during his civic visit to Sarajevo. Still, he decided to visit the city and to travel in an open-top car. Six members of the Young Bosnia movement posted along the anticipated route of the archduke with a variety of weapons. Nedjelko Cabrinovic almost succeeded in the assassination attempt, throwing a grenade at the open car.

But the throw was a little off, and the grenade rolled off of the car and wounded bystanders and an officer.

If the archduke withdrew from the city after the bombing, he would have survived just fine. But he decided, a few hours later, to visit the wounded officer in the hospital.

The archduke would've survived if the failed assassins had gone home after the first failure. But after the archduke's driver took a wrong turn and then tried to reverse, another assassin looked up, recognized the car, and walked to it.

Gavrilo Princip fired two shots, both at the archduke. But Ferdinand's pregnant wife jumped in front of him and took one of the shots. Both died within an hour after the attack. Princip died three years later of skeletal tuberculosis in prison.

Franz Ferdinand's blood-stained uniform.

The wardrobe choice

Ferdinand made an odd choice taking an open-top car despite the known threats. He made another odd choice staying in the city after the first attempt. But he also made an odd choice of wardrobe. He owned a silk vest designed, patented, and sold as a bulletproof vest.

Silk may sound like an odd choice of bulletproof material, but it's extremely strong. And successful silk armor saved the King of Spain from a bombing and other public figures from pistols.

Since Ferdinand owned body armor and knew there was a threat, it's quite odd that he didn't bother to wear his armor capable of stopping bullets. The vests were stylish and made to blend in.

And historians made a replica in 2014 and proved that it could, in fact, stop bullets.

But, importantly, it probably would not have saved his life, though it could have saved his wife's. That's because Princip aimed high, maybe because he knew about body armor but probably by random chance.

So Princip's attack on Sophia hit her in the abdomen, an area likely to be covered by the vest. But his hit against Ferdinand struck the archduke in the neck, an area rarely protected by bulletproof vests of the time.

So, even with a vest, it's likely that Ferdinand would have been killed. And even if he had survived, the pressures leading to World War I might still have erupted. But it's nice to imagine a history where 20 million people weren't killed in the conflict that exploded from the assassination.
Arizona has agreed to pay news organizations, including The Arizona Republic, and the ACLU of Arizona $69,000 in attorneys fees, according to files in a pending settlement from a First Amendment lawsuit over an attempt to restrict public access to police actions.

The proposed settlement shows that Kris Mayes will, as attorney general, pay Arizona news outlets $46,000 and the ACLU $23,000 for attorney fees and costs. Proceeds to the news outlets will be divided.

This all comes out of a controversial state law last year that banned people from filming police from within 8 feet. The law, House Bill 2319, was challenged by media organizations, including The Republic, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. Passage of the bill pitted concerns for protecting free speech against a desire to preserve the safety of police on duty.

A proposed order filed in court this week would, if approved as expected, prohibit enforcement of the police video ban and declare it unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi still has to approve these orders for them to become final, and the decision will be made on his schedule.

The filings this week were a win for news media organizations and anyone who might want to record police officers while they are on duty.

"We're certainly grateful that the Attorney General's Office has recognized that this law was unconstitutional on its face and should be struck down by the court," said Matthew Kelley, the attorney for the news media plaintiffs.

He said they are also happy that the office has agreed to a settlement for a portion of the attorney's fees because of the cost of having to bring on the lawsuit. But Kelley said there is a bigger picture of what the outcome will mean if the judge sides with them.

"The real-world bottom line is that for journalists in particular, this law was dangerous because it would allow police officers to essentially create the crime, give a warning, and then arrest somebody even if they didn't have an opportunity or ability to move beyond eight feet away from officers," he said.

Kelley went on to say that the law, particularly for journalists, "chilled" their ability to report the news about what police are doing, and it would do the same to any other person who simply wanted to film police for whatever reason.

State Sen. John Kavanagh, the Fountain Hills Republican who sponsored the bill when he was a state representative, told The Republic on Thursday that he was unaware of the proposed order to prohibit enforcement of the ban and it being declared unconstitutional. Nonetheless, he said he opposes what the outcome will mean for his bill if Tuchi approves it.

Sen. John Kavanagh speaks during a Senate Committee of Director Nominations hearing at the Arizona state Senate in Phoenix on June 6, 2023.

"This is a case where the attorney general didn't defend it," Kavanaugh said. "Clearly, this outcome is not unexpected. But I am certainly not happy with it."

The police video ban bill was crafted in the wake of a string of high-profile recordings of police misconduct, often taken by protesters. Opponents of the measure had said the bill was going to interfere with holding police accountable. But Kavanagh, a former police officer, drafted the bill to create a buffer around police interactions so officers can do their work.

Kavanagh said he hoped that Mark Brnovich, who was attorney general at the time when the lawsuit was filed, was going to defend the law so if the court laid out the issues with the law he could correct them.

"I only hope that whatever the judge comes out with this time contains such an explanation so that I could recraft it (the law) to be constitutional because I believe that police need to be protected from people who would stand 1 foot behind them" during intense encounters.

In one of the court filings this week, the media organizations and the Attorney General's Office listed reasons why the law was unconstitutional and violated the First Amendment  one of them being that there is a "clearly established right" to record law enforcement officers while they are engaged in their official duties.

Last summer, Gov. Doug Ducey signed the police video ban bill, making it illegal for anyone to film police activity from within 8 feet. Violators would face a misdemeanor charge. The law was supposed to go into effect last September but before it could, Tuchi halted the ban and sided with media organizations who raised the First Amendment concerns.

At that time, Tuchi determined that the media groups were "likely to succeed on the merits," and noted that the law represents a content-based restriction on speech that fails strict scrutiny, Kelley told The Republic at the time. Content-based laws are usually considered unconstitutional and subject to the highest form of judicial review, which is strict scrutiny.

Tuchi then set a one-week deadline to give agency officials to defend the law if they choose to.

Last year, the Attorney General's Office declined to defend the new law, saying it was not "the appropriate" agency to do so, according to the AZ Mirror. The AZ Mirror also reported that the other defendants in the initial case, the Maricopa County Attorney and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, declined to defend the law for the same reason.

Having this matter settled and this law permanently off the books is a victory for all people to exercise their First Amendment rights to record government officials from a public place, said Greg Burton, Republic executive editor.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Republic, news outlets win in fight over police video ban
Guests attend the fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue in Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue opened Thursday in Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also chairman of the Fatah party, sent a written message to the event. Co-hosted by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), and the Party committee of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the event's attendees included political leaders from 19 Arab countries and leaders of 67 political parties and organizations.

Noting that the dialogue is an essential platform for the exchanges and cooperation between the CPC and political parties of Arab countries, attendees to the event vowed to facilitate further exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese and Arab civilizations, and jointly build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era.

A declaration on the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative was approved at the event.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes office is investigating the transmission of an alternative slate of electors by Trump allies to be included in Congress counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, a source familiar with the probe said Thursday.

A second source familiar with the matter said prosecutors from Mayes' office have had direct conversations with legal counsel for multiple people who acted as alternate electors, including former Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward.

A lawyer for Ward has been asked for comment.

Mayes, a Democrat who narrowly defeated a 2020 election denier in November, had previously vowed to investigate the fake electors scheme, which was designed to challenge President Joe Biden's election win in Arizona.

"We have to make sure that its clear to everyone it's unacceptable to try to steal an election, to undermine and overthrow an election, and thats what happened," Mayes told MSNBC this year. "We have to make sure what happened in 2020 never happens again."

Mayes' predecessor, Republican Mark Brnovich, did not investigate the electors scheme, but he had agents in the attorney general's office spend more than 10,000 hours looking into GOP claims of voting irregularities and allegations of illegal voting, Mayes office said in a news release this year.

A summary prepared by the attorney generals Special Investigations Section in September showed agents had not found any evidence that backed up the GOP claims, but Brnovich did not make that information public, Mayes' office said.

The Washington Post first reported Thursday that an investigation into the so-called fake electors by Mayes' office is now in full swing.

Then-President Donald Trump and his allies hotly contested Bidens victory in Arizona, one of seven states where "alternate" electors signed paperwork falsely claiming Trump had won the state.

Special counsel Jack Smith is investigating the broader electors scheme, while Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat, has been investigating the effort in Georgia.

Mayes probe is not believed to be as far along as Willis investigation, which has been going on for more than two years. Willis is expected to seek indictments in coming weeks.

The fake electors effort and Arizona's involvement were a focus of the Democratic-led House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

"The existence of these purported alternate-elector votes was used as a justification to delay or block the certification of the election during the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021, committee Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., wrote in a letter last year.

The phony electors met the day the real electors cast their Electoral College votes. While Electoral College vote counts are typically ceremonial events that formalize the results of presidential elections, the vote on Dec. 14, 2020, came as Trump was refusing to accept the results of the election and urging legislatures in Biden-won battleground states to disqualify Bidens electors.

Trump legal adviser John Eastman argued at the time that then-Vice President Mike Pence could use the existence of the alternate electors to name Trump the winner of the election as he presided over the electoral vote count in Congress on Jan. 6.

Eastman wrote in a memo: At the end, he announces that because of the ongoing disputes in the 7 States, there are no electors that can be deemed validly appointed in those States.  There are at this point 232 votes for Trump, 222 votes for Biden. Pence then gavels President Trump as re-elected.

Pence rejected the idea, and Trump blasted him on Twitter during the Jan. 6 riot, saying he failed to show "courage."

When the joint session of Congress had to adjourn temporarily because of the violence in the Capitol, Ward, an organizer of the fake elector effort in Arizona, tweeted: Congress is adjourned. Send the elector choice back to the legislatures.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A group of supporters of dual language programs walked through the sweltering 100-degree heat on Thursday to deliver a packet of more than 2,800 signatures to the offices of state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne demanding that all students, including English learners, be allowed to participate in the programs.

At the state Capitol rally, the dual language program supporters blasted Horne, a staunch proponent of English-only immersion, for threatening to withhold education funding from schools that allow English learners to participate in dual language programs, where students spend half the day learning in English and half the day learning in another language, typically Spanish.

Horne's threats will prevent English learners from gaining the benefits of dual language programs, including learning English while maintaining their first language, said Georgina Monsalvo, Arizona organizing director for Stand for Children, an advocacy organization that supports dual language programs.

Monsalvo and other supporters of dual language programs said Horne's attempt to bar English learners from dual language programs exceeds his authority and are asking the State Board of Education to step in to settle the dispute by July 19, when the new school year begins for many school districts.

Horne maintains that Proposition 203, a ballot measure approved by voters more than two decades ago, bars English learners from enrolling in dual language programs unless they have first obtained a parental waiver.

"We believe that by investing in language acquisition, embracing diverse perspectives, and providing inclusive learning environments, we can build a society that celebrates diversity and equips all students with the necessary skills to thrive," Monsalvo said at the rally attended by about 50 people.

Following the rally, groups delivered a 2-inch thick packet  183 pages with a total of 2,833 signatures  to the offices of the State Board of Education and the Department of Education demanding that English learners be allowed to continue to enroll in dual language programs.

On the way, one of the groups ran into Horne, who was entering the offices of the Arizona House of Representatives.

Horne slipped into the offices without answering questions from the supporters of dual language programs. But Associate Superintendent Margaret Garcia Dugan, who accompanied Horne and stopped, said Proposition 203 explicitly bars English learners from being taught in any language other than English, which is why English learners cannot participate in dual language programs without waivers. The department is trying to ensure that English learners adequately learn English, which is the key to their success, Garcia Dugan said.

In a written statement, Horne emphasized that he has not eliminated dual language programs.

"We are only requiring waivers that are required in the initiative that was passed by the voters, and that the State Board has never sought to eliminate," Horne said.

"The statements about the benefits of dual language by the advocates are anecdotal and are clearly contradicted by the real-world data," he added.

Ratcheted up: Tom Horne to schools: Stop teaching English learners in Spanish or lose funding

Horne claimed in the statement that English proficiency rates for a structured English immersion program he implemented when he was superintendent of public instruction from 2003-11 climbed to 31% from 4%.

Separately, four Democratic lawmakers, state Reps. Jennifer Pawlik, Laura Terech, Nancy Gutierrez and Judy Schwiebert, have also asked Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes for an official legal opinion on whether dual language programs satisfy the requirements of Proposition 203 and whether Horne has the authority to restrict access to the programs.

Spokesperson Richie Taylor confirmed the Attorney General's Office had received the request but said it is still pending.

Horne's attempt to block English learners from dual language programs has reignited a long-standing debate in Arizona over the most effective methods for teaching English learners. Arizona is the only state in the nation where schools are required by state law to teach English learners only in English. In most other states, schools are given the flexibility to teach English learners through a variety of methods, including dual language and bilingual education models.

Proponents of dual language programs say research shows that dual language programs are more effective at helping English learners learn English without falling behind academically than English immersion models. At the same time, dual language programs help students become fluent in more than one language, better preparing them for the job market.

The Legislature in 2019 passed a law that directed the State Board of Education to create additional models to give school districts more flexibility to teach English learners. The change followed years of data showing that English learners were not learning English and were falling behind academically.

The Board of Education came up with four models, three of them based on English immersion, and a fourth that allows schools to offer dual language programs that teach students half the school day in English and half in some other language. Existing dual language programs typically include both English learners and students who are proficient in English. In addition to Spanish, some school districts offer dual language programs in Mandarin Chinese.

In a written statement issued in June, Sean Ross, executive director of the Arizona Board of Education, said Horne, as head of the Arizona Department of Education, has the authority to exclude English learners without parental waivers from participating in 50-50 dual language programs.

However, in a statement issued Thursday, Ross said the board will use the attorney general's opinion to guide its next steps once the opinion is released.

"At this time, the board will not take action against schools that use any of the four approved" structured English immersion models for instruction, Ross said.

More than 900 English learner students were enrolled in dual language programs in the 2021-22 school year, according to Arizona Department of Education data. Data for the 2022-23 school year has not yet been released, but likely increased as more schools have implemented the programs allowed under the State Board of Education's guidelines, which were not in effect for long before the pandemic took hold.

Daniel Gonzalez covers race, equity and opportunity. Reach the reporter at daniel.gonzalez@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8312. Follow him on Twitter @azdangonzalez.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Protesters deliver Arizona dual language petition to counter Horne
A group of first-year ASU students walks together on the West ASU Campus in Glendale on Feb. 22, 2023.

A Republican-led legislative committee will investigate freedom of expression at Arizona's public universities, according to documents from state lawmakers describing the new effort.

The formation of the committee comes just weeks after Ann Atkinson, the former director of an Arizona State University center devoted to personal development and conservative values, publicly alleged that she lost her job after bringing several right-wing speakers to campus in February for an event titled "Health, Wealth and Happiness."

The university has strongly denied that claim, saying the center shut down because the donor who created and funded it, Tom Lewis, pulled his donation.

"Mr. Lewis decided to discontinue funding that paid for more than $300,000 per year in salary and benefits costs for the executive director of the now-dissolved center," university officials said in a statement issued Friday. "But the speaker series and classes that were created by the center will continue at ASU, and the faculty who delivered that content through the center will continue to do so."

All three of Arizona's public universities  ASU, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University  boast "green light" speech ratings from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, an organization that advocates for more freedom of speech on college campuses. FIRE annually analyzes the policies that regulate student expression at nearly 500 colleges and universities across the country, with the "green light" rating being the highest a school can receive.

The Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees all three universities, also has its own permanent committee on free expression.

Nonetheless, legislators will launch the committee with a Tuesday morning meeting featuring Atkinson as a speaker, along with conservative radio show hosts Dennis Prager and Seth Leibsohn. Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, and Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, will serve as committee co-chairs.

Arizonas public universities must be unfettered bastions of free speech and expression," Nguyen said. "Im very concerned to see an administrator terminated after coordinating to have conservatives speak on campus. I look forward to hearing from university leadership as to why this happened and what ought to be done to rectify the situation.

Atkinson, Prager and Leibsohn will also be joined by Owen Anderson, a current professor of philosophy and religious studies at ASU who has written extensively on his website and on social media about his concerns regarding the loss of academic freedom at universities and the influence of "Rousseau, Marx and Freud" on secular professors. On his website, Anderson identifies himself as a Christian pastor.

"I have been speaking out about how my college at ASU has employee training classes teaching radical gender ideology and has tried to change our bylaws to include that our syllabi are evaluated by antiracist and decolonizing philosophies," he tweeted Thursday evening. "I will testify before the Arizona Legislature on Tuesday not as a representative of ASU but as a subject expert on the First Amendment and as a concerned citizen."

'Health, Wealth and Happiness': ASU denies center shut because of right-wing speakers, says pulled funding was the cause

Three ASU administrators will attend the meeting, according to the university: Executive Vice Provost Pat Kenney, Vice President of Student Services Joanne Vogel and Deputy General Counsel Kim Demarchi.

"It's incredibly important that our state's universities support their students and guests sharing their opinions and viewpoints," Kern said. "We want to create an environment for individuals involved in this situation to share their sides of the story to better understand what occurred with this program and the impacts it may have had on future freedom of expression."

University officials said they are fully committed to freedom of speech and expression on campus, pointing to previous conservative speakers such as former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Tim Gionet, a far-right social media personality known as "Baked Alaska."

"The Health, Wellness and Happiness event that has drawn so much attention is an event that happened, was well attended and was successful," according to ASU's statement. "The controversy surrounding it and the opinions expressed in opposition to it are also examples of free speech. The university environment allowed all to be heard."

Board of Regents Chair Fred DuVal said he welcomed the legislative review.

"Free speech is a right afforded every person in our country and the board and universities take every measure to promote and protect it on our campuses," he said.

Who else is on the committee?

Six Republicans and four Democrats have been selected to serve on the committee.

Besides Kern and Nguyen, the Republican slate includes Rep. Beverly Pingerelli of Peoria, Rep. Austin Smith of Wittmann, Sen. Frank Carroll of Sun City West and Sen. J.D. Mesnard of Chandler.

Sen. Sally Ann Gonzalez, D-Tucson, and Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, as well as Rep. Analise Ortiz, D-Phoenix, and Rep. Lorena Austin, D-Mesa, will also sit on the committee.

Sasha Hupka covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip on Arizona's universities, community colleges or trade schools? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona lawmakers to investigate free speech at public universities
Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz. referred to Black people as "colored people" Thursday in floor debate over his proposed amendment to an annual defense policy bill, prompting a stern rebuke from the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or Black people or anybody can serve, said Crane, who is in his first term. It has nothing to do with any of that stuff.

Lawmakers were debating a series of GOP-backed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the House aims to pass by the end of the week.

Crane said his amendment would prohibit the Defense Department from considering race, gender, religion, political affiliations or "any other ideological concepts" as the sole basis for recruitment training, education, promotion or retention decisions.

"The military was never intended to be, you know, inclusive. Its strength is not its diversity. Its strength is its standards," said Crane, 43, a combat veteran.

"Im going to tell you guys this right now you can: You can keep playing around these games with diversity, equity and inclusion. But there are some real threats out there. And if we keep messing around and we keep lowering our standards, its not going to be good," he said.

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., speaks on the floor of the House on July 13, 2023. (Courtesy C-Span)

Immediately after Crane finished his remarks, Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, asked that the derogatory phrase he used be stricken from the record.

I find it offensive and very inappropriate, said Beatty, who was the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the previous Congress. I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words of referring to me or any of my colleagues as colored people.

Crane interjected with a request to amend his comments to "people of color." Beatty insisted, however, that the words be stricken from the record. They were removed by unanimous consent.

Asked for comment about his choice of words, Crane said he misspoke.

In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of ones skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke, Crane said in a statement. Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal.

Asked about Crane's remarks Friday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said it was not acceptable but added, Ill take him at his word. Ive never heard him use that before.

Beatty, 73, had criticized Crane's amendment as trying to "undermine the freedoms for us to learn about one another, for us to hire one another, for us to understand our cultures."

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, speaks on the floor of the House on July 13, 2023. (Courtesy C-Span)

The House adopted Crane's amendment Thursday night in a 214-210 vote.

In the Senate this week, Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., refused to acknowledge that white nationalism is fundamentally racist.

Asked to clarify comments he made in May that appeared to defend white nationalists serving in the military, Tuberville insisted in an interview Monday night on CNN that not all white nationalists are racists. He instead suggested that they are simply people that have a few, probably different beliefs.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The arrest on Friday of an architect on Long Island accused of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder hit close to home for actor Billy Baldwin.

Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, New York, has been charged in connection with the killings of three women found dead between 2009 and 2010: Megan Waterman, 22, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and Melissa Barthelemy, 24. The womens remains were found near Gilgo Beach, an area south of Heuermanns home.

Although he hasnt been charged in the death of a fourth woman, 25-year-old Maureen Brainard Barnes, authorities said he remains a suspect in her killing.

Baldwin shared his reaction to the news  and a personal connection to the suspect.

Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann, he wrote on Twitter. Berner High School Massapequa, New York Class of 1981 Married, two kids, architect. Average guy quiet, family man. Mind-boggling Massapequa is in shock. 23andMe strikes again???

Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann.



Berner High School

Massapequa, New York

Class of 1981



Married, two kids, architect.

Average guy quiet, family man.

Mind-boggling Massapequa is in shock. pic.twitter.com/Tms0IWVazN  Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) July 14, 2023

Baldwin wasnt the only person from the high school who noted their fellow alums new higher profile.

One person posted Heuermanns yearbook photo on the schools alumni Facebook page, which led another former student to reminisce how he used to leave her little love notes in her locker.

Related...
Arrest warrant issued for man suspected of deadly shooting at Myles Standish State Forest

Authorities are searching for a man wanted in connection with a deadly shooting at a state park on Wednesday.

20-year-old John Geovanni Pires Monteiro Macedo was seen by witnesses getting into an altercation with 25-year-old Robert Aponte-Flores in the picnic area of Myles Standish State Forest around 2:30 p.m., according to the Plymouth County District Attorneys Office.

A short time later, police say Aponte-Flores was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

In a follow-up investigation, State Police sought and obtained a warrant for Monteiro Macedos arrest.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fusion Apprehension Section at 1-800-KAPTURE.

The investigation is active at ongoing at this time.

Myles Standish State Forest is the largest publicly-owned recreation area in the state.

A previous picture of John Geovanni Pires Monteiro Macedo.

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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(Bloomberg) -- Tensions over regional security issues flared at a regional forum in Jakarta that brought together among the worlds top diplomats while the US-China divide remained evident.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reinforce that American presence in the Indo-Pacific is crucial for regional security. He joined Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a closed-door regional forum.

The mood during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings were underscored by wide concerns over territorial disputes, an assertive North Korea, the war in Ukraine and crisis in Myanmar that shows no signs of resolve.

The highlight of the gathering was a meeting between Blinken and Wang on the sidelines of the forum on Thursday, seeking to maintain dialogue even after ties were roiled anew by allegations that Chinese hackers had breached US officials email accounts. The two sides also aired their differences with the US raising the hacking issue, while Wang said the US should stop suppressing Chinas economic development.

Southeast Asian leaders are seeking to cool tensions between its two most important partners, while the grouping continues to press countries like Russia to back away from ever using nuclear weapons as Moscow presses ahead with its war in Ukraine.

(All times local)

Indonesia Calls for Food Security Cooperation Beyond Asean (7:44 p.m.)

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said her government has proposed an Asean Leaders Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crisis to be endorsed at the 43rd Summit. She also said cooperation on efforts to ensure availability of food and supply chain resilience in times of crisis should be extended with partner countries such as India, Canada, Russia, Australia and Turkey.

Borrell Says EU to Increase Navy Presence in Asia (7:13 p.m.)

The European Union plans to increase its navy presence in Asia to support freedom of navigation, its foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said at a briefing on the sidelines of Asean meetings. He flagged North Koreas missile launch and the violence in Myanmar as among key concerns.

South Korea proposed a common security strategy during its meeting with EU and were working on that, Borrell said. On Myanmar, he said theres strong concern that the issue is dividing Asean, urging the group to ban the countrys junta from its meetings.

Borrell highlighted a productive meeting with Chinas Wang Yi, adding that the NATO Summit wasnt brought up.

US, Japan, South Korea Condemn Norths Provocations (6:58 p.m.)

The recent ballistic missile launch by North Korea was the focus of comments by the foreign ministers of the U.S., Japan and South Korea during a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asean forum.

There is no greater challenge than these provocations by North Korea, Blinken said, opening the meeting. The three countries are joined resolutely on security in a region that will shape much of the future.

Japans Hayashi Yoshimasa said we strongly condemn the missile launch while his South Korean counterpart Park Jin said North Koreas provocations will not go unpunished.

Singapore Says Region Not Forming Blocs (6:25 p.m.)

Singapores Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that Southeast Asia would not choose sides between big powers, and that it was not forming blocs, something that China has accused the US and its allies of trying to do in Asia.

He also said the tone of the conversations during the Asean meetings, he felt, were more positive, more constructive, more amenable to dialogue.

On Myanmar, the minister said Aung San Suu Kyi still remains the key pivot for any solution to the ongoing conflict there. You cannot have any solution without her participation.

Blinken Seeks End to Violence in Myanmar, North Koreas Unlawful Weapons (2:58 p.m.)

In Myanmar, we must press the military regime to stop the violence, to implement Aseans five-point consensus, to support the return to democratic governance, the State Secretary said, citing the USs more than $74 million in additional humanitarian relief, including almost $61 milion to support Rohingyas fleeing violence in the area.

Blinken also sought an end to North Koreas unlawful weapons of mass destruction program and ballistic missile launches.

US Is One of Regions Most Important Partners, Asean Says (2:38 p.m.)

US, being one of Aseans most important partners, is seen to continue to support the regions centrality and reinforce the groups position as epicentrum of growth, Indonesias Marsudi said at the US-Asean meeting.

Strategic approaches of inclusive cooperation and habit of dialogue must always be upheld by Asean, and we do hope our partners will also do the same, Marsudi was quoted as saying, in the readout. As Aseans comprehensive strategy partner, the US holds the key to making this aspiration a reality.

Wong Urges Transparency on Solomon Pacts (1:46 p.m.)

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Wang Yi during a meeting that China should be transparent about its security pacts with the Solomon Islands that have drawn concerns from Washington and Canberra alike.

We understand that countries made their sovereign decisions, she told reporters on Friday on the sidelines of the Asean meetings. However, the security of the Pacific is something we all have an interest in and so we urge there to be transparency.

Blinken Says US Presence in Region Crucial for Stability (12:26 p.m.)

US presence in the region is important for peace and stability, Blinken said during his meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, adding that the two countries share a vision of free, secure, prosperous, connected, resilient Southeast Asia. What were doing together is trying to make that vision real in a very concrete way, the US official said.

East Asia Ministers Warn of Cold War Symptoms (10:15 a.m.)

Indonesians foreign minister emphasized that the Indo-Pacific region is not a battlefield, citing a number of statements that the area is experiencing symptoms of a cold war.

Our region must remain stable, and we intend to keep it that way, Marsudi said. The Indo-Pacific must not only become a net contributor of growth, but also a net contributor for peace that projects our paradigm of collaboration to other regions.

Jokowi Calls on Asean Delegates to Be Ice Breaker (9:30 a.m)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo called on Asean delegates to solve crucial problems in the region, not to make them worse. Asean must not become a place of competition or become a proxy for any country, he said.

The leader, known as Jokowi, drew on a local proverb, saying: We can be winners without humiliating others, without defeating others. Therefore, I invite all of us to be honorable winners.

China Says Ties with Australia Improved (8:42 a.m.)

Wang said the relationship between Beijing and Canberra has stopped spiraling and returned to stability at a meeting with Australias Wong in Jakarta on Thursday, according to a statement posted on Chinas foreign ministry website.

Chinas top diplomat urged both sides to stick to resume exchanges and cooperation across all levels, and handle differences appropriately. Wang expressed hopes that Australia will be able to provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies in the country.

China Tells Blinken Actions Needed to Stabilize Ties (11:39 p.m)

Wang told Blinken that the US should stop suppressing Chinas economic, trade and technology development, according to a government statement from the Asian nation. He also urged the US to end sanctions against China during that meeting.

Asean Calls for End of Hostilities in Ukraine (11:00 p.m.)

Foreign ministers from the regional group called on the immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and the need for a genuine dialogue, according to a joint communique.

With regard to Ukraine, as for all nations, we continued to reaffirm our respect for sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity, the statement said.

Group Condemns Violence in Myanmar (11:00 p.m.)

Asean has condemned the continued acts of violence in Myanmar, one of its member states, including the use of air strikes, artillery shelling, and destruction of public facilities, according to a joint communique by Asean foreign ministers. All parties should immediately halt indiscriminate violence, denounce any escalation, and create a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogue, the statement said.

The group has been trying to pursue a so-called five-point peace proposal for Myanmar that would include ending violence and committing to free elections but there hasnt been much progress.

--With assistance from Xiao Zibang, Faris Mokhtar, Daniel Flatley and Michelle Jamrisko.

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The assault groups of the Kara-Dah National Guard Brigade, supported by tanks, advanced more than 1,700 metres on the Melitopol front over the past week.

Source: Colonel Mykola Urshalovych, Deputy Director of the Department of Application Planning of the Chief Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine, quoted by ArmyInform

Details: Units of the 15th Operational Brigade of the Kara-Dah National Guard with the forces and means attached to it, in cooperation with units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, continue to conduct offensive actions on the Melitopol front.

Quote: "During the reporting period, the brigade's assault groups, supported by tanks, advanced more than 1,700 metres to the south and southeast.

Our units are advancing in the face of dense enemy mining of the approaches to their positions and heavy firepower, which included 213 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems, tanks and artillery, and six airstrikes over the past week.

The enemy, in turn, carried out counter-offensive actions and tried to regain the lost positions, but was unsuccessful."

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Lisa Marie Presley's autopsy report is shining greater light on the singer-songwriter's death.

In a July 13 report obtained by NBC News from the Los Angeles Medical Examiner, the late singer's death was identified as having occurred from sequelae of small bowel obstruction. (Sequelae means a condition that results from a pre-existing illness.)

TCL Chinese Theatre Hosts Handprint Ceremony Honoring Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley And Riley Keough (Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images)

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a small bowel obstruction is a "partial or complete blockage of the small intestine" which can be caused by a number of conditions, including hernias and inflammatory bowel disorders.

The report said that the obstruction was a "strangulated small bowel" that developed from adhesions that Presley developed following bariatric surgery.

"This is a known longterm complication of this type of surgery," the report reads. It also indicated that levels of oxycodone were found in the blood.

Authorities previously confirmed Presley had experienced cardiac arrest.

Presley passed away on Jan. 12, 2023 in Los Angeles at the age of 54.

Prior to her death, it had been reported that Presley had been rushed to a hospital from her Calabasas, California, home after she was found not breathing.

Presley, who was born to Elvis and Priscilla Presley in 1968, left behind three children: Riley Keough and twins Harper and Finley Lockwood. Her son Benjamin died in 2020.

This is a developing story. Please check back later for updates.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Bag was unusually heavy, Florida customs agents say. Then they looked in his speaker

A Florida traveler accused of attempting to bring in drugs to Orlando International Airport from the Dominican Republic was arrested Monday afternoon.

According to the federal criminal complaint, after getting off a flight from Santo Domingo around 2 p.m., Roman Batista, 38, was passing through U.S. Customs and Border Protection. At some point during the process, an agent noticed anomalies with an unusually heavy piece of luggage out of his three bags.

The bag was passed through the X-Ray machine, and inside agents saw a portable speaker, with one loose side piece. The suspect claimed that he never took the speaker apart or tampered with it in any way, says the complaint.

Upon further inspection of the apparatus, investigators could see no electronic components inside, just four tightly taped packages that were found to contain a white powdery substance.

The substance subsequently tested positive for cocaine, weighing a total of 3.3 kilograms, or about 7 pounds.

Investigators say Batista invoked his right to remain silent and refused to talk without a lawyer present.

The Kissimmee man was arrested and taken to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County, where he is being held on no bond. He is charged with importation of controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute.
Beijing eyes stability of region in Jakarta talks

08:48, July 14, 2023 By ZHANG YUNBI ( Chinadaily.com.cn

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the annual ASEAN-Plus Foreign Ministers' Meetings in Jakarta, Indonesia. [Photo/Xinhua]

Talks: Beijing-Moscow support affirmed

Securing stability in the East Asia region and ruling out disturbance from some countries outside the region were high on the agenda of a slew of bilateral and multilateral meetings attended by senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Thursday.

Wang, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is in Jakarta, Indonesia, to attend the annual ASEAN-Plus Foreign Ministers' Meetings  a series of meetings involving the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus countries including China, the United States, Japan and Russia.

On the sidelines, Wang also held bilateral talks with senior diplomats from countries including the US and Russia on Thursday.

Wang's talk with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was their second meeting within a month. The two also met on June 19 during Blinken's visit to China.

Wang stressed the importance of taking tangible steps to put China-US ties back on track. He said the US needs to translate into reality the series of commitments made by President Joe Biden, work toward the same goal with China, advance consultation on the guiding principles for their ties, and expand communication channels on foreign affairs and security.

Wang also stated China's solemn position on the Taiwan question and asked the US to stop suppressing China in the areas of economy, trade and technology.

The two sides also discussed conducting consultations on Asia-Pacific and maritime affairs, believed that their meeting was candid, pragmatic and constructive, and agreed to continue to communicate.

Wu Shicun, chairman of the Huayang Research Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance and founding president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, highlighted the urgency for Beijing and Washington to eliminate mistrust through talks.

"At present, taking effective measures to keep China-US ties relatively stable and prevent potential conflicts or crises from escalating is not only in line with the interests of both nations, but also serves the common expectation of the entire international community," he said.

In a meeting between Wang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, both sides voiced further support for ASEAN's central role in the region's cooperation architecture.

Wang noted that amid world changes unseen in a century, China and Russia "firmly support each other in safeguarding their own legitimate interests and adhere to the path of harmonious coexistence and development featuring win-win cooperation".

In the future, the two nations should follow the important consensus of their heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication and coordination, honor their responsibilities as major countries, safeguard their respective national interests and dignity, and safeguard international fairness and justice, Wang said.

Lavrov said that Russia is willing to work with China to further implement the important consensus reached between their heads of state, strengthen strategic cooperation, deepen cooperation in various fields, promote the world's multipolarization process and oppose hegemony of any kind.

Also on Thursday, Wang attended the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

China and ASEAN are currently each other's largest trade partner. When attending the meeting, Wang estimated that their annual bilateral trade is expected to exceed $1 trillion this year.

When reviewing the landmark transportation projects achieved by China and ASEAN countries within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, he said that over 2 billion people have received tangible benefits.

Wang also said that China welcomes the successful completion of the second reading of the draft for the expected Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, adding that it supports all parties to accelerate formulating a guideline document for the COC and is ready to continue playing a constructive role in reaching the COC.

Chen Xiangmiao, an associate research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said that "maintaining regional peace and stability remains the basic consensus among ASEAN member states on the South China Sea issue".

"Although some ASEAN members have structural conflicts of interest with China in the South China Sea, they still manage differences and enhance mutual trust through consultations on the COC and bilateral mechanisms for consultation," Chen said.

Wang also attended the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which gathered the 10 ASEAN members plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
This aerial photo taken on June 11, 2023 shows villages affected by recent rainstorms in Baisha Town of Hepu County, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's meteorological authorities on Friday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms.

From 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, heavy rain or rainstorms are forecast to hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Jiangsu, and Yunnan, according to the National Meteorological Center.

The center said some of these regions will experience heavy rainfall marked by 30 mm to over 60 mm of hourly precipitation, as well as severe convective weather conditions such as thunderstorms and gales.

The center has advised local governments and residents to take appropriate precautions. Schools and kindergartens have been asked to ensure the safety of students and children, while drivers have been advised to be alert and cautious due to road waterlogging and traffic jams.

China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.

Authorities warned earlier this month that China would face multiple natural disasters in July, including floods, severe convection weather, typhoons and high temperatures.
Baldock Industrial Estate fire: Business owner says 'it's all gone'

A business owner says he has lost about 250,000 after two of his companies were destroyed in a major fire that ripped through an industrial estate.

About 40 businesses were destroyed at the Baldock Industrial Estate after the fire on Tuesday evening.

Hertfordshire Fire Service said its investigation concluded the fire started accidentally.

Kareem Kamil was due to open an nightclub and was refurbishing a pizza takeaway said his hard work had "gone".

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire, which took hold at about 18:15 BST, started accidentally near a tower in the north-eastern part of the estate, and then spread.

Kareem Kamil was on the site at the time of the fire

Mr Kamil said he was working on the roof terrace when the blaze started and was the only person there.

"I got out in time; it caught like wild fire," he said.

He said the fire brigade "were brilliant" and he was lucky not to be hurt.

The building was insured, but he said his contents insurance had not been finalised.

"It's terrible, literally 15 months of hard work, all the battles, it's gone down the drain," added Mr Kamil.

"It's all gone, that's my savings, all my children's savings, gone down the pan. I invested everything in it and it's literally gone down in smoke."

Craig Ross spoke at a meeting attended by people affected in the area on Thursday afternoon

A packed meeting was held on Thursday afternoon at Baldock Community Centre for those affected by the fire.

Craig Ross, who has a number of businesses on the site and a unit with five tenants, told the BBC "it was horrific" when he saw the flames.

He said so many business had been affected and local farmers turned up to provide water on the night.

"They've all got their tractors out with bowsers of water," he said.

"I cried, they were just providing water to the fire service so they could do what they could do to stop the fire spreading."

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said there might be a bad smell in the area for "some time"

The fire affected some 40 businesses on the industrial estate

The industrial estate, off London Road, is next the town's Tesco supermarket, which was also evacuated.

Residents were asked to keep their windows closed due to the large amount of smoke, and some lost power and water supplies.

The fire service said there might be an unpleasant smell in the air for some time, but it was not harmful.

Sir Oliver Heald, Conservative MP for North East Hertfordshire, said it had been a "big shock" for the town and said "43 industrial units have been destroyed".

Firefighters were sent to the industrial estate off London Road on Tuesday afternoon

Darren Cook, from the fire service, said: "This was a very challenging incident for Hertfordshire Fire and at the peak we had 17 engines attending and we declared it at major incident at about eight o'clock on the evening of the incident."

Darren Cook from the fire service said crews from across Hertfordshire attended, along with help from neighbouring Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 0800 169 1830
A conservative Republican provision of the fiscal 2024 defense policy bill that would prohibit Defense Department personnel from communicating with an established civil rights group survived a contentious House vote Friday.

The amendment, slipped into the House version of the defense authorization bill by Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, would forbid service members from contacting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation or its leadership. The legislation would also bar commanders from taking any action or mak[ing] any decision as a result of any claim, objection or protest made by the group without the authority of the Secretary of Defense.

MRFFs founder, Mikey Weinstein, described the provisions progression to the Senate as the Pearl Harbor in a far-right campaign to erode the rights of military personnel.

Members of the military have the right under the First Amendment to free speech, as curtailed appropriately by the Supreme Court; they also have the right to petition their government for grievances, Weinstein told Military Times. Both of those have been viciously violated today by the actions of the far-right Christian nationalists in Congress.

Weinstein, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and veteran, founded the organization in 2005 with the stated goal of ensuring that all members of the United States Armed Forces fully receive the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. The nonprofit claims to have served around 84,000 service members over the course of its 18-year history, defending its clients from unwanted proselytizing and scrubbing DoD installations clean of religious symbolism.

The MRFFs activism has provoked the ire of conservative organizations and lawmakers. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was one of several GOP legislators to slam leaders of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy for removing a 190-square-foot painting titled Christ on the Water, which depicts an image of Jesus appearing before merchant mariners adrift in a lifeboat, from a public space in the academys main administration building at the behest of MRFF in February.

Turners office did not elaborate on why the congressman introduced the amendment. A senior House Armed Services Committee staffer previously told Military Times that the stipulation aimed to ensure that military personnel dont overreact to the foundations work. Weinstein suspects more personal grudges  the MRFF pressured Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, located in Turners district, to remove a Bible display from its dining facilities in 2016.

Weinstein says his group has assembled a litigation SWAT team to challenge the provision in federal court should it become law. In the meantime, Weinstein and his team are lobbying senators to strike the clause from the bill. Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of the legislators with whom Weinstein claims to be coordinating, did not respond to a request for comment.

Weve been told by Senate staff and even senators that theyre not sure that all of the toxic cancer put in by the fundamentalist Christian nationalists in the House will be able to be found in conference, Weinstein said of the difficulties involved with weeding out certain sections of the NDAA. But, he stressed: This is hardly over.
Battlefield conditions in Ukraine aren't 'ideal' for F-16 fighter jets, but Abrams tanks will 'certainly make a difference,' US general says

US Soldiers assigned to 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, offload U.S. M1A1 Abrams tanks needed for training the Armed Forces of Ukraine at Grafenwoehr, Germany, May 14, 2023. US Army photo by Spc. Christian Carrillo

Ukrainian forces are facing stiff and brutal Russian defenses in the east and south.

Kyiv hopes to one day field F-16 fighter jets, and it is expecting to receive Abrams tanks soon.

F-16s aren't ideal for the fight now, a US general said, but Abrams tanks will make a difference.

Ukraine is already well armed with weapons from the US and its NATO allies, but Kyiv's military is still looking to boost its firepower with two high-profile American-made weapons: F-16 fighter jets and M1 Abrams tanks. However, only one, a US general argues, is ready to make an impact in the current conditions.

Now several weeks into its ongoing counteroffensive, Ukraine is still fighting without air superiority and battling Russia's tough ground defenses  which include elaborate networks of barbed wire, sprawling trenches, minefields, and anti-tank fortifications. Clearing these is a slow, painstaking, and deadly process for Kyiv's troops, who also have to contend with Russian forces, from infantry to formidable air defenses.

At the moment, the battlefield conditions aren't ideal for Ukrainian forces to field the advanced F-16s that they have long sought, but Abrams tanks will make an impact in combat when they arrive, likely later this year, a top US general said Thursday.

"The conditions on the environment certainly are changing over time. But the conditions right now for the employment of the F-16s  they're probably not ideal," Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims II, director of operations for the US military's Joint Staff, told reporters at a briefing.

The Biden administration finally agreed in May to support F-16 training for Ukraine by NATO members, caving to mounting pressure from both Kyiv and Washington's allies. No country, however, has decided publicly to send the aircraft to Ukraine, and details around the training program have been murky.

But Ukrainian officials said this week that a coalition of European countries will soon start training Kyiv's pilots to fly the jets, although a timeline of when exactly that will begin and when Ukraine might eventually deploy the aircraft is still unclear. But it's unlikely to happen for several months, if not longer.

Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons of the Ohio Air National Guards 180th Fighter Wing fly behind a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker of the Iowa Air National Guards 185th Air Refueling Wing over Iowa, Aug. 11, 2022. US Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Tylon Chapman

Russia has shown it can outmatch Ukraine's air force because of disparities in several categories, including missile and radar performance, electronic equipment, technical capabilities, and overall force size. Even with F-16s, Ukraine would struggle in air-to-air combat against Russian fighters like the Su-35 and MiG-31, which enjoy more advanced radars, among other combat capabilities.

Moscow has also fielded advanced air-defense systems like the S-400 capable of targeting F-16s at great distances and high altitudes, potentially eliminating them before they are close enough to hit Russian positions with short-range weapons like the US-provided Joint Direct Attack Munitions.

"The Russians still possess some air-defense capability. They have air capability," Sims added. "And the number of F-16s that would be provided may not be perfect for what's going on right now. As the future changes, that certainly will dictate how that is employed."

Even though F-16s face some disadvantages, if armed with the right weapons  such as advanced longer-range air-to-air missiles, anti-radiation missiles, or stand-off air-to-surface missiles  they could support Kyiv's already-stretched air-defense network, target enemy radars, and even strike Russian positions far beyond the front lines.

While there are still questions about Ukraine's F-16s, Abrams tanks are definitely going to be delivered and are expected to have a significant effect on the battlefield, Sims said Thursday. The Pentagon announced earlier this year that it would procure new M1A2 Abrams tanks to send to Ukraine but later decided to send older M1A1 variants that are already available and could be delivered sooner.

US M1A1 Abrams tanks needed for training the Armed Forces of Ukraine arrive by rail at Grafenwoehr, Germany, May 14, 2023. US Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Tylon Chapman

Several hundred Ukrainian troops are now undergoing Abrams training in Germany, which is slated to finish by the end of the summer, just ahead of the anticipated fall delivery of the tanks.

When these powerful weapons do arrive in Ukraine, they will complement a massive inventory of heavy armor that Kyiv has received from Western countries in recent months, including advanced tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles. Ukraine has made use of some of this heavy armor during its assaults in the eastern and southern regions, although it is yet to commit an overwhelming amount of firepower as its forces continue to probe for weak points in Russian lines.

"The Abrams will certainly make a difference on the battlefield. I mean, we know it's an extraordinary tank," Sims said. "The training ongoing right now will make [the Ukrainians], I would think, extraordinarily good at employing them."

"I can't tell you whether the offensive would still be going on by then or not," Sims added. "I just know that when the Abrams arrive, they'll be able to make a difference with Ukrainians."

The Abrams tanks promised to Ukraine are part of more than $41.3 billion in security assistance that the US has provided Kyiv since Russia attacked in February 2022. The latest US weapons package, announced last week, included, for the first time, deadly and controversial cluster munitions, which the US is providing to take the pressure off its dwindling stockpiles of 155mm artillery shells.

Read the original article on Business Insider
F-16

The U.S. Department of Defense has assessed that the situation on the frontlines in Ukraine is not ideal for the use of F-16 fighter jets by the Ukrainian military, Lara Seligman, a reporter with Politico said in a Twitter post on July 13.

According to Seligman, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, Director of Operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated during a Pentagon briefing that the conditions on the battlefield are currently "unlikely and not ideal" for the use of F-16 aircraft.

Read also: No doubt Ukraine to join NATO after war, says Pentagon chief

"Things might change, but Russians have significant air defense," Seligman writes.

At the same time, the Pentagon noted that the course of combat actions may be affected by the transfer of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the arrival of which is scheduled for this fall.

Read also: Kuleba reveals possible timeline for F-16 jets arrival in Ukraine

In May, Western partners discussed the formation of a coalition to transfer F-16 fighters to Ukraine, which Kyiv had long been requesting.

The first step is expected to be the training of Ukrainian pilots. On May 19, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that his country, along with the United States, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark, had agreed to participate in the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western fighters.

The Danish Ministry of Defense stated that the training will begin in August.

Read also: No decision on transfer of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine yet  Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on June 21 that Ukraine could receive the first F-16s in six to seven months. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has claimed that the F-16s will be in Ukraine no earlier than early 2024, although earlier statements from the Ministry of Defense expressed hope this could happen before the end of 2023.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
BBC

BBC Breakfast host Nina Warhurst has shared new photos of her baby daughter in a video celebrating the tenth anniversary of the day on which she first met her husband.

Nina and her husband Ted welcomed their new baby at the start of the month. In a heartfelt Instagram post, the broadcaster praised him for being a great partner and father.



Nina's Instagram Reel features several personal photos from the couple's relationship and a few videos of their journey, from first meeting in Croatia to being at home with their newborn.

Related: BBC Breakfast star Nina Warhurst cuts segment short after heckler interruption

"Made a reel. That was a faff," she wrote in her caption. "Happy 10 years to the best one."

The images and video followed a chronological order starting from the duo meeting at a festival in Tisno, Croatia, with Nina noting: "We spent the rest of the festival together."

Next, a wedding picture appeared and then a photo with their two sons popped up with the captions: "A few months later we got married in NYC... Things moved pretty fast."

BBC

Related: BBC Breakfast's Nina Warhurst calls out viewer who complained she 'looks a mess'

Moving to an image of Nina in her lounge, full of pillows as their children played, she said: "Saturday nights look different.

"So do all-nighters," she added over a photo of her and the baby.

Nina's Reel also featured a video of Ted cleaning in the kitchen while Nina zoomed in on a disco ball hanging from the ceiling, with the caption: "All that's left of the rave? A teeny tiny disco ball."

The next image showed her husband looking down at their newborn, and Nina added: "I wouldn't change a thing."

Finally, she shared a recent photo of the couple, joking that they've "still got it" and adding: "Next ten years? TBC."

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Beef tallow is rendered-down beef fat, a waxy substance thats had all beef solids and moisture removed from it, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its commonly used to make soap and candles. So why are people on TikTok putting it on their face?

On TikTok, videos tagged #beeftallow have more than 45 million views, and #beeftallowskincare have over 14 million views. Users claim beef tallow can help smooth wrinkles, soothe rashesand burns, relieve eczema and improve acne. For example:

But dermatologists say theyre not slathering beef tallow on their skin any time soon, as theres no scientific evidence that it offers skin care benefits.

As a medical professional, I cannot recommend or endorse the use of beef tallow for any medical purposes, including skin care, said Dr. Ife Rodney, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology and Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland. While some people may have positive experiences with it, and it does contain vitamins and minerals typical in skin care, there are other medically approved and proven alternatives to treat your skin issues.

Since beef tallow also isnt Food and Drug Administration-approved for use as skin care, Rodney said it could pose safety risks.

Dr. Hadley King, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist, also doesnt recommend beef tallow for your skin. Many people are looking for options that are cruelty-free, sustainable and clean, and beef tallow is none of these, she told HuffPost.

Could beef tallow offer any skin care benefits?

Its not that far-fetched that people are using beef tallow in their skin care routines. For centuries, people have used plant and animal fats as moisturizers, Rodney said. However, its important to note that not all fats are created equal, and some may be more beneficial than others.

Beef fat does have moisturizing properties. King said its high in triglycerides and fatty acids, which offer emollient benefits. Emollients help with skin barrier function, membrane fluidity and cell signaling, leading to overall improvements in skin texture and appearance. It might also help with dry skin.

Beef tallow contains antioxidants, like omega-3 fatty acids, which can fight free radicals, and offers anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits, Dr. Jaimie DeRosa, a Boston-based board-certified facial plastic surgeon, told HuffPost.

Its also packed with linoleic acid, or omega-6 fatty acid, known for its anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidant properties, said Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Modern Dermatology in Westport, Connecticut. Linoleic acid could improve symptoms of eczema, psoriasis and rashes.

The fat is also rich in vitamin A, which helps your sebaceous glands that naturally produce an oily substance that protects your skin, function better, DeRosa added. And, its rich in fat-soluble vitamins D, E, and K that boost collagen production and skin rejuvenation.

As you age, the skin produces less of certain lipids, which can lead to volume loss, skin dullness and laxity accentuating the signs of aging, Robinson said. Topical lipids (or fats) can support the deeper skin structures as they hydrate the skin and improve skin barrier function.

Some TikTokers have claimed beef tallow is equivalent to retinol, an anti-aging substance derived from vitamin A. But DeRosa said the two arent the same. Theres no scientific evidence that beef tallow can improve acne or smooth out wrinkles, either, Rodney said.

Is it harmful to use beef tallow on your skin?

Since beef tallow isnt FDA-approved for topical use on your skin, it could put you at risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, DeRosa explained.

There are so many other fantastic products that one can use for the skin; I dont think this is worth the risk, she said.

Because its not regulated as skin care, there could be many problems with beef tallows sourcing, purity, consistency, stability and preservatives  so you might not always know whats in it. This could increase your risk for irritation or an allergic reaction, Robinson said.

The fats heavy emollient consistency might clog your pores and make an acne flare-up more likely, she added.

And, since theres no scientific evidence to back up TikTokers claims about beef tallows effects on your skin, Robinson said, youre better off avoiding it  there are a wealth of other products out there that are made for your skin and contain ingredients to tackle your skin issues.

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(Bloomberg) -- A new deal Botswana signed this month with De Beers will give it access to more diamonds and help it secure 10 billion pula ($762 million) in development funding, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said in an interview.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The 10-year arrangement between the gem giant, a unit of Anglo American Plc, and the worlds second-largest producer is crucial to both sides and plays a central role in the global diamond supply chain.

Were very happy with the outcome. It could have been better but you know with a partnership youve always got to give as you take, Masisi said in an interview with Bloomberg TV in Gaborone, Botswanas capital. The funds will help Botswana diversify the economy and improve the diamond value chain and help impart skills to young people and create jobs, he said.

Under the new accord, Botswanas state-owned diamond trader will get 30% of output from Debswana, the De Beers unit that generally accounts for about two-thirds of the groups annual production. The government said theres also an agreement  still tentative at this stage  for that share to eventually increase to as high as 50%.

Read more: De Beers Loses More Diamonds to Botswana in Last Minute Deal

Botswanas Okavango Diamond Company currently gets 25% of Debswana production. The agreement with De Beers includes a new 25-year mining licenses for Debswana. It also provides for De Beers to invest 1 billion pula up front in a so-called Diamonds for Development Fund and contribute about 9 billion pula more over the duration of the contract.

More gems will be now processed within Botswana and tax revenue is set to vertically increase, Masisi said. The deal with De Beers is one that is going to make a big difference.

Botswanas government had become increasingly vocal of the 54-year-old agreement, and threatened to walk away if it didnt provide more benefit to the country. The partnership with De Beers remains enduring and solid, the president said.

Tensions between the authorities and De Beers also arose over the role of Belgian gem trader HB Antwerp, which has established a close relationship with the government. Earlier this year Botswana said it was taking a 24% stake in the company, without disclosing how much it paid, and would get some supply from ODC.

Botswana sees no conflict with De Beers over its ties with HB Antwerp and is open to taking a bigger stake in the Belgian gem trader, but that would depend on the attractiveness of any deal, according to Masisi.

If it makes businesses sense we will talk to them, he said. We are in business, you know.

Other highlights:

The government is open to approaching international debt markets for funding and has space to take on new loans. It depends on the projects that we put together and the position of the economy, Masisi said.

Botswana is seeking additional investments in industries including livestock, tourism and vaccine production.

Production of copper, nickel and other minerals is expected to increase.

The country plans to start exporting fruit to the US and European Union.

Oil exploration and fracking wont be allowed to take place in the environmentally sensitive Okavango Delta region. Oil exploration is taking place in other areas.

--With assistance from Nadine Theron and Paul Richardson.

(Updates with details of De Beers deal starting in second paragraph.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
As NATOs anticipated 2023 Vilnius Summit makes headlines, the alliances members urge Minsk to end its complicity in Russias full-scale war against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda urges NATO to bolster its eastern flank, claiming Belarus is no longer independent but rather a province of Russia. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya criticizes his comment.

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Prominent Belarusian artist and political prisoner Ales Pushkin, jailed in 2021 for politically motivated charges, dies in intensive care under unclear circumstances.

A bill permitting Minsk to revoke the citizenships of Belarusians living abroad accused of so-called extremist activity and harming national interests comes into effect.

Belarusian authorities release political activist Zmitser Dashkevich, only to re-imprison him for alleged disobedience.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) votes to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the Asian Games in China amid criticism.

NATO urges Belarus to end its complicity in Russias war at NATO summit

NATO leaders urged Minsk to end its complicity in Russias war of aggression against Ukraine and adhere to international law at the Alliances 2023 Vilnius Summit on July 11-12.

Russias deepening military integration with Belarus, including the deployment of advanced Russian military capabilities and military personnel in Belarus, has implications for regional stability and the defense of the alliance, the Vilnius summit communique read.

NATO will remain vigilant and further monitor developments closely, in particular the potential deployment of so-called private military companies to Belarus, it continued, adding that the alliance calls on Belarus to stop its malign activities against its neighbors, to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to abide by international law.

Meanwhile, exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhaniuskaya called on NATO member states to include a democratic Belarus in their projected security architecture.

She noted that, while Ukraine should be in focus during the NATO summit, Belarus should also be high on the agenda, adding that there can be no security for Ukraine without freedom for Belarus.

NATOs 2023 Vilnius aummit in Lithuania took place a few kilometers from the Belarusian border.

After Russia announced the transfer of Wagner Group troops to Belarus, as well as that of tactical nuclear weapons, neighboring EU states such as Lithuania called on NATO to reinforce its eastern flank.

Lithuanian president calls Belarus Russian province at NATO summit

Belarus is no longer independent, and is rather a province of Russia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said ahead of NATOs 2023 Vilnius Summit on July 11.

I told President Biden that Belarus is indeed becoming a problem, Nauseda said after a meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden, This is not the Belarus that it was in 2020. Now we should have no illusions, this country is no longer independent, it is another province of the Russian Federation.

Directly referencing Russias deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus and the migrant crisis orchestrated by Belarus, Nauseda urged NATO to take decisive action.

All this taken together shows that the security situation in our region is unstable, it is not improving, but worsening, he said.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya responded to Nausedas statement, emphasizing the importance of recognizing that the erosion of Belarus independence is happening against the will of the Belarusian people.

The United Transitional Cabinet believes that this (Nausedas interpretation) creates the wrong perception of Belarus in the world and contributes to an even greater isolation of our country and our people, Tsikhanouskayas United Transitional Cabinet said, Belarus is not a province of Russia, and the Belarusian people will not allow it to become one.

Nauseda urged NATO on July 25 to strengthen its eastern flank in the aftermath of the Wagner Groups armed mutiny and the anticipated transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus.

If Prigozhin or part of the Wagner Group ends up in Belarus with unclear plans and unclear intentions, it will only mean that we need to further strengthen the security of our eastern borders, he said.

Prominent Belarusian artist dies in prison under unclear circumstances

Prominent Belarusian artist and political prisoner Ales Pushkin died in a Belarusian prisons intensive care unit under unclear circumstances, his wife Janina Demuch said on July 11.

Belarusian authorities sentenced the 57-year-old to five years in prison for desecrating state symbols and inciting hatred in 2021. During his closed trial, Pushkin slit his stomach in a sign of protest.

At the time, Belarusian prosecutors said Pushkins charges were related to his painting of Jauhien Zychar, a member of the Belarusian anti-Soviet resistance, shown at an exhibition in the Belarusian city of Hrodna. Authorities claimed the painting rehabilitated and justified Nazism.

Ales Pushkin, a prominent Belarusian artist who died in prison on July 11, 2023, "under unclear circumstances," according to his wife. (Photo: Ales Pushkin / Facebook)

Pushkin was admitted to his prisons intensive care unit unconscious on July 10, according to Radio Svoboda. In his last letters, he reportedly said he had lost 20 kilograms in a short period of time. Local media said Pushkin had a perforated ulcer for which he was not given assistance in prison. He reportedly died of sepsis and multiple organ failure.

In response to his death, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called Pushkins work the embodiment of the indomitable spirit of the Belarusian people.

Ales used his art to fight for freedom and build a new Belarus without tyranny, Tsikhanouskaya said, He dreamed of a free and democratic Belarus. Now we must continue his work and make his dreams come true. Dictators fear artists. Why? Because they have the power to express thoughts and ideas that challenge the regimes lies.

Pushkin has been at the forefront of Belarus national revival for decades, also having taken part in the mass protests that followed the fraudulent Belarusian presidential election in 2020.

In his most famous work, Dung for the President, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison, Pushkin overturned a wheelbarrow of dung across from the presidential building in Minsk in 1999.

Human rights watchdog Viasna reported in April that the official number of political prisoners in Belarus has reached 1,500, noting that the figure is likely much higher.

In December 2022, Maria Kalesnikava, a symbol of Belarusian civil societys resistance to Lukashenkos regime, was admitted with a similar diagnosis as Pushkin, although she managed to survive.

Bill allowing Minsk to revoke exiled Belarusians citizenships enters into effect

A bill that permits Minsk to revoke the citizenships of Belarusians living abroad accused of so-called extremist activity and harming national interests came into effect on July 11.

On Jan. 5, Lukashenko signed a bill amending Belarus citizenship law, permitting the stripping of citizenship from Belarusian nationals living abroad who are accused of so-called extremist activities. It was set to enter into effect in July.

Belarusians who enlist in a foreign states military, security service, or law enforcement may also have their citizenship revoked. This will affect Belarusians who have joined Ukraines military to fight against Russia.

The amendment also introduced a compulsory oath for those seeking Belarusian citizenship, which obliges them to inform Belarusian authorities about foreign citizenship, residence permits, or other such documents.

Lukashenko initiated a bill in July 2022 permitting trials in absentia for a series of violations, including charges of treason, terrorism, genocide, mercenarism, and participation in extremist activities. If found guilty, individuals may have their assets seized or be deprived of their Belarusian citizenship.

The measure violates the countrys constitution and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, prohibiting stripping citizenship of those who obtained it by birth.

Authorities re-imprison political prisoner after serving full sentence

Belarusian authorities reportedly gave recently released political activist Zmitser Dashkevich an additional prison sentence on July 11.

According to his wife, Nasta, Dashkevich had served his full prison sentence. Upon his expected release, Belarusian authorities launched a new criminal investigation into Dashkevich for alleged disobedience while in jail.

Nasta was sentenced to a year in prison for having participated in protests following another rigged presidential election in 2010 and became the first Belarusian woman to receive the U.S. State Departments International Womens Prize for Courage.

Dashkevich was initially imprisoned in March 2022 for having participated in the mass protests that took place in the aftermath of the fraudulent Belarusian presidential election in 2020. Nasta was charged in the same case and sentenced to three years of house arrest as she was expecting their fourth child.

I dont know what to tell the kids who are waiting for their dad today, Nasta said.

It is not uncommon to justify extending politically motivated prison sentences in Belarus with charges of disobedience, especially after Minsk cracked down on those who oppose Lukashenkos regime after 2020.

Russian, Belarusian athletes allowed to participate in Asian Games

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to participate under a neutral flag at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in the fall, the events organizers said on July 8.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) voted on July 8 to allow up to 500 athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, noting that they will not be allowed to win medals at the event.

In January, the OCA said it was open to allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals, suggesting Asia as a potential route to get past bans from European regional competitions. At the time, OCA acting president Randhir Singh told reporters that the athletes wont interfere in our medal system or Asian quota for the Olympic Games

Participating in the Asian Games will reportedly help the athletes earn points to qualify for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has received a lot of criticism for recommending that Russian and Belarusian athletes that do not actively support Russias war be allowed to participate in international sporting events under a neutral flag.

On June 22, the Council of Europe urged the complete ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes participating in the Olympics as long as Russias war of aggression against Ukraine persists, calling on the IOC to uphold its prior decision to ban the athletes from the Olympics and all other major sporting events.

Politically-motivated murders

Belarusians voted for Lukashenko in the countrys first and only presidential election the international community recognized as fair on July 10, 1994.

However, Lukashenkos rule in the 1990s and early 2000s would soon be marred by fraudulent elections, the dismantling of democratic institutions, and politically motivated arrests and murders.

For example, former Interior Minister Yuryi Zakharanka disappeared on May 7, 1999, after he announced the creation of the Officers Union, which opposed Lukashenko. Similarly, opposition politician Viktar Hanchar and his friend, businessman Anatoly Krasovsky, also went missing.

Meanwhile, July 7 marked 23 years since the kidnapping of Dzmitryi Zavadski.

In 2000, Belarusian journalist Dzmitry Zavadsky went to meet his colleague at the airport and was never seen again. His empty car was parked next to the airport, and his body was never found.

Dzmitry Zavadsky started his career as a cameraman on Belarusian TV and worked with the selected group of reporters that followed Lukashenko on his official visits.

Zavadski left for the Russian ORT channel and started working with Pavel Sheremet, a prominent Belarusian journalist critical of the regime.

His reporting annoyed Lukashenko and caused a rift in Russia-Belarus relations. Sheremet was soon deprived of accreditation and was detained along with Zavadsky, his cameraman. The duo was sentenced to 1.5-2 years of imprisonment, postponed for a year. Both continued their work.

Zavadsky made several reports about Russias Chechen War and returned to Minsk right before he was kidnapped.

In 2001, the former Belarusian prosecutors Dzmitry Petrushkevich and Aleh Sluchak, who were in charge of the Zavadsky case, emigrated to the United States, fearing for their lives and revealed that Lukashenkos opponents disappearances were the result of work of the so-called Death Squad, a special unit created by Luakshenko to deal with any task including murder.

The Squad had to develop a procedure of kidnapping and killing the opponents of the regime without leaving a trace. The murders were carried out with a gun dedicated to executing death penalty sentences in Belarus.

The Belarusian KGB tried to investigate and uncover the group.

But as KGB Chairman Vladimir Matskevich and Prosecutor General Oleg Bozhelko have arrested the groups commander Dzmitry Paulichenka and demanded the resignation of the countrys Secretary of the Security Council, Viktar Sheiman, the two were fired instead.

Paulichenka was released from KGB prison and continued his service.

Their story matches that of another whistleblower, Yury Garavski, a member of the squad, who fled to Belarus.

A 2004 special report of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe found that Viktor Sheiman, Yury Sivakov, Vladimir Naumov, and Dmitriy Pavlichenko were involved in the disappearance of Zakharanka, Hanchar, Krasousky, and Zavadsky.

They were banned from entering the territory of the European Union and the United States and remain persona non-grata to this day.

Up until 2021, Sheiman was heading Lukashenkos administration. Pandora Papers revealed Sheiman is actively involved in Lukashenkos deals with Zimbabwe.

Dmitry Pavlichenka is retired from service and is heading a veteran's organization in Minsk.

No bodies were found.
The Ministry of Defence of Belarus has said that they had developed and prepared with the mercenaries of the Wagner PMC, who now train the Belarusian military, a "road map" for training and exchanging experience.

Source: Ministry of Defence of Belarus

Quote: "The Ministry of Defense receives many appeals on the further joint system of training of the Armed Forces and fighters of the Wagner PMC.

We inform you that the military department and the company's management have developed a roadmap for the near future for the preparation and exchange of experience between units of different types of troops."

Details: At the same time, the ministry did not provide details of this so-called "roadmap".

Background:

By agreement with the self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, after the rebellion in Russia, the leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, had to go with some of his mercenaries to Belarus.

On 6 July, Lukashenko said that Wagner PMC mercenaries, if deployed in Belarus, could be used to defend the country.

The Belarusian Ministry of Defence said that the mercenaries of the Wagner PMC, owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, began to train territorial troops as instructors in Belarus.

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The mercenaries of the Wagner Group, owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, have begun training the territorial troops as instructors in Belarus.

Source: Press service of the Ministry of Defence of Belarus

Quote: "Training is being held with units of the territorial troops near Asipovicy. The conscripts are mastering the skills of moving on the battlefield and tactical shooting, gaining knowledge of engineering training and tactical medicine."

Details: It is reported that Wagner Group fighters acted as instructors in a number of military disciplines.

"The experience gained by the conscripts from the Wagner Group will make a substantial contribution to the country's military security," the ministry said.

Background:

By agreement with self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, after the coup in Russia, Wagner Group's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was to go to Belarus with some of his mercenaries.

On 6 July, Lukashenko said that the mercenaries of the Wagner Group, if deployed in Belarus, could be used to defend the country.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed an order of the State Council to unveil a regulation on consular protection and assistance in China.

The 27-item regulation will come into effect on Sept. 1, 2023, according to an official statement.

As China's international exchanges expand, so the people's requirement for sound overseas public service by the government rapidly grows, and strengthening consular protection and assistance has become more urgent with the changes in the international security environment and the increase of both traditional and non-traditional security challenges, the statement said.

The enactment of the regulation will help make the country's consular protection and assistance more law-based, institutionalized and standardized, the statement read.
A Bellingham woman is recovering from a history-making dual transplant of a liver and a heart, in a first for the University of Washington Medicine surgeons.

The transplants of a liver and heart were to prevent the possibility her body would reject the donor heart, testing the idea a donor liver would increase immunoprotection on a donor heart transplant.

Adriana Rodriguez, 31, has been recovering since the Jan. 14 transplant, according to Dr. Shin Lin, a cardiologist at the UW Medicine Heart Institute.

Dual heart and liver transplants are rarely performed, Lin said. This particular case was a first for UW Medicine surgeons.

According to the UW, Rodriguezs case was unusual because the donor liver transplant was done because doctors absolutely believed her body would reject a heart that she desperately needed.

To make room for the new liver, her healthy liver was transplanted into another patient who had advanced liver disease.

She met all criteria for transplant, but her antibodies (to the antigens of organ donors) were the highest weve ever seen, Lin said. Finding an immunologic match for her heart alone was going to be like trying to win the lottery. Essentially she would have needed the donor to be her immunologic twin.

On Dec. 7, 2022, Rodriguezs need for a heart transplant came from a spontaneous tear within her coronary artery that happened two weeks after she gave birth to her third child.

There are thought to be hormonal changes and stress in pregnancy that can make the coronary arteries vulnerable to these tears, said Dr. Daniel Fishbein, a heart failure specialist on Rodriguezs team. In the best-case scenario, a dissection heals without much heart damage and the patient goes home with medications and gets better. But this patient had terrible heart failure.

Doctors concluded Rodriguez had a 99% likelihood of rejecting the new heart.

After other ideas or techniques were ruled out to save Rodriguez, she was placed on the transplant list. A new heart and liver became available on Jan. 14.

The procedure, which took 17 hours, was performed at UW Medical Center-Montlake.

There are no words to express my gratitude for my exceptional care  to the doctors and surgeons brainstorming on how to save my life, to my nurses for going the extra mile to make me feel comfortable, and to everyone working on my case who I didnt get to meet, Rodriguez said.
Belonging in the workplace: what does it mean and why does it matter?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs have received a lot of attention and resources in recent years.

Businesses spent an estimated $7.5 billion on them in 2020, and are projected to spend over $15 billion by 2026. But despite this, many companies have reported that their DEI programs have largely failed.

Its simple  you can increase diversity in the workforce, treat people fairly and even include them, but if they still dont truly feel as though they belong, your efforts miss the mark. Thats why studies show that belonging is one of the most powerful predictors of DEI efficacy in the workforce.

Belonging matters

Deloittes 2020 Human Capital Trends report ranked belonging as the top human capital issue organizations face today.

Deloittes researchers define belonging as workers feeling comfortable at work, including being treated fairly and respected by colleagues, feeling connected to the people they work with and the teams they are a part of, and feeling that they contribute to meaningful work outcomes.

They describe belonging as one of the most important issues for attracting, retaining, and activating employees in todays workplace. The importance of belonging is backed up by employee feedback and research across the globe.

A report from McKinsey found that a lack of belonging is one of the top three reasons people quit a job post-pandemic, with 51% of employees citing it as the primary reason they left.

Nearly as many workers cited the desire to find an environment where they can work with people who trust and care for each other. As discovered by McKinsey, employees want stronger relationships, a sense of connection, and to be seen.

In a global study from Cognizant, 92% of respondents said it was important to feel like youre appreciated for who you are and what you can contribute, and 62% said belonging was more important than salary.

Driver of wellbeing

Indeeds Work Happiness Score research revealed that belonging is the top driver of wellbeing for employees and an essential driver of happiness at work, ranking higher than pay.

Belonging isnt just key to DEI; its also the key to employee engagement and its good for business. According to research by Gartner, employees who work in diverse and inclusive teams see a 12% increase in performance.

In Ipsos 2022 Workplace Belonging Survey, nearly all employees (88%) at the companies surveyed agreed that a sense of belonging led to higher productivity at work. And a report from Great Place To Work shows that inclusive workplaces grow revenue more than three times faster than their less inclusive rivals.

The proliferation of research that shows the impact belonging can have on employees makes one thing clear: employers of all sizes must firmly foster a culture of belonging to remain viable.

Doing so is a foundational component of becoming a destination workplace. Of course there is no one-size-fits-all approach to cultivating DEI and belonging. A global company with employees who speak 10 different languages in 10 different time zones will do things differently than a company with 30 employees based out of Austin, Texas.

That said, here are three actions all leaders can take to cultivate belonging in the company, no matter how many people they manage.

Eliminate outsiderness

Feeling like an outsider is a personally painful, negative experience, a cognitive distraction that undermines focus and performance. Strive for a workplace culture in which individuality is both noticed and valued.

Conduct frequent check-ins with your employees (formal and informal) where they feel safe to ask for what they need and voice their opinions. Workplace support, understanding and trust all reduce the likelihood of an individual feeling like an outsider.

Reflect inward

Audit your policies and workplace norms for biases or unnecessary barriers that might marginalize employees. For example, if you hire a single mother but your policies dont allow her the flexibility to pick up her child from school, you have done very little to help her belong.

Be accountable

Follow through on stated diversity measures and employee requests for change. Hold yourself and the entire company accountable for matching the standards of behavior that allow for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to thrive.

If a sense of belonging in work is essential for you, its time to investigate opportunities with companies that properly promote a culture of inclusivity. Your first stop? Head for The Hill Job Board where you can browse hundreds of jobs right now. Here are three hiring this week

The National Parks Conservation Association is currently looking to hire a Director of Government Affairs  Cultural Resources to help broaden its advocacy efforts, including collaborating with partners and improving cultural resource preservation within the National Park System. The NPCA promises that the successful hire will become part of a highly supportive community that believes in respect through understanding and is guided by their core values: commitment, inclusion, integrity and respect.

Discover a similar dedication to diversity and belonging at Conservation International which has an open position for an Executive Assistant to support the CEOs office. Conservation International is proud of its diverse, global workforce and it has developed new employee-led resource and affinity groups, as well as new learning and development courses, designed to ensure that staff find belonging. Also flying the flag for inclusivity are organizations such as Nestle IT which states it is an affirmative action employer seeking diversity in its workforce, with a specific recruiting call out to veterans and separated service members. Nestle is currently looking to fill the role of an IT Sr. Business Relationship Manager  Finance. As the senior manager, youll help business leaders shape their strategies regarding financial technology solution implementations and product adoptions.

For more career opportunities and to find a role in a company with a supportive work environment that respects your identity and your opinion, visit the Hill Job Board now

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BERNARDSVILLE  Police are investigating after a 53-year-old township man was found dead Thursday morning at the corner of Fox Hollow Trail and Blazure Drive.

Police said they responded around 6 a.m. Thursday to the scene after receiving reports that a man was lying on the ground. Officers found the man unresponsive and not breathing, police said.

The man was not identified, and his death is not considered suspicious, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bernardsville Police Department at 908-766-0037.

Email: alewis@gannett.com

Alexander Lewis is an award-winning reporter and photojournalist whose work spans many topics. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Bernardsville NJ police investigating man found dead at street corner
Beverly Kearney-Ybarra was the last person youd expect to back down.

When LGBTQ kids were being bullied at school, she was known to stand up for them. If a protest needed to be organized, she was there.

The Antelope resident, known for her strides in advocacy for the LGBTQ community in the Sacramento area, died May 20 due to a ruptured brain aneurysm.

Her death sent a shock wave through many in the Sacramento LGBTQ community who were familiar with her contributions in Sacramento and beyond. Family and friends said those wont soon be forgotten.

She was much more of the social butterfly, the advocate in the relationship for sure, said her wife, Renee Ybarra. The two met around a decade ago and tied the knot officially back in 2020.

She grew accustomed to seeing Kearney-Ybarra jump into action every time a young LGBTQ person needed help.

She became that support, which was phenomenal ... she was such a large voice and a large presence, Ybarra said.

Born in Tachikawa, Japan, Kearney-Ybarra went on to spend six years in Italy before moving to Dixon where she spent much of her childhood. She soon earned bachelors and masters degrees in social work at Sacramento State and later spent more than 20 years with Sacramento County Child Protective Services and its parent Department of Child, Family and Adult Services.

There, she helped found the LGBTQ+ caucus for county social work and initiated inclusivity trainings for all Sacramento County CPS staff.

That work was deeply important to her, Ybarra said. It took the form of getting the correct verbiage and terminology for staff or helping them understand the struggles LGBTQ youth might be facing, particularly those she supported as a social worker. Their areas of work sometimes overlapped; at one point, Kearney-Ybarra even came into a group home Ybarra was working at to share her advice.

She was happy to offer that training to my company at the time and educate them as well what she was doing for the county, Ybarra said. She was a lover of all things.

She was no stranger to making change in a variety ways, even making national news outlets before for her work, such as when she helped organize a kiss in. That was back in 2013, after a Roseville mall security guard asked a gay couple seen kissing to leave.

She also helped organized the first ever June Pride event in Dixon back in 2018.

Her friend of more than 10 years, Sara Floor, has always admired that fight.

She took it upon herself to say, Hey, this isnt right, we should have equal rights, people should be able to, you know, hold hands with whoever they want or kiss whoever they want, Floor said. I learned a lot from her about what it is to to stand up for your beliefs and to be unabashedly committed to standing up for other people.

Ybarra, who also worked with children in group homes, ended up taking care of multiple kids with Kearney-Ybarra, some of whom they now call their own. Kearney-Ybarra kept her circle tight, Ybarra said, but she was loving and accepting. In 2013, the same year as the kiss-in, she founded the organization Love is Love Movement. The organization aims to support LGBTQ+ people and has put on social media campaigns, protests and rallies.

A few months before passing away, she left her career working with Sacramento government officials to be the Northern California director for the Family Network adoption agency.

That was her dream in some ways, Ybarra said. Kearney-Ybarras work with the county was often heavy and difficult, and she had the chance to create families in the new position she had taken.

The fact that she was such a large voice and a large presence, to be able to offer that support, Ybarra said. Those are going to be some really large shoes to fill. Its gonna take more than a few people to do so.

The Sacramento County CPS LGBTQ Specialist Pride Award has been renamed the Beverly Kearney-Ybarra Pride Award in recognition of her work advocating for gay foster youth.

A public celebration of her life will be held July 28 on 11 a.m. at St. Pauls Episcopal Church, 1430 J St., Sacramento.
The Biden administration has announced that it will provide $39 billion in total student debt relief for 804,000 borrowers, its latest step since President Bidens student loan forgiveness plan was struck down by the Supreme Court.

The Education Department said Friday the relief is being provided on income-driven repayment plans, in which the federal government cancels remaining balances for the borrower after they have made their payments for 20 or 25 years.

The department said the fixes will more accurately count monthly payments that qualify under the plans, and it will notify borrowers who are eligible for the relief in the upcoming days.

The Supreme Court struck down Bidens plan to give $10,000 of student debt relief to low- and middle-income borrowers and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients in a 6-3 decision last month. The majority found Congress had not directly authorized the president to forgive debts worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

US President Joe Biden walks backdropped by Marine One upon arriving at Stansted airport, in London, Monday, July 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

US President Joe Biden walks backdropped by Marine One upon arriving at Stansted airport, in London, Monday, July 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Biden announced after the decision that his administration would continue to work to provide student debt relief despite the courts ruling. He said he would base his debt relief plan on a different law, the Higher Education Act, which proponents argue allows the education secretary to compromise, waive or release student loan debt.

The administration must undergo a public comment period before the plan can go into effect, delaying its potential implementation.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment on Fridays announcement.

Vice President Harris said in a statement that she and Biden are committed to providing relief to student borrowers.

Our Administration will continue to fight to make sure Americans can access high-quality postsecondary education without taking on the burden of unmanageable student loan debt, she said.

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Harris said many of the borrowers eligible for the relief were placed in forbearance by loan servicers against the rules of the payment plan, and others did not receive credit for monthly payments they made.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The relief is being provided as part of an adjustment that the administration announced in April 2022.

Cardona said the plan will ensure everyone receives the forgiveness they deserve in addressing past administrative failures.

Updated at 9:28 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Biden administration announced on Friday that it would cancel $39 billion of student debt owed by more than 804,000 borrowers whose debts have been outstanding for more than 20 years.

The Education Department said it was implementing its plan, announced in April 2022, to compensate borrowers for what it called historical inaccuracies and other failures in how the agency and its contracted loan servicers have managed the income-driven repayment programs.

The program is separate from President Joe Bidens sweeping student debt relief program that the Supreme Court struck down last month. But the announcement comes as the Biden administration looks to highlight its alternative pathways for delivering student debt relief in the face of that legal defeat.

We will not stop there, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement, praising the announcement as a historic step to alleviate student debt burdens.

Our Administration will continue to fight to make sure Americans can access high-quality postsecondary education without taking on the burden of unmanageable student loan debt, she said.



What happened: Department officials revised borrowers accounts to retroactively count months towards forgiveness under the income-driven repayment plans that previously werent counted or wouldnt typically qualify.

Those months of credit pushed the more than 804,000 borrowers to reach the threshold for loan forgiveness of 20 or 25 years, depending on the type of income-driven repayment plan.

Department officials said borrowers who are set to receive loan forgiveness would begin receiving notices in the coming days and that discharges would begin 30 days after that.

Whats next: The Education Department said it would continue to identify every two months new groups of borrowers who reach those thresholds. The agency said that next year it would award all remaining retroactive credit to all borrowers who will be pushed closer to loan forgiveness but still fall short of the 20- or 25-year threshold.

The department has previously said that some 3.6 million borrowers would receive at least three years worth of credit toward loan forgiveness under the new one-time adjustment.



Key context: Income-driven repayment programs promise borrowers the opportunity to have their debts erased entirely after they make payments for either 20 or 25 years, depending on the plan. But relatively few borrowers have received forgiveness under those plans.

In some cases, the Education Department did not properly track borrowers monthly credit toward making payments. In addition, state attorneys general and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also filed lawsuits accusing student loan servicers of improperly steering borrowers into long-term forbearances that dont qualify for credit toward loan forgiveness.

For example, Navient, which was once one the departments largest servicers, reached a $2 billion settlement with a bipartisan group of 40 attorneys general last year to resolve allegations that included forbearance-steering. The company denied any wrongdoing.

At the start of this Administration, millions of borrowers had earned loan forgiveness but never received it. Thats unacceptable, Education Undersecretary James Kvaal said in a statement. "Today we are holding up the bargain we offered borrowers who have completed decades of repayment.

GOP pushback: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chair of the House Education Committee, blasted the Education Departments announcement as illegal and too expensive for taxpayers.

The Biden administrations blatantly political attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court is shameful, she said in a statement. The Biden administration is trampling the rule of law, hurting borrowers, and abusing taxpayers to chase headlines.
The U.S. Education Department announced Friday that it will cancel $39 billion in federal student loans for more than 800,000 borrowers who were enrolled in loan repayment plans based on their incomes.

The announcement comes two weeks after the Supreme Court blocked President Bidens plan to cancel up to $20,000 in loans for borrowers making less than $125,000 a year.

Fridays announcement was a continuation of his administrations efforts to reduce student loan debt through existing policies.

By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The Department of Education announced last year that it would make a one-time adjustment to its calculation of how many months worth of payments borrowers in income-driven repayment plans  in which borrowers pay a small fraction of their discretionary income  should be credited for in order to have their debts forgiven. Borrowers enrolled in current income-driven repayment plans are eligible for loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years worth of monthly payments, depending on their specific program.

Borrowers who are eligible for debt cancellation as a result of the adjustment will be notified starting Friday.

Vice President Kamala Harris vowed in a statement Friday that the White House would not stop fighting to reduce student loan debt.

She pointed to last months announcement that the White House would pursue an alternative path to provide relief through the Higher Education Act after the Supreme Courts decision on the presidents plan. The administration also finalized its new income-driven repayment plan, which Harris said would cut monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans.

Our administration will continue to fight to make sure Americans can access high-quality postsecondary education without taking on the burden of unmanageable student loan debt, Harris said.

The Biden administration is expected to launch its revamped income-driven repayment program later this year.

In addition to paying less each month, borrowers will have any accrued interest that exceeds their monthly payments waived. Borrowers with less than $12,000 in original loan balances will have their debt forgiven after 10 years of payments.

Bidens debt cancellation plan has received attention in recent months, but his administration has quietly approved tens of billions in loan discharges for borrowers through existing programs such as permanent disability discharge, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for public servants and the Borrower Defense to Repayment program for people who believe they were defrauded by their schools.

So far, the Biden administration has approved more than $116.6 billion in debt cancellation for 3.4 million borrowers, according to the Education Department.





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Biden authorizes military to use up to 3,000 reserve troops to augment US forces in Europe

President Biden on Thursday authorized the Pentagon to tap up to 3,000 reservists for deployment to Europe to augment U.S. troops there in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Bidens order authorizes the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to send active duty units and individual members who are assigned to a unit of the Selected Reserve or any member of the Individual Ready Reserve.

Units deployed are not to exceed more than 3,000 total members at one time, of whom not more than 450 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve, the order said.

The order comes on the heels of the presidents five-day trip to Europe, which wound through the U.K., Lithuania and Finland. The trip was meant to demonstrate the force of the international coalition against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And Biden appeared confident he had accomplished that mission, proclaiming that he and other NATO leaders showed the military alliance "more united than ever."

BIDEN TANGLES WITH REPORTER WHO QUESTIONS US COMMITMENT TO NATO: NO ONE CAN GUARANTEE THE FUTURE

Although Ukraine's demand for an explicit path to NATO membership remained elusive, Biden emphasized that agreements with countries in the alliance would support Kyiv's long-term security even without its formal entry.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine on April 18, 2023.

During a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto earlier Thursday, Biden insisted that Zelenskyy "ended up very happy" despite his expressed frustrations at the lack of a clear timetable for Ukraine to join the alliance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden denounced Sen. Tommy Tubervilles blockade of hundreds of military nominations at a joint news conference with Finland's president in Helsinki on Thursday, calling Tuberville's actions "totally irresponsible."

Military promotions are usually approved by Congress without delay, but Tuberville, R-Ala., a member of the Armed Services Committee, has blocked hundreds of such appointments, citing his objection to a Defense Department policy that provides paid time off and reimburses travel costs for service members and dependents seeking abortions.

Biden, standing beside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, said he would be willing to talk to Tuberville if I thought theres any possibility of him changing his ridiculous position. Hes jeopardizing U.S. security with what hes doing.

I expect the Republican Party to stand up  stand up and do something about it, he continued.

The idea that we dont have a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the idea that we have all these promotions that are in abeyance right now and we dont know whats going to happen, the idea they were injecting into fundamental foreign policy decisions what in fact is a domestic social debate on social issues is bizarre, Biden said. I dont ever recall it happening, ever. And its just totally irresponsible, in my view.

Im confident that the mainstream Republican Party no longer, does not support what hes doing, but they got to stand up and be counted, he said. Thats how it ends.

Tommy Tuberville during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call via AP file )

Tuberville told NBC News that he would consider lifting his blockade if the Senate would agree to vote on whether to keep the current policy and the Pentagon and the White House would promise to rescind it should the vote fail.

"If it fails, it's got to go back to the original," Tuberville said of the policy. He had previously said he would lift his holds only if the policy were rescinded.

Tuberville said he is willing to meet with Biden to work toward a compromise but expressed disappointment that Biden had blasted him abroad.

If Id have been president, Id call me a long time ago," he said. "But you know, I understand weve got a lot of problems in this country. We got a lot of foreign problems and, and he got  thats a hard job. I cant imagine doing that. So, you know, he got pretty, pretty fired up about me and on foreign soil. I wish he hadnt done that.

A spokesperson said Tuberville spoke to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday, pointing to a tweet characterizing their conversation as cordial and productive.

In a briefing for reporters, the Pentagon press secretary, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, confirmed that Austin and Tuberville spoke Thursday and said Austin explained how the holds are causing "uncertainty in the force" and jeopardizing "military readiness."

"A key principle in the effectiveness of our military is a well-defined chain of command," Ryder said. Any uncertainty about the fate of "incoming or outgoing commanders, and senior leaders, can make it difficult to plan for advanced mission requirements," he said.

Tuberville and Austin agreed to speak again next week, Ryder said.

Separately, Austin told CNN he will continue to engage with Tuberville to try to clear the impasse, though he added that service members will still be reimbursed for abortion-related travel expenses.

Thats our policy, Austin said.

He also said the stalled appointments are affecting national security and military readiness.

This is a national security issue. Its a readiness issue. And we shouldnt kid ourselves. I think any member of the Senate Armed Services Committee knows that," Austin told CNNs Wolf Blitzer.

We have a policy that allows our troops to get access to non-covered reproductive health care, and I think thats an important policy," Austin said.

One in 5 of my troops  is a woman, and our women provide tremendous value to this force, and I think we need to do everything we can to take care of them, he added.

Lloyd Austin attends a relinquishment of office ceremony for former commandant Gen. David Berger at the Marine Barracks Washington (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images file)

Criticism of Tubervilles blockade continues to mount.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a longtime defense hawk, told NBC News that he, too, opposes the Pentagon's abortion policy but that the blockade must end.

"The point about holding up promotions, we need to end that," Graham said, adding that he will also "be asking for a vote to change the policy."

As a result of Tuberville's holds, the Marine Corps is without a confirmed chief for the first time in more than 150 years, and a Pentagon spokesperson said as many as 650 military leadership positions may be vacant by years end if the holds continue.

Austin's comments echoed those of Air Force Gen. Charles "C.Q." Brown, Biden's pick to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that the holds could affect readiness, with less experienced deputies having to take up leadership positions temporarily, and that they could discourage junior officers from staying in the military while creating financial and logistical burdens for troops families.

A spokesperson for Tuberville said in May, when Brown's nomination was announced, that the hold would also apply to Brown. The term of the current Joint Chiefs chairman, Army Gen. Mark Milley, ends in October.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Joe Bidens reelection operation  his campaign, the Democratic National Committee and a joint fundraising effort that includes state parties across the country  raised more than $72 million in his first quarter since announcing hed seek a second term, his campaign manager said in a new video posted to Twitter.

Julie Chavez Rodriguez says in the video that the Biden political operation received 670,000 contributions from more than 394,000 individual donors, boasting a significant a significant cash advantage over Bidens potential GOP rivals as the campaign begins. She did not say what percentage of the money came from small donors, only sharing that 97% of the donations were less than $200, with an average grassroots donation of $39.

The campaign did not say how much of the money flowed into Bidens campaign committee itself  the most important fundraising figure, and one that will be closely scrutinized by allies and rivals in both parties as a measure of his strength and readiness for the 2024 campaign, at a time when his political standing is in perilous position for an incumbent. Bidens campaign must file a report with the Federal Election Commission detailing its second-quarter fundraising by the end of Saturday.

Biden had historically struggled to raise money for his past campaigns, but he ultimately set a new record in 2020, becoming the first candidate for any federal office to raise $1 billion from donors as he rallied Democrats against then-President Donald Trump.

Four years ago, Biden raised more than $22 million in his first fundraising quarter for his campaign, including $8.3 million from small donors. At the time, individual donation limits were lower than they are now, and Biden was campaigning against nearly two dozen other Democrats for the partys nomination.

His first report in the 2024 cycle easily surpassed that  and the overall total raised by his political operation stretched further still, thanks in part to one of the trappings of incumbency: a fundraising arrangement with the DNC and the local party operations of all 50 states and the District of Columbia that allows individuals to contribute as much as $929,600 apiece to the so-called Biden Victory Fund.

Thats a big part of how the combined Biden political operation has racked up $77 million in the bank across its many entities  though again, its unclear how much of that money is stashed in the campaign versus other Democratic Party vehicles.

In 2016, Hillary Clintons campaign had a similar arrangement with 38 state parties, while Barack Obamas reelection campaign in 2012 had one with 22 states, according to Bidens campaign.

Bidens haul does appear lower than two recent incumbent presidents at the same period of their reelection campaigns. Trump, the Republican National Committee and Trumps joint fundraising committees raised a combined $108 million in the second fundraising quarter of 2019. And Obama, the DNC and Obamas joint fundraising committee raised a combined $89 million at this point in 2011.

Bidens decision after his 2020 victory to largely fold his political operation into the DNC for future elections was in contrast with Obama, whose team stood up a political organization known as Organizing for America after his 2008 victory. Biden advisers have argued the tight coordination between the president and the national party committee helped position Democrats for success in the 2022 midterm elections. Now, they say, the staffing there gives his still-skeletal operation a running start for 2024.

Obama raised about $46 million into his campaign in the same fundraising period of the 2012 election cycle. But the Biden-era Democratic National Committee has been better funded and more central to his reelection campaigns early planning.

Just a handful of Biden campaign staff are on the campaign payroll so far, and they have largely been working out of the DNCs Washington offices since he announced his candidacy on April 25. The campaign expects to open its own headquarters in Wilmington, Del., in August, as it also continues to evaluate what functions can continue to be served by DNC staff versus others that require onboarding new personnel.

Bidens team had carefully managed expectations ahead of filing its first fundraising report. Jeffrey Katzenberg, a longtime major Democratic donor now serving as a campaign co-chairman, told NBC in May that major fundraising was not a priority in the early phase of the campaign, even as he predicted that the president would have all, if not more than, the resources that he needs to run a competitive campaign.

One of the first events Biden held after his announcement was a gathering of top Democratic donors in Washington  though one without a price for admission. The president has since held a dozen fundraisers, including five in the final four days of the fundraising quarter.

Vice President Kamala Harris has also been active on the fundraising circuit, including one she attended Thursday in New York.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Biden nibbles on frightened young girl during trip to Finland, weirding out Twitter users

President Biden appeared to nibble at the shoulder of a startled little girl during his departure from Helsinki on Thursday.

A video of the incident, which took place as the president greeted embassy staff members and their families before he boarded Air Force One at Helsinki-Vantaan International Airport, shows Biden leaning into a young girl and placing his mouth on her shoulder as he nibbled lightly.

The little girl  who appeared frightened during the experience  later turned her head when Biden, who will turn 81 in November, tried to give her a peck on the head.

Footage from the incident quickly made the rounds on social media, where several users blasted the president for his peculiar conduct.

WATCH:

WATCH: BIDEN CONFUSES UKRAINE WITH RUSSIA, ZELENSKYY WITH PUTIN DURING GAFFE-FILLED TRIP TO LITHUANIA

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"This has got to be Biden's creepiest moment yet with a child," Caleb Hull, a conservative operative, said of the footage. "All Biden has to do is not do this and he can't," he added in a separate tweet.

Republican operative Greg Price joked that Biden is "now confusing babies with ice cream cones."

Responding to the footage in a tweet, Donald Trump Jr. wrote, "Biden should be in a nursing home, not leading the free world."

"Biden is creepy AF. Why would anyone put their mouth on another person's child like this? This is peak, disgusting pedo behavior," political comedian Tim Young noted in a tweet.

"Keep your kids away from Joe Biden. Gross," Young added in a video about the incident.

President Biden talks to a child before boarding Air Force One at Helsinki-Vantaan International Airport in Helsinki on Thursday.

"Biden pretended to bite the back of this little girl today in Finland," another person wrote in a tweet. "She was, clearly, scared and not amused."

The eyebrow-raising behavior from the president came as he concluded a five-day trip to Europe, where he participated in a Lithuanian summit to shore up support for Ukraine amid its war with Russia and showcase Finland's NATO membership.

BIDEN TANGLES WITH REPORTER WHO QUESTIONS US COMMITMENT TO NATO: 'NO ONE CAN GUARANTEE THE FUTURE'

President Biden addresses a joint press conference with Finland's president after the U.S.-Nordic leaders summit in Helsinki on Thursday.

During the trip, Biden committed multiple speaking gaffes, which included confusing Russia and Ukraine, as well as their leaders.

While speaking to the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on Wednesday, Biden referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "Vladmir," seemingly confusing Zelenskyy with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Appearing to not realize his mistake, Biden went on to say he "shouldn't be so familiar," and referred to Zelenskyy as "Mr. Zelenskyy."

Putin and Zelenskyy each hold a different version of the same name, with "Volodymyr" being the most commonly used version in Ukraine .

At a later speaking event following the summit, Biden confused the two nations, referring to Ukraine as Russia .

President Biden gives his remarks as Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky stands on the side during G7 Declaration of Joint Support for Ukraine during the high level NATO summit at Litexpo Conference Centre in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday.

"Russia could end this war tomorrow by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and recognizing its international borders and ceasing its attacks  its inhumane attacks  on Russia  I mean by Russia on Ukraine," Biden said, correcting himself.

The gaffes are just the latest in a string of near-constant fumbles by Biden, including last month when he told reporters Putin was "clearly losing the war in Iraq."

Fox News' Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
Biden Nixes $39 Billion In Student Debt For More Than 800,000 Borrowers

The Biden administration announced Friday that it will erase a total of $39 billion in student loan debt for 804,000 borrowers.

The act is the result of fixes to the federal student loan systems income-driven repayment plans, which cancel certain borrowers debt if they make payments for 20 or 25 years.

In the past, failures in the program resulted in qualified payments not being counted towards forgiveness, the administration said.

People demonstrate outside the Supreme Court in June against student loan debt.

People demonstrate outside the Supreme Court in June against student loan debt.

At the start of this Administration, millions of borrowers had earned loan forgiveness but never received it. Thats unacceptable, Education Department Under Secretary James Kvaal said in a statement. Today we are holding up the bargain we offered borrowers who have completed decades of repayment.

Eligible borrowers will start to receive notification on Friday that they qualify for forgiveness, the Department of Education said in a statement.

The Department will continue to identify and notify borrowers who reach the applicable forgiveness thresholds (240 or 300 qualifying monthly payments, depending on their repayment plan and type of loan) every two months until next year when all borrowers who are not yet eligible for forgiveness will have their payment counts updated, the department said.

President Joe Biden has continuously vowed to reduce student loan debt in the U.S., even after the U.S. Supreme Court last month struck down his sweeping student loan forgiveness plan, which would have forgiven up to $20,000 in student loan debt for more than 40 million loan holders.

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HELSINKI  After a NATO summit that threatened to erupt in divisions, President Joe Biden is basking in praise from the trans-Atlantic defense pacts newest member and a soon-to-be addition.

The way you created unity amongst the allies, that was great, President Sauli Niinisto of Finland told Biden in Helsinki on Thursday. At a meeting of Nordic leaders, he welcomed Biden as Mr. President, dear Joe.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden said: Recently, I have met you more than Ive met my own family. I like it a lot. Swedens bid to join the military alliance was revived this week after Turkey reversed its objections on the eve of NATOs summit in Lithuania.

Biden closed out his five-day European trip, flush with symbolism, in Finland, a Nordic country that shares an 830-mile border with Russia and abandoned decades of diplomatic neutrality in April when it became the 31st member of the NATO security alliance.

We stand at an inflection point in history where the decisions we make now are going to determine the course of the history for the next four or five, six decades, Biden said at a news conference at the presidential palace. This week, we affirmed how Finland and the United States, together, together with allies and partners, are working in lockstep to set us on a stronger, safer and more secure path.

Five years ago, President Donald Trump stood in the same palace for a more-than-two-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with no notes, after which he suggested Putin was more credible than the U.S. intelligence chief.

More recently, Trump has called for a swift end to the war in Ukraine  in stark contrast with Biden, who has affirmed his administration's long-term support for Ukraine repeatedly.

But even as Biden vowed this week to bolster Kyiv's defenses in its war against Russia, he ruled out a path to Ukraines joining NATO while the war continues and with reforms still to enact.

On the eve of his meeting with Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lashed out at vague wording about conditions in a draft NATO communique.

NATO first offered Ukraine a promise of future membership more than 15 years ago, a declaration that loomed over the summit in Vilnius in Lithuania, a former Soviet state once cloaked behind the Iron Curtain and today, just 30 miles from Belarus, is still under Moscows influence.

Any tensions had subsided publicly as Biden and Zelenskyy gathered with other leaders to announce a framework for countries to negotiate individual security agreements with Ukraine outside NATOs parameters.

Asked about Zelenskyys concerns over the timing for NATO membership, Biden responded, Hes not concerned about that now.

One thing Zelenskyy understands now is that whether or not hes in NATO now is not relevant as long as he has the commitments, Biden told reporters in Vilnius.

In Finland, a country whose recent history is a reminder of how political conditions can shift over time, Biden emphasized the stakes of what he billed as a much larger battle.

Our allies and partners around the world understand that this fight is not only a fight for future Ukraine; its about sovereignty, security and freedom itself, Biden said in Helsinki. Think about what would have happened if we didnt do anything. What is likely to happen in the rest of Europe if we did nothing?

Yet Biden may soon face questions over the American publics appetite for a war in Ukraine that has cost tens of billions of dollars and dwindled U.S. artillery stocks.

Biden worked a rope line of U.S. Embassy staff members and families for nearly 30 minutes before he boarded Air Force One  then stumbled on one of the steps as he boarded the plane.

The moment was a small reminder of the grueling demands of the job as Biden embarks on a closely watched re-election bid  he would be 86 at the end of his second term if he wins.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Biden signs executive order adding 3,000 reservists to US presence in Europe amid Russian invasion of Ukraine

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday allowing the Pentagon to tap an additional 3,000 military reservists to support the US mission in Europe to bolster Nato amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The additional troops will join the estimated 100,000 US service members already on the European continent.

"These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations, Lt Gen Douglas Sims told Military.com of the move.

Joe Biden with Volodomyr Zelensky at Nato summit (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The current US mission in Europe, dubbed Atlantic Resolve, began in 2014, as Russia annexed Crimea and put pressure on Ukraines Donbas region, a prelude to its wider invasion in 2022.

So far, the US has sent more than $76bn in aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, more than $46bn of which has been military-related.

The additional US forces came as President Biden made a high-profile swing through Europe for Nato summit in Lithuania on Wednesday.

On Thursday, speaking from Helsinki, Mr Biden reiterated US support for Nato.

Theres overwhelming support from the American people. Theres overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate, in both parties, he said, though he conceded some extreme elements of the Republican Party feel differently.

The previous day, Mr Biden voiced his awe at the unbroken people of Ukraine, who had shown incredible dignity in the face of Russia aggression.

One country cannot be allowed to seize his neighbour territory by force, Mr Biden said.

The US visit to Europe was not without its complications.

Shortly before the Nato summit, Mr Biden threw cold water on the idea of Ukraine joining the defensive organisation in the near term.

I dont think there is unanimity in Nato about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the Nato family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war, he told CNN last week.

The president also said that Ukraine would need to make reforms in terms of democratization before joining the alliance.
Biden trips on Air Force One stairs again after watch your step sign added

President Joe Biden walks down the steps of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, on Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP)

President Joe Biden appeared to stumble on the stairs of Air Force One again after a watch your step warning was spotted on the jets steps earlier this week.

Mr Biden took a slight stumble while boarding the presidential airplane in Helsinki, where he met Scandinavian leaders after a two-day NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

About half way up he appeared to stumble very slightly but kept walking on up. He turned to wave to the staff out on the tarmac and went in, a pool report noted.

The presidents latest slip came days after a sign reading watch your step was placed on the stairs leading up to Air Force One as he arrived at Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom on Sunday.

A Stansted Airport spokesperson told Newsweek that they believed the sign had been provided by the United States Air Force.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A watch your step sign was spotted on Air Force One as Joe Biden arrived in the UK earlier this week. (Sky News UK)

Mr Biden, 80, has suffered a series of well-documented falls since becoming the oldest US president following his election in November 2020.

In 2021, he fell three times while attempting to board Air Force One on a flight to Atlanta. The White House blamed the falls on the wind.

In May, he stumbled while walking down a small set of stairs in Hiroshima, Japan, during a G7 summit.

President Joe Biden walks down the steps of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, July 13, 2023. Biden is returning to Washington after a 5-day trip to Europe that included a visit with King Charles III, attending the NATO Summit in Lithuania and a visit with Nordic leaders in Finland. (AP)

He also took a minor stumble while making his way up the stairs of Air Force One after a surprise visit to Ukraine and Poland in February.

Mr Bidens critics have frequently used his advancing years to attack him for being mentally and physically unfit to serve as commander-in-chief.

He will be 82 in November 2024, when he plans to seek a second presidential term.

His likely opponent, 77-year-old Donald Trump, has also been scrutinised over his physical wellbeing and mental acuity.
WASHINGTON  The White House is amping up pressure on Republicans over Sen. Tommy Tuberville's blockade on hundreds of promotions for military officers, apparently seeking to make the GOP pay a price with voters if he persists, according to a new memo first obtained by NBC News.

In the memo addressed to "Interested parties," the White House dials up the rhetoric against Tuberville, R-Ala., and paints the Republican Party more broadly as enablers of his effort, accusing it of mounting "barely a word of protest."

"Right now, a Republican Senator is choosing to erode military readiness and abuse military families in the pursuit of an unrelated and extreme anti-freedom agenda  with barely a sound from his GOP colleagues," White House communications adviser Andrew Bates wrote in the memo, dated Thursday.

He added that the blockade is "exploiting service members as pawns," hurting military readiness and risking a "brain-drain" from the Defense Department. "Hes even subjecting the families who serve with members to excruciating uncertainty, like not knowing where children will go to school or where spouses can work."

"These actions go beyond substantive party differences and are flatly against basic American principles. Yet this is taking place with barely a word of protest from Tubervilles Republican colleagues," Bates wrote.

The memo, titled "mainstream results over division, extremes, and chaos," provides a window into how President Joe Biden is framing the contrast between his White House and his Republican opposition. While Biden is ramping up his 2024 re-election campaign using similar arguments against the GOP, the White House is casting Tuberville's blockade in protest of the Pentagons abortion policy as a national security issue, and it will "continue to highlight the real-time damage this is doing," an aide said.

Asked Thursday about the issue on a trip to Finland, Biden called Tuberville's position "ridiculous" and said he was "jeopardizing U.S. security."

I expect the Republican Party to stand up  stand up  and do something about it. Its in their power to do that, Biden said.

Asked to comment, the Biden re-election campaign referred NBC News to the White House.

Tuberville remained unchastened by the blowback Thursday, saying in an interview that he won't back down until the Pentagon rescinds its policy of covering the travel costs for service members who leave their states to get abortions.

If Id have been president, Id call me a long time ago," Tuberville said. "I understand weve got a lot of problems in this country. We got a lot of foreign problems, and, and he got  thats a hard job. I cant imagine doing that. So, you know, he got pretty, pretty fired up about me and on foreign soil. I wish he hadnt done that.

Some Republicans on Capitol Hill have objected to Tuberville's tactics, although they agree with his policy goal on abortion. But Tuberville isn't feeling the heat: He said he has faced "zero" pressure from his party to back off his blockade.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who represents a district Biden won in 2020, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin should sit down with Tuberville and work out a compromise.

"Why can't the secretary sit down with Senator Tuberville?" Bacon said. "It's not that hard."

Austin and Tuberville spoke Thursday afternoon, according to spokespeople for both men.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Biden Troop Call up

When President Joe Biden announced his executive order about U.S. forces in Europe on Thursday, concern ran rampant that America was beefing up for an immanent direct armed conflict with Russia.

But the reality is that the move was designed to replace some currently deployed troops and bolster some critical requirements. It was not meant to add to the 100,000 troops already stationed there  about a fifth of whom were deployed in the wake of Russia's all-out invasion. Still, it sets a new precedent and could open the door to further call-ups.

Bidens executive order called for mobilizing up to 3,000 reserve troops, of which no more than 450 could be what are known as Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) troops. Those are people who previously served but still have a contingency commitment to the military.

U.S. Army Soldiers with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, supporting the 4th Infantry Division, enter and clear a trench during a live-fire exercise on a range at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, July 6. The 4th Inf. Div.'s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, Americas forward deployed corps in Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alex Soliday)

The biggest real impact of all this will be on those IRR forces who have to return to service, a recently retired Army Reserve general officer told us.

People in the IRR are generally out of the Army Reserve altogether, said that source. While speaking specifically about the Army, however, the principle applies across the forces.

In essence, they are now civilians," said the retired officer, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss Army policy. They do not own uniforms, they do not have units, they do not take physical fitness tests, they don't take physical examinations, they are just like you and me doing their day-to-day jobs thinking that their military time is behind them.

If called up, they will get a phone call, followed by a letter stating that they are being involuntarily mobilized. There is an appeal process, but it is generally cursory in nature. Unless they have a special needs child as a single parent, or serious medical conditions, they are being mobilized.

This all comes as tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops were sent to Europe beginning in February 2022 to bolster presence there in support of allies in the wake of Russia's aggression toward Ukraine. But the Biden executive order does not signal an increased U.S. presence, Pentagon officials say.

These are not additional forces... Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims told reporters, including from The War Zone, Thursday. So as an example, over time, where we may have had someone from an active-component organization doing something, that job now under these authorities may be something that a reserve component unit may be able to do.

Friday, the Pentagons top spokesman further clarified to The War Zone what this means.

The Army and Air Force have identified a number of critical billets it may activate under this authority, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in an email to The War Zone. These activations would primarily provide support to our forces and include capabilities such as contracting, military police, dental support, human resources, and finance. Replacement of some combat forces is also possible.

Reserve Military Police troops may be among those mobilized under Biden's executive order, the Pentagon told us. (U.S. Army photo by SSG. Samuel Hartley)

Bidens order turned a nearly decade-old mission called Operation Atlantic Resolve into a contingency operation akin to Operation Inherent Resolve in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq that were stood up in the wake of 9/11. As a result, it gave the Pentagon the ability to mobilize the reservists and offer them the benefits active duty troops receive. It also increases the rapidity at which those troops can be supplied.

This new designation benefits troops and families with increases in authorities, entitlements and access to reserve component forces and personnel, Sims told reporters on Thursday.

Based on the level of presence and operations in the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) area of operations, the Pentagons support requirements have grown, said Sims.

As Russia threatened and then fully invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. began to add what turned out to be an additional 20,000 troops to Europe. More than a year after that plus-up, the military may be feeling the strain of supporting all those additional troops.

Maj. Gen. Chalres Costanza, greets members of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment deploy to Germany on March 2, 2022 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations in the U.S. EUCOM AOR, said Sims. Lastly, this reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to the defense of NATO's eastern flank in wake of Russia's illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine.

EUCOM will decide on its needs and work with the services to figure out which reserve troops to send and which IRR troops to call up.

But no decisions have been made, Ryder noted to us.

Specific unit activations would be announced as units and personnel are notified, but again we have no activations to announce at this time, he said.

The executive order applies to reserve component forces, which as you know includes Guard and Reserve," said Ryder. "So until specific units are tasked and orders generated, I cant speculate on whether thatll mostly be comprised of US Army Reserve or not.

Given the amount of time the additional U.S. forces have been in Europe, Army officials have for a while been discussing rotating Guard and Reserve force into Europe to replace active duty troops, as Army Times reported Davis Winkie noted in this thread:

https://twitter.com/davis_winkie/status/1679665172972011520?s=46\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A

However, one recently retired Army Reserve general officer we spoke with said the move sends the wrong signal and is a sign of poor readiness among the Reserve forces.

It is sending an unintended signal, that former general officer told The War Zone, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues. We are trying to show strength, but it's instead revealing the true state of our ability to man, train and equip a ready force. It signals that we didn't have the active forces, and that the Army Reserve is in a poor readiness state to even respond to a 3000-person call-up without reaching into the IRR. An intended signal of strength is instead sending a signal of weakness. That's not a good signal.

Army headquarters couldn't comment because no deployment decisions have yet been made. Weve reached out to the Army Reserve for comment and will update this story with any response provided.

So no, this is not an imminent sign that a third world war is upon us, but it does show the strain on a force long in surge deployment mode and would make it possible to deploy more troops in a similar manner in the future.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
The News

A reset button has been hit for U.S. crypto companies thanks to the biggest legal victory for the industry so far, Stu Alderoty, chief legal officer of Ripple, said Thursday after his companys win.

Ripple  a blockchain-powered payment settlement system  was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2020 over its digital token, XRP. The lawsuit centered on the fundamental question of whether a digital asset was a security, which would fall under the jurisdiction of Gary Genslers SEC.

A federal judge largely ruled against the agency and said that XRP did not meet the standard of an investment contract, even when sold on an exchange, and was therefore not a security.

This is certainly a landmark ruling, Alderoty said. Hopefully this puts the SEC back in its box.

The court decision sent the value of everything crypto and crypto-adjacent soaring, whether it was Bitcoin or stocks of publicly-traded companies, as fear of what Alderoty called the SECs sledgehammer vanished.

Step Back

Its been a tough week for President Joe Bidens most well-known corporate watchdogs. Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan lost another big fight Tuesday when a federal judge ruled that Microsofts acquisition of Activision could move forward.

For the SEC, which has cracked down on the crypto industry under Genslers leadership, the ruling could be seen as an outright rejection of his agencys policy toward the sector.

Our government and the administrative state have become activists, tweeted Virtu founder Doug Cifu. Not what government regulators should do or be.

Bradleys view

The ruling vindicates the companies  namely Coinbase  that chose to fight in the U.S. instead of decamping to friendlier locales in the Gulf or Southeast Asia.

Everyone from royal families to prime ministers have campaigned for disillusioned crypto firms to jump ship, but the concentration of capital and talent in the U.S. made it hard for many to leave.

While the SEC may appeal, the ruling should provide the clarity needed for those hesitant about the industrys American future.

Room for Disagreement

Beyond the possibility of an SEC appeal, there are still plenty of Washington eyes on the crypto world. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, once seen as a possible savior, will probably try to take on more oversight in light of the recent ruling  something that might end the honeymoon with the industry, as Coindesk wrote last fall.

There are also various proposals in Congress to set up guardrails, though little agreement on what they should be.

The View From CZ

Its doubtful the ruling has changed Binance founder Changpeng Zhaos opinions of the U.S. and its regulators (the exchange is being sued by the CFTC and the SEC, and under investigation by the Department of Justice). But the Dubai-based billionaire celebrated the decision while also pointing out that his belief in Ripples token never wavered.

He retweeted a post stating that Binance never stopped trading Ripples token throughout the lawsuit as some other exchanges did. This is what we call having big balls, the tweet read.

Notable
Big lottery win stuns pregnant woman in Maryland. Thought I was going to have my baby

Martika Savoys considers herself a casual lottery player, and recently, the pregnant mom decided last minute to play a scratch-off ticket for the first time in months.

It was a spur of the moment decision, Savoy told officials, according to a July 13 Maryland Lottery news release. I said why not play today.

The 31-year-old grocery store manager bought her Fast Play Winfall Doubler ticket at the Pisgah General in Charles County and started scratching, according to officials. When Savoy saw her prize, she was stunned.

I thought I was going to have my baby on the floor, Savoy said in the release.

Savoy, who is expecting her fourth child, said shell use her winnings towards a down payment on a house.

Some of the money will go to my babies and my bills, Savoy told officials.

Charles County is about 40 miles south of Washington, D.C.

Wife scratches NC lottery ticket while her husband drives  then the screaming started

Co-workers with 15-year pact to share Powerball prize can finally honor promise in NC

Mom always envisioned winning big  then scratched her lucky number in NC lottery
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is among the top diplomats attending a security meet with Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Indonesia (Adi WEDA)

The US and European Union's top diplomats on Friday assailed Russia's foreign minister as being negative and unconstructive in a rare sit-down appearance with him at a Southeast Asian gathering in Jakarta.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken seized on the two days of meetings to hold fresh talks with China on managing tensions, even as he sought to rally Southeast Asian nations against "coercion" by Beijing.

Blinken made no such effort to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who spoke behind closed doors at a session that brought in global powers.

Lavrov's involvement was "not constructive or productive" and he offered a "totally negative presentation and agenda", Blinken told reporters after the talks in Jakarta.

He said Moscow's top diplomat "effectively ascribed every problem in the world to the United States".

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, similarly said that Lavrov spoke "very aggressively" and vowed that Moscow's war in Ukraine would continue.

Lavrov said "everything is a 'West conspiracy' and the war will continue... as Russia is not at all ready to stop the aggression and withdraw troops", Borrell said.

The Russian foreign minister did not speak to media following the meeting.

In an interview with Indonesian media earlier this week, Lavrov said the war in Ukraine would not end until Western nations give up their efforts to "defeat" Russia.

Blinken and Lavrov last saw each other in March in New Delhi, where they spoke briefly in person for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in part about Washington's hopes to free detained US citizens.

US officials say that Russia is not serious about talks to end the war, although a number of powers in the developing world have been pressing for diplomacy and have refused to join Western efforts to isolate Russia.

President Vladimir Putin, currently a pariah among the US and its allies, is expected to be welcomed in the coming months at summits in both India and South Africa.

Blinken said he told foreign ministers in Jakarta that the United States was "ready to support a just and lasting peace to the conflict" in Ukraine.

- Denouncing China 'coercion' -

Despite tensions with Russia, the United States sees its major long-term competitor as China and has sought common cause with Southeast Asian nations wary of Beijing.

"Like many countries in the region, we are concerned by the PRC's growing assertiveness in the South and East China Seas and on the Taiwan Strait," Blinken told reporters, referring to the People's Republic of China.

Speaking earlier in the day to ASEAN foreign ministers, Blinken used more veiled language as he called for an Asia that is "free, open, prosperous, secure, connected and resilient".

"That means a region where countries are free to choose their own paths and their own partners, where problems are dealt with openly -- not through coercion," he said.

Friction has been rising for years between Beijing and Southeast Asian nations, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, over China's sweeping maritime claims.

Tensions have also soared over Taiwan, the self-governing democracy which Beijing claims and has not ruled out seizing by force.

Host Indonesia warned that ASEAN should not become a proxy for global rivalries.

"The Indo-Pacific must not be another battleground," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told ministers of the 18-nation East Asia Summit, which includes the United States, China and Russia, as well as Japan, India and Australia.

- Talking through China tensions -

The United States and China have nonetheless been working to prevent disagreements from spiralling out of control.

Blinken met Thursday evening for more than an hour and a half with China's foreign policy supremo Wang Yi, less than a month after the top US diplomat paid a rare visit to Beijing.

Blinken said he told Wang that Washington would take "appropriate action" against hackers after a breach of US government email accounts that US tech giant Microsoft blamed on Chinese state-backed actors.

Wang urged Washington to "work with China in the same direction" to improve ties and stop interfering in China's affairs, according to a statement on Friday by the foreign ministry in Beijing.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong held her own meeting with Wang on Thursday and said she had urged Beijing to "navigate our differences wisely" and provide "transparency" on a controversial policing pact with Solomon Islands.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also met Friday with Wang, where Tokyo and Beijing traded barbs over the former's plan to discharge treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The ASEAN talks have been dominated by the crisis in Myanmar. The bloc refused to invite the country's military junta, which seized power in February 2021.

With Myanmar's chair at the table conspicuously empty, Blinken urged more pressure.

North Korea also sent an official to Jakarta, even as it announced this week a test of its latest intercontinental ballistic missile.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, meeting jointly with Blinken and Hayashi, said that the three allies needed to send a message to North Korea "that their provocations will not go unpunished".

burs-sct/jfx/aha
Billy Baldwin has revealed he has an unlikely connection to suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann  following the shock arrest of the architect and married father-of-two.

The actor took to Twitter on Friday to announce his shock that his high school classmate had been arrested on suspicion of carrying out up to 11 unsolved murders on Long Island.

Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann, he tweeted.

Berner High School Massapequa, New York Class of 1981 Married, two kids, architect. Average guy quiet, family man. Mind-boggling Massapequa is in shock. 23andMe strikes again???

Baldwin  part of the Baldwin family of actors including Alec Baldwin  grew up in the Massapequa suburb of Long Island.

It was there that multiple law enforcement agencies descended late on Thursday and into Friday at Mr Heuermanns home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach.

Neighbours told The Independent that Mr Heuermann, 59, was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One neighbour, who has lived a stones throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is a very quiet family who made no imprint at all on the neighborhood.

Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him, the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch in a great neighbourhood.

One woman told News12 that it was mind-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Rex Heuermann (left) and Billy Baldwin (right) were high school classmates (Getty/Bonjour Realty/YouTube)

Mr Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody outside his Midtown Manhattan office at around 8.30pm on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders, sources told News 12 Long Island. Police have not officially announced the suspects name.

The architect and married father-of-two works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning or Mr Heuermanns identity to The Independent, but have announced a press conference for Friday afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

The Gilgo Beach murders have long stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday (RH Architecture)

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Four victims are still yet to be identified more than 10 years on from the discovery of their bodies.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Map showing where victims bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

News of the shock arrest comes after Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice when he was appointed to the role in early 2022.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

I want to make a commitment to the residents of Suffolk County as well as the family members, Mr Harrison, a former NYPD chief said in his first press briefing in his new role at the Long Island beach at the center of the murders in January 2022.

We will not rest until we bring those accountable to justice.

He added: Theres a commitment, a relentless pursuit to identify the individuals and bring them to justice. Thats for the family members to hear, to let them know that we will not rest, and we will make sure we do everything we have to do to hold them accountable.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

Four months later, police released the 911 call made by Gilbert on the night that she disappeared  something that Ms Gilberts family had been calling for for years.

In the call, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

BREAKING NEWS: Multiple sources confirm to News 12 Long Island that #SuffolkCounty police have a suspect in custody in connection with the #GilgoBeach murders. pic.twitter.com/FdizTtllW6  News12LI (@News12LI) July 14, 2023

Later in the call, she is heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car.

At one point, Gilbert is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

It is not clear if the release of the 911 call after all these years helped lead law enforcement to the suspect.
BRONSON  Patrick Bird started work this month in the city of Bronson as its Community Economic Development Association of Michigan Fellow.

The fellowship is a 15-month, $45,000 paid position to expand organizational capacity and take on development projects.

We're working on updating our master plan and zoning ordinances," City Manager Brandon Mersman said.

Patrick Bird, city of Bronson CEDAM fellow.

Bronson was awarded one of 10 fellowships for 2023-24 by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan, geared towards smaller communities without adequate local resources to meet the requirements of the Redevelopment Ready Communities Program.

My background is policy analysis, business development, small Business and large business, Bird said.

Bird is pursuing a Ph.D. at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

I went back for my master's and the fellowship aligns with my studies in government, state and local governments," he said.

His goal is a position in government management.

I've managed a large electrical contracting company. Before that I was in hospitality and managed large food and beverage operations, hotels and restaurants, Bird explained.

The move is a major change.

Im originally from California. I did my studies out there and this provided an opportunity to move out of the state and into a small town, Bird.

He moved into an apartment in the community of 2,300 along U.S. 12.

It's more my personality and my interests are more small town. I like the outdoors and fishing...I'm an active sportsman. So, I think it's perfect for me, Bird said.

Prior story Bronson wins grant for CDEM fellow

Bird will join in the community culture next week for the annual Polish Festival.

The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan is a coalition of leaders across Michigan's community development sector to create vibrant, inclusive spaces for all people to live and work. Ten fellows are selected for each term in the state's 10 regions of Michigan's Economic Development Commission.

Subscribe Follow local government. subscribe to the Daily Reporter.

Coldwater hosted a CEDAM fellow starting in the summer of 2021.

---Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Bird joins Bronson city government as CEDAM fellow
Black people have no problem speaking about the discrimination and oppression from outside, external forces. But when it comes to the discrimination perpetuated within the community, like colorism, jaws get a little tight. It can be deeply uncomfortable to acknowledge that while there are entire systems that need to be dismantled, there is also quite a bit of room for unlearning within the Black community as well.

Colorism, believed to have been coined by writer Alice Walker, is a type of prejudicial or preferential treatment of a same-race people based solely on their color.

The -ism indicates that this preferential treatment is also systematic in nature, connected to an entire ideology.

You can see examples of colorism in various sectors of Black life, including in the casting of Black people, particularly women. Several Black celebrities have spoken about the role colorism has played in their career in one way or another. While it is encouraging that influential Black women are having these conversations more publicly, it also shows the work yet to be done.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis is one of thee most talented actors to come around in a long time. Her work speaks for itself. Sadly, Davis sayw that she knows that shes lost roles due to colorism.

Lets be honest, she said during Varietysand Kerings Women in Motion panel. If I had my same features and I were five shades lighter, it would just be a little bit different. And if I had blonde hair, blue eyes and even a wide nose, it would be even a little bit different than what it is now. We could talk about colorism. We could talk about race. It pisses me off, and it has broken my hearton a number of projects, which I wont name.

Thandiwe Newton

Actress Thandiwe Newton tearfully attempted to acknowledge the ways in which shes benefitted from being lighter skinned in Hollywood.

Ive wanted to apologize every day to darker-skinned actresses to say Im sorry that Im the one chosen, Newton said.

She went on to say that its been painful for her that dark-skinned women, who look like her mom, feel like shes not representing them and taking from them.

Taking their men, taking their work, taking their truth, she said.

For many the statement was clumsy, seemed to center her feelings and offered no real answers in terms of what she might do in the future.

Zendaya

Few people have transitioned from child star to adult actress as seamlessly and successfully as Zendaya. But the actress acknowledged that part of her success is due to Hollywoods narrow conceptions of Black women.

As a Black woman, as a light-skinned Black woman, its important that Im using my privilege, my platform to show you how much beauty there is in the African-American community, she said during a conversation at Beautycon. I am Hollywoods, I guess you could say, acceptable version of a Black girl and that has to change.

Keke Palmer

They call her Keke keep a job Palmer. Still, that hasnt stopped people from comparing her to Zendaya, wondering why their career trajectories have not been the same. One twitter user speculated that it was due to colorism. Palmer was not having it.

A great example of colorism is to believe I can be compared to anyone, she tweeted in response.

While she did acknowledge that colorism exists, she doesnt believe it should deter anyone from pursuing their dreams.

In my position, the biggest thing I want to tell all little girls is to never carry the weight of being Black, or being dark-skinned, as something thats going to hold you back, she said.

Amandla Stenberg

While colorism is systematic, it doesnt mean that individuals are powerless. Amandla Stenberg showed how they used their privilege as a lighter-skinned actress to advocate for their darker-skinned counterparts. They were offered the role of Shuri in Black Panther. But they turned it down.

That was really challenging, to make that decision, they shared at TIFFs Next Wave Festival,..but I have no regrets. I recognize 100 percent that there are spaces that I should not take up.

Michaela Coel

We dont want to accept that other people are less privileged than we are. So the fact that were saying Oh my God amazing, look at Westworld what a diverse show and Im saying look at the show no one is darker than a paper bag on that show. Coel told Afro News in 2017. Weve been talking about race for so long that we havent realized that this is actually colorism Im talking about women like Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, myself are disappearing from the media and whats gonna happen is that we become invisible and nobodys gonna talk about it and were not gonna get any f****** jobs. Were gonna have a problem.

Tichina Arnold

Tichina Arnolds talent is undeniable. From Martin to Everybody Hates Chris, shes been consistently memorable. Still, she says there are roles she knows she lost because of her skin tone.

The 80s were very interesting because it was about that light skin, dark skinned thing, Arnold said during her interview with TV Ones Uncensored. AI remember literally knowing that I was losing out to certain jobs because of my complexion. And it was just something that you just dealt with it. Roll it off your back and keep it moving.

The post Black Actresses Whove Said Colorism Impacted Their Careers appeared first on 21Ninety.
Matthew Robinsons family has owned and farmed 100 acres near Memphis, Tennessee, for four generations. The family bought the land with a loan from a local undertaker.

The undertaker was white. Robinsons family is Black.

Had Robinson's family missed a payment, the land could have gone back to the undertaker. Robinson's family would have suffered the fate of so many Black famers. But Robinson's family managed to refinance with another company and secure the land they still farm today.

In 1910, Black farmers owned as much as 16 million acres. By the end of the 20th century, they lost 90% of that land. Over that same period, white farmers lost only 2% of their land. Acts of racism and a history of documented discrimination by the Department of Agriculture forced scores of Black farmers off their land. Today, fewer than 2% of American farmers are Black.

Matthew Robinson, a young farmer, poses in front of planted tomatoes in his hoop house type greenhouse at his farm in Stanton, Tennessee, on May 3, 2023.

Robinson, 30, came to love this land as a teenager, when he visited from Nashville to hunt deer, squirrels and raccoons, and speed across the gentle slopes in four wheelers.

On a spring morning, he walked his 8 acres of fields, which surround the house where his grandmother used to live, and showed off plots planted with collards, cabbage, kale, eggplants, tomatoes and cucumbers. The shoots of the crops poked out of the ground like tufts of hair. Two hoop houses, basic greenhouses, needed repairs after Aprils tornadoes.

The hum of the wind was punctuated by the chirps of birds and bugs. Robinson, muscular and with a trim beard, wore a Carhartt cap and a Whitney Houston T-shirt, and had the easy cool of a man from the city. But he belongs to this land. Most days he works his farm alone, although his family always surrounds him.

Theres another part over there where my uncle Marvin farms. Hes right there. And then my two first cousins, they farm, he said.

Most of his family are row crop farmers. They grow wheat and soy beans that stretch to the horizon in taut rows. Robinson learned to farm a different way at Tuskegee University, where he received both a bachelors and masters degree. What he grows are called specialty crops. Almost all of the vegetables, fruits and nuts we eat are specialty crops rather than row crops, such as soy beans, cotton or wheat that are normally sold for slim profit margins on large exchanges.

That makes Robinson rare in this southwest corner of Tennessee and down through the Mississippi Delta, where little of the land is planted with specialty crops. In the United States, half of our specialty crops are grown in California. Climate change, however, has made the future of California agriculture cloudy.

Just out of sight of Robinsons farm, construction workers buzz around BlueOval City, building a factory for Fords next generation electric truck. In the agriculture world, many in the region consider a future growing specialty crops to be as promising as one with pickups running on batteries.

More: Black farmers have lived here for generations. Now, a Ford plant is changing the landscape.

The Mississippi Delta and the surrounding region, with its abundant water, good soil and inexpensive land, could help feed America as climate change makes Californias farms struggle. The World Wildlife Fund has committed to turning eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, southeastern Missouri and northwestern Mississippi into the next California. Robinson is part of the advisory panel guiding that project.

Roughly less than a percent of the Delta land acres are in fruit and vegetable production now, said Marty Matlock, a biosystems engineer at the University of Arkansas. If we were to increase that to 5%, we would increase the economic value to $4.5 billion. Were not talking about a whole transformation.

The World Wildlife Fund and its partners  farmers, scientists, economists and directors of nonprofits  are currently working to make that change in the middle Mississippi Delta region. They are finding the crops and varietals of fruits and vegetables that will grow in the South. They are figuring out how many workers will be needed in those fields. And they are calculating the environmental advantages of specialty crops in the Mississippi Delta region.

The research began in 2022 and will continue through early 2024.

The wildlife fund and its partners also see a future for the region that fixes the injustices of the past.

We want to focus on Black farmers, said Julia Kurnik, who leads the Next California project for the fund. In this region, Black farmers are the hardest hit group and the group that is disappearing.

A new future for the Mississippi Delta

California, South Texas and Florida are where America grows fruits and vegetables. Climate change will affect all those regions, and farmers have already seen it.

The changes in some regions may still be subtle. Even in the South, colder temperatures that kept insects and bacteria in check are becoming less common.

But Californias Central Valley, where more than 250 crops are grown, has suffered through years of drought, and its groundwater supply is dwindling.

Climate change is real in California. Its not some future challenge, Matlock said. Its been said that if climate change is a shark, water is its teeth."

Water levels are low at San Luis Reservoir, which stores irrigation water for San Joaquin Valley farms, Sept. 14, 2022, in Gustine, Calif.

The Delta will never be California. Not all of California's specialty crops can be successfully grown in the South. There is too much humidity and rain. Too many pests.

Were going to produce fruits and vegetables in California as long as we can, as long as weve got water, Matlock said.

If land for specialty crops outside California is not developed, however, the variety of vegetables we eat could shrink. One day, grocery stores might no longer sell Roma tomatoes or butter leaf lettuce.

A future that fixes the past

When Marcus A. Coleman was in the agricultural economics graduate program at Michigan State University, several of his colleagues studied farming in the developing world. Coleman realized the problems they wanted to solve were the same ones found an hour away in Detroit. They were the same issues Coleman saw growing up in a small, predominantly Black town in the Louisiana corner of the Mississippi Delta. Coleman, now a professor at Tulane University, decided to focus his research closer to home.

It was important for me, being in agriculture, to work on issues that affected people that looked like me, people that came from the type of places that I came from, he said.

He thinks the goal of the Next California project, to engineer an increase in specialty crop production in the middle Delta region, is possible. He points to North Carolina. After tobacco farming collapsed, universities and the state helped farmers replace that crop with a wide-ranging local food system.

By all accounts, its done pretty well, Coleman said.

Coleman also believes support for specialty crops in the Mississippi Delta is an opportunity for Black farmers.

More: Could rice be the key to Southern Black farmers' battle against climate change?

Black farmers already grow more specialty crops than white farmers. They often have no choice. The average size of Black-owned farms is 132 acres, according to the USDA. The average farm in the United States is 445 acres. Specialty crops can make a small plot of land profitable. Successful row crop farms often require thousands of acres.

You have to be a little more creative when youre trying to earn an income on 15 or 20 acres, said Trey Malone, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas.

Black farmers creativity, developed out of necessity, makes them potential leaders in a project that aims to grow new crops in the Delta.

How to change the land

Growing more fruits and vegetables in the Delta will not be easy. The area has water, but it also has more insects and weeds than California. The row crop farmers tackle those challenges by spraying herbicide and pesticide, which can drift into fields of specialty crops that are not genetically engineered to tolerate the chemicals.

Labor will also be needed. Row crop farms require only a few people guiding sophisticated, expensive equipment. Most specialty crops still need to be picked by hand. Researchers, however, are hopeful that automation will eventually reduce the need for fieldworkers.

Turnip greens sprout out of the ground at Matthew Robinson's farm in Stanton, Tennessee, on May 3, 2023.

Coleman, the Tulane professor, knows that a Black farmer who wants to grow specialty crops in the Delta region faces the same hurdles all Black farmers face. The USDA has a documented history of discriminating against Black farmers, allowing white farmers to grow generational wealth while Black farmers struggled and often left agriculture. Some Black farmers still report discrimination from government programs, even though the Biden administration has made support for Black and other disadvantaged farmers a priority.

They still get the runaround. We know those inequities still exist across the system, Coleman said.

Growing more fruits and vegetables in the Mississippi Delta region could be lucrative for farmers. Without regular outreach, the farmers who already have money and land, mainly white farmers, could get all the rewards of a shift toward specialty crops. Those who support the Next California project do worry about that outcome.

For every opportunity that we present, there are always going to be threats that exist, Coleman said.

Todd A. Price writes about food and culture in the South. He can be reached at taprice@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Black farmers rethink the South's potential in face of climate change
A therapist has reportedly been fired after she was filmed confronting a Black man about fishing at a lake in his own neighbourhood in Georgia.

Anthony Gibson viral on TikTok for posting a series of videos showing white people, including his neighbours, questioning whether he is allowed to fish at a lake in his own neighbourhood.

In a series of three videos, Mr Gibson, who goes by the TikTok username fishingbay2ga, captured a variety of different white people  a neighbour, a member of the homeowners association board, a police officer  all questioning whether he has the right to fish in a private lake a short walk from his house in the outskirts of Altanta in the city of Newnan.

Are you guys residents here? one neighbour asks in one of the videos. This is supposedly for residents only, she adds.

When she realises she is being filmed, she begins to walk away and threatens to report the fishermans licence plate numbers.

Yall see what I go through, Mr Gibson then says into the camera. This is the third person. Im in my own neighbourhood and a white person came and bothered me while Im fishing.

The woman in that video was subsequently let go from her job at a therapy clinic in Newnan, according to Daily Mail.

Sea Glass Therapy is a place of acceptance, healing, and inclusion of all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or background, the employer wrote on Facebook.

We stand against discrimination of all forms. We have terminated our business relationship with the Independent contractor, Tanya, in order to uphold our values and standards.

We strive to be a service to our community and do whatever we can to accommodate the needs of it, operating with integrity.

Mr Gibson said hes regularly harassed when he comes to the fishing spot, even though it is popular with local people, and that he has never seen the numerous white people who use the fishing hole face the same treatment.

Im numb to it, he told The Independent.

The former teacher and aspiring actor said he was happy to move into the Windermere at Springwater Plantation neighbourhood because it was quiet and had a nice fishing lake.

Its in a good neighbourhood, theres no gun shots, were living good, were living the high life, he said, adding, The high life comes with a price if you have a whole bunch of privileged people around you.

Mr Gibson, who grew up in Oakland, California, believes that local residents have singled him out because he is Black.

California was never a slave state, he said. It was a free state. You dont have that long history of segregation, of people feeling like theyre better than someone else. Georgia, the South, prejudice, theres a lot of it.

The former teacher said hes frequently targeted when he goes to the fishing spot, whether its white residents walking up with dogs to harass him while ignoring his white friends, or fellow locals once calling the police, saying they were perturbed because they heard him laughing at a spot on the lake he chose specifically to be as far away from everyone else as possible.

The videos have attracted millions of views on social media. Since going viral, Mr Gibson has heard that one of the women featured in his clips lost her job, which he said was never his intention. He also said he got a social media message from the owner of the lakes daughter, noting the man was fine with anyone fishing there so long as they are respectful.

Im not trying to get anybody fired or hurt or anything. If we could all have fun together, that would be great. Im a hippie kind of guy, Im from California, he said. If you choose that lifestyle, thats your fault. I hope you learn from it ... Im not going to stop posting videos unsless God tells me to. This is good awareness of whats going on.

Mr Gibson said since going viral he learned the word Karens, a derogatory term for an angry white woman attempting to wield racial privilege, often in a petty situation.

In a widely seen 2020 incident, the Central Park Karen falsely claimed a Black man was threatening to kill her and called the police when he asked her to put her dog on a leash in a protected area of New York Citys Central Park.

Recreation sites including pools, beaches, and parks have a long and sordid history of racial segregation in the US.
Blinken meets Wang Yi in Indonesia. But the region remains wary of the US-China rivalry

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pauses as he speaks during the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with the United States at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, Pool)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Chinas top diplomat to discuss thorny issues as part of efforts to nurture talks on the sidelines of regional diplomatic meetings in Indonesia, whose president called on rival powers Friday to avoid turning the region into a competition arena."

Blinken stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns by Washington and its allies over Chinas actions in his late-Thursday meeting with Wang Yi, who heads the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, U.S. officials said.

"The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication to clarify U.S. interests across a wide range of issues and to responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"This is what the world expects of the United States and the PRC, Miller said, using the acronym for the Peoples Republic of China.

Blinken made a two-day trip to Beijing last month to meet Chinese leaders and restore top-level ties in a visit he said then was meant to address misperceptions, miscalculations and to ensure that competition doesnt veer into conflict.

But Washington and Beijing remain deeply suspicious of each others actions and intentions.

Blinken used the meeting with Wang in Jakarta to advance U.S. interests and values, to directly raise concerns shared by the United States and allies and partners regarding PRC actions, Miller said. He made clear that the United States, together with our allies and partners, will advance our vision for a free, open, and rules-based international order."

U.S. officials informed some allies in the region of Blinkens meeting with Wang Yi ahead of their talks in Jakarta with an assurance that Washington would not waver on its commitment to fight for the rule of law and against coercive actions in the region, a senior Southeast Asian diplomat told The Associated Press.

The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

Blinken and Wang, along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, were attending the Jakarta meetings with counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation regional bloc that is often pinned between competing interests of the two leading world powers over a range of issues, including tensions over Taiwan and the long-seething territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The three, along with other Western and Asian foreign ministers whose countries regularly engage with ASEAN, paid a call Friday to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who delivered a pointed message.

"Your presence at the ASEAN foreign ministerial meetings and post-ministerial conference is to find solutions to regional problems, to world problems, not the other way around, let alone exacerbate problems, Widodo said.

"ASEAN should not be a competition arena and should not be a proxy for any country, and international law must be consistently respected, the Indonesian leader said.

The recriminations, however, persisted in closed-door meetings.

Following meetings with Wang and some of his ASEAN counterparts, Lavrov told reporters Thursday in Jakarta he had stressed that Russia and China respect the principles of ASEANs central role in the region. But he accused the United States and its NATO allies of trying to undermine ASEAN, claiming that they are pushing this idea that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible, and noting that the alliance had invited Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea to participate in recent summits.

The United States and their allies are trying to replace the ASEAN-centric security architecture here in the eastern Asian region that was built for decades, he said, speaking through a translator. They want to replace it with their Indo-Pacific strategy, they want to introduce the NATO bloc into the region.

Western officials have stressed there are no plans to create an Asian NATO."

Blinken hit back at Russia on Friday in a separate meeting with ASEAN ministers. He urged them to help push for a just and lasting peace to Russias war of aggression on Ukraine  a war that violates principles at the heart of ASEANs Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the United Nations Charter."

Its harming not only Ukrainians, but people across this region and around the world by exacerbating food and energy crises, Blinken said.

Speaking earlier this year after meeting with Japans foreign minister, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was becoming more involved with partners in the region because what happens in Europe matters for Asia, for the Indo-Pacific, and what happens in Asia and the Indo-Pacific matters for Europe, calling security a global issue.

In a separate meeting between ASEANs foreign ministers and their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea on Thursday, Wang raised concerns over Japans plan to discharge treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi played down Wang's remarks and gave assurances his country was taking all safeguards in relation to the plan, according to the Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meetings.

Dino Patti Djalal, a former Indonesian ambassador to Washington who now heads a Jakarta-based foreign policy think-tank, said efforts by the U.S. and China to resume direct talks would be a welcome change for ASEAN, which has long feared that the rivalry could veer out of control.

But, he added, there should be no misplaced expectation  Rivalry still dominates the relationship.

I think theyre still a long way from establishing meaningful trust, Djalal told the AP. He said there was a need for a great deal of cooperation between the two sides, which were not seeing at the moment.

___

Associated Press journalists Niniek Karmini and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. Rising reported from Bangkok.

___

Find more of APs Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
Blinken: US, allies to 'defend against any aggression' from North Korea

The top US diplomat met jointly with the South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian meeting in Jakarta (Dita Alangkara)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised Friday the United States would defend allies from North Korean "aggression", with Japan and South Korea joining a call to punish Pyongyang for its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.

The top US diplomat met jointly with the South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian meeting in Jakarta, with all three condemning what Blinken called "provocations" from Pyongyang.

"We are joined resolutely in a common defence and making sure that we are doing everything possible to deter and defend against any aggression," Blinken said.

A joint statement released later said that US commitments to defend the two treaty-bound allies "are ironclad and backed by the full range of capabilities, including nuclear".

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo also promised to press for existing UN sanctions against the North -- formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) -- to be "fully implemented".

"Furthermore, the three countries will continue to work closely with the international community to block the DPRK's illicit revenue generation through overseas workers and malicious cyber activities" that fund its weapons programs, the statement said.

China and Russia, however, both hold veto power at the Security Council and in recent months have made clear they do not seek tougher measures against North Korea.

North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw Wednesday's launch of the missile, which the totalitarian state had fired only once before, in April.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin noted that the test came just as regional powers were meeting for the talks in Jakarta, where North Korea sent an official.

"What North Korea is doing is completely against expectations of the international community," Park said.

"I hope that our trilateral dialogue today will strengthen our resolve to respond firmly and resolutely -- unequivocally -- against North Korea's continuous provocations and send the message that their provocations will not go unpunished."

The ICBM flew 1,001 kilometres (622 miles) at a maximum altitude of 6,648 kilometres before splashing into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, official North Korean media reported.

The launch was a "grand explosion" that shook "the whole planet", the official news agency said.

Kim held historic summits with former US president Donald Trump that eased tensions but produced no lasting agreement.

Diplomacy has been at a standstill under President Joe Biden, who has offered diplomacy but of the more traditional, working-level variety.

"We've consistently said, both publicly and to Pyongyang, we are prepared to engage in dialogue without preconditions," Blinken told reporters at the end of his meetings.

"Unfortunately, to date, Pyongyang's answer to that proposal has been to launch more missiles."

sct/jfx/aha
Bodies of two more civilians shot by Russians found in Mykolaiv Oblast

Law enforcement officers found the bodies of two civilians who were shot by the Russian military in the liberated territory of Mykolaiv Oblast.

Source: prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv Oblast

Details: During inspection of the area and recording of the war crimes of Russians against the civilian population in the village of Stepove (Voskresenske hromada, Mykolaiv district), prosecutors, investigators and criminologists found the bodies of two residents  men aged 20 and 34, who were shot by the Russian military in the spring of 2022. (A hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories  ed.)

The victims' bodies were sent to the Mykolaiv Regional Bureau of forensic medical examination for research.

Measures are being taken to establish the circumstances, witnesses and eyewitnesses of the crime.

A pre-trial investigation continues in criminal proceedings on violating the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder.

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Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticizes NATO for indecision over lack of plan for Ukraine's accession to the Alliance

Former UK PM Boris Johnson has criticized the outcomes of the recent NATO Summit in Vilnius, asserting that the Alliance should show more resolve in its decisions regarding Ukraine.

In a July 14 column for the Daily Mail, Johnson underlined that Ukraine is bearing a heavy burden as it resists the full-scale Russian invasion, which has persisted for over 500 days.

Read also: Former UK PM Johnson discusses Ukraine with Trump

"It was up to NATO leaders, this week, to show their collective respect and gratitude for Ukraines heroic resistance in a struggle in which not a single NATO soldier has been hurt or killed, because we in NATO countries know  and constantly say  that the Ukrainians are fighting for all of us," Johnson writes.

The former PM views the conclusions from the Vilnius summit as "no firmer or more convincing than NATOs Bucharest conclusions of 2008." Consequently, he states, "no wonder President Zelenskyy found it hard, at first, to conceal his frustration."

Read also: Ukraine to receive 90% of major global investments only after wars conclusion  Fiala

"When allies agree? When conditions are met? According to the Bucharest conclusions, the allies agreed all this 15 years ago! Johnson adds.

When will we learn the lesson of the past 20 years of handling Putin? It is our very ambiguity, our vacillation, our sucking-and-blowing-at-once, which has prompted him to invade.

Read also: Ukraine will join NATO; Putin already lost  Biden

Johnson urged NATO to provide Ukraine with a definite timeline for membership as swiftly as possible. He added that London is working behind the scenes to attain this objective.

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
Galion City Schools announce Listen & Learn 2 Lead sessions with new superintendent

GALION  Galion City School District (GCSD) has announced Listen & Learn 2 Lead, a series of events designed for members of the community to meet and share input with the districts new superintendent, Dr. Jeffrey Hartmann.

Jeffrey Hartmann

On July 26, from 6-8 p.m, at Three Bean Coffee House, Hartmann will host a meet and greet open to members of the Galion community. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the superintendent, ask questions and share what is on their minds about GCSD.

Throughout August, September and October, the superintendent will conduct further Listen & Learn 2 Lead sessions with parents, students and staff at each school building.

"It is an honor and privilege to engage with the community as I start my position as Galion City Schools superintendent, Hartmann said. I look forward to working collaboratively with the school board, staff, parents and community to build upon a successful future for our district and each of our students.

Hartmann comes to Galion from Stow-Monroe Falls City School District, where he served as the principal of Stow-Monroe Falls High School with more than 20 years of experience as an educator in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He officially assumes the role of superintendent of Galion City Schools on Aug. 1.

For more information on Galion City Schools, visit galionschools.org.

Produce and much more at the Bucyrus Farmers Market

The Bucyrus Farmers Market on Saturday will feature a variety of produce, including orchard-direct fresh peaches from Virginia, Lodi apples, kohlrabi, zucchini, cucumbers, sweet onions, green onions, kale and garlic. Vendors will also be featuring organic beef, pork and chicken, baked goods, herbs and crafts such as jewelry, plushies, wooden toys, crocheted critters, and items made of fabric.

Positive Seekers will again be grilling for a donation, and pop tabs continue to be collected for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The market takes place from 8:30 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, in the Family Farm & Home parking lot at 2460 E. Mansfield St. across from Timken until Oct. 28.

For a complete list of vendors, visit the Bucyrus Farmers Market Facebook page.

PUCO adopts additional utility disconnection protections

COLUMBUS  The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Wednesday ordered Ohios investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities to suspend disconnections of customers for nonpayment if the customer has a pending application for various energy assistance programs.

Specifically, utilities will be prohibited from disconnecting for nonpayment for 30 days after a customer has applied for Winter and Summer Crisis programs, Home Energy Assistance Programs (HEAP), or the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). This is an addition to the existing consumer protections surrounding utility disconnections for nonpayment.

The Commission is expected to issue its annual special reconnect order later this summer. The special reconnect order addresses additional disconnection protection during the heating season.

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Galion superintendent to hold meet and greets, Farmers Market features
The former head of an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood watch group pleaded guilty on Friday to charges that he forced a troubled 15-year-old girl to have sex.

Brooklyn Shomrim leader Jacob Daskal, 64, avoided trial in Brooklyn Federal Court on allegations he groomed the underage girl and transported from Brooklyn across the state line to New Jersey and then upstate, where he assaulted her at his vacation home and at a campground.

As part of his guilty plea, Daskal agreed to a sentence within the range of 14 to 17 years in jail. He is also required to register as a sex offender. The exact details of his sentence will be determined at a future hearing.

The defendant has admitted he abused his power, trust and position in the community by committing deplorable acts against a child in his care, stated Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace.

Daskal broke down in tears as he admitted his guilt.

I transported the 15-year-old victim from New York, Brooklyn to New Jersey, he said. I was 58 years old at that time.

Daskal, however, did not make any detailed statements in court about his illegal conduct with the victim.

According to prosecutors, Daskal used his status as the anti-crime patrols chief to scare his victim into keeping quiet,

Its just going to ruin your life if you tell people, he warned the teen, according to the feds.

The alleged abuse started in 2017, after the teen, who was a member of the Orthodox Jewish community in Borough Park, started having problems with her family and asked a local mentor for help that spring, according to filings by federal prosecutors.

That mentor contacted the Borough Park Shomrim Society, which in turn linked the girl up with Daskal.

The Shormim, an influential volunteer group with ties to the NYPD, works as a nonprofit auxiliary police of sorts in Brooklyns Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods. It has about 130 members, a 24-7 dispatch service and vehicles that have markings resembling police cars.

Daskal, who was the Borough Park Shomrims founder and chief, stepped in to help the victim, letting her move in with him and his wife in Brooklyn in the short term, prosecutors said. And when she moved in with her aunt and uncle to finish out the school year, Daskal kept in close contact.

Her aunt and uncle were leaving the city for the summer, though, so she needed a place to stay  and Daskal offered up a room in his summer home in South Fallsburg, N.Y.

Thats when the sexual abuse started, prosecutors said. One Saturday night in August 2017, he asked the girl to come to her bedroom, removed her shirt and started molesting her, authorities said..

He had sex with her in the house and at a nearby campgrounds on several occasions and drove her back to Brooklyn, crossing state lines through New Jersey, several times for more sexual encounters, according to officials..

A well-known community leader with ties to politicos and police, Daskal has donated money to state Sen. Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) and to former Mayor Bill de Blasios 2009 run for public advocate.

The Shomrim has taken some hits to its reputation in recent years, and in 2013, Daskal publicly defended the watchdog groups actions after a man who shot four Shomrim members in a wild 2010 melee was acquitted of attempted murder.

The groups members tailed the man, David Flores, after hearing a report that he was seen masturbating near children. The masturbation allegation fell apart at trial, but Flores was still convicted of weapon possession and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Can you bury a body in your backyard? What about your pet? What Florida law says

Dad loved his backyard. Tended to its garden. Built tree forts for his kids. Was even a beekeeper for a period back there.

Can you bury Dad there?

Turns out Florida says you can.

There is no state law that prohibits burying a family member on your property, according to Floridas Division of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services.

Florida statute lets families establish cemeteries of less than two acres that do not sell burial spaces or burial merchandise, according to Florida Statutes 497.260.

KNOW MORE: Can you scatter human ashes anywhere you want in Florida? The law may surprise you

What to know about home burials

But before you start plotting the yard space and inviting the family to gather and say some words know this:

Local ordinances and rules should be consulted to determine if this type of burial is permitted, Floridas Division of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services note.

Before burying a body on private land or establishing a family cemetery, be sure to check local zoning rules, adds Nolo.Com.

In addition, a licensed funeral director may be required to be present at the burial, the states division of funeral services says. And a burial-transit permit may also be required in accordance with Florida Statutes 382.006. A funeral director who first assumes custody of a dead body or fetus must obtain a burial-transit permit before final disposition and within five days after death, according to the statute.

Two things to keep in mind:

Your home destination should provide adequate access to allow for family members to visit the burial spaces, according to the Florida division, but especially, the future sale of the property should also be considered as purchasers may be leery of buying property where human remains have been buried.

A viral video

Whatever you decide, you wont be the first.

The Sacramento Bee reported this week about an unidentified womans TikTok video going viral after she shared a video of a backyard burial, complete with marble headstone. The Daily Loud posts comments were, shall we say, spirited.

A woman is going viral for burying her recently deceased mother in her backyard. pic.twitter.com/6l4Wajybsu  Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 29, 2023

Can you bury your pet in your backyard?

Your veterinarian or animal hospital can suggest, or offer for a fee, cremation services and urns for the cremains of your pet.

How you bury a deceased animal is regulated by Florida Statutes 823.041. The statute reads: Any owner, custodian, or person in charge of domestic animals, upon the death of such animals due to disease, shall dispose of the carcasses of such animals by burning or burying at least 2 feet below the surface of the ground.

Nothing in the statute prohibits turning over the animals body to rendering companies licensed to do business in [Florida.]

Not that youd do this to your dog or cat  a beloved member of your family, of course  but know that according to the state it is unlawful to dispose of the carcass of any domestic animal by dumping such carcass on any public road or right-of-way, or in any place where such carcass can be devoured by beast or bird.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has a guidance document detailing how to properly dispose of dear Brody and Spooky.

Among the details: In addition to the burial at least 2 feet below the grounds surface, the body should be above the water table.

The Broward Bark blog adds that you should wrap the animals body in plastic or a blanket but suggests you ought to turn to professionals like a veterinary or animal hospital service for the burial chore.

It is not recommended to bury your dog in your backyard in Broward County, or any other location, Broward Bark writes. In most places, it is illegal to bury dogs in residential areas, and it can also pose a health risk to other animals and humans. Instead of burying your dog in your backyard, you can have them cremated or buried at a pet cemetery.
California state Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) wrote a bill to crack down on repeat traffickers of minors for sex by adding the crime to a list of "serious felonies" under California's penal code. (Robert Gourley / Los Angeles Times)

After rejecting a proposal to stiffen penalties for repeat sex trafficking of minors, a decision that triggered bipartisan outrage in the state Capitol, California Democrats on a high-profile policy committee backpedaled on Thursday.

Senate Bill 14, which would add human trafficking of a minor for sex to the list of "serious felonies" under California's penal code, was sailing through the Legislature with bipartisan support all year until Democrats on the Assembly Public Safety Committee struck it down Tuesday amid concerns that it would penalize victims and worsen incarceration rates.

Chaos erupted in the Democratic-controlled Legislature after the committee's vote, with Republican lawmakers blaming Democrats for failing to crack down on child sex trafficking and Democrats blaming Republicans for failing to address the root causes of crime.

"We're talking about children being raped everyday," the bill's author, state Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) said in a Wednesday interview with The Times. "It's just very, very, very disturbing."

Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) intervened with promises to continue working on the proposal. Newsom said on Wednesday that he called Grove personally about the bill and claimed that he was "surprised" by its demise, while Rivas, who is less than two weeks into his leadership role, said it was "something that we are addressing and its something we are going to get right."

Tensions reached a boiling point Thursday when Republicans unsuccessfully tried forcing a vote on the human trafficking legislation in the full Assembly, an effort Democrats thwarted. Instead, the bill was pulled back to the Public Safety Committee, where it passed 6-0 without any debate. Several Democrats who had initially abstained from voting on SB 14 reversed course and voted in its favor, including the committee's chair, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles).

This is a bill with strong bipartisan support, and protecting victims of child sex trafficking should not be a partisan issue. Today is a victory for every survivor," Grove said in a statement after the vote.

Current law can send convicted human traffickers of minors to prison for up to 12 years, or 15 years to life if the crime involves, among other factors, force, coercion or violence. But by making the crime a "serious" felony subject to California's "three strikes" law, SB 14 aims to lengthen prison terms for repeat traffickers and ensure they're not released early. A relic of California's "tough on crime" era of the 1980s and 90s, three strikes allows prosecutors to pursue life sentences for individuals who commit a third crime and have two prior convictions of "serious" or "violent" felonies on their records.

Grove has long argued that repeat sex traffickers are not held accountable in California. She was finally making progress on her efforts this year with SB 14, which she narrowed in scope to appease the more left-leaning members of the Senate who traditionally oppose measures to increase the prison population. The Senate passed the legislation with a 40-0 vote in May, sending it to the Assembly.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee initially voted SB 14 down amid concerns that it could unintentionally lead to the prosecution of victims who are forced into a cycle of human trafficking, while exacerbating racial inequities in California's prison system.

The controversial panel of mostly Democratic members regularly strikes down proposals that they think could usher in a new wave of mass incarceration, instead preferring legislation that promotes rehabilitation and alternatives to prison and using existing options to hold criminals accountable. Earlier this year, Jones-Sawyer sparked outrage when he shelved several bills to strengthen punishment of repeat fentanyl dealers, a decision he later walked back.

Read more: As fentanyl deaths surge in California, lawmakers kill bills that would punish dealers

"At the end of the day, what we want is to protect these women," Jones-Sawyer said before the committee rejected SB 14. "And our children, most importantly, we want them to be protected. So what is going on out there in the world that these minors, women...are not being protected with existing laws?"

The committee's course reversal frustrated the bill's opponents, who have rejected the argument that sex traffickers are not being punished in California.

Isa Borgeson, a manager for the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, an advocacy organization opposed to SB 14, said the measure "does nothing to prevent the trafficking of minors or provide them with the healing that they need and deserve."

"The people most vulnerable to being charged with trafficking are the victims of trafficking themselves. Charges are used to leverage their cooperation in prosecution and their survivor status is erased with many currently incarcerated in both youth and adult prisons," Assembymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), a close Rivas ally, wrote on Twitter. Bryan is a member of the Public Safety Committee, and abstained from voting on SB 14 both on Tuesday and Thursday.

"Nobody supports the trafficking of children or any people. Thats why existing laws carry the potential for life in prison. We can and must do more to affirm, protect, and support survivors with all of our civic resources  including those beyond the criminal legal system," he wrote.

Those concerns will likely remain for the rest of this year's legislative session, and could tank the bill again if Grove doesn't take more amendments to reduce some of the bill's penalties or add in language that would ensure victims aren't punished for their traffickers' crimes.

In a statement, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles) said he voted for the bill Thursday to give Grove more time to change it to address the opposition and ensure it would not lead to the prosecution of victims. Zbur initially abstained from voting on SB 14.

"The bill still needs more work before it comes back to the floor to ensure that a victim is treated like a victim  not a criminal  and the real perpetrators are brought to justice," Zbur said.

Senate Bill 14 is expected to be heard in Assembly Appropriations, a key fiscal committee, once lawmakers return from a month-long recess in mid-August. The final day to pass bills this year is Sept. 14.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
California expands travel ban to more anti-LGBT states  even as top Democrat tries to end it

California has now officially banned state-funded travel to more than half of the country  even as a top Democratic leader is trying to put an end to the prohibition.

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday that California was adding Missouri, Nebraska and Wyoming to the list of states where official travel is banned, bringing to the total to 26. Bonta said the additions were a result of recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the three states.

These new laws enacted by Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming arent just discriminatory, they constitute a clear case of government overreach, Bonta said in a statement. Its an alarming trend were witnessing across the country.

State leaders added Missouri and Wyoming because of new laws that prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls and womens sports. Nebraska made the list because of the Let Them Grow Act, which would bar health care providers from providing gender-affirming care to anyone under the age of 19.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom was criticized for taking a family trip to Montana  another state on the list  to visit First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsoms parents.

The travel ban additions come at a peculiar time, as a bill to repeal the ban is making its way through the Legislature. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, authored Senate Bill 447 to lift the state restrictions.

Atkins, who identifies as a lesbian, argues the ban is well-intentioned but has resulted in unintended consequences. Her bill would end the travel ban and create a program for inclusive LGBT messaging in other states.

Atkins has recounted her own struggle to find acceptance and tolerance while growing up in rural southwestern Virginia. She believes banning California travel to discriminatory states further isolates LGBT community members living there.

On Friday, she posted on Twitter about the expanded ban and lobbied for her bill, which is currently awaiting a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

We need a new approach, Atkins said. My #SB447 would create the BRIDGE Project to open hearts and minds.

Californias controversial ban dates back to 2016, when then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1887 into law. The legislation was sparked by a North Carolina bill restricting transgender peoples access to bathrooms.
Jurors in the California prison Code of Silence trial began deliberating late Thursday over whether to convict a former Sacramento-area prison guard on charges that she conspired to cover up an assault on an inmate who died two days after the attack.

Brenda Villa, a former sergeant at California State Prison, Sacramento, is the third guard accused of covering up a use of force against a 65-year-old inmate who had his legs yanked backward out from under him as his hands were cuffed behind his back.

Ronnie Price died at the UC Davis Medical Center from a pulmonary embolism two days after the Sept. 15, 2016, attack. The guard who pulled his legs out from under him, Arturo Pacheco, pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.

A second guard who was present, Ashley Aurich, also was accused of helping to cover up what Pacheco had done and pleaded guilty. She was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Villa, who supervised both guards at the prison also known as New Folsom, is charged with conspiracy to commit falsification of records, three counts of falsification of records and lying to a federal grand jury.

Prosecutors say the case stems from the prison systems unsanctioned code of silence among guards to protect one another.

Villa, who was not present when Price fell to the concrete floor face-first after Pacheco pulled his legs out from under him, is accused of inducing guards to rewrite their reports on the incident to omit the presence of another guard who they did not believe was willing to submit a false report about what happened to Price.

Testimony in the case lasted less than two days before Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb in federal court in Sacramento.

Ronnie Price, an inmate who died at California State Prison, Sacramento, is seen in an undated photograph provided by his familys attorney. His family is suing two former guards and the prison warden over his 2016 death.

In closing arguments, Villa attorney Eric Hintz told jurors that Villa, who testified in her own defense, had given a compelling account of her innocence over lies from guards who were present for the incident.

He said the attack on Price was a tragic, indefensible use of force on Ronnie Price and that Villa would have had no reason to cover up for Pacheco, whom she had known for only two weeks.

Brenda Villa stands alone among these former correctional officers as having told a truthful account of the events of Sept. 15, Hintz said.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson urged jurors to convict Villa on all counts, saying she had been untruthful before the grand jury and in her own testimony Wednesday.

It tells you that shes willing to get on the stand and tell you things that arent true, said Anderson, who is prosecuting the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne Rust.

Jurors deliberated Thursday for less than an hour and are scheduled to resume their efforts Friday morning.
ACA 5 will ask California voters in 2024 if they want to repeal a void provision of the state constitution that still defines marriage as between a man and woman. The proposal comes amid anxiety regarding other decisions by the conservative U.S. Supreme Court. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

Californians will vote on a proposal to amend the state Constitution on the 2024 ballot to reaffirm gay marriage rights  a cautious move that comes amid national anxiety after recent rulings by the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court, including overturning Roe vs. Wade protecting the right to an abortion.

Although there is no current threat to the legality of gay marriage, and President Biden signed a bill safeguarding it last year, the Democratic-dominant state Legislature is seeking to remove language from California's Constitution that still defines marriage as between a man and woman.

The outdated state definition has been deemed unenforceable and unconstitutional thanks to federal law, but LGBTQ advocacy groups are asking voters to repeal it and amend the California Constitution to instead explicitly state that marriage is "a fundamental right."

The state Senate approved ACA 5 on Thursday, after the state Assembly did the same in June, sending the question to voters next November. Constitutional amendments are required to pass both houses of the Legislature by a two-thirds vote and get a majority approval from voters. The measure received bipartisan support.

Next fall, Californians will reject the assault on LGBTQ rights that bigoted, ideological Justices have launched from the Supreme Court, state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement.

Last week, when Gov. Gavin Newsom was out of state, Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) signed bills into law on his behalf as the first out gay acting governor.

"That same California Constitution that gave me the ability to create laws with a stroke of a pen still says I'm not allowed to marry the spouse of my choice," she said on the Senate floor on Thursday. "I think that's wrong."

The current state Constitution definition dates back to 2008, when California voters approved a ban on same-sex marriage with Proposition 8. That has since been overturned, and liberal California remains a leader on LGBTQ rights.

Still, civil rights groups alarmed by recent decisions by the Supreme Court are urging voters that it's better to be safe than sorry.

Proposition 8 has been a stain on our states Constitution for nearly 20 years. It is long past time that we correct this injustice and remove this shameful and outdated provision from our law, said National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Imani Rupert-Gordon.

ACA 5 was opposed by conservative religious groups including the California Capitol Connection, which argued that the Bible defines marriage as between a man and woman.

California has the largest LGBT population in the nation, with 2.7 million residents identified as part of the community, according to 2021 census data. Nationally, 71% of Americans believe same-sex marriage should be legal, according to a recent Gallup poll.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A proposed amendment to remove language eliminating same-sex marriage rights from Californias state constitution will appear on the ballot in next years November elections after the measure cleared its final legislative hurdle Thursday with bipartisan support.

The amendment, known as ACA 5, would officially strike a provision from the states constitution that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. That language was added to the constitution under Proposition 8, the controversial 2008 ballot proposition intended to ban same-sex marriage in California. When put to voters, it passed with more than 52 percent of the vote in a devastating blow to LGBTQ equality.

While unenforceable since the Supreme Courts landmark 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, Proposition 8 technically remains part of the states constitution. Including California, 34 states still have statutes or constitutional amendments on the books that prevent same-sex marriages from being recognized as legally valid.

California state Assemblymember Evan Low (D), who authored ACA 5 with state Sen. Scott Wiener (D), said the proposed amendment will give voters the opportunity to remove a black stain from the California constitution.

California is ready for love, and these protections will protect against any future attempts to restrict marriage rights for same-sex and interracial couples, said Low, who, along with Wiener, is one of 12 openly LGBTQ legislators in California.

The proposed amendment passed the state Senate Thursday in a 31-0 vote, with nine Republicans not voting. It passed the state Assembly in June in a landslide victory. Democrats have a super majority in both chambers.

In a statement Thursday, Wiener said hes certain California voters next November will reject the assault on LGBTQ rights that bigoted, ideological justices have launched from the Supreme Court. The court last month sided with a Christian website designer who refused services to same-sex couples.

The bipartisan support for this amendment shows once again that inclusion remains a core value across ideological lines in our state, said Wiener, who has faced attacks from right-wing media personalities and politicians for sponsoring pro-LGBTQ state legislation, including a shield law that protects access to gender-affirming health care for transgender youths.

Nationwide, support for marriage equality has climbed to an all-time high. Seventy-one percent of Americans in a recent Gallup poll said they believed same-sex marriages should be recognized by the law as valid.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
This is part of an occasional Herald-Leader series, Trail to 23, to catch readers up on all the latest from this years Kentucky elections, most notably the governors race. There are fewer than six months until the November 7 general election in which Kentuckians will decide the commonwealths next governor: incumbent Democrat Andy Beshear or Republican challenger Daniel Cameron.

The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is going after Beshear  and hard.

Leading a commercial with a clip of Democratic President Joe Biden saying theres no such thing as someone elses child, the RGA-backed PAC Kentucky Values has a commercial tying Beshear to what conservatives have cast as a Democratic-led war on parents.

The ad highlights several social wedge issues on which it casts Beshear as too progressive: abortion and school involvement in psychological treatment and gender transition surgery.

The ad closes with a simple message: Andy Beshear, putting liberal politics over parents.

Another ad  this one from Bluegrass Freedom Action, which spent in favor of Cameron during the crowded GOP primary  skewers Beshear for appointing several Democrats to the Kentucky Board of Education and releasing prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic. It ends with a shot of Beshear flanked by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

#KYGov: Pro-Daniel Cameron group Bluegrass Freedom Action is up on TV with this spot -- pic.twitter.com/Nc1qyDTn9y  Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) July 11, 2023

Its probably safe to expect more of the national conservative hot-topic issues to get highlighted by Cameron and his allies while Beshear focuses on local issues, at least according to one expert. In an interview with Kentucky journalist and Washington Post columnist Perry Bacon Jr., managing editor of Sabotos Crystal Ball Kyle Kondik said this is just what youd expect given Kentuckys recent Republican leanings.

Its this classic nationalization versus localization strategy. When youre on the wrong side of the partisanship in a given place, you localize. When youre on the right side, you nationalize, Kondik said.

Kondiks organization has rated the race as leaning towards Beshear, but they were wrong on the last two Kentucky gubernatorial races, failing to predict Beshears 2019 win and Democrat Jack Conways loss to former governor Matt Bevin in 2015.

Cameron-Deters-Massie continues

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie got his way in a recent tiff with Daniel Cameron over Camerons planned attendance at Freedom Fest, a popular Northern Kentucky conservative rally hosted by Camerons former primary opponent and Massies likely future one Eric Deters.

In reporting on Deters racist comments and Massies continued calls for Cameron to forego attending the event, the Herald-Leader reached out to the Cameron campaign for comment last Friday. The campaign responded on Sunday that its going to be doing other campaign events that day in another region of the state.

Massie  who argued that Deters support in the Northern Kentucky region is largely a mirage and that Camerons appearance would have garnered significant negative national attention  applauded the decision.

Though the timing could mean that Deters comments played a part in the Cameron decision, Camerons response to repeated questions on Tuesday didnt confirm that. When asked if Deters offensive words were the reason he pulled out of Freedom Fest or if he condemned the comments, Cameron did not answer directly.

Beshear threw some fuel on the fire on Thursday at his weekly press conference when, unprompted, he condemned Deters words and said that Massie was right to call him out on the matter.

He also took an implicit dig at Cameron, stating that it ought to be a pretty easy call for anyone in public service to denounce Deters language.

Republicans for Beshear?

Compared to Camerons campaign  which, despite winning the primary in landslide fashion, had to unload resources to fend off former ambassador Kelly Craft and Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles  Beshear and PACs supporting him didnt have to spend much at all before the primary election ended.

So, hes had more time to use his own campaign to put out a positive message to Kentucky voters. One of those messages was highlighted by a Republican.

Jim, a Republican small business owner, narrates an ad on the air touting Beshears record on the economy. He didnt vote for Beshear in 2019, he said. The campaign declined to further identify the man in the ad.

The wages are up because the jobs are up. Hes getting things done, and thats what matters. Beshear has been great for business, he says.

#KYGov: Andy Beshear is up with this spot --



Small business owner to camera:



"I'm a Republican. I did not support Andy Beshear the first time. He's got my vote this time around" pic.twitter.com/KPam5KDogL  Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) July 10, 2023

In 2022, a notable group called Democrats for Dieruf formed to support Louisville GOP mayoral candidate Bill Dieruf . Dont be shocked if a Democrats for Daniel group crops up soon.

Children sleeping on floor of cabinet office

The Courier-Journal has been on top of a story about children in state custody sleeping on the floors of a state agencys downtown Louisville office.

That has prompted calls from Republican lawmakers and Cameron for change.

Beshear said the situation was not acceptable in a recent press conference, and that some children come into the states custody at night and cant be placed elsewhere that day. The cabinet told the Courier-Journal that at least 11 kids have stayed overnight at the building this year so far.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services told the outlet that the cabinet had to do so because of a lack of families willing to take in foster children.

Louisville Republican Senator Julie Raque Adams, the Senates majority caucus leader, has led calls among Republicans for improvement.

Our abused, neglected, and dependent children deserve the very best from our state and I hope the administration will prioritize this issue and work with urgency to correct these wrongs, Adams said.

Camerons got a crime plan

In one of the first big policy splashes of the general election campaign, Cameron released a lengthy 12-point plan to address crime in the Commonwealth.

The plan proposed allowing murder charges for drug dealers involved in an overdose death, pursuing the death penalty for people who murder cops, revoking subpoena powers for civilian police review boards and giving Kentucky law enforcement officers a $5,000 bonus.

Other initiatives proposed in the plan include placing restrictions on the states parole board as well as increasing avenues for the Kentucky State Police to wiretap and for the state to collect DNA from people who are arrested for certain crimes.

The race for whos got the majority backing of the blue seems likely to tilt in Camerons favor  police unions, especially those in Kentucky, have tended to tilt Republican in recent years  but that hasnt stopped Beshear from trying. His campaign previously unveiled dozens of endorsements from law enforcement members in June.

The question of who is to blame for crime in Kentucky  as is the case with most things for which credit or blame can be assigned  has become a political back-and-forth between the two candidates. With Cameron coming out of the gates firing at Beshear over the states crime issues, the attorney general stated that crime blame is to be assigned to Beshear and not himself as the states top law enforcement official.

Crime rates went up basically everywhere in the United States, Kentucky included, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Theyve also gone down most everywhere in the past couple years, including in Kentuckys cities. So, narratives potentially benefiting both sides are in no short supply. Expect more on crime in the coming months.

Beshear touts Hitachi expansion

While one major employer announcement in Hopkinsville was put on hold due to the projects connection to China, another in Berea is moving right along.

Hitachi Astemo, a automotive manufacturer with locations in Berea and Harrodsburg, announced this week that it was adding 167 jobs via a $153 million investment in response to the growth of the electric vehicle industry. Those jobs come in addition to the companys 2,100 in both locations.

Such announcements have become a key plank in Beshears re-election campaign, as economic development has traditionally been used by incumbent governors to show what theyre doing for Kentucky.

No Cameron LG movement

We dont have an answer on one of the biggest questions looming over Camerons campaign: who will be his lieutenant governor running mate.

Last month, we compiled an extensive list of who he might look at for the role, with Quarles and House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade, R-Stanford, atop the list.

Quarles, it seems, may have an announcement soon, according to WKU Public Radio, who caught up with him earlier this week.

He said hes had very positive conversations with Cameron about the lieutenant governor slot and that he was committed to staying in public service. However, he did not respond directly to a question about whether or not he planned to apply to lead the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)  Quarles, a 39-year-old who has been running for elected office since he was 26, holds a doctorate in education.

Its worth mentioning that higher education presidential jobs are extremely high-paying for the public sector. The former KCTCS president was bringing in $379,000 a year, and he denied himself the potential for a huge pay bump in 2019.

Quarles said hed have an announcement on what hes doing next in the next few days.

The Cameron campaign has less than a month, August 8 to be exact, to pick a running mate.
The pillar in the Golden Hall in Japans Toshodaji Temple has been in place for centuries. But that didnt stop one Canadian teenager from carving his name in it, prompting questions about what can be done to stop a rash of vandalism striking the worlds treasures.

The word Julian in small letters was inscribed last Friday into the wooden structure built 1,250 years ago at the Buddhist site in the central city of Nara.

A Japanese tourist spotted the 17-year-old scratching his name into the wood with his fingernail and alerted staff who called police, the countrys Kyodo news agency reported.

The teenager, whose name has not been disclosed because he is a minor, was questioned but does not appear to have been charged with a crime. Had he been indicted for damaging important cultural property, he could have faced up to five years in prison and a fine up to 1 million yen, around $7,200.

Such an act is certainly sacrilegious, especially in Japan where cultural norms repudiate such practices, Ken Tadashi Oshima, a professor of Japanese architectural history at the University of Washington, told NBC News on Friday via email.

The teenager carved

Founded as a place for Buddhist worship in 759 by a Chinese monk, Jianzhen, from the Tang dynasty, the temple was the first in Japan to be devoted to a Chinese Buddhist denomination, the Nanzan school, according to the temples website.

The Japanese government designated the temple a national treasure in 1951 and UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in 1998, saying that together with Naras other historic monuments, including Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the excavated remains of the great Imperial Palace, it provides a vivid picture of life in the Japanese capital in the 8th century, a period of profound political and cultural change.

Odashi said it could be argued that the temple was equally as significant as the Acropolis in Greece. It is preserved as a living structure as it is made of wood, he said. This makes public awareness of its significance especially important to prevent other such acts from happening again.

NBC News has reached out for comment from the temple, where staff members were later filmed putting up signs in both Japanese and English near the entrance reading, Please do not damage the hall, and "You will be punished for violating the Cultural Property Protection Law.

Located in suburb of Nara city, Toshodaiji Temple, designed (Zhang Peng / LightRocket via Getty Images file)

The incident in Japan came weeks after a tourist was caught carving a love note into the wall of the Colosseum in Rome, drawing outrage on social media and from Italian officials.

The culprit, identified by his lawyer as Ivan Danailov Dimitrov, 27, later apologized in a letter in which he said he was unaware of the historical significance of the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater.

His attorney, Alexandro Maria Tirelli, told NBC News that the defacing was as heinous but not serious.

Alice Tseng, a professor of Japanese art and architecture at Boston University, said vandalism of this nature does occur very often at historic sites and cultural sites around the world.

Natural sites such as the sand dunes of Tottori and the bamboo groves of Arashiyama in Kyoto have also suffered vandalism regularly, she said. Based on the various languages in which unwelcome graffiti are written or carved, visitors from many different parts of the world are offenders.

She added that it was difficult to watch over these sites, since hiring security guards or installing cameras is often not aesthetically appropriate and can create a financial burden.

Wouldnt it be more productive to educate visitors about proper conduct? she said. Regardless of a sites age and value, damage of someone elses property is always wrong. Just dont do it; dont even think about it.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
CANTON  A 46-year-old city man who stabbed his brother will serve eight to 12 years in prison in connection with the Dec. 14 attack.

Stark County Common Pleas Judge Chryssa Hartnett sentenced Derek T. Edwards after a jury found him guilty of attempted murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence. He was acquitted of a kidnapping charge.

Police responded to Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital at 9:41 p.m. Dec. 14 when a man was dropped off with stab wounds and cuts on his body. Detectives found the vehicle that dropped off the 43-year-old victim in the 1700 block of Superior Avenue NE and identified the suspect.

Edwards will spend at least two years on parole after his release. He will be required to complete the court's re-entry program if he lives in Stark County while he is on parole.

Suspect caught: Canton man wanted in brother's stabbing arrested by U.S. Marshals task force

History of success: Court program marks decade of helping offenders

Hartnett sentenced Edwards to another year in prison on unrelated drug charges filed in February. He pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated drug possession, possession of a fentanyl-related compound and cocaine possession.

Edwards is required to pay court costs in both cases. He was given credit against his sentences for time already spent in the county jail.

Hartnett sentenced Edwards in the stabbing case June 29, a day after the jury reached its verdict. He pleaded guilty to the drug charges June 29. The sentencing order on the drug charges was filed July 10.

Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @nmolnarTR

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Derek Edwards gets 8-12 years for attempted murder, stabbed brother
WASHINGTON  Hunter Biden's lawyer has warned Donald Trump to stop attacking President Joe Biden's son or face the prospect of more legal action.

Claiming that Trump's rhetoric has triggered violence in the past, Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell said in a cease-and-desist letter that "we are just one such social media message away from another incident."

Noting that Trump already faces trials over allegations involving hush money and classified documents, Lowell said "it would seem that Mr. Trump is facing enough legal problems that he would not want to create any more liability."

Hunter Biden

Trump, and other Republican leaders, have attacked the president's son for years over his business dealings. Most recently, they have zeroed in on a plea deal in which the younger Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of tax evasion and participate in a pretrial program for a firearm offense.

In a social media post cited by the Biden attorney, Trump said the lead prosecutor in the case "gave out a traffic ticket instead of a death sentence." Trump has also tried to link both the president and his son to cocaine recently found in the White House.

Trump and aides have not reacted to the cease-and-desist letter.

In the complaint addressed to Trump's attorneys, Lowell said Trump's rhetoric has caused violence in the past, most notably the insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The Hunter Biden lawyer also cited the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the recent arrest of an armed man near the home of former President Barack Obama.

Attorneys "should make clear to Mr. Trump  if you have not done so already  that Mr. Trumps words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop," Lowell wrote.

Lowell also said Trump's attorneys should "explain to him how his incitement can further hurt people and cause himself even more legal trouble."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lawyer demands Donald Trump stop attacking Hunter Biden
A 21-year-old woman who was fatally shot at a Marianos grocery store in Evergreen Park Thursday had reported domestic violence by the man who shot her and was granted a restraining order, but two attempts to serve it were unsuccessful, according to court records.

Armoni Henry, of Chicago, is facing first-degree murder charges in connection with Thursdays shooting death of Jailene Flores, 21, also of Chicago. He was ordered held without bail Friday.

Flores had also received numerous threats via text message from Henry and earlier this week family members discovered and removed an AirTag from her car, Cook County prosecutors said Friday.

Flores filed for a restraining order against Henry, according to prosecutors, stating the two had a dating relationship but referencing threats Henry made against her and her family, prosecutors said.

The order of protection was granted April 19, and the sheriffs office attempted to serve it to Henry the next day at an address listed on the petition, according to a statement from the Cook County sheriffs office.

A resident at the home told deputies he did not know Henry. A deputy then contacted Flores to clarify the address and left a message but didnt hear back, the statement said.

Flores attended a court hearing May 10, and the order was extended to May 31.

Deputies tried to serve the order of protection at the same address May 13 and the resident said Henry did not live there. Unlike an arrest warrant, a civil order of protection does not allow deputies to enter the home to determine whether the respondent is inside, limited the ability to ensure that respondents are served, the sheriffs office said.

The office notified the court that service of the order had been attempted, according to the statement. Flores did not appear in court for a status hearing on May 31, and the order was dropped.

Flores also made two reports of domestic violence against Henry, according to a bond proffer prosecutors presented Friday, including reports made by his ex-girlfriend.

One of the reports resulted in a battery conviction in Peoria County. Henry was on conditional discharge for the battery conviction and a violation of that discharge was filed Monday and was still pending, according to the proffer.

Flores brother found an AirTag, or tracking device, inside her car Monday, prosecutors said, and discovered the last four numbers of the registered owners phone number matched Henrys phone number.

Henry went to the Marianos in the 2500 block of West 95th Street, where Flores worked, on Wednesday and confronted her about the removal of the AirTag from her car. Flores was distraught by the confrontation and told her family she only talked to Henry because he threatened to harm her brother and father, according to the proffer.

Flores planned to seek another restraining order after work Thursday after receiving 124 text messages from Henry, including threats to kill her, prosecutors said.

Surveillance video showed Henry arriving at Marianos in a red Ford Focus at 9 a.m. Thursday and parking next to Flores car, which he looked into it before walking into the store, according to the proffer.

Inside the store, Henry approached Flores and they walked to the rear of the store and entered the backroom, which is only for employees and does not have surveillance video, prosecutors said.

Another employee in the backroom saw the shooting and ran out a back door, and the store manager heard gunshots and saw Henry running with a gun in his hands, according to the bond proffer.

The store manager chased Henry but he made it to his car and drove off, according to the proffer.

Evergreen Park police arrived at 9:12 a.m. and found Flores with several gunshot wounds in the back of the store, police said. The Cook County medical examiners office ruled Friday she died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds and ruled her death a homicide.

Six 9 mm shell casings were removed from the scene, according to the proffer.

Henry was taken into custody by the Chicago Police Department at his home one hour after the shooting. Officers found a 9 mm Glock handgun in Henrys right pant pocket, according to the proffer.

The caliber of the Glock was the same as the shell casings found at the scene, prosecutors said

Henrys next court date is Aug. 11.

Its the second instance this month in which an order of protection was not served in a case in which someone was later killed.

Earlier this month, Karina Gonzalez and her daughter, Daniela Alvarez, 15, were shot and killed by her husband, Jose Alvarez.

Gonzalez obtained an order of protection about 15 days before she was killed. A deputy attempted to serve the order but Alvarez was not at home. Alvarezs FOID card was suspended by the Illinois State Police, but his gun was never removed from his possession.
(Bloomberg) -- Two Democratic donors  Charles Myers and Phil Munger, the son of Warren Buffetts longtime business partner, Charles Munger  hosted a campaign reception featuring Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday in New York.

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More than 50 donors attended the fundraiser at Myers residence on the Upper East Side, which raised about $650,000 for President Joe Bidens reelection campaign. That total exceeded the target of $500,000, according to a source familiar with the matter. Drew Barrymore, an actress and talk-show host, was expected to be in attendance, but ultimately did not show.

Some donors had to be turned away from the list of attendees after the event reached capacity earlier in the week, the source said.

Myers, the chairman and founder of Signum Global Advisors LLC, has advised political campaigns for more than two decades, including Hillary Clintons failed presidential bid in 2016. Both Myers and Munger have a long history of political donations.

Harris made a one-day trip to donor-rich New York for the event as Bidens campaign kicks into full swing.

The White House is positioning Harris, the first Black, Asian and woman US vice president for a top role on the campaign trail, as Democrats seek to elevate her amid low approval ratings and attacks from Republicans on Bidens fitness for office at 80 years old.

The fundraiser fell on the same-day the White House rolled out a travel schedule for Harris over the next two months that includes stops in Illinois, Massachusetts, Florida and Indiana. The appearances will put the vice president in front of key constituencies, including Latino voters, Black Americans, young people and the faith community.

Those blocs were critical to Bidens success in 2020, which saw the highest voter turnout in the last century.

Among the stops will be the national conference of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, one of the Black fraternities and sororities that make up the Divine Nine. Harris is a member of another one of the storied sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha. Harris will also speak at the convention of Reverend Jesse Jacksons social justice nonprofit, the Rainbow Push Coalition.

Other stops at major gatherings of the NAACP, UnidosUS and the African Methodist Episcopal Church will position Harris to speak to a range of domestic policy issues the administration has placed in her domain, including abortion, book bans and racial economic equity.

(Updates with details after event ended, starting in the second paragraph.)

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Charlie Kirk marked the end of affirmative action by ranting against various Black women in power.

Three weeks ago, if we wouldve said that Joy Reid, and Michelle Obama, and Sheila Jackson Lee, and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative action picks, we wouldve been called the racist, Kirk said Thursday on his talk show.

But now theyre coming out and theyre saying it for us, the far-right commentator continued. Theyre coming out and theyre saying, Im only here because of affirmative action. Yeah, we know. You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously.

He added: You had to go steal a white persons slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.

Late last month, the Supreme Court declared affirmative action programs at public and private colleges and universities unconstitutional. The decision, which is expected to have a tangible impact on Black and Latino students, has already spurred activism and outcry.

Reid, Obama, Jackson Lee, and Jackson  an MSNBC host, former first lady, U.S. representative, and Supreme Court justice, respectively  have all expressed strong disagreement with the ruling.

Kirks racist tirade was followed by footage of Jackson Lee stating that although the Texas Democrat was a clear recipient of affirmative action, and particularly in higher education, she graduated on her own merits. The point appeared lost on Kirk.

Its very obvious to us that you were not smart enough to be able to get in on your own, he said.

Charlie Kirk has previously urged Texans to deport Haitian immigrants.

Charlie Kirk has previously urged Texans to deport Haitian immigrants.

The diatribe was met with warranted disgust on Twitter by the likes of award-winning journalist John Harwood and former White House aide Keith Boykin. A clip of Kirks remarks went viral after being shared by the Twitter account PatriotTakes, which describes its purpose as exposing right-wing extremism.

Those familiar with Kirk presumably werent surprised by his latest rant. The right-wing media personality has previously called white privilege racist and a lie, and he has urged Texans to deport Haitian immigrants.

Naturally, he has also espoused conspiracy theories about Donald Trumps failed presidential reelection bid in 2020. Kirk once revealed his ignorance of basic U.S. politics when falsely claiming that the number of counties a candidate wins is more important than the number of votes.

Meanwhile, Kirks nationwide organization of student Republicans, Turning Point USA, has revealed itself as a bastion for racists and extremists. A former national field director named Crystal Clanton, for instance, once texted a colleague: I HATE BLACK PEOPLE. Like fuck them all.

Related...
The CEO of the company behind artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT has pledged to work with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), even as he criticized how news of the agencys probe of the company became public.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans response came after the agencys request for documents from the company about the AI chatbot was first reported Thursday by The Washington Post.

[I]t is very disappointing to see the FTCs request start with a leak and does not help build trust, Altman tweeted.

[T]hat said, its super important to us that [our] technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law. [O]f course we will work with the FTC, he added.

The Hill has reached out to the FTC for further comment.

The Post had reported that the FTCs expansive request to OpenAI seeks descriptions of complaints to the company as well as records related to a security incident disclosed in March.

Altman said GPT-4, the language model powering ChatGPT, was built on top of years of safety research and the company spent more than six months after the initial training to make it safer and more aligned before releasing it.

[W]e protect user privacy and design our systems to learn about the world, not private individuals, Altman wrote.

[W]ere transparent about the limitations of our technology, especially when we fall short, he continued. our capped-profits structure means we arent incentivized to make unlimited returns.

The FTCs request is the latest  and seemingly most direct  regulatory threat to OpenAI as the federal government races to regulate the booming AI industry.

FTC Chair Lina Khan and other agency heads have pledged to use existing authority under law to hold AI technology accountable as Congress weighs new legislation.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in June released a framework for AI regulation and is working with a bipartisan group of senators closely on the issue.

Earlier this week, senators participated in a classified briefing with top intelligence and defense officials to hear about risks and opportunities of the technology.

Senators on both sides of the aisle shared concerns about the technology, but there is not yet a clear, broad bipartisan consensus on a legislative path to regulate AI.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Chicago could eventually be responsible for clearing at least some city sidewalks in winter, after aldermen advanced a proposal that could lead to a sidewalk snowplow pilot program.

Under the proposal, which moved forward Friday, a working group will recommend guidelines for a sidewalk plowing pilot program, which will then be subject to City Council approval. Earlier versions of the proposal would have formally created the pilot program, but aldermen ultimately passed the watered-down version in part because some raised concerns about the number of factors that remained unknown, like the cost of the program and the location of pilot zones.

Under current city rules, clearing sidewalks when they are snowy or icy is the responsibility of property owners. Advocates have urged the city to take on that duty, saying inconsistent clearing by owners leaves patches of snow and ice on sidewalks that make it hard for people to get to transportation, jobs, stores and other elements of city life. They say uncleared sidewalks are especially challenging for those with disabilities, who are elderly, or parents of young children in strollers.

(Sidewalks are) universal transportation, said Alex Nelson, with the advocacy coalition Better Streets Chicago. And it needs to be treated with the same care and thoughtfulness that we put toward our roads and our trains and our other systems of transport we have in the city.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas, who sponsored the proposal, and advocates hailed the move to create a working group as a victory. Villegas, 36th, said the working group was a fair compromise and would allow the city departments that would be tasked with running the program to have a say in it.

Snowy and icy sidewalks can take an economic toll on the city, he said. They force those who cant get out of their houses to rely on delivery apps to get food and goods, effectively imposing an unfair fee on those stuck inside, he said.

The loss of economic activity when it snows, it impacts our budget, he said. So this is an opportunity to put forward a service that helps seniors, persons with disabilities, parents of children under five, but also helps the citys economy and our status as a world class city.

Laura Saltzman, transportation policy analyst for the disability rights group Access Living, which has advocated for the municipal sidewalk clearing program, said the action by aldermen on Friday was a step forward. Impassable sidewalks are the top transportation-related complaint Access Living hears in the winter, she said, and pose a barrier to people being able to go about their daily lives.

Requiring property owners to clear the sidewalks can be a challenge for people who are blind, who use wheelchairs or canes, and residents who are unable to shovel their own sidewalks, she said.

We are closer to plowing the sidewalks today than we were yesterday, she said.

Nelson said she was confident a pilot program would ultimately take effect. Better Streets Chicago hopes to be part of the working group outlining the program, she said.

Under the ordinance, the working group will have to make recommendations about the size of the pilot program, the areas included in the pilot, how it will be funded and where labor to clear the sidewalks will come from. The group will make recommendations by May 31, 2024.

Villegas could not provide a cost estimate for the program, saying it would depend on recommendations about its size and scope.

Proponents cited other cities with municipal sidewalk-clearing programs, including Toronto. City crews in the Canadian city clear snow when 2 centimeters or more have fallen, or when its icy. Smaller snowfalls remain the responsibility of property owners.

But some aldermen said too much remained unknown for them to authorize moving forward with a pilot program, rather than just a working group to make recommendations about the program. Ald. Marty Quinn, 13th, said the program could add up to millions and millions of dollars, and more details about how the program would work needed to be determined before the city should move forward with any program.

While intentions are great and Im in the program already, I think youre setting yourselves up to fail, and fail miserably, he told aldermen. And if history suggests anything in this city, its that people lose elections because of snow.

The ordinance is set to go before the full City Council Wednesday.

sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com
Child hides in house as trio breaks window and busts into home, California police say

Three people were arrested after being accused of breaking into a home, causing a child to run and hide, California officials said.

On July 11, deputies with Rancho Cucamonga Police responded to a house after getting reports of a break-in, according to a news release by the department.

The three males, ages 17, 18 and 19, broke one of the homes windows, which caused a child in the home to go into hiding, deputies said.

The boy was in his hiding spot when the suspects walked past him, the release said.

When deputies got to the scene, the group jumped out of a rear window and fled, officials said.

After checking on the boy, officials eventually found the suspects hiding between two nearby houses, deputies said.

The 18-year-old and 19-year-old were arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center on robbery, burglary and conspiracy charges, according to the release. The 17-year-old was arrested and sent to juvenile hall.

Deputies ask anyone with information about the incident to call 909-477-2800, according to the release.

Rancho Cucamonga is about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.

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Amid a freeze in military-to-military contacts, China is accusing the United States of militarizing outer space, a day after it protested the passage of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft through the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said on Friday that U.S. actions, including the establishment of the Space Force in 2019 as the newest branch of the military, have had a great negative impact on space security and global strategic stability.

Biden nominates Space Forces Whiting to lead U.S. Space Command

In recent years, the United States has accelerated the militarization of space, Tan said. I would like to reiterate here that China adheres to the peaceful use of space, firmly opposes the weaponization and the making of space into a battlefield, and opposes any form of arms race in space.

The ministry said Tan was responding to recent concerns expressed by Space Force leaders over Chinas rising capabilities, calling that classic cognitive dissonance. Chinas advances in space include its own orbiting space station and plans for a crewed lunar mission. In 2007, it faced international condemnation after using a missile to blow up one of its defunct weather satellites, leaving a field of debris that continues to threaten other objects in orbit.

While the U.S. has sent officials to Beijing including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, ties remain at a historic low. China has pointedly refused to re-establish contact between the two militaries, possibly as a protest against U.S. sales of defensive weaponry to Taiwan and sanctions against Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

Although it is recognized as international waters and airspace and functions as a crucial route for international trade, China continues to claim a proprietary role over the Taiwan Strait that separates the mainland from the self-governing island democracy.

China regards close U.S. ally Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary, and regularly sends planes and warships to harass the islands military and seeks to intimidate its 23 million citizens.

On Thursday, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army  whose area of operations faces Taiwan  said it had scrambled fighters to follow and monitor the U.S. plane throughout the process and dealt with it in accordance with laws and regulations.

Theater spokesperson Col. Shi Yi was quoted as saying on social media, theater troops maintain a high level of alert at all times and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and security along with regional peace and stability.

The U.S. 7th Fleet said a Navy P-8A Poseidon transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Thursday.

By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations, the fleet said on its website.

The aircrafts transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows.
FILE PHOTO: J-11B fighter jets of the Chinese Air Force fly in formation during a training session on the outskirts of Beijing

By Yimou Lee and Roger Tung

TAIPEI (Reuters) - China's military has been flexing its muscles this week around Taiwan practicing joint force operations far out at sea, ahead of Taipei holding its annual war games at the end of the month when Taiwan will simulate breaking a Chinese blockade.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its territory, has been staging regular exercises around the island for the past three years, to pressure Taipei to accept Beijing's claim of sovereignty.

Since Tuesday, China has sent dozens of fighters, bombers and other aircraft including drones into the skies to Taiwan's south, some crossing the Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan from the Philippines and into the Pacific, accompanying Chinese warships, Taiwan's defence ministry said.

Some of the aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, an unofficial buffer that separates the two sides, and came near waters 24 nautical miles off Taiwan's shores, the island's contiguous zone, in what Taiwan security officials called "harassment".

Chieh Chung, a military researcher at Taiwan's National Policy Foundation think tank, said practicing long-distance missions was important for China as they would be the "main combat mode" in any conflict.

"China regards breaking through the first island chain as an important tactical goal," he said, referring to the islands running from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China's coastal seas.

China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, China's foreign ministry, asked about the drills, said: "The Chinese people will never waver in our resolve and determination to uphold China's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Taiwan's main annual Han Kuang exercises take place in the last week of this month, focusing on defending the island's main international airport and how to keep sea lanes open in the event of a Chinese blockade.

China practised precision strikes and blockades in drills around the island in April after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

'TURMOIL AND CHANGE'

A senior Taiwan security official, who declined to be identified, said China's activities, coming before Han Kuang, were part of its psychological warfare against the island.

"They are expanding military deterrence actions to create a cognitive effect that Taiwan's national defences are useless," the official said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the headquarters of the Eastern Theatre Command, which is in charge of the area around Taiwan, on July 6, and warned of a "new period of turmoil and change for the world", state media reported.

Adding to a sense of tension, on Thursday a U.S. Navy patrol plane flew through the strait, monitored by Chinese jets. China routinely denounces U.S. military activity in the strait as provocation.

Taiwan's military has been on its own publicity push about the Han Kuang drills, this week releasing a slickly produced video on social media of fighters soaring into the skies, missiles fired from warships and artillery barrages.

"We are determined to protect our territory," read text in Chinese and English accompanying the video.

Su Tzu-yun, a research fellow at Taiwan's top military think tank, the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, said judging by the aircraft used, the Southern Theatre Command, which covers the South China Sea, was being included in China's exercises this time to gain experience in joint operations across commands.

"The Eastern Theatre Command are well seasoned, but it's the Southern Theatre Command that needs training for long-distance support," Su said.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Roger Tung; Additional reporting by Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
[Source]

Chinas central bank has reportedly slapped technology provider Ant Group, which Chinese billionaire Jack Ma founded in 2014, with a 7.12 billion yuan (approximately $997 million) fine.

Latest development: The fine, issued on July 7, is seen as the end of a years-long crackdown on the country's tech sector and Mas companies that began in 2020.

Chinas central bank explained in a recent statement that the fine was issued in response to violations of laws and regulations in financial activities in several areas, including the tech industry.

Addressing the fine, Ant Group reportedly said it had completely rectified all the requirements laid by Chinas financial regulators.

More from NextShark: Vietnamese language courses offered at Ivy Leagues Brown and Princeton for the first time ever

How it started: Ma, 58, laid low months after he criticized Chinas financial regulatory system at a conference in Shanghai in October 2020, describing the system as an old peoples club and saying that yesterdays methods cannot be used to regulate the future.

The Chinese billionaires comments ended up costing his companies billions of dollars in losses. Alibaba has reportedly lost 45% of its market value, or around $620 billion, since 2020. Meanwhile, Ant Groups valuation dropped by around 75% to $78.5 billion from $315 billion, bringing the total losses between the two companies to $856.5 billion.

Not just the companies: Mas net worth has also seen a steep decline, falling to $30.9 billion from his 2020 peak net worth of over $61 billion.

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The Subject

Microsoft announced this week that a Chinese cyber unit, codenamed Storm-0558, hacked this spring into U.S. government agencies and the private emails of senior U.S. officials. Among them: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, whos taken a hawkish stance on constricting American tech exports to China that would make her a prime target for Beijing.

These cyber intrusions came as the Biden administration was publicly working to ease tensions with China. And they dovetail with evidence of Chinas stepped-up surveillance operations against the U.S., including the deployment of spy balloons in the Western hemisphere and the establishment of new electronic surveillance bases in Cuba. Microsoft said the Chinese exploited weaknesses in the companys authentication software to access these U.S. government accounts, which werent believed to be hosting classified data.

Adam Marre, chief information security officer at the cybersecurity firm, Arctic Wolf, told Semafor on Thursday that these Chinese hacks are part of a growing wave of cyber-attacks on high-level U.S. government targets and critical infrastructure that are positioning Beijing for a possible conflict with Washington and its allies. In May, Microsoft issued a report outlining Chinese efforts to infiltrate malware into the Pentagons communications systems in Guam  a key staging base for any American military operations to defend Taiwan.

Marre, who combatted Chinese hackers and spies during a 12-year FBI career, said that Beijing poses a unique cyber challenge due its size, resources, and ability to own and control vast telecommunications infrastructure globally  such as undersea cables and the 5G telecommunications systems deployed by Huawei and other Chinese firms. Russia, Iran and North Korea also pose significant cyber threats, he said, but without nearly the scale and access to these communications channels.

Weve been warning about a surge in Chinese state-sponsored activity for a while now, both because of domestic and geopolitical reasons, Marre said. Now were getting more of a focus on spy craft and even some infrastructure infiltration.

The Interview

Jay Solomon: Can you put into context how Chinas hacks on Microsoft fit into the broader context of its cyber operations?

Adam Marre: So, targeting various folks in the State Department, and the information weve seen so far, it does appear that this was a more targeted attack. It wasnt just: Hey, we found this vulnerability in authentication tokens in Microsofts [Outlook systems] so were just going to look at everyones email.

Jay Solomon: Is this hacking group, called Storm-0558, a formal arm of the Chinese government?

Adam Marre: I dont know that the distinction is as important as it might be with other nations  just because of the closeness of the [Chinese Communist Party] to all organizations, be they commercial, independent organizations, or state-sponsoredThe information is going to end up in the same place.

Jay Solomon: China has targeted the Pentagons critical infrastructure in Guam. Is this a symptom of Beijings improved capabilities or of a worsening relationship with the U.S.?

Adam Marre: I would say its a mix of bothWe are definitely seeing more of this spy craft, and even some of those preparation-of-the-battlefield-type activities, where theyre attacking some sort of critical infrastructure and lying dormant in it  just in case something breaks out in the real world.

Jay Solomon: The U.S. government has voiced its concerns about China controlling telecommunications infrastructure globally. How much does this enhance its ability to spy?

Adam Marre: It starts with just wanting to get your technology into different places, because if you have the infrastructure, you can control it and you can listen to it and do all of that There is the option for them to conduct whatever operations they want. And its difficult to detect that in all of the hardware that theyre installing.

Jay Solomon: How would you differ Chinas cyber operations from countries like Russia, Iran and North Korea?

Adam Marre: You do see less of the funded sort of smash-and -grab type ransomware attacks coming out of China. That doesnt mean you dont see them. And it doesnt mean you dont see other sorts of fraudBut its more spy craft, the more sophisticated low-and-slow, quiet-type behavior aimed at gaining information, be that intellectual property or information on the government.

Jay Solomon: How should American companies think about the Chinese cyber threat?

Adam Marre: It is just a really good reminder that if youre doing business with the [U.S.] government, or with companies that do bleeding edge technology, AI, anything that adversaries or any attackers might be interested in, you need to realize thatCompanies do not realize that these threats actually face them, because they think what would they want from me? I dont do this. But they dont realize theyre a vector to get into the governments vector.
China's trade with Russia surges to the highest level since Putin launched his war on Ukraine

China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin together in Moscow on March 20. Russian pool via AP

Chinese-Russian trade hit its highest level since February 2022, data shows.

Last month, trade between the countries rose to $20.83 billion.

China's imports from Russia rose 15.7%, and exports to Russia soared 90.9%.

Bilateral trade between Russia and China rose to the highest level since the launch of the Ukraine invasion, deepening ties between the two nations amid an otherwise tense geopolitical scene.

Trade value climbed to $20.83 billion last month, Reuters reported, citing data from the General Administration of Customs. It's the highest level recorded since February 2022.

China's imports from Russia rose 15.7% in June to $11.28 billion amid continued demand for energy commodities, such as coal and discounted oil. That's up from May's 10% increase.

Meanwhile, China's exports to Russia surged 90.9% to $9.55 billion, though this indicates a deceleration in growth from May's 114% pace.

In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin touted plans for bilateral trade to reach an annual level of $200 billion.

Ties with China have become crucial to Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 largely left it ostracized from its traditional Western trade partners.

Earlier this year, for example, Russia overtook Saudi Arabia as China's top oil supplier. After the West imposed sanctions on Russian oil, the Kremlin has relied heavily on China and India to offset some of the export revenue it previously generated from Europe.

The reliance on Beijing has grown so much that some analysts have compared it to a vassal-like relationship that largely serves China.

Meanwhile, China's relations with the West have also been under more strain. Notably, it has entered a tit-for-tat trade war with the US, which has curbed its access to semiconductor technology.

At the same time, European nations have emphasized a need to "de-risk" their economies from China, hoping to curb any excessive reliance on the country for production needs.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Chinas military has been on a surge of activity around Taiwan this week, sending dozens of warplanes past the median line of the Taiwan Strait and into the key regions of the islands air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) activity has a range of implications, none of them positive for Taiwan or cross-strait stability, analysts say.

According to figures from Taiwans Defense Ministry, 38 PLA aircraft were detected around the island in the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday, 33 in the same period Thursday and 30 during the same period Friday.

Over those 72 hours, 73 PLA aircraft either crossed the straits median line  an informal demarcation point that Beijing does not recognize but until recently largely respected  or entered the southeastern or southwestern parts of the islands ADIZ.

Chinas ruling Communist Party claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its territory despite never having controlled it, and has spent decades trying to isolate it diplomatically. Beijing has not ruled out using force to take control of the island.

The PLA aircraft detected this week included fighter jets, H-6 bombers, anti-submarine warning aircraft and reconnaissance drones, Taiwans Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said it tasked combat air patrol warplanes, naval vessels and land-based missile defense to monitor the PLA aircraft, along with nine Chinese warships that were present around the island.

Their response underscores the problem that increased PLA activity poses to Taiwan, said Carl Schuster, a Hawaii-based analyst and former director of operations at the US Pacific Commands Joint Intelligence Center.

When Taiwans military responds to PLA operations, it taxes the islands systems and equipment.

Constant use creates a maintenance headache that reduces readiness until (spare) parts are delivered and installed, he said. Also, air frames and hulls require inspection and refurbishment as certain age and stress times are reached.

He also says surges in PLA activity are aimed at wearing down the mental ability of Taiwans people to resist a potential takeover by Beijing.

Beijing hopes Taipei will just accept unification as inevitable and allow Chinese forces in without resistance. They are trying to diminish if not destroy the Taiwan populations will to resist, he said.

But even if that tactic does not work, the continued presence of large numbers of PLA warplanes and ships around Taiwan can lull the islands defenders  both the Taiwanese military and any potential external reinforcements  into complacency, he said.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, Washington has agreed to give Taiwan the ability to defend itself, largely through weapons sales, although President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that US troops would defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Either way, with US equipment or even fighting troops, it may become too late for Washington to come to Taipeis rescue if large amounts of PLA planes and ships are already on station around the island.

The longer the delay in reacting to PLA buildups, the less time available to match or counter that buildup. The US margin of advantage is too slim to achieve success if its forces move too late, Schuster said.

From the PLAs perspective, sustained drills are a necessary part of readiness to execute any move on Taiwan, the former US Navy captain said.

PLA forces need constant training since such skills are perishable and exercises offer both training in those skills and opportunities to rehearse and examine some aspects of war plans, he said.

Military operations are complex, like American football. The plays and drives require constant practice and rehearsal to be conducted effectively, Schuster added.

A Chinese fighter jet refuels during military exercises near Taiwan on April 12, 2023. - Xinhua/AP

US flight in Taiwan Strait

China last held three days of intensive military drills around Taiwan in April, exercises the PLA said comprehensively tested joint combat capabilities of its integrated military forces under actual combat situation.

Forces in the command is ready for combat at all times, and will resolutely destroy any type of Taiwan independence separatist or foreign interference attempts, a PLA statement after the April drills said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

As for this weeks drills, a report in the state-run Global Times said they aim to safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Such drills are becoming more combat-oriented and more intensive in order to deter and prepare for interferences from external forces, the report said, citing Chinese experts.

Meanwhile, the activity in and around the Taiwan Strait in the past few days hasnt been limited to the PLA.

A US Navy P-8A reconnaissance jet transited the strait on Thursday, according to a statement from the US 7th Fleet in Japan.

The aircrafts transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows, the statement said.

On its English-language website, the PLA accused the US military of hyping the situation, and a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command said PLA troops tracked and monitored the US plane.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told CNN Thursday that he doesnt see confrontation between the US and China involving Taiwan as imminent or unavoidable.

But having said that its my job to make sure that we have to continue to maintain a credible deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, he said. The most credible deterrent is a combat capable force and thats what we have today.

CNNs Zahid Mahmood contributed reporting.

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If theres one known characteristic about U.S. military pilots, its that their egos are unparalleled. Thanks to Chinese filmmakers, that self-perception has, perhaps inadvertently, been inflated even further.

In a scene circulating on Twitter, which comes courtesy of a movie called The Sacrifice (2020), an American pilot dive-bombs a Chinese Peoples Volunteer Army in a Corsair during the final days of the Korean War. And he happens to look like Indiana Jones  hat and all.

Chinese propaganda depictions of Americans continues to outdo anything the West currently does pic.twitter.com/TfWfHu2b5t  Aetius (@AetiusRF) July 12, 2023

In 1953, the Korean War is entering the final stage, the films synopsis reads. The Peoples Volunteer Army of China has launched the last major battle in Kumsong. In order to arrive at the battleground on time and deliver enough force to the Kumsong front line, the soldiers have to defend themselves against the never ending bombing of enemy bombers and race with time to repair bridges.

Despite assertions from Twitter users that the movie is Chinese propaganda, the film doesnt seemingly disparage the American pilots. In fact, it paints them as killer sky cowboys who fearlessly face death head on  even if it means dying in a blaze of glory.

As one viewer noted, China makes us look way cooler than we are.
GOP presidential candidate and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Thursday he cant imagine a presidential pardon for former President Trump if the Republican front-runner is found guilty in the classified documents case for which he is facing federal charges.

Lets say with the documents case  which is the only one that the president would have jurisdiction over. Given whats alleged in the indictment, if that were proven, and  the former president were found guilty, as long as I thought he got a fair trial  I would have a hard time considering any pardon, Christie told Chris Cuomo on NewsNation.

And by the way, as you know, to get a pardon, you have to also accept responsibility for what you did, the former governor continued. I doubt very highly that Donald Trump would ever do that. And so I cant imagine a pardon being issued.

Trump has been charged with 37 counts in relation to his alleged mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after his time in office, as well as his efforts to block the government from recovering the materials.

Another GOP 2024 presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, has promised to pardon Trump if elected in 2024, while former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson  whos also in the running  has said Trumps legal issues should be disqualifying and knocked Ramaswamy for the pledge.

Fellow candidate and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said that shes inclined in favor of a pardon if Trump were to be convicted of federal charges. Trumps former vice president, Mike Pence, whos also running for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, has said conversations about pardoning Trump are premature.

Cuomo also asked Thursday about whether Christie would consider a pardon for President Biden, whose document handling is also being investigated, but Christie said that would be an impossible question to answer given its unclear what Biden may be accused of.

Christie also criticized Trump for his threat to skip the primary debates, claiming the former president is a coward if he follows through.

If Donald Trump doesnt show up, he is a coward. Thats the only excuse for him sitting in his place in Bedminster, N.J., and watching it on TV, rather than being a man and stand on the stage. And defend his record and his conduct, Christie said, adding that he thinks Trumps ego is much too large to not get on the debate stage.

Trump has previously previously suggested that, since hes polling as the GOP front-runner, he doesnt need to engage in the debate  leaving some in his party split on whether he should attend the first debate, scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.

On Wednesday, the former New Jersey governor announced that his 2024 campaign has reached the minimum number of donors required to qualify for the first debate.

NewsNation and The Hill are both owned by Nexstar Media Group.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Christie on Ukraine aid: I want them to have every weapon they need to be able to win

Former New Jersey Gov. and 2024 presidential candidate Chris Christie on Thursday said he wants Ukraine to have every weapon they need to be able to win in their war against Russia.

Asked on NewsNation about whether hed expand US commitment to Ukraine if he were to win the 2024 presidential race amid a continued war, Christie said hed increase it, because right now with the Biden administration is doing is giving them just enough weapons not to lose.

I want them to have every weapon they need to be able to win, he said of Ukraine.

And this is a proxy war, not just against Russia  but as you know, its a proxy war against China. China is funding this Russian war through their purchase of Russian oil, Christie continued. They are coordinating with Iran to provide deadly weapons to the Russian army. And they are watching what were going to do.

NewsNation host Chris Cuomo pressed the former governor on his answer, saying his party wouldnt like his stance on the matter and would label him a RINO, or Republican in name only. Many in the GOP have criticized the Biden administrations ongoing support for Kyiv and called for curtailing aid.

The job of a leader is not to follow polls, its to change polls.  We can spend this money now and have Ukrainian soldiers fight our war, or we can spend a lot more money and American blood later to fight in Taiwan, Christie responded.  Id rather have the fight now and send a clear message to China and not get to war to defend Israel in the Middle East by sending a clear message to Iran as well that we will back our friends, our Ukrainian friends.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been ongoing for 17 months since Moscow invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The U.S. and other Western allies have provided Ukraine billions of dollars in support to defend itself against the aggression, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to push for aid and admittance into the NATO military alliance.

The Biden administration earlier this month announced it would equip Ukraine with cluster munitions, a controversial move that President Biden said was in part because the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.

Biden, who is running for reelection in 2024, said Thursday there is no possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin winning the war in Ukraine, adding the Moscow leader has already lost.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar, which also owns The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is throwing his weight behind bipartisan legislation that would declassify government records related to so-called U.F.O.s and unidentified anomalous phenomena, he announced this week.

The legislation would amend the National Defense Authorization Act and require the federal government to collect all records related to unidentified phenomena and make them immediately available to the public unless a review board offers legitimate reasons to keep them classified.

The process is modeled after the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, which ordered all files related to Kennedys killing to be released by the National Archives by 2017. Most, but not all, of the files have been released, however, leading to ongoing public scrutiny and a lawsuit by JFK scholars.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, seen on Tuesday, is supporting legislation that would amend the National Defense Authorization Act and require the release of classified records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, seen on Tuesday, is supporting legislation that would amend the National Defense Authorization Act and require the release of classified records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena.

For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained and its long past time they get some answers, Sen. Schumer said in a statement Friday. The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena. We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public.

Schumer is joined by Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity for the Armed Services Committee, in backing the amendment, which Schumers office said will be on the Senate floor next week. The amendment also has support from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

Our goal is to assure credibility with regard to any investigation or record keeping of materials associated with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), said Sen. Rounds. Relevant documents related to this issue should be preserved. Providing a central collection location and reputable review board to maintain the records adds to the credibility of any future investigations.

The amendment would create an independent UAP Records Review Board which would consider whether the records qualify for full, public disclosure or postponement. After 25 years, however, all records must be made public unless the then-president of the U.S. certifies that continued postponement is necessary due to the direct harm it may cause to national security.

Former President Donald Trump first postponed the full release of the JFK assassination files in 2017 due to alleged security concerns, followed by President Joe Biden when he took office. Biden eventually ordered the release of 13,173 documents late last year and a couple thousand more were released in full or with fewer redactions earlier this year.

Lets get to the bottom of it. I just want transparency. I just want the truth.Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.)

News of the proposed amendment came amid reports that Republicans with the House Oversight Committee expect to hold a hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena potentially later this month.

Lets get to the bottom of it. I just want transparency. I just want the truth, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told reporters Friday of the proposed hearing.

Burchett said he has seen nothing but cover-up on cover-up from federal agencies on UAP and extraterrestrial sightings, and claimed that he and others are getting blowback from some of the agencies over their efforts to disclose such information.

The whole thing is just bogus and weve got some people in there who have seen it, he said of past reports of recovered flying saucers. Ive talked to pilots that had their careers threatened because theyve come forward.

Last month, a whistleblower who served in the U.S. military and in several intelligence roles came forward alleging that the federal government has multiple crafts of non-human origin that it is hiding.

Burchett argued that video footage posted on YouTube shows evidence of the aircrafts existence. He pointed to the so-called Tic Tac video, named after the crafts similar shape to the mint candy, which shows pilots attempting to chase an aircraft that appears to take on impossible speeds.

I mean, its just unbelievable the amount of Gs they can do. And they cant keep up with them, he said of the video.

Related...
Although City Councilor Kendra Lara has not held a valid drivers license since 2013, she regularly drove to work at Boston City Hall, a city spokesperson said Thursday.

After receiving a records request for camera footage of the executive garage, city officials reviewed the footage and found Lara regularly drove a dark gray Honda Civic to work, a city spokesperson told Boston 25 News.

The vehicle description matches the car that police say Lara was driving when it collided with the side of Jaimaca Plain home on June 30.

According to a newly released Boston Police report, Lara was driving 53 mph in a 25 mph zone when she crashed into the home with her son Zaire in the car in late June. The report also says Lara had her drivers license suspended in 2013 after failing to pay the fine for a seat belt violation before having it revoked following a 2015 citation in Connecticut.

Officers responded to a motor vehicle accident with injuries at 803 Centre Street Friday afternoon. Upon arrival, officers observed the vehicle inside the homes left side.

Laras vehicle went through the metal fence outside the home, then crashed into and drove over the bushes before colliding with the left side of the house, causing significant damage to the home, police noted.

Upon investigation, Councilor Lara was traveling inbound on Centre Street when another car began to pull away from the curb. According to the report, Lara swerved the car left to avoid a collision with the other vehicle and could not hit the brakes fast enough before colliding with into home.

Lara had her child in the backseat of the vehicle but not in a booster or car seat according to an officer. According to Boston police, All children riding in passenger motor vehicles must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured until they are 8 years of age or over 57 inches tall. Children older than 8 years of age or taller than 57 inches must wear seat belts. Lara stated she and her son were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

The child suffered injuries including bruising around the left eye and a deep laceration on the left eyebrow. Both Lara and her son were treated at Childrens Hospital.

DCF was contacted as a result of the child not being in the car seat.

According to the citys payroll, Lara was paid $99,519.25 in 2022.

The owner of the home Lara crashed into told Boston 25 News the crash was a frightening experience.

It was a shock. Anybody would be shocked to find a car on their lawn up against their house, said Georgia Kalogerakis. I am very thankful, anybody could have been walking by so we have to be thankful it wasnt worse.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Clarksville's scrap metal business, Heimansohn Steel has been purchased by Alro Steel, a Michigan-based company.

Earlier this week, Alro Steel announced the purchase of Heimansohn Steel, which offers many services in the city including metal cutting, shearing and drilling.

Frank Haar guides metal strips through a hydraulic machine called the Piranha that will cut holes out of the metal at Lui Heimansohn New Steel in Clarksville, Tenn., on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020.

We are thrilled to join another family-owned company whose top priority is also customer service," said Lawrence Mize, Vice President of Heimansohn Steel, in a press release. "It has been our pleasure to serve Clarksville and the surrounding areas with superior customer service for the last 127 years. We want to thank each and every one of our customers for the many years of success. With this acquisition, we will be able to fulfill even more of your metal needs with the addition of more inventory and processing capabilities. You will still be greeted with the same faces when you walk through the door. We are proud to continue serving you under the Alro name.

The sale will allow Arlo Steel to grow its customer base in Tennessee and Kentucky while providing customers with enhanced product offerings, processing and delivery for cut-to-order metals, the press release said.

We are excited to welcome Heimansohn Steel to the Alro family," said Alro Steel CEO Randy Glick. "This acquisition will benefit our customers with expanded inventories of metals and plastics plus additional processing capabilities.

Heimansohn Steel opened its doors in downtown Clarksville in October 1896 by founder Lui Heimansohn. In the following years, it was passed down from generation to generation and is now located at 211 Gatlin St. in Clarksville.

In an interview with The Leaf-Chronicle in 2020, third and fourth-generation owners Curt Mize and Lawrence Mize shared the longevity of their success as they prepared to celebrate 125 years in the business.

"Our secret to longevity is simple," Curt Mize said in the interview. "I like my customers. They keep me going. This is not just a business, but a gathering place for people to come in and talk about everything from their medical history to politics ... you name it."

The expected close date for the sale is July 28.

This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Clarksville's Heimansohn Steel acquired by Michigan-based firm
Two climbers stranded on Longs Peak were rescued by Rocky Mountain National Park staff Wednesday in the latest in a series of park search and rescue missions.

In the most recent incident, park rangers received a report of two uninjured climbers stranded on the 14,259-foot peak who were unable to complete their climb Tuesday, according to a park release.

The climbers started Tuesday morning from Chasm Lake and started ascending the Casual Route on the East Face of Longs Peak, which is also called the Diamond.

"The climbers were unprepared for conditions on Longs Peak and did not have the equipment necessary to self-rescue or to spend an unplanned night in cold temperatures," the park said in its release.

Rangers kept in contact with the climbers overnight. At sunrise Wednesday, search and rescue team members set out for the climbers and assisted them out of the steep technical terrain by climbing to the summit, then hiking out via the North Face of Longs Peak, arriving at the Longs Peak Trailhead on Wednesday evening.

More: First fourteeners What are Colorado's top beginner fourteeners? The state's highest peak is among them

Rocky Mountain climber dies in fall, visitor dies at waterfall

Here is a look at other recent incidents in the park:

Deep snow makes Longs Peak more dangerous this year

Park officials said most years by early July, enough snow is clear for hikers to summit Longs Peak via the nontechnical Keyhole Route. But this year, things are different with deep snow creating unsafe conditions.

Park officials believe the snow should melt enough for those less experienced to hike the Keyhole Route by early August.

The park has a Longs Peak conditions report site for updated information at nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/longs_peak_conditions_report.htm.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Climbers rescued on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park
Coastal city was mysteriously abandoned 2,000 years ago. Now, archaeologists know why

An ancient city on the coast of India was mysteriously abandoned around 2,000 years ago. Now, after a systematic study of the ruins, archaeologists believe they know why the inhabitants left.

The city of Sopara, located about 60 miles north of Mumbai, was once an important trade hub, connecting Asia to Europe, according to a June 27 news release from Science in Poland.

From as early as 1400 B.C., the maritime metropolis  which was also a religious center  facilitated trade between Greece, Persia and Arabian settlements, according to a study published in Current Science.

But, the citys inhabitants appear to have suddenly skipped town, deserting their clay-brick homes around the third century, according to Science in Poland.

In 2020, archaeologists from Poland and India set out to unravel the mystery of Soparas downfall. How did a major trade center become a ghost town?

Using noninvasive techniques, archaeologists methodically studied the ruins, which had previously only been explored haphazardly.

Assisted by drones, they created a three-dimensional model of the ruins, which cover an area smaller than 1 square mile.

They also conducted research at the surface, scanning the ground with metal detectors and drilling narrow holes, known as boreholes, which can help assess geological conditions over time.

An analysis of the boreholes revealed that, around 2,000 years ago, the citys waterways gradually became filled with silt, a fine sediment carried by running water.

Soparas residents likely left town because of silt buildups in the waterway that connected the city to the ocean, the lifeblood of the maritime trade center.

Further information, such as about the citys layout and building sizes, may be learned during already planned future excavations and analyses, researchers say.

Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Science in Poland.

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Colombian children who survived five weeks in jungle released from hospital

Director of the Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) Astrid Caceres speaks during a press conference in Bogota

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Four Colombian Indigenous children who survived a plane crash in the country's Amazon region and lived for more than five weeks in the jungle have been released from hospital after a 34-day stay, the government said on Friday.

The children, aged 1 through 13, survived the May 1 crash that killed their mother and two other adults and were found last month.

The Indigenous children's knowledge of the jungle, as well as the eldest sister's courage, have been credited by officials with saving their lives.

"They have recovered size and weight, really they are very well," Astrid Caceres, the director of the country's child welfare institute, told journalists. "The second phase of caring and protecting them begins."

The siblings will remain under the care of the institute because of a "complex family situation," she said, and final custody arrangements for them will be decided in six months.

"We're entering a transitional phase for the protection of the children," Caceres added.

Both the father of the two youngest children and their mother's family have told media they want custody.

(Reporting by Carlos Vargas; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; editing by Deepa Babington)
Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Alsup (right) and Pastor Kenny Anderson of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia shake hands as Alsup approaches the podium to address a crowd of over 100 in the church annex on July 12, 2023 in Columbia, Tenn.

Columbia Police Department Chief Jeremy Alsup announced Thursday police arrested and charged a 38-year-old white male and a 17-year-old white male thought to be responsible for allegedly leaving flyers with racially charged rhetoric at three Black churches in Columbia that sparked outrage this week.

Alsup notified the Columbia City Council of the arrests at its 5:30 p.m. regularly scheduled meeting.

Santa Fe man Daniel Lane Walls was arrested in Spring Hill on Duplex Road and charged with four counts of Civil Rights Intimidation, a charge of contributing to the dependency of a child and vandalism.

His court date is scheduled for Aug. 14. Bond is set at $43,000.

As of 4:30 p.m., the two males were charged and taken into custody Thursday, Alsup said.

The police department has been in cooperation with the District Attorney's Office, and both of the individuals will be charged under state law, or Tennessee Annotated 39-17-309 Civil Rights Intimidation, which is a "hate factor," Alsup said.

The violation could reach a Class D felony.

The announcement comes on the heels of a community prayer service, drawing over 100 attendees at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia on Wednesday in response to the crime.

"There is no place in our community or any community across this country for this kind of behavior," Alsup said. "This is not a joke. This is not someone just putting something out for fun and we will be tirelessly working with the attorney's office to make sure this is pushed through to the fullest extent accountable."

Kenny Anderson, Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Pastor, addresses the crowd gathered at the church annex in response to a hate flyer left on three church marquees on Sunday. The Columbia Police Department is investigating the racially-charged "hate" message.

Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder praised the efforts of the police department in acting on the incident swiftly.

"They are a very sophisticated and skilled department and we are very lucky to have them," Molder said.

The attendees of the meeting applauded the announcement of the arrests.

Check back for more updates on the story.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia police charge adult, youth for 'hate' flyers at 3 Black churches
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), who heads the public safety committee, flagged issues with a bill about sex trafficking, Senate Bill 14, that could have unintended consequences. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Do you support protecting pedophiles or protecting kids?

Seems like a bit of a no-brainer, but that's the level of debate that the California Legislature stooped to this week as it brawled over a bill that would increase criminal penalties for the sex trafficking of minors.

By the logic that dominated the Capitol in recent days, I would have fallen in the camp that is allegedly protecting pedophiles.

Now, in case you need to hear it, I do not support pedophiles or sex traffickers.

But I also do not support new laws with old problems, and I don't support smashing discussion under the boot of conservative oversimplification.

The bill in question is Senate Bill 14, by Republican Shannon Grove, who represents a swath of the Central Valley that stretches roughly from Fresno to Bakersfield and into the desert.

The bill would make sex trafficking of a minor a serious felony, a California designation that makes it eligible for our "three strikes" law  meaning 25 years to life when you hit that third qualifying crime. Sounds more than reasonable for selling a child for sex. It sounds good.

But the devil is always in the details, and Grove's proposal raised two major concerns for those who have made criminal justice reform a priority, chief among them Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles).

Jones-Sawyer runs the influential public safety committee in the Assembly, and, though the bill passed through the Senate unanimously (but with many changes to make it more narrow), he flagged it during a hearing this week, basically preventing it from moving forward.

Read more: Column: Bimbos, 'bottom girls' and the ugly reality of misogyny in our justice system

Chaos ensued, with some of the bill's supporters accusing him and others who opposed it of protecting pedophiles  that cultural firebomb meant to stop all dissent.

The leaders of the Freedom Angels, who came to fame a few years ago with their opposition to vaccines and the later attempted recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, went on the attack  as did numerous people who believe in Qanon-related conspiracy theories that Democrats and "elites" traffic children.

Threats, including death threats and people hoping that legislators' children will be kidnapped and raped, have flooded the phones and emails of Jones-Sawyer and other legislators who failed to vote in favor of the bill.

Grove, whom I spoke with Thursday, was clear she condones none of those tactics "in any way, shape or form."

She points out that threatening a public official is a crime in California, and though her colleagues may disagree, she is all for turning those threats over to law enforcement for investigation.

But that pressure had its effect. After Republicans threatened to force a floor vote on the bill, Assembly Democrats (who have a new leader, Robert Rivas of Hollister, which means they are still figuring out how to play nice with each other) sent it back to Jones-Sawyer's committee to save face. This time, it passed in a tense two-minute session in which two influential Democrats quickly exited after declining to vote and one Republican threw his fist in the air in victory.

What comes next is uncertain, but we need to look at the concerns Jones-Sawyer and others raised. Because having concerns, even if the Senate passed the bill, is legitimate and the kind of nuanced scrutiny we should expect from our elected officials.

A big issue is that the bill carries the potential  slim, but there  that prosecutors could charge victims of sex trafficking with a serious felony, locking them up for decades.

Sometimes, as I've written about before, women and children who are trafficked, subjected to horrible abuse and fear, cooperate with their traffickers. At times, this can include helping the trafficker control other victims. It is almost always a means of survival, and a coerced one at that.

Grove acknowledges this.

"This is like slavery," she told me. "The trafficker controls their every move."

Read more: This sex trafficking victim is behind bars, suicidal. She seeks Newsom's clemency

But women have been convicted of trafficking charges because of that cooperation, and Jones-Sawyer and others are worried that the bill leaves open the possibility that it can continue to happen  despite changes made to the bill in the Senate meant to address the problem. The fate of victims is mostly left to the discretion of prosecutors, and most prosecutors have become more informed in recent years as California has switched from viewing sex trafficking victims as willing "prostitutes" regardless of age, to people worth protecting. But you never know when that discretion will turn ugly.

"Normally with these tough-on-crime laws, they have kind of a shotgun effect where they go out and arrest everybody," Jones-Sawyer told me. "Then they ensnare some innocent people. Its really important that we don't criminalize these victims."

There is also concern about creating more problems in the already-problematic three-strikes law. Many who support criminal justice reform would like to see the 1994 law, which came about in the middle of our failed war on drugs, taken off the books.

Three strikes has been instrumental in the over-incarceration of Black and brown people. Black people make up 6% of Californias population but are about "30% of the states prison population, 25% of the jail population, and 26% of the probation population," according to the 2021 report by the Committee on Revision of the Penal Code.

Do I care what race a child sex trafficker is? No. But many of the crimes that earned strikes for people have nothing to do with trafficking and can seem pretty minor. Vanessa Russell, the founding executive director of Love Never Fails, an advocacy and aid organization for survivors of trafficking, points out that stealing a purse while riding a bus is a strike-worthy offense. For that reason, she at first opposed Senate Bill 14, not wanting to combine those lesser crimes with trafficking.

"The [three-strikes] list is flawed absolutely, and thats why I had a problem with it," she told me.

She supports the bill now because, like all of us, she wants children protected and feels some of her concerns have been addressed. But she said she wished Senate Bill 14 had stayed away from three strikes and instead made sex trafficking a stand-alone offense that requires longer sentences with no chance of getting out early for things like good behavior credits.

"Why cant we just create different language that says trafficking a minor, you have to serve 80% of your time, period?"

Good question. Let's ask it.

But the biggest reason that Senate Bill 14 deserves more discussion is because it doesn't directly help victims. California has made tremendous progress in recent years to center its response to human trafficking around stopping it before it starts and helping victims to find meaningful escapes that allow them to heal and move forward.

This bill may keep victims safer by keeping pimps locked up, but there will always be more pimps. The bill lacks that California focus on centering victims and reducing trafficking by reducing the number of women and children that are available to be preyed upon  and protecting those that have already been victimized.

For example, it could address the fact that women remain incarcerated for crimes related to their trafficking. How about we provide a mechanism for those cases to be reexamined? Why do we not adequately fund programs that help women become housed and economically stable when they do escape? Why can't we ensure that the threat of prosecution will not be used to force victims to testify, as it too often is?

"It's good to have penalties for those that traffic children, but its equally important to focus on the needs of the survivors," Maggy Krell told me.

Krell is a prosecutor who has specialized in human trafficking and put her share of pimps behind bars. She is running for an Assembly seat to represent parts of Sacramento, and supports Senate Bill 14. But she also says that focus on helping victims is critical.

"The bills that I will be pushing if I'm successful in my race will be bills centered around the needs of survivors, not defendants," she told me. Bills to provide investments in underserved communities, bills to take away barriers to healthcare and housing for victims, bills to help victims recover from trauma.

Which means she'll likely be joining legislators such as Jones-Sawyer, who, as he puts it, wants to get "monsters" off the street while also getting to the root causes of human trafficking.

Because, yes, trafficking a minor should be a serious felony.

But stopping human trafficking should also be a serious discussion, not one stifled by frenzy and intimidation.

Sign up for Essential California, your daily guide to news, views and life in the Golden State.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Maria Quilantang (L) and Pilar Galang (R) were raped by Japanese soldiers during World War Two

Warning: this article contains details that some readers may find distressing.

As Pilar Galang limps with her walking stick into a room full of fellow octogenarian women in a sleepy Philippine town, she suddenly struggles to remember why she is wearing her favourite floral dress.

The 88-year-old glances at her sister-in-law, Maria Quilantang. It's a cue to refresh her memory. The two women are in yet another gathering of former World War Two sex slaves - the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into military brothels in South Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, China and Indonesia by the Japanese Imperial Army.

The 20 or so women in the farming village of Mapaniqui are among the last survivors in the Philippines.

As young teens they were snatched from their homes, dragged on dusty roads and imprisoned in a blood-red house where they were raped repeatedly. Now in their late 80s to early 90s, they continue to fight for a public apology and compensation from Japan, both of which have eluded them for decades. They recount their trauma to those willing to listen, hoping that they will not be forgotten by the world even as their own memories fade.

There were nearly 200,000 of them, mostly Koreans. In South Korea, their numbers have now dwindled to nine. The last known survivor in Taiwan died in May. Japan's refusal to confront its wartime past and pay reparations has been a source of tension with its neighbours.

In a 1951 peace treaty with Japan, the Philippines agreed to waive claims for wartime reparations. Although the former sex slaves say they will not recognise this, the Philippines, whose top source of development aid is Japan, has been reluctant to push Tokyo.

"We hope to get justice before we die," says Ms Quilantang, the group leader and the most outspoken among them. "There's only a few of us left and we are all in our twilight years."

Ms Quilantang leads this group of Philippines' last living "comfort women"

On a sweltering afternoon, the group, which calls themselves Malaya Lolas or Free Grandmothers in Filipino, gathered as they have for decades to sing their story in slow a cappella verses.

"We cried. We pleaded for a little compassion. Their bestial hearts only craved satisfaction. At the age of 14, I was poisoned," the Malaya Lolas sing.

Ms Quilantang cracks jokes to put her fellow grandmothers at ease: singing before an audience is no different from karaoke, she tells them. There's no anxiety that chewing on a betel nut cannot soothe.

Then, Ms Quilantang turns serious. She was eight when she was raped in that red house in the middle of a rice field. Up to this day, she gets flashbacks when she sees that house from across the highway. Dilapidated, it still stands, now attracting ghost hunters and historians.

So many crumbling World War Two structures remain in the grandmothers' village, located in Candaba town, a two-hour drive north of the capital, Manila - although it's now known for duck eggs and tilapia farms rather than its dark wartime past.

Decayed reminders of the past still stand, including the red house where they were raped

Ms Quilantang says far more mundane things also trigger flashbacks. When she sees soil drenched in rain, she remembers the time during her captivity when her only source of drinking water were the deep footprints of water buffaloes that ploughed the rice fields.

"What we carry is quite a burden," she says. "I had so many dreams when I was a kid."

Ms Quilantang says the ordeal robbed her of her childhood, a good education and a happy family life as her father died during the war: "I could have worn nice clothes as a little girl. Instead, we were constantly moving from place-to-place, constantly fearing the Japanese."

Yet she considers herself lucky because she got married to a farmer and raised a family. Many other Filipina comfort women suffered discrimination in their communities and within their own families.

As much as Maxima dela Cruz wanted to attend that afternoon's gathering, she couldn't because she is bedridden. At 94, she is among the oldest in the group.

She watches the slow days in Mapaniqui town pass by from the window of her home. When she was much younger, she was among the Malaya Lolas' most active campaigners.

"I've been to so many protests. I've been to Japan, Hong Kong, even Europe," she says. "The lawyers who help us bring us to all these places. Everything is still clear to me, ingrained in my mind even if my body is now weak."

Maxima dela Cruz spends most of her twilight years in her bedroom

After the war, Ms dela Cruz says she was forced to work and was unable to go to school because she had to help out on her parents' farm. When she got married at 16, she remembered distinctly how the family shared one whole chicken instead of having a wedding feast.

"It would have been nice if Japan gave us a little something for our daily expenses," she says.

Recalling their past is always cathartic for the Malaya Lolas, says their lawyer, Virginia Suarez.

"This is so liberating for them, to tell their story in a song. You can't stay quiet when you suffered what they went through. That will be additional torture," Ms Suarez adds.

Japan has insisted that any attempt by the Philippine women to seek compensation must be backed by their government. The Malaya Lolas' appeal to force the government to do so went as high up as the Supreme Court, but failed.

They raised their case with the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), which in March this year ruled that Manila must compensate the grandmothers and apologise to them for the decades of suffering and discrimination.

Mapaniqui is now known more for duck eggs and fish farms than its wartime past

"This is a symbolic moment of victory for these victims who were previously silenced, ignored, written off and erased from history in the Philippines," says Cedaw member Marion Bethel.

Ms Suarez, the Malaya Lolas' lawyer, said government agencies had released thousands of pesos in aid to her clients since the Cedaw ruling. But, she adds, they will never stop campaigning for an apology from Japan.

"An apology is really important to the lolas because it is an admission of wrongdoing," she says. "Japan committed a very grave sin against them. The world should not forget that and they should pay for that."

For Ms Quilantang, the fight will go on for as long as people will listen.

"We are a very close-knit group of friends and we have many people helping us. We want justice. As long as people invite us, we will keep singing."

If you are affected by the issues in this story, you can contact the BBC Action Line.
A leaked internal memo for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presidential campaign looks to quiet concerns over his 2024 bid as he faces questions about his performancein national polls, according to NBC News.

The family and friends update, labeled confidential and not for distribution, declares that the ballot is very fluid for the governor as he sets his sights on the primaries next year.

Early state voters are only softly committed to the candidates they select on a ballot question this far out  including many Trump supporters, reads the memo, dated July 6. Our focus group participants in the early states even say they dont plan on making up their mind until they meet the candidates or watch them debate.

It adds that former President Donald Trump and DeSantis remain the only viable options for a majority of the primary electorate and particularly takes aim at Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).

While Tim Scott has earned a serious look at this stage, his bio is lacking the fight that our electorate is looking for in the next President, reads the memo, which refers to low to no interest in several other candidates.

The memo surfaced following a number of media appearances by the governor where he blamed his lagging national poll performance behind Trump on the media, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and narratives.

Trump leads DeSantis by an average of over 28% across national polls, according to FiveThirtyEight.

DeSantis campaign, later in the memo, says it will make the contrast between President Joe Biden and the governor clear, before criticizing Trump and his family.

While Trump is always the most efficient driver of his own negatives, there are numerous other persuasion narratives that can and should be exploited on him, the memo reads. Soft Trump voters and America First conservatives do not look kindly on Trumps record on guns, the deficit and spending, Transgenderism, and his familys his cozy relationship with the Saudi Royal Family.

The campaign outlines elsewhere how it plans to compete in early-voting states.

Ron DeSantis is running a campaign to win everywhere. It would be a mistake to take a paid media and field program off the table in service of other states, we will not cede New Hampshire, reads the document, which praises a robust pro-DeSantis effort in the early states.

While Super Tuesday is critically important, we will not dedicate resources to Super Tuesday that slow our momentum in New Hampshire, the memo says. We expect to revisit this investment in the Fall.

Read more at NBC News.

Related...
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the US governments premier scientific agencies, with a mission to better understand our natural world and help protect its precious resources, is helping drive the killing of sensitive shark species by encouraging reckless sport fishing, according to an investigation.

NOAA directed hundreds of thousands of dollars in research funding into instances where sharks bite off a piece of a different fish thats already been hooked, encounters known as depredations or bite-offs, according to government documents obtained by The Nation.

Key grantees behind the research, encouraged in part by private interests who argued such bite-offs were driving down hauls from sport and tournament fisherman, suggested culling of sharks would be an appropriate solution to the bite-offs, even though some shark experts doubt this is an appropriate response.

In this drone image provided by researchers with the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, shows an aggregation of juvenile white sharks swimming along the Southern California coastline, May 30, 2023

Id like to simulate increases in shark harvest, one grantee, Mississippi State University marine biologist Marcus Drymon, wrote in an email.

Citing scientific advice from Professor Drymon, the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, the worlds largest fishing competition, reinstated shark hunts in 2022 after previously banning them, even though the practice may run afoul of state law.

Another grant, which funded research in the waters off Florida, included collecting genetic samples from sharks caught in competitions.

Such events have questionable records when it comes to protecting species.

At the 2022 Daymaker Memorial Tournament in Palm Beach County Florida, anglers hunt exclusively for bull sharks, and are supposed to catch and release other shark species, tagging them for research purposes.

However, activists going undercover at the tournament recorded participants talking about taking fins and meat for personal use, while one crew was seen by reporters beating a protected sandbar shark, as another bragged about dragging a bull shark for two hours behind a boat until it died.

Theyre calling it a tournament, but its really a cull, conservationist Ryan Walton, who monitored the event, told Local10 news at the time. Its not the first time weve seen it. Whats crazy, though, is its legal every day of the week here in Florida.

This is a spiteful, spiteful killing event by individuals who realise that through the State of Florida, the bull shark is a legal species to catch, he added. So theyve taken advantage of that, and theyre doing everything they can to wipe them out.

NOAA also largely doesnt recognise the International Union for Conservation of Nature listings for protected sharks, only considering one Pacific shark species endangered and none in the Atlantic, even though the IUCN considers about one-third of sharks to be on the red list of species at risk.

When reached by The Nation about the controversial research, the agency said it did not sponsor the tournaments in question themselves, and Mr Drymon said, The US enjoys some of the best managed and most sustainable shark fisheries in the world. The recreational catch guidelines established by NOAA Fisheries maximize harvest opportunities for anglers while ensuring sustainable productivity from the stock.

Some scientists have argued that proposing to kill sharks to stop depredation is missing the point, noting that overfishing of sharks prey species can cause them to bite fish already on someones line, and that they are equal-opportunity predators who will seize an easy meal if fisherman are operating in their waters.

As The Independent has reported, climate change and other human impacts are driving massive changes to shark populations, who play a key role as an apex predator in keeping ocean ecosystems in their proper balance. The climate crisis has pushed sharks into new territories, where theyre changing their feeding habits.

Nature has many ways to tell us the status quo is being disrupted, but its up to us to listen, Monterey Bay Aquarium chief scientist Dr Kyle Van Houtan told The Independent. These sharks  by venturing into territory where they have not historically been found - are telling us how the ocean is being affected by climate change.

Couple that with social media and the internet making sharks more visible than ever, and experts worry the public is getting a mistaken impression of a dangerous shark invasion, even when shark bites are extremely rare, a fact statistically unimpacted by the massive increase in beach use in the last hundred years.

Im incredibly struck by how rare shark attacks are. There are lots of sharks out there. Thats where they live and theyre pretty numerous. Any time anybody goes in the water for any amount of time, youve probably been within a few hundred yards of a shark, Professor F Joel Fodrie of the University of North Carolinas Institute of Marine Sciences, noting the states famed beaches only average 2 or 3 bites a year, told The Independent. Thats amazing to me. Theres millions of people spending millions of hours in the water.

The Independent has contacted NOAA for comment.
Oleksii Danilov

The ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive will produce substantial territorial gains in August and September, Ukraines National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) secretary, Oleksiy Danilov, told The Guardian on July 13.

Read also: Ukrainian battlefield awareness software compatible with F-16 jets  minister

In the statement, he asked for patience regarding the counteroffensive.

You cant eat unripe fruit; and if you know the weather in Ukraine, you know when the majority of fruits become ripe: August and September, he made a tongue-in-cheek response to a question about when Ukraine could achieve a major breakthrough on the battlefield.

Danilov stated that continuous pressure on Ukraine for the counteroffensive is pointless.

"The situation with the counteroffensive was blown up in the world media," he noted.

Read also: Ghost of negotiations. Risks that await Ukraine during the counteroffensive

Its not a sporting competition. Theres a lot at stake, peoples lives are at stake.

Commenting on the recent suggestion by UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace that Ukraine should express more gratitude for the military assistance the West is provided, Danilov said the following:



Wed like more, but we are grateful for what we already have.

Read also: Britain provides Ukraine with advanced model of laser-guided Brimstone missile

Particularly thanks to Britain we were able to withstand the very first period of the war, as well as the United States. The very first person whom our president talked to at the beginning of the war was (former UK PM) Boris (Johnson). I still have that historic recording.

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Court blocks curbs on US government contact with social media companies for now

By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court order that had sharply limited certain Biden administration officials' and agencies' contacts with social media companies.

The ruling from the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that the administration is not bound, for now, by a July 6 order by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe, Louisiana. Doughty had found that officials' efforts to limit the spread of posts they considered to be misinformation on social media violated the right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

The 5th Circuit on Friday ruled that the administration's appeal of Doughty's order will be heard as soon as possible by a three-judge panel. That panel, which has not yet been assigned, will decide whether to keep the order on hold or allow it to go into effect while it decides the case.

Doughty's order itself was a temporary injunction, meant to remain in place while the judge considers the case more fully. It came in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri and by several individuals.

They alleged that U.S. government officials, under both Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor Donald Trump, effectively coerced social media companies to censor posts over concerns they would fuel vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections.

The social media companies mentioned in the lawsuit include Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc, Twitter and Alphabet's YouTube.

Doughty's order barred government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI from talking to social media companies for "the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech" under the First Amendment, with narrow exceptions.

U.S. officials have said they were aiming to tamp down on misinformation about COVID vaccines to curb preventable deaths. They have also said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit no longer face any harm because those efforts ended more than a year ago.

The Biden administration in seeking an emergency stay said Doughty's order "raises grave separation-of-powers concerns" by putting the judicial branch of government in the "untenable position of superintending the executive branch's communications."

Legal experts have said Doughty's order will likely face tough scrutiny on appeal, thanks to its breadth and the lack of clear precedents supporting it.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Pavlo (Lebed) in court, April 1, 2023

Previously confined to house arrest, Metropolitan Pavel of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Ukraine will now be held in detention by law enforcement until Aug. 14, with a UAH 33 million ($900,000) bail, according to a Kyiv court ruling made on July 14.

As reported by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, the prosecution argued that Pavel had been in contact with a witness in the case, thereby violating the conditions of his house arrest. Pavel, in turn, claimed he did not know the witness at all. He further stated that he had "never sided with the aggressor" and "never supported Putin."

Read also: SBU charges pro-Russian blogger for creating network of fire spotters across Ukraine

The prosecution demanded a bail of UAH 60 million ($1.63 million), reasoning that the defendants assets are of a similar value.

On April 1, Ukraine's SBU security service charged Pavel (Peter Lebed) with incitement of religious enmity and justification and denial of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. Subsequently, searches were conducted at his residence.

Read also: SBU investigates ROC priest for facilitating torture under Russian occupation

Later that day, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court placed Pavel under a 60-day house arrest, which included the requirement to wear an electronic bracelet. The metropolitan has referred to the case as "political."

Paul was charged amidst the refusal of the ROC to vacate the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, despite the state terminating the lease agreement for the property.

Read also: Ex-SBU operative sentenced to 15 years for collaborating with Russia

On July 13, the SBU charged Pavel over an interview in which he allegedly denied Ukraine's status as a sovereign state and referred to Russia's war against Ukraine as a civil war.

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 Flash

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (5th L) attends the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have vowed to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership at the China-ASEAN (10+1) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held Thursday.

China and ASEAN have actively implemented the purposes and principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and expanded mutually beneficial cooperation on all fronts, blazing the right path of forging long-term good-neighborliness while achieving common development and prosperity, said Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi at the meeting, which is attended by foreign ministers of ASEAN member countries, ASEAN observers and ASEAN secretary general.

Both sides have worked together on building a community with a shared future and the Belt and Road, while jointly promoting regional economic integration, and consolidating the foundation of peace and stability, said Wang.

China will be committed to high-quality development and provide new opportunities for all countries with Chinese-style modernization. It is ready to strengthen solidarity and coordination with ASEAN to advance the modernization process in Asia, said the senior Chinese diplomat.

China will work together with ASEAN to advance the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and make new contributions to peace and prosperity in the region, he said.

The ASEAN parties thanked China for supporting ASEAN centrality and community building. They appreciated China for taking the lead in expressing willingness to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.

In addition, they looked forward to seeing the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership advance to a new level and make new achievements.

The meeting adopted a joint statement on the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the TAC and a guideline document for expediting the conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

During the meeting, Wang met with foreign ministers of Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, Russia and Australia.
A state audit faulted the CSU chancellor's office in Long Beach for breakdowns in sexual harassment investigations against employees. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

State auditors have found numerous problems and inconsistencies with sexual harassment investigations across California State University and faulted the chancellors office for not providing campuses detailed guidelines to address allegations against employees, according to a confidential draft report reviewed by The Times.

The 108-page report by the California state auditors office paints a troubling picture: Campus officials failed to investigate multiple accusations because of questionable judgment, improperly documented cases and did not order discipline or training when wrongdoing was substantiated. The handling of complaints, the audit concluded, demonstrated a level of inconsistency from case to case and from campus to campus.

The findings of the audit, scheduled to be released July 18 , are similar to some of the conclusions previewed in May in a separate study ordered by the CSU Board of Trustees .

But the state report presents new information that summarizes problematic cases and provides data showing that the vast majority of sexual harassment reports against employees from 2018-22 were never formally investigated.

More than 1,200 sexual harassment reports were made against employees in the four-year period. Auditors identified at least 150 employees who repeatedly violated CSU policy and accounted for more than 30% of all reports. Shoddy data collection, however, prevented officials from tracking repeat offenders.

The chancellors office also uncovered multiple problems with campus sexual harassment investigations across the system in 2017, a year before the audit's review period began, but kept the findings secret  an action that did not ensure transparency, according to the audit.

The draft report noted that the chancellor's office is legally responsible for oversight of the 23 campuses in the nations largest four-year public university system. Yet the office lacks complete and accurate information about the total number of cases of alleged sexual harassment and related details, which limits its ability to address problematic trends, auditors said.

The chancellors office must take a more active approach to providing oversight, the report concluded.

The audit recommended about two dozen reforms that the chancellors office should implement beginning in July 2024. They included developing specific guidelines on launching investigations, improving record-keeping and case-tracking systemwide, and requiring campuses to document when employees have been accused repeatedly.

In a statement Thursday, CSU spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith said the chancellor's office could not comment because the audit has not been publicly released.

The state report comes as CSU gains a new leader. On Wednesday, Mildred Garcia, a former president of Cal State Fullerton, was named the system's new chancellor.

Speaking generally about sexual harassment issues at CSU, Garcia told The Times that the chancellor's office would take a more aggressive role in monitoring misconduct.

"People have to be held accountable for ensuring that we have a caring environment for everybody that works there," she said.

Higher education experts said that the audits findings were troubling and that the lack of oversight and intervention left employees and students vulnerable to ongoing predatory behavior.

People who are causing harm, who are breaking the law, who are endangering employees and endangering the work that universities are doing are experiencing real protection from the institution, Kamaria Porter, an assistant professor of education at Penn State, said in response to the findings.

The "cascading failures," including the lack of transparency and breakdowns in oversight, have put students and employees at risk, Porter said.

In their responses to auditors, CSU administrators agreed with the overall findings but cited limited resources in their reluctance to undertake more aggressive oversight and a hesitancy to establish additional guidelines for "already overburdened campus officials."

Auditors based their findings on sexual harassment records at each campus and the chancellors office as well as reviews of dozens of case files and interviews with CSU officials, including senior administrators in the chancellors office in Long Beach.

In ordering the audit last year, state lawmakers cited Los Angeles Times investigations that detailed breakdowns in the handling of sexual harassment complaints, including campus officials not investigating some accusations and failing to impose discipline for CSU policy violations.

The Times also reported that the chancellors office did not investigate claims that the president of Cal State Fullerton inappropriately touched three students and accusations that the husband of the former Sonoma State president sexually harassed women. Both told The Times they had done nothing wrong.

Read more: What you need to know about the sexual misconduct scandals at CSU

The scope of the audit, per the direction of lawmakers, focused on complaints in which faculty and staff were accused of sexual harassment. Those who alleged wrongdoing included students and employees.

During the four-year period studied by auditors, CSU had two permanent chancellors  Timothy P. White and Joseph I. Castro.

Castro resigned last year after he was swept up in a controversy over his handling of sexual harassment and retaliation reports against a top administrator when he was president of Fresno State.

Auditors provided examples of cases that were not investigated or not substantiated for questionable reasons, as well as instances in which no discipline was ordered after employees were found to have violated CSU sexual harassment policy.

Officials at one campus, for example, concluded that a professor engaged in sexual harassment, sexual violence and stalking, but the campus waited five years to take action. By then, according to the audit, officials issued only a written reprimand because state law requires that discipline be imposed within three years of a finding of wrongdoing. Campus officials did not explain the delay to auditors.

The professor had been the subject of repeated sexual harassment complaints since 2003 and was found to have violated CSU sexual harassment policy in another case, according to the audit.

"The absence of discipline in this case is particularly concerning considering the severity of the conduct and the professor's history of similar complaints," the audit concluded.

The report noted that the chancellors office does not require campuses to track repeat offenders.

Under CSU policy, the professor was entitled to a positive letter of recommendation because he was not terminated for sexual harassment violations. The audit recommended that CSU amend its guidelines on such recommendations to exclude anyone found to have violated sexual harassment policy.

In another case, several women alleged that a male staffer made inappropriate comments, including asking one woman whether her sex partners pleased her, noting that another wasnt wearing a bra and saying to one that her boyfriend was lucky to have a woman like her.

Campus officials were also aware of additional women who had complained that the employee made them feel uncomfortable.

The campus was unable to provide documentation that the additional women were contacted, and no formal investigation was launched because campus officials concluded that the mans comments were not of a sexual nature, according to the audit.

At one campus, a student alleged that a male professor made inappropriate comments about her body, walked her toward her residence after class, talked about his romantic life and compared her to women he had dated.

The student submitted a "detailed written complaint" and stated that she "wanted action taken," auditors said.

But campus officials failed to investigate and provided no documented rationale to auditors, saying only that the accusations were "on the border" of meeting the definition of sexual harassment under CSU policy.

"We are uncertain why the campus decided not to conduct an investigation," auditors said.

Auditors described CSU data as unreliable because of inconsistent record management. Still, the findings provide new insights that highlight breakdowns at the crucial intake stage of the complaint process, which the audit blamed on a lack of detailed guidance and unreasonably restrictive interpretations of what constitutes sexual harassment under CSU policy.

CSU policy should give the benefit of the doubt to more nuanced or borderline allegations, the audit concluded.

Of more than 1,200 reports alleging sexual harassment against CSU employees, 80% were not formally investigated. Of those that were investigated, about 38% were substantiated, according to the audit.

In half of the 40 cases studied, auditors were unable to determine whether campus officials took appropriate action because files were missing key documents such as interview notes, evidence gathered and corrective measures.

A recent Times analysis of CSU records found that officials completed investigations for only about 3% of more than 2,600 reports for the 2021-22 school year that were lodged against students and employees accused of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, which includes rape and sexual assault.

Read more: Widespread flaws found in Cal State system's handling of sexual misconduct cases

The number of sexual harassment allegations a campus receives is typically far fewer than the number of instances, largely due to a lack of trust in an institutions ability to bring justice. Experts said that is especially true at institutions such as CSU where many students come from historically neglected communities and may be skeptical of authority.

Experts said that number is also affected when campuses dont clearly define their interpretation of sexual harassment, as state auditors concluded about CSU.

Not only are people feeling harassed and not reporting because of power imbalances  but I would say there is a large portion of individuals that don't understand that what they're experiencing is harassment, UCLA associate professor of education Jessica Harris said about the challenges students and employees face at universities.

Record-keeping in the chancellors office was so poor that it was unable to provide a complete list of sexual harassment reports for its own employees, forcing auditors to compile their own tally based on a review of files.

The report faulted the chancellors office for not completing formal reviews of sexual harassment procedures at each campus, which top CSU administrators promised to do every three years after a 2014 state audit found breakdowns in sexual harassment training and education.

After reviewing 10 campuses, an official in the chancellors office raised multiple concerns with the CSU general counsel in 2017 about investigations that failed to address accusations, inappropriate discipline and other issues. The chancellors office was unable to provide documentation that the problems were corrected, according to the audit.

The chancellors office, citing attorney-client privilege, kept the findings secret and provided no public forum to discuss the concerns, auditors said.

Publicizing these reports is a step in the right direction for transparency, the audit concluded.

The vice chancellor overseeing human relations told auditors that publicizing the findings of campus surveys would inhibit the fact-gathering process, in part by discouraging witnesses from coming forward, but the audit noted that CSU has previously released similar records.

The Times repeatedly requested the same campus reviews last year, also noting that similar reports had been made public. The chancellors office refused to release the records, saying they were confidential.

Among their recommendations, state auditors said the chancellors office should provide detailed guidelines on assessing accusations at the intake stage, adopt best practices recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice and require campuses to document reasons when they decline to investigate.

The chancellors office also needs to track cases systemwide and require campuses to use the same case management system to help ensure consistency.

Clearer and more comprehensive guidelines are necessary, the audit concluded, to ensure that campuses systemwide handle reports of sexual harassment in an appropriate and consistent manner.

Times staff writer Debbie Truong contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Cuba vows to take part 'very constructively' in EU summit with Latin America, Caribbean

Cuba vows to take part 'very constructively' in EU summit with Latin America, Caribbean Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel makes state visit to Portugal ahead of EU-CELAC summit

By Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira

LISBON (Reuters) - Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel promised on Friday his country would take part "very constructively" in a European Union summit next week with Latin America and the Caribbean, just days after the EU's parliament called for sanctions against him.

Diaz-Canel met his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Friday and will also visit the country's parliament. He will then head to Brussels, which on Monday is hosting the first summit in eight years of the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Cuba said on Monday it wanted stronger ties with Europe but criticised the EU's approach to the summit as manipulative and opaque. Two days later, the European Parliament passed a resolution strongly criticising Cuba's human rights record.

"This visit (to Portugal) is taking place in the context of the EU-CELAC summit... in which Cuba will participate actively and very constructively," Diaz-Canel told reporters in Lisbon.

Standing next to him, Rebelo de Sousa said he hoped the summit would be successful, adding Portugal wanted to strengthen its ties with the Caribbean island. The EU remains Cuba's top trade partner.

The EU parliament resolution called for sanctions against Diaz-Canel and other top officials, and suggested that "autocratic regimes should not participate in such summits".

Cuba condemned this, saying the parliament lacked the authority to judge the country, and questioning the bloc's objectives in re-launching the regional ties.

In July 2021, thousands of Cubans took to the streets in anti-government protests, the largest since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. The Communist government then imprisoned hundreds of activists, drawing condemnation from both the EU and the United States.

The Cuban government says the United States helped incite the unrest and accuses those jailed of committing crimes ranging from vandalism to assault and sedition.

Diaz-Canel also thanked Rebelo de Sousa and the EU for their stance against the decades-old U.S. economic embargo on Cuba, which he described as the "main obstacle" to the country's development.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Dad on family rafting trip drowns after falling into Colorado river, officials say

A father on a commercial rafting trip with family died after falling into a Colorado river, officials said.

Cornelis Booysen, 55 of Juliet, Tennessee, was on a rafting trip in Glenwood Canyon with family on July 7 when he and others aboard fell into the water, the Garfield County Coroners Office said in a July 13 news release.

The group helped bring Booysen, who was wearing a flotation device and helmet, to shore, the office said. They performed CPR on him until first responders arrived.

Booysen, however, could not be revived and was pronounced dead on scene, officials said.

His death, which was ruled accidental, is being investigated as a drowning, the office said.

In his obituary, Booysen was remembered as a man among men, lost far too soon.

He was (a) man of passion and compassion, strength and tenderness; from whom love flowed constantly and with ease, his obituary reads.

Booysen was born in South Africa and immigrated to the United States with his family in 2002, settling in the Tampa Bay area, his obituary says. He later wrote an autobiographical book, The Sphere, about his immigrant experience.

He moved to Nolensville, Tennessee in 2013 after accepting a director position at Ingram Publishing, according to his obituary. He went on to found his own company, Augmented Enterprises, in 2017.

Two years later, he met his soul mate, Charity Ingersoll, his obituary says.

My heart, my peace, my joy, my rock was lost to us tragically on Friday, Ingersoll wrote on Facebook.

Booysen is survived by Ingersoll, his three children and three bonus children, according to his obituary.

Glenwood Springs is about 170 miles southwest of Denver.

Dad clinging to flipped raft vanishes in river after son swims to shore, CO cops say

Man rafting with friends dies after rapid throws him in intense river, CO cops say

Kayaker vanishes underwater as rafters rush to throw a life jacket, Oregon cops say
Dairy-free Sacramento gelateria to close at the end of July, owners say

Dairy-free diners wont have long to enjoy Conscious Creamerys gelato in this summers heat, as the all-vegan gelateria announced its impending closure Thursday night.

The North Oak Park gelateria at 3400 Broadway, Suite 100, will close on July 30 or whenever it runs out of product, co-owner Andrea Seppinni said in an Instagram and Facebook post.

Although we are excited about this new chapter, we will truly miss the many friends we have made over the years creating and sharing gelato and other sweet treats with the greater Sacramento community, the post read.

Andrea and Kevin Seppinni fell in love with dairy-free gelato on their 30th wedding anniversary trip to Central and Eastern Europe in 2015. Gelato is a denser, smoother alternative to ice cream invented in Italy in the 1500s.

Andrea had been making vegan desserts for family and friends since 2009, and the couple decided to open their own gelato truck upon return, which then led to the Oak Park Triangle store in 2020.

The Seppinnis then became grandparents to a baby boy, which they said led their decision to close Conscious Creamery. Anyone interested in buying the business can email inquiry@consciouscreamery.com.
Dana Bash marks 30 years at CNN with celeb- and politician-filled soiree in DC

Dana Bash is marking a career milestone three decades in the making, celebrating her 30th year at CNN with a high-profile gathering.

Friends, family, lawmakers, plenty of colleagues and even some familiar faces from rival networks feted the journalist  who was named the new host of Inside Politics in April  Thursday at the downtown Riggs Washington D.C. hotel.

Thirty years is a long time, and it is something that Im very, very proud of, Bash, 52, told ITK. But it doesnt feel like 30 years. But its nice. I have a lot of gratitude.

The media landscape, and the world, has certainly changed since Bashs first day at CNN in 1993, when she began as a library assistant in the Washington bureau.

When I started at CNN, there was no Fox. There was no MSNBC. There was barely an internet that worked. We had barely email. Cell phones were like those giant shoebox size contraptions, she exclaimed.

The reception honoring Bash had originally been scheduled for June, but was postponed when former President Trumps arraignment in a Miami courthouse as part of a Department of Justice indictment over classified documents landed on the same day as the soiree. CNN had said the partys delay came because Dana is Dana, and the news comes first at CNN.

Among the VIP crowd: former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), actor and Bashs longtime partner Spencer Garrett, CNN chief national correspondent and Bashs ex-husband John King and Jonah, the 12-year-old son they share, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Kara Swisher, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), former House of Cards star Michael Kelly, Kasie Hunt, Doug Heye, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Susanna Quinn, CBS Newss Norah ODonnell, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), Sam Feist, Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio), Courtney Flantzer, Fox Newss Jennifer Griffin, Ukrainian ambassador Oksana Markarova, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), NBCs Chuck Todd, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Manu Raju, Olivier Knox, Brianna Keilar, Jeff Zeleny, Amy Entelis, David Leavy, Phil Mattingly, Tammy Haddad, Rebecca Cooper Dupin, Francesca Chambers and Adrienne Elrod.

Virginia Moseley, CNNs executive vice president of editorial, told the crowd, There is no one who exemplifies CNN more than Dana.

CNN and political journalism are better because of her work and the example she sets every day, Moseley said.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) presented Bash with a certificate of congressional recognition, saying that her dedication, professionalism, and commitment to delivering accurate and insightful news coverage have made a lasting impact on the media industry.

Vice President Harris also lauded Bash in a letter, calling her a talented and trusted journalist whose reporting has enriched our nation.

Additionally, [second gentleman Doug Emhoff] and I are grateful that you have used your platform to report on fighting discrimination and hate, Harris said.

Bash arrived at the event at the same time as NBC Newss Andrea Mitchell, with both women sporting similar-looking white dresses. Asked about the twinning get-ups, Bash replied with a chuckle, Of course were wearing the same thing.

Its funny, [Mitchell] was like, Oh I didnt see your show today, Bash said.

Bash said she responded to Mitchell, Because you were on TV!

I feel like that kind of says it all about a lot of things, but in particular about the way that theres kind of a nice sisterhood, Bash continued.

A lot of female journalists, particularly the TV correspondents, we support each other, she said.

So where will Bash be in another 30 years?

In 30 years, if Im still at Inside Politics, I give permission to a lot of people to do an intervention, Bash cracked with a big laugh.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Medical team in a hurry carrying an organ transplants box by ambulance, with heart rate monitor Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images

It's always challenging to talk about death. It's even harder when helicopters are drowning out your conversation. On a flawless Charleston spring afternoon, I was chatting with a palliative care social worker. We were both there to attend a lectureship on the ethics of organ transplantation, but as we stood outside a Medical University of South Carolina building during a break, we couldn't ignore that our words were being increasingly muffled out by an overhead whirr.

My companion looked upward. "Probably another critical care patient," she said, clearly accustomed to the sound. Hovering in the cloudless sky over our heads, there was a living person in crisis, someone who might in the very near future become a dead body. I was there learning how fluid the difference between those two states really can appear. In this country, we have spent decades debating when life begins, and the ethical and legal implications of that question. But when does death begin? And what do we do when it looks uncannily like life?

What does it mean to be "actually dead"?

On Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, a Los Angeles Times headline announced "Anne Heche, TV, film and stage actor, dies at 53 from injuries in L.A. car crash." Salon similarly ran the news that Heche was "dead at 53" after injuries sustained from a car crash. A full two days later, The New York Times reported that Heche "died on Sunday in Los Angeles." The obituary went on to state that Heche spokesperson Holly Baird had confirmed via email that the actor was "peacefully taken off life support."

The discrepancy in the death date had arisen because Heche was an organ donor. The Los Angeles Times explained, "As of Friday, Heche was legally dead, but her heart was still beating and her body was kept on life support to preserve viable organs for possible donation." In a follow-up feature, The Washington Post affirmed that editorially, it "doesn't recognize brain death." Obituaries editor Adam Bernstein explained, "It's black and white. There's no gray area here. If you're on life support, you're still alive. Other publications can make their own judgment about when they're comfortable publishing. I'm comfortable when someone is actually dead." Heche's family concurred with The Post's call. Baird told me that the actor's family considers Sunday, Aug.14, "the day the statement went out," as the date of her passing.

Related

Have your funeral before you die

Contrary to what The Post says, the determination of when a person is "actually dead" isn't black and white at all. At times, it's a complex judgment call, one that medical, legal, ethical and theological experts  as well as surviving family members and media outlets  don't always agree upon. For a person who is a registered organ donor, the determination of death starts a clock running for viable procurement. For their loved ones, it's the life-changing difference between being a wife and a widow, a companion and a mourner, a child and an inheritor. For individuals across a wide span of varying belief systems, it's a matter of when the person they cared about is still here, and when their soul has departed for somewhere else. And it's a process that, for almost all of us who are registered organ donors, begins with the casual checking of a box.

Checking the box

The nonprofit Donate Life America estimates that 90% of organ donor registrations in the United States come via state departments of motor vehicles (DMVs). Organ donor icons now appear on 47 out of 50 state driver's licenses. The advantages of DMV deceased donor registration are apparent, as most American adults carry driver's licenses. But is checking that box anything like informed consent? When I enrolled in a clinical trial, I had to sign off on 28 pages of detailed information involving numerous potential scenarios. The last time I renewed my driver's license, I gave more thought to what my hair and makeup looked like in my photo than I did to the end-of-life directive I tacked on as an afterthought.

Driver's License Of Organ Donor, illustration

Driver's license of organ donor, illustration (Getty Images/LinaDes/Salon)It's easy to grant approval for organ donation without actually considering how it might play out. In New York, where I live, the "Become an Organ Donor" information page doesn't mention the word "death" even once, though it does appear on the bottom of the enrollment form. (However, you can find, if you look around a little, a PDF fact sheet that does explain that your decision to be a donor "will not affect your medical care or treatment while you are alive.") What definitely isn't there is a mention of the possibility that your body might be deceased as your heart continues to beat for the purposes of procurement.

Over the past few years, I have thought about what it means to die on a daily basis. My stepfather, mother and mother-in-law have all died, in what felt like whiplash succession. I have watched other people in my life go through sudden and terrifying brushes with mortality. Now, another close friend is nearing the end of what's been a particularly cruel diagnosis and illness. Meanwhile, I'm doing a doctoral program in medical humanities, focusing on care ethics. Yet for all my personal and scholarly proximity to death, I still have felt deeply in the dark about how and when that light goes out for good. I wanted to understand.

"We're tied to this idea that death is an event, that it's a binary."

That day in Charleston, I listened, riveted, when one of the speakers, Aaron Wightman, MD, MA, observed, "We're tied to this idea that death is an event, that it's a binary." His words left me wondering what it would mean for death to be something else. If a heart is kept beating, if a body is kept warm, is that death? When is a person dead enough to execute their will? To send up a prayer to their spirit? To grieve their absence?

"In a legal sense, death is a binary. One is dead, or one isn't," Wightman, the co-director of education at the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care at Seattle Children's Hospital, told me a few weeks after the event in Charleston.

The experience of dying, however, is complex, involving different organs and functions that don't all cease simultaneously. The criteria for evaluating and defining death have evolved over time and continue to do so. And the organ procurement process, along with the ever-advancing technology surrounding it, complicates our understanding of how and when the end of life arrives.

"In a physiologic sense, and in a medical sense, death is a process that occurs over time," Wightman said. "A declaration of death is made by a clinician during the dying process, but that declaration is informed by definitions of death. These definitions, while appearing objective and unchanging, also reflect value judgments about the time we choose to treat a human being as deceased and potentially as an organ donor. Defining death is a moral rather than purely scientific question."

Wait, don't we already know what death is?

The breath stops, the heart stops, the brain stops and rigor mortis soon appears. Death, in the vast majority of circumstances, is a clearcut experience that isn't up for debate. Yet we humans carry within ourselves the primal hope and the primal fear of someone making the wrong call. Jesus famously contradicted the bad news about his friend Lazarus, and later used the same move on himself, to great success. Edgar Allan Poe's recurrent literary fascination with premature burial helped spur a 19th-century industry of "safety coffins," tricked out with bells or escape hatches in case the morgue had been premature. By the 20th century, it was advancements in medicine that created the need for a more surefire assessment of death.

"Defining death is a moral rather than purely scientific question."

Having an agreed-upon determination of death is crucial in organ procurement because the vast majority of the organs used in transplantation are obtained from the deceased. Transplant ethics in the U.S. are guided by the Dead Donor Rule, which requires that an individual be declared deceased before certain vital organ procurements. Among the body parts that can be donated after death are the heart, pancreas, corneas, lungs, kidneys and liver.

The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, which provides the legal backbone of the organ donation process in the U.S., was enacted in 1968. That same year, spurred by both "improvements in resuscitative and supportive measures" and concerns that "obsolete criteria for the definition of death can lead to controversy in obtaining organs for transplantation," a Harvard Medical School committee recalibrated our modern American understanding of the end of life. "A Definition of Irreversible Coma" brought the concept of brain death into the vernacular and put the emerging field of organ transplantation front and center within it.

Since then, language has continued to evolve, and Harvard's use of the word "coma" there doesn't align with how we think of it today. In comas or persistent vegetative states, the conditions that spurred galvanizing right-to-die cases like Karen Ann Quinlan's and Terri Schiavo's, a person may be able to breathe independently, and there will still be some brain function. In brain death, there's no brain stem activity.

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A peer-reviewed feature in the December 2020 AMA Journal of Ethics reported that "there have been no legitimate, unconfounded false positive cases of a patient declared dead by neurological criteria according to the practice parameters put forth by the [American Academy of Neurology]." A correctly declared brain-dead person isn't in a coma; they won't recover. A 2014 article in the journal Neurology further makes the case for "Why brain death is considered death and why there should be no confusion," explaining that "In the medical judgment of practicing neurointensivists, neurosurgeons, and all neurologic and neurosurgical societies and academies throughout the world, brain death constitutes death of the person."

A decade after the Harvard report, the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) set out to create a centrally agreed-upon criteria for death in the U.S. What began as the 1978 Uniform Brain Death Act eventually evolved into the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA), and in 42 years, the bar it set has remained unchanged. In succinct, plain language, the UDDA states that "An individual who has sustained either (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem, is dead. A determination of death must be made in accordance with accepted medical standards." The UDDA is the standard in 37 states and the District of Columbia, but other states have set their own guidelines.

A great deal in that small text conspicuously comes down to opinion. The ULC notes that "The UDDA is intentionally not entitled the Definition of Death Act. This is because it does not contain an exclusive definition of death." The word "irreversible" can be a judgment call. (There is some discourse around whether the word "permanent" would communicate the standard more effectively.) And the phrase "all functions of the entire brain" isn't fully accurate for a variety of reasons, including that there can be lingering activity in the hypothalamus after brain death is declared. This is one of the biggest points of contention about the phrasing of "brain death."

What is death? Depends on where you die

Further complicating matters, every state has its own language for how "accepted medical standards" are met, and by whom. Decisions can vary from state to state, hospital to hospital, practitioner to practitioner. New York state's determination of death allows that "Each hospital shall establish and implement a written policy regarding determinations of death" based on UDDA guidelines. Idaho tacks on a criteria to meet "the usual and customary procedures of the community in which the determination of death is made." And Georgia stipulates that the determination be made by "a qualified physician, by a registered professional nurse authorized to make a pronouncement of death, or by a physician assistant authorized to make a pronouncement of death."

Meanwhile, New Jersey is the only state that recognizes "the legal right of an individual to claim an exemption from the application of neurological criteria for determining death if such a declaration would violate that individual's personal religious beliefs." In other words, a person can be declared brain dead, and their next of kin or health care proxy has the right to disagree. Over the past decade, an increasing number of families  almost always parents pushing back against a determination regarding their children and often in cases involving organ transplant directives  have done so.

In December 2013, three days after hemorrhaging and going into cardiac arrest following a complex tonsillectomy, 13-year-old Jahi McMath was declared brain dead. Children's Hospital Oakland later released McMath to the Alameda County coroner's office, and a death certificate was issued. Her family fought the hospital's decision to discontinue life support, filing a lawsuit in Alameda Superior Court. McMath was eventually moved to an undisclosed facility where, as her family attorney Christopher Dolan put it, she could be kept on a ventilator and "treated like the innocent little girl that she is, and not like a deceased body."

Over the next five years, McMath's body continued to grow. It went through puberty, and her uncle told CNN that she was responsive to audio and touch. She was officially pronounced dead of complications from liver failure on June 22, 2018, in the state of New Jersey.

Because McMath was only 13 when she was declared brain dead, she wasn't bound by any organ donation authorization. But for other individuals in similar cases, there had been a choice  one that became deeply contested. Following a snowboarding accident in 2007, the parents of 18-year-old Ohio teen Gregory Jacobs sued his hospital and the Center For Organ Recovery and Education, alleging that the hospital had hasted his death for the purpose of organ procurement. The case was eventually settled for $1.2 million.

"They said from the neck up he's dead, but he don't look dead to me."

In 2019, 26-year-old Arizona man Ruben Vati was pronounced dead following a drug overdose. His family responded by procuring a temporary restraining order to keep him on life support. Though Vati's parents claimed on his behalf that he had later "expressed remorse over this decision," he was registered with the Donor Network of Arizona. The family sued the organization and the hospital to prevent the planned organ donation, and the Network countersued the family, arguing that five patients were awaiting the donation he had authorized in the event of his death. "They said from the neck up he's dead," his mother Stela Vati told reporters at the time, "but he don't look dead to me."

What Stela Vati endured remains a devastating scenario to imagine: watching over a son who appears alive while doctors tell her that he is dead. Knowing what can be done to keep the appearance of life, should looking dead be a consideration in deciding if someone actually is dead? In an op-ed about McMath published by CNN, bioethicist Robert Veatch urged for the legal system to "let parents decide if [the] teen is dead."

"Society should show sympathy for mothers who want their children to be kept alive . . . Whether this right to medical support should extend to those considered dead by one standard, but alive by another is the question we face with Jahi McMath," Veatch wrote in 2014. "If the patient does not suffer, and private funding is available, people should have the right to make this decision for their loved ones."

In the Neurology article on brain death published later that year, the authors countered that "such a position assumes that the integrity of medical professionals is not compromised in such circumstances. We reject this position as falling outside the scope of conventional thinking about the management of a deceased patient's body following a declaration of death."

Why there can be disagreement over whether a person is dead

Clearly, in spite of the UDDA, a declaration of death isn't always the final word. How did we get in such a murky place? If anyone had a solid answer, I figured it would be Thaddeus Pope, JD, PhD, HEC-C, an attorney and professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Saint Paul, Minn. While I also met Pope in Charleston, I had been hearing about him for years through my academic work in ethics. He's one of the country's most influential experts on brain death law, as well as the co-author of "Right to Die: The Law of End-of-Life Decisionmaking."

Pope replied, professorially, with a question. "So, what does it mean to be dead?" Then he explained, "You can be dead because you're neurologically dead, or you can be dead because you're circulatory dead. Very few people die on brain death criteria, maybe 20,000 out of 3 million. It's an incredibly small number. Almost everybody, when they die, is declared dead on circulatory criteria. The challenge is that I think the general understanding is that it's some kind of objective scientific truth, that it's irreversible, that it's not man-made. And all of those things are not true."

"We made up brain death. It's arbitrary."

"We made up brain death. It's arbitrary," he continued. "We drew the line where we drew it. We could have drawn it somewhere else. Worse, every year, there are many cases of brain-dead pregnant people. This shows that obviously, brain death doesn't mean that the body has disintegrated. The body can still do lots of stuff, even after death. Right off the bat that strikes people as, 'That doesn't seem right.' And it's not right, because legally it's supposed to be irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain."

"The line between life and death is less clear than it used to be, more contested than it used to be," Pope added. "It's switched from this life and death question to more of a 'Who has the right to control life-sustaining health care?' question."

Pope said he can see a clear rise in challenges to determinations of death over the past decade. "If we charted this starting from the Jahi McMath case," he said, "you have an amazing number of conflicts in the hospital where they say, 'Sorry, your family member is dead,' and the family says, 'No, they're not. We don't believe you.' Jahi McMath got so much attention that it spurred people to re-examine all of this. Not just the clinicians, not just the ethicists, not just the lawyers, but also the advocates."

Inevitably, this is where religion gets involved. "You have organizations like Texas Right to Life," Pope said, "which say, 'Look, call us. If the hospital tells you that your loved one is dead, we'll fight for you.'"

While it lacks the single-issue momentum of the anti-abortion movement, death is another topic that has been embraced by religious and political conservative groups. On the Texas Right to Life site that Pope guided me to, there's an anxious warning about the potentially "fatal consequences for those of us with that little red heart on our driver's licenses."

"Despite seeing your loved one breathing, despite seeing them maintain their blood pressure, urinate, squeeze your hand, or cry . . . once a declaration of brain death has been entered, your consent to remove basic medical care like a ventilator is no longer required," Emily K. Cook writes. "It is at this stage when Texas Right to Life receives many calls from bereft spouses, desperate parents, and helpless children."

We Americans don't have confidence in our health care, and often with good reason.

We Americans don't have confidence in our health care, and often with good reason. In a 2023 Harris poll, more than half of respondents gave their care a C rating or lower. The problems run even deeper in communities of color. A 2021 Deloitte study of Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American respondents found that "55% reported a negative experience where they lost trust in a health care provider," and that "After an experience where they lost trust, four out of five participants say there was nothing the provider/health system could do to make them return to the same provider or health system." If trust and respect aren't already there, why take a doctor's word on anything, especially if your own eyes contradict them?

What organ donation is really like

The idea that an eager medical team might want to rush along a diagnosis of death to procure organs is an unsettling thing to contemplate, but it's understandable why it would resonate emotionally if you already believe the system doesn't value your life. The truth, however, is that there are ethical guardrails in place to circumvent those conflicts. For starters, an individual's medical team and the organ procurement organization are distinct.

John Entwistle, MD, PhD, a cardiothoracic academic surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, explained the process reassuringly to me shortly after I saw him speak in Charleston. "When you're checking a [donor registry] box, the most important thing to know is that your diagnosis of death, the management of you, in terms of trying to save your life, will not be affected," he said. "It does not hurt the process."

"If anything," he continued, "I feel that it is easier for health care providers to rationalize aggressive care even in a situation that seems futile when there is the potential that we may be able to save other lives through donated organs. If we can save the heartbeat of our patient, maybe we can save their brain and get a survivor out of that. And if we can't, maybe we can get an organ donor and help others. If anything, checking the box gives us additional motivation to be aggressive in treatment when things seem hopeless, but it definitely does not diminish the care we provide."

But exacerbating the trust problem are the confusing semantics of care. We use the phrase "organ donor" for both living donors (kidney and liver donors, for example) and deceased ones. We say we have signed up for organ donation when we have likely registered for organ, eye and tissue donation. Words like "life support" are used to describe equipment and practices for people who have been declared brain dead. (Some ethicists prefer the phrase "organ support.") And brain death, legally, is death. It just doesn't always behave like it.

Imagine this: A person you love is in a hospital bed, and all signs point to imminent death. The doctors and nurses you have been working with talk to you about what is happening, and what to expect. Then, to avoid ethical conflicts and coercion, you talk to someone else  a nurse or other liaison from an organ procurement organization  and discuss what happens next. If that person never joined a donor registry, the representative may have a conversation with you about what the person's wishes would be, and then the decision is up to you.

"When you don't check the box, you should know that you're not declining," said Ana Iltis, PhD, the director of the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society at Wake Forest University, and another expert I first met in Charleston. "You should know that it's just postponing the decision and giving up the decision to somebody else. I think people need to know what silence means."

"When you don't check the box, you should know that you're not declining. You should know that it's just postponing the decision and giving up the decision to somebody else."

But what if your loved one has registered as a donor? If you feel good about it, then this part goes more smoothly. Otherwise, "If a family does not endorse donating the organs," health care ethicist Yvette Viera explained to me on a blustery evening last winter when I went to see her in New Jersey, "then the conversation may shift to the signed organ donor card. That is considered a valid executed document, and the family will be notified that they actually cannot refuse organ donation or override the donor card of their loved one." Is it any wonder then that some families exert the only power they can in that situation and challenge the diagnosis of death itself?

Meanwhile, let's assume your loved one has stopped breathing, and their heart has stopped beating. There's then what's known as a standoff period, usually between two and five minutes, depending on the facility's protocols, for observation without intervention. A brief stillness. The procedures would look a little different for brain death, but either way, let's say that now your loved one is now deceased. The process of organ procurement begins  and it has to start quickly.

The window of time in which organs can be safely and successfully obtained is relatively short, typically no more than about three days. That can feel like an eternity for a grieving family making final arrangements.

"If somebody is declared dead by neurologic criteria or brain dead," Viera said, "the body will still be on organ support, breathing for them, providing nutrition, keeping their blood pressure up to optimize the organs before they are removed. During that 72 hours, the body goes through a huge amount of testing and bloodwork to determine the quality of all of the different organs and potential recipients."

By now, she continued, "The family will have been told by the clinical team that their loved one is dead, and that the machines are keeping the organs functioning for a limited period of time. Keep in mind, when they go and see their loved one, they're in bed, their chest is rising, they're perfused and pink, warm to the touch. They don't look dead. Those are highly critical, emotional times for the family."

I try to picture the scene. If that was my loved one's warm hand in mine, how certain could I feel about letting go?

"One of the great hurdles for end-of-life care is that people haven't thought about death. They haven't seen death. Except for sudden deaths, death is happening in the hospital."

"It's easy to talk about transplants and just how great it is. But the flip side of it is  except for live kidney donation and living donors who give part of their liver  somebody has to die right before transplanting," Grant Goodrich, PhD, the director of ethics at MUSC Health and one of the organizers of the Charleston lectureship event, recently told me. "In terms of getting organs from donors, much of this is about people coming to terms with death. One of the great hurdles for end-of-life care is that people haven't thought about death. They haven't seen death."

"Except for sudden deaths, death is happening in the hospital. It's not in public. And so people have no idea of what being really, really sick looks like, what end-of-life care looks like," he continued. "That feeds also into distrust. Suddenly, they're on the spot making these decisions with people they've never met in a building that's totally foreign from anything that they've ever experienced. It creates a lot of complex challenges."

Why do we need all these organs, anyway?

There may come a time in the near future when human organ donation is a relic of medical history. In the past year alone, there have been promising breakthroughs for heart and kidney transplants from animals (a process known as xenotransplantation). Meanwhile, advancements in the field of medical devices and other therapeutics have led some health care professionals, like British surgeon Stephen Westaby, to envision the day when "We won't see any more heart transplants." But that day isn't here yet.

The American organ shortage is acute, despite a depressing uptick in the potential pool of donors in recent years thanks to the opioid crisis. Figures from a 2019 review in the New England Journal of Medicine estimate that nearly 18% of deceased donors have died of overdoses, up from only 1.5% in 1999. The Health Resources and Services Administration estimates that more than 100,000 Americans are currently on the national transplant waiting list. Seventeen people die every day waiting for organs.

It's a crisis that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable. A 2022 review in the International Journal for Equity in Health of disparities in access to heart, lung, liver, pancreas and kidney transplantation found that "Racial and ethnic minorities, women, and patients in lower socioeconomic status groups were less likely to be referred, evaluated and added to the waiting list for organ transplant."

"Although almost 170 million people are registered to be donors, only three in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for deceased organ donation."

Exacerbating the shortage is that viable donors are hard to come by. According to 2023 information from Penn Medicine, "Although almost 170 million people are registered to be donors, only three in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for deceased organ donation." But because "One deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives," the more people who add their names to donor registries, the more waiting recipients will have a chance.

It's a legacy that plenty of us would be proud to leave behind. "His tender heart lives on in someone else because of his never-ending desire to help others," the mother of Jordan Michael Cummins, who died in 2022, wrote for the United Network for Organ Sharing. The mother of 10-year-old Garrett Brockway, who died in 2013, told the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics three years later that "Garrett saved five people, and he's a hero in our minds. And if other people would be willing to do that and realize it's not an ugly, scary, bad process, that it truly is a beautiful process, so many more lives could be saved."

The easiest and most successful method for enlisting donors is through a simple act of routine form filling, probably while fiddling on your phone at the DMV. That simplicity, however, also opens the door for a spectrum of interpretations and ethical challenges.

On the one hand, bodily autonomy should be as clearcut a right as it gets. If I have signed up to be a deceased organ donor and the circumstances of my death qualify me as one, my wishes should be respected. But have I truly been given enough information to make a choice that is in my best interest? In my family's best interest? Does a fatally injured teenager who has only just learned how to drive need an organ procurement agency, or an advocate?

"The decision to be a deceased organ donor has implications for what happens to them and to their bodies, and therefore to their families around them," Iltis said. "There are time delays, there are all kinds of things, there are good reasons for those things. But those might matter to some people, and we don't make that information readily available."

"I believe in respecting people's wishes," Iltis added, "but I don't think we do a good job of setting people to be up to be able to communicate them. [The DMV registry] allows people to communicate a very crude decision, and then it treats it as if it's the most important wish they have, their absolute deepest desire. We go from there, but we haven't set up a system that would allow them to tell us that. I really believe in truthfulness and transparency, and I don't think we have it."

"Do people understand what they're doing when they sign up to be an organ donor? They definitely do not."

Pope told me something similar. "Do people understand what they're doing when they sign up to be an organ donor? They definitely do not," he said. "It's not like a thing you can understand, this is what death is. It's hard for a layperson, when they go to the DMV to say, 'What is that? What does this mean?' Not even the experts are on the same page on what it means. The general rule has been just make it as easy as possible for people to become donors, which means it's not careful, and it's not thoughtful and it's not informed."

"If you make it more difficult, the fear is that people are going to go, 'I don't understand. I'll just click no.' I think, unfortunately, those are two goals that are in conflict," he continued. "I know that somebody would say, 'OK, great, we'll be more transparent. That's going to cost two thousand fewer transplants next year  whatever the number is.' I don't know how to trade those off. I'm always in favor of transparency, and if it causes fewer transplants, then so be it."

Samuel Kerstein, PhD, professor and chair of philosophy at the University of Maryland, had a sobering perspective when I spoke to him about the ethical dilemma of rethinking the organ registry process. "So much is at stake here," he said. "We're talking about significant extra life that people can live if they get a kidney donation as opposed to being on dialysis. So, taking steps that might discourage donation? That's serious stuff. That has implications that are tough to accept."

In my own life, my expectations around organ transplantation have been derived almost exclusively from TV dramas. An early '80s plot on "St. Elsewhere" featured the sudden death of a character's wife, a convenient piece of timing for a cardiac patient awaiting transplant. The episode ended with a newly widowed physician holding his stethoscope, intently listening to his late spouse's heart beating in another woman's chest. On a 1995 episode of "Chicago Hope," the frustrated brother of a patient awaiting a heart transplant held an operating room hostage before declaring, "My donor card is in my wallet," and shooting himself. And on a 2011 episode of "House," the prickly eponymous medical doctor was permitted to leave prison to work his genius on a lung transplant case. Almost always  in nearly every show, in nearly every movie ranging from serious to comedic  the stillness of death is signaled with the beep of an EKG going steady and its line going flat. That was how I assumed death worked.

Then, a few months ago, I was eating fries at a restaurant in Bruges, Belgium, with some colleagues during a conference on palliative care. One of them, who works at a hospital here in the U.S., started talking about how distressing the end-of-life process for organ donors can be for both surviving loved ones and medical staff alike. There's a possibility that staff will have to do CPR on the bodies of individuals who have been declared brain dead and are designated for organ donation, she said. This is called organ preserving CPR.

"I can't code [resuscitate] a dead body, and nobody told me that I had to. That's a trauma to me."

"We've had some really tough ethical consults with team member physicians, who were like, 'I can't code [resuscitate] a dead body, and nobody told me that I had to. That's a trauma to me. I can't do that,'" she said. "And does the family even know that this is a possibility?'"

I didn't know. Whatever I had thought happened when an organ donor dies, I was shocked when I found out.

Redefining death

While our response to end-of-life care and organ transplantation has continued to evolve over the years, our central guiding principle for death has remained the same. Recently, medical practitioners and ethicists have called for revisions to the UDDA, and at the upcoming annual meeting of the ULC in Honolulu later this month, one of the agenda items will be a three-hour session covering "Consideration of the Uniform Determination of Death Act." But there's no firm consensus on exactly what an updated criteria for death should be, and a range of possibilities are now on the table. It's an opportunity for clarity  and contention.

In a 2022 article published in the journal Neurology, Pope, along with several peers from the medical, legal and ethical world, argued that "The concern is that the legal criteria and the medical standards used to determine death by neurological criteria are not aligned." The authors proposed a revised and less ambiguous "neuro-respiratory criteria" for death: "brain injury leading to permanent loss of a) the capacity for consciousness, b) the ability to breathe spontaneously, and c) brainstem reflexes."

But a letter to the ULC in June on behalf of the American College of Physicians (ACP) urged a more constrained approach, requesting that the wording be tweaked to read "permanent cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain" and stating that "a neurorespiratory approach sends a message that death is not a biological reality." The ACP also advocated for "complete separation of issues regarding the determination of death from issues around organ transplantation."

Conservative religious groups offer an altogether different stance. In an April op-ed in the Catholic Times, Fr. Tad Pacholczyk took issue with updating the UDDA's criteria for brain death, stating that "Even to be 'slightly alive' is still to be alive." The American Life League goes a step further, arguing that "Medical and legal elites want the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) to change the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA) to make 'brain death' easier to declare, explicitly without consent" (and presumably over family objections). As a counterpoint, they argue that "Death is the cessation of the person's life on earth. The soul or life force, not any one body part, is the unifying life principle . . . [brain death] criteria are based on bedside observation of lack of functions, presumed to be 'irreversible' or 'permanent, neither of which can be tested empirically. They do not require necrosis or destruction." They propose the criteria should be revised to determine that "No one shall be declared dead unless respiratory and circulatory systems and the entire brain have been destroyed. Such destruction shall be in accord with universally accepted medical standards."

"Once our physical life ends, time will be transformed."

While that wording seems certain to be rejected by most mainstream medical criteria, the League's use of the word "soul" here is striking. "The precise moment when the soul, the immaterial life force, separates from the body is of paramount importance," the American Life League states. But if we can't come to a consensus on when an individual is deceased, how can we even begin to approach the comfort that faith seems to promise regarding the "precise" departure of the soul? And for those who believe that this life is only a preparation for another one, why hang on so fiercely to it?

I posed my questions to Rev. James T. Bretzke, SJ, STD, a professor of theology at John Carroll University, who offered additional perspective. "In Catholic theology, we believe that the soul does not cease when the physical body ends," Bretzke told me during a recent phone call. "It goes from human life to eternal life. That is a transition. How does that transition occur? I think most of us would say, well, there's a process. As we close our eyes on physical life, we will open them on eternal life. But is that process of closing eyes and opening eyes instantaneous? Once our physical life ends, time will be transformed. And since we are on this side of that great divide, it's very hard for us to imagine what this new life will be like. But I think that is the process that we'll grow into."

"Dead enough"

Whatever the outcome of any updates to the UDC that may emerge from the ULC in the future, questions over how we declare death are likely to remain. One intriguing workaround is to shift some of the focus from clarifying death to how we understand organ donation.

"A good amount of polling survey data suggests that the two questions don't need to be linked, organ donation and death," Pope told me when we spoke. "A lot of people are like, 'If I'm catastrophically critically ill, you can go ahead and take my organs. I don't need to be dead. If I'm in a persistent vegetative state, if I don't meet the criteria for brain death, but I've had an anoxic brain injury and I'm never going to wake up, I'm in a permanent coma, that's good enough. If you want to take my organs, go ahead." Pope explained that currently, "Legally, that's not allowed. But the American public, at least a lot of them, are like, 'Fine, I'm dead enough for me if you need my organs.'"

"The American public, at least a lot of them, are like, 'Fine, I'm dead enough for me if you need my organs.'"

In 2014, 42-year-old New Jersey man Dave Adox was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal, progressive and incurable disease of the nervous system that weakens the body's ability to move, breathe and swallow. Two years later, as his bodily functions were rapidly slipping away, he made a decision about how he wanted his end of life and organ donation to go. Adox and his husband planned for University Hospital in Newark to have his ventilator disconnected.

But combining a voluntary removal from a ventilator and organ donation raised a red flag for the hospital's attorneys, who intervened to stop the process. Adox's primary physician, John Bach, MD, told NPR at the time, "I could have given [him] a prescription for morphine, and he could have been taken off the ventilator at home. But he wanted his organs to be used to save other people's lives!"

Eventually, with the help of organ procurement organization LiveOnNY and Mt. Sinai Hospital, Adox was able to have the end that he wanted. He died in May 2016 on the hospital's palliative care floor, and his liver and kidneys were donated.

The idea of connecting medical aid in dying and organ procurement in the U.S. is still far from the norm. But medical aid in dying policies are in place now in 10 states and the District of Columbia  and a majority of Americans support them, according to Gallup. As the example of other nations shows, these two end-of-life issues are inevitably going to dovetail more and more.

In other nations with medical aid in dying, organ transplantation is a more cohesive process. A first-of-its-kind review in the December 2022 issue of the American Journal of Transplantation found that thus far "in Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, a total of 286 people who sought euthanasia provided organs to save the lives of 837 people." Canada, which has had a liberal medical assistance in dying policy since 2016, led the way with 136 donors. "I was rather proud that Canada has done so well in terms of organ donation by MAID patients," Arthur Schafer, the director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, told CTV News in January.

Organ transplantation evokes polarizing emotions and ambitious ethical questions. On the one hand, there's the beneficent notion of bestowing the priceless "gift of life," the tender slogan of donor advocates imploring, "Don't take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here." There's the action movie narrative of a recent AT&T commercial in which a heroic organ procurement team careens its precious cargo to a waiting hospital medical team.

On the other side, there's urban legend paranoia of waking up from a party in a bathtub full of ice cubes and one kidney short. There's the existential drama of questioning if, or when, like the ship of Theseus, enough parts are removed that we might cease to be ourselves. There's the unsettling anxiety evoked by literature like Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go," a novel concerned with the idea of people being bred to be mined for their organs  and whether or not they have souls.

After she was declared brain dead last summer, Heche received an honor walk at her hospital, a tradition in which staff line the route from the patient's room to the one where the organs will be donated. Speaking to her memory, her son Homer Laffoon issued a statement saying, "Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom."

That phrase has been rattling around my head ever since I first read it. I don't know what, if anything, is on the other side of existence. Yet if there's any part of us that experiences that eternal freedom, what happens to it in these liminal places we have created? Where does the spirit go while the heart is still beating? That doesn't seem very black and white at all, but then again, I don't write obituaries for a living.

[Death is] not a precise moment  it's a process. The only sure thing is that one day we'll all find out for ourselves.

I began writing this story because I wanted to understand what happens to our bodies  and to our souls  in the slippery space between life and death. I wanted to know everything that I had signed myself up for when I made a not particularly well-thought-out choice one day at the DMV. I wanted to know what that icon on my license actually represented. In the end, I wound up with more questions than I had when I started. But when I think about all the fears, anxieties and anger I have carried around the subject of death for so long now, I find something strangely peaceful and beautiful within all the uncertainty. It's not a precise moment  it's a process. The only sure thing is that one day we'll all find out for ourselves.

That should have been good enough, but I had to take one last shot at finding an answer. Not long ago, I called up Arthur Pressley, PhD, associate professor of psychology and religion at my university, Drew. We talked about faith and philosophy for a while, and then I asked Pressley at what point he believes the body finally releases the soul. He paused for a moment before replying, then he answered me. "Oh, God," he said, "I don't know."

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about death and dying
A recent Reddit thread details how one user ultimately won the right to install solar panels after repeatedly being denied by their HOA.

In the comment, the user sets the scene. Upscale beach neighborhood, Repeatedly refused my solar panel application, sighted the location of them as being an eyesore (top of the back side of the house.not visible from street), they write, noting they fought against the panels at four different meetings, delaying installation.

But, ultimately, the Redditor cites the state law and says that they immediately backed down and amended their covenants.

They also note that a standard clothesline is a solar collection device and, the Redditor says, they cannot deny you use of that either, so if you want to play dirty  hang a bunch of beach towels in your yard!

Solar panels can help reduce your homes energy costs. On average, U.S. homeowners with solar panels can save about $1,500 a year. But savings can vary widely depending on roof size, sunlight exposure, local energy prices, and city or state solar incentives.

With the cost of solar power decreasing along with a number of other positive incentives, a growing number of U.S. homeowners are turning to solar energy. Last year, Americans installed enough solar panels to power more than 20 million homes, contributing to nearly 3% of the electricity generated in the country.

According to one Redditor, most states now have laws that state HOAs cannot restrict solar panel installations. Another concurs, saying that in their state its illegal for them to obstruct installation of solar panels, so long as its on your roof, you can install as many as you want.

Another Redditor applauds the effort. I love seeing solar panels. It means somebody is being energy responsible, they write.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
One of the state's largest school districts will move its graduations off the University of Delaware's campus after the arrest of one of its students.

The Christina school board moved to cut the commencement tie in a meeting this week  a roughly $98,000 price tag for the Bob Carpenter Center, parking lot and University of Delaware security annually. That security remains under scrutiny by the board after an 18-year-old student was arrested by university police on Newark High School's graduation day.

Last month, Mohammed Sanogo crossed the stage as a 4.0 GPA student looking to study at the University of Maryland.

Less than an hour after graduation ended, our student was already bear-hugged, lifted up in the air and thrown on the ground face-first with two people sitting on him," Naveed Baqir told his fellow school board members Tuesday night, describing the graduate's arrest.

School officials, dozens of supporters and community leaders have reacted to the June 15 arrest caught on cellphone videos, while looking for answers from the university. And the Christina school board has begun reviewing all of its connections to UD, some nearly $250,000 in contracts.

Newark High School hosts commencement for the 255 graduates of the Class of 2023, Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

As UD reacted to the move by Christina schools, a university spokesperson told Delaware Online/The News Journal the institution values all its partners.

"Last month, UD leadership including campus police met with representatives from the Christina School District and members of the Muslim community to discuss this matter further," the statement reads. "We are very appreciative of this opportunity to have heard how their communities were impacted by this incident. We will continue to work together to create a stronger partnership, invite frequent communication, nurture community-building, and help advance cultural understanding."

Baqir said meetings with the university and the district have yet to reach a resolution.

And, he warned: "We will continue to have progressive sanctions until this is addressed."

So what happened at graduation?

Newark High School hosts commencement for the 255 graduates of the Class of 2023, Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Ala Shahein doesn't remember the sound of tires.

He remembers many friends hanging back after graduation, taking photos surrounded by familiar faces, making late plans for Chick-fil-A or the movies. The teen remembers walking away from Sanogo, following another group farther away from the University of Delaware parking lot.

Moments later, he remembers watching at a distance as his close friend began to panic, pinned under two police officers.

"It's a terrible feeling, seeing someone that you care about, said the recent graduate of another Christina school on watching the arrest, "and you can't really do anything because you're being threatened by Tasers. And, like, potentially making the situation even worse."

Mohammed Sanogo is lifted up by friends after graduating on June 15, just minutes before

Less than an hour earlier, the Newark High Schools graduation was wrapping up shortly before 9 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center. Families, friends and graduates flooded parking lots to take photos and commemorate.

Abdurahman Hasdhallah said one of his friends was a photographer.

He stayed later with Sanogo, or Momo, his close friend since they met at a mosque, continuing to mark the moment and take photos with their cars. Groups of friends began leaving, but Sanogo and a group of other Muslim graduates decided theyd pray first.

Hasdhallah prayed alongside them. He says he paid no mind to University of Delaware police officers nearby. Then, everyone began getting in their cars.

We were just getting ready to leave ..., he recently recalled. A male officer approached Momos car, and he was aggressive. They were being aggressive to us, and I dont know why.

Hasdhallah and several witnesses said officers told the teens to leave the parking lot.

That's also when university police say the officers witnessed "careless and dangerous activity."

"As noted in a publicly available arrest warrant, drivers of three vehicles were observed to have been operating those vehicles recklessly through a parking lot at the Bob Carpenter Center, including with passengers hanging out the windows of the vehicles," a portion of UD's June 21 statement to the school district reads.

The University of Delaware did not provide additional comment on the nature of the activity for this report by the time of publication.

Multiple cars were successful in leaving the parking lot, as depicted in rear dash video footage provided to Delaware Online/The News Journal. Hasdhallah left in another car. When Sanogo looked to leave, some witnesses said his tires spun, making a loud sound.

As Sanogo reached the red light, waiting to exit the parking lot, multiple vehicles suddenly surrounded Sanogo's car. It remains unclear what trucks surrounded Sanogo's car or why.

Then, police officers told Sanogo to exit his vehicle. The university says he "revved the engine and put the vehicle in reverse.

Eventually, Sanogo opened the driver's side door and exited the car. He was then placed up against his car by an officer, before barreling to a patch of grass a few feet away. One officer lifted Sanogo into the air and slammed him onto the ground, as depicted in multiple video and witness accounts.

Hasdhallah, Shahein and others watched helplessly.

He was freaking out, he was getting scared, and I was trying to tell him: Calm down. Momo, calm down, Hasdhallah said, knowing Sanogo's asthma also was making it hard for him to breathe.

The university says the teen was continuing to resist. Ultimately, Sanogo was placed under arrest, then held until 4 that morning before being released on $200 bail.

He now awaits a hearing later this month pertaining to the arrest charges of reckless driving and resisting arrest. School board member Naveed Baqir said Sanogo and his family were advised not to speak about the incident at this time.

STOLEN AMMO: How a pattern of shoplifting ammunition led Delaware to demand Cabela's records

Tensions may not be going anywhere soon

Mohammed Sanogo (far right) poses with some of his fellow graduates after Newark High School's ceremonies at the University of Delaware last month.

At the heart of the arrest, as Baqir sees it, is a question of racial and religious motivation. Baqir emphasized a history of racist incidents on campus to the board Tuesday, while criticizing UD's response to claims of discrimination when arresting Sanogo.

"It was a blatant attempt by the University of Delaware to whitewash the whole incident by flatly refusing to even acknowledge in the beginning that there was any religious aspect involved," Baqir said to his board.

UD vehemently denied claims that the incident was an instance of racial or religious discrimination or excessive police force, saying it "rejects any and all allegations that the UD Police Department officers acted with racial or religious bias," in the statement from June 21. And, the university said, "UDPD applied appropriate de-escalation techniques in dealing with a suspect who resisting arrest."

Baqir also noted that UD didn't notify the Christina board, the district's superintendent or the school in any way that one of their students had been arrested after the graduation. He said UD felt "above the courtesy" of informing the district. No one found out until about four days later.

The following Tuesday, June 20, the school board held a workshop in which witnesses of the arrest spoke and shared details. The next day, June 21, UD issued its first statement to the district explaining its perspective on the arrest.

Newark High School hosts commencement for the 255 graduates of the Class of 2023, Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Baqir said UD declined to show any video from the incident, whether through body camera footage or video from cameras mounted on nearby buildings. He also claimed members of the school district were told by UD officials that no students were hanging out of cars during the incident, including Sanogo's  a direct conflict with UD's original statement regarding the arrest.

Ultimately, these and further meetings went on to end "without any resolution," Baqir said Tuesday night.

Today, he's steadfast that this discussion can't go away  motioning that a further severing of ties with UD could be up for a vote if the university does not "rectify the situation."

"We will keep adding the sanctions until there is a positive response and an acknowledgment that they have done something egregious," he said.

FOOD INSPECTION: Delaware Online restaurant inspection database shows reports from state food businesses

Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network's Northeast Region and Delaware Online, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

Contact Konner Metz at kmetz@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @konner_metz.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Christina schools cut ties with University of Delaware after arrest
New Delhi races to open jammed flood gates as river surge halts India's capital Aftermath of monsoon rains in New Delhi

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -New Delhi officials were racing to open some jammed flood gates at a barrage on the swollen river Yamuna on Friday to help drain out floodwater that has brought traffic to a standstill in parts of India's capital and swamped historical monuments.

The river's levels were at their highest in 45 years this week following unusually heavy rainfall in New Delhi and hilly northern states, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people as the Yamuna, which runs through the city, breached its banks.

Army and disaster relief personnel were also trying to repair a broken drain regulator near the country's Supreme Court from where water was flowing on to a key road, authorities said.

"To prevent water from flowing into the city, we are trying to create a dam," said Saurabh Bharadwaj, Delhi's flood control and irrigation minister, adding that sacks would be stacked up to achieve this.

Television footage showed water engulfing the walls of the historic Red Fort earlier in the day, with trucks and buses abandoned in several places, leaving just their windshields and roofs showing above the water. Police reported at least three deaths due to drowning.

The roads around the Rajghat memorial to India's apostle of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi, were inundated too, with some water flowing into the memorial area as well.

With some reduction in water levels in the river, the city resumed operation of one of the three water treatment plants that were closed on Thursday, bringing some relief in supply, Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

At a barrage in the downtown area, army and navy officials were working to reopen five jammed gates that were affecting the flow of the river, Kejriwal added.

Delhi has recorded rainfall 91% above-normal this monsoon season that began June 1. It has received 309 mm (12 inches) of rainfall so far in July, which is the third highest for the month for at least 12 years, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Also flooded were several private and government offices, including the police headquarters, in the city's ITO area.

(Reporting by Sakshi Dayal and Shivam Patel; Additional reporting by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Clarence Fernandez and Alex Richardson)
Democratic Lawmaker Tells Matt Gaetz Off To His Face On House Floor

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) seems to have had about enough of certain people  including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

Horsford, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, served up a passionate defense of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as Republican lawmakers pushed a bill to ban such programs from the military.

He said incidents such as Sen. Tommy Tubervilles (R-Ala.) defense of white nationalists and Rep. Eli Cranes (R-Ariz.) shocking use of the phrase colored people on the House floor show why those programs are necessary, especially in an increasingly diverse armed forces.

This amendment does nothing to address the recruitment shortfalls that our services are facing and instead it will only make it more difficult to recruit Americans of diverse backgrounds representing the true makeup of our nation, Horsford said.

Then he spoke to his GOP colleagues.

What are you so afraid of? Why do you keep bringing these divisive issues to the body of this floor? he asked, before addressing Gaetz directly: You are out of order! you are exhausting, Mr. Gaetz!

Gaetz called the comments childish and accused Horsford of violating the decorum of the House, according to Mediaite.

See more of the exchange below:
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This photo taken on Aug. 23, 2022 shows the demolition site of a damaged building in Mariupol. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ukraine agreed with partner countries on new military aid worth 1.5 billion euros (about 1.68 billion U.S. dollars) at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) summit in Vilnius, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Thursday.

Ukraine will get two Patriot air defense systems, 25 Leopard 1A5 tanks, and 40 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles from Germany as a part of the aid, Reznikov tweeted.

France pledged Ukraine long-range SCALP missiles and additional engineering equipment for demining, while the Netherlands agreed to train Ukrainian pilots, the minister noted.

Among other aid, Reznikov mentioned armored vehicles from Australia, Canada and Britain, and a NASAMS support package from Norway.

The NATO summit was held in the Lithuanian capital on July 11-12.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been "brutally honest" about his tepid polling, said donors who attended his campaign fundraisers this week and heard questions about his strategy for overtaking former President Donald Trump.

They said he remains confident about the campaign strategy and his path to the White House, despite that in both national and most state polls, DeSantis has trailed Trump by double digits.

The polls and the strategy

A CBS News poll from early June showed Trump with a formidable lead, at 61% with likely Republican primary voters, and DeSantis with 23%. A St. Anselm poll of New Hampshire voters in late June showed Trump with a 28-point lead on DeSantis, with 47% of registered state voters picking him and only 19% picking DeSantis.

Attendees at fundraisers on Tuesday in Wisconsin and Illinois say DeSantis acknowledged the polling gap but made a case the race is a "two-man" contest between him and Trump and argued he's best positioned to win in the general election against President Joe Biden.

"He didn't try to spin from it," said one donor at a fundraiser on Tuesday. "He said, 'Yeah, we're (polling) in the 20[s]. It's a good spot to be right now, this early. It's about the states that matter," one attendee recalled DeSantis saying Tuesday.

"His analysis is straightforward, which is, look, this is July, and nobody really is paying attention right now," another attendee said.

"When you see the polls bump up for Trump after he's indicted, that's not a rejection of [DeSantis], that's a sign of people being very unhappy with how the Democratic Party conducts itself when it's in power," this attendee added.

In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump gloated about the polls: "DeSanctimonious Polls are getting worse & worse as the public gets to know him. The Democrats would have a field day with Ron. He's cold as ICE, and only hurting the Republican Party. We have a 49 Point Lead, and should be getting even better than that!!!"

While nearly all polls in Iowa show Trump with a healthy lead over DeSantis, "Never Back Down," a super PAC backing DeSantis, says it has internal polling in Iowa that shows DeSantis consistently leads Trump in net favorability, according to a person familiar with the data.

In a campaign memo obtained by NBC News, DeSantis' campaign wrote that "early state voters are only softly committed to the candidates they select on a ballot question this far out  including many Trump supporters" and that voters in their focus groups in the early primary states show they don't plan on making up their mind until they meet candidates or see them debate.

The same memo argued that Trump and DeSantis "remain the only viable option" for two-thirds of the GOP primary electorate, and that "while [South Carolina Senator] Tim Scott has earned a serious look at this stage, his bio is lacking the fight that our electorate is looking for."

"It should come as no surprise that our campaign will focus relentlessly on the early states while also building out an infrastructure to go the distance  and thanks to our generous supporters, we have the resources to do it all," DeSantis campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo said in response to a question about the memo.

The memo mentioned a tactic similar to the one that fundraiser attendees say DeSantis has been sharing: throwing a lot of resources into the first two primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

One DeSantis bundler who didn't attend the fundraising events this week called for more intimate, "retail politicking" in Iowa and said bluntly, "Without a win in Iowa, there is no New Hampshire."

Other donors who attended DeSantis campaign fundraisers seemed unworried about his distant second place in polling. It's still early, they said.

"I wish he was higher, but I'm not surprised that he isn't. So I'm not overly concerned about it at this point. If this was October I might be," said Ernest Angelo, the former mayor of Midland, Texas, who hosted DeSantis for a fundraiser in early June. "This is a very unusual [race]. If this were the normal campaign situation, where he had six or eight people running for the nomination, I think he'd be running away with it without a doubt, but the Trump factor complicates it."

Bob Grand, an influential Indianapolis Republican and attorney who hosted DeSantis for a fundraiser on Wednesday, said the governor's record in Florida was the main point in remarks to about 130 attendees in Indianapolis.

"He's been in the race over a month and a half  I mean come on, give people a break here," Grand said. "He's having some good success with obviously these swings he's doing and raising money."

"I think his message has gotta continue to be, here's what we did in Florida, and those things that we did in Florida are applicable to the United States," he added. "This is a state-by-state basis  we got time here to figure this out."

The money race

DeSantis' fundraiser in Lake Geneva, Wis., was hosted by Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, Republican mega-donors who gave $500,000 to a PAC backing DeSantis' 2022 gubernatorial reelection campaign. One attendee estimated about $1 million was raised across the three fundraisers in Illinois and Wisconsin Tuesday.

DeSantis will be holding fundraisers all over the country going into mid-August. On Thursday he'll be in Aspen, Colo., followed by stops in the coming weeks in Southampton, N.Y.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn.; Cape Cod and Nantucket, Mass.; Wichita, Kan.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Kansas City, Mo., according to two people who received a copy of his fundraising schedule.

Since DeSantis launched his campaign in late May, he's held fundraising events in Texas, Nevada, California, New York, Pennsylvania and several in his home state of Florida. DeSantis' wife, Casey DeSantis, also headlined fundraisers in Illinois in late June.

DeSantis told donors on Tuesday he'll focus on his biography  his family and military background  in the coming weeks to create an indirect contrast with Trump, according to one fundraising attendee. His wife, Casey DeSantis, launched a voter mobilization program earlier this month focused on mothers and appears frequently in fundraising materials.

First presidential debate

In his fundraisers this week, DeSantis has also discussed the first presidential debate, set for late August. He says he still expects Trump to attend, though Trump has said he won't. On Wednesday, in between fundraisers in Indianapolis and Cincinnati, DeSantis said on the Howie Carr radio show that "nobody is entitled" to the nomination and that Trump "needs to step up and do" the debate.

"He's planning on Trump to be there, but he's prepared if he isn't. Either way, he's prepared to fight back on policy and not get tied into the name calling," one fundraiser attendee said about DeSantis.

In the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump skipped one primary debate and participated in 11.

Asked about recent comments from donors, DeSantis' campaign remains confident. "You could wallpaper the governor's residence with the amount of premature political obituaries written about Ron DeSantis," said Romeo. "Challenging the establishment is never easy -- and this campaign to save our nation is going to be a long, hard-fought battle to defeat Joe Biden."

DeSantis blames "media narratives" when asked about lagging poll numbers

The message from DeSantis to donors in these private fundraising events has overlapped with his responses to media questions about being behind in the polls.

In interviews with conservative outlets, DeSantis blames "media narratives" for his sub-par poll numbers, arguing the media opposes the idea of him as the GOP nominee because he's the only candidate who can beat President Joe Biden in the general election.

He also dismissed national polls that show him trailing Trump because "we don't have a national primary" and said his campaign is building infrastructure in the early Republican presidential primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

"Over the summer, we always anticipated we would be doing a lot of that laborious work that isn't as newsworthy maybe, but ultimately that's what leads to a winning campaign," he said on the "Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Radio Show" Monday. "We're excited about the progress. We understand that there's a lot more work to do."

"There's two candidates that can win the nomination, Trump and me. And I would say that I'm the only one that could win both the nomination and the general election," DeSantis said on a Wisconsin podcast on Tuesday.

DeSantis' campaign says he raised $20 million in his first six weeks as a candidate, with $8.2 million of that coming in the first 24 hours since his campaign launch. A super PAC backing DeSantis also says it has raised $130 million since its launch in March. This includes a $82.5 million transfer from the coffers of DeSantis' state political committee.

By comparison, Trump raised $35 million in the second fundraising quarter through his official campaign and leadership political action committee, Save America.

The super PAC has invested $100 million in its door-knocking program for the governor, and says it has 7,000 Iowans committed to caucusing for DeSantis on January 15, 2024.

"With six months until the first caucus, Gov. DeSantis is better positioned than any other candidate to go the distance, secure the Republican nomination, and send Joe Biden back to his basement," said PAC spokesperson David Vasquez. "We are light years ahead of every other political operation, including Trump."

The full campaign finance reports for money raised from April through June are due on Saturday, July 15.

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Ron DeSantis faces a crucial moment with next months first GOP primary debate coming amid signs hes failing to gain traction against former President Trump.

The Florida governor has signaled he will participate in the debate, which will be held in Milwaukee on Aug. 23, even as Trump threatens to skip it.

Whether or not the former president attends, the debate stands to be a critical test for DeSantis, who has faced criticism for his sometimes-stilted style, his failure to connect with voters and his reluctance to directly attack his opponents.

The debate is more important for Ron DeSantis than any of the other candidates, said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who served as communications on Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) 2016 presidential bid.

Hes the candidate with the most questions swirling about him, he continued. He is second in the polls, which as I know from my experience with Rubio, its often the hardest position to be in. Hes going to be taking it from Trump and every other candidate on the stage.

According to the Real Clear Politics polling average, Trump leads DeSantis 52.6 percent to 21 percent. The Florida governor has also been dogged by a number of bad headlines, including a glitch-filled campaign rollout on Twitter and a video attacking Trump over his support of LGBTQ+ people.

DeSantiss allies contend that the governors current standing in the polls is the result of him lagging in name ID behind the former president, and that viewership and subsequent coverage of a first presidential primary debate could alleviate that.

Most of voters are not paying attention to the 2024 presidential race, and so when there is an event or debate where most of the candidates  if not all of the candidates  are on stage and debating each other, thats going to attract a lot of eyeballs, said Justin Sayfie, a Florida Republican strategist.

Fox News, which is hosting the first debate, garnered nearly 24 million viewers during the first GOP primary debate in 2015.

But right now, the debate itself is being overshadowed by the question of whether Trump will even participate.

The world is Donald Trumps oyster when it comes to debate strategy and what he wants to do. He can choose to debate, he can choose not to debate, said Ford OConnell, a Florida-based Republican strategist. He can choose to even conceivably leverage the rules in his favor, or even at the same time run his own town hall because when it comes to the GOP debates, hes the prime-time attraction.

On Tuesday, Trumps campaign spokesperson Jason Miller told The Hill on NewsNation that it was unlikely that the former president would participate in the first debate.

So ultimately, President Trump will make a decision as we get closer. He has not said anything definitive, one way or the other. Im not expecting him to participate, though, Miller said.

On Wednesday, DeSantis himself called on Trump to participate.

Nobody is entitled to this nomination. You have got to earn the nomination, and doing things like The Family Leader event in Iowa, doing things like these debates, he said on Howie Carrs radio show. Every candidate needs to be put to the test, and I think he needs to step up and do it.

DeSantiss campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said in a separate statement to The Hill: Trump couldnt even beat Joe Biden in a debate, no wonder hes afraid of Ron DeSantis.

There is precedent for Trump not showing up to primary debates. The former president skipped the last debate before the Iowa caucuses in 2016 amid tension between him and then-Fox News host Megyn Kelly. The move was met with criticism, with many Republicans at the time arguing that Trump was depriving Iowa caucus-goers of their last time to see him before the contests. While Trump lost the Iowa Caucuses in 2016, he went on to win the nomination.

And this week, Trump declined to participate in the Family Leader Republican presidential forum in Iowa on Friday due to a scheduling conflict. Instead, Trump will head to Florida this weekend where he will headline the Turning Point Actions young voter conference. He will also participate in a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity in the Hawkeye State on Tuesday.

He made his tough-guy move by not showing up to the Iowa forum, said New Hampshire House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R), who has endorsed DeSantis. Hes not going to want to stay away from that debate. He cant stand for 12 other people to stand on that stage talking about him.

Yet Trumps decision on whether or not to attend isnt expected to impact DeSantiss decision.

You know that Ron knows hes in trouble, because Ron said, Im going to do the debates no matter what Trump does, said one Republican strategist. That speaks more to other people nipping at Rons heels than it does to DeSantis nipping at Trumps heels.

Some DeSantis allies doubt the wisdom of taking part if Trump decides to skip.

The question is whether he should even participate if Trump doesnt show, said Dan Eberhart, a DeSantis donor. If hes the big fish on the debate stage, everyone will have no choice but to train their fire on him. That only serves Trump.

Others argue that if Trump does decide to participate, hell inadvertently end up elevating DeSantis by focusing his energy on him.

Its a strategic question for the Trump campaign, how they want to handle DeSantis, Sayfie said. If they attack him, they elevate him. If they ignore him, they allow him to shine.

But there are reasons beyond Trump for DeSantis allies to be concerned about the debate. The Florida governor has been the subject of critical coverage for his occasional awkward soundbites, as well as allegations that hes unlikable.

And his most recent debate performance, when he was running for reelection for governor last year, was not without its awkward moments. Perhaps most memorably, DeSantis generated headlines when he repeatedly refused to answer his Democratic opponent Charlie Crists question on whether he would commit to a full term if reelected. Regardless, DeSantis swept to victory later in November.

Political observers may have gotten their closest look yet at how DeSantis will approach the debate when footage was leaked last May from debate prep for his 2018 gubernatorial run. The video, in which he preps answers with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), showed him grappling with how to deal with questions about his disagreements with then-President Trump, who endorsed DeSantis that year.

Of course, the dynamic between the two men is different now, with Trump training most of his ire on the Florida governor. But DeSantis will still have to contend with appealing to the same group of voters, many of whom are signaling they want another four years of Trump.

I like to talk to my members about the difference between how we argue with our enemies versus how we argue with our friends, said Osborne, who elevated to New Hampshire House majority leader in 2020. In a primary, youre arguing with our friends, so youve got to try to keep it clean.

The problem when you have a guy like Trump, whos a little more locker room in his flavor, it has a tendency to send people off over the edge, he continued. DeSantis is just as much of an insult comic as Trump is, but hes more like William Shakespeare whereas Trump is like Triumph the Dog Puppet.

DeSantiss supporters also say hell have his record as governor, which was nonexistent in 2018, to stand on this time around.

He has a bulletproof track record and a vision to turn this country around, said Dave Vasquez, the spokesman for the pro-DeSantis PAC Never Back Down. From securing parents rights in education and standing up to the woke mob, to leading Floridas economic growth, Gov. Ron DeSantis isnt afraid to make his case directly to voters. Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are afraid of standing on the stage next to Governor DeSantis.

DeSantis allies acknowledge that the governor will have a target on his back regardless of whether Trump is on stage or not. They also say thats not necessarily a bad thing.

Theres no such thing as bad publicity, Osborne said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will become the first Republican to file his candidacy for South Carolina's GOP presidential primary when he visits the Palmetto State next week.

DeSantis, according to his campaign, will file the paperwork on Tuesday at the state GOP headquarters in Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina.

DeSantis will make his candidacy official during his third campaign swing through South Carolina, where Republican hopefuls have been stumping for more than a year. On Monday, he is expected to stop in Tega Cay, an affluent community on Lake Wylie along the state line with North Carolina.

After he signs his candidacy paperwork, DeSantis plans to make a policy rollout in Columbia, the details of which the campaign did not immediately release. It will be DeSantis second policy announcement, following his immigration proposals  which call for ending birthright citizenship and finishing construction of the southern border wall  outlined during a June visit to a Texas border city.

DESANTIS TO MEET DONORS IN NEW YORK'S SOUTHAMPTON NEXT WEEK TO PITCH CAMPAIGN'S 'LONG GAME' AGAINST TRUMP

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will make his candidacy in the presidential race official during his third campaign swing through South Carolina, where Republican hopefuls have been stumping for more than a year already.

The South Carolina trip comes on the heels of a Friday GOP gathering in Iowa, where DeSantis and other hopefuls  but not former President Trump, the fields current frontrunner  were set to appear at the Family Leadership Summit.

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It is one of many events that will be held in Iowa in the coming weeks as voters begin to more seriously consider their options in the remaining six months until the leadoff caucuses, and the sprawling field of Republican presidential candidates works to build bases of support to challenge Trumps early lead in the field.

South Carolina is set to hold its GOP presidential primary Feb. 24. The state, which also boasts two homegrown 2024 candidates of its own  former Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott  is critical for Republican presidential hopefuls and has been a strong base of support for Trump in his previous campaigns.

DESANTIS HAULS IN $20 MILLION IN FUNDRAISING IN FIRST SIX WEEKS OF HIS 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, and Casey DeSantis, Florida's first lady, right, attend the Independence Day parade in Merrimack, New Hampshire, on July 4, 2023.

Aside from his visit to South Carolina, DeSantis also has plans to travel to Southampton, New York, next week for a private meeting with donors.

Fox Business senior correspondent Charlie Gasparino was told DeSantis, who has stalled in polls, will face questions from major East Coast donors during the meeting about the viability of his campaign. DeSantis is reportedly planning to tell donors he is playing the "long game" against Trump.

People close to DeSantis, and the governor himself, are telling donors concerned about the polls to "ignore the noise" and that media Democrats "are just making trouble so that Trump is the nominee" and President Biden wins again because of Trump's perceived baggage.

Former President Trump, left, and Florida Gov, Ron DeSantis are considered the top two candidates vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Most of the Republican congressional delegation from New York has so far resisted endorsing either Trump or DeSantis. A recent DeSantis fundraiser in Rockland County, New York, drew some organizational woes among local party leaders last month, and the venue was shifted from Republican Rep. Mike Lawler's district, which remains a key Democrat House target in 2024.

Fox News' Danielle Wallace, Charlie Gasparino and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DeSantis spent over $15 million in six months on illegal migration in Texas, Keys

Gov. Ron DeSantis has spent at least $15.2 million in the first half of the year to address illegal migration, tapping a $500 million state fund that was made available to him to use for emergencies, records show.

The cost of DeSantis immigration efforts is not fully known, but records obtained by the Herald/Times give a snapshot of how the Republican governor has been using state resources this year to respond to an issue that has been central to his presidential campaign.

Since January, DeSantis has spent $4.5 million to support the Florida National Guards response to a state of emergency DeSantis declared in Florida due to the mass migration of unauthorized aliens and $10.7 million to respond to a separate state of emergency he declared back in 2021 to protect Floridians against the dangerous impacts of the Biden Border Crisis.

The documents showing the expenditures do not provide much detail on what the money was spent on, except to say state funds were used to support the Florida National Guard.

In a statement on Thursday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which oversees these efforts, said the state funds covered the cost of sending Florida National Guard members to the southern border in Texas and personnel to the Florida Keys to respond to the states own mass migration.

The expenses include the cost of having pilots, ground crew and equipment to keep an eye on migrants who fled Cuba and Haiti andlanded in the Keys. The response came after DeSantis declared a state of emergency in January and issued an executive order that activated the Florida National Guard and other state agencies to help patrol offshore.

DeSantis extended the executive order for 60 more days on June 30.

On June 14, DeSantis spent $3.3 million to support the Florida National Guard and cover the costs for up to 650 personnel sent to the Southwest Texas border through June, 10, 2023, according to documents that show such an expenditure was authorized.

Florida personnel were sent to the southern border after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested assistance from other states to help support border security efforts in his state. The request was made in May under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual-aid partnership among all states.

Generally, the state that sends help is reimbursed by the state that is asking for help. At least that is the case outlined in the Emergency Management Assistance Compacts website. But Abbott made clear in his request that Texas was requesting assisting states to absorb associated costs with this mission in support of the entire country, records show.

Florida obliged. The state sent Florida National Guard members to support Texas Operation Lone Star in May for two weeks on site, and then sent a second wave of soldiers totaling Floridas coverage to 30 days until the next supporting state rotated in, Amelia Johnson, a spokesperson for the state Division of Emergency Management, said in a statement.

Florida was one of nine states whose National Guard answered the call to provide resources and personnel to combat the crisis at the southern border, Johnson said.

A group of about 100 men from Haiti gather on a beach in the Upper Florida Keys Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. Authorities say they arrived on an overloaded migrant sailboat.

Emergency dollars spent on immigration issues

Records show the money spent was part of a $500 million Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund that the Florida Legislature approved last year to give the governor direct access to cash when he declares emergencies. DeSantis initially had requested $1 billion.

When state lawmakers were considering establishment of the fund, the DeSantis administration largely talked about needing it in the context of storm recovery, including road repairs, debris removal and other unexpected disaster-related costs.

Republican legislative leaders who backed the proposal said the $500 million would place guardrails on the governors spending, arguing that without it the governor had no spending ceiling when it came to emergencies.

Critics, however, argued the governor did not need a half-a-billion dollars to use with little oversight.

The cost of DeSantis immigration plans

The DeSantis administration has defended the use of state resources at the southern border, arguing that Florida is willing to mitigate the impact of the federal governments failed immigration policies.

In addition to the millions spent this year, records show that DeSantis also spent at least $1.6 million to send law enforcement officers to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas in the summer of 2021.

At the time, the governors office argued Florida taxpayers were footing an enormous bill for Democrats destructive open-borders agenda, that was more than the cost of sending state resources to the Texas border.

The seven-week trip, led by three state agencies, was cast by the Republican governor as a needed measure to beef up security at the border amid the failures of Bidens administration, while critics saw the effort as a state-funded political errand used to further DeSantis national footprint ahead of a potential 2024 White House bid.

DeSantis has also spent millions of dollars to fund a program that sent migrants from Texas to Democratic strongholds, including California and Marthas Vineyard, an island in Massachusetts.
Key staffers working on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R) presidential team are exiting the campaign and shifting to assist a political nonprofit that will boost support for him, his campaign confirmed to The Hill on Friday.

Tucker Obenshain and Dave Abrams, two senior advisers for DeSantiss presidential campaign, are leaving to assist the political outside group, the news of which was first reported by Politico.

Politico noted that the campaign is adopting a DeSantis is everywhere strategy and the political nonprofit group is anticipated to help organize events for him in early presidential primary states.

The move comes amid a slew of bad headlines for the Florida governor, whos grappled with questions over lagging poll numbers and general viability. DeSantis has generally brushed off questions about his campaign performance and negative headlines, including during his travel in Iowa on Friday.

Asked if he believed the race was still between him and former President Trump, DeSantis said, just watch, just watch. He similarly shook off concerns about Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) amid reporting that some donors were considering shifting their interest to the South Carolina Republican.

Im not worried about anything, man. We got a plan, DeSantis replied.

The more people hear and see Governor DeSantis and his forward-thinking vision to fix Joe Bidens failures, the better our path to victory. Governor DeSantis will be appearing at events with dozens of organizations celebrating his policy and leadership. The DeSantis is everywhere tour has begun, DeSantis campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said in a statement.

The Florida governor has also largely blamed the media for reports that his campaign has stalled.

The media does not want me to be the nominee. I think thats very, very clear. Why? Because they know I will beat Biden, DeSantis said earlier this month. But, even more importantly, they know I will actually deliver on all these things.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Beijing is about to get its third marquee visit from a top U.S. official in the span of a month. But for now, they're mostly talking for the sake of talking.

President Joe Bidens climate envoy John Kerry will be in Beijing for four days of meetings starting Sunday  on the heels of recent visits by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. His task: Nudge the Chinese government to honor its commitments to reduce planet-warming methane emissions and transition away from coal, Kerry told a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing Thursday. The first step to all that: simply restarting stalled climate talks.



While Beijing continues to refuse to renew high-level military communications between the two countries, the visits by high-level officials show that Bidens predicted thaw is happening at least in some areas.



Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping declared meaningful results from Blinkens trip last month. The two sides have made progress and reached common understandings on some specific issues, which is very good, Xi said. Yet Xi gave no details of that progress, and Chinese diplomats say they want more than happy talk from senior U.S. officials. Communication must also be effective  it should not be for the sake of communication alone or only seeking to address one's own concerns while neglecting the concerns of the other side, said Minister Jing Quan at the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

Blinken and Yellen returned to Washington with pledges for more high-level diplomatic contact rather than tangible progress on hot-button U.S.-China issues or detailed plans for next steps in bilateral dialogue. I don't have anything specific about future process to announce, Yellen told reporters on Sunday in Beijing at the conclusion of her visit.

GOP lawmakers say the Biden administration is wasting its time. The stream of senior administration officials to Beijing constitutes zombie engagement with the Chinese Communist Party  all the while the CCPs malign behavior has gotten worse, not better, said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House Select Committee on China.



Bidens envoys have been struggling to restore a measure of predictability to a relationship that has plunged to a 50-year low in the wake of the Chinese spy balloon incident in February. That incident battered a relationship already curdled by tensions over trade, Beijings saber-rattling toward Taiwan and human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

The Biden administration argues that face-to-face dialogue serves a role of its own  decreasing distrust and paving the way for conversations on difficult topics.

None of this gets solved, resolved with one visit, one trip, one conversation. Its a process, Blinken told reporters last month.

Such discussions  however vague are important at a time when senior U.S. military officials have warned that rising bilateral tensions are pushing the two countries toward possible military conflict within the next four years. Kerry said Thursday that diplomatic engagement with Beijing is necessary to avoid the potential for mistakes, the potential for something to inadvertently drag us into an open hot conflict.

But Blinkens meetings with Xi and other top Chinese officials were hard to sell back in Washington as a success.

The administration has been asking China to take action to curb the role of Chinese chemical exporters in the opioid overdose epidemic. But Blinkens Chinese hosts only agreed to explore setting up a working group or joint effort to cut the flow of Chinese precursor chemicals that Mexican cartels process into fentanyl, Blinkentold reporters during his trip.



Though Blinken told his Chinese hosts that a top U.S. priority is resolving the cases of American citizens who arewrongfully detained or subject to exit bans in China, no releases have occurred.

And while Blinken repeatedly raised the U.S. desire to resume high-level military-to-military communications, China continues to balk at doing so. That freeze  whichextends to Beijings rejections of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austins requests to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu  raises the risk of apotential military crisis in the Indo-Pacific.

Blinkens outreach to Beijing was weak and desperate and constituted pandering to the Chinese Communist Party, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said in a statement last month.

Yellens four days in Beijing last week produced upbeat rhetoric but no breakthroughs on the issues roiling the U.S.-China business relationship. The Treasury secretary told reporters ahead of the trip that she planned to discuss Chinas unfair economic practices  barriers to market access for foreign firms and issues involving intellectual property.

But Beijing showed no movement on those fronts, in part because Yellen didnt bring any concession on pending U.S. initiatives likerestrictions on outbound investment andcurbs on Chinese corporate access to U.S. cloud-computing services.

The response in an editorial in the Chinese state news agency Xinhua: It is unproductive when the United States is posturing for dialogue and communication, while tightening its block and containment against China.

That meant that Yellen spent most of her time in Beijing trying to reassure the Chinese of U.S. intent rather than brainstorming approaches to specific bilateral disputes, said Mary Lovely, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Although Yellen reiterated that the U.S. isnt trying to decouple from the Chinese economy, the response of her Chinese hosts was likely Well, show me the money, Lovely said.



Kerry is hoping hell have better luck in his meetings with his counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, and other senior Chinese officials next week. But Kerry is likely to make little headway in persuading Beijing to reduce its reliance on coal-fired energy production while it struggles to revive its faltering economy.

I wouldn't look for breakthroughs  relations between the two governments remain very challenging, said David Sandalow, a former senior official at the Department of Energy during the Obama administration and founder of the U.S.-China program at Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy Policy.

Kerrys potential advantage: U.S.-China climate cooperation is essential to the success of the year-endU.N. climate conference in Dubai. But Beijing suspended a U.S.-China joint working group on climate cooperation as part of a package of reprisals for then-Speaker Nancy Pelosis Taiwan visit in August. It would be substantive progress if Kerry and Xie could come out of their meetings saying we've agreed that the working group is going to meet x-number of times between now and Dubai, said Joanna Lewis, an associate professor at Georgetown University and an expert on Chinas climate policies.

Kerrys travel plans have reinvigorated GOP skepticism on Capitol Hill.

Despite the sweet nothings CCP diplomats murmured into climate envoy Kerrys ear at Davos or COP26, in 2022 China started construction on six times more coal plant capacity than the rest of the world combined, said the China committee chair Gallagher. Chinas environmental record makes it the number one enemy on climate issues, rather than a partner, Gallagher said.

Others argued that the focus on climate is all wrong. Countering China and their malign agenda should be the top priority of the State Department rather than climate cooperation, said Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Biden administration argues that Chinas status as the worlds largest source of carbon emissions makes U.S. efforts to spur climate cooperation with Beijing unavoidable. Refusing to do so would be malpractice of the worst order  diplomatic and political, Kerry said.

Democratic lawmakers are holding out for the Biden approach  arguing that talks about talks are how progress starts.

I reject the notion that diplomacy is an act of weakness, said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), a member of the House Select Committee on China. Communicating is what countries do, especially when the two countries are the most powerful in the world.

And reestablishing regular and reliable high-level contacts between senior officials may also help pave the way to a much-anticipated face to face encounter between Biden and Xi later this year.

Outreach by Blinken, Yellen and Kerry provides an essential groundwork for a successful Xi-Biden meeting at APEC in the fall and help prevent the relationship from further deterioration, said Susan Shirk, former deputy assistant secretary of State in the Clinton administration.
The director of operations for U.S. Northern Command was suspended last week, the command confirmed to Military Times.

Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Lestorti, the combatant commands top operations officer, was removed from his position by Gen. Glen VanHerck, the commander of NORTHCOM, due to a loss of trust and confidence, NORTHCOM spokesperson Air Force Col. Elizabeth Mathias told Military Times in an email. Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Davis will serve as the acting operations director, she said.

Lestorti did not respond to a request for comment. The Messenger was the first to report on Lestortis suspension.

A NORTHCOM official said that Lestortis removal is permanent.

An Army officer who knows Lestorti personally told Military Times that Lestortis firing was not due to personal misconduct.

He held people to a high standard and I think that came to a head, said the officer, who spoke on the condition his name not be used, as he was not cleared to speak to media. Its not because of any allegations of personal misconduct of a nefarious nature.

Before moving to NORTHCOM, Lestorti had served as the Deputy Director for Global Integration and Current Operations with the Joint Staff. Prior to that, Lestorti served as the commanding general for the 78th Training Division out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey from July 2018 to October 2019.
Disney says politically correct Snow White set photos being shared by conservatives are fake

Set photos purporting to be from Disneys live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs received backlash from conservatives for its politically correct depiction of the princess famed companions.

Now, Disney has confirmed that the so-called set photos are actually fake.

This week, the Daily Mail published an article  titled Snow White and the Seven...Politically-Correct Companions  which claimed to show leaked images from the Disney set in Bedfordshire, England.

In the photos, an actress appeared to be dressed in Snow Whites signature yellow and blue dress with a red cape, accompanied by a cast of diverse actors playing the seven characters.

The decision to remake the 1937 animated Disney film previously faced backlash from Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage, who described the reboot as f***ing backwards.

Youre progressive in one way and youre still making that f***ing backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, he said during an interview on Marc Marons WTF podcast. What the f*** are you doing man?

However, a Disney spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast on Friday (14 July) that the set photos are indeed fake. The photos are fake and not from our production. We are currently trying to have the Daily Mail issue a correction, they said.

More follows
Disneyland workers could get a pay hike to nearly $20 an hour after living-wage win

Disneyland Resort workers could get a pay boost after a California appeals court ruled that the theme park is covered by Anaheim's 2018 voter initiative that applies a minimum wage to resort companies that have tax rebate agreements with the city. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A California appellate court ruled that Disneyland has illegally evaded a living-wage law passed by Anaheim voters in 2018 that could boost pay for Disneyland Resort workers to nearly $20 an hour.

The ordinance, known as Measure L, applies a minimum wage to Anaheim resort companies that have tax rebate agreements with the city.

In response to a class-action lawsuit representing 25,000 workers, attorneys for Walt Disney Co. argued that it received no such city subsidies in Anaheim and that the law therefore didnt apply.

But a three-judge panel from California's 4th District Court of Appeal disagreed, citing a provision in a 1996 Disney expansion deal passed by Anaheim in which the city agreed to repay the company if it had to cover bond payments.

"We are pleased the court focused on the economic reality of Disney's agreements with Anaheim and concluded that Disney is obligated to comply with the living wage law," said Sarah Grossman-Swenson, an attorney representing the workers. "The court's decision will have a real impact on thousands of Disney employees who work so hard but struggle to provide for their families."

Under the minimum-wage law, Disney theme park employees could be paid nearly $20 an hour.

"It's a huge legal victory for not just workers at the resort and at the park but the voters of the city as well because they're the ones who passed this measure," Workers' United Local 50 Vice President Chris Duarte said. Local 50 represents about 8,500 Disneyland food and beverage staff.

The ruling was a "good surprise" for Duarte, who said that the union is still trying to grasp the full effect amid bargaining with Disney as their contract expires Sept. 1. Park performers, represented by the American Guild of Variety Artists, are also in contract negotiations. Next year, the contract expires for workers represented by the Masters Services Council, a coalition of Teamsters Local 495, Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324 and Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 85.

"There's no way to ignore it," Duarte said.

Many of the workers are employed by Disney. Others work for contractors such as Sodexo and SodexoMagic, which operate restaurants and coffee shops in the resort.

Read more: How Disney, a new mayor and a secret 'cabal' gained power over Anaheim

Disneyland spokesperson Suzi Brown said the company is reviewing the opinion and considering our options."

Anaheim city spokesperson Mike Lyster said: "We respectfully question the interpretation but need to analyze the decision in the days ahead to determine what it means."

The Anaheim City Council has given generous tax breaks to the largest employer in Orange County in the past.

In 2015, council members approved a policy to reimburse Disney for any future admissions tax for up to 45 years in exchange for a $1-billion expansion of the theme park.

The next year, Disney received a $267-million tax break for a planned luxury hotel.

Read more: Disney CEO Bob Iger calls actors and writers not 'realistic' in contract demands

But in the midst of the heated living-wage campaign, Disney asked the Anaheim City Council to tear up the two agreements.

The move shocked some political observers, who saw it as a calculated way to evade the measure if passed by Anaheim voters.

Without the agreements on the books, the city exempted Disney from the law in 2019 on the grounds that its triggers didnt apply to the company.

An Orange County Superior Court judge agreed in a summary judgment favoring Disney two years later.

Whether the city of Anaheim subsidized the Disney defendants in a colloquial sense is not an issue, Judge William D. Claster wrote in a tentative ruling in 2021.

Read more: Worker strikes hit more hotels, this time near Disneyland

The appellate court overturned Claster's ruling, which hinged on the 1996 expansion deal that paved the way for Disney to build California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the Grand Californian Hotel while Anaheim modernized its resort area with $510 million in bond proceeds.

Disney has never had to cover any bond payments, even when the COVID-19 pandemic closed Disneyland for 13 months and tourism in the city plummeted.

Disney could appeal the appellate ruling to the California Supreme Court, but attorneys representing its workers hope that the legal fight is over.

"We know from talking to several of the named plaintiffs in the litigation, that they had at least a shortfall of several dollars per hour for some time," Grossman-Swenson said. "We urge Disney to do the right thing and start complying with the law."

In a February 2018 survey by Occidental College and the Los Angeles-based Economic Roundtable, Disneyland employees cited high instances of homelessness, low wages and food insecurity. Disneyland representatives called the survey, which was paid for by labor unions, "inaccurate and unscientific."

Virginia Aguirre, who has worked at the Starbucks on Disneyland's Main Street for 10 years, once lived only three miles from the theme park but now commutes 90 miles to work from her daughter's San Bernardino County home. Aguirre, 59, cried as she described how she faced eviction because she couldn't pay the one-bedroom apartment's rent, which had slowly doubled to $1,600 a month.

"You put on that smile, and you will make magic for these thousands of people and carry on the responsibilities that our managers expect us to carry on, but it's rough," Aguirre said.

Roberto Villasenor, who also works in food and beverage service at Disneyland, said he often must choose between gas to commute to work and his monthly asthma medication as expenses for both became more challenging.

Disney constantly boosts its customer-service standards, Villasenor said. "But for the expectations that they increase, they're not increasing the wages," he said.

Aguirre said she hopes Thursday's appellate court ruling means that Disney will fulfill its responsibilities under the 2018 voter-approved initiative.

"When we get our back pay, God willing, that lump sum will help me relocate and come back, take my stuff out of storage and live modestly," she said. "Pay us a livable wage so that our smile isn't fake."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Martha, left and Mary Bates were located safe Thursday, July 13, 2023 in Highland County, Virginia.

A Prince George County woman and her daughter who went missing over the weekend while heading to a faith-based camp in West Virginia have been located, and everyone is OK.

Martha Bates, 42, and Mary Bates, 15 were found around 4 p.m. Thursday in Highland County, Virginia, according to an email from Prince George Police. They spent about four days in the woods while authorities from Highland County and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management searched for them.

We are happy to report that they are in good health and have been reunited with their family, the Prince George email read.

Marthas husband, Michael, had gone to Highland County to assist in the search.

The mother and daughter were en route last weekend to Camp Carlo, a summer camp for kids in Huttonsville, West Virginia. Michael Bates reported them missing after finding out they never made it to their destination.

Authorities were able to trace the two from the last ping of the mothers cell phone reported around 4 p.m. July 9 near the Highland County town of Monterrey, about 45 miles east of Huttonsville.

The Bates family lives in Disputanta.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Disputanta woman and daughter found safe after four days missing
China moves to support generative AI, regulate applications

Xinhua) 08:49, July 14, 2023

BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China's internet watchdog and several other authorities, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology, have jointly issued an interim regulation on the management of generative artificial intelligence (AI) services.

The regulation, published on the website of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Thursday, will go into effect on Aug. 15.

It puts forward a slew of measures on boosting generative AI technology on the one hand, and stipulates basic norms for generative AI service providers on the other.

The booming of generative AI technology has created new opportunities for economic and social development, but has also brought problems such as the spreading of fake information, the infringement of personal information and data safety, an official with the CAC noted.

The move is aimed at promoting the sound development of generative AI and its standard applications, safeguarding national security and social public interests, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, legal entities and organizations, according to the CAC.

As per the regulation, China will encourage innovative applications of generative AI technology in various industries and fields, and will support industrial organizations, enterprises, education and research institutes and other relative institutions to carry out collaboration in this regard.

Meanwhile, regulators will exercise classified and grading supervision on generative AI services, states the regulation, requiring service providers to fulfill the obligations of online information security, including protecting netizens' personal information, and to take precautions to prevent under-age users from becoming addicted to such services.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
 Flash

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi holds a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 12, 2023. [Photo/Chinese Foreign Ministry]

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday that the United States should take concrete actions to bring China-U.S. relations back to the right track.

When meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said both sides have reached a consensus through in-depth and candid communications during Blinken's visit to China last month.

The most important consensus is returning to the agenda set by the two heads of state in Bali, Indonesia, and taking a key step towards setting the right course of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations, he added.

The U.S. side should reflect on the crux leading to the difficulties of China-U.S. relations, turn the consensus reached between the Chinese and U.S. presidents at their Bali meeting into concrete actions, and make good on the promises made by U.S. President Joe Biden, Wang said.

Concrete actions are necessary to remove obstacles, both expected and unexpected, to accumulate momentum for a stable China-U.S. relationship, Wang noted.

He called on the United States to adopt a rational and pragmatic attitude and work with China in the same direction to advance consultations on the guiding principles for China-U.S. relations, expand diplomatic and security communication channels, improve the effectiveness of communications, and facilitate people-to-people exchanges.

Wang elaborated on China's solemn position on the Taiwan question, demanding that the United States refrain from wantonly interfering in China's internal affairs, or undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop its economic, trade, scientific and technological suppression of China, and lift its unlawful and unreasonable sanctions against China.

As major countries with important influence, China and the United States should respect the efforts of regional countries, support ASEAN centrality, and avoid triggering disputes and complicated factors in regional cooperation, Wang said.

The two sides also actively explored ways to carry out consultations on Asia-Pacific issues and maritime affairs. They considered this meeting to be candid, pragmatic and constructive, and agreed to maintain communication with each other.
Its not new info that diverse teams are higher achieving, or that hiring with that fact in mind is a good business decision.

A 2016 Harvard Business Review piece about the extensive research into why thats the case, headlined, Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter, cited a 2015 McKinsey report on 366 public companies that found that those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean.

Yet Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is leading a coalition of Republican attorneys general threatening serious legal consequences against Fortune 100 companies acting on that information.

On Thursday, Kobach and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti sent a letter to all Fortune 100 CEOs, also signed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and 10 other Republican AGs. In it, they warn that theyll come after companies that continue to consider race and diversity, equity and inclusion in their hiring practices.

Why, exactly, should companies disadvantage themselves in this way?

Because, according to Kobachs letter, the Supreme Courts recent decision striking down affirmative action in universities means that all race-based hiring practices violate federal employment discrimination laws.

For decades  really, ever since the Dixiecrats opposed to civil rights legislation fled to the GOP and our two major parties traded places on race  Republicans have been arguing in various ways that the only systemic racism that exists in the United States of America disadvantages white people.

We urge you to immediately cease any unlawful race-based quotas or preferences your company has adopted for its employment and contracting practices, the letter says. If you choose not to do so, know that you will be held accountable  sooner rather than later  for your decision to continue treating people differently because of the color of their skin.

Such overt and pervasive racial discrimination in the employment and contracting practices of Fortune 100 companies compels us to remind you of the obvious: Racial discrimination is both immoral and illegal.

Ignores Martin Luther King Jr. on discrimination, poverty

Yes, its cherry-on-sundae time, using the words of Martin Luther King Jr., yet again, to argue against racial justice, no matter that in all cases, righting historical and also very much current-day wrongs happens to make practical sense.

All Americans should be judged based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin, Kobach said, quoting from Kings I Have a Dream speech.

Never quoted from that same speech by Republican radicals  we have stopped calling them conservatives, because they arent that  is Kings observation that a century after the Emancipation Proclamation, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so weve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense weve come to our nations capital to cash a check.

While Kobachs fellow Republican, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, normalizes white nationalism without any fear of Jesus or his constituents, we think of these much less soothing words from MLK: Loose and easy language about equality, resonant resolutions about brotherhood fall pleasantly on the ear, but for the Negro there is a credibility gap he cannot overlook. He remembers that with each modest advance the white population promptly raises the argument that the Negro has come far enough. Each step forward accents an ever-present tendency to backlash. No less true today, unfortunately.

And why is it never acknowledged that race-conscious hiring helps us all? Not only because diverse teams make fewer mistakes, but because as King also said, We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
The House Administration Committee on Thursday advanced a divisive election reform bill that would encourage states to adopt stricter voter ID requirements, force Washington, D.C., to change some election processes and make changes to federal campaign finance rules.

The bill, which is more than 200 pages long, advanced to the House floor by an 8-4 vote, after Republicans rejected dozens of Democratic amendments during an hours-long markup.

Republicans first introduced a version of the bill last year, in response to Democrats attempts to pass a sweeping election reform bill that would have expanded federal authority in elections.

Republicans unveiled the bill at a field hearing Monday in Georgia, where House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) praised the states election laws.

The bill also comes as many in the GOP continue pushing false claims about fraud in the 2020 election, although Steil has said work on the bill started before that election took place.

This legislation is the most substantive and conservative election integrity legislation that will come before the House in over a generation, Steil said at a press conference Monday. We want to make it easy to vote, and hard to cheat.

Democrats on the committee have fought back against provisions in package. Ranking member Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.) argued the bill would restrict the right to vote for many people of color, jeopardize election security, burden local officials, and bring dark money into the election process, opening the door to corruption.

This legislation is designed to appease extremist election deniers who have spent the last four years attacking our democracy, Morelle said in a statement. While this Republican bill would undermine the voice of everyday Americans and instead empower special interests, House Democrats are working to protect and strengthen our democracy.

The bill would implement several changes to D.C. election laws, including requiring photo IDs to vote, and it would repeal a law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections.

This provision came under fire during the committee markup. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) tried to strike this section of the bill, saying D.C. residents should be able to govern themselves.

If elections in Washington, D.C., lack integrity, it is not because of fraud or insecure election procedures. It is because half a million D.C. residents are being denied full voting representation in Congress, Sewell reportedly said at the committee markup.

The bill, called the American Confidence in Elections Act, would also encourage states that receive elections-related federal grants to implement several changes, several of which would ease audits of elections after the fact.

States would be required to preserve election materials  such as ballots and ballot envelope images  for 22 months after the election. The bill also allows the federal grant money to fund audits and allows states to implement certain restrictions on ballot harvesting. The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to provide data to states looking to check whether registered voters have died.

The bill also makes certain changes to campaign finance rules, including loosening rules on political party committees coordinating expenditures with candidates, and it would raise contribution limits for political party committees.

Additionally, the bill repeals an executive order from President Biden directing federal agency heads to evaluate ways to promote voter participation and registration.

Only one Democratic amendment was supported by Republicans. The measure from Rep. Derek Kilmers (D-Wash.) would commission a study to determine whether states could conduct special elections for Congress if members were involved in a mass casualty event.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
DNA evidence leads to conviction of Columbus man in two cold cases from the 1990s

Robert Edwards, 68, seen here during his trial in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, was convicted Friday for the murder of Alma Renee Lake in 1991 and the rape and murder of Michelle Dawson-Pass in 1996.

Five years apart, in 1991 and 1996, two Columbus women were strangled and their naked bodies were dumped for others to find  the first in Urbancrest and the second in Granville.

Authorities would not connect the deaths of 30-year-old Alma Renee Lakes and 36-year-old Michelle Dawson-Pass until 2003 using DNA evidence. Whose DNA was found on their bodies would not be determined until 2021.

Decades later, a Franklin County Common Pleas Court a jury on Friday found 68-year-old Robert Edwards guilty of the murder of Lake, guilty of aggravated murder and murder in the death of Dawson-Pass, and guilty of the rape of Dawson-Pass.

Edwards was not charged with raping Lake, even though county prosecutors said he did because there is a 30-year statute of limitations on bringing a rape charge.

Regina Dawson, who was 17 when her mother Michelle Dawson-Pass was killed, cried as the verdict was read in court.

The burden has lifted off of my shoulders, Dawson said afterward in the courthouse hallway as she hugged Franklin County Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Meyer. Mommy, you can really rest now.

Michelle Dawson-Pass' daughter, Regina Dawson, was 17 when her mother was raped and murdered in November 1996. Regina described her mother as a funny, God-fearing woman. This family picture was taken about a year before Michelle's death.

Attorneys representing Edwards argued during his trial this week that the prosecution's DNA and geography arguments  that Edwards had sex with both women and that their bodies were left near where he lived in 1991 and 1996  was not enough to proof he murdered Lake and Dawson-Pass.

The central problem in this case is the assumption  that the DNA we find has to be the answer to who killed these people when theres no necessary relationship, said Vincent Watkins, an attorney with the Franklin County Public Defenders Office, said during closing arguments on Thursday.

Watkins said its possible Edwards had sex with Lake or Dawson-Pass and left his DNA behind days before they died.

The prosecutions "entire case is what are the odds this was a coincidence, Watkins said.

Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor David Zeyen argued during closing arguments "that it is so inconceivable, so astronomically unlikely for this to happen once to (Edwards) and then happen again to (Edwards).

Alma Renee Lake, 30, who was murdered in 1991. This photo is from the Ohio Attorney General's Office unsolved homicide database.

The case: What are the odds?

On the morning of June 3, 1991, two people passing by spotted Lake lying nude in the grass on the northwest corner of Olive and Craig streets in Urbancrest.

In 1991, Edwards lived in that village in southwest Franklin County.

On the morning of Nov. 11, 1996, a woman called 911 to report Dawsons naked body was in her front lawn in a remote area of Granville in Licking County.

In 1996, Edwards lived in Newark, which borders Granville.

Authorities in Franklin County investigated Lakes death. Five years later, Licking County authorities investigated Dawson-Pass death, but detectives could not find who killed the women.

Both had no clothes on or belongings around them.

Both women had marks on their wrists and ankles, indicating they had been tied up.

Both women worked at least sometimes as prostitutes on Columbus' East Side, according to Franklin County prosecutors.

Both women had similar trauma on their bodies that prosecutors said indicated they were sexually assaulted.

Lake had a mark on her neck from something being wrapped around it and died of strangulation, according to an autopsy.

An autopsy on Dawson-Pass noted injury to her neck and concluded she could have died of strangulation or the cocaine in her system or a combination of the two.

There was DNA from multiple men on Lakes body and DNA from one man on Dawson-Pass body.

In 2003, state authorities discovered that one DNA sample from Lakes body and the sample from Dawson-Pass body came from the same man.

But it wasnt until Edwards sons had a run-in with the justice system and their DNA was collected that authorities got another lead.

The Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation sent a tip in 2021 to the Franklin County Sheriffs Office that Robert Edwards might be the one who left DNA on Lake.

Sgt. Mickey Casper, a sheriff's cold case detective, said they surveilled Edwards at his home and eventually took a bag of his trash to collect DNA samples.

The DNA matched the DNA found on both women.

Casper brought Edwards in for an interview in November 2021. After the hours-long interview, Casper served him with a search warrant for a DNA swab of his cheek. This confirmed he had the same DNA that was found on Lake and Dawson-Pass.

In August 2022, the Franklin County Sheriffs Office announced charges against Edwards for Lakes murder at a press conference. Edwards would later be indicted for both murders by a Franklin County Common grand jury.

Dawson-Pass was found in Licking County, but prosecutors argued during the trial that her death was part of criminal conduct that began in Franklin County, giving the Franklin County court jurisdiction.

A few hours before her body was found, she was last seen walking south on Kelton Avenue in Columbus, heading to a friend's house, prosecutors said.

Robert Edwards, 68, is seen here Friday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, where a jury convicted him of murdering Alma Renee Lake in 1991 and Michelle Dawson-Pass in 1996. The jury also found him guilty of raping Dawson-Pass.

The jury hears from Robert Edwards

Edwards did not testify at his trial, but the jury heard from him when the prosecution played a garbled recorded jail call Edwards made to his daughter in August, 2022.

During the call, Edwards said authorities framed him and planted his DNA.

He told his daughter he definitely didnt have sex with the second woman, Dawson-Pass.

Edwards did admit he may have known Lake and been at a party with her and some others.

Edwards also told his daughter he can prove he is innocent, and that a convicted serial killer from California already confessed to these murders in Ohio.

Zeyen pointed out during the trial that Edwards was interviewed about these womens deaths almost a year prior and never mentioned anything about a serial killer.

Watkins later told the jury that Edwards was wrong about a serial killer confessing to murdering these women. If there was any evidence of that, Watkins said he would have put it before the jury.

Regina Dawson cries and is comforted by family after a jury convicted Robert Edwards, 68, on Friday, July 14, 2023, of murdering her mother, Michelle Dawson-Pass, in 1996. The jury also found Edwards guilty of raping Dawson-Pass. Regina Dawson's daughter, 23-year-old Rayona Dawson, wipes her mom's tears as Te-Sha Lee reaches forward to comfort them both and Cierra Davis, with the Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center, holds Dawson's hand.

Justice delayed

Regina Dawson, of Rochester, New York, told The Dispatch her mother Michelle was a loving person who was family-oriented and spiritual. She loved to dance and braid hair.

Michelle Dawson-Pass was usually sober, but she went through some trials and tribulations, Dawson said, and she was killed during one of those relapses.

It was difficult for Dawson to sit through the trial, to see photographs of her mothers body, and at times she had to step out.

On Friday, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Sheryl Munson read the verdict in court.

First, Munson announced that the jury found Edwards not guilty of aggravated murder in Lakes death. Dawsons heart sank for a moment. But then Munson read out the rest, four guilty verdicts.

Now I feel like I can breathe, Dawson said. I can walk down the street and not wonder, 'Am I walking past the person who killed her?'

Judge Munson will sentence Edwards on Aug. 9 to a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Munson will decide when he first has the opportunity for parole after at least 20 years or if he will get no opportunity for parole.

jlaird@dispatch.com

@LairdWrites

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus man found guilty of two cold case murders, rape
DNA leads police to man in 2000 sexual assault of teen girl in Phoenix, court records say

Phoenix police.

After 23 years, Phoenix police arrested a man in connection with a sexual assault case where a then-17-year-old girl was beaten and had a stun gun used on her, according to court documents.

Brian Eastwood, 59, was arrested on July 12 after DNA linked him to the 2000 crime near East Illini Street, court documents say.

Court documents state that on March 14, 2000, the 17-year-old victim reported the assault to officers after a witness called police and said she had seen the girl climb up the side of a highway in Phoenix dressed only in a shirt, with her wrists loosely tied together.

When officers arrived, the girl told them she had agreed to perform a sex act on a man for money and that during the interaction, he began beating her and used a stun gun on her, according to court documents.

A medical examination showed she had about 50 stun gun hits to various areas of her body, as well as noticeable ligature marks and multiple cuts.

Detectives continued to investigate the case through follow-ups with the victim and the reporting witness, but it wouldn't be until 2005 that a request was put in to process and analyze the sexual assault kit.

Ten years later, in December 2015, the Phoenix lab entered a supplement stating that it had found a DNA match obtained from the physical evidence and a profile obtained "from a known offender," court documents state.

Then in May 2023, investigators contacted the victim, now living in a different state, and told them that the suspect had been identified. Court documents said the potential closure brought her to tears.

The victim was later able to identify Eastwood through a black and white photo of him from 2002 presented by police and on July 12 Eastwood was arrested without incident, court documents state.

Prior to being read his Miranda rights, Eastwood told investigators that he did not remember anything from 23 years ago and that he did not sexually assault anyone, later adding that he was rich and married back in 2000 and thinks that someone "might still think that he is still rich and probably wants money from him," according to court documents.

Court documents list Eastwood as having prior arrests for sexual assault, transportation for prostitution, as well as weapon and drug charges.

Eastwood was booked into jail on a $350,000 bond and faces two counts of sexual assault.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Records: DNA links man to 2000 sexual assault of teen in Phoenix
Lawyer writing next to a gavel

Republicans have wasted no time weaponizing the Supreme Courts decision on affirmative action.

On Thursday, 13 GOP attorneys general wrote a letter demanding that Fortune 100 companies stop using race as a factor in hiring and promotion decisions. The group argued that the Supreme Courts ruling gutting race-conscious admissions policies set a precedent for hiring practices at private corporations.

Read more

We urge you to immediately cease any unlawful race-based quotas or preferences your company has adopted for its employment and contracting practices, wrote the attorneys general from Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana.

The letter begs the question: Can these states actually go after major corporations for including race in their employment practices, or is this just political posturing? The Root spoke to legal experts to try to find out.

This letter is a scare tactic, says University of New Mexico Constitutional and Employment Law Professor Vinay Harpalani. And unfortunately, its a pretty good one.

Although the Supreme Court decision didnt touch on hiring practices, Harpalani says that conservatives will certainly try to use it as a basis for challenging race in employment. The law, as it is now, allows affirmative action in employment, says Harpalani. But if the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, Im not at all confident that they would continue to allow it.

Justin Hansford, Executive Director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University, agrees that theres a reason to be concerned. This is an opening salvo, says Hansford, to put people on notice that this is what youre going to push.

This wouldnt be the first time a Supreme Court case on education had a wider impact on society and employment specifically, says Hansford, citing the legal and social changes in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education. Theyre hoping that the end of affirmative action in higher education will ricochet across society, he says.

Amalea Smirniotopoulos, NAACP Legal Defense Fund Senior Policy Counsel, says that these Republican attorneys general are trying to make the Supreme Courts affirmative decision about something its not.

This was another attempt to chill completely lawful efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion by corporations, says Smirniotopoulos. By really trying to stretch the meaning of the decision in the Harvard and UNC cases and frankly by also restating things that have always been true about discrimination law and employment.

The biggest concern shared by both Smirniotopoulos and Hansford is that companies will use the fear of litigation to back-pedal policies intended to promote diversity.

Some of these companies werent really doing that much anyway... and what they were doing was done only under pressure, says Hansford. This could be an excuse for some companies that already didnt want to push the envelope on diversity to start walking things back.

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Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith opposed Donald Trumps request for an indefinite delay in his criminal trial about classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, saying part of the former presidents request borders on the frivolous.

There is no basis in law or fact for proceeding in such an indeterminate and open-ended fashion, and the Defedants provide none, wrote assistant special counsel David Harbach.

Trump and his personal valet, Walt Nauta, pleaded not guilty to keeping national defense records after leaving the White House and conspiracy to obstruct justice. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon set a tentative trial date for Aug. 14, but Smiths team argued Dec. 11 would allow enough time for defense lawyers to get security clearances and review the evidence.

Trumps lawyers asked this week for the case to be delayed indefinitely because of the voluminous evidence and by arguing he couldnt get a fair trial while campaigning for president in 2024. Trumps lawyers also said judges will be making novel decisions about the Presidential Records Act because this is the first criminal case against a former president.

Prosecutors disagreed.

As for the impact of the Presidential Records on this prosecution, any argument that it mandates dismissal of the Indictment or forms a defense to the charges borders on the frivolous, Harbach wrote.

Cannon scheduled a conference Tuesday for lawyers involved in the case.

Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to reporters Friday, June 9, 2023, in Washington. Former President Donald Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed on Friday.

Trumps lawyers argued that the evidence is too voluminous to review quickly. The government provided 833,450 pages of unclassified documents including 122,650 emails and attachments and 305,670 records gathered from 90 different custodians. Prosecutors also provided about nine months of closed-circuit television footage.

But prosecutors said only about 4,500 pages of the 800,000 are key documents. Prosecutors also said defense claims about nine months of video footage are misleading because the government used only selected cameras.

Prosecutors said about 340 classified documents at stake in the case and most will be transported to a secure reading room in Miami next week. Only two of Trumps lawyers have applied for security clearances so far, prosecutors said.

If defense lawyers want to argue novel aspects of the case, prosecutors said they would respond promptly. Prosecutors said the presidential campaign shouldnt figure into determining when the trial is held.

Many indicted defendants have demanding jobs that require a considerable amount of time and energy, or a significant amount of travel, Harbach wrote.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ urges court to keep Dec. 11 trial date for Donald Trump
The Justice Department (DOJ) in its first letter to Congress since the GOP kicked off a probe into the investigation of Hunter Biden reiterated the stance of U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss that he had total control over the matter.

Bidens plea deal on tax crime charges has ignited fury from Republicans, who released a transcript from an IRS whistleblower who spoke to Congress and alleged the investigation was slow-walked as the presidents son received preferential treatment.

IRS investigator Gary Shapley also claimed Weiss said he was blocked from bringing charges in Washington, D.C.  the district where he believed prosecutors could bring the strongest case against Biden.

Weiss has maintained that he had complete investigative authority and directly contradicted Shapleys testimony by maintaining he was assured he would be able to receive a special status to bring charges in other districts should he wish to.

U.S. Attorney Weiss has consistently made clear in his letters to the House Judiciary Committee and Members of Congress that he has ultimate authority over the matter, including the authority to bring a case in any jurisdiction, consistent with federal law, the principles of federal prosecution, and department regulations, the DOJ writes in a letter obtained by The Hill.

Weiss, appointed by Trump, was one of the few U.S. attorneys asked to stay on during the transition to the new administration so that he could continue his investigation into Biden.

He has already agreed to meet with the committee.

The letter is in response to a letter from the chairs of the House Judiciary, Ways and Means and Oversight panels, in which they which requested to speak with a number of IRS, DOJ and FBI officials.

Whether Weiss sought or would have been granted special counsel status is at issue largely because Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers Weiss had full authority  to bring cases in other districts if he needs to do that.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said the comment could be grounds for an impeachment if Shapleys testimony proves true and Garlands comments false.

Weiss, the DOJ and the U.S. attorney in D.C. have said the Delaware prosecutor was free to pursue the case as he saw fit, including deciding where to bring charges.

There are two statutes that govern special prosecutorial authorities, one that imbues special counsel status and another that gives a prosecutor special attorney status, which allows them to bring charges outside their district.

U.S. Attorney Weiss further explained that if he wanted to bring charges outside the District of Delaware, he could either partner with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the other district, or seek Special Attorney status, DOJ writes

As U.S. Attorney Weiss explained, he was assured that he would be granted this authority if it proved necessary.

Shapley is now set to testify before Congress Wednesday of next week.

Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of willful failure to pay taxes. Amid the five-year investigation, he has since paid more than $200,000 in taxes.

He also agreed to enter a pretrial diversion program relating to a failure to admit to drug use when purchasing a weapon.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The News

If theres a glimmer of hope for Ron DeSantis and the rest of the Republican field hoping to defeat Donald Trump, it was in a focus group of evangelical voters in Iowa on Thursday night.

Trump, much of the group argued, did positive things during his presidency  and they agreed with him on many points. But, save for a few participants, they werent thrilled with him taking office again: Some said it was time to make way for a new face, while others cited his drama, his baggage, and his need to please people as reasons they were considering other options. One voter said he should apologize for Operation Warp Speed.

The biggest difference between DeSantis and Trump for me is DeSantis drives the boat, one participant explained. Trump looks to see where the wind is blowing, and drives in that direction. Whether its the right direction or not.

The event, which featured eighteen voters, was hosted by pollster and communication strategist Frank Luntz. It came on the eve of Fridays social conservative cattle call for 2024 candidates put on by The Family Leader in Des Moines, which Trump is not attending.

Notably, fifteen of the focus group participants said they agreed with Trump that the 2020 election had been stolen. But that didnt stop them from raising concerns about 2024: One woman wanted to know how he would ensure the same thing didnt happen again. Several doubted his ability to win over independents who supported Joe Biden last time.

Do you know of any people that now support Trump that didnt support him then? one man asked. Hes only losing voters.

One 2020 Trump voter said she was unsure she would support him again in a general election, even as she expressed strongly conservative views on abortion.

Trumps rivals have been running ads, holding town halls, and sending out mailers to build up their respective profiles among Iowa voters in the early months of the campaign. They seem to be getting results, with participants showing interest in their biographies and eager to hear more.

Tim Scott was cited multiple times as the politician that participants viewed as most truthful (alongside Trump), though there was a noticeable lack of knowledge surrounding what hes done as a senator.

Tim Scott has an amazing story and thats really compelling for me, one person said. Thats not gonna make my decision for me  but it causes me to look into him a lot more than I would have without knowing his story.

Some participants also liked DeSantis, citing his focus on policy issues and military service, though one thought he came off as slick and another called him a career politician. Vivek Ramaswamy received some of the most widespread praise within the group, with one voter describing him as a young, anti-woke candidate with a willingness to be bold.

Hes not a career politician, another person said. Hes got some really, I think, intelligent ideas. Hes hungry. His parents were immigrants.

Shelbys view

Its one focus group half a year before the Iowa caucus so dont take it as gospel, but the findings suggest Trumps challengers arent delusional in thinking theres a potential path forward. Most of the candidates view Iowa as crucial to having a real shot at winning the nomination  and evangelical voters are crucial to winning Iowa. A few focus group participants were still big fans of Mike Huckabee, who won in 2008 with a faith-focused message.

Even before officially announcing his campaign, DeSantis met with prominent evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats (the host of Fridays event) and the two continue to keep in touch as the Florida governor targets evangelical voters in an attempt to revive his campaign. Meanwhile, Scott pregamed Fridays big social conservative event with a new ad arguing that the country should turn its attention back towards the gospel and that the key ingredients to the next American century start in a place of worship. Mike Pence is honing in on the same pool of voters, betting that his personal faith and hardline position on abortion will win him evangelical support.

With all that in mind, Fridays event is the biggest chance Republican presidential hopefuls have had thus far to make their case, with each set to be interviewed by Tucker Carlson.

The stakes are even higher because of Trumps absence: While polling within the state is scarce, recent surveys show the former president with a comfortable lead. But hes frustrated some Republicans in recent weeks with attacks against Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds  one state senator switched his support to DeSantis in response  and his dismissal of this event. And, as far back as December of last year, some top evangelical leaders were already trying to steer their followers away from Trump.

Know More

For religious conservatives, the stakes are high. Participants in Thursdays focus group expressed deep concern about the state of the world, with many bringing up the increased prominence of gay and especially transgender life in American culture, and expressing particular concern about education.

The conversation was often personal: Some said they had LGBTQ people in their life who they love and maintain relationships with, even as they find it difficult to accept their identity and choices.

Most of us would not approve of a pursuit of a lifestyle that we see as damaging and not in Gods plan for them, one participant said. But Ive been in the church my entire life. Ive never met one person that I can honestly say, hates gay people.

Room for Disagreement

Republican voters have shown some ambivalence about Trump in the past, especially after the midterms, but he has a dominant lead in polls. He also performed well at the Faith and Freedom Conference last month, another major gathering of social conservative activists, where his reluctance to embrace a national ban on abortion did little to diminish enthusiasm for his campaign.
We don't need to create a Mossad, we have our own  Chief of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence

Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, stated that the country does not need to create a Mossad in order to detect enemies abroad as such an agency "already exists [in Ukraine  ed.]".

Source: Budanov in an interview with the Reuters agency

Quote: "If you're asking about Mossad as being famous (for) ... eliminating enemies of their state, then we were doing it and we will be doing it. We don't need to create anything because it already exists."

Details: Western media calls Budanov "enigmatic and intense" and describes his office. There is a painting of an owl, the symbol of the Ukrainian Defence Intelligence, digging its claws into a bat, the emblem of the Intelligence of Russia.

In May, the Kremlin described Budanov's promise to "keep killing Russians anywhere on the face of this world until the complete victory of Ukraine" as "monstrous".

The Russians blame the Ukrainian special services for killings in the territory of Russia. In April, Budanov was even arrested in Moscow in absentia on terrorism charges.

The possibility of the Ukrainian intelligence sending killers to hunt the enemies of state abroad called for a comparison with the Israeli Mossad, and the Head of the Defence Intelligence did not mind the analogy.

Budanov came to the interview with a gun. Armament and military equipment are scattered all over the floor of his office.

He stressed once again that Ukraine has its own sources in the offices closest to Putin.

At the end of May, Russia launched an attack on Budanovs headquarters in the Rybalskyi Peninsula in the city of Kyiv, which provoked the Russian media to report that Budanov was severely injured or even killed: "That wasn't their first attempt. But, as you can see, once again, we're here in the main quarters of this building. When you were outside, you could see people walking, and working. Everything is working as it should."

It was also remarked that 37-year-old Budanov had created an incredibly public image for an intelligence chief.

He explained that, in his opinion, an intelligence chief cannot remain in the shadows in the modern world: "It's not possible without this, not anymore. And all the next wars are going to look like this. In any country in the world. We can say that we're setting a trend here."

Budanov believes that since 2014, Ukraine had drawn conclusions about the necessity to make its messages clear: "We completely lost the information war in 2014. And the war, which began in (2022) - we started here in a completely different way. And now the Russians are losing the information battle."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






I don't give a damn  nobody will stop me  Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief on liberating Crimea

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that as soon as Ukraine has the resources, he would like to liberate Russian-occupied Crimea.

Source: Zaluzhnyi in an interview with The Washington Post

Details: It is noted that the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces would like to return the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, even though some Western officials privately worry about what Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's reaction would be if Ukrainian troops ever reached the territory.

Quote: "As soon as I have the means, Ill do something. I dont give a damn  nobody will stop me."

More details: Zaluzhnyi complains that Ukraine is dependent on other countries for ammunition.

He has stated that the more Ukraine can fire while pressing Russian troops, the fewer losses it will suffer, but now it depends on Western weapons and the defence industries of even partner countries do not have time to supply Ukraine with ammunition.

It is noted that conducting a counteroffensive to liberate the occupied territory, defeat Russia and minimise the losses of Ukraine requires resources, which, according to Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine still lacks.

Western officials say Ukraine has enough resources to succeed, but Zaluzhnyi sharply criticised colleagues who argued that Kyiv does not need F-16s.

The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces said that the military of his Western colleagues would never fight in this way.

Quote: "One of the questions that they ask me is: 'How do you withstand this?'. I have to live with it. Every day  those who were killed. Every day  crippled, missing. It's tragic."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






 Flash

Thailand's parliament failed to pick a new prime minister on Thursday as the sole candidate, Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, fell short of securing the majority support from the parliamentarians.

In a joint session of the 500-member lower house and the 250-senator upper house, Pita was the only candidate nominated as prime minister but received only 324 votes in favor, short of the simple majority required to become the prime minister.

The vote was held after several hours of debates among the parliamentarians.

The Move Forward Party emerged as the largest party in the lower house of the National Assembly in Thailand's general election in May. It has since formed a coalition with the Pheu Thai Party and other smaller parties previously in the opposition to support Pita's bid for prime minister.

Pita's coalition commands more than 310 seats in the House of Representatives, but he was unable to persuade enough senators who overwhelmingly voted abstain on Thursday.

The Move Forward Party later said in a statement that the party will continue its efforts to unite voices to form a government.

"We accepted the result, but we are not giving up," Pita told reporters. "I will strategize once again to consolidate the voice, so we can gather more votes in the next meeting."

Pita can contest the next parliamentary vote expected to be held next week if he is nominated again.

National Assembly President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha did not announce the plan for the next vote during the Thursday session, but he previously stated that July 19 is suitable for the parliament to convene should no winner emerge on Thursday.
On 13 July, Ukraines air defence forces in the south operated in difficult weather conditions, because Russian forces attacked with drones during a strong thunderstorm.

Source: Operational Command Pivden (South) on Facebook

Quote: "The enemy is using attack drones during a strong thunderstorm."

Details: The command clarified that in the Black Sea there are two missile carriers on combat duty, equipped with up to 12 Kalibr missiles.

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An hours-long manhunt was conducted early Friday in Oconee County that ended with the capture of three of five suspects in a car that fled from a Barrow County deputy.

Athens-Clarke police were dispatched shortly before 4 a.m. to participate in the search that included a drone unit and a K-9 team from the Auburn Police Department, according to a report.

The manhunt involved a car that was pursued on Highway 316 from Barrow County into Oconee County and ended when a Barrow deputy conducted a PIT maneuver, according to police. The suspects then fled on foot.

Five men were in the 2017 Honda Accord and three have been captured, according to the report.

An unsuccessful search continued for the other two men, including the driver identified as a 20-year-old resident of Hardman Morris Road near Colbert.

Game thefts: Fantasy games thief remains unidentified after Oconee burglary

Drug sentences: Three sentenced to prison in U.S. District Court in Athens for dealing meth, heroine

Oconee sheriff's Chief Deputy Jeremy Wasdin said late Friday that those two suspects were not located.

Details of why Barrow deputies were pursuing the car were not available.

Police and deputies from Oconee and Barrow counties set up a central command station on Highway 316 near U.S. Highway 78.

One suspect, a 17-year-old Athens man, was captured by Barrow deputies soon after the car wrecked, according to the report. Two guns were found in the car, so police reported they believe the men were armed.

A drone was taken to the scene by Athens-Clarke police and the drone operator was put in radio contact with the dog tracking team, police said.

The drone picked up two heat signatures in the direction the K-9 team was headed and the drone operator was able to direct the officers to the location where the two suspects were taken into custody.

Information was found inside the car that helped identify the Colbert man as the driver of the car. The car used by the suspects was reported stolen that morning by a 31-year-old Athens woman, who said it was stolen while parked at her home on Florida Avenue.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Drone helps nab two of five fleeing suspects in Oconee County manhunt
Transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney, whose promotion of BudLight led to conservatives to boycott the beer, has a higher favourability rating than Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, who has enacted anti-LGBTQ+ policies, separate polls suggest.

A DailyMail.com/TIPP Poll released a survey on Tuesday showing that 50 per cent of American participants said they hold a favourable view of Ms Mulvaney, as 23 per cent said they hold a very favourable view and 27 per cent said they hold a somewhat favourable view.

With 42 per cent viewing her unfavourably, she has a net score of plus 8. The survey asked 1,300 US adults, but after 57 per cent said they had not heard of or were unfamiliar with Ms Mulvaney, they were not asked any further questions.

By contrast, Fivethirtyeight national poll averages on the same day indicate that the Florida Gov has a favourability score of 35.5 per cent, but has an unfavourability score of 45.9 per cent. That means that Mr DeSantis has a net score of negative 10.3.

Mr DeSantis trails fellow GOP 2024 hopeful former President Donald Trump in the polls. Fivethirtyeight shows Mr Trump polling at 49.7 per cent while the Florida governor holds the second place slot, but polls at a mere 21 per cent.

Ms Mulvaney revealed this week that she left the US because she said she doesnt  feel safe  after the Bud Light backlash. Hello from Peru, she wrote on social media.

The social media star was featured in a BudLight ad in April, which sparked a boycott led by conservatives, including politicians and celebrities.

Since then, the CEO for the beer brands parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, said, I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive, Brendan Whitworth said. And Bud Light really doesnt belong there. Bud Light should be all about bringing people together.
PM Images - Getty Images

Humans pumping groundwater has a substantial impact on the tilt of Earths rotation.

Additionally, a new study documents just how much of an influence groundwater pumping has on climate change.

Understanding this relatively recent data may provide a better understanding of how to help stave off sea-level rise.

Water has power. So much power, in fact, that pumping Earths groundwater can change the planets tilt and rotation. It can also impact sea-level rise and other consequences of climate change.

Pumping groundwater appears to have a greater consequence than ever previously thought. But nowthanks to a new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letterswe can see that, in less than two decades, Earth has tilted 31.5 inches as a result of pumping groundwater. This equates to.24 inches of sea level rise.

Earths rotational pole actually changes a lot, Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University and study lead, says in a statement. Our study shows that among climate-related causes, the redistribution of groundwater actually has the largest impact on the drift of the rotational pole.

With the Earth moving on a rotational pole, the distribution of water on the planet impacts distribution of mass. Like adding a tiny bit of weight to a spinning top, authors say, the Earth spins a little differently as water is moved around.

Thanks to a study from NASA published in 2016, we were alerted to the fact that the distribution of water can change the Earths rotation. This new study attempted to add some hard figures to that realization. Im very glad to find the unexplained cause of the rotation pole drift, Seo says. On the other hand, as a resident of Earth and a father, Im concerned and surprised to see that pumping groundwater is another source of sea-level rise.

The study included data from 1993 through 2010, and showed that the pumping of as much as 2,150 gigatons of groundwater has caused a change in the Earths tilt of roughly 31.5 inches, thanks to. The pumping is largely for irrigation and human use, with the groundwater eventually relocating to the oceans.

In the study, researchers modeled observed changes in the drift of Earths rotational pole and the movement of water. Across varying scenarios, the only model that matched the drift was one that included 2,150 gigatons of groundwater distribution.

Surendra Adhikari, a research scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory who was involved in the 2016 study, says the additional research is important. Theyve quantified the role of groundwater pumping on polar motion, he says in a news release, and its pretty significant.

Where the water moves fromand tomatters. Redistributing water from the midlatitudes makes the biggest difference, so our intense water movement from both western North America and northwestern India have played a key role in the tilt changes.

Now that the impact of water movement is known for such a shortand relatively recenttime, digging through historical data may help show trends and provide greater depth to the understanding of groundwater movement effects.

Observing changes in Earths rotational pole is useful, Seo says, for understanding continent-scale water storage variations.

This data may also help conservationists understand how to work toward staving off continued sea level rise and other climate issues. Hopefully, changes can be properly implemented over time.

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East Kellogg used car dealer under scrutiny again after buyers complain about defects

A Wichita used car dealer is under scrutiny again after some of its customers complained that they werent told about defects on the vehicles they bought.

A repair shop that inspected one of the vehicles sold by the dealer even deemed it unsafe and not road worthy, according to a Kansas Consumer Protection Act case filed this spring by the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office seeking thousands of dollars in civil fines and penalties.

This isnt the first time Wichita Auto Plaza LLC, 5927 E. Kellogg, and the licensed salesperson who operates and manages it, Marco Abraham, have been accused by the DA of engaging in deceptive or unconscionable business practices. In August 2020, Abraham agreed to pay $77,800 through a consent judgment after the DA sued him for selling cars in 2018 and 2019 that reportedly werent in the promised condition and needed repairs never disclosed to customers.

In that case, Abraham claimed he hadnt been dishonest with buyers  some just complained that they have oil leaks  and other problems, he told The Eagle at the time  and let them return the vehicles for a refund.

But Wichita Auto Plaza and Abraham later became the subject of more consumer protection complaints after six car buyers notified the DAs Office that they werent told about problems before their purchases.

In response to those complaints, the DAs Office in October 2021 demanded that the dealership and Abraham properly disclose all material issues with vehicles they offered for sale including conditions you can reasonably become aware of, according to the DAs May 8 petition.

But the alleged failures on the part of the dealer and Abraham apparently persisted.

In May 2022, a Wichita veteran over the age of 60 who is considered a protected customer under state law bought a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado from Abraham for $15,000 without being told that it had structural damage, the petition alleges.

The damage was so bad that a repair shop later determined the truck was unsafe to drive.

Abraham, the petition argues, knew about the structural damage because he was told about it when he purchased the truck from an auto auctioneer more than a month before the sale.

Abraham eventually gave a full refund to the veteran in February, in response to the DAs investigation, according to the petition.

Wichita Auto Plaza and Abraham also sold a faulty 2016 Ford Mustang to a Wichita woman in June 2022 for $20,682.80 without telling her that the car was missing its airbags, the petition alleges. Abraham knew the airbags were gone and also about other structural damage to the car because he was told about it when he bought the car at auction 20 days earlier, the petition says.

The woman discovered the airbags werent in the car when she became involved in a hit-and-run collision. Its unclear whether she has received a refund.

In a recent phone call asking about the allegations, Abraham told The Eagle he had met with the DAs Office and said he thinks the Office canceled its case against him because they found no violation.

Jason Roach, chief attorney with the DAs Consumer Protection Division, confirmed in a recent email that the DAs Office spoke with Abraham not long after filing the case and are attempting to verify information that may result in a resolution of the complaint.

Roach said Abraham asked our office to dismiss the case based on actions his dealership has voluntarily taken to address the issues raised in our petition.

But he said he couldnt discuss any settlement negotiations that might have occurred because they are normally confidential.

The case remains pending in Sedgwick County District Court and neither Wichita Auto Plaza nor Abraham have filed a formal answer to the DAs petition.

The DAs Office contends in its petition that Wichita Auto Plaza and Abraham willfully failed to disclose defects about the faulty vehicles sold and also willfully violated the terms and conditions of its 2020 consent judgment.

The Office has asked the court to order the dealership and Abraham reimburse buyers plus pay at least $70,000 in civil fines and penalties, $2,000 for investigative costs and court costs of $197.

It also wants their business licenses revoked  or, at minimum, to have them temporarily banned from doing business in Kansas until all money sought is paid  and for the court to order them to provide vehicle history reports and inspection results to all customers before a sale, the petition says.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for July 20.

For more information about how to file complaint about a consumer transaction in Sedgwick County, go to www.sedgwickcounty.org/district-attorney/consumer-protection-division.
North Carolina health officials formally recommended on Thursday limits on eating certain fish caught from portions of the Cape Fear River due to health concerns from a substance within the family of forever chemicals.

The state Department of Health and Human Services issued a consumption advisory for species of freshwater fish from the middle and lower Cape Fear River south of Fayetteville to north of Wilmington because of exposure to whats called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, of PFOS.

PFOS belongs within a chemical group called PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which do not break down in the environment. Studies have linked longterm PFAS exposures to several health effects for children and adults, including increased risks for certain kinds of cancer, acccording to the department. Other states have issued similar advisories.

The advisory recommends women of child-bearing age and children avoid eating avoid bluegill, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, redear and striped bass caught from the portions of the river, and that other adults limit consumption to just one meal annually from those species combined.

ALSO READ: Owl caught in fishing line rescued along NC river

For American shad, blue catfish or channel catfish, the consumption recommendation is one meal annually for women of child-bearing age and children and seven meals for other adults.

Thursdays advisories followed the collection of fish samples in the area for testing. PFOS was used to make products resistant to stains, grease, soil and water. Production of the chemical phased out starting in the early 2000s.

DHHS said the North Carolina advisories are more restrictive than those in many other states because it used a new PFOS reference dose  the amount below which no adverse health effects should occur from a lifetime of exposure  released recently by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

VIDEO: Owl caught in fishing line rescued along NC river
Economic development incentives are all the rage in Kansas. Are they worth it?

Governor Laura Kelly recently touted her administrations economic track record in a press release from the Office of the Governor. Specifically, Kelly cited over $16 billion in private-sector investments and the creation of over 60,000 jobs in Kansas since she took office as governor.

To grow the economy, Kelly has offered tax incentive packages to lure businesses to Kansas and encourage Kansas-based corporations to expand their economic footprint in the state. These incentive packages have been a key part in reaching investment deals with Panasonic, Integra Technologies, and EMP Shield.

Tax incentive packages have become a valuable tool for state and local policymakers trying to attract investment in a fiercely competitive economic environment. For example, when Amazon announced it was seeking proposals for a second headquarters in 2017, a bidding war ensued with cities offering land, tax breaks, and promised investments in public transit, among other enticements to convince Amazon to consider their jurisdictions.

The Amazon headquarters decision may be an extreme example, but it illustrates the new normal of policymakers offering lucrative incentives to attract economic investment.

Brianne Heidbreder

Proponents argue that tax incentive packages have several benefits. First, increased financial investment and job creation can serve as a catalyst for state and local economies. By convincing businesses to establish or expand economic operations within their state or locality, policymakers create job opportunities.

Tax incentives may also lead to increases in tax revenue. This may seem paradoxical, but the argument is that by generating economic activity, governments will recoup whatever tax breaks they initially offered in future revenues from corporate, income, sales, and property taxes.

Finally, by offering tax incentives, policymakers create a competitive advantage over neighboring states, positioning themselves as an attractive destination for investment. This bolsters a states reputation as a hub for economic activity, which may in turn attract more investment.

Tax incentive plans, however, are not without detractors. One concern associated with these plans is the loss of revenue for states and localities.

When policymakers offer tax breaks to businesses, it reduces the tax base, constraining funds available for key public services such as education or healthcare. This negative consequence can be particularly challenging for cities as they attempt to balance their tight budgets.

More: First, it was Panasonic and now Integra. Are tax-driven megaprojects good for Kansas?

Further, these incentive plans create an uneven playing field. They often provide economic benefits to large corporations and businesses. Small businesses and individual taxpayers, on the other hand, do not have access to these same benefits. This worry is not without merit as some of the details of these deals are not made public during negotiation.

Finally, critics argue that tax incentive plans are short-term solutions. Businesses may decide to locate or invest in a state based on the availability of tax incentives, but they do not guarantee long-term investment. Neighboring states can offer similar deals in the future, leading to a cycle of relocation that creates economic instability for everyone. This dynamic, described by Dr. Michael Smith in his column Tax truce is holding, but its time to finish the job, can be seen in past tax border wars in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The reality is that policymakers, like Governor Kelly, understand that tax incentives are the price of doing business in our global, competitive economy. The question that remains is do the benefits always outweigh the drawbacks?

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas lawmakers must weigh benefits, drawbacks on tax incentives
Iowas anything-goes approach to fireworks sales is a terrible policy that delivers little benefit to the state while leading to big nuisances every summer, and maiming a few residents, for good measure.

It is understandable that cities, including Des Moines, West Des Moines, Johnston, Urbandale and others, cling to any regulation state lawmakers deign to allow them in hope of dissuading at least a few people from adding to the noise, air pollution and emergency room visits. They say, officially, that people are not allowed to use consumer fireworks within city limits.

It's a message completely at odds with permanent and temporary fireworks retailers filling seemingly every other street corner every June. It's time for cities to try something different.

Enforcement of city bans is almost nonexistent

Depending on the city, the threat of enforcement is either zero or near zero, and everybody knows it. Enforcing prohibitions is extraordinarily challenging for a number of reasons. Its hard to identify and cite the perpetrators of such transient offenses. And the sheer volume of complaints makes it impractical for police to answer them promptly, if at all. About 1% of calls in the metro area around this July 4 resulted in a citation, according to statistics compiled by the Register. No citations were issued in Des Moines in July.

The only thing this state of affairs accomplishes is to diminish respect for the law. Des Moines ban is no deterrent; its defied openly. Police are in an impossible position. Officers dont deserve to be blamed for weeks of cacophony and burned grass and garbage receptacles at city parks.

A Des Moines parks employee picks up fireworks left behind at Bates Park, 330 Clark St.

It's more practical to admit that people are going to use fireworks

State lawmakers ought to see thousands of complaints each year and repeated episodes of damage to public property, reverse course and once again ban fireworks sales statewide and allow cities full authority to regulate fireworks in any way they see fit. But, absent a tragedy on the scale of the 1930 Spencer fireworks disaster that destroyed 80 businesses, its hard to imagine that. Just last year, the state barred cities from restricting fireworks sales.

So that leaves few options for city councils. In 2022, Des Moines Councilwoman Connie Boesen suggested looking for ways to increase enforcement. Thats a tall order. It's time to be realistic: Des Moines and the others should go the other direction: Give in and repeal their bans. That could give cities a chance at deploying scarce resources to achieve more modest goals, such as protecting public park property.

No doubt, it wont be fun to surrender to the states policy misadventure. This stance in essence represents the editorial board throwing in the towel, reversing a long-held position, based on public health and safety concerns, that supported the state's decades-long ban on sale of fireworks as well as city ordinances restricting use other than public displays.

It's also true that there may well be moral value in some instances for a city to draw a line in the sand against misguided state laws. Des Moines would have been justified in pursuing since-abandoned proposals to protect abortion access and reduce marijuana-possession prosecutions.

This isnt one of those instances. Pragmatism is more in order here.

More personal courtesy is in order, too

As another July 4 cleanup winds down, dont forget that a little bit of courtesy would go a long way toward mitigating how personal fireworks displays in cities can harm neighbors.

Pick up your mess: That might mean coming back after daylight.

Observe time restrictions: State law permits fireworks use until 10 p.m., 11 p.m. on July 4 and an adjacent weekend. Thats plenty of time after dusk.

Fireworks are legal in Iowa. Local government isnt making anything better by pretending otherwise.

 Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Registers editorial board

This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register's editorial board: Carol Hunter, executive editor; Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; Rachelle Chase, opinion columnist; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members.

Want more opinions? Read other perspectives with our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook or visit us at DesMoinesRegister.com/opinion. Respond to any opinion by submitting a Letter to the Editor at DesMoinesRegister.com/letters.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Legalize fireworks in Des Moines-area cities
Lets ask a simple question: should any credible presidential candidate be allowed to commit crimes unperturbed, no matter their severity or how flagrantly, openly and unapologetically theyre committed? Should a presidential candidate be able to, in effect, shoot someone on Fifth Ave. and have that dealt with only after the election?

In court filings attorneys for Donald Trump and his valet Walt Nauta suggested yes, calling for their trial in the classified documents case to begin after the 2024 election. The correct answer, obviously, is no, an answer everyone seems to agree with so long as it applies to a candidate they oppose.

Trumps most strident defenders, who screech that the former president  who in full public view attempted to overturn a democratic election and faces significant evidence that he willfully and illegally retained incredibly sensitive classified documents  is being targeted for his political activity have seemed all too happy to push investigations into Joe Bidens unproven and far more tenuous supposed involvement in his son Hunters alleged misconduct.

What exactly is the endpoint of Trump and his sycophants position? That if a presidential candidate can in fact be conclusively proven to have committed egregious crimes against the public, the voters should only learn about it after they send him to the White House? Its an absurd contention on its face, and like all else in Trumpworld, its driven not by principle but by grubby self-interest, the one governing tenet of this domain.

This is without even considering that, contrary to Trumps farcical claims, the undisputed champion of executive meddling in prosecutorial decision-making is Trump himself, having pardoned multiple cronies and even toyed with the idea of attempting to pardon himself if he becomes president again.

Let the trial commence when the parties are ready, between the judges suggestion of next month and the prosecution wanting December. Then let the public see the allegations meticulously laid out. It wont necessarily make a difference for millions of voters unfortunately firmly under his spell, but we all deserve to see justice through regardless.

___
This year, an estimated 11,600 children have made the dangerous crossing - Olmo Calvo/AP

An average of 11 children drown every week when attempting to cross the Mediterranean, according to new data from the United Nations.

The findings lay bare the tragic scale of the mounting refugee crisis in Europe, which last month left an estimated 100 children dead after a fishing boat sank off southern Greece.

This year, an estimated 11,600 children have made the dangerous crossing and an estimated 289 died or disappeared, according to Unicef, the UNs branch for children.

Since 2018, 1,500 children have died or gone missing, the agency added.

Organised smuggling gangs charge thousands of pounds for the crossing, forcing hundreds of migrants onto run-down and unsafe boats, often before taking the engines away and leaving the vessels to drift.

Lisa Ward, an NHS paramedic who has worked on rescue boats in the Mediterranean, has witnessed first-hand the consequences of this exploitation.

There are many, many babies, and children under three or four, she said. In one rescue I had three drowned toddlers brought to me in half an hour. I managed to get one breathing but I couldnt sustain it. They all died. There were probably more [in the water]. The mothers were looking for their children.

Hundreds of migrants are oftent forced onto run-down and unsafe boats - VINCENZO CIRCOSTA/AFP via Getty Images

Many shipwrecks on the Central Mediterranean Sea crossing leave no survivors or go unrecorded, making the true number of child casualties impossible to verify and likely much higher.

The majority of children depart from Libya and Tunisia, having already travelled from countries across Africa and the Middle East.

Some of the children would have marks on them for torture; electric burns, Ms Ward said. Some would have urine burns, where people had urinated on the boat and the children had been sitting in it for days.

On one rescue, the boat listed and everyone went into the water. Most of these people cant swim. Male adults were taking life jackets off the children.

Tackle trafficking and smuggling networks

The UN said a huge proportion of the children that make the journey across the Mediterranean do so by themselves.

In the first three months of 2023, some 3,300 children  71 per cent of all children arriving to Europe via this route  were recorded as unaccompanied or separated from parents.

Girls travelling alone are especially vulnerable and likely to experience violence, Unicef said.

Instances of systematic rape are well known and well documented. So it is not with a light heart that we are saying these girls are facing extreme risks before, during and after their journeys, Verena Knaus, Unicefs global lead on migration told The Telegraph.

In other instances, we encounter girls travelling on their own who paid the price for crossing a border with their bodies and are now bearing an unwanted child. We hear of this happening with smugglers, border guards and even those in search and rescue.

Judith Sunderland, acting deputy director of Europe at Human Rights Watch, said no one deserves to drown at sea but the thought of children  so many children  going under the waves is gut-wrenching.

She said: Each of us should think past the statistics to picture the children in our own lives facing that kind of death.

Its important to tackle trafficking and smuggling networks for the real harms they cause to both children and adults, but the best way to minimise dangerous migration journeys is to create more safe and legal channels, she added.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security.

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The Scoop

Elon Musk sought to recruit top AI talent to his new artificial intelligence company with equity in the venture he claimed was already worth tens of billions of dollars, according to people familiar with the matter.

If xAI was worth $20 billion  a valuation Musk came up with  before it was born, then each 1% offer in stock options was like a $200 million signing bonus, the people said.

His recruiting efforts succeeded. The startup, launched Wednesday, boasted researchers from Google, DeepMind, and academic powerhouses like the University of Toronto, where major breakthroughs in deep learning have taken place.

Musk and his team plan to reveal more details about xAI during a Twitter Spaces chat Friday afternoon. He didnt respond to a request for comment.

Know More

Musk previously said that he wants to create his own competitor to ChatGPT, which he told Fox News would be called TruthGPT. But a number of the high-profile researchers he hired at xAI are excited about something else: building an artificial intelligence capable of reasoning about the hardest math problems in the world.

Before he co-founded xAI, Christian Szegedy led a Google research project that sought to create an automated mathematician. His former co-worker Yuhuai Tony Wu, who also joined Musk, previously told The New York Times he wants to use machine learning to solve mathematics by creating an AI that can decipher theorems on its own.

Greg Yang, another mathematician who joined xAI, hinted that it planned to create an AI that could help humanity better understand the mathematical laws of the universe. Any mathematician/theorist excited about this needs to DM me! he tweeted.

For decades, computers have helped mathematicians recognize patterns, making their work more efficient. But AI is not yet capable of the reasoning required to solve advanced theorems, said Alex Kontorovich, a mathematics professor at Rutgers University.

Thats partially because there currently isnt enough data available for an AI mathematics model to train on. For a computer to process a theorem, it needs to be translated from natural language into a formalized type of code that can be verified as logically sound. Kontorovich estimates there are around 10 million lines of this data, whereas ChatGPT was trained on trillions of lines of human language.

xAI could help solve the problem by creating its own database of formalized mathematics, or it could contribute to existing open source projects like Lean, which is led by Amazon researcher Leo de Moura.

Reeds view

Whatever Musks public relations issues are at Twitter, he remains able to recruit at the very highest level of technical talent. And there is some precedent for his ability to deliver. In 2015, he recruited a similarly elite group of researchers and co-founded OpenAI, which is now worth close to $30 billion. But Musk left before OpenAI turned a corner and prioritized the large language model research that led to ChatGPT, as Semafor first reported.

For xAI, the pressure to compete is intense. OpenAIs ChatGPT kickstarted a wave in artificial intelligence development, spurring the worlds biggest companies into action and leading to a shortage of the souped-up Nvidia graphics processors used to train AI models.

Musks firm appears eager to leapfrog those deep-pocketed competitors. One industry insider told me Musk asked Nvidia to sell him 40,000 GPUs for training AI models. The company instead promised him 20,000 over 12 months.

Musks goal is to create artificial intelligence that can understand the true nature of the universe, according to xAIs web site. The bet is that the mysteries that science cant solve  the inner workings of the human brain, for instance  are equations beyond the grasp of human understanding.

By setting a goal that sounds a lot like science fiction, who needs a business model? Unlocking the mysteries of the universe would mean you could, for instance, simply prompt it to patent every new technology that will ever be created and charge licensing fees for all eternity.

But theres one wrinkle in this plan. It might take some time to unlock the secrets of the universe with AI. Musk can be a demanding boss, and while he has been recruiting talented researchers, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and others have been doing the same thing.

If history is any judge, Musk wont be content to let his team of elite eggheads sit around in an ivory tower coming up with lofty theories. Theyll need to perform, or things will go the way of OpenAI, with Musk shutting it all down or walking away, leaving promises unkept.

The View From Silicon Valley

I asked a lot of tech people about xAI this week and theres a duality when it comes to views of Musk, his accomplishments, and prospects for his future success.

I dont know anyone who thinks Musks often juvenile tweets serve any purpose other than to entertain the worlds sometimes richest man and his loyal followers. And I dont think anyone  including Musk  believes buying Twitter was a good business decision.

But he has had one of the greatest entrepreneurial careers in history, having helped create PayPal, found SpaceX, and built Tesla into what it is today (Not to mention founding OpenAI and yet-to-be-proven companies like Neuralink and The Boring Company).

And there are two ways of looking at where he stands now. One is that hes lost it, as one veteran entrepreneur put it to me off the record, and his Twitter foibles marked the end of his great run.

Another is that Twitter is a distraction, but is ultimately a meaningless outlier on his record. By that logic, his ability to recruit talent and build new companies is limited only by his will and attention.

Looking at it through that lens, xAI fits nicely into the broad array of companies he controls. Tesla relies on AI for its autonomous driving features and is also building a general purpose robot. Neuralink, which makes computer brain implants, is adjacent to AI in the sense that it is gathering data from the most complex device we know of: the human brain. And SpaceX employs complex automation and will undoubtedly continue down that path.

Room for Disagreement

Wired Staff Writer Will Knight argues that Musks new startup may have bit off more than it can chew. The huge goals Musk has set for himself  challenging existing AI giants and protecting humanity from harmful AI  make his tiny new AI company look even smaller, he wrote.Many AI researchers who are also concerned about the trajectory of AI seem to view the problem as one that requires greater transparency and collaboration, rather than a lone genius with a small band of all-stars.

Notable
Elon Musk Warns Chinese Leaders That AI Could Take Over the Country

AI Domination

On the same day he unveiled a new company called xAI to better "understand reality," Twitter CEO Elon Musk made another eyebrow-raising claim: that he'd warned Chinese leaders that a "digital superintelligence" could take over the entire country, Insider reports.

During a Twitter Spaces call on Wednesday, Musk revealed that he had spent a "fair bit of time with senior leadership" after visiting the country earlier this year.

And his warnings that a super-AI may even topple the Communist Party didn't fall on deaf ears.

"I think that did resonate," Musk said during the call, as quoted by Insider. "No government wants to find itself unseated by a digital superintelligence."

Risk Analysis

Musk's comments were made during a discussion with two US congressmen, Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Mike Gallagher.

During the chat, Musk reiterated his stance that AI should be regulated, adding that "China is definitely interested in working in a cooperative international framework for AI regulation," a view that a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson more or less confirmed to reporters.

For many years, Musk has rung the alarm bells when it comes to the proliferation of unregulated AI. In February, shortly after Microsoft revealed its unhinged Bing AI chatbot, he called AI "one of the biggest risks to the future of civilization."

That, however, hasn't stopped him from starting his own AI firm  which, it's worth noting, has yet to reveal any concrete plans beyond making pompous statements about its purported goals.

Team Humanity

During this week's Twitter Spaces appearance, Musk called China's people "underrated," arguing that they are "on team humanity," despite plenty of "distrust of America within China."

But whether the US will be willing to work with China  or vice versa  to come up with an international regulatory framework for AI remains as uncertain as ever.

Case in point: Gallagher seemingly balked at Musk's comments, saying that the Communist Party was more on "team genocidal communism," and that leaders would use AI as an "instrument for total tech totalitarian control."

But according to Musk, these ideological differences pale in comparison to the threat of an evil AI that's ready to take over the world.

"I think, ultimately, these nation-state battles will seem parochial compared to a digital super intelligence," he said.

More on Musk and AI: Elon Musk Launches AI Company, Promises to Unlock Secrets of Reality
Growing up on the Gulf coast of Florida, shark researcher Dean Grubbs has always been fascinated by natures ancient animals.

I caught a little sharpnose shark when I was 7 years old, and I thought it was the coolest thing Ive ever seen, and (I) told my parents I was going to be Jacques Cousteau, he told McClatchy News in a phone interview. That fascination never changed.

Now the associate director of research at Florida State Universitys Coastal and Marine Laboratory and part of the U.S. Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team, Grubbs co-teaches a two-week sharks and rays course for graduate and undergraduate students with evolutionary biologist and director of the Florida Museum of Natural Historys shark research program, Gavin Naylor.

Grubbs and Naylor were with a group of students off Seahorse Key, an uninhabited island near Cedar Key and just south of the Florida panhandle, in June when they felt a tug on their line.

The group had lines with different types of hooks being pulled through the water in hopes of snagging anything from a newborn sharpnose shark to a giant tiger shark.

Grubbs thought the pull must be coming from a nurse shark, which is local to the area and a bottom feeder.

Then, they saw a long protrusion covered with teeth  and they freaked out.

I was pretty sure this was a sawfish, but I remained stone-faced because I didnt want to disappoint the students if I was wrong, Grubbs told the Florida Museum of Natural History in a July 10 release. I saw the tail before the rostrum, so I lost my calm at that point and screamed Sawfish! Its a sawfish!

In the water was a 13-foot sawfish, an endangered species that is rarely spotted.

Youd be a fool to think wed catch one, but we did, Grubbs told McClatchy News. Its great.

The researchers and students got into the water to take measurements and insert a tracker into the female sawfish.

With the sawfish on the line, the researchers and students jumped into the water and flipped the ray over, initiating a biological response called tonic immobility.

Some of the students were aghast and in awe, I think immediately, Grubbs said. Some, maybe they didnt quite realize, at first, just how special this event was.

The ray became still, and the researchers took measurements, inserted a tracker and checked the health of the animal.

The sawfish was an adult, breeding female, and her health is crucial for the species success.

She has a transmitter now that will last for 10 years  Well be able to track her movements for the next decade, he said. We also collected blood from her that were going to use to look at reproductive hormones to verify whether she may be pregnant and in that reproductive state.

After the data was collected, the sawfish was returned to the water to swim another day.

When a ray is flipped on its dorsal side, it goes into a tonic immobility and samples can be taken.

A lifeboat population

Smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, were first protected by the state of Florida in 1992 before becoming officially listed in the Endangered Species Act in 2003, Grubbs said.

The species used to span the entire eastern seaboard, around the tip of Florida to the coast of Texas, Naylor told McClatchy News in the interview, before fishing and hunting knocked their populations down to a small lifeboat population off the south coast of Florida.

Now, the sawfish caught by the researchers is the farthest north one has been tagged in at least 30 or 40 years, they said.

The center of the distribution for the population has always been South Florida, the Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands and through the Florida Keys, Grubbs said. Among the signals to us that the population is starting to come back, we want to see them reoccupying some of the areas that we know they used to be.

The researchers are hopeful the species is moving in the right direction.

Because these animals are so peculiar, and that theyre sort of like dinosaurs, people get super excited by it, they know that theyve been endangered, Naylor said. Florida has done a fairly good job of marketing these things as Uniquely Florida, and a wonderful piece of its natural history.

Floridas gulf coast is a hidden jewel, Naylor said, and acts as a nearly untouched marine ecosystem.

Floridas hidden jewel

Seeing a sawfish near Cedar Key is just the first step in making sure the species continues making progress.

The area (is) really an unspoiled part of the U.S., its a fairly pristine area, Naylor said. So its wonderful to actually expose the students to this area  for animals that are iconic and people are interested in.

Naylor, who is originally from England, said the Big Bend of Florida, the area north of Tampa stretching north to the panhandle, isnt known to tourists, whether they are traveling from across the pond or across the country.

This is probably the most pristine biological marine system, he said. Its a hidden jewel, and its so full of life.

These systems provide a haven for sharks and rays to live, reproduce and grow their populations, the researchers said.

For the sawfish, the latest catch is a ray of hope.

I think the prognosis for their future survival is very good, Naylor said.

Cedar Key is about 135 miles north of Tampa.

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Erdogan says he's in agreement with Putin on grain deal extension

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 14 that he and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin were "of the same mind" on the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Turkish state-run Anadolu news outlet reported.

"(UN Secretary-General Antonio) Guterres sent a letter to Putin. I hope that with this letter, we assure the extension of the grain corridor deal with the joint efforts of us and Russia," Erdogan told reporters, as cited by Anadolu.

Erdogan added that Turkey was preparing for the Russian dictator's visit in August.

Russia has threatened not to prolong the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allows Ukraine to continue exporting its agricultural products, unless the West eases its restrictions against Russia's grain and fertilizers exports. The current agreed-upon extension period is set to expire on July 17.

Erdogan wants to extend grain deal for another 3 months The Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing Ukraine to continue exporting its grain amid Russias full-scale war, was prolonged on May 17, and is due to expire on July 18. The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

On July 13, Putin claimed that none of Moscow's conditions for extending the grain deal had been met, according to the Russian state-controlled news agency Interfax.

Russia's key demand is reconnecting the Kremlin-owned Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT international payment system. The European Union cut the bank from the payment system on June 14 under its sanctions regime over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The EU is not considering removing that restriction but is weighing an option to connect a subsidiary of Russia's Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, allowing grain and fertilizer transactions, unnamed sources told Reuters and the Financial Times.

Guterres reportedly asked Putin to extend the grain deal for several months to give the EU time to arrange the scheme.

Turkey and the UN brokered the grain deal in July 2022. Russia's all-out war against Ukraine, one of the world's top grain exporters, initially prevented Ukraine from shipping agricultural products through its Black Sea ports.
Escambia County is in the middle of the budget process and commissioners are working with their largest budget ever: $701,963,319.

"A lot of hard work, a lot of hours into that budget, a lot of hours behind the scenes, a lot of meetings behind the scenes, just going through it, strategizing and doing different things," Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno said.

During the Board of County Commissioners latest budget meeting, Moreno updated the board on where they are in the process, including adding dozens of positions and defunding dozens more.

Fire protection funding: Escambia County won't raise fire fee, but still needs long-term source to fund fire dept.

In case you missed it: Here's what Escambia projects got axed - or survived - the governor's budget veto pen

Moreno said the county cut or refunded a total of 106 positions. Of those, 54 positions are paid for through the countys general fund and are valued at $5.3 million. The county also partially defunded another 52 positions, valued at $2.8 million from the mass transit fund.

Escambia's troubles filling jobs

Most of the affected positions are jobs that the county has had a difficult time filling, like corrections officers and bus drivers for Escambia County Area Transit.

We had some part-time bus driver positions at ECAT that had not been filled in years, so we just deleted those, and they were all vacant, said Moreno. We deleted some (with the corrections department) that were unfilled and then we unfunded some that were vacant. They were down 100 and then they caught up. We had defunded 30, so we gave them back some. We still left about 20 unfunded and we'll just continue to monitor that.

Moreno said the positions arent necessarily eliminated and could be added back if opportunities to fill them arise, as has happened before in the Public Works department. He said they also had 10 positions defunded, but when new hires were found the county again funded five of those positions.

Moreno added that by deleting and defunding some of the longtime vacant positions, the county could afford to add more staff to other departments. They added 73 positions for transportation, fire protection and EMS-related work, valued at $5.4 million.

Moreno said the total change in personnel adds 19 positions for the county. He said recent recruitment efforts have helped them fill positions in corrections, as well as public safety.

He said the county had been struggling to find lifeguards, paramedics and EMTs, but its almost full now.

More: Firefighters warn Escambia County Fire Rescue is facing 'financial crisis'

You're always going to have a vacancy here and there, but as a matter of fact we just added, in this this budget, 18 new EMS personnel of paramedics and EMTs, Moreno said. Were adding 21 new firefighter positions to fire, you know they were struggling as well. We've been able to recruit and retain and saying how we want to grow and offer a better service.

Escambia's biggest budget

Escambia Countys proposed 2023/2024 budget is roughly double what it was 10 years ago, credited to several reasons, including growth.

The countys ad valorem tax grew 15% over last years revenue. Last year, the county saw 16% growth in revenue from the tax over the previous year. The county also has different federal monies from COVID economic relief funds.

Moreno said theyre still working through the process determining how some of it will be spent.

Each department has set their priorities, Moreno said. They've told tell me what they need, and we've done a lot of hard work by strategizing to make some of those things happen.

In case you missed it: Escambia to 'tighten up' bed tax ordinances after audit finds they contradict state law

Commissioners also want to discuss the Tourist Development Tax, a 5% "bed tax" on short-term accommodations in hotels, apartments, condominiums, timeshare and the like. The county needs to rewrite its ordinances surrounding the TDC after an audit by the Florida Auditor General's found it wasnt in line with state law.

Commissioner Jeff Bergosh also wants to evaluate how TDC money is spent and is pushing for some of the funding to go to promoting Perdido Key Beach.

To hash out the tax and other budget issues, commissioners are planning to discuss the issues at the next Committee of the Whole meeting in late August or early September.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the final budget in September.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County 2024 budget cuts ECAT, correction jobs, adds fire, EMS
Nearly a dozen European countries that pledged this week to train Ukrainian pilots are still waiting on the U.S. to formally approve the program before instruction on American F-16 fighter jets can begin, according to U.S. and European officials involved in the discussions.

A coalition of 11 nations, led by Denmark and the Netherlands, formally agreed to train Ukrainians to fly F-16s and potentially other fighter aircraft at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, this week. European officials have said they hope to begin the program in August in Denmark, and a training center will also be set up in Romania.

But instruction on F-16s cant actually start until the State Department formally signs off on the request to transfer instruction manuals, flight simulators and other materials associated with the jets  and that hasnt happened yet.

While President Joe Biden has promised to green-light the program, the formal request is still being reviewed, said Lt. Col. Garron Garn, a Pentagon spokesperson, who deferred further questions to the State Department. A State Department spokesperson declined to comment.

Theres no indication right now that the U.S. wont eventually give a green light. But Europeans requests have already been in the pipeline for weeks: Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters last month that Denmark formally requested permission to conduct F-16 training. The Defense Department typically also weighs in on such requests, providing expertise on issues related to protecting sensitive technology.

A spokesperson for the Dutch defense ministry wouldnt comment on the request to the Pentagon but said that every step we take regarding F-16 training we do so in close consultations with the Americans and other partners.

Its not unusual for the U.S. interagency process to approve the transfer of sensitive weapons technology, particularly ones as advanced as fighter jets, to take time.

With any export or training package, the Pentagon has to make sure we're ready to go with the technical manuals being translated and the tech data packages and a sustainment plan, in place before officials will sign off on a transfer, Pentagon acquisition chief William LaPlante told POLITICO in an interview.

The sign-off on the training package includes all of that, along with a plan to train maintenance personnel and ground crews.

Asked about the F-16 training package, LaPlante said that for any complex system, we have to make sure we have the experts [available] because we need to have sustainment experts for that system  so they can be right there for the tele-maintenance, since American and NATO advisors wont be on the ground with the Ukrainians.

We make sure all that stuff is ready to go, he added. Just like any other system that's been looked at, the F-16 would be in that category regardless of what the ultimate decision is on what to do.

But top Ukrainian officials say they are in urgent need of F-16s as their forces struggle to break through entrenched Russian lines.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month, speaking ahead of the NATO summit, reproached the West for what he characterized as a delay in training Ukrainian pilots to fly the jets.

"I have the same questions as you do for our esteemed partners," Zelenskyy said in a response to a question about when the jets would be delivered.

We have agreed, we have pressed, and we have a coalition of countries that are ready to start training for Ukrainian pilots. [But] there is no schedule for training missions, and theyre delaying it. I dont know why theyre doing this, he said.

The partners hope to start the training in Romania, which is planned to be done in conjunction with F-16 manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in October, said one Defense Department official, who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans. They hope to have six to nine Ukrainian pilots in the first class, which will also include Romanian, Bulgarian and Slovak pilots, the official said. While the countries pledging support for the effort have been quiet about the particulars, a Norwegian defense official said that Oslo is committing two F-16s to the program.

The Romanian and Dutch governments engaged in urgent last-minute talks leading up to this weeks NATO meeting in Lithuania to iron out the details on the international training plan, and to ensure that Ukrainian pilots are included, according to one person with knowledge of the talks. Those discussions paved the way for the announcement of the F-16 coalition during the summit.

But U.S. officials are not telegraphing a sense of urgency. A top Pentagon official, Joint Staff director of operations Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, told reporters Thursday that the situation on the frontlines in Ukraine is currently not ideal for the use of F-16s.

The Russians still possess some air defense capability. They have air capability. And the number of F-16s that would be provided may not be perfect for what's going on right now, Sims said. As the future changes, that certainly will dictate how that is employed.
A blistering and deadly heat wave is sweeping Europe, potentially bringing record-breaking temperatures and raising serious concerns about the impacts on peoples health, especially as the continent welcomes an influx of tourists.

Parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Italy are all facing intense heat, with temperatures rising above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Temperatures are sizzling across Europe this week amid an intense and prolonged period of heat. And its only just begun, the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a statement.

Heat is one of the deadliest natural hazards  more than 61,000 people died in Europes searing summer heat wave last year. The current heat wave  named Cerberus by the Italian Meteorological Society after the three-headed monster that features in Dantes Inferno  has prompted further fears for peoples health, especially as it coincides with one of the busiest periods of Europes summer tourist season.

In Italy, temperatures could reach record-breaking levels. Sardinia and Sicily are expected to be close to the current European temperature record of 48.8 degrees Celsius (nearly 120 Fahrenheit), according to the ESA.

People cool off at Piazza del Popolo in Rome on July 10. - Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

On Friday, the Italian Health Ministry issued an extreme health risk warning for 15 cities  including Rome and Florence  as the heat wave is set to continue over Saturday and Sunday.

It has already claimed at least one life in Italy, where a 44-year-old road construction worker collapsed in the northern city of Lodi and died in hospital on Tuesday.

In Rome, several tourists have collapsed this week due to heat stroke, with one British tourist passing out in front of the ancient Roman Colosseum on Tuesday.

Alessandro Miani, president of the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), told state broadcaster RAI on Wednesday that Italy has the sad record of the European country with the highest number of deaths caused by heat waves.

In Greece, authorities have said temperatures could reach 44 degrees Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit) on Friday or Saturday.

The Greek Culture Ministry said it will shut the Acropolis in Athens from midday local time until 5 p.m. on Friday due to the heat. Police and emergency services provided assistance to a female tourist in difficulty due to the heat at the Acropolis, the police said in a tweet on Friday.

According to the Greek meteorological service forecast, temperatures will peak at 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) in Athens by midday.

In Croatia, dozens of firefighters were deployed as a large wildfire broke out near Grebastica, a small town near the coastal city of Sbenik, CNNs affiliate N1 reported.

A major fire broke out in the village of Grebastica in Sibenik, Croatia on July 13. - rvoje Jelavic/PIXSELL/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Nearly 80 firefighters with 28 fire trucks were deployed on Thursday to put out the blaze, with the assistance of three Canadair firefighting planes and two air tractors, N1 reported.

Footage from the scene shows cars and homes in the town destroyed and, according to N1, the area around Grebastica has been left without electricity. Clouds of smoke could be seen above the villages from nearby tourist beaches, Reuters reported Friday.

Temperatures are expected to stay around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) across the region into next week.

Europe is not the only place facing extreme temperatures. A dangerous weekslong heat wave in parts of the Western United States is set to worsen this weekend. More than 90 million people are under heat alerts. The hottest place on Earth, Californias Death Valley, could reach 54.4 degrees Celsius (130 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, forecasters at the National Weather Service told CNN.

A combination of human caused climate change and the arrival of the natural climate phenomenon, El Nino, which has a global heating effect, is pushing up temperatures to record-breaking extremes. Last month was the warmest June on record globally and last week the planet saw its hottest day on record.

As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists are clear that record-breaking heat waves are set to only become more frequent and more severe.

How to stay cool

Heat is called a silent killer because you cant see it but it can quickly turn deadly. The very young, the elderly and those who have to spend long periods of time outside, such as outdoor workers and people experiencing homelessness, are particularly vulnerable.

The body is used to a range of temperatures between around 36 to 37 degrees Celsius (97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit). When it rises above this, the body sweats to cool down but the higher the temperature, the harder it is to cool down  especially if its humid, which means sweat cant evaporate as easily.

Heat exhaustion can occur when your body overheats. This can bring dizziness, nausea and headaches. Heat stroke is more serious and happens when your bodys temperature climbs to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) or higher. Untreated it can damage organs or even cause death.

One of the main recommendations for people to protect themselves from the heat is to stay inside and avoid exercise during the hottest parts of the day, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. When outside, stay in the shade.

Experts advise that people wear light loose-fitting clothes, a hat and sunscreen and drink plenty of water, even if you dont feel thirsty, but avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.

Its also important to watch out for others, according to Judith Linden, a professor in the emergency medicine department at Boston Universitys school of medicine.

If somebody starts feeling light-headed, dizzy, nausea or headache, that is the time to act immediately. That means getting them out of the heat and into a cool environment, she told CNN this week.

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On eve of jury trial, DA drops charges against Clovis teacher accused of sex crimes

The Fresno County District Attorneys Office has dropped child molest and sexual contact charges against a longtime Clovis Unified teacher on the eve of his jury trial.

Kenneth Kong Lee, a 54-year-old Hmong language teacher at Clovis East High School, was accused by a former student of touching her inappropriately while in his class during her 2018 freshman year.

Lee was charged with one felony count of lewd act upon a child, age 14 or 15, and a misdemeanor count of annoying, molesting any child under 18 years old.

His jury trial was just getting underway this week when the plea deal was offered by prosecutor Kristin S. Maxwell. In exchange for dropping the more serious charges, Lee agreed to plead no contest to a misdemeanor count of battery.

He faces up to one year of probation and 180 days in jail. His sentencing is set for July 26.

Had Lee been convicted on all counts he would have had to register as a sex offender and been barred from teaching, an occupation hes had for more than 20 years.

He really wanted an acquittal, but he is relieved this is over, said Margarita Martinez-Baly, Lees co-counsel.

Martinez-Baly and Kathy Bird were hired by Lee to defend the teacher. Martinez-Baly said Lee was well-liked by his students and respected within the Hmong community.

At nearly every hearing, more than a dozen of Lees supporters and family members lined the hallway in the Fresno County Superior Courthouse and packed the courtrooms.

Lees supporters also staged a rally outside the courthouse in April.

Still unresolved is whether Lee will continue teaching. He also faces a civil lawsuit brought by the family of the alleged victim.

Lee has not taught at Clovis East High School since 2018 when Clovis Unified School District became aware of the allegations against him, said Kelly Avants, district spokesperson.

Avants said Lee has been on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the charges against him but that condition may change in the future.

The civil lawsuit against Lee and Clovis Unified is also pending. The lawsuit, filed in April 2021, seeks unspecified damages.

According to the lawsuit, Lee allegedly touched the teenagers breast and buttocks while appearing to comfort the girl over some of her personal troubles.
Ex-Muncie police officer gets 6 months for filing false report on Winkle

INDIANAPOLIS  Another ex-colleague of Chase Winkle is going to prison for filing a false report about the former Muncie police officer's physical abuse of an arrestee.

Dalton Kurtz  who admitted he had provided an inaccurate account of Winkle's interactions with a 17-year-old detainee in June 2018  was sentenced Friday, in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, to six months in federal prison.

The 33-year-old Kurtz  who resigned from his job as a city police officer in 2021  had pleaded guilty to "misprision of felony."

After his release from prison, Kurtz will spend a year on supervised release, including two months on home detention, U.S. District Court Judge James Sweeney II ruled.

Kurtz  who said he had started a career in another field after leaving the police department  offered his apologies for his role in the events that led to federal charges against Winkle and four other officers.

"It's something I will live with the rest of my life," he said.

More: Winkle attorney: Attacks on arrestees result of 'insecurities,' inadequate training

Kurtz said he "let the pressures of others" impact his "decision-making" after the 2018 incident.

Defense attorney Ryan Gardner said his client had been "coerced by officer Winkle" to give an inaccurate account of the arrest.

He noted Kurtz was a rookie officer with less experience than Winkle when the assault took place, and that Winkle's father, Joseph, was the department's police chief at the time.

Gardner asked the judge to consider sentencing Kurtz to probation.

Katherine DeVar, an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, said the "seriousness" of the case  victimizing a "17-year-old kid who was kicked in the head" while trying to surrender  warranted an executed prison term.

She acknowledged Kurtz had accepted responsibility, cooperated with federal investigators and "was not the officer who used (excessive) force."

During Friday's hearing, Judge Sweeney  who in November 2020 sentenced former Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler to a year in federal prison for a corruption-related conviction  twice referred to the federal probe of Tyler's administration and the Muncie Sanitary District that led to eight convictions.

The judge noted testimony that Kurtz was generally known for being a courteous and helpful person.

"As I sit here, I don't see you as a bad apple," he told Kurtz. "I don't see you as part of the systemic problem that Muncie has."

Kurtz was not taken into custody on Friday, and will be told when to report to a federal prison.

Chase Winkle in December pleaded guilty to 11 charges  five counts of depriving arrestees of their constitutional rights by physically abusing them, and six counts of obstruction of justice.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 22 by Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

Last month, Joseph Krejsa  a Muncie police sergeant who retired after being implicated in the Winkle investigation  was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison, also for filing a false police report about Winkle's abuse of an arrestee.

Kresja was also fined $5,000. On Friday, Sweeney imposed a $1,000 fine on Kurtz.

Officer Corey Posey is scheduled to stand trial for a second time on Sept. 11 on allegations he filed a false report concerning Winkle.

Posey's first trial, in June, ended with a mistrial when jurors were unable to agree on a verdict.

More: Feds want Muncie officer facing obstruction charge held after DWI arrest in Kokomo

Another co-defendant, former officer Jeremy Gibson, has pleaded guilty to violating an arrestee's civil rights by physically assaulting him, and obstruction of justice, a charge stemming from allegations Gibson filed a false report about the May 2018 arrest.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 30.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ex-Muncie police officer gets 6 months for filing false report on Winkle
Former SBU operative

A former SBU operative who defected to Russia after the outbreak of a full-scale war in 2022 has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for treason in absentia, the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported on Facebook on July 13.

The former agent provided assistance to Russian forces in conducting subversive activities against Ukraine.

Read also: Ukraines SBU nabs Russian agent trying to disrupt Ukrainian counter-offensive near Bakhmut

He tried to recruit active officers in the SBU as agents who would gather intelligence for Russia. In exchange, the Russian security services would provide security guarantees for their families.

His prison term will begin when he is captured and he will be subject to confiscation of property. He is believed to be hiding in occupied Donetsk Oblast.

Read also: SBU charges pro-Russian blogger for creating network of fire spotters across Ukraine

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Fate of Confederate flag on Williamson County seal soon to be decided by judge

The entrance lobby in the Williamson County Courthouse features the Williamson County seal on the floor, which includes a Confederate flag.

The fate of the Williamson County seal, and its current depiction of the Confederate flag, will be decided soon after a 15-month battle between officials and the Sons of the Confederate Veterans.

The change has been on hold after the Tennessee Historical Commission gave the greenlight for the removal of the imagery since the Major Nathaniel Cheairs Camp 2138 Sons of Confederate Veterans filed an appeal with the courts.

Attorneys representing the historical commission and the Sons of Confederate Veterans met in Davidson County Chancery Court Tuesday to argue if the state unlawfully ruled Williamson County's seal is not shielded under the Heritage Protection Act.

Williamson County officials began their efforts to remove the imagery of a Confederate flag draped across a canon from their county seal in 2020 after Franklin resident Dustin Koctar created a petition.

More: More than 100 wrote to state over Williamson County seal. Here's what they said.

Following a successful commission vote, the county petitioned the Tennessee Historical Commission for permission to remove the flag from the seal believing it to fall under the portion of the law that defines a memorial as an "artwork, flag or historic display" that honors any historic conflict or event.

The commission is tasked following and issuing judgment on petitions related to the Heritage Protection Act which sets forth strict guidelines for changing or removing monuments or memorials.

They ruled in April 2022 that the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act does not apply to the seal, and therefore the county was free to proceed with their changes.

The Major Nathaniel Cheairs Camp 2138 Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a petitition in Chancery Court to appeal the historical commission's decision claiming the seal should be protected under the Historical Protection Act.

The court filing pointed to the county's own 2020 petition to the historical commission in which Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson wrote the seal could be considered an artwork, flag or historic display.

"Williamson County impermissibly shifted its position that counties have the implied obligation to create seals in order to be able to effectively enter into contracts," the court filing argued.

Before the creation of the current seal in 1968, the county had been and continues to use other seals to notorize official government documents and contracts, emphasizing that the seal in question "is purely historical and decorative," according to the court filing.

"The Great Seal was created to underscore the historical foundations and experiences of the county, that is  religious faith, agriculture, a strong historical commitment to education, and a people and place that bore the heavy burden of open warefare," according to the petition.

The Tennessee Attorney General's Office, which represents the historical commission, argued in court filings that the decision about the seal's memorial status was a correct one.

"The Commission did not act arbritratily or capriciously or abuse its discretion when it found that the Seal is not a 'memorial' st that term is defined under the [Tennessee Historical Preservation Act] and that as a result the THPA does not apply to the County's proposed alteration to the Seal to remove the Confederate flag," the filing says.

Chancery Court Judge Patricia Head Moskal is expected to isse a written ruling on the matter soon.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fate of Confederate flag on Williamson County seal to be decided soon
A federal judge harshly criticized the Supreme Court's recent ethics scandals in a NYT essay: 'What in the world has happened'

Supreme Court justices Brett Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

A federal judge in Massachusetts wrote a scathing opinion essay in the New York Times, excoriating the Supreme Court's recent ethical debacles.

Judge Michael Ponsor, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, said the high court needs a code of ethics.

"Even a nonenforceable code that the justices formally pledged to respect would be an improvement on the current void," he wrote.

"To me, this feels personal," wrote senior US District Judge Michel Ponsor in a New York Times opinion essay. "For the country, it feels ominous. What in the world has happened to the Supreme Court's nose?"

Ponsor, who was appointed to the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts by President Bill Clinton in late 1993 and confirmed in 1994, said something "smells" off in the Supreme Court, but none of the justices have noticed.

In his essay, the senior judge laid into the high court over a series of reports from news outlets across the country detailing repeated apparent conflicts of interest by both left and right-wing members of the court.

In 2023 alone, publications have revealed Justice Clarence Thomas accepted undisclosed gifts and lavish travel accommodations by a billionaire, that Justice Samuel Alito took an expensive fishing vacation with another billionaire who later had business before the court, and that Justice Sonia Sotomayor's taxpayer-funded staff has often push institutions to purchase her books.

"If reports are true," he wrote, "some of our justices are, sadly, letting us down," before saying that instituting a code of ethics for the Supreme Court would be an improvement.

"Even a nonenforceable code that the justices formally pledged to respect would be an improvement on the current void," he wrote.

Following the reports of several Supreme Court justices crossing ethical lines, a plethora of congressional Democrats have also called for the Supreme Court to institute a code of ethics. As it stands, the high court does not have one, and the court's chief justice has pushed back on efforts to instate one.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic senator sitting on the Senate Judiciary Committee, underscored his view that the Supreme Court needs a code of ethics in a statement to the AP.

"The Supreme Court will no longer exist as a truly viable institution if it continues the failure to face the need for a code of ethics," Blumenthal said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Congress favorite airport is at the heart of a bruising scuffle among airlines and their congressional supporters over whether to expand long-distance flights.

In one corner: Delta Air Lines and allied lawmakers from Delta hubs like Atlanta and Salt Lake City who want the bill to allow dozens of long haul flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where the airline only has a toehold. Delta argues, through its Capital Access Alliance coalition, that the airport is underutilized, driving up ticket prices and hurting businesses.

In the other: United Airlines, with the backing of lawmakers from United hubs like Chicago and lawmakers from Virginia and Maryland. United holds a dominant position at neighboring Dulles International Airport, a much bigger long-haul gateway. (American Airlines, which already has a significant presence at Reagan National, is aligned with United.) They argue that the airport is already congested and that more flights would mean more delays.

The lobbying and advertising fight over access to a single airport, involving major U.S. airlines and lawmakers from both parties, is a bold exercise in influence even for a region where politics is the local industry. The scuffle also threatens to derail a bill that would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration at a moment when the aviation system is straining to manage a post-pandemic travel surge.

The fight blurs the typical left-right divides, uniting lawmakers like Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), who favor expanding flights. On the other side, Democrats from Virginia and Maryland have vowed to tank any FAA bill that allows more flights, which the FAA has warned could push the airport beyond what it can handle.



Theres a number of Republican senators that fly disproportionately, frankly, out of destinations that American and United serve who are with us, said Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who opposes flight changes. This doesnt break down, candidly, on partisan lines. It breaks down on which airline already serves them.

The two sides are waging war in the most Washington of ways: through dueling op-eds by former administration officials, ad campaigns atop newsletters and stakeouts in which interns hand out oppo fliers at the other sides events.

Understanding Congress interest in compact, easy-to-navigate Reagan National is as easy as looking at a map. A car ride from the U.S. Capitol to the airport along the Potomac River takes 10 minutes in good traffic. A drive to Dulles, which one Yelp reviewer called tedious to navigate ... dank & stale, will eat up at least 45. (The Silver Line could take an hour or more.)

And lawmakers, who jet home and back twice a week when Congress is in session, have a vested interest in more convenient flights to more places, making this the perfect fight for Delta to pick.

"Members of Congress want to be able to fly from their home district to Reagan National Airport," said Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who is opposed to the expansion, at a POLITICO aviation summit earlier this week.

Many lawmakers, especially those from Western states, support expanding long-haul flights by altering a decade-old rule that sets a perimeter for flights to and from DCA. But the entire Senate delegation from Maryland and Virginia is opposed, and has threatened to withhold support for a major aviation policy bill if it expands flights in the region. So far the bills contain no such language  but some lawmakers are gearing up to try to add it when the House takes up its FAA reauthorization next week.

Modernizing the perimeter rule will improve access to Washington, D.C., reduce airline ticket prices, and increase tax revenue for the area, said Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), who has authored a bill to expand flights.

And Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), echoed the sentiment of his and Virginias Senate delegations, asking, Should Congress be controlling this airport or should the professionals be controlling this airport? He added that the airport is already beyond capacity.

Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Cruz, the top two senators overseeing airlines, were set to add four long-distance flights to their version of the FAA bill as a compromise. Its a far cry from the dozens Delta has sought, but indicates the ideas broad appeal in Congress.

Why Congress is involved in who flies where in Washington, D.C., at all dates back to the 1960s, when Dulles was constructed. The idea was that much-larger Dulles would handle long-haul domestic and international flights, while Reagan National would handle short and medium hops.

To ensure Dulles growth, Congress enacted a law only allowing a limited number of flights at Reagan National beyond a perimeter of 650 miles. (That perimeter has since been expanded to 1,250, along with the number of flights allowed beyond it. Fights over going even farther, or doing away with the restrictions, have cropped up sporadically for the last 20 years.)

A host of major airports now have no direct service to Reagan National, including San Diego and San Antonio, while many major airports beyond the perimeter like San Francisco and Los Angeles have limited service.

Adding long-haul flights would be a coup for Delta, enabling it to potentially expand its own meager offerings there, while also damaging Uniteds fortress position at Dulles as well as Americans presence at Reagan National, where it already controls about 50 percent of these long-haul slots.

Both sides of the issue are bulking up their rosters, hiring lobbyists with ties to Congress. American has hired the former chief of staff to House Transportation Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.). And Delta has retained a long-time adviser to Cruz, who favors an expansion.



Other officials are trying to stave off an expansion, including the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates both Reagan National and Dulles airports. At a press conference, MWAA President Jack Potter said the proposal would increase delays and congestion at Reagan National and add stress to the system.

We are a challenged airport, Potter said. Its the busiest runway in America and whats being proposed is additional flights that would bring 3 to 4 million more passengers. We do not have the capacity to handle this.

MWAA has circulated a graphic showing the top 10 busiest runways in the nation, with Reagan National at No. 1  and Dulles nowhere in sight.

The FAA has weighed in, too, writing in an internal memo in May that adding, rather than replacing, flights at Reagan National would strain the airport, which is already among the top 10 most-delayed in the country.

The Delta-backed bill would add up to 56 flights split among different airlines. But opponents argue that adding more long-haul flights would end up replacing short hops already flying to places like Cleveland, Ohio, and Baton Rouge, La., with flights to Seattle or Phoenix  a proposition that doesnt sit well with communities that could lose out.

The fight is far from over. Bills to reauthorize the FAA are actively working their way through the House and the Senate and there are still multiple points in the process to insert language.

"I think when it comes to slots, you never know what's going to happen," Cantwell said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland reacted to statements about Kyiv's

Finland has hit back at claims that Ukraine has failed to show gratitude for western support, saying military aid should not be regarded as charity, the Financial Times reported on July 14.

We in the west need to understand that obviously, this is not charity because Ukraine is fighting for us, Finnish foreign minister Elina Valtonen said in an interview with the newspaper.

Read also: Minister Reznikov tallies military aid Ukraine got at NATO summit

They are fighting for our liberty and the European security architecture.

Valtonen said the west remains committed to Ukraine and that its in its interest to do so.

I wouldnt say theres any fatigue and I hope there never will be, she said.

Read also: NATO drops MAP requirement for Ukraine, introduces conditions for entry

Even if NATO would have met Ukraines demands for a clearer path to membership, that wouldnt be a 100% guarantee it would be joining soon, she said.

And once a member, NATOs mutual defense clause is always still a political decision  what to send, how much to send, on which terms to assist, she said.

Valtonen said the most important thing was for the United States and its partners to keep on solidifying their support.

Theres a truth to the fact that Europe also needs to do more, she added.

And I think, as sad as the war is, the key takeaway has been that there is suddenly also the awareness in Europe that we need to invest into our defense, much, much more than we have done before.

Read also: Boris Johnson warns Washington against Ukraine fatigue after NATO summit

She said the war in Ukraine was also useful in exposing the weakness of Russia.

Over the course of the two-day NATO summit in Vilnius earlier this week, tensions surfaced between Kyiv and some western officials, undermining a show of unity among allies in the face of Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasted NATO for its absurd lack of a clear timeline for his countrys membership of the military alliance.

Senior officials from the United States and the United Kingdom retorted that Ukraine should be grateful for the assistance and not jump immediately to the next item on its weapons wish list.

We are not Amazon, said UK defense secretary Ben Wallace, in reference to the online shopping platform.

Zelenskyy later responded that he did not know he had to express gratitude personally to the minister.

Read also: NATO should expedite Ukraines accession, UK Defense Secretary says

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Firefighters rescue construction worker stuck 100 feet in the air in Framingham

Firefighters in Framingham had to stage an airborne rescue after a construction worker became stuck Thursday.

The 29-year-old construction worker became stuck around 100 feet in the air when a lift got stuck on a railing that was being removed from the old Dennison Manufacturing Company factory.

It took crews around 3 hours to eventually cut the worker and the bucket free.

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Firefighters battle wildfires in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region of Quebec (Carlo ZAGLIA)

A 19-year-old firefighter in western Canada died after she became trapped under a fallen tree while battling one of the wildfires that have ravaged the country for weeks, authorities said Friday.

It was the first reported death on the ground since the start of the fire season, in which more than 900 blazes are burning including 560 out of control.

The young woman was found by her team after being "caught under a fallen tree" while clearing brush in a remote area where a small fire had broken out, federal police said in a statement.

She was airlifted to a hospital where she died Thursday, they said.

The British Columbia General Employees Union said the incident occurred outside the town of Revelstoke in British Columbia.

"It is with heavy hearts that our union mourns the loss of one of our BCGEU family," it said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the news "heartbreaking" and thanked firefighters for their courage.

"We must never forget the risks these heroes take every time they run toward the danger," Trudeau tweeted.

British Columbia recently ordered new evacuations due to the blazes and requested the help of an additional 1,000 international firefighters.

"It is very, very challenging across Canada and across the globe right now to secure additional firefighting capacity," BC Fire Department spokesman Cliff Chapman said Thursday.

"This is a very dangerous job," he said. "With the conditions we are in, it makes it all that much more dangerous for our staff who are working 14, 16, 20-hour days."

Sarah Budd with the British Columbia Wildfire Service said the weather will remain hot and dry for the foreseeable future.

"We're not expecting any reprieve from the weather," Budd said.

Some 9.7 million hectares (24 million acres) have already gone up in smoke -- 11 times the average for the last decade.

And the annual record, which was set in 1989, has already been largely surpassed.

Both sides of the country are burning at the same time, which is unusual for Canada.

Some provinces unaccustomed to fires have also been affected, including northern Quebec, where more than a million hectares have burned.

Canada, which is warming faster than the rest of the planet because of its geography, has been confronted with extreme weather events whose intensity and frequency have increased due to climate change.

Smoke from the fires has fouled the air in Canada and the neighboring United States, affecting more than 100 million people, at times disrupting flights and forcing the cancellation of outdoor events.

tib/dax/md/bfm/acb
The Miami Dolphins have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL but multiple positions are up for grabs this summer.

On offense, the Dolphins will have to find a replacement for over 100 targets that were lost in free agency departures, and competition for a backup spot could be the most compelling.

On defense, Miami needs to settle on a starter in the defensive backfield and fill out the unit with capable depth.

Offseason workouts laid the foundation for competition but it will be in full force from late July to late August, with over a dozen practices and three preseason games to decide roster spots.

Here are five position battles to watch during training camp and preseason.

1. Backup quarterback

One could argue that the competition to decide the Dolphins No. 2 quarterback is the most important that will take place this summer. Starter Tua Tagovailoas injury history has been well documented  he missed five games last season because of a pair of stints in the NFLs concussion protocol.

Tagovailoa and the team are confident that that is behind him and they have taken steps to try to avoid future head injuries, such as Tagovailoa learning jiu-jitsu this offseason. But no one can predict injuries and Tagovailoas issues over the years havent been limited to concussions.

The Dolphins replaced Teddy Bridgewater with Mike White and though the 28-year-old has more experience than second-year player Skylar Thompson, it was Thompson who looked a bit more comfortable running the offense in offseason workouts. The teams joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans, as well as the three preseason games, will be pivotal in helping decide who gets the nod.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Mike White (14) throws the ball during 2023 Miami Dolphins Mandatory Minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Thursday, June 8, 2023.

2. No. 3 wide receiver

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Robbie Chosen (3) attends team practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The Dolphins lost their No. 3 and No. 4 pass-catchers in terms of targets and receptions  Mike Gesicki and Trent Sherfield  in free agency. But Miami signed a pair of wide receivers who could step into large roles in 2023.

Robbie Chosen was a standout during organized team activities and adds even more speed to an offense that covets the trait. And Braxton Berrios is expected to be the teams new return specialist while also competing for snaps on offense.

The Dolphins also have a group of returnees who could work their way into bigger roles this upcoming season. Cedrick Wilson Jr., who has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the offseason, is just a year removed from being one of the leagues most productive slot receivers with the Dallas Cowboys. Mike McDaniel said that 2022 fourth-round pick Erik Ezuknama probably made the biggest gains from last year to this year and ownership of the offense. And River Cracraft has been a favorite of McDaniels dating to their time with the San Francisco 49ers.

Gesicki was a tight end by name but more of a big slot receiver by skill set and the Dolphins used the fifth-lowest rate of 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two wide receivers) this past season. Miamis offseason moves could result in a boost in 11 personnel (one running back, two tight end, three wide receivers), which was used on 44.5 percent of snaps but ranked 29th in the NFL.

This is one position that could see no clear-cut winner by the time training camp concludes. The Dolphins have a bevy of options with different skill sets and the offense could split snaps between multiple players during the regular season depending on the matchups in a given week.

3. Left guard/right tackle

Its unclear whether there is an actual position battle at these two spots. McDaniel and his staff often speak about the benefits of adding talented players to foster healthy competition. But its evident that the team wants to make things work with Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson and is giving them every opportunity to do so. Neither played much in 2022 because of injuries; Eichenberg was limited to 10 games, while Jackson only played in two.

The Dolphins did sign a trio of veteran free agents: Dan Feeney, Isaiah Wynn and Cedric Ogbheui, though Feeney appears to be the backup option at center. Wynn started most of his games with the New England Patriots at right tackle but also has experience playing left guard. And Ogbheui told reporters that he is most comfortable at right tackle.

General manager Chris Grier went as far as to say the expectation is that Jackson will be the teams starting right tackle in 2023. But more so than in previous years, the Dolphins have veteran options in place to turn to if either Jackson or Eichenberg struggle in the summer.

Miami Dolphins tackle Cedric Ogbuehi (79) looks on after speaking to the media during team practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

4. Cornerback depth

Rookie cornerback Cam Smith (24) makes a catch during 2023 Miami Dolphins Rookie Minicamp practice at Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Friday, May 12, 2023.

The Dolphins enter training camp knowing that they have one of the leagues best cornerback duos in Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard. And Kader Kohou, who started 13 games as an undrafted rookie in 2022, is primed to have another big role as a nickel corner. Cornerback might be the teams deepest position group, with several options behind the top-three contributors.

Cam Smith, the teams top pick in the 2023 Draft, will start his career as a boundary corner and fared well during OTAs. Nik Needham is making his return from a torn Achilles injury from last October. He has been one of the teams most versatile defenders over the last four years. Noah Igbinoghene, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2019 Draft, is entering a critical summer after the Dolphins did not pick up his fifth-year option. Miami would incur a $3 million dead money charge by releasing him, but its conceivable given the number of cornerbacks seemingly above him on the depth chart and his lack of special teams contributions.

Justin Bethel and Keion Crossen are mainly special teams stalwarts but were pressed into duties at corner last season after a rash of injuries. And Trill Williams did not participate in OTAs as he continued his rehab from a torn ACL injury last August but he was cleared toward the end of the offseason workout program.

Like the wide receiver position, the Dolphins could rotate players based on matchups. Both Ramsey and Kohou can play on the outside or in the slot, and Needham had also lined up in a bevy of spots.

5. Safety

Miami Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott (21) attends team practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

There are high expectations for third-year player Jevon Holland, who is one of the emerging players at his position in the NFL. But he could have a new running mate in 2023.

Holland spent the majority of his rookie year in the defensive backfield with Brandon Jones and the two started the 2023 season together until Jones tore his ACL in October. Jones is working his way back from the injury but the Dolphins also signed DeShon Elliott, who has 35 career starts with the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.

Jones is one of the best blitzing safeties in the league and Elliott has thrived closer to the line of scrimmage but he has more experience with the two-high safety looks that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes to use. Its possible the two could see the field together in some three-safety packages with Holland.

Verone McKinley III and Elijah Campbell could also factor in. McKinley filled in well as a deep safety after Jones injury and Campbell is a fast defensive back that has mainly contributed on special teams.
A flooded busy street Only six inches of water is enough to sweep a person off their feet. A foot of moving water can carry away a vehicle.

Flooding is a threat across the United States year-round. In the first few weeks of July, the dangers of flash floods have plagued the Northeast, including Vermont's worst flood in over 100 years that brought many of the state's dams to capacity.

Flash floods can happen minutes to hours after a period of excessive rainfall or a sudden release of water from a dam failure or ice jam, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). In the desert, flash floods can roar through dry river beds miles away from where the heavy rain is falling. This makes them incredibly dangerous. These floods are sudden and fierce, with rapidly rising water that can cause severe damage and trigger mudslides.

Low-lying areas with streams, rivers and storm drains are most at risk of flash flooding, according to the NWS.

In addition to forming rapidly, flash floods also move quickly and powerfully. Just 6 inches of moving water could easily knock a person off their feet or stall a car when water is sucked into the tailpipe. If the water reaches a foot deep, it can sweep away most vehicles, the NWS reports.

"It is NEVER safe to drive or walk into flood waters," the NWS notes on its page to promote its famous Turn Around Don't Drown safety message.

As of July 13, 2023, there have been 34 fatalities related to floods in the United States, according to NWS data. Floods killed 102 people in the United States in 2022, but almost half - 48 deaths - were reported in July.

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Most flash flooding is caused by slow-moving thunderstorms, multiple storms moving over the same area, or heavy rain from hurricanes or tropical storms.

Flash floods can vary in how fast they form. While forecasters can anticipate where some floods will happen weeks in advance, others can occur with very little notice. Here are some tips to prepare yourself for the possibility of floods.

Before a flood:

Create a communication plan. Whether this takes the form of having a specific person to contact to update your status or a safe location to meet up with loved ones, having a plan in place will give you peace of mind.

Prepare for an emergency. Water service may be interrupted during a flash flooding event. It is good practice to have enough water, food and medicine to last at least three days in case of an emergency. Supplies like batteries, blankets, flashlights, a first aid kit and a battery-powered radio will also be helpful.

Know your risk. Research and understand the fastest way to get to higher ground and how flash floods might affect your area. If it's likely your home will flood, don't wait. Evacuate yourself and your family.

Prepare your home. If you're home has a sump pump, make sure it is working and consider having a backup. Mark your electric circuit breakers clearly for each area of your home. Ensure your insurance covers flooding - standard homeowner's insurance does not (this must be done in advance before a threat of flooding emerges). Make sure all electronic devices are charged.

During a flood:

Get to higher ground, especially if you live in a flood-prone or low-lying area.

Obey evacuation orders. If authorities tell you to evacuate, do it immediately. Lock your home and disconnect utilities and appliances if you have time.

Practice electrical safety. If water levels rise to cover electrical outlets or cords, do not enter the room or your basement. Stay out of water that may have electricity in it, especially if you see sparks or hear crackling or buzzing noises.

Avoid floodwaters. Do not walk or drive through floodwaters. It only takes 6 inches of moving water to knock you off your feet, and 12 inches to sweep away your vehicle. If you're trapped by moving water, get to the highest possible point and call 911. Do not drive into flooded roadways or around a barricade - turn around. Floodwater is often deeper than it appears and can hide hazards like sharp objects or electrical wires.

After a flood:

Stay informed. Follow your local news outlets or social media for updated information on road conditions. Ensure your water is safe to use - authorities may recommend boiling water after a flood. Utility companies may have services or apps to help you get service back. Never use a portable generator inside your home or garage - carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death after storms that cause power outages.

Avoid floodwaters. Standing water hides danger, like sharp objects or toxins. Avoid driving on a flooded road and listen to all emergency responders.

Wait for the all-clear. Do not enter a flood-damaged building until authorities say it's safe. If you do enter, be extremely cautious as water can cause walls to collapse or ceilings to fall. Make sure the electrical system has been turned off.

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alertsare prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
FIRST ON FOX: Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging Attorney General Merrick Garland against any "unconscionable" moves to investigate Floridas transportation of migrants -- after California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged the DOJ to do so.

"While I would urge you not to bail out California or engage in another political investigation or litigation, if you make the unconscionable and unfounded determination to do so, Florida stands ready to fight against DOJs overreach," the letter to Garland, obtained by Fox News Digital says.

Newsom, along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, wrote to Garland on July 6 about Floridas "unauthorized alien transport program," which flies migrants to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions across the U.S.

NEWSOM CALLS ON DOJ TO INVESTIGATE DESANTIS' TRANSPORTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO CALIFORNIA

Florida AG Ashley Moody is defending Florida's migrants flights to California and Massachusetts.

The program has transported migrants to Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts and to California. It picked up additional funding signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year and is one of many similar initiatives that some Republican states implemented in response to the ongoing border crisis.

Newsom alleged that while it is common for jurisdictions and NGOS to facilitate travel elsewhere in the U.S., "this scheme is different." The letter cites news accounts that migrants were deceived into taking flights "based on promises of jobs and shelter."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

In the letter, he urges DOJ "to open federal criminal and civil investigations into these incidents."

NEWSOM THREATENS DESANTIS WITH KIDNAPPING CHARGES OVER MIGRANT FLIGHTS TO SACRAMENTO

"It is unconscionable to use people as political props by persuading them to travel to another state based on false or deceptive representations. We urge USDOJ to investigate potential violations of federal law by those involved in this scheme," he said.

Separately, California Attorney General Rob Bonta accused Florida of "state-sanctioned kidnapping."

But in her letter, Moody says there is "no basis" for the DOJ to investigate the Sunshine State, and repeats claims made by the state that the relocation program is voluntary and that contractors were present to ensure the migrants made their way to non-governmental organizations.

Moody dismisses the move by California as a "political stunt, not a legal request" and says that the call is because Gov. Ron DeSantis is running for president and could potentially beat President Biden.

"Instead, they hope that DOJ can be improperly utilized, yet again, against a Republican presidential candidate during an election. This seems to seek from DOJ exactly what you pledged DOJ would not do."

In a statement, Moody called the request a "ridiculous political stunt."

DESANTIS DEFENDS MIGRANT FLIGHTS TO CALIFORNIA, BLAMES SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS FOR ENCOURAGING OPEN BORDER

Governor Gavin Newsom is seen at Moffett Federal Airfield of NASA Ames Research Center before U.S. President Bidens arrival in Mountain View, California, United States on June 19, 2023.

"Our voluntary immigration relocation program is lawful, and Californias request fails to identify any violation of federal law," she said. "As an Attorney General who leads hundreds of highly qualified lawyers and has led dozens of legal challenges against this administration, it is jarring that California is not competent enough to articulate even a minimal legal basis for its request."

The move comes as part of an ongoing feud between California and Florida over the issue, as well as between Republican-led and Democrat-led states more broadly on the issue.

As they have faced an ongoing border crisis which they blame on the Biden administration, Republican states including Florida and Texas have been bussing migrants to states or cities with "sanctuary policies" which they say encourages migration to the border.

"They attacked the previous administration's efforts to try to have border security. And so that's the policies they're staking out. And then what?" DeSantis said last month. "When they have to deal with some of the fruits of that, they all of a sudden become very, very upset about that?"

Moody meanwhile has taken legal action against the Biden administration and secured a major win when a judge agreed to block multiple parole release policies of migrants -- including one that saw migrants released into the U.S. without court dates due to overcrowding.

"Another opportunity for litigation will only shine a brighter light on the Biden administrations complete abdication of its responsibility as to immigration and the jeopardy which it has placed our country and our citizens."
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) scoffed at claims from California Democrats that Floridas migrant relocation to California is illegal and should be investigated.

Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R) administration last year began a program of busing and flying groups of migrants from Florida to sanctuary cities around the country, including to Marthas Vineyard, Mass., Vice President Harriss home in Washington, DC and other major cities like Sacramento.

That practice has drawn scorn from Democrats, who have called it a dangerous political stunt, and calls for federal investigation from California politicians.

In a letter to the Justice Department Thursday, Moody criticized Attorney General Merrick Garland of being politically biased and defended the states migrant relocation program, asking Garland to publicly state that there is no need to investigate Florida over the program.

Floridas voluntary relocation program is precisely that  voluntary, Moody wrote.

The relocation of those illegally crossing the United States border is not new or novel. Indeed, the federal government itself facilitates such transport daily, she argued in her letter. But suddenly, when the State of Florida provides transportation for illegal immigrants to a sanctuary city, its illegal and needs to be investigated.

Moody pointed out that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) have also started similar programs which have sent migrants to California and elsewhere. She also claimed that state investigations in California and Massachusetts make a federal one redundant.

While I would urge you not to bail out California or engage in another political investigation or litigation, if you make the unconscionable and unfounded determination to do so, Florida stands ready to fight against DOJs overreach, Moody wrote.

In an interview Monday, DeSantis said that Newsoms request for a federal investigation is absurd. Mexico has also threatened repercussions for what it views as poor treatment of its citizens who are migrants in Florida.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Florida drunk driver arrested after blindly pulling out onto busy road, colliding into deputy: Police

A Florida man was caught and arrested for allegedly driving under the influence (DUI) after he pulled out directly in front of an oncoming police cruiser. The police cruiser dashboard camera captured the moment when the patrol car struck the driver's side of the drunk driver's Honda Accord.

On Wednesday, July 12 at 9:07 p.m., Deputy Schiebner was heading north when a Honda Accord appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the dark road and a dramatic crash ensued.

Edward Parsons, 70, booking photo. Parsons' was arrested after allegedly driving drunk.

Edward Parsons was allegedly driving drunk when a police cruiser slammed into him after he blindly pulled out onto a busy road.

The Pinnellas County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that Deputy Schiebner was unable to stop in time before striking the driver's side of the sedan. Police say that 70-year-old Edward Parsons was allegedly driving drunk when he blindly pulled out on the dark road.

Police did not share how fast Deputy Schiebner was driving at the time of the wreck.

A DRUNKEN DRIVER KILLED MY YOUNG HUSBAND AND 1-YEAR-OLD SON. HERE'S HOW I'M SEEKING JUSTICE

Schiebner received minor injuries in the crash and Parsons injuries were non-life-threatening. Parsons allegedly showed signs of impairment at the site of the crash, according to the sheriffs office.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Parsons was arrested and booked into the Pinellas County Jail on charges of DUI with property damage, failure to obtain a Florida driver's license, and failure to register a vehicle in Florida.

Police say that 70-year-old Edward Parsons was allegedly driving drunk when he blindly pulled out on the dark road and collided with Deputy Schiebner.

FLORIDA TEENAGER CHARGED WITH DUI AFTER DRIVING 70 MPH OVER THE SPEED LIMIT

Sergeant Amanda Sinni took the opportunity to remind Sunshine State residents to always plan to utilize a designated driver or use ride-share services to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol.

"Before drinking, always plan a designated driver or Safeway home ahead of time," Sinni said in a press release. "Utilize a taxi or ride-sharing service or call a sober friend or family member to get home safely."
Florida lawmakers weigh in of tough week for DeSantis Presidential Campaign

Governor Ron DeSantis Presidential campaign had a tough week, hit with undesirable polls and the leak of a memo detailing the campaigns efforts to reassure donors.

Starting Monday, DeSantis campaign was faced with a poll showing him 30 points down to former President Donald Trump in the Governors own home state of Florida.

The very next day, a national poll showed DeSantis down a staggering 39 points to the former President.

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UCF political science professor Dr. Aubrey Jewett recommended the campaign not take those numbers lightly.

Often if youre ahead in the polls, you say you gotta run like youre 20 points down. Right? Dont take anything for granted. Well, in the DeSantis case theyre actually more than 20 points down, said Jewett.

Confronted with findings on FOX News, DeSantis dismissed his standings in the polls as a media narrative.

The media does not want me to be the nominee. I think thats very, very clear. Why? Because they know Ill beat Biden, said DeSantis

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But State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) argued the Governor is in denial.

The DeSantis campaign is on life support, said Eskamani.

She pointed to the confidential campaign memo published by NBC News Thursday, which laid out the campaigns strategy moving forward in an effort to reassure donors.

When you send them a warning memo, that is definitely a time to be incredibly nervous, said Eskamani.

But State Representative Sam Garrison (R-Orange Park), who has endorsed DeSantis for President, argues its far too early to draw any conclusions.

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She pointed to the confidential campaign memo published by NBC News Thursday, which laid out the campaigns strategy moving forward in an effort to reassure donors.

When you send them a warning memo, that is definitely a time to be incredibly nervous, said Eskamani.

But State Representative Sam Garrison (R-Orange Park), who has endorsed DeSantis for President, argues its far too early to draw any conclusions.

Were still in the first week of OTAs, said Garrison.

He noted the state of the Republican Presidential Primary race at this point in 2015.

Jeb Bush was the runaway frontrunner for the Republican nomination, said Garrison.

Jewett agreed its too soon to declare the race over, but he also agreed recent signs dont bode well for DeSantis.

They dont have to be desperate, but there has to be some energy and enthusiasm and they have to really start moving forward because time is growing short, said Jewett.

When DeSantis announced his bid for the Presidency in May, the Real Clear Politics polling average showed him down 34 points to Trump.

As of today, Trumps lead sits at 32.4 points.

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Jan. 6 defendant Audrey Southard-Rumsey leaving court, Washington, D.C., July 14, 2023. / Credit: CBS News / Scott MacFarlane

A Florida music instructor who unleashed an unexpected verbal tirade at prosecutors, the media and the federal government at her court hearing Friday, has been sentenced to six years in prison in her U.S. Capitol Insurrection case. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta castigated Audrey Southard-Rumsey, 54, as a "one-person wrecking crew" on Jan. 6, 2021, and added a "terrorism enhancement" to her sentence.

Jan. 6 defendant Audrey Southard-Rumsey on Jan. 6, 2021, from her social media account. / Credit: Government exhibit

Southard-Rumsey was accused of being an agitator who was in front of the mob as it swelled near the House Speaker's Lobby, as members of Congress were hiding inside. She was also accused of screaming vulgar and misogynistic threats about Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and was charged with pushing police, and at one point, using a flagpole to push one officer.

She was found guilty on seven felony charges.

During a dramatic 15-minute statement at her sentencing hearing, Southard-Rumsey pushed aside papers that included a set of prepared remarks. She instead blistered prosecutors, calling them "liars," then accused a Capitol Police officer whom she'd allegedly confronted on Jan. 6 of being "terrified."

Turning periodically to face the prosecutors and the courtroom audience, who were seated behind her, Southard-Rumsey told the judge, "I wanted to tell you exactly what you want to hear, but I won't. I won't lie. There were vicious lies about me."

She accused Antifa of filming her amid the Capitol riot and said, "My whole dream of my life has been taken, because people have different politics than mine."

Southard-Rumsey also said, "I have grievances, since they don't listen to us at the polling place. They don't listen to us little people in the regular world." She said, "I'm ashamed of this country."

She also told Mehta, "When you decide to throw me in prison for doing my duty, think of what I now have to give up."

She criticized gas and grocery prices and said, "I'm terrified about what's happening in our country."

The uniquely strident and unapologetic remarks presented a sharp contrast with dozens of the hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants who have spoken and sought leniency at sentencing.

After Southard-Rumsey's defense attorney approached the podium to urge her to wrap up her remarks, she concluded by saying, "It's not fair."

When Southard-Rumsey returned to her seat, the federal prosecutor urged the judge not to allow a customary federal court leniency at sentencing for "acceptance of responsibility."

Mehta said Southard-Rumsey's presence on the frontlines of the attack as members of Congress hid on the ground inside the House Chamber helped warrant a rarely invoked terrorism enhancement in her case. Mehta said, "You terrorized members of Congress, including those who believe the things you do."

The judge criticized her and other Jan. 6 defendants for "cloaking themselves in patriotism."

He cited some of the vulgar language attributed to Southard-Rumsey from Jan. 6, including the profane and threatening language she had directed at former House Speaker Pelosi.

Jan. 6 defendant Audrey Southard-Rumsey with flagpole pressed against police officer's chest. / Credit: Government exhibit

The government's criminal complaint included a number of photos of her in the Capitol and also alleged she was captured on video yelling, "Tell Pelosi we are coming for that b****."

Southard-Rumsey was captured on a Twitter feed announcing, "Standing in front of the Capitol Building ready to take it," the complaint also said.

Her defense attorney argued Southard-Rumsey was a candidate for home confinement, rather than prison. The defense asserted she would not protest again in the future.

During her statement to the judge, Southard-Rumsey said, "I won't protest because I'll be in prison. Why protest? You guys don't listen."

Southard-Rumsey will be permitted to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in the coming months to serve the six-year prison sentence.

According to a Justice Department report, approximately 560 of the more than 1,000 defendants of the U.S. Capitol siege have been sentenced. Approximately 335 have received prison terms.

Departing court, Southard-Rumsey declined requests for comment. Turning to reporters, she said, "You all are f******* liars. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're why we're in this mess."

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Floridians usually flock to the ocean to escape the summer heat. But this week, it may not have been much help as sea surface temperatures soared to the mid-90s, even encroaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit at some points.

Some of the highest temperatures seemed to be around South Florida, with a NOAA buoy off the tip of the state recording a water temperature of nearly 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, the temperature in that area dropped down to just under 94 degrees, before dropping even further to about 88 degrees as of Friday morning.

Water temperatures recorded at a buoy in South Florida show water temperatures hit nearly 97 degrees Fahrenheit this week. / Credit: NOAA/NWS/NDBC

Those warm waters were even farther north around Tampa Bay, buoy data shows. Old Port Tampa recorded temperatures surpassing 94 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, while a buoy in nearby Clearwater Beach recorded temperatures as high as 91 degrees the same day. The Atlantic Coast is seeing temperatures in the mid to high 80s.

The Weather Channel's Stephanie Abrams told "CBS Mornings" on Friday that June marked the third consecutive month of record ocean waters.

"Not only are we seeing the warmth in the Pacific with the building of El Nino, but also over the North Atlantic," she said. "...The water temperatures near Miami are in the mid-90s."

Death Valley is going to approach 130F this weekend  with a low of just 100F, as the Southwest experiences a brutal heat wave with no end in sight.@WeatherChannels @StephanieAbrams breaks down the extreme heat. https://t.co/MAviOMte5C pic.twitter.com/N1QK0RRhtd  CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 14, 2023

Meteorologists told CBS Miami that the temperatures seen in Florida's coastal waters are "incredible."

"The water is so warm you really can't cool off," National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Orrison told CBS Miami, saying the temperatures seen in the Gulf and Southwest Atlantic are 4 to 5 degrees warmer than normal.

Average temperatures in the Gulf Coast typically remain in the mid-80s in July on average, according to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

"That's making things tougher or more oppressive for people who are going to be out and about," Orrison said, as the warm water also makes the air more humid. All of South Florida is at risk of excessive heat in the coming week, with the heat index expected to be as high as 110 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The conditions come as a marine heat wave continues to encapsulate the world's oceans. In May and June, global sea temperatures hit record-highs, hitting temperatures "much higher than anything the models predicted," researchers said. El Nino is partially to blame, although the overall increase in global temperatures is a major component.

Sea surface temperatures have been rising for decades, with the past three decades seeing "consistently higher" temperatures "than any other time since reliable observations began in 1880," according to the EPA.

This graph shows how the average surface temperature of the world's oceans has changed since 1880. This graph uses the 1971 to 2000 average as a baseline for depicting change. Choosing a different baseline period would not change the shape of the data over time. / Credit: NOAA, 2021

The warming the world's oceans have experienced since 1991, in particular, is so extreme, that it has doubled the size of the marine heat wave that's been forecasted for September. At that time, it's expected that as much as half of the ocean could be experiencing a heat wave.

Sea surface temperatures are a vital indicator of the health of the world's oceans and the planet at large. And if it becomes too warm, the impacts could be devastating. As the sea surface temperature changes, it can affect the species that are able to live in certain locations, thus altering migration and breeding patterns, the EPA says.

It can also cause coral bleaching, which Florida is currently at risk of experiencing.

Mark Eakin, a retired NOAA coral reef scientist who is now at the International Coral Reef Society, told CBS Miami that the heat could bring a "nasty bleaching" event to Florida's reefs. And Liv Williamson, who studies reefs at the University of Miami's Coral Reef Futures Lab, said that her team has already started hearing of bleaching events from Belize, "which is very alarming this early in the summer."

There's a 90% chance there will be major bleaching in Florida, the Caribbean coast of Central America, and other areas, she said.

"This is only July," she said. "This heat will just keep accumulating and these corals will be forced to deal with dangerously warm conditions for much longer than is normal."

Higher sea surface temperatures could also increase the risk of the development of the toxic bloom known as red tide, which Florida has notoriously struggled with for years as these events are toxic to marine life.

Impacts even go beyond the sunshine state, impacting the global climate at large, the EPA says. As sea surface temperatures warm, it adds water vapor to the atmosphere over the oceans, feeding into weather systems and increasing the risk of heavier precipitation events.

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Logs offer an inside look into what a week's worth of activity on the FAA's Domestic Events Network looks like, including sightings of UAPs.

The Federal Aviation Administration received pilot reports about a floating glowing white cylinder, a fast-flying white diamond-shaped object, a 25-foot-long black triangular drone, and someone zooming around using a jetpack in just one week in June 2021. This is according to logs from the U.S. Domestic Events Network, or DEN, that The War Zone recently obtained. Taken in all, the hundreds of 'DEN line' log entries provide a fascinating and somewhat unprecedented look into what a week of this network's activity actually looks like.

The entries also offer new insights into sightings of so-called unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), more commonly known as unidentified flying objects, within U.S. national airspace, as well as how they are recorded, categorized, and investigated. Interest in the UAP topic has grown drastically on Capital Hill and new legislation, including that being put forward by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, aims, at least taken at face value, at releasing more information to the public on this historically stigmatized and long-tortured issue. These developments follow claims by defense intelligence officer-turned-UAP whistleblower David Grusch that not only does the U.S. government know far more than it is letting on about the UAP issue, but it actually has in its possession crashed craft of an otherworldly origin.

The FAA manages the DEN, but it acts as a central hotline for reporting aviation-related incidents within U.S. airspace that other parts of the U.S. government, such as the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA), can also utilize. In addition to the unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) sightings, the logs from the week in June include entries describing drone encounters, the dangerous lasing of aircraft, warnings about space debris reentering the atmosphere, bomb threats, technical and medical emergencies, and more. When intercepts by Air Force alert fighters are made on unresponsive or potentially threatening aircraft in or around U.S. airspace, DEN line traffic usually facilitates these actions, with the Air Force's air defense sectors stepping in.

War Zone contributor Adam Kehoe obtained a copy of the logs, which cover events that occurred between 04:00 Zulu on June 7, 2021, and 03:59 Zulu on June 14, 2021, from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A total of 1011 incidents were logged in the DEN in that period, according to what was released. Some of the entries are fully or partially redacted, citing exemptions to FOIA intended to protect sensitive details about law enforcement techniques and procedures and critical infrastructure, as well as personal information.

The full metadata released along with the June 2021 DEN logs. FAA via FOAI

Of the 1011 total incidents in the logs, three are specifically labeled as UAP reports. Metadata at the top of the released document says that there are 114 entities dealing with uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), though it's not clear if this also includes one of the UAP entries that is also labeled UAS.

A manual counting of the entries indicates that some of the drone incidents are among those that are fully redacted. Some, but not all, are also labeled as so-called Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MOR). The FAA regulations require the creation of MORs in various situations, including after a pilot reports unauthorized UAS activity or authorized UAS activity that is conducted in an unsafe or hazardous manner.

More on all this accounting later in the story.

Two of the labeled UAP entries very clearly fit that definition.

One of these concerns a reported sighting at 02:01 Zulu on June 9, 2021, of what is described as "a glowing white cylindrical object" by the crew of a Gulfstream IV business jet flying northeast from Van Nuys Airport in California to John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio. The jet was cruising at 45,000 feet and was around 29 nautical miles southwest of Grand Canyon Airport in Arizona at the time, according to the entry, which is reproduced in full below. This also means that the incident technically occurred late on June 8, local time.

FAA via FOIA

"The unknown phenomenon was paralleling the aircraft at the same speed approximately 3,000 feet above," according to the entry. "PIC [pilot in command] stated he was taking pictures and video of the object."

No further details about this incident or any follow-up investigation, if one even occurred, are provided. Marc Cecotti, another contributor to The War Zone, was able to obtain the MOR, including an accompanying map showing the estimated location of the object relative to the aircraft's flight path, for this specific incident, which is reproduced below. Sadly this does not provide any significant additional information. Despite the MOR confirming that the pilot said they were taking pictures and video, none were attached to the report.

FAA

FAA

FAA

A second UAP incident involved the reported sighting of an object that was "white and diamond shaped" and "traveling fast" at 21:10 Zulu on 6/12/2021. The crew of an Envoy Air Embraer E170 airliner made that report while they were flowing southwest at around 20,000 feet and some 40 nautical miles northeast of Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. The jet, operating at that time as Envoy Air Flight 3858, was heading from Portland International Jetport in Maine to Miami International Airport in Florida at the time.

The report says that the E170's crew saw the "unidentified aerial phenomenon pass underneath" at around 19,500 feet and that the "unknown phenomenon was smaller than their aircraft." That entry, seen in full below, says that the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office was notified, but provides no information about what may or may not have happened afterward.

FAA via FOIA

Despite how it is categorized, the third UAP entry in the logs involves a report at 00:27 Zulu on 6/10/2021 of what is expressly said to have been a "manned jet pack." The crew of a Gulfstream IV business jet  not the same one from the June 8/9 incident  reported seeing the jet pack-wearing individual "maneuvering in circles" at between 8,000 and 9,000 feet as they departed from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on their way to Westover Airport in Massachusetts. This entry specifically says that no law enforcement agency was notified, but that an entity abbreviated "JH," the definition of which is not immediately clear, was alerted.

FAA via FOIA

There is a fourth entry in the logs that is labeled as a UAS incident, not a UAP one. However, from the description, it sounds as if it could easily belong in the latter category. It is certainly distinctly different from the other listed drone encounters, most of which are described as commercially available quad-copters.

At 18:32 Zulu on June 7, 2021, the pilot of a Cessna C82R Skylane light aircraft reported that they "observed a 25 foot long black triangular UAS" around 500 below them to the right as they flew at around 6,000 feet near Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, in California. The plane had departed from John Wayne Airport and was heading to Paso Robles Municipal Airport, also in California. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office was alerted, but again no details are provided as to what follow-up actions may have been taken.

FAA via FOIA

It is, of course, worth noting that all of these entries simply reflect reported sightings of things and that without more information it is hard to assess what they might have been.

With this in mind, it is interesting to note that the June 2021 DEN logs include an entry about a drone sighting near aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney's research facility in West Palm Beach, Florida that says authorities later determined the report to be "non-credible."

FAA via FOIA

Still, all four of the aforementioned UAP or UAP-liked incidents are interesting for a variety of reasons.

The report about the cylinder is actually not the first time we've heard about something like that being spotted by pilots flying over the southwestern United States in recent years.

In February 2021, The War Zone reported on an American Airlines crew's sighting of what they described as "a long cylindrical object" that almost looked like a cruise missile type of thing" and was "moving really fast." That sighting, which you can read more about here, came from airspace above the northeastern corner of New Mexico. The FBI reportedly initiated an investigation afterward, but it is unclear whether that is still ongoing and, if it is not, what the results might have been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmUOZkSKCaY\u0026t=1s

The reported sighting of the black triangular drone fits into a history of reports about triangle-shaped UAPs/UFOs over the years, at least some of which may be linked to top-secret U.S. government advanced aerospace programs. There were famously multiple reports about aircraft with this general description, dubbed "Flying Doritos," spotting flying over Texas in 2014. At the same time, delta-shaped flying-wing-like drones, which have been in use in limited ways for decades, are now a widespread staple around the globe.

The entry is also a reminder of how troubling it is that the UAS issue is intertwined so deeply with that of UAP. You can read more about this unfortunate situation here.

The Teterboro "manned jet pack" sighting is differently notable in light of a plethora of similar reports from pilots near LAX in 2020, 2021, and 2022. There is a possibility that those incidents actually involved drones with manakins made to look like people flying around with jet packs, as seen in the video below. Still, the exact craft involved in those reports remains unknown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nNBRShBVVM

The fact that the pilot who reported the Teterboro encounter said that the individual was circling at an altitude of somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 feet can only further calls into question whether that was an actual person. As The War Zone highlighted in 2020 after the first round of sightings at LAX, known jet pack designs have limited endurance and overall capability to fly thousands of feet in the air.

Beyond these four mysterious incidents, the June 2021 DEN logs paint a broadly interesting picture of incidents in U.S. airspace and how they are managed. For one, just over 11 percent of all of the entries have to do with drones, though some of them are clearly reports, sometimes nearly simultaneously, from multiple sources about the same UAS.

An example of the same drone being reported twice by different sources from the June 2021 DEN logs. FAA via FOIA

Still, this underscores now long-standing concerns about national security risks and general safety issues associated with that dramatic increase in the availability of uncrewed aircraft. The War Zone has repeatedly highlighted how commercial drones can be weaponized or otherwise utilized for malign ends relatively easily even by terrorists and criminals, and how this presents dangers on and off traditional battlefields. It remains possible, if not highly probable that a significant number of UAP sightings are actually drones or balloons, which potential adversaries might be operating.

A rash of very publicly reported UAP or similar sightings in recent years has called new attention to these matters. In the past two decades or so, there have been multiple instances of U.S. Navy pilots reporting encountering UAPs off the East and West coasts of the United States. Single drones and swarms of uncrewed aircraft have also appeared in various areas, including near Navy ships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifslvA3SjOY

Critical military and civilian infrastructure like the U.S. Army missile sites on Guam and the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant in Arizona  both of which The War Zone was first to report  have also seen these kinds of incidents. The War Zone previously created an interactive online tool using a database of thousands of drone-related incidents, specifically, recorded by the FAA that can be used to search through and map out those reports.

A screenshot of the UAVGeography.com tool. Adam Kehoe



This all was, of course, further underscored by the U.S. government disclosure of a Chinese government spy balloon transiting through U.S. and Canadian airspace before it was shot down earlier this year. Three other still unidentified objects were later shot down over the United States and Canada. Significant questions remain about those latter three incidents and no imagery of those objects has so far been released.

A picture taken from a US Air Force U-2S Dragon Lady spy plane of the Chinese spy balloon over the United States earlier this year. No pictures or videos of the three other objects shot down over the United States and Canada have been released to date. USAF

Those episodes and the Chinese spy balloon all raised new questions about the general ability of American authorities to safeguard and even just adequately monitor the country's airspace. In February, President Joe Biden promised "sharper rules" for dealing with airspace incursions would be coming in the future, helped along by input from a newly formed working group. That, in turn, had prompted renewed discussion about the roles of existing organizations, including the Pentagon's fledging All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), as you can read more about here. A number of members of Congress are continuing to push for more transparency and accountability on UAP-related matters, especially in light of the potential national risks they might represent.

The June 2021 DEN logs highlight long-standing limitations on the U.S. government's ability to respond domestically to airspace incursions by UAPs and drones, among other events. Despite there being 114 UAS incidents in the logs, two there are only two entries that describe active counter-UAS (C-UAS) activity.

One of the C-UAS entries appears to be entirely redacted. The other involves an incident in New London, Connecticut on June 7, 2021, where the entry says that unspecified "security forces" recovered a Chinese-made DJI drone with Ocusync capability and located its operator. There are no details about what specific C-UAS action was taken, where that event occurred within New London, or what happened afterward. New London and neighboring Groton are home to a major U.S. Navy submarine base, as well as a shipyard where General Dynamics Electric Boat makes new nuclear-powered submarines for that service.

FAA via FOIA

There are also two drone incidents in the logs that are described as dangerous near-collisions that are not said to have resulted in any immediate C-UAS response. The U.S. government has taken steps in recent years to better enable more direct responses to threatening or otherwise suspicious drone activity.

Regardless, these logs represent just a fraction of what goes across the DEN line in a year. Judging by all that is in the little we have, there is certain to be many more insights to be garnered from many more weeks' worth, or even just the entirety of June alone. The War Zone will now be delving deeper into the data to see what other significant and notable details might be contained within.

Contact the authors: joe@thedrive.com
Social media users in South Africa have been sharing a screenshot of a series of tweets, purportedly from national broadcaster eNCA, claiming that Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said the party was in an advanced stage of negotiations with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to form a coalition government. However, the screenshot was fabricated: it used a real eNCA tweet but then added a second, doctored tweet about coalition talks. There have been no reports of Steenhuisen announcing coalition talks with the ANC.

The screenshot has been shared hundreds of times on social media here, here and here. It contains two purported tweets that appear to use eNCAs Twitter handle.

The first reads: DA leader John Steenhuisen: Yes, it's true that discussions with the ANC around how we plan to work and govern together are at an advanced stage. For now, I am not able to give further details but only to confirm that the senior leadership of the ANC have accepted our proposal.

Just below, the second tweet reads: ANC NEC member, Thembi Nkadimeng says the ruling party is open to having discussions with opposition parties. Nkadimeng says the ANC is willing to hold coalition talks with the DA. #eNCA #DStv403 #QuestionThinkAct #AllAngles. Below is what appears to be a clip from eNCAs news channel featuring Nkadimeng at a press briefing.

Screenshot of a post featuring the fabricated Twitter thread, taken on July 12, 2023

Reactions to the posts were mixed, with some believing the claim and others calling it false.

Screenshots of reactions to the false posts, taken on July 12, 2023

Doctored screenshot

The screenshot is a mix of fact and fiction.

It was created by using a real tweet from eNCA about Nkadimeng saying the ANC was willing to hold coalition talks with the DA. A fabricated tweet purportedly with Steenhuisens response was added above it in order to make it look like a Twitter thread.

South Africa holds general elections next year.

AFP Fact Check found the real eNCA tweet (archived here) published on the broadcasters timeline on July 10, 2023. It is a standalone post and not part of a thread.

ANC NEC member, Thembi Nkadimeng says the ruling party is open to having discussions with opposition parties. Nkadimeng says the ANC is willing to hold coalition talks with the DA. #eNCA#DStv403#QuestionThinkAct#AllAnglespic.twitter.com/Dstvvefduj  eNCA (@eNCA) July 10, 2023

The original tweet also featured a video clip in which Nkadimeng addressed (archived here) the media on July 9, 2023, saying South Africas deputy president Paul Mashatile was leading talks with opposition parties, including the countrys second biggest, the DA.

The ANC came to power in 1994 at the end of apartheid, while the DA emerged from the Democratic Party, which had opposed apartheid policies from within parliament. For three decades the two parties have been at loggerheads, with the ANC accusing the DA of representing the interests of white elites. The ANC rules with 57.5 percent of the National Assembly, while the DA has 20.77 percent (archived here).

During the recent media briefing, Nkadimeng implied that the strained relations between the parties were abating, and said that while the DA was not interested in talking to the ANC after the 2021 elections, they were open to discussions now.

I think its the maturing of democracy, she added.

As for the purported tweet in the top half of the screenshot, it does not appear on eNCAs Twitter timeline.

Moreover, the screenshot does not look like a genuine Twitter thread, which usually connects linked tweets with a vertical line.

Example of a Twitter thread highlighting the vertical line

The top part in that tweet is not eNCA, the bottom part is what we got from the briefing, eNCAs managing director John Bailey told AFP Fact Check on July 12, 2023.

It was clearly a manipulated process, and probably deliberate as well, Bailey said.

In a tweet published on July 11, 2023, the ANC also dismissed the screenshot as fake (archived here).

Charity McCord, the spokesperson to the DA leader, told AFP Fact Check that Steenhuisen did not make this statement.

DA pre-election pact

In an opinion piece published this month, titled: Opposition pact has a real chance of wresting power from the ANC, Steenhuisen wrote about how six opposition parties are set to convene on August 16-17, 2023 with the aim of forming a pre-election pact in order to unseat the ruling ANC (archived here).

A solid agreement will show voters that the pact has a clear pathway to victory, defined as dragging the ANC below 50 percent and inaugurating a government with a shared vision to address urgent national crises, including unemployment, load-shedding, crime and corruption, wrote the opposition leader.

Steenhusien added: For the first time, voters will know that there is a credible alternative to the ANC  and that it can win.
A Bradenton man was sentenced in federal court this week to five years of probation with multiple conditions including home confinement for his part in bilking elderly investors for millions of dollars in a Florida insurance scheme.

Kenneth Rossman, 65, was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell to a probationary period of five years, with 12 months of home confinement, according to a spokesperson with the U.S. District Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Florida. Rossman was also ordered to pay more than $5 million in restitution  jointly and severally  with Phillip Roy Wasserman, a former lawyer and licensed insurance agent.

Rossman pleaded guilty in July 2021 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, as well as aiding and abetting the preparation of a false and fraudulent income tax return, according to earlier reporting by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

As part of his plea agreement, Rossman testified against co-defendant Wasserman, 66, during a six-week trial. Wasserman was indicted in June 2020 by a federal grand jury for running a fraudulent insurance venture that included Ponzi-style payments from investors which funded his lavish lifestyle.

Previous reporting: Grand jury indicts Sarasota-Manatee men in $6.3 million fraud case

Manatee County court news: Former ballerina's 'Stand Your Ground' hearing concludes: Wait begins for judge's decision

Wasserman was found guilty in May 2023 on multiple counts of wire fraud and mail fraud, as well as conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

Rossman, a Florida certified public accountant and licensed insurance agent, worked with Wasserman to defraud the elderly investors by providing fraudulent misrepresentations and concealing material information about Wassermans insurance venture, FastLife, according to a news release from the United States Attorneys Office of the Middle District of Florida.

The victims were convinced to liquidate traditional investments, like annuities, and borrow funds against their life insurance policies to invest in FastLife. The money taken from the victims was used to enrich Wasserman and Rossmans lives, according to the news release, with Wasserman paying Rossman a percentage of the victim investors' money as compensation.

Rossman asks for a reduced sentence to care for sons with special needs

Rossmans defense filed a motion to reduce his sentence on July 6. In the filing, the defense detailed Rossmans struggle with bipolar disorder and how he is the sole financial provider and emotional caregiver to two special needs sons who are still grieving the loss of their mother from cancer.

The court filing explained that Rossman grew up in a home plagued by limited financial resources, parental neglect, domestic violence, and parental infidelity.

Rossmans defense further stated that beyond working for Wasserman as FastLifes chief financial officer, the rest of his employment over the years was above the law. In addition, the defense said Rossman suffered from an untreated bipolar disorder while working at FastLife which caused him to partake in high-risk behavior like gambling. He has since received mental health treatment through pretrial services.

In Sarasota County court news: Sarasota man sentenced to life in prison after new trial motion denied two months ago

More court news: Sarasota County ex-deputy gets 22 months for sending lewd photos to teenage girl

In April 2021, Rossmans wife passed away from cancer which has been emotionally difficult for his two sons who also have different disorders and illnesses that require special care, according to the court document.

U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg also submitted a motion to reduce Rossmans sentence from the advisory sentencing range of 57 to 71 months, which equates to approximately five to six years in prison, to 30 to 37 months.

The prosecutor said Rossman provided truthful and timely information to the United States, testified at the trial of his co-defendant, Phillip Roy Wasserman, and was essential to the government securing verdicts of guilty against defendant Wasserman.

Gabriela Szymanowska covers the legal system for the Herald-Tribune in partnership with Report for America. You can support her work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America. Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com, or on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bradenton man sentenced to probation, home confinement in fraud scheme
David Kunkle, a former police chief in Arlington and Dallas, died Friday morning after a fight with Lewy body dementia, according to WFAA/Channel 8. He was 72.

Kunkle grew up in Hurst and was a graduate of L.D. Bell High School.

Kunkle was Dallas youngest police captain in history when he started there at 29 in 1972. He was police chief in Grand Prairie before he became the chief in Arlington in 1985. He stepped into the the role of Arlington deputy city manager in 1999.

When he started as Dallas police chief in 2004, Kunkles priorities included reducing the crime rate, improving officer morale and connecting with the minority communities..

Kunkle called the role at the time the most perfect dream job Ive ever had.

I know Ill have 1.2 million people looking at what I do and 3,000 police officers scrutinizing it to even a greater degree, Kunkle told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram at the time. It comes with the territory, and Im prepared to put myself in that arena.

During Kunkles time in the position, the Dallas department saw a 32% decrease in violent crime, 34% decrease in the citys homicide rate, fewer deadly force incidents and fewer in-custody deaths.

Kunkle retired as Dallas police chief in 2009, and ran for mayor of Dallas in 2011. He lost the runoff Mike Rawlings.

Kunkle was known for his accomplishments, he was also known for his conscientiousness and love of his privacy. Those who knew him say he was personable yet shy at times. And he was an avid runner.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram once reported Kunkles favorite restaurant in a 1990 profile. He stopped going.

Kunckles wife once bought him a $55 tie. He went back to the store and exchanged it for two cheaper ties.

And when it came time to buy a dog, Kunkle once spent two months researching Brittany spaniels.

Kunkle leaves behind his wife, Sarah Dodd, and son, Michael Kunkle, according to WFAA.
Former director of Ga. housing division indicted on RICO charges related to alleged tax theft scheme

Prosecutors say the former director of a state-wide agency that is supposed to help low-income Georgians secure housing was the ringleader in an elaborate scheme to steal state and federal tax dollars.

Shawn WIlliams ran the Housing Assistance Division, which provides HUD money to help low-income Georgians get a home. In a new RICO indictment, prosecutors allege that Williams was diverting tax dollars to fake businesses for personal gain.

On Friday, Channel 2s Justin Gray spoke exclusively to Williams, who maintains that she is innocent.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Gray also talked exclusively to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston about the criminal charges.

Its not just sad and tragic, its absolutely criminal, Boston said. We take it very seriously when we have people that are taking taxpayer funds that were intended to help the community, and instead theyre taking that money and putting it in their pockets.

In a 42-page criminal indictment, a grand jury brought a 19-count RICO case against four people: Shawn Williams, Tayao Andrews, Corey Alston and Quinton Tate.

TRENDING STORIES:

The indictment alleges that Willaims funneled contracts to fake companies created by accomplices to pay $64,000 to clean a Norcross office that already had cleaning services and $120,000 to build a new software system for the division, which was never made.

It was fake contracts and fake invoices in order to steal those funds by people that were supposed to be leading state agencies, Boston said.

Gray caught up with Williams at her Conyers home. She spoke to him for several minutes off-camera where she described a broken department she alleges she was trying to fix.

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So you maintain you are innocent? Gray asked.

Yes, Williams said.

These are very serious charges claiming you are using tax dollars for your own gain, Gray said.

I agree. And Im not, Williams said.

The indictment alleges that it was all part of a well-orchestrated plan. One of the 14 unindicted co-conspirators even allegedly said in a phone conversation that they should plan to replicate [the fraud] many times to other people and other departments across Georgia State government.

Boston said the scheme was elaborate and intentional.

Williams had moved on to be the chief executive officer of Greenville, South Carolinas housing authority. Two of her co-conspirators went with her.

The Greenville Housing Authority told Gray that all three have been placed on paid leave.
The Lubbock County Courthouse.

A former Idalou police officer was placed on 10 years probation for abusing his authority when he threatened with a gun two men during an encounter at his home nearly five years ago.

Miguel Guerrero Jr., 29, pleaded guilty Friday morning to a count of aggravated assault by a public servant, a first-degree felony that carries a punishment of five years to life in prison.

He entered his plea three weeks ahead of a trial set in the 140th District Court.

Miguel Guerrero Jr., 29, pleaded guilty to a count of aggravated assault by a public servant, a first-degree felony that carries a punishment of five years to life in prison.

He initially faced two counts of the charge; in exchange for his plea, the second charge was dismissed and a deadly weapon finding was waived, which allowed him to be placed on probation.

He was also required to permanently surrender his police license.

Guerrero was placed on probation for 10 years, with an underlying sentence of 10 years, meaning he faces up to 10 years in prison if his probation is revoked.

He walked out of the 364th District Court with his attorney John Wolf, who declined to comment after the hearing.

The charge against Guerrero stems from a five-month-long Texas Ranger investigation into an Aug. 21, 2018, encounter while he was a police officer with the Idalou Police Department, according to an arrest warrant.

The Rangers investigation included reviewing body camera recordings of Guerrero's statement to investigators about what happened that night and a recording from a victim's phone that contradicted some of Guerreros statements, the warrant states.

Guerrero

Idalou Police Chief David Wilson said Guerrero, who started working at the Idalou Police Department in March 2018, no longer works for the city but declined to say when or how he left.

The Rangers were requested in January 2019 by the Lubbock County District Attorneys Office to investigate the case after evidence of Guerrero's abuse of power surfaced in an a separate investigation.

The encounter stemmed from a confrontation at Guerrero's apartment complex that resulted when one of the men he assaulted found messages between Guerrero and his girlfriend. The man made her take him to the officers home.

When they arrived the woman immediately ran from the vehicle and went to Guerreros home.

Guerrero told investigators that after the woman entered his home, one of the men exited the vehicle and ran toward him aggressively. Guerrero said he drew his service pistol and pointed it at the man and ordered him to lay on the ground.

He said the second man also got out of the vehicle and approached him. Guerrero said he ordered him to get on the ground then called on another police officer, who arrived and handcuffed the men, the warrant states.

The other officers body camera showed that as the men were handcuffed, Guerrero pointed his gun at one on the men and threatened to kill them if they returned to his home. At one point, Guerrero could be seen grabbing one of the men by the hair, aiming his gun to his head and threatening him.

Related: Texas Rangers looking into possible officer abuse in Slaton

As Guerrero searched the mans vehicle, he found the phone, which was still recording. Investigators believe Guerrero's immediate reaction was to destroy it as he could be heard saying, Lets get rid of before the recording stopped, the warrant states.

When Texas Rangers enhanced the audio of the recording, it apparently revealed a different version of events, the warrant states.

Investigators said the recording reportedly depicts Guerrero confronting one of the men immediately after vehicle doors could be heard opening and shutting. Guerrero could be heard identifying himself as a police officer and ordering the man to the ground.

He then orders the second man to get out of the vehicle and go on the ground.

Guerrero also could be heard accusing the men of hitting women.

The recording caught more threats before the other officer arrived. Guerrero could be heard saying, I will shoot you in the ------- face if you ever try to do some stupid ---- like that again! Do you understand me? Do you understand me? I will put this ------- gun in your mouth and pull the ------- trigger! Do you understand?

Rangers spoke to the other officer who said Guerrero didnt handle the situation well and that he wouldnt have threatened the men after they were handcuffed if he were in Guerreros place, the warrant states.

However, the officer said that he believed Guerrero was a good officer who didnt normally threaten people, though he would raise his voice and act aggressively during arrests, the warrant states.

Guerrero declined to speak with Rangers at the advice of his attorney, the warrant states.

Guerrero was arrested June 12, 2019 and booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center and was released the same day on bond set at $15,000.

Read next: Man accused of using AI to make virtual 13-year-old girlfriend in violation of probation

Prosecutor Austin Sanford said after the hearing that Guerrero's actions that night showed an abuse of power that damaged trust in law enforcement.

"Law enforcement is there to protect and they're not there to do the opposite," he said. "Their duty and goal should be to remove fear from citizens, not administer fear, and that's especially true as it pertains to the fear of violence and the loss of one's own life. These were 19-year-old kids that were stupid and maybe made some poor decisions, but they certainly didn't deserve what occurred."

He said the case also shows that the justice system working in removing bad actors in law enforcement.

"We found somebody who doesn't belong here (in law enforcement) and we made sure that everybody knows about it and that he could never do anything like that again," he said. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

He said Guerrero's conviction will ensure that he will never obtain a position in law enforcement in the state.

"Should he pursue being an officer anywhere else, as a result of the conviction that would be seen, I don't think any one will hire someone as a police officer who's been convicted of a first-degree felony of aggravated assault by a public servant where the allegation was that he utilized a deadly weapon in the commission of that deadly weapon threat. "

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Former Idalou police officer convicted on aggravated assault charge
Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Kremlin via Reuters via third party

Russian authorities arrested a former FSB colonel suspected of running the Kremlin Laundress, a Telegram channel that is believed to have extorted prominent politicians and businessmen, according to TASS.

The suspect, Mikhail Polyakov, is currently at the Main Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, TASS and other news outlets, including RBC and Telegram channel 112, reported.

The detainee has not yet been charged, a source from law enforcement said, according to TASS. He is under interrogation while an investigation proceeds, Baza reported.

He was arrested at his apartment in Moscow Friday, 112 reported.

The Kremlin Laundress self-describes as working to air dirty laundry.

The Alternate Reality of Filthy Rich Russians in Putins War

Dirty laundry: digging, washing, sorting. I know everything that happens in power and around it. I speak according to my mood, the accounts description reads.

Polyakov, who admins called Uncle Misha FSB, is also suspected of having ties to other Telegram channels, including ones called Nezygar, BRIEF, and Siloviki, according to Russian media reports. All three accounts denied any connection to the suspect, and some of them posted alleged details about Polyakov and his work for the FSB in the aftermath of his arrest.

The Siloviki channel reported that Polyakov was associated with work on Russias war in Ukraine and on anti-terrorist operations.

According to BRIEF, Polyakov was in charge of Department 2 of the FSB Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region, with culture, education, sports, and healthcare under his purview. His employees were reportedly involved in administrating Telegram channels.

The Telegram channel also indicated that he may have been involved in working to discredit the head of the FSB of Moscow and the Moscow Region, Aleksey Dorofeev.

We inform you that there was not and is not a person with that name in our team, BRIEF said in a post on Friday.

We are not engaged in blackmail and deliberate discrediting of political figures, Nezygar stated. We know Colonel Mikhail Polyakov as an honest officer, a hero of the Chechen war. A patriot, an active supporter of the [special military operation], a fighter against the enemies of the Tsar and the Fatherland. We believe they will figure it out. And the truth will prevail.

Several other arrests have been made in the case, according to TASS. Although the Kremlin Laundress Telegram account appears to have gone quiet, the three additional channels Polyakov was accused of helping operate continued to post after his arrest.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A man with central Illinois ties was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and civil disorder by a federal judge on Wednesday, following his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to the Associated Press.

Donovan Crowl, who graduated from Bushnell-Prairie City High School in 1988, was at the Jan. 6 attack in paramilitary gear, marching with a group of Ohio members of the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia group. At the time of his arrest, Crowl lived in Woodstock, Ohio.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found Crowl guilty in a non-jury, stipulated bench trial but acquitted Crowl's co-defendant James Beeks.

More: Peoria unveils multi-million dollar plan to overhaul its riverfront. Here are the details

Crowl will be sentenced on Nov. 17.

Crowl and 11 other Oath Keepers were said by prosecutors to have marched up the east steps of the Capitol building during the riot wearing military-style combat gear. They eventually retreated after being pepper sprayed by police.

Prosecutors say Crowl was a member of the Ohio State Regular Militia, which was led by Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins, who was sentenced to over eight years in prison for her role in the Capitol attack.

Crowl sent a text message before the riots to a group of people that included Watkins that said, "law abiding citizens are fix'n to 'act out of character'... Time for talk'in is over," according to the Associated Press.

His lawyer, Carmen Hernandez, argued Crowl was exercising his First Amendment rights and had no intention of overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Donovan Crowl Oath Keeper guilty in Jan. 6 Capitol riots
Former Observer publisher Rolfe Neill, a force at the paper and in Charlotte, has died

In his farewell column as publisher of The Charlotte Observer in December 1997, Rolfe Neill said that in 40-odd years, illness had kept him away from work for less than a week. He attributed his robust health to good Iredell County genes and the elixir of job joy.

Neill, one of modern Charlottes most indelible leaders and publisher of the Observer from 1975 until his retirement in 1997, died early Friday at age 90 of complications from peritoneal cancer, his daughter Ingrid Ebert of Kernersville said.

No public service is planned. Neill almost died in October. His nine months of unexpected and additional life turned into an extended celebration with family and friends, Ebert said.

Neill, according to his daughter, had no interest in a funeral. He told me, Im not going to be there anyway. 

He had five children, two stepchildren, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Neills career coincided with a golden era for the Observer in which the paper won three of its five Pulitzer Prizes. Over three decades, Neill left an oversized footprint on greater Charlotte, just as he did on the hulking newspaper offices at Tryon and Stonewall that are now gone.

Neill also formed productive personal and working relationships with business and political leaders across North Carolina who might be pilloried in the newspapers editorial pages the next day.

He had one foot in being the publisher of the newspaper and one foot in the community, and he was a force in both. It takes a unique talent to keep those positions separate, said former Duke Power CEO Bill Grigg, a longtime friend.

You can certainly say Rolfe is one of a handful of community leaders who over the past 40 years did more than just about anybody to make Charlotte what it is today, Grigg said.  You can put him up there with the McColls, the Belks, the Brookshires. ... He was a force for good.

Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt said Neills reporting instincts and commitment to a better Charlotte drove him to become involved with civic efforts on multiple fronts.

Each publisher has to chart his or her course, and Rolfe charted his to be active in the community, Gantt said. He always listened very carefully. He would not accept anything on the surface. He used the instincts of a great citizen and always asked the important questions, the questions other people might not ask.

You always wanted to know: What did Rolfe Neill think?

Rolfe Neill retired in 1997 after 22 years as publisher of The Charlotte Observer. This photo was taken on Dec. 16, 1997, two before he retired. GAYLE SHOMER

The daily product

As a publisher, and despite the elixir of loving his work, Neill was not always pleased with the daily product.

In that same final column, Neill told readers: My aspiration had been for us to become a distinguished newspaper.  In this, I failed. Aware that were a guest in your home, I meant for us to act as one. My apologies for errors in judgment or taste.

In a June 2017 interview in preparation for this obituary, Neill elaborated:

Part of what I was talking about was that probably half our readers disagreed with us politically. We needed to be acutely aware of that by making sure the other side was given its day in court with letters (to the editor) and guest columns.

For example, he went on, several phrases appeared in the Observer with regularity. Arch conservative Jesse Helms, for one. I agree. Jesse Helms was an arch conservative. But was there any line in any edition of the Charlotte Observer in which we called Teddy Kennedy an arch liberal?

Those sorts of subtle biases, Neill said, cause people to form judgments about us and our prejudices.

Neill and the Group

Neill likewise served as a sounding board for the Group, a highly select and unelected cadre of center-city business leaders who exerted enormous influence in the 1980s and 90s over how the city grew and matured.

Sitting shoulder to shoulder with the likes of then-Bank of America Chairman Hugh McColl and Duke Powers Bill Lee, Neill helped forge public-private partnerships that either added new cultural amenities to uptowns map or addressed pressing community issues such as poverty and affordable housing.

His willingness to publicly criticize his own newspaper may have reddened ears inside the Observer but earned Neill added respect throughout the community. So did his willingness to participate in discussions over civic and political endeavors that never found their way into the newspaper.

McColl, who says the Group really ran the city for 15 years, cites Neills role of being a skilled listener and problem-solver with propelling the behind-the-scenes, pro-city agenda.

My point is that he was a balanced person  a business leader who cared about the city greatly and committed his company to do what was right for Charlotte, McColl said. We did a pretty good job building a helluva city, and I dont think we should underestimate Rolfes contributions to the good ideas we had. Think of all the damn things weve done.

McColl, a frequent critic of the newspaper, also said emerging Charlotte benefited from having the Observer.

In 1982, Charlottes leaders were mostly business people. In this April 5, 1982, picture are: top, from left: Eddie Knox, Jim Babb, Liz Hair, Hugh McColl, Tom Storrs. Bottom row: John Belk, Harvey Gantt, Rolfe Neill, Jay Robinson, Bill Lee, C.C. Cameron. COPY

The newspaper staff offered reasoned opinions on its editorial pages but informed its readers about the rapidly changing issues of their times, the retired bank executive said.

Its very hard for me to say this, but I used to do a lot of bragging about the Observer when I was traveling out of town, McColl said. We were blessed to have that. Charlotte did not have the hidden politics of a lot of other cities.

And a lot of that had to do with Rolfe.

In 2017, Rolfe Neill worked to preserve green space in the Marshall Park area with development looming. Here, Neill is shown in August 2017 with, from left, architect Murray Whisnant, retired Duke Power CEO Bill Grigg and retired Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl. Taylor Batten/tbatten@charlotteobserver.com

Do it right

Born Dec. 4, 1932, in the small Surry County town of Mount Airy to Kenneth Neill and Carmen Goforth Neill, the family moved frequently, as Kenneth Neill tried one dairy job after another.

Both parents roots ran deep in Piedmont North Carolina, the Neills in Iredell County (where in the 1930s and 40s the Scottish pronunciation Nail still prevailed) and the Goforths in Lincoln County.

By the time he was in fifth grade and settled in Columbus, Georgia, 100 miles southwest of Atlanta, Rolfe Neill had attended five different grammar schools.

Neill described his parents as hard-working, middle-class people.

It was the Depression, he said. There wasnt anything to do and no money, unless you had a rich uncle. You were expected to work and do chores. My sister Toni did the dishes. I mopped the floors. My daddy finished college at North Carolina State. My mother finished high school. They set a standard of do it right. And thats the way you did things.

Starting at age 10, Neill, also a Boy Scout, rose daily at 5 a.m. to deliver the Columbus Enquirer, a $12-a-week job he would keep until high school graduation.

I loved the darkness, Neill recalled. I loved riding a bicycle. I loved taking that paper and sliding it on the slick enamel of peoples porches like a bowling alley.

The truth is, said Neill, Ive always liked work.

But on visits to Mooresville, his grandmother Neill spoiled him.

She did everything for me, Neill said.

His fathers mother was a great snuff-dipping storyteller who once heard a rustle in the yard and shot through an upstairs window screen with the biggest pistol young Rolfe had ever seen.

Former Charlotte Observer Publisher Rolfe Neill, right, was a Boy Scout. Starting at age 10, Neill rose daily at 5 a.m. to deliver the Columbus Enquirer, a $12-a-week job he would keep until high school graduation. Observer file photo

She could grab a chicken by the neck and fling it on the chopping block. She dug potatoes right out of the ground, sliced them and fried them up for her grandson. Her black wash pot was suspended on a tripod, and Neill watched fascinated as she lit a fire under it, brought the water to a boil and tossed in dirty clothes.

That wash pot would come to mind when Neill was 19 and a newlywed. Willowy Rosemary Boney had just graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Womans College in Greensboro (now UNCG). Neill was a student at UNC Chapel Hill, working around the clock at the student newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel.

After a July wedding in Rosemarys hometown of Clinton, the two moved into a cabin at the end of a dirt road in Orange County. If they wanted hot water for bathing or cooking, they had to build a fire.

Rosemary Neill, who had been editor of her college newspaper, recalls their courtship.

Id get a letter from him, and I would be weak in the knees.

The couple lived in Chapel Hill for two years, until he graduated with a B.A. in history. Rosemary Neill said her husband, who by now was editor of the Daily Tar Heel, failed physics three times. That was because he was always at the newspaper and didnt go to class.

After three decades and five children, the two divorced. According to Rosemary: We had 30 years worth of fun. Ive tried to remember that and move on.

I am a smart aleck

Former Observer associate editor and editorial writer Jack Claiborne recalled Neill from their undergraduate days, when both worked at the Daily Tar Heel.

He was fresh in the old Southern meaning of fresh. But I liked him. I liked his competence, his awareness, how smart he was about newspapers.

He called everybody by their first name  the governor, the chancellor  didnt matter, Claiborne said. Rolfe was just very confident of himself and very self-assured. He was always on top of what was going on.

And Neill could be formidable, Claiborne said. He got in peoples faces.

I am a smart aleck, Neill said when he was read the Claiborne quote. And this has caused me to do some things and push myself into peoples faces that a more decorous person would not have done.

After a stint in the Army, writing for Stars and Stripes in Tokyo, Neill was hired as a $55-a-week-reporter for the Franklin Press, a weekly in the North Carolina mountains.

In Franklin, Neill learned about customer allegiance. Subscribers, he said, referred to the paper as my paper, and not the paper, and they read every line in it.

Before long, the Observer hired him away  to open the Gastonia bureau. A year later, in 1958, he was in Charlotte as the Observers business editor.

Said Claiborne: Ill never forget the day he came in, sat down at his desk and called Mabel on the switchboard and asked to be connected to (textile magnate) Charles Cannon.

I heard him say: Hello, Charlie. This is Rolfe Neill. 

Neill said he knew nothing about business. I learned by reading the Wall Street Journal and by doing a profile every Sunday about businessmen.

Back to Charlotte

From the business desk  where he made $120 a week  the Neills were off to Miami. Now 28, Neill served as editor and publisher of two small weeklies  the Coral Gables Times and the Guide.

When he noticed some people took the Guide but not the Times, he went knocking. He found that the women were omnivorous about the classifieds, and you could get a classified ad for $1 in the Guide.

I very quickly learned about the power of classified advertising.

The next two years, he served as editor and publisher of the much larger Miami Beach Daily Sun, owned by the Miami Herald.

In 1965, Neill moved to the New York Daily News, where hed spend five years, first as assistant to the publisher, then suburban editor and finally, as one of three assistant managing editors.

As editor of the Philadelphia Daily News from 1970 to 1975, Neills task was to clean up the blood-and-guts tabloid while keeping its front page compelling. His circulation report card in Philadelphia was exemplary, wrote former Observer reporter Mary Bishop in a 1978 profile of Neill.

But when he moved to Charlotte in 1975 at age 42 as publisher and president of the Charlotte Observer and the late Charlotte News, Neill left a largely disgruntled staff in Philadelphia.

Bishops take was that many reporters there believed Neill neither trusted nor respected their work, and they were chastised for missing facts other papers had, though their staffs were at least three times larger.

Observer reporters, on the other hand, tended to be especially fond of Neill.

Of course Rolfe was handsome and charming, said the late former Observer columnist Polly Paddock. But for those of us who worked for him, the source of his magnetism ran much deeper. He was a fine journalist with a passion for making this city better  and he fueled our desire to emulate him.

Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, left, and former Charlotte Observer publisher Rolfe Neill attend a meeting with other former center city leaders at Charlotte Center City Partners on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. YALONDA M. JAMES/yjames@charlotteobserver.com

Former Observer reporter Elizabeth Leland was especially impressed with Neills memory.

He knew the names of everybody in that building, from the people who worked on the presses to the reporters and editors in the newsroom, and in many cases, he knew the names of their spouses and their children. Hed pass you on the escalator, and hed always make a point to ask you about them.

He was one of the most personable people Ive ever worked for, Leland said. I loved him for that.

Ed Williams, former Observer editorial page editor, said Neill had a lot of confidence in what was going on in the editorial department.

I felt like he had our backs, Williams said. He didnt insist we agree with him on every jot and tittle. I couldnt have had a better person for a publisher.

Many opinions of Neill

Other editors had other opinions.

There are two sides to Rolfe, said Mark Ethridge, a former Observer managing editor who went on to become president and publisher of the Business Journal of Charlotte.

He is undoubtedly one of the most charming people on the face of the planet. When you think of the word gracious, its Rolfe.

Only the people he was closest to saw that other side.

He would come into my office, shut the door, take his shoes off, put his feet on my coffee table and launch into this, Where have I gone wrong? Ive done everything to bring you up right, and youve failed me.

Weve just won the damned Pulitzer Prize, and Id think, What do you want? And I was a kid. I was 29.

He was right most of the time. We didnt pay enough attention to obits. He screamed that we didnt know what was going on in the business community, and I didnt figure that out until I left.

The friction didnt come from the issues, Ethridge said. It came from the handling of the issues.

The late former Observer managing editor Frank Barrows put it this way: If Rolfe came by and wanted to have lunch with you, you were basically taken to the woodshed.

But Barrows added that in later years, there had been an awakening with Rolfe. A degree of self-awareness. Every year or so, he would call me up and tell me what a great editor I was. Or wed go to lunch.

Barrows also emphasized Neills charm.

If you were putting on a dinner party, and your goal was to have a great dinner party, youd want Rolfe. His ability on his feet in front of a room was incredible. He would move around the room, ask questions. His charisma was almost palpable. He was Phil Donahue before Phil Donahue.

Once, Barrows said, he was setting up an interview with Neill and a job candidate. They were to meet for breakfast. The job candidate asked: How will I know who he is?

Dont worry, Barrows said. Youll feel the force field.

Retired publisher Rolfe Neill talks with former employee Ruth Adams Simpson during a March 2016 reception shortly before the Observer moved from 600 South Tryon Street to the NASCAR Tower. Mark Hames/Mark Hames

Respecting the community

Former Observer editor Rich Oppel, for many years editor of the Austin American-Statesman and later editor of the Texas Monthly in Austin, said no one in his working life had more influence on him than Rolfe Neill.

He was the smartest person I ever worked for, very strong in character and driven by high standards.

In 15 years I never saw him meet a readers anger by returning fire, Oppel went on. He listened carefully, looked for common ground and usually found it. He responded quickly and fully if he found where his newspaper had erred or fallen short.

But Neill was not easy to work for, Oppel said.

He was uncomfortable with prolonged investigations. He once demanded in writing that I stop my ceaseless thrall with the fraudulent fund-raising by PTLs Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, which went on to win the 1988 public service Pulitzer.

I never did meet his expectations, Oppel said. I fell short of the perfection he demanded. I never met an editor who worked for Rolfe who felt that he or she measured up.

Claiborne pointed to a particular quirk of Neills that may have made editors uneasy.

Rolfe had an unusual gift, Claiborne said. He could look at you and see beyond your outward appearance to the soft spot within and make you feel vulnerable. It wasnt that he was going to use it against you, but you felt you were in his control.

Neill fervently wanted his editors to respect the community and be more sensitive to readers tastes.

In an 11-page memo to incoming Observer editor Jennie Buckner in 1993, Neill advised: Our readers dont like smart alecs. They dont like superiority. They expect us to show affection for the community that we serve even while we are its auditors.

Get caught loving your community, Neill advised in an essay in the Aug. 6, 1996, issue of Editor & Publisher. It neednt be idolatrous, just genuine.

Rolfe Neill looks on as Charlotte Observer editor Jennie Buckner talks with newly appointed publisher Peter Ridder on July 17, 1997. CHRISTOPHER A. RECORD

Patron saint of the arts

Neill himself was very much a player in the corporate echelons of the Charlotte community.

Soon after he arrived, he joined the Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, and he backed two controversial projects  the then-proposed outer belt road and the $59 million Douglas Municipal Airport terminal.

According to Ed Williams, Neill never instructed us to write favorably about something because he was involved in it.

He was also active with the Foundation for the Carolinas, as well as Central Carolinas Choices and with the Wildacres Leadership Initiative.

The patron saint of the arts, is how Michael Marsicano, former president and CEO of the Foundation for the Carolinas, describes Neill. He praised Neills efforts in managing to bring the ballet from Winston-Salem to Charlotte.

He never put himself in the limelight. He was a quiet, resolved person who worked with other corporate executives to get this done. But Rolfe was the glue that held them together, Marsicano said.

Rolfe has an internal compass, he went on. He has always known who he was and what he stood for. Knowing someone who had that much of his act together  I was a moth to the fire.

Near the end of his tenure as publisher, Neill was awarded the UNCC Distinguished Service Award for his two decades of leadership in the region.

Five former center city leaders: former Charlotte mayor Harvey Gantt, second-left, former Charlotte Observer publisher Rolfe Neill, former Bank of America chairman and CEO Hugh McColl, center, former president of Iveys department store chain George Ivey, and former Charlotte city manager Wendell White, right, gathered at Charlotte Center City Partners to talk about the uptown organizations accomplishments over the past 30 years on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. phillip c. hoffman/THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

He remembers everything

In the fall of 1988, Rolfe Neill had married Ann Marshall Snider, the mother of two sons and active in the community. He had courted her for six years. She died in 2016, after 28 years of marriage to Neill.

Sharing my life with someone is natural, Neill said in 2017. Before I was married, I can remember having arguments at parties: Do you have to have children to be complete? No, not necessarily, I would say. But having had children, I believe you absolutely do have to have children to be complete.

His biggest regret, he said, was not salvaging his first marriage to Rosemary.

Divorce is such a destructive, tumultuous thing, he said. I failed.

Widowed and living alone in 2017, Neill described himself as a loner. He said he was selfish with his time and deeply involved in reading, mostly non-fiction.

I dont need and dont seek to participate in group activities, he said. I detest cocktail parties and do not attend them.

Yet, he was good company, according to former Eastover neighbor and clothier Paul Simon.

He is an incredible listener, Simon said. He remembers everything. At any future date, he can bring up some obscure fact he remembered from your conversation.

Simon would see him walking in the neighborhood, usually eating an apple. Hed be thinking about something, solving a problem or having a dialogue with himself. If it was your lucky day, hed invite you to join him and youd have a wonderful conversation and you wouldnt want it to end.

Proud of the Observer

Neill said most people wont believe that there was not one day in his life that he couldnt wait to get to work.

I had this strong desire to influence things for the better, he said, and on top of that, I never had a boss who acted like a boss. I was forever left alone, and boy, is that great pay.

Neill said he is proud of his work at the Observer.

Some things we didnt get done. Some things maybe we fell short in. I tried to guide and inspire and improve people. But in the end, having said my piece, I left them to do what they thought best.
Worker protests. Suspended dining services. Expired rations. Water supply cutoffs.

Reports of conditions at this years ROTC Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Kentucky read like dispatches from a neglected outpost or underfunded sleepaway camp, not a flagship officer training program managed by the biggest branch of the wealthiest military on earth.

Thousands of college-aged officers-in-waiting have congregated at the base for a months worth of classes and field drills designed to imbue the Armys next generation of tough, adaptable leaders with the skills needed to thrive in ambiguous and complex environments.

For some aspiring lieutenants, the ambiguous and complex environment that awaited them at CST may have been more than they bargained for.

Tales of shoddy provisions and contracting woes began flooding social media platforms in late June. Army Times sifted through the rumors, contacting base officials and CST participants to separate fact from fiction.

The deluge began, as with most contemporary digital scandals, with a viral TikTok video. The eleven-second clip, which has amassed 1.5 million views since hitting the platform July 3, showed dozens of Fort Knox employees gathered in a driveway chanting, No Pay, No Work in rhythmic unison. Other clips uploaded to the video-sharing service capture the scene from different angles.

Cadets, cadre, and other CST support personnel  speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press  said the walkout occurred during the final week of June outside Sprocket 1, the cadres principal dining facility (DFAC).

The videos bold-texted captions claimed the protesting DFAC employees hadnt been paid in over a month. Richard Patterson, a spokesperson for U.S. Army Cadet Command (USACC), acknowledged in a statement to Army Times that the command terminated the food service contract that supported the Warrior Restaurants for CST on July 1st due to the contractor not fulfilling its obligations. Patterson declined to say whether or not unpaid wages precipitated the termination, deflecting the matter to the contracting company. Army Times was unable to confirm whether the DFAC employees had gone without pay prior to the walkout.

The strike and subsequent contract debacle derailed the programs dining operations. The cadres DFAC shut down until July 5, when base leadership hired a new temporary food service provider. USACC shifted Army cooks to the chow line to keep other cadet dining facilities up and running.

Base leadership relied on extra stockpiles of Meals, Ready-to-Eat to plug the gaps in the food supply. Adding to the displeasure of replacing hot meals with pre-packaged feed, trainees found that many of the distributed MREs had expired.

Patterson confirmed to Army Times that some of the MREs at Cadet Summer Training have passed their inspect/test date stamped on the MRE cases by the manufacturer, but stressed that the out-of-date packets had been tested and inspected by certified food inspectors before distribution and were safe to eat.

During Cadet Summer Training 2023, so far, cadets and cadre have consumed more than 288,000 MREs, Patterson said. Out of these we have had a few that were found to be not suitable and we replaced them immediately. We have instructed our cadre to immediately report any issues, capture the lot number of any MRE with a problem and send it directly to the chief logistics officer to further investigation.

Subpar grub still slipped past inspectors. One member of the instructor cadre told Army Times that a number of cadets under their purview received moldy MREs. Several cadre personnel said they struggled to carve out time for DFAC meals (when they were available) because of demanding schedules.

Multiple sources told Army Times the dining situation had largely stabilized by July 7. Yet that semblance of normalcy was again disrupted the following week.

On the morning of July 10, Cadet Summer Training personnel received a message from Knox leadership ordering them to refrain from drinking from all freshwater sources except the water point at Densberger and bulk water at LSA Baker, two facilities on base. The warning also prohibited trainees and staff from refilling water containers at any water points or any buildings on Fort Knox. (Some cadre members reported never receiving official notice of water issues.)

Later that afternoon, Hardin Countys water authority diagnosed the problem as a water main break  a burst pipe  that sapped water pressure across the entire installation. County officials issued a boil water advisory in response, prompting base officials to set up multiple potable water points throughout Fort Knox and the training area to ensure cadets and cadre had fresh drinking water, according to Patterson. The county ultimately lifted the advisory Wednesday afternoon.

U.S. Army Cadet Command leaders, soldiers, and civilian staff responded to challenges within hours and returned to a normal feeding schedule, checked multiple lots of MREs and, even an interruption in the local water supply was something that Cadet Commands leaders and logisticians overcame so rapidly that training was not affected and our cadets and cadre were kept safe, Patterson said.

Few training participants  past or present  seemed surprised by the turbulence.

USACC willfully ignores [quality of life] for cadre and cadets every summer, one ROTC graduate vented in response to a comment request from Army Times. Same BS, different year.

Correction: This story was updated on July 15, 2023, at 1:40 pm EST. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that some cadets were forced to buy food off-base with their own funds. This was inaccurate. Cadets are not permitted to leave post during the training evolution.
The Fort Worth Independent School District is removing three titles from some school libraries, district officials announced.

Fort Worth ISD officials removed the graphic novels Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, Flamer by Mike Curato and Wait What? A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up by Heather Corinna from library shelves and moved them to the districts professional learning catalog, limiting access to only district staff. In a statement, a district spokesman said the move came after officials determined in a review that the titles werent appropriate for elementary and middle school library collections.

All three titles deal with themes related to growing up and exploring sexuality and gender identity. The move comes after a series of tweets from the conservative Twitter account Libs of TikTok highlighting sexually explicit language and illustrations in the books.

In a report released in September, the free speech advocacy organization PEN America listed Gender Queer as the book that was most commonly banned from school libraries during the 2021-22 school year. In the book, Kobabe writes about gender identity and the experience of coming out as nonbinary to friends and family. The book received critical acclaim and several awards, but has also been the target of criticism because of a handful of sexually explicit illustrations.

The Keller Independent School Districts board voted to remove the book in 2021. A year later, the board adopted a policy banning titles that deal with gender fluidity from school libraries.

In the report, PEN America also noted that Texas led the nation in school library book bans during the 2021-22 school year, with 801 titles banned across 22 school districts. Florida came in second, with 566 books banned in 21 school districts. Books with LGBTQ themes were the most commonly banned category.

Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill requiring vendors that sell books to schools to assign titles a rating based on references to or depictions of sexual activity. Books depicting or describing sexual activity that are part of the required course curriculum must be flagged as sexually relevant. Those that include content that is patently offensive and arent part of the required curriculum are categorized as sexually explicit, and must be removed from library bookshelves. Students will have to get parents permission for checking out books flagged as sexually relevant.
USCs College of Education removed an anti-racist mission statement from the colleges website following an inquiry by Fox News, which accused the school of teaching future educators concepts related to critical race theory.

According to Fox, the departments mission statement had included preparing teachers to be proficient in culturally relevant, anti-racist, pro-Black instruction; and to promote democratic principles and ideas within and across all educational settings.

But before Fox published its news story, the statement had been taken down. A link to it resulted in a 404 page not found message.

The University of South Carolina did not comment on the statement Fox referred to.

A mission statement currently available on the education colleges website says the college emphasizes the active construction and application of knowledge, skills, and dispositions to promote educational excellence, equity and opportunity in the 21st century.

The statement indicates it was approved by faculty and staff in 2001.

We are committed to developing and sharing our expertise and leadership as well as offering a forum for educational dialogue and advancement, the mission statement reads.

The statement says the university is dedicated to preparing educators to have a sincere understanding and appreciation of diversity as we challenge ourselves and others to work for social justice.

When asked about the mission statement referred to by Fox News, university spokesman Koby Padgett said the education college is currently undergoing strategic planning at all levels in preparation for a reorganization, including assessment of mission and vision.

Adam Mahdavi, a 2022 USC graduate, told Fox that he wanted parents to be aware of how their childrens teachers were trained, and claimed that the university prepares teachers to circumvent the prohibition of CRT.

If youre vocal about your Christianity, conservatism, constitutional Republicanism, if you voice that out, you will be a target every single day, Mahdavi told Fox. And theyll try to make you want to quit.

When asked for a reaction to Mahdavis allegations, university spokesman Jeff Stensland said USC is committed to the principles of free speech, expression and inquiry.

Part of the long tradition of American higher education is the belief that free and open dialogue is a key ingredient to arriving at universal truths and common understanding, Stensland said. Our students represent a broad range of political perspectives and are encouraged to explore different viewpoints while being respectful of those they may disagree with.

A South Carolina state budget proviso bans public K-12 schools from funneling state money towards teaching concepts derived from critical race theory.

Critical race theory, according to the Legal Defense Fund, is an academic and legal framework that acknowledges systemic racism as part of American society. References to discrimination, anti-racism, intersectionality, social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion are often categorized concepts related to critical race theory.
Fran Drescher, the Screen Actors Guild president, blasted comments from Disney CEO Bob Iger about current strikes by SAG and the Writers Guild of America.

I found them terribly repugnant and out of touch, Drescher told Variety on Friday. Positively tone deaf. I dont think it served him well.

Drescher was referring to remarks Iger made Thursday following a vote from the actors union, representing some 160,000 performers, to strike.

Iger, who makes about $27 million a year, complained that Hollywood workers demands for equitable wages and better working conditions are not realistic.

Its very disturbing to me. Weve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges were facing, the recovery from COVID, which is ongoing, its not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption, he told CNBC.

Iger added that the writers and actors are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive.

(His comments on the disruptive nature of the strikes are correct: That is their intended purpose.)

If I were that company, I would lock him behind doors and never let him talk to anybody about this, Drescher told Variety, referring to Disney.

Its so obvious that he has no clue as to what is really happening on the ground with hard working people that dont make anywhere near the salary he is making, she continued. High seven figures, eight figures, this is crazy money that they make, and they dont care if theyre land barons of a medieval time.
By Michel Rose

PARIS (Reuters) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was treated to one of France's most spectacular accolades on Friday as guest of honour at the Bastille Day military parade, part of a visit that has sealed high-profile defence deals.

Modi and President Emmanuel Macron watched French and Indian soldiers march down the tree-lined Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, while French-made Rafale fighter jets India bought in 2015 took part in a fly-past over the Arc de Triomphe.

The national celebrations come at a delicate time for Macron, who was also booed by some members of the public as he drove down the Champs-Elysees in a military car.

His decision to raise the retirement age sparked months of protests this spring and has hurt his popularity ratings.

Modi began a two-day visit to Paris on Thursday, when he was granted the Legion of Honour, France's highest award.

"(India) is a giant in the history of the world which will have a determining role in our future," Macron said in a speech late on Thursday. "It is also a strategic partner and a friend."

The parade comes after New Delhi gave initial approval to buy an extra 26 Rafale jets for its navy and three Scorpene class submarines, deepening defence ties with Paris at a time the two nations are seeking allies in the Indo-Pacific.

The total value of the purchases is expected to be around 800 billion rupees ($9.75 billion), according to a source familiar with the details, although that was still subject to negotiations.

France has been one of India's closest partners in Europe for decades. It was the only Western nation not to impose sanctions on New Delhi after India conducted nuclear tests in 1998.

India has relied on French fighter jets for four decades now. Before buying Dassault Aviation's Rafale, India bought Mirage jets in 1980s and those still comprise two squadrons of the air force.

The ageing fleet of India's Russian-made planes, Moscow's inability to perform maintenance work, and delays in India's indigenous manufacturing plans have led to the two new defence deals.

Later on Friday, Macron will host Modi at the Elysee Palace for talks before a state banquet at the Louvre Museum.

But Modi's visit was also criticised by human rights organisations, concerned about the perceived growing authoritarian nature of Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and accusations of discrimination against minorities.

"Today, Emmanuel Macron rolls out the red carpet for Narendra Modi," the French Ligue des Droits de l'Homme (LDH) rights group said on Twitter. "The LDH, concerned about India's authoritarian turn, denounces this invitation which sends a disastrous signal, negating our democratic values."

For France, the strategic partnership with India is crucial as it seeks to consolidate its alliance network in the Indo-Pacific region after being dealt a blow by Australia when Canberra decided to ditch a big French submarine contract and form the AUKUS alliance with Britain and the United States.

Both India and France through its island territories have deep interests in the Indian Ocean and are concerned about China's growing assertiveness in the region.

Macron has treated only a few global leaders to the Bastille Day military parade.

He invited Donald Trump for the 2017 celebrations, and the then U.S. president was so impressed by the French march-past that he asked Pentagon officials to explore a similar parade in celebration of American troops.

(Reporting by Michel RoseEditing by Frances Kerry and Nick Macfie)
Fresno crime rates fall, even as California sees a rise. Police chief says he knows why | Opinion

Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama was at a community event when a man came up to chat.

We have got to do something about this crime problem, the man told the chief.

Balderrama had a ready answer. Contrary to other cities in the state, Fresnos main crime categories were down, he explained.

The man was stunned. How could that be, he wondered.

There are several answers.

First, the Fresnan is not alone in believing crime is a problem in California. A statewide survey done by the Public Policy Institute of California last November found that two in three residents see violence and street crime as a major problem in their community.

The survey also found that 60% of Republicans say crime has increased in the last year, compared to Democrats, with 60% of them saying it has remained the same.

To be sure, crime in California has become a regular talking point for Republican politicians. The state GOP organization just issued a news release with a section headlined California Democrats Crime Crisis.

The constant repeating of that message by conservatives has an effect over time.

In spite of decriminalizing hundreds of drug and gun crimes, @GavinNewsom California is a crime hell hole. https://t.co/QEf6xaV6VT  NPP Lincoln (@LincolnFresno) July 10, 2023

But, in fact, in the last year crime has gone up statewide. Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, recently issued a yearly recap of crime in California. The 2022 report showed Californias violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%.

The trend is Fresno is different.

Fresno rates way down

I met with Balderrama in his downtown office, and he surprised me with the following numbers, comparing the period of Jan. 1 through July 11 of 2022 to the same time this year:

 Homicides: down 44%

 Rape: down 19.6%

 Robberies: down 10.8%

 Shootings: down 11.3%

 Commercial burglaries: down 45.6%

 Residential burglaries: down 29.3%

 Vehicle theft: down 25.8%

When it comes to murders, there were 34 over that period last year, compared to 19 this year.

The caveat to this is that those Fresno numbers are of a shorter time frame than what Bonta presented. Nonetheless, Fresnos drops are big enough to get ones attention.

So why is this happening here?

Officer hiring

Balderrama gave a one-word answer: Staffing. Fresno PD has more officers today than it has ever fielded.

The City Council has authorized the police department to have 900 officers, a record high. As of July 7, Balderrama said 860 of those positions were filled.

Add another 400 support staff and the departments total is 1,300.

In January 2021 when I came. we had 838 positions (budgeted) then, but had only 632 filled, Balderrama said of officers. The COVID pandemic was still raging, and over 100 officers were off (from illness). We were running the city with 530 cops.

Short staffing becomes a problem when major crimes occur, he said. Whenever there is a murder, police have to set up what are known as outer and inner perimeters  the outer, to keep the curious at bay, and the inner one to protect the crime scene for investigators. All that takes staffing  Balderrama said a half dozen to 30 officers can be tied up at one shooting scene for more than half their shift, depending on the complexity of the scene.

Devoting that much staffing to one crime means those officers are not out on other calls, or are not being proactive at stopping problems from developing, he said.

There are a lot of misconceptions going around the country saying more cops does not make a safer city, Balderrama said. That is not true. Since we have added, our crime rate has been significantly reduced. We can focus on certain violent groups, do more outreach, be on more beats. More people call us and give us information we can use to solve crimes.

Budget impact

There is another number, however, that Fresnans need to know: $249.3 million. That is the police departments share of the citys general fund this year. Add another $12.4 million in grants, and the departments budget is $261 million.

Police take up more than half of the general fund  51.8%, said City Manager Georgeanne White. That same fund also has to support the fire department, planning, public works and other departments.

The police budget reflects that the safety of our community members is the top priority for the city, she said in an email.

Social-justice advocates in Fresno argue that if more emphasis was put on supporting residents who are at risk for committing crimes  be it by educational opportunities, job training, guaranteed basic income and the like  they could be directed away from wrongdoing, the police would have less to worry about and taxpayer dollars could be reallocated to supportive services.

Long-term, that is the right approach.

As it stands today, public safety has improved in Fresno. But that comes at a high cost.
At a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard reports from the military, security forces and government officials.

Source: Zelenskyy on Telegram

Quote: "Another meeting of the Staff. Reports from the commanders Zaluzhnyi, Syrskyi and Tarnavskyi about the situation at the front, advancement and defence.

New defence packages. Minister Reznikov's report. Deputy Prime Minister Kubrakov on improving supply logistics.

Increasing domestic production, including a good result with UAVs. Increasing the volume of repairs. Reports by Minister of Strategic Industries Kamyshin and Commander Huliak."

Details: The reports on the protection of nuclear power plants and the northern border were presented by Ihor Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs; Serhii Deineko, the head of the State Border Guard Service; and [Ihor] Voronchenko, the chief inspector of the Ministry of Defence. They reported on the results of an inspection of the readiness of the defence forces to perform their respective tasks.

According to the report of Kyrylo Budanov, the Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, there is no threat of invasion from Belarus, taking into account intelligence data and measures taken.

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As Gov. Gavin Newsom attempts to rally support for the $4.7 billion mental health plan he wants to place before voters next year, the California Analysts Office is raising concerns that the proposal could actually jeopardize some ongoing mental health services.

The Analysts Office, which advises the Legislature on policy and fiscal matters, released a series of reports this week that criticized Newsoms plan for adding thousands of new mental health beds and overhauling the states Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

Passed by California voters in 2004 as Proposition 63, MHSA levies a 1% tax on personal incomes above $1 million to fund programs and services for Californians with serious mental health issues. The vast majority of MHSA funding goes directly to counties to use as they see fit.

Newsom has proposed a bond measure for the March 2024 ballot that would raise $4.7 billion to add up to 10,000 behavioral health beds in California. It would also make several significant changes to MHSA, including requiring counties to move funds from prevention efforts into housing and to reduce the amount of cash jurisdictions are allowed to keep in reserve.

The measure is Newsoms latest effort to reduce encampments by treating and housing people dealing with a combination of homelessness, substance abuse or severe mental illness. It builds off of CARE Court, a new law he signed last year to compel residents struggling with mental health and addiction into court-ordered treatment.

The Analysts Office said that the proposed changes to MHSA would reduce funding for certain programs and could discourage ongoing spending commitments that may help counties provide more consistent and successful mental health services.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom meets Wednesday with a coalition of behavioral health reform leaders and local elected officials at his swing space office near the state Capitol.

We find that the administrations justification of its proposed changes is incomplete, a report from the LAO reads, adding that the Newsom Administration has not assessed how such changes may negatively impact current services.

For example, while the administration cites the shortfall in psychiatric treatment beds as a primary justification for the focus on housing interventions, the administration has not provided the rationale for using MHSA  given the trade-offs  to address this and other issues, the report continues.

The LAO is recommending the state legislature demand answers and hold the Newsom Administration accountable before approving the pair of bills that would form the March 2024 ballot measure. The bills need support from two-thirds of lawmakers.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who co-authored the legislation behind MHSA as an assemblyman, said Thursday that he respectfully disagreed with the LAOs criticisms.

The governor for the first time is seeking to articulate statewide societal priorities for the expenditure of this money and I think that is not only appropriate, but essential, Steinberg said. The bills that laid the foundation for MHSA focused on people who are chronically homeless, living with mental illness. Despite our best intentions and best work, thats not where a lot of this money is currently going.

In response to a request for comment, Newsom spokesperson Brandon Richards did not directly address the criticisms made by the LAO. Instead, Richards said in a statement that the status quo was not acceptable and that MHSA needed to adapt to address close gaps in the states health care system.

The report came out a day after Newsom held a round table discussion with state and local officials and behavioral health advocates to bolster support for his plan. After the meeting, the governor told reporters he was aware of concerns about how the measure could disrupt programs and services. Newsom said members of his administration were meeting with critics and open to considering adjustments but did not specify what those might be.

Were hopeful that we can put a package to the voters that will be overwhelmingly supported, Newsom said, and that will put those dollars to use early next year.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on May 2, 2023.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on May 2, 2023.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Thursday that the state would be picking up a conservative Southern California school districts slack.

Last month, the board for the Temecula Valley Unified School District, which has several far-right members, voted 3-2 against approving elementary school social studies materials that briefly mentioned gay rights activist Harvey Milk. The board has not yet approved a replacement for the classroom material, according to a press release from Newsoms office sent to HuffPost.

Newsom, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Senate President pro-Tempore Toni G. Atkins, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson said they would provide textbooks to the districts students ahead of their Aug. 14 school start date if their school board does not approve new material by its next meeting. The school board must apparently choose one of four textbooks approved by the state to teach in the coming year.

The rejected materials are approved across the state and would significantly update Temeculas books, which have not been updated since 2006, according to the governors press release.

Additionally, Newsom, Thurmond, Atkins, Rivas and Jackson are seeking to push through state legislation that would fine school districts that do not provide their students with learning materials.

The news comes as Republicans across the country have sought to ban books or materials that mention race or the LGBTQ community. More than 2,571 books were banned or challenged across the country in 2022 alone.

Cancel culture has gone too far in Temecula: radicalized zealots on the school board rejected a textbook used by hundreds of thousands of students and now children will begin the school year without the tools they need to learn, Newsom said in a statement to HuffPost.

If the school board wont do its job by its next board meeting to ensure kids start the school year with basic materials, the state will deliver the book into the hands of children and their parents  and well send the district the bill and fine them for violating state law.

Dr. Joseph Komrosky, president of the districts Board of Education, told HuffPost in a statement that Newsom and others have mischaracterized not only what has occurred, but why.

The Board of Education of the Temecula Valley Unified School District did not ban a book at its May 16, 2023 regular meeting. Instead, the Board of Education determined not to adopt as curriculum a history-social science program for District-wide use that had been part of a pilot study conducted by the District, Komrosky said.

The pilot study included 1,300 students in the district.

Komrosky added that a large, but unspecified, number of stakeholders are working on putting together a curriculum that conforms to state standards to be run by the board on July 18.

He also maintained that there is another plan in place to ensure students get materials, should the curriculum not be approved at the July 18 meeting.

Following the decision by the Board of Education in May not to adopt the pilot curriculum, the District made arrangements with the publisher of its currently adopted curriculum to provide enough textbooks for every single K-5 student of the District (which are the grade levels [affected] by this issue), he added.

But Steven Schwartz, another board member, told HuffPost he supported the governors effort.

I fully support the effort of the governor to help the students of TVUSD. I respect the expertise of the teachers who piloted the program and recommended it for use in our district. I voted to approve it and will do so again if it is proposed in our next agenda, he said.

Board member Allison Barclay agreed with Schwartz.

Speaking as an individual not representing our board as a whole, I am pleased to hear that the State of California is willing to support our students and ensure that they have access to the most up to date and accurate information. Our students deserve the best and having to continue to learn from a completely outdated curriculum that doesnt meet state standards is not whats best for them, she told HuffPost.

Related...
Gender-affirming health care for transgender youth is outlawed in Kentucky after a federal judge temporarily reversed an earlier order blocking the statewide ban.

In a surprising turn, the same federal judge who, in late June, blocked the portion of Senate Bill 150 banning gender-affirming health care for trans youth, granted a stay of that injunction on Friday, fulfilling a request from Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Fridays stay gives Cameron the power to, for the first time, enforce the statewide health care ban.

U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky David Hales reversal of his own order came a week after the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a temporary injunction halting enforcement of a similar law in Tennessee. The appellate courts ruling restored the Volunteer States gender-affirming care ban and consolidated both Kentuckys and Tennessees cases in the same appeals process.

The preliminary ruling is a victory for Cameron, who had petitioned the appellate court in late June to overturn the lower courts order and let him enforce the law. After the appellate court reversed Tennessees injunction, Cameron filed an emergency motion for Judge Hale to stay his injunction. And on July 14, Hale agreed, essentially saying his hands were tied.

In light of (the Sixth Circuits) ruling, the court sees no basis to deny the requested stay . . . pending resolution of the appeal, Hale wrote in his order.

Though Kentuckys new law bans puberty blockers, hormones and gender-reassignment surgery for trans youth, the lawsuit in question challenges the prohibition on puberty blockers and hormones, specifically. All three forms of treatment are now illegal in Kentucky.

Cameron celebrated the stay on Friday, calling the ruling a win for parents and children. He vowed to continue to defend Senate Bill 150 and stand up for the right of children to be children, free from the influences of leftist activists and radical gender ideology.

The district courts stay of the injunction is not final, but it could remain in effect until the early fall, or until the appellate court considers arguments for a full appeal of the ban from lower courts in Tennessee and Kentucky. A final ruling is expected by September 30, the appellate court said in its July 7 order.

Kentuckys health care ban is part of Senate Bill 150, a controversial omnibus law the GOP-controlled legislature passed earlier this year over Democratic Gov. Andy Beshears veto. It not only makes gender-affirming care illegal for trans youth, it restricts K-12 teaching on gender and sexuality, and mandates schools create policies that prevent trans students from using restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.

The laws school-related provisions took immediate effect after passage this spring. The medical portion of the law was slated to take effect June 29, until Judge Hales order blocked it a day before it was set to take effect. The other provisions of the law have yet to be challenged in court.

Seven trans kids and their families sued the state over the ban on hormones and puberty blockers in May, arguing that barring them from accessing that treatment under a doctors care violates their Fourteenth Amendment rights. They claim the law denies trans kids equal protection, and it denies parents of their due process rights to obtain evidence-based medical care for their children.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, serving as attorneys for the plaintiffs, said in a Friday statement, lawmakers have no place inserting themselves into the personal medical decisions of families of transgender youth and their health care providers. This is a temporary setback, but it is not the end of the fight.

Rebecca Blankenship and Michael Frazier of Ban Conversation Therapy Kentucky said that while the order was disappointing, it is not a final ruling on the merits of the case. Our united front for LGBTQ Kentuckians continues to believe that the law and the courts have the legal means to protect trans youth. We fight onward with an undaunted spirit, unwavering for all LGBTQ Kentuckians.

What is gender-affirming care?

Fridays temporary order is the latest legal volley in a case that has become a wedge issue for Cameron, who is running for governor to unseat Beshear.

In his motion for appeal in late June, Cameron wrote that by keeping gender-affirming medical care legal in Kentucky, trans kids were at risk of being irreparably harmed by a medical profession pushing these treatments.

Once the appellate court issued its preliminary ruling last week in Tennessee, Cameron filed an emergency motion asking for the same thing in Kentucky, saying it was indefensible that leftist activists are disguising sterilization and genital surgeries as pediatric care for vulnerable children. Cameron called gender-affirming care child mutilation, and vowed to protect Kentucky kids from this radical agenda (and) irrational ideology.

In his initial order granting a temporary injunction, Hale chided Cameron for using unnecessarily inflammatory language.

Gender-affirming health care includes a broad spectrum of patient-provider behavior and treatment, from calling a patient by their preferred name and pronouns, to the prescription of hormones and puberty blockers. Though not every trans patient will receive the same treatment regimen, the practice of patient-tailored gender-affirming care is the standard of care, according to all major U.S. medical associations.

Cameron, in his motion for appeal, wrote that the evidence of the unscrupulous motives on the part of some in the medical profession pushing for these treatments abounds. Senate Bill 150 will protect children from treatment that causes long-term irreversible damage as well as abuse, neglect, (and) mistakes, he wrote.

This claim was disputed in court filings by medical associations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which signed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs challenging the constitutionality of the law.

In that 34-page brief, which delves into the clinical understanding of gender dysphoria and effective treatment for it, more than 20 major medical associations explained why SB 150 will put trans youth at risk of significant harm.

Gender dysphoria, the brief explains, is a clinical condition that is marked by distress due to an incongruence between the patients gender identity and sex assigned at birth.

The widely accepted recommendation of the medical community, including that of the respected professional organizations participating here . . . is that the standard of care for treating gender dysphoria is gender-affirming care, they wrote.

What constitutes gender-affirming care varies for patients of different ages. For instance, for children who havent yet gone through puberty, the evidence-based standard of care is to provide mental health care to the patient and their family, not medical intervention, according to the brief.

At its root, gender-affirming care should begin with an evaluation by someone who has clinical expertise in gender identity development and child, adolescent and family mental health. That provider then helps a patient develop a tailored treatment plan.

If gender dysphoria is left untreated, or treated improperly, (it) can result in debilitating anxiety, depression and self-harm, and is associated with higher rates of suicide, the brief reads. As such, the effective treatment of gender dysphoria saves lives.

SB 150, the medical associations wrote, denies adolescents with gender dysphoria in Kentucky access to medical interventions that are designed to improve health outcomes and alleviate suffering, and that are grounded in science and endorsed by the medical community.

This breaking story will be updated.
(Bloomberg) -- The most important takeaway from next weeks gathering of finance chiefs from the worlds biggest developed and emerging economies wont be on the official agenda: whos gaining in the battle for global influence between the US and its allies on one side and China and Russia on the other.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors convene in Gandhinagar, the capital of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state Gujarat, in coming days, with key meetings set for July 17-18. Policymakers aim for progress on bolstering the resources of multilateral development banks, encouraging greater flows of credit to limit climate change and executing on a global corporate-tax deal thats proven tough to finish.

Several top officials, including the German and UK finance heads and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, are expected to skip the meeting  which is sandwiched between last months global finance summit in Paris and the G-20 leaders conclave in September  a move that will lend importance to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellens attendance. Shell be making her third visit to India in nine months, amid a concerted US push to strengthen ties with Chinas giant neighbor.

India, the rotating head of the G-20 this year, was unable at the last finance meeting in April to secure either a joint statement or even a chairs statement of summary, underscoring deep divisions in a group that includes Russia. In February, the chairs statement had reiterated G-20 language from last year pointing out that Russias invasion of Ukraine had led to a United Nations vote of condemnation.

But things have evolved: Yellen has just re-established high-level economic engagement with China, and Modi recently delivered an historic second address to the US Congress, with a Bastille Day-welcome in Paris looming for him on Friday. Russia, meantime, saw internal dissent on public display last month with the Wagner Group incident.

Whether China is going to shift its stance on G-20 statement language with regard to Russia will be key to watch, said John Kirton, director for the G-20 Research Group at the University of Toronto. Maybe Russia just has less influence in vetoing all of the problematic passages.

The G-20 members have also been deadlocked on debt relief for developing nations, after conceiving a coordinated plan known as the Common Framework in 2020. While the US and allies have pressed China, by far the largest official creditor to poorer countries, to step up, Beijing has urged multilateral lenders such as the World bank to participate in taking haircuts.

China, represented by Premier Li Qiang, helped the French hosts make the Paris financial summit a success by participating in a long-awaited agreement in principle to restructure Zambias debt. No such breakthroughs are anticipated in the coming days, in part thanks to the absence of the highly indebted nations needing relief, but further discussion alone may be a good sign.

Debt Relief

We still are in this world where the Common Framework is not living up to its potential, but it is making progress, said Stephanie Segal, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies.

Another issue to monitor for progress will be talks to overhaul the World Bank and other large multilateral lenders. Yellen has been among those pressing for those banks to work harder to incentivize private capital flows toward developing nations. Shes also urged them to take a bigger role in combating climate change.

The US estimates that these lenders  as a system  could unlock as much as $200 billion over the next 10 years by implementing change, a senior Treasury official said Thursday.

Divisions have emerged over the extent to which aid to the poorest nations, who qualify for so-called concessional financing, ought to be prioritized, risking diminished credit for lower-middle income economies.

The G-20 are also slated to touch base on an initiative to revamp global corporate taxes. While most of the world agreed in 2021 on a two-pillar deal to end a so-called race to the bottom on business levies, getting it finalized has been a challenge.

Read More: US Wins Conditional Digital-Tax Truce as Global Deal Advances

Its a very crowded agenda, and its unlikely therell be major developments on any particular front, Segal said.

Ahead of the full G-20, the Group of Seven industrialized nations meets on Sunday, where the finance chiefs are expected to focus on support for Ukraine, the reform of multilateral development banks and the G-7s push to recalibrate global supply chains. Boosting support for Ukraine is also on the agenda.

Gandhinagar will be the debut outing to a G-20 finance chiefs gathering for newly installed World Bank President Ajay Banga. Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and central bank Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan will also attend for the first time since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled his post-election economic team.

Finance ministries and central banks not sending their principal policymakers typically are represented by other senior officials.

For Yellen, the trip offers another chance to deepen ties with India, a location shes singled out for friend-shoring supply chains. A senior Treasury official said the India relationship was one of the three reasons for Yellens attendance at Gandhinagar, alongside multilateral development bank reform and debt relief.

Read More: Yellen Heads to G-20 for Third Visit to Friend-Shoring Pal India

The G-20 was set up in the wake of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, and was hailed during the global financial meltdown in 2008 for helping to limit the damage of that economic disaster. In more recent years, a slew of alternative groupings has gained attention, including the BRICS forum for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which is scheduled for a summit next month.

The Biden administration has used these forums to reinforce and demonstrate the power of unity of like-minded countries  developed economies/democracies  to continue assert the US views and influence, said Philippe Dauba-Pantanacce, an economist and global geopolitical strategist at Standard Chartered Plc in Paris, of the G-20. There is a competition on who will influence the next global order, and how.

--With assistance from Alexander Weber, Ruchi Bhatia and Erica Yokoyama.

(Updates to note attendance of Turkish policymakers, in fifth-to-last paragraph.)

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The campaign of embattled Rep. George Santos, who is facing federal indictment on fraud and money laundering charges, paid the congressmember $85,000 in the second quarter of this year.

Though the New York representative says he is running for reelection, he spent virtually nothing on campaigning.

The payments the campaign made to Santos stemmed from hundreds of thousands of dollars that the congressmember previously loaned to his campaign. Those loans had sparked questions about how Santos had so much money to lend his political efforts. Previous reports with the Federal Election Commission indicated Santos had loaned the campaign $715,000, although his latest report indicated he was now owed only $530,000.

The loan repayments accounted for more than 60 percent of the $133,000 that Santos reported raising in the second quarter. The first-term congressmember, who lied about much of his biography prior to his election last year, reported having $55,000 cash on hand in his principal campaign committee.

His fundraising was driven primarily by donors who gave the maximum $3,300, his filing shows. Among those who maxed out to the congressmember included individuals who listed their professions as student and housewife and parttime job/casher (sic).



The latest filing with the federal commission also included an unusual note stating that the campaign intended to report accurate totals based on incomplete historical data.

Santos campaign previously lost money during the first quarter, as refunds issued exceeded new contributions received. Nonetheless, the beleaguered New York congressmember announced in April that he planned to seek reelection.

He was indicted in May on charges including wire fraud and theft of public funds. Prosecutors allege he asked a New York political consultant to solicit donations ostensibly in support of his congressional campaign that were actually transferred to his personal bank accounts.

Santos also allegedly received unemployment benefits in 2020 despite holding a job, and is accused of making false statements on mandatory personal financial disclosures filed during his first congressional campaign.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has not called on Santos to resign in light of the charges but said he should not run for reelection.

Filings earlier this week indicated Santos was in the process of terminating at least two joint fundraising committees that brought in money for his campaign last cycle.

His fundraising this quarter foretells a difficult path to reelection  particularly as he faces challengers from both parties. Kellen Curry, who has filed to run in the Long Island district as a Republican, said earlier in the week that he had raised more than $200,000 across his campaign and a leadership PAC from April through June.

Half a dozen Democrats have also filed to run against Santos, with the party seeing a possible pickup opportunity in a district Biden won in 2020.
George Santos raised $130,000  and used most of it to repay loans he made to his own campaign

Rep. George Santos at the federal courthouse in Central Slip, New York on June 30, 2023. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

George Santos managed to raise $130,000 for his embattled re-election campaign in the last 3 months.

But he's used most of that money to pay himself $85,000 in old loan repayments.

It comes after the scandal-plagued congressman raised only a few thousand dollars earlier this year.

Rep. George Santos' embattled re-election campaign managed to raise more than $100,000 over the course of the last three months  but most of it went directly into his pockets.

The New York Republican's campaign disclosed to the Federal Election Commission on Friday that it had raised roughly $133,000 since April.

While a stark reversal from the first three months of this year, when Santos only raised a few thousand dollars, the figure clocks far below most fundraising figures for members of Congress seeking re-election in competitive seats.

And most of that money didn't go towards typical campaign expenditures, but to repaying old loans that Santos made to his campaign before the election.

Santos' campaign $85,000 in loan repayments to himself on May 30  a sign that he's beginning to claw back the roughly $700,000 he loaned to his campaign before he was elected.

The source of that money has long been a center of scrutiny by both the public and ethics officials, given the scandal-plagued congressman's history of financial troubles and fabrications about his background.

And Santos has been cagey about the source of those funds, even when asked by fellow Republicans.

"I'll tell you where it didn't come from. It didn't come from China, Ukraine, or Burisma," Santos said during a podcast appearance with Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida in January.

Santos was recently charged with 13 counts of fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and false statements by federal investigators.

Several of his Republican colleagues have called for him to resign, and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said that he doesn't believe Santos should run for re-election.

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Germany to supply Ukraine with weapons worth 17 billion in 5 years  Scholz

The arms aid supplied to Ukraine by Germany from 2022 to 2027 is expected to amount to approximately EUR17 billion.

Source: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at his big press conference on Friday, reports European Pravda

Quote: "We calculated that from the beginning of the war until 2027, perhaps we will spend 17 billion only on the supply of weapons that we from Germany finance for Ukraine."

Details: He stressed that Russia's aggressive war "continues to affect our lives and worry us all very much".

Germany provides Ukraine with the second most support after the US  also in military aid, Scholz said.

Earlier:

On 11 July, Germany confirmed the transfer of a new assistance package to Ukraine worth about EUR600 million. According to the Ministry of Defence, Kyiv will receive 2 launchers for the Patriot air defence system, 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 25 Leopard 1 tanks and 1 Luna unmanned aerial vehicle system.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius also confirmed the refusal of the German government to supply Ukraine with Taurus long-range cruise missiles.

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Researchers think theyve found the reason for the most significant drop in Earths gravity, known as the Indian Ocean geoid low.

In this location in the Indian Ocean south of Sri Lanka, our planets gravity is at its weakest.

A new study says mantle movement that was part of the ghost ocean Tethys attributes to this anomaly.

We might be able to blame a ghost ocean for one of the wildest gravitational anomalies on Earth.

The existence of the deepest gravitational dip on our planet, known as the Indian Ocean geoid low (IOGL), has long puzzled scientists. For context, the geiod is a model that shows what the surface of the Earth would look like if the only influences were gravity and rotationno land, no wind, nothing else that could disturb the surface. If the Earth were a uniform sphere, that geoid would be even, smooth, and largely uninteresting.

But the Earth isnt a uniform sphere, and the geoid shows all the ways in which it can vary gravitationally. Areas of lower-than-average mass density, and therefore lower gravity, show up as dents in the geoid, whereas areas of higher-than-average mass density and higher gravity show up as peaks. These peaks and dents, known collectively as gravitational anomalies, indicate regions of particular strength and weakness in Earths gravitational field.

In a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, a team of researchers ran dozens of computer simulations on the origin of the Indian Ocean geoid low, which spans 8 million square miles and is located south of Sri Lanka. Researchers now believe that this elusive feature is, in part, the result of some undersea movements that happened pre-Indian Ocean.

Assimilating plate motion in global mantle convection models from the Mesozoic till the present day, the authors write, we attempt to trace the formation of this geoid low. We show that flow induced by downwelling Tethys slabs perturbs the African Large Low Shear Velocity province and gives rise to plumes that reach the upper mantle.

Attreyee Ghosh, an assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Science and one of the authors on the study, says in a news release that, while there have been previous studies focused on this anomaly, most attributed it to a remnant of an earlier plate that dived beneath another plate and into Earths mantle beneath millions of years ago, none of them have provided what she would deem a sufficient explanation for the anomaly.

Ghosh and her team were not satisfied with that lack of explanation, and attempted to with their study to fill in the blanks. Over the course of their research, the scientists discovered that the gravity low could be attributed to the presence of lighter materials in the upper- to mid-mantel below the IOGL. This can be attributed to mantle plumescaused by the rising of abnormally hot rockand the team discovered there was hot material coming from the nearby African large low-shear-velocity providence, known as the African superplume.

A geoid low or negative geoid anomaly would be caused by a mass deficit within the deep mantle, Ghosh says. Our study explains this low with hotter, lighter material stretching from a depth of 300 kilometers up to around 900 kilometers in the northern Indian Ocean, most likely stemming from the African superplume.

Also known as the African blob, this geological feature that helped form the IOGL likely came from oceanic slabs from the Tethys Ocean, a ghost ocean that was possibly in place before India shifted and helped form the Indian Ocean.

Though the researchers say that the lower mantle slabs from the Tethys Ocean likely contributes less to the formation of the IOGL than the plumes, the team also call them necessary for the generation of this geoid low. So, apparently, combining plumes with a unique region of mantle structure makes the perfect recipe for the formation of a negative geoid anomaly.

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These giant rats once took over a Fort Worth park. Are they still a problem in Texas?

Three years ago a Fort Worth park had a literal giant rat problem.

A large population of nutria rodents, that weigh between 17 to 20 pounds, made their home at Krauss Baker Park in 2020 and grew in number as people fed them.

Nutria are large, grayish-brown rodents that are nearly as large as beavers and have a long, rat-like tail and webbed hind feet.

One headline said Fort Worth, Dont Feed the Giant Swamp Rats. But now the famous nutria in Baker Park apparently have a fan club feeding them dog food @KaleyAJohnson @HowertonNews Suzie Torres video pic.twitter.com/1YA1q4yub4  Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) August 8, 2020

Native to South America, the nutria were introduced to the southeastern United States in 1938, according to the Texas Tech University Natural Science Research Laboratory.

The swamp rodents are considered an invasive species, building burrows that can weaken roads, stream banks and dams. In coastal areas they can destroy wetland areas and encroach on the North American native muskrat.

Because the swamp rats are an exotic species and would only damage other environments if relocated, the fate of the Fort Worth nutria was extermination.

Are nutria still a problem in Texas?

Nutria, also known as coypus, have appeared throughout Texas around aquatic habitats, mostly in the eastern two-thirds of the state, however their population is spreading.

They are listed among the most unwanted animals in the state, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The swamp rodents population is moderately high and on the rise in Texas, according to Texas Tech Universitys research laboratory. The nutrias range is expanding and could likely spread to more areas in the state.

The Texas Invasive Species Institute estimates the average loss from damage to sugarcane and rice crops caused by nutria ranges from several thousand dollars to over a million each year.
A Manhattan architect and married father-of-two has been arrested on suspicion of being the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer responsible for up to 11 murders on Long Island.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which sent fear through the shorelined community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago, sources told News 12 Long Island. Multiple other outlets including NBC News also identified the architect as the suspect arrested in the case.

On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 10-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims.

Neighbours told News12 that Mr Heuermann was a family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One woman said that it was ming-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday (RH Architecture)

However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning or Mr Heuermanns identity to The Independent, but have announced a press conference for Friday afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

The Gilgo Beach murders have long stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Four victims are still yet to be identified more than 10 years on from the discovery of their bodies.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Map showing where victims bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

News of the shock arrest comes after Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice when he was appointed to the role in early 2022.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

I want to make a commitment to the residents of Suffolk County as well as the family members, Mr Harrison, a former NYPD chief said in his first press briefing in his new role at the Long Island beach at the center of the murders in January 2022.

We will not rest until we bring those accountable to justice.

He added: Theres a commitment, a relentless pursuit to identify the individuals and bring them to justice. Thats for the family members to hear, to let them know that we will not rest, and we will make sure we do everything we have to do to hold them accountable.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

Four months later, police released the 911 call made by Gilbert on the night that she disappeared  something that Ms Gilberts family had been calling for for years.

In the call, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

BREAKING NEWS: Multiple sources confirm to News 12 Long Island that #SuffolkCounty police have a suspect in custody in connection with the #GilgoBeach murders. pic.twitter.com/FdizTtllW6  News12LI (@News12LI) July 14, 2023

Later in the call, she is heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car.

At one point, Gilbert is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

It is not clear if the release of the 911 call after all these years helped lead law enforcement to the suspect.
How the Gilgo Beach serial killer turned the Long Island shore into a graveyard

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

For around two decades, the sands and marshes of Long Islands Gilgo Beach kept a dark secret.

A killer or killers was at large, luring in escorts and sex workers and brutally murdering them.

Body after body was dumped along the shoreline, hidden for months and even years without being discovered.

Then, in 2010, a chilling 911 call made by a woman in fear for her life led police to search the area.

What they discovered was far more horrifying than anyone could have imagined.

Over the next year, the remains of 11 victims  mainly female escorts  were discovered dumped in the area, plunging the Suffolk County community into terror.

But, the case went cold and no arrests were made, no suspects were named and there was no justice for the victims and their families.

That is, until now.

On Thursday, local married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was arrested on suspicion of being the serial killer.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

Long Island native Mr Heuermann lives close to Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped his victims. He also works as an architect in Manhattan.

While neighbours react with shock, the question is: now an arrest has been made, is the hunt for the Gilgo Beach serial killer finally over?

The murders

For more than a decade, tje Gilgo Beach murders stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

She is also heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car and at one point, she is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

Map of the sites the bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Brush area along Ocean Parkway. where Megan Waterman remains were recovered in 2010 (Suffolk County Police Department)

The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

The arrest

On Thursday, there was a huge breakthrough in the case when suspect Mr Heuermann was finally arrested on suspicion of the murders.

Police sources told The Associated Press that an individual had been taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which terrorised the community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago.

Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning, but have announced a press conference for the afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

The suspect

Sources confirmed to News 12 Long Island and NBC News on Friday that Manhattan architect and married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was the suspect arrested in the case.

On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims.

Neighbours told News12 that Mr Heuermann was a family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One woman said that it was ming-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

Rex Heuermann in a photo on his company website (RH Architecture)

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led authorities to suspect him in the case now. It is also unclear which of the 11 murders he is suspected of being involved in.

The victims

The remains of at least 11 victims were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City.

The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert  a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life.

Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims  Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello  were found close by.

All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist.

Brainard-Barnes  known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four  was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010.

Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City.

Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy.

Some of the victims have never been identified.

The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier.

That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed Peaches whose remains were found in Nassau County.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos courtesy of Suffolk County D.A.

A bail application for Rex Heuermann, the New York City architect arrested Thursday night on accusations he murdered at least three sex workers and dumped their bodies near Gilgo Beach on Long Island, revealed that his own wifes hair and a discarded pizza box linked him to the slayings after 13 years.

The bail document, obtained by The Daily Beast, said detectives were able to trace hair left behind on three of the murder victims to Heuermanns wife, who has not been charged with a crime. The wifes DNA was gathered from a swab of bottles that she left outside for trash collection.

A single strand of Heuermanns hair was also found on one victim, the document said. That hair was matched to Heuermanns DNA when undercover cops were able to snatch a discarded pizza box and test a pizza crust left behind by Heuermann, prosecutors said.

Investigators used a pizza box found in a trash can to confirm DNA left behind on a murder victim matched with Rex Heuermann. Suffolk County Court

Heuermann, a 59-year-old Massapequa Park resident, faced court Friday on murder charges for the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. He has not been charged in the murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, but prosecutors said he was the prime suspect in her death and the investigation, which is continuing and is expected to be resolved soon.

Dressed in casual-business attire, Heuermann reportedly smirked throughout his arraignment, which ended with a judge denying him bail.

The small Gilgo Beach community has become infamously associated with the string of slain sex workers, deemed the The Gilgo Four, since their bodies were discovered strangled and wrapped in burlap in 2010. Six more bodies were later discovered in the area.

In a chilling twist, Barthelemys sister began receiving phone calls from a mystery man shortly after Barthelemy disappeared in 2009, the New York Post reported in 2011. The man would taunt her, calling her sister a whore. The calls were reportedly traced to locations in Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and Massapequabut they suddenly stopped months later.

Suffolk County Police Department

Heuermann was nabbed less than a year after the Suffolk County District Attorneys office set up a new task force to probe the killings. Within months, he was IDd as a person of interest because he owned a Chevrolet Avalanche truck at the time of the murdersthe same type of truck spotted by a witness at a victims home just before she was killed.

After the discovery of the Avalanche registered to Heuermann, detectives issued more than 300 subpoenas to connect more dots.

Among other things, investigators say they obtained phone billing records and cell-site locations that linked Heuermann to burner phones used to set up meetings with three of the four victims, to make the taunting calls to Barthelemys sister, and to check Brainard-Barnes voicemail after she disappeared.

As investigators dug into Heuermanns life, they obtained his American Express records, which turned up recurring payments via Google Pay to maintain a Tinder online-dating account. They subpoenaed Tinder for the accounts subscriber info, which revealed he signed up using the alias Andrew Roberts, and linked to a burner phone under the same name, using an AOL email account, Springfieldman9.

The Springfieldman9 account had been set up in 2011 in the name of John Springfield, using a second burner phone with no named subscriber, according to the filing. However, a search warrant conducted on the fictitious Springfieldman9 AOL account uncovered selfies taken by Heuermann, seemingly confirming his connection to the alias.

Selfies found on the Springfieldman9 AOL account. Suffolk County D.A.

A review of Verizon and T-Mobile call records for the two burner phones revealed that both were used extensively between 2021 and 2023 for prostitution-related contacts (either with sex workers or massage parlors), the filing continues. It also said cell-site warrants showed both phones had activity on cellular towers that provided coverage to Heuermanns home.

Detectives subpoenaed Google for any records associated with the unique device ID codes on the two burner phones. This uncovered a burner email account, thawk080672, under an account in the name Thomas Hawk. According to the filing, a review of the Thomas Hawk account showed it had been used to conduct thousands of searches related to sex workers, sadistic, torture-related pornography and child pornography.

Remarkably, it had also been used in more than 200 searches between March 2022 and June 2023 related to active and known serial killers, the specific disappearances and murders of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, and the investigation into their murders, the filing states.

Search terms about the case allegedly included: Why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer, why hasnt the long island serial killer been caught, and Long Island killer.

The filing said the account also sought out a number of podcasts and/or documentaries regarding this investigation, adding that Heuermann repeatedly viewed hundreds of images depicting the murdered victims and their family members online.

On May 19, Heuermann was spotted on surveillance at a T-Mobile store in Manhattan, where he purchased additional minutes for one of the two burner phones, the filing says. Cops were tailing Heuermann, says the filing, which includes photographs of him looking casual in a polo shirt and sunglasses.

Heuermann was allegedly seen on surveillance buying additional minutes for a burner cellphone that linked him to the crimes. Suffolk County D.A.

In at least three of the murders, Heuermanns wife was out of town when the slayings occurred, according to travel records and cellphone data cited by prosecutors.

When Barthelemy disappeared on July 8, 2009, Heuermanns wife was on a trip to Iceland, the filing states. When Megan Waterman vanished on June 6, 2010, she was in Maryland. And when Amber Costello went missing on Sept. 2, 2010, she was in New Jersey, returning to New York three days later.

Other disturbing details emerged in the filing, including that Heuermann allegedly made thousands of perverted Google searches in search of child porn and other sadistic media, like people being sexually abused.

Among the alleged searches were the phrases, 10 year old school girl and girl begging for rape porn. These searches were also tied to a burner phone and email linked to Heuermann, prosecutors said.

While not directly related to the murder charges, prosecutors argued Friday that the creepy searches emphasized the need for Heuermann be held without bail.

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(Bloomberg) -- Some of the worlds biggest mining companies are working with South Africas government on a 27 billion rand ($1.5 billion) water project to supply major platinum and chrome operations and several hundred thousand people with drinking water.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Glencore Plc and Anglo American Platinum Ltd. are among the companies attempting to secure half of that amount in financing by the end of the year with the rest of the funds to be sourced by municipalities and the government.

The companies involved in Lebalelo Water Users Association are in talks with about 10 local and international banks for funding, according to Bertus Bierman, its chief executive officer. The project stretches for about 170 kilometers (106 miles) across Limpopo province in northeast South Africa and is expected to be completed by 2030.

The plan is unprecedented in South Africa where almost all water infrastructure, especially initiatives of this scale, have been led by the state. Now, after years of neglect and mismanagement, the government is seeking investment in infrastructure and help in running operations from power plants to rail routes and water facilities.

This could get a new model into South Africa where government is acting as the regulator and the private entities in partnerships with governmental institutions do more of the work on the ground, said Bierman in an interview in Pretoria, the capital, this week. We would like to get construction started early next year.

Glencore, which operates a chrome smelter in the area, is a global coal and metals mining and trading company, while Anglo Platinum, controlled by Anglo American Plc, is the worlds biggest platinum producer.

Lebalelo plans to build 400 kilometers of pipelines and will supply 250 million liters (66 million gallons) of water a day, about a third of the consumption of Cape Town, which has more than four million inhabitants.

Water will also be supplied to people in the city of Polokwane and Mookgophong, a town north of Johannesburg. Lebalelos 16 members also include Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. and Northam Platinum Ltd. as well as the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Sekhukhune District Municipality and the Mogalakwena Local Municipality.

The project will be rolled out in phases and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will arrange the funding, Bierman said, declining to identify the banks that the group is in talks with as the negotiations are confidential.

The project is just one of the initiatives being pushed by South Africas government to try and improve the countrys dilapidated water infrastructure.

The state-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa is separately setting up a $1.4 billion facility that will include private investors to fund water reuse projects. State-run companies from the Netherlands and Spain are working with South African counterparts to fund construction in the country.

If the associations plan is successful the model may be replicated elsewhere in the country, Bierman said. Some of the companies involved in Lebalelo are beginning to discuss a similar energy initiative to generate electricity for mines and communities that could cost about 40 billion rand, he said.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
The sun shining over a city

For the past three days, from Monday through Wednesday (July 3-5), global temperatures have either broken or matched records for the hottest day on Earth since at least 1979, according to the University of Maine's Climate Reanalyzer, a tool that compiles data and models to measure the global atmosphere. Monday's average worldwide temperature climbed to 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius), while Tuesday (July 4) and Wednesday (July 5) both hit 62.9 F (17.2 C).

While these temperatures may not seem particularly high, they represent the global average, which combines measurements from both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, where it is currently winter. The three-day hot streak was likely fueled by climate change, experts say, as well as the arrival of El Nino, a climate pattern characterized by warm sea-surface temperatures around the equator toward the Pacific coast of South America. El Nino events can change atmospheric conditions enough to boost heat waves around the world, research shows.

"It's helpful to remember that the Pacific Ocean covers almost half the planet," said Kim Cobb, a climate scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, told Live Science. During an El Nino event, "you're talking about a very large portion of the planet that is  pushing temperatures up on the global average."

Related: El Nino is officially here, scientists say

The Climate Reanalyzer pulls data from atmospheric measurement tools, surface observations and satellites to estimate the global average temperature. Though the values are not considered an official government estimate, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicated it would consider these measurements when calculating its temperature record, according to The Associated Press.

July isn't the only month breaking records: The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service found that last month was the hottest June on record, an average of 0.36 F (0.2 C) warmer than June 2022. Dangerous heat waves have plagued southeastern U.S. states during the past week, as well as Texas, where at least 13 people have died from heat-related illnesses, according to The Associated Press. Scientists predict that marine heat waves associated with El Nino could devastate fish and coral populations, similar to the 2016 El Nino event, which caused the largest global coral bleaching event on record.

RELATED STORIES:

 Climate change keeps space debris afloat longer

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"The temperature records keep coming," Cobb said. "But it's what they bring with them that really translates into the losses that grabbed my attention."

Facing the combined threats of climate change and El Nino, the world is now more likely than not to breach 1.5 C of temperature rise  the target established under the 2015 Paris Agreement to avoid the worst impacts of climate change   within the next five years, according to a May report by the World Meteorological Organization.

"Depending on how large this event gets, [there] obviously could be a really catastrophic pile-on to the year-on-year warming that we know is driven by fossil fuel emissions," Cobb said.
Around 80 Google Help subcontractors who recently voted to unionize with the Alphabet Workers Union-Communications Workers of America (AWU-CWA) found out last week that they will be laid off. The group began a hearing this week with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regarding the complex issue of joint employment for contractors. It really stinks of retaliation, Casey Padron, a general writer on the team scheduled to lose her job in August, told Engadget today.

The group announced the unionization effort on Thursday, June 8th; around two-thirds of the workers were notified weeks later about the layoffs. The team includes writers and graphic designers who create internal and external content for the search giant, including Google Help support pages. They list Google and Accenture as joint employers due to the direct role both companies play in shaping working conditions. Because they were joint contractors employed by tech consultancy Accenture, they dont appear to enjoy protections with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, legislation passed in 1988 that provides certain rights for laid-off workers. (California is currently considering expanding protections for contract workers.)

Last week we received news that 80 of our nearly 120 recently unionized Google Help coworkers would be laid off, said Julia Nagatsu Granstrom, Senior Writer and member of the Alphabet Workers Union- CWA. We had exercised our right to organize as members of the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA in order to bring both Google and Accenture, a Google subcontractor, to the bargaining table to negotiate on several key demands, including layoff protections. Nagatsu Granstrom describes the layoffs as absolutely unacceptable, given the timing of an active union campaign with overwhelming support from workers.

The Google Help cuts follow a group of company contractors rating search results who were fired last month after announcing intentions to unionize with the same organization, the AWU-CWA. However, they were reinstated and promised backpay after filing Unfair Labor Practice charges with the NLRB.

Google workers hold signs, including a reference to the company's

Padron says the Google Help layoffs caught her off guard. I was extremely surprised to hear about our teams layoffs, she told Engadget. We are constantly told by Google and Accenture management how impressed they are with the quality of our work, so the timing of these layoffs looks suspiciously like retaliation for our union formation. She says the employers proclaimed motive of budget tightening doesnt add up. They claimed that the cuts were a result of changes in budget allocation, but Accenture has also posted job listings that have our exact job description and project code.

These giant, wealthy corporations need to start living up to their own core values and treating their workers with the dignity, respect, and humanity we deserve, Padron added. If these multi-billion dollar corporations cant afford to provide humane working conditions to their employees, the business model needs radical change. Some of our operations managers and the Googlers we collaborate with have already expressed that Googles help centers will suffer without our team. They will feel this loss, and they deserve to.

Nagatsu Granstrom says the unionized workers will take every recourse possible to support our impacted members and continue to organize workers at Google Help and beyond. Padron echoes the upbeat, fighting tone. If its Accenture and Googles goal to demoralize us, they have failed, she told Engadget. We are more united than ever and will continue to fight for this job that so many of us love and rely on.

Update, July 19th, 2023, 8:40AM ET: Attempting to distance the company from joint employer status, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini told Engadget, As weve shared, Accenture is responsible for these workers' employment terms, including staffing. We, of course, respect their right to join a union or not, but its a matter between the workers and their employer, Accenture.

Correction, July 19th, 2023, 12:36PM ET: An earlier version of this story's headline attributed the layoffs to Google directly. While acting at Google's behest, the entity directly responsible for these layoffs was Accenture.
A Republican PAC launched an ad Friday going after former President Trump for his attacks on Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) for not endorsing a 2024 presidential candidate.

The Republican Accountability PAC posted the 30-second ad to Twitter. The ad claims, But now, Donald Trump is attacking Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on social media, cutting her out of campaign events, and taking credit for her success. Why? Because she wont endorse him in the caucuses.

The ad goes on to say Trump should focus on his campaign, instead of trashing Gov. Reynolds.

The ad shows a graphic of Trumps Monday post to Truth Social, where he took a swipe at the Iowa governor writing in part, I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won. Now, she wants to remain NEUTRAL. I dont invite her to events! DeSanctus down 45 points!

The Republican Accountability PAC confirmed to The Hill the ad will hit the Iowa airwaves Monday, playing in every designated market area statewide in Iowa on Fox News. The ad will run all next week on all the major shows on the Fox News Network, according to the PAC.

Trumps criticism of Reynolds follows a New York Times report on his campaigns frustrations regarding the Iowa governors appearances with DeSantis during his campaign stops in the state.

Reynolds previously emphasized she would remain neutral in the 2024 election process to allow all candidates to feel welcome in the state.

The Hill Elections 2024 coverage

In support of Reynolds, Iowa state Sen. Jeff Reichman (R) announced Thursday he would flip his endorsement of Trump and back DeSantis in the election instead.

Trump also faced criticism this week for his decision to not go to the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines on Friday, where six presidential candidates, including DeSantis, were in attendance and interviewed by Tucker Carlson.

Recent polling shows Trump leading over DeSantis, who was expected by some to be Trumps top rival.

Theres no question Donald Trump is winning Iowa right now, Josie Albrecht, a former top Iowa GOP Statehouse communications adviser, told The Associated Press. I think there has been a lot of support for him for many years, and thats a hard wall to crack.

The former president will return to Iowa next week for a town hall with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Thirteen Republican attorneys general wrote a letter to leaders of Fortune 100 companies Thursday warning them against using race as a factor in hiring and promotion decisions, in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling ending the practice of affirmative action in college admissions.

In the letter, the chief legal officers of their respective states made clear that the Supreme Courts decision rendering affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional created a legal precedent that the attorneys general said must apply to their corporations as well. They threatened legal action if the companies do not comply.

The Supreme Courts recent decision should place every employer and contractor on notice of the illegality of racial quotas and race-based preferences in employment and contracting practices, they wrote in the letter.

If your company previously resorted to racial preferences or naked quotas to offset its bigotry, that discriminatory path is now definitively closed. Your company must overcome its underlying bias and treat all employees, all applicants, and all contractors equally, without regard for race, they continued.

The attorneys general claimed racial discrimination was still common among many companies, even discrimination with benign effects. The warning suggests that taking into account a persons race in any way would be a violation of the law and considered racial discrimination.

We urge you to immediately cease any unlawful race-based quotas or preferences your company has adopted for its employment and contracting practices, they wrote. If you choose not to do so, know that you will be held accountablesooner rather than laterfor your decision to continue treating people differently because of the color of their skin.

The attorneys general of Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri and Montana signed the letter.

In a recent Pew survey, a majority of workers indicated they view diversity at work as a good thing, at 56 percent; 16 percent said it was a bad thing, and 28 percent said it was neither good nor bad. The same survey indicated most workers have some experience with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their jobs, but a relatively small share of workers place a lot of importance on those efforts, with only 3 in 10 saying its extremely or very important to them.

While the Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action focused solely on university admissions, this letter represents the potential far-reaching effects the decision might still have.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ron Sachs/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

On Friday, a full six months before the 2024 Iowa caucuses, six Republican presidential aspirants gathered at the FAMiLY Leadership Summit in Des Moines for the party's first candidate forum of the 2024 election cycle, presented by Blaze Media. Throughout the day, each of the candidates spoke to recently ousted Fox News broadcaster Tucker Carlson, who said in introductory comments with event organizer Bob Vander Plaats that he hoped to "find out who they are" and judge their "instincts" rather than simply determine their beliefs. One candidate's professed beliefs stirred the crowd against him, but he demonstrated an admirable commitment to limited government.

After Sen. Tim Scott (RS.C.), Carlson's second guest was former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a long-shot candidate currently polling at 1 percent in a statistical tie with "Someone else." Carlson's first question related to Hutchinson's 2021 veto of H.B. 1570, an Arkansas bill that would have prohibited medical professionals from providing any medical treatment to minors related to gender transitioning, including puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgeries. It also did not include a grandfather clause, meaning any minors who were on hormone therapy when the law went into effect would either have to stop or seek treatment across state lines. (State lawmakers overrode Hutchinson's veto, but the law is currently on hold pending litigation.)

"Have you reassessed your view on it since then?" Carlson asked.

Hutchinson stood behind his decision. "What I believe in is that parents ought to raise their children," he said. "I believe that God created genders and that there should not be any confusion on your gender. But if there is confusion, then parents ought to be the ones that guide the children."

To be clear, Hutchinson is no progressive radical on the issue: He accused some public schools of "pushing transgenderism" and said, "If there had a been a bill that said you should not ever have transgender surgery as a minor, I would sign that in a minute, because no parent should be able to consent to that permanent change." (Under American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, surgery for minors should only be pursued "on a case-by-case basis" and include "multidisciplinary input from medical, mental health, and surgical providers as well as from the adolescent and family.")

But unexpectedly for a candidate running to be the leader of the Republican Party, Hutchinson offered a qualified yet nuanced defense of transgender care for minors from the perspective of limiting the role of government and supporting the rights of parents.

"I believe in a limited role of government," Hutchinson said. "I don't think that California ought to be able to tell parents, 'You need to have gender-affirming care for children.' The government should not do that. And in the same way, let's keep the government out of it unless it's [an] extreme case, and let's let parents guide the children."

A skeptical Carlson pushed back, "You believe it's treatment. You believe, I suppose, that people can change their sex. Because if you don't believe that, you wouldn't call it treatment, would you?"

Hutchinson paused before carefully continuing, "I wouldn't make that decision in my family, and I don't believe that taxpayers' funds should be used for transgender surgery through Medicaid or Medicare or in our military." But, he continued, "I'm saying one simple fundamental thing, that we have to have a debate as to what's the limited role of government."

The crowd was largely unreceptive to the argument. Blaze Media founder Glenn Beck compared Hutchinson's performance to the Hindenburg disaster. But Hutchinson's defense was laudable, especially for the fact that it ran contrary to the direction his party and its base are moving. After all, if both a child's parents and doctor decide that a form of medical care is appropriate, then what business is it of the state government to stand in the way?

The post GOP Hopeful Asa Hutchinson Wants Parents To Make Medical Decisions for Trans Kids appeared first on Reason.com.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) offered head-scratching logic on Thursday when she argued that the U.S. shouldnt provide humanitarian aid to women and children in Afghanistan because its not mentioned in the Constitution.

Luna delivered the baffling line of reasoning during House debate over an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would gut funding for Afghan aid.

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), who introduced the amendment, argued the funding could be supporting the brutal Taliban regime.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) voiced strong opposition to the measure, noting that it ties the administrations hands in how it can best support the people of Afghanistan living under Taliban rule.

It prohibits the use of any funds authorized via this bill to be used, even tangentially, to aid in our support of the millions of Afghan women and girls suffering under Taliban rule, she said, or to those Afghans living in poverty and in need of humanitarian relief.

Luna: I couldn't help but pull out my pocket constitution and couldn't find anywhere where it says we need to fund programs for humanitarian aid for women and children in Afghanistan.



Kamlager-Dove: The text is not in the constitution, its in the bill pic.twitter.com/BfqGpx5QJl  Acyn (@Acyn) July 14, 2023

Following Kamlager-Doves fiery pushback, Luna offered her two cents.

I couldnt help but pull out my pocket Constitution, and I couldnt seem to find anywhere in here where it says we need to fund programs for humanitarian aid for women and children in Afghanistan, Luna said. So with that, I just wanted to point that out and I yield my time.

Kamlager-Dove had only a brief response: The text is not in the Constitution. Its in the bill.

Social media users pointed out a bunch of other stuff thats not in the Constitution:

Nowhere in the Constitution does it says we should oppose the Nazis in WWII. What a stupid comment. https://t.co/Hne1rhqpB6  Robert Shrum (@BobShrum) July 14, 2023

Theres nothing in the Bible about trans people or guns, but thats never stopped Republicans from citing it. https://t.co/qrN3VfdgK9  Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) July 14, 2023

So we only do things in the Constitution? What makes her especially shitty is that shes a veteran. So many of our brothers and sisters agonize over the plight of our Afghan allies and Luna just shits all over them. https://t.co/2G1h0cRsLo  Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) July 14, 2023

Theres nothing in the constitution about confederate monuments either. https://t.co/uegKUsgp4T  James DeSarno (@j_desarno) July 14, 2023

doesn't say anything about cars either so I guess they should all be illegal https://t.co/KNXjUUOeXI  russ bengtson (@russbengtson) July 14, 2023

House Republicans are the dumbest, most unserious people in America right now lol like wtf is this argument? Football isnt in the constitution either, should we go ahead and just cancel football then? This person is either dumber than dirt or acting in bad faith. https://t.co/qYPiv2XBqe  Max (@mash2k22) July 14, 2023

They are having a stupidity contest and the competition is fierce. https://t.co/TqImBPZirx  Kim Masters (@kimmasters) July 14, 2023

Would you expect anything less from the party that bans books?     (@FrancisWegner) July 14, 2023

Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.



 Martin Luther King, Jr. https://t.co/TwYCMpucey  QuoteDigger (@QuoteDigging) July 14, 2023

Related...
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) referred to non-white Americans serving in the U.S. military as colored people in a shocking moment on the House floor Thursday, prompting a sharp rebuke from the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Crane, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, put forward an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday that would ban consideration of race, gender, religion, or political affiliations, or any other ideological concepts in recruitment or promotion decisions as well as other aspects of military retention.

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 2021 to 2023, took to the floor to argue the proposal would set back rights gained by people of color and women. Crane then went on to reject her arguments:

Though that was unbelievably inspiring, my amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or Black people or anybody can serve, OK? he said. What we want to preserve and maintain is the fact that our military does not become a social experiment. We want the best of the best; we want to have standards that guide whos in what unit, what they do.

I hope my colleagues on the other side can understand what were doing, he said in closing.

Crane: My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or black people or anybody can serve.



Beatty: I would like those words stricken from the record pic.twitter.com/K83Q2ls7aS  Acyn (@Acyn) July 13, 2023

Another person in the chamber can be heard questioning the term colored people before Beatty interjects.

Id like to be recognized to have the words colored people stricken from the record, she said. I find it offensive and very inappropriate.  I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words of referring to me or any of my colleagues as colored people.

Crane later asked to have his comments amended to people of color. That request was rejected but the words colored people were removed from the record without objection.

The lawmaker said later he misspoke.

In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of ones skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke, Crane said in a statement, per The Hill. Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal.

Democrats, however, were livid after his House floor remarks. The Congressional Black Caucus said Cranes words were unconscionable, adding it was a shameful moment on the House floor.

The GOP fights against diversity, equity and inclusion training and prove every day why its necessary, the group wrote on Twitter.

Rep. Eli Crane just referred to Black service members as colored people.



You cant make this up. This is who these people are, and who theyve always been.  Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) July 13, 2023

This just happened on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. A House Republican just referred to Black Americans serving in our military as "colored people." In 2023. https://t.co/GOzPs0gVzO  Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) July 13, 2023

Related...
Christopher WrayShuran Huang for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Ray Epps quite likely is the least sympathetic defamation litigant in history, at least among those who have a legitimate legal argument. To win his recently filed lawsuit against Fox News, Epps has to convince a jury that he sincerely wanted to overthrow the U.S. government to install a fascist dictator and that anyone who suggests otherwise is a dirty, rotten liar. "I'm exactly the piece of scum my detractors deny that I am," is a weird legal argument. But such is the topsy-turvy world that we live in. A world where Epps may actually win a big pot of gold.

For those blissfully unaware of the saga of Ray Epps: He was one of the thousands of people who, heeding Donald Trump's call, descended on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a violent effort to halt the certification of Joe Biden's election to the presidency. The night before the riot, Epps was caught on video hyping up the MAGA crowd: "We need to go into the Capitol!" The day of, however, he was seen on video impotently offering to help Capitol police to tell rioters to back down.

The simplest explanation for his behavior is that Epps, like many newbie criminals, got cold feet once he realized he was in too deep. But, led by the now-fired Tucker Carlson of Fox News, right-wing conspiracists have spun out a fanciful tale about how Epps was secretly working for the FBI in a plot to trick conservatives into rioting. The right's attention continued for months. So now Epps is suing Fox News. That's how a modern Republican protects his reputation these days: By getting a court to rule that he was quite sincere when he backed a fascist insurrection.

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Here's what we can do to make real changes at the FBI:



1) Impose the Holman Rule to remove bad actors.



2) Block construction of the FBI's new Taj Mahal-esque facility.



3) Strip FBI funding in appropriations bills.



4) Conduct hearings to expose rogue FBI behavior. pic.twitter.com/HslP2Jyl5I  Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) July 13, 2023

The notion that the FBI is a leftist organization out to destroy the American right is, it goes without saying, among the dumbest ideas ever generated by human brains. And yet, FBI Director Christopher Wray  a lifelong Republican and Trump appointee  had to sit in a House Judiciary hearing for five hours on Wednesday while congressional Republicans harangued him with variations of the same conspiracy theory Epps has been subject to. Wray did not conceal his exasperation, repeatedly denying that he's some secret "deep state" plant out to get conservative America.

WATCH: FBI Director Christopher Wray defends the bureau from attacks by Jim Jordan and other House Republicans.



[Our work] goes way beyond the one or two investigations which seem to capture all the headlines."https://t.co/icfpjwz9qN pic.twitter.com/qwNU4MQoXd  MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 12, 2023

As Steve Benen of MSNBC wrote, the FBI is "one of the single most conservative agencies in the federal government," and is so biased towards Republicans that "the FBI that went out of its way to oppose executing a court-approved search warrant at Mar-a-Lago." It's just that Donald Trump is such an extravagant criminal that he's forced the FBI to take action on cases like the stealing of classified documents or inciting an insurrection.

On its surface, these anti-FBI conspiracy theories are further evidence there is nothing too low for Republicans when it comes to running interference for Trump. It's never that Trump is such a massive criminal that he overcomes law enforcement's unwillingness to deal with him. No, it must be an anti-Trump conspiracy! The Epps conspiracy theory is more of the same. They can't admit that Trump is the one who incited the Capitol riot, even though we all saw him do it on national television. Instead, they blame some random dude.

Related

"This hearing has turned into absolute chaos": Dems call out Jim Jordan over "bananas" FBI hearing

But watching Republicans vomit conspiracy theories at Wray, the name that came to my mind was not Trump's, but Timothy McVeigh, the right-wing terrorist who blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people. McVeigh and his co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, were motivated by anti-government conspiracy theories that sounded very much like the garbage being peddled by Republican congressmen during Wednesday's hearing. Like Republicans now, they also weren't super fond of Attorney General Merrick Garland, as he was part of the prosecutorial team that secured convictions for McVeigh and Nichols.

Everything that follows, from the gun nuttery to the "globalist" and "deep state" conspiracy theories, comes back to this basic right-wing anger over having to share a country with people that aren't exactly like them.

McVeigh's views would have been right at home with what House Republicans were spouting Wednesday: That the U.S. government is being secretly run by a decadent "elite" that wants to brainwash right wing Americans. In the 90s, conspiracists called the fictional secret leaders the "new world order," and now they use the term "deep state." Either way, it's the same conspiracy theory, and it dates back to the overtly anti-semitic conspiracy theories that motivated the Nazis. Then, as now, what was really driving the right-wing anger was not legitimate concerns about FBI overreach. Instead, the anger was over federal authorities prosecuting white men who thought themselves above law. Back then, right-wingers rejected bans illegal weapons or sex with underage girls. Both were going on with cult leader David Koresh, whose 1993 suicide in Waco, TX, after a gunfight with federal authorities, inspired McVeigh's domestic terrorism. Now, the anger is over any law that might touch Trump, such as the ones against seditious conspiracy or stealing government secrets. But the thread throughout is some men should be above the law, and the right will burn it all down if the government disagrees.

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In the 90s, McVeigh's views were seen as fringe, and there was no pushback from Republican leaders when he was sentenced to death. Things have certainly shifted in the nearly three decades since. The January 6 rioters, who also attacked a federal building while drunk on anti-government conspiracy theories, are started to be romanticized as martyrs for the Republican cause. Trump rallies regularly feature videos venerating the riot, complete with music recorded by those sentenced to prison for their role in the attack. During the 30th anniversary of Koresh's standoff, Trump held one of his pro-insurrection rallies near the site where Koresh and his followers killed themselves by setting fire to their compound. Republicans pretended it was just a coincidence, but most observers understood that Trump, like McVeigh, was invoking Koresh's memory as justification for denying the legitimacy of the U.S. government.

This unfortunately gets downplayed in much of the historical coverage of McVeigh's terrorist attack, but it wasn't just anti-government animosity that motivated him. As David Masciotra of the Washington Monthly noted in May, "An avowed white supremacist, McVeigh also embraced the 'Great Replacement Theory,' which posits that 'Jewish globalists' conspire to crush whites by opening the borders to immigrants of color."

The basic components of McVeigh's views are all over Republican politics these days, especially the demonizing language painting refugees as "invaders." But things have escalated recently with Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., doing his damnedest to normalize not just some of the concepts McVeigh believed in, but the identity of "white nationalist." Tuberville has been trying to bait people into a debate over whether or not white nationalists are being unfairly maligned, by insisting that it's unfair to say they are "racist."

Related

Why Republicans are trying to rebrand white nationalism right now

This is a standard rhetorical gambit of white nationalists, who claim it's not racist to want different races to have "their own" countries. Of course, the argument falls apart if given any scrutiny, as this view requires stripping millions of people of color of their citizenship, at bare minimum. If taken to its logical conclusion, it requires genocidal violence to remove people white nationalists believe don't belong. Right now, Republican governors like Ron DeSantis of Florida or Greg Abbott of Texas are using trickery to "ship" immigrants out of their states, but it's not hard to see how, if things keep moving in this direction, gunpoint gets involved.

In trying to make white nationalist ideas a "debate," Tuberville, like McVeigh, is fleshing out why anti-government ideology is so appealing to its adherents: They're racists who would rather destroy democracy than share power with people who look different than they do. Everything that follows, from the gun nuttery to the "globalist" and "deep state" conspiracy theories, comes back to this basic right-wing anger over having to share a country with people that aren't exactly like them.

There were 19 children among the 168 that McVeigh killed, and the images of first responders pulling tiny dead bodies out of the rubble are hard to shake from the memory. Because of that, he's unlikely to enjoy the reputation rehab that Republicans are offering to the January 6 rioters. But watching the clips from Wednesday's hearing, it's clear that McVeigh was successful at his goal of mainstreaming his racist and anti-government views. The accusations of "deep state" corruption flung at Wray's head wouldn't have been out of place at any of the militia meetings McVeigh was radicalized at, except this time it was on C-SPAN and being paid for by the taxpayers. McVeigh died by lethal injection 22 years ago, but his spirit lives on in the Trumpified GOP.

Read more

about the GOP's war with the FBI
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  As the six-month sprint to the Iowa caucuses begins, the sprawling field of Republican presidential candidates is facing growing pressure to prove they can become serious challengers to former President Donald Trump.

The urgency is particularly acute for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who entered the race in May with expectations that he would quickly become Trump's top rival. For now, however, he has struggled to generate the enthusiasm that Trump commands from the GOP base, leaving it uncertain he will become the threat to the former president that he was once billed to be.

Thats what DeSantis wanted to be. Its possible he may be that still, said Gentry Collins, a seasoned Iowa and national Republican strategist who ran Mitt Romneys 2008 caucus campaign. But it sure doesnt look like that to me  its become clear that there isnt room for another alternative to Trump.

DeSantis was among six White House hopefuls in Iowa on Friday for the Family Leadership Summit, where an audience of close to 2,000 conservative Christians gathered to see former Fox News host Tucker Carlson interview the candidates individually. Trump did not attend, though he has swung through the state multiple times in recent weeks and will return Tuesday.

DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy received the most raucous cheers from the packed hall in the downtown Des Moines events center, notably when they argued for a more limited U.S. military role backing Ukraine.

Europe needs to do more. This is their backyard, DeSantis said to applause.

Yet it was Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, choosing the event to sign the recently passed six-week abortion ban, who received the loudest and most sustained standing ovation when she took the stage. She is publicly neutral in the race but has been slammed by Trump for appearing with DeSantis at campaign events in the state, though she also has appeared with other candidates.

There's still time for any of the contenders to mount a more robust challenge to Trump  but not a lot. Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 15.

Beyond DeSantis, Tim Scott is being closely scrutinized. The South Carolina senator has impressed many with an agenda that is every bit as conservative as the one offered by Trump or DeSantis. Some say Scott is distinguishing himself with an aggressive outreach strategy paired with an upbeat message.

Scott is making inroads because "hes doing the real hard work of retail politics in Iowa, doing small groups with pastors and churches and leading to bigger and bigger meetings and venues, said Mike Demastus, a Des Moines evangelical pastor who has met several times with Scott.

Carlson noted reports of increased interest in Scott, prompting a crack from the senator that he hoped the money would follow.

Im glad to hear theyre all flocking to me," Scott said. "I wish they would go out and write the check, too, because we havent seen that yet. Ive heard the stories myself, but what I havent seen is the millions and millions.

Trump is the undisputed leader in Iowa, similar to the grip he holds on Republicans nationally. That makes Iowa particularly crucial for anyone hoping to stop him. Given the relatively early date of the caucuses, a strong win by Trump in Iowa could put him in a commanding position heading into the following contests.

Theres no question Donald Trump is winning Iowa right now, said Josie Albrecht, a former top Iowa GOP Statehouse communications adviser who is helping the state party but is neutral in the 2024 campaign. I think there has been a lot of support for him for many years, and thats a hard wall to crack.

Trump is eagerly embracing the lofty expectations. His campaign is bullish on Iowa, banking on his long-standing support in a state he easily carried twice in general elections, combined with an aggressive digital outreach that includes a focus on nontraditional conservative voters.

Yet Trump faces some vulnerabilities, including a feud with Iowa's popular governor, Kim Reynolds, over her refusal to formally endorse his campaign. While many in the party view recent indictments of him in New York and Florida as politically motivated, they nonetheless risk becoming a liability that rivals may try to exploit.

In a memo shared last month with donors to the influential network started by Charles and David Koch, Michael Palmer, who leads the group's data and polling operation, argued against what he called the myth of Trump inevitability. He wrote that a significant number of Trump voters remain open to a Republican alternative and he cited public polling that indicates DeSantis may be a stronger general election candidate against President Joe Biden.

But a central challenge for Republicans is to hone a message that resonates with voters who have backed Trump but are open to others in 2024.

Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the Koch brothers operation, is working to explicitly undermine Trump in Iowa and other early-voting states. Since February, the group's paid staff and volunteers have been knocking on thousands of doors a week in Iowa and raising questions about Trumps chances in a general election, said Drew Klein, the organization's state director.

That approach has concerned some in the GOP. Cedar Rapids Republican Bernie Hayes, chair of the GOP in Iowas second most populous county, said he was shocked when Klein told people last week they should not back Trump in the caucuses.

Why would you speak against him where theres a big percentage of people who support Donald Trump? asked Hayes, who is also a member of the state Republican Party central committee and publicly neutral. That message is going to lose big time.

Candidates who are the most blunt in knocking Trump are not making inroads in Iowa. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for instance, has not visited the state as a 2024 candidate and was not among the speakers Friday. He is focusing his energy on the more libertarian voters in New Hampshire.

Another candidate critical of Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, had an awkward exchange with Carlson on Friday when the conservative commentator grilled Hutchinson over the COVID-19 vaccine and his veto of a 2021 law banning gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth.

Is it treatment to prevent him from going through the natural process of adolescence?" Carlson asked, interrupting Hutchinson, who tried to move on. This is one of the biggest issues in the country."

The audience erupted in applause for Carlson, while Hutchinson tried to reinforce his position that parents, not the state, should be the guiding force for children, a point met with silence from the crowd.

Similarly, former Vice President Mike Pence got a tepid response when he told the audience he had no right to reject the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, when Congress was certifying the results of the 2020 election. He drew a murmur of jeers when he defended his position that military support for Ukraine is a national security interest for the United States.

Anybody that says we can't be the leader of the free world and solve our problems at home has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on Earth, Pence responded when Carlson challenged Pence's commitment to domestic priorities.

DeSantis may ultimately be best positioned for a long slog against Trump. DeSantis will almost almost certainly have the financial resources to stay in the nomination fight long after Iowa Republicans vote.

But any recovery for DeSantis will almost certainly be grounded in a strong showing in Iowa. Some in the state say he has the opportunity by continuing to stoke conservative outrage related to rights for transgender people and racial equality.

People like what they hear from him, said Demastus, the Des Moines pastor. He is speaking evangelical love language, protecting our children, pushing back against the woke ideology.

___

Peoples reported from New York.
Focus on gangs, training paying off in effort to curb crime in Georgia, says Kemp

FILE: Governor Brian Kemp signs a bill at the Augusta Richmond County Municipal Building on Monday, April 24, 2023. On Thursday, Kemp gave an update on state efforts to supplement local law enforcement.

Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday touted the work of his gang prosecution unit, as well as a crime suppression unit and a gang unit with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

"In my opinion, we have not had a better state, local, federal partnership ... in regards to law enforcement in a long time," Kemp said.

According to numbers from the governor's office, statewide the Crime Suppression Unit conducted:

51,556 vehicle stops

41,968 warnings

33,746 citations

2,049 custodial arrests

1,159 DUIs

Kemp also highlighted the indictment of 16 members of the Outcast Motorcycle gang in Bryan County, outside Savannah, this month. In the year since the gang prosecution unit launched, they have indicted more than 80 gang members, Kemp said, while the GBI gang unit investigated 446 gang-related cases across 100 counties, charging 170 people.

More: Members of Outcast motorcycle gang, which is tied to Augusta mass shooting, indicted

Also: Violent Georgia motorcycle gang operates near military bases, recruits military personnel

The goal of state law enforcement efforts was targeted enforcement to supplement local law enforcement. Asked about retention of local officers, with many communities facing gaps, Kemp pointed to increased pay for state employees while shortages of local law enforcement officers would be up to municipalities.

"I think it's incumbent on the city councils and the county commissioners and the taxpayers of those communities to look at their salary structure and retention rates and, you know, budget accordingly," Kemp said. "That's what we've done in state government. But that's more of a local control issue for the local governments."

Kemp also noted that the state has nearly 1,000 free training slots at technical colleges for law enforcement to help expand the workforce.

More: 'All about the money:' Augusta sheriff launches investigation into drug smuggling deputies

The governor acknowledge that the statewide crime suppression efforts are extraordinary.

"This is not necessarily what we're supposed to be doing in state government," he said. "But it's something that's a priority of mine. It's something that I felt like our taxpayers deserve. We're spending a lot of money helping augment local police with crime suppression efforts."

Asked about increasing the training or quality of law enforcement officers in light of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office having 24 deputies arrested over two years, Kemp again said that retention and recruitment are up to local agencies.

"I'm not ... trying to put any pressure on them. They have a lot of tough decisions to make," Kemp said. "But I just know from a state perspective, public safety in our state constitution is one of my No. 1 priorities and duties that I need to fulfill."

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Gov. Kemp talks gangs, crime suppression and local law enforcement
Joshua Boucher/TNS/Newscom

Ever since Donald Trump began claiming that he was the victim of "a major fraud" in the 2020 presidential electionwhich he started doing on Election Day, while votes were still being talliedhis sincerity has been open to debate. Did he really believe the nonsense he was spouting, or was it all part of a clever populist strategy? That question is of keen interest to political junkies and armchair psychologists. It is also central to Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation of whether Trump committed federal crimes by trying to overturn Joe Biden's victory.

Based on information from "four people briefed on the matter," The New York Times reports that the Washington, D.C., grand jury convened as part of Smith's investigation recently heard testimony about whether Trump "privately acknowledged in the days after the 2020 election that he had lost." One of the witnesses was Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who reportedly said "it was his impression that Mr. Trump truly believed the election was stolen."

That impression is consistent with a plausible account of why Trump embraced one wild charge after another while insisting that he actually won reelection (a position to which he still publicly clings): His inflated yet hypersensitive ego could not survive an admission of defeat, so he desperately latched onto any claim, no matter how implausible or unsubstantiated, that reinforced his self-image as a winner. The details did not matter; the main point was that he could not possibly have lost.

Nor did it matter that several of Trump's advisers, including his attorney general, viewed his claims of systematic election fraud, involving deliberately corrupted voting machines and massive dumps of phony ballots, as completely unfounded. Trump instead listened to advisers like Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and John Eastman, who said what he wanted to hear: not just that Biden had stolen the election but also that the situation could be legally remedied through litigation, appeals to state officials, slates of "alternate" electors, objections by Republican legislators, and Vice President Mike Pence's intervention during the congressional tally of electoral votes on January 6.

The alternative explanation is that Trump cynically promoted the tall tale that Giuliani and Powell were telling, even though he knew he had lost the election, as a way of reinforcing the ardor of his most passionate supporters. According to that view, it did not matter whether there was any realistic hope of changing the 2020 outcome. The main point was maintaining Trump's domination of the Republican Party and setting him up for another run in 2024.

The difference between these dueling accounts is legally significant because it goes to Trump's state of mind when he pursued the tactics recommended by Giuliani et al. Was he honestly trying to correct what he mistakenly viewed as a grave injustice, or was he knowingly perpetrating a fraud?

The House select committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riot by Trump's supporters recommended several criminal charges against the former president, all of which hinge on his intent. The committee, for example, thought Trump should be prosecuted for conspiring to "defraud the United States," a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. That charge is viable only if Trump recognized that his election claims were false.

The committee also thought there was enough evidence to charge Trump with obstructing an official proceeding (i.e., the congressional certification of Biden's victory), a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. To convict Trump of that charge, prosecutors would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he acted "corruptly," which may be difficult.

Trump maintains that he was pressing a grievance he believed was well-founded through means he thought were legitimate. That is consistent with the advice he received from Eastman, a law professor who conceded that enlisting Pence to delay or block congressional validation of the election results would violate the Electoral Count Act but argued that the statute was unconstitutional. The question is not whether Biden actually stole the election or whether Eastman was right but whether Trump honestly believed those things.

"You need to show that he knew what he was doing was wrongful and had no legal basis," Duke University law professor Samuel Buell, a former federal prosecutor, told the Times last year. While prosecutors would not have to show that Trump understood he was committing a specific crime, Buell said, they would need to make the case that he knew he had lost the election, recognized that he did not have a valid legal argument, and decided to proceed with "a known-to-be-false claim and a scheme that [had] no legal basis."

Trump's private statements to advisers such as Kushner could support or undermine that case. "The key is having contemporaneous evidence that he was saying that he knew the election was not stolen but tried to stay in power anyway," Daniel Zelenko, a white-collar defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, told the Times. "The problem with Trump is that you have to try and get inside his mind, and he has such a history of lying and pushing falsehoods that it makes it difficult to determine what he really believes."

Another complication is that Trump's view of the election results may have shifted over time, perhaps more than once. While it seems clear from his angry, rambling, incoherent, and boastful Election Night speech that Trump's immediate instinct was to cry fraud, some insiders have said he later admitted he had lost.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, who was the White House communications director at the time, told the January 6 committee and federal prosecutors that Trump said something like this shortly after the election: "Can you believe I lost to Joe Biden?" Although that question is open to interpretation, Griffin saw it as an admission of defeat. "In that moment," she testified, "I think he knew he lost."

In a 2021 CNN interview, however, Griffin conceded that Trump may have subsequently changed his mind. "He told me shortly after that he knew he lost, but then, you know, folks got around him," she said. "They got information in front of him, and I think his mind genuinely might have been changed about that, and that's scary, because he did lose, and the facts are out there."

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley gave a similar account. During a meeting in late November or early December, he told the committee, Trump casually referred to Biden as "the next guy" and acknowledged that "we lost." But in subsequent meetings, Milley said, Trump began pushing the stolen-election narrative: "It wasn't there in the first session, but then all of a sudden it starts appearing."

By early December, a newly revealed text message shows, Trump's lawyers were acting on an "urgent POTUS request" for the "best examples of 'election fraud' that we've alleged." Trump lawyer Boris Epshteyn asked for "any sort of 'greatest hits' clearinghouse that anyone has for best examples," which he said did not "necessarily have to be proven" as long as they were "easy to understand."

The shift described by Griffin and Milley could be evidence that Trump deliberately misled his supporters, making claims he did not believe. Or it could be evidence that "folks got around him," as Griffin put it, and persuaded him that his initial reactionthat Biden could have won only thanks to "a major fraud"was well-grounded.

Former Attorney General William Barr, who says he repeatedly told Trump his election fraud claims were "bullshit," told the January 6 committee that Trump never gave any "indication of interest in what the actual facts were." That account is consistent with willful deceit, but it is also consistent with an unshakable belief in an ego-salving fantasy.

There's a similar ambiguity in Trump's notorious January 2 phone conversation with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which Trump pressed Raffensperger to "find" the votes that would be necessary to change the election outcome in his state. Trump flitted from one unsubstantiated fraud allegation to another, including one he admitted was just a "rumor," and was clearly frustrated by Raffensperger's patient refutation of each claim. Depending on which explanation of Trump's behavior you favor, he was either soliciting election fraud (a charge that Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis is investigating) or asking Raffensperger to rectify a supposedly fraudulent result.

After following Trump's election claims for nearly three years, I am still not sure whether he drank his own Kool-Aid. But to avoid Trump's conviction on federal or state charges based on his refusal to accept the election results, his lawyers need only establish a reasonable doubt as to whether he was deceitful rather than deluded.

The post A Grand Jury Considers the Question of Whether Trump Sincerely Believed He Won Reelection appeared first on Reason.com.
A Facebook post by the Grapevine Police Department featuring a photo of four cans of Bud Light in a warning about drinking and driving has generated thousands of comments.

The four bright blue cans with a red, white and blue Texas star were pictured sitting on the hood of a vehicle. One of the cans appears to be slightly crushed.

Our officers work hard to keep the roads as safe as possible, the post from July 12 reads. Thats why our commercial vehicle officer ensures big rigs are traveling safely. This week our officer discovered several cans of beer during an inspection. The trucks driver was taken out of service for 24 hours.

The post has since garnered 4,700 likes, 436 shares and 6,100 comments.

Bud Light began receiving pushback in April when the brand partnered with popular transgender TikTok creator Dylan Mulvaney for an advertisement that featured a can with Mulvaneys face on it. Mulvaney gained popularity on the video app through documenting her transition in a series called Days of Girlhood.

Among the comments that make fun of Mulvaney or the taste of what was Americans top-selling beer, there are others who wonder why Grapevine police even posted the picture to begin with.

This comment section does not pass the vibe test, one user wrote. Absolutely disgusting. Way to go, Grapevine Police Department. Hope you enjoyed this cesspool of hate.

Theyre idiots if they didnt realize the optics of the message prior to posting and are merely this ignorant, another wrote. Either way, it does NOTHING to serve or protect the community they are paid to watch over. Nobody is safer, nobody feels better about law enforcement and absolutely nobody thinks this reflects well on the community as a whole.

Wow, shame on Grapevine Police Department for using its platform for clicks and to promote hate, wrote another user. No professionalism whatsoever.

Disgusting homophobic, transphobic garbage, wrote yet another. Your office should be ashamed of itself. Look at all the hate and bullying you generated with this unnecessary and discriminatory post.

Representatives with Grapevine police did not immediately return a phone call for comment Friday morning.

Mulvaney said she has been the subject of harassment. She also said the brand has not reached out to her.

I was waiting for the brand to reach out to me, but they never did, Mulvaney said in one video. For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse, in my opinion, than not hiring a trans person at all.
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece will shut the ancient Acropolis for a few hours on Friday to protect visitors to one of the world's most famous archaeological sites from a heatwave enveloping Athens and other countries in southern Europe.

The Acropolis Hill, home to the Parthenon temple that is visited by millions of tourists every year, will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. (0900 GMT-1400 GMT) on Friday, authorities said.

Greeces meteorological service forecast temperatures peaking at 41 Celsius (105.8 Fahrenheit) in Athens by midday, but the mercury on the Acropolis Hill that overlooks the Greek capital is usually higher due to its altitude and lack of shade.

Hellenic Red Cross workers handed out bottles of water to tourists forming long queues, and fanning themselves under the shade of olive trees before the Acropolis entrance, before the famed monument was temporarily closed.

Southern Europe is sweltering under a fierce heatwave, with a warning that temperatures could hit record highs for the continent next week, raising fears about the impact on human health, crops and animals.

(Reporting by Deborah Kyvrikosaios and Angeliki Koutantou)
Greyhound camera footage will be part of safety boards investigation of I-70 crash

A federal transportation safety official said Thursday it will take investigators one to two years to complete their report of the Greyhound bus crash that killed three men when the bus collided with tractor-trailers parked on the exit ramp to an Interstate 70 rest area near Highland on Wednesday.

Our investigations are very, very thorough, said Tom Chapman, a board member of the National Transportation Safety Board, during a news conference at the Illinois Department of Transportation office in Collinsville. They take time. We want to get it right, not fast.

And sometimes I know folks are frustrated by the length of time it does take us to complete an investigation, but thats the reason for it.

A preliminary report is expected to be released in one or two weeks, but may not include much more than has already been reported.

Chapman said if investigators realize they need to make emergency recommendations before the entire investigation is completed, they will do so.

Our mission is to understand not just what happened but why it happened and to recommend changes to prevent it from happening again, Chapman said.

The Greyhound had video recorders facing outward and inward, Chapman said, and the bus manufacturer is processing that equipment.

Photos of NTSB investigators on the site of Wednesday's multivehicle accident on I-70 in Highland, Illinois, are available here: https://t.co/a825DC5aG1  NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 14, 2023

Investigators will seek to determine the cause of the crash and how the parked trucks on the exit ramp to the Silver Lake Rest Area on westbound I-70 and the bus drivers fitness were involved in the crash, Chapman said.

Human performance along with bus, truck and highway factors will be reviewed as part of the investigation, Chapman said.

Chapman also said the agency is reviewing similar circumstances involving parked vehicles outside a rest stop in Oregon in May. Seven people died when a tractor-trailer hit another semi and a van parked near a rest area on Interstate 5. Everyone who died was in the van.

In the Madison County crash, Chapman the Greyhound bus was manufactured in 2014 and apparently had seat belts for the 22 passengers on board. Federal law has required seat belts on buses built beginning in 2016, he said.

Earlier Thursday, the Madison County Coroners Office released the names of the three bus passengers who died:

Bradley D. Donovan, 47, of Springfield, Illinois

Buford Paya, 71, of Supai, Arizona

Juan E. Vasquez-Rodriguez, 34, of Passaic, New Jersey.

All three men suffered blunt trauma and were pronounced deceased at the scene, according to a news release from Coroner Steve Nonn.

A final cause of death will be released after toxicology tests are completed.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help pay to have Vasquez-Rodriguezs body flown to Peru.

Illinois State Police has said at least 14 others on the bus were injured. This includes the driver, according to the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1700. Authorities have not released the medical conditions or names of the injured victims.

Chapman said the National Transportation Safety Board does not have regulatory or law enforcement powers and the federal investigation is parallel to Illinois State Police investigation.

State police investigators have not announced any charges in connection with this crash.

Witnesses or persons with information about the crash are asked to call the national board at 866-328-6347 or send an email to witness@NTSB.gov.
A 45-year-old Mauritanian woman seeking asylum shows a scar on her arm from when she was beaten by officials in her country and jailed due to her political viewpoints. She now lives on Columbus' East Side and is seeking asylum to stay in this country, as she fears death if she's sent back to her home country.

Burn marks dot his abdomen.

A wound around his ankle from bindings is still healing, months after he escaped his imprisonment.

But the torture may not be over for the 34-year-old Mauritanian man, as immigration advocates are sounding the alarm about alleged racial discrimination in Ohio's only immigration court in Cleveland.

The East side man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution and deportation, has been in the United States for three years. Before that, he was enslaved in his country.

"I live with uncertainty, which is torture inside of me because I'm living a life where I'm not sure if I will be granted asylum or be deported," he said, speaking with The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, in Fulani via an interpreter. "If I go back, the same thing that happened to me will happen again."

Deportations of Mauritanians began in 2019 when former President Donald Trump changed policy to classify every undocumented immigrant as a priority for deportation, instead of the prior policy of prioritizing criminals. The change came after years of the government letting undocumented immigrants stay in the U.S. as long as they checked in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The man, like many others, is now preparing to fight to live safely in the U.S. in immigration court.

Julie Nemecek, a Columbus immigration attorney

But he's scared, as the court has not been finding in favor of survivors like him. Just ask Columbus immigration attorney Julie Nemecek, who represents many African asylum seekers in immigration court, and who said she has 80 to 100 such cases going through the court system.

What Im seeing is cases, solid cases, where clients, they have torture scars, theyre legitimate cases, and theyre being referred to removal proceedings, Nemecek said. I think they, overall, have a much slimmer chance of success.

How does the immigration court system work?

Immigrants who have fled their nations and entered the U.S. seeking protection from persecution, human rights violations and death threats must apply for asylum, a form of protection granted to allow immigrants to stay here legally. Then, after an asylum interview, they may get a court date at one of the nation's 69 immigration courts and go before immigration judges, who are appointed by the U.S. Attorney General.

Immigration courts are civil courts, despite the fact that losing a case could mean an immigrant is sent back to a nation where they may be tortured or killed. Immigrants aren't guaranteed a government-funded attorney and must find and pay for their own representation, which can be very difficult, especially because asylum-seekers are often not legally able to work in the U.S.

In immigration cases, Department of Homeland Security attorneys argue against immigration attorneys and their clients as government representatives.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), part of the Department of Justice, is in charge of immigration courts and describes the proceedings as "quasi-judicial hearings."

In 2021, Cleveland immigration court had a higher rate of denying asylum claims than the nation's average, with 88% of asylum cases decided in the court from October 2020 to September 2021 denied, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), which gathers and analyzes data on immigration figures from government agencies.

That means that only 12% of applicants were granted asylum or another form of relief from deportation.

In comparison, nationally, only 63% of asylum cases were denied on average, according to the TRAC data.

Are Black asylum seekers facing different treatment in court?

In 2020, asylum seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa were deemed not credible in 8.5% of interviews, over 37% more often than, on average, for all nationalities that year, according to an August 2022 U.S. Shadow Report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, submitted by several advocacy organizations.

This data further confirms concerns raised about implicit racial and other bias in credibility determinations in US asylum adjudications," the report states.

The report notes that Black asylum seekers face different treatment in the immigration system than others, including longer than average detention times, trouble finding accurate and adequate interpreters, different treatment in court, lack of access to counsel, purposefully rushed proceedings, biased judges, wrongful denial of asylum and more.

Lynn Tramonte has seen all those scenarios happen in Ohio.

Lynn Tramonte, director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance

In immigration court, it's almost like you're guilty until proven innocent and they would rather err on the side of deporting a refugee who was tortured than granting asylum to someone who might be lying," said Tramonte, director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, a group of Ohio immigrants and citizens who work to protect the dignity and rights of all through activism.

Nemecek has also seen judges and government attorneys "team up on (immigrants) and ask all kinds of questions and find them not credible."

From 2002 to 2022, 713 Mauritanians went before immigration judges in Cleveland, and 443 were denied asylum. Another 28 had another form of relief, such as withholding of removal, and 242 were granted asylum, according to TRAC.

The United States Department of State considers Mauritania so dangerous that it recommends U.S. citizens dont travel there due to crime and terrorism.

Tramonte wishes judges would do more research on the nations where asylum seekers are coming from.

"They have zero knowledge of documents from other countries or even what it's like to be tortured," she said.

A spokesperson for the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) disputed those claims.

Immigration judges consider all evidence and arguments presented by both parties, including country conditions, and decide each case in a manner that is timely, impartial and consistent with applicable law and case precedent, said Gail Montenegro, an EOIR spokeswoman. EOIR takes seriously any claims of unjustified and significant anomalies in immigration judge decision-making and takes steps to evaluate disparities in immigration adjudication."

Ohio immigration advocates and attorneys said they are puzzled over the reasons for denial of many Black immigrants' cases, which they see as strong, with evidence such as torture scars, and have concluded it must be racism.

In 2019, Cleveland Immigration Court Judge Teresa Riley, whose intimidating style has been noted in a previous Dispatch article, was harshly questioning a client from Mauritania who eventually fled the U.S. for Canada, according to Nemecek. The judge asked Nemeceks client why they said, through a translator, that they crossed a body of water in a small boat and then changed it to canoe.

Its the same thing," Nemecek said of the case.

Immigration judges do not give interviews, nor does the agency comment on immigration judge decisions as the decision speaks for itself, Montenegro said.

Tramonte said she has read testimony of a Cleveland judge questioning how they should know a torture victims' scars were from being beaten and burned.

A 34-year-old Mauritanian man seeking asylum shows burn marks on his abdomen, which he sustained while being enslaved in his country. u0022I live with uncertainty, which it is torturing inside of me because I'm living a life where I'm not sure if I will be granted asylum or be deported, he said, speaking through a Fulani interpreter.

The immigrant in question had testified that he had been "beaten and burned," speaking through a translator in Fulani, and then later said, "burned and beaten."

"(The judge) was like, 'That's inconsistent,'" Tramonte said. But "there's more words in English than there are in Fulani," so interpretation cannot be word for word, she said.

Difficulty getting an accurate, quality interpreter can be another form of discrimination Black asylum seekers face, according to the report.

Both Nemecek and Ahmed Tidiane, a Mauritanian refugee and local activist, said the judges don't seem to understand and instead tear them apart when they say they speak multiple languages.

"Many others (judges and government attorneys) have said they're not credible because they didn't cry or they said, 'He doesn't seem upset,'" Tramonte added.

That can be a misunderstanding too, as some people may be trying to keep it together after all they've been through, she said.

"Their notions of what trauma looks like  having no experience or training in trauma  they don't know what it looks like in a Black Muslim man," Tramonte said of judges and government attorneys. "The way they talk to people, it's just really sick."

Judges receive "robust" training on asylum, torture, credibility, corroboration, trauma, language and more, Montenegro said.

The office also monitors judges through a performance and evaluation process and daily supervision by assistant chief judges, she said, but judges decide cases individually, due to U.S. immigration law, regulations and precedent.

Allegations of misconduct can be reported via the Department of Justice's website and immigration judges' decisions can be appealed, she said.

'I'm scared'

For immigrants like the Mauritanian man fighting to stay in Ohio, life back home was harrowing.

He was enslaved from 2016 to 2018 in Mauritania, before he was able to escape with someone's help.

Mauritania doesn't recognize its Black residents due to their skin color, and they are treated as a lower class than the majority Arab and Berber tribes, and have suffered brutal discrimination for decades, according to Human Rights Watch and the CIA World Factbook.

A 34-year-old Mauritanian man seeking asylum shows scars and a wound around his ankle that is still healing. It was inflicted when he was bound by rope and chains while enslaved in his country.

"I was working for someone who was employing me and took me as a slave," the man said. "He never paid me and started to abuse me."

Finally, the man ran away, but the journey was hard. He fled mostly on foot and once he reached Brazil, he walked to the U.S. southern border.

He spent six months in an immigration detention center in California before coming to Ohio, where there are approximately 8,000 Mauritanian natives  the biggest concentration in the country, according to community advocates.

His next hearing in immigration court is in September, and for now, it's just a waiting game punctuated by fear.

"My roommates went through this," he said of court. "I'm scared."

One of his roommates was told by a judge that they believed his story, but that there were some inconsistencies.

Instead of asylum, the judge granted him withholding of removal, a form of protection that offers less certainty than asylum, and leaves immigrants in a type of limbo, according to the American Immigration Council. They cant leave the country or petition for their family members to join them, and they have no path to citizenship.

When activism backfires

Like the 34-year-old Mauritanian man, an East Side woman said she was discriminated against in her home country of Mauritania the entire time she lived there. Eventually, she got involved in politics, trying to fight against racial discrimination in her nation.

But her activism backfired.

The woman, 45, fled her nation in 2017 after her activism led to threats to her life. She said she was imprisoned twice, suffering torture and sexual abuse. She fled to avoid being imprisoned again.

She came to Columbus seeking asylum and community and has been to immigration court twice. The first time, she was provided with an interpreter who didn't speak the right dialect of her language, Fulani, and struggled to tell her story, she said.

"That day I knew if we continued the hearing they would've denied me," she added.

The second time was better, she said, with a good interpreter. Though she feels as though she has faced discrimination in America's immigration court system, she knows it would be worse if she went to trial in her own nation.

"I knew the trial wouldn't be fair in Mauritania," she said. "That's why I decided to run away."

Here, she has no fear for her safety, but she is concerned about if she will find the justice she seeks at her next hearing in January.

"I'm very concerned and fearful because I ran away from an unjust court and I'm coming to a court that I hope to be the opposite."

Ahmed Tidiane is a US Citizen from Mauritania and tries to be an advocate for people from his country living locally that can't speak out for fear of deportation.

She didn't think she would face injustice in America but fears she will through the nation's immigration court system.

Tramonte isn't OK with what she sees happening in the court.

"(They're) definitely deporting people to harm," Tramonte said.

Tramonte knows some Mauritanians who were sent back to their country  some of whom she hasn't heard from in months, and she fears they may have been jailed or killed.

"(People) need to know how these courts are just a mockery and that they're really harming people," Tramonte said.

dking@dispatch.com

@DanaeKing

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Advocates say Black clients face racial bias in Ohio immigration court
Gwinnett father of 4 walking to Walmart hit, killed by driver who sped away from scene

A deadly hit and run in Hall County has left four children without a father and a family desperate to find the driver, who never stopped.

Channel 2s Matt Johnson was in Gainesville Friday, where Brian Baker was on his way to Walmart on June 27 when someone hit and killed him on Spring Road. The 34-year-old was the father of four. The driver has still not been caught.

Johnson spoke to Bakers mother, Rhona Evans, who said shes desperate to find the person who killed him.

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He was a very, very loving, gentle, caring soul, Evans said. My heart is crushed. You took my life away from me, and Im begging you to turn yourself in.

It was around 9 p.m. when Bakers family said a car hit him from behind. There isnt a lot of room for people to walk near the busy intersection.

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He didnt even know what hit him, Evans said.

Despite signs to watch for people walking, Evans said more can be done to make the area safer for everyone, including installing speed bumps to slow people down.

Georgia State Patrol investigators said they have information from witnesses and surveillance video, but theyve made no arrests. A description of the car or the driver hasnt been released.

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Bakers mother said she plans to hang pictures of her son in the area in hopes of getting justice.

Its horrible people with vehicles dont pay attention to people walking, she said.
Haiti human rights group warns kidnappings and killings are on the rise after a brief respite

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  A leading human rights group in Haiti warned about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings as the U.N. Security Council met Friday to discuss the countrys worsening violence.

In a report issued Thursday, the National Human Rights Defense Network also condemned what it called the governments inaction.

It noted that from May 1 to July 12, at least 75 people were killed and another 40 abducted. Among those killed are an attorney, a schoolboy, two morticians and at least six police officers. Those kidnapped include a female journalist from Radio Vision 2000 who was later released. Her husband, the former president of Haitis Provisional Electoral Council, was abducted in mid-June and is still being held by gang members.

Gangs are also accused of breaking into a hospital in the community of Canaan in the northern part of the capital, Port-au-Prince, stealing medical supplies and abducting at least six security guards. In addition, armed criminals last month set fire to the building that housed the Jamaican consulate in Haiti.

The violence recently forced Doctors Without Borders to suspend treatment at one of their hospitals in Port-au-Prince after the group said some 20 armed men burst into an operating room and abducted a patient.

Earlier this year, the human rights group said that kidnappings and killings had diminished amid a violent uprising targeting suspected gang members, but noted that gangs have since resumed their attacks.

The group urged authorities to disband all armed gangs and restore order and security.

Haitis National Police is under-funded, under-resourced and largely overpowered by gangs, who have grown more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise and are now estimated to control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince. The department has only some 9,000 active duty officers for a country of more than 11 million people.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has insisted on an international force to help Haitis National Police, with one U.N. expert estimating that Haiti needs up to 2,000 additional anti-gang police officers.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry requested the urgent deployment of such a force in October, but the U.N. Security Council so far has opted to impose sanctions on gang members and others. On Friday, it gave the secretary-general 30 days to report back on options to fight Haitis gangs, including a possible U.N. peacekeeping force and a non-U.N. multinational force.
Thousands of supporters flooded the streets Sunday in nearly 70 countries to call on the international community to help curb the gang violence that has taken over Haiti and is plunging it further into social and political turmoil.

Miami resident Abigail Calixte said she has family members living in Haiti who are scared to go out due to the violence. Calixte, 18, said the country has changed drastically since she last visited when she was 10, when she recalled it having a feeling of togetherness.

Im tired of seeing everything thats going on, said Calixte, who lives in the Little Haiti neighborhood. Like, this is not the country that I know.

Gangs have had a decadeslong presence in Haiti, but after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, gang violence has increased as the island-nations government has crumbled; the country has not yet elected a new president. And Haitis last remaining elected lawmakers, 10 senators, left office in January after their term expired and have yet to be replaced, according to the Brookings Institution. The think tank also said in a February report that Haitian political leaders and the Haitian National Police have ties to the gangs and are unable to control them.

And even two years after Moises death, The fact that there is no government in power, it means that they could simply multiply and become stronger, said Gregory Toussaint, pastor at the Tabernacle of Glory church in Miami. And now, gangs control an estimated 80% of the capital, according to the U.N.s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Pastor Gregory Toussaint speaking to a crowd of supporters with a megaphone during the Relief for Haiti march in Miami, Fla. (Courtesy Tabernacle of Glory)

Haitian gangs have kidnapped, assaulted and killed residents over the years, with the U.N. reporting more than 500 gang-related deaths in Haiti within the first three months of the year alone. At least 160,000 Haitians were displaced by gangs since 2021. And about 60% of Haitians live below the poverty line and have limited access to basic services, according to UNICEF.

The main objectives of the rallies, Toussaint said, was to urge Congress to pass legislation to help dismantle Haitian gangs by revealing the bad actors working with them in the political and economic realm, and to encourage the Biden administration to continue its humanitarian parole program. The marches also motivated Haitians to take action and promote unity between those living in Haiti and Haitians throughout the diaspora.

A marcher during a Relief for Haiti rally, in Miami (Carl Juste / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Kaila Dorcin, another Miami protester, said her relatives in Haiti were nearly kidnapped and are scared of even leaving their house because the gang violence is so extreme. Dorcin said she joined the march because it was historic and would help generate change.

I think something needs to change, Dorcin, 20, said. Im really tired of having to see just my people go through things like that.

The movement to help Haiti also prompted support from non-Haitian supporters. Xamayla Rose, who attended the Relief for Haiti march in Brooklyn, is Jamaican. She said she grew up in a community with many Black immigrants in central Brooklyn and has witnessed Haitian people being marginalized through her work in immigration justice.

I really felt like deep down in my heart, like, if all I can do is march with my friends and to raise awareness  especially as a non-Haitian person  just to show everybody, like, its OK to support it, Rose, 43, said. Its OK to talk about all of the things that are going wrong and to even have a sense of accountability and responsibility as a non-Haitian person for helping to resolve and bring awareness to the issue.

Supporters during the Relief for Haiti march in Miami, Fla. (Courtesy Tabernacle of Glory)

Toussaint said Haiti needs a long-term plan to help stabilize the country, citing as an example the Rwandan genocide in the 90s, which claimed more than 500,000 lives. When the genocide ended in 1994, Toussaint said that, by 2000, Rwandan leaders had developed a 20-year vision of rebuilding their country, which has undergone an economic transformation. Toussaint said this is a plan Haiti should also follow.

We should have a 25-year plan, Toussaint said. What do we want Haiti to look like in 2050, and we should work on that plan right now and kick it off in 2025.

Several international leaders and entities have called for more action to support Haiti, including Volker Turk, of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who in February labeled the situation in Haiti as a living nightmare.

Toussaint is also pushing for Congress to pass the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act, which would require the State Department to issue an annual report on the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti, the bill reads. Through his organization, Shekinah.fm, Toussaint has created a petition to garner support for the bill, which now has more than 126,000 signatures.

Xamayla Rose marching with supporters in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Courtesy Xamayla Rose)

Toussaint also said he wants the Biden administration to keep open the humanitarian parole program, which allows the U.S. government to grant advanced travel authorization for Haitians, along with other groups including Cubans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. More Haitians have been allowed to seek asylum in the U.S. after President Biden took office, according to an internal planning document obtained by NBC News in July 2022.

Despite the uphill challenges, Toussaint said he is very hopeful about Haitis future, which he said comes down to us taking responsibility and us coming together.As a believer, I am hopeful in God and I believe there is always hope, Toussaint said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Norfolk residents, city leaders and members of the brewing community are denouncing a proposed military-centric brewery headed to the former OConnor Brewing Co. space in the Railroad District.

Dozens of people packed MJs Tavern during a town hall meeting organized by state Del. Jackie Glass Wednesday evening, with many speaking out against the Annapolis, Maryland-based Armed Forces Brewing Co.

We do not stoop to that level of red, white and bigotry, Tom Wilder, a veteran and co-owner of Young Veterans Brewing Co. in Virginia Beach, said during the event.

The town hall was organized after Glass, who represents part of Norfolk, rescinded her comments welcoming the brewery to town. Her comments appeared in a July 7 news release from Gov. Glenn Youngkin applauding the brewerys move. Its common for quotes from local officials to appear in economic development announcements.

On Monday, Glass posted an anti-bigotry stance on social media, questioning the values of the brewerys leadership after learning about what she said were anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments.

Armed Forces Brewing Co. brand ambassador Robert ONeill had spoken out on Twitter against using drag queens for military recruitment, masking on airplanes during the pandemic and the use of masculine-presenting models in womens swimsuits during an Adidas pride collection.

Armed Forces Brewing CEO Alan Beal also had told a conservative news outlet that beer sales have increased after a controversy around Bud Light and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Wilder, who owns Young Veterans with Neil McCannon, sought to differentiate his brewery from Armed Forces, saying Young Veterans was inclusive and welcoming to everyone.

Nick Dintelmann, president of Hampton Roads Pride, asked Glass during the town hall if she felt misled when she originally was quoted in the economic development announcement. Glass responded that she didnt feel misled, but rather had not properly vetted the company and its leaders before issuing the statement.

Another attendee expressed frustration that Virginia tax dollars were being used to support the business. While Norfolk hasnt offered Armed Forces any economic development incentives, the state is allowing the company to use the Virginia Jobs Investment Program to support employee recruitment and training.

Other attendees wondered whether Norfolk City Council had any power to deny Armed Forces permits allowing them to operate in the city. According to a Facebook post by City Council member Andria McClellan, the company will need approval from City Council to sell alcohol on site and operate a taproom.

Typically, new businesses meet with City Council members before moving to Norfolk, McClellan said. Armed Forces never took this step, she said.

They didnt reach out to the local leaders, and they obviously dont know the culture, McClellan said in the post.

Andrew Coplon, the founder of the Craft Beer Professionals advocacy group, said during the event that he had created an online submission form to reach out to City Council members and other city leaders with concerns about the brewery, also noting, to cheers, that the URL armedforcesbrewery.com was redirecting users to the form.

In response to the town hall, Beal said his brewery would be welcoming to everyone and celebrate the diversity of the United States military. He also said it was irresponsible for some to suggest asking the city to pull the companys operating permits before they were even in the area.

Were not a danger to the community, Beal said.

Some town hall attendees suggested Glass and city leaders start a dialogue with Armed Forces Brewing about their concerns. Beal said that neither Glass nor City Council members had reached out to him, but also said he had not reached out to them either.

Armed Forces announced on July 7 they would be purchasing and moving into the former OConnor Brewing Co. headquarters at 211 W. 24th St. In a social media post, Kevin and Penny OConnor said their beers would still be sold in retail stores after the closure.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com
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Marie Antoinette has been portrayed as the spendthrift wife who meddled in the political affairs of her weak-willed husband, Louis XVI. But she was also a devoted mother to her four childrenMarie-Therese-Charlotte, Louis-Joseph, Louis-Charles, and Sophiewho provided emotional solace for the troubled French queen.



The French Revolution would tear Franceand Maries familyapart, leading to the deaths of Louis, Marie, and one of their sons. In the end, their sole surviving daughter was left to cope with the trauma and tragedy of familys fate.

Watch the PBS Special Marie Antoinette, the Oscar-winning film Marie Antoinette starring Kirsten Dunst, or the documentary The Secret Versailles of Marie Antoinette.

Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI Struggled to Start a Family

The 15th of 16 children born to Austrian Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I, Marie was betrothed to the heir to the French throne while still a child. The couple wed in 1770 when she was just 14 and Louis just 15.

The newlyweds both knew that Maries primary duty as a wife was to produce a male heir. But the marriage went unconsummated for several years, due to either a physical issue on Louis part or a psychological one. Royal courts were notoriously gossipy, none more-so than intrigue-filled Versailles, and Marie and Louis were harangued with advice and criticism about their supposed biological failure. Maries brother was even dispatched to give the young king some step-by-step sexual advice.

Get the latest Royal news delivered straight to your inbox.

It wasnt until 1778, four years after they had assumed the French throne, that their first child, a daughter named Marie-Therese-Charlotte, was born. While she was not the hoped-for son, Marie Therese provided much-needed emotional support for her mother, whose seemingly frivolous appearance and spending masked deep loneliness and insecurities.



Marie Antoinette, the Doting Mother

In 1781, Marie gave birth to Louis-Joseph, who became his fathers heir, a role known as the dauphin. Marie was devoted to her children, though she was often prevented from handling their day-to-day care due to strict royal protocol. When she could, she retreated with her children to Petite Trianon, a small chateau at Versailles that Louis had given her.

Dressed in more modest clothes, Marie created an idyllicand expensivesecond life, away from both the prying eyes of courtiers and the realities of the growing unpopularity of both Marie and Louis among the French people. While Marie had been a popular princess upon her arrival in France, her consumption and capriciousness had become fodder for scandalous rumors about her private life and the mistaken belief that her spending was the ruin of the French economy.

Two Children Died before the King and Queen Lost Their Crowns

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Although Louis and Marie were fond of each other (unlike most other royal males, Louis didnt take a formal mistress), theirs was no great love match. For Marie, that role was played by Swedish diplomat Axel von Fersen. He and Marie likely began their affair after he returned from fighting in the American Revolution in 1778. The timing of the birth of Maries third child, Louis-Charles, in 1785 set tongues wagging throughout France, as many surmised that he was von Fersens son. The following year, she gave birth to her last child, a daughter named Sophie.



Tragedy struck less than a year later, when Sophie, who had been born prematurely, died. In the summer of 1789, Marie and Louis were devastated when 7-year-old heir Louis-Joseph died. A bright but sickly child, he likely died from tuberculosis of the spine. His grief-stricken parents had little time to mourn, as the powder keg that would become the French Revolution exploded with the storming of the Bastille just weeks after Louis death.

Louis-Charles Met a Gruesome Fate

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In late 1789, the royal family was moved from Versailles and placed in captivity in Paris. After a series of failed escape attempts (including one engineering by von Fersen), the monarchy was abolished by the revolutionary government in 1792. Louis XVI was held separately from his family and was executed in January 1793.

While Marie was initially allowed to remain with Marie Therese and Louis-Charles, authorities soon separated them. Marie, now known as Marie Capet, was kept under strict surveillance, but it didnt stop her from continuing to plot her escape. Louis-Charles was locked in a dark, fetid chamber where he was fed meager rations, prevented from seeing any outside visitors, and physically abused by his jailers.

Shop Now Marie Antoinette: The Journey $16.59 amazon.com

Isolated and scared, the boy began to display signs of emotional instability, likely exacerbated by the false accusation he was forced to give by his jailers that he had been sexually molested by his mother and his aunt, Louis XVIs sister. That false evidence was used during Maries trial, a charge his heartbroken mother fiercely denied. Following a grueling two-day trial, Marie was found guilty of crimes against the state and followed her husband to the guillotine on October 16, 1793.

Less than two years later, in June 1795, 10-year-old Louis-Charles died, likely from tuberculosis worsened by his mistreatment. A sympathetic physician smuggled the childs heart out of the prison following his autopsy, where it set out on a centuries-long odyssey, being passed to royal relations across the continent before finally coming to rest alongside his parents graves in the church of Saint-Denis in Paris in the 20th century.

Louis-Charles Imposters

Despite the abolition of the French monarchy, royal supporters believed that Louis-Charles had become King Louis XVII following his fathers execution. Rumors quickly spread that the boy had miraculously escaped his captors and that the body of another dead child was used in his place.

Over the next several decades, dozens of people would claim that they were Louis XVII. Although most people were easily dismissed, others presented evidence that swayed believers. Karl Wilhelm Naundorff, a German clockmaker, wrote a series of memoirs that proved so convincing that several surviving members of the royal family took up his cause (notably absent was his sole surviving supposed sibling, Marie Therese). When he died in the Netherlands in 1845, his death certificate and gravestone both identified him as Louis XVII.

The Louis XVII escape theory became a cottage industry, with more than 500 books published on the lost dauphin, along with a monthly journal launched in the late 19th century. The fate of Louis-Charles even caught the attention of Mark Twain, who included a mention of it in his novel Huckleberry Finn.

Finally, in 2000, conclusive medical evidence put the theory to rest. Scientists used DNA from royal relatives, including a lock of Maries hair, to conclusively match it to a sample taken from Louis-Charles preserved heart, proving once and for all that the doomed-dauphin hadnt escaped.

Marie Therese Became Queen of Francefor 20 Minutes

Marie Therese remained in prison, with little information about her familys fate, until just before her 17th birthday in December 1795. Released after the end of the Reign of Terror, she was initially sent to her mothers native Austria.

In 1799, at the insistence of her uncle (who had styled himself Louis XVIII after Louis-Charles death), she married his heir, her first cousin Louis, Duke of Angouleme. It was an unhappy marriage, which was never consummated. The couple spent several years in exile in Great Britain, before returning to France in 1814, when Louis XVIII became king following the abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte, in what became known as the Bourbon Restoration.

The tragedies of her life, unsurprisingly, left Marie Therese a suspicious, somewhat embittered woman. She despaired over the litany of imposters who demanded that she recognize them as her brother. She was forced to flee France on several occasions, as the restored Bourbon monarchys hold became increasingly tenuous. In 1824, following Louis XVIIIs death, her husband became heir to the throne.

Shop Now Marie Antoinette: A Life From Beginning to End $12.99 amazon.com

Six years later, during the 1830 Revolution, her husband briefly became King Louis XIX when his father abdicated. Marie became queenuntil her husband, in turn, abdicated less than half an hour later, in favor of his nephew. She spent the rest of her life in exile, bouncing between royal courts. Marie Therese died at age 72 in October 1851 and was buried next to her husband in what is now Slovenia.

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This is what happens when attorneys go along with Kari Lake's election delusions

Mark Finchem, Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state and Kari Lake, Arizona gubernatorial candidate.

A federal judge on Friday ordered the attorneys for Kari Lake and Mark Finchem to pay Maricopa County $122,200  money the county's taxpayers spent to fend off a frivolous lawsuit brought before last years election.

Turns out judges dont much like to see the court system used as a campaign prop.

Attorneys should take note of this.

Lawsuit was simply a campaign stunt

You may recall that Lake and Finchem  with financial backing from MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell  filed suit in April 2022 while they were running for governor and secretary of state.

Their lawsuit asked a judge to bar the machine tabulation of votes in the 2022 election and require that paper ballots be used instead. They claimed that Arizona vote-counting machines produced inaccurate results and that there were no paper ballots to verify the machine count.

Never mind, apparently, the fact that they had no evidence to back up their claims.

Or that Arizona not only already uses paper ballots but state law requires a hand count of a random sample of those ballots, to verify the machine count is accurate.

Appeal moves to Tucson: And Kari Lake smells a conspiracy

But then, their lawsuit wasnt a serious attempt to remedy a real problem. It was yet another campaign stunt, employed to make baseless claims about supposedly stolen elections.

A judge called Lake and Finchem on it

To his credit, U.S. District Court John J. Tuchi called them on it.

Last August, he threw out their lawsuit, noting that the pair provided no evidence that machine counting produces inaccurate results and no proof that a hand count of ballots would be more accurate.

In December, he followed up by granting Maricopa Countys request for sanctions against the lawyers for bringing a frivolous lawsuit that baselessly kicked up a cloud of dust.

In sum, Tuchi wrote, Plaintiffs lacked an adequate factual or legal basis to support the wide ranging constitutional claims they raised or the extraordinary relief they requested. Plaintiffs filled the gaps between their factual assertions, claimed injuries, and requested relief with false, misleading, and speculative allegations.

Lawyers, take note: You better have evidence

And on Friday, he socked attorneys Kurt Olsen, Andrew Parker and Alan Dershowitz with the countys $122K bill, though Dershowitz is liable for just 10% of the tab.

Dershowitz, one of the nations pre-eminent constitutional law experts, tried to wiggle out of any responsibility by minimizing his involvement, but the judge wasn't having it.

Attorneys must be reminded that their duties are not qualified in the way he suggests and that courts are entitled to rely on their signatures as certifications their filings are well-founded, Tuchi wrote.

Turns out judges dont like it when attorneys throw in with their clients to bring false, misleading and speculative allegations.

Now, theyre on notice that theres a price to be paid for doing that.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake attorneys pay six figures for filing 'frivolous' lawsuit
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered on 18 June in Surrey, British Columbia, in what police have described as a "targeted" attack

A prominent Sikh leader was brazenly murdered last month outside a temple in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The death has outraged his supporters and intensified global tensions between Sikh separatists and the Indian government.

On a mid-June summer evening in the busy parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in the city of Surrey, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in his truck by two masked gunmen.

A month later, the unsolved killing continues to reverberate, in Canada and across borders. Hundreds of Sikh separatists took to the streets in Toronto, along with a handful others in cities like London, Melbourne and San Francisco, just last weekend to protest the Indian government, which they believe is responsible for his death.

The Indian government has not commented on such allegations.

The outrage following the 45-year-old's killing has brought to light a long-standing issue of some groups demanding a separate homeland for Sikhs, who are a religious minority that make up about 2% of India's population.

The movement was at its peak in the 1980s in the state of Punjab, which witnessed several violent attacks and deaths. It lost steam after armed forces ran special operations against the movement - but supporters in the diaspora community continued their calls for a separate state, which have intensified in recent years.

India has strongly opposed the Khalistan movement. All mainstream political parties, including in Punjab, have denounced violence and separatism.

Mr Nijjar was a prominent Sikh leader in BC and a vocal backer of a separate Khalistani state. Supporters of his have said that he was a target of threats in the past because of his activism.

India said he was a terrorist and led a militant separatist group - accusations his supporters call "unfounded".

Canadian investigators said they have yet to establish a motive for his murder or identify any suspects, but they have categorised the killing as a "targeted incident".

Canada is home to the largest Sikh diaspora outside the state of Punjab. On 8 July, hundreds protested Mr Nijjar's death in Toronto outside India's High Consulate building. They were met with a smaller counter protest in support of the Indian government.

The two sides shouted at each other through barricades for several hours, and one pro-Khalistan demonstrator was arrested after attempting to breach the fence.

Even before the weekend, concerns had been raised about the protest.

Some posters for the Toronto event featured the words "Kill India" and labelled Indian diplomats in Canada as "killers", leading the outraged Indian government to summon the Canadian envoy.

The pro-Khalistan demonstration in Toronto was met with a counter-protest in support of India. The two sides shouted at each other through barricades

Balpreet Singh, the spokesperson for the World Sikh Organisation of Canada, said he believes the Khalistan movement has been somewhat dormant and largely peaceful in recent decades, though it has seen a revival, particularly among youth who did not live through the violence of the 1980s.

But even with this revival, there is a sense that people in Punjab have largely "moved on" from the idea of a separate state for Sikhs, said Gurpreet Singh, a BC-based journalist and radio host who has interviewed Mr Nijjar in the past.

"What we are seeing in Canada is a vocal minority of the Sikh community that is supporting Khalistan," he said.

Mr Nijjar is the third prominent Sikh figure to have died suddenly in recent months.

In the UK, Avtar Singh Khanda, who was said to be the head of the Khalistan Liberation Force, died in Birmingham in June under what has been described as "mysterious circumstances" that some believe could be related to poisoning.

Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who was designated a terrorist by India, was shot dead in May in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province.

Mr Singh, with the World Sikh Organisation, said Mr Nijjar had been the target of threats, and that he had warned members of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service as early as last summer that there was likely an assassination plot against the Sikh leader.

He said Mr Nijjar had been planning a non-binding referendum scheduled for September in Surrey on the question of an independent Sikh state, part of a global series of votes aimed at measuring consensus on the formation of Khalistan.

A similar referendum had taken place last year the city of Brampton, Ontario last year, which is home to around 160,000 Sikhs.

Results of the vote have not yet been released, but he said the turnout - an estimated 100,000 people - was met with anger from the Indian government.

"This was devastating to the Indian narrative that (Khalistan) is a fringe or extremist movement," he said.

Following the referendum, India's Ministry of External Affairs warned of a "sharp increase in incidents of hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada", though it did not reference any specific incidents or make mention of the referendum.

There are differing narratives on the Khalistan movement in India, as well as the deaths of proponents like Mr Nijjar.

Some Indian commentators have pointed to internal rivalries between Sikh organisations in Canada as the reason behind Mr Nijjar's death.

They have also accused Khalistan supporters in Canada of vandalising Hindu temples with "anti-India" graffiti and of attacking the offices of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa during a protest in March.

But Sikhs and some national security experts in Canada have accused the Indian government of spreading misinformation through its media to malign the Sikh community and supporters of a separate Khalistani state. India has denied this.

Canada's national security adviser to the prime minister has previously accused India of being one of the top sources of foreign interference in Canada.

India, for its part, has argued that the rise of the Sikh separatist movement in Canada has interfered in India's domestic affairs.

Despite this, both countries have long-standing diplomatic and trade ties and are in the advanced stage of talks to sign a landmark free-trade agreement. It is not clear whether the recent diplomatic tensions will have an impact on the deal.

Balpreet Singh said he believes Canada needs to take a stronger stance against foreign interference by India, arguing that it has mainly targeted the Sikh community.

But he added that Canada has also provided a place where many Sikhs who are supporters of the Khalistani movement can speak openly, and that the community remains defiant in the face of Mr Nijjar's death.

"There is no one telling us we can't talk about Khalistan here," he said. "If you try to tell us we can't talk about our sovereignty, we will do the very opposite."
Hayao Miyazaki has released his final film How Do You Live in Japan today (Friday 14 July).

The film reportedly takes its title from the 1937 novel by Genzaburo Yoshino, but its story is completely original, written by Miyazaki himself.

The script is based on a coming-of-age story about a young boy whose mother is killed in a fire.

Last month, Miyazakis Studio Ghibli announced it wont be releasing commercials or trailers for How Do You Live.

In an interview with Japanese magazine Bungei Shunji, Ghiblis lead producer, Toshio Suzuki, confirmed that the studio will remain quiet about the film until it comes out.

As part of company operations, over the years Ghibli has wanted people to come see the movies weve made. So weve thought about that and done a lot of different things for that purpose  but this time we were like, Eh, we dont need to do that, he said.

Doing the same thing youve done before, over and over, you get tired of it. So we wanted to do something different.

Suzuki also compared Miyazakis approach to that of Hollywoods marketing plans.

(Getty Images)

Theres an American movie  ah, I almost said the title out loud!  coming out this summer around the same time [as How Do You Live?], he said.

Theyve made three trailers for it, and released them one at a time. If you watch all three, you know everything thats going to happen in that movie. So how do moviegoers feel about that? There must be people, who, after watching all the trailers, dont want to actually go see the movie. So, I wanted to do the opposite of that.

According to BBC, How Do You Live is full of Miyazakis signature obsessions, quirks, and thematic concerns.

There are the usual visual treats, like cute yet eerie creatures, great-looking food and gravity-defying flights of fancy - primarily hand-drawn and moving with the fluidity and sense of weight that mark the master animators work, the publication reported.

US and UK release dates for How Do You Live have yet to be announced.
A helicopter pilot and 2 of his passengers jumped into the ocean to escape a volcanic eruption that killed 22 people: 'The water is what saved us'

Pilot Brian Depauw reacts in the witness box at the Whakaari White Island eruption trial at the Auckland Environment Court, in Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday July 13, 2023. Nick Monro/Pool Photo/Associated Press

The White Island volcano in New Zealand erupted in 2019, killing 22 people.

A helicopter pilot said in court Thursday he and two of his passengers jumped into the ocean to escape the ash.

Another two of his passengers did not make it to the water in time and were severely burned.

A helicopter pilot testified in a New Zealand court on Thursday that he and some of his passengers were able to escape a deadly volcanic eruption in 2019 by jumping into the ocean.

"The water is what saved us," Brian Depauw said, according to The Associated Press.

Depauw and his four passengers were on land at White Island, New Zealand's most active volcano, when it erupted on December 9, 2019, killing 22 people. White Island, also known by its Maori name Whakaari, is located north of the country's North Island.

Depauw was testifying in a trial brought against several tourism companies and directors, who have been accused of failing to assess and mitigate the risk of an eruption and not properly warning tourists of the potential dangers. Officials say the volcano had shown indications of a potential eruption in the weeks prior but that tour operators neglected to act.

The trial, which started Tuesday, is expected to last four months.

Depauw said in court he was on a flight for the tour company Volcanic Air when the eruption occurred, AP reported. Volcanic Air is not among the companies charged in the case.

He and his passengers were on the land at the time and one asked if they should head back to the helicopter, but Depauw directed them to the ocean instead.

Plumes of steam rise above White Island off the coast of Whakatane, New Zealand, on Dec. 11, 2019, following a volcanic eruption on Dec. 9. Mark Baker, File/Associated Press

"I heard my customer saying should we run now? I looked behind me and saw the plume going up 1,000 or 2,000 feet (305 or 610 meters) high, I saw boulders and debris arcing toward us, so I said: 'Run, run, run to the water. Follow me,'" Depauw explained in a video shown in court that was taken days after the eruption.

Two of his passengers did not make it to the water in time, became surrounded by the ash, and experienced severe burns. Depauw and the other two passengers were able to make it out unscathed thanks to the water.

"The minute I hit the water, it went black. The ash came and obviously hit us and I couldn't see anything," Depauw said, adding: "It would be a minute or two minutes. I was underwater trying to hold my breath as long as I could until I saw some light through the ash."

Depauw testified that he thought in the case of an eruption there would be signs and enough time to evacuate.

He also said he was unaware the volcano had erupted as recently as 2016, though no one was injured in that shorter-lived eruption. White Island also experienced small eruptions in 2012 and 2013. Prior to that, the volcano was in near-constant eruption from 1975 to 2000.

Read the original article on Insider
With help from American priest, four Haiti gang leaders have called a truce. Can it last?

For three years now, rival gangs in Haiti have turned the countrys poorest and most densely populated slum into one of the biggest battlegrounds, where women and girls are raped and people carrying out their daily activities are indiscriminately shot at by armed men firing from rooftops.

Now it seems that even the armed groups are tired of the mayhem and want peace.

Four rival gang leaders, whose alliances and violent turf wars have led to mass incidents of murder, gang rape and sniper attacks in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Port-au-Princes Cite Soleil slum since 2020, are engaged in peace talks and have committed themselves to end the violence.

Father Tom Hagan, a well-known American Roman Catholic priest and humanitarian, confirmed to the Miami Herald that he is behind the initiative. Hagan said that gang leaders known as Gabriel, Mathias, Iska and Barbecue have indeed signed a document that among other things, says, We promise our loving God to work hard to end violence, to bring peace to all people.

Theyre not saying, Were going to stop shooting or were going to stop doing this,  Hagan, 81, said. But they are saying, they are more for peace and forgiveness

Still, even without an explicit agreement to lay down their arms, the gangs have initiated a ceasefire in recent days that has led to the dismantling of a wall that separated rival territories and has given children the confidence to go outside again to play.

People were out at the wharf Cite Soleil 25. People were swimming [and] there is no shooting, Hagan, known as Father Tom, said Wednesday, describing it as a great day. People seem to really pick upthey seemed so happy.

People have a little bit of hope now, he added.

Hagan is among several Roman Catholic priests and pastors who have stuck it out in the community despite the danger and the killings. In addition to providing Haitians with free schooling, Hands Together, which is operated by Haitians, provides food and medical care through a mobile health clinic.

For weeks now Hagan has been meeting with the gang leaders, trying to broker an agreement. So far, hes gotten them to sign the document drawn up on his stationary belonging to Hands Together, Hagans charity. Written in English and Creole, it places God at the center and has the leaders pleading to make every effort to provide security for all our children and all of our elderly.

Hagan concedes that while be believes hes been able to make the inroads because the gang leaders trust me and they have confidence in me, there is only so much that he can do. Now would be the moment, he said, for some well-known and respected figure, whether Haitian or in the U.S., to step in and guide the process.

We need someone who maybe would have a stronger presence, he said.

There have been rumors about peace talks among gang leaders for weeks, although there have also been suspicions about the gangs intentions, since none has actually laid down arms.

Hagan said he doesnt know of any other group involved. He said he has been able to build on an agreement the leaders had among themselves not to engage in violence between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. He also said he believes the gangs are tired, and see that the fighting is taking its toll.

Theres not a day that goes by where I dont meet with each of them and, as far as I know, this little grain started with us, he said. They depend on us; we have the schools and our schools are the only ones that have stayed open.

In its latest report to the United Nations Security Council, the U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti said that gangs operating in Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite Valley region are the main perpetrators behind the countrys 68% rise in homicides between January and June of this year.

This includes the increased severity of attacks in Brooklyn, which has become ground zero in the escalating clashes and attacks by gangs against the population, and the resurgence of cholera. One attack in April led to the rapes of at least 49 women, the U.N. office said. The rapes occurred in an area in known as Deye Mi, an open space that separates neighborhoods controlled by rival gangs. Seven of the rape victims were killed afterwards, their bodies left on the streets.

Trapped by the violence, civilians in areas under gang control are unable to leave their homes and lack access to food, water, sanitation and healthcare Services, the U.N. office said.

On Friday the U.N. Security Council unanimously agreed to extend the mandate of its political office in Haiti until July 15, 2024.

Member countries highlighted the deteriorating security and human rights environment and requested that the offices police and corrections unit include up to 70 civilian and specialists to serve as police advisers. The office is also being asked to scale up its strategic and advisory support to the training and investigation capacities of the Haiti National Police to help address sexual and gender-based violence.

The U.N. office is also being asked to do more to assist Haitian authorities in the protection of children.

Hagan, who founded Hands Together, a charity that provides humanitarian aid, said he doesnt ever remember it being this bad. He began taking to students to Haiti in the 1970s while chaplain at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, well before continuing the practice in the 80s while serving as chaplain at Princeton University. He founded his charity in1986 with college students. The charity runs 20 free schools across Haiti, half of them in Cite Soleil.

Its 100 times worse than the earthquake, Hagan said, referring to the magnitude 7 tremor that nearly destroyed Port-au-Prince and killed over 300,000 dead in 2010.

This has been very, very bad, Hagan said, recalling how in the early days of the fighting violence was even being directed at school principals in the area. To get students shot and killed, and even teachers, its been very depressing, very frustrating.

The people living in Cite Soleil right now are the poorest of the poor, Hagan added They cant leave, they have nowhere else to go. They have no other option.

He acknowledged the current truce is very fragile and that he was surprised that some gang leaders agreed to sign.

This includes Gabriel Jean-Pierre, alias Ti-Gabriel. The leader of the the coalition of armed gangs known as G-pep-la, Jean-Pierre has been the main rival to Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier, the former cop-turned-gang leader who operates the G-9 federation. Another rival is Iscard Andrice, alias Iska, who blames the G-pep leader for killing his mother, and runs a gang in the area known as Belekou. All three signed the document, along with another gang figure, Mathias Saintil, who controls the area known as Boston. Mathias and Iscard are aligned with the G-9 federation.

The violence dates back as far as 2020 when, according to a report from the National Human Rights Defense Network, all roads into Brooklyn were cut and Gabriel found himself under attack by Iska and Mathias. The result was a massacre that led to the deaths of least 145 people; 28 others were injured and 18 women and girls were gang raped.

In addition, 104 houses were set on fire, the human rights report said.

Pierre Esperance, the head of the National Human Rights Network, said that since May his organization has seen a disturbing surge in acts of violence and kidnappings, carried out by armed groups, including allies of some of the gang members who signed for peace. This includes Vitelhomme Innocent, head of the Kraze Barye gang, who is wanted by the FBI for his alleged role in the kidnappings of American and Canadian missionaries and who controls the area the U.S. Embassy in Tabarre. It also includes the head of the Izo 5 Segond gang operating out of nearby Village de Dieu at the southern edge of the capital.

I salute the initiative and the decision by the gangs not to shoot at one another; it means for now we have a pause in massacres, Esperance said. But it doesnt mean the wars are over because every year they agree to a pause, but they keep their guns and soon they restart the shooting again.

Hagan said he used to think that the fierce fighting among the gangs was over territory and for control of voting blocs in the next elections. But as the fighting has continued and the violence worsened, hes not so sure anymore.

It almost seems like its personal now, he said. If somebody gets shot on one said, then there is a shooting on the other.
M142 HIMARS In Service With Ukrainian Soldiers On The Bakhmut Direction

A M142 HIMARS launches a rocket on the Bakhmut direction on May 18, 2023 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Ukraine received the HIMARS as part of international military assistance programs to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian invasion. Credit - Serhii Mykhalchuk-Global Images Ukraine

It seems increasingly clear that the demands of sustaining Ukraines defense against Russia will be enduring. We can hope that there will soon be a just and durable end to this conflict, but predicating our strategy on such a hope would be imprudent. Rather, we must assume that Russia will remain a threat to Ukraine and NATO for the foreseeable future. This means America and Europe need to prepare for the long-haul in addressing European security, even as America must urgently shift to prioritizing readying for a conflict with China in the Western Pacific.

It is critical to think clearly and realistically through this prism about how to prevent Russia from subordinating Ukraine. Crucially, this must be done with a forthright, clear-eyed recognition that China and Asia must be the priority for our military, geopolitical, and economic efforts. A war in the Western Pacific is distinctly possible in this decade, losing it would be catastrophic, and we are not preparing for it with the urgency, scale, or focus needed.

Rectifying this must be the absolute overriding priority of U.S. efforts in every respect. Any resources that could be useful for defeating a Chinese attack along the first island chain should be reserved to that end. This includes strike weapons like HIMARS, ATACMS, GMLRS, and tactical UAVs as well as defensive systems such as Patriot, NASAMS, Harpoons, Stingers, and Javelins that Taiwanese or U.S. defenders could use to degrade an invasion force. Importantly, it also includes things other than weapons, including money, political capital, intelligence resources, and defense industrial base attention and capacity.

But that is by no means the same as saying the U.S. should stop helping Ukraine. To the contrary, the U.S. has an important interest in Ukraines survival. Most significantly, if Russia subsumed Ukraine or so weakened it as to be able to use it as a basis for attacks against NATO, then a Moscow that appears to be mobilizing for long-term confrontation with the West would pose a more significant and direct threat to Europe. It is in Americas interest to avoid that outcome by ensuring Ukraine can defend itself effectively, but we must pursue that interest in a manner consistent with our highest priority of restoring a formidable denial defense along Asias first island chain. There is a way to do that.

Read More: Why Protecting Taiwan Really Matters to the U.S.

First and foremost, the U.S. must act to incentivize European nations to take the lead in supporting Ukraine. Europe clearly has the capacity to do just that  what key states, especially but not exclusively Germany, have lacked thus far is the will to spend the money and political capital to both rearm themselves and arm Ukraine consistent with what strategic reality requires. Washington can help to alter those allies calculus by changing their incentives to shoulder more of the burden, both by elevating and supporting the efforts of leaders like Poland and by intensifying pressure on laggards like Germany. Making clear and credible that America will in fact focus on the Pacific could help this effort. This approach would require a sharp shift in policy from Washington, which has effectively undercut European incentives to greater self-reliance over the last year, but it is urgently necessary that Europe move toward assuming the bulk of its own defense, including in supporting Ukraine.

At the same time, the U.S. can still play an important, albeit more focused, role in directly aiding Ukraine. At root, this is because there are significant military resources in the U.S. arsenal that are ill-suited for an Asia-Pacific conflict but that would be useful for Ukraine and could thus be made available to Kyiv.

Most significantly, there are substantial quantities of capable systems that the Pentagon plans to retire but that would be useful for Ukraine. This includes aircraft such as A-10s, F-16s, and earlier variants of the F-15 and F/A-18, all of which could have a significant impact on the battlefield. Certain types of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles also fall in this category, as do some kinds of engineering equipment, especially for mobility and counter-mobility operations like breaching, mine clearance, and bridging. A variety of munitions, including short-range air-delivered munitions, cannon artillery, and small arms, can also be made available to Ukraine without compromising our ability to genuinely prioritize preparing for a fight against China. The U.S. can continue to provide softer but important assistance like intelligence support and training using resources not

More can be done in addition as Europe steps up and takes primary responsibility for its conventional defense. As this happens, the U.S. can provide to Ukraine many of the capabilities it currently keeps in or reserved for the European theater. Such systems include a variety of ground combat systems that are ideal for the European theater and neither necessary nor even useful for a China contingency, such as more advanced types of main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled cannon artillery. Furthermore, over time the U.S. can and should resuscitate its defense industrial base to rapidly produce a wide variety of weapons and platforms at a much larger scale. Restoring Americas defense industrial strength will help ameliorate many of the difficult tradeoffs we currently face, enabling us not only to ensure our own forces are better armed but also to arm allies to carry a greater share of the burden of defending themselves.

It is in Americas interest to aid Ukraine in preventing its subordination by Moscow, but we have to do that in a way that is consistent with our highest and urgent priority of preparing for a conflict in the Pacific. This approach would provide a prudent and effective way to do so.
Here's why Colorado is finding it hard to find states willing to give it wolves

Given the national political divisiveness and wolves being near the apex when it comes to polarizing predators, it should come as little surprise why the latest concern regarding Colorado wolf reintroduction is finding animals to release.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has painstakingly plodded through a two-year process to create a wolf recovery and management plan and set itself up to meet what it believes is the intent of the narrowly approved ballot initiative to reintroduce wolves by the end of 2023.

Problem is the plan identified Idaho, Montana and Wyoming as the "desired states'' to secure wolves and those states aren't keen on giving wolves to Colorado. Oregon and Washington are possible alternative donor states.

Colorado is looking to get 10 to 15 wolves per year over the next three to five years from multiple states to reintroduce wolves on the Western Slope.

Here's more on why some are worried about where those wolves will come from.

Temperature among likely source states on giving Colorado wolves can be characterized as ...

Wyoming: Not only no, but hell no.

Idaho: Yeah right.

Montana: Really not interested.

Washington: Don't call us, we'll call you.

Oregon: We're open to discussions.

Reasons for those reactions are listed later in this story.

But first, despite the less-than-favorable initial state responses, Colorado Parks and Wildlife believes it will secure wolves to have paws on the ground by the end of this year.

In an email response to questions by the Coloradoan regarding sourcing concerns, Colorado Parks and Wildlife responded: "CPW does not anticipate the need to postpone reintroduction efforts. CPW will work to exhaust all options for potential sources and (we) do not anticipate needing to request wolves from states outside of the Northern Rockies.''

The wildlife agency told the Coloradoan the initial translocation of wolves is expected to take place in mid- to late December of this year and continue into January and February.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife placed GPS collars on two wolves in North Park on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.

What are reasons some states are balking at giving wolves to Colorado?

Politically, Colorado more closely aligns with Washington and Oregon and not so much with Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

Recently hired Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis, who came from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, sent letters May 15 to his counterparts at Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Wyoming was not included on that list because it had already said it wasn't interested in helping Colorado.

Here's more on each state's situation and perspective on giving wolves to Colorado:

Wyoming

The state has a reported 338 wolves.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon told 9News that "Wyoming is opposed to sending wolves to Colorado" in early May.

Gordon has said he is against Colorado's gray wolf reintroduction.

He cited other reasons behind Wyoming's opposition are the state's current wolf management plan is working and doesn't want to disrupt it and a concern wolves sourced from Wyoming and given to Colorado will return to Wyoming.

Idaho

The state has a reported 1,337 wolves.

Idaho's game and fish director Jim Fredericks wrote in a June 6 response letter to Davis his concerns, saying "we do not believe providing wolves for translocation is in the best interests of Idaho."

Fredericks cited current litigation over the listing status of wolves, negative impacts of wolves sent to Colorado spilling over to other states and the social framework of wolves.

Montana

The state has a reported 1,080 wolves.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park spokesperson Greg Lemon told the Coloradoan "there has not been a formal process (with Colorado) and we are not involved in any conversations regarding translocations of wolves to any other states." He didn't specify why.

Washington

The state has a reported 216 wolves.

The governors' offices of Colorado and Washington have talked, and Davis came from the Washington state wildlife agency, so this is looking like a possible match.

However, at its June 23 Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting, a member said: "This isnt really anything were that enthusiastic about, but we do want to hear more.

A major reason for hesitancy is Washington is in the midst of its periodic status review and listing decision of its wolves.

Oregon

The state has a reported 178 wolves.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Michelle Denney told the Coloradoan "we have had some initial discussions, but we are still in those discussions, and no commitment has been made.'' She did not elaborate on what those discussions entailed.

Wandering wolves: North Park wolfpack member confirmed to have wandered into Grand County

Expert, advocate say politics are the primary reason behind unwillingness to send wolves to Colorado

Ed Bangs, who oversaw the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's gray wolf recovery program in the Northern Rocky Mountains before retiring in 2011, said the issue is purely political.

"There's no reason why these states couldn't give wolves to Colorado; most want to get rid of them," he said. "But with this you see the politics playing out. This is classic wolf politics. Something that should be straightforward biologically isn't because humans complicate it."

That's how Gary Skiba sees it.

Skiba is a wolf advocate who sat on the state-selected wolf recovery Stakeholders Group, is the current wildlife manager for the San Juan Citizens Alliance and is a former longtime Colorado Department of Wildlife (now Colorado Parks and Wildlife) employee.

He said he's personally had discussions with state wildlife agency staff who told him they feel confident they will find wolf sources. Still, he admitted wolf advocates are concerned.

"It's hard to figure out what other reason these states (Wyoming, Montana and Idaho) would have for not giving wolves to Colorado," Skiba said. "Politics is really the only reason, because they're killing wolves."

Johnny Schmidt, a Jackson County Colorado rancher who had a confirmed calf kill by the North Park wolves, said he believes there is another reason for the reticence and it stems from wolf management decisions.

"Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, they all have allowed lethal take as a management tool to protect ranchers," he said. "Colorado decided we are not going to follow suit."

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to get a 10(j) rule, which would allow lethal take of reintroduced wolves in certain situations. The state believes the rule will be secured by the time wolves are reintroduced.

Bangs said there remains ample time for Colorado to secure wolves but cautioned having a Plan B or C would be a good idea.

"What's happening is not surprising, which is why you need a backup plan because something always falls apart with wolves,'' he said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Why Colorado is finding it hard to find wolves for reintroduction
Exhibition highlights cultural imprint of Maritime Silk Road

09:14, July 14, 2023 By Fu Qisheng ( People's Daily

Photo shows a wide-sleeve long robe displayed at an exhibition featuring the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road held at Fujian Museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province. (Photo courtesy of Fu Qisheng)

The year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Against this backdrop, Fujian Museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province, kicked off an exhibition on the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road in May.

The exhibition is planned to run from May to August. By exhibiting cultural relics, historical materials, and pictures, it aims to highlight the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road and underline the historical and practical significance of harmonious coexistence and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The Maritime Silk Road bore witness to the communication and exchanges between the Chinese nation and the outside world on the vast blue ocean. It left to mankind rich cultural heritage, which reflects the diversified and interactive civilizations of the world like a kaleidoscope.

Since the BRI was proposed by China, the Silk Road-theme exhibition has become a hotspot in the cultural industry.

In 2013, Fujian Museum took the lead in holding a joint exhibition of cultural relics featuring the Maritime Silk Road in collaboration with relevant authorities. The exhibition was held in more than 20 countries and regions as well as the United Nations (UN) headquarters, arousing enthusiastic response.

Today, just in time, Fujian Museum is staging another exhibition featuring the Maritime Silk Road.

Photo shows a sitting statue of Chinese sea goddess Mazu made of white-glazed porcelain, which is displayed at an exhibition featuring the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road held at Fujian Museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province. The statue was made in a kiln in Dehua county, Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian province, in China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). (Photo courtesy of Fu Qisheng)

Facilitating trade in porcelain, silk, tea, and spices, the Maritime Silk Road also served as a path to cultural exchanges, mutual benefit, peace and friendship for various countries along the road.

The ongoing exhibition at Fujian Museum displays 295 pieces (sets) of cultural relics in 35 museums across China, including important archaeological finds. The exhibits represent essences selected from a large number of heritage resources to restore the trade, people-to-people and cultural exchanges along the Maritime Silk Road from different perspectives.

The exhibition highlights the historical scenes and cultural connotations of exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. The area is divided into four sections focusing on distinctive topics, namely China's maritime history, trade in goods, overseas relics in China, and cultural integration.

The section featuring China's maritime history serves as the beginning part of the exhibition.

According to ancient books, during China's Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-A.D. 220), Chinese officials and merchants set sail from Xuwen county in south China's Guangdong province and Hepu county in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with gold and silk fabrics to ancient countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia to trade for pearls, glass beads, and other exotic products. It is widely believed as one of the signs of the formation of the Maritime Silk Road.

Photo shows a peacock blue-glazed pottery bottle displayed at an exhibition featuring the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road held at Fujian Museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province. (Photo courtesy of Fu Qisheng)

A lot of archaeological discoveries serve as new evidence for the Maritime Silk Road, such as the cultural relics from West Asia unearthed in ancient tombs of the Han Dynasty in Hepu county, the ancient port site of the starting point of Chinese monk Jianzhen's sixth voyage to Japan during China's Tang Dynasty (618-907) - the Huangsipu Site, and the Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck dating back to China's Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

This section has put on display relevant cultural relics to depict three major historical events in China's maritime history: Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty dispatching ships and envoys from Hepu and Xuwen to foreign countries, Chinese envoys' missions to ancient state Goryeo during China's Song Dynasty (960-1279), and the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas during China's early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Among the exhibits in this section, the gold ingots housed by the Hubei Provincial Museum are displayed, which date back to the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. The exhibits, engraved with inscriptions of purchase records from the West, are tangible evidence of Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas.

The exhibition section for trade in goods mainly focuses on porcelain, silk and tea, three categories of exports from China in ancient times representing the influence of Chinese civilization overseas.

Porcelain has played an important role in trade along the Maritime Silk Road. The porcelains exhibited in this section include celadon porcelain wares made in the famous Yue kilns and Longquan kilns in east China's Zhejiang province, white porcelain found in kilns in north China's Hebei province, multi-colored porcelain wares such as the tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty, and blue and white porcelains of different styles.

A wide-sleeve long robe found in the tomb of Huang Sheng, a girl who lived in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) in Fuzhou, is on display in this exhibition section. The tomb is praised as a treasury of silk in the Southern Song Dynasty for its numerous and diverse silk fabrics unearthed.

Fujian's silk fabrics manufacturing industry embraced unprecedented prosperity during the Song Dynasty. The decoration techniques including adorning fabrics with gold, colored drawing, and embroidery were widely used to beautify clothes.

Photo shows a silver tea roller displayed at an exhibition featuring the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road held at Fujian Museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province. (Photo courtesy of Fu Qisheng)

Traces of such techniques have also been found in silk fabrics unearthed in China's neighboring countries, which can fully prove Fujian's position as one of the major production bases of silk exports in the Song Dynasty.

Various kinds of tea sets from the Tang and Song dynasties are also shown in this section, including a glass saucer and teacup as well as a silver tea roller discovered in the underground palace in Famen Temple in northwest China's Shaanxi province. The tea roller belonged to Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty, who used it before ascending the throne.

The third exhibition section featuring imported goods from ancient China manifests the inclusiveness of the Chinese civilization. Exhibits include such cultural relics as imported gem ornaments and glass artifacts unearthed from Guangxi, Hunan and Fujian provinces.

Among these exhibits, a peacock blue-glazed pottery bottle from the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-979) is the most precious treasure of Fujian Museum. It is so far the best-preserved peacock blue-glazed ware unearthed in China.

The large pottery bottle is shaped like an olive and evenly covered with blue glaze on its outer surface, conveying a sense of exotic beauty. Experts believe that this pottery ware was likely imported from ancient Persian regions in West Asia.

Various censers and spices are also exhibited in this section. Besides, a special experience zone has been set up through joint efforts of Fujian Museum and Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in a bid to create an interactive experience for visitors.

Photo shows a gold necklace in China's Song Dynasty (960-1279). (Photo courtesy of Fu Qisheng)

The last section of the exhibition features the integration of diverse cultures. A white-glazed sitting statue of Chinese sea goddess Mazu made in a kiln in Dehua county during the Ming Dynasty is rather representative of the cultural relics exhibited.

The statue is made of white and delicate porcelain and a bright and smooth layer of glaze, with the glaze sparkling with a slight yellow tinge. It depicts the scene of Mazu sitting upright in a grand gown and with a square flat-topped crown on her head, vividly showing the sea goddess' solicitude for people making a living on the sea.

White porcelains produced by kilns in Dehua enjoyed great popularity in the Ming and Qing dynasties. They were sold to regions as far as Europe.

The Maritime Silk Road is old and yet still vibrant. It is a route on the sea that has helped improve people's well-being to create a better life, as well as a link that has enhanced exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.

Today, new cultural connotations are being injected into the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

By showing the road's historical and practical significance through relics and storytelling, the exhibition on the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road has unfolded a scroll of harmonious coexistence, common understanding and mutual appreciation between the Chinese civilization and civilizations of various countries around the world.

(Fu Qisheng is the curator of Fujian Museum and vice president of the Chinese Museums Association)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
High court ruling in Petrogas lawsuit could mean millions in taxes for Whatcom County

Whatcom County has won a lawsuit that could mean $10 million or more in back taxes from a Cherry Point petrochemical company.

In a one-sentence decision issued late Wednesday, the state Supreme Court upheld an appellate court ruling from November 2022 that said Petrogas Pacific must pay taxes as set by the Whatcom County Assessors Office.

It is ordered: That the petition for review is denied, the justices said.

Assessor Rebecca Xczar told The Bellingham Herald that she was delighted by Wednesdays ruling.

This effect of the court decision will require Petrogas to pay the back tax owed on the difference in value plus interest. This will benefit all property owners in Whatcom County next year who have been paying more tax because Petrogas has been paying a reduced amount, Xczar said in an email.

Total amounts have yet to calculated, but Xczar told The Herald in 2022 that the amount could be $10 million or more.

Petrogas parent company AltaGas didnt comment directly on the court action.

We are aware of the ruling and are reviewing it at this time, its media relations department said in an email.

In all, the Petrogas holdings in dispute include a 35.7-acre site on Unick Road and a 6.3-acre site on Mountain View Road in the Cherry Point industrial zone, plus physical assets and improvements made to the site that Petrogas West bought in 2014 for a combined $242 million from Chevron USA, according to Xczar and records at the assessors website.

Included in the deal was a pier, which is sometimes called a wharf in official documents, in 2016 for $122 million.

In its lawsuit, Petrogas Pacific LLC and Petrogas West LLC were challenging Whatcom County assessments that included the value of an aquatic lands lease.

All five taxable assets are treated as a single going concern, but Petrogas was challenging only the value of improvements and the pier, Xczar said.

Value of the pier includes intangible assets such as a Department of Natural Resources permit to dock large vessels, and Xczar said Petrogas doesnt want to be assessed for the value of that permit.

The Cherry Point location is the only LPG terminal on the U.S. West Coast, according to Petrogas website.

They are claiming that the facility should be valued much less than what they paid for it, Xczar said at an Aug. 5, 2022, meeting of the County Council finance and administrative services committee.

Xczar was elected in 2019 and has pursued the case as it has progressed against Petrogas Pacific and Petrogas West.

Affected taxing districts include Washington state, Whatcom County, county roads, flood-control zone, Cemetery District No. 7, Conservation Futures, Fire District No. 7, rural library, Port of Bellingham, Ferndale schools and Whatcom County EMS.
Historic heat has some in New Orleans worried about powerful hurricanes this season

NEW ORLEANS  As the heat continues to rise in New Orleans, so do concerns of more powerful, heat-fueled hurricanes churning off the Louisiana coastline.

Air temperatures in the 90s and heat indices in the 100s are the result of a sprawling area of high pressure that is also causing water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico to continue to rise  heat that could fan the flames if a hurricane develops.

"Its alarming," said James Karst, coast restoration expert with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. "We know that the oceans are very, very warm now, and that is fuel for hurricanes. So, people are absolutely concerned about it."

FILE - Search and rescue Teams head up Orleans St. in search of victims during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Saturday, September 3, 2005, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Their concerns involve what a stronger storm could mean for homeowners, specifically, how they are going to afford both homeowners insurance and flood insurance.

"There's no easy solution for that," Karst said during a FOX Weather "Cruisin Across America" interview with correspondent Robert Ray. "We're not going to stop hurricanes from happening. There's no off switch for them. So, what we need to do is prepare for them in the best way that we can."

Some of those preparations include a $50-billion, 50-year plan by the state to restore much of the coastline that has eroded over the years due to tropical storms and hurricanes battering Louisiana.

SAVING COASTAL LOUISIANA: A $50-BILLION, 5-DECADE-LONG PLAN TO RESTORE MARSHLANDS

An estimated 2,000 miles of coastline have been lost since 1932, according to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. For context, thats a little more than the distance between New Orleans and Los Angeles.

FILE - Homes destroyed after Hurricane Ida in the Coco Village near Cocodrie, Louisiana, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Cocodrie lies southwest on New Orleans on the Gulf coast.

The peak of hurricane season comes in September, leaving many Louisiana residents worried about how high water temperatures in July can impact the storms that could be on the horizon.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

"Cruisin Across America" is a weather series hosted by Ray, highlighting areas of the U.S. that have been impacted by weather events, along with their unique culture.

Kicking off in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 13 and ending on July 20 in Santa Monica, California, the weeklong series will cover a number of communities and the weather stories they have to tell.
Hollywood actors and writers strike after disgusting studios turn down deal. Heres what it means for you

Thursday (13 July) marked a historic shutdown for Hollywood as actors guild members joined writers striking for a fairer deal.

SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild  American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) announced that its strike comprising 150,000 television and movie actors would begin at midnight on Friday.

Follow along here for real-time updates on the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Meanwhile, WGA (Writers Guild of America) members have been on strike since May.

This is the first time since 1960 that both actors and writers have picketed film and television production companies.

It's disgusting, shame on them, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said of the offer they rejected from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The writers strike had already kneecapped the entertainment industry, taking late night talk shows off air and making awards shows virtual or unscripted.

With the added weight of tens of thousands of actors, Hollywood is effectively in limbo until an agreement with production companies can be reached.

How will this affect the film industry?

The studios literally dont care about us or treat us like human beings, Zack Arnold, the co-editor of Netflixs Cobra Kai told The Independent. The way of life as a creative, as a storyteller, as a filmmaker is on the line.

Arnold says the strike was caused by a perfect storm of streaming dominance, which has led to the erosion of residual pay, and the advent of AI in the industry.

Both of them are such paradigm shifts in how business is done. I think that theres no way to really resolve both of them amicably without a real change in the way the business is done, he says.

Joe Plummer, the president of Wavelength (a New York-based indie studio behind Sundance players like Where's My Roy Cohn? and Farwell Amor), agrees: There's so much disruption that has happened over the past 10 years that, eventually, it was going to have to come to this point where we get down to the real nuts and bolts of how the industry operates.

Immediately before the strike was announced, the cast of Christopher Nolans new blockbuster, Oppenheimer, left the films London premiere prematurely to go and write their picket signs.

This sets the tone for other forthcoming releases, the casts of which will receive scorn from their colleagues if they participate in any publicity obligations.

The timing is not ideal  two of the biggest films of the year are scheduled for release next week: Greta Gerwigs Barbie and Oppenheimer.

Publicity for the two pictures was reaching a fever pitch thanks to marketing campaigns, talent interviews and red carpet premieres around the globe. As SAG-AFTRA grounds to a halt, so too will the publicity trains.

Following the announcement, SAG sent a memo to all of its members explaining the boundaries of what they were and were not allowed to do (via Variety) under the terms of the strike.

Except as set forth in the Notice to Members Regarding Non-Struck Work, all covered services and performing work under the TV/ theatrical contracts must be withheld, including but not limited to:

Principal on-camera work, such as:

Acting

Singing

Dancing

Performing stunts

Piloting on-camera aircraft

Puppeteeringa Performance capture or motion capture work;

Principal off-camera work, such as:

ADR/Looping

TV Trailers (promos) and Theatrical Trailers

Voice Acting

Singing

Narration, including audio descriptive services except as the services may be covered by another collective bargaining agreement referred in the Notice to Members Regarding Non-Struck Work

Stunt coordinating and related services

Background work

Stand-in work

Photo and/or body doubles

Fittings, wardrobe tests, and makeup tests

Rehearsals and camera tests

Scanning

Interviews and auditions (including via self-tape)

Promotion of/publicity services for work under the TV/Theatrical Contracts, such as:

Tours

Personal appearances

Interviews

Conventions

Fan expos

Festivals

For your consideration events

Panelsa Premieres/screenings

Award shows

Junkets

Podcast appearances

Social media

Studio showcases

Negotiating and/or entering into and/or consenting to:

An agreement to perform covered services in the future

Any new agreement related to merchandising connected to a covered project

The creation and use of digital replicas, including through the reuse of prior work

Performing on a trailer for a struck production or other ancillary content connected to a struck production

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher (REUTERS)

How will this affect the TV industry?

Meanwhile, TV networks are expected to pivot to reality series and game shows, which are unscripted and do not require actors.

Late night shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live! have been dark since May as they rely heavily on scripted monologues and comedic segments.

Recurring dramas like ABCs Abbott Elementary and Greys Anatomy will be replaced in the September schedule by game shows like Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Dancing With the Stars, according to The New York Times.

Due to the lengthy scale of TV production times, the full effects of the strikes are unlikely to be felt for months or even years.

Casey Bloys, the chairman of HBO, told Variety on Wednesday that at least through the end of 2023, were OK. And then into 2024, it starts to get dicier.

Arnold warned The Independent that due to the scale of SAG-AFRAs demands, he believes that the actors strike could continue all the way into winter: This is going to be a game of chicken  who is willing to swerve first?

The issue, he points out, is that writers and actors are not key workers like doctors or nurses, so there wont be public demand for the studios to cave to their demands. Streaming companies like Netflix have billions of dollars and an enormous backlog of content, which they can afford to sit back on while low-paid creatives struggle.

Will the Emmys be delayed?

The union also said that the strike means any Emmy campaigning by actors will immediately end. As such, we may see a delay to the 2023 Emmys ceremony, which is currently scheduled for 18 September.

The nominations for this years awards were announced on Wednesday (12 July) with Television Academy chair Frank Scherma expressing his wishes for the ongoing guild negotiations to come to an equitable and swift end.

You can find a full list of all the nominees here.
Hollywoods actors and writers have both gone on strike for the first time since 1960 to protest against a number of decisions by major studios that include not just job cuts but also a potentially unsettling future in which they could be replaced by artificial intelligence.

The leaders of SAG-AFTRA, the Hollywood union representing 160,000 television and movie actors, went on strike on Thursday, joining the industrys screenwriters who have already been picketing for over 70 days.

Among the many issues flagged by both the writers and actors in the protests has been how generative AI tools could replace their roles in the industry.

Over the last decade, AI has found several uses in the movie and television industry, from de-aging actors, analysing patterns and behaviours of viewers on streaming platforms, bringing back the voices of late actors and even helping stitch together entire movie trailers.

One of the proposals, as explained by SAG-AFTRAs national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, feels like it is straight out of dystopian science fiction series Black Mirror.

During a press conference on Thursday, Mr Crabtree-Ireland alleged that a proposal from Hollywood studios was to use groundbreaking AI to scan background performers and only offer them a days pay while the companies get to own the scans and use them for any project they want.

This groundbreaking AI proposal that they gave us yesterday, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get one days pay, and their companies should own that scan, their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity on any project they want, with no consent and no compensation, the executive said.

If you think thats a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again, Mr Crabtree-Ireland said.

A statement from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), that represents the studios, claims the groundbreaking AI proposal protects actors digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members.

We are being victimized by a very greedy enterprise... The entire business model has been changed by streaming and AI If we dont stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy, the actors guild president Fran Drescher said on Thursday.

Follow along here for real-time updates on the SAG-AFTRA strike

Writers who have already been protesting since May have also sought assurances from studios that their jobs would not be threatened by AI.

With the steady rise of online streaming services looking to rack up user subscriptions by churning out endless amounts of digital content, writers on strike have sought new pay structures, guaranteed periods of work as well as better discussions on the limits of AI use.

Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) shared concerns that producers may seek to use AI to write scripts or at least use the technology to complete unfinished screenplays, and have also urged production houses to agree to safeguards around its usage.

Screenwriters fear AI could be used to churn out a rough first draft with a few simple prompts and writers may then be hired after this initial step to punch such drafts up  albeit at a lower pay rate.

Without further dialogue with studios, writers have raised concerns there could be a number of new ways that AI could be used to craft outlines for stories, fill in scenes and even come up with mock-up drafts.

There are ways it can be useful. But too many people are using it against us and using it to create mediocrity. Theyre also in violation of copyright. Theyre also plagiarizing, Michael Winship, president of the WGA East, said in May.

With these risks in mind, the WGA seeks more safeguards on how AI can be applied to the screenwriting process.
Actors Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh were among those who walked out of the premiere of 'Oppenheimer.' Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images

Some of Hollywoods top stars are joining screenwriters on the picket line after the main U.S. actors union voted to take part in an ongoing strike.

SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 150,000 screen and stage actors, announced on July 13, 2023, that its members would go on strike.

In so doing, they join members of the Writers Guild of America who have been on strike for several weeks.

Battles between Hollywood unions and the studios have taken place since the 1940s. But this is the first time since the Eisenhower administration that the two major Hollywood unions have been on strike at the same time. The action  sparked by a long-running dispute over pay and greater protection against use of artificial intelligence and the rise of streaming services like Netflix  has shut down productions and become increasingly acrimonious. One Hollywood source told a reporter that the studios want these strikes to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.

The strikes come at a time when polls suggest unions are more popular in the U.S. than at any time since 1965, and the labor movement is experiencing a resurgence of organizing.

Since the mid-1900s, Hollywood studios have depicted the collective efforts of working people to improve their lives and gain a voice in their workplaces and the larger society with both sympathy and hostility. Independent producers, who gained a foothold starting in the 1970s, have generally been friendlier toward workers and their unions.

Some of the most well-known labor movies champion the struggle of the everyday worker: Modern Times, released in 1936, stars Charlie Chaplin going crazy due to his job on an assembly line. It features the famous image of Chaplin caught in the gears of factory machinery. The Grapes of Wrath, a 1940 adaptation of John Steinbecks novel, tells the story of sharecropper Tom Joads radicalization after his family and other migrant workers experience destitute conditions in Californias growing fields and overcrowded migrant camps.

1979s Norma Rae is based on the life of Crystal Lee Sutton, who worked in a J.P. Stevens mill in North Carolina. The textile worker and single mom inspires her fellow workers to overcome their racial animus and work together to vote in a union. Bread and Roses, a 2000 film about low-wage janitors in Los Angeles, is based on the Service Employees International Unions Justice for Janitors movement.

Theres also an anti-labor strain of Hollywood history, particularly during the post-World War II Red Scare, when studios purged left-wing writers, directors and actors through an industrywide blacklist. Red Scare-era releases such as 1952s Big Jim McLain and the 1954 film On the Waterfront often depicted unions as corrupt or infiltrated by communist subversives.

When I teach labor history, Ive used films to supplement books and articles. Ive found that students more easily grasp the human dimensions of workers lives and struggles when they are depicted on the screen.

Here are five unsung labor movies, all based on real-life events, that, in my view, deserve more attention.

This is a fictionalized account of a fascinating but little-known political movement: the Non-Partisan League, which organized farmers in the upper Midwest in the early 1900s.

During this period, Midwestern farmers worked long hours to harvest grain that they were then forced to sell for low prices to elevators, while paying high prices to the big railroad companies and banks. Economic insecurity was a part of life, and foreclosures were routine.

The film follows Ray Sorenson, a young farmer influenced by socialist ideas who leaves his North Dakota farm to become a Non-Partisan League organizer. In his beat-up Model T, he travels the back roads, talking to farmers in their fields or around the potbellied stoves of country stores. He eventually persuades skeptical farmers that electing NPL candidates could get the government to create cooperative grain elevators, state-chartered banks with farmers as stockholders, and limits on the prices that railroads can charge farmers to haul their wheat.

In 1916, the Non-Partisan League did, in fact, elect farmer Lynn Frazier as governor of North Dakota with 79% of the vote. Two years later, the NPL won control of both houses of the state legislature and created the North Dakota Mill, still the only state-owned flour mill, and the The Bank of North Dakota, which remains the nations only government-owned general-service bank.

In this screwball comedy with a pro-union twist, Charles Coburn plays John P. Merrick, a fictional New York City department store owner.

After his employees hang him in effigy, the tycoon goes undercover to ferret out the agitators of a union drive led by a store clerk in the shoe department and a union organizer.

As he learns more about their lives, Merrick grows sympathetic to his workers  and even falls in love with one of his employees  none of whom know his true identity. As the workers prepare to go on strike, and even picket his house, Merrick reveals that he owns the store and agrees to their demands over pay and hours  and even marries the employee hes fallen for.

The film was likely inspired by the 1937 sit-down strikes by employees of New York Citys department stores.

3. 'Salt of the Earth (1954)

Decades ahead of its time, this story of New Mexico mine workers deals with issues of racism, sexism and class.

After a mine accident, the Mexican-American workers decide to strike. They demand better safety standards and equal treatment, since white miners are allowed to work in pairs, while Mexican ones are forced to work alone. The strikers expect the women to stay at home, cook and take care of the children. But when the company gets an injunction to end the mens protest, the women step up and maintain the picket lines, earning greater respect from the men.

Made at the height of the Red Scare, the films writer, producer and director had been blacklisted for their leftist sympathies, so the film was sponsored by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, not a Hollywood studio.

Will Geer, a blacklisted actor who later portrayed Grandpa Walton on the TV drama The Waltons, played the repressive sheriff. Mexican actress Rosaura Revueltas played the leader of the wives. The other characters were portrayed by real miners and their wives who participated in the strike against the Empire Zinc Company, which served as the inspiration for the film.

The film itself was blacklisted, and no major theater chain would show it, but has since become a cult favorite among union activists and on college campuses.

Andre Braugher stars as A. Philip Randolph, who organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first Black-run union.

Being a porter on a Pullman railroad car was one of the few jobs open to Black men. But wages were low, travel was constant and trains white passengers patronized the porters by calling all of them George, after George Pullman, the mogul who owned the company.

The company hired thugs to intimidate the porters, but Randolph and his top lieutenants persisted. They began their crusade in 1925 but didnt get the company to sign a contract with the union until 1937, thanks to a New Deal law that gave railroad workers the right to unionize. Randolph became Americans leading civil rights organizer during the 1940s and 1950s and orchestrated the 1963 March on Washington.

Members of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters display their banner at a 1955 ceremony celebrating the organizations 30th anniversary. Bettmann/Getty Images

5. 'North Country (2005)

Charlize Theron portrays Josey Aimes, a desperate single mom who flees her abusive husband, returns to her hometown in northern Minnesota, moves in with her parents and takes a job at an iron mine.

There, she is constantly groped, insulted and bullied by the male workers. She complains to the company managers, who dont take her seriously. The male-dominated union claims theres nothing they can do. Aimes sues the company, which, after a dramatic courtroom scene, is forced to settle with her and other women.

With stellar performances by Theron, Sissy Spacek, Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson, North Country is based on a groundbreaking lawsuit brought by female miners at Minnesotas Eveleth Mines in 1975 that helped make sexual harassment a violation of workers rights.

Editors note: This is an updated version of an article that was first published on The Conversation on Aug. 22, 2022.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. If you found it interesting, you could subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It was written by: Peter Dreier, Occidental College.

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Peter Dreier 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.
On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: SPECIAL: How honoring LGBTQ+ activists led to a PR backlash for the LA Dodgers

For its 10th annual Pride Night, the LA Dodgers wanted to give a nod to a group that has been advocating for the LGBTQ+ community for decades: The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, most commonly known as the drag nuns. Then several conservative Catholic leaders complained. They were then joined by Republican politicians like Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio. The Dodgers responded by rescinding the invitation. A national and then international backlash followed. Ultimately, the Dodgers ended up apologizing and the Sisters were re-invited. Why have the Sisters been so polarizing? In today's show, we speak with Sister Unity, a founding member of the 27-year-old LA chapter who focuses her ministry on homeless youth.

Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here

Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Dana Taylor:

Hello and welcome to a special episode of 5 Things. I'm Dana Taylor. Thanks for joining me. Today we're trying something new, a bonus single topic episode that gives you a deeper dive into the news that matters. Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcasts@usatoday.com. Today we're talking about the LA Dodgers and its recognition of the LGBTQ+ community for Pride Month.

For its 10th annual Pride Night, the LA Dodgers wanted to give a nod to a group that has been advocating for the LGBTQ+ community for decades, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, most commonly known as the drag nuns. That would've been the end of it, but then several conservative Catholic leaders complained. They were joined by politicians like Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio. The Dodgers responded by rescinding the invitation. A national and international backlash followed. The Dodgers ended up apologizing and the sisters were re-invited.

Why have the sisters been so polarizing? To put this all in context, we're joined by Sister Unity. She's a founding member of the 27-year old LA chapter and focuses her ministry on homeless youth. Thanks for joining us, Sister Unity.

Sister Unity:

You're very welcome, Dana. It is lovely to see you.

Dana Taylor:

So initially the Dodgers invited you to Pride Night to honor you with an award. Then they dis-invited you. Then re-invited you. What happened?

Sister Unity:

Never a dull moment in the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. What happened was the Dodgers are not a monolith. It must be understood that the Dodgers administration itself involves members of our own LGBT community. So we understand that it is through some of the LGBT administration in the Dodgers organization that we were nominated for the award. It took us vastly by surprise because we are, I don't know if it's obvious, we do drag. And drag practitioners, particularly activists, not entertainers, are very used to being the first people who are cut from nationally visible circumstances. We're used to being dropped because we're quite frankly too weird, too strange, too queer. So we're used to that, and we're used to other people getting the accolades and not us because of this. So we were very surprised to receive the award at all. And it was the Community Hero Award, which focused on our 27 years of community service.

We are activists for LGBT rights, but 50 or sometimes 70% of our work is actually fundraising for LGBT charities. Anything from HIV and AIDS charities to people who, what I like to focus on, who are helping the 5 to 7,000 homeless youth on the streets of Los Angeles, 50% of whom identify as LGBTQ.

We've seen drag legislation, over 500 pieces of anti-drug legislation and anti-trans legislation in 19 different states in the last, what, six months. So there's been an extraordinary push on our community and our corner of our community lately.

So we knew when Marco Rubio put out his tweet that something was likely to happen. We're used to being in a position under the bus, if you will. And then the damn bust loose. And to my observation, I'm a student of history, it seems like a small revolution in American culture where drag is now not just left out because it's so unusual, but it's actually allowed to be at the spear front of a political upheaval, as sort of the cultural earthquakes that our country has always gone through, and we're surprised to find ourself as the focal point of that.

Dana Taylor:

You brought up critics like Florida Senator Marco Rubio and his tweet, also Florida Governor Ron DeSantis saying that your name and costumes are disrespectful of the church and their community. So if the senator and governor were listening to this program, what would you say to them?

Sister Unity:

First of all, just on a humorous note, I'd like to thank Marco Rubio for using the word diabolical. I've momentarily thought of maybe changing my name to Sister Diane Abolical, but I'll stick with Sister Unity. The main point is to do what many, many Catholic people have done over the years, and that is to come and talk to us and we would be happy to. I put out a tweet, in fact offering to fly on my own dime to Washington DC to meet with Senator Rubio and his staff.

We find that when people who are Catholic and get an immediate impression because of the look that our original sisters borrowed back in 1979 when we started, that gives them an emotional reaction. Then they talk to us and they ask, "What are you doing? Why do you look this way?" And we explain that we are queer nuns. We're LGBTQ nuns serving the LGBTQ community. And that's why, yes, the headpiece may look like a medieval French nun, but the rest looks absolutely gay, trans, queer if you will. We manifest in this very flamboyant way not to poke fun at anyone, but because this is what our community delights in. We delight in theater. We delight in glitter.

I personally decorate myself this way because I looked at these fairytale books when I was a kid that my mother bought me, and the fairy godmothers always were so resplendent and I just thrilled and I thought, "I want to look that way." And when I grew up and I had a chance to make myself up according to my own imagination, this is what I imagined and this I love. That's why I look this way, and I use it to serve our community because it gets people's attention. Then I can deliver a supportive message about them having room in the world to be who they are as they are, free from guilt, and with joy for their own life. And I can also get attention to ask for a few dollars, which then I pass on to charities. So if I can explain this to the senator and the governor, hopefully they will understand. Not everyone does.

Dana Taylor:

So the Dodgers issue got not only national attention, but international attention. How has that impacted the sisters and you personally?

Sister Unity:

We have received tens of thousands of dollars in donations more than we normally would've. We have handfuls more people applying for membership in our organization to help us serve. For me personally, I always wanted, always meant to use theatrics to change society for the better. And I could not have imagined my voice would be so amplified to so many millions of people to do just that.

Dana Taylor:

LGBTQ+ rights have broadly and widely been eroding across the country and the world in recent years. Politicians, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other conservatives are leading the charge. Human Rights Campaign just issued a scathing report saying that the LGBTQ+ community is living in a state of emergency due to an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults. What do you think is happening?

Sister Unity:

It is bizarre what is happening, and it is not just a shift to the right for the LGBT community. It is everyone. There are a lot of people putting out memes that hearken back to the era in Germany in 1933. And it is a time when we are seeing cultural similarities, political similarities. It's alarming. That said, this is who we are. We are born this way. We are not disappearing because of any pressure from the outside, no matter how hot it gets. So we will just keep on keeping on, being who we are as we can, helping each other and helping society as much as we can.

Dana Taylor:

The sisters are extremely active in their advocacy and ministry work in and around LA. What are the most important issues your group is working on and what are the biggest challenges?

Sister Unity:

The biggest issues have been the same for 27 years. HIV and AIDS, people are still getting sick and dying. The health of our community in general. Homeless LGBT youth. There are thousands of them and it's mind-boggling that they're on the streets. And the newer one, and most critical at this point, is making sure that our transgender community members have appropriate healthcare wherever they live, that they are recognized as part of our community and the broader community, and that their rights are not erased.

There was an incident in the middle of West Hollywood Pride where the LA Sheriff's Department abused a member of the transgender community and inappropriately arrested them. They're now out on bail, but it was an egregious treatment of someone who shouldn't have been. And we have to think that it is in part because of the fear and phobias around the transgender community. So these are our challenges and these are our causes.

Dana Taylor:

What gives you hope in working with the sisters?

Sister Unity:

Every time I put squiggles on my face and Swarovski crystals on my face and the hooby-dooby settles onto my skull with its ridiculous tassels, I am filled with so much happiness and joy and honest excitement that hitting the streets for whatever the cause becomes suffused with joy. Our hope really comes from our own selves, from our own imagination. And then when we get together, it definitely comes from the team. We delight in seeing what each other has created. We delight in each other's words. And we're really honestly strengthened by each other's firm commitment to the activism. When I see Sister Electra talking about transgender issues, it informs and inspires me to talk about transgender issues.

Dana Taylor:

I hear that when you joined, you had to pick a color, and yours as we can see is orange. Why is orange so special to you?

Sister Unity:

Well, I don't know if you can publish this, but the short answer is that if you squeeze me, you get juice. The real answer is when we had our first meeting, I brought a rainbow flag and I said, "Wouldn't it be cool if we all picked a color?" And they picked all the colors I wanted and I ended up with orange. But it turns out to be perfect for me because it's a little quirky, it's very forward and bright, but it's also the color worn by Hindu swamis and monks. And I practice Hinduism. I didn't realize that until 20 years down the road, but I'm very happy with it.

Dana Taylor:

And if you wanted people who are listening to walk away with one important nugget, perhaps something they didn't know before about the sisters, what would that be?

Sister Unity:

We're all very real people underneath the makeup. And we bring the realness of our hearts to what we do. And if you talk to us, you learn that. And the reason we look this way is to say that if we can express ourselves in this silly, colorful way, there's room for you to be who you are as you are, free from shame, and with love and joy for your own life.

Dana Taylor:

And finally, I'm afraid to ask this question. I hear that you have an eclectic collection. What is it a collection of and why?

Sister Unity:

I have three collections in my apartment, in my convent cell. One, comic books since I was five years old. And yes, that informed my aesthetic. Two, I collect crystals, especially fluorite. And three, I practice Hinduism, so I collect Hindu statues. They're so beautiful and beguiling to my imagination.

Oh, I'm sorry. The real answer to the question, how could I have forgotten? The real thing I collect is rubber chickens. I'd started when I used them in my ministry and people saw my videos and saw rubber chickens, and now I've got nuns and laypeople mailing me rubber chickens from all over the country. It's okay. I have Sister Unity's home for wayward rubber chickens. Here they can roam free and squawk all they wish.

Dana Taylor:

Well, I want to thank you for your time and for spending so much time with me today and with our entire team, Sister Unity. It's very much appreciated.

Sister Unity:

Dana, it has been a pleasure. Of all the interviews I've done, your voice is the most mellifluous.

Dana Taylor:

Thank you.

Thanks to Mark Sovel, Alexis Gustin and Cherie Saunders for their production assistance. Our senior producer is Shannon Rae Green and our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com. Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. Taylor Wilson will be back tomorrow with another episode of 5 Things.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers' LGBTQ+ tribute led to PR backlash: 5 Things podcast special
A hotelier tired of unruly male guests says she's opened a female-only bed-and-breakfast as a sanctuary for women who don't want to deal with bad men

Lu told local media that she wanted to prevent Lijiang from being known as a place for sleazy encounters or guests taking advantage of each other. Giselleflissak

A Chinese hotelier has started a women-only bed-and-breakfast in Lijiang, Yunnan.

She told local media she's tired of male guests searching for a casual partner at her establishments.

The owner, Lu, said a female guest was duped by a scam artist at one of her other locations.

A hotelier in China said she's opened a bed-and-breakfast in Lijiang, Yunnan that only accepts women, according to local media reports.

The business owner, identified only by her surname, Lu, told Sohu Qianliyan on July 8 that she made the decision after a female guest at another of her bed-and-breakfasts had a fling with a guest who turned out to be a conman.

Lu, who now owns four inns in Lijiang, said the female guest was taking a holiday in March to heal from a previous relationship that had ended when she encountered the fraudster.

"When the two of them left Lijiang together, this man hadn't even gotten off the plane when the police arrested him, and then she found out he was a scam artist," Lu told Sohu Qianliyan. "The whole situation left the girl shaken, it was very daunting."

Lu said she wanted her female-only homestay to give holidaying women a chance to relax without having to feel like they need to socialize or deal with men hunting for a casual partner.

She also wanted to protect Lijiang  a popular tourist destination romanticized as an idyllic town where people fall in love  from becoming known as a hotbed for sleazy encounters and guests taking advantage of others.

The old city centre in the town of Lijiang comes alive in the evening with dancing and activities for the Chinese tourists. Dario Mitidieri/Getty Images

Her new homestay, which opened in June, received a mixed response on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, where some praised her business initiative, while others said that to be fair to everyone, male-only holiday locations should also be established in Lijiang.

"That's great! Multiple options, especially suitable for solo female travelers," one top comment said.

"Are there no fraudsters among women?" one critic wrote.

"Alternatively, you could start a place that only accommodates male guests. But then your establishment would get backlash and criticism," another person said.

"This boss is great, it's not just about money, they're also thinking about their guests' safety," one blogger wrote.

Read the original article on Insider
Just a few hours before a Modesto man allegedly killed his 8-year-old daughter, a judge approved a restraining order to protect her and her mother from him.

The girls mother petitioned for the restraining order Monday, it was approved by the judge Wednesday morning and proof of service was filed with the court at 4:15 p.m. About three hours later, the girl was dead, allegedly shot by her father, Donovan Halstead.

Two petitions for domestic violence restraining orders filed by the girls mother detail years of verbal and physical abuse and foreshadowed the horrors to come.

Modesto police were called to the familys Village 1 home on Havenhurst Court just before 7 p.m. for a report of a suicidal man.

Officers could see Halstead, 50, through a window and immediately attempted to communicate with him, according to a Modesto Police Department news release.

Halstead told officers he would come out unarmed but he never did. Instead, officers heard gunshots from inside the home. Hed allegedly shot his daughter and then himself. The girl died at the scene and Halstead died Thursday night at a hospital.

Neither the girls mother nor anyone else was inside the home with Halstead and the girl at the time of the shooting.

The mother had secured new housing and moved out while Halstead and their daughter were visiting family in Montana for the Fourth of July holiday.

Shed filed for divorce in April but didnt serve Halstead at the time because she was concerned for her and her daughters safety, according to her petition for a domestic violence restraining order.

The petition said Halstead owned two handguns and four rifles.

The mother didnt know that while she was moving out, Halstead was monitoring her on the homes security cameras. When he became aware his wife was moving out, Halstead abruptly ended the trip and drove nonstop from Montana to California, according to the petition.

During the drive, Halstead repeatedly called and sent her text messages.

Our daughter was hysterically crying in the vehicle as (Halstead) called me names, telling me I am ruining his life and our daughters life, the mother wrote in the petition. I would beg (Halstead) to stop as our daughter was in great distress and I was concerned that ... (he was) putting both our daughter and himself at risk.

When the mother stopped answering his calls, Halstead, according to the petition, texted her statements including: This is on your hands; I hope you think about this as long as you live; your choices have consequences; and (Our daughter) is going with me.

The mother attached text messages from Halstead to her petition, as well as texts from another concerned family member who encouraged him to call 988, the Suicide and Crisis Hotline.

The mother said in the petition that she hadnt had contact with Halstead or her daughter since July 6, when they were still driving back from Montana, and did not know their location. She wrote that she called police for help but was told to file for the domestic violence restraining order.

The mother wrote that Halstead was verbally abusive throughout their relationship and that she was regularly subjected to name calling, demeaning statements and threats, according to the petition.

I believe he will use our daughter to punish me

She detailed several occasions in which the verbal abuse escalated to violence.

In separate incidents in January and March, according to the petition, Halstead prevented his wife from leaving the home during an argument. He forced her to the ground, pinned her down with his knees on her arms, took her keys and cell phone and in one of the incidents choked her. Their daughter was present during both incidents, according to the petition.

I am greatly concerned about the safety of our daughter, the mother wrote in the petition. (Halstead) is extremely angry with me and I believe that he will use our daughter to punish me for ending our abusive marriage.

The mother filed for a legal separation from Halstead in 2016, but the two reconciled three months later.

Before they did, the mother was granted sole physical and legal custody of their daughter, who was 1 at the time, and a domestic violence restraining order protecting both of them.

In that petition, she recounted instances of verbal abuse and physical abuse that included choking, pushing and pinning her down.

(Halstead) has told me he attempted suicide in the past and I fear that he will harm us, and himself, given his erratic behavior, the mother wrote in the 2016 petition.

During the separation, Halstead had supervised visits with his daughter and went to counseling, according to court documents.

The Bee reached out to the mother for comment. A family representative responded that the mother has no interest in speaking about the devastating events that have unfolded.

Court documents show the restraining order that was approved Wednesday was served electronically. The person being served was listed as Halstead, but in care of an attorney, whose email address was listed on the proof of service document. It is unknown if the attorney notified Halstead of the restraining order. She did not respond to a request for comment.

Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said the restraining orders against Halstead are part of detectives investigation but also declined to say whether hed been notified.

She would not say if Halstead, his daughter or someone else called police, nor elaborate on the interaction officers had with Halstead or the timeline of when exactly the shootings occurred and when officers entered the house.

Modesto Bee staff writer Ken Carlson contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  House Democrats are jumping ship on the traditionally bipartisan defense authorization bill after Republicans passed amendments overturning the Pentagons new abortion travel policy and restricting transgender medical care.

Republican leaders put the amendments to the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act on the floor to placate the Freedom Caucus, which had threatened to stall procedural votes on the $874 billion bill.

An amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, passed 221-213 to ban the military from providing troops with paid travel leave to receive abortions if they live in states where its no longer legal. Another amendment from Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., passed 222-211 to ban sex reassignment surgery and hormone therapy for transgender troops.

Its outrageous that a tiny minority of Republicans is getting to dictate what exact amendments come to the floor, said Rep. James McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee, which controls floor amendments. There are at least 45 members in the Freedom Caucus. McGovern accused Republicans of turning a bipartisan bill to a hyper-partisan one by loading it up with every divisive social issue under the sun.

After the amendments passed, Democrats who usually support the defense bill announced that they would now vote against final passage. The Houses No. 3 Democrat, Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, said he would vote against the final bill because of the amendments. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee who helped usher it to the floor last month, told Defense News that he would now vote against it as well.

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a veteran and Armed Services Committee member supportive of the original bill, also vowed to vote no.

Im not going to support a bill that directly attacks the men and women who have sworn an oath to defend this country and give their life to this country, said Crow. Im not going to bail Republicans out.

The loss of Democratic support means Republicans can only afford a few defections within their party for final passage and rely on fiscal conservatives who typically oppose the defense bill. Earlier on Thursday, House Oversight Committee Republicans held a hearing hammering the Pentagon for its repeated failures to pass an audit, highlighting the growing clout among fiscal conservatives within the party.

But Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Ark., told Defense News I feel pretty good about where were at, expressing optimism Republicans would stick together and pass the final bill in a vote expected on Friday.

The House Appropriations Committee advanced a separate defense spending bill in June over Democratic objections to similar language that would overturn the Pentagons abortion and transgender medical care policies. Should the House pass defense legislation overturning those policies, it will run into opposition from the Democratic-held Senate and the White House.

However, the Freedom Caucus failed to secure enough support to ban Ukraine military aid. An amendment from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to impose a blanket ban on all security aid to Kyiv failed 70-358.

A narrower provision from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., would have cut $300 million in long-term aid to Kyiv from the bills Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The Taylor Greene amendment also failed 89-341.

The House also voted down 217-198 an amendment from Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., that would have undone the bills language restricting the Biden administrations efforts to retire the B83 megaton gravity bomb, which is 80 to 100 times more powerful than the bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. Blumenauers amendment put him in line with the White House, which released a statement earlier this week asking Congress to remove the B83 language.

The House Rules Committee has put 370 amendments to the bill on the floor and votes are expected to continue through Friday.
A house fire in west Charlotte was caused by lightning, according to the Charlotte Fire Department.

It started around 4 a.m. Friday at a home on Peacehaven Drive off of Little Rock Road.

STRUCTURE FIRE UPDATE: 6500 block of Peacehaven Dr. Charlotte Fire investigators say the fire was due to a lightning strike to the roof area. The structure had working smoke detectors and the occupants were assisted by @GCRRedCross. Estimated fire loss $9K pic.twitter.com/XOpp4DeHrr  Charlotte Fire Dept (@CharlotteFD) July 14, 2023

Channel 9s Anthony Kustura spoke with neighbor Terry Pinkney who said she was thankful no one was hurt.

Im shocked to see that hole in the roof. Happened just a couple feet from where I live, Pinkney said.

Neighbor Ruth Gobah said she was thankful the fire didnt spread to her home.

Thank god, yes it couldve come to my house too. It couldve been bad for me, Gobah said.

Both women said they were used to strong storms but had never seen anything quick like this.

Sometimes I get a little bit nervous about the wind that comes through here. It really whips through. And you can hear it and feel it but Ive never ever thought about lightning, Pinkney explained.

ALSO READ: North Charlotte warehouse intentionally set on fire, officials say

Charlotte Fire said the fire was under control within 10 minutes.

The fire began after lightning struck the roof, investigators said. The home did have working smoke detectors.

The Red Cross is helping the people who lived at the home.

Its estimated the fire caused $9,000 in damage.

VIDEO: North Charlotte warehouse intentionally set on fire, officials say




WASHINGTON The House on Friday narrowly passed the annual defense authorization bill largely along party lines after Democrats withdrew their support in protest over amendments that took a hard-right tack on numerous hot-button, culture-war issues.

The vote was 219-210.

The final $874 billion bill includes amendments that overturn the Pentagons abortion leave policy, restrict medical care for transgender troops, eliminate military diversity initiatives and bar the Pentagon from implementing President Joe Bidens climate change initiatives. It sets the stage for a showdown with the Democratic-held Senate later this year over social policy in the military.

Republican leaders put forth the partisan social policy amendments to the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act to secure support from the House Freedom Caucus. However, the House overwhelmingly rejected other Freedom Caucus amendments that would have ended military aid to Ukraine.

Weve gradually shifted the center of gravity in the Republican conference to the right, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., said at a Freedom Caucus press conference before the vote on Friday. Youre witnessing a proper and effective correction of the injury that has been brought upon our military.

Absent Democratic support, Republicans needed to rely on the Freedom Caucus to carry the bill over the finish line. The caucus includes numerous members who typically oppose the annual bill.

A provision in the bill from Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, bans the military from providing troops with paid travel leave to receive abortions if they live in states where its no longer legal. Another provision from Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., bans sex reassignment surgery and hormone therapy for transgender troops.

A third provision from Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., eliminates diversity, equity and inclusion offices and personnel in the armed forces. And a fourth, from Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, would prevent the Defense Department  the worlds largest institutional fossil fuel emitter  from implementing Bidens executive order requiring emissions reductions across the federal government.

House Republicans have turned what should be a meaningful investment in our men and women in uniform into an extreme and reckless joyride, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Democratic leaders said in a Thursday statement. The bill undermines a womans freedom to seek abortion care, targets the rights of LGBTQ+ servicemembers and bans books that should otherwise be available to military families.

Despite their opposition, Democratic leaders did not whip against the bill. Four Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the bill: Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico.

Meanwhile, four Republicans  Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado and Thomas Massie of Kentucky  voted against the bill.

Most Republicans joined Democrats on Thursday in killing a Freedom Caucus proposal to ban Ukraine security aid, voting 70-358 on an amendment from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

The House also rejected by a vote of 147-276 an amendment from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to ban the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine. The transfers have already started after Biden decided to send them last week following months of pressure from some Republican lawmakers. The Biden administration hopes the cluster bombs will compensate for Ukrainian munitions shortages.

Several Democrats objected to the decision, noting the long-term risk they pose to civilians given that they have a dud rate of up to 2.35%. Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., had offered a bipartisan amendment that would have banned the transfer of cluster munitions to every country, but Republicans did not allow a floor vote on that legislation.

Even before Republicans added the Freedom Caucus social policy amendments, the White House objected to several provisions in the bill. That includes the establishment of a special inspector general for Ukraine aid, the institutionalization of the sea-launched nuclear cruise missile research program and the bills efforts to procure the next San Antonio-class amphibious warfare ship in FY24.

But there are several less controversial provisions among the 370 bill amendments the House voted on this week. That includes a provision from Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., requiring the Defense Department to deepen cooperation with the Mexican military on fentanyl trafficking and an extra $5 million from Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, for U.S. Northern Commands Office of Defense Cooperation with Mexico.

Another amendment from Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., authorizes the Pentagon to stockpile components of munitions supply chains that can take a long time to procure.

And an amendment from Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., would allow Taiwanese military officers to wear their uniforms when visiting the United States.

Meanwhile, an amendment from Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., withholds 10% of the travel budget for the Office of the Secretary of Defense until the Pentagon submits a plan to transfer Harpoon anti-ship missiles to Taiwan under presidential drawdown authority. The Pentagon is preparing a plan to transfer weapons to Taiwan from U.S. stockpiles.

Another Gallagher amendment would require the Pentagon to designate priority combatant commands. The Pentagon would then have to prioritize arms sales contracts and procurement to countries within these combatant commands.

Additionally, a Biggs amendment would require an annual Pentagon audit and cut the Defense Department budget by 0.5% if it fails.

Conversely, the Senate defense authorization bill includes nonbinding language that calls for a military spending increase beyond the $886 billion laid out in the debt ceiling agreement through supplemental bills. The Senate is set to begin votes on that bill next week.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., so far has ruled out defense spending increases beyond the debt ceiling cap, putting him at odds with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The House on Friday approved the annual defense policy bill in an unusually partisan vote after it was loaded up with conservative amendments, marking a big win for Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) but raising new questions about how the package  which is dead on arrival in the Senate  will eventually become law.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed in a largely party-line 219-210 vote, with four Republicans opposing the measure and four Democrats supporting it  an atypical outcome for the annual legislation, which routinely enjoys broad bipartisan support.

The legislation came under fire from Democrats after a number of GOP-sponsored amendments regarding abortion, transgender rights, diversity and inclusion initiatives and other hot-button issues were attached. In a sign of the widespread Democratic opposition, the top three leaders in the caucus came out against the legislation late Thursday night.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) discusses the passage of the National Defense Association Act in the House at a press conference in the Capitol on Friday, July 14, 2023. (Tierney L. Cross)

But the widespread Democratic opposition  and conservative detractors  was not enough to tank the package, despite questions looming all week about whether the culture war amendments would doom the must-pass bill. The package got a crucial boost Friday from conservatives in the Freedom Caucus, who came around to supporting the measure after its sharp rightward shift.

Im sorry to disappoint you that Republicans continue to keep our promises, McCarthy said facetiously at a press conference following the vote.

Its a good thing the Republicans are in the majority, but its more important that we keep our promises to America and to our men and women who serve to defend us. And today is exactly what we did, he later added.

More from The Hill

Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Ken Buck (Colo.), Eli Crane (Ariz.) and Thomas Massie (Ky.) bucked GOP leadership and voted against the bill, while Democratic Reps. Don Davis (N.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.) crossed the aisle and backed it.

The bill now moves to the Democratic-led Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is sure to reject the controversial amendments  a dynamic House Republicans readily acknowledge.

I think itll probably be a totally different bill when we get it back later this year, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said. I dont know what Schumer will do, but I cant imagine that hell go along with all of the amendments that were attached to the NDAA this week.

The certain changes in the Senate set up yet another fight with House Republicans over how to get the bill to President Bidens desk before the Sept. 30 deadline. McCarthy has suggested the two chambers will conference the two bills to iron out the differences, but with time running short, he may be forced to bring the Senates version  which will necessarily be bipartisan  to the floor.

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The House-passed bill sets an $886 billion budget for the nations armed forces in fiscal 2024, an amount on par with President Bidens defense spending request, as well as the spending cap set by the debt limit deal.

Included in that amount is $842 billion for the Defense Department and $32 billion for nuclear weapons programs that fall under the purview of the Energy Department.

The House Armed Services Committee passed the measure in an overwhelming 58-1 vote in June, but Democratic support dropped Thursday, after GOP-sponsored amendments were added to the bill.

Chief among those was a measure that would reverse the Pentagons policy to reimburse travel expenses for service members who get abortions across state lines  the same program that has sparked Sen. Tommy Tubervilles (R-Ala.) protest in the upper chamber, where he has blocked hundreds of military promotions. Heading into the vote, Freedom Caucus conservatives had hailed Tuberville as a driving force behind their successful effort to alter the initial bill.

Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) speaks with Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) as they arrive for a Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing

Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) speaks with Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) as they arrive for a Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing for U.S. Air Force Gen. Charles Brown to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on July 11. Greg Nash

Amendments targeting transgender care and diversity and inclusion initiatives also battered away at Democratic support.

One measure would prohibit the health care program for active-duty service members from covering sex reassignment surgeries and gender hormone treatments for transgender individuals, and the other calls for prohibiting gender transition procedures through the Exceptional Family Member Program.

Other provisions eliminate diversity equity and inclusion offices and personnel in the armed forces and curtail federal funding for such efforts.

House Armed Services Committee ranking member Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who had previously supported the NDAA, bashed the final House bill as one that pushes an agenda rooted in racism, misogyny, bigotry, ignorance, and hatred.

What weve seen is this bill has been transformed into an extremist manifesto, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said Friday morning on CNN.

We know that this bill is going nowhere in the Senate, because it is disgusting and outrageous, she later added.

A wild card heading into the vote surrounded Ukraine funding, after several amendments to curtail U.S. aid to Kyiv were shot down on the House floor Thursday. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) had sponsored three of those failed Ukraine proposals, including one to strike $300 million in direct assistance, and had vowed to oppose the underlying NDAA package as a result.

In a sign of her shifting allegiances toward McCarthy, however, Greene reversed course Friday and supported the final bill. She later explained the reason: McCarthy had offered her a seat on the conference committee that will be charged with cutting a deal with Senate negotiators over a final compromise package  if such a conference comes to pass.

The Speaker asked me to represent him and our conference in the conference to go forward in the Senate in the NDAA, and so Im proud to do that, Greene told reporters following the vote. And thats where Ill fight on the issue that I think is extremely important: to remove the funding for Ukraine in the NDAA.

Updated at 12:47 p.m. ET.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
As House passes defense bill, Sen. Mike Lee voices support for changes to Pentagon abortion policy

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is pictured at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

The House passed an $875 billion defense bill Friday, but not before adding several amendments that would change Pentagon policies, including those related to transgender issues, diversity and abortion.

The House passed the bill on an almost party-line 219-210 vote, with all but four Republicans voting for the bill and all but four Democrats opposing it.

Utahs four congressmen voted for the bill, with Rep. Blake Moore, whose 1st Congressional District includes Hill Air Force Base, saying he was pleased the bill included money for military housing.

Rep. Burgess Owens, of the 2nd Congressional District, highlighted the 5.2% pay increase for service members, the largest raise in over 20 years.

One of the amendments added to the bill would block the Department of Defense from paying for service members to travel to receive abortions, a policy introduced after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The amendment passed the chamber on a 221-213 vote.

Related

The issue of the military paying for abortion-related travel has been contentious in the Senate, where Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, has for several months blocked the confirmation of military promotions over the policy.

Tubervilles blockade could slow President Joe Bidens choice for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top position in the military, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., a former F-16 pilot in the Air Force, who had his Senate confirmation hearing this week.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee encouraged his fellow Republican senators to support Tubervilles actions in the Senate, which have so far kept around 265 nominations from moving forward.

Senate Republicans should support  not criticize  @SenTuberville in his efforts to defend a law (10 USC 1093) prohibiting the use of @DeptofDefense funds to perform abortions, he wrote on Twitter.

The federal law cited by Lee prohibits the Pentagon from paying for abortions, except in cases where the life of the mother is at risk or the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest.

1. Senate Republicans should supportnot criticize@SenTuberville in his efforts to defend a law (10 USC 1093) prohibiting the use of @DeptofDefense funds to perform abortions. https://t.co/rF0Bx0cS8n  Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) July 13, 2023

The Pentagon said in February it would pay for service members to travel to receive abortions if they live in states where access to abortions is restricted.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken to Tuberville about how the delays are hurting the military, department spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a briefing this week. She said the delays and vacancies could hurt military readiness.

Even with Tubervilles blockade, senators could confirm military promotions one by one, but so far Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has refused, saying it would take up valuable floor time, and Biden has said its Republicans problem to fix.

But Lee says Tuberville is doing the right thing.

Secretary Austin could end this standoff TODAY simply by halting his indefensible abortion policy, the sole purpose of which is to circumvent federal law, Lee said.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, talks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, May 16, 2023. | J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press

The fight over the policy in the Senate portends a larger battle coming in the next few weeks over the defense spending bill, which includes not just a reversal of the abortion travel policy, but also several other provisions that could slow negotiations on the bill between the House and Senate.

But House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Republicans want the military to stop using taxpayer money do their own wokeism.

We dont want Disneyland to train our military, he said. We want our men and women in the military to have every defense possible, and thats what our bill does.

Other amendments added to the bill include:

Prohibiting Defense Department K-12 schools from buying or storing books containing pornography or radical gender ideology content, on a 222-209 vote.

Eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion offices and personnel within the Armed Forces and Department of Defense, on a 214-213 vote.

Prohibiting the display of unapproved flags, on a 218-213 vote.

A requirement for the Department of Defense to study the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine on service members, passed by a voice vote.

Prohibiting the Pentagon from requiring DEI training as a condition of hiring, promotion or retention, on a 214-210 vote.

Eliminating funds for teaching in Defense Department K-12 schools on race essentialism, or that the U.S. and its founding documents are racist, on a 227-201 vote.

Prohibiting the Pentagon for paying for military personnel or their family members to have gender transition surgery or hormone treatments, on a 222-210 vote.

After the Senate passes its own version of the bill, which Schumer says theyre working toward, the two chambers will have to negotiate over a final version of the bill.

Related
House Republicans want to give themselves $8,000+ pay rises, while furiously opposing other government spending

House Republicans want to give themselves $8,000+ pay rises, while furiously opposing other government spending

House Legislative Branch Appropriations Chairman Mark Amodei, of Nevada. Rich Pedroncelli/AP

House Republicans want to give themselves pay rises of at least $8,000, Roll Call reported.

The push came after they negotiated cuts to three federal programs for low-income people.

People have blasted the proposal, with one critic saying Democrats must "raise hell over this."

House Republicans are seeking to give themselves pay rises of at least $8,000, despite strong opposition to most government spending, Roll Call reported on Thursday.

Spending plans approved by the Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee last month include lawmakers getting a 4.6% pay increase in 2024, Roll Call reported, citing the Congressional Research Service.

The draft legislation would need to pass the regular legislative process before coming into force.

If enacted, it would be the first time in nearly 15 years that members of Congress  whose average salaries are capped at around $174,000  would receive a cost-of-living pay increase.

House Legislative Branch Appropriations Chairman Mark Amodei of Nevada acknowledged to Roll Call that there are "a lot of strong feelings on both sides."

"The policy supports, hey, once every twelve years, you can have a cost-of-living increase," Amodei told Roll Call. "That's not exactly greedy. But the politics is  you know how that will go."

Amodei also said he expects negotiations with the Senate about the legislation to go on until the end of the year. Some members are also worried about the salary increase impacting their reelection campaigns, he added.

The report comes after GOP leaders negotiated a debt-ceiling agreement with President Joe Biden that curtails federal programs for people on low incomes, imposing new work requirements to get help.

These include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Medicaid assistance for adults without dependents. Spokespeople for the programs did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Republicans have also said they want even steeper cuts to federal spending, threatening a government shutdown.

The planned pay hike prompted an outcry among Democrats, with Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota telling Roll Call that House Republicans are "trying to give themselves a raise while working families struggle to make ends meet."

"That's not what our constituents want  and certainly not what members of Congress need," she said.

Colin Seeberger, a senior communications adviser at the Center for American Progress Action, tweeted that congressional Democrats must "raise hell over this."

"This is outrageous," Seeberger wrote. "House Republicans are moving to give themselves a raise while taking an ax to education, health, and other essential programs that help grow the economy by growing the middle class."

July 16, 2023: This story was updated to include a photo showing House Legislative Branch Appropriations Chairman Mark Amodei. An earlier image showed two congressional Republicans who do not sit on the committee.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The House of Representatives voted Thursday to terminate the Defense Department's policy of allowing servicemembers to travel across state lines to get an abortion and reimbursing them for their travel costs.

Lawmakers voted 221-213 in favor of an amendment to the annual defense policy bill from Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, that would force the Pentagon to end this policy. The Defense Department put the policy in place shortly after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.

The House vote is a victory for conservatives who hinted that including the language in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was critical to their support for the entire bill. However, the language is certain to lead many Democrats to vote against the bill.

It would theoretically put House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in a tough spot when it comes to passing the NDAA. With just a razor-thin House majority, he can afford to lose no more than four votes for any legislation to pass without Democratic support. It's also not clear yet if hardliners in his conference will get everything they want in order to vote yes on the final bill.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD POLITICAL ARM BLASTS 'WHITE WOMEN,' CALLS FOR THE ELIMINATION OF WOMEN IN ABORTION ADVOCACY

"My colleagues on the other side of the aisle like to thank the troops and talk about honoring their sacrifice, and thats all frankly empty words and broken promises if this amendment passes," Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., said during debate ahead of the vote. "This amendment puts service women and military families lives at risk by denying the basic right to travel for healthcare no longer available where they are stationed."

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In his defense of the amendment, Jackson argued the Biden administration's policy is "in direct violation of federal law."

ARMY VETERAN GOP REP SAYS US TRYING TO OUT-PRONOUN OUR ENEMIES IN PUSH TO END MILITARY DEI PROGRAM

"In the wake of the Supreme Courts historic Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Biden administration immediately set out to side-step the ruling and circumvent the law wherever possible," Jackson said. "The Biden administration has encouraged every federal agency to create rules and adopt policies that not only expand abortion access but also leave American taxpayers on the hook to subsidize abortion services."

He cited an existing rule, the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds to perform abortions.

"No doubt my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will insist that taxpayer dollars are not directly funding abortions thereby rendering the current policy legally sound. This is absolutely misleading," Jackson said.

The vote was part of a series of 12 largely Republican-backed amendments to the NDAA being voted on as part of a series. There are more than 300 amendments offered in the House in total.

HOUSE GOP MOVES TO SLASH PENTAGON DEI BUREAUCRATS: 'MASSIVE VICTORY FOR THE ANTI-WOKE CAUCUS'

Amendments by GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Matt Gaetz of Florida to curb the U.S.' funding to Ukraine failed with no Democratic support and were largely opposed by Republicans as well.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's, R-Ga., bid to curb U.S. funding to Ukraine failed.

Another by Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., that would ban the use of military healthcare for gender transition surgeries or hormone therapies, passed 222-211.

Two amendments from Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, were aimed at cracking down on the use of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the military, and both were approved. The first looked to ban the use of federal funds to establish diversity officer and advisor roles within the Pentagon, while the second prohibited the Defense Department's educational arm from promoting teachings that call the U.S. and its founding documents racist.
A lawyer for Hunter Biden has sent a cease-and-desist letter to former President Trumps legal team, saying that Trumps rhetoric is putting Biden and his family in danger.

In the Thursday letter, Abbe Lowell argues to Trumps attorneys that Trumps speech on social media and in other forums could lead to the injury of Biden or his family.

He pointed to several instances of Trumps speech that allegedly led to violence, including the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol and the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

This is not a false alarm, Lowell said.

We are just one such social media message away from another incident, and you should make clear to Mr. Trump  if you have not done so already  that Mr. Trumps words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop, he said.

The letter was first reported by ABC News.

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, walks from Marine One upon arrival at Fort McNair, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Trump repeatedly criticized President Bidens son during the 2020 presidential campaign and made a litany of accusations against him. He has more recently slammed the plea deal Biden is set to agree to, in which he will plead guilty to two minor tax crimes and admit to the facts of a gun charge through a pretrial diversion program.

Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere traffic ticket. Our system is BROKEN! the former president wrote in a Truth Social post.

Trump also argued last week that the cocaine found in the White House recently could only have belonged to Hunter Biden or the president; Hunter has publicly acknowledged past struggles with a drug addiction and has been in recovery.

More from The Hill

Lowell pushed back against Trumps allegations, saying the former presidents legal team knows that his client has not been accused of being responsible for the cocaine, and that the Biden family was not present at the White House when it was found.

The Secret Service ended its probe into the situation Thursday without being able to identify a suspect.

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Lowell said Trumps representatives do not need to respond but urged them to tell Trump that incitement can further hurt people and cause himself even more legal trouble.

 Updated July 15 at 9:57 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Hunter Biden's attorney sent Donald Trump's legal team a cease-and-desist letter on Thursday, accusing the former president of repeatedly defaming President Joe Biden's son on social media.

I am sending you this letter to make a demand that your client, former President Donald Trump, cease and desist from making public statements about my client which are both defamatory and likely to incite Mr. Trumps followers to take actions against Mr. Biden and which could lead to his or his familys injury, Abbe Lowell, Biden's attorney, wrote in the letter.

The letter was first reported by ABC News. A lawyer for Trump did not immediately respond to NBC News' requests for comment. Lowell's office declined to comment.

The letter, addressed to four of Trumps lawyers, accuses the former president of invoking Biden's name on social media to "harass and incite his followers on a near daily basis since Trump was himself indicted."

Lowell said Trump's posts amount to thinly veiled calls to action to his easy-to-trigger followers.

He cited a July post on Trumps Truth Social platform in which the former president wrote that David Weiss, the prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden, never had the courage to prosecute Biden, and said he doled out "a traffic ticket instead of a death sentence.

"We have seen that what might pass as such a phrase when uttered by rationale people is heard by too many in this country as some terrible injustice for which they must take physical and violent action," he wrote, citing high-profile occurrences of political violence, including the attack on former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosis husband, Paul Pelosi, in October.

That attack, along with other high-profile instances of political violence, typify the real-world implications of Trump's rhetoric, Lowell argued.

"We are just one such social media message away from another incident, and you should make clear to Mr. Trump  if you have not done so already  that Mr. Trumps words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop," he wrote.

In June, Weiss, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for Delaware, announced a plea agreement with Hunter Biden, who is expected to plead guilty to two federal misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his taxes. Biden also faces a separate felony gun possession charge that is likely to be dismissed if he meets certain conditions, according to court documents filed last month.

Under a provision of the agreement, the U.S. attorney has agreed to recommend probation for Biden for his tax violations, two sources familiar with the matter previously told NBC News. Legal experts told NBC News that the tax and gun charges are unlikely to result in any jail time for President Bidens son.

Trump and a cadre of his Republican allies have repeatedly attempted to juxtapose Biden's case with the former president's legal headwinds. They claim that a plea deal resulting in misdemeanors and no jail time smacks of preferential treatment for a powerful family.

Legal experts say the cases are fundamentally different. Paul Butler, a former federal prosecutor and an NBC News legal analyst, told MSNBC last month that the deal Hunter Biden reached was a decent outcome for the presidents son, but not the sweetheart deal that Trump and his allies have made it out to be.

Lowell, in his letter, said he is "a little surprised to have to send this letter because it would seem that Mr. Trump is currently facing enough legal problems."

I am writing to demand a stop to this, he wrote. "I am hoping you will speak with Mr. Trump privately and explain to him how his incitement can further hurt people and cause himself even more legal trouble."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The state of Idahos inability to simply collect $15 million of federal money to feed hungry Idaho kids is a demonstration of sheer government incompetence.

As Idaho Statesmans Noble Brigham reported this week, Idaho isnt participating in a federal program that would have provided $14.8 million to feed low-income students during the summer.

That decision affects about 123,000 children, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

The program, known as summer Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer, provides meals for children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school. It started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to fight hunger in the summer, when the school meal safety net disappears.

You might look at that decision and think its based on ideological opposition to welfare.

But thats not what this is about. Even worse, its about incompetent state government.

Two state agencies  the Department of Health and Welfare and the Department of Education  couldnt work together to fill out the paperwork necessary to get the money to flow into Idaho.

It appears the issue began under former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra, whose administration stopped providing the necessary data from the states free and reduced lunch program, claiming her department didnt have the staff to pull the data together.

Nonsense.

The funding for the federal program includes money to administer the program, so that should be no excuse.

Ybarras not in office anymore, but unfortunately, the administration of new Superintendent Debbie Critchfield, who defeated Ybarra in the primary election last year, hasnt been able to overcome bureaucratic apathy.

Scott Graf, a spokesperson for the department, said it would have been too difficult. Greg Wilson, chief of staff for Critchfield, said thats the way it was done before, which sounds an awful lot like thats the way weve always done it.

We could almost better understand if there were a philosophical opposition to the program. The United States is running trillion-dollar budget deficits each year, and the national debt is $32 trillion. Some may argue people should feed themselves and their families and not rely on the government to do it for them.

Further, one of the main arguments in favor of the free and reduced lunch program doesnt ring true in the summer: if kids show up to school hungry, they dont learn, so its better to feed kids who need food. But in the summer, kids arent in school, some might say, so it becomes just another welfare program.

And a hungry child whose parents dont have the money to feed them should ... have chosen better parents, we suppose.

Putting aside how heartless those arguments are, thats not why Idaho isnt participating in the program. We suspect those arguments may have something to do with the lack of motivation to implement the program in Idaho.

But in reality, its just bureaucratic incompetence thats led to this failure to help 123,000 Idaho children this summer.

Thats unacceptable.

Denise Dixon, director of the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force, perhaps says it best.

To me, its criminal, she told the Statesman. To me, its criminal not to feed our children (when) we have federal funds sitting there.

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 member Mary Rohlfing.
WASHINGTON  A self-described "idiot" who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and stole a wallet and a framed photo of the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison on Friday.

Kevin Lyons, a 40-year-old father from Chicago, was previously found guilty of a felony count of obstruction of an official proceeding along with disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building and entering and remaining in a restricted building.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell sentenced Lyons to 51 months  four years and three months  in federal prison, saying that it was very rare for her to have a defendant appear before her who described their childhood as "perfect," as Lyons did. Lyons has "no excuse" for his conduct, she said.

Howell said it was absurd that Lyons joined the mob in heckling officers  calling them f---ing Nazi bastards! and SS!  given that the attack on the U.S. Capitol was "about the most fascistic" thing she'd seen.

"It was the mob that was more like the Nazis and the fascists that day," Howell said, saying it was "bizarrely ironic" for Lyons to refer to officers as Nazis "when the shoe is on the other foot."

Kevin Lyons with a framed photo of Nancy Pelosi and John Lewis from Pelosi's office on Jan. 6, 2021. (USDC District of Columbia)

Lyons recorded himself as he stole a wallet with around $150 in cash from a staff member's jacket. The framed photograph he stole was a gift given to Pelosi about two months after Lewis' death, federal prosecutors said. It showed Pelosi, D-Calif., and Lewis, D-Ga.,  who was a member of the Freedom Riders, spoke during the 1963 March on Washington and had his skull fractured by an Alabama state trooper as he tried to march across a bridge in Selma in 1965  at what used to be known as the "Door of No Return at Elmina Castle in Ghana. As Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean McCauley said Friday, "countess Africans passed through" that door en route to their enslavement.

"Lyons left the Capitol via an Uber before traveling back to the Chicago," federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo. "That night he texted some friends a picture of the stolen photograph with an admission that he took the photograph. He then bragged, 'Im pretty confident I am now a multiple Federal felon.' The photograph was never recovered."

Lyons spoke to the judge before his sentencing, explaining why he owed thousands of dollars in child support (Judge Howell said he should have been working to pay what he owed instead of traveling to Washington, D.C., and joining a riot on Jan. 6) and saying that he had "a lot of shame" for what he did during the Capitol attack.

"I'm a pretty eccentric person, you might be able to tell," Lyons said, gesticulating at the podium. "I let the crowd and the mob and stuff kind of take over me. ... It's insane, I can't believe it." He said he was sorry for the impact that his crimes had on his 16-year-old and 13-year-old sons.

Im an idiot, I realize that, Lyons said. I was stupid. I dont know what came over me. ... I apologize to you, the country and my family."

More than 1,000 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and at least 335 have received sentences of incarceration. The Justice Department said in a statement this month that its resolve to hold Jan. 6 defendants accountable "has not, and will not, wane," and online sleuths had identified hundreds of additional rioters who have not been arrested.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Rafale M

The French-made Rafale M from Dassault Aviation is set to be the Indian Navys next-generation carrier fighter after New Delhi gave the initial go-ahead to purchase 26 of the jets. The navalized Rafale M  the land-based is already flown by the Indian Air Force  fought off competition from Boeings F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and is planned to be acquired as part of a major French arms package that will also include three Scorpene class diesel-electric attack submarines.

https://twitter.com/DefenceMinIndia/status/1679417221142155265?s=20

It was announced today that the Indian Ministry of Defenses Defense Acquisition Council, which is in charge of procurement, had given initial approval for the purchase of the Rafale Ms and the three submarines. That announcement came just ahead of a planned visit to France by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A French Navy Rafale M. MAEL PRIGENT/AFP via Getty Images

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1679447678353121285?s=20

More specifically, the French arms deal will include four two-seat Rafales, which will be used for training. Presently there is no two-seat version of the navalized Rafale M, so its not clear if these four aircraft will be a new, India-specific model or if they will be land-based two-seaters, as used by the Indian Air Force and others.

Meanwhile, the three Scorpene class submarines will be built jointly by Indias Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and Frances Naval Group, according to Reuters. The Indian Navy previously bought six Scorpene submarines from France, at a cost of $2.29 billion, with the last set to be commissioned next year.

https://twitter.com/livefist/status/1679427104583335937?s=20

A source told Reuters that the combined deal will be worth around $9.75 billion, although the Indian government has declined to comment on that.

However, in a tweet, Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh that the price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries.

Modris presidential visit to Paris is being seen as a sign of increasingly close strategic cooperation between India and France, including in the military realm. As a symbol of this, the Indian Air Force will take part in the flyover of the French capital tomorrow, which marks Bastille Day, the national day of France.

https://twitter.com/CEM_AAE/status/1679516610057363457?s=20

Aside from this, the choice of the Rafale M was not entirely surprising.

Not only has the Rafale already in service with the Indian Air Force in its land-based configuration, but it has also racked up an impressive list of export successes, including a huge order, also for the land-based version, from the United Arab Emirates.

On the other hand, Boeing will likely be disappointed not to build on its previous sales to India of other high-end defense technology, including AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. That said, any momentum behind the Super Hornet offer seems to have been lost some weeks ago, with the U.S. reportedly having lapsed at the end of June, leaving the Rafale M as the only contender.

https://twitter.com/zone5aviation/status/1679763484093841410?s=20

The fly-off between the Rafale M and the Super Hornet included a series of tests at Indian Naval Station (INS) Hansa in the southwestern state of Goa, which includes the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF), with a ski jump ramp replicating that found on Indian Navy carriers.

Ultimately, the Rafale M will provide a deck-launched fighter for the latest Indian Navy carrier, INS Vikrant, also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 (IAC-1), which first went to sea in August 2021, after lengthy delays.

INS Vikrant during sea trials. Cochin Shipyard Limited

This carrier is configured for the short take-off but arrested recovery, or STOBAR concept of operations, while both the Rafale M and Super Hornet were developed for use with catapult launch gear.

As far as INS Vikrant is concerned, though, there have been questions about the suitability of the carrier to operate either the Rafale or the Super Hornet. As currently configured, the carriers elevators, installed on either end of the superstructure, are fairly small. In fact, as we have discussed before, they appear to be scaled to the Russian-made MiG-29K/KUB Fulcrum fighter jet thats currently in Indian Navy service, aboard the carrier Vikramaditya, which was formerly the Russian Navys Admiral Gorshkov.

At this point, its unclear what kinds of modifications might be required to handle the larger Rafale. Its noteworthy, however, that the French jet is somewhat bigger, with a wingspan of 35 feet 9 inches. The Super Hornet, which differs in having folding wings, spans 30 feet 6 inches when folded. The elevator on the carrier is 32 feet 10 inches wide.

https://twitter.com/livefist/status/1422907585712123910?s=20

These kinds of problems should be absent from the next homegrown Indian Navy carrier, INS Vishal, or IAC-2, which is planned to be significantly bigger, at around 65,000 tons, compared to 40,000 tons for the Vikrant. This new warship is expected to draw upon American and British design contributions and could feature an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) instead of the ski jump after the United States approved the transfer to India of related technology. IAC-2 will surely be scaled from the outset to handle fighters larger than the MiG-29K. Clearly, the Rafale M is already capable of operating from a catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) carrier if India does take this approach for IAC-2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy6lwGatOxQ

Its worth bearing in mind, however, that these Indian carrier aviation developments are still being dwarfed in size and scope by regional rival China.

There have been very many rapid Chinese developments in the field of carrier aviation. Not only does Beijing have two in-service carriers, one of them home-built, plus a new indigenous design taking shape that is expected to feature EMALS rather than a ski jump ramp. Rumors abound that Chinas fourth carrier could be even bigger than its predecessors, perhaps with nuclear propulsion. At the same time, China has an indigenous carrier-based stealth fighter under test, plus a fixed-wing carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft, and other developments, including carrier-capable drones.

China launched its latest aircraft carrier, the countrys third, during a ceremony in Shanghai in June 2022. Chinese Internet

An order for 26 Rafales is good news for the Indian Navy, and the country in general, for which its carrier aviation prowess is a point of considerable pride.

A follow-on order for more Rafales is likely, too, with the Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighter (MRCBF) competition that was won by the French fighter originally calling for 57 jets.

New Delhi has already rejected the HAL Naval Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), a carrier-capable version of the Indian Air Forces Tejas, that could have potentially challenged the Rafale M for future orders.

Meanwhile, India is hopeful that a twin-engine development of the LCA could eventually mature as an indigenous naval fighter, or Twin-Engine Carrier-Based Deck Fighter (TEBDF), but such a prospect remains many years away. Even the most optimistic predictions suggest service entry in the early 2030s.

With that in mind, prospects for the Rafale M in India look very good.

Update, July 14: An article in the Indian newspaper The Hindu confirms that the four trainers included in the 26-aircraft Rafale deal will be land-based versions, rather than a new carrier-capable two-seat variant. Previously, the Hindustan Times had suggested that the Indian Navy may try and lease four to five Rafales from France in advance, to allow crews to become familiar with operations from the land base of INS Hansa, including launch and recovery, while the INS Vikrant underwent the required adaptations. It seems the four aircraft will fulfill a similar role, but will be bought rather than leased.

The Indian Air Force already operates land-based single-seat and two-seat versions of the Rafale. The service received 28 single-seater Rafale EH versions and eight two-seater Rafale DH models.

Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com
India launched a rocket on Friday carrying an unmanned spacecraft to land on the Moon (R. Satish BABU)

India launched a rocket on Friday carrying an unmanned spacecraft to land on the Moon, its second attempt to do so as its cut-price space programme seeks to reach new heights.

The heavyweight LVM3-M4 rocket lifted off from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, as thousands of enthusiasts clapped and cheered.

"Chandrayaan-3... has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the spacecraft is normal," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Twitter.

The world's most populous nation has a comparatively low-budget aerospace programme that is rapidly closing in on the milestones set by global space powers.

Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the lunar surface.

India's last attempt to do so ended in failure four years ago, when ground control lost contact moments before landing.

"Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted from France, where he was the guest of honour at the Bastille Day parade in Paris.

"It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian."

If the rest of the current mission goes to plan, the Chandrayaan-3, which means "Mooncraft" in Sanskrit, will safely touch down near the moon's little-explored south pole between August 23 and 24.

Developed by ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 includes a lander module named Vikram, which means "valour" in Sanskrit, and a rover named Pragyan, the Sanskrit word for wisdom.

The mission comes with a price tag of $74.6 million -- far smaller than those of other countries', and a testament to India's frugal space engineering.

Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing space technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages.

- 'A moment of glory' -

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will take much longer to reach the Moon than the manned Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days.

The Indian rocket used is much less powerful than the United States' Saturn V and instead the probe will orbit the earth five or six times elliptically to gain speed, before being sent on a month-long lunar trajectory.

If the landing is successful the rover will roll off Vikram and explore the nearby lunar area, gathering images to be sent back to Earth for analysis.

The rover has a mission life of one lunar day or 14 Earth days.

"It is indeed a moment of glory for India. Thank you team ISRO for making India proud," Jitendra Singh, the junior minister for science and technology, told reporters after the launch.

ISRO chief S. Somanath has said his engineers carefully studied data from the last failed mission and tried their best to fix the glitches.

India's space programme has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the moon in 2008.

In 2014, it became the first Asian nation to put a satellite into orbit around Mars, and three years later, the ISRO launched 104 satellites in a single mission.

The ISRO's Gaganyaan ("Skycraft") programme is slated to launch a three-day manned mission into Earth's orbit by next year.

India is also working to boost its two percent share of the global commercial space market by sending private payloads into orbit for a fraction of the cost of competitors.

abh/slb/aha
FILE PHOTO: A Muslim man reads the Koran as he sits in front of a billboard featuring India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a pavement along a road in New Delhi

By YP Rajesh

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Nine months before a general election, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have dusted off a potentially divisive plan to enact a common set of personal laws for all, irrespective of religion.

Currently, India's Hindus, Muslims, Christians and large tribal populations follow their own personal laws and customs, alongside an optional secular code, for marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance.

The Law Commission, a government-appointed advisory body, has sought public opinion by Friday on creating a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). It had received more than 5 million responses online on the eve of the deadline.

The BJP says the common code is necessary to ensure gender justice, equality through uniform application of personal laws, and to foster national unity and integration.

"If there is one law for one family member and another for another family member, can that family function smoothly? How can a country function with such dual systems?" Modi said at a BJP meeting late last month, just days after he returned from state visits to the U.S. and Egypt.

The comments were his most forceful in favour of the common code and set off a political storm.

Critics call the push for a common civil code a cynical attempt to divide communities and consolidate Hindu votes for the BJP ahead of the 2024 general election. Supporters, who include some Muslim women's rights groups, say it is much needed reform to end discriminatory Islamist practices.

"The idea is to send a message to the majority community so that you are able to keep the majority community polarised in favour of BJP," said Sanjay Kumar, political analyst and psephologist at New Delhis Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.

"This is a kind of a tool to divide and mobilise," he said.

India's Muslims, the country's largest minority with about 200 million of the 1.4 billion population, are mostly sharply opposed to the plan.

Although no draft of the UCC has been presented, BJP leaders have said it primarily has to do with reforming Muslim personal laws as other personal laws have progressed over the decades.

Many Muslims say they see it as interference with centuries-old Islamic practices and another weapon for a majoritarian political party that they accuse of being anti-Muslim.

NO VALID GROUND

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a voluntary body that represents the interests of Indian Muslims on personal law issues, has sent its objections to the Law Commission saying "mere projection of uniformity is not a valid ground for uprooting established systems of laws governing personal matters".

"Majoritarian morality must not supersede personal laws, religious freedom, and minority rights in the name of a code which remains an enigma," it said.

India's next general election has to be held by May 2024 and follows commanding wins for BJP in 2014 and 2019. Critics say the party's campaign playbook has been to polarise voters along religious lines and take advantage of the heavy Hindu majority, although the BJP maintains it represents all Indians and that it wants growth for all.

Modi and the BJP are widely expected to win a third term, but the ruling party got a scare when it lost elections to the main opposition Congress party in Karnataka state in May. Opposition groups are now working to pose a united challenge in 2024.

Some analysts say the UCC plan will force opposition parties into a corner. They cannot support it, and if they oppose it, they will be accused of being reactionary and pandering to conservative Muslims.

The Congress, for instance, has only said it questions the timing of the plan and has asked to see a draft.

Sushil Modi, a senior BJP leader and member of parliament, said the UCC plan was not related to the election.

"In India you have elections all the time," said Modi, who is not related to the prime minister. "Someone has to show the courage, someone has to take the initiative. We are showing the courage and doing it."

Key Muslim personal law issues that are expected to be addressed are the age of marriage, polygamy and inheritance, said another BJP leader and a judiciary source, who both declined to be identified.

Muslim personal laws in India for instance, allow Muslim males and females to marry after attaining puberty while all other Indian males have to be 21 years old and females 18 years old to get married.

Muslim men are allowed to have up to four wives at the same time and Muslim men get double the share of female siblings during inheritance.

KEEP ALIVE

To start with, the government could raise the age of marriage for Muslims to match others, outlaw polygamy and mandate an equal share of inheritance for Muslim men and women, the BJP source said.

Just a handful of these changes may not qualify to be called UCC in the true sense, yet it would be major reform and a political achievement, the source said.

Legal experts and political analysts say even this would need extensive consultations and political consensus to get past parliament and there isnt enough time before the elections.

BJPs aim, therefore, appears to be to keep the issue in the public eye and enact the code if it returns to power as expected, they said.

"It will be raised in the run-up to 2024, it will be used, harnessed," said Zakia Soman, co-founder of the Indian Muslim Women's Movement, which strongly supports the UCC despite its reservations about the politics linked to it.

"The fact that it is being championed by the BJP government doesnt help because the onslaught (on Muslims) has been very consistent and that gives credence to the conservative bogey that this is an attack on Muslims, an attack on Islam," she said.

(Reporting by YP Rajesh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
India is on pace to pass the US on the list of the world's biggest economies  but there's a looming chance it squanders this promise

US President Biden and India's Prime Minister Modi meet with in Washington. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

India is expected to be the world's second-largest economy by 2075.

Challenges include red tape, high tariffs, and discouraging foreign investment.

Strengthening ties with China could boost growth, but political issues could derail the move.

India is on pace to pass the US on the list of the world's largest economies, according to Goldman Sachs, But as the South Asian giant moves towards economic superpower status, it must first overcome some looming obstacles.

According to a recent Goldman report, India's economy is projected to top America's around 2075, becoming the second-largest in the world. The economists estimate that China will have already moved past the US by that time.

India's economic growth is fueled by several key factors, including its vast labor force, technological advances, and burgeoning capital investment. As our own Zahra Tayeb recently noted, market experts have "hailed the Asian nation as the next biggest investing opportunity," having expressed bullish sentiments about India's prospects, echoing the corporate interests of tech giants Apple, Tesla, and SpaceX.

A significant driver of this growth is innovation and technology, as noted by Goldman Sachs's chief India economist, Santanu Sengupta.

"India has made more progress in innovation and technology than some may realize," Sengupta said. "Innovation and increasing worker productivity are going to be important for the world's fifth-biggest economy. In technical terms, that means greater output for each unit of labor and capital in India's economy."

However, India's journey is not without challenges. The Goldman Sachs team noted that the biggest risk facing the country is if the labor force participation rate does not reverse its current 15-year downward trend.

"If you have more opportunities  especially for women, because the women's labor force participation rate is significantly lower than men's  you can shore up your labor force participation rate, which can further increase your potential growth." the Goldman team wrote.

And as our Huileng Tan noted, foreign investors, including Elon Musk, are struggling to crack the market thanks to red tape, high tariffs, powerful tycoons, and a national push for self-reliance. Apple is another company that has struggled to enter the Indian market as it hopes to rely less on China as its primary chipmaker. These factors are already acting as barriers and could slow the influx of capital and future growth of their economy.

India also has an opportunity to strengthen their economic ties with China. Both sides could take advantage of "nearshoring," a practice in which countries bring supply chains for crucial goods to countries that are close physically and politically, much like the US has done with Mexico. These Asian powerhouses can leverage proximity, reduce trans-Pacific shipping costs, and create a more effective regional trade network.

Forging such an alliance would come with serious challenges: the two countries have a history of conflict over their shared border, and India has shown a general wariness of China's rising military power. While there are serious political challenges, a stronger collaboration could fuel growth and influence the future of regional economics in a post-pandemic world. But there is still a lot of work to do.

Read the original article on Business Insider
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY  Sheriff Eric Flowers said Friday he's confident detectives who continue to investigate the 2006 Helen McPherson homicide case that's now 17 years old, will help bring the killer to justice.

Flowers made his remarks during a news conference at the Sheriff's Office on 41st Avenue, noting better technology and improved forensics over the years.

Regene Helen McPherson, 87, was killed in her Vero Beach home on 49th Avenue July 15, 2006.

McPherson, 87, of the 2600 block of 49th Avenue in Vero Beach, was found beaten and strangled in her bedroom July 15, 2006.

Over the years detectives have questioned hundreds of people and with the evolving advances in genetic sequencing technology, tested and retested DNA evidence.

Every year, the Sheriff's Office puts up fliers of her at local businesses on the day of the anniversary of her murder, asking if anyone has information on her death.

Sheriff Eric Flowers speaks during a press conference, Friday, July 14, 2023, on the 17th anniversary of the murder of 87-year-old Helen McPherson. Every year, the Sheriff's Office puts up fliers, like this, of her at local businesses on the day of the anniversary of her murder, asking if anyone has information on her death.

What happened

McPherson, widowed in 2000, lived in Vero Beach for 60 years, was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church in Vero Beach.

The night before she died, her son and daughter-in-law took her out to dinner at Swensen's, Flower's said, an ice cream parlor and sandwich/burger restaurant which was where Ay Jalisco is today on U.S. 1.

Then they watched television at her house and left her home about 8:40 p.m., according to TCPalm archives. When attempts to contact McPherson at 5:45 p.m. July 15 were unsuccessful, the couple returned to her home to check up on her and found her body about 6 p.m.

The home sits just west of the Vero Beach Regional Airport and aligns wooded property.

McPherson was beaten with what was described in early reports as a blunt object with a sharp edge, which was never found.

Investigators said she was not sexually assaulted and nothing was missing from the home to indicate a robbery.

McPhersons daughter-in-law, Wanda McPherson, who regularly spoke on behalf of the family, told TCPalm in a 10-year look back at the case in 2016, 'She was the grandmotherly type that liked to cook and eat  She collected things of value, like antiques.'

On Fridays Wanda and Doug McPherson would take Helen out for dinner, she said.

Deputy Aaron Zawistowski of the Indian River County Sheriff's Office re-attaches crime scene tape in front of the home of Regene Helen McPherson on 49th Avenue in Vero Beach on July 16, 2006. McPherson was found dead in her home the day before.

According to case records, the first reports to law enforcement were made at 6:17 p.m. July 15 and by 6:33 p.m. the property was considered a crime scene and taped off by law enforcement.

The time frame during which she was killed extended from 8:40 p.m. July 14 when she was left alone at the house, to 6:15 p.m. July 15.

A heavily redacted case report from 2006 shows detectives found McPherson lying on the floor of her bedroom and then searched the home and property for potential additional victims or suspects.

In early efforts at gathering evidence, deputies took statements from neighbors and those first to report the murder. They were told nothing unusual was seen or heard in the area the night before. One detail pointed to a break in McPhersons daily routine  the victims newspaper lying in the driveway.

From 2016: Old evidence retested in McPherson homicide case from 2006

From 2007: Questions remain in 2006 Helen McPherson murder

One of those interviewed that day told deputies, (McPherson) always gets up early and goes out and gets the newspaper.

Deputies also learned McPherson told family members the week before, between roughly July 4 and July 5, she believed someone tried to break into the home and she had stayed up all night with all the lights on and found the next morning a screen from a window in the homes Florida room had been removed and was lying on the ground.

McPherson had received a healthcare visit Thursday, July 13 at her home from a nurse with the Visiting Nurse Association of Florida, according to a deputys report.

Sheriff Eric Flowers speaks during a news conference, Friday, July 14, 2023, one day before the 17th anniversary of the murder of 87-year-old Helen McPherson of Vero Beach.

'A person of interest'

The exact cause of death has never been disclosed, because as Flowers said Friday, it is something only the killer would know. Similarly with the object or objects used to strike McPherson, he said.

"Weve definitely recovered items over the years," said Flowers. "We have our suspicions on what they may have been but it's not something that we want to get into detail about."

As for any projected timeline for an arrest of who he said was as of now a "person of interest," Flowers said, "Unfortunately the DNA stuff moves very slowly."

"Lab work is slow (and) every agency is trying to do this same type of thing on their cold cases," he said.

But, he assured McPherson's family members whose relationship with detectives he described as "very cordial," that McPherson's case was not cold.

"We're making an arrest in this case," he said.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: IRC Sheriff discusses 2006 Helen McPherson unsolved homicide
Savannah Saddler hugs her fiance, Staff Sgt. Ray Carney of Cedar Lake, Ind., at Atlantic Aviation in South Bend where 60 soldiers from the Indiana National Guard 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are welcomed from their deployment in Kosovo, on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

SOUTH BEND  More than a dozen members of the church family of Indiana National Guard Sgt. Sterling Goins came Thursday to welcome him home from Kosovo because, Elder Scott Schafer said, We had to live without him.

That just meant we spent more time on our knees holding him up, Rich Gramm added, standing alongside fellow members of Apostolic Christian Church in Mishawaka.

June 21, 2023: Kosovo peacekeeping mission includes Indiana police officers in Army National Guard

Goins smiled humbly, fresh from a group photo with his church mates, outside of Atlantic Aviation at the South Bend International Airport. A charter flight had just delivered about 60 soldiers from the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team back toward their northern Indiana homes. Theyd been gone since October 2022, among hundreds of Indiana guardsmen on a mission to preserve peace in Kosovo.

Since the Kosovo War of 1998-99 between Albanians and Serbs, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia still doesnt recognize that.

Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry, the media relations manager, said, While overseas in support of Operation Joint Guardian, the soldiers led Regional Command-East under the command of NATO to provide a safe, secure environment and ensure freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens.

Sgt. 1st Class Colton Cretcher of Warsaw wouldnt share details of their mission, and his father, Steve Cretcher, knew, We dont ask those questions.

Instead, mom Gale Cretcher said, the regular chats on the phone filled with family news  and less worry than when Colton served in combat in Iraq 15 years ago. Back then, they also coped with older technology with five-second delays when someone spoke in video chats.

Sixty soldiers from the Indiana National Guard 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are welcomed from their deployment in Kosovo at Atlantic Aviation in South Bend on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

This is a lot easier to take, she said.

Rhena Williams of Crown Point welcomed her sons Devonte and Manuel Brooks, both specialists, feeling lucky that they had plenty of calls and texts. When she served in Desert Storm, running the post office for the U.S. Armys 82nd Airborne Division, she would have to hunt around for a phone in the city. She wrote a lot more letters.

But Staff Sgt. Ray Carney of Cedar Lake intentionally kept his girlfriend Savannah Saddler out of the loop on one thing when she came to visit him in Prague in January while he was on leave. Hed been planning his move for a couple of months, actually. She didnt expect it then, though she had a sense that it might happen soon. He pulled out a ring and proposed. She said yes.

I knew it (was going to happen) going over (to Kosovo), he said.

Kids and other family members watch and welcome 60 soldiers from the Indiana National Guard 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from their deployment in Kosovo at Atlantic Aviation in South Bend on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Carney said others in the Guard got married there in Europe, but he doesnt know of any other engagements.

Specialist Kasey Baker of South Bend and his wife, Lauren Baker, wed a year and a half ago. Theyd text throughout the day and sometimes played video games online. Theyll finally get to their honeymoon in August: Hawaii.

Joani Avila of LaGrange said it helped to have FaceTime chats every other day with her husband, Specialist Donovan Avila, as they raise their two kids, ages 7 and 11. But its still rough, she said, being the single parent.

Nov. 11, 2022: South Bend soldier in Kosovo reflects on Veterans Day, keeping peace

Staff Sgt. Paul Chung of Hobart stood happily next to an American flag at the back of the family car with his wife, Marisol Ortiz, as their 10-year-old son called out from inside, saying, Lets hope you never do that again.

Staff Sgt. Paul Chung of Hobart and his wife, Marisol Ortiz, pose for a portrait, at Atlantic Aviation in South Bend, where 60 soldiers from the Indiana National Guard 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are welcomed from their deployment in Kosovo, on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

The boy referred to Chungs first deployment. Chung wondered what re-entry would be like, at least emotionally. So, he was nervous arriving at the airport  like a happy nervous, he said  because, he added, I didnt know what to expect. I didnt know what a welcome ceremony was.

Turns out, he said, It was great.

In Kosovo, he was the leader of the Rogue Squad. Now, he quipped, My wife is the new commander.

He calls her Household 6. In military lingo, 6 refers to a commanding officer.

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: Indiana National Guard 76th Infantry Brigade home Kosovo peace mission
MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y.  Long Island, New York architect Rex Heuermann was charged with murder in the deaths of three women in the Gilgo Beach serial killer case, court records show.

Heuermann pleaded not guilty to six charges during a Friday afternoon court appearance in Yaphank, New York, after being arrested Thursday evening in Manhattan. He faces charges of three counts of murder in the first degree and three counts of murder in the second degree, according to court documents.

The counts are in related to the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, three of the victims found in Gilgo Beach in December 2010. Heuermann faces life without parole if convicted.

Investigators are now searching a home in Massapequa Park in Long Island, about a 25-minute drive from where New York authorities discovered 11 sets of human remains strewn along a suburban beach highway in 2010 and 2011. Heuermann's Manhattan office is also being searched.

WATCH 'GRIM TIDE' ON FOX NATION

Rex Heuermann, 59, is tied to at least 11 murders after New York authorities discovered 11 sets of human remains strewn along a suburban Long Island beach highway between 2010 and 2011.

"I've lived with the Gilgo Beach investigation for my entire tenure as county executive, and I can tell you that during that time, the focus for me, members of our team have been on bringing justice for these victims and closure to these families who have suffered," Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone told reporters gathered outside the home Friday in Massapequa Park.

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"Today's developments take us a major step forward in doing exactly that," he said, adding, "I want the public to know the message to the public is that we have never stopped working on this case."

Suffolk County police stationed outside a home in Massapequa Park, N.Y., on Friday, July 14, 2023. The home is believed to be occupied by a suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders.

The law enforcement activity has drawn neighbors out of their homes in the suburban village of Massapequa Park, despite the rainy weather in the area Friday morning.

Heuermann is a married father of two and an architect living on Long Island and working in Manhattan.

"I'm an architect. I'm an architect consultant. I'm a troubleshooter. Born and raised on Long Island. Then working in Manhattan since 1987," Heuermann says in a February 2022 video interview with Bonjour Realty posted to YouTube. "When a job that should've been routine suddenly becomes not routine, I get the phone call."

Former neighbor Carol Bergen told Fox News Digital on Friday that Heuermann once asked her brother if he cried at their father's funeral after he died.

The locations where eight of 10 bodies were found near Gilgo Beach since December 2010 are seen in this Suffolk County Police handout image.

Other neighbors in Massapequa Park told Fox News Digital that the man who has lived at the home being examined by police is a "neighborhood creep." They said police first showed up at the home there Thursday night around 10 p.m. local time.

A neighbor who lives nearby the property told Fox News Digital that the arrest is "just very shocking.

"I live right here. My son goes to the elementary school right over here ... its just very shocking and scary that this happened so close to home," she said. "Im glad they have him in custody, and I hope they figure out what really happened."

The murders have remained unsolved more than a decade after the search for missing escort Shannan Gilbert, 24, first led police to the bodies of multiple sex workers and other victims east of New York City.

"Theres somebody after me," Gilbert repeatedly told dispatchers in a call placed at 4:51 a.m. on May 1, 2010, which was released in May. But she did not provide a location more specific than in a house on Long Island, somewhere near Jones Beach.

"Can you trace where I am?" she asked.

"No, I cant," the dispatcher replied.

GILGO BEACH SERIAL KILLINGS: FBI TRACKING LEAD TO ALABAMA OVER PEACHES TATTOO

The first victims found after the search for Gilbert began are known as the "Gilgo Four": Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Megan Waterman, 22 and Melissa Barthelemy, 24.

Counter-clockwise from left: Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Megan Waterman, 22 and Melissa Barthelemy, 24, disappeared after meeting with a client on Craigslist. The remains of the women were found in December 2010 at Gilgo Beach on Long Island.

In March 2011, the partial remains of 20-year-old Jessica Taylor were found near Gilgo Beach. Authorities said part of Taylors body was discovered eight years earlier and 40 miles away in Manorville, New York.

Days later, three more sets of human remains were discovered alongside Ocean Parkway. The first was 24-year-old Valerie Mack, whose partial remains had also been found in Manorville years earlier. An unidentified toddler was found near Mack, according to the official website dedicated to the case.

Suffolk County police stationed outside of a home in Massapequa Park, N.Y., Friday, July 14, 2023. The home is believed to be occupied by a suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders.

Two miles west, police discovered the skeletal remains of an unidentified Asian man  or transgender woman  believed to be 17 to 23 years old.

A week later, in April 2011, two more sets of partial remains were found along Ocean Parkway. The first were those of the woman known as "Peaches," believed to be the mother of the toddler found the week before. Part of her body had been previously discovered in Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997. The second was the skull of a woman who was linked to remains found on Fire Island in 1996.

Police on scene Friday in Massapequa Park, N.Y.

Suffolk County Police and prosecutors provideed an update on the Gilgo Beach case late Friday afternoon.

Fox News' Audrey Conklin, Maria Paronich and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Fatimah Robinson dragged an Igloo cooler full of cold water bottles behind her, headed toward a neighborhood of tents in a partially wooded area near the Historic Southside neighborhood of Fort Worth.

She was looking for Gary Randle, the man she affectionately calls her twin because of their similar personalities.

Twin! Twiii-in! Robinson yelled. The cooler occasionally bumped on large stones or tree roots as Robinson pulled it down a worn path to a campsite, where several tents are clustered together. Clean laundry hangs on a line outside of one tent; it had just been washed in the nearby creek. A small fire burns outside another. The camp is home to about six homeless people, including Randle.

Their campsite is off of U.S. 287, but the brush surrounding the site insulates it from the noise of speeding cars. The campsite isnt visible from the highway, and you could probably only find it if you knew exactly where to look. And Robinson does.

DRC outreach team members Fatimah Robinson, left, Nubia Munoz, center, and Jordan Autry walk to a camp nestled into a wooded area of Fort Worth on Friday, June 30, 2023. During summer months the team carries water, sunscreen, bug repellent and other items that will help unsheltered people cope with Texas dangerous heat.

As Robinson approaches, Randle spots her and runs toward her to give her a hug. He takes a few bottles of water from the cooler. On that Friday, the temperature is cooler than its been all week: Its 99, after eight consecutive days of heat index values in the triple digits.

Randle is one of about 400 homeless people Robinson and her colleagues at DRC Solutions check on each month. The Fort Worth nonprofit works primarily with homeless people who are unsheltered, meaning they dont live in homeless shelters or on a friends couch. Many of them, like Randle, build campsites tucked in corners of Fort Worth that are out of the public eye and away from the code enforcement complaints that such visibility usually brings.

The DRC team works with its clients to get them into permanent housing. In the summer, an extra challenge is added: Workers need to make sure the hundreds of people living outside stay safe from the deadly temperatures of Texas summer.

Deaths in extreme heat

There is no nationwide tally for how many homeless people die from extreme heat each year, but a growing body of research indicates that people who live outside are at greater risk for climate extremes than those with permanent, safe homes.

Junes heatwave descended on hundreds of people in Fort Worth who live outside. The Tarrant County Homeless Coalition estimates that there are more than 1,000 people living on the streets, in the woods, or in other outdoor communities in Tarrant and Parker counties, according to its most recent report. The number of homeless people has increased significantly in the last two years, as renter protections and additional funding from the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic expired and were used up.

Now, the nations persistent housing crisis coupled with increasingly hot summers has left the most vulnerable, including the unhoused, at particular risk for getting sick from or dying from the heat.

Gary Randle, 61, drinks a bottle of cold water brought by the DRC outreach team while visiting his camp on Friday, June 30, 2023. The nations persistent housing crisis coupled with increasingly hot summers has left the most vulnerable, including the unhoused, at particular risk for getting sick from or dying from the heat.

Theres no exact tally in Tarrant County for how many homeless people have died from or been hospitalized because of extreme heat. Analyses from previous years show that heart disease is the leading cause of death for people experiencing homelessness, said Lauren King, the executive director of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition. King said that, anecdotally, more people living outside had died from extreme cold temperatures that very hot ones.

But in the handful of cities and counties that are tracking the weather-related deaths among people who are homeless, the risk of extreme heat is clear. In Clark County, Nevada, home to Las Vegas, an analysis by the Las Vegas Review-Journal found that people experiencing homelessness made up a third of all deaths related to extreme heat in 2021. In Los Angeles County, people without homes made up almost half  five in 12  of every death from heat-related illness or exposure in 2022, according to the county coroners office.

Members of the DRC outreach team bring water, bug spray, sunscreen and toiletries with them in the summer months to hand out while doing their checks on camps of unsheltered individuals.

Theres been increasingly alarming statistics  suggesting that a large number of the deaths that do occur during heatwaves or extreme heat are are among people who are experiencing homelessness, said Dr. Sameed Khatana, a cardiologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvanias medical school.

Homeless people have greater exposure to hot temperatures plus fewer opportunities to give their bodies a break to cool down, Khatana said, but they also have a higher rate of cardiovascular disease, putting them at greater risk for the stressors that heat places on the heart. Most people who die from heat dont suffer from hyperthermia, where the bodys core temperature gets so hot that it causes the body to fail. Instead, Khatanas research has found that most of the unexpected deaths that happen after an abnormally hot day are caused by heart failure.

Randle, 61, guesses that hes passed out from heat multiple times over his years living outside. When he feels like hes having a hard time breathing, hell go and sit in the creek that runs next to his tent. His neighbors know that if they dont see him up and about his campsite, they should go and check on him to make sure hes OK.

Its just killer, Randle said. Its hard for me to breathe some days. When I feel like that I just get in the water and try to calm myself down.

Gary Randle, 61, lives in a campsite in a wooded area ?off of Highway? U.S. 287 with his four dogs. The Tarrant County Homeless Coalitions most recent tally estimates that there are more than 1,000 people living on the streets, in the woods, or in other outdoor communities in Tarrant and Parker counties.

Life on the streets

DRC, formerly known as the Day Resource Center, focuses its work on a group of homeless people who have historically been among the hardest to reach in Fort Worth: The unsheltered. This group historically has represented a smaller share of people without housing in Tarrant County, compared to those who stay in emergency shelters. The majority of people experiencing homelessness in the county do so for less than a year, according to data from the homeless coalition. But for others, they might experience life on the streets for much longer.

For some people, living outside is a personal preference, allowing them to bypass the rules and regulations of life in a shelter. Some people say they avoid the shelters because they dont like crowds, or because they prefer the freedom of making their own schedule and building their own community. For others, there is no other choice: Fort Worths overnight shelters have sometimes been at capacity over the last two years as more and more people have been pushed into homelessness.

Diana Salazar, a team lead of the DRC outreach team, smiles while talking to clients on Friday, June 30, 2023. The Fort Worth nonprofit works primarily towards getting their clients, who are unsheltered and often located in campsites hidden in wooded areas, into permanent housing.

On a recent Thursday, the DRCs outreach team started its day by bringing a man who had been living on the streets to the Greyhound Bus Station in downtown Fort Worth. He was about to start a 36-hour journey to Toledo, Ohio, where his son lives and had agreed to take him. If a bus ticket can get someone safely to a friend or family member in another city, DRC outreach workers will always give someone that option. But not everyone has loved ones they can turn to for shelter, outreach team lead Johnetta Hudspeth said.

Next, the team drives to a campsite in east Fort Worth. After navigating through the bushes and trees that surround the campsite, Hudspeth and her colleagues find about a dozen people living here, more than the last time they visited. The campsite has grown.

Hudspeth talks with one man who was recently released from jail, and is suffering from opioid use disorder. He tells Hudspeth that he and some others at the campsite are using fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that can easily cause fatal overdoses. Robinson runs back to the van to get narcan, the life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose when sprayed in the nostrils.

Next, a young woman checks in with Jordan Autry, another outreach worker, about her persistent asthma. Its been harder for her to breathe lately, she tells Autry. Autry tells her that that the street medicine team run by JPS Health Network will be by the camp later that day to help her.

Like Randles camp near downtown Fort Worth, this campsite has its own routines and rhythms that residents follow to keep themselves safe.

Nathan Barrett, 37, has been living outside for about a year. For him, summers arent quite as bad for the winters. Barrett has found that key to living outside is adapting, and learning to be creative with the tools you have. He and his neighbors have adapted by using a box fan plugged to a generator, a cooler full of ice, and some tubing to funnel cold air into their tents.

We try to keep big thermoses with us at all times, so that we always have water on hand, he said.

Nathan Barrett talks about the methods hes found to stay cool during the summer months on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Barrett has been unhoused for around a year.

The DRCs street outreach team spends all of its days like this: Going from community to community, looking for old and new clients alike, and trying to respond to their needs as quickly as realistically as possible. The outreach teams check on their clients at least once a month, helping them with any immediate needs they have, but also trying to give each person a shot at a permanent home. For many adults, that means starting with their essential documents: Their birth certificates, their Social Security cards, and other forms that can prove their identity but that often get lost in years living on the streets and moving from place to place. Once all the paperwork is in order, a waiting game begins, sometimes for months, sometimes for years.

The Tarrant County Homeless Coalition operates system that matches residents who are homeless with programs that can help pay for their housing and apartments that will rent to them.

Most of the people DRC works with are waiting to qualify for the permanent supportive housing program, which offers indefinite rental support, or one of the other housing assistance programs.

On a recent Thursday, outreach worker Jordan Autry drives to a small campsite in Fort Worth with some good news: Her client Maxine Owens is off the housing waitlist, and has been matched with an assistance program that will help Owens pay her rent for at least three months. After that, Owens will have to find another way to pay rent. But for three months, shell get a break from the summer heat and living outside.

Owens responds to the noise with a shout of joy and a dance. She are her two dogs are moving from a a tent to an apartment.

Maxine Owens reacts after being told shes matched with an assistance program that will help Owens pay her rent for at least three months on Thursday, July 6, 2023, in Fort Worth. Owens said shes most excited about having housing and escaping the heat.

After this long journey of fighting, I was able to get the help that Ive been asking for, she said.

Owens, 32, said shes looking forwarding to having a place of her own. But mostly, she said, shes looking forward to having air conditioning.

If they come over to visit or come by to see me, theyre going to feel like theyre walking into the Arctic air, Owens said, laughing. There is no touching or turning my air off. I am going to freeze everybody.
Institute for Study of War reports new achievements by Ukrainian forces

As of 13 July, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Ukrainian defenders conducted a counterattack in at least three sectors of the front and succeeded on some fronts.

Source: the Institute for the Study of War

Details: On July 13, Ukrainian forces carried out counteroffensive operations on at least three frontline sectors and made progress in some places, in particular in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and advanced around Bakhmut.

Analysts draw attention to the fact that Major General Ivan Popov, a former commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army (CAA), alleged in a leaked audio tape that Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, fired him for persistently complaining to higher commanders about issues in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The ISW has previously noted that Putin ignored complaints from Russian officials who spoke on behalf of Russian military personnel  likely to distance himself from Russian military failures.

The ISW also assessed that public disagreements between Russian troops in Ukraine on supplies and combat missions, as well as the obvious need for the Russian Ministry of Defence to negotiate with subordinate commanders on these issues, indicate serious problems in the system of subordination.

The lack of reserves in Russia probably did not allow Gerasimov to seriously consider Popov's appeal, and the dismissal of Popov once again demonstrated that Russian troops were not capable of rotating forces.

Experts also note that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated the formulaic Russian rhetoric aimed at curbing Western security assistance to Ukraine after the NATO summit. He said that Russia would recognise the appearance of the F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine as a nuclear threat, since the F-16s are technically capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The ISW assesses that the Kremlin regularly intensifies information operations about nuclear escalation with the West because of the war in Ukraine or those about Russia's readiness for negotiations, trying to weaken the Western support for Ukraine.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 14 July:

Former Commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army (CAA) Major General Ivan Popov claimed in leaked audio that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu dismissed him for expressing persistent grievances about problems on the western Zaporizhia Oblast frontline to senior commanders.

Popov likely attempted to appeal to the Kremlin to partially or fully strip Gerasimov of command over operations in Ukraine.

Gerasimov may have tried to shield Putin from unwanted criticism to uphold Putins ignorance by firing Popov before he could appeal directly to the Kremlin.

Popovs attempt to directly appeal to Putin for support and his insubordination of Gerasimovs command is indicative of a pattern of corrosive behavior that has developed within the Russian command and the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.

Russian milbloggers expressed varied reactions to Popovs dismissal, though none disagreed with Popovs complaints about problems Russian forces experience on the front.

Disruptions to the Russian command overseeing Russian defensive operations in southern Ukraine will likely have some immediate but marginal impacts on Russian forces.

Popovs dismissal over the issue of Russian casualties and reported complaints about lack of force rotations further supports ISWs assessment that Russian defenses in Ukraine are likely brittle

Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors of the frontline on July 13 and made gains in some areas.

The Kremlin reportedly ordered the detention and suspension of several senior military officers following the Wagner Groups armed rebellion on June 24, supporting ISWs prior assessment that the Kremlin likely intends to purge the MoD of figures viewed as disloyal.

Russian forces conducted a series of Shahed drone strikes across Ukraine on July 13.

Russian and Ukrainian sources engaged in positional battles near Kreminna.

Ukrainian forces conducted ground attacks and reportedly advanced around Bakhmut.

Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to conduct ground attacks along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line.

Ukrainian forces reported conducting limited offensive operations in western Donetsk Oblast and continued counteroffensive operations in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia oblasts border area.

Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations and made some gains in western Zaporizhia Oblast as of July 13.

Russia may not be fulfilling some of its commitments to Iran in their bilateral security partnership, even as the Russian military continues to rely heavily on Iranian-made drones in Ukraine.

The Associated Press (AP) reported on July 13 that Russian forces and occupation administrations are conducting a wide scale campaign to detain and abuse civilians and are planning to build additional internment infrastructure in the occupied territories.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Can you insult a town leader in a public meeting? Here's what the state Supreme Court says

"It's common sense," George "Bud" Dunham, Sandwich town manager said. "Treat others the way you would want to be treated. But this court case has befuddled a lot of us."

Dunham is referring to Barron v. Kolenda, a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision that found the town of Southborough's civility provisions for public comment to be unconstitutional and in violation of Articles 16 and 19 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights.

The town's code states, "[a]ll remarks and dialogue in public meetings must be respectful and courteous, free of rude, personal, or slanderous remarks. Inappropriate language and/or shouting will not be allowed.

In light of the court decision, Dunham said Sandwich, and cities and town officials across the state, will need to adjust aspects of open meeting codes of conduct.

The Sandwich Town Hall is located on Main Street.

"The case kind of says people can say whatever they want in the way they want to say it during the public comment portion of a meeting," said Dunham. "I think all towns will have to try to figure out what the best way to do that is."

Shane Hoctor, chairman of the Sandwich Board of Selectmen, said two public comment sessions are held during each Select Board meeting  one at the beginning and one at the end. The board, he said, is always prepared to hear from residents  whether their comments are complimentary or critical.

Public comment is a good thing for the town. We benefit from hearing from the public so we know whats going on and know what the problems are so we can fix them, said Hoctor.

But the court decision, he said, has created some anxiety surrounding what he calls "gray areas."

We are all for free speech, he said. But what constitutes free speech in regards to this court decision? What constitutes abusive behavior? What constitutes a threat? How do you differentiate one from another?"

Shane Hoctor, chairman of the Sandwich Board of Selectman

How did this case come about?

The court decision revolves around Southborough couple Louise and Jack Barron, and a third resident, Arthur St. Andre, who filed a lawsuit against members of the Southborough Select Board, the board itself and the town. The plaintiffs said their rights were violated by the boards actions and that the board violated state Open Meeting Law.

Many of the allegations stem from a Dec. 4, 2018 meeting where Louise Barron and Daniel Kolenda, chairman of the board at the time, had a disagreement. During the meeting, Barron criticized the board during the public comment period. Kolenda said if Barron was going to slander town officials who are doing their very best, he was going to stop the public comment section of the meeting.

Barron, who is Jewish, responded by saying, You need to stop being a Hitler. Youre a Hitler. I can say what I want."

According to the complaint, Kolenda turned off his microphone, called a recess and then verbally attacked Barron.

In April 2020, the Barrons and St. Andre filed a complaint in Superior Court. Worcester Superior Court Judge Shannon Frison ruled in favor of the town, finding that Barron had failed to show Kolenda had deprived her of her rights.

The Supreme Judicial Court took up the case on its own initiative.

In its decision, drafted by Associate Justice Scott Kafker, the high court ruled that a resident has the right to accurately complain about violations of the law committed by town officials and to complain about other town actions. The resident can express views "vehemently, critically and personally," to the government officials, the decision reads.

The decision is a victory for free speech, according to Ruth Bourquin, senior and managing attorney for the Massachusetts chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, or the ACLU. Members of the public cant just start talking in the middle of a meeting, said Bourquin, but a person can say what they want if they have been recognized and talk within the allotted time.

"She (Louise Barron) did exactly what she was supposed to do and the Select Board shut her down just because she was criticizing them," said Bourquin. "Criticizing public officials is at the heart of free speech rights."

Public bodies fear the decision will encourage unsavory behavior

When the decision came down, said Bourquin, Southborough town officials considered shutting down public comment altogether. Other public bodies within the state feared the decision could lead to disorderly public meetings, Bourquin said.

"If you get rid of public comment because you don't want to listen to other views, that too could be viewed as retaliation," she said. "That could release a kettle of unconstitutional fish."

To help guide towns and cities, the ACLU released a letter that includes 10 steps that can help cities and towns hold orderly meetings consistent with free speech principles, said Bourquin.

"We tried to give guidance from our perspective on how this can and should be done," she said.

Can residents display disrespectful or harassing behavior?

Dunham said he's aware that civility can be encouraged, but can't be required. But that doesn't mean that town officials will be accepting disrespectful behavior or harassment from the public.

"If someone really crosses a line in terms of harassment or discriminatory words, the chairperson has a right to tell that person to stop and ask them to leave the meeting," he said. "If they refuse, they do have the right to get a law enforcement official to help with that."

Bourquin said open meeting law doesnt give towns the right to immediately have a law enforcement officer escort someone out.

"If somebody is told to stop talking for reasons that violate this decision and they are still within their allotted time (to speak during public comment), they would be in their rights to verbally express an objection and contact an attorney about it," she said.

Cities and towns should tread lightly, said Bourquin, because the law is now clearly established. "Shutting people down can cause a city or town to pay damages and attorneys fees to that person under our Massachusetts Civil Rights Act," she said. "Hopefully that wont happen too often. If it does, the impacted people will have legal recourse."

How will Sandwich address the court decision?

The first step many town officials across the state took, said Dunham, was to learn about the court case, as well as its outcome through a series of webinars provided by the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

The first webinar, moderated by Dunham and held June 5, attracted about 450 participants.

"It's the highest amount of people that's ever signed up for a webinar," said Dunham. "It shows you that cities and towns across the state are trying to make head or tails of what the decision was and how it impacts them."

To shield themselves from disrespectful behavior and to set an example, many local boards and committees had already adopted codes of conduct and rules of decorum. Sandwich developed its open meeting code of conduct in 2007, said Dunham. The protocols were then amended in 2017.

"When the Select Board adopted codes of conduct years ago, it automatically applied to all appointed committees and then elected boards and committees in town had the choice of whether or not they wanted to adopt it," he said. "And the vast majority of elected committees did."

But the court decision changed the rules of engagement, he said.

The court and the state have not issued any guidance on this yet and recommended (codes of conduct) changes havent been finalized by the MMA," he said. "Theres not a ton we need to change but certainly some aspects of our policies that should change."

Disrespectful behavior has been on the rise.

At the June webinar sponsored by the Municipal Association Dunham discussed decorum and civility with participants.

"Its getting harder, not easier, to work in public service and municipal government, he said during the event. In general, said Dunham in a telephone interview, greater levels of disrespect have evolved in every facet of society. Inconsiderate behavior hurts public service, he said.

"Weve experienced way more (disrespectful behavior from town residents) in the last five years than the prior 20," he said. "A lot of that is due to mental health issues, and social media bashing that makes its way to public meeting."

While he can't think of the last time the Sandwich Select Board had to cut someone off during the comment portion of a municipal meeting, the town moderator has had to occasionally ask someone to leave or to stop yelling. A lot of the tension, said Dunham, came to a head during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"People were cooped up for so long, and I think they were getting frustrated. Its happening in all walks of society, not just during town meetings," he said.

"I think we all are just trying to figure out what the best way is to balance respect and the town's liability," he said.

Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Supreme Judicial Court decision may change Cape Cod public comment
Investigation into Fort Cavazos soldier whose wife was found dead after he absconded

Cam Chamberlain died in unexplained circumstances after her husband Craig Chamberlain disappeared from Fort Cavazos base in Texas (Facebook)

The military has launched a criminal investigation into a Fort Cavazos soldier whose wife was found dead in mysterious circumstances while he was willfully absent from the Texas base for 11 days.

Army Specialist Craig Chamberlain, 23, was reported missing by his wife Cam on 15 May, sparking a massive search in the surrounds of the vast military base in central Texas.

Officials at Fort Cavazos confirmed in a 25 May statement that Ms Chamberlain, a transgender woman, had died, but refused to provide a cause of death or say when or where she died.

Mr Chamberlain was found the next day with bruises on his body at an undisclosed location in the city of Killeen, where the married couple lived in an off-base home, his parents Gordon and Virginia Chamberlain told KWTX in May.

Two of Ms Chamberlains grieving friends told NBC News that they had been left searching for answers amid a wall of silence from the military and local police.

There had been no autopsy, funeral or even an obituary for Ms Chamberlain, they said.

I cant even mourn her death the way family should, because its as if she never existed at all now, close friend Shandy Eubank told NBC News.

Army Specialist Craig Chamberlain, 23, is under investigation after his wife dies while he was willfully absent from the base (Facebook)

The Killeen Police Department diverted enquiries about the mystery death to military officials at Fort Cavazos, which was formerly known as Fort Hood.

A spokesperson at the base referred The Independent to Lieutenant Colonel Tania Donovan, the deputy director of public affairs for III Armored Corps, who did not respond.

Mr Chamberlains current location is unknown. After he was found in rough shape in late May, he was taken to the Darnall Army Medical Center on Fort Cavazos for medical evaluation, his mother told KWTX.

He was the subject of an administrative investigation into his disappearance, the findings of which are being withheld due to privacy laws, according to NBC News.

The Chamberlains married in 2020 after a whirlwind romance that began when they met on a dating app, friends and family have said.

Prior to his disappearance, Ms Chamberlain told several friends that the couple were going through a difficult phase and had been planning to divorce.

One friend, DLynn Pyles, told NBC News that Ms Chamberlain had been left with no food or money when her husband vanished.

Ms Pyle said she received a Facebook message from Ms Chamberlain saying: Even though Im getting divorced I still cant help but think hes in danger.

In interviews with local media raising attention about the search for her husband, Ms Chamberlain said pressures at Fort Cavazos had caused his mental health to deteriorate.

When I met him, he was a carefree, loving, laid back person. He didnt have a mean bone in his body, Ms Chamberlain told KWTX.

He had no hate in his heart. He was a happy man. And (Fort Cavazos) and his leadership completely destroyed him.

Fort Cavazos, roughly halfway between Austin and Waco in central Texas, was renamed as part of an effort to remove Confederate names from military bases (Reuters)

Fort Cavazos, home to more than 34,000 soldiers, is one of nine US Army bases to be renamed to remove references to Confederate army leaders.

It has been plagued by a series of mass shootings, suicides and allegations of sexual misconduct.

In 2020, Specialist Vanessa Guillen was murdered by fellow soldier Aaron David Robinson after reporting him twice for sexual harrasement.

The subsequent fallout from Guillens death prompted nationwide outrage and calls for an overhaul to the military justice system.

An Army review uncovered a climate permissive of sexual harassment and sexual assault at the base, and more than a dozen commanders were disciplined.

The review also found Army officials involved in investigating complex crimes were inexperienced, overwhelmed and understaffed.

In 2009, a US Army psychiatrist killed 13 people and injured more than 30 others in a shooting rampage that was the deadliest terror attack on US soil since 9/11.

Then in 2014, a veteran killed three people and injured 16 others before turning the gun on himself.
Two of the biggest investors in developer Rishi Kapoors company and real estate projects in South Florida have sued him, claiming he owes them $25 million under a contract agreement to buy out their interests that was signed at the end of last year.

The lawsuit claims Kapoor failed to pay the two investors in a series of scheduled equity payments this year. During this same time frame, the Miami Herald reported in May, corporate and public records show the developers company, Location Ventures, LLC, was paying Miami Mayor Francis Suarez $10,000 a month as a consultant on its mixed-use projects for services that included helping Kapoor cut through red tape at City Hall to obtain permits for a Coconut Grove development.

Both the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission, along with the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office and county ethics investigators, have opened probes of Kapoor, his business and his consulting arrangement with Suarez, the Herald reported last month.

The new suit, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court last week, names Kapoor, the CEO of Coral Gables-based developer, Location Ventures, and another one of his companies, Patriots United, LLC, as defendants. Kapoor did not return an email seeking comment; his attorney, Brian Goodkind, said he had no comment and indicated that he would not speak to a Herald reporter on the phone.

The breach-of-contract suit, brought by three companies controlled by Diana Ulis, a trustee, and her husband, Alex Kleyner, a wealthy businessman, is only the latest legal claim against Kapoor and Location Ventures suggesting the development firm faces mounting financial problems.

The couples lawyer, Alan Kluger, declined to comment about the suit on Friday.

Kleyner, a New Yorker who heads a company called National Debt Relief, invested more than $45 million into Location Ventures and its South Florida real estate projects, starting in 2021, according to several sources familiar with the deal. But Kleyner and his wife, who both sit on the Location Ventures board of directors, eventually soured on Kapoor and started pressuring him to return their money. Last year, Kleyner and his wife were able to recover more than $20 million of their initial investment from Kapoor  thanks to a private lender that financed the payment to the couple by Location Ventures.

But, as the new suit says, the couple signed an agreement to sell their remaining $25 million equity interests to Kapoor. He and his company, Patriots United, failed to pay them, according to the lawsuit. The agreement, signed on Dec. 31, 2022, is included as an exhibit in the suit.

In their suit, the couple say Kapoor still owes them $8.5 million for their investment in Location Ventures and an additional $16.5 million for their equity in two of the development firms projects in Coral Gables and Fort Lauderdale.

There are other signs of strain in Kapoors company, according to public and court records and sources familiar with Location Ventures.

Other lawsuits, layoffs

Last week, sources said, Location Ventures downsized, with about 10 employees laid off and a handful of others deciding ti leave the company. The developer also has been unable to move forward on the construction of a few projects, including one in Miami Beach that was shut down by the city because it had not obtained building permits. A former chief financial officer of Location Ventures, Greg Brooks, also filed a court motion last week to collect $150,000 in back pay and other compensation from Location Ventures, saying Kapoors company violated a settlement agreement requiring the full payment by mid-June.

In the motion, Brooks lawyer Brian Pollock says he was told by an attorney for Location Ventures that the developer had not yet made the settlement payment because it was having financial difficulties. Pollock noted that Location Ventures has failed to fulfill its obligation to Brooks despite lavish spending and portraying its successes in the public arena, according to the court motion.

If Location Ventures fails to pay Brooks settlement amount, a Miami-Dade Circuit judge could enforce it  but, ultimately, the former executive may have to pursue his claim as a potential creditor if the Location Ventures were to file for bankruptcy, according to legal experts.

Separately, court records in another lawsuit brought last December by a group of minority investors against Kapoor and one of his companies show that, to avoid foreclosure on its Coconut Grove project, Kapoor obtained extensions on two loans that cost $150,000 in extra fees to one lender and about $132,000 to another lender.

The minority group also complained in the suit that Kapoor obtained a $16 million loan for the Grove project without consulting them about taking on such substantial debt, as required by the operating agreement. The investors suing Kapoor are seeking his removal as manager of the Grove project, which is being developed by Location Ventures URBIN subsidiary, and millions of dollars in damages. The developer has denied the investors allegations.

Kapoor, a 39-year-old University of Miami graduate, founded Location Ventures in 2016 and owns a waterfront home in Coral Gables. He started making a name for himself by attracting wealthy people to invest more than $100 million in his companys projects  including a signature development, Villa Valencia, a 10-story luxury condo building in Coral Gables. Kapoor, corporate records show, now holds about 25% of Location Ventures ownership. About 60 investors  including Ulis and Kleyner  either own a stake in Location Ventures or in individual projects, according to corporate records

Kapoor, portrayed as a rising star in real estate publications, is still developing projects in Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere., according to sources familiar with his company.

The Herald reported in May that Kapoors company had paid Suarez at least $170,000 since September 2021, and that the firms records showed that the mayor and his office had assisted Kapoor in obtaining critical permits for the $70 million mixed-used residential and commercial project in Coconut Grove last year.

Suarez, who launched a bid for the GOP nomination for president last month, told the Herald that he was raising investment capital for Location Venures and its URBIN division, which has been developing three projects in Coconut Grove, Miami Beach and Coral Gables.

Suarez, a lawyer now in his second term as mayor, did not report his side income from Location Ventures on a financial disclosure form in 2022 and 2023, citing a loophole that didnt require him to do so because the payments represented less than five percent of his total earnings in those years.

But Kapoor, Location Ventures CEO, said that Suarezs role was providing marketing and programming services, offering ideas on the mix of retail stores and restaurants at URBINs projects in Miami-Dade County.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) on Friday signed Iowas new abortion ban into law, effectively outlawing most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

The ban will take effect immediately, further eroding abortion access across the Midwest, where it is already extremely limited.

I have never been prouder to sign a bill into law, Reynolds said while signing the bill at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa.

The GOP-led state legislature passed the ban earlier this week after an all-day special session, and the law is already facing a legal challenge.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, the Emma Goldman Clinic and the ACLU of Iowa filed a lawsuit in district court less than 12 hours after the bill passed Tuesday.

The state passed a nearly identical version of the law in 2018, but it was halted by a court because Roe v. Wade was still in effect. Last month, the state Supreme Court deadlocked 3-3 on whether to let the law take effect.

Abortion is banned in almost all cases in the neighboring states of Missouri, South Dakota and Wisconsin, though the Wisconsin law is being challenged.

The Iowa law bans abortion after an ultrasound detects fetal cardiac activity, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy. It contains limited exceptions for the life and health of the woman as well as exceptions for certain survivors of rape and incest, so long as the cases are reported to law enforcement authorities. It also has exceptions for fetal abnormalities that are incompatible with life.

Reynolds signed the bill at the Family Leadership Summit, where former Fox News host Tucker Carlson was interviewing several 2024 GOP candidates, including Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Iowa parents aim to show daughter wonders of world before she goes blind

GRANGER, Iowa  Miss B is waiting for the day she's able to dance with her dad under the lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris before the sights and sounds around her go dark.

Thousands of miles separate her from that dream in Granger, Iowa, located a short drive north of Des Moines. It's the same place where locals gave Breia Lastovka her fun and bubbly nickname that meets her personality even more.

Closer to home, the small-town Midwest girl also wants to ride a horse through the mountains of Colorado and see the bright lights of Times Square.

"It could be next week. It could be 20 years from now," said her mother, Alyssa Lastovka, as she tried to hold back her emotions. "We always hope that it'll be the longest. We don't have a choice in it. It's not up to us."

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Breia's short for her age, her parents say, but don't let that fool you for how much love she holds in her heart.

Her mom and dad spent six years trying to figure out what was wrong with their daughter's eyes. They were shocked to find out that she would eventually go completely blind and possibly lose her hearing.

Breia is one of only 1,200 people worldwide diagnosed with Alstrom syndrome. It's a disease that also brings obstacles of possible heart issues, obesity, short stature and diabetes.

"It's incredibly rare," her mother, Alyssa Lastovka, said. "They told us that there will be no cure in my lifetime and most likely no cure in Breia's lifetime."

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When Breia was about 3 months old, her parents noticed that her eyes moved very quickly. It almost looked like she was rolling or darting her eyes back and forth.

Her pediatrician referred her to a specialist eye doctor, but they couldn't figure out what was causing it.

"They were worried it was something with her brain," Lastovka said. "So we were sent to the children's hospital in Iowa City to see a neurologist."

Breia went on to see a neurologist and oncologist after doctors were worried that she had cancer.

"They ran tests on her spinal taps, MRIs, blood tests, urine tests, every test you could think of to try to find out what was wrong with her," Breia's mom said.

Yet, her condition continued to dumbfound doctors until she was referred to another specialist in July 2021.

"One look at Breia, and she said, 'I think I know what's wrong with her,'" Lastovka said.

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After numerous scans and a 45-minute test with wires strapped to her eye, doctors realized that Breia could only see in black and white. She was born without any cones in her eyes, which help see color.

After the diagnosis in October 2022, doctors told Breia's parents to let her live every day like she would lose her vision tomorrow  because she might.

Last year, Breia checked the first item on her list of things to see before she goes blind. She wanted to see Cinderella Castle at Disney World, so her parents made that check mark happen.

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The Lastovkas spent a week in Florida outside the theme parks, where Breia saw the ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. She didn't care that the water appeared gray. Hearing the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and feeling the sand between her toes was enough to make her heart happy.

Next up on her list is the Hollywood sign in California. She also wants to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree sparkle after Thanksgiving.

"Even though she doesn't see color, she can tell when there are lights on," Lastovka said. "She wants to see the big buildings in New York."

Let's not forget about Kansas City and North Carolina on her bucket list.

"I don't know why," her mother laughed. "She just put it on the list. She's really simple."

After that, Breia wants to see Niagara Falls and a lighthouse.

"She just wants to see so many cool things that I hope that she gets the chance to see them," her mom adds.

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More than $7,000 has been raised by strangers on GoFundMe to help Breia see all her world wonders to capture memories until she goes fully blind.

Until that hour comes, Lastovka said she will continue to remind parents like herself to keep advocating and pushing for their children.

"You are their voice," she said. "You have to do everything that you can to make sure that they are taken care of  I promise there is support out there."
Republican presidential candidate former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to local residents during a stop at the Pizza Ranch, Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Waukee, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

It was midway through a three-day swing of Iowa for Mike Pence when Luann Bertrand confronted him at a Pizza Ranch.

Bertrand, a retired store manager whose family also farms corn and raises cattle outside Sioux City, had a question about Jan. 6, 2021, the date that looms under the Pence campaign like a land mine.

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In Iowa, the state whose caucuses next year are make-or-break for Pence, Bertrand accused the former vice president of putting President Joe Biden in the White House. Seated at a table of GOP voters in the restaurant, Bertrand, dressed in gray, shook a finger at Pence as she told him he should have rejected the electoral votes of certain states on Jan. 6.

Pence, after listening with hands clutching his belt, offered a forceful rebuttal.

A Question for Mike Pence

If it wasnt for your vote, we would not have Joe Biden in the White House. Joe Biden shouldnt be there. And all those wonderful things you and Trump were doing together would be continuing, and this country would be on the right path.

Do you ever second-guess yourself? That was a constitutional right that you had to send those votes back to the states. It was not like you were going to personally elect him. We all know by the number of votes that were there who won that election. You changed history for this country, she said.

The Subtext

For a former vice president, Pence holds a position in the Republican presidential race that is both credibly strong and incredibly weak: He ranks third in polling averages, but with only about 7% support, far behind former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.

Digging into the polls suggests why: About 1 in 3 potential Republican primary voters views Pence unfavorably. In a survey of registered voters nationwide, the same share says they would never vote for him.

Anti-Trump Republicans are wary of Pences years of quiet servitude as the No. 2, while much of the GOP base that embraces Trump and his continued lying about the 2020 election blames Pence for his actions on Jan. 6, when he refused to block certification of the results.

Mike Pences Answer

The Constitution affords no authority to the vice president or anyone else to reject votes or return votes to the states. It had never been done before. It should never be done in the future. Im sorry, maam, but thats actually what the Constitution says. No vice president in American history ever asserted the authority that you have been convinced that I had. I want to tell you, with all due respect  Ive said it before; I say it right now  that President Trump was wrong about my authority that day, and hes still wrong, Pence said.

The Subtext

Pence is not running a race focused on Jan. 6; he presents himself as a traditional conservative in the Ronald Reagan mold. Still, the exchange was a crucial moment for Pence, in the eyes of the candidate, his campaign, a super political action committee that supports him and outside Republican strategists.

What Other People Are Saying

Devin OMalley, a spokesperson for the campaign, said it was the first time a voter openly queried Pence about sending back 2020 electoral votes to state legislatures, a common fallacy on the right. Pence decided to lean into his response to make a statement, OMalley said.

I dont think the moment was lost on him that the answer that he gave was going to be one that was kind of the answer of record and would be given a lot of attention, OMalley said.

We view it as an opportunity to set ourselves apart from other candidates. On the issue of who stands firmly with the Constitution of the United States under immense pressure, I dont think theres a moment in recent history that any one political leader has faced which has put on display their character and their judgment more than that one day.

On Friday, Pence returns to Iowa with other Republican candidates (but not Trump) for the Family Leadership Summit, a gathering of evangelical voters. These voters make up the most crucial bloc for Pences candidacy, but they retain a strong allegiance to Trump.

Bob Vander Plaats, president of the Family Leader, the group sponsoring the summit, said Pence did the right thing by tackling Jan. 6 head-on in Sioux City, though there are many voters he might never bring around.

He has to own it and double down on it. Everybodys got their hurdle, and this is going to be one that Mike Pence is going to have to clear,

he said.

Because the former president has boastfully said Pence was wrong and he wimped out and he lacked courage, his base of supporters are going to believe that. Pence is not going to win that issue with Trumps base. But Pence isnt trying to win Trumps base.

Scott Reed, co-chair of a super PAC working to elect Pence through grassroots organizing and advertising in Iowa, agreed. To him, Pences response to the voter was golden. We put it in the can, he said, meaning that the tape will show up in a future television ad. Theres a segment of the party that were never going to get  the Steve Bannon crowd. And theres plenty of the party left for us to get.

David Oman, a longtime center-right Republican strategist in Iowa who is unaffiliated with a campaign, said it was unclear whether Pences rebuttal of the voter  and his swipe at Trump  would help in the caucuses, which are Jan. 15, 2024.

Will it be helpful or unhelpful in six months? Well see,

Oman said.

My personal view is, history will be good to Mike Pence with respect to what happened on Jan. 6. Someday hell get the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Probably from a Democratic president.

What the Voter Says

In a follow-up interview, Bertrand, the voter who challenged Pence, repeated a falsehood that lawyers who told Trump that his vice president could refuse states electoral votes had won prior cases for Trump.

Although Bertrand was a Trump supporter in 2020, she is uncertain whether she will back him in the caucuses next year and said she wanted to hear from other candidates. Pence, however, failed to convince her that he acted correctly on Jan. 6.

President Trump has been accused time and again and went to court and won every case, and so Im under the assumption that in this case, when President Trump said he had a right to challenge Pence on his decision, it was his lawyers that told him that  the same lawyers who had come out on top before,

she said.

But if I am right or I am wrong is not important. To me, the idea Pence needs to know is, there are people in Iowa  and I think in the entire country  that still believe this. Thats a challenge hes up against when hes running.

I did not feel that I was personally attacking him. I just wanted him to know, hey, theres more of me than of you out there.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
An Iowa Republican senator has revoked his endorsement of former President Donald Trump for attacking Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on social media.

First-term Sen. Jeff Reichman, R-Montrose, announced Thursday he now endorses Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Reichman's flip comes days after Trump criticized Reynolds for pledging to remain neutral in the Iowa Caucuses, rather than endorsing his candidacy. Trump said he "opened up" the gubernatorial position for Reynolds in 2018, then endorsed her "when she fell behind."

"I don't invite her to events!" Trump wrote.

His criticism has touched a nerve. On Friday, the Republican Accountability PAC announced it will air a 30-second ad across the state on Fox News and digitally focusing on Trump's attack on Reynolds.

In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Reichman said Reynolds has "become family."

"Trump is very outspoken. We've come to expect that, and that's fine when it was focused at the right people," Reichman said. "And then this week, when it became focused on our governor  I felt like it was the right thing to do to look out for our governor, our home team here. Keeping that in mind, I decided to pull my endorsement for Trump."

Iowa Sen. Jeff Reichman, R-Montrose

Reichman acknowledged the similarities between Republican priorities in Iowa and in Florida. Lawmakers in both states have passed similar legislation, including bills to use state funds for private school expenses, to prohibit most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy and to limit instruction on LGBTQ topics.

"We passed a lot of the same or similar legislation, so it was a pretty clear choice," Reichman said.

In response to Reichman's decision to withdraw his endorsement, Trump campaign spokesperson Stephen Cheung told POLITICO, which first reported the story, "there is no room for weak-kneed and lily-livered people on Team Trump." Cheung said the DeSantis campaign "promised financial support" to win over Reichman.

Reichman said financial support was "definitely not" a factor in his decision, and he objected to being called "weak-kneed and lily-livered."

"I'm a 29-year (U.S. Marine Corps) combat veteran," Reichman said in a text message. "I can assure you that I am neither."

The DeSantis campaign on Thursday also announced two new legislative endorsements from Rep. Josh Meggers, R-Grundy Center, and Rep. Matt Rinker, R-Burlington.

Thirty-nine Iowa lawmakers have endorsed DeSantis, according to the campaign.

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa senator flips support from Trump to DeSantis over Reynolds attack
An Iowa Republican senator revoked his endorsement of former President Donald Trump after he attacked Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on social media.

First-term Republican state Sen. Jeff Reichman announced Thursday that he now endorses Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president in 2024 after Trump slammed the popular GOP governor on his social media site, Truth Social, after she abstained from endorsing a GOP presidential primary candidate in 2024.

"Trump is very outspoken. We've come to expect that, and that's fine when it was focused at the right people," Reichman said in an interview with the Des Moines Register. "And then this week, when it became focused on our governor  I felt like it was the right thing to do to look out for our governor, our home team here. Keeping that in mind, I decided to pull my endorsement for Trump."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump greets supporters accompanied by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds during a campaign rally, in Davenport, Iowa, U.S. March 13, 2023.

Kim Reynolds, governor of Iowa, speaks during a campaign kickoff event for Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, in Clive, Iowa, US, on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

Reichman added that Gov. Reynolds was "like family," and after Trump's remarks, he decided to pull his endorsement and support Gov. DeSantis presidential run.

Trump claimed he "opened up" the gubernatorial position for Reynolds in 2018, then endorsed her "when she fell behind."

"I don't invite her to events!" Trump wrote.

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TRUMP SLAMS IOWA'S REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR FOR STAYING NEUTRAL IN 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION RACE

In a following Twitter post, DeSantis called the Hawkeye State's governor a "strong leader" who knows how to "ignore the chirping."

"Kim Reynolds is a strong leader who knows how to ignore the chirping and get it done." DeSantis wrote in a Twitter post. "She earned a landslide re-election because she delivered big results, and she is poised to deliver even more for Iowans in the special session."

Kim Reynolds, governor of Iowa, introduces former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, during an "America First Education Policy" event in Davenport, Iowa, US, on Monday, March 13, 2023.

Trump in 2017 nominated longtime Republican Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as U.S. ambassador to China. Reynolds  who was lieutenant governor at the time  succeeded Branstad as governor. The then-president endorsed Reynolds ahead of her narrow election in 2018 to a full term in office. Reynolds was easily re-elected by 19 points last year.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson called Trump's criticism of Reynolds "dictatorial," saying that "America deserved better than Donald Trump."

TOP GOP DONOR GIVES SCOTT A CLOSER LOOK WHILE DESANTIS' 2024 HASNT TAKEN OFF'

"No one should be attacked for declining to endorse a politician. That behavior is dictatorial," former Gov. Asa Hutchinson wrote in a Twitter post. "I applaud @KimReynoldsIA for welcoming all GOP candidates into Iowa. America deserves better than Donald Trump."

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called the governor a "conservative rock star" in a Twitter post. "Like I always say, Iowa grows strong women!"

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (C) smiles as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (L) introduces her. Haley held a town hall in Urbandale, Iowa, after announcing her candidacy for President of the United States.

While remaining neutral, Reynolds has hosted a number of presidential hopefuls to her home state including former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.

Reynolds joined Casey DeSantis launch of "Mamas for DeSantis" last week, a campaign to draw more women and parents to the DeSantis camp.

The DeSantis campaign on Thursday also announced two new legislative endorsements from Rep. Josh Meggers, R-Grundy Center, and Rep. Matt Rinker, R-Burlington.

Thirty-nine Iowa lawmakers have endorsed DeSantis, according to DeSantis' Never Back Down press release.

Sen. Reichman's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Russia was supposed to supply Iran with SU-35 fighter jets, but it took all the payment and has not yet delivered a single aircraft

Nearly a year after Iran purchased 50 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, the aircraft are still not delivered, journalist Saeed Azimi wrote in a July 13 report for the Bourse and Bazaar Foundation analytical center.

Read also: Ukrainian diplomat says Minsk-Moscow-Tehran-Beijing alliance is threat to global security

In Azimi's piece, he mentioned that Iranian Brig. Gen. Hamid Vahedi confirmed the completion of all payments for Russia's Su-35 fighters. These jets were expected to be in Tehran's possession this year, yet the government is now uncertain if they will ever arrive.

Azimi reported that Iran expected the aircraft to be delivered three weeks ago. However, Vahedi asserted that delivery is not expected to occur. Furthermore, he revealed that Iran's top officials have acknowledged this decision while continuing to await the required aircraft, uncertain of when they will be integrated into their fleet.

According to the report, Iran's air force is primarily composed of antiquated U.S. planes that have far surpassed their operational lifespan. Hence, Tehran was compelled to purchase 50 Su-35 fighters from its ally, Russia.

Read also: Ukraines Air Force downs 16 Iranian Shahed drones during overnight attack

Russia managed not only to secure the prepayment for the aircraft but also to negotiate a deal for Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones. Tehran began supplying the UAVs in late 2022. Nearly a year has passed since these arrangements were made, and yet, Tehran has not received any Su-35 jets.

Read also: US buying decommissioned MIM-23 Hawk missiles from Taiwan for Ukraine  report

Azimi's article underscores that Russia, dealing with challenges arising from its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sought Iran's assistance. In return, Tehran responded to the Kremlin's request, providing support. However, as Azimi concludes, Iran was merely exploited, receiving nothing in exchange.

Read also: Russian invaders shell nine districts in Sumy Oblast

The Wall Street Journal reported in late April that, over the past six months, Iran has supplied Russia with over 300,000 artillery shells and around one million rounds of ammunition via cargo ships.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The United Nations says that Iraq is one of five countries in the world most touched by some effects of climate change (Ahmad AL-RUBAYE)

With scorching temperatures and power cuts, Wissam Abed cools off from Baghdad's brutal summer by swimming in the Tigris river, but as Iraqi rivers dry up, so does the age-old pastime.

Near a bridge linking the east of the city to the west, Abed stood in the middle of the river, but the water only came up to his waist.

"I live here in Adhamiya, like my grandfather did before me. Year after year, the water situation gets worse," said the 37-year-old, referring to his neighbourhood nestled along the Tigris in northern Baghdad.

Abed waded through the water to the middle of the ancient river, as temperatures reached near 50 degrees celsius (122 Farenheit) and wind whipped through the city like a hair dryer one July afternoon.

He told AFP he comes to the Tigris "to have fun and feel refreshed".

Summer in Iraq is a prime example of the convergences of multiple crises weighing down the lives of the 43-strong population: a dilapidated electricity sector, rising temperatures and severe water shortages.

The United Nations says Iraq is one of the five countries in the world most touched by some effects of climate change.

In parts Baghdad, home to around nine million people, the water is still deep enough for youths to enjoy diving into the water from mounds of bricks. But elsewhere, new islets of earth stick out from the middle of the river.

"In the evening when we return to our homes, there is no water or electricity," said Abed, a public employee at the ministry of electricity.

Last night, "I came to swim in the river at one o'clock in the morning before returning" home.

- Cyclical electricity shortages -

In addition to the declining levels of rainfall, Iraqi authorities say upstream dam construction by Turkey and Iran has impacted the volume of the water that runs in rivers through Iraq.

Ravaged by decades of conflict and international sanctions, oil-rich Iraq relies on Iranian gas imports for a third of its energy needs.

It is also beset by rampant corruption, and suffers from dilapidated infrastructure.

Generally power cuts can last up to 10 hours a day. But every summer when the thermometer climbs, the supply of public electricity worsens.

Families who can afford it hook up their house to neighbourhood generators to make up for the poor supply.

But to do away with power cuts, Iraqi power plants would need to produce more than 32,000 megawatts (MW) daily, according to authorities.

This year, for the first time, Iraq produced 26,000 MW per day on average until the onset of July when production fell due to Iran shutting off the gas taps over 11 billion euros of unpaid bills.

An agreement has been reached and electricity production has improved to exceed 24,000 MW, the ministry of electricity said on Friday.

- 'No water' -

While the first week of July was the hottest on record in the world, according to preliminary data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Iraq is experiencing a scorching weekend.

Temperatures are due to climb to 47 degrees Celsius on Saturday in Baghdad and 50 degrees in Basra in the far south, according to the country's meteorological service.

In the summer of 2022, the Tigris water level was so low in Baghdad that AFP filmed young people playing volleyball in the middle of the river.

At the time, the ministry of water resources attributed this to "sand deposits" which were no longer being carried downstream and instead accumulated at the bottom of the river.

Taha Oudai comes from a family of fishermen. To support his family, he now offers leisure boat trips and does odd jobs.

"There is no water," he said. "Over the past two years, the drought has gotten worse," added the 34-year-old.

Oudai said he remembers a time when the level of the water in Adhamiya was so high it reached the steps of his family house.

"My father and my uncles used to tell me how they tied up their boat near the house," he said.

Now, however, "people can cross the river on foot, from one bank to the other" in certain areas, he added.

lk/tgg/hme/ysm/hkb
Zelenskyy / Israel Illustrated / Getty Images

NATO won't be welcoming Ukraine as a new member  not, at least, as long as there is a war on. But that doesn't mean Kyiv will be left to its own devices. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. and other Western countries are looking to the "Israel model" as a way to shore up Ukraine's defenses over the long term. "Israel isn't a member of NATO," but the country "has enjoyed a special relationship with the U.S." that has long made it flush with American aid and weaponry.

The Israel model would make Ukraine "strong enough to deter any future Russian adventurism" but still leave the United States room to avoid direct conflict with Russia, Duke University's Peter D. Feaver wrote at Foreign Policy. The option "maximizes the role the West has most enthusiastically embraced"  equipping and training Ukraine's forces  while minimizing the possibility that NATO forces could end up "fighting and dying" in Ukraine.

"Critically" the New York Times reported, the Israel model for Ukraine "would avoid a provision like NATO's Article 5, which declares that an attack against one member state is an attack against them all." The big question: Would Israel's example help Ukraine deter future Russian attacks?

What the commentators are saying

"It's a testament to Israel's success at defending itself that friends of Ukraine invoke it as a security model," Jason Willick wrote for the Washington Post. One advantage of the model for Ukraine is that America's non-treaty allies "have more freedom to make their own foreign-policy decisions." Israel, for example, has a history of "acting aggressively and unilaterally" against perceived threats. American leaders haven't always enjoyed that independence. If the West goes with the Israel model for Ukraine, it "should be clear-eyed about what it means."

Israel has one thing that Ukraine doesn't, Eliot Cohen wrote at The Atlantic: A nuclear arsenal. The U.S. shouldn't want Ukraine to go down the road of developing its own nuclear weapons. That would only invite more conflict: Russians might try to strike that program preemptively, and Ukraine in turn might be tempted to display its nuclear capabilities. "That is an outcome no one should want." President Biden should take the lead in welcoming Ukraine to NATO unless "he prefers to be the father of the Ukrainian atom bomb."

"Granting NATO membership to Ukraine is critical to ensuring it wins the war against Russia quickly and decisively," Ian Brzezinski wrote for the Atlantic Council. U.S. assistance to Israel "has been critical to Israel's survival" but "Israel's adversaries in the Islamic world are not major powers." That means Ukraine is far more vulnerable, and far more in need of the alliance's protection. The Israel model would leave Ukraine "indefinitely in the gray zone of insecurity."

"The Israel model is more viable than NATO membership, and may indeed be preferable to it," Emma Ashford and Kelly A. Grieco wrote for the Stimson Center. But that model might be no less threatening to Russia than NATO membership. And the example of Israel suggests using that example in Ukraine will come with "headaches" for U.S. policymakers. Even with the risks, the Israel model might be the "best of the bad options" going forward.

What's next

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear his desire for NATO membership, but NPR reported he didn't get that at the recent alliance summit. Instead, NATO is holding out the promise of future Ukrainian membership after the war is over. In the meantime, Zelenskyy received renewed pledges of Israel-like Western support. "The one thing Zelenskyy understands now is that whether or not he's in NATO now is not relevant, as long as he has the commitments," Biden said.

The Israel model may avoid committing the U.S. to a direct defense. But, as Feaver noted at Foreign Policy, it won't come cheap. (Assistance to Israel usually comes with a $2-4 billion annual price tag.) America will probably be entangled with Ukraine for a long time to come. Whether it chooses NATO membership or merely massive military aid, "the demands on the United States are considerable going forward."

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Italian who chopped up partner avoids life sentence as she used him

Carol Maltesi was killed by her boyfriend when they were shooting a pornographic film - Newsflash

An Italian man who chopped up his lovers body after murdering her has avoided a life sentence, with a court ruling that the young woman was uninhibited and had used him.

Davide Fontana, 44, a bank employee, hit 26-year-old Carol Maltesi in the head with a hammer 13 times and slit her throat with a knife.

He then cut her body into pieces and tried to burn them before hiding them in a freezer instead. He finally stuffed them into black plastic bags which he threw into a gully in the countryside.

The remains were not found until three months later, after which Fontana was accused of murder and sent to trial.

He was sentenced last month to 30 years in prison and judges explained their ruling on the case on Thursday, in a move that provoked an immediate outcry in Italy, with critics highlighting it as an example of victim blaming.

Prosecutors had sought a life sentence.

The couple had been in a romantic relationship but it turned sour when Maltesi announced that she wanted to leave the small town she was living in and move to Verona to be reunited with her six-year-old son, who lived there with her former partner.

Fontana bought a freezer in which to store Ms Maltesi's body - Newsflash

She had worked as a shop assistant but had started to dabble in the world of erotica, performing in sex shows and working as an escort.

On the day she was murdered, in January last year, she and Fontana were making a pornographic video in her apartment.

A court in Busto Arzese, near Milan, convicted Fontana of murder but ruled that it was not premeditated, nor did it involve excessive cruelty, despite the horrific way in which he killed his girlfriend.

The judges described Maltesi as young and uninhibited, saying that Fontana had felt used by her as she tried to further her personal and professional prospects.

He had reportedly been deeply in love with her and was devastated when she announced that she was leaving him.

He had felt a growing sense of frustration, knowing that she had used him, the judges wrote in the explanation of the sentence they handed down.

Fontana had been driven to murder by the realisation that he had lost the woman he loved.

Carol Maltesi wanted to move to Verona to live closer to her son - Newsflash

But the judges explanation was called into question by many, including Italian media outlets and the victims relatives, who described the sentencing decision as shocking.

Can the character of a victim be an attenuating circumstance in a murder? the daily newspaper La Stampa asked in a page one story on Friday.

Relatives of Maltesi said the sentence left them shocked and incredulous.

The judges words harm the dignity of the victim, family members told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Annamaria Rago, the lawyer representing the family, said the judges had allowed their ruling to be swayed by Maltesis involvement in the sex industry.

If Carol had continued to work as a shop assistant Fontana would have been most likely condemned to life in prison, she said.

The courts sentencing was also condemned by several female members of parliament.

Not my problem

But the senior judge in the case, Giuseppe Fazio, said he would have handed down the same sentence even if she had been a nun.

If people dont understand the motivation behind the sentence, then thats certainly not my problem, he told Corriere della Sera.

The Italian justice systems attitude towards women came under intense scrutiny earlier this week when a court in Rome acquitted a 66-year-old school caretaker of groping a teenage schoolgirl on the basis that it only lasted a handful of seconds.

The 17-year-old girl was walking up a flight of stairs between classes when the janitor, Antonio Avola, put his hand inside the waistband of her trousers and into her knickers.

He was charged with sexual assault and sent to trial. Prosecutors had called for a sentence of three and a half years in prison.

But the court ruled that his groping had only lasted between five and 10 seconds and that his hand had not lingered down her underwear for very long, deciding to acquit him of the charge.

The verdict triggered an online protest with thousands of social media users posting videos of themselves touching intimate body parts with the hashtags #10seconds and #quickgrope.

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Special counsel Jack Smith rejected Donald Trumps plea to postpone his criminal trial for his hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate post-presidency.

Earlier this week, Trump implored a federal court to delay on setting a date, arguing that it would be virtually impossible to seat an impartial jury while he remains a presidential candidate. Attorneys for Trump and Walt Nauta, his personal aide and co-defendant, previously claimed that the existing discovery production would take considerable time and effort to adequately review.

Smith and his team denounced Trumps attempt at special treatment, writing in the filing obtained by CNN on Thursday that the demands of defendants professional schedules do not provide a basis to delay trial in this case. Many indicted defendants have demanding jobs that require a considerable amount of their time and energy, or a significant amount of travel.

The Speedy Trial Act contemplates no such factor as a basis for a continuance, and the court should not indulge it here, Smiths team added.

Smith also accused Trump and Nauta of creating a misleading account of the amount of CCTV footage prosecutors in the case handed over to the defendants.

The Government obtained footage only from selected cameras (many of which do not continuously record) from selected dates throughout the period for which it obtained footage, the filing stated.

Smiths team also pointed out that while 800,000 pages of discovery were turned over to the defense, nearly one-third consisted of non-content email header and footer information and that there are only about 4,500 key pages.

Federal prosecutors scoffed at Trumps frivolous attempt to use the Presidential Records Act as a shield, pointing out that the PRA does not apply to criminal offenses or the hoarding of national security secrets.



The Defendants are, of course, free to make whatever arguments they like for dismissal of the indictment, and the Government will respond promptly, the prosecution said. But they should not be permitted to gesture at a baseless legal argument, call it novel and then claim the court will require an indefinite continuance in order to resolve it.

Trump faces a 37-count grand-jury indictment on charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice, corruptly concealing a record or document, and concealing a document in a federal investigation. The charges stem from his alleged refusal to hand over scores of classified material Trump took to his Mar-a-Lago resort upon leaving the White House in 2021.

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Jamie Foxx looks good as he returns womans missing handbag in new sighting since medical emergency

Jamie Foxx was seen looking good as he returned a womans lost handbag in another sighting of the actor following his medical emergency in April.

Earlier this week, Terri Quenni Glenn and her two sisters were riding in an open-air pedicab on Michigan Avenue in Chicago when they saw a black SUV driving behind them and honking its horn.

Glenn told People Magazine that she and her sisters were shocked when the car pulled up next to them and Foxx opened the back door holding her bag.

She had placed the bag on the floor of the pedicab. It had apparently fallen out the side of the vehicle when it turned a corner.

I wanted to ask Jamie where he found the purse, Glenn, a home health care aide in Columbus, Ohio, told the publication. I didnt even know it fell out.

The door opens and we see someone holding the bag as hes stepping out, said Glenn. I saw it was Jamie holding the bag.

The bag contained an iPad, her keys, and approximately $20 (15).

Glenn recalled that she called out to Foxx, asking: Are you feeling good? And he said, Im feeling good.

Jamie Foxx (Getty Images)

As he was getting back in the SUV, Glenn thanked him to which he reportedly answered: Youre welcome baby.

He hopped out and came toward me, and hopped back in. He looked good. He looked very good, Glenn recalled. His voice, it was calm. It sounded good to me.

She took a photo of the star, which was published on People.

She added that there was a driver in the front seat and a woman sitting next to him in the back.

The encounter follows after Foxx was recently pictured in public for the first time since he suffered a medical complication that led to him being admitted to hospital.

Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained' (Columbia/The Weinstein Company/Kobal/Shutterstock)

On Sunday (9 July), TMZ shared footage of the actor on a boat on the Chicago River. In it, he can be seen doing a peace sign and waving to fans.

Earlier this year, the Django Unchained star was taken to hospital in April, with his daughter Corinne telling fans that due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery.

Weeks later, Foxx shared his first post on social media after the incident, and Corinne confirmed in May that he had been out of hospital for weeks. No details of the medical complication have been shared.

He had been filming the forthcoming Netflix comedy Back in Action alongside Cameron Diaz in Georgia in April when he was admitted to hospital.

In June, Foxxs representatives were forced to refute right-wing conspiracy theories that the actor had been left paralysed and blind by the Covid-19 vaccine, calling the theories completely inaccurate.

Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx and John Boyega in They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix)

He will next star in another Netflix comedy, They Cloned Tyrone, alongside British actor John Boyega.

On the red carpet for the films premiere, for which Foxx was absent, Boyega said that after hearing of Foxxs medical issues, hed been calling his co-star and would keep on calling until his co-star answered.

He finally picked up the phone. Thank you, bro, he said. Hes doing well. And then, you know, we just giving him the privacy, and we cant wait for his return.

Boyega continued: I gave him the well wishes directly. I gave him all the well wishes. So Im just gonna be waiting until he comes back out here. So take your time, Jamie. We love you, bro.

They Cloned Tyrone co-producer Datari Turner also told People: Hes doing amazing. I promise you. Doing really, really good.

The film begins its limited theatrical release on 14 July before it arrives on Netflix on 21 July.
Jan. 6 rioter accused of stealing from Pelosis office sentenced to more than 4 years in prison

A Chicago man who went inside former Speaker Pelosis office and stole a prized photograph and the wallet of one her staffers during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the Capitol, was sentenced Friday to over four years in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell sentenced Kevin Lyons, 40, to four years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, according to court records. This is a few months shorter than the federal prosecutors recommended sentence of four years and eight months, according to a sentencing memo filed earlier this month.

The memo details the moments during the Stop the Steal, rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6., where Lyons, an HVAC technician, recorded a video of himself and the scene around him using a cell phone.

Federal prosecutors said despite tear gas and what was assumed to be a flash bang grenade, Lyons pushed towards the Capitol with the crowd, chanting Whose house? Our house!

Lyons went into the Capitol through the Senate wing door, where he yelled out Nancy, where are you? before entering Pelosis office suites and her private office. There, he took a wallet from a congressional staffers coat and a framed photograph with late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), according to the court documents.

The sentencing memo states the framed photo of Pelosi and Lewis during a 2019 visit to Africa was a gift from Lewis to mark their last trip abroad together.

While in Pelosis office, Lyons also took a picture of the speakers wooden name plate mounted over the door and posted it on his Instagram, where he earlier posted a photo of his driving route from Chicago to Washington,D.C., according to the memo.

Just under 20 minutes later, Lyons left the Capitol in an Uber, during which he photographed himself with the photo of Pelosi and Lewis, according to the memo. Federal prosecutors said Lyons later texted his friends a picture of the photograph, admitting he took the photo. He then bragged, Im pretty confident I am now a multiple Federal felon.

The complaint also said Lyons also heckled a group of United States Capitol Police, calling them Nazis and oath breakers.

Days later on Jan. 11, 2021, FBI agents interviewed Lyons at his home after they received a tip about his involvement in the Capitol riot. Lyons eventually handed over the photos and videos he took during the insurrection to the FBI.

Two days after the interview, Lyons was arrested on a criminal complaint and was convicted of six federal charges earlier this year.

The Associated Press reports Lyons wasnt charged with theft of the photograph, but acknowledged in a court filing that he took it and the staffers wallet.

Court records show the judge also ordered Lyons to pay a $2,000 restitution and a $180 total special assessment, both of which match the prosecutions recommendations.

In a defendant sentencing memo filed in early July, his lawyers stated Lyons knows his conduct was wrong and he is ashamed of what he has done.

The judge is allowing Lyons to remain free until he reports to prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man from Lebanon, Maine was sentenced on Thursday to seven years in prison for throwing a spear-like object at police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Kyle Fitzsimons, 39, was convicted of 11 charges  including seven felonies  for his role in the insurrection and sentenced to 87 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release, according to the Department of Justice news release. He was also ordered by Judge Rudolph Contreras to pay $2,000 in restitution.

Authorities said between 3:45 and 4:30 p.m, he was among a crowd of rioters who were illegally on Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021, brawling with law enforcement officers at the tunnel entrance of the lower west terrace of the Capitol building.

Fitzsimons, who was seen wearing a white butchers jacket and carrying an unstrung bow, committed five assaults against police officers within a five-minute span. At one point, he threw the unstrung bow at the group of officers, which hit and bounced off the ballistic helmet of the the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), court documents revealed.

Amid another altercation with an MPD officer, a different rioter sprayed them with a chemical agent and Fitzsimons trapped the chemical under the detectives mask, causing him to temporarily suffocate, the filing reads.

The butcher also encouraged his fellow rioters to get in there and fight law enforcement like he did when leaving the Capitol grounds.

The judge on Thursday said he attacked police in a burst of frenzied fury and unleashed an orgy of assaultive rage, according to the Associated Press.

Fitzsimons, who pleaded guilty in September, apologized to the officers he attacked, the court, his family and anyone else Ive disappointed by my conduct, admitting that he didnt see at first that he was a danger to the republic, AP reported.

Authorities have arrested more than 1,069 individuals for their involvement in the Capitol insurrection. More than 350 individuals have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement during the riot.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and stole a photo of the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office was sentenced to more than four years in prison on Friday.

Kevin Lyons, 40, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after he was found guilty in April of six federal charges, including a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding.

Lyons traveled from his home in Chicago to the Capitol, posting on his Instagram a screenshot of a map tracing the route, according to his charging documents. His caption read: I refuse to tell my children that I sat back and did nothing. I am heading to DC to STOP THE STEAL!

Kevin Lyons, 40, recorded himself in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office on Jan. 6, 2021.

Kevin Lyons, 40, recorded himself in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office on Jan. 6, 2021.

After entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, Lyons yelled out Pelosis name as he walked to her office, according to a sentencing memo from prosecutors.

Nancy, where are you? Nancy! he shouted.

After entering her office, Lyons stole the photo of Lewis. He also recorded himself as he stole a wallet from a staff members jacket. In an Instagram post that he later deleted but was recovered by investigators, Lyons posted a photo of a wooden plaque with Pelosis name on it. The caption read: WHOS HOUSE?!?!? OUR HOUSE!!

Kevin Lyons, 40, took a photo of himself after stealing a photo of late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

Kevin Lyons, 40, took a photo of himself after stealing a photo of late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

After leaving the Capitol, Lyons texted a group of friends a photo of himself with the stolen photograph, prosecutors said.

I took this off Pelosis fucking desk!! We fucking did it!! he texted. Twelve minutes later, he sent another text: Im pretty confident I am now a multiple Federal felon.

During an interview with the FBI back at his home in Chicago, Lyons offered to share his recordings with investigators. On Jan. 9, Lyons emailed an FBI agent videos he took inside the Capitol and posted to YouTube.

Hello nice FBI Lady, here are the links to the videos, he wrote.

Lyons was arrested the following week.

During his sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell blasted Lyons for joining the mob and calling officers at the Capitol fucking Nazi bastards! and SS! NBC News reported.

It was the mob that was more like the Nazis and the fascists that day, Howell said.

Related...
The film's plot has been kept under wraps, and publicity has been minimal (Richard A. Brooks)

Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's highly-anticipated film -- his first feature in a decade and probably his last -- was released in Japan on Friday.

The 82-year-old Miyazaki, co-founder of the celebrated anime house Ghibli, came out of retirement to make "How Do You Live?".

It was years in production, with the studio taking the unusual step of keeping details about the plot tightly under wraps and offering minimal publicity.

The only clue about the storyline was a poster featuring a hand-sketched, bird-like creature with an eye nestled below its beak.

"It was a very Ghibli-esque movie," university student Eisaku Kimura, 21, told AFP after watching a morning screening of the film in the trendy Shibuya district.

"It's not like I felt anything special about it just because it was his last work, but I saw a lot of (Miyazaki) in the movie for sure, and it was exciting."

"How Do You Live?" was inspired by a 1937 book of the same title, but the studio said previously the movie would be entirely different.

The film is about a boy who moves to the countryside with his father following the death of his mother.

There, he meets a heron, who transports him to an alternate universe where the mystery of his mother's death slowly unravels.

"It's such a crazy mixture of all the Ghibli movies I've seen before," Valeriia Matveeva, an English teacher from Russia, 30, told AFP.

"I think it takes the best of it, and I think it's kind of scary at times but it's also magical. Because there was no promotion, I had no idea what to think about it, but it was good."

Miyazaki has built a cult following with his fantastical depictions of nature and machinery, and beloved characters like the cuddly forest spirit creature Totoro.

His film "Spirited Away," about a girl who gets lost in a mysterious world and tries to save her parents, who are turned into pigs, won an Oscar for best animated feature in 2003.

In 2013, Miyazaki said he would no longer make feature-length films, as he could not maintain the hectic intensity of his perfectionist approach to work.

However, in an about-turn four years later, his production company said he was coming out of retirement to make what would be "his final film, considering his age."

nf-eg/amj/sah/mca
By Sakura Murakami

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan called on China to approach the release of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in a "scientific manner" at a meeting held between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi on Friday.

In a move that has caused alarm among neighbouring countries and local fishermen, Japan is set to start releasing more than 1 million tonnes of water from the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant this summer. China has emerged as the most vocal of those critics, saying the plan would endanger the environment and human lives.

At a meeting with Wang on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Indonesia, Hayashi said Japan was willing to communicate with China about the water discharge from a scientific perspective, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

"(Hayashi) called on China to respond in a scientific manner," it said in a statement.

Wang, in turn, asked Japan to "face up" to legitimate concerns of all sides, "sincerely" communicate with its neighbours and be "prudent" in handling the situation.

"This is as much an issue about attitude as it is about science," China's official Xinhua news agency cited Wang as saying.

The issue of the water release took up a substantive amount of the hour-long talk between Wang and Hayashi, but the two did not come to a clear agreement on the matter, a Japanese foreign ministry official told reporters later on Friday.

Although China has raised concerns about the water discharge, a comprehensive review of the plan by the United Nations nuclear watchdog has said that the impact would be "negligible" and that the discharge would be in accordance with international standards.

The Japanese government says the water has been filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is hard to separate from water. The treated water will be diluted to well below internationally approved levels of tritium before being released into the Pacific.

Hayashi defended the plan at an ASEAN meeting on Thursday and asserted that China was making "claims not rooted in scientific evidence", according to Japan's foreign ministry.

Relations between the two countries have also become tense as China asserts its maritime ambitions in the region, which Hayashi touched on during his meeting with Wang.

Hayashi "conveyed strong concerns over China's increasing military activity conducted within the vicinity of Japan" as well as Chinese military cooperation with Russia, according to the statement.

Wang said he hoped Japan could be "objective and rational" towards China, and not position it as a threat.

"Japan has identified China as the biggest strategic challenge and rendered China as a threat, which is seriously inconsistent with the reality of China-Japan relations," he said, adding that Beijing was open to maintaining contacts with Japan at all levels.

(Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Additional reporting by Ethan Wang in Beijing; editing by Himani Sarkar, Michael Perry, Mark Heinrich and Alex Richardson)
Theres a pattern Kristee Haggins has noticed in her 30 years of advocacy: When Black communities fight for progress, everyone benefits.

In the civil rights movement, everyone meant immigrants and other communities of color, including Asian Americans. When the federal government wrongfully incarcerated thousands of Japanese Americans in World War II, Black activists and lawmakers joined Japanese Americans in their fight for redress. The result? Congress passed a law to give survivors of incarceration $20,000 and a formal apology in 1988.

But just over a year after those successful efforts, a federal bill to consider reparations for slavery stalled.

Theres been some support in some ways, said Haggins, executive director and founder of Safe Black Space, a nonprofit organization aiming to support healing for local Black communities. When it came to the redress movement, Black folks were there, she said. And yet, we still havent gotten ours.

In California, around 66% of Asian Americans support an official apology for slavery and its lingering effects, but, much like white Americans, that support drops significantly when it comes to cash payments as reparations, a May 2023 UCLA report found.

As more Japanese and Asian American organizations sign their names to the growing list of groups that support the states Black communities in their fight for reparations, parallels between their fight for redress in the 70s and 80s to todays discussion at the Legislature have emerged. But those shared struggles on their own miss the full picture, reparations supporters say, as the movements have also raised questions about how to combat and understand the tensions between the two communities.

President Ronald Reagan celebrates in 1988 with legislators in Washington after signing a bill to make moral and financial amends to Japanese Americans sent to incarceration camps during World War II. He is joined by then-Rep. Robert Matsui, D-Sacramento, left, and then-Sen. Pete Wilson, R-Calif., among others. Japanese Americans in their 70s and 80s inspired by the civil rights movement and who pushed for redress in the 1980s are among the most outspoken advocates of reparations for Black Americans.

Sometimes I think solidarity can be thought of really shallow, only like What are the connections? which is very important, said Wendi Yamashita, assistant professor of ethnic studies at Sacramento State and a fourth-generation Japanese American. Her family avoided discussing their experiences with incarceration, she said, and she found answers in college ethnic studies classes, a field of study born from Asian, Black, Latino and Native students protests in the late 60s.

In order to have a more ethical solidarity and be better allies, Japanese Americans also have to really think of our positionality, Yamashita argues. Asian Americans have long been stereotyped as economically successful minorities who have overcome disadvantages, a perspective often used to downplay the marginalization impacting Black Americans.

And after Florida officials criticized several elements of an Advanced Placement African American studies course, state leaders went on to mandate teaching Asian American and Pacific Islander history: We have historically been used as this kind of wedge.







One piece of a broader story

In the recent fight for reparations for the slavery of Black people, there has been significant support from Japanese Americans. The final recommendations from the states reparations task force make several references to Japanese Americans experiences with redress and incarceration, such as a need for public education about the injustice after atonement. At one point, experts pointed to their incarceration in World War II when calculating loss of freedom estimates from the war on drugs and mass incarceration.

Reggie Roman, of Los Angeles, speaks during the public comment portion of the Reparations Task Force meeting at the CalEPA Building in Sacramento in March.

One of the oldest Asian American civil rights organizations, the Japanese American Citizens League, helped lead the redress movement and soon went on to support reparations legislation. But redress would have not been successful without the support of Black activists and lawmakers, said Josh Kaizuka, co-president of the JACLs Sacramento Valley Florin chapter. That makes engaging Japanese Americans to understand and advocate for reparations all the more crucial, he said.

More Japanese Americans are making those connections and saying, If we are recipients of redress because of our own form of incarceration, why would the 400 plus years of slavery and mass incarceration that would then come later, that would disproportionately impact Black people, why is that also not deserving of atonement? said Jeanelle Hope, associate professor and director of African American Studies at Prairie View A&M University.

Hope, who holds a doctorate in cultural studies from UC Davis, studied how Black and Asian communities in south Sacramento stood together in protest amid rising police brutality in 2018.

Our discussion on redress and reparations have to deal with state sanctioned violence and mass incarceration, Hope said. Those moments of violence have not been limited to one racial or ethnic group, but its important to recognize a system within this country that has viewed people as disposable and in needing of being enslaved and incarcerated.

In California, the states reparations task force took around two years to complete its efforts, and dozens of Asian American organizations have chimed in with support. By the end of it, Don Tamaki, who is Japanese and the only non-Black member of the task force, said he had a new appreciation and understanding of the experiences of communities of color.

The state of our communities now is often very siloed, said Tamaki, a San Francisco-based lawyer who witnessed the civil rights movement. People tend to see racial discrimination as an isolated event, and begin comparing harms. But now theres a different conversation, he says.

The experiences of systemic discrimination against Asian Americans are part of a sub-chapter in a broader story that actually began in 1619, when the first enslaved people were brought to the United States, Tamaki said.

There was a culture in place that propped up the institution of slavery to enable the dehumanization of people, reduce them to cattle, and make it normal, Tamaki said. That created this dynamic of white superiority. Black and Native people on the bottom in particular, and other groups that came along later, through immigration, in the middle.

California Reparations Task Force member Don Tamaki listens to testimony during during a meeting in Sacramento in March. The San Francisco lawyer is the only non-Black member of the task force.

Part of reckoning with that is understanding the role Japanese Americans have played in other communities of colors experiences, Yamashita said.

After the 2020 racial justice protests, more Asian Americans have made efforts to combat tensions and build solidarity among communities of color, particularly with Black communities. That has led to increased discussions of anti-Blackness within the Asian American community, but its also raised other similar tensions as more Asian Americans attempt to be better allies.

Over the years, Haggins has participated in multiple organizations aiming to advance diversity, sometimes with other Asian Americans. She has forged connections she appreciates, but shes also seen how her experiences as a Black person are unique to her Asian peers. As she describes it: were talking about a tension between the lets support one another, and we have to do some taking care of our own communities.

Redress: A quote unquote success

Christine Umeda knew it was going to take more than money for the U.S. government to right its wrongs.

Years of heightened anti-Japanese sentiments in the United States, being targeted as an enemy, and having her culture denigrated left Umeda, who was only four years old at the time of her incarceration, feeling lost. Aside from redress, it was the civil rights movement, spearheaded by Black Americans, that gave her strength again.

It took a lot of my effort and definitely the civil rights movement helped to really overcome some of those feelings of real inferiority, and the self doubt, said Umeda, who was born in Sacramento. She supports the states reparations efforts: Being enslaved is so different. Thats really stripping all of your dignity away from you ... in some sense, we shared that, but it was in a different form.

In many ways, the quote unquote success of the redress movement, helped validate hierarchies, Yamashita said. Japanese Americans were soon praised for pulling themselves up by the bootstraps, and their economic success was used against Black communities who were criminalized, she said.

Following redress, the federal government would go on to strip down welfare benefits. Those policies drew upon growing racist narratives that criminalized Black mothers and fathers and painted them as hypersexual or absent, Yamashita said. But Japanese Americans were upstanding and innocent citizens who overcame discrimination.

The definition of crime obviously changes in historic moments, said Yamashita, quick to note that Japanese Americans were once considered criminals by the government, too. It positions who is sort of innocent and guilty ... that is so central to carcerality ....there are people who deserve punishment or people who do not.

Mia Yamamoto witnessed older generations of Japanese Americans begin to internalize that idea. The Los-Angeles based attorney and civil rights activist was born in the incarceration camps and remembers when Japanese Americans received redress.

Incarcerated Japanese American high school students take recess at Manzanar Relocation Center in California in 1943.

Young residents of Japanese ancestry await a bus at the Wartime Civil Control Administration station in San Francisco in 1942. They were part of the first group to be sent to incarceration centers for the duration of World War II.

Yamamoto was amazed at the self-righteous sort of pronouncements that leaders made about their ability to get redress passed. You would think that Japanese Americans would say we have reparations, we understand that justice,... Why wouldnt those same people say the same thing about African American people?

Recalling Asian Americans who did push back on these ideas, Yamamoto remembers Mari Matsuda, an early contributor to the foundations of critical race theory who spoke out against using Asian Americans experiences as a reason to block affirmative action. Those connections and attempts to combat division are ongoing, supporters say, but they cant be successful without a real understanding of why those divisions exist.

Theres so many ways that we are, as a country, moving in a direction that we cant talk about things or we cant have honest reflections on things. Its that conflict of how do we do what we are unwilling to do? Haggins said. Weve got to look at the wound. We have to be willing to do that. Otherwise, were not going to heal.

The states reparations task force has made several recommendations, ranging from direct cash payments to property tax relief for African Americans living in formerly red-lined neighborhoods, but the decision is now up to legislators as to whether any of it will become law.
Jared Kushner testifies in probe of Trump and the 6 Jan riots - reports

Businessman and senior advisor to former President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner

Former President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has appeared before a federal grand jury investigating Mr Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, US media report.

A justice department special counsel is investigating Mr Trump's actions leading up to the 2021 Capitol riots.

The grand jury asked if Mr Trump acknowledged at the time he lost the election, the New York Times reported.

Mr Trump's former aide Hope Hicks also testified, according to CNN.

The BBC has reached out to representatives for Mr Trump and Mr Kushner for comment.

Federal prosecutors investigating Mr Trump's 2020 election conduct are deciding whether to bring charges against him.

Last month, Mr Kushner appeared before the grand jury at a federal courthouse in Washington DC, where he told them he thought his father-in-law truly believed the election was rigged, anonymous sources told the New York Times.

Ms Hicks and Mr Kushner are reportedly among several Trump allies who have testified to the grand jury, including former Vice-President Mike Pence.

Mr Smith's team has also subpoenaed Mr Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, who is married to Mr Kushner, but she has yet to testify, the New York Times reported.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland last year appointed special counsel Jack Smith to lead two investigations into Mr Trump: his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election won by President Joe Biden.

Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed - with no evidence - that the 2020 election was rigged against him. Fuelled by false claims of election fraud, a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol on 6 January, 2021, disrupting Congress's certification of the election results.

Last year, a Democratic-led select House panel, the January 6 committee, interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses in an investigation into Mr Trump's post-election conduct. The panel recommended in December the justice department bring several charges against Mr Trump.

Mr Trump, who is running for president again and is the leading Republican candidate, has called the justice department investigations baseless and has denied playing a role in the Capitol riots.

The former president is also facing other legal issues.

In June, federal prosecutors charged Mr Trump with 37 criminal counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

In the state of New York he was indicted in April on charges of falsifying business records.

He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, a veteran civil rights leader, will step down from his position as president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, a civil rights group whose predecessor he founded more than 50 years ago.

The Chicago Tribune and other outlets reported Friday that Jackson, 81, who was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2017, is going to hand the reins of the day-to-day operations of the organization to a successor who will be named during the groups annual convention scheduled to begin this weekend.

Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) told the Chicago Sun-Times Friday in his current health and condition that he has appointed a successor and will formally announce it Sunday.

The Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH Coalition  an organization that combined two groups, Operation PUSH founded in 1971 and the National Rainbow Coalition started in 1984  has been pivotal for Jacksons efforts to promote economic, educational and political change within the Black community.

Reverend Jesse Jackson is officially pivoting from his role as president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. His commitment is unwavering, and he will elevate his lifes work in teaching ministers how to fight for social justice, a spokesperson told ABC 7 in a statement on Friday.

The Hill has reached out to the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition for comment.

Jackson came into national prominence in the 1960s and 1970s as a civil rights leader. He became the head of the the Chicago chapter of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference that sought to promote employment for Black Americans, the Tribune reported.

Jackson merged Operation Push and the National Rainbow Coalition in 1996, according to the groups website, with the organization helping give Jackson a platform for his presidential campaigns in the 1980s.

Jackson has maintained a public profile in recent years, and was arrested multiple times during the summer of 2021 amid protests over voting rights and raising the federal minimum wage.

In a statement on Friday, Rev. Al Sharpton expressed his gratitude for Jacksons work in the civil rights movement over the years.

The resignation of Rev. Jesse Jackson is the pivoting of one of the most productive, prophetic, and dominant figures in the struggle for social justice in American history, Sharpton said. It was my honor, since my mother brought me to him at 12 years old to serve as the youth director for the New York chapter of Operation Breadbasket, down through the last decade, to have been a student and protege of his.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Volunteers plant trees in Hunshandake Sandland in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yunping)

HOHHOT, July 14 (Xinhua) -- North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has made substantial progress in sand control over the past 10 years, according to a seminar held on Friday.

During the 10-year period, Inner Mongolia has planted 131 million mu (about 8.7 million hectares) of trees, grown 318 million mu of grass, and treated 138 million mu of desertified and sandy land, said Wang Zhaosheng, director of the regional forestry and grassland bureau.

The region's forest coverage and grassland vegetation coverage have reached 20.79 percent and 45 percent, respectively.

Wang said that the autonomous region has integrated the prevention and control of desertification with industrial development and improvements to people's livelihoods. It has also developed industries including new energy and desert ecotourism.

Home to four of the country's major deserts and four major sandy areas, Inner Mongolia has long been plagued by desertification and sandy land, and in recent years, the region has stepped up its afforestation efforts. 
Joe Biden to forgive $39 billion in student loan debt. Who can get relief in California?

The Biden administration will forgive $39 billion in federal student loans, the U.S. Education Secretary said Friday, for more than 804,000 borrowers.

The announcement comes two weeks after the Supreme Court rejected a White House plan to relieve tens of thousands in student debt for some borrowers. This one-time forgiveness differs from the plan the Court quashed by correcting issues with certain repayment plans that relieve someones debt after about 20 or 25 years of payments.

Through fixes to the count of monthly payments, the administration will offer relief to some borrowers with repayment plans based on their incomes. The fix aims to ensure people who have made 240 or 300 monthly payments in accordance with Education Department policy have the remainder of their debt wiped.

Some payments that should have moved borrowers closer to forgiveness were not accounted for, the Education Department said in a statement.

By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in the release.

Who qualifies?

Eligible federal student loan borrowers will be notified in the coming days. People affected have Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans covered by the Education Department, including Parent PLUS loans.

The relief will go out automatically a month after the the person has been notified. Student loan servicers will tell borrowers once the debt has been erased. People awaiting relief will not have to make loan payments.

Borrowers who want to opt out of the relief should contact their loan servicer, the Education Department said. People who opt out must continue repaying their loans once payments resume.

Federal student loan payments start again in October after being paused during the coronavirus pandemic. Interest will start to accrue again on Sept. 1.

The Education Department last year said it would rectify any inaccuracies on payments counts.

California is among the least student debt-burdened states, according to the Moodys Analytics, given its numerous acclaimed public universities and state subsidies that help cover costs for in-state students.

The median federal student loan debt for borrowers at all four-year California colleges with more than 500 undergraduates exceeds $10,000, according to 2022 analysis by The Sacramento Bee. About 30% of Sacramento State undergraduates took a federal loan; their median debt upon graduation was around $15,000. About 31% of University of California, Davis, undergraduates borrowed federal money; they graduated with a median debt of around $13,200.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court at the end of June tossed Bidens plan to relieve up to $20,000 for student loan borrowers who received a Pell Grant, federal aid for low-income students. The administration aimed to forgive up to $10,000 for those who earn under $125,000 a year individually or are in households that make under $250,000 in an effort to alleviate financial distress caused by the pandemic.

The Court, along ideological lines, ruled the White House initiative exceeded its power under the law it had invoked to justify the plan.

Hours later, Biden pledged to take a new route for similar forgiveness. The administration also finalized an income-driven repayment program to halve borrowers monthly payments. And Biden said that there would be an on ramp for borrowers who miss monthly payments through September 2024. During this time, people wont be considered delinquent and wont face default or harm to their credit.

The Biden administration has approved more than $116.6 billion in student loan forgiveness for more than 3.4 million borrowers after todays announcement, including for people in public service and those who attended certain for-profit colleges.

This Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education, Cardona said.
The Supreme Court struck down a broader plan from President Biden to forgive billions of dollars in student loan debt

The Biden administration has wiped out $39bn (29.7bn) in student loans for 804,000 borrowers with debts outstanding for more than 20 years.

The relief is a result of "fixes" the government says it made to the plans.

Qualifying borrowers will be notified if their loans will be discharged in the coming weeks, the Department of Education said.

It comes weeks after the US Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's broader $400bn student loan relief bid.

Friday's move will fix administrative errors that meant some borrowers' payments did not count towards them qualifying for student loan relief, the education department said.

"For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness," US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

Borrowers are eligible for the forgiveness after 20 or 25 years of payments, depending on their plan, officials said.

Some of Mr Biden's political opponents swiftly condemned the announcement.

"This president is dead set on ruining our postsecondary education financing system for a few votes next November," North Carolina Republican representative Virginia Foxx, the chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said in a statement. "Taxpayers and the rule of law be damned."

Another Republican, Michigan representative Lisa McClain, said on Twitter that the "unconstitutional" loan forgiveness scheme is "a slap in the face to hard-working taxpayers that have dutifully paid off their student loans".

The US government offers multiple types of income-driven repayment plans, known as IDR plans, under which borrowers make a monthly loan payment based on their income over the course of 20 or 25 years.

The administration first announced it would make changes to the plan in April 2022 to address "historical inaccuracies in the count of payments that qualify toward forgiveness under IDR plans", the education department said.

Last month, in a 6-3 ruling, the US Supreme Court effectively shut down Mr Biden's larger plan to cancel billions of dollars in student loans for more than 40 million Americans. The Supreme Court found the Biden administration overstepped its authority with the program, which would have forgiven about $10,000 per borrower, and up to $20,000 in some cases.

Soon after the ruling was announced, Mr Biden pledged to find a different way to offer student loan forgiveness. "Today's decision has closed one path. Now we're going to start another," he said.

In a statement, Abby Shafroth, co-director of advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center and director of its Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project, praised the move, adding that Congress has the authority to help "right this wrong".

"This action is the result of long-overdue fixes to structural failures in the student loan system that prevented borrowers from actually getting the relief promised by law," she said.

Mr Biden has taken a series of steps to provide student loan relief to smaller groups via executive actions since he took office. For instance, last year he cancelled student loan debt for 200,000 borrowers who said they were harmed or defrauded by their universities.
John Cusack is one of several Hollywood stars speaking out about unfair wages for actors as the performers union goes on strike.

On Thursday (13 July), the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) joined screenwriters in strike action, picketing studios for fairer standards for actors and performers across the industry.

This effectively means a shutdown of Hollywood, with this action marking the first time since 1960 that actors and writers have united against higher executives for more satisfactory working agreements.

Cusack, who began acting in films in the early 1980s, shared his view on the actions of Hollywood executives on social media soon after the strike was announced on Thursday.

In a repost of a video showing Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher speaking out against the disgusting greed of film and TV bosses, the High Fidelity star told an anecdote relating to the hit 1989 teen romcom Say Anything, in which his character wooed his love interest by holding a boombox above his head at her bedroom window.

The greed is almost a legendary comic trope, he began his post. One fun fact  when I was a youngin  I did a film (with a boom box) and somehow I got points  net not gross.

Never expected to see any money but the film became quite famous  so about 10 years ago I looked again at the financial statements they were obligated to report  and to my shock, they claimed they had LOST 44 million dollars on the film.

Cusack then went on to point out differences between the amount the film cost to make and release, and how it has reportedly fared in the years since.

John Cusack in Say Anything... (Alamy)

I thought wow, I almost bankrupted Fox! (not really) The film cost about 13 million to make  and money spent to release was minimal at the time. 30 years in  that film lost millions every year! A neat accounting trick dont ya think?

The Independent has reached out to Disney, which owns 20th Century Studios, for comment.

The Sag-Aftra strike comprises more than 150,000 television and movie actors, who have all been advised to withhold labour until an agreement is reached.

As the action was announced, the cast of the forthcoming Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer walked out of the London premiere in solidarity with colleagues in Hollywood.

Unfortunately, theyre off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike, Nolan announced to the cinemas audience.

You can find live updates on the strike as it develops here.
Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, criticised the decision of the NATO summit on Ukraine. In his opinion, the Alliance should be more decisive and accept Kyiv.

Source: Johnson in a weekly column for the tabloid Daily Mail, reports European Pravda

Details: The former Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine is paying a high price for Russia's unleashed full-scale war, which has been going on for more than 500 days.

Quote: "It was up to Nato leaders, this week, to show their collective respect and gratitude for Ukraines heroic resistance in a struggle in which not a single Nato soldier has been hurt or killed, because we in Nato countries know  and constantly say  that the Ukrainians are fighting for all of us."

Instead, Johnson states, "the Vilnius conclusions are no firmer or more convincing than Natos Bucharest conclusions of 2008, which say  in paragraph 23, to be exact  we agreed that these countries (Ukraine and Georgia) will become members of Nato," which is why "no wonder President Zelensky found it hard, at first, to conceal his frustration."

"When allies agree? When conditions are met? According to the Bucharest conclusions, the allies agreed all this 15 years ago!! When will we learn the lesson of the past 20 years of handling Putin? It is our very ambiguity, our vacillation, our sucking-and-blowing-at-once, which has prompted him to invade."

That is why, the British ex-Prime Minister emphasises, the Alliance should propose a clear schedule for Ukraine's accession to NATO as soon as possible  and, he adds, the UK is doing persistent non-public work to achieve this goal.

Earlier: Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, stressed the importance of providing continuous support to Ukraine.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






Bryan James Riley is charged with killing four members of a North Lakeland family in an early morning home invasion in September 2021. The state is seeking the death penalty.

The jury to be convened next year for the Bryan Riley quadruple murder trial must come to a unanimous decision in order to recommend a death penalty should he be found guilty, a judge in Polk County has ruled.

But the ruling issued by Circuit Judge Kevin Abdoney on Wednesday in the 10th Judicial Circuit might not be the final say on the matter.

By email on Friday, Assistant State Attorney Jacob Orr said, We are appealing that order.

His colleague and prosecutor on the case, Lauren M. Perry, filed a motion to use Floridas new law that allows a judge to impose the death penalty after a jury vote of 8-4. Previously, state law required a jury to be unanimous in recommending capital punishment.

But after Nicholas Cruz, the gunman who killed 17 and wounded 17 others at a Parkland high school in 2018, received a life sentence on a 9-3 jury vote last year, Florida lawmakers passed House Bill 555 in this year's legislative session, and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law.

Riley is accused of killing four members of a North Lakeland family in September 2021. The crimes occurred before Florida changed its threshold for a death sentence.

The prosecutor had already asked for the death penalty and then filed a motion for the judge to consider a recommendation of a death sentence if the jury verdict is returned with a 8-4 majority.

Abdoney cited rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and other case law about the Constitutional protections contained in the ex post facto clause, his ruling showed.

According to the Robin Maher of the Death Penalty Information Center, The framers considered it to be very important. They wanted to make sure that individuals have fair warning of the laws that are going to apply to them.

And they also want to prevent legislatures from passing laws specifically to punish people; that retroactively punishes someone greater than the punishment he would have received at the time of this crime," Maher said.

The Florida legislature made it more likely someone would receive a death sentence and that is not fair to the defendant, Maher said after reviewing the Abdoney ruling.

Previously Judge in North Lakeland killings trial rules prosecution can have suspect's medical records

The state argued there is no violation of the ex post facto clause because there is no significant risk the defendant would receive a significantly greater risk of the death penalty nor more onerous sentence.

Still, Maher said there is a history of discussions in the Florida legislature that was introduced in court cases showing the legislators were in fact trying to do exactly that. They were trying to increase the possibility that more people would be sentenced to death by lowering the threshold.

She also said nationwide that 28 or 30 exonerated death row inmates were originally sentenced to death after a non-unanimous jury decision.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Death penalty verdict must be unanimous in Lakeland quadrulple murder
Judge signs off on reforms to Minneapolis police spurred by George Floyds killing

A federal judge signed off on sweeping reforms to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Thursday about three years after George Floyds murder.

The Minneapolis-StarTribune reported that Hennepin County Judge Karen Janisch approved the agreement between the MPD and Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) at the urging of city officials.

Among the conditions of the deal are a prohibition on officers from using force to punish or retaliate on a resident, a ban on searches based on alleged smells of cannabis, and a ban so-called consent searches during pedestrian or vehicle stops.

A team of independent evaluators will monitor the city and police departments progress on implementing the measures, which are mean to build community trust, curb discrimination in policing and reduce dangers for officers, according to a news release.

MPD and city officials are also required to develop robust and well-functioning accountability and oversight systems and conduct thorough investigations of officer misconduct.

Only the states court system can terminate the agreement, when and if it determines that the city and its police have reached full and sustainable compliance with its terms.

With the eyes of the world on Minneapolis, entry of this order reflects this critically important moment in time, MDHR Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said.

The agreement captures the scope of the necessary work ahead to address race-based policing, a plague on our City that harms everyone, especially people of color and Indigenous community members. We, at the Department, are committed to the work that lies ahead.

The move comes a year after the human rights agency accused the city of a pattern of discriminatory policing for more than a decade, which preceded the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, 46, was murdered in May 2020 by former MPD police officer Derek Chauvin who kneeled on his neck during an arrest for more than eight minutes. Floyds death, among other incidents of police violence against Black citizens, sparked a nationwide movement against police brutality and social injustice.

Chauvin was convicted of murdering Floyd in April 2021 and was sentenced to serve 22 and half years prison.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Monserrate Teron, of Palm Coast, was charged with one count of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12 years old by an offender 18 or older and two counts of sexual battery of a child under 12.

A judge suggested that the prosecutor and defense discuss a possible plea deal of 15 years in prison before a Palm Coast man accused of sexual battery of a girl goes on trial for a second time later this month.

A jury deadlocked and could not reach a verdict at Monserrate Terons first trial in May before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins. If convicted, Teron was facing life in prison.

Teron, 59, who lived on Edwin Lane, was charged with one count of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12 years old by an offender 18 or older and two counts of sexual battery of a child under 12. The sexual battery counts carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison while the other charge is up to life in prison.

The girl testified at Terons first trial that Teron had her perform oral sex on him and that he had inappropriately touched her. The girl was visiting from Massachusetts and was 7 at the time.

Terons defense attorney, Harley Brook, said Teron was innocent and also said there were inconsistencies in the girls account.

Teron has been held without bond at the Flagler County jail since Jan. 11, 2023, according to the sheriff's office.

He appeared before the judge Friday for a hearing at the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center in Bunnell. Teron, who in past testimony indicated he was a nurse and an Army veteran, was dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit and was holding an envelope as he stood before the judge.

Palm Coast man arrested: Palm Coast man accused of molesting 9-year-old girl since she was about 6

Terons second trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection on July 24.

Perkins asked attorneys if they had discussed possibly resolving the case before trial.

I dont think the defense has any interest in resolving the case, judge, is my understanding, Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark said.

She said she had made an offer and the judge said he thought it was 15 years. But Clark said her offer was always 25 years in prison.

So, is it the states position that if the defense indicated they would take 15 years plus lifetime sex offender probation you would decline that?

Probably. I mean I would certainly discuss it with the family first because I dont ever want to put a little kid through a sex trial more than once, at all really, if I dont have to, Clark said. That would be a conversation I would have to have with the family.

Ex-teacher held without bond: Judge cites danger to community, orders ex-teacher Arin Hankerd held without bond

Teron appeared to shake his head slightly as the two sides discussed a plea deal.

The judge said he was not trying to force anything, but asked Terons attorney, Brook, if there would be any interest in talking to his client about that.

Brook said the offer has been nothing but 25 years.

I would like the opportunity to discuss the 15 years if for no other reason just to make sure thats something that he would not want to consider, Brook said. So, yes I would like the opportunity to consider it with him.

The judge said he understood there may be no interest in a plea deal.

"And again the response may be 'No' or 'Hell no' from either side and I get that, Perkins said.

Perkins added: We are polarized. Either its an acquittal or its a life in prison and I dont get to say anything about either of those. So, my only influence in this case is now in that regard.

Should the case go to trial, the judge and Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark said 40 potential jurors will be needed from which to select the final panel.

If the jury is selected early enough, attorneys will present opening statements on July 24.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Judge suggests plea deal discussion in Palm Coast child sex battery case
MUSKEGON COUNTY  A Muskegon circuit court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners that alleged its Ottawa Impact majority violated Michigan's Open Meetings Act in January.

The plaintiffs  Peter Armstrong Sr., Susan Hoekema, Jason Hunter and Jeffrey Padnos  are Ottawa County residents that were "seeking to ensure their public representatives comply with the OMA and the state constitution," according to a statement sent to media the day the suit was filed in March from Progress Michigan, which assisted with research and financial support for the case.

They argued Ottawa Impact commissioners were a de facto public body subject to OMA beginning Nov. 9 (the day after the general election) because, during that period, they constituted a quorum of the board and exercised governmental authority over county employees, even though they were not yet sworn into office.

OMA requires public bodies to make decisions in public, with some limited exceptions for closed sessions. Any meetings involving a "quorum" of the board (the minimum number of members required to vote) must be held in public, and notice and an agenda must be provided.

More: Judge mulls tossing Open Meetings Act lawsuit against Ottawa commissioners

More: Second lawsuit against Ottawa Impact-led commission targets decisions made Jan. 3

Supporters of Ottawa Impact argue the commissioners weren't technically office-holders before Jan. 3, and therefore couldn't have violated OMA, even if they met or made decisions prior to taking office  including naming a chairman and selecting new counsel.

The plaintiffs claim the commissioners "failed to inform the people of Ottawa County of the governmental decisions" they made between Nov. 8 and Jan. 3. "The people of Ottawa County were denied their right to petition the government."

"This is an unprecedented, massive evasion of OMA," said Mark Brewer, of Goodman Acker, representing the plaintiffs. "All of the allegations ... were pre-planned and agreed to before they took office."

Joe Moss and attorneys representing Ottawa County stand after a morning in court Friday, June 16, 2023, at the Michigan 14th Circuit Court in Muskegon.

"You don't take a position or hold the power until you take the oath of office," said David Kallman, of Kallman Legal Group, representing the commissioners. "There are no de facto legislators. You are either in the position, or you're not in the position. Our clients had no authority or power to act prior to Jan. 3. This is an absurd argument."

On Friday, July 14, 14th Circuit Court Judge Matthew R. Kacel granted the commissioners' request to dismiss the lawsuit.

In a written opinion, Kacel said an individual or group becomes a public body for the purposes of the Open Meetings Act "only when it is 'empowered' to exercise government authority or perform a government function by 'a state constitution, statute, charter, ordinance, resolution or rule.'" He said Ottawa Impact electees lacked that power until they took their oaths of office on Jan. 3.

Kacel said that, although county employees completed tasks at the request of Ottawa Impact commissioners-elect, there was no legal obligation for them to do so and they had the option to decline.

Kacel said the courts don't recognize such entities in the context of OMA and that "the existence of the intent to evade the requirements of the OMA is immaterial if there is no delegation of government authority."

Judge Matthew Kacel listens to David Kallman as attorneys from both parties give their statements Friday, June 16, 2023, at the Michigan 14th Circuit Court in Muskegon.

In his ruling, Kacel denied the commissioners' request that costs and attorneys fees be covered by the plaintiffs.

Mr. Brewer and his political allies attempted to weaponize the legal system to attack duly elected officials for simply following through on their campaign promises, all at the expense of the taxpayers of Ottawa County," Kallman wrote Friday in a prepared statement. "We are pleased that Judge Kacel saw through this nakedly partisan lawsuit and dismissed all counts.

Brewer told Kacel in June that, if the lawsuit were to be dismissed, it would lead to other public bodies following suit to subvert the spirit of OMA.

"They were acting as a government body and the county employees were obeying. The Open Meetings Act is intended to be liberally construed," Brewer said. "Everything they did on Jan. 3 should have been done in public  not two months beforehand. Citizens had a right to petition their representatives, but they didn't know their representatives were meeting in secret. That's a violation of citizens' rights."

Its a sad day for government transparency and accountability in Ottawa County and Michigan," Brewer said in reaction to the decision Friday. "The county commissioners supported by Ottawa Impact violated the Open Meetings Act. We are appealing this decision and will ask the Court of Appeals to expedite the appeal.

During the meeting in question, the board made sweeping changes to how county government operates without prior acknowledgment on the public agenda, changing board rules to make it easier to make last-minute adjustments. After being sworn in, commissioners:

Fired administrator John Shay and replaced him with former GOP candidate John Gibbs without conducting a public interview

Eliminated the countys Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office

Chose a new health director to replace the already-named successor to Lisa Stefanovsky, Adeline Hambley, whose appointment had been approved by the state

Replaced the countys counsel with Kallman Legal Group

Changed the countys vision statement to "Where Freedom Rings"

On Jan. 4, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced her office was reviewing the actions taken during the meeting to determine if OMA was violated. After a nearly six-week review, she announced Feb. 16 that, although the OI commissioners' conduct was a blatant violation of the publics trust and the tenets of government transparency, it didn't technically violate state law.

Nessel told The Sentinel she was urging state lawmakers to view Ottawa County as a reason to strengthen "sunshine laws," which include OMA and the state's Freedom of Information Act. No bills have been introduced in the current legislative session to address the issue.

Kacel agreed it might be more appropriate for the legislature to address the loophole.

Judge Matthew Kacel listens to David Kallman on Friday, June 16, 2023, at the Michigan 14th Circuit Court in Muskegon.

"I think that's quite a good idea, frankly," Kacel said.

Ottawa Impact, a far-right fundamentalist group created in 2021 by parents' rights advocates Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea, captured a majority of the 11-member county board in August. The group and its members have been vocal about battling against what they view as leftist or Marxist ideologies in government, including diversity, equity and inclusion, promoting acceptance of the LGBTQ community in schools and health mandates issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lawsuit was one of two filed against the board. In early February, Hambley sued, saying the board's OI majority wrongfully attempted to demote her and have repeatedly interfered with her ability to do her job and have overreached their authority by attempting to limit her state-authorized duties.

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On June 6, the Michigan Court of Appeals' Third District said it would hear the commissioners' appeal of Muskegon 14th Circuit Court Judge Jenny L. McNeill's decision April 18 that declared Hambley the rightful health officer of Ottawa County and granted her a preliminary injunction, allowing her to remain in her position until a trial could take place.

The court has limited the appeal to issues over whether the trial court erred in awarding Hambley declaratory relief, or in granting the preliminary injunction. A trial date in circuit court has not yet been scheduled and will not proceed until the COA hears the partial appeal, which is expected to be sometime in August.

 Sarah Leach is executive editor of The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com. Find her on Twitter @SentinelLeach.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Judge tosses OMA-based lawsuit against Ottawa County, plaintiffs vow to appeal
Kansans with disabilities have what employers need. Topeka politicians let them down | Opinion

Where is the love for the disability community in Kansas?

July is Disability Pride Month in the U.S., a time of celebration for the disability community to coincide with the anniversary of the July 26, 1990, passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The American Bar Association defines the event as reclaiming visibility in public and interacting fully with their disabilities out in the open.

Ben Mattlin, who lives with spinal muscular atrophy and is author of Disability Pride: Dispatches from a Post-ADA World, equates disability as cutting across all nationalities, races, orientations, genders, socioeconomic groups, and religions  perhaps the most democratic of all minority cohorts.

Kansas lawmakers had an opportunity to make government positions more disability inclusive this year but failed to move proposed legislation forward this past session.

If passed, House Bill 2253 would have allowed Kansans with disabilities applying for government positions to have employment preference because of their disabilities. It also would have guaranteed that reasonable accommodations are provided to successfully do these jobs. Instead, after a public hearing in which many of us in the Kansas disability community provided testimony, H.B. 2253 was stricken from the legislative calendar.

Up to 1 in 4 Americans identify as having a disability. Lets do the math here. In Kansas, there are 125 state representatives and 40 state senators. Statistically, up to 31 representatives and 10 senators could be living with disability. That is quite telling.

As a person with progressive sensorineural hearing loss and a former special education teacher in Kansas, there was no such law to provide employment preference when I began applying for jobs in the state. I was also not made aware of reasonable accommodations when I applied for various teaching positions. After being hired as a teacher, this put an enormous burden on my shoulders to prove that I was capable of performing all the responsibilities of the job, while advocating for access to appropriate workplace accommodations.

According to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, regulations require that covered federal contractors and subcontractors take proactive steps to recruit and retain workers with disabilities. Because this is a requirement for businesses that work with the government, it is important that state government positions be disability-inclusive to set this example for other businesses.

One concern may be the potential cost of providing accommodations to employees with disabilities.

According to the latest annual survey from the nonprofit Job Accommodation Network, however, employers reported a high percentage (56%) of accommodations for people with disabilities cost nothing to implement  zero dollars  while the rest of the accommodations made had a typical cost of $500. That $500 cost has been consistent across the many years of the surveys findings.

Research shows that people with disabilities have higher levels of problem-solving skills, memory and dependability. Harvard Business Review conducted research that revealed adults with various disabilities, such as autism or other types of neurodiversity, may possess higher-than-average abilities in memory, mathematics and pattern recognition. Employees with intellectual disabilities, according to research from the Institute for Corporate Productivity, are rated high for their dependability (89%), engagement (88%), integration with co-workers (87%) and attendance (84%).

Back to Disability Pride Month in Kansas. If our states leaders truly wanted to celebrate the 1 in 4 of us who live with disability, they would consider disability-inclusive policies in the 2023-24 session. The late Judy Heumann, a polio survivor and author often called the mother of the U.S. disability movement, once said, Its one thing to have our rights, but that doesnt mean you have justice.

How can Kansans help? Take a moment to learn more about disability justice and the history of the disability rights movement.

This article is a good place to start. Use the #DisabilityPrideMonth hashtag on your social media accounts to promote awareness of the July event. This month should be a time of disability awareness-building for all Kansans, and your allyship is truly appreciated.

Shanna Groves serves on the board of the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She is the author of two books about hearing loss.
The survey says: US-54 through Kansas ranks No. 35 among the Most Feared Road Trips in America.

Being a journalist, people send me these kinds of surveys on the regular, and I usually ignore them.

In fact, just last Sunday I published a guest column from Wichita State University sociologist Chase Billingham saying that theyre pretty much drivel  and I cant say I disagree with his analysis.

But this one, commissioned by Gunther Mitsubishi in Coconut Creek, Fla., and conducted by QuestionPro, caught my eye because it seems to capture some inescapable realities of driving across the sunflower state.

Kansas US Route 54 was voted as the 35th most feared road trip in the country, the survey said. One of the primary concerns when breaking down on US Route 54 is the potential for long stretches of remote and sparsely populated areas (yep).

In these rural sections, finding immediate assistance or repair facilities can be difficult, and drivers may have to wait for extended periods before help arrives (double yep).

And, Severe weather events, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards, can occur, particularly during spring and summer. These weather conditions can reduce visibility, create hazardous driving conditions, and increase the risks for stranded motorists (triple yep).

I drove US-54 twice last month ago on a round-trip mission excursion to New Mexico. And verdad, its not a place Id ever want to be stranded.

Fortunately, the weather was unremarkable, and I was driving a brand new Toyota Highlander which wed rented at Eisenhower Airport, and it didnt yet have a thousand miles on the clock.

My initial thought was the survey missed the scariest thing about Highway 54. You could die of boredom out there.

But the state tourism department actually has a web page titled Kansas US-54 Road Trip.

Its a hoot.

For things to do, it suggests Youll find countless places to stop and take photos through the Flint Hills and of El Dorado State Park, the largest State Park in Kansas.

If you want pictures of dead trees sticking up out of a lake that was filled 40 years ago, you cant go wrong with El Dorado.

Then we get to Wichita: Those who enjoy city life will love passing through the states largest city, Wichita, known for being the Air Capital of the World and home to the Kansas Aviation Museum.

The museum is housed in an airport terminal that was abandoned in 1954, and captures the atmosphere of an airport terminal that was abandoned in 1954.

I literally laughed out loud when I read the next sentence on the tourism page: But it isnt just the large cities with epic museums.

That was a setup for the aircraft museum in Liberal, Americas most misnamed city. Unfailingly conservative, the town got stuck with the name back in the 1800s because a landowner there liberally allowed travelers to take water from his hand-dug well.

But the tourism department missed possibly the most interesting thing on US-54, the roadside art display of the late M.T. Liggett in Mullinville.

Liggett spent much of his life crafting wind-driven whirlygigs and what he called totems out of scrap metal, and erecting them alongside the road.

Driving by at 75 mph, the display seems whimsical and eccentric.

Up close, you realize that Liggett was a pre-QAnon political nutjob and this was his way of airing his conspiracy theories about the government.

His folk art includes Hillary Clintons head on a swastika body labeled our jack-booted Eva Braun, and a swastika-studded tribute to cult leader David Koreshs Branch Davidians, next to a sheet-metal tombstone equating the ill-fated 1993 siege of their compound with Auschwitz and the Holocaust.

Fun for the whole family.

Im kind of surprised the tourism department folks didnt highlight that, since they provided some of the money to restore the fading, rusty display to its former glory.

You know, now that I think about it, US-54 is kind of scary.
Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (2nd R, Front) meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (2nd L, Front) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan should work together to build a bilateral relationship that meets the needs of the new era, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said here on Friday.

While meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang said that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which stipulated in law that the two countries should adhere to peace, friendship and cooperation, and established timeless principles and directions for bilateral exchanges.

At present, the bilateral relations are at a crucial juncture, Wang said, noting that Japan's positioning of China as the greatest strategic challenge and hyping up the "China threat" is seriously inconsistent with the reality of China-Japan relations and runs counter to the important consensus of "be partners, not threats."

Wang expressed the hope that Japan will establish an objective and rational understanding of China and bring bilateral relations back on track with sound and steady development, adding that China is open to maintaining contacts at all levels, economic and trade exchanges and people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Hayashi said that there is huge potential for Japan-China cooperation in a wide range of fields, and the Japanese side attaches great importance to strengthening dialogue and communication with China.

Japan looks forward to taking the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship as an opportunity and under the guidance of the consensuses reached by the leaders of the two countries to build constructive and stable Japan-China relations and create conditions for high-level exchanges between the two sides, Hayashi said.

Regarding the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Wang stressed that it is an issue that concerns the safety of the marine environment as well as the life and health of humankind.

Nuclear-contaminated water from nuclear accidents should not be compared to the wastewater of normal nuclear power plants as they are completely different in nature, Wang said.

There is no precedent nor commonly accepted standard concerning such discharge, Wang said, adding that it is a scientific matter and a question of attitude as well.

Wang urged the Japanese side to face up to other parties' legitimate concerns and experts' opinions, scientifically verify different discharge approaches, and avoid self-assertion, adding that sincere communication and prudent manner are necessary for handling the matter. 
Kavanaugh on Supreme Court amid criticism: Its an institution of law, not of politics

Justice Brett Kavanaugh sought to push back against criticism that the U.S. Supreme Court has grown increasingly partisan, saying Thursday, The court is an institution of law. Its an institution of law, not of politics, not of partisanship.

In remarks at a judicial conference in Minnesota, Kavanaugh touted the courts mixed decision votes this past term and his close relationships with other justices.

We have lived up, in my estimation, to deciding cases based on law and not based on partisan affiliation and partisanship, Kavanaugh said at the event. We dont caucus in separate rooms. We dont meet separately. Were not sitting on different sides of the aisle at an oral argument  We work as a group of nine.

He also said that when he joined the court, he was surprised by the amount of time the justices spent together. He said he estimated they probably eat lunch together about 65 times a year, adding, And the rule at lunch is you cant talk about work.

Its a good rule, he continued. It builds relationships and friendships and then when we have tough cases  and we only really have tough cases  you have a reservoir of good will toward each of the other people.

Kavanaughs remarks in Minnesota mark the first public appearance from a justice since the Supreme Court recessed for summer in late June, after making a series of monumental decisions.

Conservative justices ruled along party lines to bring an end to affirmative action in college admissions and to strike down President Bidens student loan forgiveness plan. Kavanaugh also, however, sided with some mixed majorities in cases this past term, including one that sided with Black voters in Alabama and one that preserved a federal law that prioritized keeping Native American children with Native American families.

Kavanaughs appearance also comes at a time when confidence in the court is consistently low, and some justices have come under scrutiny for behavior that some say raises ethical questions.

Kavanaugh refrained from discussing the ethical issues at length. He referred to Chief Justice John Robertss comments from May, when he said justices would continue to work on that as a group.

Thats accurate, Kavanaugh said. Im not going to add anything to what the chief justice has said on that topic.

Kavanaugh also said he understands the issues in these decisions can be difficult, and he is not surprised that justices face intense scrutiny.

You shouldnt be in this line of work if you dont like criticism, he said. Because youre going to get it. And youre going to get a lot of it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
KC-area homeowners are being scammed on renovations. Here are red flags, how to report

Paying a contractor to do work on your home requires a lot of trust. Recently, a Warrensburg family had that trust broken after spending tens of thousands of dollars on construction work that didnt deliver.

Kristyn and Nathan Frazee told The Star that they paid Eric Eberhart, a contractor with Clay County company JSE Construction, more than $28,000 for incomplete and poorly done work on their home.

The family took to Facebook in May to warn others of potential construction scams.

Building a house takes faith, courage, and patience. It can be stressful enough on its own with everything that goes into it with planning. Sadly our family has fallen victim to the biggest scam we never thought would happen, Kristyn said in the post.

Contractor scams have been on the rise, according to the Inspection Support Network, a company that offers home inspection software to businesses. During the pandemic, property owners lost nearly $82 million in home improvement scams. Since 2007, more than 6,000 scams have been reported to the Federal Trade Commission each year.

What is a home improvement scam?

Home improvement scams can range from shoddy work to fake invoices for services not rendered, according to Curbio, a national real estate tech company. Examples of scams include asking for upfront payment without completing the work, lowballing quotes for services, using unnecessary material substitutions or not pulling the proper permits for the project, according to the tech company.

Eberhart, the contractor that the Frazees hired, has been ordered by Cass and Jackson County courts to pay multiple former customers for shoddy or incomplete work.

In 2018, Mary Ann Silvius of Kansas City, paid Eberhart $17,300 to replace a two-car detached garage, according to public court filings. Eberhart told her they were good with the city and that everything had been approved. But Silvius lawyer alleged that a review of the citys permits website revealed no permit was ever issued for her project.

How do you spot a home improvement scam?

Although some contractors may come recommended, there are still some red flags to look out for if you are looking to hire a new contractor for a home improvement project, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In general, the commission advises that contractors who may be running scams often use these tactics:

Offer materials left over from a previous job

Pressure clients for an immediate decision

Ask clients to pay for everything upfront

Ask clients to obtain their own building permits

Suggest borrowing money from a lender that they know personally

The Frazees said they decided to hire Eberhart because he came referred, but they warned others that references are not enough when deciding on a contractor.

NO MATTER WHAT RESEARCH ANYONE (youre) ABOUT TO HIRE EVEN IF THEY ARE REFERRED, Kristyn said in a Facebook post.

Where can you report a home improvement scam?

Customers have multiple options for reporting fraudulent contractors.

Both Missouri and Kansas have consumer protection programs that can help people who want to report a scam. Organizations like the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City and the Better Business Bureau of Greater Kansas City can also be helpful resources.

Before reporting a contractor, the FTC suggests consumers try to resolve the issue with the contractor and document everything along the way. When corresponding with the contractor, make sure to follow up phone calls with a letter sent by certified mail and request a return receipt so you have evidence that the contractor received the letter.

Check out this sample complaint letter you can send to a business before reporting them or filing a lawsuit. The FTC also advises that consumers keep any other notes and documents they have related to the project.

If you choose to report the contractor, here are some good places to start:

Missouri Consumer Protection Hotline

800-392-8222

https://ago.mo.gov/







Kansas Consumer Protection Office

800-432-2310

https://ag.ks.gov/complaint-center/consumer







Better Business Bureau of Greater Kansas City

816-421-7800

https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker







Home Builders Association

816-942-8800

https://kchba.org/

Federal Trade Commission

https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/







When to sue?

If the issue cant be resolved with the contractor, customers can consider hiring a lawyer. However, winning a lawsuit doesnt mean you will immediately get a refund from the contractor, according to Jason Rew, a Blue Springs attorney working with the Frazees. Oftentimes, plaintiffs must pursue assets like real estate, bank accounts or heavy equipment to cash in their judgments.

Since 2017, Eberhart has been ordered to pay numerous companies that claimed he owed them money and three customers who alleged he did shoddy work, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars in judgments, according to court records.

Although the judge in Silvius case ordered Eberhart to pay her a total of $17,863, she has not seen any of the money, The Star reported.

The Frazees decided to share their experiences on social media instead of going to court after their lawyer warned them that they may not get their money back.

Consumers are always allowed to air out their grievances with businesses online and are protected by the Consumer Review Fairness Act. The most effective online reviews often use a reasonable tone and explain the problem clearly, according to the FTC.

The Stars Kevin Hardy and Luke Nozicka contributed reporting.
An investigation with ties to one of the world's most prestigious universities that began over a tip about human remains in a small town in Pennsylvania has led investigators just south of Louisville, where a Bullitt County man is now facing federal charges.

Bullitt County resident James Nott was arrested and charged with firearms offenses Tuesday after a search of his apartment that also turned up dozens of human bones, according to federal court documents and the U.S. Attorney's Office. The remains are believed to be among those at the center of a larger controversy involving stolen body parts from a mortuary in Arkansas as well as the Harvard Medical School morgue.

FBI: Skulls, bones, guns found in Kentucky home

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, the FBI became aware of Nott's alleged activity through online messages he'd sent using the alias William Burke (an 1820s serial killer in Scotland who sold bodies to a lecturer at a local university) to Jeremy Pauley, a Pennsylvania man who was in possession of human remains during a search at his residence. The pair had discussed prices Pauley would be willing to pay for human remains over Facebook, federal officials say.

Pauley was among six people charged in Pennsylvania on June 10 with conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods. On July 11, meanwhile, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Nott's home in Kentucky. When asked by an FBI agent if anyone else was in the home, the complaint states, Nott said "Only my dead friends."

During an ensuing search, FBI officials found approximately 40 human skulls, spinal cords, femurs and hip bones. The skulls were spread through the home as decorations, the complaint states, with one located on Nott's mattress. A Harvard Medical School bag was also inside the residence, documents say.

Two guns, including an AK-47, along with two inert grenades, body armor and ammunition were also found at the residence, according to the complaint, which led Nott to be charged with illegal possession of a firearm, as he'd previously pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in 2011. He's set to be arraigned Aug. 4.

Is it illegal to own human bones?

The case is jarring, but the charges may be unexpected  Nott was only charged over alleged gun possession despite having dozens of bones in his residence. Meanwhile, others named in the case are facing charges of conspiracy and transporting stolen goods.

Outside the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, there are no federal laws that prohibit owning human bones, Wake Forest law professor Tanya Marsh told boston.com, although some states bar the sale or transfer of remains that have been unlawfully acquired and others have their own regulations on the books. For instance, Nott's Facebook posts promoting bones for sale that were included in the criminal complaint noted they would not be shipped to Tennessee, Louisiana or Georgia  those three states have particular restrictions on shipping and ownership.

The larger Harvard Medical School case

Nott's communications with Pauley were a key piece in a larger investigation into the sale of stolen human remains around the U.S. and overseas.

Pauley, according to Nott's indictment, had been in contact with a number of other people who had stolen and transported human bones and organs. He'd purchased remains scheduled to be cremated from a mortuary employee who had stolen them in Little Rock, Arkansas, and he provided information to investigators on a "network of individuals" accused of being "involved in the sale and transportation of fraudulently obtained human remains," including Cedric Lodge, the morgue manager with Harvard Medical School's Anatomical Gift Program whose case has made national headlines.

Lodge's indictment, filed in federal court in Pennsylvania, alleges he and wife Denise Lodge stole and sold remains from Harvard's morgue to a number of individuals, including Katarina MacLean of Massachusetts and Joshua Taylor of Pennsylvania, who both are accused of subsequently selling remains to Pauley. All five individuals are now facing federal charges.

Harvard has said Lodge acted without the school's knowledge or approval before he was fired in May, describing the scheme as an "abhorrent betrayal" in a statement last month.

Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Harvard body parts scandal: Why James Nott was only charged over gun
Kevin McCarthy Cedes Speakership to the Far Right Once Again

Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty

If theres one lesson from Kevin McCarthys speakership, its this: In order to stay in power, you have to give up control.

Facing the prospect of yet another conservative mutiny that would derail the House floor, McCarthy once again conceded to far-right demands and set up votes on controversial topics that conservatives want to go on the record about and GOP moderates wanted to avoid.

In doing so, McCarthy is exposing some of his most vulnerable members to votes that could be used against them in their re-election campaigns while also threatening the overall passage of the annual Pentagon policy bill.

But like hes done time and again, McCarthy is handling the most immediate problem first: the prospect of losing control of the House floor. And hes handling secondary problemslike helping Republicans retain control of the Housesecond.

Kevin McCarthy Stands by MTG After House Freedom Caucus Expulsion

The National Defense Authorization Act, a sprawling Pentagon policy bill that has become the closest thing to an annual must-pass bill over the last five decades, was in danger earlier this week because conservatives werent getting votes on all the amendments they wanted. Thats typical enough. Lawmakers usually set up debate on hundreds of amendments for the NDAA, while also denying consideration to hundreds more proposals.

But instead of just accepting that some amendments werent going to make it into the defense policy billor even get a voteconservatives banded together and threatened to stymie the legislation before it even reached the floor. It would have been another embarrassing failure for McCarthy, who has endured embarrassing setback after embarrassing setback already.

So McCarthy did what hes had to do multiple times this year: He caved. And in caving, he may have imperiled the legislation anywayall while still exposing members to tough votes that frontline members would have preferred to avoid.

Open Rule

The Speaker gave conservatives the votes they wanted on dozens of amendments, including ones targeting the Department of Defenses abortion reimbursement policies, access to transgender health care, slashing Ukraine aid, diversity initiatives at the Pentagon, and plenty more.

Democrats are already indicating they will make Republicans pay politically for advancing extreme policies out of step with the majority of America.

If they choose to undermine the values of our military and the values of our community and to attack our military families and the men and women who have sworn to give so much, if that is their choice, then they have to live with that choice, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), a retired Army Captain, told reporters Thursday.

Theyre gonna have to deal with it on their own, Crow added.

USA-CONGRESS/REPUBLICANS REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Indeed, not only are these votes jeopardizing the GOPs political prospects come next November, theyre also jeopardizing passage of the overall bill.

The most controversial amendmentthe one barring the Pentagon from paying for abortionswas narrowly adopted on Thursday. Just two Republicans, John Duarte (R-CA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), voted against the amendment, while just one DemocratRep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX)voted for it. It was adopted 221-213.

But with the inclusion of that policy in the overall bill, just about every Democrat is now expected to vote against final passage of the NDAA.

That means that, unless McCarthy can convince nearly every Republican to support the defense billa tough prospect in a five-seat majoritythe entire effort this week of allowing these amendment votes will be for naught. The amendment will either have to be stripped, or the House GOP will cede ground to the Democratic Senate, which is working on its own defense policy bill. (Usually, both chambers pass their versions of the defense measure, and then the leaders in each chamber come together in a conference to work out the differences before final passage near the end of the year.)

Culture Wars

They are putting culture wars ahead of national security, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) told reporters Thursday. She added that Republicans will not stop until there is a federal ban on abortion.

But Republicansat least the most conservative onesseemed mostly unbothered by the potential political and practical ramifications of the abortion amendment.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told The Daily Beast that it could be a defining moment.

Or defining amendment, or whatever you want to call it, he said. But I think eventually we're gonna have to say, Are we the party of life?

House in Chaos: Conservatives Block Kevin McCarthy's Speakership

Of course, its not just the abortion amendment. Rep. Matt Rosendales (R-MT) proposal targeting gender transition surgeries and hormone therapy in the military was also narrowly adopted, 222-211.

Still, Republicans were generally standing behind McCarthys decision to allow these votes.

Its the far left that has created these problems in the first place, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) told The Daily Beast. So I view these new amendments as simply fixing it and putting the military back to a regular working order.

Crenshaw continued that he didnt think it was correct to write the story as if Republicans are, you know, playing culture war games.

Like thats just not true, he said. Were responding to culture war games.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), one of the Freedom Caucus members who has most ardently pushed McCarthy to open up the amendment process, said the American people he talks to wanted to see the Pentagon focusing on defense and not on social engineering.

So, you know, saw some good votes today, he said.

But whether these votes ultimately prevent Republicans from passing the defense bill is an open question.

Isnt It Ironic?

It would be a fitting conclusion to the episode, after McCarthy gave conservatives what they wanted, because not setting up votes on their amendments would have sunk the legislation. In the end, McCarthy may have gotten the worst of both worlds: exposing his vulnerable members to tough votes while also setting up another embarrassing floor defeat.

At the moment, Republicans are simply trying to navigate the situation as best they canwhile not trying to get too much egg on their face.

The fluid situationwhere Republicans take hard lines and then go back on their wordhas already crossed up one vulnerable GOP member.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who has been pushing her party to find a middle ground on abortion, told reporters on Thursday that she was aghast at the abortion amendment.

I have strong misgivings about targeting women in the military, she said. What message does that send to women who are willing to take a bullet for our country?

And yet, just hours later in the day, Mace voted in favor of the abortion amendment. She later told reporters the military doesnt reimburse travel for elective procedures, as a general policy rule. She said the amendment preserved that precedent.

(As one reporter pointed out to Mace, elective procedures are not broadly illegal in states, and therefore dont often require travel.)

But Mace went on, at one point repeating her earlier question on what House Republicans have done for women this yearif anything.

GOP Congresswoman Pleads With Colleagues to Ease Off Extreme Positions

Its not gonna pass the Senate anyway. It doesnt matter. Its not getting through in the final NDAA, Mace said. When another reporter pointed out the abortion amendment could sink the bill, Mace responded, Again, Democrats are smarter than that. Everybody knows that amendment will not stay when it goes to the Senate.

The amendment might not even stay in the House bill. If McCarthy cant get sufficient support for NDAA final passage on Fridaywhich is when the House is supposed to take its final votethe Speaker may eventually try to strip the abortion amendment in a concession to Democrats.

Such a move would almost certainly cost McCarthy GOP votes, and could damage his standing with his own conference, but it would likely attract more Democratic votes than whatever he loses on his side.

The other optionperhaps the likeliest oneis that Republicans stick together and pass the defense bill on essentially a party-line vote. It would mean exposing his members to these tough votes, and almost all of them going on the record in support of an $886 billion defense budget, which could be yet another tough thing to explain to voters.

But thats tomorrows problem.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Kevin McCarthys brain is broken.

During a press conference discussing the House passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Friday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) claimed the bill sent a message to the Senate to stop using taxpayer money to do their own wokeism.

A military cannot defend themselves if you train them in woke. We dont want Disneyland to train our military, McCarthy added. (Disney is not mentioned anywhere in the legislation.)

Kevin McCarthy: "Stop using taxpayer money to do their own wokeism. A military cannot defend themselves if you train them in woke. We don't want Disneyland to train our military." pic.twitter.com/czkyARfmvu  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 14, 2023

This version of the NDAA will likely die in the Senate given the various culture-war-based amendments attached by House Republicans.

The proposed defense spending package would revoke funding for any project or program involving Critical Race Theory, dissolve the office of the Defense Departments Chief Diversity Officer, ban drag performances, and severely curtails the militarys ability to research and implement renewable energy sources. The bill would also revoke funding for gender-affirming care and abortion services to enlisted members, veterans, and dependents.

On Thursday, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), a member of the House Oversight Committee, accused Republicans of holding an initially uncontroversial military funding bill hostage over the culture war.

The Senate is going to kick all this back to us, he said. Theyre gonna wipe all this culture war nonsense out, and so this is just theater, its not about defending the country.

Moskowitz: Were talking about the NDAA.. passed 58 to 1 in committee except now its held hostage over the culture war. Its not about defense, no, its about abortion or its about books. Were back to books again pic.twitter.com/h7sifA6Ung  Acyn (@Acyn) July 13, 2023

Moskowitz also pointed out that in the Senate Armed Services Committee, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville has been holding hundreds of military appointments hostage for months. We cant appoint the head of the Marine Corps because of the culture wars  hasnt happened since 1910, he said, calling the situation nonsense.

Despite claims that they are depoliticizing the military, House Republicans are simultaneously bragging that the bill delivers on a slew of conservative promises. Just look at the conservative policies in this NDAA, said Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), calling the bill the most conservative defense spending bill shed ever worked on.

The Senate, currently controlled by Democrats, is expected to take up the legislation next week. Theyre likely to leave more confetti on the cutting room floor than a Disney park parade.

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KFC Ukraine patrons donate $88,000 to assist those displaced by war

Thanks to a campaign organized by KFC Ukraine and the League of Assistance Foundation, each chicken burger sold by the American fast food chain in Ukraine donated UAH 5 ($0.14) to a fund for those displaced by war, with the total amount reaching over UAH 3 million, or $88,000, KFC said in a press release on July 14.

"Our goal was to help Ukrainians," said Alina Kiptyk, the Director of Tasty Food, which controls KFC franchisees.

We were fascinated by the idea and initiative of the League of Assistance Foundation, which installs modular houses for people affected by the war. We wanted to help people who had lost their homes. Especially since these houses are made in Ukraine by Nordic! It is important to support domestic production, especially in a difficult time for Ukraine's economy.

For two months, every KFC visitor could help by simply buying a chicken burger or donating UAH 5 at the cash desk or online.

KFC

Read also: Okean Elzy helps raise UAH 5 million for Khersons State Emergency Services in a single day

The power of small donations proved to be effective. During the campaign, KFC managed to raise UAH 3,244,177 ($87,996) through more than 600,000 donations. This amount was enough to fund seven prefabricated homes.

"When we were thinking about this charity event, of course, we had a goal to raise as much money as possible," Alina Kiptyk (Director of Tasty Food, one of the KFC franchisees) said.

We saw the conditions in which people whose homes were damaged by the war are now living. We managed to raise enough money for seven modular houses. Seven families are getting new housing. This is inspiring. Life goes on! And we are very proud that together with our visitors we can improve it a little bit. We would like to once again express our gratitude to all donors and everyone involved in this charitable project. Each of your donations is very valuable!

KFC

Read also: Ukrainian boxer donates $370,000 to rebuild village near Kyiv

The houses are currently being installed in Kyiv Oblast. In Makariv territorial community alone, 595 private houses were completely destroyed and 2,095 partially damaged.

Olena is one of the families for whom a modular house is being installed in the village of Havronshchyna, Kyiv Oblast. At the beginning of March 2022, when Russian troops entered the village, she lived here with her husband. Under fire, they managed to flee to western Ukraine and save their lives.

However their house, which her husband had been building with his own hands for 10 years, was destroyed. Due to the stress and exacerbation of his illness, Olena's husband died, and she was left alone.

Thanks to this campaign, she received a fresh start toward rebuilding her life.

A modular house is an opportunity to continue living in your home. The elderly are especially attached to their place of residence. They have lived in this village all their lives, got used to the area and neighbors, and it is very problematic for them to change their place of residence. As such there are iin the greatest need of modular housing.

KFC

Read also: Another new modular town for IDPs opens in Kyiv Oblast

The prefabricated home is equipped with a double sofa, wardrobe, kitchenette, bathroom, air conditioning (for cooling and heating) and ventilation. After connecting utilities (water and electricity), people can live comfortably.

The League of Aid Foundation is collecting applications from people who have lost their homes due to the war and helping to organize temporary housing in the form of modular houses. KFC plans to continue raising funds and implementing charitable initiatives in the near future to help as many families as possible find a new home.

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
We will kill the enemy on its territory, but with our own weapons  Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that Ukraine will use weapons of its own production to carry out strikes on Russian territory.

Source: Zaluzhnyi in an interview with The Washington Post

Details: The Washington Post emphasised that Zaluzhnyi is currently asking himself the question of how to reduce losses and how he personally can reduce losses.

Zaluzhnyi starts every morning by finding out how many soldiers were killed or wounded while carrying out his orders the day before.

Sometimes he comes across contacts on his mobile phone that are already dead. He refuses to delete them.

Zaluzhnyi said he is putting his grief on hold so that mourning does not distract him from his important work.

Because of the lack of weapons, the absence of new Western aircraft and the allies' conditions for longer-range missiles (these cannot be used to strike Russian territory), Zaluzhnyi said the Ukrainian Armed Forces use Ukrainian-made weapons to frequently strike across the border, which Kyiv has never officially recognised as its own.

Quote: "To save my people, why do I have to ask someone for permission what to do on enemy territory? For some reason, I have to think that Im not allowed to do anything there. Why? Because [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will  use nuclear weapons? The kids who are dying dont care.

This is our problem, and it is up to us to decide how to kill this enemy. It is possible and necessary to kill on his territory in a war. If our partners are afraid to use their weapons, we will kill with our own. But only as much as is necessary."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






A kindergarten teacher found to have poisoned 25 of her students, killing one, has been executed, according to a court in central China.

Wang Yuns sentence was carried out Thursday, according to a notice posted outside the No. 1 Intermediate Court in the city of Jiaozuo in the Henan province.

The 40-year-old was found guilty of lacing her students' porridge with toxic sodium nitrite while working at the Mengmeng Pre-school Education on March 27, 2019.

Children perform freestyle basketball before the International Children's Day in Jiaozhou, Henan Province of China, on May 29, 2022.

22-YEAR-OLD MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH BOSTON CHILD'S SHOOTING DEATH

The incident occurred after she had a disagreement with a colleague over "student management."

While the majority of the students recovered, one succumbed to the toxic poisoning after suffering from multiple-organ failure despite 10 months of treatment.

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Wang apparently also poisoned her husband with the same substance prior to the March 2019 event at the pre-school, though he too survived with mild injuries.

The 40-year-old was said to be acting out of revenge in both poisoning cases, according to the court notice.

Wang was originally sentenced to nine months in prison for causing deliberate harm. Her sentence was later converted to the death penalty despite her appeal.

Tourists read in a bookstore in the Dananpo Village of Xiuwu County in Jiaozuo City, central China's Henan Province, on July 30, 2022.

LOVE TRIANGLE MURDER VICTIM IN HAWAII CHEATED WITH MULTIPLE WOMEN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS

It is unclear how she was executed, though Wang was reportedly taken to an execution ground before her sentence was conducted.

Most death sentences in China are reportedly carried with a bullet to the back of the head, although there have been some instances of lethal injection.

China is believed to carry out more death penalties than the rest of the world combined, though the exact number of state killings each year remains a government secret.

Attacks in schools have become an increasing trend across China, largely carried out by individuals bearing a grudge on certain people or society, and are said to be "mentally disturbed" persons.

Students of an experimental primary school participate in cucurbit flute performance to welcome upcoming International Children's Day on May 30, 2018, in Jiaozuo, Henan Province of China.

Gun ownership is illegal in China and most of these attacks have been carried out with the use of knives, including on Monday when a man was arrested after he allegedly killed six people and injured one at a kindergarten in southeast China.

It is unclear if any of the victims were students.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
What we know about Andrey Troshev, the man Putin proposed as the new Wagner boss

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed to Wagner Group fighters that a senior mercenary named Andrey Troshev now command the private military group, according to comments the Russian leader made to the Kommersant newspaper.

Putin appears to have created a split between senior fighters from the Wagner mercenary group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin since its failed uprising last month  at least in terms of the narrative emerging from his comments to the Kommersant.

The paper was reporting on a meeting held by the Russian president five days after the Wagner rebellion collapsed at the end of June  a meeting attended by Prigozhin and several dozen senior Wagner combatants.

According to Kommersant, Putin told dozens of Wagner mercenaries in the meeting that among the multiple employment choices he offered to them, one included them continuing to fight under their direct commander, a man who goes by the call sign, Sedoy, meaning grey hair.

They could have all gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin said, and nothing would have changed for them. They would be led by the same person who has been their real commander all along.

And what happened then? the Kommersant reporter said in reply to Putin. Many people nodded [affirmatively] when I said that, Putin replied.

Who is Andrey Troshev?

Sedoy is the call sign of Andrey Troshev, a retired Russian colonel and a founding member and Executive Director of the Wagner Group, according to sanctions documents published by the European Union and France.

European Union sanctions concerning the situation in Syria detail Troshevs position as the chief of staff of the Wagner Group operations in Syria, which supported the Syrian regime.

Troshev was born in April 1953 in Leningrad, in the former Soviet Union, according to the EU sanctions from December 2021.

Andrey Troshev is directly involved in the military operations of the Wagner Group in Syria. He was particularly involved in the area of Deir ez-Zor, it added. As such, he provides a crucial contribution to Bashar al-Assads war effort and therefore supports and benefits from the Syrian regime.

United Kingdom sanctions from June 2022 also say Andrey Nikolaevich Troshev was the Chief Executive of the Wagner Group. Therefore, he has supported the Syrian regime, was a member of a militia, and has repressed the civilian population in Syria.

His associates include Wagner Group founder Dimitriy Utkin, who is also a former Russian GRU military intelligence officer, according to EU sanctions. Troshev is also associated with Wagner group commanders Aleksandr Sergeevich Kuznetsov and Andrey Bogatov.

Grey hair is also a former employee of the special rapid response detachment of the Russian Interior Ministrys Northwestern Federal District, according to Russian online news outlet Fontanka. He is also a veteran of the wars in Chechnya and Afghanistan.

For his service in Afghanistan, Troshev was awarded two Orders of the Red Star  a Soviet Union decoration for exceptional service. For service in the operation in Chechnya, he was awarded two Orders of Courage and a medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd degree, according to Russian media.

Troshev was among those invited to a reception at the Kremlin in December 2016. A photograph, believed to be from that 2016 reception, emerged in Russian media in 2017 and shows Putin alongside Troshev and Utkin, who are both wearing several medals.

Members of Wagner group sit atop of a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023. - Roman Romokhov/AFP/Getty Images

Ukraine imposed sanctions against Troshev on February 26, 2023.

Meanwhile, the fate of Wagner boss Prigozhin remains unclear. Prigozhin had reportedly traveled to Belarus as part of a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following the failed uprising, but the Belarusian president told CNN last week the Wagner leader is now in Russia.

Footage purporting to show a police raid on Prigozhins premises in St. Petersburg has also raised questions about his status. Prigozhin has not been seen in public since June 2.

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What to Know About the Hotel Billionaire Ensnared in Singapores Graft Probe

What to Know About the Hotel Billionaire Ensnared in Singapores Graft Probe

(Bloomberg) -- Singapores most serious political graft probe since the 1980s has ensnared a billionaire best known for bringing Formula One racing to the city and who has political ties that go back decades.

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Malaysian property tycoon and hotelier Ong Beng Seng, 77, and Transport Minister S. Iswaran were arrested Jul. 11 and released on bail, the anti-graft agency said late Friday. The case is the most serious linked to a senior politician in 37 years.

Who is Ong Beng Seng? Whats his net worth?

Hes the managing director of Hotel Properties Ltd. and is known for bringing the Formula One night race to Singapore in 2008. Ong is worth about $1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires index.

What is Ongs involvement in the case?

The businessman was asked by Singapores anti-graft bureau about his interactions with Iswaran, according to a stock exchange filing by his Hotel Properties Ltd. on Friday. The tycoon posted bail of S$100,000 ($76,000), is cooperating with the probe and will continue in his duties as managing director, according to the filing.

What is Ongs connection with the F1?

Ongs Singapore GP Pte and the countrys tourism agency in 2022 secured an extension to host the race through 2028. Iswaran is widely credited for playing a key role in the citys bid to host the grand prix.

What are Ongs business interests?

Hotel Properties interests include Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in Maldives, Seychelles and Singapore. Hotel Properties also develops luxury condominiums such as Burlington Gate in Mayfair, London and Nassim Jade in Singapore.

Last year, a consortium led by Ong and units of state investment firm Temasek Holdings Pte won a bidding war to buy the property assets of the citys main publisher. In 2003, Ong and tycoon Oei Hong Leong were engaged in a tussle over steel-miller NatSteel Ltd.

In 1999, Ong together with Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and others helped finance the restructuring of Planet Hollywood International Inc. The chain operated about 80 movie theme restaurants promoted and partly owned by Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and other stars.

What past controversy is he associated with?

This isnt the first time Ong has been embroiled in controversies surrounding politicians from Singapores ruling party. In 1996, then deputy prime minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father Lee Kuan Yew were cleared in an inquiry over claims of impropriety on discounts received for four luxury apartments developed by the tycoons Hotel Properties.

My concern was that Ong Beng Seng, being a shrewd businessman, like all developers, might be using them, doing a favor for them, without their knowing it, former prime minister Goh Chok Tong wrote in his book Standing Tall: The Goh Chok Tong Years, Volume 2. He was referring to the inquiry into the Nassim Jade apartment purchases by the Lees. And I knew that Ong Beng Seng was a friend of Lee Kuan Yew.

Goh wrote that the elder Lee, Singapores first prime minister, had similar initial doubts about Ong. The late Lee Kuan Yew later praised Ong as a straightforward businessman who should not be punished for the incident, according to Gohs book.

What else do we know about Ong?

Ong was born in Malaysia and moved to Singapore when he was four, according to a Business Times article in 1992. He was educated at the Anglo-Chinese School and was a long jumper in school.

In 2002, Ong was part of a government-led group set up to recommend ways to restructure Singapores economy after the city-state suffered its worst recession in 37 years in 2001.

--With assistance from Yihui Xie, Pui Gwen Yeung, Aradhana Aravindan, Anand Krishnamoorthy, Shamim Adam and Derek Wallbank.

(Adds arrests in second paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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A man walks past the Ala-Too square in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 12, 2023. The authorities in Kyrgyzstan issued a heat alert on Friday. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua)

BISHKEK, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations issued on Friday a warning for unusual heat which is expected to last from Monday to Wednesday.

According to the warning, air temperature across the country will rise to 40 degrees Celsius.

In such extremely hot weather, to avoid dehydration and heat stroke, it is recommended to avoid direct sunlight and carry out abundant watering of crops, the ministry said. 

People have fun beside a fountain in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 12, 2023. The authorities in Kyrgyzstan issued a heat alert on Friday. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua)

People rest under the tree shade in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 12, 2023. The authorities in Kyrgyzstan issued a heat alert on Friday. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua)

A woman shelters herself from the sun under an umbrella in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 12, 2023. The authorities in Kyrgyzstan issued a heat alert on Friday. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua)
What to know: Indian rocket heads to the Moon

The News

India successfully launched its Chandrayaan-3 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre Friday, its third attempt at a moon mission.

Weve curated helpful reporting to illustrate the significance of Indias moon mission.

Insights

India last orbited the moon in 2008 , when it sent Chandrayaan-1 to orbit the south pole in search of water. In 2019, it made a second attempt with Chandrayaan-2, with the aim of landing a rover on the surface  but that rover crash landed. Chandrayaan-3, if it lands successfully in late August, will pick up where the last mission left off.

If Indias attempt is successful, it will join an exclusive club. Only three other countries, the U.S., China, and the former Soviet Union have successfully soft landed on the moon to date. Of the three, India has adopted a more straightforward name for its rocket: Chandrayaan translates to moon craft, a departure from Chinas Change, a reference to the goddess of the moon, or the U.S.s Apollo, named after the Greek god.

Indian Space Research Organization chief Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said hes hoping well find something new, on the mission, and added the rover will examine the atmosphere close to the surface and the moons tectonic activity.

Know More

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter that the rocket scripted a new chapter in Indias space odyssey.

This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication, Modi added. Thousands of people attended the launch in Sriharikota, with millions more tuning into livestreams.
What to know: Modi honored on France's Bastille Day as Delhi-Paris ties deepen

The News

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a guest of honor at Frances annual Bastille Day celebrations, where he said relations between the two countries are in excellent shape.

Its the Indian leaders fourth visit to France since 2017, marking 25 years of New Delhi and Pariss strategic partnership.

Weve collected key insights on why India and France are further strengthening their long-standing relationship.

Insights

India is not only a key diplomatic partner for France, but also a means for Paris to reduce its reliance on U.S. security. French President Emmanuel Macron has courted New Delhi, Christophe Jaffrelot, research director at Sciences Po in Paris, told the Financial Times. For India and France, at a time when China is expanding its influence in this part of the world, to join hands makes a lot of sense.

The bilateral talks highlight what India can offer Europe, security scholar C. Raja Mohan writes. Intense and wide-ranging defence cooperation between India and France today could contribute immensely to Eurasian security this century, Mohan notes, adding that India has a rare incentive to reexamine its relationship with Europe following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Paris has so far turned the other cheek when it comes to condemning alleged human rights abuses by Modis government. Advocacy group Human Rights Watch noted earlier this week that it was deeply worrying that Macron would mark Bastille Day  Frances celebration of civil liberty and freedoms  with the leader of a country where Muslims are being persecuted by Hindu-nationalist groups. French newspaper Le Parisien suggests diplomatic forces can explain the deferential treatment: The two countries want to present themselves as a balance of power in the current geopolitical climate.

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Ahead of the Bastille parade India gave initial approval to buy an extra 26 Rafale fighter jets and three Scorpene class submarines from France, Reuters reported.

The deal will help Paris maintain its presence in the Indo-Pacific, at a time when tensions with China are high and still rising.
What we know about Rex Heuermann, identified as the Gilgo Beach murders suspect

The suspect in custody on July 14 in connection with a string of long-unsolved slayings of women on Long Island, New York, lived in a cozy South Shore suburb not far from the beach highway where human remains were first found more than a decade ago.

Four senior law enforcement officials briefed on the case identified the suspect as Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, a village in Nassau County.

During a news conference Friday, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison did not name the suspect, but said he was arrested in midtown Manhattan on Thursday night and transported to Suffolk County.

Follow along for live updates

It was not immediately clear if Heuermann had an attorney. The Suffolk County District Attorneys Office said there was a significant development in the case, but declined to comment further until after a court proceeding later Friday.

The case dogged investigators for years after the discovery of human remains in 2010 near Gilgo Beach led to as many as 16 victims being found, many of them known sex workers. Police believe some of those deaths are linked to a serial killer.

Crime lab officers arrive at the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, on Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AP)

Who is Rex Heuermann?

Authorities blocked off Heuermanns Massapequa Park home on Friday as police trucks lined the quiet street of two-story houses. Residents of the neighborhood filmed the scene amid a large media presence.

Heuermanns home is also listed in connection with his business, RH Consultants & Associates. He received his architecture license in 1996, and New York state records show he does not have any enforcement actions listed.

Among his clients have been Catholic Charities, New York Citys Department of Environmental Protection, American Airlines and other major tenants at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to an online biography.

In an interview from his midtown Manhattan office posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty in early 2022, Heuermann said he was an architectural consultant and troubleshooter, born and raised on Long Island and working in Manhattan since 1987. He spoke about the nuts and bolts of his profession and how he educated city entities about local architectural codes.

When asked about what qualities someone in his job would need, he said, I dont like to use the word tolerance, but sometimes you have to. And its not just with the city. Its also with the client, because most clients, they dont understand what I have to do, why I have to do it, and what it takes to get done.

Heuermann also spoke about learning to construct furniture from his father, whom he described as an aerospace engineer who built satellites.

I build furniture at home and I still build it in the same exact workshop, he said. I have one tool thats pretty much used in almost every job, and its actually a cabinet makers hammer. It is persuasive enough when I need to persuade something.

Not someone? the interviewer asked.

Something, Heuermann said, and it always yields excellent results.

At least one person who knows Heuermann said his arrest is at odds with the man she has come to know through weekly networking meetings.

I knew him as a friend and a colleague. And I am completely surprised, the woman said, adding that she last spoke with him Tuesday via Zoom.

He was very organized. He was very friendly, she said. I did not see this coming.

This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
What we know about the suspect in the Gilgo Beach serial killings case

The suspect arrested in connection with the unsolved serial killings of women found along a New York beach highway has been identified as Rex Heuermann, of Massapequa, Long Island.

Court documents show Heuermann, 59, is being charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of three women  Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello  in 2009 and 2010. He was also named as "the prime suspect" in the murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. They were among at least 10 victims whose bodies were found in the area, in a case that stymied investigators for years.

Heuermann, who worked as an architectural consultant in Manhattan, was taken into custody by Suffolk County Police and state police late Thursday night. There was a large police presence Friday morning at his home in the village of Massapequa Park.

Booking photo of Rex Heuermann (inset), arrested in connection with a string of unsolved killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island. Police searched a home in Massapequa Park, New York, on on July 14, 2023, after he was taken into custody. / Credit: Background: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AP; Inset: Obtained by CBS New York

Heuermann was arraigned in court Friday and pleaded not guilty. The judge ordered him held without bail.

The arrest comes more than a decade after the discovery of the remains of numerous victims along Long Island's Gilgo Beach. The long-unsolved killings were the subject of numerous CBS "48 Hours" reports and the 2020 Netflix film "Lost Girls."

According to court documents filed by prosecutors, investigators began a "comprehensive review of every item of evidence" in the case in 2022. Authorities said that led them to take a closer look at a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to Heuermann at the time of the murders, similar to one reported seen by a witness. The investigation also turned up connections with burner cellphones and other phone data allegedly linked to the suspect.

In addition, the court filing says a hair found on burlap that wrapped one of the victims was determined to be a DNA match to Heuermann, based on a DNA sample retrieved from crusts in a pizza box he discarded.

Heuermann is an architect who founded the New York City firm RH Consultants and Associates, in 1994, according to the company's website. His clients included Target, Foot Locker, Catholic Charities and American Airlines, the website says.

A "Meet the team" link on the firm's website with Heuermann's photo has been taken down but CBS News obtained a screenshot before it was removed.

Rex Heuermann is pictured in this screenshot from RH Consultants and Associates' website. / Credit: RH Consultants and Associates

"Throughout the years, Rex Heuermann has provided services to other city agencies, not for profit agencies, builders, developers and individual owners of buildings in regard to ADA, NYC and NY State Codes as well as Zoning Consultation," according to the company's website.

Residents of Massapequa Park told CBS New York they were stunned by the news.

"We've been here for about 30 years, and the guy's been quiet, never really bothers anybody," next-door neighbor Etienne DeVilliers told the station. "We were kind of shocked, to tell you the truth."

DeVilliers said Heuermann is married, with two children. He added that his neighbor told him he was an architect.

"Like I said, we're shocked. Because this is a very, very quiet neighborhood. Everybody knows each other, all of our neighbors, we're all friendly. It's never been a problem at all," DeVilliers said.

In a 2022 interview with Bonjour Realty that was posted to YouTube, Heuermann says he was "born and raised on Long Island"

Actor Billy Baldwin tweeted on Friday that he went to high school with Heuermann.

"Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann," Baldwin tweeted, saying they went to Massapequa's Berner High School and graduated in 1981.

Heuermann told Bonjour Realty last year that has worked in Manhattan since 1987.

"I'm an architect, I'm an architectural consultant, I'm a troubleshooter," he says, adding that he's adept at interpreting arcane building codes and handles lots of negotiations with the buildings department.

"At home, I have an extensive library of obsolete books" about building codes from the past century, he said.

On Friday, officers converged on a small red house that had been raided earlier in the morning in the suburb about 40 miles east of midtown Manhattan, the Associated Press reported. Investigators were seen outside the home, which appeared to be in disrepair.

"This house sticks out like a sore thumb. There were overgrown shrubs, there was always wood in front of the house," neighbor Gabriella Libardi told the AP. "It was very creepy. I wouldn't send my child there."

Barry Auslander, another neighbor, told the AP the man who lived in the house commuted by train to New York City each morning, wearing a suit and tie.

"It was weird. He looked like a businessman," said Auslander. "But his house is a dump."

In the 2022 interview with Bonjour Realty, Heuermann was asked hypothetically what tool he would be to help elevate his business. He replied that he would be a hammer.

"I have one tool that's pretty much used in almost every job. It's actually a cabinet maker's hammer," he said. "It is persuasive enough when I need to persuade something and it always yields excellent results."

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Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani condemned the brawl that erupted Thursday in Kosovos parliament between opposition and ruling party MPs, CNNs affiliate N1 reported.

In a live video broadcast of the Kosovan parliament, Prime Minister Albin Kurti was interrupted by opposition MPs and had water thrown at him following some shoving and brawling between ruling Vetevendosje party and opposition MPs.

Kurti was speaking about easing tensions in northern Kosovo, which saw violent clashes in May when ethnic Serbs protested the installation of ethnically Albanian mayors.

There was a scuffle among the MPs who came to Kurtis defense and those who came to the other side.

Glass was also heard breaking and the President of the Kosovo Assembly, Gljauk Konjufca, was also heard calling the police in the video.

The live broadcast from this session was then interrupted.

Fight breaks out between the opposition and ruling parliament members while Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti was giving a speech. - Erkin Keci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Osmani said in a Facebook such violence had no place.

Using physical violence as a tool to address political discontent, differences or disagreements is the greatest harm that can be done to institutions that were built with so much can sacrifice, she wrote, adding that violence has no place in the temple of democracy and cannot become a political tool.

We must reaffirm our commitment to democracy, different thinking, as well as mutual respect, based on rule and law-abiding, she said.

Albanias Prime Minister Edi Rama also condemned the brawl.

Imagine how the irreplaceable allies and friends of Kosovo and the Albanians feel, when they see how Albanians grabbed each other by the throat instead of fighting with ideas and words, not insults and fists, he said and called the opposition to distance itself from what he said was shameful behavior.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a war in which Kosovan Albanians attempted to break from what was then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, made up of todays Serbia and Montenegro. Serbia views Kosovo as a breakaway state and does not recognize its independence.

The bulk of Kosovos population is ethnically Albanian but in the restive north ethnic Serbs are the majority in some areas and have increasingly demanded greater autonomy.

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Yevgeny Prigozhin

Following the June 24 mutiny led by the Wagner Group PMC leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has carried out "purges" in the Defense Ministry, the GRU (military intelligence), and the army, head of Estonian intelligence, Col. Margo Grosberg, said during a briefing on July 14, according to Estonian public broadcaster ERR.

According to Grosberg, 13 high-ranking military officers were detained, and about 15, suspected of being involved in the mutiny, were dismissed. Gen. Sergei Surovikin disappeared without a trace, while a deputy defense minister and a GRU general were detained.

Read also: Ukraine will join NATO; Putin already lost  Biden

"It is not surprising, it was expected; Putin likely prepared his list and now they are removing those who are no longer considered reliable," Grosberg believes.

He also revealed that some Wagner fighters are still in Ukraines Luhansk Oblast, but are not deployed in combat. There are also indications that the Wagner fighters are leaving for Belarus. According to the official, numerous buses with Belarusian license plates have been spotted in the Voronezh region.

Read also: Kremlin undecided if Putin will attend BRICS summit in South Africa

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported with reference to anonymous sources that after the Wagner mutiny, 13 high-ranking military officials were detained for questioning. According to WSJ, Surovikin remains in custody.

Read also: Rumors of leadership purge in Russian military swirl after alleged detention of top general Surovikin

Days following the short-lived Prigozhin mutiny, The New York Times reported that Surovikin may have been aware of Wagners plans and could have even supported the mutineers. The Moscow Times confirmed Surovikin's arrest on June 28.

On June 29, the Financial Times corroborated the report, saying that Surovikin has been detained and questioned by the FSB.

Read also: Wagner-adjacent general Surovikin under arrest by FSB  report

On July 12, UK Defense Intelligence highlighted additional evidence suggesting Surovikin's isolation, specifically his absence from a meeting with Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and his deputy, Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, General Viktor Afzalov.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Friday that the status of the private Wagner mercenary group needed to be "considered", a day after President Vladimir Putin said the group had no legal basis.

Putin told a reporter from Kommersant newspaper on Thursday that Wagner, which staged a brief armed mutiny last month, "does not exist" in a legal sense because there is no law in Russia relating to private military companies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the status of companies such as Wagner was "rather complicated" and needed to be studied.

Asked if new legislation was likely on the status of private military companies, he said: "This question will at least be under consideration."

Wagner has waged the fiercest battles of the Ukraine war for Russia but uncertainty has surrounded its fate and that of its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin since last month's mutiny, when it seized control of a southern city and advanced towards Moscow.

The defence ministry said this week that Wagner was completing the transfer of its weapons to the regular army under the accord with the Kremlin that brought the mutiny to an end.

Putin told Kommersant he had offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to keep fighting for Russia during a meeting held five days after the mutiny but suggested Prigozhin be moved aside in favour of a different commander.

Under the terms of the agreement ending the June 23-24 mutiny, Prigozhin was meant to go into exile in Belarus, a close ally of Russia. However, he has not been seen in public since June 24 and his current whereabouts are unknown.

(Reporting by ReutersWriting by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Gareth Jones)
Joseph Iniguez attends a Pasadena summit on jail reform when he ran for L.A. County district attorney in 2019. (Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Patrisse Cullors)

One of Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon's top aides settled a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Azusa Police Department this week, following his arrest there on suspicion of public intoxication.

While the terms of the settlement between the department and Joseph Iniguez, who serves as Gascon's chief of staff, were not immediately made public, court records show a notice of settlement was entered on Wednesday.

Iniguez was arrested by Asuza Police in December 2021 after officers pulled over his then-fiancee for making an illegal U-Turn in the 900 block of East Alosta Ave., records show. The arresting officer said he was trying to investigate whether or not Iniguez's partner was driving impaired, but then accused Iniguez of repeatedly interfering with him, according to police reports made public last year.

The officer said Iniguez was combative, slurring his words, and had "bloodshot" eyes, according to those reports.

The couple, now married, were returning from another prosecutor's wedding, and police ultimately found that Iniguez's fiance's blood-alcohol content was below the legal limit. Iniguez was initially arrested for public intoxication, but jail records show he was held under a statute that allows police to detain a person suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol when there are insufficient grounds for criminal charges. Jail records say police determined "no further proceedings are desirable."

Read more: Los Angeles County D.A.'s chief of staff sues Azusa police over public intoxication arrest

When news of his detention became public, Iniguez said he was wrongfully arrested as retaliation for filming the encounter. He has never offered any proof of that claim or released the video that he recorded on his phone. He filed the federal lawsuit a few weeks later, alleging through his attorney, Glen Jonas, that he was "lucid, calm, responsive and communicative" on the night of the incident.

A criminal case against Iniguez was ultimately referred to the California attorney general's office, but state prosecutors never pursued any charges against him, and the statute of limitations on any possible misdemeanor conduct ran out last December.

An Azusa police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. In a statement, Iniguez called the settlement a victory for police accountability.

"Bad policing is a scourge on our community and must be called out," he said. "While I took this action to hold them accountable, many people with less knowledge of the system have bad experiences with police that impacts their trust for some of our most important public servants."

Iniguez said he plans to donate the entirety of the settlement amount to the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, a nonprofit group of current and former police officers, prosecutors, and judges who advocate for criminal justice reform.

He declined to discuss the settlement amount on advice of his attorney. Asked why he has not made video of the incident public, Iniguez said the camera was focused on his partner and he did not "feel comfortable publicly releasing footage of him being harassed and unfairly arrested by police." Police detained Iniguez's partner during the stop, but he was not placed under arrest or charged with any crime.

Iniguez's arrest and the subsequent lawsuit drew the ire of many of Gascon's critics, who have long expressed frustration that the young prosecutor lacks the experience necessary for the chief of staff position. Iniguez ran for district attorney in 2020, but dropped out and joined Gascon's campaign.

After Gascon's election, Iniguez was named the office's interim chief deputy, effectively making him the second most powerful lawyer in the nation's largest prosecutor's office despite his minimal trial experience.

Asst. Dist. Atty. Vicki Adams, who previously held Iniguez's post as chief of staff, has also sued the office over her demotion, claiming she was bumped for Gascon's political ally after she criticized some of the progressive prosecutor's policies.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Lancaster man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder in the shooting death of his girlfriends mother, according to prosecutors and court records.

Curtis William Townsend IV, 24, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lancaster County criminal court under an Alford plea for the killing of Takeisha Massey, 38, in October 2021, said prosecutor Melissa McGinnis, of the 6th Circuit Solicitors Office.

South Carolina Circuit Judge Bill McKinnon sentenced Townsend to 40 years in the S.C. Department of Corrections for the murder conviction, court records show. A conviction for murder carries a minimum of 30 years under South Carolina law.

The victim was the mother of Townsends girlfriend, McGinnis said. The victim was shot at a residence on Caroline Court after an argument, McGinnis said.

Police and prosecutors said the victim was shot several times. Townsend was arrested outside the residence shortly after the shooting, officials said.

McGinnis and Luck Campbell prosecuted the case.

A trial started Monday but Townsend pleaded guilty Tuesday, according to McGinnis and a statement from Randy Newman, 6th Circuit Solicitor.

Townsend pleaded guilty under what is called an Alford plea, according to McGinnis the prosecutor.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not have to admit guilt, but accepts that if the case went to trial he would likely be found guilty, according to prosecutors. For sentencing, an Alford plea is treated the same as a guilty plea, South Carolina law shows.
Latino members of President Joe Biden's Cabinet defended the administration's efforts on immigration and migration  particularly around the issue of unaccompanied minors  as they decried the impasse in Congress regarding any meaningful immigration reform.

At a panel discussion in New York City at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, a bipartisan Latino advocacy group, officials said the administration had made progress on moving migrant minors from adult detention immigration facilities.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra touted that the average time a migrant minor now spends under the custody of the Department of Homeland Security before being transferred to a licensed care facility under HHS is less than 24 hours.

Becerra was asked about the reports of unaccompanied minors in the U.S. working in factories, sometimes in dangerous situations. The administration has suffered backlash for failing to ensure children released into the country were protected from exploitation.

Echoing previous administration responses about the issue, Becerra said that once a migrant minor is placed with a sponsor, who is usually a family member, "we don't have the authority to bring that child back," because, unlike with foster care, Congress never gave HHS that kind of jurisdiction. "There is no net for this child" when it comes to that kind of exploitation, he said.

"I don't think anyone ever expected that it would take five or six years for any child to have an immigration case," Becerra said, referring to the bottleneck over pending asylum cases.

The administration was also asked about the deaths of several migrant children in government custody and about their care. Becerra answered that, without going into specifics, the children were going through medical and health issues.

"When it comes to these children, we treated them as children. We don't cage them," Becerra said.

"Its important for people to recognize that as long as we have a broken immigration system, were going to have children crossing our border without an adult and putting them in dangerous circumstances," Becerra said. Congress has gone some three decades without passing sweeping immigration reform legislation.

The Trump administration took children from their parents at the border to prosecute their parents after they allegedly entered the country illegally. Thousands of children were separated, leading to a class-action lawsuit. The Biden administration still has in place a task force to reunite children with their parents or family. In a May report, the task force said it had reunited 705 children.

On border enforcement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the administration has "instituted new lawful pathways, and we have seen and delivered consequences for those who do not avail themselves of it, and we've seen a 70% drop in number of encounters at our southern border."

The Biden administration recently announced a family reunification parole process to allow more eligible Colombian, Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Honduran nationals with U.S. citizen or legal resident family members to join their families in the U.S.

Still, several states restrictive immigration policies have exacerbated the lack of progress around immigration reform and attempts to provide legal pathways for more noncitizens who are currently in the U.S.

Florida's recently signed immigration law imposes strict restrictions to deter the employment of undocumented workers, requiring businesses with more than 25 employees to use a government system known as E-Verify that checks an employee's or applicant's immigration or citizenship status. It has already led to some workers, mostly Latino, leaving the state.

The ramifications around these laws are in the context "of a completely broken immigration system," Mayorkas said.

If one only employs agricultural workers with legal immigration status, Mayorkas said, "I dont know how we put food on the table."

Immigration is a key campaign issue, particularly among Republicans who are blaming the Biden administration for past spikes in the number of people arriving at the border.

Biden Cabinet member Isabella Casillas Guzman, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, said the SBA had expanded centers across the country from 1,200 to 1,600 to provide small-business guidance, including around workforce challenges.

When asked about the findings that millions in Covid relief funds were used fraudulently, Guzman said that 86% of the estimated fraudulent funds were disbursed under the Trump administration in 2020 because decisions were made that sacrificed certainty for speed.

Guzman said 1 out of every 6 small businesses is being started by a Latino and touted "record low" Latino unemployment. "Bidenomics is working," she said.

Around a year ahead of the presidential election, Guzman, Mayorkas and Becerra made a point of stressing the significance of Biden's diverse Cabinet; Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, who was not present, is also Latino.

"We need to continue to have a Cabinet that looks like America," Becerra said. "The difference we make has a different flavor to it."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Angel Studios Statement on SOUND OF FREEDOM and AMC Theaters

Support from Theatrical Partners Continues to Grow, with Over 450 New Theaters Added for Upcoming Weekend

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Angel Studios

July 13, 2023

PROVO, Utah, July 13, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- Angel Studios, a platform and studio empowering filmmakers to crowdfund, create, and distribute films and TV series globally, backed by more than 70,000 investors in the Angel Guild, is issuing the following statement regarding rumors about AMC theaters and the SOUND of FREEDOM.

"We understand there are rumors--predominantly in social media--that AMC theaters have made it difficult for fans to see SOUND of FREEDOM in local AMC theaters, and we want to make it clear these rumors are not accurate," states Brandon Purdie, Head of Angel Theatrical Distribution. "AMC has been an outstanding partner for Angel Studios, and in fact, as a result of the movie's performance and consumer demand, AMC has agreed to add additional screens for SOUND OF FREEDOM this weekend. "Angel Studios and the producers of SOUND OF FREEDOM are asking our fans to support AMC, and all of our other theatrical partners. Summer is the busiest season for people working in theaters, so we ask that anyone attending a screening of SOUND OF FREEDOM show kindness to their local theater staff. We have the best movie fans in the business. Let's continue to show theaters the love that Angel supporters are known for." Support from Angel's theatrical partners has been the backbone of the success of SOUND of FREEDOM. AMC has been a key advocate, with the film showing in nearly all AMC theaters, which have sold over one million tickets.

Angel Studios thanks all of its partners in exhibition on the Sound of Freedom release:

AMC

Cinemark

Regal

Marcus Theatres

Harkins Theatres

Cineplex Cinemas

Landmark Cinemas

B&B Theatres

Megaplex Theatres

Malco Theatres

National Association of Theatre Owners

Independent Cinema Alliance

Along with the 200 additional theater chains in North America.

SOUND OF FREEDOM is based upon the true story of former government agent Tim Ballard who quit his job to rescue a little girl from sex traffickers in the Colombian jungle. In the process, Tim ended up saving 123 people, 55 of which were children, from one mission alone.

About Angel Studios: Angel Studios is the home of stories that amplify light. Through its platform, thousands of "Angel" investors choose which titles will be created, funded, and distributed. Angel Studios allows creators and audiences to form passionate communities around their creative projects, making the story behind the story as important as the final project itself. The studios' first projects--The Chosen and Dry Bar Comedy--have earned billions of views around the world. Learn more at angel.com

SOURCE Angel Studios

CONTACT: 323-538-2130, Press@angel.com
The House passed its version of the annual defense policy bill on Friday, with four Democrats and four Republicans bucking their parties on the high-profile vote.

The chamber approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a largely party-line 219-210 vote, an unusual outcome for the must-pass measure that typically receives bipartisan support.

Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Ken Buck (Colo.), Eli Crane (Ariz.) and Thomas Massie (Ky.) broke from GOP leadership and opposed the measure.

Democratic Reps. Don Davis (N.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.) crossed the aisle and voted for the legislation.

Final passage came after lawmakers voted on a number of conservative amendments pertaining to hot-button issues like abortion, transgender rights and diversity and inclusion initiatives. The adoption of some of those measures drove widespread Democratic opposition to the bill.

The chamber also weighed in on a handful of amendments related to funding for Ukraine. Those, however, were voted down, which fueled some conservative frustrations.

Bucks opposition to the measure rested in its price tag. The legislation sets an $866 billion budget for the countrys armed forces in fiscal year 2024. He said he could not in good conscience support the legislation.

Our country is careening toward fiscal ruin, and Congress continues to turn a blind eye by passing these massive spending packages with no attention to their cost or efficacy, he wrote in a statement.

Congress must get serious about the waste, fraud, and abuse at the DOD and cut unnecessary programs, he added.

Biggs and Crane posted a joint, 10-minute video explaining their no votes, citing U.S. support for the war in Ukraine, financial accountability at the Pentagon and culture war issues. Five amendments that would have cut funding to Ukraine or otherwise reduced U.S. involvement failed on Thursday.

Crane said he rejected the idea that his vote meant he didnt care about the military, but I do want to see some accountability and I do want us to change our thinking within national security from hey weve got to subsidize global peace to we need to take care of America first.

On the other side of the aisle, Perez railed against the bill  targeting the GOP amendments  but said she ultimately supported the package to protect service members.

This years NDAA was deeply flawed because of the Republican majority weaponizing the legislation to play into their senseless culture wars. I voted against these harmful amendments, and I refuse to play into their game plan, Perez wrote in a statement.

But, we have an obligation to protect our citizens, our borders, and our brave service members who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, which is why I voted for the bill, she added.

She also noted that her amendment that seeks to improve the militarys ability to fix its equipment was in the bill.

As the legislation moves to the Senate and both chambers work towards compromise, I look forward to voting on a final version of the NDAA  one that fully funds our military and national defense while understanding that threats to our nation originate from our adversaries, not from a womans freedom to make decisions about her own reproductive health or from LGBTQ+ Americans, Perez wrote.

In a statement following the vote, Davis  an Air Force veteran  called the NDAA a work in progress.

As a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the ranks, I am committed to supporting the men and women who work to keep the American people safe and secure, he said.

As negotiations continue, I look forward to supporting enhancements to the bill, he later added. We must pass a strong bipartisan bill that works for our brave men and women who put their lives on the line to serve our country.

The Hill reached out to the other lawmakers for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Lawsuit claims Iowa City teens were 'drag racing' when they struck Jennifer Russell's car in an intersection

The family of a 22-year-old killed in a car accident in May has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the insurance company and two drivers, claiming they were drag racing before the collision.

Matthew and Kelly Russell, the parents of the late Jennifer Russell, have filed a civil lawsuit June 28 against Kesean Ford, Elijah Seals, and American Family Insurance, seeking restitution for damages, including medical bills and funeral services.

Jennifer Russell, of Waterloo, was in the intersection of East Court Street and Seventh Avenue in Iowa City just before 11 p.m. on May 27 when Ford and Seals allegedly ran a stop sign in separate westbound cars, striking Russells vehicle.

Russell, Seals, Ford, and another 17-year-old were taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where Russell was later pronounced dead.

Lawsuit claims teens were drag racing

The lawsuit alleges that Seals, 17, and Ford, 17, both of Iowa City were drag racing and "traveling at a high rate of speed" on May 27, occupying both lanes of East Court Street. The two struck Jennifer Russells car, which was legally in the intersection, simultaneously or nearly simultaneously, according to the lawsuit.

The initial filing also claims that Ford and Seals engaged in conduct that displayed willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others. The family is seeking damages from Ford and Seals for medical expenses, burial costs, and loss of services, society, and companionship - past and present - for Matthew and Kelly Russell.

The lawsuit also includes American Family Insurance. Court filings allege the vehicle operated by Ford, a 2008 Saturn Vue, was uninsured and Seals vehicle, a 2012 GMC Acadia, was underinsured.

The family is seeking payment from the insurance company that fully and fairly compensates them for the lack of coverage.

The Russell family's lawyer Chad Swanson released the following statement to the Press-Citizen on Friday.

"Matt and Kelly are devastated by the senseless death of their daughter Jennifer in this incident. On their behalf, I look forward to holding the responsible parties fully accountable for their decisions and conduct," Swanson wrote in an email. "Together, we hope that no other Iowan ever has to suffer through what they have been experiencing since May 27th and what they will continue to experience as they move forward in life without Jennifer."

Ford is being held at the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center, according to court filings related to the delivery of the civil lawsuit notice. Seals has not been detained.

Russell remembered for love of music and dance

Jennifer Russell was born and raised in Waterloo. She loved to dance and took classes for 13 years. She was also part of the Waterloo West High School dance team, according to her obituary. She was a manager at Jethros BBQ and raised a puppy, Maci.

Russell loved music and enjoyed attending many concerts with her friends and family.

The familys memorial fund for Jennifer has since raised more than $13,000 on GoFundMe.

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on Twitter @ryanhansen01.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Lawsuit claims teens were racing prior to fatal May accident in Iowa City
A suspected Cape Coral drug dealer faces a possible death sentence after a grand jury indicted him Thursday in the death of a woman where he is accused of providing the illegal drugs that killed her.

State Attorney Amira Fox, along with Fort Myers Police Acting Chief Randall Pepitone and prosecutors, announced the indictment of Joshua Robert Pulley, 30, on Friday. Fox's office charged him with capital first-degree murder, among others, in a 2022 drug sale death.

Fox said that on Thursday they impaneled and convened a Lee County grand jury, who returned the indictment against Pulley. He was also indicted for death caused by the unlawful distribution of fentanyl, as well as the sale and delivery of the controlled substance.

State Attorney Amira Fox speaks at a press conference on Friday, July 14, 2023, announcing murder charges for Joshua Pulley, who is accused of selling fentanyl to a woman who overdosed and died.

She said Pulley provided the narcotics. She did not release the name of the woman who died.

A statement from the state attorney's office said Pulley provided drugs to the victim after meeting her in the parking lot of a restaurant. Surveillance cameras show her walking toward Pulleys car, having an exchange, and then leaving. Evidence shows the defendant was also texting the victim about the meet up.

The woman returned home, with her roommate finding her later than night. Emergency responders could not revive her, the statement read. The Medical Examiner determined the victim died from a Fentanyl overdose.

Pulley was arrested Thursday night and remains at the Lee County Jail on Friday without bond set, jail records indicate.

Joshua Pulley was charged with homicide after allegedly selling fentanyl to a woman who died from an overdose. Pulley was arrested on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Assistant State Attorney Sara Miller, of the homicide unit, along with Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Paul Poland and Chief Assistant Richard Montecalvo, will prosecute the case, Fox said.

About Dec. 22, Fox said, Pulley carried out the fatal drug sale.

"Yesterday's indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to the devastating impact the opioid in our community," Pepitone said, later labeling it a complex case.

"This will not be the last one," Pepitone said.

More: State Attorney Amira Fox announces 26 arrests linked to SWFL drug trafficking scheme

Fox said that when authorities arrested Pulley, they found drugs and firearms at his home, adding he could face further charges.

Florida prosecutors in cases like Pulley's, involving fatal drug sales, became able to seek death Oct. 1, 2017. Samantha Syoen, spokesperson for the State Attorney's Office, said Pulley's is the fourth death penalty case involving drug sales to go before a grand jury in Southwest Florida.

Pulley's arraignment on the murder charges is set Monday.

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, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: State seeks death against Cape Coral man charged in fatal drug sale
Legal experts: Second Trump aide may be charged after Jack Smith says he may have "perjured himself"

Donald TrumpSean Rayford/Getty Images

Special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents is intensifying as he takes new steps to examine Trump's alleged obstruction of government attempts to receive documents, including threatening a former Trump Organization staffer suspected of lying to prosecutors with potential charges, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Smith in recent weeks sent a target letter to the employee indicating that he may have "perjured himself" during a May appearance before the federal grand jury, the sources told the outlet.

"Remember the unnamed guy who helped Walt Nauta move the boxes in and out of the storage room? He's gotten a target letter from Jack Smith for obstruction, meaning he's in serious criminal jeopardy and unless he's lost his senses, will soon tell all he knows about Nauta and Trump," former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman wrote on Twitter in response to the report.

Remember the unnamed guy who helped Walt Nauta move the boxes in and out of the storage room? He's gotten a target letter from Jack Smith for obstruction, meaning he's in serious criminal jeopardy and unless he's lost his senses, will soon tell all he knows about Nauta and Trump  Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 14, 2023

Related

"Borders on frivolous": Legal experts say special counsel filing "embarrasses" Trump's lawyers

"Looks like indictment of second Trump Org employee in classified docs case may be coming," tweeted New York University Law Prof. Ryan Goodman, former special counsel for the Department of Defense.

Looks like indictment of second Trump Org employee in classified docs case may be coming.



"Investigators have been scrutinizing the employee's role in the handling of surveillance footage"@alex_mallin @KFaulders @Santucci @MLevineReports @lcbruggemanhttps://t.co/F1AxCmWi0R  Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) July 14, 2023

The target letter, which was described to ABC News by sources but not obtained or reviewed by the outlet, indicates Smith is taking a stronger interest in the Trump Organization's management of surveillance footage and potential attempts to keep it from the eyes of investigators.

Related

"Indictment 2.0": Experts say Smith may be preparing new Trump charges as grand jury probe resumes

When reached by the outlet Thursday, the staffer declined to answer its questions about a potential target letter or his discussions with investigators, saying only, "It's none of your business."

A lawyer who has represented the employee and several other Trump advisers, Stanley Woodward, also declined ABC News request for comment.

Investigators have been analyzing the employee's role in the handling of surveillance footage at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort club that federal prosecutors subpoenaed last summer, the sources said. The prosecutors have also looked into any subsequent conversations the staffer had with other employees, including Trump aide Walt Nauta, who was indicted alongside his boss in June on obstruction charges, among others.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Like Trump, who was indicted on 37 felony counts last month, Nauta pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The Trump Organization maintains that it did not delete or destroy any surveillance footage, according to sources familiar with its thinking. The government, however, is not endeavoring to argue that footage was tampered with, but rather is homing in on potential efforts to obstruct the investigation, the sources added.

"Jack Smith told a Trump Org employee he's a target for obstruction of the documents prosecution, explaining, at least in part, the Florida grand jury's continued work after the indictment of Trump & Nauta," former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance tweeted. "He'll have to pick cooperation or indictment."

1/ Jack Smith told a Trump Org employee he's a target for obstruction of the documents prosecution, explaining, at least in part, the Florida grand jury's continued work after the indictment of Trump & Nauta. He'll have to pick cooperation or indictment. https://t.co/gMUawKY12T  Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) July 14, 2023

Read more

about the Mar-a-Lago probe
Lina KhanChip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Facing hours of partisan attacks and personal insults Thursday from the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan remained unflappable. Members of the panel  who have reportedly received up to $400,000 in campaign contributions from Big Tech employees and PACs  lambasted the former Columbia Law School professor for her adherence to ethics laws and her agency's attempts to enforce antitrust regulations in a rapidly conglomerating industry.

Republican men called her a "bully," called her leadership "a disaster," accused her of "misleading" the committee, and said her efforts to uphold anti-monopoly rules are "going to fail." Committee chair and Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan  who reportedly received $76,000 from employees and PACs of Big Tech companies over the course of his career  even accused Khan, a Biden appointee, of "harassing" the company Twitter.

Related

Congress is finally taking AI seriously. Here's what future regulation of this tech could look like

Using the classic ask-and-interrupt tactic of interrogation, Jordan repeatedly peppered Khan with questions that he refused to let her answer.

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan repeatedly cuts off FTC Chair Lina Khan as she tries to answer after he asks why the FTC is harassing Twitter.



Khan: Twitters lax privacy policies allowed unauthorized users to co-opt Twitter accounts, including that of Fox News. pic.twitter.com/ZjSXfSW6Vg  The Recount (@therecount) July 13, 2023

Khan never flinched. Unwavering, cooperative, calm  her adroit responses seemed to only further infuriate some GOP members, whose increasingly hostile remarks sparked a fierce backlash from Khan's Democratic defenders on the panel.

Resolve and regulation

Khan's poise shouldn't come as a surprise. The legal scholar from Yale has been on the other side of the Judiciary Committee's dais, after all, having served as a council to the panel in 2019 and 2020, shaping its antitrust investigation of Amazon. Her reputation for investigative tenacity is just one reason she's become a prime target for anti-regulation lobbyists in her first two years in the chair.

"You don't talk about rope in a house where a man's been hung. You don't talk about membership in the Bar Association on a judiciary committee where there are members who never passed the bar"

"(The) FTC is firing on all cylinders," Khan told the committee in her opening statement.

"We've brought actions to protect consumers from Made in USA [label] fraud, protect military families from predatory financing, and protect addiction recovery patients from deception. We are fighting to protect the security of people's sensitive personal data and have obtained record monetary judgmentsincluding the largest-ever judgment to protect children's privacy," Khan said.

In further tweets after the hearing, Khan said the "FTC's work is materially helping people in their daily lives. We're tackling noncompetes, high drug prices, undue repair restrictions, junk fees, subscription traps, and more."

In my opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee, I laid out how @FTC's work is materially helping people in their daily lives. We're tackling noncompetes, high drug prices, undue repair restrictions, junk fees, subscription traps, and more:https://t.co/OfGLiGIT4q  Lina Khan (@linakhanFTC) July 13, 2023

Khan's appearance came just two days after the FTC suffered a courtroom setback in its attempt to rein in engorged market titan Microsoft. The company's looming $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision-Blizzard prompted FTC staff to try and halt the deal  which would be the single largest merger in the history of the technology industry.

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Despite concerns that such an overwhelmingly massive mega-corporation could critically threaten fair market competition, US District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said the FTC hadn't shown how it would cause harm. The FTC has already begun its appeal.

Microsoft isn't the only company that has led the FTC on a courthouse chase. Earlier this year, the agency was defeated in its attempt to stop Facebook parent company Meta from gobbling up virtual reality fitness company Within Unlimited. The agency has also sued Amazon for enrolling customers in Prime without their consent, and has plans to go after companies that use artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT in harmful business practices.

The mixed results of the cases offer a glimpse at Khan's character  a healthy balance of wins and losses in one's track record is the calling card of a lawyer with more spine than vanity.

Working on behalf of the public instead of a for-profit law firm also gives Khan the freedom few corporate attorneys ever get to enjoy: pursuing cases of merit through all legally available channels because it's the ethical thing to do, win or lose, without regard for whether her personal batting average makes a boutique firm's quarterly numbers look good.

But GOP panel members targeted Khan's ethics with seething, bitterly personal digs. California Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley even alleged Khan "made up case law" in the FTC's anti-monopoly complaint against the Microsoft-Activision merger.

"Are you bringing cases that you expect to lose?" asked Kiley.

"Absolutely not," Khan said.

FTC Chair Lina Khan responds to US House questions over the commission's handling of the Xbox/Microsoft-ABK merger, and its pending appeal. pic.twitter.com/HXCyiPGYwN  Jez (@JezCorden) July 13, 2023

In fact, the FTC's growing tally of formidable victories against tech titans is partly a credit to the agency's legislative tools. It has, for example, frequently leaned on the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to bring actions against data-harvesting tech companies who either fail to protect kids' private details from outside visibility, or has silently collected them. Ubiquitous video game Fortnite got slammed with a $275 million FTC fine under the law  and its parent company was hit with a second, related $245 million fine.

Some GOP members were open with their insults.

"Shame on you," said California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, chiding Khan for attempting to regulate Microsoft  a company that enjoys a $1 trillion market cap as the GOP weighs a 25% FTC budget cut.

"My problem is that you're a bully," said Issa, who vowed not to support the FTC's requested $160 million budget increase, telling Khan to "stick to the things you do well."

"You run this organization and its left turn came when you took over," Issa said. "I would contend that you have overstepped your boundaries and your half-billion dollar budget is being wasted."

Khan sat through more Republican finger-wagging because she didn't recuse herself from a case involving Meta. In past statements, she'd made remarks opposing corporate acquisitions by Meta. The company petitioned the FTC to have Khan remove herself from a recent case. Then, in an August 2022 memo, designated FTC ethics official Lorielle Pankey cited Khan's previous comments and recommended Khan recuse herself.

One GOP member, however, wasn't having any of this. Rep. Ken Buck, of Colorado, brought the hearing to a halt when he ripped into Republicans and exposed Pankey for owning between $15,001 and $50,000 in Meta stock as revealed by The Revolving Door Project.

Watch: @RepKenBuck asks Lina Khan if she owns stock in Big Tech.



She doesn't, but as Buck points out, the ethics official who asked Khan to recuse from the Meta does. pic.twitter.com/BbTsmEkeOw  Revolving Door Project (@revolvingdoorDC) July 13, 2023

"You know how much it costs to buy Congress?," Buck asked wryly. "Big Tech does. They spent $250 million against the bills that passed out of this committee last Congress. They spent money lobbying. They spent money on advertising in members' districts. They spent money with 3rd part think tanks."

Buck fired through a list of each company's overall lobbying spend to drive home his point. Meta: $20,070,000. Amazon: $19,320,000. Google parent company Alphabet: $11,770,000. Apple: $6,500,000

Buck wasn't the only Republican who defended Khan while staking out bipartisan ground.

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, a staunch advocate for data privacy reform, praised Khan and pointed to the FTC's recent privacy enforcement action against Amazon Ring security cameras.

Among Democrats, New York Rep. Jerry Nadler delivered a verbal smack to the committee in Khan's defense.

"Today, it is the chair of the Federal Trade Commission's turn to step into the alternate universe that is the House Judiciary Committee under MAGA Republican leadership," he said.

"Ultimately, today you'll face attacks because you're doing your job, and that is what threatens Republicans the most."

"So let me be clear, there is nothing unethical about standing up for workers, consumers, and small businesses."@RepCori calls out the corporate shills that take issue with Lina Khan's willingness to fight monopolies. pic.twitter.com/PS8Q0H8odL  Revolving Door Project (@revolvingdoorDC) July 13, 2023

Khan's defenders, like Washington Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, rallied, championing her for bringing the fight back to her agency.

"You have done what few before you have dared to do take on big corporations who use their endless lobbying money to hurt Americans with more fees, less transparency, and higher costs," Jayapal said.

"I think it is precisely because of your success, your courage and your integrity that you are receiving all these baseless attacks on your character."

You have done what few before you have dared to dotake on big corporations who use their endless lobbying money to hurt Americans with more fees, less transparency, and higher costs.



- @RepJayapal to Lina Khan pic.twitter.com/8raXHYHwZC  Fight Corporate Monopolies (@fightmonopolies) July 13, 2023

Tiring of Republican members' disruptive henpecking of Khan, some Democrats spit bullets back at their colleagues as tempers flared.

"Mr. Chairman, if you would ask whoever that is to shut up," Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, of Tennessee, said when interrupted.

 COHEN: Mr. Chairman, if you would ask whoever that is to SHUT UP.@RepCohen blasts the amazing hypocrisy of Republicans in congress who participated in the overthrow of our government questioning the patriotism of FBI director Chris Wray & FTC chair Lina Khan. pic.twitter.com/wzbsev0ris  The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) July 13, 2023

Democrats also swung back when Wyoming attorney and Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman attacked Khan for not renewing her biennial Bar registration.

"I find this situation to be stunning and a reflection on your ethics," Hagerman chided.

Hagerman's one to talk. As late as last fall, she was the subject of formal complaints to the Wyoming Bar, and more than 50 attorneys collectively called her to the carpet because she wouldn't stop parroting fanatical claims of a "rigged" 2020 presidential election  even after more than 60 US courts ruled the election fair.

The absurdity of the attacks on Khan's Bar standing were pointed out by Cohen who noted that Jordan himself  despite chairing the House Judiciary Committee with a Juris Doctor from Ohio's Capital University Law School  had never even sat for a bar exam, much less passed one.

"You don't talk about rope in a house where a man's been hung. You don't talk about membership in the Bar Association on a judiciary committee where there are members who never passed the Bar," Cohen said.

The GOP set up an entire committee on "weaponization of government"but they nuclearized government on #Jan6 to try and steal an election.



They fuss over #LinaKhan's relationship with the Bar Associationbut the GOP Judiciary Chair never passed the bar.



Tired of the hypocrisy. pic.twitter.com/ItPPaGsgan  Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) July 13, 2023

More support came from outside the committee room during the hearing when White House Spokesman Michael Kikukawa issued a statement from the Biden administration.

"Chair Khan has delivered results for families, consumers, workers, small businesses and entrepreneurs," he said.

Kikukawa pointed to Khan's bipartisan successes "on everything from protecting our kids from unlawful use of their personal data, to making it cheaper and easier for consumers to repair items they own, to moving to ban non-competes that hurt workers, to stopping bad mergers like a semiconductor megamerger that would've stifled innovation."

Notch by notch, Khan's belt has quickly grown long with wins against Big Tech in the past two years. Among those notches, she's carved out as many for Republicans as she has for Democrats  even if it does take Republicans a bit of vicious grandstanding in a committee room before they realize it. And that, more than anything else about Khan, should scare the titans of Big Tech and their fleet of lobbyists.

"All those in the Big Tech world hoping for fireworks in today's judiciary hearing are probably so disappointed with how it's going," tweeted Sacha Haworth, executive director for advocacy group The Tech Oversight Project. "Unity from Dems, bipartisan agreement on reining in monopolies hand-in-hand (with the) FTC. Generally not the attack on Lina Khan they were anticipating."

She cut her teeth on Amazon's antitrust scandals, and refused to back down when Meta tried to elbow her into recusing herself. She refused to let Twitter wriggle out of consent orders, and now has Elon Musk panic-tweeting his GOP-coded pleas. She walked into a lion's den of well-lobbied elected officials Thursday without a dime of tech stock to her name and fresh off a courtroom defeat, never lost her grace under partisan fire  and walked out with both Republicans and Democrats agreeing on more than a few regulatory goals for her agency.

Related

FTC watchdogs set loose on Facebook for "repeatedly" violating kids' privacy for profit

Undaunted by her office's share of losses and counting no win too small to collect, Khan's pursuit of incremental victories has been ceaseless. Over the past few decades, the FTC has developed a (partly justified) reputation for trafficking in little more than wrist-slap fines, self-congratulatory press releases, and feigned helplessness in the face of tech-industry conglomeration.

But atop a regulatory agency that has been at times defanged by both Congress and revolving-door lobbying, Khan seems hellbent on proving that public watchdogs still have teeth. And that, under her watch, Big Tech will escape neither Democrats' nor Republicans' bite.

So who is this seemingly unstoppable ethics powerhouse? She's Lina Khan  and she's Big Tech's worst nightmare.

Read more

about tech and politics
Chicago is seeing its lowest COVID-19 hospital admission rates for the entire pandemic. But its not all good news about the illness that once shut down the world.

Even as the citys top doctor shared optimism about the state of the pandemic, Northwestern Medicine clinicians warned the public to be wary of the diseases lingering effects.

The directors of the hospital systems Comprehensive COVID-19 Center released a study Thursday on long COVID symptoms. It showed thousands of patients have suffered from a wide array of serious medical issues that highlight the illnesss lasting harm and the importance of a treating long COVID with a multidisciplinary approach, they said.

Tuesday marked two months since the federal and state governments pandemic public health emergency was declared over, Chicago Department of Public Health director Dr. Allison Arwady noted in a livestream earlier in the week.

And we continue to do very well, she said.

The city is seeing just over three COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals each day, Arwady said.

So, not over, she said. But that is down. It continues, really week after week. We are breaking records for the lowest number of hospitalizations.

Both Illinois and Chicago are below the similarly declining national average in hospital admissions, Arwady said. The percentages of Chicago hospital beds and emergency room visits being used to treat COVID-19 patients are also at or near their lowest levels, she added.

The city is now seeing below one death per day, another pandemic low, she said. Over 8,000 Chicagoans have died from COVID-19, city data shows.

We are at the lowest levels of COVID that we have seen here in Chicago. So your risk is the lowest that it has been, Arwady said. But  its not zero.

However, even as hospital admissions go down, the leaders of Northwestern Medicines Comprehensive COVID-19 Center said their practice is expanding.

We are actually ramping up, because nowadays, even if its not filling up hospitals with sick patients with pneumonia, COVID-19 is still affecting thousands of people, said Dr. Igor Koralnik, the centers co-director.

The study the center released analyzing the long COVID treatment of over 1,800 patients across eight years reported a mix of medical issues, including lasting brain fog, shortness of breath and chest pain.

Over half the patients the Northwestern center treated showed cognitive impairment. Nearly half had altered lung function. An elevated heart rate was detected in 12% of patients, while 83% had abnormal chest scans and 85% reported a decreased quality of life, the study showed.

Long COVID affects approximately one third of people who survive COVID-19, according to Northwestern Medicine.

Center co-director Dr. Marc Sala said he doesnt think the public and policymakers are paying enough attention to long COVID. Interest in the diseases lingering effects has faded amid the declared end of the pandemic, he said.

You will have many patients come to us still in good numbers to fill up our clinics, Sala said, with symptoms that are enough to be disabling to their lives as previously known.

People might only develop long COVID on their third or fourth time contracting the virus, he said. They might even not need to go to the hospital when they initially contract the disease, but develop the troubling lingering issues later, he noted.

The long COVID patients the center sees had diverse experiences with COVID-19 when they were initially ill, Sala said. Some were hospitalized and intubated, while others never even tested positive, he said. Now, they exhibit a broad mix of unique symptoms, he added.

There is not a one-size-fits-all long COVID, Sala said.

The unique challenges the patients face means medical systems need to respond to long COVID with clinics where multiple clinicians from different specialties are working together to quickly evaluate and care for patients, Sala said. The Northwestern clinic offers 13 different specialties, he added.

One Northwestern patient, Giancarlo Jusino Sanchez, contacted COVID-19 for the first time in June 2022 after being careful to avoid the illness for years.

It was incredibly mild. The mildest COVID you could imagine, Jusino Sanchez told the Tribune.

The 30-year-old was back to normal life two weeks later. But when he tried a high-intensity workout, he noticed his quads were killing him. Later, he could barely walk up the stairs. Things got progressively worse.

As he worked, the Northwestern doctoral student, whos studying particle physics, noticed it was very difficult to concentrate.

I would have to spend like 20 minutes to an hour trying to get into the space to be able to write, to be able to solve problems, Jusino Sanchez said.

People started to notice. A manager encouraged him to rest. He couldnt tackle tourist activities when his mom visited Chicago. Moving around was difficult. He felt feverish in sudden bursts and had headaches and muscle soreness all the time. For months, he couldnt sleep through the night, and his anxiety exploded, he said.

A lot of malaise, on a day-to-day basis, Jusino Sanchez said.

Six months after first becoming ill, he took medical leave from his graduate program and began to visit the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center. There, testing showed basic exercises were making his blood oxygen levels drop to concerning levels. His cardiovascular condition had deteriorated too, stress tests showed.

Jusino Sanchez began to recover on leave with increasingly intense physical therapy and careful attention to rest and energy-consuming tasks. He returned to school and successfully defended his thesis in May to receive his doctoral degree. He feels more normal and can do many basic activities, like shopping for groceries, he said. Doctors told him that he recovered fast for a long COVID patient.

And even then, I can still do the things that I need to do on a daily basis, but it sucks. Its very hard, he said.

As Jusino Sanchez struggled through long COVID, he often wondered if he was just being a baby. But he knows what he experienced and is experiencing is real.

He knows, too, that there are millions of people like him suffering from the lingering effects of COVID, he said. The possibility of long COVID is something that sticks out to him even as the pandemic is declared over.

You might end up having a version of it, he said. So I think its very important as a society that we start thinking more about how we accommodate people with long COVID and how we try to stop it from happening in the first place.

Northwestern patient Imani-Alima Ibrahim, 33, lost her taste and smell when she contracted COVID in March 2020. Three years later, and now with three apparent COVID-19 infections under her belt, she hasnt gotten back those senses. Shes never fully smelled the boyfriend she began dating after her illness, she said.

Extreme fatigue, memory issues and bad migraines began to set in six months after her first infection, Ibrahim told the Tribune. It became hard to find the right word at times  a cumbersome issue for her at work in her private therapy practice, she said.

Ibrahim, who also works as a school social worker, had accepted and adapted to what seemed like her new life. But with the support of family and friends, she reached out to the Northwestern clinic last year.

She began comprehensive testing in April and is starting speech and occupational therapy next month. Shes also on new medication to combat fatigue and is doing smell training at home, she added.

Im really hopeful that there will be continued progress, Ibrahim said.

Life likely wont return to what it looked like before she got sick, she said. But a healthier new normal is possible, she added. Shes feeling more energy, and even gained a bit of scent and taste back, she said.

Ibrahim said even she is still surprised when she meets people struggling with long-term issues from COVID. Many people feel like they are out of the pandemic, she said, but there are people like her who arent done with the diseases lingering effects.

Talking about that invisible illness is the first step to getting help, she said.

jsheridan@chicagotribune.com
Lisa Marie Presley died of bowel obstruction linked to weight-loss surgery from years before

FILE - Lisa Marie Presley arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Mad Max: Fury Road" at the TCL Chinese Theatre on May 7, 2015. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Lisa Marie Presley died from a small bowel obstruction linked to weight loss surgery she had years before, according to a California coroner.

Presley, the only daughter of music legend Elvis Presley, died at the age of 54 on 12 January hours after being hospitalised with an apparent cardiac arrest in Los Angeles.

A report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner on Thursday concluded that Presley had died of natural causes caused by the small bowel obstruction.

The autopsy report states that the complication experienced by Presley is a common complication from bariatric surgery, which is done for weight loss, according to The Associated Press.

It stated that Presley fell ill after complaining of stomach pain earlier in the day, and was eventually rushed to hospital in the city by paramedics.

Presley was buried on 22 January at her fathers famed Graceland home, where she lived as a child, and which is now a museum and shrine to the musician.

Priscilla Presley and the Presley family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Lisa Marie, Priscilla Presley said in a statement after her death.

They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.
Severe storms roll through Kansas City area, causing power outages that could last days

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the entire Kansas City area as storms rolled across the metro bringing strong winds, heavy rains and lightning, according to the National Weather Service.

At 3:40 p.m., severe thunderstorms stretched along a line from Lansing to Overland Park to six miles southeast of Edgerton. They were moving east at 45 mph.

Along with frequent lightning, the storms were producing strong winds and large hail. Gusts of 70 mph were possible along with quarter-size hail.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected, the weather service warned. Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings.

The Evergy electrical utility reported more than 130,000 customers without power in Johnson and Jackson counties. In Wyandotte County, 30,000 were without power and Independence reported another 2,000 outages.

The cities that are expected to be impacted by the storms included Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Independence, Lees Summit, Shawnee, Blue Springs, Lenexa, Leavenworth, Leawood, Raytown, Liberty, Gladstone, Grandview, Belton, Prairie Village, Raymore, Gardner, Grain Valley and Lansing.

The warning was in effect until 4:30 p.m.

Quite a storm is blowing into Mission in Johnson County, Kansas. @KCStar for more on the weather. pic.twitter.com/BB75WB4VW2  Tammy Ljungblad (@kctammy2009) July 14, 2023

Roughly 120K across KC metro remain without power

Update 9:57 p.m. As the Kansas City area utility providers were working to restore outages across the metro on Friday night, outage maps showed about 120,000 area residents remained without power.

The largest concentration of power outages was in Johnson County, where an estimated 53,246 customers were affected.

Jackson County had about 36,629 customers without power, and Clay, Cass and Platte counties had 10,752 collectively, according to utility company Evergys outage map.

In Wyandotte County, the Board of Public Utilities had 16,697 customers without power.

Evergy, the areas largest provider, was dealing with outages across Kansas and Missouri on Friday evening. The company estimated restoration efforts could last days for the most severely impacted areas.

More than 1,000 working to restore power Friday: Evergy

Update 8:33 p.m. Kansas City utility provider Evergy had more than 1,000 people out working to restore power for thousands of customers Friday, the company said.

Roughly 186,000 people lost power at the height of the storm as strong winds knocked down power lines across the metro area. As of Friday night, the utility said line crews were responding to some 3,500 reported outage events.

Employees working along line crews included vegetation and safety support teams, the company said. Other utilities in neighboring Iowa, Colorado and Oklahoma were being reached to provide further assistance.

The company continued to warn Friday that restoration efforts could last days in the most severely impacted areas of its service network.

Wyandotte County extends recycling center hours to handle storm debris

Updated 7:31 p.m. As severe storms knocked down trees and caused damage to homes, the recycling center in Wyandotte County was extending its hours of operation to help with cleanup efforts.

Public works of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas announced Friday the Recycling & Yard Waste Center, 3241 Park Drive, would be open to area residents on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visitors must bring an ID, utility bill or other document proving residency to drop off waste, according to a news release from public works.

Overland Park police ask people in minor crashes to make walk-in reports

Updated 6:48 p.m. Police in Overland Park were asking those involved in minor vehicle crashes without injury on Friday to walk in and make reports on another day given the severe weather.

Officers were still responding to any injury crashes or those where a driver was suspected of being under the influence, the department said in a news release.

Police advise drivers involved in a collision to exchange information including names, addresses, insurance and license plate numbers. Walk-in reports can be made at the Sanders Justice Center, 12400 Foster Street, or the Myron Scafe Building, 8500 Antioch Road.

Storms marginally impact air travel at KCI





Updated 6:19 p.m. The storms had a limited impact on what was expected to be Kansas City International Airports busiest day in 15 years.

As the storms rolled in, a couple of departing flights were canceled, said Joe McBride, a spokesman for the airport.

There also were some aircraft that were circling to the east of the airport as the front was approaching and on top of the airport, he noticed on FlightAware, which tracks flights.

Justin Meyer,the Kansas City Aviation Departments deputy director, posted to Twitter a photo of an aircraft pushing back from the gate and ominous storm clouds.

Riders on the storm, he said in the post.

Riders on the storm  pic.twitter.com/PxxYfOWTBa  Justin Meyer (@JustinMeyerKC) July 14, 2023

Earlier in the day, he said MCI was expecting its busiest travel day in 15 years with airlines operating 47,714 arriving and departing seats at the airport.

Time-lapse video shows storm roll through downtown KC

Updated 6:08 p.m. A time-lapse video captured from Kansas Citys skyline shows severe storm clouds move over the metro, casting downtown into a brief period of darkness on Friday afternoon.

Storms moving eastward from Kansas brought flashes heavy rain, lightning and thunder Friday afternoon. They also brought heavy winds that knocked down trees and power lines around the city.

The video, shared on Twitter by The Heavy Constructors Association (HCA) of Greater Kansas City, came with a simple message: Stay safe out there Kansas City.

Stay safe out there Kansas City pic.twitter.com/6iQaCP60WK  KCHeavies (@KCHeavies) July 14, 2023

More outages reported in KC, Independence, Wyandotte County

Updated 5:56 p.m. Power outages were affecting an estimated 200,000 Kansas City area residents as further service interruptions were reported in Wyandotte County and Independence.

Wyandotte Countys Kansas City (Kansas) Board of Public Utilities reported 30,000 outages after Fridays storm rolled through, downing trees and power lines across the metro. Independence Power and Light reported another 2,000 outages.

Utility company Evergy, the main supplier in Kansas City, had about 165,000 outages to handle on Friday evening. The company said restoration for the most severely impacted areas could last days.

After severe storms ripped through the metro area, a large tree blocked Tomahawk Road near 78th Street on Friday, July 14, 2023, in Prairie Village.

KCFD responds to dozens of emergency reports amid storm

Updated 5:38 p.m. The Kansas City Fire Department was dispatched to dozens of locations as the storm unleashed, causing widespread damage to power lines, trees and even some homes.

Shortly after the brunt of the rain began, a car at Linwood Boulevard and Main Street was struck by a tree. The person initially was trapped, but was able to get out of the vehicle shortly thereafter.

Power lines were reportedly down at numerous locations throughout the city including the 7600 block of McGee, the 3900 block of East Myrtle and the 400 block of East 74th St.

A resident of Mission looks over a large elm tree that was taken out at 58th and Nall Avenue when a severe storm moved through Mission, Kansas on Friday, July 14, 2023.

Fire officials were alerting Evergy about locations and if there were any hazards. In at least one location the line was smoldering.

Traffic lights at Bannister Road near U.S. 71 were also knocked out. There were also reports of blown transformers and one residence where a tree had fallen into the kitchen.

Highways see some rush-hour backups as rain subsides

Updated 5:20 p.m. Commuters on area Kansas City highways were seeing some backups near downtown and in the Northland as storm clouds began to clear Friday, according to live traffic feeds from Kansas City Scout.

Interstate 35 had backups in the northbound lanes at Southwest Trafficway and in the Northland near Parvin Road. Other small pockets of traffic congestion were seen at U.S. 71 Highway, I-670, I-70 and _435.

People huddled outside of a Party City store after power was knocked out when a severe storm moved through Merriam, Kansas, on Friday, July 14, 2023.

Power outages affect 130K, multiday restoration effort expected

Updated 5:02 p.m. Kansas City utility supplier Evergy reported widespread outages across its service network affecting an estimated 130,000 customers as power restoration was expected to span days.

Severe storms carrying wind gusts up to 100 mph hit the area Friday, causing outages across the metro, the utility company said on social media and its website. Evergy said line crews would stay be staying on shift to address problems.

We expect restoration in the areas most severely impacted to be a multiday restoration effort, the company said. In events with widespread outages, individual estimated restoration times are not available.

A tree limb lies on top of a house as an Overland Park firefighter crosses the road after checking the residence for occupants on Friday, July 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan.

What to do about storm damage in Kansas City

Updated 4:54 p.m. If you woke up to fallen trees, downed power lines or other dangerous conditions, safety always comes first.

Leave any houses or other buildings that may have structural damage. Do not attempt to clean up heavy debris by yourself. Stay away from any downed power lines, even if your electricity is out.

Keep children and pets away from these hazards too. Heres how to handle a power outage in Kansas City.

Depending on your car, home or other insurance, you may need photos or video to prove that damage occurred as a result of a storm. It never hurts to take pictures of any and all damage before you start cleaning up your yard or property.

If you are a tenant, these photos can also help show your landlord what happened. Never go near a downed power line or other hazard in order to get a photo. Take photos and video from a safe distance and show the extent of the damage done.

Severe thunderstorm warning issued for eastern Jackson County

Updated 4:47 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for eastern Jackson County, including Independence, Lees Summit and Blue Springs. It was in effect until 5:00 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Kansas City.

This storm is expected to contain wind gusts up to 70 mph.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Independence MO, Lee's Summit MO and Blue Springs MO until 5:00 PM CDT. This storm will contain wind gusts to 70 MPH! pic.twitter.com/JrBb38Y8Dd  NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) July 14, 2023

Drivers stuck in flooded road in Northland

Updated 4:44 p.m. At 4:35 p.m., emergency radio dispatchers said there was water over the road at N.E. Vivion Road and N.E. Chouteau Trafficway in Kansas Citys Northland.

Four vehicles were stuck in the water, but all of the occupants were able to get out of their cars.

Emergency vehicles were being advised to avoid the intersection.

A KCFD ambulance blocks a flooded Southwest Boulevard on Friday, July 14, 2023, in Kansas City.

Flash flood warning issued in Kansas Citys Northland

Updated 4:36 p.m. Kansas Citys Northland was at risk of flash flooding on Friday amid severe thunderstorms in the metropolitan area, according to the National Weather Service.

Residents of Clay and Platte counties were warned of heavy rainfall that could amount to up to nearly 4 inches on Friday, the weather service said. The flood warning was to remain in effect until 7 p.m.

Flooding was possible along small creeks and streams, urban areas and highways along with places with poor drainage and low-lying areas, the weather service said. At risk were parts of Kansas City, Smithville, Platte City, Ferrelview, Tracy, Ridgely, Hoover and the Kansas City International Airport.

Commuters were warned not to drive through floodwater.

A large tree lies toppled in the front yard of a home in an Overland Park neighborhood Friday near 75th St. and Santa Fe after strong storms rolled through the area.

Power outages in KC metro area

Updated 4:28 p.m. The electrical utility Evergy reported thousands of customers without power as the storms rolled in the Kansas City area.

The utility reported 59,395 without power in Johnson County.

It reported 33,379 without power in Jackson County, Missouri.

A haboob envelopes the downtown skyline on Friday, July 14, 2023, in Kansas City. Dust stirred up by strong winds from an approaching storm caused the near-blackout conditions.

Tornado warning expires in Lawrence

Updated 3:46 p.m. Douglas County emergency management was warning people to take shelter for fear of tornadoes in the area on Friday afternoon.

A tornado warning was issued at 2:38 p.m. by Douglas County Emergency Management for Lecompton and North Lawrence.

Roughly 25 minutes later, the agency said the tornado warning had passed but the threat of severe thunderstorms remained in effect, bringing wind gusts as strong as 80 mph and nickel-sized hail.

Lawrence police officers also reported seeing funnel clouds near Bob Billings Parkway and Wakarusa Drive, according to the departments Twitter account.

These were funnel clouds, nothing on the ground, the department said in a subsequent tweet.
The conflict with the ongoing civil war in Sudan has left thousands of families and people in a devastating state. On April 15, 2023, fighting broke out between two military forces in Sudan, the RSF (Rapid Support Forces) and the SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces). The current civil war has left nearly 1.4 million people displaced throughout the country because of the ceasefire, according to a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Since June 20, it's been reported that somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people have been killed, with thousands injured.

Scopas Poggo

Someone who is very knowledgeable about the current Sudan Civil War is Dr. Scopas Poggo, who is a professor in the department of African-American and African studies at the Ohio State University-Mansfield. Poggo has spent the last few decades studying, researching and immersing himself in the two Sudanese Civil Wars (First Sudanese War: 1955-1972; Second Sudanese War: 1983-2005) that have plagued the country.

"I've been writing about the conflict in Sudan dating back to when I was a student at the University of Santa Barbara," said Scopas, who was born in what is now South Sudan. "I focused a lot of my studies on the first civil war in Sudan, which started in 1955, to 1972 when the war came to an end because of a peace agreement. I was inspired because I was a part of that war. I had to flee out of Sudan to seek refuge in the Republic of Uganda."

Scopas said that while in college he wrote a dissertation about the first civil war in Sudan but when he took a job at the University of OSU-Mansfield in 1999, he revised it, then published his first book titled "The First Sudanese Civil War: Africans, Arabs and Israelis in the Southern Sudan, 1955-1972." The book is available on Amazon.com.

Dr. Scopas Poggo's first book about Sudan, which is currently on Amazon.com.

Thousands of people in Sudan have had to flee to other countries close by, including Egypt, Chad and Ethiopia, according to UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). It has also been reported that acts of gender-based violence and sexual violence is increasing.

Scopas talked about when he first heard about the conflict.

"I saw that it particularly affected my family and my sister-in-law of my late brother," Scoaps said. "She had come to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, to seek medical treatment. Just a week before she left for Cuba, the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burshan, and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces. She told me about the fighting and when it broke out. It took everybody by surprise. Most civilians in Khartoum were at risk. They were really lucky to escape Khartoum because of the ceasefire.

Sudanese policemen stand guard, as supporters of Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military council, better known as Hemedti, attend a military-backed rally, in Mayo district, south of Khartoum, Sudan, Saturday, June 29, 2019. Sudan's ruling generals say they have accepted a joint proposal from the African Union and Ethiopia to work toward a transitional government.

"But there were thousands of Sudaneses that settled in Khartoum with many of them not wanting to return to South Sudan. The conflict was becoming increasingly dangerous."

One of the issues in Sudan is the high number of humanitarian partners that are struggling to move relief supplies to certain locations because there are security and transportation challenges along the way.

Scopas dived into just how dire the infrastructure in Sudan is at the moment and said the ongoing war could have been avoided if the country would have made specific attempts to stabilize the country in the past.

"The infrastructure in Sudan is not good right now. Hospitals, clinics, doctors, medicine and the educational system in rural areas are not the best," Scopas added. "Sudan needs to be recognized as a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural country. If Sudan had that recognition from the beginning after their independence, Sudan would have been a peaceful, politically stable and prosperous country and put effort into education for all the people in Sudan. Also, it would have encouraged economic investment."

Scopas' expertise has led him to work on his second upcoming book, which focuses on the Second Sudanese Civil War from 1983-2005. He is in the process of putting it together and said he was able to conduct interviews with Sudanese intellectuals and politicians, as well as an Israeli general who was the first Mossad agent in South Sudan.

Now, Scopas is gathering ways he can see how the civil war in Sudan can come to an end between the two military forces and the generals RSF leader "Hemedti" Dagalo and SAF leader al-Burshan.

"The war is going on. There have been these efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia but the fighting continues," Scopas said. "I think what people need to do is never give up but to engage these generals to come together to talk peace. But people have to come together to form a new government of unity."

jsimpson@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Dr. Scopas Poggo discusses ongoing civil war in Sudan
Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame

LONDON  Experts on religious freedom convened for the third annual Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit this week in London, and a well-known British politician was honored.

Lord David Alton of Liverpool, a member of the U.K.s House of Lords, received the 2023 Notre Dame Prize for Religious Liberty. A crossbench, or independent, member of the House of Lords, Alton has spent four decades in Parliament. He is known for his stances on human rights and religious liberty.

Lord Alton has had a long, distinguished career of fighting for religious freedom and against religious oppression all around the world  fearlessly, G. Marcus Cole, dean of Notre Dame Law School, said. He has dedicated his life to fighting oppression and made this noble cause the cornerstone for his work as a politician and public intellectual.

Elected at age 28, Alton was the youngest member of the House of Commons. He is the founder of Jubilee Campaign, a human rights lobbying group, and Jubilee Action, a charitable organization. His pro-life advocacy eventually led to his leaving the Liberal Democrat Party, and he gained notoriety for authoring a bill that would have banned late-term abortions in the U.K.

Hes just a towering giant, the Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal, lecturer and chaplain at Pembroke College, said of Alton.

David Alton, a member of the British House of Lords speaks during a press conference on Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. Alton, of Liverpool, a member of the U.K.s House of Lords, recently received the 2023 Notre Dame Prize for Religious Liberty. | Kin Cheung, Associated Press

Past winners of the Notre Dame Prize for Religious Liberty include Nury Turkel and Mary Ann Glendon. Turkel is a commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and an advocate of Uyghur rights. Glendon is a Harvard law professor and the former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

The three-day conference featured presentations from more than 60 scholars and experts representing numerous religious groups, academic institutions and nonprofits.

Emerging challenges

To open the conference, Notre Dame professor Stephanie Barclay introduced the theme: Protecting Religious Liberty in a Rapidly Evolving Society.

Barclay, director of the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative, noted that the summit would be geared toward providing many different approaches and frameworks of religious liberty, matching the evolving world in which people of faith reside. She noted that while some religious liberty issues are the same, there are new challenges, threats and contexts to consider, especially trends in social media and the corporate space.

Cole, the Notre Dame Law School dean, also welcomed attendees on Tuesday, encouraging them to center the conference on the people who are affected by infractions upon religious freedom. What we need to do is focus, not on the politics, but on the people, he said.

Cole noted that much of the success of the religious liberty movement will come from court decisions, but he expressed hesitance in celebrating these as victories on their own.

We must recognize that while these victories are important, they will be fleeting unless we also begin to win in the court of public opinion, he said. We must explain the importance of religious freedom to all people, and as the basis of all of our freedoms, if we are to persuade others as to why religious freedom needs protection.

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Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame

Religious freedom in the U.S.

On Wednesday afternoon, a panel titled Religious Liberty Legal Developments in the U.S. explored court decisions that have affected freedom of religion, including the Supreme Courts recent ruling on an evangelical Christian web designer who agreed to serve all customers, but refused to create a website that contravened her belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.

Over the past decade, the Supreme Court has delivered a near-perfect record in support of religious people or groups, said Mark Rienzi, president of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and professor of law at The Catholic University of America.

Since 2012, of the 25 cases dealing with freedom of religion or belief, the court has moved to protect religious freedom 24 times, often in unanimous or near-unanimous decisions.

Were in the midst of a long, extraordinary run of religious liberty winning at the Supreme Court, Rienzi said. And it isnt just conservative Christians who have won cases: If you look at the list of winners, its Christians and Muslims and Buddhists and Jews, he said.

After the Supreme Court agreed to hear 303 Creative v. Elenis, the website designer case, some questioned how the case was different than the courts 2018 ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Rienzi explained that the courts decision hinged on expression  it could be argued that baking and decorating a cake is not a form of individual expression, while creating a written website is  and the door was opened for the court to take up a case that, on surface level, looked very familiar.

Whatever you wondered about a cake or a floral arrangement, you cant wonder about a website, Rienzi said. Thats words. Thats messages.  It might as well be The New York Times.

To Rienzi, the case boiled down to a debate over free speech. The court cannot mandate that someone must express themselves in one way, or say certain things they do not wish to say.

Im frankly disappointed that wasnt a unanimous decision, Rienzi said.

Elizabeth Clark, associate director for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University, discussed a forthcoming article she wrote for the Notre Dame Law Review. She explained that religious freedom in law can be viewed beyond a dichotomy of narrowly tailored exemptions on one side and no exemptions on the other.

Last year, in her concurring opinion for Fulton v. Philadelphia, Justice Amy Coney Barrett questioned whether an approach to religious freedom protections could move away from these poles. Clark argued that it could, suggesting a non-categorical approach, one that is rooted in the constitutional rights connected with religious identity and practice.

This approach would establish a normative core of rights for religious or believing individuals. These would include autonomy rights, the right to self-identiy and proselyte, and the right to reasonable access to creation of tax-exempt churches.

I think this could be an important approach to bridge the deeply-set divide between those favoring religious exemptions and those wanting to keep Smith, Clark said.

President Camille Johnson, president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks at the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Summit in London on Thursday, July 13, 2023. | Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame

A common goal

The Notre Dame Religious Freedom Initiative was founded four years ago. Barclay, its current faculty director, recently clerked for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and is currently finishing a doctorate at Oxford.

Last years Religious Liberty Summit was held in Rome, where President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints First Presidency, offered a keynote address. He called for a global effort to defend and advance the religious freedom of all the children of God in every nation of the world.

This is not a call for doctrinal compromises, Oaks said, but rather a plea for unity and cooperation on strategy and advocacy toward our common goal of religious liberty for all.

This year, President Camille Johnson, president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke on a panel alongside scholars and other religious leaders, expressing the churchs desire to be a light and leaven in every nation, even in countries where government may be overtly hostile to religious faith.

When it is darkest, even a small light can make a big difference, Johnson said. So, we believe that the Saviors injunction  that his followers should be a light  applies to us, especially in times of darkness.

Deseret News Editor Hal Boyd contributed to this report.

Notre Dame Law School professor and Religious Liberty Initiative Director Stephanie Barclay gives opening remarks at the first session of the 2023 Religious Liberty Summit. | Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame Law School Dean Marcus Cole gives opening remarks at the 2023 Religious Liberty Summit in London. | Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame Law School held its 2023 Religious Liberty Summit at Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in London. | Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame

Elizabeth Clark, associate director for BYUs International Center for Law and Religion Studies, speaks at the 2023 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit in London. | Matt Cashore, University of Notre Dame
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 13)  The Philippines needs to campaign hard for support from member states before bringing China's refusal to recognize the 2016 arbitral award to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Wednesday.

"The UN General Assembly is a seat of world opinion and if that UN resolution is adopted that is the expression and opinion of peoples of the world. We want to show to everybody especially to the Chinese people that the world opinion supports us," Carpio told reporters on the sidelines of a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute on July 12.

For Carpio, the show of support for the landmark ruling from many countries  including the United States, Canada, the European Union (EU) and Group of Seven (G7) nations  means Manila is not alone in asserting its rights in the West Philippine Sea.

"We are supported by the EU, by the G7, these are the donor countries and they donate a lot to small countries and if they help us they will tell these countries, can you help our friends in the Philippines? That's how the world is put together," he said.

"We have to talk to the EU, G7, to the other coastal states and count the votes before we file the resolution, we should be assured that we have the votes," he added.

Carpio also said a resolution upheld by the majority of countries will have an effect on Beijing's image even if the UNGA has no enforcement powers.

"A great country like China wants to be a model to the world but if the world condemns you it rubs on your self-esteem. China also needs to export and to export you have to be respected by the rest of the world," he said.

China on 2016 Arbitral Award: Illegal, null, void

The Chinese Embassy in Manila maintained its position that the South China Sea arbitration 'gravely violated' the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and general international law.

"The award is illegal, null and void. China does not accept or recognize it, and will never accept any claim or action based on the award. China's sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea were established in the long course of history, and are solidly grounded in history and the law. This shall under no circumstances be affected by any illegal award," the embassy said in a statement.

Beijing also accused the US of being the mastermind of the arbitration case.

"As the mastermind behind the South China Sea arbitration, the US ropes in allies to play up the issue each year on the anniversary of the illegal award to gang up against China and to exert pressure, and force China into accepting the award. We are firmly against this," it added.

The US Embassy refused to issue another comment on the statement of the Chinese Embassy.
A sign announces a beach closure on August 22, 2021, in Montauk, New York.

A sign announces a beach closure on August 22, 2021, in Montauk, New York.

Over the past century, Long Island has transformed from the nations first suburb into one of its most densely inhabited as New York City inches eastward on the strip of glacial sand and rocks that already contains its two most populous boroughs. But the beaches, clam shacks and marshy, trout-filled streams that made a destination out of Suffolk County, stretching from the center of the island to Montauk, are now at risk of  to put it in the local parlance  going to shit.

The aging septic tanks into which the toilets and showers in much of the regions single-family homes drain are leaching huge amounts of nitrogen into waterways, triggering blooms of blue-green algae  so toxic it kills elephants  at twice the frequency of any other county in the state. Fish are dying by the thousands every year and washing up on beaches. Already threatened by salt water from rising seas, the underground freshwater aquifer that provides Long Islands drinking water is contaminated with surging levels of nitrogen.

The problem is, new advanced septic tanks that filter out nitrogen typically cost at least twice as much as traditional models  a hard investment to stomach for homeowners paying some of the highest property taxes and housing costs in the country.

So Suffolk County went through a monthslong process seeking state approval to hold a referendum on whether to raise money to offer a fix: a county-administered fund that would subsidize advanced septic tanks and overhaul sewer systems in the towns that have them. After receiving Albanys blessing in May, the county planned to ask voters in November to decide on a sales tax hike of roughly 12 cents per $100. This would generate $56 million in the first year and allow the county to apply for matching funds from the state and federal governments that could increase the total to over $1 billion.

In an abrupt turn earlier this month, the Republican majority in Suffolk Countys Legislature yanked the measure from the November ballot  a move that critics described as a cynical ploy to suppress the number of Democratic voters who come out to the polls in this off-year election.

Ducks swim in green water near a dock flying an American flag during a harmful bloom of blue-green algae in Lake Elsinore, California, on Aug. 25, 2022. The same type of algae plagues Suffolk County more than any other county in New York state.

Ducks swim in green water near a dock flying an American flag during a harmful bloom of blue-green algae in Lake Elsinore, California, on Aug. 25, 2022. The same type of algae plagues Suffolk County more than any other county in New York state.

The GOP, which controls 11 of the 18 seats in the Legislature, insisted its opposition to putting the measure on the ballot stemmed from a disagreement over how the money would be spent.

Just 25% of the fund would be earmarked for sewers. That would include consolidating Suffolks dozen separate systems into one countywide district, and expanding infrastructure in urbanizing areas where the warming-fueled changes in rainfall patterns are already overwhelming gutters and drains. The other 75% would subsidize as many as 400,000 homeowners installing advanced septic tanks, bringing the cost of the more expensive cesspool down to roughly the price of a traditional model. Republicans said a bigger portion of the money should go to sewers.

This is just an excuse for blocking a referendum that right-wingers believed would motivate more Democrats to vote in a local election where low turnout should favor incumbent GOP legislators, said Keith Davies, a Democratic operative in Suffolk County.

Republicans dont want this referendum on the ballot because they know when people who care about the environment come out to vote, they vote for Democrats, Davies said by phone Tuesday.

The Conservative Party, a minor statewide party that has played kingmaker in contested Republican elections in Suffolk, made the push to scrap the referendum on the ballot this year, according to Newsday.

The Conservative Party does not want an environmental referendum on the ballot because they think that will work against reelecting Republicans in marginal districts, one anonymous political insider told Long Islands newspaper of record.

The Conservative Partys Suffolk County chapter did not respond to emailed questions from HuffPost. A spokesperson for the Suffolk County GOP agreed to pass along an interview request to party Chairman Jesse Garcia on Thursday, but the call was not returned by Friday afternoon.

Its dubious calculus. In last years election, Republican Lee Zeldin handily won the New York gubernatorial race in his home county with over 58% of the vote, even as a statewide referendum on a $4 billion environmental bond act passed with nearly 64% approval. That would seem to belie the theory that environmental initiatives inspire party-line voting, wrote Newsday opinion columnist Michael Dobie.

Still, all but one of the Legislatures 18 seats are in play this year, including three held by first-time Republican legislators Dominick Thorne, Manuel Esteban and Stephanie Bontempi, all of whom ousted Democrats in 2021. And three Democratic seats are up for grabs as Democrats Al Krupski and Bridget Fleming bow out of running for reelection and Sarah Anker, whose narrow victory two years ago came on a recount, faces a term limit.

Workers use heavy machinery to lower a section of concrete pipe into the ground by a school district building in Wyandanch, a hamlet on Long Island, on Dec. 15, 2021. The work is part of a project to connect the building to the sewer system.

Workers use heavy machinery to lower a section of concrete pipe into the ground by a school district building in Wyandanch, a hamlet on Long Island, on Dec. 15, 2021. The work is part of a project to connect the building to the sewer system.

Suffolk Republicans could still put the referendum on the ballot by invoking a special legal procedure at the next legislative session on July 25. If they dont, the county will need to start the process over again in the states next legislative year. By then, Suffolk may have already lost some of the potential matching funds it could be eligible for as federal agencies begin distributing money from President Joe Bidens landmark infrastructure laws.

These are all grants. Theyre not going to sit around for us forever, said Dr. Eve Meltzer-Krief, a pediatrician and Democratic school board official in Huntington who is running against Bontempi, the incumbent Republican, to represent the north-shore town of more than 200,000 residents in the countys Legislature.

If they dont move forward with this referendum, its going to have to go back around through another legislative year. The state would have to approve another referendum, she said. These monies are by no means guaranteed.

In a suburban region infamously segregated by race and income, its workers who will pay the highest price for inaction, said Ryan Stanton, the executive director of the AFL-CIO-affiliated Long Island Federation of Labor. His union stands to benefit from construction jobs that the new sales tax would help fund if the referendum passed. But he said those same workers are also the ones dealing with the consequences of unmet infrastructure needs.

Wealthy people are going to be fine, said Stanton.

Theyre not the ones restoring, rehabilitating and repairing sewage treatment plants when theyre overwhelmed due to storm flooding. Theyre not the ones repairing the road when we get 9 inches of rain in an evening, and all of a sudden theres complete destruction on state and local roads, he added. Its working people who go out and repair our communities.

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Old and young women's hands Peter Finch / Getty Images

Do you want to extend your lifespan and have $100,000 to spare? Well, a longevity clinic may be right for you.

What are they?

Longevity clinics are facilities aimed at slowing down aging and providing treatments "optimizing patients' health for more years," according to The Wall Street Journal. The facilities offer services that are supposed to help with illnesses, as well as counter natural aging processes. However, many of the methods come from "outside the mainstream," according to experts. However, partaking in such an experience comes at a hefty price, sometimes costing as much as $100,000 per year, and services are not covered by insurance. Many use biomarkers, or "indicators in the body's fluids and tissues that can predict various diseases and conditions," to determine a client's course of action toward longevity, according to the New York Post.

The clinics do offer a variety of services including various screening for diseases like cancer, body imaging, medical tests and cognitive testing. In some cases, they offer rarer services like DNA methylation tests, which analyze what "aging-associated genes are activated," the New York Post reported. Those in favor of the clinics claim that these strides can make a difference. "What we see as 'normal' aging  decrepitude, frailty, disability and degeneration  is truly abnormal aging," remarked Dr. Mark Hyman, the medical director of longevity club RoseBar, to the New York Post. "Aging is a disease that can be treated." The World Health Organization previously proposed to include old age in the International Classification of Diseases, which is "a global, multilingual catalogue of known human diseases, medical conditions and mental health disorders," before ultimately withdrawing it.

However, many also believe the industry is comprised of "overpromising and snake oil," as described by Melissa Eamer, the founder of longevity clinic Modern Age, to the New York Post. "It's not a regulated market," commented Dr. Andrea Maier, a researcher on aging, to the Journal. "Anybody who is treating your toenails can say they're contributing to longevity."

Why are they becoming more popular?

The clinics "capitalize on Americans' obsession with living longer and desire for personalized medical care," according to the Journal. "There are a lot of millionaires and billionaires that are trying to enjoy their wealth as long as they possibly can," added Phil Newman, the editor-in-chief of research and media company Longevity Technology. Most people who frequent the clinics are those over 40 who are willing to accept the risk of the services. However, there has recently been a marked increase in people in their 20s.

"A lot of people think that aging doesn't start until you're in your 50s," said Eamer. "Aging really starts in your 30s, which is when your bone mass peaks, so it's important to get to people early. There's so much we can control." In addition, some have sworn by the practices, especially in easing chronic conditions. "You spend money on what you want, and quality of life is worth it to me to not just live longer but live healthier," said 53-year-old Anita Wheaton, who actively uses longevity services, to the Journal.

On the other hand, some experts worry about the risks associated with pursuing such treatment. Overdiagnosing could be a ready side effect, essentially bringing to light conditions that are not likely to cause health problems and causing people to get unneeded procedures. Some clinics also offer non-FDA-approved services like various stem-cell therapies. In general, these therapies are only approved in some circumstances and can lead to other health problems, the Journal continued. "People often try these products based on the rationale, 'Well, it's not going to hurt me,'" said Sean Morrison, the former president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, to the Journal. "But there is a cost to these products beyond the fact that you're spending thousands of dollars."

Do you need the services?

"Eighty percent of aging  well, maybe more  is simple things that don't cost much," according to Dr. Mark Hyman, the author of the book "Young Forever." He included practices like eating healthy, getting regular exercise and sleep and getting proper vitamins and nutrients. "There are things almost anybody could do right now to start to put themselves on a better health span trajectory," meaning living as long as possible without disability hindering you, said Matt Kaeberlein, a biogerontologist at the University of Washington and the chief science officer at longevity company Optispan, to USA Today.

Many of the clinics assist in making lifestyle changes but also act as "a form of ultra-proactive preventative care where conditions that may develop, or are close to developing, are stopped in their tracks," described Fast Company. But aging is a natural part of human existence, and "we're not going to cure death," Dr. Eric Verdin, of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, told USA Today.

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Former St. Lucie County Sheriff Robert C. "Bobby" Knowles

ST. LUCIE COUNTY  Former St. Lucie County Sheriff Robert C. Bobby Knowles was described as a mix of old world policing and visionary, all at the same time.

Knowles, who was elected sheriff in 1984 and held the office until Sheriff Ken Mascara took over in 2001, joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam before a long stint as an investigator with the State Attorneys Office.

He graduated high school, entered the Marines, served our country in the Marines and then was an active reservist for many years, joined the State Attorney's Office and then served our community as sheriff, Mascara sad. This guy was the epitome of a public servant.

Although Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said he did not know Knowles well, he said in a statement: "We mourn the loss of a great law enforcement leader. Sheriff Knowles dedicated his life to maintaining peace and order, protecting the St. Lucie Community with a level of commitment and integrity. We will continue to honor his memory."

Knowles, 82, died Saturday by suicide. A celebration of life is scheduled 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 23 at Pelican Yacht Club, 1120 Seaway Drive, in Fort Pierce.

Robert C. "Bobby" Knowles, former St. Lucie County sheriff

Robert Crowder, who said he met Knowles in 1968 at the police academy and served as his undersheriff until 1992, said Knowles was hard-headed and independent but typically knew the right things to do.

I think a more timid person would not have done half the things that he did, but he had a lot of ideas and he just charged ahead and brought things in that needed to be done, said Crowder, who became Martin County Sheriff and served until 2013.

Knowles, a Fort Pierce native, was not without controversy. For example, he implemented a program to house some jail inmates in military tents  the so-called tent city.

"Those are the same tents I lived in, in Vietnam," Knowles said in an interview in a 2000 Fort Pierce Tribune article. "I was the first cot on the left when you walked in."

He also made headlines for "chain gang" style work crews.

"We try to show people that if you go to jail, it's not a fun place to be," Knowles was quoted as saying in a 1997 article in The Stuart News. "Hopefully it sends a message that St. Lucie County is not a good place to commit crime.

'No-nonsense guy'

Former State Attorney Bruce Colton said he met Knowles in 1972 when Colton started as an assistant public defender just out of law school. Knowles was an investigator with the State Attorneys Office.

Back then the prosecutor, the assistant state attorney that I had cases with, was part-time, Colton said. Except in the courtroom, I dealt primarily with Bobby when it came to discussing cases and working out pleas.

Colton soon joined the State Attorneys Office and worked together with Knowles.

He was a friendly, funny guy, but he was also a no-nonsense guy when it came to business, Colton said. He was good as an investigator. He knew what you needed to put together a case.

Former St. Lucie County Sheriff Robert C. "Bobby" Knowles

Colton said drug smuggling then was rampant, and he worked on several task forces to combat that.

We did investigations, did surveillances and got boats as they were coming in the inlet and airplanes as they were landing, Colton said. When I say we, it was Bobby and the investigators and law enforcement.

Thomas Walsh, a former prosecutor and current senior judge in the 19th Judicial Circuit, said Knowles was a hardworker with a reputation for honesty and being straightforward.

Some people I'm sure will criticize that straightforwardness, but at a time when politics was anything but straightforward, he ran as a Republican in a very Democratic community, who knew that the sheriff's department was in dire need of getting dragged into the 21st century, Walsh said. Bobby Knowles did that.

More than 50-year-old cold case solved: 'When I opened the box ... it didn't take long,' detective says of solving 1969 St. Lucie County murder

Innovation

Mike Monahan, who said he joined the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office in 1975 under Sheriff Lanie Norvell and left in 2012 as a major, said Knowles created the school resource unit, a full-time marine unit and bought the first helicopters, among other things.

The agency grew rapidly and grew quickly with technology and enhanced training and expanded units, he said.

Knowles was quoted in a 2000 Fort Pierce Tribune article as saying, "We basically took an administration that was operating very much in the '50s and brought it into the '80s."

Monahan said when Knowles took office, crime was widespread, noting topless bars, peep shows, adult bookstores and gambling, and they cleaned all of that up.

He got ordinances written to stop all of that, Monahan said. The county is a better place for that.

Walsh remembered Knowles on the front lines during the so-called cocaine cowboys era. He recalled a portion of Interstate 95 was paved, but closed.

It was without any question, the longest airplane landing field in the world, and the entities that landed on it were offloading cocaine, Walsh said. A lot of people were killing people all in South Florida, because they were competing for this very lucrative business.

Those, Monahan said, were the days when the bales of marijuana were falling out of the sky, and the cocaine was washing up on the beach.

We worked a lot of drug cases, a lot of big drug cases, Monahan said. We stopped a lot of criminal activity in the county, but when he became sheriff, he truly focused on that stuff.

Crowder said innovations instituted at the Martin County Sheriffs Office when he took office were things Knowles started.

He learned from Knowles the importance of the local political structure.

You've got to get elected every four years, Crowder said. You also need to know who you can trust and who you can't trust.

No charges: St. Lucie Sheriff Ken Mascara cleared in criminal probe related to 2020 elections

He didnt bend

Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said he came to the Martin sheriffs office in 1993 as a captain.

More than anything, I worked with his people. And we always had a good experience with St. Lucie County, Snyder said. They were a no-nonsense, hard-working law enforcement entity, and I think he gets a lot of the credit for it.

Knowles, he said, was not someone to push.

Bobby Knowles was that old style, Snyder said. He was a piece of hickory, and he didn't bend.

Colton noted a drug trafficking case involving top Martin County sheriffs officials in which drugs being stored at the agency as evidence and to be destroyed were being stolen. Bales of marijuana and kilograms of cocaine were being shipped to New York. Knowles headed the investigation. James Holt was the Martin sheriff at the time, Colton said.

We ended up charging a captain and lieutenant in the sheriff's office, a guy who was a part-time deputy, but also a pilot for one of the big airlines, Colton said. They all pled and went to prison, and Bobby ended up being a hero over making that investigation.

Jim Russakis said he met Knowles in 1983, and became close friends and supported him politically. He said Knowles was a good speaker, and entertaining.

He said Knowles bought property off the rural Carlton Road when he was sheriff. He built a home out of cypress and was extremely, extremely happy. He called it Lone Cypress Ranch and kept cattle and a horse, Russakis said.

He loved it out there, Russakis said. That was his serenity.

Russakis described Knowles as one of the greatest sheriffs in the areas history.

He put his heart in this county, Russakis said. He really did.

Help is available for people experiencing domestic violence or suicidal thoughts. Call the Palm Beach County Victim Services 24-hour helpline at 561-833-7273, or the 24-hour Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Robert C. 'Bobby' Knowles modernized St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office
Take a look at seven of the oldest churches in Mississippi. See where they are

Woodville Baptist Church is the oldest church in Mississippi with its original building built in 1809.

History and religion go hand in hand in Mississippi.

So, as long there were settlers in Mississippi there have been religious gatherings and then actual churches. The list of some of the oldest church buildings in Mississippi is interesting in that many of the churches were established before 1800 and before Mississippi became a state in 1817.

Of the oldest church buildings in Mississippi, it likely will not surprise you to know that many are in Natchez, which has reputation of having some of the oldest buildings in Mississippi because it was spared the destruction of the Civil War that many other towns in Mississippi were not afforded.

Coastal Mississippi communities date to the late 1600s but there is no record of any churches in that era surviving to modern times. According to the book Old Southwest to Old South, a Catholic chaplain was brought to the area along with early French settlers in 1699.

There is one town on the list that may surprise you, however. Here are seven of the oldest churches in Mississippi:

Woodville Baptist Church: 1809

According to the historical marker outside the church, the church assumed its independence in 1800 from the Salem Church and was called Bethel Baptist Church. During the early 1800s, the church was inactive for several years.

The brick church building, which was built in 1809, is the oldest church building in Mississippi. After the town of Woodville was organized in 1811, the church building was moved to town. The building was condemned in 1896 so the congregation met elsewhere until major renovations were made in 1914.

Trinity Episcopal Church, across Washington Street from Temple B'nai Israel, is the oldest church building in Natchez. The congregation is the second oldest of the denomination in the Mississippi.

Trinity Episcopal Church (Natchez): 1822

According to the church website, the lot, on which present-day Trinity Church stands, was purchased in April of 1822 for $1,500. Construction began immediately. The first services in the present building, were held in the Spring of 1823. Regular services have been held at Trinity Church ever since.

The congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church was officially founded in 1822. The church building is the oldest in Natchez, and the oldest existing Episcopal church building in Mississippi.

Church records from Trinity Episcopal suggest the Episcopal Church was brought to the Natchez area by missionary Adam Cloud, who is said to have brought the doctrine of the American Episcopal Church around 1790.

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St. Paul Episcopal (Woodville): 1824

The frame of St. Paul Episcopal was raised in 1824, and on April 10, 1825, the first service was held. The building stands today, with the exception of minor repairs, as it was built. The organ, still in use, was the gift of Major A. M. Feltus, in 1827.

Woodville Methodist Church: 1824

Woodville Methodist Church was built in 1824 and lays claim to being the oldest Methodist church building in Mississippi and possibly in several adjoining states. The sanctuary has been completely redecorated and an educational unit added. This church entertained the Mississippi Conference four times before the Civil War and at least 10 Bishops have preached here.

The name of the church for the last several decades had been the Woodville United Methodist Church. However, it, like many United Methodist Churches in the state disaffiliated on June 28, 2023.

The Washington Methodist Church in Natchez was constructed in 1828. This building was remodeled and the balconies were removed in 1902.

Washington Methodist Church (Natchez): 1828

The Methodist Church at Washington, Mississippi was organized in 1799 by Rev. Tobias Gibson, who came from South Carolina. It is recognized as the first Methodist church organized in Alabama, Louisiana, or Mississippi.

In 1812, a lot on the Jefferson College campus was secured from Lorenzo Dow, and a brick church building was erected. It was used until the present church was constructed in 1828. This building was remodeled, and the balconies were removed in 1902.

Pine Ridge Presbyterian (Natchez): 1829

Pine Ridge Presbyterian, according to its historical records, was started by the Evangelist Rev James Smylie in 1807 as the Washington Presbyterian Church. Washington was that time the Territorial Capital of the old Southwest territory. In 1808 the church moved to a rural community and the name changed to Salem Church. It claims to be the oldest Presbyterian congregation in Mississippi. In 1827 the name was changed to Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church. It was built in 1829 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

First Presbyterian Church (Natchez): 1830

The First Presbyterian Church of Natchez is a Federal style church building. Construction began in 1828 and was dedicated on New Years Day in 1830. The existing church is the second church on the site. The earlier Presbyterian Church building, which was designed by architect Levi Weeks, was begun in 1812 and completed in 1815. The construction of this first building preceded by two years the official organization of the church in 1817. However, it was torn down in 1828.

Bonus Church: Rodney Presbyterian Church: 1832

According to the Rodney History and Preservation Society, in 1828, the Legislature of Mississippi granted a charter to that portion of Bethel Congregation worshipping in the former town Rodney in Jefferson County. Steps to erect the present brick church in Rodney were taken in 1829 with dedication on January 1, 1832.

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rodney, a modern-day ghost town, sits about 20 miles southwest of Port Gibson where Rodney Road meets Muddy Bayou Road. The town of fewer than 10 people has a number of old buildings, most in varying states of decay or disrepair. All are on private property.

At one time, it sat just 300 feet from the river's edge that was vital to the growth of this town.

While this is a list of some of the oldest churches in Mississippi, if there is one we have missed, please feel free to reach out and help us. If you have a story idea, Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or at 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What are the oldest churches in Mississippi?
Looks Like Ukraine Is Going on the Offensive With Huge Soviet Air Defense Missiles

David Birkas (CCA2) - Wikimedia Commons

As Russia began burning through its inventory of land-attack Kh-101 and Kalibr cruise missiles last year to indiscriminately bombard Ukrainian cities, it increasingly began turning to its inventory of S-300 missiles. Russia had lots of missiles designed for the system, as it was in the process of replacing its older S-300 batteries with the more capable S-400 system.



And when a funny-looking missile plunged into what was reportedly a sawmill near the town of Bytosh in Russias Bryansk oblastover 100 miles north of the border with Ukraineit looked like Ukraine may have taken a page out of Russias playbook by using air defenses in a very offensive way.

A video of what appears to be a missile of the Soviet-made S-200 air defense system impacting a sawmill in the settlement of Bytosh in Bryansk Oblast of Russia earlier on Sunday.



Presumably, the Ukrainians started to covert these missiles for the use against ground targets. pic.twitter.com/yPSJPO5el2  Status-6 (@Archer83Able) July 9, 2023

The missile appeared to be a V-880 Vega used by Ukraines Soviet-era S-200 long-range anti-aircraft batteriescodenamed SA-5 Gammon by NATO.

Accurately or not, Russia claimed that four missiles were defeated by electronic warfare and air defense fire while attempting to attack targets in Crimea and near Rostov and Kaluga. Separately, one or more missiles were reportedly downed by defending S-300VM or S-300V4 batteries while attempting to attack the critical Kerch bridge to Crimea, apparently prompting a suspension of traffic.

Russian sources report a temporary suspension of traffic on the Kerch Bridge in both directions after the activity of the Russian air defenses near Crimea's occupied Kerch



https://t.co/njyebe7m9f pic.twitter.com/zk2KAY6L6d  Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 9, 2023

Ukrainian officials have neither confirmed nor denied Russias claims.

Ukraine had retired its S-200s a decade ago, but was thought to retain at least three or four batteries worth of launchers (around 24), if not more. Though there was talk in the late 2010s of reactivating them in air defense rolesas occurred for Ukraines reconstituted S-125 and 2K12 Kub batteriesthere had been no evidence of S-200s being used by either Ukraine or Russia in the conflict until now.

Reports also reveal that the U.S. actively tried to persuade the president of Bulgaria to transfer S-200 and S-300 missiles from his military to Ukraine. In exchange, Bulgaria would receive modern equipment like NASAMS missiles and F-16s. That implies that the U.S. was confident that Ukraine could readily integrate S-200s into service.

So, perhaps a few S-200s were made operational. The lack of photos showing S-200s launchers might reflect sensible operational security to prevent accidentally betraying the location of the hard-to-move launchers. Perhaps a wayward anti-air missile flew deep into Russiasimilar mishaps have occurred with Syrias S-200 batteries.

Wikimedia Commons

But if the Russians reports of multiple S-200 attacks are accurate, that implies that they are being systematically used in a land-attack role.

At first glance, its more surprising for Ukraine to expend air defense missiles on land attack missions than for Russia. Ukraine still faces far more extensive aerial threats from Russia than the other way around, and lacks options to obtain replacement missiles for its mostly Soviet-era systems.

Perhaps Ukraine concluded that the S-200s were too obsolete and vulnerable (due to being so immobile) to be worth using major resources in an air defense role. Ukraine has particularly sought long-distance weapons to strike attacks in targets in Crimea and Russia, but has few (if any) remaining Tochka ballistic missiles, and any long-range Western weapons it receives (such as Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG missiles) are likely given under condition they arent used for strikes on Russian soil. Hypothetically, missiles from S-200s may represent a domestic means to that capability unconstrained by foreign restrictions.

S-200: Defender of the Soviet Motherland

The S-200 entered service in 1967 to serve as fixed, long-range air defenses protecting the Soviet heartlands from nuclear-capable NATO strategic bombers and spy planes flying at high altitude. The systems 5N62 Square Pair targeting radar had a maximum range of 170 miles, while its V-860 and later V-880 missiles could hit aircraft from 110 to 190 miles away, and at up to 65,000 to 131,000 feet depending on model.

Vitaly V. Kuzmin - Wikimedia Commons

Each individual V-880 missile (or 5V28) used by an S-200V is absurdly buff, measuring 10.7 meters long, weighing nearly 8 tons and boasting no less than four first-stage solid-fuel rocket-boosters. These would jettison once spent to allow an additional liquid-fuel second-stage booster to take over. All that rocketry helped boost the missile up to Mach 8 and ensured that it could reach aircraft flying at over three times the speed of sound at maximum range and altitude.

Unlike most Soviets missiles reliant on radio-command guidance, the S-200s missiles used a built-in passive radar seeker that can home in on aircraft illuminated by reflected signals from ground-based Square Pair radar. On closing with its target, a proximity fuse detonates the hulking missiles 485-pound proximity warhead, releasing 37,000 fragments to shred everything within a forward-facing 120-degree cone. If that wasnt enough, some V-880 missiles were also fitted with 25 kiloton nuclear anti-aircraft warheads.

ShinePhantom photo (CCA-SA3) - Wikimedia Commons

The original S-200A Angara system used the V-860 missile and was effective out to 100 miles and 65,000 ft. It was soon superseded by the jam-resistant S-200V Vega system and V-880 missile boosting maximum range to 150 miles and altitude to 130,000 feet, and the similar, nuclear-capable Vega-M. A smaller number of the ultimate S-200D Dubna systems were produced with a range of 190 miles.

By the systems 1980s-era peak, more than 2,030 S-200 launchers were dispersed across the Soviet Union, with a battery typically consisting of six 5P72B static launchers, one radar, a command post, and transport and reloading vehicles. By then, NATO aviation was focused on low-altitude penetration tactics that the S-200 wasnt designed to counter, though it still had a notional role threatening high-flying SR-71 Blackbird spy planes and slower RC-135 and E-3 surveillance aircraft. Usefully, the aging S-200 batteries could still be networked and controlled via the command posts of the succeeding S-300 and S-400 systems.

An export model, the S-200VE was also sold abroad, with some still operational in NATO states Bulgaria and Poland. Other notable operators include Algeria, Iran, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, and Syria. In 2018, Syrias force of 40-50 S-200 launchers was responsible for the only downing of an Israeli jetan F-16I Sufaduring Israels decade-long bombing campaign targeting Iranian/Hezbollah assets in Syria. However, Syrias S-200s batteries also accidentally shot down a friendly Russian Il-22M command post plane the same year (killing 15), smacked the island of Cyprus with an errant missile, and suffered losses to Israeli air defense suppression strikes.

AFP - Getty Images

Ukraines Vega Missiles

Ukraine inherited many S-200Vs from the Soviet Union. By 2013, three Ukrainian air defense brigades (based in Kherson, Odesa, and Kyiv) and two regiments in Crimea and Kamyanka-Buzka (near Lviv) were still equipped with S-200Vs. Though less modern and capable than Ukraines S-300P and S-300V systems, the S-200s still had greater maximum engagement range. However, the last S-200 unit was disbanded that Octoberjust a few months before Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.

After Russias initial invasions in 2014-2015, Ukraine began working to reconstitute some of its retired Soviet air defenses, and the reactivation of S-200 batteries became an objective. But a 2018 report singles out the S-200 as the only former Soviet system Ukraines military still lacked the capability to use.

George Chernilevsky photo (CCA-SA3) - Wikimedia Commons

There still remains no media proving that operational S-200s in Ukrainian are in service. One can speculate that some may have been discretely reactivated and possibly upgraded with assistance from Poland.

Defender Becomes Attacker?

While S-300s and most other Russian air defense missiles have a built-in secondary land attack mode, the existence of that mode on the S-200 isnt confirmed. That said, Syria has lobbed S-200 missiles in very low accuracy terror attacks directed at Syrian rebels and Israel.

Guidance is necessary for an S-200 surface attack to prove militarily effective. In principle, a separate radar could be trained on an especially large surface target (like the Kerch bridge) for the missiles passive seeker to latch onto. Such an arrangement seems, at best, only circumstantially practicable.

So regarding S-200's apparent land attack capability. S-200 employs semi-active radar guidance so there is at least an onboard guidance computer that an IMU could theoretically be integrated with. https://t.co/jFpB3xBu14 pic.twitter.com/yHBeC88ZUo  John Ridge   (@John_A_Ridge) July 10, 2023

Alternatively, Ukrainian technicians could have jerry-rigged a rudimentary inertial and/or GPS guidance to integrate with the missiles pre-existing Inertial Measurement Unit tracking the missiles speed and bearing. This would allow for course-correction as it flew towards fixed coordinates.

While probably still lacking accuracy and not designed for stealth, V-880 missiles would still pose interception challenges due to their supersonic speed, and would hit hard due to sheer size, velocity, and their quarter-ton warhead. The maximum range of 159 or 190 miles against aerial targets could, by some estimates, translate to a 250- to 310-mile ground attack range.

Russian sources remain convinced the Soviet anti-bomber defense has been converted into a genuine threat to targets on Russian soil. If thats true, we may eventually see more from the powerfulbut obsoleteSoviet air defense system.

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A Lafourche Parish deputy chose the wrong place  and time  to illegally park his patrol vehicle on Tuesday.The marked Dodge sedan was parked in a parking space reserved for disabled people in front of a Thibodaux restaurant, where the boss happened by.

Sheriff Craig Webre said he and his daughter were entering the restaurant to have lunch when he spotted the transgression. He posted a photo of the offending auto on the Sheriffs Office Facebook page and included a statement describing the incident, which he described as an embarrassing and humiliating error of judgment on the part of the deputy.

After taking this photo, we entered the establishment and I immediately instructed the officer to return to the vehicle, Webre said. I then sent this photo to his supervisors, instructing them to thoroughly investigate and recommend appropriate disciplinary action Webre stated that his recommendation would include suspension without pay equal to the cost of a traffic ticket for the violation.

As law enforcement officers we must hold ourselves to an even higher standard than the citizens we serve and protect, Webre said, offering an apology for this inappropriate and unnecessary affront to the public trust.Capt. Brennan Matherne, Webres spokesman, said the deputy would not be identified because the gaffe was a personnel matter. On the photo Webre posted the cars unit number and license tag were blurred out.The posting drew hundreds of comments, some complimentary and others suggesting the punishment was too harsh.

There were also those who posited that the Sheriffs action  and the posting  occurred because this is an election year. Matherne said the same action would have been taken in an election year or a non-election year.

Although several people are rumored to be running against the long-time sheriff, nobody has announced, and qualifying does not take place until August. State law fixes the first violation of the mobility-impaired parking law shall be fined $275.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana sheriff deputy parked in handicapped space. Now he's suspended
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a discovery order Wednesday ordering more information to be provided to suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawyers in advance of his Senate impeachment trial.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a discovery order Wednesday demanding more information to be provided to suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawyers ahead of his upcoming impeachment trial in September.

The discovery order states that the Texas House Board of Managers must provide all law enforcement reports, documents and statements that are relevant to the articles of impeachment to Paxton's lawyers. If they don't comply, it could lead to exclusion of the evidence or contempt of court.

Paxton was immediately suspended from office after the Texas House in an 121-23 vote on May 27 approved 20 articles of impeachment against the attorney general. The House Managers prosecuting the case against Paxton are a group of seven Republicans and five Democratic members.

According to Patrick's order, the managers must share any potential evidence that could clear Paxton as well as reveal any benefits offered to witnesses. Paxton's lawyers should also have access to all physical objects, documents, photographs, records and other evidence that is expected to be introduced at trial, the order states.

More: How Ken Paxtons body man overheard, spilled information that spurred bribery allegation

While there is little recent precedent for impeachments in the Legislature  there have only been two, with the last one in 1975  David Coale, a Dallas-based appellate lawyer, said a discovery order is a common practice in regular court cases.

"Patricks order deals with some basic discovery matters," Coale said. "Im not surprised to see an order like that here as the proceedings get started and Im glad to see that he issued it promptly."

Patrick's office did not respond to an American-Statesman request for comment Thursday asking why he issued the order.

Many of the articles brought against Paxton address his relationship with Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, a political donor who was recently indicted in federal court on eight counts of mortgage fraud.

Paxton's impeachment trial is set for Sept. 5 in the Texas Senate. If Paxton is convicted on any impeachment article, he will be removed from office for the remainder of his term, which expires in 2026. He could also be permanently banned from serving in any public office in the state.

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"We have demanded this information to which Attorney General Ken Paxton is entitled," said attorney Tony Buzbee, who will defend Paxton in his Senate impeachment trial.

Before Patrick issued the order, Paxton's lawyer Tony Buzbee said in a statement Wednesday that the House managers were disregarding "individual rights and due process" by "withholding basic information they are legally required to disclose." Buzbee didn't specify what information the managers are allegedly withholding.

"We have demanded this information to which Attorney General Ken Paxton is entitled," Buzbee said. "In every court in the country this type of information would be freely exchanged by prosecutors, and we have demanded that it be produced. The House has ignored our demands and the Attorney General's constitutional rights."

Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, who is one of the House managers, said in a tweet Wednesday that he was "happy and eager" to comply with Patrick's discovery order. Leach said the information referenced in the order had already been offered by the House managers and wouldve been quickly disclosed.

"I am confident all House Managers agree," Leach wrote. "And Im also hopeful Attorney General Paxton will, without delay, be forthcoming with evidence required to be produced under the Texas Rules of Evidence."

In his statement, Buzbee said it was "imperative" for the Senate to take "immediate action" to force the House managers to follow the law, and he asked Patrick to enter a "strict and comprehensive scheduling order" to set pretrial deadlines to govern the impeachment trial.

"Phelan's Managers are openly mocking the intent of the Texas Senate to have a fair and open proceeding, and are clearly withholding information that would routinely be disclosed," he said. "It is critical the Senate enforce our constitutional guardrails to prevent further institutional damage inflicted by the Texas House."

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Paxton's lawyers have requested an Aug. 5 deadline to file pre-trial motions, an Aug. 15 deadline for responses to pre-trial motions and an Aug. 31 deadline to resolve all pretrial motions, along with other specified deadlines. Several of the proposed dates are similar or identical to the deadlines outlined in the trial rules that the Texas Senate has adopted.

Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin, two Houston attorneys who are serving as counsel to the House managers, said in a statement that they had previously offered to provide Paxton's lawyers with all relevant documents if they did the same.

"Paxton's lawyers ignored our efforts to cooperate, instead filing their unauthorized demands and trying to create a spectacle in the media," they said in a statement, according to media reports. "The Lieutenant Governor has ordered us to produce exactly what we intended to produce from the beginning and we are happy to comply."

More: Texas GOP condemns Republicans who voted to impeach Ken Paxton. How much will it matter?

Bottom line: The games should end so the evidence can speak.



As one of the House Managers, I am happy and eager to comply with this discovery order, which orders information that had already been offered by the House Managers and which wouldve been quickly disclosed.



I am https://t.co/OmHBLCv9T5  Jeff Leach (@leachfortexas) July 13, 2023

Statesman staff writer Ryan Autullo contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lt. Gov. Patrick issues discovery order in Paxton impeachment trial
Lubbock police searching for suspect in Tuesday homicide considered 'armed and dangerous'

Antoine Manahan, 36, is wanted in connection with the shooting death of 45-year-old Chad Reed.

Lubbock police are looking for a suspect in a Tuesday afternoon shooting who they consider "armed and dangerous."

The Lubbock Police Department is asking for the public's help locating Antoine Manahan, 36, who is wanted in connection with the shooting death of 45-year-old Chad Reed. An arrest warrant for Manahan was issued Wednesday for first-degree felony murder.

Police responded around noon Tuesday to the 1900 block of East Auburn Street where they found Reed shot dead inside a house. The Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit and Texas Anti-Gang Unit responded to investigate.

LPD says Manahan should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his location is asked to call Crime Line at (806) 741-1000. Callers could be eligible for a reward and can remain anonymous.

The Lubbock Police Department is investigating a shooting in the 1900 block of East Auburn Street that left one person dead, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock police searching for 'armed and dangerous' murder suspect
They flew out of DFW Airport on vacation. Their cars were stolen when they flew back

A Fort Worth family returned from vacation this week to find their luxury sport utility vehicle had been stolen from a Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport parking garage.

Kate Teams, a family travel content creator, said in a social media post that her new vehicle was stolen from the Terminal A parking garage around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The vehicle was locked, according to Teams, and she assumes a group of experts used a computer to unlock and start her SUV. Then they disabled her OnStar tracking system.

Teams said when she reported the loss to airport police, the officer told her four other vehicles had been stolen from the Terminal A parking garage the same day. The airport confirmed in a statement that police are investigating reports of stolen vehicles but didnt specify how many.

Ive owned my car less than a month, Teams posted on social media. We travel a lot with our kids ... and never thought this would happen.

The Fort Worth mom told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV that it was her first new vehicle and it was a luxury SUV.

Teams said she also reported the theft to OnStar, but the company closed the case since the system was disabled and the vehicle couldnt be detected.

I know its just a car but want everyone to be aware that this is happening, Teams said in her social media post.

The airport said it is increasing patrols of the areas where the thefts were reported.

The safety and security of travelers and employees is our top priority, the statement said. DFW Airport is continually assessing and enhancing crime reduction strategies, both seen and unseen, across our 28-square-mile property. We continue to ask visitors and employees to see something, say something when encountering any suspicious activity.
A&M faculty leaders decry appearance of outside influence in botched hiring of journalism professor

A faculty organization at Texas A&M University in College Station said its worried the institution has bowed to outside influences in hiring. Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune

An association of Texas A&M faculty on Friday condemned the universitys administration for its role in failed contract negotiations with renowned journalist, Kathleen O. McElroy, who walked away from an offer to reboot its journalism department.

In a letter obtained by The Texas Tribune, Tracy Hammond, speaker for the Texas A&M Faculty Senate, said the groups executive committee decries the appearance of outside influence in the hiring and promotion of faculty.

The letter comes three days after the Tribune reported that McElroy ended contract negotiations with the university, which had previously celebrated her intention to leave a tenured position at the University of Texas at Austin to revive the A&M journalism department.

Negotiations between McElroy and A&M became fraught in recent weeks, McElroy told the Tribune. And A&M employees suggested a vocal network of constituents within the university system expressed issues with her having worked at The New York Times and her support for diversity in newsrooms.

Hammond, in the letter addressed to both the universitys president, M. Katherine Banks, and chancellor, John Sharp, said faculty members were worried about the precedent this event sets.

[Texas A&M recruited a UT professor to revive its journalism program, then backtracked after DEI hysteria]

We believe we share the common goal of preserving Texas A&M University as a premier institution with an outstanding reputation, Hammond said. But for that to happen, there must be an acknowledgement that outside influence is detrimental to that goal and efforts must be taken to preclude that from recurring.

A spokesperson for the university said officials received the letter and would respond next week. And a spokesperson for the Texas A&M University System said in a statement that its leaders agree there is a common goal with the faculty.

Chancellor John Sharp has great confidence and faith in the faculty and is committed to keeping Texas A&M University a premier institution of higher education, said Laylan Copelin, spokesperson for the A&M System.

McElroys decision to end contract negotiations is a dramatic reversal to the celebrated welcome she received after A&M first publicly announced she was leaving her position at UT-Austin to revive the A&M journalism program.

However, McElroy said that after the fanfare, A&M spent weeks altering the terms of her job. After hearing about the concerns, McElroy agreed to a five-year contract position without tenure, which would have avoided a review by regents. Last weekend, she received a third offer, this time with a one-year contract and emphasizing that the appointment was at will and that she could be terminated at any time.

She then turned the offer down.

Kathleen McElroy, a professor of journalism at the University of Texas at Austins School of Journalism and Media, in Austin on July 11, 2023. Credit: Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune

McElroys hiring came under public scrutiny after the conservative website Texas Scorecard wrote a piece on McElroys work at UT-Austin regarding diversity, equity and inclusion and her research on race, labeling her a DEI proponent.

That website is the reporting arm of Empower Texans, a Tea Party-aligned group formed with millions in oil money. The organization holds huge sway over Texas Republican leaders.

And at least one known alumni association publicly acknowledged its concern over McElroys potential hiring.

The Rudder Association, an alumni network at Texas A&M, released a letter Friday that clarified the concerns it had with the potential hiring of McElroy.

Upon learning of Dr. McElroys selection, TRA did express concerns to the administration, as did many others, the letter stated. TRA believes that a department head should embrace the egalitarian and merit-based traditions that characterize Texas A&Ms values rather than the divisive ideology of identity politics.

The failed contract negotiations come at a time in Texas when public universities are under the microscope as a new state law that will go into effect in January bans offices, programs and training that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Recently, the Texas A&M System started a systemwide audit of all DEI offices in response to the new law.

Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Kathleen McElroy, the Texas A&M University System, The New York Times and the University of Texas at Austin 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.

Join us for conversations that matter with newly announced speakers at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival, in downtown Austin from Sept. 21-23.
Over 3,500 arrested amid cross-border law enforcement

Xinhua) 09:37, July 14, 2023

BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Since the launch of a summer campaign on June 25, China's immigration authorities have handled 2,134 cases related to border control crimes, arresting 3,546 criminal suspects and eradicating 129 crime rings.

Targeting major violations of law such as illegal border entry and exit, transactions involving guns and drugs, cross-border gambling, wire fraud and smuggling, the immigration authorities have ramped up their efforts in terms of border patrol, major case handling, and international law enforcement cooperation since the campaign kicked off, said the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on Thursday.

The NIA pledged further efforts to advance the summer campaign and tackle prominent public security issues in border areas.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 13)  The next five years will be crucial for the economic ties between the Manila and Beijing, according to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.

Speaking at the China (Zhangzhou)-Philippines Economic and Trade Cooperation and Exchange Conference on Thursday, the Chinese envoy said he looks forward to more partnerships between local governments, entrepreneurs, and government officials to boost bilateral trade and investments of both countries.

The ambassador also urged more Chinese businessmen to invest in the Philippines following the consensus of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. early this year to further strengthen economic cooperation.

"Under the strategic guidance of our heads-of-state, China and the Philippines have worked together in multiple areas for synergy of development strategies and achieved fruitful results," Huang said.

In 2022, bilateral trade between Manila and Beijing reached $87.73 billion. China has been the Philippines' largest trading partner for seven consecutive years, its largest source of imports, and largest export market.

"President Xi and President Marcos agreed on deepening cooperation in four key areas: agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and people-to-people exchanges, which injected strong impetus to our pragmatic cooperation," Huang said.

"The next five years are a crucial period for China to build a modern socialist country in all respects and for the Marcos Government to implement the eight-point socioeconomic agenda," the ambassador added.

The Marcos administration's eight-point socioeconomic agenda includes protect purchasing power and mitigate socioeconomic scarring; reduce vulnerability and mitigate scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic; ensure sound macroeconomic fundamentals; create more jobs; create quality jobs; create green jobs; uphold public order and safety, peace and security; and ensure a level playing field.
Enough

Ive had enough. I say NO to identity politics; ESG (Environment, Sustainability and Governance); DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion); CRT (Critical Race Theory), trans females competing with females; doctors mutilating or drugging any underage person without the consent of their parents; abortions of convenience; affirmative action; minimum/living wage laws; group rights; the federal government engaging in wars without explaining how doing so will enhance the national security of our country and without a fulsome debate and approval of Congress; executive mandates; politically weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), etc.; open borders; non-citizens receiving voting rights or social benefits; COVID voting policies; government monopoly of education; media serving as PR agents of government policy; and a government-controlled digital currency.

I say YES to a constitutional republic; meritocracy; competition; competence; individual rights; nuclear families; faith-based values; parents control of tax dollars for their childrens education; non-partisan media investigating and holding governments and corporations accountable; hiring and pay based on competence and performance; strong borders; merit-based immigration policy; same day voting; term limits; reduced tax rates, balanced federal budget; reduced federal spending; lowering the national debt; non-interventionist foreign policy; and a strong national defense.

Ray Davis, Lexington

Liberal defense

A reader recently dismissed a defense of liberalism charging that todays liberals are a corrupted version of those earlier good guys. Now MAGA world claims the new liberals are only bent on taking away our liberties. Thus, so they would have us believe, masks, vaccines, business curtailments and loss of religious freedom have been needlessly foisted upon us.

To honestly judge this argument we revisit our history. In so doing we cant deny that a greater proportion of Americans who scoffed at masks and vaccines died from COVID-19 than did those who accepted mitigation measures. There is no scientific basis for the inane argument that vaccines are a mortal threat. And Jesus doesnt keep office hours.

What really galls, beyond misinformation and revisionist history, is the slap in the face to medical personnel, first responders and morticians. Without their heroic, life threatening and exhausting efforts the whole system would likely have failed. That reader and her cohorts should hang their heads in shame!

Unfortunately, they continue their grievance against teachers, doctors, election officials and all others who still value truth, honor and public service. And we all will suffer a dark future which their hate ideology would bring.

Ernest Henninger, Harrodsburg

Congrats, Rep. Comer

Congratulations to the U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky)! It takes a big man to admit when he is wrong!

Comer voted against the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provided more than $1 million towards the new Barkley Regional Airport. But there he was at the ribbon-cutting for the project. Clearly, he has seen the light and reversed his positions on working with President Joe Biden to put Kentuckians over politics.

Im so glad to see that Comer has swallowed his pride and embraced Biden-omics. Thank you for now putting Kentucky first.

Better late than never.

Ivonne Rovira, Louisville

Sisters Rising

I was glad I attended the meeting of the United Nations Association of the United States of America Kentucky Division (UNA-USA) where the documentary, Sisters Rising, was shown.

One in three Native women report having been raped. Eighty-six percent of the crimes are committed by non-Native men, who are rarely prosecuted.

Sisters Rising follows six Native women fighting to heal a society crippled, by violence against Indigenous women in the United States. Dawn was in the Army, now shes a tribal cop amid the North Dakota oil boom that threatens to pull the last threads of her Native culture apart. Patty teaches indigenous womens self-defense workshops. Sarah is an attorney and scholar fighting to overturn restrictions on tribal sovereignty and increase legislative protections for Native women. Loreline and Lisa are grassroots advocates working outside of the system to support survivors of violence and influence legislative change. Chalsey is writing the first anti-sex trafficking code to be introduced to a reservations tribal court.

This is an important film, and these issues need to be shared. Our country owes reparations to the Indigenous people for the ways they have been and continue to be treated.

Debra Graner, Frankfort

Brazilian actions

Brazilian election officials blocked former President Jair Bolsonaro from seeking public office until 2030 for violating Brazils election laws.

Like former U.S. President Donald Trump, he claimed the voting systems were rigged against him. Like Trump, his supporters stormed the Congress and courts. No deaths were reported, but 300 people were arrested, and the buildings were secured 3 hours after the attack. His punishment was swift coming six months after his election loss.

In the U.S., Trump watched the Jan. 6 attack for 187 minutes before telling the rioters to go home. This followed his exhortations to fight like hell, the day of the riot.

Section 3 of the 14th amendment clearly states that Congress has authority to bar public officials from holding office if they engaged in insurrection/rebellion against the constitution...

Hours after the Jan. 6 insurrection, 147 Republicans voted to overturn Trumps election loss, 133 of whom declined or failed to answer the question  Did Trump lose due to voter fraud? Small wonder then, with Republicans in charge of Congress, that Democracy and the Constitution are mere obstacles to political power, and that the U.S. is now considered a backsliding democracy by international observers.

John Scott, Lexington

Police support

I was watching the news on TV tonight and saw a story about a police officer in Bowling Green who had been shot and was in critical condition.

The story said both Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and his Republican rival, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, expressed concern for the injured officer and were praying for him.

Immediately following that story was a story about last years Fancy Farm picnic, and once again Cameron was front and center. This time he was bragging about being supported by former President Donald Trump. He seemed very proud of it. I guess he didnt care about the more than 100 Capitol Police officers who were injured on January 6th, at least one of whom died as a result, because of Trump inciting and encouraging the rioters and refusing to call them off until it became apparent that they were doomed to failure.

Something tells me Daniel Cameron doesnt really care about that police officer in Bowling Green either.

Greg Kring, Lexington

Faith-bashing

Joel Pett continues to show a troubling side with yet another attack on Daniel Camerons faith. Camerons policy positions are fair game, but his faith should be off limits.

If that faith was Muslim or Hindu or Wiccan - among many others - I am sure it would be.

Rick Shannon, Somerset

Abusive behavior

Extreme temperatures, injury, illness, and cars all threaten cats who roam unattended or live on the streets, but perhaps the greatest risk they face is human predators.

Though I am not naive to the plight of many outdoor cats, I was horrified to learn about the beloved neighborhood cat who was allegedly tortured by two juveniles, his death too graphic for the police to post. Its impossible to imagine the pain and terror this once-trusting animal must have endured in his final moments.

Whats more, many serial rapists and murderers, including school shooters, have a history of childhood cruelty to animals. A study of risk factors in school shootings documented in Clinical Psychology Review reported that 45 percent of the perpetrators had known histories of animal abuse. The American Psychiatric Association identifies such crimes as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders.

We must not excuse this behavior. Juveniles who abuse animals need prompt professional intervention to prevent the violence from progressing.

Melissa Rae Sanger, LVT, Norfolk, Va.

Torturing cats?

I am outraged.again. Two teen boys torture an innocent, sweet, neighborhood cat to death in a Georgetown neighborhood and they havent been taken and dropped off on an island where they can fight the elements with others just like them?

Who will they pick next? Their brother, sister, or a neighborhood kid? I think everyone knows that kids who do this are usually psychopaths who have no empathy and no conscience. It is time that we all take a stand against this type of behavior. They should be prosecuted as adults.

Teresa Durbin, Lexington

Non-Kentucky values

The political ads have already started airing in the run up to the 2023 Gubernatorial election, and one of them is a doozy. While listening to a weather report online I saw a pop-up ad from a group calling themselves Kentucky Values. After listening to the ad, I decided to do a little digging.

Turns out Kentucky Values, which refers to itself as a political action committee, isnt from Kentucky. Their address is listed as 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington D.C. Probably not coincidentally, thats the same address as the Republican Governors Association. Curiously though, the FEC database on PACS shows no record of Kentucky Values and neither does Open Secrets.

The ad accuses Gov. Andy Beshear of making it easier for minors to get an abortion, but fails to mention all he did was veto House Bill 3, which when it comes to abortion treats women in Kentucky the same as they are treated under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia.

Needless to say, Kentucky Values isnt from Kentucky, and doesnt represent our values. Its early in the election year, but sadly the paid lying is already well underway.

Jason Belcher, Harold

Courageous speech

With a lot of help from his speechwriter, Ted Sorenson, then U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy wrote the book Profiles in Courage. Each chapter tells the story of an historical US Senator who had the courage to do what he believed was right despite popular opinion to the contrary.

In the days following the Jan. 6 attack on congress by former President Donald Trumps confederate army, both U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Cal.) and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) gave speeches in Congress condemning Trumps actions. That was only because during the attack a few days before they had been fearing for their lives.

The blase reaction to their speeches made them realize that continuing down that path would be hazardous for their political lives in the delusional world of Republican politics where tax cuts supposedly increase tax revenue, and millions believe Trumps lies about the 2020 election.

So neither voted to impeach Trump. They have no integrity. Someday they may appear in a new book titled Profiles in Cowardice.

Kevin Kline, Lexington

Compiled by Liz Carey
The Madera Community Hospital is one of 16 across the state seeking loans from Californias newly created program for distressed hospitals, officials told The Bee this week.

The hospitals are seeking more money than whats available.

The funding being sought across the 16 preliminary loan applications is more than the $300 million that is available through the new program. Thus far, the total amount combined across all the applications that have been submitted to the state is $385.3 million, said Scott Christman, chief deputy director at the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, which is administering the program.

The Madera hospital alone is seeking an $80 million loan to reopen, Riley Walter, the bankruptcy attorney for the now-closed hospital, said. The hospital submitted its application more than 10 days ago.

Christman confirmed the Madera hospital application is under review.

How much MCH will receive is currently unknown ..., Riley told The Bee in an email. The loan is only one thing needed for reopening.

Initially, Christman said, only $150 million was allocated to the Distressed Hospital Loan Program from the states general fund. But the 2023-24 state budget allocated another $150 million from the Managed Care Organization tax, for a total of $300 million.

The program emerged from new legislation to help nonprofit and public hospitals facing financial hardship, such as the Madera hospital. In order to be considered for loan assistance under the first round of funding, hospitals must apply by 5 p.m. July 31.

Assembly Bill 412 was introduced by Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, in February to establish an emergency loan program for hospitals facing financial difficulties. AB 412 was included in AB/SB 112 to speed up the process for the program, and in early May, state lawmakers passed that bill. It was later signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Soria in April told The Bee that if the legislation to create the program passed, she hoped it would help entice a potential buyer to reopen the Madera hospital.

The Madera hospital has been closed since January. In early March, it filed for bankruptcy.

The process to reopen the hospital will take time, Riley said, even when the loan is approved and an agreement is reached with a suitor.

As of Wednesday, he said, talks were underway with two suitors and possibly a third one.

The Board is doing everything within its power to engage with a suitor, obtain funding and reopen, he said. Getting a suitor is dependent on getting State funding.

Christman said decisions on the loan determinations are expected in August, but the date is subject to change. The Bee requested a copy of the Madera hospitals application to the state, but Christman said they are not being released to the public at this time.

The Department of Health Care Access and Information is currently reviewing the preliminary application, he told The Bee. We are not disclosing applications while under consideration. We are considering disclosing applications at a later date.

When and if the Madera hospital reopens, the hospitals leadership team would be based on the agreement reached with a suitor.

Most suitors have said they wish to be in the lead, Riley said.

In March, two months after the hospital closed, former Madera hospital Chief Executive Officer Karen Paolinelli confirmed she was one of more than 30 employees still drawing a salary but wouldnt answer questions by The Bee about hospital management practices.

The Madera hospital closed soon after a deal with Trinity Health, the owner of Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, fell through.

After more than a year of negotiations, Trinity Health in late December called off the purchase of the Madera hospital, which had been financially distressed. At the time, Trinity Health said given complex circumstances and additional conditions imposed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, it couldnt move forward with an affiliation agreement.

For the first half of this year, Madera residents have been without any adult acute care hospital in the county. Madera patients have died while being transported miles away to Fresno and to Valley Childrens Hospital, which has also seen an increase in adult patients since the start of the year.
Maine Township High School District 207 is set to purchase three acres of land known as Cline Farm, which is very close to Maine South High School, the district announced last week.

District 207 bought the land, located at 711 South Hamlin Avenue, Park Ridge, for $3.2 million, per a district press release. Superintendent Ken Wallace said the land would help the district expand its educational offerings related to the environment and climate issues.

The school district will collaborate with the Park Ridge Park District to optimize its use of the land, per the news release.

In an email to Pioneer Press, Park Ridge Park District spokesperson Margaret Holler said the park district saw the buy as a win-win for both governments and Park Ridge overall and said officials hadnt yet settled on a specific use for the land.

Once we have an idea of what is available for us, the Park District may explore recreational programming opportunities to be held on the site, but this would be in addition to and separate from the educational programming the School District is exploring for their students, Holler said.

However, Holler said, the Park District would wait on determining how it might use the land so that the school district could make its plans first.

District 207 is currently in a purchase agreement with land owner Violet Koenig, the news release stated, and will take the next two months to do due diligence and discuss possible lease arrangements with the Park District.
Kari Lake had lost Arizonas 2022 governors race by thousands of votes, falsely declared that shed been robbed, and was trying to overturn the election results in court when, finally, she was declared the winner of the race in March.

But not by Arizonas millions of voters. Rather, well-known pollster Rasmussen Reports announced that, actually, a majority of its survey respondents claimed to have voted for Lake over Gov. Katie Hobbs (D). Not only that, Rasmussen Reports said  it was an eight-point blowout in Lakes favor.

The news from Rasmussen Reports, which was based on an unprecedented 1,001-person poll taken four months after the election, was the boldest claim yet from the pollster, heralding a miraculous supposed 92% turnout rate in the election  rather than the certified rate of 62.56%.

Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports lead pollster, didnt simply report that Arizonans were wary of voter fraud, another one of the polls findings. He leaned into the conspiracy theory that Lake had been robbed of a victory.

This is a very strong signal that Arizona voters are aware that there are irregularities and cheating, Mitchell told Steve Bannon in an interview on Bannons show, adding later: What we found is that voters told us that just four months ago they elected Kari Lake as the governor of Arizona by 8 points.

Lake appeared ecstatic. NEW Rasmussen Poll Reveals the Red Wave did happen, she wrote in a tweet that claimed Republican candidates Abe Hamadeh and Mark Finchem had also wrongly been declared losers. Lake, Hamadeh and Finchem won according to poll and 50% of Arizonans say the 2022 Election issues were done intentionally to hurt Republicans.

The practice of polling an election four months after the fact, and using the results  an imperfect snapshot of a tiny subset of Arizona voters  as the basis for questioning an actual election result was totally backwards, out of bounds, and very inappropriate, political analysts told HuffPost.

It was the culmination of a bizarre shift for Rasmussen Reports. After two decades of fairly consistent right-leaning polling of elections and political issues, the firm had stopped acting like a normal pollster. Rather than simply asking Americans about their beliefs in conspiracy theories and fringe views, Rasmussen Reports has amplified those beliefs, lending them its legitimacy as a household name in politics  to the delight of right-wing politicians and influencers eager for new material.

Citing its own poll results on Americans who think they know someone killed by the COVID-19 vaccine, for example, Rasmussen Reports tweeted a cartoon showing a cemetery with the word coincidence on every headstone. ICYMI: Weve all come a long way from safe and effective, the firm tweeted.

Months after Dilbert creator Scott Adams referenced a Rasmussen Reports poll  asking respondents for their opinion on Its okay to be white, which has become a far-right troll catchphrase  as part of a racist meltdown that ended with him urging white people to get the hell away from Black people, Rasmussen Reports is still retweeting Adams as he tries to gain new fans.

Even without corresponding poll data, Rasmussen Reports Twitter page has frequently amplified fringe conspiracy theories to its audience of 447,000 followers. Earlier this month, above a poll that simply asked whether voters were concerned about cheating in the 2024 election, Rasmussen Reports tweeted, Printing & mailing real election ballots for phony voters at phony addresss [sic] that get retrieved, voted, mailed back & counted is likely the key to the organized theft of the 2024 presidential election.

Now, as it amplifies ever-zanier claims, Rasmussen Reports  former President Donald Trumps favoritepollster, of course  is facing a rare instance of pushback from within the insular community of pollsters and political scientists.

I dont consider them a legitimate pollster, Alan Abramowitz, an emeritus professor of political science at Emory University, told HuffPost. They have a conservative audience and theyre trying to sell subscriptions.

Late last month, the editorial director of data analytics at ABC News  and its subsidiary, the popular data-oriented news site FiveThirtyEight  threatened to formally ban Rasmussen Reports from its election coverage, including removing it from election forecasting models, unless it answered questions about methodology and its relationship with several right-wing outlets, including Bannons War Room.

ABC News wouldnt be alone: CNN doesnt report on Rasmussen Reports poll results because they dont meet the networks editorial standards, analysts there have noted in the past. Referring to those standards, a spokesperson for the network told HuffPost, We can confirm this still reflects our current reporting standards.

Faced with the mounting backlash, Rasmussen Reports lashed out, publishing the email from ABC and staging a populist appeal.

Mainstream and legacy media outlets ignore, slander, and attack us for polling on forbidden topics, the firm tweeted last week, before a long list of polls asking about various right-wing grievance topics. If they dislike the results, then they should correct us by testing the same questions. Yet we stand alone.

The Walmart Of Pollsters

Founded in 2003 by Scott Rasmussen  who years earlier had co-founded ESPN with his father, Bill  Rasmussen Reports has long been a reliably conservative-slanted pollster of the American public, generally performing better in years when Republicans had an advantage (like 2016), and worse in years when Democrats did better (like 2018). (Scott Rasmussen left the firm in 2013.)

The firm is distinguished by a few crucial factors: For one thing, Rasmussen Reports uses an automated digital voice to poll people on the phone rather than live operators, which critics note excludes people who only use cell phones (thanks to a federallaw prohibiting robocalls to cell phones). Because Rasmussen Reports doesnt use human operators, it can get a lot of polling done. And this means it can test lots of questions, inputting tons of new material into aggregators like FiveThirtyEight  its the second-most-prolific pollster analyzed by the site  as well as providing red meat issue polls for subscribers. Ever since Gallup ended its daily updates on the presidents approval rating in 2018, Rasmussen Reports is also the only pollster still publishing a daily presidential tracking poll.

The sheer volume of polls Rasmussen Reports produces can sway polling aggregators, in addition to keeping the firms name in headlines, no matter when the next election is.

That level of influence is sort of like Walmart, in a way, said Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center and a political science professor at the University of WisconsinMadison.

Theyre just big players in the market, so they get a lot of attention and can move that market on their own, Burden said.

Theyre just big players in the market, so they get a lot of attention and can move that market on their own.Barry Burden

Plenty of polling companies do private work for campaigns, interest groups and others, but some of Rasmussen Reports sponsors raise eyebrows: The sponsor of the March Kari Lake poll was College Republicans United, which counts among its valuesopposition to immigration and multiculturalism. Other sponsors have included Jack Posobiec, the far-right operative who popularized the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, and the New York Posts Miranda Devine, whos described her relationship with Rasmussen Reports as symbiotic  They sometimes give me previews of the polls, an early embargo, so I get to break stuff, she told Politico last year. (According to Rasmussen Reports, Co-sponsors can suggest questions and other matters, but we will retain the final say on all wording.)

Rasmussen Reports is also somewhat secretive about its online polling procedures, as well as the unlisted factors they use to weight their survey respondent data in proportion to the American public. Earlier this month, the firm referred to its polling practices as proprietary and retweeted a post that claimed ABC News questions on that topic were None of your damn business.

Theres something in their methodology, and we dont know what it is, that tilts them toward Republicans all the time, said Natalie Jackson, an independent research consultant and former director of research at the Public Religion Research Institute. (She also previously worked as HuffPosts senior polling editor.) Its the not really knowing what it is that causes problems.

Another problem: Leading questions, or the practice of polling questions where an initial phrase leads the respondent by suggesting the position or stance of an authority with which it might be difficult for the respondent to disagree, according to The American Association of Public Opinion Research. The AAPOR discourages using such questions  and urges pollsters to avoid language that pushes respondents to respond in a certain way or that presents only one side of an issue  but they appear in several of Rasmussen Reports polls.

After Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted in 2021 that a whopping 40% of Democrats said President Joe Biden deserved to be impeached, The Washington Posts Philip Bump pointed out the wording of the actual poll question from Rasmussen Reports: Do you agree or disagree with this statement: I think Joe Biden deserves to be impeached because hes abandoned thousands of Afghans who fought with us and hes going to abandon some American citizens because he capitulated to the Taliban to a 31 August deadline?

On Twitter, just like Greene, Rasmussen Reports claimed simply that 40% of Democrats said Biden deserves to be impeached.

Other polls have offered different impeachment logic: Some Republicans in Congress have endorsed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden, citing his immigration policy and his failure in Afghanistan, among other reasons. Do you support or oppose impeaching President Biden? Rasmussen Reports asked last August. The firms headline read simply, Impeach Biden? Most GOP, Independent Voters Say Yes.

Other polls present false dichotomies, like when Rasmussen Reports asked likely voters in April, Which was more harmful to democracy in America: Russian agents interfering in the 2016 presidential election or U.S. intelligence officials interfering in the 2020 presidential election?

In March this year, Rasmussen Reports headlined its Lake poll with another major announcement: Most Arizona Voters Believe Election Irregularities Affected Outcome.

The crosstabs of the poll revealed that the question asked of voters was explicitly partisan: How likely is it that 2022 election irregularities in heavily Republican areas of Arizona happened intentionally to suppress Republican votes? The question includes the implicit assumption that irregularities  in this case, printer issues affecting various Maricopa County polling places on Election Day  did in fact occur solely or disproportionately in heavily Republican areas of Arizona.

But thats not actually true: Voting centers in both liberal and conservative parts of Maricopa County were impacted by the printing issues, according to an Associated Press fact check from four months earlier that cited a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department.

There are certainly some Republican areas impacted, but there are a significant number of Democratic-leaning areas that were impacted, as well as a number of swing areas or very competitive areas, a Republican pollster, Paul Bentz, told AP. A separate Washington Post analysis found that the proportion of registered Republicans in precincts affected by printer issues was virtually the same as the share of registered Republicans county-wide  37% and 35%, respectively.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Republican respondents overwhelmingly agreed with the poll question, while majorities of both Democrats and unaffiliated voters disagreed with the prompt or were unsure.

Demonstrators protest outside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center on Nov. 12, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Demonstrators protest outside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center on Nov. 12, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Stick With The Fundamentals

Rasmussen Reports isnt the only firm to use proprietary methods and ask leading questions, but it stands alone in what it does with its data  taking up the mantle of conservative crusader and appearing often on conservative media to push talking points.

Election fraud deniers are a rapidly shrinking minority, the company tweeted a few days ago. Thats good.

Rather than simply report that, according to a June poll, 55% of Democrats are at least somewhat concerned about cheating affecting the 2024 race, Rasmussen Reports went a step further, tweeting that the majority was probably because they are waking up to coordinated suppression of an important topic.

The same leaps of logic apply to the firms COVID-19 vaccine polling. In March, Rasmussen Reports tweeted Our polling indicates @CDCgov is lying when it claims vax side effects and deaths are rare, but its evidence for the claim was absurd: One poll it cited merely asked people if they were concerned about the potential of harmful side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, and another asked respondents whether they personally knew anyone whose death you think may have been caused by side effects of COVID-19 vaccines?

Rasmussen Reports write-up of the latter poll cited the conspiracy theory film Died Suddenly, which as HuffPost reported, was loaded with examples of supposed vaccine-related deaths and injuries that were, in fact, totally unrelated, with several happening years before the existence of COVID-19. Rasmussen Reports acknowledged that the film had been criticized as promoting debunked science  but added, as if it were meaningful, that it had been seen by some 15 million people.

Theyre letting themselves be used  or are intentionally using their products  to provide support for dangerous, fringe ideas in American politics that arent grounded in fact, that are about innuendo or rumors, and the polls themselves are measuring innuendo and rumor at times, Burden said. And so it brings a kind of vicious cycle that lets kooky ideas have longer lives than they should.

Its not clear what has fueled the far-right drift at Rasmussen Reports in recent years. Scott Rasmussen left a few years after the private equity firm Noson Lawen Partners made a major growth capital investment in the firm. A 2013 press release on Rasmussens departure from his namesake cited only disagreements over company business strategies. (I have never commented on my firm since the day I left and will never do so, Rasmussen told HuffPost.)

Still, even then, complaints about the company hewed to its polling practices. [T]heres not yet evidence that post-Rasmussen Rasmussen Reports wont tolerate the same flawed polls that adulterated the polling averages for most of 2012, writer Nate Cohn, now The New York Times chief political analyst, lamented in The New Republic.

The firmstone seems to have changed with the 2020 election cycle. In late 2019, the Rasmussen Reports account was griping about Google search bias and Hunter Bidens alleged Ukraine-related corruption. When The New York Times Twitter account posted on Election Day that The role of declaring the winner of a presidential election in the U.S. falls to the news media, Rasmussen Reports compared the comment to George Orwells 1984.

A few days after Election Day, Rasmussen Reports retweeted a post describing how they did it  presumably, how Democrats supposedly stole the election  that falsely accused seven states of electronic flipping of totals, and four states of ballot dumps.

Later that day, when pro-Trump attorney Lin Wood suggested Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) go to prison alongside Georgias secretary of state, Rasmussen Reports retweeted the post, referring to it as an interesting turn.

In late December, after the news networks had called the race for Biden and after Trump had summoned his supporters to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, Rasmussen Reports Twitter account posted a quotefalsely attributed to Stalin  Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything  then appeared to urge Vice President Mike Pence to ignore the votes of seven disputed states.

If the votes of all 7 contested states are registered as zero, President Trump will have 232 votes, Joe Biden will have 222, the account tweeted, echoing Trumps call to overturn the election results.

Rasmussen Reports, according to a frequently asked questions page, is run by three people.

Mitchell, the chief pollster, is in many ways the companys public face, appearing often on Bannons show and others, and being the talking head for YouTube videos like Rasmussen Polls: COVID vs. Vaccine. Americans Tell us Which is the Biggest Killer. Its not clear what polling experience Mitchell had before joining Rasmussen Reports according to a LinkedIn account, he was head of order operations at Walmarts e-commerce department before taking the job in 2021.

Robert Stacy McCain, listed as Rasmussen Reports managing editor, is hardly discussed at all on its website and social media channels. But he has a long history as a conservative writer, primarily through his blog The Other McCain. McCain, a former Washington Times reporter and editor, drew scrutiny in the early days of the blogosphere after the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that hed been a member of the neo-Confederate organization League of the South, which the SPLC designates as a hate group, while he was working for the conservative outlet.

Among other things, McCain has been widelyquoted as writing, years ago, the media now force interracial images into the public mind and a number of perfectly rational people react to these images with an altogether natural revulsion. The white person who does not mind transacting business with a black bank clerk may yet be averse to accepting the clerk as his sister-in-law, and THIS IS NOT RACISM, no matter what Madison Avenue, Hollywood and Washington tell us.

During an interview in 2006, he acknowledged having previously written on message boards under the name BurkeCalhounDabney  leading to speculation that hed written under the name Burke C. Dabney for American Renaissance, a white supremacist website. An article under that name argued that attempting to lower birth rates for white women was actually a form of racial suicide.

McCain, who didnt respond to HuffPosts request for comment, has denied being a racist for years. And he wrote in 2009 that his acquaintance with the League of the South began as a newspaper assignment.

[T]he point is that I was pursuing my professional duty when I first came into contact with the League of the South, and of my subsequent involvement, there are many things that people think they know  on the basis of SPLC reports  which are not necessarily true, he wrote. And there are many, many thinks [sic] that people do not know.

When McCain was suspended from Twitter in 2016 for reportedly violating the sites targeted abuse rules  his account is still suspended  he told BuzzFeed News, The idea that my personal voice will never be heard again on Twitter. Ha! Well see.

McCain and Mitchell run Rasmussen Reports alongside Ted Carroll, president and co-founder of Noson Lawen Partners, which now owns Rasmussen Reports.

In a 2018 story republished on Rasmussen Reports website, Carroll said that despite the firms growing megaphone, its pollsters need to stick with the fundamentals of proper surveying and ask clear unbiased questions to the public. Its not what we think; its what the public thinks that is important.

Five years later, when HuffPost reached out earlier this week to request an interview for this story, Carroll declined, citing our claim that Rasmussen Reports had endorsed and amplified conspiracy theories, rather than simply relaying public sentiment.

Official state sponsored investigations have uncovered significant improper and illegal election practices in multiple American states and those official findings underlie both our polling and story focus  as you might know by reading our Twitter feed, Carroll wrote, though he didnt respond to a follow-up question asking for specifics. You can ignore official evidence if you want but 62% of U.S. likely voters tell us they now believe 2020 was affected by cheating and a majority of voters (including Democrats) now believe 2024 will be affected by cheating also.

Then, he seemed to embody the voice of Rasmussen Reports Twitter page.

Were not in the education or debating business, he added, so please go ahead and publish your silly partisan hit piece and we will respond if and as we see fit.

Related...
Five House Republican-backed initiatives to curtail aid to Ukraine using the annual Pentagon policy bill were shot down Thursday afternoon in votes that saw a consensus from both sides of the aisle to keep money flowing to Kyiv.

The Ukraine-related amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would have effectively limited or rolled back U.S. involvement in Ukraine, but a majority of Republicans joined Democrats in opposition to the proposals.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) put forth one amendment to strike $300 million in Ukraine funding that failed 89-341, with 130 Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against it.

Another proposal from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), which would have prohibited all security assistance for Ukraine, similarly failed 70-358 on the House floor, with 149 Republicans opposing it.

Ahead of the votes, the two GOP-sponsored amendments drew strong opposition from within the party, including from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), who said he would oppose any cutting of the defense.

We know this is a worldwide war that were in of authoritarians versus democracies; this is not a war we chose, war criminal [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is the person who started the war Feb. 24, 2022, Wilson said on the House floor.

He cited former President Reagan, saying he believes in peace through strength.

And Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), who was born in Ukraine, spoke sharply against Gaetzs measure.

I disagree that Ukraine is not a national interest, Spartz said. Stopping this war and deterring aggressors like China and Russia, it is in our national interest.

Now we need to help Ukraine, and we need to understand that, you know, there are a lot of life are going to, you know, to be lost for Ukrainians, but we need to make sure that we dont have never-ending war and better and faster security assistance will be help to restore peace, she added.

Other amendments to not pass were a second from Greene to strike the creation of a Center of Excellence in Ukraine, which failed 95-332; one from Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) to require the White House to develop a report to Congress on the strategy for U.S. involvement in Ukraine, which failed 129-301; and one from Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) to strike a lend-lease authority to Ukraine, rejected on a 71-360 vote.

Democrats did push for several Ukraine-related priorities that ended up not making it to vote, including an amendment from Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) to stop the United States from transferring cluster munitions abroad.

President Biden last week made the difficult decision to approve the transfer of the controversial weapons to Ukraine, which have arrived in the country as of Thursday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man arrested with guns and ammunition outside of former President Obamas Washington, D.C. home last month has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm.

Taylor Taranto was arrested on June 29, hours after he republished a Truth Social post from former President Trump which broadcasted Obamas address. Taranto drove a van filled with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, two guns and a machete near the home and was stopped and arrested by the Secret Service.

Taranto, who was livestreaming at the time, made it clear that he intended to access or enter the private residences of his subjects, as he focused his camera on several sewer grates that he described as entrance points, charging documents said.

He was charged with illegal weapon possession and illegal possession of a high capacity magazine, as well as four misdemeanors related to his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection. On Tuesday, he was ordered to remain in custody through his trial.

Federal prosecutors said Taranto participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection, entered the Capitol building and approached the Speakers Lobby, where members of Congress were evacuating.

After the insurrection, Taranto posted a video of himself inside the Capitol with the caption: This is me stormin the capitol lol Im only sharing this so someone will report me to the feds and we can get this party rolling!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Man attacked at Atlanta gas station dies. Now police are searching for his attackers

Atlanta police are asking the public for information regarding a deadly attack at a gas station.

Authorities said on June 27, officers received reports of an attack at a Shell Gas Station near Fairburn Road.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

According to the investigation, David Dominguez Reyes was assaulted repeatedly by multiple unknown men.

Officers said Reyes died from his injuries 10 days later at Grady Memorial Hospital.

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Police have not said what led to the attack.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-8477.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
A man was fatally shot in the parking lot of a Denton grocery store Thursday night, police said, and a suspect has been arrested.

Officers were dispatched to WinCo Foods in the 2600 block of West University Drive around 8:10 p.m. regarding a shooting call. They found a man with at least one gunshot wound lying in the parking lot, according to police.

The victim was already dead when officers arrived, officials said. Authorities havent publicly identified the victim pending family notification.

Police determined that the shooter had left the scene and there was no immediate threat to the public. They later arrested 23-year-old Kendrick Freeney on suspicion of murder, officials said in a press release.

Freeney is the brother of the victims girlfriend, police said. The victim, Freeney and the victims girlfriend were involved in an argument before the shooting, according to police.

The investigation is ongoing, officials said. Freeney is being held in the City of Denton Jail and his bond has not yet been set.
This man is making it his lifes mission to help save the monarch butterfly with a simple, inexpensive solution

Steve Bushey is making it his life mission to help the monarch butterfly by protecting a plant critical to its life cycle: milkweed.

The butterflies rely on milkweed to sustain their nearly 2,500-mile migration from the northern United States and the Canadian border to their breeding grounds in Mexico. Thirty of the 73 varieties of milkweed found in the U.S. act as hosts and primary food sources for the butterfly.

Bushey, or as he is affectionately known, The Milkweed Man, became passionate about milkweed and the monarchs journey after he and his wife moved to Peaks Island, Maine.

After learning more about the various trail systems and the plight of invasive species like bittersweet and honeysuckle, Bushey became more interested in the ecological dynamics of his local environment  especially the monarch butterfly. After watching a documentary about the butterfly, he realized he could help them by changing the narrative about milkweed in his own backyard.

Bushey, who has a background in mapping, started using GPS tracking to determine where milkweed was growing on the island and quickly noticed a few spots.

He started collecting seed pods, meticulously drying them, and selling them to local residents. That way, more people could grow milkweed in their local communities and help the populations of the butterfly survive their long journey.

The monarch butterfly is not only a beautiful butterfly species but is also an invaluable pollinator for many of the foods and produce we eat. In Mexico, the butterfly is an important cultural symbol connected to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and the afterlife.

Milkweed has long been an enemy of farmers in Maine and beyond because it isnt compatible with grazing cattle or growing cash crops like hay. As a result, many farmers have tried to eradicate the plant with herbicides, which has been a primary driver of the monarchs precipitous population decline of close to 90% since 1990.

Although Bushey is only a step into the long process of conservation work and protecting the monarch and its food source, he has big visions for how this one step can help ensure the longevity of both species. His action has sparked groups of people to come together, collect seeds, and distribute the seeds all over New England.

Imagine three generations of humanity sitting around a table talking, helping another species on their multi-generational trip, he remarked.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Getty

A 25-year-old has been arrested in Spain for stabbing an editor at a daily newspaper days after the outlet reported on a previous knifing attack he had been convicted of.

Andres de Vicente Fuentes of Pontevedra reportedly barged into the offices of La Voz de Galicia visibly upset on Friday afternoon and began to yell at an administration employee about a story published by the outlet earlier that week, according to La Voz. The man then revealed hidden a kitchen rolling pin and a knife, with which he began to hit some of the computer equipment that was in the area of the entrance, the outlet said.

When the administration employee fled the scene to a nearby supermarket, the attacker took the opportunity to access the newsroom and destroy everything that was found in his path, the daily added.

Making his way through the offices of the newspaper, Fuentes eventually spotted newspaper editor Alfredo Lopez Penide working at his desk. Penide tried to stop him and a struggle ensued, during which the journalist suffered various cuts and blows, before managing to get away from the assailant and go out into the street, to take refuge in the supermarket where his partner had taken refuge, according the newspaper.

At the entrance, he met two other editors who were returning to work and they took the opportunity to lock the outside so that he could not flee until the arrival of the police.

The outlet added that it took the intervention of six agents to subdue Fuentes after the attack, which left the newspaper editor recovering in a hospital after receiving 10 stitches to his hand.

I am fine and I want to thank all the displays of affection that I have received, Penide said in a statement.

The Friday incident adds to a lengthy list of criminal assaults involving Fuentes. Earlier this week, the Spanish man was sentenced for his role in a 2020 knife attack at a barthe subject of the article Fuentes was allegedly complaining about during his tirade at the La Voz office.

Track Record

According to Europa Press, Fuentes attacked a man with a knife while screaming you are all going to die! after being asked to leave a bar in the city of Ourense. The victim reportedly suffered an injury to his head, and Fuenteswho fled the scene after the attackwas arrested minutes later with bloodstains on his clothes and on his hands, according to police sources.

On Tuesday, Fuentes was sentenced to pay a fine of 540 euros for the crime of injury and another 90 for the slight crime of threats with an extenuating factor for psychic disturbance for the bar incident, El Espanol reported.

The most high-profile violent incident involving Fuentes took place in December 2015, when the then 17-year-old punched former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy after asking to take a photo with him at an election event.

La agresion a Rajoy: pic.twitter.com/t8TgmA4qrb  Victor Arribas (@v_arribas) December 16, 2015

The prime ministerwho was campaigning in Pontevedra at the timewas left with a bruised face and broken glasses after the attack, for which Fuentes was sentenced to two years in a juvenile center.

In the aftermath of the La Voz stabbing, the company said in a statement that the leadership of La Voz de Galicia showed its absolute solidarity with Alfredo Lopez Penide and its concern for the events, and conveyed its full support to its colleagues in the Pontevedra delegation, adding that numerous media outlets have expressed their solidarity with the wounded journalist.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Authorities have arrested another suspect in the ambush of a Remate Online photojournalist that killed his four-year-old nephew last June 29 in Barangay Masambong, Quezon City.

READ: 4-year-old nephew of photojournalist dies after QC ambush

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Friday identified the suspect as Jomari Dela Cruz, a 24-year-old resident of Poblacion, Muntinlupa City.

Dela Cruz was arrested around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at Solid North Transit Bus Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City.

According to the report, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (PNP-CIDU) conducted a follow-up operation after receiving information that the suspect will arrive at a bus terminal after hiding in Pangasinan.

"Surveillance in the area was done and at 4:30 p.m., Dela Cruz was seen walking in front of the bus terminal," the QCPD statement read. "Police operatives approached him and after introducing themselves, they arrested Dela Cruz."

Authorities recovered a 9mm caliber pistol, eight rounds of live ammunition, and one magazine placed in his gray sling bag.

Last July 7, the QCPD arrested another alleged gunman identified as Eduardo Almario Legazpi II, a 31-year-old resident of Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

This was after police reviewed CCTV footage of the incident that showed a clear copy of Legazpi's image. Police said it led them to track down the escape route of the suspects, who fled the crime scene on board a Toyota Vios and Yamaha Mio motorcycle.

A .45 caliber pistol, seven live ammunition, and a hand grenade were recovered from Legazpi.

The two arrested suspects are now under the custody of the PNP-CIDU.

Violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) is being prepared against Dela Cuz while violations of R.A. 10591 and R.A. 9516 (Unlawful Possession of Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives) have been filed against Almario.

The QCPD earlier said it will file murder and frustrated murder complaints against eight suspects in the ambush, including a former barangay chairman tagged as the mastermind.

READ: Police: Ex-barangay chief 'mastermind' in ambush on photojournalist; 'gunman' arrested

It added that a continuous manhunt operation is being conducted to arrest the other suspects.
Man wanted in connection with murder investigation may be in Montgomery Co., sheriffs office says

The Montgomery County Sherriffs Office says a man wanted by Chillicothe police may be in the area.

Chillicothe police are searching for Kelvin Douglas Johnson who is wanted in connection with a murder investigation, the sheriffs office said.

Johnson is 43-years-old, 510, 160lbs, and has possibly cut his hair, according to the sheriffs office.

>> 2 hospitalized after their ATV crashes into Dayton Police cruiser

Authorities say he could be in the Ross or Montgomery County area. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911.

If you have any information about his whereabouts, you can contact the Chillicothe Police Department 740-773-1191 or email Det. Demint jeff.demnt@chillicotheoh.gov.
Rex Heuermann (inset) and the site of the bodies (Suffolk County Police Department/Bonjour Realty/YouTube)

His Manhattan business describes him as a registered architect with over 30 years experience.

His neighbours describe him as a family man living with his wife and two children in a tight-knit community in Suffolk County.

But now authorities are describing him as the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer who unleashed terror along the shores of Long Island more than a decade ago.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested on Thursday night in connection to the shocking murder case where body after body were found dumped along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

It is not clear what charges he may face or which of the murders authorities have linked him to with the remains of at least 11 victims  mainly female escorts  found in the area and at least 11 families waiting for answers.

Heres what we know about the suspect:

Rex Heuermann

Sources confirmed to News 12 Long Island and NBC News on Friday that Manhattan architect and married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was the suspect arrested in the case.

He was taken into custody at around 8.30pm on Thursday night near his Midtown office.

Before the arrest, Mr Heuerman had been under surveillance by law enforcement, according to ABC News.

On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims.

Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One neighbour, who has lived a stones throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is a very quiet family who made no imprint at all on the neighborhood.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him, the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch in a great neighbourhood.

One woman told News12 that it was ming-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led authorities to suspect him in the case now. It is also unclear which of the 11 murders he is suspected of being involved in.

The murders

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

She is also heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car and at one point, she is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

Map showing proximity of home being searched by police and Gilgo Beach where bodies were found (Google Maps)

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Aerial view of Manorville area where Valerie Mack remains were recovered (Suffolk County Police Department)

The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

The arrest

On Thursday, there was a huge breakthrough in the case when suspect Mr Heuermann was finally arrested on suspicion of the murders.

Police sources told The Associated Press that an individual had been taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which terrorised the community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago.

Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning, but have announced a press conference for the afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday (RH Architecture)

However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

The victims

The remains of at least 11 victims were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City.

The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert  a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life.

Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims  Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello  were found close by.

All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist.

Brainard-Barnes  known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four  was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010.

Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City.

Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy.

Some of the victims have never been identified.

The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier.

That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed Peaches whose remains were found in Nassau County.
More than 100 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the Manipur violence

India has condemned a European Parliament resolution on the ethnic clashes in Manipur state, calling it an "interference" in its internal affairs.

More than 130 people have been killed in the violence in the north-eastern state which broke out in May

Tens of thousands have been displaced because of the clashes and have been forced to live in temporary shelters.

The resolution called the violence a result of "divisive policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism".

It came as Indian PM Narendra Modi arrived in France on a two-day visit on Thursday. He was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian honour.

The resolution followed a discussion in the EU Parliament over the violence as part of its debate on breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law during its ongoing plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

On Thursday, India's foreign ministry responded to the resolution, saying, "such interference in India's internal affairs in unacceptable, and reflects a colonial mindset".

It said the EU Parliament should focus on its own internal issues.

Violence in Manipur began in May following protests by indigenous communities - primarily the Kukis - against the demand seeking tribal status for the Meiteis.

Since then people from both communities have attacked each other's homes, vehicles, churches and temples, officials say.

The clashes have resulted in complete segregation of the Kuki and Meitei communities in the state.

The resolution adopted by the European Parliament denounced " in the strongest terms nationalistic rhetoric deployed by leading members of the BJP party".

It also called on federal and Manipur state authorities to allow unhindered humanitarian aid to those effected, to allow independent monitors to carry out investigations and called on political leaders to stop making inflammatory statements to re-establish trust.

The parliament asked for the restoration of internet services in the region and the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa), a controversial anti-insurgent law that has been criticised by right activists for decades.

Indian authorities have said they are taking all steps to ensure peace and maintain law and order in the state.

This is not the first time India has faced criticism from western institutions and activists. During Mr Modi's state visit to the US in June, some liberal democrats boycotted his speech to the Congress over what they said was India's poor human rights record.

BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features.

Read more India stories from the BBC:
Memorial Health System's Belpre Medical Campus, where it is planning to build a new women and children's hospital in the spring.

At a time when many Ohio maternity wards are closing, one southeast Ohio health system has been making strides to open a new one, thanks in part to $30 million in state funding.

Memorial Health System, headquartered in Marietta, Ohio, will soon build southeast Ohios only women and childrens hospital, thanks to $30 million allocated to the project in the state budget, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on July 5.

The new hospital will be on the systems Belpre Medical Campus, along with a new Pediatric Emergency Department that was recently built there, and which will open by the end of the year.

The state investment is unprecedented and will go toward the construction of the 180,000-square-foot women and childrens hospital and neighboring medical building, which will be operated in partnership with the Akron Childrens Hospital.

The Pediatric Emergency Department at Memorial Health System's Belpre Medical Campus.

Though Akron is about two hours north of Marietta, the two companies have had a relationship for several years, in part because Memorial Health worked with the Akron hospital to offer specialty services to its own employees, and several of its providers trained at the Akron site before coming to Memorial.

Construction is slated to begin in the spring and will take 18 months to two years, said Scott Cantley, president and CEO of Memorial Health System, a nonprofit regional health system led by a volunteer board of community members.

[scribd id=658908118 key=key-q3zS0BZ6Ig8aLdOmyH9Q mode=scroll]

There will be an expected 1,600 births there, about double what the existing Memorial Health obstetrics unit has done in the past couple of years, Cantley said. It will also offer closer proximity for infants who need intensive care and access to specialty providers, such as those in pediatric and infant neurology and endocrinology.

Where will the new hospital be?

Belpre, located along the states border with West Virginia, was uniquely positioned for the new hospital, as people can come from an 11-county area, Cantley said. There are about 350,000 people living in the region, including counties in neighboring West Virginia, he said.

That area includes neighboring Noble and Monroe counties, which the March of Dimes defines as maternity care deserts, or areas where access to maternity health care services is limited or absent.

Babies delivered in cars: Rural Ohio's lack of maternity care affects nearly 100,000 women

In Ohio, Memorial Health System primarily services Washington, Noble, Monroe, Athens and Meigs counties, Cantley said. It has two hospitals in Ohio and one in West Virginia.

Southeastern Ohio has a long history of a lack of specialized pediatric and maternity care, causing patients to travel upwards of 30 miles away to access care. Of the 13 maternity care deserts identified by the March of Dimes in Ohio, seven are in southeastern Ohio.

For example, in 2021, about 40% of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants needing comprehensive care had to be cared for at facilities outside of the service area, according to Memorial Health System.

The Pediatric Emergency Department at Memorial Health System's Belpre Medical Campus.

Doing things differently

When it comes to providing health care in rural areas, you have to do things a little differently, Cantley said.

So, three years ago, Memorial Health System decided it wanted to prevent the area from becoming a maternity care desert and began to look for the right partners to help bring the best care to children and mothers. It found Akron Children's Hospital, but also reached out to area obstetricians to see if there was enough of a demand to sustain a women and children's hospital.

It took a lot of planning and thought to make it so the hospital would be financially sustainable, especially with many children's health services paid for by Medicaid, which pays providers at a lower rate than private insurance.

"We've demonstrated what's possible when we all pull together," Cantley said. "This region's really hungry for high-quality, world class health care."

The Pediatric Emergency Department at Memorial Health System's Belpre Medical Campus.

A 'transformational' investment by the state

Residents of southeast Ohio are used to taking their children to emergency departments when necessary, not to specialized childrens hospitals like Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus or Akron Children's Hospital, Cantley said.

So much so that, when Cantley started telling people of the pediatric ER and women and childrens hospital Memorial Health System was planning to open, many people said theyd never even thought of that.

For rural Ohioans, this announcement and investment by the state is transformational, said Jay Hottinger, a former state representative and senator, who is now executive vice president of Sunday Creek Horizons, a consulting firm focused on rural and Appalachia Ohio that works with Memorial Health System.

Theres a lot of people that share in the successes, Hottinger said.

When it comes to getting buy-in from DeWine and state lawmakers to add the expenditure into the states budget, Ohio Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) had a "pivotal" role.

Pregnant but unequal: In rural America, maternal health care is vanishing. These moms are most at risk.

"I am proud of the budget we built over the past few months, which lays a firm foundation for the future of our state through the expansion of access to care for all Ohioans," Edwards said in a statement. "Belpre Medical Campus will be an indispensable resource to the 94th House District and this funding is well-deserved.

Many community partners also contributed to the building of the hospital, a $125 million project, including: Peoples Bank, Hall Financial Advisors and the Dave and Arlene Archer Family.

When the hospital is built, families will hopefully be 30 minutes from quality care, compared to two hours.

"The rural parts of the state are full of wonderful people that have long been tolerant of missing some of the key pieces that are almost taken for granted in the urban parts of our state," Cantley said. "With these kinds of investments, maybe we can see more economic growth, and we can attract businesses and we can retain our young folks."

dking@dispatch.com

@DanaeKing

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: $30 million in Ohio's budget will go to new hospital in southeast Ohio
The Minnehaha Lodge No. 5 of Ancient, Free and Accepted Mason will mark its 150th anniversary this Saturday, and the public is invited to help celebrate the occasion.

Founded on July 15, 1873, with 11 Master Masons who met in the Libby Building on Main Street, the Lodge became the oldest philanthropic organization in Sioux Falls, current Master Jon Woods said.

He added masonry itself in South Dakota was in fact much older, with the first freemasons coming to the area a lot earlier.

The original Masons would have been here as soon as people were settling in Sioux Falls, Woods said. Before Sioux Falls was even formally founded as a city, there would have been Masons living and working here along with the other early settlers.

More: Watch: Local business opens 95-year-old Freemason time capsule

The history of the area was later closely aligned with the history of the lodge, he continued. Woods mentioned, for example, that freemasons were instrumental in installing the first streetlights in Sioux Falls.

Thomas Brown was the person who had originally conceived and helped get street lights put up in Sioux Falls, Brian Pulling, the Junior Grand Warden of Masons in South Dakota, said referring to the first Master of the Lodge.

Pulling noted Brown was also instrumental in bringing the railroad to the city. Woods noted city mayors and city and state officials historically were represented in the lodge. Besides, Woods added, the lodge was not only a part of the history of Sioux Falls, but also of the history of the state.

If you look at the history of South Dakota, (the) lodge predates South Dakota as a state, said Woods. When we first came into existence as a Grand Lodge, we were actually the Grand Lodge of Dakota, so of North and South Dakota.

More: Dell Rapids Masonic Lodge began in 1882

When South Dakota and North Dakota became separate states later, the lodges also split. Now three lodges exist in Sioux Falls, and Minnehaha Lodge No. 5 counts 137 members and meets on the first and third Thursday of every month at the Masonic Center, located on the corner of 1st Street and 14th Ave, according to a press release from the group.

The focus of the lodge after the split, however, remained the same: making good men better through charitable work. Thus, Minnehaha Lodge No. 5 has remained regularly engaged in community service and volunteering for the less fortunate.

DaNiel Wood, Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge, shows the gathered crowd an American flag with 48 stars from a time capsule dated June 6, 1924 on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, in Sioux Falls.

Woods said one of the recent examples of the lodge's charitable activities is a college scholarship of $1,000 that it gives out to a worthy high school student once a year. Senior Warden for the Lodge, Carlos Cobos, said the lodge also gives out to women and childrens organizations in need of donations.

For example, Cobos said, they managed to put together some laundry baskets recently with goods, such as toothpaste, hairbrushes, shampoo and laundry soap for the victims of domestic violence, who often escape from abuse only with whats on them. The lodge also donated school lunches for children who could not afford it.

The lodge still admits new members, too. If a gentleman is interested in becoming a member of the Masonic Lodge, all they have to do is ask a member, Woods said.

If they are worthy and well qualified and are willing to honor our commitments for charity, becoming better people and trying to make the world a better place, we'll admit them, he said.

More: Looking Back: Masonic Lodge at 10th & Phillips

Anniversary celebrations for the lodge will start with a rededication ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Sioux Falls Masonic Center, 520 South First Avenue, in remembrance of the original ceremony of the lodge dedication held 150 years ago, said Aaron Zahn, the Grand Master of Masons in South Dakota and head of the anniversary committee.

The ceremony will be followed by lunch at noon. Lunch is free, but donations are accepted. A historical anniversary presentation from the Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota is scheduled for 1 p.m., followed by Root Beer Float Social.

Masonry, also known as Freemasonry, is the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Its main purpose is to make good men better. Many of the nations founding fathers were Masons, including 13 signers of the Constitution and fourteen U.S. Presidents beginning with George Washington, according to the press release.

Despite it being a men's organization, the lodge welcomes everyone for its anniversary celebrations to mark their intent to continue to honor the same traditions of philanthropy, kindness, fraternity, benefiting those in need, helping and supporting the local community.

We're looking just to continue to honor those old traditions as we carry forward into the future for the next 150 years and beyond, Woods said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls' oldest philanthropic organization marks 150th anniversary
A new proposal on Beacon Hill would expand the number of people who can petition a judge to take someones gun away during a mental health crisis.

House Democrats filed An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws, a 140-page bill that promises to stem the flow of illegal firearms into the Commonwealth and increase protections from gun violence for our communities. The legislation would allow medical professionals, school administrators and employers to petition the court for an Extreme Risk Protection Order, also known as the Red Flag Law.

That is really the final series of protections in place for individuals who are not well, who are experiencing mental [health] crises and really should not be given access or have access to firearms, said Stoneham Democrat Rep. Michael Day, who presented the bill last month.

Under Massachusetts law, a family member or police department can petition to remove someones firearm if a judge feels theres enough evidence to show the individual could cause harm to themselves or someone else. Days proposal would open that petition process up to licensed physicians, psychiatrists, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, college and grade school administrators and employers.

We believe the vast majority of these will continue to go through our chiefs of police, as they should. But in the rare circumstances where that isnt enough, theyre now enabled to go in under the Due Process laws and seek a restrictive protective order, Day said.

Ruth Zakarin, Executive Director with the Mass. Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, said the bill could prevent suicides, domestic violence and mass shootings.

Theres a lot of research about the impact of ERPOs and the risk of harming someone else, that can look like lots of different things, Zakarin said. Certainly when we think about the prevention of mass shootings, one of the recommendations has been extreme risk protection orders.

Gun rights advocates and second amendment groups have criticized the bill, saying it goes too far and over-complicates an already complicated system.

The so-called Red Flag Law is a blatant violation of the Constitution. Any citizen can make a complaint and before the accused can even respond, their rights and property are taken from them, Gun Owners Action League Executive Director Jim Wallace said.

Days bill also rewrites licensing procedures, revamps regulations for training and selling firearms, and cracks down on so-called ghost guns, or untraceable firearms.

Were not trying to go after or criminalize proper license [holders], people who can responsibly carry a firearm, Day said. This is really intending to get at those that are evading our code of laws through the advancement of technology and criminal behavior.

House Speak Ron Mariano said he supports the legislation. Day said the bill will be assigned to a committee and receive a public hearing before being debated by the Legislature.

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In light of recent gun violence, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has made a statement.

The statement comes after a shooting in Brighton Heights left one woman dead and another injured and another in the South Side that killed a man.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 1 woman killed, 1 injured in shooting near park in Brighton Heights; suspect in custody

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Man fatally shot in South Side

Read the full statement below:

Pittsburgh, I ask that you join me in praying for all those who have been impacted by the recent gun violence in our city, which once again is leaving multiple lives forever changed due to the inability to settle personal conflicts peacefully.

We are seeing time and time again that the mixture of easy access to a gun, and the inability to self-regulate emotional responses to conflict, is leading to more gun violence and senseless loss of life.

The city and our dedicated Pittsburgh Bureau of Police cant stop people from choosing this path. We had an abundance of officers in the South Side, and yet we werent able to stop people from choosing guns over peaceful resolution. This issue isnt about the number of officers on our streets but about the number of guns in our city.

We need to find ways to end arguments and conflict peacefully and we need our leaders in D.C. to repeal the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prevents cities like Pittsburgh from holding gun manufacturers accountable for the harm their products cause every day.

As a city we are committed to caring for all those who are harmed in the aftermath of these traumatic incidents. Last night we had social workers and CVI outreach teams on scene to help those who need it, and they are continuing their work in that community today and in the days ahead.

Earlier today our Lifeguards, who acted quickly in executing their emergency safety plans, received trauma support to help them process through this tragedy, and we will continue to do what we can to support them and care for their psychological safety.

Pittsburgh it is time to unite as one community to end this pandemic of gun violence. It is going to take all of us working together, to learn how to settle conflict peacefully, to provide resources and support services to all lives impacted by gun violence to heal these wounds caused by those who choose harm over life.

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What it means: The Russian military is in turmoil

The News

A top Russian army official says he was ousted from the military for his honesty about the situation facing his country on the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov accused top Russian brass of incompetence and treason, the Wall Street Journal reported, and claims he was fired for telling military leaders the truth about the situation on the ground and accusing the defense ministry of betraying troops.

Insights

Popov alleged via a voice memo to troops that he was removed from his posting after he told officials , including the chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, that the war was being mismanaged. The comments are similar to those made by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of high numbers of Russian casualties.

Its been a rough couple of weeks for Russian military commanders: One was killed in an airstrike, one has disappeared following Wagners mutiny, another was gunned down while jogging, and Popov has accused other top brass of being traitors. Gen. Sergei Surovikin hasnt been seen since allegations emerged that he had prior knowledge of Prigozhins rebellion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly offered Wagner soldiers the opportunity to serve in the Russian military following the revolt, Kommersant reported. Prigozhin refused, but some top commanders were willing to join ranks with Putins army. Nothing would have changed for [the soldiers], Putin told Kommersant.

Know More

Popovs allegations are evidence of the widespread discontent within Russias military, the Journal notes.

The biggest tragedy of contemporary war is the absence of counter-battery capabilities, the absence of artillery reconnaissance, and the mass death and maiming of our brothers as a result of the enemys artillery, Popov said in his audio message to troops.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not comment on Popovs allegations when pressed by a BBC reporter.

Surovikin, who has been missing since intelligence emerged that he had prior knowledge of Wagners uprising, is resting, according to senior Russian leadership. Some Russian media outlets have reported that Surovikin was arrested, but those reports have not yet been confirmed.
Republican candidates for president are eagerly staking out tough positions against abortion  and Democrats are convinced it will make the GOPs nominee vulnerable in a general election.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a six-week abortion ban in his state and has suggested that former President Trump has been weak in not explicitly expressing his support for that move.

Trump has declared himself the most pro-life president in American history, boasting to a conference of religious conservatives last month about his role in appointing the three conservative Supreme Court justices who were pivotal in last years Dobbs decision that overturned 1973s Roe v. Wade ruling.

On Wednesday, The Associated Press carried remarks from an interview with former Vice President Mike Pence, in which he said abortion should be banned even when physicians have determined the baby will not survive outside the womb.

Im pro-life. I dont apologize for it, Pence told the AP. I just have heard so many stories over the years of courageous women and families who were told that their unborn child would not go to term or would not survive. And then they had a healthy pregnancy and a healthy delivery.

The expectation is that similar rhetoric will be heard Friday when many of the leading candidates will speak at a Christian conservative event in Iowa, hosted by The Family Leader organization.

DeSantis, Pence, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will all address the crowd, though Trump will not.

But Democrats are convinced that the dynamics of the GOP primary, which place a premium on appealing to the most activist, most conservative, elements of the partys base will have real repercussions come Election Day next year.

Republicans are running to the right and taking exceedingly extreme positions on abortion to cater to the right-wing and anti-abortion extremists, Democratic National Committee spokesman Ammar Moussa told this column.

The Republican nominee next year is going to have to explain to the American people that they believe they should tell women what they should be doing with their bodies.

Moussa and other Democrats do, of course, have a vested interest in advancing that argument.

But there is both data and anecdotal evidence to suggest hard-line positions on abortion are unpopular and have already hurt the GOP.

In a Fox News/Associated Press analysis of last Novembers midterm elections, for example, 1 in 4 registered voters said they considered abortion the single most important issue in deciding their vote. Those respondents favored the Democratic Party by a margin of almost 3-to-1.

On the same day, ballot measures relating to abortion were held in five states, and all of them were carried by the abortion-rights side  including in conservative states like Kentucky and Montana.

An Associated Press/NORC poll released this week found that 73 percent of all adults, including 56 percent of Republicans, believed abortion should be permitted at least up until six weeks  the point at which the DeSantis-backed law would outlaw it. Those numbers declined as the time since conception lengthened, with about two-thirds of Americans saying abortion should be banned at 24 weeks or beyond.

The complexities of the issue are cited by opponents of abortion, who contend that liberals and Democrats are exaggerating the popularity of their own positions.

The country is divided, and depending upon how an argument or question is phrased, that will affect the outcome. The country did not overnight turn into a solidly pro-abortion country, Carol Tobias, the president of National Right to Life, told this column.

Tobias also noted that her organization was pressing more for candidates to back a range of measures protecting life in the womb, rather than focusing on a national ban that she does not believe is realistic anytime soon.

I think the Republican candidates need to support protections for unborn children  and say they will support policies that will protect unborn children, she said. But it is not possible in the foreseeable future to get a national law, one way or another.

Tobias instead argued for issues like ensuring parents have the right to know if a minor child is seeking an abortion, or to ensure that women considering abortions would have to receive certain information.

In relation to Pences comments about not permitting abortion even in circumstances where the child is not expected to live, Tobias drew attention to the growing field of perinatal hospice care  essentially a form of pre-birth care and counseling for mothers and couples whose baby is not expected to live.

But those kinds of points might well go by the wayside in the heat of an election campaign, where nuances tend to get overrun by broad strokes.

Among the leading GOP presidential candidates, Trump has notably been more evasive than most on whether he would push for a nationwide ban. He has not committed to it, but he has not expressed opposition either.

Even some Democrats suggest that speaks to a degree of political wiliness on the former presidents part.

I think Trump is fundamentally a smarter politician than Ron DeSantis, said Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky. I dont personally think Trump has any core values. But he understands that the way to get elected is not to go to the most extreme position possible on abortion.

Still, she added of the GOP, for a party that has used the word freedom very jingoistically for my entire lifetime, they seem to be on the wrong side of freedom.

The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FILE PHOTO: An unfinished strand of orange buoys sits in the Rio Grande River in response to migrants crossing the river, near Eagle Pass

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A floating barrier of orange buoys put in the Rio Grande by the Texan government to hinder migrants crossing into the U.S. violates a water treaty and may encroach on Mexican territory, incoming Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said on Friday.

"We have sent a diplomatic letter (to the U.S.) on 26 June because in reality what it is violating is the water treaty of 1944," Barcena told reporters in Mexico City, referring to the Mexican Water Treaty between the U.S. and Mexico that covers the use of water from the Colorado, Tijuana and Rio Grande rivers.

"We are sending a mission, a territorial inspection," Barcena added, "to see where the buoys are located... to carry out this topographical survey to verify that they do not cross into Mexican territory."

The U.S. State Department and the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Barcena was named foreign minister last month but is still awaiting formal confirmation by Mexico's Senate.

On Friday, the Texan government said in a statement that it had this week begun installing the "new floating marine barriers along the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass."

It said the buoys will "help deter illegal immigrants attempting to make the dangerous river crossing into Texas."

Many migrants have drowned trying to cross the river in recent years but some experts fear the buoys may only increase the risk of crossing.

Earlier this month, four migrants drowned in the Rio Grande. Last September nine migrants died and 37 were rescued as they tried to cross the rain-swollen river near Eagle Pass.

(Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday reaffirmed its support behind the Philippines candidacy to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2027-2028.

In a joint statement after a meeting among their top diplomats, the 10-member bloc said they agreed to coordinate and provide mutual support for ASEAN member states candidacy in regional and international organizations.

In this regard, we reaffirmed ASEANs support for the Philippines to become Non-Permanent Member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the year 2027-2028, the leaders said.

The body likewise said it supports Indonesia and Thailands candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for 2024-2026 and 2025-2027, respectively.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. first appealed to the members of the UN to support the countrys candidacy to the Security Council in his speech during the 77th UN General Assembly.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega later on said the country is aiming to engage in important dialogues and debates and vote on important security issues as it campaigns for a seat in the UNSC.

The Philippines was last elected to the Security Council in 2005. It was part of the council a total of six times: 1957, 1963, 1980, 1981, 2004, and 2005.
The actress, writer and comedians scripted series Survival of the Thickest has just dropped on Netflix in the midst of SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in Hollywood.

Michelle Buteau is in a very unique position. As an actress and writer who just dropped her first scripted show on Netflix, Buteau is very clear on the needs and demands both her unions are fighting for. The Survival of the Thickest creator and star caught up with theGrio on July 13, the same day SAG-AFTRA announced it was going on strike, joining the WGA in the first joint strike in more than 60 years.

In a nuanced and deep conversation, Buteau shared her perspective on the industry at large, the basic needs that actors and writers are demanding from the studios and where her mind was at on the same day that her long-awaited series landed on Netflix.

Girl, Im overwhelmed, Buteau said at the top of the conversation. My show drops on the day that we also are going on strike, the two guilds that I am in are both on strike. So, I feel, bigger picture, so lucky that I can talk about my show; it gets released in the wild and Im so proud of it.

Michelle Buteau attends Netflixs Survival Of The Thickest New York Premiere at Metrograph on July 11, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

She told us that her experience starring and writing on Survival of Thickest and seeing how the sausage gets made has only made the demands from both writers and actors that much clearer for her. We need change as things are evolving and people are getting richer, and we have to work more jobs for basic needs, she explained.

Things are shifting and its never linear, Buteau added when reflecting not only on the state of Hollywood but the current state of our country. I am so thankful that I get to work with a platform like Netflix who is so open-minded and has the license to do edgier, brighter, bigger bolder things.

Im really happy that I got to touch on one of the most important themes to me, which is body positivity, sex positivity [and] inclusion, she continued. To say that I want this trans actor or we must have more nonbinary people in or behind the camera, and Netflix to be like, youre absolutely right, lets go, is amazing because I wouldnt be able to do that before.

Still, Buteau said that the industry is paying more money for things yet artists are not seeing the benefit. Im not just saying this is Netflix; this is everywhere, Buteau added while considering her experience making television in the current state of the industry.

Having the writers for 16 weeks instead of 20 because of budget  after the first week, my brain was broke. I was like, How are we supposed to do this? she said likening it to an episode of The Amazing Race but with her stories.

To say that we cant fly writers out for them to be on set while we film their episode that they wrote because of budget is insane, she continued. To cut writers and expect A.I. to understand what its like to be a plus-sized Black woman from New Jersey living her life and having queer friends in New York City  thats insane! To figure out how A.I. is gonna capture what its like to be a Black trans performer? I mean, come on now, thats just ridiculous.

Buteau feels there are bigger conversations that need to be had, saying, How do we protect art and culture and also take care of people? Why do you need to work three jobs just to have health insurance? Thats insane!

For more on the SAG-AFTRA strike, head to the official site.

Buteaus new series Survival of the Thickest is available to stream now on Netflix.

TheGrio conducted this interview before the SAG-AFTRA strike went into effect on July 14.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post Michelle Buteau on Hollywood strikes: There are bigger conversations that need to be had appeared first on TheGrio.
This article was originally published in Michigan Advance.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced the formation of a new state agency targeted at improving educational outcomes from preschool through postsecondary instruction.

The new Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP) will have three offices: Early Childhood Education, Higher Education and Education Partnerships.

The department is part of Whitmers sweeping Make It In Michigan initiative that encompasses many of the policy priorities of her second term in office. In a statement, Whitmer said the department will be tasked with collecting data and establishing clear metrics for action at the local and state levels.

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For too long, we have thought of education as K-12, but we know thats not good enough, Whitmer said. Im establishing MiLEAP today because we need to get every kid started early, in pre-K, so they succeed in kindergarten, have paths after graduation to get higher education tuition-free and forge strong partnerships with our employers so they can get a good-paying, high-skill, and in-demand job.

MiLEAP will work alongside the Michigan Department of Education and the state Board of Education to address education issues at various stages of a students learning career, beginning at age two and continuing through high school and postsecondary education.

Several Democratic lawmakers praised the move.

State Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills), who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on higher education, said in a statement that she was excited about the formation of new tools to improve Michigans education outcomes.

Pulling together our states dedicated continuing education resources into one centralized hub is good for our students, and good for our economies, Steckloff said. Through MiLEAP, we will be able to better attract, educate, and retain the skilled workforce needed for Michigan to lead throughout this century and beyond.

However, House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) expressed skepticism.

Connecting students throughout their education makes sense in theory, but without fixing our current education system, it wont do much to actually help our next generation, Hall said in a statement. Democrats are undoing accountability measures for our local schools left and right, theyre spending hundreds of millions on pork projects instead of putting it into the classroom, and our state superintendent doesnt even report to the governor. Expanding that system without fixing it first is an empty promise and not a solution.

Michigan Education Association (MEA) President-elect Chandra Madafferi, an Oakland County teacher, said in a statement that the establishment of MiLEAP will help boost student success throughout the state.

We are thrilled by Gov. Whitmers MiLEAP announcement and her administrations continued commitment to creating opportunities for every student, regardless of their ZIP code, age or income level, Madafferi said. Education is a lifelong pursuit, and its important that we provide the scaffolding needed to assist students and parents every step along the way.

The Michigan League for Public Policy, which in June released data showing Michigan ranking low among U.S. states in child well-being, said in a statement that the formation of MiLEAP will be crucial to improving the states standing on child and education issues.

The League and its Kids Count in Michigan project are committed to a data-driven, two-generation approach to make sure every child and family in Michigan can thrive, regardless of their race, their income or their ZIP code, the statement said. That means creating a clear path filled with opportunities from cradle through career and beyond. MiLEAP aims to make that path as smooth as possible, avoiding roadblocks that often come before kids enter kindergarten and after they finish high school.

MiLEAP, according to the governors office, would be led by a director that will be appointed by Whitmer. The director will become a member of the governors cabinet. The order goes into effect on Dec. 1.

In Michigan, the state superintendent does not report directly to the governor. According to state law, members of the state Board of Education  who are nominated by political parties and elected statewide  appoint the superintendent, who is the chairman of the board without the right to vote and is responsible for the execution of its policies.

The board appointed state Superintendent Michael Rice in May 2019.

Michigan Advance is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan Demas for questions: info@michiganadvance.com. Follow Michigan Advance on Facebook and Twitter.
The co-owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab is standing by her refusal to serve some members of the LGBTQ+ community. John Flesher/Associated Press

A salon in Michigan is facing backlash after announcing it wouldn't serve all LGBTQ+ people.

Studio 8 Hair Lab received an onslaught of negative reviews following the since-deleted post.

A co-owner, Christine Geiger, said on Facebook that she took issue only with people in "TQ+" communities.

A hair salon and its owner in Traverse City, Michigan, are facing backlash after the business announced that it would refuse service to certain LGBTQ+ communities.

Studio 8 Hair Lab said in a Facebook post last weekend that it would not serve anyone who "identifies as anything other than a man/woman," USA Today reported. In a separate post, the business clarified that this was intended to refer to any gender-nonconforming people, including those who are transgender. The original post, which has since been deleted, suggested that people with such gender identities should instead "seek services at a local pet groomer," according to the report.

"You are not welcome at this salon. Period," the account for Studio 8 Hair Lab said, according to USA Today. "Should you request to have a particular pronoun used please note we may simply refer to you as 'hey you.'"

In response, the salon's Google and Yelp pages have been flooded with negative reviews. The bio for Studio 8's now-private Instagram account called itself "A private CONSERVATIVE business that does not cater to woke ideologies."

The salon's announcement and subsequent backlash come after the Supreme Court's ruling at the end of June that businesses could refuse to serve LGBTQ+ clients. The court ruled 6-3 that a wedding website's owner could deny services to gay couples.

Christine Geiger, a co-owner of the salon, said in a Facebook comment that she wasn't against those who're lesbian, gay, or bisexual, USA Today reported, but did have an issue with "the TQ+," which is generally understood to refer to transgender people, queer or questioning people, plus others with minority gender identities or sexualities. Her comment, which was posted in the Overheard in Traverse City Facebook group, described the "+" as referring to "Minor Attracted Person aka: pedophile," echoing a baseless claim often repeated by conservatives and those in far-right groups seeking to depict LGBTQ+ people as predators and dangerous to children.

Geiger and Studio 8 Hair Lab did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider ahead of publication.

But in an interview with The Associated Press, Geiger said she was standing firm and believed Studio 8 Hair Lab should be able to deny service to anyone.

"I just don't want the woke dollar," Geiger told the AP, adding: "I'd rather not be as busy than to have to do services that I don't agree with."

She told the publication that she saw an "outpouring of support" from some of her clients and backlash from others, including threats and angry messages.

Swift backlash

On Wednesday, protesters stood outside the salon chanting and holding signs, AP reported.

Traverse City is investigating whether Studio 8 Hair Lab has violated an antidiscrimination ordinance, according to the report. The city's mayor, Richard Lewis, said: "We are disheartened to hear of any discriminatory behavior in our region."



Some within the haircare industry are also responding to Studio 8 Hair Lab's posts. The haircare brand Jack Winn Pro said on Instagram that it would no longer allow Studio 8 Hair Lab to sell its products following the bigoted statements.

"Jack Winn Pro strongly believes in and supports LGBTQ+ rights. We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful environment for all - regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristics that define who they are," the post said.

Democratic State Rep. Betsy Coffia also condemned the salon's words.

"To compare our LGBTQ+ neighbors to animals and pedophiles is breathtaking hate and bigotry from a studio in my community," Coffia said in a public statement. "It is also dangerous because it dehumanizes fellow Michiganders at a time when violence against LGBTQ+ residents simply for who they are is already on the rise."

Studio 8 Hair Lab had a 1.2-star rating out of 5 on Google Reviews on Friday  but the Michigan salon is not the only one affected by the fallout.

A salon in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with a similar name, Studio 8 Hair Loft, has also gotten negative reviews despite it not being affiliated with Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City.



"I have received two bad, 1-star reviews because of people not reading the correct business names and addresses and just jumping into wanting to slander the other salon," Studio 8 Hair Loft said in a Facebook post. "STUDIO 8 HAIR LOFT is a very LGBTQ+ friendly salon, please do not mistake us for the other salon."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former Vice President Mike Pence told Tucker Carlson that what happened at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was a riot and insisted hes never used the word insurrection to describe it in the past two years.

The former Fox News host interviewed Pence on Friday and asked, point blank, Do you think that was an insurrection? at the Family Leadership Summit, a conservative Christian gathering, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Pence said all he knew for sure having lived through it is that it was a tragic day.

He added: Ive never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the last two years. But it was a riot that took place at the Capitol that day.

Tucker Carlson: "What was that? Do you think that was an insurrection?"



Mike Pence: "It was a tragic day. I've never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the last two years. It was a riot that took place in the Capitol that day." pic.twitter.com/oOMUA9dGcW  Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 14, 2023

The Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has been referred to as both an insurrection and a riot since it happened more than two and a half years ago.

The difference is that an insurrection is an organized and usually violent act of revolt or rebellion against an established government, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, while a riot is considered more random  an important distinction if, like Carlson, you want to promote the events of Jan. 6 as a peaceful protest that got out of hand.

But while Pence was willing to semantically agree with Carlson, he did remind the former talk show host and the audience of the danger he faced that day because of his boss, former president Donald Trump.

I knew that my duty was clear that day. But candidly, as Ive said before, you know, President Trumps words that day were reckless, I believe. Whatever his intentions in that moment, it endangered me and my family and everyone that was at the Capitol that day, Pence said. I believe history will hold him accountable for that just as the law will hold everyone that, that engaged in acts of violence.

Related...
Military intelligence comments on next reported transfer of Ukrainian POWs to Hungary

The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is planning another transfer of Ukrainian prisoners of war to Hungary, the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) spokesperson Andrii Yusov told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on July 14, following earlier media reports.

Yusov said that the Ukrainian special services received information on the second hand-over and are now further investigating it.

The plan is reportedly conducted under the auspices of Russian special services, but the ROC is involved as a "mediator" between Russia and Hungary, Yusov said.

RBC Ukraine wrote on July 13 that Hungary and the Russian church are planning yet another transfer of 10-15 Ukrainian captives of Hungarian ethnic origin.

The military intelligence spokesperson confirmed that the prisoners in question should have Hungarian background and be able to speak Hungarian.

Media: Hungary, Russian church plan another Ukrainian POW transfer The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) plans to facilitate another transfer of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) to Hungary, RBC Ukraine reported on July 13, citing sources in Ukrainian security services. The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Ukraine's westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast is home to around 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, including 400 serving in the Ukrainian army.

The ROC previously handed over 11 Ukrainian POWs of Hungarian origin to Budapest in early June. Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen later confirmed the transfer but Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denied Budapest's involvement in organizing the hand-over.

On June 19, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry demanded immediate consular access to the POWs held in Hungary. According to the ministry, they were kept in isolation without access to open sources of information and were unable to communicate with relatives without "third parties" presence.

However, Szijjarto responded that the Ukrainian POWs "can move freely in Hungary and do whatever they want."

Yusov said that five soldiers have already been returned from the first group. The released captives testified on the pressure exerted against them by Russian special services, the military intelligence spokesperson said.

Ukraine still does not have access to the remaining prisoners in Hungary, he added.
Social media posts claim a paper attributing a high number of deaths to Covid-19 vaccines was suppressed from a major scientific journal. This is false; the preprint document was never accepted for publication by The Lancet, and the journal and independent experts said the research was flawed.

"74% OF COVID VACCINE AUTOPSY DEATHS WERE CAUSED BY THE VACCINE," claims text over a video shared on Instagram on July 9, 2023 by The Wellness Company, a "medical freedom" organization that sells supplements said to protect patients from "toxic spike proteins."

The same clip can be found on TikTok featuring one of the study's authors, Peter McCullough, -- an American cardiologist whom AFP has previously fact-checked for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines -- speaking to author Naomi Wolf, who has also shared inaccurate information about the shots.

Many posts claimed the research was published by The Lancet -- an established medical journal -- only to be removed after 24 hours, constituting "censorship."

"The Lancet is removing science that shows the COVID-19 'vaccines' are causing excess deaths," claims a July 10, 2023 tweet.

"They are erasing the truth from medical journals," a July 9 TikTok with more than 15,000 views claims.

Screenshot of an Instagram post taken July 13, 2023

Screenshot of a tweet taken July 13, 2023

The paper in question, "A Systematic Review of Autopsy Findings in Deaths after COVID-19 Vaccination" (archived here), was not published in The Lancet, but instead appeared on a preprint server associated with the journal where researchers can upload their work before it has received peer review.

According to its website, The Lancet collaborates with the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) to offer authors a dedicated preprint area called "Preprints with The Lancet" (archived here), but a study appearing on this server does not necessarily mean the journal is reviewing the paper.

The Lancet Group told AFP the paper was removed from the server because its conclusion was not supported by the methodology.

"Preprints with The Lancet on SSRN reserves the right to remove a paper that has been posted if it is determined that it has violated screening criteria," The Lancet Group said in a July 11 email.

The Lancet also says on its website that preprints are not meant to be used for clinical decision-making.

Sarah Everts, a professor of science journalism at Carleton University, said that while preprints are a common way of disseminating early scientific findings, the social media posts and articles claiming a paper proved Covid-19 vaccines have a high mortality rate are incorrectly describing the publication as thoroughly established science.

"They are conflating peer-reviewed research, which is about rigorously evaluated science, with a preprint server, which is something where scientists post their work while it is going through the peer review process," Everts said in an interview on July 11.

Everts said preprints are an important way for researchers to quickly release their work, but a paper needs to be evaluated by other experts to ensure the study's conclusions are well-founded and without error.

"Most science goes through peer review, which is getting people with very specific expertise to fine-pick through the paper or the study to make sure that everything parses," she said.

Elements of the preprint manuscript

The full paper, which AFP reviewed, is no longer available to download.

The manuscript's methodology section says the researchers searched available databases for autopsy and necropsy reports relating to Covid-19 vaccines and the results claimed to find 73.9 percent of these cases were caused by the jabs.

"Three physicians (Roger Hodkinson, William Makis, Peter A McCullough) with experience in death adjudication and anatomical/clinical pathology independently reviewed the available information of each case and determined whether or not Covid-19 vaccination was the direct cause or contributed significantly to the mechanism of death described," the paper's "Methods" section reads.

Zhou Xing, an immunology professor at McMaster University, found the methodology to be flawed as it did not seem to factor in medical conditions and age as possible reasons that death could have occurred after vaccination.

"It seems an astoundingly ridiculous analysis and conclusion and I believe one does not have to be a scientific or medical expert to find the major flaws," Xing said in a July 12 email.

Xing noted that because a large majority of people have received Covid-19 shots, mortality rates will inevitably be higher for vaccinated individuals regardless of the cause of death.

Screenshot of an Instagram post taken July 13, 2023

McCullough's unproven claims about vaccines' dangers have led to disciplinary action by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Hodkinson, who was trained as a pathologist, had purported the pandemic itself was a hoax during an Edmonton City Council meeting, in claims that went viral on social media in 2020. Makis previously spread unsubstantiated claims that doctors were dying from Covid-19 vaccination and was involved in a long legal battle with Alberta Health Services over his termination.

Brian Ward, a professor of experimental medicine who studies the adverse effects of vaccines at McGill University, said he questioned the study's claims of independent researchers, given the physicians' histories of spreading Covid-19 misinformation could lead them to be invested in reaching a conclusion that supports their previous statements.

"The way they use the word 'independently' here simply means that each of the biased individuals sat in a separate room to reach a personal conclusion before sharing their (largely pre-determined) classifications with each other," Ward said in an email on July 12, 2023.

Ward said he believed it was unlikely the paper would ever be published in a medical journal.

Doctors and researchers have previously told AFP that while rare serious side effects to Covid-19 vaccination, including myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle, remain under investigation, the benefits of being immunized against the disease outweigh the risks.

Other research has concluded that Covid-19 vaccines saved millions of lives and averted many hospitalizations.

'Zombie papers'

Timothy Caulfield, a professor of health law and policy at the University of Alberta, said once a preprint is published, even if its conclusions are found to be faulty and the publication is retracted, the unsupported claims can still spread.

"They enter the public discourse and even if they are retracted or if the failings of the journal are highlighted, it doesn't matter because they've now become part of the discussion," Caulfield said in an interview on July 12.

Caulfield calls these retracted studies "zombie papers" and said they often carry claims of censorship once the paper has been removed.

Screenshot of a TikTok video taken July 13, 2023

"Not passing peer review and having an article retracted -- that's not censorship," he said. "That is the marketplace of ideas playing out, having your peers evaluate your work."

Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic here.
The mother of a 3-year-old Mint Hill girl, reported missing last month, has been arrested in Texas , police said.

The girls father reported the girl and her mother, Kelsi Lyn Hochstetler, missing Thursday afternoon after not being able to contact Hochstetler for nearly a month, according to authorities.

Hochstetler, 30, holds primary custody of their daughter but may have been on the run with custody hearings approaching, her family told the Mint Hill Police Department. The father, Cody Arant, had seen his daughter June 11 and was supposed to see her again June 19.

The two were last seen about 10 miles southeast of Charlotte on Dan Hood Road, near Idlewind Road, in Mint Hill, according to an Amber Alert issued Thursday.

By Friday, U.S. Marshals found the girl and arrested Hochstetler northwest of Dallas in Ana, Texas, WSOC, The Charlotte Observers news partner, reported.

It was not clear if the girl was with her mother during the arrest or where the girl was Friday as of evening.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a complaint Wednesday saying a new Mississippi law discriminates against residents of the majority-Black Hinds County, which includes the capital city of Jackson, by mandating the appointment of prosecutors and special judges.

In a state where most judges are traditionally elected, the new law creates a separate court system in part of Jackson with prosecutors appointed by the Mississippi attorney general and a judge appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice. It also authorizes the chief justice to appoint four new special circuit court judges to work alongside four other elected judges in Hinds County.

In its complaint, the Department of Justice said that the law discriminates against people based on race, specifically Black residents, by shifting the authority of the county's justice system to new officials who are "not democratically accountable."

Kristen Clarke, the department's assistant attorney general for civil rights, said in a statement that Mississippi lawmakers created "a crude scheme that singles out and discriminates against Black residents" in Jackson and Hinds County. Clarke claims the state violated the U.S. Constitution by "creating a new, two-tiered system of justice."

"This thinly-veiled state takeover is intended to strip power, voice, and resources away from Hinds Countys predominantly-Black electorate, singling out the majority Black Hinds County for adverse treatment imposed on no other voters in the State of Mississippi," Clarke said.

Jackson's water crisis: Flooding broke open Jackson's water crisis, but it can't be disentangled from race, experts say

Federal challenge joins NAACP lawsuit

The Justice Department announced Wednesday it was seeking to join the NAACP's federal lawsuit that was filed against the state shortly after Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed the law in April.

NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, previously said the law, which also expands the reach of a state-run police department in Jackson, only adds on to "years of discriminatory disinvestment and neglect from the state government" in a city where the total Black population is over 79.5%. Hinds County has a total Black population of 70%, according to the Justice Department.

Voters have elected Black officials to most positions in the capital city and county  which are both majority-Black and governed by Democrats. In 2018, Hinds County voters elected four Black circuit court judges to its four elected circuit judge positions.

Although the Justice Department's complaint challenges the appointment of prosecutors and judges, it does not challenge the police expansion. In its lawsuit, the NAACP said police expansion also violates the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection by treating Jackson differently than anywhere else in the state.

Critics have said the law takes away self-governance in Jackson and Hinds County. But members of the majority-white and Republican-controlled Legislature said they passed the law to improve safety in Jackson, which has seen a high murder rate in recent years.

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate has temporarily blocked the law from taking effect. Wingate would have to approve the Justice Department's request to intervene in the lawsuit.

More: Jackson water crisis flows from a century of poverty, neglect and racism

Long history of discrimination in state capital

Johnson has criticized Mississippi officials for not addressing Jackson's long history of discrimination and inadequate investments, including a water crisis that began in August 2022 and triggered a debate over racial discrimination and infrastructure neglect.

"If elected officials in Mississippi want to help address the results of their negligence and improve the lives of Jackson residents, they should start with completing improvements to Jackson's water system, not undermining the constitutional rights of their citizens," Johnson said in April.

The Justice Department noted several other instances the Mississippi Legislature has "shortchanged" the city and county.

The department alleged the state Legislature failed to provide the county with the necessary resources, funding, and personnel. It also accused Reeves of repeatedly using his "line-item veto power to cut funding appropriations to Jackson institutions, while leaving appropriations for other cities almost entirely untouched."

And although Black voters in Jackson have had a long history of voting for Black candidates in elections, voting remains racially polarized across the state, according to the department. In recent decades, the department alleged white Mississippi officials have expressed a lack of trust in predominantly elected Black officials.

"State officials have made public statements criticizing local Black leadership ... attempting to erode the control of the Black government officials from the Jackson area," the department said in its complaint.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ says Mississippi law requiring judge appointment is discriminatory
Modesto cracks down on vehicle sideshows. Drivers and spectators can face these fines

New fines for people involved in vehicle sideshows won approval from the Modesto City Council.

It voted 7-0 on Tuesday, July 11, to fine drivers and passengers up to $3,500 for taking part in these displays of speed and stunts. People who organize or promote sideshows could pay as much as $3,000. Those who just watch could be fined up to $2,500.

Because it is an ordinance, it will not take effect until a second vote by the council Aug. 8.

The council adopted the sideshow rules on the same night it repealed a 1990 ban on cruising streets. That was no coincidence. Cruising advocates said they wanted a clear distinction between their family-friendly pastime and sideshows.

Cruising entails driving the same streets repeatedly in hot rods and low-riders. Modesto gained fame when native George Lucas released American Graffiti in 1973, based on his own cruising in the early 1960s.

The 1990 ban resulted from complaints about violence, vandalism and other crimes on McHenry Avenue, the main cruise route at the time.

Sideshows are truly dangerous

Sideshow organizers take over streets or parking lots without permission. Police say the racing, burnouts and other reckless acts can endanger other people and damage property.

Jerry Thompson was among the cruising advocates who worked with Modesto police on the sideshow fines.

Modesto needs to be a safe community, he told the council. We dont want the kids out there with their parents, cruising, and be hurt by these guys who are acting crazy.

Thompson was seconded by Chris Murphy, a leader in Modestos effort to preserve Graffiti lore.

The illegal sideshows are truly dangerous, Murphy said. ... There is death, there is injury, and its frightening to a lot of people.

Turlock already fines spectators

Modestos ordinance comes three months after Turlock imposed $1,000 fines for sideshow spectators.

California cities already could use measures such as vehicle seizures and drivers license suspensions. Sideshows remain a threat nonetheless, Assistant Police Chief Ivan Valencia told the Modesto council.

He said organizers use social media and mobile phones to spread the word, and police radio scanners to monitor nearby officers.

Police said fining spectators is essential because sideshows are by definition about having an audience. People will not be cited if they come upon a blocked-off street accidentally.

What do you want to know about life in Modesto? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@modbee.com.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being honoured Bastille Day this year, reflecting deepening defence ties between France and India (Emmanuel DUNAND)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be guest of honour for France's Bastille Day celebrations on Friday, which are set to take place under tight security two weeks after the country was swept by riots.

Around 45,000 police will be deployed nationwide in the evening while firework sales have been banned as the government aims to prevent a repeat of the urban violence seen at the end of June.

The annual Bastille Day festivities, which mark the storming of the Bastille prison at the start of the French Revolution, kick off with a traditional military parade in the morning that will see over 5,000 people sweep down the Champs Elysees.

The honouring of Modi this year reflects deepening ties between France and India, which are celebrating 25 years of "strategic partnership".

Modi called Macron his "friend" in a speech to Indians living in France on Thursday evening.

"This closeness is not limited to just the leaders of two countries, it is in fact a reflection of the unwavering friendship between India and France," Modi said.

The Indian defence ministry on Thursday announced its intention to procure another 26 French-made Rafale fighter jets as well as three more Scorpene-class submarines in a deal expected to be worth billions of euros.

Despite differences over the war in Ukraine and tensions over human rights in India, Western democracies are courting Modi and India as a military and economic counterweight to China.

Macron's red carpet welcome comes weeks after Modi was given the rare honour of a White House state dinner in Washington -- a city he was once banned from visiting.

Macron told a meeting of military leaders on Thursday evening that India was "a giant of world history which will have a decisive role for our future".

- 'Preventative measures' -

Bastille Day is set to be a more sober affair than in previous years following five nights of rioting from June 27 after the fatal police shooting of a teenager in Paris.

The most intense urban clashes in nearly two decades saw thousands of cars torched, public property destroyed and over 3,700 people arrested, many of them minors.

"We're not worried about anything. We're just being careful," the head of the Paris police, Laurent Nunez, told the BFM channel on Thursday.

Some towns have cancelled their traditional firework displays out of fear of violence and buses and trams are to stop running in the Paris region from 10 pm (2000 GMT).

"Can you believe that in the great democracy of France, we are giving up on our national day because of the fear generated by potential violence or potential riots by some people?" far-right opposition leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday.

She called the government measures "an admission of a total loss of confidence in the state".

The main Paris fireworks display is set to go ahead and will be watched by Macron and Modi after they have attended a banquet with 200 guests at the Louvre Museum.

- Hindu nationalism -

Amid the diplomatic courting of Modi, a resolution from the European parliament on Thursday served as a reminder that he and his Hindu nationalist agenda have garnered critics at home and abroad.

EU parliamentarians approved a motion urging India to end violence in northeastern Manipur state and to protect minorities there.

Clashes between the majority Meitei, who are mostly Hindus, and the mainly Christian Kuki tribe have left at least 120 people dead, 50,000 displaced and over 1,700 houses destroyed, the parliament said.

It criticised the "nationalistic rhetoric" of the local state government, run by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Honouring Modi at Bastille Day was "an affront not only to India's minority communities, journalists and human rights defenders, but also to India as a democracy," the text's chief negotiator, Pierre Larrouturou, said afterwards.

Leading French academic and Indian specialist Christophe Jaffrelot said Modi was "in the process of deconstructing India's democratic institutions" in an article published this week.

The Indian leader lauded his country's economic performance under his stewardship in a speech to thousands of Indians living in France on Thursday evening and stressed the country's growing clout in global affairs.

"India is the mother of democracy and India is the model of diversity. This is a great strength of ours," he added.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Authorities seized last Wednesday 15 shipping containers full of smuggled refined sugar originally misdeclared as silica sand at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), the Bureau of Customs said Friday.

The 15 containers of refined sugar were consigned to Smile Agri Ventures Inc. However, the MICP has not yet determined the exact amount of sugar and its market value, the BOC added.

The agency said authorities are investigating the smuggled sugar and that criminal cases for violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) could possibly be filed against the individuals involved.

This came less than a week after the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the Department of Agriculture (DA) approved the importation of another 150,000 metric tons of sugar as a shortage is projected to hit consumers in late August.

READ: SRA approves importation of another 150,000 MT of refined sugar

As of July 13, the DA said refined sugar was sold from 85 to 110 per kilogram in Metro Manila. Meanwhile, washed sugar was sold from 82 to 90, and brown sugar from 78 to 90.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Exchange on Friday, former BOC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said excessive importation worsened smuggling.

"The remedy in previous administrations was that we import. With that, we encourage smuggling. If smugglers can smuggle through our ports, they do not pay duties and taxes, they have an edge already once they sell it to the market, they gain an edge in the pricing of their goods," he said.

Ruiz added that the country's smuggling problem required a "whole of democracy approach."

"The Philippines alone cannot be the one fighting it. We must also strengthen our linkages with other government administrations in other countries," he said.

According to the former BOC chief, the country loses hundreds of billions of pesos annually to smuggling.
Members of India's armed forces took part in the parade (Emmanuel DUNAND)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured during France's Bastille Day celebrations on Friday, which are taking place under tight security two weeks after riots swept the country.

Around 45,000 police are set to be deployed nationwide in the evening while firework sales have been banned as the government aims to prevent a repeat of the urban violence seen at the end of June following the police killing of a teenager.

The annual Bastille Day festivities, which mark the storming of the Bastille prison at the start of the French Revolution in 1789, kicked off with a traditional military parade in the morning that saw tanks, planes and soldiers sweep down the Champs Elysees.

Several hundred Indian soldiers took part, while three of the 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets acquired by New Delhi as part of a sweeping military overhaul also flew over Paris.

"We were able to all see a marvellous image of our cooperation on sea, land and in the skies," Modi told Macron during a joint statement by the leaders following talks at the presidential palace.

The Indian defence ministry on Thursday announced its intention to procure another 26 Rafales for use on its new aircraft carrier, as well as three more Scorpene-class submarines in a deal expected to be worth billions of euros.

Macron's red carpet welcome comes weeks after Modi was given the rare honour of a White House state dinner in Washington -- a city he was once banned from visiting.

Despite differences over the war in Ukraine and concerns over human rights in India, Western democracies are courting New Delhi as a military and economic counterweight to China.

Macron referred to a "convergence" between France and India 25 years after they first signed a strategic partnership deal.

"We defend the same idea together of the Indo-Pacific, a space that must remain open and free of all hegemonic power," he said during the press conference with Modi, in a veiled reference to Beijing.

Ahead of the parade, Macron awarded Modi the grand cross of the Legion of Honour, the country's top order of merit.

- 'Loss of confidence' -

Bastille Day is set to be a more sober affair than in previous years following five nights of rioting from June 27 after the fatal police shooting of a teenager in a Paris suburb.

The most intense urban clashes in nearly two decades saw thousands of cars torched, public property destroyed and more than 3,700 people arrested, many of them minors.

Some towns have cancelled their traditional firework displays out of fear of violence, and buses and trams are to stop running in the Paris region from 10:00 pm (2000 GMT).

"Can you believe that in the great democracy of France, we are giving up on our national day because of the fear generated by potential violence or potential riots by some people?" far-right opposition leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday.

She called the government measures "an admission of a total loss of confidence in the state".

Security forces were deployed en masse ahead of Bastille Day on Thursday night which had been "relatively calm", the interior ministry said.

The main Paris fireworks display is set to go ahead on Friday evening and will be watched by Macron and Modi after they attend a banquet with 200 guests at the Louvre Museum.

- Hindu nationalism -

Amid the diplomatic courting of Modi, a resolution from the European Parliament on Thursday served as a reminder that he and his Hindu nationalist agenda have garnered critics at home and abroad.

EU parliamentarians approved a motion urging India to end violence in northeastern Manipur state and protect minorities there.

Clashes between the majority Meitei, who are mostly Hindus, and the mainly Christian Kuki tribe have left at least 120 people dead, 50,000 displaced and more than 1,700 houses destroyed, the parliament said.

It criticised the "nationalistic rhetoric" of the local state government, run by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.

Opposition left-wing politicians in India criticised the wooing of Modi, with Socialist party boss Olivier Faure calling him a "fascistic autocrat".

The Indian leader lauded his country's economic performance under his stewardship in a speech to thousands of Indians living in France on Thursday evening and stressed the country's growing clout in global affairs.

"India is the mother of democracy and India is the model of diversity. This is a great strength of ours," he added.

burs-adp/fb
(Bloomberg) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to boost cooperation with France in defense, nuclear energy and space as part of a 25-year plan to deepen ties as the South Asian nation presents itself as a bulwark against China.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron during a trip to Paris, he said defense is a key pillar of the Franco-Indian relationship. India has said it plans to purchase three Scorpene submarines made by Frances Naval Group and 26 Rafale fighter jets built by Dassault Aviation SA.

We are celebrating the 25-year anniversary of our strategic partnership, Modi told reporters at the Elysee Palace on Friday. Based on this, we are preparing roadmaps for the next 25 years.

He described the two countries as natural partners and said India was considering joint production of defense equipment, including helicopter engines, as well as cooperation on small modular nuclear reactors. Progress has been slow on bigger reactors made by Electricite de France SA.

Modi was invited as guest of honor to attend the annual Bastille Day military parade in Paris, which celebrates the French Revolution, and was given the Legion of Honor, Frances most prestigious award. Previous foreign guests include former US President Donald Trump and German ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Macron has sought to deepen political and business ties with emerging powers including India, the worlds most populated country and the current leader of the Group of 20 nations, as part of efforts to push back against Chinas rise. Total goods traded between France and India approached $15.8 billion in 2022, up 6%.

The closeness between Moscow and Beijing has allowed Modi to position India as a partner in Asia for Paris, Washington and their allies looking to draw New Delhi into their orbit by offering weapons platforms and investments.

Macron and Modi said theyll coordinate their policies in the Indo-Pacific region, which France sees as strategic because it hosts some 1.6 million of its citizens. Paris also has a military presence in French overseas islands there, including New Caledonia, Wallis-and-Futuna and Mayotte, with some 8,000 soldiers. Macron is planning on traveling there at the end of the month, and hes expected to go to India in September.

Still, India has rejected Western pressure to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine. The country has kept close ties with Moscow, which is its biggest weapons supplier, although Russia is now slowing deliveries. Last week, Modi participated in an online meeting of leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Group, which included Russian President Vladimir Putin. India also purchases oil from Russia.

An official in Macrons office said thats no reason to dismiss India as a partner and argued that Modi was willing to maintain ties with both Russia and Ukraine, and to help out. The French president has also sought to convince Beijing to mediate with Putin despite tensions over Taiwan.

We share a common concern on a risk of fragmentation of the international community, especially in the context of the war led by Russia in Ukraine, Macron said alongside Modi. We share the same objective: A long-lasting peace, and countering the consequences this war of aggression has on the most vulnerable countries, notably in terms of food safety and funding capacities.

Last month, India signed a flurry of defense agreements with the US during Modis first state visit  including a project by General Electric Co. to jointly manufacture the F414 engines used in fighter jets with state-owned Indian firm Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Germanys Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.s marine arm and Indias Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. have also signed an initial agreement to jointly build submarines for the Indian navy.

India and the US, along with Japan and Australia, are members of the so-called Quad grouping, seen as a counter to Chinas growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing, which has a border conflict with New Delhi, has criticized the group as a clique that could stoke a new Cold War.

Jet Purchases

Top French exports to India include aircraft and telecommunications equipment. Earlier this year, Indias dominant carrier, IndiGo, placed a record-breaking order with Airbus SE for 500 narrowbody aircraft, following an agreement by Air India Ltd. to purchase 250 planes.

India already purchased 36 Rafale jets in 2015 for about 7.9 billion, and French Mirage jets in the 1980s, thus joining a Rafale club that includes Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. In 2005, New Delhi bought six Scorpene diesel-powered submarines from Naval Group, which built them in partnership with Mazagon. The sixth submarine will be delivered next year.

Modi and Macron were due to watch a fireworks display in Paris together later Friday after a dinner at the Louvre museum with executives of Indian and French companies.

--With assistance from Samy Adghirni and Bibhudatta Pradhan.

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CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean accepted the resignation of the interior minister and two other ministers on Friday, two weeks after a deadly shootout at the country's main international airport.

Announcing the decision to reporters at a briefing, Recean thanked the ministers for their work in government, but did say why they had resigned.

The opposition had demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Ana Revenco over the shooting incident on June 30 at Chisinau airport. She resigned along with Minister of Science and Education Anatolie Topal and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Lilia Dabija.

A 43-year-old Tajik man shot dead two security officers and wounded a civilian after being denied entry to Moldova following his arrival on a flight from Istanbul. The Tajik man later died after being wounded during a shootout at the airport.

Recean is expected to propose candidates for the vacant posts to President Maia Sandu on Monday.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, Writing by Anna Pruchnicka, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Moms for Liberty Outnumbered by LGBTQ+ Supporters Outside Youth Center

LGBTQ+ Supporters outside the Rainbow Room

In Pennsylvania, extremists from Moms for Liberty protested outside a youth community center and were met with overwhelming support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Over 200 people rallied to support Doylestowns LGBTQ+ youth center after about a dozen protestors demonstrated against it, PhillyBurbs.com reports.

The Rainbow Room was the target of a protest on Monday organized by Canadian anti-LGBTQ+ activist Billboard Chris Elston.

Im going to Planned Parenthoods Rainbow Room youth indoctrination event in Doylestown, PA on Wednesday evening, Elston wrote on Twitter. Some lovely @Moms4Liberty will be joining me, along with a journalist or two. Come join our party outside!

 (@)

As a prominent face of the far-right anti-trans movement, Elston wears sandwich boards emblazoned with slogans like Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.

In an address to Moms For Libertys national meeting earlier this month in Philadelphia, Elston referred to gender-affirming medical care as the greatest child abuse scandal in modern medicine history.

Moms for Liberty was recently designated an anti-government extremist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

There is no such thing as a transgender child. Theyre called girls and boys, and theyre beautiful just as they are, Elston told the conference audience.

Rainbow Room has been recognized nationally as a resource and safe space for LGBTQ+ teens and allies.

A national culture war over LGBTQ+ rights has recently engulfed Bucks County where the center is, leading to the youth center being targeted in public meetings and on social media. Parents who support conservative policies in Central Bucks Schools have taken issue with the Rainbow Room. There is a false claim that kids who go there are subjected to grooming.

Throughout the last few years, Republicans and far-right extremists have falsely accused LGBTQ+ people of harming children.

Elston perpetuated the groomer rhetoric earlier this week.

The Rainbow Room brings together 14-year-olds with 21-year-olds to teach all sorts of queer inclusive sex, wrote Elston. Groomer central.

 (@)

None of what he asserted is true.

Having at least one adult in the life of LGBTQ+ youth who supports and affirms them dramatically reduces their risk of suicidal ideation.
An Ohio woman filed a class action lawsuit against Bank of America Friday.

She says the bank opened a credit card account behind her back.

The lawsuit, uncovered by Action 9s Jason Stoogenke, claims Bank of America put a lot of pressure on its employees to meet certain sales quotas and that the bank routinely  and shockingly  opened consumer accounts for products without the consumers authorization or knowledge to maximize profits over the course of a decade.

RELATED: Feds order Bank of America to pay $250 million for opening fake accounts and other allegations

The plaintiff even accuses bankers of forging consumers signatures and misusing their sensitive information in the process.

The lawsuit says customers ended up with unexpected fees, impacts to their credit, and headaches undoing the damage.

This comes just days after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered the bank to pay $250 million for opening fake accounts and other allegations. More than $100 million of that is meant for consumers. You dont have to apply for the money. If you qualify, payment is automatic.

The CFPB says Bank of America broke the law in three ways:

1. The CFPB says the bank charged some customers penalties twice for not having enough money in their accounts.

2. The CFPB claims the bank promised cash and bonus points to tens of thousands of people who signed up for Bank of America credit cards but didnt deliver.

3. The CFPB accuses the bank of using peoples personal information to open accounts without their permission. The agency says consumers ended up with fees, blemishes on their credit reports, and extra work undoing the damage.

RELATED: Bank of America fined for junk fees, opening accounts without authorization, CFPB says

As for Bank of Americas side of the story, it told Stoogenke it wont comment on pending litigation. However, the governments order says the bank consented to the $250 million order but doesnt admit or deny wrongdoing and the alleged acts involved a small percentage of the banks new accounts.

(VIDEO: Feds order Bank of America to pay $250 million for opening fake accounts and other allegations)
More military reservists to be sent to Europe, angering some in GOP

President Joe Biden issued an executive order that would make it possible for 3,000 additional reservists to be sent to NATOs eastern flank, the White House announced this week.

Senior military officials stressed that this does not mean increasing the number of troops heading for Europe, but instead adds reservists to the shrinking pool of active duty troops available for rotations there. As the military faces one of its toughest recruiting crises, this move allows the Pentagon to dip into its pool of reservists to find skills needed for the European rotations.

As an example, over time, where we may have had someone from an active component organization doing something, that job now under these authorities may be something that a reserve component unit may be able to do, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing on the executive order, which was made public Thursday.

The Individual Ready Reserve are trained soldiers who may be called upon, if needed, to replace soldiers in active duty and Army Reserve units, according to a statement from the Army.

But some Republicans were quick to criticize Bidens order as escalatory and warned against sending any and U.S. service members to fight in Ukraine, though none are fighting there and U.S. European Command reiterated in a statement that no such change is planned: This will not change current force posture levels in Europe.

Still, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES were U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine.

President Biden is arguably walking the U.S. up to the line of war and daring Russia to shoot first, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said in a tweet.

 1. Ive been trying to figure out what this means. Bottom line up front: President Biden is arguably walking the U.S. up to the line of war and daring Russia to shoot first. https://t.co/582PurORr7  Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) July 14, 2023

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in a Fox News interview that the reservists and National Guardsmen are being called up for specialized administrative functions  and that the changing security environment in Europe demands more support for U.S. personnel in NATOs east.

This basically is a realization of the fact that the president knows that the security environment in Europe is changed, Kirby said. Weve got to make sure that weve got the proper force posture to support an additional eastern flank presence for the long-haul.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Pentagon has deployed more than 20,000 additional forces to Europe. That brings the total number of American service members operating in Europe to more than 100,000.
Most difficult battles being fought on five fronts  General Staff report

The Russian invaders still continue to focus their main efforts on the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka fronts. Heavy fighting is ongoing there.

Source: evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: About 20 combat clashes took place on these fronts during the day.

Today, the Russian occupiers launched yet another air and missile attack on the territory of Ukraine, using 17 Shahed attack drones and 1 anti-aircraft guided missile from the S-300 air defence system. As a result of the successful combat work of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, 16 Shahed drones were destroyed.

In addition, the Russians carried out 43 airstrikes and launched 17 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems.

At the same time, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Defence Forces delivered 13 strikes on areas of concentration of Russian personnel and 1 strike on a Russian anti-aircraft missile system during the day.

Units of Rocket Forces and Artillery hit Russian artillery in firing positions nine times during the day.

The operational situation on the Volyn and Polissia fronts remains much the same as before. There is no evidence of Russia forming offensive units there. Units of Russian forces are undergoing training and coordination on training grounds in the Republic of Belarus before being deployed to fight in Ukraine.

The Russians maintain a military presence on the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts. During the day, they carried out an airstrike on Radkivka, Sumy Oblast. They carried out mortar and artillery attacks on more than 15 settlements.

On the Kupiansk front, Ukrainian soldiers are firmly holding the defence. Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kamianka, Kyslivka, Berestove and Fyholivka of Kharkiv Oblast were subjected to Russian artillery and mortar attacks.

On the Lyman front, during the day, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensives west of Dibrova of Luhansk Oblast and east of Novosadove of Donetsk Oblast. More than 10 settlements were hit by artillery fire.

On the Bakhmut front, under heavy fire from Russian aircraft and artillery, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled all Russian attacks in the vicinity of Berkhivka of Donetsk Oblast. More than 10 settlements were damaged by Russian artillery shelling.

On the Avdiivka front, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the Pervomaiske area. They carried out airstrikes in the Avdiivka and Pervomaiske districts of Donetsk Oblast. At the same time, the Russians fired artillery at more than 10 settlements.

On the Marinka front, the Defence Forces continue to hold back the advance of Russian troops in the area of Marinka. The Russians shelled more than 10 settlements.

On the Shakhtarsk front, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the Novomykhailivka area of Donetsk Oblast. They shelled the settlements of Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Novoukrainka, Blahodatne, and Bohoiavlenka.

On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts, the Russians are concentrating their main efforts on preventing the further advance of Ukrainian troops. They carried out airstrikes in the areas of Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia Oblast), and Hrozove (Kherson Oblast). They shelled more than 20 settlements. At the same time, the Defence Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation on the Melitopol and Berdiansk fronts, are gaining a foothold on the achieved borders, inflict artillery fire on identified Russian targets, and carry out counter-battery measures.

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Police said five people were hospitalized after a shooting incident in Bladensburg, Maryland.

Roads were closed at the intersection of Annapolis Road and Bladensburg Road in Colmar Manor while authorities investigate the scene of the shooting, Bladensburg police said.

"We will be holding a News Briefing to provide an update on the contact shooting at Annapolis Rd/Bladensburg Rd. The briefing will take place at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park located at 4500 Annapolis Rd and it will be held at 3:00pm," the police department said.

US EXPERIENCES DEADLIEST 6 MONTHS OF MASS KILLINGS RECORDED IN OVER 15 YEARS

Police responded to reports of a shooting incident at the 4300 block of Bladensburg Rd., in Bladensburg, Maryland.

Multiple people were reportedly shot, according to FOX 5 DC. The outlet reported that five people were taken to the hospital, with three victims in critical condition.

SECOND SUSPECT ARRESTED IN KANSAS NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Officials said five people were taken to the hospital, with three victims in critical condition, FOX 5 DC reported.

Edmonston Police Department officers are assisting with the investigation. Residents were advised to avoid the 4300 Block of Bladensburg Rd. "due to an isolated shooting incident that occurred," Edmonston police said.

Bladensburg Rd and Annapolis Rd were closed as police investigate the shooting.

This is a developing story and will be updated.
Murder suspect charged with killing second woman after being released by police

Fiona Holm vanished from Hither Green in June - Facebook

A man has been charged with murdering two women in south-east London five months apart.

Naomi Hunte, 41, was found suffering from fatal stab wounds at an address in Greenwich on Valentines Day this year.

Carl Cooper, 65, was arrested on suspicion of murder four days later on Feb 18, but was subsequently bailed and then released under investigation.

Fiona Holm was reported missing on June 29 from the Hither Green area of south east London and earlier this week Mr Cooper was arrested on suspicion of her murder.

He has now been charged with killing both women and is due to appear before Bromley magistrates court.

Naomi Hunte was found dead on Valentine's Day - Metropolitan Police

Ms Holm was last seen alive at an off licence in Verdant Lane in Hither Green on June 20 and was reported missing nine days later.

Her body has not yet been found and police are continuing to conduct searches at properties and open spaces in south east London.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed that the matter had been referred to the Mets Directorate of Professional Standards in line with protocols when the death of a missing person is reported.

The spokesman also confirmed that the suspect was known to both women.

It is understood Mr Cooper was not on bail at the time Ms Holm disappeared but had been released under investigation.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.
Myrtle Beach businesses and residents have seen an increase in unwanted guests, as trespassing calls are on the rise in the city.

Its a problem that the Myrtle Beach Police department is addressing, focusing more on reducing the number of such calls they receive, according to spokesperson Cpl. Christopher Starling.

The police department reported more than 1,000 additional trespassing calls in 2022, going from 2,651 in 2021 to 3,798 last year.

The increase of such calls is surprising compared to other reported calls in 2022. Police reported that calls for such major incidents as traffic vehicle accidents, domestic violence and shooting incidents have decreased. However, calls for trespassing, traffic stops and animals calls have gone up.

Starling isnt sure why trespassing numbers were so high last year. The calls come from a variety of sources, he said, including businesses and community members.

Our focus is to work with our city departments, residents, local businesses, and service providers to address ongoing concerns, Starling said by email. We continue to implement our Trespass Enforcement Authorization Program (TEAP) to assist with unwanted guests at various locations this applies.

A large number of the trespassing citations or arrests are within the homeless community, Starling said.

The department has been working to educate the public, including the homeless community, about the program, which allows police to enforce trespass ordinances on private property when property owners or business owners are not present.

(We are) trying to make sure that people know what it is and (to) take advantage of it, he said. (The homeless) mill around and dont know where they should go. If they see the sign, they know not to go there.

Police enforcing trespassing violations under a program

From June 1 through July 13, there have been more than 50 trespassing citations or arrests, according to the police departments Daily Bulletin. Many of those were written under the TEAP program, which has existed since 2013.

The total number of trespassing calls this year was unavailable by publication.

There are 327 participants currently signed up for the program, Starling said.

Under the ordinance, a property or building owner, property manager or person having legal control of the property or their legal representative can authorize the police department to enforce the city trespass statute on their property.

Property owners must fill out an application and affidavit, which must be notarized. After receiving the document, police will then conduct a site visit to determine if the location is appropriate for participation, Starling said. Some things that can make a property unsuitable is excessive undergrowth, he said.

If the property is deemed suitable for the program, authorized signs can be purchased from the city that will be placed at the location. After becoming part of the program, participants property locations will be provided to law enforcement divisions.

Signs distributed by the City of Myrtle Beach warn against trespass as part of the citys Trespass Enforcement Authorization Program. July 12, 2023.

Some of the businesses that are part of the program and recently had trespassers cited on their property include a multi-tenant office complex, an abandoned fast food restaurant and an oceanfront hotel.

At the Myrtle Offices, 1601 N. Oak St., there are no trespassing signs all around the complex, which includes such businesses as law firms, finance services and medical offices.

Despite all the signage, the property manager said the complex does get trespassers from time to time, which requires them to call the police.

City spokesman Mark Kruea said concerns about trespassing on private property usually go to the police department.

Of course, private property owners do not want their land misused, abused, littered or otherwise harmed or occupied without their permission, he said by email. The concerns are not limited to just one section of the city. We also have ordinances which prohibit certain activities, such as impromptu parties, on private parking lots. All of these efforts align with the publics interest in a safe, clean and law-abiding community.

Police would rather have businesses call if there is a problem, Starling said. He encourages those who see something to say something. This helps police to reduce such incidents, including the prevention of property being damaged, Starling said.

Our Myrtle Beach community plays a big role in this program and we encourage our residents, businesses, and visitors to contact (Myrtle Beach Police Department) at our non-emergency number of 843-918-1382, if they see something that looks suspicious, Starling said.

When are you trespassing in South Carolina?

Trespassing laws in South Carolina can be somewhat confusing. In short, here are some of the basic points.

It is considered trespassing when someone enters a property after being warned not to enter, either verbally or in writing. However, it is not actually considered trespassing unless the person is notified by the landowner.

Trespassing becomes criminal when visible signs state no trespassing and the owner has asked you to leave or has previously asked that you not come onto the property, which includes private residences, businesses and land.

It is considered trespassing to enter private property without the permission of the owner, even if no notice has been posted.

If the part of the property where the trespass has occurred is pasture land, posting signs prohibiting trespass in the area is sufficient to warrant an arrest.

If someone enters cultivated lands to hunt, fish, trap, or harvest raw materials without permission, this is also considered criminal trespass.

Under South Carolina law, trespassing is typically considered a misdemeanor offense punishable by fines and up to 30 days in jail.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday disclosed that South Korea is funding 21 projects in the Philippines, with more expected in the pipeline, including flagship projects.

There are 21 of them and we anticipate even an increase of that, Marcos said during the inauguration of the Samar Pacific Coastal Road (SPCR) Project.

Marcos did not elaborate on the projects.

Meanwhile, the SPCR project was constructed with the assistance of the government of the Republic of Korea, the palace said.

It is an 11.6-kilometer road with three component bridges stretching from Simora Junction in the Municipality of Laoang going to Barangay Mabaras in the Municipality of Palapag.

I am certain that this undertaking will only further strengthen the cooperation between the Philippines and South Korea," Marcos said. "The completion of this key infrastructure initiative links the so-called Pacific towns of Samar and establishes a circumferential road around the entire island connecting markets, industries and communities."

The president said Korea has always been a very good friend to the Philippines, as he also expressed his gratitude for the latters aid following the deadly Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

I look forward to more collaboration and more flagship projects for the greater good of the Filipino people, he said.

Earlier this year, the Mindanao Development Authority said South Korea has committed to funding five projects in the southern Philippines, including the University of Southern MindanaoNorth Cotabato Campus Developing Land Management Options for Diverse Cacao-based System and the Department of Trade and Industrys Mainstream Energy Efficiency in MSME buildings.

In December, the Philippines and South Korean governments also sealed a loan agreement covering 2022 to 2026 for infrastructure projects.
Naples businessman Abe Asli, 78, with right elbow leaning on statue, and other dignitaries in Stockholm in late May. Asli honored Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who helped to rescue Jews during the Holocaust of World War II.

Its been more than three decades since Naples businessman Abe Asli left his beloved adopted country after 20-plus years to give his children the opportunity to live and study in the United States.

As the years passed, Aslis love for Sweden never wavered. Nor did his abundant admiration for Raoul Wallenberg, whose heroism in the face of the horrors of the Holocaust inspired Asli to commission a bust of the late Swedish diplomat at his own expense.

I talked to him every day, Asli said. "I told him, Dont be sad, my friend, Ill get you in a good place. I will never give up before I get you home.

In late May, what grew into a decade-long effort culminated with the unveiling of Stockholms first Wallenberg statue at a prominent waterfront spot in the Swedish capital.

Until recently, the bust remained in Aslis East Naples office for nearly 10 years, he said, as he navigated from afar the byzantine twists of municipal bureaucracy in Swedens capital and largest city.

Wallenberg rescued thousands of Jews

Frustrated at times, the 78-year-old Asli remained undeterred, enlisting support from officials not only in Sweden but also United States and Israeli diplomats.

The bust is near the site where Wallenberg (representing a neutral country in the war) was commissioned to lead a rescue operation in Budapest, Hungary, where the U.S.-educated businessman had contacts.

Sheltering both Jewish refugees and other victims of political persecution in a series of safe houses, Wallenberg was last seen in January 1945, when he left the city to meet a Soviet commander and never returned. He is believed to have died in a Soviet prison two years later.

Wallenberg is credited with saving thousands of Jews during World War II.

He fought against injustice, and brutality  political brutality, Asli said. And they killed him."

In many, many countries, people are sitting in prison for having conversations like this, Asli added, describing the contemporary relevance of Wallenbergs legacy and his own efforts to keep history alive.

That is why we need to remember. Wallenberg is not finished. The injustice and brutality continue. Maybe far from our eyes, but it is happening. So, we must keep fighting for democracy, for justice, for childrens rights, for human rights.

Asli's efforts to honor Wallenberg a 'shining example'

Jeffrey Feld, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, hailed Aslis persistence, determination and commitment to create a modern memorial to a 20th century humanitarian.

Abes efforts to honor Raoul Wallenberg in the country both men called home are truly inspirational, Feld said. He is a shining example of the selfless sacrifice for the greater good that guided Wallenbergs own bravery and commitment to the best humanity has to offer.

Wallenbergs rescue mission is already commemorated elsewhere in Sweden, as well as here in the U.S.

In Stockholm, theres a monument near the Baltic Sea waterfront, with a dozen elongated bronze figures framed by a bronze replica of Wallenbergs signature  a commemoration of the many lifesaving Swedish passports which bore his name.

'We must learn from his example'

A bronze briefcase engraved with Raoul Wallenbergs initials depicts the nondescript accessory in which he carried those prized passports. The briefcase is in Wallenberg's hometown on the outskirts of Stockholm. Similar sculptures are on display at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and outside the United Nations headquarters in New York.

In his hometown on the outskirts of Stockholm, a bronze briefcase engraved with Wallenbergs initials depicts the nondescript accessory in which he carried those prized passports. Similar sculptures are on display at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and outside the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Olle Wastberg, a former Swedish member of Parliament and consul-general in New York, collaborated closely with Asli on the project. He called the role of the Swedish-American  a self-described Persian who is born in what is now Iran  pivotal in the statue finding a new home.

Among those in attendance at the busts unveiling was Kate Wacz, who as a child was rescued by Wallenberg; Israeli Ambassador to Sweden Ziv Nevo Kulman; Adrien Muller, Hungary ambassador to Sweden; and members of the Wallenberg family.

'This just isn't OK': SWFL anti-hate group upset with Mann Hall for scheduling Roseanne Barr

Whether in Europe, the U.S. or across the world, intolerance and hate are at levels not seen in generations, Wastberg said. We need more people like Abe Asli committed to shining a powerful beacon on the forces of peace, goodwill and humanitarian values.

Naples businessman Abe Asli, 78, who led efforts to honor his friend Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, who helped to rescue Jews during the Holocaust of World War II. Asli and others dedicated a statue of Wallenberg in Stockholm in late May.

Asli is insistent that he deserves no special credit for the Stockholm project. He defers credit to his colleagues while emphasizing that Wallenberg, nearly 80 years after his death, is to be not just admired but to also serve as an example of real change.

Raoul Wallenberg is a movement, Asli said, a movement of equality and human rights. We must learn from his example and be in solidarity with one another.

Alan Zagier is a senior public relations strategist with Priority Marketing in Fort Myers.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples man honors Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg in Sweden
Athony Blinken

Long-term NATO commitments to Kyiv made at the recent summit in Vilnius clearly demonstrate that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will not be able to outlast Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on July 14, as reported by CNN.

Read also: Nordic countries to join G7 security guarantees to Ukraine

The secretary noted that the pledges made by NATO countries may be the best way to disabuse Vladimir Putin of the idea that he could somehow outlast Ukraine, and outlast the dozens of countries that are supporting Ukraine.

As long as he (Putin) continues to believe that somehow he will prevail, he's likely to continue, said Blinken.

He needs to be disabused of that notion. These long-term commitments to Ukraines security, but also to its economic well-being, as well as humanitarian assistance, are probably the best way to do that.

He also commented that the West has yet to observe any signs that Moscow might be prepared to end the war.

Read also: Russia's war against Ukraine to top agenda at BRICS summit, says South African president

NATO members gathered for the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12. Delegations from Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Ukraine, and Sweden were also present, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in attendance.

Read also: Ukraine will join NATO, problems with Mavics, success near Bakhmut

On July 11, NATO countries in a joint communique expressed that Ukraine would be invited to join the Alliance once all member countries agree and requisite conditions are met.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg indicated that Ukraine no longer needs to fulfill the Membership Action Plan, effectively saying that Kyiv will be able to ultimately join the defensive alliance on an expedited procedure.

On July 12, Zelenskyy expressed his belief that Ukraine would receive an invitation to join NATO post-war.

Read also: Ukraine will join NATO; Putin already lost  Biden

G7 leaders announced a new set of security guarantees for Ukraine, focusing on equipping the Ukrainian military to be able to deter any future Russian aggression.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A newly surfaced image of Prigozhin hints at where the Wagner boss may have finally ended up after his failed mutiny

A Belarusian soldier walks through a newly-built camp on a site previously used by the Belarusian army that could potentially accommodate up to 5,000 Wagner troops, on July 07, 2023, 90 kilometers (approximately 55 miles) southeast of Minsk, in Asipovichy District, Belarus. Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)

The whereabouts of Yevgeny Prigozhin have been anyone's guess since Wagner's armed mutiny.

But a new photo of the mercenary boss offers a hint that he may be at a military camp in Belarus.

Minsk said on Friday that Wagner forces had started training Belarusian soldiers at the camp.

The whereabouts of Yevgeny Prigozhin have been largely shrouded in mystery since he mobilized the Wagner Group to carry out a short-lived mutiny against Russia's military leadership last month.

But a newly surfaced image of the mercenary organization's leader, which was widely circulated across social media on Friday, hints that he may now be living in a makeshift tent at a Belarus military camp alongside Wagner fighters who have started training Belarusian soldiers. The tent where he was photographed matches those photographed a week before during an official tour of the disused installation led by Belarussian officials.

As part of the negotiations to end the Wagner Group's armed rebellion on June 24 before it could reach Moscow, the mercenary fighters were given the option to seek exile in Belarus alongside Prigozhin, sign contracts with Russia's military, or just go home to avoid prosecution.

Belarus has since offered to host Wagner Group fighters at an abandoned military camp near Tsel in the country's central Asipovichy district. Satellite imagery captured on June 29 and obtained by Insider shows and aerial view of the camp, where dozens of new tents were reportedly constructed in the two weeks prior.

A Skyfi satellite image of the training base at Tsel outside Osipovichi in Belarus where Wagner forces are training Belarusian troops. Image courtesy of Skyfi

Photographs taken at the camp by international media last week showed rows of empty tents that are capable of accommodating a few thousand troops. Still, it remained unclear how many Wagner fighters actually planned to head to the camp. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Tuesday that the military alliance had not seen "any deployment or movement of any Wagner forces into Belarus."

On Friday, however, Belarus' defense ministry said Wagner fighters had begun training Belarusian territorial defense units near Asipovichy, according to state-run media site Belta.

Tents are seen at a newly-built camp on a site previously used by the Belarusian army that could potentially accommodate up to 5,000 Wagner troops, on July 07, 2023, 90 kilometers (approximately 55 miles) southeast of Minsk, in Asipovichy District, Belarus. Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images

A view of a tent camp site that, according to Belarusian Defence Ministry officials, could be offered as one of the spots to house Wagner fighters, in the military settlement of Tsel in the Asipovichy District of the Mogilev Region in Belarus on July 7, 2023. Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images

"According to the ministry, the units are drilling the skills of tactical shooting and movement on a battlefield. In addition, reservists are acquiring engineering and tactical medicine skills," Belta reported. "Instructors in some military disciplines are PMC Wagner fighters."

Wagner's reported training of Belarusian soldiers comes after the country's president, Alexander Lukashenko, boasted that Minsk has troops who are "roughly as good as Wagner personnel, or they may be even better," in comments earlier this month. That said, he also said he would welcome their training.

Where is Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin?

Over the past three weeks since his failed mutiny, Prigozhin's whereabouts have been a mystery.

He was supposedly cast into exile in Belarus as part of negotiations to call off the mutiny, but the Kremlin claimed earlier this week that on June 29  five days after the day-long mutiny ended  Prigozhin actually met with, and pledged loyalty to, Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. In early July, Prigozin  and a private jet linked to him  were reportedly in St. Petersburg.

Where Prigozhin has been since then has been anyone's guess. But the new image of Prigozhin suggests that he may be at the same military camp where his Wagner mercenaries are training Belarusian soldiers.

The photo, shared to Twitter by even senior Ukrainian officials, shows Prigozhin sitting upright on a small cot in a tent. Beside him are blankets, a duffle bag, and several electronics chargers. Behind him are two darkened windows.

The windows in the photo appear to match those on tents at the military camp being used by Wagner and Belarusian soldiers. The floorboards also appear to be the same as ones used in the tents.

The window of a tent is seen at a newly-built camp on a site previously used by the Belarusian army that could potentially accommodate up to 5,000 Wagner troops, on July 07, 2023, 90 kilometers (approximately 55 miles) southeast of Minsk, in Asipovichy District, Belarus. Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images

Sleeping cots are seen in a tent at a newly-built camp on a site previously used by the Belarusian army that could potentially accommodate up to 5,000 Wagner troops, on July 07, 2023, 90 kilometers (approximately 55 miles) southeast of Minsk, in Asipovichy District, Belarus. Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images

It's not immediately clear how many Wagner fighters are in Belarus, nor is it known if Prigozhin has any role in the training, assuming the camp in Belarus is where he is now.

In the months leading up to Prigozhin's mutiny, the Wagner Group played a key role on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine while fighting alongside Russia's regular military. Although the rebellion left questions about where Wagner fighters would end up, US officials have since said that they aren't fighting in Ukraine anymore.

"At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine," a Pentagon spokesperson told reporters at a Thursday briefing. Wagner forces pulled off the line after the battle for Bakhmut.

Even as Wagner's future continues to remain uncertain, Russia's defense ministry has been making a public showing of disarming the mercenaries. Moscow published a video this week showing a massive collection of weaponry and military hardware  including advanced tanks and other high-profile systems  confiscated from the organization.

"All equipment and armaments are transported to rear areas, where repair and recovery units of the Russian Armed Forces carry out maintenance and prepare them for use for their intended purpose," the defense ministry said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
East 27th Street is blocked off in 2021 after an LAPD bomb squad detonated confiscated fireworks, resulting in damage and injuries. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

In a routine act of journalism Saturday, two Times reporters went to the home of a Los Angeles police officer to see if she wanted to comment for a forthcoming news article. The article, they told her, would publicly name her for the first time as one of the LAPD bomb squad technicians whose botched fireworks detonation blew up a residential block in South L.A. in 2021.

Their reporting was significant because the explosion  which damaged dozens of buildings, injured 17 people and cost taxpayers millions of dollars  fueled deep anger in the community and complaints about a lack of transparency around the responsible officers.

When Sgt. Stefanie Alcocer asked the reporters to leave her property, they did.

Still, reporters Libor Jany and Brittny Mejia were accused of crossing an ethical line by LAPD Chief Michel Moore and the board of the police union. The LAPD has steadfastly withheld the technicians' names for the last two years. Moore called the reporters and Times executive editor Kevin Merida to complain directly.

Read more: From a fireworks tip to catastrophic failure in 12 hours: How the LAPD blew up a neighborhood

The reporters were also accused of "stalking" officers by the city's police union, which sent an inaccurate account of Saturday's interaction to its entire membership Monday.

"Random people knocking on our doors, following us, or stalking us until we get home is wrong," the email read in part.

The incident heightened growing tensions between local L.A. media and one of the city's most powerful public institutions. Media representatives have accused the LAPD of routinely violating their 1st Amendment rights. The city is suing a photojournalist  in part at the union's urging  to claw back a trove of police officers' pictures that the city itself released to him.

According to 1st Amendment scholars and media experts, the outrage over Jany and Mejia's reporting also shows an alarming misunderstanding of the rights and responsibilities of journalists among top police officials and union bosses in one of the nation's largest cities.

"Clearly they've never watched 'All the President's Men,' with all those pivotal scenes where doors are being knocked on," said Ken Paulson, former editor in chief of USA Today and now director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University.

An LAPD detective assists people leaving an area near East 27th and San Pedro streets on June 30, 2021, after a cache of illegal fireworks was seized inside a home. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The classic 1976 journalism film based on Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's book portrays the Washington Post's dogged reporting  including door knocking by the two reporters  to reveal details of the Watergate scandal that ended President Nixon's presidency.

Paulson said objections to reporters knocking on a police officer's door might be expected  though no more justified  from smaller, less sophisticated police departments, but the LAPD should know better. The union's decision to blast out the reporters' photographs in an email comparing their work to "stalking" was even more ridiculous, he said.

"The things being complained about by the union are absolute staples of American journalism," Paulson said. "[Reporters] do have an obligation to hold public officials accountable, [and] do have a duty to ask those public officials for their side of the story."

Joe Saltzman, a USC journalism professor who directs the Image of the Journalist in Popular Culture project at the Norman Lear Center, called the police objections "ludicrous"  and indicative of a growing misunderstanding in the U.S. of how a free press operates in a democracy.

"Getting all sides of the story is what journalists do, and anyone who tries to stop that is a knowing or unknowing threat to the freedom of information and the public's right to know," Saltzman said.

Bruce Shapiro, a journalism ethics professor at Columbia University, said the reporters' efforts to get comment from the officer represented "the height of professional responsibility."

Read more: LAPD treatment of journalists denounced, again, after abortion rights protest downtown

"Police officers are public servants paid by the taxpayers, and part of the responsibility of being public servants in a democracy involves answering reasonable questions from reporters about events of consequence in the community," Shapiro said.

"This is a normal part of reporting," he said, "and it's disturbing for a police department or a police union to launch an intimidation campaign against reporters who are performing their essential watchdog function  which has been reaffirmed by courts since the beginning of our republic."

Why the door knock?

In the wake of the botched detonation two years ago, residents whose lives were upended were livid and demanding answers. They wanted to know how the responsible officers, who had ignored warnings from a colleague about the explosive power of the fireworks, would be disciplined, they said.

State law generally requires the LAPD to name officers who fatally shoot people or who use force resulting in death or great bodily injury. Providing the names of officers accused of excessive force and other misconduct allows the public to assess the efficacy of the department's disciplinary process and whether it is holding officers accountable properly.

However, when it came to the officers who were responsible for the fireworks blast  which shredded residents' faces with window glass, damaged their eardrums and cracked the foundations of their homes  the department wouldn't name them or detail the discipline they faced, if any.

Instead, it worked to obscure that information, at times with the help  conscious or not  of others.

A shattered window is seen near the site of the explosion caused by the botched LAPD detonation of illegal fireworks. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who investigated the man who had stockpiled the fireworks, badly misspelled the name of the only bomb squad officer they identified in court filings  later calling it a "typo." The LAPD's inspector general, the department watchdog, not only left the officers' names out of its public report on the incident, but changed the pronouns they used for Alcocer from female to male, which further obscured her identity.

Despite the obfuscation, Jany, Mejia and fellow Times reporter Richard Winton had by Saturday succeeded in identifying several of the officers, the roles they played on the day of the explosion and some of their discipline. What they didn't have, they said, was the officers' own accounts of what happened.

So they set out to get them.

Read more: L.A. sues journalist, activist group to claw back photos of undercover officers

To ensure fairness and accuracy, reporters are trained to seek out comment from those they are writing about, particularly if they are reporting alleged misconduct.

Sometimes the subjects of stories provide additional information that clears up discrepancies or undermines the claims of others. Sometimes those accused of wrongdoing want to express personal remorse, regret or compassion, or reveal things that a police or union spokesperson would prevent them from sharing.

"Journalists know that going through a communications officer leads to a spin on the information by people in charge," Paulson said. "You do not get a candid response from an officer if it's filtered through someone who is paid to make the police department look good."

Jany and Mejia had been to several officers' homes without any problems before arriving at the home of Alcocer, a 12-year bomb squad veteran. On the day of the explosion, Alcocer had primarily been responsible for constructing a counter charge to detonate the confiscated fireworks inside a "total containment vessel" the LAPD had parked on the residential street, the reporters had learned from an inspector general's report and interviews.

The controlled fireworks detonation destroyed an LAPD bomb squad vehicle, know as a "total containment vessel." (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A subsequent investigation into the blast by the ATF found that the vessel failed because the technicians had badly miscalculated the explosive power of the fireworks they placed inside of it.

The reporters had learned that, after the blast, Alcocer was suspended for 10 days but later promoted to sergeant. They wanted to ask her about that.

When they knocked, a woman briefly spoke to them at the door before moving to a front window to continue the conversation from there. Jany and Mejia said they recognized the woman as Alcocer  in part thanks to a photograph of her released in the trove of pictures the department is now suing Knock LA photojournalist Ben Camacho over. But she claimed to be someone else and repeatedly referred to herself in the third person. Officials later confirmed it was, in fact, Alcocer.

The reporters said they told Alcocer they intended to name her and other bomb squad members in an upcoming story. Alcocer told them they would be putting her and the other officers in danger.

Alcocer then told them that she had to make a phone call and asked them to wait outside, they said. They stepped off her porch, and waited on the walkway to her porch for about 10 minutes. Alcocer returned and "demanded to know if we were really L.A. Times reporters," Mejia said, so the reporters gave her their business cards.

Not long after, Alcocer came back again and asked the reporters to leave, so they did, Mejia said.

After the reporters had left, Jany realized he had a missed call from Capt. Kelly Muniz, the department's spokeswoman, so he called her back on speakerphone from his car. Muniz rebuked him for trying to get comment from Alcocer at her home, suggesting such efforts were inappropriate, the reporters said.

Shortly after that conversation, Jany received a call from LAPD Chief Moore, who made similar claims. Moore also called and complained to Merida.

Read more: L.A. sues journalist, activist group to claw back photos of undercover officers

In a later interview by text, Moore said he does not "agree with the tactic" of reporters knocking on the doors of police officers.

"Such unannounced visits unnecessarily create fear and intimidation on the part of our people and their family (including children) during a time in which we have individuals calling for violence against police officers," Moore said.

Moore said he spoke directly with Alcocer on Saturday evening, and she "was shaken and in fear for her safety and that of her family," in part because she didn't know who the reporters were or what their "intentions" were.

Moore said Alcocer told him that the Times reporters "told her that she either provide a statement or they were going to publish her name and photograph this week in their story."

Chief Michel Moore provides an update on the LAPD fireworks detonation in July 2021. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Mejia disputed Alcocer's account. She said she and Jany identified themselves from the start and never suggested that Alcocer's speaking to them would have any impact on whether her name would be published.

"We made it clear her name was being published no matter what," Mejia said. She said they never mentioned having a photograph of Alcocer.

Mejia and Jany said Alcocer had a Ring door camera on her home, which may have captured what happened. The reporters urged any such video's release.

The Times requested the video; Muniz said Alcocer declined to provide it.

Two days after the door knocking, the police union sent its email to thousands of officers, in which it claimed that it was "unacceptable" for reporters to go to an officer's home, and wrongly implied that Jany and Mejia had been "following officers to their homes."

Jany and Mejia did not follow Alcocer to her home. They found her address through routine research and went there during the day to see whether she wanted to talk.

Most LAPD officers are discouraged from talking to members of the media without permission and trained to direct questions to the department's communications office when approached by reporters.

It's unclear what media training Alcocer has, though she has given at least one media interview in the past for a feature about women in dangerous professions.

Justified journalism

Since the union's email went out, its bogus claims have spread  including on social media.

Sal LaBarbera is a retired LAPD homicide commander turned conservative social media provocateur with a following in the wider law enforcement community. He posted Jany's and Mejia's images from the email in a tweet that repeated the falsehood that the reporters were "following officers to their homes." And he suggested such a practice was "dangerous."

Some of his social media followers responded in defense of the reporters, while others made thinly veiled threats toward them.

Tom Saggau, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Protective League union, said union leaders decided to "warn" LAPD officers that Times reporters were knocking on officers' doors in part because officers are "on edge" over the recent posting of their pictures online.

"We felt that it was important that if folks we knew were knocking on doors, that we try to inform our members," Saggau said.

He said the union has helped The Times get in touch with officers in the past, and Jany and Mejia should have reached out to union officials first before going to the bomb technicians' homes.

Saggau said he accepts that reporters knock on doors, but union officials "don't think it's the wisest thing to do" when officers are already concerned about their exposure to threats.

He disputed that the email the union sent out mischaracterized the reporters' actions, or that the union could have foreseen that it would expose the reporters themselves to threats.

Merida, The Times' executive editor, defended the reporters.

"They are making an effort to give the subjects of their reporting an opportunity to speak for themselves and share their version of events," Merida said. "As such, they are upholding the principles of journalism."

Jeff Glasser, The Times' attorney, sent a letter to Moore on Friday arguing that the LAPD had broken state law by denying previous Times requests for the officers' names and discipline. The state requires such disclosures in instances in which officers badly injure people or there are sustained findings of unreasonable or excessive force, as was the case in the blast, Glasser said.

The Los Angeles Times Guild, the union that represents Times journalists, also defended Jany and Mejia's actions as "standard journalistic practice for getting at the truth" and condemned "any attempt to intimidate reporters or to impede them from informing the public."

Media experts said that, by seeking comment from Alcocer, Jany and Mejia were not crossing any ethical line, as the police claimed, but doing their constitutionally protected jobs.

Read more: L.A. City Council tightens law around protests outside private homes

"Door knocking is certainly not uncommon. It is a standard journalistic practice. There's nothing unlawful or improper or inappropriate about it," said Katie Townsend, legal director for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "It's something journalists should do."

Despite recent attempts by public officials to insulate themselves from public scrutiny, door knocking at the homes of public officials has been explicitly upheld as protected journalistic activity, experts said.

Townsend said the union's response to Jany and Mejia's door knocking was concerning not only because it mischaracterized standard reporting as "stalking," but because such rhetoric coming from an institution that represents thousands of police officers could easily be perceived as an intimidation tactic.

"It seems chilling and intimidating, and that's problematic," she said.

Paulson said that rather than condemning reporters for trying to learn the names of officers involved in an incredibly harmful explosion that is clearly a matter of public interest, the LAPD should be reconsidering its decision to withhold those names in the first place.

"The public has every right to see extensive coverage of how police officers do their job," Paulson said, "and to understand fully what has happened when something has gone very wrong."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Courtesy of Campbell Clinic and Collierville Police Department.

Tennessee cops identified 29-year-old Larry Pickens as the man who allegedly staked out and shot physician Benjamin Mauck dead in an exam room this weekan unthinkable tragedy thats horrified his loved ones and colleagues.

Pickens now faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. Hes accused of waiting inside Maucks orthopedics office for hours before eventually barging into an exam room and shooting the beloved doc dead around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Details surrounding the slaying have been limited. Cops in Collierville, a city of 50,000 about 30 miles west of Memphis, are yet to release a suspected motive, but confirmed Pickens was receiving care from Mauck.

Chief Dale Lane said officers responded to Maucks office in less than five minutes, but they werent able to revive him. Lane said Pickens seemingly spared other patients after he opened fire then ran outside the buildinga sign that Tuesdays slaying was targeted.

This appears to be a one-on-one interaction, Lane said Tuesday. Its bad. Its horrific. Its terrible. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Lane said Pickens was holding a handgun when officers took him into custody outside Maucks office without incident. Video from the scene showed officers sprinting out of the clinic with guns drawn. Separate footage from a body-worn camera showed a man telling officers the shooter had a gun in his hand and came running out.

Speaking to WREG 3, a woman fought back tears as she recalled her experience inside the clinic. Someones not going home to their family, she said. It could have been anybody else in that clinic today.

While cops have remained mum on a possible motive, Memphis Senator Raumesh Akbari said in a statement that the shooter had been threatening a clinic employee for over a week. Lane said his department was unaware of the alleged threats.

Tragedies like this underscore the urgent need for common senselike reinstating background checks and gun licenses, and establishing new reforms like an order of protection so police can remove firearms from a person who is threatening others, said Akbari.

Mauck, 43, was married with two kids, the New York Post reported, citing the Facebook page for Rhiannon Mauck. That pages profile photo appears to show Rhiannon and Mauck smiling with two young children in front of a lake.

An outpouring of tributes emerged Tuesday after Campbell Clinic Orthopedics identified Mauck as the slain doctor. An online bio said he graduated medical school from the University of Tennessee-Memphis and specialized in elbow, hand and wrist surgery for the last six years.

I am saddened and in a place of unhappiness right now! Dr Benjamin Mauck was an incredible and brilliant physician, wrote Constance Terry on Facebook, adding that Mauck was the only physician to properly diagnose and treat her after a car accident in 2021.

Just last month, Mauck was named a 2023 Top Doctor in Memphis by Castle Connolly, a national healthcare research agency that puts patients in contact with physicians.

In a statement, Campbell Clinic Orthopedics said it was closing all nine of its clinicsscattered around West Tennessee and Mississippion Wednesday as colleagues, loved ones and patients continue to mourn.

We are shocked and heartbroken to confirm the incident resulted in the tragic loss of one of our highly respected and beloved physicians, a spokesperson for the clinic, Irina Ollar, said in a statement.

Mauck was also the head of the Congenital Hand Clinic at Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital, where he was a beloved colleague and a dedicated physician, said Dr. Trey Eubanks, the hospitals interim president.

We already miss him, Eubanks wrote in a statement. His death is an unthinkable tragedy, and I am at loss at what to say. I am so sorry to those who loved and knew him, for those who worked alongside him every day.

A judge set Pickens bail at $1.2 million, police posted to NextDoor on Wednesday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Newsweek has released its inaugural list of Americas Greatest Workplaces and 17 companies headquartered in southwestern Pennsylvania are on it.

Newsweek partnered with Plant-A Insights Group to conduct a large-scale employer study based on more than 389,000 company reviews.

Some of the companies on the list are:

Alcoa

A. Stucki Co.

F.N.B. Corp.

Federated Hermes

GNC

Read the full list of local companies in the Pittsburgh Business Times.

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Many farmers, especially in the north of Nigeria, have had to stop cultivation because of the threat of violence from criminal gangs

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency to tackle rising food prices and shortages.

Some of the initiatives include using money saved by the recent removal of a fuel subsidy to provide fertiliser and grain to farmers.

Protection is also to be increased for farmers, many of whom have abandoned their land after becoming the target of gangs that kidnap for ransom.

Poorer households are to be helped too with $10 (8) a month for six months.

"I assure all Nigerians that no-one will be left behind in these strategic interventions," said Mr Tinubu, who took office in May.

A UN report in January projected that 25 million Nigerians were at high risk of food insecurity this year - meaning they would not be able to afford enough nutritious food every day.

Concerns about food insecurity have been longstanding in Nigeria - Africa's most-populous country, which has also been battling widespread insecurity for several years.

More than 350 farmers were kidnapped or killed in the 12 months up to June 2022 alone, according to a Nigerian security tracking website.

Many of these attacks have taken place in the north of the country.

But new security measures would mean farmers could return to the farmlands "without fear of attacks", government adviser Dele Alake said.

No further details were given about how the government intends to tackle the notorious organised criminal gangs, whose members are referred to as bandits.

All matters relating to essential food and water will now to be the responsibility of the National Security Council, which is made up of the country's security chiefs and headed by the president.

Mr Tinubu's first major policy move after taking office was to remove the fuel subsidy, which had been in place for decades and kept the price of petroleum products low.

Its removal has led to increases of up to 200% in some parts of the country, but the new president has defended the move, saying it is essential to use that money more effectively.

The rise in fuel has had a knock-on effect on the economy, with many Nigerians depending on generators for their electricity supply.

Just a few days ago the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria warned that bread prices would spike by 15%.

Some families have told BBC Pidgin that they cannot afford to buy bread.

"My monthly pension cannot cover the cost of buying bread everyday so we have switched to another more affordable food," Mallam Ado Yahaya, from the northern state of Kano, said.

The new monthly stipend is going to 12 million households via a scheme known as the National Safety Net Programme - it is separate from another initiative launched by the previous government through which they receive about $6 a month.

These more vulnerable people are also likely to be getting access to grain and fertiliser being offered to farmers - although the statement was not clear on numbers.

"It is expected that the programme will stimulate economic activities in the informal sector and improve nutrition, health, education, and human capital development of beneficiaries' households," President Tinubu said.
Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Federal prosecutors asked the judge presiding over the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case on Thursday to reject Donald Trumps request that any trial should not take place until after the 2024 presidential election and reset the trial date for December.

There is no basis in law or fact for proceeding in such an indeterminate and open-ended fashion, and the defendants provide none, the prosecutors wrote in an 11-page court filing that sharply attacked Trumps arguments.

Related: Trump asks for classified documents trial to take place after 2024 election

The dueling requests from Trump and the justice department present an early test for the US district court judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee who is under heightened scrutiny for previously issuing favorable rulings to the former president during the criminal investigation.

The delay Trump is seeking would be hugely consequential. If the case is not adjudicated until after the 2024 presidential election and Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, is re-elected, he could try to pardon himself or direct the attorney general to have the matter dismissed.

Trump was charged last month with the retention of national defense information, including US nuclear secrets and US plans for retaliation in the event of a military attack, which means his case will be subject to the Classified Information Procedures Act, or Cipa.

In their court filing submitted on Thursday, prosecutors in the office of special counsel Jack Smith took aim at several of Trumps arguments for an indefinite delay, rejecting the claims that the charges touched on novel legal issues or that the discovery process was uniquely complex.

The filing said that the Presidential Records Act, as claimed by Trumps lawyers, was not a criminal statute and an argument to suggest that it could be used to dismiss charges of retaining national defense information was close to being frivolous.

The defendants are, of course, free to make whatever arguments they like for dismissal, the prosecutors wrote. But they should not be permitted to gesture at a baseless legal argument, call it novel, and then claim the court will require an indefinite continuance.

The filing noted that the justice department was prepared to start discovery of the classified documents it expected to use at trial and turn them over to Trumps lawyers as soon as this week, but the Cipa process was delayed because Trumps lawyers had not submitted the required forms.

Cipa provides a mechanism for the government to charge cases involving classified documents without risking the graymail problem, where the defense threatens to reveal classified information at trial, but the steps that have to be followed mean it takes longer to get to trial.



The process includes the government turning over all of the classified information they want to use to the defense in discovery, like any other criminal case, in addition to the non-classified discovery that is done in a separate process.

Prosecutors also asked the judge to reject the Trump legal teams arguments that a December trial date did not reflect precedent, arguing that in the case of the former NSA analyst Reality Winner, a trial date was initially set just months after her arrest and only delayed much later.

The filing took particular issue with the Trump lawyers suggestion that any trial should be delayed until after the 2024 election because of the supposed difficulty in selecting an impartial jury.

To be sure, the government readily acknowledges that jury selection here may merit additional protocols (such as a questionnaire) that may be more time-consuming than in other cases, but those are reasons to start the process sooner rather than later, prosecutors wrote.
The claim: The Supreme Court declared vaccines to be 'unavoidably unsafe'

A July 10 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a syringe being held above a baby.

"If (vaccines) are truly safe, then how is it that the Supreme Court declared them unavoidably unsafe?" reads the post.

The post was liked more than 1,100 times in two days.

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Our rating: False

The phrase "unavoidably unsafe" appears multiple times in a Supreme Court opinion from 2011. However, the phrase is not used to declare all vaccines "unavoidably unsafe," as the post claims. Instead, it's being used as part of a legal argument and is a reference to a specific passage in a legal publication.

Supreme Court's decision involved liability, not vaccine safety

In 2011, the Supreme Court released its decision in a case called Bruesewitz v. Wyeth, ruling a federal law does not allow vaccine manufacturers to be held liable by people seeking compensation for injuries caused by vaccine side effects.

The case in question began when, in 2005, the parents of a girl who suffered seizures and permanent brain damage after receiving a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine sued the vaccine's manufacturer, arguing "defective design" of the vaccine caused their daughter's disabilities.

But, with a 6-2 vote, the Supreme Court sided with the manufacturer, deciding the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act "preempts all design-defect claims against vaccine manufacturers brought by plaintiffs who seek compensation for injury or death caused by vaccine side effects," Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the court's majority.

Nowhere in the opinion, though, does the court broadly declare all vaccines to be "unavoidably unsafe," as the post claims. Michelle Mello, a law professor at Stanford University, told USA TODAY the court's opinion in the case "did not decide whether vaccines are unavoidably unsafe or not."

"Rather, it interpreted some language in the statute that set up the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in order to determine whether the (parents) were permitted to sue for their daughter's injury," she said.

Fact check: No, UK's health agency hasn't stopped COVID-19 vaccines in Europe

The phrase "unavoidably unsafe" does appear several times in the opinion and in the dissent. However, it's used in reference to similar language in the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, which says vaccine manufacturers can't be held liable for vaccine-related injuries if they were caused by "side effects that were unavoidable even though the vaccine was properly prepared and was accompanied by proper directions and warnings."

Dan Farber, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said while the opinion does quote the phrase "unavoidably unsafe," it does so "only to say that it wasn't relevant."

Farber explained that the girls' parents argued lawmakers adopted the phrase from a comment, known as "comment k," that appears in an oft-cited legal publication called "Restatement of Torts, Second," which specifically discusses "unavoidably unsafe products."

Mello summarized "comment k" as saying that "some products can't be made perfectly safe but are socially important enough that courts aren't going to hold their manufacturers to the same, strict liability standard."

Farber noted that, in the opinion, Scalia writes that "unavoidable" is a common word and concludes there's no reason to believe lawmakers had "comment k" in mind while developing the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act.

Farber also pointed out that "comment k" didn't use the phrase "unavoidably unsafe" to mean those products were inherently bad.

"On the contrary, it meant that some products like prescription drugs have side effects but are beneficial on balance," he said. "The same is true of vaccines: they all have some possible side-effects, but the good far outweighs the bad."

In their dissent, justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg reference "comment k" to argue that lawmakers intended the act to exempt vaccine manufacturers from liability only if they could show in each case the vaccine was "properly manufactured and labeled, and that the side effects stemming from the vaccine's design could not have been prevented by a feasible alternative design." In other words, these references also are inconsistent with the post's claim that the high court labeled vaccines broadly unsafe.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: False claim SCOTUS called vaccines 'unavoidably unsafe' | Fact check
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will soon vote on whether to legalize adult use of marijuana on tribal lands in North Carolina.

If the measure passes, the tribes 57,000-acre Qualla Boundary in the western part of the state would become the only place in North Carolina where you could legally toke up a joint.

The tribe already plans to open what tribal officials call the worlds largest medical cannabis dispensary superstore. Having grown and cultivated medical marijuana for many months, original plans called for the tribe to issue regulated medical cards to eligible adults to buy from the dispensary. The retail operation is poised to be the first and only place to legally purchase marijuana in North Carolina.

With broader legalization on tribal lands a possibility, it remains unclear whether dispensary sales would still require a medical card. But discussion this week by tribe leaders suggest some are expecting the referendum could lead to recreational marijuana sales.

The referendum going to voters says adult use would apply to anyone 21 and older. No language in the referendum limits adult use to tribal members.

Cherokee marijuana legalization in North Carolina

Saying many tribal members support an adult-use referendum, the EBCI Tribal Council voted Thursday to hold the vote during the Sept. 7 tribal general election.

The tribe formed Qualla Enterprises LLC to run its for-profit cannabis business.

Cherokee tribal council member Teresa McCoy is shown at Thursday mornings council meeting introducing a resolution for an adult-use marijuana referendum. SCREEN SHOT

Allowing adult use will mean more customers and revenue for the tribe, Forrest Parker, Qualla Enterprises general manager, told the council Thursday.

So we 1,000% support this, Parker said, referring to the referendum. Adult use is critically important to the business, if you look at it from a revenue standpoint.

It is the ultimate business model for us, Parker said about adult use. Think how many more people will walk through the door. Fundamentally, were prepared to handle it.

Council member Teresa McCoy, who represents the EBCIs Big Cove/Tow String community, submitted the resolution Thursday that calls for the referendum.

If our voters say no, they dont want adult use, then lets fly in there and get that medicinal, McCoy told fellow council members Thursday. If they say they do want adult use, then move forward. Its that simple. Im not for or against it.

Qualla Boundary lies 46 miles west of Asheville, past Lake Junaluska and Maggie Valley.

About 9,600 people live on Qualla Boundary, 77% Indian, 23% non-Indian, according to the census. EBCI has 14,000 total members.

Cherokee dispensary

The Cherokee medical cannabis dispensary will be in the tribes massive old bingo hall on U.S. 19 South near Harrahs Cherokee Casino Resort. The store would be the only location in a three-hours drive from Charlotte where weed is sold legally. The site is about 4-1/2 hours from Raleigh.

A hoop house is teeming with flowering cannabis plants on a farm owned and operated by Qualla Enterprises, LLC in Cherokee, NC. Cannabis plants reach the flowering stage after eight to eleven weeks. Once the plant is fully mature, it is harvested and stored in a climate controlled room to dry. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez/mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com

No opening date for the dispensary has been announced as tribal leaders wrangle with funding issues involving the operation. Whenever the dispensary opens, the tribe will be well ahead of the state in reaping money from cannabis sales.

Legislation that would legalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes in North Carolina is probably dead for the rest of this years General Assembly session, House Speaker Tim Moore said Tuesday, The Associated Press reported. Moore cited opposition by many fellow Republicans in his chamber.

The tribe has actively explored the cannabis market since 2018, according to the adult-use resolution introduced by McCoy.

In 2021, the tribe decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and formed a medical marijuana system that includes a cannabis control board and Qualla Enterprises LLC.

Qualla Enterprises has produced $25 million in product thats in a climate-controlled room awaiting the dispensary opening, Parker told the council Thursday.

The tribe also has developed what would be the first two unique strains of marijuana legally sold in North Carolina, named Qualla Bear and Goose Creep, Parker told The Charlotte Observer on an exclusive tour of the tribes growing operation in March.

And more proprietary strains are on the way, he said.

Economic benefits

Legalizing adult-use would spare people expensive doctor visits required to get a medical marijuana card from the EBCI Cannabis Control Board, according to Thursdays resolution.

People would have personal control over their own health sovereignty, the resolution says.

If approved, the Sept. 7 referendum would require the EBCI Tribal Council to develop legislation to regulate the tribes cannabis market.

Responsibly expanding and streamlining cannabis sales is a critical part of economic development and a means to provide revenue to the Tribe, according to the resolution. The Tribe has positioned its people to maximize all medical, social and economic benefits from tested, safe and regulated cannabis.

When will the dispensary open?

The tribes dispensary will open only to tribal members at first but later to North Carolina residents and others, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

Anybody right now can apply to the EBCI Cannabis Control Board for a medical cannabis card to buy products at the dispensary, but cards will be issued only to EBCI members initially, tribal officials said.

Tribal officials hope to open the dispensary by fall, Parker told the Observer in March.

The opening became uncertain after EBCI Principal Chief Richard Sneed vetoed $64 million in additional funding for the medical cannabis operation this spring, the Observer reported at the time.

Funding concerns

Council member Michael Stamper voted against Thursdays motion, questioning whether the tribe has the money to support the expected influx of people.

Right now, were having issues funding the medical portion of it, Stamper said. I dont have reason to think (the referendum) wouldnt pass. But I do fear that the immense support to push to get us into a deeper market that we dont really have the financials to support right now, would be overwhelming and could cause some fiscal issues down the road.

Right now, were just trying to get medical off the ground, Stamper said.

Chairman Richard French and Vice Chairman Albert Rose backed the call for an adult use referendum.

French said marijuana revenues are more crucial than ever to the future of the tribe because the casino is losing money to new out-of-state competitors, and three gaming enterprises intend to open in the state.

Im behind it 100%, and Ill do everything I can to find funding for it, French said at Thursdays meeting. We know we cant give you the $64 million that you need. But we can give you something  something to keep you going and get it on its feet and get the doors open.

The audience broke out in applause.

This started out for our people, Rose said. Its the communitys project. So its very important this goes out to the people to let them vote on.

Referendum Question

The Sept. 7 referendum question reads:

Do you support legalizing the possession and use of cannabis for persons who are at least 21 years old, and require the EBCI Tribal Council to develop legislation to regulate the market?
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Negotiations among Southeast Asian countries and China on a code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea are expected to resume in Manila next month, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

In an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference in Indonesia on Thursday, Manalo welcomed the completion of the second reading of the COC Single Draft Negotiating Text and said the Philippines looks forward to continuing talks on the document in August.

Top diplomats of the 10-member regional bloc and of China attended the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference 10+1 Session.

Manalo called for strengthened cooperation between the Southeast Asian countries and Beijing in various areas, adding that all sides must ensure that our gains are not undercut by threats to regional peace, security and stability, as well as major power rivalries.

Regarding developments in the South China Sea, we call for the effective management and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, he said.

ASEAN and China also released a joint statement on Thursday reaffirming their commitment to speed up talks on the long-delayed COC.

The Associated Press reported that both parties have resolved to try to conclude the nonaggression pact within three years, citing a Southeast Asian diplomat who asked not to be named and a copy of the guidelines agreed on.

Beijing claims virtually the entire South China Sea, where trillions of dollars of international trade pass through annually. Four ASEAN member-states  Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei  as well as Taiwan also have claims in the waterway.
(Bloomberg) -- North Koreas newest long-range missile increases the chances it could deliver a strike to the US mainland, giving Kim Jong Un more leverage in his dealings with the Biden administration.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile North Korea launched this week flew longer than any of its other ICBMS and appeared designed to carry a multiple nuclear weapons payload, which increases the chances at least one bomb could slip past interceptors and make its way to a target.

Video released by North Korea of the Hwasong-18 appeared to show the missile had the ability to stabilize itself in flight, which indicates it could be designed to hold multiple warheads, according to an analysis from George William Herbert, an adjunct professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

North Korea said in April when it launched the missile for the first time that Pyongyang intended to use it for multiple warheads. The test this week seems to hint at the missile having a MIRV carrier, said Herbert, referring to a multiple warhead carrier technically known as a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle, or MIRV.

The second flight apparently going off well shows that its a generally successful design, not just a one-off lucky test, he said.

North Korea released videos of the test on state TV, showing the missile emerging from its canister and being raised into position for a launch. Footage contained shots taken from different angles by multiple cameras, including one from a drone flying overhead that narrowly missed being struck by the passing rocket.

Americas top uniformed military officer said the test has grabbed the USs attention, adding analysis is underway on what can so far be discerned about the weapon.

That thing, if it can reach the US, it can reach Europe too, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, told reporters Friday during a visit to Tokyo. So its very problematic that test that they did the other day.

The missile that has been launched twice this year is an improvement from the ICBMs Kim tested in 2017 that raised global concern. Weapons experts said the ICBMs back then were capable of carrying a single bomb and were liquid-fueled, which made them vulnerable to attack before launch as it took time to fill their engines with propellant on the pad.

Solid-fuel missiles have the propellants baked into rockets, allowing them to stay hidden from spy satellites, rolled out and fired in a manner of minutes, giving the US less time to prepare for interception. The challenge becomes even greater if the missile carries several warheads instead of one.

Still, its unclear whether the ICBMs could beat antimissile systems and whether the warheads could survive reentry into the atmosphere to reach their targets.

Kims ability to deliver a credible nuclear strike on the US could reduce the chances Washington would attempt a preemptive strike on his regime and raises the stakes for what must be offered to entice him to wind down his arsenal.

The success of the Hwasong-18 launches has been a remarkable achievement coming from a country that had a lack of experience with large, multistage solid-propellant missiles prior to these tests, according to Ankit Panda, a senior fellow in the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Just how North Korea has managed to attain this stunning level of success with its solid-propellant ICBM remains a mystery, but Kim Jong Un will have few complaints, Panda wrote in an analysis for NK Pro.

Both Hwasong-18s were conducted from the same site in the Pyongyang area, which could raise questions about its ability to be transported by road, Panda said. He added that the site may have been chosen because its near one of Kims mansions, making it a comfortable venue for the leader.

Kim oversaw the latest test and warned the US and South Korea more were on the way unless they stepped back their military operations that included bringing more American nuclear assets into the region. His state has also threatened to shoot down US spy planes, which last happened in 1969, killing 31 people on board.

As a part of this strategy, Pyongyang appears to be working on silo-based ballistic missiles and missiles that can carry multiple warheads, said Joost Oliemans, a weapons expert who co-authored the book The Armed Forces of North Korea. This could increase the ability to launch a retaliatory strike.

North Korea has also rolled out and tested in recent months its Hwasong-17. It is a liquid-fuel rocket considered by weapons experts to be the worlds largest road-worthy ICBM and could carry a payload of three nuclear bombs.

North Korea has been working for years to miniaturize its warheads, which would allow them to be used in a variety of weapons systems. Kim visited a warhead facility in March and an analysis of what was presented to the leader from the Open Nuclear Network indicated progress.

Warheads shown by North Korea before 2023 had a maximum diameter of 600 millimeters, while its new Hwasan-31 nuclear warhead, shown in photos from Kims visit, has a reduced diameter of around 460 mm that suggests advances in miniaturization, it said.

The device has not been tested, but satellite imagery of the site North Korea has used for all six of its previous detonations of nuclear devices indicates the facility has been ready for more than a year.

Russia and China, which have veto power on the United Nations Security Council, allowed sanction to go forward to punish Kim for tests of ballistic missiles in nuclear devices in 2017 but have blocked new punishments on Pyongyang for its recent series of nuclear-capable rockets as friction with the US has increased.

There were few, if any, consequences to the missile tests. So the question is, how severe will the consequences be for Kim if he were to conduct a seventh nuclear test? said Soo Kim, a former Korea analyst at the US Central Intelligence Agency who now works at US-based management consulting firm LMI.

--With assistance from Isabel Reynolds.

(Updates with comment from Joint Chiefs chairman in paragraphs seven and eight.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Do not eat SLO County shellfish, state warns. Dangerous levels of toxins detected

Do not eat shellfish found along San Luis Obispo Countys shoreline, the California Department of Public Health warned on Friday.

Dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins have been found in mussels from the county, the public health department said in a news release.

Mussels, clams or scallops are affected by the toxic outbreak, according to the public health department.

PSP toxins can cause illness or death in humans, and cooking does not kill the toxins.

The states shellfish safety notification is in addition to the annual mussel quarantine, during which the state public health department advises people to not eat self-harvested mussels from May 1 through at least Oct. 31. The annual quarantine is to generally protect the public from PSP toxins, which are normally detected at higher levels during the hotter summer months.

Dangerous levels of PSP toxins had not yet been found in San Luis Obispo County mussels until recently, prompting Fridays safety notification.

Tidepools at Diablo Cove are filled with sea life, including mussels, sea anemones, sea stars and other organisms.

The states notification does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters from approved sources, the health department said.

State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products, the news release said. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

PSP toxins can affect peoples central nervous system and cause a tingling around the mouth and fingertips shortly after eating the impacted shellfish.

These symptoms are typically followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing, the Friday news release said. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

To get more up-to-date information on the shellfish advisory, call the California Department of Public Healths toll-free shellfish information line at 800-553-4133 or view the online interactive map at www.tinyurl.com/bivalvemap.
Trial date set for father of suspect in mass shooting at July 4 parade in suburban Chicago

Robert E. Crimo Jr., listens during an appearance before Judge George D. Strickland at the Lake County Courthouse, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Waukegan, Ill. Judge Strickland on Friday set a Nov. 6 trial date for Crimo Jr. who is charged with helping his son obtain a gun license three years before the son allegedly shot dead seven people at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago last year. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, Pool)

CHICAGO (AP)  An Illinois judge on Friday set a Nov. 6 trial date for a father charged with helping his son obtain a gun license three years before the son allegedly shot dead seven people at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago last year.

The father, Robert Crimo Jr., told Judge George Strickland at a hearing in Waukegan  north of Highland Park, where the shooting occurred  that he was waiving his right to a jury trial. That means Strickland will hear evidence and issue verdicts at the end of the bench trial.

Earlier this year, Crimo Jr. pleaded not guilty to seven counts of reckless conduct  one count for each person killed. Each count carries a maximum 3-year prison term.

The judge Friday also set an Aug. 7 hearing for arguments on a defense motion challenging the constitutionality of laws that underpin charges against the father. Judge Strickland will also consider a media request that the trial be streamed live at an Aug. 28 hearing.

Prosecutors have said the father helped his son, Robert Crimo III, obtain a gun license years before the shooting, even though the then-19-year-old had threatened violence.

A grand jury indicted the son last year on 21 first-degree murder counts, 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery, representing the seven people killed and dozens wounded in the attack. Potential evidence is voluminous in the son's case and no trial date has been set.

Robert Crimo Jr. has shown up at several of his sons pretrial hearings. The father is a familiar face around Highland Park, where he was once a mayoral candidate and operated convenience stores. He was released on a $50,000 bond after his December arrest.

Lake County States Attorney Eric Rinehart said after the father's arrest that the accusations against the father are based on his sponsorship of his sons application for a gun license in December 2019. Authorities say Robert Crimo III attempted suicide by machete in April 2019 and in September 2019 was accused by a family member of making threats to kill everyone.

George M. Gomez, the fathers Chicago-area attorney, has previously called the accusations against his client baseless and unprecedented.

Legal experts have said it's rare for an accused shooter's parent or guardian to face charges  in part because it's difficult to prove such charges.
When I was a victim of sex trafficking, I was solicited by a police officer who offered to not arrest me in exchange for sexual favors. I was ridiculed by law enforcement and ignored when I informed them of a violent serial rapist in the area. Never once, in any of my interactions with law enforcement, was I offered resources or told how I could be protected if I managed to leave.

These interactions reinforced my belief  and my traffickers warning  that police didnt care about girls like me. During this period of my life, I would never have called a hotline for help if I thought law enforcement could be involved. I know from walking with countless other survivors of trafficking that this is true for most of us.

I share these experiences to illustrate why legislation before the U.S. Congress to dramatically change the way the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline operates will ultimately hurt the very people its authors and supporters, who include Attorney General Daniel Cameron, are trying to help.

The bill in question would require the Trafficking Hotline to share any and all information with law enforcement if they ask. On its face, this may sound reasonable and even smart, but there is more to consider.

Since its inception, the Trafficking Hotline has provided a safe and confidential space for victims of trafficking to seek assistance in exiting their situations. This can include assistance from law enforcement, but does not have to. As long as the person seeking help is an adult, the decision about involving law enforcement is up to them.

My stance is not that law enforcement should not be involved at all. There are many individuals working tirelessly in law enforcement and their efforts are a key element in the fight against human trafficking. But the timing of their involvement must be right for the survivor.

When a survivor is first coming out of their trafficking, what they need first is advocacy. They need time to get somewhere safe, find safe people and start tip-toeing out of fight-or-flight survival mode. Only then can they start making decisions about a path forward and collaborating  or not  with law enforcement.

Those decisions must belong to survivors, who have had all their autonomy taken away from them already by their traffickers. Survivors deserve the power of choice in their own healing.

Some may ultimately choose not to work with law enforcement. Survivors may not want to revisit their trauma by pressing charges. They may still be scared of their trafficker. They may simply want privacy  just as survivors of any trauma have the right to choose.

Its possible to hold traffickers accountable without re-traumatizing survivors using a survivor-centered approach (or victim-centered). This is when advocates, detectives and prosecutors work together keeping the survivor at the center. First though, they need the National Human Trafficking Hotline to remain a safe, confidential place to reach out to for help.

Holly is a survivor leader, consultant and advocate who currently resides in Louisville, with her husband and three children.
OceanGate tried to scrub the internet clean of traces that it ever existed, taking down its Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages

The Titan submersible imploded during a dive to the Titanic shipwreck last month, killing OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and the four other passengers. Becky Kagan Schott / Ocean Gate / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

OceanGate has taken down its social-media pages, and its website has gone dark.

This comes a week after OceanGate said it would suspend "all exploration and commercial operations."

As of press time, only the OceanGate Foundation's website remains active.

OceanGate has gone dark on the internet and scrubbed its digital footprint off social media after announcing that it would suspend deep-sea explorations.

As of press time, OceanGate's website and social-media accounts were not accessible to the public. Insider was unable to verify when OceanGate took down its website and social-media profiles.

The OceanGate and OceanGate Expeditions websites now redirect to a page that says the company "has suspended all exploration and commercial operations."

The OceanGate Expeditions website redirects to a suspension notice. Screengrab/OceanGate

An archived version of the OceanGate Expeditions website, dated July 8, shows that the company had initially included the suspension notice at the top of the website. The archived version of the website included links to pages on their expeditions and submersibles.

OceanGate's digital scrubbing extends to its social-media accounts as well.

The OceanGate and OceanGate Expeditions Facebook pages have both been taken down.

OceanGate and OceanGate Expeditions' Facebook pages have been taken down. Screengrab/OceanGate

OceanGate and OceanGate Expeditions' LinkedIn and Twitter accounts were similarly removed.

LinkedIn says OceanGate Expeditions' page "isn't available." Screengrab/OceanGate

Twitter says OceanGate's profile "doesn't exist." Screengrab/OceanGate





OceanGate's Instagram account was made private, while OceanGate Expeditions' account appears to have been deleted.

OceanGate has made its Instagram account private. Screengrab/OceanGate

As of press time, only the OceanGate Foundation's website is still live, though its Facebook page has already been taken down.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and his company were scrutinized after the Titan submersible went missing during a dive to the Titanic shipwreck on June 18.

On June 22, the US Coast Guard said that the submersible had likely imploded and that the five people on board, including Rush, had died.

"There's no additional information to provide beyond the latest update that 'OceanGate has suspended all exploration and commercial operations' at this time," a spokesperson for OceanGate told Insider.

Editor's note: July 17, 2023  This story has been updated with responses from OceanGate.

Read the original article on Insider
Officer ignored dying inmate in Virginia prison after promising to help him, feds say

A Bureau of Prisons lieutenant promised to help a man experiencing an emergency in his cell by calling for medical help, then ignored the issue instead, federal prosecutors said. Now, hes facing up to life in prison.

The plea to help the 47-year-old inmate, identified only as W.W., came from another correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg in Virginia on Jan. 9, 2021, according to prosecutors.

The call for help led Michael Anderson, 52, to visit the mans cell, where his concerned cellmate said W.W. was not doing well and was not himself, court documents show. In response, Anderson ensured the cellmate hed get W.W. medical attention, according to the court documents.

Despite that promise, Anderson never alerted a medical staff member about W.W.  although he knew the severity of the situation and that he was obligated to take action under bureau policy as a higher-ranking officer, according to prosecutors.

A day later, a correctional officer informed Anderson that W.W. fell down, prosecutors said.

Again, Anderson didnt get him medical help after the fall, and W.W. died on the floor of his cell Jan. 10, 2021, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. W.W. was on the ground for nearly two hours before he was discovered, and life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, prosecutors said.

Anderson pleaded guilty July 12 to violating W.W.s civil rights by showing deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs, resulting in his death, the attorneys office announced in a July 13 news release.

McClatchy News contacted an attorney representing Anderson for comment July 14 and was awaiting a response.

Andersons appalling indifference and disregard for his responsibility to provide a humane environment for inmates resulted in the needless loss of life, Special Agent in Charge Russell W. Cunningham of the Justice Departments Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office said in the news release. Incarcerated individuals should never be denied medical care.

Andersons guilty plea comes over a month after another FCI Petersburg lieutenant, Shronda Covington, and nurse, Tonya Farley, were charged with ignoring the serious medical needs of an inmate, also identified as W.W., who died under their supervision, McClatchy News previously reported.

McClatchy News contacted the attorneys office July 14 asking if that is related to Andersons case and if it involves the same inmate. Both cases were filed separately in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Attorney Jeff Everhart, whos representing Farley, told McClatchy News on July 14 that the accusations against Farley and Anderson involve the same inmate. He said Farley pleaded not guilty to the charges shes facing and declined to comment further.

his client has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. He said the accusations against Farley and Anderson involve one inmate.

The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment against inmates.

This includes inadequate medical care and denying such care to inmates, a 1973 University of Notre Dame article abstract accessible on the Justice Departments Office of Justice Programs website explains.

After W.W.s death, Anderson lied about the circumstances surrounding it in a written, official memorandum he was required to write as part of bureau policy, according to a statement of facts filed in court.

During an interview with a federal investigator, Anderson lied again, saying his report was accurate, the statement of facts says.

His sentencing hearing is set for Nov. 28, according to the attorneys office.

Man was eaten alive by bugs in Georgia cell, attorneys say. Now feds investigate jail

Man suffered 4 days as jail staff watched, lawsuit says. He died on his 30th birthday

Woman neglected in jail went blind, begged for water before dying in Texas, lawsuit says
The storms that decimated parts of Vermont this week also caused major damage for farmers in the western parts of the Commonwealth.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), at least 75 farms have been adversely impacted by flooding and over 1,000 acres of crops have been lost. Officials say those numbers will likely climb since land remains inaccessible due to standing water.

On Wednesday, MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle met with 30 farmers in Deerfield, Hadley, Hatfield, and Northampton who were affected.

It is absolutely heartbreaking to see the devastation this storm has caused our farming community, Commissioner Randle said.

The MDAR is asking stakeholders to share damage reports from impacted farms to help evaluate the extent of the situation. Similarly, he Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the United State Department of Agriculture has been contacted and will collaborate on ways to help affected farmers.

We have boots on the ground to get an accurate scope of the damage so we can continue working with our local, state, and federal partners in assisting our farmers who continue to face these challenges, Randle said. Despite these recent tragedies, we know our farmers are resilient, and we encourage consumers to continue supporting their local farms that support the communities they serve in so many ways.

Farmers are encouraged to contact MDAR Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff Alisha Bouchard at alisha.bouchard@mass.gov and Director of Produce Safety Michael Botelho at michael.botelho@mass.gov with their damage reports. Sue Scheufele, Production Agriculture Leader at UMass Extension Center for Agriculture, Food, and Environment can also be reached at (508) 397-3361.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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An Ohio plastic surgeon who livestreamed some patient operations on TikTok and had three patients report complications after surgery had her state medical license revoked permanently Wednesday, according to the states medical board.

Dr. Katharine Roxanne Grawe  also known on social media as Dr. Roxy  will no longer be able to practice medicine in the state of Ohio, Jerica Stewart, spokesperson for the State Medical Board of Ohio, told CNN.

In addition to revoking Grawes license, the board voted to fine her $4,500, Stewart said.

CNN has sought comment from an attorney representing Grawe.

The board had summarily suspended Grawes medical license in November after twice reprimanding her. The board said in its notification to her that it had determined her continued practice presents a danger of immediate and serious harm to the public.

Grawe, who had a plastic surgery practice in the Columbus suburb of Powell, addressed the panel before board members voted at the hearing Wednesday, according to the New York Times. She said she thought about the boards criticism over the past year and saw how she had fallen below the boards ideal in multiple ways.

She said she made social media videos because she loved teaching and wanted to explain cosmetic surgery to people outside of the medical field, according to the Times.

But, as I stand here today, I see how many of those videos appeared silly and unprofessional, she said.

Ohio plastic surgeon Dr. Katharine Roxanne Grawe. - WSYX

Interacted with TikTok users during surgeries, report says

In one letter, dated October 9, 2018, the board told her she needed to maintain patient privacy when sharing photos or videos of her patients medical procedures on social media. Nearly three years later, the board sent her another letter, dated September 28, 2021, and outlined additional concerns.

The letter articulated multifaceted issues with your care of these patients, including concerns regarding the lack of informed consent, ethical concerns related to privacy and social media, and avoidable complications that required surgical revision, the board said in November 2022.

According to a summary of a board hearing in May, one member asked Grawe whether she thought her social media name, Dr. Roxy, led her to make decisions about patient care that she might not otherwise have made.

Absolutely not, Grawe testified. I do so many things to  to provide safety for them, and I think  I think that what youre asking about is the optics we were talking about. I can see how to people it would look like I was caring more about this or posting a TikTok rather than taking care of a patient, but it was never like that.

She also testified she interacted with TikTok users who posted questions during the surgeries, according to the report from the state medical board. She testified someone else in the room would record and read the questions while livestreaming and she would respond. I was really just trying to do good and show the surgeries to people, she said.

Grawe testified that she performed medical procedures on approximately 5,500 patients in the last five years, two to five surgeries per day, according to the medical boards report summarizing the hearing. Grawe said she primarily performed surgeries on the breasts, abdomen, thighs, arms, and buttocks, including a procedure called a Brazilian butt lift.

During her testimony, Grawe discussed some of the criteria she used prior to conducting an operation, including the importance of each patient seeing a primary care doctor for an evaluation and the risks associated with surgery.

Grawe testified she began documenting her practices on social media in 2010, according to board documents.

Grawe obtained her medical degree in 2005 after completing her studies at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Grawe was certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 2014, according to a summary in the board report.

CNNs Sharif Paget and Jennifer Feldman contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
AI scam

Fraudsters are targeting families with sophisticated phone call and voice note scams generated by artificial intelligence.

Cybercriminals can use cheap online software to clone a voice almost exactly, drawing from just seconds of audio from a voice note or video, according to new research by McAfee, the software company.

Almost one in twelve Britons have already been targeted by cybercriminals impersonating their loved ones in this way, the study found, with 77pc of all victims losing money as a result.

Whats more, 95pc of people who took part in McAfees research were unable to tell a fake AI-generated voice from a real one.

Oliver Devane, who led the study, said: The figure that about 8pc of people in the UK have already experienced a scam of this kind is really quite high. I found it quite surprising myself.

Mostly these scammers take the audio from clips shared online by the victims themselves, and it takes a very small amount of material to create something that sounds accurate, he explained.

A US case in April saw one mother pick up a call from an unknown number to hear what she thought was her fifteen-year-old daughter sobbing, before a male voice took over the phone and made threatening demands.

Fortunately, most AI voice scams so far are not as elaborate  or disturbing  as this. The majority of fraudsters using AI voice replicator tools have largely copied the hi Mum WhatsApp scam.

This is a common scam technique where cybercriminals pose as friends or relatives of a victim, often claiming to have lost or broken their phone, in order to gain the targets trust and ask for money.

WhatsApps parent company Meta has been urged to crack down on the hi Mum scam after it was revealed that UK consumers have lost more than 500,000 to fraudsters deploying the trap in the first six months of 2023 alone.



With criminals now able to attach voice notes  or even make phone calls  that sound just like their targets loved ones, these schemes have become much harder to thwart, Mr Devane says.

When the hi Mum scam first started, it was done by text message, so wasnt that believable, he explained.

Scammers have used this new technology to clone peoples voices and use that to message their targets, so the person receiving it would think they are actually speaking to their loved one.

The technology behind the spate of fraud attempts is new, but impersonation tricks are already one of the most common and successful kinds of scam.

Research from Barclays earlier this year found that money lost to impersonators makes up 35pc of all that stolen by scammers.

Of the Brits surveyed who had been targeted by impersonation scams, 40pc said they had received a social media message that appeared to be from a celebrity or influencer.

Scammers are also using AI deepfake videos of people that show them saying or doing things they have not done.

Scammers used an AIgenerated deepfake video of trusted consumer champion Martin Lewis to convince victims to part with their money earlier this month.

WARNING. THIS IS A SCAM BY CRIMINALS TRYING TO STEAL MONEY. PLS SHARE.



This is frightening, it's the first deep fake video scam I've seen with me in it. Govt & regulators must step up to stop big tech publishing such dangerous fakes. People'll lose money and it'll ruin lives. https://t.co/ZzaBELg1kg  Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) July 6, 2023

The same technology could soon be used to turn these impersonation scams up another notch, Mr Devane warned.

In future these types of scams will probably get a lot more personalised. The voice cloning is maybe the first step, you can imagine that in future scammers might use a video message or a video call thats been deepfaked to convince someone to send over money, he said.

The idea that our videos, photos and voice chats can be used to scam our loved ones out of their hard-earned cash is distressing, but there are a number of things we can do to lower the risk that fraudsters will steal our images.

One simple way to stay safer is by making our social media accounts private, and thinking carefully about who we accept follow requests from.

But with many of us having already shared video content publicly online, its worth investing in an identity theft protection service, Mr Devane says.

These services keep track of personal data, and if it pops up on underground forums or on the dark web, theyll let you know, he said, adding that McAfee had already spotted instances of voice clones being traded online.

Action Fraud, the UKs national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, said that it does not hold information on the prevalence of AI voice scams, as most people do not realise that the scam they have fallen victim to is AI generated.

Lisa Webb, scams expert at Which?, said that while fraud tactics are constantly evolving, the ways to spot them are largely the same.

Fraudsters are constantly evolving their tactics to target innocent people and will be looking at how they can use AI software to make scams more sophisticated, she said.

There are scam warning signs for consumers to look out for. If youve been contacted out of the blue, asked to share personal details or received an offer thats too good to be true then be cautious.

On the other hand, though, new AI tools can also be used to boost cybersecurity. Nine British banks have signed up to a new tool developed by Mastercard that could help banks realise when their customers are trying to send money to fraudsters.

The new tool will provide an instant risk score that compares the customers and payees active and historic bank history, as well as comparing that history against known money mule patterns.

Johan Gerber, of the card company, said: Organised criminals will pass funds through up to 30 accounts within their network to disguise the initial fraud.

AI helps here by processing Mastercards insights and giving the predictive score to banks.

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Farrellis Pizza, which got its start in Lacey nearly 30 years ago, will expand in Thurston County with the acquisition of an existing pizza restaurant, the business says.

Farrellis and Infernos Brick Oven Pizza have reached an agreement for Farrellis purchase of the Infernos locations in Tumwater and northeast Lacey, company officials said.

The transition to Farrellis will take place during the first two weeks of August, beginning with the Tumwater site on Aug. 7 and the Hawks Prairie location on Aug. 14.

We have always respected the Infernos brand, said Clayton Krueger, director of marketing and communications for Farrellis, in a statement. They are a very similar concept to our own, and have served their communities very well for the past 16 years. As soon as we heard they were interested in selling, we were excited about the opportunity of a potential deal.

Krueger, who first went to work for Farrellis as a dishwasher in 1997, said the vast majority of those who work for Infernos have been retained.

Infernos also announced the sale in a Facebook post.

The time has come for a new chapter for our family and we are so excited to share it with you, the post reads. Both of our locations have been sold to Farrellis Pizza and our last day as Infernos will be at the end of July.

Farrellis was founded in 1995 by the father/daughter team of John and Jacque Farrell, who opened their first location off Yelm Highway in Lacey. They now have sites spread across Pierce, King, Kitsap, and Thurston counties. Their most recent store opening was in Yelm last November.

Other business happenings

A vacant restaurant space in Lacey that was once home to a business called Cheers has been filled by a new restaurant called BBQ Junkies Bar and Grill, the owner said this week.

Owner Tracy LaVelle said the eatery opened Thursday, July 13, at 5805 Lacey Blvd. SE, which is the Lacey Downs Plaza, a small shopping center that includes the Lacey post office.

We looked for a year, said LaVelle about finding the right location. LaVelle said they chose the Lacey site for the size of the building and its location to traffic. The restaurant also has room for meat smokers, she said.

It looks like a busy area, she said.

LaVelle, who said she has worked in the restaurant business for 35 years, ran Cole Street Bar and Grill in Enumclaw for four years and also ran a food trailer before she sold it. She described that former restaurant as an American-style diner, but this time shes focusing on barbecue.

Diners can expect barbecue ribs, pulled pork, brisket and chicken, she said. The restaurant will make its own rub and sauce. The rub is made from a Texas recipe, while the sauce is not, LaVelle said.

BBQ Junkies is offering a limited menu this first weekend, according to its Facebook page. Starting Tuesday, July 18, however, the hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. The business serves breakfast Saturdays and Sundays only.

Cheers Bar and Grill closed in early 2018.

Real estate

A developer has proposed to build more than 130 apartments in Tumwaters urban growth area, according to a notice of application received by Thurston County.

Aspen Apartments LP intends to develop 132 units, spread across 11 buildings, at 1635 83rd Ave. SW, which is south of the Port of Olympias New Market Industrial Campus.

In addition, the project will have a community building, parking areas, setback areas, utility extensions and 83rd Avenue Northwest will be improved with curb and gutter, sidewalk, landscaping and lighting, the notice of application reads.

The public comment period on the proposal ends at 4 p.m. July 27. Send your comments to Associate Planner Scott McCormick at Scott.mccormick@co.thurston.wa.us.

Dermody Properties, a Reno, Nevada-based commercial real estate company, has acquired three warehouses in Lacey that used to be known as the Bridge Point Lacey Logistics Park, the business announced.

The three buildings in the 3300 block of Hogum Bay Road Northeast, which total more than 700,000 square feet, have since been renamed the Lacey I-5 Logistics Center.

The acquisition of the Lacey I-5 Logistics Center represents a significant investment by Dermody Properties within the Pacific Northwest, said Tim Walsh, partner and chief investment officer at Dermody Properties, in a statement. Puget Sound industrial vacancy is still below the historic average and, with this properties strategic location, it will maintain corporate appeal for years to come.

Banking

Downtown Olympia-based Washington Business Bank reported a higher quarterly profit for the second quarter that ended June 30, the bank announced.

Bank officials said the banks second-quarter profit rose to $377,423 from $217,872 in the same quarter for 2022.

Other year-over-year changes for the second quarter:

 Loans outstanding rose 16.4 percent to $89.6 million.

 Deposits decreased 2.9 percent to $82.7 million, although they remain more than 6 percent higher than totals at the end of 2022.

We are more excited than ever about the future of our organization, said Chief Executive Jon Jones in a statement. Our team is focused on building our business by bringing our style of banking to more businesses and professionals.

This restaurant and bar in Lacey has closed

If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.
(CNN)  The Biden administration believes that a Chinese hacking operation which breached US government email systems, including the State Department, gave the Chinese government insights about US thinking heading into Secretary of State Antony Blinkens trip to Beijing in June, according to two US officials.

The hack  which Microsoft said was launched in mid-May  was discovered by the State Department right around the time of Blinkens visit to Beijing, officials said. But it was not immediately clear that China was behind it and it was not widely known about within the department, they said.

The news that the hack allowed China to access information ahead of a crucial visit that US officials hoped would start a reset of relations after months of tensions underlines the complexities of modern diplomacy but its unlikely to shock US officials who are well aware that two major global powers spy on each others communications.

US officials have consistently labeled China as the most advanced of US adversaries in cyberspace, a domain that has repeatedly been a source of bilateral tension in recent years. The FBI has said Beijing has a larger hacking program than all other governments combined.

China has routinely denied the allegations.

China has long accused US intelligence agencies of conducting their own cyber-espionage against Chinese assets. Classified US documents leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden a decade ago claim that the NSA made extensive efforts to infiltrate Chinese telecom company Huaweis equipment to spy on intelligence targets.

Microsoft Executive Vice President Charlie Bell said that the company began investigating after customer reports came into the company on June 16  the same day that Blinken departed the US for his trip to Beijing.

The amount that China was able to learn from the hack was limited because it only breached an unclassified system, and US officials generally operate with the assumption that anything on the unclassified systems can be hacked. Still, it provided the Chinese government with additional knowledge from the private discussions of US officials heading into Blinkens visit.

Another target of the hack, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is also expected to soon visit China.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Blinken raised the issue of the hack in a meeting with top Chinese official Wang Yi in Indonesia on Thursday, a senior State Department official said.

He made clear that any action that targets US government, US companies, US citizens is a big concern and well respond appropriately, the official told press traveling with Blinken.

The official said they would not get into the specifics of the extent to which the hack was raised in Blinkens meeting with Wang, nor would they characterize the US or Chinese response.

We have consistently made clear that any action that targets US government, US companies, American citizens, is a deep concern to us and that we will take appropriate action to hold those responsible accountable and the secretary made that clear again tonight, the official said.

On Wednesday State Department Spokesperson Matt Miller said that the department had detected anomalous activity in June. He said the department immediately took steps to secure the system and notify Microsoft of the event.

As a matter of cybersecurity policy, we do not discuss the details of our response. The incident remains under investigation, and we continuously monitor our networks and update our security procedures, Miller added.

This story was first published on CNN.com. Biden admin believes hack gave China insights into US thinking ahead of Blinkens crucial Beijing visit
Only four Dems vote with GOP to pass defense policy bill rolling back abortion policy, 'woke' initiatives

The House of Representatives on Friday narrowly passed the annual defense policy bill, as most Democrats opposed the legislation that Republicans championed as a way to roll back the Biden administration's "woke" Pentagon policies.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), normally a bipartisan bill, passed in a 219-210 vote after just four Democrats voted "yes," matching the four Republicans who voted against it.

Most Democrats rejected the bill due to controversial amendments that would curb the Pentagons abortion travel reimbursement policy, transgender medical care and diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) programs throughout the military.

Democrats have accused House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., of pandering to the most conservative Republicans with amendments that they say are more about the "culture war" than about military readiness. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said Friday on the House floor that such amendments would only make the current military recruitment crisis worse.

NAVY TAKES DOWN LGBTQ+ PRIDE POST ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER, REMOVES RAINBOW BANNER

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy shepherded the National Defense Authorization Act over the finish line with barely any Democratic support.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and his two deputies released a statement late Thursday announcing they were opposed to the bill and accusing Republicans of having "chosen to hijack the historically bipartisan" bill.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"House Republicans have turned what should be a meaningful investment in our men and women in uniform into an extreme and reckless legislative joyride. The bill undermines a womans freedom to seek abortion care, targets the rights of LGBTQ+ servicemembers and bans books that should otherwise be available to military families," the joint statement said.

"House Democrats will always put people over politics to protect our national security," they said. "We will vote no on final passage of this bill."

NAVY OFFICIALS CALLED CRITICS OF LGBTQ+ PRIDE EFFORTS BIGOTS AND A--HOLES, EMAILS SHOW

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced late Thursday he would vote against the bill.

But Republicans have argued that their amendments would refocus the military on its ultimate goal of protecting and defending the country.

Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., leader of the largest conservative bloc in the House, celebrated the NDAA and its amendments passage as a victory.

ARMY VETERAN GOP REP SAYS US TRYING TO OUT-PRONOUN OUR ENEMIES IN PUSH TO END MILITARY DEI PROGRAM

The U.S. military is experiencing a dire recruitment shortage across most branches.

"Under the leadership of Joe Biden, our military has been injected with woke ideology at the expense of our ability to combat China. The passage of Rep. Jacksons amendment barring the Pentagon from using taxpayer funds to pay for travel for abortions is a major victory, Im proud to support it," he said in a statement.

"Under this NDAA, our militarys primary focus will be combating threats from nations like China, Russia and Iran  exactly what it should be."

The Senate is expected to take up its own version of the NDAA next week.
Editors Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN.

Ill be the first to admit it  I, along with many other political observers, underestimated House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Courtesy Patrick T. Brown

When Republicans underperformed in last years midterm elections, his House majority was the thinnest for an incoming GOP speaker in years. It took a remarkable 15 votes for McCarthy to be elected speaker, and his success came at the price of making hefty concessions to hardline right-wingers. His decision to play hardball in debt ceiling talks struck many (including me) as a high-risk, moderate-reward step.

But credit where credit is due  McCarthy has, to date, managed to keep the train from running off-track. His modest win in the debt ceiling negotiations was a prime example that he knows just how far he can push, or be pushed by, his caucus.

Still, McCarthy has very little breathing room, as the recent dust-up between the House Freedom Caucus and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia shows. Greene was ejected from this group of Republicans in what was largely seen as a rebuke for her vocal defenses of McCarthys leadership.

And this weeks wrangling over a must-pass defense bill is yet another reminder of how thin McCarthys margin for error is. It is also a strong indicator that the GOPs internal tensions will remain unresolved until and unless a Republican president is sworn into office and can provide a compelling vision for the party.

Like any good manager of a political coalition, McCarthys position requires him to be less beholden to specific governing principles and more interested in cutting deals within his own caucus and with Democrats in the Senate and the White House.

In negotiations over the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), for example, McCarthy originally sought to tamp down conservative enthusiasms. As Axios reported, House leadership tried to steer hardline members away from including social issues-related amendments in the defense bill, which are priorities for conservative activists, but could imperil the legislations ultimate passage in a Democratic-controlled Senate.

Conservative groups vocally encouraged the House GOP to use the NDAA to prevent what they say is executive overreach from the Biden administration. In response to state abortion bans, the Pentagon has adopted a policy of reimbursing service members who travel out-of-state to procure abortions. A letter from prominent pro-life groups pointed out that this Biden administration post-Dobbs expansion of abortion coverage was legally suspect and asked Congress to reassert [its] authority over policymaking and ensure that our nations laws and policies reflect the will of the American people.

McCarthy clearly wanted to get the massive defense bill passed in a timely fashion. But the reality eventually set in  even if it makes final passage more difficult, conservative members, and the activists they hear from, were not going to swallow being told to take a back seat when it came to the abortion-related travel issue. (Because taxpayer funding of abortion remains divisive, the gambit may even pay political dividends for some Republicans, if vulnerable Democrats are forced to explain their opposition to a defense bill because of hot-button cultural stances.)

Similarly, Republican leadership may have hoped amendments on Pentagon diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and banning coverage of surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender service members could have been tabled. But the contemporary conservative movement is concerned about policies that could be seen as turning the military woke and pressed McCarthys team for votes on those amendments, which each passed late Thursday. The sweeping defense bill passed the House on Friday, largely along party lines.

As in the debt ceiling fight, McCarthy may have been pressed to take a more aggressive position on the defense bill amendments than he naturally would have preferred. But without a national figure providing a vision for what the Republican Party should prioritize, the internal divides within the GOP conference leave him with no choice but to hang on for the ride.

And the final bill will have to be negotiated with the Democratic-controlled Senate. McCarthy will have to be seen as fighting hard for these issues, even if they are likely to be left on the cutting room floor, to quell his restless right flank.

McCarthy faces another headache on this years budget negotiations, where fiscal hawks are seeking to approve less funding than was agreed upon with the White House, as part of the debt ceiling deal. And immigration underscores yet another challenge for the speaker.

The party has been divided on what to do about agricultural visas, which many farmers, who heavily supported Trump, rely on. In their bill earlier this year, some House Republicans would have required all employers to use the e-verify system, which is supposed to confirm whether a given employee has authorization to work in the United States. That bill passed the House but has not been voted on in the Senate yet.

Should it pass, this bill would have massive ramifications for farmers and the agricultural sector. According to the Center for Migration Studies, over eight in 10 agricultural workers in the US are born outside the country, and nearly half are undocumented.

Some conservatives will argue that temporary visas for agricultural workers undercut wages for US-born workers; farm industry groups often counter by pointing out that the wages necessary to attract native-born workers to harvest crops would make their products economically uncompetitive. Meanwhile, many states, like Florida, are implementing or expanding their e-verify requirements.

This issue is coming to a head. In the current Homeland Security funding bill, Republicans concerned about agricultural interests included language that would expand the availability of agricultural work visas whether or not they are for a temporary or seasonal nature, a change from current law. Anti-immigration forces in the GOP have been incensed, calling it a way of displacing American workers in favor of exploitable foreign workers.

McCarthys role as part-matchmaker, part-marriage counselor between his more establishment wing and the more aggressive House members, such as those who belong to the House Freedom Caucus, means his tools of assuaging concerns are limited.

In this case, the importance of getting a bill passed may outweigh the concerns of the more ideological members of his party. And so, despite populist ire around immigration, the establishment-friendly forces within the party might soon claim a win here.

McCarthys speakership, so far, has been the equivalent of a beat-up jalopy, hanging together long enough to get Republicans from point A to point B, and even showing a surprising amount of agility around some twists and turns. But he hasnt gotten to his destination.

For those  like myself  who thought the wheels were on the verge of coming off, McCarthy has shown himself to be a more than competent operator. And if hes able to rack up a few more conservative wins while keeping the disparate parts of the House Republican majority from driving into a ditch, hell have pulled off a feat that, adjusted for degree of difficulty, might rank up there with some of the cleverest modern-day speakers.

But as the NDAA wrangling and defenestration of Greene illustrates, his toughest internal challenges may yet be ahead of him.

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Arrest Made in Stabbing Death of Man Who Defended LGBTQ+ Coworker

An arrest has been made in the stabbing murder of an Oregon man who was killed when he defended a coworker from homophobic abuse.

U.S. Marshals arrested Rahnique U. Jackson, 24, on July 7, and charged him with the murder of Colin Michael Smith, 32, that took place in the Buckman neighborhood of Portland just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 2. Smith was enjoying drinks at The High Dive bar after work with friends when Jackson allegedly began hurling anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at a nonbinary friend who was also a coworker. When Jackson reportedly touched two members of the group inappropriately, Smith stepped in to de-escalate the situation. In response, Jackson reportedly stabbed Smith before fleeing the scene.

Friends and family said they have been left devastated by the loss but said Smith was a good friend who tried to defend others.

Colin was one of the good ones, Greg Denton, owner and chef of the Ox Restaurant where Smith worked, told local Fox affiliate KPTV, later observing He was a caretaker. He was the life of the party, he was a funny guy, he was a protector. He should be here right now.

I think Colin, just in general, has always had really strong values around supporting the underdog, just looking out for people who maybe got overlooked, friend and former girlfriend Paulina Solis told People.

I lost my boy when he was defending a friend, Julie Smith, Colins mother, wrote in a statement to People. A quick action that was spontaneous and innate to his selfless character.

Smiths family shared a photo of Colin posing with Smokey, his pet cat who meant the world to him.

The number one thing we just want to stress to people is not to promote the fear of not sticking up for people, but love thy neighbor and stick up for people, Danielle Smith, Colins sister, told People.

Jackson was charged with murder and unlawful position of a weapon. No hate crime charges have been filed as of yet, although family and friends insist Smiths murder should qualify for the added charge.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover expenses for Smiths family.
Orlando police officers kill woman who charged at them with knives, cops say

Two Orlando police officers shot and killed a suicidal woman Friday afternoon after she charged at them with two knives, deputy chief Chad Ochiuzzo said at a press conference.

At 12:03 p.m., the Orlando Police Department received a call transferred from the Orange County Sheriffs Office advising them of unknown trouble on the 1200 block of Pioneers Way, which is off Narcoossee Road, south of State Road 417.

Ochiuzzo said the subject who called was identified as the womans boyfriend who told dispatchers his girlfriend was talking about killing herself and was armed with a knife.

Officers trained in crisis intervention arrived on scene and began negotiating with the woman over the phone, Ochiuzzo said. At one point the woman hung up, before communications began again, he added.

Another time, the woman walked out of her apartment while on the phone and holding a knife in her hand. Police said she then walked back into her apartment.

Attempts at additional communication by a new negotiator were made, according to police.

After several attempts to negotiate, Ochiuzzo said the woman ran out of her apartment and charged at two officers in the hallway with two knives in her hand. The officers in the hallway shot and killed her.

According to police, the officers who fired are trained in crisis negotiations.

The officers were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which investigates all officer-involved shootings. The report will then be forwarded to the State Attorneys Office which will determine if criminal charges are warranted.

Ochiuzzo said the officers were wearing body cameras. The footage was not made available, but is expected to be released within the next 30 days, he said.

This is the second fatal shooting involving Orlando Police Department officers this month.

On July 3, an officer shot and killed unarmed 26-year-old Derek Diaz in downtown Orlando while he was sitting in his car.

Recently-released body camera footage showed Diaz was approached by three armed police officers on bicycles.

Orlando Chief Eric Smith said drugs were found at the scene but did not clarify what kind of narcotics. No gun was in his vehicle.

Body camera footage showed Diaz reaching his right hand toward the vehicles center console before the officer fired his weapon, striking Diaz in the back.

The shooting prompted civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, along with Diazs family, to demand more information about the case be released.

Smith said he and his department understand the need for answers.

Maintaining the integrity of the investigation process is also needed so that the facts are provided fairly and transparently. An investigation involves not only body-worn camera video of the incident but also includes the collection of witness testimony, Smith said.

This is a developing story.

arabines@orlandosentinel.com
Panama seized six tons of shark fins and arrested five people in connection to the illegal trade (Handout)

Police in Panama seized more than six tons of shark fins bound for Asia on Thursday, arresting five people in connection to the illegal trade, authorities said.

The black-market shark fin trade is estimated to be worth $500 million annually, and Panama last year spearheaded international efforts to protect many endangered shark species.

Attorney General Javier Caraballo told a press conference that most of the seized fins "were already dehydrated and ready to be exported".

The shark fins were allegedly destined for Asia, police said, where a kilo of fins can cost up to $1,000.

Shark fin soup is viewed as a delicacy in East Asia, often eaten at weddings and expensive banquets. It is also believed in some countries, including China and Japan, to slow aging, improve appetite, aid memory and stimulate sexual desire.

Authorities suspect that the shark fins were being sent from Panama to a Chinese citizen who financed the activity.

Police also seized a pistol with an expired permit and bank transfer documentation during the operation, and discovered a storage and packaging center used in the fin trade.

The five people who were arrested during the operation will be charged with crimes against collective security and the environment.

In November 2022, the Panama summit on international trade in endangered species -- attended by 183 countries and the European Union -- adopted a resolution to protect 54 more shark species in a blow to the lucrative fin trade.

According to the Pew Environment Group, between 63 million and 273 million sharks are killed every year, mainly for their fins and other parts.

In many parts of the world, fisherman lop the shark's fins off at sea, tossing the shark back into the ocean for a cruel death by suffocation or blood loss.

jjr/cjc/dhw
Parents of Corona man sue Uber, allege driver left him on the side of freeway where he was killed

The parents of a man who was struck and killed on the 91 Freeway are suing Uber and the driver, saying their son was abandoned on the freeway. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

The parents of a 21-year-old man who was struck and killed while walking on the 91 Freeway have filed suit against an Uber driver and the ride-hailing company, alleging that their son was abandoned on the side of the freeway.

Cory Robert Hunter of Corona was struck and killed in the early morning hours of May 21 when, according to court records, he was seen walking in the fast lane of the freeway near the Serfas Club Drive exit in Corona.

In the lawsuit, Hunter's parents accuse Uber and the driver of negligence and wrongful death.

A spokesperson for Uber said the company could not comment on pending litigation.

According to the suit filed July 3, Hunter and five friends were picked up from Fullerton about 2:30 a.m. on May 21 and headed to Corona.

Theida Salazar, an attorney representing the Uber driver, Muruli Ntamba, said all of the passengers in his van were "exhibiting behavior that they were intoxicated."

Hunter had fallen asleep during the drive, but was awakened by other passengers when one of the other passengers sitting behind him became ill and had to vomit.

The suit says Ntamba pulled over on the eastbound side of the freeway, and Hunter and the other passengers got out of the vehicle.

"After exiting the vehicle in a disoriented state, Mr. Hunter did not return to the vehicle," according to the suit. Ntamba, instead of looking for him, "left the scene without Mr. Hunter, essentially leaving a completely disoriented individual on the side of a busy highway, knowingly endangering the person of Mr. Hunter," the lawsuit says.

But Salazar said his client was the first one to notice Hunter was missing. Ntamba had been tending to the rider who became sick and offering him water, he said. When everyone was getting back in the van, Ntamba did a head count and noticed someone was missing, Salazar said.

"He looked for Mr. Hunter not once, but looked for him twice," Salazar said.

Salazar said Hunter's friends then told the driver that Hunter would turn up.

After looking for him unsuccessfully, the group got into the van and drove away, but Salazar said Ntamba felt "uneasy" about leaving.

"He thought, 'This isn't right,' so he exits the freeway, and gets back on the opposite direction, so he can get back and do another search," Salazar said.

Salazar said the group searched for Hunter in the area for about 20 minutes in all before going on to their destination.

But the family's attorney, Peter Corrales, said the driver didn't take enough steps to locate Hunter, pointing out there was a 30-foot wall next to the vehicle, meaning there was no place for Hunter to go, other than down the freeway.

"The only sober person at the scene, that we know of, was the driver, and he didn't take enough steps to makes sure that Mr. Hunter was back in the vehicle," Corrales said.

About 2:55 a.m. that morning, Hunter was walking in the fast lane of the freeway when he was hit by a woman driving a 2016 Toyota, according to the suit.

The incident has left Ntamba "distraught and shaken up," Salazar said.

"He was very troubled by this," he said. "It isn't something that is easy for him to deal with."

Hunter's parents have also named the driver of the Toyota, Lauren Pena, as a defendant in the lawsuit, alleging that she "acted in an unreasonable manner at an unsafe speed and failed to see, anticipate, yield to, and avoid striking Mr. Hunter."

City News Service reported that the driver immediately stopped after striking Hunter.

Hunter was hit by a second car shortly after being struck initially.





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kansas City police opened a homicide investigation Thursday after a man was found fatally shot in an SUV near Linwood Boulevard and Troost Avenue.

Around 5:30 p.m., patrol officers were flagged down by a woman who said a passenger in her vehicle had been shot, said officer Alayna Gonzalez, a department spokeswoman. The officers found a man in a vehicle who was unresponsive.

Emergency medical personnel happened to be in the area, Gonzalez said, and they took the gunshot victim to the hospital.

Around the same time, there was a 911 call to report the sound of shots fired about two miles away in the 4200 block of Walnut Street, Gonzalez said, where shell casings were recovered by crime scene personnel. As of Thursday evening, Gonzalez said detectives believed the fatal shooting may have occurred there but its a little too early to tell.

Detectives were speaking with witnesses to learn more about what led up to the shooting, Gonzalez said.

No one was in police custody Thursday evening.

Police kept the busy intersection of Troost and Linwood blocked off into the evening as crime scene investigators processed a black SUV that was parked in the middle of the road. It was later towed from the area.

The killing marks Kansas Citys 108th homicide of 2023, according to data maintained by The Star. The city remains on pace to see the highest number of homicides in its history since the record was set in 2020 with 182 killings.

Kansas City police were asking anyone with information about Thursdays shooting to contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS.
Dolores Leal-Martinez, 61, of Clovis, is due for her third cycle of chemotherapy at the end of this month, but she doesnt know whether shell be able to get the critical life-saving treatment she needs amid a national shortage of two essential cancer drugs.

Leal-Martinez, a transitional kindergarten teacher in Sanger, was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in late May after undergoing surgery to remove a 22-centimeter mass and having a total hysterectomy.

Part of her chemotherapy regimen includes a drug called cisplatin. But cisplatin and carboplatin, another chemotherapy drug, are in short supply.

The Food and Drug Administration added cisplatin to its drug shortage website on Feb. 10, and carboplatin on April 28.

The shortage of the drugs spread to the Fresno area about eight weeks ago and began affecting patients who have gone without those drugs or have been given more toxic alternatives.

Leal-Martinez was able to get cisplatin for her first two cycles of chemotherapy, but for her remaining cycles, her oncologist, Dr. Ravi Rao, told her they will have to wait and see. She needs a total of six chemotherapy cycles, and each consists of a three-day treatment. The thought of having her treatment altered in the middle of the process, she said, is frightening.

Having the diagnosis is already hard enough, she told The Bee. It just adds an additional stress and pressure. I shouldnt have to be dealing with that. Its just devastating.

The short supply of the chemo drugs was first reported by NPR and the New York Times. Intas Pharmaceuticals, the main manufacturer of the drugs, shut down its plant in India in December after an unannounced inspection by the Food and Drug Administration, the New York Times reported.

Either of the two drugs -- not used together -- is essential in treating ovarian, bladder and cervical cancers, among others, but these are the top three, mainly because cisplatin and carboplatin are so critical in curing, Rao said.

Another patient Rao is treating undergoes weekly treatments for bladder cancer. Carboplatin is one of the drugs included in his weekly chemotherapy regimen, but due to the shortage, the essential drug was missing from his treatment plan for a month. Rao finally decided to substitute a different chemotherapy drug.

That drug, mitomycin is effective, Rao said. But it is also more toxic and has a lot of side effects, especially for older patients.

Rao said he prescribed a lower than usual dose of mitomycin because of the patients age.

But in spite of that, a week later, he ended up in the hospital with complications from chemotherapy, Rao told The Bee.

Leal-Martinez said cancer patients do not need additional worries. But she cant stop thinking about whether shell be able to finish her chemotherapy with cisplatin. She doesnt know how her body would react to an alternative drug and how effective it would be.

Its hard to take it away from my mind, she said.

Initially, Rao said, doctors at cCare - California Cancer Associates for Research & Excellence - where he works, were rationing cisplatin and carboplatin for patients who need curative treatment, but it was difficult because doctors dont know when the sporadic shipments will arrive and what the amount will be.

So we just give it to whoever is there on that day, he said.

Leal-Martinez said the situation is also not fair for oncologists who are being placed in this predicament.

The kind of pressure they are being put under to have to make those determinations, she said. So many patients and a limited amount of these drugs.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Rao walked around one of the areas where the medication is stored. A small badge of carboplatin had arrived that morning.

It will be gone by Friday, he says. Enough to treat 15 patients.

Rao gets a weekly update from the pharmacy manager indicating how many patients are due to receive cisplatin and carboplatin each week at cCare. He scrolls down the list on his email: This week, 47, again, he says. Thats considered a large number for the amount of medication coming in. Additionally, the doses are based on a patients stature, so some may require more of the medication.

Dr. Ravi Rao has been frustrated about the shortage of cancer drugs for treating his patients.

The prior week, the list also included 47 patients. This number doesnt include cancer patients at other clinics throughout Fresno County. Other oncologists and cancer clinics in Fresno didnt respond to inquiries from The Bee seeking comment, but Rao says they are all facing the same grim situation.

Its been my experience .... with my own patients, around one in three are getting it, he said of the needed drugs. It is devastating.

FDA has to realize how bad this is

In late May, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, all from Michigan, wrote a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf. They urged the agency to do everything in its power to alleviate the strain on patients and prevent delays in life-saving treatments amid the shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin.

Alternate supplies were said to be arriving in the United States from China. But those supplies have yet to reach his office, Rao said.

Patients are suffering. We are suffering. We are caught in the bind, he said. Patients are worried, they are upset, and we face the brunt of it.

Dr. Ravi Rao holds up a cancer drug at California Cancer Associates for Research and Excellence in Fresno on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Dr. Rao has been frustrated about the shortage of cancer drugs for treating his patients.

Rao said he would like for the FDA to take this very seriously and to realize how bad this is.

To say, OK, we need to solve this tomorrow, he said. There must be some place in the world where you can buy some extra carboplatin and ship it in.

Chanapa Tantibanchachai, a press officer with the FDA, referred The Bee to a June 2 tweet by Califf in which he says the agency recognizes the importance of a stable, safe supply of critical drugs used in oncology, especially those used in potentially curative or life-extending situations.

The FDA recognizes that a robust, resilient and safe drug supply chain is essential for public health and national security, she told The Bee in an email. The agency is fully engaged in cross-government discussions to identify potential policies and provide input on proposals informed by our current authorities, resources and industry knowledge to ensure meaningful solutions.

Rao urged cancer patients, their family members and the community to call their local representatives in Congress and ask them to further push the FDA to address a problem that will result in avoidable deaths.

This is a public good, he said. We need to make sure the system works well. Right now its not.

Anthony Camacho, press secretary for U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said the congressman is concerned about this matter and is looking at federal actions, such as the FDAs response.

He is in contact with leaders on this issue to determine any actions needed by Congress to help alleviate these shortages, he told The Bee in an email. He is prepared to lend his support where necessary to ensure that patients have access to lifesaving drugs.
A Loxahatchee woman was arrested Thursday night after authorities alleged that she stabbed three nurses at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital after removing her 3-day old infant from the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit against medical advice.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies say the 31-year-old woman attacked hospital staff with a large serrated kitchen knife before driving away with the child. The injuries were not life-threatening, investigators said.

We are very thankful that our colleagues are recovering and HCA Florida Palms West Hospital is providing support and care for their physical, mental and emotional well-being," a statement released by the hospital Friday afternoon read. "We are also thankful to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, whose quick actions led to the apprehension of the suspect and the safe return of the patient. Our security team is assisting fully with law enforcement's investigation.

A person related to the woman accused in the attack told deputies the woman has experienced mental health episodes that recently have escalated. The Palm Beach Post is not disclosing the woman's name.

According to the arrest report, several hospital staff members attempted to intervene after the woman removed the infant from a ventilator and other medical devices. The relative told investigators the infant was in NICU because of underdeveloped lungs.

The relative said the child's mother had recently complained about the baby having to remain in the hospital, but had made no mention of removing the child from the NICU.

Child abduction alert initiated hospital lockdown

According to the arrest report, a "code pink" was initiated at the hospital shortly after 10:30 p.m. Thursday, indicating a child abduction.

One employee told deputies she was on duty in the NICU when she observed the infant's mother attempting to leave with the child. When the employee attempted to retrieve the child, the mother swung the knife, cutting the employee on the right hand.

Two other employees told deputies they were near the emergency room exit when they observed the mother running with the child and attempted to intervene. The mother cut one employee on his forearm and struck a female employee on the side of her neck, the arrest report said.

Deputies tracked the mother and child to the woman's home in Loxahatchee. The woman reportedly attempted to flee again in her vehicle but crashed. She fled on foot and was apprehended a short time later. The infant was taken back to the hospital by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and was last reported to be in stable condition.

The Loxahatchee woman faces charges that include two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, one count of child neglect and one count of simple battery. She made her initial court appearance Friday morning at the Palm Beach County Jail.

County Judge Ted Booras assigned her a public defender and ordered that she be held in lieu of $302,000 bail. As a matter of policy, the Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office does not comment on open cases. Jail records show that the defendant remained in custody as of Friday afternoon.

Man, 25, faces murder charge in one of three shootings in Boynton Beach June spree

West Palm man who preyed on college students walking alone sentenced for sexual battery

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him atjwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at@JuliusWhigham. Help support our work:Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Woman arrested, accused of taking baby from hospital NICU, stabbing nurses
Sweeping Peace Corps legislation headed to the U.S. Senate includes a provision allowing the agencys director to suspend without pay any employee who engages in serious misconduct.

The proposal follows a USA TODAY investigation that exposed for the first time a leading Peace Corps official who remained on the payroll for 18 months after he went on a reckless drunk driving spree that left a Tanzanian mother dead.

That case was one of several troubling instances behind the provision in the new bill, which was approved by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week, according to Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif. who introduced the bill in the House.

We noted that the director did not have sufficient administrative authority to deal with profoundly disturbing problems, said Garamendi, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia.

John Peterson, now 68, received more than $250,000 in salary and bonuses while on leave after he struck and killed street vendor Rabia Issa in 2019. The deadly crash on the streets of Dar es Salaam took place after Peterson was drinking at a bar and brought a sex worker to his government-leased home.

Rabia Issa's relatives kept a photocopy of John Peterson's driver's license, which they say police gave them after Issa's death.

U.S. State Department officials flew Peterson out of the country the same day. He was investigated by the State Department and Peace Corps but never faced charges and resigned in 2021.

In response to criticism following USA TODAYs investigation, Peace Corps director Carol Spahn noted that federal law does not allow foreign service workers to be suspended without pay while under investigation.

The new provision included in the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act would change that, although it gives the suspended employees the right to appeal and awards back pay and legal fees if they are successful. Garamendi said now that the Senate committee has approved the bill, he expects the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to review it as soon as September.

Night with sex worker preceded fatal crash

Peterson, the agencys director of management and operations in the east African nation of Tanzania, was drinking at a bar in Dar es Salaam on the morning of Aug. 24, 2019, USA TODAYs reporting found. State Department and Peace Corps records show that he picked up a sex worker in his diplomatic-plated vehicle, brought her to his home and paid her for sex.

Read More: Records reveal feds misled Tanzanian police after US citizen killed woman in Africa

Later that morning, while driving the woman back to the area where had picked her up, Petersons car hit and injured a Tanzanian woman on the street. An angry crowd gathered and Peterson fled in his vehicle, tailed by motorcycle drivers. At a sharp turn, Peterson veered off the road and hit 47-year-old Issa as she tended to the fire at her roadside food stand. The mother of three, pronounced dead at the scene, was her familys primary breadwinner, relatives told USA TODAY.

Peterson kept driving, with the sex worker still in the passenger seat, and soon ran into a large light post. A State Department security official who came to the crash site noted the stench of alcohol and Petersons bloodshot eyes, unsteady footing and slurred speech, according to State Department records obtained by USA TODAY through a records request.

John Peterson's deadly driving spree finally ended when his SUV, pictured here, slammed into a light post. State Department officials who responded to the crash found Peterson sitting in his mangled vehicle with the airbags deployed around him.

At a nearby police station, Tanzanian police tried to give Peterson a breathalyzer test but stopped after a U.S. embassy security official asserted that Petersons diplomatic immunity exempted him from such testing.

Records show Peterson did not have diplomatic immunity, a privilege meant to protect diplomats and their families from unfair punishment in foreign justice systems. Peace Corps employees are not typically granted that exemption.

Police released Peterson from custody, directing him to return to the police station two days later. Instead, U.S. embassy officials that same day put Peterson on a plane and only informed Tanzanias Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the incident after he had left the country. Peterson never faced charges in Tanzania.

Soon after, the U.S. Department of Justice declined to file charges against Peterson in the United States, saying it did not have jurisdiction because the incident happened outside of the country.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel in a September 2022 statement to USA TODAY said there was no effort to deliberately mislead Tanzanian authorities as to Mr. Petersons diplomatic status and blamed the confusion over his immunity on a diplomatic identification card Peterson had been issued by the Tanzania government.

Peterson has repeatedly declined to comment. His attorney, Mark S. Zaid, in a statement last year said there are several misleading inaccuracies in the Peace Corps and State Department records, but he did not elaborate.

Why did Peterson stay on the Peace Corps payroll?

Spahn, who took over as acting head of the agency about a year and a half after the incident, has stressed that foreign service workers cannot be suspended without pay while under investigation. But agency officials have declined to say why the investigation into Petersons case took so long.

Congress cracked down on lengthy paid administrative leave for most other federal workers in 2016, capping it at 10 days per year to investigate misbehavior.

Records show the Peace Corps office of safety and security completed its review of the case in February 2020. The agency then waited seven months to notify Peterson that it planned to revoke his security clearance. Peterson appealed the decision, and roughly five months later a determination sided with the agency.

Before his 30-day window to file a further appeal closed, Peterson resigned. In a 93-word letter to the agency, he expressed his sincere apologies for his unacceptable actions in Tanzania.

Peterson kept collecting salary while his victims got paltry payouts

Over the 18 months that he was on paid leave, Petersons salary, unused vacation time and bonuses added up to more than $258,000.

The agency paid a fraction of that amount to the people he harmed, who each signed settlements in exchange for agreeing to not make any legal claims against the agency or Peterson. The settlement records make no mention of whether the victims, including Issas minor children, had their own lawyers, and the Peace Corps has declined to say whether they did.

Rabia Issa's relatives, pictured here in the Msasani neighborhood of Dar es Salaam, said Issa was the family's primary breadwinner.

The sex worker Peterson hired received about $2,200. The first woman Peterson hit, who Tanzanian authorities said was crushed and severely injured, was paid roughly $6,500.

Issas relatives, who buried their loved one in a cinderblock-walled cemetery, received $13,000.

None of the victims received the $20,000 max that federal law allows the agency to pay in order to settle injury or property damage claims involving its employees and volunteers.

The legislation approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Commission this week does not raise that limit, which has been stagnant since 1978.

Rabia Issa's family buried her in a cemetery in Dar es Salaam, marking the grave with a simple concrete headstone.

What else would the Peace Corps Reauthorization do?

Garamendi said the legislation, which formally reauthorizes the agency for the first time in more than two decades, provides certainty for the Peace Corps and makes changes necessary for the organization to function in the modern world. The provisions include:

Appropriating $410 million annually to the agency through 2028. In a statement issued by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, National Peace Corps Association President and CEO Dan Baker called the amount significantly less than what is needed to expand the program into strategically important regions of the world, but said he is confident that additional resources can be added through the appropriations process.

Extending the agencys Sexual Assault Advisory Council, which was set to expire in October, through fall 2028. The council, a group of independent experts, was formed following legislation passed in 2011 after Peace Corps volunteers said the agency failed to protect them from sexual violence and mishandled their reports. A 2021 USA TODAY investigation found the agency still failing to manage the threat, at times placing volunteers in dangerous situations and inflicting further trauma by bungling its response to assaults. The new legislation would require the council to issue annual public reports.

Requiring the agency to establish a "safe return to service" process for volunteers whose service is interrupted due to mandatory evacuations. The agency pulled all volunteers from service in early 2020 due to the pandemic, began redeploying them to limited sites in early 2022 and is now active again in more than 50 countries.

Peace Corps Office of Communications Director Charmion Kinder, in a statement, said the agency "has been and will continue to engage with Congress on the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act."

"Peace Corps Director Spahn is committed to evaluating legislative and internal policy changes, where feasible and appropriate, to create lasting operational efficiencies that protect the health and safety of Volunteers," Kinder said.

Tricia L. Nadolny and Nick Penzenstadler are investigative reporters for USA TODAY. Tricia can be reached at tnadolny@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @TriciaNadolny. Nick can be reached at npenz@usatoday.com or @npenzenstadler, or on Signal at 720-507-5273.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A Peace Corps worker made $258,000 after killing a woman. Congress is weighing reforms.
New Delhi (CNN)  A major river overflowing near Indias capital has reached the highest level on record, authorities said, prompting mass evacuations and causing havoc with water supplies as northern states report rising deaths from heavy flooding.

A tributary of the mighty Ganges River, the Yamuna River breached the high flood level mark on Wednesday for the first time in 45 years, according to the Central Water Commission.

The Yamuna, which flows about 855 miles (1,376 kilometers) south from the Himalayas through several states, rose to 208.57 meters (about 684 feet) as of Thursday  the highest mark ever, officials said.

Public Works Department Minister Atishi Marlena said about 30,000 people were evacuated along the river banks and urged residents to stay with relatives or seek shelter at relief camps.

We are monitoring the water levels but right now there is so much water that we cannot stop it. Our focus right now is on evacuating, she said Thursday, calling the situation unprecedented.

Complicating matters, Haryana state neighboring Delhi released water from a barrage  which could cause the Yamuna water levels to rise further, Marlena added.

Indias National Disaster Response Force told CNN on Thursday it had 12 teams working to help evacuate residents in affected areas.

The river overflowing has also led to school and office closures, along with likely water shortages, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, he said schools in affected areas have been ordered shut through Sunday, and non-essential public and private employees have been asked to work from home.

The overflowing has also impacted three water treatment plants in Delhi, Kejriwal said, warning that people will likely have to ration water supplies for several days due to shortages.

Transport has also been impacted, with some roads closed due to waterlogging, and heavy goods vehicles restricted from entering flood-affected areas.

Delhi metro trains, which serve millions of passengers each day, must travel at slower speeds when crossing bridges over the river, with the Yamuna metro station closed.

India is in the midst of monsoon season, which can last from April to September.

A week of heavy rains in the north of the country has caused flash floods, landslides, evacuations and sparked rescue efforts across much of the region. The death toll has climbed to at least 67 people, according to authorities.

The mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been hardest hit so far with at least 31 deaths, its chief minister said Tuesday.

More than 50,000 tourists were evacuated from Himachal Pradesh within 48 hours, according to the states Information Department  including in towns popular with travelers for their Himalayan backdrops and scenic forests.

In neighboring Uttarakhand state, three people drowned on Wednesday after a car lost control and fell into a river in Khoh River Pauri district, according to CNN affiliate CNN-News 18.

Meanwhile 11 people have died in Punjab state, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, and 10 in Haryana, CNN News-18 reported, citing officials.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Yamuna River surpasses height record as northern India reels from deadly floods."
REUTERS/Scott Morgan

Former Vice President Mike Pence gave Tucker Carlson the answer he wanted on Jan. 6, eliciting an amen from the former Fox News host at a major campaign event in Iowa on Friday.

All I know for sure, having lived through it at the Capitol, is that it was a tragic day. I've never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the last two years, Pence said. It was a riot that took place that day.

Interviewed by Carlson onstage at a conservative Christian groups 2024 candidate forum, Pence either ignored or nodded along to the pundit's debunked conspiracy theories about Jan. 6a remarkable display for a man who the pro-Trump mob wanted to execute for his refusal to overturn the 2020 election.

Who Has the Most to Lose in Tuckers 2024 Confab? Tucker.

Facing a crowd of future Iowa caucus voters, Pences attempt to placate Carlsonwho made obscuring the reality of Jan. 6 a key focal point of his showserved as a departure from the former vice presidents past statements on that day and Trumps role in it.

Later in his talk with Carlson, Pence did acknowledge that Donald Trump put his familys lives in danger on Jan. 6. But his appearance was mostly defined by laboring to simply not anger anyone with his rhetoric on the Capitol riota far cry from the last time he made news in Iowa, when he firmly and clearly responded to false claims from a voter about Jan. 6.

At one point, for instance, Pence gave a meandering answer trying to show appreciation for law enforcement at the Capitol that day.

I saw firsthand where theyd evacuated us down to the loading dock down below the Senate chamber, police officers that, as the day wore on, were streaming through, Pence recalled.

One hundred and fifty police officers that were assaulted, obviously the tragic loss of life ransacking the Capitol that occurred, but I really do believe that a day of tragedy became a triumph of freedom, he continued. And Ill always believe that I did my duty that day under the Constitution of the United States of America, and our institutions held.

Pence Fights With MAGA Radio Host Over Potential Trump Pardons

The response didnt sit well with Carlson.

When you say the tragic loss of life, who are you referring to? the pundit responded.

Well, obviously, Ashleigh Babbitt would come to mind immediately, Pence said, referring to the Air Force veteran and avid Trump supporter who was shot and killed by police after breaking through a barricade just outside the House chamber.

The exchange over the storming of the Capitol started off about as awkwardly as possible, with Carlson appearing to catch Pence off guard.

January 6th, what was that? Carlson asked Pence, trying to drill down on whether he would describe it as an insurrection, a rhetorical no-no for virtually any Republican seeking to win votes from the party base.

First, Pence bought himself time. He gave a perfunctory thank you to the events host, perennial Iowa caucus kingmaker Bob Vander Plaats, and praised Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is set to sign an anti-abortion law later in the day.

As Pence stalled, Carlson was noticeably cackling away from his microphone as Pence got around to his actual answer.

It wasnt the only awkward moment: at another point, Pence, a staunch supporter of Ukraine who recently paid a visit to its president, clashed with the rabidly anti-Ukraine Carlson over the Russian invasion.

Who Supports Mike Pence? Mike Pence Doesnt Know

In conveying his support for Ukrainewhich reportedly elicited boos from the crowdPence pivoted to a version of his stump speech.

Tucker, I've heard the routine from you before, Pence said, when Carlson re-hashed his anti-Ukraine talking points.

Anybody that says that we can't be the leader of the free world and solve our problems at home has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on earth, Pence continued. We can do both. And as President of the United States ... we will also lead the world for freedom, under my administration, I promise you.

The pair then exchanged a cold handshake and parted ways.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Tucker Carlson took a break from filming Twitter videos to emcee for the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa on Friday, where he interviewed several Republican 2024 candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence.

Pence, who was threatened with death by a violent mob supporting his former boss Donald Trump on Jan. 6, once again demonstrated that he lacks the backbone to accurately describe the violent riot in the Capitol as an attempted insurrection.

What was that? Do you think that was an insurrection? Carlson asked.

Pence stalled as Carlson giggled in the background, before finally answering that all he knows for sure is that Jan. 6 was a tragic day.

Ive never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the last two years, Pence said. It was a riot that took place in the Capitol that day.

Tucker Carlson: "What was that? Do you think that was an insurrection?"



Mike Pence: "It was a tragic day. I've never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the last two years. It was a riot that took place in the Capitol that day." pic.twitter.com/oOMUA9dGcW  Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 14, 2023

But even that answer may be too much for Carlson, who previously described Jan. 6 as nothing more than a friendly visit from orderly and meek sightseers.

Pence went on to tout that hed done his constitutional duty by certifying the election. The former vice president was a central component of the right-wing plot to usurp the Electoral College certification on Jan. 6 by putting forth an alternate docket of fake, pro-Trump electors. Pences refusal to participate in the scheme and usurp the election results (a bare minimum fulfillment of his constitutional oath) drew Trumps ire and led the rioters to call for his hanging.

Carlson went on to ask Pence why he thought the mob was mad, and wondered why we havent talked about that?

Pence replied by accusing the Jan. 6 Committee of failing its historic mission of bringing the facts forward by focusing too much on Trump and not enough on the failure of law enforcement to prevent the attack. He also lauded Carlsons commitment to bringing all of the facts to the American people. Speaking of facts, Its worth mentioning that Carlson has been a key figure in two defamation lawsuits against his former employer, Fox News. One over defamatory and misleading coverage of the 2020 election, which resulted in Fox agreeing to a $787.5 million dollar settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, and another brought this week by a former fan who Carlson publicly accused of being an undercover federal agent and orchestrating the riot.

This is not the first time Pence has downplayed the threats he and his family, who were visiting the Capitol on Jan. 6, lived through. He has repeatedly accused Trump of endangering his family, yet refuses to say outright that he should be held responsible for the attack. Hes also refused to rule out supporting Trump in the 2024 election.

While Pence would love to present himself as an alternative to Trump, the former presidents base has not been swayed in favor of the man they believe cost them their last chance to forcibly continue the Trump presidency. Trump has been raking in tens of millions of dollars every fundraising quarter this year. By comparison, Pence raised a measly $3.8 million in the third quarter, only slightly more than half of his polling average.

More from Rolling Stone

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Click here to read the full article.
Former Vice President Mike Pences campaign raised roughly $1.2 million in the three weeks since he launched his 2024 bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

An adviser said between his campaigns fundraising and the roughly $2.6 million raised by Committed to America, a super PAC backing the former vice presidents bid, Pence raised $3.8 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Pence launched his campaign for president June 7, giving himself 23 days to raise money ahead of the deadline for the second quarter. His relatively modest haul in the first few weeks of the campaign reflects how he is still trying to gain traction in a crowded GOP primary field, particularly when compared to the fundraising reports of competitors.

Former President Trumps joint fundraising committee  which includes his campaign and political action committee  brought in more than $35 million in the second quarter.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss campaign brought in $20 million in the second quarter.

Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), who launched his campaign two weeks before Pence, raised $6.1 million in the second quarter.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleys campaign reported raising $7.3 million during the second quarter.

Pence and other candidates will need to secure donations from at least 40,000 individuals to qualify for the first GOP primary debate in late August, based on criteria established by the Republican National Committee.

Candidates are required to submit their fundraising totals from the second quarter by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 15.

Pences campaign has focused heavily on Iowa, where the former vice president and his team believe he will be able to connect with the large evangelical base of voters while traveling to all 99 counties in the state and building up infrastructure on the ground.

The Hill Elections 2024 coverage

The former Indiana governor has also sought to draw a contrast with Trump in the early weeks of his campaign. He called out his old running mate for his record on government spending, arguing the former president has turned his back on the anti-abortion movement after the end of Roe v. Wade, and criticized Trump for his praise of dictators like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

That has yet to translate to a significant bump in polling, however. A Fox News poll conducted in late June found Pence running in third place with 4 percent support, well behind Trump at 53 percent and DeSantis at 21 percent.

A Morning Consult survey released this week that will count toward qualifying for the first primary debate showed Pence polling at 7 percent, behind Trump, DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Pentagon commented on the claim that the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is taking place at a slower rate than expected.

Source: European Pravda, with reference to the briefing of Douglas Sims, the director of operations of the Joint Staff of the Pentagon

Quote from Sims: " They're using new equipment, and they're doing that all while being shot at and bombed, not to mention the... extensive mining that the Russians have put in place. And so where they are gaining hundreds of meters a day, maybe a kilometer a day in some places, they're doing that at great cost in terms of effort.."

Details: He stressed that now, the Ukrainian soldiers are in the midst of fierce fighting.

According to him, the Ukrainian military conducts its counteroffensive operations "in excellent sequence on the battlefield." "It may not be at the speed that we would prefer...So this is hard warfare, it's in really tough terrain, it's under fire, and really, when you consider all of that, it's pretty remarkable".

Previously: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes that predicting the course of a counteroffensive is impossible due to the "nature of war."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Pentagon says conditions for transferring F-16s to Ukraine "not ideal" right now

The US believes that Russia's current air defence and air force capabilities create "not ideal conditions" for supplying Ukraine with US-made F-16 fighter jets at this time.

Source: Lieutenant General Douglas Sims, Director of Operations of the US Joint Staff, at a briefing on Thursday, quoted by European Pravda

Details: The representative of the US Department of Defence has noted that the conditions under which combat operations take place change over time, "but the conditions right now for the employment of the F-16s are probably not ideal".

Quote: "I mean, the Russians still possess some air defense capability. They have air capability. And the number of F-16s that would be provided may not be perfect for what's going on right now."

Details: At the same time, Sims added that since the future will change, "that certainly will dictate how that is employed".

Background: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba suggested that Western fighter jets could appear in Ukrainian skies in early spring 2024.

He later expressed confidence that Ukraine would still receive the F-16s and urged citizens not to be afraid of the Kremlin's threatening statements.

On 11 July, 11 partner countries, together with Ukraine, signed a memorandum defining the conditions for training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16s.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
The battlefield conditions in Ukraine are currently "not ideal" for the employment of F-16 fighter jets, said Lieutenant General Douglas Sims, the director of operations of the Joint Staff, on July 13.

"The conditions right now for the employment of the F-16s are probably not  they're probably not ideal," the general said at a press briefing.

"I mean, the Russians still possess some air defense capability. They have air capability. And the number of F-16s that would be provided may not be perfect for what's going on right now," he clarified.

Sims however added that the situation is changing over time and this will dictate how will fighter jets be employed in the future.

The Pentagon also said that Denmark and the Netherlands have taken the lead on training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s.

While the U.S. appreciates these efforts, the Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder did not reveal any information on the American role in the initiative.

Editorial: Arming Ukraine wont escalate war. Reluctance to do so will First it was the tanks, now its the fighter jets. As Ukraine braces for another possible major Russian offensive in the upcoming weeks, Western leaders are yet again coming up with a variety of excuses why this time, they cannot justify supplying F-16 and F-35 fighter jets to Ukraine. The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced on July 11 that the "fighter jet coalition" has been officially formed during the NATO Vilnius summit.

In particular, he highlighted the role of the Dutch and Danish partners, adding that training will start as early as August and a training hub will be set up in Romania.

In May, allies agreed to build the coalition to help procure the U.S.-built F-16 jets for Ukraine and train Ukrainian fighter pilots.

Ukraine has received Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets from Poland and Slovakia but has been pushing for more advanced aircraft. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has previously said it requires at least 48 F-16 fighter jets to liberate territory from Russia.
People are trashing a budget airline and saying it put them up in 'disgusting' cockroach-infested hotel rooms in Cyprus and Spain after their flights were canceled

People are trashing a budget airline and saying it put them up in 'disgusting' cockroach-infested hotel rooms in Cyprus and Spain after their flights were canceled. Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images

Angry passengers are tweeting at EasyJet for putting them up in sub-par hotels after flight cancellations.

A flyer wrote she slept on the floor "as the ceiling fan is hanging off and can't be turned off without injury."

The UK-based budget airline canceled 1,700 flights between July and September, per Reuters.

Disgruntled passengers stranded by a budget airline's flight cancellations are blasting the "disgusting" hotels the carrier put them in.

Of the 90,000 flights scheduled for the rest of July and August, British budget airline EasyJet has canceled around 1,700 flights, predominantly from London's Gatwick airport, Reuters reported on Monday.

The airline blamed the cancellations on the air traffic control disruptions across the continent, per the report.

And soon, angry passengers began tweeting about their disappointing experiences when the airline booked them in hotels that they considered to be sub-par.

Twitter user @angeldelight28 shared pictures of the hotel room she said EasyJet had put her up in after her flight to Liverpool was canceled, leaving her stranded in Larnaca, Cyprus. The pictures showed a barebones hotel room with unidentified stains over the patio and bathroom floors.

The passenger, who went by Clare on Twitter, tweeted on Monday: "The hotel I was put in was horrendous!! 1 star if that. I arrived 2am, I didn't sleep a wink. With cockroaches, room was dirty the bed was awful. This isn't the way to treat paying customers."

At press time, EasyJet's website showed that a round-trip journey between Larnaca and Liverpool in July and August cost around $450 to $650.

Another passenger, Zoe Wright, tweeted through her account @zoewrightfcipd on Tuesday: "Thanks for cancelling our flight home from lanzarote tonight and checking us in to the most disgusting, dangerous hotel on the island at nearly midnight I'm having to sleep on the floor as the ceiling fan is hanging off and can't be turned off without injury!"

Insider could not independently verify both claims.

Passenger Mark Buntin told the Daily Mail in a report published Wednesday that he spent around 350, or around $450, on a three-hour taxi ride from Bristol to Luton to catch an alternative flight after his initial flight to Dalaman, Turkey, was canceled.

An EasyJet spokesperson told Insider in an email on Thursday that the airline works with a hotel provider to secure overnight accommodation and meals for those customers who need them.

"We are sorry that this accommodation fell below the standards expected for these customers and so in light of their feedback we are looking into this with our hotel provider," the spokesperson said.

The airline told Sky News in a Monday report these flight cancellations were due to strikes by air traffic controllers in Europe and the impact of airspace closures due to the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the UK's civil aviation authority, it is a legal requirement that airlines offer passengers a choice between a refund or an alternative flight in the event of a flight cancellation.

In its 2022 annual report, EasyJet said it had flown 69.7 million passengers in 2022  up from 20.4 million in 2021  and operated mainly out of London's Gatwick and Amsterdam's Schipol airports.

Last year marked a period of unprecedented travel chaos, Insider reported, as airlines struggled to adjust to increased post-pandemic demand. Insider's Hannah Towey reported on travelers' stories of their pandemic-delayed life events  funerals, weddings, and honeymoons  were ruined by canceled or delayed flights last year.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Bruce Springsteen performs on stage with the E Street Band at BST Hyde Park in London, Saturday, July 8, 2023. | James Manning, Associated Press

Is there anything more American than flying to London on July Fourth to see Bruce Springsteen in concert?

I watched 60,000-plus British fans go crazy for the Boss. It made me think that if we Americans had Springsteen in 1776 there would have been no need to fight a war for our independence. The British would have happily traded the 13 colonies for a free show.

Watching him shred on stage for three hours is exhausting for an audience member. One can only imagine what it feels like for a 73-year-old man.

You read that right: Bruce Springsteen is 73. He is, to my mind, our greatest living artist. Hearing him play a song like Born to Run (1975) alongside a number like Ghosts (2022) made me realize that this guy has been at the top of his game longer than Ive been alive.

Part of what makes Springsteen such a deep expression of American character is that he wasnt born on the top of the mountain. He clawed his way up.

Its a story he tells beautifully in his Broadway show, available to watch on Netflix.

Little Bruce held his first concert when he was 7 years old. The whole neighborhood came. His rented guitar shone in the sun. He whooped and he hollered. He danced and he shimmied. He pointed at the sky and he implored the audience to scream.

Up until that point, Springsteens life had, by his own account, been an endless loop of school, homework, church and green beans.

But then, as Springsteen tells it in his one-man show on Broadway, in a blinding flash of sanctified light  a new kind of man  just a kid from the southern sticks  split the world in two.

It was Elvis on The Ed Sullivan Show.

The revolution had been televised right under the noses of the powers that be  and remarkably, those powers had not shut it down. The fateful event took place on a Sunday night in 1956 and young Bruce, living somewhere in nowhere New Jersey, suddenly knew that there was more  more life, more love, more hope, more truth, more power, more soul.

He continued: I listened, I believed, and I heard a mighty call to action.

At that first backyard concert, Bruce never actually played the guitar. Elvis had made it look so easy. When Bruce held his first guitar in his hand, he kind of hoped it might play itself. He thought his job was just to look cool.

Once he realized the crowd was laughing at him, not with him, Springsteen started to put in the real work. He practiced for hours alone in his room, building up his guitar chops. He spent Friday nights watching local bands play gigs at YMCAs and high school dances; he stood in front of the lead guitar player to see what he was doing, then went home and tried to play what hed seen.

The secret to being Bruce Springsteen has two parts: imagine a magnificent character for yourself, then put in the work to become it.

Thats the same duality that defines the American experiment. Dream a glorious nation, then labor to achieve it.

You can see this two-ness running both through Springfields body of work, and through American history.

Related

Listen to his early albums and you have a young Bruce Springsteen who will kill to break free. He is Born to Run, Racing in the Streets, to get out of this place, to exit St. Marys Gate and declare his own personal Independence Day.

And then theres the side of him that craves stability and tradition. These days, Springsteen lives 10 miles from the house where he grew up. He says that the most meaningful part of life is not being a rock star but being a dad and a husband. He writes about the comfort he gets from church bells chiming, the same church bells that he disdained as a kid.

At the end of the Broadway show, he leads the audience in The Lords Prayer.

In fact, he calls his whole musical career a long and noisy prayer, not ultimately about discovering himself, but about understanding the people around him.

Think about the various characters Springsteen conjures in his songs. He sees the decent cop who lets his criminal brother escape, the ex-con trying to walk the straight line, the returned Vietnam vet seething in the Darkness on the Edge of Town, the high school hero in late middle age, the innocent West African immigrant who gets shot 41 times because of the color of his American Skin, Tom Joad as a Mexican migrant worker.

He sings these songs in such a way that we not only identify with the characters we like and resemble, we learn something about the ones we dislike and consider alien.

If Bruce Springsteen didnt exist, America would have to create him because he is so essential to our national identity.

And you know what story Springsteen chooses to tell? That if you didnt exist, America would have to create you. Because the distinguishing feature of American identity is that it regards each person on this sacred ground to be essential.

The magic trick that Bruce Springsteen performs is making this random assortment of individuals feel like a nation.

Thats why America is a potluck, not a melting pot. A singalong, not a solo. An improvisational jazz show, not a strictly ordered symphony.

If our people, in all their splendid variety, dont contribute, well, the nation doesnt feast.

It is only in understanding our collective story that the ultimate meaning of our individual stories are revealed. And it is only in the gathering of our individual stories that we have a collective story.

Eboo Patel, the founder and president of Interfaith America, is a contributing writer for the Deseret News, the author of We Need to Build: Field Notes for a Diverse Democracy and the host of the podcast Interfaith America with Eboo Patel.
Peru vows to use only legitimate force during upcoming protests

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's government vowed on Friday to use only appropriate force in protests planned for next week and guarantee demonstrators' safety, following alleged abuses during the previous series of clashes.

President Dina Boluarte met with top officials on Friday to discuss the need to guarantee protesters' human rights.

"We call upon the authorities to apply the legitimate use of force in accordance with the law and to guarantee the safety and integrity of those who will participate," Prime Minister Alberto Otarola said in a statement.

The government's pledge follows months of violent protests between December and March, during which human rights groups documented abuses and multiple "extrajudicial killings" committed by security forces against protesters.

The country has been gripped by unrest since former President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested in December after he illegally tried to dissolve Congress.

Various left-wing groups and unions in Peru have announced new protests starting on July 19 to demand Boluarte's resignation, the closure of Congress, early elections and a new constitution.

The organizers of the new protests say they expect thousands of people will be mobilized in the capital and around the southern area, where the country's largest mines are located.

The police have said they will deploy 8,000 officers to prevent possible disturbances and that they are already controlling the entry into capital Lima from outside.

The government also this week extended the state of emergency in key regions for 30 days.

"We call on citizens who want to exercise the right of assembly, the right to demonstrate and protest, to do so peacefully," Otarola added.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino, Writing by Isabel Woodford, Editing by Sandra Maler)
These Phenix City restaurants scored perfect scores in health inspections last month

A dozen Phenix City restaurants, lounges and bars received perfect scores in June health inspections, according to the Alabama Health Department.

All 25 Phenix City food service establishments inspected last month were considered to be in satisfactory compliance.

Alabama state law generally requires food service establishments to be inspected at least three times a year depending on the type of food being prepared. Convenience stores may be inspected once a year.

Restaurants are placed in one of four categories that determine the re-inspection schedule and use of enforcement actions:

Scores of 85 to 100 are considered to be satisfactory compliance and inspected on a routine schedule

Establishments that score between 70 to 84 require a follow-up inspection within 60 days

Scores of 60-69 require follow-up and reinspection within 48 hours

Establishments that score below 60 are closed immediately

No restaurant in Phenix City failed their routine inspection between June 1 and June 30. Here are the scores for other restaurants inspected last month.

Perfect food safety scores

Alcazar Shriner Club of Phenix City, 1911 Opelika Rd

Chattahoochee Brewing Company

Churchs Texas Chicken, 1306 US 280 Bypass

Cowabunga/Dominos Pizza #5364, 1413 Hwy 280/431

Doughboy Dumplings, 1223 Highway 280 Bypass

Dunkin Donuts, 1413 Highway 280 Bypass

Hot Wings Express, 508 13th Street

Phenix City Moose Lodge, 1809 Opelika Road

Subway, 2-C West Ridge Drive

Subway, 106 Highway 431 South

Taco Bell #037370, 101 Compromise Court

T-Bones Steakhouse and Grill, 3745 US Hwy 80 West

Other restaurants receiving a satisfactory grade
(CNN)  The head of a United Nations agency has called for an investigation into the killing of at least 87 people who were discovered in a mass grave in Sudans West Darfur region.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has demanded a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the grim discovery outside the regions capital El-Geneina.

Inside the mass grave were bodies of ethnic Masalit who along with other non-Arab communities are often targeted by Arab militias, supported by the RSF, according to Human Rights Watch.

The deceased were allegedly killed last month by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied militia.

According to credible information gathered by the Office, those buried in the mass grave were killed by RSF and their allied militia around 13-21 June in El-Geneinas Al-Madaress and Al-Jamarek districts, the UN body said in a statement Thursday.

The statement added that the bodies included individuals who were victims of the violence that occurred following the assassination of Khamis Abbaker, the Governor of West Darfur, on June 14.

Furthermore, the victims also include those who died due to untreated injuries.

Turk strongly condemned the killings and said he was appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated.

There must be a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the killings, and those responsible must be held to account, Turk added.

He urged the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other parties involved in the conflict to abide by international law and facilitate prompt searches for the deceased, their collection, and evacuation, without discrimination based on ethnic background.

The RSFs leadership and their allied militia as well as all parties to an armed conflict are required to ensure that the dead are properly handled, and their dignity protected, Turk stressed.

West Darfur remains one of the most conflict-ridden areas in the Sudanese Darfur region, with a long history of severe violence.

The recent killings reflect the atrocities committed during the early 2000s, where hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in an ethnic cleansing campaign led by the Janjaweed, an Arab militia that preceded the RSF.

This story was first published on CNN.com, UN uncovers 87 bodies in Darfur mass grave horror"
A recent social media post published with a photo claims that the image shows Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa on a beach with a woman, "enjoying life in Finland". But the claim is false: AFP Fact Check established the picture was digitally altered, with Ekpas face superimposed on another mans body.

This is Simon Ekperima the criminal, enjoying life in Finland while his fellowers (sic) are being killed everyday in Nigeria, reads a tweet published on July 11, 2023.

A screenshot of the false tweet featuring an altered image, taken on July 12, 2023

Simon Ekperima refers to Simon Ekpa, the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB is pushing for the independence of Nigerias southeast region. Its followers have a history of sowing disinformation, with multiple claims debunked by AFP Fact Check.

The post, retweeted more than 1,000 times, was shared by Nigerian musician Charles Charly Boy Oputa.

Oputa has also been the subject of previous AFP Fact Check debunks, including here and here.

IPOB

Calls for a separate state of Biafra remain a hot-button topic in Nigeria more than half a century after secessionist leader Chukwuemeka Ojukwu declared the independence of the countrys southeast in 1967. This was followed by a brutal 30-month civil war (archived here).

A faction of the group loyal to Finland-based Ekpa recently declared a two-week-long curfew in the region to protest the continued detention of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu (archived here). Kanu is facing trial for treason and terrorism (archived here).

The violent crackdown on defaulters of the curfew has been widely criticised (archived here). Local media said gunmen enforcing the curfew killed at least three people (archived here). Other IPOB members distanced themselves from Ekpas order, calling it irresponsible.

But the claim that the photo shows Ekpa with a woman on a beach is false.



Ivorian comedian

AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches on the photo and found that an Instagram page called observateur_ebene published the original on March 31, 2021 (archived here).

The account belongs to an Ivorian comedian called Florent Amany, popularly known as Observateur Ebene (archived here). He shared the same image on Facebook (archived here).

Screenshot of the post featuring the original image, taken on July 14, 2023

The caption on Instagram said the images showed the comedian and a Congolese model whose page was mentioned in the post.

The photo in the false tweet was altered, with Ekpas face replacing Amanys.

Matching elements in the two images include the logo on the mans boardshorts, the drawstring, creases on the hat, the necklace and towel around the mans neck, and the woman holding a mobile phone.
The photo of Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner Group, in a camp similar to those built for the Wagnerites in Belarus may be real, as at this time the crew of Prigozhin flew to Belarus.

Source: Belaruski Haijun, an independent Belarusian military monitoring media outlet

Details: In the morning, the pro-Russia Telegram channels posted a photo of a man who looked like Yevgeny Prigozhin sitting in his underwear on a bed in a tent.

Belaruski Haijun reports that the channel that published this photo first at 11:52 stated that the photo appeared in one of the chats and that "according to the metadata of the original photo, the date the photo was taken is 12 June at 07:24 in the morning". However, later the post was edited, and June was changed to July.

Quote: "Lets assume that this photo was indeed taken on 12 July at 07:24, and therefore Yevgeny Prigozhin was indeed in a camp near Osipovichi; more specifically, he spent a night there.

Look, on 11 July we reported that the crew of Yevgeny Prigozhin came to Belarus for the third time. It landed at the Machulishchy airbase at 19:40. Then, at 20:05, two helicopters, Mi-24 and Mi-8, of the Air Forces of Belarus took off from the Machulishchy airbase to the district of Osipovichi.

On the next day, 12 July, the helicopters Mi-24 and Mi-8 flew to the district of Osipovichi from Machulishchy again. They returned to Machulishchy at 14:27 and 14:30. The main thing is that in 2 hours and 20 minutes from Machulishchy to Russia, specifically to St Petersburg, the crew of Prigozhin flew."

More details: Thus, if the photo was taken on 12 July at 07:24, it is quite likely that Prigozhin came to Machulishchy on 11 July in the evening, was taken to a campground in the village of Tsil by helicopter, spent the night there, and took off from Machulishchy the next day.

In the previous photos from the campground, the floor was also covered with chipboard, the tents are white, and the windows are square with cross-like jumpers.

Background:

Vyorstka, a Russian media outlet, reported that the camps were being set up in Belarus to lodge the mercenaries of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) after the agreements with Alexander Lukashenko, self-proclaimed President of Belarus, who negotiated with Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner PMC.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine refuted this information. The service stressed that the intelligence is thoroughly tracking the situation in the country, which is an accomplice of Russia, the aggressor state.

Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, claimed that they do not build camps for the Wagner PMC but will "help with accommodation" if necessary.

"We are not building any camps yet. But if they want to (I understand they are looking at certain areas), we will accommodate them. Put up tents, if you like. But for now, they are in Luhansk in their camps. And as Prigozhin, who called me yesterday, told me, somebody is going to sign a contract with [Russia's Defence Minister Sergei] Shoigu at the Defence Ministry.

We offered them one of the abandoned camps. They are welcome  the fence is there, and everything is in place. Put up your tents. We will help them as much as we can until they decide what to get up to," Lukashenko claimed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is confident that the mercenaries from the Wagner PMC will not attack Ukraine from Belarus.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Photos: Another bus from Texas carrying migrants arrives in L.A.

A busload of migrants sent from Brownsville, Texas, arrives at St. Anthony's Croatian Catholic Church in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Arriving in downtown L.A. after a 30-hour bus journey, 30 migrants sent from Texas were met by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics and aid group workers. They were then taken by local bus to St. Anthonys Croatian Catholic Church, where a makeshift center was set up to help passengers reunite with family and access social services.

A woman and child arrive with other passengers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Bus passengers arrive at St. Anthony's Croatian Catholic Church. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Passengers exit the bus from Texas upon arriving in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

More passengers exit the bus upon arrival in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Adults and children exit the bus from Texas. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Littlejohn

A young man accused of killing a Shelby teen now faces an additional charge of attempted first-degree murder.

Tylee Trequan Smith had an appearance in court Tuesday.

The now 20-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing Khiran DeVon Littlejohn on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Smith, then 19, of Shelby, was arrested three days later while at the Cleveland County Courthouse where he was appearing on a previous misdemeanor drug charge.

According to the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office, at 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 4, officers responded to a shooting on Abes Mountain Road in Mooresboro.

Deputies with the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office arrived to find one man suffering from a bullet to his back. They were told a second man had been taken in a personal vehicle to Spartanburg Medical Center in South Carolina.

That individual was 19-year-old Littlejohn.

He succumbed to his injuries.

Smith has been in Cleveland County jail since his arrest.

The hearing this week served as a first appearance in court on the recent indictment for first-degree attempted murder which addresses the injury to the man who survived the gunshot to the back.

According to a press release from the Sheriffs Office issued in February, the interaction began as a drug transaction.

During the hearing, the prosecutor asked that Smiths bond remain at $600,000. The judge so moved.

She also said that the state does not intend to seek the death penalty.

Smith waived his right to a court appointed attorney and has hired one.

Because the hearing was also on the calendar for a conference, Assistant District Attorney Brittany Padgett said the state plans to extend a plea offer in the case.

If Smith agrees to it, he will plead guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder for which he would be sentenced to approximately 29 to 34 years in prison.

He will have time to meet with his attorney before entering a guilty or not guilty plea.

His next court date is set for Sept. 5.

According to Littlejohns obituary, Khiran was a very well mannered young man who was an inspiration of strength, love and laughter to everyone he came in contact with. Khiran liked to play video games with his friends, hunt and go fishing.

As a youth, he joined Shoal Creek Baptist Church and was a member of the youth ministry, his obituary states. He was employed by Doles Food in Bessemer City.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Man accused of killing Shelby teen faces an additional charge
Madison Hollman wrote that she has been set free by the spelling to communicate method. Linda Hollman

Advocates of "spelling to communicate" claim it can help nonverbal people communicate with words.

Top-level experts have criticized the method and said the people are "cued" to point to the letters.

The producers of the new film "Spellers" want the practice to be taken seriously.

Two years ago, Madison Hollman, a nonverbal autistic person, wouldn't have been able to tell anyone that she was experiencing something like a toothache, her parents said. Madison would make involuntary noises such as grunts and hisses that they couldn't interpret and so had to guess what might be wrong, her parents told Insider.

But now the 25-year-old is able to communicate, the family said. Her mom, Linda Hollman, told Insider that on a recent visit to the dentist, Madison purposefully pointed at letters of the alphabet stenciled on a laminated board that was held in front of her face. She spelled out the words, "I have pain in the back of my mouth"  a sentence that her mom, who was holding the board, spoke aloud.

It turned out that her daughter needed to have her wisdom teeth removed, Linda Hollman said.

"We were obviously concerned that Madison required the surgery," Hollman, of Orange County, California, said. "But we were thrilled that she was able to make those needs understood."

The Hollmans attribute the "life-changing" breakthrough to a revolutionary  and disputed  method called spelling to communicate, also known as S2C. The technique is the subject of a new documentary, "Spellers," a film that focuses on eight nonverbal autistic people, including Madison Hollman, who are said to have learned to communicate this way. The first variation of the technique was known as the rapid prompting method, created by Soma Mukhopadhyay, an Indian educator who developed the method after using it with her autistic son in the 1990s.

Later, Elizabeth Vosseller, a speech-language pathologist and former assistant professor at George Washington University, created spelling to communicate, a model similar to the rapid prompting method. Since its establishment in 2019, her nonprofit, the International Association for Spelling as Communication, has registered 350 practitioners in 35 American states and 15 countries.

Proponents include the businessman J.B Handley, who founded the controversial website Generation Rescue, which supports the scientifically unproven link between autism and immunizations. "Spellers" was inspired by Handley's 2021 book, "Underestimated: An Autism Miracle," in which Handy claims that spelling to communicate finally allowed his nonverbal autistic son, Jamison, the ability to be understood.

Handley and the other supporters of S2C believe that apraxia  a common disorder among autistic people that affects the part of the brain responsible for producing speech  can be treated by improving the motor skills needed to coordinate the brain and the body.

Hollman uses a letter board with the help of her mom, Linda, and the Spellers Method cofounder Dawnmarie Gaivin. Linda Hollman

"Moving your lips, your tongue, and your jaw requires a lot of fine motor coordination, which is difficult for folks with apraxia," said Dawnmarie Gaivin, a registered nurse and S2C practitioner who cofounded Spellers Method, a company that teaches the technique. Gaivin, who is Madison Hollman's tutor, has two nonverbal sons on the spectrum and is featured extensively in "Spellers."

The answer to the fine motor issues, Gaivin said, is to encourage people to use the gross motor skills of their shoulder and arm to point at letters stenciled alphabetically on a board the size of a placemat. One source of contention around the method is that the board has to be held directly in front of a student's face by a professional or parent trained in the practice, which speech-language-hearing experts have said doesn't allow for independent communication.

Experts at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association do not recommend the spelling to communicate method.

"It's just another name for the rapid prompting method," Diane Paul, the senior director for clinical issues in speech-language pathology at the organization, told Insider. Five years ago, the group, which has 280,000 professional members, released a position paper questioning its validity.

The organization says that the words autistic people seem to be spelling by using the technique "should not be assumed to be the communication of the person with a disability" and that practitioners could be dictating the words by directing the person toward certain letters.

Hollman said her daughter and others were 'underestimated'

Gaivin and the parents featured in "Spellers" say their children were pushed to the margins of society because of their inability to talk and the false assumption that they were cognitively disabled.

"They couldn't prove their comprehension because they'd have to speak, point to, or use some other way to demonstrate it," Gaivin told Insider.

The advocates of S2C featured in the documentary said the young adults were only able to share their knowledge, opinions, and feelings after being taught how to spell on letter boards.

"It proves that they were all underestimated," Linda Hollman said.

She said that something as seemingly trivial as having a dish ordered on your behalf at a restaurant could be a source of frustration for nonverbal autistic people. "One family would always order a chicken bowl for their kid at Chipotle because they thought it was his favorite," Hollman said. "Before S2C, he couldn't tell them that he wanted a steak bowl instead."

Madison Hollman at 3 years old, around the time she was diagnosed with autism. Linda Hollman

Linda Hollman told Insider that Madison's teachers insisted she had the intelligence of a toddler when she was 8 years old. But Hollman said Madison was "completely underestimated" because of her inability to speak. Therapists assumed that Madison couldn't read because she couldn't demonstrate her aptitude by talking or writing letters like other kids, she said.

Linda Hollman said that until she signed Madison up for an S2C class in 2020, she too had "misunderstood" her daughter "from the moment she was diagnosed with autism" at 3 years old. It took Madison weeks to work on her coordination and gross motor skills so she could hold her tutor Gaivin's pencil and jab it at the stenciled letters to spell words.

Hollman said closed captioning on TV helped her daughter read  but she had no idea at the time

Linda Hollman said the classes  which cost $100 an hour in 2020 and are now $150 an hour  initially focused on the topic of American history, including the life of Benjamin Franklin. "One day, Maddie spelled out 'harbinger' in relation to Benjamin Franklin," she said. "I was stunned because I didn't know what the word meant myself!"

"Maddie's first open thought that she spelled was, 'Most poorly talking individuals are not seen as thinking people,'" Hollman said she wept with joy as her child gained the confidence to spell in front of family and friends.

"She became fluent," Linda Hollman said. "We got to know her at last."

Madison told her parents that she owed her spelling proficiency in part to closed captioning on TV as she grew up, Linda Hollman said, and the family had no idea that Madison had been reading along when they watched shows together. Madison later asked for a math tutor, her mom said, saying she'd "missed out on a 'real' education" like her sisters.

Madison, right, with a group of nonverbal autistic people who also use the spelling to communicate method. Linda Hollman

Madison has since graduated from spelling on the letter board to using a keyboard that she types on with one finger. It needs to be tilted in the same way as the letter board. She lacks confidence and still needs someone to sit with her while she spells. Still, her goal is to become independent enough to do without their presence.



This year, she enrolled in online university courses to study genealogy. One tutor asked her to write a short autobiography which she shared with Insider. "I began to believe that I would never have a say in my daily life," Madison wrote about her former isolation. "Spelling to communicate changed my life," she continued, "I was finally set free from my prison of silence."

Madison recalled how she'd "appeared unintelligent to most everyone because my body was not regulated." She added, "I began to believe that I would never have a say in my life."

Linda Hollman told Insider that she was skeptical at first about S2C because so many other forms of speech therapy had "failed" her daughter.

The spelling to communicate method is controversial

Paul from ASHA told Insider that while the group "absolutely supports augmentative and alternative communication," it questions the validity of spelling to communicate.

"We support the use of letter boards, keyboards, spelling, and typing 100%," Paul said. "Our concern is the prompt dependence. With the rapid prompting method, the letter board is held up in the air by someone else, and it can be moved around even slightly to influence the person who's doing the communicating."

Madison, right, has slowly graduated from using a stenciled letter board to a tilted keyboard. Linda Hollman

She suggested the letter board should simply be placed on a table.

"Every person with autism does not have a motor disability, and that argument has not been verified," Paul said. "The same fine motor skill that is used for pointing at the alphabet on a table is used for pointing at a letter board held in the air."

In 2020, Nature published a small study that gave merit to the spelling to communicate method. The researchers wrote in the abstract that their "findings render a cueing account of participants' performance unlikely." The study aimed to establish whether S2C students may have been "directed" to select certain letters by the assistant who held the letterboard in front of them.

The researchers placed head-mounted eye-tracking devices on nine students to test how much agency they had over their attempts to communicate. They measured the speed and accuracy with which the participants looked at and pointed to letters when they answered a new, unrehearsed set of 24 questions about an article that was read aloud to them.

"Each pointed to about one letter per second, rarely made spelling errors, and visually fixated most letters about half a second before pointing to them," the psychology research team from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, wrote. It said the students' response times reflected the planning and production processes that characterized fluent spelling by typists who were neurotypical.

"The speed, accuracy, timing, and visual fixation patterns suggest that participants pointed to letters they selected themselves, not letters they were directed to by the assistant," the extract said, concluding, "The blanket dismissal of assisted autistic communication is therefore unwarranted."

Linda Hollman said her daughter's remarkable progress proves the point: "Spelling to communicate opened up Maddie's whole world."

Read the original article on Insider
Russia to close Polish consulate that looks after memorials

MOSCOW/WARSAW (Reuters) -Russia said on Friday it will shut a Polish diplomatic mission looking after memorials to Polish officers massacred by the Soviets and a 2010 air crash that killed Poland's president, in retaliation for Warsaw's "aggressive line" towards Moscow.

The war in Ukraine has brought tense relations between Warsaw and Moscow to new lows. Poland accuses Russia of trying to destabilise the country with disinformation campaigns and espionage. Moscow has condemned what it sees as Warsaw's hostile stance towards it.

The Russian foreign ministry said that the Polish ambassador had been summoned and informed of the decision to close Poland's "consular agency" in the western Russian city of Smolensk.

The Polish diplomatic mission looks after two memorials - a cemetery for victims of the Soviet Union's mass execution of thousands of Polish officers during World War Two, as well as the site of a 2010 air disaster that killed Polish officials travelling to commemorate those massacres.

"Warsaw has been pursuing a hostile policy towards Russia in recent years," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The atmosphere of unbridled Russophobia... prevailing in Poland precludes the demonstration of any 'goodwill gestures' on our part."

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland would give an equal response if Russia closed down its diplomatic missions.

"We regularly receive information about aggressive diplomatic actions from Russia," Mateusz Morawiecki told a press conference. "If in the end it comes to it that Russia starts to liquidate our offices we will respond in kind."

Moscow has been enraged by Poland's decision to pull down monuments to Red Army soldiers who died during World War Two.

Additionally in May Russia summoned Poland's charge d'affaires to protest against what it called the "seizure" of its embassy school building in Warsaw.

Poland says Russia was occupying Polish state property; Russia called the seizure illegal.

The consulate in Smolensk takes care of the cemetary where some victims are buried of the Katyn massacres, when the Soviet Union, which had jointly invaded Poland with Nazi Germany, executed around 22,000 Polish officers who were prisoners of war.

In 2010, President Lech Kaczynski and 95 other people including top politicians and military officers were killed when their plane crashed in thick fog in Smolensk as they travelled to mark the anniversary of the Katyn killings.

(Reporting by Moscow and Warsaw bureausEditing by Angus MacSwan and Peter Graff)
A man has been charged with multiple counts of murder in connection with the unsolved killings of women whose bodies were found on Long Island's Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago, according to court documents released Friday. The suspect was identified as Rex Heuermann, of Massapequa, Long Island.

The documents show that Heuermann has been charged with three counts of first degree murder and three counts of second degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Those three women, along with Maureen Brainard-Barnes, were all found in close proximity to one another in 2010 and have been called the "Gilgo Beach Four." In all, the bodies of at least 10 women were found in the area, believed to be the victims of a serial killer.

Heuermann was taken into custody by Suffolk County Police and state police at his home late Thursday night and is to be arraigned today in Suffolk County court in Riverhead.

Rex Heuermann / Credit: Image obtained by CBS2

"Members assigned to the Gilgo Beach Task Force, which consisted of numerous detectives and investigators from the Suffolk County Police Department, as well as our partners in the FBI, did place one individual under arrest," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said Friday.

According to court documents filed in the case, investigators began a "comprehensive review of every item of evidence" in the case in 2022, which led them to take a closer look at a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to Heuermann at the time of the murders, similar to one reported seen by witnesses. The investigation also turned up connections with burner cellphones and other phone data allegedly linked to the suspect.

In addition, the court filing says a hair found on burlap that wrapped one of the victims was determined to be a DNA match to Heuermann, based on a DNA sample retrieved from crusts in a pizza box he discarded.

The major development comes more than a decade after more than 10 bodies were found on Gilgo Beach. The long-unsolved killings were the subject of numerous CBS "48 Hours" reports and the 2020 Netflix film "Lost Girls."

Since 2010, more than 10 victims have been discovered, their remains strewn across a stretch of Ocean Parkway on Long Island, several of them identified as sex workers. The case has long baffled investigators and no arrests had ever been made.

Residents of Massapequa Park told CBS New York they were stunned by the news on Friday.

"We've been here for about 30 years, and the guy's been quiet, never really bothers anybody," next-door neighbor Etienne DeVilliers told the station. "We were kind of shocked, to tell you the truth."

DeVilliers said Heuermann is married, with two children. He added that his neighbor told him he was an architect.

"Like I said, we're shocked. Because this is a very, very quiet neighborhood. Everybody knows each other, all of our neighbors, we're all friendly. It's never been a problem at all," DeVilliers said.

Actor Billy Baldwin tweeted on Friday that he went to high school with Heuermann.

"Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann," Baldwin tweeted, saying they went to Massapequa's Berner High School and graduated in 1981.

On Friday, officers converged on a small red house that had been raided earlier in the morning in Massapequa , the Associated Press reported. Investigators were seen outside the home, which appeared to be in disrepair.

"This house sticks out like a sore thumb. There were overgrown shrubs, there was always wood in front of the house," neighbor Gabriella Libardi told the AP. "It was very creepy. I wouldn't send my child there."

Crime laboratory officers arrive at the house where a suspect was taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of serial killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park, New York. / Credit: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AP

Barry Auslander, another neighbor, told the AP the man who lived in the house commuted by train to New York City each morning, wearing a suit and tie.

"It was weird. He looked like a businessman," said Auslander. "But his house is a dump."

What we know about Rex Heuermann, suspect in Gilgo Beach murders

The apparent breakthrough in the hunt for a suspect in what's become known as "the Long Island serial killer" case came a little more than a year after police released audio of a 911 call made by Shannan Gilbert just before she vanished in 2010.

Investigators were searching for Gilbert when they found other remains on Gilgo Beach in December that year  women in their 20s whose remains had been wrapped in burlap sacks. Known as the Gilgo Four, they were later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, abducted in 2007; Melissa Barthelemy in 2009; and Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, who went missing in 2010. Six more sets of remains were found along Ocean Parkway the following spring.

A large police presence outside a home in Massapequa Park, on Long Island, on July 14, 2021, after an arrest was made in the Gilgo Beach murders case. / Credit: CBS New York

The Suffolk County Police Department released the full audio of Gilbert's 911 call last year, as well as maps and other images showing what authorities believe happened on May 1, 2010, the night she disappeared.

The police said in 2022, however, that "based on the evidence, the facts, and the totality of the circumstances, the prevailing opinion of Shannan's death, while tragic, was not murder and most likely not criminal."

Investigators voiced hope then that releasing the 911 audio would lead to answers in the larger search for the Gilgo Beach killer, and officials announced a doubling of the reward for information on the murders to $50,000.

"We are making real progress," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said in May 2022. He said he hoped new information released to the public would bring new leads on the notorious crime spree that had stumped police for a dozen years.

This is a developing story and will be updated. CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton contributed to this report.

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Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/AP

A man who appears to have been hiding in plain sight in a small seaside community for more than a decade while a serial killing gripped the nation was arrested and on Friday charged with murder in connection with several grisly deaths.

Police in Suffolk county, New York, arrested the 59-year-old local architect Rex Heuermann, in a significant breakthrough in the so-called Gilgo Beach case in Long Island.

The arrest, first reported by News 12 Long Island, was said to have occurred in the early hours of Friday morning as video footage from local reporters showed law enforcement vehicles gathered in Massapequa Park, a Long Island neighborhood.

Later on Friday, the county police commissioner, Rodney Harrison, said a male suspect was arrested at 8.30pm on Thursday. He did not immediately identify the suspect but Heuermann was officially named when a grand jury handed down an indictment on Friday afternoon. Heuermann was arrested in Manhattan in New York City.

Police officers stand guard near a cordoned-off area in Long Island, New York, after the suspect was taken into custody. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/AP

Prosecutors on Friday, in efforts to prevent Heuermann being granted bail, cited DNA evidence and calls from burner phones to victims that were linked to Heuermanns office.

Eleven sets of human remains were found in 2010 and 2011 along an isolated stretch of remote Gilgo Beach on a barrier island on the wild Atlantic coast about 40 miles east of New York City.

In February 2022, Suffolk county police launched a joint taskforce focused on investigating the so-called Gilgo Beach murders to search for whoever was responsible for the killings from 2010 and 2011.

The mystery surrounding the killings began when Shannan Gilbert, who had worked as a sex worker, vanished in May 2010 after she met a client at Oak Beach. Gilbert made a 22-minute 911 call where she reportedly said: They are trying to kill me.

Police found her body in a marshy area along Ocean Parkway. Soon after, they discovered four other women  Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello  in the same area, with each body covered in a burlap cloth.

Investigators then found six more sets of remains, including more female sex workers, a man and a toddler, setting off a decade-long inquiry into the killings that went cold for a time and had been mired in questions of law enforcement failures rooted in incompetence or, worse, institutional disregard, the Guardian reported in January 2022.

John Ray, an attorney who represents the families of victims Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, delivers remarks at a press conference on 14 July. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

That changed last year after Commissioner Harrison inherited the case and moved forward with the taskforce with FBI and state law enforcement agencies. Police released evidence ranging from maps to images at the time to Gilberts 911 call.

At the time of Gilberts disappearance, police initially said that she probably died by accident. And in 2022, Harrison said in a press conference that based on the evidence, the facts and the totality of the circumstances, the prevailing opinion of Shannans death, while tragic, was not murder and most likely not criminal.

Police had since said that one person might be responsible for all the murders.

On Friday, Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello and Megan Waterman, facing six charges in the three womens deaths.

The Suffolk county district attorney, Ray Tierney, said in court on Friday that the authorities had been monitoring Heuermann since last year and would have continued but they moved in when it appeared he might be preparing to move overseas. Heuermann has been labeled the prime suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes and is under investigation in connection with the other deaths in the case.

Tierneys office, in pleading for bail to be refused and Heuermann to be kept in custody, cited many elements that led to the mans apprehension, including DNA evidence and tracing calls made to victims from burner phones that were traced to his architecture offices.
Update: State police on July 15 said video footage they'd released Friday of a person they identified as escaped homicide suspect Michael C. Burham is likely in fact a different individual. "We actually had someone come forward to assist us with identifying the person that it likely is," Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state police's deputy commissioner of operations, said on Saturday. "And while we can't say 100%, I no longer believe that that video is likely Burham."

Saturday's full report: Police: Escapee Burham was not shown in recent doorbell video

The initial report from Friday's news conference:

WARREN, Pa.  Escaped homicide suspect Michael C. Burham was seen in an area south of the city of Warren several days ago, a sighting captured on doorbell video at about 5 a.m., a top Pennsylvania State Police official said in a daily update eight days after Burham broke out of the Warren County Prison using a rope made of bedsheets tied together.

Burham was caught on the video "within the last couple of days," said Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state police's deputy commissioner of operations. He said Burham is walking past a residence "headed toward the woods."

"We consider this to be a confirmed sighting," Bivens said.

Bivens declined to say when Burham was seen and where. He said police were notified of the video shortly after it was made.

An image of prison escapee Michael Burham, at right, was captured by a doorbell camera walking in an area south of Warren, Pa., several days ago, Pennsylvania State Police said in releasing the video on Friday. Burham broke out of the Warren County Prison on July 6.

The video shows a person walking slowly with a limp. The person does not appear to be wearing a prison uniform.

Bivens said police believe Burham, 34, was hurt when he escaped from the Warren County Prison at about 11:20 p.m. on July 6.

Burham at the time was wearing a prison-issued blue denim jacket, an an orange-striped jumpsuit and orange Croc-style shoes, but Bivens said "we don't believe it was prison attire" that Burham was wearing when he was seen on the doorbell video.

Michael C. Burham, 34, escaped from the Warren County Prison in Warren Pa., on July 6, 2023. The Warren police released these photos on July 7, 2023.

Bivens said the state police would have no comment on whether Burham's prison garb has been found during the search. He said the video shows that Burham likes to travel at night.

"I think he is desperate to survive" in the woods, Bivens said at the news conference, in the municipal building for Youngsville, outside of the city of Warren, about 66 miles southeast of Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Bivens said state police still believe Burham is in the woods around Warren, a city of about 9,200 people on the edge of the 514,209-acre Allegheny National Forest. State police said the search has extended into the forest, and that investigators continue to probe whether Burham has had help from others as he stays on the run.

Police comment more on cache found in woods

State police on Thursday released a photo of a cache of clothing, food and other items found partially hidden under a log in the woods not far from the city of Warren. Police said they are confident the cache belonged to Burham, whom police said has extensive experience in the outdoors.

Michael C. Burham, 34, escaped from the Warren County Prison, in Warren, Pa., on July 6.

On Friday, Bivens said state police believe the cache was from Burham's flight from authorities in the Warren area in May, when he was wanted for questioning in the fatal shooting of a woman in Jamestown, New York, north of Warren. But Bivens said state police "also believe there might have been access to those areas since then."

Bivens reiterated on Friday that state police consider Burham to be armed and dangerous and able to survive in the outdoors for an extended period of time.

The Warren County Prison, right, is pictured on July 8, 2023. The prison is located at the rear the Warren County Courthouse on the corner of Market Street and West Fifth Avenue in Warren, Pa.

Burham is still wanted in connection with a homicide in May in Jamestown, and he broke out of the Warren County Prison while awaiting prosecution on kidnapping charges related to the New York case. He used a rope made of bedsheets to slide off the prison's roof, police said.

"Burham is a self-taught survivalist with military training and could potentially be holed up in a wooded area," state police said in a news release after his escape. "He is to be considered armed and dangerous and we are asking the public not to approach."

Burham captured in South Carolina after fleeing in May

In the previous manhunt, Burham is accused of fleeing from New York by abducting an elderly couple in Sheffield, Pennsylvania, near Warren, stealing their SUV and forcing the two to drive with him to South Carolina, where he was arrested on May 24 after a manhunt. The couple was found unharmed.

Pennsylvania State Police said this cache, found in the woods outside Warren, Pa., belonged to Michael C. Burham, who escaped from the Warren County Prison on July 6. State police on Thursday disclosed the discovery of the cache and released a photo of it.

Burham was last know to live in Asheville, New York, near Jamestown. He also owned property in Russell, Pennsylvania, near Warren.

He has not been charged in the homicide, though authorities identified him as the prime suspect in that case, in which a 34-year-old woman, Kala Hodgkin, was found fatally shot at her residence in Jamestown on May 11. Burham at the time was wanted on a charge that he raped Hodgkin in a prior incident.

Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNpalattella.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Police: Escapee Burham seen near Warren several days ago
Police looking for suspect after they find man suffering from multiple cuts

Police are looking for the person who cut a 30-year-old Richmond, Indiana, man several times Thursday afternoon.

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Police were dispatched to the 100 block of South 12th Street just before 2:30 p.m. on the report of a stabbing, according to a statement the Richmond Police Department released Thursday evening.

Officers found Colton Jeffrey Skalak, of Richmond, suffering from multiple cuts. Richmond firefighter/paramedics determined Skalaks injuries were not life-threatening and took him to Reid Health.

The suspect, who reportedly left on foot, was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and stone-washed denim jeans, according to the statement, which was issued through Capt. Curt Leverton.

Police investigators interviewed several witnesses, but no apprehension had been reported as of Thursday evening.

However, officers at the scene arrested a 40-year-old Richmond woman on a charge of disorderly conduct. The police department offered no details about what prompted the womans arrest.

The investigation into the cutting, which the department is characterizing as a stabbing, is continuing, according to statement from the department.




A judges approval of the new rules Minneapolis officers must follow comes three years after George Floyds murder.

Minneapolis cops must abide by new rules governing police actions and behaviors now that a judge has signed off on a series of reforms.

On Thursday, a Hennepin County judge approved an agreement between the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) and the city of Minneapolis to implement new regulations for officers to follow.

The MDHR began an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) shortly after George Floyds murder led to a national racial reckoning that the city still grapples with today. The 2022 results of the investigation revealed a years-long history of violence and brutality against Black citizens in the city.

A Hennepin County judge approved an agreement between the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) and the city of Minneapolis to implement new regulations for police officers to follow. (Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Its what youd expect from the [police] in Minneapolis, Dave Bickling, a member of Communities United Against Police Brutality, a Minneapolis-based organization told theGrio. When George Floyd was killed here, no one was surprised. The police department was totally out of control.

According to the settlement, officers are required to use more de-escalation strategies and less force when dealing with citizens in situations where its feasible. The settlement also includes more restrictions on the use of chemical agents and crowd control weapons.

The 144-page agreement also includes instructions such as police misconduct investigator training, implementing sufficient supervision of stops and searches and more transparency during critical incidents when someone dies or is seriously injured by a police officer.

The Parties recognize that policing free of discrimination is central to public safety and to build community trust and legitimacy, the settlement states. This Agreement is designed to facilitate an improved relationship between MPD and community members through increased transparency and public input.

One of the more noteworthy points in the settlement is the call for better data collection from the police department, which is something criminal justice experts have urged for years, especially when it comes to fully understanding how Black residents are being treated by police officers.

Part of transparency is also accessibility of data. Thats the really hard part of this work, said Ganesha Martin, a criminal justice lawyer and member of the Council on Criminal Justice. If we really want to make transformative change, we need to be measuring accurate information.

Martin led the court-ordered reform efforts in the Baltimore Police Department from 2015 to 2018.

The MDHR settlement came nearly one month after the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) released its findings of an investigation into the Minneapolis police department, which revealed similar issues. A consent decree  in this case, a settlement between the federal government and the city of Minneapolis  will likely follow the DOJ investigation in the next year.

Often these reports show a reflection of really deep culture within a department that their way of policing is the only way of policing they know, Walter Katz, vice president of criminal justice at Arnold Ventures, a policy and research philanthropic group, said. So this distinction between what is ideal and how it is practiced can be so stark that officers are practicing unconstitutional policing and dont even know it.

Even with the MDHR settlement and the probable federal consent decree, people in Minneapolis know theres still a lot of work to be done.

Its going to take constant pressure for the city to do anything, Bickling of Communities United Against Police Brutality said. Weve been here before.

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The post 144-page agreement requires Minneapolis police to de-escalate, restrict chemical weapon usage appeared first on TheGrio.
Police searching for suspect who stole truck with baby, dropped child off at Dorchester intersection

Police are searching for the suspect who stole a car with a baby inside before dropping the infant off at a Dorchester intersection Friday, Boston Police say.

Officers responded to the intersection of Geneva Ave and Leroy Street just before 3:00 p.m. for the reported kidnapping. The victimized family told police that they had pulled over to tend to the two-year-old when the suspect entered their truck and sped down the road with the baby still inside.

Surveillance video shows the stolen truck fleeing down Geneva Ave toward Bowdoin Street as the family tries to chase down the alleged kidnapper.

The truck returns moments later, speeding down the wrong way of a one-way before opening the front door and dropping the car seat holding the baby on the street corner. A woman then swoops in, picking up the child from the curb.

Friday night, police released photographs of the alleged kidnapper. Police say the suspect is described as a heavy-set, light-skinned Hispanic male wearing grey shirts and pants.

The stolen truck was found abandoned an hour later on Columbia Road, a mile from where the alleged kidnapping took place, Boston Police say.

EMS was called to the scene to evaluate the infant, according to Boston Police.

The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Boston Police Detectives at (617) 343-4335.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A coalition of Hudson Valley police unions insists the killing of Jarrell Garris was justified, supporting the New Rochelle Police Departments account that Garris was shot July 3 after trying to take an officers gun.

Garris, 37, was shot by New Rochelle Det. Steven Conn after allegedly stealing fruit from a local store before getting into a scuffle with responding officers and reaching for one of their holstered firearms.

Garris, a Black man and New Rochelle native, died Monday after spending a week in a coma, leading to an investigation by the New York Attorney Generals Office and outcry from the community over what many saw as an unnecessary use of force.

All three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigations findings.

A New Rochelle police detective fatally shot Jarrell Garris, 37, on Lincoln Avenue after Garris was accused of stealing from a nearby grocery store.

Police: Body cam footage shows Garris grabbing for gun. But does it?

In a statement late Wednesday, the Affiliated Police Associations of Westchester asserted that body-worn camera footage conclusively showed Garris intentionally placed both hands on an officers gun and repeatedly attempted to remove it from the holster.

Faced with a split-second life and death decision, and aware that Garris could have full control of the officers handgun in a heartbeat, Det. Conn justifiably fired one round at Garris, stopping the threat and saving the lives of the officers present, Det. Keith Olson, president for the Yonkers Police Benevolent Association, wrote in the statement.

New Rochelle Det. Steve Conn is seen on body-camera footage capturing an encounter between three New Rochelle police officers, Conn included, and New Rochelle native Jarrell Garris. Conn discharged his weapon at Garris, killing him. The police say he grabbed an officer's gun, though Garris' family disputes that.

Further, Olson praises the departments release of the footage, saying it gives the public a true understanding of what happened.

While bodycam footage and screenshots released to reporters in the aftermath of the shooting shows Garris' hands on something attached to an officer during the scuffle, it's not clear whether it is a gun. In the background, Conn can be heard shouting, Hes got a gun.

A screenshot from New Rochelle Police bodycam footage shows what police representatives say is Jarrell Garris' hands on an officer's holster

The footage is cut off before the shooting itself  the New Rochelle Police Department has said they havent released the rest of the footage out of respect for the family.

In an interview Thursday, Olson acknowledged he had not seen video beyond what has been released, but said his understanding was that Conn fired at Garris within a few seconds of shouting Hes got a gun.

The Journal News/lohud, part of the USA Today Network, filed a Freedom of Information Law request for the footage in its entirety.

Its clear to me both hands are on the gun and hes trying to pull it out of the holster, Olson said, noting that over the years, holsters have been improved to make it more difficult to remove the firearm.

Theyre tricky to get out and cops are aware of that, but theyre not impossible to get out, Olson continued. So when somebodys trying to rip somebodys gun out of the holster, its a pretty dire situation. Just seconds  thats all it takes. These things dont last that long. You go from simple arrest to complete mayhem in seconds.

Garris familys attorney, William O. Wagstaff, ripped Olsons statement as distressing and focused on blaming the victim.

Another unarmed Black man was killed by police, and yet another defensive, insensitive, and irresponsible response from a police association, Wagstaff said in a statement released Thursday.

How did Garris' legal, mental health history affect police response?

The statement goes on to point to multiple alleged run-ins Garris had with local police in recent years. While some of his criminal history is backed up by court records, The Journal News/lohud could not independently verify on Thursday some of the allegations included in Olson's statement, which was distributed to over a dozen media outlets in the Hudson Valley and the New York City metropolitan area.

The Journal News/lohud has filed Freedom of Information requests for police reports related to several of these alleged incidents.

You do not respect our Black lives: New Rochelle residents enraged over police shooting of Jarrell Garris

Garris' family has said in past statements that Garris struggled with mental health issues, including schizophrenia, and that New Rochelle police had contacted him when he was a city resident for wellness checks.

Jarrell Garris had a long and troubled history of mental health and legal issues," Olson said in his statement, adding that it is unclear whether the three responding officers knew of Garris history at the time of the arrest and shooting.

That brings into question the threshold of information New Rochelle officers are required to have before engaging with a potential suspect, and the training they receive on interacting with someone with mental health issues, known or unknown.

New Rochelle operates a Mobile Crisis Response team, founded last summer and staffed by mental health professionals who will respond along with, and in some cases in lieu of police officers to calls of people in mental crisis, according to the citys website. This team was not called to assist with Garris July 3 arrest, New Rochelle Police said.

Raymond Fowler, left, the father of Jarrell Garris, is comforted by family spokesperson Rev. Kevin McCall before Fowler spoke to the media about the shooting of Garris by New Rochelle police this past Monday. Garris was shot by police during a scuffle on Lincoln Ave. in which police were attempting to arrest him after a nearby market called the police about Garris possibly stealing food.

Wagstaff suggested the discussion should be focused on Conns background and disciplinary history. Court records show Conn was sued for an alleged 2015 assault against a bus driver (before Conn was a sworn police officer) and the shooting of a New Rochelle dog in 2018.

The exposure of Garris criminal record and personal history is legally irrelevant to the question of whether his killing was justified, Wagstaff said in his statement. It amounts to the classic, But he was a criminal routine, which suggests that someones past makes their extra-judicial killing acceptable; it does not.

Olson agreed that the criminal history did not bear on the shooting itself but on the issue of why Garris might have resisted and reached for the gun, and was not "a judgement on the soul of Jarrell Garris."

And getting into Garris criminal history is a necessary part of transparency to the public, Olson argued.

The entire picture is part of the picture, he said. We live in this world where everyone wants transparency yet they dont want all the transparency.

Eduardo Cuevas contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Police unions group backs New Rochelle cops in Jarrell Garris death
Polluted air from Canadian fires is heading toward Wisconsin again; here's what to know

A photographer walks through the haze near Veterans Park as smoke from the Canadian wildfires continues to linger in the air in Milwaukee on Friday morning. The air is still unhealthy but it is improving in Milwaukee as the record-breaking haze caused largely by the fires begins to lift.

Smoke from Canadian fires is expected to return to Wisconsin this weekend after polluted air in June brought the worst air quality in the world to the state.

While the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources doesnt expect air quality to be as bad this time around, it is still urging Wisconsinites to be prepared.

When will smoke from Canadian wildfires arrive in Wisconsin?

A spokesperson from the DNR said the agency is tracking the smoke and they expect the polluted air to reach Milwaukee by noon on Friday. However, they also said that this bout of bad air is not anticipated to last as long as it did in late June.

After the polluted air arrives Friday it should move across the state and cleaner air should begin to stream into northwest Wisconsin on Saturday evening.

How severe will this air quality event be?

The DNR says they expect this to be less severe than the air quality event in late June, but there is a high chance that the organization could issue an air quality advisory for parts of Friday.

This is because PM2.5, a severely unhealthy form of particulate matter, is expected to reach the unsafe for sensitive groups (Orange) level, and it is not ruled out that there will be some isolated pockets of unhealthy (Red) for everyone air quality.

Where in Wisconsin will the air quality be the worst?

Forecasts are still being analyzed by the Wisconsin DNR, but right now smoke from Western Canada is expected to creep into far northwest Wisconsin on Friday. As the day progresses this smoke will work its way southeast across the rest of the state through Friday and Saturday.

The agency also said that current models have identified the northern half of Wisconsin as the area that will see the most severe impacts from polluted air.

How many fires are burning in Canada, and where are they?

Canada's eastern provinces like Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia have been hit particularly hard this year by large and at times uncontrollable blazes.

As of July 13, there are 913 active fires across the country, with 578 out of control and 226 under control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Officials on Thursday reported the highest number of active fires in British Columbia (346). Other places with a high number of fires include Quebec (138) and Alberta (121).

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Smoky air from Canadian fires is moving into Wisconsin; what to know
A screenshot from bodycam footage of Asheville Police Department officers arresting Devon Whitmire.

ASHEVILLE - A court hearing has been delayed on a communicating threats allegation that preceded a man's violent arrest by police officers.

The scheduled July 13 Buncombe County District Court hearing on a misdemeanor communicating threats charge against Devon Whitmire, 27, has been continued. It is now set to be heard Aug. 31.

That is three days after the deadline for Whitmire and his attorney to officially respond to a plea deal offer on nine other charges. Those came after the May 13 arrest of Whitmire, who is Black, during which white officers said he assaulted them but Whitmire's attorney said an officer cut off his airway while he was lying on his back in handcuffs. A judge, meanwhile, said the arrest was improper because officers did not give him a chance to submit.

Public Defender Brooks Kamczik and Assistant District Attorney Katie Kurdys did not respond to July 13 questions about progress on the plea deal. They also did not respond to questions about the nature of the prosecution's offer.

Whitmire is scheduled to appear Aug. 28 in Superior Court on the nine charges: two felony counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, inflicting physical injury; three felony counts of malicious conduct by a prisoner, spitting on law enforcement officers; one misdemeanor count of resisting an law enforcement officer; and three misdemeanor counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer.

He remains in the county jail on an $85,000 bond that judges have declined to reduce. One, though, District Court Judge Edwin Clontz, said police were wrong to lay hands on Whitmire before asking him to submit. Clontz declined to state an opinion on whether Whitmire was choked.

Asheville Police Department officers were in the Erskine-Walton neighborhood south of the River Arts District May 13 when they recognized Whitmire, who had an open warrant for communicating threats, according to bystander and police video.

Whitmire was standing with his back against a car, one arm in a sling, the other holding a cellphone and surrounded by three officers. In total, there were at least four officers in involved: Lt. Michael McClanahan, Shelby Middleton, Matthew Milillo and Sgt. Joshua Veridal.

Whitmire initially gave his identity of that as his twin brother. When officers said they planned to take him to jail, he said he had a gun, the videos showed. Officers asked where the weapon was but he refused to say and they grabbed him. During the ensuing struggle Whitmire and his fiance said he did not have gun, something born out by a police search after a struggle.

During the fight, but after he was handcuffed and on his back, Middleton put a forearm on Whitmire's throat. Members of a crowd that gathered could be heard voicing concerns, one shouting "he can't breathe." Whitmire at other times appeared to spit at officers and kick at them with bare feet. One officer was treated for injuries at the hospital and released that day.

APD policy forbids, except in extreme circumstances, putting "any pressure to the throat or windpipe, which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air." Such a chokehold is considered lethal force. But police said an internal investigation determined there was no excessive force. Chief David Zack had publicly criticized the Citizen Times for its description of Whitmire being "pinned" by the neck.

After a reviewing a Statue Bureau of Investigation report, District Attorney Todd Williams said their was no probable cause for a criminal investigation of officers' actions.

The encounter drew protests from activists, who pointed to nationally known fatal police encounters with Black men such as Eric Garner and George Floyd. Former mayoral candidate Michael Hayes, who is Black, said Whitmire was known to have mental health issues and police escalated the situation. Hayes called for Zack to meet with him and other activists and work on policies to prevent similar incidents. City Council member Sheneika Smith, who is also Black, backed police and said Whitmire had been "terrorizing" people in the community.

Michael Hayes speaks about police brutality to a group of activists May 17, 2023. Also pictured is Carrie Speigle, Devon Whitmire's fiance.

On June 2, Whitmire's mother told the Citizen Times her son has multiple mental health problems and that she had been trying to get him involuntarily committed. When Conita Whitmire called asking for that, officers instead arrested him, using what she said was excessive force.

More: Chuck Edwards' Asheville crime summit mostly not about crime, or violence; what was said

Man shot in jail gunfight with deputy, Asheville police out of hospital; court date set

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Possible plea pending for Devon Whitmire, involved in violent arrest
The president of the Explorers Club says the 5 people on the Titan sub should be remembered as explorers, not as wealthy daredevils

Richard Garriott de Cayeux says the five people on the Titan sub were explorers, not wealthy daredevils. OceanGate

The president of the Explorers Club says private explorers help expand "the frontiers of knowledge."

Richard Garriott de Cayeux said the Titan sub passengers were explorers, not wealthy daredevils.

The five people on board the OceanGate submersible paid $250,000 for the trip to the Titanic.

The president of the Explorers Club says the passengers on board the Titan submersible were explorers contributing to science, not wealthy daredevils.

Richard Garriott de Cayeux, who has been the head of the Explorers Club since 2021, defended his take in an essay for The Wall Street Journal. He wrote in the essay published Thursday that private explorers like those aboard the Titan submersible "have a crucial role to play in expanding the frontiers of knowledge" even though they were often dismissed as wealthy thrillseekers.

"Critics may label their expedition as 'extreme tourism,' and perhaps it was, but it was their spirit of exploration that propelled them to seek, experience, and learn," de Cayeux wrote.

The five people on board were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush; Hamish Harding, a British billionaire; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a Titanic expert; Shahzada Dawood, a British-Pakistani multimillionaire; and Dawood's 19-year-old son, Suleman Dawood. Harding and Nargeolet were members of the Explorers Club.

In his essay, De Cayeux drew parallels between the Titan's passengers  who each paid $250,000 for the trip  and historic innovators like the Wright Brothers. He said today's private explorations into the deep sea were being criticized the same way early flights were ridiculed as the pastime of the ultrawealthy.

The Titan submersible went missing on June 18. On June 23, the US Coast Guard announced the deaths of the five passengers on board. The submersible was operated by OceanGate Expeditions as part of an eight-day dive to reach the wreckage of the Titanic.

And while de Cayeux defended the Titan submersible as exploration and not tourism, expeditions to space and parts of the deep sea have increasingly become playgrounds for the rich.

Harding also went to space on a Blue Origin flight. Though it's unclear how much he paid for the trip, at least one seat on Blue Origin's inaugural spaceflight was auctioned off for $28 million, according to the Observer.

A week after the Titan sub imploded, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic began selling tickets for commercial spaceflight at $450,000 per passenger. Tickets to go to the International Space Station with Elon Musk's SpaceX cost $55 million.

Wealthy explorers often use science to justify their expensive exploits. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, previously responded to criticism about why he was investing money in space travel rather than solving problems on Earth by saying: "We go to space not to abandon our home, but to protect it."

Last month, Insider's Kelsey Vlamis reported that space and deep-sea tourism was on the rise and that rescuing passengers in space could be even more challenging than the recent Titan sub disaster.

De Cayeux did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Presidential Office head says risk of Russia using nukes not high at the moment

President Volodymyr Zelensky's Chief of Staff, Andrii Yermak, told reporters on July 14 that there is always a threat of Russia using nuclear weapons to stop Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive, but it's not high at the moment.

Yermak's statement comes a day after U.S. President Joe Biden said there was no real possibility of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin using nuclear weapons against Ukraine or the West.

Moscow has stepped up its nuclear threats against Kyiv and its allies in recent weeks as the West has increased its military aid to Ukraine.

On July 13, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin would see the potential provision of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as a "nuclear threat" as these planes can carry nuclear warheads.

Locals near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant brace for potential disaster: It would be the end of us Editors note: For this story, the Kyiv Independent talked to residents who live in Russian-occupied settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. For their safety, we have changed their names. From the rooftop of his home, Anton can easily see the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev threatened nuclear facilities in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries with Russian strikes, claiming that increased NATO support for Ukraine could lead to World War III.

At the same time, Russian forces continue to mine the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in preparation for a possible sabotage attack, according to Ukraine's military intelligence.

In the same conversation with Ukrainian journalists on July 14, Yermak said nuclear threats at the Zaporizhzhia plant would remain as long as Russian troops stay on the premises.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Since then, Russian forces have used Europe's largest nuclear power plant as a military base to launch attacks against Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The metadata of the photo distributed in Russian chat forums suggests it was taken on June 12

A photograph of Yevgeny Prigozhin sitting in his underpants was leaked online shortly after Vladimir Putin said the Wagner Group no longer exists.

In the photograph, the mercenary leader is sitting on a small unmade bed inside a large tent, waving at the camera. He is wearing a beige T-shirt, which accentuates his belly, and black Y-fronts.

Data attached to the photograph showed that it was taken at 7.24am on June 12, 11 days before Prigozhin announced his armed rebellion in Russia, which triggered Putin to denounce him as a traitor.

It is unclear who circulated the photo. It first appeared on Friday morning in Russian language chat rooms on the Telegram messaging app, but fits with an apparent campaign to undermine, embarrass and discredit the once feared warlord.

Last week, six photos were leaked to the media that appeared to show Prigozhin in a series of bizarre disguises, wearing ill-fitting wigs and fake gnome-like beards.

This week, photos from a raid by Russian security forces on Prigozhins home in St Petersburg showed that a hospital bed had been set up in one of the rooms. An unnamed source said that Prigozhin had been suffering from cancer.

Photos of the mercenary boss wearing outlandish disguises were also leaked

Now Putin has denied that Prigozhin was Wagners real leader. In an interview with the Kommersant newspaper, the president confirmed he had met Prigozhin and 35 Wagner commanders on June 29, five days after their rebellion, to offer them the chance to fight under the Russian army.

They would all be able to stick together in one place and to continue their service, he said of his offer during the meeting. Nothing will change for them. They will still be led by the same person who has been their real commander all this time.

Kommersant said Putin then named this real Wagner leader as Grey Hair, the military callsign for Andrei Troshev, a hard-drinking former Russian army colonel. He is a veteran of wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya and led Wagner forces into battle against Islamic State in Syria in 2016.

Putin said: Wagner does not exist. There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesnt exist.

Prigozhin was never in the Russian army and was nicknamed Putins chef. Putin said the 62-year-old had openly disagreed with him at their post-rebellion meeting when he offered Wagner leaders the opportunity to join the Russian army.

Many nodded when I said this, Putin said of the Wagner commanders reaction. But Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and did not see this, said after listening: No, the guys do not agree with this decision.

Putin is known to hate traitors and people who cross him, often ordering his assassins to kill them. Analysts have said since his rebellion against Putin that Prigozhin needs to watch his back, and Joe Biden said on Thursday that he needed to watch what he eats to avoid being poisoned.

Wagner Group advertising on billboards across Russia has been taken down since the rebellion, and the signage has been removed from the front of its headquarters in St Petersburg.

The Kremlin has also sent out envoys to clients of its mercenary services in Africa to tell them the Russian state will now deliver Wagner projects.

The Pentagon said it did not know the whereabouts of Prigozhin, and that Wagner was no longer playing a significant role in the war in Ukraine.

At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine, said Pat Ryder, a Pentagon press secretary.

In May, Wagner claimed the capture of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine  the Kremlins first battlefield victory for a year.

On Friday, Minsk said Wagner fighters had begun training members of the Belarusian territorial defence forces.

The Belarusian defence ministry said the forces were learning skills including tactical shooting, moving on the battlefield, engineering and tactical medicine. In a video released by the ministry, masked Wagner fighters were shown training the Belarusian troops.

No doubt it is a very useful experience for our Belarusian army, said one soldier, adding that we have not taken part in combat since the end of the war in Afghanistan, referring to the Soviet invasion in 1979.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.
Marat Kasem, former editor-in-chief of the pro-Kremlin news agency Sputnik Latvia, was fined EUR15,000 by Latvian authorities for illegal intellectual and physical support of the Russian Federation.

Source: European Pravda, referring to Latvian television

Details: Pro-Russian propagandist Kasem was detained by the State Security Service of Latvia as part of a criminal process for possible violation of EU sanctions.

It was noted that he works at one of the information resources controlled by the Kremlin, the Russia Today news agency, "disseminating information that backs up the Kremlin's narrative, including regular discrimination against Latvia and its allies".

It is reported that Kasem lived and worked for several years in the Russian Federation and returned to Latvia at the end of 2022.

Background:

Earlier, it was reported that the Prosecutor General's Office of Latvia fined a citizen of the republic EUR15,000 for illegal "intellectual and physical" support of the Russian Federation.

Prior to that, the District Court of the German city of Cologne fined a native of Ukraine, Yelena Kolbasnikova, for approving Russian aggression.

A Reuters investigation identified Kolbasnikova and her partner Max Schlund as part of a pro-Kremlin network of influence agents in Germany. Among other things, they were involved in raising funds for the Russian army.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
ProMedica committed to Coldwater until a sale is completed

COLDWATER  The sale of ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital is pending approval by Michigans attorney general.

Hospital president Alan Sattler said, ProMedica is not leaving this community until we have a plan. In this case, a transition plan that makes sure we have a good smooth handoff to the buyer.

Alan Sattler, president of ProMedica Coldwater holding up a Daily Reporter with the May story announcing its Leapfrog safety ranking during the July Realtor breakfast.

For-profit Glendale, California-based American Healthcare Systems made an offer accepted by the Toledo-based health system.

The comments came at a Tuesday monthly breakfast meeting of Branch County Realtors at Hope Cafe.

The attorney general must approve the sale of the former county-owned hospital sold to ProMedica in January 2018.

Sattler said a decision is expected this fall. If approval is denied, I dont know what well do. But were not going to just pick up and go willy nilly. Well have to figure it out plan B. I dont know what Plan B is.

ProMedica Coldwater lost $12.6 million last year. ProMedicas corporate strategic plan changed in 2018 when the company hoped to create a regional healthcare system.

Prior story What we know about the hospital chain looking to purchase ProMedica Coldwater

ProMedica owns hospitals and health services in Monroe and Lenawee counties, close to Toldeo.

When ProMedica bought Coldwater, the chain sought to purchase other area hospitals. That included Jackson Health Systems, but ProMedica ultimately lost out to Henry Ford Health from Detroit as it built a system down I-94.

Sattler said, The prevailing logic around health care, you create these hospitals that feed the main hospital kind of a spoke in the hub,

ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital

ProMedica reported a 2022 operating loss of nearly $400 million in federal filings compared to an operating income of $141 million for 2021.

In his 38 years with ProMedica, Sattler said, Financial stressors now have been just enormous.

But the president said that applies to all hospitals after COVID-19 and less federal funding.

Even if youre not for profit, you have to have a profit to reinvest back into your community, into your facilities, Sattler explained.

ProMedica sold off its money-losing national nursing home company and its profitable home health and hospice business.

The home health and hospice here was not part of that transaction. They are staying with Coldwater, Sattler said.

The president said, Were completely committed to this buyer, working with the AG and her office to have a successful outcome here. We will work hard to make sure that happens.

Coldwater hospital trustee chair Kathy Merrill

Kathy Merrill, president of the local hospital trustees, said to make sure Coldwater continues to have a hospital use its services. We need to support the hospital, go to this hospital for services. Dont drive up to Kalamazoo, Marshall, or Indiana for something we offer here at Coldwater.

Merrill said, The idea of keeping this hospital viable is we have patients in this hospital.

Subscribe Follow this story. subscribe to the Daily Reporter.

Sattler said ProMedica Coldwater is committed to patient safety and care. Rated in the top 28% in the state by Leapfrog for three quarters for care and safety, Coldwater is in the process of Joint Commission independent reaccreditation.

The Coldwater Hospital received the Platinum Award from the state for its patient safety.

Merrill said, Our quality is extremely good. So, we really do need to continue to support this hospital.

 Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: ProMedica committed to Coldwater until a sale is completed
Russia considers supply of F-16 fighters to Ukraine a nuclear threat: FM

Xinhua) 09:38, July 14, 2023

MOSCOW, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Russia considers the deployment of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as a nuclear threat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

Lavrov made the comment in an interview with the Russian news agency Lenta.ru, during which he discussed the potential consequences of the decision of the United States and its allies to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

"During the hostilities, our military will not check whether each specific aircraft of this type will be equipped for the delivery of nuclear weapons or not," Lavrov said.

He said the fact that such systems will appear in Ukraine is considered by Russia as a "Western threat in the nuclear sphere."

Lavrov noted that Washington and its NATO allies are creating the risk of a direct military clash with Russia, and such a confrontation would be "fraught with catastrophic consequences."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Property tax cuts set to head to Texas voters on ballot. Heres how much you could save

A package of property tax relief measures is poised to head to Texas voters in November.

For months, lawmakers have feuded over what to do with property taxes. They agreed property tax cuts were needed. Less unanimous was the best way to pass savings on to Texans.

Two bills making up the compromise proposal are headed to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk and a constitutional amendment enacting the polices are headed to voters, after passage in the House and Senate.

The passage of this $18 billion package is a testament to the unwavering commitment of Texas leaders to address the concerns of taxpayers and provide significant relief from the burden of escalating property taxes, House Speaker Dade Phelan said in a Thursday statement.

The property tax deal includes five main components, divided over two bills and a constitutional amendment.

The legislation includes:

More than $12 billion to reduce school district property tax rates by 10.7 cents.

Increasing the homestead exemption for school district taxes from $40,000 to $100,000.

A 20% cap on appraisal increases for non-homestead residential and commercial properties valued at or below $5 million. The proposal is part of a three-year pilot project.

Savings on franchise taxes for small businesses.

New elected positions on local appraisal boards in counties with a population of 75,000 or more.

This is the best bill of them all, Lt. Gov, Dan Patrick said, speaking to the various iterations of proposals.

In a Thursday evening statement, Abbott said he plans to sign the bills going to his desk.

I thank my partners in the Texas Legislature for coming together to honor the best interests of hardworking Texans who want to own their property  not rent it from the government, Abbott said.

How much tax cut could save you

The average total school tax rate would drop to .93 cents under the plan, according to estimates from Texas Taxpayers and Research Association. That translates to a savings of $1,209 on a $350,000 home with the $100,000 homestead exemption. But if that home value increased by 10% or more this year, the savings would be $884.

The new rate means a school tax bill of $2,325 with the homestead exemption, according to the association, or $2,651 if the value increased by 10% or more.

The winners today werent the members of the Legislature, the winners today were every property taxpayer in the state of Texas, said Rep. Craig Goldman, a Fort Worth Republican who chairs the House Republican caucus.

The proposal was announced on Monday after a stalemate between the House and Senate that spanned a regular legislative session, a special session and part of a second special session.

The House passed a bill during the first special session that proposed relief solely by using state dollars to fund schools so they can cut rates, fitting within the confines of Abbotts special session call. Phelan had also expressed support for capping appraisals for all business types, but that measure wasnt in that sessions bill.

The House adjourned, but the Senate remained gaveled in. Patrick repeatedly said the Senate wouldnt budge on increasing the homestead exemption for school district property taxes, and after passing two proposals of their own, the session ended with no deal. The current special session began just hours after the first ended on June 27.

Lawmakers debate property tax deal

Much of the debate in the House Thursday focused on Senate Bill 2. The bill contains the bulk of the tax cut proposals, passing unanimously in the Senate and 133-4 in the House.

Senate Bill 3 expands the states franchise tax exemption to more businesses and eliminates an administrative requirement for business owners that dont owe franchise taxes.

Were really, in the spirit of what we began this session with  focusing on not only taking care of the importance of homeowners who are living paycheck to paycheck, but taking care of small business, said Sen. Tan Parker, a Flower Mound Republican and co-author on the bill. Thats really the engine of economic growth for our state of Texas.

It too passed unanimously in the Senate and on a 131-5 vote in the House.

The constitutional amendment by Rep. Will Metcalf, a Conroe Republican, puts several key provisions of tax cut plan up for a vote on the Nov. 7 ballot. It passed unanimously in the Senate and 132-5 in the House.

Eighteen amendments were offered on Senate Bill 2 in the House, mostly by Democrats, but none were adopted. The measures House sponsor, Rep. Morgan Meyer, an University Park Republican, noted several times that the bill had already been negotiated, but that other proposals could be looked at in the time ahead of the next legislative session.

Rep. John Bryan, a Dallas Democrat, offered several amendments to Senate Bill 2, including one that would have increased peoples homestead exemption to up to $200,000. He said his proposal would offer meaningful relief, calling the $100,000 exemption lukewarm to say the least. Much of the savings will be erased by other mortgage-related costs, he said. The amendment failed on a 51-81 vote.

Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston Democrat, proposed an amendment that would have given qualifying renters a refund payment on a portion of their rent, pushing back against the idea that landlords would pass relief on to renters by reducing rent. It failed 51-82.

I know most of you here, at least quietly to yourselves, dont believe that, Wu said.

Rep. Brian Harrison, a Midlothian Republican, offered an amendment that had the support of Rep. Nate Schatzline, a Fort Worth Republican, and Rep. Tony Tinderholt, an Arlington Republican. The proposal would have helped to fund the further reduction of school Maintenance and Operation property tax rates.

Proud to file this amendment, and grateful for these conservative coauthors, Harrison said in a tweet. We must end property taxes in Texas. We must start now.

Package doesnt include teacher pay bump

Other proposed amendments by Bryant, which were pulled down after being challenged under a procedural rule, would have increased how much districts get per student by $1,000, which could help fund teacher pay raises.

Texas Democrats fought hard for the millions of Texans who rent, who are teachers, and who send their children to public schools but they were entirely neglected in the process by Republican leadership, leaders of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, Mexican American Legislative Caucus and Texas Legislative Black Caucus said in a joint statement. As proposed today, the property tax package had billions of dollars for boardrooms but nothing for classrooms.

San Antonio Democrat Sen. Roland Gutierrez during a Senate debate on Wednesday raised concerns about the constitutional amendment not including more money for teachers. An amendment by the San Antonio Democrat passed on an earlier Senate property tax proposal that included teacher bonuses of at least $2,000.

Without speaking for them, I think the intent is clear that they wish that issues to be brought up in the next special session with education, said Houston Republican Sen. Paul Bettencourt, after Gutierrez asked who removed the provision in the House.

On Thursday, Gutierrez again said the stipend should be added to the constitutional amendment, proposing the change to the bill on the floor, but it was found not germane.

Lawmakers are expected to return for another special session later this year, where pay bumps for teachers could be addressed. Abbott calls special sessions and sets the agenda.

Goldman said that session will likely be in October.

Everyone has talked about, lets get there in October and see what we can come up with, with a plan that will give sustainable teacher pay raises to the teachers across the state of Texas, he said.
Patrick Daxenbichler | Dreamstime.com

When are people observing official doings real journalists and when are they annoyances to be ushered away by the cops? A recent federal court decision supports the idea that First Amendment protections extend not to journalists as a special class, but to anybody engaged in journalism. This is good news for Justin Pulliam, a citizen journalist suing the Fort Bend County, Texas, sheriff's department, but it should also be welcomed by anybody interested in free expression and holding government accountable.

"Justin Pulliam, a citizen journalist arrested while covering Fort Bend County Sheriff's deputies, won a first-round victory in his civil rights lawsuit brought by the Institute for Justice (IJ)," the organization announced this week. "A federal district court rejected the sheriff's attempt to dismiss the case. Pulliam will have the opportunity to hold the sheriff and his deputies responsible for violating his First Amendment rights to record the police and to be treated the same as established media or other members of the public."

Targeted for Doing Journalism

U.S. District Judge David Hittner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas summarizes matters well when he opens his order with the words: "This is a civil rights case. Plaintiff Justin Pulliam ('Pulliam') is an independent journalist who films activities of public interest, including police interactions with civilians." That is, the plaintiff in the case is a journalist because he does journalism by filming police activities and uploading them to Corruption Report, his YouTube channel. This is important because Pulliam filed his lawsuit after his ejection from a press conference in July 2021 because he was "not media" and, in December of the same year, being arrested while recording police interaction with somebody experiencing a mental health crisis.

"Based on the facts alleged in the complaint," wrote Judge Hittner, "it appears Pulliam was singled out and arrested for exercising his rights under the First Amendment."

That is, Pulliam is protected by the First Amendment not because of a special status, but because everybody is.

"The heart of the First Amendment is the right to speak out about government, and Fort Bend County does not get to pick and choose who will cover their activities," commented I.J. attorney Christie Hebert.

The case still has to go to trial, so Pulliam hasn't yet won. But he demonstrated that constitutional rights are at stake which precludes the sheriff's department's claims of qualified immunity. That's an important step forward for the case at hand, but also a big win for Americans exercising their right to scrutinize government. We're at a moment when many name-brand media outlets are very closely aligned with the people exercising coercive power over our lives, and some of the best watchdogging comes from those who, like Pulliam, live outside the professional journalism club. Their efforts are often unwelcome.

The Perils of Journalists As a Special Class

"It's scary to think of the government as the final arbiter of what separates a real journalist from a fake one," Steven Greenhut warned in a 2013 Reason piece. "It's typical of government to want to put everything in a box, which makes it so much easier to control, regulate and subsidize (just another way to control it)."

Greenhut wrote when the "who is a 'real journalist?'" discussion was well under way, but before Julian Assange had spent years behind bars because government officials decided to categorize embarrassing disclosures about their activities by his organization, Wikileaks, as espionage rather than journalism. Assange has been assailed by many elite journalists who clearly identify more closely with government than with those who put the government under a microscope.

"The case of Mr. Assange, who got his start as a computer hacker, illuminates the conflict of freedom and harm in the new technologies, and could help draw a sharp line between legitimate journalism and dangerous cybercrime," sniffed The New York Times editorial board in 2019. "The administration has begun well by charging Mr. Assange with an indisputable crime."

"As journalists we're particularly sensitive to the fact that there was a time, not so long ago, when journalists were not as much from that elite class like the people who run our government have always been," Reason editor-in-chief Katherine Mangu-Ward noted during a Reason Roundtable podcast conversation this week about the confluence of legacy journalism and the political class (if you're not a regular listener, you should be!). It's an issue that's not going away, as demonstrated by the fulminating at name-brand outlets over a court order limiting the government's ability to pressure online platforms into suppressing ideas disfavored by politicians.

"A federal judge on Tuesday blocked key Biden administration agencies and officials from meeting and communicating with social media companies about 'protected speech,'" huffed a report in The Washington Post. "The Donald Trump-appointed judge's move could undo years of efforts to enhance coordination between the government and social media companies."

Left in the hands of selfstyled professionals, it's hard to envision a future for journalism that involves much actual journalism. Public relations and glad-handing, sure, but little to unsettle those in power.

Leave Journalism to the Non-Professionals

"Many people do 'a bit of journalism' just as some do 'a bit of politics' or 'a bit of art'. Some of them do it well. Some not so well." James Alan Anslow, a British academic specializing in media observed a decade ago. "Journalism is an activity which, when pursued with vigour and executed with skill in a spirit of disruptive yet creative mischief, should represent the antithesis of 'professionalism,' of regulation. It should be the enemy of any contracted code of behaviour outside those codes imposed on all citizens and enforced by criminal and civil law."

And that brings us back to Justin Pulliam, who does "a bit of journalism"enough to get under the skin of the local sheriff, judging by his ejection from press conferences, arrest, and subsequent lawsuit. Maybe he does it well, and maybe he doesn'tit doesn't matter. What does matter is that a federal judge recognized that his activities are protected by the First Amendment, and that he has recourse against officials who try to stop him from observing and reporting on their conduct.

All of us have reason to root for Pulliam. He was pretty clearly targeted because he annoyed local officials and law enforcement with his coverage of their conduct. If that is the case, it makes him a victim of official misconduct. We should also root for him because he's helping to answer a question that's increasingly important in the modern world: Who is entitled to the protections that come with being a journalist? The correct answer is that we are all entitled to those protections when we do journalism.

The post Who Is Protected As a Journalist? Everybody, Suggests Court Ruling. appeared first on Reason.com.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that NATO has valid concern about the United Statess future commitment to the military alliance.

MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell asked Psaki, who has a show on the channel, about President Bidens remarks Thursday seeking to reassure allies the U.S. wont leave the alliance if Republicans win back the White House.

Psaki said the Biden administration had been working overtime to keep their allies on the same page about providing financial and military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. But she said there was validity to concerns about the impact of a political shift in America on the alliance.

Theres been agreement over decades on what our norms should be and what U.S. policy should be on a number of issues as it relates to the strength of NATO and what our values should be, Psaki told Mitchell. But that changed with Trump, and that makes a lot of our allies and partners nervous. Youre seeing that reflected.

Psaki, who hosts Inside With Jen Psaki, said it is not easy necessarily politically to ask the U.S. and Europe to spend billions on Ukraine.

And there are these valid and understandable questions about the long-term commitment of the United States because of what these allies and partners are seeing about shifting politics and skepticism, among some in the right wing in Congress, among some presidential candidates and that is a valid concern that the President is doing his best to try to navigate, she said.

In a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Biden said the U.S.s continued commitment to NATO is the best bet anyone can make.

I absolutely guarantee it. There is no question, Biden said. Theres overwhelming support from the American people. Theres overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate, and both parties  notwithstanding the fact theres some extreme elements of one party. We will stand together.

No one can guarantee the future, Biden added. But this is the best bet anyone could make.

Bidens emphasis on NATO unity has been a stark contrast to the Trump administration. Former President Trump suggested at times that the U.S. should leave NATO, complaining that other members of the military alliance were not contributing enough to defense spending.

Several NATO countries have since pledged to up their spending, but the results of those commitments remain mixed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Public reaction to this states new plastic bag law has been shocking: It makes me wonder

A Colorado-based Reddit user is expressing their shock over how well residents are adjusting to the states recent $0.10 surcharge for plastic grocery bags.

Here in Colorado we recently made it so that plastic grocery bags are [$0.10] each, they wrote in their post. Next year they will be banned entirely. There are some stores that have already phased them out because its just easier to do it now than later.

The Redditor says they are surprised by how little resistance theyve seen.

I expected people to be upset about it. Were 25 days in and Ive not seen a single person complain about it, they wrote. And it makes me wonder, how many things could we phase out without people caring too much? How many things do we currently spend money on or that we dont need that, if banned, would just  disappear without issue?

A number of cities and states have enacted restrictions including fees on single-use plastic bags. Eight states currently restrict the use of plastic bags  California, Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, Hawaii, Oregon, New York, and Vermont  while others, like Colorado, are working to phase them out.



According to Environment America, Americans use more than 100 billion plastic bags every year  thats more than 300 bags per person. The average use time for plastic bags is just 12 minutes, but it takes more than 1,000 years for bags to break down in the environment.

Plastic grocery bags can pollute waterways, endanger marine life, and threaten human health as they break down into small pieces called microplastics that have been detected in human blood. Microplastic exposure is linked to various forms of inflammation as well as metabolic and immune disorders.

Other Redditors were quick to chime in on the subject.

One user wrote that bans are the right thing to do: [It] causes minimal to no inconvenience for consumers, and systems can be set up to help integrate both vendors and consumers throughout.

Another Redditor based in the U.K. said their country banned bags years ago, also with little apparent resistance.

It does make me wonder what other small changes that can be made with little to no resistance, they wrote. Wonder if plastic bottles could be next.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
At a meeting of the Russian Security Council, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed discussing additional measures to protect critical facilities.

Source: The Kremlin

Quote from Putin: "We have several issues on our agenda today. The first is additional measures to protect critical facilities. There are two speakers; let's get started then."

Details: He was the first to give the floor to FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov.

It was not specified what exactly Bortnikov reported on.

Background: On 14 July, the authorities of Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation announced the crash and detonation of a drone near the nuclear power plant; three drones were also reported to have been shot down on the outskirts of Voronezh.

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Putin denied that Storm Shadow missiles are doing 'critical' damage to Russia, despite them likely taking out a top general and other key targets

A Storm Shadow/Scalp missile on display. Ben Stansall/AFP Photo via Getty Images

Putin said Ukraine's Storm Shadow missiles have caused some damage, but nothing "critical."

The UK-supplied missiles have reportedly killed a key Russian general and hit other strategic targets.

The missiles give Ukraine the ability to accurately strike far behind the front lines.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Storm Shadow missiles that Ukraine is getting from its allies aren't doing "critical" damage to Russia, even after they reportedly took out a senior general and hit other strategic targets far from the front lines.

Putin was asked on Thursday about France's decision to send Ukraine the missiles, which followed the UK's decision earlier this year to supply it with Storm Shadows.

But Putin dismissed the impact it would have on Russia's conflict in Ukraine.

"Yes, they cause damage, but nothing critical happens in the war zone with their use," he told Russian state TV, according to Al Jazeera.

Instead, he said, foreign-made tanks were "a priority target for our guys," Al Jazeera reported.

The UK's defense minister, Ben Wallace, last month described Storm Shadow missiles as having been accurate "almost without fault" in Ukraine.

And he said "the Storm Shadow missile has had a significant impact on the battlefield."

According to multiple Ukrainian and Russian reports, a Storm Shadow missile supplied by the UK killed a senior Russian general deep inside Russian-held territory earlier this week.

Telegram channel Berdyansk Today suggested the general died as a result of a strike on the Duna Hotel, located in Berdyansk, nearly 100 miles behind the front line.

Storm Shadow missiles have also reportedly hit a Russian supply depot and a military command center, and Russia's defense minister said Ukraine used one to strike a bridge connecting Russian-held parts of Ukraine's Kherson region to the Russia-annexed Crimea region. Ukraine has not taken direct credit for that strike.

The Storm Shadow, also known as SCALP, is plane-launched and designed to fly low to evade detection. Its range, of more than 155 miles, is considerably longer than the HIMARS the US has sent to Ukraine, which were modified to have a 50-mile range.

Defense analyst Michael Clarke, a former director of the Royal United Services Institute think tank, recently told Insider's Mia Jankowicz that the missiles give Ukraine "a real edge in terms of destroying everything behind the lines that the Russians have got."

He also said that while it's hard to confirm what weapons are behind specific strikes in Russia-occupied territory, the distances involved in some strikes point to these.

"You think to yourself: 'Well, that can only have been a Storm Shadow,'" he said.

The UK announced in May that it was sending Ukraine an undisclosed number of Storm Shadow missiles. And France's president, Emmanuel Macron, said on Tuesday that France would join it in giving the long-range missiles. A source told Reuters it would send about 50 to Ukraine.

A French military source told news agency Agence France-Presse on Thursday that the missiles had already arrived in Ukraine.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he offered the Wagner private military company the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under their same commander after their short-lived rebellion, while some of the mercenaries were shown Friday in Belarus, possibly heralding the group's relocation there.

Putin's comments appeared to reflect his efforts to secure the loyalty of Wagner mercenaries, some of the most capable Russian forces in Ukraine, after the groups brief revolt last month that posed the most serious threat to his 23-year rule.

The fate of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin remains unclear since the June 23-24 armed rebellion and new cracks have appeared in the Russian military as the war grinds through its 17th month and Ukraine presses a counteroffensive against the invading forces.

In remarks published Friday in the business daily Kommersant, Putin for the first time described a Kremlin event attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including Prigozhin, on June 29, five days after the rebellion. He said he praised their efforts in Ukraine, deplored their involvement in the mutiny  which he previously denounced as an act of treason  and offered them alternatives for future service.

Putin told Kommersant that one option would see Wagner keep the same commander who goes by the call sign "Gray Hair and has led the private army in Ukraine for 16 months. The commander, Andrei Troshev, is a retired military officer who has played a leading role in Wagner since its creation in 2014 and faced European Union sanctions over his role in Syria as the group's executive director.

All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin told the newspaper, And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along.

Putin said many Wagner troops nodded in approval at the proposal, but Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and didn't see their reaction, quickly rejected it, responding that the boys wont agree with such a decision.

Putin didn't mention where and in what numbers Wagner could be deployed under his offer, or say what proposal the forces eventually accepted, if any. He said nothing about Prigozhin's role.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to elaborate on Wagner's future while speaking with reporters Friday.

Putin has previously said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to neighboring Belarus or retire from service.

Speaking to Kommersant, Putin emphasized that rank-and-file soldiers of Wagner have fought honorably in Ukraine, adding that its a cause for regret that they were drawn into the mutiny.

Putin's remarks were to a Kommersant reporter who has special access to the president. They appeared to be part of efforts to denigrate Prigozhin while trying to maintain control over Wagner mercenaries and secure their loyalty.

Putin previously denied any links between the government and Wagner, and acknowledged after the mutiny that Prigozhin's company has received billions of dollars from the state. He noted that investigators would probe whether any of the funds had been stolen, a warning to Prigozhin that he could face financial crimes.

State-controlled media have posted videos and photos of Prigozhins opulent mansion in St. Petersburg, including stacks of cash, gold bars and fake passports. The images appeared to be part of a smear campaign against the Wagner chief, who has portrayed himself as an enemy of corrupt elites even though he owes his wealth to Putin.

Putin also said Wagner has operated without legal basis.

There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesnt exist, he told Kommersant, adding that the government and the parliament have yet to discuss the issue of private military contractors.

In the revolt that lasted less than 24 hours, Prigozhins mercenaries quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot, before driving to within about 200 kilometers (125 miles) of Moscow. Prigozhin called it a march of justice to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who demanded that Wagner sign contracts with the Defense Ministry by July 1.

The mutiny faced little resistance and fighters downed at least six military helicopters and a command post aircraft, killing at least 10 airmen. Prigozhin ordered his mercenaries back to their camps after striking a deal to end the rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for him and his men, and permission to move to Belarus.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered the deal, has said Prigozhin was in Russia while Wagners troops were in their field camps. He didn't specify the camps' location but Prigozhins mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine before their revolt and also have bases in Russia.

Lukashenko said his military could benefit from the private army's combat experience, and Belarusian state TV broadcast video Friday of Wagner instructors training Belarusian territorial defense forces at a firing range near Asipovichy, where a camp offered to Wagner is located. A Belarusian messaging app channel alleged Prigozhin spent a night at the camp this week and posted a photo of him in a tent.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry didn't say how many Wagner troops were in Belarus or specify if more will follow. Lukashenko has previously said it was up to Prigozhin and Moscow to decide on a move to Belarus. The Kremlin has refrained from comment.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said most mercenaries have remained in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, but added that at this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine.

While the fate of Prigozhin remains cloudy, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Wagner was completing the handover of its weapons to the Russian military. That appeared to show attempts by Russian authorities to defuse the threat posed by the mercenaries and also seemed to herald an end to the groups operations in Ukraine.

At the same time, new fissures have emerged in the military command. Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, a focal point in Ukraines counteroffensive, said he was dismissed after speaking out about problems faced by his troops in what he described as a treacherous stab in the back.

Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, refused to comment on Popov's remarks, referring questions to the Defense Ministry that also hasn't commented.

In the latest fighting, Ukraine said it shot down 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched overnight from Russias southern Krasnodar region. The presidential administration said at least four civilians were killed and 10 wounded since Thursday.

In southern Russia, three drones were destroyed late Thursday while approaching the city of Voronezh, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said, adding there were no injuries or damage.

A drone also crashed and exploded in Kurchatov, where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located, without causing any damage to key facilities, said regional Gov. Roman Starovoit.

And three people were wounded when a car exploded in a residential area of Belgorod, near the Ukraine border, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to suggestions this week by British Defense Minister Ben Wallace that Ukraine could show more gratitude for Western military aid. The remark was an unfortunate misunderstanding on the part of the British minister, Kuleba said.

No one has any reason to accuse us of any ingratitude. But the truth is that, sorry, we are at war, he said. When we win, then I will say, thank you, the weapons were enough, but while the struggle continues, the weapons are not enough.

___

Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Putin shows off his Grey Hair to lead Wagner into post-Prigozhin era

Andrei Troshev was nicknamed Grey Hair because of his hair colour - Kremlin.ru/Handout via reuters

When doctors working at a St Petersburg hospital in 2017 looked through the belongings of the paralytic drunk that paramedics had just dropped off, they were amazed.

The comatose, stocky middle-aged man with a mop of grey hair was carrying five million roubles (42,250) and $5,000 in cash, military maps of Syria, receipts for new weapons and electronic plane tickets.

This was Andrei Troshev, a tough former Russian army artillery colonel who Vladimir Putin says he has chosen to replace Yevgeny Prigozhin as commander of the Wagner mercenaries three weeks after they mutinied.

In June 2017, when he wound up in the St Petersburg hospital, Troshev had already been made a Hero of Russia by Putin for helping to lead a Wagner attack against Islamic State in Syria the previous year, which freed the ancient town of Palmyra.

Reports of the battle on Wagner-affiliated Telegram channels described how he swore at Russian army commanders, demanding to be given more artillery shells. They said that his leadership helped win the day for Wagner and impressed Putin.

Troshev helped set up Wagner in 2014 and has played a prominent role since, running its biggest military operations in Syria, Africa and Ukraine.

Troshev is the Executive Director (Chief of Staff) of Wagner Group, said the EU in 2021, when it sanctioned him.

The 62-year-olds dreary call-sign Grey Hair disguises a career built on thuggish brutality. Troshev is a veteran of both the Soviet Unions war in Afghanistan in the 1980s and Russias wars in Chechnya in the 1990s and early 2000s.

These were particularly brutal. Thousands of people were killed, Chechnya was destroyed and soldiers on both sides were mentally scarred for life.

From there, he followed many of his colleagues into Russias Omon, a unit that meshes paramilitary and riot police duties. Its main job is to violently break up anti-government protests.

Since then, Troshev has played a key, but shadowy, role in Wagner.

As well as being its executive officer, Verstka, a Russian opposition website, also described Troshev as the head of the groups internal security service, which metes out punishments.

It said that Troshev has also goaded Gen Sergei Shoigu, Russias minister of defence and Wagners nemesis, as a woodcarver.

However, Troshev likes to be close to the action. He is reported to have been involved in decisions taken by Wagner in Syria in 2018 to try to capture an oil field. US missiles destroyed the groups attacking force, killing up to 300 people.

After Wagner deployed to Ukraine in 2022, Troshev directed its capture of Bakhmut. Once again, he kept to the shadows, with Wagner Telegram channels mainly referring to him as the chairman of the League for Protecting the Interests of Veterans of Local Wars and Military Conflicts.

Whereas Prigozhin was Putins chef with an instinctive media-savvy flair and an eye for a PR stunt, Troshev is the dour Grey Hair military man who has spent his career serving the Kremlin in its toughest trouble spots.

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(Qantas)

Qantas Airways Limited, better known as Qantas, is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline. An acronym for the airline's original name, Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, Qantas is easily recognized around the world for its kangaroo logo. The airline operates and maintains hundreds of commercial aircraft carrying both freight and passengers. However, it used to provide support to the Royal Australian Air Force as well.

RAAF C-130Hs undergo maintenance by QDS (QDS)

Started in 1999, Qantas Defence Services was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas. With its extensive aircraft maintenance knowledge and facilities, QDS provided maintenance for the RAAF's Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo planes and AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Specifically, the company repaired, overhauled and provided engineering support for the T-56 turboprop engine that powers the Hercules and Orion. QDS provided the same services for the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 871-05 turbofan engines that power the RAAF's BAE Hawk trainer jets and the P&W R2000-7M2 engines on de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou cargo planes.

QDS leased and maintained Boeing Business Jets (QDS)

QDS also worked with Airbus to replace the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker with the KC-30A Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport in RAAF service. Qantas operates dozens of A330 variants and is intricately familiar with the aircraft. Support was also provided to the RAAF for the Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control Wedgetail aircraft. Finally, QDS leased two Boeing Business Jets to the RAAF to serve as executive transport to the Australian Prime Minister. Maintenance on both aircraft was also provided by QDS. Outside of Australia, QDS was awarded a contract by the Indonesian government to provide maintenance and crew training on their C-130s.

The KC-30A aerial tanker is based on the Airbus A330 airliner (RAAF)

In August 2013, QDS was sold by Qantas to Northrop Grumman Australia for $80 million AUD. The sale included the entirety of Qantas' defense business as well as related assets. "Qantas has a long and proud history of supporting the Australian Government and Australian Defence Force in times of need, including most recently with emergency relief flights from Cairo during political unrest in 2011 and from Christchurch following the devastating Earthquake," said Qantas Group chief executive officer Alan Joyce in a company media release. "Qantas and Northrop Grumman will work closely over the coming months to work towards satisfaction of a number of conditions related to the separation of QDS from Qantas, which must be met to facilitate completion of the sale."
RAMAPO - The Ramapo Town Board has approved a mediated legal settlement potentially topping $3 million with a developer who accused town officials of corruption in a 2019 federal civil rights lawsuit.

Connectivity Systems LLC developer Solomon Menche's lawsuit accused the Ramapo supervisor's chief of staff, Mona Montal, and other town officials of manipulating land-use decisions pertaining to his mixed-use development. His housing-commercial business plan, known as Hearthstone Village, is off Route 59 in the Remsen Avenue-Treetop Lane neighborhood.

Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht had called the lawsuit frivolous when Menche filed it in 2019. Specht and other board members voted Wednesday night to settle the legal action, based on a federal mediator's recommendations. U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel signed off on the agreement.

Town of Ramapo Supervisor, Michael Specht.

Specht didn't return calls for comment on the settlement or the Town Board's split vote but had the town's legal counsel comment. Ken Pitcoff declined to discuss the settlement's details. He's a partner with the Manhattan firm of Morris, Duffy, Alonzo, Faley & Pitcoff.

Pitcoff said that while Ramapo had strong defenses, the town chose to settle to avoid costly fees, risk a losing verdict at trial, and without admitting fault. Menche's lawsuit sought $25 million.

Lawsuit settlement: Ramapo and Solomon Menche and Connectivity settle legal action for at least $3 million

"In this federal litigation, the court appointed a mediator to conduct settlement negotiations between the parties," Pitcoff said. "While the town strongly believes it had viable defenses, continuing to litigate this matter and ultimately going to trial would have been very costly and like any trial, it would have come with significant risk. The decision was made to settle this matter without any admission of fault."

Connectivity's attorneys could not be reached.

Details of the lawsuit and settlement

The settlement:

Ramapo must pay Connectivity $2 million by July 31.

Ramapo must pay Connectivity an additional $1 million by Feb. 28, 2024.

Ramapo officials recognize they may not directly or indirectly influence any officials or land-use board members.

Menche potentially could get millions of dollars in credits on permits and other approvals for several other developments he has planned.

Menche, a veteran developer who has experienced land-use oversight, will again present his development plan to the Ramapo Town Board. And the town planning staff will exercise their best efforts to review, in good faith, and determine whether the plaintiffs proposed building heights for Hearthstone are likely to be approved by the land-use boards, according to the settlement.

Ramapo: Developer's lawsuit claims town corruption blocking his Monsey project

Menche's Connectivity Systems LLC sought at least $25 million to compensate for losses and damages incurred because of the town's bad faith and intentional violations of Connectivitys constitutional rights. The lawsuit names the town, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Building Department, and Department of Public Works.

The project faced strong opposition from residents with the Committee for the Preservation of Treetop/Grove/Augusta Neighborhood.

Menche's lawsuit argued other projects received variances and accommodations that town land-use boards denied Connectivity. The developer requested a variance to construct 56 residential units above commercial stores in three buildings on 6.5 acres. The zoning allowed a maximum of 53 units and a minimum of 48. A fourth building would be commercial.

The settlement sets the groundwork for Menche potentially getting millions of dollars in credits toward permits for the Hearthstone project and other development projects he has pending in Ramapo.

The lawsuit laid out accusations of what it calls arbitrary Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals decisions violating the developer's constitutional rights and retaliation for refusing to succumb to the town's illegal demands. The legal action claims Connectivity's experience is another example in "the well-known annals of the corrupt development process employed by the town."

Along with traffic, density, and quality of life issues, one concern focused on eliminating 39 parking spaces. Former Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence purportedly promised the neighbors the parking would be eliminated in exchange for a larger buffer zone, according to the lawsuit.

Lawsuit's allegations

In addition to the towns illegal actions, the lawsuit claims the town's obstructionist actions include:

The Planning Boards exercise of jurisdiction over issues that were beyond its jurisdiction, even after it was specifically advised not to by its own counsel;

The towns imposition of general requirements of use  such as the number of units allowed per acre  on only Hearthstone and on no other similarly situated projects within the same zone;

Forcing only Connectivity, but not other similarly situated projects, to install a costly soundproof fence and to plant rows of evergreen trees and landscaping in an enlarged buffer between Hearthstone and a residential area, even though the other similarly situated projects are closer and more visible to residences than Hearthstone;

Consistently delayed the issuance of decisions, approvals, or amended resolutions relating to Hearthstone, including once delaying for 18 months for preparation and filing of the pro forma ZBA resolution, a delay that caused another 18 months of further delay;

Refusing to perform routine inspections or issue building permits. The state courts had to direct the building inspector to review Connectivitys building plans;

Issuing administrative agency decisions unsupported by the towns own consultants, any factually objective evidence, and contradicted by the agencys prior findings;

The new building inspector changed his predecessors binding zoning law interpretation that two buildings with an underground connection were two separate buildings, and concluded that the same two buildings were one building, long after site plan approval, without any citation of the zoning law;

Attempts to influence land-use decisions claimed

The legal action also claims Montal and others "tried to strong-arm Mr. Menche into removing (the parking spaces), lest he encounters trouble with Hearthstone."

Mona Montal, Ramapo chief of staff, purchasing director and Democratic Party chairwoman

"There is no other explanation for the number of times that the town has strong-armed and strangled Connectivity with extortionate demands and penalties for non-compliance," according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in White Plains by Joshua J. Grauer and Jordan Brooks of Cuddy & Feder in White Plains.

Montal made good on her threat, according to the lawsuit. The legal action cites an email on March 14, 2019, in which a former town attorney advised the neighbors not to reveal Montal as a recipient of a letter to the building inspector that included the neighbors demands and the supervisor/neighbors deal.

The state courts have sided with Menche's company three times in overruling town land-use boards' decisions on variances and site plan approvals. The state court ruled as recently as May 13, 2020, that the Planning Board and ZBA again acted illegally and annulled the Planning Board's denial of an updated site plan.

The Town Board changed the zoning to allow for mix-use residential and commercial development in 2013. The Hearthstone site abuts commercial zoning to the west, residential zoning to the north, residential to the east, and most commercial zoning to the south. It received zoning variances on March 14, 2014, and planning board approval on October 21, 2014.

Specht defended the town

At the time of the lawsuit, Specht defended the town and Montal, who also is the town purchasing director and chair of the Ramapo Democratic Party.

"I don't think there's any merit to the legal action," Specht said.

Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal.

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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Ramapo settles federal suit with developer claiming corruption for $3M
Rapper Lil Durk released from hospital after weeklong stay for severe dehydration and exhaustion

Rapper Lil Durk spent the past week in a hospital, where he was treated for severe dehydration and exhaustion, according to TMZ.

The outlet said the Chicago-born rapper was hospitalized after becoming ill in Ohio on July 6. The setback caused the 30-year-old performer to miss several show dates in Europe, as well as Wednesdays ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

Lil Durk, aka Durk Derrick Banks, was reportedly released Wednesday, but has yet to be cleared by doctors to return to performing. He told TMZ, Once I get my full energy back, its back to business which Im looking forward to.

Lil Durks new album, a deluxe edition of his Almost Healed recording, is expected to be released soon.

He was previously sidelined by health issues in July 2022 after a pyrotechnic hit him in his face while he was performing at Lollapalooza in his hometown. Lil Durk managed to finish that show before taking a break to get back up to speed.

Due to the incident that happened at Lollapalooza in Chicago on stage, Ima take a break and focus on my health, he wrote on Instagram after that incident.

Chicago is also where Lil Durks brother, OTF DThang, aka Dontay Banks Jr., was shot dead in June 2021. He was 32.
A black-crowned night heron takes a break at Wild Wings Marina, on the Lake Erie shoreline, near Oak Harbor.

OAK HARBOR - A black-crowned night heron made a rare visit to Ottawa County, stopping at Wild Wings Marina near the Lake Erie Shoreline.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources lists the black-crowned night heron as a state-listed threatened species that is found in marshes and swamps throughout Ohio. The species has been eliminated as a mainland nester and presently is relegated to the Lake Erie Islands.

They typically nest on West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge and Turning Point Island in Sandusky Bay.

A black-crowned night heron, shown here resting at Wild Wings Marina on the Lake Erie shoreline near Oak Harbor, is on Ohio's threatened species list.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: A black crowned night heron makes a stoop in Ottawa County
Ray Epps sues Fox News, accuses the network of telling a fantastical story about him working for the FBI

Ray Epps, in the red Trump hat, center, gestures to others as people gather on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. | Los Angeles Times via Getty Image

A man who marched on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against Fox News, accusing the network of telling a fantastical story about how he was an undercover FBI agent.

In the claim, James Ray Epps, who now lives in Utah, says Fox News told a story in which Ray Epps  who was a Donald Trump supporter that participated in the protests on January 6th  was an undercover FBI agent and was responsible for the mob that violently broke into the Capitol and interfered with the peaceful transition of power for the first time in this countrys history.

Fox had did not issue a public statement on the suit. The Deseret News requested comment from Fox but did not receive an immediate response.

Fox, and particularly, Mr. (Tucker) Carlson, commenced a years-long campaign spreading falsehoods about Epps, the suit states. Epps lawsuit comes after Fox agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems in a defamation case.

The suit did not specify the damages Epps is seeking.

A two-time Trump voter and former member of the Oath Keepers, Epps went to Washington, D.C., to attend the protests, and then participated in the riot at the Capitol, per CBS News. Later, a theory surfaced on social media, claiming Epps was an FBI informant.

The FBI issued a statement, per CBS News, which said, Ray Epps has never been an FBI source or an FBI employee.

Video footage of Epps on the eve of the march on the Capitol and on Jan. 6 later circulated. On Jan. 5 he said in a video, Im probably gonna go to jail for this. Tomorrow, we need to go into the Capitol. Peacefully. Then, on Jan. 6 a video records Epps speaking with a protester named Ryan Samsel at the first barricade, just before Mr. Samsel helped to breach it, per the suit.

Later, this footage resurfaced. The suit claims that the editor of Revolver advanced the false story that Epps was a federal agent planted as a provocateur to trigger the Capitol violence on January 6th.

The lawsuit states that Carlson went on the Redacted podcast and said, Ray Epps clearly was working for somebody. He was not a pure civilian.
A recently hired Whatcom County deputy was arrested Wednesday, after an investigation into allegations of criminal activity, according to a media release from The Mount Vernon Police Department.

On Monday, the Whatcom County Sheriffs Office contacted the Mount Vernon Police Department about opening a criminal investigation into one of their deputies, Austin Case.

According to the Whatcom County Sheriffs Office LinkedIn page, Case was sworn in as a deputy in January.

At the time of the criminal investigation, Case was already under an administrative investigation.

According to the media release, the Mount Vernon Police Department contacted two possible victims and after a search warrant was executed on Cases home and car, he was arrested on Wednesday.

Case has been charged with third-degree rape, fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation, unlawful imprisonment, first-degree extortion, and burglary.

Case was also terminated from the Sheriffs Office.

According to Cases Facebook page, he was a 2018 graduate of Sehome High School in Bellingham.
A traffic warden in Las Vegas mans his street corner in searing heat in Las Vegas, Nevada (Frederic J. BROWN)

Summer has just begun in the Northern Hemisphere but a brutal heat wave is already gripping parts of Europe, China and the United States, where record temperatures expected this weekend are a stark illustration of the dangers of a warming climate.

Extreme heat advisories have been issued for more than 100 million Americans with the National Weather Service forecasting particularly dangerous conditions in Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas.

At the same time, several European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland, are also baking in searing temperatures.

The mercury may soar as high as 48 degrees Celsius (118.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the European Space Agency said -- "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe."

North Africa has also been sweltering and the Moroccan meteorological service issued an extreme heat red alert for southern parts of the country.

Some regions of China, including the capital Beijing, are also experiencing sweltering temperatures and a major Chinese power company said its single-day power generation hit a record high on Monday.

Last month was already the hottest June on record, according to the US space agency NASA and the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Extreme weather resulting from a warming climate is "unfortunately becoming the new normal," warns Secretary-General Petteri Taalas of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Excessive heat is one of the deadliest meteorological events, according to the WMO. One recent study estimates over 61,000 people died from heat during Europe's record-breaking summer last year.

- Death Valley -

A contributing factor to the higher temperatures this year may be the climate pattern known as El Nino.

El Nino events, which occur every two to seven years, are marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific near the Equator, and last about nine to 12 months.

North America has already seen a series of extreme meteorological events this summer, with smoke from wildfires that continue to burn out of control in Canada causing extraordinary air pollution across large parts of the United States.

The US northeast, particularly Vermont, has also recently been pummelled by torrential rains which have caused devastating floods.

According to climate scientists, global warming can cause heavier and more frequent rainfall.

Meanwhile, residents of much of the southern United States have been experiencing unrelenting high temperatures for weeks.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the temperature in Death Valley could equal or surpass the record for the hottest air temperature ever reliably measured on Earth.

The WMO's official record is 56.7C (134F) recorded in Death Valley, in the southern California desert. But that was measured in 1913 and Swain stands by the figure of 54.4C (130F) from 2020 and 2021.

- 'Exceptionally high' -

The oceans have not been spared from the warm early summer either.

Water temperatures off the southern coast of Florida have surpassed 32C (90F), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As for the Mediterranean, surface temperatures will be "exceptionally high" over the coming days and weeks, the WMO said, exceeding 30C (86F) in some parts, several degrees above average.

Warming ocean temperatures can have devastating consequences for aquatic life both in terms of survival and migration and can also negatively impact the fishing industry.

At the other end of the planet, Antarctic sea ice hit its lowest recorded level for a month of June.

The world has warmed an average of nearly 1.2C (1.9F) since the mid-1800s, unleashing more intense heatwaves, more severe droughts in some areas and storms made fiercer by rising seas.

The WMO's Taalas said the current heat wave "underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible."

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EVERGLADES, Fla.  A record-breaking 111 python eggs were removed from a nest in the sensitive Florida Everglades ecosystem.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the clutch from the large invasive Burmese python was removed by Brandon Rahe.

"That number makes it the largest active nest ever found by a wild caught python," Rahe said in an Instagram post. "Im lucky enough to have found 2 active nests so far, helping to remove future generations of monster snakes where they dont belong."

He documented the discovery in a video on his YouTube page. Watch as the action unfolds in the video below:

Rahe was part of the state's Python Action Team Removing Invasive Constrictors (PATRIC) program which helps remove the nonnative snakes year-round.

Wildlife officials said the previous record was 96 eggs found in 2022 in a free-range Burmese python nest in Big Cypress.

SNAKES ON THE MOVE: MATING SEASON AND WARMER WEATHER MAKE SERPENTS FRISKY

Rahe said the snake is being released back into the wild as part of the telemetry program through the University of Florida and FWC to track movement patterns and mating habits.

"Shell be picked back up in due time once her study time is over," he added.

A female Burmese python can lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time. The large reproductive capacity is one reason why the reptile has been so successful as an invasive species in the state. More than 16,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from Florida since 2000.

"Burmese pythons negatively impact the Everglades ecosystem by preying upon and competing with native wildlife," the agency said. "The removal of this python and the 111 unhatched eggs helps to prevent future negative impacts to our native wildlife."

The state said Burmese pythons and other nonnative reptiles can be humanely killed on private lands at any time with landowner permission, as well as on 32 commission-managed lands year-round.
A Whatcom County sheriffs deputy who was fired allegedly abused his position as a law enforcement officer to blackmail, threaten and sexually assault at least two women, court records state.

Detectives believe there may be other victims.

Austin Michael Case, 23, of Ferndale, was arrested Wednesday, July 12, on suspicion of third-degree rape, first-degree extortion, first-degree burglary, fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation and two counts of unlawful imprisonment, The Bellingham Herald previously reported. Formal charges have not yet been filed.

Details about the charges emerged during a hearing Thursday in Whatcom County Superior Court that indicated Case allegedly used his position as a sheriffs deputy to threaten and sexually assault the two women.

Case is currently incarcerated in the Skagit County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, which was set Thursday by a courts commissioner.

His arraignment is scheduled for July 21.

Rape, extortion charges

During an interview Tuesday, July 11, with investigators, the first woman said she and Case met on Tinder and communicated via Snapchat.

It was at this time that the woman told Case about her DUI arrest and said she was on probation. Case told the woman he was working on becoming a police officer.

The woman eventually agreed to hang out with Case and she went to his home in rural Whatcom County last fall or winter. The woman told investigators Case attempted to force her to kiss and ended up pecking her on the lips and then she flipped off the bed and left and blocked all contact, the court documents state.

The woman told investigators she later redownloaded Tinder, Case messaged her again and she readded him on Snapchat. The woman told Case that when he was acting appropriately, he was fine to talk to, the records state.

The pair continued talking and Case told her about becoming a sheriffs deputy. The woman told investigators Case later started using her DUI against her, Saying things like youre a bad girl, the court records show.

The woman said that while she was out at a bar one night, which violated her probation, Case saw her location on her Snapchat maps and messaged her, telling her that she wasnt supposed to be at a bar, court documents state.

Case told the woman she would regret having her location on there because he could get her in trouble. The woman said she was terrified of going to jail or losing her job and said Case could ruin her life, according to court records.

Case then told the woman to come to his house and sleep with him and that his house was closer than her house. He said that he knows cops in town and stated, I will have you arrested if she didnt come to his house, the records state.

The woman told investigators she went to Cases house because she was terrified of him ruining her life and of going to jail. The woman said she told Case she wanted to sleep it off and that she did not want to have sex with him.

He asked her why did she even come here then, and she said it was because he threatened her, court documents state. He said that she should be glad she went there or he would have her arrested and that he was doing her a favor.

The woman repeatedly told Case she didnt want to have sex with him and the pair argued about it for about 15 minutes, court documents state.

Case then climbed on top of the woman and straddled her, while still arguing with her about having sex. The woman told investigators she eventually laid back on the bed and played dead, closing her eyes.

Case then raped the woman, according to court records.

The woman told investigators she felt trapped because she felt that if she left he would call the cops on her and that she would go to jail.

Second womans story

Investigators interviewed a second woman on Tuesday, July 11, who said she had met Case on Instagram in March. She said they were both members of an Instagram group and had connected over having the same vehicle, the court records state.

The woman told investigators Case had messaged her and offered to help her fix a vehicle light over FaceTime. The woman took Case up on his offer and they successfully fixed the light over FaceTime. Case then asked the woman to dinner and she agreed, trying to be nice since he had helped her, court documents state.

Case picked the woman up at her house and drove her to dinner. The woman told investigators Case walked into her house without being invited once he had arrived.

While Case drove the woman home after dinner, the woman thanked him and said she was going to go shopping. The woman told investigators she had made similar comments during dinner because she felt weird being around him, [and] to indicate to him that nothing further would happen between them, the court records state.

The pair pulled up to the womans house and as she was unbuckling, Case told her not to move and locked her in the vehicle. He then went around to the passenger side of the car, unlocked the door and let the woman out.

The woman told investigators that she did not feel free to leave Cases car, and said that if she had tried to get out he would have blocked her, according to court documents.

Recently hired Whatcom County Sheriffs deputy Austin Michael Case, 23, of Ferndale, was arrested Wednesday, July 12, on suspicion of rape, extortion and assault. He was fired from the sheriffs office the same day.

Case told the woman he was going to walk her to her door. He then told her he was coming inside before stepping into the womans house behind her and locking the door, the records show.

The woman told investigators Case then picked her up by her armpits, carried her to the kitchen, placed her on the island and stood in between her legs so she was unable to leave, court documents state.

The woman said Case forcibly kissed her and began touching her. The woman moved her head back and forth to get him to stop and told him no multiple times.

When Case noticed the woman was not actively kissing him, he asked if she was scared. The woman told him she was.

Case then grabbed her wrist and checked her pulse with his fingers and commented on her heart rate being high. He then turned her wrist and checked her heart rate on her Apple watch, the court documents state.

Case then lifted his shirt and showed a handgun and asked, Now are you scared?

Yes, the woman said.

She then hopped off the island and ran around the counter while telling Case to leave. The woman told investigators that Case asked her for two more minutes to talk and she agreed because she was worried about being sexually assaulted if she didnt agree, according to court records.

The woman said Case herded her to the couch and forced her to kiss him for two minutes. After two minutes had passed, the woman told investigators she jumped up, grabbed Cases arm and directed him outside. She said she locked the door behind him.

The woman told investigators Case immediately began calling and texting the woman. She never responded to him, the records state.

Case declined to speak with SMART investigators after his arrest on Wednesday, according to the court documents. He was taken into custody without incident.

Background

Case, who was hired in mid-January by the Sheriffs Office, was fired Wednesday, the same day he was arrested, The Herald previously reported. He was still in his 15-month probationary period.

Case is also currently the subject of an internal affairs investigation to determine whether Case violated any rules or regulations governing sheriffs employees, The Herald previously reported.

The investigation was started and Case was placed on paid administrative leave on June 29. He had previously begun his field training in Whatcom County 10 days earlier, according to Whatcom County Undersheriff Doug Chadwick.

The internal administrative investigation will not be finished until after the criminal investigation into Case is completed, Chadwick said in an email to The Herald.

Additional details about the internal affairs investigation, including the potential policy or rule violations, will not be released at this time, Chadwick said.

The Herald has reached out to Cases defense attorney for comment.

On June 29, the sheriffs office was notified about social media conversations that caused concerns regarding Cases adherence to the expectations for sheriffs office employees, The Herald previously reported.

An anonymous report accusing Case of sexually harassing women had been filed, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents.

Case was placed on leave later that same day. This was the first time the Sheriffs Office started having concerns about Case, Chadwick said.

On Monday, July 10, the sheriffs office contacted the Mount Vernon Police Department and requested that a criminal investigation against Case be opened. Because the scope of the investigation proved to be very resource consuming for any one agency, the Skagit and Island County Multiple Agency Response Team, or SMART, was activated.

SMART, which includes a team of investigators, technical experts and command staff throughout Skagit and Island counties, is most commonly activated for police shootings or deadly force incidents. In criminal investigations similar to Cases, SMART can be activated when the scope of work exceeds the current capacity of a single agency, a previous SMART press release stated. Such limitations can include staffing, current caseloads or complexity of an investigation.

During an interview for the internal affairs investigation with the sheriffs office, a woman disclosed allegations against Case of rape and assault with sexual motivation, according to court records.

First appearance

SMART detectives obtained search warrants for Cases residence and vehicle, according to previous Herald reporting.

At Cases first appearance in court Thursday afternoon, Skagit County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rosemary Kaholokula said roughly 20 firearms were taken from Cases home. All were legally obtained, she said.

The Skagit County prosecutors office is handling the case due to conflicts of interest because he is a Whatcom County deputy.

Kaholokula called Cases actions an egregious abuse of his power and his authority.

He used his authority specifically to sexually assault two different women. This is incredibly dangerous, Kaholokula said in court Thursday.

Cases defense attorney, Lisa Elliott, said Thursday in court that Case had lived in Whatcom County his entire life and had no previous criminal history. She said Case was not a danger to the community.

Whatcom County Superior Court Commissioner Ann Vetter-Hansen set Cases bail at $250,000, because she said there were grave concerns that Case poses a likelihood to interfere with the administration of justice.

Sexual assault protection orders were put in place for the two women.

While Vetter-Hansen was reading aloud the sexual assault protection orders, Case spoke up and said he knew how to properly pronounce one of the womens names.

If Case posts bond, he will be required to stay in Whatcom County and not possess any firearms or dangerous weapons. He is expected to turn over all of his firearms and weapons to SMART by his arraignment on July 21, records indicate.

Detectives with SMART believe there are additional victims and are requesting their assistance with the investigation, The Herald previously reported.

Anyone with information that would assist the SMART investigation is asked to call the tip line at (360)-661-2319. The line is being monitored by detectives.

Resources available

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:

Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.

Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.

Tlils Taaaltha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/

Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.

WWU Survivor Advocacy Services at the Counseling & Wellness Center: 360-650-7982 or https://cwc.wwu.edu/survivorservices.

Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org.
The Lachin Corridor is the only road linking Azerbaijan's restive Nagorno-Karabakh region, populated mostly by Armenians, with Armenia (Tofik BABAYEV)

Azerbaijan on Friday allowed the Red Cross to resume medical evacuations from its restive Nagorno-Karabakh region to Armenia, after Baku's closure of the sole land link between the enclave and Armenia sparked protests and fears of a humanitarian crisis.

The closure came days before the leaders of the two countries were set to meet in Brussels for EU-mediated peace talks, while local separatists urged Moscow to ensure free movement through the Lachin Corridor that links the region to Armenia.

The Red Cross meanwhile told AFP it had restarted medical evacuations from Karabakh to hospitals in Armenia on Friday evening.

"Eleven patients in serious condition were transported through the Lachin Corridor," said Zara Amatuni, the spokeswoman for the organisation's Armenian branch.

On Friday morning, thousands of protestors rallied in Nagorno-Karabakh to demand Baku reopen the road linking it to Armenia and decry crisis conditions in the region.

Some 6,000 people gathered at the central square of Karabakh's main city Stepanakert, shouting chants such as "No to the blockade!" and "Open the road of life!"

- 'Irreversible consequences' -

"Russian peacekeepers must guarantee rights and physical survival of the people of Artsakh," Karabakh's rights ombudsman, Ghegham Stepanyan, told the crowd, using the Armenian name for the region.

AFP this week spoke to locals in Stepanakert, who reported food shortages and critical problems with access to medical services.

Demonstrators later marched towards the office of the Red Cross in Stepanakert and the headquarters of Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region, before returning to the city's Renaissance Square, vowing permanent rallies until the corridor is reopened.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said Baku had offered to provide assistance "regarding the supply needs of the Armenian residents" of the region.

Azerbaijan has said the decision to temporarily shut the Lachin Corridor was made after the Red Cross failed to "prevent illegal actions", such as smuggling mobile phones from Armenia to Karabakh using the organisation's medical vehicles.

On Thursday, an official in the separatist government called on Russia to ensure free movement on the Lachin Corridor.

"The situation is terrible, in a few days we will have irreversible consequences," said Gurgen Nersisyan, a state minister in the rebel government.

- 'Illegal blockade' -

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier announced fresh round of peace talks with Baku, under the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel.

Pashinyan also said the "illegal blockade" of the Lachin Corridor contradicts a ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The UN's top judicial body ordered Azerbaijan in February to ensure free movement along the road.

Karabakh has been at the centre of a decades-long territorial dispute between the two countries, which have fought two wars over the mountainous territory, mainly populated by Armenians.

In autumn 2020, Russia sponsored a ceasefire agreement that ended six weeks of fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces for control of Karabakh.

The deal saw Armenia cede swathes of territories it had controlled for decades, while Russia deployed peacekeepers which are manning the five-kilometre-wide Lachin Corridor to ensure free passage between Armenia and Karabakh.

Armenia, which has relied on Russia for military and economic support since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, has accused Moscow of failing to fulfil its peacekeeping role in Karabakh.

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(Photo: Darren Thompson for Native News Online)

The Red Lake Nations tribal council voted on Tuesday to legalize recreational marijuana on the reservation and plans to begin selling it to tribal and non-tribal members on August 1.

The tribes medical marijuana dispensary, NativeCare, announced on Facebook that it will begin selling recreational marijuana products to adults older than 21 years. The decision would make Native Care the first dispensary to sell recreational cannabis in the state of Minnesota. Other recreational marijuana sales in Minnesota arent expected for another year or more.

On May 30, Minn. Governor Tim Walz signed a bill that legalized adult-use cannabis in the state and established a new Office of Cannabis Management to regulate the new industry. On August 1, Minnesota will become the 23rd state in the U.S. to legalize recreational marijuana. Under the new law, adult consumers can possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower, 8 grams of concentrate and 800 milligrams of edible product.

Throughout our time in office, Governor Walz and I have been committed to building strong government-to-government relationships with the eleven Tribal Nations within Minnesota, Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, a White Earth Ojibwe tribal citizen, wrote in a statement to Native News Online. "The law Governor Walz signed to legalize adult-use cannabis is one of the strongest in the nation in honoring the sovereignty of Tribal Nations like Red Lake Nation to make decisions on the sale of adult-use and medical cannabis.

Although recreational marijuana will become legal in the state on Aug. 1, dispensaries are not expected to open for another 12 to 18 months because a dispensary licensing system needs to be established. The Star Tribune reported that retail sales in Minnesota are not expected to start until January 2025. Red Lake will be the first recreational dispensary in the state.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue predicts that recreational marijuana sales could generate about $111 million in annual tax revenue for the state and roughly $17 million for local governments by fiscal year 2027. The tax revenue estimates do not reflect cannabis sales made in Indian Country by the states tribal government-licensed businesses.

Minnesotas medical cannabis program only allows oils, pills, liquids, or vaporized forms. Red Lakes medical program is more expansive than the states medical marijuana program because it allows cannabis flower. It is the only tribe in the state that has a medical marijuana program.

Although Red Lake voted to create its own medical program in 2020, sales and possession of alcohol continued to be prohibited. The arrangement is similar to the tribal regulatory setup of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, which bans alcohol but permits marijuana.

We can provide a tested product, that is highly regulated, that is available to community members as well as others, and really break down barriers for people who intend to use cannabis, Samuel Strong, the tribal secretary for the Red Lake Nation, told a local television outlet.

Strong told KSTP-TV that the new recreational marijuana sales will create more jobs and serve as an economic development and social venture for the community. A portion of the profits from marijuana sales will be used to address the opioid crisis.

Native News reached out to Red Lake Nation and Native Care, but had not heard back as of publication time.

About the Author: "Darren Thompson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) is a staff reporter for Native News Online who is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Thompson has reported on political unrest, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous issues for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Powwows.com and Unicorn Riot. He has contributed to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Voice of America on various Indigenous issues in international conversation. He has a bachelor\u2019s degree in Criminology & Law Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "

Contact: dthompson@nativenewsonline.net
Rep. Burgess Owens has something to say about foreign influence on college campuses

Congressman Burgess Owens, who represents Utahs 4th District, speaks at the American Conservation Coalition summit in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 16, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Rep. Burgess Owens led a committee hearing Thursday on the dangers of foreign influence on college campuses, where witnesses said there should be more transparency of how foreign dollars are spent in higher education.

The manipulation of our children on American soil  paid for by the American taxpayer  is unacceptable, said Owens, a Republican who represents Utahs 4th Congressional District, in his opening statement. And for those who facilitate undermining our institutions, it is traitorous.

Our adversaries  Americas enemies  some guilty of the absolute worst of human rights abuses, do not pay billions of dollars to educational institutions because of some pie in the sky wish for humanitarian goodness. No. These dollars come with strings attached, which are then used as leverage against American faculty and students, he said.

Under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, colleges and universities are required to disclose foreign funding that exceeds $250,000. But a 2019 Senate report found that 70% of institutions did not comply with the requirement. Meanwhile, the Trump administration uncovered $6.5 billion in undisclosed funds.

Owens said these reports show institutions favored profit over patriotism, and profit over love of country.

In an interview with the Deseret News following the hearing, Owens said he is concerned there are people within the U.S. who provide foreign adversaries a safe harbor.

He said he believes those who run these institutions refuse to be transparent with taxpayers, and instead allow foreign governments, like the Chinese Communist Party, control over curriculum.

Related

To me, its a two-fold process: We need to make sure to harden ourselves against our enemy but also recognize that within our country, we have people who are working with our enemy to undermine our system, Owens added. And were going to make sure we change that risk of accountability to our educational system.

Lack of transparency

One of the witnesses at the hearing, Craig Singleton, deputy director of the China Program and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said there should be enhanced transparency and oversight, along with stricter, mandatory due diligence requirements, when foreign governments give colleges money.

In his written testimony, Singleton said that four Chinese universities are partnered with more than six dozen American universities that also receive government funding for research and development, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Yale and the University of Pennsylvania.

The true extent of these and other partnerships remains largely unknown, he said.

Sometimes, foreign governments funnel money to college campuses through nonprofits, which allows colleges to give donors anonymity  a widely used loophole, he said.

Singleton said, passing legislation to prevent potential conflicts of interest on campuses is essential, and he also suggesting improving screening of foreign students.

Weighing foreign interference

During his interview with the Deseret News, Owens said legislators could find ways to put pressure on college administrators who have not been transparent.

How about we have the head of these colleges signing off right now? he said, suggesting some administrators should resign. Or, maybe they should pay a fine that comes out of their endowment, Owens said. There are things we can do.

Owens said he plans to hold more hearings on the subject before putting together legislation.

The committee hearing also included a review of the Department of Educations report on the lack of disclosure of foreign funds among American colleges.

The Department transferred the authority to investigate these violations from the well-equipped Office of General Counsel to the underwater (Federal Student Aid office), Owens said in his opening statement.

Related

In his interview with Deseret News, Owens again raised questions about why the student aid office was put in charge of investigating and enforcing rules about foreign payments, since they are ill-equipped to manage this oversight requirement.

We have a Department of Education thats not doing its job, he said. For them to do that is pure arrogance, its skirting the law. Its making sure that theres no accountability and theyre doing it in the darkness where people dont see it.

Owens said the GOP-controlled House will pull back money from departments that arent managing their responsibilities well during the spending bill negotiations coming up in the fall.

Related

Meanwhile, Owens touted the progress Utah has made in this area.

Theres not a state in the union that is as innovative as we are, that thinks outside the box and cares more about our kids, and we collaborate so well, Owens said in the phone interview.

He cited a state bill, HB346, that prohibits higher education entities from accepting any funding from restricted foreign entities. It was signed into law by Gov. Spencer Cox last March. Florida has made similar strides, he said.

My goal right now on the federal side is to point out to other states who have the same concerns that there is a way for states to start the process, Owens said.
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore will not be seeking reelection, ABC affiliate WTVD reports.

In January, Moore started his fifth term as speaker -- a state record.

According to WTVD, Moore came to the decision months ago and is still figuring out what comes next.

PREVIOUS: Lawsuit filed against NC House Speaker over affair has been dismissed

Moore recently made headlines after a lawsuit was filed against him. The suit, which has since been dismissed, alleged Moore started an affair with the wife of a former Apex city councilman and engaged in group sex with other people seeking political favor.

Moore and an unnamed John Doe defendant were sued for several claims, including alienation of affections and civil conspiracy.

Channel 9 obtained a copy of the lawsuit, which alleged that Moore used his position as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives to initiate contact and develop a personal relationship with Mrs. Lassiter, despite knowing that she was married to Plaintiff.

Jamie Liles Lassiter is currently the executive director of the North Carolina Conference of Clerks of Superior Court.

(WATCH BELOW: House Speaker Moore OK after someone rammed into his vehicle several times)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), left, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) address attendees during a rally in The Villages, Fla., in 2021. (Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene are suing two Southern California cities and several advocacy groups alleging they conspired to infringe on their free speech rights by pressuring venues to cancel a rally in 2021.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Thursday, alleges the venues caved to pressure from the cities of Anaheim and Riverside and canceled contracts for their America First rally because they disagreed with Greene and Gaetz politically. The two lawmakers are known for their strong support of former President Trump.

The lawsuit contends the 1st Amendment gives the lawmakers the freedom to use the venues "on the same basis as other organizations and political figures without regard to their viewpoint or the viewpoint of speakers at their event."

A spokesman for the city of Riverside declined to comment on the lawsuit on Friday. Anaheim spokesman Mike Lyster said the city has "not formally received the claim but are aware of it and will be reviewing."

The lawsuit also names 10 advocacy or political organizations who allegedly pressured city officials and the venues to not host the rally.

Gaetz, Greene and their fundraising committees are seeking a declaration saying each of the defendants violated their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association as part of the lawsuit.

They are also asking for an injunction prohibiting the cities from denying or "coercing private venues from entering into facilities use contracts with Plaintiffs for future political rallies" and unspecified damages for emotional distress.

Alexander Haberbush, an attorney representing Greene and Gaetz in the lawsuit, declined to comment.

Greene, a Georgia congresswoman, and Gaetz, who represents much of the Florida Panhandle, tried to host their rally at two locations in Orange County and one in Riverside in July 2021, but the venues kept backing out.

Read more: After third venue cancels, Gaetz, Greene take 'protest against communism' to Riverside

The first location to fall through was the Pacific Hills Banquet & Event Center in Laguna Hills. The venue's general manager told the Orange County Register at the time it opted to cancel after learning Gaetz and Greene would be speaking.

The rally was moved to the Riverside Convention Center, but the city quickly started receiving complaints. Councilwoman Gaby Plascencia said at the time that the lawmakers "are the antithesis of everything Riverside stands for."

Raincross Hospitality Management, which operates the convention center, asserted it was canceling the event because of the discrepancy on the certificate of insurance it had been provided, according to the lawsuit.

With less than 24 hours until the rally, the group moved the event to the Grand Theater, a private venue in Anaheim, but controversy followed it. Dozens of people contacted the city to decry the event.

The lawsuit alleges a city code enforcement officer called the Grand Theater and told the owner and manager the venue's conditional use permit would be "in jeopardy if they did not cancel the event."

Without a venue, the lawmakers instead held a "peaceful protest against communism" outside Riverside City Hall.

These folks they tried to cancel our venues but they can never cancel our patriotism or our American spirit, Gaetz said in a video filmed outside Riverside City Hall. Theyll hear us all throughout Southern California.

Sign up for Essential California, your daily guide to news, views and life in the Golden State.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is scheduled to speak Monday evening in York County, according to campaign officials and area Republicans.

DeSantis, the governor of Florida, is set to appear 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Tega Cay at the Philip T. Glennon Community Center on Molokai Drive, according to a campaign event link sent to The Herald by the DeSantis campaign.

There is no admission charge, but tickets must be reserved, according to event materials. To reserve a ticket, here is the link to reserve a ticket for the campaign event.

Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., the release said.

DeSantis is one of many candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the 2024 election. Others include former president Donald Trump, former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, and current South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott.

South Carolinas 2024 primary is the first in the South on Feb. 24.

Tega Cay is a city along Lake Wylie that is close to the North Carolina border, south of Charlotte. Follow heraldonline.com for coverage of DeSantiss Monday visit.
U.S. House

Amid contentious debate and controversial amendments addressing Republican culture wars and social issues, a party-line vote passed the sweeping defense policy bill on Friday.

In response to conservative hard-liners amendments targeting abortion policy, transgender health care access, and diversity and inclusion programs, Democrats and some moderate Republicans objected, but the measures ultimately passed. A fierce battle will now be fought in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Because it sets policy and funds the Department of Defense, the National Defense Authorization Act is considered critical legislation. It took the House until almost midnight Thursday to approve amendments, including removing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and personnel from the Department of Defense, a move anathema to Democratic values.

In the current political climate, the NDAA, passed every year by Congress for six decades, faces uncertainty as Senate and House priorities clash.

In the Senate, the NDAA is expected to be taken up for a procedural vote on Tuesday. The Senates bill and the Houses bill must be reconciled.

Four Republican members voted against the bill that passed the House: Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Eli Crane of Arizona, and Tom Massie of Kentucky.

There were four Democratic yes votes: Jared Golden of Maine, Donald Davis of North Carolina, Gabriel Vasquez of New Mexico, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.

South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman proposed eliminating all DEI personnel and programs at the Pentagon. This amendment passed 214-213 after initially failing 216-216.

The House also approved an amendment Thursday evening barring service members from receiving reimbursements for abortion expenses. In advance of the vote, many Democrats said they would oppose the defense bills passage if the amendment is included.

As a result of concerns about the Pentagons abortion policy, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville has blocked the Senate from passing nominations and confirmations for military positions.

A House amendment also barred insurance coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender service members enlisted to defend the rights of Americans. There has been a relentless campaign by Republicans to eliminate medically necessary and widely endorsed services for transgender people. Previously, they focused on gender-affirming care for minors but now have tried to prohibit transgender health care universally.

Also passing was Rep. Lauren Boeberts amendment to ban Department of Defense Education Activity schools  schools attended by kids of military members overseas and on military bases in the U.S.  from purchasing or keeping pornographic and radical gender ideology books.

Across conservative school districts nationwide, right-wing extremists seek to ban books written by or about LGBTQ+ people.

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, a Democrat and Equality Caucus Chair, slammed the passage of the bill.

Extreme MAGA Republicans continued their relentless attacks on LGBTQ+ people today by using the National Defense Authorization Act to push their anti-equality agenda, he said in a statement. They showed their complete disregard for our LGBTQ+ servicemembers by adopting amendments that strip medically-necessary care from transgender servicemembers and their families, censor LGBTQ+ servicemembers by prohibiting the display of Pride flags, and ban books that include transgender people or discuss gender identity. These riders cannot stand, and my colleagues and I will use every tool to get them removed during conference.

Vermont Rep. Becca Balint, an out Democrat, criticized House Republicans over these issues.

This is a time when we come together to try to pass legislation to support our service members, and [Republicans] have made it hyperpartisan by inserting into it their culture wars and their bogus claims about wokeism, she told The Advocate. Service members, regardless of who they are, should get the health care they need, period. Full stop. Thats it.

She added, It is so disgusting to watch these extreme Republicans driving the policy of the Republican conference. They have made extreme positions mainstream now.

Balints frustration is that Republicans are bullying vulnerable people by othering them and taking away their rights, she said.

However, she said that the GOP is up against those whose worldview is open and affirming to folks with diverse backgrounds.

They want to erase the experiences of anyone who is not white and straight, Balint said. They would like to pass policy that makes it impossible for us to live our lives with dignity, with respect, with laws protecting us, and what they dont understand is that we have built an incredible, vibrant coalition of groups who are standing together and were going to continue to bring more people into coalition with us.

Balint noted that supporting the military had been a relatively bipartisan subject for years. Now that may be changing.

Historically, we have been able to support our military, support our service members, and now they seem to be on the receiving end of this bogus 'anti-woke' narrative, which ultimately is going to make us less safe, she said. If we do not have a military that has the support and resources they need to support all service members, they are not going to be ready to defend and support our country. And thats what is so dangerous about this path.
Republicans made huge gains among Hispanic, Asian and young voters in the 2022 midterm elections, a new Pew Research Center post-election analysis released Wednesday found.

According to the report, the margin between Hispanic voters who voted Democrat and those who voted Republican shrunk by a massive 26 points in the 2022 midterms compared to the 2018 midterms.

Although Democrats maintained their lead among Hispanic voters, their share of the Hispanic vote dropped from 72% in 2018 to 60% in 2022, while Republicans increased their share from 25% in 2018 to 39% in 2022. The margin went from 47 points in Democrats' favor, to just 21 points.

An even larger margin shift toward Republicans came from Hispanic men, who favored Democrats by 42 points (69%) in 2018, but just 13 points (56%) in 2022. Republicans' share of the vote from Hispanic men increased from just 27% in 2018 to 43% in 2022.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN AI IN LATEST WORD SALAD GAFFE: KIND OF A FANCY THING

Democratic donkey and Republican elephant statues symbolize America's two-party political system in front of the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Hispanic women also saw a massive shift toward Republicans, dropping from a 52-point margin in Democrats' favor in 2018 to a 30-point margin in 2022. Republicans won just 23% of Hispanic women votes in 2018, but that increased to 34% in 2022. Democrats won 75% and 64% respectively.

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The report noted that 37% of Hispanic voters who voted in 2018 did not turn out to vote in 2022, but the total percentage of the electorate made up by Hispanic voters increased from 8% in 2018 to 9% in 2022.

Another, albeit smaller, shift toward Republicans happened among Asian voters. In 2018, Democrats garnered 72% of the Asian vote with Republicans at just 26%, a margin of 47 points. Republicans jumped to 32% in 2022 while Democrats won to 68%, shrinking the margin to 36 points.

The share of Asian voters making up the total electorate increased from 2% in 2018 to 3% in 2022.

WATCH: BIDEN CONFUSES UKRAINE WITH RUSSIA, ZELENSKYY WITH PUTIN DURING GAFFE-FILLED TRIP TO LITHUANIA

A voter fills out her ballot in early voting at the Utah County Election offices in Provo, Utah on November 4, 2022.

Support from Black voters remained largely unchanged with Democrats winning 92% in 2018 and 93% in 2022, compared to Republicans' 6% in 2018 and 5% in 2022.

Republicans also made gains with voters under the age of 30, traditionally a source of strong Democratic support. The share of the electorate made up of voters aged 18 to 29 fell slightly to 10% from 11%, but the margin fell from 49 points in Democrats' favor in 2018 to 37 points in 2022.

The age group voted just 23% for Republicans in 2018, but that jumped to 31% in 2022 while Democrats dropped from 72% to 68% respectively.

The report found that, despite Republicans winning control of the House of Representatives, there was no large shift in voters' party preference for those who cast a ballot in 2018 and 2022. For those that did shift their party support, the net flip fell at 1% to 2% from Democrat to Republican.

HOUSE DEM JAYAPAL GRILLS FBI'S WRAY ON COLLECTING AMERICANS' DATA, WARNS OF DIFFICULT FISA REAUTHORIZATION

A new Pew Research Center post-election analysis found Republicans made large gains among key demographics.

If voters who voted in both 2018 and 2022 were broken down by party, 92% of voters who voted for Democrats in 2022 also voted for Democrats in 2018, while 95% of voters who voted for Republicans in 2022, also voted for Republicans in 2018.
US lawmakers have been passing the Pentagon budget on a bipartisan basis since the early 1960s (Daniel SLIM)

US lawmakers took the first step Friday in approving the annual Pentagon budget in a vote that came down to the wire after Republicans added a raft of hardline "culture war" measures to the legislation.

The National Defense Authorization Act green-lights $886 billion President Joe Biden requested for 2024 defense programs, giving troops a 5.2 percent pay hike, providing $300 million in aid to Ukraine and paying for nine new navy ships.

But almost every Democrat in the House of Representatives opposed the normally uncontroversial legislation, after conservatives added provisions rolling back diversity programs and ending funding for abortion and transgender medical care.

"What was once an example of compromise and functioning government has become an ode to bigotry and ignorance," a group of senior Democrats led by Adam Smith, the party's top lawmaker on the armed services committee, said in a blistering statement.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy needed near-unanimous support in his narrow, five-seat majority, to muscle through the more than 1,200-page package on a 219-210 vote.

He had bowed to pressure from the far right to add hardline provisions that will almost certainly be dropped in negotiations with the Democratic-led Senate, which begins debating its version of the legislation next week.

Republicans pushed through amendments gutting Pentagon diversity, equity and inclusion programs, banning the pro-LGBT pride flag at military bases, and ending funding for transgender-related medical services.

As is often the case in modern Washington, the polarizing issue of abortion access also proved a key sticking point.

Former White House physician Ronny Jackson, now a hardline right-wing lawmaker, introduced a provision banning the Defense Department from covering travel expenses for service members needing to cross state lines to get an abortion.

"These servicewomen leave their homes, their families and friends, and are willing to risk their lives to serve our nation," Lois Frankel, the chairwoman of the Democratic Women's Caucus, said in a statement.

"And yet House Republicans are adamant on ripping away their reproductive freedom, and undoing a policy that would ensure they can travel to get abortion care. It's absolutely shameful."

The issue has become a major concern in the Pentagon, as Senator Tommy Tuberville -- a far right Republican -- is blocking more than 250 military promotions and nominations until the department scraps the policy.

The Marine Corps has been left without a confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years as a result, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that Tuberville's protest, now in its fifth month, was a "national security issue."

ft/bfm
Restaurant owner killed in Missouri robbery after locking up, feds say. Four charged

A restaurant owner and one of his employees had locked up for the night when they were shot during a Missouri robbery, according to federal authorities.

The owner of St. Louis Kitchen died of his injuries, officials said, and the other employee survived a gunshot wound to his leg.

Now about six weeks later, four people have been indicted by a federal grand jury, according to a July 13 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

The four people  Ronnie Adam Foster, 23; restaurant employee Mekayla Johann, 20; Larob Harris, 24; and Shonyea Jones, 24  face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, discharge of a firearm and discharge of a firearm resulting in death, records show. The charges are all felonies.

McClatchy News requested comment from the defense attorneys representing Johann, Harris and Jones on July 14 and was awaiting a response. Foster does not have an attorney listed in public court records.

Following the fatal robbery on May 30, authorities said someone took a backpack with the restaurants cash proceeds, according to the release.

Harris and Johann pleaded not guilty on July 3, records show. Jones pleaded not guilty on July 13. Foster is in jail facing unrelated charges, officials said.

Investigators have recovered a Glock 23 pistol used during the robbery and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 firearm thats consistent with the murder weapon, according to the release.

Loved ones identified the St. Louis Kitchen restaurant owner as 38-year-old Faming Pan, who went by Randy with many of his family, friends and staff.

This restaurant has been the livelihood for all of Randys family, including his aging parents, his wife for more than a decade, and their two children, according to a GoFundMe.

His wife, Yan Zhu, rushed to the restaurant after the shooting and identified her husband as a victim, the GoFundMe says.

His wife had to go home and tell her kids, you know, that their daddy died, former employee John Walker told KTVI.

The robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery charges are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison, officials said. People convicted of a discharge of a firearm charge face up to 10 years in prison, and discharge of a firearm resulting in death is punishable by life in prison or the death sentence.

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A retired four-star Army general had high praise for President Bidens decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine last week.

I think President Biden, Lloyd Austin, and Blinken were entirely correct to send them these munitions  not just as a stopgap for unitary warheads, but because they are a very effective tool, and Ukraine is fighting for its survival, Gen. Barry McCaffrey said in an MSNBC interview on Friday.

Bidens decision has received mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle as some Republicans have praised the additional military support for Ukraine, while some Democrats criticized the munitions history of causing civilian casualties.

On Tuesday, former President Trump said that Bidens decision could be dragging the U.S. into World War III.

Cluster munitions are artillery shells wthat shatter into dozens of small bomblets on the ground. Some of these bomblets do not explode, up to 40 percent in older munitions, leaving minefield-like debris behind. Pentagon officials pledged to only send Ukraine cluster munitions with an unexploded ordinance rate of less than 3 percent in an effort to minimize civilian impact.

Due to civilian casualty concerns, more than 120 countries have banned the use of cluster munitions. The U.S., Ukraine and Russia have not signed that international agreement.

The munitions are being sent to Ukraine as part of a new $800 million military aid package announced last week. The shells first arrived in Ukraine on Thursday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Retired US general and former CIA chief says Putin's Ukraine invasion has 'made NATO great again'

Retired US general and former CIA chief says Putin's Ukraine invasion has 'made NATO great again'

Russian President Vladimir Putin. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

David Petraeus told CNN that Putin's invasion was a "catastrophically bad decision for his country."

"He set out to make Russia great again, and really has made NATO great again," Petraeus said.

The retired general had led US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan before serving as CIA director.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has "made NATO great again," said a former CIA director.

"Putin, of course, is still in denial. He doesn't look in the mirror yet and see a leader who made a catastrophically bad decision for his country  that he set out to make Russia great again, and really has made NATO great again," former CIA director David Petraeus told CNN's Jake Tapper on Thursday.

Petraeus' sentiments about Putin and NATO have been echoed by other officials and experts, too. For one, in March 2022, former NATO supreme allied commander James Stavridis told MSNBC that Putin "may be the best thing that ever happened to the NATO alliance." Stavridis cited the boost in German defense spending just days after Putin declared the invasion of Ukraine  something that the country hesitated to do for years.

Petraeus had a long career in the US Army, where he led US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The retired general also served as CIA director between 2011 and 2012.

He has long been skeptical of the likelihood of a Russian victory over Ukraine and deeply critical of Russia's military. Petraeus told CNN in March 2022  a month after the invasion  that he thinks the Russian army "clearly have very poor standards when it comes to performing basic tactical tasks."

And in February, Petraeus told CNN that it's now clear Putin is waging a ruthless war of attrition in Ukraine.

"He still believes that Russia can 'out-suffer' the Ukrainians, Europeans, and Americans in the same way that Russians out-suffered Napoleon's army and Hitler's Nazis," Petraeus said of Putin.

The Russia-Ukraine war has been raging for nearly 17 months since the invasion began on February 24, 2022. The US and its allies on Wednesday concluded a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where the alliance promised additional security assurances to Ukraine but stopped short of extending NATO membership to it.

Representatives for Petraeus did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.

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CHICAGO  Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., the Civil Rights icon and former presidential candidate, is stepping down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, according to his son, Rep. Jonathan Jackson.

The senior Jackson will announce his retirement at the annual Rainbow PUSH convention in Chicago on Sunday. Vice President Kamala Harris will the keynote for the event. And a successor to Jackson is also expected to be announced.

Hes had physical challenges, but he never stopped fighting. Hes been fighting for Civil Rights since 1961, said the member of Congress, who also worked for the nonprofit Rainbow PUSH. The senior Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017.

He didnt give up when there were forces against the Voting Rights Act, or forces against the Equal Rights Amendment or addressing priorities at home or peace abroad, said the younger Jackson of his father. Rev. Jackson, who founded the organization in 1996 to pursue social justice and civil rights issues.

Over the years, Rev. Jackson has led protests to desegregate theaters and restaurants. He marched in Selma, Ala., after "Bloody Sunday" in 1965. And he was an aide to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before he started Rainbow PUSH. Just two years ago, Jackson led a march through Kenosha, Wis., in response to the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, who killed two men and injured a third during civil unrest.

Jackson, an 81-year-old Chicagoan, remains a familiar face on the civic and political scenes. He traveled to Washington to support his son when he was sworn in earlier this year. And just last month, he sat front and center for President Joe Bidens speech on the economy held in Chicago.

This weekends Rainbow PUSH convention includes a reception for former campaign workers from Jacksons historic 1984 and 1988 presidential bids.

Jacksons 1984 campaign shocked many, according to Chinta Strausberg in the Crusader, which first reported Jacksons retirement. He ran a very inclusive campaign despite the rejection of his candidacy by many key Blacks, the paper said.

In 1988, Jackson won Michigan even though political experts thought a Black man would never win a northern industrial state, political consultant Delmarie Cobb, who worked on Jacksons campaigns, told Illinois Playbook.

This reporting first appeared in the July 13 edition of Illinois Playbook. Sign up to get the newsletter here.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease eight years ago, is stepping down from the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the influential Chicago-based civil rights organization he founded through its predecessor, Operation PUSH, more than 50 years ago.

After ceding day-to-day operations last year, Jackson, 81, is formally handing the reins to his successor, the Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, a senior pastor of friendship at West Baptist Church in Dallas. Haynes appointment is expected to be announced this weekend at the annual Rainbow/PUSH convention, sources said Friday.

Haynes said its an honor to be chosen for this role. I confess that when he first approached me about doing this, I was blown away, he said.

Haynes said he has long been a student and follower of Jacksons. One of the things that I am quick to say is that of all of the degrees I may have, I must also confess that Ive studied at the University of Jesse Jackson, he said. I first heard him as a college student at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, and I was just blown away because I was trying to find my way in ministry. ... Through the years, my formation in justice work had everything to do with Rev. Jackson.

With the new leadership in place, Jackson is quick to admit his future plans.

Im not retiring at all, Jackson said Friday. I want to focus a lot more on economic justice, peace in the world. Im just pivoting to a different platform.

According to Jackson, pivoting means he will spend the majority of this time teaching about how to fight the nonviolent fight when it comes to injustice.

I want to teach more, all what Ive learned, to other preachers: How do you fight the nonviolent fight, focus on affirmative action, loan debt, focus on pulling gun shops down, Jackson said.

Jackson will offer his guidance in academic settings as well as in the field. He said he will double efforts to get reparations for the three remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. A lawsuit filed by survivors was recently dismissed by an Oklahoma judge.

Jackson said he deliberated for a while on his decision to step down as president of Rainbow/PUSH.

Its been very difficult to find people who have the ability to step into the fire, Jackson said. But after speaking with Bishop Tavis Grant, national executive director of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, as well as the Rev. Al Sharpton and Jacksons son and longtime Rainbow/PUSH national spokesman Rep. Jonathan Jackson, the elder Jackson made the decision.

Noting his less-than-frequent travel these days, and his decades in the struggle for justice, Jackson said now is the time for a transfer of leadership. With someone managing the staff of Rainbow/PUSH, he can focus on fundraising and helping the new leader acclimate to the role. Jackson said the reversal of affirmative action, the continued attack on the Voting Rights Act, and the high cost of college are all on his agenda. He also wants to spend more time getting people out of foreign jails, including in Syria, Kuwait and Kosovo.

The Supreme Court is setting the agenda  affirmative action, health care for women, rights in education  but we cant afford that. Theyre trying to take back the rights that protect the right to vote, Jackson said. The agenda is set by the opposition. I want Rainbow/PUSH to survive in that struggle and we have to have leadership help us.

Haynes said it is a lot of pressure to take up the mantle after Jackson, but he said its a good heavy.

I feel real good about what it is Im called to do and because of my relationship with him, that is even more helpful, he said. Ill be honest, the response Im receiving from around the country has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive because ... we dont know life without PUSH and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. ... What he was doing in 63, we need in 23.

Headquartered in a former temple in the Kenwood neighborhood on the South Side, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition has long been Jacksons national advocacy platform to promote economic, educational and political change, including two groundbreaking campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1980s.

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, Jackson gained national prominence during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s after attending Chicago Theological Seminary. The city became his home for six decades, and the center of operations for the organizations he would lead and grow into a movement.

Jackson met the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965, and the following year became the head of the Chicago chapter of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference aimed at promoting employment for the Black community.

Following Kings assassination in 1968, Jacksons stature in the Civil Rights Movement grew, helping to fill the leadership void. In 1971, Jackson resigned from the SCLC and founded Operation PUSH in Chicago, expanding the mission of education and economic empowerment for people of color.

Jackson ventured into national politics in the 1980s, delivering a stirring speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention and placing third in the nomination for president behind Walter Mondale and Gary Hart, garnering more than 3 million votes. In 1988, Jackson made a second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, winning the Michigan primary before losing to the eventual candidate, Michael Dukakis.

In 1996, Jackson merged two of his initiatives, creating the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, which he continued to lead into the new millennium.

Other civil rights leaders are already weighing in on Jacksons legacy and his impending retirement.

The resignation of Rev. Jesse Jackson is the pivoting of one of the most productive, prophetic and dominant figures in the struggle for social justice in American history, Sharpton said in a statement Friday. It was my honor, since my mother brought me to him at 12 years old, to serve as the youth director for the New York chapter of Operation Breadbasket, down through the last decade, to have been a student and protege of his.

The annual Rainbow/PUSH convention runs through Wednesday, and will feature Vice President Kamala Harris as guest speaker Sunday.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is slated to appear at a convention luncheon Tuesday, also expressed his appreciation to Jackson as a mentor, friend and civil rights icon.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is an architect of the soul of Chicago, Johnson said in a statement Friday.

Grant calls Jacksons pivot a tremendous development. He thinks the new leadership under Haynes is in line with the historical track of the Rainbow/PUSH organization and a good fit for continuing what Rev. Jackson has spent the last 50-plus years working and developing.

Grant added that the change comes at the point when Jackson can be a full participant in the transition. It writes a different history for us in the civil rights community, Grant said of the move.

Jacksons eldest daughter, Santita Jackson, said given that her father has been focused on the local and global fight for injustice for so long, she is grateful that God has given him the length of years to deliver breadth and depth of service.

Very few people are able ... have the grace and space to serve in public life at this level of intensity and exposure, and with such a high profile for 60 years, she said. But hes been able to do that. And quite frankly, weve not seen leaders who are Black live this long. They dont get gray; they get a grave.

Jonathan Jackson said hes proud of his father.

He has never stopped fighting for civil rights, for human rights, he said. He has worked alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and carried on in his tradition and in his activism. From having seen the creation and passing and the demonstration, to ultimately passing the Voting Rights Act to now seeing it be dismantled  hes never stopped fighting. Others thought it was the past and civil rights had been achieved. He knew better. He had eternal vigilance.

He said his father has always had two professions  minister and civil rights fighter  and both are professions from which one never retires.

Hell give this transition his all, as he always has done, he said of his dad. He knows his strengths, but he will never stop. Its his lifes calling.

Haynes said he feels welcomed by Chicago and sees Rainbow/PUSH continuing its mission.

For me, Rev. Jackson has always been the person to show up. I call it an emergency responder, Haynes said. So that when things broke out, we knew that he was going to be Jesse on the spot  providing the wisdom, the leadership, the direction in and out of the crisis. I dont see those things changing. I see those things as what PUSH has been about and what PUSH will continue to be about.

drockett@chicagotribune.com

rchannick@chicagotribune.com
Rex Heuermann charged with three Gilgo Beach murders as burner phones and truck tie him to serial killings

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

New York architect Rex Heuermann is facing charges in the murders of three Gilgo Beach victims, court documents released by the Suffolk County District Attorney on Friday revealed.

Mr Heuermann, 59, is accused of murdering Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello  all sex workers in their 20s who disappeared in the Long Island area before their bodies were found during a separate missing person investigation in 2010.

The bodies were found within one-quarter mile of each other.

Mr Heuermann was taken into custody outside his Midtown office on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which sent fear through the shoreline community of Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago.

A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance.

Prosecutors argued in the application that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.

This is a breaking story ... check back for developments.
MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y.  New York authorities on Friday named Rex Heuermann as the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer.

Heuermann, 59, is accused of killing four women whose bodies were discovered along a suburban Long Island beach highway between 2010 and 2011. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection with the murders of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello.

Heuermann is a married father of two and architect living on Long Island and working in Manhattan at his firm, RH Consultants & Associates.

Neighbors described the suspect to Fox News Digital as the "neighborhood creep" as police vehicles swarmed his Massapequa Park home Friday morning.

INFAMOUS LONG ISLAND SERIAL KILLER SUSPECT BEHIND GILGO BEACH MURDERS IN CUSTODY: OFFICIALS

Rex Heuermann, 59, is tied to at least 11 murders after New York authorities discovered 11 sets of human remains strewn along a suburban Long Island beach highway between 2010 and 2011.

Former neighbor Carol Bergen told Fox News Digital that Heuermann once asked her brother if he cried at their father's funeral after he died.

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Massapequa Park is a clean-cut neighborhood where residents keep up with manicured landscaping and hang American flags off their front porches. Several homeowners in Heuermann's neighborhood are local police officers, and a closed police academy is located down the street from the suspect's home.

Suffolk County police stationed outside a home in Massapequa Park, New York, Friday, July 14, 2023. The home is believed to be occupied by a suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders.

Neighbor Michael Musto, who has lived in Massapequa Park for 40 years and took the train into Manhattan with Heuerman for work, described the 59-year-old suspect as a "recluse" and kept "to himself."

"I understand he was an architect in the city. I used to see him on the train cause I take the train to the city every morning, as well. He would walk past my house. I would see his wife driving a beat-up, green, Dodge Charger. I never really thought they were involved in something crazy like this. Not every day you wake up and see every time of law enforcement agency and news channel on your front lawn," Musto told Fox News Digital.

Suffolk County police stationed outside a home in Massapequa Park, New York, Friday, July 14, 2023. The home is believed to be occupied by a suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders.

"It's disgusting. All these people here  just the fact that your neighbor's involved in something heinous like this  it's unconscionable," he added. "You never know who's your nextdoor neighbor. It's like Jeffrey Dahmer."

A 23-year-old man who lives across the street from Heuermann said his home has been in disarray for years. Musto also described Heuerman's house as "rundown."

Heuermann was a 1981 graduate of Berner High School in Massapequa, according to locals and yearbooks.

GILGO BEACH SERIAL KILLINGS: FBI TRACKING LEAD TO ALABAMA OVER PEACHES TATTOO

Heuermann was a 1981 graduate of Berner High School in Massapequa, according to locals and yearbooks.

In a February 2022, YouTube video interview with Bonjour Realty, Heuermann describes himself as an "architect," "architect consultant" and a "troubleshooter."

"Born and raised on Long Island. Then working in Manhattan since 1987," Heuermann says in the video. "When a job that should've been routine suddenly becomes not routine, I get the phone call."

At one point in the video, the interviewer asked Heuermann what his job has taught him. "I think this job has taught me more about how to deal with people," Heuermann responded, "because dealing with the technical aspects is something a person can learn.  but it's the people, how they're all so different, and how you deal with the people, [that] is one of the more interesting aspects that comes out of all this."

Heuermann also said his father was an aerospace engineer and built satellites and furniture at home.

"And I still build it in the exact same workshop," he said.

Gilgo Beach is seen on July 14, 2023 in Babylon, New York. A suspect in the Gilgo Beach killings was arrested in the unsolved case tied to at least 10 sets of human remains that were discovered since 2010 in suburban Long Island. The suspect Rex Heuermann is expected to be arraigned after his arrest Thursday night.

Heuermann used fictitious names and online accounts to solicit and arrange sexual activity, according to a bail application.

"A search warrant conducted on the fictitious Springfieldman9 AOL Account further revealed selfie photographs that appeared to have been taken by Defendant Rex Heuermann of himself (see below) and sent to other persons to solicit and arrange for sexual activity," the application states.

Rex Heuermann used fictitious names and online accounts to solicit and arrange sexual activity, according to a bail application.

The women Heuermann is accused of killing are four of 11 victims found deceased along Gilgo Beach some 13 years ago. The identified victims have been named as Barthelemy, Costello, Waterman and Brainard-Barnes, as well as Shannan Gilbert, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack.

Most of the Gilgo Beach murder victims were identified as sex workers in their 20s, although two sets of remains belonged to a 2-year-old girl and a young Asian male.

Authorities discovered the 11 bodies during a search for Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker who ran away from a client's home on Long Island and knocked on several residents' doors asking for help before she disappeared.

As police searched an area east of Gilgo Beach for Gilbert, they found numerous other bodies in a heavily wooded area on the north side of Long Island. The first body police found belonged to Melissa Barthelemy, who was located on Dec. 11, 2010. Gilberts wasn't recovered until two days later on Dec. 13, 2011. Police would go on to find nine more bodies in the same area.

Police found more than 10 bodies in the area after beginning their search for Shannan Gilbert in 2010.

Some of the victims were wrapped in burlap before they were discarded along Gilgo Beach.

Heuermann's DNA was tied to one of the murders through a discarded pizza box, according to a bail application.

The DNA left on the pizza box matched "a male hair from the bottom of the burlap used to wrap [Megan] Waterman by her killer," the bail application states.

"[I]t is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermanns residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierny wrote.

Rex Heuermann is led into Arthur M. Cromarty Criminal Complex in Riverhead, NY on Friday, July 14, 2023. The 59-year-old is being charged with three counts of murder in relation to the deaths of victims found on Gilgo Beach.

Investigators also linked Heurmann to four burner phones that were activated before the three murders he is accused of committing and shut off after the murders.

Suffolk County Police and prosecutors are expected to provided an update on the Gilgo Beach case late Friday afternoon.

Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.
RFK Jr claims Biden troop mobilization is prep for ground war with Russia

RFK Jr claims Biden troop mobilization is prep for ground war with Russia

Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claimed that President Biden's mobilization of troops to support Operation Atlantic Resolve is preparation for a "ground war with Russia."

Kennedy reacted to Biden's decision to call up thousands of military reservists to bolster U.S. troops in Europe as part of the 2014 operation.

"President Biden just called up 3,000 reservists to augment U.S. troops in Europe as part of 'Operation Atlantic Resolve,'" Kennedy tweeted on Friday.

REPUBLICANS BLAST BIDEN'S EUROPEAN TROOP MOBILIZATION: DARING RUSSIA TO SHOOT FIRST

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits "The Faulkner Focus" at Fox News Channel Studios on June 2, 2023, in New York City.

"I want people to understand what this troop mobilization is about," he continued. "It's about preparing for a ground war with Russia."

On Thursday, Biden announced that his administration is mustering reserve troops to ensure the "effective conduct of Operation Atlantic Resolve in and around the United States European Commands area of responsibility."

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The president is calling up 3,000 reserve troops from the Selected and Individual Ready Reserves, with no more than 450 from the Individual Ready Reserve.

Biden's troop augmentation comes while the president is overseas for the NATO conference.

Biden's troop augmentation comes while the president is overseas for the NATO conference.

"This is reckless [and] dangerous," Texas GOP Senator Ted Cruz tweeted. "I want to see Putin defeated, but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should U.S. servicemen [and] women be sent to fight in Ukraine."

"Bidens weakness started this war [and] now hes threatening to put our military in a shooting war with Russia," Cruz added.

GOP Utah Sen. Mike Lee weighed in on the president's European mobilization in a Twitter thread, warning that the move is "daring Russia to shoot first."

"Ive been trying to figure out what this means. Bottom line up front: President Biden is arguably walking the U.S. up to the line of war and daring Russia to shoot first," Lee wrote.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Saudi Arabias crown prince Mohammed bin Salman met at the G20 summit in Bali (PA) (PA Archive)

Rishi Sunak has invited Saudi Arabias crown prince and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman to the UK in the autumn, it has been reported.

It would be his first visit to Britain since the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi five years ago.

The Gulf states day-to-day leader was accused of ordering the assassination of the Washington Post writer at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, although he denied any involvement and blamed rogues agents.

We have been clear that this murder was a terrible crime and that Saudi Arabia must ensure such an atrocity can never happen again

Prime Minister's spokesperson

Downing Street declined to comment on whether an invite has been extended, as reported by the Financial Times, citing a Government official.

Asked about the Prime Ministers view of the journalists killing, his official spokesman told reporters on Friday: From the start we have been clear that this murder was a terrible crime and that Saudi Arabia must ensure such an atrocity can never happen again.

Weve sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the murder under the global human rights scheme.

A UK visit would be the latest sign of western countries welcoming the crown prince back into the diplomatic fold after he was frozen out following the murder.

Britain is aiming to strengthen its ties with the kingdom despite concerns over its human rights record as it seeks to attract investment from the oil-rich Gulf following Brexit.

The FT said details of the trip have not yet been finalised, quoting an official as saying: Its more up to them, given we need them more than they need us.

Mr Sunak met the crown prince on the margins of the G20 summit in Bali last November.

The leaders discussed social reforms, womens rights and civil liberties, but Mr Sunak did not raise the murder of Mr Khashoggi, No 10 said at the time.

US President Joe Biden raised the subject in his own talks over energy and security issues with the crown prince in July 2022, indicating that he thought the Saudi leader was responsible for the killing.
Nearly 50% of the nation's tap water is estimated to have at least one type of PFAS, a group of harmful "forever chemicals." (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

Tap water in urban areas of Southern and Central California appears more likely to be contaminated by PFAS "forever chemicals" than drinking water in many other regions of the nation, although rural Californians are far less likely to suffer similar exposure, according to new research by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The newly released study is the latest to examine the prevalence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances  a vast group of manufactured chemicals that are drawing increasing scrutiny for their health risks, as well as their widespread prevalence in food, water, soil, air and work environments.

In what is considered to be the nation's first large-scale analysis of PFAS in tap water from private wells and public water supplies, researchers estimated that at least 45% of drinking water across the nation could contain one or more of the chemicals. Study authors also concluded that drinking-water exposures may be more common in Southern and Central California, as well as the Great Plains, Great Lakes and Eastern Seaboard regions.

While study authors found an 8% probability that one or more of the chemicals would be detected in drinking water in rural areas, the detection probability skyrocketed to more than 70% in urban areas.

Kelly Smalling, research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and the study's lead author, said town and city residents are more likely to be exposed to PFAS because there are more people using everyday items that contain them. There's also more airports, industrial activities, military installations, even wastewater treatment plants that are all known sources, she said.

Known as "forever chemicals because they dont degrade naturally in the environment, PFAS have been used since the 1940s and are ubiquitous. They can be found in such everyday items as nonstick cookware, dental floss, period underwear, fast food boxes, water-repellent clothing and firefighting foam.

Although their use has mostly been phased out in the U.S., their prevalence in the environment remains a concern. Exposure to high levels of some PFAS has been linked to adverse health effects such as decreased fertility, increased risk of high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, certain cancers, and liver and immune-system damage.

Smalling said a key finding of the study was learning that PFAS concentrations were similar in samples collected from domestic wells, which are not government-regulated, and public water suppliers, which are.

The important thing about this study is that it emphasized the importance of collecting data on PFAS from private well users [which] tend to be monitored at the discretion of the homeowner, she said.

Read more: EPA to limit toxic 'forever chemicals' in drinking water

The study comes at a time of increasing concern and visibility around the prevalence, toxicity and cost of removing these "forever chemicals."

Recently, the chemical manufacturer 3M reached a $10.3-billion deal to settle lawsuits over PFAS contamination in many U.S. public drinking water systems.

Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency issued updated health advisories after new science suggested that certain PFAS posed adverse health effects even with near-zero concentrations.

And in March, the EPA proposed strict federal limits on two common types of PFAS  PFOA and PFOS  in drinking water to the lowest levels that tests can detect, and said it wanted to regulate four more. The agency said the rule would protect thousands of lives, prevent serious illness, and reduce exposure for nearly 100 million Americans.

But the U.S. Geological Survey study found that tap water levels of PFOA and PFOS in both private and public supply exceeded federally proposed limits and benchmarks.

Over a five-year period, researchers tested for 32 of more than 12,000 types of PFAS from 716 nationwide residences, businesses and drinking-water treatment plants from urban, rural and protected regions, such as national parks, conservation areas as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands. (Current testing capabilities cannot test for all PFAS.)

Of the samples taken, 269 were from private wells and 447 from public supply systems. Scientists used those data to model and estimate PFAS contamination across the country.

Read more: Here's what you can (and can't) do about PFAS contamination in your water

In California, public water systems are required to test for the chemicals if they are near potential PFAS sources like landfills, airports and military bases, and if they are in proximity to other water sources with confirmed contamination.

Water systems that detect PFAS above notification levels are required to alert customers. If they exceed a response level, which is higher, it must stop using the contaminated water source, install treatment, or notify the public that it will continue serving it.

"We are concerned about [PFAS] like everybody else," said Darrin Polhemus, deputy director and head of the California State Water Resources Control Board's division of drinking water. "And it's definitely an issue we're working towards addressing and putting regulations forward on it."

In Southern California, PFAS concentrations tend to come from downstream wastewater treatment plants that discharge to local rivers and recharge water back into groundwater, which eventually gets picked up and becomes drinking water, Polhemus said. PFAS-contaminated drinking water is particularly prevalent in disadvantaged communities, according to a 2021 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

"They're not going away, unfortunately... And there are going to be a lot of water systems that have to deal with them, and we're working on trying to understand how to treat them," Polhemus said. "In California, my hope is that we can develop a treatment approach that addresses the vast majority of them so that we don't have to write a maximum contaminant level for hundreds of PFAS if that's truly what we detect  so that we can have communities invest in treatment once and use that for their protection."

While Smalling noted that the USGS is an unbiased science organization that has not conducted research on the health impacts of PFAS, she hopes the study can help members of the public to really understand their risk of exposure, as well as inform policy and management decisions regarding potential testing and treatment options for drinking water now and into the future.

Read more: Firefighting foam leaves toxic legacy in Californians drinking water

Jennifer Clary, water policy and legislative analyst for the nonprofit Clean Water Action, called the studys findings disappointing but not really surprising It just lets you know what a problem it is when you use chemicals that you dont really understand the outcome of, like what happens when they get out into the environment.

The organization, which operates programs across the country, has been working with legislators, communities, agencies, industries and water regulators to get PFAS out of products and drinking water, she said.

While California legislators have banned PFAS from firefighting foam and implemented public health goals for certain chemicals, Clary believes theyre not doing enough.

Given their potential harm and their almost universal presence in our drinking water, we really need to treat this like an emergency situation, and we really should be taking strong steps to identify where PFAS is, she said.

Clary also said the study highlighted a broader pattern around how products are manufactured and what is used to make them.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How do we make decisions about what we use in our production so that we don't always have to deal with this? Clary said. PFAS is the biggest example but it's not like we haven't had warnings of it all along the line with pesticides, with additives, with gasoline.

And now we get something thats used everywhere, so we find it everywhere, and we shouldn't be surprised," she added. "But we should be concerned about how we as a society are considering how we produce the goods that we use.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
RNC Chair Makes No Exception For Trump As She Doubles Down On GOP Loyalty Pledge

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel doubled down in a new interview on her partys loyalty pledge, which requires qualifying candidates to agree to back the GOPs eventual presidential nominee in 2024 in order to participate in a debate next month.

McDaniel, who was elected to a fourth two-year term as chair in January, told CNNs Chris Wallace that candidates must agree to the Beat Biden pledge before a GOP debate in Milwaukee on Aug. 23.

And what were saying ... is if youre going to stand on the Republican National Committee debate stage, you should be able to support the nominee and beat Biden, McDaniel told Wallace on an episode of his CNN/Max show.

That includes former President Donald Trump, she confirmed.

Several GOP presidential candidates who have criticized Trump havequestioned the loyalty pledge, which the RNC will present to those who meet the donor and polling criteria for the debate.

Trump has yet to say whether he would sign the loyalty pledge.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have shown concern over the requirement, while former Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) said he would not sign a loyalty pledge as he was not going to back Trump.

Im not changing my opinion on the loyalty pledge, Hurd told MSNBC earlier this week.

Donald Trump is a proven loser, he added. I tell Republicans if you elect Donald Trump for the Republican nominee, then we are willingly giving Biden four more years.

Trump endorsed McDaniel for her RNC post in 2017 and voiced his support for her in her reelection bid this year, although he was neutral in the weeks leading up to the vote.

The former president has said he may skip the Republican debate next month and instead hold an event at the same time.

If the front-runner who at this point is far ahead of the rest of the field decides to skip the debates, isnt that going to really cut into the credibility and the importance of these debates? Wallace asked the RNC chair.

I think these debates are critical, McDaniel replied. I hope he joins the debate stage. I think hell be on the debate stage. I know his consultants, some of them are saying just skip it. I think anytime we can get in front of the American people is good for our party.

And what if he skips it? Wallace questioned.

Then he skips it, thats his choice, she replied.

(H/T Mediaite)

Related...
Police have apprehended a suspect in a reported bank robbery in Stroud Township.

At approximately 12:12 p.m. Friday, Stroud Area Regional Police responded to a bank robbery at the M&T Bank, 900 N. Ninth St., in Stroud Township.

While SARP officers were responding, they received information about the suspect's vehicle and were able to locate it along Route 611 near Pocono Commons Drive in Stroud Township. Officers pursued the vehicle along the northbound lane until the vehicle crashed on the Interstate 80 West on-ramp at interchange 302. After a short foot pursuit, the suspect was apprehended.

According to police, this was an isolated incident and the public is not in any danger.

Police said they will release more information at the conclusion of the investigation.

Pennsylvania State Police confirmed they assisted the Stroud Area Regional Police Department with the incident.

It was the third bank robbery reported in the area in the past eight days.

On Tuesday, at approximately 11:48 a.m., the Fidelity Bank located at 2118 North Delaware Drive in Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County, was robbed.

The bank robber was described as a male, 5 feet 5 inches, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue surgical mask. He passed a note demanding money from a bank teller. After receiving the money, he fled the scene.

The Pennsylvania State Police Belfast Criminal Investigation Unit is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the PSP Belfast Unit at 610-759-6106.

On July 7, at approximately 10:12 a.m. the Fulton Bank located at 9 Ledgewood Ave. in Netcong, New Jersey, was also robbed.

The bank robber was described as a male wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and a blue surgical mask. It is reported that he entered the bank and demanded money. The suspect fled the bank with $14,000.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Netcong Police Office at 973-347-7700.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: PSP, Stroud Area police respond to robbery at M&T Bank
SANFORD, Maine  Roisin McGuckin has been named the new assistant principal at Margaret Chase Smith School.

McGuckin is replacing Marc Bisson, who accepted a principal position in Westbrook. McGuckin was previously a fourth-grade teacher at Carl J. Lamb Elementary School.

Roisin McGuckin

"Roisin is a skilled educator with over twenty years of experience impacting children, educators, and the Sanford Community," Superintendent Matt Nelson said. "She is an educational leader who prioritizes strong relationships with students, staff, and families. She commits to high-quality reflective teaching practices and a warm and welcoming school community that instills confidence in students and prepares them for lifelong learning."

More: Meet Angela Madigan, the new principal of St. Thomas School in Sanford

McGuckin said she was honored to serve the families of Sandford in the new role.

I am very excited to work with Mrs. Hallissey and the dynamic team of educators at Margaret Chase Smith, McGuckin said.

"I am confident that Roisin's skills and dedication, along with her passion for students, will greatly contribute to our school community," Margaret Chase Smith Principal Tracie Hallisey said. "Roisin shares our commitment to providing an inclusive and engaging learning environment for all of our pre-K through fourth-grade learners."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Roisin McGuckin named new assistant principal at Margaret Chase Smith School
No person in the history of The Charlotte Observer had more impact on the quality and growth of the newspaper than Rolfe Neill, who died early Friday. His influence on the city of Charlotte was matched by a handful of people, some of whom worked alongside him in building institutions of arts and humanities.

He was the most brilliant editor I ever worked for. I use the editors title deliberately, even though he was never the Observers editor. He was the publisher, with a fine executives instincts, but he was a consummate editor demanding the best in his journalists and the pages they produced. He acted with energy and resolve. Others will tell of his impact on Charlotte. I knew him as an editor.

I often was called to Rolfes office. He sat across from me, legs stretched over an ottoman, shoes off, fingers tented on his chest, brow furrowed, a can of Coke beside him, asking how I came to a decision to publish (or miss covering) a certain news story, with the pursuit of a seasoned prosecutor, his questions gradually leading me to see the errors of my way. We did not always agree, but I usually left exhausted and determined to do better the next time. I learned lessons that stuck a lifetime.

About that Coke. Rolfe did not drink alcohol. In an exceptional Business North Carolina profile of Rolfe written by former Observer editor Rick Thames, Rolfe said, My drink of choice is industrial strength Coca-Cola. He had a refrigerator in his office packed with Cokes. He disliked New Coke, and hoarded cases of the traditional Coke, offering cans to visitors as precious gifts.

In the early 1980s, we published a short article reporting the arrest of several dozen men for alleged sex crimes one night in a city park. We included their names. One of the men killed himself and now, a week later, his angry and grieving widow sat across from me in Rolfes office. To tell her that we had the right to publish names of arrested persons would be insensitive and hollow. I apologized, and learned a lesson never forgotten. The right to publish isnt a requirement to publish. The alleged crimes were barely newsworthy, but life is precious. Through the meeting, Rolfe sat quietly. He had yanked me from the isolation of the newsroom to confront the consequences of a decision. Rolfe knew that some lessons teach themselves.

In its 136-year history, the Observer has won five Pulitzer prizes  three for editorial cartoons, two in 1981 and 1988 for Meritorious Public Service, widely considered journalisms highest award. Those two public service Pulitzers came during the 15 years that Rolfe and I worked together.

My most searing experience with Rolfe involved the lead-up to the 1988 Pulitzer public service award to The Observer for revealing the corrupt practices of Jim Bakkers PTL television ministry, a story of adultery, payoffs, tax fraud and abuse of regulated public air waves. Jim Bakker served five years in federal prison and PTL collapsed. We had invested 11 years of reporting.

In May 1986, Rolfe sent me a formal, signed note, something he had never done before, and a signal of impending disciplinary action. He warned me to end your ceaseless thrall with PTL. He believed our coverage was out of proportion to its importance. I disagreed. At the time, reporter Charles Shepard was close to documenting that Jim Bakker had paid $363,700, an amount later verified by the Internal Revenue Service, in silence money to Jessica Hahn, a Long Island, N.Y., church secretary. Hahn was threatening to go public with an accusation that Bakker had raped her in a Clearwater, Fla. hotel room.

We backed off the story and our tough editorials by Ed Williams, to the dismay of sub-editors. When we soon had authoritative proof that the silence money had been paid to Hahn, I went to Rolfe. He now was convinced we had a story and could carefully continue our work. Bakker sensed we were getting close and used his vast TV network to lead a subscription boycott of Knight Ridder papers, with the impact felt from The Miami Herald to The Mercury-News in San Jose, Calif. Now, convinced of our fairness to the facts, Rolfe stood firmly behind his editors and reporters.

As he told former Observer editor Rick Thames, We were not afraid to be caught loving our community. On the other hand, we were never intimidated about addressing the community on sensitive topics that we felt needed talking about or taking a stand. On the PTL story and so many others, Rolfe made us better.

David Lawrence, who retired as publisher of The Miami Herald, worked for Rolfe at the Philadelphia Daily News and as my predecessor as editor of The Charlotte Observer in 1975-78. He had the quickest, toughest mind of a boss I ever had, Lawrence recalled. Diligent on details. Cared about the details as well as the big picture. Insisted on excellence in small things and big.

Rolfe revealed his beliefs in newspapers in a 1991 column observing the death of James L. Knight. Jim Knight and his brother John S. Knight were co-founders of Knight Newspapers. Rolfe wrote that the Knights agreed that good newspapers are made of political independence, fiscal stability, talented staffs, fair play, accurate reporting and absolute separation of advertising pressure from the news and editorial department.

He was a man of compassion, but never showy. For a time when he was single, Rolfe lived in a garage apartment behind our house on Malvern Road. One evening he appeared at our back door and asked my wife Carol, Do you have a washer? Well, yeah. He was carrying the bedclothes of C.A. Pete McKnight, editor of The Observer during the Civil Rights era, who had suffered strokes and was in a nursing home. McKnight had hired Rolfe in 1957 to open the Gastonia bureau, later naming him business editor.

Rolfes humor ranged from Bob Newharts gentleness in public settings, to the incisiveness of Stephen Colbert in private, but it always was insightful. Retired book editor Dannye Romine recalls:

It was after 6 oclock, and I was heading down the Observer escalator, feeling bedraggled and hauling a load of review books to look at overnight. Rolfe was standing on the first floor, cooly watching me descend. When I reached the bottom, he said, You look like someone who wouldve played the rhythm sticks in first grade! Bingo! How did he reach into my psyche and find that scrawny little girl, left-handed and shy, who indeed played the rhythm sticks and longed all first grade to play the triangle. And thats exactly how I felt that evening. Not that I liked what he said. But I was awestruck at his accuracy.

Retired editorial page editor Ed Williams cites a quote from philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson: Every great institution is the lengthened shadow of a single man. His character determines the character of the organization.

For Ed and me, and probably thousands of others in Charlotte and beyond, that perfectly defines Rolfe Neill.

Rich Oppel, former editor and vice president of The Charlotte Observer, left in 1993 to become Knight Ridders Washington bureau chief. He later was editor of the Austin American-Statesman in 1995-2008, editor-in-chief of Texas Monthly magazine and vice president for media of Hill & Knowlton Strategies. He is retired and lives with his wife Carol in Austin.






Rosanna Arquette (Getty Images)

Rosanna Arquette crashed her car into a shopping centre in Malibu after she seemingly lost control of the vehicle, according to the local sheriffs department.

The Pulp Fiction actor, 63, drove through the Point Dume Village on Tuesday morning (11 July) and was taken to hospital on precautionary measures.

Malibu/Lost Hills sheriffs Deputy Navarro told Fox News: It appeared that she had possibly lost control of her vehicle.

He added: At the time of the incident, it did not appear that she had any injuries.

Authorities confirmed there was no indication of impairment due to drugs or alcohol and that no pedestrians were injured.

Los Angeles Fire Station 71 captain Mike Rivera told The Malibu Times that it was unknown exactly what happened in the incident.

Instead of backing out, [her vehicle] went forward, and took out three pillars that support the roof. Luckily no one was injured  we had two tables nearby but luckily no one was sitting there, he said.

Right now were just waiting for engineering to come out to deem the building safe and make sure its safe.

He added: She [Arquette] was a little shook up about what happened.

The Independent has contacted representatives of Arquette for comment.

Arquette, known for her roles in Crash, The Executioners Song and Desperately Seeking Susan, was among Harvey Weinsteins early accusers when the #MeToo movement began in 2017.

Speaking to The Independent in 2019, she said: People who have been silent for so many years, who were afraid to speak out, theyre now telling their stories. And of course, theres incredible resistance from very misogynistic men who do not want this paradigm shift.

Adding that she is hesitant to demonise everybody, she said: If I went after every guy that pinched me in the ass, I mean it would be ridiculous. But were talking about assault, rape, trying to destroy somebodys career because they didnt have sex with you. Thats the focus for me.

But also, calling out behaviour that feels lechy and creepy, and being able to voice that, and then someone saying, Im really sorry, Im going to change my behaviour, we have to applaud those men that are willing to do that, because thats how change is going to happen.

Read the full interview here.
The Russian State Duma has passed a law banning gender reassignment in the final reading.

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti

Details: According to the draft law, "medical workers are prohibited from performing medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of an individual  in particular, the formation of primary and (or) secondary sexual characteristics of the other sex in a person."

An exception is proposed only for "congenital anomalies in children".

In addition to bans directly on medical care for trans people, the State Duma approved the following restrictive measures:

Civil registry offices will not be able to make changes to a person's documents based on medical certificates of "sex change";

A "change of gender" by one or both spouses will be the ground for annulment of their marriage;

For "people who have changed their gender", a ban will be imposed on adopting children and establishing guardianship over them.

Background: Back in 2022, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was indignant that European countries and the United States, or as he put it, the Anglo-Saxons, had moved to "radical rejection of the norms of religion and family".

"Do we want to have parent number 1, parent number 2 and parent number 3 in Russia instead of mum and dad? Have we gone completely mad? Do we want our schools to impose perversions on children from primary school onwards that lead to degradation and extinction?", he said.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Russia is going to build dozens of prisons to hold both military and civilian Ukrainians.

Source: Associated Press with reference to the government document that the agency has at its disposal

Details: The outlet notes that thousands of Ukrainian civilians are held in a network of official and unofficial prisons throughout Russia and in the territories it occupies, where they are subjected to torture, psychological abuse and even slave labor.

Russia plans to build dozens more such prisons.

The AP spoke with numerous people, including two Ukrainian intelligence officials, 20 former detainees, former prisoners of war, families of more than a dozen detained civilians, and a government negotiator.

Their statements, along with satellite images, social media, official records, and copies of letters handed out by the Red Cross, indicate a widespread Russian system of detention and mistreatment of civilians that is blatantly in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

The agency says the abuse includes repeated electric shocks, beatings leading to cracks in the skull and broken ribs, as well as simulated strangulation.

Every former prisoner interviewed by the AP said torture was a constant occurrence, with many reporting witnessing deaths.

At the same time, Russia does not recognise the fact it is imprisoning civilians.

"Some [prisoners  ed.] are used for slave labour in digging trenches for Russian soldiers and mass graves. The prisoners serve as future bargaining chips in exchanges for Russian soldiers, although international law forbids the exchange of civilians for prisoners of war", the newspaper notes.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Russias Duma votes for law to ban gender reassignment surgery, in further crackdown on LGBTQ rights

The Russian State Duma, or lower house of parliament, has voted in favor of a new law banning nearly all medical help for transgender people including gender reassignment surgery, in a raft of new anti-LGBTQ laws in Russia.

The bill, which had its third and final reading on Friday, prohibits doctors from conducting gender reassignment surgeries, except in cases related to treating congenital physiological anomalies in children. It also restricts registry offices from amending official documents based on medical certificates of gender change.

The law must still be approved by the Federation Council and signed by President Vladimir Putin before it comes into force.

Amendments made for its third reading include disqualifying individuals who have undergone gender changes from becoming adoptive parents or guardians, as well as the possibility of annulling a marriage if one or both spouses undergo a gender change and update their civil status records.

Putin has toughened anti-LGTBQ legislation in recent months, as the Kremlin clamps down on free speech and human rights amid the war in Ukraine.

These recent legal developments in Russia expand the constraints on the LGBTQ community and reflect a tightening of regulations and control over transgender rights in the country.

In December 2022, Russia expanded its existing gay propaganda law to exert control over public discussions and narratives surrounding non-heterosexual relationships and identities. The package of amendments signed by Putin includes heavier penalties for anyone promoting non-traditional sexual relations and/or preferences, as well as gender transition.

Russias first transgender politician, Yulia Alyoshina, has warned of the severe consequences of the proposed transgender bill.

Once the bill becomes law, the repercussions will be harsh, as transgender individuals will be denied the right for medical care, which is constitutionally guaranteed, Alyoshina told CNN.

This bill is not just discriminatory, it is a real genocide of transgender people, she added.

In October, amid the hearings on LGBTQ propaganda law amendments and the bill passing its first reading in the State Duma, Alyoshina, who obtained her new passport in 2020, resigned from her position as a regional head of the Civic Initiative party and chose to end her political career.

Politics of terror

The latest restrictions seem to be closely intertwined with the ongoing dissent on the political and human rights activity in Russia.

Notably, on the eve of the final reading, Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) announced it had detained a transgender activist on suspicion of treason.

The FSB alleged that the activist, a Russian citizen from the Oryol region, supported the Armed Forces of Ukraine by providing financial assistance through a donation to the independent human rights monitoring group OVD-Info.

The Russian state labeled OVD-Info a foreign agent in 2021 under a law that critics say suppresses dissent. The group has continued to document alleged rights abuses inside Russia and expanded its mandate to help anti-war protesters following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Vanya Solovey, a trans rights campaigner, said it is no coincidence that the law is being read in Russian parliament amid Moscows war on Ukraine.

Russias anti-gender discourse and politics have intensified since it started the full-scale war. For months, Putin and other officials have been increasingly targeting trans people in their statements, Solovey, an advocacy and program officer for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the trans rights group Transgender Europe, told CNN.

This anti-trans politics is indeed a politics of terror. It affects not only trans people but everyone living in Russia.

CNNs Sana Noor Haq and Ivana Kottasova contributed reporting.

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Russia plans to build dozens of prison camps across Ukraine over the next few years, documents show, hinting Moscow's readying for a long war

Inside the building where Ukrainian civilians said they were held and tortured, in Izium, Ukraine. Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

Russia has been imprisoning Ukrainian civilians since the early months of the invasion.

A document shows that Moscow plans to build 25 more prison camps in Ukraine by 2026, per AP.

War analysts previously noted how Russia is prepared for a protracted war.

Russia has plans to build dozens of prison camps throughout Ukraine in the next few years, showing another sign that Moscow is willing to prolong the brutal war.

A new report from The Associated Press revealed how thousands of Ukrainian civilians are detained inside prison colonies throughout Russia and Russian-occupied territories, where people are kept inside squalid cells and forced to dig trenches for frontline Russian soldiers or mass graves for fellow prisoners.

A document from the Russian government obtained by the news agency showed that Moscow has plans to create 25 more prison colonies and six detention centers throughout occupied Ukraine by 2026.

The plan is another reflection of what war analysts have described as Russia's vision for a prolonged war after Ukrainian resistance dashed Moscow's hope for a swift victory.

Dara Massicot, an expert on the Russian military at the RAND Corporation think tank, previously pointed to Russia's revised conscription laws to conclude that the government is "methodically stepping through a process to go over to a higher readiness and protracted war."

In April, Russian lawmakers revised the country's conscription laws to allow the government to send digital draft notices that would make the process of enlisting men quicker while also increasing penalties on draft evasion.

Head of German Intelligence Agency Bruno Kahl said in May that "Russia is still capable of waging a long-range war," noting the country's ammunition stockpiles and expansive manpower.

In remarks during his visit in Vietnam in May, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy head of the Russian Security Council, also suggested the conflict could last years  even "decades."

"As long as there is such power [in Kyiv], there will be, say, three years of cease-fire, two years of conflict, and then everything will happen again," Medvedev said.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank that provides analysis of the Ukraine-Russia war, noted that a "long war" was not the "inherent Kremlin goal," but rather a shift in Moscow's approach after the country failed to quickly capture key Ukraine regions at the beginning of the invasion.

The think tank also added that a prolonged war is a narrative that Russia would want to push to discourage the West's support for Ukraine.

Kyiv launched its highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russia in early June, but it has proven to be a slower-than-expected operation as Ukrainian soldiers make incremental advances.

US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said the counteroffensive would be "overly long" and "very, very bloody," anticipating timelines of up to 10 weeks.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia accused the West on Friday of sponsoring "nuclear terrorism" after authorities said a Ukrainian drone had struck the western Russian town of Kurchatov, where a nuclear power station similar to the ill-fated Chernobyl plant is located.

Roman Starovoit, the governor of Russia's Kursk region which borders Ukraine, said the Ukrainian drone had struck a residential apartment building in Kurchatov, a Soviet-era town built on the banks of a cooling pond for the Kursk nuclear power station which is still in service.

"A drone crashed in the town of Kurchatov overnight," Starovoit said on the Telegram messaging app. "Fortunately, none of the residents were injured. Critical facilities were not damaged as a result of the drone crash and its subsequent detonation."

The only damage was to the facade and glazing of one apartment building, he added, saying the authorities would help residents restore their homes.

There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine, which is regularly subjected to massed Russian drone attacks and seldom comments on its own suspected drone and sabotage attacks inside Russia.

RUSSIAN FURY

The incident, which comes after Russia said it had destroyed two Ukrainian drones near the Kremlin in May, drew a furious reaction from the Russian Foreign Ministry given the drone's proximity to a nuclear power station.

"Are the countries that supply them (the drones) to the Kyiv regime planning to retire to Mars if there is a nuclear disaster? They won't have time," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said sarcastically.

"People in NATO countries should realise that their governments are sponsoring nuclear terrorism by the Kyiv regime."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia's air defence systems were working effectively amid unconfirmed social media reports that such systems had been used to repel the drone attack, but said it was obvious that Ukraine was continuing to try to strike targets inside Russia.

Russia's FSB security service said in August last year that security around nuclear facilities had been beefed up after people it said were Ukrainian saboteurs destroyed electricity lines supplying the Kursk nuclear power plant, temporarily disrupting its functioning.

Alexei Likhachev, the head of Russia's Rosatom state nuclear corporation, told state TV on Thursday that security at nuclear power plants was "under control" and that all necessary measures had been taken, including air defence capabilities.

Russia and Ukraine have long accused each other of risking a nuclear catastrophe at another facility - the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Russian-controlled territory in southern Ukraine - through shelling.

(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Gareth Jones and Peter Graff)
Russia withdraws almost all its military from Belarus, border guards report

Ukrainian border guards do not deny that the Russian Federation may rotate its troops in Belarus

Russia has withdrawn almost all its military personnel from Belarus, Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service, said at a briefing on July 14.

The number of Russian military personnel on Belarusian training grounds has only recently been decreasing, he said.

Read also: Wagner mercenaries to share experience with Belarusian military, says defense ministry

Until recently, we recorded this number at the level of up to 2,000 servicemen, but currently another rotation has taken place and almost all Russian military personnel have been withdrawn from the territory of Belarus.

Demchenko did not rule out the possibility that other Russian military units could be redeployed to Belarus soon, but this has not yet been recorded.

The situation on the northern border remains controlled, but the Ukrainian military is ready for any development, he stressed.

At the same time, the Ukrainian border guards have not observed the organized deployment of the Wagner mercenaries to Belarus, which was previously reported, the spokesperson added.

Read also: Prigozhins plane lands in Belarus, reports Belarusian independent media

Satellite images of a possible Wagner mercenary field camp in Belarus were released on June 27.

Belarusian news agency BelTA reported on July 11 that the Wagner mercenaries who had arrived in Belarus would share their combat experience with the Belarusian military.

Directly prior to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko provided Belarusian territory as a staging ground for the invading forces.

The troops gathered in Belarus were primarily used to attack the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. The Russian army also continues to launch missile strikes at Ukraine from Belarus.

Read also: Poland to bolster border security after Wagner mercenaries arrival in Belarus

Belarusian troops do not directly participate in hostilities. However, experts have warned that it is possible for Belarus or Russia to attempt another attack on Kyiv from the north.

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As part of the rotation, Russia has now withdrawn almost all of its military from Belarus, where they had been training.

Source: Andrii Demchenko, State Border Guard Service spokesman, at a briefing in Kyiv

Quote: "The situation on the border with Belarus remains under [our] full control. On the other side of the border, we do not see the enemy having the grouping necessary to invade Ukraine again. Nevertheless, we must be prepared for any development of the situation, because Belarus, unfortunately, continues to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Russia also uses Belarus as a training ground for its troops.

Fortunately, the number of Russian troops at Belarusian training grounds has been decreasing recently, and until recently, we recorded this number at up to 2,000, but at the moment, the next rotation has taken place and almost all Russian troops have been withdrawn from the territory of Belarus.

We cannot rule out the possibility that in the near future, more troops may be brought back to the territory of Belarus, but we are not observing this at the moment."

Details: In addition, according to Demchenko, the State Border Guard does not observe any organised arrivals of Russian mercenaries from private military companies in Belarus, as it was previously reported, while Belarus was preparing sites to host them.

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Russian church plans to transfer more Ukrainian POWs from Russia to Hungary

Andriy Yusov

The so-called Russian Orthodox Church or ROC plans to take another group of Ukrainianprisoners of war from Russia to Hungary, Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Radio Svoboda on July 14.

Yusov noted that these transfers are managed by the Russian special services, while ROC representatives negotiate with Hungary.

Read also: Ukrainian ombudsman accuses Hungary of violating international law by holding Ukrainian POWs

He also confirmed that there is no list with specific names of prisoners of war: they are being sought both in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Ethnic Hungarian origin is a mandatory element however.

Meanwhile, Ukraine still has no contact with some of the Ukrainian soldiers that were recently handed over to Hungary, and knows nothing about their health condition or whether they can really move freely, Yusov said.

Read also: Hungary preparing psyop to discredit Ukraine over prisoner swap, claims Ukrainian ombudsman

Those who were repatriated claimed they had been subject to pressure from the Russian special services, he added.

The RBC-Ukraine news agency reported on July 13 that Hungary plans to take another group of Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russia with the mediation of ROC, but without the participation of Kyiv.

Ukrainian POWs in Hungary  What is known

The ROC announced on June 8 that it had handed over a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war to Hungary. The following day, Ukraines Main Intelligence Directorate stated that it had not received this information and was in the process of verifying it.

Subsequently, Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen confirmed the transfer of the Ukrainian POWs, who were residents of Ukraines Zakarpattya Oblast. Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressing its lack of knowledge about negotiations between Budapest and Moscow, requested detailed information about the released Ukrainians and a meeting with the temporary charge daffaires of Hungary.

Oleh Kotenko, the authorized representative for missing persons, announced on June 16 that Ukraine had determined the locations and identities of 11 of its soldiers.

Read also: Ukrainian POWs not freed after handover to Hungary  intelligence spokesman

According to sources quoted by the Hungarian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the transfer might have been a personal initiative of Semjen, unknown to the rest of the Hungarian government.

On June 19, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said that the information received from relatives of some prisoners of war indicates that the Hungarian authorities assurances about the allegedly free status of Ukrainian fighters in Hungary are not true.

As of June 23, Ukraine had repatriated five of the POWs, while another six remained in Hungary.

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Russian lawmakers on Friday passed a law banning gender-affirming procedures in the country as the Kremlin continues its campaign of dismantling individual freedoms and instilling values it believes to be "traditional."

Russia's State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, unanimously approved the bill in its third and final reading.

The law seeks to introduce major amendments that outlaw any "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person" and prohibit people from changing the gender marker in official documents or public records as well as becoming foster or adoptive parents.

The authorities will also be able to dissolve marriages involving people who previously "changed gender" even if this union is "of different sexes," the document says.

The bill will need to be approved by the Federation Council, the upper house of the parliament, and then get President Vladimir Putin's signature. There is little doubt that the bill, which deals another blow to the country's oppressed LGBTQ+ community, will breeze through the bureaucratic hoops and come into force.

File photo of a 2022 session of the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament. / Credit: Getty Images

Russian officials lauded the bill as means of protecting the country's "national interests" against what they called "Western anti-family ideology" and preserving Russia's "traditional foundations" for the sake of future generations.

"The Western transgender industry is trying to seep into our country, to open up the window for its multibillion-dollar business," Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy said at a recent hearing before launching a scaremongering tirade about the "network of sex change clinics with trans-friendly doctors" that allegedly target young people for profit.

"This won't lead to anything good; this is total satanism," said the speaker of the parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, in the same hearing.

Tolstoy also mocked what he called "an emotional conclusion" issued by the country's Health Ministry, which warned of the bill's harmful effects on transgender people.

Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament's lower house, the State Duma,during an interview with AFP in Moscow on January 26, 2018. / Credit: VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP via Getty Images

"If the bill is passed, there will be a deadlock when individuals whose gender, officially recognized by medical professionals, does not align with the sex stated in their passports, would find themselves unable  poor things  to reconcile their passport data with their self-perceived reality," he said.

"This discrepancy could result in ethical, medical, and social issues, and may even  can you believe it?  lead to a rise in suicides across the country," Tolstoy added.

This anti-Western, anti-LGBTQ+ stance dates back to a decade ago when Putin steered his platform towards conservatism with "traditional family values" as the cornerstone of the country's domestic policy.

Multiple discriminatory laws have been passed since, starting with 2013 legislation restricting LGBTQ+ rights known as the "gay propaganda" law, which banned any public endorsement of "nontraditional sexual relations" among minors.

Since the invasion of Ukraine last year, Russian authorities ratcheted up their rhetoric, methodically weeding out anything they deemed a "degrading Western influence," including rights groups that advocated anything from helping domestic abuse victims to preserving records of Soviet repressions.

In 2022, the original law targeting "gay propaganda" was expanded to cover adults, outlawing any positive or even neutral representation of LGBTQ+ people in the public sphere, movies, literature or media, forcing the already rare number of LGBTQ+-friendly spaces to shrink.

The executive director of the Independent Psychiatric Association of Russia, Lyubov Vinogradova, called the law "misanthropic" in comments to the Russian newspaper Kommersant in late June.

"It was prepared without any consultation with psychiatrists. We see an attempt to regulate issues related to science, medicine, by non-professional legislators  without discussion, without public hearings, but simply jumping on this for political reasons," said Vinogradova.

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The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is preparing a new transfer of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) from Russia to Hungary.

Source: Andrii Yusov, Representative of Ukraines Defence Intelligence, on air during Radio Liberty broadcast

Quote: "There is no list [containing names of POWs to be transferred  ed.]. The search is underway to identify Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Russian Federation and on the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories to participate in this latest special operation of the Russian secret services.

We are talking about Ukrainians of Hungarian origin. According to our information, the mandatory element of participation on the part of Hungary is the ethnic Hungarian origin of Ukrainian citizens and their ability to speak Hungarian. This is the mediation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Unfortunately, this is just a cover and the work of the secret services."

Details: Meanwhile, the Defence Intelligence representative noted no contact with some of the Ukrainian servicemen previously transferred to Hungary.

"Ukraine still does not have access to some of them to make sure what is happening to them, what their condition is and whether they are really free to move around and are doing well," Yusov stressed.

Background: In early June, the Hungarian side announced that 11 Ukrainian POWs had been taken from Russia as part of an agreement between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Maltese Aid Service.

However, the Hungarian side did not allow Ukrainian diplomats any access to Ukrainian citizens, instead claiming that they had a free status, and denied the Hungarian government's involvement in the transfer of POWs.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban was personally interested in taking Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russia to Hungary. The minister said that "Orban had to show Hungarians both in and outside Hungary that he was their only defender".

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko announced the arrival of three servicemen from Hungary to Ukraine.

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Psychologist Yan Dvorkin denounced legislation that would ban transition surgery (Alexander NEMENOV)

"Nikolai", a 21-year-old transgender man, says he does not know how he can keep living in Russia after lawmakers moved to outlaw gender transitions.

The bill, which passed its second reading on Thursday, is part of an ultra-conservative, anti-Western drive that has intensified since the start of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

"I feel total despair," said Nikolai -- not his real name -- who spoke on condition that his identity not be revealed.

"If this law enters into force, even hormone therapy will be banned," he said.

The new legislation forbids transition surgery, with the exception of children with congenital defects, and outlaws people changing the registration of their gender in official documents.

Following the liberalisation of Russian society in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, some gender transition procedures became possible in Russia.

But trans people are still stigmatised.

Nikolai, who was assigned female at birth, said he attempted suicide several times before realising his trans identity.

"My psychological state has improved after the start of my hormone therapy," said Nikolai.

"I have accepted myself as a transgender person and I have started socialising," he said, adding that he had recovered the will to live.

Nikolai said that he had begun the procedure to change his sex in official documents, but it has become a race against time as it will no longer be possible once the law comes into force.

- 'Enemies of the people' -

Since the start of its offensive in Ukraine, Russia has adopted a series of conservative measures, particularly against the LGBTQ community, aiming to clamp down on behaviour authorities consider deviant and Western-influenced.

"We are preserving Russia and its cultural values, its traditional foundations," said Pyotr Tolstoy, the deputy speaker of parliament's lower house, and one of the authors of the bill.

"I really want our people who are now defending Russia's honour with their lives (in Ukraine) to come back and see how this country has changed," he said.

But Yan Dvorkin, a 32-year-old psychologist who heads up a Russian NGO helping transgender people called "Centre T", is concerned about a possible rise in suicides when the legislation is enacted.

It will be "difficult for people to hear that the state thinks of them as 'enemies of the people', takes away their rights, ...and puts them beyond the law," he said.

Dvorkin called the bill, which has to be signed off by President Vladimir Putin, a "fascist" measure that would "deprive people of medical assistance".

The ban on hormone therapy risks "creating a black market in hormones" and their use without medical assistance would be a serious risk, he said.

Dvorkin, himself a transgender man, said his foster child, a boy with disabilities, was taken away by social services this year.

The reason given was that he received a fine in May for "propagating non-traditional sexual relations" -- a law that has been in force since 2013 and which rights groups say is a way of cracking down on the LGBTQ community.

In December last year, lawmakers expanded the law and it now applies to LGBTQ "propaganda" to anyone, not just children.

According to the new legislation, people who have already changed their gender will not be able to adopt children or act as guardians.

The third reading of the bill is expected to take place on Friday.

In a new sign of pressure on the beleaguered community, Russia's FSB security service said Thursday it had arrested a transgender rights activist accused of "high treason" for supporting Ukraine.

- Death threat -

Around 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) from Moscow in the Altai mountains region, Yulia Alyoshina is the only known transgender person in Russia who has dared to launch into politics.

"The authorities have chosen to repress this small group, which is already discriminated against and stigmatised," the 33-year-old lawyer told AFP in a phone interview.

Between 2016 and 2022, 2,990 Russians legally changed gender, out of a population of 146 million people, the interior ministry said.

Alyoshina said that homophobia and transphobia are getting worse in Russia.

Recently, she received an anonymous message telling her that she should be "shot, according to the laws of war".

The activist also recently quit the leadership of the local branch of the party Civic Initiative, after the LGBTQ "propaganda" law was expanded.

Alyoshina had wanted to run for regional governor of Altai in September but she pulled out of the race this month.

Local elected officials, who had supported her, changed their minds after the draft law on trans people came out.

"But I'm keeping my spirits up," she told AFP. "I am sure that one day Russia will be free".

vvl/bur/jj/rox/lb
Consequences of Russia's attack on Kryvyi Rih

Russia launched Iranian Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones against Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight on July 14, hitting the city of Kryvyi Rih, regional governor Serhiy Lysak reported on Telegram.

A 56-year-old man was injured as a result of the attack and will undergo outpatient treatment. In total, air defense forces intercepted six drones over the region.

Read also: Russia launches massive drone, missile attack on Ukraine, casualties reported in Kyiv

However, it was impossible to destroy all air targets, Lysak said.

An administrative building was destroyed and three more have been damaged at the enterprise facility, the governor said.

Seven vehicles were also damaged. Firefighters have already put out fires that broke out after the strike, Lysak added.

 /Telegram

 /Telegram

 /Telegram

An air raid alert was triggered in several Ukrainian regions overnight on July 14.

Explosions also occurred in Odesa Oblast. In total, air defense forces intercepted 16 attack and seven reconnaissance drones over Ukraine.

Read also: Russia attacks Kryvyi Rih, Odesa overnight

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In June, Russians tripled the intensity of attacks on the northern border of Ukraine.

Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, during a briefing at the Ukraine-Ukrinform media centre on 14 July

Quote: "Russia has been taking such actions every day since April of last year, when the enemy was first pushed back towards Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts, and later part of Kharkiv Oblast was liberated.

Recently, the intensity of enemy attacks has only been increasing. For example, in June, the intensity of attacks tripled compared to May. Since the beginning of this year, Chernihiv Oblast, Sumy Oblast, and Kharkiv Oblast have been fired upon by the enemy more than 1,000 times."

Details: According to Demchenko, the most attacks occurred in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.

Background: In addition, Demchenko reported that, as part of the rotation, Russia has now withdrawn almost all of its military from Belarus, where they had been training.

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The Commissioner of the Ministry of Justice has said that there are reasons to expect that the European Court for Human Rights' decision in the case of Russia against Ukraine will be positive for Ukraine and will be published next week.

Source: Marharyta Sokorenko, Commissioner for ECHR at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, in a comment to Ukrinform

Quote: "If briefly, they claimed a number of human rights violations by Ukraine, primarily against the Russian-speaking population, talking about discrimination and harassment. I can only assess Ukraine's chances in this case, and I think the result will be pleasing."

Details: The official explained that in her mind the lawsuit is "about Russia's alternative version of its own aggression against our country".

Sokorenko also predicted that in other cases involving Ukraine and Russia  namely, Ukraine against Russia (regarding Crimea) and Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia (regarding human rights violations in the occupied territories)  the ECHR would make decisions quickly.

"Importantly, the ECHR continues to consider cases even despite the lack of any cooperation from Russia since March 2022. To do this, the court has adopted an appropriate algorithm of actions and is following it," the Commissioner of the Ministry of Justice summed up.

"This is an important signal to Russia and also to any state that decides to brazenly and cynically violate international obligations that responsibility cannot be avoided," she concluded.

Background:

In the summer of 2021, Russia submitted the first interstate complaint against Ukraine to the European Court of Human Rights on 10 groups of charges, accusing Ukraine of the deaths of civilians in 2014, the MH17 disaster [the downing of a Boeing 777 aircraft near the city of Donetsk  ed.], shelling of Russian territories, and discrimination against the Russian-speaking population.

Decisions should be announced on the morning of 18 July by written procedure.

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Russia's war against Ukraine to top agenda at BRICS summit, says South African president

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the main topics to be discussed by the participants of the BRICS summit

The leaders of the BRICS countries are planning to discuss the issue of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as part of the "peace plan" that representatives of African states previously brought to Kyiv and Moscow, Bloomberg reported on July 14 with reference to a statement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The politician said that the upcoming BRICS summit in August will discuss a number of issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis and peace in Europe.

Read also: African countries urge Putin to show desire for peace in Ukraine

"When we meet, we will be discussing the various crises that are taking place around the world," Ramaphosa emphasized during a meeting with ruling party leaders in Johannesburg.

"We will also discuss the crisis in Europe between Russia and Ukraine."

The South African leader also confirmed that he had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 13. According to Ramaphosa, the heads of state discussed the "peace plan" and "the release of the children who have to be taken back to their own country and own parents."

Read also: South Africa warns Putin of threat of arrest should he attend BRICS Summit in person

On June 16, the leaders of a group of African countries came to Kyiv and Moscow with their "peace plan," which provided for an end to the war, the start of diplomatic negotiations, and the resolution of humanitarian issues to provide grain and food to countries that depend on such supplies.

During their visit to Ukraine, African representatives came under a Russian air raid on Kyiv. Later, representatives of the South African president claimed that they had not heard or seen anything.

Read also: Russia-Ukraine conflict should be settled by talks and diplomacy, says South African leader

After the meeting in Kyiv, African leaders traveled to Moscow with their peace plan. However, the parties did not achieve any results or agreements, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that African countries continue to insist on "resolving the conflict" through negotiations and diplomacy.

The upcoming BRICS summit will be held on Aug. 22-24 in the South African city of Johannesburg.

Russia, as a member of the organization, is expected to take part in the meeting of leaders. Back on June 17, South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa stated that Russian dictator Putin should represent Russia personally at the upcoming BRICS summit.

However, due to the fact that Putin has been issued an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes in Ukraine, the Kremlin still doubts whether the dictator will be able to come to Johannesburg without additional immunity.

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Sacramento City Unified School Board President Chinua Rhodes, left, and transgender advocate Evan Minton, right, celebrate the raising of the transgender flag at the districts headquarters in south Sacramento on Monday, March 20, 2023.

When you run for political office, you open up your life, your decisions and your every word to public scrutiny. But Evan Minton is ready for it  as a transgender man, hes spent years explaining himself to the world, simply for living as his authentic self.

Minton, who uses both he/him and they/them pronouns, announced their candidacy for the District 6 Assembly seat on Thursday. They join a field of several candidates who have already announced their candidacy to succeed Kevin McCarty, who has decided to run isntead for Sacramento mayor. McCarty said he will not endorse a candidate for the seat but considers Minton, 42, a longtime friend and a great community advocate and leader.

Mintons platform will focus on environmental justice, affordable housing and economic security. But also notable is that, if Minton wins, he will be the first openly transgender legislator in the state  just as he was the first openly transgender person to work in the state capitol.

Opinion

Minton wont merely be a voice for the transgender community, but it is far past time that we have someone filling that role for Californians. His interests include climate change, equitable educational opportunities, reproductive healthcare, affordable housing and creating sustainable pathways to the middle class.

Last year, more than 500 openly LGBTQ+ candidates won elected office across the nation, in races for everything from local school board to Congress. In 2024, that trend looks only to grow, indicating a level of acceptance that wasnt existent even a decade ago.

Approximately 10% of the California Legislature identifies as LGBTQ+, but Mintons candidacy could be the first to bring transgender acceptance to the state capitol. It would also further demonstrate that transgender legislators absolutely belong in Americas representative democracy.

The 6th District encompasses most of the city of Sacramento and portions of the unincorporated County of Sacramento. While the city of Sacramento may be nominally supportive of LGBTQ+ rights, Minton knows that knocking on some doors outside the city center  or even within it  could lead to challenging conversations with voters.

Regardless, the aspiring assemblymember wants to show the Sacramento regions transgender and queer youth, and their families, that not only do they belong, they deserve to have a voice in their government.

One of the programs I want to create is an internship program to get kids from different backgrounds, but particularly trans kids, into government, he told me. I want them to know theres a future for them.

Minton is no stranger to fighting for his rights: In 2017, he was denied health care by Mercy San Juan, a part of Dignity Health, and sued the medical providers in a high-profile ACLU lawsuit that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Minton also served as an expert witness to the U.S. House Oversight Committee on President Donald Trumps attacks on LGBTQ+ Americans.

Our kids are being ... targeted, Minton said. Its important for me to let them know that they have a future and just as much right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as anyone else.

Since then, theyve continued their advocacy for the California transgender community as co-chair of the Democratic National Committees Transgender Advisory Committee and co-chair of the lieutenant governors Transgender Advisory Council.

Ultimately, the fight for transgender rights are, at their heart, a fight for all Americans. Acceptance and inclusion for transgender, non-binary and queer people is another step forward, ensuring we can all live as our authentic selves and without fear of persecution or restriction.

My fight is for all of us and it always has been, Minton said. I want to follow in McCartys footsteps of creating a vibrant district and ensuring that those with the most needs are sufficiently met.

Editors Note: This story was updated with more precise language on the boundaries of Assembly District 6.
Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president, poses with members of the union's negotiating committee on the first day of the strike

Vancouver's Brightlight Pictures studios resemble something of a ghost town these days.

Production on many shows had already been affected after US screenwriters went on strike in May. Now with Hollywood actors joining the writers on union picket lines, studios have ground to a halt.

"It feels like Covid when I drive into the lot," said filmmaker Shawn Williamson, who founded Brightlight Pictures in 2001.

"But in Covid we knew it was ending. In this case, it feels very much beyond our control, which is frustrating."

As more than 160,000 performers in the US stopped work at midnight on Thursday, the ripple effects are being felt in film hubs thousands of kilometres away.

Speaking from his office above the empty studio soundstage, Mr Williamson told the BBC the Canadian film and television industry depends on American writers, actors and studios for much of its work.

Before the strikes began, Brightlight, a leader in Canada's film and television industry, was home to shows like Amazon's Upload, ABC's The Good Doctor, and Firefly Lane on Netflix.

"Typically, we'll be shooting seven, eight or nine shows at this time," he said. "All of these things are now on hold while we wait for the studios and the unions to sort things out."

The dual strikes have halted production on numerous shows, and upended film festivals and red carpets during the height of the summer season.

For the first time in decades, San Diego's Comic-Con may be held without celebrities - its biggest draw. Meanwhile, the Toronto International Film Festival, which was set to begin in early September, is soldiering ahead in the hope that talks will resume.

"The impact of this strike on the industry and events like ours cannot be denied," organisers said in a statement to the BBC. "We urge our partners and colleagues to resume an open dialogue."

The strikes have left Canadian actress Kaylah Zander in limbo, unsure of when she will return to the sets for Netflix's The Recruit.

"I had wardrobe fittings and things scheduled that all just sort of disappeared overnight, and we have no idea when we'll be back to shooting."

Actress Kaylah Zander says she's unsure when she will be able to return to filming

Though she is not a member of Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Ms Zander said she supports their strike because SAG contracts help set the industry standard for actors' unions around the world.

"They are our best hope really for lasting change" she said. "And the way that things are going, it's just not sustainable."

Talks with studio heads collapsed on Thursday, as both unions failed to reach a deal to avoid the largest Hollywood shutdown in decades. Both sides remain bitterly divided over issues like work conditions, the future of artificial intelligence, and how studios split profits from streaming giants.

On Thursday, ahead of the strike, Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger told CNBC that the work stoppage has come at "the worst time in the world".

"There's a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic, and they are adding to a set of challenges that this business is already facing, that is quite frankly, very disruptive," he said.

The comments prompted swift backlash online, spurring actors to post screenshots of their residual pay cheques - many valued at less than a dollar.

Actress Maya Gilbert-Dunbar, who is running for SAG-AFTRA president, scoffed at the Disney CEO's comments.

"I don't go to the perpetrator for a solution to the problem that they caused," she said.

Actress Maya Gilbert-Dunbar says the strikes are about more than actors pay cheques

Ms Dunbar, who is based in Atlanta, said the perception that the strike is so that A-list actors can make more money is false. For her, the strike is about ensuring that thousands of "elder actors", who currently lose access to health insurance at age 65, as well as up-and-coming stars, can continue to have a career in Hollywood.

"Our industry is facing an existential crisis," she said. "The bulk of our membership are career background actors. These people are barely making $150 (114) a day."

She estimated only 15% of the 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members make the required $26,000 a year to qualify for health insurance coverage.

"That's below poverty," she said. "We have a lot to fight for. And there's a lot on the table."

In the weeks before negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) collapsed, Ms Zander said representatives approached the actors' union in British Columbia to extend their contract for the next year.

"It has been contentious because there's a huge camp of actors that say absolutely not. Look what they're doing to SAG, they're coming for us next," she said.

Others feel Canadian actors were being asked to help tide the industry over during the ongoing strikes, she added.

As a producer, filmmaker and member of the Directors Guild, Mr Williamson of Brightlight Pictures said he can see multiple sides in Hollywood's ongoing fight.

"I know that all the union leadership are compassionate," he said, "but that compassion doesn't trump the needs of the members."

He said he's cautiously optimistic that both sides will return to negotiating and find a settlement by August. Until then, the studios at Brightlight Pictures will remain quiet.

"We are just collateral damage around what the studio feel they need and what the (actors and writers) unions feel they need."
Sam Smith made 'a statement of inclusion' in an anti-Barbiecore look on the red carpet

Sam Smith attends the "Barbie" European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 12, 2023. Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

Smith wore an oversized sweater by Vetements and jeans to the "Barbie" premiere in London.

While "Barbie" cast members have been embracing pink, Smith rejected the Barbiecore trend.

Vetements' creative director told Harper's Bazaar that the outfit is a "statement of inclusion."

Margot Robbie has been wearing one Barbie-inspired outfit after another in the lead-up to the July 21 release of the "Barbie" movie.

But not everyone involved in the film is embracing pink.

Sam Smith rejected the Barbiecore trend at the European premiere for "Barbie" on Wednesday.

The musician, 31, walked the pink carpet at London's Leicester Square in oversized jeans and a baggy navy sweatshirt with "16 XL" printed across the chest from Vetements' spring/summer 2024 collection, according to an Instagram post shared by the designer.

Sam Smith attends the "Barbie" European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 12, 2023, in London, England. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Smith was at the premiere to promote their new single, "Man I Am," which will appear on the movie's soundtrack when it's released on July 21. The song was written from Ken's perspective, Smith wrote in an Instagram post about their involvement in the film.

Smith posted several photos of the outfit on Instagram alongside the caption: "Thank you @gvasalia & everyone at @vetements_official for making me feeling sexy and XXL last night." Smith tagged Guram Gvasalia, creative director of Vetements, in the post.

"16 XL BARBIE," Smith captioned another post that included photos from the event.

Sam Smith takes a selfie with fans during The European Premiere Of "Barbie" at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 12, 2023, in London, England. Antony Jones/Getty Images for Warner Bros

Smith's outfit was 'a statement of inclusion'

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar about Smith's outfit, Gvasalia said "Sam is so unique and unexpected, that pink and fluffy would have been too easy."

"It's not only the outfit, it's a statement of inclusion," the Vetements creative director added.

Gvasalia told the outlet that it also sent "a message" to those who feel like they don't belong: "You can achieve everything you want without becoming like everyone else!"

Smith told Harper's Bazaar that the ensemble was an ode to "all the pop rebels."

"This casual Karbie-core look was inspired by the play on proportions the brilliant Guram has created for the new Vetements collection. What better way to walk a hot-pink carpet?" they added.

Smith's ensemble may have also been a reference to the inclusivity in the movie.

Simu Liu, who is set to star in the film alongside Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, told Vanity Fair in December that director Greta Gerwig prioritized casting people with diverse shapes, sizes, and abilities in the movie's dance sequences.

Simu Liu attends a photocall on July 13, 2023 in London, England. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Warner Bros

"We were able to cast people of different shapes, sizes, differently abled, to all participate in this dance  all under this message of: You don't have to be blonde, white, or X, Y, Z in order to embody what it means to be a Barbie or a Ken," Liu said.

"I will say, going on set I was never isolated. I felt like I was going to work every day with a cast that really celebrated each other and celebrated each other's differences, no matter where we came from," he added.

Mattel has previously faced criticism for promoting an unrealistic body type with some of its Barbie figures, though in recent years the company has made efforts to create more inclusive models.

(Smith, Vetements, and Gvasalia did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment regarding the inspiration behind Smith's outfit.)

Smith's ensemble is a departure from the outfits the 'Barbie' cast has worn to promote the movie

Robbie has channeled her character in a number of all-pink ensembles, including a baby-pink ball gown by Vivienne Westwood inspired by the 1960 "Enchanted Evening" Barbie doll at the London premiere on Wednesday, as InStyle reported.

Margot Robbie's look at the "Barbie" premiere in London was inspired by "Enchanted Evening" Barbie. Jed Cullen / Dave Benett / WireImage / Mattel

Gosling, who plays Ken, wore a pastel-green suit to the premiere.

Ryan Gosling attends the European premiere of 'Barbie' at the Cineworld Leicester Square in London, United Kingdom on July 12, 2023. Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The "Barbie" cast also held a photo call at the London Eye in the city's capital to promote the film on the same evening as the premiere. Robbie and America Ferrera both wore red ensembles; Robbie wore a strapless minidress, and Ferrera opted for a long-sleeved gown with a heart-shaped cutout at the back.

Gerwig wore a floor-length, sparkling pink gown while Issa Rae opted for a halter-neck minidress with a green, pink, and red print and a feathery hem. Liu, meanwhile, chose an all-black outfit.

From left to right: America Ferrara, Simu Liu, Margot Robbie, Issa Rae, Ryan Gosling, and Greta Gerwig pose at the London Eye for the European premiere of "Barbie" on July 12, 2023, in London, England. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Warner Bros.

Read the original article on Insider
A street fan provides relief on a hot summer day in New York City. Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

Spend time in a city in summer and you can feel the urban heat rising from the pavement and radiating from buildings. Cities are generally hotter than surrounding rural areas, but even within cities, some residential neighborhoods get dangerously warmer than others just a few miles away.

Within these micro-urban heat islands, communities can experience heat wave conditions well before officials declare a heat emergency.

I use Earth-observing satellites and population data to map these hot spots, often on projects with NASA. Satellites like those in the the Landsat program have become crucial for pinpointing urban risks so cities can prepare for and respond to extreme heat, a top weather-related killer.

Among the many things weve been able to track with increasingly detailed satellite data is that the hottest neighborhoods are typically low-income and often have predominantly Black or Hispanic residents.

Two types of urban heat, both dangerous

The urban heat island effect was first described in 1818, over 200 years ago, in The Climate of London by Luke Howard, an early pioneer of meteorology.

There are two distinct types of urban heat island: the atmospheric urban heat island and the surface urban heat island. They are measured in different ways.

The image on the right shows the surface urban heat island of Indianapolis in July 2019. Note the higher-density built areas in red are much warmer than the cooler, more vegetated areas in blue. NASA/USGS Landsat

The atmospheric urban heat island, the phenomenon described by Howard, is simply the warmer air in urban areas relative to cooler air in outlying locations.

The surface urban heat island is the result of surfaces made up of heat-absorbing materials, such as asphalt, concrete and metal. Such materials are highly effective absorbers of heat energy from the Sun, and their surfaces warm rapidly and in turn emit the absorbed energy. You can feel the heat when you touch them.

The surface urban heat island directly contributes to the atmospheric urban heat island and is usually most intense on sunny days. Urbanization also contributes to the heat island effect through deforestation and the removal of other vegetation that would provide some cooling.

Where communities faces the highest heat

With rising global temperatures increasing the likelihood of dangerous heat waves, cities need to know which neighborhoods are at high risk. Excessive heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and even death with prolonged exposure, and the most at-risk residents often lack financial resources to adapt.

The July 1995 Chicago heat wave was blamed for over 739 deaths in a five-day period. Most victims were poor and elderly people who lacked air conditioning or feared opening windows because of crime. This figure shows the location of heat-related deaths clustered in areas of higher surface urban heat intensity. Daniel P. Johnson, CC BY-ND

Satellite instruments can identify communities vulnerable to extreme heat because they can measure and map the surface urban heat island in high detail.

For example, industrial and commercial zones are frequently among the hottest areas in cities. They typically have fewer trees to cool the air and more pavement and buildings to retain and radiate heat.

Certain residential layouts are also more prone to higher surface temperatures than others. These neighborhoods usually have minimal vegetation, and homes are built close together, with more roads and sidewalks and little green space. Often, especially in northern climates, homes in these neighborhoods were built with materials such as brick that retain heat to keep occupants warmer in the winter. Communities with many apartment buildings and stores surrounded by parking lots are also at high risk.

New York City kids in a mostly treeless neighborhood in the Bronx cool off in an inflatable pool. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Comparing maps of New York Citys vegetation and temperature shows the cooling effect of parks and neighborhoods with more trees. NASA/USGS Landsat

My research has found that on warm summer days, low-income communities of color can experience extreme heat conditions that are often more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 C) warmer than surrounding areas. Other research has found similar differences among neighborhoods and stark racial and economic disparities when it comes to heat exposure.

One recent study found that the poorest areas were significantly hotter than the richest in 76% of urban U.S. counties. It also found that neighborhoods with large Black, Hispanic and Asian populations were in significantly hotter areas in 71% of counties, and that that difference remained even when adjusting for income. These areas tend to have less vegetation and a higher density of homes.

Another study looked at communities that had once been redlined, a discriminatory practice banks used in the early to mid-20th century to deny loans in racial and ethnic minority communities. Nationally, these formerly redlined neighborhoods were 4.6 F (2.6 C) warmer than nonredlined areas.

50 years of Landsat

Several satellite systems can now measure the surface urban heat island, but the Landsat program provides decades of continuous, comparable data in the detail necessary to examine variations within a city. That continuity helps scientists measure the impact of changes and track how development patterns change a neighborhoods heat profile.

The first Landsat satellite was launched on July 23, 1972, with a sensor that collected data in green, red and near-infrared wavelengths that made it useful for mapping vegetation. Beginning with Landsat 4, launched in July 1982, scientists could map and measure thermal characteristics of Earths surface. Today, Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 are operating, and a 10th is being developed.

How cities can use this data to help

There are numerous ways cities can use this data to help residents combat extreme heat.

In Indianapolis, local government and faith-based organizations have used extreme heat vulnerability indices, which use indicators of heat-health risk and past heat waves to highlight high-risk communities. Knowing which communities are likely to be at the highest risk allows them to guide outreach to the most vulnerable people both before and during periods of elevated temperatures.

New Yorks Cool Neighborhoods NYC program includes strategically planting trees and vegetation to increase shade and evapotranspiration, which cools the surrounding area. It also discusses painting roofs and pavement light colors to reflect solar energy and educating at-risk communities about heat risk and ways they can get help.

An extreme heat vulnerability index highlights areas that are more likely to experience heat-related illnesses and deaths. Darker browns indicate elevated risk. This index uses Landsat data to measure differences in surface temperature throughout the city, with socioeconomic indicators painting a highly accurate picture of community-level extreme heat health risk. Daniel P. Johnson, CC BY-ND

As the climate continues to warm and affect urban health, the Landsat satellites sensors are among our best tools for monitoring the thermal variations of the urban heat island. Such work also serves as one of the best examples of employing satellite-based measurements to monitor and implement response to public health threats.

This article was updated to highlight the 50th anniversary of the Landsat program.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. If you found it interesting, you could subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It was written by: Daniel P. Johnson, Indiana University.

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Daniel P. Johnson has received relevant funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC).
(Bloomberg) -- Chancellor Olaf Scholz backed plans to revive Germanys tradition of tight government spending, despite mounting demands to modernize Europes largest economy.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Scholzs ruling coalition approved a 2024 finance plan earlier this month that slashes net new borrowing to the lowest levels since before the pandemic. The fiscal consolidation is aimed at returning to a constitutional debt limit after suspending it for three years.

We are back on track on the budget, Scholz said on Friday in Berlin during his summer press conference.

Germany faces a series of challenges. Its energy system is ill-suited to support manufacturers with sufficient affordable clean energy, while an aging workforce creates demands for social spending even as companies face a growing labor shortage. There are also demands to invest in physical and digital infrastructure to keep pace with other developed economies.

Scholz has been under pressure to deliver on pledges to tackle a new era in terms of foreign policy in light of Russias war against Ukraine, while domestic issues like a controversial home-heating reform have triggered public feuds in his coalition and frustrated voters.

Next years budget squeezes spending across all government departments except for defense.

During the wide-ranging press conference that touched on topics including the rise of far-right Alternative for Germany and the countrys support for Ukraine, the chancellor vowed to continue to meet NATO targets for spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense. However, he didnt say how that would be financed once the 100 billion ($112 billion) special defense budget will be used up in 2027.

--With assistance from James Regan and Kamil Kowalcze.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke about his country's further plans to provide weapons to Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a financing program prepared by his government to provide Ukraine with weapons worth EUR 17 billion ($19.1 billion) by 2027, German broadcaster DW reported on July 14.

Read also: US and Germany remain opposed to swift Ukraine NATO membership  report

At a press conference in Berlin, Scholz stated that Ukraine's defense capability needs bolstering as the country's economy is incapable of shouldering such a significant burden alone.

"We must concentrate on the current scenario, that is, mobilizing all necessary forces to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as required," the chancellor said.

Scholz shared his views on the G7's security assurances for Ukraine, highlighting two crucial components  a commitment to enduring military support to Kyiv with all necessary weaponry during and post-war, and intelligence sharing among nations "if a threatening situation emerges after the war."

The chancellor also announced his government's plans to elevate Bundeswehr funding to 2% of GDP in light of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Scholz expressed confidence that this funding benchmark for the military would be achieved as early as 2024.

Read also: Netherlands to sign up to G7 declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine

Scholz's comments followed a recently published report from the German government, which stated that Ukraine received EUR 2 billion in aid in 2022. The report projected aid of approximately EUR 5.4 billion for 2023, and from 2024 to 2027, the German federal government plans to allocate an additional EUR 10.5 billion.

Germany continues to provide military equipment and weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Following the NATO summit in Vilnius, Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed on a new package of German military assistance.

Read also: German defense minister Pistorius responds to Zelenskyys criticism of NATO

On July 13, Germany announced transferring additional Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems and components for the IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
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The little things can get you when youre in college. You arrive on campus, fresh and ready to go, but before you know it, youre a few weeks into the new semester and you have a long list of small things you forgot to pack. You may also think of unassuming items that could make a big difference in how you work and play while at school. To prevent you from playing catch-up, weve compiled the best gadgets for school under $50 so you can cross the most crucial ones off your list before you even set foot on campus.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Roku Streaming Stick 4K If you know a student lugging an old flatscreen to their dorm for the new semester, gifting them one of our favorite streaming devices  a Roku Streaming Stick 4K  will make them feel like they just got a brand new set. $40 at Amazon$50 at Walmart

If you know a student lugging an old flatscreen to their dorm for the new semester, gifting them one of our favorite streaming devices  a Roku Streaming Stick 4K  will make them feel like they just got a brand new set. All they need to do is plug it into their TVs HDMI port, connect it to WiFi and then theyll have access to pretty much all of the streamable content they could ask for. There are apps for Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and even more niche services like Criterion Channel, so chances are they will be able to watch whatever they want on it. And, who knows, maybe theyll find new things to binge for free on The Roku Channel. The on-screen interface is easy to navigate, too, and we appreciate that the Roku remote that comes with the dongle can be used to control the TV itself, including power and volume. If you think theyd like enhanced voice controls, it may be worth it to spend another $20 and get them the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+, which comes with the Voice Remote Pro.

Logitech Signature M650 Mouse

Logitech Logitech Signature M650 Wireless Mouse Students might need more control over their gigantic spreadsheets and multi-slide presentations than a simple trackpad can provide. Logitechs Signature M650 Mouse is a solid and inexpensive accessory for them that can give them extra precision on a regular basis. $35 at Amazon

Students might need more control over their gigantic spreadsheets and multi-slide presentations than a simple trackpad can provide. Logitechs Signature M650 Mouse is a solid and inexpensive accessory for them that can give them extra precision on a regular basis. Its a relatively compact mouse with comfortably textured side grips, a speedy scroll wheel, and Logitech claims its SilentTouch technology reduces click noise by 90 percent. Itll connect to their computer of choice via Bluetooth or with the included receiver, and students can customize the side buttons using Logitechs Options software. But arguably the best thing about this mouse is its battery life  itll last roughly two years on one AA battery, so they might be able to go a couple of semesters without even thinking about changing it.

Anker 341 7-in-1 USB-C hub

Anker Anker 341 USB-C Hub (7-in-1) If your student invested in a new laptop recently, chances are they are sorely lacking in the ports department. Ankers 7-in-1 USB-C hub can make their academic lives much easier by giving them a bunch of extra ports when they need them most. $35 at Amazon

If your student invested in a new laptop recently, chances are they are sorely lacking in the ports department. Most of the best laptops available today only have a couple of USB-C ports built in, with maybe a lone USB-A connector if youre lucky. Ankers 7-in-1 USB-C hub can make their academic lives much easier by giving them a bunch of extra ports when they need them most. If they ever need to transfer photos from an SD card or upload portions of a project from a thumb drive, this hub will let them do so by only taking up one of their laptops built-in USB-C connectors. The hub itself even has an open USB-C port that supports passthrough charging up to 85W, which means theyll never run out of battery, even in the middle of laborious tasks.

8BitDo Pro 2

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller Academic life will quickly become overwhelming if its all work and no play. 8Bitdos Pro 2 controller can make a students game time more enjoyable and comfortable. $50 at Amazon

Academic life will quickly become overwhelming if its all work and no play. 8Bitdos Pro 2 controller can make a students game time more enjoyable and comfortable. In general, 8Bitdos controllers are more ergonomic than, say, relying on a keyboard and mouse when playing certain PC games. Theyre also a dramatic improvement over the Switchs Joy-Cons which, if were honest, arent the most comfortable to use for long stretches of time. The Pro 2 is compatible with the Switch, Windows, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi, and they can map functions to buttons using its companion smartphone app. Your student will appreciate that they can charge it up with any USB-C cable they have lying around, but also that they can remove the battery pack and power it with AA batteries if they want to avoid frequent recharges.

Echo Dot

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Echo Dot The Echo Dot is Amazons most popular smart speaker for a reason: Its small, it sounds pretty good for its size, and it does a lot more than just play music. $50 at Amazon

The Echo Dot is Amazons most popular smart speaker for a reason: Its small, it sounds pretty good for its size, and it does a lot more than just play music. Students will like the fact that it won't take up much space on their desks and that they can ask Alexa to play music from Spotify, Apple Music and other services whenever they want to have an impromptu dorm-room dance party. And, since it plugs into a wall outlet, they never have to remember to charge the Echo Dot like they would with a portable speaker. What's more, when an assignment stumps them, students can consult Alexa for help. Are we suggesting they ask Alexa for the answers to all their homework conundrums? Not exactly, but at the very least, itll be fun to see how much the voice assistant actually knows about any given topic.

Anker Powerline cables

Anker Anker Powerline II USB C to Lightning Cable Weve been fans of Ankers Powerline series for a while, and this 10-foot USB-C to Lightning cable is worth investing in. Not only is it MFi-certified so it will work well with all Apple devices, but its length gives you much more flexibility than your standard three-foot cable does. $19 at Amazon

When you're a student, theres nothing worse than realizing your iPhone is down to 2 percent battery in the middle of a long day filled with classes, extracurriculars and study sessions. The charging cable that came with your phone has probably served you well, but having a second, longer cable can allow you to power up in dire situations even when the closest outlet is across the room. Weve been fans of Ankers Powerline series for a while, and this 10-foot USB-C to Lightning cable is worth investing in. Not only is it MFi-certified so it will work well with all Apple devices, but its length gives you much more flexibility than your standard three-foot cable does. It also supports fast charging if you have an appropriately specced adapter to use it with. And for those who dont have iPhones, Anker has a 10-foot USB-C to C cable that should serve your handsets well, too.

1Password subscription

Engadget 1Password subscription A subscription to 1Password takes all of the guesswork out of logging in to student portals, personal accounts and more. All theyll need to do is remember one master password, and that will give them access to all of their other login information. $3 at 1Password

Students have enough trouble remembering weekly coursework, deadlines, test dates and the like when theyre at school, so giving them a way to easily access credentials for all of their online accounts will be a welcomed gift. A subscription to 1Password takes all of the guesswork out of logging in to student portals, personal accounts and more. All theyll need to do is remember one master password, and that will give them access to all of their other login information. 1Passwords browser extensions will even automatically fill in the right usernames and passwords for the websites theyre trying to access, and when the software spots a weak password in their vault, itll suggest ways to make it stronger.

Otterbox Fast Charge power bank 15,000

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Otterbox Fast Charge power bank 15,000 An accessory that a student will likely never leave home without is a power bank, and Otterboxs 15,000mAh Fast Charge battery is one of our top picks. $45 at Otterbox

An accessory that a student will likely never leave home without is a power bank, and Otterboxs 15,000mAh Fast Charge battery is one of our top picks. It has a simple, not-too-heavy design that includes one 18W USB-C port and an equally powerful USB-A port, allowing them to power up two devices simultaneously. In our testing, its capacity allowed it to provide two additional full charges to iPhones and Samsung Galaxy handsets. It also didnt lose too much charge when sitting dormant either, which means the student in your life can toss it in their backpack, forget about it, and know that when their phones close to death a few weeks later, they can pull it out for a top-up. Just make note that Otterbox offers 10,000mAh, 15,000mAh and 20,000mAh versions of this pack, so choose the proper capacity when you buy.

Chipolo One

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Chipolo ONE We all forget things now and then, but students can be prone to leaving things behind. A Chipolo One tracker can help them make sure to take their keys, wallet, bag or jacket with them by alerting them when their belongings have been left behind. $25 at Amazon

We all forget things now and then, but students can be prone to leaving things behind, especially when theyre running out the door to get to class. A Chipolo One tracker can help them make sure to take their keys, wallet, bag or jacket with them by alerting them when their belongings have been left behind. In our testing, Chipolos separation alerts kicked in after moving only a couple hundred feet away from the item in question, which means the student in your life wont go far before they find out that theyre missing something. Chipolo also doesnt discriminate between operating systems  anyone with an iPhone or an Android device can download the companion app and use the tracker to keep tabs on important stuff.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

It may not be the flashiest gift, but Samsungs Pro Plus microSD card could be something a student uses on a regular basis. This card has fast enough read and write speeds to handle any challenge, be it storing high-res images on their mirrorless camera or saving extra games on their Nintendo Switch,. Samsung includes a full-sized adapter with it as well, so they can use it in devices that only take SD cards if need be. We also appreciate that its a durable little accessory, too, with water, temperature, magnet and drop protection to keep all of their information safe even amidst accidents.

Google One subscription (100GB)

Engadget Google One subscription Easy access to documents and files is crucial for any student. Many universities in the US provide students with access to some sort of cloud storage system for their work, but if your student doesnt have that, a Google One subscription will help them. $20 at Google

Easy access to documents and files is crucial for any student. Many universities in the US provide students with access to some sort of cloud storage system for their work, but if your student doesnt have that, a Google One subscription will help them. For $20 annually, theyll get 100GB of Drive space that they can share with up to 5 other people, VPN access for multiple devices, dark web monitoring and extra Google Photo editing features like Magic Eraser. For students, the Drive storage space will be most useful, allowing them to save as many versions of a paper as they need on top of all their old presentations, resources and other assignments. And theyll be able to access those files from anywhere, allowing them to work even when stuck in an airport on their way home for a visit or sitting on the subway on their way to class. Drive storage also applies to Gmail as well, so if they have important messages that they want to hold on to for the long haul, they can do so without worrying about freeing up more space in their inbox.

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Tribit StormBox Micro 2 While the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 comes in slightly higher than our $50 threshold, we still think its worth mentioning as a solid, affordable Bluetooth speaker for students. $60 at Amazon

While the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 comes in slightly higher than our $50 threshold, we still think its worth mentioning as a solid, affordable Bluetooth speaker for students. It pumps out solid sound at high volumes, and its supremely portable, measuring only 4.1 x 3.9 x 1.6 inches. It can easily attach to a bike or a backpack, and itll last nearly all day long with its 12-hour battery. But the kicker for students is the speakers ability to double as a USB-C power bank. That means they wont have to remember to bring a totally separate power pack with them, and theyll still be able to power up their phones while theyre out. While the Micro 2 typically costs $60, weve seen it on sale for closer to $50.
J&S Digital Photography - Getty Images

Researchers are looking for evidence of extraterrestrial life deep under the sea.

A team led by controversial physicist Avi Loeb is combing the ocean floor off the coast of Papua New Guinea for remnants of two meteors that they believe could actually be alien tech.

The government of Papua New Guinea claims that the artifacts recovered by Loebs team are stollen, and is under pressure to abandon a new security agreement with the U.S. as a result.

Researchers are scouring the deep for signs of alien lifeand it might be illegal.

The teamled by Avi Loeb, a controversial theoretical physicist known for his strong belief that we have been visited by intelligent extraterrestrial life and specific focus, in this context, on Oumuamuahas been searching the ocean floor for remnants of Interstellar Meteor 1 (IM1), which crashed into Earth in 2014.

The meteor was a bit of an anomaly, largely due to its robust nature and speed. It and its spiritual successor Interstellar Meteor 2 (IM2), which crashed to Earth in 2017, flew in at about 110,000 miles per hour. Thats at the higher end of meteor speeds, as they typically hit Earths atmosphere traveling between 25,000 and 160,000 miles per hour.

That speed is what eventually led Loeb and one of his grad students to conclude that the meteors came from outside our solar system, a conclusion that has since been backed by the United States Space Command, according to Vice. But Loeb and his team took it one step further, putting forth the idea that the meteors are remnants of alien tech.

It should be said that most scientists do not believe that IM1 and IM2 were alien tech of any kind. And its important to remember thatwhile Loebs writings indicate that his hopes are high for these finds to be evidence of extraterrestrial societies (He has even reportedly rented out a video screen in Times Square to announce the results of his work.)the origins of all artifacts found on this mission are still very much unconfirmed.

In order to gather as much data on the meteors as possible, the team has been scraping the sea floor where IM1 splashed down and gather whatever remnants they can find. And most recently, they found something particularly excitingmetallic spherules.



According to Loeb, these particular spherules are made predominantly of iron, with trace amounts of titanium and magnesium. Notably, there was no nickel detected in early compositional analyses. This composition is anomalous compared to human-made alloys, known asteroids and familiar astrophysical sources, Loeb wrote in a Medium post. The team has also been able to find steel shards and wire made of manganese and platinum.



While the origin of these specific spherules is still unknown (it takes time and tests to confirm the origin of pretty much anything found at the bottom of the ocean), spherules are a good sign of a meteor. They form from the impact debris of the object, and usually measure only micrometers to millimeters in size.

It turns out, however, that all of this research may not have been legal in the first place.

According to the UK outlet The Times, the government of Papua New Guinea is accusing Loebs team of stealing the artifacts they have collected on their mission. The countrys National Research Agency claimed that the team never received a Marine Science Research permit (though they did apply for one), and that they entered the country on business visas instead of visas meant for scientific researchers. Stanis Hulahau, Papua New Guineas chief migration officer, even said that the team could face criminal charges for removing rare objects without notifying the state authorities.

Rob McCallum, the leader of the expedition (Loeb leads the research team), claims that approval for their mission was given by the Papua New Guinea cabinet, but The Times reports that two cabinet members say they have heard nothing of this approval.

As a result of this mission, pressure is now reportedly being put on the government of Papua New Guinea to abandon a security agreement recently made with the United States. According to The Times, member of parliament and Leader of the Opposition Joseph Lelang called the country to abandon the newly-signed Defense Co-operation Agreement if the US fail to heed our call and protests.

What the US citizens were doing was illegal from the start, including stealing the artifacts from our shores, Lelang said in a statement. The ink has not yet dried and already the US citizens are disrespecting our people, our country and constitution.. We expect nothing less than the return of what was stolen from us and for those thieves to be held accountable.



What will come of these accusations is still to be seen. But even if we dont have proof of extraterrestrial visitors, we do have proof that pursuing alien life doesnt make everyday Earth life just go away.

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Republican presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) dodged questions Friday over whether he would send cluster bombs to Ukraine after the U.S. confirmed this month that it had supplied Ukraine with the controversial munitions.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson asked Scott during the conservative Christian The Family Leadership Summit where he stood on the issue of sending cluster bombs to Ukraine.

Well, if I was president of the United States we wouldnt have to, Scott said before being pressed again on his thoughts on the countrys decision to send the bombs to Ukraine.

Well I think  theyre there, Scott said. He later elaborated after being pressed again, saying, under my administration, we would have the resources and a defense industrial complex that provides the weapons that we need and our Western allies need, we wouldnt be in this position at all.

I wouldnt have to  [Biden] already has agreed to do so, the South Carolina added after being pushed on the issue one last time.

The U.S. made the controversial decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine amid slow progress by Ukraine in the ongoing invasion waged by Russia. President Biden defended his decision to send the cluster munitions in an interview with CNN earlier this month.

This is a war relating to munitions. And theyre running out of that ammunition, and were low on it, Biden told CNN in the interview. What I finally did, I took the recommendation of the Defense Department to, not permanently, but to allow for this transition period, while we get more 155 weapons, these shells, for the Ukrainians.

The Pentagon confirmed Thursday that cluster munitions had arrived in Ukraine. The move has been controversial because cluster bombs, which are banned in more than 100 countries, dont always immediately detonate on impact and can land imprecisely over a wide area and can create a long-lasting risk for civilians.

The issue has wedged a divide among several Republican presidential contenders. Former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have both opposed sending the munitions to Ukraine but former Vice President Mike Pence had defended the countrys move to do so.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Sea Otter Keeps Stealing Surfboards, And Authorities Are On Her Tail

A California sea otter with a penchant for snatching surfboards is on the lam after wildlife officials determined shes putting herself and humans at risk.

Shes known as Otter 841. The now-5-year-old female began approaching surfers, kayakers and paddleboarders off the coast of Santa Cruz in 2021. Since then, shes become bolder.

The otter with her ill-gotten loot off the coast of California.

The otter with her ill-gotten loot off the coast of California.

In a video taken last year, 841 can be seen climbing atop a surfboard in the water, then lunging at and chasing the surfer when he tries to get his board back. She also ripped a couple of chunks out of the board.

Last weekend, 841 was seen stealing surfboards three different times, The New York Times reported.

On Monday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that a group of experts would attempt to capture and rehome the otter, per the Times.

A team from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Monterey Bay Aquarium are actively monitoring her and will continue to attempt capture when conditions are favorable in the coming days, USFWS spokesperson Ashley McConnell told HuffPost in an email, adding that the animal is tagged with a radio transmitter.

Though 841s repeated aggressive behavior means that she will be placed in captivity, McConnell noted that USFWS is not looking at killing the otter as an option.

I want to emphasize euthanasia is not under consideration, she wrote.

The otter's days of riding the open waves may be numbered.

The otter's days of riding the open waves may be numbered.

How 841 picked up her thievery is unclear. Hormonal surges in female otters can lead to aggression, as can people feeding them, according to USFWS.

We dont know the cause of her behavior. ... Its potentially something we may never know, Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesperson Kevin Connor told HuffPost. But what we do know is that behavior is not good for her. Its not good for her survival in the wild.

Connor understands why 841 has gained so many fans on social media. The idea of an otter stealing surfboards is genuinely funny, he said, but its not going to be fun or entertaining if this escalates further.

The otter goes after a surfer in Santa Cruz.

The otter goes after a surfer in Santa Cruz.

841s mother had her own share of human trouble. That otter, known as 723, was a rescued orphan rehabilitated at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Staff members go to great lengths to ensure that otters being prepared for release dont associate anything positive with humans, Connor said. Caretakers wear black ponchos to hide their human form and avoid speaking around the creatures so they dont get used to peoples voices.

723 was back in the wild for about a year before she began approaching kayakers and others, soliciting food. There was clear evidence that people had been feeding her, Connor said, and officials determined she had lost her fear of humans and would be better off living in captivity.

It turned out she was pregnant  with 841. After 841 was weaned, she was prepared for and released to the wild. But like her mother, she started approaching humans after around a year.

A surfboard with 841's teeth marks.

A surfboard with 841's teeth marks.

Both situations demonstrate the importance of giving space to wildlife. People should never feed wild otters and should keep a safe distance, according to USFWS. On its website, the agency states that if a sea otter notices you, you are likely too close and should back away.

Respecting otters isnt just about the well-being of the furry mammals themselves, but also the important role they play in the environment.

They help keep the ocean and coastal ecosystems healthy and functioning, Connor said. Theyre top predators. Theyre the top of the food chain when theyre in their kelp forest or in an estuary. They balance those habitats.

If 841 is captured, shell first undergo a health check at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and will eventually be placed at an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited aquarium or zoo.

As for her mother, she currently resides at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California.

Her names Millie now, Connor said. Living her best life.

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Columbus police have arrested the second of two brothers charged with murder related to the shooting death of a man in Italian Village last month.

Columbus police have arrested the second of two brothers charged with murder related to the shooting death of a man in Italian Village earlier this summer.

Police arrested Micheal Mickens, 24, on Thursday, and he is being held in the Franklin County jail. He and his brother, Michael Mickens, 26, are suspects in the shooting death of Isiaha Thompson-Angus, 29.

The brothers' names have near identical spellings. The younger brother spells his first name Micheal instead of Michael, per police.

The elder Mickens brother was arrested Monday without incident. His bond was set at $1 million during an appearance Tuesday in Franklin County Municipal Court.

On Friday, the younger Mickens had his bond set at $1 million as well.

Thompson-Angus was found shot on June 19 around 4 a.m. near dumpsters behind The Go Go, a dance club in Italian Village.

Surveillance video shared by police showed Thompson-Angus and another man, believed to be the younger Mickens, walking behind the bar near the dumpsters and physically fighting around 2:30 a.m.

During the fight, another man and a woman are seen running toward the dumpster area. The man, believed to be the older Mickens, reaching into the front pocket of his shorts before joining into the fight.

A short time later, all three are seen fleeing the scene. A passerby found Thompson-Angus about two hours later near the dumpsters and was pronounced dead.

shendrix@dispatch.com

@sheridan120

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Second brother arrested related to June 19 Italian Village homicide
The 2024 race for Cook County states attorney will soon have a new contender: a recently retired justice who stepped away from the bench to run for the top prosecutors spot.

Eileen ONeill Burke earlier this month retired from her position as a justice of Cook Countys 1st District Appellate Court to run for the seat being vacated by two-term Democrat Kim Foxx, according to a spokesperson for ONeill Burkes campaign.

ONeill Burke is expected to officially kick off her bid for the office during a rally at the Plumbers Union Hall in Chicago later this month and she is planning to pitch the Cook County Democratic Party for its endorsement next month, the partys executive director confirmed.

Eileen believes we need to put resources into juvenile, veterans, drug, and mental health courts, to help people get back on the right path and build stronger, safer communities, a bio provided by her campaign stated.

The bio noted ONeill Burke supports thoughtful reform and restorative justice, to ensure that the system focuses on safety and fairness, not jailing people indefinitely because they are poor or mentally ill.

The only other declared candidate in the race is Clayton Harris III, an attorney and lecturer at the University of Chicago who has the support of Cook County Board President and Cook County Democratic Party Chairwoman Toni Preckwinkle, a longtime Foxx ally.

Its likely other candidates will emerge  petition passing to get on the primary ballot does not begin until September and the primary election is not until March 19.

Foxx announced in April that she would not seek a third term after a bruising tenure as the countys chief prosecutor in which she pursued a series of systemic reforms and garnered some resistance to her prosecutorial policies during a rise in crime.

According to her bio, ONeill Burke worked as an assistant states attorney for 10 years handling felony appellate cases, working in juvenile court and in felony review.

She then worked as a criminal defense attorney and, in 2008, was elected as a judge in Cook County where she was in the circuit courts law division. She was elected an appellate court justice in 2016 and presided over both civil and criminal cases, according to her campaign bio.

The bio notes ONeill Burke, who is 58, has been married for 33 years and has four young adult children. Born and raised on the Northwest Side, she now lives in the South Loop.

Though no Republicans have officially declared their intentions to run for states attorney, Preckwinkle predicted last month that the race would be a difficult one for Democrats to win.

Foxx got treated pretty brutally for the work that she tried to do to reform our criminal justice system, she said.

aquig@chicagotribune.com
Accused of grooming and raping a Chicago Public Schools student, a senior security officer at Farragut Career Academy High School was arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault this week.

During the 2022-23 school year, the security guard, Romel Campoverde, 43, allegedly began Snapchatting with the 15-year-old student and meeting her outside of school, buying the student alcohol and shoes and giving her money, prosecutors said in bond court Wednesday. According to the Cook County states attorneys office, Campoverde met the student again in late June and, after giving her multiple tequila drinks, brought the girl to an RV where he sexually assaulted her.

The student told an after-school program employee the day after the alleged assault, and police subsequently found two of the students press-on nails in Campoverdes RV, prosecutors said.

Campoverde remained in custody as of Thursday evening, according to the Cook County sheriffs office website. His lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Judge Ankur Srivastava set Campoverdes bond at $100,000 and ordered him to have no contact with the student, her family members or any juveniles and to undergo electronic monitoring if he is released on bond while awaiting trial.

Chicago Public Schools provided a copy of a letter that Farragut Principal Tonya Hammaker recently sent parents. The letter didnt identify Campoverde by name, but Hammaker wrote that a non-teaching staff member had been accused of engaging inappropriately with a student and removed from the school, adding that the CPS Office of the Inspector General had begun investigating the incident.

Based on the information learned during the OIGs investigation, a final determination will be made regarding whether it is appropriate for this individual to return to Farragut, Hammaker wrote. Please know that we are taking this situation seriously, and we remain committed to providing your children with a safe, positive learning environment where they can reach their full potential.

The new accusations come after years of reckoning over what federal officials deemed in 2019 to be appalling, district-wide failures in CPS handling of sexual abuse allegations. After investigating more than 3,000 complaints filed over four years, involving 400 CPS schools, the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights entered the district into a legally binding agreement, mandating reforms and federal monitoring through the end of the 2021-22 school year.

Amid the scandal, the OIGs office formed its now 30-member Sexual Allegations Unit, after a Chicago Tribune report exposed conflicts of interest in investigations formerly helmed by the CPS Law Department. The OIGs office now investigates all adult-to-student sexual misconduct complaints, referring cases involving other forms of student harassment to CPS Office of Student Protections.

In a presentation before the Board of Education in January, Deputy Inspector General Amber Nesbitt, head of the Sexual Allegations Unit, said adult-to-student sexual misconduct was the most common complaint received by the agency in the prior year. The more than 300 complaints substantiated by the Sexual Allegations Unit since its 2018 inception include a finding of systemic sexual misconduct at Marine Leadership Academy, involving 12 employees and one volunteer; and four other cases that have resulted in criminal charges, involving two high school teachers, a JROTC instructor and an elementary school teacher.
Maj. Kristin Beo Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team commander and pilot, flies a demonstration flight at Hill Air Force Base on Dec. 6, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

The House voted Friday to pass a defense spending bill, authorizing over $875 million in spending over the next year. Meanwhile, the Senate has its own version of the bill, with a vote scheduled for next week.

The National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, is typically advanced on a bipartisan basis each year, with the two chambers needing to come to a compromise once they both pass their versions of the bill, as Politico reported.

Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, said he managed to secure a few measures that cater to the Beehive States priorities in the Senates version of the bill.

With the growing threats the United States faces from our adversaries, it is vital that our military has the resources, equipment and capabilities it needs to keep our nation safe, Romney said in a press release.

Im proud that this years Senate NDAA includes several provisions which I fought for to protect against these growing threats by modernizing our nuclear triad, fully understanding the extent of Chinas defense-industrial complex, and bolstering our domestic critical mineral capabilities to reduce our dependence on China and Russia.

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One of the measures includes a version of Romneys Military Service Promotion Act of 2023. The legislation, cosponsored by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., addresses the recruitment crisis the military faces, which is also a priority for the Utah National Guard.

Current law requires high schools to give access to recruiters but Romneys bill would enhance this access by requiring that recruiters receive a response to their requests within 60 days, and be given access to career fairs and student dropout information.

It also signals to the Department of Defense to expand the armys Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which prepares prospective draftees for the required physical fitness and aptitude testing.

Our military is facing the largest recruitment crisis in 50 years, which has real impacts on our national security, Romney said.

The Army's recruitment fell by 25%  or roughly 15,000 soldiers  last year, creating the most challenging labor market since the service became an all-volunteer force in 1973, according to a report. Only 1% of the U.S. population currently serves, while 71% of American youth dont qualify for reasons like physical and mental fitness, and aptitude.

The Army isnt the only service struggling to prop up recruitment  the Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy face the same dilemma.

Another measure that made it into the NDAA draft bill is Romneys Chemical and Biological Defense Program Improvement Act, which would allow the Army to fund chem-bio program facilities without any bureaucratic roadblocks. One such facility that would benefit is Utahs Dugway Proving Ground.

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The act is co-sponsored by Romney and Utahs entire Republican congressional delegation  Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Chris Stewart, Rep. John Curtis, Rep. Burgess Owens and Rep. Blake Moore.

Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) and its Chemical and Biological Defense mission are critical to U.S. readiness for the fights of the future, said Lee. Cutting bureaucratic red tape to request military construction funds alleviates an unnecessary burden and allows the hard-working men and women at Dugway to spend their time and talents on the core mission.

Other measures supported by Romney that made it into the draft version of the bill include:
Language blocking a ban on gas stoves has been incorporated into a bipartisan Senate appropriations bill, giving it a significant chance to ultimately become law.

A bill that would prevent the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning the products was incorporated into a funding bill for Financial Services and General Government Thursday.

The head of the consumer safety commission has indicated that it is not looking to ban gas stoves, but the topic has still been heated in Washington.

The amendment was approved as part of a larger managers amendment containing several other additions to the bill. It was approved in a committee voice vote without significant debate.

The bill was advanced Thursday out of committee to the full Senate, where it will effectively need 60 votes to pass.

The House and Senate are both carrying out their own appropriations processes, so if a bill passes one chamber, it is not necessarily guaranteed to become law.

However, provisions blocking a gas stove ban would likely not face significant opposition in the House, which has already passed a bill to do so as a standalone measure.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who sponsored the gas stove amendment, celebrated its inclusion in the bill in a written statement.

Its past time for Washington bureaucrats to stop overreaching and telling American families how to cook their dinner, he said.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am proud to have secured this bipartisan amendment to prevent the Consumer Product Safety Commission from issuing any rule banning gas stoves and am committed to stopping the Biden Administration from extending their radical climate agenda to our kitchens, he added.

Gas stoves have been the center of a fierce debate in Washington after a Consumer Product Safety Commission member indicated that the panel was considering regulations or even a ban on them.

That commissioner, Richard Trumka Jr., cited health concerns related to the appliances, which have been found to leak the carcinogen benzene and have been linked to childhood asthma.

However, his suggestion launched a firestorm in Washington, with Republicans in particular outraged by the suggestion of a gas stove ban.

In the wake of the controversy, the White House came out against a gas stove ban.

The head of the commission, which is independent from the Biden administration though it contains presidential nominees, also said the panel was not looking to ban the products, but it appeared to leave other restrictions on the table.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Senator Schumer and KRS-One honor the birthplace of hip-hop for its 50th anniversary

Much of Black culture and history in this country has not been as well preserved, said Rapper KRS-One of the congressional resolution to preserve

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and rapper KRS-One are reflecting on their efforts to preserve the birthplace of hip-hop as the art form celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Hip-hop culture has transcended language, race, and age, the Senate majority leader said in an exclusive statement obtained by theGrio, in addition to geographic and socioeconomic barriers.

Left to right: U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and rapper KRS-One. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Brooklyn native said, It is a uniquely American art form that has become a global cultural movement.

As a proud New Yorker, I was honored to be able to work with hip-hop giants and advocates like KRS-One and DJ Kool Herc, to ensure the birthplace, 1520 Sedgwick Ave, was preserved and celebrated, said Schumer.

In an exclusive statement obtained by theGrio, KRS-One reflected on hip-hops origin at a community room at 1520 Sedgwick.

Its message and themes have traveled all over the world, connecting hundreds of millions of people, said the Boogie Down Productions member.

On Aug. 11, 1973, Clive Campbell, known as DJ Kool Herc, and his sister Cindy Campbell hosted the iconic Back to School Jam at the community room, as reported by Complex.

The event ignited a movement that gave DJs, emcees and hip-hop artists the space to showcase their talents.

This year, KRS-One launched an initiative to host several community events leading up to the 50th anniversary of the Back to School Jam to aim a spotlight on a part of hip-hops storied history.

Reflecting on the Bronx apartment building where the cultural genre got its start, the hip-hop legend said, Internationally, cultural phenoms birthplaces are regularly preserved and celebrated.

He acknowledged that when it comes to Black culture and history in the United States, much of it has not been as well preserved, often due to lack of recognition or money  often both.

WANTAGH, NY  JULY 19: Rapper KRS-One performs during the 2009 Rock the Bells concert at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on July 19, 2009 in Wantagh, New York. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

KRS-One said Senator Schumer understood the importance of hip-hop and its rightful place in our national culture when he extended max effort to make sure this building wasnt lost.

In 2021, Schumer and U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., presented a congressional resolution that declared 1520 Sedgwick the birthplace of hip-hop. The resolution also deemed Aug. 11 as Hip-Hop Celebration Day, the entire month of August as Hip-Hop Recognition Month, and November as Hip-Hop History Month.

In May, Bowman also re-introduced the Restoring Artistic Protection Act, also known as the Rap Act, with Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., to prevent prosecutors from unlawfully using rap lyrics against artists to convict them of a crime.

Bowman told theGrio that hip-hop is essential to preserve and to celebrate and [it] needs its own Hall of Fame and Library of Congress.

The congressman, whose district covers most of North Bronx, said hip-hop culture raised and inspired him as a young Black man living in New York City.

It gave me knowledge of self. It taught me politics and so much of what my work in Congress now is rooted in, said Bowman.

KRS-One said he is thankful that Schumer, Bowman and other congressional members stepped up to help preserve hip-hop and its birthplace.

UNITED STATES  APRIL 27: Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on the reintroduction of the Restoring Artistic Protection (RAP) Act, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. The legislation aims to protect artists from the use of their lyrics against them as legal evidence in criminal and civil cases.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The Community Room is now protected for future generations to appreciate. Many think of the room as a sacred space, he said. Just the act of preserving the room serves as a reminder to all that they also have the ability to achieve their full potential.

On Aug. 11, KRS-One will lead a live celebration to honor the birthplace of hip-hop. He said the live feed will feature performances from a wide range of artists who have developed and moved the culture forward over the past 50 years. Those will include dancers, painters, DJs, poets and rappers.

Its the birthday hip-hop deserves, he said, Its spirit is larger and stronger now than ever before.

The rapper added, We look forward to sharing it will all of you in just a few weeks.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post Senator Schumer and KRS-One honor the birthplace of hip-hop for its 50th anniversary appeared first on TheGrio.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. military would be required to test its electronic warfare and information influence prowess in a future, interstate experiment, if lawmakers get their way.

Included in a Senate version of fiscal 2024 defense legislation is a provision for a Western regional range complex demonstration, in which multiple services would together evaluate capacities to communicate, gather intelligence, conduct offensive and defensive cyber operations, and jam and spoof.

The sensitive nature of such capabilities has long rendered full-strength testing and training difficult. Defense officials have said they do not want to harm neighbors on the electromagnetic spectrum and do not want to tip off faraway observers, like China and Russia.

An initial demonstration would span at least two ranges in the western U.S., according to the language included in the draft National Defense Authorization Act, and would happen within a year of the bill becoming law.

Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, in a July 12 hearing said the proposed demonstration would connect multiple non-kinetic ranges and training sites to better replicate some real-world threat conditions. Arizona is home to Fort Huachuca, which features an electronics proving ground and is the Armys intelligence center of excellence.

Haugh, Bidens pick to lead CYBERCOM and NSA, pushes Ukraine aid

U.S. investment in high-end electronic warfare waned in the wake of the Cold War. It is now experiencing a resurgence, as the Pentagon prepares for potential conflict with world powers in the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Control of the electromagnetic spectrum is critical to communication, navigation and weapons guidance.

Mark Kitz, who up until recently led the Armys Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors, previously told C4ISRNET that the military is making strides in rebuilding its arsenal.

Weve invested in programs like Terrestrial Layer System. Weve invested in programs like Multi-Function Electronic Warfare-Air Large, which is an aerial-based electronic attack system, he said in a June interview. We need to be able to get these systems in the hands of units so they can exercise, operate and learn how these active, non-kinetic ways to affect the operation will actually affect the way they operate.

The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the National Defense Authorization Act in the near future. The House passed its version, 219-210, on Friday.
FILE PHOTO: The dome of the U.S. Capitol is reflected in a window on Capitol Hill in Washington

By Josephine Walker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate in the coming days is expected to consider a bipartisan measure that would compel the U.S. government to publicly release records relating to possible UFO sightings after decades of stonewalling.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, has teamed up with Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican, in leading an effort to force the disclosure of information relating to what the government officially calls "unidentified anomalous phenomena," or UAPs. Their 64-page proposal is modeled after a 1992 U.S. law spelling out the handling of records related to the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy.

They plan to offer the measure as an amendment to sweeping legislation moving through Congress that would authorize U.S. defense funding for the fiscal year beginning on Oct. 1.

Schumer's backing likely will carry sway with many of his fellow Democrats. Rounds is a member of the Senate's Intelligence and Armed Services committees.

"For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained, and it's long past time they get some answers," Schumer said in a statement on Friday, adding that the public "has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence and unexplainable phenomena."

The amendment would require the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration to collect UAP records from all relevant government offices under "a presumption of immediate disclosure," and a review board would have to provide a rationale for keeping documents classified.

"Our goal is to assure credibility with regard to any investigation or record keeping of materials" associated with UAPs, Rounds said.

Under the measure, records must be publicly disclosed in full no later than 25 years after they were created unless the U.S. president certifies that continued postponement is necessary because of a direct harm to national security.

It also establishes that the federal government would have "eminent domain" over any recovered technologies of unknown origin and any biological evidence of "non-human intelligence" that may be controlled by private individuals or entities.

Schumer is taking up a cause first advanced by the late Democratic Senator Harry Reid, who served as Senate majority leader from 2007 until 2015.

The U.S. government in the past was openly dismissive of UFO sightings that for decades have sparked the popular imagination, but in recent years has been much more open about the subject. It issued a watershed unclassified report in 2021 cataloguing observations - mostly from U.S. Navy personnel - dating back to 2004.

The Pentagon has investigated numerous unexplained sightings reported by military aviators and NASA formed a special panel to look into UAPs. The NASA panel in May said its study is hindered by a lack of high-quality data, as well as the stigma surrounding the whole issue of unidentified objects in the skies, which often end up being balloons and debris or related to atmospheric causes.

(This story has been corrected to show records must be disclosed 25 years after their creation, not after the law is enacted, in paragraph 8)

(Reporting by Josephine Walker; Editing by Richard Cowan, Will Dunham and William Mallard)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is part of a bipartisan group of senators who have offered an amendment to the annual Defense authorization bill requiring the federal government to collect and make public records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

The proposed amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act would direct the National Archives and Records Administration to create a collection of records on UAPs and UFOs to be disclosed to the public immediately unless a review board provides reasons to keep them classified.

For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained and its long past time they get some answers, Schumer said in a statement. The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena.

We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public, he added.

Schumer said he is carrying out the legacy of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who more than a decade ago pushed funding for the Pentagons secret Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program.

Lawmakers interest in learning more about UFO sightings soared after that project became public and media outlets began publishing video clips of unexplained aerial phenomena captured by the cameras and sensors on military jets.

After that project became public, Senators, congressmen, committees, and staff began to pursue this issue and uncovered a vast web of individuals and groups with ideas and stories to share.

The amendment has the support of Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)  the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee  Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

The lawmakers say the sheer number and variety of stories about UFOs have led some of them and their colleagues to believe the executive branch may be concealing information about possible visits from extra-planetary civilizations.

Our goal is to assure credibility with regard to any investigation or record keeping of materials associated with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, said Rounds. Relevant documents related to this issue should be preserved. Providing a central collection location and reputable review board to maintain the records adds to the credibility of any future investigations.

There is a lot we still dont know about these UAPs, and that is a big problem, Rubio said.

Weve taken some important steps over the last few years to increase transparency and reduce stigmas, but more needs to be done. This is yet another step in that direction and one that I hope will spur further cooperation from the executive branch, he added.

Understanding UAPs is critical to our national security and to maintaining all-domain awareness, Gillibrand said.

The push to declassify more information about UAPs and UFOs comes after Air Force veteran David Grusch, a former member of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, told NewsNation that the U.S. government has recovered non-human craft for decades

Grusch implied in the interview that the government has recovered more than spacecraft materials.

Well, naturally, when you recover something thats either landed or crashed, sometimes you encounter dead pilots and believe it or not, as fantastical as that sounds, its true, he said in the NewsNation interview. NewsNation and The Hill are both owned by Nexstar.

NewsNation confirmed Gruschs credentials but did not view or verify evidence that the whistleblower said he provided to Congress or the Department of Defense Inspector General.

The House Oversight Committee is planning to hold a hearing later this month on UFOs that will be led by Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.).

The amendment is modeled on the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 which required the public disclosure of documents related to former President Kennedys assassination 25 years after its enactment.

The Schumer-Rounds amendment would give the federal government eminent domain over any recovered technologies of unknown origin or biological evidence of nonhuman intelligence now held by private individuals or organizations.

This story was updated at 12:27 p.m.

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FILE - Serbian Army soldiers perform during a military exercise, at Batajnica Air Base near Belgrade, Serbia, on April 22, 2023. Serbia on Friday, June 23, 2023 reiterated the threat of an armed intervention in its former province of Kosovo, unless the NATO-led peacekeepers stationed there don't protect the minority Serbs there from "the great terror" of the Kosovo "regime." Serbian army chief-of-staff, Gen. Milan Mojsilovic, said that the military stands ready to fulfil its tasks "in accordance to the constitution" and orders from the army supreme commander, President Aleksandar Vucic. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Serbia suspended all arms exports for 30 days, the defense minister said Friday, just days after the United States imposed sanctions on the Balkan countrys intelligence chief over alleged illegal arms deals and other criminal activities.

Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said that the export ban is necessary in order to fulfill the needs of the Serbian army and boost its combat readiness amid the simmering crisis in the Balkan region.

It does not mean Serbia is going to war or calling for war, but we are looking at all security risks and challenges, Vucevic said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic first announced the move several days ago. He cited "internal security in Serbia as the reason for the ban while tensions simmer with neighboring Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade doesn't recognize.

Vucevic said the decision will be reviewed after 30 days.

Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but it has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and EU officials recently have stepped up efforts to get Serbia and Kosovo to reach an agreement, fearing possible new instability in Europe while the war continues in Ukraine.

Serbia has faced accusations that it was exporting weapons to countries under international ban, or to Russia and Ukraine. Vucevic denied the reports.

They keep accusing us that we sold to one side or the other, he said.

The United States this week said the head of Serbia's intelligence agency, Aleksandar Vulin, has been implicated in transnational organized crime, illegal narcotics operations, and misuse of public office.

Vulin has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with U.S.-designated Serbian arms dealer Slobodan Tesic, helping ensure that Tesics illegal arms shipments can move freely across Serbias borders.

Serbia has promised to investigate U.S. claims. The Organized Crime Prosecutor's office said Friday they will seek information and concrete evidence against Vulin from the U.S, the state RTS television reported.

Vulin, a close associated of Vucic, is known for his pro-Russia stance. He was appointed spy chief for the Balkan state last year after previously serving as both the minister of defense and interior.

Last August, Vulin visited Moscow, a rare visit by a European state official that reflected Belgrades continued ties with Moscow despite its condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine. Vulin then told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Serbia is the only state in Europe that didnt introduce sanctions and was not part of the anti-Russian hysteria.

Vucic has said that Washington imposed sanctions because of Vulins position on Russia, and not crime and corruption. Vulin's ouster has been among the demands of weekslong street protests in Serbia that erupted in the wake of two mass shootings in early May.

There has been no reaction from Vulin to the sanctions, while his Movement of Socialists party has described the measures against their boss as an attack on Serbia, accusing the U.S. of raping the truth.

The U.S. so far has imposed sanctions on a number of officials from the Balkans accused of corruption and seen as threatening peace and stability in the region following the wars in the 1990s, and for helping advance Russias malign activities in Serbia and the region.
MILAN  Serbian officials have confirmed that the country, one of the largest military drone operators in the Balkans, is looking to join the Airbus-led surveillance drone program SiRTAP, already planned to be acquired by Spain and Colombia.

During a recent guest appearance on a national television station, Serbian Assistant Minister of Defense for Material Resources Nenad Miloradovic confirmed that the country is exploring industrial cooperation opportunities with Airbus for Belgrade to partake in the effort.

The project, led by Airbus Spain, aims to produce a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle designed for intelligence gathering and surveillance. Although the drone is currently still in a pre-design phase, the Spanish MoD recently approved funds nearing $542 million from its defense budget to invest into the program and is looking to acquire a total of 27 SiRTAPs.

Serbia has previously signaled interest in the program, but it remains too early to tell in what capacity it would be joining the initiative.

Serbia has experience with producing its own Pegaz combat drone and now operating the CH Chinese series [CH-92 and CH-95] as well, Peter Voinovich, editor-in-chief of Serbian aviation news portal TangoSix, told Defense News. Hence, some capabilities are there. This could possibly be a joint venture for manufacturing and export but, naturally for Serbia to be one of the prospective customers [of SiRTAP].

The Serbian Ministry of Defense could not be reached for comment.

At the Madrid Feria Internacional de Defensa y Seguridad (FEINDEF) exhibition held in May, Airbus officials noted that although the ambition was to produce 90% of SiRTAPs components in Spain, due to the fast-track of the program, they may have to go with non-Spanish suppliers in some instances.

Cost is expected to play into those decisions, as one of the drones premises is that it will be affordable for air forces with lower budgets wishing to gain advanced capabilities.

The collapsible design of SiRTAP drones implies that troops will ultimately be able to transport it by air in transport aircraft such as the C-295, which Serbia has contracted Airbus for two models to be delivered later this year.
Sex traffickers imprisoned for smuggling Cuban women and forcing them to work in strip clubs

Sex traffickers imprisoned for smuggling Cuban women and forcing them to work in strip clubs

Three Cuban men, including a ringleader arrested in Miami, have been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sex-trafficking and other charges of smuggling Cuban women into the United States and forcing them to work in strip clubs to pay off their debts.

The leader, Rasiel Gutierrez Moreno, 28, was sentenced to 17-1/2 years in Houston federal court on Wednesday after admitting that he smuggled about 20 women from Cuba to the United States and made them pay inflated debts up to $30,000 for the illicit trip, according to court records. Gutierrez Moreno admitted that he forced the women to dance at strip clubs in the Houston area and engage in prostitution with patrons to pay down their debts, according to a 2021 plea agreement.

Gutierrez Moreno admitted coercing one unidentified woman, Victim 1, by bragging about committing acts of violence against other women and their families, according to investigators with the State Departments Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

Gutierrez Moreno beat another woman shortly before Victim 1 arrived at his home and ensured that Victim 1 observed that womans injuries, the Justice Department said in a news release. When Victim 1 escaped Gutierrez Moreno, [he] contacted her family in both Miami and Cuba to demand that she return to work and finish paying her debt.

As part of his punishment, Gutierrez Moreno was also ordered to pay about $451,000 in restitution.

His associate, Hendry Jimenez Milanes, 39, who pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement charges last year, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was ordered to pay about $359,000 in restitution.

Another associate, Rafael Mendoza Labrada, 29, who pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge in 2021, was sentenced to about three years  time he had already served in federal custody.

These human smugglers terrorized female migrants, using Houstons strip clubs combined with psychological threats and sexual violence for their personal financial gain, U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani in the Southern District of Texas said in a statement.
She created an artists colony on Lincoln Road. The artists she nurtured are honoring her

A piece of pottery by the late Ellie Schneiderman sits in the center of the gallery at Oolite Arts on Lincoln Road for its summer exhibition, It Was Always About You . . .

The clay pot is on a pedestal, conjuring a dual meaning.

In the annals of Miamis visual arts community, Schneidermans legacy is deservedly put on a pedestal. The visionary artist founded the South Florida Art Center on Lincoln Road in 1983, after persuading the Miami Beach Commission to take her up on an offer to buy three properties on the thoroughfare with grant money. Her idea was to provide low-cost art studios and exhibition spaces.

In a taped recording released as a tribute to Schneiderman, who died on April 18, 2020, at the age of 80, the arts pioneer recalled starting the center, which would create lasting change on Lincoln Road, sparking careers and camaraderie among artists, along with a resurgence of the area itself.

I applied for a grant, the artist explained. She received it after going to the Miami Beach City Commission with her idea of starting an urban artists colony. The city approved $62,000  . . . and that allowed me to figure four bucks a square foot . . . an artist could tell me, once theyd be juried in by a panel, how many feet they could afford.

A piece of pottery by Ellie Schneiderman, who founded the South Florida Art Center on Lincoln Road in 1983, is on display and placed in the center of the gallery at Oolite Arts on Lincoln Road for its summer exhibition, It Was Always About You . . . Oolite Arts

It Was Always About You . . . , which opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday, Sept. 17, features more than 40 artists who have been a part of Oolite Arts four decades on Miami Beach.

Having Ellie at the center of the show makes sense, says Laura Guerrero, Oolite Arts programs coordinator, who co-curated the group show with Dennis Scholl, the nonprofits president and CEO since 2017. When I was reaching out to different artists that we asked to participate in the show, I was really struck by the long-lasting community that Ellie started. It was apparent that this was something that wasnt only close to her heart but also to everyone around her.

Co-curators of It Was Always About You. . . Laura Guerrero, Oolite Arts program coordinator, and Dennis Scholl, Oolite Arts president and CEO. Photos courtesy of Oolite Arts and Mary Beth Koeth

For Scholl, theres a bittersweet nostalgia built into It Was Always About You. . . It will be the last show he curates at Oolite Arts in his position: He is stepping down at the end of the summer to focus on his own art practice.

Her line was always helping artists help themselves, so when Laura and I started to talk about this show, we both agreed almost immediately that it all started with Ellie and it would be important to honor her, says Scholl.

Potter-turned-artists advocate Ellie Schneiderman bought empty storefronts on Lincoln Road and in 1983 founded South Florida Art Center, which became ArtCenter/SouthFlorida. In 2019, the name was changed to Oolite Arts. Oolite Arts

The South Florida Art Center, which became ArtCenter/South Florida, sold its signature building at 800 Lincoln Road for $88 million in 2014, with the profits from the sale allowing growth for the organization. Then in 2019, when it was announced that the center would eventually be moving to Miamis Little River neighborhood, where it is building a new $30 million, 26,850-square-foot campus, ArtCenter/South Florida became Oolite Arts. It continues to house resident artists and produce arts programming at 924 Lincoln Road.

This show, says Guerrero, is about art, community, and intimacy. Its about exploring the relationships of the artists that have been part of the evolution, the relationships created among the arts, and the impact of Oolite on them and their careers.

Luis Gispert, who is one of the artists featured in It Was Always About You . . ., had a studio at Art Center/South Florida for a few years during the 1990s.

At the time, the art scene in Miami wasnt as big as it is now. There werent many places for young artists to hang out and do things. We were a bunch of kids in our 20s. There were some artists like William Cordova and John Espinosa who have gone on to bigger and greater things, says Gispert, who Scholl says was one of the artists that he first thought of to be in the group exhibition.

There are people like Luis who have gone on to have pretty big art careers. I wanted this exhibit to be the works of people for whom Oolite has meant a lot and for those that Oolite has been very appreciative of, too, says Scholl.

When he called Gispert to ask if he would be part of the group show, Scholl says he had a special request. I asked him if he would lend us one of my favorite pieces. Gispert said yes.

In 2001, Gispert began documenting Miamis iconic chonga girls in his photographic series entitled, Cheerleaders, which attracted widespread critical acclaim and induced the chonga image into high art. His 2002 digital video, Blockwatching, part of the series of works based on Miami culture, will be at Oolite: A girl dressed a la Miami chonga is in a green room and shes dancing to a car alarm as if its a techno beat.

Luis Gispert, Block Watching, Digital Video 1:53, 2002, is part of the summer exhibition at Oolite Arts, It Was Always About You . . . Frederic Snitzer Gallery

When Gispert thinks of the Miami art scene now compared to when he was at the Art Center studio, he says its night and day. You couldnt find a place to do a show. There were no galleries, no collectors that would buy anything. You couldnt make a living.

Frances Trombly, another artist featured in It Was Always About You . . . spent a year in 2019 as an Oolite artist in residence. Then in 2022, Trombly received one of the grants for Oolite Arts Home + Away program to attend a five-week residency at Artpace in San Antonio, a life-altering experience not only for her work but for her family.

I was able to bring my daughter (Penelope) and my husband (artist Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova). Its rare to have the opportunity to be in residence with family and for my daughter to be there alongside me, says Trombly. As a mother, it would be difficult for me to leave my role as caregiver for a month. Oolite understood my needs. Its that kind of thinking that we need, organizations that meet artists where they are.

Trombly also received one of Oolite Arts Ellie Creator Awards (named in honor of founder Schneiderman) to create large-scale works that examine textiles and their relationship to painting. The piece shes showing in the summer exhibition is one of the smaller works from the series created as part of the award.

They have been really supportive of my practice for a long time, says Trombly.

Frances Trombly, Weaving, (Weld with Canvas Warp), 2020 Handwoven, Hand-dyed (Weld) silk and rayon, cotton, wood Courtesy of Emerson Dorsch

She co-founded Miami alternative art space Dimensions Variable with Rodriguez-Casanova in 2009 and says her time with Oolite has made an impact on how she approaches her business, too.

We look to them as a visionary organization in the community. We have a lot of influences, and they are definitely a place that is inspiring, she says.

The title of the show speaks to what Trombly expresses about Oolite. Scholl explains that he wanted to come up with a name for the exhibition that would differentiate the group show from anything else the organization has done. And that led to the notion of Oolite putting artists at the center of its mission from Day One.

It always comes back to being there for them, Scholl says. It always is, and has been, about the artists.

William Osorios Mayabe, 1978, 2022, oil on canvas, is featured in Oolite Arts summer exhibition, It Was Always About You... William Osorio

If you go

WHAT: It Was Always About You

WHERE: 924 Gallery, Oolite Arts, 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

WHEN: Through Sunday, Sept. 17. Hours, daily, noon to 5 p.m.

COST: Free

INFORMATION: 305-674 -8278 or oolitearts.org

ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit source of dance, visual arts, music, and performing arts news. Sign up for our newsletter and never miss a story.
She took baby off ventilator and stabbed hospital staff stopping her, Florida cops say

A woman is accused of removing her infant from an intensive care unit at a Palm Beach County hospital Thursday night and then attacking workers trying to stop her from leaving with the baby.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office, Kendra Greene, 31, walked into the neonatal intensive care unit at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee around 10:30 p.m. and removed her 5-day-old baby from a ventilator.

When she was walking toward the exit, hospital workers tried to stop her from leaving, said Teri Barbera, a sheriffs office spokesperson. Greene pulled out a knife and injured three people with the weapon, Barbera said.

All three staff members received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and were discharged the same evening, Barbera said.

Greene left the hospital and dropped the baby off at a family members home and fled before deputies arrived, according to the sheriffs office.

Deputies found her a short time later and arrested her. As of Friday, Greene was in Palm Beach County jail on charges of cruelty toward a child, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, battery and resisting officers without violence.

Reports detailing Greenes motive for wanting to remove the child were not immediately available.
A sheep herder was seriously injured in a pre-dawn bear attack in southwest Colorado on Tuesday, authorities said.

The unidentified 35-year-old man was near a camp in the Weminuche Wilderness above Lemon Reservoir in San Juan National Forest early Tuesday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement Wednesday.

The man was working for the holder of a permit for a sheep grazing allotment, park officials said.

He was awakened by a disturbance between a black bear and his sheep about 1 a.m., park officials said.

The herder sustained bite wounds to his head as well as additional wounds to his left hand and arm, severe lacerations to his left hip area and scratches on his back, the statement said.

This is an unfortunate incident and we are thankful the victim was able to contact help to get emergency services deployed and that he was able to be extracted to receive necessary medical care, said Adrian Archuleta, the area wildlife manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Park officials said the herder fired a rifle at the bear before it attacked him.

After he was seriously injured, the herder crawled to his tent to contact his cousin. He was airlifted to Mercy Regional Medical Center.

Three wildlife officers arrived at the camp by 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and spotted a blood trail and the victim's rifle. They also collected multiple DNA samples from the scene, park officials said. There were also two dead sheep with wounds consistent with bear depredation," park officials said.

An agent with the U.S. Agriculture Departments Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was contacted. A team of dogs was used to search for the bear, park officials said, saying they were unsure whether the bear was hit by any rifle shots.

The dogs found a scent for a bear and followed it. A federal agent investigating the incident shot and killed the bear shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday, park officials said.

The incident was classified as an attack, and under agency policy the bear had to be euthanized, park officials said.

The 8-year-old male bear weighed about 250 pounds, park officials said.

Until the DNA results return from the lab, Archuleta said, its not 100% certain that the bear that was killed was the bear that attacked the herder.

But based on the information we have at this point, we feel confident that it is the offending bear, he said.

The bear had wounds on its chest. Investigators were unable to determine whether were from a gunshot fired by the herder, park officials said.

It was the first reported bear attack in Colorado this year, park officials said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
DOVER  Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave may have the right to remain silent while the New Hampshire attorney general investigates criminal allegations against him, but he has chosen to argue his case in the court of public opinion.

Brave was informed of the investigation on June 2, through a letter from Senior Assistant Attorney General Dan Jimenez, chief of the Public Integrity Unit. The criminal investigation into Brave's work as county sheriff is focused on alleged violations of state law, including theft, falsification of official matters and abuse of office.

Brave said Strafford County commissioners previously hired the consulting firm Municipal Resources Inc. to conduct a separate internal investigation into Brave's truthfulness regarding his whereabouts and actions when his wife was arrested for driving under the influence in December 2022. That report has not been made public and Foster's has not been able to independently verify Brave's statements regarding the findings of the report. Brave told Foster's he would be willing to share the report but, to date, his attorney has declined to do so.

Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave says he believes racism is behind the investigations he is facing.

In a prepared statement released July 7, the Strafford County commissioners accuse Brave of running a publicity campaign, releasing derogatory statements about the commission and the current investigation, which he has called "racially motivated." Brave is the first Black sheriff in New Hampshire. He was first elected in 2020.

Brave, who is a Democrat, as are all three county commissioners, said he believes information on the investigations was leaked intentionally, in an attempt to smear his name. He said he has no intention of staying quiet.

"I was originally going to let it go, let it run its course, because I know I did nothing wrong," Brave said. "I was not even informed about the investigations. I learned about it from one of my deputies. I called (Strafford County Commission Chairman) George Maglaras and he said  'I have no idea.' I know this started after my wife's driving under the influence arrest. The commissioners said I lied about where I was and if I was driving. Word got put out saying I was home with my kids. I called three people after this happened, after a Christmas party, my chief deputy, my major, and Eddie Edwards (of the state Department of Safety), who I have known for many years. I was in the car. I was intoxicated and was not going to drive. My wife thought she was OK to drive. She was wrong. I took no steps to alter the state police arrest in any way. My wife went to court, was fined, lost her license for a time. But this is where it started."

Brave said Maglaras has been saying he lied to him about the situation, and he denies that. He said because of the allegation of lying, the county began to move against him, recommending he be placed on the exculpatory evidence schedule, a list of New Hampshire law enforcement officers with credibility issues that must be disclosed in court cases in which they are involved. He said he is appealing that decision.

Brave pushes back. County commissioners respond with letter.

The allegations against Brave first surfaced in a Foster's news story after questions were raised about a nonpublic session held by the commissioners on June 8. Maglaras did not attend the meeting because he may be called as a material witness in the investigation, according to multiple sources, including County Attorney Tom Velardi. The other two commissioners, Deanna Rollo and Bob Watson, attended, as did Brave and Velardi.

A Right to Know law request by Foster's for the reason for that meeting was denied by the commissioners, but Brave talked about it openly with a Foster's reporter.

"I went to appeal the commissioners' attempt to have my name placed on the exculpatory evidence schedule," Brave said. "I had a received a letter from County Administrator Ray Bower telling me that was going to be their recommendation, based on allegations I lied about Jaime's (his wife's) situation."

A letter was forwarded to the attorney general's Public Integrity Unit in May, recommending Brave be placed on the exculpatory evidence schedule. County Attorney Tom Velardi wrote a letter to Brave in June, following the June 8 nonpublic session, where Brave appealed the recommendation. Velardi told Brave he failed to provide evidence to sustain his case for not being placed on the list, formerly called the Laurie List, and that the action would proceed.

Brave said the MRI report shows there was no evidence he made any attempt to exert control over the situation his wife was in following the DUI charge.

"I was told that the MRI report was to basically clear the air due to all the rumors circulating not only for social media, but also through individuals throughout the county and the state really regarding Jaimes DUI and my involvement," Brave said. "The commissioners had no right to launch this investigation against me. They are like sharks circling the waters now, looking for anything they can bring up. I am fighting this, and I will continue to do so. It is a blatant attack on my name and what I have done here."

The list of officers on the exculpatory evidence schedule has been posted online by the New Hampshire Department of Justice, as required by law since 2021. Brave is not yet on the public list but that doesn't mean he will not appear.

In the letter, commissioners confirm the criminal investigation by the attorney general's staff and allege Brave has made multiple public statements about a wholly separate matter involving an internal disciplinary review of a different incident, presumably his actions and statements related to his wife's DUI case.

The commissioners wrote that Brave made public comments about the MRI report that when taken out of context are helpful to himself but misleading to the public.

The commissioners say they are being discreet and allowing the confidential investigation to proceed. They invite Brave to do the same.

"The public should take our silence as an affirmation of our obligation to not disclose what would otherwise be confidential disciplinary records. It should also take our silence about the separate Attorney General criminal probe as our affirmation that the Sheriff is innocent until proven guilty, and thus there is no cause for us to make any comment while that criminal investigation is being conducted by the Attorney General. We would urge everyone to pause and not jump to conclusions about what the confidential disciplinary matter may have entailed. And we will join the public in awaiting the outcome of the Attorney Generals criminal investigation, an investigation over which we have no control or power to direct. We would invite Sheriff Brave to exercise the same professionalism and decorum that should be expected of an elected government official."

Brave continues working but said the commissioners are "messing" with his department. The commissioners have asked Brave to go on paid administrative leave during the investigation, but he has refused. Because he is an elected official, they cannot force him to go on leave.

"They are holding up checks," Brave said. "They tried to take away my department's motorcycle, after they approved the purchase. They are saying I am $140,000 over my budget which is not the truth. We had the Frisbie contract (for security at the hospital), and ICE contract (for transporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees). They say I am abusing the travel budget, also not true. I have $18,000 a year for travel in the budget and I have been using it to travel to other states where the sheriff's departments are more progressive than here, to learn how to better involve us in the community."

County Administrator Ray Bower provided to Foster's a printout of the sheriff's budget to date to support his contention Brave's department is spending in excess of its budget. He said it shows overspending in the first quarter of the year.

The document shows the total budget for the calendar year is $3,227,435. Bower said Brave's department expenditures were $960,323 in the first quarter of 2023 (through March 31), which he stated is about $140,965 over budget for the quarter. Bower said at the close the second quarter at the end of June, Brave's department spending was "a bit more than double what he was over in the first quarter."

Bower said Brave is responsible for the budget being balanced by year's end, adding that's difficult to achieve when being so far over budget halfway through the year.

Brave says racism is reason for investigations

Brave believes he is facing a racist attack.

"In New Hampshire, there is racism, a silent racism," Brave said. "I do not use my skin tone as a crutch, and I will work with anyone. I will not let racism dictate my role here, though.

Brave said the commissioners hate that he is trying to be progressive, that he works to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement.

"The commissioners like to do things behind the scenes, and they want our office to be only involved in transporting prisoners," Brave said. "They do not like that I want to make positive changes. The only thing I can see I have done wrong is to get elected, twice. I will run again in 2024, too, and keep working to make this department better, more involved."

He explained why he declined to go on leave during the investigation.

"I refuse to be used as a pawn," he said. "That is not how this works, so I will keep my head down, do my job and support my staff. They are very uncomfortable with all this, but they know I didn't do anything wrong."

Brave said Maglaras told him he was "the token Black guy .... but that my time was almost up. That was said behind closed doors in private, but it was said to me, and regardless, I know it was said to me."

Maglaras denied making the comment to Brave.

"The whole situation saddens me for our county," Maglaras said. "His claim of racism is ridiculous and are the actions of a desperate man."

Brave said the county commissioners were not happy when he was reelected in 2022 for a second two-year term.

"I know what direction I was going in after I was reelected, because the whole vibe of the chairman, the commissioners, and administrator changed," Brave said. "I also think they did not think I was going to be reelected successfully, but not only did the wonderful people of Strafford County re-elect me, but I was the top vote getter. I think that aggravated them even more or at least one of them. The remark was, 'Youre a token Black guy to these people and you were elected because of the climate because of what was going on in society at the time (George Floyd, COVID, etc.)"

Brave is still only one to discuss allegations AG is investigating

When Brave first spoke to Foster's about the attorney general's investigation in June, he said he has been accused of misusing county funds to pay for trips to Florida with a woman employed in his department. He said it was "implied" he and the woman were having an affair, and he was accused of spending county money to pay for her housing.

Brave denied all the allegations he stated are being investigated. He said trips are made to other departments "to gain fresh ideas  That is what this was."

Jimenez, of the attorney general's office, has declined to discuss specific allegations.

Prior to becoming sheriff, Brave, a Dover resident, was a lieutenant overseeing standards and training for the Strafford County sheriff's office.

Brave's attorney, Tim Harrington, of Shaheen and Gordon, previously released a statement: "Sheriff Brave is fully cooperating with the New Hampshire Attorney Generals Office investigation and he denies any allegation of wrongdoing."

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave fights criminal, internal probes
The 360 shows you diverse perspectives on the days top stories and debates.

Illustration by Alex Cochran for Yahoo News; photos: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Scott Olson/Getty Images, Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images

Whats happening

The United States agreed last week to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs to aid its counteroffensive against Russia, despite concerns from human rights groups and American allies about collateral damage the controversial weapons may cause.

President Biden told CNN that he made the difficult decision to add cluster bombs to the stockpiles being sent to Ukraine over fears that the countrys munitions were running low after intense fighting to hold off invading Russian forces for nearly a year and a half. The main thing is, they either have the weapons to stop the Russians now  or they dont. he said.

Cluster bombs or cluster munitions are a type of weapon that is designed to break apart in midair and a group of smaller bomblets then inflict broad damage on enemy targets over a wide area. More than 100 countries have banned the use of cluster weapons because they carry a high risk of civilian casualties both during a conflict and long after the fighting has ended. That list doesnt include the U.S., Russia or Ukraine, though the American military reportedly hasnt used cluster weapons since the early stages of the war in Iraq in 2003.

Because they spread explosives over an area that can be as large as  several football fields , cluster bombs are far less precise than traditional single-warhead weapons, creating risk for any civilians who may be nearby. But the main danger comes from the fact that the individual bomblets dont always explode when they reach the ground, meaning they pose fatal danger to anyone who may stumble upon them years or even decades into the future.

Its estimated that about 20,000 people in Laos  half of them children  have been killed over the past 50 years by dormant explosives left over from cluster bombs dropped by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. More than 25 countries are considered to be contaminated by unexploded cluster munitions from past conflicts, according to an international group seeking to ban the weapons worldwide.

Why theres debate

Bidens decision sparked strong criticism from some members of his own party , along with more measured pushback from some of Americas key allies, over fears that Ukraines use of cluster bombs in its own territory will cause unnecessary civilian deaths during the war and for years after its been resolved. Others make the case that none of the atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine, including extensive use of its own cluster bombs , vindicate abandoning our principles on the rules of war.

But supporters of the move say the Russian army poses far greater danger to the Ukrainian people than any cluster bombs ever could, especially since Ukraines leaders have pledged to use them judiciously and only in areas where theyre confident the risk to civilians will be low. Many add that the power to decide between the advantages and dangers of using cluster bombs should rest with Ukraine itself, not a foreign country that doesnt have direct involvement in the conflict.

Whats next

Biden said Friday that the U.S. will not be providing Ukraine with cluster bombs permanently, but only until the countrys stockpiles of traditional artillery can be replenished. He didnt provide a time frame for how long that may take.

Perspectives

SUPPORTERS

Ukraine should be trusted to use the bombs wisely

Russia, which has targeted civilians from the start of the war to terrorize the Ukrainian population into submission, sees the delayed carnage of cluster munitions as a feature, not a bug. Meanwhile, Ukraine has also used cluster munitions  not on Russian civilians, however, but on the hardened battlefield positions of the Russian invaders.  Jonah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times

Its different when cluster bombs are used for self-defense

Ukraine isnt seeking to use these bombs against civilians. It wants them because they are running out of other munitions and figures they can compensate for some of the advantage Russia still holds. The greater risk to Ukrainian civilians is from Russias invading army and indiscriminate weapons targeting. If you cant see a moral distinction between Russias aggression and Ukraines use of cluster bombs for defense, then you have the blurred vision.  Editorial, Wall Street Journal

Ukraine has earned the right to decide how to defend itself

Ukrainian officials understand the risks of using cluster munitions. But facing an existential threat from Russia, Kyiv believes the pros outweigh the cons. Washington should respect that decision.  John Hardie, Foreign Policy

The way to protect the Ukrainian people is to give them every weapon they need to stop Russia

Russia invaded Ukraine without provocation, and its forces are committing atrocities. The overriding human rights imperative is to liberate all of Ukrainian territory as quickly as possible and end the war. The only way to do that is to send Ukraine all of the weapons it needs.  Max Boot, Washington Post

CRITICS

The idea that cluster bombs can ever be used responsibly is a fantasy

In Ukraine, the civilians who would be at risk are the very people the Ukrainians are trying to protect. Any cleanup campaign would fall on Kyiv to undertake once the war is over. But no matter what promises Ukraine makes about how these weapons will be used, the use of cluster munitions in any theater isnt worth the price.  Hayes Brown, MSNBC

For all the danger they pose to civilians, cluster bombs may not make much of a difference in the war

The rain of bomblets may give Ukraine a military advantage in the short term, but it would not be decisive, and it would not outweigh the damage in suffering to civilians in Ukraine, now and likely for generations to come.  Editorial, New York Times

Russias abuses are no excuse for Ukraine to do the same

The idea that Russian war crimes excuse Ukrainian ones is laughable: Russias use of cluster bombs is abominable; its also not a reason to use cluster bombs on Russians.  Alex Shephard, New Republic

Other nations may now feel they have permission to use cluster bombs against their own enemies
(Bloomberg) -- Singapore said it arrested Transport Minister S. Iswaran and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng earlier this week in a graft probe that has challenged the city-states reputation for clean governance.

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Both were arrested on July 11 and subsequently released on bail, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said in a statement late Friday in response to queries by Bloomberg News. Their passports were impounded, but Ong was allowed to travel overseas on Friday after a request was approved.

The probe came to light earlier this week when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ordered Iswaran to go on leave. Billionaire Ong, the managing director of Hotel Properties Ltd., was asked to provide information on his interactions with Iswaran, according to a company statement to the Singapore stock exchange Friday.

While officials have yet to spell out the scope of their investigation, its the first time since 1986 that a Singapore graft probe has involved a senior minister. It comes at a particularly tricky time for the ruling Peoples Action Party, which has long championed its corruption-free image. The party has faced a series of controversies in recent months as it navigates a leadership transition and voter unhappiness over rising living costs.

When it comes to corruption, I think its a mother of all issues, said Bilveer Singh, deputy head of the department of political science at the National University of Singapore. The pressure on the prime minister to act and get to the bottom of it is so strong.

Singapore is preparing for a presidential election to be held by September, allowing its citizens to vote on a largely ceremonial role. A general election must be held by 2025. The ruling party, which has been in power since Singapores independence in 1965, is also laying the ground work for a new generation of leaders to take over. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is being primed to succeed Lee, who has been premier since 2004.

We will be upfront and transparent, Wong said in a Facebook post earlier this week. We will not sweep anything under the carpet, even if they are potentially embarrassing or damaging.

Iswaran and Ong would have interacted over the years as a matter of course, with the ministers roles in trade and transport intersecting with the property tycoon known for helping bring the Formula One Grand Prix to Singapore. Iswaran, 61, has long championed the Singapore F1 night race in his various capacities.

The corruption agency, which reports directly to the prime minister, hasnt specified what wrongdoing was involved. No charges have been filed, though Iswaran has been barred access to official resources and government buildings.

The countrys senior public officials are among the worlds best paid, a strategy Singapores political leaders say has helped to stave off corruption. Ministers earn about S$1.1 million ($822,000) a year, according to the Public Service Divisions website. The city-state is ranked as the fifth-least corrupt country in the world, according to the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.

Ong is cooperating with the CPIB and posted bail of S$100,000 ($76,000), his company said Friday. He was to travel from Friday and will surrender his passport to CPIB when he returns to Singapore, according to the statement, which didnt specify his exact whereabouts. Shares of Hotel Properties slumped as much as 7%, the largest intraday drop since March 2020, before closing 2.6% lower.

Subjects on bail can make requests to travel overseas, the CPIB said Friday.

CPIB will assess such requests on a case-by-case basis, it said. CPIB assessed and acceded to Ongs request to travel overseas while his bail quantum was increased, the agency said.

Read more: Singapore Minister Faces Most Serious Graft Probe Since 1986

Ong, the media-shy Malaysia-born businessman, was instrumental in bringing the Formula One Grand Prix to Singapore and is a key player in some of the islands most significant corporate moments. Last year, a consortium led by Ong and units of state investment firm Temasek Holdings Pte won a bidding war to buy the property assets of the citys main publisher. In 2003, Ong and tycoon Oei Hong Leong were engaged in a tussle over steel-miller NatSteel Ltd.

Ong is worth about $1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires index.

This isnt the first time Ong has been entangled in controversies surrounding politicians from Singapores ruling party. In 1996, Prime Minister Lee, then a deputy prime minister, and his father Lee Kuan Yew, were cleared in an inquiry over claims of impropriety related to discounted purchases of four high-end apartments developed by Hotel Properties.

Ongs business has a portfolio of nearly 40 hotels and resorts across 15 countries including the Four Seasons in Singapore and the Maldives, according to its website. It also builds luxury condominiums and owns malls.

Iswaran will remain in Singapore during his leave, according to a statement from the Prime Ministers Office.

The long-time PAP stalwart was elected as a member of parliament in 1997 and was appointed to the cabinet in 2006. As transport minister, his key focus is to rebuild Singapore as an air hub in the aftermath of the pandemic and boost the nation as a maritime center. Hes also Singapores minister-in-charge of trade relations.

--With assistance from Natalie Choy, Ishika Mookerjee, Philip J. Heijmans, Ranjeetha Pakiam, Joyce Koh, Low De Wei and Shamim Adam.

(Updates with arrests from first paragraph.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Singapore minister, tycoon arrested in rare high-level graft probe Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng walks out of Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau headquarters in Singapore

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -A Singapore government minister and a property tycoon were arrested this week, the anti-graft body said on Friday, without giving details of what prompted the rare high-level probe that has gripped the city state.

Transport Minister S. Iswaran and managing director of Hotel Properties Ong Beng Seng were arrested on Tuesday and subsequently released on bail, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in an emailed response to a Reuters query.

The CPIB said on Wednesday that it had launched an investigation into Iswaran.

The case is rare in Singapore, a top Asian financial hub that prides itself on a corruption-free government. Cabinet ministers are paid handsomely to discourage graft, with some ministers' annual salaries exceeding S$1 million ($758,000).

Ong is known for bringing Formula One races to the city-state and his company said he is cooperating with the anti-graft agency.

Iswaran's passport has been impounded, but the CPIB allowed Ong to travel out of Singapore on Friday.

"CPIB assessed and acceded to Ongs request to travel overseas. Ongs bail quantum was also increased to S$100,000. Upon his return, Ong is required to report to CPIB and surrender his passport to the bureau," said the anti-graft body.

The Singapore-listed Hotel Properties Ltd said in a statement no charges had been filed against Ong, adding that he was asked by the CPIB to provide information on his interactions with the transport minister.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday said he had instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until the investigations are completed.

The Prime Minister's Office said on Thursday that Iswaran was not allowed to leave Singapore during the investigation and he would have no access to any official resources or government buildings, local media reported.

The 79-year-old Ong's company has around 38 hotels and resorts operating under brands that include COMO, Four Seasons, Hard Rock Hotels and Concorde, according to the London Stock Exchange's Refinitiv Eikon.

Shares in Hotel Properties Ltd fell as much as 7% on the news and were last down 4.4%, heading for their worst session in more than two years.

Malaysia-born Ong and his wife, Christina, had a net worth of $1.75 billion in 2022, according to Forbes.

($1 = 1.3185 Singapore dollars)

(Reporting by Reuters staff and Xinghui Kok; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Martin Petty, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Nick Macfie)
Singapores Widening Corruption Probe: What You Need to Know

(Bloomberg) -- Singapore was rocked by news this week that a cabinet minister and a property tycoon were arrested in one of the most serious graft cases in nearly four decades.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The unraveling case involving Transport Minister S. Iswaran and Ong Beng Seng threatens to dent the image of a country that prides itself on probity and clean government. Singapore has always been among the 10 least-corrupt in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index since it began in 1995.

Singapores public officers are among the worlds best paid, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong earning a total compensation of about S$2.2 million ($1.7 million) yearly. Thats a strategy its political leaders say has kept corruption low.

The investigation is taking place as the Peoples Action Party that has ruled since the islands independence in 1965 navigates a succession plan. The PAP will need to ensure that any fallout from the probe is contained before a general election that must be called by November 2025.

Heres what we know about the case involving Iswaran and Ong:

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, which reports directly to the prime minister, was investigating an unrelated, separate matter and briefed the premier in May. There was no public complaint

The anti-graft director sought Lees concurrence on July 5 to open a formal probe that would involve interviewing Iswaran, among others. He gave the nod a day later and the formal investigation began July 11. The next day, Lee announced he had instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until investigations are done. He didnt provide more details

The anti-graft agency on July 12 pledged to uphold the rule of law and said it will investigate all cases without fear or favor

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in a Facebook post on July 12 vowed the government will be transparent and not sweep anything under the carpet, even if they are potentially embarrassing or damaging

Iswarans duties as a member of parliament in the West Coast Group Representation Constituency will be split with the other members in the five-seat district, Wong told local media

Iswaran will remain in the country and wont have access to official resources and government buildings while on his leave of absence

Two days after Lee announced Iswarans leave, the billionaire behind Hotel Properties Ltd. and credited for helping bring Formula One racing to the city-state  Ong  was issued a notice of arrest. No charges have been filed and he posted bail

Ong was asked to provide information on his interactions with Iswaran

Both Iswaran and Ong were arrested July 11 and released on bail, CPIB said late Friday

Heres a look at past controversies involving politicians from the PAP:

2023

July 11

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin apologized to an opposition member for using unparliamentary language. Tan said he was muttering to himself but his private thoughts were caught during a recording of the parliament hearing.

June

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam were cleared of wrongdoing by the anti-corruption bureau for their rental of colonial houses near a high-end lifestyle hub. Lee ordered the review after the opposition asked if the ministers had paid below-market rates.

2021

Balakrishnan apologized to an opposition member for his private comments in parliament. I disagree with him on the issue, but I should not have said what I said, the foreign minister wrote in a Facebook post.

2020

PAP election candidate Ivan Lim withdrew from the 2020 race ahead of Nomination Day following online allegations about his past conduct. Lim said the claims were baseless, The Straits Times reported.

2016

Member of Parliament David Ong resigned due to a personal indiscretion, according to The Straits Times. Residents in Ongs single-seat ward voted to stay with the PAP in the by-election.

2012

Michael Palmer resigned as Speaker of Parliament after admitting to an extramarital affair. His exit triggered a by-election in the single-seat district. The opposition Workers Party won in the four-cornered fight the year after.

1996

Lee Kuan Yew, the islands first prime minister, and his son Lee Hsien Loong, then-deputy prime minister, faced allegations of impropriety related to discounts on four luxury apartments developed by Ongs Hotel Properties. Then-prime minister Goh Chok Tong said the investigation was needed to protect the governments reputation. They were cleared in an inquiry.

1986

Then-Minister for National Development Teh Cheang Wan was investigated by the CPIB for accepting bribes. Teh denied receiving the money and died before he could be formally charged.

1975

Then-Minister of State for Environment Wee Toon Boon was sentenced to 18 months in jail for accepting a two-story house and land.

--With assistance from Shubhangi Goel.

(Adds arrests in first paragraph)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
On the first day after the NATO summit in Vilnius, Czechia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden joined the security guarantees for Ukraine proposed by the G7 countries.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly address

Details: Zelenskyy said that on Thursday 13 July, he held a meeting on military matters with the leaders of the Security Service of Ukraine and military and foreign intelligence (Defence Intelligence and the Foreign Intelligence Service), as well as a meeting with international relations experts on the outcome of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

The president said Ukraine had reached "good agreements with almost all its partners" at the Vilnius summit, and his team is already beginning to prepare for the next NATO summit in Washington.

Zelenskyy noted that the NATO-Ukraine Council "should work in a meaningful way", so Ukraine is drawing up proposals for its partners.

Quote: "We are continuing our very successful agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine on its way to NATO by preparing treaties with countries. Bilateral treaties.

Only a day after Vilnius, six countries have already joined the seven largest democracies of the world with which we agreed on security guarantees yesterday.

These are Czechia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. Thank you!

I am confident that the number of guarantors will increase. Ukraine and the United States will keep a list of the states that join our joint declaration with the G7 on security guarantees on the path to NATO."

Details: Zelenskyy said that ahead of the Washington summit, everything that was discussed in Vilnius should be worked out together with partners, as well as new joint positions that Ukraine and Ukrainian soldiers "definitely deserve".

The Ukrainian president also said that he had a conversation with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in which they talked about the Peace Formula and the Grain from Ukraine initiative.

Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine, not Russia, is its partners centre of attention now.

"And when we put an end to this war by establishing Russia's defeat, respect and attention to Ukraine will be established in history forever - for all future generations of our people. But this is being achieved now in the battles for Ukraine, in the offensives and in defence," he added.

Background: The G7 countries have prepared long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, which they call historic, and a step towards ending the current phase of the war.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
This SLO County beach is one of the best for skinny dipping in California, new list says

If you like to go for a naked swim, chances are you already know about San Luis Obispo Countys only nude beach, Pirates Cove.

Some more folks might soon be flocking to the spot to enjoy a tan-line-free experience: The beach was just named one of the best skinny dipping spots in California in an online ranking.

Pirates Cove ranked No. 9 out of a list of the 13 best places in California to ditch a swimsuit and enjoy the sun and waves, according to MyDatingAdviser.com.

Those 13 spots include an enticing mix of secluded beaches, natural hot springs and stunning lakes, according to the list.

MyDatingAdviser.com  a dating website that offers singles advice and reviews  analyzed more than 800 beaches across the United States, looking at beach quality, safety, weather and accommodations, to compile a comprehensive study of the countrys best skinny dipping spots.

In California, the best skinny dipping beach was College Cove in Trinidad, followed by Apple Valleys Deep Creek Hot Springs and La Jollas Blacks Beach.

Pirates Cove made the California list thanks to its secluded beach with a stunning view of the cliffs and ocean.

Other nearby beaches to make the list were Panther Beach in Big Sur (No. 12) and Gaviota State Park in Gaviota (No. 13).

To check out other skinny-dipping spots that made the list, visit mydatingadviser.com/nude-beaches-in-usa.
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty/Reuters

After months of carefully navigating a relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin during Russias war in Ukraine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be calling it quits.

In just the last week, Erdogan has dropped his opposition to Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a move that is sure to anger Putin, and announced his interest in reinvigorating Turkeys efforts to join the European Union.

He also hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul and helped return Azovstal Ukrainian fighters captured by Russia to Ukraine, reneging on an agreement between Ankara and Moscow to hold the men until the war was over.

The series of snubs to Putin in the last week come just days after Yevgeniy Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries launched a failed mutiny against the Kremlin. The insurrection flopped, but left Putins grip on power shaken and likely forced Erdogan to question his alignment with Putin and lean into his partnerships with the West as one of the biggest members of NATO.

Even for all of the work Erdogan has done to navigate his relationships with both Putin and Western nations during the war in Ukraine, Erdogan is likely looking for a way to diversify his allegiances after the failed coup, said Selim Kuneralp, a former Turkish ambassador to Sweden.

Putin Cheated by Erdogan RIGHT After Announcing Turkey Trip

Erdogan probably doesnt see that as a sign of strength for Putinmore like the opposite, Kuneralp told The Daily Beast. He thinks that after all, hes got everything that he could get out of Putin. Putin is in a rather weaker position than he used to be so hes perhaps not in a very good situation to provide material help to the Turkish economy and so on. So maybe hes looking elsewhere.

And while Turkish media touted last weeks diplomatic dance as a major win for Turkey, the calculations behind the scenes to support Sweden joining NATO likely arent so rosy.

The decision to pivot to the West may more likely be about optics and distancing from Putin than about securing concrete and immediate policy results.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan meet during the 6th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA), in Astana, Kazakhstan Oct. 13, 2022. Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik/Reuters

While Erdogan tied Turkeys efforts to join the EU to his support for Swedens NATO bid and secured some assurances from Sweden with respect to Turkeys EU bid, promised Swedish support alone will not give Turkeys EU process a significant boost.

Turkeys EU plans have fallen flat in recent years. Following an attempted coup on his grip on power in 2016, Erdogan cracked down with constitutional reforms, raising red flags on Turkeys human rights and legal track record and grinding the EU accession process to a halt. Germany and France have long eyed Turkeys interest in joining the EU with consternation, and there are a whole host of critiques Turkey has faced through the years, from questions of judicial independence to Erdogans purge of coup plotters.

Swedens agreement to push for Turkeys bid to join the EU isnt going to bring Turkey to the finish line, according to Marc Pierini, a former EU ambassador to Turkey. Swedens support for the process doesnt appear to go beyond the EU leaders June 30 agreement, which stated that examining options identified by the European Council for EU-Turkey relations should continue, and that EU-Turkey relations should proceed in a strategic manner.

The European Councils president, Charles Michel, summarized the current state of play for Turkeys bid to the EU earlier this week, noting he supports efforts to re-energize our relations and bring them to the forefront.

Erdogans decision to push Sweden on the EU process is likely more of a PR-stunt repeating old promises to rally domestic approval than it is a strategy to get major concessions from Sweden or roadblocks out of the way for joining the EU.

The last-minute addition of an EU concession was essentially an off-ramp to sell the decision to the Turkish audience, Pierini told The Daily Beast. Sweden is for nothing in this, it is simply a repetition of the June 30 conclusions.

Nothingburger

Swedens statements that it will support Turkeys bid means little to nothing, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat who previously served at the Turkish Permanent Delegation to the European Union.

Its absolutely nothing. Its totally window dressing, Ulgen told The Daily Beast. For those of us who know the dynamics and diplomacy around it, see this very clearly as an empty Swedish support to Turkey's new track... an empty promise.

European officials arent sold on linking Turkeys EU accession process to Swedens NATO process either.

You cannot link the two processes, European Commission spokesperson Dana Spinant said.

Similarly, Sweden has long been supportive of Turkeys efforts to join the EU, so the statement is all but a platitude, according to Kuneralp, who also previously served as head of the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the EU.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson shake hands next to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg prior to their meeting, on the eve of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania July 10, 2023. Henrik Montgomery/TT News Agency via Reuters

Sweden has traditionally supported Turkeys European Union interest so theres nothing very new in there, Kuneralp told The Daily Beast. And of course Sweden is only one of 27 countries in the European Union.

Swedens statements may be besides the point, especially since Turkey does not appear prepared to carve out changes that would help it join the EU, Kuneralp added.

There is no indication that President Erdogan plans to meet any of the conditions that European Union puts out, Kuneralp said.

Other promises Erdogan secured from Sweden this week likewise may not bring sweeping changes.

One of Turkeys major hang-ups in Sweden's bid to join NATO was that it claimed Sweden allowed members of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to operate freely. And although Erdogan received assurances that Stockholm would work on expanding its counter-terrorism cooperation, many of the negotiations with Sweden took place months ago.

Sweden previously amended its constitution and changed some of its counterterrorism laws in response to demands from Turkey that it help crack down on the PKK.

But even so, its possible that Sweden is not going to crack down in ways that are satisfying to Turkey. Many questions remain as to whether Swedens cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism will meet all of the hopes and dreams of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) in Turkey, which has been very focused on the terrorism issue, warned Ulgen.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a joint press conference on July 8, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Sweden will of course not do everything Turkey wants on counterterrorism, Ulgen said. Whatever Sweden does is going to be in conformity with the concept of Europes norms.

Already, MHP leadership has lambasted Erdogan for looking past Swedens approach to counterterrorism, claiming their objections to Sweden joining NATO were legitimate.

How will we come together with a country that embraces and tolerates terrorist organizations that directly threaten our national security, said Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the MHP.

The Kremlin hit back on Turkeys westward maneuvers this week, too. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, said Turkey shouldnt get its hopes up for joining the EU.

No one wants to see Turkey in Europe, I mean the Europeans. And here our Turkish partners should not wear rose-tinted spectacles, Peskov said.

But even though it looks like Erdogan is walking away from Sweden with just talking points, he has won out in other ways.

How Putin Walked Right Into an Election Sex Tape Scandal

Reading between the lines, its clear that Putin is going to continue trying to lean on Erdogan, who now has gained a little extra boost to his leverage over Putin in the last several days, said Ulgen.

The asymmetry moved to Erdogans advantage, because now Putin needs Erdogan much more so than in the past in the sense that Turkey is the only NATO country that has this high-level political dialogue with Russia. Turkey is the only NATO country not to impose sanctions on Russia. Turkeys the only NATO country that has kept its air corridor open to Russia, Ulgen said. Maintaining that access to the Western worldto Turkeyis vital for the Russian leadership, and this is what allows Erdogan to act in a way that he couldnt before.

What Erdogan really wantsF-16 jets from the United Statesstill appears to hang in the balance.

Jake Sullivan, President Joe Bidens national security adviser, indicated on Tuesday that the Biden administration will be moving forward with the transfer of F-16s, albeit pending approval from Congress.

President Biden has been clear and unequivocal for months that hes supported the transfer of F-16s to Turkey, Sullivan told reporters. He has placed no caveats... He intends to move forward with that transfer.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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My son is gone. Family members grieve the loss of Elk Grove teen slain on 4th of July

Melody Davis woke up on the morning of July 4 and wanted to make her son quiche, his favorite breakfast.

It was late morning and he was in a rush. She told him it wouldnt take long.

Mom, Ill be back in a few minutes, he said. I love you, just put my food to the side. At around 11 a.m., he left.

He did not return.

A little more than an hour later, Davis received a call informing her he was shot at an apartment complex in south Sacramento and pronounced dead at the scene. Two teenagers were arrested July 9 in connection to the shooting, according to The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office.

His name was Mactavious Garren.

Garren was 19, having celebrated his birthday in March. He was born in Colorado and lived there with Davis until he was 6. They moved to Elk Grove in 2013 and have lived there for the past decade.

He was looking forward to celebrating Independence Day, his favorite holiday.

It was his favorite holiday not because of the fun, but also because his grandfathers birthday is on July 1 . His best memories were spending time with grandpa celebrating his birthday on the holiday. Last week, about a hundred people gathered for a vigil in an Elk Grove park to remember him; a celebration of life will be held Saturday.

His mother said the past week has been torture. She cant sleep without thinking of him.

Her voice cracks talking about him and she is moved to tears.

When I sleep, all I think about is him and what it looked like when he was (lying there) passing away, she said. Or what he was thinking about when it happened, or if he was calling out for me.

And then she wept.

Shes lost one of her four boys.

My beautiful son, Davis said. When I say beautiful, thats inside and out. You know, Im just waiting for him to come to the top of the stairs and be like mom and do his weird little dance, and then ask me what do you need? I know youre going to ask for something. You know? And its never going to happen.

Somebodys son

Vanessa Fulcher is Davis sister. She said the grief is still raw.

Fulcher has three daughters who were close to their cousins, Davis four sons. Soemtimes Davis and Fulcher were pregnant at the same time.

Growing up, their kids were always together. They were all best friends.

Theyre trying to adjust to the loss. She remembered how she recently acted as if he were still alive.

Mactavious Garrens older brother, Damacio, embraces their aunt, Vanessa Fulcher, during a vigil in Elk Grove on July 6for the 19-year-old who was killed in a shooting on the Fourth of July in south Sacramento.

Were used to them all being around, Fulcher said. I was holding a blanket and the girls were downstairs and his brothers were downstairs and I said Wheres Mac?

One of her daughters gave her a blank stare.

What mom?

Fulcher repeated, Wheres Mac?

Her daughter responded emphatically.

Mom!

Fulcher took a moment to absorb her daughters response and remember he was gone . She sobbed.

People dont understand when they do this, theyre killing somebodys son, somebodys best friend, somebodys cousin, she said. You know, somebodys someone. The pain is deeper than just the parents or the siblings, its everyone that they touched.

Two arrested, and the gang questions

Davis arrived at the scene in south Sacramento about 20 minutes after her son was shot and killed.

His body was laid out in the sun with a sheet covering it.

None of her family members were familiar with the apartment complex. Fulcher said they had never seen it before.

Davis and her family did not know what transpired except for the obvious, that her son was dead. They spent nearly five hours there trying to get answers.

Another person was taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to family members. That is Garrens cousin, who is 18.

The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office told The Bee on Wednesday that two teenagers, 15 and 17, were arrested in connection with the shooting.

Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office, said a gun transaction led to the shooting.

Its a gun deal that went awry, Gandhi said. I wont get into two specifics. That will come out during court testimony. Ill confirm that it was a gun deal that went awry and thats when we believe the 15-year-old shot both victims, Gandhi said.

The 15-year-old was charged with murder; the 17-year-old was charged with robbery.

Adjusting to the loss

Every day she copes with his death, realizing she never thought that she would be one to have other people pray for her because she lost a child or loved one to gun violence.

My son is gone, Davis said. These heinous crimes that happen to our youth, especially our urban youth, theyre consistent. Theyre not sporadic, theyre consistent.

She said her heart goes out to the mother of her sons killer.

Theyre going to lose a child and that mom is going to go through pain, Davis said. She didnt pull the trigger and kill my son, her child did, and now her child will be taken. It doesnt bring me peace that theyre arrested. But justice has to be done because they cant just get away with it.

The only peace Davis has now, she said, is that she has family with her through these troubled times.

It hurts my heart, but that mom is going to have to hurt, Davis said. Its a vicious cycle. Theres nobody that wins in this.

Melody Davis, mother of slain 19-year-old Mactavious Garren, is joined by Sacramento activist and organizer Berry Accius in raising a candle in honor of her son at his vigil on July 6 at Bartholomew Sports Park in Elk Grove. Ive seen too many mothers broken like this, Accius said. Her baby was loved and her babys death will not be forgotten  and it will not be unchallenged, he added. Garren was killed and his cousin injured July 4 in a shooting at an apartment complex in south Sacramento.

Remembering Mactavious

Davis described her son as a fun and energetic person.

He was always respectful, she said. Davis said he always told everyone he loved them whenever he left them.

His aunt described him always having an extra pep to his step, almost as if he was skipping, but too cool to skip.

Remembering the joy of him, Fulcher said. He was just always in a good mood and a very chipper person. His memory is what brings me peace, my memories I have (of him).

He loved to dance. He loved to make people laugh. He would entertain people, if not when you were with him then definitely on his TikTok social media page.

Thank you for 5k! I love all of yall!, read the bio on Garrens TikTok.

He liked to stay active hanging out with friends outside, going for walks, and he even started learning to ride a moped.

He wanted to pursue music before he died. He aspired to be a rapper. So much so that he would ask friends, and sometimes random people, to freestyle with him.

A GoFundMe account was created with a goal to raise $12,000 to pay for funeral services. It has raised more than $8,000.

Garrens celebration of life will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 15 at 1442 Del Paso Blvd.

He leaves behind his family members, friends and his dog Precious.
SC hospital chain to lay off nearly 700, report says. But they may be hired by new company

South Carolinas largest hospital chain, Prisma Health, will lay off almost 700 people at the end of August as it partners with a company to provide environmental services, according to Prisma and a state filing.

The affected employees will be eligible for employment with the Compass One Healthcare, the new cleaning company, according to Prisma. No positions will be eliminated as part of the transition from Prisma Health to Compass One, the hospital system said.

A press release states 550 positions will be affected by that change, but the state report lists 689 layoffs. The State has asked Prisma for information on the discrepancy.

The affected employees were notified of the layoffs Thursday, according to the state notice, filed with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. Federal rules mandate that companies report when they plan to have mass layoffs.

Employees that currently provide cleaning services for Prisma will be given an opportunity to become part of the Compass One team if they are interested, the release reads.

The change will affect 266 people in Richland County and 265 people in Greenville County. Prisma employees in Sumter (61), Oconee (41), Pickens (33), and Laurens (23) counties will also be affected. The layoffs take effect by August 31.

Compass One is a Pennsylvania-based healthcare support company. In addition to cleaning services, the company also contracts with hospitals to provide patient transport, nutrition and other services.

Prisma Health has existed since 2018, when Greenville Health System merged with Palmetto Health. The hospital system has nearly 30,000 employees across South Carolina.

The company had major layoffs in Jan. 2020 as well, when it laid off more than 300 people  just before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, center, speaks to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, unseen, during Indonesia-U.S. Ministerial Strategic Dialogue on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, Pool)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Southeast Asian foreign ministers renewed their alarm over  and condemnation of  air strikes, artillery shelling, and other acts of deadly violence in Myanmar, but struggled Friday to overcome differences on how to address the prolonged civil strife.

The Myanmar crisis was high on the agenda when top diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Tuesday and Wednesday in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. The 10-nation bloc includes Myanmar, but its foreign minister was again barred from attending this weeks meetings due to the military governments failure to comply with a five-point emergency plan drafted to ease the violence.

ASEAN has been trying to enforce the plan it forged with Myanmars top general in 2021, which calls for an immediate end to the violence, the start of talks brokered by a special envoy among contending parties, and the delivery of aid to displaced villagers.

But Myanmars military government has done little to enforce the plan, prompting ASEAN to ban its representatives from top-level meetings.

Nearly 3,000 people have been killed by the military government since it took power and more than 23,700 have been arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a non-governmental organization that tracks killings and arrests.

On Wednesday, Thailands foreign minister Don Pramudwinai told ASEAN counterparts that he met with ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi in detention over the weekend and that she encouraged dialogue to resolve the crisis gripping her nation.

Don is the only government official outside of Myanmar known to have met with Suu Kyi since she was detained along with other officials when the army seized power from her elected government on Feb. 1, 2021. He said Myanmars military government authorized his rare meeting with the democracy icon.

ASEAN, however, did not authorize it. The regional bloc has been careful in taking steps that could be perceived as a recognition of the military government, which has been sanctioned by Western and European governments.

Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia are known to have taken a strong stand against any engagement that could be perceived as recognizing Myanmars top generals as legitimate leaders. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, host of this weeks summit, has refused to comment on Dons meeting with Suu Kyi. Instead, she underscored that the regional group was still pursuing ASEANs emergency plan focused on encouraging peace dialogues to try to resolve the Myanmar crisis.

However, a joint communique issued by the ministers Friday said that a number of ASEAN member states viewed as a positive development the initiative by Thailand, without elaborating or specifying which states were in support.

An escalation of the crisis could drive large numbers of refugees from Myanmar to neighboring Thailand. In a news briefing Thursday, Don said his country has to take urgent steps to help resolve the crisis.

This is our own initiative. Why? Because we have a long border with Myanmar, 2,400 (kilometers, or 1,500 miles) and things happen everyday, Don said. Like Indonesia, you are far away from Myanmar. You dont know what is happening.

"We are affected, India is affected, countries bordering Myanmar are all affected, he said.

Marsudi underscored the more than 110 engagements Indonesia, as ASEANs leader this year, has initiated with rival groups in Myanmar to build trust and confidence that she said could lead to easing tensions and violent confrontations.

"We strongly condemned the continued acts of violence, including air strikes, artillery shelling, and destruction of public facilities, the ASEAN foreign ministers said in their communique.

They called on allied nations and groups, including the United Nations and countries neighboring Myanmar, to work with ASEAN to enforce the emergency peace plan  and for additional support from the international community for humanitarian assistance.

The communique commended ASEAN's humanitarian assistance center for delivering aid this month to 400 households of displaced people in Hsihseng Township, located in south Shan state. It also called on Myanmar to ensure the assistance can safely reach the estimated 1.1 million people who are displaced within the country.

In May, a convoy delivering aid to displaced villagers and carrying Indonesian and Singaporean diplomats came under fire in east Shan state. A security team with the convoy returned fire and a vehicle was damaged, but there were no injuries, state-run television MRTV reported.

In a meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Washington provided over $74 million in additional humanitarian relief to the region Thursday, including nearly $61 million to support ethnic Rohingya displaced by the ongoing violence in Myanmar.

We must press the military regime to stop the violence, to implement ASEAN's five-point consensus, to support a return to democratic governance, Blinken said in his opening remarks.

Indonesia bilaterally delivered assistance totaling 45 tons in June, with a value of more than half a million dollars, in the form of ready-to-eat food and relief supplies for those hit by Cyclone Mocha in May  especially in Rakhine State where there is also a need for vaccines, particularly for children, Marsudi said in a news conference last week.

All parties must be committed to helping distribute humanitarian aid with the principle of no one left behind and not politicizing humanitarian assistance, Marsudi said.

___

Associated Press journalists Edna Tarigan, Andi Jatmiko and Dita Alangkara contributed to this report.

___

Find more of APs Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
Trump Classified Documents (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The special counsel investigating former president Donald Trump threatened potential criminal charges against a Trump Organization employee suspected of lying to investigators, according to sources of ABC News.

Jack Smith transmitted a letter to a staffer that indicated that he might have perjured himself in an appearance before the federal grand jury that ultimately indicted Mr Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents, the sources said to ABC.

The letter appears to signal Mr Smiths interest in the Trump Organizations handling of surveillance footage and efforts of the organization to avoid sharing footage with investigators.

The former president pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to his handling of classified documents from his presidency. Prosecutors allege that Mr Trump repeatedly refused to turn over hundreds of documents that contained classified information ranging from US nuclear threats to the countrys defence capabilities.

The letter informed the employee that they face the prospect of an indictment. Mr Smiths office had previously sent a similar warning to Mr Trump in the weeks before a grand jury indicted the former president.

The employee declined to comment to ABC News, saying It's none of your business, as did Stanley Woodward, a lawyer who represented the employee. Investigators are reportedly looking into the employees role in handling surveillance footage at Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate, as well as any interactions he had with Walt Nauta, another employee of Mr Trump whom a grand jury indicted last month.

Mr Nauta also plead not guilty to all the charges leveled at him.

But sources said that the special counsel is not taking the position that anyone destroyed the surveillance footage but rather say that it was withheld.

Mr Smith is in charge of not only the investigation into Mr Trumps handling of classified documents after leaving office but also his actions related to the January 6 insurrection.
Special counsel Jack Smith is opposing former President Donald Trumps request to delay the trial over his alleged mishandling of classified documents until after the 2024 election.

In a court filing Thursday, the special counsel's legal team rejected the defendants argument that a fair trial couldnt be convened ahead of the presidential election. Prosecutors cited the Speedy Trial Act of 1974, which says judicial officers should set trials "at the earliest practicable time," with allowances for only limited delays in limited circumstances.

"The Defendants chide the Government for seeking an 'expedited' trial but in doing so they have it exactly backward," assistant special counsel David Harbach wrote. "A speedy trial is a foundational requirement of the Constitution and the United States Code, not a Government preference that must be justified."

Lawyers for Trump and co-defendant Walt Nauta had said in a filing this week that starting the trial in December  the timeline sought by the special counsel  would be unreasonable, telling, and ... result in a miscarriage of justice.

Harbach disputed that characterization Thursday, writing: There is no basis in law or fact for proceeding in such an indeterminate and open-ended fashion, and the Defendants provide none."

He instead urged U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, to set the trial date for December.

Prosecutors from Smiths office last month requested that Trumps criminal trial be delayed until Dec. 11. Cannon had initially set a trial date for Aug. 14.

Trump was indicted last month on seven criminal charges alleging that he mishandled more than 100 classified documents that were uncovered last year at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

He faces 37 counts tied to allegations that he willfully retained national defense information, conspired to obstruct justice and made false statements. Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty.

A Trump spokesman responded to the special counsel's filing by accusing Smith, the Justice Department and the FBI of election interference.

He said that the case "should never reach trial" and that it should be dismissed based on the Presidential Records Act and other cases, which Trump and his lawyers have portrayed as key to their defense.

The special counsels office argued in Thursdays filing that such a defense borders on frivolous and does not merit the delay of court proceedings.

As for the impact of the Presidential Records Act on this prosecution, any argument that it mandates dismissal of the Indictment or forms a defense to the charges here borders on frivolous, Harbach wrote, adding that the Presidential Records Acts is not a criminal statute, and in no way purports to address the retention of national security information.

The Defendants are, of course, free to make whatever arguments they like for dismissal of the Indictment, and the Government will respond promptly, Harbach wrote. But they should not be permitted to gesture at a baseless legal argument, call it novel, and then claim that the Court will require an indefinite continuance in order to resolve it.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Harrison County Supervisor Kent Jones will be able to keep the liability bond he needs to serve in office, ending the threat that District 4 will lose its elected representative.

Zurich Surety notified the county by letter on Thursday that it has canceled termination of Jones bond, which was set to take effect in late July. The letter did not offer an explanation. Instead, it said the $100,000 bond would remain in effect.

Each of the five supervisors has a bond to protect taxpayers from liability.

Zurich had previously notified the county that it would be canceling Jones bond over an auditors investigation that ended with Auditor Shad White demanding that Jones repay $37,095.28.

The total includes $20,705.03 that Jones allegedly spent to furnish and live in a press box above the concession stand at Amos Crouch ball park in District 4. The rest of the total includes the auditors investigative costs and interest.

Harrison County referred questions to Jones attorney. But neither Jones nor the attorney returned telephone calls to explain why the bond cancellation was rescinded. Zurich Surety did not respond to an email from the Sun Herald.

Jones has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime.

While he has not talked with the Sun Herald, Jones had posted public comments about the auditors investigation and reinstatement of his bond.

He wrote, in part, in a public post on Thursday:  . . . My BOND has been secured & effective immediately to continue holding office the same as all other supervisors  Without your support, and the grace of God, this step would have been far more difficult.

Comments on his posts have been positive. Commenters say they are praying for him, appreciate his work as a supervisor and hope he will stay strong.
The state will launch a formal investigation into Florida Atlantic Universitys presidential search, rejecting the universitys request to end the matter quickly and increasing speculation that the ultimate goal is to place a political ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis into the role.

The inspector general for the Board of Governors, the policy-making body for the states public universities, will conduct a formal investigation into anomalies in FAUs presidential search, System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues wrote in a letter this week to Brad Levine, who chairs the FAU search firm and Board of Trustees.

The investigation will be thorough, fair, and a determination will not be reached in haste, Rodrigues wrote to Levine. The search process will remain suspended until the conclusion of our investigation. We look forward to your continued cooperation and engagement in this matter.

The letter is dated Tuesday but FAU received it Wednesday, said university spokeswoman Lisa Metcalf, who provided it to the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday afternoon.

FAU was set to hold public forums for the three finalists this week until Rodrigues sent a letter Friday afternoon asking it to be paused, citing two concerns. Rodrigues questioned a search committees use of secret ballots in the first round of narrowing candidates as well as a search firms voluntary questionnaire that asked about applicants sexual orientation and gender identity.

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In letters sent Saturday and Monday to Rodrigues, Levine argued that the committees votes were legal and even supported by FAUs lawyer and a member of the Board of Governors who sat on the search committee.

Levines letter also said the search committee had no knowledge that their hired firm, AGB Search, conducted a survey with LGBTQ-related questions on them.

Levine said the questions were optional and asked anonymously for the firms internal purposes after applications were submitted. Similar demographic surveys were conducted in other recent state university searches, Levine wrote.

With respect to a candidate being asked if they were queer, you acknowledge that FAU learned, for the first time, that AGB Search sent [such] a questionnaire to the candidates for research purposes, and was not authorized to do so by FAU. You agreed that such a questionnaire is [un]warranted for a State University search in Florida, Rodrigues wrote.

Critics, including FAU faculty, Democratic politicians and a major donor, are blasting the decision to delay the search, questioning whether the states ultimate desire is to give the job to Randy Fine, a socially conservative Republican legislator from Palm Bay whom the DeSantis administration supported for the job.

Fine is a former casino gambling executive with an MBA from Harvard.

Giving the job to Fine would fit a recent pattern of DeSantis allies getting lucrative higher education jobs, as the governor looks to make universities less woke by banning the use of state dollars for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, critics say.

In March, a board made of DeSantis appointees fired the president of the traditionally liberal New College of Florida in Sarasota and replaced her with Richard Corcoran, a former House Speaker who DeSantis previously tapped to serve as state education commissioner. Last month, State Rep. Fred Hawkins, another DeSantis ally, was named president of South Florida State College in Avon Park.

Of course, the whole process has been politicized. Of course, its going to be a return of New College. Of course, DeSantis is going to get what he wants because that is whats been happening, predicted State Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-West Boca. FAU is trying to do the right thing, but I feel strongly they will acquiesce to the pressure and they will appoint Randy Fine. I have no doubt at some point that will happen.

State Sen. Lori Bermans south Palm Beach County district includes FAU. She said shes extremely upset that the search was suspended.

I have to question if theres a political motive, given we know the search was done in a proper manner, she said. FAU is becoming a top university. They got three excellent candidates. We should continue to move forward with those candidates.

The FAU search committee selected as the three finalists Vice Admiral Sean Buck, superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy; Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business at Florida State University; and Jose Sartarelli, former Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Philanthropist Dick Schmidt, whose family has donated more than $47 million to FAU, served on the search committee. In a Sun Sentinel opinion piece, he voiced alarm at what he sees as political interference by the state.

I feel personally outraged and slandered by the implications of the chancellors letter on me and my colleagues, for what appears to be an attempt to unwind our successful, hard work and reopen a search for a candidate more to the liking of certain politicians, he wrote.

Fine told the Sun Sentinel in March he was seriously considering the job. And DeSantis office in late March backed the idea of Fine becoming the next FAU president: Rep. Fine has been a leader on education issues, and we think hed be a good candidate for the role, Communications Director Taryn Fenske said at the time.

FAU wont confirm that Fine actually applied, citing a state law that keeps secret the names of applicants who dont advance to the final three. Several members of the search committee said they had to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Fine has said three times in the past two weeks, including Thursday, that he refuses to talk to the Sun Sentinel.

The Board of Governors will not have a further comment until the investigation concludes. However long that takes, spokeswoman Renee Fargason said Thursday afternoon.

Some lawyers say the issues raised by the chancellor are legitimate and should be investigated.

For me, its about the process. Did you follow the process? asked Kevin Tynan, a Republican who DeSantis appointed last year for a brief stint on the Broward School Board. If theres a question, you take a step back and do it right.

Will Spicola, a Tallahassee attorney who specializes in constitutional law, said the issues raised related to an initial vote tally are troublesome. Although a law passed last year now requires search committee meetings to be held behind closed doors, meeting records should still reflect how search committee members vote, he said.

Everyone still has to be accountable, he said.

He said he believes the meetings may need to be held over again, which is similar to how meetings that are required to be held in the open are cured.

Bill Trapani, a professor at FAU who applied for the presidency job as a way to voice concerns about Fine, said he questions the states motives in suspending the search. He said the application deadline was May 16 and the closed-door meeting was May 19, but no concerns about the process were raised until after it was announced that Fine didnt make the final cut.

I think it will be a protracted investigation long enough for the candidates who have been identified to move on or find this so distasteful for an experience they withdraw, he said. These candidates have no idea if they will be getting calls to be in a public forum next week, next month, next year or never.

The Sun Sentinel contacted the three finalists Thursday and was able to reach Buck and Sartarelli, who both said they are staying in for now. Hartline could not be reached for comment.

Buck said hes scheduled to retire from the U.S. Navy in early September.

As for my intention, Im still proud to be one of those three, he said. Im sticking around. Im still serving in active duty and not going anywhere until the first of September.
SEBASTIAN  He treated everybody the same. Friends and family of Steven Lulich, a longtime attorney in the Sebastian area, remember him for the care and attention he had with his clients.

"It's not like he would treat the CEO of some company any better than somebody in the Bahamas who just lost their house," said his son Jordan Lulich, an attorney with his father in the firm Lulich & Attorneys. "I think he was able to carry a very genuine love for people and for helping people through all of his outreach and nonprofit efforts."

Steven Lulich lived in Sebastian and made a mark in real estate, law and community service. He died after having an acute cardiac event while driving his vehicle on I95 in Martin County June 27, according to an announcement from his law firm.

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Steven Lulich, 71, died June 27 after he had an acute cardiac event while driving on Interstate 95 in Martin County, according to an announcement from his law firm. He left a wife, brother, three children and three grandchildren.

Since 1985, he lived in Sebastian and made a mark in real estate, law and community service.

He started Lulich & Attorneys over 35 years ago and had two offices, one in Sebastian and one in Vero Beach, serving clients in the areas of real estate, business law, estate planning and personal injury.

His service extended far beyond his work as a lawyer. He was a jack-of-all-trades when it came to community service.

He dedicated much of his time to local nonprofits and to charity work as far as the Bahamas.

When Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas and parts of Florida, Steven and his son formed a nonprofit to take goods to the islands.

"Him and I went down to the Bahamas together to help carry goods down there and pass them out to the locals and the churches because they were just decimated from the storm," Jordan Lulich said. "Whether it be that, or an event that we hosted through the law firm, or his involvement in the Sebastian chamber, or contributing to the scholarship fund of the Italian American club, I think there was really a multitude of ways that he gave back ..."

Those closest to him saw his dedication to the Sebastian community every day. That level of care and attention extended to his clients.

"I would say through advising clients, there was just a genuine care for people," Jordan Lulich said. "He would take a pro bono case or he would offer his time and just meet with someone for free. He became invested in people where not only did he help them with a specific transaction, but he became the family attorney for that person."

Jim Parla, a friend of Lulich, said he first heard of the lawyer through his parents, who hired him as an attorney.

Lulich was their go-to person to navigate through complicated documents and legal matters.

"So, anytime anything ever came up, and I would say 'Hey, Mom, you know I can help you out with that ... (she said) 'nah, nah, I'll call Lulich.' "

Friendships would grow from much of his professional work.

Eugene Popow, of Sebastian, said he worked in real estate with Steven Lulich and would always look forward to their hangouts together.

"He was always very outgoing. Easy laugh, loved to dance," Popow said. "... (his death) was really, really a shock."

Lulich helped Popow with legal work, but the fun they had together is what sticks with him.

Sometimes it would be in unexpected places.

"We met him and his wife in Delray, and we were walking around the various restaurants and lounges and it was late at night and all of a sudden the four of us started dancing on the railroad tracks," Popow said. "I don't know why, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. And that's a memory that I've always kept with him."

And that friendship is what he'll cherish the most.

"In terms of the community, of course, he was very active and will be missed, but you know what? I miss him mostly from a personal standpoint," Popow said. "I mean I can always get another lawye,r but a friend is hard to find."

Lulich's family asks donations in Steven Lulich's memory be made online to The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, or to the foundation by mail: 11901 Santa Monica Blvd. No. 410, Los Angeles, CA 90025

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Mauricio La Plante is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow him on Twitter @mslaplantenews or email him at mauricio.laplante@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: steven lulich attorney sebastian remembered after death
The stricken fast-attack submarine Connecticut has returned to its Puget Sound Naval Shipyard dry dock in Washington state following construction work the Navy says will ensure the dock can better withstand a potential catastrophic earthquake.

Connecticut grounded during a mission in the West Pacific in October 2021, prompting a raft of reforms in the submarine community.

The stealthy and pricey Seawolf-class sub, one of just three, returned to the yards Dry Dock 5 on July 12 to continue repairs, with the boat expected to return to service in early 2026, according to Navy officials.

The Navy suspended submarine maintenance work at the four dry docks of the Puget Sound yard in January over concerns about whether they would hold up against a big earthquake, which could happen at any time due to a massive tectonic fault line off the Pacific Northwest coast.

Officials earlier this year emphasized that there was no immediate risk and that the work was largely preventative.

US Navy suspends work at four West Coast dry docks over seismic risks

Work done on Dry Docks 4 and 5 involved installing anchors inside the dock walls that will enhance structural integrity and ensure the safety of personnel, the submarines and the outside environment, while providing better early warning systems for dock workers, according to the Navy.

Seismic work continues on the Trident Refit Facility Delta Pier at the nearby Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, which maintains U.S. Pacific Fleets ballistic missile submarines.

Officials determined seismic mitigation work was not required for Dry Dock 6 at the Puget Sound yard because of future planned improvements and the fact that the dock focuses on ships and aircraft carriers.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is the primary location for attack submarine and aircraft carrier maintenance on the West Coast.

Before the submarine Connecticut and its crew collided with an undersea mountain last fall, red flags abounded

The Navy routinely conducts seismic risk assessments on all ashore facilities in earthquake-prone areas. The service has previously performed several of these assessments at Puget Sound and took corrective actions based on the results.

This time, however, more modern scientific techniques and technologies cued the Navy to concerns of which they were previously unaware. So-called Level 1 and Level 2 seismic events could potentially cause dry dock structural failures that pose a risk to our sailors and workforce and damage to our submarines, an official explained in January.

Defense News reporter Megan Eckstein contributed to this report.
On Thursday, leaders at the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced that the group was going on strike after negotiations with Hollywood studios fell apart. According to the Alliance of Motion Picture of Television Producers, the rejected deal included a "groundbreaking AI proposal" that would "protect performers' digital likenesses." The AMPTP said the AI deal would require a performers consent for the "creation and use of digital replicas or for digital alterations of a performance." SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland suggested during a press conference that the proposal was just the opposite.

Crabtree-Ireland described the would-be AI proposal as a backdoor means for studios to gain perpetual rights to an actor's likeness. "In that 'groundbreaking AI proposal,' they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and the company should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," the National Executive Director claimed in response to a question about the negotiations. "So, if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

Although the studios AI proposal isn't the sole reason that the union voted to strike, its a good example of the kind of industry changes SAG-AFTRA hope to address with the strike. In recent years, studios have used technology to de-age, resurrect and at times fully replace actors. How the industry handles the rights to a performer's likeness could very well develop into a key issue in the near future.

"Actors deserve a contract that reflects the changes that have taken place in the industry," Crabtree-Ireland said at the press conference announcing the strike. "The current model devalues our members and affects their ability to make ends meet."

Either way, the strike itself is making history. SAG-AFTRA members will be joining the Writers Guild of America in striking. The two groups have not held a strike at the same time since the 1960s.
By Maggie Fick

LONDON (Reuters) - Soaring U.S. demand for Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug has reduced the pressure from investors on the company to deliver strong results in its trial to test whether the drug also has medical benefits, eight investors and analysts say.

Novo is expected to publish in August the results of a large study called SELECT, which is assessing whether Wegovy reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events like strokes or heart attacks in overweight or obese people with a history of heart disease.

Investors had been banking on the study results being the next big driver of the company's shares. Showing a clear medical benefit could help convince cost-conscious European governments and health insurers to pay for the treatment.

But with demand from Americans seeking to lose weight outstripping supply for now, they say the results are less relevant in the short term.

Novo's shares have soared nearly 120% since Wegovy's U.S. launch two years ago. The Danish drugmaker overtook Nestle in March to become Europe's second-most valuable listed company after LVMH.

Brokerage Berenberg on Thursday published a poll of investors showing the trial may not need to show as big a health benefit for shares to rise as previously thought.

That's due to high demand and after Novo raised its profit outlook in April, said Berenberg analyst Kerry Holford.

The majority would consider the trial a success if results showed a risk reduction of at least 15%, while 44% said 10-14% would be acceptable, the poll said.

Most investors surveyed expected that if the study showed risk reduction of 17%, shares would rise 5 to 10%, while if it was between 15 to 17% risk reduction, shares could rise up to 5%.

If the risk reduction was between 10 and 14%, shares would decrease by less than 5%.

A year ago, investors said a risk reduction of 10 to 14% in the trial would put significant downward pressure on the stock, Holford said.

Not everyone agrees. UBS said insurers may balk at reimbursing Wegovy if people regain weight after stopping treatment.

Novo's shares fell on Tuesday after Reuters reported that only about one third of patients prescribed a drug like Wegovy were still taking it a year later.

The SELECT results may not be strong enough to justify insurers paying the high price, UBS said. It costs about $1,300 a month in the United States.

SHIFT

The Berenberg poll also marks a change from Reuters reporting in May which showed investors would be disappointed with a result of less than 17% and a similar poll by Barclays in April.

Some of those interviewed in May told Reuters this week their predictions had also changed because high demand has lessoned the impact of the study.

"If risk reduction is around 10%, the stock might drop briefly, but unless something really derails the GLP-1 story, any weakness will likely be bought," lead health care portfolio manager at BMO Global Asset Management, and a Novo shareholder said.

Barclays analyst Emily Field said a risk reduction as low as 11% could boost the stock.

The company declined to comment, citing its quiet period before quarterly results next month.

(Reporting by Maggie Fick; Editing by Josephine Mason and Alexandra Hudson)
96th founding anniversary of Chinese People's Liberation Army celebrated in Tanzania

Xinhua) 09:39, July 14, 2023

Tanzanian Minister for Defense and National Service Innocent Bashungwa speaks during a celebration marking the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on July 12, 2023. The government of Tanzania on Wednesday evening congratulated China on the upcoming 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which falls on Aug. 1. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua)

DAR ES SALAAM, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The government of Tanzania on Wednesday evening congratulated China on the upcoming 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which falls on Aug. 1.

"The 96th anniversary of PLA is an illustration of the long successful journey that the PLA has passed through," said Tanzanian Minister for Defense and National Service Innocent Bashungwa. "This long journey of the PLA has made a substantial contribution to the defense sectors in China, and outside of China."

Bashungwa thanked China for its firm support in the socioeconomic development of Tanzania, including in the security and defense sectors.

He was speaking at the celebration marking the 96th anniversary of the PLA held at the Chinese Embassy in the port city of Dar es Salaam and attended by members of the Tanzania People's Defense Force (TPDF), government officials, and representatives from foreign missions based in Tanzania.

Bashungwa called for combined efforts of states and governments to combat all forms of security threats, noting that in today's highly dynamic world, security challenges are dynamic and complex, and that security can no longer be perceived solely in terms of sovereign state affairs.

He said Tanzania will continue to look to its friend China and other friends around the world in addressing these security challenges for sustainable global peace and security.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said since its creation by the Communist Party of China on Aug. 1, 1927, the PLA has always been an unflinching force for the national independence and liberation of China, safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the prosperity of the country, and promotion of the Chinese people's well-being.

Chen said the PLA made significant contributions to world peace and stability, actively participating in regional and international peacekeeping operations, maritime escort operations, international humanitarian assistance operations, and bilateral as well as multilateral exchanges and cooperation.

"Looking forward, under the absolute and strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the PLA is striving for its goal of being a modernized, world-class military," she said.

The Chinese envoy said the issue of security bears on the well-being of the people of all countries.

"As we gather here enjoying this peaceful moment, we are all aware that the world today is not peaceful with various traditional and non-traditional security threats, such as geopolitical conflicts, bloc confrontation, terrorism, hegemonic and bullying behaviors, etc.," she said.

Yu Tian, the defense attache at the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, said the PLA has come a long way through wars and hardships and made an indelible contribution to the liberation of the Chinese nation.

Over the years, the PLA has been a vanguard force in safeguarding regional and international peace, said Yu, adding that the world is not free of conflicts, and peace needs to be defended.

"Making the world safer is China's abiding commitment. No matter what happens in the world, China's resolve to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests will not change, nor will its confidence in preserving world peace and promoting common development," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
WASHINGTON  In 2020, voters saw the coronavirus pandemic as the biggest global threat. Now, as Americans consider 2024 presidential candidates, a different fear is top of mind: a battle of superpowers armed with nuclear weapons.

Americans with strong feelings about U.S. foreign policy decisions are torn between helping Ukraine win a war against Russia and shifting the focus eastward to what they regard as the larger danger.

What keeps me up at night is China, said Ginny Kerr, 77, a retired medical technologist and independent voter. I fear China more than Russia, and I think people ought to wake up to that."

Though President Joe Biden and the Republican presidential contenders say they would prefer to discuss how to combat the rising influence of China, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war against Ukraine have been impossible to ignore for candidates and voters alike.

The U.S. government has spent more than $100 billion on aid for Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Though the American public overwhelmingly supports Ukraine, some voters are less keen to increase financial support for Ukraine. Others, meanwhile, believe the U.S. government should shift its focus from Moscow to Beijing.

Biden, who is expected to coast to the 2024 Democratic nomination, has been unequivocal in his support for Ukraine. At the NATO summit in Vilnius, Biden declared the United States "will not waver" in its support for Kyiv.

The question is more complicated with Republican presidential candidates.

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the two leading candidates for the GOP nomination, have expressed skepticism about whether the U.S. government should continue to fund Ukraine's defense. Republican candidates who are more supportive of Ukraine have lagged in the polls.

US President Joe Biden (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pose during an event with G7 leaders to announce a Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine during the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 12, 2023.

'I don't think he knows how to find Ukraine on a map'

Trump and DeSantis have drawn criticism over their comments on Ukraine from voices within and outside their own party.

Trump has repeatedly claimed he can end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, but two of his 2024 opponents  former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie  said Trump can end the war that quickly only if he capitulates to Putin's demands.

The criticism has also come from across the aisle.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview with USA TODAY that Trump struggles to support Ukraine because he is "in bed with Putin."

Connolly also took aim at DeSantis, who described the war in Ukraine as a "territorial dispute" before walking back his comments.

"I know Ron DeSantis. I worked with him in Congress," he said. "I don't think he has any particular interest in or knowledge of foreign policy.

"I don't think he knows how to find Ukraine on a map."

Voters split on support for Ukraine

The Ukraine skepticism, however, is resonating with some independent and Republican voters who don't want to see the U.S. government spend more money on a war thousands of miles away.

"We don't know where the money is going, and we need it in this country," Kerr said. "There's so many people in need. ... Charity begins at home."

But for some voters who support sending aid to Ukraine, the question will be a priority in the 2024 presidential election.

Yuliya Kindziayeva, 42, a Democrat living in California's Bay Area, said it is "very important for the world to defeat the regime" of Vladimir Putin.

Kindziayeva, who is originally from Belarus, said support for Kyiv will be a "No. 1 issue for me" to determine her vote in the next presidential election. She said it became her "main issue" after Russia invaded last year.

Why the war in Ukraine is bigger than Ukraine

Foreign policy experts and some 2024 presidential candidates believe supporting Ukraine is intertwined with countering China.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for two years, said in a CNN town hall last month that the war in Ukraine is "bigger than Ukraine."

"This is a war about freedom, and it's one we have to win," she said. "When Ukraine wins, that sends a message to China with Taiwan, it sends a message to Iran that wants to build a bomb, sends a message to North Korea testing ballistic missiles, and it sends a message to Russia that it's over."

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said in an interview with USA TODAY that helping Ukraine win the war is in the United States' best interest if it wants to send a strong message to Beijing.

"If we look like we're not ready to back the Ukrainians and we're pulling out, that sends a very negative signal to the Taiwanese that we're not going to be there to support them," he said.

'The calling of our lifetime'

Though Haley was appointed by Trump as ambassador to the United Nations, no 2024 presidential candidate has as much experience with Ukraine as Biden does.

As vice president, Biden traveled to Ukraine six times, including serving as the American representative at the first Ukrainian presidential inauguration after the 2013-2014 Maidan revolution. He also visited Ukraine as president earlier this year, making a surprise trip to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Biden could stand to benefit from his expertise with Ukraine as he seeks reelection to the White House.

McFaul, who was ambassador to Moscow during the Obama administration, said that in the run-up to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Biden became the "point person on Ukraine."

"We've never had a president that's known as much about Ukraine as President Biden has," McFaul said.

Although most Democrats support aid for Kyiv, Biden's top challenger for the Democratic nomination, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has called for less U.S. involvement in Ukraine, describing it as a "proxy war" between the United States and Russia.

While McFaul said he believes Biden should send more weapons to Ukraine and impose "better sanctions" on Russia and supporters of Russia's invasion, he also noted the U.S. response to the war would have been significantly different if Biden did not win the 2020 election.

"Certainly, had President Trump been reelected, I'm not sure we would have had the same response vis-a-vis Ukraine and Russia for sure, and also the NATO alliance," McFaul said.

In Vilnius, Biden reiterated his own commitment to Ukraine and achieving peace in Europe.

"The defense of freedom is not the work of a day or a year. It's the calling of our lifetime  of all time," Biden said. "We are steeled for the struggle ahead."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How China, Russian war in Ukraine impact the 2024 election
MIAMI  Tropical Storm Don is continuing its loopy trek across the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday., posing only a risk to shipping interests over the open Atlantic.

Formerly a subtropical depression, then designated a tropical depression when the storm transitioned into a fully-tropical system, Tropical Storm Don has sustained winds of 60 mph with higher gusts but is far from any land areas. Don was last estimated to be more than 1,000 miles west of the Azores as it moved west-northwest at about 14 mph.

Tropical Storm Don is expected to turn more northward on Saturday, continuing its clockwise loop over the open waters of the central Atlantic, before eventually turning back to the east and becoming a post-tropical storm as it moves into the colder North Atlantic waters next week.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL STORM AND A SUBTROPICAL STORM?

Don is expected to maintain the strength of a tropical storm through the weekend.

The system does not pose any threat to the U.S., according to FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross.

A subtropical storm has characteristics of both tropical and extratropical storms. Most of a subtropical storm's energy is derived from the clash of warm and cold air, but it doesn't have fronts and is cold-core in the upper levels of the atmosphere.

Like tropical storms, a subtropical storm has a well-defined center and a closed circulation. However, the area of maximum winds within the circulation is farther away from the center, and there is less symmetry, according to the National Weather Service.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL STORM AND A SUBTROPICAL STORM?

The tropics have had a recent quiet spell as the Saharan dust season gets underway. The dust can hinder tropical development in the Atlantic Basin.
A Jackson County jury on Thursday convicted a man and woman of murder in the killing of Kensie Renee Aubry, whose dismembered body was discovered buried in a Grain Valley yard after she had been missing for nine months.

Michael Hendricks, 42, of Grain Valley, and Maggie Ybarra, 32, of Grandview, each stood trial on charges of first-degree murder and several other felonies. Closing arguments were made Thursday, leaving their fate in the hands of a jury selected last week.

Hendricks, who at the time of the killing was a married father of two who ran a Kansas City information technology company, met Ybarra through an escort site and the two began a longer relationship, according to court documents. They were accused of luring Aubry to Hendricks home and strangling her to fulfill a dark sex fantasy.

Hendricks was found guilty of first-degree murder and Ybarra was found guilty of the lesser offense of second-degree murder, according to a news release from the Jackson County Prosecutors Office. Both were also convicted of harassment, sexual misconduct, evidence tampering, tampering with victims, enticement of a child and child molestation.

Aubry, a resident of Kansas City, Kansas who was originally from Pearland, Texas, disappeared in October 2020. Her friends and family suspected foul play and she was reported missing.

In April 2021, a then-13-year-old girl who was living in foster care said she had connected with Ybarra over Facebook and was later introduced to Hendricks, whom Ybarra described as a boyfriend.

The girl reported to authorities that she was sexually abused by Ybarra and Hendricks. She also told investigators they had also talked in graphic detail about killing someone.

The teenager, whose alleged abuse at the hands of Hendricks and Ybarra was the basis for other felony charges, said Hendricks had shown her pictures of a dead woman on a digital camera. She also said Hendricks once told her it turned him on when people die, according to court documents.

Authorities relied on her information and that of other witnesses who said Hendricks and Ybarra had talked openly about killing Aubry. Hendricks had allegedly admitted to choking Aubry to death, cutting her body up and hiding her in a large freezer in an aircraft hanger on his 6-acre property.

Neighbors also reported that Hendricks had been seen digging a big hole in the yard after Aubry disappeared.

In July 2020, Aubrys remains were unearthed by heavy equipment in the yard of Hendricks home in the 4000 block of South Buckner-Tarsney Road. They had been distributed in white garbage bags with orange pull ties, according to court documents.

Ybarra is scheduled to be sentenced Friday. Under Missouri law, Hendricks faces a minimum sentence of life in prison for his first-degree murder conviction.
Eyewitness says the RSF ordered dozens of bodies to be dumped in a pit

Maalim is traumatised by what he saw in Sudan's western region of Darfur, before he fled across the border to Chad.

"If the people who I worked with know I have shown you these photos and videos, or even that I filmed them, I am a dead man," he tells me as he whips out his phone to show me harrowing pictures of scattered corpses in the city of El Geneina. We have changed his name for his own safety.

Before leaving the country, he was part of a group of people tasked with removing corpses from the streets and burying them in mass graves.

Sudan has been rocked by fierce battles between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army since April, with some of the worst fighting in Darfur, where the RSF originates.

Warning: This report contains distressing images

The photos showed dozens of dead bodies, some of them covered with blankets and clothing, others swollen and already rotting. Maalim also showed photos of aid agency compounds, which were wrecked and looted.

"I felt terrible. I felt like they died while in a state of fear and terror. Many of them had been lying dead on the streets for more than a week," he tells us, visibly distressed.

Perhaps the most disturbing footage he showed us was a video he took while hiding in a bush. It showed bodies being dumped from a lorry into a mass grave.

"We went towards the forest graveyard to bury the bodies. But the RSF did not allow us to do so. Under the orders of the RSF, the driver of the truck was ordered to dump the bodies in a pit," Maalim says, adding that the RSF ordered them to leave the area afterwards.

"They should have been buried according to Muslim rituals. We should have held prayers for them. But the RSF insisted that they were discarded like garbage."

Tens of thousands of people have fled the conflict to neighbouring Chad

Nobody knows who the bodies belong to or how they were killed. But many families who have sought refuge in Chad tell us the RSF were specifically targeting young men and boys in West Darfur, forcing them out of their hideouts and killing them.

The families say members of non-Arab communities were targeted. They describe being stopped at RSF checkpoints and asked about their ethnicity. They told us they were too frightened to say they were Masalit in case they were killed.

The BBC has asked the RSF to comment on the allegations but it has not responded. But earlier this week it denied allegations it was involved in similar attacks on members of the Masalit community in May.

Maalim's account matches details in a UN report published on 13 July, saying local people were forced to dispose of the bodies of at least 87 ethnic Masalit and others allegedly killed by the RSF in a mass grave in West Darfur.

The metadata on the photos and videos in Maalim's phone show that they were taken between 20 and 21 June, the same dates mentioned in the UN report.

Like the UN report, Maalim told us the bodies were buried in an open area known as al-Turab al-Ahmar (Red Soil), west of El Geneina and near a police base.

The UN statement said some of the people had died from untreated injuries. In one of Maalim's videos, a man is found alive among a pile of dead bodies. Flies hover around his dry, cracked lips as he tries to speak. Maalim says the victim had been lying there for eight days, suffering from gunshot wounds. We do not know what has happened to this man.

Maalim tells us he took the videos because he wanted to document what was happening in his hometown. But he soon felt it was no longer safe for him to stay in the city.

"I was afraid because more than once they were searching for people who had mobile phones on them while doing the clean-up."

Some corpses were left to rot on the streets

Darfur's Arab and Black African communities have been at loggerheads for years - with the worst violence erupting two decades ago when non-Arabs took up arms accusing the government of discrimination.

The RSF was born out of the notorious Janjaweed Arab militia, which brutally suppressed the rebellion, killing hundreds of thousands of people. The group was accused of widespread atrocities and ethnic killings, described as the first genocide of the 21st Century.

Fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese army, which erupted in April, seems to have re-ignited this conflict. Last month, the West Darfur governor was killed shortly after he accused the RSF of carrying out a genocide against the Masalit people.

This round of violence in many parts of Darfur doesn't appear to be random. We have heard allegations that there has been a systemic attempt by the RSF and allied Arab militias to target senior figures in Black African groups like the Masalit, forcing tens of thousands of them to flee into Chad.

The RSF says it is a revival of the ethnic violence seen in the 2000s and it is not involved.

On Thursday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) - which has been investigating crimes in Darfur since 2005 - opened a new probe into alleged war crimes in Sudan.

Chief prosecutor Karim Khan told the UN Security Council there was a risk of "allowing history to repeat itself - the same miserable history".

Like the thousands of Sudanese who have fled Darfur, Maalim does not have much to return to. His home has been burned down and all his family's possessions have been looted. But most painfully, many of his friends and family will not be there.
In a summer filled with heat waves, fires, smoke and floods, workers face the brunt of climate-related catastrophes.

Many workers have worked inside or outside in scorching heat or while breathing in smoke, putting them as risk for illness or even death. Heat waves have killed dozens of workers dozens of workers each year between 2011 and 2021 for a total of more than 400, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

And as climate change is expected to worsen, so too may these impacts.

While heat risk isnt new, Its certainly getting worse with climate change and as temperature and other factors really have exacerbated the issue, said Rebecca Reindel, director of occupational safety and health at the AFL-CIO, the largest federation labor unions.

For weeks, the Southern and Western U.S have sweltered under brutal heat from the combination of human-caused climate change and an unusually stable heat dome hovering above the Texas-Mexico borderlands.

Those conditions have pushed heat to oppressive levels for most of Texas, Nevada and California, where heat indexes  the measure of how hot it feels  hovered above 110 degrees.

Climate change alone made Texass current heatwave five times more likely, according to the climate shift index from the nonprofit Climate Central.

The world just experienced the hottest June ever recorded, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The month ended with a rapid succession of new heat records, starting with the highest average global temperatures ever recorded.

This is further evidence of destabilization of the global climate system, one meteorologist told the journal Nature.

The changing climate is leading to outcomes including heat, fire and floods.

Rising temps, rising climate risk

Higher temperatures are adding stress to people and the planet.

Every degree celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) of heat exposure increases the rate of death from heart disease by about 3 percent, according to a study in Lancet Planetary Health.

Recent research suggests that the human heart rate begins to increase at somewhere between 104 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit under 25 percent humidity  even for those resting in the shade.

That, study author Lewis Halsey told The Hill, is a sign that the body is experiencing stress from no longer being able to efficiently cool itself through sweat.

Halsey noted that these impacts would be far more dramatic for people who were actually exerting themselves under those conditions, such as workers.

Many laborers who work outside face conditions where if they dont work, they dont get paid, he said. So they are pretty much obligated to work outside of it.

These professions, he added, are the ones that need protecting. Thats not a physiological statement, of course  its a social one. Thats where the risks lie.

A 2019 study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found that construction workers made up 36 percent of occupational heat-related deaths between 1992 and 2016, despite making up 6 percent of the total workforce.

Among the occupations most at-risk included cement masons and roofers, according to the study by the Center for Construction Research and Training, a nonprofit that aims to reduce injuries and deaths in the industry.

Construction workers do a lot of outdoor work, a lot of time-sensitive work, said Chris Trahan Cain, executive director of the center.

She noted that for cement masons, Its more difficult to arrange rest breaks. You work when the concrete comes, and its often a very elevated pace for that time.

Domingo Garcia, Texas-based president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) noted that in addition to construction workers, heat risk is also pronounced in agriculture, adding that both industries are extremely dangerous in this type of heat

As head of the U.S.s biggest and oldest Latino civil rights group, Garcia emphasized the outsized risks the community faces from heat exposure.

Dehydration and heat stroke are common occurrences that are often marginalized, unfortunately, Garcia said.

Partly because many of them are Latino workers, and some of them may be undocumented, the enforcement that should be there is not there, he said.

The lack of state protections for workers laboring in the heat adds to the danger, Garcia added. While many bosses take care to give their workers access to water and rest breaks, he said, You have a lot of bad apples that dont care about safety, he said.

When Garcia was on the job site in the summer, his bosses would usually run the shift from before sunrise until early afternoon and avoid the hottest part of the day.

But other employees on those same sites  working for different subcontractors  kept sweating through until sundown, he said.

The risk of heat-related illness is particularly serious in Texas, which is the only state not to require businesses to provide workers compensation except to workers for companies contracted with the state government.

In other states, regulations are stricter; California requires employers to train workers in how to avoid heat illness and give access to water and shade.

Bad air: Smoke clogs workers lungs

Meanwhile, the East Coast of the U.S. was recently pummeled with a deluge of smoke from Canadian wildfires, turning the sky orange and exposing anyone working outdoors to respiratory hazards.

The climate change picture for the wildfires in Quebec is complex.

Robert Field, scientist with Columbia University, told The Hill last month that climate change will make the fire season hotter and longer, but may also make the East Coast wetter, mitigating some fire potential.

But the event marked a harbinger for the western half of the country, which climate change is expected to make drier as well as hotter.

Exposure to the smoky air may cause conditions ranging from shortness of breath to asthma attacks to heart attacks. Heat also increases the risk of death from heart disease.

Barry Levy, a physician and adjunct professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine, said firefighters may face the greatest risk from wildfire smoke, since they face the problem up close.

Levy, who is also the co-editor of the book Climate Change and Public Health, noted that the firefighters are vulnerable to heat exhaustion, burns, smoke inhalation and injuries.

He added that they may face multiple hazards, such as extreme heat and heavy smoke, and also need to wear respirators, which can place an additional burden on the heart and lungs.

Other outdoor workers also face risks.

The wildfire smoke thats affected the eastern half of the U.S., or more from Canada, is a wake-up call for a lot of the country, but its something that our folks on the West Coast have been dealing with for quite some time, Cain said.

Floods swamp worker health

Hazards for workers associated with floods include the potential for electrocution because of downed power lines, carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning generators, falling trees and exposure to chemical and biological hazards.

While rescue and recovery workers often face the greatest risks, dangers also lurk for utility workers, Levy noted.

The risks for rescue workers include drowning, as well as being hit by objects that are caught up in the flood waters, he said.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters labor unions website also highlights the risk of coming into contact with health hazards, including intestinal bacteria such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Shigella, Hepatitis A Virus, and agents of typhoid, paratyphoid, and tetanus.

Reindel, with the AFL-CIO, said workers can come into contact with additional hazardous substances when theyre sent to clean the aftermath of climate-related storms like hurricanes, which are expected to become more intense as the planet heats up.

You might be dealing with buildings and houses that have a lot of asbestos in there, lead, some heavy metals and many other chemicals, she said.

She said workers who are cleaning up after a storm may only be provided limited protection, and that ultimately these situations leave a lot of inequities for folks who need work and are untrained, and are then opened up to dangerous working conditions.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Harvey Weinstein threatened to sue the New York Times - REUTERS

Wealthy individuals accused of sexual harassment will face legal curbs to prevent them using the courts to bully journalists and whistleblowers into silence.

Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, is working on new laws to stop the super-rich from forcing the media and victims to end legitimate investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.

He wants to strengthen freedom of speech protections against legal cases, known as SLAPPs or strategic lawsuits, which aim to prevent lawful investigations and discussions about matters of public interest.

The Government defines SLAPPs actions as an abuse of the legal process, where the primary objective is to harass, intimidate and financially and psychologically exhaust ones opponent via improper means.

Under the plans, the Government will change the law to give judges new powers to throw out legal claims by wealthy individuals accused of sexual misconduct if they are designed to harass journalists or restrain their right to free speech.

Philip Green fought legal battle over reports of 1 million payment to colleague - Coleman-Rayner

They will also introduce restrictions to cap the costs that journalists or publishers might have to pay in order to prevent them from being financially ruined by legal action from billionaires.

Mr Chalk has already announced similar measures to stop ultra-rich individuals, big corporations and oligarchs with links to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, from abusing the criminal justice system through SLAPPs against journalists, publishers and campaigners investigating their finances.

These have been introduced as part of the governments Economic Crime Bill but only cover around 70 per cent of SLAPPs cases in UK courts. The remaining 30 per cent largely encompass sexual misconduct, where ministers believe there have been similar abuses of the law.

Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced film producer convicted for sexual harassment and unwanted physical contact, threatened to sue the New York Times when it first reported the allegations.

Alex Chalk is trying to push legislation for remaining SLAPPs by the next election - Paul Grover

The Telegraph fought a six-month legal battle with Sir Philip Green, the billionaire fashion tycoon, over an injunction preventing the paper from disclosing that he paid a female executive more than 1 million over groping allegations.

It is understood Mr Chalk is seeking to bring forward legislation in the next session of Parliament, before the election expected late next year, to cover the remaining SLAPPs.

A Ministry of Justice source said: Weve taken action on the oligarchs but now were not done there. Rich sexual abusers shouldnt be able to use their wealth to hide behind the courts and were going to stop them.

The legislation will emulate that being put in place for oligarchs. It will provide a legal definition of SLAPPs, so that judges can weed out sham cases.

Vladimir Putin's associates restricted with SLAPPs to prevent them 'abusing' UK justice system - REUTERS/SPUTNIK

It will cover any legal action intended to restrict the defendants right to free speech or harass them, or when the information in their story exposed sexual misconduct.

If such a case came to court, a judge would have the power to dismiss it at an early stage if it was identified as a SLAPP, and where the wealthy individual bringing the case had failed to show it had a realistic chance of succeeding at trial.

The number of SLAPPs cases has increased from two to 14 in a year, with 538 identified across Europe in the past decade, of which 26 were brought in the UK. These, however, are thought to be the tip of the iceberg because authors often backed down and did not publish in the face of legal threats.

Anti-SLAPP laws are more developed in the US, Canada and Australia, where they grew from their use by big corporations against environmental campaigns but less widely used in Europe.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.
The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for October in cases involving South Carolinas congressional map and the funding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

The court on Friday announced its October argument calendar, the first month of the courts next annual term. Decisions in the cases are expected by summer 2024.

On Oct. 3, the justices will hear a challenge to the funding structure of the CFPB, which was created following the 2008 financial crisis as part of the Dodd-Frank Act to enforce consumer protection laws.

The CFPB receives up to a capped amount of funding each year from the Federal Reserves earnings, and the Supreme Court is set to decide whether the setup is unconstitutional by bypassing Congresss power of the purse.

The case arises out of two associations challenge to the CFPBs payday lending rule, which places restrictions on how a payday lender can attempt to collect on a loan.

The Justice Department says ruling in their favor would call into question virtually every action the CFPB has taken since it was created.

The dispute has attracted the attention of all 50 state attorneys general. The countrys 27 Republican state attorneys general are supporting the challenge, while 23 Democratic state attorneys general, also joined by D.C., are backing the Justice Department.

The following week, the Supreme Court on Oct. 11 will hear arguments over whether South Carolinas congressional map must be redrawn.

State Republican lawmakers are appealing the ruling of a three-judge district court panel, which struck down the lawmakers map as being specifically designed to dilute the power of Black voters. The challenge was brought by a resident of the district and the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP.

The dispute focuses on the states 1st Congressional District, which is represented by Rep. Nancy Mace (R). Mace narrowly defeated her Democratic opponent in 2020, and under the redrawn lines two years later, she won reelection by nearly 14 percentage points.

The Supreme Court will hear four other cases during its first argument session of the term.

It will kick off the two-week session Oct. 2, when the justices will hear a case interpreting a sentencing provision in the First Step Act, a major criminal justice reform bill passed in 2018.

On Oct. 4, the high court will consider who has the authority to bring lawsuits against hotels when they fail to provide accessibility information on their websites, as required under federal law.

On Oct. 10, the justices will consider two cases: First, they will hear a case involving corporate whistleblowers, and second, they will consider a dispute related to maritime contracts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Law enforcement officials outside the home in Massapequa Park, New York, of a suspect arrested in the Gilgo Beach murders (Michael M. Santiago)

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the serial murders more than a decade ago of several women whose bodies were found wrapped in burlap on a beach on New York's Long Island.

Police did not immediately identify the man taken into custody, but press reports on Friday said he was Rex Heuermann, a New York City architect.

Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison told reporters the suspect had been arrested in Manhattan on Thursday evening.

The New York Times said Heuermann lived in Massapequa Park, a town near Gilgo Beach, where the first bodies were found in 2010, and police had cordoned off his home on Friday.

The bodies of at least 11 people have been found since 2010 along the isolated stretch of ocean beachfront on Long Island.

Law enforcement officials told the Times that Heuermann was arrested in connection with at least some of the killings.

The first bodies, found in 2010, were those of four women in their 20s who had been working as sex workers, advertising their services on Craigslist.

They were believed to be the victims of a serial killer.

The body of a fifth woman who had been working as an escort was found in 2011.

Since then, six other bodies have been discovered in the area but police had said previously that they do not believe all of the cases are linked.

Harrison, the police commissioner, said the suspect would be indicted later Friday and a press conference would be held around 4:00 pm (2000 GMT).

Heuermann is the owner of RH Consultants and Associates, which bills itself on its website as "New York City's premiere architectural firm."

Heuermann was interviewed last year for a YouTube show called "Bonjour Realty."

"I'm a troubleshooter, born and raised on Long Island, been working in Manhattan since 1987 -- very long time," Heuermann said in the interview.

cl/md
Photo Illustration by Erin OFlynn/The Daily Beast/Getty Images; Suffolk Count PD and Suffolk County PD via Reuters

Authorities on Friday arrested a suspected serial killer accused of killing at least four female sex workers whose unsolved deaths were part of Long Islands infamous Gilgo Beach murders.

Rex Heuermann, a New York City architect, was identified as the suspect, a law enforcement source confirmed to The Daily Beast. Its unclear what led to a break in the case after 13 years but the New York Post reported that Heuermann, 59, was arrested after a DNA match was established.

Heuermann has owned his own architectural firm, RH Consultants & Associates, since 1994, and was reportedly arrested at his Manhattan office on Thursday night. An employee, Jaime Ovalle-Motta, told The Daily Beast on Friday morning, Shocked. Im in total shock. Thats all I can say.

In an interview with a real estate agent posted on YouTube last year, Heuermann described himself as an architectural consultant and troubleshooter who was born and raised on Long Island and has worked in Manhattan since 1987.

Rex Heuermann was interviewed by a real estate agent for a clip posted on YouTube last year. YouTube/Bonjour Realty

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison confirmed in a short press conference that a man had been arrested and was expected to be indicted later Friday after a grand jury had convened. He said more details would be released at 4 p.m. after the court appearance.

Heuermanns unassuming home in Massapequa Park was swarming with Suffolk County and New York State cops on Friday morning. In a 2018 deposition in a car-accident lawsuit, Heuermann said he had lived in that home his entire life, most recently with his second wife, daughter, and stepson.

In the deposition, he described a typical day. In the mornings, he said, he dressed in his standard button-down shirt with black jeans and no suit jacket before his wife dropped him at the Massapequa Park train station so he could commute into Manhattan. He described his hobbies as cycling, woodworking, and rifle shooting.

Crime laboratory officers seen arriving at the suspects Massapequa Park home. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP

The New York Post reported that Heuermann is specifically being looked at in connection with the Gilgo Four, the first bodies found by authorities in the area, and not the other six who were later suspected of being connected. The four womenMelissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25were sex workers whose bodies were discovered within days of each other in late 2010.

The first to be found was Barthelemy, an escort who had disappeared from the Bronx in 2009. Her bodylike those of the other threewas found wrapped in burlap.

By 2011, a total of eight women had been found plus a toddler and an unidentified male. The toddler was later found through DNA analysis to be the child of one of the deceased women.

Suffolk County Police Department

In a chilling twist, Barthelemys sister began receiving phone calls from a mystery man shortly after Barthelemy disappeared but before a body was found. The man would taunt her, calling her sister a whore and other insults.

According to a New York Post article from 2011, cops traced the calls back to locations in Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and Massapequabut the calls suddenly stopped in August 2009 when a TV station revealed their existence.

Bodies started turning up as authorities were searching for Shannan Gilbert, 24, a Craigslist escort who had also gone missing. Last year, police released a recording of a 911 call Gilbert made in the early hours of May 1, 2010. Theres somebody after me, Gilbert said as she banged on doors in Oak Beach. Theyre trying to kill me. Her body was found in a marsh in December 2011 though cops now think her death may have been an accident.

Bringing in the FBI was a key moment in pinning Heuermann as a suspect, ABC 7 reported Friday, as Suffolk Police had initially resisted outside help. The feds were able to crunch a vast amount of phone records to zero in on the suspects Massapequa Park home, the outlet reported.

Heuermann had been on law enforcements radar for months and had been under surveillance recently, ABC 7 reported.

Joseph Giacalone, a former NYPD cold case detective who teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and has been following the case closely, said Suffolk County law enforcement got a complete makeover about a year ago.

They got a new police commissioner and a new D.A., he told The Daily Beast. Those fresh sets of eyes, and the motivation to get this case closed, was important. They both made public statements that this case was priority number one.

Maureen Boyle-Holpit, a former classmate of Heuermanns at Berner High School in Massapequa, told The Daily Beast on Friday that she was shocked by the arrest.

I was like, Oh my God, I think hes the same guy who used to leave me love notes on my locker. Like, little high school notes: I like you, I hope you like me, different kind of stuff, she said. And then someone posted his yearbook picture on Facebook, and I was like, Yeah, thats him.

She said Heuermann never seemed violent and was very gentle, well-mannered but was tall, a little nerdy, and may have been picked on a little.

John Ray, an attorney representing Gilberts family, told News 12 Long Island on Friday he heard a very strong, credible tip less than a week ago that authorities were about to close in on an arrest.

Were pleased if theyve actually managed to finally find somebody that can be tagged for this, Ray said. He also represents the family of Jessica Taylor, 20, one of the women whose partial remains were found as part of the Long Island investigation, but not one of the Gilgo Four.

Theres a lot more to learn about this, Ray continued. We have 11 victims that we know of.

He cited the reported discovery of the remains of a man on Thursday. A driver on the Southern State Parkway in West Islip got off the ramp to the Robert Moses Causeway and pulled over when he noticed something in a nearby wooded area. The driver called 911 after finding what was later confirmed to be skeletal remains.

Ray called the discovery a very odd development at a place near where the arrest took place, though police have not confirmed if there is a connection.

With additional reporting by Michael Daly, Josh Fiallo, and Rachel Olding.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Tap water in Kansas was tested for forever chemicals. Heres where they were found

Forever chemicals, also known as polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, have been detected in recent years in drinking water in the Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan and Wichita areas, according to a study published July 5 by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The federal agency collected tap water samples from 716 locations across the country, including water from public supplies and private wells. The agency modeled that data and found at least 45% of drinking water could contain at least one PFAS.

Some of the PFAS, which have been linked to health problems, found in Kansas water exceeded proposed limits. Those samples were taken from 2016 to 2021.

Measured in nanograms per liter, 16 PFAS were found in water samples from a public water supply in Lawrence and a private well near Manhattan. In one of three samples from the Wichita area, 43 PFAS were detected.

There are several types of PFAS, which are chemicals that have been used in consumer goods including nonstick cookware, water resistant clothing and fast food box lining. The compounds do not easily break down and have wound up in the air, water and soil.

Pouring Fresh Tap Water Into a Glass

PFAS in Kansas drinking water

In March, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal to limit six types of PFAS, some of which are likely carcinogens.

That means they are likely to cause cancer and there is no level of these contaminants that is without a risk of adverse health effects, Colleen Flaherty, with the Environmental Protection Agencys Office of Science of Technology, said during a public hearing on PFAS regulation in May.

The USGS research showed that some of those six chemicals were present in drinking water in Kansas at levels that exceeded the proposed EPA limits.

For example, a private well in the Wichita area had a PFOS reading of five nanograms per liter and a public supply in Lawrence had 9.3. The proposed limit is four. A sample from a public supply in Topeka had a reading of two PFHxS while the proposed limit is one.

There are currently no enforceable limits at the federal level.

Kelly Smalling, a research hydrologist and co-author of the USGS study, said PFAS were more often detected in urban and suburban areas.

Were hoping that this study can help members of the public to really understand their risk of exposure, but also inform policy and management decisions regarding testing and treatment options for drinking water, Smalling said, adding that risk varies person to person.

She encouraged anyone with concerns to reach out to local health officials.

Testing for PFAS

Megan Lovely, a spokeswoman for the City of Wichita, said they began testing for PFAS in 2021 as a proactive measure.

Lawrence does not routinely monitor PFAS, but will begin to as new EPA guidelines go into effect, said Trevor Flynn, assistant director of environment, health science and treatment operations for the City of Lawrence. Those results are expected to be part of a consumer confidence report published next May.

Elaine Giessel, chair of the Kansas chapter of the Sierra Club, said the USGS findings suggest that PFAS chemicals are at concerning levels in some drinking water in Kansas.

Sierra Club strongly supports testing of private domestic wells in addition to public water utilities, but there clearly arent enough analyses in Kansas to predict which communities in our state are impacted, she said in a statement.

Sierra Club supports the recommendation of the USGS to continue point-of-source tapwater monitoring for all drinking water sources, especially in the underserved communities.

While the EPA considers PFAS standards, Giessel said the state should be taking all available measures to prevent more PFAS contamination, test and identify contaminated water sources, and educate state residents about the scope of the problem in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said it has a voluntary monitoring program for public water supply systems.

Matt Lara, a spokesman for the department, said the agency also provides technical assistance when a detection is observed, financial assistance for the construction of water treatment systems with PFAS detections and training for water system operators on the EPAs proposed rule.
Teen, 5 others arrested for scheme involving cryptocurrency, the dark web, and guns

Six people have been arrested, all facing charges linked to what Floridas Attorney General called a complex criminal enterprise.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said a 17-year-old Orlando teen was the mastermind behind an elaborate scheme involving cryptocurrency, the dark web, and guns.

Moody and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Justin Vassell used cryptocurrency to get money off the dark web and launder it around Orlando.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

Investigators said Vassell used cryptocurrency to buy bundles of stolen ids off the dark web, then opened credit cards under those names, and bought $350,000 worth of merchandise, including guns and dozens of packs of ammunition.

Investigators said those items were then sold to pawn shops around Orlando.

Earlier this week, Vassell and his mom, Jacqueline Vassell, were arrested in Osceola County.

Read: Man, woman die in apparent murder-suicide in east Orange County subdivision

Lawrence Dority was arrested in Orange County and was out on bond on a second-degree murder charge from last May.

Dority is accused of killing former Magic player Adreian Payne.

FDLE had to track three other suspects from across the country.

Read: Record-breaking 111-egg invasive Burmese python nest removed from Florida Everglades

Justins sister, Shannon Vassell, and Marc Williams were arrested in Suwannee County, Georgia.

Deonte Benejan was arrested in Lorain County, Ohio.

FDLE said the group took advantage of more than 70 people and ten online businesses.

Read: Felony cases in limbo as permitless carry becomes state law

While all six face charges for racketeering, money laundering and extortion, Vassell also faces charges for grand theft.

If convicted the 17-year-old could face up to 135 years in prison.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
A 15-year-old has been charged in connection to the shooting and killing of a Port Huron man on Lapeer Avenue.

Carmello Lamar Wilson, of Detroit, was charged Friday with open murder, felony firearm possession and assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Port Huron Assistant Police Chief Brian Kerrigan identified the victim as 19-year-old KC Curtis Cureton.

District Judge John Monaghan denied Wilson bond, citing the seriousness of the charges against him.

The shooting happened at the intersection of 13th Street and Lapeer Avenue sometime before 6 p.m. Wednesday.

St. Clair County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Sparling said at the arraignment that Wilson shot and killed the victim at point blank range.

While arguing for Wilson to be denied bond, Sparling said the defendant later hid the gun under a rock and changed his clothes so he wouldn't match descriptions shared by witnesses. The prosecutor said several witnesses saw the shooting and identified Wilson as the shooter.

Sparling also said Wilson had a history of offenses and had made previous threats to the victim before the shooting. The victim had reportedly made a video about the threats. Kerrigan said the police department was still investigating those threats and how the situation escalated.

Though Wilson is a juvenile, Michigan law allows defendants to automatically be charged as adults in murder cases.

Open murder is punishable with up to life in prison.

A second 15-year-old boy was also arraigned Friday in connection to the shooting. He was charged with accessory to a felony after the fact, punishable with up to five years in prison, and assaulting, resisting or obstructing an officer, punishable with up to two years in prison. The second defendant's case remains in juvenile court.

A probable cause conference in Wilson's case was scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 25.

Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jr_Hogan1.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Teen charged with open murder following Wednesday's fatal shooting
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has arrested two teenagers in connection with the fatal shooting of a South Meck High School graduate.

On July 9, 17-year-old Savion Rashaad Lockhart, along with two others, was shot on Turtle Point Road just off University City Boulevard. He died on the way to an area hospital, according to police.

On Thursday, CMPDs Violent Criminal Apprehension Team arrested 19-year-old Reginald Marsaeus Moses and a 17-year-old juvenile in connection with this case.

Police said both suspects were transported to the Mecklenburg County jail to be interviewed by detectives. After the interviews, Moses was transferred into the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office. The 17-year-old suspect was transferred into the custody of a Juvenile Detention Center.

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They both have been charged with murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit a robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to police.

Lockharts family has been notified of the arrests.

CMPD said the investigation into this case is active and ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a homicide unit detective.

VIDEO: Friends, family mourn 17-year-old killed in northeast Charlotte shooting
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who is leading the Senate investigation into how a Chinese spy balloon was allowed to drift over Montana and much of the continental United States earlier this year, is demanding the Biden administration investigate the use of American technology in the balloons surveillance equipment.

Tester, the chairman of the Defense appropriations subcommittee, said the use of American technology by a foreign adversary raises concerns about whether export controls are strong enough to safeguard national security.

The fact that the Chinese Communist Party was able to use our technology in their spy program is extremely troubling and must be immediately analyzed. This is a clear demonstration that our current defense and technology export controls may not be adequately preventing or dissuading adversaries from using our own technology against us, Tester said in a statement.

He called on the Biden administration to take whatever necessary action is required to bolster our export controls so that this doesnt happen again.

Tester has offered an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which will come to the Senate floor next week, to assess the potential use of commercially available technology for foreign espionage programs.

Testers amendment would require Congress to receive a threat assessment report and would direct the departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury to use that report when reviewing export controls to limit the use of American-made technology by the Chinese government.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that defense and intelligence agencies that analyzed the Chinese spy balloon an Air Force fighter shot down in February was equipped with commercially available U.S. technology to collect photos, videos and other information.

The balloon was first publicly spotted drifting over Montana, home to Malmstrom Air Force Base, which has authority over 150 nuclear missile launch facilities across the state.

Tester earlier this year brought Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and members of the Air Force leadership to meet directly with service members to learn more about Malmstroms response to the spy balloon.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller

Texas Department of Agriculture officials were shocked that an employee training session this week touched on issues around gender identity  and the department quickly repudiated the training, saying it presented misinformation and a biased view.

The presentation on equal employment opportunity, held Wednesday morning, dealt with gender identity only briefly  the presenter offered definitions of transgender and cisgender, and she explained the meaning of deadnaming, The Texas Tribune reports.

That afternoon, department leaders apologized for aspects of the training in an email saying the problematic portions were with regard to the subject of gender. Some employees were offended by it because of their religious beliefs, according to the email, sent to staffers and obtained by the Tribune.

The agency was taken by surprise by the inclusion of controversial and incorrect legal propositions and would like to correct the misinformation provided, the email said. The current law in Texas contrasts with the material presented with regard to the subject of gender.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that some types of discrimination against transgender workers are acceptable, contrary to the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which held that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by Donald Trump, ruled that the Biden administrations guidance on implementing Bostock was overly broad. Kacsmaryk said the Bostock ruling applies only to hiring and firing practices and doesnt mean, as the guidance had it, that companies have to allow workers to use the restrooms corresponding to their gender identity or dress according to that identity, nor do they have to use employee's preferred pronouns. He also said Texas employers dont have to comply with the guidance.

The Agriculture Department, which is headed by Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (pictured), recently imposed a gender-specific dress code on employees, saying they must dress in a manner consistent with their biological gender.

Miller is an outspoken conservative Republican elected statewide who has been an eager combatant in the states political fights over the rights of transgender people, the Tribune reports. He joined in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit against the Biden administration guidance that resulted in Kacsmaryks ruling. I refuse to sit idly by while the rights of my fellow Texans are violated by an overbearing and encroaching federal bureaucracy, he said in a statement issued when the suit was filed.

The administration didnt appeal the ruling, although legal experts theorized that it has another strategy in the works. A press release from Paxtons office about the lack of an appeal was attached to the email sent to Ag Department staff.

Natalie Rougeux, the employment lawyer and university instructor who conducted the training, said she stood by it. She simply gave the proper terminology for transgender and cisgender and explained the concept of deadnaming, she told the Tribune via email. She noted that while certain aspects of the Biden administration guidance arent enforceable in Texas, that could change.

Even as a conservative voter, I feel that it is prudent to briefly provide employees with the basic concepts of gender identity for their awareness, Rougeux said. There was no mandate given, and the training included many other topics of discrimination and harassment, including what it is and is not and how to report concerns of mistreatment or retaliation in the workplace.

About 100 employees attended the training in person in the departments headquarters in Austin, and those in field offices participated virtually. Some workers told the Tribune she used humor to make the session entertaining as well as informative. One said such trainings are usually profoundly boring, but Rougeuxs was the best.

The Tribune sought comment from the Ag Department about its backtracking on the training, but there had been no response as of Thursday.

(Photo above: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller)
Texas authorities search field linked to convicted murderer who allegedly confessed to 2 killings and may be connected to more

Local and federal authorities searched a Texas field north of Austin this week in connection with a convicted murderer who allegedly confessed to two killings in May and might be linked to other unsolved homicides dating back decades, authorities said.

The Austin and Pflugerville police departments and the FBI were conducting what an Austin police spokesperson described in a statement as a follow-up investigation related to the current Raul Meza Jr. case.

The search was carried out at a field off Farm-to-Market Road 1825 in an area NBC affiliate KXAN reported is roughly 15 miles north of downtown Austin.

Raul Meza Jr. (Pflugerville, Texas, Police Department)

The spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing, and no other details were available.

Meza is being held at the Travis County Correctional Complex on two murder charges  in the stabbing of Jesse Fraga, 80, in May and the killing of Gloria Lofton, 66, in 2019.

Meza served 11 years in prison for the 1982 sexual assault and murder of 8-year-old Kendra Page.

He was arrested May 29 in the fatal stabbing of Fraga, an ex-probation officer whom authorities have described as his roommate. Fraga was found dead in a closet at his home nine days earlier.

After authorities launched a manhunt for Meza, he called an Austin hotline and told a homicide detective, My name is Raul Meza, and I think youre looking for me, according to an arrest affidavit.

During the phone call, Meza allegedly confessed to Fraga's fatal stabbing and Lofton's killing, the affidavit says. Lofton's cause and manner of death had initially been listed as "undetermined," but after the alleged confession, authorities linked DNA found at the scene to Meza and said she died of strangulation, according to the affidavit.

Austin police launched an administrative review into how the 2019 case was handled to determine whether there were "potential investigative lapses," as the police department previously described it.

A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of the probe.

When Meza was arrested in May, authorities found him with zip ties, duct tape, a flashlight and a .22 caliber pistol.

Meza allegedly admitted to planning more killings, officials said at the time, and investigators were looking into links between him and as many as 10 unsolved homicides dating to the 1990s.

Lawyers for Meza did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
God Said: One Man + One Woman sign

A Texas judge is trying to use a recent Supreme Court ruling to justify her refusal to perform same-sex marriages. In a brief filed in state court, the judge who was reprimanded in 2019 for refusing to conduct same-sex marriages argued that even though the U.S. Supreme Court based its ruling in the 303 Creative LLC vs. Elenis case where a Colorado web designers right to not service same-sex couples was upheld on First Amendment grounds rather than state law, it should apply to her lawsuit as well.

Dianne Hensley has waged a public battle against the State Commission on Judicial Conduct since the state agency warned her about refusing to perform same-sex marriages in 2019, the Texas Tribune reports.

When the states Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly rebuked her in December 2019, she sued. Among the reasons for the sanction was casting doubt on her capacity to act impartially to persons appearing before her as a judge due to the persons sexual orientation, according to public documents.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that a web designer could not be forced to craft messages that violated her beliefs about same-sex couples.

Jonathan Mitchell, the former Texas solicitor general, has been on a mission to oppose LGBTQ+, womens, and other civil rights in the United States. He filed the most recent brief on behalf of the judge.

In 303 Creative, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the First Amendment over state law. Last month, the six conservative high court justices held that a Colorado web designer could not be forced to compromise her views to serve same-sex couples. She sought the courts judgment even though she had not been approached to design a website for a gay couple. By relying on a narrow ruling, the court ruled that forcing her to write messages for queer couples would violate her right to free speech.

Using the narrow ruling as a basis, Mitchell says the ruling also applies to Hensley's lawsuit

303 Creative was interpreting the First Amendments Speech Clause rather than the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Its holding is nonetheless instructive because it rejects the idea of a compelling interest in forcing wedding vendors to participate in same-sex and opposite-sex marriage ceremonies on equal terms, explains Mitchell in the brief.

Mitchell has brought several lawsuits looking to restrict the rights of marginalized groups.

In a recent lawsuit, Mitchell challenged the federal governments mandate that insurance companies cover preventative care, including PrEP, a medication that prevents HIV transmission. He claimed that forcing his clients to buy insurance policies that cover these services violated their religious freedom rights in Braidwood Management vs. Xavier Becerra since paying for prevention services like PrEP encourages homosexual behavior, which his clients reject as sinful.

In addition to queer patients, straight people use PrEP drugs as well. The sexual orientation of a person is not relevant to how HIV or any other virus enters a body.

A conservative federal judge ruled in Mitchells favor though the case is being appealed, and the ruling has been mostly put on hold.

According to Hensley, the Judicial Conduct Commissions warning substantially burdened the free exercise of her religion, with no compelling justification.

In her lawsuit that was previously put on ice, she is seeking damages for $10,000. First Liberty Institute, a prominent Plano religious liberty law firm, represented her.

According to the Tribune, the suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is closely associated with the legal group.

Under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, she alleges a violation of her civil rights by the commission.

Last month, the Texas Supreme Court announced that it would hear arguments reviving a lawsuit dismissed by a lower appellate court.
Texas judge uses anti-LGBT+ Supreme Court ruling to argue she can refuse to perform same-sex weddings

A justice of the peace in Waco, Texas, has been arguing against performing same-sex weddings for years. Now, shes citing a recent anti-LGBT+ ruling from the Supreme Court to claim she has the right to refuse.

Judge Dianne Hensley recently filed a brief to the Supreme Court of Texas claiming the US Supreme Courts recent ruling in 303 Creative LLC v Elenis gives Ms Hensley the right to refuse to perform same-sex weddings as it violates her right under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

303 Creative was interpreting the First Amendments Speech Clause rather than the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Its holding is nonetheless instructive because it rejects the idea of a compelling interest in forcing wedding vendors to participate in same-sex and opposite-sex marriage ceremonies on equal terms, a lawyer representing Ms Hensley wrote in the brief obtained by The Texas Tribune.

The brief goes on to claim the Courts rejection of the compelling interest clause is applicable to Ms Hensley, who has been arguing with the state since 2019.

Experts and LGBT+ activists shared concerns that the Courts ruling in 303 Creative would inspire a slew of cases where businesses may refuse service to people in the LGBT+ community for religious freedom reasons.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that Lorie Smith, the owner of 303 Creative LLC, was allowed to refuse her wedding website services to same-sex couples because it violated her First Amendment right to comply with speech she did not agree with.

Ms Hensley and her lawyers have now cited the cases ruling to argue she can refuse to perform same-sex weddings  something she first began doing in 2017.

The Texas judge claimed her sincerely held religious belief as a Christian prevented her from performing same-sex weddings.

Then in 2019, The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct gave Ms Hensley a public warning and a sanction.

In return, Ms Hensley sued the state commission on judicial conduct for damages claiming they burdened the free exercise of her religion.

Though the suit was initially dismissed by lower courts, the Supreme Court of Texas agreed to hear arguments last month.

Justin Butterfield, the deputy general counsel for First Liberty Institute, the organisation representing Ms Hensley, said: Judge Hensley always followed the law. She sought to follow her religious beliefs and accommodate everyone, yet the government chose to punish her. We look forward to the Texas Supreme Court correcting this injustice.
(Bloomberg) -- Thailands Move Forward, the party that won the most seats in the May general election, is trying to strip some of the Senates powers after the military-appointed upper house of parliament blocked pro-democracy leader Pita Limjaroenrats bid to become prime minister.

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Move Forward submitted a bill Friday to abolish an article in the 2017 military-backed constitution, which gives the unelected Senate the power to select the prime minister alongside the elected lower house.

This isnt the first time that someone is trying to challenge the Senates voting right. Six attempts have been made in vain since 2020 by political parties and civil society groups to curb the power of the Senate, because such a proposal ironically needs support from at least a third of the 250-member upper house to pass.

Move Forwards submission came a day after its leader Pita, the sole nominee of the eight-party coalition that has staked a claim to form Thailands next government, was thwarted in his bid for premiership by senators, the majority of whom rejected Pita outright or abstained from voting. In doing so, they undermined the result of the May 14 election where voters had overwhelmingly supported pro-democracy parties.

READ: Thai Conservatives Stop Pro-Democracy Candidate From Becoming PM

We dont know how many times the prime minister selection will be held until it concludes. So, we can do this hand in hand, Chaithawat Tulathon, secretary-general of Move Forward Party, told reporters at the parliament house. Since the Senate didnt want to vote anyway, were only looking for a solution for everybody.

Among the 250-member Senate, as many as 159 members abstained from voting and 34 voted against Pita outright on Thursday. Only 13 backed the popular mandate. But Chaithawat said the party will seek support from more senators for Pita at the next round of prime minister selection next week.

Many members cited Move Forwards platform to amend Thailands lese majeste law, which prohibits criticism of the king or other royals, as a reason for withholding support. Pita has vowed to not back down on the proposal, raising further tension with the pro-military royalist establishment.

The bill was accepted by house speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who confirmed at the briefing that the second vote to select the prime minister will be held by the joint National Assembly on July 19, at 9:30 a.m. in Bangkok.

Ill process this as soon as possible as this is an urgent matter, Wan said.

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(Bloomberg) -- A third Dutch deputy prime minister resigned on Friday, capping a week of upheaval that saw nations top politicians follow premier Mark Rutte in stepping down after the collapse of the ruling coalition government.

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Deputy Prime Minister and ChristenUnie party member Carola Schouten said she would exit politics after twelve intense years. Schoutens departure means that all the Netherlands deputy prime minsters have now resigned, following Ruttes decision to leave amid infighting over immigration policy.

Her departure follows that of Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag, who also held the title of Deputy Prime Minister and whose progressive Democrats 66 (D66) party forms part of the ruling coalition. A third deputy premier, Wopke Hoestra, said this week he no longer wants to lead the Christian Democrats, also in the four-party group.

The Netherlands has multiple deputy prime ministers, reflecting the multi-party coalition government. The ministers will leave their roles after a new government is formed following parliament elections, to be held November 22.

The departure of Rutte and the ministers leaves a vacuum in Dutch politics. Three of the four biggest parties in the previous parliamentary elections - Ruttes VVD, the progressive D66 and the Christian Democrats - are in search of a new leader while other parties are trying to fill the gap.

The farmers citizens movement, BBB, claimed a surprise victory in the March upper house elections, making them the biggest player in the Dutch senate. The party generally places at the right of the Dutch political landscape.

On the left, an anticipated merger of the Labor party and the Green Left party could pose another force to be reckoned with, and both are hoping to attract left-leaning voters from other parties.

Ruttes VVD party has already nominated Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius as candidate leader. Climate Minister Rob Jetten is bidding to replace Kaag as the leader of the D66.

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(Photo : Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The gunman in the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting who killed 11 people and injured six others has been found eligible for the death penalty by a jury.

The gunman in the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting that resulted in the death of 11 people has been found eligible for the death penalty by a federal jury on Thursday.

The case will be moving on to its final phase next week, and the jury's decision, which many expected, came after two-and-a-half weeks of testimony. This largely focused on the shooter's motivations, identified as Robert Bowers.

Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Eligible for Death Penalty

Mental health experts have analyzed brain scans of the defendant and discussed the effects of his troubled childhood. They also recounted interviews with Bowers, where he detailed several months of planning the attack before commencing with the massacre.

The jury will now weigh whether or not the gunman should be sentenced to death for the crime, considered the deadliest antisemitic attack in the history of the United States. Usually, capital trials are split into guilt and penalty phases, as per the New York Times.

The first phase, which focused on the suspect's eligibility for the death penalty, concluded on Thursday. The second one will start on Monday and focus on whether to recommend that the judge impose a death sentence or life in prison.

Bowers' defense team did not present any witnesses in the first phase of the federal trial, and they never disputed the essential facts of the attack. On October 27, 2018, the defendant drove to a synagogue where congregations met for services, Tree of Life, New Light, and Dor Hadash, and walked through the door and started shooting at worshippers.

Authorities later identified the victims as 75-year-old Joyce Fienberg, 65-year-old Richard Gottfried, 97-year-old Rose Mallinger, 71-year-old Daniel Stein, 87-year-old Melvin Wax, 69-year-old Irving Younger, 66-year-old Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, 84-year-old Bernice Simon, 86-year-old Sylvan Simon, 59-year-old Cecil Rosenthal, and 54-year-old David Rosenthal.

Read Also: Cleveland Shooting Injures 9, Prompts Manhunt for Shooter at Large

Guilty of 63 Counts

On June 16, the 50-year-old gunman was found guilty of all 63 charges against him for the killings and injuring six other people. Out of all of the counts, 22 were considered to be capital offenses, according to CNN.

The next phase will include testimonies from survivors and the loved ones of the victims who were killed in the shooting. In a statement, a support group for the families, the 10.27 Healing Partnership, said that it had been nearly five years since the tragic incident where 11 people were taken too early.

The group director, Maggie Feinstein, said that they can no longer speak for themselves, so their family members will have to speak for them. She noted that in the next trial phase, the justice system will perform its duty to listen to the voices of the victims' loved ones.

In federal cases in the United States, a unanimous vote is needed to sentence a defendant to death. If jurors cannot reach such a decision, Bowers will be given life in prison without the possibility of release, said Aljazeera.

Related Article: E. Jean Carroll Case: DOJ No Longer Finds Donald Trump Immune From Lawsuit

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A third man has been formally charged in the drive-by shooting death of a 9-year-old Cincinnati girl who was in her grandmothers home Monday night in Silverton, a suburban village north of Cincinnati, when she was hit by gunfire.

>> Drive-by shooting that killed Cincinnati girl was retaliation, prosecutor says

All three of these individuals are in custody and all three of these individuals are considered cowards, Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said at a news conference Thursday.

Heres the latest on the investigation from the news conference, published via social media, and reporting from our news partner, WCPO.com:

Ryan Brown, 27, is the third man arrested, charged with aggravated murder for his role in the death of DaMyiah Barton-Pickens. According to Hamilton County prosecutors, Brown was allegedly robbed by a relative of the girl. He recruited one of the co-defendants to drive to the grandmothers home where they fired at least 28 rounds at her house in retaliation of the supposed robbery.

One of those bullets entered the home and hit the girl, who died at a hospital.

Brown was arrested Thursday afternoon. McGuffey said he turned himself in, but noted that police investigators had conducted surveillance that included the use of drones on suspects they believed were involved in the drive-by shooting.

Qasseem Dixon, 25, was the man Brown is accused of recruiting to do the shooting. Dixon was the first man arrested. He entered a courtroom on crutches for his arraignment. He, too, is charged with aggravated murder. Dixon also faces a charge of having weapons as a felon. According to court documents, Dixon was seen a day after the shooting through surveillance by Hamilton County Sheriffs detectives in possession of a Draco AK-47 rifle with a fully loaded magazine. His bond is $2.5 million.

Demario Williams, 22, who was allegedly driving a car that crashed Tuesday as he and Dixon tried to elude capture. Williams ran from that crash but was captured, the sheriff said. He is in jail on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon, but prosecutors said a grand jury may choose to add charges tied to fleeing from law enforcement. His bond is $100,000.

At his arraignment, Williams attorney said his client was not involved at all in the shooting, wcpo.com reported.

McGuffey, at the news conference, said, [Williams is] a person who became involved in this situation by way of trying to help conceal this crime.

Also during the news conference, McGuffey said she couldnt say for sure whether a robbery was the crux of the retaliation, but believed it may also have been drug related based on the alleged offenders criminal histories with substances.

Regardless of what motive was, it is absolutely not acceptable to act in this way. . . . You dont go out and shoot a 9-year-old innocent girl, she said.

McGuffey would not say who the intended target may have been. She also did not give details about that persons relationship to the family inside the home in Silverton. She did state that during the shooting, the only people in the house was one woman and two children  one of whom was Barton-Pickens.

McGuffey said to her knowledge, the person targeted was not in the house when the shots were fired. She also said investigators have determined that the AK rifle officers seized was used in the drive-by. Shell casings from more than one gun were found at the house, she said, noting that two other firearms were recovered and are being tested.

She praised the community for its role in the investigation of the drive-by shooting.

The community is cooperating  theyre cooperating with us, theyre talking to us, theyre telling us what youre doing and we are gonna continue to protect that community and protect that information, and when people see something they are trusting us to tell us and that is why weve got these men in custody, McGuffey said.








Chicagos community-led public safety commission sent its three top picks for police superintendent late Thursday to Mayor Brandon Johnson, who must now decide who will lead the long-troubled department as it works through high crime, endemic street violence, low morale and court-ordered reforms.

The three finalists selected by the commission are Chicago Police Department Chief Larry Snelling, CPD Chief Angel Novalez and Shon Barnes, the chief of police in Madison, Wisconsin.

Johnsons permanent superintendent will succeed former Mayor Lori Lightfoots hand-picked top cop, David Brown, who came to Chicago from Dallas and oversaw a period of high crime while being criticized as out of his league. Who leads the Police Department, and whether theyre successful, will have major implications for the city, which is still reeling from 2020s civil unrest and subsequent crime spikes, even as shooting and homicide totals have fallen from highs not seen in two decades.

While reducing street violence and arresting criminals will be front and center, the next police superintendent will also need to rebuild trust with community members who have experienced unconstitutional policing and are eager to see a more respectful approach to residents. The selection process itself is a nod in that direction, as Lightfoot joined activists in 2021 to create the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability to oversee the recommendation process in hopes of building public trust and community relationships.

This is the commissions first time leading the selection process, which began in March after Brown announced one day after Lightfoot lost her reelection bid that he was stepping down.

Although Johnson campaigned on the need to address root causes of crime, the police superintendent will be responsible for addressing violence in the near term, and the mayors political success will depend greatly on his administrations handling of public safety. All three finalists have ties to Chicago, a departure from Brown, whose status as an out-of-towner rankled the rank and file as well as some residents and stakeholders.

Heres a look the candidates:

A lifelong South Sider, Larry Snelling joined the CPD in 1992. He was promoted last October to chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, which oversees the narcotics and gang divisions, as well as SWAT teams. Before that, he was a tactical officer, lieutenant and then commander of the Englewood District. Snelling oversaw the district during the fraught summer of 2020, when civil unrest gripped cities across the country following George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer. Considered one of the departments use of force experts, Snelling was previously assigned to CPDs training academy. He also testified about the importance of accuracy in officers incident reports; that was part of Chicago Police Board proceedings against four officers accused of exaggerating the circumstances that led up to the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014.

Angel Novalez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Chicago with his family in the 1970s. He joined the Police Department in 2001 and was previously assigned to the Near West District, the training academy, Area 4 and the Grand Central District on the Northwest Side. After he was shot in the line of duty, Novalez quickly rose through the ranks to oversee much of CPDs community-building efforts, including the CAPS program. He now serves as chief of the Office of Constitutional Policing, which works to develop and implement internal department policies that adhere to the citys consent decree, though the CPDs compliance has been slow.

Of the three finalists, Shon Barnes has the fewest direct connections to Chicago and the CPD. Before he was hired as the chief of police in Madison in 2021, Barnes was the director of training and professional development for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the body that investigates use of force incidents by CPD officers. Prior to his time at COPA, Barnes was the deputy chief of police in Salisbury, North Carolina, and a captain in the Greensboro, North Carolina, police department.

Johnson now has 30 days either to choose one of the three finalists, whod then need approval from the City Council, or order the commission to start the application process over again.

The new mayor called Thursdays announcement an important milestone in the search. In a written statement, Johnson thanked the applicants and the commission and said hes confident that Chicagos next superintendent will inspire trust, foster collaboration, and lead with integrity.

Just before the finalists were announced, the commission president, Anthony Driver Jr., again highlighted the public outreach efforts undertaken by the committee  a far cry from the previous superintendent selection process that was helmed by the Chicago Police Board.

This is not public engagement for the sake of checking a box. This is public engagement for the sake of checking in with the community, Driver said. Thats a community that encompasses many different races, religions, neighborhoods and cultures. However, at our core, we all want the same thing. And that is to be and feel safe and to be respected. And that starts at the top

After the announcement, Driver told reporters that each finalist performed particularly well in their hours-long interviews with the commission.

They knocked every question out of the park, Driver said. Questions directly from the community. Questions from sworn rank-and-file Chicago police officers. From the lieutenants, from the sergeants. From the faith community, the labor community. We developed a rubric and a criteria based on that and we put these folks through the ringer.

Like so many of his predecessors, the next CPD superintendent will be faced with entrenched violent crime, largely concentrated in the citys most underserved neighborhoods; poor officer morale; and a host of consent decree obligations that, to this point, the department has largely failed to meet.

Throughout April and May, the community public safety commission hosted seven public meetings across the city to solicit feedback from residents about what qualities they want in the next leader of the CPD. The tenor of each meeting varied by location, but one characteristic received near-universal support: The next superintendent should come from within the CPD and have strong ties to Chicago.

There were 54 applicants for the job. Thirty-two of them  including Snelling and Novalez  had experience working within the CPD.

Driver had repeatedly told meeting attendees that their comments and questions would be posed to the candidates who advanced to the interview stage.

As the interview process continued in late June, 19 members of the City Council released a letter declaring their disappointment and dismay at the commissions decision to not offer a follow-up interview to Brian McDermott, CPDs chief of patrol and a 28-year department veteran.

The consequences are the old Chicago Way, where weve seen time and time again where you have a very clout-heavy city, where people do favors for folks and people get positions through political influence, and it hasnt worked, Driver later said of the letter. Our city has done this, has operated in the same way for decades, and we have not had good results.

Before the finalists were announced, John Catanzara, the local president of the Fraternal Order of Police who was a frequent critic of former Superintendent Brown, thanked the commission for including rank-and-file officers in the search process. He too praised the new selection process.

This process is 100 times better than what it was when the police board was conducting it, Catanzara said. It is much more fair and inclusive and I want to just say Thank you on behalf of the 17,000 members I represent in the FOP for giving our members a voice in this process and explaining to you what is important to them in the boss whos going to lead them forward.

The process for selecting a permanent superintendent was previously spearheaded by the Chicago Police Board, the nine-person body that doles out punishments in the most severe cases of police misconduct. In previous searches, members of the board  all of whom were appointed by the mayor  would submit three finalists for the mayor to choose from.

In early 2016, as the city was still reeling from the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel disregarded the three finalists compiled by the police board, which was led at the time by future mayor Lori Lightfoot. Emanuel ultimately selected Eddie Johnson, CPDs chief of patrol, even though Johnson never applied for the job. Murders and nonfatal shootings steadily declined over the next few years, but Lightfoot fired Johnson in late 2019 following an embarrassing incident in which he was found asleep in his car near his home in Bridgeport.

After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020, the police board presented Lightfoot with three finalists for the permanent job: Brown, the retired Dallas police chief; Kristen Ziman, the chief of police in Aurora; and Ernest Cato III, a CPD veteran who at the time was a deputy chief.

Lightfoot selected Brown for the job a day after the police board named its finalists. His introductory news conference was held a few hours after the CPD announced its first officer death due to the coronavirus.

Browns tenure was hallmarked by a spike in violent crime, especially carjackings, as well as widespread civil unrest and low officer morale. Brown announced his resignation one day after Lightfoot failed to qualify for the runoff election.

After he was sworn in as mayor, Brandon Johnson selected Fred Waller, CPDs chief of patrol under Eddie Johnson, to serve as interim superintendent. Waller, who remained popular with officers and department supervisors after his retirement in 2020, did not apply for the permanent job.

The superintendent search process changed drastically two years ago when a new city ordinance wrested authority from the police board and handed it to the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Whats more, the new law also created 66 new district councilor positions  three for each of the CPDs 22 patrol districts. Those district councilors serve as liaisons between the districts officers and residents, but they will also play a larger role in future CPD superintendent searches.

This is a great moment because now the people  the people  have a democratic option to say who polices their communities and how their communities are policed, Frank Chapman, a longtime police reform activist and director of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression, said after the first class of district councilors was sworn in earlier this summer. Thats the first time in the history of this country that this has happened, here in Chicago. And the reason why it happened here in Chicago is because we have so many great challenges.
Is TikTok different in China compared to the U.S.? A social media analyst compares it to opium and spinach

A woman records a video clip near the logos for Chinese video apps Bilibili and Douyin, the Chinese version of Tiktok, in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. | AP

In an interview with CBS 60 Minutes, a tech expert stated that the U.S. version of TikTok  a Chinese-owned social media platform  is different than the Chinese version of the app, comparing the two experiences to opium and spinach.

TikTok in China

Although theyre both owned by ByteDance, Douyin  Chinas version of TikTok  offers a different version of the social media app that is unavailable to the rest of the world, especially for children.

Its almost like they recognize that technology is influencing kids development, and they make their domestic version a spinach version of TikTok, while they ship the opium version to the rest of the world, Tristan Harris, a former Google employee, and advocate for social media ethics, said of Chinas approach to TikTok.

If youre under 14 years old, they show you science experiments you can do at home, museum exhibits, patriotism videos and educational videos, said Harris, according to 60 Minutes, adding that children in China were limited to only 40 minutes a day on the app.

Theres a survey of pre-teens in the U.S. and China asking, what is the most aspirational career that you want to have? and in the U.S., the No. 1 was a social media influencer, and in China, the No. 1 was astronaut, Harris said. You allow those two societies to play out for a few generations and I can tell you what your world is going to look like.

Related

How does the U.S. algorithm compare?

In the U.S., TikTok is known for its addicting, personalized and predictive algorithm, specifically tailored to the interests of whoever is scrolling, according to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal.

TikTok doesnt have a specific version made for children, and limits are completely voluntary and can be set up by parents if they wish to do so, according to 60 Minutes.

Dr. Nia Williams, a researcher at Bangor University who specializes in childrens mental health, told BBC that TikToks short and sweet video format is designed to give hits of dopamine with each video, keeping users addicted.

TikTok has videos you might find funny, and you want to see them because they make you feel good. Thats the main nucleus of all sorts of different addictions, Williams said. Whatever you search for on TikTok, that algorithm will be kept. The more you search for things that you like, they will be aware of what you like and thats what you will be fed.

Its a multimillion-pound industry and they will be making money from adverts that will feed into different algorithms, Williams added.

Taking action

According to previous Deseret News reporting, the FBI recently spoke out about its concern about the personal information TikTok collects, stating potential national security concerns. In 2020, In 2020, President Donald Trump expressed his own concerns over the app and attempted to outlaw Tiktoks usage within the U.S. His efforts were paused by President Joe Biden in 2021, per the Deseret News.

Earlier this year, at least eight states launched an investigation into TikTok, researching the effect of the app on the mental health of teens and children, the Deseret News reported.

Our children are growing up in the age of social media  and many feel like they need to measure up the filtered versions of reality that they see on their screens. We know this takes a devastating toll on childrens mental health and well-being, said Rob Bonta, Californias attorney general.
Tim Scott accuses the left of weaponizing race 'for power.' Can that win him GOP votes?

Sandra Green says she is not aware of ever having been called any of the slurs associated with Black voters who cast their ballots for Republicans.

The 54-year-old Texan, a life insurance representative, said her faith and values have always leaned conservative, even when she didn't vote Republican during the Clinton administration. But she is keenly aware of how Black Republican voters and elected officials are sharply criticized as being subservient to white people.

"I think it's a power play, and those words are used to keep Black people in line or in check, but to me it's kind of demonic," she said.

Green said that as she begins to pay closer attention to the 2024 presidential contest, she is increasingly impressed with Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who is leaning into debates about race in America during the early stages of the campaign.

"What I like about Tim Scott is that he can engage people and articulate solutions that don't necessarily pit people against each other," Green said.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during a town hall, May 8, 2023, in Manchester, N.H.

Scott is unwavering in his optimism that race relations in America have improved in comparison with years past as he searches for an opening in the wide array of Republican candidates for president.

At a campaign stop in Iowa in May, he accused Democrats of weaponizing race-related issues not for progress, for power.

The South Carolina lawmaker jumps at opportunities to contrast his worldview with that of Democrats. He jousted with the liberal hosts on "The View," who criticized him for not standing up to Republican policies that opponents say hurt people of color, and pushed back against former President Barack Obama's criticism that Black Republicans often downplay racial inequality.

The moves are part of a larger sunrise strategy to distinguish Scott from other GOP contenders, one the lone Black Republican in the Senate believes is resonating with some nonwhite Americans because they feel taken for granted by the Democrats.

"I think minority voters are trending toward the Republican Party. That's great news," Scott told USA TODAY.

"I think having candidates like Joe Biden say that 'You can't be Black if you don't vote for me' is a part of the unfortunate and intended pressure on minority voters to stay a part of what is perceived by the radical progressives as their voters."

Republican voters in 2024 have the most diverse field of presidential contenders in history with Scott and others, such as former Rep. Will Hurd, political commentator Larry Elder, and former Gov. Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom are the children of Indian immigrants.

Thankful for those who stand next to me both on and off the stage. pic.twitter.com/pJLK9tlRDn  Tim Scott (@votetimscott) July 12, 2023

The slate of nonwhite Republicans running for president and other higher offices, however, comes amid a conservative-led backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion policies and teaching about race and slavery in school curriculum.

Coupled with the blockbuster U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting affirmative action in college admissions, Black Republicans are facing intense scrutiny as polling shows a growing pessimism among Black voters about the country's racial progress and attitudes.

Scott and other conservatives of colors' commentary on race, often delivered before mostly white audiences, have thrust Black conservatives to the forefront of the political debate as many ask if their rise represents a genuine shift among minority voters or an attempt to suffocate demands for racial justice.

Black conservatives and 'linked fate'

Black Republicans are often derided by liberal opponents as either colorblind dupes or, at worst, traitors to their race who have turned their back on their community.

Experts say there are important distinctions, however, that are rarely talked about to explain their political outlook.

We know that Black political ideology is far more complex than the vast majority of Black adults who vote Democratic, said Kiana Cox, an associate at the Pew Research Center.

Cox co-wrote a survey in 2022 that found many overlaps among all Black voters regardless of party affiliation in terms of income, ethnic pride and discrimination.

Sixty-six percent of Black Republicans in the survey said their ancestry is extremely or very important part of their personal identity. That matches the roughly 65% of Black Democrats who said they same.

Likewise, 79% of Black GOP voters said they have experienced racism in their life, which mirrors the 80% of their Democratic counterparts.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears waves during the inauguration address for Gov. Glenn Youngkin in Richmond on Jan. 15, 2022.

Where the partisan divide begins appear within the Black community, Cox said, are in three key areas.

The study shows Republicans are less likely to attend a predominately Black church than Democrats by about 12%.

About 6 in 10 Republicans said being Black is an extremely or very important part of how they think about themselves, which is less than the roughly 8 in 10 Democrats who said the same.

But the biggest factor, experts say, is how GOP voters in Black America view their personal lives and triumphs compared with those of the whole of the community. The study found they less likely to hold a belief in linked fate, which is how much they see their life connected with the lives of others in the same group.

Thirty-nine percent of Black Republicans said everything or most things that happen to Black people in the U.S. will influence their personal lives, which is far less than the 57% of Black Democrats who agreed with that statement.

By and large, we see that Black Republicans, when we look at their views on racial issues, they tend to have a more individualistic approach when it comes to assessing racial inequality and when it comes to offering remedies for that inequality, Cox said.

So, for example, Black Republicans are more likely than Black Democrats to say that if Black people can't get ahead, they're responsible for that.

Black voters remain sharply skeptical of GOP candidates of color

Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron speaking to supporters May 16, 2023 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Ky. after he won the 2023 Kentucky Republican primary nomination for governor. He faces Democrat incumbent Gov. Andy Beshear in November.

Leah Wright Rigueur, a historian at Johns Hopkins University, who has written extensively about Black Republicans, said studies show even more conservative-leaning Black voters judge candidates such as Scott more harshly than they do white GOP candidates because they view it as a betrayal.

She said Black voters also take notice of how nonwhite Republican candidates avoid delivering their message in their communities and political spaces.

"That critical mass (of Black support) will never happen as long as Black audiences feel like the candidate in question does not have black people's best interests in mind, let alone trying to actively harm them," Rigueur said.

Scott didn't address directly a USA TODAY question on how his discussions on race often take place in front of almost exclusively white audiences. He instead emphasized that the GOP has plenty to offer minority voters, such as supporting funding for historically Black colleges and universities, or the advancement of research and development on sickle cell anemia.

"So we figured out how to make sure that we had American solutions to American problems, not focus simply on race but focus on economics," Scott said.

That is the tightrope most Black Republican candidates walk as they have seen significant electoral wins even as opponents call attention to what they view as their silence on and complicity with the partys aggressive posture against diversity initiatives.

In 2021, Republican Winsome Sears broke barriers as the first Black woman elected statewide when she became Virginias lieutenant governor. She downplayed shattering that glass ceiling, however.

"So I make history. So what? It's done," Sears told USA TODAY in 2021. "And now what the people want to know is: How are you going to govern? What are your policies? What are your issues? How are you going to serve us? Because that's what this is about."

A record number of Black GOP candidates ran for Congress last year, and Republicans saw an increase in minority voter support. GOP candidates drew 14% of Black voters, up from 8% in the 2018 midterm elections, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive national survey of the electorate.

Republican Daniel Cameron, who is making a historic bid to be Kentuckys first Black governor in 2023, said the trends reflect a reaction among Black voters to the Democratic Party, which he cast as being captured by far-left ideas.

I think Black people, particularly Black men, are growing to see that the Republican Party is more in line with their values, Cameron told USA TODAY.

The Bluegrass State will test how Cameron, and other Black conservatives, navigate controversial questions of race and their role in shaping those policies.

Cameron's candidacy is being met with stiff opposition from Black activists at the state and national level, such as the New York-based social justice group Until Freedom, which has vowed to commit resources toward defeating him over his role as attorney general in the Breonna Taylor case.

Tamika Palmer, mother of Breonna Taylor, checks her emotions in Jefferson Square Park on Monday, June 5, 2023. Palmer is listening to Tamika Mallory with Until Freedom who was there to announce a campaign to defeat Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron as he runs for Kentucky Governor against Governor Andy Beshear.

Like other Black Republicans vying for higher office, Cameron also has taken on liberal opponents, pushing back in a TV ad against left-leaning activists who protested outside his home over his decision not to prosecute the police officers who killed Taylor while they were executing a search warrant.

Much like Scott and his presidential bid, Cameron touts his heritage in front of mostly white audiences while remaining a steadfast conservative on crime, transgender rights and other issues.

After coasting to win the GOP nomination for governor in May, he told supporters in his victory speech how anyone who looks like me  can achieve anything. ... All that matters is your values."

Cameron said his campaign is a reflection that those core values and policy solutions matter as much racial identity to Black voters, who he said want good-paying jobs, police to be funded, and their children to have a quality education.

Thank you, Kentucky, for the opportunity to serve as your Attorney General.



I recognize the significance of this moment, and I hope that it propels men and women who look like me to answer the call of public service, regardless of their political affiliation. pic.twitter.com/inQkvFOKVm  Attorney General Daniel Cameron (@kyoag) January 6, 2020

But he said he often feels Black conservatives are held to a double standard, and treated more sharply by news outlets and other critics than Democratic candidates when it comes to racial controversies and other cultural issues.

"I often get asked to denounce every racist comment or behavior," Cameron said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tim Scott accuses the left of weaponizing race. Will it work in 2024?
Tornado sirens blare, funnel cloud spotted in Lawrence as people told to take shelter

Douglas County emergency management was warning people to take shelter for fear of tornadoes in the area on Friday afternoon.

A tornado warning was issued at 2:38 p.m. by Douglas County Emergency Management for Lecompton and North Lawrence. Roughly 25 minutes later, the agency said the tornado warning had passed but the threat of severe thunderstorms remained in effect, bringing wind gusts as strong as 80 mph and nickel-sized hail.

Lawrence police officers also reported seeing funnel clouds near Bob Billings Parkway and Wakarusa Drive, according to the departments Twitter account.

These were funnel clouds, nothing on the ground, the department said in a subsequent tweet.

Storm watchers shared photos and videos of dark clouds passing through the Lawrence area on Twitter.

[2:03pm 14 July 2023, 5 WNW Mayetta, KS]

Severe-warned storm now overhead. Wind gusts up to 50 mph have occurred. Picture is view of storm approaching taken at 1:54pm. #KSwx @NWSTopeka pic.twitter.com/bGKxLnazZ0  Jayson Prentice (@SeverePlains) July 14, 2023

The warnings came as severe weather was headed for the Kansas City metro.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 2:35 p.m. for parts of Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Johnson counties as severe thunderstorms were located along a line that stretched from Holton to near Perry Lake to near Auburn in Kansas. The storms were moving east at 40 mph.

Wind gusts of 70 mph were expected, along with quarter-sized hail, according to the weather service.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected, the weather service warned. Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings.

Cities that could be impacted by the storms included Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edgerton, Linwood, and Easton.

The Stars Robert A. Cronkleton contributed to this report.
A thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of the Kansas City area as severe weather approaches the metro, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning is for a line of storms that prompted the National Weather Service in Topeka to issue a tornado warning for parts of southern Jefferson and northwestern Douglas counties in Kansas.

At about 2:30 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was near Grantville, Kansas, moving east at 40 mph.

Local Radar Image

Closer to the metro area, the Douglas County Emergency Management said that there was a tornado warning for Lecompton and North Lawrence.

Take shelter immediately!!!! the agency said on Twitter.

Lawrence police officers reported seeing funnel clouds near Bob Billings Parkway and Wakarusa Drive, according to the departments Twitter account.

These were funnel clouds, nothing on the ground, the department said in a subsequent tweet.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 2:35 p.m. for parts of Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Johnson counties as severe thunderstorms were located along a line that stretched from Holton to near Perry Lake to near Auburn in Kansas. The storms were moving east at 40 mph.

Wind gusts of 70 mph were expected, along with quarter-sized hail, according to the weather service.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected, the weather service warned. Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings.

Cities that could be impacted by the storms included Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edgerton, Linwood, and Easton.

As that warning was expiring, a new one was issued for parts of Leavenworth, Johnson, Wyandotte and Miami counties as severe thunderstorms extended along a line from near Winchester to Linwood to near Baldwin City.

Hail damage to vehicles also was expected along with wind damage to roofs.

The cities expected to be impacted by this line of storms included Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leavenworth, Gardner, Lansing, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Paola, Spring Hill, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edwardsville, Edgerton, Lake Quivira, Kansas City and Linwood

Meanwhile, storms were popping up in the Northland. Strong storms were being tracked near Smithville, Missouri.

Weather watches and warnings

A live data feed from the National Weather Service containing official weather warnings, watches, and advisory statements. Tap warning areas for more details. Sources: NOAA, National Weather Service, NOAA GeoPlatform and Esri.

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Torrential rain in parts of Mississippi: Will the Pearl River flood at Jackson?

Torrential rain fell on parts of Mississippi on Thursday, and that has left many people wondering if the Pearl River will flood as it has in the past.

"Some places got 12 inches," said Ross Barnett Reservoir general manager John Sigman. "That's a lot."

As devastating as rainfall like that can be, Sigman said not all of it fell in areas that drain into the Pearl River.

"The worst of the flooding, as far as I can tell, was around Louisville," Sigman said. "We don't get all the drainage from Winston County. We get part of it from Louisville, but not all of it."

So, while there is a significant rise expected for the Pearl River at Jackson and below, it isn't expected to near the 28-foot flood stage on the Jackson gauge.

In this image provided by Mississippi state Rep. Michael Evans, floodwaters surround a home in Louisville, Miss., Thursday, July 13, 2023. Flash flooding was also reported Thursday in Winston, Choctaw, Neshoba and Noxubee counties.

How high will the Pearl River get?

"We just got our projections from Slidell," Sigman said. "They're predicting a peak Wednesday. We'll slowly increase our discharge over the next week."

Sigman said the peak discharge at the spillway will be 19,000 cubic feet per second and the National Weather Service is forecasting the river will reach 23 feet on the Jackson gauge at that time.

"That's really not a big deal for us," Sigman said.

Sigman said while there is more rain in the forecast for the Pearl River drainage, it isn't expected to have a significant impact at this point.

"There is more rain coming, but from what I can see, it's going to be less than an inch for us."

More: Mississippi is seeing more tornadoes, hail and flooding. Here's why

Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Will the Pearl River flood? Here's what you need to know
Trader Joes Sues Its Workers Union To Stop It From Selling Tote Bags And Mugs

Trader Joes has sued its workers union to prevent it from selling T-shirts, tote bags and mugs emblazoned with the unions logo and name, Trader Joes United.

The grocer filed a lawsuit in federal court in California on Thursday claiming the merchandise in the unions online store infringes on its trademark and dilutes its brand. The company alleges that the sale of the items  including a reusable shopping bag that says Trader Joes United and shows a raised fist clenching a box cutter  could cause significant reputational harm.

Trader Joes asked the court to block the union from selling any such merch to its supporters.

Certain of [the unions] products use the TRADER JOES typed word mark and stylized word mark, the unique Trader Joes typeface and red coloring, and/or the concentric circle design and general composition of the registered TRADER JOES logo, the company claimed in its complaint. Trader Joes has not authorized [the union] to use Trader Joes intellectual property in this way to advertise and sell merchandise.

Trader Joes could not immediately be reached for comment.

HuffPost reported last week that the company threatened to take Trader Joes United to court over the items sold in its store run by Bright Blue Ink, a union print shop and web store manager based in Austin, Texas.

Trader Joes had sent a letter late last month to the unions president, store employee Jamie Edwards, saying the goods infringed on its trademarks and trade dress  a legal term that basically means the look and feel.

Trader Joes employees and union activists hold a rally at a Trader Joes in lower Manhattan last year. The company has just sued its workers' union alleging trademark infringement.

Trader Joes employees and union activists hold a rally at a Trader Joes in lower Manhattan last year. The company has just sued its workers' union alleging trademark infringement.

The unions lawyers wrote a letter in return accusing the grocer of trying to weaponize trademark law against its own workers. Calling the claims frivolous, they said the union had no intention of pulling its merchandise.

This latest threat to the Union is just another in your continuing attack against labor, the attorneys wrote.

A new union unaffiliated with an established labor group, Trader Joes United has unionized four stores since last year. None of Trader Joes more than 500 locations had been organized before then.

The union has accused the company of a number of unfair labor practices during its organizing campaign, and the general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board recently filed a complaint accusing the grocer of retaliating against union organizers in Hadley, Massachusetts, where Trader Joes United was formed.

Related...
A 12-year-old boy lost his life in a tragic incident inside a home in Bostons Mattapan section on Thursday when his older brothers gun somehow went off, officials said.

Simply unacceptable: Man facing charges in fatal shooting of 12-year-old boy in Mattapan

Walter Hendrick, 22, of Mattapan, was arraigned Friday morning on charges including improper storage of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. A judge set his bail at $2,500 and ordered him to surrender any other weapons.

There were no answers there, none, said Diane Ellis, grandmother. Ellis wants to know why her 12-year-old grandson, Savion, is dead.

As you can tell, this is a tragic situation. Mr. Hendricks just lost his younger brother, Hendricks attorney told the court as he hid out of the sight of cameras. Hes supported here by his family who is sitting in the front row...They want him home. This is something thats going to take time to process for Mr. Hendricks as well.

Officers responding to a reported shooting at 35 Fessenden Street just after 2 p.m. found the 12-year-old victim suffering from an apparent gunshot, city officials said. The boy was rushed to a hospital where he eventually died from his injuries.

Its not clear who fired the gun or what led up to the discharge of the firearm. An 8-year brother was also in the apartment, but it is not clear where in the home.

Prosecutors said in court that a firearm was located in the home after the shooting, as well as a single shell casing.

Hendrick made statements indicating ownership of the involved firearm, according to prosecutors. There was also another sibling under the age of 21 present when the gun went off.

Arrest made after 12-year-old boy shot and killed in Mattapan

Hendricks attorney also told the court that her client is a graduate of the Snowden International School who has never been in trouble with the law before. He also has a baby on the way.

This is a first offense for him. Hes never been arrested in his entire life, the attorney said, assuring the judge that her client would return to court. He has a child on the way who is expected to be born next month.

Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden urged community members to turn in their guns during a news conference after the shooting.

Unfortunately were here on another sad and tragic afternoon that frankly stems from too many guns on the street, Hayden said. A young loss of life like this is simply unacceptable. Its tragic and just simply unspeakable.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called the childs death a horrible tragedy for the entire city.

The incident isnt being investigated as a homicide at this time.

Most family members kept their heads covered as they left. He was a good kid, definitely want to let them know that, said one man leaving the courthouse.

Diane Ellis wiped away tears on her way home saying doesnt know what to feel. Until I get some answers my feelings are numb just numb. I cant say whether I am angry or pissed off just numb, said Ellis.

Hendrick is due back in court on September 6.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Donald Trump had recently finished a familiar riff about banning gender transition surgery for children when the former president, speaking to an audience of Evangelical voters, moved on to something new: a policy that would affect transgender adults.

I will ban all taxpayer funding for sex or gender transitions at any age, said Trump, receiving thunderous applause at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington last month. The Republican leader, who moments earlier had also pledged to reinstate a ban on transgender men and women serving in the military, paused for several seconds to soak in the crowds adulation.

Its the kind of moment  and the type of policy  increasingly common on the GOP presidential campaign trail this year.

A Republican Party that in recent years has emphasized transgender issues related to children, teenagers and student-athletes is becoming more and more comfortable now also focusing on transgender adults, led by a field of GOP presidential candidates who, through rhetoric and policy proposal, have denounced elements of the transgender movement as a farce and sought to limit the ways in which these adults can have the medical procedures performed.

Its a shift led by Trump, whose proposed federal funding ban is just one of an array of policies designed to position himself as the Republican candidate most fiercely opposed to transgender rights.

But the change isnt confined to the former presidents candidacy, with many of Trumps rivals also offering blunt assessments about the legitimacy of medical procedures that help people transition to their self-identified gender while adopting many of the former presidents own positions, including a ban on federal funds for gender transition surgery that LGBTQ advocates call a dramatic new front for the partys anti-transgender agenda.

In statements to McClatchyDC, the campaigns of many of the primarys leading contenders  including former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson  said they also support bans on the use of federal taxpayer money for gender transition surgeries for all ages.

Taxpayer money should not be used for transgender surgery, said Hutchinson, who as a candidate has been generally more reluctant to embrace the sharp-elbowed culture-warrior persona of other GOP contenders. It is an individual choice to undertake transgender surgery and it is objectionable to many taxpayers. Taxpayers should not foot the bill.

Other candidates supportive of the ban offered an even broader condemnation of all gender-reassignment surgeries as a treatment option.

Its wrong to treat anorexia with a liposuction, just as its inhumane to treat a person who suffers from gender dysphoria with genital mutilation, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for Ramaswamys campaign, told McClatchyDC in a statement this week. These are mental health illnesses and should be treated as such.

Ramaswamy, little-known to the public before the start of the GOP primary, is receiving more support from GOP voters so far this primary than many more prominent elected officials, according to an average of polls of the 2024 race compiled by FiveThirtyEight.com.

FROM 2017: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen calls Trump change to transgender bathroom rules lamentable

BUD LIGHT, TARGET BOYCOTTS

The GOP fields renewed focus on the adult transgender community could have profound effects for those men and women, affecting whether the country continues to accept them into mainstream society and limiting some peoples access to gender-affirming medical procedures.

Courts across the country are now debating the validity of laws restricting access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy, arriving at different conclusions in places like Florida and Tennessee. Politicians in other states, like Kansas, are engaged in an ongoing fight over whether drivers licenses can indicate someone has changed genders since birth.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the U.S. House voted this week to block the militarys health plan from covering gender-transition surgeries. (The bill is not expected to be approved by the U.S. Senate.)

Brandon Wolf, spokesman for the LGTBQ advocacy group Equality Florida, said GOP politicians had used children as a political shield for their all-out assault on freedom for transgender people of all ages.

From the beginning, the anti-trans policies and rhetoric from politicians like Governor DeSantis have been animated by a desire to use government to legislate and harass transgender people out of society, Wolf said in a statement. That they are now shouting their intent into a bullhorn to score presidential primary points should come as no surprise. It is on all of us to see through their smokescreen and resist these shameless attempts to build political careers by waging war on freedom for transgender Americans.

The embrace of policies restricting health care for transgender adults among GOP presidential candidates also reflects a deeper dynamic within the Republican Party and conservative movement, which has increasingly spoken out about the growing visibility of LGBTQ people and issues in mainstream society, including the designation of June as Pride Month.

RELATED CONTENT: Ron DeSantis faces one setback after another in battle against LGBTQ rights

Right-leaning activists have recently led high-profile boycotts against companies that they say are inappropriately promoting LGBTQ themes, including Bud Light and Target, and other leading conservative publications have questioned whether their movement is compatible with the emergence of the transgender community.

Many of these conservative activists say the transgender movement represents not just an irreversible danger to children but a broader threat to society itself, blurring the lines between men and women in a way they find both wrong and repugnant. That sentiment, though not universally held among GOP voters, is widespread enough to persuade some candidates to expand their own criticisms, conservatives say.

Although the shift has made some Republicans uncomfortable  and nervous about the political fallout  other longtime conservatives predict that the GOP field, encouraged by conservative voters eager for a more combative approach to the increased visibility of the transgender community, will only unveil harsher rhetoric and more far-reaching policies as the primary wears on.

What I see with politicians is some of them are awakening to this issue, theyre taking a look at it, and maybe the first thing theyre willing to say is, Im against allowing children to transition because of the way they feel, said Mary Hasson, a senior fellow at the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center. But I think theyre going to be pushed to consider the question more deeply. Because what we are seeing across society has far deeper ramifications.

Trump himself, in fact, has already been accused of being overly supportive of transgender rights: Last week, DeSantis called his Republican rival a pioneer in injecting gender ideology into the mainstream. The Florida governors campaign also promoted a controversial video highlighting the same criticism of Trump, an online spot widely criticized as homophobic.

RETURN TO BATHROOM BILLS?

The GOPs focus on transgender adults isnt entirely new, at least over the last 10 years. In the middle of the last decade, the party coalesced around opposition to transgender men and women using bathrooms that didnt match their sex at birth. So-called bathroom bills receded from the political spotlight, however, when the issue was widely credited with in 2016 helping defeat incumbent North Carolina GOP Gov. Pat McCrory, who lost his reelection campaign after embracing the issue.

In more recent years, the party has instead focused on transgender issues related to children under 18 and collegiate student-athletes, championing laws that would ban children from having gender transition surgery and protesting transgender women competing in womens sports. Critics have derided these laws as a thinly veiled attempt to attack a minority group disliked by social conservatives, arguing the GOP is putting the lives of transgender youths at risk by denying them necessary medical care.

That emphasis on kids has led to an array of new laws in GOP-controlled states that outright ban gender transition surgery for minors. And on the campaign trail, when Republicans talk about transgender-related issues, they still spend the vast majority of their time talking about the transgender movement and children.

I still think the bulk of the energy and the policy focus is going to be on minors and protecting children from radical ideology, and from children being encouraged or persuaded to engage in gender transition without parental permission and involvement, said Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, in an interview.

Reed noted that when his group hosted its event in Washington last month, all of the candidates except for Trump almost entirely avoided any discussion of adult transgender issues, a list of speakers that included Haley, DeSantis, Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina

But when asked if his group backed Trumps call to ban use of taxpayer funding, the Evangelical leader said it did.

We would clearly support it, he said. I think its a taxpayer funding issue.

Reed offered that a ban on federal money could possibly be shaped like the Hyde Amendment, a legislative provision that prohibits the use of federal tax dollars for abortion but does include some exceptions, such as when the mothers life is in danger.

But even a law designed that way would have far-reaching effects. Banning the use of federal money to pay for gender transition surgeries could effectively prevent members of the U.S. military from gender transition surgery, and Medicare beneficiaries would also have to find alternate means of funding for the procedure.

The situation is more complicated with Medicaid, a health insurance program for low-income Americans that receives federal money but is administered by individual states. Nine states, including Texas and Florida, already ban the use of Medicaid money for all transgender-related health care, according to the non-profit group Movement Advancement Project. (Floridas ban was overturned last month by a federal judge, although the state is appealing.)

A national ban on federal money, however, could still force states that do include the surgery to find new ways to fund it.

Health care experts described the proposed funding ban as the first of its kind.

That isnt something that has been on the table before, said Lindsey Dawson, associate director of HIV Policy and director of LGBTQ Health Policy at KFF, a health policy research and polling organization.

Dawson warned the loss of coverage could have severe consequences.

The loss of coverage means someone is being denied access to a service that is medically necessary, and that can have really adverse consequences for individuals, including worsening mental health, she said.

It was not immediately clear how many people, on average, would be affected by the loss of coverage. Not all people who identify as transgender seek or receive gender-affirming surgery.

The Pence and Scott presidential campaigns did not respond to requests for comment about the funding ban by time of publication.

READ MORE: DeSantis defends video attacking Trump over LGBTQ record: Thats totally fair game

DYLAN MULVANEY CRITICISM

Even before Trumps proposed funding ban, however, Republican candidates were showing an increased willingness to criticize prominent transgender adults and question their decisions to receive gender transition surgery.

In May, Haley lambasted transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney  the woman at the center of conservative protest against Bud Light  during a campaign stopover in New Hampshire.

Make no mistake, the former governor said. That is a guy dressed up like a girl, making fun of women. Women dont act like that.

(Haley, in an interview this week with The Dispatch, did say she supported letting transgender members of the armed services serve openly and that members of that community should have every freedom and every equality as anybody else.

DeSantis, meanwhile, has mocked the notion that transgender men can become pregnant, recently making the line a regular part of his stump speech on the campaign trail.

Dont tell me that a man can get pregnant and expect me to accept that, said DeSantis, speaking in June at a campaign event in South Carolina. I will not. It is not true, and were not going to delude ourselves to think otherwise.

READ MORE: DeSantis signs bills on bathrooms, pronouns in schools, kids at drag shows, and more

In a statement, DeSantis spokesman Bryan Griffin affirmed the governors support for a ban on federal taxpayer funding for gender transition surgeries but highlighted his record on transgender-related issues for children.

As governor of Florida, he has done more to protect children from radical gender ideological indoctrination than any other leader in the nation by ensuring it is a criminal act to surgically mutilate children or subject them to experimental puberty blockers and preventing schools from pushing this trend on kids in the classroom, Griffin said.

DeSantis own transgender-related record as governor does go beyond focusing on kids, however, including limiting the use of pronouns for employees in public schools and signing legislation that requires every public school to have a policy that says it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to their assigned sex.

Many doctors and transgender men and women themselves describe gender-affirming health care as life-saving, an essential procedure that often lifts affected people out of depression  including suicidal states  and lets them live happier, fuller lives. The procedure is endorsed by nearly every major medical association around the world.

Trump, however, has led the way on specific policy proposals: In addition to saying he would reinstate a ban on transgender troops servinging in the military, the former president, speaking at the NRAs annual convention in April, said he would order the Food and Drug Administration to convene an independent outside panel to investigate whether transgender-realted hormone treatments were responsible for an increase in violence in the country.

President Trump has led on this issue long before any of them spoke publicly about it, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. The question is: why did it take them so long to follow President Trumps lead?
(Photo : Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

United States President Joe Biden issued an order that authorizes the deployment of reservists to bolster military troops that are stationed in Europe.

United States President Joe Biden has authorized the deployment of 3,000 reservists to bolster forces already stationed in Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The Democrat's order would authorize the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to deploy active duty units and individual members who are assigned to a unit of the Selected Reserve or any member of the Individual Ready Reserve to the region.

Joe Biden Authorizes Deployment of Reservists to Europe

The deployed troops should be at most 3,000 total members at any given time, out of which not more than 450 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve, Biden's order added.

The president's recent order comes from his five-day trip to Europe, which saw him travel to various regions, including the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and Finland. The international trip sought to demonstrate the force of the international coalition against Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine, as per Fox News.

President Biden appeared confident that he had already accomplished that mission when he proclaimed that he and other NATO leaders showed the military alliance that they are "more united than ever."

As Ukraine's demand for an explicit route to become a member of NATO remains elusive, the United States president emphasized that agreements with countries within the alliance would support Kyiv's long-term security even without its formal entry into the group.

On Thursday, Biden had a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, where the Democrat insisted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be "very happy" despite his expressed frustrations at the lack of a clear timeline for Ukraine's accession into the military alliance.

Despite Biden's order, it remains to be seen whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to deploy the troops soon. However, the order does suggest that the American military's training session in Europe, along with the deployment of several new brigades following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has stretched active-duty forces thin, according to Politico.

Read Also: European Union Passes Major Nature, Climate Change Plan After Negotiations

Defending NATO's Eastern Flank

In a statement on Thursday, the director of operations for the Joint Staff, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, said that Biden's order reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment of the US government to the defense of NATO's eastern flank. He added that it comes after Moscow's supposed illegal and unprovoked war on Kyiv.

While the authorization gives the military's European Command "greater flexibility to defend the continent," it would not change the actual number of forces stationed in Europe, said Capt. Bill Speaks, a spokesperson for US European Command.

Officials from the Pentagon added that American troops stationed in Europe now number roughly 80,000. However, they argued it could change this by allowing commanders to deploy additional reservists. Authorities noted that the units that will be deployed have yet to be identified.

Sims said that authorities allow the department to support better and sustain the American military's presence overseas. Speaks added that the order would ensure long-term resilience in USEUCOM's continued heightened presence and operations, said the Washington Post.

Related Article: Antony Blinken Set to Meet China's Wang Yi During ASEAN Meeting

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Travis Barker has marked his 30th flight since his 2008 plane crash.

In a July 12 post shared to his Thread page, the Blink-182 drummer reflected on the 2008 Learjet crash that killed four people and left Barker alive. Barker used the post to credit his wife, Kourtney Kardashian Barker, for empowering him to tour and enjoy life again.

Thread from Travis Barker (@kourtneykardash via Instagram)

Just flew for the 30th time since my plane crash, he wrote in his Threads post. Wouldnt be able to tour or enjoy life again the way I do without the healing love of my amazing wife. I love @kourtneykardash.

Kardashian Barker reposted her husbands post to her Instagram, writing, so proud of my husband.

In 2021, Barker credited Kardashian Barker for helping him to get on his first flight in 13 years since the deadly Sept. 19, 2008 plane crash.

Kardashian replied to the post, Anything and everything with you.

With you, anything is possible, Barker captioned the post at the time.

That same year, Barker spoke to Mens Health about the incident, which took place in South Carolina after the musician boarded a private plane that crashed during takeoff.

Barker and disk jockey Adam Michael Goldstein  who died in 2009 due to unrelated circumstances  survived the accident with second and third-degree burns. The planes captain, first officer and two other passengers were killed.

I was dark, Barker told Mens Health at the time. I couldnt walk down the street. If I saw a plane (in the sky), I was determined it was going to crash, and I just didnt want to see it.

Barker had 26 surgeries and multiple skin grafts over a span of three months to help him recover from his injuries.

I was told I wasnt going to run again because I had so many grafts on my feet, and there was even talk of me never playing the drums again, he explained. As soon as I could walk, I could run. As soon as I could move my hands and my hands healed, I was playing drums. And now Im in better shape than Ive ever been.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Tri-Cities was off Newhouses radar. It needs to be a priority in drug recovery plan | Opinion

With recent news that nearly every Tri-Cities overdose death so far this year has been related to fentanyl, the timing is right for the newly created Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force.

The group was started by Congressman Dan Newhouse, and includes people from law enforcement, hospitals, drug courts, addiction treatment centers, elected officials and families of fentanyl victims.

The 22-member task force also includes representation from throughout the 4th Congressional District, including Kennewick Police Chief Chris Guerrero.

While others members are from Chelan, Moses Lake, Sunnyside, Goldendale, Toppenish and Colville, most are from Yakima.

The purpose of the group is to figure out a comprehensive approach to deal with the fentanyl crisis. As recently reported in the Tri-City Herald, there was a record number of fentanyl overdose deaths in our area in 2022 and this year is shaping up to be just as deadly.

Considering that the Tri-Cities is set to build a new mental health and recovery center, we suggest that Newhouses task force find a way to include this project in their discussions.

After all, both the task force and the recovery center are in the new construction phase  so to speak.

Michele Gerber, chair of the Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition, launched the group over four years ago with the goal of developing a detox facility in the community.

At the time, she noted that the Tri-Cities is the third largest metropolitan area in the state, and the only community of its size not to have a safe place where people can go to sober up or withdraw from a drug-induced condition.

Gerbers efforts caught the attention of law enforcement officials and other community leaders who saw the desperate need for such a facility. Too often, addicts and those with mental health issues end up in our county jails because there is nowhere else they can go.

This is not only unacceptable, its heartbreaking.

Gerber has repeatedly said that addiction is a brain disease and should be treated like the illness it is.

Now, after years of effort, the Tri-Cities is on its way to getting a two-site project to help these people in need.

One location will be in the old Kennewick General Hospital building and the other will be at nearby 10 East Bruneau Ave, the old Welchs juice facility.

Once fully open, the new center will provide a variety of services that include treatment assessment, medical help to withdraw from addiction, residential inpatient treatment, recovery housing, job training assistance and youth services.

Between public and private contributions, Gerber said the coalition has raised $21.3 million for the project, and of that only about $2 million has come from the federal government.

She told the Herald that she has been trying to connect with Rep. Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, since January, but has felt blocked.

A spokesman for Newhouse said the congressmans schedule is so tight it is tough for him to accommodate every meeting request.

We understand that.

Now, after some back-and-forth between Gerber, the Herald and Newhouses office, we are sure the new Tri-Cities recovery center is now on the congressmans radar.

Physically, the combined sites will certainly be the largest addiction treatment and mental health facility of its kind in Central Washington.

And Gerber believes it likely will end up being the largest in the state.

A project of this magnitude certainly deserves acknowledgment from Newhouse.

Its our understanding that fentanyl task force members will hold their meetings throughout the 4th Congressional District.

We suggest that at some point, the group meet in the Tri-Cities and tour both recovery center sites.

As the project moves forward, there will be a need for additional funding and perhaps Newhouse could help with that as well.

Fentanyl is taking too many lives and while doing something to combat this in the short-term is desperately needed, its worthwhile to look ahead and provide even more help in the future.

Thats what the Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition aims to do, as well as Newhouses fentanyl task force.

Surely, a little collaboration could help push both groups closer to their goals.
Justin Johnson, the man accused of shooting Young Dolph, stands for an appearance in the Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, July 14, 2023.

The two men charged with carrying out the shooting and killing of Young Dolph nearly two years ago will go to trial in March 2024.

The date was set Friday and followed months of report dates, changes in the level of security the two men were incarcerated under and an attempt to have Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee V. Coffee recuse himself for stripping one of the men of his communications privileges.

In court Friday, Justin Johnson, the man who allegedly recorded a rap song from the Shelby County Jail through the court phone and later lost his communication privileges, was given some additional leeway in using the phone by Coffee. Johnson is now allowed to speak with anyone at his attorney's office, as his attorney struggled to reach Johnson in jail, along with two family members.

Both Johnson and Cornelius Smith were in the courtroom Friday morning. The two men have appeared in court together since the special prosecution case was created in January.

The two were indicted for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, using a firearm while committing a felony, unlawful possession of a firearm and theft of property. They both are facing life without the possibility of parole.

Johnson and Smith are the only two defendants in the Young Dolph case who remain in jail. Johnson's brother, Jermarcus Johnson, entered a guilty plea on June 9 to three counts of accessory after the fact and is accused of helping his brother evade police following the shooting. Jermarcus Johnson faces 6 to 12 years for all the charges.

His plea deal lowered his bail from $300,000 to $25,000 and he posted that amount. He will be out of jail until his sentencing, which is scheduled for Aug. 10. Jermarcus Johnson is also expected to testify against the other men, including his brother.

Jermarcus Johnson, who is accused of aiding in the hide out and escape of Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith after they shot rapper Young Dolph, answers a question from Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman on the stand at the Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, June 9, 2023.

Another defendant, Hernandez Govan, was given a lower bail amount in early May due to declining health and has been under "alternative restriction and supervision" until his trial. Although his supervision has been sealed "for security reasons" Govan reported to court Thursday morning.

During that court appearance, he told Coffee he had a broken back after falling down the stairs. He is scheduled for surgery later this year.

All four defendants have varying involvement in the Nov. 12, 2021 shooting that killed Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton Jr. The Memphis rapper was shot and killed inside Makeda's Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways Boulevard.

Details on the suspects: Suspect in Young Dolph's death found with drugs and phone in jail, sheriff's office says

Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith were the first to be arrested in the case and were indicted for carrying out the shooting. Govan was later indicted and accused of orchestrating the killing.

A motive for the conspiracy has not been made public by prosecutors or investigators. The trial for Justin Johnson and Smith is scheduled to begin on March 11. An additional report date is set for Dec. 1 for attorneys to argue any additional motions and for any potential plea deals to be entered prior to trial.

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Young Dolph killing: Trial to begin in March 2024 in Memphis
Trial for Jorge Guerrero-Torres in slaying of 9-year-old Diana Alvarez again delayed

A Punta Gorda man accused of the 2016 kidnapping, rape and murder of 9-year-old Diana Alvarez, of San Carlos Park, stared directly at the judge Friday as his tentative trial date was again pushed back and likely won't start until spring.

Jorge Guerrero-Torres, 35, will likely face trial before Lee Circuit Judge Margaret Steinbeck in mid-March or April. Prior, his trial had been scheduled for Sept. 26 or later.

Jorge Manuel Guerrero-Torres is accused of killing Diana Alvarez in 2016. Her remains were found in Osceola County after years of searching.

Diana's mother, Rita Hernandez, sat in the courtroom as four of Diana's siblings waited outside. Beatriz Scalici, victim advocate for the State Attorney's Office, accompanied the family.

Amira Fox, Natalie Savino and Francine Donnorumo are prosecuting for the state. Guerrero-Torres is represented by public defender Philadelphia Beard.

Steinbeck addressed a motion potentially in the works seeking Guerrero-Torres' incompetence due to intellectual disability or autism, but Beard declined.

Fox said they've retained an expert in Tampa to evaluate Guerrero-Torres, which could happen in August or September.

"I don't know that the experts will have finished their reports by then," Fox said when asked whether the previous tentative start date of late September remained valid.

Other factors that led to the delay include that Steinbeck continues to go through Guerrero-Torres' transcripts, adding she plans to rule on several recent motions.

More: Judge reserves ruling on cellphone search of man accused of murdering 9-year-old

More: Active crime scene in Osceola County linked to 2016 disappearance of Diana Alvarez

More: Trial delayed in 2016 kidnapping, molestation, murder; cellphone search appeal ongoing

When the trial begins in the spring, Steinbeck said she will allot two full weeks, and, if needed after that, partial weeks or scattered days.

Steinbeck recently reserved ruling on a motion to suppress the cellphone search of Guerrero-Torres.

Originally slated May 9 of this year, the trial for Guerrero-Torres, of Fort Myers, had been pushed back, court records indicate.

Guerrero-Torres faces three counts  first-degree murder; kidnapping; and lewd and lascivious molestation. A Lee County grand jury indicted Guerrero-Torres on all three counts May 3, 2018.

He wanted separate trials for each of the three charges. The state denied that motion in February.

Guerrero-Torres was already convicted on two counts of federal child pornography charges connected to the girl.

More than a year after Diana disappeared in May 2016, authorities arrested Guerrero-Torres, questioning him for about three days. More than a year later, the Lee County Sheriff's Office announced Aug. 15, 2017, that Guerrero-Torres was charged with two felonies in the disappearance.

His cellphone was recovered after investigators narrowed their search to Daytona Beach using a geolocation device. There, they met with Steven Morehouse, who said he found the cellphone and charged it to locate the owner.

Guerrero-Torres was sentenced Aug. 14, 2017, to 40 years for having sexually explicit images of the girl on his cellphone.

Alvarez's family last saw her on May 29, 2016, in their south Lee County home. While her body wasn't found until March 13, 2020, investigators believed Guerrero-Torres killed her.

Guerrero-Torres is next due in court Sept. 5 for a pretrial conference before Steinbeck.

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, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Trial in slaying of Diana Alvarez, 9, delayed as competency determined
Reserve troops who may be called up for Europe duty would serve 'administrative' functions, Kirby says

President Joe Bidens authorization Thursday for the military to call up as many as 3,000 reserve troops to support operations in Europe would be for administrative support contributing to the existing rotational presence, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

These are people that are specialists in things like administrative functions, logistics, supply, maybe medical, dental, those kinds of things, Kirby said in an interview with Fox News on Friday morning. The kind of enabling functions that you need to support and sustain a large troop presence for a long time.

It is not yet clear if the military plans to actually deploy any of the 3,000 reserve troops. Bidens executive order telling the reservists to be ready for possible deployment came after he attended a NATO summit in Lithuania this week, where he pledged that the U.S. and its allies will not waver in defense of Ukraine.

The clarification from Kirby may have been an attempt to tamp down anxiety after Republicans railed against the executive order Thursday.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said in a tweet Thursday that with his order, Biden is arguably walking the U.S. up to the line of war and daring Russia to shoot first.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should U.S. servicemen & women be sent to fight in Ukraine, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) added Friday morning. In fact, no reserve troops would be sent to Ukraine even if they were deployed to Europe.

The U.S. grew its presence in Europe by about 20,000 troops, including new rotations of 10,000 troops in Poland, after Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to seize the country, amounting to a total of over 100,000 troops.

This reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to the defense of NATOs eastern flank in the wake of Russias illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of operations for the Joint Staff, told reporters of the move Thursday.

In his executive order, Biden cited Operation Atlantic Resolve, the U.S. effort to support Ukraine against Russian military aggression and shore up NATO defenses which began in 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.
(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump asked the Georgia Supreme Court to halt a state investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

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The petition filed by Trumps lawyers on Thursday marks his latest effort to stop or at least delay the probe ahead of an announcement by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, expected this summer, on whether she will press charges.

The former presidents lawyers want the states highest court to toss out a special investigative grand jurys report with indictment recommendations and to bar the district attorneys office from using evidence it gathered during that process. They also argue that Willis should be blocked from playing any role in the case.

Read More: Trump Seeks End to Atlanta Election Probe, Removal of DA

While the latest petition is pending, Trump asked the justices to pause all proceedings related to the investigation.

Looming Indictment

Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination for 2024, filed a similar request in March with the trial judge who presided over the special grand jury, Judge Robert McBurney. The Atlanta-based jurist has yet to rule. Trumps lawyers wrote that they were taking the unusual step of asking the state Supreme Court to step in because their previous challenge had been ignored and a decision by Willis appeared imminent.

Stranded between the supervising judges protracted passivity and the district attorneys looming indictment, petitioner has no meaningful option other than to seek this courts intervention, they wrote.

QuickTake: What Trumps Many Legal Perils Mean for His 2024 Bid

A spokesperson for Williss office declined to comment on the latest filing. Through his chambers, McBurney, who is also named in Trumps petition, declined to comment.

The petition was reported earlier on Friday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Investigative Weapon

Trump claims that Georgias special grand jury process is generally unconstitutional and that McBurney allowed Willis to turn the 2020 election probe into a jerry-rigged investigative weapon.

He is arguing that Willis shouldnt be involved because her political activities  including supporting an opponent of one of the investigations subjects, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones  created a conflict of interest. Willis already had been disqualified from matters related to Jones, but Trumps team says that isnt enough to address the conflict.

Read More: Trump Prosecutor Defends Probe of 2020 Election in Georgia

In addition to the state Supreme Court petition, Trumps team on Thursday filed a similar petition in Fulton County Superior Court. But his lawyers argued the state justices should act now because going through the lower courts, even on an expedited basis, wont outpace the DA.

Willis has signaled she might announce an indictment by the end of August. Earlier this week McBurney seated a new grand jury expected to consider the Trump investigation.

Trump already is facing two sets of criminal charges. One is a state case in New York accusing him of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election. The other is a federal case in Florida charging him with mishandling state secrets and obstructing justice. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases. A separate federal investigation into the 2020 election remains active as well.

Trump has called all the legal actions and probes he faces part of a Democratic effort to hobble his candidacy.

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Former President Trump said it was probably a mistake to appoint Christopher Wray to lead the FBI, attributing the decision partly to a recommendation from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R).

In an interview with Fox Newss Maria Bartiromo set to air Sunday, Trump, who rarely acknowledges making an error, was asked if it was a mistake for him to put Wray in charge of the FBI. The bureau has recently faced unrelenting criticism from Republicans, including the former president.

Sadly, it probably was, Trump said in an excerpt released Friday. You know, he was recommended very strongly by Chris Christie, who is, you know, a sad case.

Trump went on criticize Christie over his poll numbers in the GOP presidential primary, where the former New Jersey governor has typically polled in the low single digits. Christie has spent much of his campaign attacking Trump over his character, saying he is unfit to serve another term in the White House.

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Wray has led the FBI since 2017, when he was appointed by Trump.

But the former president and his allies have turned sharply critical of Wray and the bureau in the wake of last Augusts search of Trumps Mar-a-Lago property as part of an investigation into Trumps handling of classified documents upon leaving the White House.

Some Republicans have called for defunding the FBI, and many on the right have alleged that the bureau is politicized and biased against conservatives.

Wray testified Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee, where GOP members grilled him on claims of politicization within the bureau.

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Christie has repeatedly and publicly defended Wray, standing by his recommendation that he lead the FBI and pushing back on efforts in the House to go after Wray.

I think Chris Wray has done a very good job, Christie said Wednesday after the House hearing. A lot of the stuff you see today  is theater, that people are trying to raise money for campaigns. Doesnt mean there arent problems at the FBI  there are. But I believe Chris is a guy who can get it fixed, and hes fixed a lot of them already.

Christie and Wray have known each other for more than 20 years, from serving in the Justice Department together to Christie hiring Wray as his personal attorney to defend him during the BridgeGate scandal in 2014, when the former New Jersey governor and his allies were accused of creating a traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge in order to cause problems for the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J.

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Former President Trumps campaign described Iowa state Sen. Jeff Reichman (R) as lily-livered for flipping his endorsement to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) following Trumps attack on Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) earlier this week.

In a statement to The Hill, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung stated, There is no room for weak-kneed and lily-livered people on Team Trump.

Reichman, an Iraq veteran, announced Thursday he would be flipping his endorsement of Trump, and backing DeSantis instead. The state senator, who is serving his first term in Iowas upper chamber, was included on a list of around a dozen Iowa officials who the Trump campaign considered early endorsers of the former president.

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In his statement, Cheung goes on to claim DeSantis is so desperate that hes willing to offer buyouts in the form of fundraisers for endorsements.

The truth is that those who have been promised financial support are now regretting their deal with the devil because none of them have been able to schedule fundraisers with DeSantis, the statement continued.

DeSantiss campaign said earlier this month it raised $20 million during the second quarter of 2023, while the Trump campaign hauled in more than $35 million in the second quarter, the Trump campaign confirmed to The Hill.

Reichmans decision to flip support comes days after Trump lashed out at Reynolds on Truth Social on Monday for not endorsing a presidential candidate in the 2024 election. The social media post followed a New York Times report describing the Trump campaigns frustration with Reynoldss multiple appearances with DeSantis during his stops in Iowa.

Iowa Republicans must be united if we are going to take our country back and reverse Joe Bidens failures, Reichman said in a Thursday statement. Governor DeSantis has achieved the same type of commonsense policy victories in Florida as we have in Iowa under Governor Kim Reynolds, and he will deliver historic success for the conservative movement as president as well.

Multiple Republican presidential candidates, including DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson jumped in to defend Reynolds on Monday.

DeSantis described Reynolds as a strong leader who knows how to ignore the chirping and get it done, while Haley called Reynolds a conservative rockstar who has delivered for the people of her state.

Hutchinson took a swipe against Trump on Twitter, describing his behavior as dictatorial.

Trump declined to attend the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines on Friday, when six presidential candidates were interviewed by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Trump will head to Iowa next week for a town hall with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By James Oliphant

(Reuters) -Republican U.S. presidential contenders attending a forum of Christian conservatives in Iowa that typically focuses on social issues found themselves on Friday having to explain their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia to a skeptical crowd.

The forum in Des Moines, sponsored by the Family Leader, an influential Iowa evangelical group, is a traditional stop on the Republican presidential campaign trail for candidates seeking to burnish their conservative credentials in Iowa. The state will hold the first contest in the race to determine the party's nominee to face Democratic President Joe Biden in 2024.

Some of the hardest questions the candidates faced were not on popular conservative social issues such as opposition to abortion and transgender rights but rather on foreign policy.

Pushed by moderator Tucker Carlson, the ousted former Fox News host, to justify their stances, former Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina both argued that it remains vital for the United States to push back against Russian aggression. The United States has provided billions of dollars worth of weapons to Ukraine following Russia's February 2022 invasion.

"Let me tell you, if Vladimir Putin overruns Ukraine, I have no doubt that the Russian military is going to cross the border of a NATO country that our armed forces will have to defend," said Pence, referring to Russia's president.

Pence appeared visibly frustrated by Carlson's assertions that the United States lacked a national interest in the Ukraine war.

Scott also defended assisting Ukraine, arguing that "everything that we do that degrades the Russian military is good for America."

Former President Donald Trump, the front-runner in the Republican race, skipped the forum and will hold his own town hall-style event next week. But Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a distant second in the polls, appeared.

DeSantis earlier this year suggested that the war was simply a "territorial dispute" before backtracking and labeling Putin a "war criminal." On Friday, DeSantis sought to make the case that Biden's administration had not done enough to define America's interests at stake in Ukraine.

"They are doing a blank-check policy without telling us when we have achieved our objective," DeSantis said.

The ultimate goal for the United States, DeSantis added, should be "a sustainable peace in Europe," but he was not specific about how achieve that.

By contrast, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, another candidate, called for an immediate end to the war and for Russia to keep its territorial gains.

Most in the crowd seemed to side with Carlson's view that the United States should force an immediate truce in Ukraine - and most remained quiet when Pence and Scott disagreed.

Trump also has been sharply critical of U.S. support of the war, charging in a statement on Friday that Biden had engaged in "reckless escalation" in Ukraine by calling up 3,000 reservists from the U.S. military. Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election.

Republican candidates who have pledged to back Ukraine - including Pence, Scott and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who also spoke on Friday - have failed to gain much traction in opinion polls.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month showed that a slight majority of Republicans - 56% - backed U.S. shipments of weapons to Ukraine, compared to 65% of Americans overall.

Carlson also pushed Pence on his role in certifying the 2020 election results in the U.S. Congress even as Trump and his allies made false claims that the election had been stolen through widespread voting fraud. On the day of the certification vote, Trump supporters attacked the Capitol after he told them to "fight like hell" to "stop the steal."

Pence defended his actions and criticized Trump.

"President Trump's words that day were reckless," Pence said. "I believe history will hold him accountable." No applause was heard.

Iowa's nominating contest is set for Jan. 15. Candidates receiving strong evangelical support have won the state's caucuses contest in recent years.

(Reporting by James OliphantEditing by Ross Colvin and Will Dunham)
Al Schmidt, one of three City Commissioners in Philadelphia, was attacked on Wednesday morning by Trump (Getty Images)

Federal prosecutors under supervision of Special Counsel Jack Smith have reportedly spoken with top election officials in Pennsylvania and New Mexico as part of the Justice Department probe into Donald Trumps effort to overturn the 2020 election.

According to CNN, Mr Smiths team has in recent months conducted interviews of Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, with both officials providing information on matters related to the 2020 election.

Mr Schmidt, who spoke with prosecutors in March, is a Republican who served as a Philadelphia City Commissioner during the 2020 election. He was named to his current post by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

CNN reported that prosecutors queried Mr Schmidt about issues he encountered during the post-election period in 2020, including how he was impacted by misinformation about alleged voter fraud spread by Mr Trump and his allies.

Last June, he told the now-defunct House January 6 select committee that he became the target of a slew of death threats from the then-presidents supporters after Mr Trump began attacking him in a series of tweets became much more specific, much more graphic after the then-president called him a RINO and a disaster on the massive election fraud and irregularities which took place in Philadelphia.

The special counsels team has been speaking with election officials in swing states won by President Joe Biden in his 2020 contest with Mr Trump as part of their probe into the twice-impeached, now twice-indicted ex-presidents effort to remain in office against the will of voters.

CNN also reported that Mr Smiths team has sent subpoenas to officials in all seven of the states  Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  that were targeted by Mr Trump as he sought to reverse his losses to Mr Biden in each jurisdiction.

Mr Smith and his team has also met with the top election officials from Michigan and Georgia, Jocelyn Benson and Brad Raffensperger.

In an interview with the network, Ms Benson said prosecutors she spoke to appeared to be focused on how misinformation spread by Mr Trumps allies affected election workers, as well as the threats that emerged from that from various sources.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met in Helsinki with President Sauli Niinisto of Finland on July 13 ahead of the third U.S.-Nordics Summit meeting.

The leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to support Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression.

READ NEXT: Statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Visit of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy

President Biden congratulated Finland on becoming our newest NATO Ally and welcomed its role as a regional security provider. Both leaders welcomed the recent agreement between Turkiye, Sweden and NATO for President Erdogan to send Sweden's NATO accession protocol to Turkish parliament for ratification, and underscored their desire to welcome Sweden into NATO as soon as possible.

President Biden and President Niinisto also took note of the recently signed co-financing agreement between the U.S. and Finnish export credit agencies, which will enable the United States and Finland to partner more closely on high priority projects like 5G telecommunications and climate.

READ MORE: Statement from President Joe Biden on the June Consumer Price Index

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Trump snubbed as major evangelical group declines to invite him to conference

Former President Donald Trump was not invited to a gathering of evangelical and Jewish leaders, Christians United for Israel, scheduled for this weekend.

While he has been invited in the past, former President Donald Trump was not invited to this years summit, a senior adviser to CUFI told The Messenger on Friday. CUFI is a group of Christian Right activists and Jewish leaders, which is hosting a number of GOP 2024 hopefuls.

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley will be in attendance, the outlet reported.

The Independent has reached out to a spokesperson for Mr Trump for comment.

The news comes the former president drew ire from Jewish leaders after inviting Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), who lost major partnerships after making antisemitic remarks, Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust-denying white supremacist, to Mar-a-Lago.

Evangelicals were seen as a crucial voting bloc in Mr Trumps unexpected 2016 victory.
Jared KushnerTom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Prosecutors in special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into former President Donald Trump's attempts to subvert the 2020 election results have in recent weeks asked Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, among other witnesses, about whether the 2024 Republican frontrunner had privately acknowledged that he had lost the election, four sources briefed on the matter told the New York Times.

Kushner testified before the Washington grand jury in the case last month, where a source briefed on the matter said he maintained it was his understanding that Trump truly believed the election had been stolen from him.

"The questioning of Mr. Kushner shows that the federal investigation being led by the special counsel Jack Smith continues to pierce the layers closest to Mr. Trump as prosecutors weigh whether to bring charges against the former president in connection with the efforts to promote baseless assertions of widespread voter fraud and block or delay congressional certification of Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s Electoral College victory," the Times reported.

Related

Ex-DOJ official: Michigan interview shows Jack Smith targeting pro-Trump "broad national conspiracy"

The subject of the questions also indicates prosecutors may be trying to establish whether Trump knowingly based his efforts on a false claim as he strove to stay in office, which is evidence that could boost any case prosecutors may decide to bring against him.

Neither a spokesperson for Kushner or a spokesperson for Trump responded to the Times' email request for comment.

Others within Trump's circle who interacted with him following the 2020 election  and have potentially more incriminating accounts of the former president's conduct  have also been questioned by federal prosecutors recently. Repeating the account she shared before the House select committee investigating Jan. 6 last year, Alyssa Farah Griffin, the White House communications director in the days following the 2020 election, told prosecutors this spring that Trump had asked her at the time, "Can you believe I lost to Joe Biden?"

"In that moment I think he knew he lost," Griffin told the House committee.

According to Times correspondent Maggie Haberman, Trump was "very upset" that both Kushner and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, who has not yet been questioned before the grand jury but did testify before the Jan. 6 committee, had cooperated with federal investigators in cases against him.

Related

"A straightforward crime": Experts expect charges after "extraordinarily significant" J6 testimony

Haberman told CNN's Jake Tapper Thursday afternoon that Ivanka Trump's testimony put a "strain" on her relationship with her father.

"When the testimony was aired showing both Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump being interviewed by the House Select Committee during those live hearings was that Trump was very upset, particularly about Ivanka Trump," Haberman said. "He was not happy about these video clips showing her suggesting that she had believed what Bill Barr was saying and Bill Barr, the former attorney general, of course, said that there was no widespread fraud and told Trump that and he testified to all of that. My understanding is things have improved them, but it definitely brought a strain to the relationship."

Some legal experts said Kushner's testimony signals a direct link between the former Trump senior advisor and efforts to use the claims about a stolen election to fundraise. MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin noted that the testimony "suggests the fundraising prong of the 1/6 investigation is very much live."

"[Trump campaign ad maker Larry] Weitzner also revealed that the one time he spoke to Trump about post-election ads, it was because Trump and Jared called him together on speakerphone to convey 'what they felt was wrong about the election process that might be considered for some ads,' Rubin wrote on Twitter.

In response to the Times' report, Timothy Heaphy, the former lead investigator to the Jan. 6 committee, told MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace Thursday that, as facts developed around the 2020 election, Trump's rhetoric became "increasingly inconsistent with the facts," which can lead to mindful criminal intent.

"It's fraudulent, to bilk people out of their money because it's an effective fund-raising scheme," Heaphy said. "All of it is important. There's a disconnect between the rhetoric and the facts."

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Heaphy also argued that investigators questioning Kushner, despite his being the former president's son-in-law, is fair because Trump involved him in White House affairs.

"He's part of the president's family," Heaphy continued. He "was involved in discussions soon after the election in which the president was told directly that he lost. He was present for this meeting where the pollster, the data guy from the campaign, actually presented the numbers and went through the sort of explanation of the decreased margins in the suburban areas, and he was already starting to move to Florida."

Kushner, during his Jan. 6 committee testimony, explained he was overseas handling his Abraham Accords project during the Capitol attacks, adding that he returned the evening of the riots and held a dinner party at his home the following day. The testimony implied that Kushner was minimally involved with Jan. 6 efforts, but experts discussing the report on MSNBC said Kushner had a lot to do with the financial side of the rally that day.

Rubin also noted on Twitter that besides Jason Miller, Trump and Kushner, "no one was more involved in post-election fundraising and related messaging than Jared."

"Asked to recall details about the conversation, Weitzner remembered Jared initiating the call and Trump insisting that they characterize the election as 'stolen' in 'very aggressive' terms Weitzner himself later described as 'fire breathing' in an email to others," Rubin added.

Other than Trump & Jason Miller, no one was more involved in post-election fundraising and related messaging than Jared. As ad guru Larry Weitzner told the 1/6 committee, the small circle working on post-election ads included Miller, Newt Gingrich,Trump's pollster & Jared. 2/ pic.twitter.com/fP4RPkiHbD  Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) July 13, 2023

Asked to recall details about the conversation, Weitzner remembered Jared initiating the call and Trump insisting that they characterize the election as "stolen" in "very aggressive" terms Weitzner himself later described as "fire breathing" in an email to others. 4/ pic.twitter.com/4o3EZbocoB  Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) July 13, 2023

During the MSNBC appearance, Heaphy also described how deeply Kushner was involved in the fundraising process.

"He was directly involved in the campaign fundraising that then became the stop the steal fundraising. He was directly personally briefed almost daily about the cash machine, veritable, hand-over-fist money-making machine it was, the Stop the Steal," he said.

"The Trump campaign pivoted to a fundraising operation, and Jared Kushner was right in the center of the strategy of mining the false narrative for repeated cash contributions of up to $250 million after the election," Heaphy continued. "So, to the extent Jack Smith is looking into campaign fund-raising based on these false statements of election fraud, Jared Kushner would have information about that as well."

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about the Jan. 6 probe
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson aggressively pressed former Vice President Mike Pence Friday about how hed characterize the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when a pro-Trump mob invaded the Capitol, forced the evacuation of lawmakers and interrupted the counting of electoral votes in the 2020 election.

The questioning by Carlson, who described the events of Jan. 6 as mostly peaceful chaos while at Fox News, underscored how Pences break with former President Trump that day will be a defining feature of his campaign.

Many of Trumps supporters have never forgiven Pence, who was hanged in effigy that day, for his actions on Jan. 6, and it is a major problem in his quest for the presidency.

Carlson opened his questioning of Pence by asking if the former vice president thought the attack on the Capitol was an insurrection.

All I know for sure having lived through it at the Capitol is that it was a tragic day, Pence said at a Family Leader event in Des Moines, Iowa. Ive never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the past two years, but it was a riot that took place at the Capitol that day.

Republican presidential candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence fields questions from former Fox News Television personality Tucker Carlson at the Family Leadership Summit on July 14, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Republican presidential candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence fields questions from former Fox News Television personality Tucker Carlson at the Family Leadership Summit on July 14, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Pence, who was whisked away to safety as rioters stormed the Capitol to try and stop the certification of President Bidens electoral victory, said he witnessed firsthand the dozens of police officers who were assaulted that day and the tragic loss of life that occurred.

Carlson asked Pence who specifically he was referring to when he spoke of the loss of life, and Pence mentioned Ashli Babbitt, a protester who was shot in the Capitol by law enforcement and whose death has become a rallying point for Trump and other conservatives.

I just think it was a tragic moment, without question, Pence said. But I have to tell you that seeing people assaulting law enforcement officers, smashing windows, breaking into the Capitol building, it infuriated me. And its very likely that the restraint that was shown by law enforcement officers saved lives that day.

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Pence presided over the certification that day. Trump, who spoke to a crowd about the election being stolen from him ahead of the Capitol invasion, had pressed his vice president to overturn the results of the election.

Pence said he had no power under the Constitution to do so, a position that has been widely accepted by policymakers in both parties as well as constitutional scholars.

Pence received tepid applause during the appearance with Carlson as he said that day of tragedy became a triumph of freedom and that he did his duty under the Constitution.

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He received an even more muted response from the crowd as he told Carlson that Trumps words that day were reckless.

I believe whatever his intentions in that moment, it endangered me and my family and everyone that was at the Capitol that day, Pence said. I believe history will hold him accountable for that.

Those who marched on the Capitol that day were heard chanting hang Mike Pence because of his perceived disloyalty to Trump.

Pence launched his campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination last month by arguing that Trumps behavior around Jan. 6 should be disqualifying for another White House term.

Trump spent weeks claiming the 2020 election was stolen before Jan. 6 attack, and he has been criticized by members of both parties for riling up the crowd that day. Some of Carlsons former colleagues at Fox were among those who on Jan. 6 sought to get Trump to calm down the mob that had overwhelmed police and entered the Capitol.

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Trump criticized Pence on Twitter Jan. 6 for lacking courage as the then-vice president was being escorted to safety.

Pence has been consistently polling in single digits nationally since entering the race, well behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). But Pences campaign believes his message and personal story will resonate particularly with Iowa voters, who align more with Pences traditional conservative views and focus on his faith. The Iowa caucus is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
DES MOINES  Friendly chatter between moderator Tucker Carlson and Republican presidential hopeful Asa Hutchinson quickly devolved during an onstage interview Friday at the Family Leadership Summit, a major gathering of social conservatives.

Right off the bat, Carlson asked the former Arkansas governor if his stance had changed from when he vetoed a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth in 2021.

Hutchinson defended his position, saying that while he agreed minors should not have transgender surgery, he felt the bill went too far.

It was unconstitutional. It interfered with parents and so I sided with parents on that bill in managing the most sensitive issue that a parent can face. And I believe in a limited role of government, he said.

Carlson continued to press him on the issue, and the two were stepping over each others words throughout the conversation.

As Carlson repeatedly questioned him about care for transgender minors, Hutchinson asked Carlson to move on.

Tucker, I hope that you will be able to talk about some issues. I know that  before Carlson interrupted.

Well, this is one of the biggest issues in the country and I think I would, every person in this room would agree, Carlson said.

Tensions escalated further when the former Fox News host pivoted to vaccines, asking how many shots Hutchinson had received.

How many COVID shots did you take? Hutchinson asked back.

Zero Carlson quickly replied to big applause.

At one point, while Carlson repeatedly questioned Hutchinson on whether hed send troops to the border, Hutchinson interjected, Im going to finish my answer first, before explaining why hed prefer to use the National Guard and other alternatives to the military.

For the remaining 15 minutes, he received only mild applause from the crowd. While speaking to reporters after his interview with Carlson, Hutchinson said he nevertheless believes he won over Iowa voters.

I think the audience was engaged with the conversation and with a differing point of view, Hutchinson said, adding, I think I won votes today.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
FILE PHOTO: Fox personality Tucker Carlson speaks at the 2017 Business Insider Ignition: Future of Media conference in New York

(Reuters) - Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former White House adviser Neil Patel are looking to raise funds to start a new media company that could potentially be anchored on Twitter, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

The duo is looking to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fund the company, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

The company would be anchored by longer versions of the free videos that Carlson has been posting regularly on Elon Musk's Twitter since his departure from Fox News, but would ultimately be driven by subscriptions, according to the report.

Carlson did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment, while Patel was not immediately reachable.

Carlson and Fox News agreed to part ways in April after its parent company Fox Corp settled for $787.5 million a lawsuit that claimed the news network defamed Dominion Voting Systems by airing false election-rigging claims. Carlson had played a starring role in the lawsuit.

In a video posted on Twitter in May, Carlson had said he would relaunch his show on the social media platform "soon". He released the first episode of his new show, "Tucker on Twitter", in June.

Fox News retaliated by notifying his legal team, saying that the former prime-time host violated his contract with the network when he launched his own Twitter show, according to an Axios report in June.

(Reporting by Samrhitha Arunasalam and Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Varun H K)
Republican presidential candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence fields questions from former Fox News Television personality Tucker Carlson at the Family Leadership Summit on July 14, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday elicited boos at a major Iowa conservative gathering as he made the case for strong U.S. support for Ukraine.

Pence sat down with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for an event hosted by the Family Leader, and the two men clashed over the former vice presidents staunch support for U.S. assistance for Ukraine in its war against invading Russian forces.

I believe that it is in the interests of the United States of America to continue to give the Ukrainian military the resources they need to repel the Russian invasion and restore their sovereignty, Pence said, drawing some boos from those in attendance in Des Moines.

Carlson, an avowed skeptic of U.S. support for Ukraine, comparatively was applauded by the crowd as he made the case that American cities have regressed while Congress and the White House provide billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.

You are distressed the Ukrainians dont have enough American tanks. Every city in the United States has become much worse in the last three years. Wheres the concern for the United States in that? Tucker asked to cheers.

Pence dismissed Carlsons routine as a false equivalence.

Anybody that says that we cant be the leader of the free world and solve our problems at home has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on earth, he said. We can do both.

The two men also shared a tense exchange as Carlson raised the issue of the persecution of Christians in Ukraine, pressing Pence repeatedly on the topic even after the former vice president said he raised it with a religious leader and with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a recent visit to the country.

Pence has emerged as perhaps the most outspoken GOP presidential candidate in favor of providing aide to the Ukrainians, breaking sharply from the likes of Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who have suggested U.S. support for Ukraine is not in Americas interest.

The U.S. has provided billions of dollars in military and financial support for Kyiv since Russia first launched its unprovoked invasion in February 2022.

Pence has repeatedly argued that while it is not Americas war, the fight in Ukraine is part of a broader struggle for freedom abroad that is in U.S. interests. He has been critical of the Biden administration for the pace of providing military equipment to Ukraine to fight Russian forces.

If Vladimir Putin overruns Ukraine, I have no doubt that in a short period of time that Russian military is going to cross the border of a NATO country that our armed forces will have to go and defend, Pence said.

I never want to see American armed forces in Ukraine, he added. I want to give the Ukrainian military what they need to fight and repel the Russian invasion.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former White House adviser Neil Patel are raising funds for a new media company that likely would use Twitter as its foundation, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

People familiar with the matter told the Journal the new company would run on subscriptions for longer versions of the free videos Carlson has been posting on Twitter for free since he was ousted from Fox News earlier this year.

The shorter videos will still be available for free for users on Twitter and other platforms, with subscriptions required for the longer videos in their entirety, people told the Wall Street Journal.

Fox News announced in April it was parting ways with Carlson, who hosted the 8 p.m. show Tucker Carlson Tonight. That announcement was days after the network settled a blockbuster defamation lawsuit.

Later in June, Carlson started a new show on Twitter called Tucker on Twitter, claiming Twitter is the last big remaining platform that allows free speech. Carlson closed his first episode on Twitter stating, Were told there are no gatekeepers here. If that turns out to be false, well leave. But in the meantime, were grateful to be here. The episode gained more than 70 million views within the first day.

His show on Twitter has nine episodes to date, including his most recent interview with controversial social media personality Andrew Tate, who was charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to exploit women.

Carlson and Patel are reportedly seeking to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for the company. The pair founded the conservative publication The Daily Caller in 2010 and were roommates at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.

People familiar with the new project said Carlsons team recently met with Twitter to talk over the endeavor, which would feature a website and mobile app and potentially air on other platforms beyond Twitter.

Twitter is in a state of change after being purchased by tech billionaire Elon Musk late last year. It is now facing new competition from Threads, launched this month by Meta  the company that operates Facebook and Instagram.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Right-wing influencer Tucker Carlson is reportedly courting investments for a new media company that would bring content similar to what he posts on Twitter to subscribers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Carlson is teaming up with conservative political adviser Neil Patel, with whom he launched the Daily Caller in 2010, to raise hundreds of million dollars. Carlsons project would potentially use Twitter as backbone, the Journal said.

The 54-year-old conspiracy peddler parted ways with Fox News in April after the network paid Dominion Voting systems a $787.5 million settlement for lies they reported about that companys services. Racist and sexist text messages from Carlson were unearthed during the discovery phase of that trial.

Fox News also shelled out $12 million to a former Carlson producer last month after she claimed to have been subject to a hostile work environment while working on his primetime show.

And its entirely possible Carlson hasnt finished costing his former employer money.

Arizona man Ray Epps sued Fox News earlier this week, claiming his life was thrown into chaos after Carlson engaged in nonsensical fantasies about his being a federal informant who betrayed MAGA extremists during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol  despite there being no known evidence that was true.

Carlson  the son of famed broadcaster Dick Carlson  began posting videos on Twitter last month espousing similar rhetoric to what once made him the biggest star on Fox News. The network reportedly responded with a cease-and-desist notice claiming rights to Carlsons content through 2024.

That didnt dissuade the pugnacious pundit from posting more videos, including a Tuesday interview with infamous chauvinist Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on human trafficking charges in Romania. Twitter owner Elon Musk, himself no stranger to outlandish disinformation, promoted Carlsons interesting interview on Twitter.

Carlson also demonstrated Friday that his sway over conservative politicians hasnt diminished by hosting a summit in Iowa at which former Vice President Mike Pence summarized the Jan. 6 attack as a riot rather than an insurrection.

Carlson has been criticized by law enforcement officials, colleagues and members of Congress for widely misrepresenting the events of that day.
A 35-year-old Tumwater man was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the death of his fiancee, who was shot to death in Pennsylvania in 2012, according to news reports out of Erie, Pennsylvania.

The man was arrested at the entrance gate to Joint Base Lewis-McChord by the bases military police, with help from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, according to the Erie news article. The Tumwater man is a transportation officer, according to court documents.

The man is being held in Pierce County on charges of alleged homicide, aggravated assault, possessing a deadly weapon, and recklessly endangering another person. He will be extradited to Pennsylvania.

According to the Erie news article, Lexie Castile was living with her son and the Tumwater man at the time of her death. She was found Sept. 16, 2012, with a gunshot wound to the head. The man called 911 to report Castile had shot herself.

Police arrived and found a 9mm pistol lying on the bed, along with an empty magazine and 16 live bullets. The officers found one empty casing on the floor.

The man told investigators he and his fiancee did not fight that night, but he later said they did. He tested positive for gunshot residue on both hands and on the shoulder of his shirt. Castiles autopsy showed it would have been difficult for her to have shot herself.

Reports also state witnesses heard some sort of disturbance the night of the shooting. But in 2017, YourErie reported the District Attorneys Office in Pennsylvania told Castiles family there wasnt enough evidence to move the case to trial.

Then on July 7 of this year, Pennsylvania detectives presented a judge with a criminal complaint with charges against the Tumwater man, which led to his arrest.
Demonstrators lift placards and chant anti-racism slogans during a protest in Tunis in support of migrants (FETHI BELAID)

Tunisian rights groups called on Friday for emergency aid and shelters for migrants expelled from Sfax last week, as dozens of people protested in Tunis in support of their plight.

Hundreds of migrants fled or were forced out of Tunisia's second-largest city after racial tensions flared following the July 3 killing of a Tunisian man in an altercation between locals and migrants.

The port of Sfax is a departure point for many migrants from impoverished and violence-torn countries seeking a better life in Europe by making a perilous Mediterranean crossing, often in makeshift boats.

Hundreds of migrants were forcibly taken to desert and hostile areas bordering Libya and Algeria after the unrest in Sfax.

Romdane Ben Amor, spokesperson for the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), told reporters on Friday that between 100 and 150 migrants, including women and children, were still stuck on the border with Libya.

He said about 165 migrants abandoned near the border with Algeria had been picked up, without specifying by whom or where they were taken.

"Migrants are transferred from one place to another while other groups hide out in the wild in catastrophic conditions for fear of being detected and suffering the same fate as those stranded on the borders," Ben Amor said.

He called for emergency accommodation to be given to the migrants and said the authorities must send "a clear message" to Tunisian citizens to help them, regardless of their status.

Around 100 protesters demonstrated Friday evening in Tunis at the call of an anti-fascist coalition, expressing their "solidarity with undocumented migrants".

The demonstrators also slammed Tunisia's police for "expelling you (migrants) and repressing us".

"Tunisia is African. No to racism, down with fascism," they chanted.

Meanwhile, the head of a Cameroonian association claimed police had carried out "arbitrary arrests" of sub-Saharan Africans around the train station in Zarzis, south of Sfax.

"Around 300 have been arrested... just because of their skin colour," said Eric Tchata, who posted online a video taken by a fellow Cameroonian purporting to show a group of people, including women and children, packed into a warehouse in Medenine, also south of Sfax.

- 'Blank cheque' for violence -

Ben Amor expressed fears that migrants could die if they are not immediately given aid and shelter, noting that the bodies of two had already been found.

Human Rights Watch has said the migrants had been left to fend for themselves without water or shelter in the border regions, where temperatures surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Tunisia saw a rise in racially motivated attacks after President Kais Saied in February accused "hordes" of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries of bringing violence, alleging a "criminal plot" to change the country's demographic makeup.

The president's remarks "gave people the green light to do what they liked to migrants", said Naila Zoghlami, head of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women.

Speaking to reporters alongside Ben Amor, she said women from sub-Saharan African countries have become more "vulnerable" since Saied's remarks, with several saying they have been raped.

On Friday, Saied added that what Tunisia offered migrants "is better than what they find elsewhere."

"But we refuse to be a land of transit or a land of settlement."

He also doubled down on claims that Tunisia was a victim "of criminal networks of trafficking in human beings".

Ben Amor dismissed Saied's remarks, saying, "Expelling children and women is not a lesson in humanity" as the president had said.

Around 28 non-governmental organisations, both local and international, as well as trade unions and political parties also criticised Saied in a Friday statement.

His speech "spurred crime" and only served as a "blank cheque" for some to carry out "serious violence" against migrants, they said.

On Sunday, a high-ranking European delegation is due to visit Tunis to sign a deal stipulating financial aid for the North African country aimed at tackling illegal migration.

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(Photo : ANDRIJA ILIC/AFP via Getty Images)

The cruise line verified Thursday that passengers arrived in the Faroe Islands as dozens of whales were slaughtered in a traditional hunt.

On Sunday, passengers aboard a luxury cruise ship witnessed with dread as their ship anchored at a small island where locals wielding knives and metal poles slaughtered wild whales as part of a centuries-old tradition of mass hunting.

Yahoo News Australia claimed that the North Atlantic Ocean off the shore of the Faroe Islands was stained with the blood of 78 long-finned pilot whales killed by hunters in the capital city of Torshavn.

78 Whales Slaughtered in Front of Cruise Passengers

As the Faroese tradition of grindadrap took place, passengers on a docked Ambassador Cruise Line ship were appalled to observe the locals harvesting their food in a manner that dates back centuries. Since then, the British cruise ship operator has apologized via Twitter, stating they were "disappointed that this search occurred while our ship was in port."

Grindadrap, or grind, occurs every summer and entails the widespread slaughter of marine mammals such as the pilot whale, a whale despite its name. Images of the event depicted whales of all ages covered in blood and crammed into containers.

Photographs of men fleeing the scene show them covered in blood and brandishing blades. Sunday at approximately 3:30 p.m., hunters on vessels began herding whales. Witnesses told Yahoo that locals on the shore quickly drew their blades and began hunting the animals.

According to witnesses, all marine mammals were killed in less than twenty minutes. Despite widespread opposition from international animal rights organizations, locals recognize the significance of procuring their natural sustenance.

The British cruise liner's apology to its astonished passengers was met with a divided response, with some criticizing the operator for criticizing local tradition and others calling for a complete boycott of the island.

The cruise line argues that a boycott of the island would not affect local attitudes regarding the widespread slaughter of marine mammals. Since 1948, the Faroe Islands have been a semi-autonomous region, not a member of the European Union, allowing whaling traditions to continue unimpeded.

In 2021, the slaughter of over 1,400 whales in the region prompted outrage. The chairman of the Faroese Whalers Association stated to the BBC that, although the number of whales slain was excessive, it was unintentional.

According to government statistics, the Faroese capture an annual average of 600 pilot whales. Between 2000 and 2020, at most, 773 white-sided whales were captured annually. Whaling is conducted following international law and internationally accepted principles of sustainable development.

Whatever is captured during the search is free to island residents. Ambassador Cruise Line reported that the company had instructed: "guests and personnel not to purchase or consume whale or dolphin meat and to oppose any profiteering from commercial whaling and dolphin hunts."

Read Also: FBI: Bone Collector Sells Skulls on Facebook; Some of Belong to Friends!

Faroe Islands' Whale, Dolphin Hunting

Per CBS News, the ship was carrying ORCA conservationists as it arrived in the Faroe Islands. According to the organization, pilot whales were herded into shallow waters using small vessels and jet skis. The whales were brought onshore and slaughtered.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that long-finned pilot whales live between 35 and 60 years. They reach lengths of 19 to 25 feet and weigh 2,900 to 5,000 pounds as adults. According to NOAA, the species is imperiled by whaling, entanglement in fishing gear, disease, and water contaminants.

The Faroe Islands have a long history of pilot whale and dolphin hunting, profoundly entrenched in centuries-old cultural traditions. The searches can occur at any time and occur throughout the year.

Locals drive and herd pilot whale colonies toward the shorelines of designated harbors or fjords. Once whales reach shallow waters, they are driven onto the shore and killed with blades and hooks by waiting hunters.

Per Newsweek, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies long-finned and short-finned pilot whales as "data deficient," which means there is insufficient information to determine their population status accurately.

Related Article: Helicopter Crashes Near Mount Everest in Nepal, Kills 6 People

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Two more corrections officers charged with sexual abuse of inmates at notorious FCI Dublin

Two former corrections officers at FCI Dublin pleaded guilty to sexually abusing female inmates at the prison. (Ben Margot / Associated Press)

Two former corrections officers at FCI Dublin were charged with and pleaded guilty to sexually abusing female inmates at the San Francisco Bay Area prison that had become known as "the rape club."

Nakie Nunley, 48, of Fairfield, and Andrew Jones, 35, of Pleasanton, became the seventh and eighth corrections officers to be charged in an ongoing investigation of the notorious facility located 35 miles south of Oakland.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Nunley was charged with having sexual contact with five victims while working as a supervisor of a Unicor call center staffed by inmates and lying about the incidents to federal investigators. Unicor, fomerly known as Federal Prison Industries, employs inmates in a variety of roles and provides job training.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, when Nunley was confronted about his behavior by another inmate, he threatened her with transfer to another facility and the loss of her job.

"Similarly, Nunley admitted that he told another victim that if she wanted to keep her job at UNICOR, she needed to pull down her underwear and bend over," the U.S. attorney's office said in a release.

Read more: LAPD refused to ID officers behind a huge fireworks explosion. Now we have their names

Jones was charged with having sexual contacts with three inmates while working as a supervisor of the food services department and also lying to investigators.

Previous investigations of prison staff have resulted in the convictions of Warden Ray Garcia and prison chaplain James Highhouse. Four other corrections officers have either been indicted or pleaded guilty.

Garcia was sentenced to 70 months in prison; Highhouse was sentenced to an 84-month term.

"The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is continuing to investigate these heinous allegations at FCI Dublin and is aggressively pursuing justice for victims of sexual abuse at the hands of rogue BOP employees," Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said in a news release.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Chaima Issa greets her family and supporters upon release from prison near Tunis (FETHI BELAID)

Two leading opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied have been freed after spending more than five months in jail, but expressed concern about fellow activists still behind bars.

Writer Chaima Issa, a member of the main opposition coalition the National Salvation Front, was arrested in February along with former minister Lazhar Akremi, a lawyer.

Both were among some 20 opposition, media and business figures arrested in February on charges of "conspiracy against state security".

They were released late Thursday night to cheers from relatives and supporters, AFP journalists said.

Issa wore a red T-shirt stamped "Free", and expressed happiness at her release.

"But it's not complete happiness" because "the injustice I suffered is still being suffered by my friends who remain" imprisoned, she told journalists.

A small group of people greeted the pair after their release, with applause and sounding horns.

"We went in and we came out," Akremi said of their stay in prison.

"We don't know why we went in or why we left. That's it! Quite simply."

Rights groups have condemned a "witch hunt" aimed at "repressing" freedom of opinion in the North African country since President Saied froze parliament and sacked the government in a dramatic July 2021 move.

His critics have dubbed the power grab a "coup" against the sole democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings a decade previously.

The defence team for Issa and Akremi said in a statement that the investigating judge decided to "release Chaima Issa and also responded to the defence committee's request for the release of Lazhar Akremi".

The appeals court judge rejected the team's request to free other political opponents.

On May 24, Nouredine Boutar, the head of Tunisia's most popular independent radio station Mosaique FM, was freed as part of the same investigation.

But he is still charged with plotting conspiracy against state security and money laundering.

Earlier Thursday, around 100 protesters rallied in Tunis to demand freedom for the 20 detained critics of Saied, who has ruled largely by decree for the past two years.

Saied has described the jailed figures as "terrorists".

Arrests since February include National Salvation Front co-founder Jaouhar Ben Mbarek and Rached Ghannouchi leader of the Islamist-inspired opposition Ennahdha party.

In addition to the political crisis triggered by Saied's power grab, Tunisia has been shaken by a serious financial crisis and is in search of foreign aid.

On Wednesday, European parliamentarians expressed their opposition to any "unconditional agreement" between the European Union and Tunisia, citing "the excesses" of Saied.

They urged the authorities to "release arbitrarily imprisoned opponents, defend the rights of Tunisian citizens and support their struggle for democracy".

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Two people seriously injured after food truck fire at BreyerFest in Lexington

Two people were seriously hurt Friday morning after a gas grill-related fire inside a food truck at the Kentucky Horse Park, a fire department official said.

Just before 8 a.m. Friday, the Lexington Fire Department was dispatched to the horse park for reports of a burn victim following a gas explosion, Maj. Derek Roberts, public information officer for the fire department, said Friday.

When we arrived, we found two burn victims near a privately-owned food truck, both with burns to their lower extremities related to a gas grill fire, Roberts said.

Both were taken to a nearby hospital and were in serious condition, he said.

The food truck where the explosion took place is a vendor at BreyerFest, a weekend-long festival showcasing a variety of horse breeds and Breyer toy-sized model horses. The food truck is reportedly called B.G. Concessions and sells items including corn dogs and lemonade, according to WKYT, the Herald-Leaders reporting partner.

Witnesses said other vendors helped the two victims after they exited the back of the food truck on fire following the explosion, WKYT reported.

A spokesperson for Breyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is a developing story and may be updated.
Two Republicans have announced their intention to run in a special election for the vacant District 16 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives.

Bryan Brinyark, a Northport attorney, and Brad Cox, a Fayette County commissioner, say they will enter the campaign to fill the seat previously held by Kyle South. South resigned in the middle of his third term in the Alabama Legislature to become the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama on July 1.

Voters enter the polling place at East McFarland Baptist Church to cast ballots on March 2, 2021. The party primary for the Alabama House District 16 seat is set for Sept. 26 and a runoff, if needed, for Oct. 24. The general election for the seat is set for Jan. 9.

The party primary for the District 16 seat is set for Sept. 26 and a runoff, if needed, for Oct. 24. The general election for the seat is set for Jan. 9.

Democratic and Republican candidates have a deadline of 5 p.m. July 25 to qualify for the special election. The deadline for independent candidates or minority party candidates is 5 p.m. Sept. 26.

District 16 includes portions of Fayette, Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties.

Here's a look at the first two candidates to enter the District 16 race:

Bryan Brinyark

Brinyark was born and raised in Tuscaloosa County and graduated from Central High School in Tuscaloosa in 1986, according to a news release. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1990 from the University of Alabama, where he went on to earn his law degree in 1993.

Brinyark has lived in the Samantha/Windham Springs area for 19 years, where he raised his family on a small farm.

Bryan Brinyark is running for the District 16 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives.

I am excited for the opportunity to represent the great people of West Alabama, Brinyark said in the news release. No one will work harder to earn every vote and fight for this district.

Brinyark is a partner attorney with Brinyark & Frederick, P.C., in Northport.

Since 2005, he has served in Bibb County as the municipal judge for Centreville and previously served in the same capacity for Brent and Woodstock. He is now a substitute municipal judge in Tuscaloosa. He is a member of the Alabama Judicial Study Commission, the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association, and the Alabama Municipal Judges Association.

The Tuscaloosa County Commission appointed Brinyark as a board member for Indian Rivers Behavioral Health.

Brinyark said he is confident that he is the right person to fill the House District 16 seat following South's departure.

Kyle did a wonderful job representing our area and he is leaving big shoes to fill, Brinyark said. But I know I am more than capable to fill those shoes and get this district what it deserves.

Brad Cox

Cox works as a business development officer with Alabama One Credit Union, according to a news release. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Auburn University.

Previously, Cox taught agriculture at Fayette County Schools from 2012-13, and 2016-21. From 2013-16, he served a six-county area of west Alabama as a director for the Alabama Farmers Federation.

Brad Cox plans to run for the House of Representatives District 16 seat in the Alabama Legislature.

He was appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey to the Fayette County Commission in September, 2021. He was elected to a full term in 2022 with no opposition.

He is now the pastor at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Fayette and previously served as a student pastor at Southside Baptist Church

Its been a great honor to serve the people of Fayette County, Cox said in the news release. Im excited about this new opportunity to serve the people of Jefferson, Tuscaloosa and Fayette counties in the Alabama Legislature. My campaign will focus on areas where I have personal experience, funding our public schools, making sure Alabamas infrastructure is solid, and helping farmers and small business owners be successful.

Cox said he is well-prepared to serve in the Alabama Legislature.

My experience as a public school teacher, county commissioner, pastor and banker makes me uniquely qualified to serve the people of Fayette, Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, Cox said. Im a conservative Republican. Ill carry those principles and my professional experiences to Montgomery.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Two Republicans enter race for House seat in part of Tuscaloosa County
Two senior advisers on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presidential campaign are departing this week to help a pro-DeSantis outside effort  a move that comes as he struggles to gain traction against former President Donald Trump.

Dave Abrams, the campaigns communications adviser and media director, and Tucker Obenshain, who led external affairs, are leaving to help an outside political no-profit group that will be bolstering the governor, the campaign confirmed in a statement. Obenshain will lead the group that is expected to host events, as part of what the campaign is describing as a DeSantis is everywhere strategy, as he looks to compete in early nominating states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

The more people hear and see Gov. DeSantis and his forward-thinking vision to fix Joe Bidens failures, the better our path to victory, Andrew Romeo, a DeSantis campaign spokesman, said in a statement. Gov. DeSantis will be appearing at events with dozens of organizations celebrating his policy and leadership. The DeSantis is everywhere tour has begun.

The news comes amid broader questions about the strength of DeSantis campaign. DeSantis and his allied super PAC, Never Back Down, have self-reported large fundraising hauls. The campaign said it raised $20 million in the second quarter of this year.

But since his official campaign launch in May, polls have shown him trailing former President Donald Trump nationally and in early states by substantial margins.



On Thursday, NBC News reported on an internal memo that DeSantis circulated among donors recently seemed to acknowledge the rocky rollout, signaling the campaign would hold off investing in Super Tuesday states to shore up resources in New Hampshire.

Abrams and Obenshain played key roles on DeSantis blowout 2022 reelection win. Obenshain, who previously served as chief of staff to first lady Casey DeSantis and as a DeSantis reelection campaign finance director, will be leading the outside group. Abrams led paid media strategy on the 2022 campaign. He is expected to join a media firm, Ascent, that will be helping the pro-DeSantis nonprofit group.
The University of California is paying a $600,000 settlement to the family of a man who died after he was assaulted by his cellmate at the Sacramento County Main Jail.

Civil rights attorney Mark Merin filed the lawsuit in 2020 on behalf of Shelley Debbs, the mother of Bryan Debbs, who died in 2019. The lawsuit named two UC Davis Health nurses as defendants. UC Davis contracts with the county to provide psychiatric services at the jail.

Debbs, who had schizophrenia, had been accommodated at the jail during previous occasions of incarceration, including reclassification and changes of cell assignment, the lawsuit stated. But when Debbs was taken into custody in 2019, a UC Davis psychiatrist ordered Debbs to be housed on the psychiatric floor with cellmate Christian Ento, the lawsuit stated. Both were listed in jail records as gravely disabled.

Ento can be seen on the jail surveillance cameras strangling Debbs, then stabbing his eyes with a pencil at least 40 times, the lawsuit stated. The attack lasted 20 minutes, but the nurses failed to monitor the video screens to notice it, until seeing the attack during a routine cell check, the lawsuit alleged.

Debbs was transported to the hospital where he died about a month later. The coroners office determined the cause of death was complications of neck compression, the lawsuit stated.

The Sheriffs Office did not announce the death, and it only became public after The Sacramento Bee reported it.

The lawsuit alleges that UC Davis fails to provide inmates with mental health and medical care, fails to appropriately assign inmates to cells who are suffering from mental illnesses, and fails to promptly transfer inmates to psychiatric hospitals when they are at risk of serious harm.

The lawsuit is still ongoing against the county and its Sheriffs Office. Spokespeople for UC Davis and the county declined comment.

So far in 2023 there have been at least four inmate deaths. Keith Still, who was unhoused and had schizophrenia, died of end state renal disease, and cardiovascular disease in January, according to the coroner death report. Also in January, Joseph Wood died after choking on food. The causes of death for Delion Johnson, who died in April, and Michael Prince, who died Saturday, are still pending.

The jail is violating the so-called Mays Consent Decree, a 2019 settlement of a class action lawsuit involving jail conditions. A civil grand jury uncovered the violations in an investigation.
UK intelligence explains why Russia for first time not bring nuclear submarines to Navy Day parade

UK intelligence has suggested that Russia's cancellation of the participation of nuclear-powered submarines in the Russian Navy parade may be related to both their maintenance and some security concerns of the Russian leadership.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence report on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Russian media reported on 12 July that the nuclear-powered submarines of the Northern Fleet will not participate in the parade for the Russian Navy Day, which is planned in St. Petersburg on 30 July.

Since the establishment of this celebration in 2017, this is, as far as is known, the first year that nuclear-powered submarines will not participate.

Quote: "The change is likely primarily due to allow for maintenance and to retain availability for operations and training. There is also a realistic possibility that internal security concerns since Wagner Groups attempted mutiny have contributed to the decision."

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Margo Grosberg, intelligence chief of the Estonian Defence Forces, said that the actions of the Ukrainian troops during the counteroffensive and signs of complications for the occupation army of the Russian Federation may indicate that in the near future Ukraine can expect great success at the front.

Source: European Pravda, referring to ERR

Details: Grosberg commented on the tactics of the Armed Forces of Ukraine entailing the destruction of command posts and logistics centres of Russian troops with targeted strikes, on successes in areas near Bakhmut, as well as on data suggesting the possible exhaustion of Russian reserves.

Quote: "All this suggests that Ukrainians are close to great success."

Details: According to Grosberg, the preparatory offensive operations that the Armed Forces are currently conducting are aimed at shackling Russian units in narrow areas and finding weaknesses for a breakthrough. For the same purpose, they attack important transport hubs, logistics points and command and control centres of the Russian army in the rear areas.

He also said that the Ukrainian units near Bakhmut managed to capture key areas north and south of the city, which allowed artillery fire on Russian positions in the city.

Another contributing factor is the fact that the Russian airborne troops, stationed in Bakhmut since the spring, are still tied to the city, suffer losses and cannot be transferred to another place or withdrawn to the reserve.

Grosberg added that in the areas of Zaporizhzhia and Velyka Novosilka, Ukrainian units have liberated more land and, with targeted strikes, destroyed key objects of the Russian Federation in the area. He drew particular attention to the attack on the hotel in Berdiansk, as a result of which Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, the Russian deputy commander of the Southern Military District, was killed this week.

Grosberg also drew attention to the case of Russian General Ivan Popov, dismissed for his criticism of the General Staff and the leak of records on the position of the 58th Army under his command. "All this suggests that the reserves of the Russian Federation are being exhausted since the units are not rotated," Grosberg stated.

Background: Before that, the Pentagon, commenting on the claim that the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is taking place at a slower rate than expected, said that progress was coming at the cost of huge efforts.

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Ukraine discovers bodies of two civilians shot by Russians in Mykolayiv Oblast

Russians shot two men last spring

Ukrainian law enforcement officers have discovered the bodies of two civilians shot by the Russian invaders in the liberated part of southern Mykolayiv Oblast, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported on Telegram on July 14.

The graves were found during an inspection of the village of Stepove, Voskresenske territorial community.

Read also: Russia collects bodies of flood victims, sending them to unknown location in Kherson Oblast

The two men were aged 20 and 34 at the time of their deaths, and were shot by the Russian military in the spring of 2022.

Their bodies have been transferred to the Mykolayiv Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination, the agency said.

Read also: Russia destroying war crime evidence in Mariupol Theater attack on anniversary, Zelenskyy says

The circumstances, witnesses and eyewitnesses of the crime are being established.

The prosecutors office has initiated criminal proceedings for violating the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated almost the entire territory of Mykolayiv Oblast from Russian troops in late 2022.

However, part of the Kinburn Spit, where the villages of Pokrovske, Vasylivka and Pokrovka of Mykolayiv Oblast are located, remains under Russian occupation.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ukraine gearing up for major operation in Kherson Oblast  National Guard

The Armed Forces are preparing for an offensive in the south of Ukraine

Ukraine's Defense Forces are preparing for an offensive in Kherson Oblast, Colonel Mykola Urshalovych, a representative of the Main Directorate of the National Guard, announced at a briefing on July 14.

"On the Kherson axis, the defense forces continue to put pressure on the enemy, conducting active reconnaissance and fire at the full depth of the enemy's defense to prepare areas and borders for offensive actions," Urshalovych said

Read also: Ukraine can deploy 75% more forces for counteroffensive  retired officer

Urshalovych added that Ukrainian reconnaissance units have recently discovered 393 targets of the Russian military, some of which were destroyed.

On July 10, the General Staff reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had already liberated 169 square kilometers in the south, and 24 square kilometers around Bakhmut in Donbas.

Over the past week, the Ukrainian units also advanced another 1.7 kilometers toward the city of Melitopol.

Read also: Counteroffensive to produce major results in August-September  Ukrainian official

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that in the south of Ukraine, as part of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are performing numerous tasks aimed at weakening the enemy.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Photo : NASA via Getty Images)

NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered traces of "preserved organic molecules" on Mars that could be an indication that the Red Planet could have once supported life.

NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered diverse traces of what experts have found "preserved organic matter" inside a Martian crater, providing scientists with new scientific insights into the Red Planet's carbon cycle and its potential to host life.

A new paper published in the journal Nature details the discovery as researchers examined data picked up by Perseverance's SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) instrument.

NASA Perseverance Discovers Organic Molecules on Mars

While they found signs or organic molecules in all of the instrument's ten targets, it was still far from a confirmation that Mars was previously filled with life. The situation prompts researchers to be careful to note that the molecules may have resulted from processes that are completely unrelated to life, which is another intriguing look into the ancient history of the Red Planet.

In a statement, the lead author of the study and a planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Sunanda Sharma, said that the discovered organic molecules are an exciting find for astrobiologists because they are usually thought of as the building blocks of life, as per Futurism.

Additionally, the discovery builds on previous detections of similar organic molecules made by the rover's predecessor, Curiosity, which has been continuously exploring the same general region as the new rover since 2012.

A co-author of the study and an astrobiologist at NASA, Joseph Razzell, said the findings support observations made by previous robotic missions to the Red Planet. These include the discovery that Mars was once rich in organic material, compounds made primarily of carbon and hydrogen, and the fact that some of that organic material is still detectable now, several billions of years later.

Razzell added that every single detection and observation provided more information that brought scientists closer to understanding the history of Mars and whether or not it could have supported life at some point in its history.

The finding comes as Mars has only sometimes been the inhospitable place it is today, with liquid water on its surface sometime in the distant past. According to Reuters, scientists also suspected that there could have been microbial life living in the Jezero crater.

Read Also: China's Tiangong Space Station Begins Hosting Global Scientific Experiments

Potential for Hosting Life

SHERLOC is equipped with cameras, a laser, and instruments known as spectrometers that can analyze wavelengths to aid in the search for organic molecules. It is assisted by WATSON, continuing the Sherlock Holmes theme, which is a color camera for getting close-up images of rock grains and surface textures of Mars.

Some scientists have theorized that the discovered organic molecules could have formed due to water and dust interactions. Others argued that they could have been delivered to the Red Planet through dust particles or meteor impacts.

A researcher at the Planetary Science Institute and another co-author of the study, Ashley E. Murphy, said that not all organics are biological. She noted there needs to be proper observation of the spatial relationships between minerals and organics for the process of evaluating and understanding organic origins and potential biosignatures, said the Greek Reporter.

Related Article: European Union Passes Major Nature, Climate Change Plan After Negotiations

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ukraine may be close to reaching Russia's tank numbers on paper, but Russia has an immeasurably large supply of Soviet tanks in storage, military experts say

The Ukrainian military conducts training on Leopard 2 tanks at the test site on May 14, 2023, in Ukraine. The German-made tanks are one of many Western weapons sent to aid Ukraine in time for its counteroffensive. Serhii Mykhalchuk/Getty Images

Ukraine may be close to reaching parity with Russia in the number of tanks it has, new data suggests.

But Russia has a large supply of older tanks available to replace its losses, military experts said.

Ukraine's tanks, however, give the country a qualitative edge.

The number of tanks in use by the Ukrainian military could be catching up to Russia's active-tank count, new data suggests. But even as Ukraine's tank count climbs, Russia is unlikely to run out of armored vehicles anytime soon.

More than 16 months into the war, Ukraine is on track to reach parity with Russia in the size of its battlefield tank fleet, Bloomberg reported this week, citing a compilation of several data sources and defense statements.

The Military Balance 2023, an annual report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, said Russia began the war in February 2022 with 3,417 available tanks, compared to Ukraine's 987. Heavy Russian losses coupled with a steady stream of donations from Ukraine's Western allies, though, have helped even the score in intervening months.

Oryx, an open-source intelligence defense outlet that records only confirmable losses, said Russia has lost at least 2,091 tanks while Ukraine has lost 558. Ukraine has also managed to capture 545 tanks and has already received 471 new Western vehicles, with hundreds more still coming, the outlet said.

The most recent estimates from Bloomberg put Ukraine's tank count at 1,500 active tanks, compared to about 1,400 for Russia.

But those numbers, while encouraging for Ukraine and its supporters, don't account for the tanks that Russia has undoubtedly pulled from storage to supplant its losses, two military experts told Insider.

And Russia's supply of older tanks is likely plentiful, they said.

"The Russians, like the Soviets, never threw anything away," Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine Corps colonel and a senior advisor with the Center for Strategic and International Studies' security program, said in a March interview with Insider.

In follow-up comments this week, Cancian said because of this, he believes Russia probably still has a numerical advantage over Ukraine if these tanks in storage are accounted for.

Throughout the war, Russia has primarily relied on four different models of tanks: T-64s, T-72s, T-80s, and T-90s, with T-72s making up the bulk of its fleet, thanks to years of Soviet-era production and more modern updates to the vehicles, as Insider previously reported.

But as its losses mount, the country has been forced to turn to its older tanks in storage, including T-62s, T-55s, and T-54s, some of which date as far back as the 1940s.

It's unclear how many tanks Russia has already pulled from storage or how many vehicles it has in storage to keep drawing upon.

While the gap between the number of active tanks each country has may be shrinking, Ukraine's tanks are growing in quality, Mick Ryan, a retired major general in the Australian Army and a military strategist, said.

"Certainly the influx of Western armored vehicles gives them a qualitative advantage," Ryan told Insider of Ukraine.

While Russia is returning to its past to restock depleted supply, Ukraine is using high-quality NATO tanks as replacements for its lost vehicles.

"Ukraine's tank fleet probably has as much combat power as the Russians," Cancian said.

Battlefield data suggests most of the tanks in play aren't being utilized in tank-on-tank engagement, Ryan said, instead being used to support infantry attacks, engage other vehicles, or provide indirect fire support.

Despite their antiquated designs and subpar systems, even an older Russian tank would be an unwelcome sight to a dismounted Ukrainian infantryman, Ryan said.

Ukraine's current counteroffensive continues to slog on as the country attempts to penetrate Russian defenses to little avail thus far. But if they do manage to break the Russian fortifications, Ukraine's newfound tank edge could come in handy, Cancian said.

"Once in the open, Ukraine can use these tanks and their superior firepower to gain a lot of territory," he told Insider.

Correction: July 14, 2023  This story has been updated throughout to better reflect that data suggests Ukraine could be close to reaching tank parity with Russia on paper  not surpassing it.

The story also has been updated to reflect the number of tanks Oryx says Ukraine had captured. Ukraine had captured 545 tanks, per Oryx, not 546 tanks.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- The Black Sea safe-transit deal thats allowed Ukraine to export millions of tons of grain in the past year expires on Monday, and a potential decision by Russia to renew it is coming down to the wire. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters he hopes a letter sent to Vladimir Putin by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres this week will help to secure an extension of pact. So far Russia has made no statement on extending the deal, Putin says hes still deliberating, and Moscow has frequently derided the pact as unfair to its interests.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Putin told a Russian newspaper that he offered Wagner mercenary forces the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under the same commander when he met with them after last months failed mutiny, the Associated Press reported. All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin told Kommersant. And nothing would have changed for them. A group of Wagner mercenaries was shown in a Belarusian defense ministry video on Friday, training territorial troops in the Russian ally, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of the capital Minsk.

Germanys finance minister said further financing of support for Ukraine should be distinct from the EUs long-term budget, and that the bloc will continue to find ways to help Kyiv. In the US, the House of Representatives defeated an effort by far-right Republicans to cut off security assistance to Ukraine, cementing  for now  a wall of bipartisan support for Kyiv. Yet a senior US intelligence official said the conflict has reached a stalemate in its 17th month, a downbeat assessment that could strain allies patience.

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Oil Heads for Third Weekly Gain

Oil headed for a third weekly gain as supply disruptions in Africa and a reduction in shipments from Russia tightened the market. Russian flows are finally starting to decline, four months after the country was due to slash output.

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Belarus Wagner Training

Russias Wagner Group are now training Belarusian soldiers according to the country's Ministry of Defense and Reuters. The defense ministry has said that training is taking place near the town of Osipovichi, around 56 miles south of the capital Minsk.

[Wagner] fighters acted as instructors in a number of military disciplines, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense added.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1679852744901812226?s=20

The story from Reuters suggests that some of the Wagner fighters have been in Belarus since at least Tuesday.

The news comes a day after the Pentagon said that Wagner mercenaries were no longer participating in any significant capacity in combat operations in Ukraine, something you can read more about in our previous reporting.

While the exact whereabouts of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin remain unclear, the following photo recently appeared in the Russian media, allegedly showing him in a field tent somewhere in Belarus. This is where Putin supposedly put him in what seemed to put into defacto exile after his aborted insurrection in southwestern Russia.

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1679783921939087360?s=20

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko originally said he wanted Wagner mercenaries to setup camp in his country so that they could train his troops based on all their combat knowledge.

Will tell you about weapons: which worked well, which did not. And tactics, and weapons, and how to attack, how to defend. It's priceless. This is what we need to take from the Wagnerites, Lukashenko said shortly after he brokered the deal that ended Prigozhin's mutiny.

Now we are seeing that play out.

Before we head into the latest updates from Ukraine, The War Zone readers can catch up on our previous rolling coverage here.

The Latest

One of the more remarkable videos to have emerged from the many candidates in the realm of ground-based air defenses in action on the battlefield in Ukraine is this next offering. Filmed from the perspective of a Ukrainian quadcopter drone, the launch of a missile from a Russian Tor series (SA-15 Gauntlet) short-range air defense system is seen clearly, as is the smoke trail from the missile as it spirals toward the target. The missile misses the drone, but just by a matter of feet, possibly due to it being too small of a target to activate the radar-controlled proximity fuze. Check it out here:

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1679714824186474496?s=20

Some of the novel technologies and tactics being employed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the ongoing offensive on the east and south of the country are apparent in the following video, said to have been taken on the lower part of the Dnipro River delta. In this riverine environment, Ukrainian soldiers are making use of high-speed assault craft, armed with heavy machine guns, and supported by helicopters and loitering munitions.

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1679688571597254659?s=20

Ukraines intelligence chief has ruled out the possibility of an invasion of the country from Belarus  for the time being, at least. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this on Telegram, after a meeting with Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1679807154369208320?s=20

A new video has emerged showing apparently recent damage sustained by one of the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles supplied to Ukraine by the United States. The vehicle is seen still on the move, despite allegedly having been hit by a round fired by a Russian tank. The projectile is said to have torn off some of the side armor and penetrated the hull, although without any catastrophic results.

https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1679830955714924544?s=20

While side armor may have saved the crew of that Bradley, the improvised screen added to this Russian Armed Forces T-72B3 main battle tank seems not to have offered the degree of protection hoped for. The so-called cope cages are added to Russian military vehicles in the hope of defeating drone strikes and, to a lesser degree, missile attacks.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1679862913476050946?s=20

Vehicles of a very different caliber now, with photos of a remarkable-looking Mad Max-style battle buggy. The vehicle shown features a gunner perched on the rear, improvised armor, and even a (presumably decorative) sword behind the drivers position.

https://twitter.com/UnseenOps/status/1677116423783456768?s=20

Russia claims that its air defenses shot down two U.K.-supplied Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles over Russian-occupied southeast Ukraine yesterday. According to Yevhen Balitsky, the Russian-imposed leader of occupied Zaporizhzhia, undisclosed Russian air defense systems destroyed the two missiles that had been fired against targets in Melitopol and Berdiansk.

Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported that Balitsky took to Telegram today Friday to make the claim, stating There were no casualties, the infrastructure was not damaged either.

Russia often claims it destroys equipment donated by the west when it has not, although Storm Shadows have been lost in the conflict.

Speaking of Storm Shadow strikes, photos have also emerged showing the purported damage to the Dune Hotel in the Russian-occupied Azov Sea port city of Berdyansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. This was the location where Russian Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov, deputy commander of the Southern Military District, is said to have been killed in a strike yesterday.

Located about 60 miles from the front lines, Berdyansk is one of the long-distance targets Ukraine can now hit thanks to donated weapons. There have been at least four attacks on the port city in the past few weeks, as you can read about here.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1679749503383945218?s=20

Meanwhile, Russian authorities have also claimed the destruction of three Ukrainian drones in the Voronezh region of Russia. Governor Alexander Gusev posted the following account to Telegram today: Yesterday, a few kilometers from Voronezh, air defense systems detected and destroyed three UAVs. There were no victims, no injuries, no damage.

https://twitter.com/djuric_zlatko/status/1679720394268262400?s=20

Ukraine, too, has claimed the destruction of drones that it says were launched against it by Russia. According to Ukrainian national public broadcaster Suspilne, Ukrainian air defenses shot down 16 out of 17 drones launched overnight. Suspilne reports that air defenses engaged them in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. It also stated that one person was injured, and buildings damaged when a drone hit a utility company in Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1679723001816776704?s=20

Ukraine has jailed a man for 10 years after he was found guilty of plotting sabotage in collaboration with Russia. A Ukrainian court determined that the man, who has not been named, had planned to blow up transport infrastructure in Ukraine as well as to disrupt foreign arms supplies into the country.

Ukraines domestic security agency, or SBU said today that it had detained the man in February, prior to him having undertaken any sabotage activities. The SBU added that the man had been fighting against Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine, after which he was recruited by Russian military intelligence.

In order to carry out the enemys task, the criminal conducted reconnaissance of the territory around infrastructure facilities and prepared to place explosives in the most vulnerable places of both transport routes, the SBU said in a statement.

However, the SBU employees worked ahead of time and detained the attacker as a result of a multi-stage special operation at the end of February this year.

The man reportedly was tasked with blowing up two infrastructure objects, said to be in the Rivne region in western Ukraine. This area includes several important road and railway links with Poland, which are vital for the transport of arms for the Kyiv regime.

Sabotage is also the possible reason behind the explosion of a car in a residential sector of the Russian city of Belgorod that sits near the Ukrainian border. Three people were injured in the blast.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1679770456381956098?s=20

Posting to Telegram, the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said:

Unfortunately, there are three victims: a man who was in the car at the time of the explosion, and two bystanders  a mother with a child. All the victims were taken to the city hospitals with shrapnel wounds to the lower extremities. Doctors assess their condition as moderate.

Gladkov added: There is no threat to residents of neighboring houses and apartments. Emergency services are on site. The investigating authorities are taking all measures in order to understand the causes of the incident.

Moscow has claimed that a Ukrainian drone has struck the western Russian town of Kurchatov, in the Kursk region that borders Russia, putting a nearby nuclear power plant at risk. Local authorities accused the West of sponsoring nuclear terrorism after the alleged drone strike.

https://twitter.com/vicktop55/status/1679750660353413120?s=20

According to Roman Starovoit, the governor of the Kursk region, the Ukrainian drone struck a residential apartment building in Kurchatov. The town is located on the banks of a cooling pond that serves the Kursk nuclear power station.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1679750272241790980?s=20

Taking to Telegram, Starovoit said:

A drone crashed in the town of Kurchatov overnight. Fortunately, none of the residents were injured. Critical facilities were not damaged as a result of the drone crash and its subsequent detonation.

Starovoit said that damage was limited to the facade and glazing of one block of flats and that there were no injuries.

And finally, some previous videos showing Ukrainian personnel dealing with landmines have appeared nothing short of hair-raising, but this video shows an altogether more high-tech and precise way of dealing with this battlefield menace. In this footage, we can see Ukrainian troops using NATO-standard M67 grenades dropped from a small drone to clear a path through what appear to be TM-62 anti-vehicle mines. Note the rapid egress of the drone, to ensure its not caught in the ensuing blast.

https://twitter.com/front_ukrainian/status/1679750761134030851?s=20

Thats it for now. We'll update this story when theres more news to report about Ukraine.

Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com
Ukraine war latest: US close to making decision on ATACMS, Kyiv says

Key developments on July 14:

Yermak: US 'very close' to making a decision on ATACMS missiles for Ukraine

Erdogan says he and Putin 'of the same mind' on grain deal extension, Moscow denies

Ukrainian military report advancing in directions of Melitopol, Bakhmut

Ukraine returns bodies of 62 fallen soldiers

President's Office Head Andrii Yermak told journalists on July 14 that the U.S. is "very close" to deciding whether to provide Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles.

According to Yermak, he's in good contact with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and is well aware of the decision-making process.

President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the provision of ATACMS with his American counterpart at the Vilnius NATO summit on July 12.

"There are such conversations, but there is no decision" on the issue of ATACMS yet, Zelensky said at a press conference.

Washington has been reluctant to supply ATACMS due to the fear of escalation and the concerns that they may be used to attack Russian territory.

Supporters of providing ATACMS argue that Kyiv's inability to strike targets far from the front line results in the deaths of numerous Ukrainians and makes it very difficult for Ukraine to expel Russian troops from its territory.

On July 12, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that Washington was considering supplying the long-requested missiles to Ukraine.

However, Biden told Bloomberg that artillery ammunition was a more urgent need for Ukraine as the country already possesses weapons systems similar to ATACMS, likely referring to the SCALP long-range missiles pledged by France at the latest NATO summit and the U.K.-provided Storm Shadow missiles, in use by the Ukrainian military since May.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 16  Why is Ukraine still not in NATO? Episode #16 of our weekly video podcast This Week in Ukraine is dedicated to Ukrainian culture, the important role it plays in war, and why it has been a target of Russian dictators for decades. Host Anastasiia Lapatina is joined by the Kyiv Independents culture reporter Oleksiy Sorokin. Listen The Kyiv IndependentAnastasiia Lapatina

Grain deal in limbo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 14 he and Russian President Vladimir Putin were "of the same mind" on the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

"(UN Secretary-General Antonio) Guterres sent a letter to Putin. I hope that with this letter, we assure the extension of the grain corridor deal with the joint efforts of us and Russia," Erdogan told reporters, as quoted by the Turkish state-run Anadolu news outlet.

Moscow denied Erdogan's claims later in the day, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying that Russia didn't make any statements about agreeing to prolong the Black Sea Grain Initiative that allows Ukraine to continue exporting its agricultural products.

The current agreed-upon extension period is set to expire on July 17.

Russia has already threatened not to prolong the Black Sea Grain Initiative unless the West eases its restrictions against its grain and fertilizers exports.

According to the Russian state-controlled news agency Interfax, Putin claimed that none of Moscow's conditions for extending the deal  which focus on logistics, insurance, and money movement when paying for Russian products  had been met.

Russia's key demand, however, is reconnecting the Kremlin-owned Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT international payment system. The bank was cut from the payment system on June 14 over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Unnamed sources told Reuters and the Financial Times that the EU was not considering removing that restriction but is weighing an option to connect a subsidiary of Russia's Agricultural Bank to SWIFT.

Guterres reportedly asked Putin to extend the grain deal for several months to give the EU time to arrange the scheme.

Turkey and the UN brokered the grain deal in July 2022.

Russia's all-out war initially prevented Ukraine, one of the world's top grain exporters, from shipping agricultural products through its Black Sea ports. The grain deal allowed Ukraine to ship grain and has been essential in mitigating a global surge in food prices.

Explainer: Whats up with the grain deal and Russia? On Nov. 2, Russia announced it would continue its participation in the deal that allows grain shipments from Ukraine via the Black Sea, ending several days of turmoil when the vital deal was hanging by a thread. The grain exports crisis started with Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Ukrainian military report advancing in Melitopol, Bakhmut directions

Andrii Kovalov, the General Staff spokesperson, reported that Ukrainian forces continue to advance south of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, in the Bila Hora-Andriivka sector.

"There are successes in the Bila Hora-Andriivka sector, (troops) are solidifying newly taken positions," Kovalov said.

According to him, Ukrainian forces continue to repel Russian attempts to advance in Kupiansk, Lyman, Avdiivka, and Marinka directions, while Moscow is deploying its reserves in these sectors. Heavy fighting is underway, Kovalov said.

On the same day, Colonel Mykola Urshalovych, an officer with the National Guard, reported that Ukrainian forces advanced over 1,700 meters in the Melitopol direction within a week.

"Our units are advancing through dense enemy minefields at the approaches to their positions and under heavy fire, including 213 strikes from multiple-launch rocket systems, tanks, and artillery, and six airstrikes during the past week," Urshalovych said.

Russian troops are attempting to counterattack to regain lost ground but are being repelled.

Ukraine's counteroffensive is ongoing, with heavy fighting in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts.

On July 13, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported successful advances on the southern front line, particularly in the sectors of Novodanylivka-Shyroka Balka and Mala Tokmachka-Novopokrovka.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported in its latest assessment that Ukrainian forces made some gains in at least three sectors of the front lines, including in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and around Bakhmut as of July 13.

Ukraine's General Staff said the country's forces had liberated 14 square kilometers as of July 10.

Francis Farrell: As the world watches the counteroffensive, a sober hold on reality is Ukraines greatest weapon This June was meant to be all about the great Ukrainian counteroffensive. After months of waiting, dozens of public statements from exasperated Ukrainian officials bound to silence, and even more analyses from experts and commentators in the media, the moment finally came when Ukrainian soldiers on The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Ukraine returns bodies of 62 fallen soldiers

The bodies of 62 fallen soldiers have been returned to Ukraine from the occupied territories, the Reintegration Ministry reported on July 14.

According to the ministry, four of them died in Russian captivity due to injuries, diseases, and inadequate medical treatment.

After the bodies of Ukrainian defenders are identified, they will be handed over to their relatives for burial.

In late June, Ukraine retrieved the bodies of 51 fallen service personnel.

According to the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Ukraine brought back the bodies of over 1,400 fallen soldiers from the start of Russia's full-scale invasion to March 2023.
Ukraine's air defence troops destroy 16 out of 17 Shahed drones Russia launched at Ukraine

On the night of 13-14 July, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 17 Iranian-made Shahed attack drones, 16 of which were downed by air defence systems.

Source: press service of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: From the evening of 13 July to 04:00 on 14 July 2023, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 17 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack drones from the southeast (Primorsko-Akhtarsk).

Sixteen Shahed drones were destroyed as a result of military operations in southern and eastern oblasts. Additionally, the sky defenders downed one reconnaissance UAV during the night and six more tactical UAVs were hit by the air defence systems during the previous day.

Anti-aircraft missile units, fighter aircraft, mobile fire groups of the Air Force and air defence of other branches of Ukraines Defence Forces in the areas of responsibility of the Air Commands Pivden (South) and Skhid (East) were involved.

The Air Forces noted that during the current and past days, the Air Force aircraft carried out up to 20 group airstrikes on the Russian occupiers.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Vadym Prystaiko, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, explained his comment about the "unhealthy sarcasm" of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in response to the recent remark by Ben Wallace, the UK Defence Minister.

Source: Prystaiko's comment for Ukrainska Pravda

Quote from Prystaiko: "The UK minister's sarcastic comment about Amazon received the same sarcastic response from President Zelenskyy. But I am sure that sarcasm between friendly countries is not necessary!"

Details: The ambassador said that if Wallace does not like something, he could have contacted Prystaiko himself, instead of making it public.

"Moreover, President Zelenskyy and the entire Ukrainian people, including our soldiers who use UK equipment, always thank the UK," the Ukrainian ambassador said.

Background:

Earlier, Ben Wallace, UK Defence Secretary, urged Ukraine to express more gratitude to partners for the provided military support instead of constantly putting demands on unblocking new weapons.

When President Zelenskyy was asked to comment on this statement, he assured that Ukraine is very grateful to the UK and its people for their support. But he also added that "we can wake up in the morning and thank the minister personally."

In turn, Prystaiko called Zelensky's words "unhealthy sarcasm".

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Ukraine's defence forces destroyed three Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups at the mouth of the Dnipro River during the day of 13 July.

Source: Nataliia Humeniuk, Head of the Joint press centre of the defence forces of Ukraine's south, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: In particular, answering the host's question whether Russian forces are trying to make sorties of the sabotage groups on the islands in the Dnipro channel, which have been in the "grey area" for the past few months, Humeniuk answered as follows.

Quote: "They try to manoeuvre there from time to time, gathering information about the defence forces movement, trying to rotate their personnel. And we discovered three such groups on three boats in the past day.

All were effectively destroyed: 11 invaders and three boats followed the course of the Russian warship." ('Russian warship, go f*** yourself', the famous reply of a Ukrainian Border Guard when Russians ordered his garrison to surrender).

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On the anniversary of the Russian army's attack on the centre of Vinnytsia, which left dozens of casualties, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine recalled the murder of Stanislav Rzhytsky in Russia as an example of retribution against the invaders responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians.

Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine

Details: The Defence Intelligence has pointed out that exactly one year ago, on 14 July 2022, Russia committed a war crime in Vinnytsia: a strike with Kalibr cruise missiles on the city centre claimed the lives of 27 Ukrainians, including three young children.

The Russian military fired missiles from a submarine in the Black Sea.

That day, a conference on war crimes committed by Russia was taking place in The Hague.

Quote from the Defence Intelligence: "All Moscow slaughters, murderers of Ukrainian children, and all war criminals will be brought to justice by Ukraine. The day of reckoning will come  sooner or later, but inevitably.

The story of one Russian submarine commander involved in a war crime in Vinnytsia shows that you can hide from the court, but you cannot escape accountability."

Details: The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine is convinced that every war crime will be punished with justice.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine honours the memory of Vinnytsia residents, Ukrainians who became victims of "terrorist Russia".

Background:

On 14 July 2022, Russian troops fired missiles at the centre of Vinnytsia, damaging the Officers' House, the Yuvileinyi House, the Neuromed Medical Centre, cars on Peremohy Square and dozens of buildings nearby. The strike killed 27 civilians, hospitalised 80 more, and resulted in 202 people seeking medical assistance.

On 10 July 2023, in the Russian city of Krasnodar, Stanislav Rzhytsky, deputy head of the mobilisation department and former submarine commander, who could have been involved in missile strikes on Vinnytsia and other Ukrainian cities, was shot dead during a morning jog.

On 11 July 2023, The Investigative Committee of Russia reported about the detention of a man, whose involvement in the murder of Stanislav Rzhitskii.

Ukraine's Defence Intelligence confirms assassination of Russian commander involved in attacks on Ukraine: No witnesses to murder.

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By Tom Balmforth

KYIV (Reuters) - He wears a pistol to interviews with foreign journalists and discusses wartime intelligence. Weapons and military gear are strewn on the floor of his Kyiv office. He says he has "sources" close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

For an intelligence chief running Ukraine's spy operations during war with Russia, Kyrylo Budanov, 37, has built up an unusually public profile that he has used to get his message out and to menace Russia from afar.

These days, a spy boss cannot stay in the shadows, he says.

"It's not possible without this, not anymore," the head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) told Reuters in an interview at his heavily defended headquarters in the capital.

"And all the next wars are going to look like this. In any country in the world. We can say that we're setting a trend here."

Ukraine drew conclusions about the need to get its message across since 2014, when Moscow took the world by surprise to seize Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and unleash a proxy war in the east, he says.

"We completely lost the information war in 2014. And the war, which began in (2022) - we started here in a completely different way. And now the Russians are losing the information battle."

Since a mercenary mutiny in Russia last month made Moscow's ruling system appear more opaque and unstable, Budanov has used the opportunity to weigh in about what Ukraine's spies know about their enemy.

In parts of his interview reported by Reuters earlier this week, he said the mutinying Russian mercenaries had headed for a nuclear base in pursuit of a backpack-sized atomic weapon. Several Russian sources that spoke to Reuters confirmed parts of that account.

Budanov also cited an intercepted survey conducted by the Russian Interior Ministry that he said showed mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had support inside Russia.

He provided no evidence, but noted that he accurately predicted Russia would invade before the full-scale war broke out last year. "Who turned out to be right? Us."

"We have our own sources. In the closest offices (to Putin), so to say. This is why we usually know what's going on."

REVILED IN RUSSIA

Enigmatic and intense, Budanov sat behind his desk in military fatigues under a painting of an owl - the symbol of his agency - sinking its talons into a bat, the emblem of Russia's military intelligence directorate.

The blinds of his office were drawn with sandbags in the windows.

Appointed in August 2020, Budanov has seen his popularity and public profile surge inside Ukraine during the war, where he is portrayed as a behind-the-scenes mastermind of efforts to strike back at Russia. In Russian media he is a hate figure.

The Kremlin decried as "monstrous" a remark he made in May that "we will keep killing Russians anywhere on the face of this world until the complete victory of Ukraine".

Russia has blamed Ukrainian secret services for the murders of a pro-war Russian blogger and a pro-war journalist. Kyiv denies involvement. Russian media reported that a court in Moscow had arrested Budanov in absentia in April on terrorism charges.

The prospect of a spy agency sending assassins to hunt down Ukraine's enemies has drawn comparisons with Israel's Mossad. Budanov doesn't resist the analogy.

"If you're asking about Mossad as being famous (for) ... eliminating enemies of their state, then we were doing it and we will be doing it. We don't need to create anything because it already exists."

Budanov began his military career as a special forces operative and served in the east after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and its proxies took over Ukraine's eastern fringes. He was wounded three times.

Since he took charge of the spy service there have been numerous failed attempts on his life, including a botched car bombing in which the assailant was blown up.

"The only thing I can say is that they haven't stopped attempting it, but I will repeat  it's all in vain," he said.

In late May a Russian air strike hit his headquarters on Kyiv's Rybalskyi Peninsula, sparking Russian media reports that he had been gravely wounded. Budanov played down its significance.

"That wasn't their first attempt. But, as you can see, once again, we're here in the main quarters of this building. When you were outside, you could see people walking, and working. Everything is working as it should."

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; Additional reporting by Sergiy Karazy; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Peter Graff)
The Pentagon has already confirmed the delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine

The Armed Forces of Ukraine welcomes the transfer of cluster bombs from the United States as they provide the opportunity to adequately respond to Russias use of these weapons, Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said on July 14.

The Russians constantly use cluster munitions in fighting against Ukraine, he said on national television.

Read also: Invaders use cluster munitions in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, injuries and destruction reported

This is a common practice for them, the officer said.

Starting with the war against Ichkeria (Chechnya), in Syria, with the start of the hybrid war (in Ukraine) in 2014, and then the full-scale invasion in 2022. Now its payback time.

First of all, they (Russians) launch them (cluster bombs) from such multiple launch rocket systems as Smerch and Uragan.

They hit our positions and peaceful cities with cluster bombs. Therefore, payback time comes for everything. Thanks to our partners, well also have the opportunity to adequately respond to them.

Read also: Cluster munitions for Ukraine a temporary measure  White House

On July 7, Washington announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine, which included Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional bombs (DPICM), also known as cluster bombs. U.S. President Joe Biden later clarified his decision to supply these bombs was made in light of the Ukrainian militarys dwindling artillery stocks.

The United States decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions is a stopgap measure driven by a shortage of conventional artillery shells, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on July 11.

Ukraine has already received cluster bombs from the United States, General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi confirmed on July 13.

We just got them, we havent used them yet, but they can radically change the situation on the battlefield, Tarnavskyi said.

The provision of this ammunition to Ukraine provoked different reactions around the world. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that the supply of such weapons would help compensate for the Ukrainian armys shell deficit.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance does not influence the decisions of individual countries to supply such weapons, while the United Kingdom and Spain said they disapproved.

Russia claims that the supply of cluster bombs to Ukraine will not change anything, while Cambodia warned against the use of these bombs because of the risks to the civilian population.

Read also: Transfer of F-16s to Ukraine to be considered nuclear threat, says Russian FM Lavrov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on July 12 that the Armed Forces would use cluster bombs exclusively to engage military targets in the occupied territories.

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Early August is the target date for Virgin Galactic's upcoming trip to the edge of space, which is anticipated to carry the first of many ticket holders eagerly anticipating the opportunity to experience weightlessness onboard the company's rocket-powered aircraft for years.

The commercial flight window will open on August 10 from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico, the firm announced on Thursday. On the Virgin Galactic website, a live stream of the brief up-and-down trip will be available, according to The Associated Press.

A Third Trip in 2023

(Photo : by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT - The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo space plane Unity and mothership separate as they fly way above Spaceport America, near Truth and Consequences, New Mexico on July 11, 2021 on the way to the cosmos. Billionaire Richard Branson took off July 11, 2021 from a base in New Mexico aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel bound for the edge of space, a voyage he hopes will lift the nascent space tourism industry off the ground.

There will be three private guests on board, according to Virgin Galactic. Six people can fit inside the spacecraft: two Virgin Galactic pilots and four passengers.

Over the years, hundreds of people, including celebrities, researchers, and businesspeople, have bought tickets. Next week, the firm will provide additional information regarding the crew and three passengers.

This will be Virgin Galactic's third trip of the year. The most recent occurred in June when an engineer from Italy's National Research Council and two officers from the Italian Air Force conducted several microgravity experiments while in weightlessness.

Virgin Galactic has been attempting for more than ten years to transport paying customers on brief space flights, and in 2021 the company finally received approval from the federal authorities. Richard Branson, the company's founder, accompanied staff members on the inaugural flight that summer.

The mother ship typically takes the plane for an hour to reach the point where it is released and uses its rocket motor to make the last push into space.

Passengers can unbuckle from their seats once they've reached the highest point, float around the cabin for a while, and take in views of the planet. They then fasten their seats for the descent back to the runway.

Virgin Galactic intends to operate monthly flights from its outpost in the desert of New Mexico.

Read Also: Virgin Galactic Aces Crucial Test Flight, Paves Way for Space Tourism Launch

Space Commercial Flights Today

Space commercial flights are for-profit flights that carry passengers into space. The first commercial space flight occurred in 2001 when Dennis Tito became the first space tourist. Since then, several other companies have started offering commercial space flights, including Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.

Space commercial flights are still in their early stages but are becoming increasingly popular. In 2021, Virgin Galactic conducted its first commercial flight with paying passengers. And in 2022, Blue Origin is planning to start offering commercial flights to the edge of space.

These flights are costly. A ticket on a Virgin Galactic flight costs $450,000, and a ticket on a Blue Origin flight costs $250,000. However, the prices are expected to come down as the industry matures.

There are some risks associated with commercial space flights. These flights can be dangerous, and there is always the risk of something going wrong. However, the companies offering these flights take safety very seriously and have a good track record.

The potential benefits of commercial space flights are many. These flights inspire people to learn more about space and pursue STEM careers. They could also promote tourism and economic development in space.

Space commercial flights are a new and exciting industry with great potential. It will be interesting to see how this industry develops in the future.

Related Article: Virgin Galactic Prepares to Launch First Space Flight with Paying Passengers Onboard

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ukrainian defenders kill 550 more Russians, destroy 5 tanks and 24 artillery systems

Ukrainian Defence Forces killed another 550 Russian occupiers and destroyed 24 artillery systems, 5 tanks and other vehicles over the last day.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces from 24 February 2022 to 14 July 2023 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses  ed.]:

approximately 236,590 (+550) military personnel;

4,097 (+5) tanks;

8,008 (+9) armoured combat vehicles;

4,449 (+24) artillery systems;

680 (+2) multiple-launch rocket systems;

423 (+2) air defence systems;

315 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft;

310 (+0) helicopters;

3,783 (+31) tactical UAVs;

1,273 (+2) cruise missiles;

18 (+0) ships/boats;

7,019 (+24) vehicles and tankers;

662 (+10) special vehicles.

The information is being confirmed.

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Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said cluster munitions being provided by the United States could radically change the battlefield, in an interview that aired Thursday on CNN.

We just got them. We havent used them yet, Tarnavski said, via a translator, to CNNs Alex Marquardt. But they can radically change the battlefield.

The enemy also understands that with getting this ammunition, we will have an advantage, Tarnavskyi added.

The Pentagon confirmed cluster munitions arrived in Ukraine on Thursday.

President Biden said the decision to send Ukraine the controversial weapons was difficult but necessary to help Kyiv in its crucial counteroffensive against Russian troops.

Tarnavskyi admitted the operation has not been quite as successful as they would have hoped, and artillery munitions are now running low.

The counteroffensive is successful, but not as much as each of us would like, Tarnavskyi said in the interview. They made very dense, complex minefields, which are now located in the areas where Ukrainian equipment and personnel will go through.

Cluster munitions are banned in more than 100 countries  though not in the U.S., Russia or Ukraine. Bomblets in the weapons spread out and explode over a wide area, making them effective at targeting a large group of enemy soldiers, but also a threat to civilians.

Biden has faced pushback from lawmakers from both parties and from human rights activists, who oppose the usage of the bombs because of the risk they say it poses to civilians during and long after wars, as unexploded bombs can remain in the ground for years.

Tarnavskyi, according to CNN, said Ukraine hopes Russians will abandon areas where the cluster munitions are most effective. He also reiterated the promise that the bombs would only be used away from civilians and with the approval of senior leadership

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ukrainian intelligence has informants close to Putin's inner circle, says Budanov

Budanov made it clear that the GUR knows about all the processes in the Russian Federation

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence has sources in the closest offices to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, the agencys head Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with Reuters published on July 14.

To prove his point, Budanov mentioned that Ukrainian intelligence intercepted an internal survey of the Russian Interior Ministry, which showed that Russians supported the leader of Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Read also: Budanov says number of Ukrainian intelligence agents in Putin's entourage is growing

The military intelligence chief also recalled that he had accurately predicted a full-scale invasion by Russian occupation forces before the start of the all-out war in February 2022.

"Who turned out to be right? Us," he added. We have our own sources. In the closest offices (to Putin - ed.), so to say. This is why we usually know what's going on.

Read also: Prigozhin's rebellion could have split Russia into two, Ukraines spy chief says

The Wagner mutiny - What we know

Prigozhin announced the beginning of an armed conflict with the Russian Defense Ministry on the evening of June 23, claiming that he wanted to restore justice in Russia.

He said that the Russian army struck the mercenaries rear camp. However, the conflict between Prigozhin and Shoigu had started months earlier.

For the past few months, the Wagner leader has been persistently demanding the resignation of the Russian defense minister, accusing him of poor management of the Russian armed forces and of not supplying enough ammunition to Wagner forces.

The next day, Wagner forces seized control over the main military facilities in the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. They also shot down seven Russian Air Force aircraft.

Read also: What awaits Wagner, Prigozhin, Lukashenko

Prigozhin then demanded meetings with Russias top military leadership and threatened to advance towards Moscow in a video address shot in Rostov-on-Don.

Putin, in turn, posted a video address saying that the Russian Armed Forces had ordered to eliminate those who led the rebellion.

The Wagnerites convoys nevertheless moved towards Moscow in a march for justice, as Prigozhin called it.

The FSB charged Prigozhin with inciting insurrection, while the security forces were preparing to defend Moscow. Putin is believed to have fled the capital to his residence in Valdai, northwest of Moscow.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin as his mercenaries closed in on Moscow, Lukashenkos press office stated, culminating in a deal where Prigozhin agreed to halt his forces advance on the Russian capital  in exchange for dropping charges and changes at the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Soon after, the warlord ordered Wagner mercenaries to turn back from Moscow and return to their combat positions, while Prigozhin himself would head to Belarus.

Budanov commented on Prigozhin's failed mutiny and his decision to "turn the columns" from outside Moscow, suggesting that Prigozhin was eventually convinced after appealing to his "patriotism" as Belarusian savage Alexander Lukashenko and others were able to convey to him that his actions would tear Russia apart.

Read also: Moscow court arrests Ukraines intelligence chief Budanov in absentia over terrorism

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Ukrainian servicemen fire from a small rocket salvo system

The Armed Forced of Ukraine can soon expect greater success in their counter-offensive, Estonian news outlet ERR quoted Colonel Margo Grosberg, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center, as saying on July 14.

Read also: Ukrainian intelligence posts intriguing video saying its time for payback

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Defense in Tallinn, Grosberg talked about the tactics used by Ukrainian forces to destroy the command posts and logistics centers of the Russian armed forces with precision strikes, success in the areas bordering the war-torn town of Bakhmut, and the descriptions of the Russian general, which give an idea of the end of the Russian reserves.

All this shows that the Ukrainians are close to success of a larger sort, Grosberg said.

Ukraines current preparatory attacks are aimed at concentrating on Russian units in narrow sections, and finding weak points where breakthroughs can be made. To the same end, vital Russian army transport hubs and logistics points and command centers in the rear are under attack, he explained.

Read also: Ukraine probes Russian defenses for weak spots  Estonian Intelligence

The colonel also discussed how Ukrainian units have been able to capture key areas to the north and south of Bakhmut, giving them the ability direct artillery fire at the town, which itself is still in the hands of Russian troops, and to gain control of the roads leading into the town. This has caused resupply problems for Russian units located there, Grosberg said.

In addition, the presence of Russian airborne troops, who have been in Bakhmut since the spring and are therefore still tied up in the town and suffering losses without scope for withdrawing them, is also exerting a major impact. Considering airborne forces are generally the Russian militarys elite, with a higher morale, aggression etc. than many other troops, their motivation will nonetheless eventually be sapped, Grosberg added.

There should be more success at some point, he added.

On the southern front, in the region of Zaporizhzhya and Velyka Novosilka, Ukrainian units have increased their occupied zones and are destroying important targets in the region with precision strikes, Grosberg said.

Read also: Ukrainian counter-offensive likely to last for many months  Blinken

He singled out the attack on the Berdyansk hotel this week, in which deputy commander of Russias Southern Military District Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov was reportedly killed.

Grosberg also highlighted the dismissal of General Ivan Popov, which was apparently precipitated by criticism Popov had for the Russian General Staff, the leaked recordings in which he outlined the situation of the 58th Army under his command.

According to Popov, units remain in the frontline for a very long period of time, but do not get replaced. If and when Ukrainian artillery hits them hard, his units then do not have the ability to respond, he said.

Read also: 500 days: 10 key facts about our liberation war, by deputy defense minister Maliar  opinion

All this is demonstration of the fact that Russian reserves are running out, as units cannot be rotated from the front, Grosberg went on.

Grosberg also pointed out that in the northeastern direction, in the Svatove and Kupyansk districts, Russia has been on the offensive the most and achieved some success, though is not yet close to any sort of tactical breakthrough. The purpose of the pressure there is to force Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the vicinity of Bakhmut and elsewhere where they have been successful, the colonel added.

The success of the Ukrainian army counter-offensive is yet to come, Ukraines Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on July 7.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated another 9 sq. km in the east and 28.4 sq. km in the south in one week, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on July 3.

Read also: Ukrainian army reclaims over 10 square kilometers in the south  General Staff

In total, Ukraines Defense Ministry announced the liberation of nine settlements in the south and east in June.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine also confirmed the liberation of Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, which had been under Russian occupation since 2014.

Earlier, on June 28, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that opinions expressed in the West that Ukraines counter-offensive is going slower than expected anger him.

This is not a show, Zaluzhnyi said.

Read also: Long way to go before victory, says Zaluzhnyi

Its not a show where the whole world is watching and betting on or anything. Every day, every meter, is paid for with blood.

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Law enforcement officers in Lviv blocked a transnational cocaine sales channel

A transnational cocaine distribution channel has been uncovered in Lviv, the National Police stated on July 14.

"The members of the drug group illegally brought Ecuadorian cocaine to Ukraine from European countries and distributed it through trusted dealers in bulk," the police said in a statement

Read also: Odesa police officers suspended from duty following argument over language use

One of the drug rings members, a former police officer, was arrested while he was receiving $135,000 in exchange for more than three kilograms of drugs.

He is a 42-year-old resident of Lviv Oblast, who served as a district police officer until 2021.

Read also: Court arrests deputy head of Migration Department for role in brothel ring

"He, together with his conspirators, including civilians and customs officers, received 'goods' from foreign drug traffickers and sold them through an established distribution network," the statement said.

Police established that the drugs ring sold cocaine in briquettes and only in wholesale quantities. They received $45,000 per kilogram of cocaine.

The suspect has been charged with the Illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues. He faces up to 12 years in prison for if convicted.

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a red-and-white rocket on a launch pad at sunset

We'll have to wait a bit longer for the first flight of United Launch Alliance's (ULA) new heavy-lift rocket.

The Vulcan Centaur is now scheduled to debut in late 2023, provided the rest of its development goes according to plan, ULA CEO and President Tory Bruno told reporters on Thursday (July 13).

The rocket was supposed to launch for the first time in May, but the company is now recertifying the structure of its Centaur upper stage before authorizing it to fly.

Aside from that work, however, "development is essentially done," Bruno told reporters on Thursday's call. He also said that a recent explosion of a Blue Origin BE-4 engine during testing won't affect Vulcan Centaur's first mission. (The BE-4 powers Vulcan Centaur's first stage.)

Related: Blue Origin's BE-4 rocket engine exploded during June 30 test: report

Vulcan Centaur is a new methane-fueled rocket from ULA, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Once ready, Vulcan will replace ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, which have sent many NASA missions and U.S. Department of Defense payloads to space over the years. Both entities require rigorous certification before Vulcan Centaur can fly their spacecraft, however.

Vulcan Centaur was supposed to launch its first mission in May, sending the private Peregrine lunar toward the moon. However, the launch was delayed after a Centaur upper stage exploded during testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center on March 29.

Last month, ULA decided to destack the first Vulcan Centaur, which had already aced a prelaunch engine firing on the pad, and send the upper stage back to its Alabama factory for modification.

The March 29 failure, Bruno said in Thursday's press conference, happened during the 15th test of a tank, as a result of a hydrogen leak. The leak, near the top of the hydrogen dome, continued for 4.5 minutes and caused a crack in the tank.

Analyses showed that the issue came down to laser welding on the Centaur, he said, adding that the arc welding used on the previous generation of Centaur was stronger. Future tanks will include an extra stainless-steel ring to strengthen that area, Bruno said.

close up of rocket engines burning

United Launch Alliance fires up the first-stage engines of its Vulcan Centaur rocket on the launch pad for the first time on June 7, 2023. (Image credit: ULA)

Blue Origin's in-development New Glenn rocket, which the BE-4 will also power, has endured delays as well; the heavy lifter was originally supposed to debut in 2020.

Thursday's press call with Bruno came just days after it was reported that a BE-4 exploded during testing on June 30. That incident destroyed the engine and damaged nearby infrastructure, according to CNBC. "Remedial actions" are underway to address the cause, Blue Origin officials said at the time.

The engine was being readied to fly on the second launch of Vulcan Centaur, the report added. Bruno confirmed that information and said the BE-4 issues will have no effect on the first launch, as the initial Vulcan Centaur features flight-approved engines.

Bruno added the second Vulcan Centaur launch, for the U.S. Space Force, is now expected in the second half of 2024 as long as the engines are ready and the first flight goes to plan.

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The June 30 incident was during an "acceptance test" (ATP) that probes for problems with individual units ahead of a flight. (New engine types commonly undergo several testing steps ahead of going to space, such as a "hot fire" on the launch pad.)

"This is not unexpected, it won't be the last and there will be other components on the rockets that also fail acceptance testing," Bruno said, echoing other comments he made on Twitter in recent days.

He joked, "I'm flattered by the attention we have, now that a routine acceptance test was colorfully discussed on social media, but it really isn't news."
An explosion in generative AI content since ChatGPT launched late last year has left authorities scrambling to figure out how to regulate such chatbots (JOEL SAGET)

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday called for transparency on the risks of artificial intelligence and for the data harvested by AI to be used responsibly.

An explosion in generative AI content since ChatGPT launched late last year has left authorities scrambling to figure out how to regulate such chatbots and ensure the technology does not endanger humanity.

In its first look at the development of AI, the UN's top rights body adopted a resolution that called for the "adequate explainability" of AI-supported decisions, taking into account "human rights risks arising from these technologies".

It also calls for the use of data in AI systems to be in line with international human rights law.

The resolution -- co-sponsored by Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Morocco, Singapore and South Korea -- was adopted by consensus in the 47-country council.

China and India disassociated themselves from the consensus but did not however demand a vote -- a stance countries sometimes take when they have reservations but do not want to rock the boat.

China's representative told the council that the resolution had some "controversial content".

- AI and privacy -

South Korean ambassador Yun Seong-deok said the resolution underlined the importance of "ensuring, promoting and protecting human rights throughout the life-cycle of artificial intelligence systems".

US ambassador Michele Taylor called it a step forward for the council.

"This resolution recognises both the harms and benefits that new emerging digital technologies, especially artificial intelligence, can bring to the field of human rights."

ChatGPT has become a global sensation since it was launched late last year for its ability to produce human-like content, including essays, poems and conversations from simple prompts.

While AI systems could save lives by enabling a quantum leap in medical diagnosis, it is feared they could also be exploited by authoritarian regimes to exercise mass surveillance of citizens.

British ambassador Simon Manley said London was "deeply concerned by the use of technology to curtail human rights, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly", and the right not to have one's privacy interfered with.

apo/rjm/fb
Police officers patrol a neighborhood amid gang-related violence in downtown Port-au-Prince in April 2023 (RICHARD PIERRIN)

The UN Security Council on Friday urged the international community to support Haiti's police, but stopped short of any concrete moves to create an international intervention force that is being called for by the crisis-wracked country.

Haiti, the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, has seen compounding humanitarian, political and security crises, with gangs controlling most of the capital and terrorizing the population with kidnappings, rape and murder.

The Security Council's unanimously adopted resolution encourages member states "to provide security support to the Haitian National Police," including through "the deployment of a specialized force."

But the text, which was focused on a one-year extension of the mandate for the special UN political mission to Haiti, BINUH, stopped short of making any direct plans for such a force.

The 15 member states asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit a report within 30 days on "the full range of support options" for improving security, in particular in fighting arms trafficking, providing police training and bolstering a "non-UN multinational force, or a possible peacekeeping operation."

For months, Guterres and Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry have called for an international force to help quell the mounting violence, but there has been little action as no country has stepped up to lead the operation.

Violence meanwhile has continued "to escalate and spread," Guterres said in a report Friday, citing murders, kidnappings, rape of women and girls, looting, and the displacement of thousands of people.8

Between January and June homicides increased by 67.5 percent compared to the second half of 2022, according to the document, which said some victims had even been beheaded.

Without a sufficient security apparatus to combat the rampant gangs, Haitians have begun taking matters into their own hands, including via the emergent "Bwa Kale" self-defense movement, which has spread across the country.

From late April to late June, at least 224 suspected gang members were killed by vigilante groups, sometimes having been stoned, mutilated or "burned alive in the middle of the street while police officers stood by."

- 'Disappointment' -

While some members of the Council, notably the United States, have indicated support for a possible international intervention, endorsement is far from unanimous.

"The 30-odd years of UN practice in Haiti have shown that quick fixes implemented from the outside often fail to deliver long-term results or help Haiti truly emerge from the crisis," said Geng Shuang, deputy UN envoy from China, which holds veto power on the Security Council.

"Before taking the next step, the United Nations should fully learn from the past," he said.

While China has long advocated for a broad arms embargo, he said "no amount of support for Haitian police will make any difference unless the flow (of weapons to gangs) is stopped."

The Security Council resolution reiterates a call on member states to prevent the transfer of small arms to gangs.

Friday's text is "a step in the right direction," Haitian Ambassador Antonio Rodrigue said, but added it would not be "sufficient to help the government face the security challenge."

"The population is waiting for a concrete decision on the deployment of an international force, which has not happened, and the disappointment is great," he added.

abd/bfm/acb
UN very concerned over widespread violence by police during protests in Kenya

The United Nations said it was very concerned about the widespread use of violence by police against protesters in Kenya, after clashes against tax hikes reportedly turned deadly.

Protests broke out across the country on Wednesday, including the capital Nairobi, where Opiyo Wandayi, who leads the opposition in Kenyas parliament told CNN that demonstrators were forcefully dispersed by police.

A protester raises his hands as he walks towards riot police during protests in the capital Nairobi. - Brian Inganga/AP

Protesters stand by a burning barricade on a street in the Mathare neighborhood of Nairobi. - AP

Reports say up to 23 people have been killed and dozens injured in the demonstrations in the past week, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said Friday in a press release.

Laurence called for prompt, thorough, independent and transparent investigations into the deaths and injuries. Those responsible must be held to account. Effective measures to prevent further deaths and injuries must be adopted.

In light of calls for further protests next week, we call on the authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution and international human rights law.

The policing of protests must seek to facilitate peaceful assemblies, and any use of force must be guided by the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and non-discrimination. Firearms should never be used to disperse protests, Laurence said.

Riot police officer lobs teargas canisters to disperse supporters of Kenya's opposition leader. - Thomas Mukoya/Reuters

Laurence also appealed for calm and encourage open dialogue to address social, economic and political grievances, with the aim of identifying lasting solutions in the interests of all Kenyans.

Demonstrations have flared in Kenya over a raft of unpopular tax hikes proposed by the national government.

Kenyan opposition leader and former prime minister Raila Odinga has led calls for protests over the increases.

Odinga lost the election in August last year and believes the results were manipulated and has since led civil disobedience protests against his political rival.

A Kenyan court temporarily halted the implementation of the Finance Act 2023 touted by President William Ruto as a measure to shore up public finances and increase domestic revenue.

However, the Ruto administration defied the court order and increased tax on fuel prices, which has led to a rise in cost of transport and staple goods.

From CNNs Sharon Braithwaite in London with previous reporting from CNNs Nimi Princewill in Abuja, Nigeria

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Thought Police

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has sounded the alarm bell on neurotechnology, warning that its "warp speed" advancement, catalyzed by artificial intelligence, poses a threat to human rights and mental privacy, Agence France-Presse reports.

In response, UNESCO will develop an "ethical framework" to address the potential human rights concerns raised by neurotech, it said at an international conference in Paris on Thursday.

"We are on a path to a world in which algorithms will enable us to decode people's mental processes and directly manipulate the brain mechanisms underlying their intentions, emotions and decisions," Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO assistant director-general social and human sciences, said at the event.

Brain-o-Scope

Roughly speaking, neurotech describes electronic devices that connect with your brain or nervous system, such as brain computer interfaces, also known as brain implants, and brain scans.

Typically, the tech has been reserved for more medical purposes, like helping paralyzed people move again, or regain their eyesight or hearing.

But recent advancements have given experts pause over its potential invasiveness. One study with decidedly dystopian implications was able to successfully pair the use of a large language model AI with a functional MRI brain scan to literally read people's thoughts and spell them out in words.

It's still early days for the field, but these advances wouldn't be possible without AI, which can be used to help process brain data at astonishing rates  and that has experts worried that we could be on the precipice of grim new privacy concerns.

"It's like putting neurotech on steroids," Mariagrazia Squicciarini, a UNESCO economist specializing in AI, told AFP.

Massive Investment

The enormous amounts of capital being pumped into the neurotech industry should also be cause for concern, not too dissimilar to how breathless AI hype has seen the tech run amok. Money talks, and it usually doesn't have the average person's best interests in mind.

Between 2010 and 2020, investment in neurotechnology companies soared to over $33 billion, according to a new UNESCO report coauthored by Squicciarini  a 22-fold increase. Meanwhile, the number of neurotech patents has doubled in half that time period.

Among many companies spearheading that charge is Elon Musk's Neuralink, which recently received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to test its brain implants in humans, and is now backed up by Musk's recently launched AI firm, xAI.

UNESCO representatives say neurotech isn't all bad, however  though there's a clear dearth of future-proofed regulation.

More on neurotech: Companies Already Investing in Tech to Scan Employees Brains
The largest regulatory threat to the Microsoft-backed business yet comes from the US Federal Trade Commission, which has launched an inquiry into OpenAI over allegations that it violated consumer protection rules by putting users' personal information and reputations in danger.

The manufacturer of the generative artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, OpenAI, was handed a 20-page request for records by the FTC this week regarding how it manages risks associated with its AI models, as reported by Reuters.

AI and Concerns Over Misinformation

The FTC has questioned OpenAI about its efforts to address the possibility that its products "generate statements about real individuals that are false, misleading, or disparaging."

The company's latest technology, GPT-4, was built on years of safety research. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also noted in a series of tweets on Thursday that the systems were created to learn about the world rather than specific individuals.

In November, OpenAI released ChatGPT, captivating users and inspiring competition among major tech firms to show how their AI-infused solutions could transform societies and businesses.

The AI race has stoked widespread worries about potential hazards and governmental scrutiny of the technology. Global regulators want to apply current laws governing copyright and data privacy to two crucial issues: the information put into models and the material they produce.

Chuck Schumer, the majority leader in the Senate in the US, has called for "comprehensive legislation" to promote and ensure AI safety measures and has promised to host several events later this year to "lay down a new foundation for AI policy."

In March, OpenAI encountered issues in Italy when the authority ordered the removal of ChatGPT due to claims that the business had broken the EU's GDPR, a comprehensive privacy law implemented in 2018.

After the American corporation agreed to include age verification tools and allow European users to opt out of having their information used to train the AI model, ChatGPT was later reinstituted.

Read Also: Elon Musk 'TruthGPT' Seeks To Rival OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google

AI and Its Safety Today

One of the biggest concerns about AI is its potential to be used for malicious purposes. For example, AI could be used to develop autonomous weapons systems that could kill without human intervention.

The technology could also be used to spread misinformation or propaganda or to manipulate people's behavior.

There is also the potential for AI to be biased since they are trained on the data. This could lead to AI systems making discriminatory decisions or using AI systems to perpetuate stereotypes.

Finally, there is the concern that AI could become so intelligent that it surpasses human intelligence, whereas AI systems become so powerful that they threaten humanity.

While these are all valid concerns, it is essential to remember that AI is still a developing technology. Many people are working to address the safety risks associated with AI, and these risks will likely be mitigated in the future.

Related Article: Apple Limits Employee Access to OpenAI's ChatGPT, Raising Questions about AI Ethics

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Its unacceptable: Homeowner says HOA used funds on private party for retiring manager

The Old North State Club neighborhood is a gated community in New London steeped in tranquility, except for one resident, Maria Ray.

Ray says she recently found out that the homeowners association board held a retirement party for a long-time manager in December and only certain people were invited.

ALSO READ: Charlotte woman says HOA may take her home if she doesnt pay more than $4,700

They didnt include the whole association, she told Action 9s Jason Stoogenke.

Ray says she wasnt invited but all the homeowners still had to pay for it.

If youre going to have a private party, pay for it, she said. Come out of pocket on your own. Dont use homeowners (money) that werent invited.

Ray says the HOA addressed the issue in an Annual Meeting Q&A document she received. It says the manager who retired was the one who controlled the guest list, but that, Looking back, we can see how this must have been perceived to the residents who were not invited, and at the time we did what we thought was best. The statement goes on to say the reception cost every household less than $8.

But Ray says its the principle. When youre using community funds to fund a private party, I just felt like it was, its not right. Its unacceptable, she said.

She would complain to a state agency that oversees HOAs, but as Stoogenke has reported before, there arent any in the Carolinas.

There needs to be some regulatory agency over HOAs so things like private parties and funds of homeowners dont get misused, she said.

Stoogenke reached out to the HOA more than a month ago but did not hear back in time for this report.

Stoogenke offers this advice if you have a problem with your HOA:

- See if your HOAs bylaws help or hurt your cause.

- Talk with your neighbors  theres strength in numbers.

- Try meeting with the board as a group, not by yourself.

- Many homeowners dont realize state law says you dont have to wait for the scheduled election to vote people off the board.

- Talk to a lawyer but know it may cost you.

Stoogenke adds that you can always lobby state lawmakers to regulate HOAs more. For example, North Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill to make it harder for HOAs to start foreclosure proceedings.

READ MORE: NC bill would make it harder for HOA to take your home

If it becomes law, HOAs could start foreclosure proceedings against your property only if you owed more than $2,500 or racked up 12 months of fees, whichever were to come first. Plus, the HOA couldnt just notify you by mail, like now. It would also have to email and call you first.

Homeowners work so hard to own a home, the biggest purchase of their life, and now, just for a few hundred dollars in HOA dues, you are taking that American dream away from them, one of the lawmakers sponsoring the bill, N.C. Rep. Ya Liu, told Stoogenke.

The bill passed the House and is working its way through the Senate.

(VIDEO: NC lawmakers want to make it tougher for HOAs to put a lien on someones property)
United CEO says climate change is going to make massive delays more common

LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images

United CEO Scott Kirby says climate change will cause even more flight delays in the future.

The airline canceled thousands of flights in a six-day meltdown leading up to July 4 weekend.

Kirby was scrutinized for chartering a private jet while thousands of passengers were left stranded.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby hasn't hesitated to point fingers when it comes to flight delays, from criticizing airport infrastructure to slamming the Federal Aviation Administration for staffing shortages.

Now, the CEO is warning passengers that the climate crisis will be a major cause of flight disruptions in the future, highlighting the airline's recent June meltdown as an example, Politico reported earlier this week.

"I think irregular operations events are going to be more likely to occur as the climate warms," Kirby said onstage at a recent Politico event. "More heat in the atmosphere, thermodynamics 101  we're going to have more thunderstorms."

A United representative said the airline had no comment beyond Kirby's quotes from the event.

Rising global temperatures and subsequent extreme weather events are already making air travel more difficult. Hurricanes are getting stronger, wildfire smoke is obscuring the sky, and airport tarmacs are melting in extreme heat.

Widespread thunderstorms in the New York area led United to cancel thousands of flights leading up to Independence Day weekend, leaving hordes of frustrated passengers stranded. The airline offered affected travelers 30,000 miles and flight attendants triple pay in an attempt to make amends.

Kirby  who was the industry's highest-paid CEO last year  was put on blast for chartering a private jet that same week. He later issued an apology, calling the decision "insensitive" to customers and United employees affected by the meltdown.

At the time, United said it did not pay for the CEO's flight. The airline declined to say whether Kirby frequently took private planes.

While all airlines took a hit from the storms that week, United suffered the bulk of the disruptions. Kirby blamed United's struggles, specifically in its Newark hub, on the FAA's shortage of air-traffic controllers in the New York City area.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pushed back on Kirby's criticism of the FAA, telling CNN that United had "some internal issues they need to work through" as they had struggled "even relative to other US airlines."

Garth Thompson, a United pilot and union chair, similarly highlighted internal issues at the airline as a driving factor behind the flight delays in late June.

"While Scott Kirby attempts to deflect blame on the FAA, weather, and everything in between, further flight delays are a direct result of poor planning by United Airlines executives," Thompson told Insider at the time.

He added: "The company is dragging its feet on taking any proactive measures to mitigate further delays, including on settling a new contract with us that will improve our quality of life, upgrade our scheduling system, and fundamentally prioritize the well-being of pilots."

Do you work for an airline or cruise line? Got a tip or story to share? Email this reporter from a nonwork address at htowey@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
United Parcel Service (UPS) said Friday it will be training non-union delivery drivers in the coming weeks as the threat of a strike from tens of thousands of unionized workers looms closer.

In a statement Friday, shipping giant UPS said many of their employees will participate in training that would help them safely serve our customers if there is a labor disruption.

UPS said this temporary plan, will not affect its current operations or service for customers.

These activities also will not take away from our ongoing efforts to finalize a new contract that increases our employees already industry-leading wages and benefits, the statement continued.

UPS feels Twitter pile-on amid strike threat, Teamsters negotiations

Contract negotiations between UPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters fell apart last week, increasing the chances the estimated 340,000 workers could strike after their current contract expires at the end of July.

The UPS Teamsters, which represents over half of the UPS workforce, is fighting for better benefits and working conditions.

What an insult this is to the hardworking men and women who do backbreaking work every day to make this company $100 billion a year, a Teamsters spokesperson said. The full-time drivers, and the part-time workers making poverty wages, deserve better from this company.

UPS drivers make $18.05 an hour in Arkansas, $17.63 in Oklahoma and $21.02 in Connecticut, according to Indeed.

UPS made $11.5 billion in net income in 2022, as profits exceeded fourth-quarter expectations. The companys 2022 operating profits hit more than $13 billion, for an operating margin of 13 percent.

Last month, the union voted 97% in favor of authorizing a strike should they not reach an agreement with UPS by the time their contracts are up on July 31.

Teamsters, UPS battle may be just a warmup for future Amazon fight, experts say

If this multibillion-dollar corporation fails to deliver on the contract that our hardworking members deserve, UPS will be striking itself, Teamsters General President Sean M. OBrien said in a statement in June. The strongest leverage our members have is their labor and they are prepared to withhold it to ensure UPS acts accordingly.

A United Parcel Service delivery driver steers his truck, Friday, June 30, 2023, in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston. Teamsters General President Sean OBrien, the head of the union representing 340,000 UPS workers, said a strike is on the table. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

OBrien joined members of Local 804 UPS in Brooklyn, New York on Friday morning in a practice picket line.

Our United Parcel Service members in New York and all over the country have never been more prepared to strike, OBrien said Friday.

5 things to know about UPS strike as Teamsters contract talks fail

The Atlanta company often touts it is the single-largest employer of Teamsters in the United States and states it transports over three percent of global GDP and around six percent of U.S. GDP daily.

Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, previously said a UPS Teamsters strike could cause a significant supply chain disruption, using the supply chain issues during the pandemic as an example.

If the strike does take place next month, it would be the first in over 25 years since workers walked out for 15 days in 1997.

Hiring non-union workers is likely an escalation of the tension between the Teamsters and UPSs negotiating team.

UPS is making clear it doesnt view its workforce as a priority, a Teamsters spokesperson said.

Corporate executives are quick to brag about industry-leading service and even more quickly forget the Teamster members who perform that service, she said. UPS should stop wasting time and money on training strikebreakers and get back to the negotiating table with a real economic offer that respects and fairly compensates 340,000 UPS Teamsters.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The US is rebuying decommissioned MIM-23 Hawk missile systems sold to Taiwan to provide them to Ukraine as part of a military aid package.

Source: China Times, referring to the source; Taiwan News; Military

Details: The source of the newspaper states that it is about the Phase III MIM-23 Hawk, decommissioned in June. The purchase agreement was preceded by consultations between the US and Taiwanese governments. SAMs [surface-to-air missiles  ed.] will be transferred to the Ukrainian army to combat Russian drones and low-altitude aircraft.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence declined Taiwan News' request for comment but said the weapons were being disposed of in accordance with regulations. Taiwan will replace the decommissioned weapons with the Sky Bow III (TK-3) system.

For reference: The MIM-23 HAWK is an American medium-range anti-aircraft missile system developed by Raytheon. It entered service in 1960 and has undergone several modernisation programmes since then. It has three generations: Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III.

Initially, the system was developed to destroy aircraft, but later it was modified to intercept missiles. They were in service with a large number of European countries, including Greece, the Netherlands, France, Germany and others.

According to the Taiwan Air Force, Hawk missiles were used in 41 combat exercises between 1965 and 2017, hitting their targets more than 90 per cent of the time.

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US buying decommissioned MIM-23 Hawk missiles from Taiwan for Ukraine  report

A truck pulls a Hawk SAM in a parade near the Arc de Triomphe in Bucharest. Romania, December 1, 2008

The United States is purchasing decommissioned MIM-23 Hawk anti-air missiles from Taiwan to transfer them to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package, Taiwan News reported on July 14, citing China Times.

According to the source, the missiles in question are Phase III MIM-23 Hawks, which were removed from Taiwan's arsenal in June 2023.

Read also: Russian war against Ukraine affects Chinas plans for Taiwan, Stoltenberg says

It is reported that U.S. and Taiwanese officials held consultations on the transfer of these missiles in 2022. It was decided that after the United States purchases the missiles, they will be sent to Ukraine, helping Kyiv counter Russian aircraft on the battlefield.

Read also: US asked Israel to provide Ukraine with Hawk air defense

Taiwan's Defense Ministry rejected Taiwan News reporters' request for comment but stated that the weapons would be disposed of in accordance with regulations.

MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S.-made medium-range surface-to-air missile system developed by Raytheon. It was adopted in 1960 and has since undergone several modernization programs.

Read also: Ukrainian Army welcomes transfer of US cluster bombs to Ukraine - senior officer

Initially, the system was developed for destroying aircraft, but it was later adapted for missile interception. After modernization, the maximum interception range increased to 40 kilometers, at a maximum altitude of 18 kilometers.

On June 9, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth up to $2.1 billion. It includes Hawk air defense systems, Patriot surface-to-air missile ammunition, and Puma drones.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Bloomberg) -- The US, most of the European Union and other allies criticized Hungary for an anti-LGBTQ campaign that they said was at odds with human rights law ahead of Budapests weekend Pride March.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The admonition from more than 40 countries and organizations underscored the deepening isolation of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose government has been ramping up an anti-LGBTQ agenda thats threatening to escalate a standoff with the EU over the rule of law and human rights.

We are concerned with legislation and political rhetoric, including in Hungary, that is in tension with principles of non-discrimination, international human rights law and human dignity, and contributes to stigmatization, they said in a statement on Friday. The embassies of the US, all EU countries except for Poland, the UK, Australia and others signed the letter.

Hungary already has effectively barred adoption for same-sex couples, restricted minors access to educational materials and literature related to LGBTQ topics and banned non-governmental organizations from holding sex education in schools.

On Thursday, the government fined a bookseller 12 million forint ($36,000) for displaying a graphic novel featuring a same-sex romance under a law meant to curtail minors access to content touching such themes.

We stress the need for leaders and governments, here and elsewhere, to show respect for and protect the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals and communities, and to eliminate laws and policies that discriminate against them, the countries and organizations said in the statement.

In 2022, the EUs executive branch, the European Commission, brought a lawsuit before the European Court of Justice against Hungary for one of the laws that it says discriminates against LGBTQ minorities. A majority of member states have joined the lawsuit on the commissions side. Government officials have argued the law is intended to protect children.

Separately, the EU continues to withhold more than $30 billion in funding from the country on rule-of-law and graft concerns.

Budapest will hold its annual Pride March on Saturday. Some 10,000 people attended the event in 2021 ahead of a general election that Orbans ruling Fidesz party later won decisively after campaigning in part against LGBTQ rights.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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A US flag on a camo uniform

The US House of Representatives has narrowly passed a defense department annual budget that includes controversial amendments on abortion and gender reassignment surgery.

The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) must still be passed by the Democrat-controlled Senate, which is unlikely to approve the existing bill.

Democrats say Republicans have hijacked the bill and risk US national security.

The $886bn (675bn) bill funds the Pentagon for one year.

It also sets its policy agenda and includes a 5.2% pay rise for troops and measures to address China and Russia.

The narrow margin - 219 to 210 - by which the annual defence bill passed the House is yet another indication of the sharp partisan divides within the chamber. Only four Democrats supported the spending package, while four Republicans opposed it.

Military expenditures are usually one area that garners broad bipartisan support in Washington - few politicians want to be seen as soft on national security, and big military contracts are often a way legislators can direct federal money - and jobs - to their home constituencies.

Conservative Republicans, however, have been focused on using the defence legislation to advance hot-button cultural and social priorities, including limiting government support for abortion and transgender health services.

That virtually ensured Democrats would oppose the bill en masse.

"The hyper-partisan GOP bill undermines our military readiness and hurts America's national security," Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Twitter.

In 2019, the roles were reversed - with Republicans largely opposing that year's defence bill because Democrats included provisions blocking new admissions to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, preventing the redirection of military funds for a Mexican border wall and restricting the deployment of low-yield nuclear weapons.

Measures added by Republicans to this year's bill stop the White House from sending cluster munitions to Ukraine and to prohibit US security assistance to the country were blocked by the full House.

But conservative social issues made it through, including eliminating the Pentagon's offices of diversity, equity and inclusion.

While the passage of this defence bill is a victory for congressional conservatives, Democrats in the Senate are working on their own military spending legislation, which is unlikely to contain the House's controversial abortion and transgender provisions.

The two chambers - and the two parties - will have to reconcile their differences in order for the legislation to be enacted into law. That may be a challenging task, however, as House conservatives could rebel if Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy makes concessions to his political opponents.

Congress successfully has passed the annual defence spending legislation for 62 straight years - a streak that will be in jeopardy unless one side backs down - or both sides compromise.

With additional reporting by Max Matza
FILE PHOTO: Pilots from United Airlines take part in an informational picket at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on legislation to raise the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age to 67 from 65 and make other aviation reforms, Republican House leaders said Friday.

The House bill, approved 63-0 by the Transportation Committee in June, would reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety and infrastructure programs for the next five years. Current authority expires Sept. 30.

The pilot age proposal faces opposition from unions and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg who worry it could complicate operations.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) says it could cause airline scheduling and pilot training issues and require reopening pilot contracts. Even if approved, current international rules would still prevent pilots older than 65 from flying in most countries outside the United States.

Buttigieg told Fox News Radio Friday that "I would want to see a lot more data before we could feel comfortable with any kind of change" to the pilot age rules.

The Regional Airline Association (RAA) supports the pilot age hike saying it "allows retention of more experienced captains, who can in turn fly alongside and mentor new first officers, helping to stabilize attrition."

The House bill would also bar airlines from charging family seating fees but would not impose new rules sought by President Joe Biden to compensate passengers for delays. A draft Senate version would boost runway safety, track high-altitude balloons and double U.S. fines for aviation consumer violations.

Neither congressional bill sets minimum airline seat sizes.

The House Rules Committee on Monday is set to consider whether to allow votes on amendments including one to prohibit air carriers from reducing the size of passenger seats until the FAA set minimum passenger seats. Others would mandate passenger compensation for lengthy delays, bar Chinese carriers from flying over Russia and prohibit government purchases of Chinese-made drones.

The Senate bill has been held up by a dispute over whether to change pilot training requirements that were imposed after the February 2009 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 near Buffalo that killed 50 people, the last major U.S. passenger airline fatal crash.

Another unresolved issue is whether to expand the number of longer flights allowed from Reagan Washington National Airport. Delta Air Lines supports expanding flights, while United Airlines, American Airlines and others oppose it.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Susan Heavey)
US judge lets Kentucky enforce ban on transgender youth care for now

By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - A federal judge in Kentucky ruled Friday that the state can enforce its law banning the use of puberty-blocking drugs and hormones for transgender children while it appeals his earlier order blocking the law.

Last month, U.S. District Judge David Hale found that the ban likely violated the U.S. Constitution. However, he said he had to put his order on hold because the federal appeals court hearing the case recently paused a similar order in Tennessee.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, in a statement called Hale's decision "a win for parents and children."

The law is being challenged by families of transgender children who say they will be irreparably harmed by losing access to medical treatments.

Hale's decision "is not the final word, and we remain optimistic that with a full briefing we will achieve a positive result," American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky legal director Corey Shapiro, one of the lawyers representing the families, said in a statement.

Kentucky and Tennessee are among the 20 states, all with Republican-controlled legislatures, that have passed laws banning use of puberty blockers and hormones as part of gender transition for patients under 18.

Such treatments, known as gender-affirming care, are supported by major U.S. medical associations. Proponents of the bans say they are experimental and endanger children.

The now-reinstated Kentucky and Tennessee laws were both blocked by federal judges on June 28 in response to lawsuits by families of transgender children. The families say the laws discriminate against transgender people and take away parents' right to make medical decisions for their children.

On July 8, The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from both states, granted Tennessee's motion for an emergency order reinstating the law while it appeals.

Hale said Friday that despite his "difference of opinion" with the appeals court, he found "no basis" for treating Kentucky's case differently.

The 6th Circuit said it would consider the two cases together and aim to decide them by Sept. 30.

Federal courts in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and Indiana have blocked similar bans on transgender healthcare for minors.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)
US needs to speed up delivery of weapons to Taiwan - US general

By Idrees Ali

TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States and its allies need to speed up the delivery of weapons to Taiwan in the coming years to help the island defend itself, the top U.S. general said on Friday.

The United States is Taiwan's most important arms supplier. Beijing has repeatedly demanded the sale of U.S. weapons to Taiwan stop, viewing them as unwarranted support for the democratically governed island that Beijing claims.

"The speed at which we, the United States, or other countries assist Taiwan in improving (their) defensive capabilities, I think that probably needs to be accelerated in the years to come," U.S. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters during a visit to Tokyo.

Milley said Taiwan needed weapons like air defence systems and those that could target ships from land.

"I think it's important that Taiwan's military and their defensive capabilities be improved," he said.

Taiwan has since last year complained of delays to U.S. weapon deliveries, such as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, as manufacturers turned supplies to Ukraine as it battles invading Russian forces. The issue has concerned some U.S. lawmakers.

Taiwan has said that its defence spending this year will focus on preparing weapons and equipment for a "total blockade" by China, including parts for F-16 fighters and replenishing weapons.

China staged war games around the island in August, firing missiles over Taipei and declaring no-fly and no-sail zones in a simulation of how it would seek to cut Taiwan off in a war.

In recent days, China's military has been practicing joint force operations at sea ahead of Taiwan's annual war games at the end of the month when it will simulate breaking a Chinese blockade.

Milley said that relations between the United States and China were at a "very low point" and recent diplomatic meetings, including between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, were important to reduce the chances of escalation.

Milley said the United States was looking at whether it needed to change where some U.S. forces were based within the Asia Pacific.

The majority of U.S. forces in the region are in northeast Asia, including 28,500 in South Korea and 56,000 troops in Japan.

"We are seriously looking at potential alternative basing options," Milley said.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; editing by Robert Birsel)
(Photo : Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

In response to North Korea's latest missile launch, the United Nations Security Council has called an emergency meeting of member states.

North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was an exercise of its right to self-defense "to deter hazardous military movements of hostile forces and protect the security of our state," the country's UN envoy said in a rare appearance before the Security Council on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the 15-member Security Council convened following North Korea's announcement that it had tested its most recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-18.

North Korea Defends Missile Launch in Rare UN Appearance

Kim Song, North Korea's UN ambassador, told the council, "We categorically deny and detest the convening of the Security Council briefing by the United States and its allies."

According to diplomats, North Korea last spoke at a council meeting regarding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in December 2017. Since 2006, North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has been subject to UN sanctions for its missile and nuclear programs. This includes a moratorium on ballistic missile development, as per Reuters.

The council has been divided over how to approach Pyongyang for several years. Russia and China, veto powers along with the United States, Britain, and France, have stated that additional sanctions will not be helpful and have called for the relaxation of such measures.

Per Fox News, the news comes just days after the reclusive nation threatened "stunning" repercussions in response to what it deemed a provocative US reconnaissance operation near its territory.

The joint chiefs of staff of South Korea announced in a statement that they had detected a ballistic missile launch near the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang. Now, the government wishes to address the United Nations Security Council directly.

Read Also: 78 Whales Killed in Front of Horrified Cruise Ship Passengers in Faroe Islands

North Korea Blames US for Regional Tensions

The government of South Korea has verified that a representative of the nation will attend the meeting as an observer. The North Korean representative will likely bring up long-standing grievances about US military presence in the region, which the authoritarian nation believes has exceeded its boundaries.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, accused the United States of flying surveillance aircraft over the North's exclusive economic zone, the area within 200 nautical miles of its territory where it controls rights to natural resources.

Kim Yo Jong stated that a US surveillance aircraft crossed Koreas' eastern sea boundary around 5:00 a.m. on Monday and conducted surveillance over the North's exclusive economic zone before being chased away by North Korean fighter jets.

She added that the US aircraft crossed the eastern sea boundary again at approximately 8:50 a.m., prompting North Korea's military to issue an unspecified "strong warning" to the US. Kim Song, North Korea's UN ambassador, told the council, "We categorically deny and detest the convening of the Security Council briefing by the United States and its allies."

According to diplomats, North Korea last spoke at a council meeting regarding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in December 2017. Since 2006, North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has been subject to United Nations sanctions for its missile and nuclear programs. This includes a moratorium on ballistic missile development.

The council has been divided over how to approach Pyongyang for several years. Russia and China, veto powers along with the United States, Britain, and France, have stated that additional sanctions will not be helpful and have called for the relaxation of such measures.

China and Russia blame joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea for inciting Pyongyang, while Washington accuses Beijing and Moscow of bolstering Pyongyang by shielding it from additional sanctions.

Zhang Jun, China's UN ambassador, informed the council that Beijing was committed to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and the dialogue-based resolution of the issue. He characterized the situation as "tense" and stated that it was becoming "increasingly antagonistic."

Zhang stated that China has "taken heed" of North Korea's most recent missile launch. He criticized a communique by NATO leaders this week, telling the council that it was "long-winded and full of Cold War mentality and ideological prejudices." Zhang stated that NATO should conduct "introspection."

The communique from NATO leaders stated that China's "ambitions and coercive policies" threatened NATO's interests, security, and values.

Related Article: South Korea Salvages North Korea Spy Satellite, Says It 'Has No Military Utility

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US climate envoy John Kerry said on Thursday that the US would not pay climate reparations "under any circumstances"

The US says it will not "under any circumstances" pay reparations to developing countries hit by climate change-fuelled disasters.

Climate envoy John Kerry made the remarks at a Congress hearing before flying to China to discuss the issue.

Some countries want major economies - which produce the most greenhouse gases - to pay for past emissions.

A fund has been established for poorer nations, but it remains unclear how much richer countries will pay.

Mr Kerry, a former secretary of state, was asked during a hearing before a House of Representatives foreign affairs committee whether the US would pay countries that have been damaged by floods, storms and other climate-driven disasters.

"No, under no circumstances," he said in response to a question from Brian Mast, the committee chair.

He was speaking days before he was due to travel to Beijing to meet with officials to discuss issues around climate change, including plans for this year's UN climate conference, COP28, which will take place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, in November.

At last year's conference - COP27 in Egypt - more than 200 countries agreed to create a loss and damage fund, which will be financed mainly by developed nations before the money is distributed to "particularly vulnerable" nations.

Although the agreement was billed as one of the major successes of the summit, there are still many details that need to be ironed out, including how much richer nations will pay and how money will be distributed. A series of meetings have been taking place this year aimed at addressing these issues.

Developing nations - which are disproportionately impacted by climate-related impacts - have called for guaranteed compensation from developing countries, who they say are historically responsible for climate change through their high emissions of greenhouse gases.

Richer countries recognise the need to contribute greater funds towards the issue, but framing the payments as reparations is controversial, with some claiming it is a divisive term.

Developing countries also argue that finance targets to address the issue of climate change are too low.

A BBC chart titled "Climate finance: Amount provided and mobilised by developed countries (US $)", which shows a steady increase of 52.4bn in 2012 to 83.3bn in 2020 - with projected figures estimating 85.5bn in 2021 and 94.5bn in 2022 - with a target of 100bn in 2023.

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Fire Department vehicles outside the White House on the night of July 2, after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing - Anthony Peltier/AP

Sophisticated FBI testing has failed to find any fingerprints or DNA samples on a packet of cocaine discovered at the White House early this month.

The US Secret Service said it had closed its investigation into who brought the drug into the building because there was no physical evidence.

The building was evacuated after the suspicious substance was discovered by security officials doing a routine sweep on July 2.

It was found in a busy West Wing lobby where staff go in and out and tour groups gather to drop off their phones and other belongings.

After preliminary tests indicated it was cocaine, the Secret Service launched an investigation into the cause and manner of how it found its way into the White House.

But the probe was closed on Thursday after officials were unable to obtain fingerprints or a sufficient DNA sample from the package to compare with the pool of people who could have brought it in.

Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered, a summary seen by the Associated Press said.

Joe Biden ignored questions about cocaine found in the West Wing as he left the White House two days later - JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The drug was found inside a receptacle used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices prior to entering the West Wing.

The cocaine and packaging underwent advanced fingerprint, DNA work and chemical testing at the FBIs crime laboratory, according to the summary. The Secret Service said CCTV of the entrance into the building did not produce any leads.

Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered, it added. At this time, the Secret Services investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence.

Republicans were quick to criticise the findings. Former President Donald Trump used the conclusion to double down on claims the Department of Justice has unfairly targeted him in a witch hunt.

He said: Despite all of the cameras pointing directly at the scene of the crime, and the greatest forensics anywhere in the World, they just cant figure it out? They know the answer, and so does everyone else!

Writing on Truth Social, he added: In the meantime, they continue to target and investigate me, for years, in what has been called the greatest Witch Hunt of all time - Over NOTHING!!! ELECTION INTERFERENCE & a Two Tier Level of Justice.

There is no equal justice, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said. Anything revolving around Biden, Inc. gets treated differently than any other American and thats got to stop.

Non-hazardous

The discovery of the substance earlier this month triggered an evacuation of the executive mansion and the closure of nearby roads.

President Joe Biden was not in the White House at the time of the discovery, having spent the weekend at Camp David.

Conservative websites were swift to point out that Hunter Biden, the presidents 53-year-old son who has admitted to battling addiction, was at the White House at the time.

But there was no evidence whatsoever to link Hunter Biden to the presence of the drug.

The powder was found inside a work area of the West Wing and was initially evaluated by the fire department but found to be non-hazardous.

Details of the discovery emerged on the openmhz.com police and fire radio website, which allows listeners to eavesdrop on the emergency services.

At 8.49pm on Sunday, a firefighter said: We have a yellow bar saying cocaine hydrochloride.

Cocaine hydrochloride, which comes in the form of a white powder, is used as a local anaesthetic as well as being snorted by drug users. However, it differs from street cocaine.

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The US wanted to use hundreds of nukes to create an alternative to the Suez Canal

Photo by Mahmoud KHALED / AFP) (Photo by MAHMOUD KHALED/AFP via Getty Images)

Israels early days were pretty tough. It was the youngest kid in a rough neighborhood and endured endless bullying from its Arab neighbors. After fighting for its independence in 1948, it would face wars for its survival in 1967 and 1973, and nearly launched the world into World War III in 1953. Times were, needless to say, pretty hard. The Suez Canal was one of the keys to Israels survival in those early days.

Since its construction in the late 1800s, its been a vital strategic waterway, providing the shortest link between the Mediterranean Sea and Asia. In 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Nasser nationalized the canal and threatened to cut off Israels access to it.

Israel, with the support of Britain and France, even invaded the Sinai Peninsula in 1952, the event that almost drew in the United States and the Soviet Union. Thankfully, the Suez Crisis was resolved before a larger war could break out, but Israel still needed to ensure its access through the Suez and the Straits of Tiran.

Luckily, just a few years later, the United States happened to be looking for more ways to use atomic energy peacefully while informing the public about the true power and threat of nuclear weapons. Specifically, it was looking to demonstrate the usefulness of atomic explosions in building critical infrastructure projects.

A lot of methods were tested using nuclear explosions, including blasting rock, exploring the Earths crust, and developing new methods of mineral prospecting. In Israel specifically, scientists came up with a scheme that would create a new Suez-like canal, linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean through Israels Negev Desert  some 160 miles  using 520 nuclear bombs.

Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1962.

The Cold War was certainly an insane time. A memorandum written in 1963 was declassified in 1996, revealing the plans to cut a path of (literal) destruction across Israel using hundreds of two-megaton bombs; the conventional methods of creating such a canal would be prohibitively expensive, according to the memo. "It appears that nuclear explosives could be profitably applied to this situation."

Profitably applied, in this case, means four nuclear devices for every mile of canal, noting that 130 miles of the 160-mile stretch were uninhabited at the time. The only problem for the canal was the political feasibility, as it is likely that the Arab countries surrounding Israel would strongly object to the construction of such a canal." Not to mention how the Israelis in the 30 miles of populated canal zone might feel about their country being nuked.

Despite the good intentions of using peaceful nuclear explosions, numerous tests were conducted that found these explosions, however peaceful they might have been, heavily irradiated the areas in which they were tested.

Other projects considered for use of peaceful nuclear explosions included widening the Panama Canal, creating a new canal through Nicaragua (called the Pan-Atomic Canal), mining projects in Arizona, and water transportation systems in California. Serious consideration was given to creating a harbor in Cape Thompson, Alaska using hydrogen bombs. It was reconsidered after they discovered Cape Thompson didnt actually need a harbor.

Dozens of tests were conducted over the course of more than a decade, including hundreds of underground tests, but nothing came of the effort, and the funding to use peaceful nuclear blasts for civilian purposes quietly dried up by 1977.
Christopher Blue looks on as prosecutors give their closing arguments Thursday in Blue's trial in the murder of Owen Barzal in October 2021. In the foreground at left is Matthew Barzal, the victim's father. Seated at Blue's right is defense attorney Charles Quinn. At right is Akron police Sgt. Gregory Moenich, who was the sergeant in charge of the investigation.

A Summit County jury was still deliberating late Friday afternoon in the case of a 19-year-old Akron man accused of killing a Bedford man during a drug deal.

Prosecutors rested their case Thursday against Christopher Blue. His attorneys called no witnesses, and the case went directly to closing arguments after a series of prosecution witnesses offered testimony prosecutors said linked Blue to the 2021 killing of Owen Barzal, 19, in a residential area near the East Avenue/Interstate 77 interchange.

Jury deliberations began Thursday afternoon.

Christopher Blue trial: Trial starts in case of Akronite charged in 2021 shooting death of Bedford man

According to prosecutors, Barzal drove to Akrons Sherbondy Hill neighborhood on Oct. 12, 2021, to sell marijuana after arranging the deal with Blue via Snapchat.

But instead of making a purchase, prosecutors say Blue killed Barzal, shooting him from the back seat of Barzals Jeep on Bernice Street, then fleeing to his home about two houses away around the corner on Russell Avenue.

Blue was arrested later that evening after a nearly six-hour standoff with police, in which Akron SWAT eventually used chemical agents to flush him from the house.

Christopher Blue charged: Akron 18-year-old now charged with murder in death of 19-year-old Bedford resident

Blue was charged with one count of aggravated murder and two counts of murder, all unclassified felonies, first-degree felony aggravated robbery, F-2 felonious assault and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. All of the charges except the tampering with evidence charge include firearms specifications, which carry extra prison time. His case was handled by Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Kelly McLaughlin.

Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett in a March 2022 talk with the Akron Rotary Club, mentioned Blue's arrest as a possible factor in a brief pause in murders across the city.

Mylett told the Beacon Journal that following the arrest, police saw "a reduction in the number of violent incidents in our city for a period of time."

During the three-day trial, one police investigator testified that Blue is a known member of an Akron street gang, but no other testimony related to gang activity was presented.

Experts describe wounds, 911 call that followed shooting

Matthew Barzal talks about his son Owen Barzal, who was shot and killed in 2021. Matthew was called as a witness Monday in Akron during the trial of Christopher Blue, who is accused in the 2021 shooting death of Owen Barzal.

After jury selection on July 7 and the first prosecution witnesses on Monday, the trial was continued to Wednesday, when testimony included graphic details including autopsy photos of injuries Barzal suffered after being shot with a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic pistol.

A body-camera video presented Monday shows Akron police officer Anderson Moss pulling Barzal from the driver's seat of his Jeep. In the video, Barzal's eyes are open and he appears conscious but is unresponsive as police begin cutting away his clothing, applying bandages and ultimately start performing CPR.

Owen Matthew Barzal, right, pictured with his father, Matthew Barzal. Owen was killed in a shooting in Akron on Oct. 12, 2021.

On Wednesday, Dr. Robert Shott of the Summit County Medical Examiners Office said Barzal suffered four gunshot wounds, one of which proved fatal, entering his right back and passing through his right lung, liver and heart before exiting his body.

Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Sallerson later told jurors the wounds are what Barzal would have suffered if he had his left hand on the steering wheel while turning to look at someone in the right rear seat of the vehicle to conduct a drug deal.

Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Daniel Sallerson gives his opening statement Monday in the trial of Christopher Blue. Blue is accused in the 2021 shooting death of Owen Barzal.

A recording of the approximately three-minute 911 call Barzal made after being shot was also played Wednesday. In that recording, a dispatcher can be heard asking who is calling, with no response for several dozen seconds. Then Barzal suddenly begins making repeated groaning noises that sound like he is in pain. Eventually, the line goes dead.

Shott said that even though a bullet had passed through the lower part of Barzal's heart, he would have survived and been able to function at a limited level for several minutes.

On cross-examination by defense attorneys, Shott said he could not definitively say whether the assailant had been sitting in the front or the back of Barzal's Jeep.

Prosecutors say investigation points to Christopher Blue as the killer

Prosecution witnesses on Wednesday connected Blue with the murder weapon, along with a cellphone used to arrange a sale of marijuana and to make contact with Barzal just minutes before Barzal called 911 for help.

Police previously testified that after the standoff, they found the pistol had been disassembled, with the various parts hidden in different locations in Blues home.

BCI weapons specialist Andrew Chappell said he determined cartridge casings found in Barzals Jeep had been fired by the same pistol.

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation forensic scientist Julie Altizer said Blues DNA was found on the trigger and trigger guard of the pistol.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Pat Summers noted part of the pistol containing the trigger and trigger guard had been wrapped in sweatpants, and Altizer said it is possible that Blues DNA could have been transferred to the gun from the clothing. She also said a second person's DNA was found on the trigger and trigger guard, but there was not enough present to make a profile that could be matched with any individual.

Attorney Pat Summers talks with defendant Christopher Blue on Monday in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

Detective Walter Morris, an Akron Police Department computer forensic specialist, said a cellphone found in the back seat of Barzals Jeep belonged to Blue, based on email and social media accounts that had been accessed from the device. He also noted an email address linked to Blue indicated he was a member of the Young Valley Boys street gang, and that the department had previously known of his alleged association with that gang.

Police previously testified that Blue had denied having a cellphone and social media accounts.

On prompting from defense attorneys, Morris said it is possible for someone to access Blues email and social media accounts if they had the login information. However, prosecutors noted hundreds of emails and Facebook posts to Blues accounts had been made from the phone, stating the phone clearly belonged to him.

Final testimony given Thursday

On Thursday, Sgt. Gregory Moenich, who headed the investigation, described the overall crime scene, which extended from Blues home on Russell Avenue to Bernice Street, where the shooting took place, to Rosamond Avenue, where Barzals Jeep stopped after Barzal fled following the attack.

Moenich also said texts on both Barzal's and Blue's cellphones showed messages describing "a drug deal," with Blue directing Barzal to go to an address on Bernice Street  behind Blue's Russell Avenue home  where a security camera recorded Blue and a 17-year-old shortcutting through the neighbor's driveway about an hour before the shooting.

Police said the 17-year-old was placed at the scene of the shooting at the time of the shooting around 4:30 p.m. by a court-ordered ankle monitor he had been wearing at the time. Police said the teen later cut off the monitor and fled, though he eventually was recaptured and is now in the county juvenile detention center pending trial as an adult on an unrelated charge.

Although he was escorted into the courtroom for a few minutes during a recess on Wednesday, the teen did not testify in Blue's trial.

Akron homicides so far: All of Akron's murders in 2023 have 1 thing in common: Victims were shot

Moenich also said video from the surveillance camera shows Blue with an automatic pistol with an extended magazine hanging out of his pocket.

Moenich said tire marks on Bernice Street led from the scene of the shooting to the corner of Bernice and Rosamond Avenue, where the Jeep ran over a street sign and fire hydrant before coming to a stop on Rosamond.

Items from inside Barzal's Jeep were found on the street along the path, including a package of marijuana edibles identical to some found in a backpack in the Jeep.

Moenich said he has investigated "hundreds" of incidents involving similar shootings, where victims had been shot in their vehicles during drug transactions.

Gun violence in Akron: May shootings highlight challenges Akron authorities face in trying to reduce gun violence

Prosecutors, defense attorney summarize cases

Summers told jurors that no witnesses were presented who had actually seen Blue do the shooting. He also pointed out that a second person's DNA had been found on the pistol.

After McLaughlin cautioned him against accusing the 17-year-old who was with Blue of committing the crime, Summers said that "someone" shot Barzal, but added there was no specific evidence to prove Blue did it.

Regarding Blue's DNA on the pistol, Summers said, "We know that gun sat in some sweatpants for at least 20 hours."

Summers also questioned why detectives had not sent samples taken from Barzal's Jeep's passenger door handles and back seat for DNA testing. Moenich had testified BCI limits the number of samples that can be sent for testing, that samples from door handles are frequently inconclusive and that Blue's DNA was found on the gun.

"This is a murder case," Summers told the jury. "One young man has lost his life and another young man is standing trial, and we don't want to take the time to send (evidence) to the lab?"

Reducing violence in Akron: Murders down in Akron during first half of 2023. What is the city doing to reduce violence?

Sallerson urged the jury to use "common sense" when reviewing the evidence.

He said that to believe anyone else shot Barzal, one would have to believe someone else was using Blue's phone, that Blue gave the pistol to someone else, that the other person gave it back to him after the shooting, and that for some reason Blue thought it reasonable to hide parts of the gun in different parts of his house.

In his concluding remarks, Sallerson stood behind Blue, pointing at the defendant's head and raised his voice to the jury.

"You only see evidence of one person ever having that gun, and that person is Christopher Blue."

Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Verdict awaited Friday in trial of Christopher Blue over 2021 killing
Stephen Davolls wife told Yahoo News that she found her husband facedown in water surrounding their sump pump and couldnt pull him out.

Stephen Davoll; damage from floodwaters seen in Barre, Vt., on Wednesday. (Jason Florucci via Facebook; Charles Krupa/AP)

A 63-year-old Vermont man who drowned in his home is the states first known death from this weeks catastrophic flooding as officials urged residents to remain vigilant even as floodwaters recede.

According to the Vermont Emergency Management agency, Stephen Davoll died on Wednesday as a result of a drowning accident in Barre, Vt., near the flood-ravaged capital city of Montpelier.

I couldnt pull him out

Beverly Frost, Davolls wife of 20 years, told Yahoo News that they cut their vacation in New York state short when they heard about the flooding and drove back, returning home at 3:30 a.m. to find their basement flooded.

Davoll immediately began working on the sump pump. After coming upstairs to rest for a few hours, he went back down, Frost said. When she woke up, she couldnt find him and began frantically searching the house for her husband.

She found him facedown in water in the hole surrounding the sump pump.

I couldnt pull him out, she said. It was horrific.

According to Frost, the medical examiner believes he hit his head and then became wedged in what was described to her as a freak accident.

Davoll is survived by his wife, four sisters, two brothers, a daughter, two stepsons and several grand- and great-grandchildren.

Everyone loved him, she said.

Second flood-related death

A damaged car lay on a washed-out roadway near Cornwall, N.Y., Monday. (Paul Kazdan/AP)

The loss of a Vermonter is always painful, but it is particularly so this week, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said in a statement after the chief medical examiner confirmed the cause of death.

It was the second flood-related death from a storm system that dumped two-months-worth of rain on the Northeast in a matter of hours.

In New Yorks Hudson Valley, a woman in her 30s drowned on Sunday after being swept away while trying to evacuate her home with her dog, officials said. The dog survived.

Her house was completely surrounded by water, Orange County (N.Y.) Executive Steven Neuhaus told WABC-TV. She was trying to get through it with her dog, and she was overwhelmed by tidal wave-type waves.

More rain in the forecast

Heavy rain sends mud and debris down the Ottauquechee River in Quechee, Vt., on Monday. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Severe storms rolled through New York and Vermont on Thursday, triggering flash flood warnings. But there were no reports of any major flooding, and dams that were near or at flood levels appeared to hold.

Still, forecasters expect even more rain this weekend, an unwelcome forecast for those living near swollen rivers and in mountain valleys already saturated by this weeks deluge.

The period we are more concerned about is Sunday because that could be more widespread and heavier, but not nearly on the scale of what we saw earlier in the week, National Weather Service meteorologist Seth Kutikoff told the Associated Press.

Dont go in the water, governor warns

A man walks down a flooded street in Montpelier, Vt., on Tuesday. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott urged residents to use caution as they return to their flood-ravaged homes and warned those who may be tempted to go into floodwaters against doing so.

Weve seen many pictures on social media of kids swimming in floodwaters, Scott said. This is not typical rainwater  its filled with chemicals, oil, waste and more. Its simply not safe.

The warning comes as cleanup efforts continue across the state. In Montpelier, officials say recovery from floodwater damage is expected to take several months.

The Winooski River, which runs through Vermonts state capital, is considered full at 11 feet and flooded at 15. It crested at a record 21 feet, exceeding the levels reached during 2011s Tropical Storm Irene, which decimated much of Vermont.

Relief efforts underway

An aerial view of the floodwaters in Ludlow, Vt., on Monday. (@henrysweatherchannel/Instagram via Reuters)

President Biden on Friday approved Vermonts major-disaster declaration and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. Scott submitted a formal request to Biden for federal disaster funds on Thursday in addition to the emergency declaration Biden signed earlier this week authorizing FEMA to help the state recover from the historic flood.

Vermonters have faced incredible loss as a result of this historic and catastrophic flooding event, Scott said. While were still focused primarily on the immediate response, as we transition to the recovery phase, federal assistance will be critical to support families, businesses and infrastructure. With support from Washington, and the inspiring resiliency of Vermonters, we will be able to rebuild and recover.

Separately, an official flood relief fund was established by the Vermont Community Foundation to help small businesses affected by the storms.
Vermont man drowns at home as flooding claims first victim with more rain predicted  news

Vermont man drowns at home as flooding claims first victim with more rain predicted  news

Vermont authorities confirmed the first flood-related death following catastrophic rain on Wednesday.

Some 117 rescues were made in Vermont as the towns of Londonderry and Weston remained largely inaccessible. Officials were beginning to assess how many homes had been destroyed and what the financial cost would be from damaged roads, bridges and railways.

Vermont Emergency Management confirmed on Thursday that 63-year-old Stephen Davoll died as a result of a drowning incident in his home on Wednesday. It is the first death linked to the historic floodings in the state.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared the floodings a 1-in-1,000-year weather event caused by the climate crisis, after a woman died in the Empire State when she was swept away while trying to escape her home with her dog.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott said at a news conference that thunderstorms were expected to move into parts of the state by Thursday night, which could cause more flash flooding.

The period we are more concerned about is Sunday because that could be more widespread and heavier, but not nearly on the scale of what we saw earlier in the week, National Weather Service meteorologist Seth Kutikoff also said.

Key Points

Travel disrupted as 13 million people in the US north-east under flood alert

One killed, 50 rescued so far as US northeast faces extreme downpour and flooding

Governor says Vermont downpour 'worse than Irene'

Pictured: Clean-up continues in Vermont

Thursday 13 July 2023 05:29 , Stuti Mishra

Andrew Brewer, a resident of Montpelier and former business owner on Langdon Street, helps wash away the mud from the sidewalk (Getty Images)

A person bikes around downtown once flood waters receded (Getty Images)

In an aerial view, a kayaker paddles through the flooded waters of Elm Street (Getty Images)

Bailey Road, a clothing and home goods store on Main Street, was left severely damaged from flood waters (Getty Images)

Watch: Bernie Sanders calls Vermont flooding 'worst natural disaster since 1927'

Thursday 13 July 2023 06:29 , Louise Boyle

City of Montpelier warns of sinkholes after flooding

Thursday 13 July 2023 07:29 , Louise Boyle

Officials in the Vermont city of Montpelier warned residents to beware of potential sinkholes as flood waters recede and saturated ground settles.

Sinkholes can develop fast and without warning. Do not walk or drive around closed roads or barricades. Please also obey traffic signals and be on the lookout for deep potholes filled with water that may damage or incapacitate your vehicle, the city said.

A man walks down street flooded by recent rain storms in Montpelier, Vermont (REUTERS)

People return to devastated houses after water recedes

Thursday 13 July 2023 08:29 , Stuti Mishra

Residents in Vermont are returning home to find their houses and belongings damaged after severe flooding left the capital city Montpelier as a swirling, brown waterway.

One resident posted a video of their front yard with the entry door blocked with mud and stones and car stuck.

Finally got to return to the house and get my stuff  heres the aftermath of yesterdays mudslide and flood in Ludlow, Vermont. Grateful I got out when I did! Dont think Ill be moving that truck anytime soon pic.twitter.com/BROrWyccOr  alisha durgin (@babygotbckcntry) July 12, 2023

Excessive heat is baking US Southwest and expected to get worse

Thursday 13 July 2023 09:29 , Stuti Mishra

A prolonged heat wave blanketed a swath of the US stretching from California to South Florida on Wednesday, with forecasters expecting temperatures that could shatter records in parts of the Southwest in the coming days.

The National Weather Service issued excessive heat advisories, watches and warnings for areas where about 100 million Americans live. The sweltering conditions are expected to worsen over the weekend and continue into next week.

More rains expected for Vermont and US northeast

Thursday 13 July 2023 10:29 , Stuti Mishra

While stifling temperatures have gripped many parts of the country, Vermont and other Northeastern states barely have had time to recover from historic flooding in recent days when the National Weather Service forecast more heavy rainfall across parts of New England in the coming days, where rivers and streams are already running high.

Jodi Kelly, left, practice manager at Stonecliff Veterinary Surgical Center, behind, and her husband, veterinarian Dan Kelly, use a canoe to remove surgical supplies from the flood-damaged centre (AP)

Death Valley can see 'highest temperature on Earth', expert warns

Thursday 13 July 2023 11:29 , Stuti Mishra

The southern parts of the US is bracing for potentially deadly heat with much of the area under an excessive heat warning.

The National Weather Service issued excessive heat advisories, watches and warnings for areas where about 100 million Americans live. The sweltering conditions are expected to worsen over the weekend and continue into next week.

Meteorologist Colin McCarthy warned on Twitter that Death Valley, one of the hottest places on the planet, can see temperatures "soar up to 131F (55C), which, if recorded by a weather station, would be the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth".

The National Weather Service is now forecasting Death Valley to soar up to 131F (55C), which, if recorded by a weather station, would be the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth. pic.twitter.com/Jonl9GBfzB  Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 13, 2023

The records show Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley recording a temperature of 134.1F (56.7C) in July 1913, which is considered the highest temperature recorded on Earth, however, that reading has been under question by scientists with several meteorological experts asserting that there were irregularities.

Eight tornadoes touch down in four Chicago counties

Thursday 13 July 2023 12:29 , Stuti Mishra

Extreme weather also threatened the Chicago area, where at least eight tornadoes touched down in four counties in northeastern Illinois.

One tornado touched down near Chicagos OHare International Airport on Wednesday evening, prompting passengers to take shelter and disrupting hundreds of flights. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

A confirmed tornado was on the ground around 7pm, according to the National Weather Service in Chicago.

This tornado has been touching the ground intermittently so far and is moving east. There are additional circulations along the line south of OHare. Seek shelter if in the warned area, it said.

The view from Chicago Midway Airport as a tornado-warned storm pushed through moments ago.



Over 1.7 million people in the Chicago area were included within this tornado warning.



Video sent in by: Taylor Mobley#weather #tornado #stormhour #ilwx #wx pic.twitter.com/DO56S1lBza  Nash Rhodes (@NashWX) July 12, 2023

Land temperatures in Spain surpass 60C amid deadly heat

Thursday 13 July 2023 13:29 , Stuti Mishra

As deadly heat engulfs southern US, the temperatures across the Mediterranean are also set to break records.

The temperature of the ground in some areas of Spain has hit more than 60C during the deadly heatwave sweeping Europe, satellite recordings have shown.

It was so hot that a heat map that highlights scorching temperatures in red turned even darker  to black.

Temperature records have been broken on most of the continent, including France, Switzerland, Germany and Italy, where highs of 40C were recorded again on Wednesday.

Read more:

Land temperatures in Spain surpass record 60C in deadly heatwave

US faced 12 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2023, says NOAA

Thursday 13 July 2023 14:29 , Stuti Mishra

In 2023 so far, the US has faced 12 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The US governments climate and environment body said that June 2023 was record hot for some parts of the US, while other locations were roiled by severe weather and poor air quality.

So far, the average temperature for the contiguous US was 49.2 degrees F, (1.7 degrees above the 20th-century average), ranking as the 21st-warmest year based on the data of first six months.

Till 11 July, there have been 12 confirmed climate disaster events, NOAA said, with losses exceeding $1 billion each.

Chart from NOAA shows 12 confirmed climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1bn each to affect United State (NOAA)

Vermonts catastrophic flooding was visible from space

Thursday 13 July 2023 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Vermont is beginning the long and gruelling clean-up from catastrophic flooding this week  the scale of which is so vast that it can be seen from space.

The Green Mountain State wasnt alone: other Northeastern states are facing their own expensive recoveries from major, slow-moving storms which dumped months of rain on the region in a matter of days.

Louise Boyle filed this report.

Vermonts catastrophic flooding is visible from space

Numerous scattered showers and thunderstorms set to hit this evening

Thursday 13 July 2023 15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Vermont residents are poised for another deluge with the National Weather Service warning: Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Some t-storms will be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall.

The storms are set to hit the state between 4pm and 8pm with saturated soils likely to exacerbate runoff and flooding.

Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Some t-storms will be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall. Please ensure you have a way to receive our warnings today and keep an eye on the sky! #NYwx #VTwx pic.twitter.com/SGUb4AbiFX  NWS Burlington (@NWSBurlington) July 13, 2023

Thursday 13 July 2023 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Residents kayak through flooded town as Vermont hit by severe flooding

NH senator praises first responders for assisting neighbouring Vermont

Thursday 13 July 2023 16:15 , Oliver O'Connell

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen has praised the National Guard and firefighters from her state for their assistance across the border in Vermont following the deluge that hit that state this week.

She tweeted: Thanks to @NHNationalGuard and Bedford and Manchester firefighters for their quick response in assisting our neighbors in Vermont following the devastating floods. The bravery and dedication of swift water rescue crews are making a difference as we respond to this crisis.

Thanks to @NHNationalGuard and Bedford and Manchester firefighters for their quick response in assisting our neighbors in Vermont following the devastating floods. The bravery and dedication of swift water rescue crews are making a difference as we respond to this crisis.  Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) July 13, 2023

Reminder: Never attempt to drive a flooded road

Thursday 13 July 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

With storms passing through today, the risk of additional flash flooding exists especially for the eastern half of the state into Vermont.



**Remember**



Never attempt to drive through a flooded road.



It takes just 12 of moving water to sweep a car away.#NYwx pic.twitter.com/ewq1xo3Vc9  Jack Durkin (@DurkinWeather) July 13, 2023

Chicago tornado cluster has thousands seeking shelter at OHare Airport

Thursday 13 July 2023 16:44 , Oliver O'Connell

At least eight tornadoes and thunderstorms touched down in the greater Chicago area on Wednesday, setting off sirens and other warnings in Americas third-biggest city.

The National Weather Service issued an advisory for people in the Chicago area to seek shelter for the night after one tornado touched down near the OHare International Airport.

Shweta Sharma has the story.

Tornado cluster tears through Chicago as thousands shelter at OHare Airport

Watch: Extraordinary amount of sediment washed down mountains by initial deluge

Thursday 13 July 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Weather Channels Justin Michaels posted this video from Ludlow, Vermont, showing the huge amount of sediment piled up by the flooding this week, as more rain looms.

WATCH  The amount of sediment that came down from the Green Mountains in Ludlow, VT is extraordinary. With more flooding rain forecast, its a race against the clock to get as much done as possible before the rain begins again. @weatherchannel is storytelling in Vermont. pic.twitter.com/qRb9sY8Uzn  Justin Michaels (@JMichaelsNews) July 13, 2023

Thursday 13 July 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

US town submerged by catastrophic flooding captured in drone footage

Snow shovels repurposed to clear mud from floods

Thursday 13 July 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Volunteers pulled out their snow shovels Wednesday to clear inches of mud after torrential rain and flooding inundated communities across Vermont, trapping people in homes, closing roadways and littering streets and businesses with debris.

The water drained off most streets in the state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River flooded basements and ground floors, destroying merchandise and furniture across the picturesque downtown. Other communities cleaned up as well from historic floods that were more destructive than Tropical Storm Irene in many places. Dozens of roads remained closed, and thousands of homes and businesses are damaged.

But with people still being rescued, high water still blocking some roads and new flash flood warnings issued with more rain on the way, the crisis is far from over, according to state Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison.

Vermonters, keep your guard up, and do not take chances, she said.

Morrison said urban search and swift water rescue teams came to the aid of least 32 people and numerous animals Tuesday night in northern Vermonts Lamoille County, bringing the total to more than 200 rescues since Sunday, and more than 100 evacuations.

AP

Thursday 13 July 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Volunteers turned out in droves to help flooded businesses in Montpelier, a city of 8,000, shoveling mud, cleaning, and moving damaged items outside. Weve had so much enthusiasm for support for businesses downtown that most of the businesses have had to turn folks away, said volunteer organizer Peter Walke.

Similar scenes played out in neighboring Barre and in Bridgewater, where the Ottauquechee River spilled its banks, and in Ludlow, where the Black River sent floodwaters surging into several restaurants co-owned by chef Andrew Molen. He said Sams Steakhouse is likely closed for good after the water inside reached nearly 7 feet (more than 2 meters) high.

The only thing thats probably gonna be salvageable is the silverware, and even then, after being in that muck for so long, you wash everything, do you really want to put that on the table? Its pretty intense what happened, Molen said.

Another of his restaurants, Mr. Darcys, had a couple feet of water inside, damaging the foundation. But Molen said he hasnt focused on cleaning up yet, because the first order of business has been making sure local residents and first responders stay fed. His crew has been cooking at one of the restaurants that remains functional and using ATVs through standing water to bring the meals to a local community center.

AP

Dangerous heat wave baking US Southwest brings triple digit temperatures

Thursday 13 July 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After a historically wet winter and a cloudy spring, Californias summer was in full swing Thursday as a heat wave thats been scorching much of the US Southwest brings triple-digit temperatures and an increased risk of wildfires.

Blistering conditions will build Friday and throughout the weekend in the central and southern parts of California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned.

Midday highs were mostly expected to be above 100 degrees (37.7 C), and desert areas could reach 120 (48.8 C), forecasters said. Little relief was expected overnight when temperatures could remain in the 80s (above 26.6 C). An excessive heat watch was in effect through Sunday for interior Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Read more...

Dangerous heat wave baking US Southwest brings triple digit temperatures, fire risk to California

WATCH: Residents kayak through flooded town as Vermont hit by severe flooding

Thursday 13 July 2023 19:05 , Andrea Blanco

Road reparation continues in Orange County after floods

Thursday 13 July 2023 19:36 , Andrea Blanco

Debora Kopald, who lives in the Town of Highland in Orange County, New York,  where a woman died after she was swept away while trying to escape her home with her dog, told The Independent that all road roads were either washed out or covered with boulders on Monday.

I live at the end of ... a hill- and there is only one way out - and part of the road caved in - they are telling us not to drive on the rest [because] it might cave in all the way. Its a fire hazard and very serious, Ms Kopald said.

Weather conditions have improved in Orange County, as Vermont gears for storms set to hit the state between 4pm and 8pm.

People return to devastated houses after water recedes

Thursday 13 July 2023 20:00 , Andrea Blanco

Residents in Vermont are returning home to find their houses and belongings damaged after severe flooding left the capital city Montpelier as a swirling, brown waterway.

One resident posted a video of their front yard with the entry door blocked with mud and stones and car stuck.

Finally got to return to the house and get my stuff  heres the aftermath of yesterdays mudslide and flood in Ludlow, Vermont. Grateful I got out when I did! Dont think Ill be moving that truck anytime soon pic.twitter.com/BROrWyccOr  alisha durgin (@babygotbckcntry) July 12, 2023

Possible renewed flooding in Easter New York, according to Weather Service

Thursday 13 July 2023 20:20 , Andrea Blanco

Showers and thunderstorms moving across the region Thursday afternoon through early Friday may produce renewed flooding in Eastern New York and Western New England, the National Weather Service said on Thursday.

Showers and thunderstorms moving across the region Thursday afternoon through early Friday may produce renewed flooding in Eastern New York and Western New England. pic.twitter.com/Eox8Rnym9E  NWS Northeast RFC (@NWSNERFC) July 13, 2023

Rains expected for Vermont and US northeast

Thursday 13 July 2023 20:48 , Andrea Blanco

While stifling temperatures have gripped many parts of the country, Vermont and other Northeastern states barely have had time to recover from historic flooding in recent days when the National Weather Service forecast more heavy rainfall across parts of New England in the coming days, where rivers and streams are already running high.

APTOPIX Northeast Flooding Vermont

Rains and severe weather forecast for southern Vermont

Thursday 13 July 2023 21:12 , Andrea Blanco

Vermont residents are poised for another deluge with the National Weather Service warning: Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Some t-storms will be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall.

The storms are set to hit the state between 4pm and 8pm with saturated soils likely to exacerbate runoff and flooding.

Vermont under severe thunderstorm watch

Thursday 13 July 2023 21:37 , Andrea Blanco

This isnt over, and it wont be over after this storm, Gov. Phil Scott said on Thursday. Today I will submit the request for President Biden for a major disaster declaration, which, if approved, would provide federal disaster relief funds, which would be very helpful to communities in the recovery phase.

Snow shovels repurposed to clear mud from floods

Thursday 13 July 2023 21:52 , Andrea Blanco

Volunteers pulled out their snow shovels Wednesday to clear inches of mud after torrential rain and flooding inundated communities across Vermont, trapping people in homes, closing roadways and littering streets and businesses with debris.

The water drained off most streets in the state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River flooded basements and ground floors, destroying merchandise and furniture across the picturesque downtown. Other communities cleaned up as well from historic floods that were more destructive than Tropical Storm Irene in many places. Dozens of roads remained closed, and thousands of homes and businesses are damaged.

But with people still being rescued, high water still blocking some roads and new flash flood warnings issued with more rain on the way, the crisis is far from over, according to state Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison.

Vermonters, keep your guard up, and do not take chances, she said.

Morrison said urban search and swift water rescue teams came to the aid of least 32 people and numerous animals Tuesday night in northern Vermonts Lamoille County, bringing the total to more than 200 rescues since Sunday, and more than 100 evacuations.

National Weather Service shares protocol to prepare for flash floods

Thursday 13 July 2023 22:30 , Andrea Blanco

Will you be ready for sudden flash floods? Stay #WeatherReady by enabling weather alerts on your phone. If flooding occurs while youre outdoors, immediately get to higher ground, and NEVER enter flood waters in a vehicle or on foot. https://t.co/uucDwbLg9C pic.twitter.com/9jQZ5pzZ8h  National Weather Service (@NWS) July 13, 2023

First flood-related death in Vermont confirmed

Thursday 13 July 2023 23:17 , Andrea Blanco

Vermont Emergency Management confirmed on Thursday that 63-year-old Stephen Davoll died as a result of a drowning incident in his home on Wednesday. It is the first death linked to the historic floodings in the state.

In Vermont, communities were cleaning up from the floods that were more destructive in some places than 2011s Tropical Storm Irene and regarded as the worst natural disaster since the 1927 floods, which killed dozens of people and caused widespread destruction.

Officials were beginning to assess how many homes had been destroyed and what the financial cost would be from damaged roads, bridges and railways.

Vermont braces for more rain in wake of historic flooding

Thursday 13 July 2023 23:30 , Andrea Blanco

Vermont prepared for the next round of storms  and possibly a tornado  as people took advantage of calm weather Thursday to clean up from historic flooding that damaged thousands of homes, businesses and roads, and left some residents stranded.

As floodwaters receded, the good news was that there were no new rescue missions, dams were holding up and more roads reopened.

The bad news was that strong thunderstorms were expected to move into parts of the state by Thursday night, which could cause more flash flooding, Gov. Phil Scott said at a news conference. Conditions could spawn a tornado, he said. And the state could get more heavy rain over the weekend.

WATCH: Drone footage shows Vermont town underwater

Friday 14 July 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco

Vermonts catastrophic flooding is visible from space

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

Vermont is beginning the long and gruelling clean-up from catastrophic flooding this week  the scale of which is so vast that it can be seen from space.

The Green Mountain State wasnt alone: other Northeastern states are facing their own expensive recoveries from major, slow-moving storms which dumped months of rain on the region in a matter of days.

The Independents Louise Boyle has more:

Vermonts catastrophic flooding is visible from space

VOICES: Vermont floods prove that theres no place to hide from the climate crisis

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

Nature and climate change will always be one step ahead of us, writes David Calloway, founder of Callaway Climate Insights.

Vermont floods prove that theres no place to hide from the climate crisis

Vermont slowly turns to recovery after being hit by flood from slow-moving storm

03:00 , Andrea Blanco

Floodwaters receded in Vermont cities and towns pummeled by a storm that delivered two months of rain in two days, allowing officials to focus on recovering from a disaster that trapped residents in homes, closed roadways and choked streets and businesses with mud and debris.

In the capital city of Montpelier, where streets were flooded Tuesday by the swollen Winooski River, officials said that water levels at a dam just upstream appeared to be stable.

It looks like it wont breach. That is good. That is one less thing we have to have on our front burner, Montpelier Town Manager Bill Fraser said.

Fraser said the dam remains a lingering concern but with the water receding the city was shifting to recovery mode. Public works employees were expected out Wednesday to start removing mud and debris downtown and building inspections will start as businesses begin cleaning up their properties.

The slow-moving storm reached New England after hitting parts of New York and Connecticut on Sunday. Some communities received between 7 and 9 inches (18 centimeters and 23 centimeters) of rain. Towns in southwest New Hampshire had heavy flooding and road washouts, and the Connecticut River was expected to crest above flood stage Wednesday in Hartford and towns to the south.

AP

WATCH: Vermont Governor Phil Scott calls flooding 'historic' and vows to clean up damage

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Vermont residents clean up from historic flooding

05:00 , Andrea Blanco

Northeast Flooding (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Northeast Flooding (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Northeast Flooding (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

People return to devastated houses after water recedes

06:00 , Andrea Blanco

Residents in Vermont are returning home to find their houses and belongings damaged after severe flooding left the capital city Montpelier as a swirling, brown waterway.

One resident posted a video of their front yard with the entry door blocked with mud and stones and car stuck.

Woman died in New York as she tried to escape flooding

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

One death in New York was blamed on the storm  a woman whose body was found after she was swept away in Fort Montgomery, a small Hudson River community about 45 miles north of New York City.

Gov Phil Scott said he planned to submit a request for a major disaster declaration to President Joe Biden. Its separate from, and in addition to, the federal emergency declaration the president already signed on Tuesday, he said. If approved, the declaration would provide federal support for recovering communities.

In Vermonts small state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River had flooded downtown, the elevator at City Hall was damaged, making the building inaccessible, spokesperson Evelyn Prim said.

Cleanup from the hazardous floodwater damage in City Hall is expected to take several months. Because of this, City Hall will be closing until further notice, she said.

AP

How to help the victims

10:00 , Andrea Blanco

Catastrophic flooding has swamped Vermonts state capital amid a race to rescue dozens of residents trapped by surging waters.

There are some verified GoFundMe accounts where you can donate to communities impacted by the flooding:

WATCH: Residents kayak through flooded town as Vermont hit by severe flooding

11:00 , Andrea Blanco

Family of New York mother who died while trying to escape from flooding raises funds for memorial

12:00 , Andrea Blanco

New Yorks Hudson Valley has been devastated by the flooding which has destroyed homes and major roadways, caused bridges to collapse, and damaged buildings at the historic West Point military academy.

One death has been reported in the state. Pamela Nugent, 43, died as she tried to escape her flooded home with her dog in the hamlet of Fort Montgomery, officials said.

The toll this traumatic event has taken on her family, her fiance, and her friends is unimaginable. Pam was an extremely bright, smart, funny, kind and positive person with a generous heart who was ready to do anything she could for you, her family wrote in the description of a GoFundMe page.

Dozens rescued in Vermont from destructive flooding as states facing multimillion-dollar clean-ups

13:00 , Andrea Blanco

Catastrophic flooding has swamped Vermonts state capital amid a race to rescue dozens of residents trapped by surging waters.

Drone footage showed picturesque blocks of Montpelier under waist-high water on Tuesday after two months of rain fell in the space of 48 hours. Residents were seen canoeing along a road in front of the state capitol building, and negotiating streets on paddleboards.

The Wrightsville Dam, just north of Montpelier, was being closely watched after officials warned earlier on Tuesday that it was dangerously close to capacity and could breach, risking more flooding in the deluged town.

The Independents Louise Boyle reports:

Dozens rescued in Vermont from destructive flooding

WATCH: Bernie Sanders calls Vermont flooding 'worst natural disaster since 1927'

14:00 , Andrea Blanco
Donald TrumpSean Rayford/Getty Images

Donald Trump is now describing himself as some type of new avatar for the Spirit of '76, Founding Father for the 21st century, a defender of liberty and freedom against tyranny. To that point, in fundraising emails and in other communications, Trump is proclaiming that he is waging a great battle against the so-called deep state and "Joe Biden, the Democrats, and their corrupt administration":

Yesterday, we celebrated the 247th anniversary of our independence as a free nation. We paid tribute to the great patriots who sacrificed everything so that we could have the chance to be free. But sadly, our great nation is on the brink of falling victim to the dark forces of tyranny that our Founding Fathers fought so valiantly against. We now find ourselves in a new quest for independence. A cabal of unelected bureaucrats, often referred to as the Deep State, are attempting to amass total control over our country and stop you from having a voice in your own government. There were many times when the cause of our Founding Fathers looked bleak. The odds were certainly not in their favor. They were standing up to the largest empire the world had ever seen But the cause of freedom proved to be the most powerful force on the face of the planet. Our Founding Fathers won their David-vs-Goliath battle for liberty and gave us the greatest nation on God's green earth. Now, our nation is engulfed in the final battle for America. If we win the 2024 election, we will reclaim our independence, our liberty, and our justice. But if we lose, then our Republic will be gone for good. Just as the patriots  who we honor today  refused to surrender, neither can we. Together, we will save our country and we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN

Trump is especially proud that Tucker Carlson, a neofascist and fake right-wing populist, reportedly anointed him as one of the most important leaders in American history, a type of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. In a recent fundraising email, Trump crowed that:

Tucker Carlson recently said that President Trump's emergence will go down as the most significant turning point in American politics in 100 years. In other words, in 2024, YOU can cast the most consequential vote in a century. Just like Americans before you had the chance to vote for Washington and Lincoln, YOU now stand at a very unique point in our nation's history to cast a monumental vote to SAVE our Republic and stop our nation's descent into tyranny. President Trump's ascent to the national stage gave a voice to what was once called the Silent Majority. But, we're not so silent anymore! On November 5, 2024, the ENTIRE WORLD will hear our voice as we peacefully take back the reins and put President Donald J. Trump back in the White House.

Trump literally wraps himself in the American flag. For all intents and purposes, he is also carrying a big White Christian cross in his role as MAGA Jesus martyr  although he has not set the cross on fireyet. His MAGA cultists have repeatedly demonstrated that they most certainly believe that he is their savior and a great  if not the greatest  American president and patriot.

Related

GOP war on the FBI: Republican attacks on Chris Way echo ideology of Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh

There are in fact connections between Trump and America's War for Independence from the British. Contrary to Trump's fantasies, he is more like the tyrant and demagogue King George III than America's Founding Fathers and other heroes. To wit: Donald Trump is promising (threatening) to implement what he is describing as "Agenda 47" when he takes back the White House in the 2024 Election.

Agenda 47 would consist of an end to birthright citizenship, further criminalizing transgender people and the LGBTQI community more broadly, expanding the thought crime and other censorship laws to end the teaching of "critical race theory" and to defeat "Woke" and "Black Lives Matter", attacking academic freedom and replacing it with "patriot education", implementing a national stop and frisk law, pardoning the Jan. 6 terrorists, putting homeless people in camps or some other designated area under threat of arrest, building high tech "freedom cities", ending the professional civil service and replacing it with right-wing political appointees and other such partisan agents, gutting the Department of Justice and other parts of the government that opposed Trump's attacks on democracy and the rule of law, executing drug dealers, starting a trade war with China, and making "peace" with Vladimir Putin by withdrawing support for the Ukrainian people and their freedom struggle. In many ways, Agenda 47 is a continuation of the fascist and other authoritarian policies Trump put in place during his first regime but now made even more extreme and cruel.

For the most part (the Washington Post being a notable exception), the American mainstream media and political class have responded to Trump's Agenda 47 and its earlier iterations with a combination of laughs, mocking, schadenfreude, and indifference. And of course, there were the obvious jokes about the Jetsons cartoon with its flying cars and futuristic cities.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

But nothing about Agenda 47 is childish, innocent, or funny. Fascism in its various forms is a revolutionary project that draws inspiration from a fictive past and "golden age" in order to destroy the current order and replace with some type of ideal society based upon the authoritarian leader and the movement. Trump's Agenda 47 fits that model almost perfectly.

I asked Paul Mason, who is author of the book "How to Stop Fascism: History, Ideology, Resistance" for his thoughts about Trump's Agenda 47 and the mainstream new media and political class's failure to take it seriously. Via email he warned:

The key difference between Agenda 47 and the original Trump pitch in 2016 is its total lack of focus on corporate, capitalist goals, and its total focus on fulfilling right-wing populist fantasies. Dud city building projects in the desert, the expulsion of homeless people to tent cities, the pardon of fascist insurrectionaries and a year-long funfair it's like a politics designed around video-game fantasies. The good news is, it's a signal of how detached Trump is even from the libertarian-turned-fascist wing of the American tech elite. It lacks any sense of realism even about the agenda they want - massive deregulation and the marketisation of public services. The bad news is that it could work. Like QAnon, this collection of fantasies will take on a life of its own and is intended to: you can design your own state fair, state by state, with the Gadsden flags and AR-15 firing ranges. You can fantasize about which particular homeless street you would hose down first, the day after the inauguration. What matters is that serious GOP politicians push back and explain gently to the American people that this is baby talk, and that what stands behind it - should Trump succeed - is the intended collapse of American power and status in the world. The imaginary cities are about more than just Jetson fantasies - they will be read, quite openly, as white only; and on Federal land they will be designed to abrogate the rights of homeless people - they're a sop to the fantasies of the seasteaders and the preppers. Like all fascist myths they are designed to animate action in the present rather than actually to get built - just like Hitler's never built Germania model: it was something to clear slums for and remove populations long before they ever actually planned to build it.

I also asked Jared Yates Sexton, who is the author of the book "The Midnight Kingdom: A History of Power, Paranoia, and the Coming Crisis", for his thoughts and concerns about Trump's Agenda 47. Via email he offered this context:

The entirety of what Donald Trump offers, or rather the cronies around him who handle the ideology and focus of his disgusting campaigns, is a reheated version of prior fascist and authoritarian movements. Promises to "clean up" the messes in government while using new technologies to deliver the "future" and powerwash culture. We've seen this before. And we'll see it again. Whenever demagogues understand an opening that prioritizes cruelty and meaningless hope, they are quick to fill the voice. And the people around Trump understand it is a perfect environment to unleash their wildest and most violent dreams.

Why have the mainstream news media, commentariot, pundits, and responsible political class, failed, for the most part, to correctly assess and respond to Trump's fascist-authoritarian Agenda 47, and the Trumpocene and America neofascism, more generally?

Related

Senate Republicans grow more radical in the minority

Beyond moral cowardice, careerism, "bothsideism", "centrism", and financial concerns, many people in the mainstream news media and Fourth Estate are uncomfortable with big ideas about society and politics. By training and intellectual orientation, they tend towards incrementalism and serving Power and existing regimes of knowledge and truth. The mainstream media, the Fourth Estate, and larger political class are also limited in their ability to understand the real origins and dimensions of America's democracy crisis because of a slavish commitment to folk theories of democracy and normal politics where both the Republican and Democratic Party and their voters are imagined as being reasonable and decent people who are equally committed to democracy and the civic health and survival of the nation.

That is no longer true: today's Republican Party and the larger "conservative" movement and white right view multiracial pluralistic democracy, the rule of law, the Constitutional order, and its governing institutions as illegitimate and corrupt. They are to be torn down and replaced with a system of competitive authoritarianism and White Christian herrenvolk tyranny of the minority where the Republican fascists and larger right-wing rule for all time and by any means necessary  including violence.

To that point, James Scaminaci III, who is a sociologist and a retired intelligence analyst, briefed me via email on the escalating danger(s) embodied by Donald Trump and his MAGA movement:

Trump is the most dangerous politician in America, perhaps even more dangerous than the treasonous, seditious original Confederates that seceded from the Union. Trump has pursued a Fourth Generation Warfare strategy to delegitimize the federal government, especially but not limited to those with the real power to detect, investigate, and prosecute him for federal crimes up to treason: the FBI, the DOJ, the NSA, the CIA, and the DOD. His objective if he becomes the 47th president is to completely gut these institutions, what the revolutionary MAGA call the "deep state." He will eviscerate the excepted civil service and completely destroy the rule of law, transparency in government, and efficient, non-partisan bureaucratic institutions. For all intents and purposes, democracy will be over, and the peace and security of Europe and the Asia-Pacific region jeopardized for hundreds of millions of people for generations. He will have destroyed everything our ancestors, including the "Greatest Generation's" key accomplishments of fostering European and Asia-Pacific stability, prosperity, and peace.

At its core, fascism is a movement and political project that is based on big ideas, a grand vision, and passionate emotions. To not understand those dimensions of fascism means that one is not able to defeat it. Because of that fact, we the Americans are in big trouble. Our leaders have failed us.

Read more

about Republicans' 2024 campaign
When the first recruiting class of Gov. Ron DeSantis new Florida State Guard showed up for training last month, they had varied experiences and expectations.

Over 30 days in June, teenagers out of high school and retired military veterans came to Camp Blanding, the National Guard base near Jacksonville.

Many were told they would volunteer for a revived State Guard with a non-military mission: help Floridians in times of need or disaster.

Instead, the states National Guard trained the volunteers for combat. Khakis and polos were replaced by camouflaged uniforms. Volunteers assured they could keep their facial hair were ordered to shave. And they were drilled on how to rappel with ropes, navigate through the woods and respond to incidents under military command.

When DeSantis announced in 2021 he wanted to revive the long-dormant State Guard, he vowed it would help Floridians during emergencies. But in the year since its launch, key personnel and a defined mission remain elusive. The state is looking for the programs third leader in eight months. According to records reviewed by the Herald/Times and interviews with program volunteers, a number of recruits quit after the first training class last month because they feared it was becoming too militaristic.

READ MORE: DeSantis spent over $15 million in six months on illegal migration in Texas, Keys

Weeks into that inaugural June training, one volunteer, a disabled retired Marine Corps captain, called the local sheriffs office to report he was battered by Florida National Guard instructors when they forcibly shoved him into a van after he questioned the program and its leadership.

DeSantis office referred questions to Major General John D. Haas, Floridas adjutant general overseeing the Florida National Guard.

In a statement, Haas said the State Guard was a military organization that will be used not just for emergencies but for aiding law enforcement with riots and illegal immigration.

We are aware that some trainees who were removed are dissatisfied, Haas said. This is to be expected with any course that demands rigor and discipline.

Florida State Guard volunteer Anayiah Gilbert is shown crawling under wire during training in a video posted by Gov. Ron DeSantis account on Twitter. In the video Gilbert says she is a college student and had a very positive experience in the training.

Chosen as a leader, this vet quit on Day 1

Three former members told the Herald/Times the program veered from its original mission.

The program got hijacked and turned into something that we were trying to stay away from: a militia, said Brian Newhouse, a retired 20-year Navy veteran who was chosen to lead one of the State Guards three divisions.

The original leadership team envisioned a disaster response team of veterans and civilians with a variety of practical skills, according to Newhouse. Two other former military veterans, who asked not to be named for fear of potential consequences and later quit, expressed similar concerns over a change in the State Guards mission.

On the first day of training, Newhouse said he was escorted off the base after lodging several complaints, including that the National Guards schedule required training on Sundays, instead of allowing members to use those days for religious services and personal time, as was the original plan.

He said he had previously complained that the National Guard didnt have medics available during training.

I dont even think the governor knows whats going on. I dont think this is a fly on his radar right now, Newhouse said, noting that DeSantis himself is a veteran.

I think he would be appalled that a veteran  a disabled veteran  would be abused by other military members.

Florida State Guard recruits receive aquatic skills instruction from Florida National Guard soldiers and civilian contractors to execute a water survival training exercise at Camp Blanding, Florida, June 14, 2023. Soldiers with the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 83rd Troop Command, and 50th Regional Support Group supplemented the multi-day training that included rescue swimming, entering and exiting water vehicles, water survival techniques and water vehicle maneuvering.

Governors vision for the State Guard

The revival of Floridas State Guard started off modestly.

DeSantis proposed bringing back the World War II-era force to supplement the overworked and understaffed Florida National Guard. Although some Democrats were critical of handing DeSantis more power, state lawmakers last year gave the governor twice the volunteers than he requested: 400 members and a $10 million budget.

Unlike the National Guard, State Guard members cant be deployed by the federal government. They answer only to the governor.

Lawmakers in 2022 added stipulations saying that members could only be called up in an emergency and couldnt operate outside the state. Those requirements were dropped a year later.

The program, open to Floridians ages 18 to 60, received thousands of applications, according to DeSantis.

In June last year, DeSantis named a decorated Marine and Purple Heart recipient from Miami as director of the State Guard. He died by suicide in October, with post-traumatic stress disorder a contributing factor, according to a police report. In January, DeSantis named the programs deputy director, Luis Soler, to lead the force, earning a $165,000 salary.

Soler, a captain in the United States Navy Reserve, began recruiting. Newhouse and others were asked to crisscross the state, interview State Guard recruits and seek people with a variety of skills. Volunteers are supposed to get $200 stipends for the days theyre called to work.

Newhouse said he and Soler viewed the program as more of a Federal Emergency Management Agency response team than a National Guard unit, shunning ranks and camouflaged uniforms. He said he saw the State Guard as a resume-builder for college students and a way for veterans and others to continue to serve their communities.

By March, however, the states vision began to change.

That month, state lawmakers and the governor revealed that they wanted to assign the State Guard $89 million to buy boats, planes and helicopters. They wanted a specialized unit within the guard to have police powers and the ability to carry weapons.

And they wanted to boost the State Guard to 1,500 members. Instead of being activated only during emergencies within Florida, they could be sent to any state to protect and defend the people of Florida from threats to public safety.

Florida State Guard recruits receive aquatic skills instruction from Florida National Guard soldiers and civilian contractors to execute a water survival training exercise at Camp Blanding, Florida, June 14, 2023. Soldiers with the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 83rd Troop Command, and 50th Regional Support Group supplemented the multi-day training that included rescue swimming, entering and exiting water vehicles, water survival techniques and water vehicle maneuvering.

While nearly half of states have volunteer state guards, usually with military structures, few, if any, appear to have equivalent powers. Texas, for example, has deployed its State Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border, but members cant carry guns or make arrests and dont have aircraft.

DeSantis, a presidential candidate, has sent Florida National Guard members and state law enforcement officers to the Texas border, and has said he is willing to work with like-minded Republican governors and sheriffs to do more state-led efforts at the southern border.

I think states need to be more aggressive, DeSantis said in terms of taking action on federal immigration enforcement.

Disabled veteran reported abuse

The programs first volunteers arrived in June at the National Guards training center at Camp Blanding.

Attendees told the Herald/Times that the training wasnt led by Soler, the programs director. Instead, it was led by Florida National Guard Lt. Col. Peter Jennison, a pilot, lawyer and training officer who composes music on the side, and by the State Guards new chief of staff, Ben Fairbrother, a former political operative who has since worked for state agencies including the Division of Emergency Management.

The agenda included Red Cross shelter training, CPR and water safety and rescue, according to calendars obtained by the Herald/Times. It was referred to as a Basic Orientation and Operations Training, or BOOT camp, with military drill instructors and a battle rhythm that had volunteers up at 6 a.m. and lights out by 10 p.m.

Members were taught to operate in a military hierarchy and had to meet certain physical requirements depending on their age groups. Some were also taught de-escalation and defensive tactics, engagement skills training and how to fire weapons without live rounds during a video-game-like setting, records show.

The training only loosely resembled a military boot camp, however, according to Newhouse and two other volunteers who together spent decades in the military. They described the National Guard trainers as inexperienced and the training as slapdash.

Unlike a military boot camp, State Guard volunteers were given almost no written training materials, and they werent tested on what they learned. Despite having to meet physical fitness tests, no doctor issued them physical exams to determine their level of health.

Some military veterans found themselves being barked at by National Guard members who were much younger  and had much less experience.

Two other volunteers, who completed the training and spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters, said the program did change from when they first signed up. Recruits and trainers often remarked that they were flying the plane as we are building it, the two volunteers said, but that was expected.

A Clay County Sheriffs Office incident report reveals that tensions simmered during training.

On the morning of June 23, a volunteer who was a retired Marine Corps captain stopped Jennison in the barracks to ask questions about the training that he felt had not been answered, the report states.

So youre the leader of the group! Jennison responded, according to the report, pointing at the former Marine, whose name is redacted.

Jennison was apparently referencing one or more members who were criticizing the new organization, the sheriffs deputy wrote.

After asking questions, the two shook hands, and the retired Marine took the bus to the chow hall. But once there, he said he was pulled out of line by two National Guard sergeants and ordered to do push-ups.

He refused, saying, No, I cant! because he is 100% disabled and was in pain from a physical fitness test the day before, the deputys report states.

Then you need to leave and go home! the sergeants yelled at him, he claimed.

He finally agreed, and a white van pulled up. Not feeling safe, he refused to get in, and he said he would walk to his car some distance away, according to the report.

As a retired officer, he was allowed to use the base. But the sergeants grabbed him and pushed him into the van.

He protested that they were assaulting an officer as he tried to exit the van and was told he is not an officer, only a recruit, the report states.

When police inquired, a National Guard lieutenant told a deputy that the retired Marine had been questioning the program since he entered into it and was argumentative with leadership.

Another volunteer, a retired 30-year Marine, witnessed the incident and gave a statement to police, saying the sergeants acted rather harshly, and that they told the alleged victim that they didnt care he was a retired [U.S. Marine Corps] Captain, that he was only a recruit.

The sheriffs deputy closed the case, determining that the retired Marine captain was not assaulted or falsely imprisoned.

The former captain quit the State Guard that day. So did the witness.

Drill instructors are largely forbidden under Army training and doctrine from touching trainees except in rare situations, such as helping them up an obstacle, according to retired Command Sgt. Major Teresa King, the first woman to lead the Armys Drill Sergeant School in South Carolina.

King read the report and said the National Guard trainers were in the wrong and should have brought the retired Marine in for counseling instead.

Out of respect for that person whos training, you never, ever touch a soldier. Ever, she said.

Florida State Guard recruits receive aquatic skills instruction from Florida National Guard soldiers and civilian contractors to execute a water survival training exercise at Camp Blanding, Florida, June 14, 2023. Soldiers with the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 83rd Troop Command, and 50th Regional Support Group supplemented the multi-day training that included rescue swimming, entering and exiting water vehicles, water survival techniques and water vehicle maneuvering.

Program now leaderless

Newhouse said he has been talking to other former State Guard volunteers, and they all want to see the program succeed.

Were not here to tear the program down, Newhouse said. Were here to right a wrong.

Haas, in a statement, said it was unfortunate that some of these individuals resorted to complaints to the media.

The overwhelming majority of the participants have lauded the training, and in fact, have appreciated the opportunity to self-reflect and become better citizens, he said.

I am proud of the many brave Floridians, like Anayiah Gilbert, who have joined the @FLStateGuard to serve our state.



We are always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested in learning more, you can visit: https://t.co/1yxzOx7oPc pic.twitter.com/enK7tC0ZcO  Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) July 12, 2023

Neither Haas nor the governors office answered questions about the retired Marine captains complaint. They also didnt answer questions about why volunteers received weapons training.

Florida National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Miranda L. Gahn said the members who trained the State Guard volunteers were called up from day jobs based on their unique skillset and expertise.

The investigation into the case you mentioned found no offense was committed, and the case was closed, Gahn said in a statement.

On June 30, the State Guard graduated its first class, 120 recruits, far below the 1,500 members state lawmakers approved this year.

Jennison and Fairbrother spoke at the graduation. Soler did not attend. Neither did DeSantis, who was in Philadelphia speaking to the conservative parents rights group Moms for Liberty that day. His office sent a news release congratulating the graduating State Guard soldiers.

A week later, DeSantis office announced, via the conservative news outlet Florida Standard, that Soler was stepping down for personal reasons. Soler couldnt be reached for comment.

The program now finds itself leaderless for the second time in less than a year. Most of the original leadership Soler appointed have quit.

Among the members of the State Guards first graduating class was state Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes, a lawyer with no apparent prior military experience. Future Florida House Speaker Sam Garrison attended the ceremony, tweeting a photo with Fabricio in his camouflage uniform.

Responding to questions only in writing, Fabricio said the training was what he expected.

It was no surprise to me that FSG boot camp was a militaristic boot camp, Fabricio wrote. This is mainly because, to put it plainly, its called boot camp and it was on a military training base.
Virginia police looking for man who laughed after assaulting, exposing himself to woman

[Source]

Police in Prince William County, Virginia, are looking for a man who allegedly exposed himself to a woman and assaulted her earlier this week.

What happened: The incident reportedly occurred at the intersection of Potomac River Boulevard and Potomac Shores Parkway in Dumfries before 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The woman, 51, was in the above area when the man approached her from behind, police said.

The man allegedly assaulted the woman without saying a word. When she turned to face him, she saw that he was completely naked and laughed while walking into the woods.

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The aftermath: The victim immediately left the scene and contacted authorities. She was not severely injured following the incident.

About the suspect: Police described the suspect as an Asian man between 25 and 35 years old and weighing around 180 pounds. He had medium-length black hair.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department at 703-792-7000. Tips may also be submitted to pwcva.gov/policetip.

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Now you see Wagner, now you dont.

Weeks after an armed uprising by the Russian mercenary group Wagner revealed cracks in Russias system of one-man rule, the Kremlin has been on a PR offensive. The message is simple: Russian President Vladimir Putin is firmly in control, now please move along.

In an interview Thursday with the Russian business daily newspaper Kommersant, Putin described a three-hour meeting with Wagner commanders, including the groups leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, just days after the private military companys (PMCs) abortive march on Moscow last month.

Putin put a positive spin on the meeting, but made a curious admission.

Wagner PMC does not exist, Putin said when asked if Wagner would be kept on as a fighting unit. We do not have a law for private military organizations. It simply does not exist.

Putin, who is a trained lawyer, reiterated the point during the interview: There is no such legal entity, he said.

Technically, Putin is correct. Article 359 of Russias Criminal Code outlaws mercenary activity. The law states that recruitment, training, financing or other material support of a mercenary, as well as their participation in an armed conflict or military operations carries heavy criminal penalties.

Putin went on to explain in the interview that the State Duma  Russias parliament  should consider legislation to legalize PMCs, conceding, Its not an easy question.

Wagner fighters stationed in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia on June 24, 2023, during an attempted rebellion led by the mercenary group. - Roman Romokhov/AFP/Getty Images

Tensions between Wagner and the Kremlin boiled over in recent weeks, with Putin alleging that the paramilitary group "does not exist." - Roman Romokhov/AFP/Getty Images

This legalistic answer, however, raises more questions than answers. Until Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the Kremlin essentially denied the existence of Wagner. That changed in the months that followed, as Wagner managed to secure some symbolic victories for Russia, especially in the bitter fighting around the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. State TV followed suit, elevating Wagner fighters to rock-star status.

But if Wagner was technically an illegal entity all this time, who authorized their use? Who trained and equipped them? And who signed off on their budget?

Its more than a technical or philosophical question. After all, Putin himself acknowledged in remarks on June 27 to security officials that the maintenance of the entire Wagner group was fully provided for by the state, with the government allocating more than 86 billion rubles, or around $1 billion, for the maintenance of Wagner forces between May 2022 and May 2023 alone.

The issue is about more than Putins cavalier approach to the rule of law. It also serves as a reminder that Putin is the pioneer of a post-truth world.

Its worth recalling that the Kremlin leader was also the one who denied Russian special forces  the so-called little green men  seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. Only a few weeks after the occupation did Putin acknowledge that the men in unmarked camouflage were in fact Russian troops, not local self-defense units.

The same was true with Russias covert support to separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine from 2014 onward. The Kremlin insisted on maintaining the fiction that regular Russian forces had not propped up the separatist republics, even though Putin winkingly acknowledged that the Russian government was actively involved in Donbas, including support to the separatists and prisoner exchanges.

Weve never said there are no people there who deal with certain matters, including in the military area, but this does not mean that regular Russian troops are present there, he told a Ukrainian journalist at his annual press conference in 2015. Feel the difference.

Wagner boss Prigozhin was also well known for playing fast and loose with facts. The onetime Putin associate long never admitted that the Internet Research Agency  his notorious troll farm in St. Petersburg, Russia  was involved in meddling in the 2016 US elections, but he ended the charade after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ive never just been the financier of the Internet Research Agency. I invented it, I created it, I managed it for a long time. It was founded to protect the Russian information space from boorish aggressive propaganda of anti-Russian narrative from the West, Prigozhin said in February.

So what is Putins aim in floating this account of a meeting with Prigozhin and Wagner commanders? Besides conveying a message for the Russian public that he is still in charge, he appears to be creating a new narrative: The good Wagner (Prigozhins footsoldiers) versus the bad Wagner (Prigozhin himself).

In his conversation with Kommersant, Putin suggested that he noted a rift between Prigozhin and his top commanders during his meeting with them at the Kremlin.

According to the version he conveyed to Kommersant, Putin told the mercenaries that they had the option to continue fighting under their direct commander, an officer known by the call sign, Sedoy, (Grey hair).

Nothing would have changed for them. They would be led by the same person who has been their real commander all along, Putin had told the group, as reported by Kommersant.

And what happened then? the Kommersant reporter says he asked the Russian leader.

Many people nodded [affirmatively] when I said that, said Putin, according to Kommersant.

But according to that account, Prigozhin did not agree with the approach offered by the Kremlin.

No, the guys do not agree with this decision, the Wagner leader said, according to Putin.

Whether that rift  real, fictional or some mix of the two  can be exploited by the Kremlin remains to be seen. Also unclear is what Wagners rank and file will do. But Putins one-sided account suggests that the Kremlin is still figuring out how, exactly, to deal with the mercenary commander.

CNNs Andrew Carey, Josh Pennington and Uliana Pavlova contributed reporting.

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Giant pandas, envoys of harmony, friendship, inclusiveness

09:49, July 14, 2023 By Ma Tianxiao ( People's Daily

Giant panda Ai Bao gives birth to female twin cubs on July 7. (Photo from the official account of the Chinese Embassy in South Korea on WeChat)

Giant panda Ai Bao, leased by China to South Korea, gave birth to a pair of baby pandas on July 7. They are the first pair of giant panda cubs born overseas this year, as well as the first panda twins ever born in South Korea.

People all over the world love giant pandas. The animal traces back to the ancestral panda genus Ailurarctos 8 to 9 million years ago and was recorded by many ancient Chinese books. It has been considered a valuable animal since ancient times because of the legends about it and its scarcity.

Ai Bao arrived in South Korea in March 2016 on a 15-year lease and joint international research. As a matter of fact, sending giant pandas overseas is not an exclusive practice of modern China. Two pandas were sent to Japan's Emperor Tenmu by Wu Zetian, China's only empress in the early Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, giant pandas have officially "assumed office" as "diplomatic envoys" and were sent to the Soviet Union and North Korea as national gifts.

When then U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972, the Chinese government gave the United States two pandas, Xing Xing and Ling Ling, as gifts. About 20,000 people came out for the panda pair's first day of public viewing in the United States.

Out of the consideration of panda protection and propagation, China stopped sending giant pandas as gifts to foreign countries since the 1980s and instead continued its panda diplomacy through research cooperation.

According to statistics, China has carried out panda conservation and research cooperation projects with 22 zoos in 17 countries. As of 2022, there were 64 giant pandas and their cubs living outside China.

Giant pandas are playing at the Shenshuping giant panda base in Wolong National Nature Reserve, southwest China's Sichuan province. (People's Daily Online/Chen Xianlin)

Giant pandas have become an important signature of Chinese diplomacy and friendship. Every panda going or living abroad has its interesting stories. For instance, the Japan-born giant panda Xiang Xiang got its name from more than 300,000 suggestions from the public; the Berlin Zoo invited 12 tenors to sing "Happy Birthday To You" to celebrate giant panda Jiao Qing's birthday; Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands has built a special "Pandasia" for giant pandas Wu Wen and Xing Ya that covers more than 9,000 square meters; Australia's Adelaide Zoo grows 15 species of bamboos so as to provide fresh bamboos to giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni.

Currently, giant panda images are more and more appearing in major events, from the 1990 Asian Games panda mascot Pan Pan, to Jingjing, one of the mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Besides, the China International Import Expo, the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and the Chengdu 2021 FISU Summer World University Games also used panda as their mascots. Panda has been on the logo of the World Wide Fund for Nature since the organization was established.

China places extremely high importance on wild life conservation. Giant pandas, which are rare and distributed in a narrow range, are under key protection in the country.

Since the 1970s, China has launched a series of major projects of panda protection aiming at conserving the animal's habitats, establishing panda reserves and strengthening artificial propagation of pandas. Many universities, under the support and guidance of the Chinese government, started panda-related surveys, protection and research on captive breeding technologies.

Thanks to these efforts, giant pandas were downgraded from "critically endangered" to "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 2016.

In October 2021, the Giant Panda National Park was officially set up. Stretching through Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, the national park is of vital significance for protecting rare species, stabilizing giant pandas' propagation, promoting biodiversity conservation and improving human-nature harmony.

Giant pandas have been representing harmony, friendship and inclusiveness since the ancient times. It is hoped that this cute animal can better co-exist with mankind on planet Earth.

(Ma Tianxiao is a lecturer with the College of Life and Environmental Sciences of Minzu University of China, and a member of the working group of the China's Fourth National Giant Panda Census.)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
(Photo : Michael Nagle/Getty Images)

The founder of Frank, a startup company that aids college students apply for loans, Charlie Javice, ahs pleaded not guilty to a $175 million fraud accusation.

The founder of the Frank student aid startup, Charlie Javice, has pleaded not guilty to a $175 million fraud accusation during a hearing in court on Thursday morning.

The allegations come as the millennial tech founder defrauded JP Morgan Chase out of hundreds of millions of dollars. The chief growth officer at Frank, Olivier Amar, also pleaded not guilty to assisting Javice in fabricating millions of customers for their startup company. Frank purported to help college students secure financial aid for their educational expenses.

Frank Founder Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud Accusations

In a statement in court on Thursday, Assistant US Attorney Micah F. Fergenson said that Amar was effectively the company's number two. The 49-year-old was seen wearing a charcoal suit, a white mask, and a white shirt beside his two attorneys.

Amar crossed his arms and legs through the court hearing while shaking his head as the proceedings passed. On the other hand, 31-year-old Javice stood out with her black-clad lawyers, as per Business Insider.

Javice was only 24 years old in 2016 when she founded her startup company after attending the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. Frank was said to have been aimed at assisting college students to navigate their applications for loans from the federal government.

The entrepreneur told JP Morgan Chase that her company had four million users, which prompted the bank to buy Frank in September 2021 for $175 million. However, Fergenson claimed Javice and Amar grossly over-reported their company's users. He said that, in reality, Frank's users were only around 300,000 in total.

Javice was also previously named on prestigious lists during a meteoric ascent where she was considered a successful and innovative entrepreneur. These lists include Crain's New York's 40 Under 40 and Forbes' 30 Under 30.

Fast Company also said in 2011 that Javine was one of the most creative people in business, and in 2018, she was the focus of a glowing profile by Insider. However, according to Business Insider, Fergenson said that after their initial deception, the defendants pivoted to another.

Read Also: Hollywood Actors Join Writers' Strile as Negotiations Collapse

Fraudulent Startup Company

Amar and Javice are accused of paying roughly $100,000 for a list of millions of names of college students. They are also thought to have hired a professor to fabricate corresponding email addresses with the names they bought.

Fergenson claimed that the defendants presented it all in a spreadsheet to JP Morgan Chase, representing all of the names, to be Frank users. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein nodded as the attorney continued to say that JP Morgan Chase did not find anything dubious during its pre-purchase due to diligent investigation.

The bank said it only learned about the fraud after sending marketing materials to people Javice claimed were real. JP Morgan Chase found that only 28% were delivered and 1.1% were opened, far fewer than in similar campaigns.

In January, the bank shut down Frank, and Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said that the acquisition of the startup company was a "huge mistake." but Javine filed counterclaims against the bank in February, accusing it of damaging her reputation and withholding roughly $28 million in payments, said Reuters.

Related Article: US Regulator Files Appeal Against $69 Billion Microsoft Activision Acquisition Deal

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken about his meeting with Wagner mercenaries, noting that legally, no such organisation (the private military company, or PMC) exists.

Source: Putin in a comment to the Russian media outlet Kommersant

Quote: "Well, the Wagner PMC does not exist! We have no law on private military organisations! It just doesn't exist!

So if there is no law, then there is no PMC.

There is a group, but legally it doesnt exist! This is a separate issue related to real legalisation. But this is an issue that should be discussed in the State Duma, in the government. Its not an easy question."

Details: Putin said 35 people were at the meeting. He noted that he had "assessed" the Wagnerites actions in the war [against Ukraine - ed.] and during the mutiny on 24 June.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken about his meeting with Wagner mercenaries, noting that legally, no such organisation (the private military company, or PMC) exists.

Source: Putin in a comment to the Russian media outlet Kommersant

Quote: "Well, the Wagner PMC does not exist! We have no law on private military organisations! It just doesn't exist!

So if there is no law, then there is no PMC.

There is a group, but legally it doesnt exist! This is a separate issue related to real legalisation. But this is an issue that should be discussed in the State Duma, in the government. Its not an easy question."

Details: Putin said 35 people were at the meeting. He noted that he had "assessed" the Wagnerites actions in the war [against Ukraine - ed.] and during the mutiny on 24 June.

The Russian dictator also said he had offered them "several employment options, including [the option to remain] under the leadership of their direct commander with the nom de guerre Sedoi".

According to Putin, most of the mercenaries present at the meeting nodded their heads at his proposals. But Prigozhin replied that "the guys do not agree with this decision".

Earlier: The Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Vladimir Putin met with the founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, after the mutiny. The meeting lasted for almost three hours.

Background:

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Wagner Group is not currently fighting in Ukraine

The US Department of Defence has noted the suspension of activity of Wagner Group units on the frontline in Ukraine and confirmed the arrival of US cluster munitions in Ukraine.

Source: Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon Press Secretary, at a briefing quoted by Voice of America

Quote: "At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine."

Details: Ryder has also confirmed that cluster munitions have already been delivered to Ukraine from the United States. It is not specified whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces already use them.

Previously: After the mutiny of the Wagner mercenaries led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian command is in "disagreement and confusion".

Background:

By agreement with self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, after the coup in Russia, Wagner Groups leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was to travel to Belarus with some of his mercenaries.

Following this, the foreign ministers of two Baltic states called on NATO to strengthen its eastern borders in response to the deployment of Wagner militants in Belarus.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said that the relocation of the Wagner Group to Belarus is a very negative signal for his country.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Wagner mercenaries no longer participating in war in Ukraine, says Pentagon

Pat Ryder

Wagner mercenaries are no longer participating in any significant capacity in combat operations in Ukraine, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder announced on July 13.

At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine, he said.

Read also: Wagner mercenaries to share experience with Belarusian military, says defense ministry

However, Ryder said the United States assessed that the majority of Wagner fighters were still located in Russian-occupied Ukraine.

Wagner mercenaries in Belarus: What we know

Wagner mercenary company chief Yevgeny Prigozhin announced the beginning of an armed conflict with the Russian Defense Ministry on the evening of June 23, claiming that about 25,000 of his fighters were going to restore justice in Russia.

Read also: 14 Russian generals support Wagner chief Prigozhin in defiance of Putin, Ukraines top security official says

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin as his mercenaries closed in on Moscow, Lukashenkos press office later claimed, culminating in a deal where Prigozhin agreed to halt his forces advance on the Russian capital  in exchange for dropping charges against him and his fighters, and changes in leadership at the Russian Ministry of Defense.

In a video address on June 26, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin offered three options to the fighters of the Wagner mercenary company who had participated in the mutiny attempt  return to civilian life, sign contracts with the regular Russian military, or relocate to Belarus.

A massive restationing of the Wagner PMC to Belarus is not planned and their operations are continuing mostly in Africa, head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with The War Zone military newspaper on June 29.

Lukashenko announced on June 27 that Prigozhin had already arrived in Belarus.

The Belarusian Hajun monitoring group twice reported the landing of Prigozhins plane outside Minsk.

Read also: What awaits Wagner, Prigozhin, Lukashenko

However, Lukashenko announced on July 6 that Prigozhin had allegedly departed to Russias St. Petersburg, while no Wagner mercenaries had arrived in Belarus yet.

The Kremlin recently confirmed media reports that Putin met with Prigozhin in Russia after the coup attempt.

The meeting allegedly took place on June 29 in the presence of the Wagner Groups commanders, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
'Every thousand metres of advance, every success of each of our combat brigades deserves gratitude,' said Zelensky (Anatolii Stepanov)

Belarus said Friday that instructors from the Russian mercenary force Wagner were training its troops, following weeks of uncertainty about the future of the group after its failed mutiny in Russia.

The short-lived rebellion was ended by a deal under which some Wagner fighters and their outspoken leader Yevgeny Prigozhin were supposed to move to Belarus.

But Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had cast doubt on the deal when he said earlier this month that no Wagner fighters had moved to the country yet.

The Belarusian defence ministry appeared to confirm Friday that at least some Wagner fighters had arrived.

"Near Asipovichy, units of territorial defence troops are undergoing training," the defence ministry said in a statement.

"Fighters of the Wagner private military company are acting as instructors in a number of military disciplines," it said.

The ministry later added that it and Wagner had worked out "a road map for the near term on training and sharing experience" between various units.

- Countdown for grain deal -

The Wagner group, which recruited extensively from Russian prisons, played a key role in the Ukraine offensive.

A video released by the Belarusian defence ministry showed masked fighters as instructors in the drills for soldiers living in a nearby tent camp.

A group of foreign reporters earlier this month was shown a camp near Asipovichy where Belarusian officials said the mercenaries could be based.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address Friday that Kyiv was "closely monitoring what is happening there in terms of security".

The latest development came as the clock ran down on a UN and Turkey-mediated deal with Russia to allow Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea -- a vital supply route for the developing world.

The deal, first signed in July 2022, five months after Moscow's all-out assault on Ukraine, is set to expire on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened not to renew it because of what he says have been obstacles to Russian exports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared confident on Friday on the prospects of an extension to the deal.

"We are preparing to welcome Putin in August and we agree on the extension of the Black Sea grain corridor," Erdogan told reporters.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti: "There were no statements on this subject from the Russian side".

- 'Every success... deserves gratitude' -

In Ukraine, Kyiv's much-hyped counteroffensive, which began last month, ground on with only very gradual advances.

Ukraine has blamed the slow delivery of promised arms, calling on allies to send long-range weapons and fighter jets.

Ukraine said on Friday its forces had moved forward 1,700 metres (just over a mile) on the front line in the south over the past seven days.

Ukrainian troops are advancing despite "dense" minefields and shelling, Mykola Urshalovych, a senior representative of the National Guard, told reporters.

There have also been some advances to the north and south of Bakhmut, a city captured by Russian troops in May after a battle lasting nearly a year.

The aim of Ukrainian forces is to surround the eastern city in a pincer movement.

The head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andriy Yermak, admitted that Kyiv's troops were advancing "not so quickly".

"If we are going to see that something is going wrong, we'll say so. No one is going to embellish," he told reporters.

Yermak also said that Ukraine would not consider talks with Moscow until Russian troops had left.

"Even thinking about these talks is only possible after Russian troops leave our territory," he said.

Zelensky addressed the challenges facing the frontline troops in his evening address.

"We must all understand very clearly -- as clearly as possible -- that the Russian forces in our southern and eastern lands are investing everything they can to stop our soldiers.

"And every thousand metres of advance, every success of each of our combat brigades deserves gratitude," he added.

Ukraine's air force said on Friday it had downed 16 Iranian-made drones launched by Russian forces overnight, in the fourth consecutive night of aerial attacks by Moscow.

bur-jj/giv
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said that his words about "supporting Ukraine" caused a lot of interest but were partially distorted; he also assured that he would support Ukraine as long as necessary.

Source: Wallace on Facebook

Quote from Wallace: "For the record, as someone who has been at the forefront of galvanising support for Ukraine, I was discussing the challenges that can occur as we work towards the shared aim of helping Ukraine procure what they need to triumph against this illegal invasion.

I talked about the need for Ukraine to sometimes recognise that in many countries and in some Parliaments, there is not the strong support that there is in the UK. This was not a comment about governments, but more about citizens and MPs across the international community."

Details: He added that the UK authorities are lucky that the population and all parties in the parliament support the country's efforts to provide aid to Ukraine.

"What my comments sought to reflect is that it is important to remember not to talk to ourselves, but to make efforts to reach out to the other citizens who still need persuading. The comments on "Amazon" were made last year and were made to highlight that Britain's relationship with Ukraine is not 'transactional' but more a partnership," Wallace wrote.

Details: He stated that he would personally continue to support Ukraine "all the way, for as long as it takes".

But at the same time, he noted that national parliaments often have "competing needs", so "Ukraine and the UK need to continue to encourage that strong support by the use of facts and friendship".

In an hour and a half, Wallace's post gathered more than three hundred comments  the vast majority of which were words of gratitude in Ukrainian and English.

Background:

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Casey DeSantis is becoming a major part of her husband Rons bid for the White House (AFP via Getty Images)

Casey DeSantis has quickly become the face of Gov Ron DeSantis presidential campaign. The Florida first lady has been credited for everything from her fashion sense, local celebrity, and ability to baby proof the governors mansion, to serving as a humanizing contrast to her husband.

But is her rising profile enough to turn her husbands campaign around? Some have criticized her up to her eyebrows  literally  while others think she is a vital asset to the DeSantis campaign.

Before she was Mrs DeSantis, Jill Casey Black  she goes by her middle name  was born and raised in Ohio. She left the midwest to attend the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she studied economics and competed as an equestrian.

After graduating, she became a journalist, and began working as a producer and an on-air host on the PGA tour. She later worked as a reporter and anchor for Jacksonville television stations, a gig that earned her an Emmy award and landed her in Florida, where she would eventually meet her husband.

The couple met at a driving range in 2006 in Florida. Three years later, they tied the knot at Disney World, which the governor himself called ironic in hindsight, given his feud with the company in recent months.

The couple have three children  two daughters and a son, all under five  who are fixtures of DeSantis ads. Mrs DeSantis was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and was declared cancer-free in 2022. After her diagnosis, Gov DeSantis proposed $100m for cancer research, which was later approved.

She has supported the governors hard-right stances, like Floridas six-week abortion ban, the so-called Dont Say Gay law, disregard of pandemic-era masks, and prohibition of classroom discussions of issues of race in society and history, often bundled together under the phrase critical race theory. The Florida first couple are often photographed arm-in-arm, and her spotlighting has even sparked speculation that Casey DeSantis is the puppetmaster behind the campaign.

The role of the candidates spouse is not well-defined. Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of Americas Modern First Ladies, said in an email that candidates spouses main role is to serve as their adviser in private and to humanize them in public. She also added that spouses can make candidates relatable by sharing moments seen only behind the scenes.

Floridas first lady is a former TV presenter on the golfing shows On The Tee and PGA Tour Today (Getty Images)

Ms Brower noted, Michelle Obama was masterful at this, she would often joke about her husband leaving his dirty socks on the floor. Mrs DeSantis is accomplishing this, Ms Brower added, saying she is making him seem more like a three dimensional person and that she serves as a contrast to the governor, who can be stiff and very serious.

Former Minnesota Congressman and current GOP strategist Vin Weber said that the traditional role  to stand beside the candidate and look nice and supportive  has changed, pointing to Hillary Clinton and Laura Bushs influence in both campaigning and policy. Mr Weber said he doesnt know Ron DeSantis personally, but from what he has seen, Casey DeSantis could be making up for her husbands social stiltedness: She seems to have a real people touch and people like her.

But how much of an asset can the Florida first lady be if she isnt well known? Gunner Ramer, political director of Republican Accountability Project, pointed to focus groups reactions. He said that when talking to Republican primary voters in Florida, they know and like Mrs DeSantis. She makes Ron DeSantis into this family man, which I think can sometimes serve as a good contrast to Donald Trump, he said. But the thing is, on a national level, she isnt that well known.

Casey DeSantis speaking at a campaign event for her husband in Iowa in May. She has been happy to take a prominent role (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A longtime supporter close to Gov DeSantis tried to shed some light on the Florida first ladys private life. The source described her as a go-getter and a very involved mom. Usually when calling her, the source said, the kids are hanging all over her: Shes juggling the phone and juggling them.

Lack of recognition is probably a new problem for the couple, given Casey DeSantis reputation as a TV anchor. Perhaps that will change in the near future with her new initiative: Mamas for DeSantis. The coalition, launched this week, says its dedicated to raising the volume on the silenced voices of parents under Joe Biden. It aims to protect the innocence of our children, alluding to some of Gov DeSantis controversial education and LGBTQ+ policies, and is looking for every mama and every grandmama to support her husband.

The recent attention she has gotten hasnt always been positive. Last week, speculation  and eyebrows  rose over a viral photo of the Florida first ladys bushy brows. (Many say the image was doctored.) Far-right activist Laura Loomer accused her of an over exaggerated cancer diagnosis, a former GOP congressman dubbed her Americas Karen (her husband said she would wear the label as a badge of honour), and former President Trump and others have charged her with running her husbands campaign.

The longtime DeSantis supporter countered: Shes very involved as a candidates wife, especially in communications, given her background in media. The source called Mr Trumps claim a ludicrous accusation that is meant to make Ron look weak.

Others have been quick to comment on her style, ranging from glowing profiles to social media users calling her Swamp Barbie. Her wardrobe has been likened to Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the closest the US ever had to royalty, as Mrs DeSantis flaunted white gloves and dresses reminiscent of those worn by the late Mrs Kennedy. (Twitter users called her Tacky Onassis.)

Casey DeSantis outfit  complete with white gloves  at her husbands second inauguration as Florida governor in January drew comparisons with Jackie Kennedy (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A writer at The Daily Beast quickly put a distance between the Florida governors mansion and any royal castle  the DeSantises will never be Camelot  and described Casey DeSantis as Walmart Melania, comparing her wardrobe to that of former President Donald Trumps model wife.

But why would Casey DeSantis want to be compared to Melania Trump? Their husbands are competing for the GOP nomination and the couples relationships also appear markedly different. Melania was notoriously absent from the White House and has been distant throughout Mr Trumps 2024 campaign, while the Florida governors wife often appears beside her husband.

Mr Ramer said he thought Ron and Casey being together all the time can create a contrast to Trump. Ms Brower echoed that: I think knowing that Casey supports her husbands campaign is a vote of confidence that Donald Trump doesnt have from his wife. At least not at the moment.

I think Casey is an asset, but, Mr Weber said, I think shes an asset to a campaign that seems to be floundering.

Theres one thing running in a statewide contest. Theres another thing running for president on the national level, Mr Ramer said before posing the question: can the DeSanti replicate what they have accomplished in Florida on a national scale?

Ron and Casey hold hands as they leave Japan's premier's official residence on a trip to Tokyo (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Some of her husbands signature stances may not be as favourable nationally. A recent Gallup poll shows 69 per cent of Amercians think abortion should generally be legal in the first three months of pregnancy. Before the Dont Say Gay bill became a law, an ABC News and Ipsos poll showed 62 per cent of Americans opposed it.

But one group may support him at the ballot box: women. Female voters will not like it if they see the opponents attacking his wife, Mr Weber said, adding, that will have a little bit of a rallying effect on her behalf and his behalf.

Both Mr Ramer and the longtime supporter pointed to DeSantis 2022 gubernatorial victory, in which he earned 53 per cent of Floridas women voters, and credited Mrs DeSantis for helping achieve those numbers.

Despite the campaign brightening her spotlight, Mr Trump leads Mr DeSantis in nearly every recent poll. One edge that Gov DeSantis could use to trump Mr Trump? His age. The source predicted voters will want a younger candidate with school-aged children who understand what issues working class moms and dads are having to deal with. Ron DeSantis is 44, a year older than his wife.

A pretty, working mother seems like the perfect fit for a first lady; no one could quite pinpoint the heart of the divisiveness surrounding Mrs DeSantis. There are plenty of policy positions that she and her husband can, and should be, called out on, Ms Brower said, but instead people are focusing on her appearance, which is always low hanging fruit and its a shame.

The longtime DeSantis supporter said she is the subject of criticism because she is a powerful figure, and is viewed as a threat to the establishment. The source agreed with Ms Brower: You can disagree with her philosophy on politics or on issues around culture, wars, etc. but attacking her looks and personality is unfair.

The source added that the DeSanti are protective of one another regarding public criticism: What really bothers her is when they hit her husband. And then what really bothers him is when she gets it.

Theres little doubt that the Florida governor faces an uphill battle  one he will climb arm-and-arm with his wife.
Wang tells Blinken to 'work with China' on improving US ties

China's Wang Yi met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of Southeast Asian talks in Jakarta (Dita Alangkara)

Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi has urged Washington to "work with China" to improve ties during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday.

The discussion on the sidelines of Southeast Asian talks in Jakarta on Thursday was the latest in a series of high-level interactions as the two sides try to ease trade and geopolitical tensions.

In their second meeting in less than a month, Blinken raised concerns about alleged Chinese cybersecurity threats after Microsoft said Chinese state-backed hackers had breached email accounts of US government agencies.

Washington "needs to take a rational and pragmatic approach, work with China in the same direction", Wang told Blinken according to a statement on Friday by the foreign ministry in Beijing.

He urged the United States to stop "interfering" in China's affairs.

"Wang outlined China's stern position on the Taiwan question and urged the US to avoid wantonly interfering in China's internal affairs," the ministry said.

He also urged the United States to "stop suppressing China in the economy, trade, science and technology, and lift illegal and unwarranted sanctions against China".

Tensions between the United States and China have soared in recent years over a range of issues, including trade, US military support for Taiwan, Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and its cosy relationship with Russia.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a part of its territory.

Washington has choked advanced semiconductor exports to China and Beijing recently retaliated by restricting exports of gallium and germanium, two metals widely used to make semiconductors and electric vehicles.

The discussion between the top diplomats did not lead to any breakthroughs, but it was "candid, pragmatic and constructive", the Chinese foreign ministry said, adding that the two sides "agreed to maintain communication".

Blinken met Wang last month on the first visit to China by a US secretary of state in five years.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen then went to China earlier this month, and climate envoy John Kerry is to visit next week.

prw/je/qan
All war criminals will be found  Ukrainian intelligence marks Vinnytsia attack anniversary

Consequences of the Russian attack on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022

All war criminals involved in crimes against Ukraine will be held accountable, said the Main Intelligence Directorate on the anniversary of the Russian deadly strike on Vinnytsia on July 14.

Read also: SBU charges ex-Russian Black Sea Fleet commander with ordering deadly missile strike on Vinnytsia

Ukraine will hand over all Moscow murderers, killers of Ukrainian children and war criminals to an international tribunal, and all will receive just punishment, the agency wrote on Telegram.

The day of reckoning will come  sooner or later, but inevitably, the report said

The story of one Russian submarine commander involved in a war crime in Vinnytsia shows that you can hide from the court, but you still cant escape from responsibility.

Stanislav Rzhitsky, the aforementioned commander, was shot dead during a morning run in Russias Krasnodar Krai on July 10, 2023.

Read also: Russian Submarine commander shot dead

The Krasnodar, the late commanders boat, is one of the six submarines of the Varshavyanka project, which are part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Each of them can carry up to four Kalibr cruise missiles. Rzhitsky commanded the Krasnodar submarine during the missile attack on Ukraine in July 2022.

Some reports suggest that his submarine might have been responsible for the missile strike on Vinnytsia.

Russia launched the missile strike on the city of Vinnytsia in central Ukraine on July 14, 2022. The targets were civilian buildings in the city center. Three Kalibr cruise missiles were used in the attack.

Twenty-nine people were killed in the attack, including three children, and 154 people were injured. Thirty-five residential buildings and about 70 vehicles were damaged as well.

Read also: Peter Pomerantsev on trying to comprehend Russian war crimes  interview

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Rex Heuermann, suspected in Gilgo beach murders, compared himself to a hammer in an interview last year

The mugshot of Rex Heuermann, the Long Island man charged with murder of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders. Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

Cops have arrested NYC architect Rex Heuermann, 59, in the cold-case Gilgo Beach murders.

Heuermann was linked to three of the murders through DNA, and pleaded not guilty on Friday.

In a 2022 interview, Heurmann joked of his "persuasive" powers and likened himself to a hammer.

He's an affable, seemingly nondescript suburban guy, a building-code wonk who gets a glint in his eye while talking about his vintage copy of New York City's 1970s plumbing regulations.

But architect Rex Heuermann  charged Friday with the first degree murder of three sex workers in Long Island's long-unsolved, Gilgo Beach serial killings  also relishes his powers of persuasion.

Sure, it's fine to have book learning, the 59-year-old married father of two explained in an interview last year, describing how his Fifth Avenue consulting firm steers clients through New York City's centuries of building codes.

"But it's the people  how, they're all so different  and how you deal with the people, I think is one of the more interesting aspects," he said proudly, a year before he would be charged in murdering three sex workers and leaving their bodies to rot along the banks of South Oyster Bay, across from his Long Island home.

Heuermann was linked to three of the 11 Gilgo Beach murders by DNA recovered from the women's bound and hidden bodies, officials said.

The cold case was revitalized by a team of federal, state, and Suffolk County law enforcement officers, who first connected Heuermann to the spree through a pickup truck a witness reported seeing back in 2010, when one of the victims disappeared.

The architectural consultant had also spent recent months conducting hundreds of internet searches relating to the women he's accused of killing, officials said.

He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in Riverhead, New York and is being held without bail on the request of prosecutors based in Sufffolk County.

Heurermann's alleged victims are Melissa Barthelemy, 24, who vanished in 2009, and Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27, who went missing the following year, officials said. He is also the prime suspect in another of the Gilgo Beach deaths, officials said.

Gilgo Beach victims Amber Costello, 27, left, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, center, and Megan Waterman, 22, right. Suffolk County Police Department

In last year's interview, Heuermann described himself as a "a troubleshooter born and raised on Long Island."

Asked what single "tool" he would choose to be, "to bring your business to greater heights," Heuermann said he'd choose a delicate, but persuasive, cabinet maker's hammer.

"It is persuasive enough, when I need to persuade something," he explained. "Not someone!" jokes his interviewer, Antoine Amira of Bonjour Realty. "Something," Heuermann deadpanned, his hands clasped. "And it always yields excellent results."

"Sometimes, I have to be the heavy framing hammer," he added, as his interviewer laughs. "Sometimes, I'm the lightweight hammer just to nudge things along."

Heuermann was arrested late Thursday at the Massapequa Park home where, as he said in last year's interview, he keeps his carpentry workshop and, in his home office, his library of old building, fire and plumbing code books.

He kept to himself in that somewhat dilapidated old house, neighbors told the Associated Press, though he would sometimes be seen leaving to take the train to the city, dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase.

"This house sticks out like a sore thumb. There were overgrown shrubs, there was always wood in front of the house," Gabriella Libardi, a 24-year-old teacher, told the wire service.

"It was very creepy. I wouldn't send my child there."

"He grew up here," neighbor Barry Auslander, 72, told the New York Post. "I never thought he was anything but a businessman."

Heuermann counts builders, developers, and city and not-for-profit agencies among his clientele.

Reps for RH Architecture Design, Heuermann's Fifth Avenue-based company for eleven years, did not immediately return a call for comment.

"We're happy to see that they're finally active, the police, in accomplishing something. Let's wait and see what it all leads to," attorney John Ray told the Associated Press.

He is the attorney for the families of two victims, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor.

It was the 2010 dissapearance of Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, that led to the unearthing of the grisly secrets in the underbrush along Gilgo Beach.

A police cadaver dog had been searching near the Oak Beach home of her last client. In a thicket along Ocean Parkway, the dog found not Gilbert's remains, but those of a different woman.

Three more bodies, all a short walk from each other, were found within days.

By the spring of 2011, the total had climbed to 10 sets of human remains, eight of them women, one a man, and one a toddler, and the crime scene stretched from the border of New York City to Fire Island, a resort on eastern Long Island.

"This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families  peace that has been long overdue," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.

Who was victim Melissa Barthelemy?

Melissa Barthelmy, an alleged victim of Gilgo Beach serial murder suspect Rex Heuermann. Suffolk County Police Department

Barthelemy, a petite sex worker who stood only four feet, 10-inches tall, was last seen at her basement apartment in the Bronx on July 12, 2009, according to the Suffolk County Police Department Gilgo News website.

"She used the aliases Chloe and VerySexyChloe," the site said. "She had tattoos of the words "Blaze" and "Focus" on her back, and letters on her chest. She was also known to meet clients at bars, restaurants and hotels on the West Side of Manhattan."

On the night she disappeared, "she told a friend she was going to see a man and would be back in the morning. This friend was aware she was a sex worker, but Barthelemy offered no other details. Her cellphone records show she traveled from the Bronx to Manhattan, most likely via taxi," the website said.

The investigation showed cellphone activity in Manhattan, Freeport, Massapequa and Lindenhurst. Motels in and near these neighborhoods were investigated," the website added.

She was found nearly a year and a half later on the north side of Ocean Parkway, during the search for Gilbert. While the first victim found, she is believed to be the second killed.

Who was victim Megan Waterman?

Megan Waterman, one of the alleged victims of Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann. Suffolk County Police Department

Waterman was 22 when she was last seen, on June 6, 2010. She lived in Scarborough, Maine, and advertised her sex work under the names "Lexxy" and "Sexy Lexi," according to the Gilgo News website.

She was staying at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge, New York at the time she disappeared. She left the hotel at 1:30 a.m. to meet a client. Her last call was likely to her pimp, who was in Brooklyn at the time, "to tell him she was going to a convenience store near the hotel," the website said.

Police in Scarborough, Maine, reported her missing two days later. "Family members felt it was unlike her not to call them to check on her then-3-year-old daughter," the website said.

Her body was six months later during the search for another of the Gilgo Beach victims, Gilbert. She is believed to be the third victim.

Who was victim Amber Costello?

Amber Costello, alleged victim of Gilgo Beach serial murder suspect Rex Heuermann. Suffolk County Police Department

Amber Lynn Costello, described by police as a sex worker and heroin addict, was 27 years old and living in West Babylon, New York, when she disappeared.

She was last seen on September 2, 2010, leaving on foot to meet a client, "to support her and her roommates' heroin addictions," the Gilgo News website said.

She was just 4 feet, 11 inches tall, and worked under the names "Carolina" and "Mia," the website said. She had a tattoo reading "Kaos" on her neck, a butterfly on her lower back, and the word "Margaret" on her leg.

She had moved to New York from Clearwater, Florida, and had completed a 28-day drug rehab, but had relapsed not long before her disappearance, police said.

She was last seen leaving on foot to meet a client who was picking her up at her house. She was never reported missing. Instead, she was found two months later on the north side of a parkway, near Gilgo Beach, during the Gilbert search. She is believed to be the fourth victim.

Read the original article on Insider
Townsend talks to Marc L. Hill about the BET+ series thats based on a far-fetched true story. Plus, she shares the impact of Hollywoods strike.

What happens when your father-in-law dies, and you discover the man lived a secret life  and stole some big money from some dangerous people? Now, theyre looking for your boo!

Sound far-fetched? Call it Average Joe, the brand new BET+ dark comedy thats based on a true story. One of its stars, actress Tammy Townsend, whos featured opposite comic favorite Deon Cole, shares the shows not-so-average details with theGrios Marc L. Hill. Plus, she weighs in on the impact of Hollywood on strike.

The following is a transcript of their conversation.

Tammy Townsend celebrates at the BET+ premiere of Average Joe, held last month at Goya Studios in Los Angeles. Shes one of the stars of the new comedy. (Photo: Leon Bennett/Getty Images for BET+)

Marc L. Hill: Our next guest is nobodys average Joe. Tammy Townsend first hit the scene in the cult classic The Five Heartbeats. You may have recently seen her on OWNs drama series Queen Sugar. And now shes taking a new lead role in BET Plus latest series. Its called Average Joe.

(From Average Joe scene:)

Voice One: I thought wed sink the bodies and then just  time, find out where, you know, where the $10 million dollars is.

Voice Two: That is the dumbest idea I have ever heard.

Voice Three: I could not agree more.

Voice Two: Thank you.

Voice Three: The reservoir is where the whole city gets its drinking water from. You contaminate it, they drain it. Then they find your little Russian friends. Game over. What we need to do is chop these fools up.

Hill: Get the popcorn. Yall going to be glued to your screen, as you can tell. Joining us right now to talk about this amazing new project is the legend herself, Tammy Townsend. So good to see you.

Tammy Townsend: Good to see you too!

Hill: The audience saw a little clip of this, and I dont want you to give away too much, but talk to us about the show, and tell us a little bit about your character.

Townsend: Well, this show, like you said, is based on a guy who finds out that his father is working for the mob after he passes away, and they are coming after him to collect from his fathers debt. And it just creates mayhem with his family and his friends. And I play the wife on the show to Deon Cole.

Hill: That must be an interesting onscreen and on-set experience. Deon is a great actor, but also a funny dude.

Townsend: Yeah, hes hilarious. I mean, we would all He has these great stories that he puts his little twists on, and we all kind of sit around a campfire, and amazed by what he comes up with. What the hell goes on in this mans mind?

Hill: Hes gotta  hes kinda perfect for a dark comedy because of how his mind works. Now, I know youre used to drama, and I know youre funny, but whats it been like to do a dark comedy?

Townsend: Well, it is kind of, like, rides a fine line because, you know, I have said in my other interviews there are themes and subjects that pop up, and you find yourself laughing, and you kind of feel bad and guilty about the things that we get to be laughing about. So I think the biggest thing for us is not to play it too slapstick, but then to balance the drama in between. So its been an interesting ride for me, but I love it. I wouldnt have it any other way.

Hill: I love that kind of comedy and the kind of comedy that makes you feel like a terrible person while youre watching it, because, like you said, awful things are happening. But its funny as hell. Look, Ive just accepted that. Thats just my fate. So its all good. Tell me what viewers are going to get out of this that they might not have otherwise gotten, you know, in terms of the storylines. Because its some stuff here that I feel like theyve never seen before.

Townsend: Yeah, well, you know, we didnt see it before. Because when we were all sitting around, the cast were sitting around reading like each week, we would have, you know, a table read and were like, What the hell is happening here? So, you can expect a lot of, like, twists and turns, things that you think make you think, you know, a lot of people like, Oh, I know whats happening. No, you dont know whats happening. Everything is so unexpected. And so I, I dont want to give too much away. But this is a ride of your life because it was for us, and we were a part of it. So get ready.

Hill: I love that. I love that. Now, the show is actually inspired by a real person, creator Rob Cullen and Rob Cullens life. How has that been, sort of working closely with him? How has it been sort of developing your character when you know theres a real-life person behind it?

Townsend: Its a little bit of pressure, especially because, you know, Im based on his wife, and she has this really developed debilitating disease. And so I wanted to make sure because this is his baby, you know, hes very passionate about it and I wanted to make sure that I was portraying her correctly and portraying the kind of the hardships that she was going through daily. So a little bit of pressure there. But, you know, we all got through it, and he seems to be pretty happy about it, so 

Hill: Well, that was going to be my question, because if its somebodys real-life wife, you know, its kind of like: Shes Black; thats not how she do that, thats not how she say that 

Townsend: Right? (laughs) He has to give me some creative license because, you know, this show was originally for a white show, and then he switched it and changed it for it to be an African-American show. So I got to put my stuff in it, you know. So, again, mixing what is true to our culture and also to his wife was a little tricky. But I checked in with him a lot to make sure it was all good, and it was.

Hill: Now, thats dope. Now, Ive got to ask you: If you were ever in a situation where a family member stole $10 million and a luxury car, how would you, in real life, handle that?

Townsend: It depends on who this family person, who this family member is. So if it was, like, my mom, my dad, my brother, the core, Im riding or dying. Do what we got to do, what mask Ive got to put on, who I got to rob or got to kill. But if its somebody outside of that 

Hill: Whos, like, your third cousin?

Townsend: Right under the bus. Yes, exactly. Youre going under the bus.

Hill: So, I just want you all to know if you Tammys third cousin, if you aint seen her in a while, if you a stepsister or whatever, just expect to be under the jail very, very quickly. Tammy, whats next for you?

Townsend: Well, next is getting through this strike. Oh, so. Right. So and thats the thing. Im so happy that I got you in, because if we actually do strike tonight, were not allowed to do any other publicity for the show. So, were all as a team trying to crank out as many folks and be seen as much as possible. So I appreciate you having me on the show.

But, yeah, were going to get through it. Well work it out and, hopefully, I pray, get on the other side of this AI thing.

Hill: Well were going to get on the other side of this. Yall are going to be victorious. We stand with you. We have solidarity with you. We want you all and the writers to get everything you deserve and more because nobody should be exploited, but certainly not the people who give so much of their gifts. And thats what you all do. So, thank you for hanging out with me for this wonderful offering on BET+.

Everybody, make sure you check it out. Its called Average Joe and it is on BET+. And new episodes drop every Thursday.

Learn more about Average Joe, from the clip above, and tune into theGrio with Marc Lamont Hill every weeknight at 7 pm ET on theGrio cable channel.

The post Watch: Tammy Townsend talks about her new show, Average Joe appeared first on TheGrio.
In Canada's British Columbia (BC), a senior Sikh leader was savagely assassinated last month in front of a temple. His death angered his supporters and heightened tensions between the Indian government and Sikh separatists on a global scale.

Two masked gunmen shot and killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar in his truck on a sweltering June evening in the popular parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, as reported by BBC News.

An Unsolved Murder Still

The unsolved murder is still making waves one month later, both within Canada and beyond. Just last weekend, hundreds of Sikh separatists demonstrated against the Indian government, which they hold accountable for his death, in Toronto and a small number of other places like London, Melbourne, and San Francisco.

(Photo: by SEBASTIEN ST-JEAN/AFP via Getty Images) Jagmeet Singh (Leader of the New Democratic Party) and his wife Gurkiran Kaur arrive for the French debate for the 2019 federal election, the "Face-a-Face 2019" presented in the TVA studios, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on October 2, 2019.

Several groups have long demanded a separate homeland for Sikhs, a religious minority that makes up around 2 percent of India's population. The uproar that followed the 45-year-old's murder has brought this issue to attention.

In Punjab, where the movement peaked in the 1980s, there were numerous violent assaults and fatalities. After the military conducted special operations against it, the movement lost momentum, but its sympathizers in the expatriate community kept up their more persistent appeals for an independent state.

India has vehemently resisted the demand for Khalistan. In Punjab, all major political parties have condemned violence and secession.

Nijjar was a well-known Sikh figure in British Columbia and a fervent supporter of a separate Khalistani state. His backers claim that due to his advocacy, he has previously been the object of threats.

India said he was a terrorist and the leader of a militant separatist organization, claims his supporters say "unfounded".

However, they have labeled the killing as a "targeted incident" despite the fact that Canadian officials have not yet determined a reason for his death or named any suspects.

The greatest Sikh diaspora outside of Punjab is found in Canada. Hundreds demonstrated in Toronto on July 8 in opposition to Mr. Nijjar's passing in front of the High Consulate of India. A modest counter-demonstration in favor of the Indian government was held in response to them.

Hours were spent shouting at each other over barricades, and one pro-Khalistan protester was apprehended after attempting to scale the fence.

Read also: Canada, Saudi Arabia Restore Ties After 5 Years

Indian Diplomats in Canada

Indian diplomats in Canada were called "killers" and the phrase "Kill India" appeared on several event posters in Toronto, infuriating the Indian government, which summoned the Canadian embassy.

The World Sikh Organization of Canada's Balpreet Singh remarked that although the Khalistan movement has experienced a resurrection recently, especially among young people who did not experience the 1980s' violence, it has been mostly peaceful and rather inactive in recent decades.

Related article: Pro-Khalistani Protests: Sikh Leader's Death Sparks Demonstrations in Canada; Will This Strain India's Foreign Ties?

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Protestors gather outside the Attorney General's office to protest its raid on the nation's electoral authority and in favor of the election results that called for a run-off presidential election in Guatemala City, Thursday, July 13, 2023. The Attorney General's Office announced on July 12 that a judge had suspended the legal status of the Seed Movement party, for alleged violations when it gathered the necessary signatures to form. The party's presidential candidate had been set to compete in a runoff election on Aug. 20. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Central America is experiencing a wave of unrest that is remarkable even for a region whose history is riddled with turbulence. The most recent example is political upheaval in Guatemala as the country heads for a runoff presidential election in August.

A look at various events roiling Central American countries:

Guatemala

Guatemala is locked in the most troubled presidential election in the countrys recent history. The first round of elections in June ended with a surprise twist when little known progressive candidate Bernardo Arevalo of the Seed Movement party pulled ahead as a front-runner.

Now headed to an August runoff election with conservative candidate and top vote-getter Sandra Torres, Arevalo has thus far managed to survive judicial attacks and attempts by Guatemalas political establishment to disqualify his party. It comes after other moves by the countrys government to manage the election, including banning several candidates before the first-round vote.

While not entirely unprecedented in a country known for high levels of corruption, American officials call the latest escalation a threat to the countrys democracy.

El Salvador

El Salvador has been radically transformed in the past few years with the entrance of populist millennial President Nayib Bukele. One year ago, Bukele entered an all-out war with the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatruchas, or MS-13, gangs. He suspended constitutional rights and threw 1 in every 100 people in the country into prisons that have fueled allegations of mass human rights abuses.

The sharp dip in violence that followed Bukele's actions, combined with an elaborate propaganda machine, has ignited a pro-Bukele populist fervor across the region, with other governments trying to mimic the Bitcoin-pushing leader.

At the same time, Bukele has announced he will run for reelection in February next year despite the constitution prohibiting it. He has also made moves that observers warn are gradually dismantling the nations democracy.

Nicaragua

President Daniel Ortega is in an all-out crackdown on dissent. For years, regional watchdogs and the U.S. government raised alarms that democracy was eroding under the leader of the Sandinista National Liberation Front. That came to a head in 2018 when Ortegas government began a violent crackdown on protests.

Most recently, Ortega forced hundreds of opposition figures into exile, stripping them of their citizenship, seizing their properties and declaring them traitors of the homeland. Nicaragua has thrown out aid groups such as the Red Cross and a yearslong crackdown on the Catholic Church has forced the Vatican to close its embassy. The tightening chokehold on the country has prompted many Nicaraguans to flee their country and seek asylum in neighboring Costa Rica or the United States.

Honduras

President Xiomara Castro took office last year as the first female president of Honduras, winning on a message of tackling corruption, inequality and poverty. The wife of former President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a military coup, she won a landslide victory.

But her popularity has dipped as many of her promises for change have gone unfulfilled. At the same time, the government has sought to mimic neighboring El Salvador's crackdown on gangs, responding fiercely to a grisly massacre in a womens prison in June.

Costa Rica

Once known as the land of pura vida and mild politics compared to the surrounding region, Costa Rica has seen rising bloodshed that threatens to tarnish the country's reputation as a secure haven. Homicides have soared as the nation has become a base for drug traffickers. President Rodrigo Chavez, who took office last year, has promised more police in the street and tougher laws to take on the uptick in crime.

At the same time, a migratory flight from Nicaragua has overwhelmed the country, which is known as one of the worlds great refuges for people fleeing persecution. The government has since tightened its asylum laws.

Panama

Panama is headed into presidential elections in May, with simmering frustration at economic woes, corruption and insecurity acting as a potential harbinger for change. Any shift could have global significance due to Panamas status as a financial hub.

The nation has also become the epicenter of a steady flow of migration through the perilous jungles of the Darien Gap running along the Colombia-Panama border.

Belize

Belize is often seen as a place of relative calm in a region that is anything but. A former British colony named British Honduras, Belizes government system is still tightly tethered to the country. But Prime Minister Johnny Briceno has sought to distance his nation from the monarchy. The nation is also one of the few in the Americas that maintains formal ties with Taiwan amid a broad effort by China to pull support away from the island country by funneling money into Central America.
The week in politics: Why Nashville's tourism agency is pushing for action on guns

Leaders of Nashvilles prolific tourism bureau are calling for legislative action in response to the attack at The Covenant School in March that left six dead, including three 9-year-old children.

Gov. Bill Lee has pledged to call the legislature back to Nashville in August for a special legislative session to address issues of public safety, while maintaining residents' Second Amendment rights.

The governor has said he plans to push forward with a proposal he unveiled days before the legislature adjourned to allow judges to order individuals' guns to be confiscated if they are found to be a risk to themselves or others  sometimes called "red flag" laws in other states, although Lee insists his proposal is different. Many members of the legislative Republican supermajority have said the governor's proposal will not pass  and some have even asked the governor to call off the special session entirely.

In a statement released Thursday, members of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp's board of directors said they support Lees effort to call the legislature back for a special session focused on public safety in August.

The tragic school shooting that occurred on March 27, 2023, demonstrated that our great state is not immune to the rise in violence being experienced in other communities throughout our country, they said.

The group offered to assist state leaders as they consider policy solutions.

As leaders of the hospitality industry, one of the largest business segments in Tennessee, we feel it is vital to the overall welfare of our communities that state leaders convene and seek solutions that promote public safety, they said. We submit this statement knowing that our voice joins many Tennesseans in support of such a call to action to our state leadership.

Kelsey seeks sentencing delay...again

Former state Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, has asked a federal judge to delay his July 27 sentencing date for 30 days, the latest legal twist in a case Kelsey has dragged out after his original sentencing date in March.

Kelsey has replaced his legal team with Alex Little and Zachary Lawson from Burr & Forman, with Little filing a motion on Wednesday asking the judge for a delay to allow the new lawyers to get up to speed.

Notably, the motion also states new counsel was necessary because of "the deterioration of the attorney-client relationship and the potential of future litigation involving prior counsel."

That prior counsel included two former U.S. attorneys, Jerry Martin and David Rivera, and Paul Bruno, who represented Kelsey when he pleaded guilty to two federal corruption charges last fall.

Days before his March sentencing, Kelsey said he wanted to reverse his plea, arguing he wasn't of sound mind and didn't fully understand the implications of pleading guilty to felony charges.

His effort to claw back his guilty plea failed after a federal judge said he was unconvinced Kelsey, a Georgetown-trained lawyer who spent years crafting legal policy for the state, was unable to grasp the implications of pleading guilty.

House Democrats call for immediate action on Tennessee passenger rail

House Democrats have called on the Lee administration to take immediate action in the wake of a commission urging Tennessee to tap into some federal programs that could aid the state in creating a passenger rail network.

Echoing the recommendations from the commission report, a statement from House Democrats called for the administration to establish a dedicated office for rail and public transportation within the state and submit required data to the Federal Railroad Administration in support of applications previously submitted by local governments in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga.

Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, sponsored the original legislation that commissioned the TACIR study. Tennesseans want to get on board with a robust passenger rail network in our state," he said.

"When you look at the existing Amtrak routes across the United States, there is a gaping void across Tennessee. The TACIR study is clear that the first and most logical step for expanding passenger rail is an Amtrak line from Nashville to Atlanta through Chattanooga. The U.S. infrastructure bill provides a unique opportunity for Tennessee to tap into the $66 billion federal investment in passenger rail.

Lee names nuclear advisory council appointees

Lee announced appointees to a new 15-member state advisory council on nuclear affairs aimed at positioning Tennessee as a national leader for nuclear energy innovation and advancement.

Lee created the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council by executive order in May to make policy and budget recommendations, identify funding opportunities and advise on actions that the state can pursue with federal agencies. Lawmakers approved $50 million in the state budget this year for a new Nuclear Fund.

Tennessee can lead Americas energy independence and deliver continued economic growth with safe, reliable and clean nuclear energy for the future, Lee said in a statement. I am confident that these appointees will use their unique industry expertise to ensure that Tennessee is the top state for nuclear energy companies to invest and succeed, creating quality jobs and greater opportunity for Tennesseans.

Lee appointed his former chief of staff Blake Harris, and former chief counsel Lang Wiseman, alongside representatives from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Valley Authority, University of Tennessee, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Department of Economic and Community Development, and Department of Environment and Conservation.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, appointed Rep. Clark Boyd, R-Lebanon. Lt. Gov. McNally, R-Oak Ridge, appointed Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, in whose district the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is located.

Blackburn, Hagerty call for investigation of Chinese surveillance

U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are calling for the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice to investigate allegations that the Chinese Communist Party is operating service centers in seven cities in the U.S. from which to spy on Chinese American dissidents.

In a letter to Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen and FBI Director Christopher Wray sent Monday, Blackburn and Hagerty along with six other Republican senators, requested an investigation by both agencies.

According to the letter, the CCP has established Overseas Chinese Service Centers housed within nonprofit organizations to coordinate with Chinas police and intelligence agencies. Such service centers have been located in San Francisco, Houston, and Charlotte.

The CCPs intent is clear with its operation of these OCSCs: to intimidate and surveil Chinese Americans with dissenting opinions, the senators wrote.

Senators also cite the Chinese spy balloon shot down by the U.S. Air Force after traveling across the country in February, and two New York City residents charged in April with operating an unauthorized Chinese police outpost in the city.

Taken together, these troubling events demonstrate the need to take serious the real and ongoing threats that China poses to our national security, they wrote.

State officials condemn KKK fliers left at Columbia churches

Several state officials are speaking out after after recruitment flyers for the Old Glory Knights chapter of the Ku Klux Klan were left at three Black churches in Columbia.

Flyers were posted at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, Bethel Chapel AME Church, and Faith United Missionary Baptist Church with a warning to race traitors, mixed breeds, communists, homosexuals, and all other walks of Godless degeneracy.

House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, denounced the group as pure evil.

The KKK is a morally wrong and vile collection of deranged monsters, Faison wrote in a tweet. There is no place in Tennessee for them.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and "Tennessee Attorney Generals Office condemn this un-American intimidation campaign and support our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in protecting the civil rights of all Tennesseans, Skrmettis office wrote in a tweet.

Catch up on the week

Got a question for us?

Got a question about state politics you would like us to tackle? Let us know. Email us at mabrown@tennessean.com, vjones@tennessean.com or statehouse@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: After Nashville school shooting, tourism agency wants action on guns
All are welcome to receive free OTC medicine giveaway in Stanly County

Until 2 p.m. or supplies last, NC MedAssist is giving away over-the-counter medicine for free on Friday.

Anyone is welcome to stop by the EE Waddell Community Center in Albemarle to pick up medicine like Advil, Tylenol, and Tums.

There is no appointment or pre-registration required. Any North Carolina resident is welcome, but there is no ID requirement either.

The only restriction is you must be 18 years or older.

Pre-packaged bags of medications will be available for pickup until supplies last.

READ MORE: Expanded Medicaid to help more people access mental health medication

NC MedAssist is a non-profit mobile pharmacy that provides adults and children in need with free over-the-counter medicine, such as aspirin, childrens cough syrup, allergy medicine, and vitamins.

They will be traveling around the area offering the same services throughout the month:

July 21: Lincoln County, Lincoln County Board-Education, 201 Jeb Seagle Dr.

July 22: Mecklenburg County, Hidden Valley Elementary, 5100 Snow White Ln.

July 28: Cabarrus County, Forest Hill United Methodist Church, 265 Union St North

July 28: Union County, Atrium Health Union, 600 Hospital Dr.

(WATCH: MHA of Central Carolinas holds ribbon-cutting ceremony for free mental health services)
'We were his seat belt': Volunteer EMTs save dad, boy in daring rescue on flooded Appalachian Trail

Two young volunteer EMTs, 20 and 17, spent several terrifying hours Sunday along the Appalachian Trail. They were treating two severely injured hikers, a father and his 10-year-old son. They had no access to advanced life support equipment or paramedics. Roads and trails washed out before their eyes. And they were soaked to the bone.

Allison Spong and Vincent Orfini, volunteer EMTs with Stony Point Ambulance Corps of Stony Point, New York, were intent on supporting their patients and getting them off the Bear Mountain State Park trail. No small task, as torrential rains continued to cause havoc.

"He was a patient who needed care," said Spong, 20, who was assigned to the boy. He was in shock and had extensive bleeding from a head wound. "He was such a small child." She had him use a pain chart with faces that expressed levels of discomfort, and thumbs up and thumbs down, to express his condition. She held his hand almost the entire time.

It wasn't until hours later that Spong and Orfini reflected on what they had endured. Both had been in precarious situations while on the mountain.

Stony Point EMT's Evan Humphrey, left, Allison Spong, and Vincent Orfino helped rescue several hikers off a section of the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain during the rain storm. Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Spong woke up scared Monday morning, knowing what she had been through, even though she hadn't been fearful while in the thick of the storm. She knew that she's trained for tricky rescues. "We were able to figure it out."

The Dominican University nursing student added: "I had a great team around me."

Orfino, who turned 18 just days after the rescue, stayed with his patient, the father, on the side of a slippery, rain-soaked mountain. The 2023 North Rockland High School graduate starts University of New Haven this fall, planning to study fire science. "If I had to do it again, I wouldn't think twice."

What happened that day

The call came in around 3:20 p.m. Sunday, said Evan Humphrey, the ambulance corps' training officer who was incident commander. They went out with eight crew members and three vehicles: Humphrey's personal SUV and two rigs.

Humphrey got to the top of Perkins Memorial Drive first. He realized the gravity of the situation quickly. "Conditions were deteriorating rapidly," said Humphrey. "(Water) was up to the door handle on my car."

But the ambulances were needed at the top of the road. The road was crumbling as the rain came down. Boulders were falling off the mountain.

It appeared that the father and son, Bronx residents on a day hike, had been swept off the trail. The father broke his son's fall, saving the young boy from worse injuries.

The 10-year-old was brought up first, carried for nearly 2 miles in the arms of Thiells Fire Department 2nd Assistant Chief Jeff Kahn.

Spong and EMT Lt. Gianna Punzi took him. The boy was assessed to be in critical condition.

Stony Point Fire Department and the Thiells FD dive team had responded to the Bear Mountain incident.

Then Thiells Fire Department and Orfini headed down to the dad, using a rope system to secure everyone as they climbed. He was in much worse shape; rescuers found him 50-100 feet down the mountain from the trail.

Flash flooding: Flash flooding in Northeast: New York roadways swamped

'We were his seatbelt'

Communication with any injured patient wouldn't be easy under the circumstances, Orfini said, but the father was in shock, had severe injuries consistent with a fall and spoke limited English.

Road conditions worsened. Humphrey had to figure out how to evacuate patients in conditions the ambulance rigs couldn't handle while keeping his EMTS safe.

They decided to truck out the boy on a mattress in the back cab of a state parks police pickup.

Spong went with him. She rode, unrestrained, on a road that was cratering by the minute, holding onto the boy. "We were his seat belt," she said.

Stony Point handed off the boy to Peekskill and Cortlandt first responders, who took him to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

It would take hours to secure the father and get him to transportation before he rain eased. Orfini stuck by his side, working to stabilize him without access to more advanced equipment or a paramedic.

Then they found others needing help

The 10-year-old and father were with four others, all Bronx residents who had come up for a day hike in the nearby state park. The others were uninjured but needed to get to safety.

The rest of the first responders were going to take them out.

Then the crew ran into nine Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. They were fine but were trapped in the park.

The day hikers and thru-hikers were loaded into first responder vehicles that joined a caravan back to Rockland.

Along the way, they came across a Woodbury firetruck and ambulance, along with state police, trying to rescue about 40 people whose vehicles were stranded in flood waters at the Long Mountain Circle. Stony Point and Thiells firefighters donned wetsuits and swift-water gear. The Stony Point EMTs assessed all the families on scene; everyone was relatively fine.

Humphrey, who carries snacks in his vehicle for incident responses, gave out granola bars and Gatorade to the people who had been stranded, some for hours.

Vehicles come to a standstill near a washed-out and flooded portion of the Palisades Parkway just beyond the traffic circle off the Bear Mountain Bridge, Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Orange County, N.Y. Heavy rain spawned extreme flooding in New Yorks Hudson Valley that killed at least one person, swamped roadways and forced road closures on Sunday night, as much of the rest of the Northeast U.S. geared up for a major storm.

The Stony Point and Thiells crews continued the caravan toward home, following a circuitous path to avoid closures: They headed over the Bear Mountain Bridge, up Route 9D into Putnam County, down Route 9 to the Cuomo/Tappan Zee Bridge.

They dropped off the hikers at the West Gate Inn in Nyack, then headed home.

In the end, all hikers accounted for

Meanwhile, as this all went on, the ambulance corps' hometown was flooding. Piermont's dive team headed up to Eccher Park off Lowland Drive to help evacuate two homes nearby.

Haverstraw, Nanuet and Spring Hill Ambulance Corps helped with coverage and supplies.

"We could not have been better supported by our Rockland County neighbors," said SPAC Captain John Waite.

While the Stony Point crews were wading in the water on Bear Mountain, their building on Route 9W flooded. Board and auxiliary members worked to mop up that mess.

The crews that responded to Bear Mountain State Park got back around 10:30 p.m. Cleanup and restocking of their rigs took a couple more hours.

Photos: Extreme flooding in New York's Hudson Valley that left 1 dead, several missing

Waite said all his crew  Humphrey, Spong, Orfini, Tara Bertolino, William Delahanty and Darren Cupo  are volunteers, as are the firefighters that responded, and are highly trained for whatever crisis comes their way.

Stony Point EMT's Evan Humphrey, left, Allison Spong, and Vincent Orfino helped rescue several hikers off a section of the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain during the rain storm. Thursday, July 13, 2023.

The only change Waite foresees for next time: He hopes the corps can get an all-terrain vehicle that's big enough to transport patients in such rough conditions.

Joshua Laird, executive director of the Palisades Interstate Parks Commission, said New York State Police and state park police are the first line of defense in the parks. But local first responders, especially from Stony Point, Fort Montgomery and Tuxedo, are often tapped for emergencies in Harriman and Bear Mountain state parks.

"It was chaotic," Laird said on July 9. "At the end of the storm, hikers were all accounted for. It's a pretty good success story for the coordination."

Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Threads at @nancyrockland.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Daring Appalachian Trail rescue during flooding saves father, son
Cristian Leon is escorted out of the courtroom after being sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual battery at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida on July 14, 2023.

WEST PALM BEACH  Emotions ran high in a West Palm Beach courtroom Friday morning as two young victims of a convicted sexual offender spoke directly to their assailant, unfazed by his threats to hunt them down and kill them once he's released from prison.

The only thing I can say is good luck," said one. "And thanks for the heads-up."

Cristian Leon's defense attorney said the threats werent serious, but itll be decades before Leon has a chance to prove him right. Circuit Judge Jeffrey Gillen sentenced the 26-year-old man to 30 years in prison Friday for sexual battery, ignoring Leon's family's pleas for mercy.

Gillen reminded them of another judge whod shown mercy years earlier after Leon was sentenced to prison for impersonating a police officer, pulling over a young woman and demanding that she show him her breasts. Leon earned a shortened prison sentence by convincing the judge he was remorseful and ready to change  then, prosecutors say, he sexually assaulted two college students two years later.

Gillen noted the utter uselessness of the judge's benevolence and vowed not to repeat it.

Prior conviction: West Palm Beach cop impersonator sentenced to 2 years in prison

Defense attorney Jack Fleischman shows a video to Judge Jeffrey Gillen from a family of Cristian Leon asking the court for leniency in sentencing. Leon was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual battery at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida on July 14, 2023.

The two Palm Beach Atlantic University students whose testimony helped convict Leon were strangers, connected only after investigators noticed remarkable similarities between their stories. Both said they were approached by a stranger downtown who said he needed help getting to Rosemary Square (now The Square), the shopping center a few blocks away.

He caught the first woman, a 21-year-old, as she walked to her car in a parking garage on Nov. 13, 2021. She refused the money he offered but agreed to give him a ride, telling police later that the man, who was short, seemed unremarkable. He'd been kind, even.

At some point during the drive, a switch inside him flipped, she said. She slowed to a stop in front of The Square, but he refused to get out. Instead, she said, he grabbed her by the hair and forced her to perform oral sex until he ejaculated, then fled from the car.

He lured a 19-year-old student down a deserted alleyway with the same story seven days later. Prosecutors said he forced her to perform oral sex, too, ignoring her pleas to stop and telling her not to make a scene.

Her voice shook as she read from a prepared statement Friday. Leon chose them because they were alone, vulnerable and unable to defend themselves, she said. Behind her in the courtroom gallery, Leon's other accuser nodded.

She told Gillen that her body shut down after the attack. She failed her classes and dropped out of school, quit her job, developed an eating disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. What she lost in security, she said she gained in hypervigilance, caution, a best friend: Leon's other accuser.

She finished with a message for Leon.

"The worst thing you can do now is stare me down," she said. "So I'll look you in the eye when I say this: You do not scare me. You do not have power over me."

Leon said nothing, though his own words had dominated the hearing anyway. Prosecutors played recordings of his jailhouse calls over a loudspeaker, his voice petulant as he accused the women of ruining his life. His sister tried to talk over him when he promised to come out of prison "hunting."

These lines are recorded! she said, but he pressed on anyway.

I want revenge. I need my revenge," he said. "I need it. I need it. I need it.

Cristian Leon talks to defense attorney Jack Fleischman before being sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual battery at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida on July 14, 2023.

After the hearing, Assistant State Attorney Mathri Thannikkotu applauded the two women for having the courage to testify. She said she has "no doubt" several victims have been spared because of Leon's conviction.

Leon faced similar accusations a decade ago, when one teen said he forced her to perform oral sex when he was 15. In another case from 2015, he was accused of stalking an ex-girlfriend so intensely that she transferred out of Forest Hill High School, where they briefly dated.

The mother of one of Leon's accusers shared a word of advice before leaving the courtroom Friday: "Be careful of the nice ones."

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Man who sexually assaulted college student walking alone is sentenced
by wildestanimal - Getty Images

When a large marine mammal like a whale dies, its body drifts to the ocean floor in a process known as whale fall.

For more than a decade, a succession of sea creatures will live off of the whales body by stripping it and burrowing into the bones to find nutrients.

In a new video by the Ocean Exploration Trust, scientists return to a whale fall off the coast of British Columbia for the third time in a decade to glimpse the life still clinging to a whales decomposing skeleton.

We all know about the circle of life (cue The Lion King music), but understanding the life-and-death engine that fuels the Earth and actually seeing it in action are two very different things.

In 2009, researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discovered (what is likely) the 16-foot-long carcass of a gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) decomposing at the bottom of the Clayoquot Slope off the coast of British Columbia. The biological journey of a dead whales body to its deep sea resting placea process known as whale fallis vital for the survival of the creatures who live in these food-poor regions of the ocean.

The whales decomposing body is located at what is called the Clayoquot Slope Bullseye site, where Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) scientists monitor methane gas escaping the seafloor. In 2012 and 2020, ONC scientists took brief detours to revisited the sitelocated some 4,100 feet below the oceans surfaceto document the growing sea community living among the whales skeleton.

ONC, along with Ocean Exploration Trusts (OET) EV Nautilus, returned to the site in 2023 to find the skeleton still teeming with life nearly 15 years after the carcass was discovered on the seafloor. Thankfully, they uploaded footage of their incredible discovery to YouTube.

The skeleton supports a rich benthic fauna (organisms that live near the seafloor), including many invertebrates and a few fish species, such as Cocculina craigsmithi (gastropod), Mitrella (Astyris) permodesta (bucinoid gastropod), Ilyarachna profunda (isopod), Paralomis multispina (crab), Coryphaenoides acrolepis (rattail fish), and Lamellibrachia cf. barhami (tube worms), OET writes in a blog post about the recent expedition. These tube worms, likely the same individuals seen in 2009, are still making a home on the left jaw bone of the whale, which is remarkable.

A whales body decomposes in three stages Mobile Scavenger, Enrichment Opportunist, and Sulfophilicand each stage provides its own benefits to a succession of deep sea creatures.

In 2019, for example, scientists from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary discovered a fresh whale fall containing eelpouts stripping the skeleton of blubber while also providing sustenance for deep sea octopuses during the Mobile Scavenger stage. Eventually, burrowing creatures will move in during the Enrichment Opportunist stage until bacteria break down the bones and converts the embedded lipids into sulfur during the final Sulfophilic stage.

This years expedition, which also conducted a photogrammetry survey, will add to the existing data from previous journeys to the site and provide marine biologists with an incredible dataset detailing the entire life-supporting cycle of whale falls.

In the depths of the ocean, as well as in every other ecosystem across the world, death is a beginning. After all, a circle has no end.

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It has been more than five months since the Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina. Since then, the FBI has been the main government agency looking into the espionage device. Other agencies, including the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon, are assisting with that probe.

Defense officials recently said the balloon did not collect information in real time as it flew across the U.S.

"We were aware that it had intelligence collection capabilities," Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said. "We also took steps to mitigate the potential collection efforts of that balloon."

A senior Pentagon source told Fox News the device held specialized Chinese sensors. It also contained publicly available American-made equipment. The U.S. has export controls in place to prevent China from accessing its more sensitive technology.

US NAVY RECOVERS SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF CHINESE SPY BALLOON OFF SOUTH CAROLINA, DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS

A U.S. Air Force pilot looks down at the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovered over the central continental United States Feb. 3, 2023.

"The (People's Republic of China) officials continue to object quite strongly to the export controls that we have imposed to prevent the transfer of sensitive U.S. technology to China," State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said. "We're not going to allow you to take U.S. technology and use it against us."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Defense Intelligence Agency has been examining the military-related equipment within the device. The DIA told Fox News its analysis is still ongoing. It also pointed us to its report on Chinas military power, which notes that Chinas military equipment is "primarily domestic systems heavily influenced by technology derived from other countries."

President Biden told reporters in June that China may not have been fully aware of the spy balloons whereabouts.

"I think it was more embarrassing than it was intentional," President Biden said. "I don't think the leadership knew where it was, knew what it was in it and what was going on."

Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing the country's economic and social development at a political gathering in Beijing.

The DIA report also details Chinas investment in developing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and how it uses those devices to deceive its adversaries.

According to the document, "The (People's Liberation Army) uses military deception to reduce the effectiveness of adversaries reconnaissance and to deceive adversaries about the PLAs warfighting intentions, actions, or major targets."

CHINA CONFIRMS BALLOON IS THEIRS, AS SPOKESPERSON CLAIMS IT IS CIVILIAN RESEARCH AIRSHIP

The DIA often makes certain reports public that explain how adversaries spy on the U.S. The Wall Street Journal reported the agency was among other parts of the military that supported displaying the balloon debris publicly. Biden administration officials have pushed back on any public release.

"I wouldn't expect that we're going to lay all that out for the public. This was an espionage piece of equipment. And we want to get a better handle on it, understand it for our own national security purposes," National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby told reporters in May.

President Biden speaks about the United States' response to the high-altitude Chinese spy balloon and three other unidentified objects that were recently shot down by the U.S. military over American and Canadian airspace Feb. 16, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

The State Department deferred to the FBI for any public release. When asked for an update to its investigation, the FBI responded with Director Christopher Wrays comments from his February Fox News interview and said it had nothing else to add.

"Our technical folks, our lab folks, our counterintelligence folks who specialize in Chinese spying are working hand in hand with our military and other government partners to analyze all the debris. And that work is ongoing," Wray said in that interview. "This balloon thing is just one piece of a much broader threat."

AFTER CHINESE BALLOON ENTERS US AIRSPACE, BIDEN SECRETARY OF STATE POSTPONES TRIP TO CHINA

The FBI had no updates on the three smaller objects shot down over Alaska, Lake Huron and Canadas Yukon Territory. Officials initially suspected they were likely research or recreational balloons. Search efforts for those ended soon after they began as U.S. and Canadian authorities announced that no debris was located.

"What looks embarrassing is that we shot down some toys, it seems," Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Sen Ted Budd, R-N.C., are hoping to pass legislation that would mandate tracking systems for high-altitude weather and research balloons.

"The problem we face right now is, weather balloons, kids science experiments, universities have put up science payloads," Kelly said. "We're going to have a way where we can identify it and track it because there's enough of these things that we can't be scrambling an F-22 to potentially shoot it down on a weekly basis."

Congress has also pledged to hold China accountable and is questioning why the U.S. government didnt detect the objects sooner. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently met with Chinese officials in Beijing. His initial trip had been canceled over the spy balloon incident. He told NBC News relations with China have since stabilized so long as its spy balloons stay grounded.

U.S. forces haul debris from China's surveillance balloon onto a boat off the coast of South Carolina.

"We did what we needed to do to protect our interests," Blinken said. "We said what we needed to say and made clear what we needed to make clear in terms of this not happening again. And, so, as long as it doesn't, that chapter should be closed."

Some lawmakers want to keep that book open and have grown frustrated with the lack of information provided by the Biden administration.

"There are a lot of questions left unanswered," Wicker said. "What does it say about our preparedness? What does it say about how seriously we take threats from China?"
Official portrait of Adolf Hitler (left). Clark Gable with 8th AF in Britain, ILN 1943/06/12. (Public domain)

We all have our celebrity crushes; no one is immune, even maniacal dictators. Libyan dictator Muammar Gadhafi had a huge crush on former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Osama bin Laden loved himself some Whitney Houston. Kim Jong Un had a love affair with Swiss cheese. So it should be no surprise that Adolf Hitler had a thing for Clark Gable.

Actually, it should be no surprise for anyone to have a thing for Clark Gable, even though the actor died in 1960. The German Fuhrer took it to a whole new level; even amid a war where he was fighting for the survival of his Third Reich, he prioritized the actor above a lot of other things  probably too many things.

Adolf Hitler was bizarrely obsessed with many, seemingly strange and disparate things. He rose to power over his obsession with a theory that a conspiracy of Bolsheviks and Jewish people worldwide caused the collapse of Germany during and after World War I. He became obsessed with the occult later on and spent his entire life obsessed with the adventure novels of Karl May. Adding in what we know about the dictators future drug use, its safe to say he had an addictive personality.

Publicity photo of Clark Gable, circa 1940.

By the time Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Clark Gable had made dozens of films but was only just beginning to see success in his acting career. By the time Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, Gable was a bona fide Hollywood star and Hitler was the most reviled man on Earth. In 1940, Gable starred in Gone With the Wind while Hitler conquered France. Somewhere along the way, the Fuhrer became enamored by Gable, according to Gable biographer Warren Harris.

Its safe to say the actor didnt return the dictators feelings. After the United States was pushed into the war, Gable joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. The USAAFs commanding general, Gen. Henry Hap Arnold, offered to give Gable a cushy wartime job of making movies for the service, but Gable wasnt interested. After basic training, the actor pursued officer candidate school so he could become an aerial gunner aboard bombers.

By October 1942, Gable was a 2nd Lt. Clark Gable. Arnold still wanted a recruiting movie, however, and ordered that his new lieutenant make a film that would recruit more aerial gunners. He did as ordered, leading a six-person motion picture unit, but once the unit was sent to England in 1943, Gable began flying combat missions. He even flew one over Germany that same year.

Despite Clark Gables steadfast determination to bomb his country and end his rule, Hitler was still known to favor the American actor over all others, including those who worked on German films. Throughout World War II, Hitler offered a large cash reward to anyone who could capture Gable and bring him to the Fuhrer unharmed. Obviously, that never happened.

Gable would return stateside in November 1943, where he began to edit the film he shot on the front lines of the war. That would eventually be released as 1944s Combat America. He hoped to see more combat, but that would also never happen. He was discharged from active duty in 1944 and by 1947, was too busy with his Hollywood work to fulfill his duties in the reserve.

When all was said and done, Clark Gable had received the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal, the American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Hitler ended the war by taking his own life before the Red Army could do it for him.
Why the Guatemalan-Maya Center's new home in Lake Worth Beach comes at a critical time

LAKE WORTH BEACH  The Guatemalan-Maya Center, a pillar in the Lake Worth Beach community and a resource to thousands of people in Palm Beach County, was long overdue for an expansion after working for decades out of a small warehouse on North G Street.

The main floor  a narrow space with concrete flooring and a large roll-up door, perfect for storage or perhaps auto repair  became a spot for community meetings, food drives and pop-up health clinics. Employees even used a hallway in the industrial building as a makeshift office, said Mariana Blanco, the assistant executive director.

They made do, but it was clear the center could use more space to better serve Maya families, who were displaced by the decades-long genocide in Guatemala, and to serve all other refugees, migrants and farm workers in the county.

The center finally got that long-awaited space this month, signing a five-year lease and moving about two dozen employees into 1776 Lake Worth Road  a two-story building known as Independence Hall.

Volunteer Amni Sanchez, right, Greenacres, answers phone calls at the new office space of the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth Beach, Fla., on July 11, 2023.

The new building offers a chance to expand on a mission that started more than 40 years ago, when Father Frank O'Loughlin served Maya refugees in Indiantown, a farming community in Martin County. He helped to process asylum claims and taught families how to advocate for themselves.

Then he founded the center in Palm Beach County, connecting mothers with prenatal care and, over time, helping nearly a million people with special agricultural work visas.

Though his mission started with the Maya, the center became a place for all people. And these days, the Guatemalan-Maya Center tries to help with any number of issues, no matter how unique the circumstance, said Father Frank, the executive director.

"That's the objective," he said. "We really have no program for them. We just accompany them."

Guatemalan-Maya Center's mission is helping Palm Beach County immigrants

Every corner of the building was buzzing with activity on Tuesday afternoon. Outreach staff called on families in the new waiting room, often doing translations  or cultural interpretation, as Father Frank likes to say  in the Mayan languages of Popti, Mam and Akateko.

The center offers family reunification, legal and medical referrals, financial assistance, document reading and appointment scheduling with immigration officials, just to name a few of its offerings.

Across the hall, the beginnings of a medical clinic began to take shape. The center now has enough space to offer its own in-house physician, along with separate rooms for privacy, something they could only dream of in the old warehouse.

A group of volunteers prepared food for pick-up and delivery in the back of the new building. Twice a week, they prepare meat, greens and healthy snacks starting at 8 a.m. and continuing until everything is gone.

NEW IMMIGRATION LAW: Residents oppose Florida's new laws with a day of 'joyful resistance' in West Palm Beach

Nearby, a room with tables and chairs sat ready for the next community meeting. The Guatemalan-Maya Center holds classes for new mothers, along with know-your-rights classes for the broader community.

And the centers literacy program for children ages 2 to 4, a program funded by the Childrens Services Council, enjoyed newfound space on the second floor of the building.

New building helps Palm Beach County families face new law in Florida

The building, formerly occupied by Capscare Academy for Health Care Education until 2020, when the pandemic started, now offers the Guatemalan-Maya Center about 6,400 square feet of space  more than double what it had before.

Leaders at the center say the move came at a crucial time in Florida, where a new immigration law went into effect July 1. Among other things, the law targets undocumented immigrants by:

Making it a felony to bring undocumented immigrants into the state.

Assigning millions of dollars to Gov. Ron DeSantis migrant relocation efforts.

Pushing private employers with 25 or more employees to use an online system thats maintained by the federal government and used to verify whether someone is eligible to work in the U.S.

Requiring hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask for a patients immigration status. Although hospitals still have a duty to provide care, the provision has stoked fear and confusion.

Blanco said the center is now helping families to prepare for the worst-case-scenario of deportation. Is their childs U.S. passport up to date? Do they have a power of attorney in place, ensuring their most valuable assets are in the hands of someone trustworthy?

PROTESTS: As Florida law sparks immigration protests, Trump, other businesses bid for foreign workers

Planning ahead, she said, can help to ease fears while the center continues to provide a safe place for anyone in need, as they await the outcome of legal challenges to Florida's new law.

Weve always known that being undocumented in this country is a risk, Blanco said. Theres always that risk of deportation, but do you have a plan with your family? You dont need to quit your job. You dont need to leave your life, have your kid withdrawn from school and flee again, going through that cycle of trauma.

WHAT ARE THE NEW LAWS: Controversial new laws set off First of July political fireworks in Florida

Giuseppe Sabella is a reporter covering Boynton Beach and Lake Worth Beach at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at gsabella@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism and subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Immigration laws: Guatemalan-Maya Center has new Lake Worth Beach home
REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

Since his May 10 indictment, Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has brought in a surprising amount of moneyabout $133,000, according to his new campaign finance reportbut whats more interesting than Santos just raising money is whos been donating to him and why.

The short answer? It may have something to do with Guo Wengui, the self-proclaimed billionaire who defected from China and is now an enthusiastic supporter of American right-wing causes.

The vast majority of Santos fundraising haula total of $101,861rolled in over the course of just three days, between May 20 and May 22. All of those donors had Chinese surnames, almost all of them contributed the maximum allowable amount of $3,300, and 26 of them had never given to Santos previously, according to Federal Election Commission data. For 14 of those donors, it was their first political contribution ever.

On June 23, that same pattern returned, this time to the tune of $24,100, all from donors who had never given to him previously. And the bulk of that cash, it turns out, went right back into Santos personal pocket.

Feds Say They Have 80,000 Pages of Evidence Against George Santos

In all, Santos received $125,961 from those donors. About $66,000 of that amount came from donors who had never given to any federal committee before, and more than $50,000 came from first-time Santos donors. Of all his donors this quarter, only five had given to him previouslyaccounting for just $157 of his $133,000 haul.

The Daily Beast attempted to contact nearly all of these donors. Almost every number associated with these donors had an automated voice message. One woman picked up but quickly hung up after saying she didnt speak English.

There was, however, one Santos donor who told The Daily Beast why they had given to the embattled congressman. The donor pointed to legislation Santos had sponsored, specifically a bill introduced to support Guo Wengui, the self-identifying Chinese Communist Party dissident who was recently brought up on federal charges related to a $1 billion fraud scheme.

Santos has leant vocal support to Guo in recent months, and has sponsored a total of 11 bills targeting the CCP over the course of his brief tenure in Congress, all of which were introduced after Guos arrest in March,

He is working on the direction that I believe will benefit United State of America and the world, this donor told The Daily Beast. So when he asked to chip in, I chip in.

I support him because he is not a talker, the donor texted. He did what he promised. He said he will propose a #FreeMilesGuo bill, he actually did it. The donor, who appears in prior FEC records, said that while he had supported other candidates based on their promises, he had been disappointed every time.

You can find the info you need on GETTR, the donor added.

A search for George Santos on GETTR returned top results that were almost entirely related to his support for Guo. Santos pinned post on his own GETTR profile has a link to his online WinRed donation page. It has more than 600 likes and has been shared more than 320 times.

When The Daily Beast contacted Santos about the donations, he said, when you see a cluster of donation [sic] of a similar amount its safe to assume its a fundraiser that took place.

Thats the extent of my comments to you, Santos wrote in a separate text message. Best of luck writing your hit piece.

USA-CONGRESS/SANTOS REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

Santos did not answer additional questions about when this purported fundraiser would have taken place or the circumstances that would have brought together a collection of donors from across the country.

Brendan Fischer, a campaign finance law expert at Documented, told The Daily Beast that the clustered names and dates do indeed suggest a coordinated fundraising push.

It certainly appears like there was some kind of organized fundraising effort for Santos, Fischer said. He observed that a large amount of that money went to pay down Santos personal loans.

Many of those donors marked their occupation as retired. Some, however, listed occupations that arent characteristic of big donors.

The fact pattern might raise red flags with prosecutors investigating Santos financial statements, according to campaign finance specialist Brett Kappel at Harmon Curran.

This filing would raise red flags with the lawyers running the Santos investigation in the Eastern District of New York, Kappel told The Daily Beast, adding that many donors listed occupations that seem to be incompatible with the size of their reported contributions, such as a part-time cashier, a housewife, and multiple college students.

Its unusual for students to make any reportable contributions, much less the largest permissible contribution, he said.

In May, federal prosecutors charged Santos with wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making materially false statements to Congressthe body that is also currently investigating his finances, criminal history, and statements about his past.

The spending side is also markedly different.

George Santos Mysterious Campaign Loans Somehow Get Even More Mysterious

Santos, whose wastefulness has drawn FEC complaints alleging that he used campaign funds for illegitimate personal expenses, appears to have tightened his belt. The committee reported about $104,000 in disbursements over the last three months, the bulk of it for an $85,000 payment to Santos himself, reimbursing a slice of a $215,000 personal loan from last September. Its his first such repayment in years.

The rest of the expenses were divided up in comparatively small amounts. About $2,300 went to Dallas-based Cobra Legal Solutions on June 16, for legal work. Cobra, howevera leading legal operations outsourcing provider, according to a 2022 press releasehad rebranded a month before that payment, as Purpose Legal.

The campaign also doled out $3,500 to its new treasurer, Jason Boles, a professional political accountant who runs the books for more than 50 active committees, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). The committee spent a total $375 for internet services, with another $1,527.31 reported as a reimbursement to a man named Matheus Ting, at a New York City address. The FEC database shows no prior records of any Santos receipts or expenses involving Ting.

A handful of paymentsto United Airlines and The Line Hotel in D.C.were backdated from February. Its not clear why they didnt appear on the campaigns previous report. About half of those disbursements came when the campaign had been without a treasurer for more than 10 days and could not legally raise or spend money, according to federal regulations.

Another Santos mystery also got even more mysterioushis personal loans to his campaign.

What Happened to Santos Campaign Cash Donations?

The amounts, dates, and sources of those loans have been inconsistent all year. This filing shows that they have changed yet again, with $185,000 in previously reported loans seeming to disappear altogether.

The campaigns report for the end of 2022 showed that the self-declared millionaire had loaned his campaign a total $755,000 over the 2022 cycle. In April, the campaign knocked that total down to $715,000, with no explanation. Now, his personal loans total just $530,000.

The dates are also different. Where the loans were previously scattered across the 2022 calendar year, theyre now all concentrated in the two months before the November election. Its unclear how this can be reconciled with the statements in his prior 2022 reports showing how much the campaign had in the bank after the loans.

Its possible that the totals are the result of Santos acquiring an experienced treasurer. Before Boles took over last month, the campaign listed a treasurer named Andrew Olson, who had never run a federal committee previously and doesnt appear to even exist, as alleged in an FEC complaint from good government group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

If this professional treasurer went into the books, maybe they finally got this right, Fischer said. But like any Santos issue, its hard to know whats going on.

Ursula Perano, Tracy Connor, and Matt Fuller contributed to this report.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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President Joe Biden stated on Thursday that he intends to pursue a prisoner exchange for a Wall Street Journal correspondent detained in Russia for more than 100 days.

The Kremlin indicated earlier this month that it was amenable to a potential prisoner exchange involving Evan Gershkovich, but emphasized that such discussions must be conducted in private.

Biden Expected to Seek Evan Gershkovich's Release

Biden made it plain during a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, that the United States is intrigued. Biden, who was concluding a five-day trip to Europe that included stops in the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and Finland, declared, "I am serious about a prisoner exchange."

While on a reporting journey in the city of Yekaterinburg, Gershkovich was detained for espionage. He is being detained at the notoriously brutal Lefortovo prison in Moscow. A Moscow court recently affirmed a decision to detain him until August 30, as per AP News.

Gershkovich and his employer have denied the allegations, and the US government has deemed his detention to be unlawful. His arrest shook Russian journalists. The allegations of espionage have not been supported by any evidence provided by the local authorities.

Last week, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser for the White House, verified that there have been "discussions" between the two parties, but he cautioned that there is no "clear path" to Gershkovich's liberation.

Per CBS News, the United States has designated the March arrest of Gershkovich on espionage allegations as "wrongful detention." Gershkovich and his employer have categorically denied the allegations, which Russia has not supported with evidence.

Read Also: 78 Whales Killed in Front of Horrified Cruise Ship Passengers in Faroe Islands

US-Russia Prisoner Exchange

The top spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the beginning of July that the US and Russia had discussed the possibility of a prisoner transfer involving Gershkovich. However, he stated that no negotiations should be made public.

On Friday, Sullivan stated, "These discussions have not generated a clear path to a resolution, so I cannot stand here and tell you that we have a clear answer as to how Evan will return home."

The United States is also pursuing the release of Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia since December 2018 and is currently serving a 16-year sentence. The United States considers him to be unlawfully detained.

Danielle, Gershkovich's sister, stated on Thursday at the National Press Club that her family is attempting to remain resilient.

Since his detention, Gershkovich's parents, who escaped the Soviet Union in 1979, have traveled to Russia twice to briefly visit him before his court proceedings. Once per week, according to Danielle Gershkovich, she receives letters from her sibling.

Related Article: North Korea Makes Rare Move, Defends Recent Missile Test at UN Security Council Meeting

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
What is this, an embassy for ants?

On July 12, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) announced that it wants a new way to make photorealistic virtual models. The organizations mission is researching and developing new tools for intelligence agencies, like the CIA and the FBI, as well as others through the US government and the Department of Defense. Intelligence is the profession of finding useful, actionable information, and the new project on virtual renderings is a way to ensure that when people on the ground are sent to a building theyve never visited before, they can find all the right side doors in.

Spy thrillers make it seem like government agencies have access to perfect information about the world, from the panopticon of 1998s Enemy of the State through the superhumanly perceptive agencies of the 2000s Bourne trilogy to the all-knowing and all-powerful AI Entity of 2023s Mission: Impossible. Intelligence agencies guard knowledge of what they can and cannot do so as to not dispel that notion. This request, for a tool to create useful, 3D virtual models, suggests that movie scenes where an agent enhances a camera view until its a perfect life-size picture remain the stuff of fiction.

What IARPA wants help with, in brief, is the ability to give people, like soldiers or first responders, an explorable 3D map of a place made from real imagery, rather than a 2D depiction of the place.

The organization calls the initiative WRIVA. The Walk-through Rendering from Images of Varying Altitude (WRIVA) program seeks to produce innovations that will advance 3-D site modelling capabilities far beyond todays state of the art, giving personnel virtual ground truth with unrivaled insights into locations that would be difficult, if not impossible, to view, reads the announcement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Modeling in this instance conjures to mind specific renderings of locations made by computer software, which is the intent, but its worth considering how recently the models procured by the CIA were literal, physical models, with parts that might accompany an electric train set or a hobbyist wargame.

In support of the raid that resulted in the death of Usama Bin Ladin, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) modelers built Abbottabad Compound 1 Model, notes the CIAs description of the 1:84 scale model. Before Navy SEAL Team 6 went on the May 2011 raid, they used this model, where 1 inch matches 7 feet of the compound, to understand the compound and its surroundings. The CIA continues, This model was used to brief President Obama, who approved the raid on the compound.

The compound was under surveillance for a long time, and had the virtue of housing an occupant who was unlikely to leave. That allowed surveillance images to be collected for building the model, to ensure the SEALs found the highest profile target in the War on Terror. Not content with merely a miniature model, the SEALs also rehearsed the raid in a life-size mock-up of the compound in North Carolina.

WRIVA wants to offer that kind of detail and clarity, without the painstaking work of physical modeling, thus expanding who gets access to such walkthroughs.

Imagine if the Intelligence Community (IC), law enforcement, first responders, military, and aid workers could virtually drop into a location and familiarize themselves before their feet even hit the ground, reads the announcement.

In cases like the Abbottabad raid, where the mission was specifically about sending armed special operations forces into danger, knowing the external layout of a building and its surroundings allowed the raiders to move through the exterior parts of the compound with some familiarity. In rescue work, being able to pull up the outside of a building could give first responders en route a way to search for entrances and features familiar to locals but unknown to new arrivals.

DARPA, which tackles blue sky technological development for the military and is a type of cousin to IARPA, has explored development in a similar lane with its subterranean challenge. In this competition, competitors built robots that could go inside and map out buildings, creating useful tools for any humans that follow. This has immediate implications for rescue work, and also can be easily adapted to military use, where a robot explores a dangerous cave possibly filled by armed enemies, before any soldier is put at risk.

With IARPAs project, its the observable outsides of buildings that become fodder for virtual model making. The announcement says the goal is to make photorealistic virtual models using satellite, ground-level, and other available imagery. (While IAPRA did not mention artificial intelligence in its announcement, the companies named as leads include Blue Halo and Raytheon, which have experience working with AI, which could be one way to tackle this problem.) The trio of satellite, ground level, and other available imagery sounds a lot like the methods used by open-source analysts to try and identify the location of videos and events in publicly available photography. With access to the resources on hand across the US intelligence community, what can be done in open source should be seen as just the beginning, not the end state, of what IARPA is asking companies to do.
A line of Portland police officers stands with batons in hand during a protest at the Portland Police Association's union building on June 30, 2020.

A line of Portland police officers stands with batons in hand during a protest at the Portland Police Association's union building on June 30, 2020.

A Portland, Oregon, police officer issued a public video apology to a woman he assaulted with a baton during a protest amid the racial reckoning that arose during the summer of 2020.

Teri Jacobs, a photojournalist, was working at a protest that went awry in Portland on Aug. 18, 2020. When police ordered that the crowd disperse, Jacobs, who identified herself as a member of the press, said she was trying to help a friend when an officer named Corey Budworth began to hit her repeatedly with a baton on the head, neck and back. Jacobs said she went to the hospital the next day with bruises on her face and bumps on her head.

A month later, Jacobs sued the city of Portland and was subsequently awarded $50,000 to settle the case.

Budworth, who joined the Portland Police Bureau in 2016, was indicted on a fourth-degree assault charge on June 15, 2021.

The police union put out a statement that day calling Budworths indictment a politically driven charging decision, painting Jacobs as someone engaged in unlawful activities and Budworth as a committed public servant of the highest integrity. In solidarity with Budworth, the entire Rapid Response Team, which responded to protests, resigned from the unit.

Two years later, Jacobs and Budworth came to a new agreement: They would each participate in a restorative justice program managed by the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office.

Restorative justice works as a stark alternative to the default U.S. criminal justice system, which regards being punitive as justice. Restorative justice seeks to involve both the victim and the person who caused harm in a rehabilitation process.

In this case, Jacobs had a series of conversations with independent facilitators to prepare her to engage in conversation with Budworth. This week, the officer issued a public video apology to Jacobs in exchange for his misdemeanor charge being dropped.

This is a video you wont often see. A public apology from a Portland Police Bureau Officer for beating our client Teri Jacobs at a protest in August 2020. This video came out of a restorative justice process that Ms. Jacobs and Officer Corey Budworth have participated in. pic.twitter.com/9Zf0NUfO4Q  Oregon Justice Resource Center (@OJRCenter) July 11, 2023

I acknowledge the physical and emotional harm my actions caused, and I am committed to ensure that I do not cause that kind of harm moving forward, Budworth said in the video. During my reflection of the evening, the force used against Ms. Jacobs could have been avoided, and Im sorry, Ms. Jacobs.

He added: I understand the harm that was caused was not limited to Ms. Jacobs and was felt by others in the community when there was a great distrust of law enforcement, he said.

The response on social media was mixed. Some criticized the video of Budworths apology, arguing that he had this opportunity only because hes a police officer instead of a civilian. Others said his apology seemed scripted and therefore inauthentic.

The charge against Budworth was dropped last week, according to KGW-TV in Portland.

HuffPost spoke to Teri Jacobs about the apology video, restorative justice and the altercation that started the chain of events.

(This interview has been altered for clarity and brevity.)

Can you talk to me a bit about your experience the day Officer Budworth assaulted you and what the process moving forward has been like for you?

As you know, I was not part of the protest, but I was photographing the protest. And, well, it was really the experience of getting knocked around and hit in the head multiple times, pushed down, that was really scary.

I just remember after he knocked me to the ground and I was kind of flying headfirst down into the pavement, I had on a full-face gas mask respirator, but my nose pressed up against the respirator as it was on the concrete. So my face was pretty much pressed up against the ground. And that was extremely scary. All I could think of was George Floyd being face down on the ground. And I knew that I needed to get myself off the ground as quickly as possible because that is the worst position you could possibly be in  especially when its a police officer whos doing this to you.

Im a very small person in stature. Im 5 foot 2 inches and 110 pounds. So having all these large people above me, I really didnt really know what was happening.

When I got home, I looked like I had just been in a fight or something. My face was all bruised and puffy.

A Black Lives Matter protester burns a sign outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse on July 21, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. Protests spread across the country after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020.

A Black Lives Matter protester burns a sign outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse on July 21, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. Protests spread across the country after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020.

And what was the emotional healing process after that?

I was very angry about it. Never been in a fight, Im a rule follower, but obviously I do the right thing and I stand up for whats right, and I was trying to help my friend in that moment.

And so I just had a lot, I already had anger towards the cops, and this just exacerbated it tenfold, and it kind of lit a fire underneath me.

Are you satisfied with the officers response? If so, would you recommend that other instances be resolved this way? If not, is there anything you wish could have been done here or suggestions for future instances?

It was pretty frustrating. And it was a long process. There were two facilitators that I met with, and we talked about what I wanted to convey, what I wanted to hear from Budworth or what I was willing to hear. But then that doesnt really prepare you for actually meeting this person that attacked you on the streets.

I had the mindset that was he was going to really hear what I was saying and he was going to feel really awful and he would really understand my point of view. And that wasnt really the case.

He listened to me, but he is a police officer, and it was hard for him to understand where I was coming from. For everyone who was protesting, everyone thats been attacked by the police, I hoped that he would apologize for the whole police force. But he didnt really see it that way.

I guess I just have a lot of anger towards not just him, but all the police.

So we met over Zoom and spoke. The second time we met was not the greatest.

After I spoke to him, I realized that he wasnt going to really see my side, or he wasnt ever going to be able to understand where I was coming from. Then I kind of decided that I didnt really want to talk to him anymore one-on-one and I just wanted a public apology to be the end of it. And that was something he was willing to do.

The restorative justice process really enables the victim to set the pace and basically decide what I need in order to feel like justice is served. It was really up to me, within reason, but I got to decide what was important to me.

I think that this model can be used as a way to keep people out of prison. And I hope that it is used and that people are willing to trust this process. But if he was not willing to do that [a public video apology], then the charges wouldve been reinstated and we wouldve gone to trial and then the traditional process would have been kicked back into gear.

The hope is that the perpetrator is going to grow and learn from that conversation with the person that they harmed and make changes.

Budworth was charged with fourth-degree assault after that day, leading to the resignation of the entire 50-member Rapid Response Team. You were awarded a $50,000 settlement from the city of Portland. And recently his charge has been dropped following the restorative justice process. In watching everything play out, is this what you would have expected to follow? How do you feel about the chain of events?

When this incident happened to me, I sent a public letter to the mayor asking him to condemn Officer Budworth since he was so adamant about condemning all of the violent criminals that are on the streets. And he never responded or would not publicly say anything.

And then the president of the PPA [Portland Police Association] at the time made a statement after Budworth was charged and the Rapid Response Team all quit, calling Budworth an excellent police officer and Teri Jacobs is a criminal.

Now that Budworth had admitted that he was wrong, I expected to hear a response from the mayor and from the police union going back on the things they said.

And then it took some time to do this restorative justice process, but I felt like this process could have more meaning. I dont think he was going to ever face prison time, but he wouldve had a misdemeanor charge attached to his name. But hopefully, with this process, he at least got to hear my perspective on how his actions affected me. And he has the opportunity to grow and change from that rather than, say, if he was sent to prison for, even if it was just for a couple of days, Im sure there would be no growth. I mean, people get more angry and more violent when theyre in prison.

A Portland police officer uses tear gas as people gather to protest police brutality near the federal courthouse on Dec. 31, 2020.

A Portland police officer uses tear gas as people gather to protest police brutality near the federal courthouse on Dec. 31, 2020.

What are your thoughts on the apology video itself? Do you feel like it accurately reflected your conversations with Officer Budworth and what you each got out of the process?

I was actually very happily surprised with his tone and with the words that he chose to say because during our conversations he was a lot more defensive. And I didnt quite feel like he truly apologized. I mean, he did say the words, but I think it was probably hard for him to just apologize and take ownership without making excuses.

So, yeah, Im happy with the video. I feel like it was probably not easy for him to make that video.

What are your thoughts on the social media criticism that came with the video? Some users wrote that it seemed that he was only offered this form of justice because he was a cop instead of a civilian. Others said it seemed disingenuous or scripted and spoke in favor of transformative justice instead.

There were definitely many points that I needed him to say for me to feel like it was what I needed. I wrote out a list of the things that I needed from him, because I think that if he didnt mention the things that he did, then I would not have felt good about it. And if I did not feel good about it, then the process would not have been complete and his charges would not have been dropped. So obviously it was scripted.

And he is a cop, and I think if he did have the charge against him, he would still be able to be a cop. He wouldnt lose the job for having a misdemeanor. And I dont think he wouldnt have done prison time or jail time or anything.

I thought that because it was such a public case, people could see this public case being played out with a police officer. And maybe because they said it was good enough for a cop, maybe they would be more willing to agree to have this same process with someone else.

As Budworth brought up in his apology video, your story is intertwined with the movement calling for police abolition, defunding the police and protecting Black lives and the numerous 2020 protests. How does restorative justice fit into the abolition or defunding of police and bringing community healing?

Well, if we want to get rid of prisons, then we need other forms of justice. And people do harm, so this is a model I hope will be used to keep people out of prison and to give people the opportunity to make it right.

People make mistakes. When someone gets incarcerated, it can ruin your life completely. And a lot of people dont have the opportunities or the means to restore your life after something like that. This process could help prevent peoples lives from being taken and put into the criminal justice system and forgotten about.

Portland police officers stand in a line holding their batons and guns on North Lombard Avenue during a protest at the police union building on on June 30, 2020.

Portland police officers stand in a line holding their batons and guns on North Lombard Avenue during a protest at the police union building on on June 30, 2020.

Was there anything that surprised you about going through the restorative justice experience with Budworth?

I didnt really know what to expect. I just knew that it was a different modality for justice that could help people in the future, and that could have a positive impact on the community. And so I was willing to give it a try because it was such a public case.

I was also hoping to be able to have Budworth actually make changes within the policing and make policy changes  I quickly learned that was really not possible considering hes just a cop and hes got bosses and a police chief and mayor and all that. So I guess that was a little disappointing.

In what ways do you think your experience with restorative justice at this center should be applied to other instances where justice is sought, whether its in the restorative justice world or not?

I hope that its applied to any case that it can be. For me, it was a video apology, but for somebody else, it might be, say, someone had a store broken into. It might be that person coming in and helping in the store and helping clean it up or spending 20 hours volunteering in the store to make back whatever money was lost or something. It could really be anything, I think. So I would hope that rather than sending people to prison to disappear for years on end, it can be used to actually help people to make right whatever was wrong and grow and be better people afterward.

What effect would you like your experience and the video of Officer Budworths apology to have on people?

Its rare to see a police officer admit to doing something wrong. Even when someone like Patrick Kimmons, who was running away from police, was shot nine times and murdered.

I think that is difficult for the police because they can make up whatever they want.

I did this with this white police officer because of the impact that restorative justice could have for the most marginalized people, the people that are incarcerated and the huge number of Black and brown people that are put into the system for minor charges.

I did this process hoping that, though it might not be so easy to hire a lawyer or to get out of the charge brought against you, doing restorative justice could prevent people from being a part of the system  especially Black and brown young men.

CORRECTIONS: A previous version of this article included an inaccurate settlement amount. Also, the story has been updated to reflect that the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office, not the Oregon Justice Resource Center, managed the restorative justice process.

Related...
The Wichita airport has announced a new flight that will take travelers straight from ICT to Washington D.C.

Starting in January, Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) will have a daily American Airlines flight directly to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) in D.C.

The direct flights, which begin Jan. 8, will depart from Wichita at 3:30 p.m. Central and arrive in D.C. at 7:15 p.m. Eastern. The American Airlines flight will depart earlier in the day from DCA at 11:30 a.m. Eastern and arrive in ICT at 1:45 p.m. Central.

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran appeared at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport on Friday to announce the planned flights.

As companies in Wichita continue to secure federal work, I have seen a vital need of connecting The Air Capital of the World with the nations capital, he said. The new direct American Airlines flight will allow federal officials to quickly travel to Wichita to see firsthand the great work being done in our region  amplifying our competitiveness as a city and state. This has long been a void I have heard from industry and business owners, and I am thrilled our hard work to fill this void is accomplished.

Moran also noted that this direct option will make trips to the nations capital more affordable for Wichitans and other Kansas families.

Washington, D.C. is a highly coveted market so were extremely grateful that American Airlines is adding this destination, said Jesse Romo, Director of Airports for the City of Wichita. It will be extremely beneficial to the business community and puts Wichita in a competitive position to enhance our economic opportunities.
Red dresses hung up in honour of missing and killed indigenous women at the Brady landfill

A Canada court has allowed police to remove a blockade of a landfill site by protesters demanding action over the murders of two indigenous women.

Demonstrators began blocking the entrance to the rubbish dump in Winnipeg, Manitoba, about a week ago.

They are demanding another landfill be searched for two murder victims.

But Manitoba officials have said picking through the other tip would take years and cost millions, with no guarantee of finding any bodies.

The demonstrators' blockade has forced the city to shut down its Brady landfill.

Protesters want the Prairie Green landfill, north of Winnipeg, to be searched because police suspect that waste tip contains the remains of Morgan Beatrice Harris, 39, and Marcedes Myran, 26.

Both women, members of the Long Plain First Nation, are among four indigenous women believed to have been killed by Jeremy Skibicki, who was charged last December with four counts of first-degree murder.

The city of Winnipeg ordered protesters to dismantle the blockade of the Brady landfill by last Monday.

When the demonstrators refused to comply, the city applied for a court injunction, which was granted on Friday.

Justice Sheldon Lanchbery said protesters may remain at the site, but they cannot block the road.

Winnipeg police have been given authority to enforce the temporary injunction.

"What this boils down to is no-one in this province is allowed to block a highway," the judge said on Friday. "This is a public roadway."

But outside court, the protesters vowed they would not be budged.

"We want our sisters dug up from out the most inappropriate burial site you can think of," said Val Vint, reports CBC News.

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said she stands by her decision not to search the Prairie Green landfill, citing the health and safety of workers who would have to sift through the debris.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller called the decision "heartless".

To scour the landfill would take three years and cost up to C$184m ($135m; 109m), according to a study paid for by the federal government.

Such a search would carry "considerable risks" because of exposure to toxic chemicals, and there is no guarantee the women would be found, the study concluded.

Mr Skibicki is also believed to have killed 24-year-old Rebecca Contois and an unidentified victim who has been given the name Buffalo Woman.

Ms Contois's remains were discovered at the Brady landfill in May 2022.

Indigenous women in Canada are 12 times more likely to be murdered or go missing than other women, according to a 2019 inquiry.
Wisconsin Republicans banned race-based hiring in local government. It's already been illegal for over 50 years.

MADISON  City and county officials in over a dozen communities across Wisconsin say a new law banning local governments from using race-based preferences in hiring and contracting will likely have no impact because the practice has already been barred by state and federal law for decades.

The provision in a new law aimed at boosting funding for local governments bars officials from discriminating against or providing a preference in hiring or contracting based on race, color, ancestry, national origin or sexual orientation in hiring. It's part of a larger package of provisions Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, hailed as a ban on woke diversity and equity initiatives" when it was introduced in a bipartisan shared revenue deal signed into law last month.

But federal law already bans nearly all American employers  including state and local governments  from practicing race-based hiring and has done so for more than 50 years. Federal equal opportunity employment rules reach beyond the measure Republicans passed last month to ban discrimination based on sex, religion, gender identity, disability and age.

Wisconsin has its own fair employment law that for at least 50 years has prevented employers, employment agencies, labor unions and licensing agencies from discriminating against employees and job applicants based on similar criteria.

City officials from Appleton, Baraboo, Eau Claire, Chilton, Oconomowoc, Oshkosh and Waukesha as well as officials from Barron, Manitowoc, Walworth, Washington and Winnebago counties told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they don't expect the new law to change their hiring or contracting processes, with most citing preexisting nondiscrimination law. The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, which represents the interests of local governments in Wisconsin, had a similar understanding, executive director Jerry Deschane said in an email.

We firmly prohibit any form of discrimination in our hiring practices, said Andy Anaam, communications and public engagement manager for the City of Appleton. Our primary focus is to attract and select the most exceptional talent for each position, based solely on their qualifications.

Barron County Administrator Jeff French said in an email he didn't believe the new provision would "materially impact" county operations.

In Chilton, City Administrator David DeTroye said the city "only hires the best candidate to fill open positions, regardless of race, color, ancestry, origin, or sexual orientation."

John Fitzpatrick, Oshkosh assistant city manager, said the city awards contracting bids to the "lowest responsible bidder" as required by state law based primarily on financial criteria and prior work quality.

Fitzpatrick said he did not believe Oshkosh's public works project bidding would be affected by the new provision but said the city is reviewing its bidding processes regardless.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway also said city officials are reviewing the provision to see if it affects any city policies or programs, though a legal official for the city said he did not expect changes to city hiring or contracting practices.

Madison is already barred from discriminating against or providing preferential treatment to contractors based on personal characteristics and awards contracts to the lowest prequalified, responsible and responsive bidder  the same method Oshkosh uses.

Madison only uses race-based criteria when required for federal grants and minority business enterprise programs, which is allowed under the measure passed last month due to an exception that allows race-based hiring when "required to secure federal aid." The city also gives preference points to veterans in its hiring process to comply with state law.

Rhodes-Conway added it was unfortunate that the state legislature continues to adopt policies that undermine (DEI) efforts and attack local control.

Kelly Wright, a spokeswoman for Vos, did not return an email request for examples of cities using race-based hiring or contracting and an explanation of how the provision in the new law differs from existing law.

DEI a target in recent state budget debates

The language in the local government funding bill comes amid larger efforts from conservatives to bar diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in Wisconsin and across the nation.

Republicans argue DEI initiatives create unfair hiring situations and waste public taxpayer dollars on programs that push racially divisive views.

"That's not what taxpayer dollars should be for," Vos told reporters last month. "If you want to raise money in the private sector, if you want to have a bake sale or put money into your own ideology, you have every right to do that because we live in America. But it's not the right to use taxpayer dollars to try to push one ideology over another."

More: Wisconsin Republicans target DEI programs even as the Republican National Convention embraces them in Milwaukee

Republican lawmakers put forth multiple proposals to defund or ban diversity programs at the state and local level while drafting the states next two-year budget plan, which became law last week after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers issued over four dozen partial vetoes before approving the spending plan.

One of the measures put forth by Republicans sliced $32 million from the University of Wisconsin System budget in an attempt to eliminate nearly 200 DEI jobs on UW campuses.

Vos relabeled the DEI acronym "division, exclusion and indoctrination" and called diversity programming at Wisconsins public universities the single most important issue facing humanity last month at a Republican state party convention in La Crosse.

"DEI is the new religion to the left," he said. "They don't go to church on Sunday, but they have no problem using taxpayer dollars to evangelize on every college campus across the state. We have to stop, put our foot down and not allow it to continue.

Evers at one point threatened to veto the entire budget if Republicans kept the $32 million cut but relented after Republicans opened the door for UW to recoup the money if it is used for workforce development programs. The governor instead used a partial veto to keep the DEI positions and let UW decide how it absorbs the funding cut.

Vetoing this entire budget would be abandoning priorities and ideas that I've spent four years advocating for, Evers said last week before signing the state budget.

UW System spokesman Mark Pitsch refused to say whether UW would still cut funding from diversity programs when asked but said the university will "continue to work through (its) options in the weeks and months ahead."

"Shrinking budgets will have consequences," Pitsch said.

More: Republicans have a lot to say about UW diversity programs. So do students.

Milwaukee diversity programs face further restrictions

Another measure in new law barred Milwaukee  the states largest and most diverse city  from funding positions whose primary job it is to promote individuals on the basis of their race, color, ancestry, national origin or sexual orientation.

The restriction is one of many imposed on the city as part of the shared revenue deal in exchange for giving Milwaukee leaders authority to impose a 2% local sales tax for additional revenue to avoid impending financial disaster.

Seven members of the Milwaukee Common Council slammed the policy changes aimed at the city as "overreaching, micromanaging, and frankly racist in a letter last month.

City council members have since put forward legislation seeking to explore potential litigation, direct federal pandemic aid to city diversity offices and instruct the city's lobbyists to work at the Capitol to remove the provisions.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson told the Journal Sentinel last month he opposed the ban but saw a path forward to fund the citys diversity offices without using tax levy funds. Johnson declined to detail specific funding sources but suggested fundraising and support from non-governmental organizations as potential avenues.

More: Milwaukee mayor, council pursue different approaches in response to new state restrictions

Bernadette Karanja, chief equity officer for Milwaukee's Office of Equity and Inclusion, told a city committee last month her office would work to identify potential avenues for private donations so the office would continue to exist despite the new restriction.

Karanja has not responded to a request for comment on how the new law will affect her office.

Alison Dirr and Yash Roy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

Tyler Katzenberger can be reached at tkatzenberger@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP race-based hiring ban has no effect, municipal officials say
Woman accused of selling lethal fentanyl-laced pills to Robert De Niros grandson warned undercover cop to be careful with the drugs: My friend just died

NEW YORK  A young woman accused of selling the fentanyl-laced fake oxycodone pills that killed Robert De Niros teenage grandson warned an undercover cop not to take more than one at a time before her arrest because, she said, her friend had just died, authorities revealed after she appeared in court Friday.

Wearing a black T-shirt and white sneakers with the laces taken out, Sofia Haley Marks, 20, of Manhattan, was held without bail at Manhattan federal court a day after her arrest on charges alleging she dispensed the pills that caused Leandro De Niro Rodriguezs overdose death.

The petite Marks combed her hair with her fingers as U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang read aloud the charges. She faces one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam and two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, each carrying 20 years of prison time.

The 19-year-old De Niro Rodriguez, an actor like his grandfather and mother, Drena De Niro, was discovered dead inside a Financial District apartment on July 2, where authorities found cocaine and prescription pills. Hed appeared in three films in his short career, including 2018s A Star Is Born led by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

Marks was arrested Thursday after selling fentanyl-laced pills to an undercover cop, in possession of 156 counterfeit oxycodone pills and approximately $1,500 in cash, according to the complaint. She sold the undercover officer 50 pills between July 9 and the night of her arrest.

[P]lease be careful with these, Marks told the cop, according to the complaint. [D]ont do more than one at a time ... my friend just died.

According to court papers, authorities believe Marks was referring to another 19-year-old who died on June 14. She told the undercover she was present for his overdose and that they had snorted pills together off her phone before falling asleep. When she woke up, the young man was non-responsive.

Less than two weeks later, Marks communicated with De Niro Rodriguez by text between June 29 and July 2 about selling counterfeit oxycodone pills and Xanax, according to court papers.

De Niro Rodriguez texted Marks saying he had lost all the thirties  slang for counterfeit oxycodone pills that are blue and stamped with M and 30  and wanted to buy three more.

[Do] you [really] need them, Marks responded on June 30. [I dont] wanna kill u.

Marks later clarified, I j[ust] dont like serving u them cuz they not script, referencing prescription medication.

The next day, Marks followed up to see if De Niro Rodriguez was still interested when he asked her, [a]re they all fent or h, and Marks responded that they were pressies, referencing a pill press used to manufacture fake drugs, according to the complaint. He also asked her if she had Zan, referencing Xanax.

During the back and forth, Marks darkly told De Niro Rodriguez, [d]ont go overboard w[ith] these, according to the complaint. On July 1, she arranged to sell him three counterfeit oxycodone pills and two bars of Xanax for $105, agreeing to send them downtown via car service packaged inside a U.S. Postal Service envelope.

Hours after the sale, Marks followed up with De Niro Rodriguez at 1:50 a.m. on July 2, asking, u good? She never heard back.

At least one of Markss counterfeit pills was purchased and taken by a teenager who subsequently died of a suspected overdose. The arrest was critical because, as we allege, Marks knew the pills could kill, and she continued selling them anyway, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement, adding the investigation was ongoing.

Fentanyl is now the number one killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 49. More than cancer, car accidents, or gun violence. It is a law enforcement crisis and a public health crisis.

According to an NYPD source, Marks had been on the Midtown South Narcotics squads radar for some time, and they suspected she had been selling pills laced with fentanyl to teens as young as 15.

She was known in the drug dealing world, the source said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew King successfully requested that the judge remand Marks to custody while her case unfolds. Her federal public defender, Amy Gallicchio, said her family planned to hire private representation, who will make a bail application at a later date. Gallicchio had no comment after the hearing.

Marks is next scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 14, when the court will conduct a preliminary hearing unless a grand jury indicts her in the meantime.

De Niro Rodriguezs mom, the adopted daughter of De Niro and his first wife, Diahnne Abbott, has published a series of heartfelt Instagram posts since her sons tragic passing.

You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you, Drena De Niro wrote July 2.

Im so sorry my baby, Im so sorry.
Woman accused of using someone elses identity, attempting to purchase car from local dealership

An Ohio woman tried to use another persons identity to buy a new car from a local dealership, according to police.

Jonda Martin is now behind bars.

Channel 11s Gabriella DeLuca found out how employees at Kenny Ross in Castle Shannon knew something wasnt right.

Very surprising. Kudos, Castle Shannon, Kellie Suchey said.

Suchey works next door to Kenny Ross Dealership on Library Road and is proud of the dealership employees and the Castle Shannon police department for getting Martin in custody.

Investigators say Martin came all the way from Ohio to the Kenny Ross Dealership on Library Road to attempt to steal a car.

It started earlier this week when police say Martin tried to buy a $63,500 Dodge Durango online.

At some point, they had reached an agreement where the actor was going to purchase it for that account. Then I believe he ran her credit check, and thats the flag, Castle Shannon Police Chief Ken Truver said.

It turned out, investigators say Martin was using the identity and social security number of a woman in Minnesota.

That victim got a notification  and called Kenny Ross.

She contacted the dealer and said, hey somebody is trying to buy a car and its not me, Chief Truver said.

She has had her identity stolen in the past, so had installed a credit monitoring system linked to her account.

It alerted the victim that someone was trying to steal her identity again. And it was enough information to allow police to make an arrest in the case, Chief Truver saddled.

When Martin showed up to the dealership to buy the SUV, she was met by police, and taken into custody.

According to police, Martin said she wasnt the mastermind in this situation, and a man named Josh in Ohio gave her the ID.

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A stock photo shows a woman using a smartphone. Getty Images

Police in Japan say a 51-year-old woman made 2,761 fake emergency calls, The Mainichi reported.

She was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of obstructing the operations of a local fire department.

She told investigators she did it because she was lonely and wanted some attention, the outlet said.

A 51-year-old woman who was arrested after police say she made 2,761 fake emergency calls told investigators she did it because she was lonely and wanted attention, according to Japan's The Mainichi newspaper.

Hiroko Hatagami, an unemployed resident of the city of Matsudo in Japan's Chiba prefecture, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of obstructing the operations of a local fire department, The Mainichi reported.

Chiba Prefectural Police accused Hatagami of repeatedly making emergency calls by cellphone and other means, both from her home and other locations in her neighborhood, the newspaper said.

The Mainichi reported that some of Hatagami's calls revolved around fabricated health issues, including claims of severe stomach aches, fake overdoses, and leg pain.

Between August 2020 and May 2023, she repeatedly asked the Matsudo Fire Department to dispatch ambulances, only to then refuse medical attention upon their arrival, or deny making the calls altogether, The Mainichi reported.

Both the fire department and police station had warned Hatagami to stop making the nuisance calls, but she continued to do so, per The Mainichi.

The emergency services department eventually filed a damage report with the police on June 20, which later led to her arrest, according to the newspaper.

The Mainichi said that Hatagami has admitted to the allegations, telling investigators that she did so because she wanted company.

"I was lonely and wanted someone to listen to me and give me attention," she reportedly said.

This isn't the first time a woman has been arrested in Japan for making thousands of nuisance calls to emergency departments.

In 2013, Japanese police arrested another woman for calling them more than 15,000 times over a six-month period.

She made as many as 927 emergency calls in just one day, with police saying they visited her home about 60 times before eventually arresting her, according to The Straits Times.

Read the original article on Insider
A woman says wearing a bodysuit from Kim Kardashian's SKIMS saved her life when she was shot 4 times

Angelina Wiley said a SKIMS bodysuit prevented her from bleeding out after she was shot. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Angelina Wiley said she was shot four times on New Year's Day in Kansas City, Missouri.

In May, she made a TikTok saying a SKIMS bodysuit saved her life during the shooting.

She said the tight fabric prevented her from bleeding out.

A Kansas City woman said a bodysuit from Kim Kardashian's shapewear company SKIMS saved her life.

On January 1, 2023, Angelina Wiley was shot in Kansas City, Missouri, while waiting for a Lyft in the early hours of New Year's Day, as CBS affiliate KCTV5 reported. Police report to the scene of the incident at 1:51 a.m., according to an incident reported provided to Insider by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

In a TikTok that has been viewed over 700,000 times since it was uploaded on May 18, Wiley, 22, said she was shot four times in the Westport area of Kansas City. An unnamed man was shot during the incident as well and sustained life-threatening injuries, according to the report from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

A representative for the Kansas City Missouri Police Department told Insider the investigation is still ongoing, and no one had been charged in the case as of July 2023.

Wiley said in a TikTok posted in March that the shooter was wearing a ski mask, which has made it difficult to identify them.

Wiley's mother told KCTV5 in January that the incident left her daughter with a ruptured bladder and cracked pelvis. And according to a GoFundMe page Wiley linked to in the caption of her TikTok, and which she most recently updated on July 8, Wiley still has a bullet lodged in her abdomen as a result of the shooting.

Wiley said in the TikTok video that the injuries sustained in the shooting would have been much worse if she hadn't been wearing SKIMS that night.

"Kim Kardashian saved my life," Wiley said in her video. "This New Year's, I got shot four times. The night I got shot, under my dress, I was wearing a SKIMS shaping bodysuit."

Wiley didn't specify which SKIMS bodysuit she was wearing. The brand sells nearly 19 different bodysuits as of July, ranging from catsuits to thong bodysuits that cost between $68 and $128.

"It was so tight on me that it literally kept me from bleeding out," Wiley went on to say of the bodysuit. "I recommend it. I'm definitely gonna buy some more. I mean, I should wear it every day. It's like body armor for women."

"Call it fate or Jesus, but Imma call it Kim," Wiley added. Wiley also thanked Kardashian in the caption of her video, writing, "no but fr, thanks kim." (Wiley did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.)

Although bodysuits are popular, it is not safe to wear them for extended periods of time, as the medical director of the Be Well Medical Group Dr. Lisa Ashe told SheFinds in 2016. Ashe told the outlet that their compression can cause acid reflux, stress incontenence because of the pressure they place on the bladder, and swelling from water retention because people sometimes avoid going to the bathroom when they wear them. Dr. Wakim-Fleming also told the Cleveland Clinic that if shapewear is too tight, it can cause nerve damage or irritate your skin.

Ashe recommends wearing a bodysuit for no longer than six hours a day and encourages taking ample bathroom breaks when wearing one, even if it's annoying to take on and off.

SKIMS launched with its new name in September 2019. Vanessa Beecroft

As of July 2023, Kardashian and SKIMS have not publicly commented on Wiley's experience. Representatives for both did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Kardashian founded SKIMS in 2019, and the successful shapewear company helped propel her to becoming a billionare in 2022.

Wiley left a comment on her GoFundMe page on July 8 to give an update on her recovery.

"I've gone through ups and downs as I hopped, scooted, and rolled around everywhere when I couldn't walk," she wrote. "I continue to have a lot of struggles with my hip ever since the fracture as well as many other pains. The bullet still in me causes random pains and honestly I struggle with severe ptsd ever since the shooting. It has made returning to work full time difficult."

Read the original article on Insider
CANYON  The University Police Department at West Texas A&M University alerted the public Thursday to two assaults that reportedly took place on campus.

The University Police Department said it was made aware of a reported fist fight involving two juvenile individuals staying in a residential hall on-campus that took place the day before, on Wednesday evening, July 12.

In addition, the University Police Department said it was made aware of another incident involving two juvenile individuals on-campus, which indicated an unlawful physical touch occurring on Wednesday.

"The UPD criminal investigations division is in contact with parents and will follow up with the appropriate process for working with juveniles," two separate police releases noted in regard to both cases. "The two individuals associated with this incident are not students or employees of the university."

Crime victim rights and options were provided, the release noted. The university's Title IX office is aware of the reported incidents.

WT and the University Police strongly encourage everyone to use good judgement and be an active player in your own safety. They suggest the following prevention strategies:

Talk to your kids about inappropriate touching and safe resources for your child.

Unwanted touching such as groping and touching of private body parts is inappropriate touching.

Verbal provocation alone is not justification to assault a person.

Do not provoke others with words or actions.

Watch out for friends and fellow students or employees who look like they could be in trouble or need help. Ask if they are OK.

"The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) is a federal law that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses," the release notes. "A requirement of this law is timely notification to the campus community of certain crimes in a manner that will aid in the prevention of similar crimes."

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: WTAMU police department receives reports of assaults on campus
Critics have accused US President Joe Biden of wanting to start "World War 3" after he issued an executive order Thursday (July 13) authorizing the deployment of some 3,000 US reservists to Europe as an effort to augment "Operation Atlantic Resolve."

The president ordered Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other military leaders to mobilize "select reserve forces" in the coming days and weeks. However, it is not yet clear if Austin intends to deploy new personnel or in what numbers he might choose to do so.

What is clear, according to the Department of Defense, is that US troops will not be deployed to Ukraine and there are no US forces fighting in Ukraine as Kyiv continues to combat the Russian invasion.

Operation Atlantic Resolve began in 2014 as a response to Russia's initial actions in Ukraine, particularly its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. The order was reportedly in response to the full-scale Russian invasion which began in February 2022.

Biden's order came after he told reporters he and Congress will assure the US will stay in NATO and prevent any future president from withdrawing without congressional support.

Read Also: Biden Promises to Keep US in NATO: 'I absolutely guarantee it.'

Biden Risks "World War 3", Critics Say

Meanwhile, critics of the Biden administration took to social media to express their anger at the decision, claiming Biden was risking a third world war with the potential new deployments.

Foremost to criticize are supporters of former US president Donald Trump, who is seeking to get re-elected in 2024.

"These people really want WW3," Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier said on Twitter. "WW3 is coming," added Jenna Ellis, a barrister who was once part of Trump's legal team.

Other people also chimed in the discussion about the executive order.

Larry Dean Jones Jr., whose bio described him as a military veteran also linked Operation Atlantic Resolve to a hypothetical third World War. "Biden is getting us into War and eventually WW3!" he tweeted.

Biden's executive order authorizes the deployment of up to 3,000 personnel "of whom not more than 450 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve."

According to the US Army, the Individual Ready Reserve "are trained Soldiers who may be called upon, if needed, to replace Soldiers in active duty and Army Reserve units." The Army's website notes that many of those soldiers "have recently left Active Duty and still have an Army Reserve commitment."

Despite accusations, Biden was risking World War 3, not all Twitter users responded negatively to the executive order.

"Republicans have it twisted, the only reason we aren't in WW3 is because Joe Biden is in office. He sending reserve troops to show our commitment to NATO," tweeted a certain Chris Mowrey, a self-described "Gen-Z Democrat". "I'll be blunt if Trump was in office, we'd be so incredibly f*****."

The White House is yet to comment further on the executive order.

Related Article: Biden Issues Authorization To Deploy Additional Troops To Bolster Forces in Europe

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A major river overflowing near Indias capital has reached the highest level on record, authorities said, prompting mass evacuations and causing havoc with water supplies as northern states report rising deaths from heavy flooding.

A tributary of the mighty Ganges River, the Yamuna River breached the high flood level mark on Wednesday for the first time in 45 years, according to the Central Water Commission.

The Yamuna, which flows about 855 miles (1,376 kilometers) south from the Himalayas through several states, rose to 208.57 meters (about 684 feet) as of Thursday  the highest mark ever, officials said.

Public Works Department Minister Atishi Marlena said about 30,000 people were evacuated along the river banks and urged residents to stay with relatives or seek shelter at relief camps.

We are monitoring the water levels but right now there is so much water that we cannot stop it. Our focus right now is on evacuating, she said Thursday, calling the situation unprecedented.

Complicating matters, Haryana state neighboring Delhi released water from a barrage  which could cause the Yamuna water levels to rise further, Marlena added.

Indias National Disaster Response Force told CNN on Thursday it had 12 teams working to help evacuate residents in affected areas.

A couple carries their belongings as they leave a flooded cremation ground in New Delhi on July 13, 2023. - Adnan Abidi/Reuters

The river overflowing has also led to school and office closures, along with likely water shortages, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, he said schools in affected areas have been ordered shut through Sunday, and non-essential public and private employees have been asked to work from home.

The overflowing has also impacted three water treatment plants in Delhi, Kejriwal said, warning that people will likely have to ration water supplies for several days due to shortages.

Members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) evacuate stranded residents from a flooded locality, after a rise in the water level of the Yamuna River, in New Delhi on July 13, 2023. - Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Transport has also been impacted, with some roads closed due to waterlogging, and heavy goods vehicles restricted from entering flood-affected areas.

Delhi metro trains, which serve millions of passengers each day, must travel at slower speeds when crossing bridges over the river, with the Yamuna metro station closed.

India is in the midst of monsoon season, which can last from April to September.

A week of heavy rains in the north of the country has caused flash floods, landslides, evacuations and sparked rescue efforts across much of the region. The death toll has climbed to at least 67 people, according to authorities.

People rescue cows from a flooded locality after a rise in the water level of the Yamuna River due to heavy monsoon rains, in New Delhi on July 13, 2023. - Adnan Abidi/Reuters

The mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been hardest hit so far with at least 31 deaths, its chief minister said Tuesday.

More than 50,000 tourists were evacuated from Himachal Pradesh within 48 hours, according to the states Information Department  including in towns popular with travelers for their Himalayan backdrops and scenic forests.

Trucks are seen partially submerged in a flooded street after the Yamuna River overflowed due to monsoon rains, in New Delhi on July 13, 2023. - Money Sharma/AFP/Getty Images

In neighboring Uttarakhand state, three people drowned on Wednesday after a car lost control and fell into a river in Khoh River Pauri district, according to CNN affiliate CNN-News 18.

Meanwhile 11 people have died in Punjab state, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, and 10 in Haryana, CNN News-18 reported, citing officials.

CNN has reached out to state authorities for comment.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Rex Heuermann was charged with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims - Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

A New York architect has been charged with the murder of three women on Long Island more than a decade ago.

Rex Heuermann, 56, was on Friday charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27.

They are three of the Gilgo Four, whose remains were found in December 2010 along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach, Suffolk County.

By the end of 2011, the remains of 11 people - most of whom were young, female sex workers - had been discovered in the area.

Mr Heuermann was arrested on Thursday evening after a renewed investigation linked him to a pickup truck a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.

A picture of the scene during Rex Heuermanns arrest - AKGS

A pizza box which was tested for DNA evidence appears as part of a bail application - SUFFOLK COUNTY COURT

Detectives later matched the DNA from a pizza crust he discarded in Manhattan to a male hair found with the bodies, which were bound and hidden in thick underbrush along a remote beach highway, according to a bail application filed with Suffolk County Court.

Investigators were also able to link Mr Heuermann to the burner phones used to arrange meetings with the murdered women, and taunting calls that a person claiming to be the killer made to one of Ms Barthelemys relatives using her cellphone after she disappeared in 2009.

The document said that though Mr Heuermann was not charged with crimes in connection with the disappearance and murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, he is the prime suspect in her death and the investigation is ongoing.

Mr Heuermanns lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf at an arraignment Friday in state court in Riverhead.

Judge Richard Ambro ordered him jailed without bail, citing the extreme depravity of his alleged conduct.

Mr Heuermann, wearing khaki trousers and a grey collared shirt, did not speak in court.

His lawyer, Michael Brown, said he met his client on Friday morning.

He told reporters outside the court that Mr Heuermann, who is married with two children and is a licensed architect with a Manhattan-based firm, had been in tears and told him: I didnt do this.

Kept tabs on investigation

In recent months, Mr Heuermann sought to keep tabs on the probe and searched obsessively on the internet 200 times for facts about the Gilgo Beach killings, including the names of women hes accused of killing, as well as podcasts and documentaries about the case, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Until his arrest, Mr Heuermann continued to use burner phones, the services of sex workers and search the internet for sadistic materials, including sexually exploitative images of children, Mr Tierney said. He also had access to 92 handguns.

Crime scene investigators bring out evidence from the home of Rex Heuermann - Anadolu

Speaking at a press conference on Friday afternoon, Mr Tierney said: We knew this person would be watching... we didnt want him to know just how close we were getting.

Kathy Hochul, New York governor, said: This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families  peace that has been long overdue.

Inter-agency task force

Last year, an inter-agency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case.

The news of an arrest came as a shock to some of the victims relatives after so many years waiting for a breakthrough.

In a text message, a sister of one victim said her family was not ready to speak publicly as they havent had a chance to process the news today.

Were happy to see that theyre finally active, the police, in accomplishing something, said John Ray, the lawyer for the families of two victims, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor.

A larger mystery

Ms Gilberts disappearance in 2010 triggered the hunt that exposed the larger mystery.

The sex worker, 24, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot in Oak Beach. Months later, a police officer was looking for her body in the thicket along nearby Ocean Parkway when he happened upon the remains of a different woman.

Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another.

By spring 2011, that number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains  those of eight women, one man and one toddler.

Ms Gilberts body was found in December 2011, about three miles (5km) east of where the other 10 sets were discovered.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.
Law enforcement officials outside a home in Massapequa Park, New York, the residence of Rex Heuermann, a suspect arrested in the Gilgo Beach murders (Michael M. Santiago)

A New York architect was charged on Friday in connection with the long-unsolved murders of three women whose bodies were found near a beach on Long Island more than a decade ago.

Rex Heuermann, 59, is facing murder charges for the 2009 and 2010 deaths of the three women and is the "prime suspect" in the murder of a fourth woman, officials said.

"Rex Heuermann is a demon," Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison told reporters. "A predator that ruins families."

Heuermann, who lived in Massapequa Park, a town near Gilgo Beach, where the bodies were found, was arrested in Manhattan on Thursday evening.

All four women -- Amber Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Maureen Brainard-Barnes -- were in their 20s and were sex workers, according to prosecutors.

"Each of the four victims were found similarly positioned, bound in a similar fashion by either belts or tape, with three of the victims found wrapped in a burlap-type material," US District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Tierney said the case against Heuermann was based on DNA evidence from a discarded pizza box, cellphone data linking him to the victims and a sighting of his vehicle at the home of one of the murdered women.

"For each of the murders he got an individual burner phone and used that to communicate with the victims," Tierney said. "Then, shortly after the death of the victims, he would get rid of the burner phone."

- 'Taunting calls' -

Heuermann also performed hundreds of internet searches about the investigation into the murders, asking questions such as "Why hasn't the Long Island serial killer been caught?"

"In addition to that there was a lot of torture porn, and what you would consider depictions of women being abused, being raped and being killed" found on Heuermann's computer, Tierney said.

The US attorney said Heuermann, who owned permits for 92 guns, also made "taunting calls" to a sister of one of the victims following her disappearance.

He said Heuermann's wife and children were always out of town when he allegedly committed the murders, which were the subject of a 2020 Netflix film called "Lost Girls."

The bodies of at least 11 people have been found since 2010 along the same isolated stretch of ocean beachfront on Long Island, but police have said previously they do not believe all of the cases are linked.

Heuermann is the owner of RH Consultants and Associates, which bills itself on its website as "New York City's premiere architectural firm."

Heuermann was interviewed last year for a YouTube show called "Bonjour Realty."

"I'm a troubleshooter, born and raised on Long Island, been working in Manhattan since 1987 -- very long time," Heuermann said in the interview.

cl/caw
If you're under 40, Biden's latest student-debt relief plan probably isn't much help

US President Joe Biden. Saul Loeb/Getty Images

The Biden administration will forgive $39 billion of student debt for about 800,000 borrowers.

Only those who've made repayments in an income-driven plan for either 20 or 25 years are eligible.

That means the policy probably isn't much help to anybody younger than 40.

Joe Biden's latest student-debt relief effort probably isn't going to help anyone younger than 40.

The Education Department said Friday that it plans to automatically cancel $39 billion of loan repayments for about 800,000 borrowers by fixing paperwork issues with income-driven repayment plans.

Those plans are supposed to forgive borrowers' debt after at least 20 years of payments, but administrative errors and other flaws have left many making payment for far longer.

The announcement's fine print shows that only borrowers who have "accumulated the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years of qualifying months" will have their debts forgiven. That means you probably have to be more than 40 years old to get any sort of relief, given that most Americans graduate and start making student-loan repayments in their early twenties.

The Education Department said it will start notifying borrowers who are eligible to have their debt repayments forgiven over the next few weeks.

The Biden administration's latest move comes two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down its broader plan to cancel up to $20,000 worth of student debt for federal borrowers.

Six of the court's judges ruled that the education secretary is unable to cancel more than $430 billion of student debt under the HEROES Act, a 2003 law that gives the secretary the ability to modify loans in an emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The administration is looking into alternate legal approaches to offer broader student-loan forgiveness.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Youth from the Carolinas lobby Congress for research funding for Type 1 diabetes

Youth living with Type 1 diabetes from across the nation descended upon the Capitol this week to make a big ask to lawmakers.

JDRF, an organization thats working to find a cure for the autoimmune disease, held its 12th Childrens Congress.

They want a renewal of the federally funded Special Diabetes Program.

PAST COVERAGE: Young lobbyists head to capitol to push for insulin affordability

It has been in place since 1999, providing $150 million annually toward research at the National Institutes of Health. That research has been credited with the technologies helping manage the disease today.

They dont realize how much actual effort you have to put it to manage your diabetes and keep your blood sugars at a normal level, said 17-year-old Jad Kassab, of Waxhaw.

He was selected as one of the six delegates representing the Carolinas.

Even when you do something as simple as go to bed, you have to make sure your blood sugars are at a normal level, so you can go to sleep and theres a chance you might not even wake up by yourself, he told Channel 9s Madison Carter.

Kassab met with staff for North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd after a hearing in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee Tuesday morning. Representatives from JDRF, including two child-delegates, testified there about what life is like with Type 1 diabetes and why more funding is needed to find a cure.

Tillis has signed on to a letter to Congressional leadership in support of continued funding for the SDP, while Budd has not.

Carter was there as the youth delegates pressed Budds staff for reasoning behind his hesitancy to sign the letter.

I think its absolutely dumb that it costs $300 (for insulin) without insurance when most people probably cant afford that, 13-year-old Cooper Wheeler said.

9 Investigates: Rising insulin costs force tough choices

Wheeler, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was another delegate selected to attend Childrens Congress.

He met with representatives from his state Tuesday, as well.

The measure has not yet been slated for a vote, but its expected to go to the floor before funding runs out at the end of September.

VIDEO: Young lobbyists head to capitol to push for insulin affordability
Photo: Getty (Getty Images)

With ProPublica and other publications uncovering a slew of ethical lapses by conservative justices, summer 2023 has quickly become the summer of Supreme Court scandals. But the Associated Press has apparently been doing its own digging and, earlier this week, published multiple stories about both Republican- and Democratic-appointed judges that it said were the result of reviewing tens of thousands of pages of documents from more than 100 public records requests.



One story noted that several sitting justices have taken all-expenses-paid summer teaching gigs at law schools in desirable locations like Italy and Hawaii. Another outlined how justices have mingled with donors at colleges and universities. A final story recounts how Justice Sonia Sotomayors Supreme Court staff coordinated the details of book appearances, including discussing ordering copies of the books for attendees to purchase.

Read more

A person close to Sotomayor, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the justices book dealings, said that Sotomayor has not and will not profit from sales of her memoir beyond the $3.1 million advance that she received and that doing so would require purchases of hundreds of thousands of additional books, more than double the purchases to date.

This isnt to say the court doesnt need a formal code of conduct to prevent justices from using their staff for personal pursuits...because they absolutely do. In fact, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on July 20 on a bill that would create such a code and enhance both financial disclosure rules and recusal requirements. Maybe this code of conduct should even say that justices cant write books until they retire from the courtone less appearance of impropriety to worry about! (J. Michael Luttig, a former federal appeals court judge, told the AP: I have never believed that Supreme Court justices should write books to supplement their judicial incomes.)

But hey, if you want to write some ethics rules that say SCOTUS justices cannot:

* Take free vacations

* Be members of secret societies

* Sit on cases involving their spouse's attempts to foment insurrection

* Or write books

I'd vote for it. Let's go!  Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) July 11, 2023

This Sotomayor story, while not nothing, suggests that journalists (or maybe FedSoc adjacent tipsters?) looking for a Dem-appointed analogue to Thomas and Alito are having to settle for pretty thin gruel. https://t.co/JzZjDeOwLC  Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 12, 2023

But still, Sotomayors staff coordinating book orders is nothing like Thomas staff getting questionable Venmo payments from lawyers who have argued Supreme Court cases.

So, call me when a Democratic-appointed justice is caught accepting free luxury vacations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars with Democratic activists who have business before the court. Call me when a liberal activist megadonor buys the house where a liberal justices parent lives and doesnt charge them rent. Or when a justice (allegedly) leaks the outcome of a case to activists. Finally, you have permission to blow up my phone when a Democratic justices spouse tries to overturn an electionand the justice still hears cases about the said election.



But if this Sotomayor news means Republicans will vote for a bill to impose a code of ethics, helping it to actually pass, then great.

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Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
Valeriy Zaluzhnyi

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi is committed to liberating Crimea from Russian occupation, even if some of Kyivs Western partners would not support the decision, Zaluzhnyi said in an interview with The Washington Post on July 14.

Read also: NATOs commitments show Putin wont outlast Ukraine  Blinken

According to The Washington Post, some Western officials privately express concern about how Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will react if Ukrainian forces ever enter Crimea.

As soon as I have the means, Ill do something, said Zaluzhnyi.

I dont give a damn  nobody will stop me.

The Commander-in-Chief is also prepared to strike into Russian territory using Ukrainian weapons, as the West keep insisting that military equipment it provides must not be used to attack Russia proper.

This is our problem, and it is up to us to decide how to kill this enemy, he said.

Read also: Russia brings landing ship to help with Crimean Bridge congestion

It is possible and necessary to kill on his territory in a war. If our partners are afraid to use their weapons, we will kill with our own. But only as much as is necessary.

Read also: Zelenskyy and SAs Ramaphosa discuss peace formula summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that the war with Russia must end with the liberation of Crimea, just as it began with its occupation.

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
GRAND RAPIDS  A local man will spend 38 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.

Matthew James Warne, 34, of Zeeland, was sentenced to 38 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced Warnes sentence in a news release issued Thursday, July 13.

Warne was sentenced for distributing and attempting to distribute child pornography, according to the release. Maloney also ordered Warne to spend 10 years on supervised release after his confinement. Maloney said Warne posed a major risk to the public."

Every day of this sentence against Mr. Warne is deserved, but it hardly begins to undo the harm against the innocent and vulnerable children who are the victims of this crime, Totten said. Each image of child pornography that Warne possessed and distributed represents the sexual abuse of a real child. Our efforts to prosecute people who commit these crimes will continue and those who commit these types of crimes will face a similar fate.

Investigators first responded to Warnes workplace after reports of Warne inappropriately filming in the bathroom. The investigation found Warne shared thousands of images and videos of child pornography online. Warne used Telegram, a social media application, to chat with other individuals about child pornography and send them images and videos  according to the release.

Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage

Warne pleaded guilty on March 30. He previously had two state convictions: in 2013 for third-degree criminal sexual conduct and in 2018 for criminal sexual conduct/assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. Warne was on parole with the Michigan Department of Corrections when he distributed the child pornography.

The significant sentence in this case underscores the importance of keeping innocent children safe from dangerous predators and serves as a warning to those individuals who prey upon the most vulnerable in our society, said Devin J. Kowalski, acting special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan. Distributing child abuse images repeatedly victimizes a child and the FBI will dedicate resources to investigating anyone who commits crimes of this nature.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. More information is available online at projectsafechildhood.gov.

 Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@sentinel-standard.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Zeeland man gets 38 years in federal prison for child pornography
On 14 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, where the situation at the front was discussed. They heard reports from the commanders and the head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, about the situation in Belarus.

Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook

Quote: "I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief  very detailed and focused primarily on the front line. [We discussed] the situation in all key fronts of action: both defence against Russian assaults and our active steps forward.

Plus everything that is needed for this: projectiles and weapons, equipment, rational use of projectiles, supplies from partners and our Ukrainian production, logistics."

Details: "The head and the commanders of the operational areas Zaluzhnyi, Syrskyi, Tarnavskyi; commanders from specific sections of the front line" gave their reports at the Staff meeting.

Internal Minister Klymenko and Deineko, Head of the Border Service of Ukraine, reported as well.

Zelenskyy stated that the report of the head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, regarding the situation in Belarus was important: "We are monitoring very carefully what is happening there in regards of security: as of today [14 July  ed.] there are no large-scale threats. Our full focus is on the front."

Quote: "We must all understand very clearly, as clearly as possible, that the Russian forces on our southern and eastern territories are putting all effort they can into stopping our soldiers. And every thousand metres of advance, every success of each of our combat brigades deserves gratitude. All those who go on an assault, all those who repel enemy assaults, well done. And I am grateful to each of our soldiers."

Background:

By agreement with self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, after the coup in Russia, Wagner Group's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was to go to Belarus with some of his mercenaries.

On 6 July, Lukashenko said that the mercenaries of the Wagner Group, if deployed in Belarus, could be used to defend the country.

The Ministry of Defence of Belarus reported that the mercenaries of the Wagner Group, owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, began training the territorial troops as instructors in Belarus.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Vilnius

A Twitter post in which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the wording of Ukraine's invitation to the Alliance "unprecedented and absurd" angered the U.S. delegation to such an extent that officials considered "scaling back the invitation" to Kyiv, The Washington Post reported on July 13, citing anonymous sources.

WP said that the incident illustrates "frustration" within NATO with the pressure tactics used by Zelenskyy, as even some of his biggest supporters questioned "whether he was serving Ukraine's interests with his outburst."

Read also: Some NATO states strongly resisted membership for Ukraine before summit - ex US amabassador

WP's sources said ambassadors, ministers and other senior officials held informal talks on how the Alliance should respond.

U.S. officials raised the possibility of revising or removing the section to which Zelenskyy so strongly objected: "We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when Allies agree and conditions are met."

Read also: Ukraine would make NATO stronger  Zelenskyy in Vilnius

A U.S. official familiar with the conversations acknowledged that changes to the declaration were considered, saying that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden was listening to Zelenskyy's concerns and hoped they could somehow address them.

However, three other senior politicians, two of whom were directly involved in the negotiations, said they strongly believe that Washington was prepared to water down the wording of the document to make it less welcoming to Ukraine's rapid accession to the Alliance.

"Some wanted to withdraw the reference to 'invitation' or find another place to put that word," said one senior NATO diplomat who participated in the talks.

Another top NATO diplomat said that while "several people" supported removing the phrase that upset Zelenskyy, the U.S. delegation "did not specifically want to take that promise" of invitation out of the declaration.

According to the newspaper, despite the incident, many NATO member states remain appreciative of Zelenskyy's demands and are maximizing their military efforts. Although many officials expressed irritation over the president's tweet, they appreciated that "the leader of an embattled nation must demonstrate he will do anything to extract the maximum on behalf of his people."

Read also: German defense minister Pistorius responds to Zelenskyys criticism of NATO

In the end, the United States and its allies agreed that they would retain the wording of the declaration that was presented at the Vilnius summit.

The document does not include a timeline for Ukraine's accession to the bloc, but is the result of efforts to persuade the Biden administration and European leaders to provide Kyiv with more concrete proposals amid Russian aggression.

On the second day of the summit, July 12, the head of the Presidents Office, Andriy Yermak, also held an "intense conversation" with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

Read also: NATO Summit: three scenarios for Ukraine

According to one witness to the conversation, Yermak tried to argue with Sullivan, who "looked determined," and their talks lasted about 30 minutes.

The source noted that the Ukrainian side's strenuous attempts to hold the line have exhausted and irritated some of Kyiv's staunchest supporters.

"It was not fun," one senior NATO official commented.

On July 11, Zelenskyy tweeted that NATO states were discussing the wording of the invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance without Kyiv's participation.

He argued that "there was no readiness" to invite Ukraine to NATO or make it a member of the Alliance, so "a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine's membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia."

Read also: Ukraine cannot join NATO amid ongoing war, Zelenskyy admits

NATO Summit in Vilnius - what is the outcome for Ukraine?

On July 11-12, a NATO summit was held in Vilnius, attended by the leaders of 31 member states, including U.S. President Joe Biden, and additionally by delegations from Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Ukraine, and Sweden (Turkey agreed to unblock its accession to the Alliance earlier). President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally attended the summit.

Ukraine hoped to receive a clear signal of readiness to be admitted to the Alliance at the summit. Earlier, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that the allies had agreed that Ukraine would join NATO in the future without the MAP.

On July 11, in a joint communique, NATO countries announced that they would invite Ukraine to join the Alliance when member states agree and all conditions are met.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine does not need to fulfill the MAP anymore, and thus the path to NATO has been reduced from "two steps" to "one."

Read also: No doubt Ukraine to join NATO after war, says Pentagon chief

On July 12, Zelenskyy stated that he was convinced that Ukraine would receive an invitation to join NATO after the war.

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Russia is allegedly planning to build new prisons and detention centers, as revealed by a newly leaked document.

Will the Russian military use these new prisons to contain Ukranian prisoners? Here are the major details you need to know.

Russia Allegedly Plans to Build New Prisons, Detention Centers by 2026

According to Fox News' latest report, a Russian government document, which was acquired by the Associated Press, revealed plans for new prisons.

Specifically, the document stated that Russia wants to construct 25 new prisons, as well as six detention centers in occupied parts of Ukraine.

The Russian government allegedly plans to complete these detention centers and prison colonies as early as 2026.

Based on the leaked document, the plans of Russia for its new prisons were outlined back in January.

There's a high chance that Russia will construct these new prisons and detention centers, especially since the government recently signed a decree that allows sending people from territories with martial law.

These territories include all of occupied Ukraine. With this decree, the Russian government can easily deport Ukrainians who are resisting occupation deep into Russia.

Read Also: Serbia vs. Kosovo: MPs Engage in a Brawl while Kosovo PM Kurti Addresses Parliament

Will Russia Use These Prisons for Ukrainian Prisoners?

There's a high chance that the upcoming Russian prison colonies and detention centers will be used to detain Ukrainian prisoners.

On Thursday, July 13, AP claimed that thousands of Ukrainian civilians are being held by the Russian military as prisoners.

They are believed to be tortured and forced to dig trenches that Russian soldiers are using against Ukraine. This detail was revealed after Ukraine's satellite imagery captured some of the Ukrainian civilian prisoners.

Lena Yahupova, a Zaporizhzhia region city administrator, said that Ukrainian civilians are affected by Russia's human trafficking business.

Yahupova was actually detained in October 2022. But, she was able to escape the Russian military in March.

If you want to learn more about how Russia imprisons Ukrainian civilians, you can click this link.

Related Article: Ground Drones May Revolutionize Military Technology in Ukraine

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Torrential rain and thunderstorms blanketed the Hill City and much of its surrounding areas for hours on Thursday evening into Friday morning, leaving in its path downed trees, power outages and streams of water flowing through front yards, parks and city streets.

In a Friday afternoon update, the City of Lynchburg's Public Works Director Gaynelle Hart said Kemper Street remains closed from the expressway interchange to Old Campbell Avenue, as well as parts of Otey Street.

Additionally, the city said the spray grounds at Riverfront Park and Riverside Park will remain closed until park damage is assessed. Miller Park pool remains closed for debris cleanup, with no time set for reopening, according to the city.

College Lake Dam, which nearly failed following a large rain event in August 2018, is no longer under a flash flood watch or warning as of Friday morning, Lynchburg's Director of Communications and Public Engagement Anna Bentson said. Water resources employees are continuing to monitor the lake levels throughout the rain event.

Low-lying areas across the city bore the brunt of the downfall, Hart said, with places such as Peaksview Park, Sandusky Park and the Hollins Mill Dam seeing severe flooding in the area.

Joseph Bryant, a resident near Peaksview Park, told The News & Advance that he's lived in the area for about 50 years and said Thursday's rainfall resulted in "one of the worst floods that I've seen."

"I sat on my back porch and watched the water come up and it kept coming faster and higher and barrels and bales of straw were floating down the river," Bryant recalled.

The stream that was created flowed into his backyard, tearing down a large tree behind his house.

"Now I don't have a tree," he said. "But that's okay."

According to Richmond Times-Dispatch Chief Meteorologist Sean Sublette, between four and eight inches of rain poured into the greater Lynchburg area, a "freak" weather event due to the three waves of the storm that rolled in throughout the evening.

"It just so happened, in this case, to go over a very populated area repeatedly in that 12-hour timeframe," Sublette said. "These kind of things are not common, that's why I called it a freak event."

While other parts of Central Virginia saw a "good amount of rain" throughout the evening, Sublette said the storm was largely "localized," adding, "it just turned out that the bullseye was right over Lynchburg," with shades of red and purple focused squarely on the heart of the city and down U.S. 460 into Concord.

Sublette also said perhaps the most recent similar event to hit the Hill City was the August 2018 downpour that threatened the integrity of College Lake Dam and ultimately led to the realigning of Lakeside Drive, completed in 2022.

Hart later concurred that levels of rain and flooding hadn't been seen in the city since the August 2018 downpour.

The public works director told The News & Advance that once the majority of the weather rolled in Thursday night, most of her crews were off-duty except for one 24-hour duty employee.

"But this storm overwhelmed this one person to respond to calls so we called in crews to respond to the flooding and downed trees," Hart said.

She commended her crews for their "tremendous response" in coming from off-duty to go out into the field, with some members working until 1 a.m., and a smaller crew working overnight.

As the sun was coming up this morning, Lynchburg resident Roy Evans said he made it out to the Hollins Mill Dam, where he witnessed a waterfall pouring over the dam with clay-colored water.

"I knew we got a lot of rain last night but I wasn't expecting as much as I saw," Evans said about the water rushing through Blackwater Creek. "The creek was nearly bank-level, so it was pretty close to coming over the top."

"I noticed some Canadian geese," he recalled, "and they weren't going anywhere near that water. It was truly flowing this morning."

At the same place later in the day, students from the University of Lynchburg's Department of Biology summer residential governor school were out collecting samples from the water rushing through Blackwater Creek to study its contamination levels and risk for humans.

"It's given us a really good opportunity to talk about the importance of water management and runoff, and how storms can affect the transfer of bacteria and other biotic factors in places they shouldn't be," Jamie Brooks, a professor with the department said.

With chances of rain in the area throughout the evening Friday, the city is reminding residents to use caution when traveling, do not walk, swim or drive through floodwaters, treat out-of-service traffic lights as four-way stops and to report power outages to Appalachian Power on its website.

Hart also reiterated that drivers should not drive around barricades that are posted at streets, saying doing so could pose significant danger to residents because the road could have a down tree or be flooded.

According to the power company's online outage map, as of 2 p.m. Friday, about 780 Appalachian Power customers remain without power in the City of Lynchburg. Another roughly 500 customers in Amherst, Bedford and Campbell counties remain without power.

Lynchburg's Vice Mayor Chris Faraldi sent pictures of water damage at E.C. Glass High School Friday morning showing muddy water throughout the floor of a classroom at the school.

Lynchburg City Schools said their facilities and maintenance teams are currently assessing the impact of flooding in a handful of rooms at Glass, however said that most of the areas are non-classroom spaces and that they will be ready to welcome students back in August.

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Dumb Data - Jul 01

Competitive skateboarding is in its infancy given the initial commercial boom in the U.S., but Japanese men and women particularly in street contests in the last three years have shown more growth than any other country in terms of the percentage of total earnings won.
Arizona Republican Kari Lake, who lost the state's 2022 gubernatorial election, will campaign for former President Donald Trump in Des Moines on Friday, where across town other candidates will be speaking at an event Trump declined to attend.

Lake will speak at the Mad Meatball restaurant in Des Moines at 4 p.m. on Friday. She will also host a breakfast with the Marion County GOP on Saturday at 10 a.m. in Cordova Park on Lake Red Rock in Otley, Iowa.

Six other Republican candidates will be speaking at the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines on Friday, a conference hosted by the Family Leader, a conservative Christian organization. The organization's CEO, Bob Vander Plaats, announced Trump would not attend the conference on Tuesday.

Lake, who grew up in Iowa and is a former Quad-Cities news anchor, has backed Trump's discredited claims of 2020 election fraud and sought to overturn her own 2022 election loss. Multiple court challenges to her loss were dismissed since that election.

The timing of Lake's event lines up with the session of the summit in which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  Trump's top primary rival  will be speaking.

Iowas Hinson, Nunn report solid fundraising numbers

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, of Marion, raised $690,000 in the second quarter of 2023, and has more than $1 million cash on hand in her quest to seek a third term, her campaign announced.

Hinson, a former state lawmaker and former KCRG-TV news anchor, is serving her second term in the U.S. House, winning re-election by eight percentage points against Democratic former state lawmaker Liz Mathis of Hiawatha in the 2022 midterm election. Hinson unseated first-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer in 2020.

Our grassroots team is all in to keep this seat red, grow our Republican House majority and take back the White House, Hinson said in a statement. We are going to fire Joe Biden and make D.C. run more like the great state of Iowa.

Hinson represents Iowas 2nd Congressional District in the states northeast corner, and includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque and Mason City.

The strong haul comes ahead of her annual BBQ Bash summer fundraiser on Aug. 6 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway & Expo Center in Cedar Rapids. Speakers include Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and five candidates running for the 2024 GOP nomination.

Iowa U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Bondurant, raised more than $729,000 in the second quarter and also has more than $1 million cash on hand, his campaign announced Thursday.

Nunn has $1,474,600 to date in this election cycle from more than 14,800 donors, according to his campaign.

No Democrat has yet announced they plan to challenge either Republican.

Iowa 3rd Congressional District, which Nunn represents, remains competitive. The district covers the southwestern quadrant of state, and roughly stretches from Des Moines to the Missouri border.

Nunn's statement noted he won the district by less than a percentage point  or about 2,000 votes. Nunn unseated two-term incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne, flipping a crucial seat to give the GOP an all-Republican Iowa congressional delegation.

The (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) can see these numbers and will allocate even more resources to IA-03, so we have to be ready, Nunn Campaign Manager Kendyl Parker said in a statement. Congressman Nunn is putting in the work to bolster our campaign war chest for the attacks to come.

Trump loses Iowa endorser; caters lawmaker lunch during special session

Iowa Sen. Jeff Reichman, a Republican from Montrose, has withdrawn his endorsement for former President Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary, instead throwing his weight behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to Politico.

The endorsements switch came after Trump took aim at Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Truth Social, taking credit for her 2018 election win and attacking her for remaining neutral in the 2024 primary.

Reichman told Politico Republicans must remain united in order to defeat President Joe Biden in 2024. In a statement, the Trump campaign dismissed the endorsement loss and called Reichman "weak-kneed and lily-livered" and accused DeSantis of buying Reichman off by promising to raise money for him, according to Politico.

Trump also catered a barbecue lunch and dinner for Iowa Republican lawmakers during a special session on Tuesday as lawmakers voted to severely restrict abortions, a campaign official confirmed.

Photos: Trump returns to Iowa Monday at Adler Theatre in Davenport
An ordinance adopted by Shelby County that would severely restrict the placement of a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline conflicts with state and federal regulations and should not be enforced, a federal judge ruled this week.

The judge granted Summit Carbon Solutions request for a temporary injunction that prevents that ordinances enforcement.

Its extremely disappointing, said Steve Kenkel, chairperson of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors that approved the ordinance. We have a duty as a supervisor to protect our county. How do we do this when other levels of government wont support counties?

He did not know whether the county will appeal the decision.

Summit, along with a Story County farmer who is a founder of an ethanol plant, has sued three counties for ordinances that restrict how closely hazardous liquid pipelines can be located to cities, schools, livestock facilities, electric transmission lines, homes and other facilities.

The lawsuits seek declarations that the ordinances are preempted by federal and state regulations, permanent injunctions that prevent their enforcement and attorney fees.

Summit seeks to build a pipeline network in five states that connects to ethanol plants to transport their captured carbon dioxide emissions to North Dakota for underground sequestration.

The project includes more than 700 miles of pipe in the northwestern half of Iowa. The people who own land for about 30% of the route have declined to grant Summit easements to build on their properties and will likely be subject to eminent domain proceedings starting next month.

The county ordinances were borne of the sometimes fierce opposition to Summits project and other carbon dioxide pipeline proposals by two other companies. Opponents worry about public safety if a pipeline ruptures and say the projects shouldnt qualify for eminent domain.

The ruling by Chief Judge Stephanie Rose, filed Monday in the federal Southern District of Iowa, said state law does not explicitly prohibit the Shelby County ordinance in western Iowa but that such a prohibition is implied.

Rose noted the statutory role county supervisors have in land restoration after a pipeline is built but not in pipeline placement.

This omission is evidence that the Legislature did not envision a role for counties in regulating the location of pipelines, Rose wrote.

Further: Common sense suggests these restrictions would eliminate all or almost all land in Shelby County on which an (Iowa Utilities Board) approved pipeline could be built, the judge wrote. This creates a serious possibility the IUB would approve the construction of the pipeline but Summit would be unable to build because it could not comply with the requirements of the ordinance.

Rose also said the ordinances requirements for pipeline companies to submit safety plans to the county and to notify the county when use of a pipeline is discontinued conflict with federal rules.

State and local agencies cannot regulate safety matters, Rose wrote.

Kenkel said counties need early access to dispersion models of the Summit project that show what places are most likely to be affected by a pipeline breach. He said the ordinance was further meant to protect economic and housing development in the countys cities by keeping pipelines two miles away from them.

The project is also unpopular in Shelby County, Kenkel said, because the pipeline is not connecting to ethanol plants there. Affected landowners might be forced to give land easements through eminent domain while serving no benefits to them, he said.

In issuing the temporary injunction, Rose found that Summit is likely to succeed with its lawsuit against Shelby County. Its unclear when the suit will conclude.

Judges have not made decisions about temporary injunctions in the two other lawsuits against Emmet and Story counties.

Summit Carbon Solutions is pleased the (judge) affirmed that federal regulations and state laws preempt ordinances at the county level, the company said Wednesday.

An attorney for Shelby County did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article.

Shelbys ordinance has requirements that hazardous liquid pipelines be at least two miles from a citys limits; a half mile from churches, schools, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and hospitals; a quarter mile from public parks and recreation areas; 1,000 feet from occupied buildings, livestock confinements, electric generation and transmission equipment, and drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.

The IUB is poised to start a final, evidentiary hearing for Summits project on Aug. 22. The hearing has the potential to go for months.

Photos: Missing children in Iowa Alexandra Storm Hailey Coleman Jamira Debose Osbourne Breasia Terrell Julian Murray Daniela Salinas-mejia Jade Colvin Fredrick Workman Benjamin Roseland Erin Pospisil Marc Allen Eugene Martin John Gosch Kimberly Doss Colleen Simpson Caleb Williams Xavior Harrelson Alyssa Dluzak Fatima Conteh Daniela Vera-Ortega Xerxes Blaesing Jorge Peneda Castillo Anya Pritchard Desirae Gifford Daquan Nelson Diomarix Crespo
PARKERSBURG  A Reinbeck teen has died after he was pinned underneath a UTV that flipped Monday.

According to the Grundy County Sheriffs Office, 17-year-old Connor Allen was a passenger on the vehicle when another young driver lost control in a farm pasture on 120th Street about three miles south of Parkersburg.

The driver was attempting to avoid hitting a fence post at the time of the crash, according to the sheriffs office. Allen was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was taken to MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.

The accident remains under investigation. The Grundy County Sheriffs Office was assisted by Parkersburg Ambulance, Parkersburg Police, Butler County Sheriffs Office, Grundy Center Ambulance and the Iowa State Patrol.

Grundy deputies also responded to a bicycle accident Monday.

Dennis Koch, 89, of Dike, was driving west on old Highway 20/D-19 in his 2018 Jeep when he struck the westbound bicycle that was riding in the roadway.

The bicyclist, John Keiser of Cedar Falls, was transported to MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center by Dike Ambulance with unknown injuries. Koch was cited for operating too close to a bicyclist.

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MOUNT VERNON  It was one of those steamy July days when the only way to cool down is to go swimming.

Natalie and Lenny Thomas, their six children, ages 6 months to 11 years, and Natalie's aunt and uncle visiting from England drove to Palisades-Kepler State Park near Mount Vernon to swim in the Cedar River.

"We felt a bit of a current in the river, but, at this point, all was going well and we felt refreshed by the cool waters of the river," said Fern Potter, of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, England.

Everything changed in an instant when Zyah, 11, and Isaiah, 7, ran into deeper water and were suddenly swept up by an invisible current. Potter and another woman tried to reach the children, but a drop-off left them both without footing.

Potter grabbed Isaiah, who was closer, and pushed him toward the shore. Zyah was treading water as she waited for help when her great-aunt saw her face for the last time.

"She just went under and that was it," Potter said. "We never saw her again."

Zyah  owner of dog, Pixie; maker of Roblox videos; and nature lover  drowned July 13, 2022. Despite rescue teams using boats, helicopters, dogs and sonar to try to find the girl's body, she has never been found.

Family members and first responders gathered Thursday to remember Zyah on the anniversary of her death and talk about ways to prevent future drownings on Iowa waterways.

Preventing drownings

About 33 Iowans drown each year, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported. Drowning is the leading cause of death by unintentional injury of young children.

Common causes of drowning are failure to wear life jackets, lack of swimming ability, alcohol use, and lack of supervision while swimming, the DNR reported. Swimming in rivers presents additional hazards because conditions change, depending on the water level.

The Thomas family had swum safely in the Cedar River just a week before Zyah drowned, but in between the visits there had been a heavy rain and the river flow was much faster, said Nate Hoogeveen, DNR river programs coordinator.

The Thomas children were not wearing life jackets July 13, but the older children were strong swimmers and they had adult supervision, Potter said.

Soon after Zyah's death, the family reached out to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to seek changes that could make Palisades-Kepler safer. One change was to post signs advising against swimming. Previous signs only warned about the current.

Clive and Fern Potter also have asked the state to add life rings at areas where people might swim.

The DNR is considering this change, which could be challenging because of the length of shoreline and uncertainty of where to place the life rings, attached to a post by rope, so they could be useful, depending on the water level of the river, Ranger Lucas Wagner said.

The DNR is planning several changes to the Cedar near Palisades-Kepler, including removing part of a lowhead dam nearby and changing the channel to make the area safer for recreation while not affecting fish and other animal species, Wagner said.

Another drowning

Zyah's death was one of two drownings on the Cedar River last year.

Erik Spaw, who worked for the city of Cedar Rapids Water Division, went missing May 7, 2022. His truck was found submerged in the river just upstream of the Edgewood Road Bridge.

A seven-month search yielded no clues, but two hunters found Spaw's body in December about 11 miles from the truck.

Spaw's mother told The Gazette her son, 54, had diabetes and had been having trouble regulating his insulin intake. She believed he may have passed out from low-blood sugar and driven into the river

The DNR and first responders ask Iowans to continue to watch for human remains that might be those of Zyah. To report tips, call Palisades-Kepler at (319) 895-6039 or call 911, Wagner said.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea stayed silent Wednesday about the detention of an American soldier who sprinted across the Koreas heavily fortified border as other members of his tour group looked on in shock. Some observers said the North was unlikely to send him back any time soon a
PIERCE  Dont fix what isnt broke. Organizers of the Pierce County Fair realize the truth in that old adage, which is why the five-day event  which runs from Wednesday, July 26, through Sunday, July 30, at the Pierce County Fairgrounds  will feature many of the attractions that have prov
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The Biden administration said on Friday, July 14, that 804,000 borrowers, representing $39 billion in debt, would have their student loans forgiven in the coming weeks. This is a result of improvements that more precisely reflect qualifying monthly payments under current income-driven repayment programs.

Loan Forgiveness

In a CNN report, federal student loan borrowers now have access to a variety of income-driven repayment plans that calculate monthly payments based on factors such as family size and income rather than the total amount of debt owed. A borrower's remaining amount is erased when a certain forgiveness level has been reached, often 20 or 25 years.

The Education Department claims that the move taken on Friday is an attempt to rectify "historical failures" and administrative mistakes that led to the improper counting of borrowers' qualifying payments. The department's Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan recipients would be among those impacted.

Federal student loan payments, suspended for years due to the pandemic, will resume in October. The announcement made on Friday is the latest step by the administration to make good on President Joe Biden's promise to provide debt relief to millions of Americans.

According to the Department of Education, more than 3.4 million Americans have had their student loan debts reduced or canceled since Biden assumed office, at a cost of $116.6 billion.

After the Department of Education's official regulation procedure, Biden's SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) proposal will be partially implemented this summer and completely adopted next year.

When the plan is completely implemented, people will notice a 50% reduction in their monthly costs and a complete cancellation of any outstanding debt after making payments for at least 10 years.

Also Read: Student Loan Forgiveness: Biden Unveils' New Path' After Supreme Court Setback

Obstacles Encountered

While the Supreme Court struck down Biden's plan to forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loans for millions of borrowers at once last month, the administration has been working to find other ways to cancel debt and make it simpler for borrowers to qualify for loan forgiveness. Biden, in light of the Supreme Court's ruling, promised a "new path" toward debt reduction.

"I'm never going to stop fighting for you. We'll use every tool at our disposal to get you the student debt relief you need and reach your dreams. It's good for the economy. It's good for the country," Biden remarked last month at the White House.

During that time, he said that his government would instead pursue a proposal to grant temporary debt relief under a different law. However, this route is contingent on the completion of a formal rule-making procedure, which may take months and about which no information is currently available.

In addition, he said that his government would provide a grace period to borrowers before payments resume, allowing them to avoid fees if they fall behind in the first year.

Also Read: Joe Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Plan: Experts Think Biden Admin Lawyer Just Saved the Program

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Migrants continue to die in scores in Tunisia. Few days after two bodies were found in the border area with Algeria, Tunisian coastguards recovered the bodies of 13 sub-Saharans off the city of Sfax, where clashes erupted between locals backed by the police and migrants last week.

Rights group deplored use of force by Tunisian authorities which have been relocating migrants forcibly to desert regions near the Libyan and Algerian border.

On July 12, units affiliated with the Sfax maritime region thwarted an attempted illegal crossing and rescued 25 sub-Saharan migrants, but 13 bodies were also recovered, the coastguard statement said.

Violent clashes erupted in the port city of Sfax, a major departing point for migrants, between Sub-Saharans and locals after a Tunisian was stabbed to death.

A crackdown ensued with authorities abandoning migrants in harsh conditions, rights groups said.

Between 100 and 150 migrants were still stranded at the border with Libya near the militarized zone of Ras Jedir by Thursday evening, according to Human Rights Watch.

The Tunisian Red Crescent earlier said it has provided shelter to about 630 migrants stranded at the border with Libya between Sunday and Monday.

HRW said another group of about 200 migrants had been left to fend for themselves at Tunisias militarized border with Algeria, with rescue teams en route to help them.

Witnesses told AFP convoys had dropped off dozens of migrants in various areas along Tunisias 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) border with Algeria.

Clashes between Tunisians and migrants surged against the backdrop of xenophobic rhetoric against migrants espoused by the Tunisian president himself.

President Kais Saied has described the presence of African migrants in his country as a plot to replace the Tunisian population and alter the Arab identity of the country, triggering a wave of condemnations.
Cherubin Okende, a former minister and ally of presidential candidate Moise Katumbi, was found dead Thursday in capital Kinshasa in what the opposition branded an assassination, few months ahead from presidential elections.

Video shared on social media on Thursday purported to show the bullet-ridden body of Cherubin Okende in his car.

The 61-year man was spokesman of Ensemble pour la Republique, the party of Moise Katumbi, a leading opposition politician who is set to contest the presidential election in December.

Its a political assassination, Katumbi told French radio broadcaster RFI, without elaborating. They want to reduce us to silence, he said, calling for independent investigations into what he described as an odious crime.

The party said that the former Transports minister was kidnapped from the parking lot of the Constitutional Court in Kinshasa.

The office of President Felix Tshisekedi said Okende had died in tragic circumstances and it urged an investigation to shed full light on the matter and punish those responsible for this despicable act.

Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya likewise tweeted that the government was shocked to learn of the assassination and that it had ordered a probe.

The assassination comes in a tense political context ahead of the December elections with several of the leading opposition figures, including Katumbi, insisting that the nations electoral authority is planning a fraudulent poll.
The spokesman of Tunis Court of appeal Habib Torkhani confirmed Thursday the decision by the judge of counter-terrorism Court to ban media coverage of an investigation into plotting against State security cases in which several political figures have been arrested.

The first investigating judge of office no. 36 of the courts department for Combating Terrorism has decided to ban debate and media coverage of two cases of plotting against State security, Business News reports.

Hanen Gueddes, the spokesperson for the department had said in June that the ban targeted audiovisual media and that the decision is meant to guarantee the smooth running of the investigation and the confidentiality of the proceedings, as well as to protect the personal data of the individuals concerned.

Around twenty opponents and leading figures from the business and media worlds have been arrested since February, and indicted for plotting against State security.

The arrests and detentions have been branded scheme by President Kais Saied to muzzle critics.

Thursday, June 13, dozens of protestors and relatives of the detainees gathered outside the Court of Appeal in Tunis and called for their release.
Participants at first Invest in Senegal Forum held July 6-8 have pledged 10.7 billion investments in the West African country.

The amounts were disclosed by Prime Minister Amadou Ba at a meeting with the media to present a report on the event seeking the development of local and regional markets.

Close to 3,500 delegates among whom State officials, investors, economic leaders, asset owners from the continent and the rest of the world, SME managers, regional and international organizations, as well as technical and financial partners, from 60 countries, attended the event. The delegates pledged to invest 10.7 billion in the Senegalese economy, Ba indicated.

This figure, he said, is indicative of the attractiveness of our economy to both domestic and foreign investors, and testifies to the confidence of the business community.

Over 800 contracts were inked, and nearly 30 projects offering real potential for Senegals economic and social development were highlighted, covering 12 sectors including energy, agriculture, industry, digital, green economy, the Premier added.

Senegals investment promotion and grand projects agency, APIX, organized the event that also sought to encourage B2B meetings between investors, the Government and private-sector companies taking part in the Forum, increase public-private partnerships and joint ventures, and mobilize financing for regional integration projects.
Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Businesses, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, held meetings in Madrid on Wednesday and Thursday on ways to develop Moroccos relations with international institutions in the field of skills training for new professions.

The meetings, held on the sidelines of a high-level meeting on skills in the Mediterranean organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European Union (EU) in Madrid July 11  13 July, were also an opportunity to review the progress made by Morocco in the field of vocational training, particularly after the launch of the Cites des Metiers et des Competences (CMC, Cities of Trade and Skills) program.

Sekkouri met with Pilvi Torsti, Director of the European Training Foundation (ETF), an EU agency based in Turin, Italy, which supports the development of human capital in the EUs neighboring countries.

The Minister also held a working session with Santiago Iniguez, President of IE University, a higher education institution specializing in training influential leaders.

Sekkouri who described these meetings as fruitful told MAP they provided an opportunity to exchange views on the challenges of vocational training and skills development in the face of changes in the international labor market.

The official stressed the importance of forging partnerships with prestigious international institutions to support the momentum generated in Morocco.

Moreover, he underlined the need to take advantage of new technologies to successfully meet the challenge of skills training in Morocco, and reiterated the governments determination to provide young people and skills all the tools necessary to develop their training paths.
Morocco and the European Union (EU) have agreed to continue their cooperation as provided for in the Partnership Agreement in the field of sustainable fisheries, which remains in force, in order to deepen their bilateral partnership.

Morocco and the European Union have agreed to continue their cooperation as provided for in the Partnership Agreement in the field of sustainable fisheries, which remains in force, in order to deepen the bilateral partnership on key issues such as scientific campaigns, technical cooperation, fight against illegal fishing, economic integration of operators, safety at sea and improvement of working conditions and protection of seafarers, reads a joint statement, issued at the end of the 5th meeting of the Joint Commission in charge of monitoring the Agreement, held on Thursday in Brussels.

Held in accordance with the Morocco-EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, the meeting provided an opportunity to make an overall assessment of the implementation of the four-year Fisheries Protocol of July 18, 2019, which expires on July 17, in accordance with its Article 16, the statement said.

Morocco and the EU congratulated each other on their exemplary cooperation, which in all circumstances has allowed the operation of artisanal and industrial vessels, the transparent and rigorous management of the Protocol and the continuous scientific monitoring of the state of fishery resources.

The parties welcomed the satisfactory implementation of the Fisheries Agreement and its Protocol in its various dimensions, in particular the excellent state of progress of the projects for the development of the fisheries sector in Morocco, highlighting the positive socio-economic impact on the sector, on small-scale fishing, on sustainable aquaculture for the benefit of young entrepreneurs and fishermens cooperatives, as well as on job creation, training and integration into working life, particularly for women and young people.

These projects may continue beyond the expiry of the Protocol, as provided for in the fisheries agreement.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held talks on Thursday (13 July) in Cairo with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project on the Nile River and both leaders agreed on the urgent need to launch negotiations on the filling and operation of the dam within four months.

The talks on the dam project came ahead of a summit of Sudans neighboring countries in the Egyptian capital city to discuss means of resolving the Sudanese conflict. Both leaders have expressed a willingness to overcome the longstanding impasse and seek an amicable solution to address concerns about water scarcity and the GERDs impact on the Nile. While Egypt views the GERD as an existential threat to its water share from the Nile River, Ethiopia sees the dam as crucial for its development process.

To that end, the Nile River constitutes the only source of fresh water for Egypt, which is why the North-East African country wants Addis Ababa to reach a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. Meanwhile, Ethiopia denies any harm to the water share of Egypt and Sudan, two downstream countries.

But years of negotiations have so far failed to make any breakthrough in reaching an agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD. The decision to initiate expedited negotiations marks a significant development in resolving the dispute, which has been ongoing since construction on the GERD began in 2011.
After nearly five years in detention in South Africa, former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang was finally extradited to the US on Wednesday (12 July) where he was arraigned in a court in New York on Thursday (13 July) to face a fraud and corruption trial over a $2 billion scandal involving fraudulent government loans.

Chang pleaded not guilty to US criminal charges over his alleged involvement in a fraud involving $2 billion in loans to three state-owned companies, which triggered a financial crisis in Mozambique and a warrant for his arrest. Chang was arrested in South Africa in December 2018 on US charges of conspiring to commit wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. After five years of legal wrangling over whether to send him back home or to the US  and after his last-ditch court effort to avoid extradition failed in May  Chang was finally handed over to US authorities.

Chang is accused of taking up to $17 million in bribes to secure unconstitutional loans from international banks for state-owned companies. The loans were for maritime projects, such as a tuna fishing fleet, in what became known as the hidden debt or tuna scandal.

The US government says American investors were among the fraud victims. When the amount of debt was discovered in 2016, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund pulled support from Mozambique, one of the worlds poorest countries. About half a billion dollars is still unaccounted for and has allegedly gone to kickbacks.
Over 1,000 participants from the United States and across the African continent, including government officials, private sector executives, investors, and multilateral stakeholders, have gathered for the 15th US-Africa Business Summit held in Botswanas capital city of Gaborone to explore investment opportunities and strengthen business relationships between both sides.

The summit, held under the theme Enhancing Africas Value Chains comes six months after the US- Africa Leaders Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in Washington, DC, where leaders committed to advancing trade, creating jobs, and fostering beneficial and sustainable relations. Through this annual summit, the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) seeks to strengthen connections between the US and Africa and to mobilize action as we have done for 30 years, said Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Chairman of Corporate Council on Africa (CCA).

Sturchio also said constructive collaborations benefit both the Americans and Africans. As a result, in the past three years, the US Government has closed more than 900 deals valued at $22 billion across 47 African countries in trade and investment.

According to Scott Nathan, CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), access to capital is the lifeblood of business and economic growth. We are focused on mobilizing capital for the private sector. Nathan also noted that DFC has the largest share of our portfolio, more than U.S.$11 billion dedicated to investment on the continent [and] since December we have committed another U.S.$110 million in financing to new projects in Africa.

President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, on his part, has expressed his desire for the Biden administration to keep its promise to renew the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), due to expire in 2025, because this would send a strong signal and confidence to the markets and serve as the catalyst for Africas industrialization and inclusion to the global value chains.
Malis military-led government is in talks with gold miners, aiming to negotiate an increase in its mining stake from 20% to 35%, to ensure a fair share of profits.

The government is discussing with gold miners the proposed changes to its mining law that could increase state and private Malian interests in new projects by 15%. International investors would have to cede a 5% stake to locals, the document said. The review of the mining code was announced in January after the military-led government said an internal audit had shown that Mali, one of Africas biggest gold producers, was not receiving a fair share of profits while granting too many tax breaks. The West African countrys current mining law, passed in 2019, gives the state the right to 10% with the possibility of acquiring an additional 10% stake.

The miners reportedly taking part in talks with the government include the Canada-based Barrick Gold, the second-largest gold miner, and its rival B2Gold are among the biggest producers, both of which have been expanding output in Mali, even amid frequent changes in government and rising insecurity. The Mali government holds 20% stakes in mining projects such as Barricks (GOLD) Loulo-Gounkoto and B2Golds (BTG) Fekola and also in other projects, such as those operated by Resolute Mining and Hummingbird Resources.

Industry insiders believe that as the junta needs to boost state revenues, the change will likely encourage more state interventions such as demands for renegotiating mining contracts. The proposed changes are also seen as representing a source of regulatory uncertainty for a sector that has been relatively shielded from the turbulent political and security landscape in recent years.
U.S. Top General Mark Milley is now calling for faster weapons delivery to Taiwan. On Friday, July 14, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman discussed the matter during his visit to Tokyo.

Top US General Calls for Faster Weapons Delivery to Taiwan

According to Reuters' latest report, Milley wants the United States and ally countries to speed up their weapons deliveries to Taiwan.

He said that this needs to be done in the coming years so that the country can effectively defend itself. "The speed at which we, the United States, or other countries assist Taiwan in improving (their) defensive capabilities, I think that probably needs to be accelerated in the years to come," explained the U.S. Army official.

He added that Taiwan specifically needs aerial defense systems, as well as weapons that can destroy sea threats, such as ships, from land.

The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman further stated that improving the military and defense capabilities of Taiwan is critical.

Read Also: Joe Biden Authorizes Deployment of 3000 Reservists To Support Forces Stationed in Europe

Will This Trigger China?

Since China and Taiwan are still in serious conflict, it would trigger the Chinese government if the U.S. really speed up its weapons sales to the country.

For the past years, the Chinese government has repeatedly urged the U.S. to stop selling weapons to Taiwan since Beijing sees this as unwarranted support for the democratically governed country.

This is why it is important for the United States to think before accepting the suggestion of Mark Milley.

U.S. Weapons Sales to Taiwan

CNN Politics recently reported that the Biden Administration approved two arms sales to Taiwan. These weapons transactions are estimated to cost around $440 million.

Among the weapons included in the potential sales are 300mm ammunitions, as well as repair and spare parts for weapons and vehicles.

However, this defense activity triggered Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in January that the U.S. must abide by the one-China principle and three joint communique.

"It should cease selling weapons to Taiwan, creating tensions and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," said the Chinese official.

Related Article: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Meet With Top Chinese Diplomat Wang Yi During ASEAN Meeting

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded over half a million dollars to Nebraska College of Agriculture in a huge boost to meat processing education in our region. The $644,489 grant, announced Wednesday, will fund development of a curriculum to meet practical training needs of the industry.

Through the program, students will be educated at the NCTA meat laboratory in Curtis and the University of Nebraska-Lincolns Loeffel Meat Laboratory on East Campus. The training will lead to certification by Nebraska Association of Meat Processors.

It will to cater to nontraditional students seeking immediate employment opportunities. It will also help current meat processing employees enhance their skills. Training will be in English and Spanish.

This approach should result in a profound improvement in (worker) retention, worker satisfaction and safety, said NCTA Dean Larry Gossen.

NCTA is partnering with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Animal Science to develop the curriculum, in consultation with the private industry.

The training will focus on immersive, hands-on training, said Gary Sullivan, associate professor of meat science at UNL.

The training is scheduled to begin in January. The USDA grant will fund project development and cover applicable expenses for trainees.

The curriculum results in part from a meeting at NCTA in August 2022. There, UNL faculty and 28 private industry representatives took a close look at training challenges facing the meat processing industry. They identified the following:

Some new and potential employees have very little prior knowledge of what the job entails.

On-the-job training must cover a wide range of topics, from knife skills and cut types to animal handling and food safety.

On-the-job training takes time and money. Although that can be especially challenging to small meat processors, even large plants may lack the capacity for adequate training.

Some employees quit shortly after they have been trained. In some cases, workers leave on their first day because they did not understand what it would be like working in a processing plant.

The new program at NCTA and UNL will alleviate training expenses for processors and help them better fit applicants to positions where they will be successful, Gossen said.

It will enhance and expand on the long and beneficial relationship between UNL, NCTA and the vast meat industry.

We have really worked toward ensuring that we have students who are trained to meet their needs as well as conducting research that answers and solves industry problems, Sullivan said.
Albert's Culbertson Grass is approximately 64 +/- acres of native grass pasture accessed by a well maintained, paved county road. The property has a barbed wire perimeter fence and there is a well with a windmill (the Seller nor their representative know the quality of the well). There is electrical service on the property. There are several potential building sites on the property so a Buyer will have many options with this terrific ranch.LandAlberts Culbertson Grass is 64 +/- acres of rolling native grass. ImprovementsThere is a perimeter barbed wire fence and electrical service to the property. RecreationAlberts Culbertson Grass and the Frenchman River Valley offers endless recreation, from hunting small game and varmints to monster plains mule deer and White-tailed deer. You also have the opportunity to go hiking, biking or having fun on your ATV/UTV all on your own property! Swanson Reservoir, which boasts some excellent fishing and waterfowl hunting is only a short 15 mile drive to the west of Alberts Culbertson Grass. AgricultureCurrently Alberts Culbertson Grass is operated as a cattle pasture. Water/Mineral Rights & Natural ResourcesAll appurtenant water rights associated with this property will transfer to the Buyer at Closing. Seller owned mineral rights will transfer to the Buyer at Closing. General OperationsAlberts Culbertson Grass is currently used as a cattle pasture. Region & ClimateHitchcock County, Nebraska gets 21 inches of rain, on average, per year.The US average is 38 inches of rain per year. Hitchcock County averages 24 inches of snow per year.The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. On average, there are 240 sunny days per year in Hitchcock County.The US average is 205 sunny days. Hitchcock County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 71 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure. Weather Highlights Summer High:the July high is around 90 degrees Winter Low:the January low is 14 Rain:averages 21 inches of rain a year Snow:averages 24 inches of snow a year HistoryThis area is rich in history. On 30 Aug. 1873 the first election was held in the county. It was held at the residence of F.U. Martin on Section 14, Township 3, Range 32 West, two miles east of the present town of Culbertson. The first officers elected were: Thomas LeGrand, W.W. Kelly and F.U. Martin, commissioners; W.Z. Taylor, Clerk, J.E. Kleven, Treasurer; G.E. Baldwin, Sheriff; A.J. Vanderslice, Judge; J.H. Conklin, surveyor; Daniel Murphy, Superintendent of Schools; J.H. Miller, Coroner. The county seat was located on the north half of Section 17, Range 31 West, the site of the town of Culbertson. Prior to 1869, the Republican Valley was a major retreat for the hostile Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. The valley was in the heart of buffalo range and was one of the great hunting grounds of the West. Whites made only occasional hunting trips into the region, due to the threat of Indian problems. In the summer of 1869, at the Battle of Summit Springs, near present Sterling, Co., Gen. Eugene A. Carr and his Republican River Expedition defeated the hostile Indians under Chief Tall Bull, which virtually cleared the Republican for settlement. The counties to the east of Hitchcock County were quickly organized by adventuresome frontiersmen and women. Though he did not file upon the land until August, George C. Gessleman was the first person to settle in what is now Hitchcock county, arriving in the early spring of 1873. During the next few months, he was joined by about a dozen other men, staking claims along Blackwood Creek to the east and north of present Culbertson. On 30 May 1873, a flash flood on the Blackwood brought near disaster to those first frontiersmen of the county. In the night, after everyone was in bed, most sleeping outdoors, a flood rushed down the creek, washing away tents, wagons and possessions. The boundaries for Hitchcock County had been defined by the legislature in January 1873 and named for Phineas W. Hitchcock, then serving as United States Senator from Nebraska. Situated near the southwest corner of Nebraska, the county is twenty-four miles north and south and thirty miles from east to west. In June the settlers petitioned Governor Robert W. Furnas for permission to organize the county, and he issued a proclamation on 5 July 1873, calling for an election to organize the county to be held on August 30th. In July, William Zacariah Taylor arrived on the present site of Culbertson and began building a store, probably at the instigation of the Republican Valley Land Company, the town site company of the Burlington Railroad. He named the site for Alexander Culbertson , noted trader of the Upper Missouri County in the 1840s and 1850s, who was living out his old age at Orleans, Harlan County, where his son-in-law was a Burlington official. Before the election, however, the settlers went through another time of trial, when the Sioux defeated the Pawnee at the Battle of Massacre Canyon on Tuesday morning, August 5th. The day before the battle a party of Sioux warriors had terrorized some of the settlers along the Blackwood, destroying some property. An account of the battle is given elsewhere in this history. Eighteen votes were cast at the first election on August 30th, and the men elected served only until the regular election on October 14th. Several of those elected had apparently left the county by the second election, however. A party of buffalo hunters were robbed in early October on the Stinking Water and left afoot on the prairie later making their way to the Kansas settlements. They and others said the robbery was done by some of these first county officials. During that first summer, only a few acres of ground were broken. For survival, these first frontiersmen depended upon the buffalo and other wild game. Supplies had to be transported from the railroad in the Platte Valley, mainly from North Platte or Plum Creek (Lexington). Having little money, many of the settlers traded buffalo meat for essentials. This was to remain the main source of trade until the buffalo herds were finally wiped out. Though 1874 started out well, the grasshopper hordes arrived in late summer and the few small fields were devastated. Many of the settlers left the county, leaving only a handful of men. In 1875 a major change came to the county. Large scale ranching began in Southwest Nebraska. Some ranchers came from the East, but others were Colorado ranchers who entered the region from the west. Thus began Culbertsons boom period. Though a few very small settlements, such as Stratton, Palisade and Benkleman were started about 1880, until about 1883, Culbertson was the only real settlement in Southwest Nebraska, being the only town between Indianola and Ogallala. Though many of the ranchers and their families lived in Culbertson, at least during the winter, and many of the men served as officials of Hitchcock County. Until the railroad built up the valley, few settlers entered the region, for they would have had no way to market their produce except for the long haul to the Platte. When the Burlington began to build west, many homesteaders entered the county, settling on the Driftwood and the Frenchman, as well as building up the river valley. It was not until about 1884, however, that homesteaders began to settle on the divide lands, booming the population of the county. Early history of Hitchcock County tells of frequent Indian scares, but no injury was ever done the settlers. In the fall of 1876, two horse thieves were killed in Massacre Canyon and buried near Culbertson. In the fall of 1878, a band of Cheyenne Indians escaped from their reservation, to visit their old Nebraska home, and passed near here. In the fall of 1881 the Burlington and Missouri Railroad was completed to Culbertson and trains began running regularly to this point. In March 1882, trains began running westward as far as Akron, Colorado. The first school district was organized 21 Feb. 1876. This district was the north one-half of the county. No other district was organized until 1879 when four more districts were added. Another district was formed in 1880 and three more in 1881, making nine school districts in the county by 1882. There were 335 children of school age and 12 teachers holding certificates. The salaries of the teachers ranged all the way from $20 to $40 per month. The first newspaper in the county was the spring of 1879 by W.Z. Taylor, and Nat L. Baker was the editor. This paper was published until the spring of 1800, when Baker took the material and started the Chipper. Taylor started another paper called the Sun at the same time and employed R.D. Graham as editor. During the same summer the Clipper failed and Baker returned the material and the Sun remained the only paper published in the county. LocationAlberts Culbertson Grass is located in Hitchcock County in SW Nebraska. The closest community is Culbertson and the nearest large community is McCook (15 minutes). The property is only a mile north of US Hwy 34 and is located almost an equal distance from Interstates I-70 and I-80.

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LONDON  Concerns are growing that Russia will not extend a United Nations-brokered deal that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to parts of the world struggling with hunger, with ships no longer heading to the war-torn countrys Black Sea ports and food exports dwindling.

Turkey and the U.N. negotiated the breakthrough accord last summer to ease a global food crisis, along with a separate agreement with Russia to facilitate shipments of its food and fertilizer. Moscow insists its still facing hurdles, though data shows it has been exporting record amounts of wheat.

Russian officials repeatedly say there are no grounds for extending the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is up for its fourth renewal Monday. Its something they threatened before  then twice went on to extend the deal for two months instead of the four months outlined in the agreement.

The U.N. and others are striving to keep the fragile deal intact, with Ukraine and Russia both major suppliers of wheat, barley, vegetable oil and other food products that countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia rely on. It has allowed Ukraine to ship 36.2 million tons of grain, more than half of it to developing nations.

The deal has helped lower global prices of food commodities like wheat after they surged to record highs following the invasion last year, but that relief has not reached kitchen tables.

Russias exit would cut off a source for World Food Program aid for countries at risk of famine, including Somalia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan, and compound food security problems in vulnerable places struggling with conflict, economic crisis and drought.

Russia gets a lot of good public will for continuing this agreement, said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. There would be a cost to pay in terms of public perception and global goodwill, I think, as far as Russia is concerned if the deal isnt extended.

The amount of grain leaving Ukraine already has dropped, with Russia accused of slowing joint inspections of ships by Russian, Ukrainian, U.N. and Turkish officials and refusing to allow more vessels to join the initiative.

Average daily inspections  meant to ensure vessels carry only food and not weapons that could aid either side  have fallen from a peak of 11 in October to just over two in June.

That has led to a decline in grain exports, from a high of 4.2 million metric tons in October to 1.3 million in May, a low for the year-old initiative. They rose to 2 million in June as shipment sizes grew.

If the deal isnt extended, the countries that had relied on Ukraine for their imports are going to have to look at other sources for imports, very likely Russia, which is something that I imagine Russia was intending, said Caitlin Welsh, director of the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The U.N. has been negotiating with Russia to stick with the initiative, with spokesman Stephane Dujarric saying this week that top officials are doing whatever we can to ensure the continuation of all of the agreements.

Ukraines Infrastructure Ministry said Tuesday on Facebook that the final two ships are loading grain  heading for Egypt  while 29 vessels are waiting in the waters off Turkey because Russia has refused to allow their inspection.

Ukrainian agricultural products play a significant role in global food security, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. But for the past few months, the grain corridor has been practically closed.

Russia insists the agreement hasnt worked for its own exports, blaming Western sanctions for hindering financing and insurance.

While sanctions dont effect food and fertilizer, Moscow is seeking carveouts from restrictions on the Russian Agricultural Bank, as well as movement on its ammonia, a key ingredient in fertilizer, to a Ukrainian Black Sea port. But the ammonia pipeline has been damaged in the war, the U.N. said.

There is still time to implement the part of the agreements that pertains to our country. So far, this part has not been fulfilled, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters last week. And so at the moment, unfortunately, we dont see any particular grounds for extending this deal.

Russia, however, has increased its wheat exports to all-time highs following a large harvest. Shipments went from 33 million metric tons in 2021 to 44 million metric tons last year to expectations of 46 million this year, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Meanwhile, Ukraines shipments have fallen by about 60%, from 19 million tons in 2021 to predictions of about 7 or 8 million tons this year  a big hit to its agriculture-dependent economy.

In developing nations increasingly relying on imported food, from Kenya to Syria, weakening currencies are keeping local prices high because they are paying in U.S. dollars.

With approximately 80% of East Africas grain being exported from Russia and Ukraine, over 50 million people across East Africa are facing hunger, and food prices have shot up by nearly 40% this year, said Shashwat Saraf, the International Rescue Committees regional emergency director for East Africa.

It is vital for the international community to not only forge a long-term deal but also build durable solutions to tackle food insecurity, he said.
Made-up fraud claims are bad. Delegitimizing an election based on vague charges of unfairness is worse. Photo: Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times/Redux

One of the big and unsettling developments of the last couple of years has been the solidification of a Republican majority that doesnt believe Joe Biden was legitimately elected president of the United States in 2020. Does this mean rank-and-file Republicans have come to subscribe to all the made-up fraud incidents circulated by Rudy Giuliani and other members of the 2020 Trump legal team? Are they going down the many rabbit holes dug by right-wing conspiracy theorists? Do they really believe the stolen election fables that accompanied the January 6 insurrectionists on their destructive rampage?

Actually, the answers to these fraught questions may be not really. As a Forbes article observed earlier this year, Republican belief in specific acts of lawbreaking that made it possible for Democrats to steal the 2020 presidential election was eroding even as rejection of the results remained sky-high:

[A] CNN poll, conducted March 812 among 1,045 Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents, found 63 percent of respondents believe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 election, while 37 percent believe he did.

Of that 63 percent, only 52 percent say they think theres solid evidence the election was stolen, while 48 percent say theyre going based on suspicion only.

That marks a significant decrease in the share of Republicans believing theres evidence of fraud: 61 percent thought there was evidence of fraud in October 2022, the last time the question was asked, which was already down from a high of 75 percent who said there was proof the election was stolen in January 2021.

So is it a good thing that Republicans arent buying fabricated fraud allegations or imaginary claims of massive lawbreaking by Democrats? Or is it a dangerous thing that they dont accept the election results anyway?

Id lean in the latter direction. What seems to be happening is that Republicans are seizing on perfectly legal and largely marginal phenomena to delegitimize their election loss in a way that makes you doubt they will ever accept defeats. Check out this recent tirade from John Daniel Davidson at the Federalist:

Recall that 2020 was unlike any election in American history. One need not declare that it was stolen to admit that it was obviously rigged. After all, the people and institutions that rigged it have freely admitted what they did. They suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story, censored what Americans could say on social media, introduced unprecedented changes to our voting system under the pretext of pandemic precautions, and poured hundreds of millions of dollars into putatively nonpartisan local election offices through Mark Zuckerberg-connected nonprofits for the sole purpose of turning out Democrat voters in swing states.

None of the things Davidson is exercised about are illegal. Some of them have little or nothing to do with Democrats (many Republican election officials along with Democrats promoted and facilitated voting by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic). Encouraging legal voters to vote is hardly a sin that cries out to heaven for vengeance. The only people likely to care about the contents of Hunter Bidens laptop were people who were going to vote for Trump in any event. The failure to secure maximum social-media coverage for ones partisan campaign themes hardly proves censorship. You can add up all this stuff and imagine it flipped the election. Why? Because it was a very close election.

What Republicans seem to be embracing is a political version of the butterfly effect hypothesis: the idea that very small phenomena at the right time can have big consequences (i.e., a butterfly flapping its wings can begin a chain of events that cause a typhoon). Just over 44,000 votes added to Trumps totals in three states would have reelected him (never mind that he would have in any event lost the national popular vote by more than 7 million votes). For the frustrated MAGA activist like Davidson, surely all the developments he cited had to have moved more than 44,000 votes. So the election was obviously rigged. Trouble is, five of the last six presidential elections were very close by historical standards as well. Were they all rigged because but for this or that occurrence or strategic gambit or smart investment the results could have gone the other way?

Its a seductive but pernicious way of looking at things. In a recent analysis of the 2022 results, political scientist James Campbell finds evidence that Democrats did a better job of turning out key elements of their base than did Republicans and concludes the overperformance by Democrats was not a consequence of vox populi. It was the result of mobilization-friendly electoral systems, organization, and lots of money  essentially 21st-century machine politics. Sounds bad, eh? Sure does if you are an embittered Republican.

As the Washington Posts Philip Bump observes, vague claims of election rigging  if not theft  have made it possible for a lot of Republicans like RNC chair Ronna McDaniel to become election deniers without providing any evidence of fraud:

I think there were lots of problems with 2020. Ultimately he won the election, but there were lots of problems with the 2020 election, [McDaniel said in an interview]. I dont think he won it fair. I dont. Im not going to say that.

This is where a lot of Republicans have landed. All of that hunting for fraud has resulted in a tacit admission that there isnt demonstrable evidence of explicit fraud, so, disinterested in accepting the easy answer  Biden got more votes than the deeply unpopular and polarizing incumbent, Donald Trump  they invent nebulous excuses for the loss. It was Hunter Bidens laptop! It was the media! It was Mark Zuckerberg! This argument is great for skeptics because it just vaguely blames the people they already hate for making Trump lose without having to actually offer hard evidence of it.

And without offering the winner the legitimacy presidents need:

Establishing a system in which any loss can easily be framed as illegitimate means establishing a system in which no loss is accepted as valid. It means institutionalizing the idea that elections are inaccurate gauges of public opinion and, therefore, that the winners of those elections have no mandate to serve.

Then you get a bunch of Trump supporters flooding into the Capitol.

Lets hope for an election thats not so close at all.
Crime-lab officers search the home of Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann in Massapequa Park on July 18. Photo: Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images

The Gilgo Beach serial-killer case that has haunted Long Island for more than a decade seems to have finally been solved. Last week, a 59-year-old local architect, Rex Heuermann, was arrested and charged with murdering three women whose bodies were discovered in 2010 near Gilgo Beach along Long Islands South Shore. Heuermann, who lived in nearby Massapequa Park and ran his own firm in midtown Manhattan, is also the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth woman whose body was found near the other victims. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Below is what we know about the suspect, the case against him, and all the latest updates on this still-developing story.

Gawkers are flocking to suspected killers home

The New York Times reports on Long Islands new macabre tourist attraction:

Some bike over or walk the dog from nearby blocks; some trek from distant towns or other states. Once-near-empty streets are lined with cars from sunup to sundown, parked by true-crime addicts, serial killer aficionados and some people obsessed specifically with the Gilgo Beach murders.

Its part of history, said Lidia Feldman, 26, who lives several towns away. Her 2-year-old daughter cheerfully rode her plastic toy car into the yellow crime-scene tape. It sends chills down your spine, said Ms. Feldman.

Police reportedly believe at least one of the murders happened inside the home

News 12 Long Island reported Thursday that multiple sources had told the outlet that investigators believe one or more of the Gilgo Beach murders took place at the Massapequa Park home of suspect Rex Heuermann.

Suffolk County DA Ray Tierney quickly pushed back on that speculation:

At the time of the arrest, we indicated the causes of death were homicidal violence; the locations of the murders were never specified. At this juncture, if any law-enforcement officials are saying anything contrary to that, they do not know what they are talking about.

Investigation extends to four states

In addition to New York, authorities are looking into whether Rex Heuermann might have committed crimes in at least three other states  though much of that work seems to be due diligence at this time. Suffolk County police said Thursday that departments across the country are reviewing their unsolved murder cases to see if any might be linked to the alleged killer, whose DNA has been added to a national law-enforcement database.

South Carolina

Authorities have conducted searches at South Carolina properties owned by Heuermann, according to WHNS, a local news affiliate. Fox News Digital captured video footage of a truck being towed from one. The vehicle is believed to be a Chevy Avalanche, the same model of truck that has been linked to the case. Heuermanns brother, Craig, reportedly also owns property nearby.

The Chester County sheriffs office, whose jurisdiction covers the properties, confirmed in a statement that it had been enlisted by the task force investigating the Gilgo Beach murders to assist in gathering evidence in Chester County relevant to their investigation.

The Chester County Sheriffs Office has and will continue to work closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Suffolk County law enforcement authorities during this very important and arduous investigation, it read.

South Carolina police are also investigating whether Heuermann might have been involved in the disappearance of an 18-year-old woman who went missing some 20 miles from properties linked to him, but a local police official stressed to ABC News that so far, there is no indication that leads us to identify Heuermann as a suspect in this case.

Nevada

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Heuermann owned a time-share in Las Vegas. We are currently reviewing our unsolved cases to see if he has any involvement, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Tuesday.

New Jersey

Suffolk County police said Thursday that authorities in Atlantic City are among those reviewing their case files in the aftermath of Heuermanns arrest. In 2006, the bodies of four women who had been sex workers were discovered in a roadside ditch in Egg Harbor Township. The still-unsolved Black Horse Pike murders are believed to be the work of an as-yet-unidentified serial killer, but police have not indicated any link to the alleged Gilgo Beach killer.

There were some murders a couple years ago that were similar, or something where it had to do with sex workers; we had to take a closer look and see if it was similar to the Gilgo Beach murders, Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison told ABC 7 on Thursday. What Im being told is its not a connection, but we want to revisit that investigation as well.

The Atlantic City prosecutors office said in a statement:

Our office continues to investigate the 2006 Black Horse Pike homicides as we do all unresolved matters, and we follow all leads. Since this remains an open investigation, we cannot comment further due to its potential to compromise the investigation. We have no comment on the Gilgo Beach investigation.

Investigators originally overlooked key evidence

The New York Times has published an expanded account of how Suffolk County police, armed with new technology and new perspectives, finally identified the suspected killer, Rex Heuermann, more than a decade after the bodies of his alleged victims had been found. The report offers more details about how police overlooked a critical piece of evidence: a witnesss description of the vehicle driven by a would-be client of victim Amber Costello shortly before she disappeared.

The description of the vehicle in the driveway, a dark, first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, ended up tucked away in the case file, the authorities said. The fact apparently lay buried for years among hundreds of thousands of pages of interviews; telephone, travel and credit records; and endless tips as the Suffolk County police department and district attorneys office endured years of turmoil.

James Burke, the swaggering police chief who had been running the department since 2012, was arrested in 2015 and later convicted on federal civil rights and obstruction of justice charges. He had beaten a suspect who had been arrested after stealing cigars and a bag containing pornography and sex toys from Mr. Burkes sport utility vehicle. The subsequent cover-up ensnared the district attorney at the time, Thomas J. Spota, who also landed in prison. The federal investigation into Suffolk Countys top lawmen spanned years during the Gilgo Beach case, a period during which both Mr. Burke and Mr. Spota had spurned help from the F.B.I.

After Suffolk Countys next police chief, Tim Sini, redoubled the departments efforts to solve the case, it was able to use cell-phone data as well as more advanced technology and software to determine that many of the evening calls linked to the victims had come from somewhere inside an area of several hundred homes in Massapequa Park. Police called this area the polygon and surmised that it was likely where the killer lived. Daytime cell-phone data was used to identify a second key area in midtown Manhattan, which was likely where the killer worked.

Years later, when a new task force was formed to reexamine the case, in 2022, someone unearthed the description of the vehicle. Investigators then did a database search, which revealed that the same year the last victim went missing, a dark, first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche was linked to Heuermann  who, as it turned out, lived inside the polygon, worked in midtown Manhattan, and matched the physical description witnesses had given to police of the would-be client who parked an Avalanche outside Costellos home.

No one the Times spoke with who had worked on the case knew how the vehicle description was overlooked:

If they knew about it then, a major mistake was made in not tracking down this car earlier, said Rob Trotta, a former Suffolk County detective and a current county legislator, who said he expects to make an official inquiry into what happened.

Dominick Varrone, the former chief of detectives who oversaw the first year of the investigation, questioned whether the Avalanche clue had actually been in the case file, but added, I will feel very, very badly if our team missed something.

Ill tell you right now: No suspect vehicle was on our radar when I was still there, he added.

Suspects wife files for divorce

Asa Ellerup, the longtime wife of Rex Heuermann, has filed for divorce, according to court filings first reported by The Daily Beast. The divorce filing is listed as uncontested. Not much is known about Ellerup, beyond the fact that the 59-year-old seemed to lead a reclusive life with her two children and that she was reportedly out of town when her husband was alleged to have murdered his victims. Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison said on Wednesday that Ellerup was shocked and disgusted after learning about the allegations against her husband.

When we told the wife, she was shocked, she was embarrassed, Harrison told Fox 5 New York. But there was a point where we showed her certain pictures and she said, Okay, it is what it is.

Ellerups lawyers, Macedonio & Duncan, LLP, said in a statement on Friday that she and her family are going through a devastating time in their lives and that she is requesting privacy and will not be commenting on Heuermanns case.

The sensitive nature of her husbands arrest is taking an emotional toll on the immediate and extended family, especially their elderly family members, the firm said.

Heuermanns lawyer says his client is traumatized by arrest

Michael Brown, the attorney representing Rex Heuermann in the Gilgo Beach case, told ABC News that his client appeared traumatized at his arraignment hearing where he entered a not-guilty plea. Brown, who described Heuermann as soft-spoken, said the case will be difficult to try because of its high-profile nature, opining that his client has been convicted in the media already.

When you have a high-profile case like this, initially you have to be concerned about getting a jury that hasnt been biased, that hasnt convicted him just based on what theyve read in the newspapers and what theyve heard on social media. So thats going to be a challenge, he told the outlet.

Brown said he is building his legal team for the proceedings and awaiting the discovery process.

Woman details unsettling past date with alleged killer

Nicole Brass, 34, spoke to the New York Daily News about an encounter she says she had with Heuermann in her former life as an escort.

Brass recalls that Heuermann first wanted to meet her in a hotel room near Massapequa Park, where he lives, but she was uncomfortable with that idea. She asked to meet instead at a seafood restaurant called Steam Room in Port Jefferson. During their dinner, Brass remembered Heuermann seeming totally normal until he brought up the Gilgo Beach murders and his demeanor changed.

When he spoke, something about his body language changed, the look in his eyes changed, and it seemed like talking about the victims was enjoyable for him, Brass said.

She said his tone while discussing the murders made her think he was visualizing it in his head and getting off to what he was saying.

The way he talked about it was really weird, and it gave me the worst gut feeling. I was so scared at the end of it, Brass said. I didnt try to keep the dinner going long after that.

She told Francis Donoghue, a friend of her fiances, about the meeting years later. He also spoke to the News.

I remember a few years ago when I met her, she told me about that, Donoghue said. She was certain, and she even showed me a picture of him, he told the outlet.

Officials shed light on why Heuermann wasnt arrested outside his home

Authorities took Rex Heuermann into custody last week in Manhattan, a choice that took on new significance after the discovery of hundreds of firearms in his Long Island home. In an interview with ABC News, Suffolk County district attorney Ray Tierney said the weapons were the deciding factor in law enforcements decision to arrest him elsewhere.

We wanted to take him into custody somewhere outside the house because of access to those weapons, he said.

Heuermanns wife likely did not know about his crimes

Court documents suggest that Rex Heuermann likely kept his actions from his family. Analysis of phone records shows that Heuermanns wife, Asa Ellerup, was out of town during the periods in 2009 and 2010 when Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello went missing. Though Heuermann is also a suspect in the 2007 death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, phone records from that era are no longer accessible.

In an interview with CNN, Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison said Heuermanns family was stunned when they were told of his alleged crimes.

They were disgusted. They were embarrassed, he said. So if you ask me, I dont believe they knew about this double life that Heuermann was living.

Heuermanns family was reclusive, per neighbors

Residents in Rex Heuermanns neighborhood are starting to paint a picture of the suspects life in Massapequa Park, where he lived with his wife, Asa Ellerup, and their two children. Heuermann had been married to another woman in the 1990s.

The New York Post reports that Heuermanns daughter, Victoria, is an employee at his architecture firm, though a page that included the companys staff has been scrubbed from its website. Not much is known about Heuermanns other child, a stepson whom a neighbor described to CBS News as having special needs.

Ellerup shopped at the IGA grocery store with the children every week for decades. Heuermann never joined them. Mery Salmeri, a store manager, told the New York Times that Ellerup generally looked depressed and that the family often paid with food stamps, which is uncommon for that area. The use of food stamps also seems at odds with Heuermanns career as an architect with a midtown Manhattan office.

The familys neighbors describe the family as solitary and rarely interacting with anyone on their block or having visitors to their home. The house they lived in was not well maintained, and one neighbor said Ellerup often looked like she just rolled out of bed.

Authorities load a copy machine into a New York State Police truck on July 15 outside 385 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, the building where Rex Heuermann, the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, worked. Photo: Craig Schneider/Newsday via Getty Images

Investigators face a flood of evidence

Right now, we have a flood of information and a flood of evidence coming in, and its going to take us a while to sort of go through all of that, Suffolk County district attorney Ray Tierney told CNN on Monday.

On Sunday and Monday, police searched and removed items from storage units that Rex Heuermann apparently rented at two facilities in Amityville. They also removed evidence from Heuermanns architectural-firm offices in midtown Manhattan over the weekend and have continued to confiscate items from his Long Island home. CNN reports that, according to a source, the search of his house in Massapequa Park has largely been focused on forensics, but authorities are also looking for items that could be souvenirs from the killings  things that appear to be hidden or kept in such a way other family members would not have come across them.

Among the items recovered from Heuermanns residence, which Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison has described as a very cluttered house, were between 200 and 300 firearms  including pistols, revolvers, and semi-automatic rifles  that Heuermann kept in a vault in his basement. Though he was apparently an avid hunter, he had legal permits for only 92 of the firearms. Its concerning, regarding the guns being registered or legal or not, Harrison told Fox News on Monday. Thats something were still taking a look at. Anytime somebody has that type of arsenal, we have some concerns.

Police have also been seen removing what the New York Post describes as dozens of bizarre items from the home, including a child-sized, fair-haired doll kept in a large wooden and glass case  that was not found in Heuermanns childrens rooms.

After his arrest, alleged killer reportedly asked, Is it in the news?

CNN reports that, according to a source familiar with the case, Heuermann had only one question during intake at the jail after being arrested last week  which was Is it in the news?

The alleged serial killer, who is being held without bail, was put on suicide watch on the advice of medical staff after he was taken to jail.

Criminologists 2011 profile of then-unknown serial killer wasnt far off

The New York Times revisited what several experts and criminologists said in 2011 when the publication asked them to profile the person who had murdered the Gilgo Four:

[The women] were probably killed by a white man in his mid-20s to mid-40s, they said. He is married or has a girlfriend. He is well educated and well spoken. He is financially secure, has a job, owns an expensive car or truck, and lives or used to live near where the bodies were found.

On Friday, details began emerging about Rex Heuermann, who was arrested and charged with murder in the killings of three of the women. Prosecutors said he was the prime suspect in the death of the fourth woman. Mr. Heuermann, 59, is a married white man who works as an architect in Manhattan and lives in Massapequa Park, about 15 miles from Gilgo Beach. He owned a Chevrolet Avalanche truck at the time of the killings, prosecutors said.

Rex Heuermanns mugshot

A mugshot of the suspected killer was released by law enforcement following his Thursday arrest:

New mugshot of A demon charged with three murders and a prime suspect in a fourth in the notorious Gilgo Beach Murders. Rex Heuermann says he is innocent. pic.twitter.com/BXKRVjmAmf  Carolyn Gusoff (@GusoffTV) July 14, 2023

What Heuermanns lawyer has said

Defense attorney Michael Brown told reporters on Friday that, after he was arrested, Heuermann broke down in tears in front of his lawyers and said, I didnt do this. Brown has also released a statement to the media emphasizing his clients spotless record:

Rex Heuermann is 59 years old with no prior criminal history. He is a college graduate and is a hardworking licensed architect who has his own NYC firm. He is a loving husband to his wife of over 25 years and an involved and dedicated father to his daughter and stepson. He has entered a not-guilty plea and has insisted he did not commit these crimes. There is nothing about Mr. Heuermann that would suggest that he is involved in these incidents. And while the government has decided to focus on him despite more significant and stronger leads, we are looking forward to defending him in a court of law before a fair and impartial jury of his peers.

Among the gawkers outside suspects house: Rudy Giuliani

The former mayor swung by Rex Heuermanns residence in Massapequa Park on Saturday and reportedly asked one of the cops there how close he could get to the house. His spokesperson later told the New York Post that Giuliani was on scene to cover this heinous crime as part of his hit new livestream show.

What about the other bodies?

Although the cold cases of the so-called Gilgo Four now appear to have been solved, law-enforcement officials on Friday shared no additional details about the status of the investigations regarding the seven other people whose remains had been found around Gilgo Beach since 2010. There was also no indication that investigators believe Heuermann was involved in those deaths.

Instead, the officials who spoke at Fridays press conference indicated only that their investigations into the other cases are still ongoing. Even with this arrest, were not done. Theres more work to do in this investigation regarding the other victims, of the Gilgo Beach bodies that were discovered, Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison said. He urged anyone with information to call 1-800-220-TIPS, the countys Crime Stoppers hotline.

Suffolk County DA: This case is not over

At a press conference regarding the arrest, Suffolk County district attorney Ray Tierney vowed that the case against Heuermann was only beginning and that were continuing to execute search warrants, and we anticipate getting more evidence.

Tierney also thanked the various law-enforcement partners in the task force that ultimately cracked the case, mentioning in particular how they continued to keep details of the investigation secret because they knew the suspected killer was himself closely following news about the case. We knew that this one person would be watching, and we didnt want to give him any insight into what we were doing, Tierney said. And we also didnt want him to know just how close we were getting.

In his comments on the arrest, Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison emphasized that Rex Heuermann is a demon that walks among us. A predator that ruined families. If not for the members of this task force, he would still be out on the streets today.

Video exclusively obtained by NBC New York shows the moments before the man accused in the murders of three Gilgo Beach victims was taken into custody by law enforcement in New York Cityhttps://t.co/ESYjpFDxKd  NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) July 15, 2023

Cell-phone data  which proved critical to tracking Heuermann down  paints a chilling, detailed portrait

According to court documents made public on Friday, Rex Heuermann faces both first- and second-degree murder charges over the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello, and Megan Waterman in 2009 and 2010. He is also the prime suspect in the 2007 murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. All four women were described in the documents as sex workers who had contact shortly before their disappearances with a person using a burner cellphone and were found in close proximity to one another, similarly positioned and bound.

After a new push to review evidence from the case last year, investigators were able to zero in on Heuermann as the main suspect after finding a vehicle an eyewitness had seen at the home of one of the victims the day before her disappearance. The first-generation black Chevrolet Avalanche had been registered at the time of the murders to a Long Island resident who matched the physical description a witness had given of a man seen at that same victims home attempting to solicit her.

Investigators then subpoenaed cell-phone data allowing them to link the man to calls made to and from the victims phones near both Heuermanns home in Massapequa Park and his office in midtown Manhattan. The womens own phones provided ominous clues to their fate  a final cell-tower ping near Heuermanns residence, a voice-mail check by the expressway, and taunting calls to one victims family members using her own phone from near Heuermanns office. Heres how the bail application filed Friday by prosecutors details the cell-phone data related to victim Melissa Barthelemy:

On July 3, 2009, Ms. Barthelemy was contacted by a burner cellphone. Thereafter, the Barthelemy Cellphone was contacted by this burner cellphone on July 6, July 9, and July 10, 2009, which was the last day she was seen alive. On July 10, 2009, cell site records indicate the burner cellphone traveled from Massapequa Park to Midtown Manhattan. Later that evening, the Barthelemy Cellphone traveled from Midtown Manhattan to Massapequa with the last cell site location being in Massapequa on July 11, 2009, at approximately 1:43 a.m. On July 11, 2009, Ms. Barthelemys cellphone was used to make an outbound call checking her voicemail from a cell site location in Freeport. On July 11 and July 12, 2009, the Barthelemy Phone made two more outbound calls checking her voicemail from cell site locations in Babylon. On July 17, July 23, August 5, August 19, and August 26, 2009, the Barthelemy Phone made taunting phone calls to Ms. Barthelemys family members, some of which resulted in a conversation between the caller, who was a male, and a relative of Melissa Barthelemy, in which the male caller admitted killing and sexually assaulting Ms. Barthelemy  the cell site locations of the Barthelemy Phone during these taunting calls were all in Midtown Manhattan.

Do you think youll ever speak to her again? the caller asked Barthelemys teenage sister in a bland, calm voice during one of those calls in July 2009, according to the New York Times, and when she told the caller that she hoped to talk to her sister again, he replied that he had killed her after having sex with her, then hung up.

Investigators said in their court filing that Google data revealed Heuermann had repeatedly sought news about the case, such as searches for why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer? and articles including 8 Terrifying Active Serial Killers (We Cant Find). He allegedly sought out podcasts about the murders as well as photos of the victims families. Prosecutors have evidence that the alleged killer conducted thousands of searches related to sex workers; sadistic, torture-related pornography; and child pornography  including porn involving 10- to 13-year-old girls.

With Heuermann in their sights, investigators sought a DNA sample from his trash  eventually recovering the crust in a pizza box he threw away in Manhattan and then comparing the DNA found on it to the DNA from a piece of hair recovered on one of the victims bodies.

The Long Island serial killer suspect was in part identified "by DNA left on pizza crust he threw out in a Manhattan trash can," omghttps://t.co/D7uNO2Z7ia pic.twitter.com/bphBUZGDOV  sarah emerson (@SarahNEmerson) July 14, 2023

Who is the suspect, Rex Heuermann?

Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested in midtown Manhattan on Thursday night. He is a married father of two who lived with his family in Massapequa Park on Long Island.

First look at Gilgo Murders suspect Rex Heuermann as he is led to court from the Suffolk police 7th precinct. Charges to be made public shortly pic.twitter.com/BmysKoGzEy  GREG CERGOL4NY (@GREGCERGOL4NY) July 14, 2023

Heuermann, an architect, is the founder of RH Consultants & Associates, Inc., a Manhattan-based architectural firm that has worked with city agencies and other clients such as Catholic Charities and American Airlines. A 2022 interview with Heuermann about his life and experiences as an architect can be found on YouTube. In the clip, he describes himself as someone born and raised on Long Island who has been working as an architect in Manhattan since 1987.

PIX11 News spoke to Damien Richards, an employee of Heuermanns who was hired in 2020; he was taken aback by the news that his boss had been arrested in connection with the brutal crimes.

For decades, Long Islanders have lived in fear of the Gilgo Beach killer. Today, thanks to the hard work of @nyspolice & local law enforcement, a suspect is in custody.



This is a remarkable day for the victims' families & all New Yorkers who can sleep a little easier tonight.  Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 14, 2023

Shocked. Shocked. Total shock. At first, the shock of hearing of this, then obviously the next thing comes to my mind, what happens to my job and my family? Richards told the network. Of his bosss personal nature, he added, Ive never witnessed him be violent  but [he] gets aggravated. This industry is a roller-coaster ride.

Members of law enforcement search Oak Beach in 2011. Photo: Andrew Gombert/EPA/Shutterstock

How the case began

In 2010, authorities were searching for Shannan Gilbert, a 23-year-old New Jersey woman who had gone missing on Long Island, when they discovered the bodies of four women in burlap sacks 500 feet from one another near a parkway by Gilgo Beach on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island on the South Shore. All four of the women  Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Amber Lynn Costello, 27; and Megan Waterman, 22  were later determined to have been strangled to death.

Gilberts body was eventually found in 2011, as were the remains of another four people across the remote area between 2010 and 2011  including two more women, a man, and a female toddler. Its still not clear if or how some or all of those cases may be linked, but police have long believed that some were the work of a single serial killer.

Gilberts death, which was never ruled a homicide, was later deemed by law enforcement to be unconnected to the murders of the so-called Gilgo Four, though Gilberts family members continue to believe the cases are connected. At the time of their deaths, all five women were working as sex workers and advertised escort services on Craigslist.

In 2011, New York spoke with relatives of the five women about their quest to find justice for their loved ones:

[Maureen Brainard-Barness sister Melissa] Cann says the police have failed to take her sisters case seriously, beginning with the first officer she spoke to. Soon as I told him what she was doing up in Manhattan, it was like he didnt care. She speaks of the fruitless trips her husband and brother took to New York to try to find Maureen themselves, the two and a half years it took even to get Maureens name onto the national registry of missing persons. She tells me she got her sisters e-mails, texts, and phone records herself, trying to retrace Maureens steps. Ive been driving myself crazy for four years trying to figure out what happened to my sister, she says. I drove myself to the point where I didnt want to get up in the morning to brush my teeth. I didnt want to go to sleep. I just wanted to figure out where my sister was. I got fired from my job. I was like, I can find another job, but I cant find another sister. Going on with my life felt guilty.

This post has been updated.

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Could happy days be here again for the Donkey Party? Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty Images

National elections are complicated phenomena. You can determine the results and their immediate consequences soon enough. But the internal dynamics of the electorate and the implications for future elections can take a while to grasp. At first, all you have are imperfect exit polls and pundit insights, and they sometimes produce equally imperfect conventional wisdom.

Thats what happened in the 2022 midterms. We know that Republicans managed narrowly to flip the U.S. House but fell short of expectations in that chamber, as well as in the U.S. Senate and to some extent state contests. There was a lot of talk about Democrats benefiting from highly motivated pro-choice voters upset about the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and Republicans suffering from extremist Senate candidates promoted by Donald Trump. Now were getting a clearer picture thanks to the Pew Research Centers careful analysis of validated voters (those saying they voted and for whom Pew found voter files) from the midterms:

In midterm elections that yielded mixed results for both parties, Republicans won the popular vote for the U.S. House of Representatives largely on the strength of higher turnout.

A new Pew Research Center analysis of verified voters and nonvoters in 2022, 2020, 2018 and 2016 finds that partisan differences in turnout  rather than vote switching between parties  account for most of the Republican gains in voting for the House last year.

So while Democratic turnout may have exceeded expectations, it didnt exceed Republican turnout. And voters who did turn out overwhelmingly stayed with their own party:

Overall, 68% of those who voted in the 2020 presidential election turned out to vote in the 2022 midterms. Former President Donald Trumps voters turned out at a higher rate in 2022 (71%) than did President Joe Bidens voters (67%) 

Relatively small shares of voters defected from their partisan affiliation or 2020 presidential vote. Among those who voted for both president in 2020 and for a House representative in 2022, just 6% crossed party lines between elections or voted for third-party candidates in either election.

Viewed in total isolation, this might be viewed as good news for Republicans going forward; that was how the New York Times interpreted the Pew numbers:

The report serves as a warning sign for Democrats ahead of the 2024 presidential election, with early polls pointing toward a possible rematch between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.

Though Democrats maintained control of the Senate, all but one of their governors mansions and only narrowly lost the House, the Pew data shows that a larger percentage of voters who supported Mr. Trump in 2020 cast ballots in November than those who backed Mr. Biden did. People who had voted in past elections but sat out 2022 were overwhelmingly Democrats.

And for all the Democratic emphasis on finding Republican voters who could be persuaded to buck their party in the Trump era, Pew found that a vast majority of voters stuck with the same party through the 2018, 2020 and 2022 elections.

But the midterm results and the Pew data on who voted and for whom should emphatically not be viewed in isolation from historic trends. There were two data points supporting the expectation that a red wave would form in November 2022. The first was the midterm falloff typically experienced by Democratic-leaning voter groups, particularly young and minority voters who have never participated in non-presidential elections in numbers matching the older and whiter voters who now lean Republican. The second is that traditional midterm voter backlash almost always afflicts the party that controls the White House. What the Pew analysis shows us is that the first phenomenon (a Democratic turnout falloff) indeed occurred, but the second (significant vote-switching away from Joe Bidens party) largely didnt. As so you had a small Republican ripple instead of a wave.

The other side of the midterm falloff coin is that turnout by pro-Democratic voting groups tends to improve in presidential elections. All else being equal, that means if Democrats can again hang onto their voters and they turn out at a higher rate, they should have an advantage in 2024. To put it another way, they should have lost significant ground between 2020 and 2022 but didnt. The fact that Democrats didnt do as well as they did in 2018, which the Times analysis emphasized, is extremely unsurprising: Republicans controlled the White House then, and Democrats did produce some vote-switching in their favor.

The exceptional party loyalty exhibited by 2022 voters found by Pew, it should be mentioned, refutes some of the impressions of unusual voter trends that pundits discerned right after the elections, some of them derived from iffy exit-poll findings. The exits showed Democrats carrying women by a robust eight-point margin (53 percent to 45 percent), which reinforced the belief the abortion issue changed the results significantly. The validated voter data showed Democrats carrying women by a more modest three-point margin (51 percent to 48 percent). On the other side of the ledger, exit polls showed Republicans winning 13 percent of the Black vote, more than double the percentage the GOP won in 2018. But Pews validated voter data showed Republicans winning just 5 percent of the Black vote, a point less than they won in 2018.

To be very clear, the Democratic advantage in 2024 that Ive inferred from the Pew data is what would happen if only turnout patterns change in that election. Everything  from conditions in the country, issue salience, and the quality of candidates and campaigns  may not stay the same, which could mean a narrow GOP victory or the first comfortable win for Democrats (or for either party) since 2008. But theres a reason Democrats were thrilled to come out of the midterms without bigger losses than they sustained, and theres no reason to assume their position will become more tenuous in a presidential year.
Photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images

When Kid Rock shot at cases of Bud Light in April, the stunt seemed futile for several reasons. First, Bud Light was the best-selling beer in the country. Second, most consumers probably werent familiar with the root of Kid Rocks ire: the brands decision to send a customized beer can to trans actress and influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Finally, most boycotts fail. So I declared, rather optimistically, that Bud Light would be fine. Now I must issue a mea culpa, albeit with a caveat or two. Sales are dipping, and in May, the beer was forced to concede the top title to Modelo Especial. Reuters reported that sales of Bud Light and Budweiser dropped 28% and 11.7%, respectively, from a year earlier, while Modelo Especial sales rose 8.5%.

Theres likely more than one reason for the beers travails. In recent years it has faced tough competition from other brands, the New York Times reported. Nevertheless, the rights boycott, epitomized by Kid Rock and his gun, has clearly left a mark. I was wrong, and the Bud Light boycott has defied most expectations. But why?

First, a bit of context. Boycotts can work, as James Surowiecki pointed out in The Atlantic. The 195556 Montgomery bus boycott, the United Farm Workers grape boycott of the mid-60s, and Greenpeaces boycott of Shell in 95 all worked  wringing major concessions from the company or industry they targeted, he wrote. But initially, there wasnt much reason to believe the Bud Light boycott would follow their lead. Like me, Dr. Brayden King of Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management had first assumed the rights beer boycott would fail.

Twenty-five percent of boycotts that have some sort of demand and then get national media attention actually get some sort of concession from the company theyre targeting, says King, a professor of management and organizations who studies boycotts. With the Bud Light boycott, the right had expressed no clear demand beyond a generalized hatred for LGBTQ+ people. Nor was there a group that Bud Light executives could negotiate with to achieve some resolution. We know from past boycotts that that is usually not very successful, he says. By targeting consumer behavior, boycotters had set themselves a difficult task. Consumers are habitual, he adds, and tend not to change their behavior. If they like Bud Light, theyll keep buying Bud Light.

Now theyve stopped and King has theories. One is that Bud Light is a product that has lots of substitutes, such as new products that you can go to quite easily, he says. So, if youre going to the grocery store to buy your pack of beer, right next to Bud Light in the refrigerator is Coors Light or Miller Lite. And for most people, the taste of those products is pretty indistinguishable. (Connoisseurs might disagree.) The other reason, I think, is pretty important, which is that people tend to drink alcohol and beer in particular in groups of people, he adds. When you hang out on a Friday night with your friends and some beer, youre doing that in a group of people who are often like you. Your friends tend to have the same political views that you do. And so friends, as you know, hold each other accountable.

Organizations and institutions have also participated in the boycott, King says. Some concert venues bowed to conservative country-music stars and refused to sell Bud Light. Any time you have an organization or an institutional-led boycott, its going to have a much bigger impact on sales than if youre just relying on individual consumers to make those decisions, he says. Add social media to the mix, and the results can be potent. I would say the concept that we use in social science to describe this is that it gives social proof that this is something that people, at least of that political bent, should think and do, he adds. The right has devised a purity test for itself, and right now, conservatives are eager to comply.

So is Bud Light. A lukewarm April statement disappointed LGBTQ+ people, who hoped the brand would stand by Mulvaney, and failed to mollify the right. Now, conservatives are congratulating themselves for their efforts. A May piece in The American Conservative repeatedly misgendered Mulvaney while claiming that people had picked up on Buds contempt for its customers. Then Anheuser-Busch put two marketing executives on leave. In the brands attempts to please conservatives, it has apparently abandoned Mulvaney. In late June, Mulvaney posted a video noting that no one from the brand had reached out to her as she endured months of harassment: For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse, in my opinion, than not hiring a trans person at all, because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want, she said.

Because the boycott has no specific demands, its not clear how long conservatives will persist or if consumer behavior will turn against the brand for the long term. Bud Light might be hard to quit: CNN reported in July that Kid Rocks Nashville bar still sells the beer. But one outcome is already clear. The boycotts real victims arent Bud Light and its parent companies, but Mulvaney and the broader LGBTQ+ community. A backlash against LGBTQ+ rights is now underway, and corporations are caving to pressure.
Photo: Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images/NY Daily News via Getty Images

Harlem politics, like the famous talent competitions onstage at the Apollo Theater, can be tough, unforgiving, and, occasionally, a place where stars are born. Thats what happened in late June when Yusef Salaam, a first-time candidate for office, handily beat two fixtures in uptown politics, Assemblymembers Inez Dickens and Al Taylor, with an impressive 63 percent of the vote after a ranked-choice calculation. His partys nomination is virtually tantamount to a general-election victory in the overwhelmingly Democratic district, and Salaam is widely expected to win in November and take office in January.

His surprise victory signals the arrival of a homegrown leader with quick wits, confidence, personal charisma, and a story that has resonated deeply for decades in the capital of Black America.

The fact that this was 33, 34 years in the making really did a lot, Salaam told me after his primary win. People knew my story.

And what a story it is. Salaam was one of five Harlem teens rounded up and railroaded in April 1989, falsely accused of beating and raping a white woman, Trisha Meili, in Central Park. The subsequent convictions of Salaam, Antron McCray, Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, and Raymond Santana were, in legal terms, a disgraceful miscarriage of justice: High-pressure, hours-long interrogations yielded confused, conflicting videotaped confessions in which none of the teens could accurately describe the time and location of the attack or the victims clothing. The boys almost immediately recanted the coerced confessions, and their lawyers futilely pointed out that there were no eyewitnesses or physical evidence (none of the boys DNA matched a sample taken from Meilis rape kit). That didnt stop Salaam and the others from being convicted and serving between six and 13 years in prison.

The atmosphere at the time was wild and raw with public fury trained on the five teenagers as symbols of the citys crime rate, which was soaring toward an all-time high of 2,245 murders that would be reached the following year. A local businessman, Donald Trump, famously went so far as to buy full-page ads in the citys four daily newspapers calling for New York to reinstate the death penalty.

Salaam and his co-defendants were exonerated in 2002 after a convicted rapist named Matias Reyes voluntarily confessed to the crime and a DNA test showed a match. The city ultimately paid a $41 million settlement to the five men in 2014. Salaam, by then raising a family in Atlanta, had become a motivational speaker on criminal justice and other matters.

That could have been the end of the agonizing tale. But Keith Wright, a lifelong Harlemite, an ex-assemblyman, and a chairman of the Manhattan Democratic Party, contacted Salaam in Atlanta and recruited him to run for the City Council seat in Central Harlem held by the freshman member Kristin Richardson Jordan, who soon announced she would drop out of the race.

I had been toying around with the idea of politics for a while. Keith came and said, You know, you would be great at this. He said, Youre like our Nelson Mandela, Salaam told me. I knew I had to come back to the scene of the crime.

Wrights son Jordan ran the campaign, which benefited from the multiple documentary accounts of the case that had seared the injustice into local memory. A narrative of return and redemption quickly took hold: Back in 1989, one of Salaams early defenders was Bill Perkins, leader of the tenants association at Schomburg Plaza where he and Salaam lived; Perkins went on to serve for more than a decade in the council seat Salaam was running for.

On the campaign trail and in a televised debate, all three candidates in the race agreed on the basics, promising to fight for more jobs for local residents and to seek a new location for a planned legal cannabis dispensary scheduled to open on 125th Street. All three vowed to try to restart negotiations with a developer to build 916 new apartments on 145th Street, a project that collapsed in controversy last year when Councilwoman Jordan demanded deeper levels of rent subsidy than the builder was willing to provide.

But make no mistake about it: Salaam won not because of his proposed ideas on siting weed dispensaries and setting housing-subsidy levels. His election was Harlems embrace of a prodigal son and survivor of racial injustice.

The incident with the Exonerated 5 happened 35 years ago, and a lot of people in Harlem never forgot the ugliness and the indignity at the way those boys were treated, former governor David Paterson told me on Primary Night, as the early returns made clear Salaam was likely to win. I think maybe just the resentment that a lot of people in Harlem and a lot of people around the city feel about that is presenting itself tonight.

Elinor Tatum, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Harlem-based Amsterdam News who was around the same age as Salaam when the case broke, agreed. Heres a young man that so many years ago was thrown away by so many people. The Amsterdam News, however, was not one of them, she told me, referring to her father and predecessor at the paper, Wilbert Tatum, who made the controversial decision to print Meilis name on the theory that it was unfair to publish the names and faces of juvenile defendants while shielding the name of their alleged victim and accuser.

We believed in all of them, and we said from the onset that these young men did not do it, Tatum told me. This election, for him, was another day of reckoning. This was another exoneration.
A new upscale camping experience has been brought to Chewacla State Park with five new glamping tents complete with air conditioning, heating, beds, and toilets.

Timberline Glamping introduced the concept to the park in June.

Located just past the park entrance, the glamping location is an easy walk to Chewacla Lake and the waterfalls, but still gives campers hotel like amenities.

Basically, its getting outdoors and enjoying all the things that the outdoors still has to offer, but still having the luxury of a high-end hotel, said business owner Michele Danielly. You dont have to go pitch a tent, you dont have to do anything. Its all there for you.

Glamping a combination of glamorous and camping has been popping up around Alabama and Georgia in recent years. Timberline Glamping opened its luxury safari tents at Chewacla in June.

All the tents are thick canvas and set up on raised wooden beds. They have air conditioning and heating, lighting, electrical outlets, a minifridge and keuring coffee maker and come fully furnished and decorated. Three of the glamping tents also have full bathrooms. All five safari tents also have chairs, hammocks, grills and fire rings outside.

We try to make it as comfortable as possible, Daneilly said. You dont have to bring anything with you. You just go and enjoy it. You dont have to do all the work.

Danielly and her family are former Auburn residents who currently live in the Atlanta area. The mother of two said her and her husband, Lee, have always loved traveling. They like to find unique lodging opportunities for their family instead of staying in hotels when they vacation. It was this mentality that led them to open a glamping site at Chewacla State Park. Daneilly called Auburn a fantastic area.

It needed to happen in Auburn, she said. Auburn is near and dear to our hearts when we had the opportunity to take it to Chewacla, we jumped on that.

Nathan and Rebeka Self created Timberline Glamping seven years ago in Georgia. The first location was planted at Lake Lanier. The business has since franchised out to 15 parks across the Southeast. Wind Creek became the first Alabama location back in April. Chewacla State Park, Lake Guntersville State Park, Monte Sano State Park, and Cheaha State Park all soon followed.

Danielly said the company was expecting to grow to 20 locations extending up to Williamsburg VA by the end of the year.

Glamping is something weve always been drawn to and wanted to do, Danielly said. Auburn doesnt have anything like this, so we thought its something different and unique and fun to do in the area.
France celebrates Bastille Day this year with a parade in Paris Friday (July 14), with French, Indian, and African troops marching together. French President Emmanuel Macron was present in the parade, as well as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a guest of honor.

India's Defense Deal with France

Modi has traveled to France on a two-day trip to secure high-profile defense deals with Paris.

Both leaders watched as both French and Indian military personnel marched past the saluting base at the end of the Champs Elysees. Also present were the Indian Air Force's Dassault Rafale fighter jets which New Delhi bought from the French in 2015.

In addition, troops from six nations in Africa followed behind the Indian units.

When Modi arrived in Paris Thursday (July 13), he was granted the Legion of Honor, France's highest award. "It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor," he said on Twitter. "This is an honor for the 140 crore (1.4 billion) people of India."

In response, Macron said in a speech late Thursday that India is "a giant in the history of the world" and would have a "determining role" in the future. "It is also a strategic partner and a friend," he added.

An Al Jazeera report said the Indian defense ministry has given the initial support to acquire 26 more Rafale jets and three Scorpene-class submarines. The total value of the purchases is expected to value at around $9.75 billion, according to a source familiar with the details, although it that was still subject to negotiations, as Reuters reported.

Bastille Day commemorates the day and 1789 when French citizens stormed the Bastille fortress, which was used to detain prisoners and had become a symbol of the harsh rule of the French monarchy which they eventually toppled.

Read Also: Emmanuel Macron Warns Social Media May Be Shut Off Amid Turmoil in France

Macron and Modi in Hot Water

National celebrations came and a delicate time for Macron who was also heckled by some members of the public as he drove down the Champs Elysees in a military vehicle. His decision to raise the retirement age sparked months of protests this spring, causing his popularity ratings to plummet. In addition, he was also being blamed for the death of a teenager in Paris, as well as arrests during the subsequent protests in the lead-up to the national holiday.

As a result, French authorities have temporarily banned the use of fireworks for Bastille Day because some protesters are using it against riot police. This also prompted local governments to cancel fireworks shows for their own Bastille Day events.

On the other hand, Modi's visit has also been criticized by human rights organizations who were concerned about the perceived growing authoritarian nature of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as well as accusations of discrimination against minorities such as Muslim Indians.

Foremost criticizing the visit was the French Human Rights League (LDH). "The [Ligue des Droits de l'Homme], concerned about India's authoritarian turn, denounces this invitation which sends a disastrous signal, negating our democratic values," the group said on Twitter.

French leftist leader Jean-Luc Melanchon also said while India was a "friendly country," Modi was a far-right leader who was "violently hostile to Muslims in his country."

Related Article: France Takes Precautionary Measures to Prevent Bastille Day Violence, Bans Fireworks Sales

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
But Bobby Iger "doesn't understand why they mad."

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He is no longer allowed to be called the 'superior Bob"!

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I mean... he still IS... but that just shows how much people hated Chapek.

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We all know the superior Bob is Bob Belcher



Working class hero

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Hes got a fastpass to the guillotine.

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I got you fam!



SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher giving her speech over the Ether beat!  https://t.co/cVJNdtE9D6 pic.twitter.com/B948D4VQnJ  ick  (@Creat1ve) July 13, 2023 LOL people didn't waste time

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Ive always wanted to ask, is he wearing gold lashes or is whatever is reflecting off his glasses perfectly matched up with his eyes?

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This might be my most favourite gif on the internet.

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If I had vidding talent, I'd put the ILGWU jingle or "L'Internationale" in the background.

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I'm glad SAG is striking because this will bring more attention to the WGA.



I saw a novelist today say we had to stand with the actors because creatively we're fighting the same fight. No mention of the WGA. Like I get that it's impossible to keep abreast of everything but I was like "girl..."

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The DGA were a bunch of sellouts. I'm glad the actors are striking now too.



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Over 12,000 writers on strike.



Now 160,000 actors have launched their strike.



August 1st 340,000 teamsters could strike.



It truly is the hottest of hot labor summers.  Stop Cop City (@JoshuaPHilll) July 13, 2023



And aren't there other groups threatening to go on strike? Honestly, it's reached a boiling point. People are sick of this. I've also been seeing some interesting explanations on Twitter of just how much these awful changes would affect small time actors. And aren't there other groups threatening to go on strike? Honestly, it's reached a boiling point. People are sick of this. I've also been seeing some interesting explanations on Twitter of just how much these awful changes would affect small time actors.

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Say what you will about Tyler Perry, I wont dispute any of it, but when my grandma was in her 80s she had a bit role on one of his shows that kept her insured. AMPTPs complete disregard of how people survive is so gross  Alanna's on strike (@AlannaBennett) July 13, 2023 Ah, this explains it. I can't get over the number of people who are only thinking of the huge stars that make bank and don't realize how many working actors are just scraping by.

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Okay this is so damn infuriating and disrespectful. Im glad this woman shared her grandmas story and directly showed how this would impact the every day actor not that big celebrity actor. Strange times we live in.

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wtf @ that proposal, the way they wanna squeeze every drop of profit from people and then discard them.

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Angela Lansbury would have Murder, She Wrote hire older actors for bit parts so they keep their insurance.

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'say what you will about tyler perry' what we're getting from this is the only union he supports is SAG because his productions are infamously non-union for everything else lol

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Not sure if this is true but I read that 60% of SAG is union background.



That's crazy, they're threatening to eliminate the backbone of the guild.

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The Teamsters strike is UPS so it could get interesting

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my union is currently in the middle. of contract negotiations, so this has me FIRED. UP.



hot proletariat girl summer 

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Hotel workers are also currently on strike.

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The port here is on strike and some Coca-Cola drivers union are too. I'm sure more will follow.

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The press conference was very good. Loved her saying that, at the end, people always end up storming the gates of Versailles and they are not afraid to stand their ground.



I hope this send a signal to all the workers that are facing an uncertain future because the bottomless greed of all these companies.









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LMAO she wasn't about let herself catch heat for that Kardashian picture, not today baby

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they actually addressed that in the press conference and the committee had her back 1000% about it and said it was clearly the studios trying to turn sag members against her, and that she was on the few zoom calls they had when it came to negotiating.



also they said that it became obvious that the only reason amptp (omg i will never get that acronym right) extended talks anyway was to promote their summer movies (looking @ you barbie and oppenheimer and mi7) and not because they had any intentions to actually continue negotiations in a meaningful way



Edited at 2023-07-14 12:32 am (UTC)

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https://www.themarysue.com/fran-dreschers-infuriating-wga-strike-comments-have-actors-concerned/



she's come a long way since this she's come a long way since this

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That really was a great speech.



Go actors, go writers!! Bring the studios and the greedy CEOs to their knees.

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I really liked how she connected it to the wider problems in the economy/world of work.



Especially the line about 'most Americans don't have $500 in case of emergencies'. It's so true.



I live in the UK and I am so fortunate to have a steady and relatively comfortably paid job, but these last few months there's definitely not been much left at the end of the month. Honestly, christ knows how some people are getting through. Well I know how a bit as my work does shifts and donations at food banks as part of 'community building' and the last couple of times I've been the organisers could have you in tears with some of the stories they're hearing off people.



Sorry, that was a bit of a rant. It's just so bloody grim :-(

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IDK about your job obvs, but it doesn't escape me that many of the companies that boast about volunteer work and food drives employ thousands that can't afford to live on their own or eat.

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I'm public sector, so it's not the best, but there is security.



You are 100 percent right. I've got friends that work for large companies that do a lot of volunteering work and their pay is shocking. Pure pr exercise for some.

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I remember when my old job post pandemic was like were gonna start an emergency fund for workers!. That the workers have to donate to! That was the first sign for me that I had to get out. Fuck that you got 300,000 in PPP loans and went on vacation while we were fighting for our lives dealing with children with sticky fingers touching everything. (They did have to give back the loans after someone reported them to the Biden administration tho )

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I absolutely agree with everything in this. Like obviously if its a writing or acting job, its no deal.



I suppose a lot of my questions are around paid marketing/promotion for films/shows since thats where a lot of content creation tends to fall. Just dont want to be a scab https://t.co/M3N0ytLIWI  this barbie hosts The Afternoon Special (@hiimbobbi) July 13, 2023



Interesting cause they might reach out to influencers and content creators Interesting cause they might reach out to influencers and content creators

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that was my thought studios will 100% reach out to content creators/internet celebs.

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Interesting to see who accepts and what happens as a consequence (or lack thereof)

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chescaleigh 

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Just a couple of week ago I was wondering if that annoying tiktok overactive would ever become the mainstream and now that sounds scarily possible

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The fools that take production companies up on their offers are never going to get guild membership now, honestly a blessing in disguise, theyre self selecting out of the talent pool and all the influencer girlies who want to become actors are never going to be able to

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Ok but for the dummies, should I stop streaming? Can I still watch Barbie?  

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They did all that promo for it, I'm assuming they want you to watch it lmao

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They haven't called for boycotts of cinemas, streaming services, or anything like that so you're fine.

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no guilds have called for boycotts

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Stream bc people need those residuals.

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What residuals? There are no residuals being passed on for streaming, thats (one of) the issue(s)

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Jenny Yang posted in her comments on TikTok that they're not asking people to not stream (they still make residuals) but to "donate and fundraise to their strike and look up the entertainment community fund."



Edited at 2023-07-14 01:36 am (UTC)

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Can I still watch Barbie?



I mean it's not like they super need it but I'm sure the big stars and producers of Barbie (so Margot, Ryan and Greta) likely have bonuses tied to theatrical.



I also think it's always a good idea to go to the cinema. They're still struggling post-covid.

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i wanna see everyone on the picket line tbh, i know it's hot as hell here in LA but the writers have been doing it day in and day out so let's go

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So I asked this in another post about if conventions would be affected but apparently not because it's the convention that booked them and not the studios.

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yeah it only matters if it's a convention where they are promoting a project that was created under the 2020 deal

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Capitalism has run amok. Its becoming a cannibal, and like any systemic malignancy, it forgets to die. It forgets to stop before it kills its host, thereby destroying itself. Thats happening on the planet with the big-business ruling-class elite. - Franhttps://t.co/Jlb2yYqIJi  Alex OKeefe  (@AlexOKeefe1994) July 13, 2023

she's infuriating because she can be so smart and astute and then shatter that by being antivaxx or otherwise obtuse she's infuriating because she can be so smart and astute and then shatter that by being antivaxx or otherwise obtuse

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be more fabulously radical



I know why they do it but they really need stop to "buzzfeeding" words and serious topics. I know it precedes buzzfeed but I feel like that site had more influence of social media language than anything else.

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and I was just about to start on my "10 Ways to Serve Cunt at the Picket Line" ONTD Original



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she's infuriating because she can be so smart and astute and then shatter that by being antivaxx or otherwise obtuse  for real

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She has always been pro unions and extremely brilliant. I truly believe her anti-vax antics are a form of ptsd its the only way I can explain it. She suffered through having been physically/sexually attacked in her own home then to go on to have her body ravaged by cancer sometimes these types of horrors cause someone not want to lose control ever again and this is the way she expresses that

Because she is wealthy nobody is going to say no to her or you need helpthe people around someone like Fran will continue to indulge her.

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Libyas largest oilfield was fully halted amid protests on Friday as tensions in the restive African OPEC producer returned and are set to reduce global oil supply at a time when Saudi Arabia is cutting production by 1 million barrels per day (bpd) and Russia has promised a 500,000-bpd cut to exports in August.

Sharara, Libyas largest oilfield, began shutting down late on Thursday. By Friday, the oilfield was fully halted, Libyas Oil Minister Mohamed Oun confirmed via text message to Bloomberg.

The El Feel oilfield close to Sharara was also affected and was also stopped. Combined, the Sharara and El Feel oilfields in southwestern Libya pumped around 350,000 bpd of crude oil before the stoppage.

The halting of production at the fields was the result of protests of the Zawi tribe over the kidnapping of Faraj Bumatari, a former finance minister.

Since the end of August 2022, Libya has been pumping close to or even above 1.2 million bpd, the level last seen before the port blockades that began in the spring of 2022 crippled Libyan oil output in the spring and most of the summer of 2022.

Libya is exempted from the OPEC+ agreement because of its volatile security situation in recent years.

Tensions resurfaced last week, when the leader of the Libyan National Army, General Khalifa Haftar, threatened to use force unless the countrys political leaders agreed on a way to distribute oil revenues fairly. Haftars threat followed a similar threat issued by the eastern government late last month.

The stoppage of oilfields in Libya, an outage in fellow African OPEC member Nigeria, and the announced cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia have all shifted the focus of the market to supply disruptions this week. Since breaking above $80 per barrel earlier this week, Brent Crude prices have held above that threshold, for the first time since May.

Temporary output disruptions, like those currently in Libya and Nigeria, could further lift prices in the short term as potential tightness in the market on the back of cuts and economic resilience boost demand, Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA, said on Friday.

The price has risen more than 13% from the lows on 28 June and, despite appearing to struggle at times yesterday, still has plenty of momentum, Erlam added.

ADVERTISEMENT

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Reports have emerged out of Moscow that despite the failed mutiny launched by Wagers Prigozhin, companies linked to him have been awarded over 1 billion rubles in government contracts this month, all of them in catering services. At the same time, it remains unclear where Prigozhin is, with a US military source vaguely mentioning that he is likely traveling between

In a sudden twist in developments late on Monday, Turkey dropped its objections to Sweden joining NATO, just a day after conditioning Swedens membership in the military alliance on Turkeys EU membership. Erdogans decision to drop the conditions and previous objections to Swedens NATO bid came on the eve of the NATO summit on Tuesday in Lithuania. Sweden will now become NATOs 32nd member (after Finland was sworn in earlier this year). NATO is also set to make a decision on Ukraines potential for membership in the military alliance, with the White House determined to wash this under the table by giving the country a path to NATO membership, but no actual membership, which would not be considered until there is an end to the war. Russia responded to the NATO moves with a drone attack on Kyiv in a fair amount of saber-rattling following the NATO summit. Moscow also said it would consider Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine as a nuclear threat given their capacity to carry atomic bombs.

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict

In a sudden twist in developments late on Monday, Turkey dropped its objections to Sweden joining NATO, just a day after conditioning Swedens membership in the military alliance on Turkeys EU membership. Erdogans decision to drop the conditions and previous objections to Swedens NATO bid came on the eve of the NATO summit on Tuesday in Lithuania. Sweden will now become NATOs 32nd member (after Finland was sworn in earlier this year). NATO is also set to make a decision on Ukraines potential for membership in the military alliance, with the White House determined to wash this under the table by giving the country a path to NATO membership, but no actual membership, which would not be considered until there is an end to the war. Russia responded to the NATO moves with a drone attack on Kyiv in a fair amount of saber-rattling following the NATO summit. Moscow also said it would consider Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine as a nuclear threat given their capacity to carry atomic bombs.

Reports have emerged out of Moscow that despite the failed mutiny launched by Wagers Prigozhin, companies linked to him have been awarded over 1 billion rubles in government contracts this month, all of them in catering services. At the same time, it remains unclear where Prigozhin is, with a US military source vaguely mentioning that he is likely traveling between Belarus and Russia. In the meantime, while there is no additional confirmation, the Wall Street Journal cites sources claiming that 13 senior Russian military officers have been detained, while another 15 have been suspended or fired in the wake of Wagners failed mutiny.

Iraq signed a deal with Iran this week in which it would barter oil for gas. For Iraq, the deal means getting its hands on critically-needed gas to ease a severe electricity crisis. This puts Iraq in a defensive position with Washington due to potential sanctions violations. Baghdad is forced to balance relations with Tehran and Washington, both of whom vie for power in Iraq. The new deal would replace a previous deal in which Iraq was buying gas from Iran with US dollarsa deal Washington refused to sign off on with a sanctions waiver. When that version of the deal failed and Iraq was unable to pay for Iranian gas, Iran cut supplies to Iraqhence, the worsening electricity crisis. Iraq owes Iran some $11 billion for gas. While Washington has in the past given Iraq a sanctions waiver with regard to Iranian gas, it has not yet agreed to waive sanctions on this new deal.

Discovery & Development

Norways DNO ASA has made a gas and condensate find in the Norwegian North Sea that is the largest hydrocarbon discovery in a decade. DNO ASA holds a 30% interest in the prospect known as Carmen. Initial evaluation of the data from the discovery well suggests gross recoverable resources somewhere between 120 million and 230 mmboe. Hitting the midpoint of that range, 175 mmboe, would make it the largest discovery on the continental shelf since 2013. Carbon would be DNOs sixth discovery in the area in the last two years and is near existing infrastructure. Wellesley Petroleum, Equinor, and Aker BP are partners.

Deltic Energy has reassessed the Pensacola gas field in the North Sea, which is now thought to contain twice as many hydrocarbonsat 99 mmboe, which includes 320 billion cubic feet of gas. Shell is operator. Deltic said it would consider selling part of its 30% stake in the field. Shell declined to comment on the re-evaluation, saying it was still undertaking technical evaluations. The find is significant as it points to possible successes in the North Sea as the oil and gas output there has been on a steady decline in recent years.

TotalEnergies has secured two marine concessions for wind farms, N-12.1 and O-2.2 at an auction in Germany. N-12.1 is 170 km off the coast in the North Sea, while O-2.2 is in the Baltic Sea 40 km off the coast. The concessions will run for 25 years, with a possible extension of another 10 years. N-12.1 will have a capacity of 2GW. O-2.2 will have a capacity of 1 GW. The electricity produced will be the equivalent to the consumption of 3 million homes. Total will pay Germany 582 million euros for the concession.

In the same auction, BP secured awards for two wind projects of its own totaling 4GW of capacity. Power generated from BPs projects will be used to produce green hydrogen and biofuels, and to power BPs EV charging network. BP expects returns from the project between 6% and 8%.

Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions

Berkshire Hathaway has purchased Dominions stake in the Maryland LNG export project for $3.3 billion. Berkshire will then own 75% of the terminal, with Brookfield Infrastructure Partners owning the remaining 25%.

ExxonMobil will purchase Denbury for $4.9 billion to increase its low-carbon business. Denbury specializes in enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration. The purchase gives Exxon Denburys carbon dioxide pipeline network in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The deal will close in Q4.
We are now in a situation in which General Haftars LNA has been mobilized and prepared for action, while talks are apparently being undertaken by both sides on revenues. To this end, a Financial High Committee has been forced to address how

Three weeks ago, General Haftar backed a proposal to set up a new rival interim government to challenge the GNU in Tripoli. Last week, threats emerged from the east of another oil export blockade until the distribution of oil revenues is sorted. This has never really been addressed, and until it is, Libya will not be able to peacefully hold elections. Its always been about control of the oil and oil revenues, with Haftars LNA maintaining the capability to physically block oil exports, and Tripoli maintaining the capability to control oil revenues and how they are dispersed. Any new investments in Libyan oil must take this into account. Nothing has changed and the peace that Libya currently enjoys is simply the calm for a regrouping of forces for war. Haftar has issued a clear ultimatum: Come up with a fair division of oil revenues by August or there will be another oil export blockade.

While Libya is continually calling for foreign oil companies to expand investment in the country, there are indications that the conflict is coming full circle, with east (the powers in Benghazi) and west (the powers in Tripoli) rattling sabers over control of oil and oil revenues.

While Libya is continually calling for foreign oil companies to expand investment in the country, there are indications that the conflict is coming full circle, with east (the powers in Benghazi) and west (the powers in Tripoli) rattling sabers over control of oil and oil revenues.

Three weeks ago, General Haftar backed a proposal to set up a new rival interim government to challenge the GNU in Tripoli. Last week, threats emerged from the east of another oil export blockade until the distribution of oil revenues is sorted. This has never really been addressed, and until it is, Libya will not be able to peacefully hold elections. Its always been about control of the oil and oil revenues, with Haftars LNA maintaining the capability to physically block oil exports, and Tripoli maintaining the capability to control oil revenues and how they are dispersed. Any new investments in Libyan oil must take this into account. Nothing has changed and the peace that Libya currently enjoys is simply the calm for a regrouping of forces for war. Haftar has issued a clear ultimatum: Come up with a fair division of oil revenues by August or there will be another oil export blockade.

We are now in a situation in which General Haftars LNA has been mobilized and prepared for action, while talks are apparently being undertaken by both sides on revenues. To this end, a Financial High Committee has been forced to address how oil revenues are spent; however, we do not expect (after years of failure) for these talks to result in any compromise. All the foreign oil investment pouring into Libya right now is jumping the gun.

Russias war on Ukraine has also changed the geopolitical landscape with respect to Libya. Washington is no longer supporting Haftar (who is backed by Russias Wagner mercenaries), and Libya has now become a greater threat to NATOs southern flank, threatening dangerous destabilization in the Sahel region, including Haftars meddling in the raging conflict in Sudan, which borders Libya. The key U.S. goal right now is to get foreign mercenaries out of Libya and Sudan (by which they mean Wagner). To this end, Washington is busy lobbying Haftar supporters (which used to include Washington) such as Egypt and the UAE to force the general to give up Wagner support, upon which he depends to a fair extent to maintain his control over oil export facilities.

Other external actors to keep an eye on here include Turkey and Egypt. While Egypt has supported General Haftar and Turkey has backed the rival GNU government in Tripoli, a thaw in relations between Cairo and Ankara could also impact Libyan alliances.
Alberta, Canadas energy powerhouse, and neighbor British Columbia are in talks about expanding the reach of locally produced natural gas to Europe and Asia.

Albertas Premier Danielle Smith and her B.C. counterpart David Ebby started the negotiations two weeks ago, according to Smith, as quoted by CBC. The idea is to benefit from carbon offset credits made available by the Paris Agreement.

"With the right infrastructure in place, Western Canada would become a sought-after supplier for both Asia and Europe,'' the Alberta Premier said.

Shipping LNG from Canada's West Coast to Asia takes 11 days, compared to 20 days from the U.S. Gulf Coast.

With the completion of proposed projects in Atlantic Canada, shipping Western Canada's gas to Europe would take seven to eight days, and that would be less than any other North American LNG project, Smith explained.

Canada has been slow to build an LNG industry, not least because of the federal governments opposition to growth in the countrys oil and gas sector. Last year, during a visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was no business case for Canadian LNG terminals on the east coast.

Trudeau has also questioned whether any LNG terminals could be built sufficiently cheaply and quickly to help alleviate Europes energy crunch.

There is only one LNG project underway in Canada, close to completion, per the latest update from the consortium that is building it.

With our project now close to 85% complete overall, we remain on track to shipping our first cargoes of low-carbon, made-in B.C. LNG, by mid-decade, the chief executive of the consortium, LNG Canada, said this week, as quoted by Offshore Energy.

Our LNG will provide security of supply for global markets that can rely on Canadas natural gas reserves to advance their economies and reduce global GHG emissions.

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Energy firms in Germany are spinning off their coal operations to appease ESG pressures from banks and investors, with several operators already separating the dirty coal business from renewable power generation.

However, the spin-offs could only raise emissions if the owners of the coal assets continue to operate them, analysts tell Bloomberg.

Just last week, Czech firm EPH, which has coal operations in Germany, said it would transfer its lignite operations in Germany into a new sister company, EP Energy Transition, as part of a decarbonization plan.

The new company will have a clearly defined transition strategy and plans to invest around 10 billion into the development of renewable energy sources, batteries and highly-efficient hydrogen-ready power plants, EPH said.

As a result, EPH will be almost free from all of its current coal assets by 2025 and will completely abandon coal as a power generation source by 2030, the firm said.

EPH aims to play a leading role in the transition to a hydrogen future, it noted.

Germany energy giant RWE, the biggest coal asset operator in the country, pledged last autumn to phase out coal by 2030, bringing forward the lignite phase-out by eight years under an agreement with the government. At the same time, RWE is heavily investing billions of euros to accelerate the energy transition.

In another example of image clean-up, the STEAG Group aims to phase out its coal business. Since the beginning of the year, the STEAG Group has been divided into two separately operating companies, renewables unit Iqony GmbH and STEAG Power GmbH, which operates the coal assets.

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Amid the increasing pressure from banks and investors on coal asset operators to separate those assets, Emissions can of course also rise after such a transaction if the new owners continue to operate power plants, Hanns Koenig, Managing Director Central Europe at Aurora Energy Research, told Bloomberg.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The European Union is asking European aluminum and zinc manufacturers whether they can produce key chip metals gallium and germanium as byproducts in their smelters as it seeks alternatives after China imposed export restrictions.

Last week, China sent shockwaves through the supply chain and chip markets after announcing export controls on two metals, gallium and germanium, starting on August 1. These critical metals are used in microchip production. Former vice-minister of commerce Wei Jianguo told China Daily that the export restriction on gallium and germanium was just the beginning in an escalating technology war with the United States.

China accounted for a massive 98% of the worlds gallium production in 2022 and controlled 68% of global germanium refinery production, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The metals, which are not found naturally, are by-products of the refineries of other metals. Gallium is a by-product of processing bauxite and zinc ores, while germanium is a by-product of zinc production.

Chinas restrictions caught Europe in the middle of the tech war, and the EU is now urgently asking local producers if they can manufacture gallium and germanium, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

However, the energy crisis last year and the industrial slump has led to aluminum and zinc smelters curtailing or halting operations, which would make it difficult for Europe to produce gallium and germanium locally.

The EU has approached Greek aluminum producer Mytilineos Energy & Metals to ask it to consider producing gallium as a byproduct at its bauxite refinery, the FT reports.

When you cant competitively produce your main commodity because the conditions are so absurdly problematic, it might be idiotic to invest in a side-product that is gallium, Nick Keramidas, executive director of EU affairs at the Greek company, told FT.

Earlier this week, the European Parliament adopted legislation to boost the EU chips industry, but this would be a longer-term solution to the current problem.

Europe needs to support and recognize the vital role of aluminum in many critical industrial sectors, the association European Aluminium said, commenting on Chinas export restrictions.

With the appropriate framework conditions and strategic investments, there is potential for European alumina refineries to resume gallium production and reduce our reliance on Chinese imports of this increasingly vital metal, European Aluminium said on Thursday.

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Russia could deliver on at least part of its pledge to reduce oil exports next month as its western ports are planned to ship up to 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) lower crude volumes in August compared to July, Reuters reported exclusively on Friday, quoting sources with knowledge of the export plans.

Russia said last week that it would cut its crude oil exports by 500,000 bpd in August in a bid to ensure a balanced market, and the reduction in exports would come from a further 500,000-bpd cut in oil production.

This week, Russias energy authorities asked the top executives of local companies to plan for export cuts in August, according to Reuters sources.

The western ports in Russia, Primorsk and Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea and Novorossiisk on the Black Sea, are expected to ship 100,000 bpd-200,000 bpd lower volumes in August. The export programs for the Far Eastern ports in Russia, from which crude cargoes make much shorter trips to Asian customers China and India, are not available yet, according to Reuters.

But the reduction in the export plans for the western ports in August suggests that Russia would make good on its pledge to reduce shipments, at least partially, as Moscow and Saudi Arabia announced cuts to exports and production, respectively, for August nearly simultaneously last week.

Signs have emerged that Russian crude oil exports have already started to fall in recent weeks.

Tanker-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg showed earlier this week that Russian crude oil exports by sea dropped by 205,000 bpd to 3.21 million bpd on a four-week average basis in the four weeks to July 9. The latest four-week average export volumes fell below the 3.38 million bpd in the four weeks to February 26, after holding up above that level for months.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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This week's most talked about topics include the new PAGCOR logo in the Philippines, US President Biden's trip to Europe before the NATO summit, and an unverified transcript of communications between OceanGate's Titan and Polar Prince.

Read on to fill you in.

A new logo for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) was recently unveiled, and it quickly became a social media sensation. The new logo was introduced on Tuesday, July 11, as part of PAGCOR's yearlong commemoration of its 40th anniversary.

However, many Filipinos voiced their opposition to it. The new PAGCOR emblem is now being accused of copying an earlier design.

A large number of Filipinos believe the new PAGCOR symbol was inspired by the logo of the website Tripper.

Images found online show that color is the only difference between the Tripper and the new PAGCOR logo. Tripper's icon is sky blue whereas PAGCOR's is red and blue. Nevertheless, the corporation denied plagiarizing.

For this reason, the company has begun investigating the prevalence of bogus news. "PAGCOR is actively investigating the source of this malicious and baseless campaign and urges the public to exercise caution," it stated.

Meanwhile, after learning that the PAGCOR had spent millions on a new logo, many Filipinos were dismayed. They are unhappy about how the logo looks, most especially the weird color transition in the center.

US President Joe Biden has already begun traveling to Europe ahead of the 2023 NATO Summit.

The NATO summit was set to take place on July 11-12. But on Sunday, July 9, Biden boarded a plane for Europe with the intention of visiting London.

Biden met with King Charles III on Monday, July 10. This is significant since it was their initial encounter since Charles' coronation. Jill Biden, the First Lady, represented the US at the coronation.

Prior to Biden and King Charles' meeting, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the two leaders would meet to discuss how to best mobilize climate financing.

Also Read: Nigeria in State of Emergency as Food Costs Continue to Increase

An unconfirmed transcript of the conversation between the doomed OceanGate submersible Titan and the mothership Polar Prince allegedly leaked online.

The Titanic-bound submersible imploded and killed all five onboard, including CEO Stockton Rush, last month.

Since the event, various social media users, mainly on TikTok and YouTube, have shared the uncorroborated "transcript" or "log" and their opinions on it. Investigations into the claimed transmissions have been inconclusive.

On June 18, the Titan allegedly last connected with the Polar Price around 09:46 AM.

Supposedly the last communication sent by the Titan said: "[R]eading red on the A power bus. I switched to B. [A]t 3457m more sounds aft-."

Parks Stephenson first assumed the transcript was legitimate on Facebook until he spotted some anomalies. Stephenson is a Titanic explorer who collaborated with James Cameron.

Stephenson termed it "most likely nothing more than a cruel and cynical fantasy."

Also Read: Russia Allegedly Plans to Build New Prisons, Detention Centers by 2026

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Several U.S. agencies are investigating two businessmen from Guyana contractors for ExxonMobil to build a shore base for the supermajors oil operations offshore  on suspicions of drug trafficking, money laundering, and other criminal activities, Reuters reported on Friday, quoting intelligence reports and sources familiar with the matter.

Exxon, leading a consortium with U.S. Hess Corporation, is currently producing all the crude oil in Guyanathe worlds newest oil-producing nation, before the South American country announces winners in its first-ever offshore licensing round expected later this year.

Exxon announced a contract with Guyanese businessmen Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed, a father and a son, in 2022. The supermajor has been repeatedly warned by U.S. government officials to stay away from doing business with the two individuals, according to Reuters.

The father and son Mohamed are under investigation by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Department of Homeland Security, among other U.S. agencies. They are suspected of smuggling cocaine from Colombia, laundering money for drug traffickers and other criminals, and laundering money for sanctioned Russian individuals operating in South America, according to the intelligence reports Reuters has seen and to the sources its reporters have talked to. The Guyanese businessmen are also suspected of smuggling illegally mined gold from Venezuela to the U.S., the Middle East, and Europe.

U.S. officials are considering slapping sanctions on the Mohameds, according to some of Reuters sources, which would mean Exxon will have to exit any business relationships and partnerships with sanctioned individuals.

Asked by Reuters to comment on the report, Exxon only said in a brief statement, We comply with all applicable laws where we operate and conduct our business.

Exxon produces around 360,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil offshore Guyana in a consortium with U.S. partner Hess Corporation. The Exxon-Hess partnership has discovered more than 11 billion barrels of oil offshore Guyana and has ambitious plans to boost production. Hess CEO John Hess has said that Guyana is on track to be pumping 1.2 million bpd by 2027 from six FPSOs from resources discovered and under development in the prolific Stabroek Block, where Exxon and Hess have made more than 20 oil discoveries.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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A construction crane hoisted a 20,000-pound dome atop a new west Omaha church Thursday, a blessed event for about 250 people who gathered to watch.

The crowning was not only a key step forward in constructing the new All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church but also a nod to religious tradition that reaches back centuries.

His Grace Bishop Constantine of Sassima, of the Holy Metropolis of Denver, attended the event and blessed the dome before its raising.

I cant tell you what a joy this is for the life of the church, and when I speak of the church, Im not talking about just the church here in Omaha or Nebraska, he said. Im talking about the Orthodox Church worldwide.

He noted that dome raisings dont happen every day, nor are they even a regular occurrence.

But by all accounts, this is only done by the glory of God and always to his name.

All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church, under construction at 193rd and Harney Streets, is one of two Greek Orthodox churches in the metro Omaha area. The other is St. John the Baptist at 602 Park Ave.

Parishioner Nikki Nader, who attended the event with husband Paul, son Rhys, 13, and daughter Raiyah, 16, credited persistence for making the new church a reality.

Its been amazing because this community has really been persistent, Nader said.

She said the church members took an unconventional approach  a very business-minded way of investment  to get it done.

They bought and sold land around the church site and put the profits back into the building.

John Birge, parish council vice president and retired architect, said the church coordinated with other parties to create a neighborhood around the church that includes a Montessori school and senior housing.

Birge said raising of the dome is part of ancient Byzantine Orthodox Christian tradition.

One of the worlds best examples of a dome is on the Hagia Sophia, a massive structure in Istanbul, Turkey, which has served as a house of worship for both Christians and Muslims over the centuries.

Its signature feature is a brick-and-mortar dome 102.5 feet in diameter.

The design of our church is in the tradition of Byzantine architecture, Birge said. And so the elements of it are consistent with Hagia Sophia.

Obviously, the scale is different, he said.

But the dome and the drum were substantial components of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople as they are at All Holy Spirit in Omaha, Nebraska, he said.

Parishioners wanted the building to reflect the centuries-old history of their faith, parish priest Father Alexander Lukashonok said.

Its in their hearts, he said. They wanted something that was not of their own creation but they wanted something according to the tradition of the church.

The Byzantine architecture provides a unity with their faith around the world, he said.

All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church was formed in 2006, and since then has held services in a variety of temporary spaces.

While the Greek Orthodox Church in America was largely started by Greek immigrants, All Holy Spirit Church members are ethnically and demographically diverse, he said.

He said the dome was used in ancient times by the church, and speaks to the faith that God is with us here. The presence of God is here, not somewhere out there.

On the underside of the dome, workers will place an icon, an image of Christ as the almighty judge, he said.

It means that he is in charge and sees all things and we recognize his lordship that way, he said.

Nader said shes looking forward to when the church is complete and the dome finished with a beautiful golden exterior.

We hope that youll be able to see it out on Dodge Street. Hopefully it will be a landmark. And eventually, when you go inside, every wall will be covered with icons.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of July 2023
The homicide suspect shot dead in Council Bluffs by police Saturday after a pursuit following a carjacking in Bellevue had a hit list, according to Omaha police.

The list allegedly included Steven Greg Donsbach, the 52-year-old man the suspect is suspected of killing.

Police found a note that appeared to be a hit list inside 41-year-old Matthew Briggs Papillion residence, according to a news release from the Omaha Police Department. The list reportedly included the names of Briggs ex-girlfriends as well as Donsbach.

On Thursday, police released more details and a timeline of the string of incidents involving Briggs. According to police:

It began Saturday at 5:48 a.m. when officers responded to a residence in southwest Omaha for a cutting. Briggs had reportedly forced entry into the residence, assaulted an ex-girlfriend and threatened her with a firearm.

Minutes after that assault, police said Briggs attempted to drive his 2005 red Buick Century through the garage door of another southwest Omaha residence belonging to a second ex-girlfriend but did not get inside.

At 6:23 a.m., officers responded to the residence in southwest Omaha where the second ex-girlfriend lived in an attempt to locate Briggs.

While officers were on the way to the residence, police received a call from a neighbor who had reportedly been shot at by Briggs after Briggs had returned to ram the garage doors of the residence with his car for a second time. This time, Briggs got into the residence, but no one was home.

Surveillance video showed both instances of Briggs car ramming the garages.

At 6:40 a.m., police received information that Briggs had shot Donsbach at 9927 Essex Drive in Omaha's Regency neighborhood. Officers found the front door of the residence damaged by gunfire and Donsbach dead inside the residence by apparent gunfire.

Surveillance footage showed an older red Buick in the area of Donsbachs residence that resembled Briggs car.

By 7:46 a.m., several Omaha police units began searching across the Omaha area for Briggs.

At 1 p.m., someone reported seeing a red Buick sedan with Iowa license plates. The Buick was found running in a grassy ravine and the Iowa license plates had been placed over Briggs Nebraska plates.

Officers then began searching Mandan Park for Briggs.

At 3:32 p.m., police learned that a carjacking had occurred south of Mandan Park in Sarpy County and that the suspect description matched that of Briggs, the release said. Briggs had stolen a blue Toyota Camry, which officers located and began pursuing.

The pursuit continued into Council Bluffs until officers performed a PIT maneuver on the Camry near College Road and Valley View Drive, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. A PIT is a pursuit intervention technique where an officer bumps a car to try to send it into a spinout.

After the car was stopped, Briggs pointed a weapon at the responding officers, and Lt. Chad Geer of the Council Bluffs Police Department and Lt. Martin Stiles of the Omaha Police Department both fired at him, according to the release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The shooting occurred at approximately 3:53 p.m., police said.

Briggs was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died. A shotgun and handgun were found in the Camry, police said.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. At the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be reviewed by the Pottawattamie County Attorney's Office and the Iowa Attorney Generals Office.
The homicide suspect shot dead by police Saturday reportedly had a hit list that included Steven Greg Donsbach, the 52-year-old man he is suspected of killing, according to Omaha police.

Police found a note that appeared to be a hit list inside 41-year-old Matthew Briggs Papillion residence, according to a press release from the Omaha Police Department. The list reportedly included the names of Briggs ex-girlfriends as well as Donsbach.

On Thursday, police released more details and a timeline of the string of incidents involving Briggs. According to police:

It began Saturday at 5:48 a.m. when officers responded to a residence in southwest Omaha for a cutting. Briggs had reportedly forced entry into the residence, assaulted an ex-girlfriend and threatened her with a firearm.

Minutes after that assault, police said Briggs attempted to drive his 2005 red Buick Century through the garage door of another southwest Omaha residence belonging to a second ex-girlfriend but did not get inside.

At 6:23 a.m., officers responded to the residence in southwest Omaha where the second ex-girlfriend lived in an attempt to locate Briggs.

While officers were on the way to the residence, police received a call from a neighbor who had reportedly been shot at by Briggs after Briggs had returned to ram the garage doors of the residence with his car for a second time. This time, Briggs got into the residence, but no one was home.

Surveillance video showed both instances of Briggs car ramming the garages.

At 6:40 a.m., police received information that Briggs had shot Donsbach at 9927 Essex Drive in the Regency neighborhood. Officers found the front door of the residence damaged by gunfire and Donsbach dead inside the residence by apparent gunfire.

Surveillance footage showed an older red Buick in the area of Donsbachs residence that resembled Briggs car.

By 7:46 a.m., several Omaha police units began searching across the Omaha area for Briggs.

At 1 p.m., someone reported seeing a red Buick sedan with Iowa license plates. The Buick was found running in a grassy ravine and the Iowa license plates had been placed over Briggs Nebraska plates.

Officers then began searching Mandan Park for Briggs.

At 3:32 p.m., police learned that a carjacking had occurred south of Mandan Park in Sarpy County and that the suspect description matched that of Briggs, the release said. Briggs had stolen a blue Toyota Camry, which officers located and began pursuing.

The pursuit continued into Council Bluffs until officers performed a PIT maneuver on the Camry near College Road and Valley View Drive, according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. A PIT is a pursuit intervention technique where an officer bumps a car to try to send it into a spinout.

After the car was stopped, Briggs pointed a weapon at the responding officers, and Lt. Chad Geer of the Council Bluffs Police Department and Lt. Martin Stiles of the Omaha Police Department both fired at him, according to the release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The shooting occurred at approximately 3:53 p.m., police said.

Briggs was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died. A shotgun and handgun were found in the Camry, police said.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. At the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be reviewed by the Pottawattamie County attorney and the Iowa Attorney Generals Office.
Fifty-six years ago today, Leslie Arnold and fellow inmate Jim Harding escaped from the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

As part of a plea agreement, Arnold had been sentenced to a life term for killing his parents in 1958. Still three months shy of his 17th birthday, Arnold became among the youngest prisoners locked up in Lincoln when he was sent there on June 9, 1959.

A fellow inmate was the first to bring Arnold, then 24 years old, and 32-year-old Harding together. He knew both wanted to escape, so he made introductions.

Key to their ultimate plan was yet another inmate who was set to be paroled in May. It all got rolling the morning of July 5 with a secret message planted in the pages of The World-Herald. NOF arrives July 14, it cryptically read.

Although the meaning was unclear, the plot had called for the parolee to take out such an ad in the personals section. It was confirmation to Arnold and Harding that the plan was a go.

Soon after, the parolee drove by the prison fence in the darkness of night and tossed over a cardboard tube. The contents: hacksaw blades and two rubber masks.

It was Harding's job to scoop up the tube on one of his early-morning walks around the prison yard and stash it.

Just off the trusty dayroom was a small music room with bars over the window. During a couple of days time, the two inmates skipped dinner to hide out and saw on the pair of thick bars over the window until they cut completely through. Then, to avoid detection, they used chewing gum to hold the bars in place.

Before the 11 p.m. head count on the night of July 14, Arnold and Harding stuffed pillows and blankets under their bedding to make their bunks appear occupied. They used the rubber masks to fashion heads for the dummy bodies. Then, the two slipped downstairs to the music room, pulled away the bars and climbed out.

At 7 a.m. the next day, guards in the trusty dorm were alarmed to find that the inmate count came up two short. It was soon affirmed that Arnold, No. 20841, and Jim Harding, No. 21151, were missing.

Law enforcement agencies all over eastern Nebraska were alerted. In a 30-mile dragnet around the prison, officers combed vacant buildings, bridges, culverts and wooded areas.

Little did they know that by then the two escapees were well on their way to Chicago.

Harding was captured nine months later, in Los Angeles. Arnold, living under the alias John Damon, died in Australia in 2010.

Photos: Leslie Arnold's 1958 crime
The National Weather Service in Valley confirmed that seven tornadoes were produced by the storm system that rolled through eastern Nebraska and Iowa on Wednesday.

The tornadoes ranged on the Enhanced Fujita scale from EF-0 to EF-2. No one was injured, but there was quite a bit of property and tree damage, particularly in western Iowa.

It was mostly a straight-line wind event with a bow echo storm that moved through the region. We had some smaller tornadoes that just kind of spun up on the leading front edge of that, said Katie Gross, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley.

The strongest tornado was recorded in central Harrison County, Iowa. Having spanned 100 yards wide and packing winds at an estimated 120 mph, the tornado went more than nine miles, according to the weather service.

At one point, the tornado directly hit a home and ripped off the roof. The tornado also partially ripped off the roof of another home. The tornado also snapped many trees, destroyed a shed and threw many other items one-half mile.

An EF-1 tornado damaged a farm in Avoca, Iowa. Damage included windows being blown out of a home, collapsed barn walls and a roof being removed. Grain bins were also significantly dented. Winds for that tornado as well as another EF-1 tornado in Shelby County reached an estimated 105 mph.

In Nebraska, EF-1 tornadoes near Howells and Bancroft, which are both a little over 80 miles northeast of Omaha, carried estimated peak winds of 100 mph. The Bancroft tornado dented a grain bin and destroyed an outbuilding.

EF-0 tornadoes near Tekamah and Walnut, Iowa, were recorded. Peak winds for both tornadoes reached an estimated 80 mph.

The tornadoes were part of the same storm system that cut off electricity for tens of thousands of Omaha Public Power District customers and blew off the roof that covered an indoor pool at Titan Hill Intermediate School in the Lewis Central school district in Council Bluffs.

In the Omaha area, rains from Wednesdays storms averaged 0.58 of an inch. With additional rain on Friday, the area has seen about 3.5 inches fall in July. Thats about 2 inches above the average of 1.54 inches at this point in July, Gross said.

The weather service noted that the rain has cut into the precipitation deficit eastern Nebraska has experienced so far this year. It will take more to catch up. Right now, regional precipitation is anywhere from 3 inches to 7 inches below normal at this point in a year.

Its going to take a big instance of heavy rain  probably multiple rounds of heavy rain  to get us out, Gross said.

What the rain this month has done so far is alleviate some of the drought in Nebraska.

In the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, which is published by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the level of exceptional drought has dropped by nearly 7 percentage points compared to last week across the state. Exceptional drought now only covers 4.84% of the state, compared with 11.47% the week before. The state has also seen decreases in less significant drought levels.

Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center, was encouraged by the latest drought monitor results, calling the recent precipitation this month welcome.

But when considering how the areas and levels of drought were growing before this month, Fuchs said, Even as wet as its been the last couple of weeks  were not out of the woods yet.

If we see these rains turn off, we could just as easily slip back into those drought conditions we were in prior, he added. We need this (rain) consistently for several more weeks before we can really start seeing improvements to the drought conditions.

After what is expected to be a dry Saturday, theres a 40% chance of rain along with thunderstorms Sunday in the Omaha area. Sundays rain could total between one-tenth of an inch and one-quarter of an inch. High temperatures on both Saturday and Sunday are expected to reach 86 degrees.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of July 2023
Kelli Lepler, who faces 43 theft charges involving her Grand Island monument business, was arrested Thursday in Wentzville, Missouri.

A warrant for Leplers arrest was issued July 3 in Hall County. Wentzville Police Officer Brandi Doyle arrested Lepler Thursday afternoon.

As Doyle was on patrol, she received notification on her Flock license-plate reading device that the driver of the vehicle was wanted. Flock is the name of the company that produces the camera system.

There will be an out-of-state extradition process that will take place prior to her return for arraignment, a press release from the Grand Island Police Department said.

The Grand Island police thanked the Hall County Sheriffs Office, the Wentzville Police Department and other agencies that have assisted in serving this arrest warrant, as well as those victims and members of the public who chose to exhibit patience in this matter.

The theft charges relate to Leplers business, Monument Advisors. Lepler, 45, is accused of not delivering on paid monument orders.

Of the 43 theft charges, 36 are felonies and seven are misdemeanors. In court documents, Leplers earliest charge dates from Sept. 21, 2020 (theft by deception, more than $5,000). The most recent charge is from Feb. 9, 2023, also theft by deception, more than $5,000.

After an investigation, the Grand Island police turned the case over to the Hall County Attorneys Office in early June.

Earlier this week, Grand Island police said they were not worried about apprehending Lepler. It was, they said, only a matter of time.
The Incident

Around about 11am on Wednesday, a four-storeyed building containing residential buildings, a nursery and primary school as well as a shop complex on the ground floor, collapsed at Ita Faji on the Lagos Island, killing and trapping many people inside.

The building, which was described by residents and rescue workers, as very old and marked for demolition since last year, came crashing after giving signs of fatigue.

A middle-aged woman simply identified as Medinat, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said: The government should come and demolish all these houses in my neighbourhood; this one that collapsed, they marked it since last year but they cleaned the mark by the government and continued staying there, even the government never came back.

She added: Do you know that even this morning, this house was shedding debris before it She didnt finish, though; she was hushed from further speaking to us by other women who restrained from saying too much.

Rescue operations

Soon after the collapse, local residents started evacuating victims. We had done like 25 before the government team came, said Major, one of the dust-stained young people who spoke to SaharaReporters helping in the rescue effort.

As if to confirm, the Lagos State government tweeted on its official Twitter handle @followlasg: Ongoing rescue operations by the Lagos State Rescue Unit at the collapsed building at Ita-faji, Lagos Island at precisely 12:28PM, almost two hours after the initial incident.

Governor Ambodes Very Brief Visit

As rescue efforts went on in the scorching sun and without much luck, outgoing Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, drove in with his security team to assess the situation.

He was greeted by some emergency rescue officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) who briefed him about ongoing efforts for about two minutes.

Shortly after the briefing, Ambode made to enter his car but he was asked by SaharaReporters and other newsmen present to address the press. He agreed, some metres away from the scene.

Speaking with newsmen, Ambode said: I have been told it is an old and illegal building. It is unfortunate that this happened. Rescue efforts are still ongoing, we appeal to residents to allow rescue efforts go on smoothly.

And with that he melted into the crowd and drove off but not without mild drama from a concerned male resident of the area who at the top of his voice beckoned on the Governor to do something to end this nonsense.

The Governors appearance at the scene lasted a paltry seven minutes or thereabouts.

Condolences

As shocking pictures and videos of the rescue operation saturated social media, so did condolences and sympathies. President Muhammadu Buhari @MBuhari tweeted: Im extremely saddened by the news of the collapsed building in Itafaaji area of Lagos. It touches one to lose precious lives in any kind of mishap, particularly those so young and tender. May God grant everyone affected by this sad incident fortitude and succour.

He called on the Lagos State Government to do all that is needful, so that such tragic developments do not recur.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor-Elect of Lagos State, tweeted @jidesanwoolu: My deep condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives as a result of the unfortunate building collapse at Itafaji. I urge people to cooperate with officials working on rescue efforts. My prayers are with the affected families and the school management.

Rescue Deficit

As rescue efforts got underway, hours passed with little luck, most of it owing to the lack of basic equipment such as flashlights to see through bored holes and crevices.

There was also an urgent call for wrappers by rescue worker in order to form a tight rope cord in the absence of actual ropes. The response: flying scarves and wrappers from spectators.

Hospital Experience

At the Island General Hospital in Marina, worried family and friends littered the parking area, reception, mortuary, wards and anywhere they could get word from, on their relatives currently receiving treatment.

SaharaReporters observed that anytime an ambulance pulled in, the people rallied, some with hope on their faces and others with hands on their heads, waiting for the door to fling open with some news of their loved one.

SaharaReporters counted 41 names pasted by the hospital management of stable victims in their custody.

Federal Governments Response

The FG has sent a delegation of the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA (NEMA), led by Air Commodore Akugbe Iyamu, to the scene of the collapse to ascertain the level of damage.

Speaking to journalists after assessment, he said: The incident is noted and investigations will be launched to forestall future occurences. He observed with dismay that locals didnt allow rescue efforts go on as fast as we would have wanted it to.

He said the agency would collaborate with LASEMA to provide relief materials for the victims as rescue operations come to an end.

Casualty Toll

Official figures are yet to be released by NEMA. However, SaharaReporters estimates about 19 people dead with over 41 survivors still receiving treatment.

Current Situation

As of the time of filing this account of events witnessed by SaharaReporters, rescue had come to an end, and the process of clearing the rubble had commenced.

At the Island General Hospital, Marina, the crowd is growing, filled with family and concerned Nigerians who have either come to be with their affected relatives or to collect the body of their dead.
The Military Task Force mandated to restore peace in Plateau State has escaped being ambushed by terrorists, terrorising Mangu Local Government Area of the State.

The taskforce code named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), said troops were deceived by a distress call and while approaching the scene of the supposed troubled area maneuvered the ambush and neutralised three terrorists suspected to be those who have been killing innocent residents of Mangu community.

Spokesman of the taskforce, Captain James Oya disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in a statement, adding that the OPSH is ready to resist any threat that is capable of preventing its operational activities in Mangu.

Recall that Mangu LGA of the State has been on the news since April 2023, for the incessant killings going on in that region, where hundred of people have been killed by suspected Fulani bandits.

The new General Officer Commanding (GOC), and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Maj. -Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar who resumed office last week relocated to Mangu as a result of the renewed killings which occurred last Saturday night.

ALSO READ: Black Marine intercepts foreign speedboat on high sea, kills 2 in Bakassi

However, according to the statement by Captain Oya, he said: A Combat Team from Operation SAFE HAVEN whilst responding to a distress call in Mangu LGA, 12 July 2023 were ambushed along Road Mangun  Pushit  Mangu by a group of bandits believed to be amongst the miscreants fermenting trouble in Mangu LGA.

Troops professionally and decisively cleared the ambush neutralising 3 of the bandits in the process and recovered 3 x AK 47 Rifles,14 rounds of 7.62 Special rounds, 1 x Motorcycle and a Constabulary Police ID card while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

The Commander Operations SAFE HAVEN and General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division, Major General AE Abubakar reiterated that the Nigerian Army remains resolute in the discharge of its mandate within the ambits of the law and would continue to be firm, bold, decisive and just.

He said that the protection of lives and property of citizens remains paramount and that with the redeployment of his Headquarters to Mangu LGA, all distress calls would be responded to promptly as several Combat Teams have been dispatched to remote areas in the Local Government for enhanced rapid response, the statement said.
Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye escaped death on Wednesday when a section of the new state high court complex, housing the chamber of the Chief Judge fell.

Vanguard gathered that the incident which happened at the close work on Wednesday evening, may not have been unconnected with the torrential rain fall that may have weakened the foundation of the new edifice.

However, it was gathered that no life was lost in the accident, as the Chief Judge who was badly wounded during the incident was immediately whisked away to the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, where he is currently receiving treatment.
Police have arrested 20-year-old Sofia Haley Marks in connection to the death of Robert De Niro's grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, at the age of 19. The teenager passed away two weeks ago from a suspected overdose.

Marks was arrested on "federal drug distribution charges," law enforcement sources familiar with the matter told NBC New York.

She is expected to be arraigned in a Manhattan federal court Friday (July 14). It was not clear whether Marks had yet obtained or been assigned legal representation.

De Niro and the New York Police Department (NYPD) are yet to confirm the details of the arrest as of this report.

Read Also: Robert De Niro Opens Up About 19-Year-Old Grandson's Death

How did Rodriguez Die?

An NYPD spokesperson previously told reporters they found Rodriguez unconscious and unresponsive inside a New York residence on July 2 and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hours later, De Niro's daughter, Drena De Niro, announced the death of her son. "I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly," she lamented on Instagram. "You have been my joy, my heart, and all that was ever pure and real in my life."

After some time, Drena alleged someone sold Rodriguez "fentanyl-laced pills." De Niro also opened up about his grandson's death, saying in a statement he was "deeply distressed" by it.

"We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone," he added. "We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."

This is a developing story. Please come back to HNGN for further developments.

Related Article: Robert De Niro's Grandson Cause of Death Confirmed by Mom: Fentanyl-Laced Drugs?

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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The Special Assistant on Public Communications to Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has described President Bola Tinubus plan to hand out N8,000 to 12 million households for six months as a brazen attempt to divert public funds.

Shaibu said in a statement that Tinubus plan to spend $800m on palliatives under an opaque arrangement was reminiscent of former President Muhammadu Buharis conditional cash transfer and COVID-19 intervention initiative which saw politicians keeping food items and provisions in their homes while the poor went hungry.

He said Buharis interventionist programmes only ended up making Nigerians poorer as shown in reports released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

READ ALSO: Tinubu directs immediate release of fertilizers, grains to farmers

Atikus aide stated, After announcing the removal of petrol subsidy without proper planning, Tinubu has asked for the approval of $800m loan which he claims will be disbursed to 12 million households for six months at N8,000 for each household per month. This is a continuation of the scam of the All Progressives Congress.

According to statistics, a Nigerian household as at 2019 counted on an average of 5.06 members. So, with Tinubus uninspiring plan, each individual in a household will get N1,600 per month or N53 per day. What should they do with it? Use the money to buy sachet (pure) water or a cup of boiled groundnut on a daily basis? And this is the man they claim transformed the economy of Lagos State? This must be a joke or a more sinister attempt to divert public funds.

Shaibu argued that Tinubu lacked a clear economic policy apart from taxing Nigerians.

Shaibu said Tinubu ought to have focused on putting money into the agricultural sector and subsidizing production and working at attaining energy security that is the backbone of spurring desired economic growth from SMEs if he was really serious about reviving the economy.

READ ALSO: Tinubu doles out N250,000 to TradeMore Estate flood victims

He added, Agriculture makes up about 30% of Nigerias GDP. He should have invested funds in the production aspect of agriculture and other issues affecting crop yields. The rural areas which are mostly agrarian are in the throes of insecurity. On Tinubus watch, over 200 people have so far been killed. However, he seems clueless on how to tackle this menace.

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The so-called palliatives that Tinubu seeks to share to the poor are just another avenue to divert public funds. For years, the Nigerian government has rejected calls to publish the list of the beneficiaries of the so-called palliatives but this has never been done because it is all a scam.

The APC is a political party that has lost favour with a vast majority of Nigeria, and it is no coincidence that since 2019 when the party invented the charade of Trader Moni, it also incontrovertibly introduced the menace of vote buying into Nigerias body politic.
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Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have arrested one of the suspected attackers of popular Nigerian cleric, Apostle Johnson Suleman.

Suleimans convoy was attacked by gunmen along the Benin-Auchi Road, Edo State, on October 21, 2022, where six of his aides were killed.

A year after the attack, one of the suspects, Yusuf Ismail Isa, was paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, alongside 19 other suspects for various offences ranging from murder to kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy.

Parading the suspects before journalists, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has so far arrested 548 armed-robbery suspects, 246 kidnap suspects, 365 murder suspects, 237 rape suspects anad rescued 113 victims.

READ ALSO: Apostle Suleiman gives Keyamo 7 days ultimatum

Adejobi disclosed that Isah was the suspect who first pulled the trigger on the convoy of the cleric, adding that some of the rifles found in his possession were riffles snatched from the three police officers that were killed during the October 21, 2022 attack.

According to the police spokesman, the gang specializes in kidnapping for ransom and had carried out about four kidnapping operations between 2021 and 2023, before they were busted by the police.

Two members of the seven-man gang were said to have been gunned down in separate encounters with the police.

Items recovered during the raids include 306 firearms, 3,944 ammunition as well as $800 cash.
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President Bola Tinubu on Thursday directed the immediate release of fertilizers to farmers and grains to households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, while briefing State House correspondents after consultations with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

There will be an organic synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the use of water resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is available all year round.

As a country, Mr. President has made it clear that we are no longer comfortable with seasonal farming. We can no longer afford to have farming downtime, Alake said.

The Presidents spokesman further explained that the Federal Government will partner with states to create ranches in those that are willing to avail lands, adding that the ranches will have sections dedicated as grazing reserves.

Speaking further, Alake said We will establish ranches in collaboration with state governments and the federal government will pay for the land.

READ ALSO: Tinubu doles out N250,000 to TradeMore Estate flood victims

He said the federal government will activate land banks nationwide, which currently stand at 500,000 hectares mapped to increase the availability of arable land for farming which will immediately impact food output.

In an earlier meeting with Agriculture Stakeholders (today), we drafted a memorandum of partnership between the government and the individual stakeholder representatives that encompasses the decisions taken and actions proposed from our engagements.

The immediate intervention strategies are as follows: We will immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

There must be an urgent synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is produced all-year round.

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READ ALSO: Fuel Price Jack-up: Deconstructing Tinubu/Kyaris Petrol Pricing Template

We shall create and support a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilisation mechanism for critical grains and other food items.

The Central Bank will continue to play a major role in funding the agricultural value chain.

We will Increase revenue from food and agricultural exports. As we ensure there is sufficient, affordable food for the populace, we will concurrently work on stimulating the export capacity of the Agric sector.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has said the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele had been charged to court.

An Abuja High Court had on Thursday, July 13, 2023, ordered the DSS to either release Emefiele or charge him to court.

In response, the DSS in a statement by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said the service had in 2022 applied for a court order to detain Emefiele but noted that he got another order stopping the DSS from arresting him.

Afunanya explained that the suspended CBN governor was arrested for criminal infractions for which he was being prosecuted for.

The Department of State Services hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order.

The public may recall that the Service had in 2022 applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation. Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June 2023. This was on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

The Service assures the public of professionalism, justice, and fairness in handling this matter and indeed the discharge of its duties within the confines of the law, the statement read.

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July 13, (THEWILL)  The Department of State Services (DSS), on Thursday night, claimed that Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN), has been charged to court.

This is coming barely eight hours after a Federal Capital Territory High Court, presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu, ordered that Emefiele be released on administrative bail if he is not taken to a competent court within one week.

The DSS had detained Emefiele without trial since his arrest on June 10, after he was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on Friday, June 9.

However, in a seeming dramatic move, Spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya, in statement on Thursday night, said the Service has charged Emefiele to court.

Afunanya, who did not disclose when Emefiele was charged, the court and the charges against him, said the charge was in compliance with Thursdays ruling of Justice Muazu..

He said: Sequel to an Abuja High Court Order of today, 13th July, 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order.

The public may recall that the Service had, in 2022, applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.

Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June, 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

The Service assures the public of professionalism, justice and fairness in handling this matter and indeed the discharge of its duties within the confines of the law, the DSS said.
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The Ondo State Government has constituted a Committee on the palliatives to cushion the consequential effect of the fuel subsidy removal on the citizenry.

The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan, disclosed this at a news briefing at the end of the state Executive Council (EXCO) meeting in Akure on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EXCO meeting was chaired by the Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Igbasan promised that government would continue to place premium on the peoples welfare in the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

According to him, the government is aware of the hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal.

There would be a quick intervention in no distant time, he said.

Igbasan said that the committee would be headed by the Chief of Staff, Chief Olugbenga Ale.

He said that a meeting to work out the modalities on the estimate that would accrue to the state from the Federal Government would soon be convened.

We took a look at the issue of the subsidy removal and its consequential effect on our people and the council decided to constitute a state committee on palliatives under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the Governor.

Other members are Head of Service and the Commissioner of Finance, among others.

We commiserate with our people over the hardship they are facing due to the removal of oil subsidy.

The chairman will soon convene a meeting of the committee, the fiscal surplus and what will accrue to the state from the Federal Government from the palliative of N500 billion proposed by the president, he said.

Also, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Amidu Takuro, said the EXCO also approved some chieftaincy stools in Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ose and Akoko North East LGAs.

Takuro said that the council also approved two warrant chiefs for the purpose of selection process of Olusupare of Supare Akoko in Akoko South West LGA.

They are Olotoi of Olotu in Okitipupa, Olu of Igodan Lisa of Okitipupa, Olugbe of Ugbe Akoko, Olukaro of Ikaro in Ose LGA.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Femi Agagu, said that the council further approved the construction of 4.75 kilometers of selected roads in Igbobini and Agadagba Obon in Ese Odo LGA.

EXCO also approved 1,000 kilometers concrete walkways in Obe Nla.

Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr Oyeniyi Oseni, said that government had initiated measures to reduce flood disasters in the state.

Oseni called on residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways and channels to complement governments efforts at reducing flooding in the state.

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Dear, Abdu Bulama Bukarti,

I write express my heartfelt appreciation for your exceptional kindness and generosity. Your recent payment of registration fees for 20 individuals at Bayero University, Kano has left an indelible mark of gratitude in the hearts of those involved.

Your willingness to go above and beyond to support others in their educational pursuits is truly inspiring. By covering the registration fees, you have not only alleviated a financial burden but have also paved the way for these individuals to embark on a promising academic journey. Your act of selflessness will have a lasting impact on their lives.

Education is undeniably a powerful tool that opens doors to countless opportunities, and your benevolence has enabled these individuals to access this transformative experience. By investing in their education, you are investing in a brighter future not only for them but also for the communities they will go on to serve.

Your commitment to empowering others and promoting education is truly commendable. It is through the generosity of individuals like yourself that we can build a more inclusive and equitable society, one where everyone has equal access to quality education and the chance to fulfill their potential.

Your act of kindness serves as a powerful reminder of the beauty of humanity and the impact we can make when we choose to extend a helping hand. Your noble gesture will be remembered not only by those you have assisted but also by all who witness your selfless act.

On behalf of the beneficiaries and the wider community, I express my deepest gratitude for your remarkable generosity. Your support has made a tangible difference in the lives of these aspiring students, and your kindheartedness has reaffirmed the belief that there is goodness and compassion in this world.

May your kindness be repaid in abundance, and may your compassion continue to inspire others to make a positive difference in our society. Thank you once again for your unwavering support and commitment to education.

With utmost appreciation and warm regards,

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Rescues 113 Kidnap Victims Unhurt

Suspect of Attack on Apostle Johnson Suleiman Nabbed

The Nigeria Police Force in its ongoing efforts to combat crime and criminality and curb the proliferation of illegal weapons in the country has recorded several notable breakthroughs in the past 2 months, resulting in the arrest of 1,412 Suspects for various violent crimes including 548 suspects for Armed Robbery, 242 suspects for Kidnapping, 365 suspects for Murder/Homicide, and 237 suspects for Rape/Defilement. Notably, 350 illicit firearms, and 4,055 ammunition of various calibers were equally recovered from across the country within the period under review, while 113 kidnap suspects were rescued unhurt and re-united with their families.

Prominent amongst these breakthroughs was the arrest of one Yusuf Ismael Isah aged 32, a plumber from Okene, Kogi State, by gallant operatives of the Force. According to investigations, he was part of the 7-man gang that launched a fatal attack on the convoy of Apostle Johnson Suleiman, the Founder of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Auchi, on October 21, 2022, along Benin  Auchi road, wherein six (6) people, including 3 police officers, were gruesomely murdered. Intelligence revealed that the 7-man syndicate has been actively involved in kidnapping operations within Edo State and its environs and have carried out about 4 kidnapping operations between 2021 and 2023, before the gang was eventually busted by the Police. Exhibits recovered from the suspect upon his arrest in Ondo State include 5 AK47 Rifles, 2 K2 Assault Rifles, 180 Rounds of Live Ammunition, 4 suspected locally made IEDs, 1 pistol, and 4 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Similarly, 5 suspects were apprehended in Abuja for Conspiracy and Kidnapping. The suspects  Emu Larry Chidiebere m 34, Samuel Balogun m 22, Williams Banjo m 28, Babatunde Femi m 30, and Nneka Opara f 32, were arrested for kidnapping a foreign national and obtaining a ransom of 2000 Dollars from his relatives. The suspects held the victim hostage in an apartment from May 30, 2023 to June 2, 2023. The suspects took pictures of the victim and forwarded the pictures and threat messages to the girlfriend of the victim in Zurich, who eventually sent them the sum of 2000 dollars via Western Union on June 1, 2023.

Additionally, the Police has sustained a continuous assault on the camps of some non-state actors in the South-East enforcing an illegal sit at home order particularly in Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi States. In Enugu, 4 suspects were neutralized following a gun duel with operatives of the Force on Friday 7th July, 2023 while 1 AK47 with 19 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 2 molotov cocktails were recovered. In Ebonyi, 17 suspects were arrested following a raid on the hideout of secessionist agitators on 5th and 6th of July, 2023, while 1 locally made revolver, 2 vehicle number plates and 3 live ammunition were recovered. Similarly, in Imo, police operatives arrested 26 hoodlums following the murder of a young man in their rampage, and successfully recovered 5 firearms, 66 live ammunition and several other exhibits.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to continually ensure the safety and security of all and sundry, while emphasizing that his administration will leave no stone unturned in the effort to suppress and decimate criminality and the heinous activities of non-state actors who cause pain, hardship, and sorrows to innocent law abiding members of the Nigerian society.

CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra,

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,

FORCE HEADQUARTERS,

ABUJA

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing Worldwide held its 3rd Convention, Past Leaders and Stakeholders Meeting in Enugu on Saturday, 10th June. The event attended by most Ohanaeze and Igbo Youth Veterans, past leaders and critical stakeholders was also an opportunity to honor some comrades who started the Ohanaeze and Youth struggle in Igboland.

The convention also discussed various range of issues affecting Ndigbo in Nigeria, including security,economy, politics, Biafra agitations and good governance.

While welcoming the delegates, the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Rt Hon Chima Obieze said that the convention afforded Ndigbo the opportunity to chart a new course by evaluating issues that borders on the Security, Economy, Politics, Governance and the activities of those who felt the system has infuriated them.

The Pioneer Founder of Ohanaeze Youth, Wings and Popular Organs, and former Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Barrister Capeoo Emejulu Okpalaukwu gave the history of Igbo struggles, Ohanaeze struggles and the Biafran arms of the struggle. He mentioned the Comrades who are still in the course and those who have fallen by the wayside, and reiterated calls for Tinubu to appoint Service Chief of Igbo Extraction. Okpalaukwu is also the leader of Isi Ebubeagu Ndigbo.

The Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress IMC, and Igbo, Student Youth Leader since 1991, Rev Obinna Akukwe while highlighting their efforts in Ohaneze Ndigbo since year 2000, told the convention that in 2015 himself and Barrister Okpalaukwu met top military brass and blocked the initial attempt by the security agents to brutally crack down on Biafra agitators from November 2015 till end of the year. He said that the arrangement led to the military giving the Biafran agitators free reign until some irresponsible persons went to attack the Naval Facility at Onitsha, leading to the first ever casualty in the IPOB Struggle. He said that irresponsible activism led to crackdown on Biafra agitators and said that the angle of bloodshed in the struggle is distracting it from local and international sympathies. Rev Akukwe is also the Director Media and Communications General Assembly of all Igbo Christian Organizations and Ministers GAAICOM

Hon Chika Temple (EX-South East President NYCN) in his submission disagre4eed with the notion from Rev Akukwe that South East is disorganized. He referred to the massive support Ndigbo gave Peter Obi at the polls and their acclaimed successes all over the world as evidence that Igboland is not in tatters.

Prince Tony Anioke , Pioneering Financial Secretary of Ohanaeze Youth Wing condemned those using the name of the body to collect money, and said that unless unity is achieved, there can be no forward movement in Ohanaeze.

The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing. Barrister Obasi Onu called upon all veterans to help reposition Ohanaeze to take collective actions to the benefit of Ndigbo. He asked all stakeholders to ren in the erring members.

The Secretary General of the Youth Wing, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu asked the veterans and stakeholders to join hands to bring justice, unity, peace and youth restiveness within Igboland. He harped on the deteriorating security situation in Igboland and called for urgent action.

The body resolved to support efforts by Chief Iwuanyanwu to reposition Ohanaeze Parent body. The body also condemned the proliferation of persons using the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to dupe persons and governments and asked the veterans to act as bridge to bring the malaise to an end.

Comrade Sunny Udeh (Former Coordinator NANS Zone B, South East) and political consultant expressed joy that for the first time Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Veterans are coming together to arrest the deteriorating political situation confronting Ndigbo.

Comrade Smart Uwakwe (Vice Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria, South East) harped on the need to partner with security agencies from time to time to ensure that issues affecting Ndigbo are treated with dispatch.

The convention asked President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu and cautioned against impostors masquerading as Ohanaeze Youth without the support of the Ohanaeze Imeobi and National Executive Council .

Notable youth leaders in attendance include,Hon Prince Chinedu Ekwunife (Anyafulugo Awka, National Human Rights Service Forum) Comrade Anya O Anya, Engr Chuks Obele, Hon Chinedu Atugwa, Mazi Chima Adiele, and Prophetess Ifeyinwa Emeliefenwa among others

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Kano State Commissioner for Education, Umar Haruna Doguwa, has described the free education policy of the immediate past administration in the state as fundamentally flawed, thus, not capable of yielding positive outcomes.

The fact that many primary and secondary schools in the state lacked furniture, appropriate infrastructure and other resources, as well as a poor boarding schools feeding plan, among other things, indicates that the policy was indisputably defective, he said.

The Commissioner made the observation during an unscheduled inspection of selected public secondary schools in the state, where he noted for instance, that at G.G.A.S.S Tumfafi, Dawakin Tofa local government area, the students were congested in the classes and seated on bare floors, as nine out of the 16 classes had no furniture at all, while the rest had only a few chairs and desks.

The school, with 1,808 students, has 21 teachers. A block of classrooms, initiated in the school by Tumfafi community was left abandoned, a project which the Commissioner promised to complete, as it would help in decongesting some classes.

At Government Technical College Dambatta, Alh. Umar Doguwa who interacted freely with the students, was sad that for nearly five years, the past administration failed to renovate the colleges four destroyed hostels, forcing the 530 students to reside in stuffy conditions in two hostels, which are also begging for reconstruction. The colleges rear fence also collapsed a long time ago, making it liable to all forms of insecurity.

He, therefore, requested, IDEAS, a World Bank funded project working to improve infrastructure in science and technical schools in the state, whose project official was present during the visit, to focus on renovating the shattered hostels, then align other projects scheduled for the college with the plans of the state government, to improve teaching and learning.

Alh. Umar Doguwa expressed satisfaction with the zeal exhibited by teachers at the college, pointing out that with the improved school feeding arrangement of the present administration, the students will be encouraged to focus on learning.

The commissioner also visited GGAC, Goron Dutse, a girls secondary school in Kano municipality, where some of the students he interviewed, joyfully told him that their meals have to a great extent improved from what obtains during the past administration, in terms of quantity and quality.

Meanwhile, Alh. Umar Doguwa has praised the Principal of Government Girls College, Dala, Mrs. Nuhu Wali for her good management style and keeping the school environment neat. He was also impressed with the schools feeding arrangement, pointing out that it was gladdening that the students are satisfied with their improved welfare condition, under the present administration.

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Ruins of ancient port evidence to prosperity of Maritime Silk Road

10:39, July 14, 2023 By Liang Yanhua ( People's Daily

Photo shows an aerial view of the ruins site of the Shuomen ancient port in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo courtesy of Liang Yanhua)

On the vast blue sea, the Maritime Silk Road is a link between different civilizations, bearing witness to the communication and exchanges between the Chinese nation and the world with rich cultural heritage resources.

The ruins site of the Shuomen ancient port in Wenzhou, a city in east China's Zhejiang province, was discovered by archeologists between 2021 and 2022, bringing back to life the bustling scene of Wenzhou, a node along the Maritime Silk Road, back in the day.

During the archaeology project, important remains related to the port were unearthed, including eight docks and two shipwrecks dating back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), tons of stacked porcelain pieces belonging to the Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and lacquered woodware.

Barbican ruins built in the Song and Yuan dynasties and in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) were discovered, and remains of dikes, bridges, sluice gates and piers that witnessed the change of the coastline over the course of more than 1,000 years.

"The ruins site of the Shuomen ancient port is one of the most important archeological discoveries at ancient port sites along the Maritime Silk Road to date. The discovery has outstanding value in world navigation history and will become an important cultural heritage site supporting the Maritime Silk Road's application for world heritage," said Jiang Bo, vice president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites.

Photo shows a part of the ruins of the No. 3 dock at the archaeological site of the Shuomen ancient port in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo courtesy of Liang Yanhua)

The ancient city of Wenzhou has a history of 1,700 years. The city is surrounded by mountains on its eastern and western sides, with deep water and a stable shoreline.

The favorable geographical condition makes the ancient city closely defended and gives it natural advantages in building ports. Since its establishment, the city's location and the port site have basically remained unchanged.

Sitting in the middle of China's eastern coastline with favorable conditions as a port, Wenzhou has long been a node along the Maritime Silk Road.

In 2018, a frosted glass bowl, originating in the Sasanian Empire, was unearthed in a tomb of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) at a cluster of ancient tombs in Oubei township, Yongjia county of Wenzhou. The cultural relic is important evidence of Wenzhou's earlier participation in trade along the Maritime Silk Road.

In the late Tang Dynasty (618-907), Wenzhou was one of the major ports hosting Japanese merchants. Between the late Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and the Yuan Dynasty, Wenzhou entered a period of great prosperity following the rise of the Longquan kiln.

A picture shows the restored appearance of the No. 3 dock at the archaeological site of the Shuomen ancient port in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo courtesy of Liang Yanhua)

The mountainous coastal geography and open economic structure have shaped the unique regional culture of Wenzhou.

The ancient people here were adept at operating boats and sailing in the sea, and they were influenced by the concept that smooth trade is conducive to industry and commerce. Wenzhou has long been an important shipbuilding base in China and maintained a leading position in shipbuilding technologies.

The two shipwrecks found in the discovery adopted the most advanced innovative technologies in the Song Dynasty, including the keel structure and the water-tight bulkhead. Porcelain pieces, from Yuan Dynasty, were mostly found stacked in rows, and at least 90 percent of them were produced at the Longquan kiln.

Longquan porcelain products were the main export porcelains during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and the middle of the Ming Dynasty. Wenzhou, an important port and hub for maritime and inland waterway transportation, became a major distribution center and a point of departure for the export of Longquan porcelain products.

The densely distributed remains of docks and the stacked porcelain pieces unearthed attest to Wenzhou's position as a node along the Maritime Silk Road and an important port for the trade of Longquan porcelain products.

Photo shows a porcelain ware from China's Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) unearthed in the archaeological site of the Shuomen ancient port in Wenzhou city, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo courtesy of Liang Yanhua)

The study of the Maritime Silk Road is usually divided into three linksproduction, transportation and market. The ruins site of the Shuomen ancient port has elements closely related to all three links, including docks, ships, shipping routes, navigation marks, and kilns. It is a Maritime Silk Road heritage site with complete elements.

The discovery fills the blank of port heritage sites along the Maritime Silk Road at home and abroad with great significance for deepening research on the Maritime Silk Road.

The Maritime Silk Road, old and vibrant, has improved the well-being of people in areas along it. Today, it is showing renewed vitality.

In recent years, Wenzhou's container shipping sector has grown fast. The city has expanded its network of foreign trade shipping routes and currently operates 11 near-sea routes.

Currently, the city is accelerating the development of a higher-standard open economy and promoting higher-level opening-up.

Photo shows a porcelain ware with a fish pattern made in China's Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). (Photo courtesy of Liang Yanhua)

Working with the National Center for Archeology under China's National Cultural Heritage Administration, Wenzhou plans to build a themed park at the ruins site of the Shuomen ancient port to fully explore the Maritime Silk Road culture with high standards. In addition to protecting cultural relics, the city hopes to bring the ruins site closer to the public.

Blessed with the ruins site of the ancient port, Wenzhou is glowing with renewed vigor in the new era.

(Liang Yanhua is head of the archaeology project at the ruins site of the Shuomen ancient port in Wenzhou.)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
Actors and actresses are not happy to be replaced with AI versions of themselves.

Leaders at the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) have announced the Guild will go on strike following a "groundbreaking AI proposal" from Hollywood studios.

The SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, and other media professionals to secure the "strongest protections for media artists into the 21st century and beyond," per its About page.

An Acting Career(?) After Death

Disney's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" movie is one of the good Star Wars media the company released since buying the IP from George Lucas in 2012, per Movie Web. The movie featured actors who digitally wore the likeness of Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher - actors that had already passed away before the movie's release.

While the choice to have people digitally wear their likeness is odd for some since they seem to look like they're from the uncanny valley, it does create a way for Hollywood to bring back an actor despite their passing in some way.

That is what the Alliance of Motion Picture of Television Producers (AMPTP) want to happen to actors and actresses years after they're gone if the SAG-AFTRA is to be believed. According to a report from Engadget, AMPTP said that it proposed to protect performers' digital likenesses through AI.

Read More: Tesla Suspects Elon Musk of Using Company Funds to Build Personal Glass House

The AMPTP explained that the AI proposal would require a performer's consent to have their likeness recorded and have it used as a digital replica or for digital alterations of a performance. Unfortunately, while big-shot Hollywood performers might be spared from this choice, background performers don't.

According to AFTRA leader Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the proposal mentioned that background performers should be able to get their likeness scanned, get one day's pay, and possibly never work again, per Gizmodo. They added that the AMPTP intends to use their scanned likeness for the rest of eternity in any project they want without consent and compensation.

The proposal is the latest development in the trend of Hollywood studios' use of technology to de-age, resurrect, and even fully replace actors in films.

SAG-AFTRA's Response

Crabtree-Ireland then said that anyone should think twice before they think the AI proposal the AMPTP presented was groundbreaking. "Actors deserve a contract that reflects the changes that have taken place in the industry," Crabtree-Ireland said during the press conference announcing the strike. "The current model devalues our members and affects their ability to make ends meet."

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher agrees with Crabtree-Ireland, saying that AI poses an existential threat to creative professions.

She added that all actors and performers deserve contract language that protects them from having their identity and talent exploited without consent and pay. "Despite our team's dedication to advocating on your behalf, the AMPTP has refused to acknowledge that enormous shifts in the industry and economy have had a detrimental impact on those who perform labor for the studios," Drescher added.

The SAG-AFTRA's strike is the first time it is joining the Writer's Guild of America in a public protest at the same time since the 1960s.

Related Article: AI Will Likely Replace Skilled White Collar Jobs More, Says the OECD
Abuja man seeks DNA test after discovering that his 6-yr-old child looks like his wifes boss

A man who thinks their six-year-old child does not resemble any of them is suspicious that his wife committed paternity fraud.

After visiting his wifes workplace last Friday and observing that their daughter had a strong likeness to her employer, he decided to bring his daughter in for a DNA test.

Abuja man seeks DNA test after discovering that his 6-yr-old child looks like his wifes boss

The bewildered man turned to social media to urge internet users to point him in the direction of a hospital where he might receive DNA testing in the Federal Capital Territory.
Recall that the Labour Party (LP), yesterday, called for the immediate dismissal and prosecution of INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

Veteran Nigerian entertainer, Charles Oputa aka Charly Boy has placed a curse on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu over the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

He said Yakubu will never know peace.

This is as Labour Party (LP), yesterday, called for the immediate dismissal and prosecution of INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

The party and its presidential campaign council asked the international community to take punitive action against Yakubu and other top officials of the electoral body over the conduct of the 2023 elections.

We also demand unequivocally the immediate dismissal from office and prosecution of Prof Mahmud Yakubu and the commencement of forensic financial investigation into the expenditure of budgeted disbursements and donors funds received by INEC, LP demanded.

Cursing Yakubu on his Twitter account, Charly Boy wrote:

I Pray for INEC.

May it never be good for Yakubu and his lineage.

May Nigeria happen to all his children. May he never be at Peace for the hopelessness he caused Nigerians. The Judges both at the Tribunal and Supreme Court, if you refuse to save our country, may we all die here.
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Occasionally, analysts and commentators use the public space to address some issues not because its the only medium available, but the main subjects are important public figures. So we need to, pardon the analysts and the commentators for such choices

As commissioners, everything including matters of your character, health and commitment should be in the public domain.

Congratulations and welcome to the court of Dan Modi. I know how difficult it must have been and how many hurdles some of you must have crossed to come this far; the countless protest, petitions, press release, meetings and what have you have gone against your nominations, the security investigations /vetting assembly screening and the waiting and anxiety and all that. But as they say nothing worth while comes easy.

Some of you are coming as first timers, while others amongst you are inherited from the previous administration of H.E Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar.

We are now here, that the executive governor of Jigawa state His excellency Malam Umar A. Namadi had a freer hand in nominating you, though some of whom it is said, were imposed on him by the former governor, party and its chieftain. Your choice therefore is measured of his confidence in your ability to perform despite the speculation of imposement because he can think or do otherwise since he is in charge of the affairs of the state and his expectations of you must, there be quite high. Which is to say, he has called you not to come and chop but to come and work

You should work hard. You owe to him and you owe it to us. But I need to hardly remind you that in Dan Modis court all work and no play (read politics) can easily make you an ex check this out with some of those were not on board now. Mix work and politics in equal measures to find a happy balanced journey that can help you to survive all the court intrigues and reshufflement, when they arises . Its up to you how you manage it. Its but take this little advice sharpen your political instincts, acquire an additional ear and keep all three to the ground. Keep in good terms with your governor especially those alleged were imposed on him or inherited from the previous administration.

My dear honourables, you are joining the government at a most difficult time, a time of public scrutiny, high expectations especially in Jigawa state and despair in the land

It is very glaring that all of you maybe with exception of one, I think you reached the ripe age of 50 and above. Please, help Jigawa by getting together and using the benefit of your maturity, experience, passion and accumulated wisdom to device the best way to remind yourselves the tenure is four(4) years not (40) years. Thank God, some or most of you have been in the system in the state since 3rd and 4th republic and even Malam Umar was in the 6th republic as a commissioner of finance, 7th republic as the deputy governor and now 8th republic as the chief executive of the state (governor).

You should be committed and honest with Malam and be logical to impress it on him. Dont say he can implement a program in his second term. Well yes. But who knows. The only sure term he has is this one and you owe it to us and to him to allow him to make the most of it. If not now, when? and if not now maybe never. Yes, lets make it happen

Lastly, Malam is our leader and by his own admission also our servant, please pray for him, allow him, support him, encourage him and help him to work for the benefit of Jigawa people (Talakawa) and also dont sabotage his effort. Governor Malam Namadi, can place his council members on probation and set a target as Kano governor did that in order to evaluate their zeal, passion, commitment and readiness to work for Jigawa people.

I will conclude my piece with one of the sayings of Stephen R. Covey which says The environment you fashion out of your thoughts, your belief, your ideals, and your philosophy is the only climate you will live in. The key is not in spending time, but in vesting it. May God God help and guide you aright. Jigawa of my dreams.

Adamu writes from Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa state amu3333@yahoo.com.

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By Umar Usman Duguri.

The group of concern citizens of Bauchi state under the auspices of Better Bauchi state has appeal to Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state to reinstate Doctor Saidu as Rector of the Abubakar Tatari Ali polytechnic, based on his passion for the educational development of Bauchi state that earned him several multiple awards of excellent service to humanity in accordance with the lofty goals of governor Bala Mohamed.

The group made the call in a press release obtained by our correspondent on the need for governor Bala Mohamed to reinstate Dr Saidu Adamu, who has made the state polytechnic the most reputable tertiary institution in the northern Nigeria, stressing that in the last three and half years of Dr Saidu, he was able to turn things right against the inherited law standard of the school.

Leader of the of the group, Mohammed Dauda says  we therefore kindly appeal to governor Bala Mohamed to reinstate his true loyalist who believe in Bauchis renewed hope agenda seeing in the state based on steadfastness and quest for better days ahead of the popular government. Dr Saidus humbleness and dedication set up an improved the standard of the respected tertiary institution of the state, the uncountable achievements from lecturers to the students welfare and sanity among various academic and non-academic staffs.

Less than one month to his departure at the Abubakar Tatari Ali polytechnic, Bauchi, the school has drastically lose it trademark especially in area of truancy and lackadaisical attitudes among lecturers and so on and so forth.

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By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri

The abducted Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Johnny Supermarket/Pharmacy, Ikenegbu Layout Owerri, Imo State, John Ugorji has regained his freedom.

Ugorji who was let off the hook by his captors returned to his residence on Friday, July 14, exactly two weeks after he was kidnapped.

Our correspondent gathered that the kidnappers freed him after his family paid N25million as ransom.

A source close to his family said; I want to happily inform you that Ugorji has been freed.

He returned this morning. We are happy he returned alive. We are grateful to God.

The source said the captors fleeced the hefty sum of N25 million from the family before freeing him.

The N25m was converted to dollars before the kidnappers took it, the source added.

Ugorji, a knight of the Catholic Church was seized on Friday, June 30, 2023 in front of his pharmacy on boarding his Jeep to drive home after close of work.

The police admitted being alerted about the kidnap but added that its operatives deployed to the scene arrived after the hoodlums had taken away their catch.

The police operatives however recovered the victims abandoned Jeep to the police station.

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The Labour Party (LP), acknowledging the final report of election observers in Nigeria, declared that the final election observer reports reflect a vindication of a heavily compromised election in the 2023 general elections.

The Director General of the Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, Balogun Akin Osuntokun, at a media briefing decried that, it is fair to say, that so many of our national problems have gotten worse, because we as a people, have not adequately risen to the challenge of effecting the right solutions, when they recur, to put them permanently in check.

He was of the view that given the extent of fraud, impunity, conspiracy, deceit, financial waste and democratic impediment, orchestrated and effected in the 2023 elections, and the increased interest, awareness and participation of the people in partnering practically, to bring genuine change to our country this time, it is imperative, that we as a people, do not again fall to the complacent hopelessness, that has aided recurrence and deterioration, but that we pursue the required rectification and legal correction required, to ensure that the will of the people, as expressed in the 2023 elections, are firmly and rightly, upheld.

Osuntokun said that while it is often said that government is a continuum, and the administrative formalities following the bizarre declarations by INEC, have been put in place, the election, today remains under legal contest, and cannot be concluded, until the legal processes have been rightly and judiciously exhausted.

The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign D.G. declared: there is no doubt that these 2023 elections, represent a significant and overwhelming watershed in our countrys electoral, political and development history, and that this time, the entire nation and the international community also, stand determined to ensure, that electoral fraud and the manipulation of the true will of the people, will not stand  as the foundation for bad governance in the past, had been concretised, by the acceptance of such illegality and conspiracy.

Having concluded the hearing stage, at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, the attention of the people and the international community remains transfixed on the judiciary, and with it, the expectation that the glaring wrongs, as documented by all Observer groups, local and international, will be corrected, for the good of the nation.

We commend, in particular, without equivocation, the courage, sense of focus and clarity of thought, expressed by various Election Observer groups, local and international, that were duly accredited to monitor the elections.

Osuntokun maintained that the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, The United States National Democratic Institute (NDI)  & International Republican Institute (IRI) Joint International Election Observer Mission, The European Union Election Observer Mission, Commonwealth Observer Group, The African Union AU, ECOWAS and all other regional and local Observers, all deserve commendation.

According to him, Their doggedness in field engagement, despite the onslaught of violence, inducement, manipulation and all manner of evil, as witnessed in the elections, will serve not only as an unbiased record of the tragic events, but as motivation for its logical conclusion and inevitable resolution, according to the will of the people.

In critically and broadly examining the independent reports of the various Observer missions, the consistency in their experiences and exposition, cannot be overlooked, as each and every Observer group, underlined the fact, that the elections fell short of citizens expectations, legal regulations and moral and international standards.

The full Press Statement reads:

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE LABOUR PARTY AND OBI-DATTI PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION ADDRESSED BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL BALOGUN AKIN OSUNTOKUN

THE FINAL ELECTION OBSERVER REPORTS: A VINDICATION OF A HEAVILY COMPROMISED ELECTION

1. Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

2. On behalf of the Labour Party and the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation and also in consonance with the people, I thank you members of the Press, for your dedication and diligence, in continuing to cover the unfolding timeline of the tragic 2023 Presidential Elections, to logical and just conclusion.

3. It is fair to say, that so many of our national problems have gotten worse, because we as a people, have not adequately risen to the challenge of effecting the right solutions, when they recur, to put them permanently in check.

4. Given the extent of fraud, impunity, conspiracy, deceit, financial waste and democratic impediment, orchestrated and effected in the 2023 elections, and the increased interest, awareness and participation of our people in partnering practically, to bring genuine change to our country this time,

5. it is imperative, that we as a people, do not again fall to the complacent hopelessness, that has aided recurrence and deterioration, but that we pursue the required rectification and legal correction required, to ensure that the will of the people, as expressed in the 2023 elections, are firmly and rightly, upheld.

6. While it is often said that government is a continuum, and the administrative formalities following the bizarre declarations by INEC, have been put in place, the election, today remains under legal contest, and cannot be concluded, until the legal processes have been rightly and judiciously exhausted.

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7. There is no doubt that these 2023 elections, represent a significant and overwhelming watershed in our countrys electoral, political and development history, and that this time, the entire nation and the international community also, stand determined to ensure, that electoral fraud and the manipulation of the true will of the people, will not stand  as the foundation for bad governance in the past, had been concretised, by the acceptance of such illegality and conspiracy.

8. Having concluded the hearing stage, at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, the attention of the people and the international community remains transfixed on the judiciary, and with it, the expectation that the glaring wrongs, as documented by all Observer groups, local and international, will be corrected, for the good of the nation.

9. We commend, in particular, without equivocation, the courage, sense of focus and clarity of thought, expressed by various Election Observer groups, local and international, that were duly accredited to monitor the elections.

10. The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, The United States National Democratic Institute (NDI)

 & International Republican Institute (IRI) Joint International Election Observer Mission, The European Union Election Observer Mission, Commonwealth Observer Group, The African Union AU, ECOWAS and all other regional and local Observers, all deserve commendation.

11. Their doggedness in field engagement, despite the onslaught of violence, inducement, manipulation and all manner of evil, as witnessed in the elections, will serve not only as an unbiased record of the tragic events, but as motivation for its logical conclusion and inevitable resolution, according to the will of the people.

12. In critically and broadly examining the independent reports of the various Observer missions, the consistency in their experiences and exposition, cannot be overlooked, as each and every Observer group, underlined the fact, that the elections fell short of citizens expectations, legal regulations and moral and international standards.

13. The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, the umbrella group for the majority of national NGOs

involved in monitoring the elections, described the elections, in its comprehensive report, and I quote, as a missed oppurtunity in Nigerias democratic development.. They further reported, that credibility of the 2023 election was greatly tarnished by numerous pitfalls. The election suffered several lingering deficiencies in election administration, including inefficient management of permanent voters cards (PVCs) distribution, failure of operational and logistical arrangements, malfunctioning of election technology, inefficient handling of results management procedures, lack of transparent results collation and declaration process, and poor crisis communication.

14. It further underlined that public confidence in the credibility of the electoral process and the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections is gravely shaken, and that extraordinary efforts will be required to re-establish trust.

15. It further posited that Yet, on election day, Nigerians were deeply disappointed by the glitches experienced in the use of IReV. Situation Room observed that election officials in many polling units were unable to access the IRev portal and to upload results of the presidential election. There were reports of election officials who either refused or were unable to upload results.

16. The Civil Society Situation Room, also emphasised that NO presidential election result was uploaded to the IReV portal as at 8.00 pm on the election day. In instances where upload occurred, the results were not legible or was defaced. Some uploads were not relevant as pictures of individuals or scenes on the location were uploaded.

17. Going further to state that, The seemingly highhanded manner, in which the Chairman of INEC, who served as the National Collation Officer for the Presidential Election, handled proceedings during the results collation exercise, further eroded public confidence in the elections. The failure of the Chairman of INEC to properly consider appeals for review of results from some states, in the light of the malfunction of IReV, as well as the apparent haste with which the collation process was concluded in an unusual hour, provided the basis for some observers to question the credibility of the collated results

18. The NDI-NRI International Election Observer Mission, whose parent bodies had, prior to the elections, deployed resources in voter education and so many other areas, in aid of a credible outcome, in their own report, submitted, and i quote the 2023 elections in Nigeria fell short of citizens legitimate and reasonable expectations. Significant logistical, technological, and communications failures by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), divisive rhetoric by political parties, political violence, regional disparities in electoral integrity, instances of vote manipulation, and marginalization of key populations, marred the electoral process and disenfranchised voters negatively impacting on key aspects of the election process.

19. It went on to report that the portal was not in compliance with open election data principles and did not provide the information in a complete, bulk, or machine analyzable format,

limiting the ability of citizens to verify results at the LGA, state and national level or to fact check contradictory narratives. A significant percentage of the results uploaded to the IReV were unreadable. Furthermore, at the time of publication, INEC had still not uploaded more than 9,000 presidential polling unit results to the IReV and did not clarify how many of these units were canceled.

20. In conclusion, the NDI-NRI Observer Mission held that  INECs lack of transparency and communication regarding the cause and extent of these problems, undermined confidence in the process, especially in those zones and among parties that considered those areas their strongholds.

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21. The NDI-NRI also recommended that INEC, the police, and the courts, should identify and prosecute those responsible for electoral violence or manipulation, during the 2023 election. Further recommending that, The international community should sanction and name government and party officials who orchestrated, tolerated, or encouraged electoral violence or manipulation during the 2023 cycle.

22. The European Union Election Observer Mission, also presented a most comprehensive and analytical report.. It stated clearly and i quote, The 2023 general elections did not ensure a well-run transparent, and inclusive democratic process as assured by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Public confidence and trust in INEC, were severely damaged during the presidential poll and was not restored in state level elections.

23. It went further to state that Abuse of incumbency by various political office holders distorted the playing field and that Public confidence gradually decreased and was severely damaged on 25 February due to its operational failures and lack of transparency. and that multiple missteps and lack of transparency before the polls, compounded by severely delayed display of presidential result forms, dashed the public trust in election technologies used. INEC failed to give a timely and comprehensive explanation for the failures on 25 February..

24. The EU OM report further underlined and i quote On 25 February voting was critically delayed by the late arrival of sensitive materials, and during the early stages of the collation, presidential result forms from polling units were not displayed real-time on the IRev as

committed to by INEC and anticipated by all stakeholders. A critical failure in the entire election process manifested at collation stage on 25 February, due to widespread disorganisation, a lack of adherence to prescribed procedures, and an unsuitable environment. By the time of the declaration of presidential results, one quarter of result forms were still missing from the IReV, and a significant percentage of the forms uploaded on IReV, often needed for comparison with manual results, were not legible.

25. Finally, in Paragraph 17, page 7 of its own report, the ECOWAS Election Observer Mission stated that incidents of violence, killings and disruption, were recorded in several states. The mission deplores the unfortunate incidents that occurred in the lead up to E-day, leading to loss of life in some parts of the country. These include the murder of the Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East, alongside five of his supporters.

26. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, I have gone into detail, in highlighting the consistency in the

observations of different independent Observer groups, and the severity of their condemnation of the election process, because of recent mischievous attempts to discountenance the uniformity of all reports, on the level of manipulation and illegality executed at the last elections.

27. The Labour Party and the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation condemn vehemently,

the negative and jaundiced responses on the EU Report and other Election Observers reports, by the Spokesperson of APC administration and other ill-informed persons, which are totally in discord, with the mood of the nation, at this time, and which also, present an embarrassing contrast, to their selective celebration of the 2019 Election reports, from these same Observer groups.

28. We advice that those who have deployed hired protesters to the offices of the EU, in respect of their election report, desist from any further wastage of public funds, as the objective of intimidation is without basis, and has failed, from the beginning  because indeed, the irregularities in the election, were so excessively glaring, with bitter personal and reported experiences, by the overwhelming majority of Nigerians.

29. The EU Election Observation Mission, as well as the Civil Society Situation Room, NDI -IRI, YIAGA etc are all INEC accredited observer groups, as well as very credible and long standing international and local stakeholders, in the Nigeria democratic process, whose reports are an essential contribution towards strengthening Nigerias democracy.

30. We would like to point Nigerians, to the fact, that the EU Observer group report, is in tandem with the reports of other international and domestic observers, duly accredited by INEC, and also in tandem, with public opinion and the experience of the majority of Nigerian citizens, who participated in, or observed the 2023 general elections.

31. At this juncture, there is no doubt that Nigerians and the International Community expect the Judiciary, to critically examine the evidence, the law, and the processes of these flawed elections, in arriving at a legally correct, and overwhelmingly acknowledgeable verdict.

32. We urge the people of Nigeria  youths, elders, voters and all citizens, to continue to follow the legal process patiently, keenly and peacefully.. to final resolution.

33. In conclusion, we commend the International Community and Civil Society, for their continued support, in growing and consolidating our democracy. It is now only logical, bolstered by the final Observer Group reports, that the International Community take immediate and appropriate punitive action against Prof Mahmud Yakubu, Barrister Festus Okoye and other top administrative and field staff of INEC, directly complicit, in the desecration of these elections.

34. We also demand unequivocally, the immediate dismissal from Office and prosecution of Prof Mahmud Yakubu, and the commencement of forensic financial investigation, into the expenditure of budgeted disbursements and Donors funds received by INEC.. not least of which is the N300 billion appropriated from the National purse, as well as other funds and materials, received from International Donor Agencies.

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35. Once again we thank you, the Media, in all facets, for your continued dedication in reporting this extended resolution, and Nigerians all over the world, for their alertness and steadfastness.

36. On February 25th 2023, we came out to draw the line, and halt our country from the putrid domination of bad governance by voting for vision and for competence.

37. A New Nigeria is possible.

38. Thank You for your time.
The Nigerian Army has reiterated it commitment to clear terrorists from northwest Nigeria, insisting that the army will not relent in its continuous efforts to clear terrorists from the North West region.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Nigerian Army Sokoto, Major General Godwin Mutkut, after Inaugurating RSM House at the 1 Brigade Cantonment, in Gusau, Zamfara State, said that the Army has been giving the terrorists a tough time, cautioning that the only option for the terrorists is to drop their arms and surrender to the troops, adding that the Army will not negotiate with terrorists.

Major General Mutkut noted that troops have been dislodging the terrorists from their hideouts in troubled locations like Zurmi, Shinkafi, Tsafe, Dansadau and other areas in Zamfara State, even in the rainy season.

According to General Mutkut, before now there are plenty places that we have not entered but as it is now, despite the rain we are going places where the bandits are not expecting, giving them bloody nose, if they want to survive, they should just surrender.

He stated that bandits are now attacking soft spots, especially, on the sight of innocent citizens in the villages or Highways,

General Mutkut had declared: Nobody negotiated with them before they entered the bush, now that the fire is hitting them, they want to negotiate, well I wont call it negotiation, they should just come out and surrender, negotiation is a trap; they have done it in the past and it did not yield any result, so why still repeating the same mistakes again.

For now, we have advised all the district heads that they should form groups that can protect them before the military come to assist in case of distress.
The Nigeria Police Force in its ongoing efforts to combat crime and criminality and curb the proliferation of illegal weapons in the country has recorded notable breakthroughs in the past 2 months, resulting in the arrest of 1,412 Suspects for various violent crimes including 548 suspects for Armed Robbery, 242 suspects for Kidnapping, 365 suspects for Murder/Homicide, and 237 suspects for Rape/Defilement. Notably, 350 illicit firearms, and 4,055 ammunition of various calibers were equally recovered from across the country within the period under review, while 113 kidnap suspects were rescued unhurt and re-united with their families.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement disclosed that prominent among the breakthroughs was the arrest of one Yusuf Ismael Isah, 32 years, a plumber from Okene, Kogi State, by gallant operatives of the Force.

The FPRO added that according to investigations, he was part of the 7-man gang that launched a fatal attack on the convoy of Apostle Johnson Suleiman, Founder of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Auchi, on October 21, 2022, along Benin  Auchi road, wherein six people, including 3 police officers, were gruesomely murdered.

Adejobi highlighted: Intelligence revealed that the 7-man syndicate has been actively involved in kidnapping operations within Edo State and its environs and have carried out about 4 kidnapping operations between 2021 and 2023, before the gang was eventually busted by the Police. Exhibits recovered from the suspect upon his arrest in Ondo State include 5 AK47 Rifles, 2 K2 Assault Rifles, 180 Rounds of Live Ammunition, 4 suspected locally made IEDs, 1 pistol, and 4 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

He added that similarly, 5 suspects were apprehended in Abuja for Conspiracy and Kidnapping. The suspects  Emu Larry Chidiebere m 34, Samuel Balogun m 22, Williams Banjo m 28, Babatunde Femi m 30, and Nneka Opara f 32, were arrested for kidnapping a foreign national and obtaining a ransom of 2000 Dollars from his relatives.

He narrated that the suspects held the victim hostage in an apartment from May 30, 2023 to June 2, 2023. The suspects took pictures of the victim and forwarded the pictures and threat messages to the girlfriend of the victim in Zurich, who eventually sent them the sum of 2000 dollars via Western Union on June 1, 2023.

The FPRO further said that additionally, the Police has sustained a continuous assault on the camps of some non-state actors in the South-East enforcing an illegal sit at home order particularly in Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi States. In Enugu, 4 suspects were neutralized following a gun duel with operatives of the Force on Friday 7th July, 2023 while 1 AK47 with 19 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 2 molotov cocktails were recovered. In Ebonyi, 17 suspects were arrested following a raid on the hideout of secessionist agitators on 5th and 6th of July, 2023, while 1 locally made revolver, 2 vehicle number plates and 3 live ammunition were recovered. Similarly, in Imo, police operatives arrested 26 hoodlums following the murder of a young man in their rampage, and successfully recovered 5 firearms, 66 live ammunition and several other exhibits.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to continually ensure the safety and security of all and sundry, while emphasizing that his administration will leave no stone unturned in the effort to suppress and decimate criminality and the heinous activities of non-state actors who cause pain, hardship, and sorrows to innocent law abiding members of the Nigerian society.
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Chairman of Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Col. David Imuse rtd has warned the state governor, Godwin Obaseki not to plunge the state into reckless debt.

Dr. Imuse gave the warning in a statement in reaction to the emergence of a preferred bidder to finance the construction of the Benin River Port recently announced by the state government.

According to Imuse, if Obaseki is not cautioned, at this late hour, not to drag foreign investors into his litany of spurious MOU partnerships or agreements, as has been his hallmark in seven years, it portends great dangers for the State.

Just a few days ago, the government disclosed that they have discovered a preferred bidder to finance the construction of the Benin River Port Project as it beat its chest that it is the jumping of a 75-year hurdle.

READ ALSO: Obaseki dissolves Edo State Executive Council, sacks all aides

Imuse who decried the effort of the government at this time whereas it has slept on the idea since 2016.

Obaseki promised to build the Benin Port in 2016, raising hopes for development and job creation. He announced the formation of a committee to the effect in 2017, but it was nothing more than an empty gesture.

In 2018, he claimed he signed a dredging contract with a China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC), touting it as a crucial step towards the Benin Port Project.

However, this contract was simply a facade to create an illusion of progress. The port remains nonexistent with no significant progress made.

Col Imuse added that: Obasekis claim of scaling a 75-year hurdle is another fallacy.

There was no Nigeria or Edo State 75 years ago, exposing the falseness of his statement.

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We advise these investors to be wary of Governor Obasekis assurances of his governments full support to ensure that the project is completed in good time and deliver value to port users because it is a hoax.

Col Imuse concluded that: Governor Godwin Obasekis tenure in Edo State has been marked by fictional legacies.

His promises of prosperity, economic growth, and job creation have been nothing but illusions, leaving the people of Edo State disillusioned and betrayed. He must not be allowed to continue on this path. The APC Chairman and Governorship aspirant said.
A non-governmental organsiation, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has demanded explanation from President Bola Tinubu on the N500 billion palliative alternative to petrol subsidy removal.

CACOL Director of Administration and Programmes, Tola Oresanwo, asked the President to shed more light on his request for N500 billion to be used to provide palliatives for Nigerians following the removal of petrol subsidy announced during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, in response to claims that the subsidy regime favoured the rich more than the average Nigerians, among other reasons.

The N500 billion palliative was approved by the tow chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday.

The Director of Administration and Programmes, Tola Oresanwo, in the statement signed on behalf of CACOLs Chairman, Debo Adeniran, noted: It would be recalled that President Tinubus request was contained in a letter sent to the National Assembly and read during plenary by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. In his letter, the President proposed an amendment to the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act, saying The request has become necessarily important to, among other things, the source for funds necessary to provide palliatives to mitigate the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians. Thus, the sum of N500bn only has been extracted from the 2022 Supplementary Act of N819,536,937,815 for the provision of palliative to cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal.

The CACOL, therefore, declared: We believe Nigerians need to know more about the N500bn the President is requesting. He should make the details of how the money would be spent more clearly to the average Nigerian. Inasmuch as we are not against the provision of palliatives for Nigerians who have been negatively affected by the removal of the fuel subsidy, we are calling on the President to reveal the details of how the money will be spent.

The group argued that in a country where a humongous amount of money had been expended in the past years majorly on palliatives and the low number of people that benefited from the said palliatives, it will be unthinkable for this administration to follow the part of the past administrations.

We are all living witnesses to the way and manner some foodstuffs that were meant to serve as palliatives for Nigerians were locked up in warehouses across the country by some greedy and selfish people in power at the detriment of pauperized, traumatized and famished Nigerians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To avoid the mistakes of the past administrations, the Tinubu-led government should publicize how it intends to spend the money, the names and locations of the beneficiaries, the modalities for disbursing the money and the conditions attached to the disbursement (if any), and other details that would set the minds of Nigerians at peace knowing fully well that the money would be used as planned, CACOL declared.

CACOL Chairman maintained, Moreover, we observe that even if the names of those to benefit in the conditional cash transfer or whatever method the government wants to use to disburse the N500 billion are published, the money may not impact significantly on the livelihood of the beneficiaries. If any palliative would be given, it should reflect in the cost of macro-economic products like petroleum but since the argument is that if petroleum is cheaper, it will be smuggled out of the country, then the palliative can be used to subsidize electricity, since it is not likely that electricity would be smuggled out of the country.

It can also be used to subsidize the cost of building materials or telephony thereby having a direct impact on affordable housing and communication among the people. Reduction in prices of these products will affect everybody rather than selective conditional transfer to some privileged few that has been done in the past and nobody has openly acknowledged that it impacted positively on their lives.
Apple's Tap to Pay on iPhone is finally available in the United Kingdom (U.K.)

Following a year gap between the United States first dibs on the feature, Apple is now set to help merchants in the U.K. to accept Apple Pay and other contactless payments using iPhone and a partner-enabled IOS app.

Apple reported that, "Revolut and Tyl by NatWest are the first payment platforms to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to their U.K. business customers, with Adyen, Dojo, myPOS, Stripe, SumUp, Viva Wallet, Worldline, and Zettle by PayPal coming soon."

Tap to Pay on iPhone Features

This iPhone feature will let merchants from small business to large retailers to securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets.

"Small and medium-sized businesses have long played a vital role in the U.K. economy, and alongside payment platforms, app developers, and payment networks, we're making it easier than ever for U.K. businesses to seamlessly accept contactless payments and continue to grow their business," Vice President of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet Jennifer Bailey explained.

Tap to Pay is available through supporting iOS app on iPhones from Xs onwards.

Read Also: Apple Plans to Sell Vision Pro via Appointment, May Require Face Scan

Apple Working Toward Better Payment Platform App

Apple is currently working with leading payment platforms and app developers to fully improve the commerce industry through Tap to Pay.

"Aspiring entrepreneurs just need a good business idea and an iPhone to start getting paid - enabling a whole new wave of opportunities," NatWest chief payments officer, Mark Brant stated.

Tap to Pay on iPhone will also work with American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.

Related Article: Apple Opens Beta Software Program
The FCT High Court on Friday discharged Senator Rochas Okorocha from corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ((EFCC).

Justice Yusuf Halilu freed the former Imo governor after dismissing the charges filed by the anti-graft agency for being an abuse of the court process.

This is the third time courts have freed Mr Okorocha in respect of alleged fraud and corruption said to have been committed while he was the governor of the state from 2011 to 2019.

Mr Halilu held that it was wrong for the EFCC to continue to file similar charges against a defendant in different courts when a court of competent jurisdiction had already given a verdict.

Justice Stephen Pam of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had, in a judgment in 2021, dismissed the EFCCs charge against Mr Okorocha.

The judge made an order prohibiting the EFCC from further prosecuting the former governor over any alleged offence relating to the said investigation.

However, on May 24, 2022, the commission laid siege on Mr Okorochas residence in Abuja, arrested him and subsequently arraigned him and six others.

They were alleged to have embezzled N2.9 billion belonging to the government of Imo.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling delivered on February 6, struck out the charge for contravening section 105 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

Dissatisfied, the commission approached the High Court of the FCT and filed another set of charges against the former governor.

But Mr Okorocha, through his lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, in an application, challenged the competence of the charge, claiming it was an abuse of the court process.

Delivering a ruling in the application on Friday, Justice Halilu held that it was wrong for the EFCC to bring a suit that a court of coordinate jurisdiction had already decided.

The judge said this was especially so as there was an order of the court restraining the anti-graft agency from prosecuting Okorocha over the outcome of an investigation which had been nullified by the court.

The judge said there was nothing more that described an abuse of court than the commissions action by going ahead to file the same suit in three different courts.

He said that although by law, the EFCC was conferred with a wide range of investigatory and prosecutorial powers; it must learn to operate within the ambit of the law.

The judge added that the EFCC being a creation of law, must be a respecter of the same law.

The judge said nobody or agency was above the law and advised the EFCC to accept that litigation must end.

(NAN)
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The Cross River Ministry of Women Affairs in partnership with the UN Women has inaugurated a zonal resource centre for women in politics in the state.

The inauguration which took place at the premises of the Ministry of Women Affairs in Calabar on Friday was witnessed by dignitaries and representatives from various organisations.

Inaugurating the centre, the Wife of the state governor, Mrs Eyoawan Otu, highlighted the importance of empowering women in politics and leadership roles.

Represented by her Special Assistant on Religious Affairs, Ms Odo Bassey, Otu underscored the importance of men supporting the effective and equitable participation of women in governance.

Government at all levels need to prioritise the five Cs for women, which includes Confidence by training and mentoring, Candidate Selection which involves a quota system for balance and Culture which harps on zero tolerance for sexism.

Others include Cash which highlights the provision of funding for women and Childcare which underscores the importance of changing the long hours culture in politics and providing childcare facilities, she asserted.

Similarly, Mr Lansana Wonneh, Deputy County Representative, UN Women, Nigeria, said the United Nations had been in the forefront of global efforts to promote gender equality and women empowerment.

Wonneh emphasised that its collaboration with the ministry of women affairs signified its shared commitment towards advancing womens participation in politics.

He lauded the ministry for the modest initiative, urging it to promote generational equality as well as gender equality.

On her part, Dr Asabe Bashir, Director-General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), said the resource centre would serve as a hub for capacity building and networking for women interested in pursuing political careers.

This centre is the second established in the country, the first being the Maryam Babangida Women Development Centre.

The choice of Cross River is due to the active participation of its women in politics and the hospitality of the people of the state, she said.

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A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday, discharged Sen. Rochas Okorocha from corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ((EFCC).

Justice Yusuf Halilu freed the former Imo governor after dismissing the charges filed by the anti-graft agency for being an abuse of court process.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that this is the third time Okorocha has been freed by courts in respect of alleged fraud and corruption said to have been committed while he was the governor of the state from 2011 to 2019.

Justice Halilu held that it was wrong for the EFCC to continue to file similar charges against a defendant in different courts when a court of competent jurisdiction had already given a verdict on the matter.

NAN reports that Justice Stephen Pam, of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, had in a judgment in 2021, dismissed the EFCCs charge against Okorocha.

He declared the investigation upon which the charge was based on as illegal, unlawful, null and void.

The judge then made an order prohibiting the EFCC from further prosecuting the former governor over any alleged offence relating to the said investigation.

The commission, however, on May 24, 2022 laid siege on Okorochas residence in Abuja, arrested him and subsequently arraigned him and six others.

They were alleged to have embezzled the sum of N2.9 billion belonging to the government of Imo.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling delivered on Feb. 6, struck out the charge for contravening Section 105 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

The court agreed with Okorocha that an earlier judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction sitting in Port Harcourt in suit number: FHC/PH/FHR/165, between him and EFCC.

It restrained the agency from further hearing the alleged offence subsisted.

Dissatisfied, the commission approached a High Court of the FCT, and filed another set of charges against the former governor.

But Okorocha through his lawyer Mr Ola Olanipekun, SAN, in an application challenged the competence of the charge, claiming it was an abuse of court process.

Delivering ruling in the application on Friday, Justice Halilu, held that it was wrong for the EFCC to bring a suit which had already been decided by a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

The judge said this was especially so as there was an order of court restraining the anti-graft agency from prosecuting Okorocha over the outcome of an investigation which had been nullified by the court.

The judge said that there was nothing more that described an abuse of court than the action of the commission by going ahead to file the same suit in three different courts.

He said that although by law, the EFCC was conferred with a wide range of investigatory and prosecutorial powers; it must learn to operate within the ambit of the law.

The judge added that the EFCC being a creation of law, must be a respecter of the same law.

The judge said that nobody or agency was above the law and advised the EFCC to accept that there must be an end to litigation.

Related
Nigerias number one man, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to jet out of the country.

The President will depart for Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday, July 15, to participate in the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5thMYCM) of the African Union (AU).

Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, in a statement on Friday, said the President as the Chairperson of ECOWAS will join Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers of the AU Member-States, and high-level dignitaries at the mid-year meeting which will take place on Sunday, July 16.

He said President Tinubu would present a report on the status of regional integration in ECOWAS, highlighting actions carried out during the period under review by ECOWAS institutions, member-states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to deepen integration through trade, free movement of persons, investment promotion, infrastructure development, peace, security and stability.

Alake added that the 5th MYCM, which is convening under the AUs theme for 2023 christened Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation, will bring together the Bureau of the AU Assembly, comprising the Heads of State and Government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, and Senegal, as well as the leaders of the eight RECs.

According to him, these regional economic communities include ECOWAS chaired by Nigeria, the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Community of SahelSaharan States (CEN SAD), the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

The presidential spokesman said the meeting will also involve the African Union Commission and the RMs.

President Tinubu, who will be accompanied by senior government officials, is expected to return to the country at the conclusion of the meeting.
President Bola Tinubus administration has been asked by the Federation of Informal Workers Organization of Nigeria to explain how it arrived at the figure of 12 million poor and low-income households in a country with over 130 million people suffering from multi-dimensional poverty.

The group asked who the members of the 12 million households are and how they were identified, noting that similar programmes in the past failed.

It noted that relatively privileged Nigerians had their accounts credited with N10,000 MarketMoni while most market women only heard about the programme on the radio.

This is contained in a statement signed by the General Secretary of the group, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe.

He said that development experts and observers have lamented the unprecedented lack of transparency and accountability witnessed in fund application, especially with regards to the Tradermoni aspect of GEEP.

The statement explained that the programmes were bedevilled by so much politicisation, ethnicity, favouritism and nepotism brought to bear on the generation of data and other vital indicators.

The statement reads in part, The recently announced palliative measure by President Bola Tinubu ostensibly to cushion the effect of petroleum subsidy removal is pathetically too little to make any difference in reliving the overwhelming helplessness that has enveloped Nigeria as poverty holds an increasing number of poor working Nigerians in vicious grip.

Reeling under the effect of the ill-fated currency redesign policy implemented in the first few months of the year, a policy which inflicted unimaginable suffering on most Nigerians especially those working in the informal economy, resulted in the destruction of millions of micro and small businesses.

The combined effect of the subsequent removal of subsidies on premium motor spirit which spiked the pump price per liter by as much as 300% in some parts of the country as well as the devaluation of the naira announced by the President is already being felt in the astronomical rise in the cost of the most basic essentials, especially food and transportation.

As reported in the media, the grant will enable the transfer of the sum of eight thousand naira (N8,000) monthly to twelve (12) million poor and low-income households for a period of six months with a multiplier effect on about sixty (60) million individuals. The grants will be disbursed through the much-abused Conditional Cash Transfer window.

The first issue with this is that the amount of money to be disbursed to beneficiaries is truly so paltry. N8,000 naira or about USD10 per month in todays exchange rate really cannot feed a child of 5 years in 30 days talk less of supporting all vulnerable Nigerians to meet the cost of basic needs as announced under the programme.

We would also question how they arrived at the figure of 12 million poor and low-income households in a country with over 130 million people suffering from multi-dimensional poverty according to official statistics. Who are these 12 million Nigerians, how were they identified? It is critical to raise this because similar programs in the past suffered so much from poor targeting that relatively privileged Nigerians had their accounts credited with N10,000 MarketMoni while most market women only heard about the program on the radio.

Under the Federal Government National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), easily the most ambitious financial intermediation programme in recent decades, similar programs to this newly announced program were implemented especially between 2017 and 2019 with billions of dollars invested in them.

But development experts and observers have lamented the unprecedented lack of transparency and accountability witnessed in fund application, especially with regard to Tradermoni aspect of GEEP. The programs were bedevilled with so much politicization, ethnicity, favouritism and nepotism brought to bear on the generation of data and other vital indicators.

We, therefore, use this occasion to call on the federal government to urgently revise the National Social Protection Policy to practically address the problem of exclusion of informal workers from old age support system, maternity care and support system as well as the need for accident insurance.

Existing structures created to address these issues such as NHIS and MPP hardly scratch the surface of the challenge of coverage. 90 per cent of working people in the informal economy cannot continue to be excluded from social protection mechanisms while we pretend to be fighting poverty!

To achieve accelerated coverage, Government must be ready to part fund informal workers contribution to the health and pension funds just as employers part fund workers in the organized sectors.
According to SaharaReporters, some residents of Ajegunle community in Lagos State, have cried out for help.

The residents under the aegis of Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM) have raised the alarm over the insecurity situation in their area.

This is contained in a press statement released by Moshood Oshunfurewa, the groups coordinator, who urged the state government and the Nigeria Police Force to protect lives and property in the community.

The statement also lamented how political violence has killed many innocent youths and disrupted economic activities in the area.

The statement reads: The Ajegunle Peoples Movement (APM), a community campaign organization of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), calls on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Lagos State government to be alive to their basic responsibility of protecting lives and property in the face of the worsening insecurity in Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA.



The residents of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area have found themselves trapped in a nightmarish cycle of political thugs violence and insecurity. The recent events have exposed the failure of the Nigerian Police to address the escalating violence that has led to the untimely deaths of innocent youths, the paralysis of local businesses, and a profound sense of fear and despair.



Despite repeated calls for intervention, the response of the police has been lacklustre and ineffective. This persistent lack of action has left the community feeling abandoned and disillusioned, eroding trust in law enforcement agencies.



The situation becomes even more perplexing when we consider the role of Honourable Fatai Ayoola, the executive chairman of Ajeromi Local Government Area. Despite the signing of a substantial N4 billion Naira plus budget for 2023, the residents of Ajegunle have seen little to no improvement in their security and living conditions. Honourable Ayoolas apparent indifference to the plight of traders and residents raises serious questions about his commitment to the welfare of the community.



Adding to the web of insecurity, reports have surfaced of an allegedly alarming alliance between the Nigeria Police in Ajeromi Police Station, Operation MESA (OPMESA) and political thugs/militia. This allegation is not farfetched given that these criminal elements have not been arrested or prosecuted despite the recent escalation of their atrocities.



These individuals, armed with dangerous weapons, have instilled a reign of terror on the streets of Ajegunle, further exacerbating the communitys plight. Such collusion between law enforcement agencies and political militia is an affront to justice and demands immediate attention.



In the face of this dire situation, the residents of Ajegunle must rise in unity to defend themselves and demand justice. They must organize peaceful protests with a firm demand on the police as well as both Lagos state and local governments to seriously address the insecurity.
Mr Kayode Jimoh, an Ilorin-based legal practitioner, has handed out an advise to Nigerians.

The lawyer, on Friday advised members of the public to refrain from disclosing their bank account details to secure loans online.

Jimoh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that giving out bank account details to borrow money online is dangerous.

He said many Nigerians have out of desperation been defrauded due to their ignorance in submitting their sensitive bank account information to get loans.

We need to be very careful how we give out the details required while trying to borrow money online.



Most people lose their senses and give out some vital personal information just to get loans, and this is very dangerous.

Most people have been defrauded in this situation. The moment you give out your details, you are at the risk of surrendering your life and anything regarding your financial status.



So, stop trusting every online financial apps. Its dangerous. Some will even ask you for your BVN and you will carelessly disclose and submit it, Jimoh said.

The legal practitioner warned members of the public on the need to beware of fraudsters and visit their banks to ask questions before taking any online loan.
Civil rights activist and the immediate past Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Comrade Shehu Sani said yesterday that Nigeria must first have a country before becoming member of any international body, calling on the leadership of the country to renegotiate its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Sani said the rising cases of herdsmen/farmers clashes in the country was becoming alarming, pointing out that there was no reason why other West African states are not experiencing similar attacks when they have substantial population of herdsmen.

Speaking at his inaugural press conference to unveil his new centre, African Center for Freedom, Peace and Development (ACFPD), said the Federal Government must, as a matter of urgency renegotiate membership of ECOWAS and its protocol in view of the violence and killings going on in the country as a result of migration into Nigeria from neighbouring countries.

He wondered why countries like Ghana, Togo Republic, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic and other neighbouring nations are not experiencing herdsmen crisis, adding however that the new centre is aimed at addressing some major challenges confronting the continent, which include: democracy, insecurity, peace, rule of law, good governance and irregular migration among others.

He said: I think in view of the crisis that we are facing as a country especially at it concern the violence and the killings, we must renegotiate the ECOWAS protocol on issue of migration specifically as it affect our own security challenges in Nigeria.

We must enforce laws to protect our own country. When herdsmen move from other nations to Nigeria in the name of free movement and we fold our hands they will end up destabilising our country.

Our concern is that why are there no herdsmen violence in Ghana, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic? Why are there no herdsmen violence in Togo Republic? Why must it be Nigeria?

These are issues we need to ask, if you are coming to our country with weapons, with arms, we cannot allow you to come in the name of protocol, that should not be accepted because allowing these herdsmen to come into our country and unleash mayhem and kill people has the capacity of igniting Civil War in Nigeria and we cant allow such thing to happen in the name of protocol, we have to have the country first before we belong to a union. That is my view on that.

He said that the new centre will deal with issues of unity, peace, development and good governance in the Africa continent, adding that the centre will also serve as a advocacy center in partnership with other international organisations in helping to tackle some of the issues that bother the continent.

Senator Sani said that about 60 senior academia across known universities have shown interest to be part of the center, assuring that the organization will embark on research and provide solutions to most problems confronting the nations across the continent whether it is banditry, kidnapping, bad governance, Boko Haram insurgency, irregular migration and so on.

When asked to comment on the rising debt in Nigeria, Sani said that there were lack of awareness on the part of the citizens, adding that most Nigerian governors are leveraging on the ignorance of people to pile up debts.
Two weekends ago, Tinubu was alleged to have met with a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Amb. Babagana Kingibe, a nephew and political associate of President Buhari, including Mamman Daura to perfect plans to reverse what was emerging to be an unfavourable judgement from the presidential election petition tribunal against the incumbent President. Tinubu, who was charged with the task of lobbying the justices, promised to relocate to Abuja upon his return from an overseas trip.

It was gathered that in line with that commitment, the former Lagos State Governor, at about midnight of Monday departed Lagos at the head of a delegation that included the former interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande.

The Tinubu team was given an open cheque to secure victory for Buhari, a source in the know about the plan revealed. Believe it, these people are serious, they are not joking at all. Asiwaju has literarily moved his bullion van to Abuja. They are prepared to spend whatever is still left in the treasury to secure victory, the source disclosed.

Akande, it was gathered, was specifically charged with reaching out to Justice Peter Ige, a member of the tribunal who hails from Osun State.

While it was gathered that the mission of the visiting politicians was to enter the capital city of Abuja in droves as a sign of solidarity with President Buhari, sources in the know however mentioned that their mission also includes ensuring that no last minute button is left in ensuring that judges in the panel do the bidding of the ruling party.

The influx of these politicians into Abuja is a follow up to an earlier meeting among top presidency officials and power-brokers who had mapped out strategies to making sure that the verdict of the tribunal was not left to chances.

A triumvirate agreement amongst Tinubu, Kingibe and Daura had penultimate weekend, in Abuja, etched a plan to mandate victory for the president in Wednesdays judgement.
Allen Onyema



Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buharis Personal Assistant on Social Media, has said the United States laws are only targeted at those who flout them.

In her reaction to the indictment of the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, Oniochie said the United States government only goes after law breakers. She, therefore, advised Onyema to go to the United States to clear his name.

The Presidents aide said this in a series of tweets on Sunday.

She lamented the manner in which funds meant for the Niger Delta amnesty programme were diverted into private pockets.

The Air Peace boss is believed to have worked as a consultant for the Niger Delta amnesty programme in charge of training repentant militants.

Onochie said, I do not understand what President Buhari has to do with Mr. Onyema of Air Peace being indicted and charged in the USA. According to our attorney-general, the Federal Government has not even been informed of the situation.

American laws go after those who break them. What a man sows How much has Nigeria invested in the Niger Delta amnesty programme, NDDC and 13 per cent derivation funds? All, mostly in a black hole (sic).

Do we know the extent of poverty, ignorance and disease in the Niger Delta? Please let America too help us see how Niger Delta underdeveloped Niger Delta. Those of us from the Niger Delta who are the direct beneficiaries of the sufferings that emanated from the looting of our wealth will tackle them. It is our war that is being fought.

Laws, Nigerian or American, go after those who break them so we must mind our business.QED! We are smarter now than ever before. Gradually the scales of tribalism, religious affinity and political loyalty are falling off our eyes and being replaced by Nigerianism. Nigerians are not keen on tales by moonlight. Let him return to America to face his accusers.
Google has announced a policy update that will officially integrate and regulate blockchain games and apps for Android.

"Google Play hosts a variety of blockchain related apps, and we know that our partners are excited to expand on these offerings to create more engaging and immersive digital experiences with tokenized digital assets such as NFTs," Google wrote on their blog.

The company has been playing around the idea of allowing NFTs for quite sometime now. However, they were able only able to release the guidelines and regulations now.

Google's Rules for NFTs

Report for Decrypt showed that Google will allow NFTs to unlock in-app content regardless of where the NFT was originally purchased.

However, Google was firm that blockchain app developers should provide a disclosure on its content page that their app is a blockchain.

Moreover, Google does not allow any type of gambling such as NFT or crypto trading activities which is in accordance to the company's Real-Money Gambling, Games, and Contests policy.

Read Also: Meta Ends NFT Support on Instagram, Facebook Following Crypto Slump

Google Plays Future in Blockchain Technology

The tech giant company assured that they will continue to communicate with the app develops to further understand the challenges and opportunities in blockchain technology.

"Like with any emerging technology, we must balance innovation with our responsibility to protect users," Google promised.

The rollout of the newly reformed policy on blockchain apps is slated to start by the end of 2023.

Related Article: Hackers Use Fake Pokemon NFT Game to Gain Control of Your Windows Devices
There are now more new cases of the coronavirus reported each day outside China than inside the hardest-hit country, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

Yesterday, the number of new cases reported outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told diplomats in Geneva, according to a written version of his speech.

The UN health agency put the number of new cases in China at 411 on Tuesday and those registered outside the country stood at 427.

Governments worldwide are scrambling to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus after a surge of infections in Italy, Iran and South Korea.

Tedros said the sudden increase of cases in those countries was deeply concerning, adding that a WHO team would travel to Iran this weekend to evaluate the situation.

While new case numbers and deaths are dwindling at the disease epicentre in China, the country remains by far the hardest hit.

Tedros said that as of Wednesday morning, 78,190 cases of COVID-19 had been registered in China, including 2,718 deaths.

That compares with 2,790 cases and 44 deaths reported across 37 other countries.

But WHO has said the epidemic in China peaked and on February 2 and has been declining since.

Bruce Aylward, who headed a WHO-backed expert mission to China, hailed the drastic quarantine and containment measures taken by Beijing, saying the country had changed the course of the outbreak.

But he told reporters in Geneva that other nations were simply not ready.

In Wednesdays speech, Tedros acknowledged that the hike in cases outside China had prompted a push for a pandemic to be declared.

We should not be too eager to declare a pandemic, he said, stressing that such a declaration could signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true.

We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things.

But he insisted that WHO would not hesitate to declare a pandemic if it is an accurate description of the situation.

I am not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, or the potential for this to become a pandemic, because it has that potential, he said.

All countries, whether they have cases or not, must prepare for a potential pandemic.
When Henrietta Alokha, administrator of Bethlehem Girls College, was speaking to students of the Lagos school about survival in 2019, she had meant every word, even if that meant putting her life at risk to ensure they remain alive.

But little did she know she was not going to survive what was coming her way eight months later. Less than a year after that interaction with the students, she lost her life trying to save them from the gas explosion that hit the school on Sunday.

TheCable had reported how Alokha, a reverend sister, could not make it out of the collapsed school after assisting students that were trapped to escape from the scene.

In a THISDAY report, the deceased was quoted to have told graduating students of the school about their transition to the society, adding that that they would survive life after school.

She had said the students came into Bethlehem Girls college innocent, naive and probably with high expectations and a drive to achieve excellence.

Today is a time to be thankful, having come to the end of this part of their lives in secondary school. That new phase is transition, she added.

You must have gone through challenges that are peculiar to your age, and probably wonder if you can survive outside. Yes, you can. In all, put God first for your academic excellence.

The explosion which claimed the life of Alokha and about 14 others was said to have occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant in the area.
A gubernatorial campaign co-ordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been shot by suspected assassins in Owerri, Imo State.

Engr Nnamdi Nsorom, who is a coordinator for the governorship campaign of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the PDP Governorship candidate in Imo State, was shot on Thursday afternoon.

PoliticsNGR learned that Nsorom, who is also an aide to Imo Senatorial candidate, Jones Onyereri, was rushed to the emergency unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he is currently recuperating from his injuries.

He was shot in the chest and arm in front of Onyereris house behind Concord Hotel in Owerri, Imo state.

Hon. Ihedioha also paid a visit to him upon hearing about the development.

It will be recalled that political activities in the state are currently heightened as the state governorship elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday. Ihedioha will be squaring off with Top Contenders like Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance(AA), Ifeanyi Araraume of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Ikedi Ohakim of Accord Party.

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<! Doctor examines a COVID-19 patient >

A medical doctor who attempted to manage a Coronavirus patient at a private hospital has been struck dead by the virus.

The doctor, 51, was the first health worker in Nigeria who died of Coronavirus after he contacted the deadly disease while managing a patient.

He is the second medical doctor to have died of Coronavirus in Nigeria. A medical doctor was also killed by the disease in Katsina State recently.

He reported died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, on Wednesday after he was rushed to the hospital.

Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, said the doctor was not a staff of the hospital but was rushed to the facility after he showed symptoms of the disease.

The doctor is not a LUTH staff; he was a private practitioner, though he trained in LUTH some 18, 20 years ago. I remember I met him, I know him, he left LUTH around 2002. One of his classmates called me that he has some issues in his private hospital, so I asked that he should be brought to LUTH.

He was COVID-19 positive, we started him on drugs but unfortunately, he died this morning (Wednesday), Adeyemo told The PUNCH.

He refused to disclose the name of the doctor in line with the ethics of medical profession.
EUREKA  A 3-year-old Washington girl drowned in a Eureka pond this week, according to a news release from the Peoria County Coroner's Office.

Eureka-Goodfield Fire and Emergency Medical Services were called just before 5 p.m. Tuesday to 1905 Eastview Circle in Eureka for reports of a 3-year-old who had drowned in a pond and was unresponsive, not breathing and had no pulse, according to the news release.

The child, Essence Toft, of Washington, was transported to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria and was pronounced brain dead at 10:35 p.m. Thursday, the coroner's office said.

According to the news release, an autopsy will ensue following organ donations.

It is unknown at this time how long the child was in the water before she was discovered. No foul play is suspected.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been organized by family friend Shari Evans for parents Alyssa Berry and Tyler Toft to help pay for medical bills, the funeral and other expenses.

The family is working with Gift of Hope, a nonprofit organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation and other services for families of donors in most of Illinois and northwest Indiana.

To learn more and donate, visit gofundme.com/f/funeral-and-medical-expenses-for-essence-toft

 From the Archives: Fourth of July in Central Illinois State Rep. Dan Brady during Fourth of July Parade in Downs Tim Phillips of Lincoln walks with American flag Annual parades with local school bands Captain Rat greets fans at Normal's Fairview Park Fireworks Displays Youngsters perform during "Celebrate America" Organizers hope to repeat the event every Fourth of July The McManus family celebrated the Fourth Sites for Sounds Fourth full of fun options Fourth of July marked by OpSail 2000 Fourth of July to be given gay observance A park celebration for the Fourth of July Matt Hedeman showed his colors during Fourth of July Parade Relaxing picnic fare for the Fourth of July
BLOOMINGTON  A green energy contract to supply all McLean County-owned facilities on the Ameren Illinois distribution system was approved by the county board on Thursday.

The contract would be with Dynegy, the county's current supplier. Although county board members see the contract as building on the county's reputation as a leader in renewable energy, it comes at a price roughly $40,000 higher than traditional electricity.

McLean County Administrator Cassy Taylor said the green energy contract would come at a cost of about $184,000 while the traditional contract would be around $142,000.

Earlier this year, McLean County staff members solicited proposals from companies authorized to supply electricity in Central Illinois for the county's next three-year contract period. In addition to traditional energy suppliers, the county solicited green power options such as wind-only and solar-only sources.

Proposals were received July 5 and follow-up proposals were received July 13.

When faced with the lowest responsible bid for traditional energy or the lowest green energy bid, the McLean County Property Committee recommended the renewable energy contract.

County Board Member Chuck Erickson requested that the contract be pulled from the consent agenda  items approved as a block without discussion  to be voted on separately and had concerns about the price of the contract.

"It still is a $41,000 difference and that's something that the taxpayer will pick up, and in my view, that's unnecessary," Erickson said.

Property Committee Chair Val Laymon argued that the county also approved a new gas contract as part of its consent agenda that came in roughly $40,000 to $50,000 below current pricing.

"That would actually be a wash when you take a look at what the most reasonable renewable green pricing would be," Laymon said. "Also, as McLean County, we're the leader of green energy production in the state of Illinois, so it definitely seems like a great way to promote and support one of our key functions in the business and energy creation space."

How lifetime emissions of different energy sources stack up How lifetime emissions of different energy sources stack up Renewable energy sources don't generate emissions during their 'ongoing combustion' phase #1. Wind (renewable) #2. Nuclear (nonrenewable) #3. Hydropower (renewable) #4. Concentrating solar power (renewable) #5. Geothermal (renewable) #6. Photovoltaic (renewable) #7. Biomass (renewable) #8. Natural gas (nonrenewable) #9. Oil (nonrenewable) #10. Coal (nonrenewable)
Nestled among shady trees and lush landscapes, this perfectly composed brick and stone cottage looks as though it has been lifted from the pages of a storybook. With an arched solid Alderwood front door, massive front porch, architectural windows, and wood clad garage doors (with Juliet balcony above), the charm just cannot be overstated. As you enter the property with its stamped asphalt circular drive and follow walkways among fragrant flowering bushes, the fairytale not only comes to life, but has been reimagined with superior construction methods and SmartHome technology. Step inside the 2 story foyer and be astounded by the sheer volume of the interiors, so discreetly downplayed from the road. Solid walnut flooring stretches thru entire main floor (tile in baths, sunroom, utility rm). ALL flooring on 1st floor has 5 zoned radiant heat; solid Alderwood doors are used throughout the home. A commanding staircase with solid hardwood treads, iron railing & waterfall steps rises to the open hallway above, while connecting to the lower level below, creating an architectural masterpiece. Motorized Foyer chandelier lowers for cleaning (Living Rm also). Glimpses of the backyard through 2 sets of transomed French doors flanking the fireplace beckon you into the 2 story vaulted Living Room; beamed ceiling soars to open railing above in a gesture emphasizing the room's expanse and volume. Open to the Living Room and comprising an entire wing of laid back living & casual entertaining, the spectacular Kitchen, Hearth Room and Wet Bar are beyond compare. The Kitchen features Custom Amish cabinets that continue down a 6x15 ft back hall, with built-in appliances and awesome fold-out pantry. Appliances include 2 refrigerators, 6 burner Wolf range, 2 ovens, warming drawer, and microwave. Huge island includes prep sink & breakfast bar; hand painted tile backsplash with pot filler provide functional beauty. Handsome Wet Bar is positioned for serving the entire 1st floor. Alderwood cabinetry with granite tops, hand painted tiles, an ice maker, refrigerator, wine cellar & service sink equip the bar. A casual dining space with window seat is open to the Hearth Rm with massive FP surround, open bookshelves & TV area. An enormous Sunroom off the Hearth Room creates fantastic connectivity between indoors and outdoors. With soaring poplar ceiling, stunning views of the very private backyard, heated tile floors, a dining area & huge sitting area, nothing has been overlooked. French Doors open to paver brick terrace and serene back yard with award winning landscapes! A Formal Dining Room also overlooks the back yard with Venetian Plaster walls, hefty millwork & abundant windows. Architectural Pella Windows with enlarged panes to replicate old European design are used throughout home. The phenomenal 40x15 1st Floor Owner's Suite features vaulted ceiling with whitewashed rough cedar beams rising from 9' to 11'; arched windows frame peaceful views of the yard. Huge Closet has coffee station & island with laundry bins. The breathtaking Bath has natural stone flooring, custom built double vanity, cabinets galore & 3rd Makeup Vanity. The 4x10 ft double walk-in shower features bespoke arched leaded glass window, bench, and his/hers secluded shower areas. A Powder Room with custom vanity and basketweave marble flooring is accessed off the Foyer. The open 2nd floor hallway with walnut flooring & custom railing overlooks the Living Room below. The loft Den has gorgeous built-ins and sophisticated, functional design. Bedroom 2 has en suite bath & cozy sloped ceiling. French Doors open to gracious 3rd Bedroom with 3 closets (1 is cedar) and lovely Jack n Jill Bath shared with the huge Bedroom 4, which features Juliet balconied windows overlooking front yard. 9 ft Basement is set to finish with mechanical rooms and plumbing rough-ins. This very livable home feels warm and casual, not austere. PLEASE SEE attached brochures for FULL DETAILS too numerous to mention!

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A solemn and befitting state burial service was held Thursday at the forecourt of the State House in Accra for the illustrious Ghanaian poet, playwright and academician, Professor Ama Ata Aidoo, who died on May 31, 2023 at 81.



In attendance was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, former President John Dramani Mahama; the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, Dr Ibn Chambas; Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, and the 2020 NDC running mate, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman.



Officiated by a large retinue of clergy led by the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Dr Paul Boafo, it also attracted ministers of state, Members of Parliament, some members of academia, the military top brass, family and friends.



Outstanding writer



Reading a tribute, President Akufo-Addo quoted an African saying that: Every time an elder dies, a library burns with him, meaning when an elder passes on some amount of stored knowledge disappears.



He explained, however, that that could not be said about Ama Ata Aidoo who was a knowledgeable teacher, famous poet, flawless public servant and an outstanding writer, who possessed excellent mastery of the English language and put all into writing.



He said the late professor was his contemporary in the 1960s when they were students at the University of Ghana, Legon and someone whom I enjoyed friendly and productive relations.



President Akufo-Addo indicated that through her work, Ama Atta Aidoo made a tremendous contribution to the development of Ghana and Africa, and expressed so many of the feelings about the faith of Ghanaians and Africans.



The ceremony was interspersed with some of her poems, hymns by the Methodist Church and songs by the Winneba Youth Choir.



Brochure



A 143-page gorgeously designed brochure which was distributed contained memorable pictures of her with some leaders around the world, classmates, colleagues and family members. Tributes written by laureates such as Wole Soyinka, Efua Sutherland, Anne Adams, among others, as well as tributes by family members were also captured in the brochure.



Words



She said her contribution towards the education of the women and the girl-child in general was remarkable and that even though she never took up a gun in the African struggle for independence, her pen did the fighting for the liberation of the political and social consciousness of the African.

In her tribute, Kinna Nana Adjoa Kwesiwa Likimani, her only daughter, like her mum, used words to describe in colourful terms her relationship with her mum, which drew applause from the crowd.



She described her mum as a made-in-Ghana mum, whose Pan-Africanism, feminism, socialism, tolerance and acceptance of marginalised people was exemplary and that she would always say that the world was big enough to hold all kinds of people.



These values, coupled with clarity and courage of purpose meant she was unstoppable and unwavering. She wrote us to freedom. Love and kindness don't make you weak.



Mummy, a mountain of outstanding things is being said about you, all deserved. If you were here, you would be incredulous and ask "they are saying these wonderful words about me?, part of the tribute read."



As Uncle Kojo used to say, I have "a big mouth" so I'll tell those gathered here today that you were the most stubborn person, period. Founder of Stubborn Academy. She Who Will Not Be Moved, she added.



Sermon



Delivering the sermon, Rev. Dr Paul Boafo said just as Ama Ata Aidoo used her writings and speeches to fight for the right of others, including domination of the western world over Africa, others must emulate her example.



He urged that people should lead a good and exemplary life because death was inevitable and after death, as the holy Bible had stated, there would be judgement.



Navy



Female ladies of the Ghana Navy in a regimented fashion presented the wreaths to seven designated people who laid them on behalf of the state, the chiefs and people, her daughter, the clergy, the writers association and Wesley Girls High School.



Her casket, draped in the colours of the flag of Ghana, was carried by the officers and men of the Ghana Navy to a waiting hearse in a well-rehearsed slow match to be transported to Abeadze Kyeakor in the Central Region for burial on Saturday.

Source: Graphiconline









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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SEDA Africa Group, an umbrella company for leading Czech technology brands in African markets, has announced the start of a testing phase for a small-scale water treatment unit in Kade, Ghana.



The Birim River, which serves as the water source for the treatment plant, was intentionally chosen for this pilot project due to its high levels of heavy metal pollution from illegal mining activities.



Hutira's technology and a team of Czech specialists aim to demonstrate that Ghana and West African countries can achieve independent sources of potable water from nearly any location and water source.



The Czech Republic Embassy in Accra and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic support the project.



Representatives from SEDA Africa Group, the CSIR Water Research Institute, community leaders, and the council of elders attended the initial testing, which proceeded smoothly without complications.



The testing phase will continue for approximately 14 days to ensure optimal performance and outcomes.



In addition to water treatment, the project will showcase modern storage solutions for potable water using special tanks made from a former NASA patent material.



This material withstands all outdoor conditions, preserving the quality of the liquid or raw materials inside for several years.



Furthermore, a trial water dispenser will be placed on the streets, allowing people to access chilled drinking water at any time using their containers.



This concept has been successfully implemented in cities like Cyprus.



"The water treatment project in Kade is important in providing clean and safe water to the local community. We are grateful for the support of the Czech Republic Embassy in Accra and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in making this project possible," said Martin Habart, CEO of SEDA Africa Group.



SEDA Africa Group specializes in water management, food and beverage processing, and energy solutions in African markets, partnering with leading Czech brands such as Hutira, Farmet, Technoexport, and others.



The company builds on the long industrial history of the Czech Republic, good historical relations, and partnership between Czechoslovakia and Ghana.

Source: William Gentu/Peace News









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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Kwamena Duncan, a former Minister for Central Region, has castigated former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama over the latter's caution to the Electoral Commission ahead of the 2024 elections.



Mr. Mahama has warned that the Commissions new Ghana Card identification directive will deprive some Ghanaians of their right to vote.



Despite the opposition against the Commission's decision, it is however proceeding with the use of the Ghana Card for compilation of the new voters register.



The NDC sees this move as a ploy by the Commission to manipulate the elections.



 . . we in the NDC wish to make clear that we will resist and prevent any sinister plot by the EC to manipulate the outcome of the 2024 elections even before the first ballot is cast through the needless and unapproved insistence of the Ghana Card as the only means of registration. The EC remains intransigent and appears determined to make it difficult for sections of our population to have their names on the voter register, Mr. Mahama served notice while addressing a gathering at the party's Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) event held at the KNUST.



But Kwamena Duncan has likened the behavior of the NDC and their flagbearer towards the EC to witchcraft.



The former Central Minister noted that the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa and her Commissioners have since her appointment worked assiduously to streamline Ghana's electoral system, thus he believed their resort to the use of the Ghana Card is to enhance the system.



"Ever since she came she has been focused . . . If you don't like this woman and the Electoral Commission, then you are a witch," Kwamena said in a brief reply to John Mahama.



Watch video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Marc Merlino, Citigroup's global head of global network banking, speaks to CEOs and CFOs from major multinational companies during an economic outlook seminar in downtown Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Citibank Korea





By Lee Yeon-woo







Citibank Korea announced on Friday that it hosted an economic outlook seminar for 20 CEOs and CFOs from major multinational companies, to offer insights and help its customers expand their business through the bank's global network and structured finance solutions.







During the seminar held in downtown Seoul, Thursday, Marc Merlino, Citigroup's head of global network banking, along with Stella Choe, Asia Pacific head of global network banking, spoke about the global market outlook and Citibank's various finance solutions.







In particular, they discussed the impact of AI on each industry and how to utilize the upcoming opportunities derived from the technological advance.







"The global economy is rapidly evolving due to developments in AI, which entail both crisis and opportunities. However, Citibank will remain fully committed to its role as a trusted banking partner for our clients despite this challenging environment," Merlino said.







Kim Jin-wook, chief economist at Citibank Korea, explained the second-half economic and FX market outlook for various countries including Korea, the U.S., China and ASEAN. His insights garnered much attention from corporate clients, according to the bank.







"We hosted today's seminar to help our corporate clients seek opportunities to expand their business through Citibank's global network. We will continue to provide corporate clients with various support including access to useful information and solutions they need," an official from Citibank Korea said.


Atik Mohammed has rubbished the viral leaked tape allegedly containing the voices of a Police Commissioner and a former Executive of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) plotting against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.



In the audio recording, these people were discussing a ploy to remove the IGP from office ahead of the 2024 elections.



The tape has become a topic for discussion in Parliament.



To Atik Mohammed, the tape is not authentic and has asked the nation to disregard it to focus on weightier matters that concern Ghana.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' morning show, he explained that as technology has advanced today with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is possible for one to replicate the voice of someone to make it an exact voice of another person.



"Who has come up to own this tape? In the first place, the tape is not even an authentic tape to work with; nobody has verified the voices . . . I don't want to believe that this tape is authentic because I can take your voice and all I need is your previous voice saying something and the AI can give you all the words you need," he said.



He stressed; "We should trample on it."



Watch video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has asked for a full scale investigation into the alleged leaked secret tape which is calling for the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.



According to him, if the NPP government has nothing to hide then they should allow an investigation into the matter to enable those behind the despicable plot to be punished.



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that though he sometimes did not agree with some of the modus operandi of the Inspector General of Police especially during the Assin North by-election, he believes that he is doing well and does not deserve to be kicked out in such a coup d'etat manner.



"What transpired on the leaked tape is a recipe for coup and that government should allow for a thorough investigation if it has nothing to hide and really want to get to the bottom of the matter.



"They should spare us the various explanations they are giving out and ensure an investigation is carried out in to the matter and gotten into its logical conclusion," he said.



He further reiterated the need for the Vice President, Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia who is the Chairman of the Police Council to as a matter of urgency to have issued a statement about what is going on rather than going about campaigning.



"I think this is an opportune time for the Vice President who seems not to be a too proactive Chairman of the Police Council to quickly act on this matter, but he is rather busy going round campaigning whilst the Police Council is in turmoil over a leaked secret tape."



Interior Minister Dismisses Allegation



Meanwhile, the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery, has dismissed allegation of the contents of a leaked secret tape in which the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, is being plotted.



In the about an hour long tape, a purported police commissioner and someone who identifies himself as a former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) were heard plotting the removal of Dr Akuffo Dampare.



The voices in the tape expressed the fear that the IGP would not allow the governing party to manipulate the 2024 elections.



This IGP wont help us. He wont, he wants everything to be done fairly and we dont win elections that way. If we dont remove him we cant break the eight, in politics we need machinations and this IGP wont allow that, the purported Police Commissioner was heard saying.



But interacting with Journalists in Parliament, Accra, he said the tape should be treated with the contempt it deserved because government has no intentions of removing the IGP from office.



According to him, government was satisfied with Dr Dampares administration and would give him the free hand to operate as expected of an independent police service.



Let me make it absolutely clear that this government is not going to tamper with the 2024 elections. The President does not want to stay one more hour beyond his term. We also want to make sure that we have a free and fair election.



So we should dismiss such reports with contempt. Theres no plot to remove anybody, as far as Im concerned he (IGP) is doing a good job.



Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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The Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court has dismissed an application by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, aka Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, which sought to restrain the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, from discussing him in relation to the National Cathedral project.



Rev Kusi Boateng, also known as Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi filed the application under Article 33 of the 1992 Constitution seeking an enforcement of his fundamental human rights.



In a judgment Thursday [July 14], the court, presided over by Justice Barbara Tetteh Charway, held that an application under Article 33 implied the enforcement of a human right of a person or entity with personal interest, reports Graphic Online's Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson.



The court said, the two distinctive identities - Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng and Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, meant it was not clear which of the two identities sought the enforcement of the human right.



The court dismissed the contention of Rev Kusi Boateng aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi that the two names referred to the same person, and held that the manner in which the two names had been deployed meant two completely separate identities.



In view of the lack of clarity of the person seeking the enforcement of the human rights (that is whether Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng or Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, the court dismissed the application for lack of capacity or locus standi.



Apart from dismissing the case, the court also slapped Rev Kusi Boateng aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi with a cost of GH10,000.



Mr Ablakwa has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate Rev. Kusi Boateng aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi over an alleged conflict of interest, including possession of multiple identities and other alleged criminal dealings.



The MP alleged that there was a transfer of GH2.6 million from the National Cathedral Secretariat to JNS Talent Centre Limited owned by Rev. Kusi Boateng under a secondary identity - Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.



Mr Ablakwa's petition is seeking to invoke the mandate of CHRAJ under Article 218 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate the odious conflict of interest with regard to Rev. Kusi Boatengs position on the National Cathedral board as he literally paid his own company a staggering GH2.6 million for no work done.



Rev. Kusi Boateng, who is also the founder of Power Chapel Worldwide, according to Mr Ablakwa, was the same person as Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi who received the GH2.6 million from the National Cathedral Board.



Suits



Rev. Kusi Boateng subsequently filed a defamation suit against Mr Ablakwa and followed it up with a contempt application, accusing the legislator of refusing to be served with the defamation suit.



He applied for an order to enforce his human rights seeking to prevent the MP from further commenting on the subject.



In May 2023, the High Court in Accra dismissed the contempt application on the basis that it was flawed with inconsistencies, was irregular and failed to meet the threshold of the law.



After dismissing the contempt application, the court, presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Dankwa, slapped Rev. Kusi Boateng with a cost of GH10, 000 in favour of the MP.

Source: Graphiconline









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Minority Leader and former Deputy Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, has filed an application asking Justice Afia Serwah Asare- Botwe to recuse herself from presiding over the trial in which he and two others have been charged for allegedly causing 2.37 million financial loss to the state.



Richard Jakpa, a private businessman who is also standing trial for same offences and others, has also petitioned the Chief Justice to remove the judge from the trial, alleging bias on her part as a result of an incident which occurred during one of the courts sittings.



He is alleging bias because the trial judge on June 20, 2023, issued a stern warning to the accused person that it was the last time she would tolerate any disrespect from him and let him go home.



Counsel for Dr. Forson was expected to move the motion asking the judge to recuse herself from the trial, but the case had to be adjourned to July 27 because Justice Asare-Botwe had indicated that it was brought to her attention that Mr. Jakpa had petitioned the Chief Justice asking for her removal from the trial.



The judge said as a result of that petition, nothing new is to happen in the trial until the petition is determined by the Chief Justice.



She, therefore, adjourned the case to July 27, 2023, by which time the Chief Justice may have given a directive regarding the petition.



Trial



Dr. Ato Forson, Sylvester Anemana, a former Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, as well as private businessman, Richard Jakpa, are standing trial for willfully causing financial loss of 2.37 million to the state, through a contract to purchase 200 ambulances for the Ministry of Health, among other charges.



The prosecution, led by the Attorney General and Minster for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame and Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakora-Obuobisa, closed its case on February 14, 2023 after calling five witnesses, including the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to prove its case.



The main issue raised during the prosecutions case was whether the defective vehicles were purchased in accordance with the purchase agreement approved by Parliament.



The other was whether Dr. Forson was authorised by the substantive Finance Minister or any superior officer to write a letter to the Controller and Accountant General directing the establishment of irrevocable Letters of Credit (LCs) which led to the payments.



An Accra High Court on March 30, 2023, ordered Dr. Forson and two others to open their defence in a trial in which they are accused of purchasing defective vehicles as ambulances for the Ministry of Health.



The court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Court of Appeal judge sitting as an additional High Court judge, in a ruling held that the three had a case to answer in the charges of causing financial loss and others levelled against them by the Office of the Attorney General in a deal that saw the state spending 2.37 million on the defective ambulances.



Jakpa/Judge Incident



Dr. Forson opened his defence on June 20 and called Henry Myles Mills, an official of Stanbic Bank, who was being questioned by counsel for Dr. Forson when Mr. Jakpa incurred the wrath of the trial judge.



He had raised his hand indicating that he wanted to use the washroom and the judge initially declined the request but later permitted him to use the washroom within the courtroom facility adjacent the holding cells.



The accused obliged and spent more than five minutes there, and the judge asked his counsel to check on him.



Both the accused and lawyer emerged shortly after that, and the judge asked one of her clerks to hand over a sanitiser to Mr. Jakpa who had taken his seat.



Mr. Jakpa, I asked them to bring it (sanitiser) to you because I was told there was no soap there, the judge said.



You didnt even want me to go in the first place, now you are giving me a sanitiser, the businessman replied loudly.



This got Justice Asare-Botwe furious and in putting the accused in his place told him, This disrespect is the first and last Nobody should think I will counter such disrespect. This is the last time you will be in contempt of the court and go home. Dont try me, I wont hesitate to use my powers if necessary.



Thomas Aubyn, counsel for the accused rose to his feet and apologised to the court, but the judge was not impressed, indicating that the accused is an adult and did not need another person apologising on his behalf.



The lawyer then approached the accused and urged him to apologise to the court, which he did, but the judge was still not impressed, stating that You are not sorry. You are an adult who can speak. You do not need someone to tell you to apologise.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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They are called "the Orphans" and they have stood side by side in what is now Calaveras Big Trees State Park for more than five centuries.

But today, fans of the giant sequioas fear that one of the towering duo may soon perish after a prescribed fire that was intended to protect them, but instead roasted the trees' massive trunks and killed most of their canopies.

The burnand the extensive damage it inflicted on the beloved sequoiashas tapped a deep vein of anger and fear in this Northern California mountain community, where the worry over catastrophic wildfire has grown steadily over the last decade. It has also served to undermine local confidence in how state parks officials perform controlled burnsone of the key tools for reducing the severity of wildfires in an era of extreme drought and climate change.

"The serious damage done to these ancient trees was a wake-up call," said Arnold resident Marcie Powers.

She and others say they are outraged by the way the burn was conducted, and accuse park officials of failing to adequately prepare the forest before setting it alight. Now, they say they have little faith in the park's ability to conduct a much larger prescribed burn planned for the fall.

Park officials deny the charges, and say they took all necessary precautions to avoid a mishap when the burn was conducted last fall. They say the trees appear to have been weakened by years of drought, making them more susceptible to heat.

"It is just a reality of the situation where sometimes you do lose a very small percent of the ecosystem you were trying to protect," said Jay Chamberlain, chief of California State Parks' Natural Resources Division.

Tucked within the western Sierra Nevada, halfway between Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe, Calaveras Big Trees is the only state park where giant sequoias grow. More than 1,000 grow in the remote South Grove, while some 100 populate the North Grove.

Like many California landscapes, the park suffers from an overgrowth of vegetationa condition that started to take root more than 150 years ago, when Gold Rush settlers began to systematically snuff out naturally sparked blazes and those set by Indigenous people.

As part of an estimated $7-million, five-year plan of prescribed burns, park crews set fires in about 180 acres of the North Grove from Oct. 20 to Nov. 4.

The goal was to reduce dead and downed vegetation, slow the regeneration of Pacific dogwood and expose patches of mineral soil where sequoia seedlings could take root, according to an incident action plan.

Before the burn, crews raked 3-foot lines around the Orphans' roots to move away leaves and needles. They also cleared heavy vegetation and downed limbs within a 20-foot radius of the trunks, said Danielle Gerhart, superintendent for the Central Valley District. Some snagsstanding dead treeswere felled, and logs were removed, she said.

Despite these precautions, the Orphans were badly damagedalthough it took months for anyone to realize it.

A winter storm shut down the main road into the park less than a week after the burn. When the snow cleared in mid-April, Joan Perry walked her dog along the road and spotted the Orphans.

"I hadn't seen them all winter," said the semi-retired schoolteacher, whose backyard abuts the park. "And I come around the bend and I look at their tops and they're brown, they're not green. As I got closer, I could see that their trunks were scorched."

When Perry looked at the other mature giant sequoias in the burn area, it appeared flames had reached only 3 to 5 feet up their trunks, she said. But the Orphans were scorched all the way into their crowns, more than 100 feet off the ground, she said.

State park officials aren't sure exactly what happened. Giant sequoias have not only evolved to withstand low-intensity fires sparked by lightning, they rely on fire to reproducetheir cones open and release seeds only in response to bursts of heat.

The Orphans did not catch fire but were damaged by radiant heat, possibly from sparks igniting a nearby tree or snag, Gerhart said. The trees' vulnerability may have been exacerbated by a lack of soil moisture because of the drought, worsened by climate change, she said.

A giant sequoia can survive if just 15% to 20% of its crown remains intact, although the loss makes the tree more vulnerable to diseases and future fires. One of the Orphans appears likely to survive. The other has fewer green needles left and may die. If that happens, it will be left in place to serve as wildlife habitat.

Word of the damage spread.

Tom Van Lokeren, Powers's husband, organized a gathering in which residents prayed for the trees, which were named the Orphans because they were set apart from other sequoias in the grove.

"It really pulls at your heartstrings that these two trees, out away from the rest of the family, were forgotten," said the retired forensic accountant.

Along with news of the damage, rumors began to spread of state negligence: Some claimed officials failed to perform forest thinning that could have spared the Orphans. Others claimed crews stood idly by as flames climbed the trees and raged through their canopies.

"It's really created a lot of tension in our community," Van Lokeren said.

The controversy comes at a time when state officials and others have been attempting to encourage broader use of "good fire" as a means of removing dense trees and brush that could fuel a damaging wildfire. Recently, the state rolled out a $20-million claims fund to cover damages should a controlled burn escape.

Some experts worry the outcry over the Orphans will jeopardize efforts to safeguard other ancient groves.

They say that high-severity wildfire poses an existential risk to giant sequoias, which grow nowhere else in the world. Already, three fires in the southern Sierra are estimated to have killed nearly 20% of the population in just two years.

"If we're going to say that if we can't perfectly prep every single giant sequoia then we can't burn, we're taking a big gamble there," said Kristen Shive, a fire ecologist and assistant professor at UC Berkeley. "It's impossible to say you would never lose one in a prescribed burn, but you are going to lose far fewer in the long run."

Park officials maintain that the fire that damaged the Orphans was a good burn overallnot only did it clear away vegetation that could carry high-severity fire, but baby sequoias have sprouted up in the mineral soil beneath the scorched giants.

Amid the backlash, some residents worry the park's overgrown condition could stoke a fast-moving wildfire and endanger communities dotting the fire-prone corridor along Highway 4the area's only escape route.

"If you ask anybody up here, it's not a question of if, it's a question of when," said David Vassar, a filmmaker who lives less than two miles from the park.

When she sits on her side deck, Perry said she can see "easily 300 dead trees" in the park. She estimates that at least half a dozen have fallen onto her property since 2018, after a die-off caused by drought and bark beetles.

While the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection requires nearby homeowners to keep their yards clear of needles and fallen trees, the park isn't held to the same standards, Perry said.

"By protecting the forest within the park boundaries, they also protect the lives and the livelihoods of their Arnold neighbors," she said. "And I'm not sure how much that has been taken into consideration with the park's planning."

The park has failed to maintain its land for years, said Pat McGreevy of the Calaveras Amador Forestry Team, a group of retired foresters and resource specialists who banded together after the 2015 Butte fire, which destroyed hundreds of homes.

The group has secured nearly $5.6 million in grant funding to build 3,500 acres of shaded fuel breaks from the village of Murphys to the border of the park, mostly along the rim of the North Fork Stanislaus Canyon, he said. Within the project footprint, crews thinned big trees to prevent fire from leaping from treetop to treetop, and masticatedor ground upsmaller trees and surface vegetation to keep flames closer to the ground.

The goal is to give firefighters an opportunity to fight blazes that start deep in the canyon and race up the wall, McGreevy said.

But there's a hole in the network, McGreevy said, Calaveras Big Trees officials declined the group's offer to extend the fuel break through the park with 270 acres of mastication, even though the organization said it would secure grant funding and ensure quality control.

"It's the Achilles heel of the defense system that we're trying to construct," he said.

Now, as park officials go forward with plans for a 1,300-acre prescribed burn in the South Grove this fall, residents are anxious.

They point out that the grove has experienced virtually no significant recent fire, leading some experts to declare it the most at risk of catastrophic wildfire among all the unburned sequoia groves in California. There are also thousands of piles of trimmed vegetation awaiting disposal.

"When you look at the South Grove, it is so choked that it's frightening to think about burning it," Powers said.

Until recently, the retired press secretary had served on the board of the Calaveras Big Trees Assn., a nonprofit that raises funds for the park's educational and interpretive programs. Last February, the board passed a resolution urging the park to thin more trees and vegetation before the next prescribed burn, she said.

"We envisioned bringing in the same firefighter infrastructure that you bring in when you have a fireput up the tents in the campground, put up the portable showers and food stations, the medical tents," she said.

Unsatisfied with the park's responseand heartbroken by the damage to the OrphansPowers recently resigned from the board to found Save Calaveras Big Trees with her husband. Its goal is to get the park to do more thinning, mastication and biomass removal in addition to prescribed burns, she said. If that isn't possible, she'd like to see the federal government step in and take over management, she said.

Park officials say they are committed to the task.

The South Grove burn was initially scheduled for last spring, but conditions were too dry and the unit wasn't ready, so Cal Fire, in conjunction with park officials, called it off, Gerhart said.

In preparation for the fall burn, Gerhart said, workers have already begun clearing dead and downed material from around the trunks of monarch sequoiasthe largest trees in the grove. They've also hired a contractor to help remove large logs from around the burn perimeter and about 50 feet into the preserve, and they're masticating trees and brush along the boundary edge, as well as some of the piles, she said.

"We all want to get this work done, and we all wish it could go faster," Gerhart said, "but we're working really hard to get it completed."

2023 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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For decades, structural biologists have been working on cracking the molecular 3D structures of proteins to understand their function. But what if a protein doesn't have a fixed structure? For molecules that keep changing their shape all the time, both research and sharing the findings within the scientific community can be complicated. EMBL scientists have contributed to new guidelines that will make the data sharing part more efficient. The research is published in the journal Nature Methods.

Essentially, proteins are strings of amino acids, many of which fold like origami into a 3D structure. However, some proteins "prefer" to remain as a wobbly string similar to cooked spaghetti (ignoring the fact that spaghetti is mainly made of carbs). In fact, around a third of all known proteins are either completely or partially spaghetti-like.

This, however, doesn't mean they don't serve a function. Quite the contrary. This added flexibility gives proteins various abilities, such as adapting their own shape to the shape of other molecules. This way, they can interact with more diverse molecules, and thereby take part in a larger number of cellular processes than a protein with a rigid structure could.

Understanding unstructured proteinsalso known as "intrinsically disordered proteins"is important, because they are involved in many disease processes, such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and viral infection.

Making protein data meaningful

Scientific data, including that related to disordered proteins, are most useful to the community when they can be reanalyzed and integrated with other datasets to explore new research questions. To enable this, data should be accurately described and openly accessible. This is usually achieved by submitting data to public data resources, such as the ones managed by EMBL-EBI. Some of the most used protein data resources include UniProt for protein sequences and Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe) for protein structures.

The scientific community has already produced a wide range of guidelines to ensure scientists include useful information alongside their research data. Now, for the first time, EMBL and collaborators have developed such guidelines for disordered protein data.

Called "Minimum Information About a Disorder Experiment," or MIADE, this set of guidelines is aimed at anyone working on disordered proteins, to help them share their data in a useful manner. This open and shared framework is set to help protein scientists increase protein data mining and interoperability.

"Besides defining the minimum amount of information about an experiment needed to make the results meaningful for other scientists, we also define how to report this information," said Balint Meszaros, former postdoctoral researcher in the Gibson Group at EMBL Heidelberg and a first author of the paper. "In essence, we develop a common language that can be used by the community to make communication unambiguous."

Tackling data loss

"It's very frustrating when you read a paper that describes great science, but you can't make full sense of the data because something really important is missing," explained Sandra Orchard, EMBL-EBI Team Leader for Protein Function Content. "Most of the time, the additional information exists, but the authors overlook the need to share it. It sounds silly, but one of the biggest data losses happens because submitters don't say what species the protein they are working on is from."

As the community adopts MIADE, more data should start getting through to public databases. This will allow researchers across the world to access information on related proteins and families of proteins they are interested in and compare their data with those of other labs. MIADE should "tidy up" disordered protein research and make it more understandable for new people entering the field.

The structural characteristics of intrinsically disordered protein systems can be studied using various experimental techniques, including small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). SASBDB, the database for SAXS and SANS, is maintained and curated by the EMBL Hamburg's SAXS Team, which contributed to developing the MIADE guidelines.

"It's essential that scientific results are shared; otherwise they might end up as 'undiscovered-discoveries,'" said Cy Jeffries, Staff Scientist in the SAXS Team at EMBL Hamburg and co-author of the guidelines. "It was fantastic to work together with a diverse community of scientists, software engineers, programmers, and data resource managers. MIADE is a step towards ensuring scientists and data resources can communicate much more easily using a baseline set of terms and ideas that we (and computers) can all recognize."

MIADE will also help enable using artificial intelligence for new discoveries on disordered proteins. The availability of vast, standardized data is crucial for training machine learning and artificial intelligence tools. With sufficient training data, researchers could develop machine learning tools to help predict new disordered proteins, interpret the effects of protein modifications, identify interacting regions, and much more.

A community effort

The MIADE guidelines provide a systematic framework to share experimental definitions that, besides SASBDB, will also benefit many other databanks, such as BMRB (for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, NMR), PCDDB (for circular dichroism spectral data) and Protein Ensemble Database (PED). This is also important for forwarding and contextualizing experimental data to "higher up" bioinformatic resources like DisProt and other protein structural knowledge bases, like those developed at the PDBe.

The MIADE guidelines were developed by scientists from more than 20 institutions in 11 countries. The work was led by the Institute of Cancer Research in London, U.K.

More information: Balint Meszaros et al, Minimum information guidelines for experiments structurally characterizing intrinsically disordered protein regions, Nature Methods (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01915-x Journal information: Nature Methods
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Heavy rainfall in the Northeast on June 9-11, 2023, generated widespread flooding, particularly in New York's Hudson Valley and in Vermont. One major concern was the Wrightsville Dam, built in 1935 on the Winooski River north of Vermont's capital city, Montpelier. The reservoir behind the dam rose to within 1 foot of the dam's maximum storage capacity, prompting warnings that water could overtop the dam and worsen already-dangerous conditions downstream, or damage the dam.

Hiba Baroud, associate professor and associate chair in the department of civil and environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University, explains how flooding stresses dams in a changing climate.

How serious is the risk when flooding overtops a dam?

Dam overtopping can result in erosion, which subsequently could lead to a dam breach or failure and a sudden, uncontrolled release of impounded water.

The risk of dam overtopping results from the combined effect of a hazardous event, such as heavy rainfall, and the vulnerability of the dam. A vulnerable dam could be old, poorly maintained or not have enough spillway capacity to safely release water from the dam.

A dam's design can affect its ability to withstand overtopping and resist failure. For example, concrete dams can typically better withstand certain levels of overtopping compared to soil embankment dams.

Overtopping is the leading cause of dam failures in the U.S. It accounts for 34% of all dam failures. How long water flows over a dam and the volume of water that flows over it are important factors in determining the likelihood that a dam will fail.

The consequences of a dam overtopping, and possibly failing, depend on several factors, such as the purpose of the dam, its size and its location. If a dam is designed for flood protection and is surrounded by homes, businesses or critical infrastructure, a large uncontrolled release of water could be catastrophic. Dams that are small and located in rural areas may cause less damage if they are overtopped or fail.

How old are most US dams? This video captures the failure of the 90-year-old central spillway of the Lake Dunlap Dam in Seguin, Texas, on May 14, 2019. The collapse led to lawsuits and the creation of a water control district to replace the dam and others like it nearby.

There are more than 91,000 dams across the U.S., in all 50 states, with diverse designs and purposes. The average dam age is 60 years, and more than 8,000 dams are over 90 years old.

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers produces a report card for the nation's infrastructure that assigns grades based on the condition of structures like roads, bridges and dams, and the investments that they need. The most recent report card estimates that 70% of U.S. dams will be more than 50 years old by 2030.

Overall, the report gave U.S. dams a "D" grade and estimated that more than 2,300 high hazard potential damsthose that could cause loss of life or serious property damage if they fail, based on the level of development around themlacked emergency action plans.

Are there ways to strengthen older dams against flooding without completely replacing them?

Decommissioning or replacing dams can be complicated and cost-prohibitive. It also can have cascading effects on the surrounding community, and possibly on other infrastructure. Regularly maintaining and upgrading older dams can be a cost-effective way to strengthen them and make them resilient to natural hazards.

When dams no longer serve the purposes for which they were built, they may be partially breached or entirely removed to restore the river's natural flow.

The Association of State Dam Safety Officials estimates that it would cost US$157.7 billion to rehabilitate all nonfederal dams in the U.S. Of this amount, about one-fifth ($34.1 billion) is for rehabilitating high hazard potential dams. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes approximately $3 billion for dam safety projects, focusing on rehabilitation, retrofitting and removal.

Is climate change increasing stress on older dams?

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural hazards like storms that threaten dams. And these shifts don't follow historical trends. Conditions that once were considered extreme will likely be more common in the future. The near-failure of Californias Oroville Dam in February 2017 led to the evacuation of nearly 190,000 people living downstream. A review cited multiple causes, including design and construction flaws, the bedrock upon which the dam was built and lapses in ongoing inspections.

For example, one recent study on predicting coastal flooding found that in New England, a 100-year floodthat's an event of a magnitude that now has a 1% chance of occurring in any given yearcould become an annual occurrence by the late 2100s.

The fact that the climate is changing also means that extreme events are becoming more extreme. In 2015, a 1,000-year rainfall event in South Carolina resulted in breaches of 47 dams.

Designing new dams and upgrading existing infrastructure will need to be based on updated design procedures that take into account future climate projections, not just historical hazardous events. While older dams aren't necessarily unsafe, they were constructed following outdated design standards and construction procedures and for different environmental conditions. That influences the likelihood and consequences of their failure during disasters.

Do you see this event in Vermont as a warning for other communities?

The disasters that have hit the U.S. in recent years should spur government agencies and communities to prepare and plan for disasters through proactive steps such as developing emergency action plans.

While the number of high hazard potential dams in the U.S. has more than doubled in the last 20 years as development has moved farther into rural areas, the proportion of these dams with an emergency action plan has also increased. It is now at 76%, which is much higher than just a few years ago.

Vulnerable dams and the risk of dam failure cascade through our economy and affect many sectors. Dams serve many purposes: They provide water for drinking and irrigation, generate energy and protect communities from flooding. They are also part of a large navigation network that transports more than 500 million tons of commodities across the U.S. each year.

As my colleagues and I have shown, it's important to understand the direct and indirect costs when critical infrastructure systems like dams fail. This information is crucial for developing strategies that can help the U.S. prepare for future disasters.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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The modern-day gold rush in the race to a greener economy is knocking on the door of a long-protected oasis in the middle of the Nevada desert.

Rover Metals, a Canadian minerals exploration company, plans to drill up to 30 deep holes in a remote patch of public land in southern Nye County as it hunts for large deposits of lithium, a key mineral in the production of electric vehicle batteries.

But the boundary of the project sits just a few thousand feet from the northern springs inside Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, sparking backlash from environmentalists, local officials and more who are sounding alarms over worries that the drilling could decimate the refuge's fragile ecosystem and the federally protected species that call it home.

"It takes one miscalculation, one bad drill hole, one uncontrolled flow. That's all. And that could have permanent, irreparable damage," said Mason Voehl, executive director of the Amargosa Conservancy, a local environmental preservation group helping lead the charge against Rover's drilling.

Rover Metals' Let's Go Lithium project puts Nevada once again at the epicenter of the clash that has splintered environmentalists over how to extract the lithium needed for a decarbonized world without severely disrupting the surrounding ecosystems.

But given the drilling operation's close proximity to the refuge, the stakes in this lithium fight are even higher than some of the previous fights that have played out in court, Voehl said.

"If we're willing to mine this close to the refuge, then it doesn't seem like we'll have any limits in terms of where else we're willing to mine," he said.

'Need to fast-track'

Rover Metals plans to drill 10 exploration holes this summer to test for lithium content in the ground, with follow-up drilling on 20 more sites in the area this fall or early next year, according to an exploration notice filed with the Bureau of Land Management in January.

Each drill hole will be 250-300 feet deep. Rover says it expects each drill hole to hit the groundwater table, and it plans to plug each hole to standards set by the state.

Judson Culter, CEO of Rover Metals, said the company has worked in recent months with Bureau of Land Management staff to ensure that the drilling operations won't disrupt the groundwater table.

The company is still in the "research and data aggregation" phase of the project, he added, and it does not plan to start drilling on the initial 10 holes until late summer or early fall of this year.

He said the ultimate goal is to increase lithium production in Nevada in the supply chain to electric-vehicle manufacturer Tesla, which operates a massive lithium-ion battery manufacturing factory outside of Reno.

Culter stressed the need to scale up lithium extraction in North America quickly. Industry research shows that the demand for lithium is likely to outpace global production as more electric vehicles hit the roads in the coming years, he added.

"We see the need to fast-track and try to develop the project as soon as possible," Culter said.

Nevada, with its wide swaths of undeveloped land of dried, ancient lake beds, happens to be chock-full of the silvery-white metal at the heart of that transition.

Hotbed for lithium

Lithium has long been used for rechargeable batteries in cellphones and laptops. But it's becoming increasingly more valuable as the Biden administration pushes vehicle manufacturers to ramp up electric vehicle production as part of the president's "clean energy" agenda.

The Silver State is home to the only currently active lithium mine in the countrySilver Peak in Esmeralda County. Two other projectsRhyolite Ridge and Thacker Passcontinue to move closer to starting extraction operations after lengthy court fights with tribal and environmental groups.

"The reality is that the Western part of the U.S. has a lot of lithium," Culter said.

Ash Meadows, established as a wildlife refuge in 1984, is home to four endangered fish species and eight threatened plant species. That includes the Devils Hole pupfish, which lives in a single pond on the refuge and is considered the world's rarest fish.

Opponents of the project fear a worst-case scenario could happen if one of Rover's drills hits the carbonate aquifer that feeds Ash Meadows, an event that they say could effectively drain the ancient springs inside the refuge and devastate the dozens of endemic species that rely on them.

A U.S. Geological Survey paper from 2011 noted models that showed the water from Ash Meadows' springs "may have traveled 100 miles or more underground, possibly as far away as central Nevada, passing through (or around) mountain ranges and interconnected basins."

Other studies also show that the three northern-most springs on the refugeFairbanks, Longstreet and Rogersdischarge water that is somewhat cooler than the other thermal springs, which suggests "that they may be fed by shallower flow paths from the north or northeast," according to a 2014 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service water resource inventory report for the refuge.

The list of concerns goes beyond just that worst-case water scenario, though. Opponents worry that some of the drill sites could be within a few thousand feet of Fairbanks Spring on the refuge's northern end, close enough that vibrations from heavy drilling equipment and haul vehicles and an increase in blowing dust could harm the fish.

Should the site eventually become a full-scale lithium mine, concerns about its impact on the nearby refuge would only grow, Voehl said.

Erika Gerling, chair of the Beatty Town Advisory Council, wrote a letter last week asking for the Bureau of Land Management to halt the project until "the proper environmental, hydrological, and other applicable studies can be completed."

"The increasing demand on Nevada from industries that are environmentally impactful and public access limiting is of grave concern to us," Gerling wrote.

But the agency says its hands are tied for now.

No environmental review required

Because Rover's project will disturb less than five acres of land, the company was required only to provide the BLM with a notice of its intent to drill.

Such notices do not require approval from the federal agency, which also means there are no triggers to initiate environmental-impact reviews through the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act or other law, BLM spokesman Rudy Evenson said in an email Wednesday.

The company is required to submit a bond to the BLM as a sort of insurance in case it fails to remediate the mining or drilling sites. That bond has been submitted, and the agency said it is working on an acceptance letter. Once that letter is received, the company has the green light to start drilling.

Evenson said the BLM has consulted with Rover Metals to ensure that the drilling happens outside of the refuge and "Areas of Critical Environmental Concern" that immediately surround the refuge's boundaries.

Culter, the CEO of Rover, said the company is aware of some of the concerns raised over the project, and that he hopes to host a townhall with Amargosa Valley residents next month.

He added that the company revised its plan for the first 10 drill sites, which he said would be situated farther away from the northern boundaries of Ash Meadows and closer to the middle of the company's claim block.

Push for oversight

Opponents hope to slow the project down, but the lack of required federal environmental reviews limits the options at their disposal.

Voehl and nearly two dozen environmental and Native American advocacy groups are urging the Department of Interior and BLM to require the company to submit a more robust plan of operations and give the public a chance to be heard before drilling starts this summer, and plan to submit a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Halland formally making those requests in the coming days.

"We want to see senior leadership say this is an exceptional situation, that we have to be careful here," Voehl said. "We just want to see transparency, and we want to see things slow down so that we give the public that chance."

Voehl said nearly 1,200 individual letters have been sent to federal officials urging them to require a more robust monitoring plan for the drilling operations, as well.

Beyond that, the only real recourse for the project's opponents would be through asking the courts to get involved in a lithium fight once again.

That could mean that another long legal battle over lithium is in store and likely not the last one for Nevada.

2023 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A collage of a cell sample imaged in different channels using the Cell Painting protocol. Credit: Beth Cimini, Imaging Platform

Starting something new can be overwhelming to a person who does not know what they will need or where to start. Quantitative bioimaging, the process of obtaining quantitative data through images (sometimes thousands of them) and computational approaches, like machine learning, are relatively new to the field of microscopy.

Because of its novelty and complexity, biologists who do not have a computational background can have a difficult time incorporating quantitative bioimaging into their experiments. Resources do exist to teach everything needed to perform quantitative bioimaging, however, the volume of educational materials can intimidate those who are just getting started.

In collaboration with BioImaging North America (an organization that fosters collaboration in the bioimaging community), Beth Cimini, the associate director for bioimage analysis in the Imaging Platform at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has worked to make bioimaging accessible with the creation of bioimagingguide.org, an online guide for producing high quality microscopy images for quantitative data analysis.

With the guide and a companion paper published in PLOS Biology, Cimini, postdoctoral fellows Rebecca Senft and Barbara Diaz-Rohrer, and their colleagues aim to create a resource that makes the tools, techniques, and principles of quantitative bioimaging more accessible to biologists who don't have a computational background.

We sat down with Cimini to discuss what bioimagingguide.org is and how it can help scientists who want to bring bioimaging into their research.

What is the main idea behind bioimagingguide.org?

There are many steps involved in creating good quantitative microscopy, and much to learn about each one of them. A lot of places run great, intensive microscopy courses, but those courses are held for around 20 people a year. And maybe you're lucky enough to work at a place with a great microscopy center where they run a course like this every year. A lot of people aren't, however.

What we felt was missing was a "big picture" overview of microscopy that was not a full textbook, but a mid-sized guide that says, "here are all the things you have to learn and here are links to great resources that we or other people have written to learn more."

So our goal was to put together something that provides a comprehensive outline of the topics one needs to know to get started in bioimaging, and which links people to information that they can reference at their own pace.

A collage depicting a single cell sample imaged in different channels using the Cell Painting protocol. Credit: Beth Cimini, Imaging Platform

The guide originally started as just a paper, but we soon realized that there was too much information. Also, we wanted a way to add new things as we find them and keep the guide up to date. A paper is a static point in time and shows what information was available when it was released; if somebody writes a great new thing tomorrow, we wanted to be able to bring it in.

What types of bioimaging experiments did you have in mind while writing the guide?

Bioimaging experiments can range from a single image where someone wants to measure one thing to terabytes of images where they want to measure thousands. A lot of what we cover in the guide is aimed at the person who needs to stain a sample, take a few dozen fluorescent images, and learn two or three things from those images.

How is this guide different from other resources?

This guide is unique in that it teaches the major topics of bioimaging to beginners in an accessible, online format that brings together and organizes a great deal of content that already existed elsewhere. We intentionally structured it so that people could ingest information at a broad level, but if they want details, they can easily find more information. Not everything is presented on the screen at once, which I hope can make it less overwhelming to start. Rebecca and Barbara did a tremendous job leading roughly 15 authors on the paper and putting together some great resources.

What inspired you all to create the guide?

In the Imaging Platform, we make open-source tools and workflows for researchers at Broad and beyond. On average, we collaborate with 20 to 30 groups a year on projects, and talk to hundreds of researchers. In talking to these folks, we often hear the same frustrations about having to repeat parts of a project because of errors that could have been avoided if they had known what to do.

We had already wanted to put together a way to help people generate good data suitable for good quantification, and in these conversations saw a need for an introduction on how to perform good microscopy as well. So we reached out to BioImaging North America's Image Informatics Working Group , which works on image analysis, and Training and Education Working Group, which works on microscopy education, and asked for their advice on creating a project like this.

A bundle of mouse trophoblast stem cells imaged using fluorescent microscopy. Credit: Rivron et al. 2018, available from the Broad Bioimage Benchmark Collection [Ljosa et al., Nature Methods, 2012]

What is your favorite feature on the website?

There are a lot of features to love, but the fact that almost all the information in the guide searchable first comes to mind. There are many links to papers and other websites, and also a glossary full of terms and definitions.

I'm also really excited about a feature that we're working on, but which isn't live yet: automatic translation of the website. Not every scientist is fluent in English, and while someone can always use Google Translate or something like that, such translations are not always perfect. We are working with the Training and Education Working Group to translate all of the content into French, Spanish, and Portuguese, and are collaborating with people to get the site translated into other languages as well.

How do you expect or hope that people will use this guide?

Very often you'll find quantitative bioimaging does not happen linearly, but rather in a circle. A person might get to a point in their project and realize that something that they did previously has made it so that they can't proceed. They must then go back to the bench and try a different antibody or dye, or even a different kind of microscope.

My hope is that the information we've compiled will help people recognize where they are on that circle and get around it faster to the answers they seek.
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Coral reefs teem with life, supporting about 25% of all marine creatures. Credit: Off Axis Production, Shutterstock.com

Dr. Nuria Viladrich of Spain was forced by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to cancel a planned visit to the US Virgin Islands where she wanted access to the multi-colored corals populating the reefs around the islands.

Instead, Viladrich ended up in the Florida Keys for two weeks before taking the corals she acquired there to the University of Washington in Seattle, where she studied them over the next two years.

Hard and soft types

Viladrich is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Barcelona and her work is part of a European project called CoralChange, which got underway in early 2020 as the pandemic struck.

Due to wrap up this August, the initiative planned to illuminate how different species of coral might adapt to environmental changes.

"The most important thing is to understand what is happening and what is most likely to happen in the next few years," said Viladrich, who has scuba dived more than , 000 times to advance her expertise in the field.

She has investigated two coral types: hexacoralsknown also as hard or stony coralsand octocorals, which are called soft corals.

Around 2015, Viladrich recalls seeing research in which scientists observed that some reefs were becoming more populated with octocorals in place of hexacorals. "I wanted to understand if the change was permanent or not," she said.

Her theory is that young hexacorals might be less able to establish themselves in reefs under changing environmental conditions. Investigating this idea was the main motivation for her research.

Growing concerns

Coral reefs are found in more than 100 countries, support at least a quarter of marine species and offer coastal protection, food and economic security to hundreds of millions people, according to a 2020 United Nations report.

Reefs protect coastlines from storms, which are likely to become more extreme with accelerating climate change. They're also vital for biodiversity by offering food and shelter for marine animals.

When oceans warm, the symbiotic relationship between corals and the algae that live in coral tissues breaks down. As a result, the corals die. Similarly, ocean acidification, which occurs when carbon-dioxide levels in the water increase, slows the rate of growth of corals.

The impact of climate change on coral reefs is already being felt. Around 14% of the world's corals were lost between 2009 and 2018 and a 70% to 90% decrease in live coral on reefs may occur by 2050 without "drastic action" to limit global warming to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to the UN Environment Program.

In 2021, the EU joined an "International Coral Reef Initiative" bringing together almost 90 organizations and countries to protect vulnerable ecosystems. In addition, an EU mission called "Restore Our Ocean and Waters" has led to the creation of hubs in Europe to develop and deploy new methods to help marine life.

Conservation and restoration

Understanding more about how corals reproduce and respond to stressors will help guide conservation and restoration efforts, which will become increasingly important as global temperatures continue to rise.

The corals that Viladrich collected from the Florida Keys ended up in aquariums, where she tested how they would be affected by differences in temperature and feeding.

After 10 months, Viladrich removed the corals and studied how they functioned and reproduced. She experimented on one species of hexacoral and three octocoral kinds.

Having completed that groundwork, she is now analyzing the resulting data. Early results shed light on the processes through which two of the octocoral species reproduce and should provide insights into the impact of environmental changes such as temperature on reproduction.

The research should also make it possible to highlight which of the corals from the Florida Keys are more resistant to such changes. This could help conservationists make better decisions by focusing on species more likely to survive in the future.

Skeleton puzzle

Debate rages within the scientific community on how exactly hexacorals develop their hard, rock-like skeletons. There are two proposed routes: geochemical and biological.

Professor Gavin Foster thinks it's likely a mix of both. "We don't really know what the most important mechanism is," said Foster, a geochemist at the University of Southampton in the UK.

He's investigating the mechanisms behind skeleton formation in coral as part of the Microns2Reef project, which runs for five years through July 2025.

The process is called biomineralisation and it's widespread in living creatures. Humans produce their teeth and skeletons through biomineralisation, for example.

Between the soft tissue and hard skeleton of corals is a small area called the calcifying space.

When the coral wants to create more skeleton, it makes the liquid less acidic by pumping hydrogen ions out. That action also causes carbon dioxide to diffuse in. The conditions are then perfect for the formation of a specific type of calcium carbonatethe material that makes up the skeleton. That explains the geochemical process.

Advocates of the biological process recognize that those things are happening but believe the organic molecules that the corals secrete are more important.

These organic molecules have been detected in the calcifying space of corals that have undergone study. When isolated, the molecules have caused calcium carbonate to form.

Interactions and imbalances

In either case, various factors can influence the process. hanging temperatures or acidity in the water can have an impact. But so can chemical pollution.

Foster and his colleagues have found that inducing nutrient imbalances in the waterfor example by increasing the amount of nitrogen or phosphorusimpeded the biomineralisation process.

Nutrient imbalances tend to occur on a more local level than global stressors such as warming oceans. One reason can be the runoff from agricultural fertilizers carried by rivers to the ocean. This can lead to higher levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in specific areas.

Foster, who has worked on fossils for most of his career, has in recent years become increasingly drawn to the question of how life and geochemistry interact.

More information: CoralChange
The logo of Financial Services Commission / Korea Times file



South Korea's financial regulator has imposed fines on foreign financial companies, including Mizuho Securities Asia Ltd. and J.P. Morgan Securities plc, for illegal short selling, sources said Friday.



According to the sources, the Securities and Futures Commission under the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in May ordered Mizuho Securities Asia to pay 733.7 million won ($579,540) in fine for the naked short selling of more than 10,000 shares of SK Inc. in June 2021.



Mizuho was found to have mistakenly thought it had made a borrowing arrangement for the SK shares when it actually had not.



Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) was also ordered to pay 64.8 million won in fines for the naked short selling of 929 shares of Ecopro BM, a company which produces secondary battery materials, in August 2021.



Naked short selling, which refers to conducting short selling without actually borrowing the stocks first, is banned in South Korea.



Investigation showed CDPQ initially tried to buy Ecopro BM shares but the order went wrong after a system reboot.



The FSC also slapped a 1.1 million won-fine on J.P. Morgan Securities for short selling 786 shares of S-Energy, a solar panel manufacturer, and 7.3 million won on Rayliant Investment Research for short selling 579 shares of pharmaceutical firm Alteogen. (Yonhap)


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Difference in average proportion of moral foundation use between Democratic and Republican primary candidates on Twitter. Left plot compares 2016 Republican candidates and 2016 Democratic candidates; right plot compares 2016 Republican candidates and 2020 Democratic candidates. Credit: PNAS Nexus (2023). DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad189

New research from Professor Manos Tsakiris, from the Department of Psychology reveals how candidates in U.S. presidential primary elections use distinct moral rhetoric on social media to appeal to voters.

New research led by researchers at the Center for the Politics of Feelings and published in PNAS Nexus, the differences in moral rhetoric used by Republicans and Democrats were so extreme that the researchers were able to identify the party of 34 candidates who ran in the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Presidential primaries solely by mapping their moral language from Twitter.

This new way of mapping moral rhetoric revealed candidates' party affiliations and highlighted instances where individuals like Donald Trump set themselves apart from their fellow primary contenders, as was the case in 2016.

The study, led by Kobi Hackenburg, a Ph.D. student at the University of Oxford and lab-led by Professor Manos Tsakiris from Royal Holloway, University of London, was carried out in partnership with Professor William J. Brady at Northwestern University.

Professor Manos Tsakiris, Professor of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London, said, "These patterns of moral expression reveal another dimension of polarization in the US. We illustrate a meaningful divergence in discourse between candidates and parties, and this has major implications for the ways voters engage with campaign messaging, respond to campaign issues, and form opinions about political candidates."

With the 2024 U.S. presidential primary season approaching, the research provides fresh insight into the underlying significance of political messaging. When appealing to their respective bases, candidates employ distinct moral frameworks associated with their party affiliations.

This consistent divergence in moral perspective has served as a defining characteristic in the electoral landscape of American presidential campaigns in both 2016 and 2020.

With the Republican Party already embroiled in a primary battle, this study holds immense value in helping voters and political analysts understand the intricate moral and rhetorical dynamics shaping a fragmented and expansive national debate.

More information: Kobi Hackenburg et al, Mapping moral language on US presidential primary campaigns reveals rhetorical networks of political division and unity, PNAS Nexus (2023). DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad189 Journal information: PNAS Nexus
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Credit: Joshua Wilson, Author provided

Drones are increasingly swarming our skies, capturing images, managing crops and soon, delivering packages. But what do the birds make of this invasion of their territory?

With strict animal ethics approval, we flew drones toward flocks of birds in Queensland's Moreton Bay. We found many species were not disturbed, provided the drone was small and flew above 60m.

The exception was the critically endangered eastern curlew, which became alarmed and flew awayeven when a tiny drone approached at the maximum legal altitude of 120m. But when the eastern curlew took flight, other nearby species were often startled, creating a domino effect that eventually caused the whole flock to take flight.

Drone disturbance can interrupt birds as they rest or feed. It can even cause them to avoid some locations altogether. If birds are consistently interrupted or scared away from their preferred habitats, they may find it difficult to eat and rest enough to survive and reproduce. This is particularly concerning for species such as the eastern curlew, which migrate thousands of kilometers to breed.

Yet another threat to shorebirds

We studied a diverse group of birds typically found along coastlines, known as shorebirds. Heartbreakingly, their global population has plummeted as they continue to battle habitat destruction, sea level rise, disturbance and hunting. A drones view of a flock of royal spoonbill. Drone disturbance may contribute to population declines. Credit: Joshua Wilson

The last few decades have been bleak for the eastern curlew, which is the world's largest migratory shorebird. Research in 2011 indicated a population decline of 80% over three generations.

While drones are unlikely to have played a major role in shorebird decline so far, our results, combined with the increasing presence of drones along our coastline, indicate they could become yet another source of disturbance for these birds, many of which are already endangered.

Use with care

At the same time, drones have proven to be a valuable tool. They've been used to plant trees, deliver healthcare in developing countries, and have even proven useful for bird conservation.

Drones can observe birds in places that are hard to reach on foot, such as birds of prey nesting in tree tops, or seabirds feeding on tidal inlets. In some cases, they can even be more accurate compared to traditional ground-based survey methods.

The eastern curlew is a critically endangered shorebird that is highly sensitive to drone-induced disturbance. Credit: JJ Harrison, Author provided

Shorebirds spread out across vast mudflats to feed, making it very difficult to survey them on foot and identify critical foraging habitats. Our research has shown that, for certain species, drones may overcome this barrier, providing information that may be pivotal in arresting shorebird population declines.

Drones can be beneficial in many ways, but we must identify when and how drones can be used to minimize potential harm. In some locations, such as some Australian national parks, drone use is already prohibited or restricted. But managers need to understand how drones affect wildlife to inform these regulations.

Our findings provide clear-cut parameters around how much space to give birds to keep drone disturbance to a minimum. In most cases this is about 60m, but it can vary significantly between species. For the eastern curlew, we don't recommend approaches within 250m, even with small drones.

The Moreton Bay Marine Park, where this research was undertaken, is the single most important site in Australia for the eastern curlew. Disturbing shorebirds within the marine park is an offense that can result in fines. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has already used our findings to place conditions on research projects and media activities involving drones. Drones may be a valuable tool for surveying shorebirds as they spread out across vast mudflats to feed. Credit: Joshua Wilson

Sharing the skies

We recommend organizations with influence on this issue, such as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and national parks authorities, regulate drone use near bird flocksespecially those containing at-risk and highly sensitive species.

We also encourage those researchers considering adding drones to their conservation toolkit to carefully evaluate the risk of disturbance before using them to conduct wildlife surveys.

By understanding how shorebirds react to drones, we can inform effective and efficient management actions. Regulating drone use near critical shorebird habitats will help us to avoid exacerbating population declines, while still allowing the use of a valuable tool, where appropriate.

Hopefully, through small steps like this we can arrest the decline of shorebird populations, ensuring we can continue to share our shorelines with these beautiful birds for generations to come.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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An artist impression of how ClearSpaces servicing spacecraft would approach a satellite in geostationary orbit, to latch on and provide orbit control. This comprises the companys ENCORE (Europes New Commercial Orbital Revenue Extension) mission plan. ClearSpaces servicer can dock and undock with client satellites multiple times, and can itself be refuelled in-orbit. Click here to find out more about how ESA is working with industry partners to make In-Orbit Servicing a reality. Credit: ClearSpace

Isn't it strange that when satellites run out of fuel or a single component breaks down, we just discard them? ESA and European industry have joined forces to make sure that our satellites can live on.

In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) refers to extending the life or functionalities of spacecraft that are already in orbit. This can be done by performing maintenance, adjusting a spacecraft's orbit, changing the direction it is facing, providing more fuel, or even changing or upgrading the instruments onboard.

ESA has conducted extensive work on IOS, including as part of its Clean Space initiative for the removal and prevention of space debris. As part of this research, ESA Preparation invited industry partners to outline their vision of Europe's first IOS mission, to be launched as early as 2028.

Astroscale, ClearSpace, D-Orbit and Telespazio (collaborating with Thales Alenia Space) were given funding to mature their ideas, and their results were presented in preparation for the 2022 ESA Council at Ministerial level.

"In-Orbit Servicing could fundamentally change the way that future satellites are designed and operated. Towards the 2030s, satellites will likely need to be designed with interfaces and other features that allow service and disposal spacecraft to do their work," says Ross Findlay, IOS system engineer at ESA.

Satellites of the future may carry less fuel and larger instruments. The option of in-orbit assembly also means that future satellites could be designed to consist of modules that are easy to assemble and individually replace. For the same reasons that plugs and sockets for electronics have standard shapes, discussions on standardized 'docking' structures have already begun, to make it easier for one model of servicing spacecraft to latch on to different types of satellites.

In-Orbit Servicing is a commercial question

More than half of all satellites being launched are commercial, so commercial operators need to be involved if we wish to make servicing a standard procedure. "We made it a mandatory endpoint for all four teams to have some kind of relationship to an actual customer that they want to provide this service to," notes Ross.

Artist impression of a servicing satellite using a capture tool and a vision system to approach and capture the launch adapter ring of a satellite. Credit: Astroscale

"This led to very interesting discussions between ESA, the companies interested in setting up IOS missions, and companies who own the satellites to be serviced. Take for example the legal implications: if two satellites collide during servicing, who is responsible?"

The Preparation element of ESA's Basic Activities was in a unique position to support these mission assessment studies, including the bigger-picture commercialization opportunities. "These activities, and their contribution to the Ministerial Council meeting, demonstrates the importance of the Preparation program in supporting ideas to become a reality," says ESA Discovery & Preparation officer Moritz Fontaine.

Telecommunications industry wants life-extension services

The four selected companies investigated the opportunities for IOS operations for satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO). LEO hosts important satellites such as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Copernicus Sentinel Earth observation satellites, and the International Space Station. GEO hosts Europe's series of Meteosat weather satellites and, importantly, most satellites used for telecommunications.

A clear outcome from the four studies is that the telecommunications industry is keen for life extension services to be up and running as soon as possible. Particularly relevant is orbital maintenance: operators have to make sure the spacecraft stays exactly where it should be, and change the orbit or rotation if it has drifted over time.

Doing so costs fuel. The proposals detail how a servicing spacecraft can latch on to satellites that have run out of fuel and perform the necessary orbit control. The servicing spacecraft can stay attached for as long as needed, after which it parks the satellite in a so-called 'graveyard orbit' and moves on to the next satellite that needs servicing.

Fresh eyes from New Space

Interestingly, three of the four proposals came from what you might call 'New Space' companies. "These are newer actors with perhaps slightly different ways of approaching design and development, often involving smaller teams and more fast-paced iterations. It was refreshing to compare different workflows and discuss possible forms of collaboration," says Ross.

Following these four studies, ESA's Space Safety program has decided to move forward with two of the proposed missions. The program envisions that IOS operations will continue to expand, both in number of missions and their capabilities. European industry has the ambition to make IOS common procedure by the early to mid-2030s.
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A screenshot from Humans of the Upper Valley, which Professor Emily Walton created with Dartmouth students. Credit: Dartmouth College

Associate Professor of Sociology Emily Walton recalls chatting with a multiracial physician who told her that he'd made more friends in Colorado, where he spent one year during his residency, than he had in nearly a decade of living in rural New England.

Similarly, a Native American man told Walton how he and his family feel more like "accepted guests" in the area than genuine members of the community.

The interviews were part of a newly published study in Rural Sociology that Walton led in an effort to deconstruct the "chilly" culture people of color sometimes encounter in Northern New England

"These two examples reflect countless stories among the individuals I spoke with and represent a broader phenomenon I call 'misrecognition,'" Walton says. "Unlike prejudicewhen one judges another based on their previous experience or ideas about their group's characteristicsmisrecognition represents the failure to see the common humanity of another person. At an extreme, those who are misrecognized 'do not matter' in the community."

As rural America undergoes a demographic transition, with white populations declining and racial minorities increasingly relocating to small towns, Walton's research pinpoints a subtle way predominantly white communities often alienate people of color.

"The nonwhite people I interviewed don't talk much about acts of aggression or hate from white residents, but they do feel overlooked and ignored in public settings and at work," Walton says. "These subtle acts of nonattention are essential, yet little understood, components of racial exclusion that cement social boundaries between racial groups."

Deconstructing cues

Walton first began to understand how white culture underlies racial inequality when she was studying mental health disparities among Asian and Latinx Americans in graduate school.

"I thought, as a white woman, I should take advantage of my privileged position to take a good, hard look at the ways in which defending white people's status at the top of the racial hierarchy keeps nonwhite people down," Walton recalls. "In situations where people of different races are ostensibly equallike 'integrated' neighborhoods, schools, and workplacesthe processes through which we uphold racial boundaries are subtle and need deconstruction."

When Walton relocated from Seattle to Lebanon, N.H., with her husband and two daughters in 2012, she observed firsthand how many people in the area described those who were not born in Northern New England as "from away."

"When those 'from away' are not white, this introduces an extra layer of nonbelonging they must navigate," she says. "In my interviews, people of color described feeling misrecognized in that they were not seen and valued by the predominantly white community in the full, complex ways in which they understood themselves."

Walton says that this sense of alienation led many interviewees to feel like they were "surviving, not thriving" and to seek job opportunities that would take them out of the Upper Valley.

"It is unfortunate that the environmental, academic, and employment riches in the Upper Valley are not equally available to people with different racial identities," she adds.

As a white woman, Walton believes she is socialized to be blind to the ways in which her own comfort in the community relies on the exclusion of others who, as one interviewee said, "aren't part of the New England Dream."

"I was often surprised when people shared experiences where they were shouted at in restaurants, called names, pulled over by police multiple times a year, and other such overt racist acts," Walton says. "However, my interviewees were very willing to be vulnerable by sharing often difficult stories. They hoped that by sharing their stories, they would help other people of color understand that they were not alone in their feelings."

Over the last few years of data collection, 12 Dartmouth students helped to conduct interviews for the study. "Working with these students has been invaluable for both eliciting stories and developing an analytic narrative that remains true to the respondents' intentions," Walton says.

Rewriting how we define our communities

"The idea of misrecognition describes the common feelings my interviewees expressed of feeling unseen, invalidated, and unworthy in their social interactions in the community," Walton says.

Ultimately, she hopes that her research will help inspire new "symbolic interventions" that broaden the definition of who belongs.

"My hope is that we can actually change the 'chilly' culture to be more inclusive by rewriting the script through which we define ourselves as a community," Walton says. "We can broaden the definition of 'us' to include those who may currently be seen as 'them.'"

Walton's Humans of the Upper Valley, which she launched with Dartmouth students in 2021, attempts to do just that. Inspired by the popular Humans of New York, the project offers snapshots of the life stories of local residents from all walks of life.

As Walton said on a local arts and culture blog, "The point is to create a kind of intimacy with strangers. If we can learn about and relate to others' motivations, their fears, their dreams, maybe we can nurture empathy and understanding."

"By broadly sharing the intimate life stories of different kinds of residents," she says, "I hope that people will find this is a low-barrier, nonthreatening way to connect with and understand each other's humanity."

More information: Emily Walton, Misrecognition and Wellbeing in Culturally White Northern New England, Rural Sociology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/ruso.12505
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An overview of the monoamine system. A Synthesis pathways for key monoamines including the substrate, chemical modification, enzymes, and products. Arrows indicate reactions with the facilitating enzyme overlain. For each enzyme, the label shows the name while the color indicates the gene family. Chemical modifications are shown next to the enzymes responsible. B Cartoon of a synapse with the different enzymes required for the production and detection of monoamines. The red circles represent monoamines and precursor molecules. Yellow squares represent tetrahydrobiopterin co-factor. C Current molecular evidence from the literature supporting the presence of monoamines outside Bilaterians in the literature. Dark gray indicates positive results, light gray displays uncertain or partial evidence (e.g., precursors, related compounds) and an X indicates negative results. Blank shapes indicate a lack of evidence. Staining refers to any chemical or immuno-staining experiments; pharmacology refers to evidence-based drug perturbations, adding inhibitors or other chemical interference experiments; HPLC High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (see Supplementary Data 1 for references and details). PAH phenylalanine hydroxylase, TPH tryptophan hydroxylase, TH tyrosine hydroxylase, DDC dopa decarboxylase, TDC tyrosine decarboxylase, HDC histidine decarboxylase, DBH dopamine beta hydroxylase, TBH tyramine beta hydroxylase, PNMT phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, AAAH aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, AADC aromatic amine decarboxylase, BH beta hydroxylase, VMAT vesicular monoamine transporter, GCH GTP cyclo-hydrolase, GPCR g-protein coupled receptor, LGIC ligand gated ion channel, SLC solute ligand carrier, MAO monoamine oxidase. (A) and (B) were made with Biorender. Silhouettes obtained from Phylopic.org. Silhouette images are by Christoph Schomburg (Dendronephthya gigantea); Daniel Jaron (Mus musculus); Emily Jane McTavish, from http://chestofbooks.com/animals/Manual-Of-Zoology/images/I-Order-Ciliata-41.jpg (Ciliophora); Konsta Happonen, from a CC-BY-NC image by sokolkov 2002 on iNaturalist (Geranium sylvaticum); Malio Kodis, photograph by Ching (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36302473@N03/) (Chrysaora fuscescens); Noah Schlottman (Pleurobrachia); Oliver Voigt (Trichoplax adhaerens); Steven Traver (Hydra); and Tess Linden (Salpingoeca rosetta). Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39030-2

A team of scientists led by researchers from the University of Leicester have discovered that the genes required for learning, memory, aggression and other complex behaviors originated around 650 million years ago.

The findings led by Dr. Roberto Feuda, from the Neurogenetic group in the Department of Genetics and Genome Biology and other colleagues from the University of Leicester and the University of Fribourg (Switzerland), have now been published in Nature Communications.

Dr. Feuda said, "We've known for a long time that monoamines like serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline act as neuromodulators in the nervous system, playing a role in complex behavior and functions like learning and memory, as well as processes such as sleep and feeding."

"However, less certain was the origin of the genes required for the production, detection, and degradation of these monoamines. Using the computational methods, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of these genes and show that most of the genes involved in monoamine production, modulation, and reception originated in the bilaterian stem group."

"This finding has profound implications on the evolutionary origin of complex behaviors such as those modulated by monoamines we observe in humans and other animals."

The authors suggest that this new way to modulate neuronal circuits might have played a role in the Cambrian Explosionknown as the Big Bangwhich gave rise to the largest diversification of life for most major animal groups alive today by providing flexibility of the neural circuits to facilitate the interaction with the environment.

Dr. Feuda added, "This discovery will open new important research avenues that will clarify the origin of complex behaviors and if the same neurons modulate reward, addiction, aggression, feeding, and sleep."

More information: Matthew Goulty et al, The monoaminergic system is a bilaterian innovation, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39030-2 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Typical mosaic landscape in north-eastern Madagascar. Credit: Annemarie Wurz

Many landscapes in the tropics consist of a mosaic of different types of land use. How people make use of these different ecosystems, with their particular plant communities, was unclear until now. Researchers, many of them from Madagascar, have now investigated this in an interdisciplinary Malagasy research project at the University of Gottingen.

When considering biodiversity, forests often get the most attention. But this research shows that rural households use a wide range of plant species and services provided by many nearby ecosystem types. 285 plant species, almost half of which are found only in Madagascar, are used for food, fodder for livestock, medicine, construction and weaving. Of all the diverse types of land, surprisingly, fallow land is especially important for people.

The researchers conclude that there must be a balance between the needs of society and the conservation of species-rich landscapes. The results were published in the journal Ambio.

The research team interviewed 320 households about their use and the benefits of the main types of land. These include virgin forests, fragments of forest, vanilla agroforestry systems, woody fallow land, herbaceous fallow land and rice fields. The interviews show that virgin forests and forest fragments are important for water regulation, for example. Fallow land and vanilla agroforestry systems provide food, medicine and fodder.

Dr Estelle Raveloaritiana discussing the results with people who took part in the survey. Credit: Annemarie Wurz

People collect the most plants from woody fallow areas, which are then used for firewood and charcoal, for instance. In contrast, they use plants from forest fragments for building and weaving. Fallow landcontrary to the widespread belief that it is of little valuemakes a major contribution to rural households in Madagascar in terms of health, food and energy supply, as well as animal feed and as a source of building materials.

The results have important findings for nature conservation. "It is important not just to consider the conservation of the impressive diversity of species on Madagascar, but also the benefits of this species richness for the local population," says first author Dr. Estelle Raveloaritiana, whose Ph.D. research was part of this project.

Dr. Annemarie Wurz, now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Marburg, and Professor Teja Tscharntke, at Gottingen University's Agroecology Group, adds, "Nature conservation should take into account the interests of the local population, at the same time as biodiversity-friendly, diverse land management, when designing conservation and development strategies."

More information: Estelle Raveloaritiana et al, Complementary ecosystem services from multiple land uses highlight the importance of tropical mosaic landscapes, Ambio (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01888-3 Journal information: AMBIO
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Homelessness has become an increasingly worrisome crisis in our nation over the past several years, but a new study from the University of Notre Dame shows that efforts to prevent homelessness work.

The issue has reached such proportions in California, for example, that mayors of several major cities have declared a state of emergency on homelessness. In response, leaders in California have invested billions in homelessness programs, including some that target prevention.

Prevention efforts, however, have led to questionseven from organizations committed to addressing homelessnessas to whether such programs are effective, due to the difficulty of targeting assistance to those with the greatest risk of becoming homeless.

To test the impact of providing financial assistance to those susceptible to losing their housing, researchers at Notre Dame conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of emergency financial assistance (EFA) on families receiving support through the Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System, which is co-led by Destination: Home, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Silicon Valley.

David Phillips, a research professor in the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) within Notre Dame's economics department, and James Sullivan, a professor of economics and co-founder of LEO, found that people offered EFA were 81 percent less likely to become homeless within six months of enrollment and 73 percent less likely within 12 months, as reported in their study recently published by the Review of Economics and Statistics.

The study evaluated individuals and families at imminent risk of being evicted or becoming homeless who were allocated EFA between July 2019 and December 2020, with the average household receiving nearly $2,000. Recipients were chosen from among a larger group of people eligible for the program based on their vulnerability to homelessness and on a randomized system set up by LEO and Destination: Home. This temporary financial assistance helped pay rent, utilities or other housing-related expenses on their behalf.

A common approach to fighting homelessness is to provide shelter to those who are already homeless, but the researchers argued that once a family or individual becomes homeless, they face even more difficultiessuch as finding permanent housing, basic necessities and health care. They are also more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system and experience frequent hospital visits. LEO's study found that a preventive approach focusing directly on helping those who are on the brink of homelessness can also be effective.

"Our estimates suggest that the benefits to homelessness prevention exceed the costs," the researchers said. They estimated that communities get $2.47 back in benefits per net dollar spent on emergency financial assistance.

"Policymakers at all levels are struggling to make really hard decisions about how to allocate scarce resources to address this pervasive problem," Sullivan said. "But this study shows that you can actually target the intervention to those at risk, which moves the needle on homelessness enough to justify making the investment."

Phillips added that while homelessness prevention programs are not a panacea to other problems often associated with the most visible forms of homelessnesssuch as health and substance abuse issuesit is still an effective way to help people.

"Every person who ends up homeless is a little different from the next, and the reasons they're there are different, but it's the kind of help they need at the moment they need it, before everything falls apart," Phillips said.

One of LEO's main tenets is to take a rigorous approach to fighting poverty by helping service providers apply scientific evaluation methods to better understand and share effective poverty interventions. Said Sullivan, "A big part of LEO's mission is to create evidence that helps improve the lives of those most vulnerable. Because we have far greater needs than we have resources to address them, we have a real incentive to allocate those resources to the programs that are most effective. This evidence helps shape the decisions of those on the front lines fighting homelessness and poverty."

Jennifer Loving, chief executive officer of Destination: Home, said the LEO study has implications both locally and nationally. "This could inspire other jurisdictions to stand up their own homelessness prevention systems, using this research as a model or starting point for how to do that on their ownas well as justification to policymakers for funding," Loving said.

The Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System relies on a partnership to help at-risk families and individuals maintain their housing by providing financial assistance as well as case management, legal assistance, financial counseling and landlord dispute resolution. Destination: Home, one of the system's lead organizations, gathers funding from the federal, county and city governments, as well as private foundations, and coordinates the efforts of a network of 19 nonprofit partners.

More information: David C. Phillips et al, Do Homelessness Prevention Programs Prevent Homelessness? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial, Review of Economics and Statistics (2023). DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_01344 Journal information: Review of Economics and Statistics
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India launched a rocket on Friday carrying an unmanned spacecraft to land on the Moon.

India launched a rocket on Friday carrying an unmanned spacecraft to land on the Moon, its second attempt to do so as its cut-price space program seeks to reach new heights.

The heavyweight LVM3-M4 rocket lifted off from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, as thousands of enthusiasts clapped and cheered.

"Chandrayaan-3... has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the spacecraft is normal," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Twitter.

The world's most populous nation has a comparatively low-budget aerospace program that is rapidly closing in on the milestones set by global space powers.

Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the lunar surface.

India's last attempt to do so ended in failure four years ago, when ground control lost contact moments before landing.

"Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted from France, where he was the guest of honor at the Bastille Day parade in Paris.

"It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian."

If the rest of the current mission goes to plan, the Chandrayaan-3, which means "Mooncraft" in Sanskrit, will safely touch down near the moon's little-explored south pole between August 23 and 24.

Developed by ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 includes a lander module named Vikram, which means "valor" in Sanskrit, and a rover named Pragyan, the Sanskrit word for wisdom.

The mission comes with a price tag of $74.6 millionfar smaller than those of other countries', and a testament to India's frugal space engineering.

Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing space technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages.

'A moment of glory'

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will take much longer to reach the Moon than the manned Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days.

The Indian rocket used is much less powerful than the United States' Saturn V and instead the probe will orbit the earth five or six times elliptically to gain speed, before being sent on a month-long lunar trajectory.

If the landing is successful the rover will roll off Vikram and explore the nearby lunar area, gathering images to be sent back to Earth for analysis.

The rover has a mission life of one lunar day or 14 Earth days.

"It is indeed a moment of glory for India. Thank you team ISRO for making India proud," Jitendra Singh, the junior minister for science and technology, told reporters after the launch.

ISRO chief S. Somanath has said his engineers carefully studied data from the last failed mission and tried their best to fix the glitches.

India's space program has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the moon in 2008.

In 2014, it became the first Asian nation to put a satellite into orbit around Mars, and three years later, the ISRO launched 104 satellites in a single mission.

The ISRO's Gaganyaan ("Skycraft") program is slated to launch a three-day manned mission into Earth's orbit by next year.

India is also working to boost its two percent share of the global commercial space market by sending private payloads into orbit for a fraction of the cost of competitors.

 2023 AFP
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In this photo released by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-3, the word for moon craft in Sanskrit, stands in preparation for its launch in Sriharikota, India. The spacecraft will blaze its way Friday to the far side of the moon, a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to achieve a soft landing and roving on the lunar surface. A successful soft landing will make India the fourth country, after the United States, Russia, and China, to achieve the feat. Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation via AP

India was set to send a spacecraft to the far side of the moon Friday in a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to land a rover softly on the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3, the word for "moon craft" in Sanskrit, will take off from a launch pad in Sriharikota in southern India with an orbiter, a lander and a rover. It will embark on a journey lasting slightly over a month before landing on the moon's surface later in August.

A successful landing would make India the fourth countryafter the United States, the Soviet Union, and Chinato achieve the feat.

The six-wheeled lander and rover module of Chandrayaan-3 is configured with payloads that would provide data to the scientific community on the properties of lunar soil and rocks, including chemical and elemental compositions, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, junior minister for Science and Technology.

India's previous attempt to land a robotic spacecraft near the moon's little-explored south pole ended in failure in 2019. It entered the lunar orbit but lost touch with its lander that crashed while making its final descent to deploy a rover to search for signs of water. According to a failure analysis report submitted to the Indian Space Research Organisation, the crash was caused by a software glitch.

The $140-million mission in 2019 was intended to study permanently shadowed moon craters that are thought to contain water deposits and were confirmed by India's Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008.

ISRO Director Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said the main objective of the mission this time was a safe and soft landing on the moon. He said the Indian space agency has perfected the art of reaching up to the moon, "but it is the landing that the agency is working on."

Numerous countries and private companies are in a race to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. In April, a Japanese company's spacecraft apparently crashed while attempting to land on the moon. An Israeli nonprofit tried to achieve a similar feat in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on impact.

With nuclear-armed India emerging as the world's fifth-largest economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist government is eager to show off the country's prowess in security and technology.

Indians cheer as they watch the on screen the lift off of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)'s Geosynchronous Satellite launch Vehicle (GSLV) MkIII carrying Chandrayaan-2 in Mumbai, India, Monday, July 22, 2019. Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-3, the word for moon craft in Sanskrit, will blaze its way to the far side of the moon on Friday, July 14, 2023, a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to achieve a soft landing and roving on the lunar surface. Credit: AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File

India is using research from space and elsewhere to solve problems at home. Its space program has already helped develop satellite, communication and remote-sensing technologies and has been used to gauge underground water levels and predict weather in the country, which is prone to cycles of drought and flood.

"This is a very critical mission," said Pallava Bagla, a science writer and co-author of books on India's space exploration, adding that India will require soft landing technology if it wants to attempt more missions to the moon.

India is also looking forward to its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the United States as part of agreements between Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House last month.

This one-off visit by an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station will not hamper India's own program, which aims to launch an Indian astronaut from Indian soil on an Indian rocket in late 2024, Bagla said.

As part of its own space program, active since the 1960s, India has launched satellites for itself and other countries, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.

Singh said that based on the current trajectory of growth, India's space sector could be a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years.

As of April, India has launched 424 satellites for 34 countries, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The ISRO has earned approximately 1.1 billion rupees ($13.4 million) in the past five years from the launch of foreign satellites, the minister told India's Parliament in December.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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An artistic representation of numerical cognition in fruit flies. Credit: Mercedes Bengochea, Maria Ines Oviedo.

Assessing a number of elements, whether individuals in a group, twigs in a nest, or fruit on a branch, is an essential skill in many animals. But the neural circuits on which it is based are still poorly understood.

To remedy this lack of knowledge, Mercedes Bengochea and her colleagues at Paris Brain Institute have developed a model of numerical cognition in fruit flies. Their results show that these insects can discriminate between sets containing different numbers of objects and spontaneously show a preference for larger numbers. This numerical judgment requires the activation of specific neurons, the LC11s.

Located in the optic lobe, they also intervene in a social context, enabling the fly to adapt its behavior in response to a threat. The ability to "count" friends and foes may have played a role in the evolution of fruit flies, explain the researchers in a new study published in Cell Reports.

In the animal world, you don't need to learn a numeral systemsuch as the 10-digit Indo-Arabic system we commonly useto be able to count. Animals constantly use numerical information from their environment to make decisions.

Estimating the number of conspecifics in a competing group before engaging in conflict, the amount of food available in a difficult-to-reach location, or the number of potential sexual partners in a new territory is essential for survival and reproduction. This skill can reach an astonishing level of refinement; for example, certain species of ants orient themselves in the desert by estimating the number of steps required to reach a target.

"Numerical sensitivity, i.e., the ability to perceive information related to quantities, exists in many vertebrates and invertebrates. It has been documented in primates, birds, amphibians, fish, and bees," explains Mercedes Bengochea, a post-doctoral researcher in Bassem Hassan's team at Paris Brain Institute. "You don't need to enumerate numbers to distinguish between one, two, several and many. However, we didn't know which neuronal circuits were involved in this skill."

To investigate this question, researchers must record the brain activity of an animal during a numerical task, then activate or deactivate specific neural cells to determine which areas of the brain are involved.

These operations are difficult to carry out on vertebrates, but the right tools already exist with fruit flies. "Drosophila melanogaster is a model of choice for studying cognition. These insects adjust their behavior in the face of a threat according to the number of fellow flies who could help," adds the researcher. "In the event of imminent danger, the smaller the size of its group, the more likely they are to freeze to stay safe."

A lot is never too much

To determine whether fruit flies can accurately evaluate numbers and assign values to perceived quantities, Mercedes Bengochea and her colleagues used an experimental setting that has already proven its relevance. They placed the flies in arenas called "Buridan arenas," where they were exposed to visual stimuli: in that case, two sets of objects. The researchers then determined which stimulus the insects preferred by measuring the time they spent inspecting either set.

Their results indicate that fruit flies stayed longer near the set containing three objects than the set that had only oneregardless of the size of the objects or the total volume occupied by the set. This taste for larger quantities was preserved when the insects had to choose between groups of two or four objects and two or three objects.

"The flies, however, were unable to distinguish between sets of respectively three and four objects," explains Mercedes Bengochea. "It seems that the ratio between these two numbers is not sufficient for them to perceive a difference. On the other hand, they can very easily compare a group of four and a group of eight objectsa ratio of simple to double."

Fruit flies are, therefore, not limited to counting to three: the ratio between the quantities evaluated must be clear enough to be perceived.

Assessing the ratio between two quantities is a simple visual task common in animals. It is also handy for humans, as it allows us to gauge at a glance the size of a group that contains too many elements to be counted one by onea crowd at a concert, for example.

Counting without absolute values

Which neural circuits are involved in this system of numerical discrimination in Drosophila remains to be determined. To do this, the researchers successively "switched off" different areas of the insects' brains, preventing the transmission of nerve signals at synapses. After several tests, they observed that the activity of a column of neurons located in the optic lobe, LC11 neurons (for lobular columnar neurons 11), was necessary for flies to distinguish different sets of objects.

"In a second experiment, we taught the insects to go against their natural inclination for large numbers, using a simple conditioning method: an appetizing dose of sugar was placed next to the smallest sets of objects," adds the researcher. "Momentarily, thanks to the lure of the food, we made them prefer the small numbers. But once the LC11s had been inactivated, the insects no longer showed any preference... for either large or small quantities. This confirms that these neurons are essential for comparing quantities, regardless of the value fruit flies assign to them."

LC11s are also involved in the social behavior of fruit flies: they are activated when insects must adapt their defense strategy according to the number of congeners flying nearby. "We believe that the ability to assess quantities has been decisive in the evolution of invertebrates," explains Bassem Hassan, head of the "Brain Development" team. "The cognitive solutions insects use to 'count' are very simple. Several studies have shown that, in a computational model, a few artificial neurons are enough to perform a numerical task."

Flies will never help us do our accounting. However, like other insects, we are often tempted to underestimate their cognitive abilities and the subtlety of their social behavior. It's a mistake made even more regrettable because, without them, our understanding of the human brain would remain terribly limited.
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By fusing the data of surface water ultraviolet-visible spectra (UV-Vis) and near infrared (NIR) spectra, scientists realized fast and accurate detection of surface water quality. Credit: Xu Zhuopin

A research team at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed a new strategy for rapid and accurate detection of surface water quality by fusing the data from the ultraviolet-visible spectra (UV-Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) spectra of surface water.

The study, published in Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, aims to enable real-time monitoring of water quality parameters, which is crucial for the prevention and control of surface water pollution.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (AN) and total nitrogen (TN) are key indicators used to assess the extent of surface water pollution. Compared to traditional chemical detection methods, UV-Vis and NIR spectra provide fast, simple, and multi-component analysis techniques that have significant advantages in water quality monitoring.

To improve the accuracy of spectral methods for water quality detection, the researchers developed a detection strategy by fusing UV-Vis and NIR spectral data (UV-Vis-NIR). They collected spectral data and performed chemical determinations on 70 river samples with varying degrees of contamination.

By combining UV-Vis and NIR spectra and using different variable selection algorithms, they optimized the UV-Vis-NIR fusion models for surface water pollution indicators.

The results showed that the UV-Vis-NIR data fusion strategy significantly improved the spectral prediction accuracy of COD, AN, and TN in surface water compared to using a single spectral technique.

Furthermore, this method showed better stability under different optimization conditions, ensuring more robust detection results than those obtained with single spectroscopic techniques.

This study provides an exciting perspective for the future application of online spectral monitoring technology for water quality assessment.

More information: Zhuopin Xu et al, Data fusion strategy based on ultravioletvisible spectra and near-infrared spectra for simultaneous and accurate determination of key parameters in surface water, Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123007
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Finds from L. 3049: oil lamps found underneath the upper part of a human skull (frontal and parietal bones) (photo: B. Zissu under the Te'omim Cave Archaeological Project). Credit: Harvard Theological Review (2023). DOI: 10.1017/S0017816023000214

A pair of archaeologists, one with the Israel Antiquities Authority, the other from Bar-Ilan University, has found evidence of Roman-era necromancy practices in a cave in Israel. In their study, reported in the journal Harvard Theological Review, Eitan Klein and Boaz Zissu analyzed artifacts excavated from the Te'omim Cave over the past 14 years.

The Te'omim Cave has played a role in the history of what is now the Jerusalem hills region west of the famous city. During the Bar-Kokhba Revolt, for example, it served as a hideout for Jewish rebels. In this new effort, the researchers studied artifacts that multiple groups have removed from the cave since 2009 as part of a collaboration between several entities in Israel. Such artifacts have been dated to approximately 2,000 years ago, during the Roman era.

Researchers have found more than 120 oil lamps, various weapons, vessels, coins and even three human skulls. Many of the artifacts were found wedged into tight spaces. In this new effort, the researchers analyzed the artifacts and the places where they were found and hypothesize that at least some of them were used in attempts to speak with dead people, a practice called necromancy.

Necromancy is the practice of enchanted conjuring, involving attempts to communicate with the dead by calling forth their spirits or visualizations of them for the purpose of divination or revealing future events, or to discover secrets. It is also generally associated with black magic or witchcraft. Klein and Zissu suggest that the placement of many of the lamps, for example, is indicative of behavior associated with necromancymostly because of the presence of the skulls.

Oil lamps and a MBII bowl in situ in crevice L. 3036 (photo: B. Langford under the Te'omim Cave Archaeological Project). Credit: Harvard Theological Review (2023). DOI: 10.1017/S0017816023000214

It appears there may have been attempts to talk to those people to whom the skulls once belonged. The researchers note that it was common practice at the time to make interpretations of shapes created by the flames of an oil lamp as evidence of communications from the dead. The researchers also cite multiple historical sources from the same era that have alluded to the practice of talking to the dead. They conclude that the placement of weapons was an attempt to provide protection from evil spirits.

More information: Eitan Klein et al, Oil Lamps, Spearheads and Skulls: Possible Evidence of Necromancy during Late Antiquity in the Te'omim Cave, Judean Hills, Harvard Theological Review (2023). DOI: 10.1017/S0017816023000214

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Engineers joined the two main components of NISARthe spacecraft bus and the radar instrument payloadin an ISRO clean room in Bengaluru, India, in June. The payload arrived from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California in March, while the bus was built at the ISRO facility. Credit: VDOS-URSC

Built on opposite sides of the planet, the NISAR satellite will deepen our understanding of climate change, deforestation, glacier melt, volcanoes, earthquakes, and more.

Two major components of the NISAR satellite have been combined to create a single spacecraft in Bengaluru, India. Set to launch in early 2024, NISARshort for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radaris being jointly developed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization, or ISRO, to track movements of Earth's land and ice surfaces in extremely fine detail. As NISAR monitors nearly every part of our planet at least once every 12 days, the satellite will also help scientists understand, among other observables, the dynamics of forests, wetlands, and agricultural lands.

About the size of an SUV and partially wrapped in gold-colored thermal blanketing, the satellite's cylindrical radar instrument payload contains two radar systems. The S-band radar is particularly useful for monitoring crop structure and the roughness of land and ice surfaces, while the L-band instrument can penetrate denser forest canopies to study the woody trunks of trees, among other observables. The wavelengths of the S-band and L-band signals are about 4 inches (10 centimeters) and 10 inches (25 centimeters), respectively, and both sensors can see through clouds and collect data day and night.

The payload took a roundabout journey to get to this point. The S-band radar was built at the Space Applications Center in Ahmedabad in western India, then flown in March 2021 to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, where engineers had been developing NISAR's L-band radar. At JPL, the two systems were fixed to the payload's barrel-like frame before being flown to the U R Rao Satellite Center (URSC) in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru in March 2023.

In the meantime, engineers and technicians at URSC, collaborating with teams from JPL, were busy developing the spacecraft's main body, or bus, which is covered in blue blanketing that protects it during assembly and testing prior to launch. The bus, which includes components and systems developed by both ISRO and JPL, will provide power, navigation, pointing control, and communications for the mission.

Since the radar payload and bus were joined in a URSC clean room in mid-June, NASA and ISRO teams have been working together to route thousands of feet of cabling between them. Still to be attached: the satellite's solar panels, as well as the drum-shaped, wire-mesh reflector that will unfold from the end of a 30-foot (9-meter) boom. At nearly 40 feet (12 meters) in diameter, the reflector will be largest radar antenna of its kind ever launched into space.

The NISAR satellite is currently undergoing performance testing, to be followed by several rounds of environmental testing to ensure it can withstand the rigors of launch and meet all of its operational requirements once in orbit. Then it will be transported about 220 miles (350 kilometers) eastward to Satish Dhawan Space Center, where it will be inserted into its launch fairing, mounted atop ISRO's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II rocket, and sent into low Earth orbit.

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A traffic warden in Las Vegas mans his street corner in searing heat in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Summer has just begun in the Northern Hemisphere but a brutal heat wave is already gripping parts of Europe, China and the United States, where record temperatures expected this weekend are a stark illustration of the dangers of a warming climate.

Extreme heat advisories have been issued for more than 100 million Americans with the National Weather Service forecasting particularly dangerous conditions in Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas.

At the same time, several European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland, are also baking in searing temperatures.

The mercury may soar as high as 48 degrees Celsius (118.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the European Space Agency said"potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe."

North Africa has also been sweltering and the Moroccan meteorological service issued an extreme heat red alert for southern parts of the country.

Some regions of China, including the capital Beijing, are also experiencing sweltering temperatures and a major Chinese power company said its single-day power generation hit a record high on Monday.

Last month was already the hottest June on record, according to the US space agency NASA and the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Extreme weather resulting from a warming climate is "unfortunately becoming the new normal," warns Secretary-General Petteri Taalas of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Excessive heat is one of the deadliest meteorological events, according to the WMO. One recent study estimates over 61,000 people died from heat during Europe's record-breaking summer last year.

Death Valley

A contributing factor to the higher temperatures this year may be the climate pattern known as El Nino.

El Nino events, which occur every two to seven years, are marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific near the Equator, and last about nine to 12 months.

North America has already seen a series of extreme meteorological events this summer, with smoke from wildfires that continue to burn out of control in Canada causing extraordinary air pollution across large parts of the United States.

The US northeast, particularly Vermont, has also recently been pummelled by torrential rains which have caused devastating floods.

According to climate scientists, global warming can cause heavier and more frequent rainfall.

Meanwhile, residents of much of the southern United States have been experiencing unrelenting high temperatures for weeks.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the temperature in Death Valley could equal or surpass the record for the hottest air temperature ever reliably measured on Earth.

The WMO's official record is 56.7C (134F) recorded in Death Valley, in the southern California desert. But that was measured in 1913 and Swain stands by the figure of 54.4C (130F) from 2020 and 2021.

'Exceptionally high'

The oceans have not been spared from the warm early summer either.

Water temperatures off the southern coast of Florida have surpassed 32C (90F), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As for the Mediterranean, surface temperatures will be "exceptionally high" over the coming days and weeks, the WMO said, exceeding 30C (86F) in some parts, several degrees above average.

Warming ocean temperatures can have devastating consequences for aquatic life both in terms of survival and migration and can also negatively impact the fishing industry.

At the other end of the planet, Antarctic sea ice hit its lowest recorded level for a month of June.

The world has warmed an average of nearly 1.2C (1.9F) since the mid-1800s, unleashing more intense heatwaves, more severe droughts in some areas and storms made fiercer by rising seas.

The WMO's Taalas said the current heat wave "underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible."

 2023 AFP
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Wavy lines in these images of the galaxies M83, NGC7331, and M82 trace chaotic magnetic fields in the dense dust clouds of their star forming regions, as opposed to the calmer areas in between spiral arms and surrounding the galactic disks. The images are based directly on data from the Survey of ExtragALactic magnetiSm with SOFIA (SALSA). Credit: M83: NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Lopez-Rodriguez; NGC7331: NGC 7331: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona/E. Lopez-Rodriguez; M82: M82: NASA/SOFIA/E. Lopez-Rodriguez; NASA/Spitzer/J. Moustakas et al.

Magnetic fields are common throughout the universe but incredibly challenging to study. They don't directly emit or reflect light, and light from all along the electromagnetic spectrum remains the primary purveyor of astrophysical data. Instead, researchers have had to find the equivalent of cosmic iron filingsmatter in galaxies that is sensitive to magnetic fields and also emits light marked by the fields' structure and intensity.

In a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, several Stanford astrophysicists have studied infrared signals from just such a materialmagnetically aligned dust grains embedded in the cold, dense clouds of star-forming regions. A comparison to light from cosmic ray electrons that has been marked by magnetic fields in warmer, more diffuse material showed surprising differences in the measured magnetic fields of galaxies.

Stanford astrophysicist and member of the Kavli Institute for Particle Acceleration and Cosmology (KIPAC) Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez explains the differences and what they could mean for galactic growth and evolution.

Originally from the Canary Islands, Lopez-Rodriguez came to the Bay Area as a scientist with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), the Boeing 737 jetliner modified to carry instruments above most of the atmospheric dust and water vapor that blocks infrared light. Before the SOFIA program ended in 2022, Lopez-Rodriguez joined Stanford, where he continues to analyze legacy SOFIA data as one of the principal investigators of SALSA, the Survey of extragALactic MagnetiSm with SOFIA.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Can you describe your findings? What makes them so groundbreaking?

This is the first study comparing magnetic fields in different physical environments of other galaxies. To do that we looked at 15 different nearby galaxies in both radio and far-infrared wavelengths. We have two different principal investigators for this study: myself for the infrared data and Sui Ann Mao at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany for the radio data.

Our groups found two very different magnetic fields in the same galaxies. Radio observations trace a very ordered magnetic field in the ionized, warm, and diffuse medium one to two kiloparsecs above the galactic disks we studied [one kiloparsec is 3,260 light years], while far infrared light emitted by magnetically aligned dust grains in the midplane of the disks shows a magnetic field that is almost twice as chaotic. In summary, areas with greater star formation had stronger and more chaotic magnetic fields.

What do these chaotic magnetic fields tell us?

Spiral arms have tangled magnetic fields due to star formation activity and the formation of molecular clouds, which indicates high levels of turbulence and potentially a place where magnetic fields may be amplified. In contrast, the regions between the arms of spiral galaxies and in the medium above and below the disk have well-ordered magnetic fields, which indicates that galaxy rotation may be playing a role in the ordering of these magnetic fields.

In general, we don't know the role of magnetic fields in galaxy evolution, but these far-infrared observations tell us that magnetic fields are intrinsically related to star-forming areas, which is key to galaxy formation. We don't know exactly how they're related but we think there might be some kind of feedback loop between the two.

What's next? How will you look for the nature of the feedback loop?

With this result, we can now produce three-dimensional studies of the magnetic fields in other galaxies that will help us study their effects on star formation activity and galaxy evolution.

But we also need observations with higher angular resolution so we can get a closer look at the star-forming regions, and we also need to study the magnetic fields across cosmic time. The good news is that we're already getting that sort of data with ALMA (the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array). In addition, the next generation of NASA space missions also include the same types of far-infrared polarimetric observations we used, only better, to study the magnetic fields in a statistical sample of galaxies.

Several other Stanford researchers are involved in the study as well. How did you all come together here?

For myself, at NASA I was an instrument scientist and flew more than 100 times with SOFIAalthough each flight was an adventure, it was too many times for me, really. Most of the observations we used in this study I took myself with HAWC+ [the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera+, a far-infrared imager and polarimeter]. I knew the instrument and how to work with the data, and created a new observing mode that improved the sensitivity and observing acquisition time by 300%. My research focuses on the study of magnetic fields in galaxies, and since I was already working closely with the instrument, data acquisition, and analysis, this project was a perfect match.

After SOFIA I wanted to do full-time science and KIPAC opened the door very nicely for me. Especially when I found out [Assistant Professor] Susan Clark was coming here too and realized her research goals matched very well with mine. We also have Mehrnoosh [Tahani], who studies the magnetic fields in the Milky Way in radio, Sergio [Martin-Alvarez], who does magneto-hydro-dynamic simulations, and Alex [Alejandro S. Borlaff], who is visiting from NASA-Ames as a NASA postdoctoral fellow.

Now we have a wide range of expertise in magnetism here at Stanford, which makes us a unique team perfectly situated to extract the most science out of these SALSA observations.

More information: Alejandro S. Borlaff et al, Extragalactic Magnetism with SOFIA (SALSA Legacy Program). V. First Results on the Magnetic Field Orientation of Galaxies, The Astrophysical Journal (2023). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/acd934 Journal information: Astrophysical Journal
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Abundantly found in the northern Atlantic waters, bonnethead sharks are no longer seen in the south. Credit: Shutterstock

The oceans remain vast and inscrutable. While technology has revolutionized our capacity to track threats to biodiversity on land, our understanding of the status of marine biodiversity remains fragmented and biased toward economically high-valued species.

Most fish species are not scientifically monitored, which is done by collecting and analyzing population data. Global marine fish catches continue to be underestimated, with as much as one-third missing.

The fast decline of shark and ray species globally is representative of many other exploited marine species that lack scientific monitoring and a general political will for fisheries management.

Seventy-one percent of oceanic shark and ray populations have been depleted in the last half-century and one-third of all 1,199 shark and ray species are now threatened with extinction, based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, primarily due to overfishing. These species have a key role in marine ecosystem functioning and human food security.

Fortunately, there are signs of hope. New scientific techniques and recent efforts of the scientific community have helped create a more comprehensive picture of the speed and scale of these changes, highlighting successful cases of protection and management efforts, including those in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Coastal sharks and rays missing in some areas, thrive in others

In 2019, our team of experts carried out IUCN Red List assessments in the Bahamas to determine the global extinction risk status of several sharks and rays.

We found ourselves attempting to reconcile widely divergent views of the regional status of species that were more common in the northwest Atlantic and rare or near absent in the southwest Atlantic.

To understand the reasons for this difference, we gathered data on population status of all 26 coastal sharks and raysranging from north to southacross the western Atlantic Ocean, examining the factors like fishing pressure and management effort that could influence the extinction risk status of these species.

We found that populations of the same species had collapsed in the southwest Atlantic due to unrestrained fishing. Across the whole region, we saw that although fishing pressure increased extinction risk, the strength of management engagement was widely overlooked, despite it reducing the extinction risk of all 26 wide-ranging sharks and rays.

The bonnethead shark species (Sphyrna tiburo) is an excellent example of what is happening in the Western Atlantic region. The species is abundantly found in the northern part of its range. But further south, it hasn't been seen in decades.

So why is this happening?

In the United States, this shark species is managed by catch quota, while in Mexico there is a seasonal fishery quota. The Bahamas has been dubbed a 'shark sanctuary' because of their ban on commercial shark fishing.

Further south, there is no discernible management and this species is captured in unregulated targeted fisheries and as retained incidental catch. Down south, this species is likely subject to heavy unmanaged fishing pressure in most countries. It is very rarely found in Colombia and has collapsed in Brazil where there are very few recent records.

A road map for shark recovery

The U.S. Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the Atlantic Ocean was implemented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1993.

This plan was developed in response to the intense expansion of commercial and recreational fisheries in the 1970s to 1980s due to the increased global demand for shark meat, fins and cartilage as well as the concerns about their effects on shark populations.

We found that populations in the northwest Atlantic recovered shortly after the implementation of this management plan.

Thirty years after this implementation, we found the stabilization of three populations. We also documented the rebuilding population of six of the 11 coastal sharks here.

We believe that this success can be attributed to:

A strong regulation system where catch is prohibited for some species (or group of species) and limited for others. A system that improves catch reporting and reduces the pressure of fishing through the reduction of the number of shark-directed fishing permits.

strict enforcement by the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement agencies for fishers in U.S. waters

continuous monitoring of the fishery for data collection

Recovering species population through collaboration

Our research found that halting and reversing declines and creating sustainable fisheries is possible even for wide-ranging sharks and rays.

But this requires strong governance and management.

Concerted efforts can bridge the spots of successful management and recovery with adjacent nations where the species are still in decline, leading to success at a global scale. This approach will ensure that successful conservation in one country is not undone by less regulated fishing areas outside those borders.

Developed nations, that are bringing their fisheries into sustainability and importing more fish, should translate their successes into capacity-building lessons to support other nations undergoing the transition towards sustainability.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Woylie being released from capture bag by Natasha Harrison. Credit: Aiden Holmes

They save our animals from extinction but "safe havens" also have a major drawback.

The last remnant populations of woyliea critically endangered native mammalremain in southwest Western Australia.

There are other woylie populations across Australia. However, they're all in conservation areas known as "havens."

Between 1999 and 2006, wild woylie populations decreased by around 90%. Researchers believe that this is due to the presence of introduced species such as feral cats and foxes, which prey on woylies.

To save woylies from extinction, safe havens were created.

Havens are fenced areas designed to protect a population from predators or habitat fragmentation. With the burden of predators and habitat loss removed from their lives, havened species thrive.

And in theory, once their population reaches a sustainable level, havened species like the woylies are released back into their suitable habitats. The conservation project is then deemed successful.

However, it turns out that havens have their downsides.

We've got a woylie big problem

Natasha Harrison is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Western Australia who has dedicated her research to woylie conservation.

Her recent study looked at whether anti-predator strategies used by woylies changed after being havened.

Wild woylies use a variety of anti-predator strategies to survive. They're usually hypersensitive of their environment and distract their predators with strategies like ejecting their young from the pouch.

In their study, Natasha and her team looked into 10 years of monitoring data collected by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. More specifically, the team measured how much the havened woylies struggled or were wary around predators. Credit: WWF Australia

Surprisingly, across the span of only 10 years, the havened woylies had lost much of their anti-predator strategies.

This may be an example of a rapid evolutionary response.

What in the haven?

Havens prevent species from becoming completely extinct by providing an insurance population. However, according to Natasha, "we're shooting ourselves in the foot."

Previous research has shown that animals in havens lose the ability to protect themselves in the wild. And Natasha's research on the woylie was no different.

With their protective instincts gone, the havened woylies would be less suitable for reintroduction into the wilda crucial step in successful conservation.

Why woylies?

Woylies are ecosystem engineers. They have a big impact on the plants and animals around them.

For example, woylies dig up large amounts of soil in their search for food, which helps reduce bushfire intensity and increase plant germination.

"Woylies are obviously a really important part of the ecosystem," says Natasha.

Getting it just right

The research carried out by Natasha and her team help us understand why animals lose their anti-predator strategies. This can guide management strategies and help preserve these important skills in havens.

Natasha's future research will examine if woylies can relearn anti-predator strategies.

In the meantime, Natasha suggests conservation managers should expose havened woylies to a controlled level of predators. This exposure would allow woylies to maintain their anti-predator traits, priming them for life in the great wilderness.

Provided by Particle

This article first appeared on Particle, a science news website based at Scitech, Perth, Australia. Read the original article.
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Working principle of the hybrid DFOS system. Credit: Linjing Huang, Xinyu Fan, Haijun He, Lianshan Yan, Zuyuan He

The real-time monitoring of facilities, particularly large facilities (such as rail transit systems, large bridges, and buildings), can provide information regarding their surrounding environment and allow their health conditions to be assessed, which is essential for establishing the current concept of smart cities based on the Internet of Things.

As a precise real-time monitoring technique, distributed fiber-optic sensing (DFOS) systems, which require long-distance simultaneous measurements along a sensing fiber, are in high demand for various industrial applications. However, most DFOS systems can only measure a single kind of parameter, which limits the use in applications. Additionally, combining different DFOS systems is complex and costly.

In a new paper published in Light: Advanced Manufacturing, a team of scientists, led by Professor Xinyu Fan from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, proposed a simplified hybrid DFOS system for simultaneously measuring multi-parameters along the sensing fiber. They used a normal single-mode fiber as a sensor to obtain the temperature, strain and vibration information of the optical fiber with the length of several kilometers.

They integrated three schemes using different backscattered lightwave and simplified the hybrid systems. The proposed hybrid system requires only one light source, two receiving ends and a single access of the fiber for launching lightwave, which highly reduces the complexity of application. As such, the simplified hybrid system can be used in real-time monitoring of large structure, automated control and perimeter security. The technique can be a powerful tool promoting the construction of smart cities.

Among different DFOS systems is a technique that uses Rayleigh backscattering known as phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (-OTDR), which is used to measure dynamic parameters such as vibration.

Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) based on stimulated Brillouin scattering is used to measure temperature and static strains with high signal-to-noise ratio. Raman scattering can be used in Raman optical time-domain reflectometry (ROTDR) to measure the distributed temperature without being disturbed by strain as it is only temperature sensitive.

The hybrid DFOS system integrates the three different scattering schemes. Rayleigh scattering is used for vibration sensing and also acts as the probe of Brillouin scattering process to realize temperature and strain measurement. Raman scattering is used to overcome the temperature-strain cross sensitivity. Pulse code modulation is employed to separate Raman scattering of two pulses with very close optical frequencies. In this way, a single-end simplified hybrid DFOS system works successfully for simultaneous multi-parameters measurement.

The hybrid system shows its ability of measuring temperature, strain and vibration along a 9-kilometer long single mode fiber, with a favorable measurement accuracy.

More information: Linjing Huang et al, Single-end hybrid Rayleigh Brillouin and Raman distributed fibre-optic sensing system, Light: Advanced Manufacturing (2023). DOI: 10.37188/lam.2023.016

Provided by Light Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics And Physics, CAS
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View through the OMEGA lasers 20-cm disk amplifiers at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. In a scaled-down, proof-of-principle experiment, Rochester researchers used the laser to demonstrate a critical step in the dynamic shell concept. Credit: University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster

Fusion, which replicates the same reaction that powers the sun, has long been viewed as an ideal energy source due to its potential to be safe, clean, cheap, and reliable.

Since the early 1960s, scientists have pursued the possibility of using high-powered lasers to compress thermonuclear material long enough and at high enough temperatures to trigger ignitionthe point at which the resultant output of inertial fusion energy is greater than the energy delivered to the target.

Scientists achieved ignition in December 2022 at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, but many hurdles remain in making fusion energy technically and commercially viable for mass production and consumption.

Researchers at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) have, for the first time, experimentally demonstrated a method called dynamic shell formation, which may help achieve the goal of creating a fusion power plant.

The researchers, including Igor Igumenshchev, a senior scientist at LLE, and Valeri Goncharov, a distinguished scientist and theory division director at LLE and an assistant professor (research) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, discuss their findings in a paper published in Physical Review Letters.

"This experiment has demonstrated feasibility of an innovative target concept suitable for affordable, mass production for inertial fusion energy," Igumenshchev says.

The conventional approach to inertial fusion energy

In the conventional approach to inertial fusion energy, a target consisting of a small amount of hydrogen fuelin the form of the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritiumis frozen solid into a spherical shell. The shell is then bombarded by lasers, heating the central fuel to extremely high pressures and temperatures. When these conditions are achieved, the shell collapses and ignites, undergoing fusion.

The process releases an enormous amount of energy that has the potential to drive a carbon-free power plant. But a fusion power plant, still hypothetical, would require nearly a million targets per day. The current methods for fabricating targets using a frozen preparation process are costly and the targets are difficult to produce.

Dynamic shell formation: More feasible, less costly

Dynamic shell formation is an alternative method to create targets in which a liquid droplet of deuterium and tritium is injected into a foam capsule. When bombarded by laser pulses, the capsule develops into a spherical shell, then implodes and collapses, resulting in ignition. Dynamic shell formation does not require the costly cryogenic layering that conventional methods of generating inertial fusion energy employ, because it uses liquid targets. These targets will also be easier to make.

Goncharov first described dynamic shell formation in a paper in 2020, but the concept hadn't been demonstrated experimentally. In a scaled-down, proof-of-principle experiment, Igumenshchev, Goncharov, and their colleagues used LLE's OMEGA laser to shape a sphere of plastic foam that had the same density as deuterium-tritium liquid fuel into a shell, demonstrating a critical step in the dynamic shell concept.

To actually generate fusion using the dynamic shell formation technique, future research will require lasers with longer and more energetic pulses, but the current experiment suggests that dynamic shell formation could be feasible as a path toward more practical fusion energy reactors.

"Combining this target concept with a highly efficient laser system that is currently under development at LLE will provide a very attractive path to fusion energy," Igumenshchev says.

More information: I. V. Igumenshchev et al, Proof-of-Principle Experiment on the Dynamic Shell Formation for Inertial Confinement Fusion, Physical Review Letters (2023). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.015102 Journal information: Physical Review Letters
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A light, cheap space telescope design would make it possible to put many individual units in space at once. Credit: Katie Yung, Daniel Apai /University of Arizona and AllThingsSpace /SketchFab, CC BY-ND

Astronomers have discovered more than 5,000 planets outside of the solar system to date. The grand question is whether any of these planets are home to life. To find the answer, astronomers will likely need more powerful telescopes than exist today.

I am an astronomer who studies astrobiology and planets around distant stars. For the last seven years, I have been co-leading a team that is developing a new kind of space telescope that could collect a hundred times more light than the James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest space telescope ever built.

Almost all space telescopes, including Hubble and Webb, collect light using mirrors. Our proposed telescope, the Nautilus Space Observatory, would replace large, heavy mirrors with a novel, thin lens that is much lighter, cheaper and easier to produce than mirrored telescopes. Because of these differences, it would be possible to launch many individual units into orbit and create a powerful network of telescopes.

The need for larger telescopes

Exoplanetsplanets that orbit stars other than the Sunare prime targets in the search for life. Astronomers need to use giant space telescopes that collect huge amounts of light to study these faint and faraway objects.

Existing telescopes can detect exoplanets as small as Earth. However, it takes a lot more sensitivity to begin to learn about the chemical composition of these planets. Even Webb is just barely powerful enough to search certain exoplanets for clues of lifenamely gases in the atmosphere.

Exoplanets, like TOI-700d shown in this artists conception, are planets beyond our solar system and are prime candidates in the search for life. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The James Webb Space Telescope cost more than US$8 billion and took over 20 years to build. The next flagship telescope is not expected to fly before 2045 and is estimated to cost $11 billion. These ambitious telescope projects are always expensive, laborious and produce a single powerfulbut very specializedobservatory.

A new kind of telescope

In 2016, aerospace giant Northrop Grumman invited me and 14 other professors and NASA scientistsall experts on exoplanets and the search for extraterrestrial lifeto Los Angeles to answer one question: What will exoplanet space telescopes look like in 50 years?

In our discussions, we realized that a major bottleneck preventing the construction of more powerful telescopes is the challenge of making larger mirrors and getting them into orbit. To bypass this bottleneck, a few of us came up with the idea of revisiting an old technology called diffractive lenses.

Conventional lenses use refraction to focus light. Refraction is when light changes direction as it passes from one medium to anotherit is the reason light bends when it enters water. In contrast, diffraction is when light bends around corners and obstacles. A cleverly arranged pattern of steps and angles on a glass surface can form a diffractive lens.

The first such lenses were invented by the French scientist Augustin-Jean Fresnel in 1819 to provide lightweight lenses for lighthouses. Today, similar diffractive lenses can be found in many small-sized consumer opticsfrom camera lenses to virtual reality headsets.

Diffractive lenses, left, are much thinner compared to similarly powerful refractive lenses, right. Credit: Pko/Wikimedia Commons

Thin, simple diffractive lenses are notorious for their blurry images, so they have never been used in astronomical observatories. But if you could improve their clarity, using diffractive lenses instead of mirrors or refractive lenses would allow a space telescope to be much cheaper, lighter and larger.

A thin, high-resolution lens

After the meeting, I returned to the University of Arizona and decided to explore whether modern technology could produce diffractive lenses with better image quality. Lucky for me, Thomas Milsterone of the world's leading experts on diffractive lens designworks in the building next to mine. We formed a team and got to work.

Over the following two years, our team invented a new type of diffractive lens that required new manufacturing technologies to etch a complex pattern of tiny grooves onto a piece of clear glass or plastic. The specific pattern and shape of the cuts focuses incoming light to a single point behind the lens. The new design produces a near-perfect quality image, far better than previous diffractive lenses.

Because it is the surface texture of the lens that does the focusing, not the thickness, you can easily make the lens bigger while keeping it very thin and lightweight. Bigger lenses collect more light, and low weight means cheaper launches to orbitboth great traits for a space telescope.

In August 2018, our team produced the first prototype, a 2-inch (5-centimeter) diameter lens. Over the next five years, we further improved the image quality and increased the size. We are now completing a 10-inch (24-cm) diameter lens that will be more than 10 times lighter than a conventional refractive lens would be.

One of the benefits of diffractive lenses is that they can remain thin while increasing in diameter. Credit: Daniel Apai/University of Arizona, CC BY-ND

Power of a diffraction space telescope

This new lens design makes it possible to rethink how a space telescope might be built. In 2019, our team published a concept called the Nautilus Space Observatory.

Using the new technology, our team thinks it is possible to build a 29.5-foot (8.5-meter) diameter lens that would be only about 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) thick. The lens and support structure of our new telescope could weigh around 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms). This is more than three times lighter than a Webbstyle mirror of a similar size and would be bigger than Webb's 21-foot (6.5-meter) diameter mirror.

The lenses have other benefits, too. First, they are much easier and quicker to fabricate than mirrors and can be made en masse. Second, lens-based telescopes work well even when not aligned perfectly, making these telescopes easier to assemble and fly in space than mirror-based telescopes, which require extremely precise alignment.

Finally, since a single Nautilus unit would be light and relatively cheap to produce, it would be possible to put dozens of them into orbit. Our current design is in fact not a single telescope, but a constellation of 35 individual telescope units.

Each individual telescope would be an independent, highly sensitive observatory able to collect more light than Webb. But the real power of Nautilus would come from turning all the individual telescopes toward a single target.

A diffractive lens bends light using etchings and patterns on its surface. Credit: Daniel Apai/University of Arizona, CC BY-ND

By combining data from all the units, Nautilus' light-collecting power would equal a telescope nearly 10 times larger than Webb. With this powerful telescope, astronomers could search hundreds of exoplanets for atmospheric gases that may indicate extraterrestrial life.

Although the Nautilus Space Observatory is still a long way from launch, our team has made a lot of progress. We have shown that all aspects of the technology work in small-scale prototypes and are now focusing on building a 3.3-foot (1-meter) diameter lens. Our next steps are to send a small version of the telescope to the edge of space on a high-altitude balloon.

With that, we will be ready to propose a revolutionary new space telescope to NASA and, hopefully, be on the way to exploring hundreds of worlds for signatures of life.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Hyun In-ae, a non-resident research fellow at Ewha Womans University Institute of Unification Studies, smiles during an interview with The Korea Times at the daily's newsroom in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul









By Kang Hyun-kyung







Hyun In-ae, a non-resident research fellow at the Institute of Unification Studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, initially dismissed media speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is trying to train his daughter, Ju-ae, to be his successor.







But later she changed her position as she thought Ju-ae's frequent media exposure with her father, since her first public appearance in November last year, was quite unusual.







"I think what they said about Kim Jong-un's motives is convincing," she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times, referring to media speculation about Kim's daughter. "Kim Jong-un took his daughter wherever he went. He would have a reason for that. I concluded that the popular view that he sees Ju-ae as more than his cute little daughter sounds quite convincing."







Hyun, a Pyongyang native who taught university students as a faculty member for two decades in North Korea before defecting to the South, is an expert on the Kim Jong-un regime. She is the author of the 2018 book, titled "Kim Jong-un Regime: Things That Have Changed and Things That Have Remained the Same," published by Hanul publishing house.







On top of her research work, she also serves as the chair of the social and cultural division of the planning committee for unification, which was formed earlier this year under the Ministry of Unification to chart South Korea's strategies for unification. The committee consists of 34 experts, including five North Korean defectors including Hyun, and is subdivided into five subcommittees.







Hyun and other members of the committee meet regularly every month to exchange their ideas and set forth policy directions of their areas of specialization.







Hyun speculated that Kim Jong-un's health condition seems to have motivated him to think of a successor much earlier than expected.







Kim is known to have underlying medical conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes.







"If he is confident about his health and optimistic about staying in power for decades to come, why would he take his little daughter wherever he goes and show up at major events with her?" Hyun asked.







Ju-ae's public appearances are part of her father's deliberate tactic to make his daughter known to the North Korean public as a royal family member next in line to the throne, according to the North Korean defector.







Hyun added that Ju-ae's frequent public appearances mirror the North Korean leader's early struggles in adapting to the top job of the government partly because of his obscurity among North Koreans.







"One of the formidable challenges Kim Jong-un had faced in his early years after he abruptly assumed leadership following his father's death in 2011 was that few North Koreans knew or heard about him. This is because his father didn't reveal his children," she said.







Speculation over the next in line to succeed North Korea's leadership, in case Kim Jong-un is incapacitated, began to emerge after Ju-ae made her first public appearance last year.







Some analysts speculated that Kim Jong-un's sister, Yo-jong, is an heir apparent who will take over power in case her brother is unable to rule for some reason.







But Hyun did not buy into that idea.







"If Kim Yo-jong rises to power, her sister-in-law, Ri Sol-ju, would be very nervous," she said "History tells power struggles know no kinship and infighting for the top job of the government happens, even among family members. No one knows if Yo-jong will step down once her role as an interim leader and caretaker of her niece is over as the latter comes of age. No one knows if she is going to let a power transition happen,"









North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, front right, walks with his wife Ri Sol-ju at a ceremony to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its Revolutionary Army in Pyongyang on April 27, 2022. Kim's sister, Yo-jong, spotted inside the red circle, is seen behind North Korea's first couple. Korea Times file

In-law tensions



According to the defector, Kim Jong-un's public appearances at major national events, along with his daughter, are sort of a show signaling that Ju-ae, and not his sister, is next in line to the throne.



Although Ri Sol-ju may not be as powerful as her sister-in-law, Hyun stated that Ri still serves as first lady of North Korea and her presence is felt.



She speculated that there may be a son born between Kim Jong-un and Ri Sol-ju, but he is not seen in public due to unknown reasons, saying she also would not rule out the possibility that he is the one to succeed his father.



"Kim Jong-un didn't disclose him, maybe because his son is too young to appear in public," she said.



"North Korea is a patriarchal society. If the first couple doesn't have a son, the first lady will find her position threatened. But Ri is still there and spotted in public, meaning she is not threatened."



No matter who becomes North Korea's next leader, Hyun said that person will be Kim Jong-un's child, rather than his sister, because that is what the North Korean leader would want.



She said the North Korean leader does not seem to care much about gender when he fills key government posts, while reshuffles seem to be based on merit, adding that this trait reflects the influence of his Western education.



But Hyun said Kim Yo-jong's presence complicates the prospects of North Korea's leadership succession.



"In the event of a sudden leadership vacuum, she is necessary, because she can fill the gap as an interim leader. But at the same time, her presence threatens her sister-in-law and niece," she said.



Hyun is skeptical about any dramatic changes or improvements in inter-Korean relations under the Kim Jong-un regime.



According to her, South Korea is an "existential threat" to the North Korean regime. "The more North Korean residents know about South Korea which is wealthy and prosperous, the more pressure Kim Jong-un would feel as he would find it difficult to put the North Koreans under his control," she said.



The North Korean leader's "hysteria" is reflected in his tight control of his country, she said.



"He banned North Koreans from using the Seoul accent and those who are caught doing that face punishment. This is insane," she said. "Why would he introduce such a ridiculous law? This reflects his insecurity and fear deep down in his heart about the possible destabilizing impact of outside information about South Korea on his control of the North."



Born to a military family in Pyongyang in 1957, Hyun is the first of six children. She went to North Korea's prestigious Kim Il Sung University where she studied philosophy.



After graduation, she worked as a faculty member for 20 years first at Rajin University of Marine Transport and then at Chongjin Medical University.



She escaped North Korea after her husband was taken to North Korea's security forces for unknown reasons and is believed to have become a political prisoner afterwards. She has not heard anything about her husband's whereabouts since.





This is the sixth in a series of interviews with North Korean defectors and their assimilation into South KoreaED.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Probability of choosing to move to Area W (increased extreme weather event mortality risk), by risk difference ratio (RDR) (specification (1)). Credit: Risk Analysis (2023). DOI: 10.1111/risa.14185

A new study just released in the Journal of Risk Analysis suggests that U.K. residents may be more concerned about climate change than traffic accident mortality. The Newcastle University Business School research team found that U.K. residents that are more affected by climate change value reducing extreme weather event mortality risks almost two times more than reducing traffic accident mortality risks.

There is widespread understanding that climate change's impact on human health needs to be accounted for in policies. In Europe, research predictions have shown that the U.K. will be the most affected by climate change and the extreme weather events that occur in the future. It is predicted that by 2100, extreme weather events will be commonplace across the U.K.

Based on that growing risk in the U.K., this study examined how residents are valuing climate change mortality risk in comparison to traffic accident mortality risk. The study revealed that U.K. residents who are psychologically closer to extreme weather events are already concerned about the risksmore than car accidents.

More information: Irene Mussio et al, A riskrisk tradeoff assessment of climateinduced mortality risk changes, Risk Analysis (2023). DOI: 10.1111/risa.14185 Journal information: Risk Analysis

Provided by Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)
Volunteers from the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross provided immediate emergency aid to three people after an early morning fire on Clemons Lane in Putnam Station, Washington County.

The Red Cross provided financial assistance for necessities such as shelter, food and clothing to three adults, according to a news release. Volunteers also offered emotional support, health services and comfort kits containing personal care items. In the coming days, Red Cross staff and volunteers will remain available to help those affected by the fire as they navigate the road to recovery.

The Red Cross relies on the generosity of local donors to help families prepare, respond and recover from disasters in Northeastern New York. Please visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS to donate to Disaster Relief and help people affected by disasters big and small.

You can also help by volunteering with the Red Cross and responding to home fires and other disasters in your community. Browse current volunteer opportunities now at redcross.org/volunteer.
AVALON  Local sailors say a boat that partially sank after hitting the Townsends Inlet Bridge last month should serve as a renewed call for efforts to replace the bridge and others for which Cape May County has so long advocated.

Its too tough to be able to go at a safe speed through that bridge without risking your boat getting dragged into those pilings, said Jake Kowalski, who was aboard a 52-foot Viking yacht involved in last months accident, one of a dozen documented at the bridge.

In Townsends Inlet, an area of water between Sea Isle City and Avalon, a dozen bridge strikes have been documented going back to 2011, according to Bridge Commission records from Executive Director Karen Coughlin. Eight reports show boats hitting the structures fender beneath its span.

South Jersey boaters who frequent that area believe more strikes have happened than have been reported.

We definitely need a brand-new bridge there, said Bob Rush, owner of the Starfish, a charter vessel that partially foundered after hitting the bridge last year when it was carrying upward of 20 people.

Rush says the bridge is tedious to pass under at times because of how quickly the water moves, an element of the waterway that changed when rock pilings were placed nearby, changing the nature of its flow. That fast-flowing water forces boaters to pass under quickly to prevent their watercraft from getting caught in the current, which could push it into the bridge.

Couple that aspect with an older structure, and going underneath the bridge can be risky, both Rush and Kowalski said.

Your boat has to have a lot more speed and be stronger than the current, Kowalski said of safely navigating under the bridges middle span.

Boater recounts 'terrifying' minutes during Avalon bridge strike AVALON  As a lifelong boating fanatic, Jake Kowalski hoped he would never have to make the 

A need for change at the bridge is part of a larger effort by Cape May County officials over the years to have all of its aging bridges either repaired or replaced. Doing so is part of a comprehensive bridge plan announced by county commissioners nearly three years ago.

The Townsends Inlet Bridge is owned and operated by the Cape May County Bridge Commission, an agency created to oversee the countys five toll bridges. Its liaison to the county Board of Commissioners is Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio, who did not return multiple requests for comment.

Theres hope that a new bridge will be erected in the future.

Townsends Inlet is one of four Bridge Commission structures to receive nearly $1.9 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for their overhaul. The others are the Corsons Inlet Bridge connecting Ocean City and Strathmere, Grassy Sound Bridge connecting Stone Harbor and North Wildwood, and Middle Thorofare Bridge connecting Lower Townships Diamond Beach section with the mainland.

The money will be used to determine preliminary preferred alternatives to replace the four bridges, according to the DOTs website. Two would be bundled into one large project, and the remaining two would be advanced as individual bridge projects.

Two incidents from 2019 involve a barge striking the Townsends Inlet Bridges fender, the barrier that protects the bridges underneath. In 2012, a dredge broke free and hit the fenders during a storm.

Seven others show a vessel striking the fenders, two of which were recorded June 6 and 9.

Lawmakers have argued for aid in fixing the bridges. Theyre deteriorating, showing noticeable signs of age through rusted railings and other aspects.

Charter boat towed following bridge crash, partial sinking off Sea Isle City SEA ISLE CITY  The Starfish, which made headlines this past week for partially sinking in t

Gov. Phil Murphys office directed questions about bridge funding to the state Department of Transportation, which said it has given about $3 million in the past four years to bridge projects in Cape May County.

In Fiscal Year 2023, the county received $3.45 million in funding from the DOT county aid program, which helps keep local roads and bridges structurally sound, department spokesperson Steve Schapiro said.

The NJDOTs Local Bridges Fund is also a $47.3 million program funded through the Transportation Trust Fund that provides funding for each of New Jerseys 21 counties for the improvement of bridges. The grants focus on the repair, reconstruction and replacement of bridges with the greatest structural deficiencies, Schapiro said.

The NJDOTs Local Aid and Economic Development Division provides several avenues for funding, he said, adding the state provides hundreds of millions of dollars each year to counties and municipalities through County Aid, Municipal Aid, the Local Bridges Fund, and other grant programs.

Capes comprehensive bridge plan intends to replace county and commission-operated bridges over the next 15 years that have surpassed their lifetime and pose a safety threat for motorists, most of whom occupy the bridges during the countys bustling tourism season.

Some of them are over 75 years old, according to the bridge plan.

Every two years, at minimum, each New Jersey bridge is inspected, adhering to federal mandates, Schapiro said. More frequent inspections often happen to address emergent condition, he said. That information is provided to bridge owners, such as Cape May County, which uses the reports to decide on needed work.

Stories among sailors, however, show bridges like Townsends Inlet urgently need to be addressed, Rush said.

$37.7M Stone Harbor beach project nears completion As the summer of 2023 warms up, a beach replenishment project in Stone Harbor and Avalon is winding down, the latest in a decades-long effort to keep sand on the beaches of New Jersey.

The Starfish was trekking through the waters when it was pushed into the bridge by a fast-moving current, punching a hole in its hull, allowing it to fill with water and partially sink on its starboard side. Despite being brought to a marina in Upper Township, the boat was deemed unsavable, totaling about $500,000 in losses, Rush said.

The charter boat owner, given the water traffic, doesnt want someone else enduring the same fate.

Last month, a Viking yacht, like the Starfish, struck the bridges fender, which pierced the boat. Kowalski was one of several on board who helped guide the boat to a nearby dock at the Avalon Yacht Club, arriving in time to get off before it partially sank.

The strike and subsequent sinking have made Kowalski extra cautious when proceeding through the bridge. He passed under it again this week.

You really, really be like 110% focused going through that (Townsends Inlet Bridge), and as soon as you get your nose into the bridge, youve got to get some speed, Kowalski said Tuesday.
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GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  A nearly $700,000 grant will allow Stockton University faculty to work alongside experts from the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society to attach satellite tags to New Jersey harbor seals.

The grant is from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Research and Monitoring Initiative, which is researching and monitoring the state's marine resources amid ongoing offshore wind development.

Collecting the data before construction of offshore wind begins along New Jerseys coast will allow researchers to assess how seal movements, behavior and health may be affected by the windmill projects, according to a news release from Stockton.

The purpose of the study is to, first, better understand the movement patterns of harbor seals both in New Jersey, as well as regionally, said marine mammal biologist and Stockton adjunct faculty Jackie Toth Sullivan. We would like to understand if these harbor seals are using specific areas offshore for certain behaviors. For example, are windfarm lease areas being used as foraging grounds, and does this behavior change over time due to natural or anthropogenic impacts?

Personnel from Stockton's Marine Field Station, AMSEAS, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Marine Mammals of Maine and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center will begin tagging seals in December.

The tags will allow researchers to monitor the seals throughout the winter as they migrate to other areas on the East Coast.

Various biological samples will be taken from harbor seals during the tagging process for health assessment purposes, and the data will then be included with other harbor seals studies along the coast.

Stockton students will be able to assess the data starting in spring 2024.
ATLANTIC CITY  Extermination services will start again, after a six-week delay, as the Atlantic City Housing Authority approved a contract with Anchor Pest Control of East Brunswick at a special meeting Friday.

The one-year contract is for $142,836 for regular scheduled maintenance services, and up to $180,000 for supplemental services to treat existing serious infestations.

Executive Director Matt Doherty, who started in the job this spring, said dozens of families are waiting for treatments for existing pest problems.

Resolutions to raise maintenance worker wages to $20 per hour, however, and to adjust existing contracts to reflect the new wage and raise supervisor salaries by a similar amount, were tabled to allow board members to study the issue.

Board Chair Stephanie Marshall moved to table the wage increase, and authority attorney Robert Manfredi said it was to collect more information.

The next three resolutions the executive committee ... recommended they be carried to the next meeting to allow more time to address the content of the resolutions, Manfredi said.

Doherty has said the wage raise from $15 to $20 per hour was needed to attract more and better quality candidates to the jobs. There is a long list of problems to be fixed in the nine complexes throughout the city, including broken windows and doors, replacement of ceiling and wall sections, and more.

There is money in the budget to cover the wage increase, Doherty has also said, as many maintenance positions have gone unfilled with few people applying for them.

Atlantic City Housing Authority meeting to raise maintenance salaries, award contract The Atlantic City Housing Authority is expected to take steps to approve regular contracts and take other steps to meet federal rules at a special meeting Friday.

Doherty thanked the board for passing the resolution to award the extermination contract to get a company started on eliminating roaches, mice and other pests.

Weve had no extermination anywhere in the authority for almost six weeks now, Doherty said.

Rodent and roach extermination contracts had been awarded on an emergency basis under former interim part-time Executive Director John Clarke, but in June the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development said emergency contracts were no longer appropriate because it had lifted spending restrictions on the authority.

Other emergency contracts for mold remediation, heat and hot water system replacement and more also had to stop, Doherty said.

Regarding mold remediation, I believe the bids are going to come back July 27, unfortunately the same day as (the next) authority meeting, Doherty said. My guess is there will have to be a special meeting scheduled at the beginning of August.

No bids have yet gone out on replacing the heat and hot water system, Doherty said. He did not know why the bids have not gone out on replacing the antiquated central boiler system with an on-demand heat and hot water system in each building.

Doherty had hoped to replace the heat and hot water system in time for the new heating season in October, but delays are making that seem unrealistic.

The consultant who has been handling the bidding process for about a year, Jerry Volpe, said the boards executive committee was responsible.

The only thing I can add is the bid is placed on hold on the direction of the executive committee, Volpe said. That is the reason it has not gone out.

A new director of procurement, Rob Campbell, has just started, Doherty said. Campbell will be responsible for handling the bidding process and understands the urgency of getting the bidding started, Doherty said.

Campbell worked for the Housing Authority years ago and has also worked for the Camden Housing Authority, Doherty said.

The board also passed a resolution approving and authorizing the posting of policies related to the federal Violence Against Women Act.

We will have more of these as the months go on, as we comply with HUD regulations, Doherty said.

The lack of a policy to comply with the Violence Against Women Act was one of dozens of violations HUD found in a compliance review in March. The report was delivered to the authority in June and provides a long list of reforms the board must make to run the authority properly, according to HUD.

Melissa Pellechio, a lawyer in Manfredis office, said the resolution brings the authority into compliance with federal law to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence in either moving to another public housing unit or getting a Section 8 voucher to protect themselves.

HUDs compliance report said the authority has not followed federal rules for years in most of its operations, including how public housing residents are chosen, how their rent is calculated and collected, and how public health and security issues are handled.

Atlantic City Housing Authority working to fill key management roles ATLANTIC CITY  The new leaders of the Atlantic City Housing Authority have been interviewin

HUD listed 42 violations of its public housing rules and 18 violations of its Housing Choice Voucher program rules in the report.

According to HUD, the Housing Authority owns and operates 1,476 units of federal public housing, and in Fiscal Year 2022 HUD provided almost $9.6 million in operating grant funds and $4.8 million in capital grant funds to support those units.
WILDWOOD  The total cost to local businesses from an island-wide power outage last week could be in the millions of dollars, Mayor Pete Byron said Thursday.

That includes lost sales from powerless registers and businesses forced to shut down when the lights went out. In one instance, he said, the owners of a hotel sent everyone home for the busy summer weekend, only to have power restored about an hour later.

Last Friday, a fire at Atlantic City Electrics Lake Avenue substation led the utility to shut down power for about 24,000 customers throughout the Wildwoods.

Electricity was back on for most of them by Saturday, with power on for the entire island by Sunday.

So far, no cause has been determined for the fire, although officials in Wildwood say there has been no indication of wrongdoing, an assessment confirmed by Atlantic City Electric.

A thorough and comprehensive investigation into this incident is ongoing. This investigation includes support from third-party experts to assist us in determining the cause of the fire, said electric company spokesperson Frank Tedesco. We will ensure we communicate with you when the cause is confirmed. At this time, there is no indication that the cause of the incident was a result of foul play.

Tedesco said the utility is performing upgrades to the power grid throughout the Wildwood area, including upgrading transmission lines from the mainland to improve service reliability. He said two major reliability projects were recently completed in Cape May County.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera said Thursday he had received assurances from Atlantic City Electric that power is back on for all customers.

Cause of Wildwood substation fire remains unsolved The cause of a fire at a substation Friday that temporarily knocked out power for about 24,000 customers in the Wildwoods is still under investigation, Atlantic City Electric said Monday.

However, there is still work and repairs that need to be done and further investigation, Cabrera said.

At the other end of the barrier island, North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello said he drove to the substation Wednesday and there were dozens of Atlantic City Electric trucks and staff members working.

The electric company has been keeping me notified of their progress, and we have been in turn placing that information across our citys social media sites, Rosenello said.

Byron, too, said officials with Atlantic City Electric have worked to keep the community informed, which included a warning before a brief outage early Wednesday evening.

He said he was told the lights would be out for about 15 minutes, but they were back on in 10.

Utility crews have been checking lines throughout the island, he said, with the aim of preventing future outages.

As previously communicated, additional temporary interruptions may be needed as our operators continue to balance customer energy demand across the system and as more permanent devices are brought back online, Tedesco said Thursday. We are doing everything possible to reduce the impacts of these interruptions on our customers and the local community. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers and the community.

But the loss of revenue on one of only a few summer weekends will have an impact, Byron said. The July 4 weekend was intensely busy in the Wildwoods and other Jersey Shore communities, and Byron said the town was filling up again for the weekend.

The Independence Day holiday starts the busiest part of the summer, he said, with kids out of school and more visitors coming for the week. With warm temperatures and large crowds, Byron said the power grid was under strain, although he stressed that the investigation into a cause continues.

This certainly wouldnt have happened in the wintertime, he said.

Some business owners have approached the city about potential compensation for lost funds. He said there was no budget item for that.

Tedesco said Atlantic City Electric did not have an estimate of potential loss of business from the summertime outage.

We manage all claims from customers on a case-by-case basis, he said, adding customers who would like to learn more about the claims process or secure a claim form can visit the utilitys website.

Wildwood police had their hands full with the outage, with officers stationed at the busiest intersections to direct traffic with the traffic lights out of commission.

The usually brightly lit Boardwalk was dark, but Byron said he has not heard reports of any problems or an increase in crime in the city with the lights out.

I was proud of the people in town, Byron said. People were taking their turns to cross intersections where there would normally be a light. Everybody acted accordingly, which was great.

GALLERY: Wildwood blackout
July 7-9 was a great example of how the icons on your generic phone weather app can't tell the whole weather story. That is where a meteorologist comes in to help.

Storms Friday were expected to stay inland and did. Come Saturday, it stated dry at the coast, though there was the potential for isolated storms.

Sunday did bring soaking rain but most of this was after 5:30 p.m. when many are off the beaches and boats anyway.

Throughout the weekend, temperatures were 75 to 85 degrees. The winds were generally let and it was humid but not overly so for July.

If Sunday wound up dry and sunny, we could have had our first "A" of the summer. If this were an inland report card, it'd be a "C-plus".

However, a "B-plus" is right here.

Grade point average so far: 3.1 (B)
A 44-year-old man has been arrested by the Chatushrungi police on Friday on the charge of molesting several girls across the city.

Identified by the police as Anup Prakash Vani, a resident of Sadashiv Peth, the accused would approach girls on roads, pretend to be sick and ask for their help to ride his scooter and drop him at a nearby hospital. Unsuspecting girls would oblige, and while riding pillion on his scooty, hed molest them.

Following a complaint by one of his victims on July 11 through the toll-free number provided for womens help, the police traced Vanis whereabouts and arrested him.

According to the police, on July 6, at around 10 pm, the victim was with her friend near the Bal Bharti building at Senapati Bapat Road when Vani came on his scooty and stopped in front of them. He told them that he was feeling dizzy and urged them to drive his scooty and drop him at a nearby hospital. Believing him, the victim decided to help. However, in the middle of the way, the accused started inappropriately touching her.

The victim stopped the vehicle where some people were standing and shouted for help. However, the accused fled the scene. However, he was arrested by the police after going through several CCTV footage in the area.

Police said that a thorough interrogation revealed that the accused was unmarried and he did all that in frustration.

Speaking to Mirror, one of his victims said, I believed in what he said and I decided to drop him for medical help. However, as I sat on his two-wheeler, he started touching me wrongly. I stopped the vehicle, and left him in the middle of the road.

Another girl, who is a resident of Shivaji Nagar and encountered Vani, said, I work as an analyst in a back office near Kothrud. On July 3, an unknown person approached me near Modern College and asked for help. When I asked him to sit on my vehicle, he refused and requested me to drive his scooty instead. But I didnt trust him and left the place. Otherwise, I would have been one of his victims.

Sanskruti Amte, who had tagged the Pune City Police about the incident on July 11, said, I tweeted on behalf of my friend who is the victim in the case. Many victims fear filing a complaint. After my tweet to the Pune Police, I got several messages on my social media platform regarding similar incidents.

Speaking to Mirror, assistant police inspector Sujata Kishan Shanme said, We have arrested the accused after the complaint on the police helpline number. He was caught with the help of CCTV footage.

Accepting his crime, the accused revealed to the police that he was involved in 7-8 such cases. Several cases have been registered against Vani in Alankar, Deccan, and Shivajinagar police stations.

We appeal to people to complain about such cases at their nearest police station, added Shanme.

A case in this regard has been registered against the accused under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 8 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) at Chatushrungi police station.
Michelle Russell and THOTE volunteers walk on site at Lindsay Park to discuss and visualize layouts for the festival, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Davenport. The Heights of the Era is a 1920s-era free music festival during the weekend of Bix7. With headliner Tuba Skinny and The Creswell Club, there will be seven bands that play using bluegrass, swing jazz, traditional Irish, barbershop quartet and a cappella styles.
U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation Non-proliferation/North Korea, July 13, 2023, at United Nations headquarters. AP-Yonhap



The United States and 12 other members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unsuccessfully sought to hold North Korea accountable for its recent long-range missile test Thursday due to opposition from China and Russia.



North Korea, making its first appearance at a UNSC meeting since 2017, also rejected international condemnation of its missile launch, insisting that it was a legitimate test that had no effect on the security of any neighboring nation.



Thursday's UNSC meeting came after North Korea fired a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday (Korea time), its fourth ICBM test and second solid fuel ICBM launch this year.



"The United States condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the DPRK's July 12 intercontinental ballistic missile launch," a U.S. envoy to the United Nations told a UNSC meeting held in New York, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



"It is alarming, albeit hardly surprising that we find ourselves back in the council responding to yet another unlawful DPRK intercontinental ballistic missile launch," the U.S. diplomat added. "It is alarming because the DPRK has now launched 20 ballistic missiles in 2023, including four ICBMs."



Pyongyang has fired 89 ballistic missiles since the start of 2022, despite multiple UNSC resolutions that prohibit it from developing or using ballistic missile technologies.



"The sheer number of these ballistic missile launches over the past year and a half should not erode our capacity to meaningfully respond to nuclear proliferation," the U.S. envoy said.



"We call today on all council members to join us in denouncing the DPRK's unlawful behavior, to fully implement all Security Council resolutions in order to curb the DPRK's generation of revenue for its WMD and ballistic missile programs," he added.









China, the largest supporter of North Korea and a veto power-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, refused to hold North Korea accountable, instead accusing the U.S. of escalating tension on the Korean Peninsula through its joint military exercises with South Korea.



"China has taken note of the DPRK's recent launch. Meanwhile, we are also concerned about the heightened military pressure and repeated dispatches of strategic weapons by a certain country to carry out military activities on the Korean Peninsula," China's envoy to the U.N. told the meeting through an interpreter.





North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song leaves a Security Council meeting on Non-proliferation/North Korea, July 13, at United Nations headquarters. AP-Yonhap
Four months before the collapse of The Davenport, a member of the Davenport City Council advised a nonprofit against renting apartments owned by Andrew Wold.

City inspectors responded to frequent complaints of no heat in the winter of 2023 at 324 Main St., emails received through a Freedom of Information Act request show. One example, in January, the leader of a Quad-Cities housing nonprofit turned to Davenports 3rd Ward alderwoman for help.

At least six clients of Humility Homes who lived at The Davenport didn't have consistent heat for weeks, Executive Director Ashley Velez told Ald. Marion Meginnis in a January email. The manager of the apartment building had not returned Humility Homes phone calls and tenants were not getting answers.

Velez wrote that a city inspector stopped by The Davenport the afternoon prior, but the inspector, whom Velez said had a great working relationship with her agency, had not yet supplied information either.

I am hoping that you can help address this as this property management company is not a great one and we feel are taking advantage of tenants, she wrote to Meginnis on Jan. 26. One of the units the window does not even shut all the way in his living room area. We are tracking our attempts in order for us to hopefully withhold rent in order for us as an agency to step in try to fix it without money coming out of our budget, but as you know there are multiple steps you have to take before it can elevate to that level.

The next day, Meginnis forwarded Velezs complaint to Rich Oswald, director of Davenports Neighborhood Services, Mayor Mike Matson and City Administrator Corri Spiegel.

Meginnis asked Oswald for a list of properties owned by Wold.

I would like to pass them onto Ashley (Velez) so that HH can perhaps guide folks toward better rental options, Meginnis wrote. I already told her I would never recommend his properties. But they are not listed under his name always.

In a phone interview with a reporter this week, Meginnis said she gave the no-rental advice because of personal experience with Wold, not due to safety concerns. Wold, she said, had a terrible reputation for not being a good landlord. Prior to Velez's concerns, Meginnis said the city had reocurring issues with overflowing dumpsters.

She crossed paths with Wold before she joined the council in 2017, she said, as part of her involvement with rehabbing historic properties. She and her husband, Jack Haberman, run the nonprofit Gateway Redevelopment Group.

She said Wold was the only one who responded to Gateways request for proposals to rehab a vacant 1920 bungalow at 820 W. 6th St. in the Gold Coast neighborhood, which was given to Gateway through a Wells Fargo program.

We thought, 'Oh, hes so nice. Hes going to do a nice job,'" Meginnis said. But soon, Wold tore out the chimney of the home, Meginnis said, which is a highly unusual and frowned-upon move. She and her husband were disappointed with his work, she said.

A few weeks after the W. 6th Street property sold, Meginnis told the Quad-City Times the house, got a new lease on life and, It's good to have young people interested in old properties."

Asked if she harbored concerns about Wold at that point, Meginnis said, Probably not. I wouldnt have said that.

At an historic property in the Hilltop area of Davenport, Meginnis said she told Wold not to mess with the windows.

The first thing he did was rip out all the old windows, she said. In another property, he painted over a mural.

All of it prompted her to delete Wold's contact from her phone, she said.

In the years since, Meginnis was very disappointed to learn that he purchased historic properties such as the Salvation Army building downtown, the Dorothea, because of how he treated other historic properties.

Asked if she should have warned more people about Wold, Meginnis said she did what she could.

I was very open with her, she said of conversations with Velez.

He had a terrible reputation for not being a good landlord, and Id had some personal experience, Meginnis said. I told Ashley hes not a very good landlord, not because of safety concerns but because of his work on historic properties and the way he treated tenants.

Emails show Meginnis continued to press and ask questions about 324 Main St. An email from a city employee, Tiffany Thorndike, in April asked City Attorney Tom Warner for a follow-up convo about the discussion we had last month with Alderwoman Meginnis related to the ordinance question she had specific to 324 Main Street.

Asked about the email, Meginnis said she hadn't seen it before a reporter sent it to her. However, Meginnis said she holds monthly meetings with Thorndike, she said, to review nuisance abatement issues in the 3rd Ward and she likely would have followed up about furnaces and nuisance dumpsters, she said.

"It would have been very likely that I said something to Tiffany (Thorndike) at our March meeting about how that was going," Meginnis wrote in an email Thursday. "I also remember being concerned if the furnace issues might take us to the point of vacating the building.

"There was a council discussion several years ago about extending the notice to given to tenants if a building was on the verge of vacation. It would appear Tiffany (Thorndike) asked Tom (Warner) to stop by our April Thursday meeting to clarify if it was in an ordinance.

"The conversation with Tom clarified that it was not written into the ordinance, but into the NS (Neighborhood Services) operating procedures," Meginnis wrote.

"My concerns were focused on bad furnaces and proper notice to tenants," Meginnis added.

Humility Homes clients relocated after collapse

About a dozen Humility Homes clients lived at The Davenport through a rapid rehousing program.

As part of the program, Humility encourages tenants to choose the place they want to live and advocate for themselves, Velez said, but concerns about heat were going unheeded at The Davenport.

We believe in the power of choice for housing," she said. "We teach tenants to advocate for themselves. Our tenants were speaking with property management; they just werent being heard. We try to elevate them when theres an issue.

Humility Homes had no inkling of structural issues with the building, Velez said, and complaints from tenants centered on heat, air conditioning, and water.

After one of her emails to the city, a unit rented by a Humility Homes client was condemned by the city, she said.

Humility Homes began to discourage new clients from signing with The Davenport, informing them of other tenants complaints about the heat and lack of response from property management. But the final decision was left to the tenants, Velez said.

Although Meginnis discouraged her from renting other Wold properties, Velez said, Humility Homes didnt receive similar complaints and problems from tenants at those buildings and therefore did not extend additional warnings.

Now, Velez said, all Humility Homes clients that lived at The Davenport are resettled in different properties.

Take a look inside the newly restored Capitol Theatre
Republican Charlie Helmick is throwing his name in the ballot box to run for the 72nd House District in Illinois.

His focus is to be a voice for the people and wanting to make Illinois a place where families want to live again, where businesses want to stay or someone wants to start one.

"Let's make Illinois the place where families want to live again," he said. "We need to make it friendly for business and friendly for people."

The 72nd House District encompasses all or portions of Hampton, East Moline, Silvis, Moline, Rock Island, Milan and Taylor Ridge.

Democratic Rep. Gregg Johnson currently represents the 72nd House District. Johnson was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in November, 2022, replacing Democratic Sen. Mike Halpin who held the house seat since 2017 before running for the Illinois 36th Senate District.

Originally born in Washington, Iowa, and raised in the Quad-Cities area his entire life, Helmick is no stranger to the streets of Rock Island County. He currently resides in Silvis where he works with his wife at their Country Financial agency.

His background is more extensive than helping people with insurance.

Helmick has served in the United States Marine Corps and the United States Department of Homeland Security, and worked at FedEx for 30 years. It was in about 2008 when former President Barack Obama was in office, Helmick said, when he started to become more involved in politics when money was being sent overseas and no one was saying no and pushing to instead invest it in the United States.

"We need somebody that's willing to stand up for the people," he said. "To me, it didn't seem like anyone cared."

One of his biggest priorities is addressing crime, such as needing more repercussions for juveniles. He suggested investing more money or bringing in federal agencies but keeping them under local control to address crime.

He also suggested having more street cops and working with local leadership on potential programs that could deter crime.

"We have homicides that have taken place," he said. "When I was a kid, you never heard of stolen cars or homicides or shots fired.

"We should be able to provide a safe environment for people."

He also said people are being overtaxed, companies are charging too much, and as a result, people are hurting and trying to figure out how to pay all their bills. One elderly individual, he said, shared with him how she has to set her heat down to 62 degrees in the winter because she can't afford to pay everything.

"We need to start thinking more about the people of the state," he said. "The individual, the person that doesn't make a lot of money, that has to sit down and divide their bills up and try to figure out how they are going to pay for gas."

He also wants to see better care offered to veterans.

As a disabled veteran, he shared the story of how it was going to be a few months before he could get the help he needed.

He said he went to his local practitioner, was told they would get ahold of Iowa City VA to see if he could get in. He said he received a call towards the end of March and was not able to get in until August and that they did not have anything available sooner.

Helmick also wants to see more affordable health care for people.

When he ran in the Republican primary for the llinois 17th Congressional District in 2022, he said part of his platform was health care.

"I spent about four years developing a health care plan  an actual affordable health care plan," he said.

Helmick said he spoke with people who ran hospitals, private doctors and other groups to develop a workable health insurance program. He tested out his health care plan with his next door neighbors who are elderly with preexisting conditions.

He used their healthcare plan and applied the model to see what they could get it down to.

"Currently, they're spending somewhere in the area of $927," he said. "We applied our model to their existing insurance and we got it down to $326."

The idea of the plan is to get rid of the extra "red tape," he said, such as being able to make an appointment for a few things at a time rather than needing separate appointments for each.

The other part of the plan was to get people to start helping themselves, such as not smoking or drinking.

"If you get your BMI into a certain rate, if you're not a smoker or not a drinker, it takes off of your deductible," he said.

Overall, his focus is wanting to the make the state a place people want to live, work, and raise a family in. He wants to bring jobs back to the community, a place where people can see themselves settling down and starting a family.

"I'm not interested in money or prestige or putting representative behind my namenone of that matters to me," he said. "It's the people that matter to me."

Helmick said he lived in California when in the Marine Corps and Florida for a little bit when his son was dealing with health problems, but his family found its way back up to the Quad-Cities area.

For him, the people he has met along the way has made Illinois home.

Helmick said the Illinois Quad-Cities is where he was raised, made lifelong friends, went to school, bought his first car and worked his first job and made friends as a FedEx driver all over from Burlington to Clinton to Sterling and all the way down to Galesburg.

"They say you always migrate back homeno matter where you're at, no matter what you're doing," he said. "Where you were raised is always going to be home."

Take a look inside the newly restored Capitol Theatre
There is a perception that last month the U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions.

But that is not the case.

What it did was end race-conscious admissions.

Former first lady Michelle Obama put it this way, So often we accept that money, power and privilege are perfectly acceptable forms of affirmative action, while kids growing up like I did are expected to compete when the ground is anything but level. Affirmative action will continue for those who least need it.

Nothing the Supreme Court did June 29 keeps elite universities from continuing to give preference to the relatives of donors, those whose parents attended the institution, athletes and children of faculty.

According to briefs submitted to the Supreme Court, 43% of white students admitted to Harvard are part of these groups and 75% of them would not otherwise be admitted.

These types of breaks for the privileged should make anyone uneasy. Whether applicants should get special breaks because of the color of their skin has been debated for decades.

But one thing is certain: applicants shouldnt get a break because they grew up in a rich family, were born to parents who attended the institution or are particularly adept at swinging a lacrosse stick.

There is no arguing that racism remains a pernicious cancer in our society. People of good will can disagree on how to rectify this wrong. But pretending that it is not there doesnt mean it will just go away.

In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling, it is time we look beyond race and ethnicity when we talk about diversity.

In 2020, California voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposition that would have ended the states moratorium on race-based admissions. Overwhelmingly, whites and Asian-Americans rejected the notion. Latinos split evenly. The only racial group who supported the measure were African Americans.

The measure was rejected despite California being a liberal state that overwhelmingly supported President Joe Biden during that same election.

One of the reasons racial preferences are unpopular is how Asian Americans have been adversely affected. For decades, elite schools have curtailed the number of people of Asian descent who they admit in order to add greater balance to the student body.

A recent Pew study found that only 23% of Asians supported race being a factor considered in college admissions.

The other factor that is seldom mentioned is that race-based admissions dont always help those within a racial group who have been most adversely affected by racism.

For example, in 2004 the New York Times reported that while 8% of Harvards undergraduates were Black, perhaps as many as two-thirds of those were West Indian and African immigrants or their children, or to a lesser extent, children of biracial couples.

Black leaders in academia such as the late Harvard law professor Lani Guinier and Henry Louis Gates Jr., of Harvards African and African-American studies department, have expressed concern about this.

The article noted only about one-third of the students were from families in which all four grandparents were born in the United States and were descendants of slaves. Some have argued that it is students like these, disadvantaged by the legacy of slavery, segregation, racism, poverty and inferior schools, who were intended as the principal beneficiaries of affirmative action in university admissions.

But often those youngsters have been edged out by other Black students with different stories to tell.

Academia has focused too much on race and ethnicity and not enough on lifes circumstances.

Financially struggling youngsters from the inner city, barrios and small towns are the ones most in need of a hand-up. And they are also the ones often overlooked.

The U.S. Supreme Court has said race-based admissions are no longer allowed, but that doesnt mean such programs cant be replaced by ones that focus on helping those from difficult economic backgrounds.

For example, Id much rather be treated by a physician who bussed tables as an undergraduate than one who spent her leisure time on a beach.

Folks who have experienced difficulty often develop empathy, a trait missing from too many in elite fields such as medicine or law. In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling, its something worth pondering.
Starting next school year, some Davenport high school seniors will have a way to graduate even if they are a few elective credits short of school district requirements.

On Monday, the Davenport school board unanimously approved the new option, titled a "DCSD Core Diploma" based off state graduation requirements.

The core diplomas are specifically aimed at seniors who have fulfilled Iowa's legal graduation requirements  17 core credits  by the end of their senior year, but may be lacking elective credits per the district's 26-credit unit requirement.

Davenport school leaders proposed the core diploma to the board for discussion on June 26, and Superintendent TJ Schneckloth noted how the district holds students to higher graduation standards than what the state requires  but some could benefit from an alternative graduation option.

"Our goal is to make sure our students are achieving that high standard," he said to the board. "And we have a pocket of students that are deciding to walk away from school that could actually attain a diploma following the state levels that are set by the Department of Education."

District leaders say the core diplomas don't aim to make graduating easier, but rather, to open up more post-secondary pathways while honoring the unique and sometimes-challenging circumstances of students.

"If the electives are the barrier, we're looking at ways that we can remove those barriers so students can be successful and be ready to move on," said Diane Campbell, director of learning and results. "This is not something we would start discussing with students freshman, sophomore or junior year  it is intended, truly, for that senior year."

Aside from the state's required core subjects  English/language arts, math, science, social studies, health and physical education  DCSD Core Diplomas will also require a financial literacy credit and one elective.

Campbell said this would also allow students to focus on the electives best-suited for their own post-secondary plans.

"It is not a way that we are looking at reducing the rigor," she said. "The required courses are still there, and expectations to meet those core requirements are intact."

District curriculum specialist Alene Vandermyde emphasized that the new option isn't a pathway to early graduation, either.

"We would obviously be emphasizing the need for electives all along the way  We did keep an elective credit in there with the idea that we do want students, still, to explore what they want to be doing next and still have that (post-secondary) opportunity to take," she said, pointing towards Davenport's Career and Technical Education courses. "So we didn't take (electives) away completely, we just reduced them."

To put the possible impact of Davenport's new graduation option into perspective, 81 out of the 113 seniors who did not graduate (on time) last school year had earned 17-minimum credits.

"Of those 81, we would have to dig into their transcripts to determine whether they met the required courses within the core diploma," Campbell said. "But that just gives you a number of the impact there."

Other Iowa school districts offer a core diploma option, including Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Des Moines Public Schools and West Des Moines-Walnut Creek.

Davenport school leaders have been in discussion with these districts, with more discussions planned for the future, said instructional leadership director Willie Barney.

Prior to Davenport, Barney held several positions for Waterloo Community Schools and helped the district during its core diploma adoption in the 2015-2016 school year.

He said students most often find themselves credit deficient by senior year due to having to re-take core classes along the way.

"And they don't ever get to the elective courses because they're repeating the core classes," Barney explained to the board. "(Students are) not going to walk through this process with a 4.0 GPA and have attained the core diploma."

To him, this will allow Davenport schools to, "even the playing field" considering the success of other school districts.

"Our high schools are competing with other high schools for that graduation rate," Barney said. "Some of those districts have seen their graduation rates get closer to that 90%, which is the state average, because they've allowed for the core diploma."

Campbell added that offering the DCSD Core Diplomas won't be an isolated student support effort.

"There are some very concerted efforts around MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) and being able to provide support for students just when they need it," Campbell said. "We've also had a team looking at credit recovery  Looking at this in a more comprehensive light, it is one piece to a very large puzzle."

Board members questioned if state universities  specifically Iowa's three public universities  would accept a DCSD Core Diploma, or how it might differ from a traditional high school diploma.

As of Monday's vote, Barney said the district plans to make the DCSD Core Diplomas look distinct from the traditional diplomas.

He also clarified that Iowa's public universities will accept core diplomas, but a student's GPA and other admissions requirements (i.e. world languages) would still impact acceptance.

To Schneckloth, the DCSD Core Diploma also aligns with the district's comprehensive at-risk plan.

"This is something that we believe can help students immediately," he added. "We have students that fall into this pathway  so to get this going right away, we think, could really benefit some students that are on the cusp of graduating."

Close Davenport Norths Bryce Pauly (22) congratulates Brandon Bea after Bea scored a run against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Brandon Be a slides into third base against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Brandon Bea starts to slide into third base against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Mason Bogan talks to his coach during a baseball game against Wilton Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Mason Bogan runs to third base against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Max Smith scores a run against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert pumps his fist after hitting a triple against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert slides into third after hitting a triple against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wiltons Aidan Walker slides into third as Davenport North third baseman Bryce Pauly tries to corral the ball during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport North shortstop Roderick Tanamor makes a catch against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wilton first baseman Carter Hull makes an out on Davenport Norths Roderick Tanamor during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Bryce Pauly makes a throw against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport North pitcher Andrew Nykoluk throws a pitch against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wilton second baseman Landyn Putman makes a throw to first base against Davenport North during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Mason Bogan watches the ball after a hit against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wiltons Drew Keith throws a pitch against Davenport North during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport North pitcher Andrew Nykoluk throws a pitch against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wilton pitcher Drew Keith throws a pitch against Davenport North during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert hits a double against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert celebrates after hittingg a double against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. PHOTOS: Davenport North baseball downs Wilton, 4-0 Davenport Norths Bryce Pauly (22) congratulates Brandon Bea after Bea scored a run against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Brandon Be a slides into third base against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Brandon Bea starts to slide into third base against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Mason Bogan talks to his coach during a baseball game against Wilton Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Mason Bogan runs to third base against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Max Smith scores a run against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert pumps his fist after hitting a triple against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert slides into third after hitting a triple against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wiltons Aidan Walker slides into third as Davenport North third baseman Bryce Pauly tries to corral the ball during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport North shortstop Roderick Tanamor makes a catch against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wilton first baseman Carter Hull makes an out on Davenport Norths Roderick Tanamor during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Bryce Pauly makes a throw against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport North pitcher Andrew Nykoluk throws a pitch against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wilton second baseman Landyn Putman makes a throw to first base against Davenport North during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Mason Bogan watches the ball after a hit against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wiltons Drew Keith throws a pitch against Davenport North during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport North pitcher Andrew Nykoluk throws a pitch against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Wilton pitcher Drew Keith throws a pitch against Davenport North during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert hits a double against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School. Davenport Norths Wyatt Weipert celebrates after hittingg a double against Wilton during a baseball game Wednesday at Davenport North High School.
Editor's Note: This is part of a larger series, "What Do Iowans Want," that asks 20 Iowans across the state about their lives and how state government impacts them.

Teaching has been on the mind of Alleena Blackwell since she was young, and shes never been closer to that dream than she is now.

I've always enjoyed being around kids and doing stuff and activities with them, she said. Then once I got into high school I took an intro to education class where I was able to go to a third grade classroom and that was really my big moment of this is definitely what I wanna do.

Compared to her fellow graduates going into fields or furthering their degrees, Blackwell is preparing to go back to school in a different way than her peers.

Shell be finishing her final year as an elementary education major, and while shes lived in Davenport her entire life, shes used to crossing into Illinois for most of her educational needs.

Her normal school day involves crossing the bridge between Iowa and Illinois to attend classes at Western Illinois University. She does the same while shes student teaching at Earl Hanson Elementary School in Rock Island during the year.

While shes always been in touch with the Davenport area and has no plans to leave, her teaching license is in Illinois.

Comparing Iowa to Illinois, I cant exactly give a number but I can say that its probably anywhere from an $8,000 to 10,000 difference in pay, Blackwell said.

How do you see Iowas government affecting your life?

Blackwell is seeing a monumental shift in public schools that she says she's fortunate to not be part of.

Im becoming a teacher and being under a government that prioritizes private education over public education, I think is a problem, she said.

She's concerned about the passing of the Students First Education Savings Accounts Act, which allows parents to use state tuition for private schools.

Blackwells been preparing to enter the elementary education field since high school after completing her school's dual enrollment plan, which sped up her time at WIU by two years.

She only has one more semester at WIU, student teaching at Earl Hansen before she's receives her degree and decides where she will teach.

But like many of her fellow educators, she's prepping for many of her classroom needs to come right out of her paycheck, knowing the limited resources she'll be supplied by her district.

Im provided with chairs, desks, a smart board and thats pretty much it, so a lot of money we have to bring out of our pocket to even make our classroom a homey environment, she said.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your everyday life?

Blackwell's biggest achievement beyond finishing school a year early is becoming a first-generation graduate for her family, alongside her older brother.

Ill be 20-years-old with a bachelors degree so I definitely like to give myself a little bit of praise for that, Blackwell said.

She will be a Black female teacher, which she wished she saw more of during her own educational experience.

I think maybe I had one teacher of color in my entire 12 years of school, she said. (I'm) kind of being able to be that teacher now, I really hold that with passion in my heart.

She's glad to be a role model for many kids in the Rock Island district.

But shes concerned with the different shift many Iowa teachers will be making due to recently passed laws in Iowa.

Blackwell is infuriated with the laws restricting discussions about sexual and gender identity in classrooms, especially the recent law that requires educators to notify parents if their child wants to be considered a different gender or pronoun, a breach of the teacher-student confidentiality she says she and other educators hold themselves to.

A lot of students come to us as teachers as their safe space, and for there to be a law that were required to notify parents or guardians that their child wants to be considered a different gender  I find that ridiculous," she said.

This, combined with legislation about banning books, comes as a direct contrast to Illinois prohibiting book bans.

While Blackwell won't have to abide by Iowas new legislation, she doesnt want to stand by while it occurs in her home state.

What issues do you wish the government paid more attention to? Less attention to?

Several of Blackwells concerns fall under an educational umbrella as a student and a teacher.

Blackwell fears the difference in educational control may reach all the way to the national level with out-of-state motions to dissolve the Department of Education.

Blackwell is already aware of failing programs throughout public schools, including school bus systems and free meal programs if the government diverted all of their power to individual states. Above all, she fears how each state would dominate its own style of teaching and the differences in knowledge students would have to adjust.

Blackwell doesn't justify the neglect she's seen related to gun violence, amidst the message to protect the children, commonly used as the main argument against gender identity in schools.

I feel like if Im in the governments standpoint and Im saying I want to protect the children, the first thing Im going to is look at why are so many children dying from guns, she said. Im sorry, but this drag queen in a book is going to affect our student? In what way is it going to affect a student versus a gun being brought into a school and children dying?

Iowans moving forward

For now, Blackwell is taking the summer off before her graduation dons her last and first chapter into an ever-changing field.

She plans to stay close to the Quad-City area with her mother and brother, but will find a school in Illinois to teach at with her license.

In the meantime, she is excited for events leading up to the Quad-City Times Bix 7, including the celebrations and the possibility of running in the race.

Student teacher speaks on the problems in the current education system
DES MOINES  Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, citing a need to change a destructive culture of abortion, signed into law Friday a near-total ban on abortions in Iowa, passed three days ago during a special session of the Iowa Legislature.

On the same day, Polk County District Court Judge listened to a request from abortion providers and the ACLU of Iowa to halt enforcement of the new restrictions until its constitutionality can be considered by the courts.

The law takes immediate effect after District Judge Joseph Seidlin denied a request from attorneys for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and Emma Goldman Clinic of Iowa City to immediately block enforcement.

Seidlin said he will not flippantly rule from the bench just for expediencys sake, and said he hopes to have a ruling issued by the end of Monday, or Tuesday at the latest.

I cant think of anything that would be more insulting to either side for a judge, who before Wednesday had no idea that he was going to be involved in any of this  to listen to arguments and then rule from the bench  so flippantly without giving it any thought, he said.

Reynolds signed the bill into law at the Christian conservative The Family Leaders annual conference, which featured remarks from six GOP presidential candidates.

We have a responsibility not only to protect the unborn in law, but to change the destructive culture of abortion that still exists in a post-Roe world, Reynolds said of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision, overturned last year, that had provided a fundamental right to abortion in the country.

Even with the fetal heartbeat bill, the fight continues for a robust culture of life that welcomes children, supports mothers and involves fathers, she said. As a pro-life governor, I will continue to promote policies designed to surround every person involved in a pregnancy with protection, love and support.

The White House and Iowa Democrats swiftly condemned the bills signing.

Iowas new law will penalize health care providers and cause delays and denials of health and life-saving care, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in statement. While Republican elected officials advance dangerous laws, President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the majority of Americans who believe personal health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor, not politicians, and will continue to call on Congress to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law.

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature passed House File 732 mostly along party lines, with Democrats opposed, during a one-day session Tuesday called by Reynolds.

HF 732 prohibits abortions once a fetal heartbeat  defined as cardiac activity, the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart within the gestational sac  is detected. Doctors would be required to first perform an abdominal ultrasound to detect embryonic or fetal cardiac activity.

Republican state lawmakers and Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined Reynolds on the event stage as she signed the bill into law. During her remarks, Reynolds called abortion the most important human rights cause of our time.

Protecting unborn human lives from the atrocity of abortion, a worthy battle and one I will never concede, she said.

Reynolds also criticized the three Iowa Supreme Court justices  all appointed by Republicans, and one by her  who declined to approve her request to lift a permanent injunction on a 2018 version of the abortion restrictions. The court deadlocked, 3-3, over the governors request, leaving in place the lower courts decision to block the law, and leading to this weeks special session.

Reynolds said those three justices opinions contained political rhetoric.

Iowa doctors seek clarity, raise concerns of new law

Iowa OB-GYNs said a doctor's ability to detect embryonic cardiac activity varies between pregnancies, but can occur as early as six to eight weeks of pregnancy  before many women know they are pregnant.

The bill includes exceptions for pregnancies that are the result of rape in cases reported within 45 days, and incest in cases reported within 140 days. It also includes exceptions for miscarriages, a fetal abnormality that would result in the infants death, and for when the mothers life is threatened.

Supporters say the presence of a heartbeat indicates life that merits equal protection under the law. Advocates for abortion rights say the new law would end 98 percent of abortions that are currently legal in Iowa.

Physicians who perform an abortion in violation of the proposed law would face disciplinary action from the Iowa Board of Medicine, including the possibility of losing their license. The bill does not carry a criminal penalty for physicians.

A woman who receives an abortion would not face civil or criminal liability.

The bill states the law takes effect upon enactment, and directs the Board of Medicine to adopt rules to administer the bill. But with no rules, Iowa doctors have expressed concerns over the lack of clarity about when patients qualify for exceptions and whether doctors could face penalties or discipline for performing abortions.

While the ban contains some exceptions, opponents argue they are too narrow and unworkable. Iowa physicians warned the restrictions do not account for complications that occur during pregnancy, and will hinder their ability to provide medically necessary care and respond to time-sensitive issues.

Democrats hopeful court will intervene

Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, a Democratic from Windsor Heights, said she remains hopeful the district court will put on hold on the new law.

Gov. Reynolds proved today that her bill to ban abortion was always about the special interests, not Iowans, Konfrst said in a statement. Iowans have been consistent  and demonstrated earlier this week  that they support reproductive freedom and want to keep their fundamental right to make health care decisions about their own bodies. Politicians and judges have no place interfering in someone elses decisions about when to start a family.

Iowa Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, echoed Konfrst.

The lives and well-being of Iowa women are at risk for as long as this law is in effect, Jochum said in a statement. I look forward to the Iowa courts blocking this law, giving it the legal scrutiny it deserves, and ultimately declaring it unconstitutional.

Arguments before the court

Peter Im, a staff attorney at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, argued in the court hearing that the law unquestionably imposes an undue burden on Iowans access to abortion care and violates their constitutional rights to due process, dominion over ones body, and the ability to have control over their lives and their futures and to make their own decisions about their health care.

Im said the law will have devastating consequences for Iowans and cause irreparable harm by subjecting Iowans to unnecessary medical risks.

Additionally, Im said the law will disproportionately harm women of color, those with disabilities and who lack the financial means to travel to other states to receive care.

For many its not possible to travel out of state due to the financial and logistical burdens, Im said. Abortion is time-sensitive care and even small delays can have substantial consequences for patients.

A total of 200 Iowa patients had abortions scheduled with Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic of Iowa City this week and next.

He said Planned Parenthood and Emma Goldman worked to schedule Friday appointments before the bill signing, and have been contacting patients to reschedule later appointments and, if possible, arrange to get care out of state.

Patients need certainty, Im said in asking the judge to rule from the bench Friday

In the wake of Iowa and U.S. Supreme Court rulings reversing a fundamental right to abortion, Assistant Iowa Attorney General Daniel Johnston argued a new rational basis test now applies. To pass the test, laws need only be rationally related to a legitimate governmental interest.

Johnston noted the U.S. Supreme Court in its ruling last year said states can regulate abortion for legitimate purposes, including the protection of prenatal life in all stages of development, and that the law protects unborn Iowans.

The fetal heartbeat bill aims to prevent the destruction of human lives, and the court must take those lives into account in its analysis, Johnston said. "The status quo is precisely the thing that the state believes is harmful."

Abortion in America: How access and attitudes have changed through the centuries 1980s-2000s: Legal challenges to Roe v. Wade introduce restrictions 1970s: Roe v. Wade protects women's right to abortion; politics shift 1960s: 'Back-alley butchers,' birth control, and protests 2020s: Roe v. Wade is overturned; Postal Service allowed to mail abortion medication The evolution of abortion in America Pre-1850: Abortions in early America are commonplace Mid-1800s: Birth of the American Medical Association shifts abortion oversight from midwives to doctors; abortion is criminalized
An Iowa nursing home administrator who was the subject of a criminal investigation for allegedly evicting a man to the street in a wheelchair and neglecting a seriously ill resident of the same facility will not face any restrictions on her nurses license, state regulators have ruled.

After recently charging Aimee Crow of Hedrick with one count of failing to assess or evaluate a patient, the Iowa Board of Nursing agreed to settle the case by ordering Crow to complete 14.5 hours of continuing education on professional accountability and medical documentation. If she fails to complete the ordered educational courses, she risks a license suspension or other restrictions on her practice.

According to state inspection records, Crow was working as a nurse and as the administrator of Sigourneys Windsor Place Senior Living Campus last November when a female resident complained of a headache. The womans condition allegedly worsened throughout the day and, according to inspectors, several residents and workers at the home told Crow the woman was screaming in pain and was asking to be taken to a hospital.

Two employees allegedly told Crow the woman was yelling, I was a nurse, I know they can help me  This is not normal. Crow, who was the charge nurse on duty at that time, allegedly failed to assess the woman or take any other action, even when the woman was showing symptoms of a stroke.

The next day, the woman was unresponsive, unable to talk, couldnt see out of her right eye and couldnt move her right side.

One of the aides later told inspectors of the womans condition that morning. There was nothing in her eyes, she was like a vegetable, the aide reported. Two days before, on a Monday, the aide said, the woman was up, independent and in the dining room talking, and normal  and by Wednesday, she was vegetable.

The state reports dont indicate whether the woman survived the incident or was transferred elsewhere. The reports indicate the woman most likely suffered a stroke.

When interviewed by inspectors, Crow reportedly acknowledged that staff members had come to her about the resident having a headache, but said no one ever told her the woman wanted to go to the hospital. She allegedly told state inspectors she never assessed the womans condition, consulted a physician or notified the residents family of the situation.

In a separate incident dating back to August 2022 at Windsor Place, a male resident objected to Crows insistence that he share a room with another resident. The homes social worker told inspectors that Crow yelled at the man, wouldnt let him speak, and kept saying, You are getting a roommate, or you are leaving against medical advice. Whats it going to be?

A sheriffs deputy was summoned to help escort the man outside after a maintenance worker stacked the mans belongings outside the door in trash bags.

The man, who was insulin dependent, told inspectors he wasnt given any medications and had nowhere to go. He said he called his nephew and got a ride to his ex-wifes home, where he fell down the steps and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

Crow reportedly told state inspectors she was the mans niece. Asked why she felt it was necessary for the man to share a room when there were vacant rooms at the facility, she allegedly said she couldnt recall as it was a long time ago.

Crow, who has also served as the administrator at Keota Health Care Center, declined to comment when asked about the states findings earlier this year. Her nursing home administrators license remains in good standing with no public record of any discipline.

The Iowa Board of Nursing recently charged Crow with one count of failing to assess or evaluate a patient  a charge that relates to the November 2022 incident with the female resident of Windsor Place, although board documents dont name the facility.

According to the board, Crow said she checked on the woman three or four times during her shift, contradicting staffs claims to the contrary and the state inspectors assertion that Crow admitted not having checked on the woman. Crow allegedly acknowledged she did not document any findings from her checks on the resident or notify the womans family or physician of any concerns, according to the board.

Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing spokeswoman Stefanie Bond said in January that the agencys Medicaid Fraud Control Unit  which investigates allegations of dependent-adult abuse as well as fraud  was then conducting a criminal investigation related to the inspectors findings at Windsor Place.

It appears from court records that no criminal charges were ever filed in the case.
This photo shows people watching the television broadcast of North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in Seoul Station, Wednesday. Yonhap



South Korea on Friday imposed unilateral sanctions on four North Korean individuals and three entities in response to Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said.



The move came two days after North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM under the guidance of leader Kim Jong-un despite international condemnation over its recent missile launches.






Marc Theissen writes that statewide school choice is the answer to the terrible disparity between primary school success and college access between students of color and white students.

He blames being stuck in failing schools without looking at why the schools fail. It is the many causes and the results of poverty that must be addressed if students of color are to be able to compete with economically better off white students. Families that move often, families whose incomes do not provide regular nutritious meals, families where the parents' work schedules do not permit either homework assistance or involvement with schooling, families lacking access to health-care, these and more poverty effects handicap predominantly students of color.

In Iowa roughly half of the counties have no private schools, and in those that do, 80% are associated with religions that may or may not fit the familys beliefs. State oversight of private schools is minimal compared to the state restrictions on public schools. The recent school choice legislation specifically prohibits any state rule imposition on private schools taking advantage of the new funding despite the recent restrictions on what can be taught, books that can be read, and how teachers are allowed to teach in public schools.

Failing schools is a ruse for failing to address structural societal problems that impact education and life for people of color and school choice is not the answer.

Glenn Leach

Davenport
Cassandra Birrenkott, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at South Dakota Mines, has been accepted into the 2023-2024 Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) program at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

ELATES is a national leadership development program that promotes senior women faculty and "faculty allies of all genders" in leadership for academic engineering, computer science and other STEM fields. It develops fellows into effective leadership roles at their schools with a commitment to increasing the representation of women in STEM, according to Drexel.

This program provides training and development for fellows part time of the full year. There are three in-residence sessions of 4-6 days for fellows to learn more and increase their skills in higher-education business practices, project management with stakeholders and effective communication in different leadership platforms.

Sessions include online readings and assignments, monthly conference calls, interviews with officials at home institutions, Institutional Action Project development and mentoring to use new skills in their work at home institutions.

Drexel states that the ELATES program launched in 2012 and has "graduated over 150 alumnae from over 64 sponsoring institutions."

Birrenkott said she is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the program and bring what she learns back to S.D. Mines. She was also encouraged by the Mines' administration to apply for the program.

I once had a mentor tell me, You cant be what you cant see, and I love that quote because it highlights that if we are expecting our students to be leaders, we need role models of good leadership in every part of our campus, she said. Being accepted to ELATES was certainly not an individual effort on my part; it included support from multiple leaders on campus."

Birrenkott also received a scholarship from the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) which will cover her tuition in the program.

KEEN, which Mines is a part of, is a partnership of more than 55 colleges and universities across the country, with a mission to reach undergraduate engineering students with entrepreneurial mindsets to be able to create personal, economic and societal values through their work.

The combination of the developmental leadership that ELATES will provide and the curiosity, connections, and creation of value that KEEN emphasizes is really important on our campus, Birrenkott said. We can teach our students exceptional academics, but industry also requires students to excel at soft skills like teamwork, collaboration, consensus building and emotional intelligence. Leadership starts at the top, and having the opportunity to learn these skills as a faculty member will help to propel our students to leadership positions as well.
South Dakota, like much of the nation, is facing a medication shortage. Second-term Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has a plan to address portions of the problem.

After directing the Department of Health in May to investigate the medication shortage in the state, the department returned with possible solutions for the state to take. One such solution starting immediately will be growing the number of cities with available medication stockpiles from two to seven.

"We need to take action to make sure we're protecting our families, our children," Noem told reporters during a press conference Wednesday at a Lewis Drug store in Sioux Falls. "That we have the ability to provide for them when a crisis hits their family as far as their health care goes."

Noem added the stockpiles will help the state prepare for the winter months when rates of respiratory illness increase.

New medication stockpiles, which are typically stored in a warehouse setting, will be located in Aberdeen, Mobridge, Hot Springs, Pierre and Yankton. Sioux Falls and Rapid City already have established medication stockpiles.

This is a problem across the country

And the drug shortage isn't just impacting the state; it's also impacting the nation so much so that the White House and Congress are looking at ways to address the issue.

In May, the Biden administration created a team to find long-term solutions to problems faced by the pharmaceutical supply chain, according to The New York Times.

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee released a report in March examining why the drug shortage isn't just a health problem, but also a national security issue. Among the report's findings was that the nation overly relies on foreign sources for drug supplies. Between 90% to 95% of the necessary starting materials and drug substances come from China and India.

Noem and the DOH also recognized the national security issue. Noem said she had toured pharmaceutical manufactures several years ago in the U.S. and learned about how raw materials and ingredients were sourced from outside the U.S..

"I recognized that it could be a national security issue, to take care of the health of our people here in our state and in our country," she said.

What drugs are in short supply?

New drug shortages increased 30% between 2021 and 2022, according to the Senate report. By the end of 2022, there was a record five-year high of 295 active drug shortages.

Included in those shortages are drugs to treat cancer, such as gynecological, breast, testicular, bladder, head and neck and non-small-cell lung cancers, according to USA Today. Adderall, a popular drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and albuterol, a drug used to treat respiratory illnesses and asthma, have also been in high demand over the past year.

The shortage is multifaceted. Melissa Magstadt, the DOH Secretary also at the Sioux Falls press conference, said while the U.S. is reliant on China and India for raw materials, there's also a shortage of generic medication companies, which can have a large impact on what drugs can be accessed.

She said if a generic drug manufacturer that only creates one particular drug goes into bankruptcy, it can impact the system and other drug companies are unable to respond.

What does Noem and DOH's solutions mean for me?

By stockpiling drugs like albuterol, epinephrine, insulin, prednisone and pediatric amoxicillin across the state, the hope is that during the winter season when there's a large number of ill people, pharmacists will be able to access the medication people need.

Sara Hahn, a pharmacist at Lewis Drug, said trying to get parents medication their children needed this past winter was "rough" and a lot of time was spent on the phone and in front of those parents telling them about the shortages. And while Lewis Drug was able to work with other pharmacies and hospital systems to get drugs, there were challenges.

"We got to a point where we were making amoxicillin from the capsules that we could get to make sure it was available," she said. "Hopefully, that's not something we relive."

Noem said it was hard for her to imagine what those parents must have gone through this past winter. Her son relied on albuterol when he was a child.

"I cannot imagine the fear that would have struck my heart knowing that my little boy couldn't breathe unless I had a medication and that medication was not available to them," she said.

Adderall will not be stockpiled because it's a controlled substance, meaning additional steps have been taken by the Drug Enforcement Agency to limit production because of the opioid epidemic, said Bill Ladwig, the senior vice president of professional services of Lewis Drug.

What else is Noem doing to address the medical shortage?

In the DOH report, aside from diversifying medications and adding to the states medication stockpile, four other recommendations were also made. Those include analyzing the medication shortage vulnerability in the state, continued engagement with pharmacists and healthcare providers, encouraging distribution companies to allow pharmacies to use multiple contracts during supply shortages and request further solutions from the federal government.

Noem has sent letters to leaders in Washington D.C., to South Dakota's Congressional delegation and to the Food and Drug Administration, requesting Washington take action.

In her letters, she suggested policy solutions such as creating better transparency in the pharmaceutical manufacturing chain, re-examining drug expiration dates, increased diversity in generic medication manufacturing and allowing for the purchase of drugs from Canada to help expand the supply chain.

This story was first published in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
South Dakotas average annual wage grew by 5.5% over the last year, according to a press release from the South Dakota Department of Labor.

South Dakotans are making an average of $54,053 per year, according to the Labor Market Information Center.

South Dakota has seen historic growth over the last few years, said state Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman. With the lowest unemployment rate in history, we know South Dakotans are working  now we also know theyre earning more well-deserved money for their efforts.

The dramatic annual wage increase was driven by a 2.9% increase in employment covered through reemployment assistance, and an 8.5% increase in total wages and salaries, which grew by nearly $1.9 billion in 2022.

The average annual wage is used to calculate reemployment assistance benefits for claims opened on or after July 2, 2023. In 2022, 44,194 South Dakotan workers were covered by reemployment assistance  an increase of over 12,000 workers from 2021.

The minimum weekly reemployment assistance benefit will remain the same at $28.The maximum weekly benefit will increase from $487 to $514 for new claims opened on or after July 2, 2023. The Department of Labor and Regulation also uses the average weekly wage to calculate workers compensation benefits.

In the last year, leisure and hospitality services; trade, transportation, and utilities; and professional and business services led the state in worker growth, according to the DOL. These industries gained 2,583, 2,277, and 2,203 workers, respectively.

The industries with the largest average wage increases in 2022 were:

Professional and business services, up $6,599 or 9.6%; Financial activities, up $4,037 or 5.5%; and, Federal government, up $4,001 or 5.5%.

More information on labor and statistics are available from the South Dakota Department of labor at dlr.sd.gov.
Kathmandu: The Government of Japan handed over the Mental Health Therapeutic Center in Kathmandu District today. H.E. Mr. KIKUTA Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, attended the ceremony.





The project for the construction of the Mental Health Therapeutic Center in Kathmandu District run by KOSHISH was supported with a grant of USD 296,856 (approximately NPR 35.36 million) under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Government of Japan. This is the largest amount of grant support ever provided to Nepal through GGP.





On this occasion, Ambassador Kikuta congratulated and expressed his appreciation for the efforts of all those involved in the project. He emphasized that the new facility supported by this project will contribute to providing high quality therapeutic services and enhancing activities for patients suffering from mental health issues. He also expressed his hope that the patients will be able to resume their independent lives as soon as possible through the excellent health care services provided by the new center.




Safety Town was a venture between the city of Richmond and several area counties including Henrico Chesterfield and Hanover. Located in the Azalea Mall parking lot, the miniature town equipped with tiny streets and buildings was used to teach school children safety skills; like to look both ways and fire and home safety.

Each county provided a police officer to help staff the venture. In 1974, Chesterfield withdrew to create its own Safety Town. Richmond and Hanover eventually pulled out as well. In 1986, the mall wanted to expand their parking area and so came the end of Safety Town.
In honor of National Ice Cream Day, here's the scoop on 10 local spots to celebrate ice cream.

Richmond has so many ice cream shops that RVA was recently ranked #30 in a list of Best Cities for Ice Cream Lovers, from a (slightly dubious sounding) study from LawnStarter. Rankings were based on access, consumer satisfaction, popularity, and contest awards. Miami ranked #1, followed by San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles.

Regardless, we think Richmond has some pretty spectacular spots for ice cream, whether you celebrate on July 13 (aka National Ice Cream Day, as decreed by President Ronald Regan) or any day of the month.
The Virginia Court of Appeals is weighing a case centered around a nurse who was disciplined for sexual harassment at one hospital and then resigned, only to be hired by another hospital where he sexually assaulted a patient, records show.

The case in question regards Frederick Yeboah, 66, a Northern Virginia nurse who was investigated and disciplined at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital for sexual harassment. Yeboah resigned to be rehired by Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, a competing hospital 30 minutes down the road.

There, Yeboah sexually assaulted a female patient, authorities said. He was convicted and is now serving 10 years in a Richmond County prison.

The patient  anonymously known as HC  sued both Sentara and Yeboah in 2018 but, in trial, a judge allowed Sentara to be removed from the case. A jury ruled in HCs favor, but ultimately only Yeboah was on the hook.

Whether the judges decision should be revisited is a question that was posed to the Court of Appeals this week. Lawyers for the victim believe the hospital escaped blame, filing a motion to appeal with the court.

A jury found Nurse Yeboah liable for these actions and returned a verdict in HCs favor, the appeal states. That same jury, however, was deprived of the opportunity to decide whether Sentara  the hospital system that HC entrusted with her care, and the employer that hired Nurse Yeboah and assigned Nurse Yeboah as HCs primary nurse  should be held responsible as well.

HC is being represented by Richmond-based firm Butler Curwood, as well as Michelle Kallen, who is leading the appeal. Kallen is a partner at the national law firm Jenner & Block, LLP.

Kallen was a former solicitor general for Virginia under Gov. Ralph Northam. She thinks the case will be meaningful and could shape how sexual assaults in the medical setting are approached in future lawsuits.

This issue continues to percolate in terms of the legal standard, Kallen said. Its an issue that can use clarity in Virginia.

Sentara spokesperson Mike Kafka said the company could not comment on pending legal matters. In court, lawyers for the company were successful in arguing that Yeboahs behavior was not within the scope of his employment.

Nurses in Virginia are regulated by the Board of Nursing, a state agency that investigates wrongdoing by nurses.

Critics say the case also shows a weakness in nurse oversight, which relies on hospitals to turn in problem practitioners. Records from the board show that Yeboah left his first job at Inova after receiving a written disciplinary form for violation of [Inovas] anti-harassment policy.

The hospital asked him to take anti-harassment training, but Yeboah resigned instead, the records show.

Inova spokesperson Tracy Connell did not respond to questions asking if the hospital had initially reported Yeboah to the Virginia Board of Nursing after his resignation.

Connell said Inova has a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind.

We investigate every report and expect our employees, contractors and vendors to strictly adhere to our code of conduct, Connell said.

Its not clear what the hospital knew when it initially disciplined Yeboah. But the Board later discovered numerous women complained about forcible kissing and unwanted touching. Four of them were co-workers.

Diane Powers, a spokesperson for the Virginia Board of Health Professions, which includes the Board of Nursing, said that all decisions and documents made by the Board are public. The first investigations into Yeboahs license occurred on November 16, 2017, months after his hiring at Sentara.

Kafka, the Sentara spokesperson, said the company typically backgrounds new employees through a criminal background check and a professional license check. Since the board apparently had no records, neither were likely to catch Yeboah before his hiring.

If the recently filed appeal is successful, Kallen expects a new trial in the fall.

From the Archives: Jackson Ward in the 1970s and 80s
This July 1955 image shows the building, at Madison and Grace streets in Richmond, that once sat downtown and housed First Presbyterian Church. Completed in 1853 at the current site of Old City Hall, the buildings outer shell was moved to Madison and Grace in the mid-1880s to make room for the city building. In 1943, the Acca Shriners, who had lost the Mosque (now Altria Theater) during the Great Depression, purchased the old church building. They used it until the mid-1950s; the building has since been torn down.
This Aug. 3, 2020 file photo shows water being discharged from a dam in the border county of Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul. Yonhap



North Korea has not responded to South Korea's request for prior notice should it release water from its border dams to minimize damage from heavy rains, Seoul's unification ministry said Friday.



Referring to an inter-Korean agreement on dam water discharge, the ministry publicly made the request in late June as the annual monsoon season arrived on the Korean Peninsula.



The ministry made the request through the press, as Pyongyang has remained unresponsive to daily routine calls via an inter-Korean liaison communication channel since April.



"The government requested North Korea on June 30 to give prior notice in case it releases dam water but there has not been any response so far," Lee Hyo-jung, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, told reporters.






A 61-year-old man who police say brandished a handgun at officers executing a search warrant earlier this year died Wednesday, the Richmond Police Department said Thursday.

The man, Douglas Price, was shot on Jan. 9 by Richmond police officers attempting to serve a search warrant on his home. The search warrant was narcotics-related, RPD said in a news release Thursday.

The incident occurred at 3349 McGuire Drive in Richmonds South Side.

In January, Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards told the media that the shooting occurred after officers made repeated attempts to ask the residents to exit the house at 4:40 a.m.

Edwards said the announcement occurred 11 separate times and that Price was a known convicted felon.

Prices previous conviction was for a misdemeanor assault, for which he served six months of unsupervised probation, court records show. He also had speeding tickets and a marijuana possession charge. Several other charges against him were dropped by prosecutors.

Edwards said that after Price was shot, he was attended to by officers and reported to be in stable condition at a hospital. Court records indicate that Price was never formally charged in the wake of the search and shooting.

Edwards said Thursday that the department would be releasing what it is calling a critical incident briefing video, which is an edited and annotated version of police body-worn camera footage.

The department previously released a similar video after police shot and killed an armed man on Richmonds North Side. In that incident, the video showed the suspect shooting at officers first.

It is my continuing goal to provide to the community a clear and unbiased account of critical incidents involving the fatal use of force, Edwards said.

8 hidden gem restaurants in Richmond Oceano Casa Italiana Liberty Public House Balkan Restaurant The Caboose Market & Cafe Greek Cuisine Hobnob Afghan Cuisine
The Hanover County School Board has voted to officially disband its Community Equity Advisory Board almost a year after pausing its work.

The board  which was charged with leveling the playing field for students across economic and racial lines  was established in late 2018 as part of the school systems Long Range Plan 2017-2023. Its purpose stated that every child deserves an education based upon fundamental principles of equity, with the instruction to give annual recommendations to the School Board on equitable practices and community involvement.

The School Board voted to pause the advisory boards work last September, and it had not met a month before that. The board was officially disbanded last month.

The CEAB had up to 25 members meeting monthly as a group as needed and smaller groups focused on policy, communication and membership. As stated in the committees bylaws, members were nominated by the advisory board and approved and appointed by the School Board to two-year terms.

The CEAB defined equity as meeting students where they are and providing them the resources, tools, and supports they need to maximize their potential. Equity efforts often advocate in favor of disadvantaged students to put them on an equal level of resources as their more affluent or represented peers.

Some residents told the School Board during a meeting last month that they wanted to see the equity board abolished because they disagreed with the overall concept of equity.

I believe in equality, but not equity, said Kristin Holte of the Cold Harbor District. No one should be held back for the sake of others that do not have the same intellectual prowess. Equity lowers the standards of education, and the future of the United States relies on students being ambitious, motivated and having that intellectual drive.

Willful misunderstanding of term

Other speakers said they favored equity efforts for students with physical and mental disabilities without including students of color or LGBTQ+ students  two of the most prominent groups when it comes to nationwide equity efforts.

Peggy Lavinder, who worked on the equity committee, said the speakers against the equity board were wrong and had shown a willful misunderstanding of the word equity.

She explained an example of an equity issue in Hanover Schools in which the school system did not provide calculators for tests like the SAT simply because there was no requirement to do so. The cost for a standard TI-84 graphing calculator is around $100.

Pat Hunter-Jordan, Hanover NAACP president, said the comments she heard that evening showed a lack of empathy and of understanding.

Weve had people stand before you tonight to talk about equity, that you should not have it, Hunter-Jordan said. Well, most of you may not need it, but they are our kids; there are students in our schools who need equity, who need to be given a hand up to achieve the same thing that the rich kids already have.

The Virginia Department of Educations school quality profile for 2022 says Hanovers school system is 74.3% white, 9.1% Black and 7.3% Hispanic. About 30% of the district is categorized as economically disadvantaged while 14.4% is listed to have disabilities.

The Hanover School Board has voted on high-profile equity issues over the past couple of years.

In August, the board passed a policy requiring transgender students to send a written request to school administration asking for access to their schools facilities that align with the students gender identities. That policy was subject to a lawsuit from the ACLU of Virginia that is ongoing.

The School Board also passed a policy in June giving it the authority to add or remove books from school libraries with a majority vote. The board then removed 19 books from its school libraries and has a further list of over 100 books that are under review to be removed. Many of those materials involved LGBTQ and minority authors and themes.

School Board members all but decided to nix the equity advisory board during their June 6 work session. They previously cited procedural issues with the board, like its 2022 report being submitted six months early, and the passage of an equity statement by the school system that was never seen by the CEAB.

School Board members also talked about updating the districts equity policy to replace the word equity with the word opportunity.

The change is reminiscent of a decision from Gov. Glenn Youngkin when he rebranded the states director of diversity, equity and inclusion, replacing equity in the title with opportunity. That position is still defined in the state code by using the word equity.

First founded as advisory committee to superintendent

Lavinder said she felt the School Board was throwing the group under the bus with accusations that procedural issues had kept the group from accomplishing its goal.

Initially, the CEAB was founded as an advisory committee to the superintendent. Lavinder said those committee meetings were well-attended by senior schools staff. The group was getting presentations from departments like human resources  on its efforts to hire diverse staff  and school staff appeared to be committed to the boards mission, Lavinder said.

The advisory committee later changed as an advisory board to the School Board, bringing new regulations like compliance with FOIA and the drafting of bylaws.

School Board Chair Bob May and Vice Chair Steve Ikenberry were assigned as the School Board participants with the equity board.

Lavinder said the engagement was not the same and that many of the procedural problems should also be blamed on the School Board members who did not offer legitimate guidance and support.

I feel like that is sabotage, and then jumping on us in the grave saying that we didnt do what we were supposed to do, Lavinder said.

She said most of the opposition to the CEAB was OK only with equity for some, but left out students of color and LGBTQ students.

May said after the vote to abolish the CEAB that he is not against equity, saying that the revisit of the schools equity policy could also include another version of the committee.

Remember Safety Town? A look back through the Times-Dispatch archives Safety Town safety town Safety Town Safety Town Safety Town Safety Town Safety Town
Buses will reach still deeper into Richmonds suburbs now that GRTC Transit System won a green light from the group that disburses the greenbacks for the regions transportation needs.

The Central Virginia Transportation Authority on Friday endorsed GRTCs proposal to extend four lines farther into Chesterfield and Henrico counties and to reach into Goochland County. It also gave a nod to plans to pilot micro-transit services  basically ride-hailing and ride-sharing  in five areas.

The bus route extensions will be the first steps in a five-year effort to create the truly regional transit system the General Assembly called for when it created the authority in 2020, Adrienne Torres, GRTC chief of staff, told the transportation authority.

Over the 12 months ending next June, GRTC plans to extend its 1A route, which now runs from downtown Richmond along Hull Street, Belt Boulevard and Midlothian Turnpike to the former Spring Rock Green shopping center. The route will now go an additional 8 miles west to the Walmart on Midlothian.

The plan for fiscal year 2024 also calls for extending route 1, which now runs between downtown and the Brookhill Shopping Center on Chamberlayne Avenue by the city line. This route would now run an additional 3 miles into Henrico County, turning around at the East Parham Road intersection with Brook Road.

GRTC also plans to extend its U.S. 1 service from its current turnaround at Brightpoint Community College for about 1.25 miles farther south, to serve a large mobile home community.

In addition, GRTC proposes extending its route 19, which runs between Willow Lawn and the Bon Secours Emergency Center in Short Pump, into Goochland County.

Beyond fiscal 2024, GRTC aims to cut wait times on seven routes in Richmond and Henrico.

It wants to add an express bus service to Short Pump and extend its Gaskins Express service to Henricos Innsbrook business park.

To the south, GRTC proposes extending the bus route that now runs from Southside Plaza and the Walmsley area into Chesterfield County as well as starting a new service in Chesterfield to the Walmsley area and service running along Route 10.

GRTC also wants to launch a north-south bus rapid transit service, like the Pulse that now connects Willow Lawn with Rocketts Landing, through downtown Richmond.

At the same time, GRTC aims to start a pilot program with an innovative new approach called micro-transit  basically, vans or mini-buses that riders can hail and share in much the same way as Uber or Lyft.

These would service limited territories.

In some cases, the idea is to serve areas that do not have any transit service.

The pilot, for instance, proposes micro-transit services in Ashland and Powhatan County.

But micro-transit services can also be last mile connections to serve neighborhoods where people have to walk fairly far to reach a bus route, as they are in Seattle and Kansas City, Kansas.

So the GRTC pilots will include service in a swath of eastern Henrico and New Kent counties running some nine miles beyond where GRTC route 7 from downtown now turns around, at Richmond International Airport.

Another pilot service will service a stretch of North Chesterfield between Chippenham Parkway, where GRTCs 1C Hull Street line turns around, to Route 288.

GRTC will also run a micro-transit service in the Washington Park-Azalea Avenue area.

GRTC plans to phase in service in these areas this fiscal year, with the first to be launched in the fall, Torres told the transportation authority.

She said GRTC is working with consultants to refine service territory boundaries and to develop more precise operating and capital costs.

GRTC is entitled to 15% of the funds the Central Virginia Transportation Authority collects through a 0.7% regional sales tax, a wholesale tax of 7.6 cents a gallon and a diesel tax of 7.7 cents.

An additional 35% of the money  now running at more than $200 million a year  goes for regional projects, and the rest goes back to the authoritys nine member localities for their own top priority projects.

PHOTOS: GRTC introduces pride-themed bus
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The last couple of weeks have brought seasonable July heat to Virginia, but the old Southern adage is true more than ever: Its not the heat that is so bad, its the humidity.

It has turned more humid since the first of the month, but summers are also turning more humid in Richmond.

While relative humidity gets a lot of attention, the number is not a good representation of how we feel the humidity when we go outside. Relative humidity is relative to temperature, meaning how close the air is to saturation and cloud formation.

Warmer air holds more water, so a muggy summer afternoon has a relative humidity of about 50%. But in a blinding snowstorm, the humidity is 100%, and it certainly does not feel humid when we go outside.

This is why meteorologists are so fond of the dew point. Think of it as the point at which dew forms or, more broadly, the temperature at which saturation occurs. That same humid summer day has a dew point of 74 degrees. Whereas during the snowstorm, the dew point is below 32 degrees.

And the summer dew points have been trending upward in the last dozen years. Using data going back to the 1940s, 11 of the past 13 summers have been more humid than average in Richmond.

Compounding that with the air temperature yields the heat index, sometimes referred to the feels-like temperature. That upward trend is even more pronounced in Richmond, above normal in all of the past 13 summers.

This also shows up in the warmer summer nights, as the humid air does not cool as much as air without a lot of water vapor.

Using a running 30-year calculation, the average summer low temperature in Richmond has risen from 66.3 degrees in 1927 to 67.7 degrees in 2022, and only two years since 1998 have been below that average.

June brought us a well-earned break from high humidity in Richmond, as it was the second-least humid June since the 1940s. But the surging humidity this month is making up for it. The average low so far this month in Richmond is 71.5  once again above that 30-year running average.

The humid heat poses more of a health risk to those working outside, whether on a farm or at a construction site. And more than ever, it is important to be mindful of the health risks that follow, whether it is heat exhaustion or the more serious impacts of heat stroke.

Over the next couple of weeks, Richmond will have the occasional day flirting with the mid-90s, but the true anchor of the heat appears to be locked in west of the Mississippi River. However, the higher humidity appears to be sticking with us most of those two weeks.

Considering the world just had its warmest June on record, Virginia has been lucky so far this summer.

Top 5 weekend events: Hanover Tomato Festival, Brewfest & 'Ain't Too Proud' Brewfest Hanover Tomato Festival Ain't Too Proud" "Gold: The Midas Musical" Horse racing
PALM SPRINGS, Calif.  More than a third of Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings Thursday as a blistering heat wave that's been baking the nation spread further into California, forcing residents to seek out air conditioning or find other ways to stay cool in triple-digit temperatures.

The sweltering conditions were expected to build Friday and through the weekend in Central and Southern California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned. Highs in inland desert areas could top 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and remain in the 80s overnight, offering little relief.

In the desert city of Palm Springs, many homeless people were left to contend with the heat on their own, with just 20 indoor beds at the lone overnight shelter.

John Summers, a homeless resident, climbed through a dry riverbed Thursday to seek shade at an encampment.

"I basically just use water as much as I can. And hit shade. And, you know, the mall, wherever they'll let you in," he said.

Roman Ruiz, the city's homeless services coordinator, said homeless residents struggle daily just to find a place with enough shade. "I don't know how anyone can do it really," he said. "I feel so bad, and yet there's not much I can do."

The mercury was expected to near 110 degrees in the city Thursday.

Elsewhere, officials prepared to repurpose public libraries, senior centers and police department lobbies as cooling centers, especially in desert areas.

The heat wave came as the California State Fair prepared to kick off Friday in Sacramento, forcing organizers to cancel planned horseracing events due to concerns for animal safety.

Forecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous, especially for older people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas.

In Las Vegas, regional health officials launched a new database Thursday to report "heat-caused" and "heat-related" deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October.

The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related. The tally includes deaths due to heat exposure or hyperthermia and cases with those reasons listed as "significant factors," district spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore said.

Phoenix hit 110 degrees for the 14th consecutive day Thursday, putting it on track for a possible new record next week. The longest measured stretch of 110 degree-plus temperatures for the city is 18 days, recorded in 1974.

The overnight low temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday morning was 95 degrees, which means temperatures may not be dropping far enough to allow people to recover after dark.

While there are some 200 cooling and hydration centers operated at libraries, community centers, churches and other public spaces across metro Phoenix, most close anywhere between 4 and 7 p.m., leaving people with few options for cooling off in the still-sweltering nights.

David Hondula, chief heat officer for the City of Phoenix, said some centers plan to close later over the weekend, including one downtown near a large encampment of homeless people that will stay open 24 hours.

Hondula suggested the Federal Emergency Management Agency could play a role in the future to help keep cooling centers open longer.

Meanwhile in California, cooling centers in and around Sacramento planned to offer some extended evening hours. In the small Central Valley city of Galt, about 25 miles south of the state capital, the police department planned to open its air-conditioned lobby between 2 and 10 p.m. from Friday until Monday.

The same lobby served as a warming center during California's unusually wet, cold and snowy winter, demonstrating the state's weather whiplash the state this year.

Employers were reminded to adhere to regulations that require outdoor workers are given water, shade and regular breaks to cool off. The state will be performing spot checks at work sites to make sure the rules are being followed, said Jeff Killip with California's Division of Occupational Safety & Health.

Meanwhile the wildfire season is ramping up amid the hot, dry conditions with a series of blazes erupting across the state this week, Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, said at a media briefing this week.

Global climate change is "supercharging" heat waves, Crowfoot added. California has instituted a $400 million extreme heat action plan to protect workers, help vulnerable communities and assist local communities in opening cooling centers.

People looking to cool down in California's many rivers should be wary, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said, noting that waterways swollen from the epic Sierra Nevada snowpack remain dangerous as there is still snow left to melt.

"Be aware that the water will still be icy cold despite how hot the air will be and could be flowing very fast, much faster than usual for mid-July," he said.
The woman supposedly fainted at least three times that morning and claimed unconsciousness during the height of the attack. Between swoons, she allegedly claimed her assailant was a thin-moustached, dark-skinned Black man whose toes poked through his shoes.

About noon, wrote The Daily Progress, a negro named John Henry James was arrested in Dudleys barroom as answering somewhat the description.

Local authorities, realizing the growing White antipathy for James, whisked him away to Staunton for his safety. But on a train ride back to Charlottesville, James and his escorts, the Charlottesville police chief and Albemarle sheriff, were headed off. More than 150 White men were said to have held them at gunpoint, demanding James be handed over.

With James in hand, the mob carried him to a locust tree and hanged him. Some of the lynchers shot the dead or dying man, whose body remained hanging for as many as four hours.

Before his killing, The Daily Progress quoted James as saying, Before God, I am innocent."

In court Wednesday, Schmidt provided a historical account of James death, with nods to the long fight against lynching throughout U.S. history and despite a high-pitched microphone feedback impeding the audibility of her testimony.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was happy to hear Virginias watchdog agency bark about the states long neglect of its obligation to fully fund public education.

Kaine, who became lieutenant governor six months after the General Assembly last failed to reach agreement on a revised state budget before the end of the fiscal year, said the timing of a new report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission was frankly, good because of its potential to break a political stalemate over revisions to the states current two-year spending plan. The impasse centers on a $1 billion gulf between Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who wants a package of corporate and individual tax cuts, and Senate Democrats, who say the money would be better spent addressing some of the $3.5 billion in needs estimated by JLARC for Virginia to fund K-12 public schools.

Its my hope that the JLARC report might spur the General Assembly, if they find a compromise, to really put our kids first, Kaine said after introducing legislation with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., to force the federal government to live up to its own funding obligations to students with disabilities.

But the prospect of compromise on revisions to Virginias two-year budget appears dim, after the rancorous breakdown of negotiations between House Republicans and Senate Democrats days before the state fiscal year ended June 30. It marked the first time that Virginia began a new fiscal year without a revised budget since 2001. That year, the General Assembly, controlled by Republicans, failed to reach agreement in a showdown with Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore over his signature plan to repeal local government personal property taxes.

The two-year budget legislators adopted last year remains in place, but the impasse creates uncertainty about state funding for local school divisions and other core government services.

Im always hopeful, but its looking pretty grim, said Finance Co-Chair Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax.

Howell was traveling in Japan with family when House Appropriations Chairman Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, cut off budget talks with Senate Finance Co-Chair George Barker, D-Fairfax, on June 27, after the Senate proposed $900 million in one-time rebates to taxpayers, but none of the ongoing cuts sought by the governor or proposed by House Republicans.

High stakes in November

The budget drama reflects the political stakes in elections in November for all 140 assembly seats. Those elections will determine majority control of the legislature and the fate of Youngkins agenda, as the Republican flirts with a long-shot run for the White House. With contentious party primaries over, House Republicans and Senate Democrats appear no closer to reaching an agreement on changes to the budget, potentially leaving it to voters to assign blame.

Republicans will run on not being able to get tax cuts, and Democrats will run on not being able to get sufficient funding for K-12 public education, said Stephen Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. Its bad news for local school divisions for there to be no compromise like this.

Youngkin is betting big money  his political committee raised a record $5.75 million in the second quarter of this year  that he can win the debate and take control of the assembly to enact his conservative agenda. The governor has not backed off his plan, even as Knight has floated potential compromises that would not lower the corporate tax rate, which Democrats are using as a political weapon against Republican candidates.

The governor is expected to make a final push next week with the release of June revenue collections, which he said will show that Virginia can afford both his proposed tax cuts and more spending in education, behavioral health and public safety.

I think that will be my final plea, because I think we will fully confirm that we are well ahead of the $3.6 billion budget forecast for a surplus that I laid out in December, Youngkin said in Petersburg on July 6.

And theres no reason why we shouldnt be able to have a substantial reduction  Ive asked for a little bit over a billion dollars in reduction  and invest a substantial amount, $2.6 billion, in critically important investments on behalf of Virginians, he said.

Education has been central to the governors agenda since he took office, but the JLARC report poses both an opportunity and a challenge for him to make good on his promises, said Mark Rozell, founding dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

Potentially, it gives him the opportunity to break the budget impasse, but that means a willingness to compromise with the opposition party on cuts, Rozell said Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, says Youngkin has already missed the opportunity.

He could have solved the problem, Saslaw said. Instead of giving $4 billion in tax cuts last year, he could have brought us up to the national average in funding for K-12 schools.

Knight, who has been looking for a compromise, says he would resume negotiations on an hours notice. But Senate budget conferees are waiting for him to counter their offer of $900 million in one-time rebates.

We need them to move, said Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, who was among Senate negotiators from both parties who met in Richmond on Thursday to privately discuss strategy and options.

School funding study

The JLARC study has raised the stakes in both the budget standoff and the looming elections by picking apart the entrenched formula that has evolved over the past 50 years to fund public education  under both Democratic and Republican governors and legislative majorities.

As a result, the study says Virginia lags behind national and regional averages for K-12 funding by $1,900 a student, mainly because it pays too little for the teachers and other people who run public schools, leaving local governments to shoulder most of the burden. Local school divisions employ 51% more staff than the state pays to support, the study finds, including a whopping 677% more teacher aides.

The report recommends eliminating a cap on state funding of school support staff that the state imposed in 2009 after revenues dried up in the Great Recession. It urges better compensation for teachers and other employees, and more funding of small school divisions or those with high concentrations of at-risk students. It suggests further study of special education, which badly lags in state funding, and a new way to give more money to school divisions with higher labor costs, not just in Northern Virginia.

Finally, it recommends basing the K-12 funding formula on the number of students, which it says would be more straightforward than Virginias current formula based on staffing costs.

The evidence of the educational challenges Virginia faces is compelling and widespread, Farnsworth said, but the political reality means that fixing it will require compromise, which doesnt seem to play well politically these days.

Former House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, a retired high school teacher who now lobbies for higher education, said Friday, I understand exactly where JLARC is coming from.

Measures such as the cap on funding support positions were necessary to devote state money to classrooms, Cox said, but, ultimately, they backfired by forcing localities to cover costs. At the same time, Cox cautioned against major commitments to fix the formula without looking first at potential consequences.

Id be very careful about building a model and being stuck with a high price tag, he said.

Political reaction has divided along party lines, with Democrats trumpeting the findings as support for their position on the budget and Republicans finding fault with the report, which Knight suggested is a little bit biased or skewed toward teachers and school administrators who participated in work groups to help JLARC identify school needs.

JLARC Director Hal Greer called any suggestion of bias completely unfounded and noted that work group recommendations explicitly were excluded from calculating the estimated costs of fixing problems the report identifies.

As with all studies that we conduct, this review was performed with a high degree of rigor, and appropriate measures were in place to ensure the accuracy, reliability and objectivity of the analysis, Greer said.

Knight wants state legislators to conduct their own study of the issues before committing to funding recommended by JLARC.

Were the policymakers, were the people who write the checks, so we need to have a better understanding of it, he said in an interview on Thursday.

For example, Knight and the Youngkin administration were quick to note that the study does not reflect additional spending in the current two-year budget  which the governor estimates at $3.2 billion  and what is currently on the table.

I think education is already on the way to catching up, he said.

But that is also true of other states that have increased funding to compete for teachers and other talent, said Mark Gribben, project leader of the study.

While there is a possibility that Virginia would look better if there had been a way to include (fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024) funding increases, there is also a real possibility that Virginia would look about the same or worse, Gribben said.

JLARC also noted that the administration is double counting part of the $1.9 billion in additional direct aid to schools in the last fiscal year, including federal aid for one-time teacher bonuses. The amount of aid fell by almost $700 million in this fiscal year, for a cumulative increase of $1.2 billion. But most of the increase in base funding the first year is sustained in the second.

Knight said the report also did not reflect $1.5 billion in unspent federal aid to localities under emergency legislation during the COVID-19 pandemic or $1.25 billion in grants and loans to help localities replace or renovate outdated school buildings  one-time expenditures that JLARC said do not affect funding for ongoing school operations.

Were really looking out for localities and school systems, the House budget leader said.

Howell, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of her term in January, said the report strengthens the Senate position that we need to be investing in our education system and that thats more important than giving a few more dollars a month back to taxpayers.

Tax break proposals

The Senate has proposed one-time rebate checks of $200 for individual taxpayers and $400 to couples filing jointly. The House has offered a compromise that includes one-time checks of $100 and $200, respectively; an increase in the standard deduction for the second time in two years; broadening an exemption for military retirement income; and changing the income ranges on the four individual tax brackets. The Senate rejected ongoing cuts, which Knight called a line in the sand.

The proposed compromise did not include Youngkins proposals to cut the corporate income tax rate by 1 percentage point and the top individual rate by a quarter percentage point, but the governor has not publicly backed off of either position.

Howell said its unlikely that the Senate will agree to cuts that will mean substantial reduction in state revenues in future budget years.

Weve got big bills coming that we want to be able to pay, she added, citing both public education and behavioral health.

The most expensive changes JLARC recommended could be made in future budgets, but the study suggests about $1 billion in changes in the near term. The biggest changes would include ending measures the state took in 2010 in response to a big drop in revenue during the Great Recession, such as the cap on state funding of support positions, a cost of $515 million. The assembly has gradually reduced the number of positions covered by the support cap, and the proposed Senate budget would end it entirely.

We have students suffering, we have teachers suffering, and we have local governments suffering, said Barker, who lost his Senate seat in a Democratic primary against a progressive challenger who cast him as too willing to compromise with Youngkin. What we need to do is respond to this in a way that helps all three of them.

The question is whether the reports stark portrayal of Virginias public education system will make it easier for budget negotiators to compromise.

I think the JLARC report is going to make it harder to go even an inch further than what weve already proposed and theyve rejected, Deeds said.

However, if the assembly fails to reach agreement, he said, You dont know how voters are going to respond, and its our responsibility to get the job done.

From the Archive: Remember these Richmond-area restaurants?
Because of recent serious incidents in several Virginia schools, there is significant public concern about student behavior. Student behavior is frequently cited as a major reason for teachers leaving the profession. A frequent lament is that schools need more discipline.

Very often, the concept of discipline is pretty narrow, limited to actions such as detention, suspension, expulsion and maybe even corporal punishment.

These are, however, simply reactive measures. We need to consider school discipline in a much more proactive and holistic way.

Behavioral expectations

Critical to effective school discipline are concise and nonnegotiable behavioral expectations for students that are developed collaboratively with stakeholders and clearly communicated through multiple channels. These expectations should be presented in a context of protecting everyones right to a safe and orderly learning environment.

Logistics

A primary goal of school discipline must be to prevent problems. The way in which logistics of a school building are handled is essential to preventing behavior problems.

Anyone who works in a school knows where and when many problems occur  hallways, bathrooms, cafeterias, class changes, arrival and dismissal. Well-designed and active supervision is key to managing these less-structured places and times. While technology such as cameras and metal detectors can enhance supervision, there is no substitute for well-placed adult eyes and voices to deter kids from doing something foolish.

Supporting strong supervision is thoughtful planning about variables such as hallway traffic flow, lunch schedules and procedures, building entry and exit patterns, class sizes and the mix of students in individual classes. Attention to these areas can also prevent potential problems.

Even if a school has dedicated security personnel, supervision responsibilities will also fall on teachers and other staff. They need to be compensated for this additional pull from their primary responsibilities.

Training

Another key component in holistic discipline is training for teachers and other staff who work with students in a school building or on school buses.

For teachers, this training needs to particularly focus on how instructional planning and methodology impact behavior. Long periods of lecture or other passive instruction for any age student can be an invitation for problems. Actively engaged students are less likely to find other diversions.

For all staff, training should emphasize maintaining consistent expectations and de-escalation of conflict situations, whether they be student-to-teacher or student-to-student. An integral part of de-escalation is understanding the cultural backgrounds of students, which should also be part of any training. (And, no, understanding the cultural backgrounds of students is not critical race theory.)

Student support

A very large proportion of behavior issues in schools stems from mental health issues. It is absolutely critical that every school have access to strong counseling and mental health services. The mental health struggles of young people were a major problem before the pandemic. It's now a crisis.

Schoolwide programs that encourage appropriate behavior can also be very effective. My district in South Carolina very successfully used an evidence-based program called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, or PBIS. However, there are several excellent programs out there. Working with students on conflict resolution is also a best practice.

Beyond this, accessible tutorial and other academic assistance programs are tremendous deterrents to discipline problems.

All this said, a school culture in which students feel valued and respected is a necessary environmental context for alleviating discipline problems.

Alternative educational settings

While prevention is preferable, schools and districts must be ready to respond forthrightly to situations in which a student will not comply with reasonable behavioral expectations. Responses must extend beyond traditional suspension or expulsion.

While both suspension and expulsion are justified at times, there is no research showing that suspension or expulsion changes behavior. With suspension, an already-struggling student simply falls further behind. With expulsion, a student who is already experiencing problems is out on the street.

Districts therefore need to have a wide range of alternative options. These should include everything from in-school learning options to alternative schools. These programs cannot simply be warehouses. They must be legitimate opportunities that enable a student to catch up academically, to possibly return to the regular school environment and to ultimately graduate.

Working with families

In working with student behavior, schools must see families as partners. Its always best to have schools and families pulling in the same direction. Ongoing communication is vital here.

Regrettably, schools are sometimes justifiably forced to pursue difficult actions without family support. While this situation isnt optimal, its going to happen. Families do have significant legal due process rights if they believe a disciplinary action to be unwarranted.

Proactive and reactive measures

Management of student behavior requires a more comprehensive perspective that balances proactive and reactive measures. A holistic approach that includes strong preventative strategies and a wider range of options to address unacceptable behavior will be far more successful and cost-effective.

GALLERY: Mass shooting after Richmond graduation ceremony
05-02-1954 (cutline): Mrs. Peyton Flemming, Mrs. Andrew Christian and Mrs. Edmund Strudwick, Jr. (from left) drop by the Branch House to make last-minute arrangements for the James River Garden Club's flower show.

04-23-1943 (cutline): Ancient lances, or alabards, rest against doors in the Branch House.

04-01-1976 (cutline): Branch House will be backgrop for a neighborhood park on its grounds.

05-05-1954 (cutline): The simplicity of this tiny alcove accentuated by stone floors and stairways and deep window ledge.

04-01-1955 (cutline): Former Branch family living room becomes assembly hall for Community Chest. Hall will be available for meetings of civic and educational organizations.

04-27-1955 (cutline): Iron grill is from sixteenth century Italian church. Miss Alice Hutzler works in the New Community Council Office.

From the Archives: The Branch House

Located on Monument Avenue, the Branch House is one of Richmonds iconic historic homes.

The home was designed in 1916 by the firm of John Russell Pope, a well known American architect who later designed the National Archives building, Records Administration building and the west wing of the National Art Gallery in Washington D.C.

The Branch House was originally the private residence for John Kerr Branch and his wife. Branch was a wealthy financier from a notable Virginia family.

The 27,000 square foot mansion, which was completed in 1919, is one of the earliest surviving structures of the Tudor Revival architectural style in Virginia today.

In 1950, a Branch family heir donated the building to the United Givers Fund, known today as United Way.

In 1982, the home passed through two more ownersfirst the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company that used the building as an office space and then the building was donated to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

In the early 2000s, the Virginia Center for Architecture bequeathed the house, putting immense effort into the structures rehabilitation. As a result, for the first time, the home was opened to the public as an architecture museuma rarity in the U.S.

Today, the home is listed in the National Register of Historic places and is open regularly for tours.
President Joe Biden is meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, this week with leaders of other NATO countries to try to shore up an alliance whose importance has been accentuated by Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, but which continues to face challenges and lingering internal tensions.

But even as Biden is emphasizing the utility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the need to assist Ukraine as that country presses its counter-offensive, he is appropriately exhibiting caution about Ukraine joining NATO.

This might seem like a contradiction, but it isnt. In an interview on CNN, Biden made the obvious but important point that NATO membership for Ukraine while its defensive war with Russia continued would necessitate direct U.S. involvement. Were determined to [defend] every inch of territory that is NATO territory, Biden said. Its a commitment that weve all made no matter what. If the war is going on, then were all in a war. Were at war with Russia, if that were the case.

Biden also noted that, at a time when the unity of NATO is important, I dont think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war. Better, as the president seems to realize, to focus on easing differences within the alliance.

On Monday, in a major step forward, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Turkeys leader had agreed to support Swedens bid to join NATO. This breakthrough came a short time after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had indicated that the European Union would have to act first on Turkeys effort to join that association. With Turkeys agreement, Hungary is also expected to approve membership for Sweden.

Its understandable that Ukraine, seeing NATO states extend a welcome to Finland and Sweden, might wonder why it must defend itself without the protection of the North Atlantic Treatys Article 5, which says that an armed attack against one or more NATO members shall be considered an attack against them all. But even after the war with Russia ends, ideally with a Ukrainian victory, it may make sense for Western nations to provide Ukraine with security guarantees short of NATO membership.

Biden said in his CNN interview that he favors a rational path for Ukraine to qualify for NATO membership. While that process played out, he suggested, the United States could provide security assistance similar to that provided to Israel. It could turn out that such assistance would be adequate to Ukraines needs without the further step of full NATO membership.

To their credit, Western nations have provided significant assistance to Ukraine in its just war of self-defense. The Biden administration has decided to provide Ukraine with cluster weapons, a controversial decision that is troubling despite the administrations suggestion that the weapons in question are less dangerous to civilians than other cluster bombs and that Ukraine will not use them in urban areas populated by civilians. That military assistance can continue, and even increase, without admitting Ukraine to NATO.
Tibet Story: Backpacker delivering charitable donations across China's Tibet

Xinhua) 11:09, July 14, 2023

LHASA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Shi Hongqing, 52, once dreamed of travelling across Eurasia by bike, but he changed his mind upon his arrival in Lhasa, the capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, out of pure love for the public welfare cause.

Hailing from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Shi was once a carpenter in a local pasture. The humdrum existence soon bored the young man. One day he read about the exotic sceneries and cultures of other countries on the continents of Europe and Asia, and got lost in thoughts.

"I had heard a lot about the exciting outside world from my friends, and thus I made up my mind to become a backpacker in 1993, hoping to ride all across Eurasia," he recalled.

During his trip to Tibet in 2001, Shi ditched his bike for a horse, a common transportation means at that time in the region. When Shi reached more than 4,000 meters above sea level, the muddy roads forced him to continue his journey on foot.

With little replenishment, he had to eat wild vegetables growing along the roads. Unfortunately, he got poisoned and began hallucinating when climbing a mountain.

"I thought I was about to die there, since it was in the middle of nowhere. However, a local villager saved me, offering me home-made yak butter tea and food," Shi said, adding that it was the help and support of warm-hearted strangers on his journey that enabled him to reach Lhasa in 2003.

"Though I belong to a different ethnic group and speak a different language from that of the local Tibetan residents, they always smile back at me whenever I smile," Shi said. "I have been to many places, but this is where I am received with the most warmth," he added.

The backpacker was deeply touched by the kindness of the locals and began his public welfare career by donating unused and unwanted clothes to those in need.

Shi later opened his own pub in the city, attracting visitors from other parts of China, many of whom have proved to be civil-minded. People began to ask Shi to help them transfer their donations to children living far away from the city proper. New clothes, stationery, books -- anything the children may need but can hardly afford -- are brought to the pub and then sent to schools in Tibet's distant pasturing areas.

Over the past decade, Shi's charitable donations collected by himself and other backpackers have reached over 60 counties in Tibet, with more than 1,000 "kind strangers" like the one who saved his life on the mountain involved in this love and care campaign.

"What Shi does is extraordinarily moving to me. I once followed him to deliver such donations to the rural areas. Looking at the bright smiles and into the clear eyes of the children, I felt my heart was melting and got to understand the reason why Shi has kept sending the materials all the time," said Li Kunming, a visitor to Tibet from southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Shi is proud of his pub becoming a famous "transfer station" of love and care. On trips to deliver such donations, he has also found some welcome changes in the pasturing areas, such as the much improved road traffic and living conditions of the locals, as well as better healthcare and material supplies in the rural areas.

"Tibet offered me a new start in life. It was the kind smiles and people's goodness in Lhasa, which is often dubbed 'the city of sunshine,' that made me decide to settle down and end my backpacker journey. I hope I can plant the seed of warmth in others' hearts by doing my part," Shi said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
North Korea fires a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 12, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap



The powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday condemned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for holding a meeting over the North's latest firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), calling it a "rightful" exercise of self-defense.



Kim Yo-jong expressed "great displeasure" at the UNSC, as its members met Thursday (New York time) to discuss the North's launch of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day.



Calling the UNSC meeting an "unfair and biased" move, she said the ICBM launch serves as a "rightful" exercise of self-defense in response to the United States' "hostile" policy against her country, according to state media.



"No one has any justification to take issue with the launch of our new-type ICBM," Kim said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.






Cancun International Airport overpass nearing 75 percent complete

Cancun, Q.R.  The new overpass system for the Cancun International Airport is nearing 75 percent finished. On Thursday, Governor Mara Lezama reported briefly on the advancements.

With an advance of almost 75 percent in the construction of the airport distributor, we will inaugurate this mega project very soon. Work is currently being carried out on loop 35, paving on the trunk and on the removal of the product from the demolition of abutment 4 of the old structure.

We continue to work hand-in-hand with the Government of Mexico so that this project, which will transform the mobility of the people of Quintana Roo and our visitors, shortening their travel times, is ready in a timely manner.

Crews continue with the removal of debris from the demolition of the old structure. Photo: Mara Lezama July 13, 2023.

The construction progress update of the Cancun International Airport Distributor was provided by information from the Ministry of the Interior.

On June 16, a section of the new airport overpass was opened to public traffic. During the night time hours, crews worked with heavy machinery to demolish the old bridge. The much-needed new airport overpass is scheduled for completion before the end of this year.
From the 1830s onward, a movement developed in the Church of England that sought to reclaim a classic High Church tradition within Anglicanism that gave weight to the apostolic succession, sacraments, the Christian year and festivals, and liturgical order. Some, though not all, within this group sought to align the church more closely with Roman Catholic thoughttheologically, spiritually, and liturgically. The origins of this movement lay in the historic city of Oxford, the location of the martyrdoms of the Protestant bishops Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley, who had been executed in 1555, and Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, in 1556. The leading members were John Henry Newman, John Keble, Hurrell Froude, and, a little later, Edward Pusey. They were known as the Oxford Movement, and sometimes the Tractarians, named after their publications The Tracts for the Times, which appeared from 1833 to 1841. The group was controversial. Froudes ascetic practices exposed by his work Remains, published in 1838 after his death at the tender age of 32 in 1836, shocked not only evangelicals but also a wider public. Nevertheless, the Oxford Movement became increasingly influential across a broad range of Anglican practice. The last of the Tracts, Tract 90, written by Newman, was an attempt to give a Catholic interpretation to the Church of Englands Thirty-Nine Articles, which was rather like trying to square a circle. Newman left for Rome in 1845; of the other originators of the movement, Froude was dead and, significantly, neither Keble nor Pusey followed Newman.

John Keble was a poet, priest, and theologian. Born in Gloucestershire in 1792, he entered Oxford in 1806 (yes, at the age of 14!), graduated with double honors in 1810, and became a fellow of Oriel College the next year. He was ordained in 1816, becoming a curate to his father while remaining in Oxford until the death of his mother in 1823, when he returned home to assist in his fathers parish.

In 1827 Keble published The Christian Year. This was a poetic masterpiece with over a hundred editions and some 375,000 copies sold by 1873, when the copyright expired. The devotional aid consisted of poems for Sundays and festival days. His aim was to encourage piety within the context of the liturgical calendar. Indeed, this book of poetry may represent his greatest impact, a spiritual rather than a political legacy. However, the work also marked Keble out as a High Churchman, and the success of The Christian Year brought him back to the attention of Oxford. In 1831 he was elected professor of poetry, a post he held until 1841.

This sets the scene for his most famous sermon, National Apostasy.

Many towns and cities held assizes, courts designed to deal with the most serious criminal and important civil cases presided over by senior judges visiting from London. The opening of the assizes was a significant civic occasion and normally the occasion of a church service attended by the judges and other civic dignitaries. The selection of the preacher for the assize service in Oxford traditionally lay with the Fellows of Oriel College, and they had among their number just the person for the job. Hence in Oxford, on July 14, 1833, John Keble, priest of the Church of England, professor of poetry and Fellow of Oriel College, was invited to give the sermon, addressing the judges, the great and the good, in the university church of St Mary. The vicar of the church was John Henry Newman. Fifty years later Newman referred to this sermon, National Apostasy, as the beginning of the Oxford Movement.

What was this national apostasy? The moral failure of the nation? The challenges of child labor? The failure to bring the gospel to the working people? The protection of the Sabbath? On those topics, the evangelicals would have sat to attention. Keble, however, was addressing something deeper, the very nature of the church, which was, in the view of the High Church Oxford clerics, under threat.

In the background of the National Apostasy sermon was a bill before Parliament introduced by the Whig (liberal) government of Earl Grey. What possible relevance could the Irish Church Temporalities Bill have to a discussion on the role, purpose, and nature of the church? How could a sermon even tangentially dealing with the subject launch a spiritual movement?

The bill sought to reform and reorganise the Irish church. The population of Ireland was largely Roman Catholic (over 80%). Nevertheless, as a legacy of the attempt over many decades, if not centuries, to impose Protestantism upon an unwilling populace, there remained numerous endowed bishoprics of the Church of England serving a small Protestant population supported by tithes and taxeslevied on the entire population irrespective of religious tradition. There were 22 such bishoprics, and the Whig government proposed to suppress 10 and remove clergy who had no parishioners. Income would be redistributed to church buildings and poorer clergy, and the tithe on tenants was abolished (and moved to landlords). Some revenues released from the reforms were reserved to the state.

The objections to the bill focussed on two aspects. First, the diversion of church revenue to secular matters under the control of the state. Second, the potential reduction of Protestant influence in Ireland through the diminution of the number of bishoprics. If 10 bishoprics were suppressed, why not 12, or 20? The number of bishops required, or otherwise, by the church is not a matter for the state. This actually had the effect of rallying Protestant evangelicals to the cause: Sir Robert Inglis, the MP for the University of Oxford, and Lord Ashley, later the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, both voted against the bill. For Keble and the High Churchmen, however, it was the principle of state interference in the life of the church and the threat to nature of the church as a spiritual society with spiritual responsibilities that raised their hackles. What right did the House of Commons have to interfere?

This was the apostasy that Keble complained about.

He took as his text for the sermon 1 Samuel 12:23: As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. He discussed the demand of the people of Israel for a king and exposed the heart of the question by noting that this was a perpetual warning to all nations, as well as to all individual Christians, who, having accepted God for their King, allow themselves to be weary of subjection to Him, and think they should be happier if they were freer, and more like the rest of the world.

The nearest Keble came to actual comment on the bill itself is when he noted that disrespect to the Successors of the Apostles, as such, is an unquestionable symptom of enmity to Him, and that such disrespect, general and national, might be driven not by faith but by human reasons of popularity and expediency. Such a nation stands convicted in His sight of a direct disavowal of His Sovereignty. This constitutes the national apostasy of which Keble talks. The point was not lost on his audience, representatives of an erring government.

In the face of this Erastian encroachment (Erastianism being the principle of the supremacy of the state in the affairs of the church), the only viable response was to serve a remonstrance to the nation and intercessory prayer to God on behalf of that nation. The church was under threat and must respond.

What were the consequences of the sermon both for the Oxford Movement and for Keble himself? In the immediate aftermath, Newman sought to rally support to the cause. In that same year, the Tracts for the Times commenced publication. Keble himself wrote several of the Tracts, including, nos. 4 (Apostolic Succession), 13 (Selecting Sunday Lessons), 40 (Baptism), 52, 54, 57, 60 (Sermons for Saints Days), and 89 (Mysticism in the Fathers). You can see from these interests the High Church priest and theologian.

Indeed, Keble, shy and reserved yet strong-minded and passionate, was at heart a priest who saw the Oxford Movement as an opportunity to bring renewal to parish life, to recover the classic High Church emphases, to write, and to pastor a parish. This is almost certainly why he left Oxford in 1836, one year after marriage, to settle as the vicar of Hursley, near Winchester in Hampshire, where he remained until his death in 1866. His poetry has found its way into hymns, and in addition to the Tracts and other works, he edited a Library of the Fathers. He took a different direction from Newman, and he certainly regretted Newmans departure for Rome. Perhaps his passions and interests in parish renewal kept him in the Church of England.

Priest, poet, theologian, pastora High Churchman committed to the liturgical year, the order of worship, the apostolic succession, and the sacraments: Keble was influential beyond any expectation, right up to todays Anglo-Catholic revival in the United States, but truly at home in the parish.
North Carolina's liquor sales system, which employs managers for each of the state's 171 governmental alcohol control boards, has been described as unwieldy and redundant by critics and beneficial to taxpayers by supporters.

An analysis of the salaries of the general manager running about 140 of the states 171 boards shows the average salary is about $70,000, the highest being $217,000 in Mecklenburg County. These managers handle liquor sales to the general public and to bars and restaurants in their coverage area. Most managers  about 100 of 171 boards  run a single store.

North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association President and CEO Lynn Minges says the vast number of boards and government employees running the system are redundant and the system is difficult to maneuver for businesses.

Brantley Uzzell, vice president of the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards, said the system is self-funded and costs nothing to citizens who do not drink liquor.

Clunky and cumbersome

North Carolina is one of 17 states where liquor sales are controlled by the government. It is the only state where liquor sales are controlled by local boards, rather than the state.

In North Carolina, after the lifting of Prohibition in 1933, counties, cities and towns could vote to approve liquor sales in their area. If approved, those local governments appoint an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which hires a manager to run liquor stores and sell liquor and spirits to local businesses like bars and restaurants. Because cities in counties without liquor sales could choose to create their own ABC boards, there are now 171 boards, nearly double the states 100 counties.

The boards report in some ways to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission and profits are distributed to the local municipalities and counties in their area, but by law, each board is an independent political subdivision of the state, operating under their own policies and authority, said Hugh Stevens, a lawyer with Stevens, Martin, Vaughn & Tadych who specializes in public records and First Amendment law.

Minges, who advocates for the thousands of restaurants and lodges in North Carolina, said that separation between the ABC boards makes the system difficult to navigate and redundant.

There are 100 counties, and somehow we do good with 100 units of county government, but we have 171 local (ABC) boards, Minges said. So that system is clunky and cumbersome and expensive and we bump up against those challenges with the local boards on a daily basis.

One of the biggest difficulties bars and restaurants face is in buying liquor. In North Carolina, a state warehouse buys liquor from distributors, and ABC boards must order liquor from the state warehouse. Bars and restaurants must then purchase their liquor from their local ABC board.

If a bars ABC store or board is out of a product, or unable to get a product the bar ordered, the bar is not allowed to buy the product from a different board, even if the products are well in stock at another store nearby. A past investigation by Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team revealed some small ABC boards sometimes have difficulty getting the liquor customers want.

Because there are such a large number of small ABC boards, bars and restaurants also have to pick up liquor from stores, rather than get it delivered, as they might be able to do in a different system.

This is not rocket science. And it's time for government to try to figure out how to be more efficient in delivering products, Minges said. These are things the private sector does every day.

Uzzell, who manages two ABC boards, Lenoir County and Jones County, said the reasoning behind so many different boards is so that local purchases benefit local cities and counties. The profits from liquor sales go directly to the local cities and counties in the ABC boards coverage area. Those government leaders can decide how to use the majority of that money.

I cant speak for what's good for another county but I know what our county needs, he said. I think its better in the hands of the local leaders.

Maggie Barchine, director of communications for the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, said the revenue from the alcohol control model often leads to investment in infrastructure, education and substance abuse prevention and help.

I think, for states that do have the control model, the citizens in those states receive a lot of benefits, you know, the fact that the revenue that is made, goes back for the citizens of the state.

Each of the boards in North Carolina requires board members, many of whom are paid per meeting, and general managers and employees, all of whom are paid by the revenue made on liquor sales.

Managers salaries

General managers salaries range from $20,000 annually to $217,000, according to the salary information provided by about 140 ABC boards.

Minges believes having so many highly paid government employees selling liquor is wasteful.

They (the boards) each have infrastructure. They have staff. They have overhead costs. And they are all government employees. They're all on the government till, she said.

The salaries of ABC general managers are dictated by state law that says the general managers may not make more annually than the clerk of superior court in that county. There can be exceptions made by the leaders that appoint the ABC board, and there are several instances. In at least six instances, the ABC general manager makes more money than the clerk of court in that county. Those include Mecklenburg's manager, Wake County, Greensboro, Sanford, Chatham County and Boone.

There are also rules that apply to those who are appointed to the ABC boards. These members are appointed by the city or county leaders who create the ABC board. Some board members are not paid at all, while others receive the state maximum of $150 per meeting.

In some cases, the appointing authorities voted to make an exception and pay their ABC board members more than $150 per meeting. There are no laws guiding when exemptions to the state limits on general manager salaries and board pay can be made, only that the appointing authority  county or city leaders  must approve the exemptions.

In Mecklenburg County, the board chair is paid $600 per month, and the remaining four members are paid $500 per month, with typically 11 meetings held each year, according to information provided by the Mecklenburg County ABC board. Wake County pays its chairman $500 per meeting, and other members $400 per meeting, according to the ABC board.

Some members of boards that operate one store earn more than the $150 per meeting rate set by the state. West Jefferson ABC board members receive $500 per meeting, with 12 to 14 meetings per year, according to General Manager Tony Lyall. Mount Holly board members get $200 per month and the chairman gets $250 per month, according to the Mount Holly ABC Board. Waynesville ABC board members get $250 per meeting, with one meeting a month, according to the board.

The independence and lack of consistency between boards leads each board to have a monopoly in its area, Minges said.

Minges believes because of the way the system is set up, not allowing private liquor sales or wholesale purchases from other ABC boards, there isnt incentive for quality service either, she said.

I mean, if that local board realized that they were going to lose a sale to another neighboring board, they might be more inclined to procure their product and their customers demand, Minges said. Now, there's not a lot of incentive to provide good customer service.

Behind the data

About 30 ABC boards of North Carolinas 171 did not respond to public information requests for the compensation of their board members and general manager.

Some refused the request outright. The information is of public record, according to North Carolina law, Stevens, a specialist in public record law, said.

In response to the request from Lee Enterprises, the Highlands ABC Board manager Kevin Vinson said, I will not provide manager or any other employee salaries of the store as that is private information since we are employees of the store, not the state. The board operates one store.

The Mount Pleasant ABC Board asked their general manager, Amy Underwood, not to release the information, she said.

Stevens said as independent subdivisions of the state, ABC employee salaries are of public record.

There is no question that ABC boards are all public bodies and anyone who says otherwise or tries to stonewall a request is wrong, thats just not the case, Stevens said.

The Kings Mountain ABC Board said they needed more information to respond to the information request. Despite more information on the request being provided, the ABC board did not respond to further emails. By law, public bodies are not entitled to any information about who is requesting public information, Stevens said.

The Maxton County ABC Board would not release the information without state permission but as independent subdivisions, that permission is not required, according to NC Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Public Affairs Director Jeff Strickland.

ABC boards were given nearly two months to respond to the request and several reminder emails and phone calls.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was happy to hear Virginia's watchdog agency bark about the state's long neglect of its obligation to fully fund public education.

Kaine, who became lieutenant governor six months after the General Assembly last failed to reach agreement on a revised state budget before the end of the fiscal year, said the timing of a new report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission was "frankly, good" because of its potential to break a political stalemate over revisions to the state's current two-year spending plan.

The impasse centers on a $1 billion gulf between Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who wants a package of corporate and individual tax cuts, and Senate Democrats, who say the money would be better spent in addressing some of the $3.5 billion in needs estimated by JLARC for Virginia to live up to its obligation to fund K-12 public schools.

"It's my hope that the JLARC report might spur the General Assembly, if they find a compromise, to really put our kids first," Kaine said, after introducing legislation with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., to force the federal government to live up to its own funding obligations to students with disabilities.

But the prospect of compromise on revisions to Virginia's two-year budget appears dim, after the rancorous breakdown of negotiations between House Republicans and Senate Democrats days before the state fiscal year ended on June 30. It marked the first time that Virginia began a new fiscal year without a revised budget since 2001, when the General Assembly, then controlled by Republicans, failed to reach agreement in a showdown with Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore over his signature plan to repeal local government personal property taxes.

The two-year budget legislators adopted last year remains in place, but the impasse creates uncertainty about state funding for local school divisions and other core government services.

"I'm always hopeful, but it's looking pretty grim," said Sen. Finance Co-Chair Janet Howell, D-Fairfax.

Howell was traveling in Japan with family when House Appropriations Chairman Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, cut off budget talks with Senate Finance Co-Chair George Barker, D-Fairfax, on June 27 after the Senate proposed $900 million in one-time rebates to taxpayers but none of the ongoing cuts sought by the governor or proposed by House Republicans.

High stakes in November

The budget drama reflects the political stakes in elections in November for all 140 assembly seats, which will determine majority control of the legislature and the fate of Youngkin's agenda in the final two years of his term, as the Republican flirts with a long-shot run for the White House. With contentious party primaries over, House Republicans and Senate Democrats appear no closer to reaching an agreement on changes to the budget, potentially leaving it to voters to assign blame.

"Republicans will run on not being able to get tax cuts, and Democrats will run on not being able to get sufficient funding for K-12 public education," said Stephen Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies, at the University of Mary Washington. "It's bad news for local school divisions for there to be no compromise like this."

Youngkin is betting big money - his political committee raised a record $5.75 million in the second quarter of this year - that he can win the debate with voters and take control of the assembly to enact his conservative agenda. The governor hasn't backed off his tax plan, even as Knight has floated potential compromises that would not lower the corporate tax rate, which Democrats are using as a political weapon against Republican candidates to assert that they value corporations more than school children.

The governor is expected to make a final push next week with the release of June revenue collections, which he said will show that Virginia can afford both his proposed tax cuts and more spending in education, behavioral health and public safety.

"I think that will be my final plea, because I think we will fully confirm that we are well ahead of the $3.6 billion budget forecast for a surplus that I laid out in December, Youngkin said on July 6 in Petersburg.

And theres no reason why we shouldnt be able to have a substantial tax reduction  Ive asked for a little bit over a billion dollars in tax reduction  and invest a substantial amount, $2.6 billion, in critically important investments on behalf of Virginians.

Education has been central to the governor's agenda since he took office, but the JLARC report poses both an opportunity and a challenge for him to make good on his promises, said Mark Rozell, founding dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

"Potentially, it gives him the opportunity to break the budget impasse, but that means a willingness to compromise with the opposition party on tax cuts," Rozell said Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, says Youngkin already has missed the opportunity. "He could have solved the problem," Saslaw said. "Instead of giving $4 billion in tax cuts last year, he could have brought us up to the national average" in funding for K-12 schools.

Knight, who has been looking for a compromise, says he would resume negotiations on an hour's notice. But Senate budget conferees are waiting for him to counter their offer of $900 million in one-time tax rebates.

"We need them to move," said Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, who was among Senate negotiators from both parties who met in Richmond on Thursday to privately discuss strategy and options.

School funding study

The JLARC study has raised the stakes in both the budget standoff and the looming elections by picking apart the entrenched formula that has evolved over the past 50 years to fund public education - under both Democratic and Republican governors and legislative majorities.

As a result, the study says Virginia lags behind national and regional averages for K-12 funding by $1,900 a student, mainly because it pays too little for the teachers and other people who run public schools, leaving local governments to shoulder most of the burden. Local school divisions employ 51% more staff than the state pays to support, the study finds, including a whopping 677% more teacher aides.

It recommends eliminating a cap on state funding of school support staff that the state imposed in 2009 after revenues dried up in the Great Recession. It urges better compensation for teachers and other employees, more funding of small school divisions and those with high concentrations of at-risk students. It suggests further study of special education, which badly lags in state funding, and a new way to give more money to school divisions with higher labor costs, not just in Northern Virginia.

Finally, it recommends basing the K-12 funding formula on the number of students, which it says would be more straightforward that Virginia's current formula based on staffing costs.

"The evidence of the educational challenges Virginia faces is compelling and widespread," Farnsworth said, "but the political reality means that fixing it will require compromise, which doesn't seem to play well politically these days."

Former House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, a retired high school teacher who now lobbies for higher education, said Friday, "I understand exactly where JLARC is coming from."

Measures such as the cap on funding support positions were necessary to devote state money to classrooms, Cox said, but they ultimately backfired by forcing localities to cover the cost. At the same time, he cautioned against major commitments to fix the formula without looking first at potential consequences.

"I'd be very careful about building a model and being stuck with a high price tag," he said.

Political reaction has divided along party lines, with Democrats trumpeting the findings as support for their position on the budget and Republicans finding fault with the report, which Knight suggested is "a little bit biased or skewed" toward teachers and school administrators who participated in work groups to help JLARC identify school needs.

JLARC Director Hal Greer called any suggestion of bias "completely unfounded" and noted that work group recommendations were explicitly excluded from calculating the estimated costs of fixing problems the report identifies. "As with all studies that we conduct, this review was performed with a high degree of rigor, and appropriate measure were in place to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and objectivity of the analysis," Greer said.

Knight wants state legislators to conduct their own study of the issues before committing to funding recommended by JLARC. "We're the policy makers; we're the people who write the checks, so we need to have a better understanding of it," he said in an interview on Thursday.

For example, Knight and the Youngkin administration were quick to note that the study doesn't reflect additional spending in the current two-year budget - which the governor estimates at $3.2 billion - and what's currently on the table. "I think education is already on the way to catching up," he said.

But that's also true of other states that have increased funding to compete for teachers and other talent, said Mark Gribben, project leader of the study. "While there is a possibility that Virginia would look better if there had been a way to include (Fiscal year 2023 and Fiscal year 2024) funding increases, there is also a real possibility that Virginia would look about the same or worse."

JLARC also noted that the administration is double counting part of the $1.9 billion in additional direct aid to schools in the last fiscal year, including federal aid for one-time teacher bonuses. The amount of aid fell by almost $700 million in this fiscal year, for a cumulative increase of $1.2 billion. However, most of the increase in base funding the first year is sustained in the second.

Knight said the report also doesn't reflect $1.5 billion in unspent federal aid to localities under emergency legislation during the COVID-19 pandemic or $1.25 billion in grants and loans to help localities replace or renovate outdated school buildings - one-time expenditures that JLARC said don't affect funding for ongoing school operations.

"We're really looking out for localities and school systems," the House budget leader said.

Howell, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of her term in January, said the report "strengthens the Senate position that we need to be investing in our education system and that that's more important than giving a few more dollars a month back to taxpayers."

Tax break proposals

The Senate has proposed one-time rebate checks of $200 for individual taxpayers and $400 to couples filing jointly. The House has offered a compromise that includes one-time checks of $100 and $200, respectively, an increase in the standard deduction for the second time in two years, broadening an exemption for military retirement income, and changing the income ranges on the four individual tax brackets. The Senate rejected ongoing tax cuts, which Knight called "a line in the sand."

The proposed compromise didn't include Youngkin's proposals to cut the corporate income tax rate by one percentage point and the top individual rate by a quarter percentage point, but the governor has not publicly backed off of either position.

Howell said "it's unlikely" that the Senate will agree to cuts that will mean substantial reduction in state revenues in future budget years. "We've got big bills coming that we want to be able to pay," she added, citing both public education and behavioral health.

The most expensive changes JLARC recommended could be made in future budgets, but the study suggests about $1 billion in changes in the near term. The biggest would be to end measures the state took in 2010 in response to a big drop in revenue during the Great Recession, including the cap on state funding of support positions, a cost of $515 million. The assembly has gradually reduced the number of positions covered by the support cap, and the proposed Senate budget would end it entirely.

"We have students suffering; we have teachers suffering; and we have local governments suffering," said Barker, who lost his Senate seat in a Democratic primary against a progressive challenger who cast him as too willing to compromise with Youngkin. "What we need to do is respond to this in a way that helps all three of them."

The question is whether the report's stark portrayal of Virginia's public education system will make it easier for budget negotiators to compromise.

"I think the JLARC report is going to make it harder to go even an inch further than what we've already proposed and they've rejected," Deeds said.

However, if the assembly fails to reach agreement, Deeds said, "You don't know how voters are going to respond, and it's our responsibility to get the job done."
CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers.
While previous map designs had retained geographical fidelity, Beck understood that wasn't particularly relevant to travelers, to whom lines, stops and connections mattered most, according to Kent. Instead, "his design ruthlessly imagined traveling by Underground, and the problem of planning journeys, from a user's perspective to the extent that geography  usually crucial for a map  was discarded," says Kent.

As a result, Beck's map had a major impact. "The positive image Beck provided encouraged more people to use the Underground to get around the city because it presented the system as a rational, efficient and thoroughly modern means of transport," Kent says. "However, the effect was also to change users' mental maps of London, not just in making the city seem like a functioning metropolis, but actually affecting their geographical understanding of the city. Distance, direction and existence  i.e., whether a place is on the Tube map or not  all get distorted and continue to do so today."

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" " Harry Beck was an eminent 20th-century English technical draftsman who believed travelers were mainly interested in knowing how to get from one station to another and where to change trains. London Transport Museum

While Beck's design was revolutionary, he didn't completely develop it in a vacuum.

"When appraising Beck's design, it is crucially important to look at what came before. Hence, people often overestimate the novelty of Beck's design and promulgate the myth that his map was a single stroke of innovative genius that was inherently different to anything that came before," Kent says.

The truth is more nuanced. "Looking at the evolution of the design of the map, it is possible to see that Beck built upon the advances made by his predecessors," Kent says. "For example, Max Gill removed the topographic detail from the map, freeing the depiction of the network from its geographical anchor. Fred Stingemore introduced the Johnston font and made the lines clearer to see as well as introducing more distortion. These predecessors paved the way for Beck's introduction of a geometric form to the map  limiting angles to 45 and 90 degrees  which also resonated with the Art Deco style and its penchant for movement."
On the 21-22 of June 2023, 22 partners from 9 European countries gathered in the region of Asturias, Spain, for the first meeting of the EU- funded project GUARDIANS. This project aims to empower small and medium-sized farms to become competitive through digital technologies.

The name of the project, GUARDIANS, is quite evocative and reflects the idea that smaller farms, equipped with the right tools, can become the guardians of their own territories. They can promote the sustainable use of land and preserve biodiversity.

Fidel Diez, Coordinator of GUARDIANS, said that the project will be extremely relevant for the agri-food sector because "GUARDIANS will test digital solutions in small local agriculture and livestock producers with the clear aim of improving the productivity and rentability of these farms through technology and, at the same time, improving the quality of life of the people living in rural areas, which is at heart of what we do at CTIC."

To empower such farms, the project will use a co-creation and multi-actor approach to involve people in the protection and development of their own territories. The key to GUARDIANS strategy is the adoption of a set of innovative digital solutions, including both software and hardware technologies, to solve the problems related to the administrative and funding reporting for the EU Common Agricultural Policy, to smart agriculture for labour support, and to environmental valorisation.

Even though digital technologies and farming sound like two separate worlds, the reality is that digital innovation helps small- and medium-sized farms to thrive and compete in a market dominated by bigger companies. Digitalisation can improve both economic and environmental sustainability, resulting in a more efficient use of the land and a better preservation of the territories' characteristics and biodiversity.

GUARDIANS selected nine technologies to build a catalogue of digital solutions from which the farmers can choose the right ones for them, for both arable and livestock farms. Among the provided technologies, some are software helping farmers to manage their crops and livestock, or the quantity and quality of nutrients used, avoiding waste and soil pollution. It is the case of SATIVUM, a support tool for crop management developed by ITACyL, and of the environmental progress, profitability and provenance tool by CARBON.

Other technologies proposed by GUARDIANS rely on both software and hardware, such as GrassGuard, the drone for grassland care provided by CZU, or the drones for field protection and wildlife management developed by FLOX.

Platforms and monitoring systems are in the GUARDIANS catalogue as well, with the climate and weather monitoring platform realized by LINKS, the beehive protection and monitoring system provided by ART21, the greenhouse gas monitoring platform for stables by CTIC, and soil health and assessment service created by IVL.

Blockchain technology is another important ally for the guardians of the territory, with the blockchain- based environmental certification system developed by CTIC.

The project aims to carry out at least 25 digitisation processes, incorporating new digital technologies into the routine production processes of different small- and medium-sized farms.

One of the main obstacles that GUARDIANS will face is the uptake and acceptance of digital technologies by farmers. In fact, besides the technological one, this project also has a strong social focus on involving different players within the agri-food chain.

Cooperatives, livestock farmers, farmers, technology providers, and others will all be involved in the co-creation project to ensure that the technologies identified as the new tools for the guardians of the territories are optimised for the farmers who will be the end-users.

The technologies will be tested in 6 pilot cases in different European countries: Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. The farms were selected to represent the widest possible range of environmental, climatic, and socio-economic conditions across Europe. GUARDIANS has planned a replication phase in which at least 95 farmers will be reached.

The journey of the new guardians of our territories and biodiversity has just begun, led by CTIC Technology Centre, and it will last four years.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Contacts:

Fidel DiezR&D DirectorCTIC: fidel.diez@fundacionctic.org

Dr. Tamara FanjulR&D Project and Proposals ManagerCTIC: tamara.fanjul@fundacionctic.org

Sonia GarciaR&D Project and Proposals ManagerCTIC: sonia.garcia@fundacionctic.org

Communication:

Alice De Ferrari- ICONS: alice.deferrari@icons.it

Nicola Vuolo- ICONS: nicola.vuolo@icons.it

Provided by iCube Programme
Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw, July 13. Yonhap



Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw as part of his ongoing three-day official visit to the country.



It is custom for foreign leaders visiting Warsaw to lay a wreath at the monument, which is dedicated to the unknown soldiers who gave their lives for Poland, according to the presidential office.






FLORENCE, S.C.  The Florence One Schools Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to hire Defender Services, a Columbia-based company, to protect the districts elementary schools.

The 2023-24 school year budget, which was approved in June by the board, set aside $435,336 for armed security guards in elementary schools. According to Superintendent Richard OMalley, Defender Services is employed by other school districts in the Columbia area and protects elementary schools there.

Thank you to the board for making this a priority, OMalley said at Tuesdays meeting. This is a big step moving forward to have all our schools to have an armed officer or guard.

The school district is hiring 13 security guards, but they will not all be ready by the first day of school, according to OMalley. About half of the schools will be covered on the first day, but the company said it would take around 60 days to get all 13 guards hired and ready, he said.

The guards will be dressed in a high-visibility vest that says security on it and a shirt with both Florence One Schools and Defenders Services logos.

OMalley said the company hires former police officers, veterans and people from other private security.

New hires go through State Law Enforcement Division training and get a license to carry their gun, according to Vice Chair Trisha Caulder.

Defender Services is a staffing company that, in addition to security, also offers janitorial services, facility management, landscaping and more.

According to the companys website, it employs around 3,000 people across 11 states.

Board member E.J. McIver said he was concerned about security in the days between when school starts and when all of the security guards will be hired.

OMalley said that, while safety is always a concern, protocols like keeping doors locked are already in place to protect them in the absence of a security guard.

Board member Bryan Chapman said the district should talk to state representatives about getting tax breaks on hired security. Texas does not tax school districts contracts for private security, and he said South Carolina should do something similar.

If the state legislature is interested in not taxing something the district does, it should also look at not taxing teachers pay, said board member Barry Townsend.

Caulder agreed with Chapman but said that board members should do more research before going to state representatives so they can offer concrete suggestions based on what other states are doing.

Student resource officer agreement

The Florence One Schools Board of Trustees unanimously approved an agreement with the Florence County Sheriffs Office to put student resource officers in each middle and high school.

A student resource officer is also placed at Brockington Elementary School through a state grant.

The wages paid to each officer is set by the Sheriffs Office, OMalley said. Some are paid more because they are more experienced or have been employed longer.

In previous years, the city of Florence Police Department supplied two of the student resource officers, but this years contract was only given to the Florence County Sheriffs Office.

Other business

During public comment, a number of people spoke in favor of Palmetto Youth Academy, the charter school that the Board of Trustees recently found in violation of its charter and applicable law. The schools charter was not renewed.

Those who spoke said the school was unique in its ability to turn around the lives of children who were not able to learn in a traditional public school setting. Speakers also said it was a safe place for children to be while parents and caretakers worked full time.

The three-year review of all of the districts policies to ensure they match the actual practice of the district and state and federal law came to a close with a unanimous vote approving the last round of changes.

The board discussed how attendance should be counted for homeless children. While the policy makes specific reference to many other situations, it does not directly mention homeless youth, said Townsend.

He suggested that someone at the district should talk to the state Board of Education about easing attendance requirements for homeless children and what the applicable laws around that situation are.
FLORENCE, S.C.  HopeHealth, like many other Community Health Centers in South Carolina, exists in rural communities where transportation can be a significant barrier to care.

A partnership was formed between HopeHealth, Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, the town of Timmonsville, and Florence County to address the problem.

From this partnership, a new transportation route was developed. The new route, called Timmonsville Express, is aimed at providing convenient, accessible transportation options for the residents of Timmonsville.

Timmonsville is a vibrant community filled with individuals who deserve dependable transportation solutions to meet their daily needs. Im thrilled to be a part of the expansion of the public bus service in Timmonsville, said Don Strickland, executive director of PDRTA. Bringing reliable transportation to this area will enhance the lives of many and provide a sense of independence needed for many seniors, medical patients, shoppers, and workers. This project holds a special place in my heart as I spent my childhood there.

The route is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and includes 14 strategically located stops. The town of Timmonsville is excited about this partnership. We as a council are tasked to improve the quality of life for our citizens, and this is a step in the right direction, said William James Jr., mayor of Timmonsville.

In addition to enhancing local connectivity, PDRTA will establish a direct link between Timmonsville and Florence. This connection opens a world of opportunities for residents, granting them access to a broader range of employment, education, cultural experiences and other services Florence offers.
 Are many district courts ordering Second Amendment briefing in felon-in-possession cases (and are charges and sentencings being impacted)? | Main | "Prosecuting from the bench? Examining sources of pro-prosecution bias in judges" 

July 14, 2023

A notable discussion of federal capital decision-making for mass shootings (that makes no mention of differing state sentencing realities)

The AP has this new lengthy discussion of DOJ decision making in two high-profile federal prosecutions of mass shooters that completely leaves out that one defendant will be facing state capital charges while the other will not. The piece is headlined "How DOJ made different death penalty decisions in the Pittsburgh synagogue and Texas mall massacres," and here are some excerpts:

Two separate shootings 2,000 miles (3,218 kilometers) apart. One killed 11 at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The other killed 23 at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Both were motivated by racial hate. Both involved gunmen who later claimed mental illness. But earlier this year, the Justice Department authorized the death penalty only for the case in Pittsburgh, where jurors will soon answer the weightiest of questions: Should Robert Bowers be put to death? Bowers trial is in the penalty phase after his June conviction for the 2018 antisemitic attack. A federal judge last Friday gave Patrick Crusius the maximum available sentence for the 2019 Walmart attack on Hispanics: life in prison. He pleaded guilty after the department took a death sentence off the table. Contrasting decisions in such similar cases illustrates the departments murky, often baffling and seemingly inconsistent death penalty policies. Department decision-making and the criteria it favors are also shrouded in secrecy. So how do those decisions get made and by whom? President Joe Biden campaigned in part on a promise to abolish the U.S. death penalty. While he has taken no steps to fulfill that, his Justice Department has made some notable changes. In 2021, Garland announced a moratorium on federal executions while a review of execution procedures is completed. However, it doesnt stop prosecutors from seeking death sentences. The department also withdrew permission for death sentences in 24 out of 29 cases authorized by prior administrations. And the department hasnt authorized death penalties for any of around 400 new indictments during Bidens presidency that carried capital sentences. But its still mulling whether to authorize a death sentence for Payton Gendron, a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket in 2022. Critics of the department single out an enigmatic department division, the Capital Case Section. With just nine career attorneys and one administrator, it assists U.S. attorneys offices with capital cases and plays a vital role advising department review committees, which vote on recommending death sentences, although Attorney General Merrick Garland has the final say. Though many were hired under other administrations, all current staff worked in the section under President Donald Trump, who oversaw a historic six-month spree of 13 federal executions. Richard Burns, the teams leader, became section chief during Trumps term. Critics argue that carryover contributes to an unwelcome continuity. The department has fought as hard under Biden as under Trump to defeat all bids by some 40 inmates on federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana, to have their death sentences tossed on racial bias and other grounds.... An Associated Press review of court filings and Biden-era staff guides offers clues about what influences the Justice Departments decisions. They suggest the department is most likely to OK death sentences for racist and terrorist attacks and when victims families support it. Changes to department guidance also specify mental illness can count against approving death sentences, which is a departure from Trump-era guidance. At least two inmates executed under Trump had severe mental illnesses. The guidance was central to the Crusius decision, with department attorneys accepting he had schizoaffective disorder. They rejected claims Bowers psychotic episodes pointed to schizophrenia. In April court filings explaining its Bowers decision, the department noted most victims families wanted Bowers to die if convicted. The department also sought its own mental evaluation of Bowers before the final decision on authorization. The defense refused, saying prosecutors wouldnt assure them Bowers exam statements would not be used at trial. Government mental health experts were given access to Bowers just before trial. Responding to criticism, the department also denied its decision was inconsistent with those concerning Crusius and others, saying Bowers shooting stood apart because older victims were uniquely vulnerable and the crime occurred in a house of worship. The judge in the Bowers case ultimately agreed.

This AP discussion is quite interesting, though it struck me as quite notable that the full article makes no mention at all of the fact that Patrick Crusius, the Walmart mass shooter, is certainly going to face a Texas state capital trial (as noted in local press). Robert Bowers, the synagogue mass shooter, is likely not to face a Pennsylvania capital trial (and would almost certainly not get executed even if he did since the state has not executed anyone in nearly a quarter century). I do not know if DOJ policies and practices make state laws and practices a formal consideration in capital prosecution decision-making, but I suspect it always has a way of influencing it.

July 14, 2023 at 01:20 PM | Permalink

Comments

"This AP discussion is quite interesting, though it struck me as quite notable that the full article makes no mention at all of the fact that Patrick Crusius, the Walmart mass shooter, is certainly going to face a Texas state capital trial (as noted in local press). Robert Bowers, the synagogue mass shooter, is likely not to face a Pennsylvania capital trial (and would almost certainly not get executed even if he did since the state has not executed anyone in nearly a quarter century)."

DING DING DING

Those omissions make the article seriously misleading. It's really a hit piece on DOJ masquerading as journalism.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jul 14, 2023 2:19:48 PM

Why try the El Paso shooter? Maybe if we think that maybe he has a chance of getting out? But other than that, much as I would love to see him tried and executed, what's the point?

Posted by: federalist | Jul 18, 2023 1:02:04 PM

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 An uncommon federal sentencing of a corporation after a (common?) plea deal | Main | Are many district courts ordering Second Amendment briefing in felon-in-possession cases (and are charges and sentencings being impacted)? 

July 13, 2023

Dynamic comments submitted to US Sentencing Commission as it considers retroactivity of new criminal history guidelines

In this April post, I provided some details on the US Sentencing Commission's proposed consequential amendments to alter how criminal history is assessed and calculated under the federal sentencing guidelines. The big ticket items in the proposed amendments concern "status points" and "zero-point offenders." As detailed here, after proposing these criminal history amendments, the Commission sought comment on whether it should make the key parts "available for retroactive application."

As detailed in this May post, the USSC thereafter published on its website this 48-page memo titled "Retroactivity Impact Analysis of Parts A and B of the 2023 Criminal History Amendment." Here is how I roughly summarized this analysis: "it seems that the USSC is estimating that just under 19,000 thousand current federal prisoners would be able to get just under 1.2 years off their sentences if these new criminal history amendments are made retroactive. That adds up to a total of about 23,000 prison years saved were these new guideline amendments made retroactive and these estimated impacts become reality."

As flagged in this June post, the Commission has scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in order "to gather testimony from invited witnesses concerning whether the Commission should designate as retroactive Parts A and B of the 2023 Criminal History Amendment." As the USSC explained in its hearing notice, "because these two provisions reduce the sentencing range for some offenders, the Commission is statutorily required to determine whether either or both of these parts of the amendment should be applied retroactively to previously sentenced, imprisoned defendants."

When announcing the public hearing, the Commission also here released a massive Compilation of Public Comment. Running over 250 pages, these public comments are quite interesting with a wide range of persons making a wide range of arguments both in favor and against retroactivity of these criminal history amendments. For a slightly more efficient overview of all the pros and cons, the Commission has now posted here the written testimony of the 15 witnesses scheduled to testify all the full-day USSC hearing starting at 9am on Wednesday, July 19.

I am inclined to guess that the US Sentencing Commission is inclined to make its new criminal history rules fully retroactive, but I do not think any outcome is a given. Notably, the Justice Department's statement "opposes retroactive application of both Parts A and B of the criminal history amendment," and, in case of a retroactive vote, has requested "that the Commission delay implementation of retroactivity by at least nine months to allow the Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Probation Office sufficient time to properly prepare and coordinate reentry services for eligible offenders." Both the particulars and process for retroactivity may be widely debated during the hearing.

July 13, 2023 at 08:07 PM | Permalink

Comments

Doug --

"I am inclined to guess that the US Sentencing Commission is inclined to make its new criminal history rules fully retroactive, but I do not think any outcome is a given."

I think it's a given and has been a given for months, and I'll bet a hundred bucks that they do full retroactivity. The only question is whether there will be dissenting votes.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jul 14, 2023 12:01:02 AM

Post a comment
Jasmin Tay, founder of beauty salon chain Perky Lash, shares how she methodically built her business over 10 years. (PHOTO: Perky Lash)

SINGAPORE  For Jasmin Tay, the founder of beauty salon chain Perky Lash, starting her own business was a methodical journey that took 10 years.

Still, despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems her step-by-step approach is paying off.

Launched in 2019 at the precipice of the pandemic, Perky Lash started out of a S$50 per hour rented bed in Bugis Cube, where Tay offered her services as a freelance beautician while holding down a full-time corporate job as a marketing manager at an established local beauty chain.

Perky Lash currently has four outlets across Singapore. Though business was initially impacted by the pandemic-induced lockdowns, it is now a profitable venture that raked in a net profit of some S$500,000 in 2022.

Childhood dream to start a company

Tay said she had always wanted to start her own company since she was a child, taking inspiration from her father who used to run a textile business. As a young girl, she developed a passion for beauty services in her pre-university days and knew that she wanted to build a career in the industry.

However, Tay wasn't confident enough at the start to pursue her dreams. She opted instead to gradually acquire the necessary experience, skills and funds first. That set her off on a 10-year journey through the corporate and freelancing sectors while remaining steadfast in the beauty industry.

She started her first job as a receptionist at a beauty parlour just after tertiary education, and subsequently worked at various other beauty companies. She eventually switched to a marketing role and climbed her way up the corporate ladder to become a marketing manager.

"Once I've picked up the skills, I felt that I was more ready to explore my own thing," said Tay. She supplemented the experience gained by taking up short beauty courses including those offered by SkillsFuture Singapore and travelling to Malaysia for training at an academy.

In 2017, Tay decided to test the skills she learned by offering eyelash services as a freelancer. She would take appointments after working hours from the rented bed in Bugis, seeing an average of four to five clients per day at her busiest, and back-to-back appointments on weekends.

"I did a little bit of advertising on social media, I got my friends to try, and after that, it was just word of mouth. The point was to gain more experience and polish up my skills," said Tay.

Her moonlighting endeavours lasted about six months before she decided to quit her corporate job to go full-time as a freelance beautician. While she had to give up a monthly salary of about S$6,000, Tay said she found the courage to quit after seeing her clientele grow and knowing they were happy with her services, despite the income shortfall. Adding to the uncertainty was the fact that Tay had just given birth to her second child around that time.

Pandemic challenges

After over a year of full-time freelancing, Tay had accumulated enough confidence and more importantly capital, to execute her business plan. The plan was to expand aggressively and increase capacity, as capturing foot traffic in busy areas was a key business strategy. She used S$300,000 to launch the business  70 per cent of which came from Tay's own savings while the remaining 30 per cent came from her husband.

The first Perky Lash outlet opened at Nex Mall in Serangoon in April 2019. The mall was chosen given its high footfall, but the company struggled to gain traction initially.

"We were only seeing like three to four customers a day. I started off with five staff, but the amount of customers that we had was not sufficient to feed everyone. Some left because it was not sustainable," said Tay.

Believe in yourself... It may take years, it may take months, but one day, it will work.Jasmin Tay, founder of Perky Lash

Tay's marketing experience allowed her to understand that establishing a new brand took time, and so she was determined to carry on. In February 2020, she launched the second Perky Lash outlet in Bugis. But two months later, the pandemic-induced lockdown began in Singapore, forcing retail stores to shut.

"It was tough. No income at all and we still had to pay rent, although government subsidies helped," Tay recalled. While Tay retained most of her staff, she had to let some go as they wanted to return to their home countries.

To make up for the loss of income, Tay turned to Facebook Live to market and sell her lashes.

"We didn't want to lose the connection to our customers, so we started streaming and offering customised lashes, or falsies, for them," she recalled. "But of course, sales were still slow. I did what I could, as I didn't want to shut for two months and not do anything. Because once we open up, we may have lost our clients."

As businesses gradually reopened, the restrictions in place meant that Perky Lash could only operate at half capacity. Additionally, with most people working from home during this period and going out less frequently, Tay said that people were spending less on beauty services. Still, Tay persevered.

No more beauty packages

It is common practice within the beauty industry to operate on a package-based mode. The post-pandemic shift in consumer behaviour prompted Tay to rethink her approach to selling and move away from the package-based model. She came up with a "fixed-price concept", which allows customers to pay per use and does not involve hard-selling packages.

"The feedback was mostly positive. But of course, there's also a downside because we do pre-payment since we are charging a fixed rate. We did this to lower our no-show rate. Because of the lower price that we charge, we cannot afford to have no-shows," Tay explained.

"Some customers couldn't accept this. They didn't like the idea that they had to pay before they did anything. So we lost this group of customers who didn't accept our policy," said Tay.

Slow progress, but profitable now

Looking back on her journey, Tay says that she has no regrets about the way it all turned out.

"I like the fact that I started freelancing before embarking on my own journey because I feel that the experience gained is very important. My husband actually wanted me to skip the freelance part and just go for it, but I held the brakes. I didn't want to do it until I was more confident," said Tay.

What's her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

"Believe in yourself. You need to trust that whatever you're doing is correct and just keep going. Once you're out there, you will know whether you can do it," said Tay. "It may take years, it may take months, but one day, it will work."

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Billionaire given notice of arrest and has posted bail, will surrender passport upon return to Singapore

Singapore hotelier Ong Beng Seng. (PHOTO: Reuters/Vivek Prakash)

SINGAPORE  Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng, one of the wealthiest businessmen in Singapore, has been issued a notice of arrest by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

He has been requested by the anti-graft body to provide information in relation to his interactions with Transport Minister S. Iswaran, who has been assisting the agency in an investigation.

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), of which Ong is the founder and managing director, said in a statement to the Singapore Exchange at 7.30am on Friday (14 July) that no charges have been filed against the 77-year-old yet.

"He will be travelling from 14 July and will be surrendering his passport to CPIB upon his return to Singapore. He has been given a notice of arrest and has posted bail of $100,000," the statement said.

"Mr Ong is cooperating fully with CPIB and has provided the information requested. As this is an ongoing matter, he is unable to provide further details at this point."

HPL added that its nominating committee has determined that Ong continues to be suitable to carry out his duties and responsibilities as managing director. It will continue to monitor the progress of the matter and re-assess the suitability of his continued appointment.

Bringing F1 Grand Prix to Singapore

Ong's HPL operates hotels under brands such as Four Seasons, Marriott International and InterContinental, and has properties across 15 countries such as Singapore, Australia, Canada, Britain and the United States.

He is also reported to have played a key role in bringing the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix into the city-state in 2007. Singapore extended the contract to host the F1 Grand Prix for another seven years last year.

Iswaran's assisting the CPIB investigation is the first time in nearly four decades that a Singapore cabinet minister is involved in a probe by the agency. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Wednesday that he had directed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until the investigation is completed.

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SIOUX CITY  A man serving a 16-year prison sentence for his role in a fatal Sioux City shooting has been granted a new trial because two pieces of evidence were improperly admitted in his first trial.

A three-judge panel on the Iowa Court of Appeals overturned Lawrence Canady Jr.'s conviction for voluntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of Martez Harrison, ruling District Judge Patrick Tott should not have allowed prosecutors to submit a rap video and photo found on a co-defendant's phone as evidence because both were unfairly prejudicial to Canady.

A video from Dwight Evans' phone showed him and Canady rapping along with a song and referencing Harrison. A photo featuring a gun emoji on Evans' Snapchat account also was admitted at trial. Over objections from Canady's attorneys, prosecutors successfully argued to Tott that the video and photo showed Canady and Evans had planned to shoot Harrison. Canady's lawyers argued he had acted in self-defense.

Canady and Evans were among four people waiting for Harrison outside Uncle Dave's Bar, 1427 W. Third St., on May 1, 2021. After Harrison exited the bar, he and Canady began fighting in the street. When Harrison fell to the ground, Evans fired a shot into his flank, then fired a second, fatal shot into his chest. Canady continued to punch Harrison in the face and kick him in the head after the second shot before fleeing.

Harrison, 22, of Sioux City, died hours later at a hospital.

Canady, 23, of Sioux City, was initially charged with first-degree murder, but a Woodbury County jury in December 2021 found him guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, allowing Canady to avoid a lifetime prison sentence. Canady also was found guilty of willful injury causing bodily injury and serious assault. The appeals court said he should be retried on those three charges.

Tott sentenced Canady to 16 years in prison, the maximum allowable, and also imposed a five-year prison sentence after revoking Canady's probation from his conviction in a 2019 shooting for a total sentence of 21 years.

A jury found Evans, 19, of Sioux City, guilty in August of first-degree murder and going armed with intent. He was sentenced to life in prison, but, because he was a juvenile at the time of the shooting, he will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years.
SIOUX CITY  The Sioux City Police Department saw a 12% decrease in fireworks complaints over the Fourth of July holiday and in the month leading up to it, according to crime analysis data obtained by The Journal.

The department logged 258 fireworks calls for service related to fireworks from June 1 to July 4, down from 295 calls received during that time period in 2022 and 328 in 2021. Nine citations for fireworks violations were written this year over that time frame.

"This was the worst year I've ever seen, not in my neighborhood," Mayor Bob Scott, who lives in Leeds, said during Monday's City Council meeting. Scott's comment came after west side resident Jeanne Pullis told council members, "Something has got to be done about these fireworks."

While standing at a podium in the Council Chambers at City Hall, Pullis held up the end of a rocket, which she said landed 2 feet from her back door.

"Do you know what damage this could've done to a window, or to a car, or to a human being?" she asked. "There was so much smoke in that block, I couldn't see the neighbor's house across the street."

Pullis said she was so fed up with the situation, that she left town on Wednesday, July 5 and returned on Sunday. However, she said fireworks were still being shot off in her neighborhood at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. She described calling the police department as a "lost cause," and remarked, "They won't do anything."

"If you do call the police, make sure that you give them an address and you tell them exactly where they're being shot off," Councilman Matthew O'Kane advised. "Over the past couple of weeks, their call-in list has been incredibly long, and they're stretched very thin."

2023 riverfront fireworks debris A small pile of fireworks debris is shown along the Missouri River on July 5 in Chris Larsen Park. The amount of fireworks debris littering th

Since Iowa lifted an 84-year ban on fireworks discharge in 2017, the sale of fireworks has been allowed in permanent buildings from June 1 to July 8 and in tents and other temporary structures from June 13 to July 8. Although fireworks can be sold in June and a few days after the July Fourth holiday, the window that fireworks can be discharged is much shorter. Under the city's current ordinance, fireworks are only allowed to be discharged from 1 to 11 p.m. on July 3 and 4, and from 1 p.m. on Dec. 31 until 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1.

"If everybody would just abide by the times, it wouldn't be an issue," Sioux City Community Policing Sgt. Thomas Gill said Tuesday. "But the problem is they're still going off. They'll be going off tonight, I'm sure, in places around Sioux City. People just don't care."

Since the state changed the law, Gill said it has been more difficult for officers to cite violators. He said they have to actually catch people in the act of lighting fireworks. Possession of fireworks is no longer sufficient evidence.

At 1:16 a.m. on June 13, dispatch fielded a fireworks complaint on the city's west side, however, an officer wasn't dispatched to the call until 1:43 a.m., according to Gill.

"The call says the complainant believes her neighbor, four houses down, is setting off very loud fireworks," he said. "By the time the officer gets there, they don't hear nothing. They go to the house they believe it was coming from. They don't get an answer at the house. There's no signs of fireworks in the front yard, but there could have been in the backyard. But the backyard had a fence."

Gill said the officer wrote "unable to locate" in the report.

Before the ban was lifted, Gill recalled participating in a special fireworks patrol. A couple weeks before the holiday and a week after, he was among a group of officers in unmarked vehicles, who were paid overtime to solely respond to fireworks complaints.

"We used to write a lot of tickets, but it was a lot easier back then. You didn't have to see them light them off. It was just, if they had them in their possession, we would confiscate them and, then, write the person who had them in their possession a citation," he said.

During the council meeting, O'Kane, Councilman Alex Watters and Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr expressed interest in continuing the conversation about fireworks.

"I want everyone to know that the law that the state of Iowa has with regard to fireworks sales keeps our hands tied in certain ways, as well," Schoenherr said. "They can still be sold here, whether or not we agree with letting them fire them off within city limits."
At the end of a daylong, emotionally charged special session at the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines on Tuesday, Iowa Republicans sent a near-total abortion ban to Gov. Kim Reynolds.

In the Iowa House, 56 Republicans voted in favor of House File 732 which would prohibit abortions once cardiac activity is detected. (Cardiac activity being defined as "the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart within the gestational sac.")

In the Iowa Senate, 32 Republicans voted for the bill which mirrors 2018 legislation most-recently shot down by the Iowa Supreme Court this past month. Not a single Democratic state legislator, in either chamber, voted for the legislation. Two Republicans voted against the measure in the House while one, Mike Klimesh, Spillville, voted against H.F. 732 in the Senate.

The Journal rounded up the votes from Siouxland legislators and included comment from several about why they voted the way they did.

Rep. J.D. Scholten Iowa State Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, center, at the statehouse during his first week as a legislator. Seated directly across from him 

Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, District 1

Vote on abortion bill: Did not vote.

Reason for vote: "I wasn't able to make it for scheduling," Scholten said via text. "I would have been a strong 'no' vote."

Rep. Zach Dieken Rep. Zach Dieken, R-Granville, center, during his first week at the Iowa State Capitol in January 2023. The first-term Dieken defeated an incu

Rep. Zach Dieken, R-Granville, District 5

Vote on abortion bill: No.

Reason for vote: Dieken wrote the following in conservative outlet The Iowa Standard: Im afraid the bill is window dressing to make ourselves feel good about ultimately falling short to act on this issue. All of these factors combined are why the Heartbeat Bill in my opinion wont do what its supporters claim. Abortion is the murder of another human being  an innocent child. Roe has been overturned, the Iowa Supreme Court has ruled there is no right to an abortion in Iowa. So why arent we courageous enough to project the lives of innocent children?

Rep. Megan Jones Rep. Megan Jones, at right, during a session in the Iowa Legislature on Thursday. Jones, a five-term representative from Sioux Rapids, was one

Rep. Megan Jones, R-Sioux Rapids, District 6

Vote on abortion bill: Yes.

Reason for vote: "It's as simple as this: my constituents."

Rep. Jacob Bossman, R-Sioux City, District 14

Vote on abortion bill: Yes.

Reason for vote: "I am proud to have supported the Fetal Heartbeat bill. I believe we took a reasonable and thoughtful approach to the highly passionate and controversial issue of abortion. The abortion restrictions in this bill do have exceptions in the case of rape, incest, life of the mother, or fetal abnormality incompatible with life. I know there are some who believe this bill doesnt go far enough and some that believe it is too far. But I believe many Iowans are somewhere in between the two extremes on this issue and that this bill represents a reasonable compromise many Iowans can get on board with."

Jeff Taylor Jeff Taylor is a Republican who resides in Sioux Center and represents Senate District 2. He is a political science professor and in his first

Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, District 2

Vote on bill: Yes.

Reason for vote:

"If were going to pass this law, which I hope we do, what can we do to make sure that the support that we give to women who are faced with this decision, and were saying you have to move forward with the pregnancy even if they dont want to, what can we do to help them in that situation? I do think we have an obligation."

Iowa State Sens. Kevin Alons and Lynn Evans First-term State Sens. Kevin Alons, third from left, and Lynn Evans, fourth from left, attend a hearing at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moine

Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, District 3

Vote on bill: Yes.

Reason for vote:

"Tuesday was a historic day in our state and I was humbly honored to be a part of passing House File 732. Once signed into law, this legislation will save thousands of lives each year.:"

Sen. Kevin Alons, R-Salix, District 7

Vote on bill: Excused absence.

Woodbury Republicans election watch party Bob Henderson, candidate for Iowa House District 2, receives a standing ovation, including from former Iowa Congressman Steve King, left, befo

Rep. Bob Henderson, R-Sioux City, District 2

Vote on bill: Yes.

Rep. Tom Jeneary, R-Le Mars, District 3

Vote on bill: Yes.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, District 4

Vote on bill: Yes.

Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, District 10

Vote on bill: Yes.

Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, District 12

Vote on bill: Yes.

Rep. Ken Carlson, R-Onawa, District 13

Vote on bill: Yes.

Sen. Rocky De Witt, R-Lawton, District 1

Vote on bill: Yes.

Sen. Dave Rowley, R-Spirit Lake, District 5

Vote on bill: Yes.

Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, District 6

Vote on bill: Yes.

The Journal's Jared McNett contributed to this story.
An Omaha woman was sentenced last week to one year in federal prison for her role in a wire fraud conspiracy involving more than $1 million in federal economic relief loans.

Jazmyne McMiller, 36, was the third Omahan to be sentenced in connection with the scheme. Sharon Thompson, 62, and Todd Thompson, 57, both pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and were sentenced earlier this year.

According to court documents, the Thompsons and McMiller conspired with one another to submit fraudulent loan applications through programs supported by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

The CARES Act, intended to mitigate financial impacts on businesses during the pandemic, included two loan programs: the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. PPP loans were explicitly for payroll purposes, while EIDL loans could be used for normal operating expenses.

PPP funds were distributed and funded by private financial institutions, while EIDL loans were fully funded and managed by the Small Business Administration. The loan amounts were determined by a business' monthly payroll expenses and gross profits, respectively.

In 2020 and 2021, Todd Thompson applied for eight PPP and EIDL loans on behalf of three of his purported businesses, five of which were fulfilled. According to his plea deal, he overrepresented the business's payroll expenses and revenues in all of these applications.

For example, in May 2020, Todd Thompson applied for and received a PPP loan totaling more than $190,000. He certified that his business had an average monthly payroll of $76,000, when in reality, the company had no employees and no regular payroll.

In support of his PPP loan applications, Todd Thompson also submitted fake quarterly tax returns to various financial institutions. The returns had never been filed with the IRS and were entirely fraudulent.

In total, Todd Thompson applied for more than $1.3 million in loans and received $552,892.

Todd Thompson is also accused of helping Sharon Thompson and McMiller submit their own fraudulent loan applications. According to Sharon's plea agreement, Todd was responsible for completing the applications, and Sharon would sign her name.

At least two loan applications, one for PPP and one for the EIDL program, were submitted under Sharon Thompson's name. Both applications similarly inflated payroll and revenue amounts, and Sharon Thompson received nearly $345,000 from the scheme.

According to McMiller's plea agreement, McMiller conspired with Todd Thompson to submit a total of three fraudulent loan applications. On behalf of McMiller and her business, Thompson applied for two PPP and one EIDL loan.

Similarly, the revenue for McMiller's business was significantly inflated on the applications. While tax returns showed that McMiller's business paid no wages and had a gross revenue of less than $15,000 in 2019, the loan applications claimed that she had 12 employees and made more than $800,000.

McMiller's two PPP loans were funded, and she received $254,324. After she received the money, she paid Todd Thompson $20,000.

Todd Thompson was sentenced earlier this year to 41 months, or just over three years, in federal prison. He will also have to pay restitution of more than $1.1 million.

Sharon Thompson was sentenced to four years of probation and will have to pay $355,020 in restitution. She received the lightest sentence, in part because of chronic and serious health issues.

McMiller, the last to be sentenced, will spend one year and one day in federal prison. She will also pay $267,040 in restitution.

The case was investigated by the FBI.

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, speaks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at an official reception for this year's foreign ministerial meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta, Thursday. Yonhap



Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin met with his Russian counterpart Thursday at an official reception for this year's high-level regional meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, according to Seoul officials.



During the reception hosted by Indonesia, Park met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and stressed the need to protect the due rights and interests of Korean businesses operating in Russia despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine having led to "negative effects" in bilateral relations, Seoul's foreign ministry said.



Park also expressed hope for Russia's "constructive role" in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) through close communications with Seoul. Korea was recently elected to serve a two-year term as a nonpermanent member of the UNSC beginning in 2024.



According to the ministry, Lavrov acknowledged Park's request and proposed to communicate through diplomatic channels. (Yonhap)


A paper written by Timothy L. Thomas for "The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters" in 1998 introduces the chemical-electrical activity in the brain, heart and nervous system as the human body's "data processors." Thomas concludes in no uncertain terms, "We are on the threshold of an era in which these data processors of the human body may be manipulated or debilitated."



Thomas' report was produced some 25 years ago now. Already, Thomas warned "strobe lights have been known to cause epileptic seizures" while stating an "entirely new arsenal of weapons, based on devices designed to introduce subliminal messages or to alter the body's psychological and data-processing capabilities, might be used to incapacitate individuals. These weapons aim to control or alter the psyche, or to attack the various sensory and data-processing systems of the human organism."



Thomas must have been referring to a banned Pokemon episode known as Electric Soldier Porygon, which is a TV episode responsible for emitting 12 Hz waves causing 700 Japanese children to be admitted into hospitals due to seizures. In the episode, Pikachu has a move to stop certain types of missiles. To stop the missiles against his onscreen foe, Pikachu relies on the Thunderbolt attack, which causes strobe lights to appear on the screen. Instead of simply fending off the foe, Pikachu's Thunderbolt caused serious harm to hundreds of kids in real life.



What is at stake? "The body is capable not only of being deceived, manipulated, or misinformed but also shut down or destroyed--just as any other data-processing system. The 'data' the body receives from external sources--such as electromagnetic, vortex, or acoustic energy waves--or creates through its own electrical or chemical stimuli can be manipulated or changed just as the data (information) in any hardware system can be altered." Thomas has warned there are weapons systems which aim to manipulate and degrade the body's natural biological systems through means such as electromagnetic, vortex, or acoustic energy waves.



Firewalls are essentially devices which shut down traffic in a computer network. If the network detects there is a sufficient amount of traffic attempting to adversely affect the performance of a computer network the firewall will activate and sever the computer's main servers from the malicious traffic. Computers are able to run without being slowed down or frozen by malware or viruses thanks to firewalls. There are physical and virtual firewalls. In the physical version, a computer system will literally be detached from the area where there is undesirable and malicious activity. These firewalls basically keep computers safe to run unencumbered by the adverse effects of malware and viruses. There are also virtual firewalls which exist to protect your activity while using a virtual machine. The idea is the same. When there is unauthorized, undesirable, and malicious network traffic then block the computer system from receiving the malicious traffic as a network input.



Thomas' US Army War College report goes on to discuss an argument offered by a "young, well-intentioned" researcher named Dr. Victor Solntsev, who was affiliated with the Baumann Technical Institute in Moscow. Solntsev argues in light of external sources of electrical-chemical, gravitational, or acoustic energy waves which may impact a human body the human body must be viewed as an "open system, instead of simply as an organism or closed system."



Thomas summarizes Solntsev's findings as follows:"One's physical environment, whether through electromagnetic, gravitational, acoustic, or other effects, can cause a change in the psycho-physiological condition of an organism."



Solntsev's argument motivates the paper: the human mind does not have a firewall which proactively detects malicious activity. The argument I am offering is there must be resiliency toward any type of malicious activity which can harm both Americans, specifically, and humans, generally. Failing to build capacity to intercept and deny attempts to harm Americans is not an option. Firewalls are not some abstract concept. A team in the United States has developed a device called a Cyber Shield to protect the body and the mind from malicious electromagnetic, vortex, or acoustic energy wave. The shield neutralizes "extremely low frequency" or ELF waves. Users report the results to be nothing short of remarkable.



The description of the Cyber Shield is as follows: "This is ELF/VLF/MW protective hardware. It helps to protect against neuro attacks such as forced focus, emotional manipulation and some physical attacks. It does not stop V2K, but does break the forced focus effects to allow it to be ignored so you can focus on what you need to do. It comes with 1 shield, 9 antennas, 2 power adapters, and 1 Touch Screen." The unit runs for $3,600, however the vendor does offer a way to pay over time for those who don't have the full amount immediately, but urgently need the security, protection and peace-of-mind offered by the Cyber Shield.



According to both Thomas and Russian army Major I. Chernishev, the development of "psy" weapons has been happening across militaries all over the world for several decades. During the course of this arms race microwave weapons have been designed to "heat up the body, induce epileptic-like seizures, or cause cardiac arrest," and systems for aiming low-frequency radiation at people have been constructed to affect "the electrical activity of the brain" and "cause flu-like symptoms and nausea."



At the end of his report, Thomas concludes "we need to spend more time researching how to protect the humans in our data management structures." In the worst case scenario, the new

range of weapons could cause bloodless death. According to Thomas, there are researchers in Russia and around the world who believe these "psy" weapons "can be used to attack or steal from the data-processing unit of the human body," that is, the mind.



Just as America has fielded a capability to protect all Americans from nuclear armaments designed by other nations, an American national security strategy is incomplete without the capability to protect Americans from "psy," microwave, and extremely low frequency weapons. Without securing Americans from the existence of these weapons, Americans involved in keeping secrets might unwittingly divulge such confidential information as where nuclear warheads are stored. There is no chance America can risk such information leaking, hence why systems are required to ensure no American must experience the adverse impacts of hostile foreign countries attempting to harm Americans who have sensitive information.



As much as America needs to develop a national cyber shield, much the way Israel has developed the Iron Dome to protect their citizens from rocket fire, every human must be able to live with the peace and security of knowing nobody else is reading their thoughts. The right to practice one's faith without worrying about who is listening, for example, is at stake.



The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine weighed in on the experience of more than 1,000 US personnel in Cuba who experienced symptoms similar to traumatic brain injury, which are symptoms consistent with the intended effects of psy, microwave, ultra low frequency, electromagnetic, gravitational, and acoustic energy weapons. NASEM concluded in 2020 "directed, pulsed radio frequency energy appears to be the most plausible mechanism in explaining these cases."

Bibliography



1. "The Mind Has No Firewall." Timothy L. Thomas. Parameters 28, no. 1 (1998), doi:10.55540/0031-1723.1871. URL where you can download the PDF to read the report yourself: https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters/vol28/iss1/12/.



2. "Cyber Shield." URL: https://world-tek-shielding-survival-solutions.mybigcommerce.com/cyber-shield-elf-vlf-mw-protective-hardware/



3. "New Report Assesses Illnesses Among U.S. Government Personnel and Their Families at Overseas Embassies." National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. December 5, 2020. URL: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2020/12/new-report-assesses-illnesses-among-us-government-personnel-and-their-families-at-overseas-embassies


FLICC-Poster - a successful collaboration between klimafakten and SkS

Posted on 12 May 2020 by BaerbelW

We already have the FLICC-taxonomy and its history, but now we also have the FLICC-Poster!

This poster is the result of a successful collaboration between us and our German language partnersite klimafakten.de. Our partnership goes back to 2011 when Klimafakten started out with German translations of several of our rebuttals and this short announcement tells the story: Klimafakten.de - Leveraging Skeptical Science content. Since then, Klimafakten has added many more fact checks to their site and we have leveraged this by simply cross-linking from many of our translated rebuttal "stubs" to their German versions.

Collaboration

Over the years, there were many other opportunities for us to stay in touch and to work together on various topics and publications related to climate science communication. Most of the necessary back and forth about these projects happened between Toralf Staud and myself.

When Toralf and I met in Karlsruhe at last year's K3 conference in Karlsruhe in September he briefly floated the idea to create a poster based on the FLICC taxonomy. By November plans were getting more concrete and we approached John Cook to get his feedback about the idea to create a poster based on his taxonomy but in German. To nobody's surprise - well at least not to mine! - John liked the idea and Toralf set things in motion on Klimafakten's side of things.

A couple of months went by and in March 2020 a first rough draft of the poster - put together by graphic designer Marie-Pascale Gafinen - had taken shape and it looked great. Echoing my initial impression, John reacted with this when he saw the draft:

"Wow, that poster is fantastic! Do they have any intent to make it available in English?"

So, not only did John like the poster, the seed to create an English version had also been planted! We however decided to shelve this idea until after the German version had been completed.

During April and over several iterations between Toralf, the graphic designer and myself we slowly but surely ironed out all the typos in the German version getting it ready for publication which happened on April 28. In parallel, we started to work on the English version for which we could leverage John's definitions listed in his FLICC-history blog post as far as the descriptive texts were concerned.

Getting creative

But, the texts were not everything, as some of the techniques have different names in English and German, like for example "Rosinenpickerei" (picking raisins) in German which is "Cherry Picking" in English. In addition to the text, the graphics needed to be adapted as well:

In the German version of the poster the logical fallacy of "misrepresentation" was creatively depicted as flipping an "M" to a "W" to turn "Mut" (courage) into "Wut" (rage). It proved to be quite a challenge to find a good and equally creative equivalent in English, so Toralf and I enlisted the help of our respective teams at Klimafakten and Skeptical Science. In the end we settled on "plucking" the "D" from "Danger" to turn it into "anger":

Since getting involved with Skeptical Science more than ten years ago I have been working on many translations into German, several of which involved translating play on words or challenges like fitting the often long-winded translation into the available space. Working on this translation of the poster for sure added some creative challenges to the mix!

Links to resources on klimafakten.de:

F-L-I-C-C: The most common disinformation tricks of science deniers

You can download the infographics from klimafakten.de: in pdf format (approx. 1.3MB), in jpg format (approx. 1MB) and in png format (approx. 1MB). It can also be ordered free of charge from Klimafakten's editorial office as a coloured poster in A2 format. Like all klimafakten.de content, the graphic may be distributed and used  provided the source is cited (CC BY-ND 4.0).

Note:



If you'd like to translate the FLICC poster into another language or help with a translation currently in progress, please contact us by selecting "Enquiry about translations" from the contact form's dropdown menu. We'll then get in touch with additional information.
President Bidens trip to Europe this week produced some of Americas biggest diplomatic triumphs in years. Yet news reports were mixed, with the harrumphing led by this New York Times headline: Despite Successes at NATO Summit, Divisions Remain.

This from a summit where Turkey finally (and, to most observers, surprisingly) relented to Swedens bid for NATO membership; the alliance members created a NATO-Ukraine Council, which President Volodymyr Zelensky attended; the G7 nations agreed to massive long-term security assistance to Kyiv; Germany and others swelled their lists of heavy weapons to be exported to the Ukraine army; and all the NATO nations revised their long-stated pledges to spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense from a target to a minimum.

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No NATO summit in recent memory has accomplished so much, and with almost no controversy.

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There was one moment of rancor: Zelensky threw a fit upon learning that the Western leaders would not set a timetable for his countrys ascension to NATO membership. But really, this was never in the cards; the many reasons why had been explained to him repeatedly. And while his frustration is understandable, given the (unsurprisingly) slow pace of his armys counteroffensive against Russian fortifications, he risked fostering an impression of disunitythe sort of impression bound to spark something like the Times headlineover a wish that had no chance of being satisfied, and for good reasons.

In any case, Zelensky quickly dropped his sour mood and thanked the NATO members for their stalwart support. Even so, this one unpleasant moment hardly reflected divisions within the alliance, as none of NATOs leaders called for Ukraines ascension to membership now (or by any specific date). The only frustrated people quoted by the Times very able reporter, Steven Erlanger (who almost certainly did not write the headline), were former diplomats with no connections to current officials.

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Before leaving for Europe, Biden laid out some, though far from all, of the reasons why now is not the time for Ukraine to join NATO or even for NATO to set a schedule. First, by the rules of the alliance, a nation cant join unless its borders are secure (the members need to know exactly what theyre committing to defend, after all), and Ukraines borders are very much in flux. Second, nations must meet certain standards of anti-corruption, which Ukraine doesnt quite, as yet.

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Third, and most crucial: If Ukraine were to join now, then the other NATO countries would be committed, under Article 5 (an attack on one member must be treated as an attack on all) to send their troops and weapons to fight against Russia directlyin other words, to start World War IIIand thats something that Biden and the other leaders say they dont want to do. As for setting a timetable, this would be at least imprudent. No one knows how this war will end, but there will probably be some sort of diplomatic settlement, and Ukraines status in or out of NATO may be a part, perhaps as a bargaining chip. (For instance, if the war goes badly, Kyiv may let Russia keep a sliver of Donbas territory in exchange for Ukrainian membership in NATO, or it may allow no Russian gains in exchange for some security arrangement that doesnt involve NATO.) In any case, it is not in Ukraines interest to lock membership in now.

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In the summits official communique, the members noted: We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when Allies agree and conditions are met. Some have derided this language as vapid and noncommittal, but they ignore an important bit of context. Earlier in that paragraph, the communique states: We recognize that Ukraines path to full Euro-Atlantic integration has moved beyond the need for the Membership Action Plan (MAP). This action plan, which other new members have had to endure, can involve months or even years of international and bureaucratic wrangling. The objectionable phrase actually signals a shortcut: No MAP will be necessary; Ukraine will be admitted when the allies agree to admit it. (Unanimous agreement is a prerequisite for all aspiring members, as Sweden discovered when Turkey held up its application until a few days ago.)

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Related From Slate Fred Kaplan Why Its Not a Good Idea for Ukraine to Join NATO Now Read More

The significance of Turkeys agreement cannot be understated. It not only opens the path for Swedens membership in NATO, which widens the alliance and especially bolsters the defenses of the tiny Baltic nations, but also signals an end to Turkeys once bourgeoning and very concerning relationshipmilitary and economicwith Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had unilaterally blocked Swedens bid for several months, criticizing Stockholms support for Kurdish groups that he regards as terrorist. Shortly before leaving for Europe, Biden expressed confidence that Erdogan would drop his demand. The day before the summit started, Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced they had reached an agreement allowing NATO membership. The precise terms of the deal arent known, though a few days earlier, Sweden jailed a Kurdish man for attempting to finance terrorist groups. Biden also agreed to sell Turkey F-16 jets, which Erdogan has long desired.

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Zelenskys brief outburst at the summit was a rare impolitic move, perhaps his first on the global stage since demanding a NATO no-fly zone early on in the wara policy that would have required NATO nations to shoot down Russian fighter jets that flew over Ukrainian territory. In both instances, Zelensky backed offgradually in the kerfuffle last year, almost instantly at this weeks summit.

Except for that, the meeting saw no rancor whatsoever. In concluding the summit on Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance is more united than ever. It may have sounded like a cliche, but it was true.
Amazon told its users they could delete voice recordings gathered by the Alexa smart speaker and location data gathered by the Alexa appbut Amazon actually kept some of that data for years. Even worse, Amazon kept voice recordings from children indefinitely. Thats all according to the Federal Trade Commission, which, along with the Department of Justice, recently charged Amazon for deceiving parents and violating a childrens privacy law.

The complaint against Amazon follows a slate of recent FTC enforcement actions, each targeting violations of Americans privacy and abuses of their data. Last August, the agency sued location-data broker Kochava for selling mobile location data that could be used to track hundreds of millions of people (a saga that is still unfolding, after a court dismissed the lawsuit and the FTC refiled). In February, the FTC proposed a $1.5 million fine for telehealth and prescription drug company GoodRx, which the agency says shared consumers health data with Facebook, Google, and other companies; in March, it proposed a $7.8 million settlement with online counseling service BetterHelp, which it says secretly shared consumers health dataincluding identifiable mental health data, such as experiences with depression and thoughts of suicidewith third parties. The privacy enforcement actions keep coming.

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But theres a little-known fact: The team doing much of this work is comprised of just a few dozen people. Among tech-focused government organizations, the FTCs privacy team punches well above its weight, rolling out enforcement actions covering data about health, mental health, children, geolocation, and more. Congress, meanwhile, has stalled on passing comprehensive federal privacy legislation. While that debate continues, Congress can do something much quicker to help further protect Americans privacy in the short term, in a way that will complement a future privacy law: give more money to the FTCs privacy and enforcement staff.

The FTC has worked to protect Americans from companies privacy and cybersecurity abuses for decades. Principally, this authority derives from Section 5 of the FTC Act, which makes it unlawful for companies to engage in unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices related to commerce. An act or practice is considered unfair if it causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers that is not reasonably avoidable or outweighed by the countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition. Deception happens when there is a representation, omission, or practice that is likely to mislead the consumer acting reasonably in the circumstances, to the consumers detriment.

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The website GeoCities was the subject of the FTCs first internet privacy case. Its settlement was announced on Aug. 13, 1998, and in hindsight, it was even more groundbreaking than it already seemed at the time: GeoCities told users it would not share optionally inputted information with third partiesincluding education level, income, marital status, occupation, and interestsbut did so anyway. It also misrepresented the fact that third parties were collecting data on child visitors. (This was right before the 1998 passage of the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act, which went into effect in 2000 and which the FTC now enforces.) We are losing patience with self-regulation, David Medine, of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection, said at the time. Its too bad, but I think industry has lost the opportunity to show that they will do it on their own.

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Today, the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection has its own Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, which oversees consumer privacy, credit reporting, identity theft, and information security issues under the commissions authority. Recently, the FTC has also brought more attention to data brokerscompanies engaged in the highly invasive and harmful practice of collecting, selling, and sharing Americans data. Premom, the fertility tracking app, was one of the latest to receive an FTC response to its data-abusive behavior. The app told users that it was not sharing their health and other data with third parties when it was indeed doing so, the agency says. Yet, according to a 2021 FTC report, the entire Division of Privacy and Identity Protectionthe team responsible for much of this workhas only 40 to 45 employees. (The FTC confirmed via email that this figure is still accurate.)

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This is extraordinary given the divisions case output. Each one of the cases mentioned above (and detailed on the commission website) is the culmination of months of conducting deep investigations, identifying risks and harms, writing up arguments, coordinating (if needed) with other agencies and departments (like the Department of Justice), and in some cases working with companies to impose fines, reach settlements, and finalize agreements that will prevent similar future data abuses. Put simply, these cases are no easy task. They require significant work, as well as legal and, increasingly, technological expertise. In a market rife with privacy abuses, its also challenging to identify where to focus limited resources.

Related From Slate Lizzie OLeary Amazon Duped Millions of Consumers, According to the Government. Thats Just the Beginning. Read More

The size of the FTCs team pales in comparison to those of foreign counterparts. The U.K.s Information Commissioners office, which does privacy enforcement, has more than 700 employees; Irelands Data Protection Commissioner has about 150, per that 2021 FTC report. Germanys Data Protection Agency has around 745 staff, and Frances has about 200. While each country has different laws, the FTC has far fewer resources, while still bearing responsibility for protecting the privacy of hundreds of millions of people. Ashkan Soltani, the FTCs former chief technologist, testified to Congress in 2021 that the privacy team simply does not have enough resources to police an industry that touches nearly every aspect of the American economy, and that the agencys Division of Enforcement is likewise short-staffed, despite being tasked with monitoring compliance for every single consent decree agreement the FTC reaches with companies. Tech expertise, Soltani noted, is another gap that more resources could help fill.

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Theres some recognition of this, evidenced by the fact that the FTCs budget has increased pretty steadily over the past several yearsthe 2023 budget is $430 million, up from $306 million in 2018. Still, it hasnt kept pace with the data economy and the prevalence of unfair or deceptive uses of that data, and as a result, resources are still stretched thin across numerous areas, to privacys detriment.

Congress needs to step in. Legislators should absolutely pass a comprehensive federal privacy law. But any new law on data privacy will require increased enforcement, which also means increased funding. Past battles over Big Oil, for example, make it clear that once industry lobbyists weaken a bill as much as possible, they will try to attack and gut the means of enforcing it.

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The FTC itself is intentionally headed by a bipartisan group: It has five commissioners, and no more than three can be from the same party. Today, it is chaired by Lina Khan, alongside two other Democratic commissioners and two empty seatsbut President Joe Biden recently nominated two Republicans to fill the open positions. Some Republicans in Congress have criticized the direction the FTC has taken under Khans leadershipwhich has, in turn, partly posed a barrier to more funding. Some of that criticism is partisan, advanced well before Khan came into the role, and some reflects genuine concerns about lower morale and the FTCs case processes, including around antitrust. Privacy itself, however, is generally a bipartisan issue. Even when former Republican Commissioner Christine Wilson raised process concerns in her statement on the GoodRx case, for example, she expressed support for the penalties to GoodRxin fact argued they should have been largerand stressed that career staff are dedicated professionals who work across administrations that bring shifting priorities and policies to the agency. Political disagreements about antitrust and leadership policy should not impede the FTCs ability to staff its crucial privacy mission.

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On the Congressional side, the American Data Privacy Protection Act, or ADPPAthe comprehensive privacy law introduced in the last Congress and likely to be reintroduced in the current sessionis sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans. (If ADPPA passes, it too would need to be paired with an increase in FTC resources, because it requires the FTC to enforce the law.) I frequently speak with Congressional staff on both sides of the aisle who find the FTCs privacy enforcement actions to be important because of similar concerns about abuses of Americans data.

There is strong reason for Congress to give the FTC additional funding to bolster this element of privacy enforcement. After all, the FTCs recent casesranging from companies indefinitely keeping childrens voice recordings to companies lying to their customers and secretly sharing health dataare just the tip of the iceberg. If consumers are to be protected against everything right below the surface, while waiting on Congress to pass a major privacy law, the FTCs privacy team needs more resources to make it happen.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Creating a successful baking business is not just about delivering excellent products to your clients. Its also about crafting a strong brand that will stand out in the industry. Selecting the right baking business name is a crucial part of this process. This article will guide you through numerous tips and provide an array of name suggestions for your upcoming bakery business.

General Baking Business Name Ideas

Here are some general baking business names to inspire your own unique creation:

Baked Delights Oven Elegance Sweet Whisk Artisan Knead Puff Pastry Palace Glazed and Confused Flavor Flourish Sugarville Bakery Frosted Fantasia Sweet Glaze Oasis Muffin Majesty SugarBloom Bakery Dusted Delicacies Biscotti Boulevard Sugar Rush Baking Cake Couture Heavenly Crumbs Batter Bliss Dough Delights Sprinkle Symphony The Baking Haven Cookie Carousel Whisked Wonders Crust & Crumb Blissful Bakes Bakehouse Bliss Confection Connection Pastry Paradise Savor and Sweet Crumbly Creations The Sugary Slice Treat Temptations The Ovens Secret Sweet Sensations Doughnut Dreams Baking Euphoria Heavenly Sweets Rise and Shine Bakery Sugar and Spice Delights The Sweet Spot Sugar and Spice Bakery Sweet Indulgence Cupcake Creations Butter and Flour Delights Divine Desserts The Pastry Pantry Whipped Delicacies Sugar Coated Bliss Doughy Delights The Baking Boutique

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Classic Baking Business Name Ideas

For those who want their business to resonate with a timeless and elegant appeal, these classic bakery names may be perfect:

Elegant Eclairs Gourmet Gateau Vintage Bakes Bread and Butter Bakery Traditional Tarts Timeless Tiramisu Old World Oven Classic Crust Retro Rollers Antique Apple Pies The Patisserie Parlor Rustic Bakes Heritage Delights Vintage Oven Crumb and Co. Homestyle Bakery The Sweet Tradition Country Crusts Old-Fashioned Treats Classic Confections Artisanal Breads The Pie Pantry Time-Honored Pastries Traditional Cakes and Pies Vintage Delicacies Retro Sweets Classic Cookie Jar Nostalgic Nibbles Antique Sweets Heirloom Bakes Grandmas Oven Old World Boulangerie Masterpiece Muffins Classic Creations Vintage Whisk

Creative Baking Business Name Ideas

If you want your business name to stand out with a unique flair, these creative baking business names are for you:

Whisked Away The Rolling Scones Batter Up Bakeshop The Pie Piper Confection Connection The Sweet Tooth Fairy Rise and Shine Bakery The Secret Ingredient A Slice of Heaven Sugarcoated Symphony Dough-lights Bakery The Flavor Factory Sweet Escape Patisserie Whisk & Wonder The Cake Canvas Bake It Blissful The Sugary Studio Frosting Finesse The Tasty Palette Sprinkle Sparkles Bake Me Happy The Pastry Playground Sugar and Slice Cookie Concoction The Cupcake Carousel Batter and Bliss Heavenly Cravings Sweet Symphony Treats Sugar & Spice Bakery Baking Dreams Boutique The Creative Crumb The Whisked Whisk Dessert Delights The Doughnut Den Treats & Temptations Flavor Fusion Bakery The Whimsical Whisk Artisanal Delights Sugar Plum Bakery Dough & Co. The Cake Couturier Whipped Wonders The Sweet Artistry Creative Cravings The Baking Lab Frosted Fantasy Pastry Perfection The Treat Trove Gourmet Goodies The Cookie Crafters Sugar Rush Delights Bake Me Magic Dessert Haven The Sweet Escape Whiskful Thinking Cookie Carnival

Modern Baking Business Name Ideas

If your bakery prides itself on cutting-edge techniques and modern styles, consider one of these modern baking business names:

Frosted Fusion Bakers Edge Flourish & Fizz Sugar Snap Element Pastries Glaze & Glitter Trendy Torte The Cool Cookie Crisp & Cream Mod Muffin Sugar Crush Bakery Baked Bliss Boutique The Sweet Lab Whipped Whimsy Crave and Create Oven and Oak Sweet Chic Bakes Frost & Fire Flavor Fusion Treats The Dough Diva Sugar High Society The Modern Crumb Gourmet Gastronomy Urban Oven Delights Bakeology Studio The Confectionery Collective Whisked Modernity Sugar and Spice Co. The Artisan Bakehouse Bold Baking Co. The Sweet Trends Flavorsmith Bakery Fresh Crumbs Delightful Dazzle Sweet Symmetry The Sugar Studio Crumb & Craft Flavor Factory Urban Whisk Gourmet Glow Tasty Trends Bakery The Sweet Oasis Bake Bliss Co. Doughnut Dazzle The Crave Corner Sugar & Swirl The Modern Mixer Sweet Escape Bakery Frosted & Fabulous Artisanal Bites Whisked Elegance The Fresh Crumb Savor & Serenity Sweet Modernity Tempting Treats Co.

Minimalist Baking Business Name Ideas

For bakeries aiming for a simplistic, clean approach to baking, these minimalist baking business names can inspire:

Simplicity Bakes Clean Crumbs Pure Pastry Bare Bakes Elegant Eats Plain Pastries Neat Sweets Tasteful Treats Subtle Sugars Naked Nibbles Simple Slice Minimalist Morsels Clean Confections Pure Pleasures Bakery Bare Delights Modest Muffins Sublime Sweets Neat Nibbles Elegant Crusts Delicate Bakes Sleek Sweetness Simple Indulgences Tasteful Temptations Minimal Bakehouse Subtle Sugar Co. Clean Cake Couture Barely Baked Chic Confectionery Streamlined Sweets Subdued Delicacies Understated Treats Purely Pies Simple Pleasures Refined Cravings Modish Munchies Bare & Beautiful Bakes Pure Bliss Bakery Simply Sweet Treats Clean Cut Confections Elegant Eclair Subtle Slice Bakery Minimalist Delights Tasteful Temptations Modest Munchies Sleek & Simple Sweets Simple Pleasures Pastry Delicate Desserts Refined Crusts Streamlined Sugar Minimal Magic Bakery Neat & Natural Nibbles Chic & Simple Slices Subdued Sweetness Purely Perfect Pies Understated Elegance Bakery

Playful Baking Business Name Ideas

Inject a dose of fun and whimsy into your baking business with playful name ideas that will bring a smile to your customers faces. A playful business name not only captures the joy and creativity of baking but also sets your bakery apart from the competition. From clever wordplay to lighthearted puns, these playful names add a touch of personality and create a memorable brand that customers will love.

So, get ready to sprinkle some laughter and delight into your baking venture as we explore a variety of playful baking business name ideas that will leave a lasting impression and make your bakery a destination for fun-filled treats. Lets embark on a scrumptious journey where creativity and playfulness meet, and the result is a truly joyful baking experience.

Sprinkles and Sparkles Playful Pastries Laughing Loaf Kneady Baker Cakey McCakeFace FunBuns Joyful Jellies Whimsical Whisk Nutty Creations Silly Sweets Sweet Serenade Bakery The Frosted Playground Delightful Drizzles Whisked Away Wonders Cookie Carnival Playful Patisserie Sugar & Sunshine The Laughing Doughnut Sprinkle Safari Joyful Jellyroll Whimsy Cakes Punny Pies Doughy Delights Tickle My Taste Buds Nutty and Nice Treats Sugar Rush Bakes Blissful Bites The Cupcake Circus Playful Puffs Silly Swirls Bakery Whisk Me Away Fun-Filled Fancies Sugarcoated Smiles Bouncy Bakes Zany Zest Bakery Cupcake Carousel Sweet Dreams Bakery Cookie Craze Sugar Plum Sweets The Frosted Delight Delicious Drizzles Whisked to Perfection Sprinkle Sensation Bake Me Happy Joyful Jellybean Whimsical Whiskers Nutty and Nice Bakery Silly Swirls and Sweets Blissful Bites Bakery The Sugary Circus Tickle My Taste Bakery Nutty Delights Sugar Rush Delights Bakery Bliss The Playful Puff Punny Pie Patisserie Doughy Decadence Tasty Tickle Treats Sugarcoated Bliss Bouncy Bakery Zestful Zest Bakes

Baking Business Name Ideas Inspired by Location

Transport your customers to a culinary journey with baking business names inspired by the location. By infusing your bakerys identity with the spirit of a specific place, you create a unique connection that resonates with both locals and visitors. Whether you draw inspiration from the enchanting streets of Paris, the sun-kissed shores of the Caribbean, or the cozy charm of a small town, a location-inspired name adds a touch of allure and sets the stage for a delectable experience.

Lets explore the geography of flavor and discover the perfect name that reflects the essence of your locale and leaves a lasting impression on anyone who enters your bakery. Get ready to whisk your customers away on a mouthwatering adventure through a name that captures the essence of your baking business and the spirit of your chosen location.

Pacific Patisserie Rocky Mountain Rolls Southern Sugars Lone Star Sweets Midwest Muffins Atlantic Artisan Bakes Cityscape Cakes Coastal Confections Desert Delights Urban Oven Golden Coast Bakery Big Sky Bakes Sweet Home Southern Treats Lone Star Delicacies Great Lakes Cakes Ocean Breeze Bakers City Sweets Coastal Crumbs Desert Oasis Treats Urban Oven Delights Pacific Paradise Patisserie Mountain Range Rolls Southern Charm Sweets Midwest Muffin Co. Atlantic Artisan Bakeshop Cityscape Confections Coastal Dream Bakery Desert Rose Delights Urbanite Oven Cascading Creations Texas Twists Northern Lights Baking Co. Seaside Sweets Prairie Pies Bay Area Bakes Sunset Coast Cakes Rocky Mountain Sweet Treats Southern Star Bakery Lone Star Patisserie Midwest Magic Muffins Atlantic Avenue Bakeshop Cityscape Confectionery Coastal Cravings Desert Rose Bakery Urban Oasis Delights Pacific Patisserie Paradise Mountain Peak Rolls Southern Delights Sweets Great Lakes Goodies Ocean View Bakers City Lights Treats Coastal Comfort Cakes Desert Oasis Bakes Urban Elegance Oven Pacific Palate Patisserie Mountain Mist Muffins Southern Star Sweets Midwest Magic Bakes Atlantic Artisan Treats Cityscape Delicacies Coastal Crusts Desert Bloom Bakery Urbanite Delights Cascading Creations Bakery Texas Twists and Treats Northern Lights Sweets Seaside Serenade Bakery Prairie Patisserie Bayview Bakes

Baking Business Name Ideas Inspired by Industry Terms

Elevate your baking business to new heights of authenticity and sophistication by incorporating industry-specific terms into your name. These specialized terms showcase your expertise and dedication to the craft and resonate with customers who appreciate the artistry and precision behind every delicious creation.

From terms like knead and proof to glaze and crust, incorporating these industry jargons in your bakery name adds a touch of professionalism and sets you apart from the competition. So, lets dive into a world of baking terminology and discover the perfect name that embodies the essence of your passion and expertise. Get ready to captivate taste buds and inspire admiration with a name that truly speaks to the heart of your baking business.

Knead & Rise Ferment & Fire Glaze & Ganache Crust & Crumb Sponge & Frost Proof & Bake Mix & Mingle Scoop & Bake Whip & Cream Roll & Cut Bake & Bloom Rise & Whisk Sugar & Sift Dough & Delight Cream & Crust Frost & Flourish Sprinkle & Spark Knead & Confection Blend & Baste Glaze & Grind Proof & Patisserie Mixology Bakeshop Cut & Crumb Scoop & Sprinkle Whip & Wander Roll & Revel Fire & Fondant Oven & Essence Steam & Savor Infuse & Indulge Bakehouse Blend Rise & Dine Ferment & Flour Dollop & Drizzle Sweeten & Swirl Flourish & Flavor Dough & Devotion Cream & Cakes Sprinkle & Sizzle Knead & Kindness Bake & Brilliance Rise & Radiance Whisk & Wonder Roll & Revel Fire & Feast Oven & Occasions Steam & Serenity Infuse & Indulgence Gourmet & Glaze Slice & Savory Mix & Master Frost & Fancy Crust & Creation Scoop & Success Blend & Bliss Proof & Patisserie Whip & Whimsy Dollop & Delight Sweeten & Delish Drizzle & Dream Celebrate & Savor

Baking Business Name Ideas Inspired by Foreign Languages

Embark on a global culinary journey with these delightful baking business name ideas inspired by foreign languages. By infusing your bakery name with the beauty and charm of different languages, you can create a unique and captivating brand that stands out from the competition.

From Italian to French, Spanish to German, these foreign language names add an exotic touch to your bakery, evoking a sense of authenticity and craftsmanship. So, lets explore the linguistic flavors and find the perfect name that will transport your customers to a world of delectable treats and international delights. Get ready to embrace the multicultural spirit and infuse your bakery with a touch of international flair!

Panetteria Delight (Italian for bakery) Le Petit Four (French) El Pan Dulce (Spanish for sweet bread) Konditorei Klassics (German for pastry shop) Boulangerie Beaucoup (French for bakery) Pasticceria Paradiso (Italian for pastry shop) Panaderia Fresco (Spanish for fresh bakery) Tortchen Traum (German for dream of cakes) Gateau Galore (French for cake) Dolce Forno (Italian for sweet oven) Delizia Dolce (Italian for sweet delight) La Boulangerie Magique (French for the magical bakery) La Dulce Vida (Spanish for the sweet life) Kuchen Kompass (German for cake compass) Patisserie Parfait (French for perfect pastry) La Casa dei Dolci (Italian for the house of sweets) Panaderia Bella (Spanish for beautiful bakery) Zuckersue Versuchung (German for sugary temptation) La Belle Patisserie (French for the beautiful pastry shop) Pasticceria Bella Vista (Italian for beautiful view pastry shop) La Torta Magica (Spanish for the magical cake) Eclairs Eternels (French for eternal eclairs) Sue Verfuhrung (German for sweet seduction) La Maison de Gateaux (French for the house of cakes) Dolce Vita Bakeshop (Italian for sweet life) La Panaderia Encantada (Spanish for the enchanted bakery) Das Schokoladenparadies (German for the chocolate paradise) Le Delice Celeste (French for celestial delight) Torta Bella (Italian for beautiful cake) El Rincon del Pan (Spanish for the bread corner) Die Zuckerbackerei (German for the sugar bakery) Les Macarons Delicieux (French for delicious macarons) Torta Amore (Italian for cake of love) El Rollo de Canela (Spanish for cinnamon roll) Das Brotmeister (German for the bread master)

Baking Business Name Ideas with Acronyms or Abbreviations

Unlock the potential of your baking business with these inventive name ideas inspired by acronyms and abbreviations. These names are catchy and memorable and provide a unique twist to your brand identity. By incorporating acronyms or abbreviations into your bakery name, you can create a modern and streamlined image that captures the attention of your target audience.

Get ready to mix and match letters to create a name that stands out from the crowd and leaves a lasting impression on your customers. Lets dive in and discover the perfect acronym or abbreviation that will make your bakery shine in the world of baking!

B.A.K.E  Baking Artistic Kneaded Edibles C.R.U.M.B  Creating Remarkable Unforgettable Munchies and Breads F.L.O.U.R  Freshly Leavened Ovenbaked Unforgettable Rolls S.W.E.E.T  Serving Wonderful Edible Exciting Treats Y.U.M  Your Unforgettable Morsels B.R.E.A.D  Beautifully Rising Edible Artisan Delights C.A.K.E  Creative Artistry in Kneaded Edibles D.E.L.I.S.H  Delightful Edible Creations, Lovingly Infused with Sweetness and Happiness F.I.R.E  Freshly Inspired Remarkable Edibles G.R.A.I.N  Gourmet, Radiant, Artisanal Indulgences and Nourishment H.O.T  Heavenly Oven Treats I.C.E  Irresistible Confections and Edibles J.O.Y  Just Oven Yumminess K.R.U.M.B  Kneaded, Rolled, Unforgettable Morsels of Bliss L.U.S.C.I.O.U.S  Lavishly Unique Sweet Confections Infused with Outstanding Unforgettable Sensations M.E.R.R.Y  Magical Edibles Radiating Richness and Yumminess N.O.U.R.I.S.H  Nurturing Oven-made Unforgettable Recipes Infused with Sweetness and Happiness P.I.E  Perfectly Indulgent Edibles Q.U.I.C.K  Quality Unforgettable Indulgent Confections and Kneaded Treats R.I.S.E  Remarkable, Inspiring, and Scrumptious Edibles S.W.I.R.L  Sweet, Whimsical, Indulgent, and Remarkable Love T.A.S.T.E  Tantalizing Artisan Sweets, Treats, and Edibles U.N.I.Q.U.E  Unforgettable, Nourishing, Indulgent, Quality Edibles V.I.B.E  Vibrant, Indulgent, Blissful Edibles W.H.I.P  Whimsical Heavenly Indulgences and Pastries X.Q.U.I.S.I.T.E  eXceptional, Quality Unforgettable Indulgences, Scrumptious Treats, and Edibles Y.U.M.M.Y  Your Unforgettable, Marvelous, and Mouthwatering Yumminess Z.E.S.T  Zesty, Exquisite, Scrumptious Treats B.A.K.E.R  Brilliantly Artistic Kneading and Exquisite Recipes C.U.P.C.A.K.E  Creative, Unforgettable, Purely Captivating, and Kissable Edibles Patisserie Charmante (French for charming pastry) Panificadora Bella (Spanish for beautiful bakery) Die Zuckerfee (German for the sugar fairy) Biscotti Bello (Italian for beautiful biscotti) La Bonne Baguette (French for the good baguette) Panaderia Dulzura (Spanish for sweetness bakery) Zauberhafte Torten (German for magical cakes) Croissant Croquant (French for crispy croissant) Dolci Incantati (Italian for enchanted sweets) Le Gateau Magique (French for the magical cake) Panaderia del Sol (Spanish for bakery of the sun) Das Feine Geback (German for the fine pastries) Tartelette Tentazione (Italian for temptation tart) Brioche Brillante (French for brilliant brioche) La Casa del Pane (Italian for the house of bread) El Molino de Azucar (Spanish for the sugar mill) Le Pain dAmour (French for bread of love) Dolce Sinfonia (Italian for sweet symphony) Das Cafe Delight (German for cafe delight) Petit Plaisir (French for little pleasure) Panaderia Encanto (Spanish for charming bakery) Delizie Divine (Italian for divine delights) Le Festin Sucre (French for sweet feast) Brotkunstwerk (German for bread masterpiece) Gelato Magico (Italian for magic gelato) La Baguette Doree (French for the golden baguette)

Baking Business Name Ideas with Puns or Wordplay

Get ready to rise to the occasion with these delightful baking business name ideas filled with puns and clever wordplay. From dough-inspired puns to sweet-treat wordplay, these names will add a touch of whimsy and playfulness to your bakery brand. With these creative and catchy names, youll surely whisk your customers away and leave them craving for more of your delicious creations. So lets dive in and discover the perfect name that will have everyone rolling in the dough with laughter and delight!

Dough-Re-Mi Flour Power Bread Pitt Yeastie Boys Baking Bad Pie-casso Crust Almighty Life of Pie Rise and Dine Sweet and Sourdough Bake to the Future Rolling in the Dough Lets Get Baking! Whisk-takers Delight Batter Days Ahead Baking Me Crazy The Rolling Pin Loaf and Behold Bake it Happen Bakers Gonna Bake Floury Fingers Dough-licious Treats Breaking Bread The Crumb Diaries Rise to the Occasion Sweet Success Bakery Cookie Monsters Scone Zone Cake It Til You Make It The Muffin Mania The Baking Brigade Pies and Prejudice Sugar and Slice Gluten Freedom Oven the Moon The Cookie Jar Sweet Sensations Crumb Co. The Flour Factory Doughnut Delights Bake Box The Cake Coop Whisk and Roll Sugar & Spice Bakery Buttercream Bliss The Crust Club Sprinkle Spark Bakery Flaky Goodness Sweet Surrender Bread and Butter The Pastry Pantry Cupcake Corner The Rolling Dough Yummy Treats Bakery Mix and Bake Sugary Delights Cakes and Crumbs Wholesome Bakes Flavorful Creations The Baking Haven The Muffin Mill Bread Basket Bakery Dessert Delights Sweet Cravings Sugar Hill Bakes Savory Bites

Tips for Creating Baking Business Names

When choosing a name for your bakery business, take into account your target audience and the desired image you want to portray. Opt for a simple, easy-to-pronounce name that avoids complicated spellings, ensuring it doesnt confuse potential customers. Its crucial to select a memorable and relevant name that captures the essence of your specialty, whether its a home bakery, flour bakery, or a French-inspired concept.

To find inspiration, consider exploring various home bakery name ideas, bakery name generators, and business name ideas. Keep in mind your unique selling proposition, such as offering wedding cakes, a cake lair, a baking room, or even a milk bar. As you brainstorm bakery names, envision how they align with your brand identity and the baked goods you provide- artisan bread, delectable pastries, or fluffy biscuits.

Furthermore, as you finalize a name, conduct a thorough check to ensure the domain name is available. Establishing an online presence is essential for your bakery, whether through a website, social media platforms, or online ordering. By incorporating these considerations and keywords, you can create a compelling bakery name that resonates with your target audience and sets the stage for your businesss success.

Consider SEO When Naming Your Baking Business

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a significant role in improving your bakerys online visibility. Incorporate relevant keywords into your business name and domain to enhance your search engine rankings. This can help potential customers find your bakery more easily when searching online.

The Process of Naming Your Baking Business

When establishing your bakerys online presence, its crucial to prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies. By incorporating relevant keywords into your bakery name and domain, you can significantly improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find your bakery when searching online. Consider including keywords like home bakery name ideas, bakery name, and bakery name ideas to optimize your online visibility.

To enhance your bakerys SEO, brainstorm business name ideas that reflect your specialty, such as wedding cakes, a cake lair, a baking room, or a milk bar. Utilize a bakery name generator or explore creative options like a cake shop, bakery cafe, or French-inspired bakery to capture the essence of your brand. Whether your focus is on delectable cakes, fluffy biscuits, or a diverse range of baked goods, incorporating relevant keywords like bakery business name ideas, chocolate chippers bakery, and cute bakery business names can further boost your search engine rankings and attract your target audience.

By leveraging SEO and strategically incorporating these keywords, you can optimize your bakerys online visibility and ensure that your business stands out among competitors in the digital landscape.

Baking Business Name Generators

When brainstorming name ideas for your bakery, let the provided keywords serve as a foundation to capture the essence of your business. Whether you envision a cake bakery, a French-inspired bakery, or a gluten-free haven, use these keywords as a starting point for your creative exploration. Incorporate terms like bakery name ideas, business name ideas, and bakery names to inspire unique and memorable options.

To further refine your list, consider using bakery name generators or seeking input from others in the industry. Think about the atmosphere you want to create, such as a cozy cake lair, a bustling bakery cafe, or a milk bar with nostalgic charm. Let your imagination run wild as you explore possibilities like cake shop, fluffy biscuits bakery, or cupcake shop to add a touch of whimsy or specialization to your brand.

Ultimately, choose a bakery name that resonates with you and aligns with your vision for your business. Seek a name that has the potential to leave a lasting impression on your customers and conveys the unique qualities of your bakery, whether its through catchy bakery names, custom cakes, or the artistry of bread baking. Embrace the creative process and select a name that will become synonymous with your family cake company, bakery business, or any other baking venture you embark on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What factors should I consider when naming my baking business?

When naming your bakery business, several factors should be considered to ensure a strong and effective name. First, it should be relevant to your products or services, reflecting the essence of your bakery. Consider incorporating keywords related to your specialty, such as cake bakery, bread bakery, or gluten-free bakery, to convey what you offer. This can also provide potential SEO benefits by making your business more discoverable online.

How important is SEO in naming my baking business?

Uniqueness is crucial in setting your bakery apart from competitors. Avoid generic names like Bakery Shop or Flour Bakery and strive for something distinctive and memorable. A creative bakery name generator can be a useful tool for brainstorming ideas, but always add your personal touch to make the name unique to your brand.

Can I use a bakery business name generator to come up with a name for my business?

While it is technically possible to change your bakery business name in the future, its best to choose a name youll be satisfied with long-term. Changing your business name can be complex, involving rebranding efforts, updating licenses, and notifying clients. Avoid future complications by selecting a name that aligns with your vision and allows for potential growth beyond your initial offerings.

Can I change my baking business name in the future?

Yes, it is technically possible to change your business name in the future. However, its important to consider that a name change can be a complex process that may involve rebranding, updating business registrations and licenses, and informing your clients. Its generally best to choose a name youll be happy with long-term to avoid these complications.

What should I avoid when naming my baking business?

When naming your bakery business, its important to avoid obscure words, complex spellings, or anything that may confuse potential customers. Additionally, consider the future growth of your business. A name like Smiths Cupcakes may limit your expansion into other baked goods. Choose a name that can accommodate your businesss evolution.

Should my baking business name reflect the products I sell?

While not mandatory, having a bakery business name that reflects your products can immediately convey what you offer. Names like The Rolling Pin or Cake Lair give customers an instant sense of your specialization. However, a more abstract name can also work if it captures the essence of your brand and sparks curiosity.

How can I test the effectiveness of my baking business name?

Testing the effectiveness of your bakery business name can be done by gathering feedback from friends, family, or potential customers. Create a survey to gather their impressions, evaluate ease of pronunciation and memorability, and gauge the bakery image they envision when hearing the name.

Is it necessary to have the word bakery or bake in my business name?

Including bakery or bake in your business name can immediately communicate your offerings, but its not mandatory. Many successful bakeries have names without these words. Focus on a name that captures your brand identity, resonates with customers, and is easy to pronounce and remember.

Should my baking business name be unique?

A unique bakery business name is essential for standing out in the market and avoiding legal conflicts. Research your chosen name to ensure its not already in use or protected by trademarks. Online databases like the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office can help you check for existing trademarks.

Should I consider a domain name when naming my baking business?

If you plan to create a website for your baking business, its a good idea to check if your desired domain name is available when choosing your business name. Having a domain name that matches your business name can make it easier for customers to find you online.

Is it important to trademark my baking business name?

Applying for a trademark can protect your baking business name and prevent other businesses from using a name thats too similar. This can prevent customer confusion and protect your brands reputation. However, the process can be time-consuming and expensive, so you should consider your specific situation and possibly consult with a legal professional before proceeding.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect name for your baking business can be a fun and creative process. Whether you opt for a name thats classic, modern, minimalist, or playful, the important thing is to choose a name that resonates with your brand and appeals to your target market. Happy naming, and heres to your future success in the world of baking!
A Colorado businessman has been sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment for evading payment of over $700,000 in employment taxes. This judgment sends out a stern message to small business owners about the dire consequences of tax evasion, a practice that ultimately undermines the integrity of the economy.

From Bow Mar, Colorado, Frank Stevens has found himself on the wrong side of the law. He co-owned multiple businesses, including restaurants and an oil production firm. These establishments employed numerous individuals from whom Stevens withheld income and Social Security and Medicare taxes.

According to court documents and courtroom statements, this evasion began as early as 2002, spanning many subsequent years. Stevens systematically failed to forward the withheld payroll taxes to the IRS or file the necessary quarterly employment tax returns for his businesses. Following unsuccessful collection attempts from the businesses, the IRS assessed the tax against Stevens personally.

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To stave off the IRSs collection efforts through bank levies, Stevens strategically maintained low balances in his personal and business bank accounts, often reducing them to just $0.01. He also transferred funds or directed employees to transfer just enough to cover expenses, moving any leftover money to an account not subject to IRS levy. These maneuvers led to an estimated tax loss of about $737,128.

In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Daniel D. Domenico ruled that Stevens must also serve three years of supervised release. Furthermore, Stevens has been ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and $1,096,138.14 in restitution to the United States.

The announcement came from Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Departments Tax Division. The IRS-Criminal Investigation team scrutinized the case and prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorneys Peter Anthony and Julia Rugg.

This incident provides a crucial lesson for small business owners. Compliance with tax obligations is not optional, and evading such duties can lead to severe consequences. The evasion of employment taxes not only defrauds the government but also unfairly burdens employees who rely on social safety nets like Social Security and Medicare.

Small business owners must understand that while managing taxes can be challenging, they are a legal obligation. There are numerous resources available to assist businesses with tax compliance, including tax professionals, the IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center, and various software tools. As this case demonstrates, ignoring these obligations can lead to prison terms, heavy fines, and a damaged reputation that can critically harm a businesss future viability.

In conclusion, the conviction of Frank Stevens serves as a potent reminder to all business owners of the importance of tax compliance. Its a sobering example that the risks of tax evasion far outweigh any perceived short-term benefits. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and their ethical and financial compliance is vital for the health and integrity of the whole economic system.

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Whether its funding for research and development, training programs, or expansion projects, grants offer targeted solutions to enhance productivity, innovation, and overall success. By offering support tailored to their needs, grants empower small businesses to thrive, grow, and contribute to their communities economic vitality.

These grants provide financial assistance and resources to help businesses overcome hurdles such as technology upgrades, workforce development, marketing initiatives, and sustainability efforts. The one Cesar offers is specifically for businesses looking to create dog-friendly workplaces. There are also other grants addressing several different issues small businesses are facing. Read on to find out more.

In addition to the grant from Cesar, there are also offerings from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) related programs looking to help small businesses with building improvements, workforce training, new equipment purchases, marketing campaigns, technical assistance, and more.

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Small Business News July 14, 2023

This weeks news includes the introduction of the Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans (SERV) Act to provide veteran business owners with needed resources. A report of a challenge brought on by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) of a Department of Labors (DOL) rule that seeks to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors. And a survey revealed that most freelancers are leveraging AI technology. For that and more, read the rest of the roundup.

Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) introduced the Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans (SERV) Act on July 10, 2023. The bipartisan legislation seeks to boost veteran entrepreneurship, reflecting the growing recognition of the value veteran business owners bring to the U.S. economy.

Dilawar Syed is the New Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Syed was ceremonially sworn in as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in Washington, D.C. The bipartisan Senate confirmation vote of 54-42 marked the beginning of Syeds tenure at the SBA.

In a move set to redefine technical support for small businesses, Fiverr International Ltd. announced the launch of Fiverr Certified on June 29, 2023. This will create a marketplace of certified freelance experts specifically vetted by prominent tech partners such as Amazon Ads, monday.com, and Stripe.

GetConduits latest innovation, the Automated Data Connector app, looks to make data management woes a thing of the past for small businesses. For entrepreneurs tired of spending hours manually updating data or struggling with uncooperative APIs, this tool is an efficient solution designed to streamline reporting processes, providing unprecedented access to unlimited data.

Semrushs introduction of the Ask AI feature in its ContentShake app aims to deliver high-quality content more quickly and efficiently than ever. With an increasingly competitive digital marketplace, this continues to demand more efficiency from large and small businesses alike.

The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing by the day in todays enterprises; however, a new study by Workday, Inc. reveals that most business leaders believe humans should still be involved in AI-driven decision-making processes.

American freelance workers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity, according to a recent study conducted by Freelancer.com. The study also unveiled, however, that this shift towards automation has also sparked concerns about job security. Freelancer.

The launch of five new themes from WordPress.com tailored for creators and more for blogging, photography, and entrepreneurial experience. These new themes not only aim to revamp the design of a WordPress site but also to bring to life the distinct voice of every blogger, photographer, restaurateur, and more.

Small business owners, bloggers, and creators worldwide will now earn money from their sites, regardless of whether theyre using the free plan or one of the paid tiers on WordPress.com. Previously, to monetize their WordPress.com sites, creators had to upgrade to a paid plan.

I always admire organizations that use technology tools to do good. In fact, there is a lot we can learn from non-profits. On The Small Business Radio Show this week, I talked with Hank Dearden, who is the Executive Director of ForestPlanet, an organization that supports large-scale, low-cost-per-tree reforestation efforts all over the world. Forestplanet.

Squarespace, the renowned website builder platform, has announced a definitive asset purchase agreement with Google. This acquisition entails all assets linked to Google Domains, scheduled for closure after a transition period. The purchase encompasses roughly 10 million domains from Google Domains spread across millions of customers.

Google Workspace has collaborated with Stripe, a leading financial infrastructure platform for businesses to make life easier for small businesses. This joint effort will allow businesses to accept payments for services directly through Google Calendar, creating a streamlined booking and payment process for their customers.

In a move that will help small business owners and content creators, Buffer, a social media management tool, has expanded its functionality to include Instagram Creator accounts. The announcement offers the potential for entrepreneurs to effectively manage their business and creator accounts from one platform.

Canva, the Australia-based graphic design platform, revealed its new developers platform, the Canva Apps SDK. This will open up a new world of opportunities for small businesses and software developers worldwide.

According to a new survey from GoDaddy, American small business owners are redefining the American Dream to focus more on personal satisfaction. A comfortable lifestyle, happiness, and the freedom to pursue their interests, rather than traditional markers like home ownership or wealth accumulation, are key success indicators.

In a move set to revolutionize small business account reconciliation and transaction matching procedures, Oracle NetSuite has unveiled its latest product, NetSuite Account Reconciliation.

New research from Upwork reveals generative AIs impact on workplace dynamics and hiring trends. Conducted by Upworks Research Institute, the study surveyed 1,400 U.S. business leaders ranging from senior managers to C-suite executives.

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is challenging a Department of Labors (DOL) rule that seeks to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors. This controversial move could potentially bear significant implications for small businesses nationwide and has been flagged as exceeding the authority delegated by Congress.

Twilio Inc. and Frame AI have announced their partnership to leverage AI for enhanced customer experiences via Twilio Flex in a move that will likely benefit small businesses looking to refine their customer engagement strategy. Twilio Flex, a cloud-based digital engagement solution, provides personalized interactions across contact centers, sales, and in-app concierge.

Freshworks Inc. announced a significant update to its AI assistant, Freddy. This update introduces powerful generative AI capabilities across its product line, designed to improve business efficiency and streamline the operations of various company departments.

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The goal is to nurture Danube floodplain forests and wetlands.

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While a large part of the Slovak stretch of the Danube is harnessed to producing electricity, river managers want to give the surrounding environment one of the life-giving drenchings that it would get under normal circumstances. Following the traditional spring so-called "simulated floods" of the Danube inland delta near Bratislava, which is affected by the Gabcikovo hydroelectric plant, Vodohospodarska Vystavba, the state-owned company that builds water structures and manages hydro-power plants, will start a summer simulated flood on Saturday, July 15. It will last for 18 days, i.e. until August 1.

Artificial flooding of the Danube is a common but necessary activity for environmentally valuable elements in the area. It is also part of the fight against the climate crisis, the company noted.

A simulated flood on the Danube. (Source: TASR)

It is also one of the ways to protect the Danube floodplain forests and wetlands, Vodohospodarska Vystavba wrote, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Thanks to artificially increased flow and interventions at individual dams, water reaches places that would not survive without it.

During the simulated flood, the state company will test the maximum flow through the facility at Dobrohost at a level of 120 cubic metres per second (for four days), up from a normal average of 30 cubic metres per second, which will be followed by 90 cubic metres per second for four days.

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Related article Bumpy, twisted, but always beautiful. A tip for tree-lovers around Bratislava Read more

The company declared that the flows through the intake facility to the branch system in Dobrohost and connected dams will be set in such a way that there is no damage to water structures or to property in the flooded area while the floodplain is partially flooded.

Thanks to artificially increased flow and interventions at individual dams, water reaches places that would not survive without it. (Source: TASR)

Last year, spring simulated flooding began on May 13 and lasted until June 12. Summer flooding followed right afterwards, from June 13 to June 28, so flooding lasted a total of 41 days. The maximum flow was 90 cubic metres per second, the Environment Ministry wrote last year, as quoted by TASR.
Larry James Kulick, a bishop from Pennsylvania, expressed his admiration for Slovak Americans and their resilience.

Proud of his Slovak heritage bishop came to the Church of St. John the Baptist in Nova Bystrica (Source: My Kysuce/Pavol Stolarik)

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Bishop Larry James Kulick, who hails from the Diocese of Greensburg in Pennsylvania, USA, visited Slovakia at the start of July and celebrated mass in honour of his Slovak ancestors at the Church of St John the Baptist in Nova Bystrica and the Church of St Michael the Archangel in Stara Bystrica.

His grandparents came from the two adjacent villages, which are in the Kysuce region of northern Slovakia.

Reflecting his roots, Bishop Kulick incorporated symbols representing Slovak heritage into his episcopal coat of arms, including sheaves of wheat borrowed from the coat of arms of Nova Bystrica, local news outlet MY Kysuce reported. He highlighted the significance of these symbols, representing both earthly and spiritual nourishment, which emphasise the importance of nurturing a fruitful harvest through careful attention.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/MHeS99KbY1Y

Resilience and faith of Slovak Americans

During his homily, Bishop Kulick expressed his admiration for Slovak Americans who, despite facing hardships and leaving their homeland in search of better opportunities, held onto their faith and persevered.

He shared stories of their resilience, such as the community's united effort to prevent the closure of a mortgaged church by offering their possessions and convincing creditors to allow them to reopen it. Reflecting on their sacrifices, Bishop Kulick pondered the enduring strength of their faith and questioned whether people today would be willing to make similar sacrifices to preserve the churches that offer eternal gifts.

Slovak immigrants

Co-celebrating mass with Bishop Kulick was Bishop Tomas Galis of the Zilina Diocese, who emphasised the importance of maintaining traditions and passing on the message of faith to future generations. He highlighted the values of solidarity, empathy and selflessness demonstrated by Slovak immigrants in America, which brought them hope and joy despite their challenging circumstances.
Family business from central Ukraine will create 200 new job opportunities near Zilina.

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Slovakia has been supporting Ukraine for some time, by supplying fuel, weapons, and humanitarian aid in support of its defence against Russia's invasion. Now a Ukrainian company is planning to bring a large new factory, and with it hundreds of jobs, to Slovakia.

A family-run confectionery company from central Ukraine, Lukas, arrived in Slovakia eight years ago to sell its products and export them to other countries in the European Union. Now, the company, through its subsidiary Petro SK, intends to establish a production plant in Slovakia, which will create new job opportunities, writes the Dennik N daily.

A Ukrainian boost to the Slovak economy

The Ukrainian entrepreneurs plan to build a new confectionery factory near Zilina at a cost of over 11 million, employing 200 people. The new facility will primarily focus on the production of caramel or chocolate-coated nuts, seeds and dried fruits, which are among Lukas' main products, along with sweet pastries.

Lukas began shifting its business to Slovakia over eight years ago after the initial Russian attacks on Crimea and the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Together with another Ukrainian company, it established the joint trading company Petro SK. Due to the ongoing conflict with Russia and its ally Belarus, the Lukach family that owns the company has completely ended its previously robust exports to Russia and Belarus, redirecting its focus towards EU countries.

Zilina will become a confectionery centre

The new Lukas plant near Zilina will be situated near the Hricov reservoir and cover a total operational area of almost 4,000 square metres. Construction is expected to commence in autumn next year, with completion projected for the summer of 2026.

Lukas already has a production facility spanning 11 hectares in Kremenchuk, located southeast of Kyiv on the Dnipro River. The company employs approximately 3,500 people and produces around 2,500 tons of confectionery products per month. Lukas sells its products in 52 countries worldwide, including the challenging French market, where it has even found success with its croissants.

Slovakia attracts more Ukrainian businessman

Meanwhile, another significant Ukrainian investor, Myronivskyj Chliboprodukt, owned by businessman Yuriy Kosiuk, operates a large poultry processing factory in Slovakia with over 150 employees.

Kosiuk's agricultural group is the largest in Ukraine, with a turnover of two billion US dollars and has subsidiaries in the Netherlands and the Balkans.
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, meets with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken, left, and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, to discuss measures against North Korea's missile provocations in Munich, Feb. 18. Yonhap



The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan are scheduled to hold three-way talks Friday to discuss ways to deal with North Korea's evolving threats highlighted by this week's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to Seoul's foreign ministry.



South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, were visiting Jakarta to attend annual regional meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).



The three sides are scheduled to hold the meeting in the evening.



On Thursday, Pyongyang announced it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day, with its leader Kim Jong-un vowing to take a "stronger" military offensive until the U.S. abandons its hostile policy against his country.






https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/us-house-rejects-ndaa-amendments-to-decrease-ukraine-military-aid-1111864605.html

US House Rejects NDAA Amendments to Decrease Ukraine Military Aid

US House Rejects NDAA Amendments to Decrease Ukraine Military Aid

US House lawmakers rejected amendments to the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act to block and reduce future security assistance to Ukraine, as the lower chamber of Congress continues to develop a final version of the bill.

2023-07-13T23:39+0000

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2023-07-13T23:37+0000

americas

joe biden

marjorie taylor greene

ukraine

congress

national defense authorization act (ndaa)

us house of representatives

military aid

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House lawmakers have considered hundreds of amendments to their version of the NDAA this week, which they will need to reconcile with the Senate version. The lawmakers rejected two amendments Thursday evening to reduce support for Ukraine as part of the $886 billion defense policy bill. The House rejected an amendment from Congressman Matt Gaetz to prohibit federal funds from being made available to provide security assistance to Ukraine. The lower chamber also rejected an amendment offered by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove $300 million in funding for Ukraine from the bill. The House also rejected an amendment from Greene to block the creation of a "Center of Excellence" in Ukraine. Additionally, the House rejected amendments from other lawmakers to require the Biden administration to provide Congress with a detailed strategy for US involvement in Ukraine and end an extension of lend-lease authority to Ukraine. Greene has introduced amendments to the NDAA directing US President Joe Biden to exit the NATO alliance and to block the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, although those amendments have not yet been considered. The White House said that Biden generally supports the NDAAs passage, but urges lawmakers to reconsider some provisions, such as increased oversight of aid to Ukraine. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have expressed a desire for Congress to pass the legislation before their August recess. The NDAA sets the agencies responsible for defense activities and their recommended funding levels, as well as policies related to how such spending can be spent. The House on Thursday did approve an amendment to prohibit the Defense Department from reimbursing expenses for abortion services. US Senator Tommy Tuberville has placed a hold on Biden administration nominees in protest of new Pentagon abortion policies supporting the practice. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has discussed concerns about military readiness impacts from the holds with Tuberville and hopes he lifts the holds, according to the Defense Department. The House may also consider an amendment from Greene later on Thursday to block the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, as well as amendments addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the Pentagon.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/failure-of-nato-summit-to-admit-ukraine-widens-fissures-in-us-led-alliance-1111853389.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/biden-signs-order-augmenting-operation-atlantic-resolve-with-3000-troops-1111865623.html

US Tries to Restrain Russia: Biden Sends 3,000 to Eastern Europe

US Tries to Restrain Russia: Biden Sends 3,000 to Eastern Europe

US President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order augmenting Operation Atlantic Resolve in Europe with 3,000 reserve personnel, Joint Staff Director for Operations Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims said on Thursday.

2023-07-14T01:57+0000

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2023-07-14T11:43+0000

joe biden

russia

ukraine

us european command (eucom)

col. patrick ryder

nato

pentagon

us troops

military

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"Today, the president signed an Executive Order approving the mobilization of select reserve forces with no more than 3,000 personnel augmenting the armed forces in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve," Sims said. Operation Atlantic Resolve, which provides combat-credible forces to Europe, will also be newly designated as a contingency operation, Sims said. The action reaffirms the United States commitment to the defense of NATOs eastern flank amid Russias special military operation in Ukraine, Sims said. Designating Operation Atlantic Resolve as a contingency operation unlocks capabilities and authorities that enable the US to provide better support and sustainment for its forces, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said during the briefing.The Defense Department can now call on the 3,000 reserve personnel to support the operation, Ryder said. The move does not change current US force posture levels in Europe, the US European Command said in a statement. The authorities ensure the long-term resilience of US European Commands heightened level of presence and operations, the statement said.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/drone-crashes-close-to-kursk-nuclear-plant-no-damage-reported-1111869296.html

Drone Crashes Close to Kursk Nuclear Plant, No Damage Reported

Drone Crashes Close to Kursk Nuclear Plant, No Damage Reported

A drone crashed in the town of Kurchatov in Russia's Kursk Region overnight, no one was injured and no critical facilities were damaged, Kursk Region Governor Roman Starovoit said Friday.

2023-07-14T10:32+0000

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2023-07-14T10:32+0000

ukrainian crisis

ukrainian drone attacks on russia

terrorist attack

russia's special operation in ukraine

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"At night, a UAV crashed in the town of Kurchatov. Fortunately, none of the residents were hurt. Critical objects were not damaged as a result of the drone's crash and its subsequent detonation," Starovoit wrote in his social media account. According to available information, an aircraft-type drone that exploded near a residential building in the city Kurchatov fell a few kilometers from the Kursk NPP. The head of Rosatom - Russian atomic agency - assured that all measures to ensure the safety of Russian nuclear power plants had been taken, and "the situation is under control." Earlier, in April, a drone attack on the Kursk NPP was repelled by air defense forces.Another three drones were intercepted by air defenses in the Voronezh Region on Thursday, governor Alexander Gusev said. "Yesterday, air defense systems detected and destroyed three UAVs several kilometers off Voronezh. There are no victims, injured or destruction. I keep the situation under personal control," Gusev wrote on Telegram on Friday. Kremlin Slams Ukrainian Drone Attack Ukraine does not stop attempts to strike, but Russian air defense systems are working effectively, appropriate measures are being taken, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the situation."Well, it is obvious that the enemy does not give up attempts to strike. But all our air defense systems are working, working efficiently, demonstrating their effectiveness over and over again, and appropriate measures are being taken," Peskov told reporters.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230627/ukraine-mulling-several-provocation-scenarios-at-zaporozhye-npp-1111489258.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/enlisting-to-fight-for-kiev-would-be-suicide-brazilian-soldier-warns-1111867348.html

Enlisting to Fight for Ukraine Would Be 'Suicide', Brazilian Soldier Warns

Enlisting to Fight for Ukraine Would Be 'Suicide', Brazilian Soldier Warns

Having wasted the lives of thousands of Ukrainians by press ganging them and sending them to their deaths in suicide attacks against Russian troop positions... 14.07.2023, Sputnik International

2023-07-14T10:08+0000

2023-07-14T10:08+0000

2023-07-14T10:54+0000

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Earlier this week, Russias Ministry of Defense warned that Kiev has intensified its campaign to recruit Brazilians to fight for Zelensky in the Ukrainian conflict.This campaign is apparently meant to make up for large personnel losses sustained by Ukrainian forces during their so-called counter-offensive that was launched last week and has so far resulted in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and the destruction of large quantities of NATO military hardware provided to Kiev by its Western backers.Several Western private military contractors with ties to the CIA, such as the infamous Academi (formerly known as Blackwater) are apparently involved in this recruitment drive, the defense ministry noted, adding that Kiev seeks to enlist mercenaries from Asia, Latin America and the Middle East amid the "failure of the latest mobilization effort in Ukraine."According to Brazilian journalist Lucas Leiroz, Ukraine and its NATO sponsors no longer have enough manpower to conduct aggressive military operations against Russia, considering the fact that NATO is not officially at war with Russia and thus cannot officially commit its forces to the Ukrainian conflict.Thus, he argued, Kiev and its sponsors now seek a source of manpower needed to wage an aggressive war against Russia in the long-term perspective, as Ukraine's efforts to press gang more citizens into military service have produced questionable results.Leiroz noted that a number of Brazilians who claimed that they fought in the Ukrainian conflict on Kievs side make appearances on podcasts in Brazil, get interviewed by local media and promote the aforementioned recruitment drive.They simply ignore the fact that several Brazilians have already been killed there, and that foreigners get killed in Ukraine every day, lamented Leiroz. Our citizens are being enticed to engage in irresponsible ventures from which they often do not come out alive.That fate, for example, befell one Douglas Burigo, a 40-year old Brazilian national with a military background who came to Ukraine to fight for Zelensky, only to be killed during an airstrike in Kharkov in July last year.The Ukrainian Foreign Legion, the organization foreign mercenaries usually go through in order to travel to the Ukrainian conflict zone, has been frequently criticized by its former members, with one former Brazilian militant describing the legions commanders as a bunch of NCOs playing with peoples lives.A Brazilian ex-officer named Fabio Junior de Oliveira, 42, told Brazilian media earlier this year that the legion suffers from a constant lack of military equipment and rations, complaining that even the body armor issued there does not meet the requirements.Out of the 30 members of his unit, 27 asked for discharge due to poor conditions in the legion, Oliveira reportedly said.Leiroz also pointed out that Brazilian media often neglect to mention in their reports the data about casualties sustained by foreign mercenaries operating in the Ukrainian conflict zone, with Leiroz suggesting that these media outlets are partially responsible for the deaths of Brazilian fighters on the battlefield.By June 30, some 4,845 foreign mercenaries who were fighting for Ukraine had been killed and 4,801 had fled the conflict zone, according to the Russian MoD.A soldier of Brazilian descent fighting in the Ukrainian conflict on Russias side told Sputnik on condition of anonymity that Kievs recruitment campaign in Brazil is unlikely to succeed, suggesting that this effort does not account for the Brazilians mentality.He also criticized the tactics employed by Ukraine, which puts the lives of its own soldiers at considerable risk.At this time, when Ukrainian forces suffer heavy losses while trying to conduct offensive operations, signing up to fight for Kiev would be suicide, the soldier surmised.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230712/watch-foreign-mercenaries-run-screaming-from-russian-tank-1111828399.html

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Front Runner of Guatemala's Presidential Election Halts Campaign Amid Legal Standoff

Front Runner of Guatemala's Presidential Election Halts Campaign Amid Legal Standoff

Sandra Julieta Torres Casanova, the front runner in the first round of the Guatemalan presidential election, said Thursday she halted her campaign "out of solidarity with citizens and their will."

2023-07-14T00:46+0000

2023-07-14T00:46+0000

2023-07-14T00:43+0000

americas

guatemala

central america

presidential election

first round

suspension

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Torres made the remarks following the decision of a criminal court to temporarily deprive the Semilla Movement party, whose candidate also was in runoff, of its legal status.Local media reported the Constitutional Court of Guatemala granted temporary protection to the Semilla Movement, whose registration had been suspended the previous day at the request of the prosecutor's office so that the election process in the country could continue. On Wednesday, the Supreme Electoral Court of Guatemala recognized the results of the June presidential election and announced that Torres and Bernardo Arevalo, the leaders of the Semilla Movement party, entered the second round of voting, scheduled for August 20. The court added that the final turnout was 5.56 million people, or about 60% of the total electorate, and that the National Unity of Hope received 888,924 votes and the Semilla Movement - 653,486 votes. Manfredo Marroquin, a presidential candidate from the Semilla Movement in 2019, has told Sputnik that the prosecutor's office's actions toward the Semilla Movement were an attempt by the so-called "corrupt pact"  an alleged secret collusion between politicians, businesspersons and law enforcers, as well as criminal leaders, who have usurped state functions and cover for each other in case of prosecution  to sabotage election results unfavorable to them. The official further indicated the decision was "completely illegal" as it is "impossible to cancel a party during the election period," noting that "those who put their people in public office are afraid of losing their corrupt business and impunity."

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/future-technologies-forum-russia-races-against-time-pushing-quantum-computing-1111878551.html

Future Technologies Forum: Russia Races Against Time Pushing Quantum Computing

Future Technologies Forum: Russia Races Against Time Pushing Quantum Computing

The Future Technologies Forum titled "Computing and Communications: Quantum World" took place on July 9-14 in Moscow, bringing together international scientists, experts and business representatives working on the creation and implementation of solutions based on quantum technologies.

2023-07-14T18:56+0000

2023-07-14T18:56+0000

2023-07-14T18:56+0000

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"Our principal task is to elevate the entire economy to a qualitatively new level based on big data," Russian President Vladimir highlighted in his speech at the plenary session of the forum on July 13. As per the president, it would mean a substantial increase in the quality of management and productivity.Putin particularly proposed preparing a new national project until 2030 on the formation of "the data economy" and identifying measures to support basic research, including an increase in funding.Russian state corporations presented their products in the field of quantum technologies at the forum. Rosatom State Corporation demonstrated a 16-qubit ion quantum computer, which runs a molecule calculation algorithm using a cloud platform. For its part, the Russian Railways unveiled its plan to construct a backbone quantum network as part of the implementation of the Quantum Communications roadmap by 2030. In accordance with the plan, the network will embrace 34 Russian regions. What's more, Russia is already among the world leaders in terms of the length of the quantum backbone network.The Russian AI Alliance, comprising the country's leading companies - Yandex, SBER, VK, Gazprom Neft, MTS and RDIF - is currently working on using quantum technologies in the field of artificial intelligence. The alliance's mission is to be the center of AI development in Russia.The creation of a quantum cluster based on the infrastructure of the Skolkovo innovation center by the end of 2024 was also announced at the forum in Moscow. The creation of the cluster has become a key provision in the cooperation agreement signed by Rosatom State Corporation and the Russian Quantum Center. Another agreement inked by the Russian Quantum Center and VK will accelerate the development of quantum computing in the cloud.International observers assume that the widespread practical use of quantum computing may begin as early as 2025. According to some estimates, the global market for quantum communications by 2035 will amount to $20 billion.The forum has been attended by more than 1,400 people, including 750 specialists from more than 80 Russian and foreign educational and research institutions and 250 media representatives.The Future Technologies Forum was held under the auspices of the Decade of Science and Technology, announced by President Putin in 2022. The event was hosted by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/putin-takes-part-in-future-technologies-forum--1111848047.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/moscows-future-technologies-forum-highlights-quantum-computing-advances-new-scientific-alliances-1111876172.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230712/china-achieves-mobile-network-algorithm-verification-powered-by-quantum-computer-1111832081.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220524/russian-scientists-make-further-step-in-efficient-quantum-encryption-1095636817.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/humiliating-picture-of-lonely-zelensky-goes-viral-from-nato-summit-1111864452.html

Humiliating Picture of Lonely Zelensky Goes Viral From NATO Summit

Humiliating Picture of Lonely Zelensky Goes Viral From NATO Summit

A humiliating picture of the President of Ukraine has gone viral as well-dressed NATO leaders appear to ignore Ukraine's wrinkled drab olive military uniform-clad leader.

2023-07-14T04:01+0000

2023-07-14T04:01+0000

2023-07-14T10:47+0000

the critical hour

radio

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china

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Humiliating Picture of Lonely Zelensky Goes Viral From NATO Summit A humiliating picture of the President of Ukraine has gone viral as well-dressed NATO leaders appear to ignore Ukraine's wrinkled drab olive military uniform-clad leader.

Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. A humiliating picture of the President of Ukraine has gone viral as well-dressed NATO leaders appear to ignore Ukraine's wrinkled drab olive military uniform-clad leader. Also, Germany is looking to build a tank factory in Ukraine.Nicolai Petro, Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island, joins us to discuss the prospects for peace in Ukraine. NATO appears to be looking for an exit from the Ukraine debacle as the counter-offensive is flopping. Also, US officials may have met with Russian foreign policy representatives to discuss ending the war.KJ Noh, peace activist, teacher, and writer, joins us to discuss Asia. NATO's move towards a confrontation with China shows that the organization is a tool for imperialist world conquest. Also, President Biden lies about his plans to surround China with bases.Dr. Gerald Horne, Professor of History at the University of Houston, TX, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss foreign policy. NATO's move towards a confrontation with China shows that the organization is a tool for imperialist world conquest. Also, Janet Yellen returns from her trip to China.Laith Marouf, broadcaster, and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. The leader of Hezbollah has made a speech about the fraught situation on the Lebanon-Israel border. Also, the President of Iran is traveling to Africa to strengthen the economic ties between the Islamic Republic and African nations that are resisting US imperialism.Dr. Margaret Flowers, activist and editor of "PopularResistance.org," joins us to discuss the Global South. Nicaragua is celebrating the Sandinista revolution. Also, Caricom has abandoned its responsibility to support Haitian independence.Steve Poikonen, national organizer for Action4Assange, joins us to discuss the media. US liberals have moved in a rightward direction and are supporting media censorship. Also, Julian Assange has been awarded the Conrad Wolf media award.Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to discuss Chinese advancement. China has brought 800 million people out of poverty using a planned economy. Also, Nicaragua is celebrating the victory of the Sandinista revolution.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/hungary-to-begin-ratification-of-swedens-nato-bid-in-mid-september---lawmaker-1111865919.html

Hungary to Begin Ratification of Sweden's NATO Bid in Mid-September - Lawmaker

Hungary to Begin Ratification of Sweden's NATO Bid in Mid-September - Lawmaker

The Hungarian parliament will begin the ratification process of Sweden's bid to join NATO after the start of the fall session in mid-September, the chair of the Hungarian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said Thursday.

2023-07-14T02:46+0000

2023-07-14T02:46+0000

2023-07-14T02:44+0000

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"I do not see the need for that," Nemeth told Hungarian media when asked whether an extraordinary session of parliament would be required to ratify Sweden's application, as Hungary has previously pledged it would not be the last country to ratify the bid.NATO announced Monday that Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Erdogan agreed that Ankara would transmit the accession protocol for Sweden to parliament and work closely with lawmakers to ensure its ratification. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Tuesday that the ratification was "just a technical issue" now. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said Tuesday that Turkish and Hungarian parliaments could ratify his country's bid for NATO membership in the coming days or weeks. A source previously told Sputnik there were "no specific deadlines" in regards to the Turkish parliament clearing Sweden's membership application, underscoring that the "process will take some time."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230710/stoltenberg-erdogan-has-agreed-to-forward-swedens-nato-bid-to-parliament-1111798921.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/kremlin-has-no-updates-on-grain-deal-1111877555.html

Kremlin Has No Updates on Grain Deal

Kremlin Has No Updates on Grain Deal

Earlier in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that he had allegedly agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the extension of the grain deal, a British news agency reported.

2023-07-14T17:49+0000

2023-07-14T17:49+0000

2023-07-17T11:38+0000

russia

antonio guterres

the united nations (un)

vladimir putin

recep tayyip erdogan

grain

deal

black sea grain deal

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There have been no new statements about Russia extending its participation in the grain deal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik on Friday. Later on Friday, commenting on the situation with the grain deal, Erdogan expressed hope that the letter that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in July would help to ensure the agreement's extension. The Turkish President also said that Ankara expected Putin to visit the country in August and had already launched preparations for that event with a focus on the grain deal. Earlier in July, Guterres sent a letter to Putin with a proposal concerning the extension of the grain deal. The UN chief had suggested preserving the deal for a few more months until the European Union manages to remove hurdles affecting financial transactions through the Russian Agricultural Bank. Russia, Ukraine, Turkiye and the United Nations struck a deal to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports on July 22, 2022. Moscow has since agreed to several extensions to the grain deal, also known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is now due to expire on July 17, but complained that the obligations toward Russia have not been fulfilled. On Thursday, Putin said that Russia might suspend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative until Moscow's demands are met.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230712/un-chief-proposes-to-preserve-grain-deal-for-few-months---reports-1111838125.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/lavrov-blinken-participate-in-asean-ministerial-meeting-in-indonesia-1111867801.html

Lavrov, Blinken Participate in ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Indonesia

Lavrov, Blinken Participate in ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Indonesia

Lavrov and Blinken are participating in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia's capital Jakarta, both wearing traditional Indonesian shirts

2023-07-14T07:08+0000

2023-07-14T07:08+0000

2023-07-14T07:08+0000

world

sergey lavrov

antony blinken

indonesia

jakarta

asean

east

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The ministers traditionally arrived at the meeting wearing national shirts. With Indonesia chairing ASEAN and EAS this year, the organizers have chosen batik shirts made of hand-dyed fabric with intricate patterns. Lavrov and Blinken are sitting almost next to each other in the meeting hall, to the right and left of the Philippine representative, the correspondent reported. Blinken arrived in Jakarta on Thursday, having previously accompanied US President Joe Biden on his tour to Europe. Lavrov landed in Indonesia on Wednesday. The annual ASEAN ministerial and post-ministerial meetings kicked off in Jakarta on Tuesday. ASEAN is the association of 10 Southeast Asian states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, aimed at fostering both political and economic cooperation among its members. EAS is a forum for dialogue among leaders of the Asia-Pacific region on a wide range of strategic, political and economic issues. The next East Asia Summit will take place in Jakarta in September. Meetings in this format are held annually in conjunction with high-level ASEAN events. Russian and US leaders have also been invited to the forum since 2011.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/lavrov-says-not-optimistic-about-jcpoa-renewal-as-outcome-of-us-2024-vote-uncertain-1111852932.html

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russian foreign minister sergey lavrov and us secretary of state antony blinken, together with other participants of the east asia summit (eas), are participating in the foreign ministers' meeting of the association of southeast asian nations (asean) in indonesia's capital jakarta, both wearing traditional indonesian shirts, a sputnik correspondent reported friday.
In this photo provided by Korea's industry ministry, First Vice Industry Minister Jang Young-jin, right, shakes hands with Latvia's economic minister, Ilze Indriksone, ahead of their talks in Seoul, July 14. Yonhap



Korea and Latvia discussed ways Friday to strengthen relations in trade, investment and advanced industry sectors, Seoul's industry ministry said.



First Vice Industry Minister Jang Young-jin met with Latvia's economic minister, Ilze Indriksone, in Seoul and discussed how to boost bilateral trade, bio and other industry cooperation, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.



Jang said that South Korea has prowess in the biomanufacturing sector, and Latvia has global pharmaceutical companies, so there will be more business chances and room for greater cooperation in the field between the two sides.



Several South Korean top tech firms, including Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., have been doing business in the Baltic nation, according to the ministry.



Latvia's economic minister is in Seoul to attend the three-day bio exhibition Bioplus Interphex Korea 2023 that ends Friday. (Yonhap)


https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/majority-of-americans-still-view-southern-border-as-serious-issue-1111872926.html

Majority of Americans Still View Southern Border as Serious Issue

Majority of Americans Still View Southern Border as Serious Issue

The majority of Americans see the situation at the US-Mexican border as a "crisis" or a "major problem," according to a Gallup poll released Friday.

2023-07-14T14:06+0000

2023-07-14T14:06+0000

2023-07-14T14:06+0000

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The overall results of the poll  39% of respondents seeing the situation as a "crisis," 33% a "major problem," 22% a "minor problem," and 5% "not a problem"  are essentially the same as those recorded by Gallup in 2019. However, they marked a partisan shift, with fewer Democrats  a drop of 20 percentage points to 17%  and more Republicans  a 13 percentage point increase to 65%  seeing the situation as a crisis. However, the majority in each key political party still view the border as a crisis or a major problem. However, 78% of Americans are sympathetic to migrants going to the US border to seek entry  more than the 64% who expressed sympathy toward those who crossed the border illegally. The poll was conducted June 1-22, a few weeks after the Biden administration lifted the Title 42 emergency regulations implemented during the pandemic that enabled border control to immediately deport people illegally entering the country rather than allow them an asylum hearing.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230514/humanitarian-crisis-unfolds-in-mexico-as-biden-flounders-to-fix-border-crisis-1110338370.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/moscow-says-no-data-confirming-n-korean-missile-fell-in-exclusive-economic-zone-of-russia-1111867977.html

Moscow Says No Data Confirming N. Korean Missile Fell in Exclusive Economic Zone of Russia

Moscow Says No Data Confirming N. Korean Missile Fell in Exclusive Economic Zone of Russia

There is currently no data confirming that North Korea's missile fell within the exclusive economic zone of Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

2023-07-14T07:10+0000

2023-07-14T07:10+0000

2023-07-14T07:26+0000

russia

north korea

maria zakharova

the united nations (un)

moscow

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On Thursday, UN Assistant Secretary-General in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Khaled Khiari said that the missile fired by Pyongyang on July 12 landed within Russia's exclusive economic zone and was possibly the longest ballistic missile launch. "At the moment, there are no supporting data on the fall [of the North Korean missile] in our exclusive economic zone," Zakharova wrote on Telegram.On Wednesday, North Korea launched a ballistic missile which fell 155 miles off Japan's Okushiri Island, outside the country's exclusive economic zone. It reached the maximum altitude of 6,648.4 kilometers (4,131 miles) and flew a distance of 1,001.2 kilometers for 4,491 seconds.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/what-is-north-koreas-new-solid-fuel-icbm-hwasong-18-missile-1111858631.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/moscows-future-technologies-forum-highlights-quantum-computing-advances-new-scientific-alliances-1111876172.html

Moscows Future Technologies Forum Highlights Quantum Computing Advances, New Scientific Alliances

Moscows Future Technologies Forum Highlights Quantum Computing Advances, New Scientific Alliances

Despite Western sanctions, Russian scientists have made a leap forward in quantum computing and its practical applications, while striking new deals with partners in the developing world.

2023-07-14T16:59+0000

2023-07-14T16:59+0000

2023-07-14T16:59+0000

beyond politics

russia

vladimir putin

joint institute for nuclear research (jinr)

world trade center

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During the past six days, the hallways of Moscows World Trade Center have been packed with visitors  top scientists, bankers and entrepreneurs. Even though the organizers of the Future Technologies Forum decided to hold many discussions behind closed doors, public events included a plenary session, with Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing the participants, as well as a series of smaller conferences, such as Thursdays session on Russias technological sovereignty.Sanctions and New AlliancesIn 2022, Russias scientific institutions were hit by Western sanctions over the special military operation in Ukraine. Last years International Congress of Mathematicians, which was supposed to be held in Saint Petersburg, was turned into an online event. Some Western scientific journals have even been mulling a ban on manuscripts by Russian researchers, with at least one publisher enforcing such ban a since March 2022.Nevetheless, the Russians seem to have quickly managed to counter the boycott. According to Grigory Trubnikov, director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), it took his organization a little over three months to establish new strategic partnerships instead of the old ones. While Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic terminated their membership in the JINR, which has a status of an international intergovernmental center for fundamental theoretical and experimental research, other nations immediately queued in to join it.Despite the Wests hostility, it appears that self-isolation is not an option for Moscow either, and, according to some participants of the forum, Russia could assure its technological sovereignty by creating new alliances in friendly countries.Quantum Cities and Urban DevelopmentWith technological sovereignty being high on the agenda, the general theme of the Forum, however, revolved around quantum computing and Russias breakthroughs in the area.On Thursday, Putin was shown an advanced 16-qubit ion-based quantum computer made by the State Corporation Rostec. Its capable of calculating a simple molecule with the use of a cloud platform, and is currently the most powerful machine of its kind in Russia.The participants of the forum have paid a lot of attention to discussing possible practical uses of such advanced computers.According to Vladislav Ovchinsky, head of Moscows Department of Investment and Industrial Policy, Russias capital has many areas where quantum computing can be applied.The participants also discussed topics such as ethical aspects of the digital world, AI, superconductors and the digital economy.The Future Technologies Forum was held as a part of an ongoing series of events of Russias Decade of Science and Technology, which was announced in 2022 by President Putin.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/putin-proposes-to-prepare-new-national-project-on-data-economy-1111854306.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/photos-mermaid-alien-carcass-found-on-queensland-beach-stumps-observers-1111877386.html

Photos: Mermaid Alien Carcass Found on Queensland Beach Stumps Observers

Photos: Mermaid Alien Carcass Found on Queensland Beach Stumps Observers

A mysterious pile of bones and flesh recently spotted on a beach in eastern Australia has experts scratching their heads. Observers online have taken to calling it a mermaid alien because of its bizarre shape.

2023-07-14T18:35+0000

2023-07-14T18:35+0000

2023-07-14T18:36+0000

beyond politics

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little mermaid

alien

carcass

biology

marine life

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Queensland local Bobbi-Lee Oates was walking along Keppel Sands earlier this week when she made the discovery and posted photos online.It had a human-shaped skull with an elongated jawline, and hair similar to the color of a cow or kangaroo, but with hair missing in many places due to decomposition. It was exactly like a mermaid shape, but hairy, because it seemed to have a tail or limb of some sort, Oates explained.In marine biology, such amorphous, highly disintegrated carcasses are called globsters or blobs, and are often the remnants of dead whales or sharks. They have nonetheless never ceased to cause a stir when they wash ashore, launching renewed speculation about some unknown creature from the deep that might have been discovered.After Oates posted the photos in the Facebook* group Marine Biology, speculation grew about its identity. Many noted its apparent mermaid-like shape, appending it as a mermaid alien because of its bizarre look. Other kept their minds in the realm of the scientific, saying it was probably a partial kangaroo skeleton, or the skeleton of a dugong, a type of marine mammal that is judged to be the likely origin of sailors tales of mermaids.Has anyone considered if its a viral ad installation inspired by The Little Mermaid film?* Facebook's parent company Meta is banned in Russia as an extremist organization

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queensland; mermaid; alien; carcass; australia; dugong
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/russian-black-sea-fleet-issues-warning-over-ukrainian-mine-in-black-sea-1111872786.html

Russian Black Sea Fleet Issues Warning Over Ukrainian Mine in Black Sea

Russian Black Sea Fleet Issues Warning Over Ukrainian Mine in Black Sea

The command of Russias Black Sea Fleet has issued a marine navigation warning over a Ukrainian sea mine in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

2023-07-14T13:47+0000

2023-07-14T13:47+0000

2023-07-14T13:47+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

ukrainian crisis

black sea

ukraine

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"The command of the Black Sea Fleet has issued a warning to mariners about the presence of a mine hazard on the shipping route in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The warning to mariners is due to the discovery of a Ukrainian sea mine, which drifted uncontrollably, endangering the safe navigation of civilian ships," the ministry said in a statement. The sea mine that was found was set by Ukrainian naval forces in early 2022 during indiscriminate mining of coastal waters, the ministry added. "The unprofessionalism and irresponsibility of the Ukrainian navy has led to the fact that today an unknown number of mines are drifting in the Black Sea, posing a constant threat to shipping," the ministry said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230630/more-evidence-shows-use-of-banned-landmines-by-ukrainian-forces---human-rights-watch-1111579536.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230628/watch-russias-ur-77-meteorit-vehicle-clear-way-through-minefields-toward-krasny-liman--1111518133.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/russian-foreign-ministry-summons-polish-ambassador-to-notify-of-consular-agency-closure-1111868605.html

Russian Foreign Ministry Summons Polish Ambassador to Notify of Consular Agency Closure

Russian Foreign Ministry Summons Polish Ambassador to Notify of Consular Agency Closure

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski on Friday to notify him about the closure of the Polish Consular Agency in Russia' Smolesnk.

2023-07-14T09:04+0000

2023-07-14T09:04+0000

2023-07-14T09:59+0000

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poland

russian foreign ministry

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Earlier in the day, the Russian government announced its decision to shut down the Consular Agency of Poland in the city of Smolensk. "On July 14 , Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Krajewski was handed a note with a notification of the closure of the Consular Agency of the Republic of Poland in Smolensk," the statement said. Further work of the Polish Consular Agency in Russia's Smolensk seems redundant, given Warsaw's hostile policy towards Moscow, the ministry explained. "Krajewski was also told that Warsaw's aggressive policy towards our country, which has gone beyond all civilized limits, including provocations against Russian diplomats accredited in Poland, the seizure of Russian diplomatic real estate and the embezzlement of Russian Embassy assets, force us to implement a set of retaliatory measures. Not a single hostile step of the Polish authorities directed against Russia will remain unanswered," the ministry concluded.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230530/eu-warns-of-backlash-over-polands-campaign-against-russian-influence-1110795038.html

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russia, poland, anti-russian sentiment, russophobia, russia-polish relations
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/scientists-discover-evidence-of-ancient-glaciers-in-south-africa-1111865416.html

Scientists Discover Evidence of Ancient Glaciers in South Africa

Scientists Discover Evidence of Ancient Glaciers in South Africa

Scientists have uncovered evidence that suggests glaciers may have covered South Africa long ago.

2023-07-14T01:40+0000

2023-07-14T01:40+0000

2023-07-14T01:38+0000

beyond politics

south africa

johannesburg

earth

university of oregon

glacier

ice age

science & tech

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Scientists have discovered evidence that glaciers may have been present in South Africa 2.9 billion years ago, indicating there may have been a global glacial period earlier than previously thought.A team of scientists led by University of Johannesburg archaean geologist Axel Hofmann analyzed bed rocks under the worlds largest goldmine near South Africas east coast. The layers of rocks, dubbed the Pongola Supergroup, are unique in that they have been barely disturbed since they formed billions of years ago.In order to get a better picture of what conditions the sediment samples were formed in, researchers examined the levels of different types of oxygen isotopes found in specimen at the site. Oxygen isotopes are a type of oxygen that vary in atomic weight based on the number of neutrons in the elements nucleus.The study found that samples of sandstone and shale from the area exhibited lower levels of oxygen-18 and higher levels of oxygen-17, indicating the rocks formed under cold conditions.This would indicate a gradual climatic cooling of surface environments on Earth and points to glaciers in South Africa billions of years ago. Scientists know of at least two periods in which the Earth completely or nearly froze over, the most recent being 650 million years ago in a period called the Marinoan glaciation. But researchers are still unsure if the Earth was a frozen wasteland at the time, or if it had habitable areas near the equator and other warm spots.If the evidence in South Africa confirms another glacial period, it will be the earliest known glacial period in Earths history. But the researchers also pointed to another possibility: continental shift. If South Africa was closer to the Earths poles, that could also explain the evidence of glaciers."Either possibility is scientifically interesting," says Hofmann.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230711/scientists-say-canadian-lake-marks-earths-anthropocene-epoch-1111822261.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/summit-of-death-thousands-of-activists-protest-against-nato-weapon-supplies-to-ukraine-1111879128.html

'Summit of Death': Thousands of Activists Protest Against NATO Weapon Supplies to Ukraine - Video

'Summit of Death': Thousands of Activists Protest Against NATO Weapon Supplies to Ukraine - Video

More than 2,500 activists of the Young Guard of the All-Russian Political Party and the Volunteer Company in Moscow and St. Petersburg went to the embassies of unfriendly countries to express dissatisfaction with NATO's support of the Kiev regime and its supply of weapons to Ukraine.

2023-07-14T18:53+0000

2023-07-14T18:53+0000

2023-07-16T04:43+0000

russia

russia

moscow

nato

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More than 2,500 activists of the Young Guard of the All-Russian Political Party and the Volunteer Company in Moscow and St. Petersburg went to the embassies of Lithuania, Germany, Italy, the US, the UK and other unfriendly countries to express dissatisfaction with NATO's support of the Kiev regime and its supply of weapons to Ukraine.We went to the Embassy of Lithuania and the embassies of 10 other countries that are transferring lethal weapons to Ukraine. We protest against the transfer of such weapons, since civilians are under attack. It was with this weapon that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was bombed, it is this weapon that injures and maims the elderly and children, said Anton Demidov, chairman of the Young Guard of the All-Russian Political Party.We believe that the [NATO] summit [...] in Vilnius is truly a summit of death, because it decides the issue of pumping Ukraine with new weapons to kill civilians, he added.As a result of the NATO summit that took place in Vilnius from July 11-12, NATO leaders agreed on a package of three elements to bring Ukraine closer to the alliance. Moreover, on Wednesday, G7 member states presented the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, which provides for the allocation of additional military equipment, expanded intelligence sharing and new training programs for the Ukrainian military, as well as the development of industrial capacities. Norway joined the declaration later that day.Western countries have been supplying military aid to Kiev since Russia started its military operation in Ukraine. In April 2022, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all countries on the issue of arms supplies to Kiev.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/graphic-video-ukrainian-military-attacks-civilian-car-in-donetsk-region-1111871140.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/ukraine-lost-sovereignty-upon-receiving-western-money-and-weapons--orban--1111867252.html

Ukraine Lost Sovereignty Upon Receiving Western Money and Weapons  Orban

Ukraine Lost Sovereignty Upon Receiving Western Money and Weapons  Orban

Kiev has lost sovereignty and receives money and weapons from the West, that is why the conflict will end immediately as soon as the US wants it, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.

2023-07-14T12:02+0000

2023-07-14T12:02+0000

2023-07-14T12:02+0000

world

ukrainian crisis

russia-nato showdown

us arms for ukraine

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"Kiev has lost its sovereignty and receives money and weapons from the West, that is why the conflict will end immediately as soon as the US wants it," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.He added that the whole world does not understand why Washington doesn't want to end the conflict, and is waiting for an answer to this question."If the Americans want it, there will be peace tomorrow morning. And why the Americans do not want this is a question that the whole world is thinking about. After all, Ukraine has actually lost its sovereignty: it has no money, no military industry, no military production capacities of its own. It receives money mainly from the US, military funds  also from the Americans and the West," Orban told the local radio broadcaster.The veteran Hungarian leader repeatedly stressed that Ukraine has no chance of succeeding on the battlefield and that hostilities will end as soon as the West ceases pumping Kiev with weapons and munitions. Orban dubbed Ukraine as a non-existent country in financial terms and slammed the US and European Union for their aggressive anti-Russian policy.Kremlin Agrees with OrbanMoscow later agreed with Orban's opinion that the United States can end the conflict in Ukraine, as it is Washington that initiates arms supplies to Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday."To a large extent, yes, of course, one cannot but agree with this, that is the way it is. It is the United States that is the instigator in the supply of more and more new types of weapons to Ukraine, ammunition, it is the United States that constantly encourages Ukraine to fight to the last Ukrainian," Peskov told reporters.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230523/orban-ukraine-has-no-chance-of-beating-russia-amid-conflict-1110548727.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/us-concerned-about-china-assertiveness-in-south-east-china-seas-taiwan-strait-1111873496.html

US 'Concerned' About China Assertiveness in South, East China Seas, Taiwan Strait

US 'Concerned' About China Assertiveness in South, East China Seas, Taiwan Strait

The United States is concerned about Beijings increasing assertiveness in the South and East China Seas and in the Taiwan Strait, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.

2023-07-14T14:23+0000

2023-07-14T14:23+0000

2023-07-14T14:37+0000

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china

us-china relations

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"We are concerned by the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] increasing assertiveness in the South and East China Seas and in the Taiwan Strait. We remain committed to upholding freedom of navigation and overflight and the South China Sea," Blinken said.On Istanbul Grain Deal US Secretary of State Antony Blinken added it is essential to "extend and expand" the Black Sea grain deal."It is essential that we extend and expand the Black Sea Grain Initiative," Blinken told reporters in Indonesia.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230706/chinese-foreign-ministry-voices-concern-over-us-plans-to-send-nuclear-submarine-to-korea-1111699784.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230506/russia-should-have-long-ago-canceled-grain-deal-as-its-terms-were-never-met-1110144514.html

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President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with Korean business leaders seeking to participate in Ukraine's reconstruction projects, at a hotel in Warsaw, Poland, Friday (local time). Newsis



Seoul, Warsaw, Kyiv in 3-way cooperation to rebuild Ukraine



By Nam Hyun-woo



WARSAW  President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed that Korea's experience of rebuilding the nation from the ashes of the Korean War to the world's 12th-largest economy will be helpful for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction projects.



Yoon made the remarks during a meeting with Korean business leaders seeking to participate in such projects, Friday (local time), in Poland, which is widely viewed as the hub for Ukraine's reconstruction due to its geographic proximity and political relationship, on the occasion of Yoon's official visit to Warsaw.



Given Kyiv's reconstruction projects are anticipated to require a massive capital injection, Korean businesses see this as an opportunity, and the government is striving to support them by setting up a three-way cooperation scheme between Korea, Poland and Ukraine.



During the meeting, participants including the leaders of Samsung C&T, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and nine other businesses and government organizations discussed strategies for information collecting, networking with Ukrainian officials and financial support.



"Given Korea's experience of rebuilding the country after the Korean War with support from the international community, our experience and support can greatly contribute to the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine," Yoon said.



"Ukraine's reconstruction is an important opportunity from the perspective of overseas infrastructure contracts, so the government will actively support the private sector proactively to help businesses participate in reconstruction projects."





Korea's Land Minister Won Hee-ryong, front row left, and Poland's Government Plenipotentiary for Polish-Ukrainian Development Cooperation Jadwiga Emilewicz, front row right, pose with a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, as President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda applaud during the presidents' summit in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday (local time). Yonhap




https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/us-house-passes-886bln-ndaa-draft-setting-up-reconciliation-with-senate-version-1111876351.html

US House Passes $886Bln NDAA Draft, Setting Up Reconciliation With Senate Version

US House Passes $886Bln NDAA Draft, Setting Up Reconciliation With Senate Version

he US House of Representatives on Friday passed its initial draft of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes approximately $886 billion in defense funding and sets policies on how the funds can be spent.

2023-07-14T16:22+0000

2023-07-14T16:22+0000

2023-07-14T16:23+0000

americas

us

2024 us presidential election

us senate

us debt ceiling crisis

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House lawmakers passed the legislation in a vote of 219-210, mostly along party lines. The legislations passage comes following consideration of hundreds of amendments, with the House approving measures on issues ranging from the Pentagons abortion reimbursement policy to US taxpayer support for Chinese research programs. Although House Republicans praised the bill and its amendments as a legislative victory, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Friday that he will work with Senate colleagues to remove many of the measures from the final draft of the bill, which must be agreed to by both chambers of Congress. The Senate Armed Services Committee completed the markup of its NDAA draft last month and filed its version for further consideration by the upper chamber this month. The Senates version of the NDAA also authorizes approximately $886 billion in defense-related spending. US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in a press conference following the bill's passage that he expects to go to conference to "find a way to unite" on the legislation with the Senate. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have expressed a desire to pass the legislation before Congresss August recess. Both chambers of Congress must agree to the same version of a bill before it can be brought to the president for final approval. Differences in bill versions between the House and Senate can be resolved through a series of back-and-forth proposals, or through a conference committee composed of members from both chambers and parties. The final version of the NDAA must be able to garner the support of both the majority of the Republican-led House and the majority of the Democrat-led Senate.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230702/who-are-natos-biggest-spenders-and-how-much-bang-do-they-get-for-their-bucks-1111627337.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/why-bloated-us-military-spending-cant-ensure-its-dominance-over-russia-china-1108266963.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/us-house-rejects-defense-budget-amendment-to-ban-sending-cluster-bombs-to-ukraine-1111866623.html

US House Rejects Defense Budget Amendment to Ban Sending Cluster Bombs to Ukraine

US House Rejects Defense Budget Amendment to Ban Sending Cluster Bombs to Ukraine

The US House rejected a proposed amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have prohibited the United States from providing cluster munitions to Ukraine.

2023-07-14T03:46+0000

2023-07-14T03:46+0000

2023-07-14T03:44+0000

americas

marjorie taylor greene

matt gaetz

ukraine

russia

us house

national defense authorization act (ndaa)

cluster munitions

us defense budget

us

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The House rejected the measure, proposed by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, by a vote of 147-276-2. Greene's amendment would have added text to the defense budget that said no cluster munitions or cluster munitions technology shall be sold or transferred to Ukraine. Greene, in remarks on the House floor, said cluster munitions kill civilians and represent an escalation of the war, not deterrence. Earlier, the lower chamber rejected an amendment offered by Greene to remove $300 million in funding for Ukraine from the bill. The House also rejected an amendment from Congressman Matt Gaetz to prohibit federal funds from being made available to provide security assistance to Ukraine. Last week, the US unveiled a new military assistance package for Ukraine, which included cluster munitions. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned Tuesday that the Russian military would be forced to use similar weapons, which it has plenty of in stocks, against the Ukrainian armed forces if the US supplies cluster munitions to Kiev. Cluster munitions are banned by the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which has been ratified by 123 countries. The US, Ukraine, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and South Korea have not signed the convention.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230707/cluster-munitions-transfer-shows-how-us-ukraine-have-grown-desperate-amid-conflict-1111734380.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/us-to-supply-significant-military-equipment-soon---greeces-pm-mitsotakis-1111866973.html

US to Supply 'Significant Military Equipment' Soon - Greece's PM Mitsotakis

US to Supply 'Significant Military Equipment' Soon - Greece's PM Mitsotakis

The United States will soon provide Greece with "significant military equipment" for free, announced Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

2023-07-14T05:24+0000

2023-07-14T05:24+0000

2023-07-14T05:24+0000

military

kyriakos mitsotakis

greece

athens

sputnik

us department of defense (dod)

f-35

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"I mean not only the approval of [the delivery of] F-35 [fighter jets], which is very important, but also the possibility of getting surplus [military] equipment, significant surplus equipment that will be given to us for free. That is what the US is doing and has every reason to do it to a greater extent for a good ally like Greece," Mitsotakis said in an interview with Greek broadcaster while expressing hope that F-35s would be delivered in 2028. The prime minister noted that Athens was engaged in talks with Washington, having signed "a very strong defense agreement for five years," adding that he believed Greece hopes for support "regardless of what happens in the negotiations with Turkiye." Mitsotakis also said that the construction of French-made Belharra-class frigates for Greece was ahead of schedule, adding that the first frigate would be delivered in September. He noted that Athens are aimed at having "a very strong deterrence capacity," adding that he believed Greece "has been able to achieve that at a rapid pace." In 2019 and 2021, Washington and Athens amended the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, which allowed the US to establish new military bases on the territory of Greece and expanded the term of the agreement from one to five years. Until 2019, the US had only one military base in Greece but now has nine. The US was granted access to the port of Alexandroupolis in the north of the country, which is used for the delivery of military equipment to Eastern Europe and Ukraine. Mitsotakis then said that the amended agreement made Greece Washington's main partner in the region. Greece is implementing 19 arms procurement programs worth 11.5 billion euros ($12.9 billion). Among them are the purchase of 24 French-made Rafale fighter aircraft, Belharra-class frigates and the modernization of 83 F-16 Block 52+ and 52+ Advanced fighters to the Viper variant  the most advanced variant of F-16. The Greek air force already received two F-16 Viper fighters in September 2022. Moreover, Athens is planning to purchase over 20 F-35 fifth-generation fighters. In 2021, Greece and France signed a strategic partnership for the delivery of three Belharra-class frigates with the possibility of procuring another frigate. The contracts for the delivery of Naval Group-made frigates, worth 3.237 billion euros, were signed in March 2022. Athens was expecting to receive the first frigate in 2025. The US Department of Defense has the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program, which allows the sale of no longer-needed equipment to other countries. Under the program, the US supplied the M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicles to Greece in 2022-2023.

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us to supply 'significant military equipment' soon - greece's pm mitsotakis
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230714/vilnius-summit-locks-ukraine-in-servile-status-brutal-war-with-no-way-out-1111880520.html

Vilnius Summit Locks Ukraine in Servile Status, Brutal War With No Way Out

Vilnius Summit Locks Ukraine in Servile Status, Brutal War With No Way Out

Volodymyr Zelensky was promised Western support at the summit in Vilnius, but he was also reminded of Kiev's "servile status" to NATO, which is interested in keeping Ukraine entangled in a never-ending proxy war of attrition.

2023-07-14T20:42+0000

2023-07-14T20:42+0000

2023-07-14T20:40+0000

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article 5

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volodymyr zelensky

michael brenner

chuck spinney

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The meeting of the 31-member NATO bloc in the Lithuanian capital from July 11-12 angered Zelensky by refusing to commit to any hard invitation and fixed timetable for Kiev to join the Atlantic alliance. US President Joe Biden made clear Ukraine would not get membership as long as its conflict with Russia continued. Zelensky HumiliatedUS constitutional historian and political commentator Dan Lazare said Zelensky had humiliatingly been reminded of his subordinate place in the calculations of US and alliance policymakers. "I wouldn't call the NATO summit a failure for Ukraine. But it's certainly a reminder of its servile status," he said. Lazare noted that Zelensky ran for president in 2019 on a pro-peace platform, but ended up giving in to the United States and right-wing elements in his own country that steered him toward a showdown. Ukraine was the victim of the Biden administration's double standards, Lazare believes. "It's OK if Ukrainians die, but not US GI's," he said. In Vilnius, Zelensky has no choice but to "hold his tongue and grovel in the hope that the United States and the United Kingdom will continue sending cast-off weapons his way," he said. Second Class StatusRetired Pentagon analyst Chuck Spinney agreed that the Vilnius summit had mired Ukraine in a second-class, dependent junior status relationship with the United States and NATO, and no hope in the foreseeable future of winning any better deal. "Ukraine, the most corrupt country in Europe (with the possible exception of Kosovo  another product of NATOs hubris) will not be offered membership in NATO for the foreseeable future," he said. However, the NATO requirement for passing a Membership Action Plan (MAP) has been waived  effectively accelerating the procedures for Kiev to join an alliance very different from the form it took and the role it claimed to play for 40 years through the Cold War, Spinney pointed out. With its massive military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, NATO has now "morphed into the Not-So-Atlantic Alliance," he said. The NATO summit established a potentially consequential NATO-Ukraine Council as a permanent standing institution of NATO, where the 31 NATO allies would meet with Ukraine to map out NATO's policies for dealing with emergency situations, Spinney acknowledged. "These would presumably include those policies dealing with the conduct of NATO's never-ending proxy war with Russia," he said. The G7 economic grouping would continue to work with Ukraine to ensure the continued flow of military hardware to Kiev, feeding ever more money to NATOs military industrial complex, Spinney advised. However, "the G7 is an economic grouping and is not part of NATO, which is a trigger-happy military alliance in which an attack on one member is deemed to be an attack on all members," he said. The pattern of NATO non-decisions and evasions in Vilnius did not paint an attractive or impressive picture of alliance decision-making, Spinney observed. Nevertheless, the NATO leaders in Vilnius appeared still focused on using the Ukraine conflict as a tool to drain Russia and even destroy it, Spinney cautioned. The summit's "long term goal seems to have been to rationalize a continuation of NATO's US-driven neocon fantasy weakening - and perhaps breaking up - Russia by enmeshing Russia and Ukraine in an ever deepening, unending Russo-NATO proxy war of attrition - [fighting] to the last Ukrainian," he said. 'Ukraine Won't Exist'University of Pittsburgh Professor of International Affairs Michael Brenner believes that continuation of the conflict would result in the total destruction of Ukraine as an independent state, not Russia. It had always been logically absurd to imagine that the United States and NATO could grant Kiev a commitment of any sort while the Zelensky regime was engaged in a war since that risked a military confrontation with Russia, Brenner explained. At the Vilnius summit, "Zelensky was played in the sense that Biden [and the other NATO leaders] held out the prospect of some sort of NATO relationship if the so-called counter-offensive were so successful that the West could give Putin an ultimatum to cease and desist or face humiliating defeat - And if he did surrender," he said. However, US, NATO and Ukrainian leaders are still chasing dreams that are impossible to realize, Brenner warned. The US and other NATO leaders "never gave a damn about Ukraine itself. They've used it since 1991 to permanently and gravely weaken Russia. Zelensky, for his part, never has given a damn about Ukrainians," he said. Zelensky could and should have insisted on proceeding with the tentative agreement reached with Moscow to end the conflict in April 2023, only two months after it began. But instead, he gave in to the Washington ultimatum to fight on, Brenner said. "Nor would he [Zelensky] have sacrificed 200,000 dead soldiers in a lost cause," he said. Meanwhile in Washington, the White House priority remains to keep the conflict going until the 2024 election is over and won, Brenner believes. However, "given the state of affairs on the battlefield that would require some sort of major escalation," he warned. Biden on Thursday approved an executive order authorizing 3,000 US military reserve personnel to augment Operation Atlantic Resolve, which provides rotational deployment of combat-credible forces to Europe as part of the United States commitment to NATO. The move does not change current US force posture levels in Europe, the US European Command said in a statement.

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Undefeated in nine starts to begin his 2023 campaign, Outlaw C My Shadow has not only infused the Western Canadian harness racing scene with a dose of excitement but has also revitalised his trainers interest in the sport.

During their latest B.C. sojourn, Outlaw C My Shadow won every Open carded throughout the 2023 winter/spring meet at Fraser Downs, going nine-for-nine to start his six-year-old campaign for Alberta-based trainer/driver and breeder Connie Kolthammer, who co-owns the B.C. foaled pacer with Outlaw West Stable partner Jim Mohorich.

A full brother in blood to 2021 Horse of the Year Desperate Man, the Shadow Play-Grand Slam Woman geldings win streak goes back even further and extends over 11 races, starting on Nov. 20, 2022, with back-to-back victories at the end of the Fraser Downs fall meet.

All but three of his 21 career wins have come in B.C., including his 1:50.4 lifetime mark last March that was just two-fifths of a second off the Fraser Downs track record.

I'm not quite sure what the key to success is out there, Kolthammer told Trot Insider while reflecting on his perfect meet back at her Outlaw Stable in Falun, Alta. He loves it out there.

Hes never liked Alberta in the past," she said of the career winner of more than $180,000 from 91 starts. "When he came back as a three-year-old, then four-year-old, then five-year-old, anybody could beat him, like hes just a totally different horse. He pulls, he's not very pleasant, usually rips your arms out and he just races terrible. But hes looking like hes the B.C. horse that we want now.

Kolthammer noted that the pair share an affinity for the B.C. racing season.

I go out there and I stay with friends and then I just go back and forth to the track and train and race," said explained. "Believe it or not, its kind of my R&R, my good time. I really like it out there and, like I say, I stay with friends, which really helps.

I don't know, I just say it's my happy place so maybe he feeds off me and we just do good.

Outlaw C My Shadow has always performed well racing in B.C., but his latest run of success has come on the heels of a growth spurt.

He's grown a lot, believe it or not, added Kolthammer. He's now six [years old] but he kind of grew up coming into the fall last year and he's even a bigger, stronger horse than he was. So, we'll kind of attest it to that too.

Outlaw C My Shadow has also appeared to click well with a new driver, with Brandon Campbell taking the reins for most of his recent wins.

Brandon Campbell has always wanted to drive him, like he's just been ragging all the time, and I finally said the one time, you know what, go for it, you can have him, said Kolthammer with a laugh. I don't want to drive much anymore anyway. And he loves him, so he drives him accordingly and he's doing well with him.



Outlaw C My Shadow has turned in some impressive miles, but one that stands out for his trainer is an early season race when facing some of the top competition and fighting off a strong Kelly Hoerdt entry.

He actually sent one of his entrymates after him, so they really dangled and [Outlaw C My Shadow] stepped up to the plate. I was really happy with him that day.

Outlaw C My Shadow made it look easy, leading at every pole during his entire winning crusade, even when handicapped outside during his last five races. His domination led to less competition though, which was a challenge in its own right as few challengers meant fewer opportunities to race.

I have to say, once Kelly Hoerdt pulled his [horses] out  because those were two and there was another one that left as well  it was a softer invite for sure. So, it could really braven him up and he didn't really have any huge challenges that way, said Kolthammer. So, I'll say after those horses actually left, he probably did have it a lot easier and a lot softer. The biggest challenge was probably trying to get him a chance to race.

He's a B.C. bred  they have that program, my partners are B.C. owners.  and so we were really trying to show him off out there when he was racing so good. We had a lot of positive feedback from even the grandstand that liked to watch him race, but it definitely was a softer field for him out there after those horses left.

Outlaw C My Shadow has generated a following and a future match-up with Western Canadas first sub-1:50 pacer Shark Week, who is currently riding a six-race win streak of his own in Alberta, is sure to attract a lot of interest among fans.

While Outlaw C My Shadow has infused some excitement into the world of racing, he has also reinvigorated Kolthammers interest after a suffering personal loss.

I lost my husband [Jim Rogers] in 2016 and I don't know what made me do it, but I decided to breed this mare to Shadow Play, said Kolthammer. I had two mares I actually wanted to breed to Shadow Play, but unfortunately, I only got the one in foal.

However, that foal was Outlaw C My Shadow, or Prince, as he is more fondly known in the Outlaw Stable.



I was trying to get enthusiastic about getting back into the racing due to the lack of my partner not being here anymore. I was just kind of going through the motions, said Kolthammer. So, I talked to friends of mine, Bev and Jim Mohorich, and long story short, decided to invite them into this horse. We thought we'd foal it out there to be a B.C. foaled horse so we'd have stakes out there and I could go out there and race and hang out with them and have a little more interest because I kind of lost interest for a little while I was doing it.

So, that's probably why he ended up being here. He's a very personable horse - probably my 'heart horse'  and I've had some decent horses that I've been very fond of and that have been good to me. My husband always said I could maybe someday keep a good one, so maybe this is Prince.

While Kolthammer has bred and campaigned several top horses in her career, Prince is one that has come along at the right time.

He's the first horse in the stall in the barn there in the big stall. And, you know, when he races bad in the summertime when he was coming back here, he just made me feel good when I went in in the morning and he kind of gave me a reason to start getting back into this again with a little more interest in the whole thing. That's kind of what he was there for. And he's done a good job doing it. Hopefully, now we're back on track.

After returning to Alberta when the Fraser Downs meet ended, Outlaw C My Shadow got an extended break before training down as a result of the wildfire smoke that has plagued the region early this summer and a virus that went through the barn.

He won back-to-back qualifiers at Century Downs in early July  the latest was a 1:53.3 mile last Saturday, July 8 with Outlaw C My Shadow in a race of his own, winning by 21-3/4 lengths.



I'm happy with the way things are going," said Kolthammer. "He was all by himself because he had nobody in there that could go with him, so he was kind of coming around the top turn and kind of getting cranky about the fact that we're asking him to go. He still finished well, but he really says there's no competition. So, I guess the proof will be in the pudding when he can get in against these top horses that they have here in Alberta.

Outlaw C My Shadow will put his win streak on the line in Friday evenings $14,000 Preferred Pace at Century Downs. With class standout Shark Week not entered this week, Outlaw C My Shadow is the even-money favourite on the morning line from post four of five with Campbell back aboard, but Kolthammer isnt expecting the race to be a walk in the park.

Even without Shark Week, it's a tough field, she said. They can all go and they can all come home, so we'll see how it goes. But I'm very happy with the way things are going forward. He's definitely feeling like he should so we'll see what happens.

I'm really easy to please. If he can compete with them and he can be competitive, I'm thrilled. I don't have to win every time although for sure [I would like to], but I would like to definitely be competitive and step up to the plate with him. So, fingers crossed.
The Grand Circuit returns to Massachusetts on Sunday (July 23) when Plainridge Park will host the sixth edition of the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot with a full and rich card of afternoon racing that also features the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace. Over the years, these two events have produced track and world records and some of the best harness racing ever seen in New England. This years program, which will get underway at 2 p.m., promises to do the same.

The Spirit Of Massachusetts Trot has 20 eligibles this year and the Clara Barton Pace has 18 mares who may enter and a number of those horses will be in action this weekend in preparation.

Also on the card will be the $75,000 Bert Beckwith Memorial Invitational Pace and the $50,000 John Hogan Memorial Invitational Pace.

Owners, trainers and their connections of horses racing in the stakes that day will be treated to a welcome luncheon in the Boylston Room, upstairs in the grandstand.

And for the fans attending live, Plainridge Park will once again be offering something for everyone that day so the entire family can come out and enjoy a memorable day at the races.

Todd Angilly of the Boston Bruins will be back, making a special appearance to kick off the festivities by singing our national anthem before the first race. Angilly will also be performing at other times during the day.

Other live music will be provided by the Berkshire Valley Boys who will be performing throughout the day between races.

There will also be multiple giveaways including a big cash prize.

First, guests will be able to get a free Plainridge Park commemorative 25th anniversary hat compliments of Plainridge Park Casino and the Harness Horsemans Association of New England. This promotion will begin at 1:00 p.m. on the grassy area near The Patio, will be limited to one hat per person and available only while supplies last.

B101-FM Providence will be on property that day (also on the grassy area near The Patio) and guests can enter for a chance to win racing binoculars from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. These binoculars are compliments of Plainridge Park Casino and B101-FM.

There will also be a free-to-play handicapping contest for a chance to win $1,000 cash. Complete rules will be available at the track.

The Home Stretch Food Truck will be available near The Patio and a bar will be open at The Hut outside of the grandstand all afternoon.

Gates will open at 1 p.m. and free programs can be downloaded from the Plainridge Park website under the Racing tab.

Supplemental entries for Spirit of Massachusetts and Clara Barton available

Owners and trainers who may have horses not currently nominated to $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot and $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace, that be will held at Plainridge Park on Sunday (July 23), and would still like to enter should take note that a supplemental entry can be made to either event as outlined in the conditions of each stake.

Anyone wishing to race in the Spirit Trot can pay the $20,000 supplemental fee at time of entry and if you want to compete in the Barton Pace, horses may supplement by paying $7,500 plus the $1,500 entrance fee at the time of entry.

It should also be noted that both stakes pay out for all placings. Besides the usual break for horses finishing first through fifth, horses finishing sixth through ninth place in the Spirit shall receive $2,500 and Barton starters finishing sixth through ninth shall receive $1,500.

The condition sheet with all the information concerning the Spirit Day draw will be available on Friday (July 14) on the USTA website.



(Plainridge Park)
Dreams of Nature, watercolors by Anita Zymolka Amrhein, will be shown at Middle Street Gallery in Washington, Virginia today, July 14-August 20.

The artist will be at the Rappahannock County gallery on July 14 and 29. Works by other members of the non-profit artists cooperative will be offered as well.

Amrheins painting are large and brilliantly colored, and they show fantastical, dream-like arrangements of abstract figures into which she has subtly woven drawings of fish, insects, birds, and plants.

Nature, color, details and music inspire my watercolors, which can be realistic, abstract, whimsical or all at once, she said. I like to portray the beauty of natures creations, real or imagined, big or small, to remind us of the important part each contribute to the existence and preservation of the environment.

The artists works have appeared in solo shows in Hamburg, Berlin, and Potsdam, Germany, and in Milan, Italy. In the U.S. her paintings  which she signs with her maiden name, Zymolka  have been accepted for exhibition at the Tacoma Museum of Art, the National Watercolor Society, the Northwest Watercolor Society, the California Watercolor Association, and the Shenzhen (China) International Watercolor Biennial.

Middle Street Gallery offers paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, glass, and multi-media art by its members. It is located at 311 Gay Street, lower level, with an entrance on Main Street in Little Washington, across from Ballards. See middlestreetgallery.org and contact 540/227-5066. Opening hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Recent meetings of the countys board of commissioners have indicated that more than 700 protests have been filed this year, leading to a great deal of discussion among members of the board, the county assessors office and state officials. Property valuation protest hearings are set to begin on Tuesday, July 18 in Scotts Bluff County.

The Star-Herald spoke with Nebraska Department of Revenue Property Tax Administrator Ruth Sorensen about the process of property valuation, protest hearings, how property values impact tax rates and statewide trends.

How does the assessor arrive at the valuation presented to the property owner?

Sorensen explained that assessors use a Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal system (CAMA) to establish property values.

This system allows assessors to input metrics such as costing and depreciation in addition to the physical aspects of the property ascertained using inspections and evaluations.

The assessor will be watching to see if youve added a new shed, or you added a deck, or you replaced a deck, or something has changed on that property. If it has, they will inspect the property and enter the new characteristics into that CAMA system, which will generate the values based on neighborhood sales that have occurred, Sorensen said.

As for when and how those inspections are conducted, Sorensen said that many modern methods are utilized in addition to traditional in-person inspections, all of which are required to be completed on a six-year cycle.

One of those methods is an aerial survey technique called Pictometry that uses photos captured by low-flying airplanes to depict up to 12 perspectives of a building or location.

The assessor has a statutory requirement to inspect and review all property every six years. Some inspections are done through Pictometry, Google Maps or whatever is available online. Oftentimes, youll have staff from that office come in and measure how big the building is or how big the improvement is, Sorensen said.

What is equalization and how do property sales affect the valuation of other properties in the neighborhood?

There are many factors that impact property valuation, many of which are outside of the property owners control. This ties into the concept of equalization, which is the duty of the assessor and the Board of Equalization, made up of county commissioners.

Equalization is achieved by applying the knowledge gained by recent property sales to the valuation of properties that have not been recently sold. This prevents any property owners from being treated unfairly.

Because Nebraska is a market value state that uses sales in its valuation process, market trends can have a significant impact on valuation that is not necessarily consistent from year to year.

Recently, across the state weve seen an increase in residential sales, increase in values, increase in what people are paying for the property, Sorensen said. What then will happen is the assessor will put all of those sales into a spreadsheet and analyze them and see if the sold and unsold property is being equalized. You cant just adjust sales, you have to adjust the sold and unsold, and thats called equalization.

In practice, that means that the assessors office will use recent sale prices to inform whether a neighborhoods valuations need to be adjusted. Sorensen said that this process is guided by state statute and must fall within a specific range of accuracy in terms of market value.

Theyll look through that whole neighborhood and see if there needs to be an update. And what will happen is they run statistics because they have to come within the range that is required in statute by the Tax Equalization & Review Commission (TERC). Residential/Commercial is 92% to 100%, agricultural land is 69% to 75%.

How does a property owner go about starting the protest process and what do they need to bring to their hearing?

Property owners receive a change of valuation notice in early June if the valuation of their property has indeed been altered. If a property owner believes the new valuation is inaccurate, they can then file a protest in the county clerks office. However, it is important to know that when protesting valuation, the burden of proof is laid upon the property owner.

Anyone can protest their values, Sorensen said. They just have to come in with comparables. For example, we found a property that was listed as having three bathrooms and they only had two bathrooms. Property owners want to really pay attention to that property record card  they can find that online and if they have questions, call into the office.

After filing, a date and time will be set for a protest hearing. The goal of the protest hearing is to determine whether the assessors valuation or the property owners requested value is more in-line with equalization. This is an evidence-based process where the property owner and the assessor will explain the methods used to reach their different valuations.

We go through to look at what the reason is for the protest, the values they requested, the sales for that area if there are any, Sorensen said. If there are no sales in that area, we look at the surrounding properties. Is the land valued equally? Are the comparable homes valued consistently? Is the depreciation being applied consistently? Upon reviewing all of that, a recommendation could be made to change the value to what was requested, or something close thereto.

So what proof can property owners collect to support their claim of overvaluation or undervaluation? Sorensen said that it will depend on the type of property, but that it generally boils down to evidence of comparable properties and their values.

Documentation will depend. If you have a recent appraisal, that may be helpful. If you have a current survey of ag land that shows that your acres are wrong, that could be helpful, she said. Bring in the comparable properties in your neighborhood, thats helpful. And also, the assessor keeps a sales book in the office. You can look at the sales that have occurred throughout the county, get copies of those and bring those as well.

How do protest hearings work and what action can be taken by the Board of Equalization during the process?

On the date of their hearing, property owners will state their case before the Board of Equalization. Sorensen said that the property owners typically speak first at their hearings, after which the county assessor will respond.

The property owner will begin and tell the board why they protested, the value theyre requesting and why. Then the board should look at if that value is consistent with the market characteristics of that property, Sorensen said. They should not just rely on a prior sale, we need to treat sold and unsold (properties) the same.

The Board of Equalization is uniquely positioned to hear the cases presented by the property owners due to their knowledge of the districts which elect them. Sorensen said that they can often use that knowledge to add context for both the property owner and the assessor.

Whats good about the Board of Equalization members is that theyre familiar with the communities theyre representing. So if this person is from their district, their area, they may be able to consider some of that information and ask the assessor if it was taken into account, she said.

After the Board of Equalization makes a decision regarding the valuation, it can still be appealed to the Tax Equalization & Review Commission (TERC) and beyond. This additional appeal process helps guarantee that decisions made at the county level are defensible and evidence-based.

I really encourage county board members to look at the protest and really find a value that can be defended if its appealed to TERC or further on to the Court of Appeals, Sorensen said.

What is the relationship between property values and tax rates?

Sorensen said that many property owners express concern that an increase in their propertys value will directly lead to an increase in their taxes, but that is not always the case.

The first thing I hear is, My taxes are going up. That is not necessarily true. The value is one part of the equation. Next comes setting the levies, the rates, and thats later in the year, she said.

Property valuations are one of the factors taken into account by fire districts, counties, cities, educational service units, schools and colleges when setting their levies. She said that, ideally, higher property valuations across the board would lead to decreased levies as a means of providing relief to property owners.

If they increase their levies when values have increased theyre getting a windfall of money, and we really dont want that to happen because that harms our property owners. Some of them might not be able to afford to stay in their homes, she said.

Sorensen also encouraged property owners to attend budget hearings for their taxing authorities when levy increases are announced via postcard to make sure that the increases are in their best interest.

Are property values trending upwards in Nebraska? And what relief is available for property owners?

According to Sorensen, rising property values in Scotts Bluff County are part of a statewide trend. These increases may seem large to property owners because they are coming after a period of general stability.

It is happening across the state, Sorensen said. Residential was almost flat for a while, and now its turning around and coming back. Agricultural was really increasing a lot, and its leveled out just a little bit across the state. Now were going to see those ag values start increasing more based on sales. Commercial has continued to increase as well.

In terms of relief, Sorensen encouraged property owners to consider claiming the Nebraska Property Tax Credit, which can still be done retroactively as far back as 2020. Additional relief is available for the elderly, disabled and military veterans through the Nebraska Homestead Exemption.

Sorensen also noted that Gov. Jim Pillen and the Nebraska Legislature have voiced their awareness of rising property values and that work is being done at the state level to provide additional relief to property owners.
New details came to light Wednesday at the plea hearing in a gruesome double murder last year that left law enforcement scouring Lincoln's landfill for remains of one of the victims.

William T. Wright, 56, will face 20 years to life in prison on each of two counts of second-degree murder at his sentencing next month for killing 61-year-old Ronald George Jr. and 49-year-old Ronnie Patz.

Wright pleaded no contest in a deal with prosecutors, who reduced the charges from first-degree murder.

Wright's crimes began to come to light early Aug. 31 when police were called to a field at Third and P streets, near the City Mission, about a possible dead person.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Greg Ariza said police found George lying dead in the grass with cuts to his neck, stab wounds to his upper chest and a hunting knife stuck in the ground next to his body.

Lincoln police were called to the nearby City Mission, where Wright, a transient, had been telling people he "slit his throat," according to court records.

Ariza said officers took Wright to the police station where, during a recorded interrogation, he made a surprising confession: "I killed two people in two days."

He said Wright told them he had been at the Motel 6 near Northwest 12th and Bond streets the day before drinking with Patz and that Patz was "starting to annoy him," so he struck him on the head with a bottle of scotch while Patz sat on the bed.

Wright told police he didn't want Patz to report the assault to the police, so he strangled him, then put his body under the bed.

Ariza said Wright took a bus to a Lincoln Walmart the following morning to buy several items, including a camping survival kit with a hatchet and serrated knife, Clorox, extra-strong garbage bags, drop cloths and a duffel bag.

Ariza said Wright returned to the Motel 6 and dismembered Patz's body and placed the body parts in separate plastic bags.

The next night, a woman found Wright stumbling near the west end of the Harris Overpass bridge and took him to her transient camp, where George was sleeping on blankets.

She left the camp for a time and returned to find Wright gone and George covered in blood. She found some friends who called 911.

Ariza said Wright spent the night at the nearby mission, then returned to the Motel 6, where he was seen on hotel video pulling a duffel bag to the dumpster and throwing it in.

Then, Wright returned to the mission, where police arrested him that night.

Ariza said he told them George had rolled into him, "and he was not going to take that any more," so he stabbed him three times with his knife.

After the confession, police found Patz's torso in the dumpster and a massive amount of blood in the bathroom and under the bed.

When he was done, Lancaster County District Judge Darla Ideus addressed Wright.

"Mr. Wright, you've just heard what the state believes its evidence would be should this matter proceed to trial," she said. "Do you still wish to plead no contest to these charges?"

"Yes," Wright answered.

Getting away with murder: Nebraska cold cases Ann Marie Kelley Carl Bittner K.K. Kody Christi Nichols Donald Bennett Ernestine Ruschy Eugene McGuire Jay Durnil Mary Heese Gregory Moore Irvin Settje Jason Remsen Jason Vesper Brian Walker Arthur Morley Jay Blockson Jeanne Kassebaum William, Bernice and Barbara Peak Jeffrey Snoddy Joy Blanchard Demetrius Simpson Julie Derrick Leah Rowlands Letha Harley Mary Cabral Mary Cronin Merlin Mosel Mitchell Simon Patrick Vostades Rebecca Williams Richard Chadek Richard Lessley Robert Beaudoin Robert Heelan Rudolfo Flores Russell McKnight Sandy Green Sarah Neal Tyrone Banister Waddell Robinson Charles Hanks
The homicide suspect shot dead by police on Saturday reportedly had a hit list that included Steven "Greg" Donsbach, the 52-year-old man he is suspected of killing, according to Omaha police.

Police found a note that appeared to be a hit list inside of 41-year-old Matthew Briggs' Papillion residence, according to a news release from the Omaha Police Department. The list reportedly included the names of Briggs' ex-girlfriends as well as Donsbach.

On Thursday police released more details and a timeline of the string of incidents involving Briggs. According to police:

It began Saturday at 5:48 a.m. when officers responded to a residence in southwest Omaha for a cutting, according to the release. Briggs had reportedly forced entry into the residence, assaulted an ex-girlfriend and threatened her with a firearm.

Minutes after that assault, police said Briggs attempted to drive his 2005 red Buick Century through the garage door of another southwest Omaha residence belonging to a second ex-girlfriend but did not get inside.

At 6:23 a.m., officers responded to the residence in southwest Omaha where the second ex-girlfriend lived in an attempt to locate Briggs.

While officers were on the way to the residence, police received a call from a neighbor who had reportedly been shot at by Briggs after Briggs had returned to ram the garage doors of the residence with his car for a second time, the release said. This time, Briggs got into the residence but no one was home.

Surveillance video showed both instances of Briggs' car ramming the garages.

At 6:40 a.m., police received information that Briggs had shot Donsbach at 9927 Essex Drive in the Regency neighborhood. Officers found the front door of the residence damaged by gunfire and Donsbach dead inside the residence by apparent gunfire, the release said.

Surveillance footage showed an older red Buick in the area of Donsbach's residence that resembled Briggs' car.

By 7:46 a.m., several Omaha police units began searching across the Omaha area for Briggs, the release said.

At 1 p.m., someone reported seeing a red Buick sedan with Iowa license plates. The Buick was found running in a grassy ravine and the Iowa license plates had been placed over Briggs' Nebraska plates.

Officers then began searching Mandan Park for Briggs.

At 3:32 p.m., police learned that a carjacking had occurred south of Mandan Park in Sarpy County and that the suspect description matched that of Briggs, the release said. Briggs had stolen a blue Toyota Camry, which officers located and began pursuing.

The pursuit continued into Council Bluffs until officers performed a PIT maneuver on the Camry near College Road and Valley View Drive, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. A PIT is a pursuit intervention technique where an officer bumps a car to try to send it into a spinout.

After the car was stopped, Briggs pointed a weapon at the responding officers and Lt. Chad Geer of the Council Bluffs Police Department and Lt. Martin Stiles of the Omaha Police Department both fired at him, according to the release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The shooting occurred at approximately 3:53 p.m., police said.

Briggs was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died. A shotgun and handgun were found in the Camry, police said.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. At the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be reviewed by the Pottawattamie County Attorney and the Iowa Attorney Generals Office.

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
This photo, provided by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, shows Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho, right, shaking hands with Yannick Glemarec, executive director of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) at the government complex in Seoul, March 7. Yonhap



The Green Climate Fund (GCF), an international organization on fighting climate change, has approved $760 million in funding for projects in 38 nations, the finance ministry said Friday.



The board of the GCF endorsed the funding plan for 12 projects under cooperation with governments and international bodies, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.



The combined size of such projects is estimated at $3.19 billion, which would cut 380 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.



The decision was made during four days of board meetings in Incheon, 27 kilometers west of Seoul, which began Monday.



During the meeting, the GCF expressed its commitment to enhancing its capabilities in addressing climate issues in developing nations. Additionally, the organization pledged to pursue development strategies that incorporate climate factors.



The GCF has approved 228 projects worth $48.2 billion so far, contributing around $12.8 billion, including the newly approved ones.



The GCF, launched in 2010 in Incheon, aims to channel money from industrialized nations to developing countries to help them tackle climate change-related problems. (Yonhap)


Four Omaha men accused of brazenly shoplifting electronics items from the Grand Island Best Buy store Tuesday afternoon were arrested following a multi-agency pursuit in west Omaha.

Four agencies, including an Omaha police helicopter, tracked down the suspected shoplifters.

The theft occurred shortly before 5 p.m.

The group was observed leaving the Grand Island Best Buy in a Ford Expedition. Several law enforcement agencies began searching for the vehicle as it was believed to be traveling east from Grand Island.

Officers located the vehicle, which was determined to be stolen, as it was eastbound on Nebraska 92 in Saunders County. A Wahoo police officer attempted a traffic stop, but the suspects vehicle struck the officers cruiser and fled. Omaha police helicopter Able-1 began tracking the vehicle from the air until it came to a stop in a neighborhood near 168th and Maple in Omaha.

Pilots directed units on the ground to the area as the four suspects fled on foot. Officers from several law enforcement agencies, including the Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Sheriffs Office, Wahoo police and Nebraska State Patrol, began a search of the area. Three of the suspects were located and taken into custody within 10 minutes. The fourth suspect was located and taken into custody approximately two hours later. Officers located nearly $10,000 worth of stolen electronics inside the Expedition.

The suspects are Shakur Houston, 22, Johnathon Thorne, 21, Huthaifa Mesfin, 20, and Johnathan Semans, 28, all of Omaha. They were arrested for flight to avoid arrest and theft by receiving stolen property totaling $5,000 or more. Mesfin and Semans were also cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. As of Wednesday, all four were lodged in Douglas County Jail.

Additional charges are pending in Hall and Saunders counties.

Best Buy staff members told Grand Island police the men grabbed 31 various electronic devices. The items were valued at $9,849.69.

Grand Island Police Capt. Jim Duering described the crime as a very overt theft. They werent attempting to conceal their intent. They walked in, started forcing their way past security measures and stealing the property, basically in plain view.

The shoplifting was very similar to what youre seeing on the news on both coasts where theyve decriminalized some of the property crimes, Duering said. But we still throw people in jail for that around here.

Duering expressed appreciation to the other agencies for their great work in catching these guys.

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
A Kelso man has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting two children over the course of three years.

James Norman Collins-Dingman, 45, of Kelso was sentenced on Monday, June 10 to 318 months to life in a Washington state prison for molesting and raping two children from 2014 to 2017.

Collins-Dingman faced 29 counts that included nine counts of first-degree rape of a child, four counts of child molestation, sexual exploitation of a minor, and two counts of commercial abuse of a minor. Thirteen of the counts were described as violent sex offenses.

Collins-Dingman pleaded guilty in May to 13 of the 29 charges.

Nine charges carried a life sentence and thousands of dollars in fines. He will serve the next 26 1/2 years in state prison and would have to do 36 months of probation if he were to be released.

According to the probable cause statement, Collins-Dingman would force one of his victims, who was 8 years old, to perform sexual acts upon him.

The abuse occurred in different rooms of the victims home: the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Collins-Dingman allegedly abused one of the victims three times in the bathroom; he once reportedly instructed the victim to perform oral sex on him after he shaved, according to court documents.

During a forensic interview, one of the victims recalled an episode of a then 39-year-old Collins-Dingman, laying on a bed while both were nude.

The same victim said that Collins-Dingman would sometimes abuse the second victim in the same room.

The second, older victim told authorities that Collins-Dingman once stood in the kitchen with his penis sticking out of his pants and told the teenager to touch him and that he would show the victim pornographic films.

The second older victim said that Collins-Dingman often bought them candy whenever he abused them.
KALAMA  The former superintendent of the Kalama School District was honored as the 2022 School Employee of the Year, a sort of parting gift for the district leader who earlier this year decided to leave Kalama.

In the meantime, the district announced in a news release earlier this month they had named Kalama Middle School Principal Jennifer McCallum as its interim superintendent for the 2023-24 school year.

The Kalama Chamber of Commerce gave the award to Eric Nerison, who ended his eight-year tenure as superintendent June 30. The award is given each year, except for the 2019 school year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has been an honor and a privilege to have served the Kalama community as superintendent, and I truly appreciate the chambers recognition of me as a school employee, Nerison said in a news release from the school district.

However, the truth of the matter is that there are a host of people in the district and the community who have enabled the success of Kalama schools over the last eight years.

I encourage the community and school staff to continue to build upon the long-standing legacy of success that Kalama has enjoyed for many years. The future is bright in Kalama!

The last five awardees from the district were Charlie Newton, Dennis Watts, Tammy Smith, Chris Stone and Lori Byrnes, according to the district news release.

Nerison announced in April he planned to leave the position he has held since 2015 so he could be closer to family in the Puget Sound.

The school board is now in the process of choosing its next district superintendent. After choosing three finalists in June, the board shortly thereafter decided it would restart the search process as soon as this fall, according to a news release. There was no explanation for the turnaround.

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Gov. Jay Inslees eyes scan over the photographs, assorted knickknacks and military medals accessorizing the 300-square foot unit that veteran James Walls has called home for the last year and a half.

This is my little home, Walls, 77, said to those walking through his door. Welcome.

Inslee called Fruit Valley Terrace a perfect model for affordable housing during a tour of the 21-unit tiny home community in Vancouver on Friday.

The tiny homes were built in fall 2021 for people like Walls transitioning out of homelessness.

You cant just chase homeless people from one corner to another. Thats not a solution, Inslee said. What solves the problem is housing.

The affordable homes development was developed by Community Roots Collaborative and Wolf Industries Inc., a modular homebuilder located in Battle Ground. The state invested $2.5 million in the project, with local funds providing about $800,000, Inslee said.

In some sense, it takes a village to create a village, Inslee said while standing inside one of the tiny homes. He praised the units for being inexpensive while allowing people to have the facilities of a house.

Dan Whiteley, president of the Community Roots Collaborative board, said the tiny houses cost $146,000 each. The low costs come from building the homes in a factory, he said.

What we see here is the most affordable permanent house built in 2021 in the state, he said.

Hector Hinojosa, founder of Community Roots Collaborative and board member, said the goal was to build homes at the lowest cost possible while having the least amount of barriers for people to move in.

The homes are for people who earn less than 30 percent of the area median income, or less than $22,400 a year for one person in Clark County, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Walls experienced homelessness for about five years before moving into Fruit Valley Terrace.

As soon as I moved in, everything changed from a downward slope to an upward slope, said Walls.

The Vietnam veteran said that the tiny home communitys affordable price tag is a stepping stone for people who have experienced housing instability.

Mirroring a statewide trend, Clark County lacks affordable housing. According to a recent report, there are 22 affordable homes per 100 low-income households.

Last year, more than 9,000 people experienced homelessness in the county. Council for the Homeless, which presented the data said that high housing and rental costs are main drivers.

Even if I had found an apartment that I could have afforded, Id be working full-time, and the only thing Id be doing is paying rent, said Walls. But now with affordable housing, Im a contributing member of the community. I have a job, do my shopping, I stay productive. Whereas before I was just living point to point, day to day  theres no pride in that.

With safe, secure and affordable housing like this  my life has been turned around.

A wide variety of affordable housing types are needed across Washington, Inslee said.

Inslee nodded at the recent legislative session where housing legislation was a top agenda item for lawmakers. During the session, lawmakers ushered in legislation allowing more middle housing options, and loosening zoning restrictions.

The state ushered in $1 billion in funding to address housing needs and easing homelessness across the state. Yet, he sees the need for more action.

Theres going to need to be more in the next cycles or legislation. Were going to need to continue to build on those investments, Inslee said.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda attend the Korea-Poland Business Forum at a hotel in Warsaw, Friday (local time). From left are Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Federation of Korean Industries Acting Chairman Kim Byong-joon, Korean Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang, Yoon and Duda. Yonhap



By Nam Hyun-woo



WARSAW  Korea and Poland signed 33 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) during a business forum attended by President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, Friday (local time).



Participating in the forum were more than 350 business leaders and government officials of the two countries, including an 89-member Korean business delegation that flew to Warsaw to ink partnerships with their Polish counterparts.



"The two countries are witnessing a new wave of their economic partnership, evidenced by the largest-ever defense export from Korea to Poland, nuclear energy partnership and other practical achievements," Yoon said.



"The two countries need to expand cooperation not only in advanced industries such as aerospace, smart factories and eco-friendly energy, but also in defense and infrastructure sectors, just as Korean battery and material component firms have established Europe's largest battery ecosystem in Poland," he added.



Duda noted that the economic partnership between the two countries are expanding in the fields of nuclear energy, defense and other industrial areas, adding that he believes this is the "starting point for the two countries' sustainable security cooperation."











President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during the Korea-Poland Business Forum at a hotel in Warsaw, Friday (local time). Yonhap
Digital currencies are not securities: US court makes revolutionary decision in Securities and Exchange Commission vs. Ripple lawsuit

July 14, 2023 02:41

The US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday ruled in favor of Ripple Labs in a 2020 lawsuit filed against the company by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).



According to the decision, the software sale and other redistributions of the XRP token issued by Ripple Labs are not the issuance and sale of securities.



"XRP, as a digital token, is not in and of itself a contract, transaction[,] or scheme that embodies the Howey requirements of an investment contract," the ruling said.



On the other hand, the court upheld SEC's appeal regarding corporate sales of the XRP token, considering that the company, by selling its cryptocurrency to large companies, violated US securities laws.



In 2020, SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple Labs and its founders, CEO Brad Garlinghouse and co-founder Chris Larsen. In the lawsuit, the SEC alleged that Ripple conducted an unregistered securities distribution by selling its digital asset, the XRP, to investors. SEC argued that XRP should be classified as a security and that Ripple should have registered it as such with the SEC.



"We said in Dec 2020 that we were on the right side of the law, and will be on the right side of history. Thankful to everyone who helped us get to todays decision  one that is for all crypto innovation in the US. More to come," Brad Garlinghouse wrote on Twitter.



The court's decision has caused great excitement in the cryptocurrency market. The price of XRP increased by 68%, BTCby 3%, and ETHby 6% in just a few hours.



Cameron Winklevoss, the CEO of the famous cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, commenting on the court's decision, stated that it establishes that, The sale of XRP on exchanges is not a security. Which means the sales of all cryptos on exchanges are not securities and SEC and [its chairperson] Gary Gensler have no jurisdiction over them. Thus, the powers of the US regulatory body extend only to classic financial organizations.
The world continues to depend on technology to drive innovation that fosters creative solutions and new market opportunities. Whats more important than innovating in times of uncertainty? Maximizing the business outcomes achieved with technology.

However, many organizations lack the skills and means to do so. Earlier this year, Dell commissioned a study conducted by Forrester Consulting, finding that 75% of IT decision-makers surveyed need external expertise to achieve specific outcomes, and 69% cited a lack of sufficient resources or expertise to realize the full value of their technology purchases.

Another recent study by Dell Technologies titled Innovation Index revealed that while organizations consider innovation a top priority, complexity emerges as the primary obstacle, with perceived difficulties in driving a seamless business-IT relationship. The research polled 6,600 IT and business decision-makers across 45-plus countries.

The data is clear  customers need professional services to realize the full value of their technology investments.

To address these challenges for our customers who leverage Microsoft technologies, Dell is introducing an enhanced portfolio of services for multicloud, modern workforce, applications & data and resiliency & security solutions.

Organizations in APJ demonstrate immense innovation potential with 84% actively pursuing technologies to fuel their goals. However, perceived complexity and the fear of failure may create an innovation bottleneck, said Chuah Yeow Chong, Vice President for Services Sales, Asia Pacific and Japan, Dell Technologies. Our new array of IT services will enable our customers to get the most from their Microsoft technologies. These offers are designed to help organizations enhance their productivity, accelerate innovation momentum, and drive strong business outcomes.

The new offers for advisory, implementation, modernization, security, and management bolster Dells portfolio of Microsoft services.

Multicloud

Driving innovation and business impact with Microsoft Azure requires the right balance of technologies and processes optimized for unique business needs. Dells new multicloud services are designed to help businesses take full advantage of Microsoft Azure features. This includes running containers & workloads natively in Azure, utilizing Azure Stack HCI for hybrid, multicloud and edge use cases, and expanding their VMware footprint to the Azure cloud.

Modern Workforce

Dell is regularly recognized with Microsoft Partner of the Year awards for deploying and managing Windows devices and excels in streamlining business processes and boosting productivity. New modern workforce services complement a robust set of existing solutions to help businesses create a personalized and secure hybrid work environment. Dell now offers advisory service subscriptions for Microsoft 365 or Dynamics 365, which provide versatile, cost-effective access to Dells experts to maximize ROI.

Applications & Data

Enabling developers to drive new business value requires harnessing cloud-native development practices, optimizing applications for the cloud, and leveraging the power of advanced analytics. Dells new implementation services empower customers to modernize applications for Microsoft Azure, leverage AI-driven advanced data analytics and cloud databases, and deliver faster, more reliable, and secure applications. One example is Dells new DevSecOps Implementation Services on Microsoft Azure, which embeds security within DevOps pipelines using features of Microsoft Azure and GitHub.

Resiliency & Security

Its essential that resiliency policies are applied to workloads, applications, and data across the IT ecosystem. Dells new backup and cyber recovery services for Microsoft Azure enhance the resiliency posture for customers and increase confidence in their ability to restore from accidental deletion, corruption and cyberattacks. Dells incident response team has a 97% success rate in helping customers recover after experiencing a cyber event. Additionally, Dell is a member of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association with many security-related advanced specializations and competency achievements.

The Power of Partnership

Dell and Microsoft have been co-innovating and partnering for more than 35 years. Dells new services build on a successful history with Microsoft across infrastructure, software, security, digital experience, advisory and adoption/change management services.

We are excited to partner with Dell as they transform their Microsoft Services practice to deliver differentiated solution plays to drive innovation with our joint customers, said David Smith, Vice President of channel sales at Microsoft.

Microsoft awarded Dell the 2023 Partner of the Year awards for the Device (management) and FastTrack Ready categories for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions. Dell has won dozens of partner awards from Microsoft, which recognize partners who have developed and delivered outstanding Microsoft-based applications, services and devices. Microsoft also awarded Dell the Solutions Partner Designation after validating the capabilities and customer success across all Microsoft Cloud solution areas.

Dells new services empower Microsoft customers to focus on productivity and business outcomes. Our expansive portfolio of professional services leverages modern, easy-to-consume, and increasingly automated solutions that drive improved business value from technology investments.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

The virtual-factory concept is gaining ground in Europe. Credit:  Gorodenkoff, Shutterstock.com

EU manufacturers are increasingly embracing digital technologies to improve agility. A plant that makes electric shavers in the northern Dutch town of Drachten is gearing up for a test meant to help European industry thrive in increasingly competitive international markets.

The plant run by consumer-electronics company Philips is part of a research project that received funding from the EU to spur manufacturers to make use of "digital twins"virtual factories created through technologies that promise to streamline actual production.

Virtual and real

The idea is to harness techniques such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain technology to create models of whole manufacturing processes and pinpoint where improvements can be made.

"Industry is in a transition phase and digital technologies can help," said Dr. Cecile Girardot, coordinator of the DIMOFAC initiative running through March 2024. "With digital twins, real-time data can show in the virtual world how machines are performing in the real one."

Europe's 5 billion manufacturing sector, which includes global heavyweights in areas ranging from aviation and steel to cars and chemicals, faces export-minded producers abroad and tougher environmental rules at home.

In addition to these two underlying challenges, energy-price spikes following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and supply-chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that struck two years earlier have caused concern.

The EU has created a 1.15 billion public-private partnership called Factories of the Future to advance manufacturing research and innovation, signaling how high the issue is on the European policy agenda.

At stake is European companies' ability to navigate through what is widely called the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0an age marked by automation and connectivity.

The virtual-factory idea is gaining ground in Europe. Manufacturers ranging from aircraft maker Airbus to electrical equipment specialist Schneider Electric are exploring digital-twin concepts and setting up virtual manufacturing facilities.

Plug and produce

DIMOFAC, which began in late 2019, has developed a system to make manufacturing more agile.

Called "Plug and Produce," it renders reconfiguring production lines easier by linking real machines with digital twins.

Using the system, a manufacturer could simulate a new set-up virtually and iron out any troubles online before installing the equipment in an actual factory.

Production problems can arise, for example, from using recycled raw materials because their properties aren't always identical, according to Girardot, who is European project coordinator in advanced materials and manufacturing at French research institute CEA-Liten.

"In this case you have to adapt your production," she said. "The faster you do that, the better it is. The main objective is to reduce reconfiguration times."

The project's "Plug and Produce" system will be tested in five actual production facilities around Europe. In addition to electric shavers in the Netherlands, examples include aerospace components made by Eirecomposites in Ireland and interactive displays produced by Schaltag in Switzerland.

The technology is being introduced at the five sites and results are due during the first quarter of 2024.

DIMOFAC has been able to draw on a wide range of industrial expertise through 30 partners that also include Siemens Industry Software (France), mechanical-engineering company FILL of Austria and EXOM Engineering in Spain.

Closer collaboration

Another project to advance the prospect of digital factories, FIRST, explored how they could be used to increase efficiency at production sites spread across different locations.

New designs and processes developed by FIRST will facilitate collaboration, according to Lai Xu, who coordinated the initiative that ended in December 2022 after six years.

"Traditionally, manufacturing sites can be quite isolated," said Xu, an associate professor at Bournemouth University in the U.K. who works on collaborative business processes and virtual enterprises.

FIRST set out to identify the challenges and obstacles in the way of using virtual factory technologies and develop ways to overcome them, according to Xu.

The project's partners numbered seven and included manufacturers, software companies and universities from countries including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and China.

Xu is upbeat about what digital twins can offer industry on both the business and environmental fronts.

For example, using a digital model of the whole production process, a fashion company could design a pair of shoes in Paris or Milan while coordinating manufacturing and sales globally.

An information-technology network would connect all the partnersshops, designers, logistics and manufacturersand send information about what is needed where and when using blockchain technology.

"The customized shoe can be designed elsewhere but made locally, resulting in a more efficient and flexible manufacturing process and with less environmental impact," Xu said.

A la carte

Virtual-factory technologies aren't all or nothing. Manufacturers can embrace parts to improve processes without committing to the whole, according to Xu.

This could be an important consideration for the many small and medium-sized enterprises that are part of Europe's manufacturing sector and that may lack the resources to revamp their systems from A to Z.

Virtual-factory technologies can also help companies more efficiently manage the maintenance of complex machines, saving costs as a result.

"Sensors around the machine collect data allowing you to schedule when to fly an engineer out for service," said Xu.

In a sign that virtual manufacturing technologies are set to become increasingly important, she said the FIRST consortium is actively seeking new EU and national funding to make further advances in the field.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The college student behind the Twitter account tracking Elon Musk's private jet, whose account was banned after the billionaire purchased that social media site, has started an account on Mark Zuckerberg's new Twitter competitor, Threads.

Jack Sweeney is a 20-year-old rising junior at the University of Central Florida majoring in information technology. The Clermont native gained notoriety online for his Twitter account where he tracked Elon Musk's private jet across the globe.

Sweeney's father worked in aviation, so he began tracking his father's flights through publicly available information. A fan of Elon Musk, he decided to begin tracking the billionaire's flights as well.

While he initially only sought Musk's flight patterns for his personal curiosity, a friend on the online social platform Discord gave him the idea to share the data with others.

"They said that you should post on Twitter, because there's so many Elon Musk fans on Twitter, they'd be interested in it," Sweeney said in an interview Wednesday.

Sweeney's account ultimately gained around 500,000 followers, captivating many online. Sweeney didn't expect it to become an online phenomenon.

"It was cool when it was just, like, talked about when he would fly somewhere and people were like, referencing it," Sweeney said. "But I never expected it to be more than that, like, you know, where it would be like hundreds of thousands of followers. It just kept on event after event."

It ultimately caught the attention of Musk, who reached out to Sweeney over Twitter direct messages in December 2021 to offer him $5,000 to stop posting his flight patterns.

"It was like 1 a.m. and I was in my college dorm, and then I saw that he messaged me and I couldn't believe it," Sweeney said. "You know, I was going nuts pretty much. It was just unbelievable to see that."

Sweeney made a counteroffer: He would stop for $50,000 or a Tesla. Musk rejected the offer.

"We kept talking. He was wondering how it works. You know, could I take it down? And then he asked if I made any money and I was like, you know, I don't really feel like taking it down for nothing because I spent time on it. And then he offered me $5,000. I thought that wasn't enough and I counter offered, but he didn't accept any of that."

In October 2022, Musk bought Twitter. In December, Twitter permanently banned Sweeney's account where he tracked Musk's jet. Sweeney subsequently made a new account that tracked Musk's flights 24 hours after they occurred to get around Twitter's new rules on the subject.

Sweeney says that while he is still a fan of Musk, he is disappointed in him for apparently going back on his promise to support free speech on Twitter by banning his account.

"He could do whatever he wants with Twitter," Sweeney said. "He can go back on his word, but like, it just doesn't make him look that good in the town square, free speech idea, I would say."

Sweeny also disapproves of Musk's handling of Twitter in general.

"Everything he does on Twitter, it seems like, really sporadic and, like, wild," Sweeney said. "I just think that he could do everything that he does with Twitter a lot better."

Sweeny has started an account on Mark Zuckerberg's newly launched Twitter competitor Threads, which Twitter has threatened to file a lawsuit against claiming that Facebook parent company Meta used trade secrets from former Twitter employees to create the site.

Threads acquired 100 million users in its first five days, according to Forbes.

Sweeney's new Threads account, "elonmusksjet", already had 111,000 followers as of Wednesday afternoon. His second Twitter account, made after his original account's ban, had only reached about 25,000 followers.

"There's a lot of great comments people are leaving," Sweeney said. "They're like, 'Oh, I'm already enjoying threads so much better.'"

Sweeney says he believes his second Twitter account was shadowbanned, which refers to when a social media site hides or restricts a user's content without informing them.

"I'm sure, like, I'm somehow limited on Twitter," Sweeney said. "Like I tell someone that I had a new Twitter account. They search for me and they couldn't find me. My personal."

Sweeney says he'll continue tracking Musk's jet and will be developing his personal website.

"I'm still working on stuff in the background and make my own websites," Sweeney said. "I could just have way more possibility if I make some interactive on my own website. Track more people because then you don't have to set up a social media account. Just so many more possibilities for giving people features or generating ad revenue, stuff like that. Social media is good for like their reach, but not for, you know, developing more features."

Sweeney also has accounts where he tracks the flights of Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

2023 Orlando Sentinel.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Making particular aircraft components lighter can help cut aviation's CO 2 emissions. Credit: CC0 via Unsplash

Aircraft flaps and emergency power units are part of efforts to reduce the aviation industry's contribution to global warming.

Each time a plane takes off or lands, flaps on the wings extend or retract to maintain stability and serve as a visual reminder that an aircraft is composed of thousands of complicated parts.

Redesigning some of these components might also reduce the greenhouse gasesincluding carbon dioxidethat aircraft emit. Aviation accounts for around 2.5% of global discharges of CO 2 .

All aboard

"We need to take the lead on the reduction of greenhouse gases," said Yan Duranteau of French aerospace company Safran. "Aircraft need to become cleaner."

In the debate on greening aviation, much attention is paid to issues like alternative fuels. In April this year, the EU agreed to set binding targets for the availability of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe.

Known as ReFuelEU, the new legislation stipulates that, as of 2025, suppliers must ensure that 2% of fuel made available at EU airports is sustainable, rising to 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035 and 70% in 2050.

Nonetheless, other actions also help. Making aircraft lighter, for example, can reduce fuel consumption and, in turn, emissionsa strategy pursued in the SWING project that ended in September 2022 after three years.

"We need all solutions to combat climate change," said Christophe Cornu, who coordinated SWING and is a researcher at the French Technical Center for Mechanical Industries, or Cetim. "This includes decreasing weight."

Front flaps

SWING focused on the Krueger flaps located at the front of the aircraft's wing.

During landing and take-off, these flaps get extended to make the wing larger and change its aerodynamic shape. This gives the aircraft more stability during those critical moments when it flies at lower speed.

SWING made a new design for these flaps using thermoplastic polymers, a material that can be recycled and is lighter than the usual metals.

"We decreased the weight of the component by close to 20%," said Cornu. He hopes that the materials developed during the project will be used for more parts than just the Krueger flap.

"There's still a lot of research and development and testing to be done," Cornu said. "But if we can redesign an entire aircraft with these new materials, we could reduce its emissions by up to 20%."

Hydrogen hopes

Another aircraft component being rethought is the emergency power unit. In case of loss of power, this device allows the continued operation of critical systems such as the flight controls.

At present, a small wind turbine is often used for emergency power in civilian aircraft. The rotations of this piece of equipment, called a ram air turbine and extended from the body of the aircraft during flight, powers an electrical generator or a hydraulic pump.

The FLHYSAFE project, which ended last month after five and a half years, sought to replace that system with a hydrogen-powered alternative.

The main goal of the new system is to make aircraft safer even as environmental benefits are also promised.

"A turbine cannot be checked for each flightit would be too complicated to actually generate the air speeds on the ground to make the turbine turn," said Safran's Duranteau, who coordinated FLHYSAFE. "A fuel cell system can, however, be constantly monitored and avoid hidden failures, which makes it safer."

The project researchers hope that their system, which is now being tested, will work better under emergency conditions than the turbines used today. The team has an additional motivationto prove that hydrogen can work in aviation and serve as its zero-emissions fuel.

"Thinking about specific parts like this allows us to better understand hydrogen for aviation," said Duranteau. "An emergency power unit is a complex system, with a lot of constraints. By managing to run this system on hydrogen, we're taking a major step forward."

In the ReFuelEU legislation, hydrogen is included as part of a sustainable fuel mix and expected progressively to support the decarbonization of air transport.

Long haul

The emergency power unit that was developed by FLHYSAFE and the new flaps that emerged from SWING could be used in existing aircraft.

But, as a result of the long development time and certification required in aviation, their actual introduction would be no sooner than 2030. The new parts will also have to integrate seamlessly with the other sections of an aircraft.

"We still have a long way to go," said Duranteau. "Parts for hydrogen in aviation, like the storage tanks, aren't mature enough yet. We have to improve them before we can integrate this kind of system in an aircraft."

The SWING flaps are being validated with Sonaca, a Belgian aerospace company that supplies parts to plane manufacturer Airbus.

"A Krueger flap needs to integrate into the entire wing," said Cornu of Cetim. "Just designing the flap isn't enough. You need to change the entire wing to make this work."

In the research community, this work is deemed to be a small but important contribution to fighting climate change.

"Today we're just redesigning a small part of the wing," said Cornu. "But the lessons learned can be used for a lot of components of the aircraft. What we're doing here has the potential to radically change how aircraft work."
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Credit: STIV abc/Pixabay, FAL

You're ready for your first long road trip with your new electric vehicle. But there are nagging questions in your mind. "What if I can't find an available charging station when I need it?" "What if the charger doesn't work?"

A new concern is overtaking the once-dominant "range anxiety", the fear of your vehicle running out of charge before reaching a charging station. "Charging anxiety" now arises from the uncertainty of finding an available and functional charging station when needed.

With electric vehicle sales surging, the reliability of the network of chargers is no longer a potential problem on the horizon. It's now an urgent matter.

In the United States, the world's second-largest electric vehicle market, up to 20% of charging attempts fail. The most common cause is charging equipment malfunctions.

But what if we told you we already have a blueprint for reliable charging stations? It's right before our eyes, in our trusty petrol stations. We can draw on the lessons of the petrol network to develop a charging network that's ready for mass adoption of electric vehicles.

How did petrol stations become so reliable?

For decades, the petrol industry has maintained a 99.9% availability and reliability rate for its fuel pumps. How was this remarkable feat achieved?

The secret lies in factors such as stringent quality control, standardized equipment, comprehensive technician training, robust network design and a mature industry. All these elements work together to ensure widespread reliability. Whenever you need to fill up your car you can.

The contrast between the petrol industry and today's electric vehicle charging infrastructure is striking. Petrol bowser manufacturing and service station operations have been largely consolidated under a few industry giants. The charging industry is fragmented and lacks standardization.

Electric vehicle users must deal with variations in plug types, payment options, communication protocols between chargers, and charging speeds offered by different manufacturers.

The influx of new manufacturers and operators makes the situation worse. In their eagerness to seize opportunities in this fast-growing market, these newcomers may struggle to maintain consistent service quality. Early market instability may mean companies are taken over or go out of business, possibly leaving stranded assets.

Another issue is charger ownership and maintenance responsibilities. If a business pays for an electric vehicle charging company to install a charger, it's not always clear who's responsible when it breaks. Clear terms of ownership and maintenance, including who bears the cost of repairs or replacements, are needed.

What can governments do to help?

Overcoming "charging anxiety" calls for a two-pronged strategy to increase consumer confidence in electric vehicle charging: rigorous efforts by the industry itself, and effective government policy frameworks. Priorities include standardization, quality control and ongoing skills development, as well as warranty, service and reliability requirements, and monitoring of chargers.

Governments can actively promote standardized charging infrastructure. This will make it more user-friendly and intuitive.

Australia, for instance, doesn't have an official charging standard. The Type-2 charger is merely the de facto default option. The government must rectify this.

Governments can also impose warranty and service requirements. Enforcing robust reliability standards will ensure problems with charging stations are fixed quickly. In the United States, federally funded chargers must maintain an up-time of 97%.

Governments also have a role to play in developing specialized training programs. These will equip workers with the skills and knowledge needed to handle charger manufacturing, installation and maintenance.

Governments must also ensure co-funding grants to develop charging infrastructure are put to the best possible use. These grants should be distributed on merit, giving priority to organizations with proven expertise. This will help pave the way for more robust, reliable charging stations.

Importantly, charger specifications should be rooted in the reality of current customer usage data and foreseeable developments in electric vehicle technology. The focus should be on meeting immediate practical needs, rather than chasing over-ambitious future-proofing.

Electric vehicle industry has a digital advantage

Developing a highly reliable charging network is undeniably a challenge. However, the industry has the advantage of being able to harness digital technology.

Integrating Internet of Things technology into these chargers, coupled with data analytics, enables real-time monitoring and diagnostics to enhance charger performance. Operators can then identify and resolve issues before they lead to charger failure, or quickly identify failures and fix the charger. It also enables tracking of communication issues between the charger and the vehicle, ensuring a smoother charging process.

However, reliability isn't just a matter of technology. Other factors might hinder charging, including physical obstacles such as other vehicles blocking access to chargers. Smart design of charging station locations and efficient management systems can help ensure unimpeded access.

Continuous data collection and analysis enable operators to identify patterns and trends. They can then anticipate faults and perform preventive maintenance. This can minimize downtime and maximize charger availability.

This preventive approach not only ensures more reliable charging for electric vehicle users but also reduces operators' costs.

So, what's the takeaway? A cohesive approach will pave the way to a reliable charging network. We must learn from the past successes and limitations of the petrol industry, embrace the transformative power of digital technologies, and adopt policies to steer the industry in the right direction.

Australia needs charging infrastructure that is robust, reliable and ready for electric mobility. It's a collective responsibility of industry stakeholders and government bodies. As we speed up our efforts to get this right, we can finally put an end to range anxiety and its successor, charging anxiety.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Schematic diagram showing two different crystal growth pathways of the films processed with or without the DBSO additive. Credit: Chen et al, Nature Energy (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-023-01288-7

Perovskites, a class of materials with a characteristic crystal structure, have proved to be very promising for the fabrication of solar cells and photovoltaics. One of these materials is lead triodide (FAPbI 3 ), a perovskite that exhibits a long carrier lifetime and a high carrier mobility, as well as good light absorption and electrical conductivity.

Energy researchers and engineers have also been assessing the potential of solar cells with a so-called "inverted" structure, which is simpler than conventional structure and more tolerant to device defects. While their tolerance to defects could make inverted solar cells based on FAPbI 3 more stable than solar cells with a regular structure, their power efficiencies have so far been mostly below the established target of 25%.

Researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and other institutes in China recently introduced a design strategy that could reduce defects in FAPbI 3 -based solar cells, improving their power efficiency. This strategy, introduced in a paper published in Nature Energy, involves the application of an additive and a coating agent to the perovskite films integrated in solar cells.

"Power conversion efficiencies of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on methylammonium- and bromide-free formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI 3 ) perovskites still lag behind PSCs with a regular configuration," Rui Chen, Jinan Wang, and their colleagues wrote in their paper. "We improve the quality of both the bulk and surface of FA 0.98 Cs 0.02 PbI 3 perovskite films to reduce the efficiency gap."

To improve the performance of inverted PSCs based on FAPbI 3 , the researchers added a compound to the bulk material that could reduce the defects within it. This compound, called dibutyl sulfoxide (DBSO), has a low volatility and chemically interacts with some materials, influencing their properties or structure.

"First, we use DBSO, a Lewis base additive, to improve the crystallinity and reduce the defect density and internal residual stress of the perovskite bulk," Chen, Wang and their colleagues explained in their paper. "Then, we treat the surface of the perovskite film with trifluorocarbon-modified phenethylammonium iodide (2CF 3 -PEAI) to optimize the energy levels, passivate defects and protect the film against moisture."

Chen, Wang and their colleagues applied their strategy to a FAPbI 3 film, which they then used to create inverted PSCs. They evaluated these solar cells in a series of tests and found that they performed remarkably well, both in terms of stability and energy efficiency.

"The inverted PSCs simultaneously achieve 25.1% efficiency (24.5% from the reverse currentvoltage scan measured by a third-party institution) and improved stability," the team wrote in their paper. "The devices maintained 97.4% and 98.2% of their initial power conversion efficiencies after operating under continuous 1-sun air mass 1.5 G illumination for 1,800 h and under damp heat conditions (85C and 85% relative humidity) for 1,000 h, respectively."

In the future, the strategy proposed by Chen, Wang and their colleagues could be adapted and used by other research teams to engineer more efficient and stable inverted PSCs. While the team specifically applied the DBSO additive and 2CF 3 -PEAI coating to FAPbI 3 films, their approach could potentially also help to reduce defects and improve the performance of other perovskite materials.

More information: Rui Chen et al, Reduction of bulk and surface defects in inverted methylammonium- and bromide-free formamidinium perovskite solar cells, Nature Energy (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-023-01288-7 Journal information: Nature Energy

 2023 Science X Network
BRADENTON  Two 50-foot catamarans have splashed down in Cortez, Florida, the vessels are part of the highly anticipated Gulf Islands Ferry service. The water ferry service, which is anticipated to launch later this summer, will transport visitors and locals between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.





"This has been a long time in the making for Manatee County," said Executive Director of The Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Elliott Falcione. "I commend our colleagues throughout the county, our Board of County Commissioners, and the Tourist Development Council members who have worked tirelessly to bring this service to our community."





The service, marketed by The Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (BACVB) and operated by Gulf Coast Water Taxi, is a tremendous first step in providing multi-modal transportation throughout the County. In addition to providing easy transport to the island, the service is an extended commitment in working to preserve and protect the natural beauty of the area for future generations. Powered by renewable energy sources and energy-efficient design elements, the vessels further support BACVBs Love It Like a Local initiative and Leave No Trace commitment.





A one-way ticket will cost $8 per person, providing an economical and easy way to hop between the mainland and the island. Special pricing will be available for children and seniors. The two catamarans, Miss Anna Maria and the Downtown Duchess hold 49 passengers each and will have two crew aboard to ensure smooth transport to and from each port.





"We anticipate families parking in downtown Bradenton, hopping on the ferry at the downtown port located just off the riverwalk near Green Bridge and enjoying a beautiful boat ride out to the island," continued Falcione. "At the same time, visitors staying on the island can enjoy a leisure boat ride to downtown Bradenton to enjoy our amazing restaurants and attractions located on the mainland."





Coast Guard trial will take place over the next four to six weeks, at which time final run times and ports will be determined.





"This is just the start of providing multi-modal transportation to our residents and visitors," said Falcione. "We look forward to continuing to provide easy, accessible travel opportunities throughout Manatee County."





About the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau: The BACVB promotes tourism to Bradenton, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key through domestic and international advertising, public relations and marketing efforts. Located on Floridas West Coast, the destination is known for its unspoiled beaches, rich history, the easy pace of island life and a downtown energized with arts, culture, discoveries and more. Get ready to immerse yourself into all the sites, smells, flavors and surprises that make the Bradenton Area a one-of-a-kind destination.








Foreign Minister Park Jin, center, attends a meeting of top diplomats from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and representatives of Japan and China in Jakarta, Friday. Seated next to Park are Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, right, and Wang Yi, head of the foreign affairs commission of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee. Yonhap



The top diplomats of South Korea and China held talks Friday in Jakarta on the sidelines of high-level meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).



South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Wang Yi, head of the foreign affairs commission of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, met at a hotel in the Indonesian capital where this year's ASEAN minister meetings were underway.



Wang, the former Chinese foreign minister, is representing China at this year's ASEAN gatherings. Beijing announced earlier that Qin Gang, the current foreign minister, would not attend the meetings due to health reasons.



Within China's leadership hierarchy, Wang ranks above Qin.



Observers are keeping a close watch on the meeting, as it comes amid recent tensions in bilateral relations after the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming made provocative remarks last month.



In a meeting with the head of South Korea's main opposition party, Xing said those who bet on China's loss in its rivalry with the United States would "definitely regret it," apparently accusing South Korea of siding with the U.S. and indicating China's displeasure. (Yonhap)


Two men and a minor were arrested early Thursday in connection to a stolen car, according to the College Station Police Department.

College Station resident Desmond Houston, 19, and Royse City resident Kemante Deandre Temple were both arrested and charged, according to a tweet from CSPD. Officers said a 16-year-old also was charged concerning the crime.

Police said night shift officers located a stolen 2024 Kia Optima at the Southgate Apartments on Luther Street at around 5 a.m. Houston, Temple and the minor were all found within the vehicle at the time.

Houston was charged with criminal trespass while Temple was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Temple's bond amount has not been posted at the time of publication, according to Brazos County Jail records.

Unauthorized use of a vehicle is a state jail felony and is punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
High heat and dry conditions expected in the coming days will put Bryan-College Station residents at a higher risk for heatstroke and heat-related injury.

Temperatures are forecast to top 100 degrees for 12 straight days in College Station starting Friday, according to the Weather Channel. In addition, Brazos County has been classified as an abnormally dry area, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. This puts Bryan-College Station at a 0/5 on the drought and dryness scale with temperatures 1-4 degrees warmer than normal in the coming month.

The extreme weather puts residents at an increased risk of heat-related injury, said Robert Mumford, assistant fire chief for the College Station Fire Department. Drinking enough water and avoiding activity outside is essential, he said.

If they begin to become dizzy or get muscle cramps or heat cramps of any type or no longer sweating, then that's an indicator that they're wearing their body down, Mumford said. They need to rehydrate or get out of that hot environment and start taking care of themselves.

If an individual experiences these symptoms, they may be having a medical emergency and need to contact a medical professional immediately, Mumford said.

[Heatstroke] can lead to more advanced medical problems down the road, he said. When people have had heatstrokes in the past, then they're more susceptible to having more heatstroke. Their body can't compensate being out in the heat as long as they used to be. It does take a toll and an effect on their bodies of bouncing back, becoming rehydrated, getting back to normal homeostasis.

During days with high temperatures, children are more likely to experience death as a result of being left alone in a vehicle, said Gina Galindo, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension family and community health program manager. An estimated 33 children died in 2022 after being left in a vehicle, she said.

Parents don't realize how quickly a vehicle can heat up, Galindo said, especially when you already have the 100, 104, 105 [degree] temperatures, they can overheat having closed windows and they can heat up rapidly."

To avoid tragedy, parents should always set up a reminder system to ensure their child is not left behind, Galindo said.

Those reminders can help definitely save that child's life, she said. Having a different routine can throw somebody off and that's when sometimes those incidents do occur when children do get left in a vehicle. If anyone ever sees a child in a vehicle, you want to take action. If you see a child alone in a car call 911 immediately and then first responders will help walk you through the best thing to do at that point.
PALM SPRINGS, Calif.  More than a third of Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings Thursday as a blistering heat wave that's been baking the nation spread further into California, forcing residents to seek out air conditioning or find other ways to stay cool in triple-digit temperatures.

The sweltering conditions were expected to build Friday and through the weekend in Central and Southern California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned. Highs in inland desert areas could top 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and remain in the 80s overnight, offering little relief.

In the desert city of Palm Springs, many homeless people were left to contend with the heat on their own, with just 20 indoor beds at the lone overnight shelter.

John Summers, a homeless resident, climbed through a dry riverbed Thursday to seek shade at an encampment.

"I basically just use water as much as I can. And hit shade. And, you know, the mall, wherever they'll let you in," he said.

Roman Ruiz, the city's homeless services coordinator, said homeless residents struggle daily just to find a place with enough shade. "I don't know how anyone can do it really," he said. "I feel so bad, and yet there's not much I can do."

The mercury was expected to near 110 degrees in the city Thursday.

Elsewhere, officials prepared to repurpose public libraries, senior centers and police department lobbies as cooling centers, especially in desert areas.

The heat wave came as the California State Fair prepared to kick off Friday in Sacramento, forcing organizers to cancel planned horseracing events due to concerns for animal safety.

Forecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous, especially for older people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas.

In Las Vegas, regional health officials launched a new database Thursday to report "heat-caused" and "heat-related" deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October.

The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related. The tally includes deaths due to heat exposure or hyperthermia and cases with those reasons listed as "significant factors," district spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore said.

Phoenix hit 110 degrees for the 14th consecutive day Thursday, putting it on track for a possible new record next week. The longest measured stretch of 110 degree-plus temperatures for the city is 18 days, recorded in 1974.

The overnight low temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday morning was 95 degrees, which means temperatures may not be dropping far enough to allow people to recover after dark.

While there are some 200 cooling and hydration centers operated at libraries, community centers, churches and other public spaces across metro Phoenix, most close anywhere between 4 and 7 p.m., leaving people with few options for cooling off in the still-sweltering nights.

David Hondula, chief heat officer for the City of Phoenix, said some centers plan to close later over the weekend, including one downtown near a large encampment of homeless people that will stay open 24 hours.

Hondula suggested the Federal Emergency Management Agency could play a role in the future to help keep cooling centers open longer.

Meanwhile in California, cooling centers in and around Sacramento planned to offer some extended evening hours. In the small Central Valley city of Galt, about 25 miles south of the state capital, the police department planned to open its air-conditioned lobby between 2 and 10 p.m. from Friday until Monday.

The same lobby served as a warming center during California's unusually wet, cold and snowy winter, demonstrating the state's weather whiplash the state this year.

Employers were reminded to adhere to regulations that require outdoor workers are given water, shade and regular breaks to cool off. The state will be performing spot checks at work sites to make sure the rules are being followed, said Jeff Killip with California's Division of Occupational Safety & Health.

Meanwhile the wildfire season is ramping up amid the hot, dry conditions with a series of blazes erupting across the state this week, Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, said at a media briefing this week.

Global climate change is "supercharging" heat waves, Crowfoot added. California has instituted a $400 million extreme heat action plan to protect workers, help vulnerable communities and assist local communities in opening cooling centers.

People looking to cool down in California's many rivers should be wary, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said, noting that waterways swollen from the epic Sierra Nevada snowpack remain dangerous as there is still snow left to melt.

"Be aware that the water will still be icy cold despite how hot the air will be and could be flowing very fast, much faster than usual for mid-July," he said.

64% of Americans are now exposed to extreme heat. Here's why that's worrying 64% of Americans are now exposed to extreme heat. Here's why that's worrying Heat waves have become more frequent across major US cities Current heat wave seasons last 49 days longer than they did in the 1960s The average heat wave lasts about 4 days, a day longer than in the 1960s Temperature increases are now more extreme Dehydration and weather-related deaths are on the rise Agriculture and energy: a point of no return Preparation is key to facing extreme temperatures
Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, meets with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken, left, and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, in Munich, Germany, to discuss measures against North Korea's missile provocations in this Feb. 18 file photo. Yonhap



The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held three-way talks Friday in Indonesia to discuss ways to deal with North Korea's evolving threats highlighted by this week's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).



South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, were visiting Jakarta to attend annual regional meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).



The three sides met in the Indonesian capital after participating in a series of high-level meetings.



On Thursday, Pyongyang announced it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day, with its leader Kim Jong-un vowing to take a "stronger" military offensive until the U.S. abandons its hostile policy against his country.



In response, South Korea imposed additional sanctions on North Korea by adding four individuals and three entities to its blacklist against Pyongyang.



Earlier in the day Park also held a one-on-one meeting with Wang Yi, head of the foreign affairs commission of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, in Jakarta.



Wang, the former Chinese foreign minister, is representing China at this year's ASEAN meetings. Beijing announced earlier that Qin Gang, the current foreign minister, would not attend the meetings due to health reasons.



Park also attended the East Asia Summit foreign ministers' meeting, which involves ASEAN member states, South Korea, China and Japan, as well as the United States, Russia, India, Australia and New Zealand. He also participated in the ASEAN Regional Forum, the region's largest security meeting. (Yonhap)


BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc. (NYSE:MUE  Get Free Report)s stock price passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $9.91 and traded as low as $9.78. BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II shares last traded at $9.80, with a volume of 29,650 shares changing hands.

BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II Stock Performance

The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $9.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $9.91.

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BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.029 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $0.35 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.54%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II

About BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Karpus Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II by 38.2% in the 1st quarter. Karpus Management Inc. now owns 396,463 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $3,980,000 after buying an additional 109,536 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II by 40.2% in the 1st quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 345,589 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $4,178,000 after buying an additional 99,061 shares in the last quarter. Logan Stone Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $874,000. Robinson Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II by 27.5% in the 1st quarter. Robinson Capital Management LLC now owns 235,921 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,317,000 after purchasing an additional 50,944 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Guggenheim Capital LLC lifted its holdings in BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II by 36.4% in the 1st quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 185,490 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,243,000 after purchasing an additional 49,474 shares during the last quarter.

(Get Free Report)

BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in long-term, investment grade municipal obligations exempt from federal income taxes.

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International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (LON:IAG  Get Free Report)s share price crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 153.96 ($1.98) and traded as high as GBX 160.66 ($2.07). International Consolidated Airlines Group shares last traded at GBX 160.25 ($2.06), with a volume of 7,596,740 shares trading hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on IAG. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered International Consolidated Airlines Group to a hold rating and cut their target price for the company from GBX 200 ($2.57) to GBX 165 ($2.12) in a research report on Wednesday. Bank of America restated a buy rating and set a GBX 240 ($3.09) target price on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Barclays set a GBX 170 ($2.19) price target on International Consolidated Airlines Group in a report on Friday, March 31st. Finally, UBS Group set a GBX 180 ($2.32) price target on International Consolidated Airlines Group in a report on Monday, April 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of GBX 180.89 ($2.33).

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International Consolidated Airlines Group Trading Down 0.4 %

The stock has a market capitalization of 7.68 billion, a PE ratio of 3,121.00, a P/E/G ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 2.30. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 159.19 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 153.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 988.33.

International Consolidated Airlines Group Company Profile

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of passenger and cargo transportation services in the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, the United States, and rest of the world. It also provides aircraft leasing, aircraft maintenance, tour operation, call centre, ground handling, trustee, storage and custody, and airport infrastructure development services.

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Invesco Perpetual Select Trust plc  Global Equity Income Share Portfolio (LON:IVPG  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Thursday, July 13th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Investors of record on Thursday, July 20th will be paid a dividend of GBX 1.60 ($0.02) per share on Tuesday, August 15th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 20th. The official announcement can be seen at this link.

Invesco Perpetual Select Trust plc  Global Equity Income Share Portfolio Stock Performance

Shares of IVPG remained flat at GBX 231 ($2.97) during trading hours on Thursday. The company had a trading volume of 419 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,707. Invesco Perpetual Select Trust plc  Global Equity Income Share Portfolio has a 52-week low of GBX 200 ($2.57) and a 52-week high of GBX 258.60 ($3.33). The firm has a market capitalization of 57.50 million and a P/E ratio of -3,850.00. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 232.18 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 236.46.

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Invesco Perpetual Select Trust plc  Global Equity Income Share Portfolio Company Profile

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Invesco Perpetual Select Trust plc  Global Equity Share Portfolio is an open ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Invesco Fund Managers Limited. It is co-managed by Invesco Asset Management Limited. The fund invests in the public equity markets across the globe. It invests in the stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors.

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Jet2 plc (OTCMKTS:DRTGF  Get Free Report)s stock price was down 7.8% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $14.75 and last traded at $14.75. Approximately 340 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 87% from the average daily volume of 2,629 shares. The stock had previously closed at $16.00.

Jet2 Trading Up 4.4 %

The companys fifty day simple moving average is $15.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $14.72.

About Jet2

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Jet2 plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the leisure travel business in the United Kingdom. The company operates scheduled holiday flights to leisure destinations in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and European Leisure Cities. It is also involved in the package holiday and non-ticket retail activities, as well as passenger and charter aircraft operations.

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Liberty Media Acquisition Co. (OTCMKTS:LMACU  Get Free Report) shares rose 0.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $10.08 and last traded at $10.08. Approximately 7,300 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 90% from the average daily volume of 73,885 shares. The stock had previously closed at $10.05.

Liberty Media Acquisition Trading Up 0.3 %

The firm has a 50-day moving average of $10.08 and a 200-day moving average of $10.08.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Liberty Media Acquisition

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LMACU. Jane Street Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Liberty Media Acquisition by 717.9% during the third quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 289,576 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,880,000 after acquiring an additional 254,170 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in Liberty Media Acquisition by 199.3% in the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,882 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 1,919 shares in the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Liberty Media Acquisition by 2.4% in the second quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 73,531 shares of the companys stock valued at $729,000 after acquiring an additional 1,741 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Liberty Media Acquisition by 61.2% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 73,033 shares of the companys stock valued at $724,000 after acquiring an additional 27,721 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Virtu Financial LLC boosted its holdings in Liberty Media Acquisition by 412.1% in the first quarter. Virtu Financial LLC now owns 131,448 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,318,000 after acquiring an additional 105,778 shares in the last quarter.

About Liberty Media Acquisition

Liberty Media Acquisition Corporation does not have significant operations. The company focuses on effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The company was incorporated in 2020 and is based in Englewood, Colorado.

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Molson Coors Beverage (OTCMKTS:TAP-A  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, July 13th, RTT News reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 1st will be paid a dividend of 0.41 per share on Friday, September 15th. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.47%.

Molson Coors Beverage Stock Performance

Shares of TAP-A stock remained flat at $66.48 on Thursday. 11 shares of the stock were exchanged. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $66.19 and its 200 day simple moving average is $67.21.

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About Molson Coors Beverage

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Molson Coors Beverage Company manufactures, markets, and sells beer and other malt beverage products under various brands in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers flavored malt beverages including hard seltzers, craft, and ready to drink beverages. It provides its products under Aspall Cider, Blue Moon, Coors Original, Hop Valley brands, Leinenkugel's, Miller Genuine Draft, Molson Ultra, Sharp's, Staropramen, and Vizzy Hard Seltzer above premier brands; Bergenbier, Borsodi, Carling, Coors Banquet, Coors Light, Jelen, Kamenitza, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian Lager, Molson Dry, Molson Export, and Niksicko, Ozujsko under the premium brands; and Branik, Icehouse, Keystone, Miller High Life, Milwaukee's Best, and Steel Reserve under the economy brands.

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Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries S.A. (OTCMKTS:MOHCY  Get Free Report)s share price dropped 4.6% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $11.67 and last traded at $11.67. Approximately 5 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 95% from the average daily volume of 100 shares. The stock had previously closed at $12.24.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, April 14th.

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Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries Price Performance

The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $12.22 and a 200 day moving average price of $11.02.

Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries Increases Dividend

Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries Company Profile

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 18th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 27th will be paid a $0.5675 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 26th. This represents a yield of 6.08%. This is a positive change from Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineriess previous dividend of $0.17. Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineriess payout ratio is currently -576.31%.

(Get Free Report)

Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries SA engages in oil refining and oil products trading in Greece and internationally. It operates through four segments: Refining Activity, Fuels' Marketing Activity, Power & Gas, and Other. The company produces and sells liquid fuels, lubricants, and asphalt for transportation, industrial, and household use.

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Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. (OTCMKTS:TCYMF  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $1.57 and last traded at $1.57, with a volume of 36000 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $1.57.

Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Price Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $1.60 and a 200-day moving average of $1.69.

About Tingyi (Cayman Islands)

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Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp., an investment holding company, manufactures and sells instant noodles, beverages, and instant food products in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through Instant Noodles, Beverages, and Others segments. It offers ready-to-drink teas, juices, bottled water, and carbonated soft drinks, as well as coffee drinks/functional drinks/probiotics.

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TOR Minerals International, Inc. (OTCMKTS:TORM  Get Free Report) shares passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $2.43 and traded as low as $2.20. TOR Minerals International shares last traded at $2.44, with a volume of 6,710 shares trading hands.

TOR Minerals International Stock Performance

The businesss 50 day moving average price is $2.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2.43. The company has a quick ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 3.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

TOR Minerals International Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

TOR Minerals International, Inc produces and sells specialty mineral products in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The company offers alumina trihydrate and boehmite halogen-free flame retardant and smoke suppressant fillers for plastics, rubber, and specialty applications; and beige and gray colored titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigments for use in paints, coatings, plastics, paper, and various other products.

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Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi A.S. (OTCMKTS:UELKY  Get Free Report)s stock price was down 19.1% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $13.75 and last traded at $13.75. Approximately 3,788 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 822% from the average daily volume of 411 shares. The stock had previously closed at $17.00.

Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi A.S. Price Performance

The companys fifty day moving average is $16.87 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.41.

About Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi A.S.

(Get Free Report)

Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi A.S., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture, marketing, and sale of biscuits, chocolates, chocolate coated biscuits, cakes, wafers, and crackers in Turkey and internationally. The company also produces chocolate dough, cocoa powder, chocolate drop, chocolate flakes, couverture chocolate, flour, hazelnut, and pureed hazelnut.

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Hong Kong: Internship sharing session held

The Maritime & Aviation Internship Scheme Boat Tour & Sharing Session was held today to introduce the features of the enhanced scheme and Hong Kongs marine facilities to tertiary institution and secondary school students, and to encourage them to join the trades after graduation.

A flagship project of the Maritime & Aviation Training Fund, the scheme now accepts applications for both maritime and aviation internship places throughout the year.

Application eligibility has been extended to cover any one of the following:

(i) full-time local students studying undergraduate or sub-degree programmes in local institutions; or

(ii) full-time students studying undergraduate or sub-degree programmes in institutions outside Hong Kong; or

(iii) Secondary 6 school leavers.

The training fund subsidises 75% of the monthly honorarium paid to each intern by participating companies or $7,000, whichever is lower, for a subsidy period of up to three months a year.

At the sharing session today, Acting Secretary for Transport & Logistics Liu Chun-san said: The enhanced scheme enables more young people to gain a better understanding of the industry operation and career prospects, acquire related knowledge and enhance their work skills.

Marine Department staff, industry practitioners and student interns also shared with the participants the great prospects of Hong Kongs maritime and vessel sectors.

Since its launch in 2014, over 3,600 students have joined the scheme in various maritime and aviation companies in Hong Kong.

The Government said it will continue to promote the sustainable development of Hong Kongs maritime and aviation industries, including nurturing talent, with a view to strengthening the citys position as an international maritime centre and aviation hub in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

This story has been published on: 2023-07-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
BRICS education ministers meet in South Africa

Xinhua) 13:14, July 14, 2023

JOHANNESBURG, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The 10th meeting of the BRICS ministers of education was held from Wednesday to Thursday in Skukuza, South Africa's Mpumalanga Province, which was attended by the ministers and delegates of education from all five BRICS countries, with Namibia present as an invited special guest country.

BRICS countries should prioritize eight thematic areas which include skills for the changing world including digital education cooperation and mutual recognition of qualifications, said a statement released Thursday on the outcomes of the meeting.

BRICS members are committed to delivering responsive and relevant programs for out-of-school youth and ensuring employability and absorption into labor markets, according to the statement.

The BRICS countries also pledged to improve the quality and enhance international cooperation on higher education and training through mutual recognition qualifications in line with the Global Education 2030 Agenda, the statement said.

BRICS is an acronym for five emerging economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. South Africa assumed the BRICS presidency on Jan. 1, 2023, taking over from China.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
gettyimagesbank



Supporters say death with dignity; objectors call it unethical practice



By Jun Ji-hye



A debate is actively developing in Korea over the need to allow medically assisted suicide for terminally ill patients, with the majority of both the public and lawmakers having expressed their support for the measure as a means to help patients die with dignity.



Yoon Young-ho, a professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine, called on the government and the National Assembly to lead relevant discussions, citing a public opinion poll where 81 percent of 1,000 adults showed their support for physician-assisted suicide for patients suffering from severe pain.



"It is the nation's responsibility to do what it can to look after people's lives and their deaths," Yoon said during an open forum organized by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Wednesday.



Physician-assisted suicide involves a physician helping a patient die by suicide by providing advice about the lethal doses of drugs, prescribing or supplying the drugs.



It is slightly different from euthanasia which is performed by a physician administering fatal doses of suitable drugs to a patient.



In Korea, both physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal still.



A bill to allow physician-assisted suicide has been pending at the Assembly for more than a year since it was submitted by Rep. Ahn Gyu-back of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea in June last year.



Ahn said several developed countries have already allowed the measure as a means to protect the human rights of patients.



"It is about time for Korea to discuss the issue of death with dignity," he said.





gettyimagesbank
Annex Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY  Free Report) by 0.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 368,306 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 2,480 shares during the period. Annex Advisory Services LLCs holdings in KeyCorp were worth $4,611,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in KEY. Continental Investors Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of KeyCorp during the 3rd quarter worth about $221,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its stake in shares of KeyCorp by 19.7% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 256,989 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,477,000 after buying an additional 42,243 shares during the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of KeyCorp by 24.5% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 8,836 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $154,000 after purchasing an additional 1,739 shares during the period. Acrisure Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of KeyCorp in the 4th quarter valued at about $279,000. Finally, Creative Planning raised its holdings in shares of KeyCorp by 34.2% in the 4th quarter. Creative Planning now owns 88,964 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,550,000 after purchasing an additional 22,679 shares during the period. 79.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Transactions at KeyCorp

In other KeyCorp news, insider Victor B. Alexander purchased 8,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 21st. The shares were bought at an average price of $11.83 per share, for a total transaction of $100,555.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now owns 117,196 shares in the company, valued at $1,386,428.68. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Amy G. Brady sold 12,388 shares of KeyCorp stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.11, for a total transaction of $125,242.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 106,733 shares in the company, valued at $1,079,070.63. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Victor B. Alexander acquired 8,500 shares of KeyCorp stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 21st. The shares were acquired at an average price of $11.83 per share, with a total value of $100,555.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 117,196 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,386,428.68. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have acquired 85,700 shares of company stock worth $857,507. Company insiders own 0.61% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KeyCorp Price Performance

KEY has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $11.00 to $10.00 in a report on Friday, July 7th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $15.00 to $13.00 in a report on Tuesday, June 27th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $20.00 to $17.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $20.50 to $16.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 30th. Finally, Wedbush reissued a hold neutral rating and issued a $13.00 price target on shares of KeyCorp in a report on Friday, April 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, KeyCorp has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $14.57.

Shares of NYSE KEY traded down $0.40 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $10.21. 8,427,586 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 21,511,785. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.92, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.86. The company has a market cap of $9.55 billion, a PE ratio of 5.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.23. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $9.86 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $13.58. KeyCorp has a 1-year low of $8.53 and a 1-year high of $20.30.

KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The financial services provider reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.44. KeyCorp had a net margin of 19.09% and a return on equity of 15.63%. The firm had revenue of $1.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.45 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that KeyCorp will post 1.38 EPS for the current year.

KeyCorp Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 29th will be issued a dividend of $0.205 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 28th. This represents a $0.82 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.03%. KeyCorps dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.33%.

About KeyCorp

(Free Report)

KeyCorp operates as the holding company for KeyBank National Association that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Bank and Commercial Bank. The company offers various deposits, investment products and services; and personal finance and financial wellness, student loan refinancing, mortgage and home equity, lending, credit card, treasury, business advisory, wealth management, asset management, investment, cash management, portfolio management, and trust and related services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KEY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY  Free Report).

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Shares of Barsele Minerals Corp. (OTCMKTS:BRSLF  Get Free Report) fell 23.8% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $0.12 and last traded at $0.12. 5,000 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 6% from the average session volume of 5,345 shares. The stock had previously closed at $0.15.

Barsele Minerals Price Performance

The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $0.17 and its 200 day simple moving average is $0.24.

Barsele Minerals Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Barsele Minerals Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties in Sweden. The company explores for gold, silver, copper, and zinc deposits. It holds a 45% interest in the Barsele gold project that covers an area of approximately 47,000 hectares located in Vasterbottens Lan, Northern Sweden.

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Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors reduced its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 1.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,897 shares of the companys stock after selling 103 shares during the quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $2,009,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 44.1% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,059,204 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,411,740,000 after acquiring an additional 3,691,436 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 10,429,081 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,815,375,000 after acquiring an additional 364,339 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $3,416,206,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 102,752.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,446,026 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,992,374,000 after acquiring an additional 5,440,731 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,282,137 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,566,577,000 after acquiring an additional 74,736 shares during the last quarter. 87.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on LLY. Truist Financial increased their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $421.00 to $430.00 in a research note on Friday, April 28th. HSBC began coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Friday. They set a buy rating and a $560.00 target price for the company. Guggenheim lowered their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $395.00 to $392.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $440.00 to $500.00 in a research note on Friday, May 26th. Finally, 22nd Century Group reissued a maintains rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, June 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $443.45.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

LLY traded up $14.47 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $449.17. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,109,161 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,066,156. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52 week low of $296.32 and a 52 week high of $469.87. The companys 50-day moving average is $443.74 and its 200-day moving average is $382.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.30. The firm has a market cap of $426.38 billion, a PE ratio of 69.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.38.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $1.62 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.73 by ($0.11). Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 20.54% and a return on equity of 61.42%. The business had revenue of $6.96 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.87 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.62 EPS. The firms revenue was down 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 8.79 EPS for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Investors of record on Friday, September 8th will be paid a $1.13 dividend. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.01%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 71.86%.

Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, EVP Patrik Jonsson sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $429.46, for a total transaction of $2,576,760.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 36,941 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,864,681.86. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 178,302 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $426.40, for a total transaction of $76,027,972.80. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 101,688,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $43,360,108,584. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Patrik Jonsson sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $429.46, for a total value of $2,576,760.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 36,941 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,864,681.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 970,965 shares of company stock worth $423,725,107. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. raised its position in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 12.9% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 35,315 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after buying an additional 4,027 shares during the quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc.s holdings in EOG Resources were worth $4,048,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 16.0% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,031 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $1,911,000 after acquiring an additional 2,213 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. acquired a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the first quarter valued at about $404,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 1st quarter worth about $278,000. Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 237.7% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,155 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $138,000 after buying an additional 813 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its position in EOG Resources by 23.7% in the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 662 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $79,000 after buying an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. 89.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on EOG shares. StockNews.com assumed coverage on EOG Resources in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Mizuho upgraded shares of EOG Resources from a neutral rating to a buy rating and decreased their price target for the company from $150.00 to $146.00 in a research note on Friday, May 19th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $147.00 to $138.00 in a research note on Monday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $140.00 to $132.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their price target on shares of EOG Resources from $170.00 to $155.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 13th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $146.24.

Insider Buying and Selling

EOG Resources Price Performance

In other EOG Resources news, EVP Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 2,031 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.26, for a total transaction of $238,155.06. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 37,607 shares in the company, valued at $4,409,796.82. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . In other news, EVP Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 2,031 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.26, for a total value of $238,155.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 37,607 shares in the company, valued at $4,409,796.82. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, COO Lloyd W. Helms, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.87, for a total transaction of $579,350.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 149,689 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,344,464.43. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 0.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Shares of NYSE EOG opened at $122.61 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.17, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $112.67 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $118.17. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 1-year low of $92.16 and a 1-year high of $150.88. The firm has a market cap of $71.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.53.

EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 5th. The energy exploration company reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.42 by $0.27. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 30.34% and a net margin of 33.83%. The company had revenue of $6.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.28 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.00 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 51.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.18 earnings per share for the current year.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, July 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.825 per share. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 14th. EOG Resourcess payout ratio is currently 20.64%.

EOG Resources Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, and natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its principal producing areas are in New Mexico and Texas in the United States; and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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British American Tobacco p.l.c. (OTCMKTS:BTAFF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 288,300 shares, a drop of 83.0% from the June 15th total of 1,695,400 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 15,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 18.4 days.

British American Tobacco Stock Performance

BTAFF stock traded up $0.00 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $33.11. The company had a trading volume of 5,040 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,843. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $33.33 and a 200 day moving average price of $36.08. British American Tobacco has a fifty-two week low of $31.72 and a fifty-two week high of $43.21.

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About British American Tobacco

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British American Tobacco p.l.c. engages in the provision of tobacco and nicotine products to consumers worldwide. It offers vapour, tobacco heating, and modern oral nicotine products; combustible cigarettes; and traditional oral products, such as snus and moist snuff. The company offers its products under the Vuse, glo, Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Rothmans, Camel, Natural American Spirit, Newport, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Peter Stuyvesant, Craven A, State Express 555 and Shuang Xi brands.

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Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage issued a neutral rating and a $42.00 price target on the stock.

CAVA Group Stock Down 8.4 %

CAVA opened at $47.67 on Monday. CAVA Group has a 1-year low of $36.45 and a 1-year high of $54.86.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other CAVA Group news, insider Kenneth Robert Bertram purchased 2,295 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 20th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $22.00 per share, with a total value of $50,490.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 1,500 shares in the company, valued at $33,000. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Tricia K. Tolivar bought 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 20th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $22.00 per share, with a total value of $55,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer now owns 2,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $55,000. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Kenneth Robert Bertram purchased 2,295 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 20th. The stock was bought at an average price of $22.00 per share, for a total transaction of $50,490.00. Following the purchase, the insider now owns 1,500 shares in the company, valued at $33,000. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders bought 9,295 shares of company stock valued at $204,490.

CAVA Group Company Profile

CAVA Group, Inc owns and operates a chain of Mediterranean restaurants. The company offers salads, dips, spreads, toppings, and dressings. It sells its products through whole food markets and grocery stores. The company also provides online food ordering services. Cava Group, Inc was founded in 2006 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.

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China CITIC Bank Co. Limited (OTCMKTS:CHCJY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 3,100 shares, a growth of 3,000.0% from the June 15th total of 100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 2,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.6 days.

China CITIC Bank Price Performance

CHCJY remained flat at $9.08 during mid-day trading on Friday. 76 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 562. The business has a 50-day moving average of $10.22 and a 200 day moving average of $9.74. China CITIC Bank has a 1 year low of $7.45 and a 1 year high of $10.92.

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China CITIC Bank Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 4th. Investors of record on Monday, June 26th will be issued a $0.811 dividend. This is an increase from China CITIC Banks previous dividend of $0.80. This represents a dividend yield of 7.74%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 23rd.

China CITIC Bank Company Profile

China CITIC Bank Corporation Limited provides various banking products and services in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company operates in segments, such as Corporate Banking, Retail Banking, and Financial Market business. It accepts deposits; offers corporate and personal loans; and provides securities agency, remittance and settlement, and guarantee services, as well as investment banking and international services.

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Credit Suisse AG boosted its holdings in shares of Xerox Holdings Co. (NYSE:XRX  Free Report) by 0.2% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 387,863 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 812 shares during the quarter. Credit Suisse AG owned about 0.25% of Xerox worth $5,973,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of XRX. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Xerox by 55.4% in the 4th quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,873 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 668 shares in the last quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Xerox in the 1st quarter worth approximately $83,000. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Xerox by 3,009.5% in the 2nd quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC now owns 6,219 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $92,000 after buying an additional 6,019 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors grew its position in shares of Xerox by 34.7% in the 1st quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 5,521 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $113,000 after buying an additional 1,422 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Middle East FZE purchased a new position in shares of Xerox in the 4th quarter worth approximately $119,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.75% of the companys stock.

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Xerox Stock Performance

NYSE:XRX traded down $0.64 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $15.45. 474,650 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,537,415. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.96. Xerox Holdings Co. has a 52-week low of $11.80 and a 52-week high of $19.40. The companys 50 day moving average price is $14.74 and its 200-day moving average price is $15.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.83 and a beta of 1.68.

Xerox Dividend Announcement

Xerox ( NYSE:XRX Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 25th. The information technology services provider reported $0.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.21 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $1.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.73 billion. Xerox had a negative net margin of 2.73% and a positive return on equity of 8.17%. The companys revenue was up 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.12) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Xerox Holdings Co. will post 1.54 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Investors of record on Friday, June 30th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.47%. Xeroxs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -73.53%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Xerox in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $13.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Suzan Morno-Wade sold 11,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.96, for a total transaction of $175,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 61,429 shares in the company, valued at approximately $980,406.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Suzan Morno-Wade sold 11,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.96, for a total value of $175,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 61,429 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $980,406.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Jacques-Edouard Gueden sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.61, for a total transaction of $156,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,125 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $439,031.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock.

Xerox Company Profile

(Free Report)

Xerox Holdings Corporation, a workplace technology company, designs, develops, and sells document management systems and solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and internationally. It offers workplace solutions, including desktop monochrome, and color and multifunction printers; digital printing presses and light production devices, and solutions; and digital services that leverage workflow automation, personalization and communication software, content management solutions, and digitization services.

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Curated Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 4,971 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $260,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Toronto Dominion Bank raised its stake in Charles Schwab by 32,224.4% during the 4th quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 225,994,826 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $18,816,289,000 after purchasing an additional 225,295,680 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Charles Schwab during the 4th quarter valued at $1,325,555,000. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC raised its stake in Charles Schwab by 107.1% during the 4th quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 16,784,516 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,399,817,000 after purchasing an additional 8,680,289 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in Charles Schwab by 62.5% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 22,255,649 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,853,005,000 after purchasing an additional 8,563,389 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Charles Schwab by 91,051.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,365,193 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $446,706,000 after purchasing an additional 5,359,307 shares during the last quarter. 82.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Charles Schwab Price Performance

NYSE:SCHW traded down $0.13 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $59.80. 2,233,895 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 18,970,404. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12 month low of $45.00 and a 12 month high of $86.63. The company has a fifty day moving average of $53.81 and a 200 day moving average of $63.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The stock has a market cap of $105.79 billion, a PE ratio of 16.38, a PEG ratio of 5.49 and a beta of 0.88.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.93 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.03. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 34.82% and a return on equity of 27.83%. The firm had revenue of $5.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.77 EPS. The companys revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.19 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 12th were issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.67%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 11th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is currently 27.32%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Charles Schwab news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 77,640 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.76, for a total transaction of $4,018,646.40. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 59,771,278 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,093,761,349.28. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SCHW has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $89.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. JMP Securities raised shares of Charles Schwab from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $73.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $64.00 to $66.00 in a report on Monday. Raymond James raised shares of Charles Schwab from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $63.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, May 15th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $75.00 to $72.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $67.23.

Charles Schwab Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Davide Campari-Milano (OTCMKTS:DVDCF  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $14.45 and last traded at $14.45, with a volume of 500 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $13.59.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on DVDCF shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Davide Campari-Milano to 13.80 ($15.16) in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Davide Campari-Milano to 13.00 ($14.29) in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. Citigroup cut shares of Davide Campari-Milano from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Davide Campari-Milano to 10.70 ($11.76) in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group lifted their target price on shares of Davide Campari-Milano to 13.00 ($14.29) in a research report on Wednesday, July 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $12.29.

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Davide Campari-Milano Stock Performance

The businesss 50-day moving average is $13.33 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.14.

About Davide Campari-Milano

Davide Campari-Milano N.V., together with its subsidiaries, markets and distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It offers a range of spirits categories, including aperitif, vodka, liqueurs, bitters, whisky, tequila, rum, gin, and cognac, as well as champagne and non-alcoholic aperitif under various brands, such as Aperol, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey, Grand Marnier, Appleton Estate, Wray & Nephew Overproof, and other brands.

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Passengers queue to check-in at Gimpo International Airport in this June 18 photo. Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



Seven international airports across the country  except Incheon International Airport  have seen less than a 50 percent recovery rate in the volume of international passengers compared to pre-pandemic levels.



According to Korea Airport Corporation, Friday, the number of international passengers who traveled via Gimpo, Jeju, Gimhae and four other international airports that it operates, stood at 5.24 million from January to June this year.



The volume was 49.6 percent of the corresponding figure posted in the first half of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.



The slow recovery was partially attributed to China's ban on group tours to Korea amid escalating tensions between Korea and China. In addition, just seven out of 22 air routes between regional airports in Korea and Japan have reopened after the end of the public health emergency.



Gimpo International Airport had the highest recovery rate, with its international passenger volume reaching 59.6 percent in the first half compared with the same period in 2019.



Smaller international airports in regions such as Cheongju and Muan had 32 percent and 23 percent recovery rates, respectively.



"The volume of international passengers is expected to rebound further on the back of increasing passengers using the international routes of regional airports to places such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan," an official from the airport operator said.



He added that more than 33 million passengers traveled via domestic routes from the 13 regional airports during the first half of the year, representing 102.7 percent of the corresponding 2019 level.


Deutsche Telekom AG (OTCMKTS:DTEGY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 13,900 shares, an increase of 1,290.0% from the June 15th total of 1,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 629,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Deutsche Telekom Stock Performance

Shares of Deutsche Telekom stock traded up $0.49 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $22.24. 380,971 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 261,041. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $22.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $22.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $103.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.59. Deutsche Telekom has a one year low of $16.77 and a one year high of $25.55. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97.

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Deutsche Telekom (OTCMKTS:DTEGY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 11th. The utilities provider reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Deutsche Telekom had a return on equity of 9.47% and a net margin of 17.29%. The company had revenue of $29.85 billion during the quarter. On average, equities research analysts expect that Deutsche Telekom will post 1.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers.

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Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited (OTCMKTS:DMZPY  Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 1,100 shares, an increase of 450.0% from the June 15th total of 200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 500 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.2 days.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, UBS Group lowered shares of Dominos Pizza Enterprises from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th.

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Dominos Pizza Enterprises Stock Performance

Shares of Dominos Pizza Enterprises stock remained flat at $14.85 on Friday. The stock had a trading volume of 3 shares, compared to its average volume of 338. Dominos Pizza Enterprises has a fifty-two week low of $14.35 and a fifty-two week high of $25.85. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $15.67 and a 200 day moving average price of $18.64.

Dominos Pizza Enterprises Company Profile

Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited operates retail food outlets. The company holds franchise rights for the Domino's brand in Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Taiwan. It operates a network of 3,396 stores. Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited was founded in 1983 and is based in Brisbane, Australia.

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Intesa Sanpaolo (OTCMKTS:IITSF  Get Free Report) is one of 282 public companies in the BanksRegional industry, but how does it compare to its competitors? We will compare Intesa Sanpaolo to similar companies based on the strength of its earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, risk and valuation.

Profitability

This table compares Intesa Sanpaolo and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Intesa Sanpaolo N/A N/A N/A Intesa Sanpaolo Competitors 34.87% 9.86% 0.91%

Dividends

Intesa Sanpaolo pays an annual dividend of $0.04 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.5%. Intesa Sanpaolo pays out -16.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, BanksRegional companies pay a dividend yield of 13.1% and pay out 18.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Intesa Sanpaolo 0 0 0 0 N/A Intesa Sanpaolo Competitors 1060 2992 3052 13 2.28

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Intesa Sanpaolo and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

As a group, BanksRegional companies have a potential upside of 319.07%. Given Intesa Sanpaolos competitors higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Intesa Sanpaolo has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Intesa Sanpaolo and its competitors revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Intesa Sanpaolo N/A N/A -10.38 Intesa Sanpaolo Competitors $3.88 billion $902.00 million 268.42

Intesa Sanpaolos competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Intesa Sanpaolo. Intesa Sanpaolo is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

29.1% of Intesa Sanpaolo shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 32.1% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are owned by institutional investors. 15.5% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Intesa Sanpaolo competitors beat Intesa Sanpaolo on 9 of the 10 factors compared.

About Intesa Sanpaolo

(Get Free Report)

Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. provides various financial products and services primarily in Italy. It operates through six segments Banca dei Territori, IMI Corporate & Investment Banking, International Subsidiary Banks, Asset Management, Private Banking, and Insurance. The company offers lending and deposit products; corporate, investment banking, and public finance services; industrial credit, factoring, and leasing services; asset management solutions; life and non-life insurance products; and bancassurance and pension fund, and fiduciary services. It also provides consumer credit and E-money; wealth management and private banking services. The company serves individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, non-profit organizations, corporates and financial institutions, public administration, private clients and high net worth individuals, institutional clientele, and other customers. Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Turin, Italy.

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Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL  Get Free Report) and Knife River (NYSE:KNF  Get Free Report) are both mid-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, risk, valuation, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Hecla Mining and Knife River, as reported by MarketBeat.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Hecla Mining 0 4 5 0 2.56 Knife River 0 0 1 0 3.00

Hecla Mining presently has a consensus target price of $6.93, indicating a potential upside of 14.90%. Knife River has a consensus target price of $54.00, indicating a potential upside of 24.91%. Given Knife Rivers stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Knife River is more favorable than Hecla Mining.

Valuation and Earnings

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Hecla Mining $718.91 million 5.11 -$37.35 million ($0.09) -66.67 Knife River $2.53 billion 0.97 $116.22 million N/A N/A

This table compares Hecla Mining and Knife Rivers top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Knife River has higher revenue and earnings than Hecla Mining.

Profitability

This table compares Hecla Mining and Knife Rivers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Hecla Mining -6.10% 1.52% 1.02% Knife River N/A N/A N/A

Insider & Institutional Ownership

59.3% of Hecla Mining shares are held by institutional investors. 1.3% of Hecla Mining shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Hecla Mining beats Knife River on 6 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Hecla Mining

(Get Free Report)

Hecla Mining Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides precious and base metal properties in the United States and internationally. The company mines for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates, as well as carbon material containing silver and gold for sale to custom smelters, metal traders, and third-party processors; and dore containing silver and gold. It owns 100% interests in the Greens Creek mine located on Admiralty Island in southeast Alaska; the Lucky Friday mine situated in northern Idaho; the Keno Hill mine located in the Keno Hill Silver District of Yukon Territory, Canada; the Casa Berardi mine located in the Abitibi region of northwestern Quebec, Canada; and the San Sebastian mine situated in the city of Durango, Mexico. The company was incorporated in 1891 and is headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

About Knife River

(Get Free Report)

Knife River Corporation provides aggregates-based construction materials and contracting services in the United States. It operates through six segments: Pacific, Northwest, Mountain, North Central, South, and Energy Services. It mines, processes, and sells construction aggregates, including crushed stone and sand, and gravel; and produces and sells asphalt and ready-mix concrete, as well as provides contracting services to support the aggregate-based product lines, including heavy-civil construction, asphalt and concrete paving, and site development and grading. It serves various projects related to highways, airports, and other public infrastructure. The company was founded in 1917 and is based in Bismarck, North Dakota.

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HSBC lowered shares of Great Portland Estates (OTCMKTS:GPEAF  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Monday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

GPEAF has been the subject of several other research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Great Portland Estates from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a report on Monday, June 12th. Peel Hunt raised Great Portland Estates to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Great Portland Estates from GBX 600 ($7.72) to GBX 625 ($8.04) in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $572.50.

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Great Portland Estates Price Performance

OTCMKTS:GPEAF opened at $4.92 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $5.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $6.10. Great Portland Estates has a 52-week low of $4.42 and a 52-week high of $6.98.

Great Portland Estates Company Profile

We are a FTSE 250 property investment and development company owning 2.5 billion of real estate in central London. We proactively manage our portfolio, flexing our activities in tune with London's property cycle to deliver long-term out-performance. We create in-demand spaces that people want to be part of; helping our occupiers, local communities and the city to thrive.

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LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB  Free Report) had its price objective decreased by Barclays from $100.00 to $95.00 in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on LyondellBasell Industries from $109.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Scotiabank reissued a sector perform rating on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $130.00 to $121.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a research report on Tuesday, June 13th. They issued a neutral rating and a $89.00 target price on the stock. Finally, KeyCorp decreased their target price on LyondellBasell Industries from $84.00 to $81.00 in a research report on Friday, June 16th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $97.00.

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LyondellBasell Industries Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of LYB stock opened at $92.71 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $90.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $91.81. LyondellBasell Industries has a fifty-two week low of $71.46 and a fifty-two week high of $101.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.03, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83.

LyondellBasell Industries Increases Dividend

LyondellBasell Industries ( NYSE:LYB Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.80 by $0.70. LyondellBasell Industries had a net margin of 6.40% and a return on equity of 28.95%. The business had revenue of $10.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.80 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.00 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 22.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that LyondellBasell Industries will post 9.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 30th were given a dividend of $1.25 per share. This is a positive change from LyondellBasell Industriess previous quarterly dividend of $1.19. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 26th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.39%. LyondellBasell Industriess payout ratio is currently 54.11%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Aspire Private Capital LLC bought a new position in LyondellBasell Industries in the 1st quarter worth approximately $12,017,920,000. Community Bank N.A. acquired a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries in the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV lifted its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 109.8% in the 1st quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 363 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares during the period. Finally, Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.58% of the companys stock.

About LyondellBasell Industries

(Get Free Report)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and PolyolefinsAmericas; Olefins and PolyolefinsEurope, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology.

Further Reading

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New York State Teachers Retirement System lowered its stake in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) by 2.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 976,950 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 23,719 shares during the period. Mastercard makes up approximately 0.8% of New York State Teachers Retirement Systems holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest position. New York State Teachers Retirement System owned about 0.10% of Mastercard worth $355,033,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Mastercard by 7.0% in the first quarter. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,400 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $872,000 after buying an additional 158 shares during the last quarter. Channel Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard in the first quarter worth about $234,000. Sendero Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Mastercard by 8.9% in the first quarter. Sendero Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,040 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $1,468,000 after buying an additional 330 shares during the last quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. lifted its position in shares of Mastercard by 2.4% in the first quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 10,841 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $3,940,000 after buying an additional 253 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. lifted its position in shares of Mastercard by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. now owns 16,489 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $6,077,000 after purchasing an additional 146 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.33% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Mastercard

In other news, insider Timothy H. Murphy sold 27,417 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $374.49, for a total value of $10,267,392.33. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 39,263 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,703,600.87. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, insider Craig Vosburg sold 6,333 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total value of $2,533,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 46,491 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,596,400. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Timothy H. Murphy sold 27,417 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.49, for a total value of $10,267,392.33. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 39,263 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $14,703,600.87. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 553,576 shares of company stock valued at $211,635,322 in the last 90 days. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Mastercard Trading Up 0.5 %

Mastercard stock traded up $1.83 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $402.39. 297,545 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,794,345. The firm has a market capitalization of $381.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.02, a PEG ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.11. Mastercard Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $276.87 and a fifty-two week high of $403.24. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $380.97 and its 200-day simple moving average is $369.89.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The credit services provider reported $2.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.09. Mastercard had a return on equity of 169.12% and a net margin of 42.33%. The firm had revenue of $5.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.76 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Mastercard Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.57%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 6th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is 22.78%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Mastercard from $442.00 to $452.00 in a research report on Thursday. Citigroup increased their price target on Mastercard from $435.00 to $440.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Mizuho decreased their price target on Mastercard from $405.00 to $400.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. Robert W. Baird reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $435.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Friday, June 30th. Finally, KeyCorp increased their price objective on Mastercard from $425.00 to $430.00 in a research report on Monday, April 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Mastercard presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $423.19.

Mastercard Profile

(Free Report)

Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, as well as delivers other payment-related products and services.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report).

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Shares of Monarch Ambassador Income ETF (BATS:MAMB  Get Free Report) traded up 0.5% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $22.15 and last traded at $22.14. 4,670 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, The stock had previously closed at $22.02.

Monarch Ambassador Income ETF Stock Up 0.5 %

The company has a 50 day moving average of $22.11 and a two-hundred day moving average of $22.17.

Monarch Ambassador Income ETF Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

The Monarch Ambassador Income ETF (MAMB) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Kingsview Ambassador Income index. The fund tracks an index that consists of mainly global fixed income ETFs, plus an alternative sleeve. Constituents are selected and weighted based on the economic cycle. MAMB was launched on Mar 23, 2021 and is managed by Monarch.

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Equities researchers at HSBC began coverage on shares of Novartis (NYSE:NVS  Get Free Report) in a research report issued on Friday, FlyOnTheWall reports. The firm set a buy rating on the stock.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Novartis in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a strong-buy rating on the stock. BTIG Research raised their price target on shares of Novartis from $75.00 to $85.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Novartis from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $82.25.

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Novartis Price Performance

Shares of NVS opened at $98.32 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $208.40 billion, a PE ratio of 30.25, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.55. The companys 50-day moving average is $99.97 and its 200-day moving average is $93.85. Novartis has a fifty-two week low of $74.09 and a fifty-two week high of $105.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.79.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Novartis

Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 25th. The company reported $1.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $12.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.60 billion. Novartis had a net margin of 13.78% and a return on equity of 23.29%. The companys revenue was up 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.46 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Novartis will post 6.71 EPS for the current year.

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Allworth Financial LP grew its stake in Novartis by 3.6% during the first quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 3,242 shares of the companys stock worth $298,000 after buying an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Novartis by 10.5% in the 4th quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 37,059 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,362,000 after purchasing an additional 3,523 shares in the last quarter. Hall Laurie J Trustee boosted its stake in shares of Novartis by 6.8% in the 1st quarter. Hall Laurie J Trustee now owns 27,702 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,549,000 after purchasing an additional 1,775 shares in the last quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Novartis by 32.2% in the 1st quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 6,761 shares of the companys stock valued at $622,000 after purchasing an additional 1,647 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TCTC Holdings LLC boosted its stake in shares of Novartis by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. TCTC Holdings LLC now owns 399,583 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,250,000 after purchasing an additional 2,150 shares in the last quarter. 8.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Novartis Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company operates through two segments: Innovative Medicines and Sandoz. The Innovative Medicines segment offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It also provides cardiovascular, ophthalmology, neuroscience, immunology, hematology, and solid tumor products.

Further Reading

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Pacific Global Investment Management Co. cut its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 1.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,946 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 113 shares during the quarter. Pacific Global Investment Management Co.s holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $2,599,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the first quarter worth about $203,000. North Star Investment Management Corp. boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 48.6% in the first quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 4,647 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,520,000 after acquiring an additional 1,519 shares during the last quarter. Channel Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the first quarter worth approximately $205,000. Sendero Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 15.2% in the first quarter. Sendero Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,500 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,145,000 after acquiring an additional 461 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Simplicity Solutions LLC boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 321.4% in the first quarter. Simplicity Solutions LLC now owns 13,662 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $4,469,000 after acquiring an additional 10,420 shares during the last quarter. 76.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at The Goldman Sachs Group

In related news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 1,145,486 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total value of $13,436,550.78. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 50,099,392 shares of the companys stock, valued at $587,665,868.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 1,145,486 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total value of $13,436,550.78. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 50,099,392 shares of the companys stock, valued at $587,665,868.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.67, for a total transaction of $2,420,839.59. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 4,334 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,441,791.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 34,978,986 shares of company stock worth $660,057,057 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Down 0.7 %

Shares of GS traded down $2.40 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $326.28. 810,280 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,585,878. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $325.65 and a 200 day simple moving average of $337.87. The firm has a market cap of $108.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.70, a P/E/G ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.38. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $285.15 and a 12-month high of $389.58.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The investment management company reported $8.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.14 by $0.65. The business had revenue of $12.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.66 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 9.84%. The businesss revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $10.76 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 25.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 1st were paid a dividend of $2.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 31st. This represents a $10.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.06%. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is 35.60%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently issued reports on GS. Oppenheimer decreased their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $440.00 to $437.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $360.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $339.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $495.00 to $437.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $329.00 to $337.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $387.73.

The Goldman Sachs Group Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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Striking medical workers hold a rally in front of the Sejong Government Complex in the central administrative city, Friday. Yonhap



Unionized medical workers demanding better working conditions and increased support for public medical institutions ended their two-day general strike Friday, after their walkout caused patient inconvenience and operational disruptions at hospitals across the country.



About 45,000 nurses, caregivers and other members of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU), who are from 140 medical institutions nationwide, participated in the general strike on the day, union officials said.



At a press conference, the KHMU said it decided to end the general strike at 5 p.m. and hold negotiations with the health ministry, considering the safety of patients and the inconvenience it has caused.



The group of medical workers said it would make efforts to swiftly reach a deal through the talks. But it also warned of another general strike if they fail to generate "meaningful" results.



Demands put forward by the striking medical workers include the expansion of the integration of nursing and caregiving services, and the institutionalization of a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1 to 5.



KHMU members at 20 upper-level general hospitals across the country, including Korea University's Anam and Guro hospitals, Kyunghee University Hospital, Hanyang University Hospital and Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH), were among those who walked out.



Patients suffered much inconvenience due to drastically reduced operations at the strike-hit hospitals.



The PNUH, the largest medical institution in the southern port city of Busan, was managing only 150 inpatients in special wards, such as intensive care units, and 100 general ward inpatients with limited mobility after having earlier discharged about 700 general ward inpatients in preparation for the strike.



The Busan Medical Center, another major hospital in the port city, has reduced its outpatient departments by more than half from 22 to seven.



Some medical institutions in Seoul, such as Korea University Guro Hospital, have notified paramedics and emergency rescue workers that they are unable to provide emergency treatment in certain fields.



Labor and management at the strike-hit hospitals have deployed essential workers for tasks directly related to patients' lives and to operate emergency response teams. In non-emergency areas, however, there were some cases where treatment appointments were canceled or surgeries were postponed. (Yonhap)


Strs Ohio lifted its stake in Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI  Free Report) by 15.8% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 115,838 shares of the communications equipment providers stock after purchasing an additional 15,838 shares during the period. Strs Ohio owned about 0.07% of Motorola Solutions worth $33,144,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Legacy Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Motorola Solutions by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 943 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $244,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management grew its stake in Motorola Solutions by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 950 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. OLD National Bancorp IN grew its stake in Motorola Solutions by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN now owns 3,218 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $830,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the period. ETF Managers Group LLC boosted its stake in Motorola Solutions by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. ETF Managers Group LLC now owns 3,001 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $859,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Motorola Solutions by 23.4% during the 4th quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 237 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 82.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Motorola Solutions news, CEO Gregory Q. Brown sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $290.54, for a total transaction of $14,527,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 91,843 shares in the company, valued at $26,684,065.22. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Motorola Solutions news, CEO Gregory Q. Brown sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $290.54, for a total transaction of $14,527,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 91,843 shares in the company, valued at $26,684,065.22. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Katherine A. Maher sold 1,933 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $289.01, for a total transaction of $558,656.33. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 1,611 shares in the company, valued at $465,595.11. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 101,933 shares of company stock worth $29,642,156 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.50% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Motorola Solutions Stock Down 0.9 %

MSI has been the topic of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Motorola Solutions from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $300.00 to $305.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Motorola Solutions from $303.00 to $329.00 in a research note on Friday, May 5th. StockNews.com cut shares of Motorola Solutions from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Motorola Solutions from $310.00 to $335.00 in a report on Friday, May 5th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Motorola Solutions has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $301.67.

Shares of MSI opened at $292.16 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $49.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.93. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a 12-month low of $206.62 and a 12-month high of $299.43. The companys 50-day moving average price is $286.37 and its 200 day moving average price is $275.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.15.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The communications equipment provider reported $2.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.05 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $2.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.12 billion. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 14.63% and a negative return on equity of 1,549.95%. Motorola Solutionss revenue was up 14.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.53 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Motorola Solutions Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.88 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.20%. Motorola Solutionss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 44.00%.

Motorola Solutions Profile

(Free Report)

Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.

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Strs Ohio raised its stake in The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX  Free Report) by 4.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 521,995 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after acquiring an additional 21,824 shares during the period. Strs Ohios holdings in TJX Companies were worth $40,903,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS boosted its position in TJX Companies by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS now owns 8,077 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $643,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its position in TJX Companies by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 10,438 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $831,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. Drive Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Drive Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,652 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $286,000 after buying an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 6.9% during the 4th quarter. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. now owns 2,193 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $175,000 after buying an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Seaport Global Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 6.5% during the 4th quarter. Seaport Global Advisors LLC now owns 2,329 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $185,000 after buying an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. 92.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Scott Goldenberg sold 26,271 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.91, for a total transaction of $2,073,044.61. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 72,580 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,727,287.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

TJX Companies Stock Down 0.4 %

TJX has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on TJX Companies from $85.00 to $86.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on TJX Companies in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Barclays increased their price objective on TJX Companies from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on TJX Companies from $90.00 to $93.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. Finally, Piper Sandler assumed coverage on TJX Companies in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. They issued an overweight rating and a $110.00 price objective for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, TJX Companies has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $89.75.

Shares of TJX opened at $84.94 on Friday. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $57.99 and a 52-week high of $86.43. The company has a market capitalization of $97.62 billion, a PE ratio of 26.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.92. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $80.25 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $79.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45.

TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 17th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $0.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $11.78 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.82 billion. TJX Companies had a return on equity of 62.78% and a net margin of 7.56%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.68 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 3.56 EPS for the current year.

TJX Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, August 10th will be given a dividend of $0.3325 per share. This represents a $1.33 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 9th. TJX Companiess payout ratio is 40.92%.

About TJX Companies

(Free Report)

The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, kids, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise.

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Strs Ohio grew its position in Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS  Free Report) by 13.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 817,322 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 94,832 shares during the period. Strs Ohio owned about 0.47% of Webster Financial worth $32,218,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Red Tortoise LLC acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Neo Ivy Capital Management acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Covestor Ltd lifted its position in Webster Financial by 113.9% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,074 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $60,000 after buying an additional 572 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Machina Capital S.A.S. acquired a new position in Webster Financial during the 1st quarter worth about $66,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.34% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, COO Luis Massiani sold 16,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.27, for a total transaction of $596,320.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 115,153 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,291,752.31. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.88% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Webster Financial Stock Performance

Shares of WBS stock opened at $41.73 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.95. The stock has a market cap of $7.29 billion, a PE ratio of 8.46 and a beta of 1.24. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $37.08 and a 200-day moving average of $42.47. Webster Financial Co. has a one year low of $31.03 and a one year high of $56.46.

Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The financial services provider reported $1.49 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.56 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $666.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $708.96 million. Webster Financial had a net margin of 28.33% and a return on equity of 13.39%. The businesss revenue was up 33.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.24 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Webster Financial Co. will post 5.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Webster Financial Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 22nd. Investors of record on Monday, May 8th were paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 5th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.83%. Webster Financials payout ratio is 32.45%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WBS has been the topic of several research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price target on shares of Webster Financial from $75.00 to $63.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Webster Financial in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of Webster Financial from $56.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Monday, April 24th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Webster Financial in a report on Friday, April 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Webster Financial from $44.00 to $43.00 in a report on Friday, July 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Webster Financial has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $54.27.

Webster Financial Profile

(Free Report)

Webster Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Webster Bank, National Association that provides a range of financial services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. It operates through three segments: Commercial Banking, HSA Bank, and Consumer Banking. The Commercial Banking segment provides commercial real estate and equipment financing, business banking, asset-based lending, and commercial services; public sector finance; mortgage warehouse financing; treasury management services; credit, deposit, and cash flow management services; and wealth management solutions to business owners and operators, including trust, asset management, financial planning, insurance, retirement, and investment products, as well as derivative, treasury, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and trade products and services.

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TBC Bank Group PLC (LON:TBCG  Get Free Report)s stock price was up 3.1% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 2,510 ($32.29) and last traded at GBX 2,495 ($32.10). Approximately 18,684 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 71% from the average daily volume of 65,440 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,420 ($31.13).

TBC Bank Group Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of 1.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 450.54, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.13. The stocks fifty day moving average is GBX 2,442.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 2,359.38.

About TBC Bank Group

(Get Free Report)

TBC Bank Group PLC, through its subsidiaries, provides banking, leasing, brokerage, insurance, and card processing services to corporate and individual customers in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. The company operates through Retail; Corporate; and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises segments. It offers mortgage, digital, consumer, car, overdraft, and pawnshop loans; and term deposits, mortgage, credit cards; current, and nominee account services.

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Toews Corp ADV purchased a new stake in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:GHYB  Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 25,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,086,000. Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF accounts for about 0.2% of Toews Corp ADVs portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest position. Toews Corp ADV owned 0.81% of Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GHYB. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. increased its position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 54.6% during the 4th quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 2,010 shares of the companys stock worth $84,000 after purchasing an additional 710 shares during the period. UBS Group AG increased its position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 19.7% during the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,086 shares of the companys stock worth $98,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares during the period. OLD Mission Capital LLC acquired a new position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $106,000. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 50.2% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 3,849 shares of the companys stock worth $161,000 after purchasing an additional 1,287 shares during the period. Finally, Catalyst Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $228,000.

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Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Price Performance

GHYB stock traded up $0.19 on Friday, reaching $43.24. The company had a trading volume of 103 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,663. Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF has a 1 year low of $40.03 and a 1 year high of $45.00. The companys fifty day moving average is $42.62 and its 200 day moving average is $42.69.

About Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF

The Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (GHYB) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund tracks a broad-maturity, USD-denominated, high-yield corporate bond index selected by debt service and leverage. GHYB was launched on Sep 5, 2017 and is managed by Goldman Sachs.

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Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM  Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading on Friday. Stock investors bought 12,197 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 138% compared to the average volume of 5,127 call options.

Humana Stock Up 2.8 %

HUM stock traded up $11.81 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $436.10. 1,982,648 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,135,282. The firm has a market cap of $54.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.67. Humana has a 1-year low of $423.29 and a 1-year high of $571.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 1.39 and a current ratio of 1.39. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $483.73 and its 200 day simple moving average is $495.37.

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Humana (NYSE:HUM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The insurance provider reported $9.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.25 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $26.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $26.40 billion. Humana had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 21.04%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $8.04 EPS. The firms revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Humana will post 28.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Humana Announces Dividend

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 28th. Investors of record on Friday, June 30th will be given a $0.885 dividend. This represents a $3.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.81%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. Humanas dividend payout ratio is presently 14.38%.

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on HUM shares. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on shares of Humana in a report on Thursday, April 20th. They set an overweight rating and a $597.00 price target for the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Humana in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Humana from $620.00 to $585.00 in a research note on Monday, June 19th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and set a $637.00 price target on shares of Humana in a research note on Friday. Finally, Argus cut shares of Humana from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $591.11.

Insider Activity

In other Humana news, CFO Susan M. Diamond sold 4,156 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $526.28, for a total transaction of $2,187,219.68. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 3,931 shares in the company, valued at $2,068,806.68. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.32% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Humana

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of HUM. Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new stake in Humana during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Arlington Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Humana during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Gradient Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Humana by 50.0% during the 2nd quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 69 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Humana in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, MV Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Humana by 40.8% during the first quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. now owns 69 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.21% of the companys stock.

About Humana

(Get Free Report)

Humana Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a health and well-being company in the United States. It operates through two segments, Insurance and CenterWell. The company offers medical and supplemental benefit plans to individuals. It also has a contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to administer the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition prescription drug plan program; and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and long-term support services benefits.

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Vodafone Group Public (LON:VOD  Get Free Report) had its price objective reduced by stock analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from GBX 185 ($2.38) to GBX 155 ($1.99) in a report issued on Friday, FlyOnTheWall reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price target suggests a potential upside of 114.50% from the stocks current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on VOD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Vodafone Group Public from GBX 100 ($1.29) to GBX 95 ($1.22) in a research report on Friday, May 12th. Barclays reissued an equal weight rating and issued a GBX 115 ($1.48) price objective on shares of Vodafone Group Public in a report on Thursday, June 8th. Berenberg Bank decreased their price objective on Vodafone Group Public from GBX 95 ($1.22) to GBX 85 ($1.09) in a report on Friday, June 30th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Vodafone Group Public in a report on Tuesday, May 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of GBX 110.50 ($1.42).

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Vodafone Group Public Stock Performance

VOD traded up GBX 0.33 ($0.00) on Friday, reaching GBX 72.26 ($0.93). 32,991,596 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 88,230,664. The companys 50-day moving average price is GBX 78 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 87.68. Vodafone Group Public has a fifty-two week low of GBX 69.73 ($0.90) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 132.04 ($1.70). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 105.91, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.78. The firm has a market capitalization of 19.50 billion, a PE ratio of 190.16, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 0.60.

About Vodafone Group Public

Vodafone Group Public Limited Company provides telecommunication services in Europe and internationally. It offers mobile connectivity services comprising end-to-end services for mobile voice and data, messaging, device management, BYOx, and telecoms management, as well as professional and consulting services; and fixed line connectivity, such as fixed voice and data, broadband, software-defined networks, managed WAN, LAN, ethernet, and satellite; and financial services, as well as business and merchant services.

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WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund (NYSEARCA:XSOE  Get Free Report) was up 1.5% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $29.31 and last traded at $29.28. Approximately 256,892 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 45% from the average daily volume of 467,341 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.85.

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $2.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.97 and a beta of 0.78. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $27.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $27.88.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. First Financial Corp IN increased its holdings in WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. First Financial Corp IN now owns 10,851 shares of the companys stock worth $289,000 after acquiring an additional 407 shares during the last quarter. Harvest Group Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Harvest Group Wealth Management LLC now owns 33,835 shares of the companys stock worth $903,000 after acquiring an additional 562 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Securities Inc. increased its holdings in WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Securities Inc. now owns 13,746 shares of the companys stock worth $367,000 after acquiring an additional 587 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. now owns 25,274 shares of the companys stock worth $704,000 after acquiring an additional 874 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 12.2% in the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 8,028 shares of the companys stock worth $214,000 after acquiring an additional 875 shares during the last quarter.

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund Company Profile

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund (XSOE) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of emerging market companies, excluding state-owned enterprises. XSOE was launched on Dec 10, 2014 and is managed by WisdomTree.

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Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR  Free Report)  Equities research analysts at Zacks Research lowered their Q2 2023 earnings per share estimates for Digital Realty Trust in a report released on Monday, July 10th. Zacks Research analyst N. Dass now anticipates that the real estate investment trust will post earnings per share of $1.59 for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $1.65. The consensus estimate for Digital Realty Trusts current full-year earnings is $6.67 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Digital Realty Trusts Q3 2023 earnings at $1.60 EPS, Q4 2023 earnings at $1.65 EPS, FY2023 earnings at $6.41 EPS, Q1 2024 earnings at $1.57 EPS, Q2 2024 earnings at $1.66 EPS, Q3 2024 earnings at $1.68 EPS, Q4 2024 earnings at $1.72 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $6.63 EPS, Q1 2025 earnings at $1.61 EPS and Q2 2025 earnings at $1.71 EPS.

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Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on Digital Realty Trust from $113.00 to $112.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 7th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a sell rating for the company. 22nd Century Group restated a reiterates rating on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research report on Tuesday, May 30th. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Digital Realty Trust from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and cut their price objective for the company from $121.00 to $100.00 in a report on Monday, March 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Digital Realty Trust from $115.00 to $105.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $113.08.

Digital Realty Trust Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE DLR opened at $118.29 on Wednesday. Digital Realty Trust has a fifty-two week low of $85.76 and a fifty-two week high of $138.09. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $103.87 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $102.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.62 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.16 billion, a PE ratio of 106.57, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.55.

Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.65 by ($1.46). Digital Realty Trust had a net margin of 7.61% and a return on equity of 2.34%. The firm had revenue of $1.34 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.67 earnings per share. Digital Realty Trusts quarterly revenue was up 18.8% compared to the same quarter last year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Digital Realty Trust

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. City State Bank purchased a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust in the second quarter worth about $25,000. Concord Wealth Partners bought a new stake in Digital Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 156.1% in the first quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 274 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 167 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust in the first quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Clear Street Markets LLC raised its stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 28,900.0% during the 4th quarter. Clear Street Markets LLC now owns 290 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 289 shares during the period. 97.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Digital Realty Trust

In other Digital Realty Trust news, CAO Peter C. Olson sold 700 shares of Digital Realty Trust stock in a transaction on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.67, for a total value of $73,969.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 7,134 shares of the companys stock, valued at $753,849.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CAO Peter C. Olson sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.67, for a total value of $73,969.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 7,134 shares in the company, valued at approximately $753,849.78. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Jean F. H. P. Mandeville sold 1,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.47, for a total transaction of $146,205.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 10,176 shares in the company, valued at approximately $991,854.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.39% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Digital Realty Trust Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 15th were given a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, June 14th. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 439.64%.

About Digital Realty Trust

(Get 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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Former DPK leader Song Young-gil speaks to reporters in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on June 7. Korea Times photo by Ahn Da-eun



Prosecutors raided the home of a former schedule manager of Song Young-gil, an ex-leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), on Friday in connection with a cash-for-vote scandal involving the party's 2021 leadership election.



The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office sent investigators to the home of the ex-aide, surnamed Lee, to seize evidence.



The scandal centers on allegations that Song's campaign distributed cash envelopes totaling 94 million won ($74,161) to 20 DPK lawmakers and other party members in the runup to the party's leadership election in May 2021, which he ultimately won.



Lee was in charge of managing Song's schedule and accounting for his campaign around the time of the election.



Earlier this month, another former aide to Song was arrested in connection with the scandal on charges of involvement in the distribution of 67.5 million won of the total in collusion with other campaign officials to help get Song elected.



Lee reportedly arranged a meeting of lawmakers supporting Song ahead of the party election where, prosecutors suspect, former DPK Rep. Youn Kwan-suk distributed cash envelopes to 10 lawmakers. Youn quit the party and became an independent after the scandal emerged.



Prosecutors plan to summon Lee for questioning after analyzing materials seized in the search. (Yonhap)


$4 bln LNG-to-power Mekong Delta project targets 2029 completion

By Tri Duc Fri, July 14, 2023 | 7:37 am GTM+7

Project investor Delta Offshore Energy (DOE) plans to complete work on the $4 billion LNG-to-power plant in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu in 2029.

An illustration of Bac Lieu LNG-to-power plant project in Bac Lieu province, Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Photo courtesy of the investor Delta Offshore Energy (DOE).

At a Wednesday meeting with Bac Lieu authorities, a DOE representative elaborated they aim to put the first 800-MW turbine into operation in June 2028.

The representative asked the province to support and fix hurdles that the mega project was facing, stressings problems related to power purchase agreement, currency exchange, government guarantee for capital arrangement and other issues.

Bac Lieu Chairman Pham Van Thieu responded that the province was willing to tackle problems within its jurisdiction and asked the firm to contact ministries, central agencies and the Prime Minister to fix issues beyond the provinces reach.

DOE, which has its head office in Hanoi and a branch office in the U.S., received its investment registration certificate in 2020. It set up a Vietnamese enterprise for project implementation in Q2/2021. The project secured environmental impact assessment approval in Q3/2021 and a feasibility study appraisal in Q4/2021.

The 3,200 MW project is slated for completion in December 2027, according to the investment registration certificate, but its progress has been sluggish.

Bac Lieu Chairman Pham Van Thieu speaks at a working session with executives of Delta Offshore Energy in the Mekong Delta province, July 12, 2023. Photo courtesy of Bac Lieu newspaper.

The project, set to begin construction in the second quarter of 2022, is entangled in procedural bottlenecks.

Without a signed power purchase agreement (PPA), the investor cannot negotiate with financial institutions to make capital arrangements, the company says.

Previously, Bac Lieu authorities had acknowledged that foreign currency conversion, government guarantee for EVN payment obligations and issues of compensation in case the PPA is terminated were hurdles for the giant project.

In May, DOE said it aims to reach a PPA with state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) in the last quarter of this year so that the project can break ground in 2024.

In May, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued Decision No. 500/QD-TTg, approving the much-awaited national Power Development Plan for 2021-2030 with vision to 2050 (PDP VIII). PDP VIII prioritizes maximizing the use of domestic gas for power generation. In case domestic gas production decreases, natural gas or LNG will be imported.

PDP VIII limits the development of power sources using LNG if there is an alternative to reducing dependence on imported fuels. By 2050, plants using LNG will gradually switch to hydrogen, the plan envisages.

The list of LNG projects of importance and priority for development until 2035 are prescribed under Table 1 of Appendix II: Quang Ninh (1,500 MW); Thai Binh (1,500 MW); Nghi Son (1,500 MW); Quang Trach II (1,500 MW); Quynh Lap/Nghi Son (1,500 MW); Hai Lang Phase 1 (1,500 MW); Ca Na (1,500 MW); Long Son (1,500 MW); Hiep Phuoc Phase 1 (1,200 MW); Long An I (1,500 MW); Long An II (1,500 MW); and Bac Lieu (3,200 MW).

In related news, Vietnam's first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) was pumped into the Thi Vai LNG Terminal last Monday, marking a milestone in the countrys clean energy transition. Global oil giant Shell provided the first shipment and LNG carrier Maran Gas Achilles pumped it into the terminal located in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. This first batch - almost 70,000 tons - will serve the LNG terminals test run before commercial operations begin.
Auto sales in Vietnam fall 32% in Jan-Jun, Toyota Vios best seller in Jun

By Tri Duc Fri, July 14, 2023 | 11:33 am GTM+7

Vehicles sales by members of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA), which does not include VinFast and Hyundai, dropped 32% year-on-year to 137,327 in the first half of this year.

They included 100,277 passenger cars, down 37% year-on-year; 35,851 commercial vehicles, down 11%; and 1,199 special-purpose vehicles, down 65%.

The number of completely knocked down (CKD) vehicles hit 77,584, down 37% year-on-year; and that of completely-built-up (CBU) units fell 25% to 59,743.

The Toyota Vios was the best-selling vehicle in Vietnam in June. Photo courtesy of Toyota.

In June, VAMAs vehicle sales decreased 5% year-on-year to 23,800. The figure was up 15% versus the previous month. They included 17,334 passenger cars, 6,344 commercial vehicles, and 122 special-purpose vehicles.

Outside of VAMA, VinFast delivered 3,155 electric vehicles in June, including 609 VF 5 Plus, 1,007 VF e34, 1,184 VF 8, and 355 VF 9.

The Vietnamese electric vehicle start-up, under the Vingroup ecosystem, provided 11,638 units in the first six months of this year. VF e34 topped the chart with 5,072 units, followed by VF 8 with 4,555; VF 9 with 1,034; and VF 5 Plus with 977.

Hyundai reported sales of 28,011 units in January-June, up 62% year-on-year, according to a report by TC Group, the manufacturer and official retailer of Hyundai vehicles in Vietnam. Its June figure was 5,108, up 42.9% from April.

As a result, Hyundai was the best-selling brand in the first half of 2023 in Vietnam. Other top names were Toyota with 26,637, Ford (17,423), KIA (17,241), Mazda (14,089), Mitsubishi (12,847), and Honda (9,488).

Vietnamese conglomerate Thaco, known for manufacturing and selling vehicles like KIA, Mazda, Peugeot, BMW, and its own Thaco trucks and buses, recorded total sales of 41,607 in the period.

[{"":"Toyota Vios","vehicle":"1949"},{"":"Ford Ranger","vehicle":"1585"},{"":"Hyundai Accent","vehicle":"1539"},{"":"Mitsubishi Xpander","vehicle":"1283"},{"":"Mazda CX-5","vehicle":"1246"},{"":"VinFast VF 8","vehicle":"1184"},{"":"VinFast VF e34","vehicle":"1007"},{"":"KIA Sonet","vehicle":"960"},{"":"Toyota Veloz","vehicle":"872"},{"":"KIA Seltos","vehicle":"803"}] [{"vehicle":"#ff0000"}]

Regarding models, the Toyota Vios, a sedan, climbed to the top spot for June sales with 1,949 units. VF 8, the best-selling model in May, dropped to sixth place with 1,184. Other best-selling models in June were the Ford Ranger with 1,585; Hyundai Accent (1,539); Mitsubishi Xpander (1,283); and Mazda CX-5 (1,246).

Top of the chart for January-June were the Mitsubishi Xpander with 7,982; Ford Ranger (7,600); Hyundai Accent (7,452); Toyota Corolla Cross (6,341); and Toyota Vios (5,425).
Foreigners not allowed to buy homes attached to land under draft amended law

By Nguyen Long, Bach Quang Fri, July 14, 2023 | 9:33 am GTM+7

Foreign organizations and individuals will not be allowed to own houses attached to land if an amended draft Housing Law is approved by the parliament in November this year.

Hoang Hai, director of the Housing and Real Estate Market Management Agency under the Ministry of Construction, said the ministry had removed the proposed rule that would have allowed foreign organizations and individuals to own homes attached to land from the draft amended Housing Law after taking into account feedback from the Standing National Assembly Committee.

Since the 2014 Housing Law took effect on July 1, 2015, foreigners with legal entry have been able to buy and own apartments or detached houses in commercial projects for a maximum period of 50 years, which could be extended if needed, except in defense and security protection areas. But under the Land Law, foreigners cannot own the land on which the homes stand, which is why foreigners have opted for apartments.

"The Ministry of Construction has proposed the government allow foreigners illegally entering Vietnam to buy and own homes in Vietnam, including detached houses and apartments as specified in the draft amended Housing Law the ministry compiled," Hai told a conference themed "Development potential of Vietnam's real estate market" in Hanoi on Thursday.

The event was organized by the Department of International Cooperation, the Housing and Real Estate Market Management Agency (both under the construction ministry), The Investor (www.theinvestor.vn), and Nha dau tu (www.nhadautu.vn).

To date, 3,053 foreigners have bought homes in Vietnam, mostly apartments, while another four million or so, including overseas Vietnamese, want to buy property in the country, according to Hai.

Hoang Hai, director of the Housing and Real Estate Market Management Agency. Photo by The Investor/Trong Hieu.

Prof. Dr. Dang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, urged regulators and lawmakers to promptly resolve the problem. Vo said he supported the idea of allowing foreign organizations and individuals to buy homes attached to land.

"The truth is some people think it would help expand the Vietnamese real estate market. But my care is the fact that Vietnam is in critical need of high-quality personnel, and one suitable source is foreigners working in Vietnam.

"To achieve that aim, foreigners must have a good life here, which means they must be allowed to buy homes," Vo argued.

Foreigners working in Vietnam need to own a house to live in but they have doubts about land ownership. Thats why they select apartments, he added.

Foreign participants (front) at the "Development potential of Vietnam's real estate market" conference held in Hanoi, July 13, 2023. Photo by The Investor/Trong Hieu.

Prof. Nguyen Mai, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign-Invested Enterprises (VAFIE), argued that a foreigner invests $500 million in constructing a hotel with land use rights spanning 50 years, and when he/she transfers it to another, it includes the land use right.

"Meanwhile, a house worth several hundred thousand U.S. dollars is subject to huge discussions about whether foreign buyers can buy homes attached to land," he told the conference.

"We (VAFIE) have said many times that a favorable environment does not merely include incentives. A favorable environment is one favorable for foreign investors and their experts to live," he added.

Market recovery in 2024

At the conference, Nguyen Van Khoi, chairman of Vietnam Real Estate Association, said he expected the real estate market to recover and develop in a healthier and more transparent way from the second or third quarter of 2024.

He said the expectation was based on legal improvements, positive economic growth prospects, synchronous and modern infrastructure development, digital transformation and the application of Industry 4.0 technology, along with the availability of diverse financial resources.

Nguyen Van Khoi, chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Association. Photo by The Investor/Trong Hieu.

Nguyen Manh Ha, vice chairman of the association, also said that he expected market recovery to start in the middle of next year, cautioning that several challenges, including the current credit crunch, needed to be overcome.

Prof. Nguyen Mai, chairman of the VAFIE, said Vietnam was still a popular investment destination for MNCs and therefore, the property market would see signs of recovery in the near future. However, in terms of luring FDI, India and Indonesia have more advantages than Vietnam now.

Vietnam must continue to improve its business environment strongly because India and Indonesia are already more attractive to foreign investors. Vietnam must show specific actions, not just speech, by rapidly offering specific incentives to investors, he said.

Opportunities still exist for Vietnam. They would be bigger if we act more promptly.

Prof. Nguyen Mai, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign-invested Enterprises (VAFIE). Photo by The Investor/Trung Hieu.

Major polluter

Joseph Low, president of Keppel Land Vietnam, part of Singaporean conglomerate Keppel Corporation, said Vietnams real estate sector needed to go green and embrace approaches towards a sustainable property market.

In my opinion, the real estate industry has a big part to play on this matter because when we look at the annual carbon dioxide emission, the sector generates about 40% of the global emissions.

In this, operational carbon, which is carbon emitted once a building is in use, is responsible for almost 70% of total carbon emitted by the sector, he said, adding that the remaining 30% of real estate carbon footprints were created by embodied carbon emitted during the construction and decommissioning process of a buildings lifecycle.

On this matter, Keppel was in full alignment with the Vietnamese government as the corporation aimed to provide sustainability-related solutions to help customers and communities reduce their carbon footprints, he said.

Joseph Low, president of Keppel Land Vietnam. Photo by The Investor/Trong Hieu.

Keppel is currently pioneering a sustainable urban renewal initiative to retrofit, future-proof and extend the lifespan of older commercial buildings in the country, the Keppel Land Vietnam president said.

But for such green initiatives to gain traction across the entire industry in Vietnam, it has to be driven by compelling reasons or incentives.

The Singaporean also highlighted several challenges in Vietnam.

The housing supply is stifled by multi-faceted challenges such as liquidity crunch, opaque and complicated project approvals. If left unresolved, these issues would heighten market uncertainties, leading to increased cost of construction and ultimately result in higher housing price for the people in Vietnam.

We do see that that the government is trying to streamline and accelerate the approval process, but the key is to ensure that such efforts continue to minimize the gap between the demand and supply of housing needs.

Low made some suggestions for renovating old buildings in Vietnam. If the government can commence a study to review the redevelopment process and introduce incentives such as bonus development area within old sites, it would encourage developers to rejuvenate the old buildings.

Government to government cooperation

Hwang Sung Kwan, a manager with the state-run Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) in South Korea, said government-to-government (G2G) cooperation can address some problems facing Vietnams real estate industry.

Hwang Sung Kwan with the state-run Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH). Photo by The Investor/Trung Hieu

Based on South Koreas urbanization experience, a bilateral partnership between the two countries will be an answer to urbanization problems in Vietnam where this progress is taking place rapidly, he said.

Hwang said this cooperation would require the involvement of local governments in infrastructure development and technology development. Funding would also be needed for mainstream developers.

Hwang said LH was working with Vietnamese partners to respond to the countrys major social housing demand, which included houses for those who work at industrial parks.

Deputy Construction Minister Nguyen Tuong. Photo by The Investor/Trong Hieu.

Deputy Construction Minister Nguyen Tuong Van said that the ministry was committed to working with Vietnamese and international businesses in promoting sustainable development of the Vietnamese real estate market.

I highly appreciate this important workshop and consider it a practical activity in exchanging international experiences in order to improve policies and help the market develop in a safe, healthy and sustainable manner to make contributions to the economy.
US state Nebraska, Binh Duong province ink multifaceted cooperation pact

By Thuy Tuong Fri, July 14, 2023 | 10:36 pm GTM+7

Nebraska, a Midwestern state in the U.S., and Vietnams southern industrial province of Binh Duong have agreed to step up cooperation in many areas.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed Wednesday by Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Binh Duong Chairman Vo Van Minh. Pillen visited the southern province as part of a week-long visit to Vietnam aimed at exploring trade opportunities.

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen delivers a speech in Binh Duong province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the provinces portal.

The two sides agreed to forge a strong relationship for mutual benefit, deepening collaboration in planning, infrastructure development, urban construction, trade and investment.

They also agreed to give priority to science, technology, trade promotion and investment in the high-tech sector, services, education, training and supply chain development.

Furthermore, they will work together to create optimal conditions for businesses to utilize investment opportunities in each others markets.

The Nebraska Governor said his states cooperation with Binh Duong would open up new collaboration opportunities.

Also on Wednesday, the governor visited the Eastern International University (EIU) in Binh Duong and witnessed the signing of an MoU between the local university and the University of Nebraska-Omaha on cooperation in training in science, technology, healthcare, technology, economics and other disciplines.

The two universities will also bolster their academic and student exchange programs.

EIU has been founded by Binh Duong-based Becamex IDC, a leading developer of large-scale industrial parks and urban areas in Vietnam.

Nebraska has had many positive visits and exchanges with Vietnam over the years. This visit is another step in strengthening that bond, Pillen said in a statement issued by his office Monday.

The governors entourage on this visit includes: Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton and other state officials; chancellor Joanne Li of the University of Nebraska  Omaha and other academics; and representatives of agriculture-related businesses.
Vietnam braces for increased foreign R&D investments

By Nguyen Tuong Fri, July 14, 2023 | 3:46 pm GTM+7

Vietnam is becoming a popular destination for research and development (R&D) among multinationals as the country cements its status as a new global manufacturing hub.

Japans Panasonic Corp. is in the process of setting up an R&D center and manufacturing hub for indoor air quality (IAQ) products for Asian markets in southern Vietnam's Binh Duong province; and similar hubs for smart washing machines and refrigerators for Asian markets in Hanoi and nearby Hung Yen province.

These developments are part of Panasonics investment portfolio expansions in the Southeast Asian country, which include building a local product development system for wiring devices and lighting as well as (IAQ) systems.

Panasonic is making the investment expansions as part of its long-term commitment to Vietnam, which envisages the Japanese giant as a major supplier of comprehensive health solutions over the next 50 years in the country, Panasonic Vietnam CEO Yoichi Marukawa told Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a Hanoi business meeting on September 17, 2022.

Panasonic Vietnam CEO Yoichi Marukawa speaks at a meeting between Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the foreign business community in Hanoi on September 17, 2022. Photo courtesy of the government portal.

At the meeting, he asked the Vietnamese government to support Panasonic on its journey and in training human resources in information technology and artificial intelligence.

In January this year, Hong Kong-based Yadea Technology Group signed a deal to build a $100 million electric motorcycle manufacturing plant and R&D center in Bac Giang province, a gateway to Hanoi. The facility will cover more than 23 hectares in Tan Hung Industrial Park, and have a design capacity of around 2 million units per year, creating 3,500 jobs for locals.

Yadea is a global heavyweight in electric motorbike production with seven manufacturing facilities around the world and an annual capacity of 10 million products. Its products are exported to over 80 countries. It also has three R&D centers.

Samsung, LG operate Vietnam R&D centers

Vietnam has already become an R&D destination for both Samsung and LG and more than a global production hub for the two Korean tech giants.

Samsung has invested about $20 billion in Vietnam to date, and around half of Samsung smartphones are produced in the country. Samsung posted sales of $73.7 billion (almost 95.37 trillion won) in Vietnam in 2022, according to the giant. Its exports from Vietnam were valued at $65 billion last year.

Samsung Group sees 2023 as a significant milestone in Vietnam as it is the Korean giants 15th year of massive investments in the country, said Samsung Vietnam CEO Choi Joo Ho. He noted that this year marked an elevation of the importance of Vietnam not only as a manufacturing hub but also as a center for research and development.

Samsung's R&D center in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the company.

Samsung inaugurated its largest Southeast Asia R&D center in Hanoi last December. The $220 million facility houses 2,200 researchers who will carry out projects for mobile devices, network communication technologies, and software, according to the firm.

Its Korean peer LG in 2022 made 15% of its global sets and parts in its Hai Phong cluster, home to manufacturing subsidiaries of LG Electronics, LG Display, and LG Innotek. Hai Phong is about two hours drive east of Hanoi.

LG Electronics inaugurated a new R&D facility in Hanoi in March, saying the new facility will further nurture its existing auto parts-focused R&D center, which the Korean tech giant has been running since 2016. LG did not reveal the investment for the new facility.

The center is responsible for software development and verifying automotive infotainment systems. The company plans to increase the number of development personnel at the new hub by more than 30% by next year to 1,000 from the current 750.

LG has continuously strengthened its R&D capabilities in Vietnam for automotive parts since it established the Hanoi R&D Center under its Vietnam Production Corporation in 2016. With the success of the first center, the company created an additional R&D branch office in central Vietnams Danang city in 2020 to enhance its electric vehicle-related business and nurture talent.

Vietnam and South Korea have evolved from manufacturing cooperation partners to key research and development partners, South Koreas President Yoon Suk Yeol said in Hanoi on June 24, the day he wrapped up his three-day state visit to boost economic ties between the two countries.

Yoons visit was accompanied by a 205-strong economic delegation, the largest under the current administration, because of Vietnams significant market value. The two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year.

Car sector

Hyundai Motor Group is also actively carrying out business activities in the growing Vietnamese market, including R&D work.

Korean carmakers Hyundai Motor and Kia, which are under Hyundai Motor Group, unveiled their plans on June 21 to solidify their lead in the rapidly growing Vietnamese market through the release of new models and sales of popular vehicles.

In order to maintain its lead, Hyundai Motor plans to boost sales of the Accent, Creta and Santa Fe models, while developing new SUVs and minivans. In addition, it will start local production of the IONIQ 5 in July to expand its presence in the Vietnamese electric vehicle market.

Kia also plans to boost sales of the Sonet, Carnival, Sportage and K3 models in the Vietnamese market.

Hyundai Motor established Hyundai Thanh Cong Manufacturing Vietnam (HTMV) in 2017 as a joint venture with Vietnamese conglomerate Thanh Cong Group. HTMV has since produced the Grand i10, Avante, Tucson and Santa Fe models at its first plant in the northern province of Ninh Binh. Based on the success of the Hyundai brand, the conglomerate built its second factory in early 2022 and inaugurated the $129 million facility last November.

Kia started manufacturing in Vietnam in 2004 in collaboration with Vietnamese carmaker Thaco. The Thaco Kia manufacturing facility is inside Thaco Chu Lai, a complex of auto assembly, car part and engineering factories in the central province of Quang Nam.

Semiconductor production

Germany-based Infineon Technologies AG, a global leader in automotive, power management, energy-efficient technology, and the Internet of Things (IoT), opened a new center for chip development in Hanoi late this May.

With Vietnam emerging as a key player in the global electronics value chain, this development center will be a vital contributor for Infineon's Design & Enabling Services (DES) ambitious competency growth plans, according to the company.

It will also focus on microcontroller chip verification for automotive applications to support strong growth in the industry.

Infineon plans to recruit 25 staff for its Vietnam team this year, focusing on testing and customizing integrated, analog and digital circuits, automotive vehicle apps, battery management, and balance, among others.

The firm said last October that it and Vietnamese electric car maker VinFast had expanded their electromobility partnership. The duo jointly announced that they would set up an application competence center focusing on electromobility to accelerate VinFasts development of solutions for the future of smart mobility.
Hampered by rain, a specialty crew late Thursday repaired a leak reported late Monday afternoon to one of two supply lines that bring treated water to customers throughout the city and county from the Paris Water Treatment Plant at Lake Crook.
MARION  Impactful employment opportunities await those who are looking to work for the federal government. The Marion VA Health Care System will be hosting a hiring fair Saturday, July 15 on the Marion VA campus, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Center for Behavioral Health.

There are many reasons some may want to work for the VA, but perhaps the most important for many is serving those who served.

"My personal experience, I have a son serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Arlington. He makes me proud, and I take professional satisfaction in serving our nation's heroes," said Marion Medical Center Nurse Recruiter Jennifer L. Hazel, who said that she finds it difficult not to develop a bond with the veterans and families she serves.

"As nurses, we spend so much time not only with the veterans but with their families. They become extended members of our families. VA nurses have the privilege and honor of being a part of their health care. We listen to the veterans' stories to gain a better understanding of what they have been through and be able to personally help them," Hazel said.

For many Americans, there is a sense of unconscious debt to be owed toward those who "shall have borne the battle," in Lincoln's immemorial words. Serving as a health care professional in the VA is one way many look to "pay" back that debt to the men and women who served in the armed forces.

Qualified applicants will be compensated with an attractive federal benefits package few companies in the civilian sector can compete with.

There are 13 to 26 annual leave days, 13 sick days of leave, 11 paid federal holidays, health care and insurance, flexible spending accounts, a Thrift Savings Plan with government matching, and a Federal Employment Retirement System.

On offer at the VA are numerous positions for health care professionals, with many of those positions in the nursing profession.

"VA offers a wide range of nursing careers. Examples include registered nurses, advanced practice RNs (APRN), certified RN anesthetists, licensed practical/vocational nurses, nurse recruiters, certified nursing assistants, and clinical nurse leaders (CNLs)," said Hazel.

The VA also has career opportunities for nurses in a variety of care-delivery settings including, Hazel explained, with positions in acute, ambulatory, long-term care, outpatient clinics, mental health, telecare, home health, and spinal cord injury.

"The VA offers generous nursing education scholarship opportunities, tuition reimbursement programs, educational opportunities that support virtual or face to face continuing education, and funding for advancing your formal education and participation in the numerous VA leadership programs," Hazel said.

The VA has something to offer to recent college graduates as well.

"The VA provides a work environment that supports the transition from new graduate to experienced nurse, including abundant opportunities for continuing education programs, as well as clinical learning experiences. In addition to the Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency Program specifically designed for recent BSN graduates at funded facilities, the RN Transition-to-Practice Program provides a nurse residency program for all new RN graduates," Hazel said.

For those looking to find a place to work for decades and have a meaningful and successful career in health care, the VA may just be the place to go. It was for Melinda Draper, a veteran at the VA and supervisor in the imaging department, who has spent the last 25 years at the VA.

"I've spent my entire VA career in imaging, beginning at the Evansville VA Clinic (now Evansville Healthcare Center) in 1998 and now at the Marion VAMC campus since 2021. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at both locations and a favorite part of my job has been watching our facilities grow our staff and services to enable us to offer specialized healthcare to the Veterans that we serve. I truly see the special relationships that our VA staff build with our patients to allow us to give them the customized care that they deserve," Draper said.

Opportunities for Diagnostic Radiological Technicians (DRTs) are also available at the VA, where individuals work with the latest imaging technologies on the market, enabling health care providers to see beyond the skin, and diagnose invisible ailments.

"DRTs perform a full range of general diagnostic x-ray studies, as well as bone densitometry, portable radiography and surgical fluoroscopy exams(C-arm). CT/DRTs may perform a full range of general diagnostic x-ray studies, as well as a full range of complex computed tomography studies including contrast administration and angiography," Draper explained.

"In today's job market, I'm hard pressed to find a downside to VA employment due to the generous benefit package and the career stability that the VA can offer. The VA is also committed to being an 'employer of choice' by working to maintain competitive pay scales with the private sector, while still offering excellent long-term pension and benefits," Draper said.

Qualified and interested individuals seeking to work as police officers, housekeepers, pharmacy technicians, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and diagnostic radiologic technologists should come with their resume, two forms of government issued identification, professional certifications, college transcripts, DD-214 form for veterans, proof of disability, schedule, supporting documentation, references, and BLS or ACLS certificates. Resumes can be submitted in advance to MarionVAJobs@va.gov., and if you have any questions beforehand, call the Human Resources department at 618-997-5311, ext. 59405 or ext. 54128.
Ruling People Power Party Chairman Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon speaks during a policy meeting with Koreans in the U.S. at the Korean Community Center in Washington, D.C., Monday. Courtesy of People Power Party



By Ko Dong-hwan



Korean businesses in the United States urged the ruling party to make efforts to expand the quota of American visas for professional workers for Korean companies, saying their operations are being hampered by labor shortages due to the U.S. visa restrictions.



During a meeting between members of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the USA (KOCHAM) and a delegation of the People Power Party (PPP), including chairman Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, Thursday (local time), the businesses asked the Korean government and the ruling party to urge Washington to expand the issuance of U.S. visas for nonimmigrant skilled workers or the H-1B visa.



According to the delegation, the number of H-1B visas issued per year is usually limited to some 80,000 among applicants from all countries, so it is not easy to bring skilled Koreans to their companies.



In that respect, the businesses said that Korea should secure its own H-1B annual quota like some other countries with which the U.S. has signed free trade agreements (FTA). Pursuant to the respective FTA, H-1B1 visas are set aside specifically for 5,400 Singaporeans and 1,400 Chileans, as well as E-3 visas for 10,500 Australians.



"While direct investments in the U.S. from Korea is rapidly increasing, there have been complaints that it is difficult for Korean companies to operate normally due to visa problems," PPP spokesperson Rep. Yoo Sang-bum said.



"The companies requested the government to actively step forward to expand the U.S. professional visa quota."


An Orangeburg man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly kidnapped the mother of his children, then beat and strangled her with a belt.

Ryan Lamar Parker, 32, of Pendarvis Street, is facing one count each of kidnapping, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature and custodial interference.

The alleged incidents occurred on Tuesday, July 11.

An injured woman called 911 after she was able to free herself from her apartment just after 3 p.m.

When officers arrived, they found her at a neighbors apartment.

She had bruises and welts on her body, according to an Orangeburg Department of Public Safety incident report.

She told police that while she was at a male friends house, outside of the city limits, Parker arrived, threw her in a truck and forced her back to her apartment at 2 a.m., the report states.

She said when they got back to her apartment, Parker beat her up, the report states.

She said Parker went to sleep, but when he woke up, he punched her in the face and then beat and choked her with a belt and wouldnt let her leave.

She claims Parker also took her phone and wallet.

Parker allegedly held a knife in his hands while telling her that he would stab her in the stomach if she became pregnant by her male friend.

The woman told officers that all of this transpired in front of their three children.

A neighbor heard children screaming in the apartment around 1 p.m., the report states.

A relative of the woman came to the apartment to check on her and realized something was wrong when Parker tried to pull the woman back into the apartment, the report states.

The woman and Parker had an argument, but the woman was able to flee to a neighbors apartment.

It was there that officers spoke with her. She told police that she thought her children were still in her apartment with Parker.

When officers searched the apartment, two of the children and Parker werent there, the report states.

Officers were able to reach some of Parkers family members who said the two children were at their house, but Parker wasnt there.

Some of Parkers family members were able to reach him by phone, the report states, and said he wanted to turn himself in to police.

Officers interviewed Parker at the ODPS headquarters. A summary of that interview was redacted from a supplemental police report.

Orangeburg Municipal Judge Virgin Johnson set Parkers bond at $60,000 with GPS monitoring.

If convicted, Parker faces up to 30 years in prison.
Sarah: the back story

The church in the painting being built by slaves is located about a half mile from the house where I grew up along Mendel Rivers Road in St. Stephen. We called it the Old Brick Church; now it is called St. Stephen Episcopal Church. It predates the Declaration of Independence and is one of the oldest churches in the nation (1767).

For as long as I can remember, the story of Sarah was passed down for generations in my family. Sarah was my great-grandmother. Her mother died in childbirth and her father was sold to another plantation over the river in Williamsburg County. With no mother or father present, Sarah was raised by other house servants.

Eventually she was owned by a man named Pancerbeiters and she tended his children during church services in a balcony in the Old Brick Church. She was in her early teens (we were told she was a missy girl) when the Civil War ended in 1865.

For years, the story of Sarah haunted my memory. As an artist, I tried to imagine what Sarah was like, how she felt not having a mother or a father, not knowing where she came from, alone in the world.

In 1996 I did a painting I called Sarah Remembered." In it, I tried to imagine what she looked like and I included some items that she might have played with in her idle moments. The painting was purchased by the Gibbes Museum in Charleston. Over the years, I have received several inquiries from visitors to the museum who wanted to know more.

Because of segregation, for years our family could not visit the church, although we lived nearby. Then in 2011 when I published my book Messages from Home, I had a book signing next to the church and I was taken inside.

Although the interior was elegant and different from anything I had seen, I was looking for the balcony. At first I couldnt find it. I was disappointed, I had heard the story for years. Then, on my way out, I saw some crude unpainted wooden steps just inside the entrance.

Without saying anything to my host who took me inside, I went up them -- and there it was, a small space, obscured and well above the church stalls and pews. It was an emotional moment for me. I recall saying to myself, Finally! But what I remember now was a whisper, perhaps my imagination: Finally, you have come!

Since then, we have located the family grave stone of Hermann Pancerbeiters engraved with the names of his two children. It is among numerous others in the church graveyard. The discovery provided a feeling of closure for my family.

Sarah grew up, married and had 11 children, one of whom was my grandmother, Minnie.

Leo Twiggs
NORWAY  Norway Town Council on July 10 announced receiving a $730,400 South Carolina Infrastructure Investment Program Viability Planning grant.

Mayor Lynn Garrick said the grant will be used for water infrastructure in the town. Garrick previously stated that this assistance would be forthcoming.

The Harrison Avenue Water Project is going forward, and the town does not have to provide additional funds, Garrick said during councils May 1 meeting according to a previous article in the T&D.

Councilman Gregg Covington said in May, The Commerce Department will make up the difference.

According to the previous article, town officials asked for the help of the Municipal Association of South Carolina when they learned the Harrison Avenue water project was going to cost more than the original bid. MASC then sought help from the S.C. Department of Commerce, which was approved.

This SCIIP Viability Planning grant appeared to be the way assistance was obtained.

Garrick also added during the meeting that there will be a 3% increase on water/sewer rates in the town effective immediately.

Next, Garrick discussed Norway still being without a chief of police after the resignation of Chief Edgar Williams.

We are actively seeking a chief. We have contacted Orangeburg County and are working on it, Garrick said.

Garrick then discussed that the reduction in hours council had placed on the park in town during a previous administration went against the requirements of a grant the town had received. The park, through a previous administration, had been closed for a while because of vandals.

Then, council, under the new administration, voted in April for the park to be open just on Saturdays and Sundays and to see how that would go.

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However, in the past few months, Garrick discovered that the park could not be closed for any reason.

It will be open during the daylight hours. We cannot be closed even for vandals. This is because of a grant, she said.

The park will be open from early in the morning and closed at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday each week.

Garrick reconfirmed that the park will have early Sunday morning and afternoon hours.

At the end of the meeting, council went into executive session to discuss a financial matter. No decisions or motions were made upon return to regular session.

Councilman Gregg Covington was not present at the meeting and has been ill. A card was signed for him by Garrick, the council members and Town Clerk Dee Gore during the meeting. Garrick asked for prayers for Covington.

Note that this meeting was moved because of the extended Independence Day holiday weekend. Ordinarily, Norway Council meets the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at Norway Town Hall on the Savannah Highway. The next meeting is Monday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
The Center for Creative Partnerships, a Conscience and Social Justice organization located in Orangeburg, is restoring the historic All-Star Triangle Bowl alley on Russell Street.

The site is best known as a catalyst for protests that led to the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre.

Students from then-South Carolina State College and then-Claflin College protested segregation at All-Star Triangle Bowl. A few days later on Feb. 8, as racial tensions grew, S.C. Highway Patrol troopers opened fire on S.C. States campus. Three students were killed and 28 others were injured.

South Carolina State students Henry Smith and Samuel Hammond, and a Wilkinson High student, Delano Middleton, were killed.

The All-Star Bowling Alley was added to the African American Civil Rights Network in 2021 for its role in the Orangeburg Massacre.

Not only did the kids know that they were entitled to do things, they didnt want their rights taken away, but they also wanted to bowl, said Ellen Zisholtz, president of the Center for Creative Partnerships.

All-Star Bowling The Center for Creative Partnerships is restoring the All-Star Triangle Bowl alley on Russell Street in Orangeburg.

Whats happening?

The Center for Creative Partnerships recently received a $750,000 grant from the National Parks Services Historic Preservation Fund to aid in the restoration process. This is the organizations second grant for the project, they have received a total of $1.25 million from NPS.

According to Zisholtz, the first grant is being used for a new roof, removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials, and starting the transformation of the facade and marquee.

Construction on the roof recently began, she said.

She says the second grant will be used for a new electrical system, an HVAC system, ceilings, flooring, bathrooms and plumbing, a lunch counter, refinishing the bowling lanes and completing the facade and marquee.

Theres a lot more to be done and more after that, Zisholtz said. Ill do as much as I can with the money.

All-Star Bowling Construction on the roof recently began.

The bowling alley needs equipment, a sprinkler system, a kitchen, furniture and TV screens, she said.

Zisholtz estimates the total cost of the restoration will be around $3 million. She plans on applying for another NPS grant to cover the cost.

Along with the restoration comes a new name. The bowling alley once known as All-Star Triangle Bowl will now be called All-Star Bowling/Justice Center.

Orangeburg is going to be a different place in a few years, Zisholtz said. Were taking a site that was part of a tragic event and making it a community asset.

The community has been suffering for a lot of years; this will do a great deal to healing the community, she said.

Zisholtz said the bowling center could possibly open in the next three years.

What would that look like?

Upon opening, the bowling alley will have 16 operating bowling lanes. A lunch counter will be part of the remodel, servicing inside and outside tables. There will also be a conference room toward the back of the building.

The conference room will be used for film showings, book signings and exhibitions, Zisholtz said.

All-Star Bowling A second grant will be used for a new electric system, an HVAC system, ceilings, flooring, bathrooms and plumbing, a lunch counter, refinishin

Zisholtz wants to include the "Wall of Tolerance" in the All-Star Bowling/Justice Center, inspired by the exhibit at the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Alabama.

The "Wall of Tolerance" is a digital display that allows visitors to pledge to work for justice and tolerance and against hate. Visitors who sign their name will be able to see it every time they return to the bowling alley.

Zisholtz said restoration of the bowling alley will be beneficial to Orangeburgs downtown area.

I really believe the kids at State and Claflin dont come downtown because theres nothing to do, she said.

Zisholtz expressed interests in starting a student committee to help generate ideas for the bowling alley.

The people that were honoring are young people, she said, referring to the victims of the Orangeburg Massacre. We want to see what they want and what theyre interested in.

Multiple student tours are happening throughout the summer, Zisholtz said. She recently hosted the SC Youth Collective Fellows from the University of South Carolina.

All-Star Bowling The estimated total cost of the restoration will be around $3 million.

Ive worked with a lot of students, and I care that students learn about the history, she said.

The Center for Creative Partnerships also owns a building next to the bowling alley, which Zisholtz hopes to make an arts and culture center.

She says they are open to ideas and really want the communitys input.

The idea is were going to do a service to the community, she said.

All-Star Bowling The historic bowling alley was a catalyst in the 1968 protests that led to the Orangeburg Massacre.
As the Republican presidential primary intensifies this summer, most White House hopefuls are devoting their time to events in Iowa and New Hampshire, the states that kick off the nomination process early next year. Not Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump.

The Florida governor will address more than 1,500 faithful Republicans on Saturday at Nashville's Music City Center. A few weeks later, the former president will swing through Alabama to headline the state GOP's biggest event of the summer.

Trump, the early GOP frontrunner, and DeSantis, who is trailing him for second place, are hardly ignoring voters in the states that jumpstart the Republican contest. Over the past month, they've both held rallies and other major events in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, sometimes even appearing in the same state on the same day.

But they are doing more than the other GOP candidates to strengthen their position in states like Tennessee and Alabama that will hold elections on so-called Super Tuesday. That's when the largest number of delegates, which candidates win state-by-state, are up for grabs of any single day in the primary cycle.

Only Trump and DeSantis, who have raised tens of millions of dollars to support their campaigns, have the resources to work in any meaningful way beyond the early states. And GOP leaders beyond Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina say it's a smart strategy.

I know everybodys focused on Iowa and New Hampshire, said Scott Golden, chairman of the Tennessee GOP, who noted that early voting in his state begins in mid-February, before South Carolina is scheduled to hold its contest. "But it is worth taking a little time out to come to Tennessee.

For presidential candidates, Super Tuesday is a circled-in-red date  next year, it's March 5  that can make or break a campaign.

Coming quickly after contests in early states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, the set of roughly 14 primaries are held across a broad geographic area, from California and Texas to Massachusetts and Maine. The day also is a test of a campaigns ability to organize supporters, its financial strength and a chance for those candidates who are still standing to run up their delegate total.

In 2016, for example, Trump's Super Tuesday dominance signaled, against conventional political wisdom, that the businessman and reality TV star was likely to be the party's nominee. President Joe Biden similarly romped through Super Tuesday in 2020, quickly forcing most of his remaining rivals to drop out.

This cycle, Trump and DeSantis have been nailing down key endorsements in Super Tuesday states, starting to hire staff and readying supporters to knock on doors.

The early start reflects the candidates' confidence they will be in the running come March, when the field typically has been winnowed down. Public polling shows Trump currently leading comfortably, followed by DeSantis, with other candidates trailing. They include former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor.

Trump and DeSantis haven't entirely had the Super Tuesday states to themselves. Candidates including former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have traveled in California and elsewhere. Haley is among those who went to Texas to visit its border with Mexico. But their campaigns have been almost solely focused in early states, some on one in particular.

Pence, an evangelical Christian, has primarily targeted Iowa, where a large portion of GOP primary voters are evangelicals. Christie is counting on independent-minded voters in New Hampshire to support his anti-Trump candidacy, while Haley and Scott hope for good showings in their home state of South Carolina, which votes 10 days before Super Tuesday.

Trump and DeSantis have the money to wage a broader campaign. Trump will report raising over $35 million in the second quarter of this year alone, his campaign said, while DeSantis' campaign said he brought in $20 million in just six weeks after announcing his candidacy.

Trump formally entered the race with the huge advantage of having run and won races in these states before, and his campaigning in many of them hasn't stopped since he lost the 2020 election. In 2021, for example, Trump held a Save America rally in Alabama that the state GOP said drew some 50,000 people.

People of Alabama have a special relationship with Donald Trump," said Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, noting Trump handily won the GOP primary in 2016, when he was battling Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida for the nomination. Trump also won the general election in Alabama easily in 2016 and 2020.

While a small state compared to many other Super Tuesday contests, Wahl said places like Alabama allow candidates to demonstrate support among conservative voters that are the heartbeat of the Republican Party.

DeSantis and Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting him, are trying. The PAC plans to invest $100 million on ground operations targeting the first 18 states  four early states plus Super Tuesday states  including paid staff such as state campaign directors.

One of DeSantis' most prominent endorsements in a Super Tuesday state was from Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who joined the Florida governor for a rally in Tulsa last month.

Dahm said Super Tuesday contests can offer redemption to a candidate that might stumble in an earlier state.

"You can never know what dynamics will change, he said. They should have a long-term strategy. Oklahoma is part of that.

The 2024 presidential field, in the order they've announced Donald Trump, Republican Nikki Haley, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican Marianne Williamson, Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrat Larry Elder, Republican President Joe Biden, Democrat Asa Hutchinson, Republican Tim Scott, Republican Ron DeSantis, Republican Mike Pence, Republican Chris Christie, Republican Doug Burgum, Republican Francis Suarez, Republican Will Hurd, Republican
Bloomington, Minnesota (CNN)  As Justice Brett Kavanaugh described the operations of the current Supreme Court on Thursday, he lauded it as government at its finest.

He latched onto the phrase as he appeared in suburban Minneapolis before a group of federal judges from the midwest, the first public appearance of any of the nine justices since their contentious session closed in late June and amid growing controversy over their lack of a formal ethics code.

Kavanaugh struck two other themes from the outset. The court is an institution of law, not of politics, not of partisanship, he said. Second, its an institution of great collegiality.

His upbeat gloss countered the view that emerged just two weeks ago as the annual session concluded and Chief Justice John Roberts wrote of dissenting colleagues, It has become a disturbing feature of some recent opinions to criticize the decisions with which they disagree as going beyond the proper role of the judiciary.

Kavanaugh was one of the five other conservatives who joined that Roberts opinion rejecting the Biden administrations student debt relief program.

The chief justice may have been especially stung by the opening line of the dissenting opinion, written by liberal Justice Elena Kagan: In every respect, the Court today exceeds its proper, limited role in our Nations governance.

The recently completed session reinforced the power of Roberts and the conservative majority that includes Kavanaugh, as they ruled against the debt relief program, overturned university affirmative action and weakened laws intended to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination.

Although Kavanaugh briefly addressed the increased public criticism of the court, none of those rulings were raised as he engaged in a friendly conversation with two fellow jurists: US Appeals Court Judge Lavenski Smith, an appointee of former President George W. Bush who is now chief judge of the 8th Circuit, and US District Court Judge Sarah Elizabeth Pitlyk of the eastern district of Missouri.

Pitlyk was a law clerk to Kavanaugh when he served on the DC Circuit appellate bench. She was appointed to the trial court in 2019 by then-President Donald Trump.

We would be derelict in our duties, Pitlyk said near the end of the hour-long conversation, if Kavanaugh were not asked about some of the controversy surrounding the court.

The justices off-bench behavior and lack of any process for resolving ethics issues has drawn nearly as much public scrutiny as recent rulings. Among the most sensational reports have been those by ProPublica revealing travel, real estate and other financial benefits conservative megadonor Harlan Crow provided Justice Clarence Thomas.

Roberts addressed some public concern in a late May appearance in Washington, DC, saying, I want to assure people that I am committed to making certain that we as a court adhere to the highest standards of conduct. We are continuing to look at things that we can do to give practical effect to that commitment.

Regarding court ethical guidelines, Kavanaugh said the justices were continuing to work on the issue and that he did not want to go beyond the chief justices remarks.

Of broader criticism of the courts decisions, Kavanaugh said, You shouldnt be in this line of work if you dont like criticism, because youre going to get it. He chalked it up to the nature of the work, resolving the countrys most difficult cases.

That comes with the territory, he said of public complaints.

When asked about his newest colleague, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, he described her as extraordinarily well prepared and extraordinarily hard working.

Overall, Kavanaugh accentuated the positive, repeating familiar themes. He described himself as part of a team of nine, seeking consensus and trying to show respect for differing views: Its really government at its finest, in the sense that everyone there is so well prepared  a hard-working bunch and respectful.

The-CNN-Wire

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CAL has already devised a strategic plan for increasing its service in the region. (Source: Guy. News)

CARICOM is anticipating imminent receipt of a report from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), which will outline recommendations on how to treat the issue of inter-regional travel.





This is the assurance given by Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Chairman of CARICOM, who reminded a closing press conference for the 45th Regular meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government held in Trinidad and Tobago, July 3-5, that CDB was mandated to engage in a study to examine air transport in the Caribbean, and to come up with recommendations on how they should go about addressing the issue in the absence of LIAT.





"They have firm numbers in terms of the costI am hoping we could get the buy-in of all of us in respect to this entity to complement what CAL and others are doing, Skerrit said.





In effect, the recommendations should address how to fill the void occasioned in inter-regional air travel by LIATs dissolution.





And while the void remains, Skerrit pointed to Caribbean Airlines (CAL), InterCaribbean and Bahamas Air as being among regional airlines in the region that have been stepping up to fill the void.





Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley revealed that his Government has received and accepted CALs strategic plan to obtain additional equipment to do more in the region.





He revealed that the airline is in discussion with Barbados and Prime Minister Mia Mottley confirmed that they will be signing an agreement with the airline soon.





"As Mr Skeritt has said, this is not a simple issue and the truth is that we have suffered from a significant reduction of seat numbers. We believe that there is enough space for CAL, Inter Caribbean and any other mechanism that would resolve this issue, she said, praising the Bahamas for stepping up to the plate to test out the market this Summer with connections from North America to the Caribbean via Bahamas Air.





Mottley said part of the constraint has been the absence of capacity and getting planes and pilots.




Now in their 56th year of existence, the Montrose-based Hennessy Starlift Steel Orchestra electrified Victoria Park on the night of July 6, to take their 24th title as Senior Panorama Champions of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.





Their rendition of a Dante Pantin (Trinidadian) arrangement of Big Bottom by Winston Soso was somehow different from what we had come to expect from Starlift. Not that it diminished in quality but the arrangement made a new use of rifts and variation, and runs that made the Soso composition sound to have taken on a new life, without losing the rhythmic catches of the original composition.





The work, not least an interesting change in the key at seemingly non-traditional parts of the rendition, was laid down by an animated Starlift contingent that was made up primarily of young if not junior players, and they must have also fascinated the judges.





Unlike recent panoramas, the 2023 winner  Starlft  outpointed their arch rivals, second placed, Sion Hill Euphonium Steel orchestras, 275 to 259, giving clear indication of how much better the champions were on the night.





Sion Hill Euphonium, working again under the directorship of Trinidad arranger Terrence Marcelle, were their usual compact self, and made good use of simple but effective movements across the scale.





Their rendition of Winston Sosos Longer jamming may have veered a little too much away from the original melody, but it was all in all a good use of their range of pans but if anything, lacked drive and enthusiasm.





That Sion Hill outpointed third placed Symphonix Steel Orchestra by 259 to 214 indicated the gap, as assessed by the judges, between Starlift and Sion Hill and the rest of the contenders.





Symphonix played a Jomorro Francis arrangement of Pan Yard, another Winston Soso number, and while there was a liveliness about the rendition, the work was short on anything innovative and when there were hints of this, the players seemed unable to effectively represent them.





But as one patron on the night said, "We know Jomo is better that this.





South East Steel Orchestra, with an Akeam Hannaways arrangement of Blacksands Whistle, might just have been an attempt to be intricate that fell short of a bench mark that if achieved, would have nodded the judges to place them above Symphonix.





Yes, they were coordinated and represented the variations with some degree of ease, but at the end of the day, South East was simply not at their best on the night of competition.





Johnny JP Pompeys skill as a teacher, arranger of pan continues to show more and more the things that are yet to come. As chief cook and bottle washer of the relatively new NPL Epic Sounds Steel Orchestra, he knows that he still has some work to do, but what he has been able to get out of this new band, is commendable.





His arrangement of a Johnny Rebels number, Move It, not what you will call a typical panorama song, was pleasing to the air and kept a steady and enticing tempo.





Delano Bristol is not giving up on the Genesis Steel Orchestra. By far the smallest band on show, he has been able to maintain a rhythmic framework that catches the listener from the get go. This he did with his arrangement of Ah Dont care by Winston Soso on the night of competition.

Bristols ability might not yet been extended given the size and range of pans available to Genesis, but there is no taking away from the enthusiasm he has been able to extract from his players.





Leaf Elite Steel Orchestra continues to depend on a relatively young age group for its complement. Their lack of experience could well be the determining factor in how much the bands arranger, Keslon Wilson, can demand of them, making their final product short on substance. Their final product would not have been helped by the choice of song, Yo Woman Butting Me by Fryktion.





Interesting, of the seven steel orchestra in the competition, four played compositions by Winston Soso. July 18, 2023 will mark two years since Soso passed away.




The Giant African Snail is not to be touched, at any cost or for any reason, with bare hands.

The presence of the African Giant Snail has been confirmed on mainland St. Vincent.





This is according to Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar who said on Thursday that the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of the snail on the island.





Caesar said, "The USDA officials confirmed on Monday, July 10, 2023, that the snails currently being collected in the affected areas are indeed Giant African Snails. With this confirmation, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry, and Labour can now officially declare the giant African snail to be a pest locally.





The first report of the snails came on June 29, 2023, from the Camden Park and Questelles area, and it remains the region most heavily infested with the snails, Caesar added.





"On the 11th of July 2023, snails were confirmed to be present on the premises of the Ottley Hall Marina. Despite ongoing surveillance in the surrounding areas, no additional spread of the infestation has to date been observed, Caesar said.





The Ministry of Agriculture had activated a surveillance programme nationwide.





Officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry & Labour visited communities across St. Vincent and the Grenadines to collect information on the Giant African Snail.

This reporter, last Wednesday, 5th July, met up with a group of such officers in the Campden Park area. When asked about their mission, they revealed that they were investigating the prevalence or non-prevalence of the Giant African Snail in the area.





Further questioning uncovered details about the snail in question and the purpose behind the search. This information was included in a release from the Ministry as follows: The Giant African Snail, scientific name (Lissachatina fulica), is currently under surveillance by officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, et al, who will be in possession of an identification form issued by the said ministry. The general public is asked to cooperate with the search while awaiting confirmation of details from regional authorities. These investigations go up until about 10:00pm daily.





As for the identification of the snail itself, it is described as follows: The shell of the Giant African Snail has a reddish brown colour with light yellow streaks. Adults may be between 4- 6 inches in length.





These snails are said to be spread, "by the movement of soil, vehicles and plants/plant parts and persons are advised to take decisive action if they see or suspect them to be on their compound or in their area.





Upon any sighting of the snails, they are not to be crushed. They also must never be eaten. They could be destroyed by placing them in a salt water solution (2 cups of salt to a gallon of water in a bucket kept covered for 48 hours).





If collecting a sample for the ministry, gloves must be worn and the sample must be placed in a sealed container. Clean, garbage-free surroundings discourage the prevalence of these snails.





Additional research prompted by this report led to the unearthing of revealing information from the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, to the effect that the snails also pose a serious health risk to humans by carrying the parasite rat lungworm, known to cause meningitis in humans. Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.





Monitoring of the affected areas and neighboring regions will continue and information disclosed accordingly.





Persons are encouraged to report the sightings (actual or suspicious) to the Ministry of Agriculture or the nearest Agricultural Station in their area.
Rep. Jung Chung-rae, left, and main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung are seen speaking at a party meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap



The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) could submit a motion next week demanding a parliamentary probe into allegations the government changed the route of an expressway project to help the family of first lady Kim Keon Hee profit from it, an official said Friday.



The Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project has emerged as one of the biggest political issues after the DPK alleged the highway's endpoint was changed to where Kim's family owns land in Yangpyeong, east of Seoul, as prices of the land would rise if the road is built.



The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has already rejected the DPK's proposal of a parliamentary probe, arguing the allegations have been proven groundless, but the DPK now says it can submit a motion on its own if the PPP does not agree.



"We plan to submit a request to open a parliamentary probe at the plenary session next week," a senior DPK official said in a phone call with Yonhap News Agency. "If the ruling party sticks to its opposition, we can submit it unilaterally."



The DPK also demanded that President Yoon Suk Yeol address the issue upon his return from an overseas trip.



The PPP has rejected the allegations, saying the route change was first proposed during the previous Moon Jae-in administration and was adopted shortly after the new government took office, accusing the DPK of making the allegations out of nothing for political gains.



"For the two parties to agree on opening a parliamentary investigation, two elements need to be met. The people should demand it, and there needs to be violation of law. Currently, such conditions are not mature enough," PPP floor leader Yun Jae-ok said in a press conference. (Yonhap)


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An animal advocacy organization is accusing the Bureau of Land Management of prioritizing for-profit entities over the environment after their recent decision to eliminate or reduce wild horses from over one million acres in southwestern Wyoming.

The BLM approved a resource management plan in May, which would cause the reduction or elimination of hundreds of wild horses from the Adobe Town, Great Divide Basin, Salt Wells Creek and White Mountain regions, the ruling states. By law, the agency isnt allowed to kill wild horses, but they can capture and move them.

In response, a nonprofit group seeking to free animals from cruelty and exploitation, Friends of Animals, filed a suit against the BLM and the secretary of the Department of the Interior last week, documents show.

This decision to have wild horses torn from their homes on public lands to serve the interests of private industries  is devastating, Jennifer Best, an attorney representing Friends of Animals, told the Star-Tribune.

[I]t could also set a dangerous precedent that allows private interests to dictate how public lands are managed, said Best.

The BLM is required to protect and manage wild horses and burros as part of the public lands after Congress deemed them living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West in 1971, the lawsuit states. Due to this, the removal of wild horses can only be authorized in very limited circumstances.

In Wyoming, the public land and private or state-owned land intermingles with the federal lands, known as a checkerboard pattern, which makes the issue more complex.

This checkerboard is the result of an agreement between the federal government and the Union-Pacific Railroad company, which awarded odd-numbered lots of public land to the company along the railroad right-of-way, the lawsuit states.

Now, the Rock Springs Grazing Association, a private corporation, owns or leases a significant percentage of that private land within the checkerboard, the lawsuit states. The association pays $1.35 per animal per month to graze private cattle and sheep on this land, which is about $22 cheaper than the average fee for grazing on other lands.

The Rock Springs Grazing Association is accused of continually opposing the presence of wild horses in the checkerboard, which it views as competitors with livestocks for forage, the lawsuit states. The association formally requested the removal of wild horses for the first time in 1977.

This started a decades-long, on-again, off-again legal battle over the wild horse population, which ultimately resulted in the removal of thousands of horses over the years, the lawsuit states. But never a removal of this magnitude  which will reduce several of the areas to zero wild horses.

The lawsuit alleges the driving purpose behind this decision was the Rock Springs Grazing Associations withdrawal of consent to maintain wild horses over the difficulties managing them, the lawsuit states. The Rock Springs Grazing Association did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Under this decision, only a portion of the Adobe Town region will be allowed to keep 259 to 536 wild horses, and the White Mountain region would be managed for 205 to 300 wild horses, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that the BLM improperly managed the wild horse population to benefit private interests and failed to take a hard look at the impacts of this proposed action, so Friends of Animals is asking the courts to vacate this amendment entirely.

Friends of Animals, its members, and many Americans care deeply about these wild horses, said Best. Beyond being a vital part of Wyomings history and economy, wild horses can contribute to healthy and resilient ecosystems.

Your news on your smartphone Your story lives in Wyoming, 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 Star-Tribune app is built for you and your life. Dont have the app? Download it today from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Two United Methodist churches in Wyoming have disaffiliated over disagreements with the denomination over human sexuality, the ordaining of practicing homosexual clergy and officiating same-sex unions.

Abundant Grace Ministries, formerly Rock Springs First United Methodist Church, and Pavillion Community United Methodist Church, now Pavillion Community Christian Church, exited in June during a regional church conference in Colorado.

Jimmy Crisawn, pastor of Abundant Grace, told the Star-Tribune his congregation was unanimous in its decision to disaffiliate, citing contention with the denominations stance on some issues of human sexuality. A layperson from the Pavillion church, who identified herself only by her first name, Suzanne, told the Star-Tribune that the church felt as if the denomination didnt fully value local churches.

Wyoming now has 36 active United Methodist churches. The Mountain Sky Conference, which includes Wyoming, includes 374 churches.

A decadeslong conversation

The United Methodist Church has been discussing the topic of homosexuality almost since its inception in 1968, District Superintendent Mark Calhoun told the Star-Tribune.

The prospect of disaffiliation, however, is newer, rising from the churchs 2019 general conference. Thats when a section was added to the churchs Book of Discipline, which lays out doctrine and governance strategies, called Paragraph 2553  giving local churches limited right to disaffiliate if they disagree with the larger denomination over interpretations of human sexuality.

Though the United Methodist Church allows laypeople of all sexual orientations to join in worship, it does specify clergy must not be self-avowed, practicing homosexuals, and that same-sex unions cannot be officiated by United Methodist clergy.

The bishop of the Mountain Sky Conference, Karen Oliveto, is openly lesbian. She was elected in 2016.

The topic of homosexuality has caused deep division within local United Methodist churches, as it has within many different religious traditions.

I mean, its like any normal functioning religious institution, theres things that people really resonate with, and there are things that people are frustrated by, but all of these disaffiliations had to do with reasons of conscience regarding human sexuality, Calhoun said.

The United Methodist Church has warmed to the idea of accepting LGBTQ+ clergy members and officiating same-sex unions, though.

Therell be an opportunity over the next several general conferences (international, denomination-wide general conferences) to be able to likely pull that exclusionary language out of our Book of Discipline, where it says we dont ordain self-avowed, practicing homosexuals, Calhoun said.

Within the western jurisdiction of United Methodist churches, including the Mountain Sky, there is a leaning to practice a rhythm of inclusion, Calhoun added.

Part of coming out of disaffiliation is for both groups, passionate people, to sort of settle in a direction that is in alignment with their practice of theology, he said.

The church dont hate gay people

The conversations about disaffiliation began about five years ago for Abundant Grace Ministries in Rock Springs, Crisawn told the Star-Tribune.

Crisawn, who moved to Wyoming from North Carolina in 2012 and has the southern accent to prove it, said the congregation was unanimous in its feeling that the conference was moving further away from its professed values.

We wrote letters, we wrote notifications to the conference that we were not in support of the things they were doing. And really didnt get any response to any of that, he said. The big thing was that we (didnt feel like we) had a voice anymore.

It became really lopsided.

The church, as a whole, voted five separate times to disaffiliate, Crisawn said. The first two rounds were unanimous; there was one no vote in each of the next three rounds, but even that person has remained an active member in the church.

Though the topic of human sexuality is a central issue to many Methodist and former Methodist churches  indeed, Paragraph 2553 was added to allow churches to disaffiliate if they disagreed with the denomination on said topic  its not really the bottom line, Crisawn said. His oldest daughter is a lesbian, he told the Star-Tribune, and his brother-in-law is gay.

The discipline says, it isnt about the homosexuality, it isnt for us, he said. The church dont hate gay people.

Around 40 to 45 people attend Abundant Grace on any given Sunday; the age range is well-distributed, Crisawn said, though more top-heavy on older folks.

Crisawn loves Rock Springs, loves Wyoming, loves the open spaces. He called the city very Bible-oriented, if you will, very community-oriented. Its a more conservative area, and he knows that full well.

He just didnt feel like the Methodist denomination appreciated local churches anymore.

Were wanting to diversify what we do. Were mostly really focused on what were doing here, he said. Were rewriting all of our doctrinal standards of what we believe  things, policies, procedures, you know, and all that stuff, because we have to. We cant lean on the big church anymore.

Abundant Grace will now turn its attention to local charities and nonprofits (the soup kitchen, the Boys & Girls Club) and national groups (Samaritans Purse), Crisawn said.

Pavillion Community Christian Church, meanwhile, sits at around 10 people, according to the layperson. They are working on getting through the transition successfully, she said.

The churchs former pastor will stay within the denomination, Calhoun said, and has been reassigned to Montana. Pavillion will be lay-lead for the time being.
A suspect in two separate but related shootings has been arrested, according to a joint press release from the Natrona County Sheriffs Office and Casper Police Department.

A 16-year-old male has been charged as an adult with three counts of aggravated assault, one count of felony property damage and one count of witness intimidation for shootings that occurred Tuesday and Thursday.

Around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday night, law enforcement responded to a disturbance near the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. A call to dispatch said a group of juveniles and young adults were arguing, according to the statement.

While law enforcement was responding reporting parties told dispatch that they heard what they believe to be a single gun shot and that there was one adult female with an apparent gunshot wound to the lower leg, the statement reads.

The woman was sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and later released.

Near 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, the Casper Police Department responded to a shots fired report on the 3500 block of Bighorn Road. Reporting parties stated that they heard what they believed to be approximately 10 gunshots, the press release states.

Upon arrival, office determined that an occupied house was hit by 10 bullets. None of the people inside were injured.

The joint investigation determined that the two incidents were related and law enforcement identified a suspect.

The 16-year-old male was arrested and transported to the Natrona County Detention Center Thursday afternoon.

NCSD and CPD believe that the incidents are isolated and disputes between two groups. They say that there is no ongoing threat to the community.

These incidents remain under investigation. If you have information that you believe may assist our joint agency investigation into these incidents, please make a report through dispatch at 307-235-9282 or 307-235-9300. Information can also be reported anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Central Wyoming at crime-stoppers.com or 307-577-8477. Information reported through Crime Stoppers that assists an investigation may be eligible for a cash reward, the law enforcement agencies state in the release.
PRIME MINISTER Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday he has been abused by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and in seeking legal advice, will leave no stone unturned to determine whether he is guilty of witness tampering.

Rowley announced at a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Anns, that he is now receiving legal advice and has instructed Attorney General Reginald Armour to look into whether Augustine acted outside the Constitution on Wednesday.
A village in Buyeo County, South Chungchung Province, is inundated with mud and rubble, caused by a landslide, Friday. Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan



Heavy rainfall nationwide on Friday caused damage to residential areas and infrastructure, prompting authorities to close down bridges, mountain trails and coastal roads. The damage came as the country experienced days of downpours during the annual monsoon season.



Up to 200 millimeters of rain falling across the country from Thursday to Friday morning knocked down trees, walls and structures and flooded underground car parks and other public areas.



Gyeonggi Province closed off entrances to over 3,700 streams, 40 parking lots, 205 bridges and over 180 locations near mountains and slopes in danger of landslides, and 8 coastal areas.









The disruptions have prompted residents to be evacuated from homes in Paju and Hanam in Gyeonggi Province and Andong and Sangju in North Gyeongsang Province.





A street bisecting apartment buildings in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, is flooded, Friday. Yonhap
We can divide the discussions into two. The internal, whats happening inside the body of West Indies cricket, its circuitry; and the external, the factors contributing to its current state.

Its really an analogy for the state of our region. Everything applies to whats happening in our societies. We have to stop referring to our athletes and delinquents, not just our cricketers, as a group existing in some kind of exclusive planetary bubble, impervious to the conditions of our time.
Recently I visited the seaside community of Punta Mita in Mexico, where I enjoyed different tortilla soups. This recipe is a compilation of the various types of soup I tasted.

Stale or dried corn tortillas are used as a thickener and garnish along with fresh corn kernels for a double dose of corn flavor. I like to toast the tortilla strips to avoid extra fat, but if you prefer them fried go ahead.

Tortilla soup can be very spicy or rather mild, depending upon what chilies are included. Here, Ive added a jalapeno to the soup as it cooks. If you like it hot and spicy, just add another jalapeno to the soup. You can also experiment with hotter Mexican chilies, like serrano or habanero, but start with a small amount because they are very hot.

You can serve this soup any time of year, as a satisfying starter or a main course. The tortilla strips are added at the last minute to preserve their crisp texture. A squirt of lime juice brings all the flavors together. I often serve a simple salad with romaine lettuce, toasted pepitas, tomatoes and shrimp to go along with the soup. I like to serve ice-cold Mexican beer with this tortilla soup.

Tasty tips

Try to find fresh, handmade tortillas for a more authentic flavor. Cut them as below and dry them out by leaving them on the counter for an hour before cooking.

For a heartier version, add 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips (You can use chicken tenders). This should be added at the end of Step 2 and simmered for about 3 minutes or until the chicken pieces are just cooked through.

Use fresh corn for optimum sweetness and flavor.

Punta Mita Vegetable Tortilla Soup with Corn and Jalapenos

Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels

1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped (more if you like it spicy)

1 corn tortilla, torn into 8 pieces

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 (14.5- ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, or regular diced tomatoes, with juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the topping:

4 corn tortillas, preferably stale or at least dry, halved crosswise and sliced into thin strips

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 ripe avocado, peeled pitted and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or pepper jack

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1. In a medium soup pot, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and saute until golden brown, making sure the mixture does not burn, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the corn kernels, jalapeno and tortilla pieces. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cilantro and saute another minute. Add the tomatoes and cumin; cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Transfer the mixture and puree into a blender until smooth.

2. Return the soup to the pot. Add the broth, carrot and zucchini, and simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the soup is slightly thickened and the vegetables are tender. Taste for seasoning.

3. While the soup is cooking, prepare the toppings: To toast the tortilla strips: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the tortilla strips on a baking sheet, spreading them evenly over the pan. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until crisp and beginning to brown. Reserve for the garnish. (Dont do this ahead, or they will soften.)

4. To serve: Ladle the soup evenly into each bowl. Squirt some lime juice over the soup. Garnish with the toasted tortilla strips, cilantro, avocado and cheese. Serve immediately.

Advance preparation: This may be made through Step 2 one day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Taste for seasoning when reheating.
Raytheon is ramping up production of the most advanced version of its Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, after the company and the Air Force recently completed all testing with an F-16 live-fire of the missile with production hardware and software.

The new version of the widely deployed air-combat missile, the AIM-120D-3, was developed under the so-called Form, Fit, Function Refresh program, which upgraded circuit cards in the guidance section of the missile and allows for continuous, rapid software improvements.

We are ramping AMRAAM production to a greater rate than ever before in the history of this program, Paul Ferraro, president of Air Power at Raytheon, said in a news release announcing the milestone. With significantly increased functionality, performance and producibility, and the completion of the flight test program, we are ensuring warfighters can count on having the fifth generation of AMRAAM  and enough of them  in their arsenal.

Developmental and operational testing of the AIM-120D-3 included captive carry and live-fires from both U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft, Raytheon said.

The production increases follow recent contracts including as a $1.15 billion deal awarded in June and $972 million awarded in last September.

Periodically updated since its introduction to service in 1991, the AMRAAM is used by the U.S. Air Force and Navy and 40 allied nations.
Arizona Helping Hands kicked off its back-to-school season by opening a mobile unit that will distribute backpacks to foster children and provide services to foster families throughout the state.

We want all kids in Arizona to win, said Maureen Noe, CEO and president of Arizona Helping Hands. Our philosophy is that these kids deserve the best, and our shelves will always reflect that  as they will only be stocked with new items for them.

The new mobile unit delivery program launched Thursday will allow Helping Hands to provide basic needs for foster kids throughout Arizona. More than 2,700 foster children were served in 2022, and the organization expects to help more this year as they are averaging assistance for 70 to 80 children each week.

The mobile unit is a great opportunity to serve our most needed community, as many people drive hours to come to Arizona Helping Hands. Now they wont have to do that, said
PHOENIX  Famed constitutional attorney Alan Dershowitz must pay a share of sanctions imposed on lawyers who brought a frivolous lawsuit on behalf of failed candidates Kari Lake and Mark Finchem, a judge says.

U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi ruled Friday that the retired Harvard Law School professors signature on court documents in the case was tantamount to saying Lakes and Finchems claims had legal merit.

Tuchi accepted Dershowitzs claim that his role was limited, however, so he will have to pay 10% of the $122,200 in fees run up by Maricopa County in defending its use of machines to tabulate ballots.

The balance will be borne by the other two attorneys hired by Republicans Lake and Finchem, who lost the governors and secretary of states races in November, in their unsuccessful bid to require hand counting.

Dershowitz was not satisfied.

Im going to appeal this all the way up to the Supreme Court, he told Capitol Media Services. I will not accept any ruling that says I owe a single penny.

He claimed the ruling threatens to undermine the role of legal experts like himself who serve merely as consultants in lawsuits and dont take a position in the underlying case.

Fridays order was the one remaining issue before Tuchi after he threw out the claims by Lake and Finchem that tabulators can produce inaccurate results. The judge ruled last year that their assertions were little more than speculation backed only by vague allegations about electronic voting systems generally.

Plaintiffs fail to produce any evidence that a full hand count would be more accurate, Tuchi wrote in his original ruling. He also pointed to existing requirements for pre- and post-election audits to ensure the machines that tally the paper ballots report accurate results.

Having determined the lawsuit was frivolous, Tuchi said last year that the pairs attorneys  but not Lake and Finchem themselves  are jointly responsible for paying the legal fees incurred by Maricopa County in defending against the lawsuit.

What was left to decide was the amount and how much of it Dershowitz should pay.

Dershowitz argued he should be entirely excused, saying he wrote only one paragraph of the legal pleading and that it dealt not with the claims by Lake and Finchem that machines are inherently unreliable, but on a narrow legal question.

I helped to develop the following argument: When a private company is hired by the government to perform a quintessential government function such as vote counting, it cannot refuse to provide relevant information about the workings of its machines on the grounds of business secrets, Dershowitz told the judge. None of that related to Lake and Finchems arguments that machine counting of ballots should be forbidden, he said.

I had absolutely no duty to investigate the rest of the allegations because I had nothing to do with them, he said. I didnt vouch for them.

Dershowitz specifically sought to put some distance between himself and Lake, in particular.

Ive never met Lake, he told Capitol Media Services. I would not have voted for her. Im a Democrat.

Dershowitz, in at least his initial filings in the case, listed himself as of counsel to the plaintiffs. Thats a legal phrase that generally means someone hired by a law firm to do work, versus actually representing a client.

That distinction left the judge unimpressed.

An attorneys signature is tantamount to a warranty that the complaint is well grounded in fact and existing law (or proposes a good faith extension of the law) and that it is not filed for an improper purpose, Tuchi said.

Whether Mr. Dershowitz signed, or intended to sign, those filings as counsel, or attorney or of counsel, he signed them, Tuchi wrote. He also said the signature wasnt necessary, as lawyers can contribute to cases without signing the pleadings.

And he effectively conceded that he authorized his signature on these filings without investigating whether they were legally and factually sound, the judge said.

Tuchi also said Dershowitz took a larger role than simply writing one paragraph.

Dershowitz participated in at least one telephonic conference with Maricopa County lawyers, he said. Also, Dershowitz, who is not licensed to practice law in Arizona, specifically applied for and obtained permission from the court to appear and participate in the case.

Still, Tuchi said Dershowitz claims with some credibility to have committed nothing more than an honest mistake.

Further, any monetary sanctions imposed should not be so significant as to dissuade other legal experts from providing advice or assistance in litigation out of fear of sanctions, the judge said.

But he said it also would be wrong to let Dershowitz escape any penalty at all.

Attorneys must be reminded that their duties are not qualified in the way he suggests and that courts are entitled to rely on their signatures as certifications their filings are well-founded, Tuchi said.

Dershowitz told Capitol Media Services that forcing him, as a legal consultant, to pay financial sanctions for his consulting role would upset a personal precedent that goes back more than half a century.

I started doing it in 1970, signing myself of counsel, he said. Thats what lawyers ought to do when they have a limited role.

Lake and Finchem are asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the judges decision.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors has received the names of three candidates to replace Rep. Andres Cano, but questions about the process could delay the selection.

On Saturday, Democratic precinct committee members in Legislative District 20 voted Betty Villegas, Lourdes Escalante and Elma Alvarez as the three people supervisors could consider to carry out the remainder of the term for Cano, who resigned July 4 to go to Harvard.

But the two other members of the state Legislature from that district, Democrats Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales and Rep. Alma Hernandez, said in a letter that they want the candidate selection redone.

Gonzales and Hernandez pointed to inadequate notice of the meeting, the use of Zoom as a way to attend and vote, and the limits on questions by precinct committee members.

Although we do not have a candidate in this race, as the sitting legislator and senator for this district, we believe it is part of our job to ensure that this is done correctly on behalf of our district, they said.

In a letter, Arizona Democratic Party Chair Yolanda Bejarano transferred the three-candidate list to the county clerk on Monday. The letter suggested notification of the meeting was adequate  sent via email to all the PCs and the email list in LD20 and added to the LD20 website no fewer than 48 hours before the meeting took place.

When asked if the LD20 meeting will be held again due to open meeting law violations, Robbins said in a text message, we are waiting to take direction from the (Board of Supervisors). Several potential avenues.

County Administrator Jan Lesher said the board received an email from the county attorneys office indicating it could not confirm or deny the allegations of open-meeting law violations and that its not our place to investigate those questions.

Lesher said the boards vote on a replacement will be on its July 25 agenda.

When a vacancy occurs in the state Legislature,

Supervisors then vote on a replacement. Villegas received about 26% of the 195 votes cast at Saturdays meeting. Shes the director of South Tucsons Housing and Community Development department and formerly served as an interim county supervisor after the death of Richard Elias.

Escalante, who received about 18% of the LD 20 vote, is the executive director of Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, an organization that advocates for indigenous rights and sovereignty.

Alvarez, with 17% of the vote, teaches as an instructional specialist at TUSDs Miller Elementary School.

Ward-only ballot effort fails

The latest effort to change Tucsons hybrid election system has failed.

Supporters of the 

Tucson Election Equality Act turned in 313 signatures less than the threshold required to put the act on the ballot, which is 14,826 valid signatures.

The intent of the act was to make city council members be elected strictly by the voters in their wards.

In Tucsons longstanding system, voters in the individual wards choose the general-election candidates through partisan primary elections. But in the general elections, all of the citys voters can cast ballots for candidates in each city ward.

The system has been challenged repeatedly in ballot initiatives, in court and in the Legislature, but voters have never approved a change to so-called ward-only elections, and federal courts have held that the system is constitutional.

Mailer melee in Tucson Ward 1

Now that ballots are in city voters hands, mailers are landing in Ward 1 mailboxes, prompting the traditional disputes over their content and adherence to law.

The contest between incumbent Democrat Lane Santa Cruz and challenger Miguel Ortega produced a flurry of mailers this week, one of which jumped out for its mysterious origin.

A mailer criticizing Santa Cruz for her votes on police funding and this years failed Tucson Electric Power initiative, among other things, was labeled as coming from the Arizona Prosperity Initiative PAC.

But the city of Tucson has no record of this political action committee registering with the city as required, or of being sent notice of this expenditure as required. In addition, Santa Cruz said she did not receive a copy of the mailer in advance, an additional requirement.

Ortega, meanwhile, was targeted in a mailer that told him to leave the trash talk where it belongs. It was sponsored by the Working Families Party National PAC, and previous pro-Santa Cruz mailers were paid for by Mijente AZ PAC, the political action committee of a group, Mijente, Santa Cruz has allied with.

Ciscomani tops Engel in fundraising

Campaign fundraising got a fast start in the quarter that ended June 30 for the two candidates heading toward a rematch in Congressional District 6.

Incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a Republican, reported raising $815,000 in the quarter.

Kirsten Engel, the UA law professor and Democrat who narrowly lost to Ciscomani last year, reported raising $431,000.
Officials of Korea Post and the Kahala Posts Group pose after a meeting in Paris, France, on Thursday (local time). Courtesy of Korea Post



By Lee Kyung-min



Korea Post (KP) agreed to fortify cooperation with the Kahala Posts Group (KPG), to bolster international mail services and joint market expansion, the science ministry-supervised organization said, Thursday.



KP acting president Park In-hwan met with 11 CEOs sitting on the KPG, a group of advanced postal operators in the Asia-Pacific region, during a meeting in Paris, France, on Thursday (local time).



The group is an international alliance of the postal administrations of Australia, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.



It was launched in 2002 by six major postal administrations collaborating to promote customer choice and improve service options for postal express and package services.



Their goals include raising service performance of their package services, addressing current and future needs of customers and leveraging collective action and joint capabilities to expand business.



KP said the CEOs who attended the meeting discussed ways to raise international mail volume and share their assessment and outlook for the global developments in the international mail market scarred by years of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Also among the agenda items discussed was bolstering cooperation to share individual strategies to better respond to changes in global norms, including strengthened customs clearance policies in the European Union (EU).



KP said Korea's international mail shipments to KPG member countries stood at 2.57 million in 2022, a further drop from 3.3 million in 2021, over the pandemic years.



The figures were a sharper fall from 4.64 million in 2019 and 4.77 million in 2020.



"We will continue efforts to identify a new sustainable source of income to offset years of losses brought on by the pandemic," said KP Director General Kim Hong-jae.


PHOENIX  English learners, parents and teachers gathered at the state Capitol Thursday to protest Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Hornes opposition to Arizonas dual language programs.

Stand for Children Arizona, a nonprofit that focuses on empowering community members to speak out for children at the state and local level, led the charge to deliver 2,833 community signatures to Horne and the state board of education.

Students should not be treated differently because they speak another language, said state Rep. Alma Hernandez, a Tucson Democrat and a former dual language student. We should not be told that youre only allowed to speak English. We should be encouraging and helping those students succeed in life.

Horne, a Republican who took office in January, says English learners  students who are not considered to have attained proficiency in English  should be predominantly instructed in English, as per Arizona Proposition 203, an initiative that limited the type of instruction available to English language learners.

Proposition 203, the voter protected initiative passed in 2000, specified that classes for English Language Learners must be taught in English, Horne said in a statement. All children in Arizona public schools shall be taught English by being taught in English and all children shall be placed in English language classrooms. Dual language classes, typically taught for half of each day in Spanish, are an obvious violation of this initiative.

HCR 2026, a bill proposed to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2019, attempted to repeal Proposition 203 and support districts being able to create their own education strategies for English learners.

Stand for Children Arizona has been at the forefront of defending the rights of English learners, calling for a halt to Hornes campaign against dual language instruction.

It meant a better future for students like my son, Jorge, Georgina Monsalvo, organizing director for Stand for Children Arizona, said about the 2019 bill. These reforms have allowed my son to master English while participating in the regular curriculum, an opportunity many of us did not have. Fast forward to today, we find ourselves in a state of uncertainty and apprehension caused by Superintendent Hornes overreach of authority and his decision to unlawfully modify the dual language model.

Horne said he is not attempting to shut down dual language classes, but believes students who have yet to achieve English proficiency receive most if not all of their instruction in English rather than their native language.

Once these students reach English proficiency, Horne says they should be allowed to join dual language programs where theyll be able to receive some instruction in their native language.

No new legislation has been introduced by Horne or the Board of Education.

State representatives who spoke are most interested in halting the confusion and uncertainty they say Hornes statements have caused.

I stand here today and ask the state board of education to release a statement to all our schools to inform them of what is currently allowable by state law, said Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Paradise Valley. This level of assurance is urgent as schools prepare to start the next school year in just a matter of weeks.

Horne has sent notices to 26 districts regarding their conduct of dual language classes, and these notices have only caused more confusion, critics say.

I refuse to sit here and allow other lawmakers like Tom Horne to politicize this and make this into something that is bad, Hernandez said.

Another former dual language student, Monsalvo remembers how she was segregated for up to four hours a day from other students before she was deemed to be proficient in English.

Under Proposition 203, English learners were to be completely segregated for one year while they only learn in English and achieve English proficiency. However, since this instruction wasnt in their native language, many would be held back for more than a year.

We need the state board to act and insist on the accessibility of improved models for all English learners, Monsalvo said. We urge the board to ensure protections for the 50/50 dual language model by July 19, a step crucial to avoiding the segregation of students and ensuring the continuity in their educational journey.

The state board of education didnt have dual language immersion as an approved model until 2019, and since students start in kindergarten, there hasnt been enough time to judge the long-term effectiveness of the programs in Arizona.

Superintendent Horne cannot produce any statistical evidence that dual language immersion doesnt work, said Maria Cristina Ladas, founder of the Arizona Dual Language Immersion Network.

Ladas says Arizona should look to places with a richer dual language history for evidence.

Many other states in our country have been doing dual language immersion for decades and have been tracking data, Ladas said. We should look at that data. The undeniable success behind dual language immersion stands on valid and reliable research studies, but for some reason, Superintendent Horne continues to site old bilingual education research from sources like Education Next that, after a quick fact check, shows that it uses data from the 1980s on Hispanic ESL students in 10th grade.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  As the six-month sprint to the Iowa caucuses begins, the sprawling field of Republican presidential candidates is facing growing pressure to prove they can become serious challengers to former President Donald Trump.

The urgency is particularly acute for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who entered the race in May with expectations that he would quickly become Trump's top rival. For now, however, he has struggled to generate the enthusiasm that Trump commands from the GOP base, leaving it uncertain he will become the threat to the former president that he was once billed to be.

Thats what DeSantis wanted to be. Its possible he may be that still, said Gentry Collins, a seasoned Iowa and national Republican strategist who ran Mitt Romneys 2008 caucus campaign. But it sure doesnt look like that to me  its become clear that there isnt room for another alternative to Trump.

DeSantis was among six White House hopefuls in Iowa on Friday for the Family Leadership Summit, where an audience of close to 2,000 conservative Christians gathered to see former Fox News host Tucker Carlson interview the candidates individually. Trump did not attend, though he has swung through the state multiple times in recent weeks and will return Tuesday.

DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy received the most raucous cheers from the packed hall in the downtown Des Moines events center, notably when they argued for a more limited U.S. military role backing Ukraine.

Europe needs to do more. This is their backyard, DeSantis said to applause.

Yet it was Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, choosing the event to sign the recently passed six-week abortion ban, who received the loudest and most sustained standing ovation when she took the stage. She is publicly neutral in the race but has been slammed by Trump for appearing with DeSantis at campaign events in the state, though she also has appeared with other candidates.

There's still time for any of the contenders to mount a more robust challenge to Trump  but not a lot. Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 15.

Beyond DeSantis, Tim Scott is being closely scrutinized. The South Carolina senator has impressed many with an agenda that is every bit as conservative as the one offered by Trump or DeSantis. Some say Scott is distinguishing himself with an aggressive outreach strategy paired with an upbeat message.

Scott is making inroads because "hes doing the real hard work of retail politics in Iowa, doing small groups with pastors and churches and leading to bigger and bigger meetings and venues, said Mike Demastus, a Des Moines evangelical pastor who has met several times with Scott.

Carlson noted reports of increased interest in Scott, prompting a crack from the senator that he hoped the money would follow.

Im glad to hear theyre all flocking to me," Scott said. "I wish they would go out and write the check, too, because we havent seen that yet. Ive heard the stories myself, but what I havent seen is the millions and millions.

Trump is the undisputed leader in Iowa, similar to the grip he holds on Republicans nationally. That makes Iowa particularly crucial for anyone hoping to stop him. Given the relatively early date of the caucuses, a strong win by Trump in Iowa could put him in a commanding position heading into the following contests.

Theres no question Donald Trump is winning Iowa right now, said Josie Albrecht, a former top Iowa GOP Statehouse communications adviser who is helping the state party but is neutral in the 2024 campaign. I think there has been a lot of support for him for many years, and thats a hard wall to crack.

Trump is eagerly embracing the lofty expectations. His campaign is bullish on Iowa, banking on his long-standing support in a state he easily carried twice in general elections, combined with an aggressive digital outreach that includes a focus on nontraditional conservative voters.

Yet Trump faces some vulnerabilities, including a feud with Iowa's popular governor, Kim Reynolds, over her refusal to formally endorse his campaign. While many in the party view recent indictments of him in New York and Florida as politically motivated, they nonetheless risk becoming a liability that rivals may try to exploit.

In a memo shared last month with donors to the influential network started by Charles and David Koch, Michael Palmer, who leads the group's data and polling operation, argued against what he called the myth of Trump inevitability. He wrote that a significant number of Trump voters remain open to a Republican alternative and he cited public polling that indicates DeSantis may be a stronger general election candidate against President Joe Biden.

But a central challenge for Republicans is to hone a message that resonates with voters who have backed Trump but are open to others in 2024.

Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the Koch brothers operation, is working to explicitly undermine Trump in Iowa and other early-voting states. Since February, the group's paid staff and volunteers have been knocking on thousands of doors a week in Iowa and raising questions about Trumps chances in a general election, said Drew Klein, the organization's state director.

That approach has concerned some in the GOP. Cedar Rapids Republican Bernie Hayes, chair of the GOP in Iowas second most populous county, said he was shocked when Klein told people last week they should not back Trump in the caucuses.

Why would you speak against him where theres a big percentage of people who support Donald Trump? asked Hayes, who is also a member of the state Republican Party central committee and publicly neutral. That message is going to lose big time.

Candidates who are the most blunt in knocking Trump are not making inroads in Iowa. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for instance, has not visited the state as a 2024 candidate and was not among the speakers Friday. He is focusing his energy on the more libertarian voters in New Hampshire.

Another candidate critical of Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, had an awkward exchange with Carlson on Friday when the conservative commentator grilled Hutchinson over the COVID-19 vaccine and his veto of a 2021 law banning gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth.

Is it treatment to prevent him from going through the natural process of adolescence?" Carlson asked, interrupting Hutchinson, who tried to move on. This is one of the biggest issues in the country."

The audience erupted in applause for Carlson, while Hutchinson tried to reinforce his position that parents, not the state, should be the guiding force for children, a point met with silence from the crowd.

Similarly, former Vice President Mike Pence got a tepid response when he told the audience he had no right to reject the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, when Congress was certifying the results of the 2020 election. He drew a murmur of jeers when he defended his position that military support for Ukraine is a national security interest for the United States.

Anybody that says we can't be the leader of the free world and solve our problems at home has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on Earth, Pence responded when Carlson challenged Pence's commitment to domestic priorities.

DeSantis may ultimately be best positioned for a long slog against Trump. DeSantis will almost almost certainly have the financial resources to stay in the nomination fight long after Iowa Republicans vote.

But any recovery for DeSantis will almost certainly be grounded in a strong showing in Iowa. Some in the state say he has the opportunity by continuing to stoke conservative outrage related to rights for transgender people and racial equality.

People like what they hear from him, said Demastus, the Des Moines pastor. He is speaking evangelical love language, protecting our children, pushing back against the woke ideology.

Peoples reported from New York.
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP)  More than a third of Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings Thursday as a blistering heat wave that's been baking the nation spread further into California, forcing residents to seek out air conditioning or find other ways to stay cool in triple-digit temperatures.

The sweltering conditions were expected to build Friday and through the weekend in Central and Southern California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned. Highs in inland desert areas could top 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.8 degrees Celsius) during the day, and remain in the 80s (above 26.6 C) overnight, offering little relief.

In the desert city of Palm Springs, many homeless people were left to contend with the heat on their own, with just 20 indoor beds at the lone overnight shelter.

John Summers, a homeless resident, climbed through a dry riverbed Thursday to seek shade at an encampment.

I basically just use water as much as I can. And hit shade. And, you know, the mall, wherever theyll let you in, he said.

Roman Ruiz, the citys homeless services coordinator, said homeless residents struggle daily just to find a place with enough shade.

I dont know how anyone can do it really, he said. I feel so bad, and yet theres not much I can do.

The mercury was expected to near 110 degrees (43.3 Celsius) in the city Thursday.

Elsewhere, officials prepared to repurpose public libraries, senior centers and police department lobbies as cooling centers, especially in desert areas.

The heat wave came as the California State Fair prepared to kick off Friday in Sacramento, forcing organizers to cancel planned horseracing events due to concerns for animal safety.

Forecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous, especially for older people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas.

In Las Vegas, regional health officials launched a new database Thursday to report heat-caused and heat-related deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October.

The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related. The tally includes deaths due to heat exposure or hyperthermia and cases with those reasons listed as significant factors, district spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore said.

Phoenix hit 110 degrees (43 Celsius) for the 14th consecutive day Thursday, putting it on track for a possible new record next week. The longest measured stretch of 110 degree-plus temperatures for the city is 18 days, recorded in 1974.

The overnight low temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday morning was 95 degrees (35 C), which means temperatures may not be dropping far enough to allow people to recover after dark.

While there are some 200 cooling and hydration centers operated at libraries, community centers, churches and other public spaces across metro Phoenix, most close anywhere between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., leaving people with few options for cooling off in the still-sweltering nights.

David Hondula, chief heat officer for the City of Phoenix, said some centers plan to close later over the weekend, including one downtown near a large encampment of homeless people that will stay open 24 hours.

Hondula suggested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency could play a role in the future to help keep cooling centers open longer.

Wed certainly be interested to have that conversation," he said.

Meanwhile in California, cooling centers in and around Sacramento planned to offer some extended evening hours. In the small Central Valley city of Galt, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the state capital, the police department planned to open its air-conditioned lobby between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. from Friday until Monday.

We want to make sure that anybody who does not have the ability to find appropriate shelter, that they can have a place to go to keep themselves in a safe and cool environment, Lt. John Rocha said.

The same lobby served as a warming center during Californias unusually wet, cold and snowy winter, demonstrating the weather whiplash the state has experienced this year.

Employers were reminded to adhere to regulations that require outdoor workers are given water, shade and regular breaks to cool off. The state will be performing spot checks at work sites to make sure the rules are being followed, said Jeff Killip with California's Division of Occupational Safety & Health.

Meanwhile the wildfire season is ramping up amid the hot, dry conditions with a series of blazes erupting across the state this week, Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, said at a media briefing this week.

Global climate change is supercharging heat waves, Crowfoot added. California has instituted a $400 million extreme heat action plan to protect workers, help vulnerable communities and assist local communities in opening cooling centers.

People looking to cool down in California's many rivers should be wary, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said, noting that waterways swollen from the epic Sierra Nevada snowpack remain dangerous as there is still snow left to melt.

Be aware that the water will still be icy cold despite how hot the air will be and could be flowing very fast, much faster than usual for mid-July, he said.

Har reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writers Anita Snow in Phoenix, Ken Miller in Oklahoma City, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, John Antczak in Los Angeles and Julie Watson in San Diego contributed.
Woody Guthries best-known song is also one of his most-often misunderstood.

Guthries This Land is Your Land  or, more specifically, one particular verse about endless skys and golden valleys and the songs singalong chorus  is often construed as the unofficial national anthem, said Cady Shaw, executive director of the Woody Guthrie Center.

But until people come to the center and go through our exhibit, they often dont realize that this was a questioning song, she said. Woody was very thoughtful in writing this song, because he was responding to (Irving Berlins) God Bless America, and in many of the drafts of the lyrics, hes asking the question, Is this land made for you and me?

That phrase from an early version of Guthries song is being used in what Shaw hopes will be a series of images by Indigenous artists, whose interpretations of Guthries work and beliefs will be used in a range of merchandise.

The first of these images was officially unveiled this weekend as part of the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah. Designed by Keli Gonzales, the image is a stylized depiction of a landscape divided in half  one side showing a pristine vision of mountains and rivers, the other containing images of industry, from railroad tracks to oil wells.

Im a Woody Guthrie fan, and I knew that the song wasnt intended to be this happy-go-lucky kind of thing, Gonzales said. At the same time, while in the song Woody addresses groups of marginalized people, he did not necessarily include Indigenous people.

Also, many native people believe that you cant own the land, but that we are a part of the land  the land is like a relative, our support system, she said. That got me thinking about how preserving and protecting the land is such a primary concern for native people, and the image I came up with grew from that.

Gonzales original plan was to have the phrase Is This Land Made for You and Me? appear in several Indigenous languages, including Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Osage and Caddo.

I thought it would have greater meaning if I could show that this as being a sentiment of more than one person, or one tribe, she said. But I wasnt able to get that done in time.

Gonzales also created another image, of a fist adorned with Native tattoo that also includes the Is This Land Made for You and Me? statement, which will be available as a sticker.

Shaw said the idea behind this project is a result of the centers being very cognizant of where we are. The Tulsa Arts District stands on unceded territories of several tribes, and that is something we note in our land acknowledgement and in our community activities.

As a member of a native community (Shaw is a member of the Choctaw Nation), I know that there are many native artists whose work touches on the themes Woody was addressing in this song, and I thought it would be good for us to provide those artists with a way to offer a different perspective.

Gonzales, who lives in the Tahlequah area, said she learned at an early age that art was both a way to express and communicate ideas, as well as a way to forge a connection with her culture.

Ive been able to meet with Cherokee people from all over the country through my art, and that makes me very happy, she said. Still, it is a little weird to realize that something Ive created is now going to be displayed and sold at a place as internationally known as the Woody Guthrie Center. But its a good kind of weird.

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Right now, the plan is to keep things simple.

Three sandwiches. Two meats. Plenty of coffee. Plenty of wine.

One of the meats is brisket, prepared according to that time-honored culinary tradition of, Its my moms recipe.

The other is pastrami, which subjects beef brisket to a lengthy, painstaking, labor-intensive process to transform into something rich, tender, highly seasoned and carrying a subtle yet noticeable presence of wood smoke.

As one of the three sandwiches is that classic of the deli menu, the Reuben, one might think that corned beef would also be available.

Every time we gave people samples of our corned beef and our pastrami, they always preferred the pastrami, said Hunter Stone Gambill. Which is great, because it streamlines things even more.

Gambill on Saturday officially opened his newest restaurant, Gambills Jewish Deli, in the Shops at Mother Road, 1102 S. Lewis Ave.

Its the second restaurant concept Gambill has had in this space. Originally, it was Gambills Wine & Coffee, which was inspired by Spanish tapas bars Gambill had visited during his travels.

It was doing well, and interest seemed to be growing, Gambill said. Then there was all the construction that went on (at the intersection of 11th Street and Lewis Avenue) made it difficult for people to get in here.

Also, we learned very quickly that our customers came to eat, whereas in Spain, the focus at a tapas bar is on the drinks, he said. Since this space has no prep kitchen, it was challenge to meet everyones demands. So I really didnt have any problems with going in a different direction.

Gambills career in food might seem as if has been going in a lot of different directions. In addition to the new deli, he also owns Gambills Pastaria, 1921 S. Harvard Ave., serving up variations on Italian-American classics, from chicken parmigiana to pizzas, with almost all ingredients made in-house; and later this summer will open Gambills Tex-Mex Barbecue, in the house that once held the Dragonmoon Tea Co. and Table 20.

Gambill also owns OK Distilling Co., roasts his own coffee (which can be purchased at his restaurants), and frequently collaborates with fellow food entrepreneurs and chefs for unique pop-up experiences.

I dont think in terms of concepts, Gambill said. All these projects are things that Im passionate about, that reflects a lot of my personal experiences, and that I think bring something new to Tulsa.

Gambills Jewish Deli fulfills those requirements, in that Gambills family is Jewish and hes active in Tulsas Jewish community.

And aside from the synagogue (Congregation Bnai Emunah, which hosts a pop-up restaurant called Seventeenth Street Deli on occasion), no one in town was offering a traditional Jewish deli experience, he said.

For Gambill, that starts with the way he makes pastrami. It is dry-cured, rather than brined, then spritzed with red wine vinegar and given a special rub before being smoked, then steamed to the desired texture and flavor.

I dont know of anyone in town who makes pastrami who does the steaming process, he said.

The pastrami ended up in the delis Reuben sandwich, as well as one called The Pistol, which includes the usual accoutrements on a Reuben sandwich  the sauerkraut, the Swiss cheese, the rye bread  augmented by a spicy homemade mustard that can set the lips to tingling.

The other sandwich currently available is called the Pauli, and features brisket prepared according to a recipe used by Gambills mother, topped with Provolone cheese and horseradish mayo on club bread, a version of sourdough.

Gambill said that he likes to give a personal twist to all the foods and drinks he serves. For some people, mayo and brisket just arent a thing, he said, but thats the way my mother would serve these sandwiches.

Sandwiches are sold based on the amount of meat they contain. A 6-oz. sandwich is $17; the 12-oz. version, which is more than substantial, is $25. All sandwiches are served with kettle-cooked potato chips and house-made half-sour pickles.

The shop still offers an array of Spanish-influenced coffee drinks, as well as about two dozen wines from around the world, including France, Spain, South Africa, Israel and Australia, as well as some domestic labels.

Hours for Gambills Jewish Deli are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The delis menu will slowly begin to expand, especially once the up-scale apartment complex, Noma, opens across the street.

We plan to be open for breakfast, and have house-made bagels and lox, along with breakfast sandwiches and burritos, he said.

Because of the space limitations, all the food served as Gambills Jewish Deli is prepared offsite, at Gambills Pastaria. That practice is also why Gambills Tex-Mex Barbecue, which originally had been slated to open before the deli, is still a work in progress.

We basically ran out of prep space, Gambill said. Were planning on building a separate prep kitchen, so we can have all our prep in one place.

Hes also planning to create a Taco Bar and Brewery that will share space with OK Distilling Co, at 1724 E. Seventh St., as well as what he calls a kid-friendly coffee shop that he hopes can be open by early fall.

A lot of what we do is to provide the sort of experiences that me and my family would like to have, Gambill said. A place where I can go with my son in the morning and have a bagel and a good cup of coffee is something I look for as a parent. And if its something I think needs to exist, Im pretty confident other people will think it needs to exist, too.

Tulsa diners seem to believe that the restaurants Gambill operates certainly need to exist. Gambill said that most restaurants have a customer retention rate  diners who return to a given place repeatedly  around 30 percent, meaning that more than two-thirds of customers who visit a restaurant for the first time never return.

Our retention rate has been  comparatively speaking  astronomically high, he said. Were averaging better than 50 percent at the Pastaria, and it seems to keep growing.

I know were not going to be everything to all people, Gambill said. We just want the people who do try what we have to offer to love it.

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The chance for severe weather will increase again Friday evening. Storms are expected to develop in Kansas late in the afternoon and then will advance into central Oklahoma, then eastern Oklahoma late overnight.

The main threat with these storms, if they become severe, will be the risk for hail up to half-dollar in size and winds along the leading edge of the storm may gust to near 60-70 mph.

Tulsa County is under a slight risk for seeing severe development, while Washington, Nowata, Craig, and Osage counties are all under an enhanced risk for seeing severe weather.

In regards to timing, it looks like there may be two chances for seeing storm development. The first would be around 7-8 p.m., but the more likely chance for Tulsa County will be after the midnight hour.

Clouds will linger into Saturday morning, hopefully keeping temperatures down a bit to start the weekend.

Highs for Saturday and Sunday will be in the low 90s, which is on par for this time of year.

However, by Tuesday, the forecast for 100-degree heat returns to Oklahoma.

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CLAREMORE  Whether the cost to the state for blacklisting specific financial firms ends up being $2 million, $20 million or more doesnt matter, Oklahomas House speaker said.

The law is clear, Rep. Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said Thursday night at the annual Rogers County Republican Party Patriots Dinner.

The Energy Discrimination Elimination Act bars the state from doing business with financial companies that boycott the oil and gas industry or partake in environmental, social and corporate governance  known as ESG  investing. The Oklahoma State Treasurers Office compiled a list of financial companies that handle the states pension and retirement funds that must be blacklisted.

Among those listed: Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and BlackRock, one of the largest financial services companies in the world, which currently manages over half the assets for the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System.

McCall told the Tulsa World that the exact cost of pulling out of business with these financial companies is unknown, but he said hes seen estimates from $2 million to $20 million and even higher.

Theyre already in my office this last session  saying Oh, its going to cost us a lot of money to move out of BlackRock and these ESG companies. Were saying (it) doesnt matter, McCall said during his speech Thursday. Youll make that money up.

The Energy Discrimination Elimination Act, which was backed heavily by Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, is nearly an exact copy of a 2021 law passed in Texas.

McCall said he hopes the law encourages financial institutions to change their policies so the state can stay in business with them.

Hopefully these companies will see the light, change their policies (and) change their investment strategies to do the very best they can for the people in the state of Oklahoma.  Thats all were asking, McCall said. Our legislation  we want to see these companies work for the best interests of their beneficiaries (and) not for the social agendas and political agendas of some leadership.

State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, who also spoke at the event Thursday night, said ESG investing infringes on Oklahomans rights, calling it a guise.

Investment firms reward ESG behavior over marketplace principles, Byrd said. So how does this affect state pensions? Those that make the decisions about how our pensions are invested  are putting our money into ESG objectives, which are not maximizing the rate of return. 

Thats why we got rid of BlackRock.

Questioning education audits

Part of Byrds speech at the Patriots Dinner was devoted to her efforts auditing education, including the 2020 audit of Epic Charter Schools, whose actions she has characterized as the states largest abuse of taxpayer funds.

Byrd said she was shocked to see so many Republicans in the state want to dismiss or push down the Epic Charter Schools audit. While she said she is also a supporter of school choice and school tax credits, she said misuse of tax dollars must be exposed.

I believe everyone would want to know about fraud, waste and abuse and work together to get it fixed, but thats not always the case, Byrd said. For two years, conservatives dismissed those audit findings, and an additional $80 million was given to bad actors.

It was never about or against charter schools, virtual education or more choice options. It was about how a company took over the schools checkbook to the tune of tens of millions of dollars for excessive administrative costs in schools.  When we take action on bad news, even if it is a case were passionate about, we get it fixed, and we come back better.

On June 27, Byrd released an audit of how the state handled federal pandemic relief money, specifically expenditures made during fiscal year 2021. The audit found that several million dollars worth of federal COVID-19 relief funds mismanaged and determined that about $29 million out of $14 billion in expenditures was questionable.

Many Republicans do not want to talk about the mismanagement of these funds, especially as some of the funding was to go to support school choice endeavors, Byrd said.

In her speech, Byrd explained that her office has to be formally asked before it can open an audit. She said thats why the State Department of Education hadnt had an audit of its administrative costs, less than 0.03% of its budget, until Gov. Kevin Stitt formally requested that the State Auditor and Inspectors Office conduct a first-of-its-kind investigative audit of the Oklahoma State Department of Education in September 2021.

An audit is underway and will be released in the fall, Byrd said.

Were only auditing a small portion of those funds, and those are heavily legislated, Byrd said. The audit will be a very good educational tool for anybody who wants to know about how education dollars operate.

Byrd and McCall expressed their support for this years education funding package, which invested an additional $625 million into public education, with a large portion of that being used for tax credits for home schooling, private school and charter school families in order to support school choice. Byrd said these tax credits were the best way to go about school choice.

McCall said the only thing that can take down the Republican supermajority in the Legislature is not working together.

Its a big caucus. We have disagreements, but we all are focused on moving the state forward, McCall said. We are really focused on getting government out of the way.



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The 59th Oklahoma Legislatures phantom special session will flit in and out of the Capitol later this month in a second attempt to overturn two of Gov. Kevin Stitts vetoes.

The Senate expects to meet July 24 for a second vote on overriding Senate Bill 26x and to take up an override of House Bill 1005x for the first time.

If the Senate succeeds in overriding SB 26x, the House will take it up on July 31, according to House Minority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City.

The House has already voted to override HB 1005x.

The two bills, which would extend the tribal tobacco and motor vehicle registration compacts that are due to expire this year until Dec. 31, 2024, are part of the Legislatures and governors long-running disagreement about the states handling of Indian affairs.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a critic of Stitts sometimes confrontational tactics, entered the arena this month by asking the Legislature to give him authority to represent the state in a legal wrangle over gaming compacts. Oklahoma is currently represented by a Washington law firm.

Stitt argues that only the governor has the authority to negotiate compacts and has tried to bring pressure against Republican lawmakers to let his vetoes of the two bills stand.

Lawmakers are concerned that Stitt will allow the compacts to expire, resulting in a loss of revenue.

Stitt has offered the 14 tribes whose compacts expire this year a one-year extension, the same as in SB 26x and HB 1005x, but on the condition the tribes do not assert jurisdiction beyond current limits.

Stitt says he is concerned that some tribes, because of the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling that some Oklahoma Indian reservations were never dissolved, will try to broaden their taxing authority.

Under House and Senate rules, overrides require two-thirds majorities of the seats in both chambers. As a practical matter, that means only yes votes matter; not voting is the same as a no vote.

The Senate on June 26 came up one vote short of the 32 it needed to override SB 26x. There were eight no votes  all eight from Republicans  and nine not voting.

The House overrode HB 1005x on June 12 by a vote of 74-11 with 16 not voting and 68 votes required. All opposition came from Republicans.

Technically, the Legislature has been in special session since May 17, but the two chambers have met only one day each since May 26.



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The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) on Friday broke ground on two road projects leading to the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam.

The roads, which belong to the third component  major facilities  of the first phase of the big-ticket airport project, require a total investment of over VND2.63 trillion (US$111 million).

A consortium led by Deo Ca Group is the contractor of the project.

They expect to complete the project in 885 days.

Road No. 1, which will be 4.3 kilometers long, will run from the west of the airport to National Highway 51, connecting the airport to Ho Chi Minh City and provinces in the west of the airport.

The road will allow a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

It will serve the transport of machines and equipment for the construction of the upcoming items of the first phase of the Long Thanh International Airport project.

Meanwhile, the 3.5-kilometer road No. 2 will be developed as an expressway with a designed speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

The road will connect with road No. 1, then run parallel to the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway project, and end at the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway.

An artists impression of road No. 1 connecting Long Thanh International Airport with National Highway 51. Photo: ACV

To make room for the two roads, the Peoples Committee of Long Thanh District in Dong Nai Province has taken back more than 130 hectares of land, including some 110 hectares from 900 households.

Dong Nai has handed over 70 percent of the cleared site for road No. 1, while the site for road No. 2 has yet to be handed over, news site VnExpress reported.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, ACV chairman Lai Xuan Thanh said the corporation would mobilize resources and coordinate with the contractor to complete the project as scheduled and meet quality requirements set by the lawmaking National Assembly and the government.

An artists impression of the intersection of road No. 1 and National Highway 51. Photo: ACV

The Long Thanh International Airport project, located some 40 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, will have an annual capacity of 100 million passengers and five million metric tons of cargo.

Work on the project will be carried out in three phases.

In the first phase, the airport is designed to accommodate 25 million passengers and handle 1.2 million metric tons of cargo per year.

The project, which needs an estimated investment of some VND336.63 trillion ($14.1 billion), will be the largest airport in the nation once it is complete.

The construction of the passenger terminal of the airport will begin in August.

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A pedestrian passes by the KT headquarters building in Seoul in this March file photo. Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



KT is drawing criticism for keeping the list of its CEO candidates confidential, according to industry officials, Friday.



In a press release issued late Thursday, the telecommunication firm said 27 outsiders are among the CEO candidates. It also said one of them was recommended by a shareholder and there are other six who were recommended by external institutions.



However, KT did not disclose their names and how many company insiders applied for the post.



"To ensure a fair competition and protect the personal information of the candidates, we decided not to disclose their names," the company said. "There remain concerns that the disclosure could make renowned candidates feel pressure and drop out of the race."



When KT previously looked for a CEO in February, the company disclosed the names of all 34 candidates, as well as their current and previous jobs. It also advised the latest applicants to agree to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information.



KT reportedly warned the applicants that they may face disadvantages during the screening procedure if they do not agree to disclose their personal information to the public and media.



Critics, therefore, expressed concerns about the possibility of KT trying to appoint a person with close ties to the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Such concerns were also raised after KT decided last month to remove "expertise in the ICT sector" as a requirement for leadership positions at the telecommunication firm.



"Whenever KT concealed the list of its CEO candidates in the past, it appointed a person with close ties to the government," one of KT's multiple unions said in a statement. "The company should also transparently disclose who recommended the candidates."



After shortlisting the sole candidate during the first week of next month, KT seeks to appoint its new CEO during the general meeting of its shareholders in late August.



Under the presidency of Yoon, the company failed twice in its attempts to appoint the next leader, after facing severe backlash from the government and the ruling party. Although KT was privatized in 2002, the incumbent and previous governments have meddled with its management by using the National Pension Service, the company's largest shareholder.


Da Nang City will enhance its tourism cooperation with Japan as the latter seeks to increase the number of tourists from central Vietnam and vice versa, Da Nang and Japanese officials said at a seminar on Thursday.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) in Vietnam and the Da Nang Department of External Relations jointly held a tourism seminar as part of the Vietnam-Japan Festival 2023  an event held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic relations.

At the seminar, Yakabe Yoshinori, Consul General of Japan in Da Nang, said the number of Vietnamese travelers visiting Japan is on the rise.

The consulate general has fostered the issuance of visas to citizens from central Vietnam coming to Japan for stays and official duties since the resumption of direct air routes between the two locations in March this year.

The agency will also begin granting short-term tourist visas in the near future.

Uchida Shusuke, a representative of JNTO in Vietnam, affirmed that the enhancement of tourism cooperation is a way to develop the partnership between the two countries and an opportunity for their peoples to better understand each other.

The organization is trying to encourage Vietnamese tourists to travel to Japan through tourism-focused promotional campaigns.

JNTO and Vietnam Airlines on Wednesday inked a memorandum of understanding on promoting tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

It set a target of 500,000 Vietnamese visitors to Japan, equal to the figure recorded in 2019.

Nguyen Xuan Binh, deputy director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, said Da Nang considers Japan a key tourism source market, adding that the city welcomed more than 183,000 Japanese tourist arrivals in 2019, surging nearly 200 percent over 2015.

Preferential policies after the COVID-19 pandemic have paved the way for an increase in the number of tourists visiting each destination.

Since Vietnam reopened its doors to international tourists in March last year, the city has welcomed some 27,000 Japanese visitors, according to news site Vietnamplus.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel this week to India for meetings with Group of 20 finance officials and Indian officials, and then on to Vietnam for bilateral talks, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.

Yellen, who returned to Washington on Sunday after a visit to China, will use the G20 meetings to continue pushing for reforms at the multilateral development banks and for moves to accelerate sluggish progress on debt restructuring processes for low-income countries, a senior Treasury official said.

The official noted that Western leaders estimated that multilateral development banks could unlock $200 billion in extra lending firepower over the next decade through measures that were already under way, or under deliberation.

Treasury hoped the World Bank could create a mechanism to provide more resources for countries tackling global challenges such as climate change, and would like the World Bank to explore options for lending to sub- and super-sovereign actors, not just national governments.

Yellen would also urge all official bilateral creditors, including China, to speed up slow-moving debt restructuring efforts. Recent movement on Zambia's debt was encouraging, but other cases needed to move faster, the official said.

Treasury was pushing for publication of a user manual for borrowing countries aimed at increasing the efficiency of the overall debt restructuring process, the official added.

The U.S. Treasury secretary, who has focused heavily on "friend-shoring" - taking steps to build more resilient supply chains through expanded ties with trusted partners - will hold bilateral talks in India and Vietnam, Treasury said.

Throughout the July 13-21 trip, Yellen would emphasize the need for countries to have diverse, resilient supply chains, although that was not a message "specifically targeted at China," and it did not reflect any plans by the U.S. to decouple from the Chinese economy, the official said.

"If you're talking about diversifying ... your supply chain, you're basically saying I don't want 100% dependence on critical components anywhere in the world. That's not specifically targeted at China," the official said.

Yellen raised concerns with Chinese officials during her visit about what she called punitive actions against U.S. firms and China's recent move to restrict exports of gallium and germanium, two critical minerals used to make semiconductors.

That move was "perhaps the clearest example one can have of why we talk about building diversified and secure supply chains," the official said, adding U.S. officials were still trying to understand exactly how that action would be put in place.

Yellen would also work with Vietnamese officials on U.S. concerns about Vietnam's currency practices, the official said, lauding Vietnam's "constructive dialogue" on the issues.

"Secretary Yellen will highlight this progress during her visit to Vietnam as one example of how our countries can work together to address challenges and help enhance Vietnam's financial and macroeconomic resilience," Treasury said.

Yellen would hold a news conference on July 16, ahead of the G20 meeting, as well as bilateral meetings with officials from India and the European Union, Treasury said.

In Vietnam, she will meet with Vietnamese finance officials and central bankers, as well as the economic commissioner from the Vietnamese Communist party, Treasury said.

She will also participate in a lunch with women economists, following on similar meetings she has held in Japan, South Korea and China, and take part in a female leadership conference hosted by Foreign Trade University, Treasury said.
About four million foreigners and overseas Vietnamese have a demand for buying homes in Vietnam, Hoang Hai, head of the Ministry of Constructions house and real estate market management agency, said at a conference in Hanoi on Thursday.

As many as 3,035 foreigners have bought apartments in Vietnam, according to Hai.

Major urban cities and provinces like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau prevail as favorite places among the foreign condo buyers.

Hai stated that there has been a substantial increase in the number of foreign individuals and organizations possessing residential properties in Vietnam, starting from the implementation of the new Housing Law in 2014.

Referring to statistical data, he said that about four million people, including foreigners and Vietnamese expatriates, are keen on buying a house in Vietnam.

Despite the high demand, legal issues make it challenging for foreigners to purchase real estate in Vietnam.

Under the 2014 Housing Law, foreign organizations and individuals are granted the opportunity to purchase and possess houses if they meet certain criteria.

The move, considered to be consistent with global norms, has created favorable conditions for Vietnam to attract foreign investments and foster the growth of both the tourism industry and the real estate market.

However, according to provisions outlined in the 2013 Land Law and the draft of the amended Land Law, foreign individuals are not eligible to buy and own residential land in the country.

Resolution No. 18, adopted in 2022 by the Party Central Committee, also fails to mention the use of land by foreign individuals in the country.

Therefore, in the draft of the amended Housing Law, the Ministry of Construction proposed that the government maintain the current regulations permitting foreign individuals to purchase and possess houses in Vietnam, including private houses and apartments.

However, the ministry has removed provisions that allow foreign organizations and individuals to own houses linked to leased land usage rights.

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Authorities in Da Lat, a popular tourist hub in Lam Dong Province of Vietnam's Central Highlands region, shut down two restaurants on Thursday for their usage of ingredients with unclear origins.

The Peoples Committee of Da Lat suspended the operations and revoked the business licenses of two Bo To Da Lat 118 eateries at 118 Hung Vuong Street and 8 Da Chien Hill, Ward 11.

The city also fined Nguyen Thi Hau, the owner of the two eateries, VND24.5 million (US$1,034).

The two restaurants were found to have been violating food hygiene and safety regulations.

During an inspection into five catering service providers in Da Lat on June 30, local police found that the two Bo To Da Lat 118 eateries were unable to present documents proving the origin of their stored beef.

At 8 Da Chien Hill, the inspection team found 97 kilograms of pork, worth about VND19 million ($802), with no identifiable origin.

The Da Lat Peoples Committee said it would force the owner of the restaurants to shut down the establishments if she refused to comply with the citys decision.

Da Lat authorities found frozen meat without clear origins at the two eateries. Photo: Supplied by the Da Lat Police

The city will also impose sanctions on Viet Ha Tay Nguyen One-Member Co. Ltd. and Milk Dinosaur Company, both headquartered at 46 Dinh Cong Trang in Ward 7, Da Lat City, and seven other eateries, which provided ingredients to restaurants in Da Lat and other localities, for violating food safety regulations.

Da Lats inspection team earlier examined a frozen meat storage facility owned by Viet Ha Tay Nguyen One-Member Co. Ltd. and found some 700 kilograms of pork breast, 270 kilograms of pork uterus, and other food with no origin documentation.

The city will continue strictly handling food safety violators in accordance with the law.

It requested enterprises and household businesses in the city commit to not using foodstuffs of unclear origin, said Dang Quang Tu, chairman of the Da Lat Peoples Committee.

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A sleeper bus carrying 34 passengers suddenly caught fire in the rear when it was traveling on an expressway in southern Vietnam on Thursday, with no one being hurt in the incident.

Police said on Thursday afternoon that they were investigating the cause of the fire that broke out at around 11:00 am the same day on the Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway section passing through Tan Phu Commune in Cai Lay Town, Tien Giang Province.

Right after detecting the fire, the bus driver immediately stopped the vehicle and evacuated the 34 passengers from it before joining local inhabitants in putting out the blaze but they failed.

A rescue truck tows a sleeper bus away from the fire accident scene on the Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway in southern Vietnam, July 13, 2023. Photo: H.T. / Tuoi Tre

The driver was identified as Nguyen Thanh Niem, a 35-year-old native of Ca Mau Province in southern Vietnam.

Several fire trucks and many firefighters were dispatched to the scene and managed to extinguish the flames in around 20 minutes.

The incident caused no damage to people but the sleeper bus.

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The administration in Ho Chi Minh City has installed iron barriers under city bridges to prevent dumping and encroachment.

The installation of the iron barriers will not affect commuters.

Prior to the installation of these barriers, residents and businesses had been encroaching on spaces under bridges.

In some areas, these spaces were used as landfills and burn pits.

Spaces under bridges can no longer be used for business after the authorities in Ho Chi Minh City built barriers there. Vehicles travel through the areas as normal. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport had earlier tasked the Ho Chi Minh City Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center and the Ho Chi Minh City Management Center of Public Transport with reviewing the use of spaces under bridges and drawing up a plan to restore the spaces by erecting barriers and constructing concrete flooring.

The department had also asked the two centers to enhance inspections and coordination with the Peoples Committees of districts and Thu Duc City to handle anyone caught vandalizing the barriers and encroaching on the spaces.

Sets of outdoor fitness equipment are installed under the Binh Loi Bridge in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

Barriers under the Binh Loi Bridge in Ho Chi Minh City are locked to prevent encroachment. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

Iron barriers under the Binh Loi Bridge in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper has repeatedly reported on the dumping and burning of garbage under the Rach Lang Bridge in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. The municipal authorities have erected barriers under the bridge. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

Besides the Rach Chiec, Binh Loi, and Rach Lang Bridges, the municipal authorities will install barriers under other bridges in the near future, including the Saigon Bridge and those along Vo Van Kiet Avenue. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

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A low-pressure area east of the Philippines has strengthened into a tropical depression and will enter the East Vietnam Sea by early Saturday morning, Vietnams central weather agency forecast.

The depression took shape on Thursday night in the waters east of the Philippines central coast and has since moved toward the East Vietnam Sea, the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting said on Friday morning.

The depression was located east of the Philippines Luzon Island at 7:00 am on Friday, packing winds of up to 49 kph and gusts of 78 kph.

It is expected to move northwest at 15-20 kph and will make its way into the East Vietnam Sea at some point between Friday night and early Saturday morning.

By 7:00 am on Saturday, the depression will be centered in the northern part of the East Vietnam Sea, about 310 kilometers southeast off Hong Kong, with strong winds of up to 88 kph.

Over the following 48-72 hours, the depression will mainly travel west and northwest, maintaining its speed but possibly picking up strength.

Due to the effects of the low-pressure trench combined with the southwestern monsoon, the southern area of the East Vietnam Sea, including the waters surrounding Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and the maritime area near south-central Binh Thuan Province, southern Kien Giang Province, and the Gulf of Thailand will see showers and thunderstorms with winds of up to 61 kph and potentially dangerous squalls and whirlwinds.

On Saturday, rough seas, powerful winds of up to 88 kph, and waves of two-to-four meters tall are forecast to ravage the waters from Ninh Thuan in south-central Vietnam to southernmost Ca Mau Province.

The poor weather and rough seas are likely to have negative effects on vessels and other maritime operations, the weather agency warned.

From Friday evening to Saturday morning, medium to heavy rains, together with thunderstorms, will cover Vietnams northern mountainous areas with rainfalls averaging 40-70 millimeters and even possibly topping out at 150 millimeters in some locales.

The same rainy weather is forecast to affect the midlands and the northern delta, with precipitation of up to over 70 millimeters.

The Central Highlands and southern regions will also be hit by torrential rains mainly in the afternoon and evening, with rainfall of more than 80 millimeters.

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Vietnam is among the 25 countries that have successfully halved multidimensional poverty over the past 15 years, according to a report by the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at the University of Oxford.

As assessed on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest rate of multidimensional poverty, Vietnams multidimensional poverty state has decreased 50 percent over the past 15 years, according to the report issued on Tuesday.

Based on Vietnam-related data collected through the 2020-21 period, the country had 1.8 million people, or 1.9 percent of its population, classified as living in multidimensional poverty in 2021.

Besides Vietnam, 24 other countries have also halved their multidimensional poverty index (MPI) values over the past 15 years, showing that rapid progress is attainable, the report said.

Among the other nations named on the list were Cambodia, China, Congo, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Morocco, and Serbia.

MPI is a new assessment method based on low income rates (less than US$2.15 per day, equivalent to VND50,000 per day) and insufficient access to basic social services such as healthcare, education, and information.

Vietnam has been moving into a new phase of sustainable poverty reduction since 2016, applying multidimensional poverty criteria and chalking up considerable achievements, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs said.

This latest report provides a compact update on multidimensional poverty in the world through data compiled from 110 countries accommodating 6.1 billion people.

Accordingly, 1.1 billion (over 18 percent) of the 6.1 billion people live in acute multidimensional poverty across 110 countries.

South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have 389 million and 534 million impoverished people, respectively.

Among the total number of impoverished people, nearly two-thirds (730 million people) live in middle-income countries, illustrating that poverty reduction policies in these countries play an important role in global poverty reduction, the report said.

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True crime documentary The Lady of Silence: The Mataviejitas Murders looks back to mass panic in Mexico City when a serial killer was killing elderly ladies.

The year 2000 marks the start of a new decade in Mexico City. A number of murders has the capital police at a stalemate: older ladies are being strangled in their own homes. The victims profiles are causing never-before-seen social outrage and media coverage. The Attorney Generals Office is employing all its resources and efforts to capture Mexicos first serial killer. Witnesses describe the suspect as tall, robust, and strong, passing off as a nurse to earn the victims trust. In January 2006, after more than 40 murders, several failed arrests, and multiple contradictions, a woman is detained in broad daylight. Her name: Juana Barraza. Known in the world of lucha libre as The Lady of Silence and baptized by the media as The Old-Lady Killer, a nickname that is to become part of Mexicos dark history as well as its incomparable pop culture.

Thursday July 27 on Netflix.
The strike by SAG-AFTRA is already being felt in Australia, despite having the support of the MEAA.

Productions which involve SAG-AFTRA members have begun closing down, although some were able to complete filming before the strike deadline:

 Production on Peacocks Apples Never Fall stopped at 5pm on Friday. The shows star, Annette Bening, reportedly said goodbye to cast and crew on the Gold Coast on Thursday and planned to fly out of the country yesterday. Production had been scheduled to continue until August. Sam Neill also features in the show. The series was managed by Matchbox Pictures, which already lost Metropolis due to the writers strike.

 Atomic Monster movie Mortal Kombat 2, also filming in Queensland, was due to shoot until September but has halted.

 La Brea S3 had completed shooting its six episodes, believed to be in late June.

 Mischa Barton finished filming on Neighbours for 10 / Prime Video / Freevee three weeks ago. In any case, work on daytime serials, or soap operas, is still permitted.

 Productions which have no card-carrying SAG-AFTRA members will be unaffected and can continue, such as The Office Australia. It also does not affect unscripted shows: This includes work on non-dramatic productions such as variety shows, talk shows, game shows, reality and competition shows, and special events.

 It isnt clear if The Twelve could be impacted by Sam Neills return to the show. Foxtel is yet to confirm, but Neill was on record as saying he was returning. High Country also includes Irish actor Ian McElhinney (Game of Thrones) but it isnt clear if he is also a member of SAG-AFTRA nor whether his scenes had been completed. Update: Said to have completed filming.

 There could be other Australian actors who have worked stateside who have SAG-AFTRA membership, but it isnt clear if they can work in Australia through MEAA membership or whether they are expected to follow suit.

 Are there any Logie presenters impacted? The strike includes red carpets and awards events. Lincoln Younes has worked in the USA along with Sophie Monk, Stephen Peacocke, currently filming RFDS. Unclear.

 There are also government incentives involved in some projects, but this falls upon completion.

According to the Strike Notice and Order, which was sent in an open memo to all members of SAG-AFTRA, union members are banned from doing most on-camera work, such as:

Acting

Singing

Dancing

Performing stunts

Piloting on-camera aircraft

Puppeteering

Performance capture or motion capture work

SAG members are also prohibited from doing off camera work, such as:

ADR/looping (thats when a films original audio is re-recorded in a studio)

TV trailers, promos, theatrical trailers

Voice acting

Singing

Narration, including audio descriptive services (although the union notes there are some exceptions to this, if the work is covered by a different collective bargaining agreement)

Stunt coordinating and related services

In addition to stopping all work on camera and behind the scenes, actors are prohibited from promoting projects theyve already filmed, in the form of interviews, premieres, fan expos, press junkets, festivals, and podcast appearances, among other types of publicity.

SAG members are also banned from promoting their projects via social media.

This post updates.

Additional source: Variety , Yahoo
Park Tae-jin, fifth from right, CEO of Kia Motors India, poses with Andhra Pradesh Minister for Industries Gudivada Amarnath, sixth from right, along with government officials and Kia employees at the Kia India plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group



By Kim Hyun-bin



Kia's Indian factory achieved the cumulative production of 1 million units in just four years, according to the company, Friday.



In celebration, the company held an event at their Indian factory in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Thursday (local time) attended by 150 people, including government officials and Kia employees.



Since the inauguration of the Indian factory in 2019, Kia has produced a total of 532,450 Seltos; 332,450 Sonet; 125,160 Carnival and 14,584 Kia Carnival, thereby achieving the cumulative production of 1 million vehicles Thursday, marking four years of operations.



The 1 millionth vehicle produced was the new Seltos, an improved model iteration.



Kia's Indian factory, spanning approximately 2.16 million square meters, consists of press, body, paint, assembly and engine plants, with an annual production capacity of up to 350,000 completed vehicles.



In April 2017, Kia signed an investment agreement with the government of Andhra Pradesh to establish the Korean company's factory in India. Construction began in October of the same year. In July 2019, Kia started production of the Seltos and entered full-scale operations.



Additionally, Kia held a declaration ceremony for Kia India's vision. At the event, Kia announced its Kia 2.0 strategy for the Indian market, aiming to increase its market share from 6.7 percent in the first half of this year to 10 percent in the future.



Kia plans to expand its production lineup further and increase the number of dealerships, which currently stands at 300 in 215 cities nationwide as of last month, to more than double the current number.



"Kia will continue to evolve into a more beloved brand in the Indian market through various marketing efforts and specialized vehicles," a Kia official said.


SKY News will have rolling coverage of the Fadden By-Election coverage from 7.00pm AEST tomorrow.

Political Editor Andrew Clennell will host with panellists to include Federal Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management and Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt, Liberal National Party Queensland Senator James McGrath, Liberal National Party MP for the Gold Coast seat of McPherson and former Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews, and Assistant Education Minister and Queensland Labor Senator Anthony Chisholm.

Chief Election Analyst Tom Connell will break down the data while Queensland Bureau Chief Adam Walters reports live from Labor HQ, and Brisbane reporter Lucy Gray from Liberal HQ.

The critical by-election battle for the Federal seat of Fadden on Queenslands Gold Coast heats up tomorrow as Liberal National Party candidate Cameron Caldwell goes up against Labor contender Letitia Del Fabbro.

A must-hold seat for the Coalition after their defeat in the Aston by-election in April, the LNPs 10.6% margin has Caldwell considered a favourite to win.

But the damaging findings from the Robodebt Royal Commission against outgoing Fadden LNP MP Stuart Robert could cost the Coalition votes, and Labor will be looking for a swing towards the Government in this important contest.

7pm AEST Saturday on SKY News.
DBS, with a brand value of US$11.7 billion, sat at number two overall as Indonesia's Bank Central Asia (BCA) topped the list with a US$23.5 billion valuation.

DBS sits at second place in the inaugural Kantar BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Southeast Asian Brands report. (PHOTO: REUTERS/Feline Lim)

SINGAPORE  DBS came up tops among 10 Singapore brands in the inaugural Kantar BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Southeast Asian Brands report, released on Wednesday (12 July).

DBS, with a brand value of US$11.7 billion, sat at number two overall as Indonesia's Bank Central Asia (BCA) topped the list with a US$23.5 billion valuation. Indonesia's BNI (US$8.6 billion) and Singapore's UOB (US$7.2 billion) completed the top four.

The top 30, which covers leading companies from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, have a combined total brand value of US$119.6 billion, according to the report.

Kantar BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Southeast Asian Brands 2023

Rank 2023 Brand Valuation Category Brand Value 2023 (USD mil) Country of Origin 1 BCA Financial services 23,447 Indonesia 2 DBS Financial services 11,755 Singapore 3 BRI Financial services 8,644 Indonesia 4 UOB Financial services 7,180 Singapore 5 AIS Telecom providers 6,801 Thailand 6 Mandiri Financial services 6,596 Indonesia 7 Telkomsel Telecom providers 4,661 Indonesia 8 Shopee Retail 4,593 Singapore 9 Marina Bay Sands Travel services 4,433 Singapore 10 True Telecom providers 3,134 Thailand

Singapore accounts for the greatest number of brands in the Top 30, which span financial services, telecommunications, travel, and alcoholic drinks. However, Indonesian companies contribute the most brand value, with eight brands  ranging from noodles to finance  accounting for 43 per cent of the value in the top 30, compared to Singapore's 35 per cent.

Thailand and Malaysia account for 10 per cent each, with the Philippines and Vietnam, each represented by a single brand, a much smaller proportion of the total.

Financial services and telecom providers contribute two-thirds of all the brands in the ranking, and 79 per cent of its value. Next is retail, with eight per cent of the total value, and travel services with six per cent.

Kantar surveyed people in over six markets

The inaugural Top 30 Most Valuable Southeast Asian Brands ranking, Kantar BrandZ said, draws on opinions of over 98,048 respondents, about 1,744 unique brands across 78 categories and six markets.

In contrast to the strongest brands in most other markets surveyed, Kantar found out that the leading Southeast Asian brands generate almost all their business "at home", with only 20 per cent generated in international markets. This, Kantar said, highlights an opportunity for them to expand into new territories to build value.

"Our region's leading brands have good reason to celebrate. They contribute significant value to the companies behind them, by connecting with consumers and adapting to their changing needs. In such a fast-changing, diverse, and rapidly growing region, brands need to be agile  and the Top 30 are masters of remaining relevant. There is huge potential for significant further growth if they can extend their local strengths into other Asian and even global markets," Katie McClintock, managing director, Southeast Asia, Kantar, said in a statement.

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One of Singapore's richest men, Ong Beng Seng has been served with a notice of arrest by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng at a news conference in Singapore on 11 May 2007. (PHOTO: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash)

SINGAPORE  One of Singapore's richest men, Ong Beng Seng, has been served with a notice of arrest by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

The billionaire hotelier, who is also reported to have played a key role in bringing the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix into the city-state in 2007, is allegedly linked to the corruption probe involving Transport Minister S. Iswaran.

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), of which Ong is a co-founder and managing director, said on Friday (14 July) that no charges have been filed and the 77-year-old has posted bail of S$100,000. Ong, HPL said, will be traveling from 14 July and will be surrendering his passport to CIPB upon his return to Singapore.

Who is Ong Beng Seng?

Ong Beng Seng was born in 1946 in Teluk Anson, Sabah, Malaysia. Popularly known by his initials OBS, the hotel and property tycoon  together with his his Singaporean wife, Christina Ong  ranked 24th in the 2022 Forbes Singapore's 50 Richest list with an estimated net worth of US$1.75 billion (S$2.3 billion).

Born into a rich family, according to Singapore Infopedia, Ong moved to Singapore in 1950. He then studied in the UK and earned a degree in insurance. He earned his fortune then by selling shipping insurance.

Ong married Christina Fu in 1972 and then joined Kuo International, an oil grading company owned by his father-in-law Peter Fu Yun Siak, in 1975. He's known for his accurate predictions of the ups and downs of oil prices and that helped him earned enough money to finance his foray into the hospitality business.

What are Ong's business dealings?

Ong formed Hotel Properties Limited in 1980 to lead Kuo International's acquisition of the Hilton hotel brand. Two years later, HPL was listed in Singapore, and Ong's property, hotel, retail and lifestye conglomerate truly began.

As of today, HPL reportedly holds a portfolio of 38 hotels and resorts across 15 countries. The company runs the Hard Rock Hotel brand name in Bali, Pattaya and Penang. It also runs Hard Rock Cafe outlets in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

HPL also owns and operates hotels under the brands of Four Seasons, COMO Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group, Six Senses, Marriott International and Concorde, as well as malls that include the Forum The Shopping Mall in Singapore.

Como Hotels & Resorts, retail empire Club 21 and London-listed handbag maker Mulberry.

Christina Ong runs retail empire Club 21 and London-listed handbag maker Mulberry.

Last May, HPL, in partnership with units of Singapore's state-owned investment firm Temasek, also bought the real estate assets of Singapore Press Holdings for US$2.8 billion.

Did he bring F1 to Singapore?

Ong Beng Seng of Singapore GP speaks with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the pit lane ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on 19 September 2013 in Singapore. (PHOTO: Getty)

Yes, he did. After a year of negotiation, and helped by his friendship with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, Ong  as the man behind Singapore GP  clinched the deal to bring the F1 race to Singapore. The event, held on the Marina Bay street circuit, became the first night race in F1 history.

The race has been held annually in Singapore except for a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned last October with a new deal signed for Singapore to host the night race for another seven years through 2028.

Are there other scandals that involved Ong?

Before the current notice of arrest, Ong's name had been mentioned in two incidents involving top politicians.

In 1996, Ong's company sold four luxury condominium units to Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his son, then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The units, part of the Nassim Jade and Scotts 28 condominiums, were allegedly sold at special discounts.

However, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong cleared the Lees and Ong of any wrongdoing.

Then in 2018, there was allegations of corruption involving Ong in the leasing of two islands in the Maldives that was reported by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

HPL, the report said, was involved in a scheme by then-Maldives president Abdulla Yameen to sidestep Maldivian laws to lease out dozens of Maldives islands and lagoons to tourism developers without public tender.

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Turkish hit TV series Magnificent Century, the Ottoman costume drama that spearheaded the countrys TV boom, has partnered with popular virtual gaming platform The Sandbox, becoming the second global hit series to enter the Sandbox metaverse after The Walking Dead.

Produced by TIMS Productions founder Timur Savc, and broadcast in over 140 countries with over 500 million viewers globally, Magnificent Century will now be available for game players to create their own experiences using both original and established characters and worlds. Global players will be able to equip their 3D avatars starting from the last quarter of this year.

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Magnificent Century will now also feature NFT collections and a plethora of interactive events for players within The Sandbox metaverse.

The global launch event, hosted by The Sandbox in Paris, featured a workshop themed Magnificent Century attended by TIMS Productions and game studios Hungri Games and UGC90 as well as a panel on how the hit TV series will be brought into The Sandbox metaverse.

Were excited to welcome such a globally acclaimed Turkish series as Magnificent Century at The Sandbox and further strengthen our growing presence in this important region, said The Sandbox COO and co-founder Sebastien Borget at the ceremony, according to a statement.

Sandbox Turkey country manager Arslan Kiran added that The entrance of a world-renowned Turkish TV series into the metaverse will form the foundations of a new Web3 vision. Web3 is the tech name of a new kind of internet comprising decentralized social networks owned by the builders and users with play-to-earn video games that use blockchain tokens

Commented Timur Savc: Magnificent Century has been a global TV milestone breaking several records and now, by bringing it into the world of gaming through this partnership, we continue to prioritise innovation. Were happy and excited to be pioneers in building a bridge between our treasured heritage and the new generation, he added.

The Sandbox, which first launched in 2012, is a subsidiary of Animoca Brands. Other companies and brands that have partnered with the Sandbox include Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, the Rabbids, Shibuya 109, Gucci Vault, the Walking Dead, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Richie Hawtin, The Smurfs and Care Bears.

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U.S. dollar and Ukrainian hryvnia banknotes are seen in this picture illustration taken in Kiev

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's trade deficit grew to $8.97 billion in the first five months of the year compared with a deficit of about $1 billion posted in the same period a year ago, the statistics service said on Friday.

It said in a statement that exports of goods were $16.45 billion from January to May, while imports were reached $25.42 billion in the first five months of 2023.

Analysts said that continued growth in imports was a sign of economic resilience during Russia's war on Ukraine as businesses were bringing in the necessary goods to continue operations.

The data showed that imports grew by about 24% from January to May and machine-building products and energy equipment were among the most popular items to bring into Ukraine.

However, Ukrainian exports continued to shrink, falling by 15.6% from January to May compared with the same period a year ago. The largest fall of 60.6% was in exports of metals and steel products as Ukrainian Black Sea ports - the main shipping routes for steel exports before the war - have continued to be blocked following Russia's invasion.

Ukraine, a major global grain producer, managed to continue its grain exports thanks to a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last year to help alleviate a global food crisis. The latest data showed that grain exports grew by 19.6% in January to May this year.

Russia has threatened to quit the grain deal, which expires on Monday, because several demands to dispatch its own grain and fertilizer abroad have not been met.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
ASEAN, China, Japan, S. Korea should strengthen cooperation, jointly meet challenges: Wang Yi

Xinhua) 13:19, July 14, 2023

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (7th R) attends the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea should strengthen their cooperation and jointly meet challenges, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday.

When attending the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said the APT is one of the most mature mechanisms for East Asia regional cooperation.

He called on the regional countries to push for economic recovery. China has provided support for economic and technological cooperation under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and helped ASEAN countries enhance their abilities to implement the RCEP free trade deal.

Wang urged the regional countries to promote sustainable development. China has provided medical supplies as well as help for emergency rice reserves and poverty alleviation cooperation.

He also appealed to the regional countries to resume personnel exchanges. The senior Chinese diplomat called for an increase in commercial flights between countries in the region and an orderly resumption of inbound tourism.

Wang put forward three proposals for the next stage of APT cooperation.

First, adhere to openness and cooperation, and accelerate the process of regional integration. Taking the full entry into force of RCEP as an opportunity, Wang called for supporting Hong Kong's accession to RCEP as one of the first batch of members. He also said China supports the construction of a stable, smooth and comparative advantage-based regional production and supply chain system.

Second, adhere to common security and continuously improve the effectiveness of crisis response. China will continue to donate funds to the APT Emergency Rice Reserve mechanism, strengthen the ASEAN food security information system and better safeguard regional food security.

Wang noted that the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan into the ocean has a bearing on the safety of the marine environment and the health of human lives. It is a matter of great importance and thus should not be conducted without authorization.

Third, adhere to innovation's leading role and fully tap the potential of sustainable development. Wang said China supports ASEAN's statement on the development of the APT electric vehicle ecosystem and it will continue to promote cooperation in the areas of poverty alleviation, village official exchanges and rural development.

The foreign ministers of Japan, South Korea and ASEAN countries said that the APT mechanism has continued to expand its areas of cooperation, which is becoming increasingly effective.

The mechanism has played a key role in helping regional countries to achieve speedy recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainable development, and has become a solid and reliable anchor of stability, they said.

All the parties support an open and inclusive ASEAN-centered regional cooperation framework, adhere to multilateralism, and maintain regional peace, stability and prosperity.

They also agreed that the APT mechanism should keep pace with the times, give full play to the role of the APT Emergency Rice Reserve mechanism, actively push forward the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation Agreement and promote high-quality implementation of RCEP.

In addition, they agreed to create new growth areas such as digital economy, innovation and technology, energy transformation, and electric vehicles to inject new impetus into regional connectivity and resilience and help ASEAN become a global growth center.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
U.S. President Joe Biden listens during the US-Nordic Leaders' Summit Meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, July 13. EPA-Yonhap



U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday that Russia's Vladimir Putin has already lost the war in Ukraine, expressing hope that Kyiv's counter-offensive would force Moscow to the negotiating table.



As Russia launched fresh strikes and a new bout of nuclear-sabre rattling, Biden said there was no real prospect of Putin using nuclear weapons and insisted the war would not drag on for years.



Biden also used a visit to Finland, NATO's newest member, to pledge that Ukraine would one day join the alliance, despite NATO leaders failing to give Kyiv a timeline at a key summit this week.



"Putin's already lost the war. Putin has a real problem," Biden told a press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. "There is no possibility of him winning the war in Ukraine."



NATO leaders had dashed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hopes for a clear timeline to join the military alliance, saying at this week's summit in Vilnius that they would offer an invite only when "conditions are met."



But while Biden said no country could become a NATO member while it was at war  with Ukraine joining now meaning a "third world war"  he vowed Kyiv would one day join the club.



"It's not about whether or not they should or shouldn't join. It's about when they can join, and they will join NATO," Biden said.



Putin told journalists Thursday that if Ukraine were to be admitted to NATO, it would "in general make the world much more vulnerable" and boost global tensions.



Moscow also launched another aerial assault on Ukraine, injuring four people, while Kyiv said it had destroyed 20 Russian attack drones and two cruise missiles.





Russian President Vladimir Putin visits an exhibition of advanced research and development projects in the field of quantum technologies, organised by the Rosatom State Corporation and Russian Railways in Moscow, Russia, July 13. AP-Yonhap



'Don't go there'



Senior Ukrainian military officials meanwhile said they had received controversial cluster munitions promised by the United States.



"We just got them, we haven't used them yet, but they can radically change (the battlefield)," Ukrainian army commander Oleksandr Tarnavskyi told U.S. broadcaster CNN.



In a sign of its anger at Western backing for Kyiv, Moscow said it would regard F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine as a "nuclear" threat because of their capacity to carry atomic bombs.






With a commitment to sustainable development and expanding to developed markets, such as the EU, Japan, South Korea, the US, Nghia Nippers Corporation has set and followed rigorous CSR standards. Among them, building a safe, healthy and effective working environment is one of its core missions.

Receiving CSR certification SA 8000:2014 from the international organization reflects Nghia Nippers Corporations correct leadership strategy and tireless efforts.

Nghia Nippers Corporation had previously received ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management systems. The company has been recognized by the international market, with 80% of its factorys output exported to the EU, Asia and America.

The global SA 8000:2014 certification is a big breakthrough that helps Nghia Nippers Corporation further expand its market, as well as increase competitiveness. The company expects to provide quality products to customers at home and abroad, and gradually assert its national brand.

At the same time, Nghia Nippers Corporation also wants to prove its position as a market leader in manufacturing and supplying beauty tools, and maintain the pride made in Vietnam, which is trusted by customers around the world.
HCM CITY  Vietjets new A330 aircraft bearing Vietnamese tourism symbols took off this week, starting the journey of Vietnamese tourism promotion in both domestic and international markets with Vietjet, the airline said on Thursday.

A330 aircraft numbered VN-A814 bearing Vietnamese tourism symbols is under a sponsorship agreement with Vietnam National Authority of Tourism to promote Vietnamese culture and tourism to domestic and international friends.

This is Vietjet's newest aircraft carrying out the "mission" of promoting Viet Nam's tourism, previously Vietjet also had A320 and A321 aircraft bearing the Viet Nam Tourism and Ho Chi Minh City Tourism symbols in its lively fleet, Vietjet says.

Vietjet fleet with the colours of the Vietnamese flag and the melody of the Hello Vietnam song bearing the symbols of tourism promotion, meaningful messages about environmental protection and "I love my Fatherland" slogan, have become familiar to international friends and been welcomed at all the airports that Vietjet has flights to and from Asia to Europe.

They have become messengers to bring Viet Nam to the world as well as introduce to foreign friends a friendly and hospitable Viet Nam that welcomes everyone.

The A330 aircraft bearing the Vietnamese Tourism symbol will serve Vietjet passengers flying to destinations in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, South Korea, Japan, India, Kazakhstan, Australia and beyond in the future, according to Vietjet.  VNS
To enjoy culinary experiences with Michelin stars without leaving hotel premises, CNN recently listed 20 of the worlds best hotels with Michelin-star restaurants.

Among them, CNN especially recommends Hibana by Koki restaurant of Capella Hanoi Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam - the newest destination in a total of more than 40 countries around the world with the presence of the Michelin Guide. This restaurant has just achieved 1 Michelin star with typical Japanese Teppanyaki cuisine.

CNNs praise for the hotels with Michelin-star restaurants is reasonable, because in the world, according to experts, very few restaurants at hotels can achieve a Michelin star. And Hibana by Koki of Capella Hanoi has done this, after only two years of operation. This is truly a miracle.

Hibana by Koki is located in the basement of the high-class boutique hotel Capella Hanoi - the most luxurious project in the hotel and resort collection of Sun Hospitality Group, the hotel brand of Sun Group. Well-known as a trendy destination for culinary connoisseurs in Hanoi, this is the first high-class restaurant in the capital to bring the Japanese culinary art of Teppanyaki to diners, led by head chef Yamaguchi and head chef advisor Yoshida Junichi, the worlds first one-Michelin-star chef of the Teppanyaki art.

Teppanyaki at Hibana by Koki is like a journey of the senses through the exquisite flavors of Japan, meticulously prepared and served in a 14-seat private room with a traditional sake bar.

But the attraction of Teppanyaki not only comes from the strange and delicious taste of Japanese beef or seafood prepared only for Hibana by Koki. The expensiveness of a meal at this restaurant is the experience of watching master culinary artisans prepare and process ingredients, with meticulousness, passion, and above all, irresistible exquisiteness.

Head chef Hiroshi Yamaguchi is a visionary master of teppanyaki, the technique involving cooking on a teppan (metal griddle). As always in Japanese cuisine, the ingredients are all. His meticulously sourced vegetables, seafood, meats, and more are among the finest that money can buy. That translates for diners into courses including perfectly prepared Hokkaido crab, spiny lobster, and Yaeyama Kyori beef, assessed CNN.

The website also suggested that diners should experience the unique and unusual architectural space of the hotel, designed by the worlds witch architect Bill Bensley. Coming to Capella Hanoi is coming to the magical space of a luxurious inn in the golden age of Opera musicals. Each room here has a sophisticated design, highlighted by hand-crafted sculptures.

In the first publication of the Michelin Guide in Hanoi in June, in addition to Hibana by Koki restaurant achieving one Michelin star, Capella Hanoi Hotel also had two Backstage restaurants (serving cuisine in the Norths style) and Izakaya by Koki (serving Japanese going for a drink style - Izakaya) on the list of Michelin Selected (a restaurant selected by Michelin and recommended to try). Capella Hanoi up to now is also the only hotel in Vietnam that owns three restaurants honored by Michelin, and is one of the few hotels in the world that can claim this.

Honor continued to come to Capella Hanoi, when most recently, on July 11, the worlds leading luxury travel magazine Travel + Leisure announced the top 15 hotels in Asian cities as voted by readers, and Capella Hanoi was honored to take the third position. Tourists were attracted not only by the deep immersion into the hotels culture but also by the special culinary experiences here.

This is not the first time Capella Hanoi has been honored. Since its official launch, Sun Groups exceptionally luxurious boutique hotel has been continuously honored by international media and award organizations. In early June, Travel + Leisure also announced it voted Capella Hanoi as the best city hotel in Vietnam. The World Travel Awards Asia 2022 honored Capella Hanoi as Asias leading luxury boutique hotel and the hotel continued to be praised by the New York Times (USA) as one of the 10 most prominent new hotels in Asia. Right after its launch in April 2022, after only two months, Travel + Leisure named Capella Hanoi as one of the 100 best new hotels in the world.

Being praised at the same time by two leading publications in the world, CNN and Travel + Leisure, once again affirms the position and class of Capella Hanoi Hotel. This also shows the stature of Sun Group in creating a project in Vietnam that is constantly praised by the world.
In my home country, Australia, hospitals and respiratory clinics have been grappling with severe capacity constraints, which have resulted in long waiting times for a specialist appointment of up to 17 months, even for some patients facing life-threatening situations.

In 2021, alongside a key client of ours, DKSH Australia converted an offline patient education program to a digitized program, which focuses on educating patients on managing their healthcare needs and providing them with tools and resources to take control of their own health. With this program, patients were still able to receive the care they needed without compromising on safety, particularly during the severe pandemic-related lockdowns.

The program includes a range of services such as at-home nurse injection visits, medication deliveries, timely reminders, and convenient on-demand tele-support by our team of experienced and licensed nurse educators.

Nurse educators play a vital role in our patient-centred approach by actively engaging with patients throughout their treatment journey. They provided timely updates to the patients treating physician, including the recording and reporting of adverse events. The program has been highly successful, with a global persistence rate of 95 per cent and over 1,900 patients currently enrolled. To date, 62 per cent of patients are fully equipped with the knowledge to conduct self-administration.

This program was also recognized by the Australian pharmaceutical industry and won an award for Excellence in Patient Support and has since expanded to New Zealand, where it continues to improve the lives of patients.

Viet Nam, where I have been living and working for many years, has been described as a forerunner in the region by The World Bank Group for its huge progress toward accelerating Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through heavy investments from the Government. UHC is a concept that ensures every person, regardless of their financial or social status, has access to quality and affordable health services  including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. By the end of 2022, more than 92 per cent of the population, comprising 91.1 million people, participated in the UHC. As reported by the World Bank Group, Viet Nams current life expectancy rate is at 75 years  with 7.7 per cent of the total population being over 65 years old. Viet Nam is on the cusp of an ageing population, where the number of people over 65 is expected to rise to around 20.4 per cent of the total population by 2050.

As the total population continues to grow, urbanise, and experience a shift in age distribution, there will be a surge in demand for health services  particularly for Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic lung illnesses in Viet Nam.

With in-depth knowledge across markets and the healthcare industry, DKSH has been focusing on enriching our patient solution program, PSPhere, with well-designed adherence programs video visits, and educational portals to improve patient adherence rates by educating patients and empowering them to take charge of their healthcare.

Patient adherence remains one of the key global problems across the healthcare industry, especially for chronic diseases  in which patient adherence is estimated to only be around 50 per cent in high-income markets, and much lower in low-mid-income markets.

Patients are also generally unaware of the severe complications that could arise with noncompliance with their treatment. Earlier this year, a cross-sectional descriptive study assessing adherence to treatment plans was conducted at Hanoi Medical University Hospital examining 252 hypertensive patients. Hypertension is a leading risk factor associated with the burden of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Although 72.6 per cent of these patients purchased the medication with their own funds (with the remaining on insurance plans/ others), only 55.95 per cent of patients adhered to their treatment plan.

At DKSH, we are dedicated to addressing the challenges in the traditional healthcare value chain, which is usually focused on physicians or products. PSPhere puts patients at the centre of their care journey, connects them to key stakeholders, and leverages technology to help them achieve better outcomes. A patient-centric approach, which considers a comprehensive view of the patients health, incorporates key elements such as patient education, psychological assistance, nutritional counselling, and lifestyle adjustments to a patients treatment plan.

PSPhere is highly flexible and can be localised to each market. We have been working with 60 clients to run more than 200 patient support programs across the Asia Pacific. In Viet Nam, we provide this technology to local partners to deploy patient support programs for our clients, helping them to better connect and engage with the patients. Together, we keep the patients engaged through education materials and support, and we expect that, over time, this approach will result in better adherence rates as well as better treatment outcomes.
HCM CITY  Countries like Viet Nam and Indonesia could be beneficiaries if firms start to look for low-cost production centres in Asia, particularly for labour-intensive and low-margin industries, Savills Asia Pacific has said.

After three years of disruption, international supply chains appeared to be returning to normal, it said.

The cost of shipping freight by sea or air had largely returned to pre-COVID-19 levels; container ships were no longer queuing outside major ports and businesses no longer cited supplier delays as one of their most pressing problems.

This did not, however, mean it was business as usual for logistics, manufacturing and other industrial sectors.

The pandemic and geopolitical tensions had exposed the fragility of supply chains and placed a new emphasis on resilience.

Meanwhile, cost continued to be key in a tough economic climate.

Cost remained a powerful lever of location decisions.

Jack Harkness, director of regional industrial and logistics services at Savills, said rising labour costs in China mean it is not as cost-effective as it once was, particularly when domestic incentives to re-shore and ongoing security concerns are factored in.

Companies already embedded in China are not necessarily withdrawing. But there may be a slowdown in new facilities being established there.

Harkness points out that many companies with facilities in China are looking to complement rather than replace existing plants. Apple, for example, has announced plans to diversify away from China, while Siemens has said it is looking at other locations in Southeast Asia.

This process is being accelerated across sectors deemed strategically important to US and European industrial policy.

Furthermore, there has been scepticism around state influence of some Chinese tech firms, which suggests the western expansion of Chinese firms will be more constrained in the future.

According to John Campbell, associate director, head of industrial services at Savills Viet Nam, Viet Nams north and south have distinct characteristics: the former typically experiences a high demand for electronics, while it is more diverse in the latter.

In terms of nationality, there has been an increase in European companies, particularly German and French manufacturers, which demonstrates the positive impact of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreements.

There is still strong interest from Asian manufacturers, with Taiwanese electronics companies preferring the north and manufacturers displaying confidence in the south.

After the global slowdown in the first half of the year, he said he anticipated a much better second half.

The challenges faced by the manufacturing sector, indicated by the decline in the purchasing managers index and industrial production, were now being reversed, he said.

This had improved confidence among manufacturers, investors and logistics companies, leading to a likely better performance in the second half of the year.

There would be a significant turnaround in the countrys economic performance by December, he added. VNS
HA NOI  The Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CropLife Asia to implement the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework.

The framework is a holistic, comprehensive, and long-term programme for enabling sustainable food systems.

Under the MoU, CropLife will leverage industry efforts to work with relevant stakeholders in Viet Nam to establish a framework for using pesticides sustainably and advance innovation to support smallholder farmers in Viet Nam.

This programme supports the Vietnamese Government and MARD in their transition to more sustainable food and agriculture systems that protect human health, the environment and crop production.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung said the ministry highly appreciated CropLife's recent contributions to the Vietnamese agriculture sector.

The proposals of CropLife to strengthen cooperation, introduce advanced technologies on plant protection and varieties, and promote responsible use of these solutions would transform agriculture production in a sustainable manner.

The measures were in line with MARDs orientations in improving management efficiency for a safe, transparent and sustainable agriculture and food system in Viet Nam, he said.

Alexander Berkovskiy, President of CropLife Asia said: Viet Nam continues to be an agricultural powerhouse in Southeast Asia, an international leader in key crop exports, and a crucially important market for the member companies of CropLife.

In the drive towards greater food production and sustainability in Viet Nam, the farmer is the key player. The men and women who produce the crops are the food heroes making food security and sustainability possible.

Our role is to provide them with access to the latest innovations in their toolbox to do that, he said.  VNS
HCM CITY  Viet Nam was the seventh most searched travel destination in the world during the first half of the year, according to Google Destination Insights.

It received over 5.5 million visitors in the first five months, most of them from China, India and South Korea.

Changes in Viet Nam's visa policy from August 15 would increase its tourist arrivals by the end of the year, said Gary Bowerman, director of Check-in Asia travel agency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Citizens from countries whom Viet Nam waives visa requirements can stay up to 45 days instead of the earlier 15, and foreigners with Vietnamese e-visas can enter and exit the country multiple times.

Bobby Nguyen, chairman of Rustic Hospitality Group, said social media networks like Facebook and TikTok, Googles promotion pages and travel communities also play a vital role in promoting the country.

The owner of Fuse Hotels & Travel, Max Lambert, said Vietnamese tourism is recovering post-pandemic, referring to the increasing bookings in his hotel to near pre-pandemic levels.

"But tourism recovery post-pandemic in Viet Nam is still slow compared to other travel hubs like Thailand, so more efforts are needed to shore up the travel industry."

Nguyen said improvements are needed across the board to harness its tourism potential, such as improving public transportation and infrastructure to serve tourists and training tourism personnel to enhance customer service.

Viet Nam was the only Southeast Asian country among the 20 most-searched destinations on Google until June.

It hopes to receive 8-10 million foreign visitors in the second half of this year.  VNS
HCM CITY  Vietnamese designer Le Thanh Hoa presented his new collection of fancy dresses using environmentally friendly materials in HCM City on Thursday night.

Hoas show opened the Aquafina Viet Nam International Fashion Week (AVIFW) Spring/Summer 2023, which attracted 16 international and Vietnamese designers and fashion brands, the London College for Design & Fashion in Ha Noi, and the Marangoni Fashion Institute in Milan, Italy.

His collection, called Hoa Tren Song Nuoc (Flowers and the Waves), features cocktail and evening dresses in natural fabrics, including organza, taffeta, raffia fabrics, and Ma Chau silk originated from the 600-year-old silk village in the central province of Quang Nam.

Hoas designs have intricate structures with Swarovski crystal flower applique, and colours of white, silver and different shades of blue to reflect the purity of flower and water.

Hoa said: My collection is inspired by the multifaceted reflection of women in the past and present. I portray images of courageous women who are not only beautiful and gentle as flowers but also strong enough to make waves.

Hoa, who was born in1985 in Binh Duong Province, is a fashion design graduate of the HCM City University of Architecture.

He won first prize at the Aquafina Pure Fashion in 2009 and then joined fashion shows such as ep Fashion Show and VIFW.

He is also known for designing for pageant contests such as Miss Viet Nam and Miss World Viet Nam.

The opening show also introduced impressive designs in vivid colours from the collection Synopsis by Singaporean designer Frederick Lee, and numerous looks in the collection Dung created by designers from the Marangoni Fashion Institute in Milan, Italy.

Le Thi Quynh Trang, president of Viet Nam International Fashion Week (VIFW), spoke at the opening ceremony, saying, After 10 years and 15 fashion shows, Viet Nams fashion affirms its position on the world map. I believe in a thriving industry with a clear vision for the future. That is sustainable fashion.

Trang expected the AVIFW Spring/Summer 2023, with a theme of Shaping the Future, to elevate Vietnamese fashion in its home market.

The VIFW Spring/Summer 2023 runs until July 16 at the 7th Military Region Stadium in Tan Binh District.  VNS
JAKARTA  Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son yesterday attended meetings between foreign ministers of ASEAN member states and their partners - New Zealand, India, Russia, Australia and China - within the framework of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-56) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Participating ministers welcomed the implementation progress of action plans, and appreciated cooperation results in all fields which have contributed to inclusive recovery and sustainable development.

The partners affirmed that they attach great importance to relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), respect and support the blocs centrality, assist it in building the ASEAN Community, and jointly promote dialogue, cooperation and response to common challenges, thus contributing more effectively to peace, security, stability, and sustainable development.

At the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with New Zealand, ministers welcomed the conclusion of negotiations to upgrade the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to deepen economic and trade cooperation.

ASEAN appreciated New Zealand's support in efforts to respond to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture and improve the capacity of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance.

The meeting adopted the ASEAN - New Zealand Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook for the Indo-Pacific.

At the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with India, the two sides approved the Appendix to the Action Plan to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was established at the end of 2022.

They emphasised that priority will be given to enhancing cooperation in maritime affairs, connectivity, digital economy, cyber security, health, the environment, and transnational crime prevention.

ASEAN suggested India continue to pay attention to narrowing the development gap, and sub-regional development cooperation.

The ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with Russia unanimously adopted a Joint Statement commemorating the fifth anniversary of the ASEAN - Russia Strategic Partnership, committing to promote and deepen practical cooperation, especially in the fields that Russia has strengths and ASEAN has needs.

Participating countries welcomed the progress of bilateral cooperation, especially in coordination to respond to non-traditional security challenges, and proposed implementing initiatives within the framework of the "Year of Scientific and Technical Cooperation" in 2022.

Meanwhile, at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with Australia, the ministers appreciated the positive progress in implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, especially the Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative with a funding of 204 million AUD (US$138.9 million).

ASEAN appreciated Australia's commitments to promote two-way trade and investment, and looked forward to Australia's continued expansion of market access and business connectivity.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation towards sustainable development and supported the ASEAN-Australia High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy Transition to be jointly chaired by Laos, Australia and Viet Nam by the end of this year in Viet Nam.

At the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with China, countries welcomed progress in negotiations to upgrade the ASEAN - China Free Trade Agreement, which reflects their commitments to building an inclusive, comprehensive, modern and rules-based economic environment.

Delegates expressed their satisfaction with the progress in negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

The two sides agreed to take 2024 as the year for ASEAN - China people-to-people exchanges to promote friendship, understanding and cultural connectivity between the people of the countries.

Speaking at the meetings, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son appreciated the extensive progress in cooperation between ASEAN and its partners, suggesting the partners support the bloc's central role, maintain assistance for the ASEAN Community building, and jointly contribute to peace, security and development in the region.

He proposed orientations to enhance cooperation between ASEAN and its partners, especially in the implementation of free trade agreements, investment, tourism, human resources development, infrastructure connectivity, and sub-regional cooperation, as well as expanding cooperation priorities in climate change response, energy security, food security and green growth.

Discussing the international and regional situation at the events, ASEAN countries and partners emphasised the importance of maintaining and ensuring peace, security and stability in the region and creating favourable conditions for inclusive growth and sustainable development efforts.

The Vietnamese minister proposed the partners support ASEAN's common stance and efforts on the East Sea and other international and regional issues; and called on them to join hands with the association to increase dialogue, build trust, and solve disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law.

He stressed the importance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and working towards building a practical and effective code of conduct in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), for the sake of peace and cooperation in the East Sea.  VNS
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, July 7, in Washington, D.C. UPI-Yonhap



Cluster munitions provided by the United States have now arrived in Ukraine, the Pentagon said Thursday.



The munitions  which are bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets  are seen by the U.S. as a way to get Kyiv critically needed ammunition to help bolster its offensive and push through Russian front lines. U.S. leaders debated the thorny issue for months, before President Joe Biden made the final decision last week.



U.S. leaders have said the U.S. will send a version of the munition that has a reduced "dud rate," meaning fewer of the smaller bomblets fail to explode. The unexploded rounds, which often litter battlefields and populated civilian areas, cause unintended deaths. U.S. officials said Washington will provide thousands of the rounds, but provided no specific numbers.






JAKARTA Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with Politburo member and Director of the Communist Party of China Central Committees Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi in Jakarta on July 13.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-56) and related meetings in the Indonesian capital.

Noting with satisfaction the recent strides in the Viet Nam - China relations, the two officials affirmed that their countries will keep attaching importance to each others role and the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. They will continue to effectively implement the joint statement issued during the China visit by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2022, and the concrete outcomes of the trip to the Northeast Asian nation by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in June 2023.

Both sides agreed to further increase mutual visits and meetings at all levels; foster cooperation in all fields, especially economy and trade; boost transport connectivity, people-to-people exchanges and locality-to-locality ties; and make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Minister Son asked the two sides to maintain cooperation mechanisms, improve their effectiveness, and coordinate to successfully organise the 15th session of the Vietnam - China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation in the Southeast Asian country.

He called on China to continue increasing the import of goods from Viet Nam and accelerate the opening of its market to Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural and aquatic products; coordinate to ensure smooth customs clearance as many farm produce of Viet Nam are now in the harvest season; raise the quota of Vietnamese goods transited through China to be delivered to a third country by railway; boost transport and border gate connectivity; speed up the implementation of some cooperation projects; and work together to properly manage the land border, step up the opening and upgrade of some border gate pairs, and open the tourism site of Ban Gioc (Viet Nam) - Detian (China) Waterfalls on a trial basis soon.

Highly valuing Sons cooperation suggestions, Wang recommended the two countries assist each other with national modernisation while enhancing high-quality connectivity between the Belt and Road initiative and the Two Corridors, One Belt framework.

He also pledged favourable conditions for Viet Nam to make better use of financial support from China.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed to properly carry out the high-level agreements and common perceptions, control and satisfactorily deal with differences, make efforts to sustain peace and stability at sea, fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and join ASEAN countries efforts to achieve a substantive and efficient code of conduct (COC) in the water that accords with international law, including international sea-related conventions, thereby helping guarantee peace, stability, and navigation freedom in the region as well as the rights and legitimate interests of the parties concerned.

They agreed to bring into play the role of bilateral mechanisms in the issues related to border, territory, and territorial waters.

The officials also discussed some international and regional issues of shared interest. They pledged that Viet Nam and China will keep close coordination at regional and international cooperation forums and mechanisms, including ASEAN-led ones. VNS
JAKARTA Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son continued to join his counterparts from ASEAN countries in attending the ASEAN 1 meetings with Japan, the Republic of Korea, the European Union (EU), the UK, Canada, and the ASEAN 3 meeting, within the framework of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-56) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13.

During the meetings, partner countries affirmed their appreciation for ASEAN and support for ASEAN's unity and centrality. They pledged to assist ASEAN in building the ASEAN community and an open, inclusive, transparent, and rules-based regional architecture operating in accordance with international law.

Co-chairing the ASEAN-RoK Foreign Ministers Meeting with his RoK counterpart Park Jin, Son proposed enhancing cooperation to ensure peace and stability, particularly in addressing non-traditional security challenges, deepening economic cooperation for prosperity, and promoting cooperation for the people's benefit, towards a sustainable future.

On the occasion, he announced that Viet Nam will host an ASEAN-RoK Day later this year, contributing to further reinforcing bilateral relationship.

The ASEAN welcomed the RoKs proposal to establish bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, and the RoK-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative. The RoK side announced its commitment to double its contribution to the ASEAN-RoK Cooperation Fund to US$ million by 2027 from US$16 million in 2022, as well as allocate over US$200 million for joint projects.

Meanwhile, ASEAN and Japan agreed to deepen cooperation in various areas, especially in trade, investment, supply chain stability, and high-quality infrastructure development while expanding collaboration into new potential areas such as innovation, climate change response and green growth. The ASEAN highly valued Japan's provision of a US$3.34 billion loan to support post-pandemic recovery efforts in ASEAN and its additional contribution of US$100 million to the ASEAN-Japan Integration Fund.

ASEAN and EU officials reaffirmed their commitment to the goal of an ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement. The ASEAN welcomed the EU's Team Europe investment package of around EU10 billion (US$11.2 billion) by 2027, which supports integration efforts and enhances capacity building and sustainable development in the region.

At the ASEAN+3 meeting, ASEAN and China, Japan and the RoK vowed to strengthen existing economic and financial stabilisation mechanisms, promote trade and investment exchanges and joint work to ensure food security and sustainable agriculture, and effectively deploy the ASEAN 3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR).

In the meeting with the UK, the ASEAN highly appreciated the UKs proposal on key cooperation programmes worth GBP113 million over the next five years, which will support regional economic integration, health care, education, women's empowerment, peace, security and climate change adaptation.

ASEAN and Canada committed to realising the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-Canada 45th Anniversary Commemorative Summit, toward establishing the ASEAN-Canada strategic partnership. The ASEAN hailed Canada's commitment to supporting the ASEAN community-building process, establishing the Trust Fund valued at 13.1 million CAD (9.95 million USD), and providing scholarships for ASEAN. The ministers emphasised the need for both sides to effectively explore cooperation potentials, thus further advancing the dynamic and substantial development of their relationship.

In his speech, Son suggested stepping up inclusive recovery efforts, stimulating growth momentum, prioritising trade and investment cooperation, connectivity, human resources training, innovation, energy transition, food security, climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

He highly valued partners commitment to supporting ASEAN's guiding role in promoting dialogue, cooperation and building trust in the region. He urged partners to back ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea issue, uphold the significance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and help ASEAN and China early achieve an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), towards the goal of turning the East Sea into waters of peace, cooperation and sustainable development.

During a brief meeting the same day on the sidelines of the AMM-56 and related meetings, Son and his Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa consented to continue facilitating visits by leaders, holding cultural and locality-to-locality and people-to-people exchange activities, as part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.

They agreed to expedite Japan's provision of new-generation official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam, thus enabling Viet Nam to access development assistance packages in high-quality infrastructure and energy transition, and simplify visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens, among others.

The two ministers also agreed to enhance mutual support at global and regional forums, including ASEAN-led and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms. VNS
HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Governor of the US state of Nebraska Jim Pillen shared the view that ample room remains for the bilateral cooperation, and Nebraska should enhance relations with Viet Nam in general and its localities in particular during their meeting in Ha Noi on July 13.

Chinh appreciated Pillens selection of Viet Nam for his first overseas trip in his capacity as Governor of Nebraska, and affirmed that Viet Nam considers the US a leading important partner and wishes to boost their bilateral comprehensive partnership, covering cooperation between localities and people-to-people exchange  a pillar of the relationship.

Speaking highly of the US states interest in cooperation with Viet Nam, the PM suggested its leaders and agencies step up delegation exchanges with Vietnamese localities, and better perform their role as a bridge between Viet Nam and the US.

The two sides should enhance collaboration in economy, trade and investment, especially the trading of agricultural products, as well as in education-training, science-technology-innovation, high-tech, finance-banking, and climate change response, he said.

Chinh suggested the US state create conditions for the Vietnamese community to continue integrating into the host society and observe its laws, contributing to the relations between Viet Nam and the US, and Nebraska in particular.

For his part, Pillen lauded Viet Nams high growth rate with advantages like a young population, and hardworking workforce, stressing Nebraska wants to consolidate and expand relations with the Southeast Asian nation, especially its localities, in the above-said areas.

He told the host that Nebraska has increased the shipment of its major agricultural products to Viet Nam like corn, soybean, beef, and other dried grain products.

A Nebraska delegation visited Viet Nam last January to seek ways to expand collaboration in education-training and science-technology, he added.

The Governor commended the Vietnamese Governments orientations of high-tech agriculture and husbandry development in the time ahead, and pledged to help the country in the field, particularly in technological transfer.

Pillen expressed his impressions on Viet Nams commitments and efforts in climate change response, saying Nebraska hopes to foster cooperation with the country in this regard. VNS
WASHINGTON  Viet Nam is an important partner of the US in APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation), contributing to the efforts and working processes of the group, said Matt Murray, US Senior Official for APEC.

Speaking with the Vietnam News Agency in Washington as the two countries celebrate the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership, the official of the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs said that Viet Nam was an important partner in handling regional economic issues.

He said Viet Nam was a key partner of the US in ASEAN. The country was a member of APEC and also one of the parties participating in the negotiations of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

The cooperative relationship between the countries had led to progress in the past 10 years and the US Government looked forward to boosting cooperation with Viet Nam in the next decade, he said.

The US was paying special attention to Viet Nam's role and position in maintaining regional and global supply chains.

He said he was impressed with Viet Nam's commitment to sustainable development and economic growth.

When Thailand launched the Bangkok Initiative targeting a circular economy at APEC last year, Viet Nam supported that effort. The US has had many discussions with its Vietnamese partners about how the two sides can work together to improve sustainable economic growth in the region.

Another important area is inclusive economic development which ensures all people and all communities benefit from growth. Viet Nam has been at the forefront in this area, so the US welcomes the country's comments on these issues in APEC.

According to Murray, the US is pleased to serve as the APEC host this year. It is a great opportunity for member economies to discuss how to cope with economic headwinds in a region.

Under the theme of Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All, APEC 2023 includes meetings of senior officials and 10 ministerial meetings, followed by the APEC CEO Summit in San Francisco in November.

The US appreciated the participation of Vietnamese officials at all APEC meetings, he said, adding that those would be a great opportunity to promote regional economic cooperation as well as bilateral cooperation with Viet Nam.  VNS
JAKARTA  Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son reaffirmed Viet Nams approach in which dialogue, consultation and trust building have been taken as the main tools in settling disagreements and differences while addressing the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 14.

The process of building ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) issue demonstrated consultation efforts and achievements, and affirmed and promoted fundamental principles such as peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), Son said.

The minister emphasised the need to ensure ASEAN's centrality, uphold objectives and principles of the ARF, form substantive agendas, promote the responsibility of member nations, and maintain a balanced and inclusive approach.

The culture of dialogue and consultation should be maintained and enhanced with ASEAN at the centre, thereby contributing to peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region, he continued.

Son noted that over the past 30 years, through consultation, ASEAN had successfully built a common stance on the East Sea, with principles such as restraint, peaceful resolution of disputes, and respect for international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

While committing to fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), ASEAN and China were working together towards a substantive, effective, and legally binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, including the UNCLOS, he said.

At the meeting, the participating countries reviewed the ARFs operation in 2022-2023, and orientations in the time ahead, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern.

They affirmed the importance of the ARF as the leading forum in the region in promoting dialogue and cooperation in political-security issues, contributing to joint efforts in building trust and preventive diplomacy.

Given the complex, unpredictable situation, the minister agreed to step up the forums operation, and carry forward its values, vitality and adaptability to both opportunities and challenges at present and in the future.

The countries agreed to maintain cooperation in maritime security, disaster relief, cybersecurity, the fight against terrorism and transnational crimes, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and disarmament, national defence, and peacekeeping.

They also approved a list of activities for 2023-2024. Viet Nam will co-chair several ARF activities regarding the implementation of the 1982 UNCLOS, and the fight against terrorism, transnational crimes, and chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological terrorism.

On this occasion, Son announced that Viet Nam would co-chair the ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief for the 2024-2026 term with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The meeting adopted a joint statement commemorating the 30th anniversary of the ARF, with Indonesia, Viet Nam, China, Australia, and Canada as co-sponsors. The documents reaffirmed the leading role of ASEAN in the regional architecture, and commitments to promoting constructive dialogues, enhancing cooperation, and ensuring the active and full participation and contributions of member countries to the forums development.

The meeting took place within the framework of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-56). At the end of AMM-56 and related meetings, foreign ministers approved nearly 40 documents, including the AMM-56 joint communique. VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Receiving spam calls is common among mobile phone users in Viet Nam but many have been threatened recently after telling the invasive callers to stop annoying them.

Hoang Thi Lan, living in Ha Nois Hoang Mai District, has received spam calls from securities investment consulting companies for one month.

After blocking a spam number, she continued to receive spam calls from another one.

I cant block all of them. Some days I received ten spam calls. I have received those kinds of calls for a long time but the number of calls has increased in the last few months.

I feel annoyed receiving so many calls from unfamiliar numbers, especially around my lunch break, she told Voice of Vietnam (VOV) newspaper.

Lan said when she asked the callers to stop annoying her, some of them used impolite language and threatened to share her personal information on social media so that other spammers would make calls.

I can do nothing but block them, she said.

o Huu Tri, deputy chief inspector of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MICs) confirmed that people who refuse advertising services from spam calls have reported being threatened.

The ministry will continue to crack down on unverified SIM cards, especially using the personal information of others to register for SIM cards, he said.

According to the Information Security Department of MICs, in the first half of this year, the number of online fraud cases increased by 64.78 per cent compared to the same period last year and by 37.82 per cent compared to the last six months of 2022.

The ministrys spam call reporting portals at chongthurac.vn and thongbaorac.ais.gov.vn received nearly 345,000 responses in the first half of this year.

Since May, the ministry and local departments of information and communications established 82 inspection teams to crack down on unverified SIM cards.

Experts from Chong lua ao  a non-profit project fighting scams in cyberspace  advised people to hang up on spam calls to avoid wasting time and being threatened. This also helps them reduce their exposure to bad actors and limit the risk of being lured into fraudulent behaviour.

MICs has also recently reported that many people are scammed to download fake apps of the Government and the General Department of Taxation.

According to the Vietnam Cybersecurity Monitoring Centre, people often received phone calls or texts on Zalo and Facebook and are invited to visit the tax office or the police station to register for an electronic ID.

Scammers then ask the victims to download fake apps of the Government and General Department of Taxation on fake websites, disguised as the Google Play Store.

These websites generally have links ending with .apk.

The fake app requires permissions to access personal data. If the user approves them, the scammers can remotely monitor the victim's phone, with their main target being bank account login information.

Scammers will use many tricks to get the OTP code to appropriate money in the victim's account.

Discovering 195 fake apps recently, the Department of Information Security warned that people should not download strange apps or follow instructions of strangers. They should verify information by making phone calls to local taxation or police offices.

People are advised to only download apps on prestigious app stores like Google Play and Apple App Store and to never grant the app full control over the device.

Warning over cyberspace crimes

The Ministry of Public Security issued a warning this week about the main types of fraud in Viet Nam's cyberspace.

They noted fake brands and account hijacking in particular, with 24 types of fraud also reported in cyberspace.

Scammers don't discriminate when choosing targets. Victims can come from all walks of life.

The Ministry of Public Security and the MICs Department of Information Security recommend three basic things to ensure personal information safety.

People are advised to limit sharing personal information online unless they are certain that it is used in a controlled manner. Citizens need to ensure that they only provide personal information to trusted individuals and organisations.

Using secure passwords to protect online accounts is another basic step. Users should change their passwords regularly and not use the same one for different accounts.

People need to learn about information security methods, stay up to date with the latest news on security threats and learn how to prevent them. They should also use security tools such as anti-virus software to protect their online accounts.  VNS
AK LAK  ak Lak Province is improving the efficiency of its co-operatives in the hope of increasing their members incomes.

The Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province is home to 727 co-operatives with 69,790 members that operate in agriculture, industry including small-scale industry, trading and services, construction, transportation, and credit.

On average, the co-operatives generate annual revenues of VN1.8 billion ($76,000) and profits of VN250 million ($10,600).

Members earn an average of VN45 million ($1,900) a year.

The management capacities of the co-operatives have been improving in recent years, thanks to the involvement of university graduates and retired officials from organisations and enterprises.

To support the development of co-operatives, the province has taken several measures.

Its Co-operative Alliance has established exemplary agricultural co-operatives that focus on producing key agricultural products and implementing value chains.

The Fund for Co-operative Development Assistance has provided soft loans worth VN21 billion ($890,000) to 38 co-operatives, including VN3.5 billion ($150,000) to six co-operatives in the first half of this year.

The Fund for Employment Support has provided soft loans exceeding VN1 billion ($42,300) to eight co-operatives this year.

Out of the 718 co-operatives, 501 are agricultural, making it the province with the highest number of such co-operatives in the central and Central Highlands regions.

However, only a small number of them have adopted advanced techniques for smart agriculture like automatic irrigation, drone-based pesticide spraying, solar power utilisation in agricultural production, and the use of codes for origin tracing in growing areas, according to the Co-operative Alliance.

Furthermore, digital transformation has not been widely adopted in processing products, managing operations and marketing and advertising their products.

Le Van Dan, deputy chairman of the Co-operative Alliance, has emphasised the importance of enhancing awareness among co-operative managers and members regarding information technology.

The alliance has suggested that the province promote the use of digital technologies for managing production, business, and services in agricultural co-operatives.

It wants the province to set up agricultural co-operatives that utilise digital technologies and subsequently expand their number.

Agriculture is the key sector in ak Lak Province, primarily producing agricultural and forestry products for both domestic and export markets.

It is the largest coffee producer in the country.

The Cong Bang Ea Tu Agriculture Services Co-operative in Buon Ma Thuot City is an exemplary co-operative that has established links between the production and consumption of agricultural products.

It has formed a partnership with ak Man Viet Nam Limited to secure markets for its products. Its green coffee beans have received fair trade certification from the Fair Trade Labeling Organisation International (FLO), allowing them to be exported to countries such as the UK, France, the US, and Germany.

It plans to expand its organic coffee cultivation by an additional 60ha and grow 14ha of durian this year.

It expects revenues of VN12 billion ($500,000), this year an increase of VN2 billion ($84,600) from the previous year.

Apart from its 49 members, the co-operative also collaborates with around 150 households for cultivating 220 hectares of crops, predominantly coffee.

Its members are 90 percent ethnic.

Huynh Bai, chairman of the Co-operative Alliance, has outlined plans to strengthen consulting and support activities for co-operatives.

The alliance will work in collaboration with local administrations to encourage the establishment of new co-operatives.

It will also assist co-operatives with participating in trade promotion activities, fairs and exhibitions organised in ak Lak and elsewhere.

It also intends to establish a showroom in Buon Ma Thuot City to showcase and sell products from co-operatives and co-operative groups, and, together with relevant agencies, set up similar showrooms in districts.  VNS
HA NOI  A Viet Nam Airlines pilot who was found to be positive for a banned substance in late April is facing a dismissal, according to the airline.

The carrier on Wednesday reported to the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV) about the results of its coordination with the Aviation Medical Centre to clarify the case of its pilot whose sample tested positive for a banned substance in late April.

An official spokesman for this incident from Viet Nam Airlines ang Anh Tuan announced that, based on the results reported to the CAAV, the airline would implement procedures to review and deal with the pilot according to regulations.

The pilot would face the maximum disciplinary action of being fired.

Tuan affirmed that the safety of operations, and the health and safety of passengers and employees of the airline was always its most important goal.

Therefore, the carrier always actively inspected and reviewed to detect and promptly handle cases of violations of rules and regulations in this field.

Accordingly, the health checks for pilots were conducted periodically and irregularly. All violations would be strictly handled.

The pilot on April 25 initially refused a pre-flight drug test with his flight crew. He was then taken to a testing services facility in Ha Nois Long Bien District and had samples taken for rapid urine drug testing.

The results showed that he tested positive for ketamine, a synthetic drug.

A leader of the Civil Aviation Administration told Tuoi tre (Youth) online newspaper if a pilot is found to use drugs, he or she would be disciplined according to the provisions of Circular No. 46/2013 of the Minister of Transport on specific labour discipline for aviation employees.

Accordingly, airline employees, who use or have positive results for drugs or stimulants that are not allowed to use, would not be allowed to work as aviation staff in any business operating in the civil aviation industry.

Thus, the pilot, who used drugs, would be revoked of his pilot's licence forever, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  Zing News announced on Thursday afternoon that it will halt all operations for three months starting July 14, following the conclusion of an inspection by the Ministry of Information and Communications and a subsequent decision by the Vietnam Publishing Association.

During this hiatus, the e-magazine said it will focus on reviewing and correcting its current "shortcomings" according to the PMs Decision No 362/Q-TTg (dated April 3rd, 2019) on national press development and management planning until 2025.

Zing News added that it would continue to renew its content and format to align with the principles and purposes stated in its publication licence, as well as the functions and missions of a magazine under the Vietnam Publishing Association.

The e-magazines representative also sent their apologies to the readership and expressed gratitude towards authorities for their assistance.

Zing News said it hoped to continue receiving support upon its return.

Zing News, formerly known as Tap chi ien tu Tri thuc truc tuyen (Online Knowledge E-magazine), has been operating under its press licence No 75/GP-BTTTT issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications on February 26, 2020.  VNS
Vietnam's domestic aviation market is slowly reviving, notwithstanding a sluggish international market recovery and various external challenges that still present considerable obstacles for local airlines. This fragile resurgence is underscored by recent developments within the nation's leading carriers.

During a Ministry of Transport meeting on July 10, Dang Ngoc Hoa, chairman of Vietnam Airlines' Board of Directors, explained the fraught situation currently experienced by the aviation sector.

"It is important to note that one of the major airlines has purportedly sought bankruptcy protection in an attempt to navigate this turbulent period," Hoa said.

Speculation has swirled around Bamboo Airways, a significant player in the Vietnamese aviation market, as being the airline potentially considering filing for bankruptcy.

Contradicting these claims, Bamboo Airways confirmed on July 14 that it had been relentlessly restructuring and implementing extensive organisational reforms. The airline has dedicated considerable effort to the exhaustive research and development of various operational frameworks, striving to identify the most suitable and viable trajectory for growth.

In its recent statement, the company declared, "Despite the challenges, Bamboo Airways continues to uphold operational stability, guaranteeing punctual flight schedules and absolute safety. Our unwavering commitment is to expand our flight network and optimise all resources to continue serving our customers. Bamboo Airways remains steadfast in delivering high-quality aviation services, highlighting our hospitality-driven, customer-centric approach."

Bamboo Airways has undergone some recent significant transitions within its senior leadership. Nguyen Minh Hai, CEO of Bamboo Airways, recently resigned, passing the helm to Nguyen Ngoc Trong, vice chairman of the Board of Directors, who will act in the interim capacity.

Hai only assumed the CEO role at the end of May this year. Born in Hanoi in 1972, Nguyen Minh Hai is a graduate of Tourism Business Management from the National Economics University. He also completed an advanced Political Theory course at the Regional Political Academy - Administrative Area I.

With an impressive career spanning 25 years in the aviation industry, the former CEO had previously held several key roles within Vietnam Airlines and its subsidiaries. His time as deputy CEO of Vietnam Airlines and CEO of Cambodia Angkor Air demonstrate his substantial expertise and experience, which have undeniably contributed to the Vietnamese aviation landscape.

Resignations and new appointments shake up Bamboo Airways' Board of Directors Bamboo Airways has witnessed a series of resignations from key board members and is preparing to welcome new leaders, signalling significant changes in the airline's governance structure.
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Designed for the 21st-century traveller, this dynamic property of suites, studios, apartments, and sky pools brings Fusions down-to-earth, wellness-led lifestyle to a great destination.

Conveniently located in the heart of Vung Tau, the hotel is just a short trip by boat or road from Ho Chi Minh City.

The hotel features 170 well-appointed suites and apartments, a variety of dining options, a maritime-inspired spa, yoga, and fitness centre, and the only rooftop infinity pool and bar that offers panoramic city, mountain, and ocean views.

This stylish property is close to the city's major tourist attractions, such as Bai Truoc Park, the cultural centre, Vung Tau Lighthouse, Ho May Park.

Since July 2020, when Fusion Suites Vung Tau opened its doors to the public in southern Vietnam's popular coastal playground, the hotel has retained its place as one of the top luxury hotels in the region.

Throughout these three years, the property has won several awards and recognitions, both international and local. The latest being the Best View 2023 chosen by Travellive Magazine, which highlights the most remarkable destinations, hotels, resorts, and cruises.

Celebrate every moment with Fusion Suites Vung Tau's special anniversary offers:

Staycation

Up to July 16, receive a 30 per cent discount when booking directly  for the first 30 completed bookings (equivalent to 30 room nights) only, including breakfast buffet.

Celebration Night

The hotel is hosting a celebratory evening for its key partners and the media who have supported it through the years, bringing endlessly exciting ways to experience its distinctive style.

Michelin Guide Selected TRE Dining x Fusion Suites Vung Tau

Exclusively on July 14-15, find your next great culinary experience with the Michelin Guide Selected TRE Dining x Fusion Suites Vung Tau by trying its Four-Hands Dinner.

Chef Luu Dong from TRE Dining and Executive Chef Duc from Fusion Suites Vung Tau will be presenting a specially crafted menu to tantalise your taste buds, featuring seasonal local ingredients to complement the abundant fresh seafood of Vung Tau, all paired with unique beverage concoctions designed to elevate the senses further.

Speciality Cocktails

Only $14 net per two cocktails. Fusion Suites Vung Tau continues in its commitment to delight every guest, every time by creating unique, stylish, and unforgettable moments.
The contracts were signed on July 10 at the opening of a state-of-the-art, intelligent Operations Nerve Centre in Keppel Corporation's 64-hectare integrated township, which is being developed in Thu Duc city.

Nguyen Ky Phung, vice-chairman of Thu Duc People's Committee, joined Keppel representatives in officiating the opening of Keppel's Operations Nerve Centre on July 10

Through its Operations Nerve Centre, powered by a proprietary algorithm, Keppel will be able to remotely monitor and optimise all of its energy assets in Vietnam in real-time by leveraging digital technology, AI, and machine learning.

This greatly enhances the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of Keppels EaaS solutions and delivers superior sustainability performance and economic value to its customers.

According to Poh Tiong Keng, general manager of Keppel's Infrastructure Division for Vietnam and India, Keppel is pleased to bring the first-of-its-kind EaaS solution to Vietnam.

The signing of our latest contracts and the opening of our advanced Operations Nerve Centre here in Ho Chi Minh City are significant steps forward in the expansion of our EaaS offerings in Asia, said Keng.

Our subscription-based EaaS solution, which includes energy supply, cooling, decarbonisation, and smart energy management, enables businesses and building owners to enjoy significant energy savings without having to make heavy upfront investments. As Vietnam accelerates its plans to reach net-zero by 2050, we see tremendous opportunities to offer more of Keppels sustainability solutions and services in the country, he added.

As part of the latest contracts, Keppel will design and retrofit its clients existing cooling systems to improve energy efficiency and asset performance. The projects are expected to be completed by in phases and will have a combined design capacity of 8,000 refrigeration tonnes.

The projects are also expected to offset over 3,500 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to taking more than 1,000 cars off the road.

On the same occasion, Keppel also signed several MoUs with various partners in Vietnam such as Sovico Group, Filmore Development, Thanh Dat, and Alphanam Group to explore implementing other types of EaaS services, which include cooling, solar photovoltaic systems, and electric vehicle charging.

The aforementioned developments are not expected to have any material impact on Keppel Corporation's earnings per share or net tangible assets per share in the current financial year.

How Keppel Land enriches lives and uplifts the community As Keppel Land Vietnam commemorates its 30th anniversary, the company is committed to advancing the sustainability cause in its operations and activities for the next 30 years and beyond.

Keppel Land and Khang Dien Group collaborate on sustainable urban developments Keppel Land, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, and the Khang Dien Group, signed MoU on 10 February to collaborate on the development of residential projects as well as sustainable urban developments in Ho Chi Minh City.

Keppel Land invests $138 million in two residential projects with Khang Dien Keppel Corporation Ltd. (Keppel) and Keppel Vietnam Fund (KVF), jointly known as the Keppel Consortium, have entered into binding agreements to acquire a 49 per cent interest in two adjacent residential projects in Thu Duc City from the Khang Dien Group for an aggregate consideration of approximately $138 million.
In official document No.5208/VPCP-CN issued by the Government Office, PM Chinh expressed his dissatisfaction with the sluggish progress of Package 5.10, an integral part of the first phase of the ambitious Long Thanh International Airport project.

The Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises was called upon to take decisive action, with Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) instructed to promptly identify a suitable contractor in full compliance with the PM's directives and those of deputy prime ministers.

The Long Thanh International Airport project, the first phase, holds strategic importance for Vietnam, aiming to alleviate the strain on Tan Son Nhat International Airport and enhance connectivity, trade, tourism, and investment with both regional and global partners.

Upon completion, the project is designed to cater to a capacity of 100 million passengers and handle five million tonnes of cargo annually. Among the project's numerous elements, Package 5.10, focusing on the construction of and installations in the passenger terminal building, carries the largest budget of VND35 trillion ($1.46 billion).

This package encompasses the design, construction, and installation of crucial equipment for the passenger terminal building, a complex endeavour requiring precision, total quality, technical expertise, and a focus on international standards.

Thus, the selection of a contractor for this package assumes paramount significance and necessitates strict adherence to the legal provisions governing the bidding process.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has issued its assessment of the tender documents for Package 5.10 within Phase 3 of the Long Thanh International Airport project, overseen by ACV as the project's investor.

According to the ministry's conclusions, the ACV must ensure meticulous compliance with the prescribed procedures and regulations pertaining to the contractor selection process for Package 5.10. Moreover, the ACV bears full responsibility for the approved tender documents.

The MPI has recommended that the ACV undertake a thorough review and make appropriate adjustments to certain aspects of the tender documents to foster competitiveness, fairness, and transparency, as well as to prioritise domestic contractors where they have the requisite capabilities and experience.

The bidding process for Package 5.10 has attracted interest from three consortia. These include the Hoa Lu consortium, the Vietur consortium, and the CHEC-BCEG-Vietnam contractors consortium.

Among the contenders, the Hoa Lu consortium stands out as the only one led by a Vietnamese firm. Its members consist of Coteccons JSC, UNICONS Investment LLC, Thanh An General Company, DELTA Construction Group LLC, Central Construction JSC, An Phong Construction JSC, Hoa Binh Construction Group JSC, and PLE  a prominent Thai construction firm.
According to Dealstreetasia, the investment comes after a previous funding announcement from Do Ventures  another venture capital firm  in August of last year. This funding round marked Vuihoc's first round of financing since its inception two years ago.

In September last year, Vuihoc secured an additional $2 million in bridge financing, led by Bace Capital  a fund backed by fintech giant Ant Group. Other notable investors, including Vulpes Ventures, DT & Investment, Colopl Next, and Nextrans, also participated in this round.

The consecutive successful funding rounds have demonstrated the strong appeal of Vuihoc to investors.

Le Hoang Uyen Vy, CEO of Do Ventures, explained their decision to invest in the company, highlighting Vuihoc's impressive achievement of developing a successful online education product that offers engaging and age-appropriate content for primary school students.

Founded in 2019 by Do Ngoc Lam and Do Minh Thu, Vuihoc provides an extensive educational platform for students nationwide, ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade. The platform offers a comprehensive library of 400,000 learning resources, including videos, puzzles, and various lesson materials.

Vuihoc also provides interactive live classes, enabling students to learn individually or in small groups with dedicated teachers who provide immediate feedback. Currently, the platform hosts approximately 1,000 daily classes.

With the newly acquired funds, Vuihoc plans to further enhance its product offerings and attract a larger user base, aiming to reach one million paying users by 2024.

In a recent strategic move, the firm has appointed former CEO of Apax Holdings Travis Richard Stewart, a prominent educational organisation in Vietnam, as vice chairman of Academy and Strategy, demonstrating its commitment to growth and development.

Vietnamese edtech MindX secures $15 million in its series B Vietnamese edtech startup MindX has raised $15 million in a series B funding round to continue its mission of nurturing and empowering Vietnamese innovators to address global challenges through technology.

Significant funding pumped into educational startups Despite forecasts that the global economic situation may negatively impact the startup market, the edtech sector in Vietnam is still flourishing due to increased investment in education, affordable internet costs, and advancements in industry technologies.
The inauguration ceremony for the newly formed subsidiary, Ziehl-Abegg Vietnam, took place on July 11 in Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, construction of an advanced facility close to the city is underway.

To address the persistent surge in customer demand, construction work has already commenced, with production at the facility slated to commence in the first half of 2024. Full-scale production is anticipated to be achieved by the end of the same year.

Encompassing a sprawling expanse of 14,000 square meters, the production site will allocate 12,900sq.m for manufacturing purposes and 1,100sq.m for administrative functions.

This expansion initiative builds on prior investments to enhance the company's production capacities in Poland and the United States, along with ongoing investments in Germany.

Joachim Ley, Ziehl-Abegg's Production director, underscored the paramount importance of expanding production worldwide in order to meet customers' escalating demands.

Ley emphasised, "The new facility in Vietnam holds particular significance for the Asian and Australian markets, allowing us to continually provide our customers with optimal solutions."

The establishment of Ziehl-Abegg Vietnam represents another pivotal stride in the company's overarching global expansion strategy. With the establishment of a production facility in Vietnam, Ziehl-Abegg aims to bolster its market presence in the Asian and Australian regions, effectively enhancing its ability to serve customers in these areas.

Furthermore, Ziehl-Abegg disclosed the appointment of Alexander Reich as the managing director of Ziehl-Abegg Vietnam. Working alongside COO Joachim Ley, Reich will assume a crucial role in spearheading the success of the new facility.

Ziehl-Abegg, headquartered in Kunzelsau, Germany, is a globally renowned industry player in the field of ventilation, control, and drive technology. With a storied history dating back to the 1950s, when it pioneered the development of external rotor motors, the company continues to specialise in electric motors that power a diverse array of applications, ranging from elevators to medical equipment  such as computer tomography devices  and deep-sea underwater vehicles.

Boasting an illustrious track record of innovation, Ziehl-Abegg employs 2,800 skilled employees in its production plants in southern Germany, and its global workforce numbers 5,100, spread across 15 production facilities, 30 subsidiary companies, and 117 sales locations around the world.

With a product portfolio exceeding 30,000 items, the company's offerings are distributed across more than 100 countries. Ziehl-Abegg generates an annual turnover of $981.5 million.

Founded by Emil Ziehl in Berlin in 1910 as an electric motor manufacturer, the company relocated its headquarters to southern Germany in the aftermath of World War II. Ziehl-Abegg SE remains a family-owned enterprise and is not publicly traded.

Deutsche Bank expands investment in Vietnam Deutsche Bank has announced plans to inject an additional $100 million into its Ho Chi Minh City branch, raising its total investment in Vietnam to over $200 million. This substantial increase in capital infusion empowers the bank to expand its operations and offer an enhanced range of services to its valued clientele across the nation.

Infineon Technologies expands operations in Vietnam Infineon Technologies AG, the prominent German global semiconductor solutions provider, has recently unveiled plans to expand its operations in Vietnam. As part of this strategic move, the company is establishing a dedicated electronic chip development team based in Hanoi.
A Bellmead man was sentenced Thursday to 45 years in prison for a 2021 shooting that paralyzed a woman.

Judge Susan Kelly of Waco's 54th State District Court sentenced Dari Washington, 23, after he pleaded guilty in the case on March 20.

"When we came in for trial on March 20, you took responsibility and pleaded guilty to first-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon," Kelly said. "I could sentence you to life in prison."

Bellmead police responded to an apartment in the 4200 block of Bellmead Drive around 10 a.m. on May 24, 2021. There they found a woman who had been shot once in her left thigh and twice in her back, court records show.

In an impact statement after the hearing Thursday, the victim said the May 2021 shooting left her paralyzed and disabled. She said that every time she tries to do better and start therapy, being in wheelchair sets her back.

"My life is ruined," the victim said. "I may smile and go on for my boy, but I can't do what normal people do. I still have a bullet in my spine and if they remove it I will be fully paralyzed."

Kelly conducted a punishment hearing March 21, ordering a presentencing investigation. Kelly made a deadly weapon finding in accepting his plea, which will require Washington to receive credit for half his sentence or 22 years and six months before he will be eligible for parole.
A judge almost revoked a Waco-area man's plea deal minutes after she had sentenced him, when he waffled on testifying against his co-defendants.

Judge Susan Kelly of Waco's 54th State District Court accepted guilty pleas from Orland Louis Crespo, 39, in four cases out of two dozen charges listed on his jail record and sentenced him to 20 years in prison on a first-degree felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity with an underlying offence of vehicle theft.

The punishment range on first-degree felonies is from 5 to 99 years. As part of the plea, prosecutors agreed not to proceed on other charges, and Crespo agreed to give truthful testimony against his co-defendants in the case.

Kelly also sentenced Crespo to 10 years in prison for his guilty plea to third-degree felony fleeing arrest in a vehicle and 12 months state jail for each of two theft cases. Then she turned the hearing over to prosecutors.

McLennan County Assistant District Attorney Luke McCowan asked Crespo if he stole any cars with Isabell Gonzales, Rolando Hernandez and Anthony Contreras.

"When I took vehicles, I did most of them by myself," Crespo said, allowing that he stole "maybe one or two" with others, but he did not name names.

McCowan asked Crespo again, specifying cars, dates and where they were stolen.

"I mostly stole cars by myself, because I didn't get paid when I stole them with others," Crespo said.

Kelly then threatened to revoke the plea deals in the four cases she had just approved.

Crespo maintained that he did not work with Gonzales, but said he stole a car with Hernandez.

McCowan asked again if Crespo had stolen a car with Contreras, naming a date, location and type of car. Crespo said he stole that car with someone, but he never knew his real name.

"The Cuban, did you steal that car with The Cuban?" McCowan asked. "Anthony Contreras' street name is The Cuban."

Crespo said he stole the car with The Cuban, and Kelly ended the proceeding.
Turner Brothers Development will host a town hall Tuesday to hear residents ideas for Hispanic street names in the Floyd Casey Stadium redevelopment site.

The design for the 77-acre tract has been finalized, with 259 single-family lots, three commercial strips and three multifamily sites, said Jonathan Garza, Turner Brothers director of development. He said Tuesdays meeting could include a short summary of the project, but the majority of the time will be spent focused on street names.

Garza said the developers have been working closely with District 2 city council representatives  former Council Member Hector Sabido and Council Member Alice Rodriguez  and the University Neighborhood Association for a few years. He said the developers often try to work with communities where they are developing, but he gives kudos to Rodriguez for spearheading the effort and engaging the community in a meaningful way.

This is big for South Waco, Garza said. I understand this is something the community has wanted. Somebody like Alice really understands the importance.

He said 259 homes is a lot of new houses in the South Waco area and the relatively new University Neighborhood Association, and community input and representation has been important throughout the process. District 2 and South Waco are home to a large Hispanic population and rich with heritage, and Garza said developers wanted to think of the bigger picture, outside the Floyd Casey neighborhood, when building the community.

There may also be public discussion Tuesday of naming for the regional park that will take in the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex across Clay Avenue from the development.

Garza said developers are looking for Hispanic names and are not opposed to having a theme. The streets could take inspiration from pieces of Hispanic culture, or attendees could suggest names from local or global history, he said.

Turner Brothers will not have the final say in the naming. Garza said street naming is a long process that involves submission of ideas to the citys addressing coordinator who will approve the street names.

The names must not sound too much like another word or street name for 911 and emergency purposes. Street names also must not repeat, Garza said.

Waco will spend about $25 million from various sources in support of the development on the city-owned Floyd Casey property. The total cost of the project has been estimated at about $100 million.

Anyone interested in submitting ideas can contact Daniela Rodriguez at Daniela@tbretexas.com. If someone does not want to speak up at the meeting there will be papers to write ideas on, and Rodriguez is fluent in Spanish and will be able to translate, Garza said.
Waco city management proposed a half-cent tax rate decrease for the upcoming fiscal year as they presented a draft city budget this week.

Included in the budget are $250 million in capital projects, ranging from road work to large construction projects at the landfill and wastewater plant.

The proposed rate of 75.5 cents per $100 valuation would mark the lowest rate in over a decade and the third consecutive year for a rate reduction, Finance Director Nick Sarpy said.

According to the citys presentation Tuesday, average home values have increased by 11.6% from $185,064 in 2022 to $206,585, a difference of $21,521. With the rate decrease, the average homeowner can expect an increase of about $162 to their yearly property tax bill, for a total of some $1,560.

The presentation showed the citys net taxable value increased over the year by some $1.62 billion, or 13%, resulting in about $12.2 million in additional property tax revenue for the city.

Sarpy presented a breakdown of a typical Waco property owners tax bill, including the city, county, Waco Independent School District and McLennan Community College rates, and said the citys current rate of 76 cents per $100 valuation makes up less than a third of the bill. McLennan Countys rate of 37.6 cents equates to 15%, MCCs rate at 13.9 cents is 6% and the school districts rate of $1.24 makes up almost 50%.

And Ill reiterate what I said numerous times: The city of Waco, of all these jurisdictions, is the only one that impacts peoples lives on a daily basis, Sarpy said.

Council Member Jim Holmes said despite the increase in taxes this year, he does not want residents to forget the exemptions the city enacted last year that shaved hundreds of dollars off from many homeowners bills. Going into the 2023 fiscal year, the city council increased homestead exemptions from 10% to 15%, increased the exemption for homeowners 65 and older from $5,000 to $50,000 and added a new $50,000 exemption for homeowners with disabilities.

I mean, there was a huge delta between 2022 and 2023, and I guess if I wouldve made this slide, I wouldve highlighted that was the big change, Holmes said of the presentation. And so as we see this one with a little bit of nominal delta in, you know, the positive direction, I think 2022 to 2023 demonstrated a lot more reduction in whole-dollar taxes to residents.  We could have filtered that exemption thing in over 3 years.  We did it all at once, and I dont want people to forget about that.

The budget includes $250 million in capital improvements, largely funded by debt, a sharp increase over $215 million in 2023. City Manager Bradley Ford said the citys backlog of infrastructure needs has grown into a multi-billion dollar venture that will only shrink through continued investments by the council, showing that 10 years ago the capital improvements budget was just $19 million.

For the past few years, the council and staff have really been staring up at a pretty big challenge from an infrastructure standpoint, and putting numbers to it, its a multi-billion dollar backlog that grows by the year, Ford said.  This CIP will touch each and every council district with meaningful street work, several new parks and amenities, as well as ensuring from a citywide perspective we make progress towards a new landfill,  a new transfer station and expanded Bull Hide Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Ford proposed $118.7 million in capital improvements for operations funded by user fees such as water, sewer and solid waste. An additional $127.3 million is set aside for capital improvements funded by taxes and other general revenue.

Some $43.1 million will go toward streets, primarily tackling years of deferred maintenance and capacity issues on old, two-lane rural roads through the street capacity program. The program will be tied to the citys new $10 street maintenance fee, which will fund the projects with cash over the next five years. The street fee also comes with a sunset provision, ending it in five years unless the council reauthorizes it.

The street capacity program will fund expansion of width and sidewalks along:

Flat Rock Road from Farm-to-Market Road 1637 to Tree Lake Drive

Speegleville Road from Highway 84 to the bridge over the Middle Bosque River

Chapel Road from Meadow Mountain Drive to Ritchie Road

Warren Road from Ritchie Road to Farmiller Road

12th Street from the 18th Street terminus to Loop 340.

Council members discussed their concerns about the street maintenance fee going to fund these projects, as residents have expressed their desire to have neighborhood streets that they see and drive on every day fixed. In upcoming budget and audit meetings the council also will discuss exemptions from the fee for people who do not drive.

Bridge work will get $9 million, with the Speegleville Road bridge slated for $5 million. The New Road bridge east of Franklin Avenue near Walmart will undergo design and engineering for $2 million, which Ford said will be a large undertaking in future years.

Thats not the first time weve allocated dollars to that project, so were getting closer to reality on being able to replace that bridge, Ford said. ... Its undersized and inadequate as defined by TxDOT standards.

The parks department will get $19.5 million, including $3 million for the first phase of construction on a park in China Spring and $12.5 million for the citys regional park at the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex, which will have all-abilities playground equipment.

Some $6.2 million will go toward the relocation of Fire Station No. 4, the citys second-oldest station that needs some TLC and love, Ford said.

On the business side, the water department will get $6.5 million for a second 72-inch raw water line to supply water to the citys dissolved air floatation plant and $5 million for its commitment to replace lead and copper lines.

The Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System gets $45 million for the expansion of the Bull Hide Wastewater Treatment Plant, which should double the facilitys capacity, Ford said.

The first construction money for a new landfill at Farm-to-Market Road 939 and TK Parkway is also allocated in the $118.7 million business Capital Improvement Program, with $14.5 million going toward the solid waste project.
Multiple education professionals discussed the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual panel Thursday, urging the need to find systemic solutions to Nebraska's teacher shortages.

The conversation was included in a two-part virtual hearing from the Nebraska Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to hear testimony around the implications of the pandemic on education.

The committee is a 13-person group of volunteers that help the commission investigate state issues. They will provide their findings and recommendations from public testimony to the commission to help address education problems made worse by COVID-19.

"The best thing we can do about the teacher shortage is to keep the teachers we have," said Guy Trainin, a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's department of teaching, learning and teacher education. "And we do that by not adding to the work  by making sure we don't add to their workload and helping them out and then bring more people in the profession."

Nebraska's educator shortage was severely impacted by the pandemic and has only worsened over the past few years. In a survey published earlier this year, the Nebraska Department of Education found that the number of reported unfilled teaching jobs across the state was up nearly 60%.

Trainin said the districts that are being hit the hardest from the shortages are in high-need, urban areas or in rural communities. In the metro area, the Omaha Public Schools has been losing the most staff over the past two years.

One of the top issues is lack of substitute teachers and paraprofessionals, Trainin said.

"These are the people who make sure that services to students are continuous," Trainin said. "Most schools and systems are now operating with a fraction of substitute teachers and paraeducators that they need to move forward."

Trainin said the state needs to be more innovative in creating solutions to bump the number of substitute teachers and paraprofessionals, in turn relieving the workload of teachers to prevent them from leaving their roles.

Dawn Lindsley, a Nebraska 4-H extension educator, pointed out that state officials have made some strides in addressing the shortage. The State Board of Education has been working on improving teacher certification and lawmakers have passed education legislation such LB762, which would devote $1 million to tuition assistance for paraprofessionals looking to become teachers.

Ted Hamann, a Nebraska Advisory Committee member, asked how the teacher shortages have been affecting different groups of Nebraska students.

"(We) are paying attention to the civil rights concerns by race, ethnicity, gender, religion...are there any particular ways to circle back to this broader issue of teacher shortages that the pandemic exacerbated?" Hamann said. "Has that exacerbation visited certain districts or certain kinds of student populations in a way that a body worried about civil rights should be paying particularly careful attention to?"

Trainin said the state has seen less school participation in career and technical education, including fewer females in computer science.

"The number of boys that took computer science courses stayed the same before and after the pandemic. But the number of girls diminished by about 40%," Trainin said. "That's a really significant impact. I'm not 100% sure why it's happening. But we know that in some districts, there was no possibility because they did not have the teacher workforce to provide those (courses)."

Trainin and Lindsley were also joined by Adriana Villavicencio, an assistant professor from the University of California, Irvine, who talked about how the pandemic negatively affected students' academic, physiological and psychological needs.

Villavicencio said the pandemic worsened issues for immigrant and English Learner (EL) students.

"I think we've seen, even in states with a healthy and long history of serving immigrant families, a real shortage of teachers who are equipped to serve ELs and to serve them in a way that's more integrated into the community and integrated into the school community," Villavicencio said.

Trainin also pointed to students in special education, who suddenly lost most or all of their services when learning shifted online. Teacher shortages, which are also more extreme in the special education field, have contributed to special education students not receiving the services they deserve in Nebraska schools.

"(Teachers) were really making progress with students and suddenly everything stopped. Kids regressed," Trainin said. "This is the first group we (need to) think about as we come back to provide services. We need to make sure we serve them because (they are) probably one of the most disrupted groups."

The Nebraska Advisory Committee encourages community members to attend its next public forum to gather more testimony about how COVID-19 has affected K-12 education, especially when it comes to civil rights.

The in-person event is still in the planning phase, but will take place the afternoon of Aug. 9 in Lincoln. People can check the Federal Register website for details once they are finalized.
EVANSDALE  An Evansdale woman has pleaded guilty to charges of allegedly buying guns for her boyfriend, who is a member of an outlaw motorcycle club.

Jennifer Ann Wach, 45, pleaded to one count of aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. She remains free pending a sentencing hearing.

Court records allege Wach purchased handguns and a rifle in 2018.

Some of the firearms were later in the possession of Bradley Aaron Ball, who was a member of a Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club support club and by September 2019 was a full Sons of Silence member. Ball is prohibited from possessing guns because of a prior felony burglary conviction, records state.

Wach and Ball later relented and returned some of the firearms to the store.

Another gun she bought was later found with another club member who is a convicted felon, records state.

Ball pleaded to charges of felon in possession of a firearm in May and is awaiting sentencing.

According to court records, Ball accompanied Wach when she bought a .45-caliber Smith and Wesson MP Shield pistol and a 9 mm Kimber Micro from Scheels Sporting Goods in Cedar Falls on Oct. 5, 2018.

The following day, she returned to the store to return the Smith and Wesson.

On Oct. 10, 2018, Wach filled out paperwork to buy a .22-caliber Mossberg rifle that was made to resemble an AR-15. Ball handed the store employee cash and handled the gun on the way out of the store, records state.

Three days later, on Oct. 13, 2018, they were at the Scheels store in Coralville where Wach bought a 9 mm SCCY pistol.

A .380-caliber Glock 42 was bought on Oct. 22, 2018, and three days later she returned the Glock 42 and the Kimber that had been bought earlier in the month, according to court records.

A year later, on Sept. 5, 2019, authorities searched their home and other locations as part of an investigation into Sons of Silence members. They found a .380-caliber Ruger LCP handgun in the bedroom and about 100 rounds of ammo in different calibers.

Agents seized patches and clothing as well as correspondence between Ball and incarcerated motorcycle club members.

Ball allegedly told investigators he had directed Wach to buy the guns. He also said they later researched the consequences of straw man firearm purchases and decided to return the guns, court records state. Detectives found evidence they researched penalties for such purchases online.

During the searches, the SCCY pistol that had been bought in Coralville was found with another club member, records state.

The charges are the newest filed in recent investigations into the Sons of Silence and affiliated clubs.

In April 2020, a Sons of Silence enforcer and several members of Sworn Silence were arrested after they allegedly forced an off-duty police officer on a motorcycle to pull over in Clarion. The officer was wearing colors  a vest and patch  for the Gunfighters Motorcycle Club, an organization for law enforcement, and Sworn Silence demanded he hand over the vest.

As part of the investigation, the enforcer was convicted of federal firearm charges and charges against the rest were dropped.

In 2019, the president of the Central Iowa Chapter of the Sons of Silence was sentenced to federal prison on firearm charges.

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State regulators have opted to let an emergency medical services provider keep his license despite a criminal conviction tied to allegations of child sex abuse.

Other Iowa EMTs have been sanctioned recently for distributing child pornography, being drunk on the job, and sharing photos of a patient.

State records indicate that in March 2020, while working for Signature Healthcare, Jacob Borton of Melbourne was arrested and charged with second-degree sexual abuse and lascivious acts with a child.

According to police reports, Borton and a 10-year-old child were sleeping together when, at Bortons direction, the child fondled Bortons genitals.

In May 2021, a plea agreement in the case was reached. According to court records, Borton agreed to plead guilty to a charge of child endangerment, pay a $750 civil penalty, serve at least two years of probation and complete a sex-offender treatment program. In return, the other charges against Borton were dismissed.

Court records indicate that last month, while working for Favorite Healthcare Staffing as a state-certified nursing assistant and an EMT, Borton successfully completed his probation.

As a result of his 2021 criminal conviction, the Iowa Bureau of Emergency and Trauma Services recently placed Bortons license on probation for four years and ordered him to complete four hours of continuing education on ethics in the workplace.

Other licensure actions

Other Iowa EMS providers and services sanctioned recently by the bureau include:

Dustin Bartels, a 39-year-old paramedic from Dubuque, who was allegedly intoxicated while on duty last November. Bureau records indicate he smelled of alcohol, had watery eyes and, when tested, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.104. The legal limit for driving in Iowa is 0.08.

The bureau has not disclosed whether patient care was affected by Bartels actions or which EMS service Bartels was working for at the time of the incident. In November 2022, Bartels was working for both the City of Dubuque Fire Department and the Key West Fire Department south of Dubuque.

The bureau recently placed Bartels license on probation for one year, enabling him to continue working as a paramedic. The conditions of his probation require him to follow all treatment recommendations made by his substance-abuse evaluator, provide a specimen of blood or urine to a bureau investigator if requested, and to undergo another evaluation before the end of his probation.

Court records indicate that in 2002, Bartels was convicted of possessing alcohol while underage on three occasions, and on two other occasions in 2003. In 2004, he was convicted of consumption and intoxication, and in 2005, he was convicted of consuming alcohol in a public place. Also in 2005, he was convicted of first-offense drunken driving. In 2012, he was convicted charges related to consumption and intoxication.

John Steier of Elkhorn, Nebraska, whose Iowa EMS license was revoked after he was sentenced to 102 months in prison for distributing child pornography. According to prosecutors, Steier, while working in the Glenwood Fire Department, made child pornography available for download from an eMule account that he maintained. Federal agents later seized his laptop computer at the fire department and located about 80 videos of child pornography on the device.

Coggon Deputy Fire Chief JamieColeman, who allegedly responded to an EMS call in February and afterward posted information about the EMS call to a group chat. The information he shared allegedly included photos of the patient, treatment information and the ambulance service name.

The bureau placed Colemans EMS license on probation for one year and required him to complete two hours of continuing education on patient privacy.

Coleman told the Iowa Capital Dispatch the patient information he shared was a Facebook post created by a relative of the patient, which he then shared with his EMS classmates in a group chat. In addition to his work for the city, Coggan works for ambulance services in the Anamosa and Monticello area.

The New Market Volunteer Fire Department was issued a warning and fined $250 for failing to provide the bureau with the required data on its operations. The bureau alleges it was unable to contact New Markets EMS director, Michelle Hobbick, by email after multiple attempts. The bureau sent Hobbick a certified letter in April, and as of May 5, the required data had yet to be provided by the department.

Richland First Responders was issued a warning and fined $250 for failing to provide the bureau with the required data on its operations. The bureau alleges it was unable to contact the agencys EMS director, Caryl Cavner, by email after several attempts. The bureau sent Cavner a certified letter in April, and as of May 5, the required data had yet to be provided by the agency.

Wettest counties in Iowa Wettest counties in Iowa #50. Warren County #49. Tama County #48. Hardin County #47. Mahaska County #46. Taylor County #45. Franklin County #44. Marion County #43. Clarke County #42. Story County #41. Wapello County #40. Cerro Gordo County #39. Jefferson County #38. Grundy County #37. Van Buren County #36. Poweshiek County #35. Monroe County #34. Washington County #33. Worth County #32. Butler County #31. Ringgold County #30. Linn County #29. Lucas County #28. Louisa County #27. Henry County #26. Decatur County #25. Johnson County #24. Davis County #23. Des Moines County #22. Muscatine County #21. Black Hawk County #20. Mitchell County #19. Wayne County #18. Jones County #17. Cedar County #16. Floyd County #15. Buchanan County #14. Appanoose County #13. Lee County #12. Scott County #11. Fayette County #10. Dubuque County #9. Bremer County #8. Clinton County #7. Howard County #6. Jackson County #5. Delaware County #4. Chickasaw County #3. Clayton County #2. Winneshiek County #1. Allamakee County
This years legislative session was hugely consequential, criticized by some Iowans and praised by others. The laws passed, from tax cuts to school regulations to book bans to restrictions on transgender students, will influence the everyday lives of people across the state for years to come.

We wanted to know how these actions and others by the state government affect the lives of people across the state. What they like, what they dont like, where they see our leaders falling short and what they think needs more attention.

This story is part of a larger series involving Lee Enterprises newspapers in Council Bluffs, Davenport, Mason City, Muscatine, Sioux City, Waterloo-Cedar Falls and our Des Moines Bureau. The What Do Iowans Want? series attempts to probe the thinking of people across the state about how the government is working for them.

The 20 Iowans profiled represent the broad perspectives in our state. Theyre teachers, artists, retirees and athletes. Theyre Republicans, Democrats and independents. Theyre your neighbors and your friends.
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

The AFU continued unsuccessful attempts at offensive actions in South Donetsk, Krasny Liman and Donetsk directions.

In Donetsk direction, as a result of the courageous and competent actions of the Yug Group of Forces units, aviation and artillery, 30 enemy attacks have been successfully repelled close to Zolotaryovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Spornoye, Kleshcheevka, Andreevka, Sol, Severnoye, Veseloye, Vodyanoye, Pervomaiskoye, Krasnogorovka and Petrovskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In addition, enemy manpower and hardware concentration areas have been hit in two areas to the west of Andreevka and Kleshcheevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 335 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one U.K.-manufactured FH-70 towed howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, as a result of coordinated actions by the defending units of the Vostok Group of Forces, aviation and artillery, an enemy attack by the units of the AFU 35th Marine Brigade have been repelled forward Staromayorskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic), and also foiled an enemy combat reconnaissance actions near Ugledar (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The AFU inflicted a comprehensive fire attack on an AFU manpower and hardware cluster close to Storozhevoye and Makarovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).

The activities of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been suppressed close to Sladkoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In Zaporozhye direction, as a result of the selfless actions by Russian troops, two enemy attacks have been repelled near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

In addition, Army Aviation and artillery struck enemy military personnel close to Marfopol, Rabotino and Lugovskoye (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were over 240 Ukrainian servicemen, nine infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers, six armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, as well as Msta-B and D-30 howitzers .

In addition, one ammunition depot of the AFU 33th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region).

In Krasny Liman direction, as a result of the active actions by the units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, aviation, artillery, and heavy flame thrower systems, two enemy attacks of the 63rd and 66th mechanised brigades of the AFU each with the strength of up to a motorised infantry platoon have been repelled close to Torskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Karmazinovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

The activities of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been suppressed close to Terny (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In addition, enemy personnel have been hit near Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova and Kuzmino (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

The enemy losses were over 60 Ukrainian servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles and one Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer.

In Kupyansk direction, the units of the Zapad Group of Forces, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and artillery have successfully repelled three enemy attacks near Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

AFU manpower and hardware have been hit close to Molchanovo, Novomlynsk, Ivanovka (Kharkov region) and Artyomovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

The enemy were up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, and two motor vehicles.

In Kherson direction, assault groups of Russian troops continued reconnaissance and search operations on the islands close to Antonovsky Bridge.

The enemy losses were up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles, and two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 74 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, manpower and hardware in 107 areas.

One ammunition depot of the 1st Special Forces Brigade of the AFU has been destroyed near Volchansk (Kharkov region).

Fuel depots for Ukrainian military equipment have been destroyed close to Malodolinskoye and Chernomorsk (Odessa region).

The 5th National Guard Brigades battalion command and observation post has been hit near Yampol (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Fighter Aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down one Mi-24 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Cherevkovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Air defence facilities have intercepted 4 Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

15 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle have been destroyed close to Grozovoye, Priyutnoye, Dorozhnyanka, Vladimirovka, Konstantinovka (Zaporozhye region), Blagoveshchenka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Chervonaya Dibrova, Verkhnekamenka, Chervonopopovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Tavolzhanka (Kharkov region) and Zburyevka (Kherson region).

In total, 455 airplanes, 242 helicopters, 4,981 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 air defence missile systems, 10,668 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,137 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,421 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 11,626 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

WtR
Press release on the results of the NATO summit in Vilnius, July 11-12, 2023

On July 11-12, Vilnius hosted a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Its results show that NATO has once again returned to the Cold War schemes, this time to protect their one billion from the other part of humanity based on the ideology of dividing the world into democracies and autocracies. Led by the United States, the collective West refuses to accept the rise of a multipolar world and intends to use every instrument at its disposal, including military methods, to defend its hegemony. NATOs attempts to use the UN Charter to camouflage its aggressive aspirations and actions are not credible. The bloc and the global organisation have nothing in common. The Western rules-based order is a misappropriated prerogative to violate international law. The results of NATOs actions are well known; they include the proliferation of instability, the destruction of states, the rise of terrorism, war crimes committed with impunity, the death of civilians, including children, and an endless wave of refugees.

We have seen again that the alliance is unable to adapt to the new global geopolitical reality and to real security requirements. While magnifying the alleged threat in the East, the United States and its vassals intend to use NATO as the main instrument of their global hegemony and the containment of the centres of the developing multipolar world. This policy of searching for external enemies is targeted against Russia.

The summit documents again defined Russia as the most significant and direct threat to the Allies security. Turning facts upside down, they have hypocritically accused Moscow of undermining global energy and food security. Washington and its allies, who are dreaming of delivering a strategic defeat to Russia, are increasing their military presence near the Russian border, deploying strike weapons and holding regular exercises focused on training in offensive operations. They are improving and strengthening their command staff chains, establishing new weapons depots and other infrastructure for the operational deployment of reinforcements. NATO has increased its rapid reaction forces to 300,000 troops and will create an integrated air and ballistic missile defence system. Brussels no longer mentions its past assurances that this system will not be targeted against Russia.

NATOs new regional defence plans are designed to strengthen the aggressive coalition capabilities on land, at sea and in the air, in the space and cyber domains. NATO has declared readiness to involve Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which stipulates a conventional response, including by collective forces, to malicious hybrid operations in cyberspace and also in the event of damage to its critical infrastructure. NATO is gradually lowering the threshold for the use of force and strengthening the nuclear component of its military planning.

The NATO countries account for over half of global military spending. But they are not satisfied, and in Vilnius they have pledged to invest at least 2 percent of their annual GDP on defence. The American defence corporations are happy: the allies will have to pay through the nose for US-made weapons to replace their arms supplies that have been burned in Ukraine.

NATO, which is whipping up militarisation and aggravating military-political tension to ensure its superiority, continues with its provocative expansion policy. The focus of its aspirations is Ukraines further integration with NATO. They decided to establish the NATO-Ukraine Council, where the allies and Ukraine will sit as equal members. They reaffirmed the commitment they made at the 2008 Summit in Bucharest that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, although they have not set the date. They sweetened the pill by saying that Ukraines path to full integration has moved beyond the need for the Membership Action Plan. At the same time, Ukraine will be the main expendable element in the hybrid war NATO has launched against Russia. Resolved to escalate the conflict, the bloc has promised Kiev that it will supply more modern and more long-range weapons, so that this conflict of attrition lasts as long as possible.

The bloc has not abandoned efforts to catch Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Moldova in its nets. NATOs expansionist aspirations are not limited to the Euro-Atlantic region. Having swallowed Finland and (almost swallowed) Sweden without any public discussions or referendums, NATO is trying to bring military confrontation to the Arctic. It is also actively infiltrating the post-Soviet space. The Middle East and Africa have been declared a zone of their strategic interests. Washington and its allies are trying to bring their rules there and are using the tried and tested neocolonial methods to pump their resources. NATO is spreading its tentacles to the Indo-Pacific region under the far-fetched pretext that developments there can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security. Blinded by their global aspirations, the NATO countries stated in Vilnius that the deepening strategic partnership between China and Russia runs counter to their values and interests.

The majority of states are seriously concerned about these events. NATOs policy, activities and military development directly contradict the objective goals of building a new fair world without artificial dividing lines or the division of states into us and them, a world where the legitimate interests of states to choose their development paths and social systems will be respected.

Security can only be indivisible, and it cannot be strengthened through disregard for the security of others. However far the geopolitical aspirations of Washington and Brussels may go, the world will not be turned into a NATO globe.

We will scrutinise the results of the Vilnius summit. Taking into account the threats and challenges to Russias security and interests, we will use all the means and methods available to provide a prompt and appropriate response to them. In addition to the decisions taken, we will continue to strengthen our military structure and the countrys defence system.

https://mid.ru/en/foreign_p

WtR
A new study, done by the US Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, found that one-third of deer tested in a large, national government-led study showed signs of prior infection to COVID.

Further, people in the United States transmitted the pandemic coronavirus to white-tailed deer at least 109 times, and the animals widely spread the virus among themselves.

The study also suggested that the deer returned the virus to people in-kind at least three times  twice in North Carolina and once in Massachusetts.

The findings are raising concerns that white-tailed deer have the potential to be a virus reservoir. That would mean that a deer could become infected with COVID; the virus would be adapted by their new host; and then can spill back over to humans, thereby causing a new wave of infections.

In a statement by Dr. Xiu-Feng Henry Wan, a scientist at the University of Missouri who led some of the research, Deer regularly interact with humans and are commonly found in human environmentsnear our homes, pets, wastewater, and trash. The potential for SARS-CoV-2, or any zoonotic disease, to persist and evolve in wildlife populations can pose unique public health risks.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), there are approximately 1,669,100 deer in the state of Wisconsin. Since the early 1900s, Wisconsin state officials have been tracking deer populations and harvests to maintain healthy levels.

COVID is not the only health risk within the states white-tailed deer population. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is also infecting the ruminants.

CWD is a fatal degenerative disease of the brain and nervous system that infects white-tailed deer, as well as moose, elk, and reindeer. There are no treatments and no cure.

To date, no human has been infected with CWD.

The Wisconsin DNR began monitoring the states deer population in 1999. The first positives were found in 2002. In 2022, the Wisconsin DNR sampled 17,187 deer for CWD. The results showed 1,492 deer tested positive for the disease.

Sauk County deer tests positive for chronic wasting disease A Sauk County deer farm is under quarantine after a 10-year-old doe tests positive for chronic wasting disease.

In May of this year, deer farms in Sauk and Dodge counties had to be quarantined after deer on those facilities tested positive for CWD.

Deer farm in Dodge County quarantined for CWD A deer farm in Dodge County is under quarantine after a doe tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

For now, both COVID and CWD in deer being transferred to humans is nearly absent.

Researchers continue to monitor the situation and are trying to pinpoint how human-to-deer and deer-to-human transmissions may occur.

Photos: Opening day of Wisconsin's 9-day gun-deer season Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens Traditional gun-deer season opens
Ask ChatGPT about comedian Sarah Silvermans memoir The Bedwetter and the artificial intelligence chatbot can come up with a detailed synopsis of every part of the book.

Does that mean it effectively read and memorized a pirated copy? Or that it scraped so many customer reviews and online chatter about the bestseller or the musical it inspired that it passes for an expert?

U.S. courts may now help sort that out after Silverman sued ChatGPT-maker OpenAI for copyright infringement this week, joining a growing number of writers who say they unwittingly built the foundation for Silicon Valley's red-hot AI boom.

Silverman's lawsuit says she never gave permission for OpenAI to ingest the digital version of her 2010 book to train its AI models, and it was likely stolen from a shadow library of pirated works. It says the memoir was copied without consent, without credit, and without compensation."

It's one of a mounting number of cases that could crack open the secrecy of OpenAI and its rivals about the valuable data used to train increasingly widely used generative AI products that create new text, images and music. And it raises questions about the ethical and legal bedrock of tools that the McKinsey Global Institute projects will add the equivalent of $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion to the global economy.

This is an open, dirty secret of the whole machine-learning industry, said Matthew Butterick, one of the lawyers representing Silverman and other authors in seeking a class-action case. They love book data and they get it from these illicit sites. Were kind of blowing the whistle on that whole practice.

OpenAI declined to comment on the allegations. Another lawsuit from Silverman makes similar claims about an AI model built by Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta, which also declined comment.

It may be a tough case for writers to win, especially after Googles success in beating back legal challenges to its online book library. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 let stand lower court rulings that rejected authors claim that Googles digitizing of millions of books and showing small portions of them to the public amount to copyright infringement on an epic scale.

While only a handful have sued, including Silverman and bestselling novelists Mona Awad and Paul Tremblay, concerns about the tech industrys AI-building practices have gained traction in literary and artist communities.

Other prominent authors  among them Nora Roberts, Margaret Atwood, Louise Erdrich and Jodi Picoult  signed a letter late last month to the CEOs of OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and other AI developers accusing them of exploitative practices in building chatbots that mimic and regurgitate their language, style and ideas.

Millions of copyrighted books, articles, essays and poetry provide the food for AI systems, endless meals for which there has been no bill, said the open letter organized by the Authors Guild and signed by more than 4,000 writers. Youre spending billions of dollars to develop AI technology. It is only fair that you compensate us for using our writings, without which AI would be banal and extremely limited.

The AI systems behind popular products such as ChatGPT, Google's Bard and Microsoft's Bing chatbot are known as large language models that have "learned" by analyzing and picking up patterns from a wide body of ingested text. Theyve awed the public with their strong command of human language, though theyre also known for a tendency to spout falsehoods.

While the models have also been trained on news articles and social media feeds, books are particularly valuable, as OpenAI acknowledged in a 2018 paper cited in Silverman's lawsuit.

The earliest version of OpenAI's large language model, known as GPT-1, relied on a dataset compiled by university researchers called the Toronto Book Corpus that included thousands of unpublished books, some in the adventure, fantasy and romance genres.

Other tech companies such as Google and Amazon relied on the same data, which is no longer available in its original form.

But since then, OpenAI and other top AI developers have grown more secretive about their sources of data, even as they have ingested larger troves of written works. Butterick said circumstantial evidence points to the use of so-called shadow libraries of pirated content that held the works of Silverman and other plaintiffs.

Its important for their models because books are the best source of long-form, well-edited, coherent writing, he said. You basically cant have a high-quality language model unless you have books in your training data.

It could be weeks or months before a formal response is due from OpenAI. But once the case proceeds, tech executives could have to testify under oath about the sources of books they downloaded.

As far as we know, the other side hasn't denied it, said Joseph Saveri, another of Silverman's lawyers. They don't have an alternative explanation for this.

Saveri said authors aren't necessarily asking tech companies to throw away their algorithms and training data and start over  though the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has set a precedent for forcing companies to destroy ill-gotten AI data. But some way of compensating writers is needed, he said.

ChatGPT isn't alone5 ways AI already impacts gambling and sports betting ChatGPT isn't alone5 ways AI already impacts gambling and sports betting #1. Gambling responsibly #2. Personalized experience #3. Customized marketing strategies #4. Fraud and misuse detection #5. Internal management for betting companies
Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 100-106 degrees expected. * WHERE...Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties, Greater Reno- Carson City-Minden Area, Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake and Northern Washoe County. * WHEN...From 11 AM to 9 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...There will be some relief at night as low temperatures drop into the upper 50s and 60s overnight. However, high temperatures are still close to 10 degrees above average for this time of year and close to daily records. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. &&
Excitement surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) has been off the charts since late fall, when ChatGPT exploded on the scene and became what analysts believed to be the fastest-growing app in history.



Since then, Twitter alternative Threads has surpassed it in speedy popularity.

Those who tried ChatGPT marveled at some of the things that it and other emerging generative AI chatbots could churn out in mere moments  letters, poems, recipes, travel suggestions, even computer code.

But a potential darker side of AI also emerged:

Assaults on user privacy.

The potential for job loss.

A rise in consumer fraud.

The spread of bias, disinformation and inaccuracies.

Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has placed OpenAI, the startup that sired ChatGPT, in its regulatory sights. The agency opened an investigation into whether the company may have engaged in unfair or deceptive privacy or data security practices that could put consumer data and personal reputations at risk. The claims are outlined in a letter, published by The Washington Post, that the FTC sent to OpenAI.

OpenAI has not responded to an AARP request for comment. In a tweet Thursday night, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote, its super important to us that [our] technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law. of course we will work with the FTC. The FTC declined to comment.

it is very disappointing to see the FTC's request start with a leak and does not help build trust.



that said, its super important to us that out technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law. of course we will work with the FTC.  Sam Altman (@sama) July 13, 2023

What does the federal government consider a problem?

ChatGPT and other generative AIs such as Microsoft Bings chatbot that incorporates OpenAI technology, Bard from Google, and Claude from startup Anthropic are trained on large language models (LLMs), essentially massive amounts of human generated data from the web. This includes works that may be copyrighted.
Africatown, Alabama  Altevese Rosarios voice quivers when she speaks of her great-great-great-grandfather Kossola Oluale.



Here in the hot Alabama sun, she remembers Oluales greatest sacrifice and reflects on what it meant to him to be one of the last known survivors of the Clotilda. In 1860, the slave ship took the final voyage trafficking Africans into the United States, 52 years after the federal government had outlawed bringing enslaved people into this country.

The goal of Kossola sharing his story was twofold, Rosario, 48, told the crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of Africatown Heritage House, a nearly 5,000-square-foot, one-story building in the center of Africatown. First, he valued the richness and beauty of his origins. And second, he needed his story  their story, Rosario paused. To be forever remembered.

Our ancestors arent physically here. Theyre spiritually here, and they get to see what they always hoped for, says Altevese Rosario, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Kossola Oluale. Lynsey Weatherspoon

It got to me a little bit, Rosario says of her emotional moment. Our ancestors arent physically here. Theyre spiritually here, and they get to see what they always hoped for.

Africatown Heritage House 2465 Winbush Street

Mobile, AL 36610 Open: TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.5 p.m. Tickets: $15 for adults; $9 for adults 65-plus, active/retired military; $8 for children 618. Timed-entry tickets are required in advance. Accessibility: The building is accessible. Headphones can be requested for use with provided audio handsets. Audio transcriptions are also available.

Oluale, who later went by the name Cudjo Lewis, shared the details of his life in West Africa and Alabama with author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. She interviewed Oluale in his home in Africatown, the community he and other Clotilda survivors created about five miles north of downtown Mobile after emancipation. Hurston recounted Oluales life in her book Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo.

Now Oluale, his fellow Clotilda survivors and their descendants have a new platform for documenting their story. The recently opened museum was built on ancestral ground, its land donated by the descendants of Clotilda survivors to share their historic biographies. Its siding is painted the same blue as Africatowns first school to honor the occupants of the Clotilda.

The Clotilda exhibit inside Heritage House recounts the capture of West Africans near present-day Benin. It documents their two-month voyage on the Clotilda, and their resilience during and after enslavement in the United States.

The Africatown Heritage House is a 40-year dream realized for the descendants of the Clotilda survivors and the residents of Africatown. Im overjoyed in how it has turned out, Rosario says. She hopes other community members are satisfied with the exhibit too.

While the nuances are unique to us, the overall story is the same for nearly every Black American that is here, she says. At some point, their ancestor was taken from somewhere. They were enslaved and then, prayerfully, had to live a life beyond slavery, even in the midst of slavery.


Quarterly Activities Report

Perth, July 13, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - On 2 August 2022 BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) announced that, following its shareholders' meeting on 21 June 2022 at which shareholders voted unanimously to approve an investment in hydrogen technology company Clean Hydrogen Technologies Corporation ("Clean Hydrogen" or "Vendor" or "Borrower"), BPH and its investee Advent Energy Ltd ("Advent" or "Lender") settled for the acquisition of a 10% interest in Clean Hydrogen for US$1,000,000 ("Cash Consideration") (8% BPH and 2 % Advent) under a Loan Conversion Agreement dated 25 July 2022 following the payment of US$535,996 by BPH and Advent (together the "Purchasers"), which was net of loans, accrued interest and deposits owed to the Purchasers by Clean Hydrogen.



The Purchasers had a further right of first refusal ("ROFR") to invest in Clean Hydrogen to a maximum of a further US$1,000,000 for a further 10%, on or before 31 December 2022. The ROFR conditions were subsequently amended such that it exists when (i) the Vendor does not seek a Series A investment in its equity securities comprising a minimum investment of US$3,000,000 by 30 April 2023, where such investment values the Vendor in excess of US$20,000,000 (such investment, a "Qualified Financing"), and (ii) the Vendor determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that it requires at least a further US$1,000,000 investment for continued development and operations. Subject to the above, should BPH and Advent (the "Purchaser") exercise the ROFR, it must do so within 1 month of the Vendors request for the additional funding. The consideration payable is an aggregate of US$1,000,000, comprising of $US800,000 by BPH and US$200,000 by Advent ("Additional Cash Consideration") subsequent to which BPH shall hold a total 16% interest in Clean Hydrogen and Advent shall hold a total 4% interest in Clean Hydrogen (based on the assumption that Clean Hydrogen has not issued any additional Clean Hydrogen Shares prior to the ROFR being exercised).



Clean Hydrogen has not sought a Series A Investment in its equity securities comprising a minimum investment of US$3,000,000, and made a request for additional funding from BPH. Advent has lent Clean Hydrogen US$500,000 in accordance with unsecured loan agreements on normal commercial terms. The loans have been funded by monies loaned by BPH to Advent. The loan agreements provide for a further unsecured loan of US$500,000 to be made to the Borrower, of which US$250,000 is subject always to the Lender's absolute discretion. Clean Hydrogen will allocate and issue up to 1,000 Options to Advent, with an exercise price of USD$3,000 each, and exercisable immediately, with the option for conversion into shares in Clean Hydrogen expiring ten years from the date of issue (Clean Hydrogen Options). An advance of every US$250,000 of the US$1,000,000 loan facility will equate to 250 Clean Hydrogen Options allocated to Advent or, from time to time, BPH. The Purchasers and Clean Hydrogen have agreed to enter into a separate loan conversion agreement which will enable the conversion of the loan amount into the Subscription Shares Tranche 2, representing the Purchasers further 10% interest in Clean Hydrogen.



The parties acknowledge and agree that the Cash Consideration and Additional Cash Consideration, shall be used by Clean Hydrogen to design, build, produce and test a reactor that can produce a minimum of 3.2kgs and as high as 15kgs of hydrogen per hour and to submit at least 2 new patents in an agreed geography, relevant to the production of hydrogen from proprietary technology.



Capital



The Company lodged a prospectus with ASX and ASIC on 24 March 2023 for the offer of Loyalty Options to give investors the same rights and entitlement to Loyalty Options as under a Loyalty Options Prospectus dated 25 November 2022 ("November Prospectus"), under which the Company could not meet the ASX quotation conditions and no Loyalty Options were issued. The offer was fully subscribed and raised $438,623 (including the set-off of $35,259 from amounts owed to directors and Grandbridge Limited) from the issue of 109,655,865 Loyalty Options with a subscription price of $0.04 and an exercise price of $0.03 per Loyalty Option, and an expiry date of 30 September 2024.



On 17 April 2023 the Company announced that it had received binding commitments to raise $1 million (before costs) ("Placement") comprising the issue of 52,631,578 shares in the Company at an issue price of $0.019 per share. The Placement was undertaken pursuant to the Company's existing placement capacity under ASX Listing Rule 7.1 and subsequent to the issue of a Prospectus in compliance with the Corporations Act. Placement participants received one (1) free listed option ("Placement Option") for every two (2) shares subscribed for under the Placement, exercisable at $0.03 each with an expiry date of 30 September 2024 ("Attaching Options"). Everblu Capital Corporate Pty Ltd ("Everblu") acted as Lead Manager for the Placement, with 62 Capital Pty Ltd ("62 Capital") acting as Co-Lead. Everblu and 62 Capital were paid a cash fee of 6% on funds raised under the Placement and 1 listed Broker Option per 2 Placement Options issued exercisable at $0.03 per share, expiring 30 September 2024.



The intended use of Placement funds is as follows:



- $0.2 million - Further Investment in Clean Hydrogen Technology



- $0.7million - Funding for exploration and development of oil and gas investments



- $0.1 million - For working capital including costs of the offer



5,000 Cleansing Shares and 5,000 Cleansing Options were also issued during the quarter.



Significant activities by the Company's investees' during the June 2023 quarter were as follows: Advent Energy Limited ("Advent") Clean Hydrogen (BPH has an 8% direct interest) and Onshore Energy Pty Ltd ("Onshore") (a 100% owned subsidiary of Advent Energy Limited which BPH has a 35.8% direct interest) have entered into a hydrocarbon process agreement ("Agreement"). Onshore has rights to gas fields including the Weaber gas field at the Onshore Bonaparte Basin in the Northern Territory, Australia, Retention Lease RL1 ("Rights").



Clean Hydrogen has capabilities at processing hydrocarbons from natural gas and producing two products, hydrogen (sometimes referred to as turquoise hydrogen) and carbon black and carbon nanotube products where such products are produced with no CO2 emissions in the core process.



Carbon black is composed of fine particles of carbon produced by pyrolysis of natural gas at high temperatures which in pure form is a fine black powder. It is widely used in various applications for tyres, black colouring pigment of newspaper inks, resin colouring, paints, and toners, antistatic films, fibres, and floppy disks and as an electric conductive agent of high-technology materials.



By the Agreement, Onshore and Clean Hydrogen propose to develop plans whereby Clean Hydrogen processes the hydrocarbons from Onshore's Rights and produces hydrogen and carbon black products ("Clean Hydrogen Products").



Clean Hydrogen is developing its "Commercial System" where it will satisfy scale and commercial objectives resulting in the development of income from sale of Clean Hydrogen Products. Clean Hydrogen's Commercial System means an end-to-end system which consumes and processes hydrocarbons, using Clean Hydrogen's own thermocatalytic reactor process and Clean Hydrogen's catalysts to produce hydrogen at commercial scale, enabling the sale of the Clean Hydrogen Products.



Under the material terms of the Agreement, Onshore will review the Commercial System once ready, conditional on the following.



i. Clean Hydrogen will keep Onshore informed of progress and timing for completion of the Commercial System which is planned to be completed in 2023 in India.



ii. Clean Hydrogen will share details on design and capabilities to assist Onshore in understanding how its systems will integrate with Onshore's supply of hydrocarbons.



iii. The parties will work together to develop a plan to include timelines and needs for production of Clean Hydrogen Products from Onshore's hydrocarbons.



iv. Once Onshore has a clear date for hydrocarbon production, both parties will endeavour to finalise the planning to produce Clean Hydrogen Products.



v. When Clean Hydrogen and Onshore have agreed to a time for the production of Clean Hydrogen Products, Clean Hydrogen will be responsible for due diligence relating to the compliance with the local regulatory requirements for the operation of the systems to produce the Clean Hydrogen Products.



The Agreement is non-binding and binding material contractual terms have yet to be agreed.



Clean Hydrogen will make itself available to answer all technical and business model queries as required and provide a dedicated point of contact to manage all Onshore queries. Onshore will use best endeavours to develop the plan with Clean Hydrogen. Onshore will provide Clean Hydrogen with detail on its Rights and the timing to assist with planning.



Onshore and Clean Hydrogen shall define and agree as part of the plan on the markets for the sale of the Clean Hydrogen Products.



Onshore accepts no liability for the design and operation of the systems to produce the Clean Hydrogen Products. The Agreement does not preclude Onshore's right to look at other plans for use of their hydrocarbons associated with their Rights.



Cortical Dynamics Limited ("Cortical")



Investee Cortical Dynamics Limited is an Australian based medical device neurotechnology company that is developing BARM(TM), an industry leading EEG (electrical activity) brain function monitor. BARM(TM) is being developed to better detect the effect of anaesthetic agents on brain activity under a general operation, aiding anaesthetists in keeping patients optimally anaesthetised, and complemented by CORDYAN(TM) (Cortical Dynamics Analytics), a proprietary deep learning system/App focusing on anaesthesiology.



The Australian manufactured and designed, electroencephalographically based (EEG-based), BARM(TM) system is configured to efficiently image and display complex information related to the clinically relevant state of the brain. When commercialized the BARM(TM) system will be offered on a stand-alone basis or integrated into leading brand operating room monitors as "plug and play" option.



On 15 May 2023 the Company announced Philips Electronics North America Corp. had confirmed that Cortical had, with successful testing and provision of documentation, met the necessary prerequisites of the Philips License and Cooperation Agreement to claim the BARM-PEC as a compatible and "supported device" for Philips Patient Monitoring Systems IntelliVue MP40-90 and MX400-850 using the Philips IntelliBridge EC10 Interface Module or IntelliBridge EC10 integral Interface Board, as well as Philips IntelliBridge System Release C.0 and Patient Information Center iX using the EC40/80 Hub with Open Interface driver (ED/BD101) and EC5 ID Module #106.



Philips confirms that Cortical may now claim compatibility of the BARM-PEC with the abovementioned Philips IntelliVue Patient Monitoring Systems. Philips will include Cortical's BARMPEC in the list of Open Interface supported medical devices that is communicated to the Philips sales force and published on related Philips webpages.



Cortical continues the FDA 510K filing process for BARM(TM) in the USA assisted by Washington based technical advisors MCRA. The Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") is the federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services which regulates the sale of medical device products (including diagnostic tests) in the U.S. and monitors the safety of all regulated medical products. FDA approval is a necessary precursor for sales of BARM(TM) to commence in the USA.



*To view the Quarterly Report, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/O2710K2S





About BPH Energy Limited





BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes.

The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license.

BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise.

BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT).
Significant Copper Anomaly Uncovered at the Kitlanya West Project, Botswana



Significant Copper Anomaly Uncovered at Kitlanya West

Sydney, July 14, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Aircore and Reverse Circulation drilling carried out by Cobre Limited ( ASX:CBE ) identifies prominent copper anomaly associated with the Tlou Target at the Kitlanya West Project in Botswana.



Highlights:



- Ongoing Aircore (AC) and shallow Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling at Cobre's 100% owned Kitlanya West (KITW) project has identified a consistent 2.5 x 1 kilometre (km) copper anomaly associated with the Tlou fold target;



- The copper anomaly has been identified in 16 widely spaced shallow RC holes, in samples at the base of cover (up to 165ppm Cu) and upper bedrock samples (up to 1530 ppm Cu);



- In one of the drill holes, minor chrysocolla and copper sulphide mineralisation was observed in RC chips;



- Extending further support to the target, a clearly defined zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) halo surrounding the copper anomaly has been mapped from drill results ;



- Interpretation of magnetic data over the Tlou Target supports a geological setting similar to ASX-listed Sandfire Resources Limited's ( ASX:SFR ) T3 deposit, where mineralisation is associated with thrust/s breaching a doubly plunging fold structure; and



- Follow-up work at the Tlou Target will include infill RC holes followed by a 1500m diamond drilling programme designed to intersect structurally controlled high-grade mineralisation responsible for the widespread copper anomalism.



Commenting on the AC and RC results, Chief Executive Officer, Adam Wooldridge, said:



"I am extremely pleased with the findings from our ongoing drilling activities at the Kitlanya West project in Botswana. The identification of a consistent and significant copper anomaly associated with the Tlou Target provides further support for the copper potential in the 2000km2 project area.



Tlou is in a high-priority setting for structurally controlled mineralisation associated with folding of target stratigraphy. The confirmation of copper in bedrock and base of Kalahari samples provides a strong indicator for underlying mineralisation.



Overall, these findings demonstrate the excellent prospects of KITW outside of the Ngami Copper Project, and further validate our exploration strategy in Botswana.



We look forward to updating the market with further RC results as we test new areas across the KITW project as well as a diamond drilling campaign to identify the source of copper mineralisation at Tlou.



Finally, we remain dedicated to maximising shareholder value and are excited about the future prospects as we advance towards the next phase of exploration to unlock the district scale opportunities in the Kalahari Copper Belt of Botswana."



The ongoing 10,000m AC and RC drill campaign, designed to test for geochemical anomalies at the base of cover and upper portion of underlying bedrock, is now 50% complete. Initial results have identified a compelling multielement anomaly associated with the Tlou Target (Figures 1 and 2*).



The drilling programme was initially designed to provide an AC sample at the base of the Kalahari cover with a core plug of the underlying lithology providing valuable information on the stratigraphy and potential for proximal copper-silver mineralisation. However, given the challenges drilling AC through the Kalahari cover, the programme was adjusted to RC drilling. Over 71 shallow RC holes have been completed into bedrock, testing several priority soil sampling targets, including Tlou, which was the focus of the initial portion of the drill programme.



Drilling at Tlou has identified a consistent copper anomaly in a structurally-bounded zone to the north of a compelling curvilinear magnetic feature. The geological setting shares similarities to Sandfire's T3 deposit.



Anomalous copper intersections span 16 shallow RC drill holes defining a 2.5 x 1km anomaly with a broader zinc (+lead) halo. Of particular interest is the 1530ppm Cu intersection (refer to Figure 3*) where minor chrysocolla and copper sulphide mineralisation are noted in the same hole.



The ongoing RC programme is expected to be completed in the next two months. Results will be combined with recently completed soil sampling and the ongoing Airborne Gravity Gradient (AGG) survey, currently being conducted in collaboration with Sandfire (refer ASX announcements on 14 December 2022 and 9 May 2023), to generate a set of priority targets. Follow-up drilling designed to identify the source of the anomalous copper at Tlou will include infill RC drilling and a target focused 1500m diamond drilling programme. The Tlou drilling will be carried out in parallel with the regional RC drilling.



Tlou Target



The Tlou Target is one of several fold targets located in the reduced sedimentary units of the lower D'Kar Formation. These targets are positioned on the northern side of an elongate zone of outcropping and subcropping, tightly folded oxidised basal Kgwebe, Kuke and Ngwako Pan Formation volcanosedimentary units, which likely represent an intra-basin high in the Ghanzi basin. Copper-silver mineralisation is expected to occur at the redox contact at the base of the D'Kar Formation, typical in sedimentary copper deposits, as well as in structurally controlled trap-sites in the lower D'Kar Formation where it is introduced along thrust or shear structures. The Tlou Target is covered by Kalahari Group cover, which averages between 20 and 40 meters thick.



KITW Overview and Exploration Target



The KITW area is located near the northern margin of the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) and includes significant strike of sub-cropping Ngwako-Pan / D'Kar Formation contact on which the majority of the known deposits in the KCB occur. The Project is located immediately west of the Ngami Copper Project (NCP), collectively covering a significant portion of prospective KCB stratigraphy with drill tested copper-silver mineralisation. In terms of regional potential, the greater license package includes:



- Over 500km of estimated Ngwako Pan / D'Kar Formation contact with several prospective targets located in the KITW and NCP properties;



- Strategic location near the basin margin typically prioritised for sedimentary-hosted copper deposits;



- Outcropping Kgwebe Formation often considered a key vector for deposits in the northeast of the KCB;



- Well defined gravity low anomalies indicative of sub-basin architecture or structural thickening (several deposits in the KCB are hosted on the margins of gravity lows);



- Relatively shallow Kalahari Group cover (between 0m and ~60m thick); and



- Numerous soil sample anomalies.



The Company is targeting analogues to the copper deposits in Khoemacau's Zone 5 development in the northeastern portion of the KCB. These include Zone 5 (92.1 Mt @ 2.2% Cu and 22 g/t Ag), Zeta NE (29 Mt @ 2.0% Cu and 40 g/t Ag), Zone 5N (25.6 Mt @ 2.2% Cu and 38 g/t Ag) and Mango NE (21.1 Mt @ 1.8% Cu and 21 g/t Ag). In addition, a number of doubly-plunging anticlines have been identified offering potential trapsites for analogous deposits to Sandfire's T3 and A4 deposits (combined reserve of 49.6Mt @ 1.0% Cu and 14g/t Ag).



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/31J2YQ0Q





About Cobre Limited





Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE) is a copper and base-metals explorer with projects in Western Australia and Botswana. The Company recently discovered a new high-grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia, and is currently exploring approximately 8,100 km2 of tenements within the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana.
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Maintaining his innocence, the 'House of Cards' alum claims he has lost 'everything' and seems to apologize to LGBTQ community for coming out when his scandal exploded.

Jul 14, 2023

AceShowbiz - Kevin Spacey claims he has "lost everything" amid his sexual assault trial. The Oscar-winning actor, 63, is currently battling 12 charges of sexual assault from four alleged victims and appeared at London's Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, July 13 where he delivered his testimony and spoke out for the first time, where he claimed he had "lost his reputation" when the accusations first came to light.

"There was a rush to judgment and before the first question was asked or answered I lost my job, I lost my reputation, I lost everything in a matter of days," he said.

The "House of Cards" star went on to claim that he had been left mostly without work as a result of the legal battle and still "owes money" in legal fees before appearing to apologise to gay men for coming out at the time the allegations came around but hadn't understood the controversy of announcing his sexuality amid a scandal.

He said, "With a few exceptions over the last five, six years, I have not been able to work. I've had no money coming in and I've had a lot of legal bills and things to fight against, and I haven't paid it all off so I still owe money. Members of the LGTBQ+ community were upset because I came out while I was responding to an accusation  now I understand why it was read that way, but I hadn't put those two things together."

Spacey denies all charges but is said to have had "primarily" no issue with that his fourth alleged victim has told the court, who alleges that the actor had a "panicked" look on his face when he rejected his advances at his house in the Cotswolds in 2010.

When Patrick Gibbs KC reminded Spacey that he told police in a statement that it was "entirely possible" that he could have made a "clumsy pass" at the man, the Hollywood star responded, "I don't remember doing that but I accept that I did. I primarily, with a few issuesI have no issue with what (the man) testified to. We all had some drinksI made a pass and I'm only happy that he testified that the moment he told me he was not interested I stopped."

Asked if he sought the man out the following day and why, Spacey said, "I can only presume that I went there to apologise."

Spacey is also accused of performing a sex act on an alleged victim while he slept after drugging him but claimed in court that the complaints made "no logical sense" and instead claimed that they had a "consensual" evening together.

He told the jury, "I remember the end of the evening and that was what struck me in my mind because we had a consensual and, I believe, a very nice and lovely evening. If he regretted it immediately I don't know, I can't speak for him, but something was weird - it was strange.

"I don't remember [if we had any physical contact] but I know the way I am with someone and I would never be behaving in the way he claimed - it makes no logical sense. I think we were very comfortable with each other."

Another alleged victim had told the court about an incident in the late 2000s, claiming that Spacey had taken "things further" and drugged him but the "American Beauty" star claimed that while they had had a sexual encounter, things went "weird" shortly afterward and the man "hurriedly left" the scene.

He said, "We had had a sexual encounter after which I had gone to the bathroom and I came back from the bathroom and it was like something had changed. The person that I had this intimate moment with was suddenly awkward and fumbling and I don't want to say ran out but hurriedly left. And it felt very odd. I felt like maybe he was making an excuse and it concerned me and my memory is that I called this person to make sure they were OK and they were OK."

Kevin is also accused of grabbing a man's crotch like a cobra" after a "barrage of vile comments" when the pair worked at a West End theatre in the mid-2000s, but dismissed the accusations as "madness" and claimed to not even recognise a photograph of the alleged victim.

He said, "It's madness! It never happened. I never said any of the things that he claims I said to him and wouldn't and never have to anyone in my life."

Earlier in his testimony, Spacey alleged that he had a "very fun time" with them but had "respected" that they did not want to go any further and admitted that he had touched them, insisting that it was not in a "violent" manner.

He said, "I'm a big flirt.He made it clear that he did not want to go any further and that happens at times, and you just respect how far someone wants to go. I can't remember specific conversations we had but I remember the tone, I remember the atmosphere, I remember the laughter. We had a very fun time together. [I touched him] but it did not happen in a violent aggressive way."

The trial is expected to last around for weeks.

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The 72-year-old exec is under fire for calling the labor situation right now 'very disturbing' after being reported to earn roughly $27 million for each of the first two years of his return as the Disney CEO.

Jul 14, 2023

AceShowbiz - Bob Iger has landed in hot water over his comments on the actors and writers strikes. The chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company is being lambasted on social media after he called the labor situation right now "very disturbing" and slammed the unions' demands as "not realistic."

In a lengthy sit-down with CNBC from Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, Iger addressed the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. "I understand any labor organization's desire to work on behalf of its members to get the most compensation and be compensated fairly based on the value that they deliver," he told David Faber on Thursday, July 13. "We managed, as an industry, to negotiate a very good deal with the directors guild that reflects the value that the directors contribute to this great business. We wanted to do the same thing with the writers, and we'd like to do the same thing with the actors."

Addressing his concerns that the strikes will have a "very, very damaging effect on the whole business," he continued, "There's a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive."

Iger made the comments after he extended his contract with Disney through 2026. The media exec, who returned as Disney CEO in November 2022 after his initial exit at the end of 2021, is expected to earn up to $27 million in 2023, while his new deal may grant him up to $31 million in compensation packages, dependent on performance and share price.

Needless to say, WGA picketers went berserk online after Iger expressed his opinion on the strikes. "Bob Iger lecturing everyone about what is realistic while his park employees live in cars and are on food stamps as he gets paid 27 million a f**king year is the height of hypocrisy. F**k every single one of these bloody fanged orcs. I cannot stand it," one person reacted to his interview.

TV writer Susan Hurwitz Arneson sarcastically commented, "Love that this interview was given at the Sun Valley Conference of billionaires where they all flew in on their private jets. Yeah, we're the unreasonable ones for demanding fair compensation for our work."

"Hair Love" creator Matthew A. Cherry questioned, "Isn't Bob Iger currently at a Billionaire Summer Camp talking about SAG-AFTRA & the WGA are being unrealistic." Another tweeted, "Disney CEO Bob Iger-who makes $27M/year-complains that writers & actors aren't realistic in their demands, refuses to answer what's unrealistic, & admits a strike will be devastating. Yes-that's how strikes work. That's why they're effective. Pay Workers."

Someone else slammed media bosses, including Iger and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, saying, "Bob Iger, Zaslav and other titans are showing you exactly who they are. This is how they think. You are peasants and they are the ones chosen by fate and God to live the gilded life. At least Mary Antoinette offered cake. These folks won't even give crumbs. Modern day villains."

On Thursday, the SAG-AFTRA announced they would go on a strike effective Friday, July 14. In her speech, the union's president Fran Drescher said, "This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth." She excoriated "big business, who care more about Wall Street than you and your family."

Supporting the strike, Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh and Rami Malek walked out of the premiere of Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" in London. Margot Robbie also said she is "absolutely" in support of the strikes.

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The 'Beverly Hills, 90210' alum and her five children were previously spotted at a Los Angeles area motel, but it's said that it had nothing to do with her marital rift with Dean McDermott.

Jul 14, 2023

AceShowbiz - It's safe to say that Tori Spelling and her children are in a better place now. The actress/author, who has been making headlines with her financial troubles and rumored separation from husband Dean McDermott, has reportedly moved from a motel to stay with a friend.

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum has reportedly checked out of a $100-per-night motel where she and her five children were believed to have stayed at earlier this month. "Tori isn't staying at a motel. She's staying with a friend," a source tells PEOPLE of the 50-year-old's living situation.

Tori fueled rumors of marital rift with Dean after she and her kids were photographed outside an $100 a night motel in L.A. over the weekend. She reportedly checked into the motel on Saturday, July 8.

In photos circulating online, the actress was seen holding the hand of her youngest kid, six-year-old Beau, with 16-year-old Liam, 15-year-old Stella, 11-year-old Hattie and 10-year-old Finn following behind her. Her son Finn was seen rolling a suitcase as they walked through the parking lot.

A source later told Us Weekly that Tori's decision to take her kids to the motel had nothing to do with her alleged split from Dean. "Tori and Dean are doing really good and her staying at a hotel with their kids has nothing to do with a separation," the source explained. "They decided to stay there because of the ongoing mould problem at their house. Tori is taking this issue very seriously and isn't going to subject herself or her kids to that."

Earlier this year, she was forced to move her family out of a rental home after discovering an "extreme" mould infestation was causing them to suffer serious health issues. She said in May the toxic fungus had been "slowly killing" her family for three years as she asked her fans to recommend a lawyer.

Meanwhile, Dean shocked everyone when he posted the divorce announcement in June. "It's with great sadness and a very very heavy heart that after 18 years together and 5 amazing children, that @torispelling and I have decided to go our separate ways, and start a new journey of our own," it read.

"We will continue to work together as loving parents and guide and love our children through this difficult time," the statement continued. "We ask that you all respect our privacy as we take this time to surround our family with love and work our way through this. Thank you all for your support and kindness."

He, however, later deleted the post as a source claimed that the couple is not separating.

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A female drug dealer known as 'the Percocet Princess' has been arrested in an undercover sting operation conducted by the NYPD, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security.

Jul 14, 2023

AceShowbiz - A woman has been arrested in connection to the death of Robert De Niro's grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez. An alleged drug dealer named Sofia Haley Marks was arrested on Thursday, July 13 in New York City.

The woman, who is also known with her nickname "the Percocet Princess", was busted on Thursday night at around 6 P.M. in an undercover sting operation conducted by the NYPD, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security, according to the New York Post's law enforcement sources.

On late Thursday night, investigators were still searching her home. She has been federally charged with the distribution of narcotics and is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan federal court as of Friday morning, sources told the site.

Leandro was found dead in the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street on July 2. The 19-year-old's death has been probed as a possible overdose after a white powdery substance and drug paraphernalia were found near the teenager's body.

On July 5, Leandro's mom and Robert's daughter Drena De Niro confirmed her son's cause of death. She revealed that her son took "fentanyl laced pills" in response to an Instagram user who asked how her Leandro passed away. She wrote in the comments section, "Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him."

Seemingly fuming at a drug dealer who sold her son the pills knowingly they were laced with fentanyl, Drena added, "so for all these people still f**king around selling and buying this s**t, my son is gone forever."

Leandro was laid to rest on July 8 after a small group of mourners gathered to pay their final respects at a Manhattan funeral home. His coffin was taken to the Upper East Side to Valhalla for a graveside service and the "About My Father" actor reportedly joined a series of mourners after arriving on the scene in an SUV.

The Oscar-winning star was seen comforting his adoptive daughter Drena as well as Leandro's father Carlos Rodriguez on the emotional day. Other famous faces to attend the sombre occasion included the likes of "Hairspray" actor Christopher Walken and Michael Imperioli of "The Sopranos" fame.

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A woman, who claims to be the cousin of a Starbucks employee, claims the Zeus Network star assaulted her male cousin with a beverage before she threatened him.

Jul 15, 2023

AceShowbiz - Tokyo Toni can't seem to get her act together lately. After raising concerns over her choice of words while babysitting his granddaughter, Blac Chyna's mom has allegedly been caught in an altercation at a Starbucks.

The Zeus Network star reportedly got into a heated argument with a Starbucks employee at a drive-thru. It is not clear what started the fight, but a woman, who claims to be the cousin of the male employee, accused the reality TV star of assaulting her cousin with a beverage before she threatened him.

"Toni think she can ride through the drive through of every establishment and act a fool to everybody. WELL TODAY SHE DROVE INTO THE RIGHT MFS," the woman detailed the altercation on Twitter. "She threw her drink on my cousin and told him she had people waiting for him."

A photo and video shared by the woman showed a seemingly volatile Tokyo as she talked to the police before storming away. According to the woman, it was the mother of Blac who called the cops.

The alleged drink-throwing incident came just a few days after Tokyo was caught on camera saying vulgar words around her granddaughter Dream. She was babysitting Blac's daughter, whom the model shares with her ex-fiance Rob Kardashian, when began screaming about its AI voice not switching off.

She was seen in a now-deleted TikTok video ranting, "Alexa, get the f**k on. I'm telling you, b***h, you better move on. Alexa, I'm going to punch you in your f**king jaw. Get out of here. Scram."

When Dream told her grandmom, "It doesn't work like that," Alexa began to inform her listeners that she enjoys curling up in bed with "a good book and a warm coffee." Tokyo then replied, "And a nice hot dildo and a bucket of c*m." None of the Kardashians have publicly addressed Toni's TikTok video.

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Pidilite Industries Ltd., a leading manufacturer of construction and specialty chemicals, as well as art and craft products, has signed a year-long Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Gujarat, represented by the Gujarat Council of School Education (GCSE). The objective of this collaboration is to promote and enhance learning through arts and crafts across the state of Gujarat.

Sudhanshu Vats, Deputy Managing Director, Pidilite Industries said, "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Gujarat state government that aligns with our vision of advancing education and fostering holistic development of children. At Pidilite Industries Limited, we have been actively engaging with schools nationwide through our 'Fevicreate' programme for several years. The initiative has played a crucial role in supporting teachers with art and craft content, enabling them to create an engaging curriculum that enhances students' creative and cognitive abilities. We look forward to contributing our expertise and resources to support the comprehensive education development in the state. Together, we aim to empower teachers, nurture creativity among students, and ultimately elevate the overall quality and experience of education.

Gujarat Council of School Education (GCSE), Government of Gujarat is pleased to announce the collaboration with Pidilite Industries Limited through the signing of the MOU. The Gujarat government has been actively working towards a comprehensive strategic plan for the holistic development of school education in the state. The Governments focus is on improving systems-level performance and enhancing schooling outcomes to elevate the overall quality of education. Through this partnership, the Government aims to leverage Pidilite's expertise and resources to further advance the quality of art and craft education in Gujarat.

Pidilite Industries Limited has initiated a pilot programme in Mahuva Taluka of Gujarats Bhavnagar District. The initiative will provide comprehensive training and resources to teachers and enable them to implement engaging art & crafts activities tailored for children from Class 1 to Class 8. Through www.fevicreate.com platform teachers and students can access over 500 exciting arts and craft activities centered around Math, Science, and English. Feedback gathered during the pilot phase will be carefully analyzed to refine and chart the next phase of implementation.
Godrej Magic, the personal and home hygiene brand from Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), recently unveiled Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner  a unique ready-to-mix floor cleaner that is affordable and sustainable with Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor as the brand ambassador. The Jhakaas superstar, who has been receiving rave reviews for his role in The Night Manager 2, teamed up with the brand for a cheerful television commercial to create awareness of this floor cleaner format.

The TVC opens with Kapoor getting ready on set for the shoot of an ad film. Enthusiastically, he checks with the director about his task for the shoot - whether it's dancing, fighting, or something else. To his surprise, the director asks him to sweep the floor. While he thinks it's a joke, the crew hands him a bucket and a mop. Upon learning that it's a Godrej product, he readily agrees and asks for the products. The director then hands him a sachet of Magic Floor Cleaner, and he looks at him puzzled, thinking the team is pulling his leg.

The director then explains that the sachet itself is the floor cleaner. Cut to a visual of the sachets Magical gel being being added into a bottle filled with water, the shaking of the bottle, and its magical transformation into a full 500ml bottle of floor cleaner! With the key message, Chota sachet banaye 500ml floor cleaner, wo bhi phenyl ke daam me, the TVC highlights the convenience and affordability of the ready-to-mix format, where a small sachet can be mixed with water to create a full bottle of floor cleaner. Impressed by the uniqueness of Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner, Anil turns to the camera and says, "Now that's magic!"

Speaking on the launch of Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner, Ashwin Moorthy, Chief Marketing Officer  India, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, said, The unique ready-to-mix format of this new product not only addresses reducing plastic consumption but also caters to the evolving needs of consumers. We are excited to introduce Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner, revolutionizing the floor cleaner category with ready-to-mix format driven product. By capitalizing on our innovation-driven approach and deep understanding of consumer needs, we are confident in delivering a breakthrough product that not only meets the highest standards of cleaning and germ protection but also resonates with consumers need for affordable and sustainable life-choices.

Commenting on his association with Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner as the brand ambassador, actor Anil Kapoor expressed, "Being a part of this innovative and eco-friendly solution is exciting. Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner presents a remarkable concept that not only ensures effective cleaning but also contributes to reducing plastic waste and energy consumption. I am delighted to endorse an innovation like Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner that empowers consumers to make sustainable choices in their everyday lives. It's a step towards a greener future, and I believe that each individual can make a difference through simple yet impactful choices."

With initial launch in Maharashtra, Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner not only marks the inception of a new category but also showcases GCPL's unwavering commitment to sustainability and affordability. The association with Anil Kapoor as the brand ambassador adds a touch of star power to the campaign, capturing the attention of consumers across the state. With the TVC and Kapoor's endorsement, Godrej Consumer Products Limited aims to create widespread awareness and encourage households to make environmentally conscious choices in their cleaning routines. By providing an affordable and sustainable alternative, Godrej Magic Floor Cleaner significantly contributes to environmental savings while delivering superior cleaning and germ protection.
Radisson Blu Kaushambi NCR and Radisson Blu Towers Kaushambi Delhi NCR Delhi NCRs top five-star hospitality brands are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Ekant Sabharwal as the Cluster Room Division Manager for these prestigious properties. Mr. Sabharwal brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the hospitality industry. With over 18 years of experience in various managerial roles at renowned hotels, he is well-equipped to lead and uphold our commitment to providing an exceptional guest experience.

In his role as Cluster Room Division Manager, Mr. Sabharwal will oversee all aspects of room operations, ensuring the highest standards of service, revenue generation, and guest satisfaction. His responsibilities will include managing room-related revenues and expenses, developing innovative room packages and promotions, achieving guest satisfaction targets, and maintaining RevPAR and RGI performance against the competition. Throughout his career, Mr. Sabharwal has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a dedication to fostering a positive and motivated work environment. He has consistently achieved outstanding results in terms of guest satisfaction scores, employee engagement, and financial performance.

Prior to joining Radisson Blu Kaushambi Delhi NCR and Radisson Blu Towers Kaushambi Delhi NCR, Mr. Sabharwal has held key positions at renowned hotels such as Radisson Blu New Delhi Paschim Vihar, Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity Delhi, The Grand New Delhi, Hilton New Delhi Janakpuri, The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon, Ramada Plaza New Delhi, and Hyatt Regency New Delhi. His expertise, coupled with his exceptional interpersonal skills, will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success and growth of our properties. Mr. Sabharwal is committed to upholding the high standards of Radisson Blu and delivering an unparalleled experience to our valued guests.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 14.07.2023 - The 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council ended on 14 July. This session, which began on 19 June, focused on protecting the rights of women and girls, a sensitive issue within the council. Switzerland was particularly active, along with eleven other countries representing all regions of the world, in drafting a resolution on the fight against child, early and forced marriage.

As a member of a group of co-authors, Switzerland actively participated in the process of drafting and adopting a resolution on the issue of forced marriages of women, adolescents and girls. The resolution adopted recognises for the first time that forced marriages are a form of gender-based violence. Switzerland took the opportunity to restate the need to combat structural discrimination and gender stereotypes, which are among the main causes of forced marriage.

Throughout the session, which placed a particular focus on protecting the rights of women and girls, Switzerland made a firm commitment to defending international standards on women's rights and gender equality. In particular, it took an active part in negotiations on a resolution to eliminate violence against women and girls, defending the adoption of concrete preventative measures and guaranteed access to justice for victims. Switzerland also took part in a debate in which it condemned the institutionalised discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan.

Urgent debate on manifestations of religious hatred and other topical issues

As for the other issues addressed during the June session, Switzerland took part in an urgent debate on premeditated and public acts of religious hatred. The request to hold this urgent debate had been submitted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and referred in particular to the recent demonstrations of desecration of the Quran in certain countries in Europe and around the world. A resolution on this subject was also adopted at the end of the debate.

In addition, Switzerland took part in discussions on civil society, arms transfers and climate change, in particular speaking out during the interactive dialogue that followed the presentation of the UN secretary-general's report on the adverse effects of climate change on the full realisation of the right to food, and also during the negotiations on the drafting of a resolution on the issue.

Concerns about the human rights situation in several countries

As in previous sessions, the human rights situation in several countries was high on the Human Rights Council's agenda. In line with its foreign policy strategy and human rights guidelines, Switzerland took part in the dialogues and resolutions relating to the situation in Eritrea, in Syria and in Belarus. At the presentation of the annual report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, Switzerland condemned Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and raised current developments in Russia, India, China, Egypt and Uganda.

Against the backdrop of a worrying increase in executions in Iran, Switzerland called on the Iranian authorities to limit the use of the death penalty in accordance with international law, as a first step towards its abolition. The call came as part of the interactive dialogue with the fact-finding mission set up in 2022 to investigate alleged human rights violations in connection with the demonstrations in the country.

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Child sexual abuse is a worldwide phenomenon, and India is not an exception. The magnitude of this grave crime is underrated because of under-reporting. The reality is that the incidence of child sexual abuse has reached epidemic proportions in India. In 2021 only there were 53,874 cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012. To enable the all-around protection of children, the Indian government administered the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012. The act is a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to protect children from crimes including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography.

The Bombay High Court in India has urged the country to consider reducing the age of consent for sex, highlighting that many other countries have set their age of consent between 14 and 16 years. The court argued that the current age of 18 is one of the highest globally and that punishing minors for consensual relationships would not be in their best interest. The court made the comments while hearing an appeal by a man who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for maintaining a consensual relationship with a minor girl. Justice Dangre highlighted the fact that over time, the age of consent has gone up through various statutes in India and was maintained at 16 years from 1940 till 2012, when the POCSO Act raised it to 18 years.

In countries such as England, Wales, and even in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the age of consent is 16 years. Japan has set the age of consent at 13 years. In comparison, as far as India is concerned, the age of marriage for male and female is fixed at 21 and 18 years (respectively) as per the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006. Justice Dangre also emphasised that the definition of the term child varies from statute to statute and as per the POCSO Act, a person below 18 years of age is considered a child and it criminalises all sexual activities with them, even if the act was committed with consent.

The tailor was around 25 years old and the girl around 17-and-a-half years of age when they eloped. The two later got married and the girl reiterated before the trial court that their relationship was consensual. However, the POCSO court convicted the tailor and sentenced him as the girl was technically a minor. Justice Dangre said a case of physical attraction or infatuation always comes forth when a teenager enters a sexual relationship, and it is necessary that our country looks and observes all that is happening around the world.

Justice Bharati Dangre believes that the POCSO Act, has indeed served as an effective piece of legislation, and with the child-friendly system of online complaint registration, has become more effective off late. But, issues like mental and psychological disabilities and strict adherence to the biological age limits have proved to be roadblocks, in the path of its better implementation. The POCSO Act cannot stop natural feelings towards the opposite sex, particularly among adolescents on account of the biological and psychological changes they go through. Therefore, punishing a minor boy for entering a relationship with a minor girl would be against the best interest of the child.

Child sexual abuse is a multidimensional problem having legal, social, medical, and psychological implications. But most of the cases are with consent. False Complaints under POCSO are very common. Even a cursory reading of the new law on rape brings to light the exceptionally inclusive approach to provide justice in rape cases. However, it also raises the question that if such a law, that

Imposes the aforesaid heavy punishment, is misused then what are going to be the consequences for the falsely accused person. It is essential to protect children from sexual offenses. But at the same time, accusations can ruin someones life. The legal system must ensure that justice is served in all cases, without bias or prejudice. POCSO Act has become an easy weapon to torture innocents and to take revenge or getting Extortion money. Government should take necessary steps to amend the POCSO Act and to safeguard innocents from misuse of the POCSO Act. Most talked about case is of Asaram Bapu. Bapu has been put behind bars because of POCSO misuse. It is a non bailable act. Also in this act the state is not responsible to prove the crime. If the criminal thinks that he is innocent then he has to prove it. These days many laws be it section 498A, rape laws and POSCO are used as weapon against man, most of these cases are fake and with the motive. Innocent suffers and women play the victim card. As much as girl children and women need protection, even men need some provision to stay safe.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the office of the Maharashtra legislative assembly speaker on a plea seeking a direction to expeditiously adjudicate the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other Shiv Sena MLAs who had tied up with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud passed the order while hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLA Sunil Prabhu, who as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena had in 2022 filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.

We will issue notice returnable in two weeks, the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said.

In its petition, Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused Speaker Rahul Narwekar of deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the May 11 verdict of the apex court to dispose them of within reasonable time.

The petitioner is constrained to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of this court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, in light of the respondent Speakers conduct in choosing to deliberately delay the adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed by the petitioner against the delinquent members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the petition, filed through advocates Nishanth Patil and Amit Anand Tiwari, said.

It said the speaker, despite the categorical direction of the top court in its May 11 judgment that the pending disqualification petitions must be decided within a reasonable period, has chosen to not conduct a single hearing. The petitioner has also sent more than three subsequent representations dated May 15, 2023, May 23, 2023 and June 2, 2023 to convene a hearing in the said disqualification matters, however, the respondent Speaker in brazen disregard to his constitutional duties as a neutral arbiter, has sought to delay the adjudications of the disqualification petitions, thereby, permitting the illegal continuance of Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister, against whom the disqualification petitions are pending, it said.

The petition said, Therefore, it is imperative for this court to direct the Speaker, Maharashtra legislative assembly, to decide the disqualification petitions filed by the petitioner against delinquent members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly expeditiously, within a time-bound manner. The petitioner has sought direction to the speaker to decide the disqualification petitions dated June 23, 2022, June 25, 2022, June 27, 2022, July 3, 2022, and July 5, 2022 filed by him under provisions of the 10th schedule of the Constitution against the MLAs loyal to Shinde, preferably within two weeks.

In his plea, Prabhu has said it is a settled law that the speaker, while performing his functions under the 10th schedule, which deals with the anti-defection law, acts as a judicial tribunal, and is required to function in a fair and unbiased manner.

The petitioner said in the present case, the delinquent MLAs have committed brazenly unconstitutional acts which per se invite disqualification under Paras 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), and 2(2) of the 10th Schedule.

The Speakers inaction in deciding the disqualification proceedings is an act of grave constitutional impropriety as his inaction is allowing MLAs who are liable to be disqualified to continue in the assembly and to hold responsible positions in the government of Maharashtra including that of the Chief Minister, the petition said.

On May 11, the top court had ruled that Eknath Shinde will continue to be the chief minister of Maharashtra as it cannot reinstate the MVA coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray since the Shiv Sena leader chose to resign without facing a floor test in the wake of a rebellion in his party.

The unanimous verdict by a five-judge constitution bench had come as a relief for Shinde even as it censured the then Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his decision calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority in the assembly at the request of the Shinde faction of the Sena. Shinde, who led the rebellion in the Shiv Sena against Thackeray sparking a nine-day political crisis in June last year, later tied up with the BJP to form a government.

Refusing to disqualify the 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs including Shinde, the bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had said the court cannot ordinarily adjudicate disqualification petitions under the anti-defection law, and directed Speaker Rahul Narwekar to take a decision on the pending matter within a reasonable period.
Fort Walton Beach police were asked to assist Florida Fish & Wildlife agents with making an arrest Thursday on a man who had an active warrant, with the suspect believed to be aboard a boat anchored behind Mariner Plaza, a shopping center on Eglin Parkway.

When they arrived, however, the suspect -- identified as 43-year-old Andrew Hollister -- was dead.

Police say there were no immediate signs of foul play. Officers expected to find Hollister alive until they actually arrived at the boat. The warrant was for failure to appear for a scheduled court date.

Information on cause of death was not immediately available from the Okaloosa County Coroners Office.
Authorities have released the name of a man fatally shot Thursday night during an argument in west Birmingham.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office Friday identified the victim as Nicholas Marquis Johnson. He was 33.

Shortly before 9:30 p.m., West Precinct officers were dispatched to the 5800 block of Monte Sano Road at the Vines at Hillside West.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said 911 first received calls of an argument. Next, Shot Spotter indicated shots fired, and finally someone called reporting a person shot.

When officers arrived, they found Johnson inside a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:48 p.m.

Fitzgerald said officers and detectives are trying to determine the nature of the argument.

Shortly before 9:30 p.m., Thursday, July 13, 2023, Birmingham's West Precinct officers were dispatched to the 5800 block of Monte Sano Road at the Vines at Hillside West. (Carol Robinson)

Shot Spotter registered at least 10 rounds fired, but he said its unclear whether there was an exchange of gunfire or if just one person fired.

It was not immediately clear if the victim was in the car when he was shot or if he got into the car afterward.

No arrests have been announced.

Johnson is Birminghams 74th homicide of the year. Of those, one was an officer-involved shooting by an outside law enforcement agency and six others have been ruled justifiable and therefore arent deemed criminal.

In all of Jefferson County, there have been 106 homicides, including the 74 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
Decatur Morgan Hospital this week got a special visitor from the Cook Museum of Natural Science - a sea turtle.

Kale arrived at the hospital on Tuesday for a computed tomography, or CT, scan. The museums veterinary staff wanted to get a better look at Kales shell.

According to the museum in Decatur, Kale is an endangered Kemps ridley sea turtle which came to the Cook Museum in 2020 from the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, a marine animal rescue facility.

Kemps ridley sea turtles are the smallest, rarest and most endangered species of sea turtle in the world.

Kale, a sea turtle housed in the Cook Museum of Natural Science, prepares for a CT at Decatur Morgan Hospital on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (Cook Museum of Natural Science)

Kale, while still a juvenile, was hooked in 2019 by a recreational fisherman off a pier on Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. Because of the hooks size, an endoscopic procedure could not remove it.

Since then, Kale has had several invasive surgeries, creating scar tissue and a hollow space where food and debris can become trapped, potentially causing infections. Because of this, Kale will probably never return to the wild and will require occasional monitoring of his shell.

The museum said the CT is the best tool to assess the improvement of Kales deep infections of his shell.
A Birmingham coke plant that has been shuttered for more than 18 months due to air pollution violations now faces a lawsuit over 392 alleged water pollution violations.

Birmingham-based environmental groups Black Warrior Riverkeeper and GASP filed a notice of intent to sue Bluestone Coke on Friday, alleging that the shuttered facility has continued to spew untreated wastewater into Five Mile Creek. They documented 392 times that Bluestone itself reported violations of the Clean Water Act.

The groups say that if Bluestone does not clean up the water leaving the plant within 60 days, they will file a Clean Water Act lawsuit against the company.

Closed or not, its Bluestones responsibility to keep contaminated water from flowing off the property, said Sarah Stokes, a senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, which represents Black Warrior Riverkeeper.

Companies like Bluestone cannot pollute our air and rivers at the expense of Birmingham communities and businesses.

Bluestone Coke is owned by the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a coal magnate who is now running for U.S. Senate. The company is led by the governors son, Jay Justice.

Bluestone did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the alleged violations.

The plant produced coke, a coal-based product used to make steel. At the plant, coal was baked in superheated, low-oxygen coke ovens to remove impurities from the coal to produce fuel for blast furnaces. The process can create air and water pollution problems and has been tied to harmful contaminants such as naphthalene, benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, benzo(a)pyrene and others.

Located in North Birmingham Superfund site

Bluestone Coke is located in the center of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys 35th Ave Superfund site, surrounded by low-income neighborhoods where a majority of the residents are Black.

A coke plant has been in operation on the site for more than 100 years, and the facility is listed as one of the potentially responsible parties for contaminated soil pollution in the Superfund site.

Birmingham-based environmental group GASP collected air samples surrounding the plant in 2019 and 2020 showing high levels of napthalene and benzene, two known or suspected carcinogens.

GASP Executive Director Michael Hansen said that polluters like Bluestone must be held accountable for their actions.

Bluestone Coke has consistently prioritized its own interests and greed over the health and well-being of north Birmingham families, Hansen said in a news release. For more than a century, these communities were subjected to unjust, dangerous industrial practices. We must hold polluters like Bluestone accountable.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke said Five Mile Creek, where the discharges were documented, was a beautiful spring-fed stream, but it has unfortunately been a dumping ground for industrial polluters for many decades due to inaction by environmental regulatory agencies.

Five Mile Creek should be safe for fish, wildlife, and human recreation, but it is routinely fouled by polluted water from Bluestone Coke, Brooke said in a news release.

The Bluestone Coke plant in Birmingham, Ala. has been idle for more than a year since regulators denied its operating permit due to air pollution violations in October, 2021. On Dec. 16, 2022, vegetation covered the Bluestone Coke sign at the plant's entrance.Dennis Pillion

A history of violations

The Bluestone Coke plant in north Birmingham, has been idle since the Jefferson County Department of Health declined to renew its air pollution permit in October 2021. Bluestone reached a settlement with the JCDH and agreed to pay $925,000 to resolve its previous air pollution violations and to make improvements to the plant to control air pollution before it could re-open.

That was the largest fine ever issued by the health department. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin criticized the agreement as being too lenient on the company.

Thats not justice for those who have been harmed, Woodfin said on Twitter. Its not even close.

However, the company was approximately $300,000 behind on its payment schedule as of May 17, and continues to rack up late penalties for missed payments. The necessary improvements to reopen the plant have not been made, and it remains idle.
Alabama Power is planning a hydro energy project that could force dozens of residents off their land in St. Clair and Etowah Counties.

The Chandler Mountain Project is still in the pre-application phase, and many details about the project have not been finalized, including how much land the power company will need to acquire in order to make their hydro pumped storage project a reality.

Many landowners in the town of Steele are still unsure whether they would lose their property if the project moves forward. Some say they will lose land that has been in their family for generations, or worry that their home values will plummet due to being in the project area.

Others fear the towns school might close and local businesses go under if the population drops because of the project.

SEE MORE: Whos going to buy my house now? Alabama Power reservoir plan draws ire

This will destroy our town Residents fight Alabama Power on dams, reservoirs

There are many uncertain aspects of the project, but here are the things we do know:

Its not a done deal

The project may not be approved by federal regulators, or Alabama Power could decide not to move forward with their application.

It is important to remember that no decisions have been made; we are in the preliminary stages of exploring the opportunity at Chandler Mountain, Alabama Power said in an emailed statement.

It will take a long time

Even if the project does move forward, it will take some time. Alabama Power says conducting impact studies and submitting the final application is expected to take another 4-5 years, with the full application expected to be filed in summer 2027 at the earliest.

From there, approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is expected to take another 2-4 years, depending on what issues are identified in the application. Construction cannot begin until FERC and other agencies approve the project.

An estimated timeline developed by Alabama Power shows construction beginning in 2031 at the earliest and continuing for 5-7 years before completion.

Eminent domain is a possibility

FERC project manager Sarah Salazar said during Mondays public meetings that if the project is fully approved, Alabama Power could use eminent domain to acquire property for the project via state court proceedings, forcing people to give up their land even if they dont want to sell.

It would be a big dam deal

The project proposal calls for building two new reservoirs on or around Chandler Mountain.

At the top of the mountain, Alabama Power would build one large dam that will combine with the natural bowl shape of the mountain to create a 526-acre upper reservoir atop the mountain. That lake would be at an elevation of around 1,366 feet at the top.

Then, four smaller dams would create a horseshoe-shaped 1,090-acre reservoir at the base of the mountain. That lake would have an elevation of around 667 feet above sea level.

A map included in the pre-application paperwork for the project shows the general locations for the two reservoirs included in the project.FERC

An underground pump house would contain four reversible pump-turbine units that can be used to pump water from the lower reservoir uphill to the other lake and then generate electricity as the water flows back down to the lower reservoir.

Those four turbines could generate up to 1600 megawatts of power.

The nearby Neely Henry Dam has a capacity to generate 72.9 megawatts.

No swimming, boating, fishing

The water levels of these lakes will change dramatically while in operation. Alabama Power application documents state that the upper reservoir could drop by up to 63 feet when in use, and the lower reservoir level could change by as much as 27 feet.

Because of these drastic fluctuations in water level, recreational use of the reservoirs would not be allowed, the company said.

It would use more power than it generates

Timing is everything in life and in the electrical grid.

The four turbines could generate up to 5.4 million megawatt-hours a year, assuming theyre operating 10 hours a day. But the operation of pumping the water back uphill would use about 7 million MWh per year.

The advantage is that Alabama Power can pump the water uphill in non-peak hours, when there is excess power on the grid. Then it will be there in the peak hours when HVAC systems are running full-blast.

Alabama Power says this type of energy storage would be useful going forward, as more intermittent renewable energy sources like solar are added to the power grid, as this plan could provide power when the sun isnt shining.

Critics are skeptical of this argument, citing the companys solar fees and slow pace of adopting solar.

What about the wildlife?

According to FERC, there are a number of threatened or endangered species that might be impacted by the project.

These include: northern long-eared bat; gray bat; Indiana bat; trispot darter; Canoe Creek clubshell; Coosa moccasinshell; finelined pocketbook; Georgia pigtoe; ovate clubshell; southern acornshell; southern clubshell; southern pigtoe; triangular kidneyshell; upland combshell; Alabama leather flower; Georgia rockcress; green pitcher-plant; and Tennessee yellow-eyed grass.

Upcoming environmental impact studies will try to show whether the project would further harm these or other protected species.

Whats next?

FERC is accepting public comments until August 12, 2023. Comments can be made online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx.

FERC is also evaluating which studies need to be conducted. Alabama Power has proposed a list of studies, including environmental, cultural and archaeological to be conducted before the final application is filed.

FERC may require additional studies. FERC is expected to approve a final study plan by February 2024. Alabama Power could conduct those studies beginning in 2024 and stretching into roughly 2026. A final license application could then be filed, potentially by August 2027. FERC could take another 2-4 years to issue a decision.

Construction could then begin around 2031.
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Alabama has secured over $67 million from offshore oil and gas lease revenues to fund 27 environmental projects across the coast.

The projects range from sewer and water infrastructure improvements to recreational access improvements, Gov. Kay Ivey said at a press conference in Mobile on Friday.

These new projects will ensure that coastal Alabama remains a place of beauty, that our people will be able to enjoy these beautiful places for years to come, Ivey said.

Approved projects include boat ramp replacements and improvements, amphitheaters in Daphne and Robertsdale, research at the University of South Alabama, and improving public access to beaches, rivers and trails.

[Click here to see the full list of approved projects]

Outdoor recreation is a huge part of the quality of life in coastal Alabama, said Chris Blankenship, commissioner for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The slate of projects includes 11 public access and park improvement projects that will help our citizens and visitors enjoy the great outdoors.

The money will come from revenues collected under The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. Known as GoMESA, the program provides 36.5% of revenue from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leases to gulf states Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Historically, GoMESA revenues in Alabama have funded park expansions, land acquisitions for conservation projects and beach access, new boat ramps, fishing piers, litter traps and more.

The funds that were announced today are an approximately 14% increase from last years $35 million.

During Iveys tenure as governor, the state has been awarded over $180 million to complete 78 projects with GoMESA funds, and she said she look(s) forward to announcing many more millions of dollars in projects to come in future years. The governor received praise from many speakers at the event for the attention she gives to the coastal Alabama region.

Updated at 3:45 p.m. -- A previous version of this article said the state received $67 million in 2023. That figure represents multiple years of deposits from GoMESA that have gone toward 2023 projects. In 2023, the state was distributed about $40 million.
Dr. David Hicks, Deputy Health Officer of the Jefferson County Health Department, has been elected to succeed Dr. Mark Wilson as Health Officer, the countys most senior position.

The election, taken Wednesday evening by the Board of Health, must be approved by the State Committee of Public Health. If that occurs, Hicks will take move into office on October 1, 2023.

The Board of Health has made an excellent choice, says Wilson. Assuming his appointment is approved, this bodes well for the future of our health department and the community it serves.

RELATED: Jefferson County Health Officer to step down by the end of 2023

Hicks grew up in a crowded, multi-generational home in Willingboro, New Jerseya mostly Black township just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia with, like Birmingham, an intriguing racial history.

At the age of nine, Hicks wanted to be Dr. Ben Carson, the then nationally renowned neurosurgeon in Baltimore most heralded for leading a historic 70-member surgical team that successfully separated infant twins conjoined at the head in 1987.

The kid wanted to do that.

I was the weird kid watching medical shows and science stuff, he told AL.com in 2021. Everybody else was watching cartoons.

Three years ago, Hicks stood alongside Wilson at the forefront of the areas battle against COVID-19, the deep historical health inequities it exposed, and an initial lack of access to testing and a vaccine for disproportionately affected Black and low-income residents, which only fueled frustrations and misgivings.

RELATED: Jefferson County health officer Dr. Mark Wilson: Ive cried a lot

As public health and medical professionals, we know what the community needs, and when you cant provide it, thats painful, he said. The community was demanding access and we didnt have the resources to proceed. Thats not acceptable to someone who says, Im a taxpayer and I cant get this?

On Thursday, Hicks appeared on a panel at the Mental Health Equity and Liberation Summit conducted by the Black Womens Mental Health Institute at Samford University.

Hicks doesnt know the roots of his passion to become a doctor. He was the first in his family to attend college (the University of Pittsburgh). One of my grandparents barely got through third grade, he said.

James and Marie Hicks were reared in the deep South. In Georgia. They were people of strong faith, eyewitnesses to the turmoil and tensions of the civil rights movement. They didnt let that change how they dealt with humanity, Hicks recalled. Skin color or financial situation didnt matter, they always expressed love for people. I saw that in real-time.

Eight people, including Hickss grandmother, lived in their New Jersey home. In the late 1950s, real estate developer Levitt & Sons built a huge community of homes in what was an all-white community. W.R. James, an African American army officer stationed at nearby Fort Dix, wanted to buy a Levittown home. He was refusedeven though discrimination in federally subsidized housing was illegal in New Jersey. (The development received mortgage insurance from the Federal Housing Administration.)

James won his suit in the New Jersey Supreme Court and moved to Willingboro. By 1970, African Americans were 11 percent of the population. Today, Willingboro is 69.3 percent Black.

While pursuing a Masters in Public Health at Pitt (That completely changed the type of doctor I wanted to be, he said. I didnt want to be a surgeon anymore. I wanted to do primary care, with a focus on prevention.), Hicks met LaToya, a first-year student at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine (now Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine).

An Alabama native reared in rural Macon County, just outside of Tuskegee, she was at a fund-raiser for a campus service organizationa date auction. On the stage was one of the groups officers of the group. She bid. And bid. And bid.

All for a good cause.

Two years later Hicks proposed.

Hicks told his wife hed never live in Alabama, an opinion based on perceptions of the state, not unlike many people outside the South.

David once told LaToya, an Alabama native, the state wasn't for him. Now, he's passionate about elevating the health of Jefferson County residents.

Love changes things, of course. As her residency ended, LaToya interviewed for a job at Birmingham Healthcare (now Alabama Regional Medical Services). She told them her husband was a physician, too. Both received offers, moved to Birmingham, and worked together for two-plus years before Hicks joined the Jefferson County Health Department. (Now a family physician, Latoya founded My Neighborhood Doc, which provides primary and acute care in the home.)

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hicks helped manage the JCDHs myriad operations. He remains intrigued at why Alabama remains obstinate in areas that simply have not worked for the health of a preponderance of Alabamians.

I was shocked at how limited our Medicaid program is relative to other states, he said. A diabetic patient might need to see a podiatrist, but, in Alabama, podiatry is not covered under Medicaid. That is a choice Alabama has made.

The bigger perspective for the state is this: We are poorer, may have more people with chronic medical conditions and people from under-represented, marginalized groups.

Alabamians are hard-working people. We get our hands dirty, but you can work as hard as you want and still be living in poverty. We choose to say we do not expand [Medicaid] for these people, while other states say we chose to do so.

Were closer to the bottom on so many things when it comes to health. Are we comfortable with that? If not, if we want to move to the top tier, what are we willing to invest in to move the needle?
There have been numerous instances of sharks coming close to shore along beaches in the Florida Panhandle, as well as Alabama beaches, this summer.

In Santa Rosa County (Fla.), commissioners there had been asked to consider placing restrictions on shark fishing from the beach, including restrictions on where and when shark fishing would be allowed.

Ultimately, however, commissioners went in the opposite direction. Rather than imposing new restrictions on shark fishing, the commission adopted a resolution Thursday night in support of local fishermen, making it clear there would be no additional regulations, according to the county commission office.

In the resolution, a copy of which can be found on the commission website, the commission called upon both Bible scripture and Ben Franklin to bolster their position.

Scripture reveals in (Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground, the resolution opened.

After declaring their support of local fishermen and their right and freedom to fish anywhere in Santa Rosa County, commissioners turned to a Founding Father for more support.

We the board of county commissioners agree with the wisdom of our founders including Benjamin Franklin -- Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

The resolution closed with a declaration there would be no new no fishing zones on Navarre Beach.

Santa Rosa County commissioner James Calkins had led the charge to support the local fishermen, according to WEAR, saying during a public forum on the issue earlier this week Our beach is a place of freedom. Our beach is a place of enjoyment and I want to put this to rest.
Former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera visited ABCs The View Thursday, where he dished on the toxicity of his former colleagues and said he should have left Fox News far earlier.

Rivera, who ended his nearly 22-year run with the right-wing cable channel at the end of June, claimed his exit was due to a very toxic relationship with one of his co-hosts on afternoon program The Five.

While Rivera didnt identify the host by name, he did refer to the person as a guy, leaving the only options to be Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld. Tensions between Rivera and Gutfeld have been well-documented, with the duo often arguing on-air over issues including abortion rights and immigration.

Rivera told The View  which he called the antithesis of The Five  that Fox News began frequently canceling his appearances on The Five as things between he and the unnamed host grew more awkward.

According to Rivera, after Fox News executives eventually told him he would no longer be a member of The Five, he decided to step down as a network correspondent altogether.

My ideology does not fit Fox, he stated.

Rivera considers himself a moderate Republican.

The Brooklyn native explained he joined the network after the U.S. was attacked by al-Qaida terrorists, led by Osama bin Laden, on Sept. 11, 2001. The highlight of his experience was getting to break the news in 2011 that the terror mastermind had been killed by U.S. troops.

The person who had caused all the suffering ... the guy that did that to us, the reason I went to Fox, was gone, he said. I should have left Fox then, in 2011, but I didnt have the courage.

Instead, Rivera hung around another dozen years and watched the growing network become more radical and less credible, culminating in lies about the 2020 presidential election that resulted in a $787.5 million settlement with a voting technologies company and the disgraceful departure of conspiracy-pushing prime-time fabulist Tucker Carlson.

Fox had a moral crisis after the election, he said.

Rivera added that hell never again support Donald Trump who lost the election and became a crazy guy. Nor can he forgive Carlson, who repeatedly spread lies about the integrity of the 2020 election, and then worked to undermine the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by extremists who believed the election was rigged.

I dont like to be unkind, but what he did, just as I will never vote for Donald Trump, I will never forgive Tucker about Jan. 6, he said.

2023 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Friends and family gathered Thursday to remember a Birmingham rapper who died one week, more than a month after he was wounded in an ambush shooting in Ensley.

JerrMarius Deonta Sills, 21, died July 7 at UAB Hospital. He had been hospitalized since he was shot multiple times on May 27.

As a musician, Sills was known as Li Heat, and had more than 38,000 subscribers on YouTube. One of his music videos  007  garnered 6.3 million views.

At least 60 people gathered in George Ward Park to release balloons in honor of Sills.

His music will live on. He will live on through us, said Sills uncle, Marcus Gurley.

Im very proud of my nephew, Gurley said. He went for his dream and look at all these people here.

Sills was shot about 5:15 p.m. that Saturday in the 1500 block of Avenue L.

Police said Sills was walking when multiple suspects approached him and opened fire on him. More than 20 shots were fired.

Based on the evidence, we do believe the victim was targeted, Officer Truman Fitzgerald said at the time of the shooting.

Sills was taken to UAB Hospital where he remained until his death.

Sills was also wounded in a shooting last year that killed his friend, 21-year-old Maleyk Bryant.

In that 2022 shooting, West Precinct officers responded just before midnight to a report of person shot in the 1300 block of 34th Street. They arrived on the scene to find that a small sedan had wrecked into a parked vehicle.

Inside, they found Bryant unresponsive in the front seat. He was pronounced dead on the scene by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service at 12:17 a.m.

Sills was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police determined that more than 40 shots had been fired which was also determined to be a targeted attack.

No arrests have been announced in either of the shootings.

Sills older brother, Lamarcus Sills, described his brother as fun, outgoing, popular, and humble. He said they were very close.

He was like my twin, he said.

Gurley said his nephew was well loved and will be missed.

We appreciate his 21 years of life, Gurley said. Weve got to stop this senseless violence. Too many lives are being taken.

Sills funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Christian Ministries in southwest Birmingham.

Anyone with information in Sills slaying is asked to call Birmingham police at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
An alligator is behaving abnormally in a south Huntsville neighborhood, councilwoman Jennie Robinson said Thursday, and at least one resident acknowledged there is concern for the safety of children in the area.

I worry about the kids, said Jack Kilian, who raised concerns over alligators in the Jackson Bend neighborhood to the city council at Thursdays meeting. The parents, we can train (to avoid alligators). The kids, they dont understand. And what happens if you lose a kid? I mean, God forbid.

Kilian referenced a July 4 incident in Hilton Head, S.C., when a woman walking her dog was attacked and killed by an alligator.

Related: Did alligator attack dog in Huntsville? We may never know

Thats our fear is that wed lose a kid or lose somebody from our neighborhood because we didnt do anything (to prevent it), he said.

The Jackson Bend neighborhood in south Huntsville sits adjacent to the greenway along Haysland Road where repeated alligator sightings have been made. Ponds are abundant at both Jackson Bend and along the Haysland Road greenway and conservationists have told residents they are ideal alligator habitats.

Residents have been documenting alligator movements and behavior for months, Kilian said. At least three alligators have been identified  an 11-foot long male, a 7-foot female and a young alligator thats much smaller.

Kilian said there have been no known attacks on humans or pets in the neighborhood.

But alligators have been approaching yards of homes more often in recent weeks and appear to have become acclimated to living around humans, Kilian said. The 7-foot female alligator, Kilian said, remained in the yard at one house for two days before leaving. In another instance, Kilian said a woman was in her backyard reading and looked up to see an alligator in the yard.

Conservationists have Kilian and others in the neighborhood that the alligators were in the area first and that development has encroached on the gator habitat.

Experts also say that alligators typically shy away from humans and are more interested in preying on small animals for food. But at least one alligator has become accustomed to the presence of humans that they are no longer deterred from being around them. At that point, the presence of alligators can become more problematic.

We do have an alligator that is behaving abnormally in the Jackson Bend area, said Robinson, whose district includes the Jackson Bend neighborhood. Its a nuisance alligator. When human beings come out into the yard, the alligator comes into the yard because it expects to be fed. It would be unnerving for anyone if that happens.

City Administrator John Hamilton said residents should avoid feeding alligators.

Kilian said there is frustration in dealing with conservationists because of slow response time dictated by lack proximity to Huntsville.

Conservationists have talked with Jackson Bend residents and traveled to Huntsville to review the situation, Hamilton said. The rise and fall of water levels in the ponds is likely an influence on the presence of alligators, Hamilton said, and it makes it difficult when conservationists come to assess the situation and the alligators cant be found.

Some of its just finding (the alligators) at the right time, Hamilton said.

A man said an alligator attacked and killed his Golden Retriever near Haysland Road in May. Marianne Gauldin of the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources told AL.com that the department could not determine if there had been an alligator attack.

But it is a good reminder for everybody to make sure that theyre being cautious in areas around alligators and watching their pets and being wary of their own safety as well, Gauldin said.
A suspect has been taken into custody on New Yorks Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Friday.

The case has drawn immense public attention since human remains were found along a New York beach highway more than a decade ago. The mystery attracted national headlines for many years and the unsolved killings were the subject of the 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls.

The suspect was taken into custody in Massapequa late Thursday and investigators were at a home connected to the case on Friday, the official said. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The suspects name was not immediately released.

The deaths of 11 people whose remains were found in 2010 and 2011 have long stumped investigators. Most of the victims were young women who had been sex workers. Several of the bodies were found in thickets along a sandy stretch known as Gilgo Beach.

Determining who killed them, and why, has vexed a slew of seasoned homicide detectives through several changes in police leadership. Last year, an interagency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case.

Law enforcement personnel converged on the small red house that had been raided early Friday in the suburb about 40 miles (64 km) east of midtown Manhattan. Dozens of residents mingled alongside police and media, watching as a half-dozen investigators in protective suits conferred outside the front porch, which was in disrepair, its roof propped up by 2-by-4s.

The home belonged to a family that had long kept to themselves, neighbors said, noting that the dilapidated property seemed out of place among rows of single family homes and well kept lawns in the small community.

This house sticks out like a sore thumb. There were overgrown shrubs, there was always wood in front of the house, said Gabriella Libardi, a 24-year-old teacher. It was very creepy. I wouldnt send my child there.

Barry Auslander, another neighbor, said the man who lived in the house commuted by train to New York City each morning, wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase.

It was weird. He looked like a businessman, said Auslander. But his house is a dump.

The formation of the Gilgo Beach task force represents a renewed commitment to investigating the unsolved killings of mostly young women whose skeletal remains were found along a highway on Long Island, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said.

Were happy to see that theyre finally active, the police, in accomplishing something. Lets wait and see what it all leads to, said John Ray, the attorney for the families of two victims, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor.

Gilberts disappearance in 2010 triggered the hunt that exposed the larger mystery. A 24-year-old sex worker, she vanished after leaving a clients house on foot in the seafront community of Oak Beach, disappearing into the marsh.

Months later, a police officer and his cadaver dog were looking for her body in the thicket along nearby Ocean Parkway when they happened upon the remains of a different woman. Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another.

By spring 2011, that number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains -- those of eight women, one man and one toddler. Some were later linked to dismembered body parts found elsewhere on Long Island, making for a puzzling crime scene that stretched from a park near the New York City limits to a resort community on Fire Island and out to far eastern Long Island.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) east of where the other 10 sets were discovered.

In talking about the bodies near Gilgo Beach, investigators have said several times over the years that it is unlikely one person killed all the victims.
A Burmese python measuring 19 feet long was caught in Big Cypress National Preserve, the longest ever recorded in Florida.

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida says the female python, which weighed 125 pounds, was captured a group of passionate python hunters during the early-morning hours of Monday, July 10. The previous record for a Burmese python in Florida was 18 feet, 9 inches.

A video posted on Instagram shows the python being captured by Jake Waleri, 22, of Naples.

We had a feeling that these snakes get this big and now we have clear evidence, Ian Easterling, a biologist with the conservancy, said in a statement. Her genetic material may prove valuable for an eventual understanding of the founding population of South Florida. We will be collecting measurements and samples that will be distributed to our research collaborators.

The Burmese python is an invasive species in Florida. The conservancy says it has been working for 10 years to prevent the spread of the pythons.

Its awesome to be able to make an impact on South Floridas environment, Waleri said in a statement. We love this ecosystem and try to preserve it as much as possible.
A false image circulating on social media shows a quote below Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis high school yearbook photo that reads: My Mount Rushmore is Jesus, Sir-Mixes-a-Lot, and Nintendo 64.

An image of DeSantis entry in his yearbook was edited to add the quote.

A spokesperson for the school district that oversees DeSantis alma mater confirmed to The Associated Press that the yearbook photo is authentic, but that there is no quote beneath it.

Social media users shared the fabricated image, suggesting it shows the Republican presidential candidate was out-of-touch in his teen years.

The image shows a black-and-white image of DeSantis as a youth with the Mount Rushmore quote below it.

The misspelled Sir-Mixes-a-Lot is a reference to Sir-Mix-a-Lot, the rapper known for his 1992 hit Baby Got Back.

Sir-Mixes-a-Lot should automatically disqualify you from running for office, reads one tweet that had received more than 32,000 likes by Friday.

Sean Clark, a spokesperson for Pinellas County Schools, told the AP that DeSantis graduated from the districts Dunedin High School in 1997.

This is a photo from the Dunedin High School yearbook; however, there is no quote within the yearbook photo beneath Governor DeSantis photo nor any other student within the yearbook, he wrote in an email.

Neither DeSantis office nor his campaign returned requests for comment.
Two women found shot to death more than a month apart in Birmingham - one of them set on fire and the other almost set on fire - are believed to have been killed by the same man, police said.

Birmingham police officials on Friday announced murder charges against Demarchies Mincey in the April slaying of Ariel Jones and the June killing of Jermiera Fowler.

He is charged capital murder in Jones slaying. He is charged with murder and abuse of corpse in Fowlers slaying.

Birmingham police Chief Scott Thurmond said investigators first identified Mincey as a suspect in Fowlers death. On June 12, they obtained the warrants against Mince in her death.

They then linked him to Jones death as well, the chief said, but did not elaborate what evidence they have linking him to both crime.

The U.S. Marshals arrested Mincey in Stonecrest, Georgia on June 22. He was booked into the DeKalb County Jail in connection with Fowlers death, and with unrelated Georgia charges for assault, battery and cruelty to children.

He remain jailed without bond in Georgia and will at some point be extradited to Alabama.

Thurmond said it doesnt appear the two victims knew each other or knew Mincey.

Currently the only commonality in these cases is that both victims are female and they were both shot,' Thurmond said.

Mincey asked for a lawyer and is not cooperating with the investigation

Thurmond said there is no evidence of Mincey being a serial killer, and he is not linked to any other slayings in the Birmingham area.

Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Ariel Jones and Jermiera Fowler as they deal with the senseless loss of these two young woman and we hope this arrest brings them one step closer to finding closure,' Thurmond said..

Ariel Jones, 31, was found dead in an abandoned vehicle in east Birmingham on April 18, 2023. (Contributed)

Jones, 31, was found slain April 18 in east Birmingham, not far from East Lake Park.

Officers responded to a field in the 8400 block of Fifth Avenue North in East Lake shortly before 8:30 a.m. that Tuesday. A citizen called 911 to report the abandoned vehicle.

When officers and Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service arrived, they discovered Jones body inside. Authorities said it appeared someone unsuccessfully tried to set a fire at the scene.

A body was discovered inside an abandoned vehicle Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in the 8400 block of Fifth Avenue North. (Carol Robinson)

Neighbors said the vehicle had been in the field for at least two days. The field is just off an alley between Fourth and Fifth Avenues.

According to Jones obituary, she grew up in Indiana and later moved to Alabama, where she attended Parker High School.

Ariel enjoyed singing and dancing. She was the life of the party. Her smile and goofy personality would light up a room, her obituary read. Ariel enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. Special times for her were the holidays and her birthday. Ariel loved getting her hair and nails done. She also had a passion for helping others feel and look their best.

Ariel loved her nephews and nieces like they were her own, the obituary said. She was the fun Tee-Tee. Ariels real child was her dog, Elvis Jones who she loved dearly.

Jermiera Fowler, 31, was found dead June 1 in east Birmingham, just hours after she had been reported missing. (Contributed)

Fowler, also 31, was found dead June 1, also on the citys east side.

The discovery was made just hours after police announced said she had been reported missing.

Fowlers burned body was discovered about 9 p.m. that Thursday in the 200 block of Sellers Road. Police had responded to the location after receiving a report of a burning body.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the flames and pronounced Fowler dead on the scene.

Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said medical examiners determined Fowler had sustained a gunshot wound.

Birmingham police investigate a homicide in the 200 block of Sellers Road, where a woman's burned body was discovered by officers.

Earlier Thursday, Birmingham police had issued a missing alert for Fowler, saying she had last been seen about 4 p.m. Wednesday in the 500 block of 41st Street North. She was driving a white Nissan Versa Note.

Police said Fowler had not been seen or heard from since she left home to reportedly meet someone to make a purchase from Facebook Marketplace.

According to Fowlers obituary, she was the oldest of eight siblings, had a natural gift for leadership and a heart full of love.

She was the kind of person who made everyone feel welcome and included, and her infectious energy and joy was contagious, the obituary read. Jermiera was an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker, inspiring others to follow their dreams and live life to the fullest. Her wisdom and guidance helped countless people find their way, and her legacy will live on through the lives she touched.

Fowler was a mother to two children who were the light of her life, the obituary stated. She was a loving sister, a loyal friend, and a role model to all who knew her.
Alabama Republicans, in touting passage in the House of Representatives of the 2024 defense spending bill, included mentions of amendments to end the Pentagon abortion policy in a fight being led by Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

The National Defense Appropriations Act bill narrowly passed the House on Friday and now moves to the Democrat-controlled Senate  which will likely attempt to halt some provisions in the bill, including on abortion. House Democrats overwhelmingly voted against the bill, including Alabamas Terri Sewell.

For years, the far-left Biden Administration has moved to use the military as a venue to showcase their unpopular, liberal social policies, Alabama Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Saks, said in a statement. Rogers is chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

I am proud that this years NDAA counteracts the woke agenda and refocuses our military on lethality. Specifically, amendments to halt Bidens unconstitutional abortion travel policy, eliminate unjust DEI measures and prohibit drag shows on military bases all passed in the final House bill, he said.

The abortion policy, a hot-button issue in Washington these days, permits the military to provide paid leave and travel expenses for servicewomen traveling to obtain an abortion. Tuberville has protested the policy, enacted earlier this year by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, by putting a hold on all military promotions awaiting Senate confirmation.

The stalemate has been ongoing for months with neither side budging and no signs of a resolution, though Austin and Tuberville spoke by phone Thursday for the first time in months.

This bill prioritizes a strong national defense, military readiness, and servicemembers needs over Bidens far-left, woke agenda at the Department of Defense, Congressman Barry Moore, a Republican from Enterprise, said in a statement. In the face of alarming recruiting numbers and emerging global threats, Republicans are working to ensure our military is focused on protecting American citizens instead of holding drag shows and funding travel for abortion.

Sewell, the states lone Democrat in Congress, said in a statement she voted against the NDAA for the first time since coming to Washington in 2010.

I cannot and will not support a bill that would rip basic health care away from our service members and make bigotry and discrimination a centerpiece of our defense policy, Sewells statement said. Republicans need to stop playing politics with our national security.

The defense bill also impacts Alabama financially. Congressman Dale Strong, whose district includes Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, said the bill provides more than $310 million in direct funding for the arsenal and other north Alabama endeavors. Strong also said he worked to block funding for Space Command headquarters spending in Colorado Springs that Colorado lawmakers wanted to add to the bill. The issue of a permanent home for Space Command HQ remains undetermined despite multiple reviews identifying Redstone Arsenal as the best location.

Congressman Gary Palmer of Hoover also hailed the bill as a win not just for our military but also for Alabamians, lauding the efforts to halt Space Command work in Colorado.

To ensure the administration stops playing politics with our national security, section 2866 prohibits funds for being used to build a headquarters for Space Command and cuts the travel budget for the Secretary of the Air Force in half until he submits a report to the congressional defense committees justifying the selection of a permanent location for the headquarters, Palmer said in a statement. Its time to bring Space Command home to Huntsville.
For 248 years, the U.S. Marine Corps' courage and sacrifice has been an inspiration to our country and allies. But this proud legacy is being tarnished by a domestic enemy: @SenTuberville pic.twitter.com/dNbWrcOWEp  The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 14, 2023

A new TV ad released Friday that will air in the Birmingham market from an anti-Trump group describes Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville as a traitor because of his holds on military promotions.

Though the ad by The Lincoln Project does not explicitly state its issue with Tuberville, it appears to focus on the fact that the Marines do not have a Senate-confirmed commandant for the first time in more than a century. That position is one of about 250 affected by Tubervilles hold on military promotions as a protest over a new Pentagon policy that provides paid leave and travel expenses for servicemembers seeking abortions.

Related: Tuberville talks to defense secretary after first rejecting meeting

Related: Biden says Tuberville jeopardizing US security by blocking confirmations: Totally irresponsible

Today, the Marine Corps faces a domestic enemy, the ad states. A small man with a big mouth determined to destroy the corps for his petty political agenda. Tommy Tuberville is creating a national security nightmare.

Tubervilles office declined to comment on the ad. In addition to the Birmingham television market, the Lincoln Project said the ad will also run in Washington and Quantico, Va.

The Lincoln Project said the ad will also run digitally on Capitol Hill, national security community and USMC bases across the nation.

Required to leave the job after four years, Gen. David Berger stepped down as leader of the Marines on Monday. Gen. Eric Smith, the assistant commandant, has been nominated to replace Berger but will be serving in an acting capacity because he has not been confirmed by the Senate.

Under the law, Smith can serve as the acting commandant, but he can do nothing that would presume confirmation, The Associated Press reported Monday. As a result, he cant move into the main residence or the commandants office, or issue any new formal commandants planning guidance, which is traditional for a new leader. He has the authority to implement new policies such as budget, training and other personnel decisions.

The Lincoln Project ad said that China, Russia and ISIS are winners with the Marines not having a confirmed leader as a result of Tubervilles holds.

Tuberville started the holds in February as a strategy to overturn a policy announced last year by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to increase access to abortion for the military. Tubervilles objection is that the policy has not been approved by Congress. The senator has insisted he will keep his hold in place until the policy is reversed or Congress votes its approval.

The strategy has brought a wave of criticism of Tuberville. The top two Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and John Thune, have said they do not approve of Tubervilles tactics as well as Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. President Joe Biden has sharpened his attacks on Tuberville in recent weeks as well.

Tuberville has countered that the confirmation process can go forward on a one-by-one basis  which critics have responded is unnecessary and time consuming. Typically, military promotions are uncontroversial and quickly confirmed by voice vote.

Tuberville insults every Marine who ever served and puts the men and women of the Marine Corps on the line in danger, the ad concludes. Every U.S. Marine is a patriot. Tommy Tuberville is a traitor.

The Lincoln Project started in 2019 by former Republican strategists to oppose the re-election of former President Donald Trump as well as what it describes as Trumpism. Tuberville has been a strong supporter of Trump.
An investigation is underway after two men were shot to death in Montgomery earlier this week.

Montgomery police officials on Thursday said Melvin Steiner Jr., 25, and Lamarch Russell Jr., 21, were killed Monday night.

Police and medics responded about 8 p.m. to the 1200 block of Hugh Street on a report of people shot, said police Maj. Saba Coleman. They arrived to find both victims dead on the scene.

The circumstances surrounding the deadly double shooting remain under investigation. No additional information has been released.

Anyone with information is asked to call Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP, Montgomery police at 334-625-2831, or the Secret Witness tip line at 334-625-4000.
A domestic violence suspect is being held in an east Alabama jail on attempted murder charges after authorities say he broke into a female relatives home and tried to drown her before driving his vehicle through a grocery store wall.

Rainbow City police officers received a call of a domestic violence incident on Royal Troon Drive around 9:44 p.m. June 5 in which the suspect fled the scene, the department said Friday.

Officers at the scene learned the suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Ryan Tyler Watts, allegedly tried to break into a family members home and tried to drown her.

Rainbow City police were then notified by the Attalla Police Department that they located Watts and his vehicle at Johnsons Giant Foods in Attalla.

It appeared that the suspect drove his vehicle through the wall of the grocery store and was still in the vehicle when Attalla Police Department arrived on scene, Rainbow City police said.

Warrants for attempted murder were obtained on Watts on June 6, who had been hospitalized in the incident.

After Watts was released from the hospital, he was taken into custody on Friday and booked into the Etowah County jail, where he is being held on $100,000 bond.

Warrants for attempted murder were obtained on Watts on June 6th, 2023. Watts was taking into custody on July 14th, 2023, and into the Etowah County Detention Center after being released from the hospital. Watts is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.
We try to bring things that are kind of new to Madison and new to Alabama.

Thats how Breland Companies President Joey Ceci describes the philosophy of recruiting retail to north Alabamas fastest growing development, Town Madison.

Weve been very successful at it, Ceci said.

Its hard to argue with the results. Slim Chickens  one of the 18 restaurants currently open on the 550-acre site  was the first in north Alabama when it opened on Zierdt Road.

That was the case with Duluth Trading when it became one of the first retailers to locate on the site on the west side of the sprawling development along Interstate 565. The same can be said for BJs Warehouse, which is under construction on Graphics Drive and is expected to open in November.
The One Mobile political action committee, the primary fundraiser and campaign operation in favor of annexation, has received considerable financial support from Mobiles business community, campaign finance records from the Alabama Secretary of States office show.

The PAC is closely linked to the city of Mobile administration and Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, who himself is a former businessman.

By far the largest donation to the PAC has come from the National Association of Realtors, who donated $20,000 to the PAC last week. The donation was requested by the Mobile Area Association of Realtors, Charlie Plyler, president of the MAAR, said.

We think going over 200,000 would be a good thing, Plyler said. I think [annexation] would help people in west Mobile with police and fire protection, and it would help with homeowners insurance.

While I cant speak for the realtors association, its clear that realtors - who pay a lot of attention to property values - believe that annexation makes these neighborhoods stronger and more appealing to homebuyers, Stephen Worley, a spokesperson for the PAC, said in an email.
A search is underway for a man police deem armed and dangerous after they say he threatened to shoot officers and several victims early Friday morning in southeast Alabama.

Enterprise police officers responded to a home in the 100 block of Boll Weevil Circle around 4:06 a.m. Monday on a call of a disorderly person, the department said Friday afternoon.

Officers found two males fighting by the home when the suspect ran into the home and threatened the officers and victims with a gun.

Police were able to get the victim and two other people inside the home out of the house as officers at the scene waited for backup.

The department believes the suspect, identified as Shannon Scott Anthony, barricaded himself in the home.

When the house was cleared for officers to move in around 9:30 a.m. Friday, the suspect had fled the home, police said.

Tracking dogs from the Alabama Department of Corrections are being used in the search for Anthony, whom police said should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anthony is wanted on charges of second-degree burglary, certain persons forbidden to possess firearms and two counts of menacing, police said.

Anyone who spots Anthony was asked to immediately call law enforcement.
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During a hearing in March over Indianas bill seeking to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth, Larisha Hanks, mother of a 14-year-old trans boy, pleaded to the House committee: Please vote no so I dont have to plan my sons funeral. The bill, also known as SB480, passed into law in April.

That was only one of hundreds of bills introduced recently to strip away rights for trans people nationwide. This years legislation session broke record with the highest amount of anti-trans bills proposed to date. According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, there have been 560 bills targeting the LGBTQ community, barring bathroom access, basic healthcare, proper education and more.

Across the nation, 79 of them have been signed into lawmore than any year on record.

Aside from the bills direct effects, this wave of anti-trans bills has already impacted the mental health of trans youth. A 2023 national survey from the Trevor Project found nearly one in three LGBTQ youth said their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to the anti-LGBTQ legislation. This only compounded the pre-existing serious mental health problems the community faces.

LGBTQ young people are not inherently prone to increased suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity, but rather they are placed at higher risk because of the mistreatment and stigmatization that they experience in society, said Ronita Rath, the vice president of the survey.

Given the severe effects 2023s legislation session has already caused, Reckon spoke with legislation experts, policy strategists and organizers to understand what went down so far and prepare for what can be done to combat anti-LGBTQ efforts the second half of the year.

How did we get to this point?

First, its crucial to understand that the surge of over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills proposed this year had been strategized for years by Republicans. Back in March of this year, a feature in Mother Jones exposed a leaked chain of emails from 2019 brainstorming a proposal to criminalize doctors who practice gender-affirming care for trans minors. The emails, spearheaded by South Dakota Republican state Rep. Fred Deutsch were dispersed secretly amongst 18 anti-trans activists, doctors, and lawyers with a textual template of the bill.

Those in the loop also included representatives of organizations at the forefront of the anti-trans movement today, including the conservative Christian group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), who was also behind the recent Supreme Court 303 Creative v. Elenis case ruling that certain businesses have a right to discriminate when selling customized, expressive services.

The biggest trend that Im seeing and am concerned about is the age restrictions, said Devon Ojeda, Senior National Organizer of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). Currently, around 20 bills that were passed or signed regarding health restrictions only impact the youth, though Ojeda believes the target will only expand.

I anticipate were going to see [gender-affirming care bans] next year pushing the age limit to 25 or 26, which is scary because The Opposition always talks about this being for the kids, but I think theyre just trying to eliminate gender affirming care altogether for people, he said.

For Corinne Green, the policy and legislative strategist at Equality Federation, an LGBTQ social justice and advocacy organization, the idea that anti-trans bills are being pushed to protect children does not resonate. [The narrative of protecting children] is a strong motivating factor in expanding and empowering fascism, said Green, who tells Reckon that the focus on the traditional white nuclear family and the future for white children is one of the core tenets of fascism. Seeing that become such a prominent part of their rhetoric and then having trans people be the actual tip of the spear of their immunization campaign is really terrifying.

All eyes on Texas and Missouri

Texas and Missouri are the two states with the highest number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced this year. Christian leaders advocating for the myriad of these bills have felt starkly compelled to uphold their religious beliefs.

In Texas, anti-trans bills came during a legislative session in which some conservative lawmakers, emboldened by the growing acceptance of Christian nationalism on the right, pursued legislation they believed could create a national model for infusing Christianity into the public sphere, The Texas Tribute reported. It didnt help that a protest over their gender-affirming care ban bill led to altercations with state police.

PBS reported that many legislators who have cited their conservative religious beliefs while promoting these bills, as well as leaders of Americas two largest denominations  the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention. Since 2014, SBC has been open about how transitioning goes against Christian belief.

And yet, the narrative returns to the notion that these bills are for the sake of protecting children and women. This bill has nothing to do with transgender issues. It is 100% aimed to keep the playing field level, protect our girls scholarships, and to protect the ground that women have gained over the past 30 years in female sports, Missouri Republican Se. Holly Thompson Rehder said in a Facebook post regarding her bill.

Texas takes the cake for having the most bills introduced targeting LGBTQ people, with 64 anti-trans bills being tracked. Just last month, the state became the most populous state to ban gender-affirming care for minors after Gov. Abbott signed the legislation into law, leaving many trans teens without options to pursue proper care.

Communications Director Johnathan Gooch at Texas Equality, an LGBTQ political advocacy organization, said that queer and trans Texans are all coping with that trauma while trying to build a plan to support our community.

Gooch tells Reckons that when it comes to the rest of the year, Texas is in a unique position; the Texas legislature only convenes every other year for 140 days. However, Gov. Abbott has the power to call a special session if one of his priorities isnt met, such as the vouchers program hes been pushing that he recently vetoed.

While on its face vouchers dont connect to LGBTQ issues, steering state funds to private, religious schools without nondiscrimination protections would have a massive impact on the wellbeing and quality of education for queer young people in Texas, Gooch said. If history is any indication of what we can expect in the push for vouchers, then we can also expect school censorship of LGBTQ issues to be included in vouchers legislation.

Meanwhile in Missouri, 43 anti-trans bills are being tracked, the second highest ranking state to introduce anti-LGBTQ bills. So far, two major bills passed into law under Gov. Parsons signage: a ban on gender-affirming care for youth and some adults, and a ban on trans students participating in school sports.

Bill Stephens, the chair of the Missouri Democratic Party LGBTQ caucus and the 12th Ward Alderman in the city of St. Louis said that in short, this legislative session in the Missouri Assembly was targeted and ruthless.

Republican legislators hellbent on attacking the LGBTQ community filed multiple versions of the same billa spray and pray tacticin the hopes that something would stick, Stephens said, referring to the strategic tactic that the 2019 emails were planning.

Despite the success of this spray and pray tactic in some states, it is worth noting that we are seeing a wave of bans that went on to becoming laws being blocked in court in states like Indiana, Arkansas and more.

Is bill blocking enough to stop it?

A growing number of federal judges are blocking anti-trans bans that passed into law, preventing them from being taking effect. Some of the judges were even Trump appointees. However, it is unclear whether this will impact conservative lawmakers momentum moving forward, especially with next years presidential election as well as the 2024 legislation session.

According to Stephens, circuit court decisions will not deter lawmakers, harkening back to the 1948 Shelley v. Kraemer case which held that courts could not enforce real estate covenants that restricted the purchase or sale of property based on race.

[The case] held that, in a nutshell, legislation is but words on paper; it is the enforcement of legislation that constitutes action, he said. Couple this with the qualified immunity of being an elected official, and theres nothing to lose for extremists finding their strides in this national culture war that is being waged against us.

Ojeda also believes that the rhetoric is going to continue. Theyre going to continue to perpetuate false dichotomies and misinformation, he said, feeling more concerned about the possibility of having an anti-trans president be elected next year. Its going to be its going to be really bad news for us.

What can we anticipate for the second half of the year?

The second half of the year will continue its intensity, though one thing is certain: the fight for trans people will persist. From working alongside the reproductive justice movement to combating misinformation, preparation can vary.

In Texas, despite anti-LGBTQ groups steering massive amounts of money to lawmakers and having direct lines to influential leaders, Gooch describes Texans influence as hard fought and reminds us that their brutal legislative session is not representative of how Texans feel.

During the regular legislative session, we saw thousands of Texans show up and speak out against anti-LGBTQ legislation, he said. That overwhelming response is a powerful reminder that the majority of Texans believe their LGBTQ neighbors deserve equal protection. In fact, 75% of Texans support statewide nondiscrimination protectionssomething you wouldnt know by watching how lawmakers act.

In Missouri, while the Assembly isnt currently in session, Stephens expects increasingly hostile rhetoric against the LGBTQ community as candidates seek to bring their own unique flavor of absurdism to the State Assembly. To prepare, he recommends shifting from the defensive of weathering the legislative session to the offensive of recruiting, supporting, and electing candidates who at the very least wont attack our community and its rights.

At NCTE, Ojeda suggests challenging the continuing spread of misinformation.

One of the biggest talking points [anti-trans lawmakers] have is that all evidence we see about gender affirming care is considered low quality evidence, Ojeda said. What they dont tell you is that most things in medicine are low quality data, because whats considered high quality data is random controlled trials. And it is considered unethical to do random controlled trials on things that could kill people.

How can we prepare for the battle that is ahead of us?

Last month, Reckon partnered with them for a live panel discussion about this years trans coverage in media. The panelists, which consisted of journalists and writers drove home the need for left-of-center journalism to be center the importance of rights and autonomy for trans people.

If we could get mainstream media to cover trans issues in the way that we saw how journalistic outlets covered climate change, that would be a huge step forward, said Erin Reed, independent journalist who reiterated that there are too many consequences to report false narratives around trans issues. There are so many facts out there that dont need to [consider] both sides; there is an objective answer to the reality of how [things like] gender-affirming care is provided and its positive effects to the people who need it.

Another panelist was Muna Mire, a writer who was one of the architects of the New York Times letter critiquing their anti-trans coverage. Preparing for the rest of 2023 and the next years election, Mire advised people to respond to anti-trans rhetoric according to what appropriate measures they call for from not engaging, to calling them out publicly, or taking direct action.

In addition to challenging anti-trans misinformation, Green, at Equality Federation, sees the anti-trans rhetoric getting worse and, in a way, more creative. To combat that, she recommends the strategy of connecting closely with people from the reproductive justice movementwho have put much thought into addressing the rights of young peopleto develop a more community focused practical support work people will be needing.

[The reproductive justice movement] has a much more thoroughly developed conception and framework around youth consent, she said. Theres a lot more work thats been done in remote areas for the youth to access. For example, providing contraception or reproductive health care if theyre a certain age without their parents consent, because we recognize that as something that is core to what people need even if they are young.

Above all, Gooch recommends people to retain their endurance, for the time between the rest of this year and the 2024 elections will require plenty of endurance.

For the advocates who are burnt out and worn down, take time to rest, be with your loved ones, celebrate your community and get ready for the second round, he said. This fight isnt over yet.
Andrew Boitchenko

Andrew Boitchenko was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Relations on July 13, 2023.

Mr. Boitchenko was born in Ukraine, immigrated to Canada as a teenager, and is a proud Albertan. Before entering politics, he was a successful real estate agent and property developer, mounting over 20 years experience in the building industry.

Mr. Boitchenko is happily married to his wife Tatiana and is the proud father of 3 children.

Andrew Boitchenko was first elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Drayton Valley-Devon on May 29, 2023.
In case you didnt notice, Ron DeSantis is trailing Donald Trump in Florida by a whopping 20 points. For DeSantis to have won a landslide gubernatorial reelection last November, that spread is stunning DeSantis supporters. His big money backers are grumbling. His cheerleaders in conservative media circles are hedging. Yes, its a long way to the Sunshine States presidential preference primary in March, but the governor owns a stellar record in Florida. Hes popular, yet per polling, hes getting the stuffing kicked out of him by Trump in every demographic save those making $200 grand or more. Men, women, Hispanics, working and middle-class folk -- you name it -- are pro Trump. That indicates other problems for DeSantis that well address shortly.

Sure, something could happen to cause Trump to stumble -- if anything, his health -- but Trump appears fit as a bull, so DeSantis better not count on infirmity.

The banana republic indictments of Trump by New Yorks Alvin Bragg and the DoJs Jack Smith have done nothing -- repeat, nothing -- to slow Trumps drive to the GOP nomination. In fact, these shabby, politically motivated indictments have only served to put more distance between Trump and DeSantis. The base is rallying to Trump, and for good reason: the GOP grassroots have been morphing since Trump threw his hat in the ring in late 2015. Its strongly traditionalist, populist, and very anti-establishment. These folk are meat-eaters, not pate nibblers. Trump and the base are simpatico.

Before you claim that Democrats have used the indictments -- and maybe another coming in Georgia -- to cleverly boost Trump into the nomination, think again. Youre giving too much credit to Democrats. Theyre consumed by hate and fear of Trump. They really do mean to waylay him. They dont want to face him in a General Election. But for 2020 shenanigans in Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Trump would have been reelected. Democrats know that better than anyone, since they engineered the fixes.

Out of the gate, DeSantis has had two significant problems. One is answering the question of why hes running. Why DeSantis and not Trump? DeSantis claims his track record as governor makes him presidential timber. But doesnt Trumps track record as president prove his bona fides to serve a second term? While DeSantis has excelled as Floridas chief executive, Trump excelled as president -- considering everything he accomplished despite unrelenting attacks by the establishment.

That leaves DeSantis with little in the way of a contrast. What can he say, I dont pick fights like Trump does? You hate Trump, but youll love me? Meaningless, given Trumps post-presidency.

Anyone with eyes can see that Trump has laid off the sideshow battles for the most part. Hes exhibited discipline since leaving office. Hes not being goaded into petty fights with publicity-hungry celebs. Hes even laid off Mitch McConnell, who richly deserves to be pilloried. At Trump rallies, his conversations -- they arent really speeches -- remind audiences of past accomplishments but also include points about what he plans to do in a final term as president. Crowds respond enthusiastically not only to his agenda but his determination to send D.C.s Democrat and Republican denizens packing.

In short, DeSantis simply cant trump Trump. Despite DeSantis accomplishments as governor, his story simply isnt as compelling as Trumps -- or, frankly, as remarkable. Theres a herculean quality that Trump possesses -- at least to his legions of supporters. Theyre willing to ignore his foibles because he champions their values, their beliefs. Hes willing to go through hell to get them to heaven. Hes got the battle-scars to prove it.

Moreover, fairly or not, America First acolytes see DeSantis as an ingrate. Trump shrewdly fueled that perception. Trump made DeSantis 2018 election possible, says Trump, only to have DeSantis bite his hand by announcing his candidacy.

Though polling typically means little this far ahead of actual voting, the Florida numbers should disturb DeSantis team. Trump shouldnt enjoy such a commanding lead over DeSantis. Forget the also-rans, like the stiff Mike Pence, the oily Nikki Haley, and whorish Chris Christie.

As to national polling, its useless. Candidates for the presidency arent nominated nationally, much less elected nationally -- to the great frustration of scheming Democrats (they who want to abolish the Electoral College). Aspirants are nominated via caucuses and primaries in states, and elected in the states as well. Whereas DeSantis is struggling to get his organization up and running across the map, Trump has nearly an eight-year head start. Trumps organization coupled with the passion of his voters make him practically an incumbent and tough to knock off.

As to fundraising, while Trump outraised DeSantis in the second quarter of this year, a DeSantis-aligned super PAC hauled in $130 million, a phenomenal sum. But, though money is the mothers milk of politics, all the money in the world cant buy genuine, intense voter support. Trump simply doesnt need to raise the sort of money DeSantis and pro-DeSantis super PACs are raising because his voters are geared up now to turn out for state caucuses and primaries come January. DeSantis risks being 2024s Jeb!

A critical blunder that DeSantis is making is where his money comes from. His financial muscle is flowing from rich East-coasters.

From Fox News, July 11:

Fox Business senior correspondent Charlie Gasparino was told DeSantis, who has stalled in polls, will face questions from major East Coast donors during the meeting about the viability of his campaign. DeSantis is reportedly planning to tell donors he's playing the "long game" against the current GOP front-runner, former President Donald Trump.

The Murdochs are, heretofore, backing DeSantis because they loathe Trump. Yet, the fickle and cutthroat Rupert Murdoch is said to be displeased with DeSantis shaky start.

The Murdochs are, in turn, loathed by the very same voters who are Trump stalwarts, and who have been critical of Fox News leftward drift. The popular Tucker Carlsons ouster only deepened the Murdochs unpopularity with the grassroots.

DeSantis financial muscle is coming from the same East Coast establishment that most Republican voters distrust. Its poor positioning for DeSantis, who is appearing as a candidate whose ambition outstrips his principles. The growing perception of DeSantis as an ambitious pol crawling into bed with East Coast establishment monied interests isnt without merit. As the old saying goes, He who pays the piper calls the tune. Just who would President DeSantis be obligated to?

Of course, life is full of strange twists and turns. A stumbling start for DeSantis doesnt necessarily mean a flat finish. But Trump is indomitable, his organization is battle-tested, and his legion of America Firsters are pure political gold. Trump, not DeSantis, seems like a man of destiny.

@JRobertSmith. He also blogs at Flyover . Hes recently returned to Twitter. His Twitter handle is @JRobertSmith1.

Image: Gage Skidmore
Notwithstanding Hunter Biden's moral deficiencies in other matters, based on what has been publicized so far, legally, he may have done nothing wrong being part of his father's Ukrainian enterprise. Joe Bidens shenanigans and his sons role in it need to be understood in the context of Ukraine's corrupt political culture.

Corruption is deeply embedded into the Ukrainian DNA. It is the blood of the Ukrainian economy - the stimulus for government officials and employees to perform their duties. Corruption is a fundamental necessity, a precondition for functioning governance.

Never-ending redistribution and re-division of assets is a defining characteristic of the Ukrainian business environment. People in business are constantly threatened by corporate raiders that attack businesses with guns, forged ownership documents, or new laws and regulations. To protect themselves from these realities, businesses hire roof. In criminal jargon, it means protection. Various entities offer protection: organized crime, police, high-ranking government officials, etc. The necessity for a roof is built into the cost of doing business.

In 2002, during President Viktor Yanukovych's tenure, his ecology minister Mykola Zlochevsky registered Burisma Holding Limited in Cypress. Burisma secured lucrative government licenses for gas field exploration and production to become Ukraine's second-largest private gas company. And not by accident. De jure, the licenses for the exploration of natural resources are drafted as bilateral agreements between the government entities and private enterprises, but de facto, they are unilateral and revocable grants of privileges by a president and high-ranking government officials to their cronies and supporters. As long as President Yanukovych was in power, Mr. Zlochevskys assets were secured from a hostile takeover. President Yanukovych was his roof and benefactor.

But nothing is permanent in the wicked Ukrainian world.

In February 2014, Yanukovych was overthrown in an America-sponsored coup and fled the country. Zlochevsky followed him shortly after. In a dramatic reversal of fortunes, Burisma overnight changed from one of the strongest to one of the weakest. The recourse of the weakest was to find a new roof before the newly-elected Petro Poroshenkos government was sworn in during June 2014.

It is unknown when and who approached Joe Biden or John Kerry, Secretary of State at the time, and what was offered in exchange for lobbying and political support. But on April 22, 2014, Devon Archer, a managing partner of Rosemont Seneca Partners, a $2.4 billion private equity firm co-owned by the stepson of John Kerry, Christopher Heinz, was put on Burismas board.

On May 13, 2014, Hunter Biden himself joined the board.

On the same day, Christopher Heinz rushed to distance himself and the firm from what looked like an unscrupulous endeavor. He sent emails to Matt Summers and David Wade, two of his stepfathers top aides at the State Department, I cant speak why they decided to, but there was no investment by our firm in their company, wrote Heinz. Whether Christopher Heinz intended to dissociate his firm from the activity or to create plausible deniability, the passage revealed that the State Department was aware of the arrangement and exposed Christopher Heinzs concern regarding, if not the legality, the ethics of the undertaking.

For Burisma, the impact of having Hunter Biden and Devon Archer on its board could not be overstated. It had acquired an ultimate roof  the Vice President of the United States of America. We must not be naive; Burisma did not hire good-for-nothing drug addict Hunter Biden for his expertizes or business acumen. It did not hire obscure Devon Archer for his administrative genius either  they were simply messengers. There was no other way to interpret the assignments of Hunter Biden and Devon Archer to the board of Burisma.

By their presence on the board the roof sent a subliminal message to Poroshenko, who made no secret of his desire to add Burisma to his basket of assets, that the United States government protects. Although Poroshenko got the message, he could not resist the temptation. As soon as he was sworn in, he directed his prosecutor-general, Vitally Yarema, to open a corruption investigation into Burisma.

Corruption investigations have been an effective instrument of force reallocating assets in Ukraine. It is important to point out that Yarema did not investigate Hunter Biden. There was simply nothing to investigate, Burisma was a private company and could appoint to its board anybody. Yarema was tasked to uncover or manufacture some dirt on Burisma and its owner Mykola Zlochevsky.

In January 2015, Yarema was replaced with Poroshenkos close associate Viktor Shokin, who continued the investigation. Just like his predecessor, Viktor Shokin did not investigate Hunter Biden. Prosecutor Shokin was directed by President Poroshenko to build a corruption case to forfeit the profitable gas licenses awarded to Burisma.

By 2016, the investigation was at its pinnacle, and Burismas management panicked. They had been contacting the State Department requesting it to help end the investigation. In the spring of 2016, Joe Biden was forced to act. He stepped in to protect his sons employer, Burisma Holdings, and demanded Poroshenko dismiss Shokin.

Poroshenko tried to stall it, but Biden issued an ultimatum, You have six hours to solve the problem, or Ukraine would lose a billion dollars in US aid. Poroshenko capitulated  Shokin was fired.

Biden bragged about his accomplishment: You have no authority. Youre not the President Poroshenko said  I said, 'Call him.' I looked at them and said, Im leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, youre not getting the money. Well, son of a b----. He got fired. And they put in place someone who was solid at the time."

In the process, Biden inadvertently admitted that President Obama, if not involved, at least was aware of the shady business of his Vice President.

At this juncture, Poroshenko realized the futility of his efforts and decided that having a percentage of something is better than a hundred percent of nothing. He made a deal with Zlochevsky. Poroshenkos trusted man Igor Kononenko joined Burismas board. The vanquished enemies became allies. Miraculously, there was no longer a need for investigation, and a new prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko, who was solid at the time, closed the probe. There was no longer a need for Joe Bidens services either. Hunter Biden and Devon Archer eventually resigned from Burisma's board. Zlochevsky returned to the country. The roof had earned its pay.

The payment must be worth millions of dollars. The sixty thousand dollars a month paid to Hunter Biden and Devon Archer was a drop in the bucket. The big money has gone to someone else. Lacking an understanding of the Ukrainian business environment, the Republicans have been targeting Hunter Biden, a tiny fish in multimillion dollar international protection rocket who may not even be fit for prosecution. Thus far, he has served as a distraction from investigating the senior-level perpetrator(s).

Alexander G. Markovsky is a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, a conservative think hosted at Kings College, New York City, which examines national security, energy, risk-analysis, and other public policy issues. He is the author of Anatomy of a Bolshevik and Liberal Bolshevism: America Did Not Defeat Communism, She Adopted It. Mr. Markovsky is the owner and CEO of Litwin Management Services, LLC. He can be reached at info@litwinms.com

Photo credit: Rumble video screengrab
A 2020 article published by a World Health Organization-affiliated medical doctor in Nepal gains new relevance in light of the recent disclosure that the Biden administrations FBI worked with a Ukrainian spy agency to take down social media posts that Ukraine considered spreading Russian disinformation. The woke leftists ambition to censor as disinformation any communication they consider harmful to their neo-Marxist agenda may well be just the first step to designating as mentally ill any dissenter to their views who dares to exercise free speech rights under the First Amendment.

In a 2020 article entitled Information Disorder Syndrome and its Management, published in the Journal of Nepal Medical Association, Nirmal Kandal, a member of the Nepal Medical Association, argued that there were three grades to the psychological disorder of sharing or developing false information.

Grade 1: in which the individual shares false information without the intent of harming others.

Grade 2: a moderate form of psychological disorder in which the individual develops and shares false information with the intent of making money and political gain, but not with the intent of harming people.

Grade 3: a severe form in which the individual develops and shares false information with the intent of harming others.

Kandal suggested that all sufferers from grade 2 and 3 levels need psycho-social counseling and sometimes require strong regulations and enforcement to control such information disorder. As an example of the type of speech he wanted to suppress, Kandal signaled out the anti-vaxxer movement, whose members he believed members were rightfully arrested for warning people that the vaccines themselves could be harmful to health. If you were wondering, Kindal works in the World Health Organizations (WHO) headquarters heading the WHOs Evidence and Analytics for Heath Security (EHS) Unit.

Image (edited) by mdjaff.

At the heart of this debate is the legal theory of prior restraint on speech, a very narrow limitation on the First Amendments prohibition against government censorship. In light of the WHOs speech preferences, which Democrats indicate they want to embrace, the issue is when the government can bypass the First Amendment to restrain speech and possibly persecute anticipated speech because the anticipated publication or speech is somehow unacceptably harmful.

Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927), arose when Anita Whitney, a member of the Communist Labor Party, was convicted in 1920 under the California Syndicalism Act. The act made it a felony to become a member of an organization that organized or assembled to advocate, teach or aid and abet criminal syndicalism. Criminal syndicalism, in turn, was any doctrine or precept advocating, teaching or aiding and abetting the commission of a crime, sabotage, or other acts of terrorism for accomplishing changes in industrial ownership or effecting any political change. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction.

Justice Brandeis wrote a concurring opinion (joined by Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes) acknowledging that the First Amendment free speech right was not absolute. While he agreed with the decisions outcome under the specific facts of the case, he wanted to set out very clearly the narrow parameters of prior restraint laws. To limit speech, he insisted that the danger presented must be immediate, likely, and substantial:

This Court has not yet fixed the standard by which to determine when a danger shall be deemed clear; how remote the danger may be and yet be deemed present, and what degree of evil shall be deemed sufficiently substantial to justify resort to abridgement of free speech and assembly as the means of protection.

Brandeis pointed out that those exercising their speech rights could be the ones who were correct because the government policy could, in fact, be misguided:

But serious injury alone cannot justify suppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears. To justify suppression of speech there must be reasonable ground to fear that serious evil will result if free speech is practiced. There must be reasonable ground to believe the danger is imminent. There must be reasonable ground to believe that the evil to be presented is a serious one.

Notably, in the Pentagon Papers case, New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971), the Supreme Court rejected the Nixon administrations prior restraint argument that prohibiting the Times from publishing was necessary to prevent a presumed national security crisis. Daniel Ellsberg did create a national security crisis, but not the one the administration argued flowed from publication. Instead, he exposed the lies the U.S., and in particular the Pentagon, had told the American public about the Vietnam War.

That todays woke neo-Marxist left wants to define dissenting speech as a psychological disease owes much to the Frankfurt School, in particular to Herbert Marcuse. In 1965, Marcuse published an essay entitled Repressive Tolerance that concluded, the realization of the objective of tolerance would call for intolerance toward prevailing policies, attitudes, opinions, and the extension of tolerance to policies, attitudes, and opinions which are outlawed or suppressed. Marcuse took the next leap, jumping right into the subject of thought control:

More than ever, the proposition holds true that progress in freedom demands progress in the consciousness of freedom. Where the mind has been made into a subject-object of politics and policies, intellectual autonomy, the realm of pure thought has become a matter of political education (or rather: counter-education).

Woke neo-Marxists are todays totalitarians. In the Maoist cultural revolution that commands our universities, refusing to accept gender self-determination is banned as sexist, just as failing to see America as a country created by slaveholders to perpetuate slavery is banned as racist, and questioning global warming is tantamount to putting the planet at risk. So, too, as the neo-Marxist left dominates the federal bureaucracy, daring to question election integrity was tantamount to treason in 2020, and questioning the efficacy of vaccinations was tantamount to endangering your neighbors health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Believing in the power of reason as applied through public discussion, they [those who won our independence] eschewed silence, Brandeis concluded in Whitney v. California, confident that truth was fundamental. How will we know whether they (the mentally ill) are in the right unless we are free to debate the issues? Without free speech, the standards of justice quickly become political.

Since 2004, Jerome R. Corsi has published over 30 books on economics, history, and politics, including two #1 New York Times bestsellers. In 1972, he received his Ph.D. from the Department of Government at Harvard University. His doctoral dissertation in 1972 was entitled Prior Restraint, Prior Punishment, and Political Dissent: A Moral and Legal Evaluation. His book, Volume I, in his Great Awakening Trilogy, The Truth About Energy, Global Warming, and Climate Change: Exposing Climate Lies in an Age of Disinformation, received highly positive reviews from prominent climate scientists. Volume II, The Truth About Neo-Marxism, Cultural Maoism, and Anarchy: Exposing Woke Insanity in an Age of Disinformation, is scheduled for publication on November 14, 2023. Dr. Corsi has resumed podcasting on his new website TheTruthCentral.com, which is now on the Internet in its first development phase.
With falling military recruitment numbers, the Biden administration has decided that now's the time to discourage military service from potential recruits with family ties to the service, as if they weren't discouraged enough by the wokery of the service already.

According to Daniel Greenfield, writing at Frontpage magazine:

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said she expects within weeks to begin drafting a proposal for a recruiting overhaul so sweeping that Congress might need to pass legislation to enact all of it. Depending too much on military families could create a warrior caste, Wormuth said. Her plans seek to draw in people who have no real connection to the military and to broaden the appeal of service. There are sixth and seventh-generation military families. There is a warrior caste insofar as you have families who have fought for this country since the War of Independence. They showed up, they bled, and now theyre to be replaced by drag queens and identity politics quotas. The Army is strategically deploying recruiters to communities across the country based on demographics, ethnicity, race, and gender, Wormuth had claimed in a written statement.

Biden's Army Secretary Doesn't Want 2nd Gen Military Recruits for Fear of a "Warrior Caste". Her plans seek to draw in people who have no real connection to the military and to broaden the appeal of service. ~ @Sultanknish https://t.co/Qt37d7fgye  Ginny (@ginthegin) July 13, 2023

Not to put too fine a point on it, but with recruitment numbers like hers, she has no business discouraging anyone from military service. Her job is to welcome all comers, and get the numbers to target, and yes, that should include people from military families who are historically the number one source for military recruitment. That they are already staying away is testimony to the sorry state of the wokester military these days, as well as the military's horrible record of success in securing victories. The Afghanistan pullout told many potential recruits all they needed to know.

Now she's calling for an ethnically matched military to the U.S. population, which was never bad in the first place -- by excluding people based on their parents' military records, which in more victorious eras has been considered a strength.

She said didn't want to create a "warrior caste," clearly unaware that that warrior caste thing has been the military's reality since at least the end of World War II.

Military warriors in the states come from military families. That's the reality. Tom Wolfe wrote all about it in his 1979 bestseller, "The Right Stuff."

Which apparently she didn't know much of anything about.

What, exactly, is this harried middle-aged woman with the bottle-blonde hair and the "I'm somebody's secretary" pink sweater even doing as Secretary of the U.S. Army?

I try to not judge people by their looks, but this person's sorry look is completely self-inflicted, given the availability of business suits, and in itself sends the unmistakeable message that she knows nothing about the military.

When she opens her mouth, she leaves no doubt about it.

This person is obviously unfit, not just by her self-chosen outfit but by her call to discourage those from military families from enlisting.

She ought to be canned for falling short of recruitment numbers alone, as any CEO with that record would be, but now she's out discouraging actual enlistment based on who one's parents are.

Quite likely, it's ideological. Most military families that extend generations tend to be conservative. What can this be but an effort to root out any people with traditional ideas about the military as well as family experience within its orbit? Who would want to enlist if they came from military family after this person's remarks? The first thing that would come to mind is that they might be penalized or treated differently for their heritage. More broadly, it appears to be a bid to root out conservatives and transform the military into the kind of military Venezuela had with the rise of Hugo Chavez. This is essentially an aping of what happened to the military in Venezuela, which had been populated by leftists even before Hugo Chavez got elected president in Venezuela in 1998. The results there speak for themselves.

Before this political hack should even be allowed to pick and choose who gets into the military and who doesn't, she ought to be held accountable for her falling recruitment numbers. Until she can fix that, she has no business turning anyone who can serve, and serve honorably..

Worse still, the terrible timing of the remarks, just as Joe Biden had been preparing to call up the reserves for military service based on bad recruitment numbers, suggests that she actually wants the recruitment numbers to fall short.

Putin and Xi couldn't be happier with that state of affairs.

Image: Twitter screen shot
Just what the most repressive U.S. administration since Woodrow Wilson's ordered: a military buildup to draw us closer into a hot war with Russia, which will have the bonus for this Despotic Clique of providing the excuse for FBI head Christopher Wray to order a ruthless crackdown on political dissent, not to mention refusal to comply with congressional oversight requests.

Here are the lede paragraphs in Politico's report on this startling development of a U.S. military buildup. Not that this just happened to occur hours after word broke of House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan's letter to Wray calling for release by July 27 of documents concerning the FBI surveillance, via Google, of staffers on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence  surveillance believed to been in retaliation for the Intelligence Committee's probe of the FBI.

President Joe Biden has authorized the military to call up 3,000 reserve troops to support operations in Europe after tens of thousands were sent there last year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a top general said Thursday. Although it is not clear whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to actually deploy these reservists anytime soon, the move suggests that the U.S. military's training mission in Europe, along with the deployment of several new brigades after the invasion, has stretched active-duty forces.

The Politico report goes on to provide a rationale how the move is needed to protect he eastern flank of NATO  which of course is a euphemism for saying that NATO, in recent decades, has expanded eastward into the former countries of the Soviet Union's Warsaw Pact. Politico also mentions what might be news to most Americans: that Biden sent an additional 20 thousand troops to Europe at the start of the war in Ukraine, bringing the total now to 100,000 troops on the continent. The Politico story continues:

"This reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to the defense of NATO's eastern flank in the wake of Russia's illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine," Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of operations for the Joint Staff, told reporters on Thursday. "While the move gives the military's European Command "greater flexibility" to defend the continent, it will not change the actual force levels in Europe, Capt. Bill Speaks, a spokesperson for U.S. European Command, said in a statement. The president's order also for the first time designates Operation Atlantic Resolve, the U.S. effort in Europe, as a contingency operation, which allows the Pentagon to call up reserve forces and implement sped-up acquisition authorities to supply those troops with equipment. The designation not only allows the president to mobilize reservists, but also ensures they are paid and supported as active-duty troops. It also provides support for families and dependents of any reservists who might be deployed. The U.S. rushed 20,000 more troops to Europe after Russia's invasion, bringing the total to over 100,000 on the continent. That includes new rotations of 10,000 troops in Poland, which has emerged as a critical hub for supporting and supplying Ukraine.

What next should we expect from the most repressive American regime since Wilson jailed Eugene V. Debs for opposing his war policy? Arrest and detention of former president Trump if he speaks out against Biden's moves on behalf of the Despotic Clique to get us into a hot war with Putin, renewing, not coincidentally, the false allegations of 2017 to 2019 that Mr. Trump was Putin's puppet?

Think about the unleashed boldness of the Despotic Clique (previously known as the Deep State) as a political trifecta: 1) election interference and the destruction of MAGA; 2) political dominance  through media-sanctioned exaltation of Biden, and 3) an end to the notion of an independent Judiciary  sending Judge Doughty's reaffirmation of the First Amendment into the nearest trash bin.

Among other things, who would dare question the honesty, integrity, or competence of President Biden? To do so would risk immediate charges of treason from Garland's Justice Department, preceded by lightning SWAT raids from Wray's FBI.

Plus  and this is the delicious part  the rush of backstabbers like William Barr, Chris Christie, and Paul Ryan to declare, "Now is the time for all good persons to come to the aid of the uniparty."

American democracy is very much in peril  and the peril comes from those who spent years demonizing Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party. Apparently, the dastardly deed is about to pay off. The Founding Fathers are weeping.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The New York Times, in its July 13 account of FBI director Christopher A. Wray's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, July 12, briefly noted Wray's exchange with Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy. This observer wonders, however, whether Wray's response to Rep. Roy's question about the FBI arrest of Mark Houck, last September, should be reviewed as a perjury matter.

Responding to Rep. Roy, Director Wray told the congressional panel that FBI agents knocked on the door to the Houck home and identified themselves. Mr. Houck has claimed, however, that the FBI agents pounded on his door and did not identify themselves. Here is Houck's account based on his direct experience with arrest by the FBI:

'The next thing I know, I had 20-plus federal agents and state troopers banging on my door at 6:45 in the morning on Sept. 23, Friday morning,' he said. Houck said he was awake, but his wife and kids were asleep. He said the FBI 'repeatedly' rang the doorbell and banged on the door saying 'open up.' Houck said that the authorities did not identify themselves while banging on the door. He described the FBIs tactics as 'recklessness' and an 'act of terror.'

The headline for the Times story about Wray's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee stated, in the print version,

Director Defends the F.B.I.

To Combative House Panel

One can well appreciate that Wray would defend the bureau, but to the point of lying about its arrest tactics against conservatives in service to the Despotic Clique? The Times article quoted Wray's vigorous denial that he is biased against conservatives. This denial, however flies in the face of Judge Terry A. Doughty's opinion in Missouri v. Biden, July 4, that the FBI, along with the White House and other federal agencies, has coerced social media platforms into silencing conservative viewpoints. This passage from page 107 of the Doughty ruling, granting preliminary injunctive relief to the plaintiffs, points out that the FBI was among government sources that covered up the Hunter Biden laptop story in the weeks before the 2020 presidential election. Wray's protestations that he is fair and square are not supported by this finding by Judge Doughty:

The FBIs failure to alert social-media companies that the Hunter Biden laptop story was real, and not mere Russian disinformation, is particularly troubling. The FBI had the laptop in their possession since December 2019 and had warned social-media companies to look out for a hack and dump operation by the Russians prior to the 2020 election. Even after Facebook specifically asked whether the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation, Dehmlow of the FBI refused to comment, resulting in the social-media companiessuppression of the story. As a result, millions of U.S. citizens did not hear the story prior to the November 3, 2020 election. Additionally, the FBI was included in Industry meetings and bilateral meetings, received and forwarded alleged misinformation to social-media companies, and actually mislead social-media companies in regard to the Hunter Biden laptop story. The Court finds this evidence demonstrative of significant encouragement by the FBI Defendants.

In the Houck matter, this anti-abortion target of the government faced a prison term of eleven years and a fine of $350,000. He was, however, acquitted, unanimously, by the jury after about an hour's deliberations. Here is a video of the events leading to his arrest by the Despotic Clique in Washington:

The Houck arrest by the FBI occurred eleven months following an October 13, 2021 altercation between Houck and a 72-year-old volunteer, Bruce Love, at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Philadelphia. Love, allegedly, shouted curses and abusive language at Houck's twelve-year old son. The Justice Department indicted Houck after local authorities did not file charges against him

The Times story noted, "Among Republicans, Mr. Houck has become a symbol of F.B.I. overreach and animus toward conservatives." And not merely against anti-abortion activists, Republicans in Congress should be advised. As Judge Doughty pointed out in his eye-opening opinion in Missouri v. Biden, it is the "conservative viewpoint" that the government is targeting. This should be a time for Republicans to rally round the banner of liberty, not fall to squabbling among themselves.

Image: Tom Ahearn via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0 (cropped).
We learned yesterday that landlords in Illinois won't be allowed to consider a future tenant's immigration status. This is the story:

An Illinois law set to go into effect at the beginning of 2024 will ban landlords from discriminating against potential tenants on the basis of their immigration status. Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed SB 1817 into law late last month, which will add "protections in the Illinois Human Rights Act for housing regarding immigration status protection and discriminatory advertising." The law was part of several pieces of legislation Pritzker signed last month, including another law aimed at giving undocumented immigrants access to state drivers licenses. The bill replaces the current Temporary Visitor Driver's License with a standard license that will last four years, a move that will impact over 300,000 people who currently hold the temporary licenses.

Talk about creating an incentive to go the Windy City. That Chicago bus seat just got more and more popular.

There are several problems here.

First, your immigration status is important when it comes to your criminal record. I'm sure that most of the migrants do not have a criminal background. However, the landlord should be allowed to investigate the prospective tenant. It's a commonsense issue for someone who is going to give you the keys to his property.

Second, how do you evict a person who is in the country illegally? How do you enforce a lease signed by someone you can't check?

So don't be surprised if more migrants check Chicago as their favored destination. Furthermore, don't be shocked if more landlords in Illinois put their property up for sale.

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Pexels.
India rejects European Parliament's resolution on strife-torn Manipur state

Xinhua) 13:31, July 14, 2023

NEW DELHI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Indian government has rejected a resolution adopted by the European Parliament over the prolonged violence in India's northeastern state of Manipur, calling it an "interference in India's internal affairs."

Spokesman for India's External Affairs Ministry Arindam Bagchi described the European Parliament's resolution as "unacceptable," saying it reflected "a colonial mindset".

Nearly 150 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the violence that has continued in Manipur since May 3.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Sometimes, even if you dont believe in a divine plan or the Fates, you must wonder if theres a purpose to how things play out in the universe. Take the case of Bob Wachter, M.D., a big hoo-ha at the University of California San Francisco, one of the most highly reputed medical schools and hospitals in America. Wachter was out in front when it came to masks and vaccinesyet COVID got him anyway, and quite brutally, too. I dont wish harm on people, but I cant help but notice a certain ironic reality to his fate.

Bob Wachter is the Chair of UCSFs Department of Medicine. Its a big deal position, so he has a lot of heft when it comes to using his position to affect public policy regarding health. Hes also a complete COVID paranoid who acts as if a disease with a survival rate in the high (very, very high) 90 percent area for people who are not immune compromised is the second coming of the Black Death.

A timeline of Wachters pronouncements from 2022, when most Americans (at least, most Americans outside of California) had gone back to living a completely normal life, highlights his fear:

Image: Bob Wachter. YouTube screen grab.

March 2022: During a podcast, Wachter expressed his support for the governments heavy hand (I thought that vaccine mandates and mas[k] mandates were completely appropriate earlier in the pandemic), trotting out the usual leftist argument that your behavior affects others. He also asserted that we know that everybody who has had three vaccine shots are incredibly well protected as well as how incredibly protective wearing a good mask is. While hes willing to back off of mandatory masking, hes still totally into masks, except at an indoor (presumably mostly deserted) restaurant.

May 2022: Bob Wachter continues to be sufficiently worried about COVID that hes not going to abandon his mask:

In last mth, SF has become far less mask-y. At this point, if you've decided you're OK getting Covid (which isn't crazy if vaxxed/boosted), then fine to keep mask off in crowded indoor spaces. If you'd prefer to avoid Covid & have become less cautious, it's time to re-think.(2/4)  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) May 2, 2022

I'll now do 100% N95 in crowded indoor spaces. I'll strongly favor outdoor to indoor dining, though will eat indoors in small groups (recognizing it's a risk, but it seems worth it).

You should make your own choice, but do it w/ eyes open: there's a lot of Covid out there.(4/4)  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) May 2, 2022

August 2022: Bob Wachter continues to wear masks indoors and will not eat indoors (other than, I assume, in his own home):

Heres my bottom line (in case this is TL;DR):

Ill begin eating inside and removing my mask in most indoor spaces when the local reported case rate falls below 5/100,000/day.



You can find your local rate of cases/100K/day here @nytimes: https://t.co/8y01XeDmyb (2/25)  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) August 28, 2022

If you view the above tweets on Twitter, youll see that Wachter has an extremely long thread justifying his decision. September 2022: In another endless Twitter thread, Wachter says he might start living a normal life again, which means leaving the mask off (sometimes) and eating at restaurants (sometimes):

Are they low enough to ditch the mask in a crowded & poorly ventilated indoor space or on an airplane? For me, the answer's still no. And would they be low enough in a place w/ >10 cases/100K/d? To me, not yet.

For you? Your call. I hope this helps you think it through. (25/end)  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) September 18, 2022

In other words, Wachter is vaxxed up the wazoo and wears a mask just about everywhere. Yet he still got COVID (as did his son and wife, both of whom, presumably, were also vaxxed). Unfortunately for Wachter, he did something any doctor should know better than to do: Feeling sick, he took a very hot shower. That lowers blood pressure for anyone, especially the elderly, so he did what overheated elderly people do, which was to pass out. The results were painful. Because its a long thread, Ive chosen only a few tweets. Theyre numbered, so youll see where I cut tweets:

Ive got my 2nd bivalent in April, so my protection against a severe case was still strong, but the 2-3 month window of protection vs. getting Covid had passed. I've let down my guard a bit: still masking on planes & in crowded rooms, but I do now eat and drink indoors. (2/22)  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) July 13, 2023

And thats what happened: I work up in a bloody pool on my bathroom floor. There was a dent in the lid of a trashcan, likely where my head had hit. I remembered nothing. As I managed to get up, it was clear that my face was going to need stitches, and more than a couple. (6/22) pic.twitter.com/mpQDIq7B50  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) July 13, 2023

4) The head CT showed a small subdural hematoma, a little rim of bleeding in the space around the brain. This bought me an overnight stay in the hospital for a repeat scan to ensure the bleeding wasnt enlarging; it also led to a week of an anti-seizure medication. (9/22)  Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) July 13, 2023

I hope Im not guilty of schadenfreude as I retell this. That is, Im not reveling in Wachters suffering. However, as I look at what happened to this man who suffered so badly even after pumping his body full of vaccines that may actually lower immunity and curtailing his life for three years, I cant help but think of W. Somerset Maughams version of the story The Appointment in Samarrra. The storyteller is Death, and its moral is that you cannot outrun your fate:
As the U.S. deals with the consequences of mass immigration, important lessons can be learned from our oldest European ally.

Over the past few weeks, France has been engulfed in riots after a 17-year-old boy was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop. The rioting and looting have largely been centered in communities with many migrants from North African and Islamic nations. The rioting has caused more than one billion dollars in property damage and has led to thousands of arrests. It has also led to a renewed debate in Europe about the costs of mass migration and whether or not those costs are worth it.

It's not just the U.S. that has experienced an influx of foreign nationals in recent years. France took in a record number of migrants in 2022, both legal and illegal. The European Union resettled nearly one million migrants last year, not including refugees from war-torn Ukraine. The main countries of origin for these refugees were Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, Venezuela, and Colombia. Just as we've seen in the U.S., these large influxes of migrants have had a destabilizing effect on the continent's cultural, economic, and political life. The carnage occurring in France is the result of long-simmering tensions finally coming to the surface. It's the result of migrants from third-world, war-torn countries not assimilating into their new country, but bringing the baggage from their old countries with them.

During the France riots, a group of North African migrants could be seen chanting, "F--- France" and "We're just here for the welfare!" The crassness of these migrants certainly isn't representative of everybody seeking to come from the Third World to prosperous Western nations, but it is indicative of a larger problem with mass immigration. Many of these foreign nationals come from countries where violence and chaos has been normalized, and the importation of migrants from these types of countries can also serve to normalize the same type of disorder in their new countries. This is why what's happening in France should serve as a warning sign for Americans.

More than five million illegal aliens have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border since Joe Biden took office, according to a study from the Federation for American Immigration Reform. With some exceptions, these migrants tend to be low-skilled, poor, and from countries where violence is normal and women and certain minorities are degraded. By importing millions of foreign nationals who come from countries with cultures and values that are diametrically opposed to ours, American leaders are setting the stage for exactly the kind of strife and turmoil that is occurring in France.

Other nations in Europe that have taken in fewer migrants are not experiencing the same disorder and breakdown in national cohesion that France is currently experiencing. Take Poland, for example, which has much stricter immigration controls and far more national self-respect than most European countries, and as a result has largely remained peaceful and united. Poland prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki used the French riots to present a stark dichotomy between the two nations.

"Compare these two images. Today's suburbs of Paris: massive riots, looting of shops, broken windows, burning cars. Then quiet Polish cities, quiet Polish villages. Poland opted for peace," Morawiecki said.

While the Polish prime minister was remarking on the riots in France, his comments should also resonate with Americans worried about the future of their nation. If U.S. leaders do not begin tending to our borders and our sovereignty with more care, what's happening in France will soon happen in America as well. It's only a matter of time.

Benjamin Franklin once described the U.S. as "a republic, if you can keep it." Our immigration policy will ultimately decide whether we're able to keep our republic, or if we become another once-great nation that self-destructed.

William J. Davis is a communications associate for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of mass migration.

Image: Pixabay
Word emerged the other day that Ray Epps is finally about to be charged for events on January 6, 2021. Sharp-eyed media consumers instantly noticed that, with this news, the mainstream media moved in unison to redefine their previous characterization of events on that day.

Since the day Joe Biden took office, the administration has spent an inordinate amount of time, energy, and money to arrest and prosecute every random grandmother who took a picture inside the Capitol on January 6, ignoring the fact that Capitol police welcomed many into the building.

The administration has also savaged the constitutional rights of some of those arrested by locking them up without bail or trial for two-and-a-half years and it has been accused of major prosecutorial misconduct. Additionally, congressional Democrats staged a kangaroo court inquiry intended to destroy Donald Trump and whitewash any failures or complicity on the part of government actors.

Through it all, Ray Epps occupied an unusual position. Videos, especially the famous one below, showed him seemingly playing an active role (see, e.g., here and here):

Meanwhile, the FBI ignored Epps, and Democrats respected him. The House January 6 Committee liked him. The known facts were confusing.

Things changed abruptly the other day when word emerged that Ray Epps had sued Fox News for its coverage accusing him of working with the FBI to incite and entrap people on January 6:

Ray Epps, the man at the center of a widespread conspiracy theory about the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing Fox News and its former host Tucker Carlson of defamation for promoting a fantastical story that Mr. Epps was an undercover government agent who instigated the violence at the Capitol as a way to disparage then-President Trump and his supporters. [snip] Just as Fox had focused on voting machine companies when falsely claiming a rigged election, Fox knew it needed a scapegoat for January 6th, the complaint says. It settled on Ray Epps and began promoting the lie that Epps was a federal agent who incited the attack on the Capitol.

In his lawsuit, Ray Epps denies that he ever worked for the government other than the time he spent in the Marine Corps. He says the theory about his working with the government has put him and his wife at risk and destroyed their finances.

The most interesting part of the complaint, though, is that Epps alleges that, because Fox focused on him so much, the DOJ finally plans to prosecute him:

Finally, in May 2023, the Department of Justice notified Epps that it would seek to charge him criminally for events on January 6, 2021two-and-a-half years later. The relentless attacks by Fox and Mr. Carlson and the resulting political pressure likely resulted in the criminal charges.

The fact that Epps may finally be charged, despite his visible role on January 6 (as opposed to the enthusiastic arrests of those who had to be hunted down using bank records and cell phone towers), leads to several possible theories about whats going on. Here are just three, although Im sure you can imagine more:

1. Epps was working with the feds, but everyone had to deny that to maintain the narrative that the feds were not behind events on January 6. However, it was becoming impossible to maintain that denial given Eppss continuing freedom. To lend an air of verisimilitude to an otherwise unconvincing narrative, Epps must be charged, too.

2. Epps is an ordinary citizen who, despite what was caught on tape on January 5 and 6, was fortunate enough to avoid arrest and to get special treatment from Congress. Now, though, his luck has finally run out.

3. Epps is an entirely innocent man who was neither a fed nor an insurrectionist.

Whats clear is that Eppss pending indictment has thrown the media into a tizzy. As you recall, the day after January 6, 2021, every Democrat in America, both inside and outside of the media, insisted that what took place was an insurrectionthat is, a revolutionary act intended to overthrow the American government. The fact that none of the people were armed, along with the fact that people got agitated only after the police, without warning, fired on them, has long been irrelevant.

By characterizing January 6 as an insurrection, the Biden administration could justify fencing off the Capitol and making Bidens inauguration a private affairsomething that provided a nice explanation for the lack of attendees. It could also launch the largest manhunt in American history, completely abandon constitutional rights, crack down on free speech, and commit other tyrannical acts.

But whats the media to do when the person charged with wrongdoing on January 6 isnt a crazy-eyed MAGA Republican but is, instead, someone youve steadfastly supported for two-and-a-half years? Well, in the case of Ray Epps, the medias instantaneous response was to redefine events on January 6:

The memo went out.



Since the media defending Ray Epps Jan6 is not longer insurrection but a riot and events pic.twitter.com/uCYfh8g4yb  I Meme Therefore I Am  (@ImMeme0) July 13, 2023

RECEIPTS:



WaPo, NYTimes, Bloomberg, and Rolling Stone are now not referring to Jan 6 as an insurrection or even a riot bc they are now defending Ray Epps



Now Jan 6 was 'rallies,' 'demonstrations,' and 'protests' pic.twitter.com/D5zAlxicbP  Jack Poso  (@JackPosobiec) July 13, 2023

Hey Folks...Just so everyone knows....



Now that Ray Epps will be Charged January 6th is no longer an insurrection.



It can be a Protest, a Riot, etc....definitely not an Insurrection.



I'm sure there is no coordination behind this language change. pic.twitter.com/KR3BWXmw05  Jason Robertson (@JRobFromMN) July 13, 2023

The American media are utterly and, I suspect, irredeemably corrupt. They have abandoned their constitutional function of holding the government to accountif its a government they support. When a Democrat is in power, media outlets are a unified leftist Borg plugged into a central narrative sold 100% of the time to maintain Democrat power and move the country permanently to the left. The saddest part is that, while ordinary Americans are fully aware that the press is ideologically and morally corrupt, they still allow its opinions to color theirs.

Image: YouTube screen grab.
Its been a long time coming for most people; YouTube Music is starting to fill Google Play Musics shoes. The latter brought podcasts, and weve been waiting for YouTube Music to do the same. After launching in the US a little while back, podcasts for YouTube Music are rolling out internationally, according to 9To5Google.

Google Play Music shut down about two and a half years ago, and YouTube Music took on the mantle after that point. This transition was met with a bunch of criticism, but it still remains one of the top music streaming services. Now, were still waiting on several features to make it to YouTube Music like the ability to select and move multiple tracks in a playlist- maybe one day.

Podcasts for YouTube Music are launching internationally

YouTube Music could be your next one-stop shop for listening to your favorite podcasts. If youre in the US, then you should already be able to listen to them in the app or on your computer.

Youll see a chip for Podcasts at the top of the screen along with the rest of your moods like Energize, Workout, Relax, etc. When you tap on that button, it will take you to a page with a list of the podcasts that you already watch/listen to. This list will include shows you listened to on YouTube as well.

Along with your shows, and this should come as no surprise, youll see recommendations. First, youll see recommendations for individual episodes from shows. Under that, youll see a long list of categories of podcasts to help you discover your next favorite show.

These categories are Comedy, Society & Culture, Arts & Fiction, Science & Technology, True Crime, Gaming, Health & Wellness, History, Music, Religion & Spirituality, TV & Film, Sports, Political Commentary, and Business. So, there are a ton of categories for you to choose from.

If you live outside of the US, then you should expect to see podcasts come to your area in the coming weeks. Just keep an eye out for it.
(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 14 - Italy's Ambassador to Iran Giuseppe Perrone has been summoned by the Iranian foreign ministry due to the participation of a dissident at event in the Italian parliament, the IRNA news agency said on Friday.

The question regards the presence of Maryam Rajavi, leader of the exiled opposition Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO), at an event organized by the Luigi Einaudi Foundation.

The ambassador was told that "hosting a criminal terrorist amounts to encouraging and promoting terrorism and the Islamic Republic will not tolerate moves of this type by anyone and expresses serious condemnation," IRNA reported. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 14 - Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is to return to Tunis on Sunday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Tunisian President Kais Saied, a Commission spokesperson said on Friday.

Meloni visited Tunis twice last month, the second time with von der Leyen and Rutte, to pave the way for the agreement on several issues, including migration.

The EU has promised a major investment package and diplomatic efforts to help Tunisia land a loan from the IMF to enable it to ease its severe financial crisis and avert the risk of a default.

The unstable situation in the North African country has been a major factor in a huge increase in the number of migrants coming to Italy from across the Mediterranean this year. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 14 - Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said Friday that he was pressing ahead with plans to separate the careers of Italian prosecutors and judges, so that it is no longer possible to switch from one role to the other, despite staunch opposition from magistrates union ANM.

Speaking via a video link to a convention in Turin, Nordio said the time frame for this reform would be discussed at a meeting of the parties of the ruling majority before parliament's summer break.

He said it would probably be necessary to change the Constitution to pass this reform.

Earlier on Friday the ANM said that the government's plans to make the careers of prosecutors and judges separate was "dangerous for democracy".

ANM President Giuseppe Santalucia said that "it is a reform that opens the way to others", such as the removal of obligation for prosecutors to take action when a crime has been committed and thus make prosecution 'discretionary'.

He suggested this would be a way of putting the judiciary under "political control".

There is also tension over other parts of Nordio's reforms, which President Sergio Mattarella and Premier Giorgia Meloni discussed during had an hour-long meeting on Thursday, sources said.

The ruling majority said the meeting took place "without tension".

One issue that has raised concern is Nordio's comments about the possibility of changing the crime of external involvement in mafia association.

On Thursday Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano said this was not on the agenda.

"The government won't take any steps backwards on organized crime," Mantovano said.

"There are other priorities".

Justice Undersecretary Francesco Paolo Sisto, meanwhile, said Friday that the government intends to go all the way with plans to abolish the crime of abuse of office and change the felony of influence peddling.

"We are determined to go all the way with our proposal and Minister Nordio won't give any ground on this front," Sisto told RAI radio.

Those measures are contained in a justice-reform bill that also includes a clamp-down on the publication of information obtained from wiretaps and the cancellation of prosecutors' rights to appeal against acquittals for many minor crimes.

Nordio said the crime of abuse of office was being scrapped because it is too vague and discourages local politicians and civil servants from signing off on projects due to fears they will end up under investigation for it, thus causing "economic damage that affects citizens". (ANSA).


A campaign group that raised concerns about the creation of two wind farms off Suffolk has lost a High Court fight with ministers.

Suffolk Energy Action Solutions (SEAS), which aims to protect areas of Suffolk, challenged a decision, made in March 2022 by then business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, allowing the wind farms to be developed by two subsidiaries of ScottishPower Renewables.

The group raised concern about the ability of landowners facing possible compulsory purchase to present objections  and argued that Mr Kwarteng had acted unlawfully.

The then business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (Aaron Chown/PA)

But a judge on Friday dismissed the groups challenge.

Mr Justice Holgate has outlined his conclusions in a written ruling after considering arguments at a High Court hearing in London in May.

He said the central issue had been whether the way a complaint by Suffolk Energy Action Solutions, relating to the ability of landowners to present objections, had been dealt with lawfully.

The judge said the wind farms would deliver about 7.5% of the UKs cumulative deployment target for renewable energy in 2030.

Cables would export electricity to a landfall near Thorpeness then to a substation in Friston.

He said Suffolk Energy Action Solutions had been set up in 2019.

Its members are drawn from Aldeburgh, Snape, Friston and neighbouring villages and towns, he said.

Suffolk Energy Action Solutions challenged the decision to create two new wind farms off Sufolk (Stella Fitzgerald/Historic England Archive/PA)

Their object is to protect areas of the coast and countryside said to be threatened by the scheme.

SEAS supports renewable energy including the proposed offshore works in this case.

But it contended that (ministers) should refuse development consent for the onshore works because of their impact on people, the countryside, and the environment.

SEAS submitted that better solutions could and should be found for bringing onshore the electricity generated by wind farms in the North Sea.
Climate protesters have vowed to stage weekly protests outside Labour offices unless he commits to new green policies as they renewed accusations that Labour has U-turned on environmental pledges.

The Green New Deal Rising group, which last week disrupted a major speech by Sir Keir Starmer and threatened to escalate action if its demands went ignored, held sit-downs in London, Brighton and Leeds on Friday.

They were targeting the constituency offices of Sir Keir as well as members of the shadow Cabinet including Rachel Reeves, with whom they want a face-to-face meeting.

Climate protesters demand a green new deal from Sir Keir Starmer (Green New Deal Rising/PA)

Among their demands are the establishment of a national nature service tasked with tree-planting and nature conservation and a green jobs guarantee for anyone who wants one.

Labour has made several green pledges, including the creation of GB Energy  a new, publicly owned clean power company  and a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030, but campaigners say spending must match the commitments.

Fatima Ibrahim, the co-founder of Green New Deal Rising, said: The Labour Party can no longer take our votes for granted. Young people want to see real action on climate change. We have tried petitions, we have written letters, we have asked for meetings. We will now host sit-outs every Friday until the Labour Party get serious and back a Green New Deal.

A Labour spokesperson said: Labour is the only party with a long-term mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower to cut bills, create jobs, provide energy security and tackle the climate emergency. Our plan will sweep away the barriers that stand in the way of a clean energy revolution.

It is the latest flare-up in a row between the party and environmental activists, who have said Labour represents an opportunity to start a conversation but have demanded stronger commitments on green spending.

Labour last month scaled back its flagship pledge to invest 28 billion a year in a green energy transition, saying it would ramp up spending rather than hit the sum in the first year of a Labour government.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the decision was taken due to the dire economic backdrop, with the party making financial prudence central to its plan to win the next election.

Climate protesters have threatened to stage weekly demonstrations ahead of Labours annual conference (Green New Deal Rising/PA)

Last week, Sir Keir was interrupted during a speech on educational reform by two young people, who formed part of the backdrop to his address, heckling him for watering down his climate ambition.

But the party leader said theres no U-turn at all when asked about it in the Q&A, insisting he is doubling down on it with his clean power by 2030 mission.

He also condemned the huge arrogance involved in the disruptive protests of groups such as Just Stop Oil, drawing a contrast between interrupting, interfering with other peoples lives and the actual change he said a Labour government can bring about.
Two councils opposing plans to house asylum seekers on disused airfields have been given the green light to bring a High Court challenge against the Home Office.

Braintree District Council and a nearby resident are bringing legal action to challenge the use of Wethersfield Airfield in Essex to house up to 1,700 men while West Lindsey District Council is challenging similar plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

During a two-day hearing in London this week, the councils and Gabriel Clarke-Holland made a bid to bring a full legal challenge in their claims against the department.

In a ruling on Friday, Mrs Justice Thornton ruled in their favour, granting permission to both councils and Mr Clarke-Holland.

The gym at the asylum accommodation centre at MDP Wethersfield in Essex (Joe Giddens/PA)

She said: The decision to accommodate asylum seekers on the sites may give rise to strong local opinion, adding that there may also be wider discussions about the welfare of the asylum seekers.

Those are not, however, matters for the court, the judge continued.

Mrs Justice Thornton said that two out of the 15 grounds could go ahead to a further hearing, including on the use of emergency planning powers.

Both of these grounds were advanced by all three claimants, the judge continued.

The decision comes after the first 46 asylum seekers arrived at Wethersfield Airfield, around eight miles from Braintree, on Wednesday.

Alex Goodman KC, for Mr Clarke-Holland  who lives approximately 80ft from a gate on to the airfield  said members of the right-wing group Britain First were protesting near his home on the morning of the arrivals.

Lawyers for Braintree District Council told the court that the Home Office failed to take several issues into account, including access to healthcare at Wethersfield Airfield and serious issues with the ageing wastewater provision on site.

However, Home Office lawyers said the three linked claims should not be allowed to have a full hearing.

Paul Brown KC, for the department, said in written submissions: There is significant overlap in the grounds in all three claims and the misapprehensions which underpin them.

None of the three claims raises any genuinely arguable point.

The High Court previously heard the planning law which would allow the airfields to be used covers the change of use of some Government land to prevent or mitigate an emergency which threatens serious damage to human welfare.

The two councils and Mr Clarke-Holland have challenged the use of these planning powers, while the Home Office has said their use is justified.

Both councils previously lost bids for injunctions preventing the use of the large sites by the Home Office.
A campaign group which complained about a Government failure to implement Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations relating to disabled people living in high-rise flats has lost a High Court fight.

Claddag, which campaigns on fire safety issues facing disabled residents, raised concerns relating to recommendations that owners of high-rise residential buildings should prepare personal emergency evacuation plans for people with disabilities.

The group took legal action against Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who has responsibility for national fire safety legislation and guidance, and asked a judge to quash a decision not to implement recommendations.

Mrs Justice Stacey, who had considered arguments at a High Court hearing in London in December, has dismissed the groups claim.

Grenfell Tower in London (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

She heard that Claddag had been set up by Sarah Rennie, from Birmingham, and Georgie Hulme, from Manchester, who had physical disabilities and had also taken legal action.

The judge said Ms Rennie and Ms Hulme, and many others, must have been desperately disappointed that the recommendations had not been implemented.

But she said the decision was essentially a political decision and not unlawful.

Mrs Justice Stacey said a personal emergency evacuation plan was a specifically designed evacuation plan, tailored to meet the specific needs of a person with reduced mobility.

The judge said the aim was for residents and people responsible for the management of fire safety in a building to have thought through the available options in advance of any emergency.

She said a consultation had led ministers to conclude that introducing personal emergency evacuation plans would not be proportionate because of practical difficulties and concerns raised by a number of responsible persons and building owners.

The reasoning could have been fuller and engaged more closely with the detailed and thoughtful findings and conclusions in the (inquiry) report and careful advice of the experts appointed to assist the inquiry, but there has been a sufficient grappling with the  rationale in all the circumstances sufficient to meet the legal threshold, said the judge.

This was essentially a political decision for the defendant to take and was not in breach of the requirements of public law and procedural fairness.

She added: It must have been desperately disappointing for the claimants and many others that the carefully considered personal emergency evacuation plan recommendations contained in the  report have not been implanted, but it was not an unlawful decision.

Barrister Raj Desai, who represented the claimants, had told the judge 72 people had died following the outbreak of the Grenfell Tower fire on June 14 2017.

He said those who died were disproportionately persons with disabilities whose ability to self-evacuate was compromised.

Alan Payne KC, who led a government legal team, had told the hearing that a consultation was ongoing and indicated that ministers were looking at ways to implement recommendations in a proportionate and safe manner.
A former Metropolitan Police constable is to appear in court charged with child sexual offences.

Tom Thorpe, formerly of the Mets south area basic command unit, is set to stand trial at Kingston Crown Court in south-west London on Monday.

He is charged with three counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child and one count of attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity, Scotland Yard said.

Thorpe, 33, is further charged with one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, the force added.

The former officer was arrested on December 6 2019 and charged on February 22 2021.

Following his arrest, he was suspended from duty.

Thorpe resigned from the Met in September 2022.
A former Metropolitan Police officer who had a sexual relationship with a woman he was spying on in a secretive undercover unit would have kept his job if he was still a serving officer, a tribunal panel ruled.

Former detective constable James Boyling, of the Mets Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), was found to have committed gross misconduct over his relationship with the woman, known only as Monica, for six months in 1997 while infiltrating the environmental activist group Reclaim the Streets.

He later married another female activist, who exposed his true identity in a 2011 article for The Guardian.

The officer, who used the pseudonym Jim Sutton, was sacked for gross misconduct over his relationship with his now ex-wife in 2018, but faced new misconduct proceedings over his relationship with Monica.

A disciplinary panel in Southwark, south London, was told on Monday that his relationship with Monica began when they kissed outside a pub after a Never Mind the Ballots activist event and later went to his undercover duff flat in Dulwich, south-east London.

They were definitely known as a couple and attended Glastonbury and an Earth First gathering together, the tribunal was told.

Monica was left feeling duped, misunderstood and ridiculed and with a feeling of sexual abuse after Boylings true identity was revealed in The Guardian article, the panel heard.

He did not report the relationship to managers despite the fact they were supposed to meet twice a week, the hearing was told.

The hearing was also told his line manager, a detective inspector known as N10, had four such relationships while working undercover between 1983 and 1987 and got one activist pregnant.

Another officer, named as N11, also had sexual relationships with female activists and resumed his undercover identity without authorisation, the tribunal heard.

Sexual relationships with activists were not explicitly banned because refusing sexual advances could blow their cover, but undercover officers were advised to make them fleeting and disastrous.

Guidance read out to the tribunal said: In the past, emotional ties to the opposition have happened and caused all sorts of difficulties, including divorce, deception and disciplinary charges.

Whilst it is not my place to moralise, one should try and avoid the opposite sex for as long as possible.

While you may try to avoid any sexual encounter, there may come a time when your lack of interest may become suspicious.

If you have no other option but to become involved with (an activist), you should have fleeting, disastrous relationships with individuals who are not important to your sources of information.

SDS bosses preferred undercover officers to have a stable family life but Boyling got divorced shortly before infiltrating Reclaim the Streets.

Boyling, who did not attend the hearing, was found guilty of breaching professional standards for integrity and discreditable conduct.

Standards for authority, respect and courtesy, which he was also accused of breaching, were not found to have applied at the time.

He admitted the relationship but denied his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

He unsuccessfully tried to get the case dismissed at an earlier stage.

His lawyer Alisdair Williamson KC argued the rules on relationships were blurred and liaisons were an acceptable and accepted part of the legend and cover.

Tribunal panel chairman Darren Snow said he was satisfied the officer had committed gross misconduct but he would have spared him dismissal due to systematic failings in the SDSs leadership, training and guidance on relationships while undercover.

He said: The panels conclusion is that the guidance was that, if forced into a relationship where there was no other option, it should be fleeting and disastrous.

The relationship with Monica was neither. The fact it was not reported undermines the suggestion it was focused on intelligence.

If there was a belief it was beneficial to the investigation it should have been reported back.

We are of the view that entering a sexual or emotional relationship under a false identity cannot ever have a proper policing purpose.

Monica, who initially complained about Boyling in February 2018, failed to bring criminal charges against him in December 2018.

The High Court rejected her appeal against a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute him for rape and misconduct in public office.

In a statement issued through her solicitor after the hearing, Monica said: It is time now for a real honest appraisal of the culture of the SDS.

Allowing officers to speak and reflect on the operation of the unit and the NPIOU would be an appropriate way forward.

The SDS existed between 1968 and 2008 and its actions are subject to a lengthy public inquiry.

A decision on whether Boyling would have been sacked if he was still an officer will be handed down later on Friday.
The families of two women who died with herpes after giving birth have hit out at what they called disgraceful behaviour by an NHS trust in their five-year fight for answers.

Kimberley Sampson, 29, and Samantha Mulcahy, 32, died in 2018 after having Caesarean sections conducted six weeks apart by the same surgeon at hospitals in Kent.

Both hospitals are run by the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust (EKHUT).

An inquest into their deaths has focused on how the mothers came to be infected with the virus, and their subsequent care.

At an inquest hearing in Maidstone on Friday, coroner Catherine Wood gave a summary of her findings, suggesting both women could have been given an antiviral treatment sooner, and that particularly in Ms Mulcahys case suspicion should have been raised given the knowledge among staff already of Ms Sampsons earlier death.

But the coroner pointed out it was much more difficult to say that Ms Mulcahy should have been prescribed antiviral medication and whether it would have made more than a minimal or trivial difference to her outcome.

Ms Wood also ruled out human culpability of any of the medical staff involved in the case and said it was unlikely for the surgeon to be the cause of the herpes infection found in both women.

Nicola Foster, the mother of Samantha Mulcahy, and her step father Mark Trainor (Anahita Hossein-Pour/PA)

Speaking after the hearing, Samantha Mulcahys mother, Nicola Foster, and stepfather, Mark Trainor, said the coroners summing up was incorrect and that they wont give up searching for the truth.

Ms Foster said: Its become very apparent during this inquest we were never going to get to the truth of why the trust covered up and shut us out at every opportunity.

They have tried to punish us for having help from the BBC The trust have been untruthful, dismissive and members of trust staff including surgeon doctors have behaved arrogantly, defensively as if they are untouchable.

She added: Both families will always believe the death of Kim and Sam were because of something they acquired once in hospital and we have no reason to believe otherwise.

Referring to an expert witness called by the coroner, Ms Foster added: We believe the coroners decision was based solely on her witness and some of the summing up was incorrect.

Asked by reporters if the fight was over with the inquest conclusion, Ms Foster said: No, cant give up yet, I dont feel weve got to the real truth.

Ms Sampson gave birth to her second child at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, in May 2018, and died at the end of the month in a London hospital.

In July 2018, first-time mother Ms Mulcahy died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent.

The coroner said: This is a rare but often fatal disease and more needs to be done to raise awareness of it.

All of the evidence suggests early recognition is more likely to raise a positive outcome.

The inquest previously heard in April how the surgeon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, could have been a potential source of the infection.

But the surgeon told the inquest his hands were fully scrubbed, double gloved and he was wearing a mask during procedures.

He also said he had no lesions and was not infected, though he had not been tested.

The coroner said those involved who suggested it was the surgeon were trying to plug the gap with a possible explanation but she ruled it was unlikely and that statistical coincidences can occur.

The hearing on July 14 also heard a legal challenge from the BBC and the PA news agency to lift the anonymity order applied for by the trust to stop the surgeon being named.

EKHUT argued its anonymity order was to protect the reputation and mental health of its staff member from what it claimed would be damaging media reports of the case, but the medias bid argued the fears for the surgeon were speculative.

Ms Foster, however, said she still believes there is a link between her daughters death and the surgeon due to the way the EKHUT has tried to shut the door in their face when theyve tried to ask questions.

Yvette and Louis Sampson, the parents of Kimberley Sampson (Anahita Hossein-Pour/PA)

Yvette Sampson, Kimberley Sampsons mother, also said: The trust didnt really listen to me, they were more focused on trying to get the issues to go away.

Ms Sampson said how the process over the last five years has changed her as a person and she finds it hard to comprehend how the trust has acted.

Ms Sampson said: The last five years have felt like a real fight for answers.

Standing alongside Ms Sampsons father, Louis Sampson, the mother said she will always be angry and upset over what theyve had to do to get to the truth of Ms Sampsons death.

Anna Vroobel, the family lawyer, also said in a statement that the inquest showed the failing in Ms Sampsons care by the trust failing to provide her with antivirals.

Urging the trust to learn the lessons of this case, Ms Vroobel said: Patient safety should be a fundamental priority.

We continue to see too many families whose lives have been shattered.

The coroner is expected to give narrative conclusions for both Ms Sampson and Ms Mulcahy on July 26.

Ms Wood also adjourned her decision over the anonymity order until the same hearing.

A spokesperson for East Kent Hospitals said: We would like to express our sincere condolences to the families of Samantha Mulcahy and Kimberley Sampson.

We are unable to comment further until the inquest has concluded.
Oscar-winning actors George Clooney and Jessica Chastain are among the high-profile figures supporting the fight of their US union, following the announcement of a major Hollywood strike.

The strike, described as an inflection point in the industry, was announced on Thursday in Los Angeles, after new contracts with the American Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) could not be negotiated.

The AMPTP refused to make a fair deal on television, theatrical and streaming work. We are not afraid of a fight and we will not back down. My union, SAG/AFTRA is now on strike. #SAGAFTRAstrong #SAGAFTRAstrike pic.twitter.com/3yx7Q4oMUM  Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) July 14, 2023

Famous faces joined the picket lines on the first day, while many voiced their support online.

In a statement shared with the PA news agency, Clooney said: This is an inflection point in our industry. Actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living.

For our industry to survive that has to change. For actors that journey starts now.

Chastain, who last year won the Academy Award for best actress, said the union and its members would not back down.

The AMPTP refused to make a fair deal on television, theatrical and streaming work, she wrote on Twitter.

We are not afraid of a fight and we will not back down. My union, Sag-Aftra is now on strike.

Fellow best actress winner Halle Berry wrote: Its not just actors and writers.

Its every single person who works in our industry that will be dramatically impacted!

I stand to fight for everyones right to be fairly compensated for the hard work they do!

Alec Baldwin congratulated the union for calling the strike in order to protect its rank and file members.

The strike is something that, you know, were a union, were in this together, he said, in a video posted to Instagram.

I dont think anybody really wants a strike but they dont want to continue under the the unfair contracts that were working under now.

So congratulations to everybody and I hope this is over right after we get everything we want.

Josh Gad, who voices animated snowman Olaf in Disneys Frozen movies said strikes did not occur unless they were glaringly necessary.

The actor and Broadway star acknowledged the impact the work stoppage caused by the strikes would have but said the action was about right and wrong.

As we stand on the precipice of the uncertainty of what AI can represent to all of us in this industry and beyond, it is imperative that we ensure we are protected against the inevitability of the cost savings and ease of use that this seismic technology represents to these corporate entities, he wrote on Instagram.

Holy Cow. Go Fran Go! This was a powerful statement. I stand with Fran and everyone in SAG and WGA in this extended momentonwards https://t.co/1TO5xqkF4l  Mr. Bob Odenkirk (@mrbobodenkirk) July 13, 2023

I hope that, for the sake of our entire industry, and the above the line and below the line folks who are being adversely affected, that these issues can be resolved sooner rather than later.

Gad later urged people to grab a sign and join the picket lines, sharing a picture of himself there.

Also pictured on the picket lines on Friday was Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher, who gave an impassioned speech while announcing the strike.

She said: The gravity of this move is not lost on me  its a very serious thing that impacts thousands if not millions of people.

This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth. If we dont stand tall now we are all going to be in trouble.

Responding to a clip of Dreschers speech, Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk, wrote: Holy Cow. Go Fran Go!

The @sagaftra strike has at last arrived. I am proud to be standing tall with the @WGAWest and @WGAEast as actors and writers together demand a fair share of the record-breaking profits the studios have been reaping from our labor for far too long. We will win this!   Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) July 13, 2023

This was a powerful statement. I stand with Fran and everyone in SAG and WGA in this extended moment onwards.

Sex And The City Star Cynthia Nixon, wrote: The @sagaftra strike has at last arrived.

I am proud to be standing tall with the @WGAWest and @WGAEast as actors and writers together demand a fair share of the record-breaking profits the studios have been reaping from our labor for far too long.

We will win this!

Australian actress Toni Collette wrote on her Instagram story: There is nothing to act without writers. There is nothing to film without actors.

Film making is the most collaborative of art forms. Every single person hired contributes to the whole. Please be respectful and fair.

And if stories are told utilising Al then we are moving into an era of storytelling with no heart. Literally. No human heart.

Then we lose connection. And that is why art exists. To help us connect and feel. This strike is of paramount importance.
Workers at a bar in Scotlands largest city will be the first in the country to take strike action in 20 years, a union has claimed.

Staff at the 13th Note in Glasgow will stage a 48-hour walkout from noon on Friday until Sunday over what Unite claims is a failure of the owners to deal with concerns over pay and health and safety.

Industrial action will coincide with the busy Glasgow Fair public holiday over the weekend.

The workers will then take action every weekend until August 6.

Unite represents 95% of the workers employed at the venue, with 100% of members voting to support strike action.

Strike prep in full swing ahead of tomorrows @13thnotecafe pickets Come and help us make this the most stunning industrial action Glasgow has ever seen.  Tonight from 6pm  9pm  Bonjour: 37-45 Saltmarket pic.twitter.com/9AXeUrAx0E  Unite Hospitality (@FairHospitality) July 13, 2023

Talks between the union, the bars owners and Acas are due to take place on July 19.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: Unites members at the 13th Note bar in Glasgow are striking following the failure of the owners to make improvements on pay and on health and safety concerns.

In what has become one of the first bar workers strikes in over 20 years, we support them and hope the owners now recognise the strength of the collective.

These workers deserve credit for standing up for their rights in an industry that is riding roughshod over staff. Unite will back them 100% in their demands for better pay and safer working conditions.

Nick Troy, a Unite rep at the 13th Note, said: The owners of 13th Note should be under no illusion that improvements to wages, health and safety, as well as union recognition, are the only way this rift will be sorted.

This action is a reflection of our determination to ensure fair treatment. The continuation of the strike action beyond this weekend is not inevitable if the concerns and demands of the workforce are resolved.

Unite remains hopeful that talks at Acas could avert further action.

The 13th Note has been contacted for comment.
Suella Bravermans immigration plans are facing another legal battle after councils and campaigners were given the green light to bring a High Court challenge against housing migrants on disused airfields.

The ruling comes just two days after the Home Secretarys department moved asylum seekers on to Wethersfield Airfield for the first time.

Braintree District Council and a nearby resident are bringing legal action to challenge the use of the Essex airfield to house up to 1,700 men while West Lindsey District Council is challenging similar plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

The development, only two weeks after the Court of Appeal ruling on the Rwanda deal, may be seen by some as another setback in the Governments plan to stop the boats and overhaul the asylum system.

But the threshold for permission to bring forward a High Court challenge is low and an early stage in a judicial review claim.

During a two-day hearing in London this week, the councils and Gabriel Clarke-Holland made a bid to bring a full legal challenge in their claims against the Home Office.

In a ruling on Friday, Mrs Justice Thornton ruled in their favour, granting permission to both councils and Mr Clarke-Holland.

She said: The decision to accommodate asylum seekers on the sites may give rise to strong local opinion, adding that there may also be wider discussions about the welfare of the asylum seekers.

Those are not, however, matters for the court, the judge continued.

The decision comes after the first 46 asylum seekers arrived at Wethersfield Airfield, around eight miles from Braintree, on Wednesday.

Alex Goodman KC, for Mr Clarke-Holland  who lives approximately 80ft from a gate on to the airfield  said members of the right-wing group Britain First were protesting near his home on the morning of the arrivals.

Following the ruling, Graham Butland, leader of Braintree District Council, said: We are grateful to have had another opportunity to put our views and the views of our local community across to the High Court at this initial stage, as we still believe Wethersfield Airfield is not a suitable site for these plans.

The gym at the asylum accommodation centre at MDP Wethersfield in Essex (Joe Giddens/PA)

He continued: Well continue to work closely with the Home Office and multi-agency partners to ensure there is minimal impact on all those involved residents that live nearby and local services, as well as raising our concerns with the Home Office so it can put in place mitigating action, whilst supporting asylum seekers coming to our district.

We will also continue to push for regular, open and transparent engagement with the wider community, which to date we feel has been lacking and creating frustrations quite rightly for our residents and businesses who have been left with a void of information.

West Lindsey District Council leader Trevor Young said: I welcome todays judgment, which I hope the community will take as a positive in that it clearly shows we have a case.

However, as we have seen at other large sites across the country and in particular at Wethersfield, the Home Office is continuing to press ahead with its plans to use larger sites for asylum accommodation.

Therefore, our challenge is to continue to balance our legal process with our duty of care as a local authority, to hold the Home Office to account on their proposals, as we have been doing since March.

The Home Office said the ruling does not affect the current accommodation at Wethersfield  where more migrants are expected to arrive in the coming weeks  or the plans for Scampton.

A department spokeswoman added: As this matter is subject to ongoing litigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

We remain committed to deliver accommodation on surplus military sites which are not only more affordable for taxpayers, helping to reduce the 6 million daily cost of hotels but are also more manageable for local communities.

On Thursday the Government was given the go-ahead to take its legal battle over its Rwanda deportation policy to the Supreme Court.

The move was welcomed by Mrs Braverman, who reiterated her belief that the plan is lawful.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had indicated he would seek an appeal as he fundamentally disagreed with the Court of Appeals ruling that the multimillion-pound deal  which would see asylum seekers deported to the East African nation  was unlawful.

Meanwhile, the wrangling over the Illegal Migration Bill  the Governments plans to change the law in a bid to curb Channel crossings and grip problems with the asylum system  continues in Parliament.

Despite peers inflicting a series of fresh defeats and pressing for more changes to the much-criticised proposed legislation, immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the Government is not planning to make any further compromises as the stand-off between the Commons and the Lords continues.
Plans to construct a road tunnel near Stonehenge have been approved, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the project on the A303 in Wiltshire.

A DCO previously issued for the 1.7 billion National Highways scheme was quashed by the High Court in July 2021 amid concern about the environmental impact on the Unesco World Heritage Site.

The plans involve overhauling eight miles of the A303, including digging a two-mile tunnel.

(PA Graphics)

Then-transport secretary Grant Shapps gave the go-ahead to the project in November 2020 despite advice from Planning Inspectorate officials it would cause permanent, irreversible harm to the area.

The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site alliance successfully challenged his decision in the High Court.

In a 64-page letter published on the Planning Inspectorate website granting fresh approval, the DfT said Mr Harper is satisfied that the projects harm on spatial, visual relations and settings is less than substantial and should be weighed against the public benefits.

The A303 is a congestion hotspot, with drivers heading to and from the South West during peak holiday periods often stuck in long queues.

National Highways chief executive Nick Harris said: The A303 Stonehenge scheme is part of the biggest investment in our road network for a generation, and Im really pleased the project has been given the green light by the Secretary of State for Transport  a decision which will enable us to progress this transformational scheme and deliver the planned benefits.

The decision follows a lot of work on a comprehensive year-long process to reassess our Development Consent Order, looking in detail at possible alternatives, also including cumulative carbon and heritage issues.

It means were now a step closer to solving the longstanding issues of congestion and delays on the existing A303, improving journeys for all our customers and bringing much-needed relief to local communities.

The investment, along with other improvements along the A303, will help to boost the South West economy, improve journey reliability, remove the sight and sound of traffic from this very busy road and return one of our most important World Heritage Sites to something like its original setting.

Cars make their way along the A303 past Stonehenge (PA)

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: This saga is starting to feel almost as old as the stones themselves and its not over yet.

The likelihood must be that objectors will already be poring over the Secretary of States lengthy and detailed decision letter looking for grounds on which to launch another legal challenge.

Quite apart from the risk of further legal delays, the next hurdle for the project is getting the funding in place to proceed, despite the economic squeeze on the Department for Transports budget.

AA president Edmund King said: Whether we like it or not, Stonehenge has been a transport congestion hot spot for more than 30 years.

This is good news that progress is slowly being made to alleviate the chaos.

Dr Kate Fielden, an archaeologist and honorary secretary to the Stonehenge Alliance, described the decision as deeply disappointing as the scheme will cause severe, irreparable damage to one of the worlds premier World Heritage Sites.

She told the PA news agency: Theres not only the tunnel. To each side there will be wide and deep cuttings through the landscape, effectively destroying the archaeology and in the process creating a massive monument to the future which dwarfs anything in the World Heritage Site thats there at the moment, including the Stonehenge monument itself.

Its a colossal intervention.

She said campaigners opposed to the scheme are considering launching another legal challenge.

Rebecca Lush, of Transport Action Network (Tan), which supports sustainable transport campaigns, said: Just as the Climate Change Committee has recommended that new roads should be reviewed, Mark Harper seems to be in denial by giving the go-ahead to the Stonehenge dual carriageway through the World Heritage Site.

National Highways admit the scheme would increase carbon emissions by 2.5 million tonnes over its lifetime at a time when we need to rapidly reduce emissions.

This decision flies in the face of the evidence on climate change and the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee, and will devastate the World Heritage Site.
Inquests have been opened and adjourned into the deaths of a further 11 former patients of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson.

Judge Richard Foster said he had reason to believe that sub-standard care by the jailed surgeon had caused or contributed to the deaths of each of the women, who died between 1998 and 2015.

The new cases are in addition to 27 inquests that had already been opened since July 2020, with more to follow on October 6.

Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found to have carried out unnecessary and unapproved procedures on more than 1,000 breast cancer patients over 14 years.

Speaking before each inquest opening at Birmingham and Solihull Coroners Court on Friday, Judge Foster said: Following a review of this case by a multi-disciplinary team, I have reason to believe that the deceaseds death was caused or contributed to by sub-standard treatment provided by Mr Paterson, and other clinicians involved in the care of the deceased.

The 11 women who had inquests opened into their deaths on Friday had their details confirmed by Nicola Preston, a coroners officer.

They are:

 Jennifer Lloyd-Faux, 62, from Billesley, Birmingham, a retired headteacher who died in 2009.

 Chloe Nikitas, an environmental consultant from Tamworth, who died in 2008 aged 43.

 Janice Prescott, 49, a school secretary from Sutton Coldfield, who died in 2005.

 Constance Whittle, from Sheldon, Birmingham, who died aged 81 in 2003.

 Ann Styles, from Solihull, who died aged 48 in 2001.

 Catherine Naylor, 57, a retired mental health nurse from Birmingham, who died in 2009.

 Elizabeth Tibbetts, a legal executive from Coventry, who died in Solihull in 2005 aged 53.

 Gladys Currall, from Solihull, who was 82 when she died in 1998. She died in Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, which was previously run by the former Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, for whom Paterson worked.

 Doreen Hammond, a retired nurse from Solihull, who died aged 87 in 2015.

 Gillian Bathurst, 55, from Kings Heath, Birmingham, who died in 2010.

 Barbara Lenaghan, from Birmingham, who died in 2013 aged 68.

Adjourning each inquest, Judge Foster said: I will adjourn this inquest until any further pre-inquest review hearings and thereafter to a substantive hearing due to take place on October 7 2024, while other cases are considered by the multi-disciplinary team of medical experts.

Although I have identified that systemic issues will be considered, I want to assure all families of the deceased that they will remain at the focus and centre and heart of my investigations.

I know it is many years since your loved one passed away, but that does not in any way diminish your loss.

I realise having an inquest like this will only cause further distress, however, it is only right that an inquest is undertaken to investigate what might have gone wrong, and to prevent any reoccurrence.

I will do all I can to minimise any additional distress to you.

Judge Foster said a pre-inquest review hearing is expected to be scheduled for late 2023 or early 2024, with more inquests to be opened in October this year.

The final hearings will begin on October 7 2024, which he said could last up to 11 months.

A previous pre-inquest review hearing in June was told that the cases of 417 patients, who had breast cancer listed in part one of their death certificates, had been reviewed, with Fridays hearing bringing the total number of opened inquests to 38.

A further 130 cases, where breast cancer was listed in part two of the patients death certificate, were also being examined to see whether it would be proportionate for them to be considered by the coroner.

On Monday, the coroner said there are 294 further deaths where the cause of death is unknown due to it not being possible to trace a death certificate.

Several of Ian Patersons victims attended his sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court in 2017 (Joe Giddens/PA)

He again urged any next of kin of Patersons former patients to come forward.

The inquests will fully, fairly and fearlessly assess whether Patersons actions or wider systemic failures contributed to the deaths.

Paterson, who did not attend Fridays hearing, worked in private and NHS hospitals from 1997 to 2011.

He was jailed in 2017 for 17 offences after carrying out cleavage-sparing mastectomies on patients, which left behind breast tissue and risked a return of cancer.

An independent inquiry ruled that he had carried out hundreds of unnecessary operations on hundreds of patients, exaggerating or inventing cancer risks.

The inquiry report also found that despite concerns being raised as early as 2003, Paterson was free to perform the harmful surgeries due to a culture of avoidance and denial.
Students looking to work in the UKs growing space sector will be able to gain a degree-level industry qualification without incurring tuition fees, the Education Secretary has announced.

The new Space Systems Engineer degree apprenticeship will give people opportunities to work for global aerospace companies, space agencies and leading research and technology institutions, the Department for Education (DfE) said.

The curriculum, to be launched in 2024, was developed with the University of Leicester following input from leading businesses including Airbus, and will be delivered at the citys Space Park.

Applications for the Level 6 Space Systems programme will open in September this year, with successful applicants beginning their training at Airbus in September 2024.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who visited the Space Park on Thursday, said: It is a brilliant opportunity for young people to be at the forefront of the UKs world-class space industry, earning money while they get a degree and unparalleled skills training.

We will ensure the industry can access the talent it needs to continue to grow the economy and make history.

I think its going to be hugely popular, and I look forward to seeing many more people get the opportunity to work in this fascinating industry via a degree apprenticeship.

Gillian Keegan was shown technology worth hundreds of millions of pounds during her tour of the Space Park on Thursday (Callum Parke/PA)

I think theyre a fantastic option, not just for young people who want to get that route into the same careers as opposed to just going via the university route, but also for older people, perhaps if they missed out but they do need to earn as well.

Its a fantastic route into any career and we now have degree apprenticeships in 140 different careers and we have 667 different apprenticeship standards, so you can literally be almost anything now via an apprenticeship.

The new degree apprenticeship follows the approval in 2020 of a Level 4 Space Engineering Technician apprenticeship, which was designed to help young people gain the technical skills needed to start a career in space.

Apprentices on the new scheme will be involved in creating complex, high-value space hardware and ground support equipment, the DfE said and will spend around 20% of their time in the classroom and the rest working.

The announcement comes after the UK launched its first National Space Strategy in 2021.

The plan aims to expand the sector  which as of 2021 was worth more than 16.4 billion per year and employed more than 45,000 people  and increase the ability to achieve the UKs civil and defence ambitions in space.

Professor Sarah Davies, head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, said: Space is going to be a huge industry, its going to be (a) hundreds of billions of dollars industry.

Its growing at a significant rate and the UK is leading in that.

In Leicestershire alone, there are 40 companies that are involved in space.

Professor Sarah Davies said the new course provided another offering to the universitys portfolio (Callum Parke/PA)

It requires everything from computer scientists, to engineers, software engineers, a whole range of disciplines that can be brought into the space arena to develop new ideas and to develop new technologies.

Degree-level apprenticeships were introduced in the 2014-15 academic year, with 188,000 apprentices since starting qualifications in sectors including nursing, science and engineering.

Apprentices earn a median salary of over 34,000 after completing their qualification at a university, without incurring debt from tuition fees.

Mrs Keegan is the only degree apprentice in the House of Commons and signed off the first space engineering apprenticeship when she was apprenticeships minister.

The Government has asked the Office for Students  a DfE body that regulates the higher education sector  to invest up to 40 million over the next two years to help education providers offer more degree apprenticeships.

Students looking to complete such a programme will also be able to see degree apprenticeship opportunities on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) application system.

During her visit, Mrs Keegan spoke to current degree apprentices working with Airbus and was shown a range of new technologies, something she described as fascinating.

Aaron Vidal, 21, is completing the Embedded Systems Design and Development degree apprenticeship and said the qualification gave students a big leg up in their search for a job.

He said: Theyre paying for university and work experience in engineering.

Work experience is like gold dust, so having four years of work experience and a degree when leaving university, people in the same place as me will have a degree but theyll have a bunch of student debt and one year of work experience, so it gives you a big leg up in the jobs marketplace.
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has denied he is a sexual bully as he told a jury he did not have a power wand that I waved in front of peoples faces whenever I wanted someone to go to bed with me.

As he continued to give evidence from the witness box on Friday, the Hollywood star labelled the prosecutions case against him as weak  accusing one alleged victim of being after money, money and then money.

He told Southwark Crown Court he could have had sex all the time but found it hard to trust people because of his fame.

Spacey said he objected to the term crotch grab that his alleged victims had used in accusations against him and denied it was a trademark move.

Spacey denied being a big sexual bully (Yui Mok/PA)

After describing the accusation of an alleged victim he met in a West End theatre in the mid-2000s as absolute bollocks, prosecutor Christine Agnew KC responded: Because thats exactly where you did grab him, isnt it?

Really? Spacey replied before turning to the judge to ask: Did he accuse me of grabbing his bollocks?

After being asked by the judge to answer the question, the defendant eventually said: I did not.

He denies sex offences concerning four men, including sexual assault and indecent assault, which are alleged to have been committed between 2001 and 2013.

Miss Agnew put it to Spacey that he was not just a big flirt as he had described himself in evidence on Thursday, but a big sexual bully, to which the actor responded: Yes, thats your term.

Miss Agnew put it to Spacey that he was essentially the golden boy of the London theatre scene at the time and the people he allegedly assaulted would be unlikely to be believed.

Asked if he considered himself to be a powerful man, the defendant said: I did not have a power wand that I waved in front of peoples faces whenever I wanted someone to go to bed with me.

At the start of his evidence, Spacey was questioned on whether a crotch grab was something he had done before that had worked, and that he considered it a trademark, to which he replied: No.

Let me put it this way, it is the term grabbing a crotch or groping a crotch that I object to.

Responding to allegations made by an aspiring actor, who accused Spacey of having drugged him and performing a sex act on him while he was asleep in his flat in the late 2000s, the star said: We were in a romantic situation.

I dont know who made the first move, but we were consensually together in a romantic situation.

He did not fall asleep and I did not perform (a sex act) on him while he was asleep, despite what he has shockingly accused me of.

When Miss Agnew suggested the complainant was asleep, Spacey said: Thats your theory.

Well that is the prosecution case, the prosecutor said.

Spacey replied: And its a weak one.

Addressing the suggestion that he might have ignored signs from the four complainants, Spacey said he definitely misread signs from one man who rejected an alleged sexual grab at an expensive property he was staying at in the Cotswolds in the early 2010s.

Spacey said the complainant who drove him to a lavish showbiz party in the early 2000s made allegations against him because he was terribly ribbed and embarrassed about choosing to engage sexually with the actor.

Miss Agnew asked Spacey: Do you think that you might have misinterpreted what they were doing or saying?

The actor replied: If they went further than they wanted they did not let me know that.

Spacey said it seems that they regretted what they did at a later time.

Questioned on whether he thought people were tempted by his approaches because of who you are, the defendant said: I hope they liked me because they liked me, not because of who I am.

Spacey was labelled the golden boy of the London theatre scene (Yui Mok/PA)

He continued: I was a very fortunate actor who got some very remarkable film roles.

Continuing to question the actor, Miss Agnew then asked: Did you ever feel lonely in those years?

Of course, Spacey answered.

Miss Agnew continued: Did you then reach out to people sexually in order to ease that burden?

Spacey replied: Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did.

Asked if he found a thrill out of taking sexual risks such as one-night stands, Spacey responded by saying he was open about the times he had been promiscuous.

It doesnt make me a bad person, the actor added.

Miss Agnew then asked Spacey: Have you found that due to your status and position, people normally did what you wanted them to do?

No, the actor replied.

Miss Agnew went on: You didnt find it easier to pick up people because of who you are?

Spacey answered: I found it harder to trust people because of who I was.

After the prosecutor asked the same question again, the actor responded: I am sure if I wanted to I could have had sex all the time, but I didnt.

Spacey pleaded not guilty in January to three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

The two-time Academy Award winner also previously denied four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The trial continues.
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has labelled the prosecutions case against him as weak  accusing one alleged victim of being after money, money and then money.

The Hollywood star told a jury he could have had sex all the time but found it hard to trust people because of his fame, as he continued to give evidence from the witness box at Southwark Crown Court.

After describing the accusation of an alleged victim he met in a West End theatre in the mid-2000s as absolute bollocks, prosecutor Christine Agnew KC responded: Because thats exactly where you did grab him, isnt it?

Spacey denies the allegations (Yui Mok/PA)

Really? Spacey replied before turning to the judge to ask: Did he accuse me of grabbing his bollocks?

After being asked by the judge to answer the question, the defendant eventually said: I did not.

Spacey said he objected to the term crotch grab that his alleged victims had used in accusations against him.

He denies 12 charges concerning four men, including sexual assault and indecent assault, which are alleged to have been committed between 2001 and 2013.

Spacey, 63, admitted he felt lonely at times after becoming famous and said he had reached out to people to ease that burden  telling the jury: Welcome to life.

During her cross-examination of the defendant, Miss Agnew first asked Spacey whether the crotch grab was something that he would normally do to someone you had met for the first time.

Spacey replied: No.

Questioned on whether it was something he had done before that had worked, and that he considered it a trademark, Spacey replied: No.

Let me put it this way, it is the term grabbing a crotch or groping a crotch that I object to.

Responding to allegations made by an aspiring actor, who accused Spacey of having drugged him and performing a sex act on him while he was asleep in his flat in the late 2000s, the star said: We were in a romantic situation.

I dont know who made the first move, but we were consensually together in a romantic situation.

He did not fall asleep and I did not perform (a sex act) on him while he was asleep, despite what he has shockingly accused me of.

When Miss Agnew suggested the complainant was asleep, Spacey said: Thats your theory.

Well that is the prosecution case, the prosecutor said.

Spacey replied: And its a weak one.

Addressing the suggestion that he might have ignored signs from the four complainants, Spacey said he definitely misread signs from one man who rejected an alleged sexual grab at an expensive property he was staying at in the Cotswolds in the early 2010s.

The actor said he had consensual interactions with two other complainants  one who drove him to a lavish showbiz party in the early 2000s and the aspiring actor.

Spacey told jurors he could have had sex all the time on Friday (Yui Mok/PA)

Miss Agnew asked Spacey: Do you think that you might have misinterpreted what they were doing or saying?

The actor replied: If they went further than they wanted they did not let me know that.

Spacey said it seems that they regretted what they did at a later time.

Questioned on whether he thought people were tempted by his approaches because of who you are, the defendant said: I hope they liked me because they liked me, not because of who I am.

Miss Agnew then asked: You must have been aware that you were an extremely famous person?

Spacey replied: Yes, but I dont go through my life thinking about that.

He continued: I was a very fortunate actor who got some very remarkable film roles.

Continuing to question the actor, Miss Agnew then asked: Did you ever feel lonely in those years?

Of course, Spacey answered.

Miss Agnew continued: Did you then reach out to people sexually in order to ease that burden?

Spacey replied: Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did.

Asked if he found a thrill out of taking sexual risks such as one-night stands, Spacey responded by saying he was open about the times he had been promiscuous.

It doesnt make me a bad person, the actor added.

Miss Agnew then asked Spacey: Have you found that due to your status and position, people normally did what you wanted them to do?

No, the actor replied.

Miss Agnew went on: You didnt find it easier to pick up people because of who you are?

Spacey answered: I found it harder to trust people because of who I was.

After the prosecutor asked the same question again, the actor responded: I am sure if I wanted to I could have had sex all the time, but I didnt.

The Hollywood star said he was attracted to masculine men but when asked about whether he was attracted to straight men, Spacey replied: How would I know if they were straight or not?

The defendant, standing trial under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, was labelled a sexual bully when proceedings began last month.

He pleaded not guilty in January to three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

The two-time Academy Award winner also previously denied four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The trial continues.
A group of MPs have launched a probe into sexism and misogyny in the City after recent months have unveiled sexual assault allegations by female staff members at influential businesses.

The Treasury Committee, which scrutinises the work of the Treasury and public financial bodies, said it wants to find out more about the barriers women in financial services face.

The new inquiry will address whether the Government and watchdogs need to play a bigger part in combatting sexual harassment and misogyny in the sector.

This could be by being better gender diversity role models, or making policies that support womens progress, and encouraging careers in the industry to be marketed to a more diverse base of individuals, the committee said.

It is calling for people to submit evidence, particularly from women working in finance, online before September.

The move comes after a raft of allegations against City financier Crispin Odey resulted in him leaving the hedge fund he set up, Odey Asset Management.

The Financial Times last month uncovered allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against Mr Odey by 13 women who either worked with or had professional dealings with the fund manager.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is being quizzed about how it handled the claims.

Elsewhere, influential business lobbying group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has battled for survival after more than a dozen women came forward with allegations that they were sexually harassed while working for the company. Two women said they were raped by colleagues.

It led to questions about the culture at the organisation and how it dealt with complaints from staff.

Hedge fund manager Crispin Odey was ousted from his asset management firm after facing fresh allegations of sexual misconduct (Aaron Chown/PA)

The sexism inquiry will also examine how much progress has been made in removing gender pay gaps.

Among full-time employees, the median hourly pay was 8.3% less for women than men as of April last year, according to the latest official data from the Office for National Statistics.

Some financial services companies have reported much wider gender pay gaps.

In its latest annual report, major bank HSBC UK said women were earning just over half the hourly pay that male staff earn on average. At Lloyds Bank, its female staff were earning about a third less than men.

MP Harriett Baldwin, chairwoman of the Treasury Committee, said: As a committee, wed like to know whether women feel more supported in the financial services industry than at the time of the previous committees inquiry five years ago.

Well be investigating if enough work has been done to build more supportive workplace cultures, how harassment and misogyny can be addressed, and the role the Government and regulator should play in role modelling behaviours.

Has the culture in this highly paid sector shifted at all in the last five years? This is a subject of marked importance to our committee and we look forward to beginning work on this important topic.

The previous 2018 inquiry called for firms to abolish alpha-male cultures that discourage womens progression, remove the stigma of flexile working, and pushed them to publish strategies to close gender pay gaps.
Talks between university employers and the University and College Union (UCU) will continue but there is still significant ground to be covered amid the ongoing marking boycott, both sides have said.

Members of the UCU at more than 140 universities across the UK have refused to mark exams or assessments since April 20 in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The UCU and Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) held what were characterised as urgent talks on Friday, the first such meeting since the boycott began.

The two sides released a joint statement saying: Todays exploratory talks between UCEA, UCU and the other joint unions side secretary were constructive, although there is still significant ground to be covered.

We have explored obstacles to resuming negotiations and bringing an end to the marking and assessment boycott, with both sides recognising the complexity of the issues.

Both sides welcomed the positive tone of the discussion and have identified dates for further urgent talks.

Further discussion will also take place with the joint HE (higher education) trade unions to consider the scope and remit of a review of sector finances.

The UCEA previously said it is willing to support an independent exercise to establish the factual position on the sectors finances, following differing views over what level of pay the universities can afford.

The union approached the UCEA seeking fresh talks earlier this month.

Ahead of the meeting, the UCU said the UCEAs position not to offer improvements was untenable following the Governments announcement on Thursday of salary increases for public sector workers of up to 7%.

The UCU says university staff have already rejected the pay award the UCEA began imposing in February, and it is demanding improved pay to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

But UCEA chief executive Raj Jethwa said the public sector pay awards are irrelevant because it does not mean the higher education (HE) sector can suddenly afford more, and that the pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy and public sector.

The UCEA said in June that 2.6% of students  roughly 13,000 of the 500,000 students due to graduate this year  would be affected by the boycott, and the vast majority of staff are working hard to mitigate its impact.
University employers are holding talks with the University and College Union (UCU) amid an ongoing marking boycott.

More than 140 universities across the UK have refused to mark exams or assessments since April 20 in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The UCU says the meeting on Friday is the first with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) since the boycott began.

Ahead of the meeting, the union said the UCEAs position is untenable following the Governments announcement on Thursday of salary increases for public sector workers of up to 7%.

The UCU says university staff have already rejected the pay award the UCEA began imposing in February, and it is demanding improved pay to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

But UCEA chief executive Raj Jethwa said the public sector pay awards are irrelevant because it does not mean the higher education (HE) sector can suddenly afford more, and that the pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy and public sector.

The union approached the UCEA seeking fresh talks earlier this month, with the employers body saying it is open to discussing a potential process to resolve the dispute.

The UCEA said in June that 2.6% of students  roughly 13,000 of the half a million students due to graduate this year  would be affected by the boycott, and the vast majority of staff are working hard to mitigate its impact.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: After unprecedented industrial unrest, Rishi Sunak has been forced to honour pay review body recommendations.

This makes UCEAs position on pay untenable, when it meets with us today it needs to get realistic. Universities have billions in reserves and can afford to pay staff properly, instead vice-chancellors are choosing to make students and staff suffer.

UCEAs refusal to settle this dispute means staff are getting their pay docked, international students are losing visas, and thousands upon thousands of students cannot graduate.

UCEA needs to make us an improved offer, stop the pay docking and settle the dispute.

Mr Jethwa said: Yesterdays public sector pay announcement is irrelevant because it doesnt mean that collectively the sector can suddenly afford more for the 2023-24 pay uplift.

The financial state of the New JNCHES (New Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff) HE institutions has not improved since we brought forward the pay round to help staff with cost-of-living pressures.

Many HE institutions now face steep increases in employer contributions to the Teachers Pension Scheme and several institutions have confirmed that they have informed staff that financial struggles mean they will need to delay the uplift.

The 2023-24 pay uplift resulted in a final pay award of between 8% and 5% from August 2023 with almost half of this paid from February, some six months in advance of the usual pay uplift date.

Despite the financial pressures facing the sector, this pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy, including the public sector workers pay rises of between 5% and 7%.

Todays exploratory talks provide a potential opportunity to find a resolution to the long-running current dispute, in turn bringing an end to the UCUs marking and assessment boycott. UCEA also welcomes the willingness of the unions to discuss UCEAs proposal for an independent review of sector affordability.
Two osprey chicks have taken to the skies for the first time from their nest at a Scottish wildlife reserve.

The chicks, known as PF4 and PF5, took wing for the first time on Sunday and Thursday respectively, the Scottish Wildlife Trust confirmed.

The chicks are based at the Lowes Wildlife Reserve and Visitor Centre in Dunkeld, known as the gateway to the Highlands.

The female chick, PF4, embarked on her maiden flight at 10.07am on Sunday.

After exploring the skies for the first time, she landed safely back in her nest a few minutes later.

PF4 takes off on her first flight (Scottish Wildlife Trust)

PF5, the younger male brother, is said to have flapped, squealed and helicoptered from the nest to a perch and back before finally taking flight at 9.47am on Thursday.

Sara Rasmussen, a Perthshire ranger, said: This is a great time to come and view these majestic birds taking short flights around their nest and the loch where you can hear them shouting out for fish.

The youngsters will be fed constantly by their parents to build up their energy and fat reserves before their long migration in late August.

Initially, they will spend time building up their strength, confidence and control with short flights around the nest.

After a week they may start to venture further, building up to flights that last a few hours.

PF5 departs on his first flight (Scottish Wildlife Trust)

Once chicks have been able to fly for a few weeks, the female tends to depart first while her male companion provides food for the other young ospreys.

The birds are named after the unique identification bands which are put around their leg.

This means the ospreys, which are known to migrate as far as Africa, can be identified.

They are expected to fly south in late August.

The pairs parents, female NC0 and male LM12, returned to their Dunkeld nest on March 17 within six hours of each other.

NC0 laid three eggs in April, with two hatching on May 13 and 16.

The other egg unfortunately did not hatch.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust said it is the earliest recorded hatching date for the nest.

Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre is open seven days a week from 10.30am until 5pm.

They also have a live osprey webcam which can be found here.
Failing to provide evidence about Post Office workers wrongly convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting may lead to imprisonment, the chairman of the inquiry into the scandal has warned.

The Post Office has identified a total of 700 convictions of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses (SPMs) in cases it prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 in which Horizon computer system evidence might have featured.

In December 2019, a High Court judge ruled the system contained a number of bugs, errors and defects and there was a material risk that shortfalls in Post Office branch accounts were in fact caused by it.

Since then, many SPMs have had their criminal convictions for theft, fraud and false accounting overturned.

Sir Wyn Williams, chair of an inquiry into the debacle, accused the Post Office of grossly unsatisfactory and significant failings to disclose important and necessary documents.

Sir Wyn Williams has published a determination and further Directions following Tuesdays hearing to address grossly unsatisfactory disclosure failings by the Post Office. Read more https://t.co/OxFgE1rxkp#PostOfficeInquiry  Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (@PostOffInquiry) July 14, 2023

On Friday, he announced all future requests for evidence will be under Section 21 of the Inquiries Act 2005, which carries a threat of a criminal sanction, including a sentence of up to 51 weeks imprisonment.

Sir Wyn noted that in oral submissions on behalf of SPMs, there was no attempt to disguise the view held by many that the Post Office disclosure failings are deliberate.

He added: It does not surprise me that this is the attitude of many former sub-postmasters.

After all, a failure to disclose crucial information about Horizon was a central finding leading to the quashing of criminal convictions in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and the Crown Court.

Regular discrete hearings about the handing over of evidence will be held during the remainder of the inquiry, Sir Wyn also said.

He went on: It would be remiss of me to fail to guard against the possibility that there are those who are engaged in the process of disclosure of documents on behalf of the Post Office who are unwilling or unable to comply strictly with requests for disclosure of documents made of them by the inquiry.

The inquiry resumes on July 26 to look at action taken against a sub-postmaster by the Post Office.
Rishi Sunak has invited Saudi Arabias crown prince and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman to the UK in the autumn, it has been reported.

It would be his first visit to Britain since the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi five years ago.

The Gulf states day-to-day leader was accused of ordering the assassination of the Washington Post writer at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, although he denied any involvement and blamed rogue agents.

Downing Street declined to comment on whether an invite has been extended, as reported by the Financial Times, citing a Government official.

Asked about the Prime Ministers view of the journalists killing, his official spokesman told reporters on Friday: From the start we have been clear that this murder was a terrible crime and that Saudi Arabia must ensure such an atrocity can never happen again.

Weve sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the murder under the global human rights scheme.

A UK visit would be the latest sign of western countries welcoming the crown prince back into the diplomatic fold after he was frozen out following the murder.

Britain is aiming to strengthen its ties with the kingdom despite concerns over its human rights record as it seeks to attract investment from the oil-rich Gulf following Brexit.

Journalist and Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 (PA)

The FT said details of the trip have not yet been finalised, quoting an official as saying: Its more up to them, given we need them more than they need us.

Mr Sunak met the crown prince on the margins of the G20 summit in Bali last November.

The leaders discussed social reforms, womens rights and civil liberties, but Mr Sunak did not raise the murder of Mr Khashoggi, No 10 said at the time.

US President Joe Biden raised the subject in his own talks over energy and security issues with the crown prince in July 2022, indicating that he thought the Saudi leader was responsible for the killing.

Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UKs foreign policy adviser, said the crown prince must be properly held to account for abuses by Saudi officials, including Khashoggis murder.

She said: There must be no question of the UK rolling out the red carpet for Mohammed bin Salman or of the Saudi ruler being able to use this visit to rehabilitate himself on the world stage.

The visit looks set to coincide with the five-year anniversary of Jamal Khashoggis sickening assassination and dismemberment at the hands of Saudi agents in Turkey, a crime which has essentially been covered up by the unrepentant Saudi authorities.
A former Metropolitan Police officer who had a sexual relationship with a woman he was spying on in a secretive undercover unit has been found guilty of gross misconduct.

Former detective constable James Boyling, of the Mets Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), had a sexual relationship with the woman, known only as Monica, for six months in 1997 while infiltrating the environmental activist group Reclaim the Streets.

He later married another female activist, who exposed his true identity in a 2011 article for The Guardian.

The officer, who used the pseudonym Jim Sutton, was sacked for gross misconduct over his relationship with his now ex-wife in 2018, but faced new misconduct proceedings over his relationship with Monica.

A disciplinary panel in Southwark, south London, was told on Monday that his relationship with Monica began when they kissed outside a pub after a Never Mind the Ballots activist event and later went to his undercover duff flat in Dulwich, south-east London.

They were definitely known as a couple and attended Glastonbury and an Earth First gathering together, the tribunal was told.

Monica was left feeling duped, misunderstood and ridiculed and with a feeling of sexual abuse after Boylings true identity was revealed in The Guardian article, the panel heard.

He did not report the relationship to managers despite the fact they were supposed to meet twice a week, the hearing was told.

The hearing was also told his line manager, a detective inspector known as N10, had four such relationships while working undercover between 1983 and 1987 and got one activist pregnant.

Another officer, named as N11, also had sexual relationships with female activists and resumed his undercover identity without authorisation, the tribunal heard.

Sexual relationships with activists were not explicitly banned because refusing sexual advances could blow their cover, but undercover officers were advised to make them fleeting and disastrous.

Guidance read out to the tribunal said: In the past, emotional ties to the opposition have happened and caused all sorts of difficulties, including divorce, deception and disciplinary charges.

Whilst it is not my place to moralise, one should try and avoid the opposite sex for as long as possible.

While you may try to avoid any sexual encounter, there may come a time when your lack of interest may become suspicious.

If you have no other option but to become involved with (an activist), you should have fleeting, disastrous relationships with individuals who are not important to your sources of information.

SDS bosses preferred undercover officers to have a stable family life but Boyling got divorced shortly before infiltrating Reclaim the Streets.

Boyling, who did not attend the hearing, was found guilty of breaching professional standards for integrity and discreditable conduct.

Standards for authority, respect and courtesy, which he was also accused of breaching, were not found to have applied at the time.

He admitted the relationship but denied his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

He unsuccessfully tried to get the case dismissed at an earlier stage.

His lawyer Alisdair Williamson KC argued the rules on relationships were blurred and liaisons were an acceptable and accepted part of the legend and cover.

Tribunal panel chairman Darren Snow said Met guidance on relationships was poor, inadequate and negligent but gross misconduct still occurred.

He said: The panels conclusion is that the guidance was that, if forced into a relationship where there was no other option, it should be fleeting and disastrous.

The relationship with Monica was neither. The fact it was not reported undermines the suggestion it was focused on intelligence.

If there was a belief it was beneficial to the investigation it should have been reported back.

We are of the view that entering a sexual or emotional relationship under a false identity cannot ever have a proper policing purpose.

Monica, who initially complained about Boyling in February 2018, failed to bring criminal charges against him in December 2018.

The High Court rejected her appeal against a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute him for rape and misconduct in public office.

The SDS existed between 1968 and 2008 and its actions are subject to a lengthy public inquiry.

A decision on whether Boyling would have been sacked if he was still an officer will be handed down later on Friday.
Union members have hailed an extraordinary show of solidarity on the picket line on day one of the Hollywood actors strike.

Actors and other creators stood shoulder to shoulder outside multiple studios across Los Angeles, reiterating that industrial action was what needs to happen.

Thousands of members picketed outside the studios of major production companies, including Warner Bros, Netflix and Disney in the sweltering heat on Friday.

Actors and other creators stood shoulder to shoulder outside multiple studios across Los Angeles on Friday (Chris Pizzello/AP)

Members of actors union Sag-Aftra and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) joined forces while cars drove by honking their horns in solidarity.

Among the famous faces were Lord Of The Rings star Sean Austin, and Jim Rash, who appears in popular comedy TV series Community.

Speaking outside the Paramount Pictures studios, Rash, who has previously been picketing with members of the WGA, told the PA news agency the action was simply about securing a fair deal.

I think today is about unity and about reigniting the cause, because weve been out here for a while, he said.

For me its just a fair deal  our checkpoints are slightly different for what that deal is, but everyone wants a fair deal.

Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Paramount studios in Los Angeles (Chris Pizzello/AP)

The industry has already changed and we never changed the rest with it.

Bertila Damas, actress and former member of the Sag-Aftra board, said the turnout was extraordinary, but not surprising.

Weve been dismissed, weve been treated less than, weve been otherised as if the business didnt depend on our backs and the writers, she told PA.

This is an extraordinary show of solidarity and its about time.

Make-up artist Jeremy Bramer said the display of support from other unions was overwhelming.

Everybody banding together to get what we want is amazing and the support from all the actors and everybody from every union is just overwhelming, he said.

Actress Joely Fisher, Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher and Sag-Aftra chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (Chris Pizzello/AP)

From all over the world, everybody is banding together from the UK to the United States  its amazing.

High profile actors including George Clooney, Jessica Chastain, Halle Berry and Alec Baldwin are among those who have expressed support for the action, to protect the lower-paid members of the union.

Actress Anna Garcia told PA: I think it feels great to have those voices amplify and almost add legitimacy to the situation.

I think a lot of the bigger Hollywood execs can write off the whiney oh theyre asking for too much  but I think even having people in the positions where they have their needs met, to have them join in, validify it, is huge and very empowering.

Asked what she wanted personally from the situation, Garcia said: I would just like to see a resolution.

Personally I want to come out with getting what they want, regardless of how long it takes, its what needs to happen.

Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Netflix studio in Los Angeles (Chris Pizzello/AP)

Announcing the strike on Thursday, Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher said the length of the strike was up to the Hollywood studios.

We are open to talking to them tonight, she said, adding: All of this is because of their behaviour, its up to them if they want to talk in a normal way.

Drescher was also pictured at various picket lines on Friday.

Damas said she did not feel nervous at all with being on strike and stopping work, but voiced concerns about younger members of the union.

Ive been doing this a long time and Im not as concerned, I can weather the storm of unemployment, she told PA.

Its a bigger deal than its ever been. What were asking for, if you ask me, is still not enough.

(Chris Pizzello/AP)

Stunt coordinator Mikal Kartvedt said that the added weight of the actors union membership to the ongoing writers strike  which began on May 2  was a gamechanger.

This could be a real crusher when it comes to the timeframe the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) thought they were working with, especially with the writers  this is a gamechanger for the whole thing.

Shows that were already in the pipeline and ready to go to production, you could rationalise that you dont need writers and you could shoot the show anyway.

Without Sag-Aftra, theres nothing going on anyway.

He added: The AMPTP will rustle up, theyll double down and then theyll start looking at the bottom line and realise its time to do the right thing.
The Prince and Princess of Wales treated their children to a day of jets, helicopters and historic planes as they enjoyed a family day out at an air show.

Prince George and his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, toured the Royal International Air Tattoo with their parents as their school holidays

began in earnest.

Future king George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22, sister Charlotte, aged 8, and five-year-old brother Louis have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire.

William and Kate were all smiles when they arrived with their children at the air show, staged at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and was greeted by Wing Commander Will Essex.

The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo (Ben Birchall/PA)

They were greeted by grey skies that brought heavy rain but there were a few aircraft still in the skies before they arrived.

The event was a return visit for George who was taken to the show by his parents in 2016, aged three, and was pictured wearing ear defenders at the time.

Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis started their summer holidays at the RAF Fairford(Ben Birchall/PA)

The familys is first stop was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queens coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September.

The royal children were dressed for a summer day in light casual clothing and George and Charlotte looked around at the rain-soaked concrete around the huge plane when they stepped from their car.

The Princess of Wales with Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo (Ben Birchall/PA)

They shook hands with senior members of the RAF before they were ushered up the huge ramp of the transport plane with their parents.

George was given the task of partially raising the ramp and could be seen pressing the button as his father watched on.
American Airlines, the biggest global airline, is adding flights from seven more U.S. destinations to Miami International Airport for the busy winter season, betting on the Magic Citys continued growth.

Two of those cities  Portland, Oregon and Sacramento, California  are getting year-round flight service to Miami.

We believe in the importance of Miami, Juan Carlos Liscano, Americans vice president of Miami hub operations, said in an interview with the Herald. Miami is not a seasonal destination. We have really strong demand annually.

Who says winter can't be warm? Brace yourself for our upcoming winter schedule from @iflymia! Say hello to endless sunshine, diverse destinations, and vacation vibes.  https://t.co/BanyK94NJ2 pic.twitter.com/JaQyIjdbvH  americanair (@AmericanAir) July 13, 2023

The American executive Wednesday acknowledged travel to Miami typically peaks in the winter. And so, the airline added five routes for that season when visitors typically come here to escape the snow and ice. They include Buffalo, New York, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Lexington, Kentucky, which are slated for weekly flights from November 11 to March 30.

Also, American will fly additional flights to Miami to seven United States cities it already serves, including Oklahoma City and Denver. Those are also scheduled for the winter season, from Dec. 20 to April 3.

And the largest airline at Miami airport is adding year-round service to a new and popular Caribbean destination: Governors Harbour in the Bahamas. The first flight there from Miami will take off on Feb. 3, 2024. American said it is the only U.S. carrier that will fly nonstop from Miami to Governors Harbour. Itll be twice weekly service on an Embraer E175 aircraft that has about 80 passenger seats.

Americans bevy of flight additions will give it more than 380 peak daily flights from 150 destinations this winter to Miami airport. Thats the most number of flights American has ever flown since Miami became a hub airport for the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline.

Separately, the airline is also temporarily increasing service from Miami to Latin America and the Caribbean during the winter months, with flights to: Baranquila, Colombia; Cartagena, Colombia; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Cancun, Mexico; and Bridgetown, Barbados.

Were seeing strong demand into Costa Rica, Mexico, and Colombia, Liscano said, noting American is the only airline flying between the U.S. and Tortola.

American now employs over 14,000 workers at Miami airport, its third-largest hub after Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte. Miami is also critical to the airline for cargo transport. It is Americans second-largest cargo hub in the U.S. after Dallas-Fort Worth, handling an average of 340 million pounds of freight and mail each year.

Meanwhile, this week low-cost Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic Airways said it was adding flights from Miami to Paris starting Dec. 12, and from Miami to Berlin beginning Dec. 14, as part of its expanding winter flight schedule.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden's administration will cancel $39 billion in student debt for more than 804,000 borrowers, the Education Department said on Friday, describing the relief as the result of a "fix" to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans.

Borrowers will be eligible for forgiveness if they have made either 20 or 25 years of monthly IDR payments, the department said. The IDR program caps payment requirements for lower-income borrowers and forgives their remaining balance after a set number of years.

"These borrowers will join the millions of people that my administration has provided relief to over the past two years  resulting in over $116 billion in loan relief to over 3 million borrowers under my administration," Biden said in a statement.

The department said the relief addresses what it described as "historical inaccuracies" in the count of payments that qualify toward forgiveness under IDR plans.

"For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness," Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said.

Biden has said he will pursue new measures to provide student loan relief to Americans after the Supreme Court blocked his plan to cancel hundreds of billions of dollars in debt.

The Education Department has launched a regulatory "rulemaking" process to pursue his $430 billion loan relief plan. That process is expected to take months.

Friday's relatively smaller relief falls under a separate, payment count adjustment program that the Biden administration announced in April 2022, the department said.

In a statement, Vice President Kamala Harris said the administration "will continue to fight to make sure Americans can access high-quality postsecondary education without taking on the burden of unmanageable student loan debt."

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru, and Rami Ayyub and Paul Grant in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration calls it a student loan safety net. Opponents call it a backdoor attempt to make college free. And it could be the next battleground in the legal fight over student loan relief.

Starting this summer, millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in a new repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms ever. Interest wont pile up as long as borrowers make regular payments. Millions of people will have monthly payments reduced to $0. And in as little as 10 years, any remaining debt will be canceled.

It's known as the SAVE Plan, and although it was announced last year, it has mostly been overshadowed by President Joe Bidens proposal for mass student loan cancellation. But now, after the Supreme Court struck down Bidens forgiveness plan, the repayment option is taking center stage.

Since the ruling Biden has proposed an alternate approach to cancel debt and also shifted attention to the lesser-known initiative, calling it the most affordable repayment plan ever. The typical borrower who enrolls in the plan will save $1,000 a month, he said.

Republicans have fought against the plan, saying it oversteps the presidents authority. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called it deeply unfair to the 87% of Americans who dont have student loans.

The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated over the next decade the plan would cost $230 billion, which would be even higher now that the forgiveness plan has been struck down. Estimates from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania put the cost at up to $361 billion.

Emboldened by the Supreme Court's decision on cancellation, some opponents say its a matter of time before the repayment plan also faces a legal challenge.

Heres what to know about the SAVE Plan:

WHAT IS AN INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN?

The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of four plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans.

Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrowers discretionary income. If a borrowers earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased.

HOW IS BIDENS PLAN DIFFERENT?

As part of his debt relief plan announced last year, Biden said his Education Department would create a new income-driven repayment plan that lowers payments even further. It became known as the SAVE Plan, and it's generally intended to replace existing income-driven plans.

Borrowers will be able to apply later this summer, but some of the changes will be phased in over time.

Right away, more people will be eligible for $0 payments. The new plan wont require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line  $32,800 a year for a single person. The cutoff for current plans, by contrast, is 150% of the poverty line, or $22,000 a year for a single person.

Another immediate change aims to prevent interest from snowballing.

As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, their overall balance won't increase. Once they cover their adjusted monthly payment  even if it's $0  any remaining interest will be waived.

Other major changes will take effect in July 2024.

Most notably, payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Those with graduate and undergraduate loans will pay between 5% and 10%, depending on their original loan balance. For millions of Americans, monthly payments could be reduced by half.

Next July will also bring a quicker road to loan forgiveness. Starting then, borrowers with initial balances of $12,000 or less will get the remainder of their loans canceled after 10 years of payments. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond that, the cancellation will come after an additional year of payments.

For example, a borrower with an original balance of $14,000 would get all remaining debt cleared after 12 years. Payments made before 2024 will count toward forgiveness.

HOW DO I APPLY?

The Education Department says it will notify borrowers when the new application process launches this summer. Those enrolled in an existing plan known as REPAYE will automatically be moved into the SAVE plan. Borrowers will also be able to sign up by contacting their loan servicers directly.

It will be available to all borrowers in the Direct Loan Program who are in good standing on their loans.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS?

Supporters say Bidens plan will simplify repayment options and offer relief to millions of borrowers. The Biden administration has argued that ballooning student debt puts college out of reach for too many Americans and holds borrowers back financially.

Opponents call it an unfair perk for those who don't need it, saying it passes a heavy cost onto taxpayers who already repaid student loans or didnt go to college. Some worry that it will give colleges incentive to raise tuition prices higher since they know many students will get their loans canceled later.

Voices across the political spectrum have said it amounts to a form of free college. Biden campaigned on a promise to make community college free, but it failed to gain support from Congress. Critics say the new plan is an attempt to do something similar without Congress approval.

IS IT LEGAL?

That depends on who you ask, but the question hasnt been taken up by a federal court.

Instead of creating a new payment plan from scratch, the Biden administration proposed changes to an existing plan. It cemented those changes by going through a negotiated rulemaking process that allows the Education Department to develop federal regulations without Congress.

Its a process thats commonly used by administrations from both political parties. But critics question whether the new plan goes further than the law allows.

More than 60 Republicans lawmakers urged Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to withdraw the plan in February, calling it reckless, fiscally irresponsible, and blatantly illegal.

Supporters argue that the Obama administration similarly used its authority to create a repayment plan that was more generous than any others at the time.

The Biden administration formally finalized the rule this month. Conservatives believe its vulnerable to a legal challenge, and some say its just a matter of finding a plaintiff with the legal right  or standing  to sue.

___

The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Former New Jersey Gov. and 2024 presidential candidate Chris Christie on Thursday said he wants Ukraine to have every weapon they need to be able to win in their war against Russia.

Asked on NewsNation about whether hed expand US commitment to Ukraine if he were to win the 2024 presidential race amid a continued war, Christie said hed increase it, because right now with the Biden administration is doing is giving them just enough weapons not to lose.

I want them to have every weapon they need to be able to win, he said of Ukraine.

And this is a proxy war, not just against Russia  but as you know, its a proxy war against China. China is funding this Russian war through their purchase of Russian oil, Christie continued. They are coordinating with Iran to provide deadly weapons to the Russian army. And they are watching what were going to do.

NewsNation host Chris Cuomo pressed the former governor on his answer, saying his party wouldnt like his stance on the matter and would label him a RINO, or Republican in name only. Many in the GOP have criticized the Biden administrations ongoing support for Kyiv and called for curtailing aid.

The job of a leader is not to follow polls, its to change polls.  We can spend this money now and have Ukrainian soldiers fight our war, or we can spend a lot more money and American blood later to fight in Taiwan, Christie responded.  Id rather have the fight now and send a clear message to China and not get to war to defend Israel in the Middle East by sending a clear message to Iran as well that we will back our friends, our Ukrainian friends.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been ongoing for 17 months since Moscow invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The U.S. and other Western allies have provided Ukraine billions of dollars in support to defend itself against the aggression, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to push for aid and admittance into the NATO military alliance.

The Biden administration earlier this month announced it would equip Ukraine with cluster munitions, a controversial move that President Biden said was in part because the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.

Biden, who is running for reelection in 2024, said Thursday there is no possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin winning the war in Ukraine, adding the Moscow leader has already lost.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar, which also owns The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ten-month-old Maddie Mendoza from Colorado named 2023 Gerber Baby.

This years Gerber Baby is a military kid from Colorado with a captivating look and even more adventurous spirit.

Maddie Mendoza also won the 13th annual Gerber Baby photo search because of an adorable throwback photo of her mom as a baby and her parents story of love and resilience. For the first time ever, parents were encouraged to submit photos of themselves as babies and their own baby.

"With Gerber's continued support of March of Dimes' maternal and infant health programs, together, we can make a lasting impact on maternal and infant health, ensuring that every baby has the best start in life. We're proud to be part of Photo Search again and join Gerber in congratulating Maddie and her family!," March of Dimes Senior Vice President Kelly Ernst said in a statement.

2023 Gerber Baby and Photo Search Winner Maddie Mendoza and her mom, Crystal Mendoza.

'Rainbow baby, Maddie, has brought us immeasurable joy'

Infant formula recall: Some recalled Gerber infant formula was sent to stores in 8 states after the recall began

The 10-month old came into the world with a with a full head of hair, captivating expression and the most joyful attitude just like her mom, Crystal Mendoza.

Maddie enjoys music classes, swim lessons, hikes and trying new foods with her parents in Colorado Springs.

Maddies parents, Crystal and Jun were high school sweethearts and have been together for 22 years. Crystal is a dentist and Jun is a Lieutenant Colonel physician in the Air Force.

Both of Maddies parents are from first generation families from the Philippines with both of her grandparents serving having served in the U.S. Navy, immigrating to the U.S. with very little.

"Being a rainbow baby, Maddie has brought us immeasurable joy with every milestone, snuggle and moment spent with her enriching our lives and making every day more meaningful and beautiful," Mendoza said in a statement.

A baby born after a pregnancy loss is commonly referred to as a rainbow baby.

"We look forward to witnessing her grow into a kind, compassionate, strong, independent and worldly individual as we hope to be stationed overseas again to teach Maddie about all the different parts of the world, she said.

What does the Gerber baby win?

Baby food contamination: Baby food brands contain 'concerning' levels of heavy metals. Homemade may not be better.

The family was awarded free Gerber products for up to a year, a new wardrobe from Gerber, surprise perks from Gerber partners and a $25,000 prize. Gerber will also match Maddies cash prize with a donation to support March of Dimes maternal and infant health programs.

As Gerber gets ready to feature Maddie on Gerbers social media channels and marketing campaigns throughout the year, the company's president said he couldn't think of anyone better to represent the brand.

"Gerber has always believed in the magic of babies, and Maddie's story, filled with love, resilience, and adventure, embodies the spirit of generations of Gerber babies. The throwback submission of Maddie and her mom brought a smile to the judges' faces and perfectly captured the spirit of this year's program. We're excited to partner with Maddie and her family throughout the next year to highlight the full-circle journey from baby to parent, Tarun Malkani, Gerber President & CEO, said in a statement.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2023 Gerber Baby contest winner is Maddie Mendoza from Colorado
Grandmaster Flash & The Blondie Effect

This article originally appeared in the August 1993 issue of SPIN.

The music is my life.

More from Spin:

Is New York, New York, really the birthplace of hip hop? Is this ultimate citythe preferred setting for most modern-day film fables the place where the seed took hold? Where the rhymes first flowed and a culture took form? This compressed, dirty place, this mainstream cultural stronghold, is the steamy-hot/snowy region where a generation found an identity, where all the shit went down?

Its where DJ Scott LaRock died and Slick Rick went to prison. Where Run found Christ and Griff got dismissed. Where sneakers became the rule and not the exception; where Latifah grew Treach, and where the Guru squoze hip hop out of Birds horn.

And here she is, Ms. Hip Hop, generic girl-fan. In that place. The city. Looking around for the elusive ticket, the line, the string that tied it all together and turned the music into a thing, a movementa music.

She is a native Californian in New York for the third time. She never stays long. She always flies back West, over the mountains and the lakes, relieved when she sees Lake Tahoe, ecstatic when she spots the Golden Gate Bridge, its yawning red span as welcoming as a familiar mouth upturned in a smile. Then she knows she is in California, a subdivision of the U.S.A. as long and thin as she would like to bea huge state broken up into sprawling counties, the seductively warm state she calls her home. California has its glories, and it holds on tight to its trophiesthe Eagles, Sly and the Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, Tower of Power. But as grand and forthright as Cali hip hop is circa 1993the Coup, Snoop Dogg, Souls of Mischief in the East lay the lungs and heart of hip hop and so the West holds court in its long shadow.

Tommy Boy president Monica Lynch asked, Has New York fallen the fuck off? a long time ago, like maybe it would jar East Coast B-boys and -girls into action. But to no avail. The cast pumps hip hop blood, but out West are the sinewy appendages, out West is where folks are walking and talking it.

New York beckons, though, like an old buddy with gossip, like a preacher who just might know the Truth. The buildings are older, the street fumes stronger, every other car is a taxi. The periodicals seem vital, seem to have more than a tenuous connection to the city. The trains hiss and moan and chug. The place is cutthroat, envious, and mean. Pleasantries are hoarded like money and doled out without enthusiasm. California is one big country town compared with Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. California piles on big-city makeup in L.A. and Oakland, San Diego and San Francisco but really, the place is spread out like a big cabbage farm, like the far-flung desert it is.

But cabbage farm or no, in urban southern California, even a mostly middle-class Catholic schoolgirl like Ms. Hip Hop knows which neighborhood is blue and which is red. She knows when to hit the asphalt in the parking lot of Shakeys or Astro Burger because boys are shooting bullets in the air or at certain cars because their varsity hoop squad lost. Or because they won.

She remembers when urban didnt have a negative connotation, when urban meant of or having to do with a city or a metropolis. She remembers when city didnt mean dank and dark and poor. She vaguely recalls when Black people werent automatically associated with cities and urbanity. Shes read about it, about when African-Americans lived mostly on farms and in the country and in the South. Arrested Developments Speech reminisces about that era in Tennessee. Making myth of the post-sharecropping era and country life, he talks convincingly, painfully about climbing the trees his forefathers hung from. It sounds so cleansing and sad and fine. Just as American Black people are automatically associated with cities and all of their ills, Speech wants the old life, the old values, the old waysback to the earth. To being natural. As if that statenaturalnessis an option at this point in Western civilization.

The Catholic schoolgirl, the smart hip hop girlshe is ever anxious for peace for her people and her own state of mind. She wildly reaches for this oldness, this better way of being. But even as a mindset, while she stands on the streets of New York or West Los Angeles or Fresno or Kettleman or Napa, Californiait doesnt work. Images of wooden porches and backyard cornstalks, of roosters pecking and kente cloth flowing, the brightly painted pictures in her desperate imagination fade like a mirage in an old cartoon: quickly and completely. In its place are frowns and guns, televisions and straightened hair, housing projects and stucco single-family homes. Fast cars and loud music. Hip hop. MC Breed and Too $hort. Onyx and Ice Cube.

Still she looks for hip hops heart in New York City, believing she can find it, thinking naively that if she sees it, she could define it and the definition would make a difference in all that she sees, in all that her mind conjures and remembers. So she presses on.

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Dr. Shahla Masood is professor and chairwoman of the pathology and laboratory medicine department at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville. She is shown with digital scans of tissue samples electronically sent to a New York company for evaluation. The college is using the first federally approved artificial intelligence-based software to help physicians make faster and more accurate breast and prostate cancer diagnoses.

At a time when artificial intelligence is being incorporated more and more into the mainstream, the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville has adopted the first federally authorized AI-based computer software to help physicians make faster and more accurate breast and prostate cancer diagnoses.

The software was developed by a New York-based digital pathology company called Paige, which stands for Pathology Artificial Intelligence Guidance Engine. Physicians scan images and send them and related data to the company electronically for analysis.

"AI is a tool, like any other tool," said Paige CEO Andy Moye, who once was a Navy pilot based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. "But particularly in health care  it's a tool that's going to save lives."

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Dr. Shahla Masood, the professor who heads the college's pathology and laboratory medicine department in Jacksonville, said AI is an invaluable supplement to a physician's and pathologist's expertise.

AI can provide an objective second opinion and pinpoint a diagnosis when test results indicate multiple possibilities, she said. And the speed of AI's calculations can lead to treatment getting underway sooner.

"Looking at lab results, they have trained machines to find the earliest changes," she said. "It's not about changing traditional diagnosis but using digital pathology as an added process, to give added consistency, much quicker."

With artificial intelligence trending in the news today and across the world, many people  including some skeptics  want to know more.

What is artificial intelligence and who created it?

The multiple candidates for the father of AI include British logician and computer pioneer Alan Turing in the 1940s and computer scientist and cognitive scientist John McCarthy in the 1950s. The U.S. Department of Defense is even in the mix and began training computers in the 1960s "to mimic basic human reasoning."

As for a definition of AI, McKinsey Explainers, a series by McKinsey & Co. management consulting firm experts that provides "direct answers to complex questions," provided the following:

"Artificial intelligence is a machines ability to perform the cognitive functions we usually associate with human minds, such as perceiving, reasoning, learning, interacting with an environment, problem-solving and even exercising creativity," according to McKinsey. "Ultimately, the value of artificial intelligence isnt in the systems themselves but in how companies use those systems to assist humans  and their ability to explain to shareholders and the public what those systems do  in a way that builds and earns trust."

Earning trust will be the key to answering a popular Google question: Will AI take over the world?

UF Health Jacksonville digital pathology prep tech Reginald Hyacinthe loads a cartridge of slides containing tissue samples into a digital scanner to be sent to for analysis. The University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville is using the first federally approved artificial intelligence-based software to help make diagnoses.

Business leaders were surveyed on that question at the Yale SEO Summit in June. According to a CNN report, 58% of them said they were "not worried" and that AI could never destroy humanity, while 34% of them said that was a possibility in 10 years and 8% said it could happen sooner in five years.

Experts at LyRise, a platform that helps companies recruit AI talent, wrote that artificial intelligence will not destroy humanity, despite its powerful potential.

"One of the main reasons why AI is not an existential threat is that it is a tool, not a being. AI is created and controlled by humans and it can only do what it is programmed to do," according to LyRise. "It does not have the ability to make its own decisions or develop its own goals."

LyRise also noted that AI is designed with safety mechanisms, such as the ability to be overridden by humans, and research is underway "to ensure that AI is developed responsibly and that its potential risks are identified and addressed."

Masood, of the UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville, equated the impact of AI to that of cellphones or the internet. They might have been intimidating  even frightening  at first, but we have since come to count on them.

"AI is the latest discovery in computer science, how to use computers to focus on learning concepts with almost unlimited applications not only in health care, but industry," she said. "We can teach machines to learn about anything  To mimic the human mind."

How can AI benefit health care?

The key benefit is "improved diagnostic speed and accuracy," according to the magazine Medical Economics.

"AI algorithms can process large amounts of data quickly and accurately, making it easier for health care providers to diagnose and treat diseases," according to the magazine. "AI algorithms can analyze medical images, such as X-rays and MRI scans, to identify patterns and anomalies that a human provider might miss. This can lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses, resulting in better patient outcomes."

Paige's Moye said AI can navigate "complex pattern recognition, allowing computers  to find patterns in different things." That, he said, can help doctors determine whether a patient has cancer or not, early on.

Moye

"Getting the right diagnosis in a sooner period of time," he said. "Waiting for results over days and weeks is the most agonizing time."

In addition, AI can also monitor patients vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure and note sudden changes, among other things, according to Medical Economics.

As a result, AI is one of many tools that can be utilized by physicians, Masood said. Information from the patient and doctor, lab tests and imaging, age and family history are among the other factors considered.

"Medicine is not black and white. Many diseases share similarities," she said. A diagnosis is made after "we put all these things together like a puzzle. AI is that last piece of the puzzle," she said.

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What did federal regulators say about Paige AI?

After multiple clinical trials and regulatory reviews, the software received marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2021 for use in prostate cancer diagnosis and later in breast cancer diagnosis.

Pathologists examine biopsies of tissue suspected for diseases, such as prostate cancer, every day," said Dr. Tim Stenzel, director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health in the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "Identifying areas of concern on the biopsy image can help pathologists make a diagnosis that informs the appropriate treatment. The authorization of this  software can help increase the number of identified prostate biopsy samples with cancerous tissue, which can ultimately save lives."

In a Paige study, 18 pathologists evaluated 610 prostate biopsy tissue samples prepared at 218 different institutions. Two evaluations were performed on each sample: one with the assistance of Paige and one without. The study found that physicians using the prostate software had 70% reduction in false negative diagnoses and 24% reduction in false positive diagnoses. Results were published in 2022 in the College of American Pathologists' Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

"That made their eyes open," Moye said.

How did UF come into play?

Paige, which was founded in 2017, contacted UF about using the software. Moye has a personal tie: He obtained his master's degree in business from UF in 2007.

In addition to UF, the software is being used at about two dozen other sites, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and by the National Health Service in Oxford, England, Moye said.

"We have the most studied algorithms out there," he said. "They've really got to feel comfortable."

UF has adopted Paiges full portfolio of AI offerings, including the Paige Prostate Suite and PaigeBreast Suite.

Masood

"The choice to adopt AI was made, first and foremost, with our patients in mind," Masood said. "WE are committed to providing our patients with the best possible outcomes and to improving the diagnostic experience for our pathologists. Using an AI-powered application saves our pathologists from the tedious and repetitive tasks involved in diagnosis, improves their diagnostic confidence and gives them the ability to focus their attention on the cases that need their expertise the most."

UF also uses AI in other areas that involve research and validation, she said.

Do other Jacksonville-area hospitals use AI?

To a varying degree, yes.

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic "is developing, testing and using in clinical practice" many AI-based tools at all its locations, including its Jacksonville hospital, according to a statement. "Data scientists and clinician-researchers are working together to take expansive sets of data and applying sophisticated AI and machine learning algorithms to achieve medical insights. They are applying AI in a way that quickly solves problems, leading to the creation of new healthcare tools and treatments."

Also, Mayo in Minnesota has built a new Research Department for AI and Informatics and established a Center for Digital Health and a Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, which are used by all its locations. And it has launched Mayo Clinic Platform, which "enables connections between innovators and users to drive the transformation of heath care," according to the statement.

HCA Healthcare, which owns and operates HCA Florida Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville and HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital, is "building on a legacy of innovation," according to a statement. One example: Memorial is one of two HCA hospitals helping to develop a scheduling and staffing program that uses an "AI, machine-learning algorithm to predict staffing needs."

Baptist Health uses AI to "improve patient experience and clinical and administrative efficiency," according to the health system. In primary care offices, with patient consent, the technology "acts as a scribe" during appointments, allowing physicians to focus on patients rather than documentation.

Other AI examples are delivery robots at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville that give nurses and other clinicians more time caring for patients.

Chief digital and information officer Aaron Miri is leading the incorporation of AI "into health care workflows while keeping privacy, accuracy, safety and ethics top-of-mind," Baptist Health said. Miri's team developed tools that provide administrative support by "summarizing meetings, analyzing data and records to provide diagnosis information and retrieving relevant information from large sources of data," according to a Modern Health report cited by Baptist.

Ascension St. Vincent's did not provide information about its AI use by Friday afternoon.

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

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville uses AI for cancer diagnoses
BlackRock (BLK) CEO Larry Fink on Friday kept to his pledge to no longer use the acronym ESG. But he also made it clear that investors would be wise to keep their focus on climate concerns.

In its quarterly earnings announcement, BlackRock announced that assets under management rose to $9.4 trillion while net income rose and revenue fell. Then, in a conference call, Fink seized on a question about transition investing, which is loosely defined as putting money beyond the transition to a carbon-free economy.

He didn't refer to ESG  an acronym he believes has been "weaponized" by the left and the right  but called transition investing "probably one of the greatest opportunities in the world today." ESG stands for investing with environmental, social, and corporate governance principles.

"We're having more and more conversations with more and more corporations about how they think about their platform related to decarbonization," he added.

Fink has become a prominent face in the debate about ESG in recent years as Republicans in Washington now look to limit do-good investing.

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City in April. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

"One of the concerns I've got is the fiduciary responsibility of these investment groups like BlackRock," Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican from Missouri, said at a Congressional hearing this week.

Luetkemeyer is one of the leaders of the anti-ESG efforts expressing worry that "political agendas overshadow sound financial management."

'There's not a government that is not focused on this'

BlackRock has garnered much of the political attention because of its outsized power across the economy and the proxy voting power it holds at nearly every major S&P 500 company.

Fink is certainly not shying away from his focus on climate issues. He traveled earlier this week to the United Kingdom for a climate-themed event at Windsor Castle that featured King Charles III and President Joe Biden as well as other business leaders like Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Britain's King Charles III enter a climate engagement with philanthropists and investors at Windsor Castle on July 10. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)

Fink on Friday emphasized that government actions around climate change represent much of the opportunity for investors in the years ahead.

"There's not a government that is not focused on this, [and] how do they successfully navigate their economy and energy and power is becoming one of the dominant conversations."

BlackRock itself has also taken an increasingly direct role in the energy transition by providing funding to companies looking to raise capital for energy projects.

On Friday, Fink touted a recent $700 million investment in Australian battery storage and a carbon sequestration project in the US.

For Fink, a focus on the climate will clearly be a long-term focus, saying, "We look at this as a multi multi-year growth opportunity."

Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.

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NEW YORK  The Yankees could give the ultimate boost to their lineup and rotation  by acquiring Shohei Ohtani.

The list of teams interested in adding the Angels pitcher/slugger, an impending free agent, before the Aug. 1 trade deadline starts with New York, according to ESPNs Buster Olney.

In talking with sources (Wednesday), they see the Yankees as potentially being the most motivated because Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, theyre middle-aged players right in the prime of their careers, Olney said Thursday on Get Up.

This is the Yankees window to win now. You bring in Ohtani, suddenly that Yankees rotation with him involved looks so strong. Ohtani hitting in Yankee Stadium, which favors left-handed sluggers, thats something Im sure the Yankees would be willing to pay for if Ohtani is made available by the Angels.

Ohtani leads all MLB batters with 32 home runs while pitching to a 3.32 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 100 1/3 innings.

The Angels have not indicated they would trade the 2021 AL MVP but, at 45-46, sit in fourth place in the AL West and recently lost fellow superstar Mike Trout to a fractured hamate bone.

The Yankees are 49-42 and a game out of the final AL wild-card spot.

The 29-year-old Ohtani would elevate a Yankees lineup that finished the first half 28th in team batting average and 19th in runs. Judge, who hit an AL-record 62 home runs last season to win the 2022 MVP over Ohtani, hasnt played since June 3 due to an injured big toe.

Ohtani would also help a Yankees rotation thats been without Frankie Montas all season and only recently got back Carlos Rodon. Luis Severino, who also missed nearly two months due to injury, has a 7.38 ERA.

Olney listed the Rays and Rangers as teams also interested in Ohtani, who is expected to command more than $500 million this offseason.
A firefighter has set the record for the longest distance run  while on fire and without oxygen. Jonathan Vero, a 39-year-old from France, ran 893 feet while wearing a protective suit that was set ablaze. It took him just 17 seconds.

The task seems like an odd one, but the record for longest distance full body burn run without oxygen has been broken seven times since 2009, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Jonathan Vero, a French firefighter, set the record for the longest distance run while on fire and without oxygen. He ran 893 feet in 17 seconds. / Credit: Guinness Book of World Records

The record was originally set in 2009 by Keith Malcolm in the U.K. Vero, who spent three months training for the feat, ran three times the length of Malcolm's run.

The most recent record set was 670 feet. Even though he ran more than 200 feet farther than that, Vero did it 7.58 seconds faster.

Vero says he has "always had a passion for fire," and hasn't stopped playing with it since he was a kid. He is a not only a firefighter, but also a stuntman.

As a firefighter and stuntman, Vero is use to working with fire. / Credit: Guinness Book of World Records

He said he wanted to go back to the "city that saw me grow up" and attempt the record on the track in Haubourdin, France, where he trained as a kid.

He is used to being engulfed in flames. He performs stunts like fire juggling and fire eating, and the "human torch," where he sets his whole body on fire.

He said he likes "pushing the limits." That much is clear  and he's not done. "I've still got a lot to try and a lot of records to go for," he said.

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Five people in the same car were shot and wounded while leaving a funeral after someone in a second vehicle opened fire in a brazen attack in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC, authorities say.

Police were called to a the shooting site on a bridge over the Anacostia River on Bladensburg Road, 40 miles east of Washington DC, just before 12.30pm on Friday.

The five victims received life-saving treatment from first responders at the scene before being taken to hospital, Bladensburg Police Department chief Tyrone Collington said at a press conference.

He could not provide any details on the victims ages or conditions, but FOX DC reported three were in a critical condition.

Mr Collington said police had not yet identified any suspects and asked for help from motorists who were in the area at the time.

Mr Collington said police were seeking surveillance footage of the incident. Police received a description of the suspects vehicle as dark-coloured.

He said police were working to establish a possible motive, including whether the suspects had attended the same funeral.

At this time, I cant confirm that it was road rage or not, Mr Collington said. We are still working through it.

Multiple people have been wounded in a shooting on Annapolis Road in Bladensburg, Maryland (CBS News)

He said none of those in the targeted car had fired any shots.

There was not an exchange (of gunfire) between the two vehicles. It was one vehicle that was shot at and struck multiple victims within that vehicle, Mr Collington said.

He described the shooting as an unnecessary, senseless act of violence.

This is uncommon in this community, he said.

Bladensburg Police Department chief Tyrone Collington gave further details about a mass shooting in the Maryland shooting on Friday (FOX5)

Officials with the Edmonston Police Department were assisting with the investigation and said they believed the shooting was an isolated incident and didnt pose an ongoing threat.

Bladensburg, home to about 9,400 people, has a well-known World War I memorial known as the Peace Cross situated on a median near the bridge.
House adoption of conservative amendments to a defense bill has thrown the fate of the must-pass package into doubt, sparking widespread opposition from Democrats and putting new burdens on Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to rally enough Republican votes to pass it through the lower chamber.

The threat to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is unusual for an annual legislative ritual that sets the budget for the nations armed forces  and routinely enjoys broad bipartisan support.

But this year, under pressure from hard-liners in his conference, McCarthy brought a series of controversial conservative amendments to the floor. Five of those measures  pertaining to explosive issues including abortion and transgender rights  were approved on largely partisan votes Thursday evening.

The most consequential of those is an amendment that would reverse the Pentagons policy to reimburse travel expenses for service members who get abortions  a policy that has prompted Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to block hundreds of military promotions in the Senate in protest. Just two Republicans  Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and John Duarte (R-Calif.)  opposed that amendment, and Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) was the lone Democrat to vote yes.

Democrats this week have specifically pointed to the proposal as a poison pill that would sink their support for the NDAA as a whole.

The initial NDAA framework passed last month through the Armed Services Committee on a bipartisan, 58-1 vote, but the changes are already prompting immediate vows from Democrats of all stripes to oppose the final bill when it reaches the floor, perhaps as early as Friday.

I wouldnt doubt if there are a lot  a lot  of Democratic nos, said Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), a centrist member of the Problem Solvers Caucus. Despite our belief in providing for the national defense, this is really a travesty.

Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee, including ranking member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) late Thursday said they would vote against the NDAA.

They said the bill their committee approved no longer exists. What was once an example of compromise and functioning government has become an ode to bigotry and ignorance.

That would leave McCarthy scrambling to lock down more votes on his own side of the aisle in a razor-thin majority. But while most conservatives cheered the bills rightward shift, other Republicans are vowing to vote against final passage after amendments to block Ukraine funding were excluded.

If theres funding for another war in a foreign country that is not our NATO ally, it doesnt make sense, and Ive been saying that from the beginning. So I would have to be a no, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said.

To pass the bill Friday as planned, McCarthy and House GOP leaders will either have to count on Democrats to overlook the amendments pertaining to explosive social issues, or convince hard-line conservative Republicans  including those who have opposed the NDAA in the past  to vote for it and ignore their concerns about U.S. support for Ukraine.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said he has never voted in favor of the annual defense bill in the decade he has been in Congress, but in good news for McCarthy, he said hes reconsidering this time.

Everything up here is a crap sandwich. And this ones got some bread on it, Massie said.

In addition to the abortion provision, the chamber also adopted two transgender-related amendments: One would prohibit the health care program for active-duty service members from covering sex reassignment surgeries and gender hormone treatments for transgender individuals, and the other calls for prohibiting gender transition procedures through the Exceptional Family Member Program.

Two more amendments led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) took aim at diversity initiatives and banned promotion of what many conservatives would call woke ideas, specifically articulating prohibited topics such as the U.S. being a fundamentally racist country.

The approval of those measures drew outrage from Democrats, who accused GOP leaders of caving to their most conservative elements.

Where are the moderate Republicans? Do they exist anymore? asked Rep. Jim McGovern (Mass.), senior Democrat on the House Rules Committee.

The conservatives dismissed those criticisms, accusing the Biden administration of forcing Congresss hand by adopting the social policies to begin with.

Its always funny to listen to my Democrat colleagues say that were politicizing this somehow by injecting cultural issues, as if theyre not driving the train on cultural issues over at [the Department of Defense] as we speak, Roy said.

Earlier in the day, McCarthy had brushed off the prospect of controversial amendments on social issues complicating final passage of the NDAA, comparing the abortion travel expenses policy reversal to the Hyde Amendment, a policy rider approved annually for decades that bans taxpayer money from being spent on abortion.

It simply means we wont spend taxpayer money on abortion. If you were the most extreme pro-life or pro-choice, thats the one thing everybody agreed to know for decades. So now, why are the Democrats becoming so extreme that they changed their position for decades? McCarthy said.

Asked about amendments that gut diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, McCarthy said: Do they want Disneyland to train our military, or do they want a military that can defend the nation?

There are early signs that Republicans will put the blame on Democrats for any problems passing the bill.

Itll really show America that the Democrats are so extreme that they wont defend the military, McCarthy said.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who has spent much of the year criticizing her own party for focusing on abortion, surprised observers Thursday by voting in favor of the NDAAs abortion amendment. Afterward, she said the amendment is irrelevant, because the Democratic-led Senate will strip it out, and accused House Democrats of abandoning the troops if they oppose the final bill over that provision.

Its not going to pass the Senate anyway; it doesnt matter, Mace said. So if you vote against the NDAA, youre going to be voting against the men and women in uniform.

The timing of the NDAA debate has been in flux all week, as McCarthy and his leadership team struggled to devise an amendments strategy. Conservatives secured victory when the House Rules Committee  in the wee hours of Thursday morning  greenlighted a batch of amendments that are poison pills for Democrats, coming after days of pressure from the House Freedom Caucus and its ideological allies.

Some of those conservative members expressed support for the bill after approval of those amendments.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) had said that reversing the abortion policy and blocking the Pentagon from paying for gender-affirming care were priorities for him  and after Thursdays votes, he plans to vote in favor of the bill Friday.

But securing the amendments votes, and seeing some of them pass, is not necessarily enough for all of the hard-ine Republicans to support the bill.

Im still leaning no, said Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.). It bothers me, the money that we continue to send to Ukraine.

While Republicans approved many of the more controversial amendments Thursday the House overwhelmingly voted down a series of amendments pertaining to funding for Ukraine, leaving some GOP lawmakers uneasy.

Greene said she will vote against the defense bill when it comes to the floor for a final vote because of her Ukraine red line.

Two Ukraine-related amendments sponsored by the Georgia lawmaker were shot down by both Democrats and Republicans: The first, which would strike $300 million of Ukraine funding authorization from the bill, failed 89-341, and the second, which called for striking the creation of a Center of Excellence in Ukraine, was rejected 95-332-2.

I think its a great bill in so many ways and I want to vote for it, but leaving the money in there makes it something I cant vote for, Greene said.

An amendment from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) that would prohibit security assistance to Ukraine also failed in an overwhelming 358-70 vote.

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, called the rejection of the Ukraine amendments a disappointment but said the entire bill is improving. Whether or not he will support the package, however, is still up in the air.

I dont know if were completely there, Perry said, but I think its improving.

Updated at 10:36 p.m. ET.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
CHICAGO (AP)  The Rev. Jesse Jackson plans to step down from leading the Chicago civil rights organization Rainbow PUSH Coalition he founded in 1971, the organization announced Friday.

Reverend Jesse Jackson is officially pivoting from his role as president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. His commitment is unwavering, and he will elevate his lifes work by teaching ministers how to fight for social justice and continue the freedom movement," the organization said in a statement. Rev. Jacksons global impact and civil rights career will be celebrated this weekend at the 57th annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention, where his successor will be introduced.

The Rev. Janette Wilson, a senior adviser to Jackson and longtime staff member of the organization, told The Associated Press that the civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate will address members Saturday about his decision.

Jackson, who will turn 82 in October, has remained active in civil rights in recent years despite health setbacks.

He announced in 2017 that he had begun outpatient care for Parkinsons disease two years earlier. In early 2021, he had gallbladder surgery and later that year was treated for COVID-19 including a stint at a physical therapy-focused facility. He was hospitalized again in November 2021 for a fall that caused a head injury.

Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., broke with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1971 to form Operation PUSH  originally named People United to Save Humanity  a sweeping civil rights organization based on Chicagos South Side.

The organization was later renamed the Rainbow PUSH Coalition with a mission ranging from encouraging corporations to hire more minorities to voter registration drives in communities of color. Its annual convention is set for this weekend in Chicago.

Jackson has long been a powerful voice in American politics.

Until Barack Obamas election in 2008, Jackson was the most successful Black candidate for the U.S. presidency, winning 13 primaries and caucuses for the Democratic nomination in 1988.

Jackson has helped guide the modern civil rights movement on a wide variety of issues, including voting rights and education.

He stood with the family of George Floyd at a memorial for the Black man murdered in 2020 by a white police officer, whose death forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism. Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.

Santita Jackson, one of his daughters, said in an interview that her father would not be vanishing. While the flesh may not be willing, the spirit is, she said, adding that she hoped her father would provide a living history. Dr. King gave him his assignment and hes been faithful to it in every iteration of his life. Many people have said Dr. King was the architect and Rev. Jackson was the builder.

One of his sons, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, told the Chicago Sun-Times that his father has forever been on the scene of justice and has never stopped fighting for civil rights and that will be his mark upon history.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Jackson an architect of the soul of Chicago" in a statement Friday.

Through decades of service, he has led the Rainbow PUSH Coalition at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights and social justice. His faith, his perseverance, his love, and his relentless dedication to people inspire all of us to keep pushing for a better tomorrow, said Johnson, who was endorsed by Jackson when he ran for mayor earlier this year.

Al Sharpton, president and founder of the National Action Network, said in a statement that he had spoken to Jackson on Friday morning and told him that we will continue to glean from him and learn from him and duplicate him in whatever our organizations and media platforms are. Because he has been an anchor for me and many others.

Sharpton called Jackson his mentor, adding: The resignation of Rev. Jesse Jackson is the pivoting of one of the most productive, prophetic, and dominant figures in the struggle for social justice in American history.

___

Fields reported from Washington, D.C. Savage is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
The suspect charged Friday in connection with a string of long-unsolved slayings of women on Long Island, New York, lived in a cozy South Shore suburb not far from the beach highway where human remains were first found more than a decade ago.

The suspect was identified in court documents as Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, a village in Nassau County. His arrest sent shock waves through his quiet bedroom community as neighbors described a well-dressed man who would commute to work in Manhattan as an architect, with no reason to believe he could be involved in a series of killings that have stumped investigators and drawn national attention.

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If he is found guilty, "he was living a double life," said Rosemarie Kafka, 56, a former neighbor who had lived near the Heuermann family before moving last year. "You know, the regular guy who goes to work, has kids in the local school and in a good neighborhood, but he's killing people on the side."

Heuermann was arrested in midtown Manhattan on Thursday night and transported to Suffolk County. He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of three women. He is also suspected in the disappearance and death of a fourth woman, but that investigation remains ongoing, according to a bail application. A judge remanded him without bail.

During a news conference Friday afternoon, local prosecutors and police praised a multiagency task force brought together early last year for identifying Heuermann as their main suspect and ultimately using cellphone evidence and DNA taken from a pizza crust to build their case.

"Fresh eyes in this case and the resiliency of our investigators allowed us to identify Rex Heuermann," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said. "Rex Heuermann is a demon who walks among us."

But Heuermann's attorney, Michael J. Brown, told reporters that the accusations against his client are "extremely circumstantial in nature," and he said Heuermann has denied any involvement.

"The only thing he did say, as he was in tears, was 'I didnt do this,'" Brown said. "He's distraught. He's clearly distraught about the charges here."

The case dogged investigators for years after the discovery of human remains in 2010 near Gilgo Beach led to as many as 16 victims being found, many of them who were known sex workers. Police do not believe all of those deaths are linked to the same person, but that Heuermann is involved in four slayings in which the women were found in similar positions and bound with either belts or tape, according to court documents. The bodies of three of those women were also wrapped in burlap-type material.

Crime lab officers arrive at the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, on Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AP)

Who is Rex Heuermann?

Authorities blocked off Heuermann's Massapequa Park home Friday. Officials in hazmat suits could be seen entering the modest single-story house, located on a block of larger well-kept residences. Investigators were searching the property in addition to Heuermann's office in midtown Manhattan.

Some neighbors said that they had short interactions with Heuermann and his family over the years, but that they typically kept to themselves.

Heuermann stood out as a "tall, big, big guy. Always well dressed," said Patrica Maressa, 64, who has lived next door to his house for more than two decades.

"I'm still shocked that this is going on," she said, adding, "It's a very quiet neighborhood. At night, you could hear a pin drop."

Heuermann's home is also listed in connection with his business, RH Consultants & Associates. He received his architecture license in 1996, and New York state records show he does not have any enforcement actions listed.

Among his clients have been Catholic Charities, New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, American Airlines and other major tenants at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to an online biography.

In an interview from his Manhattan office posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty in early 2022, Heuermann said he was an architectural consultant and "troubleshooter," born and raised on Long Island and working in Manhattan since 1987. He spoke about the nuts and bolts of his profession and how he educated city entities about local architectural codes.

When asked about what qualities someone in his job would need, he said, "I don't like to use the word tolerance, but sometimes you have to. And it's not just with the city. It's also with the client, because most clients, they don't understand what I have to do, why I have to do it, and what it takes to get done."

Heuermann also spoke about learning to construct furniture from his father, whom he described as an aerospace engineer who built satellites.

"I build furniture at home and I still build it in the same exact workshop," he said. "I have one tool that's pretty much used in almost every job, and it's actually a cabinet maker's hammer. It is persuasive enough when I need to persuade something."

"Not someone?" the interviewer asked.

"Something," Heuermann said, "and it always yields excellent results."

At least one person who knows Heuermann said his arrest is at odds with the man she has come to know through weekly networking meetings.

"I knew him as a friend and a colleague. And I am completely surprised," the woman said, adding that she last spoke with him Tuesday via Zoom.

"He was very organized. He was very friendly," she said. "I did not see this coming."

How did police allegedly connect Heuermann?

In December 2010, a Suffolk County police officer conducting a training exercise with his K-9 partner discovered a first set of human remains along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach, according to court documents.

The remains were later identified as Melissa Barthelemy, a 24-year-old who had been reported missing in 2009 after she was last seen at her basement apartment in the Bronx.

Police would go on to find three additional sets of remains, later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, a 25-year-old who went missing in 2007; Megan Waterman, a 22-year-old who went missing in 2010; and Amber Costello, a 27-year-old who also was reported missing in 2010. The women were all believed to be sex workers who advertised on online sites, according to police.

After years of an investigation that had gone cold, a joint law enforcement review jumpstarted in 2022, which included local and state police and the FBI, brought attention to a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to Heuermann. Such a vehicle had been on investigators' radar during Costello's disappearance from a witness' tip.

An investigation into Heuermann led to the discovery of cellphone billing records corresponding to cell site locations for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the four victims, as well as a phone used to make "taunting calls" to a sister of Barthelemy. Heuermann is also believed to have used Brainard-Barnes' and Barthelemy's cellphones after their deaths, police said.

"A review of these records, as well as Heuermann's American Express records, showed numerous instances where Heuermann was located in the same general locations as the burner cellphones used to contact victims Barthelemy, Waterman, and Costello, as well as the use of Brainard-Barnes and Barthelemy's cellphones when they were used to check voicemail and make taunting phone calls after the women disappeared," Suffolk County prosecutors said in court documents. "Significantly, investigators could find no instance where Heuermann was in a separate location from these other cellphones when such a communication event occurred."Investigators said they also linked Heuermann's use of his cellphone to an AOL account, which was also accessed by a burner phone. The phone was linked to midtown Manhattan and Massapequa Park by cell sites, and investigators said they found additional burner phones were "used to conduct thousands of searches related to sex workers, sadistic, torture-related pornography and child pornography." The phones were also linked to an email involved in more than 200 online searches specifically naming the victims and updates in the "Long Island serial killer" case.

In addition, hairs found on the victims were tested and determined to be from another female. DNA was taken off of bottles left out for trash collection in front of Heuermann's home in July 2022. When investigators tested the hair found on Waterman, it matched DNA believed to belong to Heuermann's wife, court documents said.

The police investigation determined Heuermann's wife was out of town during the various killings.

"As such, it is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermann's residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing," prosecutors said.

A male hair was also found on the burlap used to wrap Waterman, according to investigators. Police collected a discarded pizza thrown by Heuermann and swabbed a pizza crust for DNA.

Based on lab results in June, investigators said "it is significant that Defendant Heuermann cannot be excluded from the male hair recovered near the 'bottom of the burlap' utilized to restrain and transport Megan Waterman's naked and deceased body."

Heuermann was charged in the deaths of Barthelemy, Waterman and Costello. Prosecutors said in court documents that he remains the prime suspect in Brainard-Barnes' death, but there are no charges as the investigation "is continuing and is expected to be resolved soon."

Authorities on Friday asked the public for further help in solving the cases of other human remains found in Gilgo Beach in recent decades but not believed to be linked to Heuermann.
WHEN SIMON Pegg appeared in 2006's Mission: Impossible IIIhis first of now five outings as IMF Agent Benji Dunn in the long-running action franchisehe was, in his own words, "fairly out of shape." Sure, he'd already played a ruthless police constable protagonist in one of history's greatest action comedies (2007's Hot Fuzz), but it was only when the opportunity for Benji to go from the guy at the computer to a proper gun-toting field agent came in 2011's Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol that his attitude toward personal fitness really changed. He started taking his training as seriously, as, well, an IMF field agent would.

Pegg learned about Benji's new, more physically intensive job responsibilities, and started his training on the job, making evident progress throughout filming. The next time you're rewatching Ghost Protocol, pay particular note to an early moment where Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and Benji are in Russia, walking through Red Square, before the scene cuts to the interior of the Kremlin.

"In that edit, I lose about 20 pounds," he says with a hearty laugh. "I was training on the job, and ever since then, really, its been a huge part of my life to stay as fit and healthy as I possibly can. In that respect, Mission really turned my life around."

Fitness has continued to be part of Pegg's daily routine in the 12 years since Ghost Protocol's release, and he continues to this day to spend time working out with Cruise, including in the star's traveling on-set gym that he calls "the pain cave." Pegg has seen Cruise's equipment go from fairly barebones and bodyweight-focused early on to now the less physically-demanding ARX machines, which create constant resistance but create less wear and tear on the body. "I wouldnt say its good for him getting older, because he doesnt seem to get older," Pegg says. "But its good for me getting older."

Paramount

At this point, Benji has been on missions with Ethan Hunt and the IMF for well over a decade and he's a seasoned agent by the time we get to the newest film, Dead Reckoning Part One. And given all the time put in, it makes perfect sense that Benji can keep up with the world's greatest secret agent/stuntman. In an interview conducted before SAG-AFTRA began its strike on Thursday, Pegg talked all things Mission: Impossible, his history with the franchise, and the power of Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie.

Men's Health: Part of what makes the Mission: Impossible movies so much fun is that the action sequences all feel so realprobably because they basically are. Whats the most important part, prep wise, getting ready to be part of that?

Simon Pegg: Aside from the fact that being a field agent would require being in good shape, we never quite know what, exactly, were going to be doing when we shoot the movie. Theres the script, and theres the story, but theres also a lot of room for improvisation along the way. I dont mean dialogue, but, like, why dont we do this, or why dont you do that.

Its really good just to be match fit generally when you enter into a Mission shoot, and be ready for anything. So, that requires you to just be in tip-top shape, really, because you never quite know what youre going to get asked to do.

How has Tom Cruise impacted your view on fitness? Do you ever work out with him on- or off-set?

Yeah! He famously has what we call the pain cave on set, which is the gym he uses when hes at work; he lets us all use that.

We used to train together on Rogue Nation because we were all staying at the same hotel. Me and Tom and Rebecca would all train together, and it was always really, really fun. Laterally, on this one, because he was so busy all the timehed finish work and hed have to go off and speak to, like, diplomats and shit, to get us permission to shoot during the pandemicwe didnt get the opportunity to work out so much. But hes really inspiring in that regard. You look at him, hes 61, and hes in incredible shape. Hes just a testament to the fact that if you do put in the hours, you dont have to give up when youre 40. You can stay in shape, and you can keep your body trim, and that invariably increases your sense of well-being, I think.

Don Arnold - Getty Images

Ive heard stories from productions past that when Tom isnt engaged by the idea of a stunt, hell kind of just yell "BORING!" Can you vouch for that story?

[LAUGHS] Generally what Tom says, script wise, is, I dont get it. Hes got this incredible capacity to see the movie from total objectivity. So, hell see it through the eyes of a 12-year-old kid sitting in a multiplex in Wyoming, or something, and be able to empathize with their experience, and know why something isnt working at a certain time.

One thing Ive realized with Tom is that the reason he is the way he is, the reason hes the only person, really, to be able to do this kind of stuffhes the last great movie star, in the judicial senseis because he just puts the hours in. I mean, he is utterly, utterly dedicated. I dont think I can do that. I think I have other things that distract me from doing that, like, you know, just playing Minecraft with my kid, or whatever. But thats something you look at, and you just think OK, it can be done. But its not easy.

But he is his own industry. Hes a walking industry, and to keep that industry running, and to keep that industry at its optimum effectiveness, he has to do what he does. Im not Tom Cruise, thankfully.

Ive also heard stories from back when you were first entering the franchise, that Ricky Gervais was actually the original pick to play Benji. Do you know if that's true?



No, thats actually a myth. I think J.J. [Abrams] had spoken to Ricky about a part in the Berlin sequence at the beginning of the film, and that didnt work out. But as far as I know thats not the case.

So you were always Benji?

I think so. J.J. had seen Shaun of the Dead, and called me up, and just offered me the role. He didnt go through any of my representatives or anything. It was just, straight, man-to-man, which is very, very J.J. Hes a very can-do guy, so he just got my number, called me, and said Hey, do you want to come and do this? And I was a bit flummoxed by it! He did the same thing with Star Trekand I love that about him.

And now its been 17 years and counting. When J.J. first gave you that call, did you have any inkling that this journey would turn into what its become?

Not at all. I thought it was just a little bit of stunt casting. I felt like it was going to be a little cameo, one for fans of Shaun, and I had no idea that it would continue. And then I got a call a year or so after MI:3 came out, saying How do you feel about Benji becoming a field agent? And, again, I was like, Sure, OK! And that was that.

The series entered the second half of its life, in a way, which is this incredible collaboration between Tom and Chris McQuarrie, because Chris came on board while we were shooting Ghost Protocol with Brad Bird, who did such a great job with that movie, and really introduced the team dynamic, which is persistent since then. But Tom and McQ had already started their creative romance before that with Valkyrie, and it just seemed really logical that McQ come on and direct Rogue Nation. And I think because that went so well, Tom felt like this guy is my lucky charm. And so the back half of this series has had this different kind of feel to it. The first four were all directed by different directors, and sort of self-contained episodes with their own character, and ever since Ghost Protocol onwards, its become much more of a continuance.

Paramount

I love that about them. Even in this movie, you get all sorts of references to past movies, like John Lark and Fallout. I think the way they connect makes them even more fun.

Oh yeah. And McQ [Christopher McQuarrie] is really good at that. Getting Henry Czerny back to play Kittridge again, and that link to the first Mission: Impossibleit really gathers the entire story together into an ongoing saga. And that only gets moreso with Part Two of Dead Reckoning.

Having played Benji for so long at this point, does he feel like a fully-formed person within you that you can tap into at any point? Or do you still find yourself taking influence from elsewhere?

The privilege Ive had in being in these movies for so long is that Ive been able to build Benji as a character with each successive installment. So, I always had the feeling that in Mission: Impossible 3, when he was directing Ethan through Shanghai, he got this sort of thrill of exhilaration, and decided to enlist in the field agent program. Then we see him in the field for the first time in 4, and every time we do another film, I build on what Benjis been through before. And so by the time we meet him in Dead Reckoning Part One, hes a really experienced, much more of a journeyman agent than he ever has been. Hes been through a lot. Hes saved the world a few times. Hes been hung, hes killed people, and you just try to pile that experience onto the character you already have, but at the same time retaining his truth and authenticity as the most human of the team. Hes the one that actually takes stock of the situation, looks around him, and says What the hell is going on?

You need that. Because Ethan is all about being this kind of unstoppable super agent, and as human as he is, he always just gets the job done. He never questions anythingand Benjis the one who does. Its sweet, because I think Benjis the only character in the series who can actually shout at Ethan, and Ethan listens. Which is really fun to play.

Benji is usually the one on the other end of the phone with Ethan incredible moments, whether its jumping through a window or off a cliff on a motorcycle. And a key part of those moments is you nailing the chemistry of the back and forth in the conversation that comes just before and after. What goes into that?

I think weve just developed that chemistry over the years, as weve become friends. We have a very easy off-screen relationship as well; its very fun and playful. We make each other laugh a lot. If, ever, I can be there for the B-side of a scenelike, I was up there on the mountain, behind the camera, doing the lines back to him when he was on the bike.

I remember the first day of shooting Mission: Impossible 3, and I was shooting the scene in the afternoon where I was guiding him through Shanghai, and he said Do you want me to stay? Ill stay behind this aftternoon. I was going to go train, but if you want me for off-lines. I was very British about it, and I said Oh, no no. Dont be ridiculous, of course not. But he meant it, you know? And so were always trying to make sure that if its possible, then were there for each other to make sure that the banter between them sings.

I love the car chase in Rogue Nation. Specifically the part where you and Tom crash into Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames, and you have that little moment.

Yeah! I love that.

Was that improvised? How did you come to that little friendly moment within such an intense sequence?

I remember thinking that it would be really funny if Benji was just like Hey! Its those guys! That whole thing really made me laugh. Just the shared chemistry that we had, between myself, Jeremy, Ving, and Tom, enabled us to have that moment. Its one of my favorite bits.

Im going to jump in with some Mission: Impossible rapid fire questions now. Whats your most rewatched Mission: Impossible movie?

Funny enough, its Dead Reckoning: Part One, because Ive already seen it five times. Ive seen it more than Ive seen the others on release, just because it still boggles my mind when I watch it. Obviously, Ive seen 1 many times. I saw that at the cinemas a long time ago. I showed it to my daughter recently and she loved it. But I think in terms of pure repeated viewings, its probably this one.

Whos your favorite villain?

The villain in the new one is so special, so Im going to exclude Dead Reckoning Part One from this. I would say I love Sean Harris as Solomon Lane. He was so brilliant, and so creepy and menacing, but in real life hes just the sweetest guy.

Favorite filming location?

I have to exclude stuff weve already done for Two. I would probably say Morocco, when we shot that. Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakesh. That was a lot of fun.

Favorite scene partner not named Tom Cruise?

Rebecca Ferguson. I love her dearly.

One character from the past youd like to see return to the series?

Thats interesting, because I know things you dont know [LAUGHS]. Id like to see Maggie Q come back. I thought she was really cool in Mission: Impossible III, that little team they had going there. She was great.

You know, the minute I start picking on that thread, Ill say Paula, or Renner, or loads of those people.

Dream cast addition?

Scarlett Johansson recently said that she would love to work with Tom, so it would be lovely to have Scarlett join the franchise in whatever form. Ive always admired her as an actor, and she certainly can kick buttbecause Ive seen her do it in Black Widow.

Paramount





Obviously you cant say much. But what can you tell us about Dead Reckoning  Part Two to get us excited?

Its bigger and more ambitious than Dead Reckoning  Part One. If youve seen the pre-marketing, the pre-press for Dead Reckoning  Part One, then youll understand what that means. It does get more crazy. There are things that Tom does in that movie that make the motorcycle stunt seem fairly tame. Its going to be incredible.

I love the fact that its coming out soon. Im really proud of the fact that Tom and McQ managed to create a Part One that didnt feel incomplete. It didnt feel like anyone was left hanging at the end, but the Part Two will certainly continue the story, and be extremely satisfying.

What's your favorite Mission: Impossible stunt?

Oh, man. Ive been there for so many of them. I was there when he was scaling the Burj Khalifa in Abu Dhabi, and we were going up to see him, and leaning gingerly out to look at him down there, just having the best time. I was there when he was hanging onto the side of the A400, and I was there for the motorcycle stunt.

I think one of the most memorable times, for me, just because I was right there in the thick of it, rather than just observing, was when we did the car chase in Morocco, and he and I were just bombing around in these alleyways. And I remember saying to the stunt coordinator, Wade, foolishly, Whos going to be doing the driving on this? And he said, Oh, its Tom. Hes the best driver Ive got.

And it was just so, so exciting. We were literally hurdling at breakneck speed around this tiny little zoo in Casablanca. And it was hard not to just woop and laugh all the time, because it was just so fun [LAUGHS]. I think that was my most memorable one.

But being there for all of them its almost more nervewracking when youre not involved, because youre completely helpless. You cant do anythingyou can only just watch and marvel at it. Particularly with the motorcycle stunt, I put a film I took on my phone of it up on my Instagram this morning, and you can see how hysterical we all are when it happened. Just utterly wired. Its terrifying!

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The House on Friday passed the National Defense Authorization Act along party lines after several controversial amendments were added to the annual military spending and policy bill.

The final vote was 219-210, with all but four Democrats opposing the usually bipartisan, must-pass legislation in light of the changes made by Republicans.

Earlier Friday, members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus took a victory lap after pushing through amendments targeting abortion, transgender medical care and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Freedom Caucus chairman Scott Perry, R-Ariz., called the changes to the bill a "major win" for "the American people and for life" at a news conference alongside other GOP hardliners.

The $886 billion measure now heads to the Democratic-led Senate where even many Republicans do not support the House-passed changes.

Perry on Friday was asked about the bill's chances in the Senate and whether he is willing to go into the next fiscal year without an NDAA.

"We have shown the way ... what they're going to do with it is their business, and there's going to have to be a conference but you have to know that we are not going to relent, we're not going to back down," Perry told reporters.

PHOTO: House Freedom Caucus chairman Rep. Scott Perry speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill about the House Freedom Caucus work on the NDAA, July 14, 2023 in Washington. (ABC News)

On Thursday, the full House began work on 80 controversial amendments to NDAA. While hard-line members of the Republican Party backed these additions, they were rejected by the Democratic minority and McCarthy urged patience for his conference as his leadership team sought to satisfy the right flank without dooming the legislation in the divided chamber.

The amendments passed include banning the Pentagon from covering travel costs for out-of-state abortions and prohibiting medical procedures for openly transgender service members, as well as gutting the Pentagon's diversity, equity and inclusion offices.

During debate, Democrats slammed the GOP effort to use the NDAA to move their agenda forward.

"It's outrageous that a small minority of MAGA extremists is dictating how we'll proceed," Rep. Jim McGovern, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee, said.

However, the chamber overwhelmingly expressed support for continued U.S. assistance to Ukraine. The amendment to strike $300 million in funding proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., failed with only 89 votes.

Five amendments related to the war in Ukraine, the majority of which concerned limiting aid, received voice votes Thursday afternoon. All were defeated, with bipartisan coalitions of more than 300 members voting against them in each vote.

MORE: What to know about the defectors against Kevin McCarthy

The Freedom Caucus specifically touted the abortion amendment from GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson that bans the Pentagon from covering travel costs for service members to get out-of-state abortions.

Jackson said on Friday the "taxpayer money is provided to the [Department of Defense] and intended to provide for our national defense and our national security. It is not to promote and support the Biden administration's radical, immoral pro-abortion agenda."

Perry and other members also praised Sen. Tommy Tuberville's efforts in the Senate for his military blockade over the Department of Defense's abortion policy.

"I do not believe we would have achieved the Republican unity in the House, but for the courage of Senator Tuberville on the other side of the rotunda, and because of that courage, we were able to have Dr. Jackson's great amendment return us to our normal status," Rep. Matt Gaetz said.

During the weekly GOP conference meeting, Speaker Kevin McCarthy had warned against amendments that could complicate or slow down the NDAA.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said this week that Republican leaders and members have been encouraging the conference to push the NDAA forward.

"There's nothing more that we need to do as a nation other than to prepare and ready our defense forces, whether it's here or abroad. We need to do this, we need to do it this week, and I hope that we can get there," Mace said.

PHOTO: Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy speaks to the media following a Republican conference meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 12, 2023. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

McCarthy said he hoped Democrats would still back the bill, while House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said members would "vote their districts" and "their conscience.  the details of these policies matter."

Aguilar, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark released a statement late Thursday announcing they would be voting no on the measure.

"Extreme MAGA Republicans have chosen to hijack the historically bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to continue attacking reproductive freedom and jamming their right-wing ideology down the throats of the American people," the statement read.

Beyond the NDAA, the House also faces a looming government shutdown later this year. Hard-line Republicans have already demanded McCarthy agree to their limits on spending if he wants their votes on future appropriations bills.

House narrowly passes defense bill with GOP hard-liner changes originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) -An alleged Russian intelligence officer pleaded not guilty on Friday to U.S. charges of smuggling U.S.-origin electronics and ammunition to Russia to help its war against Ukraine.

Vadim Konoschenok, who was extradited on Thursday from Estonia, entered the plea at a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon Reyes ordered Konoschenok detained pending trial, after prosecutors called him a flight risk.

"No matter where you are in the world, if you violate U.S. export controls or evade U.S. sanctions, we will not rest until you face justice," Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement.

Sabrina Shroff, a U.S.-based lawyer for Konoschenok, declined to comment.

The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Konoschenok, 48, was detained by Estonian authorities in October 2022 while trying to cross into Russia carrying 35 types of semiconductors and electronic components, some of which were subject to U.S. export controls, prosecutors said.

He told co-conspirators in electronic communications that he charged a 10% fee for dealing in controlled items. "Can't do less. Sanctions," he wrote, according to prosecutors.

Konoschenok was initially charged last September, as U.S. authorities sought to ramp up enforcement of export controls and sanctions designed to hamper Moscow's war effort.

His next scheduled court appearance is July 31.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen; editing by John Stonestreet and Sandra Maler)
Concerns have been raised as thousands of seabirds congregate to breed on Irish coasts

A conservation group in the Republic of Ireland has warned of "alarming and unprecedented outbreaks" of avian influenza.

BirdWatch Ireland said the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus is devastating key Irish seabird colonies.

The group manages the four most important tern colonies in Ireland.

Hundreds of dead birds have been discovered in recent weeks with carcasses testing positive for bird flu.

BirdWatch fieldworkers have collected hundreds of dead birds in recent weeks

In a recent statement the group said while it was early to assess the full impact, more than 160 adult common terns and 450 chicks were found dead at a breeding colony at Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford.

It also said the disease was threatening sandwich terns and roseate terns nesting there.

BirdWatch added it is concerned by the long-term consequences of an avian flu outbreak on Irish seabirds.

"A poor breeding season at a tern colony, with few chicks surviving, is unfortunate, but can be compensated for by better breeding success in subsequent years.

"However, the deaths of large numbers of adult terns of breeding age has a much bigger impact, and recovery will take a long time."

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine eased specific biosecurity measures to mitigate the spread of avian influenza on 1 June.

The department has been contacted for an update on bird flu in the Republic of Ireland.

A number of black-headed gulls tested positive for the virus in Northern Ireland last month

Belfast's Window on Wildlife nature reserve was closed to the public last month after a number of gulls were found to have died from the virus.

Further infections were detected in Comber, Coalisland, and Magherafelt.

Northern Irelands chief vet, Dr Robert Huey, called on all bird and poultry keepers to immediately step up their biosecurity measures and remain vigilant against the latest threat of avian flu.

He said the latest findings are a "stark warning to all of us" that avian influenza is a "constant and dynamic threat".

A recent update from the Department of Agriculture, Enviornment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said there is now an now an increasing likelihood of incursion into kept flocks.

"The findings at locations near Lough Neagh present the greatest concern, as they are in close proximity to high-density areas of commercial poultry premises."

If members of the public find dead waterfowl or other wild birds, DAERA advises they should not touch the carcasses but take immediate action to report them to the department.

DAERA has been contacted for an update on avian influenza in Northern Ireland.

Health services in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland took part in an exercise in County Louth last month to enhance cross-border preparation for future incidents of bird flu.

What is bird flu?

Bird flu is an infectious disease of poultry and wild birds that has been around for a century. It usually flares up in autumn before fading away in spring and summer

The H5N1 virus, which is the most prevalent strain now, was first reported in China in 1996

It can spread through entire flocks of domestic birds within a matter of days

Last year saw the biggest ever outbreak of bird flu in the UK and the world

Dozens of different species of wild birds were hit, including golden eagles, buzzards, herring gulls and gannets

Bird flu restrictions, which were imposed across most of the UK this year, were eased in April but experts have advised the H5N1 virus is still circulating, posing an ongoing risk to wild birds

In the UK, a number of wild mammals have died after being infected with H5N1

The World Health Organization (WHO) says H5N1 outbreaks have led to several hundred human cases, and many human deaths, since 1997

The further spread of the H5N1 virus will have to be monitored closely to see whether it is mutating into a form which can spread amongst humans
HELSINKI (AP)  President Joe Biden on Thursday said hes serious about pursuing a prisoner exchange for a Wall Street Journal reporter who has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days.

The Kremlin earlier this month suggested that it was open to a possible prisoner exchange that could involve Evan Gershkovich, but it underscored that such talks must be held out of the public eye.

Speaking at a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, Biden made clear that the U.S. is interested.

I'm serious on a prisoner exchange, said Biden, who was concluding a five-day visit to Europe that took him to the UK, Lithuania and Finland. And Im serious about doing all we can to free Americans being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter, and that process is underway.

Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip. He is being held at Moscows Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions. A Moscow court recently upheld a ruling to keep him in custody until Aug. 30.

Gershkovich and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained. His arrest rattled journalists in Russia. Authorities there have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed last week that there have been discussions between the two sides, but cautioned that there is not yet a clear pathway to winning Gershkovich's freedom.

Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Daniloff was released 20 days later in a swap for an employee of the Soviet Unions U.N. mission who was arrested by the FBI, also on spying charges.

In Washington, the Wall Street Journal and Gershkovich's family have sought to keep the spotlight on his detention.

At a National Press Club event on Thursday, Gershkovichs sister, Danielle, described the emotional toll from her brothers captivity. I just try to take it day-by-day. It still feels unreal sometimes. For my parents, its a full-time job.

She said she had received a letter from him just this week.

One silver lining of the 100th day marker, she said, was the publicity and attention for her brother.

Seeing Evans face in the news was just really heartening. At such a dark time, its wonderful to see his face again.



Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed from Washington.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Chinas top diplomat to discuss thorny issues as part of efforts to nurture talks on the sidelines of regional diplomatic meetings in Indonesia, whose president called on rival powers Friday to avoid turning the region into a competition arena."

Blinken stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns by Washington and its allies over Chinas actions in his late-Thursday meeting with Wang Yi, who heads the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, U.S. officials said.

"The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication to clarify U.S. interests across a wide range of issues and to responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"This is what the world expects of the United States and the PRC, Miller said, using the acronym for the Peoples Republic of China.

Blinken made a two-day trip to Beijing last month to meet Chinese leaders and restore top-level ties in a visit he said then was meant to address misperceptions, miscalculations and to ensure that competition doesnt veer into conflict.

But Washington and Beijing remain deeply suspicious of each others actions and intentions.

Blinken used the meeting with Wang in Jakarta to advance U.S. interests and values, to directly raise concerns shared by the United States and allies and partners regarding PRC actions, Miller said. He made clear that the United States, together with our allies and partners, will advance our vision for a free, open, and rules-based international order."

U.S. officials informed some allies in the region of Blinkens meeting with Wang Yi ahead of their talks in Jakarta with an assurance that Washington would not waver on its commitment to fight for the rule of law and against coercive actions in the region, a senior Southeast Asian diplomat told The Associated Press.

The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

Blinken and Wang, along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, were attending the Jakarta meetings with counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation regional bloc that is often pinned between competing interests of the two leading world powers over a range of issues, including tensions over Taiwan and the long-seething territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The three, along with other Western and Asian foreign ministers whose countries regularly engage with ASEAN, paid a call Friday to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who delivered a pointed message.

"Your presence at the ASEAN foreign ministerial meetings and post-ministerial conference is to find solutions to regional problems, to world problems, not the other way around, let alone exacerbate problems, Widodo said.

"ASEAN should not be a competition arena and should not be a proxy for any country, and international law must be consistently respected, the Indonesian leader said.

The recriminations, however, persisted in closed-door meetings.

Following meetings with Wang and some of his ASEAN counterparts, Lavrov told reporters Thursday in Jakarta he had stressed that Russia and China respect the principles of ASEANs central role in the region. But he accused the United States and its NATO allies of trying to undermine ASEAN, claiming that they are pushing this idea that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible, and noting that the alliance had invited Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea to participate in recent summits.

The United States and their allies are trying to replace the ASEAN-centric security architecture here in the eastern Asian region that was built for decades, he said, speaking through a translator. They want to replace it with their Indo-Pacific strategy, they want to introduce the NATO bloc into the region.

Western officials have stressed there are no plans to create an Asian NATO."

Blinken hit back at Russia on Friday in a separate meeting with ASEAN ministers. He urged them to help push for a just and lasting peace to Russias war of aggression on Ukraine  a war that violates principles at the heart of ASEANs Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the United Nations Charter."

Its harming not only Ukrainians, but people across this region and around the world by exacerbating food and energy crises, Blinken said.

Speaking earlier this year after meeting with Japans foreign minister, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was becoming more involved with partners in the region because what happens in Europe matters for Asia, for the Indo-Pacific, and what happens in Asia and the Indo-Pacific matters for Europe, calling security a global issue.

In a separate meeting between ASEANs foreign ministers and their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea on Thursday, Wang raised concerns over Japans plan to discharge treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi played down Wang's remarks and gave assurances his country was taking all safeguards in relation to the plan, according to the Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meetings.

Dino Patti Djalal, a former Indonesian ambassador to Washington who now heads a Jakarta-based foreign policy think-tank, said efforts by the U.S. and China to resume direct talks would be a welcome change for ASEAN, which has long feared that the rivalry could veer out of control.

But, he added, there should be no misplaced expectation  Rivalry still dominates the relationship.

I think theyre still a long way from establishing meaningful trust, Djalal told the AP. He said there was a need for a great deal of cooperation between the two sides, which were not seeing at the moment.

___

Associated Press journalists Niniek Karmini and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. Rising reported from Bangkok.

___

Find more of APs Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
(Reuters) -North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) this week violates multiple U.N. resolutions and threatens peace and stability in the region, the United States, South Korea, and Japan said on Friday in a joint statement condemning the launch.

The missile, fired off North Korea's east coast on Wednesday, flew for 74 minutes to an altitude of 6,000 km (3,728 miles) and a range of 1,000 km, according to Japan, in what would be the longest-ever flight time for a North Korean missile.

"This constitutes a clear, flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and poses a grave threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and beyond," the top foreign officials of U.S., South Korea, and Japan said in the joint statement.

The countries urged North Korea "to cease its unlawful and escalatory actions and promptly return to dialogue," the statement added.

The officials - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Foreign Minister Park Jin of South Korea - met on the sidelines on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Friday.

Blinken reaffirmed the United States' "ironclad commitments" to the defense of Japan and South Korea in that meeting, according to a separate statement from the U.S. State Department.

North Korea's "continued development of its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities will only bolster the resolve of the three countries and the international community to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the joint statement released after the meeting said.

The launch came after heated complaints from North Korea in recent days, accusing American spy planes of flying over its exclusive economic zone waters, condemning a recent visit to South Korea by an American nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, and vowing to take steps in reaction.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Sandra Maler)
California lawmakers revived a bill to enact harsher punishments for child sex traffickers after Democrats blocked it earlier in the week, prompting intervention by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leadership.

Members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 14 from Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, in an emergency meeting Democratic leaders called during a dramatic floor session Thursday. The measure now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, its last stop before the full body will consider it.

The bill would classify child sex trafficking as a serious felony, making it a strike under Californias three strikes law. The controversial sentencing system adds significant prison time for those repeatedly convicted of crimes listed as serious felonies.

Four Democrats and two Republicans on the committee voted in favor of SB 14. Two Democratic Assembly members, Isaac Bryan of Los Angeles and Mia Bonta of Oakland, did not vote on the measure.

The result is a major reversal from Tuesdays Public Safety Committee hearing, when SB 14 failed after all six Democrats chose not to vote on it. The outcome appeared to kill Groves bill for the year, as lawmakers approached a Friday deadline to pass their bills out of policy committees.

But Republican protest and intervention from Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, prompted a last-minute committee meeting that allowed the bill to move forward.

Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, taps the gavel after California lawmakers revived a bill Thursday to enact harsher punishments for child sex traffickers after Democrats blocked it earlier in the week, prompting involvement from Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leadership.

Public Safety Committee reverses course

Committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, kept the meeting vote-only, foregoing the usual bill presentation and member discussion.

Jones-Sawyer was among the Democrats who supported the bill, practically yelling his vote when the time came to cast it. Thursday marks the second time this year Jones-Sawyer has reversed course and held a special meeting after refusing to hear bills or blocking them.

During the spring, dissent from Republicans and moderate Democrats also prompted Jones-Sawyer to hear a series of fentanyl-related bills he opposed.

The committee chair told reporters after the meeting he was able to get some of his questions answered during a Wednesday meeting with Grove. He made a commitment to do everything in my power to get (SB 14) on the governors desk, as long as the senator addresses some lingering issues.

Jones-Sawyer said he wants to avoid penalizing minors involved in sex trafficking. The committee chair also fears the unintended consequences of disproportionately arresting people of color, and he continued to express concern about adding another crime to the three-strikes list.

Its now moved it to another place, Jones-Sawyer said. And were going to continue to work on getting it to a place where everybodys happy.

Legislators, including, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher of Yuba City, second from left in center, and Senate Bill 17 author Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, center, listen to speakers during an Assembly session at the Capitol on Thursday prior to a vote to revive the child sex trafficking bill that was killed by California Democrats but caught the attention of Gov. Gavin Newsom who intervened.

Debate causes Capitol tumult

The debate over SB 14 roiled the state Capitol in the final days before the Legislature departs for a month-long summer recess.

Bryan, the Assembly majority leader, called for the special Public Safety Committee meeting during the bodys final Thursday floor session before the break. At the same time, Minority Floor Leader Heath Flora, R-Modesto, made a failed attempt to circumvent the committee entirely and force the full Assembly to vote on SB 14.

Colleagues, today we have a choice to make, Flora said. You can choose a team: pick pedophiles or children.

Byran quickly and forcefully objected to Floras statement, saying he was disparaging members of the Assembly by implying they support human trafficking.

Criminal justice reform advocates continue to oppose SB 14. Organizations like Smart Justice California say strict penalties already exist for human trafficking, and expanding the three-strikes law hurts people of color while failing to prevent crime.

Bryan echoed these points on Twitter after the committee hearing.

We can and must do more to affirm, protect and support survivors with all of our civic resources, he said. Including those beyond the criminal legal system.

Jones-Sawyer said he was disturbed women on the committee received death threats over their stances on the bill after Tuesdays hearing.

The kind of Trumpian hate that was vilified on members of the Democratic Party, which has done a tremendous amount of work in this space, is just wrong, he said. And we shouldnt be playing politics. We should be coming together to move this forward.

Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, is hugged by California Assemblymember Laurie Davies, following a vote to revive her child sex trafficking bill during an emergency Assembly Public Safety Committee hearing at the Capitol on Thursday.

Republicans celebrate bill advancement

Grove and her Republican allies celebrated the vote, saying it was a win for law and order in California.

When asked if she would consider amendments to the bill, Grove said it passed off the Senate floor and the Assembly Public Safety Committee in its current form.

Theres no reason to accept amendments, she said. This bill is very narrowly tailored to only affect those individuals that traffic minors and have a repeat offense.

Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher of Yuba City claimed the bills advancement as a victory for Republicans public safety agenda.

When you stand up for what is right for the people of the state, people will come along, Gallagher said. We showed that with fentanyl this year. And the progress weve seen on fentanyl, I think, is due to this Republican caucus in both houses pushing the envelope. And we brought along other Democrats.

SB 14 now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which will hear the measure after the Legislature returns from its summer recess on Aug. 14.
Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) speaks at a California Legislative Black Caucus event where lawmakers expressed concerns about the departure of four key Hollywood diversity executives. (Queenie Wong / Los Angeles Times)

California lawmakers on Thursday said the departures of high-profile Black female executives in Hollywood are a "troubling pattern," especially because the state has extended its film and television tax credits.

"It's a pattern that conveys that the early progress that we have made together with that industry to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion above and below the lines is now coming to a grinding halt," Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) said at a news conference held by the California Legislative Black Caucus.

Smallwood-Cuevas is among lawmakers pushing for more answers from film studios and Gov. Gavin Newsom, who on Monday signed into law a bill that extends the states $330-million-per-year film and television tax credits for five years to fiscal year 2030-31. The tax credits would create an estimated 60,000 jobs and $10 billion of investment. The Black Caucus said that in the coming months it's planning to meet with the governor, film industry executives and labor partners to push studios to provide more data about their diversity efforts and deliver "real results."

The call for action highlights the tensions between California lawmakers and film studios over the lack of diversity that has long plagued Hollywood. Concerns about diversity have only heightened after the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down race-based affirmative action policies at colleges.

"It is a slap in the face of not only women. It's a slap in the face for people of color," said Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson).

Diversity efforts across various industries heightened after George Floyds murder in 2020, but Hollywood is still struggling to make its workforce more diverse. In 2022, white people accounted for 78% of the lead actors in the top movies released in theaters, up from 72.4% in 2019, a Hollywood diversity report from UCLA showed. At the same time, as Hollywood studios released fewer films in theaters, opportunities for people of color also dwindled.

Read more:High-profile exits spark fears that Hollywood diversity pledges are just 'PR'

Mass layoffs in various industries have also hit diversity, equity and inclusion jobs harder than others. Diversity and inclusion jobs could include roles that help improve a company's culture through events, policies and projects. In December 2022, the rate at which employees in DEI roles left a company voluntarily or involuntarily was 33% compared with 21% for non-DEI roles, according to a study by Revelio Labs, a New York workforce intelligence company.

In June, four high-profile Hollywood executives who are Black women departed from major companies including Warner Bros. Discovery, Walt Disney Co. and Netflix. The exit of leaders who focused on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts sparked concerns from insiders and advocates that pledges to make Hollywood more diverse were just empty promises. Representatives for Disney, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery say their diversity efforts are genuine. The Motion Picture Assn. and the governor's office didn't immediately have a comment.

California's film and television tax credits, which will be refundable starting in 2025, include diversity requirements, but some lawmakers say they're not enough. For example, studios have to submit a diversity work plan that is broadly reflective of Californias population if they want the full tax credit. The tax credit recipients would report information to the California Film Commission, including about how the project met or made a good-faith effort to meet the diversity work plan. A diversity, equity and inclusion expert in the motion picture industry would also be added to the CFC board, under the legislation.

Read more:Newsom and lawmakers cut a grand deal for Hollywood: Refundable tax credit and new set safety rules

During negotiations for the film tax credits, Smallwood-Cuevas said she urged the film industry to adopt systems that measured workforce retention so lawmakers could track progress toward making Hollywood more diverse but film studios resisted the idea.

Lawmakers said they want to take legislative action to add tracking of this information to the film tax credit.

If the data show that Hollywood isn't moving the needle when it comes to diversity, Smallwood-Cuevas said, lawmakers will have to rethink the state's investments.

"I think it takes time to see these sorts of trends," she said in an interview. "But what isn't helpful is when the leadership of that work is completely erased."

Get the best of the Los Angeles Times politics coverage with the Essential Politics newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Bottles of a leading brand of Sriracha hot sauce are suddenly hard to find, driving up prices for them as high as $150  but there are alternatives to opening your wallet that wide.

Its the second time in two years that Huy Fong Foods  the best-known producer of Sriracha in the U.S.  has had low inventory of their tangy sauce with the green cap and rooster label, a problem they attribute to insufficient chile pepper supplies. That and a bit of pandemic hoarding combined to send prices soaring, with some third-party sellers cashing in.

Rather than fall for the hype, remember theres a world of hot sauce alternatives.

Though the brand has near iconic status, Huy Fongs is not the only Sriracha on the market, nor is it even made in the Thai town that gave it its name.

The bright-red sauce was created by Thanom Chakkapak, a home cook in Thailand who mixed a combination of fresh chiles, vinegar, garlic, salt and sugar for her own use. Around the 1930s, she began marketing the sauce as Sriraja Panich, named after her coastal hometown, Si Racha. It became Thailands best-selling hot sauce.

Years later, a fan of the sauce, David Tran, moved from Vietnam to California and founded Huy Fong, which made a thicker, spicier hot sauce, inspired by Sriraja Panich, that ultimately conquered U.S. kitchens. Huy Fong sources its chiles from Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, where a historic drought has now disrupted the supply chain.

That means a lot fewer bottles on store shelves.

Luckily, hot sauces and similar condiments are not difficult to make, and cooks around the world have alternatives that deliver both heat and complex layers of flavor.

Here are just three alternatives, from Barbados, Mexico and Cambodia. They wont taste identical to Huy Fong Sriracha, but they dont have to. All are easy to make, and you can relax about the missing rooster.

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Bajan Hot Pepper Sauce

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/bajan-hot-pepper-sauce

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Makes  cup

This hot sauce from Barbados gets its heat from spicy Scotch bonnet chiles. If you cant find those, habaneros are a good substitute. To keep your fingers from being coated in spicy capsaicin, use the chiles stems as a handle while slicing the sides from the center seed pod. A quick blanch in boiling water tames the chiles heat but wont affect their subtle fruity flavor. Refrigerated in an airtight container, the hot sauce will keep for up to two weeks. Dont use Dijon mustard in place of the yellow mustard. Along with ground turmeric, plain yellow mustard gives the sauce its vibrant yellow color.

2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles

3 medium garlic cloves, peeled

3 scallions, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon packed light or dark brown sugar

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 teaspoons lime juice

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Holding each chile by its stem, slice the sides away from the seed pod; discard the stems and seed pods. Add the chiles and garlic to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a food processor.

Add the scallions, vinegar, turmeric, sugar and  teaspoon salt to the processor. Pulse until chopped, about 10 pulses. Scrape the bowl. Add the mustard and lime juice, then process until not quite completely smooth, about another 10 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl or jar, cover and refrigerate.

Salsa Macha

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/salsa-macha

Start to finish: 15 minutes, plus cooling

Makes about 1 cup

We first tasted salsa macha in Mexico City during an epic taco crawl. Its gets its deep, earthy, smoky flavor from toasted dried chiles, garlic, and a combination of nuts and seeds. Some versions are well blended to fully integrate the ingredients, but this one is chunky with chopped peanuts and whole sesame seeds. (We found that a blender does a better job than a food processor at breaking down the toasted chiles.) Salsa macha keeps well in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving.

 ounce guajillo chiles (4 medium), stemmed and seeded

 ounce ancho chiles (1 or 2 medium), stemmed and seeded

1 or 2 chipotle or morita chiles, stemmed and seeded

 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 medium garlic clove, finely grated

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons coconut vinegar or cider vinegar

In a 10-inch skillet over medium, toast all of the chiles, turning occasionally with tongs, until fragrant and just a shade darker in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and cool for about 5 minutes.

Blend the chiles until finely chopped, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a small saucepan and add the oil, peanuts, sesame seeds, garlic and  teaspoon salt. Cook over medium, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Off heat, stir in the vinegar. If serving right away, transfer to a small bowl and let cool; if storing, transfer to an airtight container, cool and refrigerate for up to 2 months (bring to room temperature before serving).

Thai Sweet Chile Sauce

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/sweet-chili-dipping-sauce

Start to finish: 1 hours

Makes about 24 fritters

Nam jim kai is a Thai-style chile sauce, or which there are numerous iterations, though all generally feature some combination of sweet, salty, spicy and sour flavors. Most are thick and syrupy and commonly are served with crispy Thai corn fritters or seafood. We think it also goes wonderfully with grilled meats and chicken.

3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

2 red Thai chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced or 1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

 cup white sugar

 cup white vinegar

Kosher salt

In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, chiles, sugar, vinegar,  cup water and  teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lightly syrupy and reduced to about  cup, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a jar or small bowl and cool completely. The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature before serving.
BEIJING (AP)  Amid a freeze in military-to-military contacts, China is accusing the United States of militarizing outer space, a day after it protested the passage of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft through the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said on Friday that U.S. actions, including the establishment of the Space Force in 2019 as the newest branch of the military, have had a great negative impact on space security and global strategic stability.

In recent years, the United States has accelerated the militarization of space, Tan said. I would like to reiterate here that China adheres to the peaceful use of space, firmly opposes the weaponization and the making of space into a battlefield, and opposes any form of arms race in space."

The ministry said that Tan was responding to recent concerns expressed by Space Force leaders over China's rising capabilities, calling that classic cognitive dissonance. China's advances in space include its own orbiting space station and plans for a crewed lunar mission. In 2007, it faced international condemnation after using a missile to blow up one of its defunct weather satellites, leaving a field of debris that continues to threaten other objects in orbit.

While the U.S. has sent officials to Beijing including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, ties remain at a historic low. China has pointedly refused to reestablish contact between the two militaries, possibly as a protest against U.S. sales of defensive weaponry to Taiwan and sanctions against Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

Although it is recognized as international waters and airspace and functions as a crucial route for international trade, China continues to claim a proprietary role over the Taiwan Strait that separates the mainland from the self-governing island democracy.

China regards close U.S. ally Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary, and regularly sends planes and warships to harass the island's military and seeks to intimidate its 23 million citizens.

On Thursday, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army  whose area of operations faces Taiwan  said it had scrambled fighters to follow and monitor the U.S. plane throughout the process and dealt with it in accordance with laws and regulations.

Theater spokesperson Col. Shi Yi was quoted as saying on social media, theater troops maintain a high level of alert at all times and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and security along with regional peace and stability."

The U.S. 7th Fleet said a Navy P-8A Poseidon transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Thursday.

By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations, the fleet said on its website.

The aircrafts transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows.
BEIJING (AP)  China on Friday criticized a German government call for reducing dependency on Chinese products and decreasing other potentially unstable factors in bilateral relations, calling it a form of protectionism.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that a long-awaited German government strategy for relations with China that pointed to a systemic rivalry went against the trend of the times, and will only aggravate divisions in the world.

Wang said the two countries were partners rather than rivals, a typical ruling Chinese Communist Party formulation for dismissing criticism.

We believe that to engage in competition and protectionism in the name of de-risking and reducing dependency, and to overstretch the concept of security and politicize normal cooperation will only be counterproductive and create artificial risks, Wang told reporters at a daily briefing.

Germany has Europes biggest economy and its strategy seeks to balance robust trade ties with China, its biggest single trading partner in recent years, against wariness over Beijings growing assertiveness and refusal to criticize Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The 64-page document approved by Chancellor OIaf Scholz s Cabinet builds on Germanys first national security strategy, issued a month ago. Scholzs three-party coalition had pledged when it took office in late 2021 to draw up a comprehensive China strategy.

In introducing the strategy, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that for Germany, China remains a partner, competitor and systemic rival, but the aspect of systemic rivalry has in recent years increasingly come to the fore.

Anyone who listens to China knows with what self-confidence it will decisively influence the development of our world  more repressive at home and more offensive abroad, Baerbock said. China has changed and so our China policy must change too.

In its strategy, the government said it is committed to ensuring that economic cooperation with China becomes fairer, more sustainable and more reciprocal. It noted that whereas Chinas dependencies on Europe are constantly declining, Germanys dependencies on China have taken on greater significance in recent years.

The strategy also made clear that Germany wouldn't be deterred from doing business with self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own territory to be diplomatically isolated and annexed by force if necessary.

The status quo of the Taiwan Strait may only be changed by peaceful means and mutual consent, it said. Military escalation would also affect German and European interests.

The document also called for cooperation across issues of global concern, particularly the climate crisis.

The strategy was released a few weeks after Scholz and about half of his Cabinet hosted a delegation led by new Chinese Premier Li Qiang, whose visit to Berlin was his first foreign trip since becoming Chinas No. 2 official in March.

Both Scholz and Baerbock, making a solo visit earlier this year, have pushed China to use its close relations with Russia to advocate for an end to the war in Ukraine. That has elicited a public Chinese commitment not to help arm Russia, but appears to have had no effect on Beijing's warm ties with Moscow.
By Yimou Lee and Roger Tung

TAIPEI (Reuters) - China's military has been flexing its muscles this week around Taiwan practicing joint force operations far out at sea, ahead of Taipei holding its annual war games at the end of the month when Taiwan will simulate breaking a Chinese blockade.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its territory, has been staging regular exercises around the island for the past three years, to pressure Taipei to accept Beijing's claim of sovereignty.

Since Tuesday, China has sent dozens of fighters, bombers and other aircraft including drones into the skies to Taiwan's south, some crossing the Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan from the Philippines and into the Pacific, accompanying Chinese warships, Taiwan's defence ministry said.

Some of the aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, an unofficial buffer that separates the two sides, and came near waters 24 nautical miles off Taiwan's shores, the island's contiguous zone, in what Taiwan security officials called "harassment".

Chieh Chung, a military researcher at Taiwan's National Policy Foundation think tank, said practicing long-distance missions was important for China as they would be the "main combat mode" in any conflict.

"China regards breaking through the first island chain as an important tactical goal," he said, referring to the islands running from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China's coastal seas.

China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, China's foreign ministry, asked about the drills, said: "The Chinese people will never waver in our resolve and determination to uphold China's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Taiwan's main annual Han Kuang exercises take place in the last week of this month, focusing on defending the island's main international airport and how to keep sea lanes open in the event of a Chinese blockade.

China practised precision strikes and blockades in drills around the island in April after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

'TURMOIL AND CHANGE'

A senior Taiwan security official, who declined to be identified, said China's activities, coming before Han Kuang, were part of its psychological warfare against the island.

"They are expanding military deterrence actions to create a cognitive effect that Taiwan's national defences are useless," the official said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the headquarters of the Eastern Theatre Command, which is in charge of the area around Taiwan, on July 6, and warned of a "new period of turmoil and change for the world", state media reported.

Adding to a sense of tension, on Thursday a U.S. Navy patrol plane flew through the strait, monitored by Chinese jets. China routinely denounces U.S. military activity in the strait as provocation.

Taiwan's military has been on its own publicity push about the Han Kuang drills, this week releasing a slickly produced video on social media of fighters soaring into the skies, missiles fired from warships and artillery barrages.

"We are determined to protect our territory," read text in Chinese and English accompanying the video.

Su Tzu-yun, a research fellow at Taiwan's top military think tank, the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, said judging by the aircraft used, the Southern Theatre Command, which covers the South China Sea, was being included in China's exercises this time to gain experience in joint operations across commands.

"The Eastern Theatre Command are well seasoned, but it's the Southern Theatre Command that needs training for long-distance support," Su said.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Roger Tung; Additional reporting by Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), who heads the public safety committee, flagged issues with a bill about sex trafficking, Senate Bill 14, that could have unintended consequences. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Do you support protecting pedophiles or protecting kids?

Seems like a bit of a no-brainer, but that's the level of debate that the California Legislature stooped to this week as it brawled over a bill that would increase criminal penalties for the sex trafficking of minors.

By the logic that dominated the Capitol in recent days, I would have fallen in the camp that is allegedly protecting pedophiles.

Now, in case you need to hear it, I do not support pedophiles or sex traffickers.

But I also do not support new laws with old problems, and I don't support smashing discussion under the boot of conservative oversimplification.

The bill in question is Senate Bill 14, by Republican Shannon Grove, who represents a swath of the Central Valley that stretches roughly from Fresno to Bakersfield and into the desert.

The bill would make sex trafficking of a minor a serious felony, a California designation that makes it eligible for our "three strikes" law  meaning 25 years to life when you hit that third qualifying crime. Sounds more than reasonable for selling a child for sex. It sounds good.

But the devil is always in the details, and Grove's proposal raised two major concerns for those who have made criminal justice reform a priority, chief among them Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles).

Jones-Sawyer runs the influential public safety committee in the Assembly, and, though the bill passed through the Senate unanimously (but with many changes to make it more narrow), he flagged it during a hearing this week, basically preventing it from moving forward.

Read more:Column: Bimbos, 'bottom girls' and the ugly reality of misogyny in our justice system

Chaos ensued, with some of the bill's supporters accusing him and others who opposed it of protecting pedophiles  that cultural firebomb meant to stop all dissent.

The leaders of the Freedom Angels, who came to fame a few years ago with their opposition to vaccines and the later attempted recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, went on the attack  as did numerous people who believe in Qanon-related conspiracy theories that Democrats and "elites" traffic children.

Threats, including death threats and people hoping that legislators' children will be kidnapped and raped, have flooded the phones and emails of Jones-Sawyer and other legislators who failed to vote in favor of the bill.

Grove, whom I spoke with Thursday, was clear she condones none of those tactics "in any way, shape or form."

She points out that threatening a public official is a crime in California, and though her colleagues may disagree, she is all for turning those threats over to law enforcement for investigation.

But that pressure had its effect. After Republicans threatened to force a floor vote on the bill, Assembly Democrats (who have a new leader, Robert Rivas of Hollister, which means they are still figuring out how to play nice with each other) sent it back to Jones-Sawyer's committee to save face. This time, it passed in a tense two-minute session in which two influential Democrats quickly exited after declining to vote and one Republican threw his fist in the air in victory.

What comes next is uncertain, but we need to look at the concerns Jones-Sawyer and others raised. Because having concerns, even if the Senate passed the bill, is legitimate and the kind of nuanced scrutiny we should expect from our elected officials.

A big issue is that the bill carries the potential  slim, but there  that prosecutors could charge victims of sex trafficking with a serious felony, locking them up for decades.

Sometimes, as I've written about before, women and children who are trafficked, subjected to horrible abuse and fear, cooperate with their traffickers. At times, this can include helping the trafficker control other victims. It is almost always a means of survival, and a coerced one at that.

Grove acknowledges this.

"This is like slavery," she told me. "The trafficker controls their every move."

Read more:This sex trafficking victim is behind bars, suicidal. She seeks Newsom's clemency

But women have been convicted of trafficking charges because of that cooperation, and Jones-Sawyer and others are worried that the bill leaves open the possibility that it can continue to happen  despite changes made to the bill in the Senate meant to address the problem. The fate of victims is mostly left to the discretion of prosecutors, and most prosecutors have become more informed in recent years as California has switched from viewing sex trafficking victims as willing "prostitutes" regardless of age, to people worth protecting. But you never know when that discretion will turn ugly.

"Normally with these tough-on-crime laws, they have kind of a shotgun effect where they go out and arrest everybody," Jones-Sawyer told me. "Then they ensnare some innocent people. Its really important that we don't criminalize these victims."

There is also concern about creating more problems in the already-problematic three-strikes law. Many who support criminal justice reform would like to see the 1994 law, which came about in the middle of our failed war on drugs, taken off the books.

Three strikes has been instrumental in the over-incarceration of Black and brown people. Black people make up 6% of Californias population but are about "30% of the states prison population, 25% of the jail population, and 26% of the probation population," according to the 2021 report by the Committee on Revision of the Penal Code.

Do I care what race a child sex trafficker is? No. But many of the crimes that earned strikes for people have nothing to do with trafficking and can seem pretty minor. Vanessa Russell, the founding executive director of Love Never Fails, an advocacy and aid organization for survivors of trafficking, points out that stealing a purse while riding a bus is a strike-worthy offense. For that reason, she at first opposed Senate Bill 14, not wanting to combine those lesser crimes with trafficking.

"The [three-strikes] list is flawed absolutely, and thats why I had a problem with it," she told me.

She supports the bill now because, like all of us, she wants children protected and feels some of her concerns have been addressed. But she said she wished Senate Bill 14 had stayed away from three strikes and instead made sex trafficking a stand-alone offense that requires longer sentences with no chance of getting out early for things like good behavior credits.

"Why cant we just create different language that says trafficking a minor, you have to serve 80% of your time, period?"

Good question. Let's ask it.

But the biggest reason that Senate Bill 14 deserves more discussion is because it doesn't directly help victims. California has made tremendous progress in recent years to center its response to human trafficking around stopping it before it starts and helping victims to find meaningful escapes that allow them to heal and move forward.

This bill may keep victims safer by keeping pimps locked up, but there will always be more pimps. The bill lacks that California focus on centering victims and reducing trafficking by reducing the number of women and children that are available to be preyed upon  and protecting those that have already been victimized.

For example, it could address the fact that women remain incarcerated for crimes related to their trafficking. How about we provide a mechanism for those cases to be reexamined? Why do we not adequately fund programs that help women become housed and economically stable when they do escape? Why can't we ensure that the threat of prosecution will not be used to force victims to testify, as it too often is?

"It's good to have penalties for those that traffic children, but its equally important to focus on the needs of the survivors," Maggy Krell told me.

Krell is a prosecutor who has specialized in human trafficking and put her share of pimps behind bars. She is running for an Assembly seat to represent parts of Sacramento, and supports Senate Bill 14. But she also says that focus on helping victims is critical.

"The bills that I will be pushing if I'm successful in my race will be bills centered around the needs of survivors, not defendants," she told me. Bills to provide investments in undeserved communities, bills to take away barriers to healthcare and housing for victims, bills to help victims recover from trauma.

Which means she'll likely be joining legislators such as Jones-Sawyer, who, as he puts it, wants to get "monsters" off the street while also getting to the root causes of human trafficking.

Because, yes, trafficking a minor should be a serious felony.

But stopping human trafficking should also be a serious discussion, not one stifled by frenzy and intimidation.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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There is some fascinating reporting from CNNs Edward-Isaac Dovere about the increasing levels of angst top Democrats are expressing about President Joe Bidens reelection campaign.

Dovere refers to worried conversations among Democrats and donors, contrary to all the public evidence, that maybe Biden wont end up running for reelection.

They feel like time is already running out and that the lack of the more robust campaign activity they want to see is a sign that his heart isnt really in it, Dovere writes.

Heres a longer excerpt:

In a race that many expect will likely come down to a few hundred thousand votes in a few states, the doubters argue that every day without a packed schedule on the stump will prove to voters that Bidens age is as big a worry as they believe it is. Or that the president and people around him arent taking the threat of losing to Donald Trump or another Republican seriously enough, and theyre setting up for Election Night next year to be 2016 deja vu.

If Trump wins next November and everyone says, How did that happen, one of the questions will be: what was the Biden campaign doing in the summer of 2023? said a person who worked in a senior role on Bidens 2020 campaign.

Read the entire report.

The Biden world retort: This again?

On Inside Politics on Thursday, CNNs Dana Bash asked Dovere for his takeaway on how much people currently inside Biden world privately agree with the concerns coming from outside.

Inside Biden world, the real circle of people around the president, they dont agree with this at all, he said. What they would say is, How many times do we have to go through this? How many times do people have to doubt Joe Biden and say he cant win an election?  And then at the end of the day, he won the primaries, he won the nomination, he won the election in 2020.

Dovere also quotes Jim Messina, Barack Obamas 2012 presidential reelection campaign manager, who has been privately advising Bidens team.

At this point in that cycle, Obamas campaign was much more fully formed, according to Dovere, who writes of Bidens reelection effort:

The headquarters in Wilmington discussed to be open by mid-July still isnt. No staff is currently on the ground in competitive states, and names of potential hires have only started to be collected for review by the president and top advisers.

The dozen people who are working for Biden-Harris 2024 full-time are mostly camped out at desks in the Democratic National Committee near Capitol Hill in Washington, with some griping about the delays in hiring staff and others still grumbling about how long it took to get on the payroll themselves. There is still no campaign finance director.

Obamas reelection, remembered

Obama may have had more infrastructure in place, but that doesnt mean his 2012 effort was worry free. Its hard to believe it now  more than a decade later  but Obamas primary journey in 2012, while a sure thing and a cakewalk, was also beset by frustrations.

For instance, Gallup released a poll before the 2010 midterm election suggesting that more than a third of Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults would back his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, if she challenged him for the nomination. She obviously never did.

Obama was extremely weakened after that 2010 midterm, suffering what he called a shellacking, when Republicans claimed a much larger House majority than the barely-there edge Republicans currently enjoy in the House.

Where Biden and Obama are about equal

In the summer of 2011, although it was not reported publicly at the time, Sen. Bernie Sanders seriously considered challenging Obama, according to subsequent reporting by Dovere for The Atlantic. Then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid intervened to talk Sanders down, and Messina told Dovere that the prospect of a Sanders challenge had Obamas campaign team absolutely panicked.

At this point in Obamas presidency, the summer of 2011, his approval rating among all adults was 44%, just about tied with Bidens Gallup approval rating of 43% at the end of June.

Obamas approval rating among Democrats at this point in his presidency was 79%, which is about the same as Bidens approval rating among Democrats today  82% in the Gallup polling from the end of June. But Obama had slightly more support among Republicans, which may have something to do with the ever-more-partisan national political environment.

During the actual primary, Obama kept suffering embarrassments

A prison inmate got 40% of the Democratic vote in the West Virginia primary in 2012. CNNs Jake Tapper wrote about it for ABC News at the time and noted that Sen. Joe Manchin would not say who he voted for  Obama or inmate Keith Judd  according to one report.

In other red states, Obama also struggled in the primaries, getting less than 60% in primaries in Kentucky and Arkansas.

These were not exactly contested races, and the fact that Obama didnt have a stronger showing is probably a reflection of who shows up to vote in a nationally uncontested Democratic primary when the real race that year was on the Republican side.

Republicans canceled some primaries in 2020

When the situation was reversed in 2020 and then-President Donald Trump faced some token challengers, Republicans simply canceled multiple primaries. South Carolina canceled its primary even though its former governor, Mark Sanford, was challenging Trump.

This year, its another former South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, and a sitting South Carolina senator, Tim Scott, who are running in the single digits in national primary polls.

Bidens top challenger so far is an outcast Kennedy

For Biden, his biggest challenger so far is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose campaign is driven by anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.

Yes, Kennedy is registering in polls  more than 10% in many. But his out-of-the-mainstream views also mean he cant get the backing of his family members, much less be viewed as a viable Biden alternative.

For an idea of how much of a long shot Kennedy is, read this analysis from CNNs Harry Enten.

Theres certainly nothing as dangerous to Biden as when Sen. Ted Kennedy tried to displace then-President Jimmy Carter in 1980, inarguably wounding Carter before he was trounced by Ronald Reagan.

Theres also nothing like the spirited primary challenge by Pat Buchanan that wounded then-President George H.W. Bushs chances in 1992. Nor is there a serious independent bid that could feature in the general election, like Ross Perots in 92. Bush ultimately lost the three-way race to Bill Clinton.

All of this suggests that while Democrats will continue to worry about Bidens age, his campaign structure, his unique ability to stumble over words and all of the ways Republicans attack him, hes a lock to be their nominee barring unforeseen events.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court order that had sharply limited certain Biden administration officials' and agencies' contacts with social media companies.

The ruling from the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that the administration is not bound, for now, by a July 6 order by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe, Louisiana. Doughty had found that officials' efforts to limit the spread of posts they considered to be misinformation on social media violated the right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

The 5th Circuit on Friday ruled that the administration's appeal of Doughty's order will be heard as soon as possible by a three-judge panel. That panel, which has not yet been assigned, will decide whether to keep the order on hold or allow it to go into effect while it decides the case.

Doughty's order itself was a temporary injunction, meant to remain in place while the judge considers the case more fully. It came in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri and by several individuals.

They alleged that U.S. government officials, under both Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor Donald Trump, effectively coerced social media companies to censor posts over concerns they would fuel vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections.

The social media companies mentioned in the lawsuit include Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc, Twitter and Alphabet's YouTube.

Doughty's order barred government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI from talking to social media companies for "the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech" under the First Amendment, with narrow exceptions.

U.S. officials have said they were aiming to tamp down on misinformation about COVID vaccines to curb preventable deaths. They have also said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit no longer face any harm because those efforts ended more than a year ago.

The Biden administration in seeking an emergency stay said Doughty's order "raises grave separation-of-powers concerns" by putting the judicial branch of government in the "untenable position of superintending the executive branch's communications."

Legal experts have said Doughty's order will likely face tough scrutiny on appeal, thanks to its breadth and the lack of clear precedents supporting it.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
By Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira

LISBON (Reuters) - Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel promised on Friday his country would take part "very constructively" in a European Union summit next week with Latin America and the Caribbean, just days after the EU's parliament called for sanctions against him.

Diaz-Canel met his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Friday and will also visit the country's parliament. He will then head to Brussels, which on Monday is hosting the first summit in eight years of the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Cuba said on Monday it wanted stronger ties with Europe but criticised the EU's approach to the summit as manipulative and opaque. Two days later, the European Parliament passed a resolution strongly criticising Cuba's human rights record.

"This visit (to Portugal) is taking place in the context of the EU-CELAC summit... in which Cuba will participate actively and very constructively," Diaz-Canel told reporters in Lisbon.

Standing next to him, Rebelo de Sousa said he hoped the summit would be successful, adding Portugal wanted to strengthen its ties with the Caribbean island. The EU remains Cuba's top trade partner.

The EU parliament resolution called for sanctions against Diaz-Canel and other top officials, and suggested that "autocratic regimes should not participate in such summits".

Cuba condemned this, saying the parliament lacked the authority to judge the country, and questioning the bloc's objectives in re-launching the regional ties.

In July 2021, thousands of Cubans took to the streets in anti-government protests, the largest since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. The Communist government then imprisoned hundreds of activists, drawing condemnation from both the EU and the United States.

The Cuban government says the United States helped incite the unrest and accuses those jailed of committing crimes ranging from vandalism to assault and sedition.

Diaz-Canel also thanked Rebelo de Sousa and the EU for their stance against the decades-old U.S. economic embargo on Cuba, which he described as the "main obstacle" to the country's development.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira; Editing by Frances Kerry)
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott  whose presidential campaign announced this week that it has more than $21 million in cash reserves  is getting fresh attention from deep-pocketed donors looking for alternatives to the front-runners in the GOP primary, people familiar with the outreach say.

Scott met late last month with billionaire businessman Ron Lauder for dinner in South Carolina, two sources familiar with the discussions confirmed to CNN. The two men, accompanied by one aide each, met for about an hour outside Charleston and discussed Scotts background, his path to the nomination and how the 2024 race is shaping up, one person said. They have talked again in recent days, the source said.

So far, Lauder  an heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics fortune  has not made a commitment to back Scott or anyone else in the GOP nomination fight, a source familiar told CNN.

Lauder, a long-time friend of former President Donald Trump and financial supporter of Republican candidates and causes, made clear last year that he would not support Trumps bid. And his recent interaction with Scott  now considered to have long odds of becoming the GOPs standard-bearer in 2024  underscores that some big GOP donors remain dissatisfied with Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running a far second behind Trump in many polls.

Politico first reported the meeting between Lauder and Scott.

Next month, Scott is scheduled to get face time with more Republican donors at a fundraiser organized with help from Andy Sabin, a metal mogul who said he has switched his support from DeSantis to Scott.

Scott is the only candidate running for president that Ive met that nobody has something bad to say about, Sabin told CNN on Thursday.

Sabin said he hopes that anywhere between 30 and 50 people will attend the August 8 event in Bridgehampton, New York. The event will run something like $1,000, $3,300 per person, Sabin said.

I think its important to have a lower price tag so that people can really see who he is, he said of Scott. Once they get to know him, they are going to want to give him a lot more.

Sabin says he has offered to host additional Scott fundraisers in Manhattan and Key Largo, Florida, in the coming months. Both Sabin and his son donated the maximum amount to Scott, and Sabin says he will likely end up giving in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to Scotts associated super PAC.

The main pro-Scott super PAC  Trust In the Mission, or TIM, PAC  announced Thursday that it had brought in nearly $20 million during the April-to-June fundraising quarter and had $15 million remaining in cash reserves.

Separately, Scotts campaign said it raised $6.1 million during the second quarter and started July with more than $21 million in available cash.

Scotts campaign total is dwarfed by the $20 million that the DeSantis campaign said it collected during the quarter. Trumps campaign has announced a total haul of $35 million during the same period, but that figure includes money sent to a political action committee, which cannot be spent directly on his campaign.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to get under Donald Trumps skin this week by implying on a radio talk show that the ex-president arrogantly thinks hes entitled to the Republican nomination and that he would be short-cutting the process if he doesnt show up on the Milwaukee debate stage next month.

You have got to earn the nomination, DeSantis argued.

DeSantis should watch out what he wishes for. If past performances are an indication, Trump could walk away from a debate stronger, while DeSantis is more likely to struggle in the spotlight.

Thats not to say DeSantis is wrong. He isnt. Trump should do the debate so voters can see how the two leading Republican candidates  and the others, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina  hold up under the intense pressure of a live debate. Even when candidates squirm away from embarrassing questions, theres a lot to be learned about their character from their behavior. If, as Trump continues to hint, he wont debate, it will be a disservice to voters  and behavior that will send yet another message as to his character.

Wont make the case

Further, as DeSantis points out, Trump lost to Biden last time. He should get on stage and tell Republicans why he is now a better candidate than he was in 2020.

That is, of course, an impossible case to make to anyone who isnt already Trump-blind, given the Jan. 6 insurrection that he incited after losing the election. Then there was the E. Jean Carroll civil case in May, when a jury found that he sexually abused her in the dressing room of a luxury department store in 1996, awarding her $5 million for battery and defamation.

And lets not forget the classified records case here in Florida. Trump was indicted under the Espionage Act for holding onto secret documents at his Mar-a-Lago mansion and obstructing the governments efforts to get them back. His lawyers latest ploy is to try to postpone the case until after the 2024 election. If he were convicted after winning, he could potentially pardon himself, setting a new high-water mark in corruption.

For any of Trumps challengers, the sound bite of him refusing to answer questions about any of those things would be campaign gold, of course.

DeSantis knows that, but he has other reasons to push the debate issue  namely, shaky donors as his poll numbers remain stubbornly low. A debate where he shows substance and strength against Trump could be that elusive game-changer his campaign has been seeking.

DeSantis own challenges

DeSantis notoriously has struggled with a failure to connect with national voters in unscripted moments: During a 2018 debate preparation, one of his advisers even told him he should write the word LIKABLE in all caps on the top of his notepad, ABC News reported. But the risk of going on stage during a live event he cant control is probably worth it to him. Hence, his appearance on conservative radio host Howie Carrs show on Wednesday as he tried to goad Trump by calling him, in essence, a coward if he doesnt attend the debate.

Will it work? Not likely. But none of that changes the fact that Republicans, whose party has been hijacked by Trump, deserve to see a full debate on Aug. 23. Unfortunately, what theyll probably get is a pale version of that, with everyone in the room dancing around the one man who isnt there.
By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had proposed to Wagner Group fighters that a senior mercenary known as "Sedoi", which means "grey hair" in Russian, command them instead of Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Who is he?

* "Sedoi" is the nom de guerre of Andrei Troshev, a senior Wagner commander, according to European Union sanctions documents, French official documents, sources with knowledge of the matter and Russian media reports.

France's Treasury describes Troshev's call sign as "Siedoy".

His associates include Dmitry Utkin, a former GRU military intelligence special forces officer and a founder of Wagner, the EU said.

Pro-Wagner channels on Telegram have repeatedly said Troshev is known by the call sign "Sedoi" and that he is one of Wagner's most senior commanders.

The Kommersant newspaper quoted Putin as saying that "Sedoi" had been the real commander of Wagner.

* The EU described him as the "executive director (chief of staff) of the Wagner Group" in its 2021 document which also says he was a founding member of the group.

"Andrei Troshev is directly involved in the military operations of the Wagner Group in Syria," the EU said.

"He was particularly involved in the area of Deir al-Zor. As such, he provides a crucial contribution to (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assads war effort and therefore supports and benefits from the Syrian regime."

Britain also described him in its Syria sanctions documents as the chief executive of Wagner.

* Troshev was born in Leningrad, the Soviet-era name for St Petersburg, on April 5, 1962, according to Russian sources. Western sanctions documents list his date of birth as April 5, 1953. It is unclear why.

He fought in Afghanistan during the Soviet Union's decade- long war there. After the fall of the Soviet Union, he served in the North Caucasus with the Russian army and then in SOBR, a quick reaction special forces unit of the Russian interior ministry. He was a commander in the unit.

For his service in Afghanistan, Troshev was awarded the Order of the Red Star twice. He was awarded Russia's highest medal, Hero of Russia, in 2016 for the storming of Palmyra in Syria against Islamic State militants.

* A photograph surfaced in Russian media in 2017 showing Putin alongside Troshev, Utkin and others. Both men wear several medals. The photograph is believed to date from 2016.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
In a white coat and gloves, Ai Kimura is cutting up a fish sample at the Tarachine lab, about an hour's drive from the now-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on Japan's eastern coast.

Four times a year, Ms Kimura and her team of volunteers collect samples of fish from the waters around the plant. They have been doing this since the lab was founded in 2011, just months after a devastating tsunami flooded the reactors, causing a radiation leak.

Except Ms Kimura is not a scientist - and neither are any of the women who run the non-profit lab, whose name Tarachine is derived from the term for "mother" in old Japanese. Shaken after the tsunami, Ms Kimura says locals started the lab to find out what was safe to feed their children because it was hard to come by information on the risks of radiation. So they asked technical experts to train them on how to test for radioactive substances and log the readings, raised funds and began educating themselves.

It was the decision of a shattered community that never thought an accident at the nuclear power plant was possible. Now, 12 years on, they again find themselves struggling to trust the Japanese government as it insists it's safe to release treated radioactive water from the plant into the Pacific Ocean.

Earlier this month, Japan received the green light to start pumping more than a million tonnes - about the same volume as 500 Olympic-size pools - of the treated water that has been used to cool the melted reactors. It has accumulated in more than a 1,000 tanks and now, as they reach capacity, it needs to go somewhere.

Japan's nuclear regulator has given Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco), which runs the plant, the go-ahead. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said the watchdog's two-year review found that the plan complies with international standards and the treated water will have "a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment". Neighbouring South Korea too delivered a similar assessment, despite sticking to a ban on some Japanese food imports. China and Hong Kong have announced similar bans.

But the people who live in and around Fukushima are not convinced.

Volunteers from Tarachine collect samples from the sea around the Fukushima plant

"We still don't know the extent to which the contaminated water has been treated. That's why we oppose the release," Ms Kimura says, adding that many local families are worried about the discharge of the treated water.

Tepco has been filtering the water to remove more than 60 radioactive substances, but the water will not be entirely radiation-free. It will have tritium and carbon-14, radioactive isotopes of hydrogen and carbon respectively that cannot be easily removed from water. But experts say they are not a danger unless consumed in large quantities because they emit very low levels of radiation. That's also why before the filtered water is released it will go through another phase of treatment where it's diluted with seawater to reduce the remaining substances' concentrations.

Japan's government has said that by the end of the filtration and testing process, the treated water will be no different than the water released by nuclear plants around the world.

'The invisible enemy'

But the facts are up against fear in Fukushima, where the reminders of the "invisible enemy" - as many here call radiation - are constant.

After the disaster the government declared a 30km (22 miles) exclusion area around the plant, evacuating more than 150,000 people. Although a lot has changed, whole neighbourhoods are still empty and greenery covers the roofs and windows of long-abandoned homes. Signs on storefronts have faded away but metal barriers and yellow tape warning people to keep out remain on the narrow, deserted streets.

Even the Tarachine lab is proof of how much the community fears the "invisible enemy", despite assurances to the contrary.

Ai Kimura tests samples for radiation at the Tarachine lab

In the main lab, one volunteer is chopping cabbage before taking it to be measured for gamma radiation, and another is treating water before the sample is tested. In the hallway there are bags of soil and dust from vacuum cleaners that have been used in homes nearby. At the back of the room, food samples are dried before they're tested for radiation. On the walls, there are charts and maps of the nuclear plant and the sea around it, with markings in various colours to show the degree of radiation and how far it has travelled.

The women collect samples but they also test material sent to them by local people. "Some families brought us acorns [to test]," Ms Kimura said. "In Japan we make spinning tops from acorns with toothpicks. The government wouldn't think to check that. We were asked by some mothers to measure the radiation levels at their local park."

The lab measures all sorts of samples for radioactive substances such as strontium-90, tritium and caesium-134 and 137, tracking their levels over the years.

"We upload all our findings on our website so anybody can find it," Ms Kimura says. "We have been able to confirm that radioactive substances have decreased gradually in the food we measure. If they release the water, it's ultimately undoing the power of nature that brought it to this level."

She sees the contentious plan as a big step backwards. She says there are still "lingering emotional wounds" from the 2011 disaster and this decision is reopening them.

The plan - in the works for two years now - is a necessary step in the lengthy and costly clean-up, experts say. For the plant to be decommissioned, the radioactive debris inside the melted reactors must be removed. And to do that, they must first discharge the water that has been used to cool the reactors since a tsunami crippled the plant in 2011.

The treated radioactive water is being stored in more than 1,000 tanks

In March, Tepco's boss Akira Ono told the Associated Press that they're only now beginning to fully comprehend the damage inside the reactors. The most pressing task, he said, was to safely start releasing the water to clear the area around the plant. They also need to make room for more water because the melted debris needs to be cooled throughout.

"The real problem is not the actual physical effect of the radiation. It's our fear of it," says molecular pathology expert Gerry Thomas, who worked with Japanese scientists on radiation research and advised the IAEA as well.

She says the science was lost among warring nuclear activists soon after the disaster, and to reassure a shocked and terrified population, the government went to great lengths to show they were taking all the necessary precautions.

"The politicians are trying to prove they're cautious and, you know, they're looking after everybody. But actually, the message that people receive is, well, this stuff must be really, really dangerous."

The long arm of fear

And now the fear - and the lack of trust - is proving hard to shake off.

Worse, it's also affecting livelihoods. Fishermen say that discharging the treated water will tarnish the reputation of their catch, driving prices and already struggling businesses down. They say the industry here never recovered fully since the disaster and is still dependent on government subsidies.

Inside the nuclear plant, Tepco official Kazuo Yamanaka points to two fish tanks - one where flatfish swim in regular sea water, and another where they are in water with the same radiation levels as that which will be pumped into the ocean. He says the fish are closely monitored - while there is a rise in tritium levels inside them at first, it plateaus and then the fish flush it out of their system once they're back in standard sea water.

"I am a radiation expert, so I know that tritium has very little effect on the human body and living organisms," he said. "We are all concerned about the same thing - radiation - and that is why we are so anxious. I hope that these data and images will help to reassure people a little.

Toru Takahashi, whose family has been fishing for three generations, is far from reassured: "We're against it. We're already seeing the negative effects. We've seen contractors who say they won't buy Fukushima products."

Toru Takahashi (left) says the the fear has already hurt business

For him, this is personal. Giving up the family business is not an option, he says, as he supervises port staff who unload buckets of fish to wash and make ready for auction and then the market.

He says it's a fraction of the business they had before the 2011 disaster: "We are still at 300 million yen [a year], including all the small boats. Before, we made around 700 million yen [3.9m; $5.1m]."

He fears it might get worse once the water is released, given the import bans already announced by China and South Korea.

When asked if sound science is enough to overcome these concerns, Mr Yamanaka admitted that "we cannot control the reputation, no matter how nicely we dress it up", adding that "we believe our efforts will one day settle these arguments".

"I know we've lost the trust of the people - it'll take time to get it back."
Angelica Hernandez, left, an employee for the last 20 years at a McDonald's restaurant in Monterey Park, and Anneisha Williams, right, an employee for the last 10 years at a Jack in the Box restaurant in Los Angeles, join other fast-food workers from across L.A. in a rally outside the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The rally was held to raise awareness of their push for better working conditions. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Scores of Los Angeles fast-food workers spent their Thursday protesting for higher pay and better working conditions, even as labor's latest legislative pushback against the restaurant industry has stalled.

Wearing bright red shirts and carrying signs, more than 100 local fast-food workers and union organizers crowded on the steps of the downtown Los Angeles building housing the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in the morning with plans to protest at individual restaurants later in the day.

"We are fighting for ourselves to live," one worker said as the crowd cheered.

In Sacramento, however, that fight stalled, at least for now. That's because one facet got stuck in a state Senate committee.

Assembly Bill 1228 aims to hold fast-food corporations responsible for ensuring their franchisees comply with labor laws, and would make franchisee violations of employment laws enforceable against franchiser and franchisee equally. The International Franchise Assn. and others in the restaurant industry have strenuously opposed the measure, saying it would hurt the small-business operators that own franchises of big companies, such as McDonald's.

Read more:'I feel duped': Inside the fast-food industry's push to dismantle a new California labor law

It's highly contentious legislation, introduced this year, that represents the latest iteration of a multiyear battle between organized labor and fast-food businesses over control of workplace standards.

But Senate Judiciary Chair Tom Umberg said in a session Tuesday that the bill had been pulled from the agenda by its proponents.

The decision to pull the bill was made to give opponents more time to speak with the authors, according to Service Employees International Union California, a major proponent of the bill. Umberg said he plans to reintroduce it at a hearing in August or September.

The bill's author, Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) said the decision to reschedule the bill's judiciary hearing was "a positive one."

"I respect the space that is being provided for deeper vetting and look to serve as a resource for clarity, not only as a former franchise owner myself, but also as a Legislator whos sat down with fast-food workers across our state," he said in an emailed statement. "We have the opportunity to create a safer and more respectable work environment for these workers while enhancing the industry as a whole, and that is what we are working toward.

The union said its pushing for the bill to go up for a vote sooner  in August  rather than later.

Californias leaders have listened to fast-food workers, who have been speaking out about the exploitative and abusive conditions in the industry for years, said David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU United Service Workers West. We are confident that the Legislature and the Administration are fully committed to bringing greater accountability to this industry.

Opponents of the bill have derided AB 1228 as "a drastic bill" that would "fundamentally destroy" the franchise model in California by forcing national fast-food companies to exert more control over local franchised restaurants.

It would mean "turning locally owned and operated restaurants into corporate run restaurants and stripping local restaurant owners of their authority as small business owners," according to a statement by Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants coalition, made up of fast-food corporations and trade groups.

The California Chamber of Commerce has labeled AB 1228 and many other employee-focused bills as job killers.

The union organized a series of rallies on Thursday for fast-food workers who are "fed up" with rampant labor law violations in their industry, according to a Thursday news release by SEIU, and don't have time to wait for a fraught legislative process to play out.

Trey McGuire, 19, who works at a Lancaster location of hot dog fast-food chain Wienerschnitzel, said it's frustrating and difficult to work 12-hour shifts and still make so little. He's under pressure to make enough to provide for his 20-month-old child  and another kid on the way, with his partner six months pregnant.

McGuire and his family rolled up to the protest outside the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce decked out in matching red "FAST FOOD WORKERS UNIDOS" T-shirts distributed by the union.

It definitely doesn't help workers feel valued, McGuire said, that the owner of the store he works at seems to own two Teslas.

"He drives up to work three days a week always in different cars," McGuire said. "It makes us want to push harder and fight for what's ours."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
When FBI agents arrived at James Notts Kentucky apartment with a search warrant on Tuesday, they asked if anyone else was home.

Only my dead friends, Nott replied.

Thats according to the FBI, who in a criminal complaint detailed 40 human skulls and other remains they found decorating Notts home, tying him to a ring of people allegedly buying and selling human body parts illegally  including a Harvard Medical School morgue manager, who is accused of stealing cadaver parts.

The skulls were strewn around Notts house; one had a headscarf wrapped around it and another was found on the mattress where he slept, according to the complaint. The agents also found spinal cords, femurs, hip bones and a Harvard Medical School bag, according to the affidavit submitted by the FBI.

Nott has not been charged with crimes connected with the body parts. But he is facing a federal charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person due to his status as a convicted felon.

In 2011, Nott pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device, after being found with a detonation cord, igniting devices, timed fuses and other materials that could be used to assemble a destructive device, the complaint states.

CNN has reached out to Aaron Dyke, Notts public defender, for comment but has not heard back.

It all started last summer, when the police in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, received a tip about possible human remains located at the home of a man named Jeremy Pauley, according to the complaint. Officers searched his home in Enola, Pennsylvania, and found organs and skin, among other human remains, the FBI said.

During the FBI investigation, Pauley told agents about a network of people buying and selling stolen human body parts. The investigation revealed one of those people was Cedric Lodge, who worked in a Harvard Medical School morgue, where he allegedly stole cadaver body parts to sell online, the FBI said.

Lodge was fired in May and is facing federal charges for stealing, selling and shipping the body parts, according to an indictment filed last month in US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Through Facebook messages, officials connected Nott to Pauley and the ring of people allegedly engaged in the illegal trade of body parts, according to the criminal complaint.

Nott used a Facebook account with the username William Burke, where he posted human remains for sale as recently as June, and even sent Pauley images of skulls for sale last summer, according to the complaint. William Burke was a serial killer active in Edinburgh between 1827 and 1828 along with his partner, William Hare. Burke and Hare sold their victims bodies to Dr. Robert Knox, an influential lecturer in the Anatomy Department at the University of Edinburgh, the affidavit notes.

I dont mind paying up a little for shop stock. Makes things look good. How much total for the couple and the last video you sent plus the spines? Pauley wrote to Nott in one exchange, according to the complaint.

Pauley was charged last month with violations related to the interstate transport of stolen goods and conspiracy. Pauley will plead guilty to the charges, according to CNN affiliate WGAL. CNN has reached out to Pauleys attorney for comment, but has not heard back.

Officials say in their search of Notts Mount Washington, Kentucky home, they also found multiple weapons, including an AK-47 rifle.

Its a shock. You just never know who your neighbor is anymore, Caroline Branum, a neighbor who lives across the street from Nott, told CNN affiliate WLKY.

Nott is being held without bail, and his arraignment is set for August 4.

CNNs Jessica Xing and Laura Ly contributed to this report.

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Finland's President Sauli Niinisto and President Biden smile after their news conference Thursday in Helsinki, where Biden welcomed Finland to the NATO alliance. (Sergei Grits / Associated Press)

In the same room where former President Trump praised Vladimir Putin five years ago, President Biden celebrated the expansion of the alliance that has helped stall Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The ceremony in the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, marked the Nordic country's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the end of seven decades of military nonalignment and the expansion of the defense blocs eastern boundaries to Finland's 800-mile border with Russia.

The moment also showed how Russia's invasion has bolstered European unity since Trumps trip to the same venue in 2018. During his four years in office, Trump repeatedly criticized NATO, a pillar of U.S. foreign policy for more than half a century, and grumbled that its members were not spending enough on their own defense.

In Finland, Trump met with Putin privately for two hours, then sided with his Russian counterpart over the U.S. intelligence community on whether the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 election, telling reporters Putin was "extremely strong and powerful in his denial today." Trump's failure to confront Putin rippled across the globe, undermining European confidence about whether the U.S. would honor the NATO pact to defend its allies in the event of a Russian attack.

On Thursday, Biden offered a markedly different message, declaring that U.S. commitments to NATO are "rock solid" and vowing that the alliance would defend every inch of its territory. He said the group reaffirmed its "unwavering support" for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's assault.

"Putin has already lost the war," Biden told reporters when asked whether NATO's decision to delay Ukraine's membership would prolong the conflict. "What agreement is ultimately reached depends upon Putin and what he decides to do, but there is no possibility of him winning the war in Ukraine."

The contrast was a glaring reminder of how quickly U.S. political winds can shift  from Trump's nationalist policies and disdain for multilateralism to Biden's quest to rebuild American credibility on the world stage and reinvigorate the Western military bloc  and whether they might change direction again in 2024. Biden is poised for a rematch with Trump, who is leading the field for the Republican nomination.

At a news conference Thursday, a Finnish reporter pointed out that a bipartisan group of senators in Washington has struggled to pass a bill that would prevent any U.S. president from withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval or an act of Congress.

"I absolutely guarantee it. There's no question," Biden said when asked if the U.S. would remain a reliable partner to the alliance despite political instability at home. "I'm saying as sure as anything could possibly be said about American foreign policy  we will stay connected to NATO."

Read more:Ukraine and expansion top NATO agenda as Biden tries to cement unity

Finns had long resisted joining NATO, but the politics of the question shifted after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Finland's major political parties quickly changed their positions on the issue, and Helsinki officially became the alliance's 31st member in April. Sweden, too, declared that it wanted to join NATO shortly after Russia's invasion, but its accession was delayed for more than a year by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who argued that Stockholm had been too lenient toward Kurdish militants.

Erdogan lifted his objections before Tuesday's annual NATO gathering in Vilnius, Lithuania, clearing the path for Sweden's membership.

Erdogan relented after a White House pressure campaign that included working to strike a deal with the U.S. to sell Ankara new fighter jets. Sweden also promised to help Turkey join the European Union. But Sweden's NATO membership still has a couple of hurdles to clear. U.S. lawmakers who oppose the sale of F-16 jets have yet to approve the deal, and the Turkish president has said his country's parliament will not take up Sweden's NATO bid until October.

Read more:Fight over NATO membership for Ukraine overshadows Biden's diplomatic triumph

During a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Biden recalled threatening Putin with the expansion of NATO if Russia continued to provoke the alliance.

"You may remember my telling you, I said to our friend in the east [Putin] that if he wants the Finland-ization of NATO, he's going to get the NATO-ization of Finland," Biden told Niinisto.

Biden said it took him "about three seconds to say yes" when he spoke to Niinisto about Helsinki's bid, calling it the "fastest ratification that occurred in modern history."

"We have to stick together," Niinisto said.

"The world is watching to see, will we do the hard work that matters to forge a better future? Will we stand together?" Biden said at the news conference standing alongside Niinisto. "This week, Finland, the United States and our allies and partners said a resounding, loud yes. Yes, we'll step up."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP)  A Florida man accused in 2020 of plotting terror attacks in the U.S. and acquiring an arsenal of weapons was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in federal prison.

Mohammed Al-Azhari, a 26-year-old U.S. citizen, was sentenced in Tampa federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in February to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State extremist group.

Al-Azhari admitted in court papers that he scouted potential terrorism targets in the Tampa Bay area, sought to acquire multiple weapons and pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State. The FBI recorded many conversations between Al-Azhari and confidential or undercover sources in which he discussed avenging imprisoned Islamic State fighters and using violence to oppose U.S. military actions in the Middle East.

An FBI affidavit says Al-Azhari was recorded as expressing admiration for Omar Mateen, the deceased shooter at the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016. In a conversation with a confidential informant, the FBI says, Al-Azhari said, Thats how I want to die, to be honest.

The informant then asked how many people Al-Azhari wanted to kill.

I dont want to take four or five, no. I want to take at least 50, Al-Azhari replied on the recording, according to the affidavit. You know like, brother Omar Mateen in Orlando did. He took 49 with him.

The confidential FBI informant eventually supplied Al-Azhari with a Glock handgun and a silencer as he had requested. He was arrested in May 2020 after taking possession of the weapons. Investigators also seized three firearms, a crossbow, dozens of rounds of ammunition, a stun gun and at least six knives belonging to Al-Azhari. He also sought to buy a fully automatic AK-47-style weapon but was unsuccessful.

According to the affidavit, Al-Azhari conducted reconnaissance on several potential Tampa Bay targets, including beaches, parks and even the Tampa FBI field office. He also allegedly rehearsed what he would say when carrying out an attack, some of which was intercepted by electronic surveillance.

Al-Azhari is originally from California but spent much of his life overseas and eventually embraced extremist Islamic ideology, according to the FBI. He was imprisoned for three years in Saudi Arabia after a 2015 conviction involving his advocacy for Jaysh al-Islam, an armed extremist group fighting in the Syrian conflict.

In 2018, after serving that sentence, he was deported to the U.S., where the FBI immediately opened a terrorism support investigation.

One reason the case has taken so long to resolve is that Al-Azhari was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial in January 2022. After treatment at a federal prison medical center in Butner, North Carolina, a judge decided in November that Al-Azhari's competence had been restored.
Fran Drescher has spoken out in response to the backlash over a selfie with Kim Kardashian that was posted during the negotiations over Hollywood strikes.

The 65-year-old actor is the president of SAG-AFTRA, the actors trade union which, as of Thursday (13 July), has gone on strike.

Because the AMPTP [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers] remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers, SAG-AFTRAs national board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against studios and streamers, SAG National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a press conference.

Union members should withhold their labor until a fair contract can be achieved, he told the room. They have left us with no alternative.

The strike involves more than 150,000 television and movie actors and picket lines began on Friday (14 July) morning, marking the first time since 1960 that both actors and writers have picketed film and television production companies. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike since early May.

Last weekend, Drescher travelled to Puglia for a promotional event with Dolce & Gabbana and appeared in a selfie with Kardashian, who was also at the event.

However, critics accused Drescher of being tone deaf for posing with Kardashian, who reportedly crossed the WGA picket line in New York to film her forthcoming season of American Horror Story.

My union president chilling in Italy while were in the middle of negotiations and about to go on strike, tweeted actor Kirk Acevedo.

Were asking to be better compensated by the studios and Fran Drescher is mugging for cameras in Italy. The optics look f***ing terrible.

Writer Taffy Brodesser Akner added: Some real let them eat cake vibes for the SAG-AFTRA members who were marching alongside us WGA members just this morning.

(REUTERS)

However, on Thursday, during the press conference in which the SAG-AFTRA national board formally announced the strike, Drescher addressed the controversy and the reason why she took the photograph.

Im a brand ambassador for a fashion company, and so is Kim, she said.

I had only met Kim seconds before that publicity photo was taken. It had nothing to do with being at a party or having fun, it was absolute work.

I was in hair and makeup three hours a day, walking in heels on cobblestones doing things like that, which is work and not fun.

Im sure Kim would have rather been at her home in Malibu with her children as well. Its work, and thats what we do.
CAIRO (Reuters) -Sudan's warring factions fought heavy clashes in parts of the city of Bahri on Friday, residents said, a day after both sides welcomed a new mediation effort that seeks to end a three-month war.

The fighting that broke out on April 15 has driven civilians out of the wider capital region - consisting of the cities of Khartoum, Bahri, and Omdurman - and triggered ethnically motivated attacks in the Darfur region.

Regional and international mediation efforts have so far failed to end the fighting and U.N. officials have said Sudan could slide into civil war.

The latest mediation attempt was launched in Egypt on Thursday. Both the army, which has close ties to Egypt, and the RSF paramilitary group welcomed the effort.

But four residents of northern Bahri told Reuters they woke to heavy early morning clashes between the two sides, apparently centred around the Halfaya bridge.

While the RSF quickly fanned out across the capital in the early days of the conflict, the army has focused on air and artillery strikes that have done little to change the scene.

The army has conducted more ground operations in recent weeks, particularly in Omdurman.

The Bahri residents said they heard air strikes, artillery fire, and gunshots, continuing into the afternoon.

An army source said the army had succeeded in pushing the RSF out of neighbourhoods in the far north of the city in the morning, but the RSF said in a statement they were able to defeat the forces and claimed to kill hundreds.

In a statement the Sudanese army said it had launched ground operations in all three cities of the capital and that it had been successful, acknowledging some losses in Bahri but calling the RSF number inflated.

Residents of the wider capital area reported a communications outage for several hours in the morning.

Other eyewitnesses reported clashes around an army base in southern Khartoum as well.

(Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo and Khalid Abdelaziz in DubaiEditing by Frances Kerry)
SRIHARIKOTA, India (AP)  An Indian spacecraft blazed its way toward the far side of the moon Friday in a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to land a rover on the lunar surface, the countrys space agency said.

Chandrayaan-3, the word for moon craft in Sanskrit, took off from a launchpad in Sriharikota in southern India with an orbiter, a lander and a rover, in a demonstration of Indias emerging space technology. The spacecraft embarked on a journey that is expected to last slightly over a month before landing on the moons surface later in August.

Applause and cheers swept through mission control at Satish Dhawan Space Center, where the Indian Space Research Organizations engineers and scientists celebrated as they monitored the launch of the spacecraft. Thousands of Indians cheered outside the mission control center and waved the national flag as they watched the spacecraft rise into the sky.

Congratulations India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon, ISRO Director Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said shortly after the launch.

A successful landing would make India the fourth country  after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China  to achieve the feat.

The six-wheeled lander and rover module of Chandrayaan-3 is configured with payloads that would provide data to the scientific community on the properties of lunar soil and rocks, including chemical and elemental compositions, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, junior minister for Science and Technology.

Indias previous attempt to land a robotic spacecraft near the moons little-explored south pole ended in failure in 2019. It entered the lunar orbit but lost touch with its lander that crashed while making its final descent to deploy a rover to search for signs of water. According to a failure analysis report submitted to the ISRO, the crash was caused by a software glitch.

The $140-million mission in 2019 was intended to study permanently shadowed moon craters that are thought to contain water deposits and were confirmed by Indias Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008.

Somanath said the main objective of the mission this time was a safe and soft landing on the moon. He said the Indian space agency has perfected the art of reaching up to the moon, but it is the landing that the agency is working on.

Numerous countries and private companies are in a race to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. In April, a Japanese companys spacecraft apparently crashed while attempting to land on the moon. An Israeli nonprofit tried to achieve a similar feat in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on impact.

With nuclear-armed India emerging as the worlds fifth-largest economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modis nationalist government is eager to show off the countrys prowess in security and technology.

Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in Indias space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian, Modi said in a tweet after the launch.

India is using research from space and elsewhere to solve problems at home. Its space program has already helped develop satellite, communication and remote-sensing technologies and has been used to gauge underground water levels and predict weather in the country, which is prone to cycles of drought and flood.

This is a very critical mission, said Pallava Bagla, a science writer and co-author of books on Indias space exploration, adding that India will require soft landing technology if it wants to attempt more missions to the moon.

India is also looking forward to its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the United States as part of agreements between Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House last month.

This one-off visit by an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station will not hamper Indias own program, which aims to launch an Indian astronaut from Indian soil on an Indian rocket in late 2024, Bagla said.

As part of its own space program, active since the 1960s, India has launched satellites for itself and other countries, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.

Singh said that based on the current trajectory of growth, Indias space sector could be a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years.

As of April, India has launched 424 satellites for 34 countries, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The ISRO has earned approximately 1.1 billion rupees ($13.4 million) in the past five years from the launch of foreign satellites, the minister told Indias Parliament in December.

___

Sharma reported from New Delhi.
PARIS (AP)  France is staging a seduction campaign for visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, guest of honor at Friday's annual Bastille Day parade, with the French president calling India a key player in our future.

France is looking to further strengthen cooperation on an array of topics ranging from climate to military sales and the strategic Indo-Pacific region. But human rights, seen as an increasingly pressing subject for Modis India, was missing from the vast agenda.

President Emmanuel Macron praised India in a speech Thursday evening before French defense officials as a key partner.

"It is a giant in the history of the world that will have a determining role in our future," Macron said, ahead of a dinner with Modi at the Elysee Palace. India is also a strategic partner and friend.

Macron, with Modi at his side, will preside over Fridays grandiose annual military parade to mark Frances national day. Indian troops will march and three French-made Indian Rafale jets will do a fly-by.

As Modi arrived Thursday, India's Defense Acquisition Council approved the purchase of 26 Rafales for the Indian Navy, an accord in principle announced by the Indian Defense Ministry. The price is to be negotiated with the French, a statement said. The purchase of three Scorpene submarines, developed by France and Spain, was also approved.

Critics have voiced concern about France giving such a perch to Modi. India's 72-year-old prime minister is widely viewed as increasingly authoritarian and his Hindu nationalist party as divisive. In a report in April, the campaign group Amnesty International said freedom of expression had declined under Modi.

The European Parliament passed a resolution on Thursday for human rights to be integrated into all areas of the EU-India partnership, including in trade. The resolution called on member states to systematically and publicly raise human rights concerns at the highest level.

Modis two-day visit comes as Paris and New Delhi mark the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. Crucially, it precedes Macrons trip this month to the Indo-Pacific region, home to 1.5 million French nationals. Talks with Modi are aimed at ensuring the vast region remains a space where security, notably of the seas, and other key concerns like climate are preserved. Macron called it an essential strategy for the balance of the planet.

Modi is being courted by other nations. His two-day visit to France comes on the heels of his June trip to the United States, where President Joe Biden offered Modi a lavish welcome. Modi was recently in Egypt and he is to head to the United Arab Emirates after leaving France.

Ten personalities, including noted economist Thomas Piketty and former French ambassador to Denmark France Zimeray, implored Macron in a commentary Thursday in the newspaper Le Monde to encourage Prime Minister Modi to end repression of the civil society, assure freedom of major media (outlets) and protect religious liberty.

Modi, who governs the world's largest population, rarely talks to the press at home or abroad. But responding to a human rights question at a rare news conference during his Washington trip, he said that democracy runs in our veins and insisted that there is absolutely no space for discrimination.

___

Youcef Bounab in Paris contributed to this report.
Several high-profile celebrities have shown their support for SAG-AFTRAs newly-announced strike that will effectively shut down Hollywood.

Follow along here for real-time updates on Sag-aftras historic strike.

On Thursday (13 July), SAG-AFTRAs negotiating committee, which represents 160,000 TV and film actors, made the official decision to go on strike alongside the Writers Guild of America, who have been on the picket line since May.

Union members should withhold their labour until a fair contract can be achieved, SAG National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a press conference. They have left us with no alternative.

The strike will begin at midnight tonight, with protests beginning Friday (14 July) morning.

Its been over 60 years since actors and screenwriters have simultaneously picketed film and TV studios. The decision came hours after contract negotiations with companies such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney and Warner Bros, failed to pass before the Wednesday (12 July) midnight deadline.

The acting unions demands are similar to those of its counterpart, the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Among the formers chief demands include increased wages, higher streaming residuals and improved working conditions.

Following the announcement, numerous A-list stars publicly spoke out as they joined the union strike.

Well, everythings f***ed, Issa Rae declared in a video posted to her Instagram Story, with the overlayed text: WGA and SAG [solidarity emoji] and AMPTP [middle finger emoji].

It looks like its time to take down the masks and pick up the signs, reads a photo posted to Instagram by Jamie Lee Curtis, tagging SAG-AFTRA in the caption.

We will win this! Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon tweeted in encouragement. I am proud to be standing tall with the @WGAWest and @WGAEast as actors and writers together demand a fair share of the record-breaking profits the studios have been reaping from our labour for far too long.

The @sagaftra strike has at last arrived. I am proud to be standing tall with the @WGAWest and @WGAEast as actors and writers together demand a fair share of the record-breaking profits the studios have been reaping from our labor for far too long.

We will win this!   Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) July 13, 2023

Greys Anatomy star Sara Ramirez changed their Instagram profile picture to the Sag-aftras on strike logo.

Sara Ramirez Instagram (Sara Ramirez Instagram)

SAG board member, Communitys Yvette Nicole Brown, shared a selfie on Instagram with the caption: In preparation we all got together last week to create our signs. I was on sticks! When youre out there without a splinter thanks to the perfectly placed duct tape, think of ya girl!

Shortly before the official strike announcement, Oppenheimers cast walked away from the films London premiere to write their picket signs in preparation for the imminent strike.

During red-carpet interviews with press, before the movies screening, Matt Damon had confirmed to Variety that once the strike is officially called, he and the cast  Emily Blunt, Ramy Malek, Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh  were going to walk obviously in solidarity.
Rep. Katie Porter narrowly leads the wide open race for Californias Senate seat, a new poll reported Friday.

Porter, D-Orange County, was the choice of 19% of likely voters, just ahead of Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Los Angeles, at 16% and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, at 13%, a June survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found. The other voter preferences were scattered among several candidates, topped by Republican Eric Early at 7%. Six percent were undecided.

PPIC also found in a June poll that in the race for the White House, 50% of the states likely Republican voters support former President Donald Trump.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trailed with 24%, followed by former Vice President Mike Pence at 6%.

In the general election, President Joe Biden would trounce Trump in California, 57% to 31%. Biden beat Trump in the state 63.5% to 34% in 2020.

The Senate survey, conducted last month, showed the race remains highly competitive. The three Democrats are vying to succeed veteran Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who plans to retire when her term ends in January 2025.

The top two finishers in the March 2024 primary will compete for the seat in November.

Among Republican candidates, six are each receiving 10% of the vote.

It seems most likely that two Democrats will make the top two, said Mark Baldassare, PPIC statewide survey director, in a blog post.

The contest between Porter, Schiff and Lee is expected to remain in a tight. Their voting records are similar and each is regarded as having a strong base of support.

The PPIC results were similar to a May Berkeley-IGS poll that found Porter also with a slight lead over Schiff and Lee. The poll analysis noted that the race remains a wide open affair.

Porters campaign reported raising $3.2 million in the second quarter of the year and enters the summer with $10.4 million on hand.

Lee, who is regarded as a favorite of grassroots progressives, raised about $1 million in the second quarter.

Schiffs campaign outraised them both, hauling in $8.1 million during the spring quarter. He had $29.5 million on hand.

Schiff was in the news when the PPIC poll was taken. The Republican-controlled House voted June 21 to censure him for his role in investigations of Trump.

Schiff called the action a badge of honor.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed to Wagner Group fighters that a senior mercenary named Andrey Troshev now command the private military group, according to comments the Russian leader made to the Kommersant newspaper.

Putin appears to have created a split between senior fighters from the Wagner mercenary group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin since its failed uprising last month  at least in terms of the narrative emerging from his comments to the Kommersant.

The paper was reporting on a meeting held by the Russian president five days after the Wagner rebellion collapsed at the end of June  a meeting attended by Prigozhin and several dozen senior Wagner combatants.

According to Kommersant, Putin told dozens of Wagner mercenaries in the meeting that among the multiple employment choices he offered to them, one included them continuing to fight under their direct commander, a man who goes by the call sign, Sedoy, meaning grey hair.

They could have all gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin said, and nothing would have changed for them. They would be led by the same person who has been their real commander all along.

And what happened then? the Kommersant reporter said in reply to Putin. Many people nodded [affirmatively] when I said that, Putin replied.

Who is Andrey Troshev?

Sedoy is the call sign of Andrey Troshev, a retired Russian colonel and a founding member and Executive Director of the Wagner Group, according to sanctions documents published by the European Union and France.

European Union sanctions concerning the situation in Syria detail Troshevs position as the chief of staff of the Wagner Group operations in Syria, which supported the Syrian regime.

Troshev was born in April 1953 in Leningrad, in the former Soviet Union, according to the EU sanctions from December 2021.

Andrey Troshev is directly involved in the military operations of the Wagner Group in Syria. He was particularly involved in the area of Deir ez-Zor, it added. As such, he provides a crucial contribution to Bashar al-Assads war effort and therefore supports and benefits from the Syrian regime.

United Kingdom sanctions from June 2022 also say Andrey Nikolaevich Troshev was the Chief Executive of the Wagner Group. Therefore, he has supported the Syrian regime, was a member of a militia, and has repressed the civilian population in Syria.

His associates include Wagner Group founder Dimitriy Utkin, who is also a former Russian GRU military intelligence officer, according to EU sanctions. Troshev is also associated with Wagner group commanders Aleksandr Sergeevich Kuznetsov and Andrey Bogatov.

Grey hair is also a former employee of the special rapid response detachment of the Russian Interior Ministrys Northwestern Federal District, according to Russian online news outlet Fontanka. He is also a veteran of the wars in Chechnya and Afghanistan.

For his service in Afghanistan, Troshev was awarded two Orders of the Red Star  a Soviet Union decoration for exceptional service. For service in the operation in Chechnya, he was awarded two Orders of Courage and a medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd degree, according to Russian media.

Troshev was among those invited to a reception at the Kremlin in December 2016. A photograph, believed to be from that 2016 reception, emerged in Russian media in 2017 and shows Putin alongside Troshev and Utkin, who are both wearing several medals.

Members of Wagner group sit atop of a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023. - Roman Romokhov/AFP/Getty Images

Ukraine imposed sanctions against Troshev on February 26, 2023.

Meanwhile, the fate of Wagner boss Prigozhin remains unclear. Prigozhin had reportedly traveled to Belarus as part of a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following the failed uprising, but the Belarusian president told CNN last week the Wagner leader is now in Russia.

Footage purporting to show a police raid on Prigozhins premises in St. Petersburg has also raised questions about his status. Prigozhin has not been seen in public since June 2.

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Great value vinho verdes on the market today: Lab Vinho Verde Rose NV; Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde NV; Broadbent Vinho Verde NV; Joao Portugal Ramos Loureiro Vinho Verde 2021 (Rey Lopez/The Washington Post)

To beat summer heat, wine lovers often turn to vinho verde, a light, refreshing wine from northern Portugal that has enjoyed a boomlet the past few years. One sign of its popularity  several local wineries are producing their own verde-style wines with the hallmarks of sharp acidity and slight carbonation.

But what exactly is this green wine? Here are five things to know about this popular summer sip.

1. The name

Theres no agreed on explanation for the name, which apparently evolved around the 17th century when the wines were first exported to Britain. It could be a reference to the green underripe flavours of tart apples and lime blossom in the very fresh, raw wine. It could also refer to the lush green landscape of the Minho region in northwestern Portugal, where the Atlantic Oceans maritime influence produces a climate and terroir starkly different from the parched Mediterranean lands in the Algarve to the south.

The Portuguese pronunciation is VEEN-yo VER-da, with the last syllable all but swallowed. If, like most people, you pronounce it VEE-no VERD-ee, the Portuguese winemakers will not complain. They will smile politely, pocket your cash and be happy you are enjoying their wine.

Green wine comes in white, pink and red (sorry, I couldnt resist). Very little red is produced. Both the whites and roses are notable for tart acidity (those green flavours) and a slight spritz of carbonation, which combine to make them refreshing, especially in hot weather. They are intended to be enjoyed, not aged. In fact, many are not even vintage-dated because theyre not expected to last long enough for the year to be relevant. So drink up!

2. The region and the grapes

Vinho verde is Portugals largest demarcated wine region, or appellation (though the administrative region is called Minho). There are nine subzones which generally do not appear on wine labels but may become increasingly important as winemakers explore different expressions of vinho verde. The main grapes are alvarinho (familiar to us as albarino) and loureiro, a crisp white often compared to riesling. There are several other varieties that are even harder to pronounce and noteworthy only if you are keeping track of varieties youve tasted. Alvarinho dominates the blends in the north (where the Minho borders Spains Rias Baixas region), and loureiro is more prominent further south.

3. That spritz

Vinho verde has been exported at least since the 17th century. Back in the day, the wines signature spritz resulted from a little bit of sugar remaining as the wines were rushed into bottle before fermentation had finished. Today, the bubbles are added artificially by carbonation before bottling. The level of carbonation is up to the producer  some vinho verde can be quite fizzy, while others gently tickle the palate.

4. You can use it in cocktails

Vinho verdes fizz and still relatively low price make it an ideal foil for your summer mixology efforts. An ice cube, slice of lime and a splash of gin make a nice spritzer. It can also be a great base for sangria.

5. New styles are evolving

While we think of vinho verde as a simple, enjoyable starter wine for a summer repast, some winemakers are producing more serious versions. These are usually made from a single variety (such as alvarinho or loureiro) and labelled with the vintage. Some producers are bottling single-vineyard wines to highlight a sites granite or schist soils.

The wines are changing and moving forward with an international, incredibly bright and pure style, says Eugenio Jardim, the brand ambassador for Wines of Portugal. He cited Anselmo Mendes and Quinta da Soalheiro as pioneers of this new style.

This is a region in flux, with the quality of wines soaring in recent years, Jardim tells me. This is not a one-note region.

 The Washington Post
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday he held a call with billionaire Elon Musk to discuss automaker Tesla's investment in the country and SpaceX's satellite communications service.

"I welcome the company's interest and decision to invest in Malaysia, and Elon Musk's willingness to come to Malaysia," Anwar said in a statement.

Malaysia had earlier this year approved electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla's application to import battery-run EVs into Malaysia. The trade ministry had said Tesla will open an office, showrooms and service centers in the Southeast Asian country and establish a network of charging stations for its cars.

Anwar said Tesla's operations in Malaysia will begin this year.

The two also discussed Starlink, the satellite communications service started by Musk and operated by his company SpaceX, Anwar said.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
An SUV carrying two dozen migrants near Holtville, Calif., was struck by a big rig on March 2, 2021, killing 13 people. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for coordinating a smuggling trip in which two dozen migrants were stacked into a Ford Expedition that crashed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people outside a California desert town.

Jose Cruz Noguez pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges stemming from the March 2, 2021, crash near Holtville, about 125 miles east of San Diego. It was one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants smuggled into the United States.

Cruz Noguez also admitted to trying to still get payment for the smuggling trip from the survivors, prosecutors said. Neither Cruz Noguez nor his attorney could be reached for comment.

Cruz Noguez organized one of the most callous and inhumane smuggling attempts that law enforcement has responded to in this district, U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said. He and his co-conspirators treated these individuals like a worthless commodity.

Cruz Noguez arranged for the Ford Expedition and a GMC Yukon to be modified by removing the passenger seats so people could be stacked on top of each other, prosecutors said. He then drove the route north of the border to ensure no law enforcement were in the area.

At least 24 people were crammed into the Ford Expedition and 19 others were put in the GMC Yukon. A section of the border fence was then removed so the vehicles could drive across the Mexican border into California, prosecutors said.

Shortly after crossing the border, the Yukon caught fire and the driver fled, while the Ford Expedition continued on Interstate 8 toward Holtville. Just outside the town, it slammed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people.

When crews arrived at the scene, some passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled SUV. Others were wandering around the nearby fields. The big rigs front end was pushed into the SUVs left side, and two empty trailers were jackknifed behind it.

The passengers ranged in age from 15 to 53, and those who survived had injuries that were minor to severe, including fractures and head trauma, officials said. The driver was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, and was among those killed.

The 68-year-old driver of the big rig, who is from the nearby California community of El Centro, suffered moderate injuries.

The crash occurred around 6:15 a.m. under a clear, sunny sky at an intersection just outside the community of Holtville, about 11 miles north of the border. Authorities said the tractor-trailer was heading north on a highway when the SUV pulled in front of it from a road with a stop sign.

The crash happened in an area that became a major route for illegal border crossings in the late 1990s after heightened enforcement in San Diego pushed migrants to more remote areas.

Barely a mile from the crash, there is a cemetery with rows of unmarked bricks that is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos president plowed ahead with attacks against the opposition front-runner for the 2024 presidential elections Friday, despite a ruling by electoral authorities that he has been violating equity and neutrality rules with such comments.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has spent weeks using his morning press briefing to criticize Xochitl Galvez, a plain-talking senator and former indigenous affairs official. Lopez Obrador is barred from running again after the end of his six-year term, and Galvez hasnt been nominated yet by opposition parties, but she has been gaining momentum.

The complaints commission of the National Electoral Institute ruled late Thursday that Lopez Obrador's remarks apparently violated the principles of equity, neutrality impartiality, and ordered the president to avoid commenting on electoral matters.

Lopez Obrador claimed Friday that electoral authorities "are trying to silence me" and violate his freedom of expression. He argued that  because his office had not been formally notified of the ruling  he could continue criticizing Galvez.

We still have time, before they want to limit me, Lopez Obrador said, before repeating claims that Galvez was the representative of the mafia of power and that her company had received tens of millions in government contracts.

Galvez has responded that even Lopez Obrador's own administration has hired her information technology company to do government work, showing how good the firm is.

My career didn't start in politics, Galvez wrote in her Twitter account. I am proud to have created jobs for hundreds of Mexican families.

The president is upset by tax-paying jobs and businesses, because he has never seen one, she wrote. He is used to (getting money) in plain envelopes.

Galvez is an independent who serves in the Senate for the conservative National Action Party. She comes from a small-town, partly indigenous background, and has often taken more progressive stances.

After decades in the 20th century in which the former ruling party used government funds to influence elections, Mexico passed strict rules in the late 1990s saying the government had to remain neutral in elections and not use public funds to support or oppose candidates.

Article 134 of the Constitution, which says government media, advertising and public relations must only be used for informative or educational purposes, not for or against any politician. The government pays to produce and broadcast the morning press briefings, held at the lavish National Palace where Lopez Obrador lives.

For several decades, Mexican presidents have avoided  and in recent years, been legally prohibited from  making openly partisan campaign statements. That is in part because Mexico is a highly centralized country where the president wields enormous power, both political and financial.

Lopez Obradors behavior could be compared to then-outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama lashing candidate Donald Trump regularly and at length at White House press briefings in 2016, or George W. Bush using such briefings to regularly attack Obama in 2008.

Parties are currently still in primary season, and the official campaigns for the June 2024 presidential elections do not formally start until September

Lopez Obrador has already run afoul of electoral courts on precisely this issue.

Earlier this year, a federal electoral tribunal ruled that Lopez Obrador had violated rules prohibiting the use of government resources in campaigns, related to comments he made during the run-up to two state elections held in Mexico in June.

In March, Lopez Obrador used his morning press briefing to urge Mexicans not to vote for opposition candidates in the two state races, saying dont vote for the conservative Alliance  not one vote for the conservatives.

Galvez has asked to be allowed to respond to the presidents comments at the daily press briefing, and even got a court injunction allowing her to do so, but Lopez Obrador refused, saying she wanted to play politics at the briefing.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A floating barrier of orange buoys put in the Rio Grande by the Texan government to hinder migrants crossing into the U.S. violates a water treaty and may encroach on Mexican territory, incoming Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said on Friday.

"We have sent a diplomatic letter (to the U.S.) on 26 June because in reality what it is violating is the water treaty of 1944," Barcena told reporters in Mexico City, referring to the Mexican Water Treaty between the U.S. and Mexico that covers the use of water from the Colorado, Tijuana and Rio Grande rivers.

"We are sending a mission, a territorial inspection," Barcena added, "to see where the buoys are located... to carry out this topographical survey to verify that they do not cross into Mexican territory."

The U.S. State Department and the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Barcena was named foreign minister last month but is still awaiting formal confirmation by Mexico's Senate.

On Friday, the Texan government said in a statement that it had this week begun installing the "new floating marine barriers along the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass."

It said the buoys will "help deter illegal immigrants attempting to make the dangerous river crossing into Texas."

Many migrants have drowned trying to cross the river in recent years but some experts fear the buoys may only increase the risk of crossing.

Earlier this month, four migrants drowned in the Rio Grande. Last September nine migrants died and 37 were rescued as they tried to cross the rain-swollen river near Eagle Pass.

(Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Sandra Maler)
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A Mississippi man was arrested on felony charges accusing him of targeting Pennsylvanian synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses by calling them  some as many as 15 times  and making antisemitic threats.

Donavon Parish, 28, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was charged on June 27 with cyberstalking and communicating interstate threats in an indictment unsealed Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

Parish could be sentenced to up to 50 years in prison and a $2.5 million fine if convicted. A defense attorney wasn't listed.

Parish used voice-over-internet-protocol technology to call three businesses and three synagogues in April and May 2022, according to the indictment. A federal grand jury determined that he intentionally selected those locations because of the perceived and actual religion of the people there, and made comments about killing Jews when they answered the phone.

Parish called one business 15 times, and one synagogue he called at least twice also housed a preschool and kindergarten, the indictment states.
The North Korean ambassador to the United States spoke before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday.

Ambassador Kim Song defended North Korea's test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday, calling it a legitimate exercise in national self-defense.

"Exercise of the right to self-defense is a legitimate right of a sovereign state which nobody can deny as it is recognized under the UN Charter and international law," Kim said.

NORTH KOREA REQUESTS TO SPEAK AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING CALLED IN RESPONSE TO ITS LATEST MISSILE LAUNCH

Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on July 13, 2023, in New York City. The U.N. Security Council met to discuss the latest suspected intercontinental ballistic missile fired by North Korea after the country threatened retaliation against what they say are recent U.S. spy plane incursions over its territory.

"Moreover, our test-fire of a new type ICBM "Hwasongpho-18" is a warranted exercise of the right to self-defense to deter dangerous military moves of the hostile forces and to safeguard the security of our state and peace in the region without fail," the ambassador added.

It was the first speech from the hermit kingdom in front of the UNSC in approximately a decade.

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South Koreas U.N. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook was present at the meeting as an observing member.

North Korea on Wednesday fired a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile toward the East Sea, reigniting perennial tensions in the region.

NORTH KOREA FIRES INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE TOWARD EAST SEA: SOUTH KOREA MILITARY

Chair of the delegation of North Korea, Kim Song, speaks during General debate of the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

South Korea's joint chiefs of staff announced in a statement that it detected the ballistic missile launch near the North's capital of Pyongyang, just days after the hermit nation promised "shocking" consequences to protest what it called a provocative U.S. reconnaissance activity near its territory.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, accused the U.S. of sending spy planes over the Norths exclusive economic zone, the area within 200 nautical miles of its territory where it controls rights to natural resources.

Kim Yo Jong said a U.S. spy plane crossed the eastern sea boundary between the Koreas at around 5 a.m. Monday and conducted reconnaissance activities over the Norths exclusive economic zone before being chased away by North Korean warplanes.

She also said the U.S. aircraft crossed the eastern sea boundary again at around 8:50 a.m., prompting North Koreas military to issue an unspecified "strong warning" toward the United States.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  North Korea's U.N. ambassador defended his country's recent long-range missile launch in a rare appearance at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday where he also accused the United States of driving the situation in northeast Asia to the brink of nuclear war.

Kim Song told the council that Wednesdays test-flight of the developmental Hwasong-18 missile was a legitimate exercise of the Norths right to self-defense. He said the United States was raising regional tensions with nuclear threats and deploying a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea for the first time in 14 years.

Kim said the missile launch had "no negative effect on the security of a neighboring country, pointing to Japans announcement that the ICBM  which flew at a steep angle  landed in open waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

South Koreas U.N. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook countered, asking: How can an ICBM launch ever make neighboring countries appear safe?

Diplomats said Kim's appearance was the first time a North Korean diplomat addressed the Security Council since 2017.

Hwang said each of North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches allow the country to advance its technology toward its goal of having an arsenal of nuclear-armed weapons.

Immediately before the meeting, a statement from nine council members including the U.S. and Japan, joined by South Korea, was read to reporters condemning the launch in the strongest possible terms and stressing that it was the 20th ballistic missile launch this year in blatant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions banning such tests.

In Pyongyang, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, slammed the U.N. Security Council for convening a meeting to pick a quarrel with her country's self-defense step while ignoring the U.S. push to increase the danger of a nuclear war. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong called the council a new Cold War mechanism totally inclined to the U.S. and the West.

She also warned that the United States would pay a price for its hostility toward the North. I do not conceal the fact that very unlucky things will wait for the U.S., she said without elaborating but reiterated her country's push to build up its nuclear deterrence capability.

The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Koreas first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking  so far unsuccessfully  to cut funds and curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The last sanctions resolution was adopted by the council in December 2017, and China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The two veto-wielding permanent members have blocked any council action including statements to the media since then.

The statement by the 10 countries said the Security Council cannot remain silent in the face of so many North Korean provocations and must send a message to all proliferators that this behavior is unlawful, destabilizing, and will not be normalized. It also called on all countries to confront North Korea's illicit activities to generate revenue such as cybercrime.

But Russia and China remained opposed to any council action.

Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun took note of the latest missile test but criticized the heightened U.S. military pressure on North Korea and its deployment of strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

He said the long-time view of the U.S. and other countries that North Korea poses a security threat and their obsession with sanctions put North Korea under existential pressure, while the country's own legitimate concerns have never been addressed.

Zhang said history since the 1990s clearly shows that dialogue and negotiation are the only way to ease tensions, and he urged the U.S. and North Korea to resume talks.

The statement from the 10 countries said they remain committed to diplomacy without preconditions. Song made no mention of talks, which have been stalled since 2018.

__

Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Some Republican members of Congress on Thursday denounced the Biden administrations recent move to withdraw hundreds of square miles of federal land in New Mexico from oil and gas development, offering their support instead to legislation that would unravel the ban.

U.S. Rep. Eli Crane was among those to speak out during a congressional subcommittee hearing on the legislation that he and fellow Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosar recently introduced to nullify what they consider overreach by the federal government.

Crane's district includes part of the vast Navajo Nation, which spans portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The eastern side of the reservation is part of a jurisdictional checkerboard that includes federal, state and private lands along with Chaco Cultural National Historical Park.

He acknowledged that the park holds cultural significance for tribes throughout the Southwestern U.S. but that development surrounding Chaco should be determined by the Navajo Nation and the thousands of individual Navajo landowners who are affected.

The Biden administration did not properly seek out tribal input and have effectively implemented a destructive chokehold on tribal revenue and economic prosperity, Crane said.

Although the Navajo Nation has been among the tribes to seek protections for sacred areas within the Chaco region over the decades, Navajo leaders had proposed a smaller buffer around the park to limit the economic consequences of a federal ban land locking individual Navajo parcels.

Navajo President Buu Nygren contends that the administration gave no weight to the tribes concerns before imposing the ban.

The withdrawal was done without meaningful consultation and fails to honor the Navajo Nation's sovereignty, he testified. Respect for tribal sovereignty must be consistent even when it is not convenient.

Gosar suggested that the administration's decision was predetermined and that the U.S. Interior Department should have waited to make a determination until New Mexico pueblos completed their ethnographic study, which is due later this year.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet member in the U.S., has said previously that her agency consulted with Navajo leadership, and numerous public meetings and comment periods were held over the last two years as part of the process. Her home pueblo of Laguna was among those tribes seeking permanent protections for lands beyond the park.

U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez and Melanie Stansbury, both New Mexico Democrats, submitted dozens of letters from other Navajos and members of other tribes who support prohibiting drilling in northwestern New Mexico.

Leger Fernandez said difficult choices come from balancing competing interests such as cultural preservation and the poverty faced by Navajos.

What I believe is important is honoring that which is invaluable, that which can never be replaced, that which is spiritual and sacred to those who tell us where the most important places are, she said.

Even though no new leasing has occurred within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of Chaco park over the last decade, Nygren said the Biden administration hasn't offered a solution or an alternative for replacing the revenue and jobs that might not be realized with the withdrawal in place.

He said Navajo leadership struggles to figure out how to help people make ends meet, as many tell him about not having enough money for groceries or to wash their clothes at the laundry.

Before we make harsh decisions, we've got to make sure there's a plan in place, Nygren said, mentioning farming, solar development and other alternatives that have been suggested for transitioning from fossil fuels. My hope was that we were actually going to put something on paper so that we can use that as a guiding principle before this order was issued. We've got to come back to the table.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the economic harm and injustice associated with the fight over Chaco can't be ignored. The New York Democrat said Native American communities have been abused and disrespected over generations and that if Navajo families are being affected, they deserve economic restitution.

In stripping everything away, we now are in an economic hostage situation where people feel like the only opportunity and that the only source is to acquiesce to oil and gas," she said. "And the answer to that is, in my view, not to revert back to that but to invest and reinvest in these communities.
Survivors of one of New Zealands worst natural disasters have described the searing pain of being lashed by burning sand, ash and rocks during a volcanic eruption on Whakaari or White Island in 2019 that killed 22 people.

Their evidence was heard this week during a criminal trial brought by WorkSafe, the countrys health and safety regulator, against six parties, including three brothers who own the island, once a popular tourist destination 48 kilometers (30 miles) off New Zealands north island.

Forty-seven people were on Whakaari, the islands traditional Maori name, at the time of the blast, including honeymooners and families, who either died or suffered severe burns in the incident.

Via video link from Australia, tourist Annie Lu told the court Thursday that she had booked a tour to the island with her mother after reading about it in a brochure, and said they werent warned until they were standing on the island that the volcano was at level two.

There was no mention of things being dangerous, she said.

According to New Zealands six-level Volcanic Alert system, level two means moderate to heightened volcanic unrest with the potential for an eruption.

The tourists were equipped with helmets and gas masks, but otherwise werent told to wear or bring anything special besides enclosed shoes and clothing that covered them, Lu said.

The impression that we were given basically was that it was just a casual day out, Lu said.

But what happened was a horrifying ordeal that left Lu with burns to 38% of her body, requiring multiple skin grafts that scarred the only parts of her body that hadnt been burned.

Tourists on the island said they weren't aware how close the volcano was to erupting. - Courtesy Geoff Hopkins

It was just burning

On the day of the eruption, Lu said her mother noticed a black cloud in the sky, then they heard someone yell, everyone run.

Video replayed in court showed huge plumes of ash dwarfing the group of tourists, who had been escorted by tour guides from the jetty, where their boat had docked, to the crater.

Lu said the first gust of wind blew off her helmet, and as she dived for cover behind a rock formation she held her gas mask against her mouth.

What happened next inflicted waves of almost indescribable pain, Lu said.

Its like sand and rocks everywhere that were being thrown at me. It really, really hurt, she said. It was just burning. Ive never felt anything like that before. It was just like someone heated up some needles until it was iron hot and then shoving it all onto you.

Think of, if you open an oven and the heat just rushes at you. Its kind of like that but 1,000 times worse.

Twenty-two people died in the disaster in December 2019. - Handout/New Zealand Defence Force via Getty Images

The court heard a recorded interview Lu gave police several months after the disaster, and on Thursday she was asked to add more detail about the aftermath of the eruption.

There were no clear instructions or plan, everybody just purely went on fight-or-flight instinct and ran directly for the jetty, she said.

Lu said she entered the water to stop her leggings from melting into her flesh. Medical attention on the boat was very limited, she added, and water supplies ran short as people tried to wash the ash from their skin.

Lu told the court the eruption had changed her physically and mentally.

Before the disaster, she worked in the fashion industry. After it, she had to take time off to heal and could no longer go back. I had a whole career change because, you know, as hard as it sounds, the fashion industry is all about appearances, she said.

Silent black cloud

Earlier, the court heard evidence from American tourists Matthew and Lauren Urey, who were on honeymoon and booked a tour to the island through Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Matthew Urey said the sea was extremely rough during the small boat ride to the island, and many passengers became seasick. He said the tourists were told the volcanos activity level was elevated, which meant they couldnt go to some areas of the island.

They mentioned that we would have respirators for our comfort. That was all I remember them saying about the island while were on the boat, he said. They might have given a couple of other pieces of information but I dont remember anything specific.

On the island, Urey said guides led their group to the edge of the crater, where they spent about 10 minutes before slowly walking back.

I remember somebody yelling, look and I looked over and I saw a very large black cloud coming out of the volcano. And thats when we were told to run, he said.

Lauren Urey said the billowing black cloud was silent, but as she and her husband hid behind a rock they heard a loud boom as the volcano erupted, then screams. Screams for help and screams in agony, she said in her testimony.

Matthew Urey said he struggled to breathe as they were enveloped by waves of heat that prosecutors estimate reached 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), or more.

I dont know whether it was steam or hot ash, but it was all over us, he said.

When the sky cleared, the survivors trudged through a thick layer of ash to get to the small inflatable docked on the jetty.

Some people were not as injured as other people, so some people could get on the boat a lot easier than others. (Some people) were jumping on it and pushing other people aside, said Lauren Urey.

Since that day, the couple have had multiple surgeries and skin grafts.

We wanted to have two kids, but now Im considered high risk, if I do decide to have kids, Lauren Urey said. So this has impacted me and my husband and our families much more beyond just our physical injuries, she told the court.

Images of Matthew Urey's injuries inflicted during the Whakaari/White Island eruption. - Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman P.A

The six parties fighting the charges include three brothers who own the island, Andrew, Peter and James Buttle and their company Whakaari Management Ltd (WML), as well as ID Tours New Zealand Ltd and Tauranga Tourism Services Ltd.

WorkSafe prosecutor Kristy McDonald KC told the court that cruise ship passengers received no health and safety information prior to commencing the tour, and that WML had failed its duty of care to tourists visiting the island.

By 2019, she said WML was making an annual profit of approximately 1 million New Zealand dollars ($640,000) from tourism to the island, but not enough was spent on ensuring facilities were safe.

WML was obliged to understand the risks of what it was doing. It never bothered to understand the risks properly, she said.

The Buttles and WML deny the charges. In another court hearing that sought to have the charges dismissed, the Buttles lawyer David Neutze said the brothers had little control over the tours, according to CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand.

Five organizations have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, including Volcanis Air Safaris, Aerius, Kahu NZ and White Island Tours.

New Zealand science agency GNS pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to consult with helicopter pilots about the risks, and had one charge dismissed.

Luxury charter flight operator Inflite pleaded guilty last year and was fined 227,500 New Zealand dollars ($145,000) plus court costs. The allegations carry a maximum fine of 1.5 million New Zealand dollars ($950,000).

The trial is expected to last 16 weeks.

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By Asif Shahzad

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's army said on Friday it was seriously concerned that militants had found safe havens in neighbouring Afghanistan and threatened to take an "effective response" two days after 12 of its soldiers died in two attacks.

Nine soldiers died after Islamist fighters stormed an army base in Pakistan's southern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, and three more were killed in an exchange of fire in the area on Wednesday, the military said.

The army has "serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP in Afghanistan," it said, referring to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant umbrella group.

"Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit effective response from the security forces of Pakistan," it said, without spelling out who it might target with its response.

"The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed," it added.

The foreign ministry of Afghanistan's Taliban administration did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

Kabul has denied past accusations that it allows militant groups to launch attacks on Pakistan from its territory.

Balochistan is a mineral-rich region that has been troubled by a decades-old ethnic Baloch insurgency.

Islamist militants, who aim to overthrow the Pakistani government and install their own brand of strict Islamic law in the predominantly Muslim country of 220 million people, have also been active in Balochistan.

They have stepped up attacks since revoking a ceasefire agreement with the government in late 2022, including the bombing of a mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar that killed more than 100 people earlier this year.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad)
China calls for cessation of hostilities in Sudan

Xinhua) 13:36, July 14, 2023

UNITED NATIONS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the warring parties in Sudan to cease hostilities.

The armed conflict in Sudan has carried on for three months, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, noting that fighting has continued despite the two parties having reached multiple temporary truces.

China hopes that all parties in Sudan will prioritize peace and the well-being of its people, seek dialogue and cease hostilities to avoid a greater humanitarian crisis, Dai said.

China supports the efforts of regional organizations and countries to promote peace talks, he told the Security Council.

"China hopes that the United Nations and international partners will support the efforts of regional organizations and cooperate with them. We encourage the regional organizations to strengthen coordination with all parties in Sudan and form synergy to promote an early de-escalation of the situation and avoid greater spillover effects," Dai said.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan's Darfur region has recently deteriorated. He noted that the Darfur issue has a long history and involves complex factors such as intercommunal clashes, resource competition and external interference.

China believes that the top priority right now is to encourage all parties to enforce the Juba Peace Agreement and assist the Sudanese authorities in fulfilling their duty to safeguard civilians. He said that China calls on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, fulfill their responsibility to protect civilians, curb violence and ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance in Darfur.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan's military chief warned the Afghan Taliban on Friday of an effective response by his forces if they fail to stop harboring militants who plot cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

The stern remarks by the army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, came after two militant attacks this week killed 12 Pakistani soldiers in the country's southwestern Baluchistan province, which borders Afghanistan.

During a military meeting Friday in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan, Munir paid tribute to the fallen soldiers. Seven attackers were also killed by troops returning fire during the attacks on Wednesday.

Both the Pakistani Taliban, a separate militant group that is also an ally of the Afghan Taliban, and the extremist Islamic State group have a presence in Baluchistan.

However, a newly formed militant group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan claimed responsibility for one of Wednesday's attacks. That attack, in the Zhob district, left nine soldiers dead. It was unclear who was behind the other attack, in the Sui district, which killed three soldiers.

The Taliban-run government in Kabul did not immediately respond to the Pakistani general's remarks.

Munir was quoted as saying that Pakistans armed forces were seriously concerned about the safe havens and liberty of action" the Pakistani Taliban have in Afghanistan. He said he expects the Afghan Taliban to live up to their promises from a 2020 agreement with Washington to bar any terror group from using Afghan soil for attacks.

If they fail to do so, these intolerable attacks would draw an effective response, he said.

Along with the Pakistani Taliban and IS militants, local Baluch separatist also have a strong presence in the gas-rich Baluchistan. The province has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by nationalists for two decades. They initially wanted a higher share of the provincial resources, but later initiated an insurgency for independence.

Along with the Baluch separatists, the Pakistani Taliban  the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP  have claimed responsibility for most of the attacks on Pakistani troops and police in the province.

The TTP has become emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war.
A busload of migrants sent from Brownsville, Texas, arrives at St. Anthony's Croatian Catholic Church in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Arriving in downtown L.A. after a 30-hour bus journey, 30 migrants sent from Texas were met by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics and aid group workers. They were then taken by local bus to St. Anthonys Croatian Catholic Church, where a makeshift center was set up to help passengers reunite with family and access social services.

A woman and child arrive with other passengers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Bus passengers arrive at St. Anthony's Croatian Catholic Church. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Passengers exit the bus from Texas upon arriving in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

More passengers exit the bus upon arrival in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Adults and children exit the bus from Texas. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland will respond in kind if Russia closes down its diplomatic missions, the Polish prime minister said on Friday, after Moscow said it had decided to close Warsaw's consulate in Smolensk.

The war in Ukraine has brought relations between Warsaw and Moscow to new lows. Poland accuses Russia of trying to destabilise the country with disinformation campaigns and espionage, while Moscow has hit out at what it sees as Warsaw's hostile rhetoric.

"We regularly receive information about aggressive diplomatic actions from Russia," Mateusz Morawiecki told a press conference. "If in the end it comes to it that Russia starts to liquidate our offices we will respond in kind."

Interfax news agency said Russia took the decision to close the consulate due to what it called Poland's "anti-Russian actions".

The consulate in Smolensk holds a special significance for Poland as it is charged with looking after two sites of national rememberance - the cemetery complex in Katyn and the site of the 2010 Smolensk air disaster.

Polish officers were murdered by Soviet forces in the Katyn forest in western Russia in 1940.

In 2010, President Lech Kaczynski and 95 other people including top politicians and military officers were killed when their plane crashed in thick fog in Smolensk as they travelled to mark the anniversary of the Katyn killings.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish and Jason Hovet, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Yevgeny Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner Group mercenaries. (AP)

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to keep fighting at a meeting just days after their failed mutiny but suggested Yevgeny Prigozhin be moved aside in favour of a different commander, the Kommersant newspaper said.

Putin initially vowed to crush the June 23-24 mutiny, comparing it to the wartime turmoil that ushered in the revolutions of 1917, but hours later a deal was clinched to allow Prigozhin and some of his fighters to go to Belarus.

Mystery surrounds the fate of that deal as well as the fate of Wagner, one of the world's most battle-hardened mercenary forces, and Prigozhin, a former convict who rose to become known as "Putin's chef" and Russia's most powerful mercenary.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Putin had held talks with Wagner commanders and Prigozhin at a meeting on June 29, five days after the mutiny. The mercenaries, the Kremlin said, reaffirmed their loyalty to Putin.

But Kommersant, one of Russia's top newspapers, published Putin's remarks to its most experienced Kremlin correspondent, Andrei Kolesnikov, which suggested the future of Prigozhin and Wagner was in doubt.

"But Wagner does not exist," Putin told Kommersant when asked if it would be preserved as a fighting unit. "There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesn't exist."

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Putin then related details about the June 29 Kremlin meeting with 35 Wagner commanders at which he suggested several options for them to continue fighting, including that a senior Wagner figure known by his nom de guerre "Sedoi" - or "grey hair" - take over command.

"Sedoi" is a highly decorated veteran of Russia's wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya. He is from St Petersburg, Putin's home town, and has been pictured with the president.

"All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve," Kommersant quoted Putin as saying. "And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all that time."

Putin said that many of the commanders had nodded their head at his suggestion but Prigozhin, who was sitting at the front, did not see this, Kommersant said.

"'No, the boys won't agree with such a decision'," Putin quoted Prigozhin as saying.

The remarks do not appear in an official Kremlin transcript of comments Putin made to Kolesnikov and a state television reporter on Thursday. Prigozhin did not reply to a request for comment.

Prigozhin has not been seen in public since leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov on June 24.

If I were he, Id be careful what I ate. Id be keeping my eye on my menu.President Biden

President Biden on Thursday said the United States was unsure where Prigozhin was but quipped that the mercenary chief could be poisoned.

"If I were he, Id be careful what I ate. Id be keeping my eye on my menu," Biden said, according to White House transcript.

"But all kidding aside, I  I  who knows? I dont know. I dont think any of us know for sure what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia."

For months before the mutiny, Prigozhin had been openly insulting Putin's most senior military men, using a variety of crude expletives and prison slang that shocked top Russian officials.

The mercenary has repeatedly insisted his actions on June 23-24 were aimed only at settling scores with the top military brass who he said were losing the Ukraine war for Russia. He said he was not challenging Putin or the Russian state.
By Stanley Widianto

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Foreign ministers of two dozen countries meet in Indonesia on Friday with U.S.-China rivalry, the war in Ukraine and North Korean missiles set to dominate roundtable talks in Southeast Asia's annual security gathering.

Top diplomats from China, the United States and Russia were among those set to join Friday's ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), where broad-based agendas are typically hijacked by the week's geopolitical flare-ups, offering a theatre for fierce rebukes, superpower squabbles and occasional walk-outs.

In opening remarks to foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), chairman Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the gathering aimed to seek solutions rather than exacerbate regional and global problems.

"We, the ASEAN members that are developing, need the understanding, wisdom, support from developed countries, from our neighbouring countries, to leave the zero sum approach and take a win-win solution approach," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held "candid and constructive" talks with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Thursday in Jakarta, according to the State Department, the latest in a series of interactions it said are aimed at managing differences between the two superpowers.

U.S.-China sparring dominated last year's ARF, which came a few days after then U.S. house speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, enraging Beijing, which launched live-fire drills around Taiwan and halted numerous channels of dialogue with Washington.

Thursday's meeting was part of ongoing efforts to keep channels of communication open and "responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Wang told Blinken the key to bringing the relationship back on the right track was adopting "a rational and pragmatic attitude", China's foreign ministry said.

On Thursday, Chinese fighter jets monitored a U.S. Navy patrol plane that flew through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, as China carried out military exercises south of the island, which it claims as one of its provinces.

LAVROV: WESTERN 'DOMINATION'

The 10-member ASEAN hosts an East Asia Summit on Friday morning before holding a separate meeting with Blinken.

They will be joined in the afternoon by foreign ministers of Russia, Australia, Japan, Britain, South Korea, and more, for the closed-doors ARF, which is expected to address Pyongyang's launch this week of its latest Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, which it defended on Thursday at the United Nations Security Council.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also in Jakarta, where he gave an interview saying the war in Ukraine would not end until the West "gives up its plans to preserve its domination", including its "obsessive desire" to defeat Russia strategically.

China's Wang also met with Lavrov, and said the two sides would "strengthen strategic communication and coordination".

Western nations are also expected to condemn Myanmar's ruling military for its alleged atrocities against the civilian population, as the junta cracks down on its opponents and deploys fighter jets and heavy artillery to flush out an armed pro-democracy resistance movement.

ASEAN member Myanmar has been barred from the bloc's meetings over the junta's failure to honour a two-year-old deal with the grouping to end hostilities and start dialogue. ASEAN's unity has been tested over how to approach the crisis.

The bloc late on Thursday "strongly condemned the continued acts of violence, including air strikes, artillery shelling, and destruction of public facilities" in its customary communique, which was issued more than 30 hours after foreign ministers concluded their meeting, a delay that in previous years has indicated discord over its contents.

(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Michael Perry)
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's minister for family affairs, Gabriela Firea, resigned her post on Friday amid a scandal over alleged abuses at care homes for the elderly and disabled.

Firea, 51, is the second minister in the one-month old coalition government of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to resign this week after Labour Minister Marius Budai.

On July 4, prosecutors said they had opened a criminal investigation against 26 suspects on accusations of human trafficking, fraud, forgery and forming organized crime groups to exploit the elderly under their care.

Following complaints from non-governmental organisations and neighbours, prosecutors raided three nursing homes located in the town of Voluntari on the outskirts of the capital Bucharest where they found 98 dirty, malnourished and bruised victims.

The elderly were subject to "inhuman or degrading treatment," prosecutors said, forced to work, physically abused, deprived of sufficient food and medical treatment, denied adequate care and hygiene by the suspects, who misappropriated funds worth 5.2 million lei ($1.18 million).

Firea announced her resignation on Facebook after meeting with Ciolacu.

A prominent member of the ruling Social Democrat Party and former mayor of Bucharest, she is married to the mayor of Voluntari. The homes were ran by a person - now one of the suspects - who had worked at Firea's parliamentary office.

Firea reiterated on Friday she did not know about the abuses and said she was being dragged in a scandal to prevent her from running for mayor of Bucharest in 2024. Romania holds presidential, general, local and European elections next year.

The government and state agencies denied having knowledge of the abuses, which President Klaus Iohannis earlier this week called a "national disgrace." Subsequent government controls at care homes across the country revealed further mistreatment.

Investigative articles published by local news websites Centrul de Investigatii Media and Buletin de Bucuresti, which first wrote about the abuses in February, have shown the government and state agencies had long been notified by the mistreatment by NGOs.

A protest took place outside the government offices on Thursday against failed oversight and systemic graft that has undermined public administration and basic services.

($1 = 4.4025 lei)

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Sex traffickers imprisoned for smuggling Cuban women and forcing them to work in strip clubs

Three Cuban men, including a ringleader arrested in Miami, have been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sex-trafficking and other charges of smuggling Cuban women into the United States and forcing them to work in strip clubs to pay off their debts.

The leader, Rasiel Gutierrez Moreno, 28, was sentenced to 17-1/2 years in Houston federal court on Wednesday after admitting that he smuggled about 20 women from Cuba to the United States and made them pay inflated debts up to $30,000 for the illicit trip, according to court records. Gutierrez Moreno admitted that he forced the women to dance at strip clubs in the Houston area and engage in prostitution with patrons to pay down their debts, according to a 2021 plea agreement.

Gutierrez Moreno admitted coercing one unidentified woman, Victim 1, by bragging about committing acts of violence against other women and their families, according to investigators with the State Departments Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

Gutierrez Moreno beat another woman shortly before Victim 1 arrived at his home and ensured that Victim 1 observed that womans injuries, the Justice Department said in a news release. When Victim 1 escaped Gutierrez Moreno, [he] contacted her family in both Miami and Cuba to demand that she return to work and finish paying her debt.

As part of his punishment, Gutierrez Moreno was also ordered to pay about $451,000 in restitution.

His associate, Hendry Jimenez Milanes, 39, who pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement charges last year, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was ordered to pay about $359,000 in restitution.

Another associate, Rafael Mendoza Labrada, 29, who pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge in 2021, was sentenced to about three years  time he had already served in federal custody.

These human smugglers terrorized female migrants, using Houstons strip clubs combined with psychological threats and sexual violence for their personal financial gain, U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani in the Southern District of Texas said in a statement.
By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia has raised China's plan to take a policing role in the Pacific Islands nation of Solomon Islands in talks with Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.

The U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands' opposition party have called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to "immediately" publish details of the policing deal signed in Beijing on Monday, amid concern it will invite further regional contest.

Sogavare has denied suggestions a Chinese police presence poses a regional security threat, and says China will enhance the capability of the Solomon Islands 1,500 police officers in cyber security and community policing.

"We take the view, along with all other members of the Pacific Island Forum... that security is best provided for within the Pacific family," Wong told reporters in Jakarta, after meeting with Wang on Thursday evening.

"We understand that countries make their sovereign decisions, however the security of the Pacific is something that we all have an interest in, so we urge there to be transparency," she added.

In a statement on Friday, Sogavare's office said the Chinese police will add to the existing Australia and New Zealand policing support.

"Solomon Islands Government fails to see how the improvement of (Royal Solomon Islands Police Force) traffic control and management system in Honiara, provision of police equipment or the completion of the Forensic Autopsy Lab is a threat to the Pacific region peace and security," it said.

Riots in the capital Honiara in 2021 exposed gaps in the islands' policing, it said.

Australian and New Zealand police deployed to Solomon Islands in response to the anti-government riots at Sogavare's request.

In the week before his China visit, Sogavare announced Australia's security treaty would be reviewed.

Opposition leader Matthew Wale said in a statement "policing is different in democracies than in communist countries and democracies must uphold human rights and due process".

The issue was the compatibility of Chinese and Pacific policing, said Meg Keen, director of the Lowy Institute's Pacific Islands programme.

"It is critical how the equipment is used, particularly guns and water cannons," she said.

On his visit to Beijing this week, his first since striking a security pact with China last year, Sogavare pledged support for China's Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative policy, which pair Chinese infrastructure investment and security.

Solomon Islands has a population of 700,000, across an archipelago that occupies a strategic position in the Pacific Islands, and was pivotal to the U.S. move west across the Pacific to liberate the Philippines in World War Two.

Tensions over Taiwan have raised concerns in Washington and Canberra over China's naval ambitions in the region.

"Our fear is that in the near future China's interest will clash with U.S. influence and strategic interests in the region and we are right in the middle of it all," opposition leader Wale added.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney, additional reporting by Kate Lamb in Jakarta; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin on Friday called on China to play a "constructive role" in curbing North Korea's threats, after Pyongyang launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) this week.

The remarks were made during a meeting with Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Jakarta, where Park "strongly denounced" North Korea's ICBM launch.

It is a common interest of Seoul and Beijing for North Korea to stop provocations and return to dialogue, his office said.

"Minister Park ... stressed that it was more important than ever for the Chinese side to play a constructive role for the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula," Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement.

For several years, the United Nations Security Council has been divided over how to deal with Pyongyang.

China and Russia have said that more sanctions will not help to ease tensions, while Washington accuses Beijing and Moscow of emboldening North Korea by shielding it from more sanctions.

Relations between South Korea and China have also worsened since China's ambassador last month warned South Korea against making a wrong bet when it comes to Sino-U.S. rivalry.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol had already angered China in April by saying the Taiwan issue was not merely an issue between China and democratically governed Taiwan, but a "global" issue similar to North Korea. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory.

"The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, and concerns the political foundation and basic faith of China-South Korea relations," Wang told Park at the ASEAN meetings, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout on Saturday.

"It is hoped that the South Korean side will abide by the one-China principle and handle it prudently and properly."

China is willing to work with South Korea on rebuilding mutual trust and pushing their strategic partnership back to a healthy track, Wang said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and other international and regional issues, China's foreign ministry said, without giving details.

(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Christina Fincher, Devika Syamnath and Edmund Klamann)
By Rami Ayyub

(Reuters) -A man has been arrested in connection with serial killings in New York more than a decade ago that targeted sex workers and others whose bodies were found strewn near a Long Island beach, police said on Friday.

Eleven sets of human remains were found in 2010 and 2011 along an isolated stretch of Gilgo Beach on an Atlantic barrier island about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of New York City. The killings drew national attention.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said a male suspect was arrested at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday in Midtown Manhattan. He did not identify the suspect but said a grand jury was expected to hand down an indictment on Friday afternoon.

Speaking to reporters outside a home in the Long Island town of Massapequa, Harrison declined to offer more details. He said more information would be provided at a press conference later at 4 p.m. (2000 GMT) on Friday.

Citing law enforcement officials, NBC identified the suspect as Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Massapequa, a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach. The New York Times, citing an unnamed official, also named Heuermann.

CNN, citing a bail application provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, reported Heuermann will be charged with six murder counts connected with the deaths of three women.

A spokeswoman for the Suffolk Country Sheriff's Office declined to comment on reports naming a suspect in the case. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office did not respond to requests for comment.

Some bodies were found wrapped in burlap bags, and five of the victims were identified as missing prostitutes who had advertised for clients online, including on Craigslist, police have said.

The remains were linked to nine women, one man and a toddler girl. Police have said that one person might be responsible for all the murders.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Howard Goller and Bill Berkrot)
A justice of the peace in Waco, Texas, has been arguing against performing same-sex weddings for years. Now, shes citing a recent anti-LGBT+ ruling from the Supreme Court to claim she has the right to refuse.

Judge Dianne Hensley recently filed a brief to the Supreme Court of Texas claiming the US Supreme Courts recent ruling in 303 Creative LLC v Elenis gives Ms Hensley the right to refuse to perform same-sex weddings as it violates her right under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

303 Creative was interpreting the First Amendments Speech Clause rather than the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Its holding is nonetheless instructive because it rejects the idea of a compelling interest in forcing wedding vendors to participate in same-sex and opposite-sex marriage ceremonies on equal terms, a lawyer representing Ms Hensley wrote in the brief obtained by The Texas Tribune.

The brief goes on to claim the Courts rejection of the compelling interest clause is applicable to Ms Hensley, who has been arguing with the state since 2019.

Experts and LGBT+ activists shared concerns that the Courts ruling in 303 Creative would inspire a slew of cases where businesses may refuse service to people in the LGBT+ community for religious freedom reasons.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that Lorie Smith, the owner of 303 Creative LLC, was allowed to refuse her wedding website services to same-sex couples because it violated her First Amendment right to comply with speech she did not agree with.

Ms Hensley and her lawyers have now cited the cases ruling to argue she can refuse to perform same-sex weddings  something she first began doing in 2017.

The Texas judge claimed her sincerely held religious belief as a Christian prevented her from performing same-sex weddings.

Then in 2019, The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct gave Ms Hensley a public warning and a sanction.

In return, Ms Hensley sued the state commission on judicial conduct for damages claiming they burdened the free exercise of her religion.

Though the suit was initially dismissed by lower courts, the Supreme Court of Texas agreed to hear arguments last month.

Justin Butterfield, the deputy general counsel for First Liberty Institute, the organisation representing Ms Hensley, said: Judge Hensley always followed the law. She sought to follow her religious beliefs and accommodate everyone, yet the government chose to punish her. We look forward to the Texas Supreme Court correcting this injustice.
A woman with spiky, dyed blonde hair sits submerged in a bath strewn with red rose petals. She is naked, aside from a pair of swimming goggles just visible above the water line.

This is one of Japanese photographer Yurie Nagashimas arresting self-portraits  and a parody of the hair nude photographs that swept Japans art scene in the 1990s.

Pubic hair was typically blurred in print media at the time, but the images began skirting censorship by presenting full-frontal nudes of Japanese actresses and celebrities as works of art. Nagashima, however, thought the phenomenon sexualized women by placing them in unnatural poses and making them look like soft porn models.

Her own 90s takes were a sarcastic and irreverent response, intended to hit back at a genre dominated by male photographers. In one shot, a topless Nagashima peers defiantly at the camera while straddling an exercise bike; in another, she seems to mockingly stare at the viewer, wearing transparent pink tights and a matching wig as she lies across a leopard print throw.

"Self-portrait (Full-Figured, Yet Not Full-Term)," a self-portrait produced by photographer Yurie Nagashima while pregnant in 2001. - Yurie Nagashima

In an attempt to separate her images from the overtly objectified content of the genre, she even shot nude portraits together with her mother, brother and father.

But back then, Nagashima said, many missed the point.

Even though I was parodying hair nude photographs, because the critics were all men, they didnt understand feminism and couldnt see the difference, the photographer said in a Zoom interview.

Last weekend, a selection of Nagashimas self-portraits went on show at Tokyo Gendai, a major new art fair that welcomed more than 20,000 visitors to the Pacifico Yokohama convention center.

Yurie Nagashima's self portrait "Onion Boob." - Yurie Nagashima/Maho Kubota Gallery

She was one of five artists featured in Life Actually: The Work of Contemporary Japanese Women Artists, an exhibition examining womens distinct perspectives  including gender and other topics. Elsewhere, photographer Tomoko Yonedas meditative works explored the theme of collective memory, while Ayako Yamamotos images captured the memories and experiences of young women she had met overseas.

Female photographers in Japan have long struggled to gain economic and reputational parity with their male counterparts. But a shift took place in the 1970s, according to the shows co-curator Michiko Kasahara, who is also the deputy director of Tokyos Artizon Museum.

Artists began questioning the conventional way of depicting women through the eyes of men, Kasahara said, pointing to the use of self-portraits that became popular during that decade as a way to wrestle back power.

Finding a voice

Nagashima emerged onto the art scene in the 1990s, some 20 years later. Recognizing that women creators werent immune to power imbalances with subjects themselves  even if you question the images of women that men are portraying, she said, you might do the same thing if you use them as your own models  she too saw self-portraits as a way of authentically expressing themes such as body image, sexuality and the female experience.

Nagashima documented the evolution of her identity  charting her experiences as a young student traveling Europe, becoming a mother and as a working photographer.

She also turned the lens on her friends, capturing seemingly banal moments close-up, like when they retouched their lipstick or took a drag from a cigarette.

Yurie Nagashima's 2015 image "Still Working." - Yurie Nagashima

Nagashima said she became more vocal about labeling her work as feminist after having a child. She was struck, she said, by the patriarchal structure of Japanese society and found herself in a double bind, caught between the expectations of being the perfect mother while also becoming an even better photographer.

The predicament prompted her to pursue a masters degree in sociology at Tokyos Musashi University in 2015. Her thesis later became the basis of her first critical book, which explored the discourse surrounding womens photography. It was, Nagashima said, her way of deconstructing the onnanoko shashin (or girly photography) movement that male critics categorized her works as being part of.

The reductive term was used by certain male critics in the 1990s to describe a group of women photographers who used lightweight (and therefore more accessible) cameras to capture themselves, their friends and their daily lives.

One of Yurie Nagashima's more recent photos, "Dog Tail", shot in 2022. - Yurie Nagashima

Nagashimas book was a way of fighting back against the misinterpretation of her photography by  once again  men.

I wanted to deconstruct girly photography and reveal how it had been a different movement all along, said Nagashima.

I wanted to show that the nudes we took had been influenced by the third wave of feminism. I wanted to highlight that the male critics had misunderstood what we were trying to do at the time. I wanted to show what I had actually been doing.

Creating more opportunities

While Kasahara argues that the countrys women artists are now more conscious of their self-worth than ever, and their number has increased, Japans art market is still stacked against them, with fewer opportunities to showcase their work or further their careers than their male counterparts.

Ayaka Yamamoto's image "Untitled #300," taken in Malawi in 2014, was also among the photographs featured in Life Actually: The Work of Contemporary Japanese Women Artists. - Ayaka Yamamoto/amanaTIGP

Such challenges mirror gender inequality in the country at large. Japan ranks bottom among all G7 nations  and 116th out of 146 countries  in the World Economic Forums latest Global Gender Gap Index.

Art museums and galleries must both consciously increase the number of women artists shown, Kasahara said, adding that creating spaces for female expression could help shake the image that Japan unfortunately projects as a country that discriminates against women.

For Kasaharas co-curator Yuri Yamada, it is equally important to revisit contemporary art history and excavate the overlooked contributions to the photographic canon.

Tomoko Yoneda's 1999 shot "Tanizaki's Glasses  Viewing a letter to Matsuko" was part of a 1990s photo series that captured text through the spectacles of well-known figures including writer Junichiro Tanizaki. - Tomoko Yoneda/ShugoArts

The history of photography in Japan has been around since the Edo period (1603 to 1868), but the history of women photographers is still very short, said Yamada, who is also a curator at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum.

We also need to go back and rediscover women photographers who had been around in the past and have been forgotten ever since.

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China accuses US of militarizing space following protest over Navy plane's Taiwan Strait transit

BEIJING (AP)  Amid a freeze in military-to-military contacts, China is accusing the United States of militarizing outer space, a day after it protested the passage of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft through the Taiwan Strait. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said on Friday that U.S. actions, including the establishment of the Space Force in 2019 as the newest branch of the military, have had a great negative impact on space security and global strategic stability. In recent years, the United States has accelerated the militarization of space, Tan said. I would like to reiterate here that China adheres to the peaceful use of space, firmly opposes the weaponization and the making of space into a battlefield, and opposes any form of arms race in space." The ministry said that Tan was responding to recent concerns expressed by Space Force leaders over China's rising capabilities, calling that classic cognitive dissonance. China's advances in space include its own orbiting space station and plans for a crewed lunar mission.
ATLANTA (AP)  Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are asking Georgia's highest court to prevent the district attorney who has been investigating his actions in the wake of the 2020 election from prosecuting him and to throw out a special grand jury report that is part of the inquiry.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating since early 2021 whether Trump and his allies broke any laws as they tried to overturn his narrow election loss in Georgia to Democrat Joe Biden. She has suggested that she is likely to seek charges in the case from a grand jury next month.

Trump's Georgia legal team on Friday filed similar petitions in the Georgia Supreme Court and Fulton County Superior Court naming Willis and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who oversaw the special grand jury, as respondents. A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment. McBurney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Trumps legal team  Drew Findling, Jennifer Little and Marissa Goldberg  acknowledged that the filings are unusual but necessary given the tight time frame. Willis has indicated she will use the special grand jury report to seek an indictment within weeks, if not days. Two new regular grand juries were seated this week, and one is likely to hear the case.

Even in an extraordinarily novel case of national significance, one would expect matters to take their normal procedural course within a reasonable time, the filings say. But nothing about these processes have been normal or reasonable. And the all-but-unavoidable conclusion is that the anomalies below are because Petitioner is President Donald J. Trump.

The petitions seek to bar Willis and her office from continuing to prosecute the case. It also asks that the report produced by the special grand jury that had ben seated in the case be tossed out and that prosecutors be prevented from presenting any evidence from the panel's investigation to a regular grand jury.

The filings ask that the courts stop all proceedings related to and flowing from the special purpose grand jurys investigation until this matter can be resolved.

In a previous filing in March, Trump's lawyers made similar requests and asked that a judge other than McBurney hear their claims. Willis rejected the arguments as being without merit. McBurney kept the case and has yet to rule on the Trump team's requests.

That has left Trump stranded between the Supervising Judge's protracted passivity and the District Attorney's looming indictment" with no choice other than to seek action from the Supreme Court, his lawyers wrote.
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner was among several witnesses to testify before a grand jury in recent weeks about the former president's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Testifying at a federal courthouse in Washington last month, Kushner, a former White House adviser to Trump, said it was his impression Trump truly believed the 2020 election was stolen, the Times reported, citing a person briefed on the matter.

Special Counsel Jack Smith was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland last November to take over two Justice Department investigations involving Trump.

In one case, Trump was indicted over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House in January 2021. He pleaded not guilty. The second is an investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 U.S. election that the Republican Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

A spokesperson for Smith's office declined to comment on the New York Times report. A representative for Kushner could not immediately be reached for comment.

Trump, the front-runner in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, faces other legal problems. Prosecutors in New York City charged him in April in a case involving an alleged 2016 hush-money payment to a porn star.

Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed that he won the 2020 election and that Biden's win resulted from fraud. Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Biden's win.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Howard Goller)
KYIV (Reuters) - A Ukrainian court has jailed a man for 10 years after finding him guilty of plotting with Russia to blow up transport infrastructure to disrupt foreign arms supplies, Ukraine's domestic security agency said on Friday.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) did not identify the man but said he had fought with Russia-backed militant groups in eastern Ukraine before and since Moscow's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

The SBU said in a statement that it had detained the man in February before he had been able to carry out his mission.

After fighting against Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine, he was tasked by Russian military intelligence with blowing up two infrastructure objects, it said.

It did not identify the intended targets but said they were in the Rivne region in western Ukraine, where there are several important road and railway links with Poland.

The routes used to transport Western military aid are kept secret in Ukraine, but equipment is often seen passing through eastern Poland. Western military support has been vital in helping Ukraine fight Russian forces.

"In order to carry out the enemy's task, the criminal conducted reconnaissance of the territory around infrastructure facilities and prepared to place explosives in the most vulnerable places of both transport routes," the SBU said.

"However, the SBU employees worked ahead of time and detained the attacker as a result of a multi-stage special operation at the end of February this year."

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Two climbers had to spend the night on a frigid mountain after they tried climbing the tallest peak inside a Colorado national park  without the proper equipment, officials said.

They had set out July 11 to climb Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, but at some point, they became stranded and called rangers for help by that evening, National Park Service officials said in a news release.

Rangers stayed in contact with them overnight, and Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue teams went out to rescue them first thing on Wednesday, July 12, officials said.

The climbers left from Chasm Lake and started climbing the Casual Route on the East Face of the peak, also called the Diamond. But they were unprepared for the peaks year-round wintry conditions and didnt have the equipment they would have needed to either get themselves out or spend the night in cold temperatures, officials said.

But thats what they ended up having to do. The next day, rescue teams helped the climbers out of the steep terrain, officials said.

They climbed to the summit and then hiked down with the rescue teams through the North Face of Longs Peak, reaching the trailhead that evening, officials said.

Longs Peak is the highest elevation peak inside Rocky Mountain National Park  at 14,259 feet, it towers over all the other summits in the park.

Climbing Longs Peak is a serious objective with serious outcomes, officials said in the release. For most of the year, Longs Peak is in winter conditions, which requires winter mountaineering experience and knowledge of equipment. Disregard for the mountain environment any time of year has inherent danger. All climbers should have knowledge of climbing routes, the necessary equipment and knowledge to self-rescue, and necessary gear in the event of an unexpected overnight stay on the mountain.

26-year-old woman falls 500 feet to death at Rocky Mountain National Park, rangers say

Hiker dies after tumbling 50 feet down Colorado cliff as family member calls for help

22-year-old climber plunges 100 feet down summit and cant move, Colorado officials say
A little more than a week after contract talks between UPS and the union representing 340,000 of its workers broke down, UPS said it will begin training nonunion employees in the U.S. to step in should there be a strike, which the union has vowed to do if no agreement is reached by the end of this month.

UPS said Friday that the training is a temporary plan that has no impact on current operations.

While we have made great progress and are close to reaching an agreement, we have a responsibility as an essential service provider to take steps to help ensure we can deliver our customers packages if the Teamsters choose to strike, UPS said.

Last week both sides blamed the other for walking away from talks, which now appear to be at a stalemate with a July 31 deadline approaching fast.

Teamster-represented UPS workers voted for a strike authorization last month and union chief Sean OBrien previously said that a strike was imminent. On Friday, O'Brien joined union workers in a picketing dry-run in Brooklyn, New York.

UPS is making clear it doesnt view its workforce as a priority. Corporate executives are quick to brag about industry-leading service and even more quickly forget the Teamster members who perform that service, the Teamsters said Friday. UPS should stop wasting time and money on training strikebreakers and get back to the negotiating table with a real economic offer.

The Teamsters represent more than half of the Atlanta companys workforce in the largest private-sector contract in North America. If a strike does happen, it would be the first since a 15-day walkout by 185,000 workers crippled the company a quarter century ago.

UPS has grown vastly since then and become an even more integral piece of the U.S. economy, with consumers relying on swift delivery of most essential home items. Small businesses who rely on UPS could also be left looking for alternative shipping options if the companys remaining workforce wasnt able to meet demand during a strike.

Businesses have already begun to prepare for a strike, seeking alternate services for delivery, but the strike would likely lead to significant disruption given the scale at which UPS operates.

UPS delivers around 25 million packages a day, representing about a quarter of all U.S. parcel volume, according to the global shipping and logistics firm Pitney Bowes. Thats about 10 million parcels more than it delivered each day in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
TOKYO (AP)  The highest-ranking U.S. military officer on Friday encouraged Japan's commitment to doubling its defense spending over the next five years, calling Tokyo's controversial push for a stronger military crucial to confront rising threats from North Korea and China.

Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, mentioned Japan's need for improvements in cruise missile defense, early warning missile systems and air capabilities, all of which would help the United States as it looks to counter North Korea's push for a nuclear missile program capable of pinpoint-targeting the U.S. mainland and China's increasing aggression against Taiwan, the democratic island that Beijing claims as its own.

China has invested enormously in their military" and aspires to be the regional hegemon in all of Asia, really probably in the next 10 to 15 years," Milley said.

That could become very unstable; it could become very dangerous, and I think having a powerful Japan, a militarily capable Japan that has a close alliance with the United States and other countries, will go a long way to deterring war, Milley said.

Milley's comments to reporters at the U.S. ambassador's residence in downtown Tokyo provide an explicit U.S. military analysis of an increasingly unstable security situation in northeast Asia. With more than 80,000 U.S. troops in Japan and South Korea, and rising military moves by North Korea and China, the possibility of war in the region has become a growing worry. Washington wants its allies, particularly in Tokyo and Seoul, to do more.

Japan, meanwhile, has long wrestled with the need for a strong military amid domestic and regional wariness about anything seen as overly aggressive. Japanese soldiers overran much of Asia in the years leading up to World War II, and the nation is still viewed with anger by many in surrounding nations because of a perception that it hasn't been fully repentant.

Milley also addressed the most recent missile test-launch by North Korea, a solid-fuel ICBM that he said clearly demonstrates an intent to develop a capability to strike the continental United States. While not providing specifics about the North's missile program, he said: It has our attention.

Japan's budget for the coming fiscal year provides a record 6.8 trillion yen ($50 billion) in defense spending, up 20% from a year earlier. That includes 211.3 billion yen ($1.55 billion) for deployment of U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles that can be launched from warships and can hit targets up to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) away.

The hefty defense budget is the first installment of a five-year, 43-trillion-yen ($315-billion) military spending plan as part of Japans new National Security Strategy, which was announced in December.

The new spending target meets NATO standards and will eventually push Japans annual defense budget to about 10 trillion yen ($73 billion), the worlds third biggest after the United States and China.

"I have no doubt that the Japanese military could rapidly expand in scale, size, scope and skill very, very fast," Milley said.

Milley also spoke of the need to speed up U.S. military assistance to Taiwan, mentioning the island's need for better air defense, mines and air-to-air and shore-to-ship capabilities.

What we're opposed to is any ... use of military to compel some sort of unification, Milley said. Taiwan should have the capability to defend itself as a way to deter any aggression by China.

The speed at which we the United States or other countries assist Taiwan in improving their defensive capabilities, I think that probably needs to be accelerated in the years to come, Milley said.
A week of upheaval in British media is ending with the countrys best-known news anchor hospitalized for mental health concerns, its biggest tabloid newspaper being widely condemned and its embattled national broadcaster, the BBC, plunged into yet another crisis.

Huw Edwards, 61, is perhaps the most recognizable face in British news, the BBCs go-to voice for everything from the death of Queen Elizabeth II to the Olympics opening ceremony. This week, that public persona was shattered after he was accused of paying a young person, now aged 20, some 35,000 pounds (around $45,000) for explicit photos.

The story appeared to unravel, however, when the alleged victims own lawyer came forward to say that there had been no wrongdoing, and police said they could not find evidence that a crime had been committed. The saga has now morphed into a broader discussion about British media culture, which is once again facing questions over ethics, standards and public trust.

No party has emerged unscathed.

Edwards wife says he is being treated for serious mental health issues. And many commentators are scathing of the reporting and ethical standards of The Sun, the right-wing tabloid owned by the mogul Rupert Murdoch, which published the scoop leading to Edwards identification.

It has also become a battleground in the culture war raging over the BBC, a public service broadcaster that provides a dizzying array of content for a mandatory yearly license fee of 159 pounds (about $209). For years it has been under pressure from the ruling Conservative Party, whose lawmakers have made little secret of their desire to diminish or dismantle it because its publicly funded model goes against their free market worldview.

British detectives met with representatives of the BBC on Monday over allegations that a leading presenter paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos. But police said they had not opened a criminal investigation, and a lawyer for the young person denied anything inappropriate had happened. (Kin Cheung / AP)

When trying to make sense of the Edwards story, its important to remember that The Sun is part of the Murdoch empire, which has a long-standing hatred of the BBC, partly commercial and partly ideological, said Steven Barnett, a communications professor at Londons University of Westminster, who has worked in the industry for more than three decades.

Murdochs Sun is Britains most widely read news brand with some 30 million monthly readers in print and online. It also has become one of the most controversial forces in public life, feared by prime ministers, relied upon by celebrities and hated by many nonreaders.

While Barnett said The Sun had based its exclusive on very, very flimsy evidence, some in the industry have defended the newspaper.

Journalists who hold others to account for their behavior have to be prepared to be held to account for their behavior, said Adam Boulton, a veteran ex-correspondent at Sky News, NBC News British partner.

There have been a lot of people whose careers have ended, not for breaking the law but because they brought their employer into disrepute, he told Sky News on Wednesday.

(Before NBC News parent group Comcast bought Sky News in 2018, it was 39% owned by Murdochs Twenty-First Century Fox.)

The Sun broke its scoop last Friday about an unnamed TV personality paying thousands of pounds for sexual pictures of a young person, funding their crack cocaine addiction. The source was the alleged victims mother, who said their child was now 20 but the payments had been going on since they were 17.

Though the age of consent is 16 in the United Kingdom, it is illegal to possess indecent images of anyone under 18.

Edwards, a churchgoing Christian with five children, quickly trended on social media. And his wife, Vicky Flind, confirmed his identity Wednesday, saying in a statement that the episode had caused him to suffer serious mental health issues and that he had been hospitalized for the foreseeable future.

The original narrative presented by The Sun was soon contested. The young persons lawyer said in a statement Monday that the claims made by their family were rubbish and nothing inappropriate or unlawful had happened. Londons Metropolitan Police announced Wednesday there was no evidence of a crime.

The story increasingly resembled a family feud  the hearsay of the parents of an adult child, who is denying what the parents are saying, Barnett, the communications professor, said.

A former editor at The Sun, David Yelland, tweeted Wednesday that the newspaper had inflicted terror on Huw and that this is no longer a BBC crisis, it is a crisis for the paper.

Soon the #NewsoftheWorld was trending on Twitter, equating the crisis with The Suns sister paper, which closed in 2011 after it was found hacking the phones of celebrities and crime victims.

London police say there's no evidence that a BBC presenter who allegedly paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos committed a crime. The Metropolitan police issued the statement Wednesday as the wife of Huw Edwards identified him as the presenter. (James Manning / PA Images via AP)

The Sun is unrepentant.

The story was always about two very concerned and frustrated parents who made a complaint to the BBC about the behavior of an anchor and payments from him that fueled the drug habit of a young person, a spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The paper at no point in our original story alleged criminality, the statement added, declining to explain how this squared with its reporting that the young person was 17 when the payments started.

NBC News has not confirmed any of The Suns reporting. And no details about the family have been published so it was not possible to ask them for comment.

The BBC is now conducting an investigation, including into new allegations. The Sun reported that Edwards broke coronavirus lockdown restrictions in 2021 to meet someone from a dating app. And the BBC reported that two current and one former staffer had received abusive messages from him.

The broadcaster is investigating calmly, carefully and with diligence, with full consideration of our duty of care to all involved, a BBC spokesperson said.

But the spokesperson declined to comment on the criticism of the BBC itself.

For some on the right, this is about a taxpayer-funded behemoth being slow to act on allegations against top talent. Looming large is the specter of Jimmy Savile, the BBC entertainer who was revealed to have been a serial sex abuser by the BBCs rivals after his death in 2011.

But these familiar critics are joined by others who believe the BBC overcompensated, giving the Edwards story blanket coverage no commercial rival would.

BBC journalists were desperate to demonstrate their independence from BBC management, Barnett said. They have gone out of their way, not just to cover the story and repeat the allegations, but to try to find their own evidence for wrongdoing.
Dozens of heat records could fall this weekend as an already intense heat wave in the Southwest reaches its boiling point, with temperatures nearing 130 degrees Fahrenheit in some locations.

At least 93 million people in the United States were under heat warnings and advisories Friday, spanning the West Coast all the way to South Florida. Conditions are expected to intensify over the weekend, with temperatures well into the triple digits expected across large portions of the country.

In its forecast discussion posted Friday morning, the National Weather Service warned that a searing heat wave is set to engulf much of the West Coast, the Great Basin, and the Southwest.

A heat dome parked over the Southwest has been baking the region for more than two weeks, but temperatures are expected to spike heading into the weekend.

On Saturday, parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, the interior of California and Texas will range from 105 to 115 F, while temperatures in desert locations across the region could exceed 120 F, according to the weather service.

Studies have shown that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme heat events.

In California's Death Valley, temperatures are forecast to reach almost 130 F, which would place it among the hottest temperatures ever recorded on Earth.

Arizona is also bracing for record heat this weekend. Phoenix, which has already sweltered through 13 consecutive days at or above 110 F, is forecast to see temperatures spike as high as 118 F over the weekend. On Tuesday, the city is poised to tie the current record set in 1974 of 18 consecutive days at or above 110 F, and is expected to continue on past the milestone.

Las Vegas, meanwhile, is forecast to reach 117 F on Sunday, which would tie the citys record for hottest temperature.

Local officials urged people to take proper precautions to cope with the extreme heat, including staying hydrated, checking on heat-sensitive friends and family, and avoiding outdoor activities, particularly during the hottest parts of the day.

This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat due to its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights. Everyone needs to take this heat seriously, including those who live in the desert, representatives at the Las Vegas office of the weather service tweeted Thursday.

Hot and humid conditions will also envelop much of the South, stretching from Texas across the lower Mississippi Valley and into Florida. Heat index values  which represent the feels like temperatures when humidity and air temperatures are combined  are expected to be well into the triple digits across these regions, with some parts of Texas and Louisiana experiencing heat index values up to 115 F.

The weather service added that morning lows across the southern tier of the U.S. will remain exceptionally warm, providing little in the way of relief to these affected regions.

Meanwhile, most of southern Europe is also experiencing oppressively high heat and humidity.

Tourists cool off at a water fountain during their visit to the Parthenon Temple in Athens, Greece (Angelos Tzortzinis / picture alliance via Getty Images)

Temperatures in the triple digits are forecast across parts of Spain, Italy and Greece, and heat is expected to build into next week.

In Athens, where temperatures soared to 104 F, Greek officials were forced to close the Acropolis between noon and 5 p.m., the hottest hours of the day, BBC News reported.

Dangerous heat waves are also gripping North Africa, China and Japan, in what has already been a hot summer across the Northern Hemisphere.
The location of Russias Wagner fighters remained a mystery on Friday after the Pentagon said the mercenary force was not participating in the war in Ukraine in any significant way, and President Vladimir Putin said they had refused his suggestion to return to the front lines.

Yevgeny Prigozhin's mercenaries were not participating in military operations in Ukraine in any significant capacity, the Pentagon said in a briefing Thursday.

According to the Pentagon's assessment, the majority of Wagner forces are still in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, Defense Department press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said, but really effectively are no longer contributing as a significant combat capability.

Putin said he had told Wagner commanders in a meeting at the Kremlin, just five days after they staged a brief armed mutiny last month, that they could serve their country again. But with one condition  that it would not be under the leadership of former insider, Prigozhin, who masterminded the revolt that shook the Kremlin.

Speaking with Russias influential Kommersant newspaper that he offered Wagner fighters several employment options, including returning to combat under the guidance of one of their immediate commanders.

Many nodded when I said this, Putin said, according to Kommersant. But Prigozhin, who Putin said did not see this, refused. Putin did not elaborate on what happened afterward, or what, if any, conclusions were reached about Wagners future.

Putins account could not be verified and Wagner officials were not available to discuss the details of the encounter.

Still, the interview sheds a rare light on the turmoil inside the Kremlin since the mutiny attempt on June 24 saw its fighters march on Moscow without much resistance.

Wagner has been pivotal for Russias war in Ukraine. It is one of the best trained and most battle-hardened units at Moscows disposal and has waged some of the bloodiest fighting on the ground. In May, it captured the eastern city of Bakhmut after months of grueling battles, delivering a rare victory for the Kremlin.

But Bakhmut was followed by a tense feud between Prigozhin and Russias top military brass over ammunition supplies, which eventually exploded into full-blown mutiny.

Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks inside the headquarters of the Russian southern military district in Rostov-on-Don, Russia (@concordgroup_official / Telegram)

Likely unwilling to lose Wagner as a strategic asset in Ukraine in the middle of Kyivs counteroffensive, the Kremlin has tried to separate Prigozhin, whom it has called a traitor, from the Wagner fighters, who are still, even after the mutiny, hailed as heroes for their service in Ukraine by state propaganda.

While Putin initially accused Wagner of treason, a deal saw Prigozhin abort the revolt. The Kremlin said the mercenary chief would be exiled to Belarus, Russias close ally, and those of his mercenaries who did not want to sign contracts with the Russian military would join him there.

However since then, Prigozhin has yet to be seen in public, and there has been no clear indication of where Wagner is.

In the interview with Kommersant, Putin said Wagner fighters fought with dignity, but were dragged into treasonous mutiny. He wanted to meet with them after the revolt to understand their motivation, Putin added, not so much with Prigozhin himself. The Kremlin on Monday for the first time revealed that such a meeting had taken place, stressing that the mercenaries pledged allegiance to the Russian leader.

In his comments to Kommersant, Putin also said that Wagner doesnt exist as a legal entity, and the difficult question around its legalization should be discussed by the Russian parliament.

For years, Russia and Prigozhin have denied Wagners existence and any connections to the Kremlin despite multiple reports revealing that it was involved in campaigns promoting Russian interests in Syria and several African countries.

Rebel mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin who sent his fighters to topple the military leaders in Moscow will leave for Belarus and a criminal case against him will be dropped as part of a deal to avoid

But the mutiny has forced Putin to acknowledge that, in fact, the Russian government had fully funded Wagners operation, spending nearly $1 billion on it last year alone.

Russias defense ministry said Wednesday that it was wrapping up the handover of military assets from Wagner to the regular army, including some 2,000 pieces of weaponry and equipment.

There was no immediate comment from Prigozhin to Putins remarks to Kommersant. He has stayed silent since the mutiny, only resurfacing to say that he never intended to topple Putin and that in the near future, people will see our next victories at the front, without elaborating.

President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. did not know where Prigozhin was or what the future may hold for him, but in an apparent reference to the Kremlins track record of going after its enemies, including by poisoning them, said: [I]f I were he, Id be careful what I ate.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's support for his nominee for labor secretary, Julie Su, is "unwavering" and the White House hopes Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema "reconsider their position" on her nomination, a White House official said on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Manchin, a Democrat, said he will oppose Su's nomination as labor secretary, arguing she had a "progressive background" that would prevent her from forging compromises between labor and industry representatives.

"President Biden and his team continue fighting for acting secretary of labor Julie Su's confirmation  because she is highly qualified, experienced and has proven herself time and time again when it comes to delivering for America's workers and our economy," said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)
A photographer walks through the haze near Veterans Park as smoke from the Canadian wildfires continues to linger in the air in Milwaukee on Friday morning. The air is still unhealthy but it is improving in Milwaukee as the record-breaking haze caused largely by the fires begins to lift.

Smoke from Canadian fires is expected to return to Wisconsin this weekend after polluted air in June brought the worst air quality in the world to the state.

While the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources doesnt expect air quality to be as bad this time around, it is still urging Wisconsinites to be prepared.

When will smoke from Canadian wildfires arrive in Wisconsin?

A spokesperson from the DNR said the agency is tracking the smoke and they expect the polluted air to reach Milwaukee by noon on Friday. However, they also said that this bout of bad air is not anticipated to last as long as it did in late June.

After the polluted air arrives Friday it should move across the state and cleaner air should begin to stream into northwest Wisconsin on Saturday evening.

How severe will this air quality event be?

The DNR says they expect this to be less severe than the air quality event in late June, but there is a high chance that the organization could issue an air quality advisory for parts of Friday.

This is because PM2.5, a severely unhealthy form of particulate matter, is expected to reach the unsafe for sensitive groups (Orange) level, and it is not ruled out that there will be some isolated pockets of unhealthy (Red) for everyone air quality.

Where in Wisconsin will the air quality be the worst?

Forecasts are still being analyzed by the Wisconsin DNR, but right now smoke from Western Canada is expected to creep into far northwest Wisconsin on Friday. As the day progresses this smoke will work its way southeast across the rest of the state through Friday and Saturday.

The agency also said that current models have identified the northern half of Wisconsin as the area that will see the most severe impacts from polluted air.

How many fires are burning in Canada, and where are they?

Canada's eastern provinces like Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia have been hit particularly hard this year by large and at times uncontrollable blazes.

As of July 13, there are 913 active fires across the country, with 578 out of control and 226 under control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Officials on Thursday reported the highest number of active fires in British Columbia (346). Other places with a high number of fires include Quebec (138) and Alberta (121).

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Smoky air from Canadian fires is moving into Wisconsin; what to know
KYIV (Reuters) - A 56-year-old man was injured in an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hometown, the central city of Kryvyi Rih, the regional governor said on Friday.

The attack damaged a number of buildings in Kryvyi Rih but Ukraine's air force said 16 of the 17 Iranian-made Shahed attack drones launched by Russia overnight had been shot down in southern and eastern areas of the country.

Falling debris damaged a municipal enterprise, two residential buildings and a transport company in Kryvyi Rih, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app.

City mayor Oleksandr Vilkul said windows had been blown out in apartment blocks and private houses, hospitals and schools.

The drone launches were the latest in a series of attacks in which the capital Kyiv came under attack on three successive nights this week. Russia did not comment on the attacks, and denies deliberately targeting civilians.

(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv newsroom, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
A sheep herder was seriously injured in a pre-dawn bear attack in southwest Colorado on Tuesday, authorities said.

The unidentified 35-year-old man was near a camp in the Weminuche Wilderness above Lemon Reservoir in San Juan National Forest early Tuesday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement Wednesday.

The man was working for the holder of a permit for a sheep grazing allotment, park officials said.

He was awakened by a disturbance between a black bear and his sheep about 1 a.m., park officials said.

The herder sustained bite wounds to his head as well as additional wounds to his left hand and arm, severe lacerations to his left hip area and scratches on his back, the statement said.

This is an unfortunate incident and we are thankful the victim was able to contact help to get emergency services deployed and that he was able to be extracted to receive necessary medical care, said Adrian Archuleta, the area wildlife manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Park officials said the herder fired a rifle at the bear before it attacked him.

After he was seriously injured, the herder crawled to his tent to contact his cousin. He was airlifted to Mercy Regional Medical Center.

Three wildlife officers arrived at the camp by 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and spotted a blood trail and the victim's rifle. They also collected multiple DNA samples from the scene, park officials said. There were also two dead sheep with wounds consistent with bear depredation," park officials said.

An agent with the U.S. Agriculture Departments Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was contacted. A team of dogs was used to search for the bear, park officials said, saying they were unsure whether the bear was hit by any rifle shots.

The dogs found a scent for a bear and followed it. A federal agent investigating the incident shot and killed the bear shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday, park officials said.

The incident was classified as an attack, and under agency policy the bear had to be euthanized, park officials said.

The 8-year-old male bear weighed about 250 pounds, park officials said.

Until the DNA results return from the lab, Archuleta said, its not 100% certain that the bear that was killed was the bear that attacked the herder.

But based on the information we have at this point, we feel confident that it is the offending bear, he said.

The bear had wounds on its chest. Investigators were unable to determine whether were from a gunshot fired by the herder, park officials said.

It was the first reported bear attack in Colorado this year, park officials said.
A former California police chief was found guilty Thursday of four felonies, including conspiracy to obstruct Congress, over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Alan Hostetter, 56, was convicted of conspiring to obstruct and obstructing an official proceeding, as well as entering a restricted area and engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct with a dangerous weapon, after defending himself at a bench trial.

According to the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Columbia, Hostetter coordinated and conspired with several other rioters from California to travel to Washington, D.C., for the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

On Jan. 6, the 56-year-old carried a hatchet in his backpack as he breached a police line and made his way to the upper west terrace of the Capitol.

He later posted a photo of himself on the terrace on Instagram, saying, This was the shot heard round the world!the 2021 version of 1776. That war lasted 8 years. We are just getting started.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth noted Hostetters past career in law enforcement as he handed down his ruling Thursday. Hostetter briefly served as chief of police in La Habra, Calif., according to NPR.

No reasonable citizen of this country, much less one with two decades of experience in law enforcement, could have believed it was lawful to use mob violence to impede a joint session of Congress, Lamberth said in court, according to The Washington Post.

Belief that your actions are for a greater good doesnt negate consciousness of wrongdoing, the judge added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Court news

WORCESTER  A Superior Court judge allowed a motion to remove the tracking GPS on a former Worcester Public Schools and adjunct faculty member at Quinsigamond Community College accused of sex trafficking and rape Thursday.

In 2020, John B. Clayton IV, 66, of Northborough was arrested on charges that he promised to help drug-addicted women but instead forced them into prostitution.

According to court documents, Clayton's attorney, R. Bradford Bailey, filed a motion Thursday on behalf of his client requesting Judge James Reardon modify the conditions of Clayton's special conditions for release by removing the requirement for GPS monitoring.

Bailey cited Clayton's full compliance with the court during previous out-of-state travel in the three years since his arrest, argued he is a low-risk individual for failing to appear and argued the 2020 Supreme Judicial Court case Commonwealth v. Norman found the monitoring violates both the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article 14 of the state Declaration of Rights.

According to court documents, Clayton has traveled out of state 11 times since his arrest, mostly to Georgia where his ailing mother lived. He traveled to Georgia nine times since his arrest as well as one trip to New Hampshire and Pennsylvania each.

Bailey wrote Clayton complied with all conditions imposed on him for travel, and said this history now means the GPS tracking is no longer the least restrictive means to assure his appearance in court.

Citing his age, a record that only includes a few motor-vehicle matters and the active role he has taken in defense planning, Bailey wrote Clayton stands at a low risk of fleeing.

Bailey also argued the SJC's decision in Commonwealth v. Norman found that there was no proof GPS monitoring increased the likelihood of a defendant appearing in court. The ankle bracelet was also ruled to have a chilling effect on free expression and exposed defendants to greater risk of indignity and arrest.

Reardon allowed the motion but said Clayton is still required to seek court approval for out-of-state travel. Court records show Reardon allowed travel to Pennsylvania from Friday to Sunday and to Georgia from Aug. 1 to Aug 15.

In 2020, Clayton was charged with seven counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude, two counts of rape and two counts of witness intimidation. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution alleges Clayton, sometimes using the alias Joseph Hallenbeck, would reach out to vulnerable women on social media, offering them help for their addictions.

Instead, he would force them to have sex with him and another individual and would give them money and marijuana in return, prosecutors allege.

Clayton has maintained he was helping the women and Bailey argued in court there may be a "consent defense."

From 2002 to 2014, Clayton taught at South High Community School, where he developed course content for advanced placement science courses and started the school's robotics program, Bailey wrote.

He also taught physics and engineering courses at Quinsigamond Community College for four years before his arrest.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Judge OK- GPS tracker for ex teacher removal accused of trafficking
More than 100 homes damaged after tornadoes wreak havoc in Canada

At least one person was injured and 125 homes were damaged just south of Ottawa, Canada, after severe storms spawned tornadoes and gusty winds on Thursday. On top of the damage, the storm resulted in nearly thousands of power outages across parts of Ontario and southern Quebec.

Kim Ayotte, general manager of emergency and protective services for the City of Ottawa, said one resident sustained minor injuries, Global News reported.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) confirmed that at least one tornado touched down in Barrhaven, located south of Ottawa. According to the agency, a survey team will conduct an assessment on Friday.

A tornado rips roofs off several homes in Ottawa, Canada, on Thursday, June 13. (Twitter/AmanWhoScripts)

The Ottawa Fire Services confirmed that at least 125 homes in Barrhaven were damaged.

"Damage reported included roof damage, broken windows, power and utility outages, as well as damage to trees," ECCC spokesperson told The Weather Network. "At this time, the damage reported seems to be western portions of Barrhaven."

The utility company Hydro Quebec reported 392,000 customers were affected by storm-related power outages during the peak of the severe weather on Thursday. As of Friday morning, only 1,200 customers remained without power.

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Barrhaven resident Tomislav Mitar told CTV News that although the storm lasted only 30 to 45 seconds, it caused significant damage.

"I looked out the window and into my backyard, and it looked almost like it was snowing, which I found very bizarre. I later realized it was actually the insulation from somebody's roof," Barrhaven resident Tomislav Mitar told CTV News Channel. "The next thing I saw was metal patio furniture going at a tremendous amount of speed, flying across and smashing into my neighbor's fence."

Tornado was ripping away roofs in #barrhaven #ottawa. Hope everyone is doing okay! pic.twitter.com/zLAtVQ21N6  Aman (@AmanWhoScripts) July 13, 2023

A video shared on Twitter showed the moment the tornado started ripping shingles off the roofs of several houses in Barrhaven on Tuesday.

Steve Hiller told CBC News that he was visiting friends in the area when he got the storm warning. After the storm passed, Hiller recalled just how terrifying the noise was.

"Then there was just this massive boom like I've never heard before, like a bomb going off," Hiller recalled to CBC News. "The glass then just blew...The rain was coming in, glass everywhere, bits of roof combing down inside."

A video shared on Twitter showed the damage one house sustained from the twister on Thursday. The truck in the driveway was dented from hailstones and flying debris while several roof pieces were lying on the ground.

My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today. #onstorm #barrhaven pic.twitter.com/oDEekiYKic  Theresa (@Theresa_English) July 13, 2023

"My house getting hit by a tornado wasn't in my plans for today," the Twitter user wrote in her post.

In addition to the tornado in Ontario, the ECCC confirmed Thursday's storm system spawned two additional tornadoes in southern Quebec. The first one touched down north of Montreal, while the second reportedly hit Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, a town located southwest of Montreal.

According to Global News, both twisters resulted in minimal damage.

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WARREN, Pa.  Police searching for escaped homicide suspect Michael C. Burham found a "hidden cache" of clothes and other materials in the woods near the city of Warren, and police believe it is connected to him, a top Pennsylvania State Police official said at the daily news conference on the Burham case on Thursday.

"We are confident that this was his," said Lt. Col. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations for the Pennsylvania State Police.

Bivens declined to say whether the discovery of the cache signals that Burham has had help as he as eluded police while hiding in the woods of Warren County since he escaped from the Warren County Prison on July 6.

Bivens said state police were disclosing the existence of the cache mainly to alert people to contact state police if they find similar items in the woods. Bivens would not comment on when the cache was found. He said it was discovered in a wooded outside the city of Warren, but "not far."

Pennsylvania State Police said this cache, found in the woods outside Warren, Pa., belonged to Michael C. Burham, who escaped from the Warren County Prison on July 6. State police on Thursday disclosed the discovery of the cache and released a photo of it.

The cache was wrapped in a tarp and partially concealed under a log, Bivens said at the news conference, held in the municipal building for Youngsville, outside of Warren.

Bivens said the cache contained clothes, food and other items needs to survive in the outdoors, but no weapons. The cache appears to include a small camouflage bag, based on the photo the state police released.

State police have been using rapid DNA testing on items found in the woods that investigators believe might be connected to Burham. Bivens would not say whether police had used DNA on the cache, but said the state police are "confident" that it belonged to Burham.

He said searches have found more than one cache in the manhunt for Burham, but he declined to be specific. Police have said that they have also found campsites they believe are connected to Burham's flight.

Police believe Burham remains in the Warren area

Burham is wanted in connection with a homicide in May in Jamestown, New York, and he broke out of the Warren County Prison while awaiting prosecution on kidnapping charges related to the New York case. He used a rope made of bedsheets to slide off the prison's roof, police said.

Burham is accused of fleeing from New York by abducting an elderly couple in Sheffield, Pennsylvania, near Warren, stealing their SUV and forcing the two to drive with him to South Carolina, where he was arrested on May 24 after a manhunt. The couple was found unharmed.

Burham was last know to live in Asheville, New York, near Jamestown. He also owned property in Russell, Pennsylvania, near Warren.

Michael C. Burham, 34, escaped from the Warren County Prison in Warren Pa., on July 6.

On Thursday, Bivens said that state police continue to believe that Burham remains in the general area of Warren. The search has also extended into the nearby Allegheny National Forest.

"There is no guarantee that it is 100%," Bivens said of Burham being in the Warren area. "But there are enough pieces of information  and I am not prepared to lay out all those pieces of information  but there are enough pieces of information that give us a fairly high confidence level that he is in the areas we are searching."

Police say public should still feel safe in woods near Warren

Bivens said the public should still feel comfortable hiking and walking in the woods around Warren despite the search for Burham.

"If I could articulate for you that I thought there was a tremendous risk to anyone out here in the woods, I would do that, and I would advise people not to come here," Bivens said. But he said that is not the case at this point.

Bivens said state police continue to investigate "the possibility or likelihood that he has had accomplices, and we continue to collect evidence. If we get to the point of charging someone, I will certainly make the announcement."

Police still believe Burham to be armed, Bivens said.

Michael C. Burham, 34, escaped from the Warren County Prison, in Warren, Pa., on July 6.

"You need to surrender," Bivens said of his message to Burham. "Don't do anything foolish that gets anyone else hurt. Don't get yourself hurt. We are going to capture you. We are going to bring you back to the criminal justice system. This just needs to end."

"We are going to catch him," Bivens said. "It is a matter of time."

He said searchers are working to wear out Burham so that he gives up. He said more than 200 people from 15 law enforcement agencies are involved in the search.

"Part of our strategy is to push him hard," Bivens said, "And we are pushing him hard. Anyone who is pushed hard tends to make mistakes, tends to allow us to exploit those mistakes. Very simple strategy, but it works."

Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNpalattella.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Police link 'hidden cache' of food, clothes to escapee Michael Burham
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Wildlife officials were trying to capture a wayward sea otter Thursday that has been wresting surfboards away from surfers and aggressively approaching kayakers off the coast of Santa Cruz, California.

The 5-year-old female otter has shown aggression toward people for several weeks and poses a public safety risk, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a statement.

Video and photographs shared on social media show the marine mammal getting on top of different surfboards  on at least one occasion biting and tearing chunks off a board  and aggressively approaching surfers.

A team of wildlife experts with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the nearby Monterey Bay Aquarium were working to capture and put the animal in a new home, the service said.

While there have been no confirmed reports of injury, due to the highly unusual behavior of this otter, kayakers, surfers, and others recreating in the area should not approach the otter or encourage the otters interactions, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

Federal wildlife officials said the otters behavior is highly unusual and the exact cause for such behavior is unknown.

Aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters may be associated with hormonal surges or due to being fed by humans, federal officials said.

The animal, which wildlife officials named sea otter 841, was born in captivity and released into the wild in June 2020. She is tagged with her number and has a radio transmitter that officials are monitoring to find and capture her, wildlife officials said.

They said it is not the first time the otter has shown aggressiveness toward humans. The sea otter was observed approaching people in late 2021. Last May, she was spotted with a pup in the Santa Cruz area and four months later exhibited similar aggressive behavior.

In September, a team of California wildlife officials and Monterey Bay Aquarium staff hazed sea otter 841 by yelling loudly at her and using a paddle to beat the water in an effort to create a negative association with people, said Kevin Connor, a spokesperson with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

"Ultimately, that effort was not successful and as we can see, the interactions with people continued and escalated and now we've got an otter 841 that is very bold, Connor said.

We need the animal to listen to its natural survival instinct and have a healthy fear of people so it wont approach them, he added.

Connor said that once captured, the otter will be evaluated by aquarium vets and be given a new home in a zoo or an aquarium where she can be an ambassador for her species.

If she harms a person, wildlife officials would have to consider euthanizing the animal, he said.

Southern sea otters, whose population dwindled to about 50 in 1938, are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They are listed as federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act and are protected under the Marine Mammal Act and California state law.

Now with a population of about 3,000, sea otters play a fundamental role in maintaining healthy coastal ecosystems by preying on sea urchins that can multiply and chomp their way through the kelp forests they share, Connor said.


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The Prime Minister was accorded a warm welcome by Borne upon his arrival in Paris

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being received by Frances Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne upon his arrival at Orly Airport, in Paris, France on Thursday. (Twitter)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day visit to France with fruitful meetings with his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne and Senate President Gerard Larcher on Thursday. During the meetings, the Prime Minister discussed ways to impart new impetus to India's longstanding and time-tested strategic partnership with France.

The Prime Minister was accorded a warm welcome by Borne upon his arrival in Paris. Prior to his departure from New Delhi on Thursday morning, the Prime Minister had said that his visit is 'special' as he will join his 'friend', France's President Emmanuel Macron, on Friday for the Bastille Day celebrations as the guest of honour.

In his first engagement, Modi had a productive meeting with Senate President Larcher and the two leaders deliberated on a range of issues of mutual interest and agreed to work together to deepen India-France cooperation in a number of areas, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

Delighted to have met Mr. @gerard_larcher, President of the @Senat. Had productive exchanges on ways to deepen India-France cooperation across diverse sectors, the Prime Minister tweeted.

Separately, Modi met Prime Minister Borne and discussed measures to further strengthen the bilateral ties. PM @narendramodi held fruitful talks with PM @elisabeth_borne in Paris. The leaders reviewed various facets of India-France partnership as well as discussed measures to further strengthen the ties between both the countries, the PMO said.

The Prime Minister is here on a two-day visit during which he will hold wide-ranging talks with President Emmanuel Macron and join him for the French National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour.

PM @narendramodi commenced his engagements in France with a productive interaction with President @Senat @gerard_larcher. PM underlined how shared values of democracy, freedom and equality form foundational ethos of India-France partnership. Discussions covered India's G20 priorities, democratic values in technology usage, cooperation between the two Upper Houses as well as regional and global issues, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Modi also interacted with children and members of the Indian diaspora on his arrival at the hotel in Paris. Enthusiastic Indian community members who were waiting outside his hotel chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' as they met the Prime Minister.

A warm welcome by the Indian diaspora in Paris! Across the world, our diaspora has made a mark for themselves and are admired for their diligence and hardworking nature, Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi's intensive programme in Paris includes a slew of engagements with the French leadership, Indian diaspora, CEOs and prominent personalities.

Ahead of his departure, Modi expressed confidence that his visit will provide a new impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership. In his departure statement issued from New Delhi, the Prime Minister said, "This year marks the 25th anniversary of our strategic partnership.

Rooted in deep trust and commitment, our two countries cooperate closely across various domains including defence, space, civil nuclear, blue economy, trade, investment, education, culture and people to people ties. We also work together on regional and global issues."

"I look forward to meeting President Macron and holding wide-ranging discussions on taking forward this longstanding and time-tested partnership over the next 25 years. I have had the opportunity to meet President Macron several times since my last Official Visit to France in 2022, most recently in Hiroshima, Japan in May 2023 during the G-7 Summit," the Prime Minister added.

President Macron will host a private dinner for Modi late on Thursday evening and also host a State Banquet at the iconic Louvre Museum on Friday evening.

On the UAE leg of the visit, Modi said, "From Paris, I will be travelling to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for an Official Visit on July 15. I look forward to meeting my friend, H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Our two countries are engaged across a wide range of sectors such as trade, investments, energy, food security, science & technology, education, fintech, defence, security, and robust people-to-people ties. Last year, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and I agreed on a Roadmap on the future of our partnership, and I look forward to discussing with him how to further deepen our ties."

In his departure statement, the Prime Minister added, UAE will be hosting the 28th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP-28) later this year. I also look forward to exchanging views on strengthening global cooperation towards accelerating climate action to facilitate the energy transition and implementation of the Paris Agreement. I am confident that my visit to the UAE will usher in a new chapter in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."
by Alessandra Tamponi

The northern route via China to Seoul via Mongolia or Southeast Asia has been the only possibility for thousands of asylum seekers. Since the late 1990s, 33,000 have managed to reach South Korea. But the pandemic has tightened the net. And tens of thousands of North Koreans on Chinese territory fear that the reopening of the borders with Beijing is the antechamber to repatriation.

Milan (AsiaNews) - The phenomenon of migration between the two Koreas has characterised the history of the peninsula ever since its division, the 70th anniversary of which will be celebrated on 27th July next.

However, it is since the 1990s that migration from North to South has experienced its turnaround, taking on the humanitarian connotation that it has today. North Korea survived the collapse of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the communist bloc, but the consequences for the country proved devastating.

Massive deforestation, a consequence of the need to speed up both the process of industrialisation and the creation of new arable land, has left the country in a deeply vulnerable state.

North Koreans who have decided to leave their country since the 1990s have done so for humanitarian, hunger-related reasons, in search of better economic conditions and with the hope of escaping political persecution.

According to the South Korean Ministry of Reunification, between 1998 and 2023, more than 33,000 North Koreans managed to arrive in South Korea.

Migrating from North to South presents countless risks. The strict freedom of movement laws in force in North Korea make unauthorised travel, both domestic and international, illegal, thus necessitating the involvement of escape 'intermediaries' who often charge very high fees - up to ,000 - increasing the risk of falling into the hands of human traffickers.

Among the victims are mainly women and girls in search of a better economic status, who often fall victim to human trafficking linked mainly to the sex industry.

Some of the risks associated with leaving the country increased during the pandemic. According to a recent Reuters investigation, the northern route out of the country is now compromised.

The North Korean government has allegedly exploited the pandemic to strengthen its control of the border with China, which, due to the impossibility of crossing the demilitarised zone at the 38th parallel and entering South Korea directly, had until now been the safest way to leave the North.

According to data from the Ministry of Reunification, only 67 North Koreans managed to reach the South in 2022, a small number compared to more than a thousand in 2019.

To the new border-crossing difficulties, the end of the pandemic adds a renewed fear: that of forced repatriations. After three years of lockdown, North Korea is reportedly planning to reopen its border, which had already been envisaged for June 2023.

The reopening plays a key role in refugee security because it would make forced repatriations from China possible again. Although North Koreans are granted refugee status internationally - facilitating their entry into South Korea, which recognises all Koreans on the peninsula as its citizens - in China those who leave the North do not enjoy this status.

Yet China is the first stop for those who want to flee Pyongyang: from Chinese territory, in fact, it is possible to reach both South East Asian countries and Mongolia, which generally send identified refugees to South Korea.

Because of agreements with North Korea, Beijing does not allow the UN refugee agency to exercise its mandate, opting for forced repatriation for those it identifies in its territory. And the risk of apprehension is now also increased by the use of articific intelligence for facial identification.

China does not release information on North Koreans on its territory, and refugees in the country live in hiding, without documents, without access to healthcare and vulnerable to human trafficking.

The clandestinity on the one hand and the lack of cooperation of the Beijing authorities on the other make it extremely complex to understand exactly how many North Koreans are in the country today.

However, according to some estimates shared by Radio Free Asia, there are at least 60,000 unregistered North Koreans residing in China today, at least 2,000 of whom are currently detained and at risk of repatriation.
About 72 per cent of Chinese researchers in the United States feel unsafe, while 61 per cent are looking into new opportunities abroad. Many of those who left chose China and Hong Kong. The policies of former President Trump have boosted the exodus. For academics, the benefits of collaboration outweigh the risks.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  Rising tensions between China and the United States and their political, economic and diplomatic repercussions are now impacting the world of science, already shaken by charges and suspicions between the two countries over the origins of COVID-19.

The new chapter in the rivalry and the latest indicator of worsening relations involves research. Amid an increasingly suspicious climate, more and more Chinese scholars are leaving the United States for other shores, threatening academic collaboration.

Chinese scientists living in the United States have contributed for decades to the fundamental research that has led to the development of advanced technologies. However, many are now looking for greener pastures, against a background of deteriorating geopolitical relations and tighter controls on Chinese scholars, while China recruits and retains more and more talent at home.

A recent study confirms that a brain drain is underway and if the trend continues, experts warn that it could deal a severe blow to American ambitions in the long run.

From semiconductor chips to artificial intelligence, technology has been at the forefront of competition between the United States and China, with both sides trying to be top dog. As a result, cooperation, even in key areas such as the fight against climate change, has been rare.

In the 2010-21 period, the number of Chinese scientists who left the United States for a third country jumped from 900 to 2,621, especially between 2018 and 2021, a trend that shows no sign of slowing down, this according to a report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). About half of them moved to China or Hong Kong.

While this is but a small fraction of Chinese scientists in the United States, it still reflects researchers growing concerns over the tense geopolitical climate.

After surveying 1,304 Chinese-American researchers, the report found that 89 per cent of respondents want to contribute to US scientific and technological leadership. However, 72 per cent also reported feeling unsafe as researchers in the US, while 61 per cent had considered seeking opportunities elsewhere.

The exodus accelerated in 2018 when then US President Donald Trump launched a controversial programme aimed at countering Chinas theft of intellectual property, casting a chill over collaboration with Chinese institutions.

In 2020, Trump also issued a proclamation denying visas to graduates and researchers affiliated with Chinese universities linked to Chinas armed forces.

This reflects the geopolitical confrontation between the two superpowers that spilled over into the world of academia and research, with lawmakers in some US states putting pressure on the White House to further cut ties with China.

Were losing a generation of people who are knowledgeable about China, said Daniel Murphy, the former director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University, speaking to Foreign Policy.

For this reason, Im concerned that the United States is going about this issue in a way that excessively focuses on risks of the academic relationship, without due consideration for the benefits. And I think we see this in a whole host of arenas, and that its bipartisan.
by Shafique Khokhar

They are not recognised as Muslims in a country where Islam is the state religion and are persecuted by extremists in the complacent silence of the government with the support of large portions of the police force. Cases of arrests, persecution and harassment have increased, especially on the Feast of the Sacrifice.

Chenab Nagar (AsiaNews) - Incidents of forcibly stopping the Ahmadi cult have increased considerably this year. Throughout Pakistan extremist 'vigilantes' have been marking the homes of community members with the approval and sometimes the participation of the police.

There are 100 million of them in the world, scattered on every continent, but most are far from their places of origin: the border area between Punjab and Pakistan, where they continue to be severely persecuted. Imprisoned for blasphemy, abused, killed because they are considered a heresy of Islam.

The Ahmadi religious community is more than 100 years old and was founded in 1889 in Qadian, in present-day Punjab in India, by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, a Muslim mystic.

But while the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at is known for its motto 'Love for all, hate for none', this community is hated - and persecuted - in Pakistan to such an extent that they cannot profess their faith even within the walls of their homes.

Most of the Ahmadis remaining in Pakistan have also been deprived by these 'executioners' of the opportunity to pray during the sacred feast of Eid ul Adha (feast commemorating the sacrifice of Abraham).

These are real violations of fundamental rights under Article 20 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the 2021 ruling by the country's Supreme Court that Ahmadis can practise their faith freely.

Despite this, there were 23 complaints filed at various police stations to prevent Ahmadis from ritual animal slaughter for Eid ul Adha, against 89 vigilantes simply reported for intimidating and harassing Ahmadis and preventing the ritual of animal sacrifice.

There were also four occasions when Ahmadis were prevented from praying for the Eid and 28 people were fined. A police inspector in Gujrat also announced through a loudspeaker at a mosque that the Ahmadis are not 'real' Muslims and that it is essential to be so before slaughtering an animal in a sacred ritual.

It did not end there: 13 Ahmadis were arrested, 10 animals were taken into custody and houses of Ahmadi worshippers were illegally searched by the police.

The Ahmadiyya community spokesman said: 'These are serious violations of the Ahmadis' religious rights by extremist vigilantes, with the support of state officials, including the police. While the government in Islamabad is silent about these atrocities, the same government is concerned about similar incidents of persecution of Muslims in other countries. We demand that all these persecutory acts against the Ahmadis be stopped immediately and that all those in prison be released because they are innocent'.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

In Astana a 7-year sentence was imposed on the Kazakh painter Dauren Makin: he was charged with the crime of propagating jihadist terrorism. Through his drawings he voiced strong criticism of the authorities following the January 2022 riots and believes he is being persecuted for his opinions.

Astana (AsiaNews) - Astana artist Dauren Makin has been sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of "extremism and propaganda of terrorism". He has declared his intention to appeal against the sentence in the Supreme Court, arousing great interest and solidarity among many of his compatriots.

Through his drawings, he has voiced strong criticism of the authorities in the wake of the January 2022 riots and believes that he is being persecuted solely for his opinions, so much so that humanitarian activists in Kazakhstan call him a 'political prisoner'.

His art consists of pencil drawings on simple sheets of paper, and expresses feelings of despondency and disorientation of the person, evidently imprisoned or otherwise locked up in a room, in various poses and expressions, to emphasise the difficult days experienced by everyone in Kazakhstan. In other drawings, the bars and furnishings of the prison can be seen more clearly, with two people looking out of the window, or other men tied up and unable to move.

The sentencing verdict states that Makin 'posted messages of terrorist propaganda on his social media pages, calling for armed jihad, calling state officials kafiry and infidels, and calling for the violent overthrow of the constituted authorities'.

The artist's lawyer, Zasulan Kaumenov, stated that the charges were based on voice recordings made by security service agents, who visited Makin to 'learn how to draw'.

In the second instance, the verdict was upheld, regardless of the unreliability of the testimonies collected; but the painter is confident in the Supreme Court and 'has no intention of giving up', assures his lawyer.

Last 28 June, Makin turned 48 in prison. The prosecutor's papers state that 'from 2010 Makin began to profess the Islamic religion, drawing independently from internet resources to the sources of religious canons, and from the analysis of his research, it is deduced that he began to take an interest in the activities of international terrorist organisations, which propagate destructive religious ideas'. Hence the accusation of 'participation in the global Islamic terrorist movement'.

These accusations centred on Facebook messages of 19 January 2022, in which he complained that 'they kill us not only with bullets, but above all with terror that makes us fearful and submissive to power, with an increasingly fragile self-consciousness and a desire to live far from danger... This is marasmus surrealism! The people in recent days have finally woken up, for the glory of Allah!".

In another post, he wrote that "I like the words: Maidan, Taliban, Kazak, Zaporozskaja Sec [the historical seat of the Cossacks], Radical, Sal Ket, Tonkaj ket, Sura-Soviet!", expressions that refer to the free spirit of the Eurasian nomads, rather than to the terrorists of the Islamic State.

So called 'drawing students' - in reality sent to check on him - were a man and a woman who introduced themselves as Arystan and Majra, first contacted him as early as 2021,and he naively welcomed them into his home: 'he is a big-hearted man,' the lawyer recalls.

They encouraged him to talk about Islam and the 'fight against the infidels', to which he replied that 'every genuine Muslim must know how to defend himself, even with the use of weapons', hence the accusation of incitement to armed struggle. The testimony of 'Majra and Arystan' took place without showing the faces of the witnesses, hidden by four screens, and without revealing their real names.

The artist's father, Askarbek Makin, showed his son's other drawings at the appeal trial, kept since his teenage years, to prove his true nature, 'one who wants to discover the soul's discomfort, not cause evil himself'. But the judges decided to disregard them, relying only on 'philological, political, theological and history of religions analysis' for his alleged social messages, many of which were evidently contrived.

Makin's drawings speak of the Kazakh people, often portrayed in their national costumes, and some are even exhibited at the National Museum in Astana: the persecution of him is the best demonstration of Kazakhstan's struggle to free itself from the authoritarianism of the past, and to choose to open up new paths of spirit and society.
The Indian government recently amended its mining legislation to allow private firms to develop lithium reserves in the Muslim-majority territory to reduce imports from China. The discovery has sparked enthusiasm for electric vehicle production ambitions, but, development several hurdles like potential environmental damage. Meanwhile, Indias Supreme Court next month will start vet petitions challenging the abolition of Jammu and Kashmirs special autonomy.

Delhi (AsiaNews)  The Indian government has approved a series of amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 to allow private firms to mine for lithium and other minerals essential for the manufacturing of mobile phones, semiconductors, solar panels, electric vehicles, and wind turbines.

This is a major shift for the South Asian country since mining was hitherto controlled by the government, and is probably linked to the discovery in February of 5.9 million tonnes of the element in Reasi, a district in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is administered by India but also claimed by Pakistan.

Larger reserves were also found recently in Degana, Rajasthan. According to the Indian Geological Survey, 80 per cent of domestic demand for lithium could be met by this single source, making the country independent from China.

A single exploration licence will encourage more private investment in the sector, where currently private presence is limited, a government source said.

India aims to achieve a 30 per cent electric vehicle market penetration by 2030, for which lithium  currently imported  is crucial.

Global lithium production surpassed the 100,000-tonne mark in 2021, and India hopes to become a key player in global supply chains.

According to estimates by industry experts, 10 per cent of Kashmir's mineral reserves could cover the production of most cars circulating in India, and the cost of producing a battery could drop by 5 to 7 per cent.

Still, many political, legal, technological and environmental challenges lie ahead. One will come soon from the Supreme Court of India.

Indias highest court recently set up a panel to review the central governments decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its statehood in 2019.

That year, the Indian parliament, dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, voted to repeal Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gave the Muslim-majority region significant legislative autonomy, the right to its own flag and constitution.

In anticipation of troubles that might follow this decision, Indian authorities detained pre-emptively local political leaders and suspended the internet.

Both Pakistan and China issued a protest; in Beijings case, it was over Ladakh, a Union territory carved out of the pre-existing Jammu and Kashmir state, which is claimed by China.

India's highest court announced that it will start to examine the petitions challenging the governments decision to change Jammu and Kashmirs status, starting 2 August.

So far, Delhi has defended its actions, arguing that the change has brought "peace, progress and prosperity" to a territory plagued by decades of unrest. According to the Court, such statements "have no relevance in the case.

Since violence broke out in the 1980s, India has beefed up its security forces in the area, curbed civil liberties, and since 2019, appointed a lieutenant governor.

But for lithium mining in Kashmir, more hurdles must be overcome. In fact, it could still take years, according to experts, before the quality and exact quantity of this element can be fully assessed.

It seems that, in Kashmir, lithium is mixed with bauxite and India currently does not have the expertise and technology to extract the metal.

In addition, the Himalayan territory is ecologically sensitive. While e-cars can help the government meet its zero emissions target, making batteries risks harming the environment, undermining the gains that could be obtained through clean energy production.

Despite this, the Indian government announced in May that it will auction reserves found in the territory by the end of the year.

The discovery of new mineral reserves is not accidental, but is part of a wider programme to make India self-sufficient vis-a-vis Chinese imports.

To this end, Delhi has adopted a dual strategy: geological exploration at home with 18 projects across the country, and international acquisitions through the joint venture company Khanij Bidesh India (KABIL) to identify and buy minerals abroad.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India spent 163 billion rupees (US$ 2 billion) on lithium imports between April and December 2022.
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It's also hard to imagine who is willing to spend over 50 grand on a front-wheel-drive compact. Think of what else you could buy for that kind of moolah, including a previous-generation Boxster with the six-cylinder boxer. Lower down the spectrum, why not a Mustang?Speaking of which, the Fast Lane owns a 2014 model year Ford Mustang GT with quite a few miles on the clock. TFL's latest upload pits the aforementioned Integra Type S against the decade-old pony car, and  exactly as expected  the V8 bruiser asserts dominance over the Integra Type S.Roman Mica and Tommy Mica kick things off with a good ol' dig race to the quarter mile, which concludes in 15.79 seconds for the Acura. The 'Stang clocked 14.75 seconds, which isn't shabby for such an old car. Bear in mind this is one mile above sea level as well, and naturally-aspirated engines are more sensible to elevation gain than turbocharged mills like the K20C1.Garrett Motion estimates a loss in power of three percent for every 1,000 feet (454 meters) for a NA engine. Also remember that a Coyote from 2014 doesn't make all the ponies it used to back then. Its automatic is a bit meh compared to the current 10R, and very meh compared to the Acura's stick shift.The 'Stang also makes easy work of the Integra from a rolling start, pulling and pulling without breaking a sweat despite the elevation. Pictured in Colorado, the cars were also put through an emergency braking test from 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour).Not surprising in the least, the Mustang lost this one, taking 129 feet (39.3 meters) to come to a halt. This disappointing result is also attributed to the all-season tires of the Ford, which aren't good as good as summer tires in emergency braking situations in the dry. The Integra Type S dons Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires from the factory. Being approximately 400 pounds (181 kilograms) lighter than the pony car, the Integra Type S needs merely 109 feet (33.2 meters) to stop.Expensive though it may be, the ITS may be the last hurrah of the sportycompact as far as Acura is concerned. Acura expects more than 50 percent of sales to be EVs by 2030. That's a rather ambitious target, more so if you remember that Acura's first productionis based on GM underpinnings
The Gallardo-replacing Huracan went official in December 2013. Assembled in Sant'Agata Bolognese since 2014, the V10-engined supercar will be redesigned from the ground up in late 2024 for the 2025 model year. The biggest question regarding the yet-to-be-named replacement has finally been answered by the following video, much to the disdain of V10 loyalists.

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Spied under heavy camouflage together with a completely uncamouflaged Urus PHEV , the what's-its-name Baby Lambo makes faint V8 noises. Twin-turbo V8 noises, that is, which isn't exactly surprising. Lamborghini already uses the most powerful iteration of the Audi-Porsche V8 in the Urus S and Urus Performante, leading us to believe that the Huracan successor's engine may be related to the 4.0L mill.Back in January 2022, chief executive officer Stephan Winkelmann refused to disclose what kind of engine would power the heir apparent. He did say that it's completely new, unrelated to the Urus or Aventador.The question is, can Lamborghini afford to spend tens  if not hundreds  of millions on a clean-sheet design? An educated guess would be hell no, especially not for an engine meant for a low-volume supercar. Low volume compared to the Urus, of course! Prior to the's arrival, the Huracan was Lamborghini's best-selling nameplate. It's already sold out through the end of production. More than 20,000 have been produced, with chassis #20,000 finished back in April 2022.Rouven Mohr, namely the chief technical officer at Automobili Lamborghini, let it slip that a plug-in hybrid setup has been decided on for the entry-level supercar. The high-voltage stickers on this prototype confirm it. Mohr further mentioned anything between six and 12 cylinders, which is another way of saying the V10 engine will be canned together with the Huracan.Knowing the Raging Bull of Sant'Agata Bolognese, the twin-turbo V8 in this fellow isn't a remapped twin-turbo V8 from the Urus. Hardware changes are certainly in store. As for the wildest rumor in regard to the mystery engine, hearsay suggests a redline of 10,000 revolutions per minute and turbos that kick in at 7k.That's a little on the weird side of turbocharged engines, and you also have to remember that it's a bit stupid as well. If the spinny lads wake up at 7,000 revolutions per minute, and the V8 is electronically governed to 10,000 revolutions per minute, can you imagine how short of a peak torque band this powerplant would have? As a result, take said rumor with a sizable pinch of salt.Francesco Scardaoni, the guy in charge of the Asia-Pacific region for Lamborghini , confirmed that the Volkswagen Group allowed the Italians to develop a bespoke platform for the Huracan's replacement. Bespoke as in not shared with other group brands. Given the similarities in exterior design to the Revuelto, it's likely for said platform to be derived from the Revuelto, although with more aluminum than carbon fiber to keep the production costs reasonable.
Google has recently released the first Android Auto 10 beta, but as per the company's typical approach, the new update comes without a changelog.

Photo: 9to5Google

In other words, if you were hoping to see information on the changes included in Android Auto 10, this isn't available, so the only way to determine it is to install the new release.According to a new report, the latest Android Auto 10 beta includes a change many people might not notice. Google Assistant gets a new visual facelift on Android Auto, as the parent company is introducing a new animation appearing on the screen when the assistant listens to your voice input.While it's unclear if Google has tied the release of this new facelift with Android Auto 10's debut, the updated animation is only available in the latest version of the app. In theory, Google could bring the same update to any other Android Auto version  the Google app powers the Google Assistant integration in Android Auto, so, in theory, the company can enable the animation in previous releases too.Beginning with Android Auto 10, triggering Google Assistant voice input launches the same floating bar as in older releases, but this time it uses a glow animation at the bottom. The animation includes Google's colors, making the interface look more modern.As others have noticed, the animation looks similar to the one Google initially presented when announcing a revamped Assistant version aimed at Google Pixel phones. The glow effect was an essential part of the polished experience, and now it looks like the search giant is ready to bring it to Android Auto too.Google seems to use a phased rollout model for this new feature, or the company is still experimenting. The new animation isn't enabled on my phone running Android Auto 10 beta and the latest Google Assistant version. I believe Google is still in the testing phase, so the company will likely begin rolling out the new design to users in the coming weeks if it doesn't detect a significant bug.In the meantime, Android Auto 10 looks like a minor release with no new features. While the big version jump (from 9.9 to 10) could indicate a new development branch, Android Auto 10 looks more like a typical bug-fixing update with no significant changes under the hood. The update is still in beta, but Google should begin rolling it out to production devices in the coming weeks.I expect the company to start the public rollout by the end of the month. You can download Android Auto 10 without waiting using the stand-alone APK installer, but keep in mind that beta builds come with an increased likelihood of bugs, as they are pre-release software in need of public testing.
You must have heard that Audi is considering buying an electric architecture from a Chinese company to produce battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Automobilwoche revealed that on July 9. Greg Kable brought more details on July 12: the German carmaker would be about to sign a deal with SAIC to use an IM platform. What nobody has done so far was digging deeper into why Audi is doing that. The quick answer is despair.

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Photo: Audi

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Photo: Toyota

The sources that revealed the story said that the German carmaker decided to buy a Chinese electric architecture because the development of the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) is taking too long. That would be a massive defeat acknowledgment if it were true, but it is not. As early as March 2021, Volkswagen said that the SSP would underpin Project Trinity's first vehicle in 2025, a 2026 model-year flat (low). That did not change that much: the German carmaker is now saying the SSP will make its premiere in 2026.Audi's desperation emerges from another reason: it cannot wait that long in the Chinese market, the world's largest and the most important for the Volkswagen Group. The company badly miscalculated the change speed in China, which it dominated until BYD beat it at the beginning of 2023. That must have sounded a loud alarm within Volkswagen's top management. Remember that Ralf Brandstatter moved to China to take care of business there in August 2022. Before that, he was a strong candidate to replace Herbert Diess as the group's CEO, but Oliver Blume got there first. Automobilwoche said he already approved the idea of using a Chinese platform, probably urged to do so by Brandstatter.The deal is that the Chinese government has been pushing for electric vehicles for quite a while. Chinese megalopolises face a terrible pollution problem that covers the skies with a thick layer of smog on the worst days. Medical expenses with respiratory diseases must have driven the CCP to determine BEVs were the easiest way out. In a country that processes most raw materials for lithium-ion cells and has some of the largest battery manufacturers in the world, that made a lot of sense.Local automakers also were smart enough to turn that into a competitive advantage. Foreign car companies had to care about scale, ensured by what they sold elsewhere:vehicles. When the rest of the world decided BEVs were the silver bullet for climate change  even if they aren't  Chinese carmakers were ahead of the curve. Apart from Tesla, everybody else was late to develop electric cars  particularly in China, where they are now necessary for good sales numbers. Volkswagen thought its ID family and the MEB would be enough to do well in the world's largest market, but it wasn't. They did not work even in Europe, where the company had to cut production because demand was too low. The fastest way to tackle the situation is to use a platform that already exists.That would not be the first case of a foreign company using a Chinese architecture to build its BEVs. Toyota did that in October 2022 with BYD and the bZ3 , the electric Corolla. The Japanese carmaker probably has other electric vehicles in the pipeline for the Chinese market, all of them in a partnership with BYD  the company that is now leading sales in China instead of Volkswagen.In Toyota's case, that has to do with the certainty that battery electric vehicles need better technology to become mainstream, which is why the Japanese automaker is waiting for solid-state cells. The alliance with BYD enabled it to keep selling cars in China until its revolutionary batteries are ready for prime time. In other words, the partnership with the Chinese carmaker is a way to buy time in a relevant market. Toyota may even consider exporting these Chinese vehicles to Europe, something Tesla, BYD, and MG already do. However, you should not see these cars in Japan or the US.Volkswagen's situation is a lot different. It decided to become an electric car company and invested billions to get there. The German carmaker frequently states that fuel cells and hybrids are a waste of time and that BEVs are the future. It does not even acknowledge the shortcomings these vehicles present, such as battery pack life and charging times. For a company that is all-in on BEVs, not having the right products or the right schedule for new ones can become an emergency. This is why Audi is probably asking for help in China. IM Motors belongs to SAIC, a company with which Volkswagen has a joint venture in the world's largest car market. Until very recently, that was the only way foreign companies could sell vehicles in China. In that sense, the platform purchase will happen with an old partner, a company that has also used Volkswagen architectures in the past. In a sense, it's SAIC's turn to scratch the German carmaker's back. The deal is that no one ever saw that coming, mainly because of how proud Volkswagen has always been of its engineering team. If the platform purchase is confirmed, it will be interesting to see how Audi will justify its urge for a competitive architecture that the Volkswagen Group did not know it would need so soon.
Riding a bike to and fro may be fun and all, but there are also times when riders would most definitely like to be somewhere else. Like, say, when lifting a 240 kg (that's 529 pounds) Ducati Multistrada V4 S off a side stand.

In essence, the operation of lifting a bike off a side stand is not that complicated, but it could pose some problems to certain riders, especially the ones not built to lift heavy weights. That's why a while ago Italian bike maker Ducati rolled out something called Easy Lift.In simple words, Easy Lift is a function of Ducati bikes that fully opens the valves of the suspension system's hydraulics. It does this automatically when the ignition is turned on, and its effects last for three minutes after the engine roars to life. This makes both the bike's rear and front suspension system softer, and makes the process of lifting the bike off its stand easier.The tech also adds to the Minimum Preload feature of the bike. By resetting the shock absorber preload, it allows riders to put their feet on the ground much easier when traveling at low speed. That's a development that comes particularly handy when there are two people on the bike.The tech has already been rolled out by the Italians for the Multistrada V4 Rally, and this week we got word of the V4 S version of the bike family getting it too.The even greater news is that the Easy Lift is offered free of charge by the bike maker. That's because people who will buy a Multistrada V4 S in the future will get the system included as standard, while those who already own the bikes will receive it free of charge.In addition to that, the V4 S also adds the possibility for the rider to change the height of the seat, leading to a more comfortable position, tailored to the rider's build. Also helping with that are different-height saddles and a lowering set, all of them offered as extras for the bike.No one will be left out, as Ducati will reach out to its customers by means of the MyDucati app or via email to let them know about Easy Lift. A trip to the local dealer will be required for the bikes to be updated with the new system.For all intents and purposes, now that the Easy Lift was made available for the second Multistrada V4 bike the range is becoming a true tech test bed for the Italian bike maker. When the most recent generation was introduced it became the first production bike in the world to come with front and rear radar, and a phone mirroring function which it too was too delivered free to people who already owned the model.The Multistrada V4 range presently comprises five main models, namely the V4, V4 S, V4 S Sport, the V4 Pikes Peak, and the V4 Rally.
Genesis has just brought the G90 to the Goodwood Festival of Speed to launch it on the European market. The flagship sedan will be available on request in Germany and Switzerland. Customers can register interest in order to get one. But does it really have what it takes to fight the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7 Series?

The G90 will be available in two versions in Europe, with both short and long wheelbase. The short-wheelbase version will come in either four- or five-seat configuration. Meanwhile, customers will only be able to spec the long-wheelbase sedan with four seats, all featuring massage functions. The rear ones also come with retractable leg and footrests. For those sitting in the rear, there will be 190 millimeters more legroom.The short-wheelbase G90 measures 207.7 inches (5,275 millimeters) long, while there are 215.2 inches (5,465 millimeters) for the long-wheelbase. These numbers make it shorter than Mercedes S-Class, which is 203.9 inches (5,179 millimeters) long in short-wheelbase form or 208.2 inches (5,289 millimeters) for the long-wheelbase variant.Managing director of Genesis Motor Europe, Lawrence Hamilton, admits that people have been asking for months about the moment the car would arrive on the Old Continent. And here it is, with retuned suspension and dynamics, to fit the European customers demands.The Korean brands representatives promise luxurious specifications, plus the very best and latest technology and safety equipment as standard. It remains to be seen if Genesis very best is good enough to fight the sedans that have been making the rules across Europe for years: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 7 Series, and the Audi A8.No word on the engine lineup just yet. But the Genesis G90 should get the twin-turbo 3.5 later V8 engine, which develops 375 horsepower (380 PS) in the short-wheelbase version and 409 horsepower (415 PS) in the long-wheelbase one, which also benefits from the presence of a 48V e-Supercharger and is all-wheel drive. Resources are handled by an eight-speed automatic gearbox.Full product and pricing will be announced soon. To make it in Europe, the G90 has to come with competitive prices that would convince customers to switch from their super popular S-Class and 7 Series sedans.In Germany, the S-Class starts at 111,729 euros ($125,379 ), while the 7 Series starts at 116,000 euros ($130,172). For Audis A8 sedan, negotiations kick of at 101,900 euros. For the moment, in the US, American customers can drive a G90 home if they pay $88,400, excluding the $1,095 destination charge.The G90 is not the first Genesis model to be sold in Europe. The Korean carmaker has been selling the G70 and G80 sedans, together with the GV70 and the GV80. The all-electric GV70 and G80 are also available over there.
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The average Joe might be tempted to say that the wide fenders were added post-assembly. They might also believe the front and rear bumpers are new and that the fat side skirts, front hood, roof scoop, and rear wing are also new. But they'd be wrong because the Huracan STO came with these aero upgrades straight from the Sant'Agata Bolognese facility.These upgrades don't only contribute to that racer-like stance of the Italian supercar , but they also improve the aerodynamics and downforce. The Super Trofeo for the road has 631 horsepower (640 ps/471) produced by its 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 at 8,000 rpm and 417 lb-ft (565 Nm) of torque sent to the rear axle via a seven-speed auto 'box with dual-clutch. Lambo says it can go up to 193 mph (310 kph), claiming that the 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint is a three-second affair.But that still doesn't answer the question of what's new, so here it is: the wheelset. Made by Vorsteiner, the alloys are called the FR-Aero 310, and they kick off from $13,180. The American tuner's website reveals a lead time of between three and eight weeks, and two sizes available for the Huracan: 8.5x20-inch for the front and 12x20- or 12x21-inch for the rear axle. Made in California, the three-piece wheels are available in multiple hues, with different colors for the Vorsteiner-branded center caps, and they can be ordered with a solid face or the optional brushed or polished surfaces that add another $600 to the price tag.Besides the Lamborghini Huracan, Vorsteiner offers the FR-Aero 310 set for a wide variety of other vehicles, including exotics from Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, and Audi (R8), as well as high-riders such as the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Mercedes G-Class. They're also suitable for the C8 Chevrolet Corvette, multiple BMWs, and several battery-electric cars like the Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model S, and Model Y.Thus, they're not on the exclusive side of the market, but on a more positive note, they do fit the Huracan like a glove, especially in the two-tone finish as presented on the pictured supercar. It wears a light blue hue on the outside, with white and orange contrasts, and the latter two shades were replicated on the wheels. We can see some black elements, too, on this rear mid-engined and rear-wheel drive Lambo that truly is a dream car. Do you dig the looks? Drop a line below and tell us what you think of this STO.
Developed with Chinese automaker Geely's financial backing, the Polestar 2 has been hit with a recall affecting three vehicles produced for the 2023 model year. As it happens, the front left lower ball joint might have been incorrectly installed, therefore allowing the control arm to disconnect from the steering knuckle.

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It's pretty obvious that a loss of steering increases the risk of a crash, isn't it? Dealers have been instructed to inspect the ball joint's fastening bolt, and  if necessary  replace it at no charge to the customer. Mailed notifications will be sent to owners no later than August 30. In the meantime, said owners are recommended to either contact Polestar customer service or use the's VIN look-up tool to confirm whether their 2023 model year vehicles are indeed recalled or not.In production since 2020, the Polestar 2 comes exclusively from China. Based on the Compact Modular Architecture of the Volvo XC40 and electric-only C40, the liftback sedan was designed to compete with the likes of the Tesla Model 3. But alas, the Polestar is a wee bit more expensive at $49,900 for the Long Range Single Motor RWD version as opposed to $40,240 for the Model 3's Standard Range Single Motor RWD.At press time, the most basic specification available to configure in the United States of America is listed with 320 miles (515 kilometers) of driving range. Delivery is estimated for September 2023. The rear-drive 2 is new for 2024. As you're well aware, it used to be front-wheel drive prior to the 2024 model year . Step up to the Long Range Dual Motor, and you're looking at $55,300 before fees. This version may be faster to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour; 4.3 seconds compared to 5.9 seconds), but it's also worse in terms of driving range (276 miles or 444 kilometers EPA combined).It's also worth noting that a dual-motor Tesla Model 3 with a larger battery comes in at $47,240. Or $53,240 for the go-faster Performance version. Obviously enough, Polestar doesn't have a Model 3 Performance-matching 2 in the lineup. That's a bit of a shame, more so if you remember that Volvo spun off Polestar into its own thing to create an electrified performance brand.Polestar also plays second fiddle in regard to sales, with the Sino-Swedish company reporting 12,000 deliveries in the first quarter and 15,800 deliveries in the second quarter of 2023. Tesla, on the other hand, reported 412,180 deliveries in the first quarter and 446,915 deliveries in the second quarter for the 3 and Y. Given these circumstances, Polestar needs to up its game big time in the coming years to put a dent into the American automaker's dominance in thesegment.
The mastermind behind the excellent suspension setup Rivian vehicles currently boast may have returned to McLaren. Still, the young and promising automaker is now adding another great name to its team  Kjell Gruner, former CEO and President of Porsche North America. This move has the potential to impact Rivian's short- and medium-term future positively. Here's why.

EV

Photo: FridayAdventureClub on Reddit

Around three years ago, Kjell Gruner was promoted from Chief Marketing Officer of Porsche North America to Chief Executive Officer of the beloved Stuttgart-based brand. He took the reigns during a difficult time for the company and managed to weather the storm rather well. Two weeks ago, Porsche NA confirmed he was leaving the company of his own will.Porsche's sales have remained on a steady positive trend, and the presence of the brand in the minds and hearts of well-off gearheads is at extremely satisfactory levels, to say the least.Meanwhile, Rivian is in a pickle. Its vehicles are great, with most customers saying they provide a rewarding ownership experience. Moreover, nearly all tests reveal a good build quality accompanied by strong on- and off-road capabilities. The software is not that great, and some production hiccups have led to a bit of anger and confusion among pre-order holders. But for now, nothing seems to stop Rivian from becoming another great American manufacturer.However, despite making much progress in the deliveries department , the startup is still burning through its enormous pile of Initial Public Offering (IPO) cash. Its high price tags for the R1T and R1S are currently acceptable. But Ford, Chevrolet, and Tesla might soon become even more significant threats for the Irvine-based entity. The F-150 Lightning, the Silverado, and the Cybertruck might not be available for immediate delivery today, but these giants will sort it out eventually. Plus, money becoming more expensive is putting a strain on American households' car budgets.Then, there's Amazon and the other possible partnerships with other commerce giants that need vans and the supporting fleet supervising software. The EDV requires a more robust push beyond the partnership with the prominent online retailer.Thus, Rivian is forced to tread carefully. It cannot afford any mishaps, which is why the onboarding of Porsche NA's former CEO is excellent news for the company and its shareholders.At the time of writing, Kjell Gruner's role at the EV maker is unknown. But one thing that won't happen is replacing RJ Scaringe as CEO. We anticipate he'll use his vast marketing expertise to make Rivian better known stateside. He could also be of help in helping Rivian find new revenue sources.German newspaper Manager Magazin said the deal is done, but Automotive News couldn't get a straight answer from Rivian or Gruner. However, Rivian did not deny that Porsche NA's former CEO is joining the EV maker.Besides working for Porsche for over a decade, Gruner has also been at Daimler, Mercedes-Benz's owner. But marketing isn't the executive's only strong suit. He has been involved in Porsche's digital services department, where the company explored how to tackle subscriptions, on-demand rentals, partial car ownership, ridesharing, and carsharing. This know-how may prove very useful for Rivian, as it finds itself in dire need of cash.Lastly, when he announced his departure from Porsche NA, Gruner said, "Sometimes there is the next mountain to climb," indicating that he was ready for another challenge. It remains to be seen how all this will pan out.
This week was extra special for nine Royal Navy sailors led by Senior Naval Officer Commander Chris Cozens. They got to meet HMS Venturer and admire it up close. This will be the Navy's first unit in the new Type 31 frigate class, and these nine enthusiastic seamen are part of its future 100-people crew.

The UK Navy is undergoing a historic renewal and expansion process designed to support Britain's contemporary role as one of the major naval powers. The upcoming Type 31 frigates will join the Type 26 anti-submarine frigates and the deadlier Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyers.Initially meant to operate as light patrol vessels, the Type 31 frigates changed direction when Navy officials announced that the new frigates would be fitted with the Mk41 vertical launch system (VLS), taking lethality to the next level. HMS Venturer , the first to be built, will be armed with Sea Ceptor air defense missiles, a sophisticated combat system comprised of one Bofors 57 mm gun and two Bofors 40 mm Mk4 guns, plus a state-of-the-art 4D radar for air and surface surveillance and target indication. It will be the first Royal Navy vessel to include this radar. On top of that, the frigate will be able to carry up to three seaboats and one helicopter (Wildcat or Merlin).Size-wise, the new warship will be larger than the current Type 23, which it's supposed to replace. The T31 ships boast a length of nearly 140 meters (455 feet), a 19.8-meter (65 feet) beam, and a 5,700-ton displacement.In terms of performance, the T31 ships will be able to reach high speeds in excess of 26 knots (30 mph/48 kph) and cover up to 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 km).Together with HMS Active, Formidable, Bulldog, and Campbeltown, HMS Venturer will represent the Royal Navy's new Inspiration class, named after the prestige and historical relevance of the original vessels that carried these names. Venturer, for instance, is the name of a World War 2 submarine that succeeded in blasting a German U-boat while they were both underwater.HMS Venturer, the leader of the T31 pack, is nearing construction at the Rosyth facility. In a year from now, it should be ready to kick off its first missions. Thanks to its high flexibility, the future warship will be able to go from humanitarian support to intelligence gathering and hunting down the bad guys (mostly drug trafficking networks) in places like the Caribbean or the Middle East.HMS Venturer's four sister ships will take shape over the following years. The Royal Navy's plan is to have this brand-new frigate unit ready to operate by the end of this decade, together with the Type 26 and Type 45.
Much has been written about Tesla's bi-directional charging capabilities (or lack thereof). It looks like Tesla will introduce this feature on the Cybertruck. The EV maker confirmed this most unusually in a coloring book at Tesla Service Centers.

kWh

EV

New coloring book at Tesla service centers. states "has enough battery power to charge a Tesla"



bidirectional confirmed? @elonmust



kiddos saw it first ha! pic.twitter.com/fOvDrmpLSQ  Greggertruck (@greggertruck) July 13, 2023

Many electric vehicles come these days with bi-directional charging capabilities. These include the possibility to power external devices (Vehicle-to-Load or V2L), entire houses (Vehicle-to-Home/V2H), or even sell energy to the grid (Vehicle-to-Grid/V2G). The possibility of having a backup power source in emergencies sounds very compelling, and other carmakers offered it with their EVs.Stories about how an electric vehicle can save the day (and possibly someone's life) in disasters have been aplenty. Not only that, but Ford mocked Tesla by delivering the F-150 Lightning with a complimentary adapter to charge a Tesla . Farley shot two rabbits with one bullet here, promoting the Vehicle-2-Vehicle (V2V) capability of the Lightning.Of course, bi-directional charging only makes sense when the car's battery has a big-enough capacity. That's why electric pickup trucks have been the perfect candidates for bi-directional charging. Considering this, we'd forgive Tesla because it doesn't offer this feature on any of its EVs. Critics pointed out the company's lucrative Powerwall business, which might be affected if bi-directional charging is available on Tesla models.Things are set to change, though. Asked during Investor Day in March about the bi-directional charging capability, Tesla's SVP of Powertrain and Energy Engineering, Drew Baglino, said it should arrive in about two years. While Baglino didn't mention any Tesla model that would support the new features, he most certainly meant the Cybertruck. Another confirmation was offered in an unusual way, in kid merchandise offered at Service Centers.A coloring book handed out at Tesla Service Centers states that the Cybertruck "has enough battery power to charge a Tesla." Although the book was made for kids, it conveys a message to their parents. The wording implies that the Cybertruck will offer bi-directional charging and charge other cars. However, the message is more about the Cybertruck's battery capacity than anything else.If the electric pickup is indeed able to charge other Tesla EVs, it should have a really big battery, probably not very far from the 200+offered by other pickup trucks. We know that Tesla Cybertruck would feature house outlets in the bed to power external devices. However, charging anusing them would not be practical. This points to a V2X capability, although Vehicle-to-Grid will most likely not be offered, as it overlaps with the Powerwall. It would also accelerate the battery wear, which Tesla doesn't want.Still, if the Cybertruck could power a house, it would be a hit with people who want their backs covered in emergencies. We've already seen that the bi-directional charging capabilities didn't help Ford very much with the F-150 Lightning's sales. The feature might become mandatory in California in 2027, so Tesla is at least considering it.
Although India appeared to have lost Tesla investment, recent developments show that Elon Musk's company is about to start constructing a local gigafactory. The new facility will produce the new affordable EV that will first launch from Giga Mexico, with a planned annual capacity of 500,000 EVs.

EV

Tesla has long ago included India in its expansion plans. Still, themaker has not even started selling its EVs in the country, and the charging infrastructure is almost non-existing. Elon Musk has met with the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi several times. In 2020, he was confident Tesla would start sales in India by 2021. Plans fell apart after the local government refused to offer incentives for the made-in-China models. With 110% tariffs on cars imported from China, Tesla's Indian adventure was over before it started.While the Indian government insisted that Tesla start local production, Musk wanted to see how its cars sold in the country before committing. However, times are changing, and an Indian gigafactory is again on the menu . Having all the eggs in one basket is not very wise, and doing business in China is controversial, even with Musk's strong ties with local leaders. That's why rumors about a gigafactory in India started to resurface in May.At the end of June, Musk met with Narendra Modi in New York and promised that Tesla would be in the country "as soon as humanly possible." He also announced a "manufacturing base" in India, which doesn't necessarily mean a car gigafactory. Still, as Tesla is looking for a place to build its next gigafactory, India might be the perfect place.There is more information confirming this scenario coming from Indian news outlets. According to sources cited by The Times of India, Tesla is negotiating with the Indian government to construct a car factory with an annual capacity of up to 500,000 EVs. There was no word about the specific models planned to be produced in India. Still, the newspaper's sources suggest it will be an affordable EV, with a starting price of 2 million rupees (about $24,000).This description fits the next-generation EV that Tesla plans to produce at Giga Mexico in 2025. The new affordable EV will be a compact crossover, akin to a smaller Model Y , built using a revolutionary manufacturing process Tesla calls unboxed vehicle. The EV maker wants to sell millions of these EVs, so it tailored Giga Mexico for a production capacity of 2 million EVs per year. This would easily be Tesla's biggest gigafactory, surpassing even Giga Shanghai.Once it sets up Giga Mexico, Tesla will copy/paste it in India, albeit at a smaller scale. Still, the 500,000 capacity of Giga India will likely cover only Phase 1, with plans to expand capacity in the future. Considering India's highly skilled and cheap labor, the country is ideally positioned to produce this high-volume EV. In addition to selling these cars on the local market, Tesla will also export them throughout the region.
A luxury yacht owner who's also the captain of his own ship is a rare bird these days. Yet, there are folks out there who believe that an adventurous spirit isn't necessarily incompatible with luxury or with the current green navigation trend. The latest yacht to be commissioned by the acclaimed Vripak shipyard brings it all together, also building on the unique heritage of a classic Dutch brand.

Photo: Doggersbank

Photo: Doggersbank

Photo: Doggersbank

A brand-new, custom luxury yacht sounds terribly exciting, as long as you're willing to wait. An enthusiastic customer who owned several boats chose the Netherlands-based Vripak to bring to life an unusual vessel that's classic and contemporary at the same time. The yard is due to lay the keel this coming Fall, but the Doggersbank 77' Offshore won't be ready until 2025.Still, this full-custom yacht is well worth the wait. First of all, it's designed to be owner-operated. A 77-footer (23.5 meters), this pleasure craft with a narrow beam and single engine won't require a crew, which makes it perfect for private adventures.The reduced length and beam were also specific requests. That's because the future boat will be housed in a harbor berth on the northwest coast of North America, recently bought by the owner. For the same reason, the boat will feature a protective nozzle against driftwood for the prop and rudder and open portholes for adequate ventilation.This Dutch beauty is a modern version of the classic Doggersbank explorer, born in the early '70s. It keeps the unmistakable look and rugged profile of the heritage model but with a contemporary twist.For instance, conventional propulsion is replaced by a hybrid system. The future Doggersbank 77' will be able to run exclusively on batteries for up to two hours at a low six-knot (6.9 mph/11 kph) speed. Packed with a single engine, it also promises efficient cruising, burning just 50 liters (13 gallons) of fuel per hour. The optimized hull shape with a bulbous bow also improves efficiency.Accommodation-wise, this small yacht offers a full-beam master suite on the main deck plus three guest cabins on the lower deck (a VIP and two twins). A beautiful open spiral staircase with a skylight connects the three decks. Thanks to this, the main salon offers excellent visibility to the bridge and lower deck. The lower deck also houses a large laundry and utility room.The Doggersbank 77' is also equipped for al-fresco dining and fitted with a generous swim platform. Its lazarette can carry multiple water toys. In terms of interior decor, the pleasure craft reveals its American spirit through an unusual, warm color palette inspired by the famous Indian summers in North America. The American walnut and other natural materials create a classic ambiance in honor of the original Doggersbank.This custom project is particularly important for the Dutch brand, which was in dire need of a revival. It showcases an improved take on the basic Doggersbank 77' Offshore. The basic model was introduced as the brand's largest model that can be piloted by the owner without the requirement of a captain's license.It was designed to accommodate up to six guests plus two crew if needed. The specific length enables it to offer generous onboard space without the hassle of complying with larger yacht regulations. Paired with a highly-efficient hull based on an iconic design, these features create the perfect offshore yacht at an affordable price.The Vripak shipyard was born in 1961, founded by Dick Boon. Initially, the company focused on smaller motor and sailing yachts under 12 meters (39 feet). In 1968, Boon launched the Doggersbank Explorer.With its robust steel hull and aluminum superstructure, it would quickly gain a reputation for long-range exploration. The original model was a heavy-duty expedition ship with a high bow and backward bulwark (resulting in a safe working deck) and heavy onboard machinery needed for cruising in remote areas. Due to this configuration, the owner's stateroom was originally located on the lower deck aft, considered the most comfortable spot onboard at the time.The first-ever Doggersbank, built for a Dutch customer, was only 10.8 meters long (35.4 feet), and it drew everyone's attention at the 1969 Dutch National Boat Show. Shortly after, a second customer went on to order two larger Doggersbank explorers. More than a decade later, the popular Dutch ship went overseas. By the '80s, the Doggersbank was already a popular model in the US after its 1983 debut at the Miami Boat Show.In fact, the Doggersbank Offshore, which gradually replaced the original explorer design, was born due to an American customer. The first in the new series was Kathleen. This 25.6 meters (84 feet) boat became the first Doggersbank with Lloyd's certification and with a modern counterweight stabilization system. Several units in the Offshore series followed throughout the '90s, some of which became famous for challenging crossings and extensive voyages.Vripak announced this upcoming 77' yacht as a revival of the legendary Doggersbank brand. It will carry this heritage into the future, continuing the work of the 500 explorers delivered since the 1970s.
Mobile phones are everywhere you look, and because of their massive adoption, carmakers have tried to make them a more integral part of the driving experience.

Photo: USPTO

Photo: Halo oto on YouTube

The new strategy started with Bluetooth integration and continued with Android Auto and CarPlay, two smartphone mirroring systems that allow users to run their favorite apps on the dashboard screen. Android Auto and CarPlay produce significant benefits, including extra convenience when interacting with mobile apps and enhanced safety behind the wheel, as it helps reduce distraction levels.The automotive industry looks ready to move to the next step of mobile device integration. Digital keys allow owners to unlock their cars without needing a traditional key. The UWB support powers a secure implementation already available on select models, including from BMW and Hyundai, on Android and Apple smartphones.Toyota believes that digital car keys are integral to the next-gen driving experience. Still, at the same time, it warns that the current versions lack advanced security protections.The company has recently patented a new technology called "systems and methods for activating a digital key based on vital signs," explaining that malicious actors can obtain owner biometric data (including fingerprint or facial scans) and bypass the existing security layers. Toyota also warns that smartphones allow digital key activation without mobile device unlocking, and as a result, "digital keys have security deficiencies."The new patent tries to address this shortcoming. "There is a need for systems and methods for activating a digital key based on a vital sign." Toyota is not the first company that turned to more advanced biometric data to grant access to a vehicle, as others have previously explored similar options. A concept developed last year allowed owners to unlock their vehicle doors by having their veins scanned, eliminating the digital keys.The Japanese carmaker believes biometric data can double as an extra security layer for digital car keys, eventually obtaining two levels of security that hackers can't bypass (or, at least, have a harder time doing it).The company says the existing devices, such as wearables (like the smartwatch on your wrist), can already read vital signs, such as pulse rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature. The data is not unique to each individual, but Toyota says that longer monitoring could help generate baselines representing a specific user. The system can create a profile, and each profile would store vital signs at the vehicle level.When an individual tries to access digital keys, the new protection layer can compare their vital signs with the information stored in the database. If the system calculates a match, the digital keys are unlocked. If it doesn't, the technology can run extra security verifications to determine if the user is authorized to access the digital keys . Toyota says vehicles must sport new hardware, including a wireless transceiver and a processor, to allow real-time data exchange. The car must receive vital signs from a wearable device and then run the data comparison locally.Toyota's proposal makes sense considering the rapid adoption of digital car keys, but relying solely on vital signs would work as long as it's paired with other security protections. A smartwatch reading, such as the pulse rate, is extremely dynamic and could easily generate authentication errors because it doesn't match the information stored in the user profile. At the same time, the vital signs are not unique to a specific individual  pulse rates typically fall within a certain range for different age groups.Toyota suggests the existing biometric authentication methods aren't secure enough to protect digital car keys, but bypassing fingerprint and facial recognition systems has already proved challenging, even for scientists.Apple's Face ID is one of the most advanced biometric systems to date, as it creates a 3D map of a user's face and stores it in a secure sandbox that's impossible to breach. Researchers have tried to bypass Face ID using 3D models, and while the initial attempts offered mixed results, Apple has already updated its system with enhanced security. Face ID now includes an option that requires the user to look at the camera to obtain access to the device and access the wallet or the digital keys.Toyota's proposal is currently in the patent stage, and for now, there's no evidence that the company is pursuing this idea and planning to bring the technology to mass-produced models. Most likely, Toyota wants to protect its idea as it prepares to expand digital car keys across its entire lineup in the long term.On the other hand, digital keys quickly gain traction, and in the coming years, their adoption should increase significantly. Toyota is one of the companies that bet big on this new technology, but I don't expect the carmaker to adopt anything other than the existing protocols on the market. If anything, most auto manufacturers will stick with the current security protections, which come down to the biometric systems available on smartphones.
One of the world's leading motorcycle brands issued a safety recall for a handful of dual-sport bikes. Certain examples of the 2022 model year Tenere 700 may have been produced with front brake calipers featuring one or more incorrect flange bolts. How incorrect, though?

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA

According to documents published by the, we're dealing with an incorrect thread length condition. The threaded portion of the bolt should measure 20 millimeters (0.78 inches) on a 40-millimeter (1.57-inch) bolt. Yamaha Motor USA was informed of this problem by the mothership in Japan sometime during late June 2023. Yamaha removed suspect bolts from the production line immediately after identifying said issue. As a result of this blunder, the Japanese company required the vendor to add an extra check process. The front brake caliper flange bolt in question bears part number 90105-10778. Affected motorcycles produce a clunking sound from the front brake under light braking. An incorrect thread length may damage the mounting hole threads. Too much damage may cause the front caliper to detach.Owners will be notified via first-class mail between July 20 and July 24. Dealers will inspect the front brake caliper's flange bolts and mounting hole threads. If a mounting hole thread exhibits the slightest damage, then dealers are required to replace the front caliper in addition to the incorrect mounting bolts. In the meantime, owners can use the's website to verify whether their Tenere 700s are recalled or not.Yamaha believes that only 2 percent of the 211-strong recall population exhibits the aforementioned issue. Said motorcycles were manufactured in the period between July 27, 2022 and August 29, 2022. Named after a desert stage of the Dakar Rally rather than Tenerife, the Tenere 700 is currently available to configure in the United States of America for model year 2023.The 2023 model starts at $10,499 plus $450 for the destination charge and a further $300 for the freight surcharge. As implied, 700 is an approximation of the parallel-twin engine's displacement in cubic centimeters. The 689-cc lump is closely related to the powerplant in the MT-07 naked, which costs $8,199.Not exactly the most powerful adventure motorcycle out there, the Tenere 700 isn't afraid to get dirty. Equipped with 21- and 18-inch tires, the dirt-ready bike flaunts a 43-millimeter inverted fork with 8.3 inches of travel. Out back, the shock absorber offers up to 7.9 inches of travel. A remote preload adjuster makes fine tuning for changing loads and riding conditions a breeze. Anti-lock brakes come standard, and riders can fully disable the system for better control in off-road conditions.Tipping the scales at 452 pounds (205 kilograms), the Tenere 700 is covered by a one-year limited warranty. Even though Yamahas are usually reliable, an extended warranty should be money well spent.
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Karabakhs leadership and major political faction organized the protests one month after Baku further tightened the blockade by banning Russian peacekeepers from shipping limited amounts of food, medicine and fuel to Karabakh. On Tuesday, the Azerbaijani side also blocked the evacuation of seriously ill Karabakh patients to hospitals in Armenia carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) through the Lachin corridor.

The punitive measures aggravated the shortages of essential items in the Armenian-populated region which had already been rationing food, fuel and electricity since last Decembers disruption of commercial traffic through the corridor.

The Karabakh premier, Gurgen Nersisian, described the situation there as critical when he addressed the sizable crowd in Stepanakerts central square. He said that Karabakh is running out of basic foodstuffs, life-saving drugs and even fuel reserved for ambulances. Nersisian went on to urge Armenia, Russia and the international community to do more to make Azerbaijan lift the blockade.

What are you waiting for? he said. Do you want us to put the bodies of dead people in this square every day before reacting?

Tell me, how should I look in eyes of  a malnourished pregnant woman whose child may be born with defects, mothers whose biggest dream is to find a handful of fruit or candy for their children, people who stand in lines for hours to get a handful of sugar or oil, Gegham Stepanian, Karabakhs human rights ombudsman, said for his part.

The protesters then marched to the ICRC office in Stepanakert and the headquarters of the Russian peacekeepers located outside the Karabakh capital. Nersisian said that the peacekeepers must unblock the corridor to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Karabakh.

Nersisian and two other senior Karabakh officials were received by Alexander Lentsov, the commander of the peacekeepers. Nersisian said afterwards that Lentsov pledged to do more to resolve the situation and send information about the humanitarian crisis to the Russian Federation on a daily, hourly basis.

A group of protesters pitched tents near the Russian headquarters. Many others camped out in Stepanakerts Renaissance Square.

Russia has repeatedly called on Baku to lift the blockade but stopped short of ordering its troops to try to forcibly reopen the Lachin corridor. The United States and the European Union have also called for renewed traffic through the only road connecting Karabakh to Armenia.

Azerbaijans leaders continue to dismiss such appeals and deny the very fact of the blockade.

Baku appeared to allow the Red Cross to resume the medical evacuations after ICRC officials met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on Friday. According to the health authorities in Stepanakert, 11 Karabakh patients were transported to Armenia along with family members accompanying them.

Armenias leadership regularly condemns the blockade as a gross violation of a Russian-brokered agreement that stopped the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war. But it has not cancelled peace talks with Azerbaijan in protest. Aliyev is scheduled to hold yet another meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in Brussels on Saturday.

Pashinians domestic critics have accused him of washing his hands of Karabakh and its ethnic Armenian population through his recognition of Azerbaijani sovereignty over the region voiced in May. They say that Pashinians far-reaching move, also condemned by Karabakhs leadership, only emboldened Baku.

Commenting on the Stepanakert protests later on Friday, Pashinians spokeswoman, Nazeli Baghdasarian, said Yerevan understands the effort to make consequences of the Azerbaijani blockade more visible to the international community. The Armenian government itself is making efforts in this direction, she said in written comments to the Armenpress news agency.

Baghdasarian also reiterated Pashinians regular calls for an internationally mediated dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert on protecting the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakhs Armenians.
14 July 2023 12:45 (UTC+04:00)

Uzbekistan is looking to expand its agricultural sector by establishing major assembly plants for agricultural machinery in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. This move is part of the country's plan to double its textile production and improve the value-added chain by 2026, Azernews reports.

This was announced during a visit by Olimkhon Rustamov, Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, to agricultural machinery enterprises in the Chirchik city of the Tashkent region.

"In order to expand industrial cooperation, we are planning to establish large-scale assembly plants for agricultural machinery in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Negotiations with partners are already in the final stage," the ministry said.

According to the World Bank, Uzbekistan ranks among the bottom 20 countries in the world in terms of water productivity, producing only $0.6 per cubic meter of water compared with a global average of $15 per cubic meter. To improve the country's food security, the Government of Uzbekistan has emphasized wheat production and supported poultry and animal farming over the past few years.

In June 2021, Uzbekistan and Russia signed an agreement and in November 2021 launched the Agroexpress logistical corridor project, which will allow the delivery of agro-food products in refrigerator container trains within 4-7 days. In February 2022, the prime ministers of EAEU countries approved the implementation of the Eurasian AgroExpress project to facilitate trade with and expedite the delivery of agro-food products to Uzbekistan and China.

The government hopes to increase farmers' income by twice at least and ensure a minimum 5% annual growth of agriculture in 2022-2026 through intensive development programs, application of advanced scientific achievements, digitalization, and adoption of new technologies. To achieve this, the government is subsidizing the adoption of water-saving technologies and plans to save at least 7 billion cubic meters of water by 2026 through efficiency improvements.

The government also plans to offer small family farms ten-year horticulture leases on 200,000 hectares of cotton and grain land transferred from large farms and clusters and allocate $100 million for supporting loans. Moreover, loans and grants in the amount of $600 million will be attracted to digitalize agriculture, increase land fertility, and introduce modern agricultural technologies.

To further develop processing and packaging capabilities to add value to domestic and export products, the government is supporting the creation of vertically integrated clusters. As of September 2021, 463 of these clusters had been registered.

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14 July 2023 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Vagif Poetry Days have kicked off in Gazakh.

Co-organized by Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Culture Ministry and Azerbaijan Writers' Union, the event promises an interesting program on July 13-15, Azernews reports.

The festival began on July 13 with the laying of flowers at the bust of Vagif in the poet's hometown-Gazakh's Yukhari Salahli village.

Well-known cultural and art figures, members of the Writers' Union, young writers and poets gathered in the Thinkers' Park, located in the center of Gazakh city.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Culture Minister Murad Huseynov stressed the importance of Vagif Poetry Days

He underlined that after the liberation of Shusha, one of the first presidential orders concerned the holding of the Kharibulbul Festival and Vagif Poetry Days in the liberated city.

Since 2021, both projects are being implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry.

The Deputy Culture Minister briefed the guests of the event about the life of an outstanding poet.

He noted that Vagif was born in Gazakh, but became famous in Shusha, where he was buried. Vagif Poetry Days, which started in Gazakh, will continue on July 14-15 in Shusha, known as Azerbaijan's cultural capital.

Secretary of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union Ilgar Fahmi underlined that the festival is being held for the third year in a row since the city was liberated from occupation.

"Back in Soviet times, Vagif Poetry Days took place in Vagif's homeland - in Gazakh, and continued in Shusha. So, it was decided to hold Vagif Poetry Days also in Gazak. The project has already been launched," he said.

Literary scholar Rustam Kamal said that the poet played an exceptional role in laying national ethnic codes in Azerbaijan`s written literature, by creating the image of the Azerbaijani people in poetry.

"Vagif is a complete poetry of light. In his poems, such words as "light", "lantern", "fire" are the most significant, most used and most noticeable. President Ilham Aliyev and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation patronize our culture, literature, and classics. This plays a huge role in their revival in the memory of the nation. As an intellectual, I thank the leadership of the country for this," he added.

Poet-publicist Akbar Goshaly noted that tomorrow the event participants will leave Gazakh for Shusha, where Vagif Poetry Days will continue.

The holding of Vagif Poetry Days in the cultural capital of the Turkic world is also of great importance.

The poet Ibrahim Ilyasli also spoke about Vagif's invaluable merits in Azerbaijani literature and about the wealth brought to it by his work.

Next, poets and ashugs were invited to the stage to perform the poet's ghazals.

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14 July 2023 14:17 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

The State Film Fund has created a personal archival fund of the well-known cameraman, Honored Art Worker Teyyub Akhundov (1920-1991).

The archive includes over 200 photographs, various letters, diplomas and other materials related to the life of national cinematographer, Azernews reports.

Teyyub Akhundov started his creative career at AzerbaijanFilm studio in 1934 as an assistant lighting engineer. Furthermore, he worked an assistant cameraman in the studio.

As a cinematographer, he produced such well-known and beloved by the audience films as "This is how a song is born", "Romeo, my neighbor", "Gatir Mammad" (Avenger from Ganjabasar), "Sound of the flute", "Duel in the mountains", "The day after tomorrow, at midnight", "Equal Bread", "Magic Bathrobe", "Private Visit to a German Clinic" and many others.

He is one of the operators of the first color feature film in Azerbaijani cinema - the film-concert "To the Native People" (1954).

Also, as a director, he made a number of documentaries, including " Evening near the fire", "This is a sandy Island", "I am a Sailor of the Caspian Sea" and others.

The history of the film industry in Azerbaijan spans over 100 years.

Shortly after the Lumiere brothers from France invented cinematography, an apparatus for making motion pictures in 1895, Russian photographer and cameraman Alexandre Michon began shooting motion pictures that depicted everyday life in Baku.

The first short, silent film of Azerbaijani cinematography "You are caught" was shown in Baku on August 2, 1898.

The audience witnessed a historical event - the birth of Azerbaijani cinematography.

At present, local film companies are producing hundreds of films that received global recognition.

Number of films produced in the country is growing at an unprecedented speed enabling countless filmmakers to express themselves in so many ways.

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14 July 2023 18:15 (UTC+04:00)

Memory of the outstanding poet has been honored in Shusha within Vagif Poetry Days, co-organized by Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Culture Ministry and Azerbaijan Writers' Union.

Vagif Poetry Days, which started on July 13 in the poet's hometown-Gazakh's Yukhari Salahli village, will continue on July 14-15 in Shusha, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan's cultural capital was of great importance for the great poet and statesman (vizier) of the Karabakh Khanate of the 18th century, Molla Panah Vagif (1717-1797).

It was here that he gained fame and glory, was buried, leaving a significant mark in the history of the Azerbaijani people. Even during the period of Vagif's life in Shusha, this city, dear to every Azerbaijani, was considered Azerbaijan's cultural center.

Cultural art and public figures laid flowers at the bust of Molla Panah Vagif.

In his speech, Honored Art Worker, poet Baba Vaziroglu stressed the importance of Vagif Poetry Days and the poet's great contribution to the national language and literature.

"Vagif's work had a great influence on the development of literary art for many generations, the work of poets and writers, philosophical thought, the ideas of love for their native land. In those days, many used Arabic and Persian words in their literary work, and this complicated the texts so much that it led to I don't understand what the poet or writer wants to convey to people. Vagif wrote in purely Azerbaijani language, while his words, both about love and about various social aspects of his time, were accessible and understandable to everyone, found a great response in the hearts of people, and to this day are loved by millions. The artistic images he created, reflected in the works of tradition and customs, have become a truly national treasure. And it was after Vagif that the purely national language in the literary work of poets and writers received its wide development," Baba Vaziroglu told Trend.

People's Poet Vahid Aziz noted the great role of Vagif in the promotion of national values and the Azerbaijani language.

"Vagif was a great poet, whose greatness is not only in his poetry, but also a huge heritage in the foundations of the national language. He was very close to the people, who answered him with mutual love and respect. His work reflected the true goals of national consciousness and the desire for enlightenment, lyrics of love and patriotism, following high human values. I always dreamed that at least twenty percent of the rhyme of the lines in the works of Vagif and Samed Vurgun would be in my work," said Vahid Aziz.

The rich program includes the Day of Poetry with the participation of Azerbaijani and modern poets of the Turkic peoples, a concert of an ensemble of ancient musical instruments, a literary and musical composition, and performances by famous artists.

The events are held at the museum and mausoleum complex of Molla Panah Vagif, the house of the prominent poetess, the last princess of the Karabakh Khanate Khurshidbanu Natavan, in the complex of the House of the Mehmandarovs, the Shusha branch of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum as well as Kharibulbul and Karabakh hotels.

The guests were also presented with an excursion program on a number of religious, historical and cultural monuments of Azerbaijan, restored in Shusha.

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14 July 2023 12:23 (UTC+04:00)

On 14 July 2023, a meeting was held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ceyhun Bayramov, and the Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Office in Azerbaijan, Dragana Kojic, Azernews reports, citing Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan

During the meeting, the sides discussed cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ICRC, the recent situation at the Lachin border crossing, as well as the ICRC's activities in Khankendi, Azerbaijan.

Minister Ceyhun Bayramov said in connection with the latest situation related to the activity of the Lachin border crossing point that in addition to the shelling of the point on 15 June, attempts by Armenian drivers to bring smuggled goods into Azerbaijan in vehicles belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross are part of the Armenian side's attempts to encroach on Azerbaijan's sovereignty, while others show no intention to abandon legitimate activities.

In its statement of 11 July, the ICRC noted that it does not support the activity of transporting undeclared goods and the termination of employment contracts with the drivers of vehicles carrying such goods, and this is commendable. It was emphasized that such cases should be prevented in the future.

During the discussions, Minister Ceyhun Bayramov stated that it is possible to continue the passage of the Armenian residents through the border post for medical purposes through ICRC in compliance with the necessary rules.

As for supplying the residents of Armenia, it was once again noted that the Azerbaijani side has an opportunity to provide assistance on the Aghdam-Khankendi road.

During the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

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14 July 2023 11:31 (UTC+04:00)

A trilateral meeting between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Council of the European Union Charles Michel, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will take place on July 15 in Brussels, Azernews reports.

This will be the sixth meeting of heads of state in the Brussels format.

The previous meeting took place on May 14 this year.

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14 July 2023 13:20 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Embassy will open in Slovakia. Azerbaijani Parliament's Committee for International Relations and Interparliamentary Ties discussed the draft law on the issue, Azernews reports.

Following the discussions, the draft law "On the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Slovak Republic (Bratislava)" was put to the vote and adopted.

The opening of the embassy will further contribution to the development of Azerbaijani-Slovak ties.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on November 23, 1993. Until now, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Austria has been operating in Slovakia as well.

Currently, there is an Azerbaijani consulate already operating in Slovakia.

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14 July 2023 14:39 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov has attended the 3rd ECO Ministerial Meeting on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) held in Tehran, Iran.

The meeting covered optimization of the ICT regulatory policy in the member countries and the further intensification of cooperation on legislation and ICT on a multilateral level, Azernews reports.

Samir Mammadov informed the meeting participants about the cybersecurity, telecommunications, and satellite services in Azerbaijan.

The sides also touched upon the progress achieved in building a modern broadband network with GPON technology (Gigabit Passive Optical Networks) within "Online Azerbaijan" project.

The Ministerial Meeting culminated in the adoption of the Tehran Declaration.

Founded as the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) in 1964 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkiye, the forum was renamed the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in 1985.

ECO's first Ministerial Meeting on Information and Communications Technology and Telecommunications was held in 2012 in Tehran, while the second meeting took place in Baku in 2017.

It currently has ten members and one observer member and provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities in the region. Azerbaijan Turkiye,Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are the organization's members.

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14 July 2023 20:00 (UTC+04:00)

The delegation led by the rector of the National Defense University, Professor, Lieutenant General Heydar Piriyev continues its visit to fraternal Turkiye, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry.

In accordance with the visit program, the Azerbaijani delegation visited special educational institutions subordinate to the National Defense University of the Republic of Turkiye.

The guests visited the territory, educational buildings, and the material and technical base of educational institutions, and got acquainted with the created conditions. They were provided with detailed information about the educational process.

The delegation met with Azerbaijani cadets of the Rifle and Training Command of the Land Forces School.

Exemplary performances of servicemen were demonstrated, followed by a joint lunch with cadets.

In the end, the sides exchanged gifts, and a photo was taken.

It should be noted that during the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation was accompanied by the rector of the National Defense University of the Republic of Turkiye, Professor Erhan Afyoncu, and representatives of the Office of the Military Attache of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Turkiye.

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14 July 2023 20:43 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the Kingdom of Belgium for a working visit at the invitation of President of the European Council Charles Michel, Azernews reports.

President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by President of the European Council Charles Michel at the headquarters of the Council of the European Union.

They posed for photographs.

Then, President Ilham Aliyevs meeting with President of the European Council Charles Michel was held.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked President of the European Council Charles Michel for the invitation to make a working visit.

The head of state expressed his gratitude to Charles Michel for his efforts to normalize Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and underlined the effectiveness of the Brussels format.

During the conversation, they exchanged their views on the tomorrows trilateral talks with participation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the European Council Charles Michel and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, as well as peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

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14 July 2023 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

On July 12, 2023, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected the claim of Armenia dated June 21, 2023, the purpose of which was to introduce a temporary interim measure against Azerbaijan in connection with the installation of a border checkpoint at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road, Azernews via Day.az.

Thus, by its decision, the ECHR once again confirmed the groundlessness of Armenia's demand to "remove all obstacles to traffic along the Lachin corridor and notify the Committee of Ministers about this."

The ECHR did not establish the obstruction by the border checkpoint of traffic along the Lachin road and the violation by Azerbaijan of the decision of December 21, 2022 on the adoption of measures within the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan to ensure the safe passage of persons in need of medical treatment through the Lachin road.

It should be noted that in order to prevent the illegal transfer of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia to the Armenian armed formations on the territory of Azerbaijan, carried out contrary to the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, and adequately, the establishment of a border point by Armenia unilaterally passes at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road on the border with Azerbaijan April 22, at 12:00 on April 23, the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the sovereign territories of our country, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road, a border checkpoint was installed.

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14 July 2023 18:35 (UTC+04:00)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday discussed the recent summit of the military alliance in a phone call, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Fidan and Stoltenberg discussed the decisions that were taken during the NATO summit at Lithuanias capital Vilnius on July 11-12, according to the Turkish diplomatic sources.

No further information was shared about the phone conversation.

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News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
14 July 2023 18:45 (UTC+04:00)

Turkiye will experience a record-breaking heat wave this week, with temperatures in the southeastern region bordering Syria expected to reach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the following days, setting a new record for the hottest day in the country's recorded history, an expert predicted, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Professor Sermin Tagil, head of the Geography Department at Bakircay University in Izmir city, told Anadolu that global average temperatures since beginning of July has risen in manner unprecedent level that has never been documented in human history.

These increases in global average temperatures cannot be expected to be the same in all parts of the world. The Mediterranean basin, in which Turkiye is located, draws attention as one of the places where the increase in average temperatures is most evident, she said.

Tagi Cizre city in the southeastern Sirnak province, which borders Syria, has already registered a maximum temperature of 49.1 Celsius (Fahrenheit 120.38) on July 20, 2021, which was the hottest temperature ever recorded in Turkiye.

However, with the current hot wave, this record may be shattered, with temperatures reaching 50 Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in the same region in the following days, she predicted.

In our country, there are hot weather conditions that are expected to last for 7 days, which can have devastating effects on the geographical environment and on people, she said, adding that during this 7-day period, temperature records for many years will be broken in Turkiye.

However, she predicted that hot weather would persist until the end of the month, particularly in the country's western and southern regions.

"The greatest threat will be to human, plant, and animal health as heat waves will disproportionately harm the elderly, newborns, outdoor laborers, and those suffering from chronic ailments, she said.

Humidity, especially in coastal areas, is likely to rise and may cause more suffocating air, she said, asking vulnerable people to exercise caution and remain indoors.

"In our country, red pine forests with high flammability are common. Temperature rises can spark fires, particularly in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. It is necessary to be prepared for this, she warned.

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14 July 2023 20:55 (UTC+04:00)

The Pension Agency of Georgia on Friday said pension assets in its fund were worth 3.66 billion ($1.42bln), while net assets amounted to 631 million ($245mln), Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

Publishing the latest figures for the pension fund as of Friday, the body said 1.42 million people had been registered in the pension scheme as of June.

To date, 4,118 people have benefited from the accumulative pension system, with the amount paid to them standing at 11,684,674 ($4,538,164), the agency added.

The system came into effect in Georgia in January 2019 and applies to Georgian citizens, foreign citizens living in Georgia with a permanent residency in the country, and stateless persons who are employed or self-employed and receive an income.

It also applies to employees of both the public and private sectors.

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14 July 2023 22:35 (UTC+04:00)

Italy's Ambassador to Iran Giuseppe Perrone has been summoned by the Iranian foreign ministry due to the participation of a dissident at event in the Italian parliament, the IRNA news agency said on Friday, Azernews reports, citing ANSA.

The question regards the presence of Maryam Rajavi, leader of the exiled opposition Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO), at an event organized by the Luigi Einaudi Foundation.

The ambassador was told that "hosting a criminal terrorist amounts to encouraging and promoting terrorism and the Islamic Republic will not tolerate moves of this type by anyone and expresses serious condemnation," IRNA reported.

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14 July 2023 23:05 (UTC+04:00)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov received the US Ambassador Jonathan Henick, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz news agency.

At the meeting, the parties discussed issues of strengthening multilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and the USA.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highly appreciates the readiness of the US embassy in Tashkent to support reforms aimed at the prosperity and sustainable development of Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev," says Bakhtiyor Saidov.

Earlier, the US embassy expressed support for the reform program of President Mirziyoyev following the July 9 elections.

We look forward to working with President Mirziyoyev and the government of Uzbekistan to further deepen economic, educational, humanitarian, and security cooperation between the United States and Uzbekistan, the embassy said.

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One-third of Americans under heat alerts as blistering weather spreads from Southwest to California

More than a third of Americans are under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings as a blistering heatwave continues across the Southwest and California
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. Hot. High 109F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 81F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
A Bethany, Okla., resident is suing Oklahoma City-based Integris Health, alleging that the system allowed third parties to take personal patient healthcare information for advertising purposes, according to a July 14 report from The Oklahoman.

The class-action suit filed this week claims companies including Meta, Google, Microsoft and Reddit gained personal information from patients who used Integris' website to learn about physicians, services, health conditions and treatment options.

The suit says the plaintiff has been a patient with Integris since 2017 and treated for gastroenterology, cardiology, sleep apnea, asthma and emergency health issues. He accuses the system of using website digital tracking tools known as pixels that allowed health information to be captured and transmitted to third parties. By installing a pixel on the website, the lawsuit claims Integris "planted a bug" on patients' web browsers that "compelled them to disclose private information and confidential communications to Facebook without their authorization or knowledge."

Integris Health denied the claims.

"Generally, we do not comment on ongoing litigation matters. However, Integris Health does not use the pixels in question on our website as a regular advertising practice," Integris told The Oklahoman in a statement. "This case is similar to several national class-action lawsuits targeting more than 600 health systems across the country alleging the providers used 'Meta pixel' website codes to potentially share confidential medical information of patients via social media tracking tools.".

In February, digital health platform GoodRx paid $1.5 million to settle claims that it disclosed user health information, while BetterHelp was fined $7.8 million in March.

The lawsuit against Integris Health claims negligence, invasion of privacy, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty and violation of the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act.
U.S. Digestive Health CEO Jerry Tillinger recently joined Becker's to discuss what he thinks will disrupt the gastroenterology industry next.

Editor's note: This response was edited lightly for length and clarity.

Question: What will disrupt the GI industry next?

Jerry Tillinger: It's a rapidly moving industry  there's technology changes, there's medicine changes and there's a ton of things that are hitting us all the time. But the one that I think is actually going to drive the most change for us is the rapid growth and the demand for outpatient procedures as we've moved the bar for colonoscopy screening from 50 to 45.

And honestly, I don't think we're that far from moving it down to 40. In the conversations we have around the market, the public is very interested in not dying of colon cancer. And every time you have an announcement of someone they've heard of who dies of colon cancer because they weren't diagnosed till they were 38 and they were already at stage 4, they start to wonder why they're waiting till they're 45 or 50. So as I find more and more patients have gone and gotten screened early, I think we're gonna continue to see this demand for screening access. And I don't think the liquid biopsy of stool testing is good enough yet, so I think that we're still gonna see what we're seeing is the demand for us to provide outpatient procedures at our endoscopy centers is driving faster than I can recruit and build.

We're on a massive recruiting cycle, and we're on a massive building cycle to get more rooms available. I think the corollary to that will be more and more pressure on the hospitals. And as we have that demand coming, we're doing less and less time in the hospital for the physicians because frankly the quality of life level is a big deal for the physicians. We get the young graduates coming out frequently saying that if they have to be in the hospital more than a certain amount, they won't take the job. So I think we're gonna continue to see the number of hospitals that offer GI coverage going down, and the ones that do will continue to get busier.

We're seeing this weird rebalancing of service happening in the market, certainly in the Pennsylvania and Delaware markets. We see that now that the opportunity cost for the practice to take somebody out of the endoscopy center and put them at the hospital is pretty significant. And when we're competing for talented physicians with health systems that are willing to throw big salaries around, we have to obviously focus on making sure we can keep up in the race.

So it's creating this pressure that I think you're gonna see the practices doing more and more outpatient work and you're gonna see the hospital struggling to get coverage for GI at the macro level.
Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare leads the way in a list of the most empowering health system brands, according to a study by Monigle.

The branding agency asked 25,521 consumers in November and December which systems do the following: "empowers me with the information and resources I need to manage my health independently." Here are the top 10, according to data shared July 11 with Becker's:

1. Emory Healthcare (Atlanta)

2. Valley Health System (Ridgewood, N.J.)

3. UAB Medicine (Birmingham, Ala.)

4. Memorial Healthcare System (Hollywood, Fla.)

5. Northwestern Medicine (Chicago)

6. University of Miami Health System

7. Palm Beach Health Network (West Palm Beach, Fla.)

8. Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.)

9. OhioHealth (Columbus)

10. McLeod Health (Florence, S.C.)
Small, rural and safety-net hospitals across the U.S. are receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funding and community grants to purchase and install EHRs.

Here are two examples of hospitals that are relying on outside funding for their EHR purchases:
Iris Stacker, CEO of Delta Health Systems in Greenville, Miss., has criticized Gov. Tate Reeves for refusing to expand Medicaid access in the state, arguing that widening the program would increase access to care and strengthen the local economy, Mississippi Today reported July 14.

The criticism comes shortly after another Mississippi health system  Tupelo-based North Mississippi Health Services - announced job cuts. Many health systems have made similar service line or workforce cuts in recent months, including Delta Health, New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson and Memorial Health System in Gulfport.

"We don't understand why Tate Reeves doesn't understand why he needs a healthy workforce, Ms. Stacker said during a July 11 campaign event for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brandon Presley, according to the report. Mr. Presley is a strong advocate of Medicaid expansion and is endorsed by more than one dozen healthcare professionals.

Mississippi is one of 10 states that has not passed any form of Medicaid expansion, with economic experts projecting that many in the South would see an economic boon if the program was expanded, according to Mississippi Today.

The 40 other states that expanded Medicaid have seen a significant drop in uncompensated care costs post-expansion, according to the report. Louisiana expanded Medicaid in 2016 and recorded a 55 percent drop in uncompensated care costs for rural hospitals. South Dakota is the latest state to expand Medicaid.

In 2022, Delta Health spent $26 million on uncompensated care, which equates to about 15 percent of the system's total operating expenses, Ms. Stacker told the publication.

Becker's has reached out to Mr. Reeves' office for comment.
Shanghai's Minhang Development Zone champions low-carbon development

People's Daily Online) 13:45, July 14, 2023

In Shanghais Minhang Economic and Technological Development Zone, the sparkle of photovoltaic panels along tree-lined factories reflects a commitment to the green transition. The zone is filled with green and low-carbon applications.

"Were promoting the use of green, clean energy," said Ruan Weimin, vice president of Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator Co. Ltd. "We have completed rooftop photovoltaic installations for three workshops with an installed capacity of 1,200-kilowatt peak. These installations are expected to generate 1.15 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 480 tonnes per year."

Ruans company illustrates the green and low-carbon ethos of Minhang Development Zone. By the end of 2022, the zone boasted 12 enterprises with photovoltaic power stations, and their annual photovoltaic power generation surpassed 10 million kilowatt hours.

Members of the Hello, Carbon Neutrality research group visit Minhang Development Zone. (Peoples Daily Online/Ge Junjun)

The "Hello, Carbon Neutrality" research team, an initiative by Peoples Daily Online, recently visited Minhang Development Zone, one of the first national economic and technological development zones, to explore how green development contributes to the park's significant achievements.

Minhang Development Zone was approved as a national ecological industrial demonstration park in 2014 and became one of the first zero-carbon parks in Shanghai in 2023. The zone's commitment to green development over the years has deepened its resolve to create a showcase for zero-carbon initiatives.

The Action Plan for the Creation of a Zero-Carbon Demonstration Park in Minhang Development Zone is released in June 2022. (Photo courtesy of Minhang Development Zone)

In its mission to achieve its zero-carbon goal, Minhang Development Zone has initiated a series of plans, all designed to invigorate the inherent dynamism and innovation vital for a zero-carbon park.

To expedite these plans, the park has launched several green and low-carbon projects. In November 2021, the park upgraded its aquatic park to improve its carbon sink capacity. By October 2022, the central heating project's main heating network was completed, accommodating enterprises' heating needs while reducing their energy consumption and pollutant emissions.

The sketch map of the heat pipelines of the central heating project in Minhang Development Zone. (Photo courtesy of Minhang Development Zone)

In terms of green and low-carbon applications, the park is augmenting its layout of photovoltaic power generation projects. The park's businesses are also actively undertaking wastewater emission reduction, equipment upgrading, waste heat recovery, energy management system implementation, energy-saving diagnostics, energy audits, and clean production. These initiatives provide a consistent flow of green power to ensure the park's sustainable, low-carbon development.

"The rollout and endorsement of these programs have prompted numerous leading enterprises to pursue green, low-carbon, and high-quality development," said Qin Yong, an executive of Shanghai Real Estate Minhong (Group) Co. Ltd.

An aerial view of Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator, the 2022 leader in green and low-carbon development in Minhang Development Zone. (Photo courtesy of Minhang Development Zone)

This year, Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator plans to conduct exploratory research into low-carbon product technology, intelligent maintenance, and digital acceptance. Ruan says the company aims to unlock its potential to meet the dual carbon goals.

According to Yu Lun, deputy general manager of Shanghai ABB Motor Co. Ltd., the company will consistently strive to conserve energy and minimize carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, Wang Bin, operations director of Shanghai Siemens Switch Co. Ltd., said green and low-carbon development had always been an important part of Siemens' competitive strategy. The company is committed to pursuing a sustainable development path, balancing economic benefits with energy-saving and carbon-reduction efforts.

Qin said that Minhang Development Zone would enhance multi-field collaborative innovation and that it would cooperate with the park's enterprises. The objective is to build a leading example of sustainable development among Shanghai's industrial parks and contribute to the nation's "dual-carbon" goals.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
A patient is suing Oklahoma City-based Integris Health accusing it of sharing his health information with Big Tech companies, The Oklahoman reported July 14.

The Oklahoma man, known in the lawsuit as John Doe, claims Integris, the state's largest locally owned health system with 16 hospitals, "effectively planted a bug" on his web browsers via its use of consumer tracking technology that transmitted his data to Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Reddit, according to the story. He called the practice "outrageous, illegal and widespread" in the complaint filed in Oklahoma County District Court.

"Generally, we do not comment on ongoing litigation matters," the health system said in a statement to the news outlet. "However, Integris Health does not use the pixels in question on our website as a regular advertising practice. This case is similar to several national class action lawsuits targeting more than 600 health systems across the country alleging the providers used 'Meta pixel' website codes to potentially share confidential medical information of patients via social media tracking tools."

The class-action lawsuit seeks a jury trial, damages and at least three years of complimentary credit monitoring services, according to the story. The tech companies didn't respond to The Oklahoman's requests for comment.
Becker's has reported on 58 chief medical officer moves since the start of 2023.

Editor's note: This list begins with the most recent.

Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare named Efe Efemini, MD, as chief medical officer of its Rockdale Hospital in Conyers, Ga.

Joshua Lenchus, DO, left his role as chief medical officer of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health.

Kimberly Salazar, MD, was appointed chief medical officer of HCA Florida Citrus Hospital in Inverness, the hospital said June 28.

Stephen Leinenweber, MD, was named chief medical officer of Valhalla, N.Y.-based Blythedale Children's Hospital. His appointment is effective August 1.

Providence Swedish North Puget Sound in Everett, Wash selected James Park, MD, as its new chief medical officer. His appointment to the role became effective June 19.

Novant Health, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., chose Pam Oliver, MD, as its new executive vice president and chief medical officer, effective immediately.

HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton named Sanjiv Tewari, MD, as its new chief medical officer, effective June 1.

DHR Health Brownsville (Texas) appointed James Castillo II, MD, chief medical officer, Valley Central reported May 28.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center appointed Rick Wright, MD, to serve as its next chief medical officer and senior vice president of clinical affairs. He succeeds Paul Sternberg Jr., MD, who retired June 30.

Emily Volk, MD, was named vice president of system pathology and laboratory services at UofL Health in Louisville, Ky. Dr. Volk stepped into the newly created role March 16, previously serving as chief medical officer of Baptist Health Floyd in Albany, Ind.

Janise Whitesell, MD, was appointed as the first female chief of medical staff at Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick, according to a Feb. 6 press release.

Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, N.J., appointed Vasantha Kondamudi, MD, as chief medical officer, effective Jan. 30, according to NJ Advance Media.

Jessica McHugh, MD, was tapped to become the new chief medical officer of MultiCare Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Wash.

Unity Health Care, based in Washington, D.C., chose Stephanie Cox-Batson, MD, as its chief medical officer on Jan. 25.

Providence, R.I.-based Women & Infants Hospital tapped Nejat Zeyneloglu, MD, as its chief medical officer.

Clark Regional Medical Center in Winchester, Ky., named Crystal Kincaid, DPM, as its new chief medical officer.

North Kansas City (Mo.) Hospital and its physician network subsidiary, Meritas Health, named Steven Starr, MD, interim chief medical officer.

Kirk Sloan, MD, was named chief medical officer of LMH Health, the Lawrence, Kan.-based system said Jan. 13. His appointment is effective March 6.

Jersey City (N.J.) Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas facility, appointed Ije Akunyili, MD, chief medical officer.

Bay Care Health System's St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Fla., named Samir Akach, MD, as its new vice president and chief medical officer, according to a May 16 news release.

Monica Hum, MD, was promoted from chief medical officer to CEO of Piedmont Rockdale Hospital in Conyers, Ga.

James Syrett, MD, was appointed chief medical officer at Auburn (N.Y.) Community Hospital May 1, The Citizen reported.

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in Miami selected Sean Benoit, MD, as its chief medical officer. Dr. Benoit stepped into the role in late June.

AdventHealth Daytona Beach in Florida selected David Sinclair, MD, as its chief medical officer, effective May 21.

McLaren Bay Region Hospital in Bay City, Mich., tapped Kenneth Parsons, MD, as chief medical officer.

John Hall, MD, was named chief medical officer of Kingman (Ariz.) Regional Medical Center, according to a May 1 press release.

Seth Sullivan, MD, is Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health's new regional chief medical officer.

Syracuse, N.Y.-based Crouse Health named David Landsberg, MD, chief medical officer.

St. David's Georgetown (Texas) Hospital announced that Eva Slavcheva, MD, has been appointed chief medical officer.

Nathan Deal, MD, was named chief medical officer of both HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake and HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland in Texas.

Driscoll Children's Hospital Rio Grande Valley selected Ana Almeda, MD, as its first chief medical officer.

Lexington, Ky.-based Appalachian Regional Healthcare named Jason Rice, DO, ambulatory chief medical officer.

Robert Harbaugh, MD, senior vice president of Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center academic practice, was named interim chief medical officer, according to an April 4 news release from Penn State Health.

Cranston, R.I.-based Eleanor Slater Hospital named Katharine Woods, MS, DO, chief medical officer, the Providence Journal reported April 4.

Memorial Healthcare System selected Aharon (Ari) Sareli, MD, a critical care physician, to serve as chief medical officer. The Hollywood, Fla.-based system also appointed Holly Neville, MD, as associate CMO.

West Des Moines, Iowa-based MercyOne named Keith Vollstedt, MD, chief medical officer of its Western Iowa division.

HCA Healthcare's LewisGale Medical Center tapped Robert Alphin, MD, as chief medical officer, the Salem, Va.-based hospital said March 29.

Morristown (N.J.) Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, named Stanley Fiel, MD, chief medical officer.

Mary Bridge Childrens Hospital and Health Network in Tacoma, Wash., appointed two new chief medical officers who will oversee operations across its health network and hospital. Vanessa Carroll, MD, was tapped to oversee quality and standards of care for the network's hospital, and Barbara Thompson, MD, was promoted to overseeing standards for its full network of pediatric clinics.

Oklahoma City-based OU Health appointed Carolyn Kloek, MD, as the academic health system's inaugural chief medical officer, effective March 1.

Trinity Health-owned Chelsea (Mich.) Hospital named Fazleomar Mahmood, MD, as its new chief medical officer.

William Plauth, MD, was named Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health's new chief medical officer, according to a March 13 news release.

McLaren Flint (Mich.) named Varsha Moudgal, MD, an infectious disease specialist, chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs.

Andrew Moore, MD, was named chief medical officer of HCA Healthcare's Gulf Coast Division in Houston.

PeaceHealth's Northwest network appointed Lorna Gober, MD, chief medical officer.

Michele Sinopoli, MD, was named chief medical officer for Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Mass., and MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham, Mass., both part of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare.

East Lansing, Mich.-based MSU Health Care tapped Michael Weiner, DO, as its chief medical officer.

Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Fla., appointed Alon Weizer, MD, as its chief medical officer and senior vice president.

HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee appointed Alexander Gumiroff, MD, as its new chief medical officer.

Anita Toussi, MD, PhD, was named chief medical officer for Centura Health's St. Catherine Hospitals in southwest Kansas. She took on the role Feb. 27, according to a news release.

Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, N.Y., named Samuel Cloud, DO, chief medical officer, according to a Jan. 3 news release.

Kevin Klauer, DO, was appointed chief medical officer for two HCA hospitals  HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, according to ocala-news.com.

Brian Sanders, MD, took on his new role as chief medical officer at Portsmouth (N.H.) Regional Hospital on Jan. 16.

Dr. Anand Budi was promoted to chief medical officer at Hagerstown, Md.-based Meritus Medical Center. He replaces outgoing CMO Aaron George, DO, who moved to another key role in the healthcare system: associate dean of clinical education at the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine.
At least 17 health systems announced changes to executive ranks and administration teams in 2023.

The changes come as hospitals continue to grapple with financial challenges, leading some organizations to cut jobs and implement other operational adjustments.

The following changes were announced within the last two months and are summarized below, with links to more comprehensive coverage of the changes.

1. Middletown, N.Y.-based Garnet Health laid off 49 employees, including 25 leaders, to offset recent operating losses. The reductions represent 1.13 percent of the organization's total workforce and $13 million in salaries and benefits.

2. Greensburg, Pa.-based Independence Health System laid off 53 employees and has cut 226 positions  including resignations, retirements and elimination of vacant positions  since January, The Butler Eagle reported June 28. The 226 reductions began at the executive level, with 13 manager positions terminated in March.

3. Coral Gables-based Baptist Health South Florida is offering its executives at the director level and above a "one-time opportunity" to apply for voluntary separation, according to a June 29 Miami Herald report. Decisions on buyout applications will be made during the summer.

4. MultiCare Health System, a 12-hospital organization based in Tacoma, Wash., will lay off 229 employees, or about 1 percent of its 23,000 staff members, including about two dozen leaders, as part of cost-cutting efforts, the health system said June 29. The layoffs primarily affect support departments, such as marketing, IT and finance.

5. Seattle Children's is eliminating 135 leader roles, citing financial challenges. The management restructuring and reduction affects 1.5 percent of employees across the organization.

6. Bonnie Panlasigui was tapped as the first president of Summa Health System Hospitals.This new role was first announced in October as the Akron, Ohio-based system made 10 changes to its executive team: reshuffling three leaders' roles, adding three positions and eliminating four.

7. Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network named two new regional and hospital presidents. Bob Begliomini, PharmD, was appointed president of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest campus in Allentown, according to a news release shared with Becker's. He will also lead the health system's Lehigh region, which includes four hospital campuses. Jim Miller, CRNA, was selected to replace Mr. Begliomini as president of the Muhlenberg hospital. He was also named president of the health system's Northampton region, which includes three hospitals, Muhlenberg being one of them.

8. McLaren St. Luke's Hospital in Maumee, Ohio, will lay off 743 workers, including 239 registered nurses, when it permanently closes this spring. Other affected roles include physical therapists, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and pharmacy support staff, and nursing assistants. The hospital's COO is also affected, and a spokesperson for McLaren Health Care told Becker's other senior leadership roles are also affected.

9. Habersham Medical Center in Demorest, Ga., laid off four executives. The layoffs were part of cost-cutting measures before the hospital joined Gainesville-based Northeast Georgia Health System.

10. Grand Forks, N.D.-based Altru Health announced it would trim its executive team as its new hospital project moves forward. The health system is trimming its executive team from nine to six and incentivizing 34 other employees to take early retirement.

11. Scripps Health eliminated 70 administrative roles, according to WARN documents filed by the San Diego-based health system in March. The layoffs took effect May 8 and affect corporate positions in San Diego and La Jolla, Calif.

12. Columbia-based University of Missouri Health Care announced it would eliminate five hospital leadership positions across the organization. According to MU Health Care, the move is a result of restructuring "to better support patients and the future healthcare needs of Missourians."

13. Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health laid off about 50 workers, including C-level executives, the health system confirmed to Becker's March 29. The layoffs affected Jesse Cureton, the health system's executive vice president and chief consumer officer since 2013; Angela Yochem, its executive vice president and chief transformation and digital officer since 2020; and Paula Dean Kranz, vice president of innovation enablement and executive director of the Novant Health Innovation Labs.

14. Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine announced that it would eliminate administrative positions. The change is part of a reorganization plan to save the health system $40 million annually, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported March 13. Kevin Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, told Penn Medicine's 49,000 employees changes include the elimination of a "small number of administrative positions which no longer align with our key objectives," according to the publication.

15. Sovah Health, part of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Lifepoint Health, eliminated the COO positions at its Danville and Martinsville, Va., campuses. The responsibilities of both COO roles are now spread across members of the existing administrative team.

16. Valley Health, a six-hospital health system based in Winchester, Va., eliminated 31 administrative positions. The job cuts are part of the consolidation of the organization's leadership team and administrative roles. They were announced internally on Feb. 28.

17. Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health announced it would transition from seven networks of care to five systemwide to reduce costs and strengthen operations. Under the reorganization, the health system will have separate networks for Northern California, Central California, Southern California, Oregon and Hawaii. The reorganization will result in job cuts, including reducing administration by more than $100 million.








Starting July 24, hospitals in Washington state will be required to report to the state's board of nursing hiring a nurse with a multistate license within 30 days of their hiring date as part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, which it joined in April, according to a July 13 news release.

"Employers will use an online reporting form provided by [the Washington State Board of Nursing]," the release states. "Reporting will include the employer's attestation that the nurse has completed required suicide prevention training and submitted demographic data to WSBON via Nursys e-Notify."



The state was the 40th to join the compact which allows nurses with licenses from outside Washington to practice in person or via telehealth  something proponents say could help alleviate some of the burden caused by the ongoing nursing shortage. Meanwhile, critics of the initiative have concerns about state-to-state differences in procedures.
Twenty-four physicians from Atlanta-based Georgia Urology have been recognized as some of the state's top, practicing physicians  accounting for nearly 40 percent of the entire 'best of' list, according to a July 11 news release.

The physician-owned and operated practice has 25 locations and seven ambulatory surgery centers in the region and employs more than 80 providers. The practice has purposely chosen to operate without hospital ownership or academic oversight, allowing physician leadership to be at the forefront.

"The secret sauce is about opportunity," Hal Scherz, MD, president and managing director of Georgia Urology told Becker's. "We recruit doctors and present to them what their lives may look like if they are willing to bet on themselves. Graduating residents or fellows are told that they have four choices  three of which will mean that they work for someone else who ultimately is their boss and to whom they are answerable  a university, a hospital or a group that is owned and run by a New York or Chicago-based private equity group. We on the other hand give young doctors an opportunity to build a practice and if successful, and they almost always are, to be an equal partner to everyone."

Dr. Scherz was also one of the 24 physicians from the practice to be named to the list from the practice.

Specific hiring focuses implemented by Georgia Urology are what have also led it to the abundance of physician success, it claims.

"About five years ago, I took over recruiting new doctors for this practice," said Carl Capelouto, MD, one of the physicians named to the list. "I felt we were not doing a very good job of attracting viable candidates. The doctors we hired were excellent, but we were increasingly coming up against the wall where doctors were retiring quicker than we were able to replace them. We were not doing a very good job of selling our strengths."

Dr. Capelouto told Becker's he focuses on five key principles to ensure a candidate will fit within the culture when hiring new physicians:

Personality  Rather than charm or charisma, Dr. Capelouto seeks physicians who clearly demonstrate "a burning desire to be successful," something he says that can't be taught, but is instilled in someone decades prior.



Team Players  With around 80 physicians at the Georgia Urology practice, teamwork and collaboration are important to moving the needle meaningfully and understanding everyone plays a role in success. "I abhor lone wolves," he said.



Destiny Control  "Our physician leadership had been united in staying independent," Dr. Capelouto said "Our physicians are expected to become partners and take on the risks and benefits of ownership and nurture the most important thing they will ever own. If the doc has no desire to be a partner, we are probably not the right group for [them].

Reach and Mentorship  Georgia Urology also places a priority on sharing expertise, knowledge and mentoring newly hired physicians, which also provides patients with the region, geographic, medical and professional expertise of the entire team, he explained.

"Our practice is constantly evolving, but we always remain committed to providing the best possible care for our patients, while also providing the best working environment for our providers and staff," Dr. Capelouto said.

The annual rankings are curated by Atlanta magazine from a roster of physicians who are selected by Professional Research Service, which conducts a peer-driven survey reviewing physicians in the Atlanta region.
While Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica says it is fully on board with a proposal for Los Angeles-based American Healthcare Systems to buy its Coldwater (Mich.) Regional Hospital, there is little to fall back on if the planned deal fails to get over regulatory hurdles, according to a July 14 The Daily Reporter article.

Hospital president Alan Sattler said final approvals are expected in the fall but, if the American Healthcare Systems deal doesn't go through, ProMedica would not leave the Coldwater community without a plan for any eventual transition even if there is no such plan currently.

"I don't know what we'll do," Mr. Sattler said in the event of a failed deal. "But we're not going to just pick up and go willy nilly. We'll have to figure it out, plan B. I don't know what Plan B is."

American Healthcare Systems revealed May 24 it is the planned buyer of the Coldwater facility, one of multiple hospitals it is seeking to acquire.
Members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions plan to hold pickets to protest what they say is a short staffing crisis and its effects on patients and caregivers.

The coalition represents more than 85,000 Kaiser healthcare workers in seven states and Washington, D.C., according to a union news release shared with Becker's.

Union members began the national bargaining process with Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser in April. Their current contract with Kaiser expires on September 30.

During negotiations, the coalition is seeking safe staffing levels, according to the union release. Union members contend Kaiser has not made adequate investments to address the issue.

"We're feeling incredibly undervalued by Kaiser. We're short-staffed, and every shift we have to do more because there aren't enough of us. Kaiser called us 'heroes' during the worst of the pandemic, and now they're not making the investments necessary to provide safe staffing," Lenetra Stevenson, a patient care technician at Kaiser in Fremont, Calif., said in the union release.

"Kaiser pays their executives huge salaries while some of our co-workers are living in their cars. We're simply calling on Kaiser to put patient care over profits and make meaningful investments in its workforce to solve the staffing shortage."

Kaiser took issue with the union's assertions.

"It's worth remembering that during the pandemic, we took extraordinary steps to support and protect our workforce," Kaiser said in a statement shared with Becker's. "This included providing $800 million in employee assistance to ensure that frontline employees had access to alternate housing options, special childcare grants, and additional paid leave for COVID-19 illness and exposure."

Kaiser also noted efforts related to staffing, including an agreement between Kaiser and the coalition to a joint goal of hiring 10,000 new people for coalition-represented jobs in 2023. The statement also said while hospital staffing is a nationwide challenge, Kaiser's employee turnover rate of 8.8 percent is significantly lower than the healthcare industry's average rate of 21.4 percent.

Regarding wages, Kaiser said, "The real issue in bargaining is whether to provide one identical, national wage increase for every coalition-represented employee, or provide appropriate, market-based wage increases. In bargaining this week, we have discussed with the coalition the fact that in some markets we are paying 28 percent above the market average wage rates."

Union members plan to hold pickets at 50 Kaiser facilities in California, Washington state, Oregon and Colorado. Picketing is scheduled to begin July 24 and run through July 29.
Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is facing a federal civil rights investigation over the treatment of Black women who give birth there, the Los Angeles Times reported July 11.

The investigation comes after allegations of racism and discrimination following the death of Kira Dixon Johnson in 2016; she delivered her second son at the hospital by cesarean section but died hours later from hemorrhaging. Her husband filed lawsuits against the hospital and a physician, which have since been settled.

HHS' Office of Civil Rights told the Times it "has been made aware of concerns regarding the standard of care provided to Black women in the care of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Specifically, OCR is aware of allegations that Black women are provided a standard of care below what is provided to other women who are not Black when receiving healthcare services related to labor and delivery."

The agency is reviewing whether the hospital is complying with federal civil rights laws. It declined to provide further information, citing the active investigation.

A hospital spokesperson told Becker's, "Cedars-Sinai clinicians, leaders and researchers have long been concerned with national disparities in Black maternal health, and we are proud of the work we've done (and continue to do) to address these issues in Los Angeles as well as at the state and national levels."

Hospital officials pointed to their work to improve maternal health outcomes and noted they are conducting clinical studies aimed at improving Black maternal and infant health, providing annual unconscious bias training to staff and giving more than $2.2 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations seeking to improve Black maternal health.
A Florida court ruled July 11 that a former hospital pharmacist is incompetent to stand trial for a case involving homemade bombs, two bulletproof vests, 25 guns and hundreds of ammunition rounds.

In March, William Head III was arrested on multiple counts, including possession of a controlled substance, carrying an unlicensed and concealed gun, owning and wearing a bulletproof vest during some offenses, illegal use of explosives, and violating a domestic violence injunction, according to court documents filed in Florida's 2nd judicial circuit court.

Mr. Head, who previously worked as a pharmacist at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, pleaded not guilty on May 9.

During a July 11 hearing, the court ruled he is incompetent to stand trial, meaning he does not have the mental capacity to understand the charges or assist in his defense. The court closed the case, directed the matter to the Department of Children and Families, and ordered Mr. Head to take his medications.

After Mr. Head's arrest, a Tallahassee Memorial spokesperson told Becker's that Mr. Head has not worked there since Dec. 1 and said, "Beyond that, it is our practice not to comment on employment matters."
A woman was arrested July 14 after the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said she stabbed three workers at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee.

The suspect, Kendra Greene, entered the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit July 13 and removed her 3-day-old infant from the ventilator, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

"In her attempt to leave with the baby, hospital staff members intervened, so she took out a knife resulting in injuries to three staff members," the sheriff's office said. "Fortunately, Kendra dropped off the baby with a family member so the baby was safely transported back to Palms West Hospital by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue."

The newborn is in stable condition as of July 14.

Ms. Greene was arrested and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on multiple charges. Sheriff's office records show charges include aggravated child abuse and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

The three hospital workers who were stabbed received treatment but were discharged July 13 with non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's office said, according to bocanewsnow.com.



"We are very thankful that our colleagues are recovering and HCA Florida Palms West Hospital is providing support and care for their physical, mental and emotional well-being," the hospital said in a statement shared with Becker's. "We are also thankful to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, whose quick actions led to the apprehension of the suspect and the safe return of the patient. Our security team is assisting fully with law enforcement's investigation."
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Uninsured Americans are still having challenges accessing affordable insulin, despite Eli Lilly's decision to cap its generic version, Lispro, at $25 per vial, according to a report Sen. Elizabeth Warren's office released July 13.

The report was based on survey responses from more than 300 U.S. pharmacies.

The average cost of Lispro for uninsured patients was $97.51  nearly four times higher than the $25 price cap set by Eli Lilly. In addition, 42 percent of the surveyed pharmacies did not have the lower-priced generic in stock.

Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk  the nation's three largest insulin manufacturers  all announced insulin price cuts in March. While most of these price drops take effect in late 2023 and 2024, Eli Lilly rolled out a cap for Lispro this May.

Editor's note: Becker's has reached out to Eli Lilly for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available.
CMS on July 13 released its proposed 2024 Medicare physician fee schedule, and it includes a decreased conversion factor of 3.34 percent.

The news comes as a disappointment to many spine surgeons who are already facing reimbursement headwinds in recent years.

Here is what six spine surgeons are saying about CMS' new move:

Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity.

Chester Donnally, MD. Texas Spine Consultants (Dallas): I was definitely surprised to see that there would be a decrease in the Medicare payment fee schedule. This is a field of services where our supplies, services and, most importantly, staff have costs that continue to rise similar to this historic completion. Medical groups can't simply tell the patient to "pay more" because groups are essentially bound to the contracts set by insurance companies.

One aspect I do support and was encouraged by was their request to have "continued coverage and payment of telehealth services included on the Medicare Telehealth Services List (as of March 15, 2020) until December 31, 2024." Telemedicine is very helpful to my patient population here locally! It's a very efficient follow-up for patients and their family. It's good to see some technology benefits embraced.

Brian Gantwerker, MD. Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: The recent reduction comes on the tail of another significant cut earlier this year. I think this highlights a couple of important facts about the current state of affairs of medicine. Firstly, the continued evaluation of physician services is obvious and will not stop. Next, it highlights the anti-physician bias of the bureaucracy of the Centers for Medicare Services. Third, it highlights the inaction and inability of physicians to organize effectively. Things could've always been worse, and for the sake of our advocacy groups fighting to stem the bleeding. But it's not enough.

The bottom line here is physicians are going to have to form some form of collective bargaining organization if things are going to get better. Because as of right now, it looks as if CMS is creating some sort of a cage match between the large insurers to see who is going to run Medicare for all.

Physicians are retiring and dropping insurance left and right, and they are trying to replace them with non-physicians that lack the training, expertise and judgment that are trained into positions from the first day of medical school to the last day of residency and during the entirety of their careers. Instead, they are settling and giving our patients and loved ones "shake and bake" care, which is not fair. People have paid into the Medicare system and their money is being wasted and given out as subsidies to these for-profit insurers who are now posting tens of billions if not hundreds of billions of money in profit.

I think the current administration and CMS are either intentionally or unintentionally heading us for the precipice. People are going to have to vote with their feet and tell their Congresspeople this has to stop. This latest cut represents perhaps the most tone-deaf move to date. In this current two-party system, it seems like neither party is taking this seriously. That is probably the most tragic thing, outside of patients paying more and losing access in the name of higher stock market trading prices.

Ed Hellman, MD. OrthoIndy (Indianapolis): I think the Medicare reductions are shortsighted. Coming out of the pandemic orthopedic practices have been subjected to unprecedented increases in overhead. We've seen large numbers of licensed professionals, nurses, therapists, etc., leave their jobs. Wages for those who continue to work in their profession have gone up dramatically. At the same time the cost of supplies has increased at rates we haven't seen in the past. Now Medicare is cutting reimbursements by 3.34 percent. Some practices will have to consider limiting Medicare patient access in favor of higher paying patients. Others will consider this the last straw that pushes them to sell out to the local health system or to private equity. We know that as the health systems become more vertically integrated competition diminishes and costs to the entire system rise.

Vladimir Sinkov, MD. Sinkov Spine (Las Vegas): This payment reduction is unfortunate but not surprising. CMS has been decreasing physician reimbursement for many years (while increasing hospital reimbursement every year). This will increase financial harships for independent medical practices, force more physicians to either reduce or stop accepting patients with medicare coverage and will ultimately reduce patient's access to care.

Karl Swann, MD. Spine Surgeon in San Antonio: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have forgotten that "you get what you pay for." Soon their constituents will receive such poor medical care that they will seek to replace the politicians who have presided over the decline.

Vijay Yanamadala, MD. Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare: Historically, reducing compensation has led to an increase in procedures. In an era when more than 50 percent of spine surgeries may be unnecessary, we are likely to see a further increase in volume of surgeries due to these measures. We need to think creatively on how to truly reward high-value surgeries and reduce unnecessary procedures  reducing physician compensation has never been and is not now the right solution.

Sadly, Medicare's strategy to slash prices has not worked to curb unnecessary care for the last 20 years. We need a different, more systematic approach. And we need to interrogate every problem, like the current epidemic of unnecessary surgery in this country, as well as potential solutions, before we introduce or change healthcare policies. If we don't, we risk unintended consequences.
A historic flour company in Belfast has increased sales by 7m during a period of pressure on wheat supply chains due to the war in Ukraine.

Andrews Flour Mills, the only independent flour milling company in Northern Ireland, reported sales of 27.8m in the year to October 1 2022, up from 20.7m a year earlier.

The business makes bakers flours, soft flours and wholemeal and brown flours, and is the owner of Mortons Flour, which it acquired in 1989.

Pre-tax profits at Andrews Flour Mills climbed by around 100,000 over the 12 months to reach nearly 753,300, according to accounts filed at Companies House this month.

The business dates back to 1722, when the Andrews family built a flour mill in Comber, Co Down. By the 1880s, milling moved to two mills in Belfast.

One was then sold to Thomas Gallaher for a tobacco factory, with the operation then focused on a mill in Percy Street, where the company is still based.

According to a strategic report filed with the accounts, the directors regarded the results as satisfactory".

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia at the end of February 2022 hit wheat prices because Ukraine is a major grower of wheat, dubbed the bread basket of Europe.

In the strategic report, the directors said: The situation in Ukraine has had a major impact on both global wheat supplies and the price of wheat, the principal raw material used in the trading of the group, resulting in significant price volatility.

"The company does not source wheat directly from either Ukraine or Russia and has continued to work with wheat suppliers in other countries to ensure reliability of the wheat supply chain.

It added: The company has managed the risks and uncertainties created by the situation in Ukraine and general economic factors. The company continues to manage the supply chain for wheat, impacted by the Ukraine situation, and manage its general operating costs.

Demand for the companys products had remained strong during the year, the report said, with the directors believing that the group had adequate resources to continue to operate.

Staff costs over the year had climbed slightly from 2.1m to 2.2m. There were 43 staff, with 24 operations employees and 19 working in administrative roles.

The value of its stocks had climbed from 1.1m to 2.1m, including the impact of a rise of nearly 740,300 in the value of its raw materials.

Along with Neills Flour in College Place North, its one of two flour mills in Belfast. However, Neills is owned by Associated British Foods (ABF), while Andrews remains in independent ownership.
Actor George Clooney is among those supporting the US actors union strike (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Oscar-winning actors George Clooney and Jessica Chastain are among the high-profile figures supporting the fight of their US union, following the announcement of a major Hollywood strike.

The strike, described as an inflection point in the industry, was announced on Thursday in Los Angeles, after new contracts with the American Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) could not be negotiated.

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Famous faces joined the picket lines on the first day, while many voiced their support online.

In a statement shared with the PA news agency, Clooney said: This is an inflection point in our industry. Actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living.

For our industry to survive that has to change. For actors that journey starts now.

Chastain, who last year won the Academy Award for best actress, said the union and its members would not back down.

The AMPTP refused to make a fair deal on television, theatrical and streaming work, she wrote on Twitter.

We are not afraid of a fight and we will not back down. My union, Sag-Aftra is now on strike.

Fellow best actress winner Halle Berry wrote: Its not just actors and writers.

Its every single person who works in our industry that will be dramatically impacted!

I stand to fight for everyones right to be fairly compensated for the hard work they do!

Alec Baldwin congratulated the union for calling the strike in order to protect its rank and file members.

The strike is something that, you know, were a union, were in this together, he said, in a video posted to Instagram.

I dont think anybody really wants a strike but they dont want to continue under the the unfair contracts that were working under now.

So congratulations to everybody and I hope this is over right after we get everything we want.

Josh Gad, who voices animated snowman Olaf in Disneys Frozen movies said strikes did not occur unless they were glaringly necessary.

The actor and Broadway star acknowledged the impact the work stoppage caused by the strikes would have but said the action was about right and wrong.

As we stand on the precipice of the uncertainty of what AI can represent to all of us in this industry and beyond, it is imperative that we ensure we are protected against the inevitability of the cost savings and ease of use that this seismic technology represents to these corporate entities, he wrote on Instagram.

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I hope that, for the sake of our entire industry, and the above the line and below the line folks who are being adversely affected, that these issues can be resolved sooner rather than later.

Gad later urged people to grab a sign and join the picket lines, sharing a picture of himself there.

Also pictured on the picket lines on Friday was Sag-Aftra president Fran Drescher, who gave an impassioned speech while announcing the strike.

She said: The gravity of this move is not lost on me  its a very serious thing that impacts thousands if not millions of people.

This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth. If we dont stand tall now we are all going to be in trouble.

Responding to a clip of Dreschers speech, Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk, wrote: Holy Cow. Go Fran Go!

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This was a powerful statement. I stand with Fran and everyone in SAG and WGA in this extended moment onwards.

Sex And The City Star Cynthia Nixon, wrote: The @sagaftra strike has at last arrived.

I am proud to be standing tall with the @WGAWest and @WGAEast as actors and writers together demand a fair share of the record-breaking profits the studios have been reaping from our labor for far too long.

We will win this!

Australian actress Toni Collette wrote on her Instagram story: There is nothing to act without writers. There is nothing to film without actors.

Film making is the most collaborative of art forms. Every single person hired contributes to the whole. Please be respectful and fair.

And if stories are told utilising Al then we are moving into an era of storytelling with no heart. Literally. No human heart.

Then we lose connection. And that is why art exists. To help us connect and feel. This strike is of paramount importance.
From left: Emma Thomas, Jefferson Hall, Trond Fausa Aurvag, Ludwig Goransson, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan and Robert Downey Jr at the UK premiere of Oppenheimer in London (PA)

The Hollywood actors strike could disrupt film and TV productions, red carpet premieres and festivals across the entertainment industry if an agreement over pay and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) is not made.

The strike comes after the union Screen Actors Guild  American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra), which represents around 160,000 members of the industry and Hollywood studios, failed to reach an agreement on a fairer split of profits and increased safeguarding around AI rights.

Here the PA news agency looks at what events could be affected in the UK, Ireland and beyond.

 Film premieres

Stars of upcoming historical epic Oppenheimer, including Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh, staging a walkout from the films London premiere (PA)

On Thursday evening, Robert Downey Jr, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh staged a walkout from the London premiere of historical epic Oppenheimer due to the strike.

Peaky Blinders star Murphy, who portrays US theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolans forthcoming film, will also not attend the Irish premiere of the film on Saturday due to the strikes.

Stars of the upcoming Barbie movie are also expected to miss the films German premiere on Saturday in Berlin due to strike action, according to the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

The highly anticipated movie, which sees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling play Barbie and Ken, had its European premiere in London on Wednesday evening.

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie arrive for the European premiere of Barbie at Cineworld Leicester Square in London (PA)

 Film festivals

A Q&A for Matthew Modines new existential drama The Martini Shot due to be held on Thursday evening at the Galway Film Fleadh had to be pulled as well as the US actor stood in solidarity with the strike action.

Modine posted a photo of himself on Instagram folding a sign which said Galway Film Fleadh and solidarity.

Alongside the post, the Stranger Things star wrote: Tonight was meant to be our world premiere, a celebration thwarted by unforeseen circumstances. But sometimes, sacrifices must be made on the path to victory.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the immigrants who shaped the film industry we hold dear. Their contributions have left an indelible mark on generations around the world.

While its humbling to consider the legacy of great films that have impacted our lives, its essential to acknowledge the stark contrast between the rewards reaped by industry magnates and the arduous conditions faced by artists and laborers.

To restore balance and equity, those actually involved in filmmaking had to establish labor unions.

Modine is due to attend an event on Saturday at the Irish film festival which could be halted, with the festival telling the PA news agency it is keeping a close eye on any other possible disruptions.

The Locarno Film Festival, which is due to kick off on August 2 in Switzerland, said it is contacting guests to try to reduce the impact the strikes could have on their event but organisers understand and support the actors as they vindicate their union rights.

A statement shared with PA said: In light of the announced Sag-Aftra strike, we are aware of the potential impact this situation may have on the artists involved and their professional commitments.

We are monitoring the situation and we are getting in contact with our guests to have a better understanding of their participation in this year edition of the festival, and hence try to mitigate the consequences this might have on the organisation of our event.

It added: We do understand and support the need to vindicate their union rights and raise awareness on their current working situation, and we consider this strike as an unmistakable signal that draws attention to the issues that plague the contemporary film world.

Annual film festivals in Venice and Toronto may also be impacted in August and September if a settlement is not reached.

The La Biennale di Venezia, which organises the Venetian event, said it hopes parties will reach an agreement quickly in the interest of the entire industry.

Meanwhile, organisers of the Toronto festival said: The impact of this strike on the industry and events like ours cannot be denied. We urge our partners and colleagues to resume an open dialogue.

We will continue planning for this years festival with the hope of a swift resolution in the coming weeks.

 Awards shows

Succession star Brian Cox is among the nominees for this years Emmy Awards (PA)

The 75th annual Emmy awards are scheduled to take place on September 18 with top stars including Brian Cox, Pedro Pascal, Daniel Radcliffe, Sarah Snook and Elizabeth Moss among the nominees.

If negotiations are not reached by this stage, the typically star-studded event could be left quite deserted.

Last month, the Tony Awards took place as an unscripted show due to more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) continuing with their strike efforts, which started on May 2, primarily over royalties from streaming media.
Heatwaves a small taste of whats to come if we dont change our ways
Two men on Friday were refused bail over their alleged role in a 150,000 car fraud scam across Northern Ireland

Two men were today refused bail over their alleged role in a 150,000 car fraud scam across Northern Ireland.

Thomas Roberts (29) and Shane McDonagh (24), both of Coppermill Road, Staines in England, have been charged with a total of 23 offences between them.

They are both charged with seven counts of fraud by false representation, attempted fraud by false representation and possessing criminal property.

Roberts is further accused of fraudulent use of a vehicle registration mark and having no insurance.

McDonagh is also charged with possessing cannabis.

Belfast Magistrates Court heard the defendants were arrested in May this year following a protracted police investigation into alleged frauds committed against members of the public in Northern Ireland.

During a bail application today, a detective constable said the case centred around the alleged fraudulent purchase of vehicles through a website.

She said that seven vehicles were allegedly stolen by the defendants between February 15, 2022 and and October 14, 2022 totalling 150,000.

The first incident occurred at Forestside in Belfast when the injured party met a male of heavy build, of 6ft tall and who had a Dublin accent, said the detective.

They agreed to buy this vehicle and the injured party was shown a fake banking app which appeared to show the money being transferred into the injured party's account.

But she said that two days later none of the money came through and all phone contact had stopped. The vehicle was subsequently recovered in March 2022 in England bearing false number plates and significant damage had been caused to the chassis, possibly with the use of an angle grinder.

There were a further six similar incidents all involving a male, heavy build, 6ft tall with a Dublin accent.

The court heard other locations for the alleged fraudulent purchase of the vehicles were Foyleside Shopping Centre in Derry, the train station in Newry, Co Down, University Street in Belfast and Portadown Road, Co Armagh.

All purchases were conducted in Euros and the most expensive vehicle allegedly stolen was 28,000.

There has been a significant and protracted investigation into these matters and most of it hinges on telecommunications data, the detective outlined to District Judge George Connor.

There is also CCTV of five of the incidents, one very clearly showing the defendants while others show persons matching the build and descriptions of the defendants.

The telecommunications data led police to the address where the defendants were staying. There are 13 mobiles numbers connected to these defendants, six of which were used to contact the injured parties.

A further six mobiles were used by Thomas Roberts to book travel arrangements to and from England using false names and addresses and to also contact Shane McDonagh.

She said the defendants were arrested in Belfast on May 15, this year, in a car bearing false number plates and keys of two of the stolen vehicles were found in the boot.

When searched, McDonagh was allegedly found with some cannabis along 2,000 in cash and it is claimed 5,000 was found on Roberts.

Three vehicles have been recovered, one of which is in a completely unusable state. Four vehicles are outstanding and investigations continue into their whereabouts.

When interviewed, both defendants made no comment to all questions in relation to the location of these vehicles.

The detective said police were objecting to bail on the grounds that the defendants have no permanent addresses in Northern Ireland and had used false names to keep their identities concealed.

The officer said Roberts has six previous convictions in Northern Ireland and has nine convictions in England for offences of theft and breaching court orders.

McDonagh has three convictions in Northern Ireland and three in the Republic of Ireland.

Both men are wanted in the Republic on foot of warrants and European Arrest Warrants are to be issued for them.

Police in Thames Valley also want to speak to Mr Roberts in relation to a similar type of fraud which relates to the purchase of watches, said the detective.

Insurance companies have refused to pay out over the four outstanding vehicles and the injured parties have been left with very substantial financial difficulties.

She said police had no confidence that the defendants would adhere to any bail conditions.

Seeking bail on strict conditions, a defence lawyer for Roberts and McDonagh said neither of them would be in a hurry to go back to England or the Republic of Ireland as they are wanted over allegations in both jurisdictions and they had approval to stay in a hostel in Northern Ireland.

Refusing bail, District Judge Conner said: I am not minded to grant bail. The risk is too high of further offences and there is a risk of flight.

Both defendants will appear back in court on August 11, 2023.
Mark Wylie said the memorial on St Georges Street deserved more prominence

A small plaque on the memorial bearing the names of designer Robert Ballagh and artist Stephen Pearce (Credit: John Baucher)

Graffiti had appeared on the memorial before Christmas 2022 (Credit: John Baucher)

Graffiti had appeared on the memorial before Christmas 2022. Pic: John Baucher

A forgotten memorial to the first 1,500 victims of the Troubles in Belfast city centre needs properly restored, a tour operator who took cleaning the monument into his own hands has said.

The memorial was erected close to the Albert Clock in Jubilee Square on Victoria Street in 1976 to commemorate the then-1,500 people who had lost their lives as a result of the conflict.

Commissioned by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), the mosaic of green and brown terracotta tiles list every digit from one to 1,500 in a variety of sequences.

A small plaque in the bottom right hand corner reads: To The Memory Of Those Who Died By Violence From July 1969 To April 1976. Designed By Robert Ballagh. Made By Steve.

Ballagh is a famous Irish artist who reportedly sold Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott his first bass guitar, while Steve refers to Irish ceramicist Stephen Pearce.

Local tour operator Mark Wylie  who runs DC Tours  spent two hours painstakingly cleaning graffiti off the memorial yesterday after he said attempts to alert Belfast City Council had failed to progress the issue.

We started doing tours in 2013 and genuinely we must have walked past the memorial for about four or five years never knowing it was there, he told the Belfast Telegraph.

Read more Vast majority of 1,516 fires in derelict buildings were started deliberately

Jubilee Square is a really run-down wee space, and at one stage were walking past it and I noticed one tile in the bottom right hand corner of what I thought was a bricked-up doorway.

I took a moment to read it and realised it was a memorial to the victims of the Troubles. That piqued our interest, because wed never heard of it before.

We knew there was a memorial in City Hall  stained glass windows  and in Laganside Bus Station, but we were totally unaware of any outdoor memorial in Belfast.

A small plaque on the memorial bearing the names of designer Robert Ballagh and artist Stephen Pearce (Credit: John Baucher)

After compiling research on the history of the memorial, Mr Wylie began to include the location in his companys tours, with guides using it as a point of interest to summarise the Troubles and the NI peace process.

The monuments understated nature draws comparisons with Germanys cobblestone memorials, where the names of Holocaust victims are inscribed on brass cobblestones close to where they had lived.

I was in Berlin last summer and I think thats a beautiful, understated way of resonating with people; it absolutely catches you and it makes you think, said Mark.

Tourists understand that Belfast city centre is neutral and inclusive; a shared space. If we start memorialising every event that happens, it would be overwhelming.

Guests understand that we have an uncomfortable heritage; its a difficult history and I think they also realise that when you are standing at a memorial that reduces every victim to a number, that is not going to cause offence.

That is part of the memorials success, that it was never seen as contentious, but thats now part of the problem; its been forgotten about for so long.

Mark feels more needs to be done to maintain the poignant memorial.

The point that was made to us when we were cleaning the memorial was that if somebody had spray-painted the Titanic memorial in City Hall grounds, it would have been cleaned the next day, he said.

Graffiti had appeared on the memorial before Christmas 2022 (Credit: John Baucher)

We spoke to councillors earlier in the year and others in our sector say they have also raised it with Council. We appreciate council cleansing has a big job on their hands, but that graffiti was from 2022 and absolutely nothing was done.

There is physical damage on it and at the top mortar has leaked down and discoloured it; it needs actually to be properly restored and preserved.

Mr Wylie said the memorial should have a prominent role in future commemorations for those who died during the Troubles.

Even just by talking about it brings it into peoples awareness. On social media, people were saying they didnt know it existed, he said.

A memorial to the first 1,500 victims of the Troubles deserves to be remembered. We know that it resonates with visitors and locals alike.

They realise its significance and we think it is worthy of being talked about and remembered. If you look at other commemoration sites around the world, there are annual remembrance events that take place.

Thats what they are for, to help people remember.

Belfast City Council said they had not received any formal request for the removal of the graffiti.

"Council did not receive any formal request to remove graffiti from the Troubles memorial at Jubilee Gardens, said a spokesperson.

"Any further graffiti at this location can be reported directly to our Customer Hub team for action, via our website  belfastcity.gov.uk/report - or by calling 028 9027 0230.
A window was broken at Keady Orange Hall, reportedly by a group on youths, on July 12, 2023.

Police are treating an attack on Keady Orange Hall on the Twelfth as a sectarian hate crime.

It follows reports the building was vandalised and pelted with eggs by youths.

TUV councillor Keith Ratcliffe condemned the incident.

He said: When the brethren of Keady True Blues LOL 298 returned from the Co Armagh Twelfth demonstration in Lurgan, they were welcomed by a group of youths, many of whom had their faces covered by scarves.

He added: "As the brethren enjoyed tea and fellowship together, the hall then came under attack from a crowd throwing eggs.

The Orangemen departed at around 6pm, but a window at the property was reported broken at around 8pm. Brambles were also dragged in front of the door to the hall.

Mr Ratcliffe added that he was dismayed and disappointed by the incident.

"While Keady district is no stranger to such acts of vandalism, the brazenness of this latest attack is particularly sinister, he said.

He said police have interviewed several witnesses and has appealed for anyone with information to contact the PSNI.

Mr Ratcliffe added: While some may shrug off such an attack, claiming it was just a bunch of young people messing around, the pattern of such activity in the wider Keady district would suggest a much more sinister motive.

"One questions where is the respect and tolerance that nationalists have so often called for? Where is the shared space in Keady and other parts of South Armagh?

The PSNI appealed for information on the incident.

Inspector Browne said: We received a report that between approximately 6.10pm and 8.00pm on Wednesday, 12 July 12 that a window was smashed and branches were scattered at the front of an Orange hall.

We are treating this as a sectarian hate crime.

Our investigation is underway and we are appealing to anyone who may have been in the area or who may have captured CCTV or other footage to contact us on 101 quoting reference number 1925 12/07/23.
Follow Maiden City example, says former top cop

A former Assistant Chief Constable has said lingering sectarianism around the Twelfth can be phased out  pointing to how the parading issue has been largely resolved in Londonderry.

Co-operation Ireland chief executive Peter Sheridan, who retired from the force in 2008, was speaking after the likenesses of Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle ONeill and councillor Taylor McGrann were placed on bonfires in Dungannon and the Rathcoole estate in Newtownabbey.

An Aontu councillors car was also set on fire and 11 ambulance service workers were injured in attacks across four locations over the Eleventh Night and Twelfth.

UUP leader Doug Beattie said such incidents shamed us all.

Mr Sheridan, who was awarded an MBE for services to peace-building last month, said: Change requires effort, and I do believe things have changed for the better in the past few years.

Take the Apprentice Boys parade in Derry, it used to be the focus of trouble and now very rarely has that now.

Thats down to the hard work of the people within the Apprentice Boys, who wanted to protect their culture, but recognised it could only be in a way that works in this place.

Mr Sheridan said issues that arise over the Eleventh and Twelfth are a disservice to people who see it as an important part of heritage and culture.

Burning effigies of people and flags is not, in my opinion, something the vast amount of people who go to events would be in favour of.

Asked about the motivation for burning the effigy of Mr McGrann, he said: It can only be sectarianism. It can only be based on a sectarian background that people think burning effigies of political figures they disagree with, or flags from another country [is a good idea].

It does a disservice to all the good things that happen and the enjoyment people have.

It becomes the focus, the story. The negative parts dominate instead of the positive aspects that Im sure tens of thousands of people have enjoyed over the past few days.

[They] will be as horrified as anyone else about it.

Mr Sheridan said he wanted to see a sea change in what was deemed acceptable behaviour and was in favour of education initiatives for the people behind such stunts.

If they only sat back and thought of how people around the world viewed [these incidents], he added.

There needs to be more education and a realisation around this behaviour.

Clearly, something has gone wrong that they dont see this opposite effect and negative effect this all has.

Thinking the impact is only on the likes of Michelle ONeill is wrong. Im sure the Orange Order dont see it as helpful.

We need to demonstrate why [this has] a negative impact on the thing they [want] to protect.

Mr Sheridans comments echoed the words of UUP leader Mr Beattie, who also condemned the incidents earlier yesterday.

He said: Communities have celebrated both the Eleventh and Twelfth in the spirit that it was intended.

They attempted to make it inclusive, family-orientated, a genuine community celebration.

Sadly, there are those within communities and our society who completely undermined those celebrations with actions belittling the Twelfth activities.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson previously hit out against the burning of effigies but said it did not happen in the vast majority of cases.

The Alliance Partys Danny Donnelly condemned the attacks on NHS workers, describing the behaviour as disgusting.

The East Antrim MLAs constituency hosted the famous Craigyhill bonfire, which featured no flags or effigies.

He highlighted a previous council initiative which appealed to bonfire builders to refrain from such offensive stunts but admitted he did not believe things had changed. Mr Donnelly said: There doesnt seem to any direction of travel which shows were getting past this.

I do believe they are isolated incidents, and the majority of bonfires passed off without incident and were enjoyed by a lot of people.

Its clear people are still happy to burn flags and effigies and attack emergency services.

These are long-standing problems, and we have to look at regulation. We have to look at these as large-scale public events which need regulation.

Its certainly not fair to say its the entire [loyalist] community [at fault].

But there is a problem, its happening year after year and we have to address it.
A group led by Fr Edward Daly carrying a mortally wounded protester for treatment on Bloody Sunday

A former paratrooper involved in the events on Bloody Sunday has died aged 82.

Andrew Welsh was a sergeant in the Mortar Platoon of the Parachute Regiment that was deployed to the Bogside in Londonderry on January 30, 1972.

Thirteen people were killed and more than a dozen injured when paratroopers opened fire on civil rights protesters. A 14th person died in hospital.

According to an obituary in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Welsh died on April 13.

The government twice investigated what happened on Bloody Sunday.

The original Widgery Tribunal was branded a whitewash after it concluded the soldiers had been fired on first.

Tony Blair ordered the setting up of the Saville Inquiry in 1998 following public pressure.

Mr Welsh gave evidence in both, taking part in the latter under the pseudonym Sergeant O.

The soldiers involved claimed they only opened fired after being attacked.

However, the Saville Inquiry found that none of the casualties were posing a threat or doing anything that would have justified their shooting.

Mr Welsh told the Saville probe he identified a man firing a gun from behind a car and returned fire, after which the man appeared to jerk backwards.

He also reported seeing and opening fire on a second gunman, with the person in question again appearing to be thrown backwards.

Lord Saville concluded the former paratrooper had not hit anyone, but Welsh disagreed and went to his death believing he had killed two gunmen.

He later said: If Lord Saville had accepted that I hit two gunmen, the entire theme of his report  that we just jumped out of our vehicles and started shooting innocent people  was undermined, and [Tony Blair] did not get what he wanted.

Welsh was awarded the Military Medal, a Queens Commendation and a certificate of commendation from the General Officer Commanding of the Army in Northern Ireland.

While he was investigated over Bloody Sunday, it was decided there was not enough evidence to charge him.
Minister of State for Northern Ireland Steve Baker has made a controversial claim that an English-made stout is superior to Guinness.

He shared a post while visiting the Marlow Brewery, which is located in Buckinghamshire.

Mr Baker tweeted: Absolutely fantastic to discover stout from @RebellionBeer via SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers. Better than @guinness in my view. It would be: its from #Wycombe.

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In a video accompanying the post he says that since taking up his role of Minister of State for NI hes been enjoying the odd pint of Guinness on the way back.

He added: But today Im very pleased to be at the Rebellion Beer company at The Marlow Brewery in my constituency to try their stout.

After taking a sip, he says: Oh dya know what Tim, thats really excellent. Im loving that, I think that actually might be better than Guinness, so you probably cant comment.

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In response the owner said theyve produced a stout to enhance the range of products theyre offering and insisted hes happy to be considered in the same league as Guinness.

Mr Baker wasnt having any of the modesty, he was adamant its better.

Some Twitter users were more dubious suggesting hometown favouritism may have been at play.

One person joked: BREAKING: Steve Baker sacked as Northern Ireland Office Minister after suggesting an English stout is better than Guinness.

Five main NI parties have put out a statement condemning the comments.
The PSNIs LGBT+ network has said it is bitterly disappointed after serving officers were told not to wear their work uniforms in the Belfast Pride parade.

The PSNIs executive team announced on Friday that while its staff members will attend and participate in Belfast Pride this year, they will not do so in official uniform.

Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton, Gold Commander for Belfast Pride, said: Having personally engaged with members of the LGBTQIA+ community at a number of events in recent months and met with our own LGBT+ Network on this issue, I know that this decision will come as a disappointment to some.

As a police service, we have had to carefully consider this request from our LGBT+ Network on its merits, the stated purposes and circumstances surrounding the parade and our statutory obligations to act with fairness, integrity and impartiality, whilst upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all individuals, their traditions and beliefs.

The senior officer said that police participation in Pride events continues to be an important element of our outreach and engagement highlighting the valuable role that LGBTQIA+ officers and staff play in our service.

The PSNIs executive team also said that it is an employer and service for all and that hate crime in whatever form is wrong.

The services LGBT+ network responded: Our network (formerly the Gay Police Association) has been participating in Belfast Pride t-shirts since 2007 and in uniform since 2017, to an incredibly positive reaction from the public.

"The senior executive team prohibits us from either form of participation.

"It has not been made clear to us what has changed this year or why previously agreed forms of Pride participation have now been withdrawn We disagree with this decision."

Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister also condemned the decision, stating that it has set the clock back on years of police work to improve relationships with the LGBTQ+ community.

The Policing Board representative said it was not only a bad move by police but a backwards one, given its previous participation in the parade.

To have participated in previous parades in uniform and then decide this year not to, gives credence to those opposed to LGBTQ+ rights and suggests police taking part in the parade in uniform was wrong, which is clearly not the case, said the North Belfast politician.

I have spoken to PSNI leadership and expressed disappointment and frustration at this decision. There remains time before the Pride parade itself for the police to change their minds and not give in to those pushing an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda.

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TUV Bannside councillor Timothy Gaston, however, welcomed the choice.

"ACC Singleton is correct to point out that this is necessary in order to recognise their fairness, integrity and impartiality obligations, he said.

TUV alone has been clear in pervious years that the PSNI had no business taking part in Belfast Pride for exactly those reasons. We therefore welcome that the penny has, finally, dropped with the PSNI top brass.

This is a highly politicised event with the demand for a changes in the law in relation to self identification when it comes to biological males demanding access to female only spaces front and centre of this years parade. The PSNI should not joining in such a political campaign."

Last year, the PSNI recognised the significance of the Belfast Pride parade as it said the 2022 event was the largest Pride ever.

Many officers had attended the parade in full PSNI uniform.

The parade was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

PSNI members took part in the Belfast Pride parade for the first time in 2017, and said afterwards that in doing so, it helped encourage those affected by hate crime to come forward.

The PSNIs on Off Duty Standards and its Code of Ethics, both drawn from statutory obligations, create clear expectations for all officers and staff in terms of our impartiality and prohibit officers from wearing their uniform or being identifiable as police when engaging in cause issues.

Existing service policy does however state that officers and staff can participate in such events provided they do so in a personal capacity and do not identify as members of the police service.

This years parade will take place throughout the city on July 29.

The theme of this year's Belfast Pride festival is "stand by your trans".
The removal of the fence erected on Hythe seafront ahead of the planned work

High fencing erected as part of a doomed, Conservative-backed redevelopment project in an English seaside town was reminiscent of Belfasts peace walls, a Northern Ireland resident said.

Ed Curran, a former Belfast Telegraph editor turned local councillor, made the comparison at a meeting of Hythe Town Council.

He said the walls, which restricted access to a grassland area by the seafront, were like those seen during the Troubles.

Mr Curran spoke after the newly reformed council announced the fence was to come down.

Ed Curran

His comparison with Troubles-era Belfast led to headlines in the national press.

Speaking yesterday, he said: I made a short speech at the first council meeting welcoming the decision to stop the project.

Then I decided to make some comments about what should happen next and I said the fencing reminded me of Belfast and two things: one was the peace walls and the other was the old Maze prison. If you drove along the motorway you could see the white fence all around it.

Mr Curran and his wife, Pauline, were both elected as Green Party councillors to Folkestone & Hythe District Council in Mays local government election, with Mrs Curran topping the poll.

The couple moved to Kent last year to be closer to family and were drawn into politics by local opposition to the councils plans.

About a year ago, the Conservative-controlled Folkstone & Hythe District Council had done this big property deal: they were going to redevelop the whole seafront at Hythe. A lot of people in Hythe were up in arms about it.

Last year, this huge fence was suddenly erected around the entire site; it was the council making a statement that they werent going to change their mind and they were moving on with it.

The move resulted in the wiping out of Tory representation on Mr Currans local council.

The Conservatives who had decided on this masterplan for the seafront were completely rejected, he said.

The fence now has to be brought down and the Green Party, in coalition with the Labour Party, has decided to stop the whole project.

My comments have drawn quite a bit of interest because people are simplifying it and think Im comparing Hythe with war-torn Belfast  thats a little bit of an exaggeration.

The reality is Hythe is a lovely place to live.
Director general seeking legal advice over decision to hold off on paying bill

RTEs director-general is taking legal advice over his decision not to pay the most recent invoice for Ryan Tubridys services.

The Irish national broadcaster has been embroiled in controversy for a number of weeks after it announced it had under-reported Tubridys salary and failed to declare hundreds of thousands of euros in additional payments made to him.

The presenter normally hosts a radio programme every weekday but has not been on air since the scandal erupted.

His contractual position is in dispute after he stepped down from his television duties earlier this year.

RTE said it had suspended renegotiation of the contract down to radio-only services that were under way when the hidden payments were revealed.

Kevin Bakhurst, who took up the position of director-general on Monday, told the Dails public accounts committee that Tubridys most recent invoice had not yet been paid.

Asked what salary the presenter was being paid, Mr Bakhurst said: Well have to continue discussions with Mr Tubridys agent about that because clearly hes not doing his TV programme any more.

He should be available for radio, so we have not settled on exactly what he should be being paid at the moment.

But well be paying the appropriate amount once weve confirmed.

Read more BBC bosses to face questions in Parliament following Huw Edwards furore

Asked if any salary was being paid to Tubridy, Mr Bakhurst said: As of this week, no, because we need to agree what the level of that is.

As I understand it, the latest invoice came in this week, and my advice is we need to decide exactly what were paying him because hes not doing his past duties any more. Thats currently a process going on.

RTE has not announced whether Tubridy will return to the airwaves.

The director-general said there would be a fair process around a decision on his future with the broadcaster and insisted this would happen as quickly as possible.

Mr Bakhurst said he wanted to speak to radio staff and the interim leadership team before making a decision.

He added he wanted to be fair to Ryan while also acknowledging that he had not spoken to the presenter.

After the committee hearing, Mr Bakhurst was asked by reporters if he was concerned that his decision not to pay the invoice would result in legal action.

Im taking proper legal advice on that, he replied. The legal advice is we need to find a proper negotiated way of paying him.

Earlier, Mr Bakhurst was also asked about an offer from Mr Tubridy to repay two payments at the centre of the scandal.

The presenter, RTE and Renault entered into a tripartite agreement which involved the star presenter receiving payment for attending three events for the car manufacturer.

However, in addition, RTE had verbally agreed to underwrite the deal in the event a commercial sponsor could not be found for subsequent years.

The national broadcaster said Renault was not involved in the deal after the first year.

RTE executives previously explained that Renault paid Tubridy the first 75,000 payment, while two other 75,000 payments were from RTE, which had underwritten the amounts due in what TDs were previously told was a verbal-only agreement made during a Microsoft Teams meeting in May 2020.

Yesterday, acting deputy director-general Adrian Lynch said it was RTEs position that the agreement was central to negotiations around Tubridys wider contract.

He also challenged a claim from Tubridys agent, Noel Kelly, that he did not know Renault had not renewed years two and three of the commercial deal.
Former detective constable James Boyling, of the Mets Special Demonstration Squad, was found to have committed gross misconduct (PA)

A former Metropolitan Police officer who had a sexual relationship with a woman he was spying on in a secretive undercover unit would have kept his job if he was still a serving officer, a tribunal panel ruled.

Former detective constable James Boyling, of the Mets Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), was found to have committed gross misconduct over his relationship with the woman, known only as Monica, for six months in 1997 while infiltrating the environmental activist group Reclaim the Streets.

He later married another female activist, who exposed his true identity in a 2011 article for The Guardian.

The officer, who used the pseudonym Jim Sutton, was sacked for gross misconduct over his relationship with his now ex-wife in 2018, but faced new misconduct proceedings over his relationship with Monica.

A disciplinary panel in Southwark, south London, was told on Monday that his relationship with Monica began when they kissed outside a pub after a Never Mind the Ballots activist event and later went to his undercover duff flat in Dulwich, south-east London.

They were definitely known as a couple and attended Glastonbury and an Earth First gathering together, the tribunal was told.

Monica was left feeling duped, misunderstood and ridiculed and with a feeling of sexual abuse after Boylings true identity was revealed in The Guardian article, the panel heard.

He did not report the relationship to managers despite the fact they were supposed to meet twice a week, the hearing was told.

The hearing was also told his line manager, a detective inspector known as N10, had four such relationships while working undercover between 1983 and 1987 and got one activist pregnant.

Another officer, named as N11, also had sexual relationships with female activists and resumed his undercover identity without authorisation, the tribunal heard.

Sexual relationships with activists were not explicitly banned because refusing sexual advances could blow their cover, but undercover officers were advised to make them fleeting and disastrous.

Guidance read out to the tribunal said: In the past, emotional ties to the opposition have happened and caused all sorts of difficulties, including divorce, deception and disciplinary charges.

Whilst it is not my place to moralise, one should try and avoid the opposite sex for as long as possible.

While you may try to avoid any sexual encounter, there may come a time when your lack of interest may become suspicious.

If you have no other option but to become involved with (an activist), you should have fleeting, disastrous relationships with individuals who are not important to your sources of information.

SDS bosses preferred undercover officers to have a stable family life but Boyling got divorced shortly before infiltrating Reclaim the Streets.

Boyling, who did not attend the hearing, was found guilty of breaching professional standards for integrity and discreditable conduct.

Standards for authority, respect and courtesy, which he was also accused of breaching, were not found to have applied at the time.

He admitted the relationship but denied his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

He unsuccessfully tried to get the case dismissed at an earlier stage.

His lawyer Alisdair Williamson KC argued the rules on relationships were blurred and liaisons were an acceptable and accepted part of the legend and cover.

Tribunal panel chairman Darren Snow said he was satisfied the officer had committed gross misconduct but he would have spared him dismissal due to systematic failings in the SDSs leadership, training and guidance on relationships while undercover.

He said: The panels conclusion is that the guidance was that, if forced into a relationship where there was no other option, it should be fleeting and disastrous.

The relationship with Monica was neither. The fact it was not reported undermines the suggestion it was focused on intelligence.

If there was a belief it was beneficial to the investigation it should have been reported back.

We are of the view that entering a sexual or emotional relationship under a false identity cannot ever have a proper policing purpose.

Monica, who initially complained about Boyling in February 2018, failed to bring criminal charges against him in December 2018.

The High Court rejected her appeal against a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute him for rape and misconduct in public office.

In a statement issued through her solicitor after the hearing, Monica said: It is time now for a real honest appraisal of the culture of the SDS.

Allowing officers to speak and reflect on the operation of the unit and the NPIOU would be an appropriate way forward.

The SDS existed between 1968 and 2008 and its actions are subject to a lengthy public inquiry.

A decision on whether Boyling would have been sacked if he was still an officer will be handed down later on Friday.
Kimberley Sampson, pictured with her first daughter, died with herpes weeks after giving birth to her second child at a Kent hospital in 2018 (Family handout/PA)

Two women who died with herpes weeks after giving birth should have received earlier treatment for their symptoms, a coroner has said.

Kimberley Sampson, 29, and Samantha Mulcahy, 32, died in 2018 after having Caesarean sections conducted six weeks apart by the same surgeon at hospitals in Kent.

Their families have been waiting five years for answers on how they came to be infected with the virus.

At an inquest hearing in Maidstone on Friday, coroner Catherine Wood gave a summary of her findings, saying both women could have been given an anti-viral treatment sooner, and that particularly in Ms Mulcahys case suspicion should have been raised given the knowledge among staff already of Ms Sampsons earlier death.

Ms Sampsons baby boy was delivered at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in Margate, Kent, part of the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust in May 2018 (Gareth Fuller/PA)

She said: The earlier treatment is given, the better the outcome.

Ms Wood ruled out human culpability of any of the medical staff involved in the case and said it was unlikely for the surgeon to be the cause of the herpes infection found in both women.

Ms Wood said: I cant find he was a carrier without some proof of evidence.

She subsequently ruled out conclusions of unlawful killing and neglect, which lawyers for the womens families had argued for.

The coroner is expected to give narrative conclusions for both Ms Sampson and Ms Mulcahy on July 26.

Ms Sampson gave birth to her second child at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, in May 2018, and died at the end of the month in a London hospital.

In July 2018, first-time mother Ms Mulcahy died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent.

Both hospitals are run by the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust (EKHUT).

The coroner said: This is a rare but often fatal disease and more needs to be done to raise awareness of it.

All of the evidence suggests early recognition is more likely to raise a positive outcome.

The inquest previously heard in April how the surgeon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, could have been a potential source of the infection.

But the surgeon told the inquest his hands were fully scrubbed, double gloved and he was wearing a mask during procedures.

He also said he had no lesions and was not infected, though he had not been tested.

The coroner said those involved who suggested it was the surgeon were trying to plug the gap with a possible explanation but she ruled it was unlikely and that statistical coincidences can occur.

The hearing on July 14 also heard a legal challenge from the BBC and the PA news agency to lift the anonymity order applied for by the trust to stop the surgeon being named.

EKHUT argued its anonymity order was to protect the reputation and mental health of its staff member from what it claimed would be damaging media reports of the case, but the medias bid argued the fears for the surgeon were speculative.

Ms Wood also adjourned her decision over the anonymity until the same hearing on July 26.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the opening ceremony on Thursday for the Dasherkandi sewage water treatment plant, seen here in a drone photo, July 13, 2023.

Bangladeshs prime minister opened a sprawling sewage treatment plant in Dhaka this week, but people are raising questions about a serious flaw  the $320 million, China-backed project was built without being connected to any local sewer network.

As she inaugurated the Dasherkandi sewage water treatment plant on Thursday, leader Sheikh Hasina said it would allow the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) to treat black water from toilets in this, one of the worlds most populated cities.

Many of Dhakas residents do not have access to sewage systems. Dumping of untreated sewage in local waterways is rampant.

The project would enable the DWASA to treat 500 million liters of sewage water produced daily in upscale neighborhoods such as Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Niketan, Bashundhara and adjacent areas before being returned to the Balu River, Taqsem A. Khan, the agencys managing director, said at the opening ceremony.

But officials with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), the public agency responsible for coordinating urban development in Dhaka, and urban planners questioned the plants usefulness without being plugged into a necessary pipeline network upon construction.

Constructing the sewerage system is the responsibility of Dhaka WASA. WASA has informed us that they would build the sewerage pipeline network in the future, RAJUK Chief Engineer Ujjwal Mallick told BenarNews.

It is unclear what the timeline is for connecting the new plant to a local sewage network or whether Bangladeshi authorities went ahead with the project, built by Hydro China, a Chinese firm, without taking that factor into account.

Officials did not immediately respond to BenarNews requests for information about this.

Residents of some neighborhoods in the Bangladesh capital, meanwhile, questioned the effectiveness of the new plant, saying they have had to build underground pipes to dump untreated sewage into the nearest waterways.

Project documents reveal that the government signed a loan agreement with China in 2016 to build the plant at a cost of 33.17 billion taka ($305 million) including a Chinese loan of 21.84 billion taka ($200 million).

The cost was hiked twice and reset at 34.82 billion taka ($320 million) including a loan of 23.66 billion taka ($217 million) from China, the documents said.

What Dhaka WASA has been doing regarding the Dasherkandi treatment plant is not the right thing. They should revisit their strategy so that our rivers are saved, Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of the National River Conservation Commission, another government agency, told BenarNews.

Mallick said RAJUK, before approving building plans, requires separate septic tanks to keep the so-called black water from going directly to rivers, canals and lakes around Dhaka.

Sheer waste of public money

That requirement has its own drawbacks, residents said.

Septic tanks have capacity limitations. The homeowners secretly build underground outlet pipes which dump the sewage water to the drains, Gulshan Lake and canals which ultimately meet the rivers, Mohsin Chowdhury, who lives in Gulshan, told BenarNews.

What are homeowners to do when there is no pipeline to carry the sewage water? Can they take the sludge water by trucks to the treatment plant? he said.

Syed Abdul Muqit, a resident of Banani, took a similar view.

This is like putting the cart before the horse, he told BenarNews.

Iqbal Habib, an architect and civil society member, said the project appears to be a sheer waste of public money.

Do the WASA officials not know that they first need to construct the pipeline network? The project is tantamount to building a bridge without constructing the approach roads, he told BenarNews. This treatment project would ultimately sit idle while the people must repay the Chinese loan and the interests.

2 billion liters generated

DWASA figures show that 20.2 million people in Dhaka generate 2 billion liters of sewage water and storm water per day. Another treatment facility in the city, Pagla, can treat 200 million liters.

In early January, the Dhaka North City Corp. determined that residents in Gulshan and adjacent upscale residential neighborhoods were dumping sewage water to the storm drains flowing into Gulshan Lake.

North Dhaka Mayor Atiqul Islam, who led the investigation, told reporters that 3,265 of 3,830 houses in Gulshan had direct connections to the city corporations storm drains.

Habib pointed out that DWASA announced in 2009 that five treatment plants would be constructed in Dhaka to stop the dumping of untreated sewage.

After 14 years, the environmental destruction through dumping of wastewater into the rivers has been continuing before their eyes, he said.
(From left) Thailands Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Vietnams Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Cambodias Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn share a light moment during a photo session during the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with the United States at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta, July 14, 2023.

Washington on Friday again urged countries to push Myanmar on an ASEAN peace plan that has failed so far, although the regional bloc is divided over how to handle the Burmese crisis.

Countries must persuade the Burmese military to follow through on the five-point plan, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said as he met with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries in Jakarta on Friday.

In Myanmar, we must press the military regime to stop the violence, to implement ASEANs five-point consensus, to support a return to democratic governance, Blinken said in a speech during a meeting with ASEAN ministers.

The bloc, of which Myanmar is a member, has sought to mediate a resolution to the situation in that country, where the military toppled an elected government in February 2021 and threw civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in prison. Nearly 3,800 people have been killed in post-coup violence, mostly by junta security forces.

On Thursday, ASEAN issued a joint statement of its foreign ministers, but that was delayed by a day following a meeting of the regions top diplomats Tuesday and Wednesday. Reports said the delay arose because they could not agree on what their joint statement would say about Myanmar.

The statement reflected the dissonance.

Thailand had last month held another meeting with Myanmars junta-appointed foreign minister, representatives of ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and India and China. The Burmese and Thai militaries are said to be close, and the outgoing Thai PM is a former army chief.

ASEAN 2023 chair Indonesia did not take kindly to that meeting, which it skipped along with Singapore and Malaysia.

And yet, the joint statement acknowledged that meeting, noting that a number of ASEAN member states viewed it as a positive development.

The statement went on to note, however, that efforts to solve the Myanmar crisis must support the five-point consensus and efforts by ASEAN chair Indonesia.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai defended the meeting, saying it was in line with an earlier ASEAN document that called for exploring other approaches for resolving the crisis.

In another shocker for the rest of ASEAN, and indeed, everyone else, the Thai foreign minister announced on Wednesday that he had met secretly over the weekend with Myanmars imprisoned civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The Thai foreign ministry said that she and the junta had approved the meeting with Don.

And not everyone is on board with the five-point consensus either, although they present a unified front, reports say.

The previous foreign minister of Malaysia, Saifuddin Abdullah, was an exception. He had said last July that it was time to junk the peace plan and devise a new one on a deadline that included enforcement mechanisms.

ASEAN operates by consensus, which means any action it takes has to be approved by every member state. Divisions within the bloc have meant that not every member has approved of tougher action against Myanmar.

Therefore, other than shutting out the Burmese junta from all high-level ASEAN meetings for reneging on the consensus, little else has happened since February 2021.

Hunter Marston, a Southeast Asia researcher at the Australian National University, said the ASEAN top diplomats joint statement was largely in line with his expectations.

He would have liked to see ASEAN invite the NUG as a way of imposing costs on the junta, but that wont receive consensus, Marston told BenarNews, referring to the National Unity Government, which is the shadow civilian administration.

He would have also liked to see see a clearer acknowledgement of ASEANs frustration with the military junta.

And the statement still left room for Thailands rogue  diplomacy, Marston said.

Another analyst, Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta, said he had expected a little better from the joint statement.

[N]ow I only hope that ASEAN does not accept back the junta without accountability, he told BenarNews.
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FILE - Heavy machinery is used to cut trees to widen an existing Central Maine Power power line corridor to make way for new utility poles, April 26, 2021, near Bingham, Maine. Developers of a project aimed at bringing hydropower from Canada to the New England power grid are trying to sort out how cost increases that occurred during lengthy litigation will be shared.
GREAT BARRINGTON  An international torch relay run for peace will make stops in Great Barrington and Pittsfield on Saturday to honor several residents and hold an interfaith peace gathering.

Run schedule 1 p.m. at the Mahaiwe Cemetery in Great Barrington: Torch runners will arrive and two awards will be presented. 4 p.m. at Park Square in Pittsfield: Torch runners will arrive, hold an interfaith peace gathering and present the last award. 7 p.m. at Wahconah Park: The peace torch will arrive at the start of the Pittsfield Suns game.

At the Mahaiwe Cemetery in Great Barrington both Gwendolyn VanSant and Wray Gunn will receive awards for tending the legacy of town native W.E.B. Du Bois. Later, in Pittsfield, Madison Quinn will receive an award for her work helping children suffering with cancer through a nonprofit she started as a young teenager.

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, whose runners start at the United Nations in New York City, will also bring the peace torch to the Pittsfield Suns game at Wahconah Park on Saturday evening.

Sri Chinmoy founded the global peace relay in 1987 as a way for people to express their desire for peace. Chinmoy was an artist, athlete and poet who began holding talks about peace at the UN in 1970 until he died in 2007, according to the groups website. His peace run has stretched across 150 countries and territories with a core group of runners as well as runners from various communities where the torch relay travels.

The torch over the years has been held by 7 million people, including luminaries like Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis  a spokesperson for the peace run.

The whole point is to foster oneness and peace, said Tilvila Hurwit, the peace runs Massachusetts co-coordinator. Were not raising money  its not political. Its just from the heart to the heart.

Hurwit explained that runners will relay with the torch from the UN and work their way into Connecticut up Route 7. Theyll run into the Berkshires, then up through Vermont and into Canada before heading west to Chicago.

VanSant and Gunn were chosen to receive the Torch-Bearer Award in honor of Du Bois, Hurwit said, since they are devoting their lives and work to Du Bois legacy of racial justice and international peace. VanSant is the CEO of nonprofit Multicultural BRIDGE as well as co-chair of Great Barringtons W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Committee. Gunn is Board Chair of the Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy.

Randy Weinstein, VanSants co-chair on the Du Bois committee and founder of the former Great Barrington Du Bois Center  which holds a large collection of Du Bois historical papers and books  declined to accept an award, Tilvila told The Eagle.

Quinn, who will be offered an award at Park Square later in the day, started Strong Little Souls when she was 11. The nonprofit provides care packages, financial and emotional support to children suffering from cancer, as well as their families.

It wont be the first award for Quinn, who just graduated from nursing school. She received a Difference Maker Award from the New England Patriots in 2020, as well as a 40 Under Forty award in 2018 from 1Berkshire, The Berkshire Eagle and the Berkshire Community College Foundation, which created a category for her called, rising star.
The branches are located at 734 Williams St. in Pittsfield the and 30 East Road in Otis, which is the only bank in that town.
An explosion erupts from an apartment building after a Russian army tank fired on it March 11, 2022, in Mariupol, Ukraine. The image is part of the documentary "20 Days in Mariupol," a joint project between The Associated Press and PBS "Frontline" directed by Mstyslav Chernov.
Extending high-quality testing services to patients with latest & innovative diagnostic technologies

Metropolis Healthcare has announced the launch of an advanced diagnostic testing centre in Kunnamkulam, a prominent business town in Keralas Thrissur district. This new cutting-edge diagnostic testing laboratory can process up to 200 samples per day, ranging from basic day-to-day pathology tests to complex molecular diagnostic tests.

Surendran Chemmenkottil, Chief Executive Officer, Metropolis Healthcare Limited said, The opening of this lab in Kunnamkulam is in line with Metropolis mission to expand our reach in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns in core geographic locations where the company has strong brand recognition. Metropolis has grown its presence in Kerala over the years, with over 25 processing laboratories and more than 70 patient collection centres serving a network of hospitals and doctors throughout the state. With the opening of the new processing lab, we hope to provide high-quality diagnostic testing services and reliable reports to clinicians and patients in Kunnamkulam and nearby areas in a timely manner.

Metropolis Laboratories have earned numerous quality accreditations, both in India and internationally. The company has developed the Indian Reference Range for an extensive test menu, which is now being used by thousands of laboratories across the country.
The Competition Commission and Unilever South Africa have reached an agreement that settles a possible market division case against Unilever. The settlement agreement was filed with the Competition Tribunal on Wednesday, 12 July 2023 for confirmation.

Image source: Marcin Marczak  123RF.com

In 2017, the Commission referred a case against Unilever and Sime Darby Hudson Knight (Sime Darby) for prosecution for possible division of markets between 2004 and 2013. The Commissions investigation found that the two companies entered into a sale of business agreement, which contained a non-compete clause, which restricted each of them to produce and supply certain pack sizes of margarine and edible oils in possible contravention of section 4(1)(b)(ii) of the Competition Act No. 89 of 1998 (as amended). Sime Darby settled the matter with the Commission in July 2016.

In terms of the settlement agreement, Unilever has agreed to pay an administrative penalty in the amount of R16m without an admission of liability.

As part of the settlement agreement, Unilever has agreed to a range of initiatives including that it will increase the aggregate annual value of its procurement of products and services from local entities by a minimum of R340m for over a period of four years. Additionally, the consumer goods company has agreed to donate hygiene, disinfectant, and oral care products to the value of R3m to no fewer than 18,780 public schools over a period of five years.

Furthermore, Unilever will establish an enterprise and supplier development fund to the value of R40m. This fund will provide interest-free business loans to qualifying black-owned entities in the manufacturing, logistics, and wholesale industries in South Africa that meet Unilevers credit and selection criteria. This includes black-owned manufacturing companies requiring start-up funds to enter the logistics, wholesale, and distribution industries.

With agreements like the one with Unilever, the Commission preserves the spirit of healthy competition, protects the rights of consumers, and paves the way for a thriving marketplace built on integrity and shared prosperity, said Commissioner Doris Tshepe.

The Commission has filed the settlement agreement with the Tribunal, and it is subject to confirmation by the Tribunal.
Always, a brand of Procter & Gamble, is proud of the launch of its revolutionary campaign, 'Always: Ending Period Poverty (EPP)', in support of Menstrual Hygiene Day's 2023 theme: 'Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030'. The official event was held on 26 May 2023, at Thutolore Secondary School in Gauteng, with the primary goal of promoting menstrual hygiene awareness and breaking down the barriers to education caused by period poverty.

"Every girl deserves to go to school without fear of missing classes because of her period. With the Ending Period Poverty campaign, Always is making sure that girls have access to the menstrual hygiene products and education they need to succeed," says Bontle Modiselle, lead influencer and choreographer for the Always #BloodSisterCampaign.

Through the EPP campaign, Always aims to empower young girls by transforming the value of a sanitary pad from mere protection to a symbol of a step closer to education and a fulfilling life.

Alicia Eggington, vice president and general manager for South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, expressed her excitement about the campaign, saying: "Our objective is to encourage individuals to walk alongside South African girls, one sanitary pad at a time. A sanitary pad signifies progress towards education and a brighter future."

To amplify the campaign, Always has launched the #BloodSisters social media hashtag and urges everyone to participate in the cause. The EPP campaign seeks to foster a sense of sisterhood and motivate people to donate sanitary pads that will be distributed to underprivileged girls in South African high schools.

The Always' #EndingPeriodPoverty campaign will feature several notable guests, a session with the Keeping Girls in School Brand Nurse, and a thrilling dance routine led by the Always brand ambassador, Bontle Modiselle, to the new Always Sisters song.

The Always EPP campaign supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aims to ensure that all girls have access to quality menstrual hygiene products and education. P&G is committed to promoting menstrual hygiene and breaking down the taboos surrounding menstruation.

The accurate dissemination of information on menstruation and menstrual hygiene is critical in eradicating stigmas and taboos surrounding the topic. Education fosters a healthy attitude towards menstruation, enabling girls and women to manage their periods with confidence and dignity.

The Always Keeping Girls in School programme addresses the issue of girls missing school due to their periods. The programme focuses on three key areas: access to menstrual products, menstrual health and hygiene education, and challenging stigma, shame, and self confidence surrounding menstruation. To date, Always has donated over 50 million pads to more than 1,000,000 girls across Africa, and the brand is determined to do more in the future.

Visit Always P&G's website or follow the #BloodSisters hashtag on social media to learn more about the Always EPP campaign and how you can support the cause. Let us collaborate to end period poverty and ensure that no one is left behind because of menstruation by 2030.

About P&G

Procter & Gamble is one of the world's leading consumer goods companies, with a presence in over 180 countries. The company's mission is to be a force for good in the world, and it is committed to sustainability, equality, and innovation.




The textile industry has become one of the most socially and environmentally harmful industries in the world. Addressing these concerns starts by fostering the exchange of ideas and inspiring sustainable approaches to material production.

Frances van Hasselt is a speaker. Source: Supplied.

Taking place on 17 August at the V&A Waterfront, in Cape Town, the third edition of Africa Textile Talks, hosted by Twyg and Imiloa Collective, promises a full day of connecting and learning about sustainability and circularity in textile, fashion, and design systems from across the continent.

Inspire new practices

The first-of-its-kind annual event aims to celebrate and support a growing African textile ecosystem that acts with care for people and the planet.

This year, the focus of Africa Textile Talks is to inspire new practices which are rooted in the past, informed by the present, and look to the future.

Guided by MC Thobile Chittenden, CEO of Makers Valley and network co-lead of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance the day will be filled with insightful talks, presentations, exhibits, and demonstrations that will bring together sustainable growers, makers, designers, creatives, industry experts, retailers, and innovators.

Speakers

Speakers include representatives of the groundbreaking Ghanian organisation The OR Foundation, Kenyan creative director and textile designer Sunny Dolat, also from Kenya are H&M Foundation 2023 Global Change Award finalists Rethread Africa, from Nigeria, Muktar Dodo will be presenting the Global Organic Textile Standard.

Design guru, Bielle Bellingham will engage with textile artists and designers Frances van Hasselt, Tinyiko Makwakwa and Lezanne Viviers about their innovative use of natural dyes and natural fibres. Looking at the future of sustainable and circular textiles, we will be in discussion with Krelyne Andrew from Sappi, Deon Saayman from Cape Wools SA, and Carolina Li from DDI about the developments of the African textile industry.

Sponsored by the Global Organic Textiles Standard, Sappi, Cape Wools, H&M, V&A Waterfront, Goethe Institut, and British Council, the 2023 edition of Africa Textile Talks will uncover how textiles are more than just the materials that adorn our lives, but rather a lens to better understand history, culture, social and environmental issues, and the way the world works.
A groundbreaking universal access movement launched by Cape Town Tourism, aims to foster inclusivity, providing equal opportunities and access to Cape Town's tourism for all individuals, irrespective of their abilities.

Source: Supplied.

The movement introduces city-wide braille touch-points and SAs first-ever qualified blind tour guide to create a tourism environment that allows anyone to embark on unforgettable and exhilarating adventures across the Mother City, without facing barriers or discrimination.

Enver Duminy, chief executive officer of Cape Town Tourism, says the movement reflects Cape Town Tourisms commitment to providing accessible and welcoming experiences and inspiring people to explore new horizons, break barriers, and create unforgettable memories.

We are here to ignite an evolution of universal access. Leading up to Mandela Day this serves as a reminder of Madibas legacy of committed peace, social justice, and most importantly, equality by shattering barriers, unveiling opportunities, and empowering every visitor.

Thats why our goal with this movement is to drive limitless possibilities for everyone, no matter their abilities, transforming Cape Town into an accessible destination for all, says Duminy.

Accessible tourism is about making it easy for everyone to enjoy tourism experiences, says Alderman James Vos, mayoral committee member for economic growth at the City of Cape Town.

As we launch this exciting and inspiring movement that will pave the way for universal accessible tourism in Cape Town, we are showing that we care and co-operate to make our city a destination that puts the needs of people first to ensure that our products and places are accessible when it comes to functionality and features, adds Vos.

Cape Town Tourism installed braille touch-points on street art murals in Salt River and Cape Towns iconic yellow frames at tourist attractions across the city, as the first phase of the project.

The destination marketing and management organisation (DMO) has also incorporated QR codes that lead to audio content, describing the views and art murals by voice, so all visitors can enjoy the experience.

The locations of the iconic yellow frames include:

V&A Waterfront

Signal Hill

Blouberg  Eden on the Bay

District Six

Silo District

Wahida Parker, chairperson of the Cape Town Tourism Board and the managing director of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway adds, Our new yellow-frame braillie touch-points ensure visually impaired guests enjoy every aspect of the Mother City experience. They capture every detail of the scenery through that specific frame, and the awe-inspiring sight of the magnificent flat-topped Table Mountain.

Cape Town Tourism plans to develop social media content with audio options, create maps profiling accessible routes, conduct sensitivity and awareness-training workshops, and introduce audio maps of accessible Cape Town routes.

Were also looking at developing more enhanced audio guides by means of QR codes for menus in restaurants, artwork in hotels and guesthouses.

Were also committed to supporting children with disabilities as our future leaders in tourism activities and programmes, and we challenge all DMOs and industry associations in Africa to also commit to promoting universal access, says Duminy.

An embodiment of the campaigns vision

One of the most remarkable embodiments of the campaigns vision is the story of Winston Fani, a 35-year-old South African who didnt allow his glaucoma-related blindness to stand in the way of his passion for tourism.

Earlier this year, after hearing his story, Cape Town Tourism sponsored Fanis tuition to obtain his tourism qualification and become South Africas first-ever qualified blind-tour guide.

Fani offered guests a unique interactive street art tour in Salt River, showcasing the impressive murals, the artists behind them, and the narratives they represent.

Fani uses an unprecedented technique of counting steps and lampposts to arrive at the appropriate artwork, combining this with his eloquent descriptions of the works and their creators to inspire guests.In addition to these exceptional abilities, he complements the tour with a personal perspective on life as a visually impaired person, demonstrating how features in the environment, such as tactile paving, can be used as guides for visually impaired individuals.

Fani adds, I had a dream to prove to the world that being blind shouldnt be an obstacle. I didnt let my blindness prevent me from realising my vision of becoming a tourist guide and thanks to the immense support of my family and Cape Town Tourism, that dream has turned into a reality.

Parker says, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is committed to supporting the Limitless Cape Town movement vision of promoting universal access, from the citys vibrant streets to the iconic peak of Table Mountain.

"Cape Town Tourism together with Table Mountain can ensure every corner of our breathtaking land is accessible to everyone. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, the true measure of any society lies in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Our movement seeks to embody this wisdom, creating a Cape Town where everyone, regardless of their abilities, feels valued, catered for, and above all, welcomed.
South Africa's top court on Thursday rejected an attempt to overturn a previous decision that found former president Jacob Zuma should go back to jail after being released early on medical parole.

File photo: Former South African President Jacob Zuma arrives at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 20 March 2023. Reuters/Rogan Ward/File Photo

The Constitutional Court ruling could send Zuma back to prison, two years after his initial arrest sparked widespread protests that saw at least 337 people killed.

The Department of Correctional Services said in a statement that it was studying the judgment and seeking legal advice before commenting. A spokesperson for Zuma declined to comment directly on the ruling and referred any questions to the department, noting that prison officials had sought the review.

Zuma, 81, was sentenced in 2021 to 15 months imprisonment for defying a court order to give evidence at an inquiry investigating high-level corruption during his nine years in office, which ended in 2018.

He handed himself over to authorities in July 2021, but two months later was released on medical parole due to his ill health.

Last year, the Supreme Court of Appeals found that the decision to release Zuma on early medical parole was "unlawful" and that he should return to prison to finish his sentence for contempt of court.

That ruling was challenged by the National Commissioner of Correctional Services, but the Constitutional Court on Thursday found that the challenge had "no reasonable prospects of success" and should be dismissed.
Meet Samori Gambrah, the global brand director for Captain Morgan, he speaks to us about plans to launch their new pan-African campaign that features actors from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.

Samori Gambrah is the global brand director for Captain Morgan. Source: Supplied.

Can you tell us about your journey in the beverage industry, starting with SABMiller and then moving to ABInBev and Diageo?

I started my career with SABMiller, then to ABInBev in various senior commercial and marketing roles across Africa including regional brand director, Carling Black Label winning a Cannes Lions Grand Prix for the #NoExcuse campaign.

I joined Diageo in 2018 as marketing & innovation director in Ghana, supporting the business to take a significant market leadership position. In 2021 I was seconded to Johnnie Walker, as global marketing director leading the communications and culture team to deliver the next chapter of the globally celebrated Keep Walking campaign.

After that, I moved to London and into my current role as the global brand director for Captain Morgan, one of Diageos global giants which is produced in 16 markets and enjoyed in more than 100 countries around the world.

With your experience working across different African countries, how do you tailor marketing strategies to suit specific cultural nuances and preferences?

We happen to be in the process of planning a pan-African campaign that is set to launch in several markets including South Africa very shortly and its essential that the creative connects with consumers in every market. To achieve this weve been guided by cultural insight and involved people who understand this deeply from the beginning.

We worked with an African creative at our advertising agency, a production company based in South Africa, and hired actors from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The music was chosen because of its international appeal across Africa and beyond, and we have created two versions of the campaign voiced by local talent that resonates in different markets. I cant wait to get the campaign launched!

The alcoholic beverage industry also faces challenges related to responsible drinking and societal concerns. How does Captain Morgan approach these issues, and what marketing initiatives do you have in place to promote responsible consumption?

Promoting positive drinking is a core brand value for Captain Morgan. In March, we launched our biggest ever responsible drinking campaign called Enjoy Slow which called on people around the world to moderate their drinking.

The campaign featured acclaimed musician, Bree Runway, and her smooth, slow jam remix of Coronas iconic, The Rhythm Of The Night, making the point that good things can be slowed down and just as fun. Research shows us that people feel more confident to drink moderately after watching the ad, and the campaign has reached millions of people in South Africa.

In your role as global marketing director for Johnnie Walker, leading the Keep Walking campaign reboot, what were the main challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Johnnie Walker has successfully stood for Keep Walking over many years, inspiring personal progress. This message was just as relevant now as historically  but our challenge in a post Covid-19 world was how we could evolve this ethos to be more reflective of fast-changing world. We successfully evolved Keep Walking to inspire collective progress and engage deeper into culture driving greater relevance for Johnnie Walker across our many markets.

The beverage industry is highly competitive, with various brands vying for the attention of consumers. How do you differentiate Captain Morgan from its competitors and create a unique brand identity?

Captain Morgan is a brand that has never stood still, it is constantly evolving with new consumer insight led innovations, like our partnership with Vita-Coco in North America, and culture led campaigns such as our recent Enjoy Slow campaign with Bree Runway that ran in South Africa. What has remained our constant north star is the delicious spice of our liquid; with notes of vanilla and brown sugar and the attitude of fun we bring to our marketing.

How do you ensure that Captain Morgan attracts and retains top talent to drive its marketing and brand initiatives forward?

Diageo is an incredible company to work for and grow your career within. The business has a culture thats warm, innovative and puts a huge focus on ensuring everyone has freedom to succeed. We are a leader in inclusion and diversity and our purpose is celebrate life every day, everywhere.

Im lucky to work with an immensely talented and passionate Captain Morgan team  and as a leader focus on ensuring were building a high performing, supportive team where everyone has the scope to bring their best work and achieve their goals.

In your view, what role does storytelling play in building a brand's identity and connecting with consumers? How do you incorporate storytelling into Captain Morgan's marketing strategy?

Storytelling is an integral part of building a brands identity and over time creates a unique tone of voice, it also engages consumers, bringing them into the brand world in an immersive way.

We have recently launched a global campaign for Captain Morgan called Spice On and like any story worth its salt, we wanted it to be relatable and come from an authentic starting point, so we went back to the brands roots  spice. Spice is what makes Captain Morgan so delicious, and spice is what makes each of us unique, that you do you attitude of being authentically and unashamedly yourself. This is has become the foundation of storytelling for the brand and provides us with the creative foundations to tell the layered stories that bring Captain Morgan to life.

As a marketing leader, how do you ensure that your team remains motivated and aligned with the brand's vision and goals?

Dont overthink strategy, keep it simple. Then, over invest time and resource in establishing an empowering team culture that enables everyone to unlock bold creativity that will drive brand love with our consumers and deliver on the performance ambition. Thats the job, and make sure youre having fun doing it too.

Looking ahead, what are your long-term visions and aspirations for the Captain Morgan brand?

My job is to ensure that Captain Morgan thrives as a brand for generations to come  continuing to be a recruiter for Diageos portfolio and growing in markets around the world. We have committed to putting responsible drinking at the heart of Captain Morgan, so I would like the brand to be known for contributing to making moderation a cultural norm.
In-car interfaces like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have become essential tools for commuters who want to have access to their smartphones. Google released Android Auto 10.0 update to the public - Android users with Google Services can update the app via the Play Store - which brings thevisual update for the Google Assistant.

Android Auto. Source: Supplied

The glow Assistant interaction animation was first launched as a Pixel (Googles own line of Android smartphones) exclusive on the Google Pixel 4 in 2015 before making its way to most Android phones in later operating system updates.

Glow interface

Android Auto was released to the public in 2015 in response to Apple releasing CarPlay with iOS 7.1 in the year before, although the function was announced to developers at I/O in 2014.

Google Assistant made its way to the platform in 2018 as a way for Android users to more easily make phone calls and trigger other functions by using just their voice.

Android Auto was available as a standalone Android phone app until Google removed support for it from phones in 2022, opting instead to fold in the media controls into a driving mode version of Google Maps.

Android Cool Walk

This was also the same year that Google released that Cool Walk Android Auto update that brought a split screen layout to in-car displays, allowing users to view information from other apps alongside maps.

Critics were quick to point out that Cool Walk was a clone of the CarPlay interface, and the new Assistant glow is also reminiscent of previous versions of Apples Siri interface looked like before taking on its more spherical form.

Google is currently leading the race to own the in-car display with car manufacturers like Volvo opting to build the infotainment system on Google Automotive Services (GAS). Apple has since responded with a reimagining of CarPlay as a similar native infotainment platform where users can download and use apps directly on the car display, eliminating the need for a connected phone.

The new CarPlay is scheduled for release later in 2023.

Mobile network operators have been slow to support the eSim built into newer models like the GAS-equipped Volvo XC40 Recharge, but the time is coming where car owners will have need to purchase a data plan for their vehicles.
While small businesses may very well be the unsung heroes of the South African economy, their contribution to national development is unmistakable. Creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship is therefore not only good for business but it is also necessary to build a more equitable and prosperous economy.

Ben Bierman

Lets explore some of the most significant contributions that small businesses make to the state of the nation and why the country needs them:

The cornerstones of SAs economy

The most talked-about benefit of small businesses is their contribution to the GDP. A recent report published by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that small businesses contribute up to 34% of the total GDP. Often referred to as the engines of South Africas economy, small businesses provide much-needed economic stimulus. A factor that experts predict will become more prevalent over the next decade.

Small businesses and job creation

South African small businesses employ an estimated 50% to 60% of the workforce. In light of the countrys record-high unemployment rate, it is evident that small businesses play a crucial role in job creation. By providing millions of South Africans with the means to support their families, small businesses therefore also contribute to the alleviation of poverty.

Community building and service delivery

Consider the archetype of a friendly butcher, the spaza shop on the corner, the local hairdresser, or the tutoring business next door. These stories build and cultivate communities. Locally owned, small-scale businesses are milestones on the countrys socio economic landscape, providing much-needed services and keeping consumer spend within local towns and cities. They are therefore also engines of social cohesion, bringing people together, building support networks and bridging the gap between businesses and consumers.

Financial inclusion  a national imperative

In a country where inequality is one of the worst in the world, there has been a growing call for financial inclusion in recent years. This has been driven by industry leaders, private sector players and civil society who have highlighted the ardent need to build an equitable society. Entrepreneurship has the ability to bring more South Africans into the fold of economically active citizens, broadening tax the base, promoting skills development and securing the financial futures of more people.

Diversity in the business world

Entrepreneurship can open up windows of opportunity for disadvantaged groups, minorities and historically underserved members of society. In South Africa, particularly in the township economy, more women are stepping up to the challenge of owning their own businesses. According to Professor Meyer from the University of Johannesburg: Women are considered a reservoir of entrepreneurial talent. This is just one example of how the small business sector can support the growth of a more diverse business environment.

Employee wellness and job satisfaction

Several global reports suggest that employees in smaller teams are often happier than their counterparts in large corporates. Small businesses are in a better position to offer employees attractive benefits such as remote working, flexible schedules and performance incentives. Employees in small businesses typically also enjoy more individual attention from managers and other business leaders, which in turn fosters workplace cultures that are more tailored to individuals needs rather than the needs of the masses.

Incubators of innovation

Small businesses, due to their agility and creative approach to problem-solving, are drivers of innovation. In examples such as SweepSouth and Yebo Fresh, we see prime examples of how small businesses exist at the forefront of innovation in South Africa. Together, these kinds of start-ups play a vital role in helping South Africa maintain its competitive edge in the global innovation economy.

South African  and proud to be

The Proudly South African campaign, established in 2001, has made great strides in promoting local talent and showcasing the countrys abilities to produce world-class products and services. The ingenuity arising out of South Africa in sectors such as fashion, interior design, mobile technology and food production is testament to the remarkable abilities of local artisans and businesspeople. Campaigns such as these, which encourage South African to support the growth of the local small and medium enterprise sector are important symbols of national pride.




Schneider Electric recently signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Source: Supplied

Devan Pillay, cluster president of Anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric, signed the respective MoUs with Dr Aldo Stroebel, executive director: strategic partnerships, National Research Foundation and Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, vice-chancellor and principal, University of Johannesburg.

Our cooperation with the NRF and UJ aims to strengthen Schneider Electrics efforts to provide critical access to research, innovation and education in the fields of energy and automation. We look forward to working with two of the countrys pillars in research and education, which will take us one step closer to our objective of one million people trained globally by 2025, said Pillay.

The MoUs also aim to strengthen ongoing research and innovation in the field of energy.
Former Ukrainian government official and diplomat Andrii Telizhenko joins Aaron Mate to discuss how, in his view, powerful US figures including Joe Biden have used Ukraine for personal corruption and the geopolitical aim of bleeding Russia -- all to the detriment of Ukrainians.

Telizhenko worked for the Ukrainian prosecutor generals office in Kyiv before moving to Ukraine's US Embassy in 2015. He went on to work for Blue Star Strategies, a Democrat-run lobbying firm that represented Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company that appointed Bidens son Hunter to a lucrative board seat.

Telizhenko, who cooperated with Rudy Giuliani's effort to dig up information about the Bidens' alleged corruption in Ukraine, has been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for "having directly or indirectly engaged in, sponsored, concealed, or otherwise been complicit in foreign influence in a United States election." He addresses that allegation, and much more, in this interview.

Guest: Andrii Telizhenko. Political consultant who was previously a Ukrainian government official and diplomat.

Video:

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ISRO Chairman S. Somnath speaks with the media after offering prayers at a temple ahead of ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission, in Tirupati, Thursday, July 13, 2023. A PTI Photo

SRIHARIKOTA, AP (PTI): As the clock ticks for ISRO's high-profile launch of the year, the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, all eyes are on the country's space agency whose scientists are keen to taste success with a soft landing on lunar surface and put the country in an elite club of nations that have accomplished the challenging task.



'Fat boy' LVM3-M4 rocket will carry Chandrayaan-3 today as part of the country's ambitious moon mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation will be launching the hugely anticipated mission from this spaceport at 2.35 pm on today. The soft landing on moon's surface is planned for late August.



Chandrayaan-2 failed to achieve the desired soft landing on the moon surface in 2019, leaving the ISRO team dejected. Images of an emotional then ISRO chief K Sivan being consoled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was present to achieve the rare feat, remains vivid in the memory of many.



Scientists at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, after investing many hours of hard work, now aim at mastering the technology of soft-landing on the surface of the moon. A success would make India only the fourth country to achieve the feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.



Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission ready for take off in the fourth operational mission (M4) of LVM3 launcher. ISRO is crossing new frontiers by demonstrating soft-landing on the lunar surface by its lunar module and demonstrating roving on the lunar terrain, the space agency said.



The 25.30 hour countdown for the launch is underway.



The mission is expected to be supportive to future interplanetary missions.



Chandrayaan-3 mission consists of an indigenous propulsion module, lander module and a rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions.



The largest and heaviest LVM3 rocket (formerly GSLV MkIII), fondly called as 'fat boy' by ISRO scientists for its heavy lift capability, has completed six consecutive successful missions.



Today's mission is the fourth operational flight of LVM3 which aims to launch the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into a Geo Transfer Orbit.



The launch window has been fixed for July, similar to that of Chandrayaan-2 mission (July 22, 2019) because the earth and moon would be closer to each other during this period of the year.



Today's mission follows Chandrayaan-2 where scientists aim to demonstrate various capabilities including reaching the orbit of the moon, making a soft-landing on the lunar surface using a lander, and a rover coming out of the lander to study the surface of the moon.



According to scientists, around 16 minutes after lift-off, propulsion module is expected to get separated from the rocket and would orbit the earth for about 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle with 170 km closest and 36,500 km farthest from earth moving towards the lunar orbit.



The propulsion module along with the lander, after gaining speed would proceed for an over a month long journey towards reaching the orbit of the moon until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface.



After reaching the desired position, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the south pole region of the moon and this action is expected to take place on August 23 or 24, scientists at ISRO said.



The moon's south pole region has been chosen because the Lunar South Pole remains much larger than that at the North pole. There could be a possibility of presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it.



The significance about Chandrayaan-3 mission, unlike its unsuccessful predecessor, is that the Propulsion Module has a payload -- SHAPE -- Spectro- polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth to study earth from lunar orbit.



ISRO said the SHAPE is an experimental payload to study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of the Earth in the near-infrared wavelength range.



Apart from the SHAPE payload, the Propulsion Module's main function is to carry the Lander Module from launch vehicle injection orbit to till lander separation.



The lander module after landing on the surface of the moon has payloads including RAMBHA-LP which is to measure the near surface plasma ions and electrons density and its changes, ChaSTE Chandra's Surface Thermo Physical Experiment -- to carry out the measurements of thermal properties of lunar surface near polar region and ILSA (Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity) to measure seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.



The Rover, after the soft-landing, would come out of the lander module and study the surface of the moon through its payloads APXS - Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer - to derive the chemical composition and infer mineralogical composition to further enhance understanding of lunar surface.



The Rover, which has a mission life of 1 lunar day (14 Earth days) also has another payload Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) to determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site, ISRO said.




INS Chennai arrives in France to participate in Bastille Day celebrations. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer INS Chennai is in France to participate in the Bastille Day celebrations, officials have said.

An Indian military contingent comprising all three services will participate in the Bastille Day celebrations in France on July 14 where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the guest of honour.



"Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer INS Chennai is in Brest, France, to participate in the Bastille Day celebrations at Brest," a senior official said.



Prime Minister Modi arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day visit.



In his departure statement, Modi said his visit to France was particularly special as he will join President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day, or Bastille Day celebrations in Paris as the Guest of Honour.



He expressed confidence that his visit to France will provide a new impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership and said that he looks forward to holding wide-ranging discussions with President Emmanuel Macron on taking forward the time-tested relationship over the next 25 years.



An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while an Indian Air Force aircraft will perform a fly-past on the occasion, he said.






Deutsche Wohnen and Co. Enteignen was started in 2018 by housing rights groups and activists in Berlin

On July 5, a Berlin housing rights coalition, Deutsche Wohnen and Co. Enteignen (Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen and Co. Initiative), urged the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) government to honor the mandate of the 2021 Berlin referendum and introduce legislation to socialize the properties of corporate realtors, to address Berlins housing crisis.





The earlier Red-Red-Green coalition government in Berlin led by the SPD, Die Linke, and the Greens had enacted a rent cap law that envisaged rent freezes at the June 2019 level for 90 percent of Berlins apartments for five years. The law was opposed by the CDU and the Free Democratic Party and was challenged in Germanys constitutional court. In 2021, the court struck down the Berlin rent cap law, courting widespread protests from tenants and housing rights groups in the city.





Protesters from the referendum initiative Deutsche Wohnen & Co. expropriate gather in front of the Bundestag, displaying their activism [Photo Credit: Frankfurter Allgemeine]





On September 26, 2021, alongside the federal and Berlin State elections, citizens of Berlin city took part in a referendum that saw 59.1 percent of votes in favor of expropriating the property of realtors that owned 3,000 or more residential units. However, in November 2022, the German Constitutional Court annulled the 2021 Berlin State elections after taking note of various irregularities, complaints, and failures.





Deutsche Wohnen and Co. Enteignen was started in 2018 by housing rights groups and activists in Berlin. The movement called for the expropriation of the properties of 12 private real estate companies with 3,000 or more units in the city.





Credit Line: from the Peoples Dispatch / Globetrotter News Service
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ITV has announced that members of the public will be able to visit the Emmerdale village set for guided tours this summer.

During the 90-minute long tour, visitors will see exterior sets of The Woolpack, Cafe Mainstreet and Davids Shop and get to take photos with a surprise member of the Emmerdale cast.

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There is also the chance to embark on the Coronation Street Experience, which offers fans access to replica sets, historic props and costumes from the long-running ITV soap.

First person to guess what our friendly tour guide is saying, gets a free drink on our next tour  pic.twitter.com/9lPP0YUyzP  The Emmerdale Village Tour (@EmmerdaleTour) August 20, 2022 Advertisement

Talking about the summer tours, Neil Curry, guest experience manager from Continuum Attractions said: Our guests tell us they want to get as close to the shows as possible, they also say that meeting the cast is one of their all time bucket list wishes, so we thought wed turn the summer into a soap meet and greet spectacular!

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Its genuinely the best fun to see the surprise and excitement when our visitors come face to face with one of their favourite cast members on the actual set where they work.

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James Penfold, ITVs controller commercial, brand licensing added: Were really excited to say that some of the biggest names on our shows will be waiting to say hi to those lucky enough to get these tickets.

We have a one track mind when it comes to the official Emmerdale tour  pic.twitter.com/K53ai5Lgku  The Emmerdale Village Tour (@EmmerdaleTour) August 19, 2022 Advertisement

These are once in a lifetime moments for so many people, a lot who have travelled from the other side of the world to visit us.

Its definitely going to be a summer to remember.

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British soap Emmerdale is set in Yorkshire and filming takes place at Harewood House Estate, which is owned by The Earl and Countess of Harewood.

The village set sits close to Leeds and the interior scenes are usually shot at Leeds Studios.

Tickets are now on sale and the Coronation Street tours will run every weekend from July 22nd up until September 3rd, while the Emmerdale tours will run from July 29th.
Xinjiang's installed new energy capacity exceeds 50 mln kilowatts

Xinhua) 15:07, July 14, 2023

URUMQI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The total installed capacity of new energy in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reached 50.26 million kilowatts after a 500,000-kilowatt photovoltaic project was connected to the grid on Thursday.

The region's installed capacity of new energy accounts for 41 percent of its total installed capacity, said the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd.

The company said that, in the first half of this year, investment in Xinjiang's new energy power supply and supporting power grids reached over 36.36 billion yuan (about 5.08 billion U.S. dollars). It boosted the region's economic growth by approximately 1.85 percentage points and created around 2,700 new jobs.

So far, the 750-kV power grid has covered 14 prefecture-level cities in Xinjiang, providing strong support for the consumption of new energy electricity, which has also been transmitted to eastern Chinese cities.

Rich in wind and solar power resources, Xinjiang is one of the leading regions in the country in terms of new energy development.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The political persecution of Pedro Castillo continues in Peru. On Thursday, July 6, the Prosecutors Office requested the seizure of real estate properties and other personal assets of former left-wing President Castillo and his former Prime Minister Anibal Torres.





Prosecutor Daniel Soria made the request to the Preparatory Investigation Court of the Supreme Court of Justice in the case lodged against Castillo after the latter attempted to dissolve the right-wing dominated Congress and rule by decree in December 2022 in the face of a coordinated attack by the conservative sectors of the country.





Former President Pedro Castillo in Lima [ Photo Credit: Ernesto Benavides/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images/ New York Times]





The Prosecutors Office had charged Castillo and Torres with the alleged crime of rebellion and conspiracy against the state in the case. It asked for confiscation of their properties as a civil claim for compensation.





According to the document, the Prosecutors Office had demanded the expropriation of Castillos three properties in the rural district of Anguia in the department of Cajamarca, as well as a family house in the Tacabamba district, Cajamarca.





Castillo, who was removed from office in a legislative coup and subsequently arrested on December 7, 2022, is currently imprisoned in the Barbadillo prison, located in the capital Lima. He is serving 18 months in preventative detention while the investigation is underway for alleged crimes of rebellion and conspiracy, abuse of authority, and public disturbance for attempting to dissolve the Congress and rule by decree, and another 18 months for alleged crimes of criminal organization, aggravated influence peddling, and collusion in cases related to public works contracts.





Credit Line: from the Peoples Dispatch / Globetrotter News Service
A charity that has been helping Ukrainian refugees in Ireland has secured a temporary High Court injunction against its former chief executive officer who is alleged to have unlawfully seized control of its offices.

The injunction was made in favour of Together-Razem Centre Company Limited by Guarantee against Mr Wojciech Bialek, who is alleged to have resigned earlier this year.

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The Cork-based charity is funded by the HSE and has for many years provided support services to immigrants living in Ireland.

It claims that Mr Bialek stood down from the role he has held since 2012 after an independent accountant, appointed by the charity's board of directors to review the charity's historical transactions and accounting practises, had sought clarification on certain matters from the defendant.

It is claimed that he resigned after he was asked to respond to questions raised by the independent accountant about certain transactions.

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The charity claims that last month the defendant and others claiming to be members of plaintiff called an Extraordinary General Meeting of the charity.

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It is claimed that the notice for this meeting, where it was proposed to remove existing directors and replace them with new directors, was invalid and was not in compliance with Company law.

However, it is claimed that the defendant and others went ahead with the meeting, and purportedly passed a resolution removing the existing directors and the company secretary, and replaced them with alternatives.

It is alleged that following that meeting on July 11th, the defendant started to identify himself in correspondence as being the charity's chairperson.

On July 12th it is claimed that the defendant attended at the charity's premises at Kilnap Buisness Park, Old Mallow Road, Blackpool in Cork and effectively seized control of the offices by changing the locks.

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The defendant and others remain in control of the offices, which contain the charity's books and records, computers systems.

The charity said that in light of the fact that the defendant was prior to his resignation being examined in respect of certain financial transactions and governance issues, it has a real concern that Mr Bialek may remove, alter or erase data and records held by it.

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The defendant and the others have no lawful entitlement to remove the board, convene an EGM, appoint new directors, reinstate himself to his former position, or remain in possession of the charity's property, it is claimed.

The charity claims gardai were called but have indicated that the dispute is a matter for the civil courts.

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The injunction application came before Mr Justice Brian O'Moore on Friday evening.

'Chaotic events'

After considering the application the judge granted the plaintiff a temporary ex-parte injunction against the defendant, the judge remarked that recent events at the charity appear to have been "chaotic".

The injunction restrains the defendant, or any other persons who are aware of the order from removing, deleting or copying any of the plaintiff's documents held at its premises.

It also restrains the defendant and others from transferring or withdrawing any funds or monies held by the plaintiff or trespassing, entering or attending at the plaintiff's property.

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The defendant is further restrained by the injunction from representing himself to any other party as being an employee, trustee, or chairperson of the plaintiff.

The order remains in place until Monday when the matter will return before the court.

Seeking the order Eoin Clifford SC for the plaintiff said that the HSE has been informed about the matter and the charity's bank account, which contains a six-figure sum has been frozen.

Counsel said that the reason cited for seeking the EGM to remove the board, was that the existing board had put the plaintiff at risk in accepting the defendant's resignation as chief exectuive without discussing the matter with him.

It was also alleged that the existing board had been negligent by allegedly failing to furnish a proper contract to the defendant prior to his resignation.

These were at best strange and unusual reasons for calling an EGM, counsel said.

The Charities Regulator has also been informed of the situation, counsel added, which has informed his client that it should take legal action to safeguard the charity's assets and records.
Ireland has been warned that it needs to make faster progress in cutting emissions after a report showed that a carbon reduction target was not met last year.

Concern has been expressed by environmental groups in response to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which show Irelands greenhouse gas emissions decreased by just 1.9 per cent in 2022.

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Ireland should be reaching a six per cent or seven per cent reduction a year from 2021 to 2025  and the shortfall means that a 12.4 per cent annual reduction is now needed for the remaining years, which has been called near impossible.

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If you look at the (12.4 per cent) reduction, that would be higher than weve achieved previously in Ireland, even during the recession, EPA director-general Laura Burke told RTE Radio.

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It also means 47 per cent of Irelands carbon budget for 2021-25 has been used in the first two years.

Minister for Transport and Environment Eamon Ryan has acknowledged the challenge Ireland faces to reduce its emissions while its economy and population grows, and admitted that it needs to make progress faster.

But Mr Ryan also said there was evidence of green shoots of progress in reducing emissions and developing public transport.

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Chairwoman of the Climate Change Advisory Council Marie Donnelly stated that Ireland was not on track to achieve its emissions targets.

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She added that the rise in emissions in the transport sector was a result of a lack of government policy.

While transport emissions dropped during Covid, they rebounded because there were not active policies in place to maintain low emissions levels.

Investment and support is needed now, to incentivise a switch to public transport and an uplift in active travel.

She added: The best-performing sector  residential buildings  is delivering benefits on the ground through the retrofitting of cold damp homes and eliminating harmful heating fuels which have high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

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The EPA found that power generation emissions decreased by 1.9% last year due to a reduction in coal, oil and peat use and more renewable energy.

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Agriculture emissions fell by 1.2 per cent, driven by reduced fertiliser use which offset the impact of an increase in livestock numbers.

Residential emissions decreased by 12.7 per cent, influenced by the impact of higher fuel prices, new regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel and milder weather.

The Poolbeg incinerator in Dublin. Photo: PA.

However, transport emissions increased by 6 per cent as the rebound to pre-pandemic levels continued.

The agency said current decarbonisation actions are being outpaced by increased energy demand across the economy and dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.

It warned that a growing economy, with high employment, will continue to produce emissions if cleaner and alternatives sources of energy are not used.

Mr Ryan said it showed important green shoots of change but admitted that we do need to see our emissions fall at an even faster rate.

The Green Party leader also said that an increase in the transport sectors emissions was expected as people resumed their commute to work and school after the pandemic.

Its also worth noting that transport emissions are 4.6% below their pre-pandemic levels in 2019, indicating an overall downward trajectory, he said.

We are going to have to make further progress, however, speeding up the switch to public transport and active travel.

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We will continue to revise our climate plans to ensure that we scale up and speed up our actions. This is going to be good for the country, is a vital necessity as we are see global temperatures meet unprecedented levels.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore called for action on emissions (PA)

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said that as Ireland needs a six per cent to 7 per cent reduction in carbon emissions annually, the overall target is now near impossible to reach.

In order to make up for previous failures to reach our targets, we now need to make an annual reduction of 12.4% to meet our carbon reduction targets for this period. That level of reduction is going to be near impossible, she said.

It is also important to note that the reductions in residential and agriculture, while welcome, are not driven by government policy.

She said that the reductions were due to lower energy usage because of high prices and a mild winter.

There are significant questions to be asked about what will happen when energy prices go back to pre-2023 rates, she said.
An Irish Coast Guard helicopter was involved in a potentially dangerous incident while flying over Northern Ireland earlier this year when it exceeded its maximum speed due to turbulence.

An investigation by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) claimed the helicopter had probably flown through mountain waves when passing the Sperrin Mountains which created the turbulence.

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The incident occurred on February 5th when the Sligo-based Sikorsky S-92A helicopter was about five miles north-east of City of Derry Airport on a search and rescue training flight to rendezvous with a lifeboat at Portrush, Co Antrim.

No injuries were reported among the four crew on board and the flight made a precautionary diversion to the City of Derry airport without further incident.

An inspection of the helicopter found some damage with the need for some components to be replaced, but it was returned to service two days later.

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However, it is believed that the damage to the helicopter, which was manufactured in 2006, may have pre-existed the actual incident.

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Although there was a forecast of moderate turbulence in the region, the AAIB report said the Irish Coast Guard helicopter encountered unexpected severe turbulence which resulted in its indicated air speed reaching 175 knots or 324km/h which triggered an airspeed warning sound.

The crew described how the Sikorsky originally pitched up momentarily before pitching down and accelerating.

The commander of the helicopter reported that all crew felt a noticeable increase in vibrations of the aircrafts frame.

The AAIB report noted the crew had reviewed the weather before the flight, and it found conditions were more than adequate for the planned route.

The report is one of the first relating to an Irish Coast Guard helicopter since an investigation into the fatal accident involving a similar model with call sign Rescue 116 which crashed off the Co Mayo coast on March 14th, 2017 with the loss of all four crew members on board.

The Irish Coast Guard has been contacted for comment.
The four-year sentence imposed on former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall for facilitating the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel was very lenient, the Court of Appeal has found in dismissing the convicted torturers bid to have his jail time reduced.

Upholding the former electrician's sentence today, the President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said that counsel on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions had commented that the imposition of such a significantly reduced sentence may in all the circumstances be considered generous.

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"We would not demur from that observation. Indeed, in our view, the sentence imposed, when viewed in the round, has to be seen as lenient - indeed, very lenient," said Mr Justice Birmingham.

Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, said the court was in no doubt that the sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court was one that fell within the available range.

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"If we had any doubts about the appropriateness of this sentence, it would be as to whether a more severe sentence ought to have been imposed. However, we will contend ourselves by saying we are entirely satisfied that the sentence cannot be regarded as unduly severe," he added.

Moving to appeal his sentence last month, Dowdall's barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, told the Court of Appeal that his client had been "duped" and put in the "firing line" for the Regency Hotel attack.

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Lawyers for Dowdall also argued that he may not have faced any trial at all if he'd been allowed to bring an application to dismiss the charges against him, but was denied that chance by a legal "quirk" after being charged before the non-jury Special Criminal Court rather than the District Court.

Room 2104 in the Regency Hotel was booked in the name of Jonathan's father Patrick Dowdall on February 4th, 2016, one day before Mr Byrne's murder. Jonathan Dowdall, the sentencing court heard, had driven his father to the hotel on the evening before the attack and a phone associated with him used a mast at the hotel.

52-day trial

During the 52-day trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who was acquitted of the murder of Mr Byrne at the Regency Hotel and walked from court a free man.

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Dowdall said he and his father drove to the hotel and his father went inside, gave his name and paid for the room.

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Dowdall said he remained in his jeep in the car park of the hotel until his father came back, and the arrangement was that they would drop the key cards for the room into the home of Patsy Hutch, Gerard Hutch's older brother, on Champions Avenue in Dublin's inner city.

"I rang Patsy to say we were on the way to the house with the key, and we were told to leave them on Richmond Road. We went to Richmond Road...and Gerard came, and my father gave Gerard the cards," Dowdall claimed.

The State's case at Gerard Hutch's trial was that, after the Regency attack, Mr Hutch asked Dowdall to arrange a meeting with his provisional republican contacts to mediate or resolve the Hutch-Kinahan feud due to the threats against the accused's family and friends.

Appealing the severity of his four-year sentence for facilitating the Regency attack last month, Mr O'Higgins, for Dowdall, told the three-judge court that while the State may say the hotel room at the hotel was part of the "launching pad" for the murder of Mr Byrne, he would submit it was the "launching pad for a contrived event plan of disinformation, which was put together in a way where my client was left front and centre".

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During the investigation, gardai established the person using the room in the Regency Hotel was Kevin Murray, who had known paramilitary connections with the IRA.

Court of Appeal president Mr Justice George Birmingham said last month that when he first read the appellant's submissions, his first reaction was that Dowdall had done "extraordinarily well" and asked should he as a judge be drawing attention "to the range of options open".

The judge pointed out that there were "elements of unreality" about some of the arguments advanced in the submissions.

Serious offence

"This is a person who pleaded guilty to an offence and someone who came before the court having been convicted of a very serious offence in the past and had served a substantial sentence, could he have had any expectation of doing better than he did?" asked the judge.

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Mr Justice Birmingham went on to remark that a major issue was that the decisions taken by the appellant were going to have an effect not only on himself but also his family and that the sentencing court had been very conscious of that by making "unusual discounts and then made additional discounts".

Other grounds of appeal included that Dowdall wasn't "a time waster or a tyre kicker", was subjected to up to ten days of cross-examination by counsel during the murder trial of Gerard 'the Monk' Hutch and to his credit "went through that process".

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"A person who wants to cross that Rubicon should be aware that courts recognise the huge and significant life changes that flow from that," he added.

Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh told the lawyer that it sounded like he was saying that his client had booked a room for an entirely innocent purpose and pointed out that he had pleaded guilty to the facilitation offence. "It sounds like you are coming very close to the line," she said.

Mr O'Higgins said he did not accept that because one cannot equivocate that they are put in a straight jacket.

"The law has to be clearly identifiable, and it also must be flexible, the reality of the situation was that he was looking at trial for murder, he had offered assistance, and he could not offer the plea without admitting what he did," he said.

He said there was a difference between a person buying burner phones - which he said was a "glowing red flag" - and booking a hotel room, which can lead straight back to the individual. "It makes them morally less culpable, Dowdall was morally weak in putting himself in that position, but he has paid a very high price," he said.
A Limerick man has been awarded 15,490 for a minor soft tissue injury to his neck after a car impacted the rear of his jeep while it was stationary in traffic.

Philip Power, Cliona Park, Moyross, Co Limerick, sued Elizabeth Walsh, Wainsfort Manor Crescent, Terenure, Dublin, the driver of the other car involved in the accident at the junction of Shelbourne Road/Ennis Road, Limerick on Christmas Eve, 2018.

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Ms Walsh admitted it was her fault but maintained that the level of impact between the vehicles was so minor that it was impossible for Mr Power to have suffered the alleged or any, personal injuries, loss or damage.

The court heard Mr Power, a supervisor with a construction company, was driving his Mitsubishi Pajero jeep towards the junction and had come to a halt in a line of traffic which was stationary at a red traffic light.

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He was the third vehicle from the lights, and he was talking to his front seat passenger, his father-in-law, when the impact occurred. He said he was shunted forward and backward in his seat and was wearing a seatbelt.

He did not suffer any immediate onset of symptoms, got out to look at his vehicle as did Ms Walsh.

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Mr Power said there was no obvious damage to his jeep due to the fact that it had a rear towbar which appeared to take most of the impact.

There was however a crack in the reflector on the spare wheel cover and minor damage to the right side rear bumper.

He said the following day he developed a burning sensation at the bottom of his neck just above his shoulder blades and the following week he attended his GP. He stated that his neck pain continued over the following days.

Mr Power attended his GP again on five occasions and also said he attended physio sessions on ten occasions.

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He said he was only able to do light duties on his return to work or assist workmen as he had done prior to the accident. About eight or nine months after the accident, he was back doing full duties.

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Ms Walsh, who had travelled from Dublin with her 16-month-old child to spend Christmas with her husband's family, said when the traffic lights changed and the first two vehicles at the front moved, she expected Mr Power's car to move too, and she moved her Toyota Rav 4 forwards. She said the impact between the two vehicles was no more than a "tip".

Mr Justice Anthony Barr, in assessing damages, said having observed Mr Power in the witness box, was satisfied he was an honest witness.

He did not allege that he had symptoms immediately after the accident and that the pain had come on over the following days which was entirely consistent with the onset and development of a soft tissue injury to the neck, the judge said.

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He found Mr Power suffered a relatively minor soft tissue injury to his neck, with a brief onset of back pain, and with sleep disturbance due to neck pain.

He accepted his evidence that while he was able for the full demands of his work within a short period of the accident, he had some symptoms for up to 18 months post-accident.

Having regard to the evidence tendered in this case, the judge awarded him a total of 15,490.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has accused Sinn Fein of weaponising social media, in a remark charecterised by the opposition party as nonsensical.

Mr Donnelly was speaking to reporters about abuse politicians face online and in person.

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It follows reports that his colleagues raised concerns at the Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting over the safety of politicians, particularly over the Kildare Street entrance to Leinster House.

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Asked if he shared those fears, Mr Donnelly said there was a general concern across western democracies about the safety of politicians.

Weve seen murder in the UK. Theres a general sense that there is a level of hostility now towards elected representatives that probably hasnt been seen in a very long time.

Its a very concerning trend.

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In his long, wide-ranging response to the question, he also said there were a lot of questions about Sinn Feins use of social media.

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Ive no problem saying that I believe Sinn Fein have weaponised social media.

I believe they have had a very sophisticated campaign for many, many years now. We know that their Facebook pages were administered out of Eastern Europe and there were all sorts of questions people asked about that.

He later added: Its not all Sinn Fein, obviously.

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A Sinn Fein spokesman said the comments were ridiculous.

These are nonsensical comments. Stephen Donnelly is well aware that Sinn Fein politicians have not alone faced serious threats, but have been the subject of serious attacks.

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Ridiculous remarks like this should be beneath a government minister.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Donnelly said there was a need to look at online messaging and how targeted advertising works.

The fact that there is very little log of what individuals see, theres very little ability to verify what people see.

And ultimately, people are engaging with each other in a way online that simply didnt happen before.

He said members of the Oireachtas had received death threats and female politicians in particular had called out abuse they face.

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Its not acceptable, so I think there is a role for the Oireachtas to step up for this.

Mr Donnelly added that social media companies have a role to play in combatting the abuse.

However, he added: I would question how seriously some of them take that responsibility in allowing the sort of hatred and violence and threats happen.

I think, therefore, the concerns that are being expressed in terms of the real world  my belief rightly or wrongly  is that is largely influenced, it is reality now [imitating] the online world.

He said talk around Leinster House from all political parties is that there is concern of the impact on people they want to run for local elections next year.

They are taking a look, seeing a level of abuse online. Theyre seeing hostility now in the real world at a level that certainly hasnt been seen in a long time.

We need to be very careful about it.
Gardai have arrested two men following the seizure of an estimated 11.4 million of cocaine by Revenue customs officers at Rosslare Europort Harbour, Co Wexford on Thursday.

At approximately 1.30pm, customs officers conducted a search of a horsebox which had disembarked a ferry. During the course of this search an estimated 163kg of suspected cocaine was discovered.

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Wexford gardai attended the scene and arrested two men, aged in their 20s and 30s, in relation to the seizure.

Both men are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a garda station in the Wexford district.

The drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for further analysis.

Investigations are ongoing, gardai said.

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Russian president Vladimir Putin offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to keep fighting at a meeting just days after their failed mutiny but suggested Yevgeny Prigozhin be moved aside in favour of a different commander, the Kommersant newspaper said.

Putin initially said he would crush the June 23rd-24th mutiny, comparing it to the wartime turmoil that ushered in the revolutions of 1917, but hours later a deal was clinched to allow Prigozhin and some of his fighters to go to Belarus.

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Mystery surrounds the fate of that deal as well as the future of Wagner, one of the world's most battle-hardened mercenary forces, and Prigozhin, a former convict who rose to become known as "Putin's chef" and Russia's most powerful mercenary.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Putin had held talks with Wagner commanders and Prigozhin at a meeting on June 29th, five days after the mutiny. The mercenaries, the Kremlin said, reaffirmed their loyalty to Putin.

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But Kommersant, one of Russia's top newspapers, published Putin's remarks to its most experienced Kremlin correspondent, Andrei Kolesnikov, which suggested the future of Prigozhin and Wagner was in doubt.

"But Wagner does not exist," Putin told Kommersant when asked if it would be preserved as a fighting unit. "There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesn't exist."

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Asked about Putin's remark, the Kremlin said on Friday that there was no legal entity named Wagner and the legal status of such companies was a complicated one which needed consideration.

Putin then related details about the June 29th Kremlin meeting with 35 Wagner commanders at which he suggested several options for them to continue fighting, including that a senior Wagner figure known by his nom de guerre "Sedoi" - or "grey hair" - take over command.

New commander?

"Sedoi" is the nom de guerre of Andrei Troshev, a senior Wagner commander, according to European Union sanctions documents, French official documents, sources with knowledge of the matter and Russian media reports.

A highly decorated veteran of Russia's wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya, Troshev is from St Petersburg, Putin's home town, and has been pictured with the president.

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"All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve," Kommersant quoted Putin as saying. "And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all that time."

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Putin said that many of the commanders had nodded their head at his suggestion but Prigozhin, who was sitting at the front, did not see this, Kommersant said.

"'No, the boys won't agree with such a decision'," Putin quoted Prigozhin as saying.

The remarks do not appear in an official Kremlin transcript of comments Putin made to Kolesnikov and a state television reporter on Thursday. Prigozhin did not reply to a request for comment.

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'Careful what you eat'

Prigozhin has not been seen in public since leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov on June 24th.

US president Joe Biden on Thursday said the United States was unsure where Prigozhin was but joked that the mercenary chief could be poisoned.

"If I were he, Id be careful what I ate. Id be keeping my eye on my menu," Mr Biden said, according to White House transcript.

"But all kidding aside...I don't think any of us know for sure what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia."

Wagner helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014, fought Islamic State militants in Syria, operated in Central African Republic and Mali and took the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut for Russia earlier this year with considerable losses on both sides.

For months before the mutiny, Prigozhin had been openly insulting Putin's most senior military men, using a variety of crude expletives and prison slang.

He has insisted his actions on June 23rd-24th were aimed only at settling scores with the top military brass who he said were losing the Ukraine war for Russia. He said he was not challenging Putin or the Russian state.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an investigation into ChatGPT creator OpenAI and whether the artificial intelligence (AI) company violated consumer protection laws by scraping public data and publishing false information through its chatbot.

The agency sent OpenAI a 20-page letter requesting detailed information on its AI technology, products, customers, privacy safeguards and data security arrangements.

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An FTC spokesperson had no comment on the investigation, which was first reported by the Washington Post on Thursday.

The FTC document the Post published told OpenAI the agency was investigating whether it has engaged in unfair or deceptive privacy or data security practices or practices harming consumers.

it is very disappointing to see the FTC's request start with a leak and does not help build trust.



that said, its super important to us that out technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law. of course we will work with the FTC. Advertisement Advertisement  Sam Altman (@sama) July 13, 2023

OpenAI founder Sam Altman tweeted disappointment that the investigation was disclosed in a leak, noting that the move would not help build trust, but added that the company will work with the FTC.

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He said: Its super important to us that out technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law.

We protect user privacy and design our systems to learn about the world, not private individuals.

The FTCs move represents the most significant regulatory threat so far to the nascent but fast-growing AI industry, although it is not the only challenge facing these companies.

Comedian Sarah Silverman and two other authors have sued both OpenAI and Facebook parent Meta for copyright infringement, claiming that the companies AI systems were illegally trained by exposing them to datasets containing illegal copies of their works.

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Mr Altman has emerged as a global AI ambassador of sorts following his testimony before Congress in May and a subsequent tour of European capitals where regulators were putting final touches on a new AI regulatory framework.

Mr Altman himself has called for AI regulation, although he has tended to emphasise difficult-to-evaluate existential threats such as the possibility that super-intelligent AI systems could one day turn against humanity.

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Some argue that focusing on a far-off science fiction trope of super-powerful AI could make it harder to take action against already existing harms that require regulators to dig deep on data transparency, discriminatory behaviour and potential for trickery and disinformation.
The Hollywood actors strike could be moving across the Atlantic if US production companies shift filming to the UK because of the industrial action taken by their American counterparts, a British union has said.

Equity, which represents more than 47,000 performers in the UK, says the union stands in solidarity with US actors who are striking in a dispute with Hollywood studios.

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The union  which is not striking  told US companies it will be keeping a very close eye on any attempts to move productions to the UK due to the action called on Thursday evening.

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Yesterday, Robert Downey Jr, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh staged a walkout of the London premiere of historical epic Oppenheimer due to the strike.

Equitys general secretary Paul Fleming told the PA news agency he is hopeful a settlement with members of the Screen Actors Guild  American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) will come soon.

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He said: Anything that happens on a British contract, were looking to next years negotiations.

The one exception is if there are productions from the United States that attempt to avoid the industrial action by relocating to the United Kingdom  we are keeping a very, very close eye on them.

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We do reserve the right to use British legislation to take British industrial action in those sorts of instances and that will be on a case-by-case basis.

Friday 7/14, #SAGAFTRAstrike picketing begins in Los Angeles and New York at 9 PT/12 ET.



We are #SAGAFTRAstrong TOGETHER 



Get more information at https://t.co/EE6qPXDi3T. pic.twitter.com/laFeNWMmRC  SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) July 14, 2023 Advertisement

I cant say the law here is significantly more restrictive than the United States in terms of how you take a strike, but we will be clamping down on those sorts of productions.

And also a huge issue for Sag-Aftra members for the last month or so has been an adverts for British productions which say no Sag-Aftra member need apply.

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Well, Im sorry, this contract is not in dispute and discrimination on the grounds of a trade union membership is illegal in this country, irrespective of where that trade union is based.

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So thats where things might get a bit more heated this end.

It comes amid the ongoing industrial action by more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who began industrial action on May 2.

Among the productions in the UK that could be affected by the strike action is the filming of Deadpool 3, starring Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

House Of The Dragon series two with Matt Smith and Emma DArcy could also be affected, alongside the second series of The Sandman with Tom Sturridge and the fourth series of Slow Horses with Academy Award winner Gary Oldman.

Speaking about the impact on the British film industry, Mr Fleming said it depends on whether an actor is under an Equity or Sag-Aftra contract.

He said: So a Sag-Aftra or an Equity member working on an Equity contract is not on strike because thats not the contract in dispute.

Where it gets a little bit more complicated is that there are some Sag-Aftra members around the world who are working on Sag-Aftra contracts alongside others who are on Equity contracts.

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Equity and SAG-AFTRA have this evening released a joint statement following the announcement of US industrial action below.



Our solidarity statement and full advice to members can be read here: https://t.co/ux4XIK8CXy pic.twitter.com/lctZcXqdZb  Equity (@EquityUK) July 13, 2023

So imagine something that shoots in multiple locations, for instance, and (the actor) might be on a full American contract, their position is more ambiguous and more complicated.

He said that if the dispute goes on then there will be a major impact as British actors working on American contracts are now on strike.

Mr Fleming said: The vast majority of shows that are recorded principally in the UK or in Europe are on our agreements so thats the consequence but there will be some that stop.

He said the studios, production companies and streamers are not going to win as actors resolve is absolute.

Mr Fleming added: Our view is that we have complete and utter solidarity and support with Sag-Aftra.

We will do all we legally can do to support and uphold their industrial action, and the message to the producers who operate over here is: get your house in order, get to the table quickly. before this starts impacting the global industry.
Editorial

In the annals of our nations history, there are many acts as despicable and damaging as the betrayal committed by Gania Bannister Francis, a former employee of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo. Her audacious fabrication of a false abduction and sexual assault storey has not only defamed our country but has also struck at the very heart of justice and the trust we place in our law enforcement agencies. We must delve deep into this incident and expose the gravity of her actions, highlighting the profound repercussions that echo far beyond her personal motivations.





Gania Bannister Francis orchestrated an elaborate charade, intentionally deceiving not only the media, NGOs, and foreign missions but also exploiting her gender and ethnic origins in a disgraceful manner. Her calculated manipulation of the narrative was aimed at securing asylum in the very country where she was employed. By sensationalising her fabricated ordeal, she not only painted a distorted image of our nation but also undermined the credibility of our law enforcement agencies and eroded the trust of the international community.





After a meticulous examination of the evidence and a plea of guilt, the Colombo High Court has pronounced its verdict. Francis has been sentenced to a two-year prison term, suspended for a period of five years. While we respect the courts decision, we must acknowledge that the punishment alone cannot adequately address the magnitude of the damage inflicted upon our nation.





Swiss embassy worker Gania Banister Francis (in pink shawl) is escorted to a magistrate court after her arrest in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE





Gania Bannister Franciss actions reverberate far beyond her individual case. They have inflicted irreparable harm upon our nations reputation and tarnished our image on the global stage. The ramifications extend beyond mere personal gain, as her falsehoods have misled countless individuals and organisations, leaving an indelible stain on our national integrity. The cost she has exacted upon our country is immeasurable.





In the wake of this heinous betrayal, it is crucial to draw attention to the parallels with other forms of betrayal that plague our society. Just as corrupt politicians plunder our nations resources for personal gain, Francis exploited her fabricated storey to further her own interests. Though the motives may differ, the essence of betrayal remains unchangeda callous disregard for the welfare of our nation and its people.





While the courts verdict delivers a modicum of justice, it is imperative that we demand true accountability for those who defame our motherland. Francis, along with her family members, who, according to the reliable sources, have already established themselves in another country, must face the full consequences of their actions. We cannot allow those who undermine the fabric of our society to escape unscathed while our nation bears the burden of their deceit.





This dark chapter in our nations history must serve as a catalyst for introspection and reform. We must unite as a nation to ensure that the integrity of our beloved land is safeguarded against such treachery. The incident involving Francis should be a clarion call for renewed commitment to justice, transparency, and the unyielding pursuit of truth. It is only through resolute action that we can redeem our countrys honour and restore the faith of our people.





The betrayal perpetrated by Francis has left an indelible mark on our nations conscience. Her deliberate defamation of our country, law enforcement agencies, and people demands a strong response. We must not shy away from exposing the gravity of her actions and the far-reaching consequences they entail. Let this incident serve as a powerful reminder that the sanctity of justice and the reputation of our motherland should never be compromised for personal gain. May our collective voice resonate as a beacon of hope and resilience, firmly reestablishing the core values that define us as a nation.
A rocket being developed by the Japanese space agency has exploded during testing, but there are no reports of injuries.

The cause of the accident at the facility in Akita prefecture is still being investigated, said the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa).

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It is unclear when testing for the Epsilon S rocket will resume.



The explosion happened during a test at the testing site in Noshiro, Akita prefecture (Kyodo News/AP)

Japanese TV news footage from the site shows the test starting normally, with white smoke shooting out at the side.

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About a minute later, flames and grey smoke burst upwards in an explosion, and the roof is seen being blown off a building.

The failure is a setback for Jaxas ambitions to enter the launch market for small satellites.

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An Epsilon S demonstration launch had been scheduled for this fiscal year, but an attempt failed in May.

Jaxas launch of another kind of rocket called H3 failed in March, but an earlier Epsilon worked and managed to send several satellites into orbit.

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A breakthrough may have been made in the bid to unlock Boris Johnsons old mobile phone after an ally suggested the UK government had recovered a past code.

The deadline for handing over messages from the former British prime ministers previous device to the UK Covid-19 inquiry was missed this week due to complications in gaining access to its contents.

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It was reported by The Times that Mr Johnson had forgotten the code used to unlock the iPhone.

Allies on Thursday suggested it was not correct to say he could not recall the digits, but instead that he was not entirely sure of them.

Covid inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett had given the Government until Monday to hand over Boris Johnsons messages and documents (James Manning/PA)

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He was advised not to access the phone again on security grounds while serving as Britains leader in May 2021, after it emerged his number had been freely available online for 15 years.

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The device likely contains messages relating to the ordering of lockdowns in 2020, along with his administrations early response to the coronavirus pandemic.

An ally of the former Conservative Party leader said: It is not true that Boris does not remember his Pin number, it is just that he does not have 100% confidence he remembers it.

Separately, the Government has found its own version of the Pin.

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Whitehall officials were known to be trying to securely retrieve the messages on the phone, which is being held by the ex-premiers lawyers.

The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment about the suggestion technicians have discovered a past code that Mr Johnson used.

According to The Times, there are concerns the contents could be wiped if the wrong combination of numbers is entered.

The newspaper has also reported that the device was last accessed in December 2021 after Lord Geidt, then the prime ministers adviser on ministerial interests, asked for WhatsApp messages relating to an investigation about the funding of the refurbishment of the Johnsons Downing Street flat.

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Lord Geidt investigated how the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat was paid for during Boris Johnsons premiership (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

If accurate, the report would suggest that the phone has been opened since Mr Johnson was told to no longer use the mobile.

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Mr Johnsons spokesman has been approached about the claim.

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The Cabinet Office had until 4pm on Monday to hand over the unredacted WhatsApp messages from Mr Johnsons previous phone after it lost a legal challenge.

Ministers had fought a request from inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett to release his uncensored messages, notebooks and diaries from his time in Downing Street, arguing they should not have to hand over material that was unambiguously irrelevant.

But the argument was dismissed by the UK High Court last week.

The British government has since handed over the rest of Mr Johnsons documents, except for the messages from the locked phone.

The inquiry, which heard evidence from UK levelling up secretary Michael Gove on Thursday, is understood to be aware of the efforts to securely extract any potentially relevant content from Mr Johnsons old phone.

A mobile security expert has cast doubt on claims the messages cannot be accessed because of a memory lapse on Mr Johnsons part.

Andrew Whaley, senior technical director at Norwegian cybersecurity company Promon, said: This is a pretty lame excuse. Provided Boriss WhatsApp is backed up, accessing the data would take minutes.

As this is a diplomatic phone, the security measures may very well be different, but even still, its not an impossible task by any means.
India is close to buying new French warplanes and submarines and played a starring role in Frances Bastille Day celebrations on Friday.

French President Emmanuel Macron skirted around concerns about threats to rights and freedoms under Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist government.

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Mr Modi called for peace efforts in Ukraine to end Russias war and resulting grain shortages, and India has increased imports of sanctioned Russian oil; Mr Macrons France is boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine for its counteroffensive.

During a two-day visit that included a banquet at the Louvre, Indian troops marching down the Champs-Elysees and a high-octane speech by Mr Modi to Indians from around Europe, the two countries released a raft of agreements tightening cooperation in areas where they agree.



French President Emmanuel Macron and Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi, centre left, at the end of the Franco-Indian economic forum meeting (Julien de Rosa/Pool via AP/PA)

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The biggest step is a preliminary Indian accord to buy 26 more Rafale fighter jets and three more Scorpene French- and Spanish-made submarines, on top of a prior deal for 36 Rafales and six Scorpenes. Price details still need to be worked out.

Co-operation in defence is the basic pillar of our relationship, Mr Modi said ahead of meetings with Mr Macron. Be it a submarine or a navy ship, we want to work jointly not only for ourselves but other friendly nations too.

Mr Macron is keen on tightening alliances in the Indo-Pacific against an increasingly assertive China, and his office unveiled a roadmap with India for co-operation in the region.

This convergence stretches to our strategic interests, he said. We are defending together the same vision of the Indo-Pacific, an area that must remain open and free from all forms of hegemony.

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Mr Modi said India also wants to increase co-operation with France in space, after India launched a spacecraft toward the far side of the moon Friday. France houses the European Space Agencys main launch site, in French Guiana.

The two leaders also announced new initiatives to co-operate on renewable energy, hydrogen projects, artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

A small clutch of activists held a rally in Paris against Mr Modis visit on Thursday, accusing him of eroding Indian democracy and encouraging discrimination against religious minorities.

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Mr Modi, who governs the worlds largest population, has said that democracy runs in our veins and insisted that there is absolutely no space for discrimination.

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Mr Modi was welcomed by US President Biden last month, and heads next to the United Arab Emirates.
Rolfe Neill, the editor who led The Charlotte Observer as its publisher when it won a pair of Pulitzer Prizes for public service, died on Friday aged 90.

Neill died of complications from peritoneal cancer at his home in Lake Norman, North Carolina, daughter Ingrid Ebert told the Observer.

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In 1975, Neill became publisher and president of the Observer and the now-defunct afternoon Charlotte News. He retired as Observer publisher at the end of 1997, the newspaper reported.

Described as a perfectionist when it came to producing a newspaper, Neill also played a significant role in helping Charlotte grow and mature into a national powerhouse through his relationships with political and business leaders in the region and state.



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He had one foot in being the publisher of the newspaper and one foot in the community, and he was a force in both, said former Duke Power chief executive Bill Grigg, a longtime friend.

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You can certainly say Rolfe is one of a handful of community leaders who over the past 40 years did more than just about anybody to make Charlotte what it is today.

The Observer won a Pulitzer in 1981 for a series of stories on brown lung suffered by textile workers breathing in dust and in 1988 for reporting on the financial misdeeds at the Charlotte-area PTL television ministry led by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.

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I had this strong desire to influence things for the better, Neill once said. Some things we didnt get done. Some things maybe we fell short in. I tried to guide and inspire and improve people. But in the end, having said my piece, I left them to do what they thought best.

Born in Mount Airy in 1932, Neill spent the second half of his childhood in Columbus, Georgia, where he delivered the local paper. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he became editor of The Daily Tar Heel, the Observer reported.

After an Army stint that included working for Stars and Stripes and a brief time at the weekly Franklin Press newspaper in the North Carolina mountains, the Observer hired him. By 1958 he was the papers business editor.

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Next he worked at several newspapers in Florida, including The Miami Beach Daily Sun, and moved in 1965 to the New York Daily News, where he ultimately became an assistant managing editor. He then became editor of the Philadelphia Daily News until he returned to Charlotte.

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He was one of the most personable people Ive ever worked for, former Observer reporter Elizabeth Leland said.

Others said it was sometimes difficult to meet his expectations.

He was the smartest person I ever worked for, very strong in character and driven by high standards, former Observer Editor Rich Oppel said.

I never met an editor who worked for Rolfe who felt that he or she measured up.

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Neill continued in civic and charitable endeavours in Charlotte after retirement, including literacy, the arts and the protection of green spaces.

Neills wife of 28 years, Ann Marshall Snider, died in 2016, the newspaper reported. He had several children from a previous marriage.
Serbia has suspended all arms exports for 30 days, after the US imposed sanctions on the Balkan countrys intelligence chief over alleged illegal arms deals and other criminal activities.

Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said the export ban is necessary in order to fulfil the needs of the Serbian army and boost its combat readiness amid the simmering crisis in the Balkan region.

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It does not mean Serbia is going to war or calling for war, but we are looking at all security risks and challenges, Mr Vucevic said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic first announced the move several days ago. He cited internal security in Serbia as the reason for the ban while tensions simmer with neighbouring Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade does not recognise.



The US said Serbian spy chief Aleksandar Vulin had been implicated in illegal activity (Darko Vojinovic/AP/PA)

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Mr Vucevic said the decision will be reviewed after 30 days.

Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but it has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia. The US and EU officials have recently stepped up efforts to get Serbia and Kosovo to reach an agreement, fearing possible new instability in Europe while the war continues in Ukraine.

Serbia has faced accusations that it was exporting weapons to countries under international ban, or to Russia and Ukraine. Mr Vucevic denied the reports.

They keep accusing us that we sold to one side or the other, he said.

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The US this week said the head of Serbias intelligence agency, Aleksandar Vulin, has been implicated in transnational organised crime, illegal narcotics operations, and misuse of public office.

Vulin has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with US-designated Serbian arms dealer Slobodan Tesic, helping ensure that Mr Tesics illegal arms shipments can move freely across Serbias borders.

Serbia has promised to investigate US claims. The Organised Crime Prosecutors office said on Friday they will seek information and concrete evidence against Mr Vulin from the US, the state RTS television reported.

Mr Vulin, a close associated of Mr Vucic, is known for his pro-Russia stance. He was appointed spy chief for the Balkan state last year after previously serving as both the minister of defence and interior.

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Last August, Mr Vulin visited Moscow, a rare visit by a European state official that reflected Belgrades continued ties with Moscow despite its condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Vulin then told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Serbia is the only state in Europe that didnt introduce sanctions and was not part of the anti-Russian hysteria.

Mr Vucic has said that Washington imposed sanctions because of Mr Vulins position on Russia, and not crime and corruption. Mr Vulins ousting has been among the demands of weeks-long street protests in Serbia that erupted in the wake of two mass shootings in early May.

There has been no reaction from Mr Vulin to the sanctions, while his Movement of Socialists party has described the measures against their boss as an attack on Serbia, accusing the US of raping the truth.

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The US so far has imposed sanctions on a number of officials from the Balkans accused of corruption and seen as threatening peace and stability in the region following the wars in the 1990s, and for helping advance Russias malign activities in Serbia and the region.
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 A lot is riding on the success of Virgin Australia, regardless of whether it returns to the ASX this year or not. As the aviation industry braces for a potential reduction in sky-high profits amid a global cost of living crisis and rising decarbonisation pressures, a fighting fit Virgin Australia is arguably more important than ever to ensuring effective competition in Australian airspace. Australias small population, large landmass, and insufficient alternative transport options means air travel is crucial to the countrys connectivity. But despite our dependency on flying, aviation is a notoriously difficult industry to make profitable, and many local airlines, including Virgin itself, have previously perished in their attempt to do so. Regardless of whether it lists on the Australian Securities Exchange, the stakes are high for Virgin Australia. Credit: Marija Ercegovac Much has been said about the astronomical returns recorded by airlines all over the world since the end of COVID-19 border controls in 2021. But most of the industry, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA) representing 300 of the worlds biggest airlines, fear the end of bumper profits is here. Since it was salvaged by Bain Capital in 2020 after a stint in administration, Virgin has been pressured to meet the often-conflicting demands of its passengers, prospective shareholders, staff, and the rest of the aviation supply chain. Above all, Bain is charged with ensuring Virgin is an effective competitor to Qantas. Some argue it wont be clear if Virgin succeeds in this challenge until it returns to the ASX, where the nuts and bolts of the group will be bared for all to see. But others are increasingly concerned Bain may have already missed the boat, amid predictions local airline margins have peaked. Weak IPO market spooks institutional investors

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Australia has been largely starved of meaty initial public offerings for the past couple of years. Intrigue about relisting Virgin has swirled since Bain saved Virgin from administration for $3.5 billion in 2020. But amid all the hype, there is serious doubt among investors and industry experts alike about whether now is the time to list the airline business. In February, Bain appointed Goldman Sachs, UBS and Barrenjoey to advise it on potentially taking Virgin public, and until very recently it seemed the private equity giant was committed to doing so in the second half of this year. Virgins newest aircraft, nicknamed Monkey Mia, is the first of its Boeing 737 Max-8 fleet to arrive in Australia. But fund managers and analysts who spoke with this masthead anonymously say there is little appetite among institutional investors to warrant a Virgin float in 2023. Some question whether a listing is necessary because Bain bought the airline for a low price after its collapse, and it is already making returns on its investment. Others are sceptical about the future of airline stocks more generally and argue Qantas shares have peaked. In May, Virgin issued a $730 million capital return to shareholders which fully repaid Bain and its co-owners and leaves around $1 billion of debt inside the business. Virgin owns 5 per cent of the business, the Queensland Investment Corporation owns a 2 per cent stake and Bain owns 93 per cent. The breakdown of this $730 million figure was $430 million in cash out of Virgin and $300 million in loans from its advisors as part of the listing mandate process. Bain has committed to retaining a large stake of the airline business in the event of a listing, keen to distance its potential float from former private equity horror listings including Myer and Dick Smith. Some would benefit greatly from a quick listing, namely those at the helm of the carrier itself, but Virgin boss Jayne Hrdlicka told The Australian Financial Review last week the business was under no pressure to go early.

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Its great to see the markets open, but the timing needs to be right for us, and well work our way through what that looks like, Hrdlicka said. Loading Her comments were in response to the listing of chemical distributor Redox this month, the largest float of 2023 so far. Shares in Redox closed 4.9 per cent below their $2.55 issue price on its first day as a public company, indicating the initial public offering market in Australia is still suffering from a lack of investor confidence. Tribeca Alpha Plus Fund manager Jun Bei Liu said Bain could counter the waning demand for airline stocks by offering it up at a significant discount. Everything has a price. If the discount is large enough, there will be interest to back Virgin regardless of whether investors accept Qantas share price has peaked. If I were them, I would wait until its less bearish, but that could be a multi-year wait, Liu said. Some analysts have baulked at the idea that renewed interest from foreign airlines in backing Virgin could appease potential institutional investors. About 90 per cent of Virgin was foreign-owned when it entered administration, with Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Chinese conglomerates HNA and Nanshan each owning a fifth of the group and Richard Bransons Virgin Group owning 10 per cent.

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The need for effective competition in Australian aviation Virgin and Qantas control 95 per cent of the airline market, with the remaining 5 per cent held by Regional Express and fledgling low-cost carrier Bonza. The Australian competition watchdog has been scathing of the state of competition in the airline industry. Some Virgin insiders protest at the accusations its part of a duopoly, preferring instead to frame their airline as the bolshie underdog. Whichever characterisation is adopted, robust competition in any industry protects consumers. Virgin carries about 40 per cent of Australian flyers, but its business has been largely shielded from customer scrutiny since air travel resumed after COVID-19. Loading Although Virgins on-time performance rate has been worse than its bigger competitor for some time, it does not attract the same level of negative attention. One of the reasons behind this is that Virgin is not bound by the same continuous disclosure requirements as Qantas as a private company. Regional Expresss recent backflip on its earnings guidance and Bonzas reduction in routes just six months into operations indicates just how complex it is to run an airline, let alone make money from it.

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Aunty heads to Guyana to seek guidance from a shaman to restore balance and close the circle using Obeah, a form of folk magic. The shamans advice leads to a complicated web that links a seemingly disparate group of characters across Manhattan, Queens and Guyana.

CCH Pounder is Aunty, a respected community leader in the Guyanese diaspora in Queens, New York, whose husband was the victim of the execution. Her family business centres around a scheme in which life insurance policies are taken out on transient people (unknown to them) who then die in mysterious circumstances, leading to payouts for the policyholders. Its been a lucrative business employing young men brought to the US from Guyana, but when her husband is murdered, she believes its because her family is under a curse.

Steven Soderberghs new television series opens with standard TV execution-style murder  black SUVs, a sports bag full of cash  but for the most part the type of crime depicted in the six-part thriller is much more low rent.

There are shades of Soderberghs 2000 feature Traffic, and also of Akira Kurosawas 1963 film High and Low, when a kidnapping, part of the shamans advice, goes wrong.

Teenager Jared (Ethan Stoddard) is their target, the son of wealthy Manhattan couple Sam (Claire Danes) and Derek (Timothy Olyphant), who both work in the media empire created by Sams father, a celebrity chef known as Chef Jeff, and played with smarmy perfection by a pony-tailed Dennis Quaid. When Sam receives a call on their sons phone from the kidnappers, including two of Auntys latest recruits fresh off a plane from Guyana, they scramble to meet the ransom demands. But then a video message reveals its not their son but another teenage boy already being subjected to violence. Do they still raise the ransom to save a child they dont know?

Claire Danes and Zazie Beetz in Full Circle.

Derek decides to meet them, rushing to get there at their very precise time of 1.11am, but he misses the deadline, and he and Sam go to the police, which leads to an interview with Detective Harmony (Atlantas Zazie Beetz), a slightly manic agent for the US Postal Inspection Services police corps, whose team has been investigating Auntys business. (I had to Google why the US Postal Service have armed inspectors with the same power as cops, and I still dont fully comprehend.)

Harmony, whose methods are unorthodox, as they say in cop shows, has been arguing with her boss Manny (Jim Gaffigan) about the case, and has taken matters into her own hands by trying to get one of the young kidnappers to flip. She also seems to know more about Sam and Derek than they are willing to reveal, and there seems to be a Guyanese connection in Sam and Chef Jeffs background.
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Tips & adviceTruffles It makes me dry retch: Are truffle oils and salts ever worth splashing out on? Weve hit peak truffle season. So, how do you know what truffle products are worth splashing your hard-earned cash on and which ones to leave on the shelf? Dani Valent July 15, 2023 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

Australias truffle season is in full swing, with restaurants around the country shaving Tuber melanosporum over steak, seafood, noodles, risotto and even ice-cream  usually for a hefty charge. Former MasterChef finalist Reynold Poernomo loves spoiling his customers at Monkeys Corner and KOI Dessert Bar in Chippendale, Sydney, with truffles threaded through sweet and savoury dishes. Koi Dessert Bar owner-chef Reynold Poernomo with his truffle and tonka bean caramel soft serve at Monkeys Corner, Chippendale. Flavio Brancaleone We have truffle noodles, claypot rice with truffles and a vanilla soft serve with tonka bean salted caramel and truffle, he says. Fat-heavy dishes carry the deeper earthy tones of truffle. Sometimes, a restaurant will use truffle oil to boost aroma and flavour too. But is that ever acceptable?

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Absolutely not, according to globetrotting chef Anthony Bourdain, who decreed in his cookbook, Appetites, that anyone drizzling truffle oil over their pasta should basically be punched in the kidneys because its made from a chemical additive and the crushed dreams of 90s mediocrity. Is it really that bad, though? Wagyu striploin, with black truffle and koshihikari rice at Monkeys Corner, Chippendale. Flavio Brancaleone I hate truffle oil, says Julian Hills, The Age Good Food Guide 2023 Chef of the Year and owner of fine diner Navi, in Melbournes Yarraville. It makes me dry retch. I cant eat a pizza if it has truffle oil on it. It makes me dry retch. I cant eat a pizza if it has truffle oil on it. Julian Hills, Navi restaurant Hills loves real truffles though, so much so that Navis July menu is a truffle extravaganza with black tubers from farms in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and West Australia matched with dishes such as emu carpaccio and kangaroo dauphinois.

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Truffles are amazing, theyre almost like MSG in the way they can enhance another ingredient, says Hills. The umami in truffle lifts flavours and makes dishes shine. People used to truffle oil expect to be hit in the face with flavour, it ruins them for real truffles. Julian Hills with his trove of truffles at Navi in Yarraville. Jason South Farmer David Burdis, from Ganymede Truffles in the NSW Southern Tablelands, says he is known for ranting about truffle oil. Look at the back of the bottle and the ingredients will include truffle aroma or truffle flavouring infused into olive oil, he says. (Most likely laboratory-made chemicals such as 2,4-dithiapentane that mimic some of the aromatic compounds found in fresh truffles.) No truffles were killed in the making of truffle oil, adds Burdis, who experimented with making his own. I attempted to infuse real truffle at room temperature  20 degrees, 40 degrees and 60 degrees  and in the end I conceded defeat and I accepted that truffle itself doesnt infuse into oil.

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Ganymede Truffles farmer David Burdis and his daughter Alex with their truffle-sniffing rescue dog Zazu. Dominic Lorrimer Gavin Booth is a truffle farmer in Manjimup, West Australia, where approximately 70 per cent of Australias 10 to 14-tonne annual harvest originates; more than 65 per cent of that haul is exported. Its a decent season, says Booth, but mild weather has meant truffle size is slightly down. Hes also not a fan of the oil. Recipe collection 20 recipes to make the most of truffle season Im not going to make it, and Im not going to eat it. he says, but acknowledges truffle oils potential as a gateway product. Cocaine addicts will probably tell you their experience started with cannabis  ardent truffle fans will often say they began with truffle oil but realised it was an inferior product, the Coolabah cask to Leeuwin Estate Art Series chardonnay.

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He would, however, like honesty in truffle oil labelling. If its not real maple syrup or vanilla you cant call it that. I would prefer transparency rather than getting angry with anyone who makes truffle oil, or people who enjoy it. Australian Truffle Traders Gavin Booth and Molly. Jessica Wyld Meanwhile, Canberra restaurateur Damian Brabender is busy training hundreds of Sydney chefs to make the most of truffles, like he does every winter. Using them the right way versus the wrong way is comparable to making a cup of tea, he says. Put a teabag into boiling water and you get a cup of tea, put 10 teabags into cold water and you get nothing. When you know how to use truffles, you dont need to use much to get a great return. Brabender recommends storing truffles with eggs, cream or rice. You have a head start on flavour and you havent even cut the truffle, he says. Fat is a great medium for showcasing truffles: he advises mixing five grams of truffle into 100 grams of butter and then freezing it.

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A steak with 20 grams of truffle butter only has one gram of truffle, but it tastes better than if you shave 20 grams of fresh truffle directly onto the meat. He abhors truffle oil but believes truffle salt is a winner. Mix five grams of truffle with 120 grams of good salt: its the easiest thing in the world, he says. When buying truffle salt, there should be just those two ingredients. If theres anything listed that you could win a game of Scrabble with, I wouldnt buy it, he says. Fresh truffle fan Reynold Poernomo. Flavio Brancaleone What to buy Quality fresh truffles are around $2 per gram, depending on the grade. If blending truffle into butter or salt, look for cheaper offcuts (around $1 per gram) which have the same properties but must be used quickly.

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Olssons Truffle Salt (50 grams for $21.50) is great for seasoning popcorn, chips and scrambled eggs and can be found at select gourmet food stores. Ganymedes Truffle Honey is made with the help of David Burdis own bees and is excellent on crumpets or drizzled over ice-cream and hard cheeses. Purchase for $35 a jar from ganymedetruffles.com.au. As far as imported truffle pastes go, some can be quite good, although they can also possess the dreaded truffle oil aroma. One decent option is the White Truffle and Porcini Paste, imported from Italy by EuroPantry. Expect to pay around $40 for an 80 gram jar. The hunt for Sydney's best truffle dishes reveals one common cooking mistake

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Major super funds have been joyously announcing their annual returns for 2022-23, with five big funds last week announcing returns of between 8 and 10 per cent.

As they do so, it provides an important opportunity for you to stop and take stock of your own superannuation, especially if youre looking to retire in the next 10 to 15 years. After all, if your fund cant make an average return for a fair fee in one of the sexier years of super, should you really be sticking around?

If your fund cant make an average return for a fair fee in one of the sexier years of super, should you really be sticking around? Credit: Simon Letch

Superannuation exists to give you a compounding investment return over a long period of time. The more you whack in earlier in life, the more time can work in your favour. The average return of between 7 and 10 per cent per annum will see your superannuation balance double in capital value every seven to 10 years, and this explodes if you contribute actively.

Today Im going to teach you how to read between the numbers of these annual returns announcements. And once youve learnt the three simple lessons, Ill show you how to benchmark your funds performance using the numbers from some of Australias largest funds.
In a stunning reversal, the ABC says it will fight a defamation suit brought by former Australian special forces soldier Heston Russell over claims he was involved in shooting an Afghan prisoner, reviving a defence it abandoned this week.

The national broadcaster said during a dramatic Federal Court hearing on Wednesday night that it would drop its public interest defence to Russells lawsuit in a bid to avoid complying with an order to hand over documents to his lawyers revealing the identity of a journalists source.

Heston Russell and his barrister Sue Chrysanthou, SC, at the Federal Court in Sydney, seen in a file picture. Credit: Louie Douvis

The ABC had conceded this meant Russell was entitled to judgment in his favour and the sole remaining issue was the quantum of damages. The court made orders reflecting this change.

But the broadcaster reversed its position on Friday and reinstated its defence after the court heard that lawyers for Russell believed they had discovered the identity of the source through internet searches. The ABC itself had published a photograph of the source, said to be a former US marine, and used the pseudonym Josh.
Iran has supplied Russia with more and more military equipment, weapons and munitions for use in Ukraine. These sales have included several Iranian made Mohajer-6 UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).

Since 2021 Iran has been offering Mohajer-6 to potential export customers seeking a reasonably priced armed UAV. Mohajer-6 is similar to older Israeli Heron UAVs but equipped to carry four small laser-guided missiles or smart (GPS guided) bombs. The Mohajer line of UAVs first appeared in the 1990s and were crude by comparison with Western, especially Israeli and American, UAVs. Iran could not find foreign customers willing to buy these early models but they were accepted and used by foreigners that received Iranian weapons to be used against Israel or other enemies of Iran.

Mohajer-6 was different and Iran sought to present this UAV as a cheaper alternative to Chinese armed-UAVs. China has dominated this export market because the United States, which was the first to arm large UAVs, would not sell to anyone who might use the weapons for terrorist activities, against American allies or any questionable activities. That worked for China, and Iran is seeking to compete with China on price. Currently Israel dominates the market for unarmed reconnaissance and surveillance UAVs. Israel rarely armed its UAVs because its armed force used them extensively to defend Israel. That meant that the unarmed UAVs could quickly call on fighter-bombers, armed helicopters or artillery to attack targets. Israel developed very effective maritime (coastal) patrol UAVs which appealed to many export customers as well as Western nations who could not get American UAVs because for most of the last two decades American manufacturers could barely keep up with demand from the American military. The U.S. eased up on its export restrictions after 2012 but by then China had grabbed most of the export market by selling just about anyone who could pay.

Iran also offered the latest tech for its GSCs (ground control stations), and the video pitch for Mohajer-6 featured the equipment used for the truck mounted GSC. There were some photos of earlier Iranian GSCs, which showed operators using bulky CRTs running pirated Windows XP operating systems. Iran does not like to publicize how backward its military hardware and software is so they deliberately revealed that Mohajer-6 was using flat screen displays running pirated copies of Windows 7. The use of pirated operating system software might appear to limit the export market but there are many countries, like Ethiopia, that are not bothered by that, and want fast delivery of less expensive armed UAVs. The Mohajer-6 has been in use since 2017 against Kurdish separatists and Syrian rebels and is thus combat tested. Mohajer-6 weighs 600 kg (1,300 pounds), has a payload of 100 kg and max endurance of 12 hours. Max ceiling is 5,600 meters (18,000 feet) and max speed is 200 kilometers an hour. Max range (from the GSC) is 200 kilometers. Production began in 2017 and by 2023 over 200 have been produced. Most of those are in use by the Iranian military (army, navy and IRGC). Iran eventually found export customers and Iran is making a major effort to find some more. Price is cheaper than any competitors and negotiable. Ethiopia, Iraq, Venezuela and Russia have purchased several dozen plus several GSCs.

Iran has long been an exporter of weapons, usually cheaper versions of Chinese and Russian assault rifles, mortars and RPGs. Iran has long had a trading relationship with North Korea in ballistic missile technology. Both nations are banned from exporting that sort of thing but desperation will find a way.

Russia has a larger UAV called Orion. Introduced in 2020, this 1.15 ton aircraft can carry a payload of 250 kg (550 pounds) but for maximum endurance (24 hours) only 60 kg can be carried. This is fine for surveillance missions but when carrying weapons, like Vikhr-1V laser-guided anti-tank missiles, which weigh 45 kg each and are similar in weight and performance to the American Hellfire, endurance is less. Orion has a top speed of 200 kilometers an hour and a cruise speed of 120 kilometers. Max range is 1,400 kilometers and Orion can operate at altitudes of up to 7,500 meters (24,000 feet). The first combat use of Orion was in Syria during 2019. This was successful and Orion was approved for production. The next combat use of Orion was in Ukraine, where they showed up in early 2022 and carried out combat missions. Unlike the opposition in Syria, the Ukrainians were more effective at destroying hostile UAVs. Orion is a large target while most Ukrainian UAVs were smaller, operated at lower altitudes and were used primarily to find targets for Ukrainian artillery or ground forces. Russia began to operate the Ukrainian way and that reduced combat losses for Orion. Russia developed a larger version of Orion called Helios. This was a five ton UAV similar to the American Reaper. The cost of the war in Ukraine has halted plans to mass produce Helios. There is also a twin-engine version of Orion in development but that model is also delayed by the war costs. Russia was eager to buy some Mohajer-6 UAVs because Russian defense industries are having a hard time producing all the equipment and munitions Russian forces in Ukraine require.
Political commentator Peter van Onselen breached a non-disparagement agreement he signed with his former employer Network Ten when he wrote a pejorative story documenting the networks financial woes, a judge has found.

Van Onselen was sued last month for breach of contract after he wrote a column for The Australian on May 29 which cast doubt on the long-term viability of Ten and its parent company Paramount.

Peter van Onselen, pictured in 2020, took redundancy from Network Ten earlier this year. Credit: Jason South

Lawyers for Ten brought urgent proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court, arguing the story was at odds with an agreement van Onselen made when he took redundancy from the broadcaster in March.

In a hearing last month, the court was told van Onselen had been Tens political editor from December 2018 until he was told in February this year that the position would be relocated to Canberra. He refused to relocate and instead took a $165,000 redundancy.
The Salvation Army was the original beneficiary of Patient Bs inheritance, alongside a former business associate and an acquaintance. The trio who contested Patient Bs will in the NSW Supreme Court in May this year, claimed the GP had abused his power and committed fraud, but ultimately the group was unsuccessful.

Patient B, who cannot be named for legal reasons, left the doctor $24 million of his $27 million fortune  including the title to his $3 million Strathfield home  in two wills amended three months before his death in 2017. The new wills were drawn up by Alexakis family solicitor.

General practitioner Dr Peter Alexakis was found guilty of professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional conduct in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) this week after the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) presented the case.

A Strathfield doctor who fought the Salvation Army in the Supreme Court and received a $24 million inheritance from a lonely patient has been found guilty of malpractice and admonished for his obtuse and suspicious behaviour.

The HCCC alleged Alexakis visited the ailing patient 92 times, or almost daily, in the months leading up to the execution of the will, and that he had established a friendship with the patient to exploit him for financial gain. Patient B was 83 when he died.

While the tribunal found the visits were disproportionate to any professional or clinical purposes and involved blurring of the boundaries of the doctor-patient relationship, there was insufficient evidence to find Patient B had been manipulated into changing his will. Patient B was effectively a recluse, with no family or spouse, the tribunal found.

In the circumstances revealed by the evidence, the tribunal is entitled to be suspicious about [Alexakis] intentions. [Alexakis] was obtuse or naive in not imagining that Patient B might have provided for him in his will, the tribunal wrote.

But, it said, we are unable to find that it was  in whole or part, undertaken with the intention of financially benefiting by being named in Patient Bs will. It may have been, but that is a matter for conjecture.

The tribunal found that Alexakis also failed to observe professional boundaries and interfered with treating doctors while Patient B was admitted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in May and June 2017 and when the patient entered palliative care at Concord Hospital in October of the same year. It was these doctors who made the complaint to the HCCC.
Brisbanes new Gabba underground train station  which finishes in 2026  will not have a $450 million new bus station until 2030, south-east Queenslands new City Deal documents show.

However, planning is rapidly accelerating for one of the regions newest cities, with $210 million set aside to provide affordable housing in Caboolture West.

The Gabba train station will be finished in 2026, but the new bus station wont be finished until 2030. Credit: Tony Moore

The new document shows how $1.8 billion from three levels of government is distributed to 29 different projects to cope with adding 1.58 million people to the current 3.8 million population in 15 years.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said 5.4 million people would call the region home by 2041.
Pardon his French, but the past three years have been enough for Adrien Docarmo to exclaim sacre bleu!

The president of Brisbanes only French festival has watched on as community events struggled through COVID-19, many in vain.

Le Festival will bring French artistry and savoir faire to Brisbanes Victoria Park.

Determined not to let Brisbanes Le Festival succumb, the committee continued to host small gatherings to showcase French culture and stay alive.

But the festival is shaking off a three-year hiatus, set to bring people together for a glass of champagne and cheese at Victoria Park this month.
Department of Health secretary Euan Wallace last month told a parliamentary hearing his bureaucrats had scanned the CBD looking at all opportunities for potential second injecting sites. But when news broke this week that the government was in talks about an injecting room within the Salvation Army hub, a familiar response followed. Just as with the other sites, the Bourke Street proposal attracted swift and vocal objections from opponents concerned about crime and anti-social behaviour, and expressions of concern from Melbournes lord mayor Sally Capp. Capp, who leads a council that in 2021 narrowly voted to support a CBD injecting room, has opposed each location proposed by the government. On Wednesday, she told 3AW host Neil Mitchell: When it was first announced two years ago now at Drill Hall, near Queen Victoria Market, all of the same issues that we identified then, in terms of impacts on traders and local residents, I think, are multiplied in a position such as Bourke Street. Its a position echoed by Malaspina, who says he supports the concept of an injecting room  but believes it should be somewhere else.

We say this is one of the best parts of the city, he says. Weve got beautiful Parliament House up the road, tour groups and theatregoers; we get school kids to look at Parliament House ... You dont really want to expose all those people to it, its not a good mix. Judy Ryan rejects the so-called honeypot argument. Ryan has been one of the most outspoken advocates of the Richmond supervised injecting room, having campaigned for its existence for two years before it opened in 2018. Judy Ryan says the time for talk has passed. Credit: Eddie Jim The honeypots there, she says bluntly. Its already there, as it was in Richmond. Its been there for years. Ryan has been a relentless campaigner for supervised injecting facilities since 2016, when 34 people died from heroin overdoses in Richmond alone. One man who nearly became one of those statistics collapsed at Ryans back gate. She stayed with him until ambulance officers arrived and revived him. As she looked at him struggling to breathe, she thought: Somebody loves you.

These arent just statistics, theyre peoples loved ones, Ryan says. And they are loved. Katrina Korver lost her beloved 38-year-old son Danial to an overdose in Rainbow Alley last year. She believes the existence of a CBD injecting facility could have saved his life. Korver and her husband John stuck a laminated photo of their son in the laneway near the spot where Danial died, accompanied by a note reading: Please use safe injecting rooms or always make sure someone is with you when injecting, its not worth the risk. Katrina Korver believes her son Danial would be alive if a safe-injecting room had opened in the CBD. Credit: Jason South They visited the alley on the first anniversary of his death, and were relieved to see four men shooting up heroin next to where their son died. Why? They were there together, looking after each other.

The most recent data from the Coroners Court of Victoria reveals that in the two years to June 2022, 29 people died from heroin overdoses in the city centre  the highest number of any local government area. Kathryn Wright is the national general manager of Alcohol and Other Drugs at the Salvation Army. Wright confirms the Bourke Street site  which offers food, support and information to 500 people a day  is being considered for a second supervised injecting room. From an outreach perspective, she says, supervised injecting facilities allow vulnerable people to access support services they might otherwise be unable to reach. Often its really difficult for people to access services that they need, and for workers its really difficult to engage people, she says. How do you reach someone without a mobile phone? Whos unable to remember appointments? Theres a whole range of hurdles. So, in providing a safe injection facility where other services are available to wrap around people, youre not only providing a safe facility, which we know does save lives, but you also provide the pathways into other services for longer-term outcomes. Wright stresses that if the second injecting room is to be successful, it will need such wrap-around services, including allied health and counselling services, to be co-located with the injecting facility.

It is really critical that we get big bang for our buck when we do a safe injecting service, she says. Loading Because we provide [the service], which is a worthy intervention on its own, but we also have the opportunity to do a whole lot more with people that would otherwise be very hard to achieve. Victorias first medically supervised injecting room, in North Richmond, became a permanent fixture in May. The facility was credited in February with saving an estimated 63 lives and safely managing more than 6300 overdoses since it opened as a trial almost five years ago, but its location next to a primary school has been bitterly opposed by some residents and the state opposition.

The Andrews government committed in 2020 to opening a second injecting room in Melbournes CBD, on the expert advice of Professor Margaret Hamilton, an executive member of the Australian National Council on Drugs. But the question of where that facility should be located has created headaches for government and harm reduction advocates, and infuriated those who fear having an injecting facility near their home or business. In 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services identified Drill Hall on Victoria Street, opposite the Queen Victoria Market, as its preferred site. The location was opposed by the City of Melbourne, lord mayor Sally Capp, Queen Victoria Market traders and others, and the government abandoned that plan in early 2021. In May of that year, the government bought the former Yooralla building at 244-248 Flinders Street, between Elizabeth and Swanston streets, identifying it as its new preferred site.

Again, Capp raised concerns about the location, including its proximity to tourist destinations, vulnerable residents and local traders, vowing: Any facility in the City of Melbourne cant cost livelihoods. The search for a new site has been conducted at arms length from government, which commissioned former police commissioner Ken Lay to report on preferred locations. His report, begun in 2020, was handed to Mental Health Minister Gabrielle Williams at the end of May. Her office said she was considering the report. Opposition leader John Pesutto said the Salvation Army hub wasnt the right location, and called on the government to publicly release the Lay report. [It] would bring the Salvation Army into a place that would jeopardise the great work that it does, providing services for our most disadvantaged Victorians, people who need our help, he said. Can anyone realistically imagine this is the right place to host a second injecting room? An insider, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said a large proportion of people who drop into the Salvation Army hub are already intravenous drug users. A second said: We call it an unsupervised injecting room. Its not uncommon to find needles.

Chris Lamb is a member of Keep Our City Alive, a group lobbying for an injecting room in the CBD. He says the time has come for a facility, and says the majority of people would back it. Loading Its not a crippling issue for most people who live in the city, he says. Theres people who are stoked up by a fear campaign, but its a very small minority. An independent review of the Richmond facility by John Ryan, which the government released in part in February, described injecting room clients as being people with complex needs who live on the margins of society. Many of the [medically supervised injecting rooms] 6191 registered clients have experienced high levels of psychological distress, the result of other life stressors such as housing uncertainty, unemployment, food instability, and high rates of chronic and complex health issues, Ryan wrote.
The evidence heard over four days touched on more than 25 years of research for formal recognition of a connection to Country for the Boon Wurrung Land and Sea Foundation  a prolonged stoush over ancestry with rival Indigenous organisation, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. The testimony also gave a horrific account of the violence and enduring harms wrought by European colonisation on the cultures and kinfolk of the areas First Peoples and Tasmanian Aboriginals. Trying to unscramble the effects of colonisation is a distressing and painstaking endeavour, particularly for communities that bear the brunt of that terrible history. Concerning the Boon Wurrung native title application specifically, the court heard of the violent abduction and human trafficking of local and Tasmanian Aboriginal girls and young women to European sealers and whalers in the early decades of the 1800s. The descendants of four of these young women, who were stolen and traded to violent Straitsmen of the Furneaux Islands, sit at the centre of the tension over the native title application.

The First People of this area are known to have largely included the Boonwurrung  spelled in Western form as Boonerwrung, Bunurong, Boonorong and Boon Wurrung  among about 60 other variations. The word Boon means to speak or with the lips and wurrung means language of the people. All spelling variations refer to the one recognised traditional owner nation or tribal estate at sovereignty, or before European invasion. Loading The Boon Wurrung are part of the larger Eastern Kulin nation, a confederacy of tribes made up of the Boon Wurrung, and the Woi Wurrung Wurundjeri, Taungurong, Dja Dja Wurrung and Wathaurong peoples. The Boon Wurrung application  lodged in June 2020  lists three women as the apical ancestors of the traditional owners at sovereignty, those at the uppermost tip of the known family tree: Marjorie Munro, Ann Munrow and Louisa Briggs, who as a girl was abducted from a beach at Point Nepean about 1833 and trafficked to sealers across Bass Strait. The application includes a primary account from an elderly Louisa Briggs, who said in a 1923-24 interview with researchers from the University of Sydney, that she was taken in a little sailing boat to Tasmania and lived in the ighlands [sic] there.

Briggs  who was the granddaughter of Marjorie Munro  eventually married into a polygamous relationship with Anne Munrow and their husband, John Briggs, a Tasmanian Aboriginal man, according to the expert research before the court. In 1858, Louisa, Anne and John returned to the womens traditional Country and lived in a number of locations around the East Kulin nation on the mainland, including Beaufort, in Victorias central highland goldfields, and near Violet Town, north-east of Melbourne, until in 1871 their family settled at the Coranderrk Aboriginal station, near Healesville on the northern outskirts of Melbourne. Tasma Walton with her partner Rove McManus in 2017. Credit: Getty Images In their application to the Federal Court as part of the native title claim, the Boon Wurrung group challenges heritage of three other women said to have been abducted from the Port Phillip area during the early 1800s  Elizabeth Maynard, Eliza Nowan and Jane Foster. Rival group, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLC), rely upon the Bunurong heritage of these apical ancestors to claim their rights to Country. In a return of serve, the BLC claim Louisa Briggs was not Bunurong/Boon Wurrung, but a Tasmanian Aboriginal.

Under the Native Title Act there can be only one determination of native title for a particular area. If a person with native title rights and interests does not become a party to this application, there may be no other opportunity for the Federal Court, in making its determination, to consider those native title rights and interests of the excluded party relating to the Decision Area. Complicating matters further is the position of the Victorian state governments Aboriginal Heritage Council, which recognises the authority of the BLC under Victorias Aboriginal Heritage Act. However, the state also already officially recognises Louisa Briggs as a Boon Wurrung/ Bunurong apical ancestor. Loading In 2019, the Boon Wurrung group unsuccessfully challenged in the Supreme Court, the Heritage Councils decision to award registered-status to BLC. Upon having its native title application accepted by the Federal Court in 2020, principle Boon Wurrung applicant Dr Carolyn Briggs made pointed public remarks about state government intimidation and interference over who owned the traditional rights over Boonwurrung Country. We feel the state is attempting to hamper and sabotage our claim by bankrupting our community by appointing an interstate group as a recognised Aboriginal party over our country  and advising local government and corporates not to associate with us. We will not be bullied, Briggs said at the time.

By lodging this claim in the Federal Court, we can be assured the claim will be determined on the facts rather than the prejudices of particular interest groups and public servant fiefdoms. Yet another hurdle for the Boon Wurrung group presents in the form of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation  the state-registered organisation that is the traditional neighbour and ally of the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong  which says it opposes the application because it overlaps with areas currently within the Wurundjeri Corporations area of registration under the state Aboriginal Heritage Act. However, in an illuminating exchange between Justice Bernard Murphy and former BLC heritage officer Robert Ogden on Tuesday, it became apparent not all members of the BLC witness group share the position that Louisa was not of Boon Wurrung/Bunurong heritage.

Murphy: Youre a named party in this application, youre one of the Bunurong respondents ... do you accept that Carolyn Briggs is a descendent of Louisa Briggs and a Bunurong person? Ogden: Yes.

Murphy: But your counsel in this case is running a case which says she is not. Loading Ogden: Well, I accept her as that. Its not for me to decide whether she is or whether she isnt ... I accept that she is ... In light of their own witnesses testimony, an emergency meeting of BLC directors was called on Wednesday night to consider the groups position. Whats left is a complicated trail of ancestry for the court to unpick and a broken Walton, who has been given time to decide if she wishes to push ahead with her part in a storyline with more twists and turns than any scripted television drama.
The decision by West Australian Supreme Court Justice Paul Tottle on Tuesday to declare solitary confinement of young people in youth detention as unlawful represents an important win for the human rights of some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

It should immediately trigger a rethink of how youth justice works in Western Australia and an end to the law and order approach to the issue.

Children inside Banksia Hill Detention Centre have been subjected to long periods of solitary confinement. Credit: File photo/Michael OBrien

Justice Tottles decision concerned three youths who were detained in 2022, one of whom was detained at the Banksia Hill Detention Centre, the other two at that centre and at Casuarina Prison.

The evidence in the case was that the practice of rolling lockdowns, which occurred because of staff shortages, inadequate infrastructure or security issues, meant that these young people were locked in their cells for periods lasting between 14 and 24 hours day, sometimes on consecutive days. In the case of one of the young people, known as OPS, he was confined to his cell for 23 out of the 31 days in July 2022 for more than 20 hours each day and in most instances for more than 22 hours each day. Nineteen of those days were successive days between 1 and 19 July 2022, Justice Tottle found.
That setback did nothing to diminish the hospitals importance in the electoral contest. The day before Hunts press conference, The Courier Mail ran a story on federal Labors pledge to spend $3.75 million on the hospital if it won government. The pledge was made despite the government having rejected funding requests from the hospital on multiple occasions.

Its closure was a hot-button issue in the marginal federal seat of Longman ahead of the election. Unfortunately for the Morayfield hospital, the federal health department had also found its bid was unfundable and recommended the minister send the money elsewhere.

One unsuccessful candidate in that process was a small private hospital in Queensland known as the Morayfield Minor Accident and Illness Centre. It was looking for funding after a withdrawal of state government money meant it had to close.

Behind the scenes, Hunts attention was directed elsewhere  a federal grant program that had concluded a month earlier, run through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

It was, he fumed at a campaign press conference, a billion-dollar slush fund for undisclosed purposes, to undisclosed parties, via an undisclosed ministerial discretion in undisclosed amounts.

Greg Hunt was in full attack mode on the Saturday before last years federal election. While he wasnt personally contesting the poll, Hunt was the nations health minister for one more week, and ready to critique the Strengthening Medicare Fund recently announced by his Labor opponents.

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The investigation was built on interviews over two months with nearly 50 people inside and outside the fund, and the review of hundreds of pages of reports and documents released under freedom of information laws.

The Morayfield example is just one uncovered in an investigation into the governments $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund that explores concerns about the funds rules and scientific rigour in distributing $2.2 billion in grants in the past six years.

The minister was not aware of who applied for the grant and then accepted all of the departments funding recommendations, the spokesman said.

Asked about the process, Hunts spokesman told this masthead that the hospital, as a private operator up against universities, would never have been a strong candidate for MRFF money.

Weeks earlier, the department had knocked back the proposal. This came as a surprise to two senior sources at Morayfield, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential commercial information, who said they felt confident their bid would succeed due partly to similarities between their pitch to the minister and the eventual grant request.

Now, with the election days away and the government in caretaker mode, Hunts office wanted an urgent brief on what had happened with the grant. With apologies for the weekend work, this is bring [sic] requested for today, said an email to the department, released under freedom of information laws.

Professor Warwick Anderson, chief executive of the National Health and Medical Research Council between 2005 and 2016, said the fund was seen as a lobbyists picnic, which had been scientifically corrupting to the sector.

These processes have vested substantial power in the health minister to back projects that fit the funds broad priorities. A number of eminent medical scientists have said this system needs to change and the Labor government already has the fund under review.

Critics and experts, though, point to substantial amounts of ad hoc and non-competitive funding for projects without competitive tenders, sometimes following lobbying of government ministers. This funding, while all approved within the relevant rules and guidelines, raises questions about whether the MRFF offers optimum value for taxpayers. In all, more than $500 million has been distributed through these routes since 2017.

Announced in 2014 by the Abbott government, the MRFF was heralded as a huge boost to the Australian science sector, which was being pushed ever-closer to crisis as government research funding fell. It added about 50 per cent to federal spending on science and was meant to back research into government-nominated health priorities.

Whether or not I agree with it, there is a perception. And there has been a perception in the past, he said in a presentation posted on the departments website .

Last month, senior health department official Phillip Gould admitted the fund had been seen by some as a ministerial slush fund, but said he felt that view was unfair given its record of using open, competitive grants.

A former senior staff member at the MRFF, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential information, said the funds structure and guidelines meant checks and balances were often ineffective.

In the US, UK, Europe or Canada, no politician has control over a research fund like this. Its a very unusual way of funding, says Anderson. And the fact it is unusual tells you something.

Professor Warwick Anderson, former chief executive of the National Health and Medical Research Council. Credit: Simon Schluter

He said the health ministers significant influence made the fund unique. This, like other projects requiring government funding, encouraged stakeholder lobbying. While other government research funds use peer review to pick the best science, with the MRFF peer review is commonly used but - crucially - not always required.

A source who worked on that proposal, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential processes, said they expected the government would then open a tender process. We wrote a letter to the minister, a full page, saying this is what we need, they said.

In December 2021, documents show Hunts office asked hospital representatives to submit a funding proposal to his department.

In October 2021, the Morayfield centre, which treats minor injuries to ease pressure on hospital emergency departments, closed after running out of funding. Thousands signed a petition calling for it to be reopened.

In the months leading up to the May 2022 federal election, the Coalition was locked in a battle with Labor for the marginal seat of Longman in Queensland.

Through his spokesman, Hunt defended his administration of the fund, saying 91 per cent of project grants were peer-reviewed and awarded after a competitive process. All departmental funding recommendations were followed, he said.

The government did not open a tender. Instead, documents released under freedom of information show Hunts office asked department bureaucrats to draw up a $24 million MRFF grant for research on ways to cut pressure on hospital emergency departments. The process was consistent with guidelines and rules for MRFF grants.

The resulting outline from the department, also obtained under freedom of information, noted clinics structured in a similar way offered some of the most promising interventions.

The outline noted the minister wanted the grant opportunity to be publicly offered in late January and ready for announcement in April.

When the grant was released publicly in February, the hospital was surprised at the process, but positive about its chances.

I thought a tender would have been appropriate. The MRFF was not the typical route ... to receive funding to pay for care, the source said.

No responsible government would put out a $24 million taxpayer-funded opportunity to effectively submit in four weeks without a level of certainty about the specific projects they were keen to see funded.

We took that to mean that our submission to the government was taken seriously, and we stood a good chance of receiving the funding.

Adding to Morayfields confidence was the fact that sections of the grant selection criteria, obtained by this masthead, mirrored almost word-for-word the submission it had sent to Hunts office in December.

Hunts office also moved at speed, freedom of information documents show. They waived usual procedures around grant approval for all applicants. Bureaucrats used a minimum viable timeline  cutting the usual months to just weeks in a way it had also done for projects on bushfires and COVID-19.

Because all the years MRFF funding had already been spent, the grant was funded using money diverted from a clinical trial for women with genetic conditions. (The MRFF funded that trial the following year.)

Finally, the ministers office directed the department to strip out a standard clause requiring applicants to have support from their local health department.

This was good news for Morayfield, because earlier that month Queenslands Labor health minister wrote to another Liberal politician explaining she had cut Morayfields funding following a review of its performance and value for money.

After a tightening of MRRF rules in 2019, the health minister had the power to draw up medical research grants  including writing grants that only a single organisation could apply for  but the department of health would then vet and rank the applicants. The minister could then decide how far down the ladder they wanted to fund.

This meant that while the minister could propose the grants and, therefore, had significant influence, the outcome was still subject to some departmental input.

The project source also said the process and the eventual refusal made him sick to his stomach.

Politics should be nowhere near this. And that might be naive. But ultimately, that was our entire motivation for doing this  to see care delivered, and to know we were doing some good, the source said.

Having secured the money it needed from Labor, the hospital reopened in April.

Hunts spokesman said the health department had found 10 other projects met the program guidelines and its recommendations were accepted in full.

The ALP decision to directly fund the private provider occurred after, and despite, the fact that the Department of Health had found that the Morayfield project was not ranked of sufficient merit to fund, he said.

He said the federal government had on three occasions declined to fund the hospital.

The centre for excellence that never was

Others highlight the awarding of various ad hoc and non-competitive grants, where millions of dollars were handed out in accordance with the funds rules, as another weakness in its governance.

In the run-up to the 2019 election, analysts tipped the battle for the marginal seat of Braddon in northern Tasmania  with its margin of 1.7 per cent and a history of swinging  to play a key role in the Coalitions bid for another term in government.

In 2018, Hunt and then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull flew to Burnie, in Braddon, to announce a new Centre for Excellence in Rural and Regional Health.

University of Tasmania medical students with Malcolm Turnbull, Greg Hunt and Liberal candidate for Braddon Brett Whiteley (obscured) in Burnie in June 2018. Credit: Facebook

Its going to be based here, Turnbull told the media. Funds for the centre would start to flow within weeks; it would allow the University of Tasmania to become a global leader right here in Burnie, in rural and regional health, Hunt added.

The centre would be funded with $2.4 million through a closed, non-competitive research grant from the Medical Research Future Fund. Three years later it would show up in election advertising from the local Liberal MP as another commitment delivered as promised.

But Burnies Centre for Excellence never opened, and does not exist.

The university had never applied for such a centre in Burnie, and did not want one. In fact, it already had a Centre for Rural Health based in Launceston and Hobart.

Our view was, in many ways, we already had centres that covered the territory, said the universitys Professor James Vickers. It probably did not make a lot of sense spending a lot of money on developing a new centre.

The university later asked the government to reallocate the money. It went instead to two other research projects: an obesity project based in Launceston, and a statewide dementia research project run by Vickers and based in Hobart.

A spokeswoman for the university said the two projects were consistent with the requirements of the grant.

A federal health department spokesman said the funding was consistent with Turnbulls announcement of supporting cutting-edge research, aimed at preventing health issues in regional and remote Australia.

They said the department provided the minister with advice on implementation and areas of focus for the proposed grant to the University of Tasmania before the funding was announced.

The Microbiome Research Centre

In 2015, the St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation was casting around for their Big Aim: a major research project.

It initially looked at developing a Centre for Next-Generation Healthcare, but was knocked back for government funding.

In 2016, renowned gastroenterologist and microbiome expert Professor Emad El-Omar was appointed chair of medicine at the local St George Hospital.

The foundation, working with El-Omar, hit on a new idea - a research centre devoted to the microbiome, the colony of gut bacteria that was becoming a hot research topic. Money poured in.

Between 2017 and 2018 the Coalition committed $6 million, some of it in closed non-competitive grants, to establish the foundations Microbiome Research Centre.

You know how foundations seek support from politicians? said El-Omar. There was a commitment to that particular region to support a research project of some kind.

Professor Emad El-Omar, director of the Microbiome Research Centre. Credit: Peter Braig

Before it had opened, the government handed the centre another $2 million in MRFF funding for microbiome research  allocated as a one-off/ad hoc grant straight to the St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation.

Prior to 2016, the foundation had no track record of microbiome research. By comparison, researchers at the University of Queensland had published hundreds of papers on the subject.

I remember when [the funding] emerged, and being very surprised, said one microbiome researcher, granted anonymity to speak freely.

If the microbiome funding had been offered as a competitive grant, they certainly wouldnt have been the strongest competitors, said another microbiome researcher.

Then prime minister Scott Morrison visited the foundation twice in 2018, including to announce the MRFF funding. Were doubling down, he told media.

The similarly-named Centre for Microbiome Research, established at Queensland University of Technology in 2020, has not been so lucky  it has not received any direct government or MRFF funding.

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Sydneys Microbiome Research Centre is on the edge of the electorate of Barton, held by Labor since 2016.

When Hunt announced $4.4 million to establish the centre in 2017, he did it standing next to David Coleman, Liberal MP for the neighbouring marginal seat of Banks, which has a boundary very close to the hospital.

And our money, which David has fought for through a powerful campaign, will go to creating this centre, to turning it into a world-leading microbiota or Microbiome Research Centre, Hunt said.

Coleman was also with the then prime minister when he announced the extra MRFF funding. He even got to officially open the centre.

El-Omar said he could not say if the fine electoral margin in Banks played a role in the centre winning funding.

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It could be. Im not an idiot, said El-Omar. It was an unmet need, and something that has been very successful since then. So Im not going to complain about their motives.

A spokesman for Coleman said he advocated for many organisations, including the St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation.

The health department said all grants followed the necessary assessments and recommendations from assessors.

The foundation declined to comment.

Hunt did not answer detailed questions about the Tasmanian centre or the microbiome project.

Liam Mannixs Examine newsletter explains and analyses science with a rigorous focus on the evidence. Sign up to get it each week.
Michele Bullocks first public outing as deputy governor of the Reserve Bank started off with a technical hitch. But the calm, assured way she handled herself helped her secure the countrys top economic role.

Bullock will be the banks first female governor. But she will also face the most public scrutiny as the first governor to front a press conference after every board meeting, with every word she says affecting news, financial markets and public confidence.

Michele Bullock will take the reins of the RBA in September. Credit: Jessica Hromas

Less than a week after she became deputy in April 2022, Bullock was due to front her first Senate estimates grilling, but was initially blocked from joining via video link. As soon as she could speak, her answers were frank and, well, economical.

I think we are just feeling our way a bit because we havent seen unemployment rates down this low. All we can do really is observe what the evidence is telling us here, she told senators when asked how wages growth would react to near record-low unemployment.
Its 11am in Kaliberi village, and the artisans of Saheli Women are hard at work. As I walk out of the beating mid-morning sun into their workshop  a large, cool space with candy pink walls and high lavender ceilings  the dozen or so women are busy hand-stitching and embroidering garments.

Saheli Women at Kali Beri Village, near Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India. Credit: Marco Klahold

These women are all Pakistani migrants, and many of them were doing hard labour in mines and cotton fields before this, says Madhu Vaishnav, the bright-eyed founder of Saheli Women and my host for the week, as she admires the stitching on a blue ikat patterned napkin. See how beautiful this is? My ladies are all doing such good work.

I discovered Saheli Women, an atelier that has been producing ethically made, sustainable garments for international fashion brands since 2015, through a designer friend some years back, who Vaishnav inspired to start her sustainable fashion business. When I found myself in Jodhpur with some days to spare, I thought to look Vaishnav up, and was delighted to find Saheli had a travel offering. Five days immersed with some of the 80-odd artisans Saheli employs, learning traditional Indian handcraft techniques. I booked immediately.

Vaishnav gives me an introduction to natural dyeing, pulling big jars of marigold and sappan wood and onion skin powders off shelves. Rather than pollute waterways with the harsh chemicals fashion companies usually use, Saheli often use these natural pigments to colour their fabrics.
Lack of success in Ukraine has become a problem for the Russian government and the Russian media. Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not tolerate public criticism. After all, Putin began his career as a Soviet KGB officer. Back then openly criticizing the KGB was against the law and violators were jailed or simply died under mysterious circumstances. Putin revived those practices after the invasion of Ukraine turned out to be a disaster for Russia. Now the Ukrainians are counter-attacking with the goal of driving Russians out of Ukraine entirely. Another embarrassing aspect of the Ukraine fighting was that the Ukrainian received over $80 billion in military and other aid from NATO countries while no one was helping Russia. Several groups in Russia have opinions on why this is so and not all of these opinions agree with each other.

Some Russians see the invasion of Ukraine as necessary if Russia is to negotiate with the West on an equal basis. The invasion triggered massive Western economic sanctions on Russia, which kept Russian leaders developing methods to cope with the economic impact, especially on ordinary Russians. Vladimir Putin first established power in Russia two decades ago by paying attention to the standard of living for Russians, especially those surviving on a pension. This made Putin very popular, although that popularity is diminishing the longer Russian forces are struggling in Ukraine. This has encouraged the more radical supporters of Putins foreign policy. This produced the angry Russia faction that opposes any efforts to negotiate with the West. Demands are preferred but the more Russia struggles in Ukraine the less likely anyone in the West wants to negotiate with Russia. This is because Russia tends to break agreements made with the West and blame the West for forcing Russia to take drastic action.

Despite many failures, Putin remains in power. Despite that, the growing list of threats is eroding that power. Russians like a strong leader, but there is a limit to how many of the leaders mistakes they will tolerate. This has created a bad situation for Putin because the most common causes of wars are territorial disputes and overconfidence by the aggressor. The current war in Ukraine is the result of over a decade of bad decisions by Russian leaders, particularly Vladimir Putin, who has been running Russia for over two decades despite term-limits laws and continued, but futile, popular opposition.

The first actual invasion of Ukraine occurred nine years ago after five days of popular protests in Ukraine forced a pro-Russia Ukrainian president to flee to Russia. Victor Yanukovych had won the 2010 presidential election because of promises to seek greater economic and diplomatic links with the West. At that point Russia had been interfering in Ukrainian affairs for over a decade in an effort to prevent Ukraine from becoming more Western and less subservient to Russia. Yanukovych was bribed by the Russians to renege on his election promises about closer links with the West. In late 2013 Yanukovych was supposed to sign a political association and free trade agreement with the EU (European Union). To the surprise of the Ukrainians who voted for him, Yanukovych refused to sign the EU agreement and announced he was going to seek closer ties with Russia. This triggered a popular uprising demanding he resign. At first Yanukovych tried using violence to suppress what came to be called the Maidan Revolution. Over a hundred protesters were killed but the number of protesters in Kyiv grew and Yanukovych fled to Russia. The Ukrainian parliament then voted to officially remove Yanukovych from office and an interim president was selected to arrange new elections and sign the EU agreement. Petro Poroshenko was elected president in May 2014.

Russia was dismayed by the removal of Yanukovych and turned to more violent solutions to their Ukraine problems. Russia declared that former Ukrainian president Yanukovych was still the legitimate president and had him write a letter requesting Russian military assistance in Crimea, where the new Ukrainian government was threatening to cancel the lease Russia had for their naval base. Russia was providing Yanukovych with sanctuary and protection from prosecution for crimes he is accused of in Ukraine.

Russia was acting on its belief that three Ukrainian provinces, Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk should be part of Russia because most of the people in those provinces were Russian speakers and could be persuaded to voluntarily join Russia. This turned out to be only partially true. Many of the Russians in Crimea were military personnel and their families, living there because of the continued use of Sevastopol as the Black Sea Fleet headquarters. Russia prepared a surprise operation that involved the 22nd and 45th GRU (Military Intelligence) spetsnaz (special operations) regiments, which were part of the Russian military force but not identified as spetsnaz. There were only a few hundred spetsnaz in Crimea and Ukrainians soon were able to recognize the little green men with weapons and lots of attitude wearing uniforms with no insignia. Also identified were recently (after the takeover began) arrived members of the infamous (for brutal but effective special operations in Chechnya) Vostok battalion and an airborne unit (31st Airborne Brigade) that showed up in a lot of tricky situations (Bosnia, Chechnya, Georgia). In other words, what foreign intelligence agencies have come to regard as The Usual Suspects whenever there is an operation using a lot of special operations troops.

Ukraine appealed to the West for help, not just a trade deal. Putins actions in Ukraine had made Ukraine closer to the west and seek membership in NATO. Putin had invoked grievances with NATO and sought to resolve them by claiming they attacked Ukraine to annex it to Russia. This was considered necessary to restore Ukraine to its status as part of Russia. Putin later claimed that he was seeking to restore other areas to Russian control.

Putin eventually named portions of Poland as one of its future targets for absorption into Greater Russia, otherwise known as the Russian empire. Belarus, the Baltic States and some former Soviet territories in Central Asia are also on the acquisition list. None of these targets for Russian aggression are willing to go peacefully. As the largest and wealthiest East European NATO member, Poland is leading the way by rearming to confront any future threat. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Poland decided to increase the size of the armed forces to 300,000 personnel and spend at least three percent of GDP on defense. NATO agreements suggest two percent of GDP but few European NATO members reached two percent. Now more NATO members are reaching or exceeding two percent and the increases are higher the closer the country is to Russia.

The NATO nations close to Russia or bordering Russia insist that if Russia is allowed to keep any Ukrainian territory, the Russians will attack them too as part of an effort to reconstitute the Greater Russia that the tsars and later communists created and maintained until 1991. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has always insisted that the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a big mistake and must be rectified. Many Russians agree with that, but are less willing to pay the economic and military price that Ukraine demonstrated would result if Russia tried.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan are nervous because they are, after Ukraine, according to Vladimir Putin, on the list of former Soviet territories that need to be reunited with Greater Russia. That would be difficult because these three states have growing economic ties with China and diplomatic ties with India.

Russia later expanded its territorial claims beyond Ukraine to include what it openly called Greater Russia. This is not quite rebuilding the tsarist or communist empires because Russia does not want the expensive to rule Central Asian states, but rather more lucrative territories Russian once ruled. This includes portions of Poland, all of the Baltic States and Finland, and parts of Alaska. There are some serious legal and practical problems with these claims. The United States has a larger military and nukes which might come into play to deal with efforts to enforce any Russian claims on Alaska. Russia is making claims on several Eastern European NATO members who are protected by the mutual defense clause of the NATO treaty.

Russia and all the nations involved are members of the United Nations. Article 51 of the UN charter demands that members refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Russia says this does not apply because Ukraine is a breakaway part of Russia and Russian troops are seeking to liberate Ukraine from foreign (NATO) oppression. Ukraine is also a UN member and protests Russian claims as well as the UN tolerating the Russian use of its Security Council veto to block any serious UN opposition to the Russian aggression.

Ukraine pointed out that the Ukrainian forces will force Russian troops out of Ukraine and then the problem will be what the rest of the world does with Russia.

Putins decisions have led Western and even some Russian media to describe Putin as out of control and deranged. That sort of talk can get you arrested in Russia. This is only one of many unpopular Putin decisions. Another one is the effort to sever access to the Internet outside of Russia. Only a few government and commercial operations would have access to the Internet beyond Russias borders. Putin has had this system tested recently and there were still major problems that had to be fixed before he could sever international Internet access for most Russians. This is not popular with most Russian Internet users.

Putin appears to go out of his way with actions and statements that further diminish his popularity inside Russia. There are still like-minded Russians who agree with Putin, but their number dwindles as each new scheme backfires and makes things worse for Russia.
Although Tony Wheeler has travelled far and wide, he still has a bucket list. One of those listed places is the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland. Aged 55, I ventured overseas for the first time and this wonder-filled destination was on my list. Its Viking history is evident and the standing stones are older than Stonehenge. Orkney is wild, magical and spellbinding. Driving to the top of Scotlands mainland to catch the ferry to Stromness is the beginning of a grand adventure. Tony Wheeler, make it number one on your bucket list. You wont be disappointed.

Vicki Walker, Coburg, Vic Out of sight, out of my mind We recently travelled to and from Sydney to Zagreb, via Jakarta and Istanbul, with Turkish Airlines. Our luggage was checked through to Zagreb-Sydney, however our boarding passes had to be reissued in Jakarta. The passports of all transiting passengers were collected and taken somewhere in a plastic bag to be processed with no explanation. This meant an hour of nervous waiting for passengers in the airport transit area. I always thought travellers shouldnt let their passports out of sight. Incidentally, Turkish Airlines performed well apart from this.

Vicki Steele, Kiama, NSW Brimming with praise Hats off to Katrina Lobley in the dipping of her lid in her article on how to wear an Akubra (Traveller, July 1), graphically illustrated by Jamie Brown. The trend to be seen wearing the iconic Australian headpiece has received a boost in more recent years and it seems to be a status symbol for those not just seeking protection from the suns rays but also wanting to create an affinity with the land. My late father always wore a hat. A carpenter by trade, the Akubra was never part of his wardrobe. And despite the humble nature of his hat he always dipped his lid when greeting a lady. A lost etiquette not often practised by those who leave their hat on.

Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW

Putting the ouch in voucher Like many other Frequent Flyers, I received a $50 voucher as a peace offering from Qantas CEO Alan Joyce in August, 2021 as a result of my earlier travel being changed by the airline. When I phoned Qantas last week for a refund of this travel pass prior to its expiry, I was fed a load of evasions, before being rung back and told that it had been used. That was impossible, as I havent flown with Qantas since July 2021. Im writing to warn others that they may possibly get the same runaround from the Qantas overseas call centre.

Ian Stevenson, Gladesville, NSW Loud and proud Lee Tulloch (Traveller, July 1) sings the praises of Aussie travellers being appallingly treated by airlines and copping it without complaint. Does she not believe that its reasonable to be kept informed when theres a delay? Every time we allow the airlines to treat paying customers with such contempt simply encourages them to keep on doing it. Complain, I say, and do it loudly.

Eric Groszmann, Sippy Downs, Qld Pal JAL

We have just flown JAL Premium Economy London to Sydney with business lounge access at both Heathrow and Tokyo. Nice one, JAL. Its the little things that count with JAL now our preferred airline Sydney to London in the future. The other airlines need to lift their game.

Peter Wilson, Murrays Beach, NSW Little things count Thanks, Brian Johnston, for mentioning the daily offerings that Balinese people leave out (Traveller, July 1) in doorways, temple steps, roadways and on windowsills. They are integral to the daily activities of all Hindus. Travellers to other cultures are much wiser if they notice the little things along the way. Bali has so much to offer if you learn from locals. I left my heart there in the 80s after spending time with locals over a few precious years.

Joanne Stevenson, Sanctuary Point, NSW Memory keepers I echo the words of Christina Weymore-Peyton (Traveller Letters, June 23). This year I had the privilege of attending the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Berlin Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and I also visited the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Malta. Both were impeccably maintained and are an ongoing tribute to those who gave their lives for us. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission does a sterling job and I encourage anyone travelling to pay a visit to the resting places of some many of our fellow Australians. There are 23,000 Commonwealth cemeteries in 150 countries.

Michael Thomas, Cheltenham, NSW

Land of fire and ice This is an incredible land of volcanoes, lava fields, black sand beaches and rugged sharpened landscapes. Did I mention waterfalls? Oh, and glaciers, hundreds of them. We are in Iceland in summer with a top temperature of 12 degrees Celscius. Rain, fog and wind that can knock you off your feet. We are on a self drive around the island along with what seems like most of the baby boomers of France and Germany in every tourist spot. Go now. Iceland could become even more popular.

Michael Copping, Oatley, NSW EDITORS NOTE Our reader has followed up his initial letter, above, with news of the eruption of Icelands Fagradalsfjall volcano during his visit. We have had one earthquake since arriving, Michael Copping writes. It was a low booming rumble 5.3 magnitude. It shook our hotel for about five seconds. Express purposes Your reader Jeff Swan felt he was getting a bargain catching a taxi (Traveller Letters, July 1) instead of getting a discount transfer from the hire car company. Why would you hang around waiting for a taxi for 50 ($A82.10 ) to go from Fiumicino (Rome) airport into the city when you could take an express train for 14 ($22.99). They run every 15 minutes. If you queue for a taxi for 30 minutes then take 30 minutes (minimum) to get into Rome, you could get an express bus for 6 which takes only 45 minutes.

Judith Rostron, Killarney Heights, NSW

Pocket rocket It is getting a bit tiresome reading letters from people being pickpocketed in France and Europe. It has been happening for more than 10 years and if you are going to carry cash, then keep it secure around your neck in a pouch and under clothing. Some people are just blase until it happens.

Michael McKenna, Warragul, Vic EDITORS NOTE What do our readers consider are the best measures for preventing theft when travelling overseas? Write to us and well publish the most informative letters. Special delivery Japan has an excellent and reliable luggage forwarding delivery service known as takuhaibin [meaning shipping/fast delivery]. It is a next day service, so just take overnight amenities for your first night. If staying anywhere for just one night, forward the luggage to the next stay, and your luggage will be there waiting. The service is operated by Nippon Express and is inexpensive, extensive, efficient and reliable.

The cost is around JPY2,000 ($20.95) for a 20 kilogram suitcase. Ask at the front desk of your accommodation, have your luggage with you, show the staff the address you wish to send your item to and let them know what day you want it delivered. They will fill out the form for you. Have cash handy for payment. Consider asking for help with the paperwork the night before to avoid busy morning times and to make a faster get away the next day.

Kerrie Maitland, Baulkham Hills, NSW Who you gonna call? On a recent trip to New Zealand I needed to call an ambulance but I didnt know what number to call. It appears that countries have different emergency numbers so my tip is to find out the emergency number for the country you are visiting before you need it. Also while New Zealand has reciprocal medical cover with Australia this doesnt apply to ambulance use  or in my case a transfer in a medi helicopter at an eye-watering cost. So my second tip for travelling to New Zealand is not to skimp on your travel insurance. For the record, the emergency number in New Zealand is 111.

Pam Stokes, Beaumaris, Vic The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com
Jakarta: Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has used a meeting with Chinas top diplomat to reinforce Australian calls for transparency from Beijing over its newly signed security deal with Solomon Islands.

Wong spoke to Wang Yi for nearly an hour on the edges of a regional forum in Indonesia in what was their fourth meeting and first since she visited Beijing last December.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong meets Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers summit in Jakarta on Thursday. Credit: DFAT

She said she raised the governments objections to the Hong Kong police bounties placed on politicians and activists in exile in Australia as well as advocating for several Australians detained in China and for the further relaxation of trade sanctions.

Wong also took the chance to flag Australias concerns about Chinas new police co-operation agreement with Honiara, which was sealed during a visit to Beijing by Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare this week.
Heuermann lives in Massapequa Park, a community just north of South Oyster Bay and the sandy stretch known as Gilgo Beach, where the remains were found in 2010 and 2011. Most of the victims were young women who had been sex workers. Their deaths long stumped investigators, a mystery that fuelled immense public attention and led to a 2020 Netflix film, Lost Girls. Determining who killed them, and why, vexed a slew of seasoned homicide detectives through several changes in police leadership. Last year an interagency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case. Rex Heuermanns mug shot following his arrest. Credit: AP Ladies and gentlemen, Rex Heuermann is a demon that walks among us  a predator that ruined families, Suffolk County police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said. If not for the members of this task force, he would still be out on the streets today. After connecting Heuermann to the pickup, prosecutors said, investigators were able to link him to other evidence, including burner cellphones used to arrange meetings with the slain women, and taunting calls that a person claiming to be the killer made to one of Barthelemys relatives using her cellphone after she disappeared in 2009.

In recent months, Heuermann sought to keep tabs on the probe and searched obsessively on the internet for facts about the Gilgo Beach killings, including the names of women hes accused of killing, as well as podcasts and documentaries about the case, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said. Tierney said authorities moved to charge Heuermann now with three of the killings out of concern for this defendant fleeing and the danger to the community. They are continuing to work toward charging him in the death of a fourth victim, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. I never thought theyd find this person. Amy Brotz, a cousin of one of the women killed Until his arrest, Heuermann continued to use burner phones, patronise sex workers and search the internet for sadistic materials, including sexually exploitative images of children, Tierney said. He also has permits for 92 guns, the prosecutor said. This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families  peace that has been long overdue, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said during an unrelated appearance on Long Island.

Loading The arrest came as a shock and a relief to some of the victims relatives. I never thought theyd find this person, Barthelemys cousin, Amy Brotz, said. Law enforcement personnel converged on Friday morning on Heuermanns home, a small red house about 64 kilometres east of midtown Manhattan. Dozens of residents mingled alongside police and media, watching as a half-dozen investigators, some in protective suits, conferred outside the front porch, which was in disrepair, its roof propped up by 2-by-4s. The home, where Heuermann has lived since childhood, belonged to a family that had long kept to themselves, neighbours said, noting that the dilapidated property seemed out of place among rows of single-family homes and well-kept lawns.

Barry Auslander said the man who lived in the house commuted by train to New York City each morning, wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase. It was weird. He looked like a businessman, Auslander said. But his house is a dump. Heuermann, married with a daughter and a stepson, is a licensed architect with a Manhattan-based firm that, according to its website, has done store build-outs and other renovations for major retailers, offices and apartments. Jessica Taylor, whose remains were found along at Gilgo Beach. Credit: AP Were happy to see that theyre finally active, the police, in accomplishing something. Lets wait and see what it all leads to, said John Ray, the lawyer for the families of two other women whose remains were found, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor.

Gilberts disappearance in 2010 triggered the hunt that exposed the larger mystery. A 24-year-old sex worker, she vanished after leaving a clients house on foot in the seafront community of Oak Beach, disappearing into the marsh. Months later, a police officer and his cadaver dog were looking for her body in the thicket along nearby Ocean Parkway when they happened upon the remains of a different woman. Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another. By spring 2011, that number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains  those of eight women, one man and one toddler. Some were later linked to dismembered body parts found elsewhere on Long Island, making for a puzzling crime scene that stretched from a park near the New York City limits to a resort community on Fire Island and out to far eastern Long Island. Gilberts body was found in December 2011, about five kilometres east of where the other 10 sets were discovered. AP
Latest News Five more SMSF auditors disqualified Three others were imposed with additional conditions

Mortgage Choice works hard to increase female broker numbers Women make up 35% of brokers but more to be done

An industrial land parcel in the industrial precinct of Smeaton Grange is listed for sale with a price of $10.5 million, Raine & Horne Commercial Macarthur said in a press release.

The freehold industry property is located at 46 Anderson Road, Smeaton Grange and spans 7,009 sqm. It is within close vicinity of major transportation arteries such as Camden Valley Way, Narellan Road, and the Hume Highway. The M5 and M7 Motorways along with the entire road network of Greater Sydney are also near the site.

The land is currently leased by Doko Formwork Australia, but the lease will expire on 31 August. Maria Agostino, associate director of sales and leasing at Raine & Horne Commercial Macarthur, said that the listing had been received well by its potential buyers.

Enquiries immediately poured in from fund managers, property developers, and high-net wealth private investors seeking a substantial industrial landholding in the burgeoning southwestern Sydney region, Agostino said.

Agostino said that the land is ideal for owner-occupiers who may be interested in building a new warehouse or several industrial strata units. She is selling the property alongside Daniel Krobot (pictured below), managing director of Raine & Horne Commercial Macarthur.

This is one of the larger parcels of land weve listed for some time, and we are selling the property by Expressions of Interest (EOI). It is also one of the last remaining sites of this size for sale in southwest Sydney, and we expect an excellent result for the vendor, she said.

Agostino and Krobot had also listed another prospect for lease at 3 Montore Road, Minto. It spans a total of 8,009 sqm and is located at the Minto industrial precinct, near Airds Road, the main industrial thoroughfare of Minto. It is also within a 45-kilometre radius of the Sydney CBD and Port Botany, with access to the M5 and M7 Motorways through Campbelltown Road.

This premises benefits from its proximity to commuter rail services, being within easy walking distance. Furthermore, the Macarthur Intermodal Terminal is just a few minutes away, providing added convenience for transportation and logistics, Krobot said.

He added that some of the factors that led to a rise in the demand for the regions industrial market include the development of residential land projects found in Appin, Wilton, Cobbity, Leppington and Austral.

The construction of the Western Sydney Airport and associated projects such as the release of future industrial land around the airport precinct and the completion of the M12 Motorway, are creating additional market impetus and attracting firms to lease industrial space in this region, Krobot said.

The lease price for the listing in Minto is set to be $1,020,000 per annum net, not including outgoings and GST.
History was made in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe, on July 7th, 2023, the final day of the inaugural Africa Voluntary Carbon Credits Forum (AVCCM). Agreements were signed to initiate and install a Regional (Pan African) Carbon Registry owned and operated in Zimbabwe plus a locally operated, owned, and branded version of the worlds first and leading global Voluntary Carbon platform, Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713321840/en/

Contracts Signed in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe (Photo: Business Wire)

The Victoria Falls Carbon Registry (VFCR) will support the migration of Zimbabwe and other African nations projects and Carbon Credits back to Africa to be re-issued under their control. African Nations wishing to participate will be offered a National Sub-license and Registry Administration role within the VFCR, to support, lodge, monitor and manage projects and credit issuance in their nation. This low-cost solution negates the need for separate National Registries. Project types, methodologies and registry fees will be at the discretion of the VFCR, and they expect support from existing carbon credit standards internationally. The Registry will be operational in August 2023 and will start accepting projects, new or migrating, as soon as staff are trained to do so. Global Environmental Markets Group (GEM) will deliver the technology with training in August.

The Victoria Falls Carbon Exchange (VFCX) will have immediate access via CTX to hundreds of projects worldwide for buyers globally, millions of credits listed across worldwide for T+0 clearance and settlement. Plus new credits issued by VFCR Registry listed on the VFCX /CTX globally) instantly at the price the seller determines from that new registry. VFCX registry account holders can list via VFCX at no costs to list. A 5% fee on Sale of credits, no transfer or Retirement fees.

The AVCCM event attracted a large global audience across the carbon market, plus Government, banking, and project developers, supporting Zimbabwean Governments decision to bring the carbon credits home under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement.

This is the future Africa said it wanted from the Paris agreement in 2015, according to Wayne Sharpe, CEO & Founder, Global Environmental Markets Group. This follows on from COP27 where GEM and CTX did multiple presentations to various African nations. After speaking at the AVCCM event, Wayne added, We saw the passion and commitments to Carbon Credits in Zimbabwe and Africa. This is why we built this technology, to deliver financial and ecological benefits to nations on the ground!

Kwanele Hlabangana, Chairman and Co-Founder of AVCCM said, Partnering with experienced world class Carbon Market technology leaders like GEM & CTX is exciting. Responses from projects, communities and governments is outstanding. It's a great opportunity to accelerate Africa into the Global Climate to save our planet. Ground up approach plus community engagement combined with GEMs proven world class Registry and Exchange technology ticks the boxes for a trusted, credible, transparent, and vibrant African marketplace

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713321840/en/
MBABANE  After having set the bar high, the Kingdom of Eswatini will tomorrow officially hand over the Chairmanship of the SACU Summit, Council of Ministers and Commission to the Kingdom of Lesotho.

According to a press statement issued by the Southern African Customs Unions (SACU) Executive Secretary, Thabo Khasipe, yesterday, the Kingdom of Lesotho will assume the SACU chairmanship effective from July 15, 2023 to July 14, 2024. Eswatini held the SACU Chair from July 15, 2022 ending today (July 14, 2023). It is worth noting that the SACU Chairmanship rotates among the member States for 12 months, in alphabetical order. Samuel Tsokoane Matekane, the Prime Minister of Lesotho, will assume the role of Chairperson of the SACU Summit, from His Majesty King Mswati III. The Minister of Finance in Lesotho, Retselisitsoe Matlanyane, will assume the role of the Chairperson of the SACU Council of Ministers, taking over from the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Taking

The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in Lesotho, Thoateng Lebona, will now be the Chairperson of the SACU Commission, taking over from Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Sizakele Dlamini. Meanwhile, the Executive Director in the Ministry of Finance in Namibia Titus Ndove will be the Chairperson of Finance, Risk and Audit Committee, taking over from the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in Lesotho Thoateng Lebona.

Tenure

During the His Majesty King Mswati IIIs tenure as the SACU Summit Chairman, it was worth noting that the unions member states had the highest receipts. For the Kingdom of Eswatini alone, the SACU receipt increased from E5.8 billion to E11.75 billion in the 2022/23 financial year. This was shared during the 8th SACU summit of Heads of States or government held in Mandvulo Grand Hall at Lozitha Palace on June 30. While giving the keynote address, the King said he was pleased that the union was experiencing positive developments in the collection of SACU receipts, which will contribute immensely to the social and economic development of the five countries which are Eswatini, South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia.

Happy

As Eswatini, we are happy that during our chairmanship all member states realised a windfall in our SACU receipts. We need to maintain these positive results and standards to increase the returns even more, he said. His Majesty told the delegates that the countrys receipts increased by a significant share of 102 per cent when compared to the previous year. It is the first time seeing such high returns, he said.

Factor

He explained that the contributing factor to the positive growth was the higher than projected outturn of the 2021/2022 Common Revenue Pool (CRP), together with the 25 per cent increase in the projected size of the CRP for 2023/2024 compared to 2022/2023 financial year. The increase in Eswatinis share of total intra-SACU imports from 9.6 per cent in the revenue sharing framework for 2022/2023 to 10.8 per cent in 2023/2024 was also a contributing factor.
MBABANE  A man who attended Tesalonika Church in Zion has been arrested for allegedly raping a teenage fellow church member, who later had an abortion.

Mandla Vilakati (26), who is now employed as a butcher, however, denied ever being in a love relationship with *Thandi (16). According to Vilakati, he and the complainant attended the same church. He said Thandis family also went to the same church. He narrated to the court, that he was interested in having a love relationship with the complainant and decided to propose love to her. Vilakati alleged that while trying his luck with her, around January 2023, Thandi informed one of her sisters that he was proposing love to her and that she was not interested in him as she was already in a relationship with a Dlamini man. He said during this period, Thandi had been evasive with her age to the extent that he was compelled to enquire from her sister as to how old she really was.

Age

Upon enquiry, her sister informed me that ascertaining the complainants age was very much immaterial as she was not interested in me, since she was already in a relationship with a Dlamini man who resides in the same area as the complainant. Consequently, I ceased asking her out as I was now aware that she was not interested in me and by that time, around February 2023, I was no longer frequenting church at Tesalonika as I was already employed at Ngwenya by Swaziland Meat Wholesalers as a butcher, he stated.

Vilakati also mentioned that, to his surprise and dismay, around May 2023, on a date he could not recall, he allegedly received a phone call from the complainants father, who enquired as to why he was in a love relationship with his daughter. He said he informed him that he was not in a relationship with his daughter since she was in love with another man.

He then informed me that just like all the other guys he had been calling, I will explain everything to the police. True to his word, on June 25, 2023, I was called by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) to report at the police station, where upon arrival, I was informed that there was a certain girl (complainant herein) who had fallen pregnant and had carried out an abortion. I was further informed that they had gathered information to the effect that the terminated pregnancy was six weeks.

Intercourse

I denied ever having sexual intercourse with the complainant and informed the investigating officer that the last time I had communication with the complainant was around January 2023, before I left to Ngwenya for employment and consequently, there was no way I could have impregnated her as the period of last communication was in excess of the six weeks they were alleging.

Vilakati alleged that he was informed that he was the main suspect and as a result he was arrested for having sexual intercourse with the complainant.

The accused was arrested by Piggs Peak police. He was accused of contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act No.15 of 2018, in particular Section 3(1). He was alleged to have had unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He stated that he cooperated with the police throughout the investigation.

Vilakati appeared at Piggs Peak Magistrates Court on June 26, 2023. He was remanded in custody pending setting of a trial date. The accused, who is represented by Sivesonkhe Ngwenya of Sivesonkhe Ngwenya Attorneys, filed an application for bail at the High Court. It was heard by Judge Nkosinathi Maseko yesterday. The court granted Vilakati bail in the sum of E15 000. He was ordered to pay E3 000 in cash and the balance to be in the form of sureties. When motivating his bail application, Vilakati told the court that he was a resident of Motshane in the Hhohho Region. He said he resided with all his family members, including his unemployed parents.

He said as the only one who was employed, his family depended on him for maintenance. He further informed the court that none of the Crown witnesses were known to him and he would not attempt to influence or intimidate them. Vilakati also told the court that he would not conceal or destroy evidence.

Objectives

He further submitted that there was no likelihood that he may undermine or jeopardise the objectives or the proper functioning of the criminal justice system, including the bail system. There is no indication, with particular regard to Section 96(4) of the Act, that it will not be in the interest of justice not admitting me to bail pending commencement and finalisation of my matter. In view of the provisions of the Constitution Act 2005, in particular Section 16 (7), read together with 21(1), matters pertaining to deprivation of personal liberties are urgent, said Vilakati. He argued that even in terms of Common Law, such matters were by their very nature urgent and he submitted that he could not be afforded substantial redress at a hearing in due course and particularly because there was no prejudice to be suffered by the Crown if the matter was dealt with on an urgent basis.

*Not her real name.
MBABANE - A 21-year-old University of Eswatini (UNESWA) student, who is also a member of the Communist Party of Swaziland, has been arrested for assaulting four security officers at the Mbabane Campus.

Sambulo Mlandvo Shongwe of Gundvwini is also accused of assaulting another security guard near Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT). It is alleged that Shongwe found the security guards at the gate and assaulted them, unprovoked. Shongwe made his appearance before Magistrate Qondile Mtetwa last Wednesday. In the first count, Shongwe is accused of assaulting Celumusa Nkambule with a steal chair on the head with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Assaulting

He is also accused of assaulting Edmord Myeni with a blunt object on the body. The student is accused of punching Thabo Simelane with a fist in the face while at the institution on the same day that he assaulted the duo. On March 30, he is said to have assaulted Mlungisi Madzinane with a fist and open hand on the face while near LUCT. On July 9, 2023, Shongwe is alleged to have assaulted Zakhele Mkhaliphi with open hands on the face.

When informed of his rights to legal representation, Shongwe elected to hire an attorney. The Crown applied that he be remanded in custody until July 14, 2023, pending setting of his trial date. He was advised to return to court with his attorney on July 14, 2023.
MBABANE - I was not as drunk as to submit to sexual intercourse with a male, yet I am lesbian.

This was a portion of *Sindis evidence that was considered by Mbabane Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi when dealing with the rape case involving Mbabane socialite Menzi Gauzen Gama, who was yesterday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment without an option of a fine. Sindi made the statement in response to Gama, who had put it to her during cross-examination that she was too drunk to remember what happened on the day of the incident. Gama claimed that Sindi was highly intoxicated after imbibing alcohol and smoking dagga.

Gama put it to Sindi that she consented to the sexual intercourse before they drove to the house after dropping her friends at their various destinations, from Solanis Shisanyama. It should be noted that Sindi repeated her statement when recalled to the witness stand during the course of the trial. Worth noting is that in rape cases, the Crown has a duty to prove lack of consent, as it forms part of the essential elements in proving the commission of an offence. The Crown also has a duty to prove the identity of the accused person and the commission of the offence.

In the case of Gama, the identity of the accused and the act of sexual intercourse was not in dispute. Gama only disputed the lack of consent, alleging that the complainant was too drunk to remember what actually took place on the day in question. Nhlabatsi stated that in law, intoxication was not a defence in rape cases. She said the court had learnt from the Crowns evidence that the intoxication was voluntary. The principle magistrate said even though Sindi had agreed with the defence that she was drunk after having smoked dagga and consumed alcohol, leaving the court with two versions to rely on, the position of the law was that there could not be real consent if one had sexual intercourse with an intoxicated person.



The court observes that as the evidence stands, whether she was sober, intoxicated or extremely intoxicated, the Crown has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The said consent was not real consent, said Nhlabatsi. When mitigating on the sentence, Gama (35) implored the court to pay attention to his age as that was an important factor in mitigation.

Normal

Gama submitted that the court should consider passing a sentence that would enable him to be able to pick up the pieces of his life after serving his sentence and live a normal life again. He told the court that he studied Graphic Design at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) and was currently unemployed. Gama stated that he had no children and that both his parents died. He said he was a first-time offender, who had never been convicted of any offence previously. Gama, during mitigation, cited an appeal judgment under Case No: 24/2000 of Themba Mabuyakhulu and three others versus the King, where Justice Leon JP stated that sentencing an accused peron is not an exact science but the court must do its best to balance the various, and sometimes competing, aspects of the crime, criminal and the interest of society.

He also cited the case of State versus Qatama 1997 (1) at 480, where it was stated that in weighing these considerations I should bear in mind the need (a) to show an understanding for the weakness of human being and the reasons why they commit serious crimes, by avoiding an overly harsh sentence. Gama implored the court to consider the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Jeremiah Shongwe versus the King in the case No. 6/2003. He said the appellant was sentenced to nine years imprisonment without an option to pay a fine for the offence of rape.

He submitted that in the case of Luke Mhlanga versus the King, Case No. 16/2008, the accused was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment without an option of a fine for the rape offence, while in Benjamin Dlamini versus the King in appeal Case No.41/2011, the appellant was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment without the option of a fine for the rape of a 13-year-old minor.

Weakness

Nhlabatsi said having weighed all the evidence, its weaknesses and strengths, probabilities and improbabilities, it was the courts considered view that the Crown had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that there was no consent to the sexual intercourse. She said rape was a serious offence that offended the right against the survivors right, dignity, privacy and humanity. She said rape was disgusting, horrible and despicable as the perpetrators did not only undermine the survivor, but took away their dignity and self-esteem.

Nhlabatsi said the society was concerned about the increasing rape cases. The accused person is educated and he ought to have known that his conduct was unlawful. The court has considered the accused personal circumstance, Nhlabatsi said before sentencing Gama to 10 years imprisonment without an option of a fine. Gama was arrested in 2018 and he was out on bail. He was found guilty after being accused of raping Sindi, whom he had offered a lift, together with her friends. They were from enjoying themselves until the early morning hours at Solanis Shisanyama at Msunduza. Gama had unlawful sexual intercourse with Sindi after taking her to his house, after dropping off her friends at their various residences.

*Not real name to protect survivor.
Modified On Jul 14, 2023 04:51 PM By Rohit for Citroen C3

Its bodyshell was rated as unstable and was declared incapable of withstanding further loadings

When the Citroen C3 was announced for India, it was also revealed that the crossover-hatch will be offered in the Latin markets including Brazil. The C3 is made in both India and Brazil, and now the Latin NCAP has crash-tested the one made in the South American nation. However, the Citroen cross-hatch failed to score even a single-star rating in the assessments.

Safety Equipment On Board

The C3 that was crash-tested was equipped with dual front airbags and electronic stability control (ESC) as standard. Other safety tech on board consisted of seatbelt reminder and ISOFIX child seat anchorages. Although it didnt have seatbelt pretensioners, the Brazil-spec C3 did have seatbelt load limiters.

On the India-spec C3, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors and front seatbelt reminders are provided as standard. Citroen has also equipped it with electronic stability programme (ESP), hill-hold assist, and tyre pressure monitoring system, but only on the turbo-petrol variants.

ADULT OCCUPANT PROTECTION

The crossover-hatch scored 31 percent (12.21 points) in adult occupation protection. This includes the overall scores from both frontal and side-impact crash tests.

Frontal Impact

The protection offered to the driver and passengers head and neck was good, while the drivers chest showed weak protection and the passenger chest showed marginal protection. Their knees showed marginal protection overall, with only the passengers left knee showing good protection. Both the driver and passengers tibias showed adequate protection. The C3s footwell area and bodyshell were rated as unstable with the latter being incapable of withstanding further loadings. Furthermore, the seat design showed poor protection to the neck from whiplash.

Side Impact

In the side-impact test, the protection offered to the head and chest was adequate, while that for the abdomen and pelvis was recorded to be good.

The C3s side-pole impact test was not performed as it doesnt offer side head protection, even as optional.

Also Read: Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: Space & Practicality Comparison

CHILD OCCUPANT PROTECTION

The Citroen C3 got 12 percent in child occupant protection. Heres the breakdown:

Frontal Impact

Both child seats for the 3-year-old and the 1.5-year-old dummies were installed rearward facing using ISOFIX anchorages. It was capable of preventing head exposure and offered good protection for the 3-year old. The younger childs seat prevented head contact with the interior of the car.

Side Impact

Both the child restraint systems (CRS) were able to offer full protection during the side impact.

The biggest deduction for the Citroen C3 came in the form of the Dynamic Score where it was penalised for poor markings for the ISOFIX anchorages. It also did not offer an airbag warning when a CRS is installed in the front passenger seat. All seating positions are equipped with 3-point seatbelts.

PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION

The C3 obtained a comparatively higher result of 50 percent (23.88 points) in pedestrian protection. It showed the majority of areas with good, marginal and adequate protection levels. But it scored poorly for head protection around the windscreen and A-pillars. The Citroen C3s upper leg protection score was rated to be overall adequate to good; lower leg protection, however, was deemed to be marginal to good.

SAFETY ASSIST

The Latin NCAPs crash test result showed 35 percent (15 points) for the safety assist of the crossover-hatch. Here, it is penalised for a lack of features deemed important for safety as per the testing agency.

Citroen has equipped the Brazil-spec C3 with seatbelt reminder only for the driver which is not enough to meet the Latin NCAP requirements. While the crossover-hatch also gets ESC as standard to meet their standards, it misses out on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and neither does the Brazil-spec C3 have any speed limitation device.

Also Read: Citroen Is Bringing A Crossover Sedan To India

Citroen C3 In India

The C3 was launched in India in mid-2022 as the second model from Citroen. This model has not yet been tested by any NCAP agency but could be assigned a rating once the Bharat NCAP comes into effect towards the end of 2023. The Citroen C3 is sold in three broad variants  Live, Feel and Shine  priced between Rs 6.16 lakh and Rs 8.92 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Read More on : Citroen C3 on road price
MBABANE  There is an outcry from people with disabilities (PWDs) over the 80 elections jobs reserved for them.

Organisations of PWDs have voiced out their dissatisfaction about the number of vacancies that had been availed by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) for their members. The organisations representatives were speaking during a consultative meeting with the Deputy Prime Ministers (DPM) Office, EBC, Federation of the Disabled in Swaziland (FODSWA), as well as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The aim of the consultative meeting was to forge ways to increase the participation of differently abled persons in the 2023 General Elections and beyond.

The meeting came just two days after His Majesty King Mswati III addressed the nation at Sibaya and advised that they should also elect people with disabilities in order to allow a fair representation in political decisions of the country.

Population

Worth noting is that 16 per cent of the worlds population, that is 1.3 billion people, have disabilities. In Eswatini, persons with disabilities make up 13 per cent of the population, which translates to 146 554, with over 80 per cent of them coming from rural areas. National statistics show that 51 per cent have no formal qualifications, while 85 per cent are unemployed. Around 22 000 of them registered for the 2023 General Elections.

During the meeting, EBC Commissioner Dr Njabu Dlamini told the stakeholders that for the elections, the EBC availed 80 elections jobs, strictly for people with disabilities. She said this was one of several ways the EBC was ensuring that those with disabilities were not left out and were given the same opportunities like the rest of emaSwati. We have 80 vacancies for PWDs that should come from across the countrys four regions, she said.



Stakeholders

While some of the stakeholders felt that was a brilliant move by the EBC - to give jobs to this marginalised group - the organisations representatives were not pleased at all. The reason for their displeasure was that the 80 vacancies were not even half of the vacancies availed in 2018. They noted that the number of vacancies declined during every election year. FODSWA President Bongani Makama was among the stakeholders who raised concerns about the ever declining number of vacancies. Makama said he was worried that in the next election cycle, the numbers would be even lower than the 80. He highlighted that during the 2013 General Elections, there were 300 election jobs for PWDs. Makama said in 2018, the vacancies reserved for people with disabilities were slashed to 200.

I am afraid that in 2028, the vacancies will be cut to 30, he said. The stakeholders further noted that it was disappointing that the employment opportunities were getting slimmer every cycle. They noted that a number of their members were unemployed and they normally got something going for themselves during the elections. Worth noting, FODSWA is made up of five organisations that have members scattered across the country. The EBC has over 500 polling stations in over 300 imiphakatsi. The representatives said it was impossible to have a person with a disability hired in every umphakatsi because the numbers were strictly limited and every community had a person with a disability in the country.

Makama stressed the importance of having election observers who have disabilities. He said those election observers would note the gaps. According to Makama, most countries had observers with disabilities. FODSWA Executive Secretary Grace Bhembe said it was painful for them to note that the EBC continued to reduce the number of their members among the elections staff.

Bhembe said what displeased them the most was that they had noted that there were people who were already employed by some government departments and ministries who also scored jobs at EBC. She noted that inasmuch as the disability community had less literate people, but even their educated members were struggling to get employment yet there were able-bodied people who were also working at the EBC, leaving PWDs to suffer even more.

EBC, more especially the elections jobs, should not be for people who are already employed but the unemployed should be prioritised, she said.

In response, the EBC commissioner told the stakeholders that the commission had a number of responsibility areas that stretched their budget.

We understand your concerns but this year there were a lot of budget constraints, said Dr Dlamini.
All You Need to Know About the Lokmanya Tilak Award That PM Narendra Modi Will be Receiving

The esteemed Lokmanya Tilak Award will be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this year. President of the Tilak Smarak Trust Dr. Dipak Tilak and Rohit Tilak made an official declaration in this regard today at a press conference in Pune. On August 1, the anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak's departure, the prize will be given out by Trust President Dr. Deepak Tilak.

The renowned award, Lokmanya Tilak Award is named after Bal Gangadhar Tilak, born as Keshav Gangadhar Tilak. He is widely Known affectionately as Lokmanya. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was an Indian nationalist, educator, and crusader for independence. He made up a third of the trio that comprised Lal Bal Pal.

The Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023:

On August 1, at a ceremony in the Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive the 41st Prize, which is named in honor of the revolutionary and nationalist independence hero Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920). The award will be conferred to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on the 103rd Death Anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

A souvenir and citation will be included with the prize.

The award was given to PM Modi in honor of his outstanding leadership and his work encouraging patriotism among the populace.

President of the Nationalist Congress Party Sharad Pawar, Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and Trustee Sushilkumar Shinde are among the prominent figures attending the event.

The Following is a List of Some of the Recipients of the Loknayak Award:

Indira Gandhi

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Sharad Pawar

Rahul Bajaj

Cyrus Poonawalla

Manmohan Singh

Who was Bal Gangadhar Tilak?: Birth and Education:-

On July 23, 1856, Keshav Gangadhar Tilak was born in Ratnagiri, the administrative center of the Ratnagiri district of what is now Maharashtra (then the Bombay Presidency), to a Marathi Hindu Chitpavan Brahmin family. His hometown of origin was Chikhali.

In the year 1877, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics with honors from Deccan College in Pune. Midway through his M.A. program, he switched to the L.L.B. program. He graduated from Government Law College with his L.L.B. degree in 1879.

Tilak began working as a Math instructor in a private school in Pune after graduation. Later, he withdrew and became a journalist as a result of ideological conflicts with his classmates at the new institution.

Tilak was involved in politics regularly. "Religion and practical life are not different," he said. Making the nation your family rather than working solely for your own is the true spirit. Serving others is the next step, and serving God is the step beyond that.

Together with a few of his college pals, including Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, and Mahadev Ballal Namjoshi, he co-founded the New English School for Secondary Education in 1880. Their goal was to improve young people's educational opportunities in India.

As a result of the school's success, they established the Deccan Education Society in 1884 to create a new educational framework that placed a strong emphasis on Indian culture while instilling nationalist values in young Indians.

The Society established Fergusson College in 1885 to provide postsecondary education. Tilak lectured on Mathematics at Fergusson College.

In 1890, Tilak resigned from the Deccan Education Society in favor of more explicitly political action. He spearheaded a significant push towards independence by putting a lot of emphasis on a religious and cultural revival.

At the age of 64, he passed away in 1920.

Political Life of Bal Gandgadhar Tilak:

In 1890, Tilak enrolled in Congress.

He held a more radical and aggressive posture against British rule and was opposed to moderate ways of thinking.

One of the earliest proponents of Swaraj, or self-rule, was he. He coined the catchphrase: "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it." Without self-rule, he thought, growth was impossible.

He supported the boycott and Swadeshi campaigns and belonged to the INC's hardline group.

He released two papers: Mahratta in English and Kesari in Marathi. In these publications, he was unafraid to criticize the administration. He was found guilty of "incitation to murder" and given an 18-month prison term. Citing the Bhagavad Gita, he stated that those who killed oppressors could not be held accountable. In response to the 'tyrannical' actions adopted by the government during the bubonic plague episode in Bombay, two Indians later killed two British officials.

He was part of the group of hardline leaders known as the "Lal-Bal-Pal" triad, together with Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai.

He was put on trial multiple times for sedition. He was imprisoned in Mandalay for six years (1908-1914) for essays he wrote defending Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose. Two English women were killed by rebels who threw bombs into the carriage the women were riding in, killing them. It was presumed to be Magistrate Douglas Kingsford by Chaki and Bose.

Tilak split from the INC previously and rejoined it again in 1916.

Along with G S Khaparde and Annie Besant, he helped form the All India Home Rule League.

Tilak relied extensively upon the old Hindu scriptures for his political beliefs.

He revolutionized the straightforward Ganesh Puja carried out at home into a communal and open Ganesh festival.

He promoted togetherness and a sense of patriotism among the populace by utilizing the Ganesh Chaturthi and Shiv Jayanti (the anniversary of Shivaji's birth) festivities. Unluckily, this action turned non-Hindus against him.

He made the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav popular, and it has been one of Maharashtra's most important celebrations since 1894.

He exhorted people to take pride in their history. He objected to society's overt Westernization.

Social Opinions of Bal Gangadhar Tilak:

Despite being a nationalist radical, Bal Gangadhar Tilak espoused conservative social ideas.

He opposed modern education for Hindu women.

Initially, he opposed the age of consent law that would have raised the marriage age for girls from 10 to 12.

Although he supported the increase of the legal drinking age, he yet believed that the British were interfering with Indians' social and religious lives.

Upshots of Facts Associated with Lokamanya Tilak:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that Indian students seeking a Master's degree in France will henceforth be granted a five-year long-term work visa. Modi made the statement during his talk to the Indian community at LA Seine Musicale in Paris on Thursday, while on an official visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.

"The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a 2-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Masters in France will be given long-term post-study visas of 5 years," said PM Modi.

After the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia, France is among the top choices for students looking to study abroad. According to the most recent data from the Indian Foreign Ministry, the number of Indian students studying in France has steadily increased over the last three years with more than 70% enrolled in management studies.

Over 6,000 study-abroad applicants picked France in 2022.

During his speech, the Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of the Indian community in France, which serves as a solid basis for the India-France friendship. Around 65,000 Indian immigrants now reside in France.

According to French embassy figures, approximately 2.7 million students register in French higher education, with 14 percent of them being foreign students. According to the most recent official data acquired post-Covid, there were approximately 6,000 Indian students in France during the school year 2021-2022. According to Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, France aims to welcome 20,000 Indian students by 2025.
Toyota Motor Philippines has introduced one of its most important new models of the year: the all-new Wigo. As Filipinos seek to become more...
The Walt Disney Company board of directors announced today that Bob Iger will continue serving as CEO of the company through December 31, 2026.

Here are details of the announcement:

The board voted unanimously to extend Igers contract by two years. The board noted that Igers extension provides continuity of leadership during the companys ongoing transformation, and allows more time to execute a transition plan for CEO succession, which remains a priority for the Board.

Statement from Disney Company board chairman Mark G. Parker: Time and again, Bob has shown an unparalleled ability to successfully transform Disney to drive future growth and financial returns, earning him a reputation as one of the worlds best CEOs. Bob has once again set Disney on the right strategic path for ongoing value creation.

Iger returned to Disney last November after his hand-picked successor Bob Chapek was given the boot. Iger previously served as Disney CEO and chairman from 2005 to 2020, and then as executive chairman and chairman of the board through 2021. While at Disney during his first stint, Iger oversaw the acquisitions of Pixar (2006), Marvel (2009), Lucasfilm (2012), and 21st Century Fox (2019), as well as the opening of Disneys first theme park and resort in mainland China, Shanghai Disney Resort, and the launch of the Disney+ streaming service in November 2019.

Igers statement on his contract extension:
MBABANE  The participation of widows in the nominations process of the 2023 General Elections squarely rests on the shoulders of chiefs.

This is because the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) will rely on community leaders to provide a neutral venue, which will accommodate all groups of society, including widows in mourning gowns. The nominations, which are the second phase of the elections, after the registration process, will be held on July 22-23. Subsequent to that, it will be the primary elections and then the secondary elections.

Proposal

During stakeholder submissions on the recently passed Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in Parliament over two months ago, a proposal was made by Lutsango (women regiment) to the EBC that widows who were mourning the death of their husbands during the electoral year, should be permitted to remove their gowns to participate in the elections. Lutsango submitted that there was fear that widows were indirectly discriminated against in the electoral process, hence the proposal to the EBC to have them remove their mourning gowns during the electoral year. The Lutsango said this would be for widows who had at least been in mourning gowns during the electoral year, and be permitted to participate in the elections.

However, the proposal was met with a negative response from members of the Portfolio Committee of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, who shared that such issues were well dealt with at family level. The Chairperson of the Committee, MP Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini, shared that being in a mourning gown was a custom and they did not want to be seen to be participating in processes that would clash with the countrys customs.

He said the best way to deal with this was to convene as family members and reach a consensus whether to permit the individual, if the family deemed it fit, to participate in the elections. However, EBC Communications Officer Mbonisi Bhembe shared that their wish was for widows and every other group in society to be allowed to participate in all the election processes, which included the nominations, primary and secondary stages.



Bhembe said it was in this spirit that they were relying on community elders to accommodate the widows by identifying a central space, outside of the known nomination or voting centres or imiphakatsi, but within the territory of that umphakatsi, which would be utilised by all groups of society, including widows, in order for the exercise to be inclusive. He said some people were uncomfortable participating freely at imiphakatsi, but would be at ease going to the allocated spaces outside of imiphakatsi to participate in the elections.

He asserted that in the recently ended voters validation exercise, they had strived to make it fluid and accessible to the people by taking the exercise out of the umphakatsi and bringing it closer to the people, so that it would be central and easily accessible to all groups of society. We are welcoming to the idea of everyone participating in the elections, no matter the circumstances. We are cognisant that some circumstances are customary and we have no authority over them. We are relying on community elders and every relevant stakeholder to ensure that all groups of society, including people with disabilities and widows, participate freely and fairly in the elections and we treat them with the highest level of professionalism in the sense that they do not even wait in lines, but are given that preferential treatment, he said.

Bhembe mentioned that in one of the previous election years, a woman who had just lost her husband was nominated during the by-elections for bucopho, after the initial winner passed on. He shared that the woman got support from her constituency and the people of the inkhundla were behind her. It is possible to accommodate the widows because we get to see them almost every day at government service centres, in buses and in town. We mingle with them, go to church with them and we should learn to be culturally tolerant and accommodating, he said.

Meanwhile, Ntfonjeni Chief Prince Magudvulela, who is an outgoing Senator, shared that the EBC was right that community leaders should see it fit to allocate a neutral venue outside of the imiphakatsi, where the electorate would gather for the nominations exercise. The chief said he once did the same during the 2018 elections, where he directed that the exercise should be done at Ndlalambi High School, seeing that there was an aspiring candidate who was in mourning gowns. However, he shared that at the time, he was misjudged for what he had directed, as people assumed that he was issuing it out of respect for the aspiring candidate, something he said was far from the truth.

Customs

He highlighted that the countrys customs regarded widows in mourning gowns highly, so much that they were given preferential treatment in public service areas. However, this is not to say they should be treated like outsiders. Elections should be free and fair and it is in that spirit that they should also be accommodated, he said. Chief Gija, who is a former chairperson of the EBC, stated that emaSwati knew their culture and respected it. He shared that it was even provided for in the Bible that a woman in mourning gowns should respect that period and shy away from public events.

However, the chief said the elections were an exception because that was where the government of the country was determined and everybody deserved a fair chance to be part of that process. Widows in gowns should be allowed to participate in the elections, and stand for nomination. They should be part of the countrys progress so that when the time comes that they remove the mourning gowns; they appreciate the progress the country has made, having participated in it. EmaSwati should not take offence of that, he said.

Clause

During the stakeholder submissions, Gender Coordinator in the Deputy Prime Ministers Office Nomzamo Dlamini stated, on behalf of Lutsango, that the EBC should consider including a clause in the Elections Act that would see widows being granted permission, just like any other citizen, to participate in the elections, at least after six months of mourning. The way our society handles the issue of women in mourning gowns has seen most of them being discriminated against and not afforded the chance to participate in the elections. Our proposal is that women, who have at least been in mourning gowns for six months, should be allowed to participate in the elections, she said. However, that amendment was not included in the Bill and widows were advised to seek consent from their families if they wished to remove mourning gowns to participate in the elections.
Jazeera Airways, Kuwaits leading low cost airline has now started direct flights to Pakistans capital Islamabad.

By adding Islamabad to its growing list of destinations, Jazeera now flies to three cities in the country, including Karachi and Lahore. One way fares to Islamabad will be KD49 while a return ticket will be priced at KD99.

Islamabad, also known as the Green City is a well-planned, structured and cosmopolitan city; it is also the cleanest and greenest in the country, filled with interesting tourist attractions. This includes the Faisal Mosque, South Asias largest mosque, Daman-i-Koh, Margalla Zoo, Pakistan Monument, Shakarparian, Lok Virsa Museum and the Rawal lake view point. The popular hill station Murree is a short drive away from Islamabad as are Abbottabad and Bhurban.

There are close to 130,000 Pakistani nationals living in Kuwait. By connecting directly to Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, Jazeera Airways offers these expats convenient and affordable flights to visit their home country, the airline said.

Rohit Ramachandran, Chief Executive Officer of Jazeera Airways, said: Islamabad is the third city in Pakistan that Jazeera Airways connects with direct flights. While staying focused on growing our network, we continue to offer more cost effective options for both tourists and expats from Kuwait to reach different cities. By making travel more accessible, we hope to encourage tourism to Pakistan while also giving Pakistani nationals the opportunity to visit their home country more often.

Jazeera Airways operates a network of 64 cities across the Middle East, Europe, Central and North Asia as well as Africa. TradeArabia News Service
Chisinau, July 14 (UNI) Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said announced on Friday the resignation of Interior Minister Ana Revenco, Infrastructure Minister Lilia Dabija, as well as Minister of Education and Research Anatolie Topala amid the scandal connected to the shooting at Chisinau airport.

The shooting incident took place on June 30 after the Tajik national was denied entry to Moldova. As the 43-year-old was being escorted to the airport's zone for deportations, he grabbed a pistol from one of the officers and fatally shot a border guard and an airport security officer, as well as injured one passenger. Later, the shooter died in hospital.

"Three ministers have submitted their resignations  Interior Minister Ana Revenco, Infrastructure Minister Lilia Dabija, and Minister of Education and Research Anatolie Topala," Recean told a briefing.

The Prime Minister said that he will present to Moldovan President Maia Sandu on July 17 a list of candidates for the vacant ministerial posts.

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Moscow, July 14 (UNI) There is currently no data confirming that North Korea's missile fell within the exclusive economic zone of Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

On Thursday, UN Assistant Secretary-General in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Khaled Khiari said that the missile fired by Pyongyang on July 12 landed within Russia's exclusive economic zone and was possibly the longest ballistic missile launch.

"At the moment, there are no supporting data on the fall [of the North Korean missile] in our exclusive economic zone," Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

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Arcade Beauty on Amnicola Highway is closing at the end of August with the loss of 84 jobs.

The firm is a leading provider of solutions to the beauty industry.

Officials said the local plant will be merged with facilities at South Plainfield, N.J.

Officials said "This move comes as part of Arcade Beauty's ongoing efforts to streamline operations, achieve greater economies of scale, improve overall efficiency, and ensure long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive market.

"The affected plant, located at 3800 Amnicola Highway, has been an integral part of Arcade Beauty's manufacturing operations over the last 50 years. However, after careful evaluation and analysis of market conditions particularly with secular declines in print media, production capacities, and operational costs, Arcade Beauty has determined that consolidating production into our South Plainfield facilities will better position the company for future growth and success."

"The plant closure will allow us to improve our asset utilization in North America and further reduce our fixed cost base," said Trevor Deighton, general manager  North America. "We will work closely with our customers to seamlessly transition our supply chain to other Company sites in North America."

Officials said the company "is committed to providing support and assistance to affected employees during this transition period, including severance packages, job placement services, and retraining opportunities where applicable."

"The decision to close the plant was not made lightly and a direct result of the continued secular declines in print media," said Carl Allain, president and CEO. "We remain committed to doing what is right, treating everyone with respect, and delivering on our commitments to our people, customers, shareholders and the communities where we operate."
The city of Lookout Mountain, Ga. has received $200,000 from the Georgia Department of Transportation that will be used for road improvements. The last few miles of Lula Lake Road on the south end of town will be paved and Lula Lake Road will be restriped with that money. After the striping is finished, the city will add reflectors. That work is expected to begin in six to eight weeks.

In June, patching was done on Wood Nymph Trail and Cinderella Road by the public works department and they have been repairing culverts along residential roads which have sustained damage from erosion. Council member Kevin Leckenby, the council liaison with the public works department, reminds residents that the upkeep of the right-of-way in their yards is their responsibility so that the city can have access when needed.

The curves near the top of Scenic Highway are a continuing matter for concern. Councilman Leckenby has witnessed close calls with trucks that are unable to make the tight curves without crossing the center line. He suggested that the city post warning signs before those dangerous places in the road. Because it is a state highway, GDOT is responsible and would have to put up signs there, said City Attorney Bill Pickering. Arrangements will be made to have a GDOT representative meet with town officials and discuss what to do to reduce the on-going danger.

Other projects that the public works department has been working on this summer include clearing clogged drains and ditches and cutting back vegetation that is overhanging roads to increase visibility. Work on the light posts along the sidewalk is also being done as time and staffing allows. Public works is also making repairs to the debris truck so that it is dependable and ready for leaf season.

Atlanta Gas is in the process of doing a final walk-through to make sure that there are no remaining property issues from the installation of all the new gas lines throughout the city. The next phase of the gas line restoration project has begun. Starting on Apollo Road just below Covenant College, the replacement of gas lines will continue south down Scenic Highway to the state line. There will be lane closures that will impact traffic flow during this work.

The next day that the dumpster will be in Georgia is Saturday, Aug. 5. Councilman Leckenby said it is for use of residents of the city, so people should have an ID available if asked for it.

The fire and police activity during June includes patrolling 2,477 miles, making 21 traffic stops,and giving six citations and 22 warnings. There were nine wrecks during the month and response was made to 32 burglar alarms. Six suspicious vehicles were checked and five suspicious persons. There were four thefts stemming from car break-ins, and Council Member Taylor Watson reported that most of what was stolen has been recovered. The police dealt with five ordinance violations and six civil matters. They assisted six citizens, three motorists and the Tennessee LMPD six times during June. Additionally, there were 18 fire calls and 13 medical calls during the month. Councilwoman Watson asks again for people living on the mountain to please be sure to lock their cars and their houses.

Speeding is a continuing problem in the city, prompting Lavens Brooks, homeowner on Princess Trail, to come to the council meeting with a petition signed by people who live on the street to ask the city for help. That road has many young children, pets and walkers, and traffic and speeding has increased. Vehicles now have moved over to Princess Trail to avoid Hardy Road where stop signs were put up to slow cars. There is also the problem of drivers being distracted by using their cell phones, she said. The council is willing to build speed bumps to slow traffic, but will gather data for the next month before making a decision.

The citys new budget for 2023-2024 has passed. Mayor Bennett said there will be no overall increase in property taxes this year.
In his book, The Abolition of Man, C. S. Lewis wrote: There is something which unites magic and applied science while separating both from the wisdom of earlier ages. For the wise men of old the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality, and the solution had been knowledge, self-discipline, and virtue. For magic and applied science alike, the problem is how to subdue reality to the wishes of men .

As usual, Lewis was prescient in seeing that self-discipline and virtue would, on the whole, be abandoned in the postmodern world. What he didnt foresee was that reality would not, in fact, be subdued, but that it would simply be denied. And it would be denied in a way that he could never have foreseen. He could never have imagined that intelligent, educated people would, within a fairly short period, come to agree that certain verities were false. Societys prayer at this time, if prayer were still a societal thing, would be this, from Audens For the Time Being, O God, put away truth for we cannot understand it and do not want it.

Not only have individuals denied reality, but theyve been supported in this fatuousness by the media, churches, and the government itself. The delusion has been so complete that it would appear that some sort of magic has in fact been invoked since no facts have changed.

The most obvious manifestation of this craziness is the transgender mania which is predicated on an idea that, at any other time in history, would be seen as completely ridiculous. Transgender supporters actually say that there are scientific arguments supporting their position. Unfortunately for the transgender movement, facts, as John Adams wrote, are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

If only adults were involved in this fiction, we could pity them for their confusion and let them go on doing whatever harm to their bodies their doctors are willing to perform and their insurance companies are willing to subsidize. Unfortunately, theyve managed to capture children in their mania through social media, schools and the mainstream media  each of which, so far, supports them uncritically. But when children are harmed, it becomes societys problem.

As European countries begin to recognize the damage that has been and is being done in the name of gender-affirming treatment, it has been amazing to see the resistance to any reconsideration of these treatments on the part of our medical establishment in the States. Though Ive never seen a class action lawsuit that I liked, the class action bar may be our only hope to stop this insanity. Unfortunately, the plaintiffs will be a disfigured, sterile and heartbroken group of people for whom there is no medical remedy, only the comfort of a financial windfall.

When we look back on this period of our history, just as we look back on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, well ask ourselves why we didnt stop the madness earlier.

Nick Decosimo








Amaero International Limited officials announced Friday the company will invest $54.9 million to establish its first U.S. facility in Tennessee.

Through the project, the titanium alloy manufacturer will locate its flagship advanced manufacturing, research and development (R&D) and global headquarters in Cleveland, creating 105 new jobs in Bradley County.

Once complete, the 130,000-square-foot facility at Spring Branch Industrial Park will serve as Amaeros corporate hub for its titanium alloy powder production, advanced manufacturing and R&D sector. Amaeros customers include aerospace and defense prime contractors, as well as medical and industrial companies.

Amaero International Limited was founded in 2013, in Victoria, Australia, and has closely collaborated with premier institutions, including Monash University, Monash Centre Additive Manufacturing and Australias national science agency, CSIRO. The companys commercialization efforts have focused on metal 3D printing of complex components for the aerospace and defense, space, medical and other industrial businesses.

Since 2019, TNECD has supported nearly 50 economic development projects in the Southeast Tennessee region, resulting in approximately 7,900 job commitments and $3.3 billion in capital investment.

"Tennessee is the best state in the nation for companies to succeed, thanks to our strong economy, unmatched business climate and highly skilled workforce," said Governor Bill Lee. "I thank Amaero for choosing Tennessee to establish its first U.S. facility and for creating more than 100 jobs in Bradley County, providing greater opportunity to Tennesseans.

There are nearly 30 Australian companies that call Tennessee home, and we are proud to add another great global brand like Amaero to that growing roster," said TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter. "Cleveland is the ideal location for this companys first U.S. facility and has the workforce, infrastructure and business environment to ensure Amaeros success.

"Amaero is appreciative of the many stakeholders in Tennessee who quickly mobilized to proactively develop and present a compelling business case for the re-location of Amaeros flagship titanium powder production operations, research and development efforts and its corporate headquarters to Tennessee," said Hank Holland, chairman and CEO, Amaero International Limited." Amaero will build upon the U.S. resurgent manufacturing sector and the strong regional manufacturing ecosystem with a critical and strategic industrial capability that addresses the countrys highest priority initiatives in advanced and additive manufacturing, as well as enhancing supply chain resiliency for critical minerals and defense production. This is a seminal event for Amaero and a great development for Amaeros shareholders, our employees and our customers.

Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis said, I am thrilled with the announcement that Amaero has chosen Cleveland and Bradley County as the site for their new state-of-the-art production facility. Their expertise will deliver innovative manufacturing processes to critical industries such as aerospace, defense, and medical products companies. This investment is a game-changer for our county, bringing with it the promise of highly skilled, good paying jobs for current and future generations of Bradley Countians. We are committed to fostering an environment that encourages growth and collaboration, and we warmly welcome this company as a valued partner in our community.

Cleveland Mayor Kevin Brooks said, The city of Cleveland welcomes Amaero to the Spring Branch Industrial Park. This combined location of the companys global corporate headquarters, research and development and manufacturing operations is a win-win for the city, county and State of Tennessee. For a community originally built on foundry operations, Amaeros efforts to advance the development of next generation integrated 3D metal printing is a partnership that moves Cleveland closer to our goal of economic prosperity for all by way of a diverse, advanced manufacturing economy that respects our rich economic history. These are great times for Cleveland, Tennessee.

"I am very pleased to welcome the arrival of Amaero in Bradley County," said Senator Adam Lowe. "This project has profound implications for the aerospace, defense and medical industries, and Im proud our community was selected for its home. Not only will this project bring 105 new job opportunities, but it will also grow our local economy and foster a culture of innovation. This project has our full support, and we wish Amaero every success moving forward.

Rep. Kevin Raper said, "Its exciting to see a company like Amaero recognize the opportunity and unique capabilities provided by our community and workforce. We welcome our newest employer and wish them success for many years to come.
Here are upcoming road closings:

Nightfall - Cherry Street / Martin Luther King Blvd / Market Street

Cherry Street will be closed at E MLK Blvd.

Market Street will be closed from East 8th Street to East 10th Street, and ML King Blvd will be closed from Broad Street to Georgia Avenue from 5:30 p.m. until midnight.

These closures will be in effect each Friday night through Sept. 2.

Scenic City Scorcher

River Street will be closed between Tremont Street and Heritage Landing on Saturday, from 7:15 a.m. until 8:15 a.m. for the Scenic City Scorcher. Runners will travel through the Heritage Landing neighborhood around the perimeter road. We ask all neighborhood residents to watch for runners as they will be sharing the road with traffic.

Chattanooga Market - Reggie White Blvd

Reggie White Blvd. will be closed in front of the First Horizon Pavilion on Sunday, for the Chattanooga Market.

View CDOT's map of events and road closures for full details of these activities and other projects underway in our public space.
microplastics are found in lakes and reservoirs around the world. Pollution reaches even the most secluded places where human influence is minimal. Moreover, concentrations of microplastics in freshwaters are sometimes higher than in subtropical gyres, the marine areas where large amounts of waste accumulate. These are the findings of an international study of 38 lakes and reservoirs led by the University of Milan-Bicocca in Italy, with the participation of IGB, and published in the journal Nature.

The international researchers studied 38 lakes and reservoirs with different environmental conditions to identify factors associated with an increased observation of plastics. They found microplastics in all studied lakes and reservoirs, even in remote areas. Not unexpectedly, two types of lakes appeared to be particularly vulnerable to microplastic pollution: lakes and reservoirs in densely populated and urbanized areas; and large lakes and reservoirs with elevated deposition areas, long water retention times, and high levels of anthropogenic influence.

Researchers surprised by extent of pollution However, the researchers were surprised by the extent of pollution in some lakes: although microplastic concentrations varied widely from lake to lake, in the most polluted lakes they reached or even exceeded those reported in the infamous subtropical gyres, i.e. the ocean regions where large amounts of debris accumulate.

"Our results provide the first comprehensive picture of microplastic pollution in lakes. They highlight the importance of including lakes and reservoirs in the fight against microplastic pollution for pollution management and continued provision of lake ecosystem services," said Professor Hans-Peter Grossart, scientist at IGB and co-author of the study.

To cover different types of lakes, the researchers encompassed a wide gradient of lake features and catchment characteristics, like size, depth, population density and degree of urban land cover. As they performed a snapshot sampling, the temporal and spatial variation of plastic abundance was not included.

Forty-five percent of lakes contain more than one plastic particle per cubic metre water The researchers filtered an average of 140 cubic metres of lake water per site. They only counted microplastic particles larger than 0.25 millimetres. They also analysed the type of plastic and found mainly polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene.

The plastic signature differed greatly among systems: plastic concentrations varied over four orders of magnitude, from 0.01 to more than 10 particles per cubic metre. But even in remote areas, such as Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada or mountain lakes, plastic waste was found at relatively high concentrations. Forty-five per cent of the lakes studied had >1 particle per cubic metre, and the most polluted lakes had more than 10 particles per cubic metre.

Lakes with long water retention times act as sinks for plastic waste Some of the lakes with the highest plastic waste pollution are important sources of drinking water for the local population, such as Lake Maggiore (IT), Lake Lugano (CH-IT), Lake Tahoe (USA) and Lake Neagh (UK), which are also important for the recreational industries. Large lakes are sinks for plastics due to the long residence time of the water. In Lake Tahoe, for example, the water has a residence time of about 650 years. "Such lakes act as 'traps' for plastics and can accumulate significant amounts of microplastic waste over time," explained IGB researcher Dr. Stella Berger, co-author of the study.

In Germany, Lake Stechlin surprised the researchers with relatively high microplastic concentrations in the form of microfibers, because the shore of the lake is largely natural and surrounded by beech forest. "Presumably, these are mainly fibers from the clothing of bathers," Hans-Peter Grossart suspected.

Drinking water and ecosystems at risk Microplastic pollution not only has a negative impact on drinking water, but also on aquatic organisms and ecosystem functioning. Veronica Nava from the University of Milan-Bicocca, who led the study, explained: "Plastic that accumulates on the surface of aquatic systems can promote the release of methane and other greenhouse gases. Plastics can reach beyond the hydrosphere and interact with the atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere, potentially affecting biogeochemical cycles, i.e., the circulation between the various compartments of the earth of chemical elements that pass from living matter to inorganic matter through chemical transformations and reactions, through mechanisms that have yet to be understood and require a holistic assessment of plastic pollution in lentic systems.
Haines would get ferry service between four and five times per week under a winter draft schedule by the Alaska Marine Highway System. Community leaders this week praised the schedule, which includess more stops than at any time since 2019.

That should allow people to go for medical appointments and everything else, as long as they dont have breakdowns, said Haines Borough Borough Mayor Douglas Olerud. Ferry service has also been disrupted in the past few years by budget cuts, and a shortage of workers and mechanical issues on the aging fleet.

Olerud said the newer ferries  like the Hubbard  have been more reliable, but the 49-year-old Columbia has been plagued by mechanical issues in recent years. Ferries would stop in Haines during the weekend, under the proposed schedule. Haines would also get stops from the Columbia , which has capacity for nearly 500 people, making a voyage from Bellingham, Wash. and back each week.

I think its really important that there are sailings at the end of the week and on Sunday, and also in the middle of the week, said Haines school superintendent Roy Getchell. It just gives us more options to use the ferry service instead of other plans.

The comment period for the draft schedule ended on July 12. A public meeting about the draft schedule for Southeast Alaska was scheduled for Thursday, July 13.

AMHS service was gutted in 2019 after Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a large chunk of state funding for the public ferry system system. Service was also disrupted during the pandemic, but Haines residents have enjoyed daily service during the summer of 2023.
This mother has a 17-year-old son named Aaron, and while she used to have full custody of him, as he got older, he wanted to spend more time with his dad.

His father, however, was an alcoholic, so she was pretty hesitant about letting her son spend a lot of time with him. But at 15-years-old, she felt as though her son was old enough to make that choice on his own.

Unfortunately, not long after Aaron turned 17, his father passed away due to complications of alcohol abuse.

She did not speak to his father or that side of the family very often and decided against attending the funeral, even though she knew that her son had a closer relationship with his father and was really struggling with his passing.

Aaron is understandably in a lot of pain. Hed bonded very closely with his dad in the time he was with him, and it doesnt seem like he learned anything from his demise, either, she explained.

While he was growing up, she always warned her son that if he ever started drinking, then she would want nothing to do with him.

Now, however, Aaron knows that she cant stick to her word and has been constantly drunk and abusing alcohol.

One day, he broke into her wine cabinet and was so drunk by the time she got home that she had to take him to the hospital.

Although shes tried to get him to join support groups and use resources provided by his school, he refuses to take any interest in going.

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This 24-year-old woman recently moved in with her boyfriend, John, who is also 24. John is originally from India, but he moved to the United States to first attend college before starting to work.

So, she moved into his apartment in New York City, and everything was great at first. Well, except for one issue: she realized that, over the past few months, her boyfriends family members kept coming over to the apartment whenever they wanted.

Apparently, while most of Johns family is based in India, various family members have since moved to New York City over the past couple of years to attend school or work.

Thats why five of his family members now live in the city. And even though she is unsure of Johns exact relationship with each person, he apparently treats them all like siblings.

Despite an age range of 18 to 32 years between the five of them, with none of them being his real sibling, she added.

And over time, after the five family members moved to New York City, they just started showing up at the apartment whenever they pleased. John even gave them keys, so they literally went in and out of the apartment throughout the week.

She detailed how sometimes, her boyfriends family members just go over to watch TV or make food even when she and John are not home! Other times, Johns family will sleep over in the guest room.

This was incredibly jarring for me because it felt like there was no privacy left to be within the house when all these people could just come in, borrow things, use the apartment, and leave, she explained.

Its not that they made a mess or broke things, but it was just them using our apartment as their own.

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What does love in action look like? In this weeks episode of The Bulletin, hosts Mike Cosper, Nicole Martin, and editor in chief Russell Moore discuss the recent Supreme Court rulings that reaffirm the right to creative expression and bid adieu to affirmative action after 40 years of shaping higher education.

With the freedom of speech and religious liberty, how do we discern where and whom to serve? With admissions changes in place, how can Christians encourage equality and opportunity in education and college admissions? In both circumstances, how can we love our neighbors well?

The episode ends with thoughtful conversation around the challenges the Biden family faces with son Hunter and his unacknowledged four-year-old daughter. How do we respond when the people in our lives dont live the way wed hoped? True love never offers convenient denial.

Sail the Nile with Christianity Todays Russell Moore. Click here to learn more.

Resources Referenced:

The Major Supreme Court Decisions in 2023

A Pair of Noteworthy Supreme Court Decisions For Church Leaders

Supreme Court Sides With Christian Who Wont Make Gay Wedding Sites

Its Seven Grandkids, Mr. President

The Bulletin is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Producer: Erik Petrik

Hosts: Mike Cosper and Russell Moore

Producer: Matt Stevens

Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps

Editing and Mix: TJ Hester

Music: Dan Phelps

Graphic Design: Bryan Todd

Additional Design: Amy Jones

Social Media: Kate Lucky
Asa Hutchinson defends vetoing bill banning sex-change procedures for kids in Tucker Q&A Former gov. says puberty blocker ban went too far: 'Parents ought to raise their children'

A former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate defended his veto of a bill banning the chemical and surgical castration of youth suffering from gender dysphoria as nearly two dozen other states have passed laws protecting children from such body mutilating procedures.

At the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, where several Republican presidential hopefuls gathered to address Christian conservative activists six months ahead of the Iowa caucuses that will kick off presidential primary season, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson defended his veto of legislation that banned puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and body-mutilating surgeries for youth expressing temporary confusion about their sex. The bill ultimately became law with the Republican-controlled Arkansas Legislature successfully overriding his veto.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who held discussions with multiple GOP presidential contenders throughout the day, asked Hutchinson if he had reassessed his veto of the measure at any time in the past two years. The two previously sparred about it in an exchange on the former Fox News program Tucker Carlson Tonight in April 2021.

Hutchinson, who left office following the 2022 election, indicated that he had no regrets about vetoing the bill.

Parents ought to raise their children, he declared. I believe that parents ought to be in control, and I also believe in the Constitution. I believe that God created two genders and that there should not be any confusion [about] your gender. But if there is confusion, then parents ought to be the ones that [guide] the children.

That, to me, is an important fundamental principle. Now obviously, you could take it too far, and if there would have been a bill that said you should not ever have transgender surgery as a minor, I would sign that, Hutchinson insisted. No parent should be able to consent to that permanent change.

Hutchinson further argued, This bill did go too far. It was unconstitutional; it interfered with parents, and so I sided with parents on that bill in managing the most sensitive issue that a parent can face. He defended his veto as consistent with his belief in a limited role of government.

I dont think that California ought to be able to tell parents, you need to have gender-affirming care for the children. The government should not do that, he added, contending that the bill he vetoed fell into the same category, although it came down on the opposite side of the issue.

I dont like the schools pushing transgenderism, he said. Hutchison also condemned former President Barack Obama for issuing guidance directing public schools to allow trans-identified students to enter bathrooms, lockers rooms and showers designated for the opposite sex.

Hutchison stressed, I want the government to stay out. I want the parents and communities and our faith to guide us through these difficult decisions.

As he defended his veto of the bill, Hutchinson took issue with the state of New Jersey suing the school districts that want to be able to tell parents that their child is identifying as a member of the opposite gender: Parents have to have information. They shouldnt be denied the ability to know whats going on in the school with their child.

Hutchinson concluded the discussion about the bill he vetoed by highlighting his personal opposition to body-disfiguring sex-change surgeries: I dont support that. I wouldnt make that decision in my family about changing genders, and I dont believe that taxpayers funds should be used for transgender surgery or treatment through Medicaid or Medicare or in our military.

I dont believe that that should happen because traditionally, whether its the Hyde Amendment that you prohibit funding of abortion with taxpayers dollars because it violates the religious commitment of many people, the same principle should apply here. Im saying one simple fundamental thing: that we have to have a debate as to what is the limited role of government. Lets encourage parents to make decisions. Obviously, they can go too far and you draw a line and legislatures have to do that.

As Carlson indicated throughout the discussion, efforts to prevent the dispensing of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and performing genital mutilation surgeries stem from concerns about the long-term impacts of such procedures. In addition to Arkansas, 19 other states have passed laws banning some or all of the procedures: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

The American College of Pediatricians identifies the side effects of puberty blockers as osteoporosis, mood disorders, seizures, cognitive impairment and, when combined with cross-sex hormones, sterility. Possible long-term impacts of cross-sex hormones, as outlined by the American College of Pediatricians, include an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, blood clots and cancers across their lifespan.

Detransitioner Chloe Cole, who formerly experienced gender dysphoria but has seen her discomfort with her biological sex subside, filed a lawsuit earlier this year attributing mental health issues she experienced as a teenager to the gender dysphoria treatment she received from the defendants named in the complaint.

The lawsuit contended that the double mastectomy Cole received as a minor caused her to experience suicidal thoughts and noted that the entire ordeal left her with deep physical and emotional wounds, severe regrets, and distrust of the medical system.

In addition to the mental effects of gender transition surgeries, they also come with physical effects. Earlier this year, the campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared images of wounds and severe scars left behind after the surgical removal of healthy breasts and forearm tissue used to create fake, flaccid penises that cannot function for females seeking to present themselves as male in an effort to draw attention to the long-term consequences of such procedures.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls sampling voters intentions heading into the Republican presidential primaries, based on surveys conducted between June 13 and July 11, shows Hutchinson capturing 0.8% support. He remains far behind the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president, former President Donald Trump, who has the support of 53.6% of primary voters and DeSantis, who secures 20.6% support.
Catholic school can fire counselor for being in same-sex marriage, appeals court rules

A federal appeals court has ruled that a Catholic high school in Indiana can legally fire a guidance counselor for being in a same-sex marriage because it violated the school's religiously-influenced standards for employees.

A three-judge panel for the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled Thursday that Roncalli High School and the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis can legally refuse to renew Michelle Fitzgerald's contract because she was in a same-sex marriage.

Circuit Judge Amy J. St. Eve, a George W. Bush appointee, authored the panel opinion, writing that the school was protected by the ministerial exception, namely that, because Fitzgerald performed religious duties, she could be fired for religious reasons.

"Our precedent makes clear that Fitzgerald was a minister at Roncalli and that the ministerial exception bars this suit," wrote St. Eve.

"A fact-specific inquiry remains necessary in cases where the ministerial exception is asserted as a defense to balance the enforcement of our laws against the protections of our Constitution."

Circuit Judge Michael Brennan, a Donald Trump appointee, wrote a concurring opinion, offering thoughts on the extent to which the ministerial exception applies whenever "an employer provides a religious reason for an adverse employment decision that implicates a protected class other than religion."

"But, no doubt, our circuit and its district courts will have occasion to address the statutory exemption in another case where a non-minister plaintiff asserts Title VII claims against a religious employer," Brennan predicted.

Becket Law, a legal group specializing in religious liberty cases that represent the school and the archdiocese, celebrated the panel opinion.

"Religious schools exist to pass on the faith to the next generation, and to do that, they need the freedom to choose leaders who are fully committed to their religious mission," said Becket Counsel Joseph Davis in a statement released Thursday.

"The precedent keeps piling up: Catholic schools can ask Catholic school teachers and administrators to be fully supportive of Catholic teaching."

In 2018, Fitzgerald's one-year contract as a guidance counselor was not renewed due to the school learning that she was in a same-sex marriage. She had been working for the school for 14 years.

Around the same time, fellow Co-Director of Guidance Lynn Starkey told school officials she was also in a same-sex romantic relationship, leading to her employment termination.

Starkey and Fitzgerald each filed separate lawsuits against the Catholic educational institution, arguing that the school engaged in discrimination when dismissing them.

Last September, Judge Richard Young of the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana ruled in favor of the Archdiocese and Roncalli and against Fitzgerald, citing the ministerial exception.

"Roncalli entrusted Fitzgerald to teach the Catholic faith and carry out Roncalli's religious mission," Young, a Clinton appointee, ruled. "Fitzgerald's employment agreement and Roncalli's description of Fitzgerald's expected duties are, alone, sufficient to resolve this case."

In January, Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed an appeal on behalf of Fitzgerald, arguing in a statement released at the time that "religious employers are not above civil-rights laws."

"But the ministerial exception applies only to important preachers and teachers of the faith; it was never intended to be a free pass for any religious employer to discriminate against its entire workforce," stated Americans United.

"Fitzgerald was not a minister and never performed religious duties; as a guidance counselor, she assisted and advised students on their academic, professional and vocational options."

Regarding Starkey's lawsuit, a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit ruled against her in July 2022, with Brennan authoring the unanimous opinion and again citing the ministerial exception.

"[Starkey] was identified as a 'minister of the faith' in her job description and employed under a 'Ministry Contract' beginning in the 201718 school year," wrote Brennan last year.

"For more than 30 years, Roncalli's employment contracts included a morals clause, and all evidence shows that the school considered Starkey a minister and entrusted her with religious duties."
Christian convert killed in Uganda for leaving Islam, sources say

NAIROBI, Kenya  About two weeks after a 22-year-old Muslim in eastern Uganda put his faith in Christ, villagers on Saturday killed him for leaving Islam, sources said.

Abudu Amisi of Kasanvu village, Pallisa District was stabbed multiple times while returning from a market in Kasasira West village, Kasasira Town Council, in Kibuku District, and died en route to a hospital, eyewitnesses said.

Amisi had accepted Christ on June 22 after six months of learning about Christianity. He is survived by his wife and 3-year-old son.

Amisi had ties with a Muslim missionary active in Pallisa and Kibuku districts, said a Christian leader whose identity is withheld for security reasons.

Immediately after his conversion, Amisi was very fearful of his life from the Muslims in his village at Kasanvu in Pallisa District, the leader told Morning Star News. The church then housed him in a rental house, and he remained indoors for two weeks.

On Saturday, the church sent two young men to go with Amisi to buy food at a market in Kasasira for a seminar training of Christian leaders, he said. One of the young men said that as they entered the market area, a Muslim who seemed to know Amisi from his village greeted them cheerfully, and they spent 10 minutes with him before proceeding to the marketplace.

After buying the food items, we then began our journey back to the church, said the young man, whose identity is withheld for security reasons. About 50 meters from the market area, people began shouting and mentioning the name of Amisi, saying, Here comes the betrayer of Islam. He should not see the light of the day. There and then they surrounded him and then began cutting him with long knives on his head, face and neck, and fractured his legs and hand.

The terrified young men fled and called the church pastor, who immediately phoned police. Officers rushed to the scene.

They hurriedly tried to rescue him, but it was too late, they had already cut Amisi, and he had lost a lot of blood and died on the way to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, the pastor said.

Amisis body was taken to a mortuary, where it remained as church leaders feared burial could occasion further retaliation from area Muslims, he said.

We are now engaging the Pallisa County Council to assist in reaching out to the family of deceased for his burial, he said.

Police were searching for the assailants.

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.
Daniel life story coming to Sight & Sound Theaters, featuring prophetic End Times visions

Sight & Sound Theatres, which has brought epic Bible stories to life for nearly 50 years, will soon bring the story of the Old Testament prophet Daniel to audiences on stage.

Their next original show, "Daniel," will premiere on stage in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, beginning in March 2024. Featuring original music and the theater's notable special effects and real-life sets on its panoramic stage, the message will be one of hope in the midst of dark times.

"The great thing about Scripture is that it's always timely," said show producer Kristen Brewer in a recent interview with The Christian Post.

"I think that we processed it out before, like, 'How do you know when it's time for this show?' We have a team that really prays through this in-depth, seeks counsel. And yeah, they just try to follow their gut, follow what's going to be healthy for the team, follow the Spirit."

The team at Sight & Sound began working on the production in 2021 to tell the complete story of the popular Bible hero. Despite the "theological weight lifting" of reading through Daniel's visions and prophetic warnings, the team worked both halves of the Book of Daniel into the production.

"The first half has those famous stories. The second half has more of the prophecy and the visions," Brewer explained. "[The production] is going to be the famous moments that we're all very familiar with but we're going to try and insert those visions into the time and the story that they took place."

"Taken from his people, Daniel is exiled far from home in the powerful kingdom of Babylon. Now, this faithful servant must navigate his new life inside a palace filled with golden statues and shifting empires. As royal pressures mount, Daniel is faced with a dangerous choice. Will his trust in the one true God remain steadfast through every test of faith?" the show's synopsis reads. "From the fiery furnace to the infamous den of lions, 'Daniel' is a spectacular theatrical experience for the whole family."

When approaching the biblical prophecies in the book, Brewer said they found a theme at the core of his message.

"The main takeaway, when we've gone into any of the interpretation of these prophecies, and we've looked at all of them, trying to come into all of that with humility, the main thing that we discovered is that hope is at the core of the story of Daniel," she revealed.

"So whatever it is that people believe specifically about End Times or even how Daniel relates to End Times, it's really more about the hope in the coming King."

Brewer believes it's essential for people to stay hopeful in God.

"It's not just about barreling toward destruction and dark days. We are barreling toward a good King and a good Kingdom who's going to teach us how to do this thing right," she said.

"It simplifies it for people who may not be up to speed on what End Times means, but whatever you hear, whatever you see, whatever darkness is around you, you can look to the light."

The production's theme verse is Daniel 12:3, which promises that "those who lead others to righteousness will shine like the stars in the heavens forever."

"That's our job is to have hope in the coming King and reflect our coming King," Brewer added. "So that the world would know Him and love Him."

The theater put on a "Daniel" production over 20 years ago, but Brewer said the packaging of the message this time around is "totally different."

Sight & Sound has two state-of-the-art theater locations where over 1 million people walk through their doors each year. The "Daniel" show will feature a lavish city of Babylon presentation that the production hopes will have the audience in awe.

"We just tried to pack our set up with the story and also with beauty and gold," Brewer described. "It's Babylon, It's big, It's golden, it's detailed. There was a lot of darkness but they were impressive. We tried to accomplish that with our sets."

They will use three large LED screens to take the viewers on a journey of what it could have looked like during some of Daniel's divine encounters.

"Sometimes it's God has been invading the space and writing on the wall or a vision that Daniel is having," she detailed. "And so it's so cool to have those screens because they can really support transporting us quickly and seamlessly and supernaturally, in some of those ways."

Sight & Sound TV launched in 2020 and has reached over 175 countries with its content. Most recently, the theater launched its own film studio, and its first film, "I Heard The Bells," had a nationwide theatrical release in December of 2022.
House passes amendments to block Pentagon from funding abortion travel, gender transition surgeries

The U.S. House of Representatives passed amendments to a major defense spending bill seeking to ensure that the Pentagon can't pay for service members to travel out of state to obtain abortions or fund gender transition procedures as the appropriations process continues.

The Republican-controlled lower chamber approved amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2024 Thursday that would ban the Pentagon from funding travel expenses for service members or their families to get abortions and funding gender transition surgeries.

The bill, which spans over 1,200 pages, authorizes "appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the U.S. Department of Defense, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy."

The Jackson Amendment, which prohibits "the Secretary of Defense from paying for or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services," passed in a 221-213 vote that largely fell along party lines. Reps. John Duarte, R-Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., joined Democrats in opposing the amendment, while Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, broke with his party to support it.

The amendment comes in response to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's publication of a memorandum devoted to "Ensuring Access to Reproductive Care."

The memo, distributed to senior Pentagon leadership last fall, called on the Department of Defense to establish "travel and transportation allowances for Service members and their dependents" to obtain abortions.

Austin pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which determined that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion, as the justification for the policy change.

Noting that many states implemented bans and restrictions on abortion following the Dobbs decision, the memo expressed concern that many service members and their families "may be forced to travel greater distances, take more time off from work, and pay more out of pocket expenses to receive reproductive healthcare."

In a statement shared with The Christian Post, March for Life President Jeanne Mancini praised the passage of the Jackson Amendment as "a critical first step towards protecting our taxpayers from paying for elective abortions for our military, or for abortion-related travel expenses for military and their family members."

"With this amendment in place, the NDAA will be safe from the Biden administration's radical and illegal abortion policies at the Department of Defense, and our military and their unborn family members will be guarded from the harms of abortion," Mancini stated.

The House also agreed to the Norman Amendment, which prohibits the "provision of gender transition procedures, including surgery or medication, through the Exceptional Family Member Program," in a 222-210 vote. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., joined Democrats in opposition to the amendment and Cuellar joined Republicans in support.

The Norman Amendment attempts to prevent efforts to expand the list of conditions covered under the Exceptional Family Member Program designed for service members who have children with special needs to include gender dysphoria. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., introduced the Armed Forces Transgender Dependent Protection Act in the 117th U.S. Congress. It did not gain traction.

The NDAA must first secure the approval of the full House and the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate before it can head to President Joe Biden's desk for a signature. The U.S. Senate has compiled its version of the defense-related spending package, which comes in at slightly less than 1,200 pages.

In remarks on the Senate floor Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., indicated that the upper chamber would vote on its version of the NDAA Tuesday. Schumer told members, "we're encouraging filing amendments for the manager's package before the close of business today."

"[Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell, the committees, and I will have our teams working over the weekend to see what we can include in the package of amendments," he vowed. "Undoubtedly, hundreds of amendments will be filed to this important piece of legislation."

"I am hopeful that all committee chairs and committee rankers will work together in good faith. Obviously, both sides will want to have amendments votes. Just like we have in recent efforts, I am willing to ensure we consider and vote a reasonable number of amendments," he added.

It remains to be seen whether a senator will offer amendments to the Senate version of the NDAA along the lines of the Jackson and Norman Amendments. The tight margin in the U.S. Senate, which consists of 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans, makes it a distinct possibility that such amendments would fail in light of how polarizing nature of abortion and LGBT issues.

The House will continue voting on amendments to its version of the NDAA Friday before it puts its final version of the bill up for a vote. If and when the House and the Senate pass their respective bills with amendments, the two chambers will have to iron out the differences and vote on a final version of the package before it can head to Biden's desk.
Nicaraguan bishop sentenced for treason returns to prison after refusing exile

A Nicaraguan bishop has been returned to prison after refusing a forced exile following negotiations involving the Vatican and the government under the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega as American bishops are calling for his release.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement Wednesday confirming news that emerged last week that Bishop Rolando Jose Alvarez Lagos of the Diocese of Matagalpa in Managua met with a mediator provided by the Vatican in early July to negotiate his options.

Although the mediator attempted to offer him the option to leave the country and be exiled to Rome, the bishop reportedly refused the offer and called on the government to release him from prison indefinitely, along with five other priests who have been put behind bars.

The Catholic leader also requested that the bank accounts of Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the country be unfrozen and for justice to prevail for religious groups and leaders facing persecution across the country by the Ortega government.

According to the rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Alvarez was returned to La Modelo Tipitapa prison on July 5.

Alvarez was initially arrested in 2022 and sentenced to 26 years in prison for alleged treason and national security crimes on Feb. 10 because he spoke out against Ortega's mistreatment of Christians. He also had his citizenship revoked. On June 28, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordered the Nicaraguan government to release the bishop.

The USCCB calls for the international community to pressure Nicaragua to release Alvarez.

Bishop David J. Malloy of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rockford, Illinois, who serves as chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, called the sentence "unjust."

"I urge the United States and the international community to continue praying for the bishop and advocating for his release," Malloy wrote in a statement.

"I particularly commend the recent Interamerican Court of Human Rights' ruling mandating the immediate release of Bishop Alvarez. The consensus from the international community is clear: the continued incarceration of Bishop Alvarez is unjust and must end as soon as possible."

Auxiliary Bishop Silvio Jose Baez of the Archdiocese of Managua said in a statement that Alvarez refused to be exiled to Rome because he "would not leave Nicaragua for any reason unless the Pope ordered him to do so."

"He added that it was a decision he made in conscience before God. Thus, there is nothing to negotiate," Baez detailed, according to Premier.

"I know Rolando and he would never bargain away a decision of conscience that he made."

An earlier report compiled by Nicaraguan lawyer Martha Patricia Molina Montenegro documented more than 190 attacks against the Catholic Church since 2018, when church officials began offering aid and sanctuary to protesters demanding the resignation of Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, due to the deteriorating economic conditions in the country.
Black Americans lead the way in 'spiritual vitality,' church attendance: State of the Bible report

Black Christians are more likely to say they are engaged with Scripture than all other Christians as new data shows that African Americans are more likely than all other cultural demographics to attend church at least monthly.

The American Bible Society released Chapter 4 of its State of the Bible 2023 report on Thursday, titled "Spiritual Vitality." The data in the report is based on responses collected by 2,761 U.S. adults in January. It has a margin of error of +/- 2.59 percentage points.

The latest chapter looks at how the ways in which Americans connect with God impact their beliefs about God, churchgoing habits and level of scripture engagement.

In a statement coinciding with the release of the new data, ABS Chief Ministry Insights and Innovation Officer John Farquhar Plake noted that the research found "a strong example of spiritual health and community ministry in the Black church."

"In fact, Black Americans lead the way in nearly every measure of holistic spiritual health," he added.

Specifically, the ABS discovered that "black Americans are 44% more likely than all other Americans to attend church at least monthly" and 59% more likely than other Americans to be "scripture engaged."

The term "scripture engaged" refers to those who score 100 or higher on a Scripture Engagement Scale examining an individual's "responses to 14 survey items about the frequency of Bible use and the impact and centrality [of] its message."

The report cited a 2020 article from Ann W. Nguyen of Case Western Reserve University in Ohio examining the centrality of religion in the black community.

"In black communities, religion and the church serve many functions above and beyond spiritual sustenance. Historically and contemporaneously, the black church, in addition to being a religious institution, is a social, cultural, civic, educational, and political institution that is central to black communities," the article reads.

"Because of social, economic, and institutional disenfranchisement, black Americans have traditionally had difficulty accessing public and private services. As a result, black churches tend to offer a greater number of community programs and mental health services than white churches."

The 2023 State of the Bible suggests that black Americans scored 10% higher than all other Christians on the "Spiritual Vitality Gauge" that served as a focus of Chapter 4.

Black Christians had an average Spiritual Vitality score of 76 compared to 69 for whites and 68 for Hispanics.

The SVG measures an individual's spiritual health on a scale of 0 to 100 based on self-identified Christians' "answers to nine concise questions focusing on beliefs, spiritual practices, and faith in action." Prior to discussing the SVG, the report analyzed the impact of Spiritual Temperaments, referring to the ways in which people "connect best to God or the supernatural."

Among historically black Protestant respondents, 23% fall into the "ascetic" category, meaning that they "connect best to God or the supernatural when" they are "alone and reading the Bible or praying." An additional 21% have a "naturalist" temperament, meaning they connect best with God when "surrounded by nature  the mountains, the forests, or the ocean."

Enthusiasts (14%), contemplative (11%) and sensates (11%) round out the top five most common temperaments for black Protestant respondents.

Enthusiasts are defined as those who connect best with God while "singing or praying loudly" and experiencing an emotional awakening. Contemplative people feel closest to God when God "quietly touches" their hearts and makes them feel like He is their "closest friend." Sensates feel closest to God in church, where their senses "come alive," leading them to experience God's presence.

Weekly church attendance varies based on spiritual temperament, with 48% of those with a contemplative temperament attending church weekly as opposed to just 11% of naturalists.

Naturalists are the least likely to attend church weekly, as 72% of them never or almost never attend church services. Pluralities of sensates (44%), ascetics (42%) and enthusiasts (35%) attend church weekly.

Ascetics, the most common spiritual temperament among historically black Protestant respondents, account for a plurality (32%) of those in the scripture-engaged category. By contrast, naturalists make up a plurality (44%) of the Bible disengaged, referring to those who score the lowest on the Scripture Engagement Scale. The contemplative (24%) and sensates (12%) make up larger shares of the scripture-engaged than enthusiasts (7%).

The State of the Bible report will release a new chapter for each of the remaining months of the year, while the finished product of the report will contain a total of nine chapters.
Evangelical charity offering long-term solutions amid Africa's devastating drought

A global Christian humanitarian organization is using its network of churches to assist Kenya during one of the most devastating droughts to hit East Africa in over half a century, the effects of which are compounded by challenges caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

World Relief, a nongovernmental organization that has worked across 100 countries to bring sustainable solutions to vulnerable regions, is operating in the northwest Kenyan county of Turkana as a drought has plagued the country for the past 18 months.

Founded as the War Relief Commission during World War II by the National Association of Evangelicals of America, World Relief has maintained a long-term presence in the East African country since 2011, when drought and famine last ravaged the area.

In an interview with The Christian Post, World Relief Kenya Country Director Elias Kamau said many in Turkana are nomadic pastoralists, meaning they migrate with their livestock from one place to another in search of pasture.

The drought has caused the depletion of many water sources in pastoralist areas and 60% to 80% of livestock in the region have died due to dehydration and starvation.

"The work we have been doing there in moisture-constrained areas has had to do with building the resilience of these communities because the drought has become a very frequent thing," he said. "The pattern is not frequent, but droughts are coming now and then."

Kamau said World Relief has created over a dozen boreholes in Turkana  narrow holes dug to locate water  and six other water points called sand dams. These dams store water during rainy seasons and the water accumulates behind the dam.

The organization is also digging four additional boreholes in a town south of Nairobi called Kajiado. The country director told CP that equates to 16 boreholes and six sand dams that World Relief has dug.

After establishing water points, the organization helps communities in those regions adapt to dryland farming, an agricultural technique that utilizes moisture stored in the soil to cultivate crops.

In addition to operating a country office in Nairobi with about 12 staff, World Relief also has two offices in Turkana, three in Kajiado and Nakuru, a Rift Valley region in Kenya. World Relief has about 64 staff on its payroll in Kenya, with about two dozen on staff in Turkana County.

World Relief partners with churches that provide volunteers that the organization trains to do extension work and help cover more areas in need.

Church empowerment zones

World Relief finds areas to help by assessing the level of need. When it enters an area to offer relief, the charity locates churches, inviting pastors and other church leaders to craft what the organization calls a "church empowerment zone."

These zones equip pastors or other spiritual leaders to work with their communities to address issues like poverty or malnutrition through leadership development and capacity building.

"We cut out a geographical area as a whole, and we style it as a church empowerment zone  the place where we are going to bring all our resources to be able to see change, to see impact," Kamau asserted.

Since an area like Turkana is quite large, Kamau said World Relief parcels these zones into smaller sections called church networks. These networks are within neighborhoods that have what Kamau estimates to be around 25 churches of different denominations.

World Relief establishes a committee consisting of people from various denominations who help them navigate issues around the area and act as representatives of other churches within the area. Turkana is one of three church empowerment zones the humanitarian group operates in Kenya.

'They need food now'

World Relief also imports food such as rice, wheat and corn to feed the people of Kenya.

Kamau said that World Relief is injecting cash into the economy by putting an unconditional cash transfer project together to avail half a basket load of food rations for the poorest families in the northwestern parts of Turkana.

According to the country director, this area of Turkana is among the hardest-hit areas they serve.

Kamau identified the cost of the cash transfer project at around $650,000, adding that the agronomy projects are worth about $500,000.

He praised churches in the U.S. and abroad for providing aid to World Relief's projects as part of an agreement to help the organization support specific communities for around three to four years.

"That has helped us in terms of putting in place the training and the capacity building of the pastors unit and integrating the community development aspects which public funding couldn't possibly do," Kamau said.

"It is very critical we focus on saving lives," he added. "People are hungry. They need food now."

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has added to the hunger crisis, leading to increased prices of food and fuel.

"So you have a situation where access to food is a huge, huge problem," Kamau stressed.

As CBS News reported Monday, Russia's naval blockade of Ukraine has caused global food shortages and more than 20 million tons of grain are stuck on Odesa's coast. The blockade has had a particularly strong impact in Africa, extending far beyond Kenya.

The World Food Programme noted that the cost of food baskets has risen in the Horn of Africa, with prices rising by 66% in Ethiopia and 36% in Somalia. The charity also warned that the number of people starving in the Horn of Africa due to the drought could rise from 14 million to 20 million by the year's end.
JD Greear backs black churches challenge to SBCs vote to ban women pastors

Former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, J.D. Greear, has backed the National African American Fellowships challenge to a recent vote by SBC messengers to ban women from serving as a "pastor of any kind" as an "unnecessary infringement upon the autonomy of the local church."

This amendment forces conformity down to tertiary levels in ways that will both violate local church autonomy and are inconsistent with our past practice, wrote Greear, who leads The Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, in a piece published on his website Wednesday.

If we continue down this road, we might become a Convention that spends its time focused on who is in and who is out, instead of on the best ways to reach our communities and glorify Jesus. If you want a harbinger of that, just take a look at Southern Baptist social media feeds right now. Is this what we want our Convention to be about? he asked. Im tired of micromanaging churches; I want to be about the Great Commission. There are too many people on their way to Hell for us to get quagmired in policing each other.

The NAAF is a network of more than 4,000 predominantly African American churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Gregory Perkins, the networks president and lead pastor of The View Church in Menifee, California, argued in a July 3 letter to SBC President Bart Barber that despite being in theological alignment with the denomination, many black Southern Baptist churches allow women to use the title pastor under the leadership of a male senior pastor.

"Many of our churches assign the title 'pastor' to women who oversee ministries of the church under the authority of a male Senior Pastor, i.e., Children's Pastor, Worship Pastor, Discipleship Pastor, etc.," Perkins wrote. "To disfellowship like-minded churches who share our faith in Jesus Christ, our belief in the authority of Scripture, our mandate to carry out the Great Commission, and our agreement to give cooperatively based upon a local-church governance decision, dishonors the spirit of cooperation and the guiding tenets of our denomination."

Perkins said prohibiting churches from allowing women to hold the title "pastor" would be challenging for many black Southern Baptist congregations even though the SBCs Baptist Faith & Message 2000 states that "the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."

He further suggested that the ramifications of banning women from serving as a "pastor of any kind" were not properly considered, and the denomination needs to hear from a diversity of voices on the issue.

A proposed amendment to the SBC constitution clarifying that women cannot serve as pastors passed with approximately 80% of the vote from more than 12,000 messengers on June 14 at the SBC's Annual Meeting. Proposed by Pastor Mike Law of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia, the amendment will become permanent if it gains majority support at the SBC annual meeting in 2024.

The vote on the amendment came just hours after 88% of messengers voted to uphold the removal of Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for allowing a woman to serve in the office of a teaching pastor. The removal of Fern Creek Baptist Church for having a woman pastor was also affirmed by a vote of 92%.

During the meeting, roughly nine out of every 10 messengers voted to disfellowship churches that have women pastors.

Greear said he did not believe that amending the SBC constitution is necessary to keep women in the denomination from serving as pastors.

I want to be clear: I dont oppose this amendment for theological reasons, but constitutional ones. Advocates of the amendment have expressed a desire to see support of complementarianism clarified and strengthened in our Convention, and I support that. This is the wrong mechanism for that, he said.

He pointed to the recent disfellowshipping of Saddleback and Fern Creek as examples showing that the SBC already has a mechanism in place to deal with churches that embrace egalitarianism.

The reality is that we already have all that we need to settle secondary disagreements by removing churches that embrace egalitarianism  the Saddleback and Fern Creek cases demonstrate that. And thus, I believe a different approach is in order, he wrote.

Barber accepted Perkins' offer to pray and have further dialogue on the issue in a statement on Twitter Monday and Ed Litton, another former SBC president, also noted in a statement on Twitter Wednesday that: I appreciate this clarity from @jdgreear and the leadership from @PastorGregoryP1. Concerns about the Law amendment are real. This is a pivotal moment for the SBC and our future. We would do well to consider both of these concerns.

Many critics of Greears argument openly disagreed with his position or raised questions about his support for the NAAF.

Outspoken Southern Baptist Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, Dwight McKissic, said he was surprised by the radically different reactions of Barber and Greear to the NAAF letter and the disfellowshipping of Saddleback Church even though the contention between the SBC and the two parties is over the same issue.

Would be interesting for a sociologist to explain why the response to NAAF by @bartbarber & @jdgreear, & their response to Saddleback are so radically different. Saddleback has a male lead pastor & an all-male body of elders, and women staff pastors, which is identical to whats spelled out in the NAAF letter concerning women pastors. Sincerely, this is a mystery to me, McKissic wrote on Twitter Wednesday night.

I totally support NAAF & Saddleback. But the difference in treatment suggests to me that the Saddleback decision was driven by testosterone, rather than doctrine. If common ground & the goal of not disfellowshipping NAAF churches is the intentional outcome of mutual dialogue, why was that not the case with Saddleback? he asked. Id like to see the Saddleback decision rescinded, and a decision to not disfellowship one NAAF church be the response to the NAAF letter. If reconciling with NAAF occurs, consistency & integrity also demands reconciliation with Saddleback. What am I missing?

Christopher Calvin Reid, host of The Daily Controversy on 103.9 FM Huntsville, Alabama, who is also a retired general practice attorney, accused, Greear of bowing to cultural pressures over Scriptures.

I read the argument you made, and at no time did you come close to making a rational point. You pretend that the wording of the language is so bad that this will have unintended effects that's ridiculous, and you know it, he said in a reply to Greears post on Twitter. This is your bowing to cultural pressures over Scriptures.

Brian Jump, lead pastor of Forest Park Church in Joplin, Missouri, where several women are listed on the churchs staff page on their website as minister or director, argued that the debate sparked by the NAAF is more than just a nomenclature issue.

Respectfully, while for certain churches, it may appear to be primarily a nomenclature issue at first, that perception changes once the church is made aware of their error, he wrote in a series of tweets.

Once they are informed and still choose to defy the teachings of Scripture, it transforms into a matter of challenging scriptural authority, resulting in rebellion and raising significant theological concerns, he argued. In such instances, these churches consciously disobey Scripture, going beyond a mere agree to disagree scenario.

Jonathan LaFleur, lead pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Terre Haute, Indiana, said: Nomenclature can easily be corrected. This is not a reasonable argument against an evidently solid amendment.

On July 29, 2022, after the SBC's Annual Meeting last year, Southern Baptist theologians published a statement clarifying the meaning of the word "pastor."

The document, titled, "A Statement Concerning the Baptist Faith & Message and the Word' Pastor,'" was released by a Southern Baptist seminary president, a former seminary president, and the former head of the denomination's public policy arm.

The signatories are Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and Dr. Richard Land, who served as the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission from 1988-2013 and is the president emeritus of Southern Evangelical Seminary in North Carolina. The Confession Revision Committee assigned the three men to write a study guide for the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message Confession.

Aiming to bring clarity to a fractious debate within SBC life, the theologians said that when it comes to the word "pastor," Southern Baptists have always understood the term.

In keeping with the spirit of Baptist Faith and Message 2000, "pastor" means "one who fulfills the pastoral office and carries out the pastor's functions."

Article VI of The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 states that the scriptural offices are pastors and deacons and that "[w]hile both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."

The function of the office and the office itself are inseparable, the three Baptist leaders maintained. They highlighted that the commentary they wrote on the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message notes that central to that pastoral role is "the responsibility to preach and teach."

"[I]t is important to understand that the word pastor was chosen precisely because of its clarity among Southern Baptists. The statement carefully affirms that both men and women are gifted for service in the church, but the role of pastor is biblically defined and is to be held only by men as qualified by Scripture," they reiterated in the new statement.

When the Baptist Faith & Message was adopted and revised in 2000, the committee established that "pastor" was not to be used to describe every ministerial position within a church, they added.

Unlike other denominations with a hierarchical ecclesiastical structure, in Baptist ecclesiology, the local church calls and ordains its pastors, not the denomination as a whole or its affiliated entities.
Freedom without choice is no true freedom at all

It is not often I am surprised by comments that are generated by my columns in The Christian Post. Over the years I have read, as you would imagine, literally thousands of various opinions, agreements and disagreements with the ideas I have articulated and the arguments I have made on literally hundreds of issues.

So, imagine my surprise at being taken aback by some comments generated by my column, The Extraordinary Meaning of July 4th for America and the World, I frankly thought that praising the Declaration of Independence and its meaning would not have been terribly controversial.

However, several of our readers took exception to my praising the unique birth of human freedom published on July 4, 1776.

One reader declared:

It was never the founders intent to promote irresponsible freedom. The freedom we enjoy in our Constitution and supporting Declaration of Independence was formulated within the context of reverence and submission to God on an individual basis. In those times it was the one true Christian God.

Another critic goes even further, assuming that I am glorifying this FREEDOM even though it blasphemously proclaims that it is a human right to worship ANY gods, that it proclaims  right for each to define good and evil in their own eyes. It is clear that you have placed the light of the torch of FREEDOM above the LIGHT and 1 Truth of the 1 & only God.

Imagine my surprise. My first response is that our forefathers bequeathed us a great and noble thing  an understanding that our freedom and our rights came from our Creator and that God created us with the right to govern ourselves according to His revelation of Himself and His character to us.

However, He also gave us, beginning with Adam and Eve, the freedom to choose right from wrong, understanding that wrong choices would bring disastrous consequences.

My question to my critics is this: What would you have in place of our constitutionally guaranteed freedom? Would you have the Founding Fathers dictating to us which particular God (Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist or Deist) we must worship and the manner in which we are to perform that worship?

After all, nine of the original 13 states had tax-supported state churches and our forefathers did not follow their lead.

True freedom leaves a man or a woman free to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences without interference from the civil magistrate. Our second president, John Adams, said in 1798, Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. (John Adams, Letter from John Adams to Massachusetts Militia, Oct. 11, 1798.)

Adams understood that our Constitution was based on Judeo-Christian values combined with Enlightenment ideas of self-government.

If most people did not obey the law voluntarily because they were aware they were responsible to Divine authority, then the light hand of our government would allow liberty to turn to license requiring even more restrictive state power to ensure order.

You cannot force people to be pious or devout. And, you have no right to coercively interfere with another mans relationship with God. As the great Baptist Roger Williams put it so eloquently in the early 17th century while facing the state church in Massachusetts Bay, for any man to coercively interfere with another mans faith is soul-rape.

All attempts by government to dictate religion always ends in disaster, conscience abuse, and dictatorship. And after all, God never wants coerced worship. He gave Adam and Eve a choice. He gave His chosen people a choice. He could have forced them to obey. He did not. He wanted a voluntary compliance and loving worship.

As the Apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesian Christians to walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (Eph. 5:2)

In the early 17th century the English Baptist Thomas Helwys wrote The Mystery of Iniquity in which he informed the King of England, James I, that he was just a man and should have no coercive control over another mans relationship with his God, thus authoring the first published plea for religious freedom in the English language.

As John Adams predicted, as America has become less religious and less decent, liberty has turned to license which has led to more government and less freedom.

However, the answer is not for any one group to try to impose what they believe the correct religion is on the people. The last thing that anyone should want is government-sponsored or government-mandated religion. The experience is like being embraced by a python which squeezes all the life out of you. The empty cathedrals of the state churches in Europe bear stark testimony to that truth.

Our Declaration and our Constitution free our people to be God-honoring, Bible-believing followers of Christ, but also allows them to go their own way. That is the two-edged sword of freedom.

The confessional statement of my personal faith tradition, Southern Baptist, The BaptistFaith & Message, puts it quite eloquently and succinctly: God alone is Lord of the conscience and He has left it free from the doctrines of man which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it.

This statement makes a critically important distinction. While we shall be free from the dictates of man, we are responsible to God. Human beings are not really autonomous. We will one day answer to God for our beliefs, actions, thoughts and words. (Charles S. Kelley Jr., Richard Land, R. Albert Mohler Jr., The Baptist Faith & Message, 2007), pp. 163-164.

Freedom is a God-given right. He gave us the ability to choose right over wrong, and even after the fall of man He redemptively acts to empower us to choose the right through the life-giving power of His Son.

Genuine and true Christianity has flourished under the freedoms set in place by the Declaration and the Constitution, like it has in no other milieu. Government should be an umpire, or referee, making sure everyone plays fair, with no cheating in attempts to intimidate or suppress minorities. The government should not be a judge, a sponsor, or a censor for one religion over another or no religion over religion. This leaves men free to pursue the truth according to the dictates of their own consciences.

Will this mean competition for hearts and minds in the marketplace of ideas? Yes. Whats the problem? I did not see Elijah avoiding a confrontation with the prophets of Baal. He said, You pray to your gods and I will pray to mine, and lets see whose prayers get answered.

Let us go forward with the confidence of Elijah. We serve the one true God, the one who answers prayers.
Hunger is on our doorstep. The time to act is now

Recently we have seen migrants from Central America, particularly unaccompanied children, cross the U.S. border in record numbers. Experts say recent hurricanes and the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 are fueling this latest surge.

Josue Sosa, who works in a semi-rural community of Honduras, confirms this. Over the past year he has watched as COVID-19 swept through his town, bringing lockdowns that closed borders and halted travel. He saw produce like tomatoes rotting on the vine, locally owned small businesses close, and factory jobs disappear. Most still have not returned.

Then came the hurricanes  one after another, washing away bridges, flooding homes, and blowing off roofs. With each new hardship, conversations around town began to shift as well.

Talk of migration has increased, he says. Now its 80 to 90 percent of the topic of conversation. Sometimes it seems like the only thing I hear people talk about is leaving  not only migrating out of Honduras, but also moving within the country.

World Food Programme (WFP) analysis has found that the number of people facing hunger in Honduras and Guatemala has quadrupled in the past two years. And as hunger has increased in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua, more and more families are thinking about migrating. Around 15 percent of people surveyed in Central America by WFP say they had plans to migrate in 2021  that is 6 million people. There is the potential for a massive wave of migration as families seek out what any parent would  food and hope. No parent wants to see their child go hungry.

But perhaps even more concerning are the countries where we are not yet hearing about COVIDs secondary impacts on food and hunger. WFP estimates that worldwide, 270 million people are now at risk of starvation due to a deadly mix of conflict, climate shocks and COVID. The threat of famine is looming  in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, South Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere. In many more countries, rates of food insecurity are sky-rocketing.

Josue was one of many in Central America thinking about migration in his 20s, until interventions came in the form of support, connection with his local church, help with his education, and practical advice for how to thrive at home. He has been able to build a small business growing and selling green peppers and plantains. And now he works with World Vision, providing the same types of assistance that offered him a better future and kept him home with his family. It is a ripple effect that we have seen providing hope for thousands of families to build a future in their own country. Since the pandemic hit, World Vision has been providing food rations for families and loans for store owners to be able to re-open.

We know from our organizations extensive experience that if families have food security, safety and some degree of hope, they do not want to leave home. We need to ensure there is funding to meet the needs of communities before people begin leaving home, before the declarations of famine, and before children begin paying the lifelong price of a lack of food  such as stunting or harm to their cognitive development. Where funding exists, a safety net of programs can be put in place which give people hope at home.

In fact, the return on investment is startling. We can feed a child for a dollar a week, versus spending $3,500-4,000 a week caring for them once they arrive in the US. So lets feed people at home and help them to thrive in their own communities  it is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.

For Josue, there is immense satisfaction in that. He tells his story to anyone who will listen. Theres nothing better than to study or to build something of your own, he says proudly.
Why atheists and Christians should never trust themselves

It is purely natural for man to trust himself. He assumes his ideas and conclusions are reliable. But what about when man gets it wrong? Every day we hear stories of people who misled themselves into making some awful decisions.

Christians and atheists are similar in this sense. People in both groups can be and have been wrong on multiple issues in their personal lives. They advanced positions that turned out to be completely inaccurate or engaged in behavior that is unseemly.

Why do such mistakes happen so frequently? The answer is simple. Atheists rely solely upon their fallible brains, while Christians at times pursue a course that flows from their sinful nature rather than from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Lets start with atheists. John Lennox is a Northern Irish mathematician, bioethicist and Christian apologist who said in an interview:

As a scientist, the very bottom line for me is that atheism doesnt even give me a reason to trust the mind with which I do science because it tells me that the mind with which Im doing science is essentially equal to the brain. And the brain is the end product of a mindless, unguided process. Well, no scientist I have ever asked would trust a computer if he or she thought it was the end product of a mindless, unguided process. So, theres a big black hole at the bottom of atheisms thinking when it comes to science.

And yet most atheists continue to overlook the irrationality of their approach. You see, it is only reasonable to trust your mind if an intelligent Creator produced it. Otherwise, it is utter foolishness to place full confidence in a brain that simply evolved from a mindless process.

Atheists pick and choose which ideas and outcomes to rely upon and which ideas and outcomes to summarily reject. They assume God does not exist and they reject every supernatural claim. In the end, they stake their immortal soul on a faulty assumption rather than on an intelligent investigation of the facts surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Check out the blog post by Rachel Boulos titled, 23 Mind-Blowing Facts About Jesus Death and Resurrection You Might Not Know.)

John Lennox stated: Of course, I reject atheism because I believe Christianity to be true. But I also reject it because I am a scientist. How could I be impressed with a worldview that undermines the very rationality we need to do science? Science and God mix very well. It is science and atheism that do not mix.

C.S. Lewis observed:

Supposing there was no intelligence behind the universe, no creative mind. In that case, nobody designed my brain for the purpose of thinking. It is merely that when atoms inside my skull happen, for physical or chemical reasons, to arrange themselves in a certain way, this gives me, as a by-product, the sensation I call thought. But, if so, how can I trust my own thinking to be true? Its like upsetting a milk jug and hoping that the way it splashes itself will give you a map of London. But if I cant trust my own thinking, of course I cant trust the arguments leading to atheism, and therefore have no reason to be an atheist, or anything else. Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so, I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.

Now what about Christians? Why shouldnt Christians trust themselves?

Well, for one thing, Christians are not holy angels or imperfect human beings. We are flawed and capable of embracing false ideas and wrong behavior. And this is why the Bible instructs believers to place full confidence in God and his Word, rather than in ourselves.

For example, Solomon wrote, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

And the prophet Jeremiah presented the following insight: The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Gods message to His children is simple: Dont trust yourself. Trust in Me, and in my Word.

Why should I trust the Bible? Because it is completely true and trustworthy. All Scripture is God-breathed, (2 Timothy 3:16) but not every idea that enters the mind of a believer is worthy of acceptance. And this fact led the Apostle Paul to write, We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Therefore, dont believe everything you think.

St. Peter instructed believers: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).

C.S. Lewis said, We trust not because 'a god' exists, but because this God exists. Once you realize that the Father sent His only Son to die for your sins and rise from the dead, it becomes quite easy to trust the love letter God gave us. And once you begin to trust the words of Scripture, your entire life changes and you begin to see many things from Gods perspective.

So, whose outlook do you suppose always lines up with reality? Your own personal opinions or the Creators worldview? Your answer to that question will serve as the foundation for the rest of your life on Earth.
Correcting the record on 303 Creative

Recently, in the wake of the Supreme Court's important decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis, a lie has been propagated about the case, a lie that purportedly implicates plaintiff Lorie Smith and the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Thanks to the willingness of media outlets, public officials, and pundits to repeat these accusations and misrepresent what they mean, this lie has the potential to poison the cultural memory about this critically important case.

The accusation is that 303 Creative, the graphic design company at the center of the lawsuit, and ADF invented a fake customer request for a same-sex wedding website and that, because of this deceit, the Court should have never heard the case in the first place.

It's important to correct the record. Many Christians joined with other champions of free speech to celebrate the Supreme Court's decision in the 303 case. However, Christians do not believe that the "ends justify the means." A win derived out of false witness and deception cannot be celebrated. That's the kind of win that headline after headline has proclaimed. However, that's not what happened here, as Kristen Waggoner, president and general counsel of ADF, and Erin Hawley, senior counsel of ADF, explained this week in The Wall Street Journal.

The origin of the 303 Creative case dates to 2016, when Lorie Smith, who founded the creative design company four years earlier, wanted to include a disclaimer on her website. Hoping to add custom website design for weddings to her menu of services, she wanted to clarify that, as a Christian believer, she could not create custom wedding websites for "same-sex weddings." Given the hostility the state of Colorado had leveled at cake baker Jack Phillips, Lorie knew that she'd likely be considered in violation of the state's broad anti-discrimination law.

With the help of the Alliance Defending Freedom, Lorie and 303 Creative filed a pre-enforcement challenge, a common legal procedure that allows people to challenge a law before they are penalized under it. This procedure recognizes what should be obvious, that free citizens should not have to first be punished under an unconstitutional law before they are able to challenge its constitutionality.

The day after ADF first filed Lorie's case, Lorie received a request to create a custom wedding website for someone named Stewart, who said he was marrying someone named Mike. ADF included this request as an addendum to 303 Creative's lawsuit, not as the basis for it, in order to demonstrate that Lorie was under real pressure to violate her beliefs.

From the very beginning of Lorie's casefrom the federal district court in Colorado where ADF first filed the lawsuit, through the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, all the way to the Supreme Courteach judge acknowledged that Lorie had both the right and the standing to bring her case as a pre-enforcement challenge.

As Waggoner and Hawley wrote in The Wall Street Journal, "Every one of the 12 appellate judges who heard the case agreed that Ms. Smith had standing, and none of their opinions even considered whether she received a request for a same-sex wedding website."

However, just days after the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment protects Lorie from state coercion and that she cannot be forced to say something that violates her beliefs, a news outlet alleged that the website request Lorie Smith had received was fake. According to the report, a man claiming to be Stewart, whose address and contact information matched what had been submitted in the 2016 request, denied ever making it.

Immediately, the false memory machine was in motion. Multiple news outlets seized on the accusation, suggesting the case was illegitimate. Even being accused of faking anti-Christian discrimination is often functionally sufficient to be convicted in the court of cultural memory.

The most likely scenario, of course, is that the request was made by an activist who either hoped that it would undermine the 303 Creative case or could be held (as it was) and brought out in case of an unfavorable decision. Still, whether the request came from a legitimate customer, an activist, or ChatGPT is irrelevant because the case was always a pre-enforcement challenge.

Critics are free to dislike the ruling, in which case they should take it up with the U.S. Constitution. But they can't change the facts. In fact, they are also free to express a lie about the case if they choose, though ironically, that's at least partly due to what the Court ruled in this case they are committed to undermining.

Copyright 2023 by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Reprinted from BreakPoint.org with permission.
European Parliament calls for end to violence in India's violence-hit Manipur

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the Indian government to address ongoing violence in Manipur which has seen the mass destruction of churches and Christian property, leaving at least 100 people dead and causing tens of thousands to flee from their home.

The resolution calls on the Indian government to "take urgent steps to restore calm" after tensions between the state's majority Hindu Meitei community and the mostly Christian Kuki population spilled over into violence in May.

According to reports from Open Doors, at least 350 churches and thousands of Christian homes and properties have been destroyed, burned down and vandalised in the violence. At least 100 people have died, and over 30,000 Christians have been displaced from their homes.

On 12 June, one woman was killed in her church while she was praying, and a day later, 11 people were killed in bomb attacks.

The resolution in the European Parliament was adopted by a large majority and urges the Indian government "to tackle the impunity enjoyed by mobs perpetrating the violence" and "respond to stem the violence in line with their international human rights obligations".

MEP Miriam Lexmann said during a debate on the resolution: "While Indian officials often like to boast that the country is the world's largest democracy, intolerance and violence against religious minorities paint a different picture.

"These attacks against Christians are not isolated incidents. They are organised, leaving behind destruction and shattered lives. The European Union cannot close its eyes to these crimes."

MEP Ladislav Ilcic said: "Our message must be clear: we will not turn our heads away from violence, and we will not turn our backs on persecuted Christians."

The resolution has been welcomed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which called the human rights situation in India "dire" and accused the country of allowing the "targeted harassment" of Christians by "radical mobs".

"ADF International welcomes the European Parliament resolution on Manipur and joins the EU to call for urgent action to restore calm and ensure an inclusive dialogue with the participation of civil society and affected communities as the way out of the crisis," said Adina Portaru, senior counsel for ADF International in Brussels.

"The ongoing religious freedom crisis we are seeing throughout India has erupted into violent destruction and chaos in Manipur.

"It's long past time for India to not only address the situation in Manipur, but also it must eradicate any laws and policies that obstruct freedom of religion. Our prayers are with the people of India."
Nicaraguan bishop returned to prison after refusing forced exile

A Roman Catholic bishop has been sent back to a Nicaragua prison after rejecting attempts to "persuade" him to leave the country, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports.

Bishop Rolando Alvarez Lagos was returned to the La Modelo Tipitapa prison on 5 July, according to reports in the newspaper Divergentes.

The bishop was placed under house arrest in August last year and in February this year was sentenced to 26 years and in prison after he refused to go into forced exile in the US along with 222 other political prisoners.

He was imprisoned in La Modelo and stripped of his Nicaraguan nationality and civil rights.

An order by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to release the bishop has so far been ignored by the Nicaraguan government.

On 4 July, Bishop Lagos was taken out of prison to meet with a mediator assigned by the Vatican who CSW says tried to persuade him to go to Rome.

He was returned to prison after refusing the offer, instead calling on the government to grant his unconditional release and that of five other imprisoned priests.

He is also calling upon the Nicaraguan government to unfreeze the bank accounts of Roman Catholic dioceses and halt the targeting of religious groups and leaders.

His imprisonment coincides with the reported imposition of a new levy on Roman Catholic and Protestant property across the country. Parishes are reportedly being threatened with seizure if they fail to pay the tax.

CSW's Head of Advocacy Anna Lee Stangl said: "The Nicaraguan government must comply with the Inter American Court of Human Rights order to release Bishop Rolando Alvarez Lagos. Additionally, he must have his citizenship and rights restored and be allowed to remain in his own country if that is his wish.

"We join his calls for the release of the other five Roman Catholic priests currently in prison, to unfreeze the bank accounts of all religious groups and for the government to cease its harassment of religious groups and their leaders.

"CSW urges the international community to do significantly more to hold President Ortega and his regime to account for the deteriorating situation of human rights in Nicaragua."
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Partly cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 98F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms in the evening. Partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 73F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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Cancer Research UK has earned 10,000 from a rare copy of The Hobbit found among donations at a shop in Dundee.

Greetings reader, and welcome back to another week of chaos.

One of our reporters spent the week gearing up for their media law exam in a rather apt climate of Twitter users saying very libellous things. But we are legalled out  so instead of trying out our best legalese on you, Diary will mosey along with some (very carefully worded) charity news.

Sneaky little hobbitses

First things first; a very well-to-do hobbit. Cancer Research UK has earned 10,000 from a rare copy of the Hobbit found among donations at a shop in Dundee.

The first edition was found in the back room of its superstore in the city. This prompted Diary to have a little rummage in the back of their bookshelves, and it was a goldmine  a thousand copies of Jacqueline Wilsons finest, 32 copies of Charity Finance, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Tolkien's classic was found by Cancer Research shop manager, Adam Carsley, who had been at the Dundee superstore to assist with staff training and the organisation of stock.

He said: I opened the first page to see it was a first edition and thought it may be worthy of sending to the eBay team. I thought we'd get a maximum of 500 if we were lucky, so I couldn't believe it when I heard a few months later it had sold for over 10,000. What a day.

In its lengthy research , Diary has learnt that in 2015, a first edition of the Hobbit, with an inscription in Elvish written by Tolkien, sold at auction in London for 137,000. Diary is a book lover, but is baffled! Perhaps we should all take up Elvish? Should we start writing the news in Elvish? Does anyone know of a good Elvish tutor around Clapham?

Spinning Around (in all the cash)

In other wondrous charity-shop-news, Kylie Minogue and Steven Fry donated to a charity shop to mark 1m raised for an HIV charity.



Terrence Higgins Trusts only charity shop in Pimlico has raised 1m since opening its doors in 2008, and the celebrities helped the charity mark the milestone by donating items to the shop.

Diary will certainly be stopping by in the hope of picking up a few items. Gold hot pants ten times too small, a velvet waistcoat, and a transparent PVC trench coat? Yes, please.



Word on the street is that Stephen Fry donated a collection of his ties, which are known to be his greatest clothing companion, so Diary is hoping to show up to CSM offices looking rather suave come Monday morning. How many ties are too many ties?

Wensleydale, anyone?

In a fortuitous turn of events, Diary is writing about two of their favourite things this week: cake and tea.

Bird & Blend Tea Co has announced its quarterly charity drive, Wallace & Gromits Grand Appeal, and Vickys Sponge Cake is the brew chosen for the charity. It probably would have been more apt to have some sort of Wensleydale-tea, but that might not have gone down too well with everyone.

Instead, they have (more sensibly) chosen a cake-flavoured cuppa thats a blend of vanilla and raspberry, with black tea.

For all you history buffs out there  this is a black loose-leaf tea blend inspired by Victorias sponge cake, which was invented by Queen Victoria herself  or so Diary is told (we cant check everything OK).

The Wallace & Gromits Grand Appeal is the dedicated charity for Bristol Childrens Hospital, so a wonderful cause to drink tea for  made easier by the fact it is not cheese flavoured.
AKRON, Ohio  Since 2016, the Well Community Development Corporation has rehabbed 84 homes in Akrons Middlebury neighborhood through its Restoring Housing program.

Now the program, which transforms existing homes into quality, affordable rentals for local residents, announced it has received $8 million to continue its work. The grants will allow the nonprofit to renovate at least 50 homes in the neighborhood over the next three years, according to a news release.

The city of Akron will allocate $2.75 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the program, along with $1.25 million in grants from the Community Development Block Grant and other programs, according to the city.

I cant overstate the importance of improving housing in our communities, said Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan in a news release. When we have vibrant, diverse neighborhoods like Middlebury, we need a housing stock that reflects that vibrancy. The work that the Well is doing to provide affordable, quality housing will help this area thrive, and Im proud to support the Restoring Housing initiative.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will provide an additional $4 million in program funding, according to the release.

As part of a larger strategy to strengthen the Middlebury Neighborhood, were proud to partner with the city of Akron to accelerate the Wells ability to acquire, rehabilitate and rent homes, Knight Foundation Program Manager Kyle Kutuchief said in the release.

We started The Well CDC in 2016 to invest in the Middlebury community in a way that honors the rich history and legacy of this place and its people, said Zac Kohl, Executive Director of the Well CDC, in a news release. We believe developing a healthy housing pipeline starting with rehabbing the current housing stock will give residents the power to choose the type of housing that fits their current context and future aspirations.

We are grateful that the city of Akron, the Knight Foundation, Western Reserve Community Fund, and PNC Bank have also committed to investing in restoring housing in Middlebury, Kohl said in the release.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Update, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
BEREA, Ohio -- At one time, Berea had its own auto mile, with more than two dozen dealers stretching along Front Street and North Rocky River Drive.

Brands such as Nash, Studebaker, Hudson, Packard, DeSoto and Maxwell, among others, dont exist any longer.

And the biggest dealers -- Toth Buick, Merrick Chevrolet and Williams Ford -- are gone too.

But their history is highlighted in the latest exhibit at the Berea Historical Society, which opened with a talk by car buff and historian Jim Jaworski.

John Baldwin Jr. and his wife, Lura, take a spin in their Baker Electric. Photo dates from the late 19th century. John Baldwin Jr.'s father founded Baldwin Wallace College. Baldwin Jr. served as Berea mayor. (Photo Courtesy of Berea Historical Society)Berea Historical Society

Jaworski rehabilitated a vintage automobile that is on display at the historical societys Mahler Museum. The 1874 Simpson was built by jeweler Billy Simpson, who returned from the Civil War wounded but determined, Jaworski said.

He started to build a two-cylinder gas car -- innovative for the time. It had two ignition systems and two batteries. Early cars were electric.

The Simpson eventually ended up at a Yamaha dealership in Broadview Heights, where Nancy Gillahan, museum administrator, convinced the owner to donate it to the historical society.

Jaworski tackled the rehab.

This is it, Jaworski said. There were no others built. And it may be the oldest gas-powered car in the world.

Jaworski actually got the car to run and rode it in Bereas Fourth of July parade about 15 years ago.

It ran in three centuries -- 19th, 20th and 21st, he said.

This is not a piece of junk, Jaworski said. Everything in here is quality.

The Simpson is now permanently moored to the Mahler Museums first-floor display room.

The new museum exhibit touts the history of car dealerships in Berea. Merrick Chevrolet, for example, was started in 1915 by C.E. Merrick, who originally sold horse-drawn carriages. Merrick was bought out by Serpentini.

Toth Buick was located at Sheldon and North Rocky River Drive, now the site of a Speedway gas station.

Williams Ford started out at Westbridge and Park, where the Fifth Third Bank is now located. It then moved to North Rocky River Drive. That land is now owned by the city and there are plans to develop it with townhomes.

Jaworski said Greater Cleveland had the potential to be the car capital of the world, but that ended up being Detroit when Cleveland bankers wouldnt take the risk of loaning money for the manufacture of gas vehicles.

Detroit bankers had no such qualms.

The museum display contains memorabilia from the various dealerships, along with maps, photos and old license plates.

The museum is at 118 E. Bridge St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Email bereahistory@att.net. Visit bereahistoricalsociety.org for more information.
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- A man, 69, was robbed at gunpoint outside of Quick Shop Food Mart on Monticello Boulevard around 6 p.m. July 5.

The suspect was given the mans car keys, but was unable to start his vehicle.

The suspect fled in another vehicle that was later learned to belong to his grandmother, who had reported it stolen out of Maple Heights earlier in the day.

The boy, 15, was positively identified in a photo lineup. Charges are pending.

Read more news from the Sun Messenger.
BEREA, Ohio -- A Cleveland woman, 32, told police that a man and a woman, both unidentified, had assaulted her early July 9 in a car parked outside The Hydrant Pub & Grub, 786 Front.

The Hydrants bartender had called police at about 3:30 a.m. that day. She said the woman was trying to enter the bar while the bartender was trying to close the business. The woman was intoxicated.

When police arrived, the woman was gone.
BROOK PARK, Ohio

Menacing: Brookpark Road

A Cleveland woman, 45, threatened a worker at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 13200 Brookpark, at about 11 a.m. June 30.
SEVEN HILLS, Ohio -- One of the handful of proposed charter amendments that still requires City Council approval before going on the Nov. 7 ballot involves ending term limits for the mayor and council members.

This is a progression of work thats been going on for a couple of years now, Mayor Anthony D. Biasiotta said. Weve been evaluating different aspects of city operations.

Last year, City Council asked local attorney Joe Diemert to evaluate our law operation, council office and the charter. He presented a list of recommendations based on what most cities do.

Regarding term limits, the Ohio Municipal League and the National Civic League do not recommend them for municipalities such as Seven Hills.

The mayor said thats due not only to Seven Hills population, but also because a term limit goes against democracy.

Heres a candidate, whose performance you may like, and they can no longer vote for that candidate, he said.

Also, the pool of available qualified people is smaller and youre artificially removing potentially qualified candidates from the list of people to choose from.

Theres also the idea of having experienced city leaders.

Institutional knowledge takes a while for a person to get up to speed, and then they move on, he said.

In the best interest of serving the residents, its good to have somebody that has institutional knowledge.

Not originally included in the Seven Hills charter, which dates back to 1966, term limits were approved by voters in 1995, but didnt go into effect until 1999.

While ending term limits would theoretically benefit Biasiotta, who is currently ending his first term and is running unopposed this fall, he discounted the notion.

Nobody knows the future, he said. Thats a whole lot of ifs. More importantly, I dont believe its fair to the electorate, because in the current system, half of the time our mayor is in office he or she is no longer accountable to the people.

One re-election and the remaining time that person is a lame duck. Thats not a good situation. I believe thats contributed to much of the political turmoil that weve experienced over the last several decades -- among other factors.

This isnt the first time that ending term limits in Seven Hills has been discussed.

Three previous charter review committees considered the change, but ultimately decided against putting it on the ballot, or did make the suggestion and City Council didnt vote to put it on the ballot.

You have to speak truth to power, Biasiotta said. In the city of Seven Hills, the residents are the power. Were at the top of voter registration and turnout year in and year out.

These things that are going to be before voters are tough topics to speak to sometimes, but theyre consistent themes that have come in every one of these recent reviews by a group of residents.

Of the remaining charter amendments City Council is considering, the others of note include reducing the number of charter review committee volunteers from nine to seven, as well as increasing the groups frequency from every four years to five.

Its hard to get nine volunteers for a year and for free, the mayor said. Five years was consistent with a number of communities.

The remaining proposed charter amendments are more innocuous, allowing council to use electronic media for notices, as well as adding language to the charter that will help Seven Hills protect itself against challenges to home rule.

The mayor said by the end of the month, City Council is expected to vote on putting the proposed charter amendments on the fall ballot.

We have been updating many aspects of the city over the last couple of years, City Council President Phillip Kiriazis said. The proposed charter changes will make a positive impact on the city and continue to keep Seven Hills on its present course.

Although we are early in the legislative process, Im anticipating further discussions with City Council, as well as feedback from the public. Im confident at the end of the process some charter changes will make it on the ballot.

Read more news from the Parma Sun Post.
BROOK PARK, Ohio -- A wanted Brook Park man whom police were arresting threw a punch at an officer at about 10 p.m. July 2 on Glenway Drive.

The man, 22, had called police for assistance because he, a family member or a friend had locked themselves out of their car.

As police drove to the scene, dispatchers told them that the man was wanted in Parma and Brooklyn Heights for traffic violations.
LOS ANGELES  Lisa Marie Presleys cause of death was revealed Thursday, six months after her death.

Presley, the only child of rock-and-roll icon Elvis Presley, died at age 54 on Jan. 12. On Thursday, her cause of death was ruled to be from natural causes due to small bowel obstruction, according to a report from Los Angeles County medical examiners office.

The report states that Presleys death is a common complication from bariatric surgery, a weight loss procedure. The obstruction was in the form of a strangulated small bowel caused by adhesions that developed after bariatric surgery years ago, the autopsy report says, according to NBC News.

No additional causes or significant conditions were included in the report.

Presley was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Jan. 12 after paramedics responded to an emergency call of a woman in cardiac arrest. Her autopsy report stated she had been complaining of stomach pain earlier that day, NPR reports.

Two days earlier, Presley attended the 80th Golden Globes Awards in Beverly Hills, California. While there, she joined an interview with Austin Butler, who starred in Elvis, released in June 2022. Butler won Best Actor in a Drama Motion picture for his depiction of the famed musician.

Following Lisa Marie Presleys death, a number of celebrities, including Tom Hanks, John Travolta, Pink, and more, shared tributes in her honor. She was buried at Graceland, her fathers mansion where she lived as a child in Memphis, Tennessee. She was buried next to her son, Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020 at age 27.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, July 21, for The Undertakers 1 deadMAN show, which is scheduled to come to Cleveland this fall.

The show is Friday, Nov. 10, at the Agora.

It features the WWE personality in an intimate setting, sharing never-before-heard stories from his career and taking questions. Organizers say it has sold out venues in Nashville, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Antonio and London since launching last summer.

Limited VIP tickets, which includes premier seating and meet-and-greet, will be available.

The additional tour stops include Louisville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis and Pittsburgh.

Go to the Agora for tickets.

The Agora is at 5000 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.

Sports betting is now legal in Ohio. Bets can be placed at sportsbooks, including DraftKings Ohio Sportsbook, BetMGM Ohio, Fan Duel Ohio, Barstool Ohio, Caesars Ohio, Bet365, PointsBet and Tipico.

Related coverage: Gambling 101: Everything you need to know about sports betting in Ohio

Guardians 2022 AL Central championship merchandise for sale: Heres where you can get Cleveland Guardians gear commemorating their AL Central Division title, including T-shirts, hats, hoodies, and much more

Browns merchandise for sale: Find hoodies to hats, socks to tumblers, wall decor, jerseys and more  including sales and next-day shipping.

I am on cleveland.coms life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, heres a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. Twitter: @mbona30.

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In his OpEd written for July 4 (What America needs is something to rally round its current divides), Richard Perloff urges us to emulate Israel. When they protest, he says, Israelis do so in a sea of blue and white Israeli flags.

Perloff contrasts this with the United States, where protests rarely feature American flags. He thinks Americans lack a sense of national purpose and need a new emphasis on national service.

He has to know better.

I grew up with the greatest generation who won World War II. My dad was an Army officer who went in on D-Day. He fought across Europe and met the Russians at the end.

He flew the flag in memory of men who died under his command. I still do in his and their memory.

But leaders in the next generations were not so great. Presidents lied us into Vietnam, then Iraq. The military ended national service -- the draft. Many Americans refused to fight in any more illegitimate wars.

Perloff knows reinstating the draft, which my dad said did bring his soldiers together, is a non-starter. We cannot emulate the compulsory military service that unifies Israelis.

Thomas Kim Hill,

Parma Heights
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Punchy the bull is still looking for his owner following his grand adventure running the streets of Clevelands East Side.

In the meantime, the bold bovine is relaxing at the Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary in Ravenna, 35 miles southeast of the city. The Cleveland Police Mounted Unit escorted Punchy to the shelter Tuesday after an overnight stay at the units stables on East 38th Street.

Update: Bovine blunder: Punch no bull, but female calf; will be raised to be someones pet for life, sanctuary says

Punchy arrived in a testy mood after an excitable day in urban America, said Chuck Lipscomb, a Mounted Unit officer. Slightly malnourished, the animal was served a hearty dinner of grain and hay. After a good nights rest, he spent his final morning in Cleveland sunbathing in a turnout to himself.

In an interview with cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, Lipscomb recounted hearing news of a loose cow in the citys Glenville neighborhood. It was late Monday night, and Lipscomb was roused from bed by fellow officer.

A cow had been spotted in East Cleveland and chased down Superior Avenue by that citys officers across jurisdictional lines, the officer explained on the phone.

This is unusual, Lipscomb thought to himself. In his 17 years with the Traffic Bureau, he had heard of a horse, an alligator and smaller animals running loose in the city. But never a cow.

Eventually, Cleveland police herded the animal into a fenced-in back yard with the homeowners cooperation. By fate or chance, one of the responding officers had experience raising farm animals, including sheep, goats, chickens and a peacock, which helped the herding process.

Now, however, officers werent sure what to do, and they put Lipscomb on Facetime. The bull, he saw, was agitated, snorting and digging its hoof into the ground as if preparing to charge. The name on his ear tag said Punchy.

To complicate things, an East Cleveland officer, who had remained in pursuit, apparently was not confident the bull could be contained by the fence. So he grabbed some rope, scaled the garage, and attempted to lasso Punchy from above, Lipscomb recounted.

Lipscomb didnt think this was a good idea. He advised officers over Facetime to calm the animal instead.

People become cowboys as soon as they see a loose cow, he later suggested.

For his part, East Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard said he did not believe his officer tried to lasso the bull. If successful, Im sure it would have ended badly for the officer, he reasoned.

Punchys stealth route into Northeast Ohios metropolis relied on a backdoor strategy, Gerhard added. The bull used our city to get into Cleveland, he alleged.

Eventually, Lipscomb arrived to the Glenville home with a trailer, which he backed into the driveway to help in the loading process. Farm animals like to travel the path of least resistance, he explained.

Lipscomb set up lights to illuminate the driveway under the night sky. By now, the streets were full of gawkers.

They were quite surprised to see a cow in their neighborhood, Lipscomb said.

Officers opened the fence and successfully guided Punchy into the trailer. He began to nibble on hay Lipscomb had provided.

Officer Chuck Lipscomb, who works with the police division's Mounted Unit and Motorcycle Unit, was called to bring a trailer to a Glenville home to aid in Punchy's rescue. (Photo: John Tucker)

How Punchy ended up in a city known more for steel than soil is still a mystery. No missing animal report was ever filed with police. One man called to claim ownership, explaining that the bull escaped his van during a trip to a farm. But after Lipscomb left a message, the man never called back.

An Ohio Department of Agriculture representative said it does not keep a database tracking farm animals. Any animal roaming at large would fall under local jurisdiction, she said, suggesting the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a source for Punchys information. A spokesman from that agency referred questions back to Ohios agricultural department.

Messages left with Happy Trails went unreturned, but Sophia Kartsonis, director of Our Farm Sanctuary in Tipp City, Ohio, says there are myriad reasons farm animals turn up loose. Some are abandoned by an estate after a farmer dies. Others wander from farms lacking technology.

The recent July 4 holiday might have played a roll. Fireworks, Kartsonis said, scare farm animals to death, and some bovines can sprint 30 mph.

There are also financial implications to Punchys escape. According to Lyda Garcia, an Ohio State University meat science professor, a fully grown bull weighing 1,500 pounds can fetch $1,200 or more at auction.

But after seeing photos of Punchys small frame, she backtracked. Punchy, she said, is not a bull, but a young calf. Looks like dairy influence, mixed with maybe a native breed, she added.

Garcia estimated Punchys weight between 300 and 500 pounds. You wont get anything out of him as far as meat cuts, she said. He hasnt had enough time to grow. She ballparked a market value of $400.

That point, however, might be moot, as Punchy might have punched his ticket following his Cleveland escapades. The mission of farm animal sanctuaries, said Kartsonis, is to shelter rescues for life.

Meanwhile, Lipscomb counts Punchys visit to Cleveland among the Top 5 strangest episodes of his career. He enjoys a job where Clevelanders approach him excitedly, relishing the chance to pet his horse. On this occasion, though, he was glad to work with a bull calf.

People just picture horses and cows together, he said, explaining why officers roused him from bed for help. Its a farm thing.
DURANGO, Colo.  A 35-year-old sheep herder had to be flown to a hospital after he was attacked by a black bear while trying to defend his herd, authorities say.

The bear was later tracked down and then euthanized by an agent with the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, according to a news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It was the first bear attack reported this year in Colorado.

This is an unfortunate incident and we are thankful the victim was able to contact help to get emergency services deployed and that he was able to be extracted to receive necessary medical care, CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta said in a statement.

The attack reportedly occurred at about 1 a.m. Tuesday near a camp in the Weminuche Wilderness above Lemon Reservoir, located about 23 miles northeast of Durango. The victim tells investigators he woke up when he heard a disturbance involving his sheep and the bear.

The sheep herder says he fired a .30-30 caliber rifle at the bear but was unable to stop the attack. The man suffered bite wounds to his head, as well as wounds to his left hand and arm, severe lacerations to his left hip area and scratches on his back, authorities say.

The victim had to crawl back to his tent and was able to contact his cousin, who then contacted emergency workers.

CPW officers who went to the site of the attack found two dead sheep with wounds consistent with a bear attack, authorities say. They also found the victims rifle and a blood trail, and a team of dogs was brought in to track the bear.

The bear, estimated to be 8 years old and weigh 250 pounds, was found just before 11 p.m. and was shot and killed by an APHIS agent, authorities say. The news release from CPW says its the agencys policy to euthanize a bear that has contact with humans. A DNA sample will be taken from the bear to confirm it was the animal involved in the attack.

This is a difficult part of the job, Archuleta said. But when it comes to injuries to humans as a result of a predator attack, human health and safety is our top priority.
DETROIT, Michigan  A police commissioner has resigned from his position after he reportedly was caught with a sex worker in his pickup truck.

The Detroit Free Press reports Bryan Ferguson, who represented District 1 for the Detroit Police Board of Commissioners, announced his resignation on Thursday. The announcement comes just over 24 hours after he reportedly was caught with a sex worker by the Wayne County Sheriffs Office.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the residents of Detroit in police oversight, a statement from Ferguson said, according to the Detroit News. After further consideration of the best interests of my family and the board, I am choosing to resign. Again, I admonish the board and the public to remain focused on the important work of oversight, transparency and accountability.

WXYZ Channel 7 reports an undercover officer with the sheriffs office saw Ferguson involved in a sex act in his truck near an intersection at about 7:15 a.m. Wednesday. Ferguson reportedly identified himself as a police commissioner and asked a deputy, Can you help me out with this?

Ferguson called the incident a big misunderstanding, the Free Press reports, and denies engaging in a sex act. He tells WXYC that a woman he doesnt know got into his truck without permission and claimed someone was trying to kill her. He said he ordered the woman to get out but deputies arrived just moments later.

Ferguson was cited for indecent or obscene conduct involving a sex act with a prostitute, the Free Press reports.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  The U.S. Department of Education on Friday announced a total of $39 billion in federal student loans will be forgiven for more than 800,000 borrowers.

The Department will begin notifying the 804,000 borrowers in the coming weeks that their federal student loans have been automatically forgiven, according to a news release.

The forthcoming loan forgiveness is the result of the Biden administrations fix to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans that were previously unaccounted for, ensuring all borrowers have an accurate count of the number of monthly payments required to qualify for forgiveness under IDR plans. Borrowers are eligible for loan forgiveness if they have accumulated either 20 or 25 years worth of qualifying months, according to the release.

The Departments announcement is part of the Biden administrations initiative to address past inaccuracies in the count of student loan payments that qualify for forgiveness under IDR plans.

Borrowers who can expect to receive notifications in the coming days about their forgiven debt includes those with Federal Family Education Loans or Direct Loans held by the Department, including Parent Plus loans of either type, according to the release.

Those who have reached the necessary threshold to qualify for forgiveness of these loans include borrower accounts with any months in repayment status; months spent in economic hardship or military deferment after 2013; months spent in any deferment (except for in-school deferment) prior to 2013; 12 or more months of consecutive forbearance or 36 or more months of cumulative forbearance; or accounts that were at any time in repayment prior to consolidating previous loans into a consolidation loan, according to the Department.

RELATED: New student loan debt help: How to apply for forgiveness program SAVE

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking another historic step to right these wrongs and announcing $39 billion in debt relief for another 804,000 borrowers. By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans. This Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education.

To date, the Biden administration has approved more than $116 billion in student loan forgiveness for more than 3.4 million borrowers, according to the release.

RELATED: Biden has a Plan B for student loan forgiveness: Heres what we know

The Departments announcement on Friday follows the Supreme Courts decision to reject the Biden administrations plan to erase $400 billion in student loan debt for millions of Americans.

Ohio schools, specifically, have students graduating with the 19th highest student loan debt in the country, averaging $30,047 in 2019, a 3.8% increase from 2018.
WASHINGTON, D. C. - The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted largely along party lines to approve an $886 billion defense authorization bill that contained controversial provisions that would block the Pentagon from paying for service members abortion-related expenses or transgender care.

All 10 of Ohios Republicans in Congress supported the bill, which passed by a 219 to 210 margin. All five of the states Democrats opposed the legislation.

A statement from U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, a Warrensville Heights Democrat, accused a handful of her Republican colleagues of hijacking a bill that usually passes in a bipartisan fashion and prioritizing grievances over good governance.

Regrettably, I must oppose this bill, which is dead-on-arrival in the U.S. Senate, said a statement from Brown. I owe it to my constituents to vote no on any legislation that would strip away reproductive healthcare from our servicemembers, eliminate crucial diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and discriminate against transgender servicemembers.

U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat, issued her own statement criticizing House Republicans for playing partisan games with our national security by including partisan amendments attacking our LGBTQ+ service members and restricting the reproductive freedoms of our troops.

The process to pass this important defense bill is not over, however, and I will continue to advocate for sensible, bipartisan policies to support our women and men in uniform, she continued.

Sykes said the legislation included several less controversial amendments she cosponsored, including measures that would expand bereavement leave, and that would require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a report on at-home childcare programs.

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, a South Russell Republican, released a statement that said the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act would provide necessary funding to ensure our militarys readiness, support our servicemembers and their families, and counter our foreign adversaries.

Joyce said he was pleased it contained an amendment he backed that would take all appropriate action to lessen our militarys dependence on adversarial nations for strategically critical materials, including natural rubber, a key industry in Northeast Ohio. Brown, Sykes and Rocky River GOP Rep. Max Miller co-sponsored that amendment.

Joyce said he also secured a requirement that the Department of Defense determine whether Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets are receiving proper information and resources related to sexual assault prevention, amidst disturbing revelations of a rise in sexual abuse in some Junior ROTC programs across the country.

A statement from Miller said the bill would boost servicemember pay by the highest level in 20 years, cement Ohios critical role in American national security, strengthen national defense, increase oversight and counter Chinese Communist Party aggression.

The NDAA is one of the most important bills that Congress passes every year, and this years legislation sends a strong message to our allies and our adversaries that the United States will continue to be the dominant power on the global stage, Millers statement said.

Millers statement observed that he co-sponsored the provision that would block the Defense Department from paying for or reimbursing for abortions or travel for abortion, as well as a provision that would prohibit the Air Force from decommissioning KC-135 Stratotankers in FY24, which will protect the National Guards footprint in Ohio.

Miller said he was also pleased the bill contains measures that would require audits and oversight of security assistance to Ukraine, provides a path back to service for the 8,000 servicemembers discharged for failing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, and prohibit drag shows on military property.

During debate over the bill, former Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty of Columbus, chastised an Arizona Republican who referred to colored people when he advocated for an amendment that would keep the Defense Department from considering race, gender, religion, political affiliations or any other ideological concepts as the sole basis for recruitment training, education, promotion or retention decision.

Beatty said she found Rep. Eli Cranes reference offensive and very inappropriate. Crane said he had meant to say people of color, and his remarks were removed from the official record at Beattys request.

It is very difficult, as a black woman, for me to stand on this house floor and have my colleagues say that there is no value there is no need for diversity, equity and inclusion, Beatty said of Cranes amendment.

Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Rotunda Rumblings

Counting votes: Secretary of State Frank LaRose said recently he wouldnt be surprised if voter turnout for the Aug. 8 election nears the historic, single-digit low we saw during last years August primary election in Ohio. If thats true, the winning side in the vote whether to approve or reject State Issue 1 could need just a few hundred thousand votes. Andrew Tobias explores how many more votes Cuyahoga County and some of the states other largest counties could contribute if they see even a even modest increase in turnout, and how the abortion-rights amendment may end up playing a role.

Hitting the airwaves: Pro-Issue 1 ads finally are starting to air, although theyre not coming from the official campaign. Rather, Protect Women Ohio, the campaign opposing the potential abortion-rights constitutional amendment in November, has begun reserving TV and radio ad time around the state. While details on the TV campaign werent available as of our deadline, the radio ads tie Issue 1 to the potential November vote on abortion rights, and cost $231,500, per Scott Schweitzer of the Strategy Group for Media. The anti-Issue 1 campaign, One Person One Vote, has been running statewide TV ads, costing about $1 million a week, since the last week of June.

Another appeal: Former lobbyist and ex-Ohio GOP chairman Matt Borges filed notice of an appeal of his racketeering conviction that left him with a five-year prison sentence Jake Zuckerman reports. This comes about a day after his co-defendant, ex-GOP House Speaker Larry Householder did the same. The appeals themselves, which would express the mens rationale for overturning a jury verdict, are not yet available.

Start me up: Ohio announced sites and vendors for 27 new electric vehicle charging stations with money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, making it the first state in the nation to announce such plans. Jeremy Pelzer has the details on where the charging stations will be, and where state officials are looking to build even more charging stations after these 27 are done.

Twitter attack: House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan on Thursday accused the head of the Federal Trade Commission of harassing Twitter to the point of obsession at an oversight hearing on the agency, Sabrina Eaton reports. The Champaign County Republican also insisted FTC Chair Lina Khan is trying to usher in a radical departure from the norms that made the American economy great to a system where her and her cronies have unchecked power over business. Khan told Jordan the FTC has focused on Twitter because of its longtime lack of effective security and privacy policies.

Dems strike back: In the past six months Jordan has used his chairmanships of the House Judiciary Committee and a related subcommittee on government weaponization to conduct hearings on whether numerous federal agencies have been politicized against conservatives, Eaton writes. In a week when Jordan accused the Federal Trade Commission of harassing Twitter and the Federal Bureau of Investigation of being biased against Republicans and suppressing conservative speech at successive congressional hearings, a coalition of Democrat-leaning groups held a press conference to denounce his efforts and release a report that described them as partisan political stunts posing as investigations.

Reprieve: Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday pushed back the execution date of Keth Lamar, a former Cuyahoga County man convicted of helping to kill four inmates and ordering the death of a fifth during the 1993 Lucasville prison riots. As Pelzer reports, its the latest in a series of reprieves issued by DeWine since he took office in 2019, citing state officials ongoing problems with acquiring lethal-injection drugs.

Immigration: U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, a Cincinnati Republican, on Thursday joined a bicameral Republican letter that asks Health and Human Services Sec. Xavier Becerra to not allow illegal aliens living in the U.S. under the unlawful Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, to access Medicaid, CHIP or the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace to buy health insurance. Their letter says a proposed rule from HHS would grant access to those programs at a cost of more than $100 million in its first year alone. By providing health insurance to DACA recipients, this policy further burdens programs intended to serve U.S. citizens and simultaneously encourages more aliens to enter our country illegally in the hopes of receiving similar protection and services, their letter said.

If you build it, will they come? Senate President Matt Huffman is pondering offering grants or other assistance to groups wanting to build private schools in rural areas, the Dispatchs Anna Staver reports. Most of the states private schools are located in high population areas, although the legislature recently increased eligibility for the EdChoice scholarship program to families at all income levels, which may drive demand for more schools.

Buckeye Brain Tease

Question: This former governor bestowed a name to Ohios prehistoric peoples and their culture. Who is the governor and what is the culture?

Email your response to capitolletter@cleveland.com. The first correct respondent will be mentioned in next weeks newsletter.

Thanks to everyone who answered last weeks question:

An Ohio county was named for the last-surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. What is the county and who was its namesake?

Last weeks answer: Carroll County was named for Charles Carroll, a Maryland delegate for the Continental Congress. He is remembered as the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. The Ohio state government authorized Carroll County on Christmas Day in 1832. Carroll died the previous month at the age of 95.

Capitol Letter reader Pam Manges of Wooster, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Networks Ohio state lead ambassador, was the first to provide the correct answer.

Tick-Tock

The countdown is on for the special election to decide State Issue 1, a state constitutional amendment that would make it harder to pass future amendments. Here are some key dates to remember.

Election Day... 25 days (Aug. 8)

On The Move

Kalpana Kotegal, an employment and civil rights attorney from Cincinnati, has been confirmed as a commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commisssion.

The U.S. Senate voted 50 to 45 on Thursday to move forward with Columbus attorney Rachel Bloomekatz nomination to become a United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit. A final vote is expected next week.

Birthdays

Friday, 7/14: Ex-state Rep. Anthony DeVitis; Rick Neal, 2018 Democratic nominee for Ohios 15th Congressional District; ex-state Rep. John Rogers

Saturday, 7/15: Caine Crouse, legislative aide to state Rep. Cecil Thomas; Nick Morgan, district representative to U.S. Sen. JD Vance; Abby Schafer, legislative director for the Ohio Department of Commerce; George Voinovich, former Ohio governor and U.S. senator (1936-2016)

Sunday, 7/16: Former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan; Thomas Worthington, 6th Ohio governor (1773-1827)

Straight From The Source

In this litigation, FirstEnergy has drawn from its internal investigation to partially inculpate Jones and Dowling while attempting to partially exculpate itself and others by asserting the purported absence of any evidence against others at the Company.

-From a motion filed by former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling, seeking to force the company to release in full its internal investigation of the House Bill 6 corruption scandal. The executives, plus pension and investment funds who argue they lost money in FirstEnergy, charge that the company is only selectively using its investigation to exonerate its board and other figures, reports Ohio Capital Journals Marty Schladen.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. Subscribe to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Ohioans soon will see the first major advertising in favor of State Issue 1  but its not coming from the campaign organized to pass it.

Rather, its coming from the group working to defeat the potential November ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution.

Officials with Protect Women Ohio said Friday that they will be spending $3 million to help pass State Issue 1, including $2 million they said would pay to air a 30-second ad that will appear on TV stations around the state.

The TV ad notably does not mention the word abortion, in keeping with Republicans mostly private acknowledgment that arguing abortion should be illegal is a losing political issue. It also doesnt describe what Issue 1 would do, which is make it harder to amend the state constitution, including for the potential abortion-rights amendment in November.

Rather, it shows an image of a drag queen on television, saying voting for Issue 1 would help parents protect their children and keep this madness out of Ohio classrooms, despite there being no clear relationship between Issue 1 and educational curriculum.

An accompanying social media ad, which can be targeted specifically at abortion opponents, does tie Issue 1 to blocking the abortion-rights amendment, however. Protect Women Ohio says theyre spending $1 million on digital ads through the Aug. 8 election.

Amy Natoce, a spokesperson for Protect Women Ohio, said that Issue 1s opponents include the ACLU, which also has opposed a proposed, Republican-backed state law change that would require schools to notify parents if their child asks to be referred to as a gender other than their sex assigned at birth.

Issue 1 will protect Ohios constitution from out-of-state special interest groups that think they can circumvent the legislature and buy their way into the constitution, Natoce said in a statement. The ACLUs attempts to force its dangerous anti-parent amendment into Ohios constitution is Exhibit A.

Issue 1 would require future amendments to the state constitution to get 60% approval in a statewide vote to pass, compared to the current, longstanding 50% plus-one vote standard.

It also would make it harder for amendment campaigns to qualify for the ballot by expanding mandatory signature-gathering requirements for amendment campaigns

Voting yes on the issue would approve the change. A no vote would reject the proposal.

In recent days, Issue 1 supporters have grown increasingly concerned that theyre being outspent by the Issue 1 opposition group, One Person One Vote which has been airing TV ads since late June. While GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein, an Illinois billionaire, spent $1 million on radio ads pressuring lawmakers to put Issue 1 on the ballot earlier this year, the campaign in favor of it has been quiet on the airwaves.

The new ad campaign from Protect Women Ohio is airing around $1 million worth of TV ads airing between Saturday, July 15 and Friday, July 21, according to Scott Schweitzer, a Republican political consultant, roughly matching the weekly amount that OPOV has been paying to air.

The no campaigns ads hadnt mentioned the abortion issue until this week, when an ad accused Republicans of trying to rig the rules to lock in Ohios extreme abortion ban. The ad is a reference to a law Gov. Mike DeWine signed in January 2019 that bans abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy, although the law is on hold pending a challenge before the Ohio Supreme Court, where Republicans hold a slim majority.

Other One Person One Vote ads have portrayed Issue 1 as ending majority rule, a reference to the 60% requirement, although the measure would leave intact a similar process through which the public can propose or reject non-constitutional law changes.

Aaron Baer, a leader with Protect Women Ohio, alluded to the new ad campaign during an on-air interview Thursday with Bob Frantz, a Cleveland conservative talk radio host who has been griping about the lack of pro-Issue 1 ads.

When we go up on TV, is it going to be on abortion? Probably not, said Baer, leader of the Center for Christian Virtue, a socially conservative advocacy group in Columbus. Because were going to have to have as broad of a net [as possible] and really hit especially the special interest message... But when were talking to core conservative audiences, were hitting the life issue hard. Because it really exemplifies why you have to be fired up and go vote.

Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In three short years, we will be celebrating the nations 250th anniversary, also known as the semiquincentennial. This will be a milestone and touchstone in our nations history and an opportunity to celebrate what has made America special, plus an opportunity to remember and reflect on the challenges, as well. Ohio should play a prominent role in the story of the United States as part of the 250th anniversary.

Ohio has a special place in our nations history. The semiquincentennial will be a great time to remind our fellow Americans  and ourselves  how Ohio and Ohioans have helped shape both our nations history and its future. For example, Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio are rich in the history of the industries and innovation which helped make Ohio and the entire country a world leader in many sectors, while the areas cultural institutions are recognized as world-class.

Moreover, the legacy of the American Revolution resonates across Ohio, with veterans and their families leading the westward expansion to the Northwest Territory made possible by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The special history of Connecticuts Ohio legacy is kept alive by the Western Reserve Historical Society, one of the oldest such organizations in the nation.

States across the country are forming semiquincentennial commissions. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly formed the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, also known as America 250-Ohio. We have the honor to serve as co-chairs for the commission. There is much work to do to prepare Ohio to make the most of this momentous opportunity.

We want the America 250-Ohio celebration to be loud, colorful, bold, accessible, inclusive, and diverse. Alongside our national partners, we are working to make this celebration the most inclusive in our nations history. That means engaging with all 88 Ohio counties and Ohioans from all walks of life.

It is important that all 88 Ohio counties are engaged in activities that showcase Ohio communities in distinct ways. This is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The America 250-Ohio Commission is working with educators, historic sites and museums, tourism and arts organizations, local governments, Ohio-based businesses and many other state and local leaders to shape Ohios participation in the nations 250th anniversary. The lead-up to the nations 250th anniversary offers us an opportunity to bring to life the stories, big and small, from the past for 21st-century families. We think youll agree that Ohio is packed with powerful stories that help remind us that we all can contribute something much larger than ourselves. Whether as an individual Ohioan, or as part of an organization, you are invited to contribute to the effort. Join us!

Doug Preisse and Michael B. Coleman are co-chairs of the America 250-Ohio Commission. Preisse serves as a principal at Van Meter-Ashbrook & Associates. Coleman, the former mayor of Columbus, now serves as a partner at Ice Miller LLC. Portions of this essay first appeared in a blog post at ohiohistory.org.

Find out more about America 250-Ohio at america250-ohio.org.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Lake Erie is certainly alive, and anglers will have plenty of walleye to show off this week. Hopefully, some of the big uns, as locals say, will be caught, photographed and filleted at the 43rd annual Governors Fish Ohio Day on Thursday in Port Clinton.

Port Clinton bills itself as the Walleye Capital of the World, and few can dispute that. Hundreds of thousands of fishermen make the annual pilgrimage to the big lake shared by Ohio, Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Ohio fisheries experts report that about 100 million catchable walleye are swimming here. That doesnt count the many more millions of walleye that still have to grow to the legal catchable status of 15 inches.

Gov. Mike DeWine and his kids and grandkids are dandy walleye fishermen, just like Gov. Jim Rhodes, who more than four decades ago teamed up with the Lake Erie Sport Fishermen organized by Marbleheads Ginny Brown of Channel Grove Marina to create the special day. (Disclaimer: The late Ginny Brown was my mother-in-law).

All would be surprised at how the schools of walleye have blossomed, how their spawning range has expanded, and good walleye fishing reports today can be found all along the Ohio shoreline from Toledo to Conneaut just 43 years later.

Walleye hot spots abound: With fair to good weather expected this weekend, expect plenty of limit catches of six walleye to be caught. Its rather easy to tag the spots. Find 40- to 45-foot depths, and either troll lures or allow the boat to drift while casting old-fashioned weight-forward spinners of small spinner rigs, both tipped with nightcrawlers.

If big walleye are your target, try casting target the top 10 feet of the water column. To do that, count to three or four, and slowly start reeling in your lure. The bite wont be a slam dunk, but if you hook up, the fight will be fun. Youll probably catch a few smaller walleye in the 8- to 14-inch range, so let them gently go. Or a sheepshead, white bass or white perch.

Western Lake Erie skippers heading to Canadian waters: The abundance of mayflies hatching around Western Lake Erie have slowed the walleye fishing around the Lake Erie Islands and westward, so many of the fishing guides have been heading across the border to Ontario and Pelee Island to gather limits of fish. Trolling the deeper waters with diving planers and spoons, crankbaits and tandem spinner rigs has been good.

Walleye are still being caught west of Gull Shoal on the north side of Kelleys Island and off the Cedar Point dumping grounds. Huron walleye should be a good bet late in the weekend when winds are to shift from southerly to the west, which wont effect the protected waters east of the Huron River. Cranberry Creek fishermen are catching limits of walleye  and lots of sheepshead and channel catfish, in 20 to 25 feet of water.

Lorain, Sheffield and Avon Lake still hot: For big walleye, head to 48 feet of water and deeper to troll, or 30 feet of water and less to cast for fish. Early in the day, before the boat traffic increases, lots of walleye are being caught as shallow at 18 feet.

Head west for yellow perch: The yellow perch fishing has been good around the Lake Erie Firing Zone off Port Clinton and Camp Perry, where the National Rifle and Pistol Matches have drawn crowds of shooters this week. Boaters are anchoring around the F Can and G Can marker buoys and putting perch in the cooler, and around the green buoy off Catawba Island State Park. Emerald shiner minnows fished on vertical rigs have been a key bait, as usual.

Fairport Harbor area walleye on fire: Walleye fishing has been very strong from Mentor to Perry, including Fairport Harbor, this week. The best fishing has been in 35 to 42 feet of water, but with a lot of small walleye, or spikes. Big 26- to 30-inch walleye are mixed in  most likely feeding on the small perch, white perch and walleye. Some anglers are heading to deeper waters and finding hungry steelhead trout.
Amazon is increasingly using robotics in its fulfilment centers to carry out repetitive tasks such as lifting heavy packages.

A prominent Amazon consultant has avoided jail time for his involvement in an elaborate scheme to bribe company employees to give his clients an upper hand on the e-retailer's sprawling online marketplace.

Ephraim "Ed" Rosenberg in March pleaded guilty to a criminal charge, stemming from a Sept. 2020 indictment that charged six people with conspiring to pay Amazon employees bribes in exchange for confidential information that would benefit third-party merchants selling goods on the company's marketplace.

Rosenberg was sentenced Friday in a federal court to two years of probation, and 12 months of house arrest. He was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

"Mr. Rosenberg's illegal actions were harmful to the sellers who work hard every day to build a thriving business on Amazon, and today he was held accountable for his crimes," Amazon spokesperson Mira Dix said in a statement. "When we uncovered the suspicious behavior related to this case in 2018, we reported it to the FBI and actively supported the ensuing investigation."

Rosenberg, 48, is a well-known figure in the world of Amazon third-party sellers. He runs a consultancy business that advises entrepreneurs on how to sell products on the online marketplace, and navigate unforeseen issues with their accounts. Rosenberg's Facebook group for sellers, ASGTG, has over 70,000 members, and he hosts a popular conference for sellers each year in his hometown of Brooklyn.

The case provides an unfiltered glimpse into the cottage industry of consultants and brokers that has flourished alongside the growth of Amazon's third-party marketplace. Since its launch in 2000, the marketplace has become a lucrative and competitive platform for millions of sellers to market their wares. From May 2019 to May 2020, U.S. small and medium businesses selling on the marketplace had an average of over $160,000 in sales, according to a report issued by Amazon.

While the marketplace has helped Amazon haul in tens of billions of dollars in sales, it's also become a notorious host to counterfeit, unsafe and expired goods. Behind the scenes, scammers have for years resorted to illicit tactics to squash competitors, artificially boost their listings or bypass Amazon's marketplace rules.

The case isn't the first time Amazon has dealt with issues of company employees leaking confidential information or manipulating the site in exchange for payments. In 2018, the company investigated claims that employees, primarily based in China, who received payments worth $80 to more than $2,000, in exchange for access to internal data, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Amazon has said it invests hundreds of millions of dollars per year to ensure products are safe and compliant. The provision of internal data to sellers by employees violates Amazon's seller policies and code of conduct.

Rosenberg's punishment is far less severe than what other defendants have faced. A former Amazon employee was sentenced last year to 10 months in prison, while a consultant who also sold products on Amazon is serving 20 months in prison.

Prosecutors recommended a lesser sentence for Rosenberg because there was no evidence he initiated attacks on competitors' product listings like some of his conspirators, who allegedly lodged false complaints to Amazon, and bought fake negative reviews for rivals' products. Other defendants also pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges in addition to the bribery scheme.

Between July 2017 and Sept. 2020, Rosenberg paid bribes directly and indirectly to Amazon employees in order to steal confidential data, as well as gain access to internal systems. In one case, Rosenberg made 33 different PayPal payments worth $18,650 to an Amazon employee in Seattle in exchange for confidential information about third-party seller accounts.

Most of his payments were for account "annotations," or an internal Amazon employee log of infractions on a sellers' account, which Rosenberg and another defendant, Joe Nilsen, covertly referred to as "fruit" in email correspondence.

"Sellers who had been suspended from selling on Amazon could use this internal information to see exactly what Amazon had figured out about the sellers' infractions and to tailor their appeals for reinstatement accordingly," prosecutors alleged.

Nilsen bragged to Rosenberg over email about the services he had gained access to by bribing employees.

"I am not trying to make it seem like we have all the abilities in the world, but even though it took some time and some face to face meetings, we obtained abilities that still blow my mind," Nilsen wrote in a Jan. 2018 email to Rosenberg, referring to his internal contacts as "high up 'flick the switch' type guys."

"I don't want to have a little menu floating around but if you are in need of anything, just run it by me and I will let you know," Nilsen continued.

Previously unsealed court documents said Rosenberg allegedly sent a "veiled threat" to an Amazon employee at the company's Seattle headquarters as part of the bribery scheme, Bloomberg reported. The documents also detailed the defendants' elaborate efforts to dodge detection by authorities, including allegedly stuffing a llama-shaped ottoman with cash believed to be bribes, according to Bloomberg.

Rosenberg's guilty plea in March marked a reversal of his position on the case. He repeatedly denied prosecutors' allegations and claimed in LinkedIn messages to CNBC he was being framed, as well as in posts on Reddit forums and Facebook groups. He later admitted he made false statements about the case and admitted to bribing Amazon employees in a public apology posted online.

An attorney for Rosenberg, Jacob Laufer, wrote in a sentencing memo that while Rosenberg's conduct was illegal, it was a symptom of a marketplace ruthlessly governed by Amazon wherein merchants could be arbitrarily booted off the marketplace at any time, and struggling to get their businesses reinstated, turned to illicit tactics.

"Given that these sellers were in the dark about their alleged wrongdoing, how to correct the problem, and when Amazon might recognize its error, sellers were frequently desperate and sometimes would resort to illegal means to obtain the information necessary to accomplish the goal of saving their businesses," according to the memo. "The 'information necessary' was the annotations."

Dix said Amazon has processes in place to help sellers avoid deactivation and get reinstated when appropriate. The company has for years been investing in improving its communications with sellers, speeding up response times and more clearly indicating policy violations, she added.

"There is no place for fraud at Amazon and no excuse for resorting to illegal activities," Dix said in a statement.
The Justice Department, six states and the District of Columbia sued to block that partnership, winning their case on May 20.

The judge ordered the airlines to end their more than two-year partnership, which allowed them to share passengers and revenue, and to coordinate schedules in the northeastern U.S. The airlines argued they needed to team up to better compete with rivals Delta and United at congested airports serving New York City and Boston.

American and JetBlue will stop selling seats on each other's flights next Friday, two months after a federal judge ruled that the airlines' partnership in the Northeast violated antitrust laws .

"We are disappointed to be ending popular benefits like codesharing and reciprocal loyalty benefits," Dave Fintzen, vice president of the Northeast Alliance at JetBlue, said in a statement. "With the court's recent ruling and the termination of the NEA, we have to sunset them in short order."

JetBlue last week said it wouldn't appeal the ruling so it can focus instead on its $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines , a deal which the Justice Department has also challenged, though JetBlue said it didn't agree with the judge's ruling on the Northeast Alliance. American, however, said it still plans to appeal the ruling on the Northeast Alliance.

Earlier this week, the carriers' websites still showed flight options on each other's airline through the year-end holidays but such sales will only continue through July 20.

Both airlines said they would work with customers with existing bookings so their plans aren't disrupted.

"This is just the first step in the wind-down process that will take place over the coming months," American said in a release. "We will continue to work with the JetBlue team to ensure customers who have existing codeshare bookings can travel seamlessly without disruption to their travel plans."

Thursday is also the last day that customers can use American AAdvantage frequent flyer miles to book flights on JetBlue.




Bank of America has dubbed global companies exposed to the demand for generative artificial intelligence solutions as "winners," picking stocks across the software and IT services sectors. It described the AI opportunity within the software industry as "undeniably vast" in a research note dated 12 July, and ranked European companies in the sector. Top of its ranking is French software company Dassault Systemes , which BofA likes for its acquisition of healthcare data platform Medidata in 2019, meaning it has drug trial information from more than 7 million patients. "This huge amount of data is a treasure trove for multiple AI use cases, with generative therapeutics design one of the most exciting use cases," the analysts led by Frederic Boulan, stated. German software firm SAP is also highly ranked, with the bank choosing the stock for its enterprise resource planning software  known as ERP  which helps companies automate HR processes and other functions. "Huge quantities of data about a company's operations are held within a company's ERP system which makes the software vital in any generative AI integration," BofA's analysts stated. "We see gen AI as an opportunity for the Software industry to derive both potential revenue uplift via enhanced value proposition and data monetization, alongside productivity improvements," the bank said. BofA also looked at the effect of generative AI on the IT services industry and said implications "are the most polarised," noting concerns over drops in sales due to tasks being automated. "However, we view IT Services companies as enablers of the GenAI shift for their customers, given access to a vast talent pool, with opportunities around bespoke application development, data analytics, cloud migration and cybersecurity," the analysts stated. The bank said IT consultancies Capgemini , Kainos and Tietoevry are "well placed" to benefit from the demand for AI-related services. BofA said global revenues from AI are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19%, reaching $900 billion by 2026, citing data from the International Data Corporation.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
US President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers a speech on NATO at the Vilnius University in Vilnius, Lithuania, after the end of the NATO Summit. 230712

Count President Joe Biden among the supporters of the actors strike in Hollywood.

"The President believes all workers  including actors  deserve fair pay and benefits," White House spokesperson said Robyn Patterson in a statement Friday. "The President supports workers' right to strike and hopes the parties can reach a mutually beneficial agreement."

Biden, a proponent of organized labor, previously backed striking members of the Writers Guild of America in May, when Hollywood's scribes started picketing. Biden's support for the actors' work stoppage comes as UPS workers prepare for a potential strike, and the nation's auto workers enter potentially contentious negotiations with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.

The White House released the statement a day after the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists called a strike following the collapse of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. With writers and actors on the picket lines, Hollywood is essentially shut down. This is the first tandem strike in the industry since 1960. Actors started picketing Friday morning in California.

Hollywood performers are looking to improve wages, working conditions, and health and pension benefits, as well as create guardrails for the use of artificial intelligence in future television and film productions. Additionally, the union is seeking more transparency from streaming services about viewership so that residual payments can be made equitable to that seen on linear TV.

Similarly, writers in the industry are seeking higher compensation and residuals, particularly when it comes to streaming shows. They're also seeking new rules that will require studios to staff television shows with a certain number of writers for a specific period.

The guild also is seeking compensation throughout the process of pre-production, production and post-production. Writers are often expected to provide revisions or craft new material without being paid. Both unions share concerns over the use of artificial intelligence when it comes to script writing.

Studios and their executives have pushed back on the unions' demands. Disney CEO Bob Iger told CNBC this week that he believes the writers and actors' expectations are "just not realistic."

Democratic California lawmakers have also supported the two strikes, with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla as well as U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff all sharing statements following the SAG-AFTRA strike announcement in favor of fair labor compensation.
Billionaire hedge fund chief Bill Ackman donated $3,300 in the second quarter to Democrat and anti-vaccine presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign during the second quarter, according to a Federal Election Commission filing.

Ackman's donation came just days after he sided, in a tweet, with Kennedy's broadly debunked skepticism about vaccines.

Ackman, the CEO of Pershing Square Capital, explained to CNBC days later: "I listened to RFK on several podcasts and a town hall and thought he raised important issues about vaccines and other issues that were worth learning more about." When asked at the time, he didn't say whether he had donated to Kennedy's campaign.

Ackman is one of several prominent business leaders who donated to Kennedy's campaign in the second quarter. The Purple Good Government PAC, a committee that's been largely funded by investor and Elon Musk ally David Sacks, donated $6,600 to the campaign.

Ken Fisher, the founder and executive chairman of Fisher Investments, donated $6,600 to the campaign, according to the filing.

Veteran Wall Street executive Omeed Malik also donated $6,600 to the Kennedy campaign, the filing says. Malik is hosting a fundraiser for Kennedy in the Hamptons this month. Brett Messing, a partner at Anthony Scaramucci's SkyBridge Capital, also donated the campaign, according to the filing.

A donor named Eric Clapton, identified as a musician with an address in England, donated $5,000 to Kennedy's campaign.

It wasn't immediately clear if that donor was the same person as the legendary English guitarist Eric Clapton, who has a long history of airing controversial views and released an anti-vaccine and Covid lockdown protest song during the Covid pandemic. The filing notes next to the donation: "refund in subsequent period." Federal law prohibits donations to U.S. campaigns from foreign nationals.

The most an individual can give toward helping a candidate in either a primary or general election season within an election cycle is $3,300. A $6,600 donation can be split between the primary and general election accounts.

The second quarter spans from April 1 until June 30.

Ackman's spokesman declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Sacks did not return a request for comment. Fisher did not return a request for comment. A spokeswoman for Clapton did not return a request for comment.

Sacks co-hosted an event in June with fellow tech leader Chamath Palihapitiya that raised approximately $500,000. The Kennedy campaign finished raising over $6 million, with over $4 million on hand. Neither Sacks nor Palihapitiya are listed on the campaign fundraising filing as having contributed toward Kennedy's run.

President Joe Biden, Kennedy's rival, raised over $72 million in the second quarter.

A June Quinnipiac poll shows Biden with 70 % support among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters, while Kennedy has 17% among those same groups.

CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this article.
Changpeng Zhao, billionaire and chief executive officer of Binance Holdings Ltd., speaks during a session at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022.

Crypto exchange Binance is laying off employees in response to an ongoing Justice Department probe that is likely to end with a consent decree or settlement, according to a current employee who is familiar with the company's plans.

The cuts will eliminate 1,500 to 3,000 of Binance's global workforce, this person told CNBC, and will take place through the end of the year. The Wall Street Journal previously reported on Friday that 1,000 employees have already been laid off, and those layoffs are part of the total planned, the source told CNBC. This person asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to talk to the press about internal matters.

The Justice Department probe will likely reshape the company fundamentally, the employee told CNBC. If Binance opts to settle the DOJ allegations, it could result in a multi-billion dollar payment. Reuters has reported that federal prosecutors have been weighing anti-money laundering violations and sanctions evasion charges, allegations that would make it difficult for Binance or founder Changpeng Zhao to continue to get licenses to operate.

A Binance spokesperson disputed that the cuts would impact 3,000 employees, saying that the high-end number was "just not right."

The spokesperson said, "As we prepare for the next major bull cycle, it has become clear that we need to focus on talent density across the organization to ensure we remain nimble and dynamic. This is not a case of rightsizing, but rather, re-evaluating whether we have the right talent and expertise in critical roles."

Binance has faced significant regulatory challenges over the last few months, culminating in lawsuits from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over alleged mishandling of customer assets and the operation of an illegal, unregistered exchange in the U.S.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has repeatedly dismissed concerns about the future of the exchange, even after being personally named in the SEC's lawsuit. Binance itself has suffered significantly since the lawsuits from U.S. regulators, with exchange outflows running into the hundreds of millions. The company has also seen a number of key executive departures.
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry ruled out paying into a global fund to help poorer nations stricken by the devastating impacts of the climate emergency, saying that "under no circumstances" would the White House consider delivering on reparations.

It comes at a time when countries acutely vulnerable to climate-fueled disasters are pushing for wealthy nations  that have the greatest historic responsibility for the climate crisis  to pay for past greenhouse gas emissions.

A so-called loss and damage fund was established at the annual U.N. climate summit last year. The groundbreaking agreement seeks to compensate low-income countries for the losses and damages they're experiencing as it becomes harder for many people to live safely on a warming planet.

It remains unclear, however, exactly how much richer countries will pay into the fund. The issue of climate reparations is highly divisive and emotive, and is seen as a fundamental question of climate justice.

Asked during a hearing before a House of Representatives foreign affairs oversight subcommittee on Thursday whether he intended for the U.S. to pay climate reparations, Kerry replied, "No, under no circumstances."

"Very good, I'm glad to hear you say that," Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., chairman of the committee, said in response.
Cans of PepsiCo's Pepsi Zero Sugar soda are displayed for an arranged photograph taken in Tiskilwa, Illinois, on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration disagrees with a World Health Organization finding that the widely used soda sweetener aspartame possibly causes cancer in humans, saying the studies used to reach that conclusion had "significant shortcomings."

"Aspartame is one of the most studied food additives in the human food supply. FDA scientists do not have safety concerns when aspartame is used under the approved conditions," an agency spokesperson said late Thursday shortly after the WHO released its findings.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a WHO body, found a possible link between aspartame and a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma after reviewing three large human studies in the U.S. and Europe.

Aspartame is used as a substitute for sugar in about 6,000 products worldwide, according to the Calorie Control Council, a trade group that represents the manufacturers of artificial sweeteners.

Artificially sweetened beverages have historically been the biggest source of exposure to aspartame. The sugar substitute is used in diet sodas such as Diet Coke and Pepsi Zero Sugar.

Aspartame is widely used because it is 200 times sweeter than sugar, which means beverages containing the substitute taste similar to products with sugar, but have a lower calorie count.

Dr. Mary Schubauer-Berigan, a senior official at IARC, emphasized that the WHO classification of aspartame as a possible carcinogen is based on limited evidence.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and China's Premier Li Qiang address a press conference at the end of German-Chinese economy consultations on June 20, 2023 at the Chancellery in Berlin.

Germany said there is an urgent need for companies to de-risk from China, while "not pursuing a decoupling" of economies.

"For Germany, China remains a partner, a competitor, a systemic rival. But the aspect of systemic rivalry has become increasingly prominent in recent years," Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said Thursday at the Mercator Institute for China Studies think tank in Berlin, according to a translation from DW, a German newspaper.

The minister was presenting the country's strategy on China and explaining how the country plans to protect its interests.

"China's economic strategy aims to make it less dependent on other countries, while making international production chains more dependent on China," the foreign ministry said in a 64-page report published Thursday.

Last week, China slapped export curbs on two key chipmaking metals, in what was deemed a warning to Europe and the U.S. in a technological war over high-tech chips.

"In terms of foreign policy, China is pursuing its own interests far more assertively and is attempting in various ways to reshape the existing rules based international order. This is having an impact on European and global security," the report said.
Greece closed the ancient Acropolis during the hottest part of the day on Friday to protect tourists, while Croatian villagers cleaned up after a wildfire as a fierce heatwave swept across southern Europe.

In Italy, there were fears about the coming days, with the heat expected to intensify and temperatures forecast to climb to above 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) next week in the center and south of the country.

Italian meteorologists are calling the next phase of the heatwave "Charon" - a reference to the ferryman of the souls of the dead in Greek mythology. That succeeds this week's "Cerberus" named after the three-headed dog of the underworld. The European Space Agency (ESA), whose satellites monitor land and sea temperatures, has warned that Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland are all facing extreme conditions.

Temperatures could break Europe's current record - 48.8 Celsius recorded in Sicily in August 2021. The impact of extreme summer heat has been brought into focus by a study this week that said as many as 61,000 people may have died in the sweltering heat across Europe last summer.

Joan Ballester, a professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, said France had learned lessons from a deadly 2003 heatwave that countries such as Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal could follow.

"There are measures that are relatively cheap, like for example, coordinating public entities also doing a census of vulnerable populations," Ballester, a co-author of this week's study, said.

"But there are much more expensive measures, like for example, the redesign of cities to improve housing conditions," he told Reuters.
Airfare to Europe hit an all-time high this summer. But those dissuaded by the sticker shock can still travel overseas in coming months and cut costs by perhaps hundreds of dollars a ticket.

Flying to Europe from the U.S. during the fall "shoulder season"  in September and October  instead of in the summer will save the average traveler $500 per round-trip ticket, according to data from Hopper, a travel app.

Europe is the most popular overseas destination for U.S. tourists this summer. But travelers to top European cities would save 34%, on average, by going in the fall instead of June, July or August, Hopper found.

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Consider these examples: Airfare to Rome is $1,284, on average, this summer. It's $736 this fall, a 43% reduction, or $548 of savings per ticket.

Likewise, those venturing to London would pay $693 in the fall, 32% less than summer's $1,025. In Barcelona, visitors would fly for $757 in the fall, versus $1,193 in the summer, a 37% savings.

"There is some good news in sight," Hayley Berg, Hopper's lead economist, said of prices.
Protesters attend a demonstration on Kaplan Street against the Israeli governments plan to overhaul the justice system on July 11, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Fresh protests in Israel over a controversial judicial overhaul will deliver a significant slowdown to the country's economy, according to former central bank Deputy Governor Zvi Eckstein.

Tens of thousands took to the streets earlier this week after the Israeli Parliament advanced efforts in a bill aiming to curtail the autonomy of the country's Supreme Court.

And the fervent unrest, which started months back, will likely have a "huge impact" on the economy and its inflow of investments, Eckstein, who is currently a dean at the Tiomkin School of Economics, told CNBC's "Capital Connection."

It has also led to a "huge reduction" in investments in Israel's high technology sector, which is a linchpin of the Israeli economy, he said.

"Most of the growth of the Israeli economy, about 40%, was generated by the high tech sector," said Eckstein, highlighting that there is currently an 80% decline in investment in the country's startup and growth companies.

According to a July report by the Start-Up Nation Policy Institute (SNPI), investments in tech firms for the first half of 2023 dropped 68% to $3.7 billion, marking the lowest rate since 2018.

Israel's fintech sector, as well as enterprise IT, posted the biggest declines, plunging more than 80% year-on-year, the report also showed. SNPI had attributed the slowdown in investment as part of a global trend.

A separate report by Israeli private equity investment group Viola, had also stated that Israel ceded its ranking as the world's fifth best-funded tech ecosystem to become the 10th best.
When it comes to Social Security benefits, a key deadline is looming: Benefits may be reduced in the next decade if no action is taken sooner.

This week, the Senate Budget Committee met on Capitol Hill to consider the dilemma facing the program with a focus on a key question: Should payroll taxes be adjusted to make it so the wealthy pay more into the program?

The latest projections from the Social Security trustees show the program's combined funds may run out in 2034, at which point 80% of benefits will be payable. The fund used to pay retirement benefits may run out even sooner  in 10 years in 2033  at which point 77% of those benefits would be payable.

Social Security is a "pay as you go" program, Social Security Administration Chief Actuary Stephen Goss said at Wednesday's Senate hearing.

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In 2023, up to $160,200 in earnings are subject to Social Security payroll taxes.

In 1983, when major legislation was enacted to shore up Social Security's trust funds, 90% of covered earnings fell below the taxable maximum, according to Goss.

As of 2000, that dropped to 82.5%.

Since then, it has remained at about that same level. "We expect it to remain there in the future," Goss said.
Las Vegas Sands is a premier way to play Macao's reopening, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Stephen Grambling named the stock a top gaming pick. His $71 price target implies an upside of 18.1% from where the stock closed during Thursday's session. "We see it being the best way to play Macau and one of the final consumer recovery stories coming out of Covid," he said in a note to clients Friday. Gross gaming revenue for casinos in Macao continues to increase. Grambling expects the revenue metric to reach 2019 levels at one point this year after hitting 65% in June. That comes despite concerns of a slowing Chinese economy pushing investors to move cautiously on casino stocks with exposure there. He described Las Vegas Sands as "the best way to play the mass market." Though the company has less focus on premium mass, he noted Las Vegas Sands has increased its mass market share to above Covid levels and continues to increase it even more, which Grambling said should be a positive going forward. That's only one reason to be optimistic about the company heading into 2024, he said. Strong trends at its Singapore property, a clean balance sheet and potential for a downstate casino license in New York all create opportunities for positive optionality. An announcement of that downstate license or that the company is resuming dividends or doing a share buyback could be near-term catalysts for share prices to rise, Grambling said. He also noted the stock trades at 12.8 times its enterprise value to EBITDA ratio, which is below where it did before the Covid-19 pandemic despite a more modest recovery expected in 2024 when compared with 2019. Shares rose 1.8% in premarket trading Friday. The stock has jumped more than 25% since the start of the year. LVS YTD mountain Las Vegas Sands, year to date  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
A U.S. federal judge ruled that Mozambique's former finance minister, Manuel Chang, must remain behind bars while awaiting trial for fraud in the notorious "tuna bond" scandal which helped bankrupt the African nation and lead Credit Suisse to pay about half a billion dollars in criminal and civil penalties.

Chang, who looked frail walking into court Thursday afternoon in Brooklyn, hoped to be out on bail after being imprisoned for nearly five years in South Africa while awaiting extradition.

Judge Nicholas Garaufis denied the defendant's request for bail, deeming Chang a flight risk. "He could still present himself to the Mozambique Mission to the UN on 55th Street in Manhattan and they could choose to harbor him and return him to Mozambique if they chose, right?" the judge asked Chang's lawyer, Adam Ford.

Ford answered "yes," but proposed Chang wear a "GPS ankle bracelet" and agree to remain in Brooklyn, thus preventing him from entering the Mozambique Mission in Manhattan. In addition, his client would post a $1 million personal recognizance bond, secured by $100,000 cash, and surrender his passport.

Prosecutor Hiral Mehta argued Chang was a flight risk because he has no ties to the United States, faces as many as 55 years in prison if convicted, and is financially well off after allegedly receiving $5 million in bribes. Chang's lawyers disputed that, saying that although Chang does have $2 million in Mozambique, those funds are frozen. "He has no access to that money," Ford told the judge. Garaufis remained unconvinced and ruled "the application for bail is denied."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams arrives for a press conference on gun violence at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner on June 26, 2023 in New York City.

New York City mayor Eric Adams has pledged to correct his annual financial disclosure form filed with the Conflicts of Interest Board, after failing to report his cryptocurrency holdings.

When asked whether he held any security, including stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, or cryptocurrencies with a market value of $1,000 or more, the mayor responded "no" in his filing. A spokesman for the mayor told CNBC that Adams had omitted his digital asset holdings, because he had misunderstood the question and believed it only referred to securities.

"After further review of the description, and even though the very term 'cryptocurrency' clearly states that it is a currency and not a security, the mayor will amend the form to reflect his holdings at the end of the 2022," the spokesperson wrote CNBC in an email on Friday.

It is unclear how much Adams' crypto holdings are worth. CNBC also asked whether the mayor still accepts all or part of his salary in bitcoin, and we did not hear back on that query.

Two top aides to the mayor both disclosed the exact amount of their bitcoin and ether holdings.

The mayor was quick to embrace cryptocurrency back in 2021 when he was fresh off an election victory and bitcoin was racing toward an all-time high of nearly $70,000 a coin. Since then, the world's largest cryptocurrency has slipped to trade around $31,500 amid the wider downturn in the digital asset market.

In November 2021, Adams said he planned to accept his first three mayoral paychecks in bitcoin. Even as the sector plunged to the depths of crypto winter in 2022, Adams remained bullish on crypto, telling the press that he had kept his investment in crypto.

Adams' pro-crypto platform was part of the politician's efforts to give Miami a run for its money as one of the country's top destinations for industry enthusiasts.

Miami mayor Francis Suarez's progressive crypto policies drew start-ups, venture firms, and crypto exchanges to Florida during the pandemic. Meanwhile, lawmakers in New York have enacted some of the country's most stringent and restrictive rules on the crypto industry.

In a similar disclosure by Suarez, the Miami mayor reported crypto holdings of $71,321 at the end of 2022, according to documents obtained by The Miami Herald via the county elections department. Suarez, who uses Jack Mallers' Strike wallet to accept his salary in bitcoin, also saw his net worth double to $3.4 million last year.

It is unclear whether Suarez converted some of his crypto holdings into fiat cash, since his annual salary is $130,000, or whether his mayoral income dwindled due to bear market pricing. CNBC reached out to Suarez's team but did not hear back.
Singapore's anti-graft agency issued an arrest notice for billionaire Ong Beng Seng as part of its investigation involving transport minister S Iswaran.

Ong, who is managing director of Singapore-listed hotel owner and operator Hotel Properties Limited , has been asked to provide information on his interactions with Iswaran.

In a filing, HPL said no charges have been filed against Ong and that he is fully cooperating with the agency. While he is traveling Friday, the company said Ong will surrender his passport to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau when he returns to Singapore.

The company added that Ong has provided requested information, but is unable to provide further details at this point.

HPL said Ong "continues to be suitable to carry out his duties and responsibilities as managing director," but will continue to monitor the matter and "re-assess the suitability of the continued appointment of Mr Ong."

HPL's portfolio includes 38 hotels and resorts in 15 countries, operating under brands including Four Seasons, Intercontinental Hotels and Marriott International.

Shares of HPL slid as much as 6.7% on Friday, before recovering slightly.
Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and China's Premier Li Qiang inspect the guard of honour during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 10, 2023.

Solomon Islands has denied suggestions by Australia and others its policing deal with Beijing is "a threat to the Pacific region peace" and says China will enhance the capability of its 1,500 police officers in cyber security and community policing.

The U.S., Australia and New Zealand have called for Solomon Islands to "immediately" publish details of the three-year policing deal signed in Beijing on Monday, during a week-long visit by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to China, amid concern it will invite further regional contest.

Chinese and Solomon Islands police ministers met on Tuesday, pledging to "promote China's police and law enforcement co-operation to a new level," Chinese media reported.

In a statement on Friday, Sogavare's office said the Pacific Islands nation was broadening its security partnerships, and the Chinese police will add to the existing Australia and New Zealand policing support.

"No one has a monopoly of knowledge. Solomon Islands cooperation with China and all partners are based on the principles of equality and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she had "conveyed Australia's clear views on security in the Pacific" in a meeting with China's top diplomat Wang Yi in Jakarta on Thursday night. Australia and New Zealand say Pacific security needs should be met within the region.
Thailand's Pita Limjaroenrat may get another shot at the country's prime minister job next week.

But his path to potential power remains unclear, especially if the leader of the country's Move Forward Party does not budge from his election pledge to amend a law that prohibits criticism of the monarchy.

Limjaroenrat fell 51 votes short of the majority he needed from the 749 members of Thailand's bicameral National Assembly for the top job in a first parliamentary vote on Thursday.

While he secured 311 votes from his eight-party coalition, he only gained 13 of 250 in the Senate  an entity created by the royalist military after a coup in 2014 and stacked with conservative royalists.

While this development was widely expected, the deep divisions underscore the royalist senators' mistrust of Limjaroenrat and his Move Forward Party's anti-establishment agenda, while also highlighting the risk of prolonged political turmoil in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy.

"Should there be a protracted delay in the formation of a new government, or if the eventual prime minister is not seen to have a popular mandate, it could drive a resurgence of large scale protests," Grace Lim, an analyst with Moody's Investors Service, wrote in a Friday research note.

"Persistently elevated political tensions could erode the credibility and effectiveness of Thailand's institutional frameworks, particularly if these tensions reduced the authorities' ability to effectively execute macroeconomic policy and respond to long-term issues, including ageing and labor skills," she added.

Another vote is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday. Forty-two-year-old Pita, who attended Harvard Kennedy School, will be able to stand for prime minister if nominated again by his eight-party alliance.

Otherwise, Pheu Thai  the second-largest party in the eight-party coalition with Move Forward  may also put forward its own candidate from among the three candidates the party had earlier surfaced.

They are Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of the exiled populist ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra; former property tycoon Srettha Thavisin and Chaikasem Nitisiri, the party's chief of strategy and political direction.
The Liontrust GF High Yield Bond fund has become notable thanks to one thing: A 10% yield. It is among only a handful of funds available to retail investors across Europe that currently offers double-digit yields. While the fund focuses on high-yield (junk) corporate bonds, it also invests in investment-grade corporate bonds, government bonds, cash, or assets that can be turned into cash quickly. How risky is the fund? The fund holds several corporate bonds with an average rating of "BB," or one notch below investment grade, across the portfolio. "It's got a very high-quality credit rating, I would argue," said Donald Phillips, one of the portfolio managers behind the fund. "The top 10 holdings, I think, are reflective of the overall risk in the portfolio." According to Phillips, the fund holds relatively "conservative" assets such as "BB+" rated bonds issued by the world's fourth-largest iron ore miner Fortescue Metals, which pays out 6.125% in coupon payments semiannually. ... we felt that was quite an interesting bit of a one-off opportunity. fund manager, Liontrust GF High Yield Bond fund Donald Phillips It also holds debt considered relatively riskier by credit rating agencies but one that Phillips believes has been mispriced. These typically pay higher in terms of coupon rates. The fund manager cited bonds issued by German manufacturer CeramTec as an example. The ceramic components maker's products are used in hip and knee-replacement medical devices, which Phillips thinks is a growing and profitable market owing to the aging population trend seen in Western markets. However, the bonds are rated "CCC"  typically issued to companies on the verge of default  due to the changes made to their capital structure by their private-equity owners. "The rating agencies have regarded that to be a CCC, but it can absolutely afford that level of leverage and a balance sheet because it generates really solid margins [and] high free cash flow," said Phillips regarding CeramTec. "And if anything, it's probably miss-rated, in my opinion, and that's the largest CCC exposure we have." How does the fund yield 10%? While the fund manager attributed about 85% of the income generated by the fund to the underlying long-term holdings, Phillips also cited examples when his trade timing had a profitable impact. He said the steep rise in yields for short-term U.S. government bonds and the increase in credit default swap spreads during a U.S. government standoff over the debt limit meant there was an opportunity to capitalize. I assume that there is a recession coming but not a deep recession. fund manager, Liontrust GF High Yield Bond fund Donald Phillips "If you add the yield on the January [2024] Treasury bill to the spread on the CDX index, the yield was 10.5 percent when we put that trade on," Phillips said, referring to the index of credit default swaps (financial derivatives that insure against a bond default). "So, we felt that was quite an interesting bit of a one-off opportunity." Typically, the returns from a credit default swap increase when the risk of default rises. However, Phillips said he expected that credit conditions would quickly improve  and the risk of default would fall  after the U.S. government resolves its debt ceiling issue . To reflect this view, the fund sold credit protection on US high-yield CDS to boost the fund's income. Outlook and fund fees Phillips, however, is not blind to the challenges that lie ahead. He predicted a credit deterioration in the future. "It's clear there's going to be a deterioration in credit," he admitted before swiftly adding that the fund is equipped to handle such a scenario due to its resilience. Phillips emphasized the resilience of the companies they had invested in to withstand a recession that is potentially on the horizon. "I assume that there is a recession coming but not a deep recession. Not a 2008-2009 type recession, but a recession coming when the blunt tool of monetary policy starts to kick in later in the year, perhaps early next year," he said. Contrasting his fund with index-tracking ETFs, Phillips said he saw value in active management. He highlighted that their fund yields higher returns and charges lower fees than many similar index ETFs. The fund charges 0.47% in net fees to investors annually, compared to ETFs such as the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF , which is more expensive at 0.49% and yields 8.16%. "We're actually cheaper than the ETF. Also, since inception, we're about 2% ahead of an ETF. And I think that's a number that will grow," he added. Correction: The article has been updated with the fund manager's position on U.S. high-yield credit default swaps.
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Friday: HSBC initiates Pfizer as buy HSBC said in its initiation of the multinational biopharma company that it's bullish on Pfizer shares. "With management ambition to outgrow its LOE (loss of exclusivity) phase through 2025-30, the company has acquired ADC platform company Seagen, on a fair value on our calculations. This puts it in a comfortable position where it can show capital discipline for future deals." JPMorgan downgrades AT & T to neutral from overweight JPMorgan downgraded the telecommunications due to "slowing growth drivers." "Based on recent commentary from management lowering estimates for wireless (in May and again in June) and broadband (in June), we believe AT & T is facing marginally more pressure in Mobility (from Verizon, T-Mobile, and cable) and Consumer Wireline as well as ongoing pressures in Business Wireline." Read more about this call here. Wells Fargo downgrades Progressive to equal weight from overweight Wells said it has concerns about the insurance company gaining share. "With that being said, growth pivoted and turned negative sequentially in the direct channel in June, which shows that it will be tough for PGR to grab share (outgrow others) in this environment." JPMorgan downgrades Alcoa to neutral from overweight JPMorgan downgraded the stock due to weakening aluminum fundamentals. "Downgrading AA to Neutral on Weaker Aluminum Fundamentals; Constructive Downstream on Steady Demand Growth." Read more about this call here. UBS upgrades Microsoft to buy from neutral UBS said in its upgrade of the stock that shares are too attractive to ignore. "We upgrade Microsoft shares to Buy from Neutral on evidence that Azure/AWS cloud infrastructure spend is beginning to stabilize after a significant deceleration over the past year." Read more about this call here . Citi adds a positive catalyst watch on Applied Materials Citi raised its price target on the stock to $170 from $160 and said it's well positioned. "We maintain Buy and believe AMAT is well positioned for secular megatrends such as 3D devices." Bank of America reiterates Amazon as buy Bank of America said it's standing by its buy rating after the company's Prime Day. "Overall, we think Amazon had a successful Prime Day, given data suggesting unit sales potentially more than 25%, while the industry revenue growth rate was only 6% (we assume Amazon gained y/y share during the Prime Day sales period)." Citi adds a positive catalyst watch on Texas Roadhouse Citi opened a positive catalyst watch on shares of Texas Roadhouse and says it's bullish heading into earnings later this month. "Still-strong absolute and relative comp growth is expected." Barclays reiterates Tesla as equal weight Barclays said it's cautious heading into Tesla earnings next week. "The larger focus may be on the trajectory of margins, with investor hopes that 2Q is the trough. It's unclear how much clarity we'll receive, as price elasticity of demand is a critical componentand thus far price cuts haven't driven volume as much as desired." JPMorgan reiterates Apple as overweight JPMorgan said recent checks show that Apple has "strong market share" in a variety of markets. "Latest datapoints in relation to smartphone sales in US and China as well as in relation to PCs globally have continued to highlight the strong market share momentum for Apple across the different markets, even as certain markets, like smartphone sales in China and PC sales globally, are starting to show green shoots relative to a recovery following a period of headwinds." Morgan Stanley names Las Vegas Sands as a top pick Morgan Stanley said the casino company is the "best way to play Macau." "We are designating LVS as our Top Pick as we see it being the best way to play Macau and one of the final consumer recovery stories coming out of Covid." Read more about this call here. Northland upgrades Plug Power to outperform from market perform Northland said in its upgrade of the battery charging company that "momentum is building." "We now have confidence that the company should be able to achieve margin break even by the end of the year and generate cash flow next year. We see PLUG generating higher revenue from its electrolyzer business and achieving better margins." Goldman Sachs reiterates Nvidia as buy Goldman said it's standing by its buy rating on the stock. "We reiterate our Buy rating on NVDA as we continue to see signicant runway ahead for the company based on its robust competitive position in what is a rapidly growing (yet nascent) AI semiconductor market." Raymond James upgrades Pulte Group, KB Home and Lennar to outperform from market perform Raymond James upgraded Pulte, KB Home and Lennar on Friday and says the build-up demand in single-family homes "warrants a refreshed valuation approach." "To that end, we have belatedly come to the realization that the magnitude of pent-up demand for single-family homes  coupled with the proven resilience of builders' de-risked operating models  warrants a refreshed valuation approach." Bank of America reiterates Disney as buy Bank of America said it's standing by shares of Disney after CEO Robert Iger appeared on CNBC to lay out his strategic vision. " DIS has a collection of best-in-class premiere assets (in content/IP as well as Theme Parks)." Argus upgrades General Mills to buy from hold Argus said in its upgrade of General Mills that it likes the company's differentiated portfolio. "The company is leveraging its biggest brands through promotions and new product innovation, and growing through acquisitions, including its recent purchase of TNT Crust, a manufacturer of frozen pizza crusts." Raymond James initiates Tidewater as strong buy. Raymond James said the petroleum services company is poised for robust earnings and cash flow. " Tidewater is a pioneer in the offshore supply vessel (OSV) industry and currently owns and operates the world's largest fleet of OSVs."
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, July 7, 2023.

Former President Donald Trump asked two courts in Georgia to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from investigating him and quash the special grand jury report that recommended criminal charges in Willis' 2020 election interference probe.

The requests came in court documents filed overnight in Georgia Supreme Court and Fulton County Superior Court. In both, Trump's attorneys argued that Willis "seeks an indictment" against Trump based on evidence that was "unlawfully obtained."

The filings came three days after Fulton County Superior Court empaneled two grand juries that could soon decide whether to charge Trump and his allies over their efforts to reverse his loss to President Joe Biden in Georgia's 2020 election.

Willis has indicated that indictments related to the probe could come in August.

These newly seated grand juries are separate from the special purpose grand jury which heard evidence and testimony from dozens of witnesses last year. That grand jury submitted a final report, most of which remained under seal as of Friday.

The special grand jury did not have the power to indict, and Willis was not required to follow its recommendations. The two recently empaneled grand juries in Fulton County do have the power to indict, however.

They will meet twice a week throughout the term to hear numerous cases and decide whether to return a "true bill" of indictment or issue a "no bill" and drop the case.

Attorneys for Trump noted in their petition to the Georgia Supreme Court that they had asked Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney in March to quash the special grand jury report and disqualify Willis.

McBurney has not yet issued a ruling, and Trump's attorneys worried that an indictment could arrive before he delivers one. But, they argued that this would leave Trump "struggling to disentangle himself from a net that was not lawfully cast."

The lawyers acknowledged that it was highly unusual to make a request directly to the state's supreme court, which reviews decisions made by lower courts. But, they argued that Trump's status as a former president and a candidate in 2024 merited special consideration.

"If Petitioner's case is not sufficiently extraordinary for this Court to exercise jurisdiction, no case could be," they wrote.

A spokesman for Willis' office declined to comment. Trump's attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment from CNBC on the filings. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported on the court filings.
U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019.

The government of the U.S. Virgin Islands in a court filing Friday estimated that it will seek damages of at least $190 million from JPMorgan Chase in a lawsuit accusing the big bank of facilitating sex trafficking by its former long-time customer Jeffrey Epstein.

The Virgin Islands also said it wants an order requiring JPMorgan to take a series of steps to protect young women and girls from other predators in the future.

"These sets of recommendations aim to address the same core problem: JPMorgan's knowledge of

and failure to report Epstein's trafficking because it lacked the economic incentive and motivation

to place compliance with the law and prevention of trafficking ahead of its own profits," the filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan says.

The American territory also said it will seek further compensatory damages specifically for victims of Epstein beyond the nearly $300 million JPMorgan agreed to pay victims last month to settle a lawsuit by one of his accusers. The filing did not give an amount for those additional damages from the bank, which has staunchly denied any wrongdoing.

The new filing came in response to a request last week by Judge Jed Rakoff that the territory detail the damages it seeks in the case as it heads toward a scheduled Oct. 23 trial.

The Virgin Islands' suit accuses JPMorgan of benefiting from Epstein's trafficking of young women to be abused by him and others during the 15 years he was a client of the bank, which is the largest in the United States.

The complaint alleges JPMorgan allowed Epstein to keep many millions of dollars in accounts at the bank, which he used to fund his trafficking of women, despite multiple red flags about him raised by bank employees over the years.

"We are pursuing this enforcement action because JPMorgan Chase's institutional failure enabled Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking, and JPMorgan Chase must make significant changes to detect, report and stop human trafficking," said U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Ariel Smith in a statement Friday.

"Financial penalties, as well as conduct changes, are important to make sure that JPMorgan Chase knows the cost of putting its own profits ahead of public safety," said Smith.

She said that if the Virgin Islands wins its suit, it will uses the monetary damages it receives "to support efforts to strengthen, inform, and expand local law enforcement and enhance the Virgin Islands' services for victims of human trafficking and other victims of crime."

A JPMorgan spokeswoman, when asked for comment about the filing, indicated for what appears to be the first time that the bank's attorneys have discussed a possible settlement of the lawsuit with lawyers for the Virgin Islands, which would avoid a trial.

"This document does not reflect the nature of settlement conversations," said the spokeswoman, Patricia Wexler. " As for the USVI's misdirected damages theories, they are not well founded and are being challenged by JPM in court."

It is common in civil litigation for cases to be settled without trial.

The filing says the Virgin Islands wants at least $150 million in civil penalties alone. The filing also says that it wants JPMorgan to disgorge at least another $40 million in fees that Epstein generated for the bank, and that JPMorgan received from "many ultra-high net worth clients" he referred to the bank.

Those people, the filing said, included Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Lex Wexner, the founder of Limited Brands, and the billionaire Glenn Dubin.

A spokesperson for Gates contacted CNBC after this article first was published, and in an email, "Mr. Gates was never a client of JP Morgan."

In addition to the monetary damages, the Virgin Islands also is asking JPMorgan be compelled "to implement new policies, including separating its business and compliance functions and designating an independent compliance consultant, to prevent human trafficking," according to a press release by Smith's office.

JPMorgan in its own court filings has accused the Virgin Islands itself of being "complicit in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein."

The bank alleges Epstein gave high-ranking officials there money, advice and favors in exchange for looking the other way when he trafficked young women to be abused there.

Epstein had a residence on a private island in the territory, where accusers say he and other people sexually abused them.

Last month in the same court where the Virgin Islands is suing the bank JPMorgan agreed, without admitting wrongdoing, to pay $290 million to victims of Epstein to settle a suit by one of his accusers.

In May, Deutsche Bank agreed to pay Epstein victims $75 million to settle a separate lawsuit by an accuser who accused that back of abetting his sex trafficking of her and others. Deutsche Bank took on Epstein as a customer after JPMorgan severed ties with him in 2013, years after bank employees first voiced concerns about him.

Deutsche Bank previously agreed to pay New York state's Department of Financial Services a $150 million penalty for failure to detect or prevent millions of dollars of suspicious transactions related to Epstein, which included "payments to Russian models and to numerous women with Eastern European surnames," the filing Friday by the Virgin Islands noted.

Epstein, who had been a friend to former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as Prince Andrew of Great Britain, pleaded guilty in 2008 to a Florida state charge of soliciting sex from an underage girl. He served 13 months in jail, but spent much of that time on work release each day.

Epstein, then 66, killed himself in a federal jail in New York in August 2019, a month after he was arrested on federal child sex trafficking charges.
Wells Fargo is bullish on the potential sale of Disney 's noncore linear assets. If the media giant sheds the networks, excluding ESPN, it will add about $10 to the share price, analyst Steven Cahall said in a note Thursday. "Divesting such assets would bring in cash and improve EPS growth," he wrote. Disney's segment operating income compound annual growth rate is currently 15% and could jump to 20% with the divestitures, Cahall calculated. His price target of $147 suggests 62.5% upside from Thursday's close. DIS 5D mountain Disney's 5-day performance On Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Iger left the door open to a possible sale of the networks, saying the company is going to be "expansive" in its thinking about its traditional TV business. "They may not be core to Disney," Iger told CNBC's David Faber at Allen & Co.'s annual conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. Disney's TV network portfolio includes ABC and ESPN, although Iger said he's open to finding a strategic partner with ESPN . On Wednesday, Disney announced it would extend Iger's contract through 2026. Wells Fargo sees the potential sale of the TV assets as just one step in the company's turnaround plan. "Bigger picture DIS seems to be taking increasingly bold actions," Cahall said. "Rome wasn't built in a day and DIS's problems won't be solved in Iger's first year. But today's interview does suggest action is underway," he added.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed reporting.
Skippy followed soon after in 1933 and Jif in 1958. Skippy was the leading peanut butter brand in the U.S. until 1980, a title that now belongs to Jif.

The brand, using a patent from Skippy creator Joseph Rosefield, was the first to use hydrogenation to ship off the spread and revolutionized the industry forever.

It was Peter Pan, originally known as E.K. Pond, that became the first brand to commercially develop peanut butter in 1920, sparking the way we eat peanut butter today.

Experts believe farmers in the southern U.S. had been grinding peanuts into a paste in the 1800s for years before it reached widespread success.

Peanut butter's longevity in the U.S. boils down to several factors but starts with advancements in technology in the early 1900s with hydrogenation that made transporting the spread possible.

Those factors and more have turned it into a $2 billion industry this past year, according to Circana, a Chicago-based research firm, in just spreadable peanut butter, which averages about $0.20 a serving.

The product, made famous for its unique taste, affordability and adaptability, can be eaten by itself, spread on a sandwich or even spooned into a dessert.

What most consumers don't know, is how that choice is shaped by hundreds of years of development through technology, innovation and marketing, that allowed it to become a popular, if not favorite snack in the U.S.

For most Americans, when it comes to peanut butter, only one question is paramount: creamy or crunchy?

Peanut butter holds a 90% household penetration rate, comparable to other grocery staples such as breakfast cereal, granola bars, soup and sandwich bread, according to Matt Smith, VP of Equity Research at Stifel Financial Corp.

Circana says the top three brands, the J.M. Smucker Co.'s Jif, the Hormel Foods Corp.'s Skippy and Post-Holdings' Peter Pan account for two-thirds of the market share with Jif at 39.4%, Skippy at 17%, and Peter Pan at 7%. Private-label brands such as Costco's Kirkland and Target's Good & Gather, plus Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Kroger's own versions that make up 18%, as of July 2023.

The market share leader, Smucker's, reached $453.4 million in net sales in its consumer foods section in its Q4 earnings, where Jif falls in, and holds another secret weapon: its Uncrustables brand, consisting of frozen, pre-made PB&J's.

"Over the past 10 years, the brand went from $126 million in sales to over $600 million and the company expects sales to reach $1 billion by 2026," said Smith. "The growth in Uncrustables has been so robust, and the brand has grown to the size that it is, adding one percentage point to Smucker's overall sales growth," he added.

Senior Vice President and General Manager of Smucker's consumer foods division, Rebecca Scheidler, says the brand has been showing double-digit growth for multiple years in a row, held back only by the capacity of the company's plants.

"Our primary unlock for future growth is increased capacity," she said. "You'll see in 2019 we actually doubled our production footprint and capacity with the addition of a plant in Longmont, Colorado. And then we recently announced that we're building another third facility in McCalla, Alabama, which will double the size of Longmont," she said.

Though Smucker's growth has been unparalleled, Hormel Foods also boosts million-dollar sales in its retail division, the category its peanut butter brands fall under, reporting its 2023 Q2 net earnings in the section as $1.9 million.

Hormel Foods, well-known for Spam, acquired the brand in 2013 from Unilever for its first venture into non-meat proteins. Smith says they've helped grow the brand consistently ever since.

"That was a real pivot for Hormel into kind of a non-meat center of store product to help evolve the company into a more consumer product-facing company. They hold near 20% of the market share today behind that Skippy brand," said Smith.

"There was a lot of untapped opportunity with this brand. And for us, really Skippy was and is a big focus," said Ryan Christofferson, the senior brand manager for Skippy at Hormel Foods.

Christofferson says Hormel Foods' next endeavors are focused on new ways to expand the already-beloved brand into a range of different products.

"Peanut butter is something that always has been popular for decades with consumers but is continuing to grow not just as a product in a jar, but in new formats and in new places. So, people are thinking about, 'how can I get more peanut butter into snacks, into desserts and other places, into cooking sauces," Christofferson said.

For such a storied product, there aren't many risks.

In 2022, a salmonella outbreak caused Smucker's to recall Jif peanut butter products after the contamination was found across 12 states. Though it was a setback, Smucker's says it did not have long-term effects.

"We were already back at a number one position," said Scheidler. "And we just continue to see growth as we look into the future as well," she added.

When it comes to allergies, experts aren't too worried about their effect on the peanut butter market, only that it could corrupt its link with the next generation.

"The concern I have is that if they're not eating peanut butter at school, they're not going to develop that lifelong emotional attachment to it like my children did and like I did," said National Peanut Board President, Bob Parker.

According to the FDA, about one million children in the U.S. suffer from peanut allergies, and only one out of five will outgrow it. Some school campuses, both K-12 and colleges across the country, have banned the snack completely or in certain spaces.

"It's become more of an issue in the last 10 years or so, but the categories continue to grow even as the prevalence of allergy or the reporting of the prevalence of allergy has picked up. So while it's a threat, it's certainly not impacting sales," said Smith.

Food giants Smucker's and Hormel Foods are concentrating on innovation either by product count, development or international reach.

"We have pretty aggressive growth plans in overseas markets for this brand," Christofferson said.

Hormel Foods is eyeing countries that are already curious about the snack, such as Mexico, Canada or China, where Christofferson says they are meeting consumers' needs differently than in the U.S.

"It's especially used as a cooking ingredient in recipes and in sauces in Asian cuisine," he said. "We've launched certain innovations specifically in Asian markets to help enable that type of cooking use for peanut butter. And we'll continue to look to tailor our product and our marketing messaging to the consumers in different parts of the world based on their needs and the way that they eat," said Christofferson.

"China is beginning to consume peanut butter. And if we could just get them to consume one pound per capita of peanut butter, they would far surpass what we consume," added Parker.

Domestically, Americans eat an average of 4.25 pounds of peanut butter per capita, a figure that increased temporarily during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the National Peanut Board.

"Peanut butter and peanuts as a whole reached a record per capita consumption level of 7.8 pounds per capita," Parker said. "And during COVID, when people were hugely stressed and were having to work remotely and children were having to go to school remotely, they took refuge in peanut butter. As odd as that sounds, it was the ultimate comfort food for many Americans that reminded them of happier times of childhood," Parker added.

"We saw adults go back to it. It was an easy, quick food to make between Zoom calls and to help their kids make a quick PB&J. As the family came together in the middle of the day, we saw that it introduced this love and affection for peanut butter to children who will hopefully carry that love and affection for peanut butter into [their] lifetime," he added.

Peanut butter's endurance through these last hundred years and potentially the next hundred is rooted in this, perhaps its most powerful tool: nostalgia.

From eating a PB&J sandwich on the playground, to celebrating a birthday with a peanut butter pie, those memories have allowed it to cement itself permanently in society  and even space.

"When you look at the composition of most school-aged children's lunch boxes, 75% of them are including PB&J," said Scheidler.

With that in mind, both Smucker's and Hormel Foods have to be stewards for these legacy brands.

"We're holding on to what made these brands great, what people love about these brands today and then finding ways that we can continue to integrate it into consumers' lives so that it's not only great today, but it's great for the next generation of consumers," Scheidler said.



Watch this video to learn more.

Correction: Smucker's reached $453.4 million in net sales in its consumer foods section in its Q4 earnings. An earlier version misstated the amount and quarter.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden. Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images

NATO and Ukraine clashed publicly for the first time this week. At a gathering in Vilnius, Lithuania, with all the 31 members of NATO, there were clear frictions between Kyiv and the military alliance. This culminated with the Ukrainian leader, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, saying Tuesday that the absence of a timeline for his country to join NATO was "absurd." One senior diplomat present at the meetings told CNBC on Thursday that Zelenskyy "overplayed" his hand during the summit and was therefore pressured by the United States and others to show more gratitude. There was a "very clear message from the U.S. side, you [Ukraine] went too far," the senior diplomat who attended the meetings in Lithuania but preferred to remain anonymous due to sensitivity of the topic, told CNBC on Thursday. The comments give an insight into the power dynamics within NATO. Even if some members were very keen to follow Ukraine's request, the United States in particular isn't supportive of immediate membership for Kyiv at this time. "The summit outcome reflects the basic reality that NATO is a U.S. security commitment to, as the strongest military power in the world, defend other eligible countries. Hence NATO will always only move at the speed of Washington, which right now is fixated on China in the long-run," Jacob Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, told CNBC via email.

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"The U.S. will therefore not let a warring country into NATO and give too firm a timeline commitment," he added. Ukraine has been fighting Russia's full-scale invasion since February 2022. During a NATO public forum Wednesday, U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said that the American people deserve a degree of gratitude for their support after a Ukrainian activist criticized the lack of a precise timeline for Kyiv to join NATO.

"They key thing is that we (the West) have played a very delicate balance, we ourselves cannot be at war. Senior Diplomat

U.K. Defense Minister Ben Wallace also said Wednesday, "I am not Amazon," when discussing the delivery of weapons to Kyiv. "Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude," he said, according to Reuters. His boss, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, quickly distanced himself from those comments. Public opinion remains supportive of Ukraine across the European Union, but there has been a drop in support for some specific measures. The number of citizens who back the sending of weapons or the imposition of economic sanctions on Russia actually fell during the first 12 months of the war. "The fact remains that time is not on our side. The longer this conflict goes on the more difficult it is to find the money. This is undeniable," Maria Demertzis, a senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank, said.

Delicate balance

In a joint press statement also on Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden told Zelenskyy: "I know you're many times frustrated about when things  what things get to you quickly enough and what's getting to you and how we're getting there. But I promise you, the United States is doing everything we can to get you what you need as rapidly as we can get it to you." Biden also added, "And I look forward to the day when we're having the meeting celebrating your official  official membership in NATO."

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The 31 members of NATO did not commit to a date for when Ukraine can join the group. Instead, they removed the need for an action plan as "Ukraine has become increasingly interoperable and politically integrated with the alliance" and said they will extend an invitation "when allies agree and conditions are met." The bottom line is Ukraine will not become a NATO member as long as the war drags on. "They key thing is that we [the West] have played a very delicate balance, we ourselves cannot be at war," the same senior diplomat told CNBC.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Finland's foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, acknowledged that even if NATO were to give a clear membership path for Kyiv, it "wouldn't be a 100% guarantee" that it would join soon. Finland is the newest NATO member, having joined in early April. However, Valtonen disregarded claims that Ukraine has not shown gratitude, arguing that aid should not be seen as charity. Regardless, Zelenskyy seemed to have listened to the criticism. His public remarks following Tuesday's speech were marked by repeated appreciation. When returning to Ukraine from the NATO summit, he said via Twitter: "I am grateful to all those who have worked for unity in Vilnius."
This marks the first time that the UPI system will be used in Europe, after its successful implementation in Singapore. UPI will be available for usage for Indian tourists as well as NRIs soon in France.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday, July 13, that India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will be extended to France, enabling Indian tourists visiting the country to utilise this payment system. The UPI services will be made available starting from the renowned Eiffel Tower, offering convenient and secure transactions for Indian visitors in the country.

This marks the first time that the UPI system will be used in Europe, after its successful implementation in Singapore. UPI will be available for usage for Indian tourists as well as NRIs soon in France.

The expansion of UPI to international markets aims to provide convenience and ease of payment for Indian tourists and expatriate populations in these countries.

Apart from France, the UPI system, developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) , is available for international use in several countries like Bhutan, Singapore, UAE, Nepal and now France. The NPCI has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several countries to adopt the UPI interface for digital payments. Several other countries have shown interest in adopting UPI, including Japan, Bahrain, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Qatar, and the United States.

NRIs can access UPI services using their international mobile numbers, eliminating the need for an Indian mobile number. The UPI system is available through non-resident external (NRE) and non-resident ordinary (NRO) accounts.

International use of UPI will help reduce the dependence of India on Visa/ Mastercard/ American Express for making payments while travelling abroad. Works out simpler for the traveller apart from being more secure. The number of Acceptance points would certainly be an issue initially, but all new systems begin this way only. Though forex conversion (taking place at the back end) cannot be ruled out, the advantage will be in terms of lower transaction fee and simplified grievance redressed process (should there be any transaction failure), said A.P. Hota, former MD & CEO of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Indian tourists can use their Indian bank accounts linked with UPI to make payments in these select international countries including France. This eliminates the need to carry cash or exchange currency, making transactions more convenient.

Also, UPI can be accessed using international mobile numbers in select countries, allowing non-resident Indians to transact using UPI without an Indian mobile number. This makes it easier for NRIs to use UPI services while abroad. On the cost front, using UPI for transactions abroad can be cost-effective as it eliminates the need for currency exchange or international transaction fees.

Experts believe that the implementation of UPI has resulted in a significant socioeconomic change in the nation and has been key in the digital payments adoption in the country.

It is inspiring to witness other countries, including France, embracing India's digital payment innovation. Prior to France, the UPI system has already been adopted by UAE, Nepal, and Bhutan. This development will contribute to enhancing bilateral trade and conserving foreign exchange reserves, as retail payments in France will now be conducted in Indian rupees, said Ram Rastogi, Digital Payments Strategist and Chairman of the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment.

This will make it easier for tourists while travelling and at the same time, it will function as a boon for Indian students in France, since it will make it easier for them to transact. This is a novel step by the government to establish the internationality of our rupees since tourists will have the convenience of paying in rupees, he added.

Experts believe that the expansion of UPI to international markets will provide convenience and ease of payment for Indian tourists and expatriate populations in these countries. There are fees associated with using UPI for payments in Europe.

The payments made through UPI in Europe will be charged in the local currency and not in Indian rupees (INR), thus prompting a currency conversion charge levied by the banks. The exact fees may vary depending on the bank and the specific transaction. 
After concluding his two-day official visit to France, PM Modi will make a stopover at Abu Dhabi to meet Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The PM's visit in the gulf is expected to help bolster India's bilateral ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this context, it is interesting to look at China's emerging role in the Middle East's political economy, which is essential to its own interests. Here, Amb. Soumen Ray, former Indian Ambassador to Gulf, West Asia, and Eastern & Southern African countries, is taking a closer look at China's aggressive engagement in this region, on the eve of PM Modi's UAE visit.

A new global paradigm of international relations is emerging, with the Middle East being a particularly evident example. China has long pursued a traditional approach of economic engagement in the region, which has yielded significant benefits. Over the past two decades, China's trade and investments in Middle Eastern countries have grown exponentially, surpassing the United States, their decades-old development partner.

China strategically took advantage of the US security coverage in the region while maintaining an innocent economic policy, refraining from direct involvement in regional crises or interference in domestic affairs.

Shortly after the US Secretary of State's visit to Riyadh in June, a China-Arab business conference was held in Saudi Arabia. The conference saw a flurry of business deals, with 30 agreements signed, totaling over $10 billion. In contrast, there were no reported economic agreements or discussions on economic cooperation between the US and Saudi Arabia or other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. The timing of the Chinese conference was crucial, aiming to send a significant signal to the US.

China has emerged as a near-peer adversary of the US in recent years, but the approaches of these two powers differ. China has taken a proactive stance, while the US has been reactive in its policies. Washington has reduced its presence in the Middle East and shifted its focus to the Indo-Pacific region. To counter China's ally, Russia, the US has invested substantially in building and strengthening military capabilities in East European countries, including Ukraine.

Having fortified its military position to a significant extent and provided moral support to Russia, China has concentrated its efforts in the Middle East, a pivotal region connecting Asia, Europe, and the US. With longstanding economic relations with the Middle Eastern countries, China has begun building strategic relations with them, encompassing diplomacy, the military and strategic domain, technology, energy, and health. China has carefully taken advantage of the absence of a serious challenge from the once-dominant power in the region, the US, which used to have the final say in Middle Eastern affairs.

A notable change in attitude has emerged among the Middle Eastern players. While they continue to build their defence capacities, they are also seeking to de-escalate long-standing disputes among themselves through diplomacy and negotiations. They have realised that maintaining an "always-attack-ready" condition is counterproductive economically and in terms of nation-building. This change is exemplified by the Saudi-Iran rapprochement, reconciliation efforts with Syria, and some progress in resolving the Yemeni civil war. While they have benefited immensely from US economic collaboration and security coverage, they now desire to make decisions independently.

China has closely observed US actions in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf countries, and noticed a serious lack of trust between these countries and the US. Middle Eastern countries have expressed doubts about American capabilities in dealing with their issues. Additionally, concerns about Iran's nuclear program have loomed over the region. The US has also reduced its import of Gulf crude due to increased domestic production. In contrast, China, as the largest importer of crude oil, aims to secure its supply from the Middle East.

China has found an opening in the Middle East due to the decrease in US presence and the shifting American focus elsewhere. It has started working on several strategic domains simultaneously. China's strategic move includes operating the People's Liberation Army Support Base at the port of Doraleh in Djibouti, strategically positioned near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Gulf of Aden from the Red Sea. China has also established a port facility at Duqm in Oman, serving its "One Belt, One Road" project and providing an alternative route for importing crude oil from the Middle East.

China has developed close defence ties with major Middle Eastern countries. When the US refused to sell the latest version of weaponized drones to the UAE in 2016, China readily supplied them with Wing Loong I drones, followed by upgraded Wing Loong II drones in 2018. The UAE will also acquire China's L-15 Advanced Trainer jets and light combat aircraft. Saudi Arabia and China have discussed cooperation in nuclear energy, although no official announcements have been made. There are reports of Saudi Arabia developing indigenous ballistic missiles with Chinese technology and assistance.

Dealing with China for defence purchases provides a clear advantage. Once agreements are signed with Chinese government-owned defence equipment manufacturing companies, scheduling the supply becomes the primary concern. In contrast, purchasing from the US involves several issues, including limited access to the latest versions of items and the requirement of Congressional approval, which can cause significant delays. In the rapidly evolving world of defence technology, China is often preferred due to its quicker adaptability compared to the US and EU countries.

Middle Eastern countries, with an uncertain future regarding hydrocarbon resources, are shifting their focus toward creating technology-based economies. However, they insist on technology transfer as a basis for this shift, an expectation they believe the US cannot fulfill. Thus, they view China as their preferred partner, as China is currently ahead of the US in high-tech manufacturing, particularly in fields like Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, renewable energy, biotechnology, telecommunications, and quantum information science.

China has been collaborating with Middle Eastern countries in these fields, further strengthening their engagement with oil-rich nations in the region. Huawei has played a significant role in this endeavour, with joint development projects in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and 5G technology. Most GCC members have already signed contracts with Huawei for 5G technology. China's engagement with the UAE has also increased due to the country's substantial investment in future technological companies. In Iraq, China has made significant investments in solar power projects.

China's cooperation with Middle Eastern countries in the health sector has primarily developed during the Covid-19 pandemic. China provided its Sinovac vaccine to these countries before the US and other nations made their vaccines available. This has established China as a major player in trade and investment in the region's health sector, aiming to improve healthcare facilities and manufacture pharmaceutical products for potential export and long-term economic benefits.

The Saudi-Iran deal, which seeks to end a costly and toxic conflict, marks an important shift in the Middle East, where countries act more independently. China played a crucial role in brokering this deal and has now extended its involvement to the Palestine-Israel peace negotiations. China established a "Strategic Partnership" with Palestine during Mahmoud Abbas's visit to Beijing. China has also invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for further dialogue on this matter, demonstrating its growing economic and trade relations with Israel. China has appointed a Special Envoy to handle diplomatic affairs between Israeli and Palestinian dignitaries.

China's critical role in the Middle East's political economy is essential to its own interests, while the oil-rich Middle Eastern countries, heavily reliant on crude oil exports, require China's intake. China is now the world's largest crude oil importer, giving it significant leverage in the region compared to the US. The same applies to defence cooperation, technology transfer, health, and energy domains.

Nevertheless, there are three important domains where China's involvement with Middle Eastern countries remains uncertain. First is whether China can be a strategic partner willing to deploy its military in case of a crisis or engage in multinational military operations against threats like ISIS. Despite engaging with China, Middle Eastern countries have maintained their relations with the US due to untested aspects of China's strategic commitments.

Second, China's success in brokering the Saudi-Iran deal and its involvement in the Israel-Palestine peace negotiations present significant diplomatic challenges. The ultra-rightist Israeli government's position and the complexities of various Palestinian factions pose a considerable test for Chinese diplomacy. Lastly, there is uncertainty regarding Iran's commitment to the Saudi-Iran agreement and China's ability to mediate effectively if Iran interferes in other Middle Eastern countries' political instability.

China's increasing footprint in the Middle East is undeniable, and Chinese leadership is aware of the potential pitfalls. Skillfully navigating the complexities and asserting influence over the now-assertive Middle Eastern powers will determine China's ability to maintain a permanent stronghold in the region.

The author, Amb. Soumen Ray, is IFS (Retd) and a former Indian Ambassador and High Commissioner served extensively in Gulf, West Asia, and Eastern & Southern African countries. The views expressed are personal.
India's cheetah reintroduction project is facing another setback as the eighth feline died at Kuno National Park (KNP), marking the second casualty in four days. Suraj, a male cheetah, was found dead, highlighting the challenges of the project initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India's cheetah reintroduction project is facing yet another setback after the eighth feline died at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) on Friday. The male cheetah, known as Suraj, was found dead in the park. This is the second casualty in four days, and the eighth in nearly four months.

Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Vijay Shah on Friday said that a postmortem on Suraj is being conducted to assert the cause of death. The Indian government is taking action and the African team has also been contacted, Shah said. He also added that such deaths are "common" among wild animals.

Interestingly, he also said that the government considers this only the third or fourth cheetah death rather than the eighth because the cubs "don't count."

ALSO READ | How 6 cheetahs died in India in the last 2 months and what's next

"This is common among wild animals. We don't include the cubs in this but the remaining were due to fights over food or mating. This is common among wild animals... As per us as it is the third or fourth cheetah, we don't count the cubs because they seemed that they would not survive," Shah said.

The recent death of cheetah Tejas , brought from South Africa, revealed in its autopsy report that the cheetah failed to recover from a "traumatic shock" following a violent fight with a female cheetah. Other than Tejas and now Suraj, three other cheetahs and three cubs have already lost their lives in KNP.

Suraj's death adds to the challenges faced by the cheetah reintroduction program initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2022 when eight cheetahs were translocated from Namibia to KNP. Following that, an additional 12 cheetahs from South Africa were translocated in February 2023.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change acknowledged the complexity and magnitude of the project, emphasising the risks associated with releasing cheetahs into free-roaming conditions due to the absence of fencing in Indian protected areas.

Due to careful planning and execution, all twenty cheetahs survived the initial capture, quarantine and lengthy transport to the purpose-built quarantine and larger acclimatization camps in KNP in Madhya Pradesh. Releasing the cheetahs into free-roaming conditions poses substantial risks. Like Kuno, no Protected Areas in India are fenced. Animals are thus free to move in and out of the park as they wish. Cheetahs , like other large carnivores, are known to range widely during the initial few months after being reintroduced into unfamiliar open systems. These movements are unpredictable and depend on many factors. After several months the cheetahs should establish their own communication networks and settle down in relatively fixed home ranges. It is important that individual cheetahs do not become totally isolated from the reintroduced group during this phase as they will then not participate in breeding and will thus be genetically isolated, the ministry said in its statement earlier.

After the monsoon season ends in September, the ministry plans to reassess the situation and proceed with further releases into KNP or surrounding areas, as outlined in the Cheetah Conservation Action Plan. The goal is to establish a metapopulation, including areas such as Gandhisagar.

ALSO READ | India's ambitious cheetah translocation project faces setbacks with fatalities

The fatalities among the cheetahs involved in the project thus far are as follows:

# , a six-year-old female from Namibia, fell ill in late January and succumbed to chronic renal insufficiency in March. The captive cheetah received stabilization efforts but eventually passed away. The disease, which progresses slowly, poses no risk to other cheetahs involved in the project. Sasha , a six-year-old female from Namibia, fell ill in late January and succumbed to chronic renal insufficiency in March. The captive cheetah received stabilization efforts but eventually passed away. The disease, which progresses slowly, poses no risk to other cheetahs involved in the project.

# , an adult male from South Africa, exhibited acute neuromuscular symptoms shortly after his release from quarantine in April. Despite symptomatic treatment, he died from cardiopulmonary failure. The cause of his initial symptoms and the potential significance of brain haemorrhage require further investigation. Uday , an adult male from South Africa, exhibited acute neuromuscular symptoms shortly after his release from quarantine in April. Despite symptomatic treatment, he died from cardiopulmonary failure. The cause of his initial symptoms and the potential significance of brain haemorrhage require further investigation.

# , a female cheetah, died after a violent interaction with a male during a mating attempt. Daksha , a female cheetah, died after a violent interaction with a male during a mating attempt.

# Three India-born cheetah cubs died on May 23 due to weakness and sweltering heat.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  The Social Security System (SSS) has failed to collect billions in premium contributions from employers, reaching less than 3% of its targeted collectibles for 2022, the Commission on Audit (COA) found.

In its latest report on the state-run insurance program, the COA noted the non-remittance by 466,881 employers of contributions amounting to over 92.4 billion by the end of last year.

"The low collection efficiency of less than three percent of the established collectibles during the year deprives the SSS of much needed funds for the prompt delivery of social security protection, claims, and benefits to its members and beneficiaries," state auditors said.

Records showed that 90.63% of the amount remained uncollected for more than five years.

The National Capital Region had the lowest collection rate of only 0.59% with payments of around 383.7 million out of the established collectibles for the region of over 64.4 billion.

However, the COA noted that the right of members to the benefits of SSS coverage should not be affected by the failure to collect from delinquent employers.

"Hence, the SSS is still bound to pay member benefits corresponding to the uncollected premium contributions, which may negatively affect the reserves of the SSS," the COA said.

SSS officials previously said they are expecting for the pension fund to face challenges by 2039 as it struggles to find new financing sources.

The SSS management assured auditors that concerned offices are monitoring and reviewing the status of non-compliant employer accounts.

Meantime, the COA noted that the SSS also failed to collect over 77 billion in member loans, which include educational assistance, emergency and calamity loans.

Around 26% or some 20 billion of the total 77 billion are uncollected loans for over five years.

This, according to COA, hindered the reinvestment of the funds to earn income for the benefits of members.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Happy employees make for a strong performing team. TTEC, one of the largest global customer experience (CX) technology and services innovators for AI-enabled CX solutions, enables this with a purposeful environment driven by a focus on growth, connection, balance, and flexibility.

As the BPO industry continues to grow in the Philippines, TTEC offers its potential employees diverse career path choices while fostering and nurturing a welcoming culture.

This award-winning customer experience leader has been certified as a Great Place to Work after a thorough, independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work Institute Philippines.

In the analysis, current employees evaluated their TTEC experience as very good in terms of feeling safe at work, being given the right resources to do their job, and receiving fair treatment regardless of gender, sexual orientation, and race.

The recent recognition also certified that TTEC also ensures that employees have all the necessary resources and support they need to thrive at work.

The company is also dedicated to equal growth opportunity for everyone. Employees in the Philippines have access to Spectrum, TTECs affinity group, which includes programming and support for LGBTQ+, persons with disabilities, working parents, and working students. Team members also have access to TTECs Women In Leadership group, a global community of women and allies that elevates women through mentorship, educational programs, networking events, and advocacy.

This year, TTEC opens 3,000 job opportunities for Filipinos who seek to be empowered in innovating and creating solutions that make a difference to millions daily. With a commitment to fostering an environment of employee well-being, TTEC is looking for talented and passionate individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of others.

TTEC also presents flexible career mobility for anyone who strives to show consistent initiative in their everyday tasks. They offer employees options to work remotely, both for comfort of the worker and to improve their efficiency in a comfortable working environment.

Jobs open for applicants include Customer Service Representative (CSR) opportunities such as voice support, technical support, and chat specialists.

TTEC's job opportunities are available in various roles, including customer service representatives, sales associates, healthcare support specialists, and technical support representatives. The company is looking for individuals who are passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences and who want to grow and advance in their careers.

TTEC also offers diverse and specialized opportunities in healthcare, multilingual support, and finance.

The company is open to fresh graduates looking for a new career or professionals seeking a platform to jumpstart a different path towards success.

The customer experience organization accepts applicants who are looking to transition from careers in healthcare, finance, and languages but without call center or CSR experience.

TTEC offices are open for all walk-in applicants and virtual applications via TTECjobs.com.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  The Manila Police District (MPD) has formed a special investigation team for the arrest of five of its members who allegedly extorted 40,000 from the owner of a computer shop in Sampaloc, Manila.

The Sampaloc Police Station identified them as staff sergeants Ryan Tagle Paculan and Jan Erwin Santiago Isaac, Cpl. Jonmark Gonzales Dabucol, and patrolmen Jeremiah Sesma Pascual and Jhon Lester Reyes Pagar.

They are all members of the MPD Intelligence Operation Unit.

According to Herminigildo Dela Cruz, the computer shop owner, the policemen introduced themselves as officers conducting operations against illegal online gambling.

They also reportedly demanded 4,000 every week as "protection money," as well as stole 3,500 and a hard disk drive containing CCTV footage of the computer shop.

A certain Monay Martinez was also tagged as an accomplice of the policemen.

Manila Police District chief PBGen. Andre Dizon said the policemen have been relieved from their unit while the filing of administrative and criminal cases are ongoing.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Canada expects more Filipinos visitors after launching its visa-free program for qualified Filipinos in June.

Filipinos who traveled to Canada in the last 10 years or those who hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa are qualified for the visa-free entry to the North American country. They will only need to secure an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).

The Philippines is among 13 countries chosen for the program.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman told CNN Philippines that 82,000 have so far availed of the visa-free entry.

"Canada is a welcoming country, it's welcoming to migrants, its welcoming families, it's welcoming friends," he said.

The ambassador added that the ETA program is part of their efforts to further promote and strengthen people-to-people ties.

"It's a mechanism for us to facilitate a free flow of exchange of people coming into Canada. It is intended to be facilitated, it is intended to be relatively quick to apply, relatively inexpensive," Hartman said.

Canada said it is ready to accommodate more Filipino visitors through the ETA initiative.

"We would be able to facilitate millions of eligible Filipinos to come to Canada to visit family, for tourism, to connect or reconnect its something we are tremendously proud of, the envoy noted.

There are a million Canadians who are of Filipino heritage living in Canada, according to Hartman.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) on Friday called on the Department of Education to ensure teachers will be compensated during the National Learning Camp (NLC) at the end of the school year.

"Ang nangyayare kasi paiksi nang paiksi yung bakasyon ng mga teachers tapos ito pa pagtatrabahuhin pa," ACT chairperson Vladimir Quetua told a media briefing.

[Translation: What's happening is that teachers are getting fewer days to rest, and now they want us to still work.]

DepEd will roll out the NLC for a period of three to five weeks during the school break  from July 24 to Aug. 25  to address learning gaps due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the DepEd memorandum provides that the NLC will be voluntary for participating students and teachers.

The department earlier said participating teachers will earn service credits on top of the 15-day leave limit as an incentive.

Meanwhile, ACT also urged DepEd to focus on real solutions such as hiring more teachers and constructing additional classrooms.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Angat Dam's water level has seen a slight increase since it dipped below its minimum operating level nearly a week ago due to rains brought by Tropical Depression Dodong, the state weather bureau said Friday.

While Dodong blows through Northern Luzon, it is enhancing the southwest monsoon or "habagat," bringing strong bursts of winds and rainfall to other parts of Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

The weather bureau noted in its 11 a.m. reading that the water level of Angat Dam, located in Bulacan, is at 178.09 meters.

The level is 7 centimeters higher than the 6 a.m. reading of 178.02 meters, PAGASA hydrologist Richard Orendain said in a news conference. On Thursday, PAGASA reported the level was at 178.03 meters.

Orendain said rains dumped on the dam had an average of 43 millimeters (mm) on Wednesday, then 65.3 millimeters on Thursday, which slowed down the decline of the dam's water level. He added the agency expects 40 to 60 millimeters of rainfall in Angat Dam on Friday.

"Ine-expect pa rin natin na tataas ang [water level] ng Angat Dam for now dahil 'yong mga ulan no'ng nakaraang araw, papunta pa lang sa reservoir," he added. "Yong travel time niya is from 18 to 24 hours, 'yong lag time niya from upstream papunta sa reservoir."

[Translation: We are expecting that the water level of Angat Dam will increase for now because Wednesday's rainfall has yet to come down to the reservoir. The lag time from upstream to the reservoir is from 18 to 24 hours.]

Roy Badilla, PAGASA's hydro-meteorology division chief, said "weak" monsoon rains are expected until the weekend over the Angat watershed.

"We are expecting na tataas pa ang ating water level sa Angat [Dam] pero hindi naman ito gaano kalaki [the water level of Angat will rise but it will not be significant]," Badilla added.

Angat's water level started to drop below its minimum operating depth of 180 meters on July 8.

PAGASA Assistant Weather Services Chief Chris Perez earlier told CNN Philippines monsoon rains are not enough to replenish the water in the dam.

Orendain told reporters it would need four to five storms to move across the Angat watershed to recharge the dam to its 210 meter-spilling level. He cautioned that once the rains end, the water level might decline anew.

Isabela records no impact from 'Dodong' landfall

Dodong made landfall early Friday morning in Dinapigue, Isabela, according to state meteorologists.

"Hindi naman po ganoong kalakasan [ang ulan]," Constance Foronda, head of Isabela Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, told CNN Philippines' Balitaan.

"Naging biyaya pa nga dahil kinakailangan po ng tubig-ulan para sa ating mga taniman at saka medyo mababa na ang lebel ng tubig ng Magat Dam," she added.

[Translation: The rain was not that strong. It was a blessing because we need the rainfall for our farms and the water level of Magat Dam was low.]

In the press conference, PAGASA officer-in-charge Esperanza Cayanan said Northern Luzon had arid conditions in the past weeks due to lack of rain.

"Welcome 'yong ulan don sa area," Cayanan said. "Nakikita natin na kumbaga kahit may medyo moderate to heavy rainfall ay tigang 'yong lupa, so nasisipsip pa ng lupa 'yong tubig-ulan."

[Translation: The rain was welcomed in the area. We see that even if there will be possible moderate to heavy rainfall, the land is dry so it can still sip the rainfall.]

She added that local officials in Cagayan Valley reported no impact from the effects of the tropical cyclone.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Ties between Manila and Ottawa now face a "turning point" as both sides reaffirm their commitment to deepen bilateral relations, according to Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman.

The envoy told CNN Philippines that the two countries can advance their interests in "agriculture, arts, science, commerce, environment, and business opportunities."

"Time for ambition means let us be assertive and let's take advantage of opportunities and don't let it pass by," he added.

Hartman also praised the growing people-to-people exchange between Canada and the Philippines.

"Our relationship is a familial one, there are a million Canadian citizens of Filipino in origin, and these are not OFWs [overseas Filipino workers], these are citizens who have settled in Canada," the ambassador said.

Hartman also said Canada will be opening more job opportunities that Filipinos could explore.

"Canada is always pleased to have more Filipino workers in the country. We have a lot of demand again in agri-food sector, food processing, meat industry, packing industry even at the retail level," he noted.

"While we are welcoming more Filipinos to go to Canada for work opportunities, we really want this to be mutually advantageous relationship. We are looking for opportunities defined as win-win, so opportunities for Canadian businesses to come here or for Filipinos to stay as well in their home country," the envoy added. "The human capital here in the Philippines is valuable and I think your people are really such a tremendous asset."

The Philippines and Canada will mark 70 years of diplomatic ties in 2024.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  There's still a huge demand for Filipino healthcare workers in Canada due to their expertise and skills, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman said.

From 2017 to 2022, Canada hired over 21,000 healthcare workers  mostly nurses and doctors.

"Very significant number of opportunities for the healthcare industry," Hartman told CNN Philippines.

"Philippine healthcare workers are known for their compassion, kindness, and most importantly their skills," he added.

While there is high demand for health workers from the Philippines, the ambassador said Canada remains sensitive to the prevailing domestic landscape when it comes to health professionals.

"While we are very keen to receive Filipino healthcare workers in Canada, we want to make sure that we are respectful for the market conditions here. We want to help the ecosystem here," Hartman said.

Canada is also trying to invest in nursing and medical schools, or colleges to provide training for future health professionals.
Laoag City (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Philippine authorities will try to retrieve a decommissioned Navy replenishment tanker that ran aground while being towed in rough waters in Bataan on Friday.

In a statement, the Philippine Navy said three civilian personnel on board the retired BRP Lake Caliraya were "all in good condition," adding that coordination is underway between security agencies and a private company to refloat the vessel.

"While the vessel was being towed enroute to Cavite City, the towing line snapped due to rough sea conditions, causing the vessel to get adrift, eventually running aground," the Navy said.

"The ship is currently under the disposal of the United States Indo-Pacific Command which bought the decommissioned vessel," it added.

The Philippine Coast Guard reported that the tanker drifted to the shores of Morong town Friday morning.

Decommissioned in December 2020, BRP Lake Caliraya was supposed to be shot down by US military air assets during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) with Filipino troops off the waters of Zambales on Thursday. The event had to be called off at the last minute due to bad weather.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sees nothing wrong with allowing the domestic distribution of the film Barbie, which Vietnam has banned for featuring a map that supposedly depicts Beijings expansive claims in the contested South China Sea.

In a chance media interview on Friday, Marcos pointed out that the movie is fictional.

Yung sinasabi nila yung kasama doon sa ano, yung boundary line na ginawa. Ang sagot ko doon, what do you expect? Its a work of fiction, he said, referring to China's nine-dash line claim which critics believe was shown in the movie.

[Translation: Theyre saying that the boundary line was shown there. My answer is, what do you expect? Its a work of fiction.]

Maganda raw eh, sabi nila [They say its good], Marcos also said of the film.

Earlier this week, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) decided to allow the screening of Barbie in the country, saying it found no clear nor outright depiction of the nine-dash line.

However, it said it has requested the films distributor Warner Bros. to blur the controversial lines in order to avoid further misinterpretations.

Some senators have criticized the movie and called on the MTRCB to ban it, or for Philippine cinemas to include an explicit disclaimer that the nine-dash line is "a figment of China's imagination."

In 2016, an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague upheld Manila's sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, and said the nine-dash line claim had no legal basis. Beijing, however, continues to reject this ruling.

Besides the Philippines and China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the resource-rich waterway.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will unlikely renew the governments peace talks with communist rebels as fighting continues to rage in some parts of the country, a US-based conflict research and analysis group said.

According to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), the unrest between state forces and communist rebels remains unabated, with civilians being affected by the dispute, only showing the prospects for peace under Marcos are dim.

Formal peace talks between the government and the communist leadership, which have taken place in over 40 rounds since 1986, look unlikely to be revived under Marcos, Jr., it said in its analysis released Thursday.

This would make Marcos, Jr. the first Philippine president after the fall of his fathers dictatorship not to seek peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF, the group added.

In 2017, his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, declared the country's biggest communist organization as a terrorist group.

It includes the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its sub-group the New People's Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

ACLED said Marcos was more inclined to push for localized peace talks with communist rebels in the areas rather than bringing the initiatives to CPP-NPA-NDF leadership.

In March, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said the government would continue the previous administrations decision to end national peace talks with leaders of communist organizations.

However, despite alleged improvements in resolving issues with communist rebels at the local level, ACLED said that crossfire between both sides was seen in practically all parts of the country from the start of the Duterte regime and into the Marcos, Jr. regime.

This means that the NPA has been present in every region, mirroring the prevalence of agrarian issues across the country and widespread poverty of agricultural workers, it said.

ACLED highlighted that clashes were particularly rampant in remote, mountainous terrain in rural agricultural areas, especially in Negros Occidental and Bukidnon.

This does not come as a surprise for a revolution with an agrarian base," it said. "Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao are both known for agrarian unrest, being two of the countrys most important agricultural centers, and therefore serve as ideal staging grounds for the CPPs revolution."

The group stressed that while Northern Mindanao and Western Visayas have one of the biggest shares in terms of agricultural production, the regions farmers continued to suffer from poverty, as well as abuses and attacks from known agribusiness players.

As the government moves to heighten the campaign against the communist insurgency, ACLED said the issue of red-tagging, or the act of falsely labeling individuals or groups as communist rebels or supporters, has likewise become widespread.

From 2020 to June 30 of this year, the group said it recorded nearly 50 violent events related to red-tagging civilians, 13 of which happened after Marcos took the presidency.

The appointment of Vice President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the former president, as co-chair of the anti-communist body last May has worried activist groups mindful of the vice presidents alleged history of red-tagging, it said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Dozens of newcomers and favorites in the Filipino culinary scene take the spotlight at the Manila Food and Wine Festival (MFWF) in a bid to promote food tourism.

Organizers on Friday said the inaugural event aims to begin the journey to introduce the country as a culinary destination in Asia and the world.

The two-week festival highlights up and coming restaurateurs and entrepreneurs, while encouraging innovative and elevated Filipino dishes.

"We want to take the first steps towards making the Philippines a true global culinary powerhouse," MFWF founder Spanky Enriquez said.

"Ang gusto natin mangyari talaga, makamit ng Pilipinas 'yung level ng [We really want the Philippines to reach the level of] Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, food capital. Hindi lang ng Asya [Not just in Asia] but the whole world. We have all the restaurants, the chefs, the hotels and everyone here who can help to make that dream a reality for us," he added.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), one of the co-presenters of the festival, praised the private sector's initiative to highlight the food and gastronomy industry of the Philippines.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco earlier identified food tourism as one of the aspects she wants to highlight during her term.

"It also aligns with the Department of Tourism's thrust to equalize opportunities across various areas of the country. So ngayon nakikita natin hindi nalang Cebu, [So now we see that its not just Cebu] but also in other areas like northern Philippines and also here in Metro Manila. Nakikita natin na [We see that] this will really boost interest in food and gastronomy tourism," DOT OIC-Undersecretary for Tourism Development Verna Buensuceso said.

"Yung mga turista kapag pumupunta dito sa Pilipinas 30% ng what they spend is on food and beverage. Importante talaga na maharness natin yung potential of food and gastronomy tourism kasi makakatulong yan sa expenditures of tourists coming in," she added.

[Translation: Tourists who visit the Philippines spend 30% on food and beverage. Its really important to harness the potential of food and gastronomy tourism because it can help in the expenditures of tourists coming in.]

MFWF organizer Anton Diaz said boosting food tourism will also encourage the creation of more restaurants and hotels in the country.

The event drew inspiration from the Cebu Food and Wine Festival, which aimed to revive the regions food and beverage industry from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizers said the festival will head to other parts of the country this year. It will be rolled out in Laoag in September and Davao in November.

Following the July 14 kickoff, various events like a Sunday Lunch, chef collaborations, a food and wine tasting bazaar, pub crawl in Makati, and food stamping program will continue.

A gala dinner featuring renowned chef Sau del Rosario and guest chef Tatung Sarthou will cap off the event on July 27.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Cybercrime activities, such as pornography and online scamming, were also conducted inside the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) complex in Las Pinas City that was raided by authorities last month, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Friday.

Justice Usec. Nicholas Ty said the information was based on the preliminary findings of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

"Basta yung intel naman na binigay sa amin, galing sa PAGCOR 'to, na may mga activities doon na hindi, walang kinalaman sa gambling, more on cybercrimes [ang] nagaganap doon," he said in a press briefing on Friday.

[Translation: Based on the intelligence given to us by PAGCOR, there were also activities there that are not related to gambling, more on cybercrime activities were also being done there.]

"Preliminary pa lang yung intelligence na binigay sa amin ng PAGCOR, kasama sa cybercrime, may pornography na mga activities dun, at possible din dun yung scamming."

[Translation: It's just preliminary intelligence from PAGCOR, but there were also pornographic activities and possible scamming.]

Over 2,000 workers, Filipino and foreign nationals, were rescued during the raid at the Xinchuang Network Technology Inc. complex last June 27.

The crackdown also led to the arrest of five Chinese nationals for alleged human trafficking. But Justice Secretary Remulla earlier ordered their release due to lack of evidence from the Philippine National Police.

The PNP has denied Remullas statement and insisted that the raid was coordinated with concerned agencies prior to the issuance of a warrant of arrest.

READ: Proper coordination done in POGO hub raid - PNP

The PNP-Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) on Friday said two minors were among the "rescued" victims. One of them is a 17-year-old Indonesian, while the other is a 17-year-old Malaysian.

According to the PNP-ACG, the minors are currently undergoing comprehensive processing under the care of a social worker from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and an interpreter.

"Our dedicated team is working closely with these professionals to ensure the immediate and appropriate care of these vulnerable individuals," its statement read. "Their safety, well-being, and eventual reunification with their families, where possible, are our top priorities."

The embattled POGO firm on Thursday filed a complaint against the PNP and the Bureau of Immigration for the continued detention of the five Chinese nationals despite a release order from the DOJ.

Meanwhile, the BI said it collected the passports and biometrics of more than 1,000 rescued workers from the POGO complex.

"There's another batch of nationals that we are still unable to get their biometrics," said BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval in a separate press briefing.

With a report from CNN Philippines correspondent Kaithreen Cruz
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  Two of more than two dozen suspects in the hazing death of an Adamson University student last February have been arrested, police said Friday.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Thursday arrested Justin Fontanilla, 20, and Armando Hernandez, 21, both residents of Cavite, for violating the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

The two were allegedly involved in the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity's initiation rites in Binan, Laguna on Feb. 18 that was attended by chemical engineering student John Matthew Salilig.

Salilig was reported missing on the day of the initiation rites. Ten days later, his body was found buried in a vacant lot in Cavite.

"The CIDG along with the other law enforcement units and agencies are on the frontline of ensuring that all involved in this case will be liable and justice for the victim and his family will be achieved," said PNP-CIDG Director Major Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. in a statement.

Caramat said Fontanilla and Hernandez were also listed as among the most wanted persons in Calabarzon.

In a resolution on March 13, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it found probable cause to formally charge seven members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity and other suspects who remained at large for violation of the anti-hazing law over Salilig's death. It listed 31 respondents in the case.

The DOJ said the respondents "planned and actually participated in hazing" Salilig and other recruits of the fraternity "by way of paddling."

The complainants were "able to establish that the injuries sustained by Salilig led to his death," it added.

CNN Philippines is trying to get the comment of Fontanilla and Hernandez, or their lawyer.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14)  The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines will begin accepting walk-in visa applications next month when it launches its new Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) on Aug. 14.

The KVAC will be located at the Brittany Hotel in the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It will begin pilot operations from Aug. 14 to 25. During this time, only visa applicants with online reservations will be accommodated.

Walk-in visa applications at the KVAC will then start on Aug. 29 and on all succeeding working days.

"There will be no limit as to the number of visa applications accepted per day," the embassy said Thursday.

With this, the current online visa appointment will end on July 27 when the final online application slots for Aug. 1 to 25 are opened.

Once the KVAC begins its pilot launch, the South Korean Embassy will stop accepting visa applications, and releasing passports and visas.

Last month, South Korea's Ministry of Justice also began accepting e-Group visa applications for regular tourists.

READ: South Korea to accept e-Group visa applications for tourists starting June 27
(CNN)  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had candid and constructive discussions on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Thursday  the latest in a series of increased high-level interactions between Washington and Beijing.

Their meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta comes less than a month after the two met in Beijing for what was also described by the US as candid and constructive conversation.

Wang, who is the top foreign policy chief for the Chinese Communist Party, attended the diplomatic gathering in place of Chinas Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, who is unable to attend due to health reasons, Reuters reported, citing a spokesman for his ministry.

Efforts to stabilize the relationship between the worlds two biggest economies have intensified in recent months following a period of immense friction between the United States and China.

There were no breakthroughs from the meeting in Jakarta, a senior State Department official said, but that wasnt the intention.

Instead, the hour and half long meeting was intended as a follow-up to previous conversations in Beijing, and the two top diplomats were able to pick up where they left off, and then take the conversations to the next level of detail, the official told press traveling with Blinken.

The conversation was a bit more focused on action, and concrete next steps, they added.

According to a readout from State Department spokesperson Matt Miller, Blinken and Wang discussed areas of difference and potential areas of cooperation.

The Secretary used the meeting to advance U.S. interests and values, to directly raise concerns shared by the United States and allies and partners regarding PRC actions, and advocate for progress on transnational challenges that affect people in the United States, the PRC, and around the world, Miller said.

Blinken emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and made clear to Wang that the United States, together with our allies and partners, will advance our vision for a free, open, and rules-based international order.

Wang told Blinken the critical next step for China and the US is to take real actions to put the bilateral relationship back on the right track, according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

He urged the US to take a rational and pragmatic approach, expand diplomatic and security communications with China and promote people-to-people exchanges.

The United States must refrain from wantonly interfering in Chinas internal affairs, refrain from compromising Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop suppressing Chinas economy, trade and technology, and lift illegal and unreasonable sanctions against China, Wang said, according to the readout.

Fentanyl discussion

Blinken and Wang spent a fair amount of time talking about fentanyl, the senior State Department official said.

In particular, he emphasized the importance of the US and China working together to disrupt the global flow of synthetic drugs, particularly fentanyl, and their precursor chemicals into the US to save American lives, the official said.

Following the meeting in Beijing, Blinken said that the two sides were trying to establish a working group on the illicit drug.

I wouldnt say there was progress on the establishment of the working group, the official said Thursday, but the issue was discussed in depth.

Many of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl come from China. Chinese officials have continued to say they cannot cooperate with the US on the challenge because of sanctions on a Chinese lab and the recent arrest of Chinese nationals in Fiji who were involved in drug trafficking to the US and Mexico, a senior administration official told CNN earlier this week.

Indeed, numerous key issues between the US and China remain.

US government email hack

Just this week, Microsoft announced it had discovered that China-based hackers had breached email accounts at two-dozen organizations, including some US government agencies, in an apparent spying campaign aimed at acquiring sensitive information.

Blinken raised the matter with Wang, and made clear that any action that targets US government, US companies, US citizens is a big concern and well respond appropriately, a second senior State Department official said.

The official said they would not get into the specifics of the extent to which the hack was raised in Blinkens meeting with Wang in Jakarta, nor would they characterize the US or Chinese response.

We have consistently made clear that any action that targets US government, US companies, American citizens, is a deep concern to us and that we will take appropriate action to hold those responsible accountable and the secretary made that clear again tonight, the official said.

Blinken underscored its a priority for us to resolve cases of American citizens who are wrongfully detained or subjected to exit bans in China, and also raised US concerns about PRC human rights abuses in China, the State Department official said Thursday.

They also discussed the war in Ukraine, the official said, and a second senior State Department official said China took note of the NATO communique from Vilnius but there was not extensive discussion about it.

High-level military to military communication channels remain frozen, with Beijing demanding that the US lift sanctions on its defense chief before conversations take place. But right now that is not being actively considered, the senior administration official said earlier this week.

Even if that [issue] were to be removed  theyve got another long list of reasons that they cant meet, or cooperate or coordinate or have working level contact. So I dont see that as something on the horizon, the official said.

Blinken discussed the need for communication in the military to military channels with Wang, but it wasnt an extensive part of the conversation, the second official said.

No progress to report tonight, the first official said. I think the secretary again underscored we have a responsibility to keep our channels of communication open, including between our two militaries. And I think its urgent that we do so. We havent achieved that yet. Were working at it.

The top US diplomat underscored its a priority for us to resolve cases of American citizens who are wrongfully detained or subjected to exit bans in China, and also raised US concerns about PRC human rights abuses in China, the official said.

The first official said they expect conversations to continue on both sides about a whole range of issues, and you shouldnt be surprised to see officials traveling both ways across the Pacific and well pick up on where the conversation ended tonight to try to advance the ball on key issues.

Indeed, the Biden administration feels that the US and China are getting back to normal in the sense of pace of diplomacy, the senior administration official told CNN earlier this week.

Following Blinkens trip to Beijing in mid-June, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen traveled to the Chinese capital last week, and Climate Envoy John Kerry is due to travel there in the coming days.

Both Blinken and Yellen claimed they had made some progress in efforts to re-establish bilateral communications aimed at responsibly managing the relationship.

It was clear coming in that the relationship was at a point of instability, Blinken said at a news conference at the end of his trip last month. And both sides recognized the need to work to stabilize it.

Were not going to have success on every issue between us on any given day, but in a whole variety of areas, on the terms that we set for this trip, we have made progress and we are moving forward, he said, stressing that none of this gets resolved with one visit, one trip, one conversation. Its a process.

Broadly speaking, I believe that my bilateral meetings  which totaled about 10 hours over two days  served as a step forward in our effort to put the US-China relationship on surer footing, Yellen said Sunday, at the end of her trip.

Even where we dont see eye-to-eye, I believe there is clear value in the frank and in-depth discussions we had on the opportunities and challenges in our relationship, and the better understanding it gave us of each countrys actions and intentions, she said.

This story was first published on CNN.com. "Blinken meets top Chinese diplomat as efforts to ramp down tensions continue"
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox want to "save your family dinners."

That's the message of their new "Disagree Better" campaign launched on Friday. The year-long initiative seeks to reduce political polarization nationwide  from the debate stage to the dining room table  with Polis, a Democrat, and Cox, a Republican, leading the way.

"This division cannot continue," Cox said. "We can disagree without hating each other, we can disagree without tearing each other down. ... How can we get back to the foundations of our country?"

The campaign is Cox's initiative as the new leader of the National Governors Association. Cox was elected chair of the association on Friday. Polis was elected vice chair.

"Nothing could be more needed at this time in our history than efforts to pull us together, to refine the language of civil discourse," Polis said. "Never let our differences separate us from our love of one another. That's the challenge we face."

The campaign will feature several regional events throughout the year, including one in Colorado. There will be public service announcements, best-practice curriculum to guide citizens through conflicts in their own lives, and public debates hosted at college campuses across the country to model "how to disagree without attacking each other," Cox said.

The National Governors Association will also attempt to put the initiative into practice by identifying a consensus on immigration policy among its members.

Over the next six months, numerous ads will be released with bipartisan governors promoting the campaign. Cox and Polis also encourage local politicians and regular citizens to film their own videos and post them on social media.

"Show that you can still be friends with people that you disagree with. That's how we're going to change this," Cox said. "This is not something that's going to change overnight. ... We're hoping to light a spark."

The Disagree Better campaign comes as political polarization is at an all-time high in the United States.

The percentage of Democrats and Republicans who view the opposing party "very unfavorably" has tripled in the last 30 years, reaching 54% and 62% respectively in 2022, according to the Pew Research Center.

Cox and Polis announced the campaign following the National Governors Association's 2023 annual meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Attendees included first lady Jill Biden and outgoing association chair New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

"Im excited to congratulate the incoming chair and vice chairs, Gov. Cox and Abby and Gov. Polis and Marlon, as they embark on what Im sure will be a success-filled tenure," Biden said during the meeting. "Joe and I look forward to the work ahead and we cant wait to get started."

Polis's election as vice chair comes at the end of his term as chair of the Western Governors Association this past year.
Today is July 14, 2023, and here's what you need to know:

When a walkout by Republican legislators threw the Colorado House into chaos on the last day of the 2023 session, the Democratic caucus hurried off the House floor and into a backroom.

What followed were discussions of decorum, legislation soon to be lost, legislation soon to be passed and priorities for next years work. But, as a handful of reporters feverishly searched the Capitol for the undisclosed meeting location, one Democratic lawmaker waited in the hallway. Rep. Elisabeth Epps of Denver did not enter the caucus meeting until members of the press were present.

Epps refused to join her caucus because these meetings, she argues in a new lawsuit, are illegal.

The lawsuit, also filed by Democrat Rep. Bob Marshall of Highlands Ranch, claims legislators from both parties with support from House leadership regularly participate in meetings that violate the Colorado open meetings law (COML). The law requires advanced public notice for any meeting of two or more legislators discussing public business, as well as for minutes to be taken of the meeting and made available to the public.

Besides impromptu meetings, like the one held the last day of the session, the lawsuit alleges intentional and repeated skirting on the law.

Those of us in the Capitol press corps know about it, and we don't challenge it enough.

When we find out about one of these closed-door meetings, which is harder than it sounds, we try to get into those meetings. But learning about it is a rarity, often reserved for when a lawmaker is annoyed enough to tip us about it.

Frankly, we aren't doing our job to the best of our abilities if we aren't being your eyes and ears on the legislature, including when lawmakers go behind closed doors that they are not allowed to keep us, and you, out of.

The question, then, is why we don't challenge it?

Earlier this week, the Colorado Republican who lost one of last year's closest congressional races announced that she was passing on another run for the seat.

State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer declared that she plans to seek another term in the legislature  her Weld County-based seat is up in 2022. Shell run for that seat rather than seek a rematch with U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the Thornton Democrat who barely edged past Kirkmeyer to win Colorado's newest congressional district, the evenly divided 8th CD in Adams, Weld and Larimer counties.

After falling less than a percentage point short  Kirkmeyer trailed Caraveo by just over 1,600 votes, for a 0.69% margin  Kirkmeyer has been facing calls to give it one more try.

Repeat candidates for major office, especially those who kept it close, can come with built-in advantages over fresh faces. Those usually include higher name ID, a seasoned campaign team, a proven list of donors and experience navigating the rocky shoals of a modern campaign.

Kirkmeyer says she gave it "careful consideration and deliberation" but ultimately decided to run for reelection to the legislature, where she's become one of the most effective voices of the opposition at the statehouse.

Since Mayor Michael Hancock committed to eliminating traffic deaths seven years ago, Denver's roads have only gotten deadlier. As Mayor-elect Mike Johnston prepares to take the city's reins, Denverites are asking for change.

More than 100 Denver residents squeezed into a packed rec room on Thursday evening for the chance to tell Johnston how he should improve the city's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. This was the latest of Johnston's 28 public forums aimed at collecting community feedback to develop the priorities for his first 100 days in office.

During the public forum, the weight of the more than 400 people who have died on Denver roads since Hancock's "Vision Zero" plan was announced in 2016 weighed heavily on the room.

"We tend to talk about those fatalities as private or very personal tragedies ... but it's a communal tragedy," said Jill Locantore, co-chair of Johnston's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and executive director of the Denver Streets Partnership. "It is the result of communal decisions that we have made about our transportation system."

"We can make different decisions going forward," Jill Locantore added.

A jury will decide whether Colorado Springs police officers unlawfully arrested and searched a woman who, moments prior, helped resuscitate a man who had stopped breathing from a drug overdose.

Colorado Springs asked U.S. District Court Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello to find its officers acted reasonably when they handcuffed and cited Sasha Cronick for "failure to disperse" from a motel parking lot where first responders were rendering aid to the unconscious man. However, Arguello believed a jury could ultimately find Cronick's arrest did not stem from any police order to leave the scene, but rather because she shouted at officers after being touched.

"The Court therefore finds that, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to Plaintiff, no reasonable officer would have believed that they were justified in arresting Plaintiff merely because she yelled," Arguello wrote in a June 20 order.

At the same time, she agreed officers were not liable for using excessive force when handcuffing Cronick, as there was no evidence of anything more than a minimal injury.
When a walkout by Republican legislators threw the Colorado House into chaos on the last day of the 2023 session, the Democratic caucus hurried off the House floor and into a backroom.

What followed were discussions of decorum, legislation soon to be lost, legislation soon to be passed and priorities for next years work. But, as a handful of reporters feverishly searched the Capitol for the undisclosed meeting location, one Democratic lawmaker waited in the hallway. Rep. Elisabeth Epps of Denver did not enter the caucus meeting until members of the press were present.

Epps refused to join her caucus because these meetings, she argues in a new lawsuit, are illegal.

The lawsuit, also filed by Democrat Rep. Bob Marshall of Highlands Ranch, claims legislators from both parties with support from House leadership regularly participate in meetings that violate the Colorado open meetings law (COML).

Besides impromptu meetings, like the one held the last day of the session, the lawsuit alleges intentional and repeated skirting on the law.

The lawsuit claims the Democratic and Republican caucuses each held mandatory secret meetings at least weekly during the 2023 session, directing legislative aides to omit or disguise the meetings on legislators' calendars. The meetings were said to include presentations of legislation by bill sponsors, question and answer periods, and discussions of how members would vote on legislation.

The lawsuit also claims that both party caucuses regularly use the encrypted messaging service Signal to discuss public business outside of public view, with the messages set for automatic deletion.

We repeatedly went to House leadership seeking solutions to COML violations, Epps and Marshall said in a joint statement. After six months of effort, we had to conclude that the Colorado General Assembly is unable or unwilling to properly address COML on its own.

Violating COML is not inevitable and must not be accepted as normal.

But violations of COML have been the norm at the General Assembly for years, not the exception.

Several current and former state legislators have called the provisions of COML unworkable, arguing it would impede business too severely to follow the law as written.

Former state Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose, told Colorado Politics the laws requirements are plain bull----.

I was there 12 years and there were multiple times that I sat with one or more representatives and talked about working out solutions to a bill, Coram said. If you eliminate that, you're going to totally stifle legislation and you'll end up with a lot of legislation that probably could have been a lot better had there been more involvement.

Coram said that, during his time in the House and Senate from 2010 to 2022, he did not see the open meetings law or alleged violations as a concern.

However, according to the lawsuit, at least one legislative staff member complained to House leadership about open meetings violations in 2022, even providing detailed proposals for how to come into compliance with the law that were ignored.

(The lawsuit) sounds like a couple of people that just want to be sour grapes to me. ... Grow up and try to learn what it takes to be a legislator, Coram said. That's putting you on very thin ice because, when you get legislators that are afraid to talk to each other, you're asking for trouble.

Former House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, said formal meetings, such as caucus meetings, were always made public under his leadership in 2009 and 2010, with members of the press frequently attending. But he said it is difficult to comply with COML, while still leaving room for legislators to have candid discussions.

Carroll said he thinks informal private meetings where legislators step out of the room to make deals on policy have to happen.

"Oftentimes, when you negotiate in public with a crowd around you and the media around you, there's a tendency for people to want to be superstars, Carroll said. "When you know that you're being recorded or being written about, it changes the dynamic and, sometimes, you don't get people's most candid and honest assessments.

He added: The legislature needs to find a way to strike that balance between providing transparency and openness, with the ability to have candid discussions necessary to forge legislative compromise  in an environment where there's not performative art.

Carroll said he is completely surprised by the lawsuit, saying it is disappointing legislators felt the conflict couldnt be resolved internally by working with leadership.

I wish it didnt come to that point, he said.

This appears to be the first time a Colorado legislator has sued their own party or party leadership. There are no records of such lawsuits occurring in at least the last 20 years, according to the Office of Legislative Legal Services. Jeff Roberts, a former state legislative reporter who is now executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, said he has never seen anything like the lawsuit in his decades-long career.

Former state treasurer and former state Sen. Mark Hillman, R-Burlington, applauded the lawsuit. Hillman, who served as both Senate majority and minority leader in the early 2000s, said the allegations in the lawsuit go far beyond reasonable transgressions.

It's one thing if a couple legislators huddle behind closed doors to work out a difficult policy dilemma, but that is far different than a system broadly used for the specific purpose of avoiding scrutiny by the public or the press, Hillman said. "Regardless of how or when this practice started, I hope legislative leaders will put an end to it now. It took courage for two freshmen lawmakers from very different perspectives to blow the whistle on this practice.

Marshall told Colorado Politics that he didnt want the issue to go to the courts, and hes still hoping to avoid a trial if House leadership confesses to the complaint and agrees to accept an injunction. Thats why theyve held back on filing a preliminary injunction motion, he said.

Marshall said both he and Epps individually went to leadership for months trying to resolve the alleged open meetings violations. Marshall was under the impression that an interim committee would be assigned over the summer to analyze the open meetings law so the law  or the legislatures operations  could be adjusted as needed next session.

But the committee was not appointed, and there was never even a vote to discuss it, he said. Then, Marshall learned of the alleged complaint made by a legislative staffer in 2022 and how that, too, resulted in no changes.

I just didn't see the institution being able to change without outside intervention, Marshall said. This is entrenched. This stuff's been going on for decades, there's no doubt. It's just custom and practice.

This is meant to be a loving intervention with an alcoholic that just can't change, he added.

Rules for thee, not for me

It's been just over 50 years since voters told the General Assembly they wanted more transparency in how lawmakers conduct the public's business. Colorado's Sunshine Law of 1972, a ballot initiative sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Common Cause, put the issue of open meetings at both the state and local public body level in front of voters.

It won widespread support, with approval from 60% of voters.

The statutory* language is simple to understand: Wherever two or more lawmakers are gathered, thats an open meeting, in which minutes must be taken and made available to the public.

The statutory citation for the Sunshine Law that became known as COML says: It is declared to be a matter of statewide concern and the policy of this state that the formation of public policy is public business and may not be conducted in secret.

Named after Florida where it was first passed, the Sunshine Law stemmed from growing distrust of government that started in the late 1960s and reached its peak during Watergate and the Nixon administration, according to former Capitol reporter Fred Brown.

Once adopted by voters in Colorado, lawmakers on either side of the aisle chafed at its provisions and, within a year, had filed a lawsuit seeking to declare it unconstitutional. They believed it conflicted with Article V Section 14 of the state constitution that says only that sessions of each house and committees of the whole shall be open unless when the business is such as ought to be kept secret.

But thats the end of the section. The constitution doesnt give any guidance on what could be kept secret and theres never been a court case providing that kind of guidance.

Sen. Ralph Cole  a Republican who represented Arapahoe, Crowley, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties  in December 1973 sought a declaratory judgment in Denver District Court, arguing COML did not apply to legislative caucus meetings, and that to apply the law to those gatherings violated his rights of free speech and association. The lower court ruled against him.

The Supreme Court upheld that decision, stating the open meetings law "was clearly intended to afford the public access to a broad range of meetings at which public business is considered." The court believed citizens must be given "a greater opportunity to become fully informed on issues of public importance so that meaningful participation in the decision-making process may be achieved."

The court also noted the General Assembly had provided exemptions to the law for certain gatherings, but legislative caucuses weren't included. In addition, the court said, "while a legislative caucus is not an official policy-making body of the General Assembly, it is, nonetheless, a 'de facto' policy-making body which formulates legislative policy."

Colorado Politics could find only one major lawsuit filed against the General Assembly for failing to comply with COML.

In 1978, the state Senate was sued for failing to provide timely notice of committee meetings. But the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Sen. Harold McCormick, who chaired the Senate business committee, provided appropriate notice by, among other things, relying on the secretary of the Senate to publish a list of all bills that could be considered on a particular day by his committee in the Senate calendar.

Still, Colorado legislators have seemingly been breaking the open meetings law since its inception.

(The lawsuit) is bringing out allegations of things that people have known have been going on for a long time, said Roberts of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. Its not always easy to prove. That's the thing. You suspect.

Roberts, a state legislative reporter in the 80s and 90s, said even then, reporters would have to push their way into meetings when legislators ducked into backrooms to discuss policy in private. Sometimes legislators would stop talking when the reporters entered, or the reporters couldnt get it or werent aware of the meetings at all.

As recently as 2020, a Colorado Politics reporter had to assert the open meetings law to gain access to a closed-door meeting among legislators, and then she was still asked to leave when the legislators decided they needed to call the governor.

On the last day of the 2020 session, the state Senate was poised to vote on appointments to the Colorado State Fair Authority board. The vote had been delayed for months after Coram and other Republicans complained about lack of representation on the board by Eastern Colorado residents and gained enough votes from Democrats to kill the appointments. Instead of holding the vote, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg of Boulder canceled it.

Senators, including leadership of both caucuses, first gathered in the front of the chamber to discuss Fenbergs decision. A bipartisan group of eight lawmakers then adjourned to Senate President Leroy Garcias office, with no announcement of the closed-door meeting.

During the meeting, Coram shouted at Fenberg, who accused Coram of trying to embarrass Gov. Jared Polis. Coram replied he viewed it as an education for the governor. Assistant Minority Leader Sen. John Cooke of Greeley said that it looked like Democrats were trying to protect the governor.

If the votes are there, the votes are there, Garcia said.

Lets find out! Coram replied.

After 20 minutes, senators appeared to be at an impasse, and decided to call the governor. Colorado Politics reporter Marianne Goodland turned down a request from Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert of Parker to step out of the room while they talked to him.

The call went forward, and Polis pledged to do better in the future with Eastern Plains representation on boards and commissions, although the vote on the three appointees never took place.

Open season on closed meetings

During the 2023 session, anyone could stand outside the Capitols south steps and watch as Democrats walk across the street to the First Baptist Church on Mondays around noon for their caucuses. Republicans have held their caucus meetings in a variety of places, both within the Capitol and in private offices outside of the Capitol complex.

Senate GOP Spokesman Josh Bly told Colorado Politics the meetings are open to the public and press, but left out the where and when.

Accomplishing the peoples business requires our members to meet constantly, Bly said in an email to Colorado Politics. During the 2023 session, members met in a number of different venues and formats, from the corner of the Senate chamber, to committee hearing rooms and member offices, all of which were periodically visited by members of the public and press. This included a Monday morning meeting to review the legislative calendar and what may or may not happen during the week.

Those meetings were never announced.

Through a spokesman, House Democrats, citing the pending legislation, refused to talk about their caucus meetings.

Besides alleged secret caucus meetings, Roberts said other violations of COML are more blatant. He pointed to the quadratic voting system the Colorado Democrats use to prioritize funding for legislation as an unrecognized transgression.

Since 2019, legislators have used secret ballots to rank which bills they want to get funding, with each legislators votes kept hidden from the public. The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition wrote a letter to the legislature last year objecting to the practice, but Roberts said they never received a response.

That's not one of the allegations in this lawsuit, but to me it's the same type of thing. They're essentially meeting in secret to discuss the public's business, Roberts said. Or in committee hearings where they get stuck on some question when they're trying to decide a bill. Then they take a 'senatorial five' and go out of the room. They come back in the room, and they figured it out.

People let them do that, but is that what the law says?

Lawmakers are routinely advised of their responsibilities under COML, most recently, in an updated opinion last October that clearly stated how the law applies to lawmakers.

While the memo from the Office of Legislative Legal Services pointed out the basics of the law, its scant enforcement was a topic of concern in a publication on open meetings from the Colorado Municipal League.

The publication warned the potential for a serious loss of confidence in the government when official actions are invalidated because laws aimed at assuring open government are violated.

Brown believes the legislatures adherence to transparency has gotten worse over the years, noting that legislative caucuses used to be held as open meetings before they were even required to.

A longtime member of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, Brown said the group is seeing more problems with each passing year.

Theres a certain self-fulfilling prophecy about laws like this. If people pass laws that say we cant trust government to do the right thing, people who would do the right thing wont, he said.

Marshall said his and Epps experience dealing with the open meetings law made them especially sensitive to spotting violations when they took office in January, saying he doesnt blame his colleagues or House leadership for continuing the status quo. Marshall is also the plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging the Douglas County Board of Education violated Colorados open meeting laws when planning former superintendent Cory Wises ouster by using a series of one-on-one and private meetings.

But even if not malicious, Marshall said the constant violations have made it difficult to do his job, in addition to requiring legislators to choose between knowingly violating the law or representing our constituents properly by participating in illegal meetings where policy decisions are made.

"I'm on the Judiciary Committee and we're yelling at county sheriffs who won't enforce the law, rightfully so. And we're yelling at the governor because they don't put together transparent rules to do pardons and clemency, rightfully so. ... It's kind of hard to do that when you're being a hypocrite, Marshall said.

Ultimately, Marshall said he wants to adjust COML to make it more manageable for the legislature. He suggested, for example, no longer classifying emails between legislators as open meetings, but said he is willing to discuss any potential changes that would help end the current culture of disregarding the law completely.

We're blatantly and brazenly violating (COML) constantly, Marshall said. The law is clear on what we're supposed to be doing and we're not. The answer is not to just ignore it, the answer is to change it.

Correction: An earlier version of this story noted Colorado lawmakers must publicly notice all meetings. Lawmakers must publicly notice meetings where formal action taken, or a quorum is expected to be present. In addition, the Sunshine Law is statutory, not constitutional.
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The US Federal Trade Commission is reportedly investigating ChatGPT maker OpenAI for potential violations of consumer protection regulations involving data privacy and false statements about third parties.

According to reports that surfaced Thursday, the FTC has filed an official request with OpenAI for a wide range of data, covering how the company markets its products, how it goes about identifying and correcting failures in the system, how it handles customer data, and more. The Washington Post published a 20-page document purporting to be the FTCs request for information, which is referred to as a civil investigative demand, or CID. The CID contains 49 questions for OpenAI to answer about its operations, as well as 14 requests for documentation related to those questions.

The FTC has been the most active federal agency involved in this type of consumer protection action against the technology industry, in part because the legislative process generally lags far behind the pace of change in the tech business.

While the FTC declined to comnent, OPenAI CEO Sam Altman issued a response to the reports on Twitter.

"It is very disappointing to see the FTC's request start with a leak and does not help build trust. That said, its super important to us that out technology is safe and pro-consumer, and we are confident we follow the law. of course we will work with the FTC," Altman said. "We built GPT-4 on top of years of safety research and spent 6+ months after we finished initial training making it safer and more aligned before releasing it. We protect user privacy and design our systems to learn about the world, not private individuals."

Putting a check on how OpenAI operates

FTC Chairperson Lina Khan told the House Judiciary Committee Thursday that her agency is concerned that generative AI apps that are consumer-facing, like OpenAI's ChatGPT, have no checks on the information they harvest from consumers, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The impact of generative AI on various industries has been difficult to overstate, experts agree. IDC research director Ryan OLeary said that many of the problems involved are common to new technologies that hit the market quickly, without an extensive regulatory framework in place.

When you first fired up ChatGPT [in its earliest versions], there were really no warnings or terms and conditions that were in your face and easy to understand that explains, once youve typed something into ChatGPT, where it was going, he said. The way that the general public interfaces with this is oh, this is a machine that can tell you everything  they dont know how it knows everything.

Its reminiscent, OLeary added, of the lightning growth of Facebook when it really began to take off. Users, at the time, didnt fully understand exactly what was happening with their data, leading to serious consequences.

The government, after Cambridge Analytica, is a lot more cautious and trying to stop misunderstood adoption, he said. Last year, Facebook parent Meta settled a class action lawsuit seeking damages for allowing UK political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica access to the private data of tens of millions of Facebook users.

The apparent CID gives OpenAI 14 days from receipt to respond to the governments interrogatories and requests for documents. OpenAI is also dealing with several recent lawsuits from authors over its possible use of copyrighted material as training data for its large language models.

(This story has been updated with a comment that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made on Twitter.)
07/13/2023

Photo (c) d3sign - Getty Images If youre thinking about flying somewhere for Thanksgiving or Christmas, now  not August, not September, and definitely not October  is the time to do it and beat others to the punch. Waiting too long could cost you.

In fact, fares are already starting to shift. When ConsumerAffairs ran some sample routes on Google Flights, we found that fares nearly doubled between the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving from Baltimore to Phoenix. Other routes we looked at were starting to spike in that direction, too.

Going.com travel expert Katy Nastro broke down the one rule that travelers should always remember: Always book during the opposite season.

While most of us are still thinking about a last-minute summer getaway, Im already considering winter holiday travel. Peak seasons mean peak prices, but not if youre strategic about when you book, Nastro told ConsumerAffairs.

Im already searching for Cancun flights for a New Year's Eve wedding I have, keeping a few price alerts on to track prices. When the price is right for my budget, Ill hit book yet still keep those price alerts on so that if the price drops again for my flight, I can cancel my ticket with the airline, get credit and just rebook at the lower fare, saving overall in the end.

Revisiting the Goldilocks Windows

What ConsumerAffairs found out about the Goldilocks Window earlier this year still stands. The old wives' tale that the best fares are available at 3 a.m. on Tuesday or 1 p.m. on Wednesday is simply a myth. Airlines may have played those games years ago, but they dont have time for such foolishness now.

If you're traveling domestically, the Goldilocks Window is one to three months before you fly. It's two to eight months in advance for international flights.

But if you want to travel during a peak time like summer or New Year's, add a few months. For domestic flights, it's more like three to six months and for international flights, it's more like three to 10 months.

If youre willing to go overseas, Going.com told ConsumerAffairs that its already seen some great deals for travel during this time (all prices round trip):

Chicago to Berlin for $487

DC to London for $2,100 in business class

Dallas to Auckland, New Zealand, for $981 nonstop

San Francisco to Mexico City for $281

Staying close to home can pay off

If warmer weather is a must and you dont want to fly across the ocean, Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, said: For international trips, especially those to the Caribbean and Mexico, start monitoring prices six months in advance and expect to book three to four months before your trip dates.

She shared that Hopper has found some great under $500 Caribbean fares like these that are worth considering if you plan that far out:

Cancun, Mexico ($250 to $368 per round-trip ticket)

San Juan, Puerto Rico ($175 to $343 per round-trip ticket)

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic ($277 to $413 per round-trip ticket)

Montego Bay, Jamaica ($286 to $465 per round-trip ticket)

Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic ($309 to $480 per round-trip ticket)

If youre staying home for the holidays, but still want to do a weekend romp somewhere, Berg found several domestic destinations for weekend getaways under $250, including:

Orlando, Florida ($84 to $245 per round-trip ticket)

Cleveland, Ohio ($86 to $228 per round-trip ticket)

Houston, Texas ($119 to $222 per round-trip ticket)

Washington D.C. ($110 to $247 per round-trip ticket)

Minneapolis, Minnesota ($102 to $221 per round-trip ticket)

If you land a great fare, it could get even better

Early planners should also be aware that while locking in a great fare now is a good idea, once youve booked it, you should keep your eyes on it, Nastro said. Airline schedules are constantly changing these days, so booking early means youre pretty likely to see something change about your flightwhether that means a little change in departure time or something more dramatic.

She said that either way, its important to check your flight status frequently in the months and weeks leading up to your trip and know your rights if something goes sideways.

It's not always bad, though; sometimes a schedule change can work in your favor, she said.
Character actor Gary Crotty, better known by his stage name Biff Wiff, was hospitalized in May as he battles the side effects of a year-old cancer diagnosis. The actor, who has shown up in everything from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Brooklyn Nine-Nine to Everything Everywhere All at Once, announced the diagnosis in an Instagram post with a link to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up by Friends of Biff on his behalf. They shared their plea and urged potential donors, Lets help Biff get better, so he can continue making the world a more beautiful place.

While Wiff is one of many workhorse actors in Hollywood who doesnt necessarily get their due, he recently took off as a niche internet darling thanks to his appearances on Netflixs I Think You Should Leave. That community of fans in particular, whose love of referencing the sketch shows quips and zingers knows no bounds, helped put a significant dent in the fundraiser goal of $300,000 (though its still about 215k short).

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Along the way, many donors made reference to the Shirt Brothers sketch, where Wiff and I Think You Should Leaves creator Tim Robinson were donning the same exact shirt. Some also shared their own experiences with cancer and how Wiff helped them through their battles. One such donor wrote, I fought cancer and broken bones in 2022  I know you could use the help. Happy to have recovered from all and laughing with you on TV in 2023!

In an update last month, Wiff shared his gratitude for the outpouring of support and further detailed his journey: Hi everyone. Thank you so much for all the support. It has really been lifting me up. I just couldnt believe this kind of support would come my way. Its been a crazy journey, working so much last year, and then having these symptoms come back.

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I hope youre all enjoying the latest season of I Think You Should Leave! Tim did a really great job, he continued. Thanks again shirt brothers. Hope to get out of here soon.

If you cant contribute to Wiffs GoFundMe, at least promise me a million times that youll send along a Shirt Brothers picture to keep him going.
If perfect is the enemy of good, and then is the enemy of a good story  at least according to Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Recently resurfaced footage from MTVUs Stand In, which featured celebrities surprising unwitting college students with lectures based on their craft (sort of a proto MasterClass), shows the South Park creators standing in to share what merits good storytelling in their humble opinions.

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Most writers, no matter the form, often find themselves developing some form of outline. In the case of screenwriting, most outlines are composed of beats, which are basic shifts in narrative. During the episode, Parker explained to NYU Tisch students that if we can take the beats of your outline, and the words and then (are) between those beats, youre fucked basically. You got something pretty boring.

Instead, Parker urged students and writers alike to opt for words like therefore and but, which Stone said gives you the causation between each beat to make a story. While Parker insinuated that it was an issue plaguing primarily new writers, Stone chimed in that he saw Hollywood movies that suffered from the same monotonous cycle where this happens and then this happens and then this happens and found himself wondering what the fuck am I watching this movie for?

He didnt clarify, though, (and then) what happened next.
Human comics have nothing to worry about when it comes to competition from AI, boasts stand-up Brad Williams. I wrote into ChatGPT, Write me a joke about cancel culture, he told The Los Angeles Times. It responded, My toaster got canceled for making the toast too Black. So for now, the humans job is safe.

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Are we sure? Already, virtual versions of Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Brady have been performing online sets, albeit of dubious quality. But comedians are confident that AI wont be taking their jobs anytime soon. AI can only pander to the masses, says John Poveromo, host of the Dystopia Tonight podcast, while skilled comedians craft material that brings the audience to them.

After all, says Poveromo, AI is only capable of essentially remixing what comedians have already created. In comedy, we have that in human form: We call them hacks, he says. And in the same way a skilled comic can blow a hack off the stage, I have no doubt in a live setting they would do the same to anything AI can generate.

Comic Sarah Fetemi says dads and their corny puns are the only ones that AI will put out of the comedy business. AI joke-writing definitely goes out of its way to be PC, she says. Which makes sense, coming from the fact that its coming from a PC. (We get what Fetemi is saying here, but makes sense, coming from the fact that its coming from a PC is pretty much the definition of a dad joke.)

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But if formula comedy is the best AI can do, then writing jokes will be one of the very last tasks AI will be able to do convincingly and effectively, says comedian Matthew Broussard. Meaning, against all logic, I chose the career with the most stability.

Tom Rhodes is yet another comic who doesnt worry about (AI) replacing comedy. Nothing compares to a live performance where anything can happen. Besides, Rhodes points out, the best comedy is intensely personal. AI could never imitate the ingenious quirky witticisms of my mother and the way she looks at the world.

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But heres a caution to all of these overly confident comics: Its been less than one freaking year since the world was introduced to tools like ChatGPT. Already, comics admit that AI can generate some pretty decent dad jokes (along with some nonsensical duds). Were rooting for the humans here, but keep an eye on how AI comedy writing progresses -- it might get to actually funny faster than any of us think.
Gold Price (XAU/USD) Analysis, Price, and Chart

US dollar weakness helps to power gold higher.

Retail sentiment is mixed.

Recommended by Nick Cawley Download our Brand New Q3 Gold Guide Get My Guide

For all market-moving data releases and events, see the DailyFX Economic Calendar

US Treasury yields have fallen sharply over the last week as traders increase their bets that the Federal Reserves monetary policy tightening program is coming to an end. The yield on the rate-sensitive UST 2s has fallen by 50 basis points since last Thursday, while further out along the curve, the UST 10s are around 30 basis points lower, while the UST 30s have shed around 18 basis points over the same time period. In the short end at least, it looks as though we have passed peak rates.

UST 2-Year Yield Daily Chart

The tailwind of lower rates has helped push gold through a zone of support turned resistance around $1932/oz. and $1.940/oz. This area now turns back to support and should hold any short-tend sell-off. Below here the 20-day simple moving average acts as further support. To the upside, $1971/oz. and $1,985/oz. should act as brakes to any move higher.

The Quiz Discover what kind of forex trader you are Start Quiz

Gold Daily Price Chart  July 14, 2023

Chart via TradingView

Gold Bearish Data provided by of clients are net long. of clients are net short.

Change in Longs Shorts OI Daily -1% -5% -3% Weekly -1% -10% -4%

Retail Traders Remain Long of Gold but Sentiment is Mixed

Retail trader data show 65.23% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.88 to 1.The number of traders net-long is 2.79% higher than yesterday and 13.82% lower than last week, while the number of traders net-short is 5.32% lower than yesterday and 41.56% higher than last week.

We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests Gold prices may continue to fall. Positioning is more net-long than yesterday but less net-long from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed Gold trading bias.

What is your view on Gold  bullish or bearish?? You can let us know via the form at the end of this piece or you can contact the author via Twitter @nickcawley1.
READ MORE: Burger King Thailand releases new cheeseburger with no meat

These burger range from salivating and sweet, all the way to weird and odd

If you're a burger lover, then chances are you've tried almost every combination under the sun.

We like to load up our burger patties with cheese, fried onions and an array of sauces - but some more daring burger connoisseur go much further with their toppings.

Fried frog, ice cream, and even squid ink have been known to top burgers around the world, with people flocking to restaurants offering these speciality dishes.

FEMAIL has collected a list of some of the weirdest and most unique burger toppings from around the world - and some may even leave you salivating.

From sweet and decadent to downright bizarre, here are some of the standout burger recipes on offer around the world.

1. THE CHICKEN DOUGHNUT BURGER

Sweet and salty! London's Bird restaurant has created this 8 fried chicken doughnut burger (pictured)

If a brioche bun burger doesn't appease your sweet tooth, why not push the limits by trying a doughnut burger?

This chicken doughnut burger sandwiches a crispy battered chicken breast between two glazed doughnuts. It's also filled with bacon and melted cheese.

This invention is courtesy of chicken restaurant Bird in London and will set you back 8.

2. THE DEEP FRIED FROG BURGER

Weird and wacky! A whole deep fried frog, lettuce, and chili sauce stuffed between two black squid ink buns

If you're croaking for something on the wild side, then this deep fried frog burger is just for you.

This delectable Japanese creation needs little explanation, it is frankly a frog deep fried whole in a burger.

When you tuck into this wacky treat, you'll see lettuce, chilli sauce and two charcoal blackened buns - as well as two frog legs poking out - and costs around 5.

It was launched by nature themed museum Orbi Yokohama as a promotion for their poisonous frogs exhibition.

3. THE PECAN AND BROWN BUTTER ICE CREAM BURGER

Jude's wacky Pecan and Brown Butter Ice Cream burger is made from ice cream, strawberries, a toasted brioche bun and pecans

This frosty treat was put together by Hampshire ice-cream makers Jude's.

The deliriously sweet snack packs a mega sugar punch consisting of a toasted brioche bun, brown butter pecan ice cream, strawberries and pecans.

The 4.50 burger, which is definitely more of a dessert, was previously on sale at St James Park, London.

4. THE TRIPLE BYPASS BURGER

The Triple Bypass Burger by Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas contains three slabs of meat, 12 rashes of bacon, cheese, red onion, sliced tomato and a 'unique special sauce'

Another meaty treat that needs little explanation is the Triple Bypass Burger by Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas.

This gigantic snack comes served with 'Flatliner Fries' and a giant soft drink, with the entire meal exceeding a staggering 8000 calories.

The calorific burger contains three slabs of meat, 12 rashes of bacon, cheese, red onion, sliced tomato and a 'unique special sauce', while the Flatliner Fries are cooked in pure lard.

A female diner was once rolled out of the burger joint on a stretcher after she collapsed there.

The woman had been eating a double bypass burger, smoking cigarettes and drinking a margarita shortly before she fell to the floor unconscious and had to be wheeled out by paramedics.

5. THE BLACK SQUID INK BURGER

The Black Squid Ink Burger features toasted black bread buns coloured by squid ink and originates from Bangkok

This gothic-looking burger was launched by Bangkok chain Casper Burgers.

The Black Squid Ink Burger features toasted black bread buns coloured by squid ink.

When squids defend themselves against predators they release a dark ink, which often makes for a rich and savoury taste when added to dishes.

The black-blue ink is a popular ingredient amongst Mediterranean and Japanese cuisines.

However, this burger's filling isn't as weird as it looks, with just grilled beef, lettuce and Dijon mustard.

The burgers were also adopted by McDonald's Japan and Burger King Japan, the latter of which went through the effort of blackening the cheese and sauce.

6. THE CHEERIOS AND POP TART BURGER (THE GOOD MORNING BURGER)

The Good Morning America burger by Almost Famous in Manchester isn't for the weak-hearted

Buckle your seatbelts because this Cheerios and Pop Tart burger, stylised as the Good Morning America burger by Almost Famous in Manchester, isn't for the weak-hearted.

This incredibly strange burger may not be the best way to start your day, but it could possibly be one of the most interesting.

For 10.99, tuck in to a sausage patty, bacon, cheese, maple syrup, a poached egg, bacon mayonnaise, ketchup.

Owners of Almost Famous didn't stop there and even added Cheerios and a strawberry Pop Tart.

7. THE REAL CHEESEBURGER

Burger King in Thailand has recently launched a burger filled 20 slices of American cheese

The newest burger on the list is on sale right now at Burger King in Thailand.

Most people understand a burger to be two toasty buns, filled with a savoury ingredient - and this invention does just that.

The dish, which costs 109 Thai baht (or 2.50), is comprised of a bun filled with as many as 20 slices of American cheese.

The diner announced the burger's release on their official Burger King Thailand Facebook page earlier this week, with a post reading: 'This is no joke. This is for real.'

8. THE CRONUT BURGER

Canadian pastry shop, Le Dolci teamed up with Epic Burgers and Waffles to create the Cronut Burger

This delightful concoction makes use of all the things we love, from burgers to doughnuts and even croissants.

But how will these individual sweet and savoury treats taste together?

Well Canadian pastry shop Le Dolci teamed up with Epic Burgers and Waffles to give it a try.

Called the Do-Cro burger for short, it sandwiches a hamburger patty and slice of cheese between two pieces of cronuts.

The Cronut is a pastry which resembles a doughnut, and is made from croissant-like dough.

The Cronut was created and trademarked in 2013 by French pastry chef Dominique Ansel.

9. THE PORK, KALE AND EGG BURGER (THE BEAST BURGER)

Aptly named 'The Beast', its pork and herb patty is topped with crispy bacon, melted Swiss cheese, and a fried egg

Assumed to be the 'healthiest' burger on the list, get in at least one of your five-a-day with this pork, kale and egg burger.

The limited edition burger by London's The Breakfast Club was set at 11.50 with 1 from every sale donated to Create, a charity for young carers.

If you try this one for breakfast, we've got a feeling you'll be set until lunch.

Aptly named 'The Beast', its pork and herb patty is topped with crispy bacon, melted Swiss cheese, and a fried egg. It's also served with a potato hash on the side.

10. THE BUNNY BURGER

This super stacked burger can be found at the The Yard On Glebe cafe in Brisbane and features a chocolate Easter egg

This unique creation originates from Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, and also mixes the sweet and savoury.

This super-stacked burger can be found at the The Yard On Glebe cafe and is decorated with an edible chocolate egg.

The one-of-a-kind meal was conceived to celebrate Easter and contains hot cross buns, two rashers of bacon, two beef patties, hickory sauce, onion jam and a chunk of melted cheese.

The cafe owner Letesha Amber Dean said they cooked up the idea and decided to give it a go after successfully trailing it in-store.
Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran has opened up about how she bought a $40,000 Porsche with a credit card in 1984  and had to eat Chef Boyardee for three years to pay it off.

The self-made millionaire, 74, shared the wild story behind the irresponsible impulse purchase she made early on in her career in a 'Get Ready With Me' video that was posted on TikTok.

The Corcoran Group founder, who was hustling to grow her real estate brokerage, explained that she was in a cab on the West Side Highway, headed uptown for an apartment showing, when she spotted a 'fancy car dealership.'

'"Pull over," I told that cabbie,' she recalled. 'Back then, my business was so small I had no business being there, but I straightened up my back and I pushed through the door.'

Barbara Corcoran, 74, opened up about how she bought a $40,000 Porsche with a credit card in 1984 - years before she made her first million

The Shark Tank investor (pictured with the Porsche) insisted it was 'worth it' because the car made her feel 'like a million bucks'

When she walked in, she inquired about a small car that caught her eye, unaware it was a Porsche that was far out of her budget.

'"What's that cute little car in the corner?" I asked, figuring that little probably meant cheaper,' she explained. 'He said, "It's a Carrera!" all fancy like that. "What's the price of that little guy?" I asked confidently.'

Corcoran described how the salesman looked her up and down and smirked when he told her the Porsche cost $40,000.

'Now $40,000 might not sound like a lot of money to you for a Porsche,' she noted, 'but you have to remember, it was 1984, and that's like $120,000 today.'

Corcoran said she quickly calculated that if she owned the car for 20 years, it would only cost her about $2,000 a year. She told the man she would take it, but he wouldn't let her drive it off the lot unless she paid for it upfront.

'I said a little prayer for my credit card,' she joked.

After taking the Porsche home with her, she made one last splurge before she was forced to start pinching her pennies.

'I'd been grinding my gears for about a month when I decided to buy myself a brown leather bomber jacket to measure up to my new set of wheels,' she explained.

The self-made millionaire shared the wild story behind the irresponsible impulse purchase in a 'Get Ready With Me' video that was posted on TikTok

Corcoran explained that she was headed to an apartment showing when she made her cab driver pull over at a 'fancy car dealership.' After the Porsche caught her eye, she charged it

Corcoran admitted she 'ate Chef Boyardee spaghetti for the next three years' to pay it off, but she doesn't have any regrets

'Well, I ate Chef Boyardee spaghetti for the next three years, but I'm gonna say it was worth it,' she added, holding up a picture of herself standing in front of her Porsche in her bomber jacket.

'Riding around in that gray Porsche, I felt like a million bucks long before I made my first million.'

Corcoran grew up in a working-class family in Edgewater, New Jersey, as one of 10 children. She struggled in school and later realized she had dyslexia. By the time she was 23, she had 20 jobs, according to her website.

She borrowed $1,000 from her boyfriend to start her eponymous real estate company in 1973. After he dumped her to marry her secretary, she struck out on her own and built The Corcoran Group into a billion-dollar business.

Corcoran sold the real estate brokerage for $66 million in 2001, but she had been candid about the fact that she's never been one to save her money.

'I'm just not a believer in saving money,' she told CNBC Make It. 'I've never saved a dime my whole life.'

The multi-millionaire said she got her philosophy from her mother, 'who raised 10 children on a shoestring budget' and believed 'money is meant to be spent.'

Corcoran borrowed $1,000 from her boyfriend to start her eponymous real estate company in 1973. After he dumped her to marry her secretary, she struck out on her own

The real estate mogul hustled to turn The Corcoran Group into a billion-dollar business. She sold the real estate brokerage for $66 million in 2001

As an investor on Shark Tank, ABCs four-time Emmy award-winning show, she has invested in over 80 businesses to date

Corcoran recalled being on the brink of bankruptcy 'for the fifth time' during the 1990-1991 recession when her mother advised her, 'Don't worry about the money. It's a waste of time.'

The businesswoman has two children of her own  an adult son, Tom, and a teenage daughter, Kate  with her husband, Bill Higgins, a retired Navy captain and FBI agent.

'When I sold my business for $66 million, I immediately thought of what I could spend it on,' she said. 'I gave half of it away to family, friends, education funds, charities, because I really believe if you spend, money comes back to you.'

As an investor on Shark Tank, ABCs four-time Emmy award-winning show, she has invested in over 80 businesses to date.

Corcoran is also the proud owner of a $15 million penthouse in New York City and a nearly $1 million mobile home located in a ritzy trailer park in Los Angeles.

The television star recently gave TikTok star Caleb Simpson a tour of her double-wide, which boasts two and a half bedrooms and a deck overlooking the ocean.
A mom who describes herself as the 'Mouth of the South' has been branded as 'toxic' after she reduced her daughter to tears by giving her a series of brutal criticisms during her wedding dress fitting.

Taylor Kirkpatrick, 20, from Atlanta, Georgia, appeared on an episode of TLC's Say Yes to the Dress back in 2012 - in the hopes of finding the perfect outfit ahead of her upcoming nuptials to longtime boyfriend Dustin Johnson.

However, choosing her gown didn't go as well as she'd hope - because her mom, Cindi Kirkpatrick, had some very strong opinions about what she should wear, and wasn't shy about letting them known.

Not only did Cindi slam her own daughter's body during the shopping trip, but she also dissed every gown that she tried on except for the one that she had picked out herself - and many people on the web were left horrified by her 'dreadful' actions.

A mom (left) has been branded as 'toxic' after she reduced her daughter (right) to tears by giving her a series of brutal criticisms during her wedding dress fitting

Taylor Kirkpatrick, 20, appeared on an episode of TLC's Say Yes to the Dress in the hopes of finding the perfect outfit ahead of her nuptials to longtime boyfriend Dustin Johnson (seen)

However, choosing her gown didn't go as well as she'd hope - because her mom, Cindi Kirkpatrick (seen), had some very strong opinions about what she should wear

Not only did Cindi slam her own daughter's body during the shopping trip, but she also dissed every gown that she tried on except for the one that she had picked out herself

Say Yes to the Dress' YouTube account shared footage of Cindi railing into her daughter during the episode recently, and it sparked fierce criticism for the self-proclaimed 'Mouth of the South.'

The video began with the Taylor's personal consultant, Flo, asking her what she was looking for in her wedding dress, and she explained that she loves 'lace' and 'mermaid' style gowns.

Say Yes to the Dress' YouTube account shared footage of Cindi railing into her daughter during the episode, and it sparked fierce criticism for the Atlanta-based mother, who branded herself as the 'Mouth of the South'

Immediately, her mom gave the camera a dirty look before interjecting, 'Personally, I like the shiny ones that kind of look like they were wrapped [fabric] around you.'

Taylor was unamused with the idea and quickly shut it down. She said: 'She wants me to look like a layered cake.

'Mama, I love you, but your mouth is as big as your heart. You're miss Mouth of the South.'

Cindi didn't seem bothered by the nickname, in fact, she completely embraced it, adding, 'I might be Mouth of the North, East, and West as well.'

Taylor's dad, who said he has been separated from Cindi 'for a while,' then warned the audience during his confessional: 'Cindi's very opinionated.'

When it came time to try on some dresses, Cindi and Rick each picked one out that they thought would look best on Taylor for her big day.

When it came time to try on some dresses, both of Taylor's parents picked one out that they thought would look best on her for her big day. She tried on her dad's choice first (seen)

Cindi was not a fan. She said, 'It's ugly. I don't like anything about it. It's a pretty dress for someone else, just not her.' She also told her daughter she was 'too boney' for that style

Next up, Taylor tried on the gown that her mom had picked out - a lacy number with a straight across neckline and flowers throughout

'That's beautiful,' Cindi gushed upon seeing her daughter in the dress. But Taylor's dad intervened, 'Sweetheart, that dress just doesn't do it for you,' and she agreed

First, she tried on her dad's choice - an ivory silk trumpet dress with intricate lace embellishments.

He told the camera that he was drawn to it due to its 'simplicity,' explaining, 'I want it to be more about her than her dress.'

Immediately upon putting it on, Taylor was in awe. She gushed: 'Oh wow, daddy did good. I would have never even picked this. It's beautiful.'

But unfortunately, Cindi was not a fan. She asked, 'Are you kidding me?' before adding to the camera, 'It's ugly, can I say the word ugly?

'I don't like anything about it. It's a pretty dress for someone else I'm sure. Just not her.'

Cindi then told her daughter that she was 'too boney' for that style, explaining to the 20-year-old, 'Your [chest] need to be covered more. The dress is not the one for you, that's obvious.'

Next up, Taylor tried on the gown that her mom had picked out - a lacy number with a straight across neckline and flowers throughout.

'That's beautiful,' Cindi gushed upon seeing her daughter in the dress. But her dad intervened, 'It's not quite Taylor. Sweetheart, that dress just doesn't do it for you. Next.'

'Excuse me?' an outraged Cindi fired back to him, with a huge scowl on her face.

In the end, Taylor agreed with her dad and shut the dress down. She explained, 'I spent my last 20 years pleasing my mom. Now, I'm a grown woman and it's time for me to please myself.'

After that, Taylor put on a dress that one of the employees had come across - and she immediately knew it was the one.

The tiered, lacy gown came with a dazzling beaded belt around her waistline, and the bride-to-be was so in love with it that she broke down in tears the moment she saw herself in it.

'As soon as I put that dress on, all I saw was beauty,' she gushed. 'I love it, it's making me cry. I think it's so pretty.'

After that, Taylor put on a dress that one of the employees had come across - and she immediately knew it was the one

But Cindi was not in favor of it, and she quickly started bashing it, which made Taylor erupt into sobs

'Can I say something? I like the other dress better. I'm not feeling it,' Cindi stated. 'I'm glad it makes you all bubbly and emotional but it doesn't do that for me'

Despite her mom's disdain for the ensemble, Taylor insisted she had found the one, and she officially said yes to the dress

But Cindi was not in favor of it, and she quickly started bashing it, which made Taylor erupt into sobs.

'Can I say something? I like the other dress better. I'm not feeling it,' Cindi stated. 'I'm glad it makes you all bubbly and emotional but it doesn't do that for me. The other one, my breath got taken away from me when you walked in.'

After seeing the complete look with the veil and all, her mom did come around in the end. She said it was 'beautiful' and 'special,' and added that she was 'proud of Taylor for standing up for herself'

An emotional Taylor compared her mom to a 'bulldozer' running over her 'happiness' during a private chat with the camera.

Despite her mom's disdain for the ensemble, Taylor insisted she had found the one, and she officially said yes to the dress.

After seeing the complete look with the veil and all, her mom did come around in the end.

She said it was 'beautiful' and 'special,' and added that she was 'proud of Taylor for standing up for herself.'

'My momma don't let anybody else shake her beliefs or opinions and that's what she taught me,' Taylor concluded.

'That's what I did today, I didn't want to let anybody shake my opinion of my dress - and I didn't.'

Viewers of the clip were left in uproar over Cindi's behavior, with many branding her 'toxic' and 'dreadful' - with some insisting that she appeared 'jealous' of the close bond that her daughter shares with her dad.

'The mom's jealousy of the father daughter relationship is literally seeping out her leather pores,' one person wrote.

'It makes me sad to see the mom act this way what a toxic person. Im glad the daughter was strong enough to choose what she wanted,' another added.

'Honestly Id also be a daddys girl if I had a mother like that,' a third chimed in.

One person pointed out that it was rich for Cindi to have such strong opinions when she isn't even paying for the dress, writing: 'That mother was toxic. What a horrible woman she isnt even paying for it.'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could end up winning several awards for their bombshell Netflix documentary, experts have said - but warned it is still too soon to know how it has affected their reputations.

Speaking on this week's Palace Confidential, the Daily Mail's diary editor Richard Eden and the Mail on Sunday's deputy editor Kate Mansey discussed the six-part docuseries that 'put the cat among the pigeons', which has been nominated for a Hollywood Critics' Award.

As host Jo Elvin asked for the panellists' thoughts on the nomination, Kate said she was 'not surprised' because so many people around the world watched when it landed on the streaming platform last December.

She continued to say she thought Harry & Meghan could potentially scoop several awards, but added 'time will tell' as to how the series has affected their reputation.

Richard, who branded the series 'disgraceful', said he didn't think it would matter to the Royal Family if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex won awards for the series, because the damage it had done to their relationship with other royals was 'irreparable'.

Kate Mansey, deputy editor of the Mail on Sunday, told Palace Confidential that 'time will tell' how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series has affected their reputation

Mansey told the programme: 'Lots of people watched that show, didn't they? Everyone watched it and tuned in to see it. It was this huge TV highlight.

'I'm not surprised it's been nominated for an award. I suspect it'll win many awards because it was so popular.

'But you do wonder, despite all that success on paper, whether it's done them any good in the long run.'

Mansey continued to describe the 'excruciating' stand-out scene from the series for her, when the Duchess of Sussex recreated the exaggerated curtsey she performed the first time she met Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, while Harry watched on 'looking quite awkward'.

She said: 'Sometimes there's moments in these programmes that stay with you and that's what people become remembered for.

'They can win all the awards they like, but has it done their reputation - has it done their standing - any good? I think time will tell.'

Eden agreed with his co-panellist, and said he didn't think it would be 'awkward' for the Royal Family if the series ends up scooping lots of awards.

He told Elvin: 'I'm sure they're the same as me, frankly. It doesn't matter if it wins this award. It doesn't matter if it wins other awards.'

Describing the series as 'disgraceful', he added: 'It damaged relations with the Royal Family beyond repair.

Mansey drew attention to the 'excruciating' moment from the Netflix series in which Meghan recreated the curtsey she had performed for the late Queen Elizabeth while Harry looked 'awkward' alongside her

'It did so much damage to everything, really, to their reputation, that, yes it was an interesting programme that everyone watched, but I can't see how it's benefitted them in the long term at all.'

The Duke and Duchess of released their $100million docuseries Harry & Meghan with the streaming giant last December, which became Netflix's second-highest ranked documentary ever - behind The Tinder Swindler.

Meghan & Harry, directed by Liz Garbus, was the first project to emerge from the multi-year deal the couple signed with the streaming giant back in 2020, shortly after they announced they were stepping down as working members of the Royal Family.

The privacy-conscious couple handed over a trove of pictures and video from their relationship including the moment Harry proposed in 2017 and filming himself in the VIP lounge at Heathrow as he emigrated in March 2020.

It was announced this week the series has been nominated for a Hollywood Critics Award in the Best Streaming Nonfiction category.

Announcing the news on Twitter, the organisation revealed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are up against Prehistoric Planet 2, Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss, Rennervations, The 1619 Project and The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy.

Richard, who branded the series 'disgraceful', said he didn't think it would matter to the Royal Family if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex won awards for the series, because the damage it had done to their relationship with other royals was 'irreparable'

Elsewhere in the episode, the panellists discussed US President Joe Biden's visit to the UK this week, where he met with the King at Windsor Castle.

Although it was not an official state visit, the presenters detailed the little bit of pomp and ceremony that had been put on to welcome him.

The panellists also drew attention to a moment where President Biden put his hand on King Charles's back, in what has been suggested was a breach of royal protocol.

Discussing the meaning behind the gesture, Mansey and Eden weighed up whether it was a 'power play' from the US head of state, or simply a warm gesture.

Eden branded the move 'a little bit disrespectful' as he joked 'get your hands off our king'.

He said: 'You should respect the monarch.'

However Mansey argued that the Royal Family is becoming ever less formal and this was likely another example of things moving with the times.

'It did seem like a bit of a power play but I don't think it was meant as such,' she said.

'I don't think Biden was saying 'I'm the boss here'... I genuinely think it was a sign of warmth.'
The generalization outraged many Europeans, but other Americans agreed

A trio of American tourists has sparked outrage after claiming 'Europeans don't believe in water'  but other US travelers have expressed similar gripes.

TikTok user Brenna, who uses the handle @br3nnak3ough, went viral after sharing a video of herself and her friends chugging bottles of water in an undisclosed European city.

'Us the moment we can find water because Europeans don't believe in water,' she wrote in the on-screen text.

The seven-second clip has been viewed 8.4 million times and has received more than 10,000 comments since it was posted on July 3.

TikTok user Brenna, who uses the handle @br3nnak3ough, went viral after sharing a video of herself and her friends chugging bottles of water in an undisclosed European city

'Us the moment we can find water because Europeans don't believe in water,' she wrote in the on-screen text. The video has been viewed more than 8.4 million times

Many Europeans, expats, and travelers were baffled by the claim and pointed out that there are drinking fountains with great tap water in most cities around the continent.

'I dont get it, because there are literally free water wells everywhere these little girls,' one person responded.

'Yes Europe the big country where none of us drink water,' someone else sarcastically wrote.

'As if we didnt have like a [hundred] different mineral waters from actual sources here in France lol,' another added.

'Do you mean like flat water? one perplexed viewer asked. '[Because] water is basically all we drink round here, but usually sparkling.'

However, other Americans agreed with their claim, saying they were also incredibly thirsty when they were in Europe.

'[For real] in Italy I was CHUGGING water every time I found some even if it was sparkling,' one person recalled.

'Omg yess I was so thirsty the whole time!!!' another chimed in.

Many Europeans, expats, and travelers were baffled by the claim and pointed out that water is readily available in stores and public fountains, but other Americans agreed with her

'It's so true,' someone else insisted. 'I miss my complimentary pitcher of water at restaurants. When the water is free, it's the smallest glass.'

Americans complaining about their thirst in Europe has become a growing trend on TikTok over the past year.

A few weeks ago, @bellasweettt posted a video of herself drinking from a water bottle, writing, 'Every time I get back to the hotel room because Europeans do not believe in regular water.'

In another recent clip, @paigelovesbeets complained about the small 'shot glass' of water she was given at an Italian restaurant. 'It's too hot a day for these people to not believe in water,' she griped.

Meanwhile, @adnankole shared a video of his travel companion saying she was 'dizzy' because of how thirsty she was.

'Y'all weren't paying when [you] said they're stingy with water in Europe,' he added in the on-screen text.

Public drinking fountains and bottled water for purchase are readily available throughout most cities in Europe, so why are Americans so thirsty when they visit?

The issue likely stems from how people in the U.S. view water consumption as an integral part of their daily routines.

TikTok users @bellasweettt (left) and @paigelovesbeets both (right) recently shares videos iin which they griped that Europeans 'do not believe in water'

Last summer, @adnankole shared a video of his travel companion saying she was 'dizzy' because of how thirsty she was in Europe

Americans are raised to believe that they must drink at least eight glasses of water a day  a myth that originated from the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board in 1945.

The report recommended drinking 2.5 liters a day, but the following sentence stating that 'most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods' went widely ignored.

Many Americans are focused on increasing their water intake and carry around large water bottles all day long, a practice that is not common among Europeans.

They are also used to being treated to free ice water, whether it be in a pitcher or individual glasses, as soon as they it down in a restaurant.

Travel expert Rick Steves has an entire article about how to 'Drink like a European' on his website. He noted that free water and ice cubes are 'American habits' that will get you strange looks in Europe.

'Europeans, who are notorious water connoisseurs, generally pay to drink bottled water with their meals  for taste, not health,' he explained.

'At restaurants, your server just can't understand why you wouldn't want good bottled water to go with your good food.'

Steves added that while it's possible to get tap water on occasion, the availability varies from country to country.
Schools across the UK have rung the bell for the summer term, with hundreds of thousands of tourists now poised to jet off on holiday - just as Cerberus, the latest heatwave to spread across mainland Europe, is predicted to rage to a record 48.8C (118F).

British tourists flying into resorts in popular destinations including Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece and Croatia are being warned of the life-threatening effects of the sweltering heat after the anticyclone weather system from the Sahara desert expanded northwards.

Named by Italian meteorologists after Dante's three-headed dog in Greek mythology who guarded the gates to hell, Cerberus will see temperatures rise to above 45C in many tourist hotspots by the end of next week.

Cerberus follows Charon, which has already caused seen the mercury rise to dangerous levels across Europe, with wildfires raging across Croatia and tourists struggling to cope in the blistering heat.

Photos from the Portuguese resort of Albufeira, Portugal, taken on Friday, showed a beach deserted as sunbathers retreated indoors.

A deserted beach in Albufeira, Portugal, on Friday, as the sun proved too much for many holidaymakers

Why is the Cerberus anticyclone causing temperatures to soar? An anticyclone named Cerberus is causing temperatures to exceed 40C across much of the Mediterranean this week. The anticyclone - a high pressure weather system - began in the Sahara desert before expanding into Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Cerberus then expanded northwards towards southern Europe where it is bringing sweltering temperatures. Advertisement

Here, MailOnline looks at tips to help you stay safe in the heat, if you're heading to a country in the firing line of Cerberus...

Despite record temperatures expected across resorts beloved by UK travellers - including on islands such as Cyprus, Sardinia and Sicily - it's unlikely that tourists will be able to cancel or change their trip because of the weather.

Instead, the focus for those flying out is staying healthy while exposed to it.

A spokesperson for The Association of British Travel Agents advised Brits heading abroad to take steps to avoid heat-related illness.

'High temperatures around our favourite holiday hotspots are not uncommon at this time of year and it is always important that you take sensible precautions, particularly making sure that you and your family drink plenty of bottled water as it is extremely easy to become dehydrated, and always use plenty of high factor sun cream.

'Follow the example of local people and leave the beach at midday and early afternoon when the sun is at its most powerful, to have a long, leisurely alfresco lunch in the shade.'

GP Dr Ross Perry, who is also the Medical Director of Cosmedics skin clinics where he specialises in skin cancer reconstruction, says those who are subjected to such temperatures during their summer break should recognise the early symptoms of heatstroke, including feeling sick, dizzy, faint, confused and experiencing cramps.

'A sudden temperature change is also less than ideal, particularly if you go on holiday to somewhere very hot and youve been used to colder weather at home.

'Your body can struggle to adjust to the sudden change. If you think you might have a heat related exhaustion or indeed heat stroke you need to seek medical help immediately.'

He said: 'People tend to get heatstroke when theyve had prolonged exposure to high temperatures combined with dehydration which then leads to failure of the bodys control system.'

Dr Perry explained that heat stroke, in medical terms, is 'when the body temperature is greater than 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Infants and those over the age of 65 are at greater risk of heat stroke due to the body temperature being more difficult to regulate at these ages. Obesity is also a common factor because the body retains more heat when you weigh more.'

The GP says those on medication should ensure they stay hydrated while in such temperatures - dehydration can also lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

What sunscreen to pack? Anything less than Factor 50 is unlikely to help prevent sunburn...but experts say staying out of the sun altogether in the kind of temperatures predicted during Cerberus is the most sensible idea.

TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE IF YOU'RE ON HOLIDAY IN A HEATWAVE DESTINATION

Avoid alcohol and caffeine

Caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee can cause dehydration, which is one of the greatest risk factors faced during the heatwave.

The same is the case with alcohol, with excessive beers and cocktails in the sun all putting Britons at risk of becoming dehydrated.

Caffeine and alcohol both suppress the hormone ADH, which usually causes the kidney's to retain water when your body is low on stores.

This causes you to urinate more frequently than you should be, resulting in dehydration.

Dehydration can cause splitting headaches and even result in hopsitalisation if you reach the point of nausea and are unable to drink water as a result.

Dr Louise Smith, director public health for Norfolk County Council, told people to avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine where possible.

She said: 'Its vital to stay cool, drink plenty of water and avoid excessive alcohol or caffeine. These are simple things we all know we can do and if we make time to do them, we can safely and happily enjoy the summer weather.'

Despite being a mild diuretic  causing urination  some experts have questioned coffee and tea's dehydrating effect, suggesting the loss of fluids caused is replaced by the drinks themselves.

Take a warm bath before sleeping

While many may opt for an ice bath during the soaring temperatures, experts actually recommend the opposite for staying cool at night

While many may opt for an ice bath as temperatures soar, experts actually recommend the opposite for staying cool at night. Core body temperatures follow a 24-hour cycle, with levels dropping by about 2C at night.

The drop in temperature allows the body to conserve energy and direct it to organs that need it.

The cycle can, however, be disrupted during periods of hot weather, potentially causing a miserable night's sleep.

However, the science says hot baths can help you cool down rapidly.

This is because the warm water causes the blood vessels in the surface of the skin to dilate, causing the blood to rush to your extremities. Once out the bath, this causes the body to cool down rapidly.

Hayley Thistleton, sleep expert at SleepSeeker, told MailOnline: 'It might seem like the opposite of what you should be doing to keep cool.

'But its worth taking a warm bath about an hour or two before bedtime as this helps your body temperature to decrease after you leave the bath and your body adapts to the cooler environment.'

Eat spicy food

Sleep expert Dave Gibson recommends you eat spicy food at least three hours before bed during the heatwave

Forget taste, there's may be another reason why the hottest countries in the world in South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean all love eating spicy food.

Despite also seeming counterproductive, extra hot dishes can actually cool you down. Spicy food raises your internal body temperature, mirroring that of the weather.

This causes you to sweat and once your body heat has been used to evaporate the moisture you start to cool off.

Unlike downing a cold drink or having an ice cream  which cause your body to raise its temperature after it drops too rapidly  this causes a long-lasting cooling effect.

Dave Gibson, from the Sleep Site, recommends you eat spicy food at least three hours before bed during the heatwave.

Put your pillowcase in the freezer compartment

If you're self-catering and have access to a fridge or freezer compartment, then it make use of it.

As with the hot bath trick before bed, relaxing into cool sheets helps allow the body's temperature to drop by the required 2C needed for good sleep.

But rather than causing your body to radiate heat away, this directly cools you from the outside in, preventing your internal temperature jumping back up as it readjusts to the outside.

Dr Mike Farquhar, a consultant in sleep medicine at Evelina London Childrens Hospital, said putting bedding in the freezer for a couple of minutes at night will help you stay cool throughout your sleep.

But make sure the bedding is put in plastic bags first to prevent dirty bedding contaminating food, or vice versa.

Try ice in front of a fan

With most Britons not having an air conditioning unit in their home, many turn to placing ice in front of their electric fan

If there's no access to air con, but you have a fabWith most Britons not having an air conditioning unit in their home, many turn to placing ice in front of their electric fan.

The popular DIY hack  backed by consumer advice company Which?  can help circulate chilled air across the room.

It works quite simply: the air around the ice drops to near freezing temperatures and the fan helps push this across the room.

Experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute said: 'As the air passes over the ice it will be chilled and will circulate refreshingly cold air around the room.'

But make sure any ice is either in a bowel or kept in a bottle to avoid water getting into the fans electrics when it melts.

Wear loose clothes

Linen shirts and summer dresses are ideal for beating the blazing sun.

Tight-fitting clothing can cause you to feel warm by creating an insulating layer of air between your body and the outside world.

TV doctor Dr Hilary Jones last year warned old people should make sure they wear loose-fitting clothes  and less of them  or risk feeling faint and falling.

The GP told Good Morning Britain: 'It makes sense to drink plenty of water, stay in the shade and wear loose fitting clothes.

'A lot of elderly people I know come in to the surgery  they've got too many clothes on, so they feel dizzy and they feel faint, and they're at risk of falling.

'Not something you'd associate with warm weather, but that's how it happens.'
Barbie fever is in full swing - and now, Burger King has released a Pink Burger in honour of the upcoming film.

The limited-edition cheeseburger features a smoky pink sauce, crispy diced bacon and arrives alongside Ken's Potatoes as well as a Barbie doughnut milkshake when ordered as a meal.

Fans went wild for the new burger after its launch was announced on social media, with one excited Twitter user writing: 'Hold up. I need to acquire the Barbie burger bundle.'

However, it's bad news for UK customers because the meal is only available in Brazil, via delivery or eat-in. It's unclear how much it will cost.

The Ken's Potatoes are similar to normal fries, but are served in a themed packet, while the pink milkshake is vanilla and strawberry flavoured. The drink is completed with a pink and white striped doughnut, according to the New York Post.

Barbie fever is in full swing - and now, Burger King has released a Pink Burger (pictured) in honour of the upcoming film

Fast-food fans were quick to comment about the new dish, with one writing: 'Brazilians win again. Be right back, getting the Barbie Burger.'

Another said: 'I will be moving to Brazil to buy all of them,' while a third added: 'Sorry can't hang out this weekend. It's imperative I get the Barbie meal from Burger King and suffer the consequences of my actions.'

However, not everyone was impressed with the burger. One person said on Twitter: 'Burger King in Brazil just released a new 'Pink Barbie Burger' and it is... not great looking. They say the pink sauce is just a 'pink smoky sauce', but it still just looks so unappealing to me.'

In photographs of the Pink Burger, it appears to be a typical cheeseburger - but on a closer inspection, customers will be able to see a layer of pink sauce on top of the cheese.

It comes after Burger King sent foodies wild when unveiling another one of it's latest offerings - a cheeseburger with no meat and 20 slices of cheese.

The limited-edition cheeseburger (pictured) features a smoky pink sauce, crispy diced bacon and arrives alongside Ken's Potatoes as well as a Barbie doughnut milkshake when ordered as a meal

Fans went wild for the new burger after its launch was announced on social media, with one excited Twitter user writing: 'Hold up. I need to acquire the Barbie burger bundle.'

However, not everyone was impressed with the burger. One person said on Twitter: 'Burger King in Brazil just released a new 'Pink Barbie Burger' and it is... not great looking. They say the pink sauce is just a 'pink smoky sauce', but it still just looks so unappealing to me.'

The American fast-food chain released the unusual bap, which it's calling 'the real cheeseburger', in Thailand.

The dish, which costs 109 Thai baht (or 2.50), is comprised of a bun filled with as many as 20 slices of American cheese.

The diner announced the burger's release on their official Burger King Thailand Facebook earlier this week, with a post which read: 'This is no joke. This is for real.'

Many fans of the diner were left divided over the burger on social media, but some have been rushing to get their hands on the unusual offering to try it.

It comes after Burger King sent foodies wild when unveiling another one of it's latest offerings - a cheeseburger with no meat and 20 slices of cheese

The American fast-food chain released the unusual bap, which it's calling 'the real cheeseburger', in Thailand

Announcing the news on Sunday, the American fast-food chain posted: 'Not for fun, this is for real! Real cheeseburger from Burger King! Carrying up to 20 slices of American cheese!!!'

It went on to explain the price had been reduce from 380 baht (around 5) to 109 baht (around 2.50).

The post went on to joke the others cheeseburgers would be 'screaming' over the latest release, before encouraging Thai customers to head to their local branch to pick up the offering.

According to CNN, a shift manager was overheard saying its Bangkok store had to stop taking delivery orders so they could save enough Real Cheeseburgers to serve to in-store diners.

Many foodies took to social media to express their shock over the burger - with some left divided over whether they'd like to try it

However many foodies were conflicted over the offering, with one commenting: 'Burger King Thailand new cheeseburger. Mate, that's a cheese sandwich.'

Another wrote: 'I would eat the Thai burger king cheeseburger. A fourth wrote: 'Dear God, no. Just no.'

Another commented: 'I heard about this! I dont think I could handle one though haha.' One added: 'I can't imagine...'

It's yet to be seen whether Burger King will be releasing the unusual burger in diners across the rest of the world.
READ MORE: Woman reveals how she got EPIC revenge on her neighbour

The passenger, who is believed to be from the US, paid for upgraded seats

A man who refused to give up his upgraded seats to an elderly couple on board a 12-hour flight to Los Angeles has sparked debate online.

The unnamed traveller took to Reddit to explain that during his flight from New Zealand to LA, he had upgraded his seat to have more leg room because he is 6ft3in.

However when he reached his seats, he found an elderly couple in their mid-seventies there.

After refusing to give his seats to them, he received glares from the other passengers on board the flight.

Over 2,000 people commented on the post, but many said the traveller had been in the right for his behaviour.

A man who refused to give up his upgraded seats to an elderly couple on board a 12-hour flight to Los Angeles has sparked debate online (stock image)

In the post titled 'Old couple try to take our seats on the plane', the man detailed the events, writing: 'Saw a few plane seat-related posts so I thought I would add my story.'

'Few years ago my significant other and I planned a 3 month trip around the world. Our first flight was from New Zealand-LA. 12-13 hours.'

'We booked and paid for our flights and I added the premium economy seats as I'm 6'3" and wanted the extra leg room. Cost an extra $60.'

'This flight was with Air New Zealand, the screen has your name on it when you get to your seat. 'Welcome churtothechur' We get on the plane.'

'Find our seats and there is this older couple sitting there (mid 70s). I ask them if they got confused with their seat numbers. They hadn't.'

'I show them my ticket and seat number and point to my name on the screen. They then ask me just sit in their seats which was 10 rows back. No leg room.'

The Reddit user then goes on to describe the brief exchange between the two couples.

He said he informed them he had paid extra for the seats, and asked the couple to move.

The unnamed traveller took to Reddit to explain that during his flight from New Zealand to LA, he had upgraded seat because he is 6'3

He went on to explain he had even offered to move the couple's bag for them, before a flight attendant arrived.

The flight attendant ended up siding with the traveller, before helping the older couple to their seats.

He added: 'I got some stink eyes from other people on the flight. I paid for the extra leg room and I need it.'

Over 2,000 people commented on the post, but their views differed to those who glared at the Reddit user at the time of the incident.

One user defended his actions, they said: 'This isn't a 2 hour flight where you buck up for the good of old people, which is still not right given the social experience that is flying.

'I wouldn't care if it was a 2 hour flight there is still the principle of the matter, but I may cave depending on my mood.

'12-13 hours is no joke though - there is no giving in. You move those people or the plane doesn't take off!'

A second user said: 'Health is irrelevant. You get what you pay for, not what people deem as acceptable based on your age.

'Those old people knew what they were doing.'

Reddit users were quick to share their thoughts, but unlike the passengers onboard the flight, they thought the elderly couple were to blame

A third user wrote: 'Honestly wouldn't matter if you were 4'0 - they were your seats. These people were ridiculous.'

A fourth added: 'Seriously, what kind of person decides to take someone else's seat on a plane?'

'I understand if there's an empty seat once you've taken off, but this kind of thing takes a special kind of entitlement.'
Princess Leonor of Spain and her sister Infanta Sofia tapped into the trend of the summer as they stepped out in Madrid today alongside their parents.

The 17-year-old heir to the throne and her younger sister, 16, opted to wear Barbie pink as they attended the Bard of Directors of the Spanish Committee of the United World Schools Foundation, Sponsors of Scholarships and Students at the Zarzuela Palace.

Leonor looked elegant in a white wrap dress with large purple and pink flowers, while Sofia wore a bright pink mini dress for the occasion.

The sisters have made a number of public appearances recently, in what appears to be a step up in their royal duties, as they prepare to step into the limelight.

The appearance comes as Leonor - who just graduated from UWC Atlantic College in Wales - known as 'Hippy Hogwarts - prepares to start her military training in August.

Princess Leonor of Spain, 17, and her sister Infanta Sofia, 16, tapped into the trend of the summer as they stepped out in Madrid today alongside their parents

The 17-year-old heir to the throne and her younger sister, 16, opted to wear Barbie pink as they attended the Bard of Directors of the Spanish Committee of the United World Schools Foundation, Sponsors of Scholarships and Students at the Zarzuela Palace

The sisters were joined by their parents at the event, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, who beamed with pride as they stood alongside their daughters.

Queen Letizia, a former journalist, opted for a smart white belted dress for the occasion today, which perfectly showed off her summer tan.

It comes after Princess Leonor was seen visiting the military academy she will attend for the first time.

The 17-year-old heir to the throne matched her mother in a simple monochrome gown as she stepped out at 'Academia General Militar' military academy in Zaragoza last week.

As she proudly stood beside her mother Queen Letizia and father King Felipe, Leonor stunned in a white summery dress with black polka dots and a sash.

Leonor is set to start her military training before the end of the summer in August.

Whereas many of her peers will go off to university, the eldest daughter of King Felipe and Queen Letizia will return to Spain to begin training.

Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles confirmed Princess Leonor of Asturias's next move earlier this year to society bible Tatler.

The training will include stints in the armed forces, the Spanish navy and the air force.

Leonor looked elegant in a white wrap dress with large purple and pink flowers, while Sofia wore a bright pink mini dress for the occasion

The sisters have made a number of public appearances recently, in what appears to be a step up in their royal duties, as they prepare to step into the limelight

Speaking in March, Ms Robles confirmed: 'In due course, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces will be a woman, and in recent years we have been making a very important effort to incorporate women into the armed forces.'

The Princess will begin her training at Army Military Academy in Zaragoza before going to naval school, and will complete her three years at the General Air Academy.

In September last year the Spanish palace announced that Princess Leonor will go to university to study law once her three years of military training have been completed.

While Leonor's choice of university is unknown, the Princess's academic background already bears a resemblance to that of her father King Felipe.

After graduating from high school at Lakefield College in Canada, Felipe returned to Spain and attended the General Military Academy of Zaragozo, and went on to study at the Naval Military School in Marin.

He ended his training with a stint at the General Air Academy in San Javier.

His also completed his military training with a stint on the shop Juan Sebastian Elcano aged 18 in 1987, and went on to study law at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

The two teenagers were beaming as they attended the event alongside their parents this morning in Madrid

The family were in high spirits as they attended the event for Board of Directors of the Spanish Committee of the United World Schools Foundation

Leonor's appearance comes as she begins to step into the limelight ahead of her three years of military training, which will commence in September.

In recent weeks she has appeared with her younger sister, Infanta Sofia, 16, as the sisters joined their parents to attend the Princess of Girona Foundation Awards at the Camiral Caldes de Malavella Hotel.

Leonor, who is first in line to the Spanish throne, made a speech at the event, taking centre stage as she prepares for a life in the spotlight.

Leonor was every bit the mature royal as she stepped out with her family.

In what appeared to be what show of unity between the current and future monarch, the teen's elegant puff-sleeved teal dress perfectly matched her father's King Felipe's tie.

King Felipe is the honorary chairman of the organisation on behalf of Princess Leonor.

Although Infanta Sofia is still a royal, she does not hold the title of Princess as she is second born and therefore not the heir to the throne.

Before the awards ceremony yesterday, the royals listened to the presentation of the AmplificARTE project, which is an initiative of the Princess of Girona Foundation.

The family looked united as they all donned the colour blue as they focused intently on what was said.

Earlier this month, Leonor and Sofia made a rare joint appearance without their parents as they attended a workshop on innovation and creativity - suggesting they are one step further into becoming Spanish working royals.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales ensured their children's summer holidays got off to a roaring start this afternoon.

The royal couple, both 41, treated their three children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, to a surprise visit to a military air show in Gloucestershire.

The three young royals have all broken up from Lambrook School in Berkshire and looked delighted to start their summer holidays with a family outing with their parents.

The family's first stop was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queen's coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September.

The family-of-five were taken on a tour of the aircraft and Prince George - who is celebrating his 10th birthday next week - took a particular interest in some of the controllers.

Future king George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22, sister Charlotte and brother Louis have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire. Pictured, Kate and William on a plane with their children

The couple's eldest child beamed with joy during the tour - while his younger brother came to life when he spotted a quadbike.

While he clung to his mother's side for the beginning of the engagement, Prince Louis happily hopped into the backseat and waved for the cameras outside.

As the family progressed with the tour, Louis preferred to stand next to the vehicle and look out over the airfield outside.

However, a board displaying information about the history of the plane Prince Louis invested in the tour again and he later rejoined his parents.

Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte listened intently during the engagement and stayed close to her parents. However, she was led astray by her little brother - who was perplexed by something he had seen on the roof of the aircraft.

Prince George was dressed in green chinos and a short-sleeved shirt for the tour while his younger brother looked adorable in a navy jumper and matching shorts.

Princess Charlotte wore a black-and-white striped dress with a Peter Pan-style collar and a white cardigan to keep her protected from the rain.

Both Charlotte and Louis were adorable in their matching navy plimsolls as they braved the rain.

Looking typically chic, Kate, 41, opted for a statement beige Blaze Milano blazer with a white blouse and tailored blue trousers as she explored a plane.

The family's first stop at the Royal International Air Tattoo was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queen's coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September. Pictured, Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate and Princess Charlotte

Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte were spotted standing behind their parents and pointing up to something they had seen on the roof

Prince Louis was more interested in seating in the backseat of this open-topped vehicle during the tour and gave photographers a wave

Prince Louis was enthralled by a military open-top vehicle while the rest of his family progressed with the tour around the aircraft

At one point, Prince Louis wandered away from his family and appeared more interested in what was going on outside the aircraft

Prince Louis looked adorable in a navy jumper, matching shorts and the same plimsolls as his older sister Princess Charlotte

Prince Louis of Wales reads information on a board inside a C17 plane during a visit to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford

Prince Louis rejoined his family when they all moved over to a display board detailing the history of the military aircraft this afternoon

Princess Charlotte wore the same plimsolls as her younger brother during the tour of the aircraft in Gloucestershire this afternoon

The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales as they arrive for their visit to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford

Prince George appeared delighted to be shown all the controllers in the aircraft during a surprise visit to a military air show in Gloucestershire today

A little wave from Louis! The five-year-old prince offered a greeting to the camera when at the show with his mother

Princess Charlotte, sporting a Rachel Riley dress, joins her mother, the Princess of Wales, at today's occasion

William, 41, and Kate were all smiles when they arrived with their children at the air show, and was greeted by Wing Commander Will Essex.

They were greeted by grey skies that brought heavy rain but there were a few aircraft still in the skies before they arrived.

The event was a return visit for George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22. He was taken to the show by his parents in 2016, aged three, and was pictured wearing ear defenders at the time.

The royal children were dressed for a summer day in light casual clothing and George and Charlotte, who sported a Rachel Riley dress, looked around at the rain-soaked concrete around the huge plane when they stepped from their car.

They shook hands with senior members of the RAF before they were ushered up the huge ramp of the transport plane with their parents.

The family board a plane during their visit to the event today as the three young royals kick off their summer holidays in style

The three young royals looked delighted to start their summer holidays with the outing - even if the weather didn't quite play ball with grey skies providing an overcast backdrop to the action

Future king George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22, sister Charlotte and brother Louis have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire. Pictured, Kate and William on a plane with their children

The Princess of Wales with Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo

The Prince and Princess of Wales have treated their three children to a fun day out at a military air show today - with Kate stunning in a a beige striped blazer

Kate joined Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Gloucestershire

The Princess of Wales chats with Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo

George was given the task of partially raising the ramp and could be seen pressing the button as his father watched on.

The event is one of the world's biggest air shows in the world, with all proceeds made from the weekend going to The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust - supporting initiatives including engineering and flying scholarships.

Kate took over the role of patron for the Air Cadet organisation from Prince Philip in December 2015. Meanwhile, William served with the RAF's Search and Rescue Force from 2010 to 2013, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey.

The family's out comes after a royal expert claimed William is a 'hands-on, caring dad' and 'not a workaholic like his father King Charles'.

The Prince of Wales, 40, carried out just 190 engagements last year, compared to his father's 497 - but former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has praised William's different approach to royal life.

She said the father-of-three is prioritising his family because he knows how much it means to his children [Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five] 'to be around at weekends and holidays and whenever he can'.

William previously commented on the King's workaholic nature, telling a BBC documentary in 2018 that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father.

Speaking to OK! magazine, Jennie said: 'With the late Queens ailing health, William probably had to step up to his full time royal job quicker than he might have hoped, but you can see now how committed he is.

'However, I also very much admire the fact that hes not a workaholic like his father, he knows how important family life is... He seems to be a full on, hands-on, caring dad,' she added.

Asked in the Prince, Son and Heir - Charles at 70 BBC documentary in 2018, whether his father has 'time to be a grandfather on top of everything else', William answered carefully.

In previous years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed.

But his elder son made clear that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father.

William said: 'It's something I'm working more heavily on, put it that way. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children.

'Now he's reached his 70th year it's a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health's OK  and he's the fittest man I know but equally I want him to be fit until he's 95.

'So having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to play around with the grandchildren. Because when he's there, he's brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.'

William added: 'He has amazing personal discipline. So, he has  and it's frustrated me in the past a lot  he has a routine. The only way to fit all this stuff in is things have to be compartmentalised. The man never stops.

'I mean when we were kids there was bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him. We could barely even get to his desk to say goodnight to him.'
The Princess of Wales opted for a practical yet elegant outfit as she browsed military planes and exhibits with Prince William and her children at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Gloucestershire today.

Looking typically chic, Kate, 41, opted for a statement beige Blaze Milano blazer, retailing at around 1,000, with a cream top and tailored navy trousers as she explored the illustrious aircraft on display at RAF Fairford with Prince George, nine, who was dressed in a Ralph Lauren polo T-shirt, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.

The Princess, who is patron of the Air Force Cadets, wore her brunette locks swept back behind her right ear, showing off a pair of intricately patterned Grecian-style hoop earrings. She finished the look with a simple gold pendant and wore a pair of stylish navy suede flats.

When the heavens opened over the airfield, the Princess was handed a black umbrella as she chatted to dignitaries in the RAF base's Techno Zone, which aims to inspire young people into exploring science, technology, engineering and maths.

The Princess of Wales donned a pair of navy trousers and a stylish beige pin-striped Blaze Milano blazer for her family's day out at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Gloucestershire

Clearly aware of the assignment - helping her three children examine the military exhibits on display at RAF Fairford, the Princess of Wales, 41, opted for a practical ensemble

The family's first stop at the Royal International Air Tattoo was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queen's coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September. Pictured, Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate and Princess Charlotte

The Princess, armed with a brolly, chats to an RAF dignitary as she exploredthe Techno Zone, which aims to inspire young people into exploring science, technology, engineering and maths

The royal, 41, opted for a simple gold pendant to accompany a pair of Grecian style gold hoops

The Princess' three young children have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire, and they looked delighted to start their summer holidays with the outing - even if the weather didn't quite play ball with grey skies providing an overcast backdrop to the action.

The family's first stop was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queen's coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September.

For her final journey from her beloved Scotland, the late Queen's coffin was flown from Edinburgh to London then carried by hearse to Buckingham Palace, her home of 70 years.

A little wave from Louis! The five-year-old prince offered a greeting to the camera when at the show, pictured left. Pictured right: Princess Charlotte, sporting a Rachel Riley dress, joins her mother, the Princess of Wales, at today's occasion

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II at Edinburgh Airport from where it was flown by the RAF on its journey from Edinburgh to Buckingham Palace on September 13, 2022, ahead of the late monarch's funeral

At Edinburgh Airport on September 13, 2022, the Queen was received by the Royal Regiment of Scotland with a royal salute, before a bearer party from the Royal Air Force carried the coffin onto the aircraft - an RAF Globemaster C-17.

The Prince and Princess of Wales treated their children to a day of jets, helicopters and historic planes as they enjoyed the family day.

William, 41, and Kate were all smiles when they arrived with their children at the air show, and was greeted by Wing Commander Will Essex.

They were greeted by grey skies that brought heavy rain but there were a few aircraft still in the skies before they arrived.

The event was a return visit for George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22. He was taken to the show by his parents in 2016, aged three, and was pictured wearing ear defenders at the time.

The royal children were dressed for a summer day in light casual clothing and George and Charlotte, who sported a Rachel Riley dress, looked around at the rain-soaked concrete around the huge plane when they stepped from their car.

The three young royals looked delighted to start their summer holidays with the outing - even if the weather didn't quite play ball with grey skies providing an overcast backdrop to the action

Future king George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22, sister Charlotte and brother Louis have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire. Pictured, Kate and William on a plane with their children

Prince Louis keeps in step with his father, while Princess Charlotte is led by her mother, as the family make their way out of the C-17 aircraft

The Princess of Wales with Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo

Kate joined Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Gloucestershire

The Princess of Wales chats with Prince Louis during a surprise visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire

The royal children were dressed for a summer day in light casual clothing and George and Charlotte, who sported a Rachel Riley dress, looked around at the rain-soaked concrete around the huge plane when they stepped from their car

They shook hands with senior members of the RAF before they were ushered up the huge ramp of the transport plane with their parents.

George was given the task of partially raising the ramp and could be seen pressing the button as his father watched on.

The event is one of the world's biggest air shows in the world, with all proceeds made from the weekend going to The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust - supporting initiatives including engineering and flying scholarships.Kate took over the role of patron for the Air Cadet organisation from Prince Philip in December 2015. Meanwhile, William served with the RAF's Search and Rescue Force from 2010 to 2013, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey.

The family's out comes after a royal expert claimed William is a 'hands-on, caring dad' and 'not a workaholic like his father King Charles'.

The Prince of Wales, 40, carried out just 190 engagements last year, compared to his father's 497 - but former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has praised William's different approach to royal life.

She said the father-of-three is prioritising his family because he knows how much it means to his children [Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five] 'to be around at weekends and holidays and whenever he can'.

William previously commented on the King's workaholic nature, telling a BBC documentary in 2018 that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father.

The Princess of Wales with Princess Charlotte during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo, pictured left. Pictured right: Prince Louis of Wales sits inside a vehicle on a C17 plane during a visit to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford

The family (pictured) were greeted by grey skies that brought heavy rain but there were a few aircraft still in the skies before they arrived

The event was a return visit for George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22. He was taken to the show by his parents in 2016, aged three, and was pictured wearing ear defenders at the time. Pictured, The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George and Princess Charlotte

The Prince and Princess of Wales have treated their three children to a fun day out at a military air show today - with Kate stunning in a a beige striped blazer

Speaking to OK! magazine, Jennie said: 'With the late Queens ailing health, William probably had to step up to his full time royal job quicker than he might have hoped, but you can see now how committed he is.

'However, I also very much admire the fact that hes not a workaholic like his father, he knows how important family life is... He seems to be a full on, hands-on, caring dad,' she added.

Asked in the Prince, Son and Heir - Charles at 70 BBC documentary in 2018, whether his father has 'time to be a grandfather on top of everything else', William answered carefully.

In previous years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed.

But his elder son made clear that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father.

William said: 'It's something I'm working more heavily on, put it that way. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children.

'Now he's reached his 70th year it's a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health's OK  and he's the fittest man I know but equally I want him to be fit until he's 95.

'So having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to play around with the grandchildren. Because when he's there, he's brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.'

William added: 'He has amazing personal discipline. So, he has  and it's frustrated me in the past a lot  he has a routine. The only way to fit all this stuff in is things have to be compartmentalised. The man never stops.

'I mean when we were kids there was bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him. We could barely even get to his desk to say goodnight to him.'
Liev Schreiber has secretly tied the knot with his pregnant girlfriend Taylor Neisen during an intimate wedding held at their stunning Hamptons mansion - just weeks after his ex Naomi Watts also walked down the aisle.

DailyMail.com has exclusively learned that the actor, 55, and the former pageant queen, 31, who is currently eight-and-a-half months pregnant, officially became husband and wife over Fourth of July weekend after five years of dating.

According to a source, the couple exchanged vows during a very low-key ceremony attended by only four guests, two of whom were Liev's kids Alexander 'Sasha,' 16, and, Samuel 'Kai,' 15, who he shares with ex Naomi.

Also in attendance was author Jonathan Safran Foer, who officiated the wedding, and his wife.

Liev Schreiber has secretly tied the knot with his pregnant girlfriend Taylor Neisen (seen on July 13) during an intimate wedding held at their stunning Hamptons mansion

DailyMail.com has exclusively learned that the actor, 55, and the former pageant queen (seen in 2021), 31, became husband and wife over Fourth of July weekend after five years of dating

The nuptials took place in the yard of their sprawling, ocean-front Montauk abode (seen) - the home he once shared with Naomi, 54

The newlyweds attended the Rufus Wainwright and friends 50th Birthday concert - which was produced by Brian Kelly of Murmrr - at the Montauk Point Lighthouse on Thursday (seen)

'They didnt want a big fuss because Taylor is ready to give birth, but they wanted to bring the baby into the world as husband and wife,' the insider dished.

The nuptials took place in the yard of their sprawling, ocean-front Montauk abode - the home he once shared with Naomi, 54.

During the even, Liev was seen sporting a wedding ring (seen)

The former couple bought the 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom house together in 2016 for $5.4 million, but split just months later after 11 years together. They never married.

Unfortunately, the source said there will be 'no honeymoon' for Liev and Taylor since he is busy 'working' and she's 'too pregnant to go' anywhere 'long distance,' but they added, 'They were just happy to be together in a no frills service with the kids.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to Liev's rep for comment.

The newlyweds attended the Rufus Wainwright and friends 50th Birthday concert - which was produced by Brian Kelly of Murmrr - at the Montauk Point Lighthouse on Thursday, where he was seen sporting a wedding ring.

Afterwards, Liev attended the afterparty without his spouse, which took place at the upscale eatery Talya Montauk.

An onlooker told DailyMail.com that the movie star got behind the bar and mixed cocktails using Irish whiskey from his brand Slainte.

The wedding was attended by only four guests, two of whom were Liev's kids Alexander 'Sasha,' 16, and, Samuel 'Kai,' 15, who he shares with ex Naomi Watts. Taylor is seen with Liev and his children in 2018

Days after his own wedding, Liev shared a snap of his dog Scout standing next to another canine on Instagram, and announced that his pup had gotten married to his 'longtime love'

Naomi and Liev (seen together in 2016) split in 2016 after 11 years together. They never married

The former couple bought the 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom house in Montauk together for $5.4 million months before they split, and it now played host to his wedding to Taylor

Originally from Rapid City, South Dakota, Taylor was an entrant in Miss USA 2012 (seen) as the reigning Miss South Dakota. It was revealed that she was expecting in April of this year

Ever the doting husband, Liev left around 11pm and was heard telling friends on the way out that he had to call it a night so he could go home to his pregnant wife.

Days after his own wedding, the 55-year-old shared a snap of his dog Scout standing next to another canine on Instagram, and jokingly announced that his pup had gotten married to his 'longtime love.'

The pooch donned an adorable tuxedo while his 'partner' was dressed in a mock wedding dress.

Liev and Taylor's wedding comes just weeks after his ex Naomi also walked down the aisle. She married actor Billy Crudup, also 54, in June (seen) after five years of dating

'We wish you both every happiness in the world,' Liev wrote in the caption.

It's unclear when he and Taylor started dating, but rumors first started to swirl in 2017 that they were romantically involved after they were photographed spending a lot of time together.

At the time, however, they shut down relationship rumors, with Liev's rep insisting, 'They are friends and she sometimes helps out with the kids - they are not dating.'

Naomi and Liev had reportedly made a pact not to openly date within a year of their separation.

But by February 2018, there was no denying that he and Taylor were dating, as the two were seen soaking up the sun on a romantic vacation together with his children in Costa Rica.

In April of this year, DailyMail.com revealed that Taylor was expecting her and the Ray Donovan star's first child together.

Originally from Rapid City, South Dakota, Taylor was an entrant in Miss USA 2012 as the reigning Miss South Dakota. She is 24 years younger than her actor, writer and producer boyfriend.

Naomi wed her boyfriend, Almost Famous alum Billy Crudup, 54, back in June. At the time, she confirmed the exciting news by sharing a photo of her and her new husband on the steps of a Manhattan courthouse, which she captioned, 'Hitched.'

Liev showed his support for Naomi in an Instagram comment at the time, writing: 'Congratulations! Gorgeous.'

Naomi and Billy met on the set of her 2017 Netflix series Gypsy, and started dating later that year.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was stunning in a lace dress as she celebrated her birthday alongside her children today.

The royal mother-of-two, who is the daughter of the King and Queen, was beaming with joy as she joined her kids Princess Estelle, 11, and Prince Oscar, seven, for an event to mark her 46th birthday at Solliden Palace in Borgholm.

Crown Princess Victoria looked effortlessly elegant in a cream off-the-shoulder gown, which was perfectly matched with her daughter's white dress.

Meanwhile Prince Oscar looked handsome in a smart tan suit, while Prince Daniel opted for a navy ensemble.

The family held hands and beamed with delight as they posed for snaps alongside Queen Silvia of Sweden and King Carl XVI Gustaf to mark the big day.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was stunning in a lace dress as she celebrated her birthday alongside her children today

The royal mother-of-two, who is the daughter of the King and Queen, was beaming with joy as she joined her kids Princess Estelle, 11, and Prince Oscar, seven, for an event to mark her 46th birthday at Solliden Palace, Borgholm

Earlier this month, Crown Princess Victoria looked radiant in traditional Swedish dress as she joined King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia to award the Islander of the Year prize.

The mother-of-two presented the annual award to Bitte Borjesson at Solliden on the island of Oland on Friday.

She and Queen Silvia were both in traditional dress, while King Carl Gustaf, 77, opted for a casual tan-coloured suit jacket and dark trousers.

Victoria donned a red and gold skirt, decorated with blue and white embroidery around edge, and paired with a royal blue waist coat and white blouse.

She also wore a traditional white headdress and an embroidered shrug around her shoulders, tying together the classic Swedish outfit for the occasion.

Her mother Silvia, 79, was dressed similarly, though had more of her brunette locks showing through her headpiece.

Both royals carried bouquets of flowers throughout the ceremony.

Islander of the Year was awarded for the first time in 1980, to recognise a member of the public who has made an extraordinary contribution to their community in Oland.

The island and province is the second largest in Sweden, just off the southeast coast of the mainland.

Pictured L to R: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle, Prince Oscar, Prinzessin Madeleine, Chris ONeill, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia

Prince Oscar beamed for the cameras as he sat next to his mother on her birthday in Sweden today

The royal, 46, looked effortlessly elegant in a white lace off-shoulder dress with a maxi tiered skirt

Crown Princess Victoria pictured with Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar during her birthday celebrations

The royal drew her long brown hair into a chic bun and opted for minimal jewellery for the celebrations today

Crown Princess Victoria looked effortlessly elegant in a cream off-the-shoulder gown, which she paired with white heels

Meanwhile Prince Oscar looked handsome in a smart tan suit, while Prince Daniel opted for a navy ensemble

The family held hands and beamed with delight as they posed for snaps to mark the big day this afternoon

This year, Ms Borjesson was handed the prize for her commitment and engagement with local associations. It was said that she 'has created the conditions for generations of youths on the island Oland to find a passion for sports'.

The Crown Princess herself was awarded the prize in 2018, and King Carl Gustaf was named Islander of the Year in 1996.

This latest outing comes days after Victoria unveiled the 'Lovers on the Rock' statue by Swedish artist and illustrator Stina Persson in Stockholm.

The renowned artist has also showcased her work in the US and Japan, and has worked with luxury retail brands like Louis Vuitton and Veuve Clicquot.

Victoria opted for a smart blue shirt dress with matching heels alongside her husband husband Prince Daniel for the event.

The mother-of-two dazzled in a Ralph Lauren 'eyelet' embroidered cotton dress in light blue. The dress, priced at 349, features a scalloped hem alongside a drawstring waist for an easily adjustable fit.

Her brunette locks were tamed by a tightly pinned bun, while a few strands of her hair feel loosely on her forehead.

For an extra touch of glamour, she opted for a dazzling pair of leaf drop down earrings, gorgeously decorated with a hint of blue.

Three gold bracelets and a silver wristwatch were the final touches to the glamorous look.
Foodies are sharing their delight at the rumour two iconic snacks have combined to create a delicious chocolate bar.

The beloved Milkybar is apparently dropping an indulgent new Milo flavour in supermarkets in early August.

Milky Bar's smooth and creamy white chocolate will have pieces of the classic Aussie drink powder.

A popular food blogger claims the Milo Milkybar will be available soon in stores in a 160g block for $5.50 and a snack-sized bar for $2.20 according to The Grocery Geek.

Nostalgic Aussies were thrilled by the launch and were keen to get their hands on the exciting new snack.

Foodies are abuzz at the rumours Milkybar is dropping a delicious new Milo range set to be released in supermarkets later this month

'This is just so HOT. The highly anticipated Milkybar Milo is starting to be rolled-out,' The Grocery Geek wrote in a Facebook post.

'What else do you need in your life?... we say nothing. Be alert, expect to start seeing it in stores shortly.'

'Yessss this sounds amazing,' one woman said.

'Sign me up,' another wrote while a third said they will be 'keeping their eyes peeled' for the chocolate on supermarket shelves.

'Yumm two of my favourite things in one block,' someone else chimed in and another said: 'I feel like I need this'.

The Milo Milkybar was released for a limited time over Christmas last year in South Africa where locals dubbed the treat as their 'favourite' and 'the best snack ever'.

The Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nestle for comment.
Australia's most famous spread has received a makeover - but not everyone is sold on the rebrand.

Vegemite has unveiled brand new limited edition packaging to commemorate 100 years on shelves.

It includes three new 380g jars and a new 350g squeezy bottle - all of which are available in Coles, Woolworths, and independent retailers from Friday, 14 July.

But the iconic Aussie treat has already received mixed reactions from foodies.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr described the change as 'subtle' on Friday morning but radio legend Luke Bona disagreed.

'Ugh, Vegemite. I'm so un-Australian - it's vile, awful stuff,' he said. 'I didn't like Vegemite or Aeroplane Jelly as a kid, I couldn't stand them.'

Vegemite has just unveiled brand new packaging to commemorate 100 years of being an iconic kitchen staple

Radio legend Luke Bona deemed Vegemite 'vile' and 'awful' after he revealed that he 'never liked the spread' growing up

Several other shoppers questioned why the product couldn't cater to a wider range of Australians instead of release new packaging.

'Why is there no love for the gluten-intolerant Vegemite lovers?' a woman asked. 'Give me a wacky gluten free jar, please.'

'I miss Vegemite, haven't been able to have any since my coeliac diagnosis. I wish you came out with more options instead of labels!' another wrote.

Many were hoping for additional celebratory products.

'We need a Vegemite chocolate spread!' a foodie wrote.

'Ooh, how about a Vegemite candle? I'd burn those,' another said.

'Vegemite and 100 per cent natural peanut butter combination. Seriously, Vegemite with plain old blended peanuts is so good,' a peanut lover suggested.

'Bring back the Vegemite travel tube,' another pleaded.

The limited edition jars are expected to be available until November - but it's best to get in quick.

What are the new Vegemite jars? Bega has travelled back in time for inspiration, and the beloved yeast spread's limited-edition labels are a nod to designs of its past. Vegemite will celebrate its 100th birthday on October 25, and Bega revealed that the 100th birthday jars are an opportunity for Australians to own a piece of history from the famous spread's centennial year. Dubbed the '100 Mitey years' celebration, one of the new labels was inspired by Vegemite's very first red-and-black label developed when Australian chemist Cyril Callister was invited to create a spread from the Fred Walker Company's yeast. The second Art Deco jar is a nod to striped Vegemite jars from the 1930s, which is when the spread began to gain popularity around the country - and this version is also mimicked on the squeezy bottle. Finally, the last jar is a tribute to the 1960s, when the spread reached 'icon' status and began to fly of the shelves. Advertisement

Vegemite will celebrate its 100th birthday on October 25, and Bega revealed that the 100th birthday jars are an opportunity for Australians to own a piece of history from the famous spread's centennial year

Bega also previously released a brand new $2 coin to celebrate 100 years of Vegemite.

Woolworths and the Royal Australian Mint have teamed up for the release of limited edition $2 coins celebrating 100 years of Vegemite.

Customers paying in cash in Woolies stores across the country will be able to collect three exclusive versions of the gold coin.

Three million limited-edition coins will be available for customers, with a new design released into cash tills each week over a three-week period.

Woolworths and the Royal Australian Mint released limited edition $2 coins to celebrate Vegimite's centenary

Three million coins will be available for customers, with a new design released into cash tills each week over a three-week period

The coins have been designed by Royal Australian Mint designer Aaron Baggio, with each featuring a unique illustration celebrating Vegemite.

Each of the three designs has a different coloured circle - yellow, red and black.

The first coin depicts a jar of Vegemite with the words '100 Mitey Years' at the bottom.

Another coin features a slice of Vegemite toast with the words 'Tastes Like Australia', while the third depicts a child eating a slice of Vegemite toast with the words 'Happy Little Vegemites'.

Woolworths brand and marketing director Jane Saleh said the supermarket has supported Vegemite for decades and is delighted to be part of the centenary celebrations.

'It's been a staple in the shopping baskets of Australians for years; we're delighted to be a part of the celebrations for this iconic brand's centenary,' she said.

As part of the celebrations, there will also be a $2 coin featuring the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Obverse.

Customers paying cash in Woolies stores across the country will be able to collect three exclusive versions of the gold coin

Each of the three designs has a different coloured circle - yellow, red and black

The portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by British engraver Jody Clark, the Memorial Obverse also includes the Queen's years of reign - reading 'Elizabeth II 1952-2022'.

Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, Andrew Leigh, said Vegemite is one of the most loved brands across Australia.

'It is fitting the Royal Australian Mint has partnered with Vegemite and Woolworths to celebrate 100 Mitey years of an Australian icon,' he said.

Vegemite as a brand will be turning 100 on October 25, with Bega's marketing manager for spreads, Jess Hoare, thanking Aussies for loving the product.
Travellers have discovered a stunning beach with white sands and vibrant blue water that is so little-known it is usually completely deserted.

Those who want to beat the crowds are heading to Mowarry Point Beach in Edrom on New South Wales' Sapphire Coast, three hours and 45 minutes south of Canberra.

The dreamy spot is so secret it isn't even a destination on Google Maps but beach lovers are starting to frequent the hidden gem for its spectacular scenery.

Lush bushland surrounds the crescent-shaped shore peppered with red rocks while the sea is an impressive shade of aquamarine.

Mowarry is the only north-facing beach on the South Coast meaning it catches the sun all day long and is protected from chilly winds.

Adventurers have discovered the stunning Mowarry Point beach with white sands and aqua water that is so secret it's not even on Google Maps

Those who want to beat the crowds are heading to Mowarry Point Beach in Edrom on New South Wales' Sapphire Coast, three hours and 45 minutes south of Canberra

Lush bushland surrounds the crescent-shaped shore peppered with red rocks while the sea is an impressive shade of aquamarine

Mowarry is the only north-facing beach on the South Coast meaning it catches the sun all day long and is protected from chilly winds

Grassy clearings just past the sand provide the perfect place to pitch a tent between grazing kangaroos.

The sand is often marked with footprints from local goannas while bottle-nosed dolphins are frequently seen just off shore.

The deserted beach can only be accessed via 4WD or by walking the 30km Light to Light walk that runs through the Beowa National Park from Boyd Tower to Green Cape Light House.

While few have ventured to the uninhabited beach, travellers who have experienced the beauty of Mowarry Point have raved about their visit.

One woman online called it 'magical' while another said it was 'heaven on earth' and someone else couldn't believe they had the whole beach to themselves.
An Australian woman living and working the US as a submarine co-pilot has listed the slang words and abbreviations she uses frequently that Americans don't understand.

Brittany Nash is from Melbourne and has had to rethink her Aussie vocabulary since relocating to Hawaii.

She said she is met with blank stares from friends and colleagues when she drops words like 'keen', 'heaps', 'bathers', 'sunnies', 'trackies', 'biccy', 'brekkie' and 'sunnies' into a conversation.

'Why have we done this to ourselves? Americans can barely understand my accent as it is and now we've gone and made all these fake words and confused them even more,' Brittany said.

The expat said she didn't realise a lot of the Australian phrases she uses daily weren't 'real' words.

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Australian Brittany Nash (pictured) who is living in the US and working as a submarine co-pilot has shared the words she didn't realise were Aussie slang until she relocated to the States

She said she is met with blank stares from friends and colleagues when she drops words like 'keen', 'heaps', 'bathers', 'sunnies', 'trackies', 'biccy', 'brekkie' and 'sunnies' into a conversation

Words Aussie living in the US didn't know were slang Keen meaning interested Heaps meaning a lot Bathers meaning swimming costume Sunnies short for sunglasses Biccy short for biscuit Brekky short for breakfast Trackies short for track pants Source: asain.barbiee/TikTok Advertisement

'I have said these words with full conviction like they are plucked out of the dictionary and Americans have looked at me like I'm speaking another language,' she said.

The first word on Brittany's list was 'keen'.

She replied she was keen when someone asked if she wanted a coffee but the person didn't have 'a single clue' what she meant.

'Next word is the word I struggle with the most and it's 'heaps' which means a lot. Ironically I use the words 'heaps' heaps. I use it every single day,' Brittany said.

Someone 'called her out' on her use of the word so she searched it on Google with some surprising results.

According to Google 'heap' is used to describe a data structure in computer science.

'What is this?' Brittany laughed.

'The next word is 'bathers' which I guess is short for bathing suit so it kind of makes sense but I thought bathers was a word on its own. Nope, it's not real. We made it up,' she added.

Brittany also said she uses abbreviations like sunnies, brekkie, biccy and trackies that are common in Australia but can confused Americans.

'I knew these were shortened versions for the longer ones but I didn't realise how often we opt for the shorter version,' she said.

Someone 'called her out' on the use of the word 'heaps' so she searched it on Google with some surprising results. According to Google 'heap' is used to describe a data structure

'If you use these words in the US, Americans will laugh at you and they will mock you to the point you can't finish what you're saying.'

Brittany shared the Aussie words she didn't know weren't real in a TikTok clip that has now been watched more than 386,600 times and shocked Aussie viewers.

'Heaps and keen seem like normal words to me,' one man said and another added: ''Heaps keen' is a perfect statement'.

'PEOPLE DONT USE THE WORD KEEN IN AMERICA???' one viewer exclaimed.

'We've created our own dialect of English Australian,' someone else pointed out.

Others shared the Aussie words the found baffled international friends including 'reckon'.

'I used 'esky' when I was talking to my friend from New Zealand and I learned they didn't use it,' one woman said.

'A tour guide was so concerned when I asked for the closest chemist,' another recalled.

'My husband told a waiter in the US he didn't want dessert because he was 'chockers' (full) The waiter was so confused,' laughed a third.

Previously, Brittany shared what her average day is like working as a submarine co-pilot.

She has been working the job of her dreams co-piloting a submarine and giving guests underwater tours of a spectacular reef in sunny Hawaii.

She says on an average day she gets up at 5am, has hour-long breaks in the sun, drives the submarine around the harbour and acts as a tour guide.

Brittany spends her day on the water sailing between the submarine called Atlantis 14, and the tug, shuttle and skip boats, as she helps the crew load and offload tourists for their guided reef tours.

Millions were wowed by Brittany's 'idyllic' day-to-day life and thought she had landed the 'perfect job'.

Brittany said waking up at 5am is 'pretty grim' but she watches the sun rise as she rides her bike to the harbour and checks her schedule for the day.

She boards the submarine and completes a series of checks and measures to make sure all the vessels are working for the day.

Previously, Brittany shared what her average day is like working the job of her dreams co-piloting a submarine and giving guests underwater tours of a spectacular reef in sunny Hawaii

'We go onto our shuttle boat and have our little morning meeting, we just discuss the day and what the conditions are like and then it's time to leave,' she explained in a TikTok clip.

After the meeting, Brittany is back on the submarine where she 'gets on the sticks' to drive it out of the harbour where it is attached to a tug boat and dragged out to the main dive site.

After a few hours of work Brittany gets to her 'favourite part of the day' where she can relax on her first break.

'For over an hour, I get to sit on top of the submarine and do sweet f*** all. I watch the sunrise, do bit of yoga, read my book, definitely take a bit of nap because I'm very tired,' she said.

'Then eventually they call me on the radio which means I probably have to get up and do some work again.'

After three tours, Brittany can spend her break relaxing in the sun on a boat. 'Then I can see the Discovery's coming back with our next group so back on the skip, back on the sub,' she said

Brittany gets into her uniform and the submarine ready for the first dive of the day then heads to the top where the crew are getting the first load of guests off the shuttle on board the sub.

'We do six different tours every single day. First dive, I do a narration, I just talk about all the different reefs we see and the different marine life,' she said.

'Second tour of the day, I'm on the Discovery (shuttle) so I take all those guests off the sub and back to pier. I go to bow to help us tie up.'

Throughout the day Brittany sees a litany of marine life from dolphins to sharks and turtles.

Once she ties up the shuttle, she gets the next group of guests on board and 'gets on the mic' to give them a safety brief and talk on what landmarks they will be seeing on their underwater tour.

'For our third tour, once everyone is on board and the hatch is closed, I get to go on the skip and have a break on our tug boat,' the co-pilot said.

'It's hot so I put on my bathers and get a little bit of vitamin D then I can see the Discovery's coming back with our next group so back on the skip, back on the sub for the fourth tour of the day, I am the co pilot.'

As co-pilot, Brittany can put her tour guide duties aside so she can make sure all the guest board the sub safely and keep an eye out of any hazards on the tour.

'I basically just sit back there and make sure we don't crash into anything. For the most part, I just talk to the pilot and have a good old yarn,' she said.

Brittany can have another break during the day's fifth tour where she has a snack and reapplies her sunscreen.

After taking the skip for a 'joy ride' to practice driving it, the Aussie guides the sixth and final tour of the day.

'I do one more narration then back to the surface, open the hatch take all the passengers back, get changed, eating again because it's been ten hours at this point and then take the boat back to the harbour and done,' she said.

Brittany's 'not your regular 9-5' job video has been viewed more than 4.3million times and drew in thousands of responses from viewers who were 'jealous' of the co-pilot's 'dreamy' life.

'The perfect job doesn't exoh wait,' one woman said and another agreed: 'Well you have the coolest job ever'.

'Ohhhhh that's cool, it's a sub tour! I didn't know that was a thing,' a third wrote.

'My motion sickness could never however I'd die for this job!' someone else said.
Women whose lives have been ripped apart by breast cancer have hailed a promising new vaccine showing promise in trials.

Marie Apke, 69, from Chicago, lost her grandmother, mother and younger sister to the disease, which runs in her family.

Ms Apke herself has a gene mutation that increased her risk for breast cancer up to 60 percent.

A vaccine being trialed by the Cleveland Clinic believes it could eliminate the disease within a decade thanks to the shot's enormous promise in early trials.

Ms Apke told DailyMail.com she hoped the vaccine would mean 'people wouldn't have to go through my pain' in the future.

'Think of all the possibilities [if we had the option of a vaccine]... my sisters and my mom had a lot to contribute to the world.

'Can you imagine what [having a vaccine] would be like? I would have sisters with me now.'

Marie Apke (second from right) lost her grandmother, mother and younger sister to breast cancer, which runs in her family. This was the last photograph of them all together, in 2009. (From left to right - Marie's older sister Nancy, her mother Verne, Marie, and her youngest sister Louise)

Marie Apke had a double mastectomy five years ago to reduce her risk of getting the cancer that killed her mother, grandmother and sister

The vaccine targets a protein called -lactalbuminm which only exists in the body when a woman is lactating or during breast cancer formation. The vaccine trains the immune system to destroy cells making that protein, meaning that when cancer cells arise, the immune system will destroy them and they will never have a chance to multiply into a tumor

Meanwhile, mother-of-six Maria Lewis, 56, from Saratoga Springs, Utah, lost her mother to breast cancer and her 36-year-old niece to triple-negative breast cancer.

She was diagnosed with the same disease herself just four months after her niece died in 2017. Her father and uncle also died of cancer.

She told DailyMail.com: 'I'm really excited to hear about the vaccine for triple negative because it's one of the deadliest forms of cancer, especially for young women.

'If there was something out there [like a vaccine] that I could take that would maybe help me or anyone, I would do it in a heartbeat.'

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among US women and is the second leading cause of death among women after lung cancer.

In 2023 alone, around 43,700 women will die from breast cancer in America.

Death rates are falling, but slowly.

Screening has also improved. A leading health panel recently recommended that the age at which women are regularly screened for breast cancer be cut from 50 to 40.

Mrs Lewis with her husband and their six children in 2010

The vaccine is one of hundreds of cancer shots being trialed to stop the disease from recurring or preventing it in the first place.

So far, only those who have had triple-negative breast cancer in the past have received the shot, but it is hoped it will soon be given to healthy people years in advance to stop them from ever getting cancer, which would make the vaccine the first of its kind.

Dr Kumar, CEO of Anixa Biosciences, the company developing the vaccine, told DailyMail.com: 'If this vaccine is successful in preventing triple-negative breast cancer, as well as many other cancers, we might be able to eliminate breast cancer as a disease, just like we have eliminated polio and smallpox and things like that.'

Its creator told DailyMail.com it could be ready to eliminate triple-negative breast cancer in seven years. It is the only candidate for this form of the disease, which is one of the hardest breast cancers to treat.

Breast cancer has taken a terrible toll on Illinois-based Marie Apke's family.

Her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 64 in 1965 and had a double mastectomy, which was considered radical at the time.

Almost 20 years later, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She had a lumpectomy  a partial mastectomy where the breast tissue containing the lump is removed.

Ms Apke's older sister was diagnosed with a rare cancer called bile duct cancer and died in 2009.

Meanwhile, her mother's breast cancer had returned, and she died in her late 80s in 2011.

Ms Apke told DailyMail.com: 'It was one of those things you thought was taken care of, but it wasn't.'

Then, her younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and died aged 52.

Ms Apke said: 'It's weird to have sisters and then not have sisters,' she said.

About five to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary.

To lower her risk of getting cancer, Ms Apke had a double mastectomy about five years ago.

Ms Apke is a therapist by trade and was a peer counselor for FORCE, a nonprofit organization that offers support to individuals and families facing a range of hereditary cancers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, a double mastectomy reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by at least 90 percent for women with a strong family history.

The new vaccine, developed over the last 20 years, has been given to 15 patients at the Cleveland Clinic who were in remission from triple-negative breast cancer. So far, none of the patients have seen a recurrence.

Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for roughly 10-15 percent of breast cancers, but it is one of the most challenging to treat.

APKE added: 'People wouldn't have to go through my pain. Our lives would be so different without [cancer].

'Can you imagine what [having a vaccine] would be like? I would have sisters with me now.'

'Think of all the possibilities... my sisters and my mom had a lot to contribute to the world.

'I believe in the power of women to produce wonderful things in the world and to be able to eliminate the loss of the power of women through that is; it's huge.'

Maria Lewis, her husband Stephen and grandchild, Luke, three weeks before she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer

Mrs Lewis is pictured during her final chemotherapy treatment a week before Christmas 2017

Maria Lewis also had her world turned upside down by cancer.

Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, which spread to her spine and killed her at age 50.

Her father died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while her uncle had lung cancer and prostate cancer.

Her 36-year-old niece died of triple-negative breast cancer in March 2017, just four months before Mrs Lewis was diagnosed herself.

She felt a lump in her breast and went in for a mammogram. 'I just knew it was cancer,' she said. 'I was really afraid. I'm a mother of six, and the youngest were eight and 10.

She was diagnosed aged 50 and given just three to six months to live. The cancer had already spread to her kidney and my lymph nodes.

'It's really frightening. I'd just lost my niece, who was 36,' she said.

All of Mrs Lewis' family are at high risk for cancer. She said: 'They're all afraid because they know that it can be a death sentence.'

Mrs Lewis had targeted chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation, followed by eight surgeries, including a double mastectomy, hysterectomy and removal of her kidney.

She said: 'I wanted to live for my boys. I know what it felt like to lose my mum.

'I was 25 when my mom died aged 50. I really miss my mom; you always miss your mom. I just wanted to do everything I could to survive so my children could be a little bit older.'

She added: 'I still want to see my youngest kids graduate. I'd like to see them get married. There's a lot to live for. Nobody wants to die.'

Her cousin also died of triple-negative breast cancer in her late 20s.

Mrs Lewis told DailyMail.com: 'If there was something out there [like a vaccine] that I could take that would maybe help me or anyone, I would do it in a heartbeat.'

'It's like playing Russian Roulette. With cancer, once you've had it, you know it's going to come back, you just don't know when.'

The new vaccine is the result of more than 20 years of progress by the late Dr Tuohy, who was a top breast cancer scientist at Cleveland Clinic's Research Institute.

During lactation, the body produces a protein called -lactalbuminm.

As women age and their lactation period ends, the body normally stops making the protein.

-lactalbuminm is present in more than 70 percent of triple-negative breast cancers.

The vaccine involves three doses, two weeks apart.

The shot activates the immune system to destroy cancer cells that produce this protein.

T-cells are activated and expanded so the body attacks -lactalbuminm.

When breast cancer cells producing -lactalbuminm start to appear, immune cells destroy the cells before they grow into a mature tumor.

Dr Thaddeus Stappenbeck, chair of inflammation and immunity at Cleveland Clinic, told DailyMail.com: 'It is possible to change the vaccines protein target to treat other forms of cancer, as long as the protein is no longer expressed in normal healthy tissues but is expressed in the tumor.'

He said the clinic is already making progress on an ovarian cancer vaccine using this approach.
It is the most common cancer in women, but deaths rates are slowing falling

Groundbreaking experimental vaccines could finally eliminate one of the most common cancers in women and help America win the war on cancer.

More than 264,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. It is the most common cancer in women in America, with more than 43,000 dying of the condition annually.

But death rates have plummeted 43 percent between 1989 and 2020, after successful public health awareness campaigns, better screening and new drugs.

The above graph shows the case rate of breast cancer among women as a rate per 100,000 people compared to the death rate shown by the red squares. As death rates have plunged, case rates are still rising. The blue and green dots are from two different databases tracking breast cancer rates over different time periods

The rate of new cases has stayed fairly stable between 1992 and 2020, staying around 130 per 100,000 women.

But the number of new breast cancer cases is rising roughly two percent every year, John Wong, an internist and professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, told the Washington Post.

Modern mammography methods were developed late in the 1960s and were first officially recommended by the American Cancer Society in 1976. It is still the most trusted way to screen for breast cancer.

The first mastectomy - a way of treating breast cancer by removing the entire breast through surgery - was performed by American surgeon William Halstead in 1882. To this day, this is the standard operation for breast cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, a double mastectomy reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by at least 90 percent for women with a strong family history.

Radiation therapy was introduced in 1937 as well as surgery to save the breast. After the tumor is removed, needles with radium are put in the breasts and near lymph nodes.

In 1978, Tamoxifen was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in breast cancer treatment.

The above graph shows the changes in breast cancer screenings (black line) since 2017 by month. It also shows a predicted screening rate (yellow dotted line) and the Covid infection rate (blue line) in the US over the same period. Screenings were initially steady but dropped in the first year of the pandemic by as much as 14 percent

The antiestrogen treatment was the first in a new class of drugs called SERMs  selective estrogen receptor modulators.

Eighteen years later, the FDA approved anastrozole (Arimidex) to treat breast cancer. The drug blocks the production of estrogen.

A host of other drugs have since been approved. One of the more recent ones, Trodelvy, was approved by the FDA in 2020. It treats triple-negative breast cancer which has spread for people who have not responded to at least two other treatments.

In May, a leading health panel recommended that the age at which women are regularly screened for breast cancer be cut from 50 to 40.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said an extra 20 million women in their forties would benefit from a mammogram every two years.

The change would save 20 percent more lives, according to the USPSTF, which has drafted the proposal in response to rising rates among middle-aged women.

Currently, all women aged 50 to 74 are advised to get checked via a mammogram - a low-energy X-ray of their breasts - every two years.

The advent of chemotherapy drugs in the 1970s boosted survival rates across the board. Still, it wasn't until the generic versions of the drugs became available in the 80s that access became widespread.

Treatment options for breast cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments is used.

Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation beams focused on cancerous tissue.

This kills cancer cells or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.

A patient may have breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast, depending on the tumor size.

Medical professionals have identified genetic mutations that place women at high risk of developing breast cancer.

Some of these women choose to have a voluntary prophylactic mastectomy  the surgical removal of both breasts, even if they're completely healthy at the time, to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Angelina Jolie famously spoke out about her decision to get a double mastectomy and reconstruction in 2013.

This led to the 'Angelina Jolie' effect  an uptick in genetic tests for breast cancer.

Chemotherapy, a treatment for cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying, is often used.

Some types of breast cancer are affected by the 'female' hormone estrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply.

Therapies that reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.

Now a new line of treatments is emerging  cancer vaccines to treat and prevent cancer.

One vaccine, developed at the famous Mount Sinai hospital in Manhattan, New York, rapidly melts away the primary tumor and teaches the body to hunt and kill cancer cells that have spread elsewhere.

Two women with breast cancer were put into partial and total remission after receiving the vaccine, which is not for the faint-hearted, in a clinical trial.

Patients receive 17 injections into the tumor, and a further eight into their arm over six months.

Meanwhile, a new vaccine for triple-negative breast cancer developed in conjunction by Anixa Biosciences and Cleveland Clinic is also raising hopes of a cancer-free future.

Unlike most of the cancer shots being trialed which are given to patients post-diagnosis, the new shot is given to cancer survivors to prevent relapse or healthy years in advance.

The vaccine has several key hurdles to clear, including large-scale human trials and approval from the Food and Drug Administration, but Dr Amit Kumar, CEO of Anixa Biosciences, the company developing the vaccine, told DailyMail.com that if they go well, 'we might be able to eliminate breast cancer as a disease, just like we have eliminated polio and smallpox.'

President Joe Biden has declared war on cancer in the US last year, vowing to halve rates of deaths from the disease within 25 years.

The National Institutes of Health recently declared this ambition 'impossible'.

Lung and breast cancers have seen the biggest improvements in falling death rates so far, which experts say is due to successful awareness campaigns and healthier habits.

But there are concerns that some of the gains made were lost in the initial stages of the pandemic, after many steered clear of healthcare services.
Experts call for action on 24 Brits dead, scores more maimed, and 1.7m NHS bill

Brits wanting cut-price cosmetic surgery abroad should be made to pay a 'Turkey Tax', experts have today demanded amid calls for a crackdown to stop more Brits dying unnecessarily.

Tens of thousands of Brits, particularly women in their 20s and 30s, flock to Europe for boob jobs, bum lifts and lip enhancements every year.

Turkey has become one of the most popular destinations, fuelled by celebrities and influencers who've made the four-hour trip in pursuit of revamping their bodies.

Clinics also offer luxurious 'all-inclusive' packages at five-star hotels, complete with meals and VIP transport. Such deals, on sale for in the region of 2,500, include the treatments themselves.

But despite seeming safe on the surface, Turkey is called the 'capital of butchery' by campaigners.

Dozens of ordinary patients have shared their horror stories at the hands of 'cowboy' surgeons, including some who needed life-saving treatment as soon as they landed back on UK soil. Correcting such botched ops costs taxpayers millions every year.

At least 24 Brits have also died going under the knife in Turkey since 2019, where standards are notoriously laxer than in the NHS. Surgical aftercare can be non-existent, too, argue victims of the procedures.

MailOnline will this weekend expose many of the underhanded tactics deployed by predatory Turkish clinics to lure Brits overseas.

Turkish clinics offer packages including VIP airport transfers in 'luxury vehicles' and 5-star hotel stays with breakfast. Some even promise free tours of cities like Istanbul and the choice to take another guest at no additional cost, as well as 24/7 emergency lines, overnight nurse visits and even massages

Liposuction that offers to remove up to 15 litres of fat, Brazilian butt lifts, eye colour-changing laser treatments and hymenoplasties are all offered in clinics across Turkey

Dawn Knight, a prolific campaigner against poor cosmetic surgery, is one of those urging the Government to immediately crack down on the tactics.

She told this website: 'Something has to change.

'A compulsory insurance of some sort should be introduced, so that the NHS can recoup the costs.

'We can't continue in this way with a struggling NHS, no money to pay doctors and nurses what they deserve yet our NHS picks up the bill for botched surgery abroad.'

Labour MP Kevan Jones is another urging action, saying the Government must act to bring 'cowboy surgeons' to account and that 'anybody considering cosmetic surgery should not go to Turkey'.

British surgeons have also told MailOnline that Turkey's cosmetic clinics are using the NHS as a safety net for poor surgical care.

Estimates put the beleaguered health service's botched surgery bill for 2022 alone at about 1.7million, a record figure that is itself considered a gross underestimate of the problem.

Dawn Knight, who has campaigned against poor practices in cosmetic surgery, said Turkish medics treat the UK as a honeypot and something must be done

Brits themselves have shared horrific stories of the injuries they have suffered at the hands of Turkish clinics with some taking months to heal, if ever.

Some ex-patients have told this website of being stitched up so tight their wounds burst open when they moved, with others describing being left with necrotic nipples from botched boob jobs.

While Turkey isn't the only surgical destination, it is by far one of the most popular.

Cheap flights between the UK and Turkish cities have made it one of the leading destinations for Brits wanting to go under the knife.

Part of the reason is the rise of 'all-inclusive' surgical holiday deals that are marketed to Brits looking for cosmetic surgery to entice them to Turkish clinics.

Turkish clinics frequently offer such packages including VIP airport transfers in 'luxury vehicles' and 5-star hotel stays with breakfast included to sweeten the deal.

One Istanbul-based surgery has partnered with British OnlyFans model Phoebe Bartlett to offer her followers a 100 discount code

Experts say TOWIE icons have helped fuel the ever-growing trend for cut-price cosmetic surgery abroad. Pictured left to right: Amber Turner, Yazmin Oukhellou, Dani Imbert, Junaid Ahmed, Megan McKenna, Bobby Norris and Lauren Goodger

British surgeons have raised the alarm about the rising cost of fixing botched cosmetic ops performed overseas, with one case alone costing the NHS an estimated 100,000

MailOnline found some cosmetic surgery packages in Turkey being sold for under 3,000.

But UK surgeons and the NHS itself advise against buying cosmetic surgery as part of a holiday, warning it 'trivialises' the life-changing decision and underplays the rest and recovery needed after a major operation.

Another recent tactic used by Turkish clinics, uncovered by this website, is the use of OnlyFans models to promote surgical procedures to body-conscious British women.

In some cases, adult stars are even teaming up with clinics to offer discount codes to 'get a body' like their own.

Celebrities also have a role to play in popularising the trend of heading to Turkey for quick surgical touch-up.

Whether its BBLs, lipo, boob jobs or even Turkey teeth, reality stars have piled on the pressure for Brits to go under the knife abroad, campaigners say.

Once committed to have a procedure in Turkey, Brits will have an array of procedures to select from that aren't generally offered in the UK.

But as surgeons have told MailOnline, that is often for a very good reason.

These can range from 'extreme BBLs' to 'mega liposuctions' that no reputable UK surgeon would dream of attempting.

Numerous Turkish clinics even offer the banned 'virginity repair' surgery, a procedure made illegal in the UK over its role in honour-based violence.

Labour MP for North Durham Kevan Jones is campaigning for more action to stop overseas 'cowboy' surgeons butchering Brits abroad

It is not just a wider range of surgery that is on offer, but a wider range of patients as well.

Some Turkish surgeons show a remarkably willingness to perform cosmetic procedures on British patients deemed too fat, unhealthy, or with health conditions that make them too high-risk to go under the knife in Britain.

One UK surgeon described a case where a morbidly obese, 60-year-old wheelchair-bound woman with a host of health conditions was offered a combined tummy tuck and liposuction in Turkey.

The result was a series of life-saving NHS health interventions to stop deadly blood clots and flesh-eating infections upon her return to the UK, at a cost of 100,000 to the taxpayer.

UK surgeons have said the above case is just one example of how some Turkish clinics are using Britain's health service as their surgical aftercare service, part of why their procedures are so cheap in the first place.

And there are signs the problem is only getting worse.

Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) show the total number of overseas cosmetic operations being fixed on the NHS in 2022 was 35 per cent higher than the previous year.

What experts at the time hoped was just pent-up demand after the Covid pandemic disrupted international air-travel is looking more like a booming business model for Turkey's cosmetic surgery industry.
A treatment described as groundbreaking could benefit hundreds of men with advanced prostate cancer if approved in the UK.

Trials have shown a combination of two drugs  enzalutamide and talazoparib  can halve the risk of prostate cancer progressing.

The treatment is part of a class of new precision medications which allow tumours to be targeted more accurately.

And, while the combination has recently been given the green light by regulators in the US, a UK decision is expected later this year. Last month researchers published results from a worldwide trial involving more than 800 men with a particular type of prostate cancer driven by specific genetic changes.

The findings, published in the Lancet, found the drug combination cut the risk of the cancer progressing by 55 per cent compared to the standard treatment for those patients.

STOCK IMAGE: A treatment described as groundbreaking could benefit hundreds of men with advanced prostate cancer if approved in the UK

The study was led by Dr Neeraj Agarwal at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah and was followed shortly by approval by US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration.

Neli Ulrich, chief scientific officer at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, said: 'This work is absolutely groundbreaking. It will make a big difference in treatment options for many prostate cancer patients.'

Talazoparib is part of a class of new precision treatments for prostate cancer called PARP inhibitors, which work by blocking a protein which repairs cancer cells. Enzalutamide is a type of hormone therapy for men whose prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

The combination is currently scheduled to be reviewed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice)  the UK regulator  in September.

And if given the go-ahead it could benefit 'several hundred men per year' with advanced prostate cancer, according to experts.

However, key questions remain  including whether the current benefit in slowing the rate at which cancer progresses can translate to a meaningful extension of life.

And if life expectancy is extended, experts say it's important to find out whether this will only benefit men who have prostate cancers driven by a particular genetic mutation.

The Mail has relaunched our End Needless Prostate Deaths campaign in a bid to improve diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

The Mail has fought for nearly 25 years to raise the profile of the cancer, which claims a man's life every 45 minutes in Britain. More than 50,000 men are diagnosed with it a year, making it the most common cancer in men and second overall.

Dr Matthew Hobbs, of Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'Treatments which target specific genetic changes in prostate cancers are really exciting.

'However, targeted treatments won't work for every man, and we need to tread carefully to make sure they're given only to those who actually benefit, so those who don't can move on to other treatments and avoid unnecessary side effects.'
EXCL: Czech man was so ill medics initially thought he was suffering from sepsis

If you get bitten by a tick this summer, you might just dismiss it as a nuisance and think nothing of it.

But doctors are now urging you to be wary of a bizarre yet potentially deadly side effect  an allergy to red meat.

Their alert follows the case of a Czech man, who suffered a cardiac arrest from the little-known complication.

The 68-year-old, who lived near the city of Pilsen, was unaware that he'd even been bitten by a tick.

The man, who medics did not identify, was suddenly struck down with anaphylaxis after tucking into his dinner of spicy pork kidneys.

Medics have described how a 68-old-man developed a allergy to red meat as a result of a tick bite

About an hour later, the man was found by his wife gasping in his chair, struggling to breathe. His heart temporarily stopped.

His wife called the emergency services and was talked through how to give him CPR by a phone operator.

By the time an ambulance arrived the man was conscious and breathing, but he was still in a poor condition and taken to hospital.

During a physical examination medics found a tick embedded in his skin, which they extracted.

Describing the case in the European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine, medics said initial test results of an elevated white blood cell count and a shadow on his lung initially led them to believe he had sepsis from pneumonia.

However, while they gathered his medical history his wife mentioned the man had started to feel itchy after his lunch.

This made the team of medics suspect an allergic reaction was instead to blame.

Further blood tests suggested the man had suffered anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction, supporting their hypothesis.

Accounting for his allergic reaction from something he ate, and the tick, the doctors then 'connected the dots' to the possibility their patient had developed alpha-gal syndrome.

Tests for the specific antibody that triggers the red meat allergy came back positive and the man was officially diagnosed.

Alpha-gal syndrome, colloquially called a 'red meat allergy', is technically triggered by a specific sugar of the same name.

It is only found in the flesh of mammals, such as pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, and venison.

While sufferers must obviously shy away from burgers and steaks, they also must beware of dairy and gelatine products which can also contain alpha-gal.

Alpha-gal syndrome symptoms are mostly consistent with other allergic reactions such as a rash and swelling of the mouth and throat, which can cause dangerous breathing difficulties.

Symptoms usually develop three to six hours after ingesting red meat as alpha-gal enters the blood stream during digestion.

However, for reasons scientists are still exploring, the severity of the symptoms varies per case.

It is known, however, that subsequent tick bites for people already with alpha-gal syndrome can make the allergy worse.

What exactly triggers alpha-gal syndrome is poorly understood because it occurs so rarely following a tick bite.

Scientists are still trying to unpick if the chance of getting it is related to a quality of some ticks' saliva, a quirk of some people's immune system reacting to the saliva, or a combination of both.

READ MORE: Agony of ex-beauty queen left bed-bound by Lyme disease: Mother, 34, needs to be CARRIED to the toilet by her husband because tick-borne illness is 'shutting down her body Kirstie Haysman who was crowned Miss Hertfordshire in 2015, was forced to travel thousands of miles to Mexico to be diagnosed with the tick-borne illness Advertisement

Further complicating matters is that tests for alpha-gal syndrome, which involve pricking a patient's skin with beef or pork extracts following a tick bite, are unreliable, meaning people may not know they have it until eating red meat.

Writing in the journal, the authors warned that cases of alpha-gal syndrome could increase as rising global temperatures expanded the range of many ticks.

'As global warming continues, we may expect tick-borne diseases to spread wider around the globe,' they wrote.

With this case they said medics needed to increase their awareness of alpha-gal syndrome when treating patients suffering heart problems with no clear cause.

Experts are growing increasingly concerned about the spread of diseases carried by ticks and mosquitoes to traditionally cooler areas, like the UK, as average temperatures rise.

There are an estimated 34,000 cases of alpha-gal syndrome in the US.

However, some suspect as many as 10million Americans may be living undiagnosed with a minor form of the condition.

Cases in the UK are very rare, with only a handful ever reported in medical literature.

Alpha-gal syndrome was discovered in 2001 when Dr Thomas Platts-Mills, a medicine professor at the University of Virginia, was working on a monoclonal antibody drug when he noticed it causing anaphylaxis in a few patients.

After failing to treat a person with the drug, called Cetuximab, an investigation found the antibodies were being attacked by separate ones inside the body.

Further investigation revealed the drug's antibodies had AGS in them because they were grown using animal cells.

Perhaps the most famous person to publicly acknowledge suffering from AGS is mystery writer John Grisham, who caught it after a tick bite and no longer eats meat.
Cats should be kept indoors and dogs on a leash  if you want to protect them from bird flu, European health chiefs have warned.

The global bird flu outbreak has devastated both domestic and wild bird populations causing millions of deaths in 67 countries, including in the UK.

Scientists have also raised the alarm about bird flu deaths among wild mammals, like foxes, which can catch the virus by hunting sickened birds or scavenging the dead.

Now the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has urged pet owners to keep their cats indoors and dogs leashed while walking to avoid the same risks.

The warning was sparked by a wave of cats in Poland testing positive for bird flu in June, with nine dying as a result.

Keep your fury friends locked up or on a leash to protect them from bird flu, European health chiefs have warned

This map shows all of the known incidences of non-human mammals being infected with bird flu since 2016. Stars indicate events that resulted in deaths from the virus

While the source of the outbreak has yet to be confirmed, European health chiefs noted about half of the cats had been given raw poultry to eat by their owners, which could have passed the virus to the felines.

No cat-to-cat or cat-to-human bird flu transmission has yet been confirmed in the cases, the officials added.

Another study, this time from a bird flu-infected farm in Italy, also found five dogs and a cat there had antibodies for the disease.

EFSA said: 'It is recommended to avoid exposure of domestic cats and dogs, and in general carnivore pets, to dead or diseased animals (mammals and birds), and to avoid feeding domestic cats and dogs offal and raw meat from wild or kept birds.'

It added: 'Possible measures are keeping dogs on a leash, and confining cats indoors in areas where extensive circulation of HPAI (High pathogenic avian influenza H5N1) viruses in wild birds has been confirmed.'

Genetic analysis of both the Polish and Italian outbreaks showed the highly infectious bird flu strain spreading round the world, dubbed HPAI A(H5N1), was responsible.

A National Trust ranger clears dead birds from Staple Island, Northumberland, during a bird flu outbreak in July last year

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)

Your browser does not support iframes.

Health chiefs said may this indicate the virus is adapting to better infect mammals.

This, EFSA added that this not only had implications for wildlife but for domestic animals, and by extension their owners.

'HPAI A(H5N1) virus-infected pets may become a potential risk for exposure of further animals and pet owners,' they said.

EFSA also recommended further health monitoring of domestic pets in areas with a high number of bird flu cases and for bird flu testing of pet owners exposed to infected cats and dogs.

People in the UK have been advised to avoid handling dead or sick wild birds and washing their hands thoroughly if they must to reduce their risk of catching the disease.

No official guidance or advice regarding cat or dog interactions with wild birds similar to EFSA's recommendations has been issued in Britain.

UK health authorities have maintained that the overall risk posed to humans by avian influenza remains low.

However, scientists fear if bird flu ever makes the jump to humans it could kill up to one in 20 of those infected, according to modelling by UK experts.
No details of their identify  including age, sex and location  have been shared

Swabs showed two poultry workers in England had the H5N1 strain

Another two poultry workers have tested positive with bird flu, health officials confirmed today.

Both Brits, who work at different premises in England, had the H5N1 strain.

No details of their identify  including age, sex and location  have been shared by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Until now, there has only been three cases of Brits becoming infected with H5N1 since the unprecedented ongoing outbreak took off in October 2021.

Globally, fewer than 900 human cases of H5N1, which kills close to 50 per cent of those it strikes, have ever been recorded.

The virus is usually picked up through close contact with an infected bird, whether dead or alive.

County Durham, Northumberland and Argyll and Bute are among the worst-hit areas, MailOnline analysis of Government data has revealed

The new cases come after Alan Gosling (pictured), a retired engineer in Devon, caught the virus after his ducks, some of which lived inside his home, became infected in 2022

Alan Gosling, a retired engineer in Devon who kept ducks at home, caught the virus in early 2022 after his ducks became infected.

He later tested negative after being in quarantine for nearly three weeks.

Two British poultry workers then tested positive for bird flu in May, making them only the second and third human cases ever recorded in Britain.

No signs of human-to-human transmission have yet been detected in the UK.

In an update today, the UKHSA said the first new bird flu case reported suffering from a sore throat and muscle aches  though it is unclear whether these symptoms were caused by the virus.

READ MORE: Keep your dogs on a leash and cats indoors, pet owners told amid unprecedented bird flu outbreak Keep your fury friends locked up or on a leash to protect them from bird flu, European health chiefs have warned Advertisement

The individual had three household close contacts and all have remained asymptomatic.

The second unidentified case and their three household contacts also developed no symptoms.

Around 50 other people who work over the two affected sites were tested for bird flu and all were negative, the UKHSA said.

It is unclear whether the two Brits who tested positive had 'true infections'  when the virus replicates in their nose and therefore posed a risk to others  or whether the virus could have sat in the back of the nose from contamination.

The UKHSA said: 'The first new detection is difficult to interpret due to lack of information on sample timing and may be consistent with infection or contamination of the respiratory tract.

'The second new detection is likely to represent contamination.'

The potential bird flu cases were detected as part of asymptomatic testing.

Workers on sites with infected birds can be exposed through dust and virus fragments in the air, on the ground and on their clothing.

Since the start of June, bird flu restrictions have been slapped on sites in south Yorkshire, Wales, Sussex, Lincolnshire and Cumbria.

A National Trust ranger clears dead birds from Staple Island, Northumberland, in July

Bird flu usually occurs in people who spend a lot of time with infected creatures, such as bird handlers. Pictured: A swan on the River Thames in Windsor, Berkshire

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)

Your browser does not support iframes.

Symptoms of bird flu in humans may involve a very high temperature or feeling hot or shivery, aching muscles, a headache and a cough or shortness of breath.

According to the NHS, other early symptoms could also include diarrhoea, stomach pain, bleeding from the nose and gums and conjunctivitis.

People are strongly urged not to touch sick or dead birds because the virus is lethal, killing up to 56 per cent of people it does manage to infect.

H5N1  the avian influenza strain behind the current outbreak sweeping the world, considered the biggest ever  does not transmit easily between humans.

But mutations to the virus that makes mammal-to-mammal transmission easier could change that, some experts fear.
A mother-of-two from Kansas has shared how her 15-month-old toddler almost died after eating a piece of popcorn at Disneyland.

Lakynn Dockers, then 27, gave in to her son Briar's demands to have the treat after seeing his sister have one while they were queuing for a ride.

But when she went to take the popcorn away from him, the little boy inhaled sharply to wail  which sucked a popcorn down his throat.

He coughed to clear the blockage and started wheezing and a quick check by paramedics suggested he was fine. Later that evening, however, the family rushed to the hospital after Briar woke from a nap with 'labored breathing' again.

Lakynn Dockers, from Kansas, needed to rush her son Briar to hospital (pictured) after a popcorn left him with labored breathing. He needed surgery to remove bits of the popcorn from his lungs

Lakynn Dockers, then 27, pictured with her son Briar. The family had been on a trip to Disneyland in southern California when the accident happened

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that youngsters under four years old should not be allowed to eat popcorn.

They warn that popcorn is a choking hazard for the age group and that the sharp edges of flakes can get caught in children's throats causing gagging or choking.

Ms Dockers said her son cried and coughed for about 15 minutes after clearing the popcorn, causing her to leave the queue for the ride to find paramedics.

They carried out checks and said he had good color and good blood oxygen levels, putting the discomfort down to the popcorn likely scratching his throat.

The family continued to enjoy Disneyland but found later that evening that when Briar woke from a nap in the stroller he had 'labored' breathing again.

At this point, Ms Dockers said she became 'frantic' and took him to hospital.

Scans there quickly revealed he still had pieces of popcorn lodged in both lungs, with doctors saying they needed to rush him through for emergency surgery which he 'may not survive'.

Ms Dockers said: 'They prepared us that it was high risk but it wasn't until the surgeon came in to talk with us that we understood how high risk it was.

'The surgeon made it clear that it was very likely Briar would not make it through his surgery due to his low oxygen levels and anticipating that the popcorn had expanded.

'He wanted us to realize how serious it was and that there was a great possibility Briar would not be coming back out.

She added: 'All we could do was cling to our baby and beg the doctors to bring him back out safe to us. It was the worst 1.5 hours of our lives.'

Ms Dockers, who at the time was also visiting Disneyland with her 29-month-old Hadlee and husband Eastin, revealed the story to warn other parents not to make the same mistake.

Briar demanded some popcorn after seeing his sister also had her first piece.

'We will share with you what our surgeon shared with us,' she said.

'With kids in these cases, many of them are brain-dead before they even get to him.

'Do NOT give nuts, popcorn, grapes or raisins to kids under four.'

At the time of the accident in December 2021, she launched a fundraiser to help cover medical costs  which raised $12,175 of the $10,000 aim.

Briar is pictured above in hospital. He initially cleared the blockage from his throat. But scans later revealed bits of the popcorn were still in his lungs

Choking on objects such as popcorn, gum and hot dogs is one of the leading causes of death among children under four years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 160 children in this age bracket die from choking every year, estimates suggest.

Young children are at higher risk of choking because they are still learning how to chew properly.

They are also more likely to swallow items whole and to put things in their mouths that can easily block their smaller airways.
ITV is no longer considering an acquisition of television production company All3Media, the broadcaster told investors in a short statement on Friday.

The potential deal emerged last month with reports suggesting ITV was actively exploring' a takeover of All3Media, the Fleabag and Gogglebox maker, in a deal that could be worth more than 1billion.

But the broadcaster led by Carolyn McCall, told investors it is no longer actively exploring a potential deal, though it said continues to monitor the Warner Bros Discovery and Liberty Global-owned firm.

All3Media was behind Phoebe Waller-Bridge's hit BBC comedy drama Fleabag

The FTSE 250 broadcaster added: ITV assesses all potential value-creating [merger and acquisition] opportunities against its strict financial criteria and disciplined capital allocation framework.

It was initially understood that ITV was planning to merge All3Media with its ITV Studios arm in a bid to boost the broadcaster's production division.

In 2022 the ITV's profits rose by 4 per cent to 501million and revenue was up by 7 per cent to 4.3billion, though one of the most important measures watched by investors, advertising revenue, dropped slightly.

Income from digital advertising was up strongly, as was income from studios.

However, many media organisations are now suffering a slowdown in digital advertising revenues as companies cut back on marketing spend.

ITV has also this year been rocked by the departure of presenter Philip Schofield, who stepped down from This Morning following The Mail on Sunday's revelation that the high-profile presenter had been in a relationship with a much younger colleague.

His exit is the latest in a string of high-profile departures, which also include Jeremy Kyle and Piers Morgan, since the beginning of chief executive McCall's reign in 2018.

ITV shares were down by 0.4 per cent to 68.54p in early trading.
Asset and investment managers LionTrust and Ashmore were the two biggest losers on the FTSE 250 as economic uncertainty deters investors from riskier assets.

LionTrust shares fell 9.7 per cent, or 69p, to 640p after their trading update reported a 6 per cent fall in assets under management and outflows of 1.6billion for the last quarter.

Ashmore plunged by 8.3 per cent, or 18p, to 198.8p as it said there had been a 3 per cent drop in its assets under management and net outflows of 2.6billion for the three months leading up to June.

Downturn: Economic uncertainty is deterring investors from riskier assets

Lion Trust, which primarily focuses on UK equities, blamed its results on the poor performance of the UK equities market.

Mark Coombs, who is the chief executive of emerging markets specialist Ashmore, commented: 'There remains some global macro uncertainty and certain investors have therefore reduced risk during the quarter.'
The former accountant of the late Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer has given his top tips every Aussie needs to know to avoid being a 'victim' during tax time.

Chartered Accountant Allan Mason worked alongside the billionaire Kerry Packer at his Consolidated Press Holdings company.

The director of Encore Accounting and author of 'tax secrets of the rich' told Daily Mail Australia his book has 'truth nuggets' the ATO does not want taxpayers to know.

'There's only two things certain in life, death and taxes. Well, I've been doing this for 40 years and I can tell you death is certain but taxes are not,' Mr Mason said.

'The bottom line is everybody says, the more money I make, the more tax I pay and that's not entirely true either.

The accountant said he is on a mission to bust myths about taxation so that the average Aussie can keep more money in their pocket.

'There's probably a lot you can do or should try to do,' Mason said.

'I would say a good 10 to 20 per cent of taxpayers fail to claim the things they're entitled to claim because they're either slack or they just don't know and people pay more tax because of this.'

Director of Encore Accounting and author of 'tax secrets of the rich' Allan Mason (pictured) revealed his tax tips for Aussies in the lead up to the end of financial year. Mr Mason said he wants Aussies to 'get educated' so that they avoid becoming 'victims' of taxation

With more than 40 years of experience, Mr Mason wants Aussies to 'get educated' and not be victims during tax time.

'How can the average person ever hope to understand the Tax Act?' Mr Mason said.

'It's complicated and has over 100,000 pages of legislation and rulings. If you stack the pages on the floor, it'll go from the floor to the ceiling.

'Every year thousands of tax payers under claim what they are entitled to claim. They could have restructured their affairs before 30th June to wipe out a massive tax bill.

'Planning does matter. Educate yourself. Take control. Buy my new book and read it. Everyone tells me it is an easy read. I guarantee it will not solve your insomnia issues.'

He explained most expenses incurred by an employee or business are deductible provided its associated with your income earning activity.

'While trying to make a good living you're going to make more money and you want to keep it and not give away half of it to the tax office,' Mr Mason said.

'Use it for your family use it for a charity that you choose. Use it to help those less fortunate that you. Choose before the government makes that choice for you.'

Mr Mason's top tips for employees and business owners to avoid being a victim during tax time.

Mr Mason advised employees and business owners to keep a diary while working from home as they are able to claim up to 67 cents per hour (stock image, woman working from home)

1. Keep a diary while working from home

From the 202223 income year, there are two methods available to calculate working from home deductions - the actual cost method and the revised fixed rate method of 67 cents per hour.

Mr Mason explains the revised fixed rate method, which was instituted on March 1, this year, does not require a person to have a dedicated home office space.

Those who work from home are allowed to claim usage of electricity, gas, phone and internet as well as computer consumables, stationary and a portion of the decline in value of depreciating assets including office furniture and technology.

'Make sure to keep a diary of the hours you spend working from home. Add these up because you are entitled to claim 67 cents per hour,' Mr Mason said.

'That money is better in your pocket than with the tax office.'

2. Attend a course, seminar or workshops

Mr Mason explained a person can claim a deduction for the cost of attending seminars, conferences, or training courses that maintain or increase the knowledge, capabilities or skills needed to earn income in their current employment.

'If you're a writer, and you attend a course on brick laying that won't help, you wouldn't be able to get a deduction on that,' Mr Mason said.

'Attend seminars or courses that are designed to improve your skills in your industry. This is deductible.

'People do it all the time, they go to things and learn and sometimes the fact that it is in Surfers Paradise just on the beach is an added bonus.'

Mr Mason added a person can claim a number of expenses while attending a course including registration costs, fares to and from the venue if it is held at a location other than the normal workplace and accommodation and meals during the stay.

Another tip was for Aussies to record the kilometres they travel between work offices and job sites. Mr Mason added workers who drive utes and carry heavy equipment can claim the kilometres they travel (stock image)

3. Claim travel expenses

Mr Mason advises the general rule for claiming travel expenses if a business owner or employee are travelling for business purposes.

While travel to and from home and work is not deductible, travel between office spaces and worksites can be claimed.

He highly recommended everyone to keep a travel diary recording the kilometres travelled each day.

'Unless the below exemption applies, the tax office won't allow you to claim travel from home to work but will allow any kind of travel from one work office to another office,' Mr Mason said.

'It also allows for if you go to the bank on your way to the office, pick up some tools, or you've got a ute and you need to carry heavy equipment.

'If you are a tradie for example, with heavy tools you can claim travel from home to work because you need to transport these tools.

'Those kilometres are deductible. So, keep a record of your kilometres and claim it.'

4. Buy any items needed for work

A person can claim the cost of items including tools, computers, internet, stationery, books, bags, office furniture and the cost of insurance and repairs to some items as long as they are used for work.

Mr Mason explained workers should think about the items they need and try to purchase them in June.

'Buy it in June and you will get a tax deduction this year. If you buy on the first of July you won't get it until 2024. So you want to bring us forward,' Mr Mason said.

'You want to make sure you need that piece of equipment because you're saving 47 cents but you're paying 53 cents. So the benefit is just a little bit below half of what you spend.'

Mr Mason advised Aussies to check their super contributions and top-up if the concessional cap has not been maxed (stock image, woman making a bank transfer)

5. Check if you have maxed out your super contributions.

Mr Mason explained if a person has a total superannuation balance of less than $500,000 from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023, they may be entitled to contribute more than the general concessional contributions cap to make additional concessional contributions for any unused amounts prior year caps.

He added in the first year a person will be entitled to carry forward unused amounts is the 201920 financial year. Unused amounts are available for a maximum of five years, after which they will expire.

'You can go into MyGov and you can see how much super you should paid in prior years,' Mr Mason said.

'So if you have a concessional limit of 27,500 and in the last few years you have only put in $10,000. You realise you have a bit of extra cash so you can top it up with another $17,500 that you missed in prior years and put it into super.

'You can check your MyGov account and contribute all of the unused caps, if you have the cash available to do so.

'You get a tax deduction for it and its your money in your superannuation account being looked after by somebody else until you retire. It is like putting your money in a special savings account and getting a tax deduction for doing so.'

6. Consider paying a full-year's interest on an investment property to avoid capital gains tax

Mr Mason explained this tip is for individuals who have more than one investment property.

If a person sells an investment property they are subject to a capital gains tax - the tax a person pays on the profit made.

Mr Mason said if you sell an investment property and make a profit, consider using that profit to prepay a full years interest on another investment property or even top up the unused caps (limits) on your superannuation.

That way, an individual avoids paying (wasting) the tax on the profit they have made.

7. If a business recorded a loss you can get a refund on tax paid using prepayment rules

This tip applies to individuals that run a business through a company.

If a business records a loss in the current financial year an individual can use the loss carry back rules to get a refund for the tax they paid when the company recorded a profit in a previous year.

'If you run your business through a company and this year you are in a loss situation, which many are, and you paid tax in an earlier year like in 2020? Then maximise that loss by using the prepayment rules to get more of that tax back in your hands,' Mr Mason said.

Mr Mason explained a person can carry back the 'loss' to a prior year and get a refund of tax paid in that earlier year.

He also advised business owners to use prepayment rules to their advantage by coming up with a strategy.

'Many business owners miss this one. If you are in profit, then again maximise the prepayment rules, bring forward any repairs, defer any income (by not starting that new job until 1st July),' Mr Mason said.

'Hence turn that current year profit into a current loss and use the carry back rules to get a massive refund. These rules cease on 30th June 2023Look at your numbers and plan a strategy.'

Mr Mason was the former accountant of the late Kerry Packer (pictured). He attributes the Australian media tycoon with teaching him to never accept the 'status quo'.

Mr Mason attributes the late Kerry Packer for influencing his attitude towards taxation and teaching him to never accept the 'status quo'.

'[He was] very, very supportive and very respectful even though you might hear to the contrary. He forced you to think about things and he would really go right to the base of what needed to be done and how to handle something,' Mr Mason said.

'I learned in those days which carried me through to today is to not accept the status quo to look, dig and see if there is a solution. To not accept that you just gotta pay up and shut up.'

Mr Mason said his book 'tax secrets of the rich' is available nationally.
A society couple has finally tied the knot in a lavish Italian wedding attended by a Who's Who of Sydney's social set.

Michael Porter - whose family owns Australia's leading condom business, Four Seasons - said 'I do' to his long-time partner Billy Mitchell on Wednesday.

The three-day extravaganza was attended by celebrities, models, business moguls, reality stars and influencers - but the big day almost didn't happen after the couple was forced to postpone their nuptials several times due to Covid.

The newlyweds, who originally planned to marry in 2020, are entrenched in Sydney's elite social scene, with their guests including bikini model Natasha Oakley and liquor heir Theo Chambers, socialite Nadia Fairfax-Wayne, and stylist Caroline Tran.

The ceremony was officiated by Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm.

Four Seasons condom heir Michael Porter (right) and his husband Billy Mitchell (left) tied the knot in a lavish wedding in Lake Como, Italy, on Wednesday

The ceremony was officiated by Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm (pictured)

Married At First Sight lovebirds Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli were also there to celebrate.

While Mr Porter's family made their wealth from condoms and lubricants, he is the founder of pimple patch business Skin Control.

His husband Billy, who grew up in Perth, works in luxury PR.

The multi-day event included a welcome party at the restaurant Locanda La Tirlindana, where the couple arrived via vintage Porsche to music and dancing in the cobblestone streets.

On Wednesday, the pair exchanged vows surrounded by a chic floral arrangement at the Villa del Balbianello, a venue known for its mesmerising views of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains.

Swimwear mogul Natasha Oakley and liquor heir Theo Chambers attended the wedding, two weeks after getting married themselves in Capri

Style tastemakers Nadia Fairfax-Wayne (left) and Caroline Tran (right) were among the guests

MAFS couple Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli were also on the exclusive guest list

Bridget Malcolm, from Perth, is known for appearing in Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows

Jake Tucker (left) and Melbourne stylist Elliot Garnaut (right) oozed designer sophistication

The celebrations ended with a 'Last Dance' themed-party hosted at Lido di Ossuccio, a picturesque venue set in a meadow overlooking the lake.

Guests were issued specific outfit instructions via a 'mood board' link.

'This is a strict black tie and gown affair. For the gentlemen, this means wearing a tuxedo, shirt and bowtie, and female guests are wearing floor-length gowns,' the invitation read.

The Pinterest-style mood board featured fashion inspirations from models, iconic celebrity moments and designer campaigns, including a 'La Dolce Vita' dress code for their 'Welcome Aperitif' soiree and a 'Festival Del Lago' dress code for their 'Last Dance' event.

Groom Billy Mitchell donned 'Icon' budgy smugglers at a pre-wedding pool party

The glamorous affair was also a child-free event, with the couple strongly advising guests to leave their children at home.

'Due to restricted numbers, we're unable to extend the invitation to children. We will be joined by our immediate nieces and nephews on our special day. We hope you understand and enjoy your night off,' they said.

The romantic celebration comes weeks after a number of high profile Sydneysiders wed overseas, including Ingham chicken heirs Tamie and Johnny and their respective partners, Guillaume Brahimi and Rey Vakili; and Monday Swimwear co-founder and Chambers Liquor scion Theo Chambers.
Emails from Hunter's laptop show the close relationship between the Bidens and Mackler, with the lawyer sending the First Son loving messages

DailyMail.com can reveal Wolf worked closely with Alexander Mackler, who served as then-VP Joe's White House Deputy Counsel from 2014 to 2016

Delaware Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf is accused of obstructing the FBI from investigating Joe Biden during the probe into his son Hunter's tax crimes

A prosecutor on the Hunter Biden criminal probe worked closely with Joe Biden's former White House lawyer  then allegedly 'obstructed' FBI agents from investigating the President's involvement.

Delaware Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf was accused by whistleblower IRS agents of shutting down any investigation of Joe Biden during the five-year probe into his son's tax crimes, despite evidence linking the President.

DailyMail.com can now reveal Wolf, one of the lead prosecutors in the Hunter probe, worked closely with Alexander Mackler, who served as then-Vice President Joe's White House Deputy Counsel from 2014 to 2016.

Mackler was also campaign manager for Joe's late son Beau in his successful 2010 run for Delaware Attorney General, and was close with Hunter himself, writing in one 2018 email to the First Son: 'Love you brother'.

One of the lead prosecutors in Hunter Biden's criminal probe is accused of obstructing the FBI from investigation Joe Biden's involvement

DailyMail.com can reveal Delaware Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf worked closely with Alexander Mackler, who served as then-VP Joe's White House Deputy Counsel from 2014 to 2016

Mackler worked alongside Wolf as an Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) in Delaware federal prosecutor David Weiss's office from August 2016 to May 2019  while Wolf and her office were investigating Hunter.

IRS whistleblowers who ran the Hunter tax probe for their agency said that Weiss's office began its probe around January 2019, while Mackler was still a prosecutor there, and that Wolf was one of the main attorneys handling the case.

Federal court records show Mackler was co-prosecutor with Wolf on a gun crimes case in 2017 and 2018, indicating the close working relationship between the two.

While serving as a Delaware federal prosecutor, Mackler continually checked in on Hunter with warm, loving emails  as Hunter pursued a series of self-confessed crack cocaine and prostitute binges.

'I just finished a hellacious couple months in court. Now that I have a chance to breathe, was wondering how life is on your end. Last you told me you were out in LA. Gimme a call sometime we can catch up. Love you brother,' Mackler wrote in October 2018.

On July 18, 2020 Mackler also wrote: 'Love you, hope you're good. Call sometime.'

In another telling email sent four days earlier, Mackler wrote to a select group of 27 friends and family members inviting them to an informal wake for a family member.

The email, forwarded to Hunter by Biden deputy campaign manager Anthony Bernal, included Joe's sister Valerie Owens, secretary of state Anthony Blinken, and former US ambassador to Romania Mark Gitenstein.

While serving as a Delaware federal prosecutor, Mackler continually checked in on Hunter with warm, loving emails  as Hunter pursued a series of self-confessed crack cocaine and prostitute binges

In another telling email, Mackler wrote to a select group of 27 friends and family members inviting them to an informal wake for a family member. The email was forwarded to Hunter

Hunter's $3 million deal with Romanian criminal Gabriel Popoviciu is one of the shady overseas sources of income that came under scrutiny by IRS investigators.

A source close to the Delaware Biden probe told DailyMail.com that Mackler worked with Wolf on at least one Delaware federal case and that the two were friends.

The source said there were concerns about Wolf's ties to the ex-Biden advisor while she was investigating Hunter and that their collegiate relationship was even allegedly referred to the 'Designated Agency Ethics Officer' for Weiss's office.

After leaving the post in May 2019, Mackler was appointed Chief Deputy Attorney General in the Delaware State Department of Justice, a position he still holds.

Hunter's $3 million deal with Romanian criminal Gabriel Popoviciu is one of the shady overseas sources of income that came under scrutiny by IRS investigators

However, Wolf continued to play a central role in the Delaware Biden probe through 2023, according to the IRS whistleblowers, Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and his anonymous subordinate.

Shapley and his IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent 'Whistleblower X' say Wolf continually blocked agents from pursuing angles involving Joe Biden.

In December 2020 FBI and IRS agents interviewed Hunter's business partner in his deal with Chinese government-linked oil company CEFC, Rob Walker, who was also a Biden family friend.

Walker was one of the recipients of an infamous email listing '10 held by H for the big guy?'  a reference to Hunter potentially holding 10% of the equity in their multi-million-dollar Chinese deal on behalf of his father.

But Wolf allegedly banned the FBI agents from asking questions about Joe or 'the big guy'.

She also allegedly admitted that there was 'more than enough probable cause' to get a search warrant for Joe's Wilmington guest house, but declined to pursue it because of the 'optics'.

Shapley said Wolf prevented agents from searching Hunter's storage unit, then tipped off Hunter's lawyers to investigators' interest in the unit  as well as informing the Biden presidential transition team in December 2020 of impending interviews of multiple witnesses by federal agents.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley slammed 'AUSA Wolf's alleged questionable and obstructive conduct' adding that she 'prevented investigators from seeking information about Joe Biden's involvement in Hunter Biden's criminal business arrangements'

Chuck Grassley wrote to David Weiss last week asking the Department of Justice to respond to the IRS agents' claims that Wolf obstructed their probe

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who ran a four-year investigation into the Biden family and helped bring forward whistleblowers in the case, wrote to Weiss last week asking the Department of Justice to respond to the IRS agents' claims that Wolf obstructed their probe.

The veteran senator slammed 'AUSA Wolf's alleged questionable and obstructive conduct' adding that she 'prevented investigators from seeking information about Joe Biden's involvement in Hunter Biden's criminal business arrangements'.

In a bombshell revelation, Grassley said Wolf had been briefed as early as October 2020 by FBI agents about shocking claims of a scheme to bribe Joe and Hunter with $10 million by Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky.

Sensationally, the claims from a long-time paid FBI informant include that Zlochevsky had 17 audio recordings of calls with Hunter and Joe.

Grassley said he had been informed of an October 23, 2020 meeting between FBI special agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office and Justice officials including Wolf, in which the agents briefed her on the bribery claims.

'What steps have the Justice Department and FBI taken to investigate the allegations? You, Attorney General Garland, and [FBI] Director Wray have failed to answer,' Grassley wrote to Delaware prosecutor Weiss in the July 9 letter.

'Are you aware of any steps AUSA Wolf and the Baltimore Field Office took to investigate the [FBI informant's claims] before and after the October 2020 briefing? If so, what steps were taken and when? If not, why not?'

Grassley gave Weiss until July 21 to respond.

Chairmen of the House Ways and Means, Oversight and Judiciary Committees wrote a joint letter to AG Garland on June 29 demanding Wolf sit for an interview with their staffers, so that they could quiz her on the whistleblowers' allegations.

'The federal government is supposed to work for the American people, but whistleblower evidence shows that several federal employees were working overtime to cover up for the Bidens,' the GOP chairs Jason Smith, James Comer and Jim Jordan, said in a joint statement.

'We need to hear from these federal employees and other witnesses about this weaponization of federal law enforcement power. Americans are counting on us to ensure bad actors are held accountable and restore the equal enforcement of the law.'

Wolf studied at Columbia Law School, worked as an associate at Boston law firm Ropes & Gray, and clerked for US District Court Judge Anita Brody in 2001 and 2002. She joined the Delaware US Attorney's Office in 2007.

US Attorney David Weiss, a Trump appointee, is leading the probe into Hunter Biden

DailyMail.com revealed last week that a prosecutor who signed off on Hunter's 'sweetheart' plea deal, Assistant US Attorney Derek Hines (left), previously worked for the First Son's business partner, Louis Freeh

The questions over Wolf's impartiality are not the only concerns about the integrity of the Delaware US Attorney's Office probe.

DailyMail.com revealed last week that a prosecutor who signed off on Hunter's 'sweetheart' plea deal previously worked for the First Son's business partner, Louis Freeh.

Assistant US Attorney Derek Hines, who is one of three assistant prosecutors listed on court documents filed by Weiss in the Hunter criminal case, previously worked as 'Special Counsel' to ex-FBI director Freeh from 2013 to 2015.

Freeh and Hunter worked together to represent Romanian tycoon Popoviciu in 2016, and Hunter described the former Bureau chief as a 'close friend' in a May 2010 email.

Wolf is conspicuously absent from any of the documents Weiss filed in Hunter's criminal tax case, despite being one of the lead prosecutors running the probe according to the two IRS whistleblowers.

Weiss's office has refused to divulge whether she is still a part of the case, telling DailyMail.com it 'declines to comment on staffing and personnel matters.'

The office also declined to comment on her alleged friendship with Mackler, or her alleged referral to the Delaware ethics officer.

Mackler did not respond to a request for comment.

The Bidens' influence and extensive connections in Delaware were a concern to investigators throughout their criminal probe of the First Son.

According to Shapley's testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee, one Wilmington-based FBI case agent was 'concerned about the consequences for him and his family' if he interviewed Biden associates and executed a search warrant of the President's Delaware guest house.

'Delaware was the State in which the subject's father lived, and the family was extremely well-known throughout the State, including people on the team,' Whistleblower X told the committee. 'And when I say team, the investigators and prosecutors on the team.'

The anonymous IRS special agent said Joe Biden even visited the FBI office at one point, and that a Delaware magistrate judge who signed their first electronic search warrant had to recuse herself after making 'an inappropriate comment'.

Hunter boasted of his connections in the Delaware judiciary in a threatening email to his Chinese business partners in 2018.

In the March 2018 email, the First Son demanded a payment of thousands of dollars from Chinese oil giant CEFC for his alleged business expenses and warned executives Mervyn Yan and Gongwen Dong that he would sue in Delaware.

'I will bring suit in the Chancery Court in Delaware  which as you know is my home state and I am privileged to have worked with and know every judge on the chancery court,' he wrote.
A doctor has said medically assisted suicide should be offered to people with 'terminal' eating disorders and has already recommended it to at least two patients.

Dr Jennifer Gaudiani runs a clinic in Denver where she specializes in the treatment of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa - a mental health and body image condition that often sees sufferers starve themselves.

She argues that anorexia, while not as severe as cancer, is brutal for sufferers and that patients with 'terminal' cases should be afforded access to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) where it is legal.

Speaking to The Guardian, she explained that at some point, the damage of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia is irreversible, and simply ingesting more food isn't an option.

She said denying MAID to such patients could lead them to horrific slow deaths, and doctors should listen to their wishes when they ask for a dignified end to their lives.

Dr Jennifer Gaudiani has argued that anorexia is brutally lethal and that patients with 'terminal' cases should be afforded access to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) where it is legal

Alyssa Bogetz, 36, died before she took the MAID medication, but had been so passionate about choosing how she died that she served as one of the paper's co-authors posthumously

'We cannot de facto say that because somebody with a starved brain and anorexia nervosa is making a choice that some clinicians disagree with that they lack capacity,' the specialist told The Guardian.

'It disrespects the fundamental capacity of some individuals with severe mental illness to make decisions for their own bodies.'

Gaudiani added that in some cases she recognized her patients had lost control of their decisions, as they had blood sugar levels in their 20s and extremely low potassium levels. Other patients, however, did have the ability to make decisions, she said.

The doctor wrote a paper in the Journal of Eating Disorders with New Mexico psychiatrist Joel Yager where they lay out what they call 'terminal anorexia nervosa' and describe three cases of 'terminal anorexia nervosa.'

Two of the patients said they wanted their illness to run its course, and Gaudiani felt her professional ethics required she gave them the option of MAID, which is legal in the states they lived in.

Both took the option, according to the paper.

Alyssa Bogetz, 36, died before she took the MAID medication but had been so passionate about choosing how she died that she served as one of the paper's co-authors posthumously.

The paper serves as a guide for doctors caring for desperately ill patients and details a set of criteria for the condition: the patient has to be at least 30 years old and has to have engaged in 'high-quality, multidisciplinary eating disorder care.'

The patient must also demonstrate they have consistently expressed their understanding that continued treatment will not work and their illness will kill then.

Gaudiani, who is licensed in 32 states, said she reached the conclusion that some of her patients should qualify for MAID after seeing cases of patients who no no longer wanted to live and were forced to wait in agony until the condition killed them.

She was particularly touched by one of her patients who was not responding to treatment and went home to die a painful, slow death in 2009.

'I still cannot speak of this story without tearing up. It was a terrible death for her and her parents,' the doctor recalled.

The doctor said denying MAID to patients with 'terminal anorexia nervosa' could lead them to terrible and slow deaths (stock)

The Gaudiani Clinic in Denver, Colorado, specializes in treating eating disorders

MAID is legal in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Washington, DC.

Vermont and Oregon allow patients from other states to travel there for assisted suicide.

But critics of Gaudiani's approach have expressed concern about giving anorexia patients the option of assisted suicide, because most eating disorders are treatable, they argue.

Phil Mehler, co-founder and CEO of the Acute center in Denver, pointed out that with the exception of bone density loss, almost all of the issues that come from the conditions are reversible with time and re-nourishment.

'The body isn't broken. The heart isn't broken. They're sick, but they're not irreparably broken. There's no body system that is,' he told The Guardian.

Conservative columnist Wesley Smith wrote a column slamming the idea, saying that 'allowing assisted suicide for psychiatric illnesses would open the door wide for medicalized killing.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Gaudiani Clinic for comment on this story.

A record number of Oregonians ended their lives with the assistance of doctors last year with 431 people receiving fatal prescriptions under the state's Death With Dignity Act (DWDA), and 278 people using them to end their lives.

Critics of assisted suicide are concerned that there are not enough safeguards in place to protect people with disabilities, who may be steered toward end-of-life care.

In the US, voluntary euthanasia - when a patient is administered deadly drugs upon his or her request - is not legal.

Only the dispensing of drugs to patients who wish to die and qualify under state stipulations, referred to as physician-assisted suicide, is.

In the US, since Oregon's MAID law came into force in 1997, nine other states and Washington DC have allowed terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to ask doctors for a lethal dose of drugs that they then ingest themselves, typically at home.

Ten states and the District of Columbia allow assisted suicide. Seven states are eyeing their own Medical Aid-in-Dying (MAiD) laws

Conservative columnist Wesley Smith wrote a column slamming the idea, saying that 'allowing assisted suicide for psychiatric illnesses would open the door wide for medicalized killing'

Support for MAID has risen steadily since the 1940s and held at around 70 percent in favor from the 1990s onwards, says polling group Gallup

While US assisted suicide rules are stricter than Canada's and help some desperately sick people end their agony, critics say they also devalue human life and make death a solution for the infirm, disabled and even those who are cash-strapped or feel like a burden.

California has a similar sized population to Canada. In 2021, the latest year for which data are available, 772 Californians received scripts for lethal drugs and 486 died after ingesting them  mostly people aged over 60 with cancer, heart and brain disease and Parkinson's.

In the same year, doctors in Oregon prescribed 383 fatal doses and 238 people ended their lives.

Yet even under America's tighter MAID rules, campaigners say too many people already choose to end their lives for reasons other than pain, suffering, and the loss of bodily autonomy  the most widely accepted motivations.

Only about 27 percent of Oregon's assisted deaths in 2021 involved people who said they were in too much pain, while more than half said they felt like a burden on loved ones, and 8 percent were fretting about money.
The southwest is dealing with a dangerous heat wave that could bring temperatures as high as 130 degrees in the desert, as 113 million Americans currently live under heat warnings.

Blistering conditions will build Friday and throughout the weekend in the central and southern parts of the state, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned.

Known as a 'heat dome' to meteorologists, the phenomenon is now set to persist through much of the month - scorching metros in Arizona, Nevada, and California in the process.

Midday highs were mostly expected to be above 100 degrees, and desert areas like Californias Death Valley could reach a scorching 130 by Sunday, forecasters said.

Photos showed empty, baking playgrounds in Arizona with 108 degree temperatures keeping kids inside, as well as people going to desperate lengths to remain cool while outdoors in Los Angeles.

The southwest is dealing with a dangerous heat wave that could bring temperatures as high as 130 degrees in the desert, as 113 million Americans currently live under heat warnings. In Arizona, there are empty playgrounds everywhere as temps hit 108

Midday highs were mostly expected to be above 100 degrees, and desert areas like Californias Death Valley could reach a scorching 130 by Sunday

Across southern California, public libraries, senior centers and police department lobbies were being prepared to open as cooling centers while the heat worsened, especially in the desert areas where temperatures were expected to soar well past triple digits.

Little relief is expected overnight, when temperatures could remain in the 80s. Excessive heat warnings and watches were posted or set to take effect for much of the state through the weekend.

In the Southern California city of Palm Springs, John Summers, who is homeless, climbed through a dry riverbed Thursday to seek shade at a homeless encampment. The high was expected to near 110 degrees.

'I just use water,' Summers said. 'You know, I basically just use water as much as I can. And hit shade. And you know the mall, wherever theyll let you in.'

Palm Springs has just 20 indoor beds at its sole overnight shelter, leaving everyone else to tolerate the heat as best they can.

Across the U.S., more than 113 million people were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings, mostly in the Southwest, the National Weather Service reported Wednesday.

A sprawling area of high pressure currently positioned directly over the Four Corners is responsible for the scorching temperatures, which are unusual even for the notoriously hot expanse.

Forecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous, especially for older people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas.

Travis County Emergency Medical Services in Austin transport a man on East 6th Street to the hospital for a heat-related issue on Wednesday

People keep cool as they float along the Salt River in Mesa, Arizona, amid the heat dome

Tourists protect a sleeping child from the sun as they visit the Hollywood sign landmark in Los Angeles

A homeless man sleeps under the sun in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles

A sign displays the temperature as jets taxi at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix at dusk

In Las Vegas, regional health officials on Thursday launched a new database to report 'heat-caused' and 'heat-related' deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October.

The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related.

The tally includes deaths due to heat exposure or hyperthermia and cases with those reasons listed as 'significant factors' causing death, said district spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore.

Phoenix on Thursday hit 110 degrees for the 14th consecutive day, putting it on track for a possible new record next week. The longest measured stretch of 110 degree-plus temperatures for the city is 18 days, which was recorded in 1974.

The overnight low temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday morning was 95 degrees, which means temperatures may not be dropping far enough to allow people to recover after dark.

While there are some 200 cooling and hydration centers operated at libraries, community centers, churches and other public spaces across metro Phoenix, most close anywhere between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., leaving people with few options for cooling at night.

Traffic warden Rai Rogers mans his street corner during an 8-hour shift under the hot sun in Las Vegas

A man wipes his brow as he walks under misters, Thursday, July 13, 2023 in downtown Phoenix

A Jet takes flight from Sky Harbor International Airport as the sun sets over downtown Phoenix

That's not the case in the tiny town of Galt outside Californias capital of Sacramento, where the police department planned to open its air-conditioned lobby to people from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. starting Friday and continuing until Monday.

'We want to make sure that anybody who does not have the ability to find appropriate shelter that they can have a place to go to keep themselves in a safe and cool environment,' said Lt. John Rocha.

The same lobby served as a warming center during Californias unusually wet, cold and snowy winter, demonstrating the weather whiplash the state has experienced this year.

Employers were reminded to adhere to regulations that require outdoor workers are given water, shade and regular breaks to cool off.

The state will be performing spot checks at work sites to make sure the rules are being followed, said Jeff Killip with California's Division of Occupational Safety & Health.

People wear face masks during excessive heat in the Chinatown district of Los Angeles

Rainbow umbrellas shade vendors selling fresh cut fruit near the Hollywood sign landmark

Travis Santiago cools off with water after working out at Eleanor Tinsley Park as temperatures hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Houston

Horse racing events were canceled at the California State Fair near Sacramento over concerns for animal safety. Officials urged fairgoers to bring handheld misting fans and take advantage of cooling stations and air-conditioned exhibits.

Meanwhile, California's wildfire season is ramping up amid the hot, dry conditions with a series of blazes erupting across the state this week, said Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, at a media briefing this week.

Crowfoot said global climate change is 'supercharging' heat waves. California has instituted a $400 million extreme heat action plan to protect workers, help vulnerable communities and assist local communities in opening cooling centers.

The plan, announced last year as an update to state recommendations made a decade earlier, has a broad range of near- and long-term goals.

Elements include raising public awareness, statewide public health monitoring to identify heat illness events early on, and developing codes and regulations to protect everything from schools to water supplies.

A runner walks across the Los Angeles River on the Cesar Chavez Avenue Bridge

A person hauls a refrigerator down a sidewalk in Phoenix

Officials said California's power system, which was strained to the point of widespread blackouts in recent years, has been fortified and should be able to withstand the latest heat wave.

The California Independent System Operator, which runs the electricity grid, said battery storage capacity reached 5,600 megawatts July 1 - enough to power more than 3.8 million homes for up to four hours before recharging.

'The batteries being added to the grid are charged during the day, when solar power is abundant, and dispatched primarily in the evening hours when demand is still high and the sun is setting and solar capacity diminishing,' Cal ISO said in a statement.

Amid the focus on heat dangers, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain noted that rivers swollen from last winter's epic Sierra Nevada snowpack remain dangerous as there is still snow left to melt.

'Be aware that the water will still be icy cold despite how hot the air will be and could be flowing very fast, much faster than usual for mid-July,' he said.

In Texas, the states primary power provider said Thursday it had enough power to meet current demand. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas predicted that demand would top 84,000 megawatts in the afternoon, breaking a record of just more than 82,000 megawatts set in late June.

The power provider, which saw its grid fail during a deadly February 2021 storm, reported having more than 6,200 megawatts in reserve.
A young family was forced to live in their car after spiralling rent prices and a lack of social support left them without a home.

Pregnant mother Cassandra, her husband and their children, aged one and five, have lived in their Ford Territory in Rockingham, south Perth, for the last eight months.

Cassandra said her family has suffered through 'extreme cold' and struggled to buy decent food for their children, with her and her husband often going without.

'There were times where our car battery actually would die because we'd have to use it to heat up the car trying to keep all of us from getting sick,' she told Nine News.

The distraught mother said her family was pushed out of the rental market by inflated prices in December 2022.

Pregnant mother Cassandra (above), her husband and their children, aged one and five, have lived in their Ford Territory in Rockingham since December last year

Fortunately, they have been able to find a new home just a month before Cassandra's due date.

The family said its main support system has been the Salvation Army.

They, and many other struggling locals, accused former Rockingham MP and Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan of neglecting locals to focus on the state.

The election for Rockingham will be held on Saturday, July 29, following Mr McGowan's resignation in May.

Welfare funding has been a key topic of debate, with Salvation Army data showing homelessness has increased by 250 per cent since November, with 300 per cent more people seeking emergency relief.

'Currently, we are seeing we are at capacity for what we can provide and we really do need to be resourced further,' Chelsea Wilson from the Salvation Army said.

Cassandra (pictured with one of her children) said her family's car battery runs flat from trying to keep them warm

Labor's new candidate for Rockingham, Magenta Marshall, responded to criticism against her party, saying: 'It's great to talk about Labor's strong record of delivering relief, although there's always more that can be done.'

Other candidates said Labor has already lost support from the electorate with residents 'looking for a change'.

'The people of Rockingham are telling me that enough is enough. They feel ignored by the Labor government,' Liberal candidate Peter Hudson said.
Hunter Biden was spotted Thursday walking with his Secret Service agent in Malibu, as his lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter to former President Donald Trump's attorneys insisting he stop saying the cocaine found at the White House belonged to the first son.

Hunter's attorney Abbe Lowell asked the ex-president's legal team to push Trump to stop disparaging the Bidens, for fear that there could be an escalation of violence akin to January 6 or the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi.

In recent Truth Social posts, Trump has made wild claims about the Biden family's drug use - suggesting on Thursday that the Secret Service called off the investigation because the cocaine 'was for use by Hunter, & probably Crooked Joe, in order to give this total disaster of a President a little life and energy!'

'You know, if Mr. Trump does not, that Mr. Biden has neither committed nor been accused of the charges that your client is claiming,' Lowell said to Trump's lawyers. '[A]nd that the Biden family was not at the White House (let alone in the vestibule) in the period when the cocaine was found.'

Lowell's broader point to Trump's legal team was that the ex-president's rhetoric was dangerous.

'I am sending this letter to make a demand that your client, former President Donald Trump, cease and desist from making public statements about my client which are both defamatory and likely to incite Mr. Trump's followers to take actions against Mr. Biden and which could lead to his or his familys injury,' Lowell said in the letter, of which a copy was obtained by DailyMail.com.

Hunter Biden was back on the west coast Thursday after spending the Fourth of July at the White House. As he walked casually around Malibu, his lawyer was sending a cease-and-desist lawyer to the legal team of former President Donald Trump

Hunter Biden walks with his usual Secret Service escort at he leaves the Malibu Pier after lunch

'This is not a false alarm,' Lowell continued. 'We are just one such social media message away from another incident, and you should make clear to Mr. Trump - if you have not done so already - that Mr. Trump's words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop.'

Lowell also told Trump's lawyers that they 'need not respond' but pushed them to tell the former president and 2024 White House hopeful 'how his incitement can further hurt people and cause himself even more legal trouble.'

'I am a little surprised to have to send this because it would seem that Mr. Trump is currently facing enough legal problems that he would not want to create any more liability for saying and doing things that could result in harm and injury, and because it appears you have enough to do in defending your client in various arenas now and yet to come than to have to deal with one more legal issue and case,' Lowell said.

While Trump has been indicted twice already this year - on state charges in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case and on federal charges over his mishandling of classified documents - Special Counsel Jack Smith is still overseeing a probe on the ex-president's role in January 6.

Trump was already impeached for inciting an insurrection, but wasn't convicted in the U.S. Senate.

Trump and some of his Republican allies have claimed that the cocaine belonged to Hunter due to his well-documented history of drug abuse and addiction - including in his memoir and in photographs on the so-called 'laptop from h***.'

Hunter Biden sported a California-branded ballcap and sunglasses as he walked with his Secret Service agent Thursday in Malibu

Hunter Biden was out walking with his Secret Service detail near the Malibu Farm restaurant, a celebrity hotpot built on a pier over the Pacific Ocean

Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell sent a cease and desist letter Thursday to four of former President Donald Trump's lawyers

Hunter was at Camp David with the first family when the drugs were discovered in the West Wing on July 2.

He then spent the Fourth of July holiday at the White House, alongside wife Melissa and son, baby Beau.

At this point, the cocaine discovery was public, but there was inconsistent reporting about where it was found.

The July 5, Trump claimed on Truth Social that the cocaine was for the Bidens.

'Does anybody really believe that the COCAINE found in the West Wing of the White House, very close to the Oval Office, is for the use of anyone other than Hunter & Joe Biden,' the ex-president wrote.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre didn't do the administration any favors by refusing to definitively say no when asked on July 7 to say 'once and for all' that the cocaine didn't belong to a Biden family member.

Instead she attacked the reporter.

'You know, there has been some irresponsible reporting about the family and so I've got to call that out here,' she said. 'And I have been very clear.'

'I was clear two days ago, when talking about this over and over again as I was being asked a question, as you know, and media outlets reported this - the Biden family was not here, they were not here, they were at Camp David,' she continued. 'They were not here Friday, they were not here Saturday, they were not here Sunday. They were not even here Monday. They came back here on Tuesday.'

The Bidens, including Hunter, had been at the White House that Friday - before departing for their Camp David trip.

This week President Joe Biden escaped the cocaine controversy with a trip to Europe for the NATO Summit.

He returns to Washington late Thursday night.

Earlier in the day, the Secret Service announced that it was closing the investigation into the drug discovery and unable to determine who brought the baggie into the West Wing.

The FBI's lab 'did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons.'

Republicans quickly complained that it was some kind of cover-up.

Meanwhile, Hunter was back on the West Coast, and spotted walking near the Malibu Pier and Farm restaurants, rustic celebrity hotspots built on a pier above the Pacific Ocean.
Hardworking Aussies who have already lodged their tax returns have been left reeling after getting paltry returns - or even demands to pay up - from the ATO.

Workers have been warned to expect lower than anticipated returns this financial year, after the low-and-middle income tax offset (LMITO) was axed the federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

The measure - which was always meant to be temporary - provided tax cuts of up to $1500 to up to 10 million Australians over the past four years.

Battling Aussies are now finding out the hard way how heavily they relied on the offset, according to videos flooding social media.

In one clip, furious Melbourne woman Josephine Sunshine accused the ATO of being a scam and having a problem with people working full-time after getting her tax return.

Josephine Sunshine was expecting a tax return but was instead told she owed taxes

'I don't understand how you tax me so much and then you are telling me that I still owe you money,' she fumed.

'But then people who are on fricking Centrelink or barely working, who got taxed the minimum, get back all their money.

'We should get half our money back. OK, half is a bit of a drag, but we should get at least $3000 to $2000, not fricking $500, $200, $300, what is that?'

'As a thank you we should get our money back for providing for the fricking country.'

Meanwhile, a 'frickin revved up' worker, Clare Vertannes, unleashed on the federal government in a TikTok rant, describing her tax bill as a slap in the face

'What in the heckiddy is going on? For real, does the government hate us?' the Sydneysider yelled.

'I'm at my tether. I just moved to Sydney, I cannot believe the rental crisis going, not only here, but around the country right now.'

'I am a very middle class lady, lets just say that. All these middle class, low income earners like myself are now being slapped with all this extra tax.'

Clare Vertannes unleashed on the federal government after she received a bill from the ATO

Ms Vertannes added she has already paid $20,000 in taxes.

'I have got nothing else to give. Do you want my kidney next?' she continued.

'I am sure thousands of other people are in the same situation as me.'

Melbourne woman Renya Odisho was also expecting a tax return but instead owes a whopping $6322 to the ATO.

'Somebody make it make sense,' she captioned her TikTok video.

Bunnings worker Tash Griffin urged the government to reinstall the tax offset after she received a measly $191.72 return, a fraction of the $3000 she got back last year.

Aussies are now finding out the hard way how much they heavily relied on the LMITO

The temporary LMITO was introduced in the 2018-19 budget by then-Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

It was extended during the pandemic, and then increased by the Morrison government during its pre-election March 2022 budget for one year.

That increase meant that, for the 2021-22 financial year, Australians earning $126,000 a year or less were given a tax cut of up to $1,500, depending on how much they earned.

The biggest benefit was reserved for those earning between $48,000 and $90,000.

The LMITO - also known as the 'lamington' - ended on July 1 when Treasurer Jim Chalmers oped not to further extend the measure.
An English woman is pleading for help after she suddenly developed a strong Welsh accent despite having never been to the country.

Zoe Coles, who lives in Lincolnshire, fears the distinctive accent is 'stuck' and won't disappear after she began speaking with a Welsh lilt six weeks ago.

The pub worker, who originally developed a German accent before it morphed into Welsh, believes she has developed Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS), a rare condition that changes how people speak.

While it might seem funny, Ms Coles says she has been unable to go to work and is worried something has 'gone wrong up in my brain'.

She is appealing for medical help to deal with the issue, which could be linked to a neurological condition that has left her in chronic pain.

Zoe Coles woke up six weeks ago to find she had developed a Welsh accent despite never going to the country

She is appealing for help to find an expert or neurologist who can help her deal with the sudden change

The Lincolnshire native, who worked at The Raymond Mays pub in Bourne, was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) - something that affects motor control and speech - last year.

Studies have linked FND with Foreign Accent Syndrome, but she is now on the lookout for help and has appealed on social media for aid finding an expert or neurologist who can do this.

It comes after she said she failed to get a referral to a specialist at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Speaking to the BBC, she said: 'There are many FND sufferers but this accent syndrome... something has obviously gone wrong up in my brain, like something's obviously not right, because who on earth wakes up speaking a totally different accent?

'So I would like to work with somebody [who] can help me and then we can help others.'

A St George's spokesperson said: 'Our specialist neurology team has replied to Ms Coles' referring doctor and we await their response on the future of her care.'

Before the recent development, Ms Coles - who posts videos about how she copes with FND on social media - spoke with a southern English accent.

In videos shared on her TikTok account @zoecoles1, she reveals how she deals with the condition which leaves her in chronic pain and sometimes even causes her to lose the ability to talk and walk for periods of time.

But this latest development has left her even more frustrated, saying in one video: 'I've just got this accent and it won't go away, I think it's stuck. I hoped it would just be a blip and I would get over it.'

She told the BBC: 'A lot of people ask me, 'where are you from - Cardiff?' I feel like I have to explain to them what's happened.

'It's not really known about, it's really rare, so people don't believe it's a thing.'

Ms Coles added she was willing to be a 'guinea pig' to get to the bottom of what's causing her changing accent.

'I would like to work with somebody that can help me and then we can help others. I want to help everyone who has this - I'm not the only person, but let's start with me. I'll be a guinea pig.'
Britain faces a 'nightmare scenario' of China controlling our nuclear power stations, universities and technology sector, MPs have warned.

The all-party intelligence and security committee (ISC) accused the Government of responding at a 'glacial pace' to the issues in a damning report issued yesterday.

It said China had exploited the 'completely inadequate' steps to prevent Beijing penetrating every sector of the UK's economy. An apparent disregard for the security implications has allowed it to exert 'control over the UK's critical national infrastructure'.

The report, compiled with the assistance of MI5 and MI6, suggested that a desperation to acquire Chinese investment had led to security concerns being dismissed.

Its authors warned: 'Without swift action, we are on a trajectory for the nightmare scenario where China steals blueprints, sets standards and builds products, exerting political and economic influence at every step. This has the potential to pose an existential threat to democratic systems.'

The report said China had exploited the 'completely inadequate' steps to prevent Beijing penetrating every sector of the UK's economy (Stock Photo)

They added: 'China has been seeking to control or influence the UK's industry and energy sectors. Chinese money was readily accepted with few questions asked.

'It is unacceptable for the Government to still be considering Chinese involvement in critical national infrastructure.'

In 2021, it was reported China owns 143billion in UK assets, from nuclear power to schools.

Nearly 200 UK companies are controlled by groups or individuals based in China or count them as minority shareholders.

Chinese investors were said to own nearly 57billion of shares in the UK's biggest listed companies. China also had more than 1billion in investments in UK-based pharmaceutical and energy companies.

China has also offered financial incentives to British academics to promote their causes while sending 120,000 students to study at UK universities.

Rishi Sunak claimed yesterday that the Government had already strengthened its position on China 'considerably'.

The Prime Minister released a three-page statement listing measures taken to improve the UK's response. But Julian Lewis, the Conservative chairman of the nine-member ISC, dismissed the PM's claims as 'rather defensive'.
Greedy fuel retailers have fleeced motorists by more than 1billion this year, according to a new study.

Between January and April, diesel drivers on average shelled out 57 more than they should have done if forecourts were playing fair, House of Commons Library research found.

It means motorists have collectively paid 1.1billion more at the pumps because of profiteering retailers, the analysis estimates.

This month a damning report by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) watchdog said Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons together made around 900million by failing to pass on the falling wholesale cost of petrol and diesel to consumers.

But this figure, based on the big four supermarkets charging 6p a litre too much for fuel, related to 2022 and only included their forecourts.

Between January and April, diesel drivers on average shelled out 57 more than they should have done if forecourts were playing fair, House of Commons Library research found

The new Commons Library research covers all fuel retailers and is for the first four months of 2023, highlighting how forecourts have continued to cash in.

Because it only relates to diesel and not petrol, the true figure could be more than 1.1billion.

It is based on retailers increasing their margins by an average extra 13p a litre on diesel, a figure corroborated by the CMA.

When this is multiplied by the number of litres of the fuel sold nationally between January and April, the latest period data is available for, it amounts to a 1.1billion windfall.

The research was commissioned by the Liberal Democrats. The party's transport spokesman, Wera Hobhouse, said: 'Profiteering during a cost of living crisis is totally unacceptable. People should not be taken advantage of at the fuel pump.

'The government should order retailers to pass on [wholesale] savings as soon as possible and cut prices immediately. It is high time that there is fair and transparent fuel pricing.'

Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, added: 'These figures likely barely scratch the opportunistic profiteering surface of rip-offs at the pumps that have been allowed by the Government to run rife for years.'

The AA's fuel expert, Luke Bosdet, said: 'The forecourts have been playing it dirty with diesel for many years.'

Ministers are planning to introduce a new law forcing fuel retailers to make up-to-date pricing information available to third parties.

It is hoped that the 'pump watch' proposals will create more competition and drive down pump prices overall.

This month a damning report by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) watchdog said Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons together made around 900million by failing to pass on the falling wholesale cost of petrol and diesel to consumers

It will likely see new price comparison apps and websites launched for consumers.

The Government has also pledged to hand new powers to a public organisation to 'closely monitor' pump prices and 'alert' ministers if further intervention is needed.

As it stands the most well-known source for petrol price comparisons is the website PetrolPrices.com, which allows users to search within 20 miles.

However, it limits users to 20 searches per day and will only show the cheapest options so motorists cannot work out how much of a saving they could make. Prices are also not always shown in real-time.

According to the RAC, the average cost of filling up with petrol in the UK yesterday (THURS) was 143.42p a litre and 144.51p for diesel.

This is down from a peak of 191.43p for petrol and 199.07p for diesel in July last year as the war in Ukraine and other factors caused a record surge in prices.

While they are now lower there is concern that motorists are still not getting the best deal from retailers.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: 'The price of wholesale diesel was lower than petrol for three months from the end of March, yet drivers at the pumps would have been none the wiser as retailers kept pump prices artificially high.

'There's no question diesel drivers have been very badly treated on the nation's forecourts so far this year.'

He said that the motoring organisation believes that between January and April average retailer margins reached 25p a litre at some points as they were slow to pass wholesale savings on at the pumps.
PM accused of trying to bring a republic by stealth

Anthony Albanese has been accused of trying to make Australia a republic 'by stealth'.

The Australian Monarchist League has compiled a list of the eight ways the Albanese Government has subtly shifted the country away from the British Royal Family since being elected just over a year ago and promising to hold a referendum on Australia's constitutional monarchy.

'The campaign may not have been formally announced, but it surely started the moment Anthony Albanese appointed an Assistant Minister for the Republic,' Philip Benwell, the group's national chair, said in an email to members.

Mr Benwell noted Mr Albanese removed the Queen's cypher from the gates of Kirribilli House after her death in September 2022 - in a move that went unnoticed.

'He has no intention of replacing it with the King's [cipher],' he claimed.

The cypher is typically a combination of the monarch's name and title woven with the crown.

Anthony Albanese (right) represented Australia at the coronation, pledging allegiance to King Charles III (left) and the monarchy during the ceremony, despite his avowed republicanism

The Australian Monarchist League fears Mr Albanese is taking steps to minimise the sovereign's role and presence in Australia before any referendum can even take place

In February, the government announced a new design for the $5 note was in the works. It will honour the culture and history of Indigenous Australians, rather than the head of state, and will be designed in consultation with First Nations people.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has not yet revealed when the new banknote will be in circulation.

Prior to this rollout, $5 notes had long featured a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The other side of the banknote will continue to feature the Australian Parliament.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers publicly spoke in favour of the decision, noting it would be 'some time' before the notes made their way off production lines and into hip pockets.

Mr Benwell also noted there was no official coronation coin circulated in May, despite Queen Elizabeth receiving one when she acceded to the throne in 1952.

He told fellow monarchists there was a similar lack of ceremony for the King's historic coronation - with no civilian or military coronation medals, stamps, or government-sponsored celebrations.

In February, a new design for the $5 note was announced, honouring the culture and history of Indigenous Australians rather than our head of state. (Pictured: the $5 note bearing the image of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September)

Newly appointed NSW Premier Chris Minns opted against lighting the sails of the Sydney Opera House for the Coronation as a cost-saving measure, but more than 100 prominent public buildings and monuments were lit purple to celebrate.

And Mr Albanese did represent Australia at the coronation, pledging allegiance to King Charles III and monarchy during the ceremony, despite his avowed republicanism.

'I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God,' he and other guests said.

After the Archbishop called out 'God save the King', officials in the crowd replied: 'God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May The King live for ever.'

Philip Benwell of the Australian Monarchist League noted Mr Albanese had removed the Queen's cipher from the gates of Kirribilli House after her death in September 2022

'He has no intention of replacing it with the King's,' Mr Benwell claimed. (Pictured: the gates of Kirribilli House without the royal cypher)

Mr Albanese has indicated he will not pursue making Australia a republic in his first term as prime minister.

He is already pursuing constitutional change at a referendum by seeking an Indigenous Voice to Parliament later this year.

But the Australian Monarchist League fears he is taking steps to minimise the sovereign's role and presence in Australia before any referendum can even take place.

'Our Australian Constitution is based on the Crown and we will do everything within our power to ensure that it is not removed,' the group said in a statement to members.

'It does not matter whether people like or dislike the King, for kings and queens will come and go, but our Constitution and our system of governance should remain forever and must not be tampered with.'

Mr Benwell said the list of changes will 'continue to grow as the government attempts to eradicate any public portrayal of the King and the Crown prior to the republic referendum being held.

'It is not only a blatant campaign of republicanism by stealth, it is a warning that the Albanese government is moving fast and aggressively towards the removal of the King and the Governor-General and replacing them with his choice of a compliant president,' he said.

The email to members also included a plea for donations to help 'prepare' for a fight to defend the monarchy's role in Australia.
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner branded private schools a 'waste of money' as she stepped up the party's war on independent education.

Ms Rayner, who left school at 16 with no qualifications, said students can do 'just as well' at their local comprehensive as they can at a fee-paying institution.

She was commenting on controversial remarks from activist and former TV presenter Carol Vorderman, who was branded 'condescending' after criticising a privately-educated minister for not going to university.

Labour has proposed levying VAT on private schools to raise 1.6billion for its spending commitments - although some experts have warned the amount this policy will raise is likely to be far less.

Ms Rayner told Sky News: 'Carol is right to argue that if you've been privately educated and not been able to get a degree, why waste your money on private education?

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner (pictured) called private schools a 'waste of money'

'The state sector is a fantastic sector - they did a great job with me. It wasn't my teachers' fault that I left without any qualifications - but look how resilient I am, they taught me some great life skills.

'Don't waste your money on private schooling, you can do just as well in our state sector.'

Ms Vorderman had taken aim at Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer after she said: 'What are arrogant Johnny Mercer and his wife going to do for a joint income of 160,000+ plus enormous expenses?

'Not a degree in sight in spite of expensive private education! So who'd employ them?'

Angela Rayner's comments came after Carol Vorderman (pictured) took aim at Tory MP Johnny Mercer

Carol Vorderman took aim at Tory MP Johnny Mercer (left) and his wife Felicity (right) for being privately educated

Tory MP Siobhan Bailie told the Commons this week: 'Snobbery about further education and no degree sadly continues to this day. You just have to look at Carol Vorderman's attack.

'Dismissing a minister who works tirelessly for the armed forces and veterans for not having gone to university is bad enough, but deliberately being condescending about the lives of millions of people who did not go to university is absolutely unforgivable.

'I used to admire Carol Vorderman an awful lot before she decided to eat so much political hate for breakfast to get social media hits. Now, sadly, I just feel sorry for her.'

Mr Mercer was educated at independent Eastbourne College, but joined the Army instead of going to university after finishing school.

When asked about Ms Vorderman's social media post, Ms Rayner acknowledged that 'we all need to be a bit kinder on Twitter'.
A billionaire Republican donor who previously signaled plans to support Ron DeSantis in his presidential bid is reportedly growing impatient with the Florida governor's struggling primary campaign.

Ken Griffin, founder of Miami-based hedge fund Citadel, is frustrated with DeSantis' lack of progress in the GOP primary race, and has 'hit the pause button' on his support, ABC News reported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with Griffin's thinking.

However, Griffin's spokesperson dismissed the claim, telling DailyMail.com: 'Ken is not pausing anything. He continues to assess the field.'

Griffin also told DailMail.com in a statement: 'My political participation is driven by values and policies, not poll numbers or personalities. I will continue to support candidates who relentlessly focus on policy solutions that ensure future generations can achieve the American Dream.'

'I care deeply about all children having access to a high-quality education, preserving American competitiveness, guarding personal liberties, ensuring our communities are safe and secure, fiscal prudence, and maintaining America's leadership role on the global stage. I am committed to America being the greatest democracy in the world,' he added.

Ken Griffin, founder of Miami-based hedge fund Citadel, is reportedly frustrated with DeSantis' lack of progress in the GOP primary race, and has 'hit the pause button'

DeSantis is seen at a Fourth of July parade in New Hampshire last week. He has said he plans to focus on building support in key early primary states

A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday evening.

Before DeSantis officially announced his candidacy in May, Griffin was widely expected to be one of his top backers after donating $5 million toward his 2022 gubernatorial reelection campaign in Florida.

Griffin, a megadonor who gave $71 million to Republican federal campaigns in the 2022 midterms, vocally supported DeSantis as recently as last November, when he told Politico he was prepared to back the governor in a White House bid.

'He has a tremendous record as governor of Florida, and our country would be well-served by him as president,' Griffin said of DeSantis at the time.

Since then, however, Griffin's intentions in the GOP primary have grown murkier.

In April, the New York Times reported that the hedge funder was troubled by remarks DeSantis made on the war in Ukraine, after he said it was a 'territorial dispute' not vital to US interests -- comments the candidate later tried to clarify.

Then in May, Griffin publicly broke with DeSantis over the governor's expansion of his so-called 'Don't Say Gay' law in Florida.

The law, which previously prohibited classroom instruction on gender identity and sexuality below the fourth grade, was expanded to ban such content in all grades, including high school.

In a statement to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper, Griffin's spokesperson said that although he agreed with the original law, 'as a steadfast supporter of open discourse, academic freedom, and free speech' he disagreed with expanding the ban to all grades.

Griffin is a Harvard University graduate and a major donor to the school, where his ties to DeSantis have drawn uproar from some students.

Trump speaks at a campaign event in Council Bluffs, Iowa last week. He remains the frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary, according to national polling

According to sources cited in the recent ABC News report, Griffin has grown impatient as he waits for DeSantis to show progress as a presidential candidate.

The outlet reported that other GOP donors have privately begun to question DeSantis' viability while Trump remains a candidate, and discussed holding back contributions until 2028, or until Trump is no longer a factor in the race.

DeSantis continues to trail GOP primary frontrunner Donald Trump in the polls, with the latest FiveThirtyEight polling average showing Trump with 49.7 percent support, to 21 percent for DeSantis.

Former Vice President Mike Pence was running in third with 7.4 percent, with the other members of the crowded field all polling below.

DeSantis did rake in an impressive $20 million in campaign contributions in the first few weeks of his campaign, he has catching up to do with Trump, who launched his bid last fall and has a significant head start on fundraising.

As the Florida governor struggles to make headway against Trump, his campaign team is considering shaking up his media strategy by making more appearances on mainstream news networks, according to sources cited by ABC News.

So far, DeSantis has largely shunned mainstream or left-leaning news outlets, sticking mostly to friendly interviews with Fox News and conservative talk shows and podcasts.

Republican presidential candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, joined by his wife Casey and their children, walks in a Fourth of July parade

The strategy has not escaped Trump's notice, and the former president has hit out at his leading challenger for avoiding tougher interviews.

For his part, DeSantis has called national mainstream outlets hostile to his campaign, and said that his focus is currently on building local support in key early primary states.

'The corporate press in this country does not want me to be the Republican candidate because they know I will beat the Democrats, I will beat Biden. But I think more importantly, they know I will actually get all this stuff done,' he told radio host Howie Carr on Wednesday.

He continued: 'We don't have a national primary. We have a state-by-state process so, what we focused on is getting footholds in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina.'
Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner said it was his impression Trump really did believe the 2020 election was stolen in grand jury testimony to the Special Counsel probe on the former president's role in the January 6 riots.

Kushner, a former White House advisor to Trump and husband to his daughter Ivanka, was among several witnesses to testify in recent weeks about the former president's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Testifying at a federal courthouse in Washington last month, he said it was his impression Trump truly believed the 2020 election was stolen, going against the testimony of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark A. Milley, who said Trump had acknowledged his loss in a December 2020 meeting.

Investigators led by special counsel Jack Smith have questioned several Trump team members, including Trump's former lawyer Rudi Giuliani regarding that very same meeting.

Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland last November to take over two Justice Department investigations involving Trump.

Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner said it was his impression Trump really did believe the 2020 election was stolen in grand jury testimony to the Special Counsel probe on the former president's role in the January 6 riots

In one case, Trump was indicted over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House in January 2021. He pleaded not guilty.

The second is an investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 U.S. election that the Republican Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

A spokesperson for Smith's office declined to comment on the New York Times report.

Representatives for both Trump and Kushner could not immediately be reached for comment.

It is understood the former president considered some of the most desperate and outrageous proposals to keep him in power after losing the election to President Joe Biden during an 'unhinged' meeting in the Oval Office in December 2020, despite objections from his White House counsel.

Citing 'multiple sources,' CNN said investigators have asked several witnesses before the grand jury and during interviews about the meeting, and reported that Smith's team have signaled their intention to continue their interest.

Smith's team are reportedly nearing charging decisions in the investigation into Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the election.

Should his team charge Trump, it would be the second indictment of the former president by Smith and his team after Trump was charged last month over his alleged mishandling of presidential documents at his Mar-a-Lago Florida estate.

Kushner, a former White House advisor to Trump and husband to his daughter Ivanka, was among several witnesses to testify in recent weeks about the former president's efforts to overturn the 2020 election

The former president's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Biden's win

Investigators are still gathering evidence in the election interference investigation and are reaching out to several new witnesses, CNN reports.

The December 18, 2020 meeting saw Trump's outside advisors face off with top White House lawyers over plans to have the military seize voting machines in crucial states that Trump had lost in the 2020 presidential election, it has been said.

The officials are also understood to have proposed naming Powell as special council to investigate supposed voter fraud, and suggested Trump invoke martial law.

The 'unhinged' Oval Office powwow, which continued past midnight, was the subject of a January 6 Committee hearing last year.

The meeting involved a 'heated and profane clash,' said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a former impeachment manager who discussed the meeting, which came weeks before the Jan. 6, 2020 Capitol riot.

It came four days after the members of the electoral college had met Dec. 14 to cast their votes for president  an event that former Attorney General Bill Barr and others took as a signal that Trump's opportunity to prevail over Joe Biden was formally over.

The meeting lasted 6 hours, beginning in the Oval Office and moving to the White House residence, according to past testimony.

After Powell pardoned former national security advisor Flynn, and Byrne turned up at the White House, it soon became clear what the subject matter was  efforts to overturn the election by having the Defense Department seize voting machines and other drastic measures - according to witnesses who spoke at the hearing.

The team investigating Donald Trump's alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election are understood to be focusing on an infamous meeting in the Oval Office during the final days of his out-going administration, according to a report

CNN says the meeting involved 'shouting and insults' and ended with Trump taking to Twitter to say that a planned gathering in Washington DC on January 6 'will be wild'. That day ultimately saw thousands of Trump supporters storm Capitol hill.

The network said several witnesses were asked about the meeting months ago, while others have been asked more recently - including Rudy Giuliani.

White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson was also among those to testify before the committee.

She told the hearing that Trump directed his supporters toward the Capitol on January 6 while knowing they were armed, and got into a physical altercation with his security detail when Secret Service agents stopped him from joining the mob.

She took a photo on December 18, 2020 that captured the moment Chief of Staff Mark Meadows escorted Rudy Giuliani out of the White House.

'I take one photo of Mark of each of his days,' Hutchinson wrote in the photo caption. 'Tonight, it was him escorting Rudy off-campus to make sure he didn't wander back to the Mansion.'

Giuliani, another of Trump's attorneys, was quizzed in a voluntary interview about a range of topics for two days last month, including the Oval Office meeting, CNN reported, citing its sources.

Robert O'Brien - who has also been questioned - says he was patched into the meeting by phone over it had already descended into a shouting match, according to a transcript of O'Brien's deposition released by the special council's team.

CNN reports investigators led by Special counsel Jack Smith (pictured June 9) have questioned multiple witnesses about the December 18, 2020 meeting, including Trump's former lawyer Rudi Giuliani who sources told the network was quizzed last month

CNN says several witnesses were asked about the meeting months ago, while others have been asked more recently - including Rudy Giuliani (pictured May 19)

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows walking Trump campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani out of the White House on December 18, in a picture taken by Cassidy Hutchinson

Prosecutors have specifically enquired about Flynn, Powell and Byrne, CNN reported, citing sources - who are reported to have clashed with West Wing lawyers during the meeting over Trump's 'options'.

Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and the first former US president to face criminal charges, also pleaded not guilty last month to dozens of criminal counts for allegedly mishandling some of the government's most sensitive secrets and scheming to prevent their return.

He was charged along with personal aide Waltine 'Walt' Nauta, who was Trump's military valet while he was president and continued working for him in a personal capacity after he left the White House.

Named as a co-conspirator in the case, Nauta is charged with six counts for helping Trump hide documents at the former president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

According to the indictment from Jack Smith, Trump took hundreds of classified government documents in cardboard boxes to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House in January 2021.

Trump kept the files - which included records from the Pentagon, CIA and National Security Agency - unsecured at Mar-a-Lago, which regularly hosted large social events, the indictment said.

The documents were stashed at various locations in Mar-a-Lago including a ballroom, a bathroom, Trump's bedroom and a storage room, it said.

Nauta is accused of conspiring with the former president to hide the documents and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Michael Flynn, former national security adviser to former President Donald Trump

Trump's attorney Sidney Powell who was present at the meeting on December 18, 2020

Founder and CEO of Overstock.com Patrick Byrne

Trump faces 31 counts of 'willful retention of national defense information' relating to specific documents. A conviction on each count carries up to 10 years in prison.

Other charges facing the 77-year-old Trump include conspiracy to obstruct justice, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, withholding a document or record, which also carries a potential 20-year sentence, and making false statements.

Trump, who was impeached twice over allegations of misconduct while in office and was recently found liable for sexual abuse, has vowed to stay in the 2024 White House race regardless of the outcome of the documents case.

He faces other legal woes as he campaigns for the presidency including multiple felony counts in a New York fraud case involving alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Smith, the special counsel, is also looking into Trump's involvement in the 2021 US Capitol riot, and state and federal investigators are scrutinizing his efforts to subvert the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

US District Court Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over Trump's documents case in Florida, set a tentative trial date of August 14, but prosecutors have asked to delay the start of the trial until December 11.
The Mail's hugely popular podcast The Trial of Lucy Letby has been shortlisted for a major industry award.

More than four million people have downloaded and listened to the ground-breaking series.

Letby, 33, is on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of ten others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. She denies 22 charges in total.

The trial has been going for more than nine months. On Monday, the jury of eight women and four men retired to deliberate their verdicts.

In each episode hosts Liz Hull, the Mail's Northern correspondent, and broadcast journalist Caroline Cheetham, take a forensic look at the evidence presented to the jury.

The Mail's hugely popular podcast The Trial of Lucy Letby has been shortlisted for a major industry award

The Future of Media Awards, run by respected industry website Press Gazette, recognise and celebrate excellence in digital news media in the UK and around the world. The Trial of Lucy Letby has been nominated in the podcast category.

It has been lauded for being one of the first UK podcasts to bring listeners in-depth audio coverage of a live trial.

Published by the Mail's digital subscription edition Mail+ every Monday evening, the series has included bonus episodes at important points in the trial, for example when Letby started giving evidence.

Other episodes feature interviews with high-profile guests, including former North West crown prosecutor Nazir Afzal. The podcast has a Twitter feed, Instagram reels and YouTube episodes.
Gender diverse people can now choose to wear a male or female uniform

A gender diverse army captain has helped rewrite the Australian Army's inclusive uniform policy and is now allowed to wear the female uniform.

Captain Jesse Noble said realising they were gender diverse as a 35-year-old churchgoer with a wife and children 'was like getting hit in the face with a truck'.

'I was very closeted about it. I thought that I was basically going to tell maybe three people in my whole life,' they told the ABC on Friday.

Gender diverse army captain Jesse Noble (centre) helped rewrite the Australian Army's inclusive uniform policy

However, in February Jesse decided to come forward about their new identity to their boss at Darwin's First Combat Signals Regiment.

Part of owning Jesse's new identity was wearing clothing that aligned with it - while working at the army, that was wearing the female uniform.

However, the army had a strict uniform policy that prevented non-binary and intersex people from choosing whether they'd wear the female or male version.

The male dress code dictates hair must be cut shorter than four centimetres and bans piercings, make-up and nail polish.

Jesse described handing the paperwork for a female uniform to their boss as a 'really important step'.

Fortunately, their bravery paid off and their request to wear the female uniform was immediately given interim approval.

The request was eventually moved further up the chain of command until the army released a new rule in April that allowed gender-fluid, non-binary and intersex people to choose either the male or female uniform.

Jesse said they still wear camouflage for daily duties but appreciates having to option to express themself.

'I can wear make-up now. My ears are pierced at work. I have longer hair than most male-presenting people do at work. My fingernails are painted,' they said.

'I can choose how I present myself.'

However, other parts of Jesse's journey weren't as easy.

The Australian Army introduced a new rule in April that allowed gender-fluid, non-binary and intersex people to choose whether they wear the male or female uniform

Their marriage ultimately ended in divorce and they decided to leave the Pentecostal Church.

But Jesse has stayed positive and said their experience was 'embarrassingly easy' compared to other former army members who lost their jobs due to their sexuality and gender identity.

'I guess that's where it's our responsibility to use the platform and the privilege we have to make change for others who may not have the same voice, who may not have had the same opportunities,' they said.
An Oklahoma judge has refused to authorize reparations for victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre which saw near to 300 black people get killed and have their livelihoods burned to the ground by a white mob.

Lessie Benningfield Randle, 108, Viola Fletcher, 109, and her brother, Hughes Van Ellis, 102, are the last known survivors of the massacre - and have been locked in a years-long legal battle to receive reparations.

Their lawsuit against the City of Tulsa sought financial and other reparations - including a 99-year tax holiday for Tulsa residents who are descendants of victims of the massacre in the north Tulsa neighborhood of Greenwood.

Judge Caroline Wall dismissed the case earlier this month - after agreeing with city officials that the claimants 'don't have unlimited rights to compensation.'

Tulsa Race Massacre survivor Viola Ford Fletcher. She has been locked in a years-long legal battle to receive reparations.

Tulsa Race Massacre survivors Hughes Van Ellis, left, his sister Viola Fletcher, right and Lessie Benningfield Randle, center are pictured in 2021

Ruins of Greenwood District after the Race Massacre, Tulsa

It is estimated that as many as 300 people died in the massacre. It is one of the starkest examples of black wealth being decimated, leaving parents nothing to pass down and forcing generations to start from scratch.

The three plaintiffs have now vowed that they will 'not go quietly.'

Damario Solomon-Simmons, their lead attorney and founder of the Justice for Greenwood Foundation, said he had not seen any document laying out Wall's reasoning for her dismissal.

He called the lawsuit dismissal a 'hurtful blow to our quest for justice' and asked the federal government to open an investigation into the massacre.

Solomon-Simmons added: 'We were forced to plead this case beyond what is required under Oklahoma standards, which is certainly a familiar circumstance when Black Americans ask the American legal system to work for them.

'And now, Judge Wall has condemned us to languish on Oklahomas appellate docket. But we will not go quietly. We will continue to fight until our last breaths.

Judge Caroline Wall dismissed the case earlier this month - after agreeing with city officials that the claimants 'don't have unlimited rights to compensation'

'Like so many Black Americans, we carry the weight of intergenerational racial trauma day in and day out.

'The dismissal of this case is just one more example of how Americas  and specifically Tulsas  legacy of racial harm, racial distress is disproportionally and unjustly borne by Black communities.

'We will not rest until theres justice for Greenwood.'

The attorney also told CNN: 'Theyve waited 102 years trying to get justice and reparations for themselves, their families and our community here in Tulsa. And for me to get the phone call  I could not believe it. We were completely blown away.'

The violence in 1921 erupted after a white woman told police that a Black man had grabbed her arm in an elevator in a downtown Tulsa commercial building on May 30, 1921.

The following day, police arrested the man, who the Tulsa Tribune reported had tried to assault the woman. White people surrounded the courthouse, demanding the man be handed over.

World War One veterans were among black men who went to the courthouse to face the mob. A white man tried to disarm a black veteran and a shot rang out, touching off further violence.

White people then looted and burned buildings and dragged the black people from their beds and beat them, according to historical accounts.

The white people were deputized by authorities and instructed to shoot the black residents.

No one was ever charged in the violence.

The University of Tulsa shows a crowd watching the Mt. Zion Baptist Church burn during the June 1, 1921, Tulsa Race Massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Greenwood neighborhood is seen in ruins after a mob passed during the race massacre

The Tulsa Race Massacre left up to 300 people dead and burned the city's black neighborhood known as Greenwood to the ground on May 31, 1921

A group of black men are marched past the corner of 2nd and Main Streets in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Dr. Karlos Hill, a Professor in the Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told KFOR: 'I came really close to the history and the people who represent the history and certainly the victims, survivors and descendants.

'So, the recent dismissal of their case, their claims, their rightful just claim for reparations for restitution [and] you're talking about three known survivors, not all survivorsit's been really disheartening to see that we don't have a heart for these victims. We won't find a way to to legally write or legislatively address [what happened].

'When it comes to anti-Black racial violence, even the most the deadliest attack on a Black community, we still can't find the compassion to give restitution to three survivors or even have a genuine conversation with the community about what a community reparations program today would look like.

'A community was destroyed. And so if a community was destroyed, a community deserves reparations,'
A set of Albert Einstein's equations have sold for a staggering 604,800 - almost eight times their estimate.

The physicist jotted down a diagram of a gravitational lens and over 30 complex calculations on three pages of paper in 1936.

The document was sold alongside a draft of his article 'Lens like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field'.

The letter had been expected to sell for 80,000 but sparked an internet bidding war between two private collectors at London-based auctioneers Christie's, driving the price up.

It is the fourth highest price ever achieved at auction for an Einstein letter.

Gravitational lensing, which is the deflection of light, is used to spot the most distant and earliest-formed galaxies.

This is said to have 'fundamental implications' for the parameters of Big Bang models.

The physicist jotted down a diagram of a gravitational lens and over 30 complex calculations on three pages of paper in 1936

The letter was sent to Rudi Mandl, a Czech amateur scientist and Princeton restaurant pot-washer whom Einstein befriended while working there after fleeing Nazi Germany.

Mandl showed an interest in physics, asking the genius to explore such lensing and Einstein later credited their encounter with giving him a new perspective.

In the letter, he defines the meaning of a 'light deflection at the surface of a star' and the 'stellar radius of the deflecting star'.

Einstein concludes: 'Of course, b (the distance between the star and the deflecting star) must always be very large compared to the radii of the stars, otherwise the shadow formation would make the whole calculation illusory.'

The letter was consigned from a British private collection.

Thomas Venning, specialist at Christie's, said: 'It is amazing to have Einstein's equations on a piece of paper and it gives us an incredible insight into his brain at work.

'This is arguably the most comprehensive account which Einstein wrote about gravitational lensing.

Einstein concludes: 'Of course, b (the distance between the star and the deflecting star) must always be very large compared to the radii of the stars, otherwise the shadow formation would make the whole calculation illusory.'

'It is an incredible result and the fourth highest price ever for an Einstein letter.

'This is a wonderful letter worthy of that price, from a competition between two internet bidders.'

Gravitational lensing occurs when a galaxy cluster causes a sufficient curvature of spacetime for the path of light around it to be visibly bent.

Its effect was confirmed in 1979 with the discovery of the Twin Quasar.

Since then, dozens of lens systems have been observed, with gravitational lensing used to spot the most distant and earliest-formed galaxies.
Kimberley Kitching's husband says he's moved on and learned to forgive over the 'mean girls' saga that plagued the Labor's senator's sudden death last year.

Ms Kitching was just 52 when she died from a suspected heart attack in March 2022, sparking heartfelt tributes from all sides of politics.

Allegations emerged from those close to the late senator that she had been treated poorly by Labor colleagues during her time in parliament, and may have contributed to her shock passing.

Ms Kitching's husband, Andrew Landeryou, addressed the alleged mistreatment in a eulogy at her funeral when he referred to 'the unpleasantness of a cantankerous cabal' both inside and outside of parliament and that his wife 'deserved so much better'.

Fellow Labor senators Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher were branded as the 'mean girls' who allegedly bullied Ms Kitching, forcing the trio to refute the claims in a joint statement.

Almost 18 months on, Mr Landeryou broke his silence over the saga with a carefully considered response when asked if he had learned to forgive.

Labor senator Kimberley Kitching was just 52 when she died from a suspected heart attack

'I know that this isn't an answer, but I think it's really important that I do forgive,' he told Sky News host Andrew Bolt on Thursday night.

'I have to grapple with that, and I work hard on that and work to focus on good positive things.'

'The most important thing I can do to sort of honour Kimberley's legacy and her memory is to act in the classy way that she acted, which is not necessarily my first instinct, unfortunately.

Following the funeral, Mr Landeryou travelled up to Canberra to hear the condolence speeches in parliament, where he was touched by Senator Gallagher's heartfelt words.

'Katy Gallagher got up and spoke beautifully and said she had occasion to reflect very deeply on her relationship with Kimberley,' he said.

'I sat there, and I listened to those words and I realised that was probably as close to an apology that a public official in that situation could make, and I really, really respected it, and it resonated with me and sort of helped me a bit to not move on but to act try and act in a way consistent with Kimberley's values.'

Labor senators Katy Gallagher, Kristina Keneally and Penny Wong were branded as 'mean girls' in the wake of Kimberley Kitching's death

Mr Landeryou also shared candid details on how he's coping more than a year on from his wife's death and admitted it's often confronting.

'I'm doing okay. Day to day, I'm showing up professionally and doing what I need to do,' he said.

'But I feel like the Mayor of Hiroshima sometimes, so obviously very confronting at lots of levels, not just the practical day to day thing, and the  sort of the emptiness of all of that.'

'But also, I obviously have to grapple with how I may irrationally feel about it which is that I should have done a better job in protecting her.'

At her funeral, Mr Landeryou hailed his wife's political and moral judgement as 'vastly superior to the small number who opposed her internally.'

'There's a lot I could say about the unpleasantness of a cantankerous cabal  not all of them in parliament  that was aimed at Kimba, and the intensity of it did baffle and hurt her,' he told mourners.

'She deserved so very much much better.'

Mr Landeryou says he tries to honour his wife's legacy by acting in the classy way that she acted. Pictured is late senator Kimberley Kitching

He described his wife's death as 'absurd and unjust' and that he would 'I would gladly swap places with her'.

'I'm not going to blame any one person or any one meeting,' he said.

'Her friends and ferociously loyal staff are angry about how she was treated. Of course they are.

'And I have no quarrel with them about that. They know what they saw with their own eyes.

Almost 18 months on, Mr Landeryou stands by his eulogy comments that his wife deserved much better.

'I hope it's sufficient to say she deserved so very much better,' he said.

'She was so brilliant, and erudite, and tough but sensitive at the same time. I don't think they had a better person ever.'

'Kimberley was a warrior who could stand up for herself, and she did, very emphatically.'
Penny Wong has pushed for faster action on China's crippling trade sanctions in her second round of talks with one of the Asian powerhouse's top diplomats.

The foreign minister also raised her 'deep concerns' over Hong Kong's pursuit of overseas pro-democracy activists, including two living in Australia.

Senator Wong, who is in Jakarta for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, spoke with China's top-ranking representative Wang Yi on Thursday following a meeting in Beijing late last year.

The comes ahead of a planned visit by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to China, later this year, the first by an Australian leader since 2016.

'My view is we're seeing some progress on trade - we would like to see more,' she told reporters after the meeting.

China slapped trade sanctions on $20 billion worth of Australian products at the height of a diplomatic spat in 2020, although it has since wound back restrictions on timber and coal imports.

Senator Wong said she had a 'frank conversation' with Mr Wang on a number of issues, including the plight of two Australians detained in China and recent bounties Hong Kong police placed on foreign-based activists.

'The Australian people and the Australian government treasure freedom of expression, freedom of political expression - and the government will continue to support those Australian citizens and those in Australia who exercise their right to freedom of political expression,' she said.

The foreign minister was asked before the meeting whether she would raise a policing pact signed between China and the Solomon Islands.

She said Australia maintained the view shared by its regional neighbours, that security should be provided by Pacific nations.

'We are continuing to call for transparency from China and Solomon Islands in relation to this agreement,' she told the ABC 7.30's on Thursday.

Senator Penny Wong says she discussed a range of issues with Chinese diplomat Wang Yi.

Wang Yi and Senator Wong discussed trade sanctions imposed on Australia by China

'I think it is of benefit for the Pacific Islands Forum to discuss it.'

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare jointly announced a comprehensive strategic partnership in Beijing earlier this week.

Beijing has been expanding its influence in the region, with Chinese police present in the Solomon Islands since late 2021.

Senator Wong on Friday said the two had 'discussed the importance of the institutions, rules and norms that underpin sovereignty, security and prosperity in the region'.

She added: 'I conveyed Australia's clear views on security in the Pacific and Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.'
A female driver has blasted a children's care centre after it appeared to enforce its own parking restrictions on a busy suburban street.

The woman discovered a hand-made notice while parking her car on Abercorn Street, Bexley in Sydney's south on Tuesday, branding it as 'idiotic',

The sign read: 'No parking please!!! Children let down & pick up.'

The woman was confronted with the sign after pulling into the street to park her car on Tuesday

The hand-drawn sign written up on a mini whiteboard is alleged to have been made by organisers of a holiday program run by the Bexley Gospel Hall during the school holidays.

The woman, Effie, who works as a nurse in the area, was told she could not use the spot outside the hall to park her car.

'I'm a community registered nurse in a clearly marked work car and had my uniform on,' she told Yahoo News Australia.

She said she was approached by two men who told her she could not park her car in the space.

'I told them I was going to a client and wouldnt be long as I had a service to do, and they still continued,' she said.

The Sydney driver and community registered nurse labelled the sign 'idiotic' after it was put up outside the Bexley Gospel Hall

It's not known whether the men were associated with the holiday care centre.

Despite their objections, Effie told the two individuals that she was allowed to park her car in the spot, claiming that it's difficult to find parking on the street on most days.

When she came back, she alleged the sign was still there.

The woman took the matter up with Bayside Council who said they were made aware of the sign.

The woman posted to social media after Bayside Council told her the sign was not permitted when alerted to the issue

A spokesperson told the Daily Mail Australia that the sign was illegal.

'The makeshift parking sign has not been installed or authorised by Council and is not legal or enforceable' they said.

A representative from the Bexley Hall Gospel holiday program who run the care centre, said the sign had been taken down.

It's unclear who removed it.

The spokesperson said they 'weren't enforcing anything', instead it was a request for locals to not use the parking areas outside the community church.

They explained the sign was put up to protect children who were coming and going from the facility.
Police have arrested a woman in connection with the July 2 'drug overdose' death of acting legend Robert De Niro's 19-year-old grandson Leandro.

Sofia Haley Marks, 20, is accused of selling Leandro De Niro Rodriguez drugs shortly before he was found dead in his New York City apartment.

Marks has been nicknamed 'the Percocet Princess', was arrested Thursday night at around 6 p.m. in an NYPD undercover sting operation, according to the New York Post.

She's being charged federally with distributing narcotics, while investigators are still conducting a search in her home.

A spokesperson for the NYPD told DailyMail.com they could not confirm the arrest.

Police have arrested a woman in connection with the July 2 'drug overdose' death of acting legend Robert De Niro 's 19-year-old grandson Leandro

The teenager's lifeless body was found sitting in a chair beside white powder inside a $950,000, one-bedroom apartment on Wall Street in New York.

A police source tells DailyMail.com the substance was found near his body and there were no signs of trauma. He was found by a friend who hadn't heard from him in a few days and was checking in on him, a police source told TMZ.

Residents in the building, right next to the Wall Street subway stop told DailyMail.com they saw an ambulance and a fire truck pull up on an otherwise tranquil Sunday afternoon.

Aspiring actor and director Leandro was following in his mother and grandfather's career footsteps, landed a small role in 2018's A Star Is Born as the son of Bradley Cooper's best friend, George 'Noodles' Stone, played by Dave Chappelle. He also appeared in Cabaret Maxime in 2018.

His mother Drena De Niro - an American actress adopted by De Niro after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott in 1976 - announced his death.

His father Carlos, a renowned graffiti artist, and mother Drena, 51, shared a statement on Instagram on Monday as they reacted to Leandro's untimely passing.

'It is with immeasurable shock and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo. We thank you for the outpouring love and support and ask that we are given privacy this time to process this inconsolable grief.

'You can't spell Love without Leo,' Carlos added as the caption to the post, which featured sweet pictures of Leandro at different ages.

The teenager's lifeless body was found sitting in a chair beside white powder inside a $950,000, one-bedroom apartment on Wall Street in New York

Robert De Niro leaves the Frank E. Campbell Home with his family following his grandson's death

Drena was adopted by De Niro, and took his surname, after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976.

She had a relatively transient lifestyle thanks to her father's vibrant career and split her time between New York City, Los Angeles, and Italy.

Drena left school and decided to explore the arts, turning her hand to a whole host of career paths including model, DJ and fashion consultant.

She eventually decided to follow in De Niro's footsteps and soon found her feet as an actress and filmmaker.

She made De Niro a grandfather in 2003 when she welcomed Leandro with her then-boyfriend Carlos Rodriguez.

Drena, who currently lives in New York, has since turned her attentions to directing and also describes herself as being trained in Muay Thai and martial arts.

At 51, Drena is five years older than De Niro's oldest biological child, Raphael, with Abbott. Now 46, he's a Manhattan estate agent whose celebrity clients have included Jon Bon Jovi and Renee Zellweger.

De Niro also has two children  twins Aaron and Julian, 27,  from his relationship between 1988 and 1995 with former model and actress Toukie Smith. They were conceived by in vitro fertilizations and delivered by a surrogate mother.

In 1998, he also had a son, Elliot, 21, and in 2011, a daughter, Helen, 11, (also born via surrogate) during his stormy 20-year marriage to his second wife, former flight attendant Grace Hightower.

Aspiring actor and director Leandro was following in his mother and grandfather's career footsteps

'You can't spell Love without Leo,' his father said in a social media tribute, which featured sweet pictures of Leandro at different ages

Robert De Niro is seen at the wake of his grandson Leandro

In May, the 79-year-old actor confirmed that he'd welcomed his seventh child Gia Virginia with his girlfriend Tiffany Chan, 43, to whom he has been linked since summer 2021.

Leandro's death comes after the Department of Justice filed charges against several Chinese companies and executives over their alleged role in the U.S. fentanyl trade.

Federal prosecutors say nearly all fentanyl precursors are manufactured and shipped from China today.

Criminal organizations like the infamous Sinaloa cartel in Mexico work with Chinese companies to get their ingredients for fentanyl.
A woke council boss has tried to oust her only Asian colleague for standing-up for a compulsory-nude, women-only spa that sought to ban trans men with penises.

Janet Pope, of Lynwood Council in suburban Seattle, organized a vote of no confidence in Vivian Dong after Dong spoke out in support of the Olympus Spa then observed a protest at the facility on on June 17.

The Korean spa - which caters to women only, and is compulsorily nude, hit the headlines after telling transgender activist that trans women with penises were unwelcome.

A judge later ruled the facility had broken the law, and that Olympus Spa had to admit trans women with male genitalia. Dong voiced support for the spa and attended its protest.

Pope, a former actress who has 'she/her' pronouns on her LinkedIn profile and a website bragging of her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, then circled the wagons to try and strong-arm Dong into resigning from the council.

Vivian Dong was elected to the local council in April, but after only three months her colleagues have tried to force her to resign

Vivian Dong was prevented from speaking in her own defense at the Tuesday meeting of the Lynwood Public Facilities District.

Dong, a senior software engineer who was elected to the voluntary role on April 24 this year, said she had not been told in advance that her colleagues were seeking to remove her from the council.

They voted unanimously 4-0 in favor of a no confidence motion, and, unable to force her to resign, issued a recommendation of her resignation. She refused.

'Personally, I wasn't really prepared. I felt ambushed, set up and possibly discriminated against,' Dong told the Lynnwood Times.

'It's been a shock, a total shock.'

Dong angered her colleagues by showing her support for an embattled Korean spa, which tried to stop trans women who have not had bottom surgery from attending their naked facilities.

Janet Pope, the executive director of the Lynwood district, said Dong's 'crime' had been to promote a rally in support of a Korean spa which tries to stop pre-op trans women from attending their naked facility

On June 17, Dong attended a rally in support of Olympus Spa, which saw around 250 people both backing the spa's position and condemning it gather in front of the Lynnwood Convention Center.

Janet Pope, the executive director of Lynwood Public Facilities District, told Tuesday's meeting that Dong had 'promoted' the rally, because she shared it on her social media.

Pope was seen at the rally herself, although it's unclear if she was supporting the spa or trans rights protesters who also attended.

Pope and her fellow board members claimed the June 17 rally cost businesses approximately $35,000 in lost revenue, and the District up to $12,500 in protest management.

Dong said she was never asked by her colleagues to remove her post promoting the rally, and she was in frequent contact with Pope before the rally to discuss the details.

Dong even confirmed with the District's attorney, Matt Hendricks, on June 13 that attending the rally would not pose any legal problems.

She said she wanted to show her support for the spa and its owners 'both as an Asian woman as well as the PFD board member to support our key tenant.'

The spa is run from a building owned by the PFD.

Protesters are seen on June 17 outside the Lynwood Event Center, amid the row over the spa

Critics of the spa are seen with their umbrellas facing off with those supporting the spa

Speakers addressed the June 7 rally, voicing their support for the spa and criticism of it

Wilvich claimed the spa said 'transgender women without surgery are not welcome' and complained to the commission

Pope, in an email obtained by The Lynwood Times, told Dong: 'you are certainly allowed to attend and have your own free speech, just not representing the PFD.'

Pope, according to the newspaper, had been against Dong's admission to the council from the start, arguing in internal documents obtained by the paper that she did not have the right experience and was too busy with her work.

While Lynwood has positioned itself as an ultra-woke city, with a website championing love, diversity and inclusion, Dong had established herself as an outspoken activist against woke policies.

In the three months since Dong was appointed, the District's website has not been updated to include Dong in its list of board members: the other five have photos and biographies, but the sixth slot remains vacant, with a link back to a February 2023 application page.

Dong founded the Safe Lynwood group, and protested against the opening of a methadone clinic 400 feet away from the Alderwood Boys and Girls Club.

She has also used the Safe Lynnwood social media page to express her political stance regarding LGBTQ+ issues, which Board members said conflicted with the District's 'community-focused apolitical' approach.

In a letter sent by the District Board, and publicly read during Tuesday's PFD Board Meeting, the board wrote: 'There is considerable evidence that board member Ms. Dong and her organization Safe Lynnwood were very involved in the promotion and organization of the event,' referring to the June 17 rally.

'Safe Lynnwood promoted the protest on social media and interacted frequently with several individuals involved in the event, including groups on national watch lists as extremist organizations.'

The June 17 rally was organized by Sovereign Women Speak, not Safe Lynwood.

The spa hit national headlines when a judge ordered it to admit pre-op trans women with penises, after an activist complained when the owner tried to ban them.

Olympus Spa had attempted to sue the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) after being ordered to change their rules.

Trans woman Haven Wilvich's membership application for the Korean spa was declined.

Haven Wilvich, pictured, had applied to join the spa but was denied. Olympus Spa offers memberships and day passes

She alleged the spa told her 'transgender women without surgery are not welcome' and complained to the commission.

The family-owned spa, which has a branch in Lynwood and one in Tacoma, is modeled on Jjimjilbang - sex-segregated bath houses in Korea - and offers monthly memberships and day passes.

In the initial complaint to the commission, Wilvich said she was a transgender woman who was 'biologically male' and had not undergone sex reassignment surgery.

Wilvich alleged that she had gone to the spa in January 2020 in search of a service but was discriminated against.

She claims that Olympus Spa told her that 'transgender women without surgery are not welcome because it could make other customers and staff uncomfortable.'

In March 2021, the WSHRC had served the spa owner Myoon Woon Lee and the spa's President Sun Lee with a Notice of Complaint of Discrimination.

The commission asked them to respond to the claims made by Wilvich, with Sun Lee releasing a statement standing by their decision.

Lee explained that Olympus was a family-owned 'women's Korean traditional health spa' and noted that nudity was required for certain treatments.

He wrote: 'We firmly believe it is essential for the safety, legal protection, and well-being of our customers and employees that we maintain adherence to this adaptation of a females-only rule.'

Lee explained that Olympus was a family-owned 'women's Korean traditional health spa' and noted that nudity was required for certain treatments

Wilvich alleged that she had gone to the spa in January 2020 in search of a service but was discriminated against.

The spa disputed the Wilvich's claims, asserting they had no documentation showing she had ever applied to enter the facility.

Lee also provided an education on the traditions of Jjimjilbang, which are large sex-segregated bath houses in Korea.

He concluded their response by saying that the spa was 'willing to consider a review of [its] current biological females only policy'.

The caveat to that Lee said was that 'we are unwilling to remake the 'jjimjilbang'' given they had 'worked so hard over many years to build and preserve, simply for the sake of promoting gender neutrality.'

Judge Barbara Jacobs Rothstein upheld the ruling made by the WSHRC and said that the measures taken by them had been lawful

The two also said that they are both Christian, and cited their faith as reasons as to why they did not wish to accommodate males in the facility.

The spa disputed the Wilvich's claims, asserting they had no documentation showing she had ever applied to enter the facility.

But the WSHRC upheld their ruling, and offered the spa a Pre-Finding Settlement agreement to avoid prosecution.

The Pre-Finding Settlement required the spa to remove all references to 'biological women' on their site, and provide staff with 'inclusivity' training.

This the prompted the lawsuit from the Spa, saying their First Amendment rights had been violated.

The court offered Olympus Spa 30 days to amend their complaint and refile.

Wilvich had previously boasted about the success of her complaint on Facebook after the initial WSHRC ruling.

She said: 'I did it! I worked with the WSHRC and got Olympus Spa (the main naked lady spa in the area) to change their policies and allow all self-identified women access regardless of surgery and genitals.'
The driver, 19, was heard screaming over her dead body

A 18-year-old girl has been killed after an horrific accident tore the car she was a passenger in to shreds before the driver was heard screaming 'She's dead!'

Heidi Riding died in the wreckage of an allegedly stolen silver Holden Commodore just after midnight on Thursday in the Toowoomba suburb of Newtown, west of Brisbane.

The driver of the car, a 19-year-old man from Ipswich, allegedly sped down the wrong side of Hursley Rd before colliding with trees and a concrete bench.

Debris was scattered over 50m near the intersection on Tor St, including pieces of metal embedded into fences and a flaming engine which was thrown across the road.

The male driver was taken to Toowoomba Hospital with minor injuries and an investigation into the single car crash has been launched, Queensland police said.

Heidi Riding (pictured) died in the wreckage of an allegedly stolen silver Holden Commodore just after midnight on Thursday in Newtown, a suburb of Toowoomba

Debris was scattered over 50m near the intersection on Tor St, including pieces of metal embedded into fences and a flaming engine which was thrown across the road (pictured)

A witness from the area told the Courier Mail that they had heard distraught screaming from the driver immediately after the crash as he tried to find Ms Riding.

'Where are you?' he was heard shouting while frantically searching the scene.

After discovering the body moments later the man collapsed, according to the witness.

'She's dead! She's dead!' the driver is said to have screamed.

The flaming engine found on the other side of the street was found more than 20m from the car when police arrived.

No charges have been laid in relation to the crash, but police say that teams from the Forensic Crash Unit and Ethical Standards Command are looking into the incident.

These teams are tasked with finding out what caused the crash and who was responsible, respectively.

The Holden Commodore had been spotted by local patrols earlier in the night but was not engaged, Queensland police confirmed in a statement.

A car theft epidemic has been tearing through the township, according to Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki.

Car thefts in Toowoomba are on the rise, Mr Janetzki said, with RACQ reporting a more than 85 per cent increase in car theft reports from 2021 to 2022.

Across Queensland, 20 per cent more cars had been stolen by August 2022 than that had been the year prior.

The MP called on state government to help prevent horrific road deaths from happening again in the future.

Thursday night's crash was especially confronting for emergency responders, Mr Janetzki told the Courier Mail.

'Toowoomba's car theft epidemic is a risk not just to the children who are stealing and riding in these vehicles, but also to police and the community,' he said.

The driver of the car, a 19-year-old man from Ipswich, reportedly sped down the wrong side of Hursley Rd before colliding with trees and a concrete bench

The Holden Commodore had been spotted by local patrols earlier in the night but was not engaged, Queensland police confirmed in a statement

Ms Riding's older sister immediately announced a GoFundMe to fund the family's return to Queensland from Tasmania.

'Heidi was one of a kind,' her sister, Tamika, wrote.

'Our hearts are shattered we have no words.'

An undetailed legal battle was also touched upon in the description for the fundraiser.

'The justice system failed our girl and theyve chosen the wrong family,' Tamika continued.

'We will fight and we will not stop until we get the justice you deserve Heidi.'

The campaign has raised almost $2,000 of the $30,000 goal in its first four hours.
Brittany Higgins has revealed a recent new role at the United Nations devoted to ending discrimination against women - as the ex-political staffer confirms rumours that she and fiance David Sharaz recently jetted overseas for an extended trip.

The former Liberal staffer on Friday shared a series of photos of herself posing outside Palais des Nations, the United Nations' conference centre in Geneva, Switzerland.

'Honoured to intern at this year's @unitednations convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW),' Ms Higgins wrote.

The images showed Ms Higgins standing at the front gates of the international peace organisation's headquarters in Switzerland in a variety of outfits as she attended the three-week conference in May.

Her wardrobe choices included a baby pink suit and blazer matched with Gucci-style high heels. A similarly designed shoe costs $1,000 in Australia.

After this story was published, Ms Higgins posted a message exchange on her Instagram story, revealing the Gucci shoes belonged to her mother Kelly.

Brittany Higgins has revealed she recently interned at the United Nations for a convention dedicated to improving women's rights

Ms Higgin shared a series of snaps of herself outside the Geneva United Nations headquarters, sporting various outfits

'So glad the daily mail [sic] zoned in on the shoes... let them know they were mums!' Kelly Higgins wrote to her daughter.

The United Nations posts are confirmation of whispers Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz had left Australia as part of her role associated with former prime minister Julia Gillard's Global Institute for Women's Leadership.

Ms Higgins is a visiting fellow for the institute, which operates out of a college in London and the Australian National University.

The convention Ms Higgins attended - dedicated to the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women - ran from May 8 to May 26, about the same time rumours were circulating Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz had left their Gold Coast home.

Ms Higgins, a former Liberal party staffer, came forward in 2021 to accuse her colleague Bruce Lehrmann of raping her inside a minister's office in Parliament House in March 2019.

Mr Lehrmann has always strenuously denied the allegations, and they were never proven in court.

His case resulted in a mistrial due to juror misbehaviour and prosecutors declined to take Mr Lehrmann's case to a retrial over concerns over Ms Higgins' mental health.

Ms Higgins' UN announcement comes after she and Mr Sharaz were spotted back on the Gold Coast last weekend.

In May, rumours swirled Ms Higgins and her fiance David Sharaz (pictured together) were in Europe for her to carry out duties related to her role at Julia Gillard's foundation

At one stage, he was seen chatting to a woman, not believed to be his fiancee Ms Higgins, who was carrying a baby on her hip

Senator Linda Reynolds' lawyers had been unsuccessfully trying to locate Mr Sharaz for months.

Senator Reynolds is suing Mr Sharaz in the Supreme Court of Western Australia over five social media posts he uploaded that she alleges were 'falsely defamatory'.

However, the case had been languishing since January as Ms Reynolds lawyers had been struggling to serve the elusive former journalist with court papers.

Dressed in a casual green sweater and jeans, Mr Sharaz was pictured last Saturday grabbing a take-away coffee at a cafe near the couple's home.

Following publication of the story, Mr Sharaz confirmed on Sunday morning he had provided Senator Reynolds' lawyers with his 'actual email address' and had 'accepted service from Senator Reynolds'.

Mr Sharaz and Ms Higgins have been living together in a rental home since March this year, as the former political staffer continues her studies at Bond University. Mr Sharaz now describes himself as a 'reformed journalist'.

Their move to Queensland came after Ms Higgins received a substantial payout, rumoured to be up to $3million, from the Commonwealth, after she sought damages for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, disability discrimination, negligence and victimisation.

The mediation with the government is believed to have taken less than a day - which officials defend as a wholly appropriate practice.

Earlier last week, Senator Reynolds' lawyer Martin Bennett revealed her defamation claim against Mr Sharaz had expanded from two of Mr Sharaz's tweets to five social media posts in total.

Mr Bennett also explained his office had been trying, and failing, to serve Mr Sharaz with a writ since January of this year.

Hours after Mr Bennett's comments in court, Ms Higgins posted photos on Instagram of herself alongside Mr Sharaz celebrating her lawyer Leon Zwier's birthday at an upmarket Chinese restaurant in Melbourne.

He then pointed to media reports stating Mr Sharaz was living in a rental property on the Gold Coast with Ms Higgins, and said locating his address would be impractical.

The court heard his office also contacted Mr Zwier following media reports suggesting he was also representing Mr Sharaz.

However, Mr Zwier said he had not received instructions to accept the writ on behalf of his 'client's fiance'.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Sharaz was deliberately trying to avoid being served, only that Senator Reynolds' lawyers had previously been unable to locate him and Ms Higgins' lawyer had not been advised to accept writs on Mr Sharaz's behalf.

Supreme Court justice Marcus Solomon said he was satisfied that it was impractical for Mr Sharaz to be served in person and allowed Mr Bennett's office to send the writ to the two personal accounts.

Within 24 hours of those emails being sent, Mr Sharaz will be considered to have been served.

Mr Sharaz and Ms Higgins have been living together in a rental home on the Gold Coast since March this year, as the former political staffer continues her studies at Bond University

It is understood Mr Sharaz hadn't received the writ by last Friday morning, but Mr Bennett told Daily Mail Australia his office emailed it to him immediately following Justice Solomon's orders.

It is further understood the two Gmail addresses Mr Bennett's office acquired were previously unmonitored by Mr Sharaz.

According to the writ, seen by Daily Mail Australia, Senator Reynolds claimed she was defamed in three Twitter posts between January and December last year, one Instagram post in April, and one Facebook comment in December.

Mr Sharaz appears to have deactivated his Facebook profile, made his Instagram account private and removed about 2,000 followers recently.

Senator Reynolds is seeking damages and an injunction against Mr Sharaz from publishing the allegedly defamatory material, and costs.

She is also seeking interest on damages at a rate of six per cent from the date of publication to the date of judgement.
One of Megyn Kelly's guests on her show has claimed that the White House deliberately leaked allegations that Biden's a foul-mouthed bully to make him look like less of a 'vegetable.'

Michael Knowles joined Kelly, 52, to speak about a report that recently claimed the 80 year-old president, behind closed doors, has a temper that sees him yelling at staff and shouting obscenities.

The duo discussed how a foul-mouthed and angry Biden makes him look stronger - rather than the senile old man many of his critics claim he is.

Knowles, 33, went as far to suggest this was a strategic information leak to make the population believe Biden is not a 'puppet' and a 'vegetable.'

One of Megyn Kelly's guests on her show has claimed that the White House deliberately leaked allegations that Biden's a foul-mouthed bully to make him look less of a 'vegetable'

Michael Knowles joined Kelly, 52, to speak about a report that recently claimed the president, behind closed doors, has a temper that sees him yelling at staff and shouting obscenities

Biden is pictured on July 13. His temper is so bad that some staff try to avoid meting alone with him or bring along a colleague to help defuse the situation, Axios reported

Kelly and Knowles discussed a clip from The View - where, talking about how others are turned on by Biden's anger, Joy Behar said: 'I am too, I like it.'

'He's such a mild mannered, sweet guy.'

Whoopi Goldberg then chimes in: 'You know he's not, he's dropped more f-bombs than I have. He's a regular guy!'

Kelly said that the women on The View were 'taking it away from the abuse of staff, and just putting it on the swearing. Running excuses for him from start to finish.'

Knowles then said: 'I don't think this was just a damaging leak for the Biden campaign, that now we're all seriously debating, I think this was a strategic leak by the Biden campaign, cause while in a way it doesn't make him look great, at a deeper level, it makes people kind of like him.

'When Joy Baher and Kennedy jokingly say "oh it turns me on, I'm more attracted to him now" I think that was the point of the leak.

'Because while this is somewhat damaging, the point of this leak is to counteract the more damaging narrative, that is Joe Biden is a vegetable.

'So how do you counter the narrative that we all see with our own eyes.'

'I think its BS [bulls**t]. I think it's out there so people don't think that the man is being held up by marionette strings.'

Kelly adds: 'It is curious that these pieces are starting to appear for the first time now.'

Joe Biden's temper is so bad that some staff try to avoid meting alone with him or bring along a colleague to help defuse the situation, Axios reported.

Underneath his public persona of Joe from Scranton, who likes ice cream and uses folksy language, is a president with a potty mouth and short fuse.

Biden will blast four-letter words during his rages, including: 'God dammit, how the f*** don't you know this?!,' 'Don't f***ing bullsh** me!' and 'Get the f*** out of here!'

He has shown flashes of his temper in public before, including his July 2022 visit to Saudi Arabia, where he snapped at a DailyMail.com reporter for asking about his fist bump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman outside the royal palace in Jeddah.

It's a 'silly question,' the president said, adding his signature phrase 'God love ya.'

Joy Behar said that she likes Biden's sweary attitude, and agrees that it's a turn on

The president also has snapped back at reporters who ask about his son Hunter's business dealings in Ukraine and China and whether he had any role in them.

'No,' he's shouted in response to such inquiries.

Even fellow leaders aren't safe from Biden's bite.

The president lost his temper with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a June 2022 phone call, NBC News reported.

Biden had relayed to Zelensky the latest round of aid the US was sending when the Ukrainian president started listing more items he needed.

Biden snapped, telling Zelensky the American people were being generous, his administration was working hard to help and suggested Zelensky could show a little more gratitude.

Biden's quick temper doesn't bother all of his staff, some of whom think he should show more of it in public to counter perceptions that, at 80, he's too old and disengaged to be president.
A single mother of two died of a blood infection while holidaying in Queensland.

Amanda Sarah Ivy Snell, 40, passed on June 30 during her a trip with her daughter after spending a month in hospital.

A GoFundMe for her two young children and family has raised $4,500 in a little under two weeks.

'Amanda and her daughter had gone to Queensland to stay with her brother for an extended holiday to rest and recover after becoming unwell and spending almost a month in hospital,' a family friend wrote under the fundraiser.

'She became unwell again and was admitted to hospital where she became gravely ill from a super bug in her blood. Her body wasnt strong enough to fight it.'

The friend said Ms Snell's brother made the choice to turn off her life support 'to stop her fight and suffering'.

Single mother Amanda Sarah Ivy Snell (above) passed on June 30 after spending a month in hospital

'As a single mum to her beautiful children and young woman of only 40, Amanda didnt plan for her unexpected and untimely death,' she wrote.

'I have created this GoFundMe in hopes we can raise money to get Amanda home and give her the memorial and send off she deserves.

'What ever money is remaining will go toward her children to give support where ever needed.'

Dozens of Ms Snell's friends and family shared heartfelt tributes online.

'Ive been so lucky to have had such a kind, loving, amazing, strong, funny and caring friend like you [Ms Snell] in my life for the past 20 plus years,' one wrote.

'Im shattered you are not here anymore. I will miss you dearly my gorgeous girl. You were the strongest women Ive ever known in my life! I will miss you forever'

Another said: 'Thank you for being in my life. You always had the right words to say.

'May you forever rest now, be at peace, pain free and filled with love from us down here.'

Another wrote: 'Amanda was a beautiful soul, taken too soon.'

Ms Snell (above) was holidaying with her daughter in Queensland when her health suddenly declined
The resort is among the most opulent in the state and memberships run up to $300,000, and it has denied the allegations

The model and actress made a slew of vile allegations against Paul Mihailides, including inappropriate touching and lewd texts

Alison McDaniel alleged in a disturbing lawsuit the owner of a ritzy Rhode Island country club threatened to rape her corpse

A model and actress has filed a $3.3m lawsuit against the owner of a ritzy country club, claiming he is a sex pest who told her he'd have sex with her corpse.

Alison McDaniel, 42, made the allegations in a lawsuit against Paul Mihailides, the owner of The Preserve Sporting Club and Residences in the swanky neighborhood of Richmond, Rhode Island, where joining fees run up to $300,000.

McDaniel, of New York City, alleges Mihailides made the threat to rape her dead body after she missed a company holiday party through illness.

Her lawsuit claims he said: 'I'm glad you didn't die from your asthma attack. I would still have sex with you as long as your body wasn't cold yet.'

McDaniel, who had a small role in the Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and soap opera Guiding Light also claimed that Mihailides would routinely try and forcefully kiss her, touch her inappropriately, and ogle her with 'suggestive overtones'.

She was paid $6,000-a-month to act as an influencer for The Preserve, appearing in videos which promoted its facilities, and acting as an editor who helped steer its marketing materials.

The allegations were denied by an attorney for The Preserve, who said in a statement to the GoLocalProv.com that the club plans to file a countersuit against McDaniel.

Alison McDaniel, an actress and model, claims she suffered vile sexual harassment at the hands of her former boss

Paul Mihailides (pictured) allegedly made a slew of lewd advances and remarks at McDaniel in his role as owner of The Preserve country club in Rhode Island

McDaniel began working with The Preserve in December 2019, as she was hired as a consultant to effectively become the face of the lavish resort.

Until she left in February 2022, she worked as its spokeswoman, acted in commercials, appeared in its social media, and edited the club's magazine.

One clip showed her clay pigeon shooting with Mihailides, before disappearing into a Hobbit-inspired cabin for a cozy drink.

As well as her roles on film and in TV, McDaniel, who was born in Arkansas, has starred in a series of high-profile adverts including for American Airlines and Kohl's.

She alleges her time at The Preserve was one of the most stressful of her career, and said Mihailides often nicknamed her his 'mistress' and 'future ex-wife'.

He would repeatedly make lewd advances at her out of the blue, including by rubbing her ears and neck and grabbing her hand, the lawsuit claims.

In one incident in October 2021, Mihailides allegedly told McDaniel he was a 'good lover', adding that if she 'wasn't such a prude, (her) life could get a lot better'.

McDaniel was hired by Mihailides' resort as a consultant, effectively becoming the face of the resort as its spokeswoman and actress in its commercials. They're pictured together in one such ad filmed during the COVID crisis

The Reserve country club is among the most opulent in the state of Rhode Island, with membership costs ranging from $15,000 to $300,000

McDaniel has worked as a model and actress since 2005, with her most notable role coming in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Preserve is among the most opulent country clubs in the state of Rhode Island, offering an array of luxury amenities to East Coast elites with memberships ranging from $15,000 to $300,000.

The resort has built such an esteemed reputation in the area that Forbes named it as one of the top private clubs in America last year.

But it is alleged that its owner's creepy behavior extended beyond the confines of the resort's 3,500-acre estate, as McDaniel claims Mihailides would continue to harass her over text messages.

When she texted Mihailides in July 2021 to thank him for something unspecified, the country club boss allegedly responded: 'Do kisses come after that?'

Months later in December, it is claimed McDaniel repeatedly asked to be paid money she was owed, leading Mihailides to call her a liar'. When she persisted, he allegedly told her: 'If you just give me what I want, this would be a lot easier.'

The harassment seemingly got so bad that when Mihailides made sexual remarks to two other men, one of them approached McDaniel and asked if he was always 'creepy' and how she was able to handle his lewdness.

McDaniel effectively became the face of the resort, with part of her role including acting in its commercials and social media videos (pictured)

McDaniel (left) is seeking over $3 million in damages as a result of her alleged ordeal

She claims that Mihailides repeatedly made lewd remarks to her, including nicknaming her 'my future ex-wife'

Throughout the three-year ordeal, it is claimed that despite her constant rejections Mihailides would imply to other employees he was having an affair with her.

Several other female employees are also named in the suit, who were also allegedly made uncomfortable by their boss' 'unwelcome, offensive, sexual comments.'

After one incident, McDaniel said even Mihailides' wife let on that she knew of his alleged behavior as she asked her, in front of guests at the resort: 'Have you ever had to deal with sexual harassment at work besides from my husband?'

The suit notes that this isn't the first instance McDaniel accused Mihailides of misconduct, with a since-deleted Instagram post from March 8, 2022, slamming the owner for creating a 'sexually harassing environment'.

Several months later, she filed a discrimination charge with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

However, the ritzy resort said the commission dismissed her claims, and an attorney for the club vehemently denied the allegations from McDaniel's lawsuit.

'Sexual harassment in the workplace is unacceptable at any level and The Preserve holds all who work there in any capacity to a high standard,' said the resort's attorney Nicole Benjamin.

'It is important to keep in mind a lawsuit is not made of facts, but rather allegations that must be proven,' she added, saying Mihailides is 'confident that a jury will ultimately reject the allegations.'

She said that the resort filed counter-claims against McDaniel with the EOC for 'theft of company property, computer crimes and interference with company relationships, among other things.'

'It was not until Ms. McDaniel refused to return The Preserves property that Ms. McDaniel made any allegation of harassment or discrimination,' Benjamin told GoLocalProv.com on Thursday.

The Preserve has been contacted for further comment by DailyMail.com.
Dylan Mulvaney has freed the nipple as she wore a very daring dress to an LGBT film festival event in Los Angeles - just after claiming she felt unsafe in the US and fled to Peru.

The trans influencer, 26, has been at the center of scandals this year - having caused a storm of outrage after partnering with Bud Light in April, which subsequently knocked millions off the value of the beer company.

Mulvaney showed off her sultry, see-through dress and blond hair at the Outfest Opening Night in Los Angeles, California.

The influencer donned graphic eyeliner and black heels for the Gala, which was premiering the movie 'Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe' at The Orpheum Theatre.

Mulvaney showed off her sultry, see-through dress and blond hair at the Outfest Opening Night in Los Angeles, California

The influencer donned graphic eyeliner and black heels for the Gala

The trans influencer, 26, has been at the center of scandals this year - having caused a storm of outrage after partnering with Bud Light in April, knocking millions off the value of the beer company

Mulvaney posed in the black and white sheer outfit on the pink carpet, and was joined in photos with TikTokker Chris Olsen and writer Aitch Alberto.

This comes after the influencer's trip to Peru, which she told her fans about on social media. In the last year, she has gartered millions of followers who watched her transition journey.

Mulvaney announced she was solo traveling in South America to reconnect with herself - and filmed herself frolicking with llamas.

She told fans in a series of videos, which included posing with a llama: 'Okay surprise! I'm in Peru! I'm at Machu Picchu. Isn't this so beautiful.

'I came here to feel something. And I definitely have. I have done shaman ceremonies that were like 10 years worth of therapy, it was wild.

'I've seen a lot of llamas. The people here are so kind. I feel very safe here.

'It's a little sad that I had to leave my country to feel safe but that will get get better eventually.

'I am dying for some Trader Joes rolled chilli lime chips but other than that I am so content. I still haven't been kissed yet but I'm holding out hope.

'Most of all this trip has me feeling like my own best friend again. And that is the best feeling in the world.'

In Peru, same-sex partnerships are not recognized as marriage. In America, gay marriage is recognized in the law.

People in Peru are allowed to legally change their gender without requiring surgery.

Mulvaney striking a pose on the carpet in LA

Dylan Mulvaney has fled to Peru for some well-needed solo travel and soul searching after she complained she no longer felt safe in the US

She said: 'Most of all this trip has me feeling like my own best friend again. And that is the best feeling in the world'

Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer on social media, was chosen as a brand ambassador for Bud Light

This comes amid the background of plummeting sales for Bud Light since their partnership with influencer Mulvaney.

The popularity of the beer has been dropping since brewer Anheuser-Busch teamed up with Mulvaney, 26, and gave her a personalized can.

Meanwhile last month, Mulvaney broke her silence on Bud Light to slam the embattled beer brand for for not standing by her amid the fallout from their disastrous campaign.

The 26-year-old on Instagram addressed the debacle, which has seen Anheuser-Busch lose $20million in market cap value since the advert for March Madness.

Speaking to her 1.8million followers, she said: 'I was waiting for the brand to reach out to me, but they never did. I've been scared to leave my house.

'For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse than not hiring a trans person at all.

'Because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and as hateful as they want. There's should be nothing controversial or divisive about working with us.

'I have been ridiculed in public I've been followed and I have felt a loneliness that I wouldn't wish on anyone.'
Kim Jong-Un's mysterious sister has warned the US that 'very unlucky things' await it as North Korea continues to build its nuclear arsenal.

On Wednesday, North Korea launched the developmental Hwasong-18 missile, drawing strong condemnation from the US and members of the UN Security Council.

Reacting to the anger, Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of the country's dictator, slammed the council for convening a meeting to 'pick a quarrel with' her country's self-defense, while 'ignoring the US push to increase the danger of a nuclear war'.

In a statement carried by state media, she called the council 'a new Cold War mechanism totally inclined to the US and the West.'

She also warned that the US that it would pay a price for its hostility toward the North. 'I do not conceal the fact that very unlucky things will wait for the U.S.,' she said without elaborating but reiterated her country's push to build up its nuclear deterrence capability.

The chilling warning came shortly before North Korea's UN ambassador defended his country's recent long-range missile launch in a rare appearance at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday.

Believed to be 35, the youngest child of former North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il is actually a ruthless political operator who some tip to succeed her brother Kim Jong-un (pictured with his sister) and who their father regarded as the most able of his offspring.

According to a ground-breaking and revealing new book, those who judge Kim Yo-jong on appearances may be making a fatal mistake.

North Korea's pursuit of reliable nuclear weapons has taken on new urgency after it test flew more than 100 missiles and openly threatened to use nuclear weapons in potential conflicts with South Korea and the US since the start of last year

Kim Song told the council that Wednesdays test-flight of the developmental Hwasong-18 missile was a legitimate exercise of the Norths right to self-defense. He said the United States was raising regional tensions with nuclear threats and deploying a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea for the first time in 14 years.

At the meeting, he also accused the United States of driving the situation in northeast Asia 'to the brink of nuclear war.'

Earlier, the UN condemned the launch 'in the strongest possible terms' and stressing that it was the 20th ballistic missile launch this year in blatant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions banning such tests.

Kim said the missile launch had 'no negative effect on the security of a neighboring country,' pointing to Japans announcement that the ICBM - which flew at a steep angle - landed in open waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

South Korea's U.N. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook countered, asking: 'How can an ICBM launch ever make neighboring countries appear safe?'

Diplomats said Kim's appearance was the first time a North Korean diplomat addressed the Security Council since 2017.

Hwang said each of North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches allow the country to advance its technology toward its goal of having an arsenal of nuclear-armed weapons.

The words from Kim Yo Jong come after a book unveiled her as a powerful force behind her brother's rule.

Believed to be 35, the youngest child of former North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il is actually a ruthless political operator (even by her brutal family's standards) who some tip to succeed her brother and who their father regarded as the most able of his offspring.

Yo-jong may even be heading for an explosive power struggle with her niece  Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae  who is thought to be just 10 but has already been publicly hailed as her father's heir apparent.

Some Pyongyang officials have nicknamed Yo-Jong the 'bloodthirsty demon' and 'the devil woman'.

The de facto second-in-command to her brother, Yo-jong is believed to be able to have the most senior government officials executed on just a word.

In 2021, she was elevated to the nation's most powerful body  the State Affairs Commission.

Doted on from childhood, Yo-jong was largely hidden from public view. But in 2018, she sparked a media frenzy when she attended the Winter Olympics in South Korea as her country's official representative and was pictured sitting close to Vice President Mike Pence.

As a child, she was addressed by her proud parents as sweet princess despite having a reputation for being strong-willed and stubborn.

Her father was a psychopath who had his own half-brother Hyon murdered in 2007 to protect his childrens succession right. Yo-jong has clearly inherited his murderous instincts.

Jong-un clearly depends on his sister and keeps her close. From the earliest days of his rule, Yo-jong has been untouchable.

Yo-jong was largely hidden from public view for decades but in 2018, she sparked a media frenzy when she attended the Winter Olympics in South Korea as her country's official representative and was pictured sitting close to Vice President Mike Pence.

Journalists hailed her glamour, delicacy and charm so lacking in her dumpy brother and many wondered if North Korea could finally be veering away from its dreadful past.

Instead Yo-jong is now thought to be her 39-year-old brother's zealous and spittle-flecked chief propagandist and is potentially 'fiercer and more ruthless' than him.

The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Koreas first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking - so far unsuccessfully - to cut funds and curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The last sanctions resolution was adopted by the council in December 2017, and China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The two veto-wielding permanent members have blocked any council action including statements to the media since then.

The statement by the 10 countries said the Security Council cannot remain silent in the face of so many North Korean provocations and must send a message to all proliferators 'that this behavior is unlawful, destabilizing, and will not be normalized.' It also called on all countries to confront North Korea's illicit activities to generate revenue such as cybercrime.

Washington said in April that it would send a nuclear-armed ballistic submarine to make the first visit to a South Korean port in decades, without specifying the timing. Pictured: A nuclear-powered submarine is seen at a naval base in Busan, South Korea, June 16

North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song addresses a Security Council meeting on Non-proliferation/North Korea

North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song leaves a Security Council meeting on Non-proliferation/North Korea

But Russia and China remained opposed to any council action.

Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun took note of the latest missile test but criticized the heightened U.S. military pressure on North Korea and its deployment of strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

He said the long-time view of the U.S. and other countries that North Korea poses a security threat and their obsession with sanctions put North Korea under 'existential pressure,' while the country's own legitimate concerns 'have never been addressed.'

Zhang said history since the 1990s clearly shows that dialogue and negotiation are the only way to ease tensions, and he urged the U.S. and North Korea to resume talks.

The statement from the 10 countries said they remain committed to diplomacy without preconditions. Song made no mention of talks, which have been stalled since 2018.
California's Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth, could set a new world record high temperature this weekend as a blistering heat wave scorches much of the US.

The National Weather Service at one point this week forecast a high of 131F on Sunday at a station near the national park's Furnace Creek visitors' center, which would mark a world record.

'There's a decent chance that Death Valley will see a high temperature this weekend between 130 and 132F, which (if it occurs) would either tie or break record for the hottest temperature reliably measured on Earth,' tweeted climate scientist Daniel Swain.

Death Valley's 1913 record high of 134F has been disputed for decades by experts who believe the measurement resulted from a sandstorm that caused superheated particles to hit the thermometer.

'The old Death Valley record from July 1913 is 100% bogus,' weather records expert Christopher Burt told Climate Connections in July 2021, when Death Valley set the modern worldwide record high of 130F even.

A visitor poses for a photo with the thermometer at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center on Sunday. The area could set a new world heat record this coming weekend

A blistering heat wave that's been baking the nation is creeping further into California

Burt was member of the World Meteorological Organization team that decertified the prior world record of 136.4F, recorded in Libya in 1923.

As of Thursday night, the NWS was forecasting a high of 130F in Death Valley on Sunday, which would tie the modern record.

Whether or not it sets a new record is reached this weekend, Death Valley will be deadly and otherworldly hot, with overnight lows that could exceed 100F.

'Several days of extreme heat will result in a major concern for life-threatening heat illnesses for anyone outside for an extended period,' the NWS warned in a flash bulletin.

Nationwide, more than a third of Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings Thursday as a blistering heat wave that's been baking the nation crept further into California.

The sweltering conditions were expected to build Friday and through the weekend in Central and Southern California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned.

Highs in inland desert areas could top 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and remain in the 80s overnight, offering little relief.

A sign warns people of extreme heat in multiple languages on Tuesday in Death Valley National Park. July is the hottest month at the park with an average high of 116 degrees

Hikers turn back to their vehicles in Golden Canyon on Tuesday in Death Valley

The sweltering temperatures have been especially dangerous for agricultural workers, and homeless people who may not have access to air conditioned shelter.

In some cities, officials prepared to repurpose public libraries, senior centers and police department lobbies as cooling centers, especially in desert areas.

The heat wave came as the California State Fair prepared to kick off Friday in Sacramento, forcing organizers to cancel planned horseracing events due to concerns for animal safety.

Forecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous , especially for older people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas.

In Las Vegas, regional health officials launched a new database Thursday to report 'heat-caused' and 'heat-related' deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October.

The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related.

The tally includes deaths due to heat exposure or hyperthermia and cases with those reasons listed as 'significant factors,' district spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore said.

People walk through cooling misters along the Las Vegas Strip Thursday. Even desert residents accustomed to scorching summers are feeling the grip of an extreme heat wave smacking the Southwest this week

Phoenix hit 110 degrees for the 14th consecutive day Thursday, putting it on track for a possible new record next week. The longest measured stretch of 110 degree-plus temperatures for the city is 18 days, recorded in 1974.

The overnight low temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday morning was 95 degrees, which means temperatures may not be dropping far enough to allow people to recover after dark.

While there are some 200 cooling and hydration centers operated at libraries, community centers, churches and other public spaces across metro Phoenix, most close anywhere between 4pm and 7pm, leaving people with few options for cooling off in the still-sweltering nights.

David Hondula, chief heat officer for the City of Phoenix, said some centers plan to close later over the weekend, including one downtown near a large encampment of homeless people that will stay open 24 hours.
Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi has urged Washington to 'work with China' to improve ties during a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday.

The discussion on the sidelines of Southeast Asian talks in Jakarta on Thursday was the latest in a series of high-level interactions as the two sides try to ease trade and geopolitical tensions.

In their second meeting in less than a month, Blinken raised concerns about alleged Chinese cybersecurity threats after Microsoft said Chinese state-backed hackers had breached email accounts of US government agencies, including that of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

Wang is known as a 'wolf warrior diplomat,' a confrontational style of negotiating popular with the Chinese Communist Party.

Washington 'needs to take a rational and pragmatic approach, work with China in the same direction', Wang told Blinken according to a statement on Friday by the foreign ministry in Beijing.

Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi has urged Washington to 'work with China' to improve ties during a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday

He urged the United States to stop 'interfering' in China's affairs.

'Wang outlined China's stern position on the Taiwan question and urged the US to avoid wantonly interfering in China's internal affairs,' the ministry said.

He also urged the United States to 'stop suppressing China in the economy, trade, science and technology, and lift illegal and unwarranted sanctions against China'.

Tensions between the United States and China have soared in recent years over a range of issues, including trade, US military support for Taiwan, Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and its cosy relationship with Russia.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a part of its territory.

Washington has choked advanced semiconductor exports to China and Beijing recently retaliated by restricting exports of gallium and germanium, two metals widely used to make semiconductors and electric vehicles.

The discussion between the top diplomats did not lead to any breakthroughs, but it was 'candid, pragmatic and constructive', the Chinese foreign ministry said, adding that the two sides 'agreed to maintain communication'.

The State Department discovered a vulnerability in Microsoft's cloud last month. The only two executive branch agencies known to have emails breached are the Commerce and State Departments.

The discussion on the sidelines of Southeast Asian talks in Jakarta on Thursday was the latest in a series of high-level interactions as the two sides try to ease trade and geopolitical tensions

Washington 'needs to take a rational and pragmatic approach, work with China in the same direction', Wang told Blinken according to a statement on Friday by the foreign ministry in Beijing

Chinese cyberspies hacked into Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's email  and had access for about a month before being discovered and cut-off

The targeted cyber espionage campaign has been mitigated. But not before the hackers had access to the email accounts for about a month before being cut-off.

Nine U.S. organizations were victimized by the cyber attack with some email accounts compromised at each entity, a senior Homeland Security official said.

Microsoft says that a total of 25 organizations worldwide were hacked.

'U.S. government safeguards identified an intrusion in Microsoft's cloud security, which affected unclassified systems,' National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodges told the Post.

'Officials immediately contacted Microsoft to find the source and vulnerability in their cloud service,' he added. 'We continue to hold the procurement providers of the U.S. government to a high security threshold.'

Discovery of the hack coincided with Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing last month.

Beijing has been open in denouncing Raimondo's Commerce Department imposing harsh export controls on Chinese companies, which the CCP says is a malicious suppression tactic.

An FBI investigation is ongoing into the matter.

Trade tensions have lingered since the Trump administration slapped tariffs on Chinese products that have remained

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who in March accused the U.S. 'not fair competition, but malicious confrontation'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken walks after arriving in Beijing, China, June 18, 2023. The Biden administration hopes to smooth relations after a tense period

A person familiar with the matter said it does not appear that any email accounts of Pentagon, intelligence or military officials were affected.

Microsoft said late Tuesday it mitigated an espionage and data theft attack by a 'China-based threat actor' actor targeting government agencies in Western Europe.

Blinken met Wang last month on the first visit to China by a US secretary of state in five years.

Despite Blinken's presence in China, he and other U.S. officials had played down the prospects for any significant breakthroughs on the most vexing issues facing the planet's two largest economies.

Instead, Blinken and other officials have emphasized the importance of the U.S. and China establishing and maintaining better lines of communication.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a second and final day of critical meetings with senior Chinese officials Monday, as the two sides expressed willingness to talk but showed little inclination toward compromise

The two sides said Qin had accepted an invitation from Blinken to visit Washington but Beijing made clear that 'the China-U.S. relationship is at the lowest point since its establishment.' That sentiment is widely shared by U.S. officials.

The State Department said Blinken had stressed 'the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication across the full range of issues to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation.'

The Chinese, meanwhile, restated their position that the current state of relations 'does not serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples or meet the shared expectations of the international community,' according to the foreign ministry.

Biden and Xi had made commitments to improve communications 'precisely so that we can make sure we are communicating as clearly as possible to avoid possible misunderstandings and miscommunications,' Blinken said before leaving for Beijing.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen then went to China earlier this month, and climate envoy John Kerry is to visit next week.
Their victim was defenceless when they attacked

Twenty minutes after being told her son was injured and in hospital, Karen Henry received a call back from police.

Her loving son, Nicholas, had died after being hunted down and stabbed.

'I never got the chance to say goodbye, he was taken from me so quickly,' Ms Henry said, in an emotional statement to Victoria's Supreme Court.

Nicholas Henry's traumatised family attended court on Friday, as the three young men who admitted killing him faced a pre-sentence hearing.

Brothers Corey and Brayden Smart, and Abraham Abas, chased Mr Henry down across Morwell in Victoria's southeast in February 2021, before corralling him off the road and surrounding him.

All three have pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Nicholas Henry was chased down across Morwell in Victoria's southeast in February 2021, before being cornered and surrounding by three men who stabbed him eight times

Mr Henry's traumatised family attended court on Friday, as the three young men who admitted killing him faced a pre-sentence hearing

Justice Jane Dixon said Mr Henry was 'hunted down' by the men and had very little chance of getting away from them.

Corey Smart believed Mr Henry had broken into his girlfriend's car earlier that night, on February 20, outside an RSL.

He gathered Abas and his brother and drove them, following Mr Henry's van and forcing it off the road.

The van mounted a gutter and crashed into a fence.

'You dog, you rat,' a neighbour heard one of the three offenders yell.

Mr Henry got out of the van and tried to run away but the three men chased after him and began assaulting him as he laid 'completely defenceless on the ground', prosecutor David Glynn said.

'It's motivated by revenge and, to an extent, taking the law into their own hands,' he said.

The group bashed Mr Henry while he laid on the ground, pulled out a knife and stabbed him eight times across his back and bottom.

'He was not in a position to defend himself, he was utterly helpless,' Mr Glynn said.

Mr Henry was taken to hospital, alive but bleeding heavily.

He died at 2.30am on February 21.

The offenders included brothers Brayden and Corey Smart, and Abraham Abas, who have all pleaded guilty to manslaughter

Mr Henry got out of the van and tried to run away but the three men chased after him and began assaulting him as he laid completely defenceless on the ground

His mother said her son's death had shattered her world and their family had not been the same since.

'I cant believe I will not hear Nicholas' voice again, see his cheeky smile and most of all hear his laugh,' she said in a statement.

'All I ask is that my boy and our family receive justice for Nicholas.'

His sister Taylor Henry said she fell to the ground 'screaming no' when her mother told her the tragic news.

'Our family will never be the same,' she said.

The three men are each facing up to 25 years in prison.

Corey's barrister Julian McMahon SC said his client suffered from neurological issues after being involved in a car accident and asked the judge not to hand him a harsher sentence than the other two.

Colin Mandy SC said Brayden Smart had acted out of a sense of loyalty for his brother, while Abas' barrister David Cronin said his client, who is a refugee, faced the prospect of being deported.

Justice Dixon will sentence the Smart brothers and Abas at a later date.
British tourists across the Mediterranean are bracing themselves for record 48.8C temperatures

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A deadly heatwave hitting Europe has forced Greece to close the Acropolis in Athens after baking tourists collapsed and fainted today as Britons across the Mediterranean brace themselves for record 48.8C temperatures.

But many British tourists braved the extreme heat today to sunbathe on beaches across Benidorm in Spain and Albufeira in Portugal while others sought relief from the searing temperature by having drinks at nearby bars.

British tourists across the Mediterranean are being warned of the life-threatening effects of the sweltering heat after an anticyclone weather system from the Sahara desert called Cerberus expanded northwards.

Cerberus - named after Dante's three-headed dog in Greek mythology who guarded the gates to hell - will see temperatures rise to above 45C in Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey by the end of next week.

The deadly heatwave is wreaking havoc across Europe, with wildfires raging across Croatia and tourists fainting from the blistering heat, while others have been rescued while trying to cool off in the sea.

Greece said its top tourist attraction, the Acropolis, would close during the hottest hours on Friday as temperatures were expected to reach 40C in Athens.

Meanwhile, a 44-year-old British tourist was rescued from the sea by a helicopter crew by Porto Ferro beach, on the Italian island of Sardinia. A video shows the man, who had almost lost consciousness before the lifeguard reached him, being hoisted from the sea by the helicopter and taken to shore, reports La Nuova.

In Athens, Greece, another tourist collapsed in front of the Acropolis after temperatures soared to 45C and was carried to a waiting ambulance on a stretcher by police officers.

Back in the UK, Brits are far away from the sunshine with rain pouring down across the country including in London, Cardiff and Manchester. It comes as the Met Office issued a number of warnings for wind and rain today and tomorrow.

A tourist struggles with the heat atop the Acropolis hill during a heatwave in Athens, Greece today

A volunteer gives water to a visitor near the Acropolis hill

A tourist puts suncream on a man's face at the Roman colosseum as Rome experiences another sweltering day with high temperatures

British tourists are braving the extreme heat to sunbathe on beaches across Benidorm in Spain as Britons across Europe brace themselves for record 48.8C temperatures

Land surface temperatures - how hot the ground is - reached excesses of 60C on Thursday in parts of Andalucia and western Spain

British tourists are seen sunbathing in Albufeira, Portugal today

Back in the UK, Brits are far away from the sunshine with rain pouring down across the country including in London, Cardiff and Manchester. It comes as the Met Office issued a number of warnings for wind and rain today and tomorrow. Pictured: A woman hides from the rain under her jacket in London on Friday

The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily are set to bear the brunt of the unforgiving heat, with forecasters predicting that temperatures could soar above record 48.8C temperatures next week. The previous record high of 48.8C was registered in the Sicilian town of Floridia on August 11, 2021.

READ MORE: Roasting Brit tourists describe cowering in their hotels and dodging 'flaming-hot' beaches as brutal Cerberus heatwave grips Europe Advertisement

'It is not improbable that we beat that record,' Carlo Cacciamani, head of Italy's national meteorological and climatology agency, told The Times.

Health ministry officials have issued red alert warnings for ten major cities in Italy, including Florence and Rome. Those warnings will extend to 16 cities by Saturday when another heatwave - named Charon - hits Europe.

A red alert warning means that the heat is so intense that it poses a health risk to the whole population - not just vulnerable groups like the elderly and very young children.

And the heatwave has already had deadly consequences. A 44-year-old road sign worker collapsed and died due to the blistering heat in Italy on Tuesday.

Land temperatures - how hot the ground is to touch - in Spain reached upwards of 60C in parts of southern Spain on Thursday, with the European Space Agency warning next week could break continental records.

'Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland are all facing a major heatwave with temperatures expected to climb to 48C on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia  potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe,' it said.

Extreme weather resulting from a warming climate is 'unfortunately becoming the new normal,' warned Secretary-General Petteri Taalas of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

In response, officials in several countries were preparing emergency measures, cellphone alerts and adjustments to staffing levels.

In Athens and other Greek cities, working hours were changed for the public sector and many businesses to avoid the midday heat, while air-conditioned areas were opened to the public.

'It's like being in Africa,' 24-year-old tourist Balint Jolan, from Hungary, said. 'It's not that much hotter than it is currently at home, but yes, it is difficult.'

The devastating effects of the heatwave has been seen across Europe, with wildfires ripping across Croatia and a 44-year-old road sign worker dying due to the heat in Italy.

The 44-year-old Italian man, who has not been named, collapsed on Tuesday due to the heat in the Italian city of Lodi, southeast Milan, as temperatures soared to above 40C. The worker, who has not been named, later died in hospital.

Tourists visit Acropolis amid high temperatures in Athens, Greece today

Italians Giorgia Bragion and Maria Romeo use a fan to cool off amid the soaring heat in Rome on July 14

Sun-lover David Campbell cools off by regularly dousing himself with water (pictured)

In Greece, locals and tourists flock to the beach to cool off. Here, they are pictured in the town of Nafplion, some 200km southwest of Athens

A British holidaymaker shields her face from the sun while she sunbathes in Benidorm on Thursday

A young boy tries to cool off at a fountain at Syntagma Square amid scorching heat. Extreme temperatures have been forecast

Visitors walk in front of the Acropolis' Propylaea, during a heatwave in Athens this week. The deadly heatwave is wreaking havoc across Europe

British tourists are braving the extreme heat to sunbathe on beaches across Benidorm in Spain

Sunburnt Britons were basking in the sunshine in the tourist hotspot while others sought refuge from the searing heat by having drinks at nearby bars

A tourist at the Roman colosseum covers her head with a scarf from the hot sun as Rome experiences another sweltering day

Members of the public fill bottles with water at a fountain in Rome on today as Italy is hit by a heatwave

Volunteers of the Hellenic Red Cross hand out bottles of water at the bottom of the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece

British tourists braced the extreme heat in Benidorm and headed to the beach

British holidaymakers sought shelter in bars in Benidorm, Spain, amid a searing heatwave

British tourists sought refuge in the shaded bars in Benidorm during a searing heatwave on Friday

Tourists take a cold shower at Alimos beach near Athens, on Friday amid a sweltering heatwave

'We are facing an unbearable heatwave,' Italian politician Nicola Fratoianni said. 'Dying from the heat is unthinkable - we should be taking measures to avoid tragedies like this in the hottest hours of the day.'

Italian authorities have now urged people not to drink alcohol or travel unnecessarily to reduce risk.

In North Macedonia, the high heat triggered a spike in emergency calls for health assistance, while residents in Kosovo, which is also landlocked, flocked to an artificial beach near the capital Pristina.

Excessive heat is one of the deadliest meteorological events, according to the WMO. One recent study estimates over 61,000 people died from heat during Europe's record-breaking summer last year.

'Heat is a silent killer. So this is the main concern that people's lives are at risk,' said climate scientist Hannah Cloke, a professor at England's Reading University.

'Certainly, we should immediately stop pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,' Cloke added, warning that some changes to the climate were already locked in.

British tourists have been struggling with the unrelenting heat this week, with some holidaymakers fainting in Rome as temperatures soared above 40C.

And the unforgiving temperature is set to intensify in the coming days. In the northeastern Spanish city of Zaragoza, temperatures will soar to 46C on Tuesday.

In Greece and Turkey - popular tourist hotspots for Britons - temperatures are set to rise to a sweltering 45C today and are unlikely to drop below 40C in many areas for the next week.

Greece's national weather service EMY on July 10 said a six-day heatwave would grip Greece starting July 12.

Temperatures are also expected to reach 42C on Saturday in Cyprus.

Volunteers try to put out a wildfire in Grebastica, Croatia, yesterday as the 'Cerberus' heatwave continues to boil large parts of Europe

A firefighter escorts a woman away from a wildfire in Croatia on Thursday, after evacuation orders were issued for a number of areas

A fireman looks at burnt cars in Grebastica

A man operates a hose after a wildfire ripped through the coastal area on Thursday

An elderly man plasters his face with suncream on a beach in Barcelona on Thursday as temperatures soared past 40C

A young girl sits in the shade to shelter from the sun near the Roman Forum during a heatwave across Italy on Thursday

Tourists sunbathe on a beach near Athens, Greece, amid soaring temperatures on Thursday

An elderly man holds a piece of paper over his head to protect himself from the sun in Athens on Thursday amid a heatwave

Tourists use a hand-held fan, an umbrella and hat to protect themselves from the heat and sun in Athens

Meanwhile in Britain, temperatures are expected to cool through to the weekend. Cerberus is not expected to have any effect on the UK, and the Met Office does not anticipate a heatwave will reach the UK this summer.

But Italy is bearing the brunt of the heatwave, with Sicily and Sardinia set to see 48.8C temperatures, according to the BBC. In Rome, temperatures are set to soar to 41C next week.

Carlo Cacciamani, head of Italy's national meteorological and climatology agency, said the unusually hot weather hitting the country is because the Cerberus anticyclone has pushed out a colder weather system from the Azores which usually influences summer weather in Italy.

'This is happening more frequently and means we see temperatures around 40C instead of the normal 30-31C,' Cacciamani told The Times.

In Greece, authorities banned access to nature reserves and forests to reduce the risk of wildfires, while municipalities were opening air-conditioned areas in public buildings for people to shelter from the heat.

Sun shades will also be installed in Athens at the Acropolis amid reports of tourists fainting at the popular World Heritage Site.

Why is the Cerberus anticyclone causing temperatures to soar in Europe? An anticyclone named Cerberus is causing temperatures to exceed 40C across much of the Mediterranean this week. The anticyclone - a high pressure weather system - began in the Sahara desert before expanding into Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Cerberus then expanded northwards towards southern Europe where it is bringing sweltering temperatures. Advertisement

The Red Cross will also be on site handing out free water to visitors after crowds sweltered in the heat as they queued up to visit the Parthenon, part of the ancient citadel known as the Acropolis.

Union representatives for staff working at the site have argued they should be paid more for working in the sweltering conditions, as Greece's culture minister, Linda Mendoni, vowed to introduce special precautionary measures to protect tourists.

Scientists have relentlessly warned of the damaging effects of climate change. As well as withering crops, melting glaciers and raising the risk of wildfires, higher-than-normal temperatures also cause health problems ranging from heatstroke and dehydration to cardiovascular stress.

'How many more summers will we have to go through before we begin to convince ourselves of the fact that the rise in temperatures may not be a sporadic extraordinary event at all, but rather an irreversible process that has in fact already begun,' Italian immunologist Mauro Minelli told the Leggo newspaper.

The Red Cross has urged people to check on the most vulnerable during the high temperatures, such as children and older people.

It also called on people to stay hydrated and to watch for signs of heatstroke, which can include vomiting and fainting.

Meanwhile, Greece's agriculture ministry issued restrictions on the transportation and working hours of animals such as horses and donkeys offering rides in tourist areas during the heat wave.

Working animals won't be allowed to work between noon and 5pm on days where temperatures are between 35-39C in the shade, while they won't be allowed to work at any time of the day when temperatures exceed that range.

Scientists have said climate change combined with the emergence this year of the El Nino weather pattern, which warms the surface waters in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, have fuelled record-breaking temperatures.

El Nino events, which occur every two to seven years, are marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific near the Equator, and last about nine to 12 months.

Research published on Monday found that more than 61,000 people died due to the heat during Europe's record-breaking summer last year.

Tourists try to cool off by getting water from a fountain at the Vatican in Rome on Thursday, as the Italian capital is gripped by a heatwave

Tourists try to cool off as they walk past water being sprayed out by a muster during the heatwave in Athens on Thursday

People flock to the beach in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday in a bid to cool off as the area of high pressure brings sweltering temperatures

Tourists sunbathe on a beach in Antibes, southern France, on Thursday amid a searing heatwave

The majority of deaths were in people over the age of 80 and about 63 percent of those who died due to the heat were women, according to the research published in the journal Nature Medicine.

The world has warmed an average of nearly 1.2C since the mid-1800s, unleashing extreme weather including more intense heatwaves, more severe droughts and storms made fiercer by rising seas.

Oceans absorb most of the heat generated by planet-warming gases, causing heatwaves that harm aquatic life, altering weather patterns and disrupting crucial planet-regulating systems.

In June, global sea surface temperatures hit unprecedented levels. Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest extent for the month since satellite observations began, at 17 per cent below average, breaking the previous June record by a substantial margin.

While sea surface temperatures normally recede relatively quickly from annual peaks, this year they stayed high, with scientists warning that this underscores an underappreciated but grave impact of climate change.

'If the oceans are warming considerably, that has a knock-on effect on the atmosphere, on sea and ice worldwide,' said Michael Sparrow, chief of World Climate Research Programme at the WMO.

'There's a lot of concerns from the scientific community and a lot of catch-up from the scientific community trying to understand the incredible changes that we're seeing at the moment.'
Two top executives at Australia's agricultural chemicals regulator have resigned after a damning report exposed a series of staff incidents including an employee who urinated on colleagues at a Christmas party.

A review of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) ordered by Agriculture Minister Murray Watt and released on Friday found 'clear cultural issues' within the organisation.

The APVMA's chair Dr Carrie Hillyard and chief executive Lisa Croft have both stepped down in recent days with the review finding the organisation had failed to respond appropriately to complaints or keep adequate records.

The reviewer, law firm Clayton Utz, said the urination incident was just one of many that plagued the APVMA.

'There were clearly cultural issues with the organisation given that on average there was a formal complaint about once every 4-6 weeks for five years,' the report stated.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority chair Dr Carrie Hillyard (left) and chief executive Lisa Croft (right) have both stepped down in recent days

Clayton Utz said the complaints were spread through the 'entire organisation' and were made by and about employees at all levels.

'There are also a significant number of complaints that refer to serious impacts for the persons involved, including numerous instances of employees having to take periods of stress leave or feeling unable to attend work due to mental health concerns.'

The urination incident following the APVMA's 2021 Christmas party was referred to police and the public service commissioner by Senator Watt in February.

Senator Watt said in a press conference on Friday in addition to the widespread complaints, the report found allegations the AVPMA could have been compromised by close ties with the chemicals industry.

'The number and range of issues at the APVMA have turned out to be far wider than I think any of us expected,' Senator Watt said.

'Concerningly, the review found serious allegations of chemical industry capture of the APVMA, which appears to have played a key role in the organisation not performing its full regulatory responsibilities.'

Agriculture Minister Senator Murray Watt ordered the review into the organisation

The report said the government watchdog would use education as an enforcement measure when criminal or civil prosecution was recommended and had 'embedded' industry interests into its priorities and culture.

The report also found the watchdog had eight chemical reviews that have been in progress for more than 15 years.

However, the review determined there was no indication chemical products had been inappropriately registered.

In 2016, former Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce moved the APVMA from Canberra to Armidale within his New England electorate, with the report finding the significantly contributed to a collapse in the organisation's culture.

'The APVMA had a very significant turnover of staff, including a change in CEO, associated with the relocation,' the report said.

'This turnover of staff would have inevitably resulted in a loss of corporate knowledge, a loss of corporate culture and a loss of experience and knowledge of what it is to work within the Australian Public Service.'

Senator Watt has issued a directive that the ongoing chemical reviews be completed 'as soon as possible' and that a fresh inquiry be carried out into how to repair the APVMA's culture and governance.

He said initial findings had sparked personal fears food safety could be compromised in the future if issues raised were not dealt with.

An acting CEO and interim Board Chair are in place with the government set to review those positions later this year.
It appears this is the fourth time Biden has had a wobble climbing Air Force One

Joe Biden, the oldest US president in history, took another stumble on the stairs

President Joe Biden has yet again taken a stumble up the stairs of Air Force One as he heads home from his European trip in Helsinki.

Biden, 80, had made his way about halfway up the steps of the presidential plane at Helsinki-Vantaan International Airport in the Finnish capital when he appeared to lose his footing before bracing for a fall.

But the octogenarian president recovered, clenching to the handrail and recouping his composure to continue the rest of the way up.

Finally standing at the top of the stairs, Biden turned to wave at the onlookers as the plane made its way to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Biden had spent the last few days in Europe for the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, before a meeting with Nordic leaders.

This isn't the first time the president has had difficulty with the stairs leading to the presidential plane. On the recent flight Biden appeared to be using a shorter set of stairs than previously.

President Joe Biden has yet again stumbled up the stairs of Air Force One as he heads home from his European trip in Helsinki

Biden waved at the Helsinki-Vantaan International Airport in the Finnish capital moments before he took the stumble on the presidential plane's stairs

The most recent wrong-footing appeared to be at least the fourth time Biden had taken a stumble on the Air Force One stairs.

Earlier this year in February he stumbled on the stairs as he left Warsaw in Poland from another international trip. He lost his footing and fell forward before composing himself and making the rest of the way up.

A month later, he again had trouble navigating Air Force One's stairs as he boarded the presidential aircraft as he departed from Selma, Alabama.

The president also fell up the stairs of Air Force One just two months into his administration in March 2021.

It appears Biden has been using a shorter set of stairs since last month when he took a slight fall at a graduation ceremony at the Air Force Academy in Colorado when he stumbled over a sandbag.

However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she was not aware of 'any decision process' made regarding the possible change of stairs to board Air Force One.

Presidents have sometimes used the shorter steps when there is severe weather.

It comes as MSNBC's Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said Wednesday that the president's staff needed to 'own his age'.

Brzezinski blasted the White House staff for not simplifying his schedule and ensuring he doesn't fall.

Biden had made his way about half-way up the steps of the presidential plane at Helsinki-Vantaan International Airport in the Finnish capital when he appeared to lose his footing

The octogenarian president recovered, clenching to the hand-rail and recouping his composure to continue the rest of the way up

Biden was heading home from a European trip that included a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. He is pictured with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (centre) and NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana

As Biden mounts his 2024 reelection bid, the Morning Joe co-hosts were discussing another president whose age was an issue - the late President Ronald Reagan, who successfully won a second term.

Scarborough pointed out that the staff of Reagan - who was nearly 78 when he left the White House - 'managed his schedule very carefully.'

'I'm gonna be honest,' said Brzezinski, 'I don't think they do a good job helping out the president.'

'I'm just saying if you are managing a president's schedule, and you are managing a president getting on stage and getting off stage and getting on planes and getting off planes - and yes, he's 80 - you need to be there for him,' she continued.

During his trip, Biden also met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (left) at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday

President Joe Biden reviews royal guards along with Britain's King Charles III during a welcoming ceremony at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on Monday

'And you need to make a pathway and you sure as hell better make sure he doesn't fall on a sandbag,' she added. 'And I blame the staff for that,' Brzezinski said.

'There are the things that are going to hurt him,' she continued. 'These are things that are gonna be played on a loop, OK?

'Let him do his job, let him do his speeches, let him work on policy, let him do his connections in Congress unlike any president that we've seen I don't know, since Clinton,' she said. 'But my God, make sure, you know - you're Secret Service, you're his staff - that you're there and you're telling him what's next.'
Ministers have warned rebellious peers there will be no more concessions on Channel boats legislation.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick delivered the stark message as a showdown looms between the Commons and Lords over the plans.

Peers spearheaded by the Archbishop of Canterbury have inflicted a series of defeats on the government in the Upper House.

But MPs have been reversing the changes, apart from some limited compromises agreed by ministers.

The stage is now set for so-called 'ping pong' next week, where the draft laws are batted between the two chambers until one of them - by convention the Lords - backs down.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick delivered the stark message as a showdown looms between the Commons and Lords over the plans

Peers spearheaded by the Archbishop of Canterbury (pictured) have inflicted a series of defeats on the government in the Upper House

The government faces a race against time to get the Illegal Migration Bill through before Parliament goes into its summer recess.

Peers want further concessions on limits to the detention of children, modern slavery protections and the provision of safe and legal routes for refugees to the UK.

The proposals are a crucial part of Rishi Sunak's vow to 'stop the boats'.

Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that critics of the Bill had not put forward any 'credible alternative'.

'It's incumbent on those who choose to criticise our approach to provide an alternative.

'It's not a serious or grown-up way to conduct a debate to say, 'well we have concerns about Rwanda', 'we don't like the compliant environment'  'We don't want this, we don't want to', but not to come up with an alternative.'

At Business Questions, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt confirmed time will be set aside to debate the Bill on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week before Parliament's summer recess begins on Thursday.
Lawyers representing a former special forces commando have slammed the ABC, saying it 'went on a disgraceful publicity campaign' to protect a source that is 'easily identifiable' before making a surprising backflip, a court has been told.

Heston Russell is suing the ABC and two of its investigative journalists over stories published in 2020 and 2021 that he claims made it look like he was being investigated for shooting an unarmed prisoner.

The stories, written and produced by journalists Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson, aired on television, radio and online on November 19, 2021.

Earlier this year, Justice Michael Lee found ten defamatory imputations put forward by the national broadcaster were carried following a preliminary hearing in November 2022.

The national broadcaster called an emergency hearing in the Federal Court earlier this week where the court was told they had 'withdrawn the public interest defence' in its defamation fight against Heston Russell.

Heston Russell (pictured with his lawyers) is suing the ABC and two of its investigative journalists over stories published in 2020 and 2021 that he claims made it look like he was being investigated for shooting an unarmed prisoner

The stories about Mr Russell were written and produced by journalists Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson, aired on television, radio and online on November 19, 2021

Heston Russell (pictured) is suing the ABC and two of its investigative journalists over stories published in 2020 and 2021

But on Friday, Nicholas Owens SC, representing the ABC, told the court they would like to push ahead at trial and revive the public interest defence, despite accepting Mr Russell was entitled to judgment earlier in the week.

Mr Owens told the court the ABC are willing to go ahead to trial but Mr Willacy would not be revealing the source.

'Mr Willacy has made a promise  he's an ethical journalist  they're snickering but honestly he made a promise and he's going to keep it,' Mr Owens said.

'As long as Mr Willacy doesn't have to break his promise, we will run our defence.'

Mr Owens would not comment on whether the source was correctly identified by Mr Russell's lawyers.

'If it's going to come in anyway, well let's run the public interest defence and have it out,' he said.

Representing Mr Russell, Sue Chrysanthou SC told the court the ABC's lawyers 'conceded repeatedly my client was entitled to judgment and the only issues at trial were damages.'

'We have wasted an entire week of our precious preparation for what your honour called a farce, and it was a farce,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

The former special forces commando (pictured) claims the ABC stories made it look like he was being investigated for shooting an unarmed prisoner

'The public interest defence is so hopeless it should have never been pleaded, it's a waste of everyone's time and costs.'

Justice Michael Lee said the matter had been 'unusual circumstances' but he had to determine the matters according to law and to 'give people a fair trial'.

He said he had found it 'quite bizarre' the ABC had wanted to withdraw the defence, claiming it was so they did not have to produce documents to Mr Russell's lawyers revealing the identity of a source named 'Josh' in the proceedings.

The court heard Mr Russell's lawyers may already know who the confidential source is, as he was pictured in the ABC articles and a number of details about his services in the US air force were made public.

Justice Lee said there was still a likelihood the redacted material would have to be disclosed for aggravated damages at the trial.

'What's the point in withdrawing the public interest defence, if you were serious about running it, when the material would come out anyway in relation to aggravated damages?' Justice Lee questioned.

The judge allowed the case to go ahead to trial.

Ms Chrysanthou requested the ABC pay the costs for her client this week as they 'run their case on the unlimited fund of the taxpayer' while Mr Russell is 'an individual'.

'The past four days were an utter waste of time and costs for decisions made on behalf of the respondents,' she said.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court the ABC had gone on a 'disgraceful publicity campaign' earlier this week after it put out a press release saying it would be pulling its public interest defence.

But Mr Owens told the court the press release was 'not self-congratulatory'.

In his judgment earlier this year, Justice Lee said while the identity of 'Josh' was protected, it was 'strange' as he was pictured in articles and footage of him was also aired on multiple television programs.

'Both articles record he does not want to be identified because he 'fears retribution',' the judgment, handed down in February, said.

'If those responsible for publication of 'Josh's' photograph within the ABC thought there was substance in 'Josh's' fear of retribution, they must have assumed his potential assailants were a somewhat incurious and lazy lot.'

NCA NewsWire understands costs in the case are expected to exceed $1 million.

While the articles contained a denial from Mr Russell, he claims the use of his name and photo implied he was involved in the death of an Afghan prisoner.

In his statement of claim, Mr Russell said an ABC article published in 2021 alleged soldiers from the November commando platoon were being investigated over their actions in Afghanistan in 2012.

In his statement of claim, Mr Russell (pictured) said an ABC article published in 2021 alleged soldiers from the November commando platoon were being investigated over their actions in Afghanistan in 2012

Mr Russell is asking for the ABC to remove the article and pay aggravated damages on top of court costs (pictured is the ABC offices in Ultimo, Sydney)

It was claimed the platoon murdered a prisoner who was unarmed and handcuffed because there was no room on the extraction flight.

A US Marine helicopter pilot said he was not a witness but heard a 'pop' on the radio that he believed was a gunshot.

Mr Russell launched a campaign alongside 2GB's Ben Fordham and called on the ABC to apologise and take down the articles.

In March 2022, the national broadcaster quietly updated and published corrections on two of the stories.

Mr Russell is asking for the ABC to remove the article and pay aggravated damages on top of court costs.
Vladimir Putin claims to have offered Wagner Group mercenaries a way back into service following strained conversations with their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on the back of the June mutiny.

The President told Kommersant on Thursday that the private mercenary company that has played a vital role in his war in Ukraine could not remain in its current form and 'does not exist', after meeting with its boss and 35 fighters in the Kremlin.

But as he leaves it up to the government to work out a legal framework for private military groups, he claims to have offered fighters the opportunity to remain serving in Russia under their current commander, identified by the callsign, 'Grey Hair'.

Last night's interview saw Putin tell his side of the June 29 meeting, which came five days after Wagner Group turned towards Moscow, downed Russian aircraft and occupied territory, ostensibly over clashes with Russian military decision-makers.

Prigozhin, who instigated the march, has said it was only aimed at settling scores with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov - and not an attempted coup. His location has been unclear since the meeting.

Putin answers journalists' questions about the grain deal in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yesterday, he also spoke to Kommersant about the meeting with Prigozhin on June 29

Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group stand on a tank outside a local circus near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24

Kommersant said Putin spoke of meeting 35 Wagner fighters and Prigozhin in the Kremlin and offering them options for the future, including remaining under their commander of 16 months.

Kommersant quoted the president as saying: 'All of them could have gathered in one place and continued their service, and nothing would have changed.

'They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all that time.'

As Putin is the army's commander-in-chief, he seemed to be implying that they would remain within the Russian military, although he did not say that explicitly.

'Many of then nodded when I said this,' Kommersant quoted Putin as saying.

The Russian daily reported that Prigozhin disagreed with Putin's offer.

'Prigozhin [...] said after listening: 'No, the boys won't agree with such a decision.'

Wagner fighters played a key role in the Russian army's advance into eastern Ukraine and were the driving force in the capture in May of the city of Bakhmut after months of battles.

But Prigozhin constantly accused the military of failing to back his men and Wagner fighters unhappy with the Defence Ministry's conduct of the war took control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don on June 23 and began moving towards Moscow.

They halted their advance the next day after being offered a deal under which they could resettle in Belarus, along with Prigozhin.

Any notion of pressing charges against Prigozhin was dropped.

Putin told the newspaper there was no possibility of Wagner remaining in its current form.

'Wagner does not exist,' Putin told Kommersant. 'There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesn't exist.'

Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks inside the headquarters of the Russian southern army military command centre in the city of Rostov-on-Don in this still from a video released June 24, 2023

Members of the Wagner Group sit in their military vehicles as they prepare to leave an area at the HQ of the Southern Military District in a street in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24

Prigozhin has clashed throughout the war with Russia's national armed forces, while sending his private mercenaries to the frontlines to die.

The push at the end of June made quick progress, seizing Rostov and crossing into Russian regions.

Six Russian army helicopters and a plane were reportedly shot down in the clashes.

But the mutiny did not succeed in its objectives, as Prigozhin negotiated peace via Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko before reaching Moscow.

All charges against the Wagner Group leader were ultimately dropped to allow him to move to Belarus.
She adulterated the breakfast of her colleague's pupils after they had fallen out

Wang Yun, 39, was convicted after poisoning the porridge with sodium nitrite

A female kindergarten teacher has been executed in China for poisoning 25 children, one of whom she killed, by contaminating their porridge 'in revenge' after she had a row with her colleague.

Wang Yun, 39, was arrested and later sentenced to death after she poisoned young students from the Mengmeng Pre-school Education in Jiaozuo four years ago.

Wang had adulterated the breakfast of her colleague's pupils with sodium nitrite 'in revenge after arguing with the co-worker', the local authorities said at the time.

The teacher unsuccessfully appealed her death sentence, initially handed down in September 2020 by the Jiaozuo city intermediate people's court, in Henan province.

On Thursday, the same court verified Wang's identity, escorted her to the execution ground and carried out the death sentence, a court statement said, according to state media.

Video footage at the time showed nurses and doctors treating the sick children at a local hospital after they were poisoned by their teacher during breakfast

Wang purchased the sodium nitrite in March 2019 after falling out with her colleague, surnamed Sun, over 'student management issues', the Jiaozuo court said at the time of her arrest.

The next morning she added some of the chemical compound - which is commonly used as a food preservative but can be toxic and possibly fatal from overexposure - into the children's 'eight treasures porridge', the court ruled, according to state media.

The dish is a sweet-flavoured rice-based porridge which is very popular in China.

It was reported at the time that 23 children began vomiting and fainting after eating their breakfast. Police launched an investigation after Wang was accused of poisoning the students on March 27, 2019.

Authorities later found that a total of 25 children were poisoned during the incident that shocked China and triggered global headlines.

At the time, parents rushed to Jiaozuo No.2 People's Hospital where all children had their stomachs pumped and received urgent medical support.

One father, surnamed Li, told reporters at the time that he received a call from the principal that his four-year-old daughter felt sick after breakfast.

'When I arrived at the school, my daughter had already passed out,' he said.

The teacher responsible, Wang Yun, was yesterday executed in China after poisoning 25 of her colleague's students, one of whom she killed. Pictured: One of the kindergarten students who was poisoned

The teacher added the sodium nitrite into the children's 'eight treasures porridge' in a revenge plot

Another parent said: 'My child said the porridge tasted bitter and salty when it was supposed to taste sweet.'

In January 2020, one of the children died of multiple organ failure caused by the poisoning after spending ten months in hospital. Another 24 suffered minor injuries, according to the court.

The teacher, who was described by the court as 'despicable and vicious', was also found poisoning her husband in 2017 by putting sodium nitrite in his cup. He suffered minor injuries after drinking the water.

Wang's is one of several high profile cases of deaths or violence in Chinese kindergartens in recent years.

Wang's is one of several high profile cases of deaths or violence in Chinese kindergartens in recent years. (File image of children at a kindergarten in Beijing)

A 25-year-old man was suspected of attacking a kindergarten in China's Guangdong province on Monday, killing six people and injuring one, triggering an outpouring of concern about violence against children at school.

In 2002, 42 people, mostly schoolchildren, died after eating snacks laced with rat poison in the eastern city of Nanjing. The killer, who apparently was jealous of his rivals' thriving business, was swiftly sentenced to death and executed.

China executes thousands of people each year, by far and away more than any other country, according to estimates by human rights NGO Amnesty International.

China does not publish data on executions.
A 9-month-old baby boy died last month after his 17-year-old mother was accused of putting enough fentanyl into his bottle to 'kill approximately ten people', police said.

The teen mother, from Florida, was arrested on charges of aggravated manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

The mother has confessed to investigators that she thought the fentanyl was cocaine, he said, and wanted to use it to help put her baby to sleep so she could take a nap as she was tired.

Officers were called to the mother's home in Callahan last month on June 26 after police received a call that a 9-month-old baby was not breathing.

Police arrived to find the infant unconscious without a pulse on the living room floor. They tried CPR on the boy but he was later pronounced dead at Jacksonville hospital.

The baby boy's heartbroken father has now spoken out, sharing his shock after he found out about his son's death after a friend texted him.

Officers were called to the a home in Callahan last month on June 26 after police received a call that a 9-month-old baby was not breathing. The child was named by the father as Elijah

Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper holds up a bottle with a scant amount of fentanyl to show how little it takes to be lethal

'I just wish I would've actually got to be able to get to know him and raise him,' the child's father Phillip Word said

Police later questioned the teen mother who initially told them she did not know what had happened. However, police said she later changed her story over the course of several interviews.

A medical examiner's report also confirmed that fentanyl had been found in the baby's blood. They determined that the cause of the child's death was caused by the overdose.

'Unfortunately, some babies are born to individuals who have no business being parents,' Leeper said.

He continued: 'Originally the mother said she didn't know what happened, she put the baby to sleep and just couldn't wake him up.'

The County Sheriff said the mother had now confessed, admitting that she filled a bottle with formula and what she believed to be cocaine but was instead fentanyl.

'Who does that? What mother would do that? That's not normal. It is sick. It's beyond my imagination why a mother would do that to her child,' Leeper said.

'No one should lose their life to this terrible deadly drug, especially an innocent baby.'

'The amount he had in his system would kill approximately 10 people,' Lepper added.

Police arrived to find the infant unconscious without a pulse on the living room floor. They tried CPR on the boy but he was later pronounced dead at Jacksonville hospital

Phillip Word told News4Jax that he didn't see his son very much but that he would have looked after him if she was tired

'Unfortunately, some babies are born to individuals who have no business being parents,' Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said, holding up a bottle with a scant amount of fentanyl to show how little it takes to be lethal

To give an idea how little it takes to kill someone with a dose of fentanyl, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper shows how much on the tip of a pencil during a news briefing Wednesay

Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said a 9-month-old child died last month after the child's teenage mother put fentanyl in the child's bottle. Leeper said deputies went to a home in Callahan on June 26

The Drug Enforcement Administration describes two milligrams of fentanyl as lethal, depending on body size and tolerance due to a history of usage.

The Nassau County Sherriff's Office confirmed they are continuing with their investigation of the case, as is the Department of Children and Families.

The baby was not named by police in the press conference, nor the mother. Leeper said this is due to Marsy's Law ensuring the rights of victims of crime.

However, the father of the child and the grandfather have now spoken out saying they are numb after the loss of 9-month-old, who he told News4Jax was named Elijah.

Phillip Word told the Jacksonville publication that he didn't see his son very much but that he would have looked after him if she was tired. He said he found out about his son's death after a friend texted him.

'It was amazing. It's just really the best feeling, just to meet your first kid for the first time and hold them,' Phillip told News4Jax.

'I just wish I would've actually got to be able to get to know him and raise him.'

'He didn't even have a chance to start walking and stuff,' he added.

He told the news outlet that he wants to see stronger charges against the mother after she was charged with manslaughter.
Holidaymakers today slammed 'selfish' Gatwick Airport strikes that will hit Britons looking forward to a family getaway as almost 1,000 staff prepare to walk out over eight days.

Members of Unite employed by four private contractors strike for four days from July 28 and again for four days from August 4. The union said the action will 'inevitably' cause disruption to flights at the height of the summer holiday season.

Today, frustrated Twitter users accused union leaders of deliberately planning the action to hit tourists heading abroad.

One wrote: 'This will affect my family holiday. People have struggled over the last few years so let's target the family summer holidays where parents have worked hard to take their families away.'

A second, who gave the name Aleksander, tweeted: 'Absolute disgrace. Deliberately targeted at hard working families who may only get one chance to go on holiday over the next few years. They don't have my support on this one.'

Queues at Gatwick Airport this morning as it emerged workers will stage eight days of strikes later this month

Today, frustrated Twitter users accused union leaders of deliberately planning the action to hit tourists heading abroad

A third, Warwick Dunlop, added: 'Congratulations to you all for your selfish actions at a time when families look to get away & enjoy their lives together Although - Typical action of militants so we should not be surprised'

To add to the misery, EasyJet recently announced it had axed around 1,700 flights up to September - mainly at Gatwick - which will affect more than 100,000 holidaymakers. Industry experts predict other airlines and airports will follow suit.

Meanwhile, travellers who make it to the Mediterranean face difficult conditions when they arrive, with temperatures set to exceed 45C in Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey by the end of next week.

READ MORE: Woman pleads with Just Stop Oil to get out the road as she races to the airport Advertisement

The deadly heatwave is wreaking havoc across Europe, with wildfires raging across Croatia and tourists fainting from the blistering heat, while others have been rescued while trying to cool off in the sea.

Those involved in the latest Gatwick dispute are employed by ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services, which conduct outsourced operations for airlines including ground handling, baggage handling, ramp agents, dispatchers, and check-in.

Unite said it has been in negotiations with the four companies since January but claimed they have failed to make offers that meets the workers' expectations.

The union's general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Our members at Gatwick Airport undertake incredibly demanding roles and are essential to keeping the airport and airlines working, yet their employers somehow think it is acceptable to pay them a pittance.

'As part of Unite's unyielding focus on the jobs, pay and condition of its members, the union has drawn a line in the sand and is committed to eradicating the scourge of low pay at the airport.'

A total of 4,410 flights are scheduled to depart Gatwick across all the strike days, equating to more than 840,000 seats, aviation data company Cirium said.

Gatwick has had a poor summer for delays. Pictured: Passengers waiting at the British Airways check-in last month

Gatwick was recently shamed as the worst airport in Europe for delays

The airport is already suffering major disruption due to air traffic control (ATC) restrictions.

Strikes, staff shortages and air space closures related to the war in Ukraine mean ATC providers are limiting flight numbers across Europe.

European air traffic management body Eurocontrol warned that many key areas are expected to be hit by high overloads, so air traffic flow and capacity management measures will need to be taken, causing delays and flight cancellations.

Eurocontrol said in a report that there will be more than 34,000 flights a day on Fridays in the eight-week period from July 10 to September 3 - with an average of around 33,000 per day, a nearly 10 per cent rise on last year.

They expect high overloads many major tourist hotspots in Europe including Rheims and Marseille in France, Athens and Budapest.

Overloads which will lead to air traffic management measures are also expected in Brussels, Zagreb, Barcelona and London.

Residents and tourists run from a wildfire in Grebastica, Croatia, on Thursday as sweltering temperatures turn the region into a tinderbox

Tourists sunbathe on a beach near Athens, Greece, amid soaring temperatures on Thursday

Land surface temperatures - how hot the ground is - reached excesses of 60C on Thursday in parts of Andalucia and western Spain

Gatwick is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, but its flight numbers are currently capped at peak times due to the ATC issue.

The problem recently forced easyJet to cancel 1,700 summer flights, mostly from Gatwick.

EasyJet has maintained that disruptions are not due to staff shortages, which plagued the aviation sector last year.

A spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are currently operating up to around 1,800 flights and carrying around 250,000 customers per day with more crew and pilots flying than ever before and like all airlines, we review our flights on an ongoing basis.

Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace, recently warned that demand from airlines 'might get close to capacity' for ATC in large parts of Europe, including London, Brussels and Madrid.

A Gatwick spokesman said: 'We are aware of the recent ballot result and will support our airlines with their contingency plans to ensure that flights operate as scheduled.'

The airport was recently shamed as the worst airport in Europe for delays after disruption caused by staff shortages, air traffic controllers going on strike and flight restrictions linked to the war in Ukraine.

Passenger rights company AirHelp researched how airports handled passengers in June to understand which ones are likely to suffer the biggest disruption this summer.

Gatwick was the worst offender, with 54 per cent of its flights either cancelled or delayed by more than 15 minutes. Manchester also featured among Europe's ten worst airports with 43.8 per cent of flights disrupted. For Heathrow, the figure was 40 per cent.

*AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CRISIS - WHERE DELAYS ARE MOST LIKELY*

European cities most likely to face air disruption this summer

Where Europe will see 'overloads' of air traffic this summer that will need air traffic management Brussels, Belgium

Zagreb, Croatia

Bremen, Germany

Casablanca, Morocco

Skopje, North Macedonia

Barcelona, Spain

Madrid, Spain

Seville, Spain

London, UK Advertisement

Where Europe will see 'high overloads' of air traffic this summer that may cause major delays and cancellations Rheims, France

Marseille, France

Karlsruhe, Germany

Athens, Greece

Macedonia, Greece

Budapest, Hungary Advertisement

It comes as British tourists are being warned to take care during a sweltering heatwave that is about to hit the Mediterranean.

Cerberus - named after Hades' three-headed dog in Greek mythology who guarded the gates to hell - will see temperatures rise over 45C in Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey by the end of next week.

A 50-year-old British tourist was rescued from the sea by a helicopter crew by Porto Ferro beach, on the Italian island of Sardinia. Video shows the man, who had almost lost consciousness before the lifeguard reached him, being hoisted from the sea by the helicopter and taken to shore, reports La Nuova.

In Athens, Greece, another tourist collapsed in front of the Acropolis after temperatures soared to 45C and was carried to a waiting ambulance on a stretcher by police officers.

The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily are set to bear the brunt of the unforgiving heat, with forecasters predicting that temperatures could soar above record 48.8C temperatures next week. The previous record high of 48.8C was registered in the Sicilian town of Floridia on August 11, 2021.

'It is not improbable that we beat that record,' Carlo Cacciamani, head of Italy's national meteorological and climatology agency, told The Times.

A British tourist shields her face from the sun while she sunbathes in Benidorm on Thursday

British tourists are braving the extreme heat to sunbathe on beaches across Benidorm in Spain as Britons across Europe brace themselves for record 48.8C temperatures

A red alert warning means that the heat is so intense that it poses a health risk to the whole population - not just vulnerable groups like the elderly and very young children.

And the heatwave has already had deadly consequences. A 44-year-old road sign worker collapsed and died due to the blistering heat in Italy on Tuesday.

Land temperatures - how hot the ground is to touch - in Spain reached upwards of 60C in parts of southern Spain on Thursday, with the European Space Agency warning next week could break continental records.

'Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland are all facing a major heatwave with temperatures expected to climb to 48 Celsius on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia  potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe,' it said.

Extreme weather resulting from a warming climate is 'unfortunately becoming the new normal,' warned Secretary-General Petteri Taalas of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

While demand for overseas holidays remains strong among Brits, inflation means they are paying up to a quarter more for all-inclusive package holidays to Mediterranean hotspots

While demand for overseas holidays remains strong among Brits, inflation means they are paying up to a quarter more for all-inclusive package holidays to Mediterranean hotspots this summer compared with last year.

The average cost of a week-long family full-board trip to Crete in Greece has gone up by 25 per cent, while Majorca in Spain is up 21 per cent and Tenerife 22 per cent.

Experts also revealed a 12 per cent overall average rise in the cost of holidays to the five most popular countries of Spain, Turkey, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus.

But there is also a wide variation between the destinations - with Spain rising 15 per cent but Portugal only up 5 per cent, according to the TravelSupermarket data.

And the average price across the five countries is now up more than 30 per cent compared with pre-pandemic levels - far above the general inflation rate since 2019.

The rising cost of summer holidays signals yet more pain for cash-strapped Britons hit by soaring inflation amid rising energy costs, mortgage rates and food shopping.

A Gatwick spokesman said: 'We are aware of the recent ballot result and will support our airlines with their contingency plans to ensure that flights operate as scheduled.'
A crime documentary series has revealed the amazing bravery of a daughter whose evidence ensured that her evil stepfather was jailed for life for murdering her mother.

Cheryl Gabriel-Hooper, 51, was shot twice with a double-barrelled by her estranged husband Andrew Hooper in front of her daughter Georgia when she was just 14 years old.

After subjecting her to years of domestic abuse, Hooper killed Cheryl in January 2018 as she sat in her Land Rover Evoque - and Georgia witnessed him fire the antique gun as she was standing in front of the car.

And in footage of Georgia talking to ITV documentary Murder In The Family, Georgia has shared how she faced her mother's killer without fear.

'I was the first witness called in the trial,' she said. 'As daft as it sounds it was a privilege to be able to stand there and do that for my mum.'

Cheryl Gabriel-Hooper (left), 51, was shot twice with a double-barreled shotgun by her estranged husband Andrew Hooper (right) in front of her 14-year-old daughter Georgia in January 2018

Cheryl, with her daughter Georgia, who was 14 when she witnessed the shooting

'I faced him and wasn't afraid': footage of Georgia talking to ITV documentary Murder In The Family, Georgia has shared how she faced her mother's killer without fear

Georgia added: 'I faced him and I wasn't afraid. And he had to sit there and watch knowing he hadn't broken me.

'He didn't get away with killing mum. That was justice.'

After the attack, Hooper fled the scene and turned the shotgun on himself in a failed suicide attempt. He survived with severe disfigurement to his face and he is unable to speak.

Chilling footage showed the moment Hooper confessed to shooting Cheryl as he was in hospital, by pointing at the word 'yes' on a board with his trembling finger when asked in a police interview if he was responsible for his wife's death.

He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 31 years in 2019. He has since made two attempts to appeal his conviction but both were dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

The first episode of Murder In The Family, which covers Cheryl's murder, aired on ITV1 last night and all three episodes are now available on ITVX.

The documentary also reveals the moment that police arrived at the scene and talked to a traumatised 14-year-old Georgia after she witnessed her stepfather murder her mother.

Bodycam footage shows Georgia, standing in the living room, immediately tell a police officer: 'She's dead.'

Giving her account to the officer while on the verge of tears, the teenage girl said: 'He pulled up in the silver Land Rover behind the car so my mum couldn't go anywhere.

'He went up to the driver's window and had the gun and was banging the barrel against the glass.'

As Georgia's voice wavered she said: 'I didn't want to go over to it.'

Andrew Hooper who was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court of murdering his estranged wife Cheryl Hooper and sentenced to life in June 2019

The officer reassured her saying: 'Georgia, I know this is difficult.'

She continued: 'He was hitting the gun against the car. I thought it was a spade or something, I thought he was going to hit her with something.

'I jumped out the car, trying to unlock my phone, I couldn't unlock my phone. Trying to get the police to come straight away.

'He banged the glass, the glass shattered and then he put the gun up properly and shot her.'

Georgia's voice cracked as she let out: 'I can't get it out of my head.'

She then pulled up her cardigan to her face as her head collapsed between her legs.

The documentary also reveals the moment that police arrived at the scene and talked to a traumatised 14-year-old Georgia (pictured) after she witnessed her stepfather murder her mother

Giving her account to the officer while on the verge of tears, the teenage girl said: 'He pulled up in the silver Land Rover behind the car so my mum couldn't go anywhere. He went up to the driver's window and had the gun and was banging the barrel against the glass'

Georgia's voice cracked as she let out: 'I can't get it out of my head.' She then pulled up her cardigan to her face as her head collapsed between her legs

Hooper, had already been convicted of previous domestic abuse offences before he met her mother. But Cheryl never knew this when the relationship began.

Georgia spoke to MailOnline back in December 2020, saying: 'I wish there could have been a domestic abuse register when my mum was alive.

'My stepdad had a history of domestic abuse before even meeting my mum so if there had been a register, it could have prevented her from entering into a relationship with him.

'A register would save lives because it would potentially stop someone from entering a relationship with an abusive partner,' Georgia added at the time. 'A lot of abusers turn into serial abusers, attacking every woman they go out with. It's rarely an isolated incident so we need that register to keep women safe.

'Something needs to be done. We have a sex offenders register, so why don't we have a domestic abuse register?'

Cheryl, who had been abused by the 'cowardly' farmer for seven years, had moved out of their shared house at Guild of Monks Farm, near Newport, Shropshire, in December 2017 and moved to another house with Georgia in the town.

She was murdered six weeks later on January 26, 2018.

Georgia and her mum had just parked in the driveway of their new home when Hooper, who had earlier confronted Cheryl at a pub after putting a tracking device on her car, pulled up behind them in his truck.

'My mum said 'Oh my god he's here',' Georgia previously told.

Knowing instinctively that something didn't feel right, the 14-year-old schoolgirl got out of the car.

'But by the time I got to the front of the car he had shot through the car window to break it and then he shot at mum again,' she said.

'I tried to find a pulse or get a reaction from her, but there was nothing.

'I never thought he was going to kill her. I never thought he would take it that far.'

Footage of the police interviewing Andrew Hooper in hospital was shown in the documentary

Talking to documentary makers, Georgia revealed the abuse her mother Cheryl was subjected to by Hooper - known as 'Jack' by friends, saying: 'I grew up thinking that domestic abuse is punches and violence - physical violence.

'So with Jack, I didn't really feel for a long that that there was a distinct problem with his behaviour. I wouldn't have been able to say "this is wrong, this is domestic abuse".

'My mum wasn't fully aware of what was going on because when you're in it you can't see it. His main aim was to make her feel completely worthless - it was power and control.

'Jack was incredibly abusive in many forms: financially, emotionally, mentally - to the point where he thought it was his right to kill her.
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Thousands of bull runners ran for their lives today during the final day of the San Fermin Festival in Spain with many being crushed and trampled on by the bulls in chaotic scenes.

In a blur of red and white, the runners sprinted along the streets of Pamplona today, trying in vain to outrun the stampeding beasts behind them.

But the bulls, seeing red, were too quick and stormed into the crowd, their sharp horns sending the frantic runners into the air before they landed on the hard ground below.

Some would get a second hit and be trampled by enraged bulls stampeding towards them during the eighth and last day of the San Fermin Festival.

At least five runners were transferred to hospital due to injuries sustained during the event, according to emergency services.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of American author Ernest Hemingway's first visit to the festival, which he made internationally famous in his 1926 novel 'The Sun Also Rises'.

Rooted in history and folklore, the exhilarating events draw both locals and tourists who seek a thrilling and unforgettable experience - but in recent years the tradition has been widely condemned for its treatment of the bulls, many of whom sustain significant injuries or are killed.

Thousands of bull runners ran for their lives today during the final day of the San Fermin Festival in Spain with many being crushed and trampled on by the bulls in chaotic scenes

Some would get a second hit and be trampled by enraged bulls stampeding towards them during the eighth and last day of the San Fermin Festival

In a blur of red and white, the runners sprinted along the streets of Pamplona today, trying in vain to outrun the stampeding beasts behind them

Medics attend to an injured reveler on a stretcher after the eighth day of the running of the bulls during the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain on Friday

A runner gets trampled by a bull during the bull run of the San Fermin festival on Friday

Revellers fall on the ground after being chased by bulls during the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain on Friday

But the bulls, seeing red, were too quick and stormed into the crowd, their sharp horns sending the frantic runners into the air before they landed on the hard ground below

Two runners hold each other as a bull stampedes into them during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on Friday

Runners are trampled by a bull which then trips up after the contact during the San Fermin festival in Spain on Friday

In a blur of red and white, the runners sprinted along the streets of Pamplona today, trying in vain to outrun the stampeding beasts behind them

In a blur of red and white, the runners sprinted along the streets of Pamplona today, trying in vain to outrun the stampeding beasts behind them

This year marks the 100th anniversary of American author Ernest Hemingway's first visit to the festival, which he made internationally famous in his 1926 novel 'The Sun Also Rises'

At least five runners were transferred to hospital due to injuries sustained during the event, according to emergency services

Participants run ahead of stampeding bulls during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on Friday

Participants run ahead of stampeding bulls during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on Friday

Thousands of bull runners ran for their lives today during the final day of the San Fermin Festival in Spain with many being crushed and trampled on by the bulls in chaotic scenes

Participants run ahead of stampeding bulls during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona on Friday

A stampeding bull makes contact with runners, sending them flying through the air during the famous festival on Friday

Participants run ahead of bulls during the bull run at San Fermin festival in Spain on Friday
Eco activists were seen to have sprayed a private jet yellow in Ibiza, Spain

Eco-activists in Ibiza have today shared the aftermath of covering a private jet in yellow paint amid growing protests globally demanding climate action.

Futuro Vegetal (Vegetable Future) claimed to have worked with Extinction Rebellion Ibiza on the 'action'.

Video from the scene showed one of the group's 'militants' speaking in front of the plane. One said: 'I am here today because it terrifies me, not having a future.'

Meanwhile, footage of climate protestors in Germany went viral after zealots clashed with the driver of an Air Liquide lorry, a company 'promoting energy transition'.

The clip shared online appears to show Letzte Generation protestors sitting in the road to block traffic before a lorry driver attempts to push through.

One activist is dragged along the road by the moving truck before the driver relents, gets out and pulls them out of the road to pass safely.

Video showed the extent of graffiti covering the plane as eco activists protested 'luxury'

The nose of the plane was covered in yellow paint, shown in the video shared by Futuro Vegetal

In the Ibiza video, activist Marina appears to cite the statistic that the richest 1% of the world's population were responsible for more than twice as much carbon pollution as the poorest half.

She says the luxury industry consumes and contaminates common resources and all life that lives on the planet.

'The rich are a luxury that we cannot allow. Act!'

The video then cuts to a man covering the plane in black and yellow paint. He climbs on the wing and appears to glue himself to the fuselage.

On the other side, Marina is seen waving yellow smoke. The plane and ground are seen covered in different paints.

At the end of the video, a message reads: 'We can't carry on maintaining your privileges. Eat the rich. Help us.'

Futuro Vegetal describes itself as a collective of civil disobedience and direct action fighting against the climate crisis.

They call for the adoption of a plant-based agrifood system and make various demands of the government for reform.

MailOnline reached out to Futuro Vegetal for comment.

The driver is pictured trying to drag the protestor sitting in the road out from under the lorry

In the video titled 'Truck driver nearly runs over Letzte Generation human', three climate protestors are seen to sit down in the road in front of a Air Liquide lorry.

Air Liquide is the Paris Olympics' official hydrogen supporter and works to innovate 'the development of low-carbon hydrogen and biomethane for the energy transition'.

The protestors appear to be with Letzte Generation. The group was founded in 2021 and operational in Germany, Italy and Austria.

They are pictured holding orange banners, though it is unclear what they say from the angle.

The driver of the lorry at first jumps out to push and drag the activists out of his way.

When they sit back in position, he slowly starts driving forwards - and then shunts the activist closest to the pavement.

The push is enough to send the young man flying back and bystanders come to his aid.

The lorry driver is seen throwing his hands up in frustration and stops the lorry.

Again, he gets out and drags the protestor out of the way, creating enough space to drive between them.

As the camera moves, video shows a queue of vehicles behind the lorry.

Air Liquide Group, the company that owns the lorry, is a self-described world leader in gases, technology and services for industry and health.

According to their Instagram channel, their ambition is 'to deliver long term performance and contribute to a more sustainable world'.

The company recently became the Official Hydrogen Supporter of the Olympic and Paralympic Games for 2024.

They say they aim to 'help reduce the carbon emissions' of the Paris Olympics 'to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen mobility from renewable sources'.

Air Liquide provided the following statement to MailOnline: 'On July 12, Air Liquide was made aware of an altercation in Stralsund, Germany, between a third-party contract driver of Air Liquide Medical Gases and local protesters.

'Images display unacceptable behavior from the driver that is not aligned with Air Liquides values in any way.

'The third-party contractor has been notified that Air Liquide will no longer accept the services of this individual.'

The lorry ploughed through the protestors, knocking one back before the driver stopped

The footage showed the driver pushing one of the protestors after they obstructed the road

Letzte Generation is a climate activist group operational in Central Europe.

The name means 'Last Generation' in English.

Letzte Generation is known for its road protests, staging 276 road blockages in Germany alone throughout 2022.

MailOnline contacted Letzte Generation for comment.
A rugby league player has been jailed for two years after he raped a child he met after securing a job as an unqualified teacher's aide.

Viliami Teukava Fakavamo Paki, 24, moved from New Zealand to Emerald in Queensland's Central Highlands where he signed with QRL club the Mackay Cutters in 2018.

Mackay District Court heard that an injury forced him to leave the sport the following year. He found work at a school in the region where he met his victim despite not having any teaching qualifications, The Daily Mercury reports.

Paki plead not guilty to digital rape and indecent treatment of a child charges, but a jury disagreed, finding him guilty of four counts of rape on Thursday.

He was acquitted on the indecent treatment of a child charge.

Viliami Teukava Fakavamo Paki played for the Mackay Cutters but left due to injury in 2019. He then got a job as a teacher's aide where he met the victim (stock image)

A conviction was recorded which would usually require him to be deported under the Migration Act for failing the 'good character' test.

But Paki could be allowed to stay in Australia, according to his defence barrister, who said the government would take into account how long he had lived in the country and the seriousness of his crimes.

The court heard the offending occurred over two months in 2020 and that Paki only stopped when other women his own age started 'showing interest in him'.

There were no threats of violence or drugs and alcohol involved.

Judge Michael Byrne said the offending had 'intruded into the normal upbringing of a (young) girl'.

He said Paki had formed the idea the offending was not predatory in part due to 'immaturity'.

'The jury accepted you digitally penetrated her on four occasions,' Judge Byrne said.

The 24-year-old was sentenced to four years jail and will serve two years behind bars with the remaining two years suspended.
Chief Inspector Louise Jackson in 'no doubt' it will expand across the capital

The scheme is already in place in Redbridge Borough in northeast London

Roving undercover police squads who fine men 100 for catcalling women in the street are set to roll out across London, a Metropolitan police chief has said.

The scheme is already underway in Redbridge, a borough in northeast London, with patrols every night of the week by both uniformed and plain clothes officers.

Chief Inspector Louise Jackson, who leads on violence against women and girls in East London, said she was in no doubt that this would expand across the capital.

She said: The focus at the moment is about educating men and young males around putting a stop to this behaviour.

When a woman feels uncomfortable, when she feels like shes being harassed or made to feel vulnerable, we tend to have to change our direction or change our route or head in the opposite direction.

Chief Inspector Louise Jackson (pictured above) said she is in "no doubt" that squads who give out fines of 100 for catcalling will be rolled out across London

What were saying now is this is about educational and generational change.

If we start to get this message out now, hopefully years down the line it will become the norm.

Id love to see this rolled out across all London boroughs at some point. And I have no doubt that will be the case.

Her comments, made to the London Evening Standard, come after Redbridge Council launched a women's safety campaign, which one councillor said others "need to adopt".

Signs have been put up across Redbridge warning that cat-calling is now an offence as part of the councils ThisHasToStop campaign.

Another reads: "Making sexist comments is now an offence."

Redbridge Council said it is stepping up its task force after a survey of 1,834 women in the borough found 91 percent said they had experienced catcalling and 62 percent reported being followed by a man.

It was Ilford in Redbridge that saw the brutal murder of 35-year-old Zara Aleena last year.

The aspiring lawyer was followed by stranger Jordan McSweeney, who sexually assaulted Zara and beat her to death.

Redbridge Council have put up posters as part of their ThisHasToStop campaign that read 'Catcalling is now an offence' and 'Making sexist comments is now an offence' (poster pictured above)

Redbridge then became the first London borough to hand out a 100 fine for catcalling in December.

A man received a fixed penalty notice for harassing a woman in Ilford town centre, after it was witnessed by council enforcement officers working with the Met Police as part of a special covert operation.

READ MORE: Man who catcalled woman in the street is one of the first in UK to get 100 fine for sexual harassment after he was caught in undercover police operation Advertisement

The fee was handed to the offender using the councils Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), initially created to empower enforcement officers to fine people soliciting sex in the area.

PSPOs are used to tackle a range of anti-social behaviour in public spaces.

As well as deploying these squads, Redbridges CCTV control room runs targeted womens safety shifts where they identify lone women walking home at night and scope the area around them for threats.

They even sometimes send officers out to check if they are alright or speak to men they think could be following them or acting suspiciously.

From September, teams will be going into schools in the borough to speak to boys about resting women with respect.

Councillor Khayer Chowdhury, cabinet member for enforcement and community engagement, said: The campaign puts the emphasis on men changing their behaviour and not women.

"We are the first council in the country to implement this kind of scheme and others need to adopt it. Weve seen a change in behaviour already.
Dramatic footage of a thrill-seeker venturing to within yards of a volcanic eruption in Iceland has emerged despite warnings that it is spewing out 'life-threatening toxic gas pollution'.

The volcano, which is located on Mount Fagradalsfjall, began erupting on Monday following heightened seismic activity in the area.

Lava has been snaking its way down the side of the mountain which is just 20 miles from the country's main airport in Keflavik.

Residents in the nearby Reykjanes peninsula have been confined to their homes this week and encouraged to sleep with their windows closed and to switch off ventilation due to the risk of deadly toxic gas.

But warnings from the police and weather forecasters have not prevented some from getting close to the action.

A photographer was seemingly unfazed by the spewing lava in front of him as he set up a tripod to get the perfect shot

Dramatic footage shows the scale of the volcano began erupting on Monday following heightened seismic activity in the area

One thrill-seeker on a mission to capture footage from the sensational eruption has posted an eight minute video on YouTube, with one incredible shot showing him facing the volcano as it violently spews out magma from the ground.

Seemingly unfazed by the precarious nature of the volcano, he remains completely still in a bid to get the perfect shot from his tripod.

Further video shows him standing in front of the eruption with his hands on his head in awe as he takes the dramatic scenery in. Meanwhile later on, he opts to sit down surrounded by wildfires and lava.

The latest eruption is classified as a fissure eruption, which does not usually result in large explosions or a significant amount of ash in the stratosphere, the Icelandic government said in a statement late on Monday.

The eruption was triggered after a brand new volcanic fissure opened up on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula. It followed intense seismic activity in the area.

Earlier this week, officials warned of toxic gas and urged hikers to avoid the area. 'The police, after counsel from scientists, have decided to restrict access to the eruption site due to enormous and life-threatening toxic gas pollution,' the department of civil protection and emergency management said.

With his hood up, this photographer takes in the astonishing scenery as fountains of molten lava rock spew into the air

The adventurer also sat down on the mountain at one point among the wildfires and burning lava

The eruption was triggered after a brand new volcanic fissure opened up on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula

'For the next [few] hours, it is highly likely that gas will build up around the eruption site due to low wind. Those who have already undertaken the hike to the eruption site, or are already there, are strongly advised to leave the area,' it said on Monday night.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office still has a warning out which reads: 'Volcanic gas pollution can be expected from the eruption area and smoke from burning vegetation.'

The Met Office said that around 300 earthquakes have been recorded on the Reykjanes Peninsula - but most of these were 2.0 and 2.1 in magnitude.

Footage of the fissure shows the hot molten rock bubbling and spewing into the sky, while it has also caused devastating fires.

But the eruption has become less intense in recent days, with fewer smaller lava jets detected. Seismic activity has also decreased 'significantly'.

Experts are however keeping a close eye on the flow of lava, warning that conditions could change quickly.

Lava spurts and flows downhill after the eruption of a volcano in the Reykjanes Peninsula

Experts are keeping a close eye on the flow of lava, warning that conditions could change quickly

People watch the extraordinary volcanic eruption at Litli Hrutur, south-west of Reykjavik in Iceland

Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, averages an eruption every four to five years

The lava can cause wildfires in the area that significantly reduce air quality,' scientists wrote in the statement. 'New volcanic fissures can open without notice. Lava blocks can fall from the edge of the lava field. New lava can suddenly flow at high speeds from the edge.'

The area, known broadly as Fagradalsfjall volcano, has erupted twice in the last two years without causing damage or disruptions to flights, despite being near Keflavik Airport, Iceland's international air traffic hub.

A 2021 eruption in the same area produced lava flows for several months. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to see the spectacular sight.

Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, averages an eruption every four to five years.

The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe.

More than 100,000 flights were grounded, stranding millions of international travellers and halting air travel for days because of concerns the ash could damage jet engines.
President Joe Biden authorized the Pentagon to dispatch an additional 3,000 reserve troops to bolster European security, amid his return from a trip to NATO's eastern flank where he vowed to protect 'every inch' of NATO territory.

The White House released the order Thursday, on a day Biden rapped up a meeting with Nordic allies in Helsinki including Finland, the newest member of the 31-country NATO alliance while Russia's war on Ukraine rages.

'I hereby determine that it is necessary to augment the active Armed Forces of the United States for the effective conduct of Operation Atlantic Resolve in and around the United States European Commands area of responsibility,' Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

The units being deployed can't exceed 3,000, and not more than 450 can be members of the Individual Ready Reserve, according to the order.

President Joe Biden ordered the Pentagon to send an additional 3,000 reserves to Europe

The move comes after leaders of the alliance took new steps to bolster Ukraine's arsenal. The first cluster munitions authorized by the Pentagon have already begun arriving in Ukraine. France is now providing long-range missiles, and Biden indicated potential openness to the U.S. providing some as well.

The U.S. has already taken steps to bolster forces in the event Russia's war expands, sending about 1,000 troops to Lithuania, where Biden also visited this week.

Hours earlier, Biden stood side by side with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and vouched for the U.S. and NATO's commitment to mutual defense.

Biden delivered a speech in Lithuania where he spoke about confronting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

'I'm saying as sure as anything could possibly be said about American foreign policy, we will stay connected to NATO, connected to NATO beginning middle and end. We're a a transatlantic partnership,' he said at a press conference.

Biden vowed to protect 'every inch of NATO territory, and that includes Finland, obviously,' he said. After negotiations with Turkey, the group is also on track to admit Sweden.

As of last summer, the Defense Department had authorized or extended rotations of an additional 20,000 U.S. forces, even while sending billions of military equipment to Ukraine.

During his remarks in Finland, Biden had a blunt assessment of whether Putin could prevail in Ukraine or how long it might take to end the war.

'Putins already lost the war,' Biden said, amid tough fights by Ukraine to reclaim territory.

'There is no possibility of him winning,' Biden said.

He said Russia's resources would run out. 'But I cant predict exactly how that happens.'

Nevertheless, there are strains in the U.S. as well. Biden has said Ukraine is 'running out' of artillery shells, one reason he decided to provide deadly cluster munitions.

The Defense Authorization bill faces steep hurdles in the House amid infighting over abortion policies at the Pentagon, and where 70 Republicans voted not to provide additional funding to Ukraine.
However, he was released under investigation - until Fiona disappeared in June

A London man has been charged with the murder of two women, one who was stabbed to death on Valentines Day last year and another who went missing last month.

Carl Cooper appeared at Bromley Magistrate's Court on Friday, July 14 and was remanded in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on July 18, according to court staff.

The 65-year-old was was originally arrested and questioned over the fatal stabbing of Naomi Hunte, 41, in Woolwich on 18th February 2022.

However, he was bailed pending further investigations, before being released under investigation.

More than a year later, 48-year-old Fiona Holm went missing after last being seen at an off-licence in Bromley.

Carl Cooper has been charged with the murder of 41-year-old Naomi Hunte (pictured above), after being arrested on suspicion of the crime, then released, in February 2022

He has also been charged with the murder of 48-year-old Fiona Holm (pictured above), who went missing last month; her disappearance is being treated as a murder investigation due to how out-of-character it is and the amount of time since she was last seen alive

Both women were known to Cooper, of Broadfield Road near Hither Green in southeast London.

Naomi was found dead with a stab wound by the Metropolitan Police at an address in Congleton Grove, Woolwich just before 8.30pm on February 14 last year.

A post-mortem as Greenwich mortuary gave the stab wound as her cause of death.

More than a year later, Fiona was reported missing on June 29, having last been seen at a shop in Verdant Lane, Bromley, nine days earlier.

On July 3, Fiona's daughter Savannah posted her mother's picture on Facebook, saying her mother is "very vulnerable" and urging anyone who has seen or heard anything to let her know.

Fiona's disappearance was initially treated as a missing person case, but was transferred to the Met's Specialist Crime Command on July 11 due to the out of character nature it and the amount of time since she was last seen alive; it is now being treated as a murder investigation.

Cooper, who was not on bail at the time of Fiona's disappearance, was arrested on suspicion of her murder on July 11 and then charged with the murders of both women on July 13.

Searches are ongoing to find Fiona's body at addresses and open areas in southeast London.

Naomi was found dead with a stab wound at an address in Congleton Grove, Woolwich, on Valentine's Day last year

The families of both women have been updated and are being supported by specially trained officers.

The Mets Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed as is routine following the death of someone subject to a missing person investigation, Scotland Yard said.

Officers are appealing for anyone with any information relating to Fionas disappearance to contact police via 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 22MIS023317.

To remain 100% anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
A husband who found global fame with his wife after a dress bought for their wedding 'broke the internet' because people saw it as different colours is now accused of trying to kill his spouse.

Keir Johnston has appeared at the High Court in Glasgow after being charged with the attempted murder of Grace Johnston at a holiday home in March last year.

Johnston is accused of conducting a near 11-year campaign of domestic violence and coercive control before allegedly trying to kill her by pinning her down and compressing her neck.

The 38-year-old repeatedly assaulted his wife at their home on the Isle of Colonsay, in the Inner Hebrides, culminating in him brandishing a knife at her and attempting to strangle her, the court heard.

The couple, who are both from the island, gained worldwide fame following their 2015 wedding after the mother of the bride wore a dress that sparked a global phenomenon over its true colours - because millions saw it as black and blue, and millions of others saw white and gold.

Keir Johnston has appeared at the High Court in Glasgow after being charged with the attempted murder of his wife Grace (pictured together)

Internet sensation: This picture of this dress from their wedding was seen all over the world after going viral online because people saw it as black and blue - or white and gold

Nicknamed 'The Dress That Broke the Internet', it became a social media hit when it was first shared on Tumblr by wedding guest Caitlin McNeill, who appealed for help in solving the colour dilemma.

Celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift also shared it. The couple went on to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where they were handed $10,000 and a trip to Grenada after revealing on US TV was black and blue.

But now Johnston is in court accused of trying to murder his spouse. Johnston's charges include, between April 2019 and March 2022, pushing his wife against a wall, shouting at her and throttling her, before threatening to kill her and brandishing a knife towards her.

Nicknamed 'The Dress That Broke the Internet', it became a social media hit when it was first shared on Tumblr by wedding guest Caitlin McNeill, who appealed for help in solving the colour dilemma. Celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift also shared it. The couple went on to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where they were handed $10,000 and a trip to Grenada after revealing on US TV was black and blue

He is also alleged to have attempted to enter a vehicle that his wife was in, striking her through an open window in the vehicle.

Johnston also allegedly placed his wife in a headlock and dragged her from a pub after she refused to leave with him.

Further charges claim Johnston isolated his wife from her friends and monitored her movements and her finances, controlling the amount of money that she had access to.

When the couple first hit the headlines the image of the dress was generating up to 11,000 Tweets per minute under the hashtag '#TheDress'.

Following its initial popularity, the dress then featured in a domestic abuse campaign by the Salvation Army, who created an advert showing a bruised and beaten woman clad in a white and gold dress.

The poster features a tagline reading: 'Why is it so hard to see black and blue? The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in six women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women.'

Despite this, prosecutors claim that the couple's relationship crumbled. And there were a series of violent attacks by Johnston that led to the attempted murder of his wife. Johnston's behaviour allegedly culminated in a further accusation that on March 6 2022 he pinned his wife to the ground and sat astride her.

He then allegedly proceeded to repeatedly place his hands around her neck and compressing, restricting her breathing while making threats of violence.

He is then claimed to have threatened to kill her and brandished a knife at her, all to her injury and to the danger of her life.

The Crown say that the actions carried out by Johnston were with the intent to murder his wife.

The 38-year-old denies all charges against him, with the case continued for a further preliminary hearing ahead of a trial in 2024.
A major 'accident' at the world's largest uranium enrichment plant has left one person dead from an 'explosion'.

Yuri Slezkin, 65, died at the Ural Electrochemical Combine in Russia after a cylinder holding depleted uranium hexafluoride 'depressurised', the factory said.

State nuclear corporation Rosatom - which manages the plant - said the incident posed no threat to the health of people in the area.

They also denied any radioactive leakage outside of the plant, noting that depleted uranium is also less radioactive than natural uranium.

The explosion prompted the evacuation of workers at the site in Novouralsk

The Ural Electrochemical Combine is the world's largest uranium enrichment plant

The explosion prompted the evacuation of workers at the site in Novouralsk.

A report by E1 news outlet said: 'The situation is local in nature - it is dangerous only in the production area. The workshop staff were evacuated.'

A major clean-up operation is underway in the plant, said reports.

An investigation is also underway into the uranium plant 'explosion'.

'There is no danger of any kind for residents of the city of Novouralsk or the staff of the plant,' said the plant's deputy production manager, Yuri Mineyev.

He said that the factory was working normally.

The incident comes at a time when Russian strategic facilities have been hit by sabotage attacks.

When uranium is enriched, depleted uranium hexafluoride is formed.

The Russians said it 'does not pose a radiation hazard - its radioactivity is less than that of natural uranium'.

The plant provides 48 per cent of uranium enrichment separation capacity in Russia.

Urals Electrochemical Combine says it enriches uranium for use in nuclear power plants and is the largest of its kind in the world.

While a power plant uses nuclear fission to generate electricity, it cannot explode like an atom bomb.
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Brits abroad look to be making the most of the ongoing Cerberus heatwave currently sweeping Europe, even as experts warn temperatures across the continent could hit record breaking 48.8C temperatures.

Images from the British hotspot of Benidorm, Spain showed young men out enjoying beers by the beach while others sat out on sun loungers or rode around on mobility scooters.

In Portugal, holidaymakers chose to keep warm and carry on, photographed down on the beaches of the Algarve. Supermarkets had to stock up on additional supplies of water as tourists try to make the most of their holidays.

Holidaying in Albufeira, Emily, 35, from Leicestershire told MailOnline: 'I'll tell you how we keep cool - a magnum of Whispering Angel [rose wine].'

Stuart, 41, an engineer, from Newcastle, explained: 'We are only away for a few days without the kids so we are going to make the most of it.'

Back in Blighty, rain continues to pour down across the country including in London, Cardiff and Manchester.

British Holidaymakers pictured braving the heatwave in a pool in Benidorm today

Brits on holiday pose for a photo while having a drink on the Benidorm seafront

British holidaymakers were unmoved by the heat, pictured out on the beaches of Benidorm

Also in Benidorm: British holidaymakers were keen not to waste their holiday, despite the heat

People were seen out, tanning in the heat as Cerberus sweeps through the continent

A British holidaymaker protects his head from the sun as Europe swelters, in Benidorm

British holidaymakers cooling off during Spains heatwave in Benidorm today

Tourists in Benidorm were pictured sunbathing out in the open despite the heatwave

Back in the UK, Brits are far away from the sunshine with run pouring down across the country including in London, Cardiff and Manchester. It comes as the Met Office issued a number of warnings for wind and rain today and tomorrow. Pictured: A woman hides from the rain under her jacket in London on Friday

Britons across Europe are bracing themselves for record 48.8C temperatures after an anticyclone weather system from the Sahara desert called Cerberus expanded towards the Mediterranean.

Electrician Harry Turnbull told MailOnline he was grateful for the weather abroad: 'I love the heat. The hotter it is the better for me. It makes me happy.'

Harry, 22, from Bolton, Lancs, is on holiday with his father David Turnbull, 47.

Sun-lover David Campbell cools off by regularly dousing himself with water.

David, 61, a service engineer from Manchester, who is on holiday with wife Gale said: 'I love the sun but this is really too hot.

'I like to feel the rays on my skin but I have to cool off.

'We've been here for almost two weeks now and it has been hot every day. I love it.'

A group of French students told how the weather was easier to deal with than the stifling temperatures of the city.

Matilde told MailOnline: 'We love it! it is hot but there is a breeze so that is cooling.

'It is the same temperature in Paris but the heat is stifling there. Here it is much fresher.'

Matilde, 21, from Paris, was on holiday with friends, Marie, 20, Lea, 20, Adele, 21.

British holidaymakers are seek keeping warm and carrying on in Benidorm, today

British holidaymakers shelter from the sun on holiday in Benidorm, Spain, on 14 July 2023

Brits relax in the shade on the beach despite the scorching heatwave, in Albufeira, The Algarve

Ventilation engineer James Holland told MailOnline: 'The heat has been extreme. We can barely go out because it's so hot. Yesterday we had to go back to the apartment because the kids were getting heat stroke. Abbie almost passed out!' Pictured: James Holland with his daughter Abbie and partner Lesley-Anne

Sunworshippers Lisa and Stuart Henderson (pictured) revealed how the heat was even getting too much for them

Others report the heat is starting to get a bit much.

James, 43, from Ayr, Scotland, is on holiday with his partner Lesley-Anne, 44 and two children.

He added: 'We like to do activities when we are on holiday but it's just not possible.

'We went to the supermarket yesterday and that was too much!'

Kendra Miller, 62, told MailOnline: 'It's been flaming hot. My husband likes to go for a walk in the afternoon, but I can't do it. it's just too hot.

'I was sitting on the balcony yesterday but it had to go in and have a lie down because the heat was just unbearable.

'We went down the beach at lunch-time but we only lasted about half an hour.'

Kendra, from Middlesborough, is on holiday with her husband Pat Miller, an engineer.

She added: 'We're here for a week. We've been before, but it was not like this. It was like 28 degrees at 10 o'clock in the morning. It's been a real struggle.

Sunworshippers Lisa and Stuart Henderson revealed how the heat was even getting too much for them.

Lisa 40, told MailOnline: 'We like it hot but it's even been a bit tricky for us. Last night it was 31 degrees at the hotel when we were having our tea.

'There is a lot of shade at the hotel so you can keep out of the worst of it but it really is hot. We are going to try the beach today.

'And if I can cope with 50 degrees in Dubai I should be ok here.'

A local supermarket has had to order in extra supplies of water to cope with the increased demand by tourists to keep hydrated.

Kendra, from Middlesbrough, is on holiday with her husband Pat Miller, an engineer. Kendra Miller, 62, told MailOnline: 'It's been flaming hot. My husband likes to go for a walk in the afternoon, but I can't do it. it's just too hot.'

British tourists cool off in the sea at a beach in Albufeira, Portugal, on Friday

A local supermarket has had to order in extra supplies of water to cope with the increased demand by tourists to keep hydrated

It has become so hot in Albufeira that many of the beaches have been left deserted, with sun loungers left empty

Dennis and Tracey Doherty from Luton have come to Albufeira for their honeymoon but they can only last half an hour on the beach

Lucy McManus, 28, from London, (pictured left with her parents Damian and Karen) told MailOnline: 'It's just so hot. This is got to be the hottest place I've ever been on holiday. It must have been 40 degrees yesterday

Meanwhile, Tracey from Luton told MailOnline: 'We've both got such pale skin that we can't stay out in the sun without getting burnt.

'We love being by the sea. But we can only last about half an hour before we have to go back into the shade.'

Mum Jane from Stockport has had to stay covered up after getting burnt.

She told MailOnline: 'I burnt my shoulders really badly. Now I have to keep a t-shirt on.'

Her daughter Grace, 20, added: 'We've popped down to the beach this morning but we couldn't stay long.'

One family described how they were forced indoors after their daughter suffered sun-stroke.

And another holiday-maker revealed she was rendered almost unconscious after sitting on her balcony for just half an hour.

Ventilation engineer James Holland told MailOnline: 'The heat has been extreme. We can barely go out because it's so hot. Yesterday we had to go back to the apartment because the kids were getting heat stroke. Abbie almost passed out!

'We went to the beach but there is no shade anywhere and they wanted Euro 60 for four sunbeds.'

Sun-lover David Campbell cools off by regularly dousing himself with water (pictured)

Sun-lover David Campbell cools off by regularly dousing himself with water (pictured)

Lancashire Hotspot: Electrician Harry Turnbull, from Bolton, told MailOnline: 'I love the heat. The hotter it is the better for me. It makes me happy.' Harry, 22, is on holiday with his father David Turnbull, 47 (pictured together)

A group of French students told how the weather was easier to deal with than the stifling temperatures of the city. Pictured: French students Matilde, Marie, Adele and Lea

Lucy McManus, 28, from London, told MailOnline: 'It's just so hot. This is got to be the hottest place I've ever been on holiday. It must have been 40 degrees yesterday.

'It's not comfortable at all.

'I'm here with my grandparents and they are finding it really difficult. It's so hot they are finding it hard to walk around.

'So we are all staying in the shade.

'We were planning to go out on a boat today but we've had to cancel because we are worried about getting sun-burnt.'

Her dad Dennis, 61, added: 'We've been having lots of cold drinks and ice-creams to cool down.'

Dennis and Tracey Doherty from Luton have come to Albufeira for their honeymoon but they can only last half an hour on the beach.
Activists were mocked online for their 'baffling' protest in Oxford Street shop

Just Stop Oil eco clowns were completely ignored by shoppers today as they staged a bizarre silent protest at John Lewis in what one person described as the 'most baffling middle class thing I've ever seen'.

In scenes that have been branded 'hilarious', about 25 activists 'marched' through the department store in Oxford Street, central London.

Activists took over three floors of the retailer, which was the latest outlet to be targeted by the eco warriors as part of its campaign of mayhem in the capital.

Standing silently, campaigners dangled orange banners from the railings and held placards, with one appearing to saunter into the video with a bag for life. Later, one armed with a megaphone started ranting at customers.

But protesters' hopes of eliciting some sort of reaction from shoppers appeared to fall flat, with customers simply getting on with their shopping and a couple of women not even glancing at the group as they strolled past demonstrators.

Just Stop Oil were mocked by Twitter users after sharing the footage online, with people accusing the rabble of protesting in the shop to 'avoid the rain'.

Dozens of activists from Just Stop Oil were pictured protesting in Oxford Street's John Lewis store in London today

Carrying banners and signs, the eco mob took over three floors of the department store in their latest baffling shop protest

Social media users lashed out at the protesters today, with one branding the demonstration the 'most baffling middle-class thing' ever

Speaking of the video, one man tweeted: 'This is the most baffling middle class thing I've ever seen. Literally no-one in the shop cares! Hilarious.'

The demonstration is the latest in a string of surreal protests which have seen Just Stop Oil zealots targeting high street stores across the capital.

READ MORE: Just Stop Oil eco zealot with a TAG on her ankle is seen being led away by police - as angry motorists resort to driving around activists and over pavements during yet another slow march Advertisement

On Thursday, members of the eco mob were filmed staging a protest in Selfridges - before being chucked out by security.

The rabble of activists were seen being escorted out the renowned Oxford Street store by guards in suits, who told the activists: 'You're trespassing.'

At one point, a small scuffle appears to break out as one of the protesters was shoved onto the elevator.

'Easy, easy, there's no need to get violent,' shouted one man.

The day before, on Wednesday, the group was out again, this time moaning at shoppers in the Barbie aisle of Hamleys toy store.

Just Stop Oil activist Lora Johnson - who was yesterday filmed being detained by police with a tag attached to her ankle - was among those taking part in the Hamley's display.

The mother from Southwold, in Suffolk left customers at the iconic store perplexed as she stood at the top of an escalator and shouted 'I want my son to grow old and die in his bed' while raging about climate change.

She was back today at the protest in John Lewis, once again shouting at shoppers using a mega phone. 'Two years ago it was a code red for humanity,' she yelled. 'Forty degree heat in the UK is not normal.'

Just Stop Oil activist Lora Johnson was filmed using a mega phone to yell at customers in John Lewis on Friday. It came after she staged a similar protest in the Barbie aisle of Hamley toy store earlier in the week

About 25 Just Stop Oil protesters took part in today's demonstration inside John Lewis

Earlier, the group staged a baffling protest at the Hamleys toy store in London. Pictured is Lora Johnson, who says she was demonstrating for her son's future

And last week, the group performed a bizarre escalator stunt in Harrods before being thrown out of security.

Speaking of the slew of shop demonstrations, a spokesman from the group insisted it was all about promoting 'discourse' about their efforts to raise awareness of climate change.

'We dont take action in any of these shops because we dislike them. Its about forcing public discourse,' the spokesman told MailOnline.

'Were at a pretty critical precipice. Last week the record temperature for the plant was broken not once, or twice but three times. The secretary general of the United Nations says there is a climate crisis.

'If its this bad in 2022 how bad is 2050 going to look if we continue on this path. Its a pretty unsettling.'

Asked whether he felt today's display in John Lewis - which was largely ignored by customers - was working, the spokesman added: 'Is it working? Well, you're writing about it in the Mail, aren't you.'

Yesterday, Just Stop Oil protesters were pictured staging another protest in Selfridges

The protesters were filmed wearing their orange hi-vis jackets before they were ejected from the shop

As well as protesting in the Oxford Street store, activists once again took to blocking roads across the capital with their latest round of tiresome slow marches.

About 30 eco clowns marched in through Marylebone Road, in central London, causing rush hour mayhem before they were forced off the highway by police.

Activists then split into smaller groups marching in Gloucester Road, Chapel Street, Westminster, and Orchard Street and Paddington Street, Marylebone between 9am and 10am.

Demonstrators also held up traffic in Edgware Road and around Marble Arch.

On all occasion, the Met Police said activists complied with Section 12 orders demanding they leave the highway.

No arrests have been made so far.

Today's action is the 12th week of continuous protest in London by the climate change group.
A Japanese nuclear disaster on September 30, 1999, was the world's worst since Chernobyl, and left the world's 'most radioactive' man with 'melted skin.'

That victim was Hisashi Ouchi, a worker at the uranium processing plant in Tokaimura - 70 miles northeast of Tokyo - who was exposed to a massive dose of radiation resulting in severe burns.

This was to be the first of 83 days of unimaginable suffering in critical condition for the 35-year-old who died on December 21, after begging doctors to stop treating him months earlier.

The accident was a result of a series of fatal mistakes while he and his colleagues were preparing uranium for use as reactor fuel in the privately-run plant, including carrying the uranium in buckets, and not wearing appropriate protective equipment.

Technicians Ouchi and Masato Shinohara, with supervisor Yutaka Yokokawa, were speeding up the conversion process by putting 16kg of uranium in a vat which had a maximum limit of 2.4kg, when a chain-reaction was caused as Ouchi was 'draped over' the tank.

Hisashi Ouchi was 'draped over' a vat of uranium when a nuclear chain reaction occurred at Tokaimura's nuclear fuel processing plant in Japan

He was rushed to hospital, where he would spend 83 agonising days before his death

The deaths of Ouchi and fellow technician Masato Shinohara led to the introduction of new legislation in Japan around safety laws in the nuclear energy industry

He was exposed to 17 Sieverts of radiation - for comparison, emergency responders at Chernobyl were exposed to 0.25 - over double what is seen as a lethal dose.

That is also the record amount of radiation in any living person, making him the most irradiated man ever, sometimes referred to as the world's 'most radioactive.'

He and his co-workers reported seeing a blue flash above the vat, the indication that a reaction similar to that inside an atomic bomb has happened, releasing deadly neutron radiation.

The colleagues rapidly lost consciousness as alarms blared inside the plant and radiation levels shot to 4,000 times typical levels.

The surrounding area was evacuated, with many not having even been aware that the unassuming building was a nuclear facility.

Ouchi was rushed to the University of Tokyo Hospital, where doctors found that he had almost no white blood cells and was in need of extensive skin grafts and multiple blood transfusions.

Local reports at the time claimed that he was also left 'crying blood,' and begged doctors to stop treating him.

However, he was resuscitated after multiple heart attacks on his 59th day in hospital.

Ouchi eventually died on December 21, 1999, and a few months later in April 2000 Shinohara, his fellow technician, died of multiple organ failure aged 40.

Yokokawa - the supervisor - was also hospitalised, but released after three months with minor radiation sickness.

He later faced charges of professional negligence in October 2000, along with five other JCO officials, who all pled guilty in April 2001.

JCO later paid $121 million to settle 6,875 compensation claims from people and businesses who had suffered from or been exposed to radiation, and also lost its credentials for running nuclear plants.

The incident also initiated a series of new legislation in Japan, aimed at tightening requirements around operational safety in the nuclear energy industry.
A female student from a British university has been shot by armed robbers during a terrifying car hijacking in South Africa.

The 21-year-old - who is understood to be of Dutch origin - and two other female tourists had their car forced off the road by masked gunmen while they were driving to their accommodation outside the Kruger.

Two of the volunteers were shot through the doors as at least four bullets smashed the windscreen and windows, showering all three students with flying glass.

The gang then tore open the door of their Suzuki Cherry and drove the girls to a quiet spot near White River, 25 miles from the notorious Numbi Gate at the national park in Mpumalanga Province.

The shocking attack on the three women, who were set to start a photography internship, is being treated by South African Police as attempted murder.

A female student from a British university has been shot by armed robbers during a terrifying car hijacking near the notorious Numbi Gate (pictured) into the Kruger National Park

All three had signed up for a month-long 3,750 Photography and Wildlife Conservation Course with African Impact. (File image of volunteers with African Impact)

All three had signed up for a month-long 3,750 Photography and Wildlife Conservation Course with African Impact, who organise volunteer internships throughout Africa.

The three balaclava-clad gunmen stole their luggage, camera equipment and laptops worth thousands of pounds along with mobile phones, cash, valuables and jewellery.

The two girls who were shot were left bleeding from their bullet wounds whilst stranded on a dirt track in the dark.

The other volunteer who avoided gunfire took the wheel of the Suzuki and drove to find help and pulled over at the Timrite Yaverland sawmill just outside White River when she saw security guards.

Emergency ER24 paramedics were called to the scene and the two victims with gunshot wounds were stabilised. All three were treated for cuts from the flying glass caused by the bullets.

All were also treated for shock and taken to the Nelspruit Mediclinic at Mbombela and it is believed the two students who were shot have now returned to their volunteering.

The injured UK student is believed to originally be from the Netherlands but she went to school and university in England.

The other shot student is believed to be from Utrecht in the Netherlands. She is understood to have volunteered to work with animals in conservation abroad before, including in Peru.

Emergency ER24 paramedics were called to the scene and the two victims with gunshot wounds were stabilised and all three were treated for cuts from the flying glass caused by the bullets. Pictured: Kruger National Park

South African Police confirmed 'numerous' shots were fired at the girls and ER24 paramedics were called to the Timrite Sawmills to treat two of the traumatised tourists for bullet wounds.

This is not the first time people have been targeted near to the Numbi Gate. One German tourist was shot dead driving there in October last year.

The man, his wife and another German couple were ambushed when a car swerved in front of them. When the man tried to reverse he was murdered. Three men aged between 25 and 38 have been arrested and charged with the murder.

And in January last year, a South African woman driving out of the Numbi Gate with her two children came under fire from three masked gunmen.

The woman was heading home to Pretoria with her two children when a dozen bullets hit her vehicle and her daughter was shot twice in the leg, but they escaped.

In the latest attack, the three girls were about 25 miles from the Numbi Gate but it shuts at sunset so it would appear they were driving to accommodation for the night outside the Kruger.

The latest chilling ambush on tourists driving to the Kruger National Park is a blow to the local Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, who are desperate to protect vital tourism.

John Meintjes of ACS Security whose guards at Timrite Sawmills were approached by the victims shortly after they were hijacked said: 'They were hysterical and had been shot at.

'They told my staff they had been robbed by three gunmen and two were shot in the leg and the other hit by glass and the guards gave first aid while waiting for an ambulance.

The latest chilling ambush on tourists driving to the Kruger National Park is a blow to the local Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency who are desperate to protect vital tourism. Pictured: Lanner Gorge in the Kruger National Park

'The girls were very worried the gunmen would come back again but the guards were in control - but the robbers had taken everything of value they had in their car' he said.

It is believed the three girls had signed up for the one-month-long Photography and Wildlife Conservation internship programme which was being run by the NGO African Impact.

African Impact provides volunteers with 'life-changing experiences' throughout Africa.

The three volunteers would have been working under a professional photographer learning the skills of how to capture wildlife through the lens and how to edit and present images.

A South African Police spokesman said the shootings happened at 7.30pm on June 30 last month and that a security guard at the sawmills heard at least four shots being fired.

He said: 'A Suzuki parked at the sawmill a few minutes later and 3 white females came out of the vehicle crying for help and said that they had been shot by unknown suspects.

'They took all their belongings and there were two victims who had been shot and were taken to hospital with serious injuries and it is being treated as attempted murder.

'No arrests have been made as yet of the suspects who were in a silver VW Polo' he said.

The Lowvelder newspaper reported that African Impact headquarters in South Africa had confirmed the incident but refused to comment further referring press calls to their UK location.

Greg Bows, Founder of African Impact, said: 'This was obviously a horrifying ordeal for our volunteers to go through while they were enjoying some free time a few hours' drive from our project base. Understandably they, their parents and the whole group were left deeply shocked by what happened.

'As an organisation our focus is on helping support the three volunteers involved and their families as best we can, as well as the whole project group, including providing professional trauma support to anyone who needs it. We continue to work closely with the police and other relevant authorities as they investigate.

'I'm pleased to report that in the weeks since it happened, the volunteers have returned to the volunteer base and have got back into their volunteering work as soon as they felt ready.'
Kevin Spacey today told a sexual assault trial that grabbing a man's crotch is 'generally not a first move' he would make when meeting them - and accused one alleged victim of lying for 'money, money and then money'.

The Oscar-winning actor faced further questions at Southwark Crown Court on Friday as the prosecution's cross-examination of the Hollywood star began.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC first asked Spacey whether the 'crotch grab' was something that he would 'normally do to someone you had met for the first time'.

Spacey replied: 'No.'

Questioned on whether it was something he had done before that had worked, and that he considered it a 'trademark', Spacey replied: 'No. Let me put it this way, it is the term "grabbing a crotch" or "groping a crotch" that I object to.'

Kevin Spacey (pictured outside Southwark Crown Court today) told a sexual assault trial that grabbing a man's crotch is 'generally not a first move' he would make when meeting them

Court artist sketch of Spacey being cross=examined by Christine Agnew KC at Southwark Crown Court today

When Ms Agnew asked Spacey whether he considered a crotch grab to be an 'appropriate' first move, the actor replied: 'That's generally not a first move.'

Spacey denies charges including sexual assault and indecent assault.

He told the court he was 'sure if I wanted to I could have sex all the time, but I didn't' when asked if his status made it easy for him to 'pick up people'.

Spacey also told jurors at Southwark Crown Court that he is an 'affectionate person'.

He agreed that he might give someone a hug after making a 'first move'.

Questioned on what 'moves' would be appropriate, the Hollywood actor said: 'Every encounter that we have as humans, that I have had, is unique. The circumstance is unique, the person is unique, and how we have interacted is unique.

'I can't give you a sort of rundown of what always happens, it's always different.'

Responding to the suggestion that he might have 'ignored' signs from the four complainants, Spacey said he 'definitely misread' signs from one complainant who rejected an alleged sexual grab at an expensive property he was staying at in the Cotswolds in the early 2010s.

The actor added that he had 'consensual interactions' with two other complainants - one who drove him to a lavish showbiz party in the early 2000s and an aspiring actor who claimed Spacey had 'drugged' him before waking up to find the defendant performing a sex act on him.

Referring to the complainant who alleged Spacey grabbed his crotch 'like a cobra' after meeting him at a West End theatre in the mid-2000s, the actor said: 'He has made up his entire story from beginning to end.'

Spacey told the court his alleged victims 'did not let me know' if they went further with him than they intended.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC asked the defendant: 'Do you think that you might have misinterpreted what they were doing or saying?'

'If they went further than they wanted... they did not let me know that.'

Spacey said it 'seems that they regretted what they did at a later time'.

Questioned on whether he thought people were tempted by his approaches because of 'who you are', Spacey said: 'I hope they liked me because they liked me, not because of who I am.'

Ms Agnew then asked: 'You must have been aware that you were an extremely famous person?'

Spacey replied: 'Yes, but I don't go through my life thinking about that.'

Continuing to give evidence during cross-examination, Kevin Spacey told the jury at Southwark Crown Court: 'I was a very fortunate actor who got some very remarkable film roles.'

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC said: 'You received two Oscars by the time you were in the UK?'

Spacey replied: 'Yes.'

He told the jury he had received 'a lot of letters from people who wanted to reach out to me', adding that many were 'lovely' and 'intelligently written'.

Spacey said: 'I always believed in supporting emerging talents... because I was the recipient of it when I was starting out.'

Continuing to question Spacey, prosecutor Christine Agnew KC then asked: 'Did you ever feel lonely in those years?'

'Of course,' Spacey answered.

Ms Agnew continued: 'Did you then reach out to people sexually in order to ease that burden?'

Spacey replied: 'Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did.'

Asked if he found a 'thrill' out of taking 'sexual risks' such as one-night stands, Spacey responded by saying he was 'open' about the times he had been 'promiscuous'.

'It doesn't make me a bad person,' the actor added.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC then asked Kevin Spacey: 'Have you found that due to your status and position, people normally did what you wanted them to do?'

'No,' Spacey replied.

Ms Agnew went on: 'You didn't find it easier to pick up people because of who you are?'

Spacey answered: 'I found it harder to trust people because of who I was.'

After the prosecutor asked the same question again, the actor responded: 'I am sure if I wanted to I could have had sex all the time, but I didn't.'

Spacey told jurors he had made efforts to find out where he was at the time alleged offences took place

Spacey said he was 'attracted to masculine men' but when asked about whether he was attracted to straight men, Spacey replied: 'How would I know if they were straight or not?

'I can certainly tell you that there have been men in my life who said they were straight who I ended up having a sexual experience with. I don't know if someone is gay or straight by looking at them.'

Kevin Spacey has accused the prosecution of having a 'weak' case.

One complainant, an aspiring actor, previously told the court of an incident in the late 2000s where 'things went further' - claiming Spacey had 'drugged' him before waking up to find the defendant performing a sex act on him.

Spacey said: 'We were in a romantic situation. I don't know who made the first move, but we were consensually together in a romantic situation.

'He did not fall asleep and I did not perform (a sex act) on him while he was asleep, despite what he has shockingly accused me of.'

When prosecutor Christine Agnew KC suggested that the complainant was asleep, Spacey said: 'That's your theory.'

'Well that is the prosecution case,' Ms Agnew said.

Spacey replied: 'And it's a weak one.'

Responding to prosecution accusations that the 'truth' is he 'sexually assaulted' the man, Spacey said: 'I have denied that.

'I continue denying that and it is not true.'

He called the allegations 'completely wrong and upsetting'.

Spacey denied trying to prevent the complainant from telling anyone about what allegedly transpired between them.

Spacey also suggested to the jury that a complainant lied in accusations against him for 'money, money and then money'.

He is alleged to have grabbed another man's crotch 'like a cobra' after meeting him at a West End theatre in the mid-2000s following an alleged 'barrage of vile comments'.

Spacey said on Friday: 'I do not accept a single word that comes out of his mouth.'

Asked why the complainant would be lying, Spacey said: 'Money, money and then money.

'And I also believe he has for whatever reason, anger towards me.

'I mean, maybe I wasn't as lovely to him as he would have hoped if we met on that day and maybe he was upset about other things with respect to my sexuality.'

Responding to whether or not he had made 'vile comments' towards a man he met in a West End theatre in the mid-2000s, Kevin Spacey said there were 'deeply personal' reasons why he would not do such a thing.

After it was put to him that he assaulted the man, Spacey replied: 'Absolute b*****ks'.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC then said: 'Because that's exactly where you did grab him, isn't it?'

'Really?' Spacey replied before turning to the judge to ask: 'Did he accuse me of grabbing his b*****ks?'

The defendant eventually said: 'I did not.'

Spacey also told a jury that he did not have a 'power wand' that he used to get people to go to bed with him.

Asked if he agrees whether he is a powerful man, he told the court: 'I would agree that I have used the position that I gratefully found myself in to help others to create art, to try to bring the Old Vic back to its magical days.

'That is what used my power [for].'

Spacey added that he 'did not have a power wand that [he] waved in front of people's faces' whenever he wanted someone to go to bed with him.

'I respect when people tell me they are not interested,' he added.

The trial continues.
President Joe Biden will forgive $39 billion in student debt for 804,000 Americans - two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down his $430 billion relief plan because it was unconstitutional.

In a move called a 'slap in the face' to taxpayers, borrowers who have been making payments for between 20 and 25 years will have their debts wiped due to 'fixes' in the system that calculates repayment plans.

The plan fixes 'past administrative failures' on income-driven payment. Under the Higher Education Act, borrowers with these eligible plans can have their loans forgiven after making 240 or 300 monthly payments,

The president has continued his push to wipe billions in student debt, despite anger from taxpayers and Americans who have never been to college.

The landmark Supreme Court decision dealt his plan a huge blow, but the White House has vowed to plow ahead to get widespread relief.

Critics slammed the 'absurd' announcement and called it a 'slap in the face to taxpayers'.

President Joe Biden will forgive $ 39 billion in student debt for 804,000 Americans - weeks after the Supreme Court struck down his multi-billion dollar relief plan. Biden is pictured returning from Europe on Thursday night

David Williams, President of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, told DailyMail.com: 'This new announcement is absurd and is a slap in the face to taxpayers.

'The Biden administration is hell bent on recklessly spending hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars bailing out wealthy student loan borrowers, even after being rebuked by the countrys highest court.

'More than 80 percent of the country that doesnt have student loans will be forced to subsidize the small percentage of Americans that do have loans. And, once again, the Biden administration is circumventing Congress.

'Whether its mission creep by agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission with politically motivated antitrust lawsuits, the Securities and Exchange Commission with ESG rules, or the latest Department of Education ending with student loans, these actions must be stopped immediately.'

Poll Do you agree with the Biden administration's latest student debt forgiveness? Yes No Do you agree with the Biden administration's latest student debt forgiveness? Yes 103 votes

No 760 votes Now share your opinion





'For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,' said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

'Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking another historic step to right these wrongs and announcing $39 billion in debt relief for another 804,000 borrowers.

The Supreme Court justices ruled in a 6-3 decision that the Education Secretary had no authority to wipe the debts of 20 million borrowers.

It followed fury from taxpayers who have never been to college and Republicans claiming middle-class Americans were funding a bailout for students.

Under Biden's plan, those making less than $125,000 a year would have gotten $10,000 relief while Pell Grant recipients would have gotten $20,000 wiped.

The justices in the majority ruled that Biden should have gotten Congress's approval first.

It sparked Biden to start plotting a new way to wipe the debts of millions of Americans and keep a promise he made during his presidential campaign.

'By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who their colleges cheated, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans,' Cardona added.

'This Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education'.

'These fixes are part of the Departments commitment to address historical failures in the administration of the Federal student loan program in which qualifying payments made under IDR plans that should have moved borrowers closer to forgiveness were not accounted for," the Department of Education guidance said.

'Borrowers are eligible for forgiveness if they have accumulated the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years of qualifying months.'

Vice President Kamala Harris said: 'President Joe Biden and I are committed to delivering relief to student loan debt borrowers to help them move forward with their lives  whether they want to start a family, buy a home, or become an entrepreneur.

'Today, we are taking another historic step by forgiving $39 billion in student loan debt for 804,000 borrowers who have been paying down their debts for 20 years or more and should qualify for relief.

The Supreme Court justices ruled in a 6-3 decision that the Education Secretary had no authority to wipe the debts of 20 million borrowers

'Instead, loan servicers placed many into forbearance in violation of the rules, and others did not get appropriate credit for their monthly payments.

'Addressing these harmful practices and reducing student loan debt has been a priority throughout my career. As California Attorney General, I won $1 billion for defrauded veterans and students by taking on predatory for-profit colleges.

'We will not stop there. Last month, President Biden announced we are pursuing an alternative path to provide relief through the Higher Education Act, and we finalized our new income-driven repayment plan  which will cut monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans. Our Administration will continue to fight to make sure Americans can access high-quality postsecondary education without taking on the burden of unmanageable student loan debt.'
A young man has blasted police after he was dragged out of his Hyundai and punched and kicked by several officers during a dramatic daylight arrest.

Riley James McBride, 21, claims he was cooperating with Queensland Police officers during his arrest in Logan, south of Brisbane, on Thursday.

The claims come after McBride pleaded guilty to various offences including dangerous driving and unlawful possession of a weapon at Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday.

Dramatic vision of the arrest outside a service station showed two officers pulling McBride from his blue Hyundai before raining blows to his head and chest.

As another officer joins the scuffle, McBride is tackled to the ground.

'They put knees to my head [and put my] face to the ground, they kept slamming it and punching me and I was compliant with them,' McBride told 7News.

'I was trying to do what they asked me to do and they were being brutal as.'

Dramatic vision (pictured) of the arrest showed three officers punching, kicking and kneeling 21-year-old Riley James McBride in Logan, south of Brisbane

'I was trying to do what they asked me to do and they were being brutal as,' McBride said

McBride said his arm and the side of his face were now swollen after the incident.

Queensland Police said the Woodridge man had been spotted allegedly driving dangerously on Lake Road and throwing a knife at an off-duty officer.

'I threw a bit of metal at him, he reckons I threw a knife at him,' McBride said.

Officers tracked McBride to a petrol station on Compton Road where police allege he collided with two vehicles, one a police car, as he attempted to flee.

Dashcam vision shows the 21-year-old ramming into two vehicles before officers are seen removing him from the Hyundai and putting him on the ground.

Queensland Police said an off-duty officer had spotted the Woodridge man driving dangerously on Lake Road and would later allege he threw a knife at him

'During a subsequent search of the vehicle police allegedly located a number of weapons,' a police statement said.

McBride was charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a weapon, obstruct police, possessing tainted property and learner driver driving unaccompanied and without displaying L-plates.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to all offences and copped a $500 fine.

Police will continue to review the matter while investigations are ongoing.
The pair, who met as college roommates, are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in funding

The former Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder plan to set up their own venture using free Twitter videos and subscriptions, the Wall Street Journal reported

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson is looking to set up his own media company potentially using Twitter as its main platform, it has been reported.

Carlson, 54, is planning the venture with Neil Patel, a former policy adviser to Dick Cheney, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

The pair, who met as roommates at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, want to adopt longer versions of the free videos the social media platform offers.

Carlson's team met with Twitter representatives in recent weeks to discuss their plans, the Journal reported.

Conservative commentators, including other former Fox News hosts Megyn Kelly and Bill O'Reilly, have increasingly sought subscriber-funded long-form video as a lucrative business opportunity.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson is planning a new media venture with his former roommate and business partner

Neil Patel, a former policy adviser to Dick Cheney, was once roommates with Carlson at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut

Carlson and Patel's move could serve as a test case for Twitter's video ambitions and desire to attract content creators to the platform under Elon Musk.

Carlson has been posting videos on Twitter since his departure from Fox News in April, though he remains under a multi-year contract with the channel.

In the weeks after his popular show was cancelled Carlson announced he would bring a version of his segment to Twitter.

In June the presenter was sent a cease-and-desist letter from Fox but Carlson's lawyer hit back saying he would 'not be silenced by anyone.'

Now Carlson and Patel are looking to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fund their planned new project, sources told The Journal.

Viewers would be able to access free shorter clips the company produced, but would need a subscription to view see the full content.

Carlson and Patel have worked together before, founding the conservative Daily Caller news site in 2010.

They have already lined up potential financiers as well as lawyers and media strategists to work on the company, according to the Journal.

Carlson and Patel have worked together before, founding the conservative Daily Caller news site in 2010

Carlson and Patel's (pictured at the Daily Caller offices in 2010) move could serve as a test case for Twitter's video ambitions and desire to attract content creators to the platform under Elon Musk

Tucker Carlson's Fox News show was cancelled by the network in April, days after the company settled its lawsuit with Dominion

Carlson's team has met representatives of Musk's Twitter to discuss the business plans, the Journal reported

The new company would have its own website and app and is looking for other homes for its content beyond Twitter, sources said.

Other conservative commentators including Kelly and O'Reilly have gone on to create their own media businesses after leaving Fox.

Both signed deals with Red Seat Ventures, and the Journal reported that Carlson's team is also in talks with the company.

Carlson was fired from Fox News days after the network settled its its legal fight with Dominion Voting Systems over defamation allegations over the 2020 election for $787.5 million.

The presenter later told comedian Russell Brand that he 'doesn't know' why the network gave him the boot.

Speaking on Brand's Stay Free podcast Carlson revealed: 'I don't know why I was fired. I really don't. I'm not angry about it. I wish Fox well,' adding that it came with the territory of working in media.

During the July interview Carlson said he was not being paid by Twitter owner Elon Musk for his broadcasts on the social media platform.

'What social media offers in the short term is an audience and a reason to write,' Carlson said.
A suspect has been arrested more than a decade after a prostitute's terrified 911 call led police to 10 bodies that had been dumped along a barren three-mile stretch of Long Island coastline.

The murders puzzled the Suffolk County Police Department and frustrated family members of the victims for years. There were no developments in the case until New York City architect Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested as a suspect at his Manhattan office Thursday night.

However, police sources have said Heuermann is being looked at for the killings of the first bodies found - known as the Gilgo Beach four - and not the additional six that were uncovered afterwards.

The serial killer riddle began with the search for 23-year-old Shannan Gilbert, an escort from New Jersey who had vanished in 2010 after making a frantic 911 call.

A confused Gilbert was heard claiming that someone was trying to kill her before she went missing on May 1 near Oak Beach.

'Something is going to happen to me,' she said on the call.

'Theres somebody after me, I dont know where I am. I am inside a house. I dont know where I am. Can you trace where I am?'

Neighbors of the area later said they saw her knocking on several doors before vanishing.

As police looked for Gilbert in the beach community where she was last seen, they encountered the bodies and partial remains of other women who had been dumped by the Gilgo Beach shore.

Most of the victims were prostitutes with petite frames and green or hazel eyes.

The mystery began with the search for 23-year-old Shannan Gilbert, an escort from New Jersey who had vanished in May 2010 after making a frantic 911

THE VICTIMS

The first body found was that of 24-year-old Melissa Barthelemy from the Bronx, New York. She was discovered by Suffolk County Police on December 11, 2010.

Barthelemy worked as an escort and was known to meet clients on Manhattans West Side. The night she vanished, on July 12, 2009, she had told a friend she was going to see a man and would be back in the morning.

Not long after she vanished, Barthelemy's then-16-year-old sister began receiving calls from her phone. On the other end of the line was a man's voice who told her her older sister was dead and threatened the teen. At least one of the calls came from Penn Station in Manhattan, according to police.

Two days after Bathelemy's body was found, investigators located the remains of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, from Connecticut, Megan Waterman, 22, from Maine, and Amber Costello, 27.

They were all found two days later nearby within 500 feet of each other.

Known as the 'Gilgo Beach four,' the four bodies were not buried and stuffed in burlap sacks.

Brainard-Barnes, a prostitute, was last seen after taking an Amtrak train from New London, Connecticut, to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan in 2007.

Costello, also a sex worker as well as a heroin addict, and was last seen leaving her home in September, 2010, just two months before her body was found.

Waterman, an escort and mom-of-one and was last seen on June 6, 2010 boarding a New York-bound Concord Trailways.

The first victim, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was discovered by Suffolk County Police on December 11, 2010. The body of Megan Waterman, 22, was found tow days later

Maureen Brainard-Barnes was 25 years old when she went missing (left). Amber Lynn Costello was 27 years old. Their bodies were found near Barthelemy's the same day

The victims were not identified until the next year. Some of the four had been missing for three years by the time their bodies were found.

All were sex workers who advertised their services on Craigslist, leading police to believe that is how the killer first made contact with them.

Officials said the victims were probably killed and disposed of at different times.

Long Island serial killer timeline - May, 2010: Police begin search for Shannan Gilbert - December 11, 2010: Body of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, is discovered - December 13, 2010: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27, are all found - December 15, 2010: FBI offers its services in the case - March 2011: police find the skull of a prostitute named Jessica Taylor, 20 -April 2011: Valerie Mack, 24, Jane Doe No. 3 and her toddler are found -December 2011: Gilbert's remains are found -July, 2023 - Suspect arrested Advertisement

By December 15, 2010 the FBI had offered its forensic and investigative services in the case and the next month authorities announced the four victims were the work of a serial killer.

Then, in March and April 2011, as police continued searching for Gilbert, another four bodies were found in the same stretch of coastline, including that of a toddler.

In March 2011, police found the skull of a prostitute named Jessica Taylor, 20. Most of the rest of her body was found in a wooded area of Manorville shortly after she disappeared in 2003. She also worked as an escort in New York City.

Body parts found on April 4, 2011, near Gilgo Beach were also linked to another corpse found in Manorville in 2000. That female victim, first known only as 'Jane Doe No 6,' was identified using genetic genealogy tools in May of this year as 24-year-old Valerie Mack.

Mack was an escort from Philadelphia who vanished near Atlantic City, New Jersey in 2000.

An unidentified woman known as 'Peaches' or 'Jane Doe No. 3' was also discovered on April 4 less than half a mile away from where the body of her toddler daughter was also found wrapped in a blanket.

Peaches' torso, which had been found decades earlier, was found inside a black plastic bag in the Rubbermaid container near Park Drive in Hempstead Lake State Park. Her skull was never found.

The same day, the remains of an 'Asian man' now thought to have been a transgender sex worker were discovered. It's believed they had been dead for five or six years and were between the ages of 17 and 23.

Gilbert's remains were finally found on December 13, 2011 in a swamp around a half mile from where she was last seen alive. However, police have said they don't believe her death is connected to the other 10 bodies.

Partial skeletal remains of Valerie Mack were located in a wooded area in Manorville in September 2000. Partial skeletal remains of Jessica Taylor, an escort working in New York City, were located in a wooded area in Manorville on July 26, 2003

The remains of an 'Asian man' now thought to have been a transgender sex worker were discovered on April 4, 2011. It's believed they had been dead for five or six years

A map showing where the victims remains were located along the barren stretch of Ocean Beach Parkway in Gilgo Beach, located on the South Shore of Long Island

THE INVESTIGATION

Determining who killed the victims, and why, has vexed a slew of seasoned homicide detectives through several changes in leadership in the police department.

Investigators long suspected the killer might have posed as a hunter, a private trash collector, or someone else with reason to be on Ocean Parkway in the dead of night.

The investigation got a boost when state officials asked the FBI to deploy genetic genealogy, a technique in which genetic profiles are run though databases to find potential relatives of a homicide victim or suspect.

Detectives had long maintained that Gilberts death was accidental and excluded her from the list of the serial killer's confirmed victims.

Investigators said soon after her remains were found that she drowned in a drug-induced haze after wandering into the wetland; her relatives have long disputed that determination.

The 2020 Netflix film, Lost Girls, adapted from Robert Kolker's 2013 investigative book with the same title, brought even more attention on the unsolved mystery.

The film focuses on Shannan's mother, Mari Gilbert, as a tireless champion for her missing daughter against resistance from the Suffolk County Police Department who was all too ready to dismiss cases involving sex workers.

In one of the more unusual twists in the saga, Gilbert's mother, Mari, was later murdered by another daughter, Sarra, in her upstate New York home.

As police looked for Gilbert in beach community where she was last seen, they encountered the bodies of other women who had been dumped by the Gilgo Beach shore

In an attempt to revive attention on the case, police released images of a black leather belt that was found at the crime scene - which they believe was handled by the suspected serial killer. The belt appeared to have embossed initials, WH or HM.

Cops also created a website specifically for the investigation in a bid to finally solve the cold case for which there have been no arrests.

In 2021, there was a renewed interest in the case again when Suffolk County Police Commissioner, Raymond Harris became appointed police commissioner.

Then Harris released never seen before video of Waterman standing in the lobby at the Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge in June 6, 2010.

Investigators believe that the young woman left her hotel room to meet the person who would later kill her. She was captured by a security camera walking out of the hotel around 1:30 a.m.

Also in 2021 a Lifetime movie tried to connect the killings to a string of murders 170 miles away in Atlantic City.

THE SUSPECTS

While police did not name a suspect until 2023, the public, podcasts, books and documentaries have focused on some names over the years.

A podcast named Unraveled: Long Island Serial Killer sparked interest in the case again in 2021.

Hosted by Billy Jensen and Alexis Linkletter, it put the spotlight on ex-Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who headed the department from 2011 until his resignation in 2015.

Burke was jailed for 46 months back in 2016 after pleading guilty to a civil rights violation arising out of an assault on a local man by the name of Christopher Loeb in 2012, while he was serving in the top job.

Loeb had stolen a navy duffel bag from the back of Burke's SUV in December of that year, before he was subsequently tracked down police. Loeb says Burke took him back to the station and assaulted him.

He claimed in the podcast that he found a 'snuff film' inside - otherwise known as a pornographic movie of an actual murder.

Burke became Suffolk County Police Chief shortly after the remains of the victims were discovered on Gilgo Beach.

According to Unraveled, 'just weeks after entering office, Burke shut the FBI out of the investigation into the Gilgo Beach serial killer.'

In 2016, an attorney for the family of Gilbert also said Burke should be investigated.

Long Island architect Rex Heuermann, 59, has been arrested in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killings in a major police breakthrough

The suspect's house sits directly north of Gilgo Beach across the South Oyster Bay

The attorney brought forth a Long Island escort who said she had an aggressive sexual encounter with Burke back in 2011.

Despite the speculation, Burke was never connected to any of the bodies.

It wasn't until years later that Heuermann was taken into custody as a suspect outside his Manhattan office last night after he had left for the day.

A new task force set up by Suffolk County DA last year came across his name within months of investigation, prompting questions about why previous investigative units failed to nail him.

Law enforcement sources tell DailyMail.com he has been on their radar since last year. Investigators matched him to the crimes by tracking the phone calls made from burner phones to the victims' cell phones over 10 years ago.

The source added that 'good, old fashioned police work' cracked the case, rather than any DNA developments.
Boris Johnson's staunch backing of Ukraine in No10 was hailed by Volodymyr Zelensky as critical in helping the country survive the Russian onslaught.

The two leaders struck up a 'bromance', holding long emotional phone calls as Kyiv came under threat in the early stages of the war.

And the ex-PM is returning to the topic of the crucial military campaign in his latest column for the Mail.

In a video teasing the thundering article - which will be released at around 5pm - Boris delivers a stinging rebuke to the international community for being 'fatally ambiguous' about Ukraine's status and whether it should join Nato.

Boris Johnson will write weekly for the Daily Mail and MailOnline. Picture: MARK HARRISON

He expresses frustration that even after 20 years of dithering, the Vilnius summit this week still did not provide clarity about when Kyiv's membership will happen.

'Time for Ukraine to be given a clear timetable to join Nato,' the former premier says.

You can watch the trailer now, and read the column at 5pm on MailOnline and our subscription sister site Mail+.

Boris's full-page column will also appear in the Daily Mail every Saturday  along with fellow star names Amanda Platell and Andrew Neil.

Love him or hate him, one thing is for sure - he is required reading.
A surgeon dubbed Dr Frankenstein has candidly revealed the downsides of performing genital re-shaping surgeries on transgender children and adults, in a video which has since been deleted.

In the video, Dr Blair Peters, a self-described 'queer surgeon' with 'he/they' pronouns, pink hair and a 'passion' for genital surgeries, says patients face fertility, sexual pleasure and other lifelong post-op complications.

Perhaps more concerning is how Dr Peters  who works at one of America's most progressive hospitals  presents his procedures, some of which involve robotics, as experimental.

He says he's 'figuring out what works' and that his team will know more in the next 'five-to-10 years.'

Surgically altering male and female genitals to match those of the opposite sex, or simply removing patients' privates altogether, are widely understood to be tough and problematic procedures.

Oregon's pink-haired 'queersurgeon' has tens of thousands of followers on social media

Creating a neo-vagina is fraught with post-op complications

Advocates of gender-affirming care, as it is known, say they're rare but vital for some trans people. Critics say they should be banned, especially for kids, and that patients need counselling, not cutting.

Dr Peters, a highly-rated plastic surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), made the admissions in a 37-minute interview with Dr Brianna Durand, of Empower Physiotherapy in Seattle.

The original video post from last year appears to have been deleted, but then retrieved from an archive and shared recently on social media. Viewers called the procedures 'evil' and compared them to Nazi-era experiments.

The conservative scholar Christopher Rufo likened Dr Peters to another clinician, the fictional experimenter who builds a monster from body parts in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein.

OHSU, Dr Peters, and Dr Durand did not answer our requests for comment. OHSU's gender clinic is well regarded among trans patients; wait times for some procedures stretch to as long as two years.

In the video, Dr Peters describes advances being made in phalloplasties and vaginoplasties, including by using a robot controlled by a second surgeon to build a 'neo-vagina' from penis and scrotum tissue.

He also describes wholesale genital removals for non-binary patients, an increasingly popular procedure known as 'nullification.'

Controversially, he addresses the 'handful of puberty-suppressed adolescents' undergoing genital surgeries at OHSU  referring to minors who have taken puberty blockers to delay their growth spurt.

Dr Blair labels himself a 'queersurgeon' in his social media accounts

A phalloplasty procedure, as described in a medical text book

With those boy-to-girl transitioners, he said, surgeons 'don't have enough tissue' to build the neo-vagina and must graft skin from elsewhere.

'We're kind of learning and figuring out what works,' said Dr Peters.

Patients frequently have problems after surgery, added the doctor.

They can suffer 'rectal injury and urinary incompetence,' he said. Others struggle to achieve 'sexual satisfaction' from altered body parts and have worse chances of 'future childbearing.'

Some have a 'really demanding post-operative care process,' he added.

Pretty much every male-to-female genital surgery recipient sees their neo-vagina canal shorten over time, he said.

'We've seen patients coming back even 20-plus years out from a vaginoplasty that have something happened in their life, that they just don't dilate, and aren't having sex for a year, and they will lose a lot of a lot of depth,' said Dr Peters.

Dr Peters said his techniques and success rates were improving as ever more Americans  both young and old  opted for genital surgery, but that there was still much to learn on this new frontier of medicine.

'We're going to learn a lot more about it in the next five to 10 years as we're doing just increasing numbers of these cases,' he said.

Dr Peters and other advocates of trans medicine present the surgeries as a trade-off, acknowledging the substantial drawbacks, but saying they're vital for those with serious discomfort with their own body.

What could go wrong? Colin Clive, as Dr Frankenstein, prepares to bring his monster to life in a scene from the 1931 movie version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

A study of more than 500 transgender adults by the Washington Post and KFF, a health-focussed nonprofit, revealed that surgery was rare

Even so, they are rare within the transgender community.

Of the estimated 1.6 million trans and non-binary Americans aged 13 and above, only 31 percent take cross-sex hormones and 16 percent opt for surgery, according to research by the Washington Post and KFF, a health charity.

Most surgeries are breast removals for female-to-male transitioners.

Genital surgery on children is very rare and massively controversial. Even the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which advocates for gender-affirming care globally, says procedures should not be attempted on children.

In the US, Republicans have sought to ban puberty blockers, hormones, or surgeries for minors in about 20 states this year. Sweden, Finland, the UK, and other European countries have restricted or halted trans care for kids.

Dr Peters and OHSU have faced criticism for their progressive approach in the past.

Last year, Dr Peters faced a backlash for a since-deleted tweet remarking on having performed breast-removal surgeries on three young adults and adolescents in a single day.

Another OHSU clinician, Dr Nicholas Gideonse, controversially became the first US professional to help terminally ill Americans travel from out-of-state to get their hands on a deadly cocktail of drugs in Oregon to end their lives.
A transgender sorority member at the University of Wyoming has denied claims she stared at sisters with 'an erection visible through her leggings.'

A lawyer for Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG) member Artemis Langford slammed the women suing her for spreading a 'drunken story', calling it the result of 'a game of telephone'.

Six sorority sisters are suing the KKG chapter and its housing organization, as well as Langford, for allegedly breaking its own rules by allowing the trans member to join in September 2022.

Included in a response to the complaint on Wednesday were photos of a number of text exchanges between sorority members that imply there was doubt among sisters as to whether or not the allegations against Langford were made up.

A lawsuit filed by seven sorority sisters of Kappa Kappa Gamma claims that transgender Artemis Langford, 21, (rear, far left) would stare at them after joining their chapter

A lawyer for the transgender Kappa Kappa Gamma member Artemis Langford (pictured) has denied the allegation and said it was made up and a rumor that spread

A photo of a text exchange between two KKG sorority members appearing to contradict earlier accusations that Langford has a visible erection around sisters

'This sworn allegation appears to be a game of telephone after one sorority sister told a drunken story to another, who repeated the story,' read the filing on behalf of Langford, written by her Jackson attorney, Rachel Berkness.

Berkness goes on to suggest the instigator of that rumor 'has since admitted that she had actually repeated a drunken story that she did not believe to be true.'

In one message a member who claimed to be present in the room at the time of the alleged incident appeared to write to another member: 'i'm pretty much 100% positive it did not happen. but like also what if [redacted] actually saw something like that... i don't want to be saying this awful thing didn't happen'.

Another exchange read: 'but i don't think she was being serious cuz i watched him the whole time. he was standing there in the doorway for like 2 seconds and he didn't get a b***r.'

The other person responded: 'But still Artemis is creepy in other ways at least'.

Another message came from a sister who said she was told by one of those who claimed to have been a witness that it was a lie.

'As we were walking downtown she told me that [sister] lied about Artemis getting a b***r while watching her change,' read part of the message.

In her filing Berkness referred to this exhibit.

'In fact, after Plaintiffs first filed their Complaint, the second sister admitted to a friend that she was actually an eyewitness to the incident but had been keeping a "secret" that "had been weighing her down for months,"' she wrote.

Berkness also made a separate argument that an agenda to remove Langford from the sorority had been alive from the very moment she joined.

To support that argument she includes in her submission to the court an email that appears to have been authored by the mother of one of the sorority members, in which she 'predicts that there would be "issues" and "ramifications" of a "TRANSGENDER" woman's acceptance'.

The original complaint also alleged Langford attended a 'slumber party' with the other sisters and 'repeatedly questioned the women about what vaginas look like, breast cup size, whether some women were considering breast reductions and birth control.'

In one message a member who claimed to be present in the room at the time of the alleged incident appeared to write to another member: 'i'm pretty much 100% positive it did not happen'

A lawsuit filed by six sorority sisters of Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG) claimed Langford (top right), 21, would make members feel uncomfortable

At the heart of the lawsuit is the issue of defining a 'woman', with the sorority sisters arguing that because KKG's governing documents define it as a space exclusively for females, the organization broke its own rules by admitting a biological male.

The sisters claim that the sorority changed its criteria to allow Langford to apply, while KKGs lawyers said the definition of 'woman' has evolved since the sorority's founding 150 years ago.

'The term (woman) is unquestionably open to many interpretations,' the sorority's filing claimed.

Although the plaintiffs offer a definition in their lawsuit as an 'adult human female', KKG says this is restrictive, and they are seeking to dismiss on the basis of changing views around what constitutes a 'woman'.

Several members of the sorority have claimed Langford's presence in their home left them feeling 'vulnerable' and 'uncomfortable'.

'It is really uncomfortable. Some of the girls have been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed. Some girls live in constant fear in our home,' one of the sisters, Hannah, told Megyn Kelly on her podcast.

'Men are never allowed on the second floor of our house apart from moving in and moving out.

'So it is an only-female space and not like living in the dorms. We share just a couple of main bathrooms but it is supposed to be safe space for us to rest our head at night.'

This culminated in the lawsuit, which was brought against the sorority's parent organization, its president Mary Pat Rooney, and its housing corporation. Langford was named in the lawsuit, but is not being sought for monetary damages.

Some of the sisterhood has also alleged that the sorority's leadership pressured and bullied the members to accept Langford into the group.

One sister, who remained anonymous, told the National Review that Langford has not made 'any effort' to 'physically look like a girl', adding: 'He's just calling himself a girl. All you have to do is identify as a she/her.'
The court testimony of a Colombian-born cleaner sent to tidy up Linda Reynolds' parliamentary office in the hours after Brittany Higgins alleges she was raped has poured cold water on the persistent rumour of an alleged 'steam clean' cover-up.

Carlos Ramos was asked to clean Senator Reynolds office on March 23, 2019, after Parliamentary Security Staff officers alerted a Department of Finance official that two staffers had entered the office and Ms Higgins had slept on the couch.

Ms Higgins didn't make public allegations of an assault until much later and investigations by the former inspector-general of intelligence and security Vivienne Thom and the Federal Police found there was no reason to suspect one at that point.

Late night drinks in parliamentary offices, however, are not uncommon in Canberra and special cleans are sometimes ordered to ensure MPs do not arrive to the remains of a party.

When Mr Ramos arrived to complete the clean, expecting a two-hour or longer job, he found the room so tidy that he called his boss who then reached out to security staff to make sure they had the right room.

Brittany Higgins (pictured) alleged she was raped in the then Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' office in Parliament House in 2019

A court heard it was not uncommon for Minister's offices to be cleaned if staffers had drinks the night before so they would not arrive to a mess (pictured, Senator Linda Reynolds)

'This look in my opinion normal cleaning,' Ramos, whose first language is Spanish, told the ACT Supreme Court he had said to his supervisor.

Ramos testified on October 11 last year that he spent 30 minutes doing a routine clean of the already clean room, a fact which columnist Janet Albrechtsen noted in The Australian had been overlooked by the media.

His testimony was lost among the multitude of documents that finally became available when a suppression order was lifted.

The order had been put in place until Ms Higgins completed her cross-examination, which was fragmented by mental health breaks.

Asked by prosecutor Shane Drumgold if he had cleaned the couch where Higgins alleges she was raped, Ramos said he wiped it with a leather cleaning product.

'You put a chemical on a cloth and you wiped it (the couch) over?' Drumgold asked.

Ramos: 'Yes, yes.'

In cross-examination, Ramos told defence barrister Katrina Musgrove that: 'It was totally just routine clean.'

His testimony refutes the claim the couch in Ms Reynolds' office had been thoroughly steam cleaned in the hours following the alleged sexual assault.

The Parliament House cleaner said that he wiped the couch over with leather cleaner and a cloth but it was not steam cleaned (pictured is Ms Reynolds' then office in Parliament House)

The steam clean claim suggesting the scene might have been 'interfered with' appeared in articles that broke the story and has been repeated countless times.

Ms Albrechtsen noted the claim appeared to stem from a diary note by Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner of national security Leanne Close, about a conversation she had with AFP assistant commissioner Lesa Gale.

The note said Gale told her that 'staff in the office have had the lounge steam cleaned'.

The claim was repeated months later in an anonymous letter addressed to the late Senator Kimberling Kitching.

In his cross-examination, Mr Ramos was also asked whether he needed to clean the bathroom where Ms Higgins said she had vomited.

'Not really  like the bathroom wasn't used recently.'

He said there didn't seem to be any towels used, the toilet was not dirty and and there were no odours.

'The toilet seat underneath didn't need to be cleaned?' Musgrove asked.

'No,' he replied.

Ms Higgins is seen on CCTV footage walking past Parliament House security on the night she alleges she was raped in Ms Reynolds' parliamentary office

The ACT's director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold, who handled the Higgins case, is on leave until August 30.

Anthony Williamson SC is acting in the role.

ACT chief minister Andrew Barr is awaiting a report due to be delivered this month following an independent inquiry into how the justice system handled Bruce Lehrmann's criminal trial.

Mr Lehrmann was the staffer accused of raping Ms Higgins in Ms Reynolds' office. He has consistently denied the allegations.

The independent inquiry has been headed by former Queensland Supreme Court judge Walter Sofronoff.

Prosecutors dropped the charge against Mr Lehrmann over concerns about the impact of a second trial on Ms Higgins' mental health after the first trial was aborted due to juror misconduct.

Mr Lehrmann strenuously denies the allegations made against him by Ms Higgins.
She poisoned him with anti-depressants and he died on NYE 2021 in Oldham

Claire Scanlon, 38, was on Wednesday convicted of murdering her son Dylan, 5

A terminally ill mother has been jailed for 18 years after she murdered her five-year-old son with anti-depressants in an apparent double suicide attempt.

'Remorseless' Claire Scanlon, 38, was given the minimum-term life sentence today for killing Dylan Scanlon, whose badly bruised body was found on her bed.

Prosecutors told the court the mother had first informed her uncle in a nearby property that her son was 'not breathing' or 'moving' at 6.15pm on December 31, 2021.

Sadly, 'cheeky, adventurous' Dylan was pronounced dead three minutes after paramedics arrived at the house in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Pathologists found the young boy had 64 separate injuries and a large amount of an antidepressant drug in his system, which experts claimed could have been fatal.

'Remorseless' Claire Scanlon (pictured), 38, was given the minimum-term life sentence today little for killing Dylan Scanlon, whose badly bruised body was found on her bed

Prosecutors told the court the mother had first informed her uncle in a nearby property that her son Dylan (pictured with older brother Shawn Scanlon) was 'not breathing' or 'moving' at 6.15pm on December 31, 2021

Sadly, 'cheeky, adventurous' Dylan (pictured) was pronounced dead three minutes after paramedics arrived at the house in Oldham, Greater Manchester

Scanlon had told paramedics that Dylan had fallen from the ladder to her attic the day before, and she had checked on him every 15 minutes before his death.

But after police arrested her, they found a note saying: 'Don't let them see us, just cremate us,' which prosecutors said showed she'd planned to die alongside him.

Manchester Minshull Court also heard that Scanlon had inherited Huntington's disease, a degenerative and incurable condition which slowly stops part of the brain working, from her mother, which she had called a 'death sentence'.

And while Judge Mrs Justice Yip told Scanlon - who refused to attend the court - this may have affected her behaviour, she said it was no excuse for murdering her son.

She said: 'You went from being a good mother who loved Dylan very much to murdering him.

'I am sure that you gave Dylan a very large dose of your antidepressants, intending that he should die. You also hurt him, causing a lot of nasty bruising to his face and head through multiple blows.

'The note found in your bedroom suggests you planned to die too.

'It must have been frightening and upsetting when you started to get symptoms and realised you had it - you described Huntington's as a death sentence.

'But as the jury found in their verdict, it does not explain or excuse killing Dylan.

'Because of your Huntington's disease, you may not have a long life. It may be that you spend the rest of your life in prison or a secure hospital.'

Dylan's father Gary Keenan provided a statement to the court during the hearing, where he revealed his grief at never being able to see his son again.

He said: 'Christmas was one of Dylan's favourite times of the year.

'He loved the lights, the sparkles and the presents. I had so many presents to give him, but his mum said I wasn't allowed to see him.

'So they were still at my home in the hope I could give them to him when I saw him next - but that never happened.

'The hardest thing I've done was to give his presents away to a similar boy to Dylan.'

Mr Keenan added: 'There will always be a massive hole in our hearts at the loss of Dylan, and we miss him every day.

'I don't feel I can mourn Dylan until the trial has been completed. We must keep fighting because he isn't here to speak for himself.'

In a statement released by Greater Manchester Police, he added: 'I would like to thank all my family and friends for the love and support they have offered, during what can only be described as the worst time in our lives.

'Dylan was cruelly taken away from us on New Years Eve in 2021 by the one person who was supposed to love and protect him. He will be missed every minute of every day, and we cannot put into words how difficult it's been to endure the trial and to listen to how Dylan came to his death.

'We would like to thank Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, who have been so supportive and guided us through the investigation and trial.'

'There will always be a massive hole in our hearts at the loss of Dylan, and we miss him every day,' said Dylan's father Gary Keenan (pictured with his son)

Pathologists found that Dylan (pictured) had 64 separate injuries and a large amount of an antidepressant drug in his system, which experts claimed could have been fatal

Dylan's brother Shawn Scanlon spoke directly to his mother during his emotional victim impact statement.

He said: 'I do love you because you are my mum, but I don't want you to hurt anyone else again, and I don't want you to damage or upset the family any more.

'We all need to live in peace and never experience the feelings we've had to in the last 19 months ever again.

'You know Dylan will never have the chance to go on holiday, to have a career or to study, to have a family or to have challenges in life.

'And you will never know the man that he would have become - that was taken away from him by you.'

Jurors reached their guilty verdict at 3.30pm on Wednesday - two days after they were first sent out by Judge Mrs Justice Yip at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester.

Prosecutor Lisa Wilding had told the court Scanlon became 'angry and depressed' at the breakdown of her relationship with Dylan's father, Gary Keenan, before the murder.

The couple first met in 2005 and had moved in together, but Mr Keenan had left their home for good following a 'bitter' split in 2020, four years after Dylan was born.

She said the mother was 'obsessed' with Mr Keenan, and in the two months prior to her son's death, she'd sent voicemails and messages to him multiple times a day.

On December 15, 2021, she left him a voicemail message that said: 'I promise you, you won't see him again. You'll see. Bye. Go and enjoy your life.'

Then on December 27, she left a message saying: 'I promise you now, carry on treating me like a k**b h**d, I promise you're never gonna see my son again.'

She added: 'Treat me like a d**k, I'll stop you from going near him.'

A few days later on December 30, she sent a final message that said: 'You're just showing all you want to do is act like me and Dyl weren't in your life and crack on, make a new life with your new bird.

'So you go and do that. I'll solve it for you. Go and enjoy your new life with her.'

Ms Wilding told the court that Scanlon had picked up a repeat prescription for Mirtazapine, an antidepressant, 11 days before Dylan died.

And a blood sample found Dylan had 9,951 micrograms of the drug per litre of blood in his system.

Christopher Madden, a forensic toxicologist, who analysed samples of blood said this amount would be consistent with other fatalities from mirtazapine.

Mr Madden told the jury that the deaths of eight adults who overdosed on mirtazapine found they had 1,000 to 4,400 micrograms per litre of blood.

But he couldn't tell how Dylan had ingested the mirtazapine and if it was taken in one single go or administered across multiple occasions.

Floral tributes left outside a house on Elm Road, Lime Side, Oldham, Greater Manchester, where Dylan Scanlon, five, was found dead on December 31, 2021

Scanlon's sister Susan Scanlon told the court that she had become more reclusive following her break-up with her ex-partner.

And during her emotional testimony she was unable to explain what had led to the death of Dylan - who she said was the centre of Scanlon's world.

'She was his life, and he was hers. I don't know what went wrong,' she said.

'She wouldn't answer her phone. She wouldn't answer the door.'

Describing her sister's behaviour in the month before Dylan's death, Susan added: 'She shut herself off to everybody. Absolutely everybody.'

Scanlon was detained under the mental health act and taken to Edenfield Hospital in Prestwich following her arrest.

And it's there that support worker Joshua Davidson claims Scanlon had confessed to inflicting fatal injuries on Dylan by dropping him from her attic.

He previously told the court Scanlon said to him: 'I killed my son.'

Senior Investigating Officer for Greater Manchester Police Phil Reade said: 'Our thoughts remain with those who knew and loved Dylan  particularly his dad and brother.

'We understand the conclusion of criminal proceedings will not heal their broken hearts but we do hope that this brings them a step closer to closure and gives them a sense of relief.'
The glamorous daughter of a Putin ally has been found dead in her Moscow apartment after 'feeling unwell'.

Natalia Bochkareva, 44, the daughter of former Putin ally Vasily Bochkarev, was found dead in her condo in Moscow's Presnensky District on July 11.

Her apartment's concierge called the police to report that she had stopped answering the door.

But when police went to the property and forced open the front door, they discovered her corpse.

It comes as the latest in a long line of public figures to suddenly fall ill and die in Russia.

Natalia Bochkareva (pictured), 44, the daughter of former Putin ally Vasily Bochkarev, was found dead in her condo in Moscow's Presnensky District on July 11

Her apartment's concierge called the police to report that she had stopped answering the door

But when police went to the property and forced open the front door, they discovered her corpse

READ MORE: Belarus minister responsible for illegally diverting Ryanair flight to arrest opposition journalist dies mysteriously aged 46 Advertisement

There were no signs of a violent death, according to preliminary reports. She was the daughter of the late Mr Bochkarev, who governed Penza oblast from 1998 to 2015.

The 67-year-old, who belonged to Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, passed away from lung cancer a year after leaving office.

Ms Bochkareva managed the family lumber-processing and bakery businesses after her father's passing.

But two years ago, she made headlines after falling victim to a scam when she sent a self-styled fortune teller RUB 16 million (GBP 136,000) to remove a curse.

However, after receiving the money, the fortune teller had broken off all contact with Natalia and had failed to fulfil her part of their agreement.

Russia has been hit by a number of 'suspicious' deaths - many linked to the energy sector - since tension escalated ahead of Putin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

There were no signs of a violent death, according to preliminary reports. Pictured: Natalya Bochkareva

Ms Bochkareva managed the family lumber-processing and bakery businesses after her father's passing

In January, Magomed Abdulayev, 61, close to ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, was rammed by a car and died from severe injuries in Makhachkala on the Caspian Sea.

Ukraine immediately suggested this was the latest in a succession of Russian deaths in the past year dominated by Vladimir Putin's war.

Pravda Geraschenko Telegram channel, run by Ukrainian official Anton Geraschenko posted: 'Another mysterious death of a Russian official.

'A car knocked down the ex-premier of Dagestan in Makhachkala, killing him.

'The Russian media report that Magomed Abdulayev, 61, became the victim of a car collision when he crossed the road in the wrong place.'

And wealthy politician Nikolay Petrunin - aka Russia's 'Gas Wonderkid' - was only 47 and had been in a coma for a month when he died in October last year.

Former PM, Magomed Abdulayev, 61, (pictured) was hospitalised but died from severe injuries in Makhachkala city on the Caspian Sea after having been hit by a car

Wealthy politician Nikolay Petrunin (pictured) - aka Russia's 'Gas Wonderkid' - was only 47 and had been in a coma for a month when he died in October last year

The multimillionaire father of three, formerly a top gas industry executive, was reported to have died from complications linked to severe Covid.

He was deputy chairman of the Russian parliament's powerful energy committee, and a Putin loyalist and "political protege".'

His businesses built gas pipelines for major Russian energy operators and he had links to Kremlin gas behemoth Gazprom - now starving the West of Russian supplies over the war - and Rosneft. He declared an annual salary of up to 1.75 million.

And on 1 September last year, oil tycoon Ravil Maganov, 67, fell to his death from the sixth floor window of a Moscow hospital.

One report says he was 'beaten' before he was 'thrown out of a window', but this was not officially confirmed.

Two more deaths of Gazprom-linked executives were also reported last year amid suspicions their apparent suicides may have been murders.

On 1 September last year, oil tycoon Ravil Maganov (pictured), 67, fell to his death from the sixth floor window of a Moscow hospital

Alexander Tyulakov, 61, a senior Gazprom financial and security official at deputy general director level, was discovered dead in a noose in his 500,000 home a day after Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022.

But he had been badly beaten shortly before he 'took his own life', leading to speculation he was under intense pressure, according to reports.

Leonid Shulman, 60, head of transport at Gazprom Invest, was also found dead with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on his bathroom floor in Leningrad, Russia.

And billionaire Alexander Subbotin, 43, also linked to Kremlin-friendly energy giant Lukoil where he was a top manager, was found dead in May after 'taking advice from shamans'.
The Naked Carpenter got his nickname for carrying out odd jobs in the nude

PC Quinn was airlifted to hospital from Jenner's home in Maidstone, Kent

A naturist dubbed the Naked Carpenter will stand trial in November accused of attempting to murder a police officer.

Robert Jenner, 48, allegedly stabbed PC Sean Quinn in the head with a pair of scissors on June 15 this year.

The incident, which was branded a 'horrific assault' by a Kent Police spokesperson, occurred at about 8pm at Jenner's home in Maidstone after officers attended a property in Albion Place.

PC Quinn, a man in his 50s, suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital by air ambulance, but was later discharged to recover at home.

However, he is yet to return to duty.

Robert Jenner (pictured above) will stand trial in November accused of attempting to murder a police officer

Jenner, also known as the Naked Carpenter, has been a naturist for more then 20 years and got his nickname for carrying out odd jobs in the nude

Jenner, a former soldier who claims to have served in the Army for 10 years, was arrested at the scene.

The Naked Carpenter, who was given his nickname for carrying out odd jobs in the nude, has gained notoriety in the past for his revealing behaviour and claims to have been a naturist for more than 20 years.

He has reportedly been a member of the Naturist Society, taking part in naked swims and visiting nudist beaches in France, Spain and Kent's Isle of Sheppey.

Jenner appeared at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent for a plea and trial preparation hearing via video link with London's Belmarsh Prison.

He could be seen sitting on a bench wearing a grey t-shirt and gret trousers.

Jenner spoke only to confirm his name and to plead not guilty to an offence of attempted murder.

His trial will start on November 20 and is expected to last seven days.

Judge Philip St.John-Stevens told the court the issue in the case was one of lack of intent to kill.

Jenner, 48, allegedly stabbed PC Sean Quinn in the head with a pair of scissors on June 15 this year

The incident at Jenner's Maidstone home left PC Sean Quinn with serious injuries and he had to be airlifted to hospital

Danny Moore, defending, said a psychiatric assessment would be sought.

Jenner was remanded in custody.

At the time of his arrest, Kent Police Deputy Chief Constable, Peter Ayling said: 'This horrific assault shows us once again that policing can, at times, be dangerous and unpredictable.

'In Kent Police, any assault on a police officer going about their duty is entirely unacceptable and will be met with the full force of pursuit and investigation.

'Our thoughts are with the officer and his family at this time.'

The stabbing took place at a block of two former Edwardian town houses which had been converted into flats on the edge of a modern industrial estate that includes car showrooms and offices.

One neighbour, who lives in the flat below the suspect, said she saw the officer being taken out of the building in Albion Place in a wheelchair.

The 23-year-old office worker said: 'The 23-year-old office worker said: 'I'd seen the one police car come by and then I saw it parked up round the back of the building around 8pm.

'I could hear a rhythmic banging coming from upstairs. It sounded like someone was trying to bang the door down.

Jenner appeared at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent for a plea and trial preparation hearing via video link with London's Belmarsh Prison

'Then I heard this noise like someone was being dragged across the floor.

'After about half an hour my partner was going to go up there and say something, but then we saw a flood of police officers enter the flat.

'Later on, a police officer was brought out of the building in a wheelchair.

'He had blood on his head and the back of his neck, and a bandage wrapped around his head.

'He was an older man - in his 50s I'd say.

'That must've been around 10pm. Then forensics arrived about 11:30pm.'

She added: 'We do get the occasional banging from upstairs but never anything more than that.

A 22-year-old, who has lived in the block of flats for five months, said there's rarely any trouble in the area.

She added: 'I've never seen police around here before.

'You occasionally get people hanging around the back, but there's not normally any trouble.

'I thought it was a safe place to live but now I'm not so sure.'
Make no mistake: The Biden administration is laughing at us.

We are meant to believe that the United States Secret Service, tasked with protecting the very life of the president, cannot crack the case of who left cocaine in a secure, hard-to-access part of the White House  despite facial recognition cameras, guest-book logs and security all over the most protected building in the Western world.

The cover-up, as the Nixon-era saying goes, is always worse than the crime.

At least this feels like yet another blatant White House whitewash.

Here, in part, is the statement released by the Secret Service on Thursday. See if you can read this with a straight face.

'The investigation included a methodical review of security systems and protocols,' it says, noting that the baggie  which was initially tested for anthrax, its reported location changing three times over one week  was found in a receptacle used to store personal devices before entering the West Wing.

But wouldn't you know, according to the Secret Service, there are no security cameras in the hallway that leads to the West Wing, to the Oval Office, to the hub of the most powerful person on Earth.

Nope, folks, nothing to see here. Literally.

We are meant to believe that the United States Secret Service, tasked with protecting the very life of the president, cannot crack the case of who left cocaine in a secure, hard-to-access part of the White House.

According to the Secret Service, there are no security cameras in the hallway that leads to the West Wing, to the Oval Office, to the hub of the most powerful person on Earth. Nope, folks, nothing to see here. Literally. (Pictured: President Biden).

'There was no surveillance video footage found that provided investigative leads or any other means for investigators to identify who may have deposited the found substance in this area,' the statement claimed.

Wow  that's some thicket of words. Almost feels like they're trying to overcompensate, does it not?

'Without physical evidence,' the statement continued, 'the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest the Secret Service's investigation is closed.'

So let's get this straight: The United States was able to find Osama bin Laden hiding out in a secure walled-off compound in Pakistan, but the Secret Service can't crack this conundrum, quite literally under their noses?

If taken at face value, what does that say about the competence of this White House? Of Joe Biden?

If the president's security is that porous, that lax, shouldn't he be demanding answers? Shouldn't the media?

What if the next baggie contains ricin? Shouldn't Biden be calling for heads to roll?

It probably won't surprise you to hear that veteran FBI agent Mark Morgan, former Border Commissioner under Donald Trump, says this inquiry should have been a snap.

'An investigation like this is pretty straightforward,' Morgan told DailyMail.com last week. 'Everybody that enters the White House is manifested. They know who comes in, they know where they came in, they're checked, and there are video cameras everywhere.'

Of course. Common sense dictates as much. But Biden continues to take us all for idiots.

This closed case smells ever more rank given his son Hunter's recent slaps on the wrist. Charged with felony gun possession and failure to pay his taxes on income of $1.5 million annually in 2017 and 2018, Hunter walked.

The gun charge alone carried a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, partly because Hunter was an active drug addict at the time.

So let's get this straight: The United States was able to find Osama bin Laden hiding out in a secure walled-off compound in Pakistan, but the Secret Service can't crack this conundrum, quite literally under their noses?

This closed case smells ever more rank given his son Hunter's recent slaps on the wrist. Charged with felony gun possession and failure to pay his taxes on income of $1.5 million annually in 2017 and 2018, Hunter walked. (Pictured: Biden with First Lady Jill and son Hunter).

This is to say nothing of the years he has spent selling access to his father.

Democrats and progressives especially, ask yourselves: Would a poor person of color, with decades of drug abuse in their history, get such a colossal break? Such a spongy, spring-in-your-step cakewalk? An invitation, days later, to a White House State Dinner?

This latest scandal may not seem much of a threat  a dime bag, a stalled investigation, a refusal to address the White House press corps on this  but it's very real.

The contempt this displays to the electorate is outrageous. This administration is now thoroughly emblematic of the 'rules-for-thee, not-for-me' arrogance that gave rise to a populist like Trump.

But it's easy to see why the Biden administration is so emboldened.

Much of the mainstream media remains in lockstep, parroting everything Biden would like us to believe: He's fully compos mentis. The border is secure. Kamala Harris is doing a 'great job'. Our withdrawal from Afghanistan was a complete success. Title IX shouldn't be just for women and women are totally fine with that.

And if they're not, they should be, because no president has ever been more in favor of diversity, equity and inclusion. In fact, these should be among the top criteria for hiring at NASA and the United States military.

There's more, per Biden: The economy's doing great, even as average Americans struggle to fill their tanks. As 401(k)s lost around 23 per cent in 2022. As the country is further divided by woke-ism, virtue-signaling and orthodoxy of thought.

And believe him when he says that no one understands the importance of family more.

Lest we forget Biden quoting his father, in a 2015 commencement speech at Yale, that family is 'the beginning, the middle and the end'. Yet this is the same man who cruelly ignores the 4-year-old child Hunter fathered with a former stripper.

Here was MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski on Wednesday, offering Biden advice: Not to step aside for the good of the country, not to replace his disastrous VP if he's hellbent on running, not to keep Hunter in line and out of sight.

No, she thinks our President needs better staff to hide his obvious deficits  like wandering off during a TV interview or shaking hands with no one or inexplicably ending a speech about gun control with 'God save the Queen, man' or falling up the stairs of Air Force One, more than once.

The contempt this displays to the electorate is outrageous. This administration is now thoroughly emblematic of the 'rules-for-thee, not-for-me' arrogance that gave rise to a populist like Trump.

'I'm just saying if you are managing a president's schedule, and you are managing a president getting on stage and getting off stage, and getting on planes and getting off planes  and yes, he's 80  you need to be there for him,' Brzezinski said.

'And you need to make a pathway and you sure as hell better make sure he doesn't fall on a sandbag. And I blame the staff for that.'

This is exactly part of the problem. Instead of the media asking if an obviously frail 80-year-old man is up to the job right now  let alone a second term  they're blame-shifting and excusing.

That's why this cocaine scandal galls. The media isn't going to push back or demand answers because they want Biden re-elected.

This is the kind of propaganda people rightly recoil from. It's setting the stage for another Trump presidency.

Consider the response of White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre last Friday, when asked if the cocaine belonged to someone in the Biden family.

'You know, there has been some irresponsible reporting about the family,' she huffed, while also claiming she had 'exhaustively' addressed the matter. Could've fooled us.

In the absence of any findings whatsoever from the Secret Service and the White House ignoring this breach, one obvious question looms: What about the First Son, former hardcore, long-term drug addict Hunter Biden?

Yes, Hunter and Joe left the White House on Friday. The coke wasn't found until Sunday. But that doesn't prove or disprove anything.

After all, we're told there's no way to know who left it behind and when.

The White House may feel they've skirted a scandal, but the cost may be higher than they think.

People aren't stupid. Keep treating us that way, Mr. President, and you might be shocked at the ballot box next November.
Households that make more than $652,657 a year are considered among the wealthiest in the US

Connecticut has the highest threshold for being in the top 1 percent, while Virginia has the lowest

What it takes to be among the top 1 percent in the US varies significantly from as much as $953,000 to as little as $368,000, depending on which state you live in.

Connecticut has the highest threshold for being in the top 1 percent of earners - at a huge $952,902 - according to new research from SmartAsset.

Households in West Virginia, meanwhile, need the lowest income to count themselves among the top 1 percent in the state, at $367,000, almost three times less than those in Connecticut.

If Washington DC were a state, the research found, it would rank at the top of the list, as households are not considered among the most wealthy unless they earn at least a whopping $1,013,698 a year in the nation's capital.

It comes after it was revealed earlier this year that every state is now home to at least one billionaire - as the collective wealth of America's richest has swollen to $1.5 trillion.

If Washington DC were a state, the research found, it would rank at the top of the list, as households need to earn a whopping $1,013,698 a year to be in the state's top 1 percent

Across the country as a whole, households that make more than $652,657 annually are considered among the top 1 percent.

This is more than eight times the median household earnings - which sits around $75,000 a year.

After Connecticut, Massachusetts and California have the second and third highest thresholds to qualify for the wealthiest 1 percent - at $903,401 and $844,266 respectively.

On the other end of the spectrum, southern states tend to have lower income thresholds, the data found.

Six of the 10 states with the lowest income thresholds are located in the Southeast - West Virginia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama.

The qualifying income to be considered among the richest residents in the four largest states also vary significantly.

It takes $844,266 and $776,662 to be in the top 1 percent in California and New York, respectively.

But households in Florida and Texas need to earn much less to be considered among the wealthiest - at $694,987 and $631,849.

The amount that residents have to fork out in taxes also varies by state. Connecticut is home to the highest effective tax rate for top earners, at 28.4 percent, while Arkansas residents pay an average rate of 21.11 percent - the least of any state.

According to a Congressional Budget Office report from last year, the top 1 percent hold over a third of the wealth in the US - up from 27 percent in 1989.

The bottom half of households, meanwhile, control just 2 percent of the total wealth in the US.

It comes after research earlier this year revealed that Americans hoping to class themselves among the richest in the country would need to be worth at least $5.1 million.

Every state is now home to at least one billionaire - as the collective wealth of America's richest has swollen to $1.5 trillion

Research earlier this year revealed that Americans hoping to class themselves among the richest in the country would need to be worth at least $5.1 million

According to the Knight Frank wealth report released in May, the US has the fifth highest fortune required to be part of the world's wealthiest 1 percent - behind Monaco, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.

The combined net worth of America's richest has nearly doubled from $875 billion in 2019, a record high at the time which now pales in comparison to the latest statistics.

Analysis by Forbes found that 47 out of all 50 states had a billionaire living there - up from 44 in 2019.

Alaska, Delaware and West Virginia were the only three states without a single resident whose wealth runs into nine-figures.

The study also found that of the 775 billionaires living in the U.S, more than 60 percent - or 179 - resided in California. The richest among them is Google co-founder Larry Page who is worth $105 billion.
Nearly 1,000 staff from the Unite union will walk out at Gatwick Airport over eight days this summer.

The union said the action will 'inevitably' cause disruption to flights at the height of the summer holiday season.

But when exactly are the walkout dates at Gatwick Airport in 2023? Will your summer holiday be impacted by the strikes?

Read on below to find out if you will be affected by the strikes at Gatwick Airport later this summer.

Unite members involved in the latest Gatwick dispute are employed by ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services, which conduct outsourced operations for airlines

Full list of Gatwick airport strike dates

Members of the Unite union will stage industrial action - affecting flights at Gatwick Airport - on four days in July in addition to four days in August.

The first set of strikes will be held from Friday July 28, ending on Tuesday August 1. They will resume on Friday August 4, with the second stage of strike action by Unite coming to a close on Tuesday August 8.

The exact timing of each strike varies but all strikes will begin in the early hours of the morning on the 28 July and 4 August and end in the early hours of the morning on 1 and 8 August.

Leading airlines British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair, TUI, Westjet and Wizz will all be affected throughout what is one of the most popular holiday times of the year.

The announcement by Unite comes after EasyJet said it had axed around 1,700 flights up to September - mainly at Gatwick - which will affect more than 100,000 holidaymakers.

Industry experts have warned that other airlines and airports will follow suit, in what could be a chaotic time to travel.

Why are Gatwick airport workers striking?

Unite members involved in the latest Gatwick dispute are employed by ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services, which conduct outsourced operations for airlines including ground handling, baggage handling, ramp agents, dispatchers, and check-in.

Unite said it has been in negotiations with the four companies since January but claimed they have failed to make offers that meets the workers' expectations.

Nearly 1,000 staff from the Unite union will walk out at Gatwick Airport over eight days this summer. Pictured: Unite union flags flown on a picket line at Heathrow Airport on March 31 2023

The union's general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Our members at Gatwick Airport undertake incredibly demanding roles and are essential to keeping the airport and airlines working, yet their employers somehow think it is acceptable to pay them a pittance.

'As part of Unite's unyielding focus on the jobs, pay and condition of its members, the union has drawn a line in the sand and is committed to eradicating the scourge of low pay at the airport.'

A total of 4,410 flights are scheduled to depart Gatwick across all the strike days, equating to more than 840,000 seats, aviation data company Cirium said.

A Gatwick spokesman stated: 'We are aware of the recent ballot result and will support our airlines with their contingency plans to ensure that flights operate as scheduled.'
Actors' union leader Fran Drescher has taken center stage in the Hollywood fight for higher pay amid historic industrial action following a fiery rallying speech on Thursday.

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) president is leading the industry's first mass walkout since the 1980's - which also involves performers demanding protection against their jobs being threatened by artificial intelligence.

Drescher's own career has spanned decades of cinema, television and Broadway, but she is most famous for starring in 90's sitcom The Nanny, which she created with her husband at the time Peter Marc Jacobson - who is now openly gay.

She reportedly earned $1.5 million per episode during the final season of the show, making her one of the highest-paid actresses in TV at the time, while her net worth is estimated to be between $25 million and $30 million.

Off the screen, the Queens-born 65-year-old is known for her firebrand anti-capitalist views, and overcoming horrific experiences in earlier life - from being raped at gunpoint to battling womb cancer.

Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) president Fran Drescher is leading the industry's first mass walkout since the 1980's - which also involves performers demanding protection against their jobs being threatened by artificial intelligence

Drescher's own career has spanned decades of cinema, television and Broadway, but she is most famous for starring in 90's sitcom The Nanny. Pictured: Drescher as her character Fran Fine in the Nanny, which she reportedly earned $1.5 million per episode for in the final season

Drescher created and produced The Nanny in 1993 until 1999 along with Peter Marc Jacobson, her high school sweetheart who she was married to for 21 years, until he came out as gay. The couple (pictured in their youth) say they still love each other and will not remarry

Drescher's acting career also got off to a rocky start in her college days, when she came close to pursuing a very different path.

As a first-year student Drescher dropped out of Queens College, City University of New York, because all the acting classes were filled and she instead pursued a course in cosmetology, according to a 1996 interview with Redbook.

But she managed to secure her first role as a dancer in the 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever, in which she asked John Travolta's character: 'Are you as good in bed as you are on the dance floor?'

The following year, she was cast in several more films, including American Hot Wax and Summer of Fear.

During the 1980s, Drescher scored roles in films like Gorp, The Hollywood Knights, Doctor Detroit, The Big Picture, UHF, and Cadillac Man.

Her most memorable role from the decade was playing publicist Bobbi Flekman in the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap - a character which also made a cameo in the fifth season of Drescher's The Nanny.

Drescher created the sitcom in 1993 along with Jacobson, her high school sweetheart who she was married to for 21 years. It aired on CBS until 1999.

Reprising the role of Fran Fine, who becomes the nanny of four children before she charms their widower father, Drescher shot to a new level of fame.

She reportedly earned $1.5 million per episode during the final season of the show, making her one of the highest-paid actresses in TV at the time.

The 1990's saw her star in several more films including Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 movie Jack, and The Beautician and the Beast the following year - which she also produced.

In 2000 she starred alongside Woody Allen in Picking UP the Piece, before voicing the character of Pearl in 2006 animation Shark Bait.

Drescher returned to television with her own daytime chat show, The Fran Drescher Tawk Show, in 2010, though it was shelved after a trial period.

Estimates for the net worth of New York-born Drescher, who has long expressed opinions to the political left, range from $25 million to $30 million

Semi-autobiographical: Drescher got her big break producing and playing the nasal-voiced bridal shop salesgirl-turned-careworker Fran Fine for six seasons on CBS spanning 1993-1999

The following year, she created sitcom Happily Divorced with Jacobson, who had by then come out as gay and the pair had split.

As part of the show's promotion, Drescher performed the weddings of three gay couples in New York City using a minister's licence she received from the Universal Life Church.

She chose the couples through a competition she launched on Facebook called 'Fran Drescher's 'Love is Love' Gay Marriage Contest, based on the stories they submitted about their relationship origin story and how it has developed.

Drescher branched out to Broadway in 2014, playing stepmother Madame for a 10-week period in the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.

Most recently, she reprised a recurring role in Adam Sandler's Hotel Transylvania film series, in which she voices Eunice.

Beyond the stage, Drescher - who has Jewish parents and grandparents who immigrated to the US from Romania and Poland - has endured several traumatic experiences, from being raped at gunpoint to battling womb cancer.

Her private life also made headlines when she and Jacobson divorced in 1999 after 21 years of marriage, with her ex coming out as gay.

Drescher said she did not know Jacobson, who she met when they were both just 15 years old, was gay, in large part because they had a very active sex life - which she spoke about in 2015.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com last year, Drescher revealed she would never marry again, and she plans to grow old with Jacobson because 'we still love each other'. She is also a vocal supporter of LGBT rights.

Drescher joined actors on a picket outside the Netflix office in Los Angeles, California, on Friday - the first day of their industrial action

The couple experienced a horrific ordeal in their late 20's, when two robbers broke into their Los Angeles home, stole their possessions and raped Drescher and a female friend at gunpoint.

Jacobson was also attacked, tied up, and forced to witness the entire ordeal.

It took Drescher several years to recover from the trauma of the incident, and even longer to tell her story to the press.

In 2020, she revealed how her photographic memory had helped police identify her rapist - who was out on parole at the time - and send him to jail for life.

Drescher informally re-married in 2014, with Indian-American engineer Shiva Ayyadurai at her beach house.

Both said they were married and the event was widely reported as such, but Ayyadurai later said it was 'not a formal wedding' but a celebration of their 'friendship in a spiritual ceremony with close friends and family'.

The couple split two years later.

Drescher has also battled uterine cancer in the early 2000's, which she wrote about in her book, Cancer Schmancer, which was intended to raise consciousness about the early signs of the disease.

She was admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars Sinai Hospital in June 2000 to undergo an immediate radical hysterectomy which cleared her of the disease.

On the seventh anniversary of her operation, Drescher announced the launch of the Cancer Schmancer Movement, a charity which aims to ensure women's cancers are diagnosed in the early stages.

As an outspoken advocate for healthcare, Drescher helped get Johanna's Law for improved education about cancer passed unanimously through Congress, and she was appointed a diplomat for Women's Health Issues by the Bush administration.

She traveled the world in the role, working with organizations in Romania, Hungary, Serbia and Poland.

Frances Fisher, Joely Fisher, SAG-AFTRA members and supporters join the picket line in support of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike at the SAG-AFTRA Building in California on Friday

'You don't need a label of socialist or capitalist': Fran proudly considers herself an 'anti-capitalist' who's a registered Democrat but identifies with the Green Party

'Capitalism has become another word for Ruling Class Elite!' The Queens-born 62-year-old 'agreed' with a post calling for a 'general strike' against the wealthy ordering employees to return to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Her political exploits also go beyond the field of health, and in 2008 she supported Hillary Clinton's bid for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, including by attending a Super Democrat rally for her.

She also supported Barack Obama for re-election in 2012, and Joe Biden in 2020.

Drescher describes herself as explicitly anti-capitalist, and she has long expressed concerns about capitalist greed.

Amid the Covid pandemic in 2020, she supported calls for a general strike against the wealthy ordering employees to return to work.

Responding to a Twitter post calling for the strike, she said: 'I agree. Capitalism has become another word for Ruling Class Elite!'

She had the Covid jabs, but has also spoken out against vaccine mandates.

The two-time Golden Globe nominee proudly considers herself an 'anti-capitalist' who's a registered Democrat but identifies with the Green Party.

'I really think we need a new hybrid of systems. I'm not anti-making-money, don't get me wrong. I don't think making money is a bad thing, per se,' Fran explained to Vulture back in 2017.

'But it has to be calibrated within the spectrum of what's a true value.

'What I really tell people is, you might be the first ones at a global-warming rally, but meanwhile, do you know what's in your investment portfolio?

'We need to not be supporting these companies at all.'

Actors are demanding higher wages as well as protection against their jobs being threatened by artificial intelligence through their walkout

Fran Drescher, as The Nanny, on crossing picket lines pic.twitter.com/jajSrlYkNd  Screen Slate (@ScreenSlate) July 13, 2023

Drescher became the president of SAF-AFTRA in September 2021, following in the footsteps of former President Ronald Reagan, who held the position from 1947-1952, and 1959-1960.

The current strike presided over by Drescher will be the first time film and television actors have taken industrial action since 1980, and the first time two major Hollywood unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960.

Now, as 160,000 actors launched the strike on Friday, Drescher made headlines for torching multi-millionaire studio executives over their six-figure salaries in a fiery speech to fellow union members.

A vintage clip of The Nanny has also resurfaced since, showing Drescher, in character as Fran Fine, refusing to cross a picket line because it would hurt her American-Jewish familys union members.
So what were they frightened of? When Nato leaders came to Vilnius this week, it was surely obvious what they had to do.

They had to be strong. That is the whole point of Nato. They had to show that they were in no way intimidated by Vladimir Putin and the sabre-rattling spookery of the Kremlin.

They had to show that Nato countries recognise the immensity of the Ukrainian sacrifice and the obligations this imposes on us in the West  and they had to come up with a commensurate response.

For more than 500 days the Ukrainians have been resisting the Russian onslaught, a war they did nothing  repeat nothing  to provoke.

Their cities have been bombed indiscriminately, their women raped, their children abducted and in Crimea there are camps where male prisoners of war are systematically castrated.

President Zelensky greets world leaders at the Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania this week

No country is in greater need of Nato membership, Boris Johnson writes

More than 100,000 Ukrainian troops are believed to have lost their lives, along with countless civilians, and ten million Ukrainians have been displaced.

It was up to Nato leaders, this week, to show their collective respect and gratitude for Ukraines heroic resistance in a struggle in which not a single Nato soldier has been hurt or killed, because we in Nato countries know  and constantly say  that the Ukrainians are fighting for all of us.

Their battle is for freedom and democracy everywhere: for eastern Europe, for the Baltic states, for all peoples around the world that could be bullied or invaded by an overmighty neighbour. That is why this week we owed the Ukrainians clarity about their future.

It was up to the Nato leaders to demonstrate beyond doubt their belief in the fundamental principle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation  the most successful military alliance in history.

We should have made it clear, once and for all, that it is for a sovereign people to decide which organisations they want to join, and that no non-member can veto them or hold them back.

It is our very ambiguity,

our vacillation, our

sucking-and-blowing-at-once, which has prompted Putin to invade

No country has done more or tried harder than Ukraine to demonstrate its fitness for Nato membership. No armed forces are more fearsome or more effective in their use of Nato weaponry.

No country is in greater need of Nato membership. All the Alliance needed to do was to set out a timetable  not for instant membership; that makes no sense as long as the war is live  but for membership as soon as victory is won.

All we needed was words to the effect that accession could begin as soon as the war was over, on the understanding that this could be as early as next year.

It would have been the right message for those brave Ukrainians now fighting for their lives  like struggling swimmers who suddenly see the safety of the shore.

It would have been the right message for Putin, making it absolutely clear that his disastrous misadventure is only going to end one way. That was what Nato needed to say this week in the Lithuanian capital  and what did we get instead?

As long as Vladimir Putin thinks he can recreate the Soviet Union, he will try

I am sorry to say that the Vilnius conclusions are no firmer or more convincing than Natos Bucharest conclusions of 2008, which say  in paragraph 23, to be exact  we agreed that these countries (Ukraine and Georgia) will become members of Nato.

That was 15 years ago, when Gordon Brown was still prime minister, and when Putin had yet to embark on his violent and revanchist plan to rebuild the Soviet empire.

All the Ukrainians got this week was an invitation to join Nato, when allies are agreed and when conditions are met. No wonder President Zelensky found it hard, at first, to conceal his frustration.

When allies agree? When conditions are met? According to the Bucharest conclusions, the allies agreed all this 15 years ago!

When will we learn the lesson of the past 20 years of handling Putin? It is our very ambiguity, our vacillation, our sucking-and-blowing-at-once, which has prompted him to invade. As long as he thinks there is a chance that he can wrest Ukraine back into the orbit of Moscow  as long as he thinks he can recreate the Soviet Union  he will try.

As long as he thinks he can get away with violence against Ukraine, and others, he will use violence. As long as Ukraine is deprived of those formal Article 5 Nato security guarantees that ensure the collective defence of all members, Putin will continue to inflict murder and mayhem  and to destabilise the world and the world economy.

That is why we in Nato must set out a timetable, as rapidly as possible. I know that is the ambition of the UK Government, and I know how hard Britain has been campaigning behind the scenes. The reluctance does not lie in London; far from it.

The problem is that there are still some of our friends and partners who think this war can only end in a negotiated solution. They believe that we should be craftily ambiguous now  because they think that the issue of Ukraines Nato membership could yet be part of the deal.

You could make a bargain with Putin, they think: you get your troops out and well keep Ukraine out of Nato.

That is madness. Throughout this war there has been a Western tendency to make the same mistake, over and over again: to overestimate Putin, and to underestimate Ukraine.

A woman cries outside houses damaged by a Russian airstrike in Gorenka, outside Kyiv. Countless civilians have lost their lives in the conflict

The Ukrainians are going to win. They deserve to win. They are fighting like lions, and the evidence is growing that they will succeed.

Look at Putins position. It was only three weeks ago that Yevgeny Prigozhin  founder of the Wagner Group and hitherto seen as his leal* and faithful mastiff  suddenly turned on his master and sent his troops to march on Moscow.

Some now say that the mutiny was all a cunning ploy by Putin, just to show that Russia could be even more chaotic with other people in charge. What nonsense.

This was no masquerade. This was near anarchy  the Wagner Group actually shooting down Russian helicopters, actually killing Russian soldiers.

And in the aftermath, Sergei Surovikin, the tough-nut general who used to be in charge of the Russian invasion forces, has suddenly vanished under suspicion of being in sympathy with the attempted coup.

Another sacked general, Ivan Popov, is accusing Putin of decapitating the army. You can see what is happening. The Russian military know they are facing defeat and humiliation in Ukraine, and they are preparing their dolchstosslegende  their stab-in-the-back-myth  to explain how they were betrayed and let down by incompetent politicians.

Yes, it will take time for the Ukrainians to break through the Vietcong-style dug-outs that the Russians have mined and booby-trapped in the captured areas. We must be patient. We must show strategic continence.

We must give the Ukrainians the air cover  the F-16 fighter jets  to get it done.

But they will do it, and once they do, there is only one way to make sure such an invasion never happens again, to settle once and for all the question of Ukraines political identity and orientation  for the stability of Ukraine, and Russia, and the world.

It has worked for the Balts. It has worked for Eastern Europe. It is now the only way forward for Ukraine. It is time to be strong, end the mealy-mouthed procrastination  and get Ukraine into Nato as fast as we can.

Dictionary corner

*Leal: Loyal and true, as in being loyal to your King
A BBC television director killed a retired grammar school teacher by pushing him in the street after an argument about Welsh independence, a court heard.

Hywel Williams, who works on a long-running Welsh language soap opera, shoved grandfather Peter Ormerod, 75, after the pair had cross words in a pub, a jury was told.

The 40-year-old accepts calling the respected teacher a fat little **** after he hit his head on the ground  with Mr Ormerod dying four days later in hospital from severe head injuries.

Williams is a director working on Pobol Y Cwm  which means People of the Valley  and is made by the BBC for S4C, Swansea Crown Court heard.

The show has been running since 1974 and launched the career of Hollywood star Ioan Gruffudd.

Retired teacher Peter Ormerod, 75, was pushed over by BBC television director Hywel Williams after a row over Welsh independence

Williams (pictured) admitted to pushing Mr Ormerod but insisted it was for self-defence

A jury heard Williams and Mr Ormerod argued over Welsh independence in a pub in Burry Port, West Wales last September.

Williams, who denies manslaughter, is said to have pushed the ex-maths teacher to the ground outside.

The two men had expressed opposing views on whether Wales should leave the UK before they left the pub at around the same time, jurors have been told.

Giving evidence in his defence, Williams said he had been fed up with the row over politics but that this angered Mr Ormerod.

He said he told Mr Ormerod: I dont have time for this mate I dont want any of this.

Williams said the retired teacher replied: Dont you ever speak to me like that again.

How dare you speak to me like that?

Williams said the two men swore at each other before he pushed Mr Ormerod to the floor in self-defence.

I felt scared and pushed him, he said.

He said he hadnt meant to hurt Mr Ormerod, but just to push him away.

I thought he was going to get back up, he said.

Williams dialled 999 and tried to seek medical assistance, and admitted to police that he had pushed him.

I did everything I could to help him, he told the court.

Mr Ormerod previously taught maths at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen and at Welsh language school Ysgol Bro Myrddin

Mr Ormerod died in hospital four days later on September 28 last year having suffered traumatic head and brain injuries.

Williams told the jury he didnt remember calling Mr Ormerod a fat little **** or f***ing **** moments after the alleged push, but accepted that he had.

Prosecutor Ian Wright KC previously told how the row flared when the pair were drinking nearby in the Portobello pub.

He said conversation turned to Welsh independence and Welsh politics generally, with a disagreement resulting from their opposing views.

Mr Wright said there was CCTV of the two men coming together outside a coffee shop a short distance away before Williams allegedly pushed the older man to the floor.

Williams, of Grangetown, Cardiff, denies manslaughter saying he acted in self-defence.

Mr Ormerod previously taught at Queen Elizabeths Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen, and at the Welsh language Ysgol Bro Myrddin.

In a tribute following the widowers death, his family said he had been a well-respected teacher and member of the community.

The trial continues.
Generals, diplomats, peers and Afghan veterans today joined forces to urge Rishi Sunak not to renege on the debt of honour owed to those who risked their lives for the UK.

Some of Britains highest ranking former military officers called for help for thousands of brothers in arms Afghan translators and others who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with UK forces on the battlefield, and are now stranded.

In a powerful letter headed Forgotten Afghans to the Prime Minister, they highlight how an estimated 2,725 have qualified for sanctuary in the UK in return for their risky service, yet remain unable to escape from Afghanistan.

A further nearly 2,000 have escaped and been told they can come to Britain to start new lives in safety, but are stuck in hotels in foreign countries awaiting their visas.

They include 700 children among the mens families, many of whom have not been able to go to school for over a year, while they wait for the Home Office to do the paperwork.

Generals, diplomats, lords and veterans have told the Prime Minister not to forget 2,725 trapped in Afghanistan who are qualified for sanctuary in UK

An estimated 2,725 have qualified for sanctuary in the UK in return for their risky service, yet remain unable to escape from Afghanistan

It is nearly two years since the brutal Taliban regimes triumphant takeover of Kabul. Anyone who had worked for the infidel British became a target and many have been murdered or maimed.

Today/yesterday, a former Chief of Defence Staff  the highest military rank in Britain - General Lord Richards of Herstmonceux led a parade of senior figures urging the PM to step in.

Lord Richards said: For all of us who had the privilege of serving our country in Afghanistan, this is a debt of honour that we and our country must repay. The Government has done well. But lets not fail at the last hurdle.

READ MORE: Afghan translators who risked their lives for Britain are denied entry to the country due to housing shortages Advertisement

Others signatories on the letter included General Lord Dannatt, ex-head of the Army, General Sir John McColl, who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, former NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, and Lord Sedwill, the former British Ambassador in Kabul.

And their letter was given added significance because it is also signed by several British soldiers who suffered terrible life-changing injuries on the frontlines and know the risks taken for them by interpreters and others still trapped.

They include members of the so-called Casevac Club of those wounded in action in Helmand, such as Corporal Josh Boggi blown up two months into his third tour of Afghanistan after stepping on an IED. He lost both legs and his right arm.

They believe not enough is being done to help the Afghans who risked their own safety to help save the lives of so many British service personnel.

Sir John McColl said: The plight of those Afghans ignored and forgotten in Pakistan is a disgrace. The Government must honour its pledge to support those who fought and died alongside us so bravely.

While highlighting concern for those trapped and being hunted by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the letter also focuses on the chronic situation in hotels in Pakistan where hundreds of Afghans are stuck in a Kafkaesque catch-22  told they can come to Britain for sanctuary but can only get a visa if they can arrange housing, which is illegal to do without a visa.

Lord Richards said: For all of us who had the privilege of serving our country in Afghanistan, this is a debt of honour that we and our country must repay'

The letter says: Destitute Afghans are being told to find their own accommodation in the UK, navigating an impenetrable bureaucratic maze without any support. In a years time there could be almost 4,000 Afghans stranded in Pakistan.

This newspapers award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign has repeatedly highlighted the plight of those in Afghanistan hunted by vengeful Taliban. And we revealed yesterday how nearly 2,000 are stranded in Pakistan hotels despite there being 5,000 hotel rooms available in Britain already paid for by taxpayers that are being kept empty for possible future Channel boat migrants.

A High Court battle is looming on behalf of three ex-military translators challenging the housing policy which they claim is unlawful.

MP and Afghan veteran Dan Jarvis, who helped co-ordinate the letter, added: People who risked their lives in support of our mission have been left behind. Some are dead, some are living in limbo, and theres no plan to get them here.

Many of us who served have a deep bond of affection for the Afghans we worked alongside. While our mission in Afghanistan is over, our commitment to its people is not.

Its on the Prime Minister to do all he can to honour the obligations made to get these people to safety.

The Home Office, which is responsible for visas, it was committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan, with around 24,500 brought to safety in the UK so far, and we continue to work across government and with partners to find suitable accommodation for them.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that he believed Democrats are stuck with President Joe Biden on the 2024 ticket, but indicated he was itching to run against California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

DeSantis was being interviewed by Tucker Carlson at the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, when the former Fox News host asked the GOP hopeful if he thought the president would be on the November 2024 ballot.

DeSantis - who is badly trailing former President Donald Trump in GOP primary polls - said he was going 'back and forth' on the issue, because incumbent presidents generally do run again, and Biden announced his reelection bid in April.

'Unless he's willing to step aside, I don't think they can get him out of there,' DeSantis commented. 'On the other hand, I'm fully prepared to have a Florida-California showdown and let the people choose what's the better vision for the United States of America because I'm very confident that the freedom in Florida is what more people would choose, rather than the public defecation on the streets of San Francisco.'

DeSantis, 44, was one of six Republican presidential hopefuls to grace the Iowa stage Friday, at an event Trump decided to skip.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that he's not sure President Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee in 2024 and hinted his replacement would be California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Tucker Carlson (left) posed questions to six Republican presidential hopefuls at the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, wrapping up the day with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right)

Instead of the typical stump speeches, each candidate was queried by Carlson, with some appearances going smoother than others.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson got twisted up in a back-and-forth on whether transgender children should be allowed to seek gender-affirming care.

Conservative pundit Glenn Beck, who was hosting a livestream of the event, likened Hutchinson's performance against Carlson to the 'Hindenburg' disaster.

Former Vice President Mike Pence got salty with Carlson, who was interrupting him as he spoke about the war in Ukraine.

Pence recounted a recent trip to the wartorn country and pushed back when Carlson said he had heard the Zelensky administration was arresting clergy.

'I asked the Christian leader in Kyiv if that was in fact happening and he assured me it was not,' Pence said.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (right) stumbled during his Q&A with Tucker Carlson (left) over whether he believed transgender children should be able to receive gender-affirming care

Later, Pence misspoke when Carlson pressed him on why his priority is Ukraine when American cities are crumbling.

'That's not my concern,' Pence answered. 'Tucker, I've heard this routine from you before. But that's not my concern.'

The clip was quickly shared by Pence antagonists online.

Sen. Tim Scott, former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswany escaped their interviews with Carlson without any major gaffes.

Haley turned heads, however, when she boldly claimed the cocaine found at the White House belonged to either Hunter Biden or someone 'very close to the president.'

DeSantis, who has been in second place in the GOP primary polls for months, was the final speaker.

With Iowa's Gov. Kim Reynolds choosing the conservative conference to sign the state's new six-week abortion ban into law, following what DeSantis did in Florida in April, Carlson off his interview with the Florida governor, asking him if he'd take that policy nationwide.

Nikki Haley (right) told Tucker Carlson (left) that she believed the cocaine discovered in the White House belonged to either Hunter Biden or a close associate of President Joe Biden

Casey DeSantis (right) sits in the audience alongside Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (left), who used the conservative Christian event to sign the state's six-week abortion ban into law

DeSantis didn't explicitly commit to the six-week timeframe.

'Well, I'm very proud to say Kim Reynolds is here and she signed a great heartbeat bill today. We were able to do that in Florida. We had a lot of opposition to that. I'm proud to have been a pro-life governor and I will be a pro-life president,' he answered.

He added that he 'wanted to sign pro-life legislation' but added, 'I don't think Rome is built in a day,' predicting that he'd likely face resistance.

'I think it's going to take time to make progress in some parts of the country, but as president, I will be somebody who will use the bully pulpit to support governors like Kim Reynolds, when she's got a bill, other states as they advance the cause of life,' DeSantis continued.

The governor said he lost some supporters and major donors when he signed the six-week abortion ban.

Trump, who appointed three of the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, has remained squishy on whether he'd sign a nationwide abortion ban, fearing it could be an election-lose for Republicans.

'If you're here to contort yourself into a pretzel, to try to not have to take on big issues, to take the political road that's easier traveled, then you're not somebody who's dependable,' DeSantis said.

'So we stood up, we did what was right, yeah, we lost some support as a result of that, but if I had a chance to do it again, I'd do it every day of the week and twice on Sunday,' the governor added.
Emmanuel Macron was roundly booed while waving to the crowds during today's Bastille Day celebrations - as more than 100,000 police officers were deployed around France to prevent another outbreak of riots.

The national celebrations come at a delicate time for the French president, who received a hostile reception as he was driven down the Champs-Elysees in a military car.

Mr Macron's decision to raise the retirement age sparked months of protest across France, while the country was gripped by further riots after 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was 'executed' by the police on June 27.

Bastille Day is the national day of France and marks the start of the French Revolution in 1789 when an angry mob stormed the state prison on the east side of Paris. This year, fireworks have been banned in a bid to curb violence on the streets.

As Mr Macron stood up in the back of the military car followed by a motorcade, soldiers and horses, he was greeted with resounding boos, highlighting how recent decisions have severely damaged his popularity ratings.

President Emmanuel Macron was roundly booed while waving to the crowds during today's Bastille Day celebrations

This year's Bastille Day celebrations come weeks after France was rocked by riots (right) in the wake of the 'execution' of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk by French police

The French President waved to crowds despite the poor reception he received as he went down the Champs-Elysees

In further footage taken from within the crowd, whistling from French gendarmes on high alert was not enough to drown out a chorus of jeers aimed at the French president.

Just weeks after France was rocked by riots - and days after Mr Macron was sent a severed human finger in the post - the country celebrated the national holiday with whizzing warplanes and a grand parade.

READ MORE: French President Emmanuel Macron is sent a severed human FINGER in the post following riots last week Advertisement

The celebrations have been somewhat overshadowed by the nation's most serious rioting in nearly 20 years, following the fatal police shooting of Nahel Merzouk, who had North African roots, that laid bare anger over entrenched inequality and racial discrimination.

Fighter jets and military helicopters flew right above the site where the teenager was killed last month, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, on their way toward the Arc de Triomphe and the VIP guests watching the parade.

The streets were unusually quiet as local residents gathered at Nanterre's Nelson Mandela Square to watch the flyby.

Amid the negative reaction from some members of the crowd, others were delighted to see the French president - who took time to take selfies and speak with them.

India was the guest of honour at this year's Bastille Day parade, with prime minister Narendra Modi watching alongside Mr Macron. About 240 Indian troops led the march down the Champs-Elysees before thousands of French forces and French-made Indian warplanes joined the aerial display.

France often showcases international partners on Bastille Day, and the choice of India comes as France looks to further strengthen cooperation on fighting climate change, military sales and countering China's growing influence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

Macron Booed In Bastille Day Parade



The public let President Emmanuel Macron know their feelings about his running of pension reforms, raging riots and apparent stubbornness to take on board their frustrations.



It turns out Macron can't have his cake and eat it



RT pic.twitter.com/Ix4pyVTIEx  TifaniesweTs (@TifaniesweTs) July 14, 2023

A chorus of boos and jeers could be heard drowning out the military parade in France this afternoon

Today, France celebrated the national holiday with whizzing warplanes and a grand parade. Pictured: Mr Macron at the military parade

French President Emmanuel Macron poses for a selfie with a woman after the Bastille Day military parade

India was the guest of honour at this year's Bastille Day parade, with prime minister Narendra Modi watching alongside Mr Macron (pictured together)

India's prime minister Narendra Modi, Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron watch the parade

About 240 Indian troops led the march down the Champs-Elysees before thousands of French forces, and French-made Indian warplanes joined the aerial display. Pictured: Mr Modi and Mr Macron meet with WWII veteran Henri Becker during the annual Bastille Day military parade

Despite the chorus of boos in the crowd, others were delighted to see Mr Macron and he took selfies with them

Macron walks on the day of the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris

But human rights were missing from the vast agenda, despite concerns raised by European lawmakers, rights groups and others.

Russia's war in Ukraine - central to last year's Bastille Day celebrations - echoed in this year's events as well. Vehicles on display included the Caesar anti-missile batteries that France is providing to Ukraine, and Ukrainian officials were invited to join Macron in the VIP seats.

On the eve of France's national day, Macron gave a posthumous Legion of Honour award to a French journalist killed in Ukraine earlier this year, Arman Soldin of news agency Agence France-Presse.

The Bastille Day parade included 6,500 people marching, 94 planes and helicopters, 219 ground vehicles, 200 horses and 86 dogs.

Festivities are held in towns and cities around France to commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison that marked the revolution, and to celebrate France's ideals of 'liberty, equality and fraternity'.

But the motto rings hollow for many people living in neglected housing projects who trace their roots to former French colonies and struggle with lack of opportunity and day-to-day racism. These issues came to the fore after Nahel's killing in Nanterre, during a traffic stop.

The fatal shooting at point-blank range, captured on video, sparked several days of clashes with police, burning of buildings and vehicles and looting of stores in cities and towns around France.

Friday's Bastille Day celebrations come just weeks after France was rocked by severely violent riots

After months of protests over Macron's hated pension reforms, France was gripped by more riots after 17-year-old Nahel was killed

Fireworks were banned from this year's Bastille Day celebrations in a bid to prevent further riots

More than 100,000 police officers were deployed around France to prevent another outbreak of riots

The Bastille Day parade included 6,500 people marching, 94 planes and helicopters, 219 ground vehicles, 200 horses and 86 dogs

The roses on a roadside memorial to Nahel on the Boulevard des Bouvets had long withered by Friday's Bastille Day celebrations.

A nearby Monoprix supermarket was still boarded up, and the walls near the intersection where the police shot and killed the teenager were still tagged with words of anger: 'Vengeance for Nahel,' anti-police slogan 'ACAB,' and 'Death to the king,' an apparent dig at what is seen as Macron's out-of-touch leadership.

Still, some residents who gathered to watch the holiday flyover saw reasons to celebrate Bastille Day.

'It's a moment of pleasure,' said Aurelie V., 38, who accompanied her newborn infant to watch the parade. She spoke on condition her last name not be used because of continued tensions in her neighbourhood. 'I came here to share this with my son, to show the strength of our country.'

Mr Macron hasn't directly addressed the issues raised by the killing of Nahel, focusing instead on supporting towns that saw damage in rioting.

The French president and his wife Brigitte Macron walk hand in hand during the military parade

France's President Emmanuel Macron waves as he leaves the annual Bastille Day military parade

Indian troops march during the Bastille Day military parade Friday, July 14. They were the invited country this year

The choice of India comes as France looks to further strengthen cooperation on fighting climate change, military sales and countering China's growing influence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

French President Emmanuel Macron (C) parades with Republican Guard cavalry officers

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and French First Lady Brigitte Macron (down L) greet Narendra Modi

A presidential aide said that the recent violence had 'no impact' on plans for the Bastille Day parade, but said the celebrations come 'at a time when it is necessary to reaffirm national cohesion'.

Mr Macron invited Donald Trump for the 2017 celebrations, and the then US president was so impressed by the French march-past that he asked Pentagon officials to explore a similar parade in celebration of American troops.

Because unrest tends to spike every year around Bastille Day and because France remains on edge, the government deployed an exceptional 130,000 police Thursday and Friday.

Overnight Thursday to Friday, the Interior Ministry reported 97 people arrested in urban violence and 218 cars set alight around the country. That was slightly lower than last year.
Border Force has rescued a boatload of suspected migrants and brought them to the Port of Dover.

Pictures emerged on Friday showing dozens of people wearing lifejackets while being brought ashore by the Border Force vessel BF Hurricane.

According to reports, it came after 'a small boat incident' in the Channel.

From the pictures, the majority appeared to be male and several were also wearing facemasks.

There are no official figures or even estimates of how many people were brought to Dover today, so far.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, today on Friday, July 14

The passengers were reportedly rescued by BF Hurricane following a 'small boat incident' in the Channel

So far, official figures of how many people were taken aboard are not available but so far this week, there has been 12 boats and 641 suspected migrants detected

But according to Migration Watch UK, from the start of this week, there have been 12 boats spotted and a total of 641 suspected migrants detected - but not including today's rescue.

Chairperson of Migration Watch UK, Alp Mehmet, said: 'We dont know but it would hardly be surprising if more migrants had crossed the Channel.

'Indeed, they will continue to arrive until convincing measures are in place to show that coming illegally will result in you being granted refuge.'

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The unacceptable number of people risking their lives by making these dangerous crossings is placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system.

'Our priority is to stop the boats, and our Small Boats Operational Command is working alongside our French partners and other agencies to disrupt the people smugglers.

'The government has gone further by introducing legislation which will ensure that those people arriving in the UK illegally are detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country.'

News of the recent crossing comes after it was reported that up to and including July 10, there has been a total of 13,000 migrants who have crossed the Channel by small boat.

Last year saw a record 45,755 people make the treacherous crossing - 60 per cent higher than 2021's total of 28,526.

But officials have predicted that as many as 80,000 migrants could reach the UK by the end of this year.

Today, immigration minister Robert Jenrick gave a stern warning to the House of Lords over its Illegal Migration Bill.

It is believed that the Peers want to challenge the legislation before Parliament goes into Summer recess.

Officials have predicted that as many as 80,000 migrants could reach the UK by the end of this year

Last year saw a record 45,755 people make the treacherous crossing - 60 per cent higher than 2021's total of 28,526

There has been a total of 13,000 migrants who have crossed the Channel by small boat, up to July 10

The Lords want further concessions on limits to the detention of children, modern slavery protections and the provision of safe and legal routes for refugees to the UK.

The proposals are a crucial part of Rishi Sunak's vow to 'stop the boats'.

Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that critics of the Bill had not put forward any 'credible alternative'.

'It's incumbent on those who choose to criticise our approach to provide an alternative.

'It's not a serious or grown-up way to conduct a debate to say, 'well we have concerns about Rwanda', 'we don't like the compliant environment'  'We don't want this, we don't want to', but not to come up with an alternative.'
A police officer rescued two men from a tower block blaze which was caused by an e-bike.

PC Justin Robbie was nominated for a bravery award after he used his baton to smash a window so the men, who were hanging from a ledge 16 storeys up, could be hauled in.

The dramatic moment was captured on bodycam footage released by Avon and Somerset Police.

'It is fantastic to be able to say I saved someone's life by being there,' PC Robbie said.

Emergency services were called to the fire at Twinnell House in Easton, Bristol in the early hours of September 25 last year.

Emergency services were called to the fire at Twinnell House in Easton, Bristol in the early hours of September 25 last year

PC Justin Robbie was nominated for a bravery award for saving two men's lives

Investigators have since ruled the fire was caused by an e-bike.

Dad-of-seven Abdul Jabar Oryakhel, 30, died trying to escape and eight other people were injured.

Mr Oryakhel had been staying with his cousin and was trying to flee when he fell, according to reports.

As one of the first officers on the scene, PC Robbie began climbing the stairs and directing residents to exit the building, while his colleagues prevented anyone else from entering the flats.

On locating the fire in a 16th floor flat he opened its fire door to check if anyone was still inside only to be knocked back by the smoke and heat.

When he heard shouts for help from two men hanging from a window ledge, PC Robbie, who was not wearing safety equipment, and an unnamed firefighter broke through a window before pulling two men in.

Despite not winning the bravery award in London last night, PC Robbie said it was an 'honour to be recognised'.

'Like all officers, we don't do it for the awards,' he added.

'I acted on my training and my automatic response kicked in. When everyone is running away from the danger, we run towards it.

Father of eight, Abdul Jabar Oryakhel, 30, died trying to escape the tower block fire

Investigators found that an e-bike started the blaze which led to one fatality and eight people injured

Pictured: Emergency services dealing with the aftermath of the fire which broke out on September 25, 2022

Pictured: Twinnell House in Easton, Bristol, where a fatal fire occurred in September last year

Emergency services were called to the fire at Twinnell House in Easton, Bristol in the early hours of September 25 last year

Pictured: Fire damage to Easton, Bristol tower block

'Sadly, one person had already died and all I could think about was "I need to get in there and make sure no-one else is hurt"'.

'I didn't think about my own safety, I just acted and luckily I was able to get to those two men and get them out safely.'

PC Robbie met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street.

Chief constable Sarah Crew said: 'Police officers and staff encounter difficult and often harrowing situations on a daily basis and regularly put themselves in harm's way in order to protect the public.

'However, running into a burning building with the knowledge someone has already tragically died in order to save others is an act of true heroism.

'PC Robbie remained calm in a highly dangerous situation and together with a firefighter worked swiftly and efficiently to rescue two men.

'While someone very sadly lost their life in the fire, had PC Robbie not shown such courage and selflessness the tragedy could have been even worse.'
It comes after speculation mounted the brand's physical stores could be saved at the last minute

Chain has been bought by New Jersey-based babywear designer Dream on Me Industries

Buybuy Baby has been sold for $15.5 million in a deal which means its physical stores will shut

Beleaguered retailer Buybuy Baby is set to shut down all its 120 stores after finally being sold for $15.5 million - dashing hopes they might be saved.

The chain is currently swept up in the ongoing liquidation process of its parent company Bed Bath & Beyond which filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy back in April.

After struggling to secure a buyer, Buybuy Baby has now been bought by New Jersey-based babywear designer Dream on Me Industries - which has one small store and an e-commerce site.

But the sale only included the intellectual rights to the company - meaning Buybuy Baby's bricks and mortar locations will close.

The deal brings to a close a tumultuous sales period which saw the brand almost bought by Go Global Retail, the owner of rival Janie and Jack.

Beleaguered retailer Buybuy Baby is set to shut down all its 120 stores after finally being sold for $15.5 million

Buybuy Baby has now been bought by New Jersey-based babywear designer Dream on Me Industries - which has one small store and an e-commerce site

The deal would have meant saving Buybuy Baby's physical stores but the negotiations fell through when the two companies failed to agree a purchase price.

It comes as the chain has been winding down operations in its stores, offering customers up to 70 percent discounts on their goods.

Separately Bed Bath and Beyond's brand name, domain and loyalty program assets were bought by Overstock.com for $21 million last month.

Overstock is planning to relaunch the retail giant's e-commerce site while retaining Bed Bath and Beyond's branding.

Bed Bath and Beyond purchased Buybuy Baby back in 2007 for an eye-watering $67 million.

The chain has long been considered the company's most valuable asset.

According to CNN, the firm's former activist investor Ryan Cohen said he believed the babywear chain was 'much more valuable than the company's entire market capitalization today.'

The baby outfitters generated double-digit sales growth in 2021, according to the company.

More recently, Buybuy Baby saw sharp declines in comparable-store sales, but the drops were still smaller than those at Bed Bath & Beyond. That has made the baby retailer attractive to potential buyers.

Bed Bath & Beyond fell into bankruptcy after spending $11.8 billion since 2004 on buying back its own shares.

The company accelerated its share repurchases in July 2014, taking on $2 billion in debt to finance share buybacks, as it started to face pressure from activist shareholders to improve the performance of its stock.

It had carried relatively little debt up until that year, and it put Bed, Bath & Beyond on a path toward an accumulation of debt that ultimately proved unaffordable for them.

However, its efforts to support the stock price were largely futile.

Its stock plunged 83 percent last year, and another 88 percent so far this year before it closed at 29 cents a share on the Friday before the bankruptcy filing.
A prestigious opera company is being mocked for giving eight trigger warnings to audiences at its latest production - including swearing, misogynist language, blasphemy, an earthquake and an erupting volcano.

Ticket-holders to the Welsh National Opera performance of Candide are getting a long warning about 'themes some people might find distressing' in the music score written by West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein.

Bernstein wrote the music in 1956 for Candide based on a novella by Voltaire in 1759 - but opera chiefs fear it may all be too much for some sensitive modern audiences.

On the Welsh National Opera's website, Candide is promised as a 'supercharged wild ride' in which '18th-Century France crashes into 20th-Century post-war America.'

But then it states: 'Please be aware that throughout this operetta there is anachronistic and explicit language used as well as themes that some people may find distressing.'

A prestigious opera company is being mocked for giving eight trigger warnings to audiences at its latest production - including swearing, misogynist language, blasphemy, an earthquake and and erupting volcano (performance of Welsh National Opera's production of Candide pictured)

Ticket-holders to the Welsh National Opera performance of Candide are getting a long warning about 'themes some people might find distressing' in the musical score written by West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein

The warning for Candide lists the following:

occasional strong language

reference to rape

depiction of war and violence including murder

misogynist language

references to religious prejudices and blasphemy

a scene that shows nooses culminating in two hangings

references to slavery

depiction of an earthquake / volcano erupting

Fans were puzzled by the warnings for opera which has been well-known for its dark themes and shocking moments since its inception.

Classical music and arts site Slippedisc said: 'We might as well pack up the whole of opera and stay home.'

Fan Michelle Smith - who is due to see the opera at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff - said: 'I've never seen so many trigger warnings. But this is opera, not something from Peppa Pig. We are all grown-ups.'

Fellow buff Brian David, 59, said: 'That's quite a build-up with all those warnings. Let's hope it lives up to all that darkness.'

Bernstein wrote the music in 1956 for Candide based on a novella by Voltaire in 1759 - but opera chiefs fear it may all be too much for some sensitive modern audiences

The WNO's warnings for their production of Candide

The WNO said: 'Candide is an operetta that looks at the world through satire and comedy.

'[It follows] Candide as he leaves the castle from which he is raised and embarks on a journey where he witnesses multiple hardships and experiences disasters.

'These include war, theft, slavery, rape, natural disasters, hanging and more.'

The opera company described the story to be 'as relevant now as when it was first written in 1759'.

In a review by The Stage it was described as 'an ingeniously witty, all-out absurdist Candide from Welsh National Opera'.
GOP Rep. Eli Crane struck a regretful tone as he apologized for referring to African Americans as 'colored people' on the House floor Thursday.

'I misspoke. It's unfortunate. I wish I could have it back,' Crane, R-Ariz., told DailyMail.com off the House floor.

Crane, a former Navy Seal and freshman member, was giving a speech on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

On Thursday evening he said the amendment would prohibit the Defense Department from considering 'race, gender, religion, political affiliations or 'any other ideological concepts' as part of military recruitment.

'My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or Black people or anybody can serve,' said Crane, who is in his first term. 'It has nothing to do with any of that stuff.'

GOP Rep. Eli Crane struck a regretful tone as he apologized for referring to African Americans as 'colored people' on the House floor Thursday

The comment prompted immediate outrage from Democrats and a sharp rebuke from the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

'The military was never intended to be, you know, inclusive. Its strength is not its diversity. Its strength is its standards,' said Crane, 43.

'I'm going to tell you guys this right now you can: You can keep playing around these games with diversity, equity and inclusion. But there are some real threats out there. And if we keep messing around and we keep lowering our standards, it's not going to be good,' he said.

Once his remarks concluded Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, asked that 'colored people' be stricken from the record.

Crane insisted he had meant to say 'people of color.'

'I find it offensive and very inappropriate,' said Beatty, the former CBC chair. 'I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words of referring to me or any of my colleagues as colored people.'

Crane cut in with a request that his comments be amended for the record to say 'people of color.'

In a statement through his office after the incident, Crane insisted he had 'misspoke' and said his amendment would prevent discrimination.

'In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of one's skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke,' Crane said in a statement. 'Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal.'

Crane's amendment was approved and added to the NDAA bill - which passed Friday morning.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy was asked about the Arizona Republican's comment in a press conference. 'Thats not acceptable. I take him at his word that he misspoke.'
A marine biologist has relived the emotional rollercoaster of a 50,000 pound humpback whale saving her from a shark.

Nan Hauser, 69, talked through the encounter off Muri Beach, Rarotonga, of the Cook Islands, which left her in tears.

The footage has now been released as part of National Geographic's annual Sharkfest event.

It shows Hauser fearing the whale was going to kill her, before realising that the gentle giant was, in fact, her savior.

Nan Hauser, 69, talked through the encounter with the shark and whale off Muri Beach, Rarotonga, of the Cook Islands, which left her in tears

Nan Hauser, 69, talked through the encounter as part of National Geographic's annual Sharkfest event

The marine biologist described that at one point, all she could see was the white underbelly of the beast, as it swept her along

In the footage, you can see Hauser trying to avoid clashing with the whale's enormous pectoral fins - situated on its sides.

Unsurprisingly, a creature of this size holds tremendous power, but instead of inflicting damage on the marine biologist, it saved her.

'I suddenly realised that the shark is coming up just at me right below,' she continued.

The scientist said that as she saw the shark approaching, she and the whale knew 'that this is a serious situation, and I wanted to get out of the water.'

The predator was a 15-foot tiger shark - well known for carrying out attacks on humans.

Hauser's savior successfully nudged her back to the boat using the front of its head, and she gratefully clambered onboard.

Taking a deep breath as she explained that final moments, Hauser recalled: 'I looked and he was right there next to me, protecting me... And I cried.'

The whale then departed with an acknowledging spray from its blowhole as Hauser was overcome by relief.

The behavior experienced by Hauser is much like that of a mother humpback towards its calf.

But this is not reserved only for family, as scientists have found examples of the species shielding others from attack too.

Although the shark posed a big threat, Hauser had to also be aware of the might of the whale during the encounter

The behavior exhibited by Hauser's savior is much like that of a mother whale towards its calf

Experts cannot know exactly why the mammals would risk their own survival for a different species but the most widely accepted view is that the altruistic behaviour is a 'spillover'.

Scientists explain that the humpback whale might exhibit this characteristic as it is an extension of their drive to protect their own calves.

The mammals are immune to many ocean predators, so instead of being on the defence they have learnt to attack head on and drive prey off more proactively.

Researchers believe that rather than protecting a specific species, it may be an act of dominance over the predators - to try and ensure they will not return when young are around.
The extreme-right wing political background of the parents of missing French boy Emile Soleil is being examined as fears grow for his safety.

It is almost a week since the two-year-old disappeared without trace from Haut-Vernet, an Alpine hamlet south of Grenoble, where he was staying with his grandparents.

No theory has been ruled out by investigators, who have extended their enquiry to other parts of France after a thorough search of the countryside around Vernet yielded nothing.

Now MailOnline has learned that Emile's father, Colomban Soleil, 26, was arrested for 'an attack on foreigners' in 2018.

He appeared before judges in Aix-en-Provence, and was released from custody after pledging to maintain the peace, multiple legal sources confirmed.

It is almost a week since two-year-old Emile Soleil (pictured) disappeared without trace from Haut-Vernet, an Alpine hamlet south of Grenoble

Now MailOnline has learned that Emile's father, Colomban Soleil (pictured), 26, was arrested for 'an attack on foreigners' in 2018

Investigators have extended their enquiry to other parts of France after a thorough search of the countryside around Vernet yielded nothing. Pictured: French gendarmes are briefed before taking part in a search operation

At the time, Mr Soleil was an activist linked to Action Francaise, the notorious far-Right nationalist and royalist group, as well as the neofascist Bastion Social.

Theories behind Emile Soleil's disappearance ACCIDENT: Did Emile wander off on to a road, before a collision with a car or tractor which killed or wounded him? Police found traces of blood on the front of a vehicle on Wednesday, but it turned out to belong to an animal. KIDNAP: Did somebody put Emile in a vehicle and take him far away from Haut-Vernet? Police have confirmed they are exploiting phone technology to track the movement of locals. So-called 'triangulation' was sanctioned following fears that someone may have abducted Emile from the hamlet, which is made up of only 20 houses with 25 permanent residents. AN OUTSIDER: Could someone have quickly got in and out of the hamlet, before disappearing with Emile, without being seen? One investigator confirmed that 'the records of all known child sex offenders in the area are being examined'. A LONELY WALK: Did Emile manage to walk into thick countryside, before falling asleep in undergrowth? Investigators do not believe the two-year-old would have got very far, and that he would have been found during the extensive search of nearby fields and woods lasting four days. WILD ANIMAL: Was the little boy attacked by an animal, such as a wolf, and then dragged away? If yes, there is likely to have been a trace of Emile's blood or scraps of clothing left behind, but nothing has been found. Advertisement

Three years later, in 2021, both Mr Soleil and his wife, Marie Soleil, who is also in her 20s, stood as local election candidates in the Marseille area.

They were supporting the Reconquest party of Eric Zemmour, the convicted racist and Islamophobe who tried to become president of France last year.

Their election slogans at the time identified them as 'friends of Eric Zemmour' who wanted to 'clean out the system'.

A source involved in the search for Emile said: 'You make a lot of enemies when you're an ally of Eric Zemmour and groups like Action Francaise and Bastion Social.

'No theory for Emile's disappearance has been ruled out, so of course this background is being examined. It may be that a kidnap is linked to political enemies.'

Both parents were this week verbally attacked by France's former Family and Children's Minister, Segolene Royal, who confirmed that Mr Soleil had 'a very worrying profile'.

Ms Royal, herself a mother-of-four, tweeted: 'The mother questioned only on Tuesday? And the father, with a very worrying profile?

'So, we did not look at the theory of a problem or family revenge? A kidnapping? Why is the kidnapping alert still not triggered? How sad.'

The countryside search for missing Emile was called off on Wednesday evening, after four days.

Hundreds of gendarmes, police and volunteers had been involved in a vast operation beating fields and bushes, and examining them from the air.

Local prosecutor Remy Avon said that the 'physical search' could go no further, because there was 'no sign' of Emile.

But he added: 'The judicial investigation into the causes of the disappearance will continue, in particular by analysing the considerable mass of information and elements collected over the past four days.'

He said the possibilities that Emile had been murdered, kidnapped, or got involved in an accident were all being looked at.

'All these theories are active,' said Mr Avon. 'Nothing has been ruled out.'

Searches have so far brought together 800 gendarmes, firefighters, volunteers, helicopters, thermic camera drones and sniffer dogs

Gendarmes meticulously search the outskirts of the village of Vernet on July 13, 2023. They have been unable to locate the boy

A gendarme is followed by cameras during his search, as about fifty mobile gendarmes from Gap sift through '1.8km of road' in France on July 13, 2023

He confirmed that Emile's parents' home in the southern town of La Bouilladisse, near Marseille, was searched by police on Monday.

The parents had lived in the house for a year, along with Emile and his baby sister, who was born earlier this year.

'They are a very traditional family  high Catholics who prefer the Latin mass to the modern one,' said another investigating source. 'The parents are passionate about sacred church music.'

Police also revealed there were at least 10 other family members staying in the Vernet house at the time of Emile's disappearance.

A police source said: 'A family reunion was taking place, with several uncles and aunts of the child, of all ages, including some minors. Emile was seen on Saturday morning, along with other children.'

The hamlet was barricaded by police on Tuesday, so preventing anyone new coming in, as phones were confiscated, and houses examined.

Helicopters have broadcast the voice of Emile's desperate mother across the mountainous region in an attempt to find her missing son 'who was always chasing butterflies'.

Despite all this, Mr Avon said: 'At the moment we have no clue, no information, no element that can help us understand this disappearance'.

Mr Avon made it clear that, as the enquiry continues, 'nobody is above suspicion'

The saga evokes the BBC series, The Missing, in which a young boy vanishes whilst on holiday with his family in France, only to be killed in a hit-and-run accident after chasing a fox.

Emile's family are devout Catholics, and have called on people to pray to Benoite Rencurel - a French shepherd said to have seen apparitions of the Virgin Mary from 1664 to 1718.

A walker passes in front of gendarmes who are resting for a few moments before continuing the raking on July 13

Volunteers take part in a search operation for two-and-a-half-year-old Emile last seen on July 8

Two gendarmes meticulously search the surroundings of a house for the young boy who has vanished

The police have released a photo and description of Emile, who is almost 3ft tall, with brown eyes, and blond hair.

He was wearing a yellow top, white shorts with a green pattern, and hiking shoes at the time of his disappearance.

Residents of Vernet have meanwhile been referring to the place as a cursed 'village of the damned' because of its links with disaster.

In March 2015, Vernet was also cordoned off following a horrific air crash in which 150 people died, including two babies.

Germanwings Airbus A320 was deliberately brought down by co-pilot Andres Lubitz, who had previously been treated for suicidal tendencies.

Many Vernet residents took part in high mountain searches for possible survivors at the time.

They also opened their homes to family and friends of those who perished in the disaster.

The inhabitants of Vernet were also shaken by the murder of a local cafe manager in the village 15 years ago.

Jeannette Grosos, who ran the Cafe du Moulin, was brutally killed by a customer in 2008.

Mayor Francois Balique said: 'It was a real drama for the whole village  one which it has had a hard time recovering.'

One resident of Vernat said on Wednesday: 'Everybody is saying it  Vernet feels like a village of the damned.'

The kind of phone tracing methods now being deployed by the police in Vernet helped snare the killers of British peer Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the 10th Earl of Shaftesbury, in nearby countryside in 2005.

He went missing in France in November 2004, before his lifeless body was found at the bottom of a ravine in the foothills of the Alps, near Cannes.

Phone triangulation later placed his estranged wife, Jamila M'Barek, and her brother, Mohamed M'Barek, in the area, and both were later convicted of Lord Shaftesbury's murder.
A British Airways captain has been held at gunpoint and stabbed after going for a run between flights in Johannesburg.

The horrific attack saw the assailant pull a gun out on the unnamed pilot before he plunged a knife into his thigh.

The airline captain was immediately rushed to hospital and given emergency medical attention.

He had been jogging with another crew member during the stopover in the South African city when the attack took place.

By venturing on their run, the flight crew broke British Airways' strict rules that require staff to remain in a secure and approved compound where their crew hotel is based.

A British Airways captain has been held at gunpoint and stabbed after going for a run between flights in Johannesburg

BA have instigated these rules and kept much of the South African city off limits during their crews' downtime due to the notoriety of the crime in Johannesburg.

The compound that houses the hotel, based in the Melrose Arch neighbourhood, has been dubbed one of the safest places within Johannesburg. It is continually patrolled by security guards day and night.

The settlement includes a number of luxury amenities such as bowling alleys and leisure facilities.

A BA source told The Sun: 'The rules are there for a reason. Crew are ordered not to leave the hotel compound. But the captain and crew member decided to risk it and go for a jog.

'Soon afterwards they were followed and held up at gunpoint. During a melee the captain was stabbed in the leg.

'It was a harrowing ordeal. The pilot was taken to hospital. Everyone is just so thankful he's okay. It could have been so much worse.

The source told the publication that the BA community had been shaken by the incident and have caused polite reminders to be issued about sticking to the rules.

The pilot has since been allowed to leave the hospital following medical treatment. He has now flown home as a passenger.

By venturing on their run, the flight crew broke British Airways' strict rules that require staff to remain in a secure and approved compound where their crew hotel is based

Another crew were assembled to bring back the the plane from South Africa that the pilot had been due to fly, but passengers were not notified of the prior incident.

BA said both flight staff were offered counselling following the traumatic events and time off work should they need it.

UK government advice warns that there is a 'high crime rate' in South Africa. This includes 'carjacking, house robbery, rape, sexual assault and murder'.

The travel advice for the country continues: 'Violent crime can take place anywhere, including in tourist destinations and transport hubs. Most violent crimes occur in townships on the outskirts of major cities or in isolated areas.

'The threat is higher in central business districts of major cities than in suburban areas, and increases after dark.'

British Airways said: 'We provided support to our colleagues who have since returned to the UK.'
The sister of one of the Gilgo Beach victims has said she is 'overwhelmed but relieved' that an arrest has finally been made over a decade after she vanished.

Sherre Gilbert, whose sister Shannan disappeared in 2010, said she hopes suspect Rex Heuermann 'rots in prison for the rest of his life' if convicted of the killings.

Meanwhile Jasmine Robinson, whose cousin Jessica Taylor was also a victim, said she was 'grateful' to cops for keeping the investigation going for over a decade.

It comes after Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody outside his Manhattan offices on Thursday night in a surprise breakthrough in the 13-year-old case.

He was arrested in connection with the first four murders of young prostitutes in their 20s - who became known as the 'Gilgo Beach four'.

Among the victims was Shannan Gilbert, who was found dead in a swamp in Oak Beach in 2011 - about a quarter mile from where she was last seen alive

Sherre Gilbert (pictured), whose sister Shannan disappeared in 2010, said she hopes suspect Rex Heuermann 'rots in prison for the rest of his life' if convicted of the killings

Heuermann is pictured during an interview about his architecture firm before being arrested on Thursday night

Sherre opened up about her relief following the arrest on Friday morning, saying she always believed a suspect would one day be caught.

She told NBC News: 'I am overwhelmed but relieved that they finally caught him.

'It's been a long time coming and I never gave up hope that one day justice would be served. The suspect deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life.

'He destroyed many lives so while it won't bring our loved ones back, it does help that one less monster is off the streets and he can't ever hurt anyone else.'

Sherre's sister Shannan was an escort who disappeared after visiting a client at a home in Oak Beach, Long Island, in May 2010.

Her body was found on nearby marshland in December 2011, but no arrests had been made.

Meanwhile Jasmine Robinson, cousin of Jessica Taylor, said at a press conference on Friday: 'I just want to say that I'm grateful for the hard work that you've done.

'I'm grateful that this is happening and I'm hopeful for the future. I hope that she's remembered as a beautiful young woman.

'Not what her occupation was at that time. And she's loved and missed every day. It's still shell shocked.'

A map showing where the victims remains were located along the barren stretch of Ocean Beach Parkway in Gilgo Beach, located on the South Shore of Long Island

The street in Massapequa Park, Long Island, where a suspect was this morning arrested in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders

Forensics teams working at Heuermann's home on Friday. A freezer was among items seized

The Gilgo murders became notorious through the 2010s as detectives tried to track down a suspected serial killer who killed up to ten people.

The 'Gilgo Beach four' were all found wrapped in burlap sacks along the coastline in December 2010. They had each been strangled.

Another six women and a toddler were found in the following months. Police will continue to investigate whether or not Heuermann has any connection the other six.

Heurmann's home in Massapequa Park was on Friday flooded with cops.

The modest house sits north of Gilgo Beach, where the bodies of 10 women and a toddler were found in 2010 and 2011, with only South Oyster Bay separating them.

Among items seized from the property was a freezer. Heuermann, who is married and has two kids, has lived in the house since the 1980s.

Law enforcement sources told DailyMail.com he had been on their radar since last year.

Investigators matched him to the crimes by tracking the phone calls made from burner phones to the victims' cell phones over 10 years ago.

'Gilgo Four': These photos show the first four victims who were found a decade ago near Gilgo Beach, Long Island, as part of an investigation into a serial killer

Partial skeletal remains of Valerie Mack were located in a wooded area in Manorville in September 2000. Partial skeletal remains of Jessica Taylor, an escort working in New York City, were located in a wooded area in Manorville on July 26, 2003

Heuermann was arrested last night outside his office in Midtown Manhattan

The source added that 'good, old fashioned police work' cracked the case, rather than any DNA developments.

Sherre Gilbert, the sister of Shannan Gilbert, one of the victims, told NBC News she was 'relieved' an arrest had been made.

'I am overwhelmed but relieved that they finally caught him. It's been a long time coming and I never gave up hope that one day justice would be served.

'The suspect deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life.

'He destroyed many lives so while it won't bring our loved ones back, it does help that one less monster is off the streets and he can't ever hurt anyone else.'

Heuermann runs a small, architect's firm in the city.

New York City architect Rex Heuermann, 59, has been arrested in connection with Long Island's Gilgo Beach murders, in a bombshell breakthrough in one of the country's most notorious unsolved serial killer cases

On the company's website, he claims to have worked on projects including JFK Airport, projects for American Airlines and for some Catholic charities.

The location of the phone calls matched Heuermann's home address and his office address.

It remains unclear what specific piece of evidence led to his arrest last night. He is due to go before a judge in Long Island at noon.

John Ray, an attorney representing the family of two of the victims, told DailyMail.com they were given warning a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

'We had a tip about a week ago that they were about to do this.

'We have two names but we obviously don't want to say unless we're 100% sure.'

He confirmed to DailyMail.com that Heuermann's name was among those they were looking into.

Ray believes the discovery of a man's remains might have prompted the arrest today.

Ray said that while the suspect arrested today is a man, he and his clients 'have always had an outside theory' that a woman may have been involved.

No one has ever been arrested in connection with the killings.

The suspect's house sits directly north of Gilgo Beach across the South Oyster Bay

The decade-long investigation has been described as one of the most 'intense, prolific' hunts for a serial killer.

In 2020, a true crime podcast cast suspicion on former Suffolk County Police Commissioner James Burke.

Burke, who spent time in jail for assaulting a local man while in office, was the top cop from 2011 until 2015.

Among the victims was Shannan Gilbert, who was found dead in a swamp in Oak Beach in 2011 - about a quarter mile from where she was last seen alive.

The 24-year-old's neck had been broken before she was killed and had a puncture hole in it that could have been caused by a drill, according to her family's attorney.

The first victims were discovered in December 2010.

They were Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, Amber Costello, 27.

Known as the 'Gilgo Beach four', their bodies were found in burlap sacks.

Some of the four had been missing for three years by the time their bodies were found.

All were sex workers who advertised their services on Craiglist, leading policed to believe that is how the killer first made contact with them.

Some had also told friends that they planned to meet a client the day before they vanished.

In March and April 2011, another four bodies were found in the same area, including that of a toddler.

They were Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack and an unidentified woman known as 'Peaches' or 'Jane Doe No. 3'.

Peaches' toddler daughter was also murdered. In the following weeks, another two set of remains were found.

One belonged to an 'Asian man' now thought to have been a transgender sex worker who had been dead for five or six years, and Jane Doe No. 7, whose remains were found on a beach in the popular tourist town Fire Island.
The stepson of the British billionaire who died in the OceanGate disaster has said he's been fired from his job over his controversial tweets.

Brian Szasz, 31, became know hours after the submarine disappeared as he attended a Blink 182 concert in California - while the search for stepdad Hamish Harding and the four other souls on board the doomed vessel went on.

Szasz used the disappearance to ask Bilnk 182 to play for a song for him and to strike up a conversation with an OnlyFans star named Brea. These moves saw him roundly criticized by many, including Cardi B.

Following days of bizarre message which ranged from using the n-word and announcing his plans to run for the presidency in 2024 while also declaring that he has high-functioning autism, Szasz said he has been fired from his job.

On his social media profile, Szasz vaguely describes himself as an audio engineer. 'My boss fired me for my tweets!,' he wrote on Thursday afternoon.

Hamish Harding was killed on the sub and was widely considered to be a billionaire. He was the owner of Dubai-based company Action Aviation

Brian Szasz earned notierity for this controversial tweets amid the search for his stepfather and the other victims of the OceanGate disaster

One person who replied to that message, saying that Szasz did not need to work because his late-stepfather's wealth, he stated: 'I need to make money!'

'I will never spend a penny I did not earn myself at a job,' he later wrote. 'I'm looking for a job, I've had positive work experience at Blockbuster Video,' he subsequently tweeted.

Szasz responded to two other people who brought up his wealth in separate messages saying that all of the money he will inherit will go to charity.

Earlier this week, Szasz revealed on Twitter that he now has 'millions to spare' in inheritance following his stepfather Hamish Harding's death, telling one user that he's set to receive 'more than you'll make in a lifetime.'

He was slammed by some for the 'disrespectful' comments following his stepfather's passing, with some questioning: 'You sure you were written into the will?,' as he pleaded for a date.

He has not confirmed if he has received his full inheritance yet or how much money he would receive - likely sharing it with his sister, stepbrothers, and mother. It can take up to two years for inheritance payments to be made in the US.

One of his followers asked him how much inheritance money he has got, and that 'anything more than $0 is too much.'

Szasz hit back, stating it would be 'more than you'll make in a lifetime.'

In a now deleted Tweet, he said 'With millions to spare, I still can't get laid.'

Szasz earlier revealed on Twitter he lives in a one-bedroom apartment in Idaho

Mr Szasz also tweeted an exchange he had with Blink-182 drummer and husband of Kourtney Kardashian Travis Barker

He had reactivated his profile after going radio silent because he was ridiculed online for asking an OnlyFans model to sit on him

Szasz has said he's received a lot of backlash on Twitter for his antics amid a massive search and rescue mission to find and save his step-father and four other passengers on board the OceanGate Titan sub that went missing during an expedition to the Titanic's wreckage.

During the failed search, he responded to one OnlyFans model named Brea, asking: 'can I sit on u.'

READ MORE: Who is Brian Szasz? Stepson of British billionaire Hamish Harding killed on Titanic submersible Advertisement

Just 30 minutes before he had asked his followers to continue to think of his family, writing, 'Please keep my family in your prayers!'

Since the tragedy, Szasz took to Twitter again to tell his followers: 'Everyone who has been kind to me I'm taking to Taylor Swifts Eras tour in LA!'

It is not yet known how much he will receive in inheritance. However, Harding was widely considered to be a billionaire as the owner of Dubai-based company Action Aviation.

Szasz will have to share the money with his step-brothers, Harding's sons, Rory, 18, and Giles, 15.

A portion will have likely been left for his wife Linda as well asSzasz's sister Lauren.

Harding lived in Dubai with wife Linda, while his step-son revealed on Twitter he lives in a one-bedroom flat in Idaho.

In response to a message from a follower who asked how his family was holding up, Szasz responded: 'Stayin strong thanks!'

He also tweeted an exchange he had with Blink-182 drummer and husband of Kourtney Kardashian Travis Barker.

The star had contacted the Blink-182 fan on Twitter saying: 'Praying for you and your family.'

Following Harding's death, his company said in a statement that the billionaire made a career out of 'making unusual things happen' and has three Guinness World Records and a trip to outer space on the Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin on his resume.

In 2021, he set the record for the longest time spent at the bottom of the sea after exploring the Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth, for four hours and 15 minutes.

At the same time, Harding set the record for the greatest distance covered at full ocean depth. Also, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 2019, he set a world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the Earth.

But his record-setting barely scratches the surface of a life filled with danger and excitement.

In 2016, he joined close friend Buzz Aldrin on an expedition to Antarctica, where the astronaut became the oldest person to reach the South Pole at the age of 86.

Harding repeated the trick in 2020, returning with his son Giles who, at the age of 12, became the youngest person to reach the point.

And last year, he was awarded a Living Legends of Aviation honor by actor Morgan Freeman. The award has previously been given to Aldrin, as well as billionaires Sir Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

Harding, who had degrees in natural sciences and chemical engineering from Cambridge University, also held 16 air speed records and last year became the first Briton to travel on Blue Origin's fifth human spaceflight mission.
President Joe Biden has announced that he will forgive $39 billion in student loan debt - just two weeks after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to strike down his controversial student loan forgiveness plan.

On June 30, the justices ruled that the administration overstepped its authority by wiping out more than $400 million in student debt.

Biden instantly condemned the ruling as he promised to provide alternative support - despite anger from taxpayers and Americans who have never been to college.

The Biden administration has now announced a plan which it says will help more than 800,000 borrowers.

What are the details and who will benefit from the latest handout?

President Joe Biden will forgive $39 billion in student debt - weeks after the Supreme Court struck down his multi-billion dollar relief plan. Biden is pictured returning from Europe on Thursday night

Who will be affected by the latest announcement?

More than 804,000 federal student loan borrowers will have their debts wiped under the plan.

But only those who have been making payments for between 20 and 25 years will have their debts wiped due to 'fixes' to the count of monthly payments borrowers have made.

The forgiveness is a result of a promise made last year by the Biden administration to offer a one-time adjustment to help address any inaccuracies in payment counts for borrowers in income-driven repayment plans.

These plans are supposed to allow forgiveness after the borrower makes a certain number of monthly payments, but the plans have been criticized over the years for poor communication between the Education Department, loan servicers and borrowers.

'For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,' said US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

'By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve.'

In coming days, qualifying borrowers who have met the necessary threshold for forgiveness will be notified.

What happened with the Supreme Court ruling?

The Supreme Court struck down Biden's $400 billion student loans forgiveness plan on June 30.

The plan to wipe out debts for 26 million Americans was deemed unconstitutional and an overreach of the President's executive power.

The program had been challenged by six Republican states and two borrowers who argued Biden should have sought approval from Congress for a plan using substantial taxpayer funds.

Some 16 million of the 26 million people who applied for forgiveness had already been approved when the Supreme Court announced its decision.

What did the decision mean for borrowers?

For the 26 million people who applied for the program, more than half of whom were approved, the ruling dashed their hopes of taking advantage of having up to $20,000 cut from their debt.

If no other plans are put in place before then, borrowers will have to return to making full repayments in October when they resume after more than three years this fall.

Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office said the plan would have cost taxpayers roughly $400 billion - in welcome news to those who opposed the program.

Some argued the forgiveness would be unfair to those who either paid their way through college, repaid their loans already, or never attended college in the first place due to the high cost of education.

The Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden 's $400 billion student loans forgiveness plan on June 30. The justices ruled 6-3 against Biden's plan to wipe out debts for around 20 million Americans

What was the student loan forgiveness policy?

The Biden Administration announced its student loan forgiveness program in August 2022.

The plan intended to cancel up to $20,000 of debt for eligible borrowers - which could have wiped away an estimated $430 billion of the total $1.6 trillion in borrowed cash.

People who earn less than $125,000 a year, or $250,000 per household, could get up to $10,000 in debt cancelation.

Students who received a Pell Grant - a needs-based federal grant for lower-income families - during their education, stood to receive up to $20,000 in forgiveness.

Some 26 million people applied for the program, according to the Department of Education - more than half of the 46 million eligible borrowers.

Of the applications, 16 million were provisionally approved to have their debt forgiven, but the program was paused in November before any funds had been given out.

Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness scheme had been held up in legal battles since November

Why was the program paused?

The program was halted, and funds were blocked from being disbursed, because of two Supreme Court lawsuits arguing the Biden Administration overstepped its authority in approving the debt erasure.

Biden v. Nebraska was brought by Republican attorneys in six states - Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina - in September 2022, and argued that the program could harm tax revenues.

In October last year, the Job Creators Network Foundation filed a separate lawsuit in Texas on behalf of two student borrowers Myra Brown and Alexander Taylor.

The Biden Administration, however, argued the plan fell under the 2003 Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, otherwise known as the HEROES Act, which was created to ensure loan relief after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Supreme Court struck down the program in the case brought by Republican-controlled states.

Although it ruled that the case brought by two student borrowers did not have the standing to challenge the program, this ruling was irrelevant given the outcome in the Biden v. Nebraska case.

The ruling dashed the hopes of 16 million people who were approved to take advantage of the relief

When will student loan repayments resume?

The White House paused student loan repayments during the Covid-19 pandemic - in a separate policy to the student loan forgiveness program.

The Government argued the pandemic was a national emergency, which gave it the authority to cancel debt under the HEROES Act.

But student loan payments will resume after more than three years this fall, after a deal was reached between the White House and Congress on raising the debt ceiling formally abolished the pause.

Interest will start accruing on September 1, according to the Department of Education, and borrowers will need to start making payments on federal student debt again in October.

According to a new report from Wells Fargo, the average monthly payment will be between $210 and $314 once repayments resume.
Most children would dream of a personal encounter with the leader of the free world.

But this little girl looked mortified as Joe Biden pretended to gobble her up and sniff her during a bizarre exchange in Finland.

The 80-year-old President was caught engaging with the mom and daughter as he prepared to fly back to Washington from Europe.

Biden was in Helsinki following the NATO summit in Lithuania, where he was also slammed for making a creepy comment to a female Finnish reporter.

It is the latest bizarre clip of the president, who has often raised questions in the past for his interactions with youngsters.

The 80-year-old President was caught in the bizarre interaction with the mom and daughter as he prepared to fly back to the US from Europe

Footage showed Biden leaning into the young girl in her mother's arms on the tarmac at Helsinki airport.

He moved his mouth in a gobbling motion towards the youngster before resting it on her shoulder and continuing to nibble.

The girl's mom and a man watching on laughed at the president, but the child looked horrified and scowled at him as he backed away.

She continued to squirm and turned her back on the commander-in-chief as her mother tried to take a selfie.

Meanwhile Biden kept making faces at her before appearing to try to smell her head or nuzzle her.

He finally walked away before being greeted by other onlookers hoping to grab a picture with him. The girl continued to sulk in her mother's arms.

Biden leans in and nibbles on the girl's shoulder while he is greeting families in Helsinki

Biden had been in Europe for the NATO summit in Lithuania before flying to Finland where he was slammed for making a creepy comment to a female Finnish reporter

The president was widely mocked on social media after the video emerged on Friday afternoon.

Some branded the interaction 'strange' while others went as far as to call for him to be put in a nursing home.

'This is quite strange', Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz posted on Twitter alongside the clip.

'Oops', Republican Senator Ted Cruz added. 'Biden should be in a nursing home, not leading the free world,' Donald Trump Jr. also wrote in a tweet.

Conservative activist Caleb Hull said: 'This has got to be Biden's creepiest moment yet with a child. All Biden has to do is not do this and he can't.'

Biden had been in Europe for the NATO summit in Lithuania before flying to Finland where he was slammed for making a creepy comment to a female Finnish reporter

It comes after Biden also found himself in hot water for a bizarre comment made to a female Finnish reporter.

He was reflecting on uncertainty and his sense of fatalism while fielding a question about NATO's newest member, Finland, which sits just 70 miles from Russia.

'We will stand together,' he said at a press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, after the country had rushed to join the alliance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

'No one can guarantee the future. But this is the best bet anyone can make,' he qualified.

After he had finished answering the question  about whether political divisions in the US might in the future undermine whatever commitments Biden makes  he returned to his statement of mutual commitment and collective defense, which is enshrined in the NATO Charter.

President Biden told a Finnish reporter she might not make it home tonight, when asked about the nature of guarantees for Finland's security

He did so even as the Finnish president began answering a similar question.

'Let me be clear,' Biden told Lida Tikka, the D.C. correspondent of Finnish public broadcaster YLE. 'I didn't say... we couldn't guarantee the future.

'You can't tell me whether you're going to be able to go home tonight. No one can be sure what they're going to do.

'I'm saying as sure as anything could possibly be said about American foreign policy, we will stay connected to NATO, connected to NATO beginning middle and end. We're a a transatlantic partnership.'

The Finnish president added: 'It seems the President has solved your problems. 'I have no reason to doubt about USA policies in the future,' added Niinisto.

Biden had to ask his questioner to repeat her inquiry, after she referenced a bipartisan bill by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to prevent a president from withdrawing from NATO without congressional approval.

Biden had earlier stated 'the United States is committed to Finland, committed to NATO and those commitments are rock solid.'

He vowed to protect 'every inch of NATO territory, and that includes Finland, obviously,' he said.

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir (L) listens to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store during the US-Nordic Leaders' Summit. Biden corrected himself after mentioning the head of Ireland instead of Iceland

The assurances came during a press conference that featured mutual compliments, but where Biden had to ask for questions to be repeated.

He also had to correct himself after accidentally referring to the head of Ireland instead of the head of Iceland, having met with a group of Nordic nations.

'You can tell that's a Freudian slip. I'm thinking of 'home,'' he said.

He had just called Prime Minister of Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir a 'daughter of Ireland' before catching himself. His last overseas trip was to Ireland, where he has ancestral roots.

It all took place in in the same room in the presidential palace where Donald Trump appeared to side with Vladimir Putin in 2018 and accepted assurances from the Russian leader that he hadn't interfered in the 2016 elections.

Biden also expressed 'unwavering support' to the 'brave people of Ukraine,' after coming from a NATO summit in Vilnius where Ukraine got new assurances about joining NATO but not the timeline for getting invited that President Volodymyr Zelensky sought.

He said he didn't think Russia's war could 'go on for years,' or that Russia could maintain it forever due to limited 'resources capacity.'

Russia has been riding out western sanctions, but has experienced apparent issues with arms ammunition, and troops who are getting sacrificed in the 'meat grinder' of the Ukraine invasion.

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, US President Joe Biden, Finland's President Sauli Niinisto and Iceland's Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir react during a family photo session of the US-Nordic Leaders' Summit Meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, 13 July 2023. The Nordic leaders are working on mutual security guarantees

Later, in response to a U.S. question, Biden revealed during his answer to a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin that the U.S. does not know with certainty the location of mutineer Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner private military boss who led a column toward Moscow only to make a deal and back off.

He was asked about the reemergence of the Russian military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, amid scrutiny of how Putin will respond to the threat against his leadership and his top commanders.

'God only knows what he's likely to do,' Biden said. 'We're not even sure where he is and what relationship he has,' he said of Prigozhin, who cut a deal for sanctuary in Belarus, but who according to the Kremlin met with Putin there.

'If I were him I'd be careful what I ate and keep my eye on the menu,' Biden said, in his second bit of dark humor of the press event.

In response to a question about Russian interference in U.S. elections, he said, They're already interfering. That would not be anything new.'

It was as close as he got to referencing the 2018 Trump-Putin presser here, where Trump accepted Putin's denials of interfering in the 2016 elections.

On fears a weakened Putin could lash out with nuclear weapons, Biden said, 'I don't think there's any real prospect. You never know of Putin using nuclear weapons.'

Neither man referred to Putin by his name. The Finnish president called him 'our neighbor.' Biden called him 'the gentleman who occupies a seat the other side of the border in Moscow.'

Biden had a blunt assessment of whether Putin could prevail or how long it might take to end.

'Putin's already lost the war,' he said, amid tough fights by Ukraine to reclaim territory. There is no possibility of him winning,' Biden said.

He said Russia's resources would run out. 'But I can't predict exactly how that happens.'
Two British men who tried to illegally bring seven Indian migrants into the UK through the boots of two cars have been jailed for more than six years.

Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, from Hounslow, was stopped at the UK border in Dover on July 8, 2018, when officials found three Indian nationals claiming to be Afghan Sikhs in the boot of his hire car.

He then received a three and a half year prison sentence for assisting unlawful immigration.

Four days after Mr Phull was arrested, his co-accused, Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, from Middlesex, was stopped at the UK border and four Indian nationals also claiming to be Afghan Sikhs were found hiding in the boot of his car.

He was jailed for three years and two months, also for assisting unlawful immigration.

A look at the Indian migrants who attempted to be smuggled into the UK through the boot of a car

Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, from Hounslow, received a three and a half year prison sentence for assisting unlawful immigration

Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, from Middlesex, was jailed for three years and two months, also for assisting unlawful immigration

Following an investigation by the Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) unit, the suspects were found to be linked via mobile phone records.

The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court where the defendants both pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.

Chris Foster, Deputy Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the Home Office, said: 'Today's sentencing sends a clear message to those abusing our laws and borders: we will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people into the UK.

'I would like to pay tribute to the hard work of my team, and their tireless efforts to tackle this type of crime.

We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to disrupt people smuggling gangs and make sure those who break our laws face the consequences.'
GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley called the Secret Service's closure of the White House cocaine probe a 'cover-up' and boldly claimed the drugs must have belonged to Hunter Biden or someone 'very close to the president.'

Haley appeared at Friday's Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, where she sat down for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Carlson was in the middle of blaming - without evidence - the Biden administration for sabotaging Nord Stream pipeline when Haley, the U.N. ambassador under former President Donald Trump, said the White House wasn't being 'accountable on anything' pointing to the July 2 discovery of cocaine in the West Wing.

'So I will tell you, I strongly believe this is a cover-up for either ... Hunter or someone very close to the president and they don't want to say who it is,' the former South Carolina governor told the crowd.

She rejected the White House's claim that 'hundreds' of people had access to the area, arguing, 'It is the most secure area anywhere.'

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley (right) told Tucker Carlson (left) in Iowa Friday that she believed the White House cocaine belonged to either Hunter Biden or 'someone very close' to President Joe Biden

'This is where, I on the National Security Council, with other members of the Security Council met with the president, you discuss the most secure things. I know the area where the locker is. People don't just go in and out of there,' she said.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said last Friday that the area has been under construction and so the Situation Room, which is nearby on that floor, is not currently in use.

Haley seemed unaware of that factor when she narrowed down the perpetrator to a shortlist of suspects.

'It is either the president, the vice president, Cabinet, Cabinet members or deputy directors. Nobody else is going in there,' Haley insisted. 'There is some staff, but it's immediate.'

'I couldn't take any staff but my deputy. The president would take his chief of staff. Very limited,' she recalled.

'So for them to say they don't know who this was. Don't tell me there's no cameras in there. There are absolutely cameras in there,' the former ambassador added.

She also pointed to the discovery of pot in the White House, which the Secret Service said Thursday occurred twice in 2022.

Hunter Biden was back on the west coast Thursday after spending the Fourth of July at the White House. On Friday, Nikki Haley joined the chorus of Republicans claiming - without evidence - that the White House cocaine belonged to the first son

'Why didn't you do anything about that?' she mused. 'Who has time to go into the national security SCIF, open the locker and put drugs inside?'

'Like that's a bigger problem,' she argued. 'Because if you've got somebody doing cocaine deciding on national security that's what I'm worried about.'

On Thursday, the Secret Service said the investigation into the cocaine had wrapped up and they weren't able to identify the individual who brought it on campus and lost it in a cubby at the West Executive Avenue entrance.

A statement from the Secret Service said 'no surveillance video footage found that provided investigative leads or any other means for investigators to identify who may have deposited the found substance in this area.'

Investigators were also not able to find fingerprints or DNA on the bag, so they could not 'compare evidence against the known pool of individuals.'

Also on Thursday, Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump's legal team asking the former president to tone down his rhetoric and also asked Trump to stop saying the White House cocaine belonged to the first son.

Republicans have claimed that the cocaine belonged to Hunter due to his well-documented history of drug abuse and addiction - including in his memoir and in photographs on the so-called 'laptop from h***.'
The aunt of the man charged with shooting Memphis hand surgeon Benjamin Mauck says her nephew had just been released from a mental health hospital before the attack.

Larry Pickens, 29, has been charged with first degree murder for shooting Mauck in the exam room at the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Tennessee earlier this week.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, the suspect's aunt Louise Pickens said her nephew 'was just in a mental institute, and they let him out and they shouldn't have.'

She explained that Pickens suffered from 'schizophrenic bipolar paranoid disorder' and that 'he thinks that people are after him, people are doing stuff to him and everything.'

The concerned relative said that as a result of his condition Pickens had been in and out of mental health hospitals his entire life.

Larry Pickens, 29, has been charged with first degree murder for shooting Mauck in the exam room at the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Tennessee, on Tuesday

Dr. Benjamin Mauck was murdered in his clinic on Tuesday afternoon

Louise Pickens said the condition 'really got worse when he was in the 11th grade' and he had been treated repeatedly at Lakeside Behavioral Health in Memphis.

Less than a week before the murder of Dr Mauck she says Pickens had spent the night in Crestwyn Behavioral Health, 'he went in and they let him out the next day' she explained.

Adding: 'They let him go and they shouldn't have.'

Although she did not know why Larry went to see Dr. Mauck on Tuesday Louise Pickens confirmed that Dr Mauck had been Larry's doctor, recalling that 'the doctor operated on his finger.'

Summarizing the tragic situation Louise Pickens added: 'For my nephew, it's really sad. And I don't wish that upon no one.'

Pickens had no prior criminal record in Collierville, but had called police several times on other people.

In April 2022, he called cops claiming someone had broken into his home.

During that incident, he told the officers he was schizophrenic and off his medication, according to local Memphis outlet WATE.

Dr. Benjamin Mauck's home in Memphis, the hand surgeon was murdered at his clinic on Tuesday

Last year, Pickens is said to have threatened the owners of Faded Barber Shop because he didn't like his haircut

In another, more threatening incident, he panicked staff and customers at a barbershop by complaining about his haircut.

One of the barbershop owners said that he saw Pickens feeling around in his pocket as if he was reaching for a weapon.

He did not pull one out, and ended up calling the police himself claiming someone else had threatened him - which they had not.

That barbershop owner told WATE he was concerned for his staff.

'Someone felt threatened, and whenever we feel threatened, then we have to take care of our business.

'I thought he had some sort of mental disorder just off his actions and how he was carrying himself.

'He just was reaching in his pocket like he had a gun but he wasnt pulling out nothing like he was going to shoot,' he said.

He was not charged of either incident.

Pickens appeared in court on Wednesday to tell a judge that he did not have a lawyer.
Nearly 50 Democrats issued a rebuke of President Biden's plan to send cluster munitions to Ukraine by voting for an amendment by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to ban the practice.

The amendment, which was supported by 49 Democrats and 98 Republicans, ultimately failed to make its way into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but proved opposition - and support - for the indiscriminate bombs transcends party lines.

The Democrats included Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., Maxwell Frost, Fla., Cori Bush, Mo., Greg Casar, Texas, Pramila Jayapal, Wash., and Jamaal Bowman, N.Y.

Biden has said it was a 'difficult' decision to offer the bombs to Ukraine in its fight against Russia but said it was 'necessary' for them to win the war.

Ukraine received the first shipment of cluster bombs on Thursday and promised only to use them to dislodge enemy soldiers. The bombs were part of an $800 million security package from the U.S.

U.S. law bans the transfer of cluster munitions that have more than a one percent 'dud' rate - or fail to go off more than one percent of the time. Such bombs that don't go off immediately can create land mines and explode later on civilian contact.

Ukrainian infantry supported by artillery and mortars destroy Russian military positions in the trenches near Bakhmut in Ukraine in undated footage. The footage was released by the Office of Strategic Communications on Saturday, Jul. 08, 2023

Cluster munitions (pictured) are prohibited in more than 100 countries after they ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which was adopted in Dublin, Ireland in May 2008

The US has decided to send controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine in aid of its counteroffensive against Russian forces

But national security advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed President Biden had signed a waiver allowing a transfer of such weapons with a higher dud rate - but said the rate would be 'not higher than 2.5 percent.'

Cluster munitions explode and disperse a series of smaller bombs over a wide area, often killing civilians. More than 120 nations have signed a 15-year-old treaty banning their use, but Ukraine and Russia have both deployed them - and Ukraine's supplies of all types of ammunition are dwindling.

The House passed the defense spending bill bill 219 to 210 to set up a showdown in the Senate over the amendments which included banning considering military recruitment from considering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

The NDAA sets policy for the Defense Department for the year, and is usually routine and widely supported by both parties.

Republicans included several amendments on social issues as part of their bid to get rid of 'woke' policies in the military.

Four Democrats voted in favor of the bill - Reps. Don Davis, N.C., Jared Golden, Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Wash., and Rep Gabriel Vazquez, N.M. Four Republicans - Ken Buck, Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, and Thomas Massive - voted against.

An amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, to prohibit the Pentagon from helping to pay for travel for abortion services passed the House. So did one to ban that would ban military healthcare from paying for gender transition surgery.

An amendment to ban diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) considerations in military recruitment passed - but one to ban all DEI training in the military failed.

Some far-right amendments - one from Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to prohibit funding for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training, two from Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to ban sending cluster munitions to Ukraine and to strip $300 million in aid for the country from the bill, and one from Rep. Bob Good to allow Pentagon facilities to keep the names of Confederate generals - were rejected.

The cluster bomb amendment garnered support from 49 Democrats and 98 Republicans in a rebuke of President Biden's plan to send them to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Still, most right-wing members of the conference voted for the bill. The Freedom Caucus and those aligned with it have been a wild card for Speaker Kevin McCarthy's vote wrangling on must-pass legislation.

The original, unamended NDAA had passed out of the Armed Services in a broad bipartisan showing: 58-1. Democrats tore into Republicans for politicizing the bill during the amendment process.

But the bill included a 5.2 percent pay raise for service members - so four Democrats from moderate districts voted for it.

Republicans in Congress have passed a defense bill that includes limiting access to abortion for troops and limits on transgender care for service members

The spending bill is likely to be toned down in the Democrat-run Senate - making way for more House Democrats - and fewer House Republicans - to vote for the final bill.

The Freedom Caucus and Gaetz, who 'respects' the caucus but is not in it, celebrated their heavy influence over the amendments that made it into the bill.

'We have gradually shifted the center of gravity of the Republican Conference towards the right,' said Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., in a press conference.

The bill includes standard funding for military readiness and funding to help the Pentagon integrate further cybersecurity measures and AI initiatives - as well as a number of measures to combat China - thwart its spying activity and bolster the defense needs of Taiwan.
Followers of Dylan Mulvaney are debating online whether the trans TikToker became the latest celebrity to take part in a psychedelic Ayahuasca ceremony on her recent trip to South America.

Mulvaney, recovering from the backlash to her tie-up with Bud Light, recently posted about her 'solo trip' to Peru, complete with lamas and a backdrop of the 15th century Inca citadel Machu Piccu.

She did not explicitly say she took the hallucinogen Ayahuasca, but hinted at the experience, describing her 'shaman ceremonies that were like 10 years worth of therapy.'

'It was wild,' added the 26-year-old, squinting in the Andean sunshine.

Mulvaney and her favorite llama in Peru's mountains

Veterans, LGBTQ+ Americans and others travel to Peru to take part in psychedelic Ayahuasca retreats, as the ceremonies are typically not available in the US

Mulvaney's fans have pored over the post, wondering whether she tried Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian brew, which is made from local plants, and reportedly sends users on a psychedelic journey of self discovery.

Followers, including the detransitioner known as Shape Shifter, said Mulvaney appears to have taken the drug and now feels 'safer.'

Others questioned whether psychedelic drugs can help those with gender dysphoria.

The benefits of natural psychedelics have been known for centuries, but they've gained popularity in recent years, with celebrity advocates including Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, Will Smith, and Aaron Rodgers.

Poll Should psychedelic drugs be used to treat people with depression and PTSD? Yes No Should psychedelic drugs be used to treat people with depression and PTSD? Yes 105 votes

No 74 votes Now share your opinion





Groups with high rates of mental health problems have increasingly turned to the drugs.

Veterans organizations take ex-combatants to Mexico and Peru for drug-induced spiritual journeys that help them overcome post-traumatic stress disorder and other battlefield horrors.

Likewise, LGBTQ+ organizations have started taking groups to Peru to try ayahuasca, which they say can help overcome shame and pain linked to their sexual and gender identity.

Indeed, in the same post, Mulvaney says she feels 'very safe' in the South American country.

'It's a little sad that I had to leave my country to feel safe, but that will get better eventually,' she added.

Mulvaney has been roiled by a scandal since she in April partnered with Bud Light, leading to a boycott led by conservatives angered by the tie-up that knocked millions off the value of the beer company.

In her post, Mulvaney says she 'came here to feel something' after the uproar in America.

Mulvaney's aides did not answer our query about whether she took psychedelics in Peru.

In any case, the vacation appears to have had a therapeutic effect.

'This trip just has me feeling like I'm my own best friend again,' Mulvaney says at the end of her post.

'And that is the best feeling in the world.'

A healer serves up a hallucinogenic ayahuasca brew in South America; and a jar of psilocybin mushrooms alongside a pill form of the drug, which therapists say can help sufferers of depression and PTSD

LSD tops the list of America's favorite psychedelics,a YouGov survey shows

A YouGov survey last year found that 28 percent of Americans have taken at least one psychedelic drug. The most commonly used were LSD, psilocybin 'magic mushrooms,' and MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy.

Advocates say compounds such as psilocybin and Ayahuasca, when taken in a safe setting under the guidance of therapists, can yield powerful insights and disrupt harmful patterns of thought and behavior.

Experts are still trying to understand their therapeutic value, but psychedelics are believed to promote neural plasticity, a rewiring of the brain that affords users new perspectives on deep-seated problems.

One recent New York University study on alcoholism, for example, found that talk therapy and two psilocybin doses led to an 83 percent drop in heavy boozing among participants. Half of them had quit entirely by the end of the trial.

University of British Columbia researchers last year found that tiny quantities of psilocybin made users happier and less stressed than others. Older microdosers, as small-dose users are known, showed improved dexterity.

Still, University of North Carolina researchers last year found that psychedelics were not for everyone. Despite 'dramatically positive results' for some users, others felt nothing but a 'long strange trip', they said.

The risk of addiction or overdose is considered low with psychedelics, but there are psychological risks beyond having a 'bad trip'. Those with mental illness or a family history with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder must be wary.
A millionaire benefactor decided to pull nearly half a million dollars in funding from Arizona State University, after the college fired a staff member who hosted two conservative talks, including one by Charlie Kirk and Dennis Prager.

Scottsdale real estate magnate Tom Lewis has donated millions of dollars to Arizona State University over the past 20 years.

But Lewis withdrew his support in recent weeks over 'left-wing hostility and activism' as well as a visceral reaction to the February event featuring Kirk, Prager and author Robert Kiyosaki.

'After seeing this level of left-wing hostility and activism, I no longer had any confidence in Barrett to adhere to the terms of our gift, and made the decision to terminate our agreement, effective June 30, 2023,' Lewis wrote in a news release.

'I regret that this decision was necessary, and hope that Barrett and ASU will take strong action to ensure that free speech will always be protected and that all voices can be heard.'

Tom Lewis has donated millions of dollars to Arizona State University over the past 20 years

Lewis withdrew his support in recent weeks over 'left-wing hostility and activism' as well as a visceral reaction to the February event featuring Kirk, Prager and author Robert Kiyosaki

Lewis released his statement just weeks after T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development executive director, Ann Atkinson, was fired by ASU

Lewis, who is the founder and CEO of T.W. Lewis Co., accused the school of targeting the speakers for their conservative beliefs.

'Because these were mostly conservative speakers, we expected some opposition, but I was shocked and disappointed by the alarming and outright hostility demonstrated by the Barrett faculty and administration toward these speakers,' Lewis said.

'Instead of sponsoring this event with a spirit of cooperation and respect for free speech, Barrett faculty and staff exposed the radical ideology that now apparently dominates the college,' he added.

Formed in 2000 by Tom and Jan Lewis, the T.W. Lewis Foundation has provided college scholarships to over 200 future leaders.

The foundation has previously helped fund ASU's T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development, which is housed in Barrett, The Honors College, at ASU.

In 2019 the T.W. Lewis Foundation pledged $1.5 million for the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at ASU's Tempe campus, as well as $1 million toward the construction of a Student Success Center at the Barrett Honors College.

The primary funder of the center was Lewis, who pledged an annual donation of $400,000 following a first-year donation of $800,000 in 2017.

Lewis released his statement just weeks after T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development executive director, Ann Atkinson, was fired by ASU.

The ASU administrator believes she was fired for bringing the right-wing speakers to speak on the college campus.

In the aftermath of her firing, Atkinson released a public statement claiming the college was attempting to silence her.

'ASU claims to value freedom of expression. But in the end the faculty mob always wins against institutional protections for free speech,' Atkinson wrote in The Wall Street Journal last month, alleging her firing was politically motivated.

The university responded with a statement denying those claims.

'Ms. Atkinson's current job at the university will no longer exist after June 30 because the donor who created and funded the center decided to terminate his donation. Unfortunate, but hardly unprecedented,' the university wrote in a June 20 news release.

'Ms. Atkinson's frustration with those who would suppress freedom of speech is one we share. But her conclusion that ASU students are the 'losers' misses the obvious point: the 'Health, Wealth and Happiness' event hosted by Robert Kiyosaki, Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk was a success. Speakers came, they spoke, and more than 600 people attended,' the university added.

The controversy initially stemmed from an event on ASU campus in February that sparked protests from faculty at ASU's Barrett Honors College.

Over three dozen Barrett faculty members signed a petition to the honors college dean condemning the 'Health, Wealth and Happiness' event that Atkinson organized.

The event featured speakers such as Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk, and Dennis Prager, founder of Prager U, who the faculty described as 'purveyors of hate' in the letter.

Lewis pledged an annual donation of $400,000 following a first-year donation of $800,000 in 2017

Arizona State University campus in Tempe hosted an event featuring speakers such as Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk, and Dennis Prager, founder of Prager U, who faculty members protested and described as 'purveyors of hate' in a letter

'It was important for me to speak out on behalf of my most vulnerable and marginalized students,' Professor Jenny Dyck Brian, faculty chair at Barrett, said in an interview Tuesday with 12 News.

'I didn't have a problem with them speaking, but the event was being advertised in Barrett's name with Barrett's logo... We wanted to make it clear that we were not endorsing the event,' she said to 12 News.

The event was scheduled as planned and no disturbances were caused.

The debate over free speech in academic institutions has been heated in recent years - in March Stanford Law School made headlines after students berated Kyle Duncan, a federal appeals judge appointed by Trump, who had come to give a talk.

More than three-quarters of Princeton students said it was sometimes acceptable to stop a campus speaker by shouting over them, a recent survey revealed in June.

Some 43 percent said it was acceptable to block other students from attending talks they disagreed with.

Even more disturbingly, 16 percent supported the use of violence to stop a controversial speaker, according to the alumni group Princetonians for Free Speech.

Responding to a separate question, 48 percent of the 250 students asked said a speech that uses discriminatory language or that a group finds offensive should not be allowed.

Tirien Steinbach, the school's dean of equity, diversity and inclusion then intervened ostensibly to instill calm, before launching into an impassioned six-minute speech, which she had written down, condemning his life's work. She was accused of ambushing Duncan, and was put on leave.
The district attorney in charge of a Californian city terrorized by a swarm of masked burglars last week received more than $1million from a group backed by liberal billionaire George Soros.

Contra Costa County DA Diana Becton has overseen a 10 percent surge in crime in the city of Antioch, where burglaries went up by a third, car thefts jumped by a fifth, and rapes shot up by 7.5 percent in 2022.

The 71-year-old's re-election campaign received funds from the California Justice & Public Safety political action committee (PAC) last year as she faced against off against prosecutor Mary Knox.

At the time, Knox targeted Becton over the funds, claiming, 'An out-of-state billionaire along with special interest groups have now dropped an unprecedented $1M to defeat my campaign and influence voters for District Attorney in this local election.'

Public records show that her campaign benefited from a total of $1,002,000 from the group - with Soros contributing $652,000.

Contra Costa DA Diana Becton, whose campaign received money from billionaire liberal George Soros, has overseen a 10 percent surge in crime in the city of Antioch

Public records show that her campaign benefited from a total of $1,002,000 from the group - with Soros contributing $652,000

Public records seen above show the California Justice & Public Safety political action committee's donation to the DA's campaign

Becton was first elected as the district's DA in 2018 after working as a lawyer and judge in the state.

She ran on a platform focused on criminal justice reform and restoring the public's trust in law enforcement.

Antioch landed in the news this week after surveillance footage caught a gang of at least eight masked people ransacking parked cars in the middle of the night, plundering whatever they could find.

Residents said they were woken by the commotion at 2am on July 6, but were too frightened to confront the gang.

The area is generally a quiet one, spared the serious crime seen elsewhere in the troubled Bay Area. But the sheer size of this crime gang stunned local cops.

'When I see them I didn't know what was happening. I was like, 'I hope they don't try to go through the garage,'' said Mike Allen, whose car was among those broken in to.

Police were called, and arrived within five minutes.

But the gang had already fled.

At the time, Mary Knox targeted Becton over the funds, claiming, 'An out-of-state billionaire' was involved in the local election

At least seven thieves can be seen in this image from a Ring doorbell camera, ransacking vehicles at 2am in Antioch on July 6

Sgt. Price Kendall said the scale of the ransacking was unusual, because thieves usually worked in smaller groups.

'It is unusual that you see that many people, a large group, would go around looking into cars and walking the neighborhood,' Kendall said.

He did not say whether any arrests had been made, but noted that many of the cars appeared to be unlocked and the thieves appeared to be targeting cars they could rob with minimum noise, and maximum speed.

'There were definitely crimes of opportunity,' Kendall said.

'Through one of the videos, you can see they were able to walk up to the car. The car was more than likely unlocked.'

Resident Allen said he saw members of the gang going through his family's vehicles, but felt powerless to stop them.

'They broke into my girlfriend's car,' he said. 'She had her baby bag in the car. They went in there rummaging through everything.'

He said his neighbors had similar stories.

Antioch is 45 miles inland from San Francisco - a city which is also seeing soaring theft.

Contra Costa County was among the counties hardest hit by Covid-19,and Becton was slammed in 2021 for holding a backyard wedding while the state was on lockdown.

She admitted the party took place but denied it broke Covid rules, which at the time allowed outdoor religious ceremonies but banned wedding receptions.
The architect accused of murdering three Gilgo Beach victims was allegedly linked to the crimes by burner phones, fake emails addresses, a Tinder account and a pizza.

Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, Long Island, has lived for decades across the bay from where the remains of the Gilgo Beach victims were found.

He is charged with first and second degree murder in connection with the deaths of three victims, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Authorities say he is also the 'prime suspect' in another killing.

In documents filed in a Suffolk County court, it was revealed in March 2022 that investigators looking into the murders linked a Chevrolet Avalanche to the murder of Costello after a witness saw the car in the area.

From there, police were able to link that car to Heuermann's cellphone records, which tied him to locations related to the murders, which eventually led to a DNA sample.

Cops say that Heuermann used Melissa Barthelemy's phone to make taunting phone calls to her family from the victim's phone, calls that were made steps from his swanky Manhattan office.

Following the identification of Heuermann as the owner of the Chevrolet, cops issued over 300 subpoenas, search warrants and other legal processes to obtain further evidence.

Rex Heuermann is shown in one of his Tinder profile pictures. Police tracked the fictitious email account he used on the profile and his burner phone number to the case

In January this year, after watching Heuermann and his family since last March, the detectives in the case seized a pizza box he'd thrown in the trash outside his Manhattan office

Heuermann is shown buying additional minutes for another burner cellphone in May this year. He paid cash

Through Heuermann's American Express records, police were able to link him to a Tinder account in which he used a pseudonym, his middle name, Andy. That account was linked to one of his many burner phones.

He was also linked to an email account under the name John Springfield.

As recently as this year, officials say that one of his phones was used 'extensively for prostitution-related contacts' including sex workers and massage parlors.

In May 2023, Heuermann was pictured entering a T-Mobile store in Manhattan to add minutes to a burner phone.

Five months earlier, with investigators on his tail, officers recovered a pizza box that was tossed in a garbage can in Manhattan by the suspect. They were able to match the DNA from the leftover pie with a sample that was taken from the burlap sack that the killer used to conceal Waterman's body.

Police say that the burner cell phones and the victim's phones put Heuermann in the area where the victims were found around the times of their disappearances and around his Midtown Manhattan office when phone calls were made, including the taunting Barthelemy call.

In separate calls to Barthelemy's family members from the victim's phone over the course of a little over a month between July and August 2007, a male voice admitted to killing and sexually assaulting her.

In August 2009, when Heuermann was in Iceland with his wife, activity for Barthelemy's phone went dead, it began again the day after he returned.

Authorities also used cell phone records to show that Heuermann's wife was out of town in Maryland at the time of Megan Waterman's disappearance in June 2010 and in New Jersey at the time of Amber Costello's disappearance in September 2010.

Cell phone records showed text messages backing up a witness statement that saw the suspect become the victim of ruse between Costello and a man pretending to be her outraged boyfriend, the pair swindled Heuermann of the money he was going to use to pay for sex.

A person who witnessed that interaction said that they saw the John driving a Chevrolet Avalanche.

The pizza box taken from a trash can outside Heuermann's midtown office

These are some of the searches conducted on Heuermann's computer

A day later, Heuermann began arranging to meet Costello again but said he would not go to her home because of her boyfriend.

Cell tower data showed that Heuermann's actual cellphone and digital American Express records show that these were both active around the areas where the burner cellphones were used to contact Barthelemy, Waterman and Costello.

The credit cards and is actual cellphone were never apart from the burners when they were used, cops said. Most of the calls were made within a few hundred feet from his office, not far from the Empire State Building.

One of the burners used by Heuermann showed extremely sexually graphic internet searches for sexual assault and torture.

While an email address used by Heuermann saw him regularly Google in search of updates in the Long Island serial killer case, including podcasts and documentaries.

The case has drawn immense public attention. The mystery attracted national headlines for many years and the unsolved killings were the subject of the 2020 Netflix film 'Lost Girls.'

Determining who killed them, and why, has vexed a slew of seasoned homicide detectives through several changes in police leadership. Last year, an interagency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case.

Heuermann, married with two children, is a licensed architect with a small Manhattan-based firm that, according to its website, has done store buildouts and other renovations for major retailers, offices and apartments.

Long Island serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann is shown being taken to court this afternoon. Photo: NBC

The suspect's house sits directly north of Gilgo Beach across the South Oyster Bay

Last year, law enforcement agencies on Long Island formed a Gilgo Beach task force, showing what Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said was a renewed commitment to solving the killings.

'We're happy to see that they're finally active, the police, in accomplishing something. Let's wait and see what it all leads to,' said John Ray, the attorney for the families of two of the women whose remains were found, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor.

Gilbert's disappearance in 2010 triggered the hunt that exposed the larger mystery. A 24-year-old sex worker, she vanished after leaving a client's house on foot in the seafront community of Oak Beach, disappearing into the marsh.

Months later, a police officer and his cadaver dog were looking for her body in the thicket along nearby Ocean Parkway when they happened upon the remains of a different woman. Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another.

By spring 2011, that number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains -- those of eight women, one man and one toddler. Some were later linked to dismembered body parts found elsewhere on Long Island, making for a puzzling crime scene that stretched from a park near the New York City limits to a resort community on Fire Island and out to far eastern Long Island.

Gilbert's body was found in December 2011, about 3 miles east of where the other 10 sets were discovered.

In talking about the bodies near Gilgo Beach, investigators have said several times over the years that it is unlikely one person killed all the victims.
It was perhaps the Cold War's most brazen betrayal of Queen and country.

A British traitor sent postcards of Elizabeth II to his handlers behind the Iron Curtain to signal when he needed more cash  and how much he wanted.

Nicholas Burby pocketed more than 20,000 by using his special access to UK military air bases and Air Force contacts to provide intelligence about technology and the combat readiness of RAF and US jets to the Czechoslovaks and Soviets, a Mail investigation has found.

He was even on emergency standby to supply details of Nato aircraft movements to the enemy if World War Three broke out.

Codenamed Agent Aeronaut, for almost a decade Burby criss-crossed Europe using Day of the Jackal-style fake identities for clandestine rendezvous with his spymasters, smuggled dossiers through customs in false bottoms of briefcases and collected messages and money left in dead-letter drops in Home Counties parks.

Nicholas Burby pocketed more than 20,000 by using his special access to UK military air bases and Air Force contacts to provide intelligence

Codenamed Agent Aeronaut, for almost a decade Burby criss-crossed Europe using Day of the Jackal-style fake identities for clandestine rendezvous with his spymasters

But his most audacious tradecraft was a system of open signals using codes in postcard images he sent from letterboxes near his home in Richmond, south-west London, to a fictional friend called Joseph Taurek at a Prague safe house run by the Czechoslovak STB spy agency.

An extensive file on Aeronaut unearthed by the Mail and now declassified by the Czech state security service outlines how the cypher worked.

His royal riddles Message in the mail: One of Nick Burby's postcards 'Agent Aeronaut' Nick Burby signalled to his Communist spymasters by sending coded postcards to an address in Czechoslovakia. The messages were hidden in both the image and the handwritten date. Pictures of the Queen were a request for an advance payment. The sum required by Burby, pictured, was in the second digit in the date which had to be multiplied by 100. In a card dated 24/04/82, he was asking for 400. Spies in the Czech embassy in London would leave the cash in containers hidden in dead drops in parks in the capital and the Home Counties. Drop sites included the entrance to Richmond Park and between two chestnut trees near the Thames. Advertisement

Images with a lake or sea indicated he faced risk of exposure, a civilian plane meant he had 'important material he needs to pass', and those with buildings included a code about when he would travel to Vienna for meetings with his handlers. Postcards with a picture of the Royal Family meant the agent was 'asking for advance payment'.

He addressed the cards to 'Joe', signed them 'Bill' and included anodyne messages about the British weather or stamp collecting.

Burby was an unemployed 22-year-old living with his grandparents when he started his extraordinary double life after writing to the military attaches of Communist embassies in London offering to sell photos of Nato jets in return for cash.

A passionate photographer of fighter planes, he ran a military aviation club with his aircraft engineer father. The club organised visits to aerodromes, including an annual tour of US Air Force bases.

A Czech agent operating in the UK under diplomatic cover met Burby in April 1980 and recruited him.

The spy chiefs later said: 'He is ambitious, bright, can be influenced and nurtured.' They especially valued his ability to monitor RAF and US air bases to 'detect signs of a sudden attack'.

Burby signed a pledge to co-operate with Czechoslovak intelligence, promising to 'fulfil all tasks assigned to me' and maintain 'absolute secrecy' about his role.

Burby was sometimes given special code phrases for meetings, including asking his contact: 'Do you have a light? I lost my cigarette lighter.' The Czech agent would respond: 'I didn't come out with my cigarettes today.'

His UK handlers included Major Vlastimil Netolicky, one of three Czech diplomats kicked out of the UK by Margaret Thatcher in 1988 for spying.

Burby's sole incentive was cash and he received a monthly salary which eventually rose to more than 4,000 a year, the files said. Much of the information was rated 'valuable' by Czech intelligence chiefs, who praised him for 'completing his tasks very well'.

He was routinely thanked for doing a 'good job' and rewarded with cash bonuses, the files show.

Now married, but still living at his late grandparents' home in Richmond, Burby declined to comment when approached by the Mail.
The company's website has also gone dark, simply stating it has 'suspended all exploration and commercial operations'

OceanGate has deleted all of its social media accounts in a bid to scrub its existence from the internet after the doomed Titan sub imploded, killing all five men onboard.

The sea exploration company has removed its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts and stripped down its website following the disaster last month.

The Washington-based firm's website now displays a black background with its logo and a single line of text which reads: 'OceanGate Expeditions has suspended all exploration and commercial operations.'

OceanGate Expeditions Instagram account also appears to have been taken down.

Similarly its LinkedIn said: 'The page youre searching for no longer exists,' and Twitter showed a notice that the @OceanGate 'account doesnt exist.'

The firm's website has gone dark, simply reading: 'OceanGate Expeditions has suspended all exploration and commercial operations'

Twitter showed a notice that the @OceanGate 'account doesnt exist'

French Navy veteran PH Nargeolet (left) was on the sub along with Stockton Rush (right), CEO of the OceanGate Expedition

Five people had been on board, including British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding (left) and Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, who was just 19

A separate OceanGate Instagram account could still be located but all posts had been deleted and the settings turned to private.

The company's website was still live last week when the company announced it was suspending all exploration and commercial operations.

The decision came weeks after tourists Hamish Harding, 58, Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Sulaiman Dawood, 19, French Navy pilot Paul-Henry (PH) Nargeolet and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush died onboard the sub.

The expedition was marketed at $250,000 per passenger.

The disaster sparked questions about OceanGate's past safety record, concerns with previous practices and the future of tourism at the famed 1912 wreck.

CEO Stockton Rush reportedly believed going to the depths of the Atlantic in the Titan was 'safer than crossing the street', despite having been warned by dozens of experts in 2018 that his company's 'experimental' approaches could be 'catastrophic.'

The safety of the submersible and OceanGate's dismissal of several warnings has drawn considerable criticism after the Titan went missing on a mission to the Titanic shipwreck on June 18.

Rush was also begged in 2019 to suspend operations after a submersible expert heard cracking sounds during one of the Titan's dives in the Bahamas.

The five men onboard all died after the Titan sub, pictured here, imploded on its expedition

Debris from the OceanGate sub is recovered after the implosion at the Titanic wreck site

The OceanGate sub was launched around 8am in the Atlantic Ocean 400 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at the site of the Titanic shipwreck.

The five passengers started to descend as Rush piloted the vessel.

An hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the vessel lost contact with its mothership, the Polar Prince.

OceanGate took eight hours to report the missing sub to the US Coast Guard after it lost contact.

That led to a massive international response to rescue the five passengers. Ships from across the globe started to make the trek to help search for the missing sub while the hours and estimated oxygen ticked down.

Days later, it was announced the five people aboard the sub were believed to have been killed in a likely implosion.

It was also revealed that a US Navy monitoring system picked up a possible sound of the implosion in the descent- but search efforts continued.

After announcing the death of the five passengers, it was later revealed that debris form the imploded sub was found near the site of the Titanic.

Canadian police are considering whether 'criminal, federal, or provincial laws' were broken in the lead up to the Titan submersible disaster.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are examining 'the circumstances that led to the deaths' of the five crew on board the sub and decide 'whether or not a full investigation is warranted'.

Their investigation started at the end of June, a day after it emerged human remains were found during the recovery mission and segments of the vessel were brought ashore.

Families of the Titan submersible victims could sue its operator OceanGate, the maker of the vessel and companies that provided parts, legal experts have said.
The families of two new mothers who died with herpes after having C-sections carried out by the same surgeon have hit out at the 'disgraceful behaviour' of the NHS trust as they continue their five-year 'fight for answers'.

Kimberly Sampson, 29, and Samantha Mulcahy, 32, both died with herpes in 2018 shortly after giving birth after the same obstetrician conducting their Caesarean sections.

They died six weeks apart in hospitals run by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust (EKHUT) prompting an inquest into their deaths looking at how the mothers came to be infected with the virus, and their subsequent care.

Today at the inquest in Maidstone, coroner Catherine Wood said it was 'unlikely' that the surgeon was the cause of the herpes infection in both women and ruled out any culpability of any medical staff involved.

She did, however, say 'suspicion should have been raised' with Ms Mulcahy's case as staff would have already been aware of Ms Sampson's earlier death and added that antiviral treatment should have been given sooner to both women.

First-time mother Samantha Mulcahy, 32, (pictured with her husband Ryan) died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent

Kimberly Sampson, 29, died at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate in May 2018 and died at the end of the month in a London hospital after giving birth to her second child

Speaking after today's hearing Ms Mulcahy's heartbroken mother Nicola Foster and her stepfather Mark Trainer slammed the coroner's summing up as being incorrect

Speaking after the hearing, Ms Mulcahy's heartbroken mother Nicola Foster and her stepfather Mark Trainer slammed the coroner's summing up as being incorrect and said they will not give up on their five-year quest for the truth.

She said: 'It's become very apparent during this inquest we were never going to get to the truth of why the trust covered up and shut us out at every opportunity.

'They have tried to punish us for having help from the BBC... The trust has been untruthful, dismissive and members of trust staff including surgeon doctors have behaved arrogantly, defensively as if they are untouchable.'

'Both families will always believe the death of Kim and Sam were because of something they acquired once in hospital and we have no reason to believe otherwise,' the grieving mother added.

Ms Foster referred to an expert witness called by the coroner and said she thought the coroner's decision had been 'based solely on her witness and some of the summing up was incorrect.'

She said she will continue to fight over the inquest's conclusion, adding that the family 'can't give up yet' as they 'don't feel we've got to the real truth'.

Ms Sampson died at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate in May 2018 and died at the end of the month in a London hospital after giving birth to her second child. Less than two months later, first-time mother Ms Mulcahy died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent.

The coroner said: 'This is a rare but often fatal disease and more needs to be done to raise awareness of it.

Parents of Ms Sampson, Yvette and Louis Sampson, also spoke following the inquest saying they will 'always be angry and upset' over what they've had to do to get to the truth

The two women died six weeks apart in hospitals run by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust. Pictured: Ms Mulcahy on her wedding day

Today at the inquest in Maidstone the coroner said it was 'unlikely' that the surgeon was the cause of the herpes infection in both women. Pictured: Ms Sampson

'All of the evidence suggests early recognition is more likely to raise a positive outcome.'

The inquest previously heard in April how the surgeon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, could have been a potential source of the infection. But the surgeon told the inquest his hands were fully scrubbed, double gloved and he was wearing a mask during procedures.

He also said he had no lesions and was not infected but added that he had not been tested.

The coroner said those involved who suggested it was the surgeon were trying to 'plug the gap' with a possible explanation but she ruled it was unlikely and that 'statistical coincidences can occur'.

The hearing on July 14 also heard a legal challenge from the BBC and the PA news agency to lift the anonymity order applied for by the trust to stop the surgeon being named.

EKHUT argued its anonymity order was to protect the reputation and mental health of its staff member from what it claimed would be damaging media reports of the case, but the media's bid argued the fears for the surgeon were speculative.

Following today's conclusions Ms Foster said she still believes there is a link between her daughter's death and the surgeon due to the way the EKHUT has tried to 'shut the door in their face' when they've tried to ask questions.

Yvette Sampson, Ms Sampson's mother, also said the trust had not listened to her and she will 'always be angry' over what they had to do to get the truth about her daughter's death.

EKHUT argued its anonymity order was to protect the reputation and mental health of its staff member from what it claimed would be damaging media reports of the case, but the media's bid argued the fears for the surgeon were speculative

The coroner is expected to give narrative conclusions for both Ms Sampson and Ms Mulcahy on July 26

She said: 'The trust didn't really listen to me; they were more focused on trying to get the issues to go away.

'The last five years have felt like a real fight for answers.'

Ms Sampson added how the process over the last five years has 'changed her as a person' and she finds it 'hard to comprehend' how the trust has acted.

Standing alongside Ms Sampson's father, Louis Sampson, the mother said she will 'always be angry and upset' over what they've had to do to get to the truth of Ms Sampson's death.

Anna Vroobel, the family lawyer, also said in a statement that the inquest showed the failing in Ms Sampson's care by the trust failing to provide her with antivirals.

Urging the trust to learn the lessons of this case, Ms Vroobel said: 'Patient safety should be a fundamental priority. We continue to see too many families whose lives have been shattered.'

The coroner is expected to give narrative conclusions for both Ms Sampson and Ms Mulcahy on July 26.

Ms Wood also adjourned her decision over the anonymity order until the same hearing.

A spokesperson for East Kent Hospitals said: 'We would like to express our sincere condolences to the families of Samantha Mulcahy and Kimberley Sampson.

'We are unable to comment further until the inquest has concluded.'

MailOnline has also contacted East Kent Hospitals.
Last year, officials working for an NHS Trust in Bath, Somerset, received the results of an assessment they had undergone a couple of months earlier.

Alas, they had not done well.

Out of a possible 159 points, they had been awarded just 49, meaning they failed even to qualify for an entry-level 'bronze award'.

Many reasons were given for this lamentably low score, among them: clinical staff at the Trust had failed to avoid using 'gendered language' such as 'mother', 'father' and 'husband'; the majority also failed 'routinely' to ask patients their sexual orientation or if they were transgender.

The shamed Trust was further marked down for its failure to put sanitary bins in all toilets  irrespective of whether they were the Gents or the Ladies  although it did gain some credit for the fact that some of its staff chose to wear badges displaying their preferred pronouns.

Stonewall began with laudable aims. Founded in 1989 by a small group of people who had been active in the struggle against the notorious Section 28 of the Local Government Act

The extent of Stonewall's looming influence is illustrated by new data from the campaign group Sex Matters

The report further asserted that many employees had 'homophobic' or 'transphobic' views. But on closer inspection, these did not seem particularly egregious.

For example, one person stated that their colleagues' sexuality or gender identity was 'not relevant' to their job. 'Like everyone else they should come to work, focus on their patients, do their work and go home at the end of the shift,' they had declared.

Another concerned staff member admitted: 'When I enter the hospital and see the rainbow flags, road crossings and full-size rainbow-badge poster boards, I feel fearful and anxious. It gives me the impression that the hospital is prioritising trans rights over all other protected rights.'

In light of the report's blistering conclusions, the Trust felt the need to issue a cowering response.

'We are very aware and there is huge willingness from the whole team but at the moment we just don't have the time or resources,' they spluttered. 'We do what we can. We have discussed this survey as a team. It is a bit demoralising for us not to be able to do more.'

Which organisation had struck such palpable fear into the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust? Was it a government department? A supervising body responsible for budgets? An official regulator?

No. It was Stonewall, the LGBTQ+ charity, which  as the Mail reveals today in the first part of a major three-part investigation  has successfully weathered years of controversy to remain a powerful political force.

To this day, despite many serious questions raised about its conduct, Stonewall continues to dictate policy to many of the country's key taxpayer-funded organisations and to politicians themselves  as well as to the world of business. In some ways, it has never been more influential.

'In medieval times only the Church had this level of control' - Pictured, Maya Forstater and JK Rowling

Stonewall suggests in material aimed at children that people develop a sense of gender early in their lives, meaning that it is 'not uncommon for children to question their gender identity or realise they are trans when they are young'

Stonewall began with laudable aims. Founded in 1989 by a small group of people who had been active in the struggle against the notorious Section 28 of the Local Government Act (which banned the 'promotion' of homosexuality), it grew into a powerful body advancing the cause of equality for disenfranchised groups.

Its campaign for equal rights helped to bring about the Civil Partnership Act of 2004, which allowed same-sex unions to be officially recognised for the first time and helped pave the way for gay marriage in 2014. Stonewall also secured the equalisation of the age of consent, lifted the ban on gay people serving in the military and secured legislation allowing same-sex couples to adopt.

In recent years, however  and in particular since 2015, when the charity extended its remit from fighting for the rights of gay and bisexual people to cover trans people  its fight has pivoted to more ideological territory.

And no more so than when it comes to gender identity, which disregards the immutability of biological sex to suggest that the gender a person 'believes' themselves to be is more important  and possibly different from the sex they were 'assigned' at birth.

In 2021, it seemed as though Stonewall's relentless march to conquer Britain's public bodies had been halted.

Following a ten-part podcast by BBC broadcaster Stephen Nolan and his producer David Thompson, called Nolan Investigates: Stonewall, as well as a raft of negative Press coverage, the precise nature of Stonewall's dogmatic campaigning was laid bare.

In the ensuing furore, the BBC and Ofcom pulled out of the charity's programme. The same year, Liz Truss, then the equalities minister, called for all government departments to withdraw. MP Miriam Cates wrote in 2022: 'Stonewall's decline now appears to be rapid and terminal.'

Stonewall's income has taken a hit. It received a total income  from grants, donations and fees from the diversity scheme  of 7.8 million last year, down from 11.5 million in 2021. Yet in other ways it has gone from strength to strength.

Never-before-seen documents and new statistics revealed today by the Mail following a series of Freedom of Information requests uncover the sheer scale and extent to which this unelected body is still shaping plans and strategy.

From the NHS to schools and universities, politics to business, Stonewall is raking in millions of pounds from its 3,000-a-year 'Diversity Champions' workplace programme  and its influence over our most important public and private institutions remains as strong as ever. Critics accuse those signed up as paying to be indoctrinated by pernicious gender ideology.

And nowhere more so, arguably, than in healthcare, where, courtesy of recent 'diversity programmes' and 'rainbow badge' schemes  like the one that Bath's NHS Trust fell victim to  Stonewall has strived to eliminate mentions of biological sex, which is a 'protected characteristic' under the 2010 Equality Act.

Strikingly, we have discovered, many NHS trusts have removed the word 'woman' from their websites and information materials  so as to not offend a tiny minority of trans people.

From the NHS to schools and universities, politics to business, Stonewall is raking in millions of pounds from its 3,000-a-year 'Diversity Champions' workplace programme

Stonewall's income has taken a hit. It received a total income  from grants, donations and fees from the diversity scheme  of 7.8 million last year, down from 11.5 million in 2021

The extent of Stonewall's looming influence is illustrated by new data from the campaign group Sex Matters. This organisation was set up by Maya Forstater, who was one of the first to fall foul of 'gender ideology' when she lost her job as a researcher at a think tank after tweeting that people cannot change their biological sex.

Forstater's group has scrutinised the membership of the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme, discovering that no fewer than 86 NHS trusts out of 215 are still signed up, alongside other crucial healthcare bodies including the General Medical Council (GMC), National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE), the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Royal College of Midwives and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Also among them is the Royal College of Psychiatry (RCP), recently named in Stonewall's 'top 100 employers' list.

Last year, the RCP called for the Government to reverse a reported decision to exclude transgender people in the planned ban on 'conversion therapy'  the controversial practice of trying to 'change' a person's sexuality. This despite widely voiced fears that such a ban could deter psychiatrists and therapists from helping a troubled person to explore their desire to change gender.

Chilling? Dr Louise Irvine, GP and co-chair of the Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender  a group of healthcare professionals now questioning gender ideology  certainly thinks so.

'Stonewall's ideological influence has been profound,' she says. 'As a doctor, you see it everywhere. Remember, these are very important organisations. The GMC is the regulator for doctors. The CQC is the regulator for healthcare providers. Healthcare Education England oversees all healthcare training for all healthcare professionals.

'These are organisations at the top of the pyramid that give direction to everything else in the NHS below them. They tell us the language and concepts we should be using. The leadership of the NHS has completely bought into Stonewall ideology. It's frightening that medicine seems to be bending to unevidenced ideology that could cause harm to patients.'

In 2021 Stonewall rolled out its 'Rainbow Badge' initiative, designed so that NHS staff could 'demonstrate that they are aware of the issues that LGBT+ people can face when accessing healthcare'.

In its annual report last year, the charity stated that some 50 NHS Trusts, representing a quarter of patients in England, had signed up. It later boasted that it had partnered with NHS England to deliver 'Phase 2' of the scheme  meaning that NHS trusts take part in a graded award scheme to prove their 'LGBT inclusion work'.

Again, in principle there's nothing wrong with staff being aware of such issues. But against a backdrop of huge waiting lists for many patients in everything from routine operations to cancer treatment, some might fear that Stonewall's schemes could prove a distraction  not to mention an expense taxpayers can ill-afford.

Even more striking are the charity's recommendations  in the same report  of the additional support trans patients should receive. Among the suggestions are that when a trans male patient (who was born female) attends a breast clinic, staff could schedule appointments at the beginning or end of the day so the individual is not waiting in 'gendered' waiting rooms. (Census data from 2021 indicates that a mere 0.5 per cent answered that their gender identity was different from their registered sex.)

Hospital departments, too, are exhorted to avoid 'gendered' names: 'Instead of saying 'women's health', name the department according to its purpose, such as colposcopy [cervical examination],' suggests the charity.

All this, according to Dr Irvine, is at best unhelpful, at worst actively harmful.

'In medicine and healthcare there needs to be a clear distinction between the sexes. The trouble is that Stonewall muddies the water,' she says.

'The charity teaches that gender is more relevant than sex when it comes to health and healthcare. If you look at the policies of all these organisations, you can see the creeping changes in language, so the word 'woman' is progressively disappearing. We can't communicate properly with patients because we're using obscure phrases such as 'people with a cervix'.'

She believes that even though many employees dispute this new orthodoxy, they are frightened to speak out. 'Stonewall has conveyed the idea that if anyone talks about sex as a reality, or women's sex-based rights as important, this is transphobic,' says Dr Irvine.

Strikingly, we have discovered, many NHS trusts have removed the word 'woman' from their websites and information materials

'People are actually afraid to challenge it in meetings, in their training, in their guideline development and many other areas.'

The same fear applies at the BBC. The national broadcaster pulled out of Stonewall's Diversity Champions scheme in November 2021, admitting that its participation raised questions about whether it could be seen to be impartial when reporting on debates that affected the charity.

Yet only this week, senior broadcast journalist Cath Walton told the Mail that the BBC remains in a virtual stranglehold of Stonewall dogma.

This, she explains, was one of the reasons she quit the Corporation, unable to tolerate what she describes as 'gaslighting' about gender ideology.

'Stonewall don't need to be [at the BBC] any more because the Stonewall influence is well established in HR,' she told us.

'There are people in key positions that take the Stonewall position as fact. Once you've done something, it's hard to undo it. For example, if they withdrew the advice on pronouns now, there would be a huge stink.

'Stonewall is now embedded with members of staff who are fully aligned with Stonewall views, and it's definitely influencing the BBC editorially. In an editorial meeting, people would be too scared to raise a gender-critical story. If you did, you know you would have a mark on your head.'

There seems no end to the nationwide bodies to have fallen in almost total thrall to Stonewall.

This month, it was revealed that the majority of High Street banks are members of diversity schemes run by Stonewall.

HSBC, which allows customers to register as gender-neutral, is the top-ranking bank in Stonewall's annual Equality Index. Barclays and Nationwide are also among Stonewall's top 100 employers.

Last week, it was even reported that the Bank of England had introduced a 'family leave' policy that included the phrase 'birthing parent' rather than mother.

As well as banks, healthcare and the broadcast media, the charity holds growing sway in schools. In particular, it exerts considerable influence in 'Relationships and Sex Education' (RSE) lessons, which are obligatory for pupils from the age of seven.

Forstater's group has scrutinised the membership of the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme

'When I enter the hospital and see the rainbow flags, road crossings and full-size rainbow-badge poster boards, I feel fearful and anxious'

Stonewall lesson plans and materials are still one of the key resources recommended by the Department for Education for RSE teaching. The Mail has seen one resource, Introduction To Supporting LGBT Young People. This advises schools to offer controversial gender-neutral toilets and changing facilities.

In the same document, Stonewall suggests in material aimed at children that people develop a sense of gender early in their lives, meaning that it is 'not uncommon for children to question their gender identity or realise they are trans when they are young'.

It also suggests in materials aimed at younger children that when babies are born, they are 'labelled . . . boy or girl' and that when they get older some 'realise that the label they were given was wrong'.

A Stonewall spokesperson said: 'What these criticisms are pointing to is that right across society, institutions want all LGBTQ+ people to thrive and be supported. That's not because it's 'woke' or they've been told to, but because they care about addressing deep inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ and particularly trans people.

'Stonewall simply provides tools, guidance and support to organisations to help them on this journey. Hyperbolic scaremongering about this work is an insult to the public's intelligence.'

It is worth stating that Stonewall is a charity not a policy-making body  yet this has not stopped education authorities from acting on its directives.

Its grip on our education sector shows no sign of abating. In its 2022 annual report, the charity boasted that through its 'Schools and College Champions Programme' it has created a new range of 'e-learning' modules to equip almost '2,000 education and youth professionals with the skills and confidence to support LGBTQ+ young people'.

Stephanie Davies-Arai, from Transgender Trend, a parent-led group concerned about the huge rise in youngsters claiming to be trans, says: 'The level to which education in this country has been captured by Stonewall is staggering.

'A whole generation of children have been indoctrinated into an authoritarian and unscientific ideology. They have grown up not knowing what a woman is and not being able to understand that there are two sexes.'

Maya Forstater says: 'Stonewall has an annual budget of 8 million, which is incredibly small by corporate standards. But it controls the policies of organisations and companies worth billions,' she says. 'It is dictating to both public and private institutions. It is a tiny organisation, but it has an enormous footprint in terms of its control of what other organisations do and the fear that they feel if any of their employees say anything that disagrees with Stonewall's stance.

'In medieval times only the Church had this level of control.'

In the next part of our investigation, we will reveal how Stonewall has infiltrated every major political party, captured the civil service  and is hard at work lobbying ministers to introduce controversial new gender laws.

Following publication of this article, an RUH spokesperson said: 'By being part of the Rainbow Badge accreditation process, a project combining multiple organisations' expertise, we are able to use actions and guidance to ensure we fulfil our Public Sector Equality Duty to eliminate discrimination.

'The report highlighted excellent pockets of work across the hospital which we are committed to building on. It also highlighted that improving support for LGBTQ+ people is something that really matters to our staff, with the majority of staff seeing knowledge of LGBTQ+ status as key to providing high quality care and feeling that further training and education on around LGBTQ+ matters would be beneficial.

'We are committed to continuing with this work, to ensure that the RUH is able to provide high quality, patient-centred care in a welcoming, inclusive environment for all.'
Imagine you are the commander of a mission into space. The engines of the mighty rocket have been ignited and, in a few seconds, the four humans inside will soar into the heavens. That rocket is one of the most sophisticated pieces of engineering ever created. Countless components must do what they were designed to do: Otherwise those humans may perish.

Then imagine one of the leaders of one of the many teams that designed those components reveals he is worried about one of the instruments. What do you do? Halt the launch just in case? The cost would be breathtaking and anyway the odds against it proving a deadly fault are overwhelming. So the launch goes ahead.

Now imagine you are the director-general of the BBC. A ludicrous parallel? Well, the DG too has enormous responsibilities and, just like the launch commander, he relies upon a backroom team to make judgments about which of the many flashing lights in the BBC circuitry should be brought to his attention. It's impossible for him to deal with all of them himself.

The BBC gets roughly half a million complaints every year, ranging from the absurdly trivial, like the colour of a presenter's tie, to more serious editorial issues.

But  as we were all reminded this week  lurking among them may be one that poses an existential threat to the organisation and that could blow the whole enterprise to smithereens.

Huw Edwards: A man held in such huge esteem by the majority of the population that the only question hanging over his future was how soon he would be awarded a knighthood

This is the category into which the fiasco of the past few days has sometimes seemed to fall.

At the heart of it, of course, has been Huw Edwards: A man held in such huge esteem by the majority of the population that the only question hanging over his future was how soon he would be awarded a knighthood.

Now the question is whether we shall ever see him on our screens again. That will depend on the outcome of the BBC investigation and whether the nation accepts that his bizarre alleged behaviour in recent months and years was related to the mental illness for which he is now being treated in hospital.

As someone who has known Huw for much of his broadcasting career, I can't pretend that I saw this coming. It would have been hard to find anyone more locked into BBC standards of behaviour.

In 2003, a few days after it was announced that he was taking over the BBC's News at Ten, Huw invited me to lunch. I had been the first journalist  as opposed to the previous 'announcers'  to present the news when it was broadcast at 9pm and he wanted to pick my brains. I'm afraid, cynical old hack that I am, I was a little flippant. I adopted a mock-serious tone and said: 'The responsibility is awesome. You'll be seen as a massive figure of authority  and your words will be treated with reverence.'

What I did not say was that the job of a newsreader is to look presentable and to read from an autocue in a reasonably credible manner that tells the audience two things: You understand what you are reading and you appreciate its significance or triviality.

Davie is sent a 'red-flag list' twice a week, largely about programmes that might cause the BBC some harm

I expected Huw to laugh at my pomposity. Instead, he slammed his hand on the table.

'John,' he said, 'I know exactly what you mean!'

And why shouldn't he have said that? He took the job desperately seriously and the audience respected him for it.

You will note that I use the past tense. It is, of course, possible that Huw will leave hospital free from whatever devils of depression and deception have seemingly been haunting him for so long. Perhaps, after a suitable period of rehabilitation, he will return to his old job. Possible  but surely unlikely.

Why? Because one word sums up a news presenter's relationship with the nation. Trust. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for many to watch him again without recalling the events of these past weeks. What's more, BBC management would have to declare their total faith in him.

Which takes me back to where I began: The role of mission control or, in the case of the BBC, the director-general, Tim Davie and the system that he inherited.

John Humphrys (pictured) recalls a conversation he had with Huw Edwards about being the face of the BBC

As DG, Davie is sent a 'red-flag list' twice a week, largely about programmes that might cause the BBC some harm  sensitive investigations, for example, or a report on China's policy towards the Uyghurs that will inevitably cause offence.

The complaints system has different red flags. Initial contact  usually via an online form  is largely filtered through the Capita organisation. It is meant to pass on the more difficult issues to BBC Audience Services, which might also label a complaint a 'red flag' if it involves coverage of the person who is actually complaining, or a complaint that might be deemed particularly sensitive.

Typically, at any one time about 250 complaints are being dealt with by the corporate invest- igations team headed by an ex-Scotland Yard officer. That's what happened in Huw Edwards's case  and yet clearly something went badly awry.

There seems to be a pattern here. Ten years ago, I was at the heart of what was then described as the BBC's greatest crisis. I had interviewed the then-DG George Entwistle about a Newsnight report the previous evening that had accused Lord McAlpine, a widely respected figure and treasurer of the Tory party, of being involved in paedophilia at a children's home. The more I pressed Entwistle on the accuracy of the report, the more he was forced to admit that he had been unaware of the allegations.

McAlpine was entirely innocent. But nobody in the director-general's team had even brought to his attention the fact that the Newsnight report was going to run. A few hours after my interview with him, Entwistle resigned. He had been director-general for just 54 days.

There have been other great scandals in which the BBC was unwittingly complicit. Undoubtedly the greatest was Jimmy Savile. We now know him to have been a thoroughly wicked individual but his exposure came too late to stop him preying on countless defenceless children for his own perverted sexual gratification.

Even during his life, however, rumours were rife about his behaviour  rumours that could and should have alerted senior figures at the BBC.

The scandal of Martin Bashir, who achieved great fame for his 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana, was to blacken the reputation of a former director-general, who was head of news at the time. It took many years for Bashir's disgraceful tactics to be fully uncovered.

Who knows what might have happened in all those crises if the BBC's command-and-control system had been more alert to the worries that many were voicing and the whispers so many were hearing? And had then alerted the man at the top to the dangers.

Now the question is whether we shall ever see him on our screens again

From this perspective, you would have to say that Tim Davie was badly let down by the BBC system over the Huw Edwards crisis. It seems nobody saw fit to inform him as soon as the original complaint was made by the mother of the young person she alleged was paid many thousands in exchange for revealing photographs. The BBC staff responsible for handling complaints did alarmingly little for six or seven weeks to discover what was going on.

Only two attempts were made to contact the mother: Once by phone and once by email. When he was asked if that was appropriate, Davie said he himself had questions about what could be learned from the whole process. One of them, he said, was: 'Do we raise the red flags quick enough?'

Which takes me back to my analogy with a space mission. Any organisation  whether its purpose is to send a human into space or to earn the trust of a nation through the way its journalists do their job  can be only as good as its component parts.

Back in 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space. When reporters asked him what he was thinking as he sat atop his rocket, waiting for lift-off, he replied: 'The fact that every part of this ship was built by the lowest bidder.'

He might have added: 'And I'm praying that there's somebody out there keeping a very close eye on everything they do and warning mission control if something's looking a bit suspect.'

That's what the BBC needs to avoid these scandals. A more effective mission control.
Volodzko later apologized on Twitter in a thread where he expressed his regrets and claimed he was now the victim of death threats

The Seattle Times has fired a columnist after his very first column following a bizarre tweet where he appeared to defend Hitler.

David Volodzko was let go Thursday just 24 hours after he backed the fascist dictator, arguing that Hitler 'only targeted people he personally believed were harmful to society.'

The Seattle Times soon condemned the former employee and announced that Volodzko was being axed from the Times' editorial board 'effective immediately.'

'A Seattle Times editorial writer engaged in Twitter recently in a way that is inconsistent with our company values and those of our family ownership,' the statement wrote.

David Volodzko was let go Thursday just 24 hours after he backed the fascist dictator, arguing that Hitler 'only targeted people he personally believed were harmful to society

The outlet did not specify the exact reason for the firing and emphasized the company's value in differing opinions, as long as they are presented with respect.

'While we passionately believe in creating lively discourse through a variety of viewpoints, we do so with respect and appreciation for all communities,' the statement continued.

Volodzko's column - which was about a statue of Russian leader Vladimir Lenin - is still available to read on The Seattle Times website.

After the column was published, he took to Twitter to explain how Hitler was less-evil than Lenin because, according to Volodzko, Hitler only targeted people he believed were harmful to society, while Lenin targeted people he believed were not.

'There's a statue of Vladimir Lenin in Seattle, which is the subject of debate every couple of years,' his tweet reads.

'As a newcomer to the city, I decided to use my first column to introduce myself, some of the my family's history and few thoughts about the statue,' he continued.

'Hitler makes for an interesting comparison because most folks who are okay with Lenin would not be okay with a Hitler state, yet as I argue below, Hitler was the lesser evil of the two.'

Volodzko tweets immediately received negative feedback on Twitter, to which he continued to back up his original viewpoints.

One user replied sarcastically: 'Yep the big problem with genocide is whether or not you sincerely believe that the people you're genociding are harmful to society.'

The former Seattle Times staffer replied back: 'I'm not talking about genocide.'

'Is genocide not a key part of of Hitler's "targeting people," bud?,' the user fired back.

Voldozko doesn't quit: 'Yes, but I wasn't talking about genocide. Did you bother to read what I wrote?'

The Seattle Times offices in Seattle, Washington (file photo)

After his firing, Volodzko took to Twitter again, this time, setting off a threat of tweets apologizing for his offensive comments.

He tweeted: 'I recently argued Lenin was more evil than Hitler for wanting to kill more people while Hitler was more evil for actually doing it. Let me say sorry to anyone hurt or offended by that because regardless of my intentions, the comparison is a dangerous one.'

Voldozko, who has had work published in New York magazine, The Nation and The Daily Beast among other outlets, wrote a column about the famous statue of Vladimir Lenin in Seattle and why it should be removed.

He referenced his grandfather in his article, claiming he came to the US 'as a refugee after escaping a Nazi concentration camp.'
The woman arrested in connection with the suspected overdose death of Robert De Niro's grandson Leandro, 19, has been pictured in a court sketch.

Sofia Haley Marks, 20, known as the 'Percocet Princess,' is charged with distributing narcotics but did not enter a plea at a federal Manhattan court on Friday.

The judge did not set bail for her release.

Marks was arrested Thursday night at around 6 p.m. in an NYPD undercover sting operation.

Leandro's lifeless body was found sitting in a chair beside white powder inside a $950,000, one-bedroom apartment on Wall Street in New York.

Sofia Haley Marks, 20, known as the 'Percocet Princess,' is charged with distributing narcotics. She was arrested in connection to the death of Leandro De Niro

Leandro's body was found sitting in a chair beside white powder on July 2. His is pictured with his mom Drena and grandfather Robert De Niro

A police source tells DailyMail.com the substance was found near his body and there were no signs of trauma. He was found by a friend who hadn't heard from him in a few days and was checking in on him.

Police claim Marks has sold pills to children as young as 15, according to The New York Post.

'She sells to kids. She is well known in the drug dealing world,' the source told the outlet. 'The feds got involved. They had another buy last night. So they were like, "Scoop her up now."'

Aspiring actor and director Leandro was following in his mother and grandfather's career footsteps, landed a small role in 2018's A Star Is Born as the son of Bradley Cooper's best friend, George 'Noodles' Stone, played by Dave Chappelle. He also appeared in Cabaret Maxime in 2018.

His mother Drena De Niro - an American actress adopted by De Niro after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott in 1976 - announced his death.

She made De Niro a grandfather in 2003 when she welcomed Leandro with her then-boyfriend, graffiti artist Carlos Rodriguez.

Earlier this month, the grieving mother said on social media that her son died from a fentanyl overdose.

She claimed that someone sold her beloved son drugs that were tainted, causing his death.

'Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him,' Drena said on Instagram.

She added: 'For all these people still fking around selling and buying this st, my son is gone forever,' she added.

The mother made the remark in response to a commenter who asked her how her son had died.

De Niro also released a statement about his grandson's death, saying he was 'deeply distressed' and appreciated the condolences which had poured in for his family.

Robert De Niro leaves the Frank E. Campbell Home with his family following his grandson's death. Leandro's mom said he died of a fentanyl overdose

'Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him,' Drena said on Instagram

'I'm deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo,' he said.

'We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.'

NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig told reporters last month that fentanyl is now 'laced in probably 98% of the drugs' in the Big Apple.

'Fentanyl is in everything now, everything,' Essig said. 'Now people have low tolerance, that's why they're overdosing so much.'

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is also major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Illegally made fentanyl (IMF) is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder.

Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids.

Leandro's death came after the Department of Justice filed charges against several Chinese companies and executives over their alleged role in the U.S. fentanyl trade.

Federal prosecutors say nearly all fentanyl precursors are manufactured and shipped from China today.

Criminal organizations like the infamous Sinaloa cartel in Mexico work with Chinese companies to get their ingredients for fentanyl.
Iowa's Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a law banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

The new legislation prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.

Abortion in the state had been legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bill includes exceptions for pregnancies from rape and incest - but only if they have been reported to law enforcement or a medical worker.

The new law means Iowa joins the list of Republican states who have signed strict pro-life legislation since Roe v. Wade.

Reynolds signed the measure into law in front of 2,000 cheering conservative Christians at the evangelical Family Leadership Summit.

A mile away, there was a court hearing for a request to postpone the state's new ban from taking place.

The White House called the ban 'extreme' and accused Republicans of trying to advance 'dangerous laws'.

Iowa's Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a law banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy

'Today, Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law an extreme abortion ban that will take away a womans right to choose and is just the latest state ban enacted by Republican elected officials following the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade one year ago,' White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

'Iowas new law will penalize health care providers and cause delays and denials of health and life-saving care,' she added.

'While Republican elected officials advance dangerous laws, President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the majority of Americans who believe personal health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor, not politicians, and will continue to call on Congress to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law.

'The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to defend access to reproductive health care and fight any attempts to pass a national abortion ban.'

The hearing challenging the law ended Friday with the judge saying a decision may be made next week.

The legal challenge was filed Wednesday morning by the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic.

The split screen punctuates a bitter battle between abortion advocates and opponents in Iowa that has dragged on for years and will likely, for now, remain unresolved as the courts assess the laws constitutionality.

The bill passed with exclusively Republican support late on Tuesday at the conclusion of a rare, 14-hour special legislative session.

The new legislation prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant. Protesters on both sides of debate have protested in the state capitol over the ban

The new measure will be considered in the context of decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and Iowas Supreme Court last year, when both reversed themselves on rulings that had affirmed a womans fundamental constitutional right to abortion.

Those decisions prompted Reynolds to ask the court to reinstate her blocked 2018 law, which is nearly identical to the new one. The states high court deadlocked last month, prompting Reynolds to call lawmakers back to the Iowa Capitol.

'The Iowa Supreme Court questioned whether this legislature would pass the same law they did in 2018, and today they have a clear answer,' Reynolds said Tuesday in a statement. 'Justice for the unborn should not be delayed.'

Planned Parenthood North Central States said Wednesday they are preparing to have to refer patients to other states if the law isnt blocked but are hopeful there will not be an interruption in their services.

'We are seeking to block the ban because we know that every day this law is in effect, Iowans will face life-threatening barriers to getting desperately needed medical care - just as we have seen in other states with similar bans,' Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, said in a statement.

As of Wednesday, 200 patients were scheduled for abortions at Iowa Planned Parenthood or the Emma Goldman Clinic this week and next, according to the court filings. Most of them past the six-week mark in their pregnancies.

There are limited circumstances under the measure that would allow for abortion after the point in a pregnancy where cardiac activity is detected: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has a fetal abnormality 'incompatible with life'; or if the pregnancy is endangering the life of the pregnant woman.

Most Republican-led states have drastically limited abortion access in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and handed authority on abortion law to the states. More than a dozen states have bans with limited exceptions and one state, Georgia, bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected. Several other states have similar restrictions that are on hold pending court rulings.

Protesters gather at the Iowa Capitol rotunda to voice opposition to the new ban on abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy
No criminal offences were committed during the Bournemouth beach tragedy which saw a girl, 12, and boy 17, drown - as police confirm the 40-year-old man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter will face no further action.

Joe Abbess and Sunnah Khan died after being pulled under the water by a riptide close to the shore near the pier in Dorset on May 31, with nine other people also being injured after struggling in the water.

This evening Dorset Police announced it had concluded its investigation and would be taking no further action.

The force also confirmed that the Dorset Belle, a pleasure boat that had been impounded in the wake of the tragedy, had not contributed to the catastrophe.

Witnesses who had watched the disaster unfold close to Bournemouth Pier had suggested that the vessel could have contributed toward creating dangerous sea conditions where the two children were swimming.

Sunnah Khan was pictured laughing on Bournemouth beach shortly before tragedy struck

Joe Abbess had been studying Hospitality at City College Southampton in the hopes of owning his own restaurant in the future

The accident took place on May 31 and saw 11 people being rescued by RNLI lifeguards on the beach. Sadly Joe and Sunnah could not be saved

The accident that took place around 3.50pm saw 11 people rescued by RNLI lifeguards on the beach, but sadly Joe and Sunnah could not be saved.

Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Corrigan said tonight: 'During the emergency response that followed, information was given to police, which indicated that the movement of a boat - the Dorset Belle - immediately before the incident occurred could have contributed toward creating dangerous sea conditions.

'Witnesses suggested that there had been similar issues with the vessel having created such problems previously.

'Based upon this information an investigation was initiated. It was important that all relevant evidence was captured. Therefore, it was appropriate to examine the boat and determine the actions of the operator. Following the examination, the boat was released.'

He added that the force had to speak with experts to review the material that had been gathered. Those experts needed time to review the material and consider the prevailing tide and meteorological conditions at the time alongside the topography of the shoreline at the location.

'Also, a large number of witnesses have been spoken to and several sources of CCTV and mobile phone footage were examined. As a result of all of the evidence available, we are now able to confirm that we do not believe that the movement of the Dorset Belle contributed to the incident,' he added.

'We have worked with the agencies that lead on beach safety from the outset of this investigation.'

This evening Dorset Police announced it had concluded its investigation and would be taking no further action as no criminal offence had been committed

The Dorset Belle has since ceased all operations from Bournemouth Pier, with operators vowing never to return

Sunnah Khan's mother, Stephanie Williams, previously said she is concerned 'about the likelihood that more parents will receive the devastating news that their child has drowned'

The operators of the Dorset Belle vowed in the wake of the May 31 tragedy never to return to the area - ceasing all operations from Bournemouth Pier.

The boat, built in 1974, was impounded at the time and was held under police supervision for weeks.

A statement from the Dorset Belle's Facebook page last month read: 'Our thoughts go out to the two children and their families who tragically lost their lives on Bournemouth beach on Wednesday 31st May.

'Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, all operations from Bournemouth Pier have been permanently discontinued. Island Cruises Ltd who own the vessel along with current operators who have recently been running the boat thank all for the support afforded to both companies.'

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said tonight: 'Following a full and detailed investigation, officers have reached a position to make the evidence-based decision that no criminal offences were committed.

'No further action will be taken in respect of a man who was arrested in connection with this incident. He has been fully released from the investigation.

'When the criminal investigation was ongoing only a limited amount of information could be released into the public domain. This was due to the requirement to protect the integrity of the investigation.'

It comes weeks after the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) will not be launching a formal investigation into the deaths of Joe and Sunnah after conducting a 'thorough preliminary assessment of the circumstances of this tragic accident'.

Yesterday, Conservative MP for Aylesbury, Rob Butler, voiced Sunnah's mothers' concerns about water safety in the House of Commons, with the school summer holidays fast approaching.

Speaking on behalf of grieving mother Stephanie Williams, said she is concerned 'about the likelihood that more parents will receive the devastating news that their child has drowned', her MP told the House of Commons.

Mr Butler described how Ms Williams told him that she did not know how to escape a rip tide until after her daughter died and feared that many others still do not know.

He said: 'There is a strong case for water safety to be taught to children in particular. And the most obvious way to do so is at school.'

Ms Williams paid tribute to her daughter, who she described as a sociable girl who loved spending time with friends and family

Since the tragedy in May, Ms Williams has spoken out to warn people of the dangers of riptides to try and help other families avoid suffering similar heartbreak

Last month Ms Williams recalled her daughter's tragic final moments in an interview with Good Morning Britain.

She said: 'They [Sunnah and her brother] were in between the flags on the beach. They then ended up where they couldn't touch the bottom. They said a wave came over. They started to shout for help.

'A lifeguard pulled my son from the water, but they were unable to locate Sunnah. She was washed out. They had started to try and make their way back, but they couldn't.'

Since the tragedy in May, Ms Williams has spoken out to warn people of the dangers of riptides to try and help other families avoid suffering similar heartbreak.

'It's really important for people to know the dangers of what can happen in the sea, even in shallow water.

'It's important to know what to do should you find yourself in trouble in the water and having some information that's viewable when you're on the beach.'

Last month, she paid tribute to her daughter, who she described as a sociable girl who loved spending time with friends and family.

'She was a lovely toddler and a lovely young child at all stages of her life, and she would have become a lovely woman.

'She cared about a lot of people, and it's such a shame that she's not going to become the young lady that I thought she would be.'
The LNP are preparing to defend their seat of power for the second time in over a year as voters in the Fadden electorate head to the polls.

The by-election for the seat of Fadden on Queensland's northern Gold Coast was triggered after former Coalition minister Stuart Robert officially quit federal parliament in May.

Mr Robert had said his 16 years in politics 'has not been a smooth ride', having been elected to parliament in 2007.

The by-election for the seat of Fadden on Queensland's northern Gold Coast was triggered after former Coalition minister Stuart Robert officially quit federal parliament in May

'Serving my community and the country has been the highest of honours. But it is now time to focus on my family,' Mr Robert said when he announced his retirement.

'My family have stood with me throughout this time, through thick and thin. It is now time for my family to have a husband, a father and a son to stand by them.'

Gold Coast City councillor Cameron Caldwell is running for the seat of Fadden as the LNP's candidate. Picture: Supplied

Gold Coast City councillor Cameron Caldwell was preselected in June to represent the LNP to contest Fadden.

Mr Caldwell, who is listed 12th on the AEC ballot paper out of 13 candidates, is up against Labor's Letitia Del Fabbro, Greens candidate Scott Turner and Sandy Roach of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party.

Letitia Del Fabbro is standing as the ALP candidate in the safe Coalition seat of Fadden on the Gold Coast

It comes as Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers urged voters to head to the polls on Saturday, after the number of votes cast so far were below expectations.

'By-elections have traditionally had less people participate than in a full federal election but it's just as important to have your say,' Mr Rogers said.

'The early voting numbers we're seeing are down by approximately 27 per cent based on the same period in 2022 federal election.'

'Typically, if someone casts their vote early in one election, they'll do so in the next one as well - and we're not quite seeing that here which makes us worry about low participation.'

During the 2021 census, 194,617 people called the Fadden electorate home, with 47,679 people reported to be under the age of 19 during census night.

Two years on from census night in August 2021, there are 131,340 eligible electors enrolled at the close of the electoral rolls for the Fadden by-election on June 19.

The legal voting age in Australia is 18.

Mr Rogers said enrolled voters were required to complete their ballot before 6pm on Saturday.

'It's compulsory to vote at a by-election, as it is at a federal election or a referendum,' he said.

'Failure to vote may result in a fine and will mean you have no say on who represents you in federal parliament.'

There had been about 16,000 people cast their vote at an early voting centre up before Monday, while 24,000 postal vote applications had been submitted.

Full list of candidates for Fadden by-election (in order of ballot):

Letitia Del Fabbro - Australian Labor Party Scott Turner - The Greens Chris Simpson - Australian Democrats Sandy Roach - Pauline Hanson's One Nation Marnie Laree Davis - Indigenous - Aboriginal Party of Australia Suzette Luyken -Legalise Cannabis Australia Quentin Bye -Sustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment / Corruption Kevin Young - Independent Belinda Jones - Independent Stewart Brooker - Independent Jan Pukallus - Australian Citizens Party Cameron Caldwell - LNP James Tayler - Australian Federation Party

The LNP are considered to retain a safe hold on the seat, maintaining a margin of 10.63 per cent on the two-party preferred count at the last election.

Saturday's by-election will be the second time this year the Liberals will fight to defend their seat, after Labor historical victory in the seat of Aston in March.

Labor's win with Mary Doyle was the first time in a century a sitting government had claimed a seat from the opposition in a by-election.

Cost of living pressures front of mind for voters

Aussies continue to battle rising cost of living pressures across the country.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics monthly household spending indicator report, released on July 11, showed overall household spending was up 3.3 per cent in May, compared to the same time last year.

Liberal frontbencher Angus Taylor told reporters in May every by-election was 'tough' but stated the Albanese government would be put to the test on Saturday as Fadden voters decide how it was handling the economy.

It comes as the Fadden residents reported a median weekly household income of $1,680 during the 2021 census.

The ABS reported in February that in the latest average weekly ordinary time earnings for a full-time adult was $1,808 in November 2022.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pictured with Labor's candidate for Fadden, Letitia Del Fabbro

MP resignation triggers by-election

Mr Robert held a number of ministerial portfolios under successive Coalition governments, including employment and skills, veterans' affairs and the NDIS.

The ex-minister has come under fire in the last 12 months after he fronted a public hearing of the royal commission into robodebt.

Speaking at the inquiry, Mr Robert admitted he knowingly misrepresented the Centrelink scheme despite his personal misgivings about the illegal debt recovery program, claiming he had 'no choice' but to defend government policy.

Mr Robert told the inquiry in March took 'absolute responsibility' for the illegal scheme at the time, conceding he had made false statements about robodebt in the past, including that the debt calculated in more than 99 per cent of cases was correct.

Mr Robert had been forced to resign from Cabinet in February 2016 over a 'private' trip to China, where he met a major Liberal donor and members of the Chinese government.

Mr Robert held a number of ministerial portfolios under successive Coalition governments, including employment and skills, veterans' affairs and the NDIS. The ex-minister has come under fire in the last 12 months after he fronted a public hearing of the royal commission into robodebt

A year later, he was investigated by the Crime and Corruption Commission after it was revealed three candidates at 2016 Gold Coast City Council elections had been bankrolled with $70,000 of funding from the Fadden Forum, which was attached to the LNP branch's fundraising wing.

Mr Robert told the hearings in 2017 that he did not control the branch's funds.

Fadden's 29 polling places will be open on Saturday until 6pm.

More to come.
The 20-year-old 'Percocet Princess' who allegedly sold Robert De Niro's grandson drugs before his death warned him that they could potentially kill him before she sold him the pills.

Sophia Haley Marks, 20, is accused of selling 19-year-old Leandro De Niro Rodriguez drugs shortly before he was found dead in his New York City apartment.

Marks, who has been nicknamed 'the Percocet Princess', was arrested Thursday night at around 6 p.m. in an NYPD undercover sting operation, according to the New York Post.

Legal documents say that police found pills at the scene where Rodriguez died and used the teenager's phone to find text messages with Marks, where he asked to buy counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax in the days leading up to his death.

Marks outright tells Rodriguez via text: 'do you really need them? I don't wanna kill you. I just don't like serving u them cuz they not script.'

Police have arrested a woman in connection with the July 2 'drug overdose' death of acting legend Robert De Niro 's 19-year-old grandson Leandro

Sophia Haley Marks, 20, is accused of selling 19-year-old Leandro De Niro Rodriguez drugs shortly before he was found dead in his New York City apartment

According to the messages, Marks and Rodriguez agreed on him buying three of the fake pills and two tabs of Xanax for $105.

The 20-year-old dealer then warned Rodriguez: 'don't go overboard with these.'

Rodriguez received the drugs at around 9 p.m. on July 1. Marks checked in on him less that five hours later asking: 'u good?' but never received a response.

The teenager's lifeless body was found sitting in a chair beside white powder inside a $950,000, one-bedroom apartment on Wall Street in New York on July 2.

Shockingly, Marks continued to sell drugs after Leandro's death, falling for an undercover NYPD sting, according to TMZ.

An agent bought 25 pills from Marks on July 9 for 500 and she allegedly warned the buyer: 'please be careful with these. don't do more than one at a time. my friend just died.'

The pills were the same found at the scene of Rodriguez's body.

Marks faces one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam and two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.

If found guilty on all charges, she could face up to 60 years in prison.

A police source tells DailyMail.com the substance was found near Rodriguez's body and there were no signs of trauma. He was found by a friend who hadn't heard from him in a few days and was checking in on him, a police source told TMZ.

Residents in the building, right next to the Wall Street subway stop told DailyMail.com they saw an ambulance and a fire truck pull up on an otherwise tranquil Sunday afternoon.

Aspiring actor and director Leandro was following in his mother and grandfather's career footsteps, landed a small role in 2018's A Star Is Born as the son of Bradley Cooper's best friend, George 'Noodles' Stone, played by Dave Chappelle. He also appeared in Cabaret Maxime in 2018.

His mother Drena De Niro - an American actress adopted by De Niro after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott in 1976 - announced his death.

His father Carlos, a renowned graffiti artist, and mother Drena, 51, shared a statement on Instagram on Monday as they reacted to Leandro's untimely passing.

'It is with immeasurable shock and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo. We thank you for the outpouring love and support and ask that we are given privacy this time to process this inconsolable grief.

'You can't spell Love without Leo,' Carlos added as the caption to the post, which featured sweet pictures of Leandro at different ages.

The teenager's lifeless body was found sitting in a chair beside white powder inside a $950,000, one-bedroom apartment on Wall Street in New York

Robert De Niro leaves the Frank E. Campbell Home with his family following his grandson's death

Robert De Niro's grandson Leandro, 19, was found dead with a 'white powdery substance' on a plate near his body and 'no signs of trauma' in $1m Wall Street apartment

Drena was adopted by De Niro, and took his surname, after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976.

She had a relatively transient lifestyle thanks to her father's vibrant career and split her time between New York City, Los Angeles, and Italy.

Drena left school and decided to explore the arts, turning her hand to a whole host of career paths including model, DJ and fashion consultant.

She eventually decided to follow in De Niro's footsteps and soon found her feet as an actress and filmmaker.

She made De Niro a grandfather in 2003 when she welcomed Leandro with her then-boyfriend Carlos Rodriguez.

Drena, who currently lives in New York, has since turned her attentions to directing and also describes herself as being trained in Muay Thai and martial arts.

At 51, Drena is five years older than De Niro's oldest biological child, Raphael, with Abbott. Now 46, he's a Manhattan estate agent whose celebrity clients have included Jon Bon Jovi and Renee Zellweger.

De Niro also has two children  twins Aaron and Julian, 27,  from his relationship between 1988 and 1995 with former model and actress Toukie Smith. They were conceived by in vitro fertilizations and delivered by a surrogate mother.

In 1998, he also had a son, Elliot, 21, and in 2011, a daughter, Helen, 11, (also born via surrogate) during his stormy 20-year marriage to his second wife, former flight attendant Grace Hightower.

Aspiring actor and director Leandro was following in his mother and grandfather's career footsteps

'You can't spell Love without Leo,' his father said in a social media tribute, which featured sweet pictures of Leandro at different ages

Robert De Niro is seen at the wake of his grandson Leandro

In May, the 79-year-old actor confirmed that he'd welcomed his seventh child Gia Virginia with his girlfriend Tiffany Chan, 43, to whom he has been linked since summer 2021.

Leandro's death comes after the Department of Justice filed charges against several Chinese companies and executives over their alleged role in the U.S. fentanyl trade.

Federal prosecutors say nearly all fentanyl precursors are manufactured and shipped from China today.

Criminal organizations like the infamous Sinaloa cartel in Mexico work with Chinese companies to get their ingredients for fentanyl.
Rwanda asylum seeker removal flights will be delayed until at least January, government sources have revealed.

An aspiration to get the first planes off to the capital Kigali between September and December this year has been abandoned after judges blocked the scheme on human rights grounds, according to officials.

Even if the Home Office succeeds in overturning the Court of Appeal decision, migrants will not be removed until January 'at the very earliest', it is understood.

It comes after Home Secretary Suella Braverman was given the green light on Thursday to challenge the judges' ruling at the Supreme Court.

The case is due to be heard in early October, with a ruling expected six to eight weeks later.

If successful, Home Office insiders believe it will be 'beneficial' to start removal flights in the winter, when the number of Channel arrivals is lower.

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she remained 'fully committed' to the Rwanda policy

Once the new Illegal Migration Bill is enacted, the Home Office will have a wider range of powers to remove migrants beyond the scope of the Rwanda deal

It would mean the Home Office is able to remove a higher proportion of migrants reaching Britain at that stage.

Officials hope this would 'send a strong message' to smuggling gangs, a government source said.

Before the court's ruling last month, Rishi Sunak said he hoped Rwanda flights could take off this summer.

The judgment saw a split between senior judges, which Home Office insiders believe will give the Government a good chance of success in the Supreme Court.

The Home Secretary said she remained 'fully committed' to the Rwanda policy, which will see migrants who arrive by 'irregular' routes such as Channel small boats handed a one-way ticket to the east African nation to claim asylum there.

The Court of Appeal's ruling was the second time the scheme had been blocked, after judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg intervened to stop the first flight in June 2022.

Once the new Illegal Migration Bill is enacted, the Home Office will have a wider range of powers to remove migrants beyond the scope of the Rwanda deal.

The Bill contains measures to allow ministers to ignore future injunctions by Strasbourg, as well British courts, in such cases.

It comes after Home Secretary Suella Braverman was given the green light on Thursday to challenge the judges' ruling at the Supreme Court

Robert Jenrick insisted yesterday ministers will not back down in their battle with the Lords over the Bill.

Peers have sought to water down the legislation, but asked whether the Government would concede further ground when the Bill returns to Parliament next week, the immigration minister told the BBC: 'That's not our intention. It's incumbent on those who choose to criticise our plans to provide an alternative.'

He said the Government remained committed to reducing the number of migrants crossing the Channel by targeting criminal gangs.
A host of celebrities walked the red carpet for the Turkish Airlines Gala at Crown Melbourne on Friday night. Leading the charge was Nadia Fairfax, who turned heads in a little black dress that showed off her trim pins. The socialite opted for the simple but chic look, with the frock including a high neckline and wide sleeves, and she paired it with sheer black stockings. ...read
Hong Kong: Trade office act condemned

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today strongly condemned the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for passing the so-called Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office Certification Act, which called for the removal of the privileges, exemptions and immunities to the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Offices (ETOs) in the US and even their closure.

Noting that the passing of the act constitutes gross interference in the affairs of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong SAR Government sternly urged the US to respect the basic norms governing international relations and stop interfering in Hong Kong matters.

The Hong Kong SAR Government has established and maintained economic and trade relations with places around the world in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle and has, pursuant to Article 156 of the Basic Law and legislation of the host countries, set up 14 overseas ETOs as its official representatives, including the three ETOs in the US.

In their respective jurisdictions and through various means, the ETOs in Washington DC, New York and San Francisco maintain close liaison with interlocutors in government, business, think tanks and various sectors to enrich the ties between Hong Kong and the US in areas such as trade, investment, arts and culture.

The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that the three ETOs will continue to promote Hong Kong's unique advantages and tell the good stories of the city, refute erroneous reports where necessary and clarify misconceptions without fear or favour, so as to foster economic and trade relations and co-operation on different fronts between Hong Kong and the US on a mutually beneficial basis.

This story has been published on: 2023-07-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A flat owner has called for more transparency in service charge statements for leaseholders after being given a 'basic' single-page version by his management company.

Glenn Seaton has created a video showing the single typed page of A4 that constituted his service charge statement, saying it lacked details about where the money was being spent.

The footage showed the statement and compared it to a relatively lengthy service charge statement that he is received for his other flat in France.

He currently rents out the flat in Britain, while living in his property in France.

He said: 'I wanted to show the difference between service charge statements in the UK and what is done in France.

'The UK version shows me how much I have to pay, which is 3,400 a year. It is very basic. There is stuff that I don't know about.

'And then there is what I am sent in France by recorded delivery. I am called to a meeting where all property owners can get together and discuss the budget and other issues.'

The service charge statement for his flat in French is a full report with an invitation to a residents meeting and photos while the statement for his UK flat is just a 'basic' single page

He added: 'Look how amazingly detailed it is. Every single item is included and explained.

'It also includes the names of homeowners who are behind in their service charge, and it carries through to a detailed budget for the following year.

'And when there is some maintenance required, they send us photographs. Nothing to hide, everything is accountable there.'

Template email to managing agent Service charges are a proven way for investors to make money, and it is a largely unregulated sector. But any charges must clearly be reasonable, and if you suspect they are not - and have done your research - there are ways to effectively challenge any increases, explains Stephen Gold, a retired judge and author of 'The Return of Breaking Law'. He suggests that a letter to the landlord or managing agent should be your starter, and has provided the following template: We refer to your service charge demand for [x year]. It is our case that the items particularised in the schedule to this letter are not payable by us for the reasons explained in the same schedule. We have calculated that our liability should be limited to the sum of x instead of y as claimed. We invite you to revise the demand to x and to notify your decision on this within 28 days of the date of this letter. If you are not prepared to accept x, it is our intention to make an application to the First-Tier Property Chamber (Residential Property) (or, in Wales, the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal) to reduce the demand under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Should you make a claim to the county court before the application is issued, we will request the court to transfer the proceedings to the tribunal which we are advised it can be expected to do. We will apply to the tribunal and/or county court under section 20C of the 1985 Act for an order that prohibits landlord costs and expenses of dealing with the dispute being added to a future service charge. Advertisement

Mr Seaton wrote to his management company at the start of this month and had still not heard from them more than a week later when he raised the issue with us.

He asked about the entry maintenances cost of 38,902, along with general repairs and maintenance of 20,000.

He asked the management company if he could have a copy of the audit and accountancy report to better understand where the money is being spent.

He said: 'There needs to be better transparency in the service charge invoice.'

Mr Seaton's block is managed by Remus. The company was contacted about the issues raised by Mr Seaton but it declined to comment.

The flat owner has asked his management company for a copy of the audit and accountancy report to better understand where the money is being spent
An entire island off the coast of Devon which is believed to have inspired two Agatha Christie novels has gone up for sale.

The 21-acre island is on the market for offers over 15million and is home to a pub, a historic Art Deco hotel and a helicopter pad.

Burgh Island Hotel is an iconic 1930s white building with 25 ensuite guest bedrooms and suites, two restaurants, a sauna and a billiards hall.

Over the last five years, the hotel has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment programme. It also has planning permission for an additional 12 guest bedrooms and suites and 13 staff bedrooms.

The hotel is rumoured to have hosted Winston Churchill and General Dwight Eisenhower when they discussed the D-Day invasion in 1944, in addition to inspiring Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun and And Then There Were None.

Burgh Island is located just 250 metres off the mainland, with the nearest place being Bigbury on Sea, Devon

Burgh Island Hotel is an iconic 1930s white building where Winston Churchill is rumoured to have met with General Dwight Eisenhower to discuss the D-Day invasion

The hotel has undergone a major refurbishment over the past five years and it has planning permission for an extra 12 guest bedrooms

The hotel is rumoured to have hosted Winston Churchill (left) and General Dwight Eisenhower when they discussed the D-Day invasion in 1944, in addition to inspiring Agatha Christie's (right) Evil Under the Sun and And Then There Were None

Burgh Island is located just 250 metres off the mainland with the nearest place being Bigbury on Sea, Devon

The hotel provided the backdrop for the BBC's TV adaptation of Evil Under the Sun and an episode of Lovejoy.

Burgh Island is located just 250 metres off the mainland with the nearest place being Bigbury on Sea, Devon.

During low tide, it can be accessed across the sands on foot, but it is cut off by a high tide and a sea tractor is used. However, access can also be gained via helicopter.

The 1930s hotel has 25 ensuite guest bedrooms and suites, two restaurants, a sauna and a billiards hall

The Pilchard Inn is the island's only pub, a classic old-fashioned boozer built in 1336

Burgh Island Hotel has gone through a major refurbishment over the past five years

The island off the coast of Devon can be accessed across the sands on foot during low tide, but it is cut off by a high tide and a sea tractor is used

The island's only pub, the Pilchard's Inn, is a classic boozer which dates back to the 1330s

The nearest place to the island, which is up for offers over 15 million, is Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon

The hotel on the island is pictured in the distance. 'The private island setting is virtually unique in the UK and the hotel, which has been fully restored, is one of the finest examples of working Art Deco architecture in Europe,' a spokesman for Knight Frank said

The 21-acre island is on the market for offers over 15million and is home to a pub, a historic Art Deco hotel and a helicopter pad

The island's hotel has two restaurants which have recently been refurbished

The hotel on the island. The hotel provided the backdrop for the BBC's TV adaptation of Evil Under the Sun and an episode of Lovejoy

Pictured here is The Pitchard Inn, which has been maintained as an old, classic pub

The entrance to the Burgh Island Hotel pictured

Burgh Island Hotel currently has 25 ensuite guest bedrooms, in addition to planning permission for 12 more

Pictured: Burgh Island Hotel, an iconic 1930s building which has recently been refurbished

On the island, there is a mermaid pool - a naturally enclosed body of seawater that can provide guests with a unique swimming experience.

It is also home to an old-fashioned boozer which dates back to 1336 called The Pilchard Inn.

Estate agents Knight Frank are behind the sale.

'The private island setting is virtually unique in the UK and the hotel, which has been fully restored, is one of the finest examples of working Art Deco architecture in Europe,' a spokesman for Knight Frank said.
Leading biologists are slamming the work for lack of evidence in the study

Harvard scientists believe they are one step closer to a fountain of youth pill that can de-age people.

The team discovered six chemical cocktails that reversed the aging process in human and mice skin cells 'by several years'.

Dr David Sinclair, a molecular biologist at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study, hailed the finding as a 'breakthrough' and a step towards 'affordable whole-body rejuvenation'.

Sinclair shared the findings on Twitter where he claimed human trials could begin within the next year. The post caught the attention of Twitter owner Elon Musk.

However, other scientists, including a Harvard professor, have said the study 'is mostly hype and preliminary'.

The team discovered six chemical cocktails that reversed the aging process in human skin cells 'by several years' in less than one week - and more than three years after four days of treatment

The paper, titled 'Chemically induced reprogramming to reverse cellular aging', is published in the journal Aging and co-authored by David Sinclair, who has spent years researching aging and epigenetics

Previous attempts to reverse aging were only possible an expensive and time-consuming method known as genetic editing, which could cost millions of dollars if it went to market.

The new study published in the journal Aging builds on existing research into anti-aging genes that won a Nobel Prize - the discovery that the expression of specific genes, called Yamanaka factors, could convert adult cells into young cells.

This Nobel Prize-winning discovery raised whether it might be possible to reverse cellular aging without causing cells to become too young and turn cancerous.

In this new study, the researchers screened for millions of combinations of molecules that could reverse cellular aging and rejuvenate human cells.

The team identified six chemical cocktails that restore aging cells to their younger state in less than a week.

The team said they tested the cocktails on cells of mice and humans, with results showing de-aging of all six combinations.

'The effect of this four-day treatment is comparable to the total change seen after a year of a regenerative treatment described in a landmark study from 2019, which also focused on restoring epigenetic information,' the researchers wrote.

The changes in age were assessed using rodent and human transcriptomic clocks, which use gene expression data to predict biological age.

The team said they tested the cocktails (C1-C6) on cells of mice and humans, with results showing de-aging of all six combinations - and it did so in just one week

Sinclair shared the paper on Twitter, which grabbed the attention of Elon Musk

'This new discovery offers the potential to reverse aging with a single pill, with applications ranging from improving eyesight to effectively treating age-related diseases,' Sinclair said.

However, not all biologists are not sold on Sinclair's study. They say the researchers should have shown that de-aging the cells caused a decrease in age-related health problems in mice.

Matt Kaeberlein, a biogerontologist, told DailyMail.com: 'The screening method here is innovative and could lead to important discoveries one day, which is why I say the study is preliminary.

'These cocktails they describe here might even have useful therapeutic properties. But there is no direct data in this paper providing evidence for such.

'They should have validated at least one of these cocktails in an animal and shown improvements in age-related health metrics or lifespan before making these claims about effects on biological aging.'

Jeffrey Flier is a Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor and Higginson Professor of Physiology and Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is also the former dean of Harvard Medical School

Matt Kaeberlein and Charles Brenner told DailyMail.com about their concerns with Harvard's study

Dr Charles Brenner, a metabolism researcher, told DailyMail.com three compounds stood out to him in the latest study.

CHIR99021 blocks glycogen formation, which is activated during sleep to store energy - this is why we do not need to eat for hours at night.

Brenner also highlighted tranylcypromine, which is an antidepressant, and valproic acid that is used to treat bipolar disorder and can harm the liver.

The paper does not highlight these risks.

'These are generally not safe alone or in a combination,' Brenner said.

Mice in the Sinclair lab have been engineered to age faster than normal so researchers can test de-aging therapies on them. The mouse on the right has been aged 150 per cent more than its sibling on the left

He also tweeted: 'Sinclair claims that his chemical cocktail (actually chemical cocktails developed by others) do not change cell identity but they did not do single-cell sequencing to evaluate cell identity - only bulk sequencing, which cannot address this question.'

Sinclair has shared the paper on Twitter and in a press release, hailing it as 'a breakthrough discovery'.

'We've previously shown age reversal is possible using gene therapy to turn on embryonic genes,' Sinclair tweeted.

'Now we show it's possible with chemical cocktails, a step towards affordable whole-body rejuvenation.'

Sinclair is named as a co-editor on the board of the journal that published the Harvard paper, which was received on June 30, 2023, accepted on July 4 and published on July 12

Sinclair himself has earned news coverage in recent years due to his quest for eternal youth. He claims to have de-aged himself by a decade.

In 2020, Sinclair published a study detailing how he and his team have reset aging cells in mice to earlier versions of themselves.

'It's a permanent reset, as far as we can tell, and we think it may be a universal process that could be applied across the body to reset our age,' Sinclair, who has spent the last 20 years studying ways to reverse the ravages of time, told CNN.

DailyMail.com has contacted Sinclair for comment.
People engaging in literary activities found to be less likely to develop dementia

It's a hobby usually associated with teenage girls, glittery pens and heartbreak.

But keeping a diary  or a journal  could also help older people ward off dementia, research suggests.

Researchers analysed data from 10,000 people living in Australia over the age of 70 who were followed for around 10 years.

They discovered those who took part in more literacy activities  such as keeping a journal, writing letters or using a computer  were 11 per cent less likely to develop dementia.

Engaging in literary activities - such as keeping a diary or writing letters - can lower the risk of dementia, the study suggests (file photo)

What is dementia? Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a category of symptoms marked by behavioural changes and gradually declining cognitive and social abilities. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, but other dementia conditions include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia. Alzheimer's disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. According to predictions from Alzheimer's Research UK, one million people in the country will have dementia by 2025, doubling to two million by 2050. Advertisement

Meanwhile, active mental activities such as playing games, cards or chess and doing crosswords or puzzles was linked to a 9 per cent reduced risk.

The researchers also found that artistic activities such as woodwork, metalwork, painting or drawing, and passive mental activities such as reading newspapers or listening to music, led to a 7 per cent reduced risk of developing the disease.

On the other hand, they discovered that social outings and interactions did not appear to have any effect.

Writing in the journal Jama Network Open the team, from Monash University in Melbourne, said: These results suggest that engagement in adult literacy, creative art, and active and passive mental activities may help reduce dementia risk in late life.

For older adults, lifestyle enrichment may be particularly important because it could help prevent dementia through modifications to daily routines.

An enriched lifestyle with diverse leisure activities may reflect an optimistic personality and confer cognitive benefits by stimulating the growth of neurons and synapses and promoting well-being.

The team added that their findings may help guide policies for geriatric care and interventions which target dementia prevention for older adults.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there around 50 million people with dementia globally, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year.

A 2021 study estimated that global dementia cases will nearly triple to reach more than 152 million by 2050, driven by an ageing population.

The highest increase in dementia prevalence is projected to be in eastern sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, the University of Washington experts said.
Prosecco  the UKs favourite sparkling wine  could be wiped out by climate change, according to new research.

Mountainside vineyards  where the grapes that go into the bubbly beverage are produced  are most at risk from soil degradation and drought, say scientists.

The phenomenon also applies to other famous vintages including Burgundy, Grand Cru and Cabernet Sauvignon, the world's most popular red.

It's a favourite at weddings and parties, but the nation's beloved prosecco could be wiped out by climate change, according to research

READ MORE: How UK heatwaves could pave the way for more BRITISH wines Pictured, a vineyard in Sussex, England Advertisement

Study lead author Dr Paolo Tarolli, of the University of Padova in Italy, said: The risk is not only losing an agricultural product or seeing a landscape change, negatively impacting the local economy.

The risk is losing entire communities' history and their cultural roots, Dr Tarolli and colleagues write in the journal iScience.

The soils on mountain vineyards are usually thin and eroded, and over millions of years, erosion has carried soils and water downhill. But the mountainous terrain is key to creating flavour in wines.

Mountain soils lead to grapes that are small, like blueberries, but which have a higher ratio of skin to juice.

Because so much aroma, flavour, and tannin are lodged in the skins, mountain wines often have intense flavours.

But the hillside vineyards of Italy, Portugal, and Spain are also the most difficult to maintain  coining the expression 'heroic viticulture'.

Farmers and scientists must work together to save some of the world's most celebrated wines, said the Italian team.

Dr Tarolli said: The great effort required to manage these areas reinforces the specific human-environment connection.

Mountainside vineyards - where prosecco grapes are produced - are most at risk from soil degradation and drought, say scientists. Pictured, prosecco vineyards at summer, Valdobbiadene, Italy

READ MORE: Scientists reveal how to keep champagne bubbly for up to 132 YEARS When it comes to keeping your champagne bubbly for longer, it's all about bottle size, research suggests Advertisement

This is why they are recognised as cultural uniquenesses of primary historical and social importance, where traditional knowledge is still the determining element.

Mountain vineyards get a lot of sun because of their elevation  from early in the day and are usually cooler than lowland sites.

Despite getting bathed in sunshine, the grapes don't bake in heat. This gives the final wine balance and a sense of freshness, the authors said.

The study lists poor soil and less rain as the biggest threat to the industry.

Possible solutions to prevent soil loss includes growing grass in between the vines to hold the soil together and to collect rainwater in hillside tanks to prevent runoff.

Dr Tarolli said: The last half past century has been characterised by rural exodus and a gradual abandonment of mountain landscapes. But labour shortages are also an issue, the study said.

The new generation is unwilling to continue working under extreme conditions if economic benefits are insignificant.

The growing popularity of prosecco comes at high cost with an enormous amount of soil lost across steep hillsides.

Demand has soared by more than a third in five years, the fastest of any sparkling wine, with champagne showing only around 1 per cent growth over the same time period.

While Italian vineyards are threatened, rising temperatures could benefit grape growers in the UK.

A recent report, Climate Resilience in the UK Wine Sector, found that rising temperatures over the coming years could make Britain a major player in quality wine production  with higher temperatures increasing the amount of sugar in UK grapes to help better wine quality and higher alcohol content.
New UFO panel to be modeled on 1992 JFK Assassination Records Review Board

A bipartisan alliance of senators plans to force the declassification of top secret US government UFO files  en masse  demanding results in less than a year's time.

Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer of New York, in partnership with Republican Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Mike Rounds of South Dakota, are leading the effort, which will appoint a nine-member review panel to assess all classified government UFO records.

The news comes in the wake of explosive and bizarre public testimony from retired senior intelligence official David Grusch, who has alleged US military and defense contractor stonewalling on evidence of crashed UFOs, recovered 'beings,' and UFO-related deaths.

Grusch's testimony has been corroborated in classified hearings with other defense sector witnesses, according to comments made by Senator Rubio last month, who has voiced concerns these classified UFO programs are 'accountable to no one.'

'You now will have a process through which we will declassify this material,' a spokeswoman for Senator Schumer said.

A bipartisan alliance of senators plans to force the declassification of top secret government UFO files  en masse  demanding results in less than a year's time. Above, images from a leaked Navy UFO video shows a spherical object diving into the Pacific off the California coast

Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer of New York, in partnership with Republican Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Mike Rounds of South Dakota, are leading the effort to appoint a nine-member review panel to assess all classified government UFO records

Open debate on the proposed amendment will begin next week, as the Senate drills into specifics of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for fiscal year 2024.

The new legislation, as proposed by Schumer, will be modeled on a similar act of Congress: the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, passed in response to heated public debate over Oliver Stone's 1991 film about the daylight killing of a sitting US president.

The classified records review board impaneled by that acted successfully declassified and released 5 million documents, according to its former deputy director Thomas Samoluk in 2013.

Nevertheless, the work of that Assassination Records Review Board (ARRB), was itself stonewalled and remains incomplete, suggesting that a UFO panel modelled on the board may face similar limitations.

Sen. Rubio said that some of these witnesses who provided their 'first-hand knowledge or first-hand claims' were likely some of the same individuals referenced by UFO whistleblower David Grusch, publicly and in a formal complaint to the Intelligence Community Inspector General

The Senate proposal is very likely to also see bipartisan support in the US House of Representatives.

This Wednesday, that lower chamber of Congress also included a more limited proposal, in its own version of the annual NDAA bill, pressing Pentagon officials to release documents about unidentified aerial or anomalous phenomena (UAP): the government's revised technical term for UFOs.

Senator Schumer's measure will task President Biden with selecting the nine-person UFO file review panel, pending a Senate approval process.

The Schumer amendment will give the federal agencies just 300 days to organize and produce their internal, classified records on UAP and provide them to the new review board.
A sinkhole that took the life and home of a Florida man while he slept has returned for a third time.

Since the death of 37-year-old Seffner, Florida-resident in 2013, the sinkhole has been surrounded by a chain-link fence in an effort to protect residents of the Tampa suburb from further harm.

An effort in 2015 saw officials fill the hole with a mixture of gravel and water after it opened for a second time.

However, the sinkhole has grown to 19 feet (6 meters) wide at its largest  and state records show that Florida sinkholes can grow to as large as 400 feet (121 meters), swallowing cars, businesses and in one 2006 instance draining nearby Scott Lake.

'None of the homes surrounding this appear to be in any danger,' according to Jon-Paul Lavandeira, director of the surrounding Hillsborough County code enforcement department.

A sinkhole that took the life and home of a Florida man while he slept has returned for a third time, despite 2015 efforts to neutralize the opening with a mixture of gravel and water. This photo provided by Hillsborough County shows the sinkhole on the now abandoned property

Demolition experts watch as the home destroyed March 3, 2013, after a sinkhole opened up underneath it

Dunedin Deputy Fire Chief Trip Barrs said the hole appeared to be about 12-feet wide when officials arrived on the scene at the time in 2013

The earth opened up on the night of February 28, 2013, when 37-year-old Jeff Bush was consumed by the sinkhole while asleep in his bedroom in Seffner  a suburb of 8,000 people 15 miles east of downtown Tampa.

Five others escaped the home unharmed as it was partially absorbed by the maw of the sinkhole, including Jeff's brother, Jeremy, who returned in an effort to save him.

Jeremy Bush, then 36-years old, recalled how he desperately tried to pull his brother from the rubble as he heard Jeff's screams for help.

'I ran in there and heard somebody screaming, my brother screaming, and I ran in there,' he told My Fox Tampa Bay .

'And all I see is this big hole. All I see is the top of his bed. I didn't see anything else, so I jumped in the hole and tried getting him out.

Jeff Bush's body has never been recovered from the sinkhole and his final resting place underground  where Florida's porous limestone moved the groundwater that took out the foundations of his home  is still unknown.

Without a grave site to mourn his brother, the fenced-off property has served as a grim memorial of the 2013 tragedy for Jeremy and his family.

'This is the only place I've got to visit him,' Jeremy Bush told St. Petersburg, Florida's CSB affiliate WTSP-TV. 'There's not a day goes by I don't think about my brother.'

The sinkhole (pictured) has grown to 19 feet (6 meters) wide, but the director of the surrounding Hillsborough County code enforcement department, Jon-Paul Lavandeira, has assured the public that none of the surrounding homes 'appear to be in any danger'

The earth opened up on the night of February 28, 2013, when Seffner, Florida-native Jeff Bush was consumed by a sinkhole while asleep in his bedroom. Demolition crews remove items from Bush's home on Monday, March 4, 2013 (left). Bush (right) was 37 year old

Paul Lavandeira, director of county code enforcement, told the Associated Press that another attempt will be made to fill-in the sinkhole with water and gravel.

'This is not uncommon, what we're seeing here,' Lavandeira said. 'We received a call yesterday evening regarding the reopening of the depression, so we responded in conjunction with Fire Rescue and the Sheriff's Office.'

'We ascertained that the neighboring properties were safe,' according to Lavandeira. 'If there's a reoccurrence, it's in a controlled area. It's going to stay right there.'

Sinkholes cost Florida insurers $1.4 billion between 2006 and 2010 alone, according to the state's Office of Insurance Regulation.

The phenomena stems from the interaction between the porous limestone and other carbonate rocks that absorb the high marshy coastal water table and top-heavy pressure on these volatile underground sediments.

'There's hardly a place in Florida that's immune to sinkholes,' said geology consultant Sandy Nettles, 'There's no way of ever predicting where a sinkhole is going to occur.'

While many sinkholes are quite small and deaths are rare, some of the state's sinkhole events have consumed areas as big as a block.

One infamous 1981 sinkhole in Winter Park near Orlando, grew to 400 feet in diameter, swallowing-up five cars, two businesses, a three-bedroom house, nearby streets and the deep end of an Olympic-size swimming pool.

Although there is no indication yet that the Seffner sinkhole could reach that level of damage, Lavandeira expressed his view that the hole will very likely reopen again one day in the future.

'This is Mother Nature,' he noted. 'This is not a man-made occurrence.'
Australian actor Josh Lawson strung a besotted influencer along for a year after sparking up a holiday romance in Bali and introducing her to his daddy dom fetish, only for her heart to be broken after discovering he already had a long-term partner.

Fina, who is from Brunei and lives in London, met Lawson, 41, on the holiday island while she was moving on from her divorce.

Fina told Daily Mail Australia how she first matched with the Mortal Kombat actor on the celebrity dating app Raya in May 2022.

Australian actor Josh Lawson strung Fina along for nearly a year

Lawson sent Fina pictures suggesting he had feelings for her

They then met up in Bali in August that year while she was there on holiday.

The pair's relationship quickly blossomed and before long Lawson introduced her to his kink, requesting that she call him 'daddy' while he called her 'little girl'.

Fina admits she hadn't heard of the House of Lies actor before they met, but noticed that tourists recognised him.

After their holiday in paradise came to an end, Fina and Lawson stayed in touch and regularly messaged each other pictures and sweet texts - but it was all part of his elaborate 'web of lies', she claims.

Among the messages were shirtless pictures of Lawson in bed and the actor professing that their romance was 'more than a holiday fling'.

In one message, he wrote: 'The second I saw you in Bali I knew there was something. I just felt connected to you immediately.

'And when our bodies touched, daddy found his little girl.'

He later confessed that he was new to the 'daddy dom' fetish but said he was 'surprised how much it turned him on'.

Lawson made regular promises that he would meet Fina again, she claims, but these plans never came to fruition.

Daily Mail Australia has seen messages Lawson sent Fina in which he floats plans to meet up at the Cannes Film Festival and in New York

Lawson is seen attending the Sydney premiere of Mortal Kombat in April 2021

After their holiday in paradise came to an end, Fina and Lawson stayed in touch and regularly messaged each other pictures and sweet messages

The actor introduced Fina to his 'daddy dom' fetish

Daily Mail Australia has seen messages Lawson sent Fina in which he floats plans to meet up at the Cannes Film Festival and in New York. She also claims he spoke of flying to London from his home on the Gold Coast.

It was only after these plans kept falling through - nearly a year on from their holiday romance - that Fina realised something was amiss.

She told Daily Mail Australia how her heart sunk when she realised Lawson was already in a long-term relationship, after doing some digging on Instagram.

'It was all a web of lies,' she said.

'I was so consumed with what he was promising me. It was all so super deceptive.'

Fina said she was so loved up with Lawson that she was looking into careers in Australia so they could be closer together - and that she felt he could be 'the next person in her life' after her six-year marriage ended in early 2022.

The social media influencer added that Lawson was 'super into' his 'daddy dom' fetish and that she didn't mind going along with it.

Fina, who is 5ft 3ins, said he liked that she 'looked young'.

'You're like a little girl,' she claims he said.

Lawson played Kano in the 2021 movie Mortal Kombat

Fina said she was so loved up with Lawson that she was looking into careers in Australia so they could be closer together

Fina has decided to speak out to warn other women about the perils of meeting someone famous online - and how they can use their power to 'manipulate' people.

'I don't want this to happen to anyone else. The only way to change someone's behaviour is to call them out.

'With his reasonably convincing acting skills, he convinced me how special I was to him. He made multiple promises to visit me in London from Gold Coast.

'He was telling me he was coming to London. I put trust in those words.'

Fina messaged Lawson's girlfriend Rebecca Moore after realising she had been led on.

Ms Moore replied and sympathised with Fina, saying his fling in Bali was 'something he needs for his ego'.

She also revealed that she was in Bali when Fina met Lawson as the trip was for his birthday.

'Sadly you aren't his only little girl,' Ms Moore added. 'He gets me to call him daddy too.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lawson's agent and Ms Moore for comment.

Lawson is arguably best known for playing Doug Gugghenheim in House of Lies and for his role in Mortal Kombat.

He has also regularly appeared on TV series Than God You're Here and co-hosted Wipeout Australia.

The actor has also guest started in Blue Heelers and Home & Away, and played small roles in Will Ferrell movies Anchorman 2 and The Campaign.
Justin Timberlake took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce a new song with R&B music artist Coco Jones.

The 42-year-old hitmaker  who attended a SZA concert earlier this year  shared a joint post with the songstress on their respective accounts.

They uploaded a screenshot of themselves laughing during a FaceTime phone call along with a snippet of their new tune.

The duo acknowledged their commonality of being Tennessee natives as they teased the news.

'Just a couple of Tennessee kids,' they wrote with a fire emoji. 'We got something coming for you tomorrow.'

Surprise news: Justin Timberlake took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce a new song with R&B music artist Coco Jones

Cute: The 42-year-old hitmaker shared a joint post with the songstress on their respective accounts

In the photo Coco, 25, sat in the backseat of a car as she made her way to the 2023 ESPY Awards on Wednesday night.

Visible in the snapshot were her long, bedazzled deep blue nails, which coordinated with her velvet PatBo cutout dress.

Coco held her hand over her mouth as she cheesed, with Justin wearing the same expression on his face.

Her hair was arranged in a side part with the locks flowing down her back.

For his part, Justin was seen in the bottom right corner of the screen, dressed in a button-up white shirt and a black jacket.

Jones is fresh off her 2023 BET Awards Best New Artist win, which she accepted on June 25 at the star-studded ceremony.

She got emotional during her speech, wiping away tears as she cried, 'I am so happy - oh, thank you, Jesus.'

'It has been a long journey,' she said. 'Thank you, God, for rocking with me the whole time. Thank you to my culture, who has stood beside me, raised together, been a really long journey, thank you to my team, thank you for taking a chance on me.'

Stunner: Jones attended the 2023 ESPY Awards on Wednesday night in Los Angeles

Jones emerged victorious over fellow nominees Ambre, Doechii, FLO, GloRilla, Ice Spice and Lola Brooke.

'I do want to thank God, give him all the glory,' she said again. 'I'm so thankful, so thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.'

The musician was born in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee.

For Wednesday night's award show she was styled by Jyotisha Bridges, who also dressed her for the BET Awards and the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

She stunned as she took the red carpet by storm in her plunging, curve-hugging number.

The sexy dress bared her pert cleavage and flashed her toned tummy with its cutouts that extended to the back of the dress.

The textured look was dripping in glinting rhinestones and crystal beads that were hand-strung in Brazil, according to WWD.

And the music artist elevated her outfit with the addition of Anabela Chan earrings and Candy Ice rings.

Designer threads: The songstress wowed in a long, blue, velvet PatBO dress

Justin has been keeping busy raising his two young sons Silas and Phineas with wife Jessica Biel.

In March he took part in a spring 2023 campaign for Louis Vuitton, appearing as a model for its collaboration with avant-garde Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

That same month he praised his wife as he wished her a happy birthday on Instagram.

'Let me tell y'all about this human she is the most bad***, most graceful, most gorgeous DREAM of a partner I could have ever wished for. And today is her bday! I'm so glad you were born, my love. And, I'm so lucky that you are choosing to do this thing called life with me. Aging like a FINE [wine emoji] !!!! I love you to the moon and back. (sic)'

Justin's most recent album, Man of the Woods, was released five years ago in February 2018.

His longtime collaborator Timbaland revealed in April that Justin's upcoming album is 'done' but did not reveal a release date.

'I just left working with him, we just finished up and everything sounds great. Now its really on him how he plans to wrap it up and how and when he envisions it to come out,' he told Variety.
Margot Robbie has looked absolutely flawless during her gruelling press tour for her new movie Barbie.

The actress has been channeling the iconic doll's hair and makeup as she hits the red carpet across the globe.

Now the 33-year-old Australian actress' makeup artist Pati Dubroff has revealed how she perfected Robbie's 'Barbie glow'.

'The Barbie glow is all about embracing your personal style and beauty; there's a multiplicity of versions of how that glow would shine,' she told Vogue.

'For me, the most beautiful glow is one that shows healthy vibrant skin and light that's emanating from an inner place of confidence and feeling one's most beautiful.'

Margot Robbie has looked absolutely flawless during her gruelling press tour for her new movie Barbie and now the 33-year-old Australian actress' makeup artist Pati Dubroff has revealed how she perfected Robbie's 'Barbie glow'

After donning pink for the last several premieres, two-time Oscar nominee Robbie opted for not-so-basic black to dazzle the star-studded world premiere held at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday

After donning pink for the last several premieres, two-time Oscar nominee Robbie opted for not-so-basic black to dazzle the star-studded world premiere held at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday.

The Aussie actor worked with stylist Andrew Mukamal to recreate the trumpet Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown, matching Manolo Blahnik peep-toe kitten heels and opera gloves from the original 1960 'Solo in the Spotlight' Barbie doll.

Dubroff ditched the blue eyeshadow on the doll and instead brought out Robbie's brows, applied pink blush to her cheekbones and a bright red pout.

Dubroff ditched the blue eyeshadow on the doll and instead brought out Robbie's brows, applied pink blush to her cheekbones and a bright red pout

She also used a selection of Chanel skincare products for Robbie's radiant look at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Sunday including $220 N1 de Chanel Revitalizing Serum

She also used a selection of Chanel skincare products for Robbie's radiant look at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Sunday.

The artist began with $220 N1 de Chanel Revitalizing Serum and Sensitive Skin Cream.

She then used Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, $98, and $91 Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan Bronze, before finishing with a combination of Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in shades Transparent and Sculpting, which retail for $71.

She then used Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, $98, and $91 Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan Bronze, before finishing with a combination of Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in shades Transparent and Sculpting, which retail for $71

Hairstylist Bryce Scarlett coiffed Margot's voluminous faux ponytail for the pink carpet ceremony, using tools from Tangle Teezer and products from Redken to achieve the perfect '60s-style hairdo

'As we are still in the midst of the press tour, there are many more looks to come,' Dubroff added.

'With each outfit comes a new opportunity to tap into a version of the Barbie aesthetic.'

Hairstylist Bryce Scarlett coiffed Margot's voluminous faux ponytail for the pink carpet ceremony, using tools from Tangle Teezer and products from Redken to achieve the perfect '60s-style hairdo.

During her latest appearance in London, Robbie chose to channel a 1960s Enchanted Evening figurine for the hotly anticipated event

She achieved her iconic glow with a makeup look similar to the one at the LA premiere, but opted for a soft pink lipstick

During her latest appearance in London, Robbie chose to channel a 1960s Enchanted Evening figurine for the hotly anticipated event.

She wowed in a stunning pink satin gown from Vivienne Westwood with a white fur trim as she pose up a storm.

The dress was cinched in with a corset-style top with a flower on her hip and featured a dramatic train.

She achieved her iconic glow with a makeup look similar to the one at the LA premiere, but opted for a soft pink lipstick.

She wowed in a stunning pink satin gown from Vivienne Westwood with a white fur trim as she pose up a storm. The dress was cinched in with a corset-style top with a flower on her hip and featured a dramatic train

The Asteroid City actress reportedly scored a $12.5million paycheck to produce and star in three-time Oscar nominee Greta Gerwig's $100million-budget fantasy flick bringing the famous Mattel doll to life.

The 39-year-old filmmaker co-wrote the first live-action Barbie film with her baby daddy Noah Baumbach and they enlisted Oscar winner Helen Mirren to narrate it.

John Cena, Rhea Perlman, and Emerald Fennell are also featured in Barbie, which hits Australian theaters on July 20.
Robert Downey Jr. took to Instagram to share a fun video with his Oppenheimer co-stars, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, and a very brief appearance from John Krasinski.

In a video posted by the Ironman star, 58, he and Matt, 51, and Emily, 40 - who recently wowed at the London premiere of the upcoming film - each individually strutted down a long hall, doing their best model walks.

Emily's husband John could be glimpsed walking behind Downey Jr., but the Sherlock Holmes actor cut off the video before the Office star, 43, could show off his runway walk, prompting a barrage of hilarious comments from fans.

The video started out with Damon going first. The Bourne Identity star looked dashing in a grey suit over a black t-shirt, and accessorized with a pair of sunglasses.

Next up was Emily who looked ever so chic in a red top and a matching red skirt. The British beauty wore her tresses in a slicked down look and also sported a pair of shades.

Having fun! Robert Downey Jr. took to Instagram to share a fun video with his Oppenheimer co-stars, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, and a very brief appearance from John Krasinski

Then it was Robert's turn, with he actor showing off his runway moves in a light purple suit and grey boots, with John barely visible behind him.

The video then cut off towards the end and switched to a photo of Downey Jr., Blunt and Damon posing on the runway.

Commentators were tickled by the actor cutting John out from the video, with one person writing, 'Im dying that Krasinski didnt make the Final Cut.'

'Not him cutting the video just as John Krasinski was gonna enter.'

'Why skip on john Krasinski like that,' someone else asked.

'Justice for @johnkrasinski,' another person quipped.

Not present for the shenanigans was leading man Cillian Murphy, 47, who's well-known for avoiding social media.

Fans in the comments quickly joked about his potential reaction to Downey Jr. asking him to do the video, with one writing: 'I imagine Cillian Murphy behind the camera saying "no its cool, you guys have fun."'

'Cillian: Absolutely not,' someone else speculated.

Model looks: In a video posted by the Ironman star, 58, Matt, 51, Emily, 40, and Downey Jr. each individually strutted down a long hall, doing their best model walks

Hilarious: Emily's husband John could be glimpsed walking behind Downey Jr., but the actor hilariously cut off the video before the Office star, 43, could show off his runway walk

First up: The video started out with Damon going first. The Bourne Identity star looked dashing in a grey suit over a black t-shirt, and accessorized with a pair of sunglasses

Lady in red: Next up was Emily who looked ever so chic in a red top and a matching red skirt. She was followed by the the Sherlock Holmes star

The cast have been busy promoting the film together the past few weeks.

Last week Downey Jr., who stars as Lewis Strauss in the movie, shared a snap of himself with Matt, Cillian, Emily and John, and even hinted at a possible cameo from the Jack Ryan star.

'Linking up with my Oppenheimer cast mates...wait, is that a Krasinski photo bomb or might there be a surprise cameo???' he captioned a photo shared to his Instagram.

The upcoming historical thriller centers on the life of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was director of the Los Alamos Laboratory responsible for the creation of the first atomic bomb in the Manhattan Project.

The film is being adapted from the 2006 book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

The film's early reviews have been a raging success with critics swooning over the biopic about the scientist known as the 'father of the atomic bomb'.

Journalists have taken to Twitter to share their glowing reviews of the movie, with one critic describing how the film 'split my brain open' and 'left me sobbing through the end credits.'

Vulture movie critic Bilge Ebiri gushed: 'OPPENHEIMER is...incredible. The word that keeps coming to mind is "fearsome". A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.'

Surprise! Last week Downey Jr. shared a snap of himself with Matt, Cillian, Emily and John, and even hinted at a possible cameo from the Jack Ryan star

Rave reviews! Downey Jr. stars as Lewis Strauss in the movie, which has been getting rave reviews from critics. Oppenheimer is set to hit the theaters on July 21

Director Christopher Nolan recently commented on how early viewers have received the film.

Speaking to Wired magazine, he explained: 'Some people leave the movie absolutely devastated. They can't speak.'

'I mean, there's an element of fear that's there in the history and there in the underpinnings. But the love of the characters, the love of the relationships, is as strong as I've ever done.'

Oppenheimer will hit cinemas on July 21.
Father of 12 Nick Cannon has shared a slew of precious snaps of his children.

The TV host, 42, posted photos of his youngest child, Halo, playing with her big sister Onyx as he remarked how 'dope' it was to see them together in his nursery.

Nick shares Halo with model Alyssa Scott, while he co-parents Onyx with LaNisha Cole.

In the adorable photo, the doting dad held his children as they hung out together and sipped from their milk bottles.

'So dope to see my daughters playing together in our nursery,' Cannon wrote in bold pink font. 'The Sisterhood is Real! Halo is my youngest and Onyx is about to turn the Big 1!

Too cute! Father of 12 Nick Cannon has shared a slew of precious snaps of his children

'So grateful for this and all of my children's journeys and valuable lessons that I will be learning along the way. I'm trying my best y'all!!'

He also shared sweet video of him doing a funny dance with Monroe, the daughter he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey.

'When a dad starts to hear the actual lyrics on these TikTok songs,' the video read. 'What she just say?!!! Tiktok we have a problem!!! LOL,' he captioned it.

As for his sons, he posted a silly video of him flexing his muscles with his boys Morocco and Golden, six.

'But with my sons I be like...' he wrote in the clip.

In total, Cannon is the father of twelve children with six different women.

He shares 12-year-old twins  son Moroccan and daughter Monroe  with ex Mariah.

'So dope': The TV host, 42, posted photos of his youngest child, Halo, playing with her big sister Onyx as he remarked how 'dope' it was to see them together in his nursery

Aww: The youngsters sat beside their adoring father in their nursery

His youngest child nearly seven-month-old daughter named Halo  whom he shares with model Alyssa Scott. (In 2021, their first child and his seventh, baby boy Zen, passed away at five-months-old due to brain cancer.)

In addition, Cannon also welcomed eight other children with four additional women: beauty pageant queen Brittany Bell; DJ and former radio personality Abby De La Rosa; Selling Sunset reality star Bre Tiesi; and photographer LaNisha Cole.

With Bell, he shares two sons  Golden Sagon, six, and Rise Messiah, nine months  and one daughter  Powerful Queen, two.

He also shares three children with De La Rosa. They welcomed two-year-old twin boys Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir in June 2021.

Father-daughter! He also shared sweet video of him doing a funny dance with Monroe, the daughter he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey

Too much fun! The duo had their routine all worked out

Just the boys! Cannon and his sons flexed their biceps in this silly TikTok

Last November, they welcomed a daughter named Beautiful Zeppelin, who is now eight-months-old.

Tiesi gave birth to his son Legendary Love, now one, in June 2022.

And Cannon welcomed his daughter Onyx Ice, nine-months-old, with LaNisha Cole in September 2022.

Earlier last month in June, Cannon commemorated his late baby boy Zen's birthday by spending time at the beach with loved ones and released a bundle of lit up balloons into the night sky in memory of his son.

'A Difficult Day that turned into a Beautiful Night We will forever celebrate Zens Light! I love you Son,' he penned in the caption of the post.
After invading the Big Apple in 2022, BravoCon 2023 is moving to Sin City, with the event slated for November.

Bravo revealed on Thursday that BravoCon 2023 will take place November 3-5 at the Caesar's Forum at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas featuring Andy Cohen, who revealed last month he would 'love' to host Wheel of Fortune, days before Ryan Seacrest was announced as the new host.

Tickets will go on sale at BravoCon2023.com starting Friday, July 21 at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT, with fans getting two different options of admission to choose from.

The general admission ticket, dubbed 'Bravoholic,' a three-day pass that costs $555 and includes access to all of the, 'programming, shows, and experiences,' along with, 'Bravo Bazaar,' 'Bravo-themed and Bravoleb photo ops' and, 'all food and beverage options.'

The pricier option is the VIP ticket dubbed 'Future Bravoleb,' which includes all of the above, plus a lot more.

Vegas baby: After invading the Big Apple in 2022, BravoCon 2023 is moving to Sin City, with the event slated for November

Andy: Bravo revealed on Thursday that BravoCon 2023 will take place November 3-5 at the Caesar's Forum at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas featuring Andy Cohen, who revealed last month he would 'love' to host Wheel of Fortun e, days before Ryan Seacrest was announced as the new host

Tickets: Tickets will go on sale at BravoCon2023.com starting Friday, July 21 at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT, with fans getting two different options of admission to choose from

Also included in the $1,200 pass is, 'VIP fast lane at Caesars Forum entrance,' 'Preferred seating at BravoCon programming at Caesars Forum,' 'Access to VIP-exclusive lounge spaces,' 'VIP access to Bravo-themed and Bravoleb photo ops,' 'VIP fast lane access to all bars (for 21+ attendees), 'Early access for option to purchase tickets to add-on experiences including Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (pending availability)' and, 'Priority entry to special add-on experiences with purchased ticket (pending availability).

It isn't clear if there will be single-day passes for sale at this time, but it was said that all attendees must be over the age of 18.

There will also be add-on experience tickets for sale as well, including Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live, which will film five episodes from the Paris Theater.

There will also be a Bravopalooza event for 21+ attendees only and only for those who have one-day or three-day passes.

Fans will be able to, 'raise a glass with your fave Bravolebs. Savor every moment, up close and personal, while you enjoy some bites and booze.'

While the full programming schedule has not yet been released, Bravo's announcement did state there will be over 150 'Bravolebrities' in attendence.

There will over 60 live events at the weekend event, featuring the casts of all the Real Housewives franchises and all Below Deck franchises.

Cast members from other hit Bravo shows such as Married to Medicine, Million Dollar Listing, Southern Charm, Southern Hospitality, Summer House, Summer House: Martha's Vineyard, Vanderpump Rules and Winter House.

VIP: Also included in the $1,200 pass is, 'VIP fast lane at Caesars Forum entrance,' 'Preferred seating at BravoCon programming at Caesars Forum,' 'Access to VIP-exclusive lounge spaces,' 'VIP access to Bravo-themed and Bravoleb photo ops,' 'VIP fast lane access to all bars (for 21+ attendees), 'Early access for option to purchase tickets to add-on experiences including Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (pending availability)' and, 'Priority entry to special add-on experiences with purchased ticket (pending availability)

Raise a glass: Fans will be able to, 'raise a glass with your fave Bravolebs. Savor every moment, up close and personal, while you enjoy some bites and booze'

150: While the full programming schedule has not yet been released, Bravo's announcement did state there will be over 150 'Bravolebrities' in attendence

60: There will over 60 live events at the weekend event, featuring the casts of all the Real Housewives franchises and all Below Deck franchises

'BravoCon is about celebrating our Bravoholics, whose impassioned commitment and loyalty continue to raise the bar on what it means to be a fan,' Ellen Stone, EVP, Consumer Engagement & Brand Strategy, NBCUniversal, said in a statement.

'In fact, their invaluable insight and devoted engagement drives us to come back stronger and smarter. You can bet this will be the best BravoCon yet,' she added.

Andy Cohen added, 'Bravoholics, youve hit the jackpot. For the first time ever, BravoCon is headed to Las Vegas in 2023. And what happens at BravoCon, stays at BravoCon. It really is all happening.'

The first BravoCon took place in November 2019 over three different venues in Manhattan, though the event took a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, returning to New York City for the second annual event in 2022 at the Javits Center.
KIIS FM star Kyle Sandilands has weighed in on Vince Colosimo's court battle over unpaid traffic fines.

After the disgraced actor, 56, got out of paying a whopping $61,858 in fines after convincing a magistrate he is mentally ill, flat broke and about to become homeless, Kyle spoke about his own battle with Revenue NSW.

Kyle, 52, who in 2021 owed an incredible $16,000 in parking fines himself, said he thought the judge working on the court case was an 'Underbelly fan'.

'Underbelly fan that judge for sure,' Kyle said referring to one of Vince's best known shows.

Talking about late fees, he quipped: 'Obviously we don't have to pay them!'

KIIS FM star Kyle Sandilands has weighed in on Vince Colosimo's court battle over unpaid traffic fines

Kyle said he has also once done community service back when he was 17, after the judge said Colosimo was capable of performing 101 hours of unpaid community work over the next year.

'Oh God, I've done that community service. I got shuffled around,' he said.

Colosimo fronted the Melbourne Magistrates Court via videolink on Thursday after failing to pay the mountain of fines.

After the disgraced actor, 56, got out of paying a whopping $61,858 in unpaid fines after convincing a magistrate he is mentally ill, flat broke and about to become homeless, Kyle spoke out on his Kyle and Jackie O radio show on Friday. Pictured in November 2017

The court heard Colosimo claimed he had suffered from the hideous affect of methamphetamine for the duration of his offending, which dates back to 2012.

Represented by top silk Julia Munster, the disgraced thespian was accused of racking up the whopping debt from 169 traffic fines, mostly while disqualified from driving.

About 150 of those fines were issued through the traffic camera office, with the court hearing a folder containing summaries of those incidents ran for 68 pages.

The majority of fines related to driving an unregistered vehicle on tollways and speeding, with at least two fines for failing to vote and blocking someone's driveway.

Kyle, 52, who in 2021 owed an incredible $16,000 in parking fines himself, said he thought the judge working on the court case was an 'Underbelly fan'. 'Underbelly fan that judge for sure,' Kyle said referring to one of Vince's shows

Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said under the Fines Reform Act he could only discharge Colosimo's fines if the actor proved 'special circumstances' existed.

The court heard Colosimo's barrister claimed her client suffered from a 'profound mental illness'.

Mr Bailin revealed Colosimo had told the doctor he had been abusing the deadly drug ice for more than a decade.

'(The doctor) concludes he has ADHD, major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder and a stimulant use disorder as what I would term as a coping mechanism while also having the PTSD symptoms,' he said.

'What (the doctor) apines is that during the infringement conduct the applicant's diagnosis was present ... those disorders were present, they have not only been present during the infringement conduct but have been continuing and the subject of treatment.'

Colosimo fronted the Melbourne Magistrates Court via videolink on Thursday after failing to pay the mountain of fines. The court heard Colosimo's barrister claimed her client suffered from a 'profound mental illness'. Pictured in October last year

Ms Munster submitted two psychiatric reports to the court, compiled in May and July, which went to explaining how and why Colosimo came to incur the fines.

'He admits liability for all of the unpaid infringements,' Ms Munster conceded.

The court heard the struggling actor had obtained government payments throughout the Covid pandemic, but had managed to repay just $6,025 of his fines with money he borrowed.

Mr Bailin outlined the former Hollywood star's dire financial situation, which had left him with no assets to his name.

'Mr Colosimo has no assets, he has effectively no capacity to meet any of the financial commitments if there was a stay or otherwise ... His rental and work situation remains precarious.'' he said.

Ms Munster suggested Colosimo was on the verge of homelessness.

'He's living a meagre lifestyle with very limited financial capacity to really to meet his current obligations let alone anything else,' she said.

'Your honour can see the very difficult financial situation he is in and that is a relevant consideration when your honour is considering what disposition to make.'

Under any payment plan, Colosimo would have had to have worked one hour for every $40 he owed - about 64 full days working 24-hours a day.

Mr Bailin outlined the former Hollywood star's dire financial situation, which had left him with no assets to his name. Pictured at the AACTA Awards in 2018

In handing down his sentence, Mr Bailin addressed the shocking impact drugs had on the drug addled has been.

'Illicit drug use contributed to emotional dysregulation, cognitive difficulties and generally added to the instability of the lifestyle and instability that Mr Colosimo was insufficiently equipped to manage,' he said.

'This culminated in the disregard of obligations with a range of infringements from parking to speeding to not voting.'

However, he ordered Colosimo was capable of performing 101 hours of unpaid community work over the next year, meaning Colosimo got out of paying $58,000.

In comical scenes, Colosimo was seen obeying the directions of his long-suffering partner Sabelle Sugar, who shooed him off camera while they waited for his matter to be called.

Sugar has continued to stand by the troubled star despite long-running allegations he has repeatedly cheated on her throughout their relationship.

The Aussie star hooked-up with Sugar in 2018 after doomed relationships with actors Jane Hall and Diana Glenn.

Colosimo missed a court appearance last year while touring Europe with Sugar, with the pair pictured in front of the Eiffel Tower after attended the Cannes film festival.

Ms Munster argued prison would be 'excessively harsh' on Colosimo due to his mental illness.

The court heard Colosimo continued to be treated by the psychologist, with ongoing treatment expected.

Ms Munster said Colosimo's fines ought be discharged in full otherwise only paid in part with the remainder paid-off via unpaid community work.

Sheriff and Fines Victoria prosecutor Paul Ellis did not dispute Colosimo's mental impairment plea, leaving it to the magistrate to decide.

Fines Victoria had applied for an enforcement warrant against Colosimo, which could have seen officers granted the power to search for and seize his property or vehicles to sell and settle the outstanding debts.

Fines Victoria had applied for an enforcement warrant against Colosimo, which could have seen officers granted the power to search for and seize his property or vehicles to sell and settle the outstanding debts

In October, Colosimo was forced to make an embarrassing exit from the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, rushing down a laneway in an effort to avoid a media pack.

Colosimo had pleaded guilty to drug and unlicensed driving and failing to give his real name to police.

The ugly 2021 incident during Melbourne's harsh Covid-19 lockdowns saw him convicted and fined again - adding another $2500 to his growing tally of fines.

In an astonishing admission, the magistrate during that hearing said she feared Colosimo would simply ignore the fine she imposed on him.

'I don't have much confidence he's going to pay,' she said before handing down her sentence.

Prosecutors had asked for Colosimo to be jailed for his shocking driving history, which includes multiple priors for driving without a licence and a previous drug driving conviction.

'Nothing short of prison is suffice,' prosecutor Bianca Moleta urged then.

The court heard Colosimo had managed to be repeatedly fined for driving offences while never actually having a licence to drive.

Word of the unpaid fines appeared to come as a shock to both Colosimo and his then lawyer George Vassis, who quickly turned around to address his client seated behind him.

Best known in Australia for playing underworld gangster Alphonse Gangitano and ' Bartos, the court heard then Colosimo had learnt from his mistakes.

In 2017, Colosimo's was warned he faced a stint in jail after he was busted driving while suspended a third time - this time high on ice.
She's known for her eclectic sense of style.

And Christine Quinn made no exception when she slipped into a quirky body printed dress outside the Chatelet Palace in Paris on Thursday.

The Selling Sunset star, 34, ensured that all eyes were on her in the figure-hugging number with matching gloves.

Posing for a new photoshoot by the Seine River, she lifted her arms in the arm to show off her ensembles metallic tassels.

Christine's long blonde hair tumbled down her back and she wore her usual full face of makeup up.

Eye-catching: Christine Quinn, 34, slipped into a quirky body printed dress outside the Chatelet Palace in Paris on Thursday

Drama: The Selling Sunset star ensured that all eyes were on her in the figure-hugging number with matching gloves

The TV personality later changed into a dramatic gunmetal gown with structured shoulders and hips.

It comes after Christine revealed whether or not she plans to tune into the highly-anticipated sixth season of Selling Sunset, which returns to Netflix on May 19.

When asked if she will be binging the reality series, which she left last year after quitting The Oppenheim Group, the TV personality stated that she would not be watching the show.

'I have my girls that I absolutely love, and I'm so supportive of them. But for me, I don't think I'll watch the show just because I want to know them for who they are and not what they're edited to be,' the real estate broker told E! News.

The mother-of-one continued: 'So for me, I probably won't watch it. But I did hear that my name was being dropped in the trailer.'

Despite past tensions with many of her former costars, in particular with Chrishell Stause, the Dallas native revealed she is no longer feuding with her former rival.

'I feel like Chrishell and I are actually not on bad terms,' she continued. 'We really aren't.'

Quinn pointed out when she tweeted to Stause about being 'open to reconciliation' that All My Children alum, 41, 'hearted it.'

She posing for a new photoshoot by the Seine River

Stunning: Christine's long blonde hair tumbled down her back and she wore her usual full face of makeup up

Pose: She lifted her arms in the arm to show off her ensembles metallic tassels

Model material: Christine flaunted her figure in the fitted dress

Radiant: She looked sensational as she modelled her quirky look

Stunning: The TV star was glowing as the sun began to set

Stylist: Someone was seen ensuring that Christine's dress lay perfectly

Second look: The TV personality later changed into a dramatic gunmetal gown with structured shoulders and hips

Shoot: She was joined by a whole crew of photographers and stylists

'There was like a cute little convo. So, who knows what the future holds?' she said.

Last month, Quinn made headlines for sharing some candid thoughts about her time on Selling Sunset while appearing on Savannah Chrisley's podcast Unlocked.

During the interview, the Netflix star claimed that she didn't get as many listings as other cast members because she wasn't 'bangin' the boss.'

Quinn also alleged that Stause - who was dating Oppenheim Group co-founder Jason Oppenheim, 46, at the time - received 'preferential treatment' due to their relationship.

'It's wild,' the reality TV star said. 'That's why I was so s****y at real estate. Because I never f****d my boss,' she mused.

Quinn pointed out: 'Shes only sold three houses. One including her own. The difference is she got preferential treatment when it came to filming the show and having listings on the show, which was more important than real life.'

Stause and Oppenheim went public with their relationship in July 2021. However the union ended by the end of the year partly due to Chrishell's desire to start a family.

Oppenheim also previously dated cast member Mary Fitzerald.

Chrisley also touched on how Quinn was labeled a 'hardcore villain' by her coworkers.

'I was on my own island,' the star replied. 'It was very unfair. It was disgusting, it was vile.'

Glowing: It comes after Christine revealed whether or not she plans to tune into the highly-anticipated sixth season of Selling Sunset , which returns to Netflix on May 19

Moving on: When asked if she will be binging the reality series, which she left last year after quitting The Oppenheim Group, the TV personality stated that she would not be watching

Coming soon: The mother-of-one said: 'So for me, I probably won't watch it. But I did hear that my name was being dropped in the trailer'

In the past: Despite past tensions with many of her former costars , in particular with Chrishell Stause, the Dallas native revealed she is no longer feuding with her former rival

Moving forward: Quinn - who officially exited the show in August 2022 - also clarified that it was her who chose to quit the show, and that she was not fired

She went on, 'I remember the last finale scene of the show, and I had just had a baby a week ago. And I said I wasnt coming to that scene. And producers forced me, and gave me ultimatums. I showed up at the end Youd think someone who just went through a really traumatic birth youd be a little nice to.'

Unfortunately, Christine shared that was not what happened: 'No, that was their intervention gang-bang. I was just like, you know, it doesnt matter what I do.'

Quinn - who officially exited the show in August 2022 - also clarified that it was her who chose to quit the show, and that she was not fired.

Netflix has announced Selling Sunset will return for seasons 6 and 7, but a release date has not yet been announced.
Sarah Hyland dropped some stunning images on her Instagram account on Thursday.

In the photo dump consisting of four images, the actress, 32, shared pictures of herself and her husband, Wells Adams, enjoying a tropical getaway.

'Paradise is @wellsadams and @trysource  #barbie,' Hyland wrote in the caption of her post.

The first image was of the Modern Family star flaunting her toned physique.

She gave off Barbie vibes in an all-neon pink outfit comprised of a pink bandeau top, a sheer, long-sleeved pink shirt, and a matching floor-length skirt with a waist-high slit.

She completed her outfit with a golden chain necklace, a pendant necklace, several rings, and a pair of silver hoop earrings.

Barbie Girl: Actress Sarah Hyland flaunted her toned physique and gave Barbie vibes in an all-neon pink outfit comprised of a pink bandeau top, a sheer, long-sleeved pink shirt, and a matching floor-length skirt with a waist-high slit

Couple Selfie: One of the images that Hyland shared in her latest Instagram post was a selfie of herself and her husband Wells Adams

Cocktail with a view: Hyland basked in the sun and enjoying the view with an icy orange colored cocktail drink in her hand

Hyland opted to have her hair curled as she putted it up in a ponytail.

In the first image, Hyland posed on a balcony with the beautiful beach scenery behind her. She also held a pack of Sourse and basked in the sunshine.

Meanwhile, the second photo showed a glowing Hyland basking in the sun and enjoying the view as she sat down at a table of the outside patio area of the restaurant that she and Adams, 39, were dining at.

The Love Island USA host held an icy orange colored cocktail drink in her hand.

The third photo was a selfie of her and her husband as the pair flashed wide open smiles to the camera.

In the selfie, which was taken from the waist up, Adams wore a green striped short sleeve collar shirt.

The fourth and final image, which was taken by Adams, showed Hyland playfully reaching out as if she was about to cover the camera.

Hyland and Adams began dating in 2017 and got engaged in July 2019. The pair finally got married in August 20, 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the couple to push their wedding back (which was originally supposed to happen in June 2020) several times.

No pictures!: The actress playfully reached out as if she was about to cover the camera in the last photo of her Instagram post

Modern Family Reunion: Hyland's (right) Instagram post comes just a few days after the actress reunited with her Modern Family co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson (left) for lunch at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood

Adams was a former contestant on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise. After competing on the third season of the latter show, Adams has been the bartender of Bachelor in Paradise since the show's fourth season.

Hyland's Instagram post comes just a few days after the actress reunited with her Modern Family co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson for lunch at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood.

In a July 11 Instagram post, Jesse stated that the two had recorded a new episode of his podcast, Dinner's On Me.

'We discuss [Sarah's] drive to work thru her healthcare struggles during the shows run, her love story with former 'The Bachelorette' contestant Wells Adams and her hilarious stories of growing up in New York City,' Jesse wrote of his reunion with Hyland in the caption of his Instagram post.

On Modern Family, Hyland played Haley Dunphy while Jesse played Mitchell Pritchett. The characters are related as Haley is a niece of Mitchell through her mother Claire (Julie Bowen), who is Mitchell's older sister.
Bill Bailey's Master Crafters: The Next Generation

Rating:

Murder In The Family

Rating:

Bill Bailey has long been one of the King's favourite comedians. At a birthday bash to mark his 60th in 2008, Charles was in stitches at one of Bill's trademark musical routines  playing his imaginary version of the Belarusian national anthem.

They chatted backstage, where Charles teased the comic about his talent on the air guitar. So it's no real surprise that Bill was picked to host Master Crafters: The Next Generation (Sky Arts), where young artists learning traditional skills work together to create a bespoke installation for His Majesty's favourite residence, Highgrove House.

Well, Billy Connolly has retired, and the producers were hardly going to pick the likes of Joe Lycett or Frankie Boyle.

Bill can be relied upon not to make unfunny jibes at royalty, and he also proved himself adept at encouraging three nervous acolytes working with stained glass. He didn't bombard them with raunchy jokes, the way Mel Giedroyc does on Channel 4's woodworking contest.

It's no real surprise that Bill was picked to host Master Crafters: The Next Generation (Sky Arts), where young artists learning traditional skills work together to create a bespoke installation for His Majesty's favourite residence, Highgrove House

At the same time he maintained a light tone, reminding everyone that they were meant to be enjoying themselves as well as learning from expert John Reyntiens, the craftsman who replaced Big Ben's glass clockface in the Elizabeth Tower.

Reyntiens is an innovative artist  the 'Johnny Rotten of glass,' said Bill  and he encouraged the apprentices to experiment with abstract patterns and unconventional tools.

I knew nothing of the techniques involved in applying patterns in wet paint onto glass, and it was fascinating to see him using scrunched up paper to create a stipple effect. Scraping with the edge of a glass knife, he etched shapes that seemed three-dimensional, before firing the work in a kiln overnight, like clay.

Inspired, the young artists tried wielding feathers, lace and even burning matches. One, 23-year-old Kerry, took off her sock and used that. The results were remarkable, and all the more beautiful for being made in front of our eyes.

Bill Bailey learned from expert John Reyntiens (pictured), the craftsman who replaced Big Ben's glass clockface in the Elizabeth Tower

This is a simple but satisfying concept for a series, living up to the King's vision at the beginning of the show. 'There isn't enough vocational education in schools,' he said. 'We are wasting a lot of people's lives, I think, by not helping them to be really brilliant from a craft point of view.'

Another young woman proved immensely impressive, though in a completely different and tragic context, in true-crime documentary Murder In The Family (ITV1).

Georgia Hooper was just 14 when she saw her mother, Cheryl, shot dead in her car by her estranged husband, Jack, in 2018. With outstanding bravery, caught on a PC's bodycam, she described to police at the scene what had happened, within minutes of the attack.

Her prompt statement enabled armed police to arrest Hooper at his Shropshire farm, though not before he had blown off his own jaw with a shotgun in a suicide attempt. Two hours later, Georgia gave a detailed interview with astonishing calmness, despite her evident shock and distress.

That testimony ensured Hooper's attempt to wriggle off the murder charge, by claiming that the antique shotgun was discharged by accident, did not save him from a life sentence. Now 19, Georgia said she steeled herself to give evidence for the sake of her mother. Such exceptional courage must surely deserve a medal.
Neelam Gill showed off her incredible figure as she stepped out at the Vogue x Self Portrait party in London on Thursday.

The model, 28, put on a very glitzy display as she went braless in a completely sheer sparkling mesh gown for the bash at Chiltern Firehouse.

She added a few extra inches to her frame with a pair of clear heels and kept her essentials in a tiny pink handbag.

Neelam, who recently sparked romance rumours with Leonardo DiCaprio, let her outfit do all the talking as she simply accessorised with silver stud earrings.

She swept her brunette tresses back into a sleek up-do and showed off her stunning features with a high-glamour make-up palette.

Glitzy: Neelam Gill showed off her incredible figure as she stepped out at the Vogue x Self Portrait party in London on Thursday

Wow! The model, 28, put on a very glitzy display as she went braless in a completely sheer sparkling mesh gown for the bash at Chiltern Firehouse

Neelam joined the likes of Rita Ora, Shakira and Emily Ratajkowski as they partied the night away at the glitzy party, hosted by Edward Enninful.

Her outing comes after Neelam sparked romance rumours with Leonardo after they were seen enjoying an evening out with his longtime friend Tobey Maguire.

Best pals Leo and Tobey were seen leaving Hotel Costes in Paris's 1st arrondissement with Neelam before heading to a late night dinner at Loulou on the Rue de Rivoli last month.

The trio were also joined by Tobey's daughter Ruby, 16, his son Otis, 14, Leo's niece Normandie, 16, and two other male pals as they dined from 10.30pm until 12.30am.

It seems that things may be heating up with Leo and the model, as she was also present at two recent gatherings in London, which featured his parents.

In June, she was spotted at London's Chiltern Firehouse at the same time that Leo brought his father and stepmother there for dinner.

Exactly a week earlier, the actor and Neelam had both gone to the same celebrity hotspot with his mother.

Glam: She added a few extra inches to her frame with a pair of clear heels and kept her essentials in a tiny pink handbag

Eye-popping: She swept her brunette tresses back into a sleek up-do and showed off her stunning features with a high-glamour make-up palette

New flames? Her outing comes after Neelam sparked romance rumours with Leonardo after they were seen enjoying an evening out with his longtime friend Tobey Maguire

Despite his rumoured link with the Indian-British model, Leo is reportedly still in a 'friendly, no-strings' relationship with Gigi Hadid.

'[They] travel so often so it's best for them to keep their relationship open and fluid. Neither one of them wants to settle down at the moment,' a source claimed to Us Weekly in May.

An insider previously told the outlet that he is drawn to the mother-of-one's 'very cultured and educated take on life'.

Gigi was also seen at the Chiltern Firehouse during Leo's visit with his father and stepfather. She was seen near Neelam, though it's unclear if either of them necessarily spent time with the Oscar winner and his parents that evening.
Jonah Hill was pictured surfing in Malibu, California on Thursday, hitting the waves amid a challenging week in which he was accused of emotional abuse and sexual misconduct.

The 38-year-old Oscar-nominated actor was seen in his wetsuit hitting the waves amid a busy week after his ex Sarah Brady, 26, claimed he emotionally abused her.

The Moneyball star also faced misconduct allegations from actress Alexa Nikolas, who went public with claims Hill 'shoved his tongue down her throat' when she was 16 and he was 24.

Hill was peppered with questions about recent events by a photographer, but only smiled and waved as he retreated into a beach bungalow.

Hill in 2019 spoke about his passion for surfing in a post on his since-deleted Instagram account. In the post, he said he had 'been terrified to surf [his] whole life' prior to conquering his fears. Hill said that once he attempted hitting the waves, it 'turned out to be one of the most fun experiences [he'd] ever had.'

The latest: Jonah Hill, 39, was pictured surfing in Malibu, California on Thursday, hitting the waves amid a challenging week in which he was accused of emotional abuse and sexual misconduct

This came after his ex, 26-year-old surf instructor Sarah Brady, had accused Hill of 'emotional abuse'; the former couple are seen in December 2021

Earlier this week Nikolas, now 31, had claimed that Hill - who is eight years her senior - shoved his tongue down her throat' without her consent when she attended a party at Justin Long's house. Hill has denied all allegations to DailyMail.com.

Brady took to her Instagram Story early Tuesday morning to share a screenshot of direct messages between her and Nikolas as she praised her for opening up about her alleged encounter with the Moneyball actor which she captioned: 'survivors unite [fist emoji]'

Nikolas - who recently slammed a resurfaced Punk'd clip - had written to Brady: 'I shared my personal Jonah story from when I was only 16 and he assaulted me.'

Brady replied, 'Thank you for being brave and sharing. I'm sorry that he did that to you.'

The Zoey 101 actress said that she remained quiet about the alleged incident for years until Brady's revelation over the weekend.

Nikolas wrote: 'I was afraid to say anything about it until I ready about your admirable bravery today.'

Brady then chimed in about her ex Hill saying: 'He's a little scary, huh?'

The internet conversation ended with Nikolas saying: 'Sending you so much love and healing You are bad a***.'

Smile: Hill appeared to gain some relief after a week of scandal surrounding his personal life

Details: Hill's ex-girlfriend Brady claimed he emotionally abused her during their time together

Background: Brady shared a number of communications with Hill depicting the toxic dynamic in their former relationship

Grievances: In one instance, Hill included a list of unacceptable behaviors from Brady if they were to be together romantically

Demands: Hill made a detailed series of requests to Brady about the content she posted to social media

Out and about: Hill was pictured donning a black bodysuit as he emerged from the Pacific Ocean

Hands full: The Wolf of Wall Street star toted a surfboard that had blue and green stripes on one side and a rainbow pattern on the other

Flowing: Hill was seen paddling on a wave sporting a beard on the summer day in LA

Focused: Hill, seen negotiating the tides, has denied all allegations to DailyMail.com

Active: The War Dogs star used his arms to propel himself forward on the waves in Malibu

Passion: Hill in 2019 spoke about his passion for surfing in a post on his since-deleted Instagram account

Obstacle: In the post, he said he had 'been terrified to surf [his] whole life' prior to conquering his fears

Rewarding: Hill said that once he attempted hitting the waves, it 'turned out to be one of the most fun experiences [he'd] ever had'

Mixed emotions: Hill said of surfing, 'Totally random fear and at the same time always been a secret dream of mine'

No words: Hill was peppered with questions about recent events by a photographer, but only smiled and waved as he retreated into a beach bungalow

In the tweets from Nikolas published on July 8 and 9, she also alleged Long's then roommate, former CSI: Miami actor Jonathan Togo, 45, assaulted a minor friend of hers who was '16 or 17' at the party and that Long allegedly knew about it - which the Jeepers Creepers actor has denied in a statement to DailyMail.com.

Togo and Long would have been around 30 years old at the time of the alleged incidents. Nikolas - who is the founder of Eat Predators, an organization which aims to call out abusers and networks - claims adult men were 'feeding alcohol' to her and her minor friends.

Nikolas also accused Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, 49, of 'utter predatory disrespect for professional boundaries.'

She tweeted: 'After reading Sarah Bradys admirable post about #JonahHill I just gotta say when I was 16 I got invited to a house party at #justinlongs house where he was living with some lame predator actor from CSI Miami. Ill look up the name later and find him.

'Oh ya this was the guy living (from my memory) with #justinlong his name is Jonathan Togo ew ew ew.

'He was sleeping *aka assaulting a minor* a friend of mine that was also 16 or 17. Anyways. #JonahHill came over at some point and we were all pretty wasted because of course the predators were feeding us minors a bunch of alcohol.'

Describing the alleged incident between her and Hill - who she claimed knew she was 16 - she wrote: '#jonahhill seemed to have his eyes on me because at one point I wanted a cig and he said he had one in his car right outside. Didnt seem like too much of an effort so I trusted him. I went outside and he grabbed the cigs from his front seat.

'Just to note #JonahHill said if I wanted the cig I had to come with him outside to get it. He didnt wanna go all alone. They were all aware I was 16.

Bonded: Jonah Hill's ex Sarah Brady (left) has come out in support of Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas (right) who claimed the actor 'slammed her against a door and shoved his tongue in her mouth' when she was 16 and he was 24

Brady took to her Instagram Story early Tuesday morning to share a screenshot of direct messages between her and Nikolas as she praised her for opening up about her alleged encounter with the Moneyball actor which she captioned: 'survivors unite [fist emoji]'

Claim: Nikolas had accused Jonah Hill of 'slamming her against a door and shoving his tongue in her mouth' when she was 16 and he was 24 (Hill pictured R in 2008 aged 24)

Back then: Alexa is seen in 2008 aged 16 in LA

Role: Alexa (left) played Nicole Bristow in Zoey 101 from 2005-2006

Alleged: The actress, 31, claimed Hill, now 39 - who was accused of 'emotional abuse' by ex Sarah Brady this week, 'grabbed her and shoved his tongue down her throat' when she attended a party at Justin Long's house (Hill pictured 2008)

She continued: '#JonahHill didnt hand me the cig which I thought was weird and then as we walked back to the door I asked him for it and he said nothing but slammed me to the door and shoved his tongue down my throat. I was so appalled I pushed him off of me and ran inside.'

She then blasted Long over allegedly inviting teenagers to his house, writing: 'Also #justinlong why the f**k did you have children at your house late night? Ew.

'Hey Justin Long I find it interesting you being in Barbarian as a predator. It must have been weird playing some of your friends. You knew your roommate was assaulting a minor under your own roof. You let it happen. Eek. I hope you regret it now.'

She also tweeted: 'I was 16 and #JonahHill was 24? Not okay.

'Ive been traumatized by men in Hollywood. Its truly sad the traumatic events I have lodged in my body and mind. Things have to change. F**k #familyguy too.'

Referencing MacFarlane, Nikolas, who voiced a character in a 2011 episode of Family Guy when she was 18 years old, wrote: 'One day soon after more therapy we can all start talking about #sethmacfarlanes utter predatory disrespect for professional boundaries period.

'I was 18. He was my boss and he is 19 years older than me. Oh ya and mysteriously offered the job. Never did voice work in my entire life. Creep.'

DailyMail.com has also contacted representatives for Seth Macfarlane and Jonathan Togo for comment.

In tweets published on July 8 and 9, Nikolas also alleged Long's then roommate, former CSI: Miami actor Jonathan Togo, 45, (seen left with Long in 2008) assaulted a minor friend of hers who was '16 or 17' at the party and that Long allegedly knew about it - which Long has denied

Nikolas named Togo as the alleged attacker and shared a photo of him

Claim: Nikolas claimed Hill grabbed her and forced a kiss on her in shock tweets

Nikolas also lambasted Long online - who has denied her allegations

Claim: Nikolas also accused Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane of 'predatory disrespect'

A spokesman for Justin Long told DailyMail.com: 'This is the first time Justin has been made aware of this situation that allegedly happened nearly two decades ago. While Justin is sympathetic to any and all victims of any abuse , the simple fact remains he has no knowledge of what may or may not have happened concerning Ms. Nikolas.'

This comes after Brady, 26 - who dated Hill in 2021 for one year - set the internet alight on Friday by taking to Instagram to share messages allegedly sent by him that appear to reveal their past arguments - including messages outlining his parameters for a 'romantic partnership.'

In June, it was revealed that Hill had welcomed his first child with his current girlfriend Olivia Millar. Brady revealed why she waited until his new girlfriend gave birth before posting.

Brady took to her Instagram Story on Sunday to post a voice memo to explain the timing of her posts was out of respect toward the pregnancy of Jonah's girlfriend Olivia Millar.

She could be heard saying: 'I didnt want [Millar] to have to see all of this while she was pregnant because I didnt know what kind of stress that would cause her and her baby physically.'

The surf instructor went on to say that she knows that 'the timing can seem bad' but she is hoping that Millar had seen the posts in order to 'make an informed decision of how she wants to care for herself and her baby.

'I just hope she would receive some of these screenshots somehow through friends, like, friends of mine that I met through him that I know are good people that I know would make an effort to protect her.'

This came just a day after Brady blasted the Superbad star by taking to Instagram to share messages allegedly sent by him that appear to reveal their past arguments.

Exposed? Hill's ex Sarah Brady blasted the Superbad star by taking to Instagram to share messages allegedly sent by him that appear to reveal their past arguments; pictured in 2021

Tense: Taking to Instagram late on Friday night, the surfer blasted the 39-year-old Superbad star by sharing screenshots of their past arguments

The rollout of damning statements against the movie producer began with an Instagram Stories post Brady shared with the caption, 'F*** it.'

The screenshot showed two messages alleged to be from Jonah on December 2, 2021.

The lengthy initial text apparently from Jonah included a list of unacceptable behaviors from Sarah if they were to be together romantically.

The new dad allegedly mentioned things including 'surfing with men,' 'inappropriate friendships with men,' and 'posting pictures of yourself in a bathing suit' that were off limits for his then-girlfriend.

He additionally stated that if Sarah 'needed' to 'model,' 'post sexual pictures,' or maintain friendships with women who were part of her 'wild recent past' then he was 'not the right partner' for her.

In another post of his alleged messages, Brady claimed that Hill only wanted her to socialize with friends whom he had 'personally approved.'

The entertainer, whose documentary Stutz came out on Netflix last year, added, 'If these things bring you to a place of happiness I support it and there will be no hard feelings. These are my boundaries for romantic partnership.'

He then clarified, 'My boundaries with you based on the ways these actions have hurt our trust.'

Sarah wrote online to her nearly 80,000 followers, 'See the misuse of the term "boundaries"?'

Brady spun her posts as a 'warning to all girls.'

'If your partner is talking to you like this, make an exit plan,' she captioned a screenshot that appeared to show Hill complaining about social media photos featuring her 'a** in a thong.'

Implicit: Brady used the caption of new Instagram post to air out her ex. She claimed he had requested that she take down the full-clothed photo

Heed: Sarah called her decision to release the private messages a 'warning to all girls'

Unleashing: Sarah posted a message thread with the caption 'you make me sick'

'Call me if you need an ear,' she added.

After Brady appeared to have signaled that she had deleted some of the supposedly offending photos, the Wolf Of Wall Street star appeared to tell his then-girlfriend it was a 'good start' but that she didn't 'seem to get' his point.

'But its not my place to teach you. Ive made my boundaries clear,' he affirmed. 'You refuse to let go of some of them and youve made that clear and I hope it makes you happy.'

Brady maintained that her ex-boyfriend's critiques were made in an attempt to control her.

She explained that she agreed with his requests in an attempt to keep him from experiencing 'crippling anxiety.'

Insight: Sarah alleged that while dating Jonah, he had to 'personally approve' her friends

Former flames: The couple used to regularly coordinate their outfits

One wish: Sarah said she wants her ex to be held accountable

Getting personal: In part of her tirade against her ex, the athlete noted, 'I hope my ex has a daughter, maybe shell turn him into a real feminist.'

'It hurts so badly': Brady seemed to be addressing Hill when she wrote 'Gaslight much?' over one screenshot. In the text, he appeared to complain that he was 'so lovely' to her, which he didn't feel was being reciprocated

Interacting with her fans, Sarah admitted: 'Its been a year of healing & growth with the help of loved ones and doctors to get back to living my life without guilt, shame and self-judgment for things as small as surfing in a swimsuit rather than a more conservative wetsuit.'

She continued, 'And Im sure theres still much more healing from this abuse ahead of me.'

The former duo first went public with their romance in August 2021 after their connection was sparked when Jonah approached her online.

On Friday Sarah said she was 'sharing this publicly now because keeping it to myself was causing more damage to my mental health than sharing it could ever do.'

She also explained she used to take the 'blame' for Hill's actions when they would speak with their therapist.

In part of her tirade against her ex, the athlete noted, 'I hope my ex has a daughter, maybe shell turn him into a real feminist.

'Because the fact that he calls himself a feminist now is laughable.  If I could have one wish for him it would be that he is surrounded by feminist men who can hold him accountable to grow in the ways he has expressed he wants to.'

The law student went on to say, 'I think fame can put people in an echo chamber of viewpoints, which can enable emotionally abusive behavior.'

Odd standards: One snippet of conversation appeared to show Hill complaining that his then-girlfriend's 'therapist thinks I suck,' before he called himself 'literally ... the best boyfriend. On earth'

Ridiculous: In a screenshot of a conversation with another person, Brady claimed that a therapist had urged her to come up with a 'safe word'  'pineapple'  for 'when Jonah was yelling at me'

Shade: In other posts, she urged her followers to 'Boycott Stutz,' Hill's documentary about his relationship with his therapist. One included a screenshot of text saying it 'is never appropriate for a therapist to speak about themselves at length'

One snippet of conversation appeared to show Hill complaining that his then-girlfriend's 'therapist thinks I suck.'

Brady seemed to be addressing Hill when she wrote 'Gaslight much?' over one screenshot.

In the text, he appeared to complain that he was 'so lovely' to her, which he didn't feel was being reciprocated.

'I literally am the best boyfriend. On earth,' he added. She mocked the sentiment by sarcastically writing #1 Boyfriend over the screenshot and adding a photo of a smiling dog.

In other posts, she urged her followers to 'Boycott Stutz,' Hill's documentary about his relationship with his therapist. One included a screenshot of text saying it 'is never appropriate for a therapist to speak about themselves at length.'

She also clarified that just because a person is 'emotionally abusive,' it 'doesnt mean theyre a terrible person.'

'At the same time, it doesnt mean its OK,' she said.

In addition to screenshots of conversations allegedly between her and Hill, Brady also included screenshots that appeared to show her complaining about her ex with another person.

She also clarified that just because a person is 'emotionally abusive,' it 'doesnt mean theyre a terrible person,' adding, 'At the same time, it doesnt mean its OK'

On Friday Sarah said she was 'sharing this publicly now because keeping it to myself was causing more damage to my mental health than sharing it could ever do.'

The other person said it must have made her 'feel crazy having a licensed professional tell You to Not talk to other men to keep your boyfriend from acting like a f***ing baby.'

Brady claimed that the therapist suggested she come up with a 'safe word for when Jonah was yelling at me,' which was 'pineapple.'

In June, it was revealed that Hill had welcomed his first child with his current girlfriend Olivia.

Details about the child, including the birth date, were not revealed, but his rep confirmed she gave birth in the spring of 2023.

Heads up: Sarah shared screen shots of her messages with Jonah that showed the actor letting her know he'd started dating another woman

Furious: Sarah told Jonah 'I'd appreciate if you'd make that woman aware of how recently you've been flirting with me, sexting me and leaning on me for partner level emotional support'. He replied by denying the timing of his new romance was 'inappropriate'

A question of timing: Jonah said it had been 'six months' since the end of the relationship. Sarah then produced a screen shot of a sexting message from mid July

'I've done nothing wrong': Jonah said he was 'deeply' let down by Sarah's reaction and felt violated by the fact she'd taken a screenshot of his sext

Hill - a self-described mental health advocate - then offered to pay for Brady's therapy for the rest of 2022 'even though you'll somehow punish me with that gesture.'

On Monday Brady posted more exchanges - which she claimed took place on August 30 and 31 last year - around the time he moved on with Millar which he texted Brady about.

She responded: 'I'd appreciate if you make that woman aware of how recently you've been flirting with me, sexting me, and leaning on me for partner-level emotional support.'

She also shared a screengrab of him writing about 'holding my hard [censored]' in a text dated July 13, 2022, prompting the actor to confirm: 'Yes we sexted two months ago.'

Hill blasted Sarah for the screenshot, branding it 'triggering' and accusing her of breaching his trust.
Rapper Lil Durk is on the mend after spending a week in the hospital and being treated for severe exhaustion and dehydration.

The 30-year-old Chicago native (born Durk Derrick Banks) checked into an Ohio hospital on July 6 after falling ill, according to TMZ.

While his hospitalization was initially just a safety precaution, his condition was more serious than first thought.

That forced him to miss out on the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, while he also canceled a number of shows across Europe.

The rapper has still not been cleared by doctors to return to work in any capacity, though he did release a statement to his fans.

Hospital: Rapper Lil Durk is on the mend after spending a week in the hospital and being treated for severe exhaustion and dehydration

Rapper: The 30-year-old Chicago native (born Durk Derrick Banks) checked into an Ohio hospital on July 6 after falling ill, according to TMZ

'My fans mean everything to me, youre the reason why I do this,' the rapper began in his heartfelt statement.

'I was looking forward to touching all of my European fans, performing this week(end), attending the ESPYs and more,' he continued.

'But after performing and traveling daily Ive become severely dehydrated and advised by my doctors not to travel due to exhaustion,' he clarified.

'Once I get my full energy back, its back to business which Im looking forward to,' Durk concluded, with the hashtag #StillHealing.

Ironically, the name of his new album is Almost Healed, which debuted in late May, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 album charts, and he's getting ready to release a deluxe edition of the album.

The news comes just under a year after he suffered an onstage accident at Lollapalooza in Chicago involving a pyrotechnic explosive.

'Due to the incident that happened at Lollapalooza in Chicago on stage, Ima take a break & focus on my health,' said the 29-year-old musical artist, whose real name is Durk Derrick Banks.

'I finished my performance yesterday for my fans. Appreciate yall.'

Fans: 'My fans mean everything to me, youre the reason why I do this,' the rapper began in his heartfelt statement

ESPYs: 'I was looking forward to touching all of my European fans, performing this week(end), attending the ESPYs and more,' he continued

Dehydrated: 'But after performing and traveling daily Ive become severely dehydrated and advised by my doctors not to travel due to exhaustion,' he clarified

New album: Ironically, the name of his new album is Almost Healed, which debuted in late May, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 album charts, and he's getting ready to release a deluxe edition of the album

In an accompanying photo, the Chicago native was seen with a bandage over his right eye while seated in a medical facility.

In the incident, Lil Durk was performing his track Back In Blood when he accidentally made contact with a pair of pyrotechnic smoke flares, Variety reported.

In a clip on Plugged Soundz Instagram, the Broadway Girls hitmaker was seen rubbing his shirt on his eyes in the wake of making contact.

Crew members were seen rushing to help the musical artist, which a voice on the microphone said, 'Woah, woah, you alright, bro? [The smoke] shot straight up.'
Sarah Michelle Gellar and her family are on vacation in Italy and taking in the sights.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, 46, and her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., 47, took their kids Charlotte Grace, 14, and Rocky, 11, to visit the Uffizi gallery on Thursday morning.

Afterward, they continued on to the Duomo, Florence's famous cathedral and then took a gondola ride on the Arno River.

While in the boat, the famous family sailed under the medieval stone Ponte Vecchio.

The Cruel Intentions actress was dressed casually for the warm summer day in a pair of black shorts and a pretty, v-necked white top with ruffled cap sleeves.

Sightseeing: Sarah Michelle Gellar and her family are on vacation in Italy and taking in the sights

She paired the look with a pair of comfy, flat, white sandals and a black crossbody bag.

The Scream star had her shoulder-length blonde hair parted slightly off-center and straight.

In one snap, the family of four were spotted getting into a black SUV.

The photos from Florence come the day after Sarah and Freddie and their kids were spotted at LAX.

Sarah has been married to Prinze Jr. since 2002, after they met on the set of the 1997 horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer.

The '90s Hollywood 'it' couple went on to star as Fred and Daphne in both Scooby-Doo live-action films in 2002 and 2004.

Recently, the Ringer star revealed that her daughter wants to follow in her footsteps.

'Does it scare the s*** out of me? Well, we have rules in place,' she said.

'She can't be in front of a camera until she graduates high school,' Sarah said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

She added: 'She says to me, "That's unfair. You were a child actor." Yes, I was. But I was not the child of two famous parents.'

Family vacation: The Scream star had her shoulder-length blonde hair parted slightly off-center and straight as the family of four were spotted getting into a black SUV

Gondola: Afterward, they continued on to the Duomo, Florence's famous cathedral and then took a gondola ride on the Arno River

Famous bridge: While in the boat, the famous family sailed under the medieval stone Ponte Vecchio

The Scooby-Doo star started her career in her mid teens and found worldwide success when she was cast as the titular character in Buffy.

But Sarah did give Charlotte some hope.

'I'll never stop her from being on a set. But she's just not going on camera while she's living under our roof,' she explained.

'There'll be different expectations for her, so she needs to learn everything there is first,' she added.
Michelle Pfeiffer is sharing some insight into how she formulates her Henry Rose unisex fragrance line.

And while on Molly Sims' podcast Lipstick On The Rim, the actress revealed how in one instance she was unknowingly inspired by her late father, Richard Pfeiffer.

'I didn't know if it was possible to actually formulate one scent that could compete in the marketplace as a fine premium fragrance,' she told Sims, of a situation where she was trying to find a particular scent.

The three-time Oscar nominee continued, 'Through this process of the perfumers constantly saying to me, "Where does this take you? Tell us, does it take you to a place?" I realized what I was trying to formulate was my father's cologne.'

Pfeiffer, 65, went on to say that it can be difficult to find something she 'really' loves when it comes to fragrance, but once she does she fully commits.

Emotional: Michelle Pfeiffer, 65, recently shared that one of the new fragrances for her Henry Rose brand was inspired by her late father, Richard Pfeiffer

And it brought on an emotional reaction when she found herself choosing smells that reminded her of her late dad, who she revealed used to wear Old Spice.

'I didn't know that's what I was doing, and I didn't know that was why I gravitated toward that particular category in fragrance is because it's very emotional and you can always track it back to a really pleasant experience in your life,' she explained.

The actress shared some insight into what led her to choose the brand's name, Henry Rose, which turned out to be equally personal.

'I kept thinking and reflecting on what feels organic and authentic to this brand. And I kept coming back to my kids,' she shared.

As a result of that connection to her two children: Claudia Rose, 30, and John Henry, 28, she decided to use their middle names to create the brand moniker.

'And so it's their middle names, and so it's Henry and Rose and you know, and it also reflected that it was a genderless brand, which was important,' the Santa Ana, California native explained.

The Grease 2 leading lady, who shares her two children with her producer husband David E. Kelley, launched Henry Rose in 2019.

Her decision was prompted by her concerns about the safety of perfumes, which had led her to avoid them for a decade.

During a recent appearance on Molly Sims' podcast Lipstick On The Rim, she explained that she was unknowingly 'trying to formulate her father's cologne'

Personal: The three-time Oscar-nominated actress elaborated about how she found herself choosing smells that reminded her of her late dad

Scent connected to her dad: Pfeiffer disclosed that her late father used to wear Old Spice

Her inspiration: Pfeiffer's decision to launch her Henry Rose brand in 2019 was prompted by her concerns about the safety of perfumes, which had led her to avoid them for a decade

Growing business: The Scarface star has had reason to celebrate the growth of her brand in recent time, now that it's available for sale in high-end stores like Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and, most recently, Sephora

Milestone: Pfeiffer and producer husband David E. Kelley will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary on November 13

And while many celebrities have launched fragrance lines over the years, Pfeiffer actually established a fully transparent company with regards to the ingredients used in her products.

She has had reason to celebrate the growth of her brand in recent time, now that it's available for sale in such high-end stores such as Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and most recently Sephora.

After her spot on the Lipstick On The Rim podcast, Pfeiffer took to her instagram page and shared a clip of the conversation, along with a message to her 2.9 million fans ad followers.

'Fragrance has this magical ability to transport you to a place and time,' she shared in the caption. 'It's emotional! Loved chatting with @mollybsims and @emesegormley on the newest episode of @lipstickontherim out tomorrow, about my scent inspiration behind @henryrose.'

Pfeiffer was the second of four children of her father, Richard, who passed away in December 1998 at the age of 65, and mother Donna Jean (nee Taverna), who died in 2018 at 85.

During Pfeiffer's long career in Hollywood she has appeared in a slew of hit films that includes Grease 2 (1982), Scarface (1983), The Witches Of Eastwick (1987), Married To The Mob (1988), Tequila Sunrise (1988), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), Frankie and Johnny (1991), Batman Returns (1992), The Age Of Innocence (1993), Wolf (1994), Dangerous Minds (1995), What Lies Beneath (2000), I Am Sam (2001), and Hairspray (2007), among others.

Pfeiffer and Kelley will be celebrating their milestone 30th wedding anniversary this coming November 13.
Kevin McHale took to social media on Thursday to remember his late Glee co-stars Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera.

The 35-year-old actor posted a tribute on Twitter in which he recalled learning of Monteith's death 10 years ago while in Europe with Naya, who died in July 2020.

'10 years ago today I was in London with Naya. We immediately met up after being woken up by the worst possible news. We spent the day partly in shock, partly laughing at our memories, partly crying at the impossibility of it all,' McHale tweeted for his roughly 1.2 million followers.

He added: '10 years later, not a day has gone by where I dont miss you - both of you. Thanks for sharing your light with us for as brief as it was.'

Monteith was found dead in his hotel room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver, Canada, on July 13, 2013, after overdosing on heroin and alcohol at age 31.

Tender tribute: Kevin McHale, shown last month in Austin, Texas, took to social media on Thursday to remember his late Glee co-stars Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera

He played Finn Hudson on the first four seasons of the hit Fox musical television series Glee.

Rivera drowned on July 8, 2020, while swimming with her then-four-year-old son Josey at Lake Piru, near Santa Clarita, California, and her body was discovered on July 13, which was the seven-year anniversary of Monteith's death.

She portrayed lesbian cheerleader Santana Lopez on the hit Fox show.

Lea Michele, 36, posted a heartbreaking tribute on Thursday for Monteith, who was her love interest on Glee and in real life. They were still a couple when Monteith overdosed and died.

'Hey you. 10 years. It feels like only yesterday that you were here and yet a million years ago all at the same time,' Michele wrote on Instagram.

'I hold all of our memories in my heart where they will stay safe and never forgotten. We miss you every day and will never forget the light you to brought to us all. I miss you big guy,' the Broadway actress wrote.

Michele's message to Cory was accompanied by a throwback black-and-white photo that showed her cuddling affectionately up to him.

'I hope you found Taylor up there and are playing the drums together,' she added in an apparent reference to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, died at 50 last year of a cardiovascular collapse, reportedly with a cocktail of drugs in his system.

Fond memories: The 35-year-old actor posted a tribute on Twitter in which he recalled learning of Monteith's death 10 years ago while in Europe with Naya Rivera, shown in February 2011, who died in July 2020.

Glee star: Cory Monteith, shown in June 2013 in Los Angeles, died on July 13, 2013 in Vancouver, Canada of a drug overdose

Decade ago: '10 years ago today I was in London with Naya. We immediately met up after being woken up by the worst possible news. We spent the day partly in shock, partly laughing at our memories, partly crying at the impossibility of it all,' McHale tweeted for his roughly 1.2 million followers

Fox show: Naya and Kevin are shown in 2010 still from the hit Fox show Glee

McHale also took to Twitter after Rivera's body was recovered on July 13, 2020, after she vanished while swimming with Josey.

He tweeted that he believed Monteith played a part in leading searchers to the actress on the seventh anniversary of his own passing.

Searchers discovered Rivera after an extensive six-day search at the remote lake outside of Los Angeles.

'I'm not religious by any means, but you'd be hard-pressed to convince me that Cory didn't help find our girl today,' McHale tweeted.

He went on: 'These 2, in many ways, were the male and female versions of one another. So nice, cared deeply, were stupidly talented, the most fun, and really really good people.'

In a touching tribute to Rivera, McHale praised his late co-star for her 'quick-witted' actions in making sure to save her son Josey, four, before herself.

'The way that she loved her boy, it was truly Naya at her most peaceful,' he wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. 'I'm thankful that Naya got that beautiful little boy back on that boat.'

He added: 'I'm thankful he will have a strong family around him to protect him and tell him about his incredible mom.'

No coincidence: McHale back in 2020 tweeted that Monteith and Rivera were 'the male and female versions of one another'

In memoriam: He said Rivera's 'most natural talent of all was being a mother' to her then four-year-son Josey, whom she shared with ex-husband Ryan Dorsey

Season one: Dijon Talton, Cory Monteith, Harry Shum Jr, Mark Salling, and Heather Morris. Front row L-R: Amber Riley, Matthew Morrison (kneeling), Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Naya Rivera, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer and Dianna Agron are shown in a season one still from Glee

Chord Overstreet, another Glee alumnus, remembered Cory on Twitter on Thursday and posted: 'Cant believe its been 10 years. Miss you every day brother!'

Michele has maintained a tradition of publicly paying tribute to Monteith every year to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

A few months after he died, she told Teen Vogue: 'I somehow feel the insane love Cory and I had for each other morphed into this strength that I have right now.'

She shared: 'There's just something about knowing he's watching everything I'm doing and feeling like I have to do everything now not just for me but for him.'

Michele added: 'I also have a safety net below me - if I fall or if it's too much, my friends and family will be there to catch me.'
Nina Dobrev and her boyfriend Shaun White made a chic couple as they celebrated her new DuJour magazine cover at Gospel lounge in New York City.

The Vampire Diaries star, 34, put on a leggy display in a black and silver polka dot mini skirt and a matching blazer.

The Canadian actress  who was recently supported by her beau at her latest movie premiere  paired the look with a sheer black blouse that showed off her black bra and featured a sparkling silver collar.

She added extra height to the look with a pair of metallic silver heels and accessorized with sparkling hoop earrings.

Meanwhile Shaun, 36, looked dapper in a navy suit, which he paired with white sneakers. Underneath his blazer, the three-time Olympic Gold medalist and retired snowboarder sported a striped shirt over a white tee.

Chic pair: Nina Dobrev, 34, and her boyfriend Shaun White, 36, made a chic couple as they celebrated her new DuJour magazine cover at Gospel lounge in New York City

Nina swept her raven tresses into a high bun, with a few pieces left to frame her face. As for glam she sported winged black eyeliner and a peachy-toned lipstick.

Inside she was was pictured with publisher Jason Binn as they celebrated the special occasion.

Earlier in the day beauty flashed a bright smile as she was pictured carrying her cover inside.

The sighting of the couple comes after they posed on the red carpet for the premiere of Dobrev's upcoming film The Out-Laws last month.

The film was released on Netflix on July 7.

For the premiere, Dobrev showed off her stunning legs in a $9,000 Khaite SS/23 'Juniper Dress' and black high heels while White looked dapper in an eggplant-colored slim suit and black dress shoes.

The red-carpet appearance for the The Out-Laws Premiere came almost a week after Dobrev and White rode an electric scooter together across New York City.

For their scooter adventure, the couple wore matching outfits consisting of all-black clothing and a pair of white shoes.

Leggy! The Vampire Diaries star - who's been dating Shaun since late 2019 - put on a leggy display in a black and silver polka dot mini skirt and a matching blazer

Lovely: The Canadian actress paired the look with a sheer black blouse that showed off her black bra and featured a sparkling silver collar

Sparkling: She added extra height to the look with a pair of metallic silver heels and accessorized with sparkling hoop earrings

Inside: She was pictured inside the event with publisher Jason Binn

Proud: Nina proudly posed with her stylish cover

Cover girl: The beauty flashed a bright smile as she was pictured carrying her cover inside

The couple have been together since late 2019 and went public with their relationship on Instagram in April 2020.

The athlete consistently shows up for his A-list girlfriend on film sets and red carpets, showing his support.

The Out-Laws star reciprocates her boyfriend's affection. In 2022 she wrote on her Instagram page after Shaun retired from snowboarding  'I am in awe of you.'

'I couldn't be more proud of everything you have accomplished over the last 20 years as a competitor and the man you have become. You are one of a kind,' Nina added.
Kaley Cuoco showed off her chic sense of style alongside partner, Tom Pelphrey, as the couple enjoyed date night at Beetlejuice The Musical in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The Big Bang Theory alum, 37, who shares nearly four-month-old daughter Matilda with the Ozark actor, 40, was seen strolling hand-in-hand with her boyfriend, whom she publicly confirmed to be dating in May 2022.

For an evening out at the Pantages Theatre, the actress donned a pair of black, loose-fitting pants along with a plain, white top underneath.

She layered the ensemble with a black jacket which she chose to leave unfastened and slipped into a pair of black loafers for a finishing touch.

The star's long locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly cascaded down naturally past her shoulders, allowing her bangs to gently fall onto her forehead.

Date night! Kaley Cuoco, 37, showed off her chic sense of style alongside partner, Tom Pelphrey, 40, as the couple enjoyed date night at Beetlejuice The Musical in Los Angeles on Wednesday

Kaley accessorized her outfit with an assortment of necklaces as well as a pair of small, rhinestone earrings.

Tom also opted for stylish comfort for the outing, and was seen sporting a pair of black trousers along with a dark blue button up.

The Outer Range actor slipped into a pair of black sneakers with white soles that were tightly secured with laces. He was also seen carrying a black and white-patterned clutch in his left hand.

The two lovebirds, who welcomed their daughter Matilda 'Tildy' earlier this year on March 30, lovingly held hands as they strolled towards the entrance of the theater on Hollywood Boulevard.

Cuoco later jumped to her Instagram stories to share a few memorable moments from the night, such as the Playbill which she held in her hand. In text added above the snap, the star penned, 'This was way too much fun!!'

Beetlejuice The Musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and also Jeffrey Jones.

The production officially opened on Broadway in 2019, and kicked off its U.S. National Tour late last year in December 2022, and is slated to come to an end next summer on June 30, 2024.

In another cute photo, Kaley took a black and white selfie with Tom as they flashed cheerful smiles towards the camera which she sweetly captioned as 'date night.'

Keeping it chic: For an evening out at the Pantages Theatre, the actress donned a pair of black, loose-fitting pants along with a plain, white top underneath

'Fun' night! Cuoco later jumped to her Instagram stories to share a few memorable moments from the night, such as the Playbill which she held in her hand

'Date night': In another cute photo, Kaley took a black and white selfie with Tom as they flashed cheerful smiles towards the camera which she sweetly captioned as 'date night'

The Flight Attendant actress also showed her support for SAG-AFTRA which went on strike on Thursday, joining the Writers Guild of America which has been striking since May. She shared a photo on her stories with the words 'SAG-AFTRA Strong.'

Kaley, whose Peacock series Based On A True Story premiered last month in June, has also kept her fans updated with her growing family by sharing adorable photos on her main Instagram page.

Earlier on Wednesday, the beauty uploaded a cute picture of her mini-me gazing up towards the camera as her adorable pup, Opal, snuggled close to the little one.

'Tildy and our dogs were instant besties, especially her and Opal, who is pretty much Tildy's shadow these days,' she penned in the caption.

The star then plugged her Oh Norman Instagram page 'for my tips on introducing a new human to your dogs! .' She is also creating an official Oh Norman website that will sell 'clean' dog products which will officially launch later this year in Fall 2023.

Along with happily embracing motherhood, the actress recently revealed that she has developed a condition called 'Mommy wrist' and has shared photos of herself wearing wrist braces.

Showing support: The Flight Attendant actress also showed her support for SAG-AFTRA which went on strike on Thursday, joining the Writers Guild of America which has been striking since May

So cute! Earlier on Wednesday, the beauty uploaded a cute picture of her mini-me gazing up towards the camera as her adorable pup, Opal, snuggled close to the little one

New condition: Along with happily embracing motherhood, the actress recently revealed that she has developed a condition called 'Mommy wrist' and has shared photos of herself wearing wrist braces

In one photo, Cuoco had showed her left wrist which was securely wrapped with a black Copper Compression brace. 'They call it 'mommy wrist' she added in text over the image.

According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the condition is also known as De Quervain's tenosynovitis, or tendonitis.

The nickname 'Mommy's wrist' was given to the condition due to it being a 'type of tendonitis in the wrist whose nickname comes from the fact that the condition is common in caregivers of young children.'

The condition 'causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist and is worse with movement of the thumb' while others 'may feel a tender cyst or bump and notice swelling in this part of the wrist near the base of the thumb.'
Michael Clifford is going to be a girl dad.

The 5 Seconds of Summer guitarist, 27, is expecting his first child with his wife Crystal Leigh, 34, and the pair celebrated their baby shower on Sunday, July 2.

The soon-to-be parents kicked off celebrations by doing a gender reveal, setting off cannons that burst out pink powder and streamers.

Sharing intimate photos of the emotional moment they realised they were expecting a baby girl, Michael said he was thrilled to be a father to a daughter.

'Im gonna be a girl dad,' he wrote in the caption.

5 Seconds of Summer's Michael Clifford and his pregnant wife Crystal Leigh shared sweet photos from their gender reveal party on Thursday as they prepare to welcome their first child - a baby girl

The photos showed the musician keeping to the theme, wearing a pale blue shirt and a pink beanie, while Crystal wore a strapless pink mini dress.

The couple both broke down in tears of joy as the cannons burst.

However, according to People magazine, the reveal didn't quite go as expected.

'I really enjoyed the part when a cannon malfunctioned and went off too early,' Crystal told the outlet.

The soon-to-be parents kicked off celebrations by doing a gender reveal, setting off cannons that burst out pink powder and streamers

Sharing intimate photos of the emotional moment they realised they were expecting a baby girl, Michael said he was thrilled to be a father to a daughter

'The gender reveal part of the shower was kind of an afterthought, so we were all still standing around trying to figure out where to stand when it happened.'

Michael also said that he'd 'always wanted to be a girl dad'.

'I couldnt stop crying when I found out it was a girl... I'm just so over the moon,' he said.

The couple both broke down in tears of joy as the cannons burst

Michael said that he'd 'always wanted to be a girl dad'

The married couple revealed they were expecting their first child together in June by posting a series of pregnancy snaps posted to social media.

In several of the pictures, Clifford cradled Crystal's baby bump.

The Quakers Hill-born music superstar revealed the expected delivery date in his post's caption.

Clifford wrote, 'youre already everything baby clifford 11/11/23'.

The married couple revealed they were expecting their first child together in June by posting a series of pregnancy snaps posted to social media

Last year, Michael revealed that he secretly tied the knot with Crystal in 2021. Pictured on their wedding day

Clifford revealed he married Leigh in secret in 2021.

The pair shared a series of stunning images from their intimate ceremony and reception with People magazine last year as they marked their one-year wedding anniversary.

They also excitedly announced the news on social media, with Michael saying he 'couldn't wait any longer to make Crystal Mrs Clifford'.

Crystal stunned on the day wearing two wedding dresses from the designer Galia Lahav, while Michael wore a suit from Yves Saint Laurent. Crystal is seen wearing a gown by the designer in a dress fitting, but not the wedding dresses she chose

The pair said they tied the knot with their bridal party and groomsmen at their home in the US, but were hosting a bigger wedding for their parents and wider family sometime soon in Bali.

They put off their lavish overseas nuptials due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but decided to keep their original January 2021 wedding date by getting married at their home in Los Angeles.

Michael and Crystal hosted a lavish celebration in their backyard, with rows of tables set up underneath fairy lights and adorned with elaborate floral displays.

Guests included Michael's 5SOS bandmates Luke Hemmings, bassist Calum Hood, and drummer Ashton Irwin.

Crystal stunned on the day in not one, but two wedding dresses from the designer Galia Lahav, while Michael wore a suit from Yves Saint Laurent.

Her first gown featured a bustier neckline and an A-line skirt with semi-sheer detailing and crystal embellishment.

She then changed into a white long sleeve gown, looking every inch the blushing, and modern bride.

They first went public with their romance in 2017

For food, Michael revealed they mixed classic Australian dishes with some vegan delights.

The pair saved traditional aspects of a wedding for their Bali nuptials, including reciting their wedding vows so Crystal could share some special moments with her mother.

Michael and Crystal, who live in Los Angeles, got engaged in January 2019.

They first went public with their romance in 2017.
The teenage daughter of Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans has lost her bid for a domestic violence restraining order against him.

On Thursday a judge at the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed an application by Ella, 13, after she filed documents on May 31.

Mr Gruffudd was present in court, along with Ms Evans for the hearing, as well as the lawyer appointed as the minor's counsel last month.

The judge ruled: 'The minor's request for a domestic violence restraining order against the petitioner is hereby dismissed without prejudice.'

The decision comes three weeks after the teenager's bid to get a civil protection order against Mr Gruffudd's actress girlfriend Bianca Wallace, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was also denied.

Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans pose for photos at a gala in Los Angeles on April 15, 2016

Ioan Gruffudd with his 13-year-old daughter Ella Evans and her nine-year-old sister Elsie

On Thursday a judge at the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed an application by Ella, 13, for a restraining order against him

Friends of the Liar star say he is 'very relieved' at the outcome.

READ MORE: Couple's divorce is finalised after acrimonious split Advertisement

They also say that the situation is a 'nightmare' but they are 'happy to see some progress' with the situation.

Last month the judge also appointed a minors counsel - a lawyer appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the child - to act for Ella and her younger sister Elsie, nine.

The case, which has been played out in public, has gripped the showbusiness world since the Welsh heartthrob left 102 Dalmatians star Ms Evans in 2021 after a 14-year marriage.

Last month, Mr Gruffudd, 49, filed court documents that accused Ms Evans of setting up fake Twitter accounts to brand him and Ms Wallace 'child abusers'.

He also claimed that Ms Evans screamed at him outside his Los Angeles home and called him a 'f***ing abuser' and 'abusive c***' in front of Ella.

Ms Evans and Mr Gruffudd with Ella and Elsie at a film premiere in Hollywood on May 5, 2018

Alice and Ioan met on the set of 2000 Disney Film 102 Dalmatians and married in 2007

Mr Gruffudd also said that Ms Evans on one occasion accused him of 'taking away my kids', called him a 'f***ing p***y' and 'evil', called his mother a c***' - and told Ella she did not want to see her for a few days, yelling: 'The babies can stand up for me or they can f*** off.'

In addition, he alleged that Ms Evans told him: 'I'm going to tell my lawyer that you punched me last week. It's going to be like Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. It's not going to end well for you.'

Gruffudd also claimed Ella poured milk over his and Wallace's bed and wrote 'f**' with a mustard bottle, as well as squirting it over the kitchen counter and floors.

He already has a restraining order out against his estranged wife, which prevents her from mentioning him on social media for three years.

The couple were declared legally divorced on July 3, two years after the actor filed for divorce after 14 years of marriage.

Last month the judge also appointed a minors counsel - a lawyer appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the child - to act for Ella and her younger sister Elsie.
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This is the moment the star-studded cast of Oppenheimer walked out of the film's UK premiere on Thursday as thousands of actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years.

Footage from the black carpet, which was brought forward by an hour to avoid clashing with the strike's announcement, showed the cast posing for photos before making their way back to their hotel in London.

Stars including Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early, with the film's director Christopher Nolan later saying the cast had left the event to 'write their picket signs.'

Hollywood is set to grind to a halt for the forseeable future as unions take militant action over how streaming services are pushing down pay and the increasing use of AI in production.

The move could delay the release dates of blockbusters in the UK, with filming already halted today on the Buckinghamshire set of Wicked, starring Ariana Grande, while Deadpool 3, Beetlejuice 2 and Speak No Evil also face being pushed back.

The likes of Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Rami Malek were all on the red carpet at the Odeon in Leicester Square last night, before leaving prematurely to 'go and write their picket signs' in preparation for the 'imminent' strike by the actors' union.

Done: This is the moment the cast of Oppenheimer walked out of the film's UK premiere on Thursday, as thousands of actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years

Leaving! Stars including Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early

Off they go! Footage from the black carpet showed the cast posing for photos together before making their way back to their hotel in London

The last minute change came after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it had voted in favour of taking action, after a deadline to reach a deal passed.

Among the affected films is superhero blockbuster Deadpool 3, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman - which may have its scheduled release date of May 2024 significantly impacted by the strike.

Similarly, new film Wicked starring US singer Ariana Grande, actress Cynthia Erivo, Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey and Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, which is being shot in a village in Buckinghamshire could also be affected, as the release date is currently set for November next year.

The set of Wicked appeared like a ghost town on Friday after it was abandoned last night following the announcement of the industrial action.

Other UK productions that face being impacted include vampire thriller The Radleys and psychological thriller Speak No Evil.

It is believed the highly anticipated second season of House of Dragon, however, can continue filming in the UK despite the ongoing strikes across the pond.

This is because the cast is made up of primarily British actors whose contracts are under the local union Equity - whose members are legally not allowed to strike in solidarity with US workers.

Pictures from the set, in an undisclosed location in Britain, this morning showed crew members preparing for another day of shooting.

Fortunately for fans of The Lord of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, the second season has just recently finished filming - in good news for Amazon which is expected to spend more than $1billion producing the series.

But for some of the biggest hits this year, from Barbie, to Oppenheimer and Mission: Impossible 7, the strikes mean studio executives face being unable to market their big-budget productions.

Meanwhile in the U.S., from Los Angeles to New York, actors, writers and other workers are today taking to the streets while holding up signs and demanding better pay.

The industrial action means press junkets for summer and autumn film premieres will be cancelled, and the Emmy awards face being postponed.

In a red-carpet interview with Variety last night, Matt Damon revealed that 'once the strike is officially called', the cast is 'going to walk obviously in solidarity'.

'That's why we moved this [red carpet] up because we know the second it's called, we're going home,' he said.

Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet earlier, Emily Blunt added: 'I hope everyone makes a fair deal and we are here to celebrate this movie.

'And if they call [a strike], we'll be leaving together as cast in unity with everyone.  We are gonna have to. We are gonna have to. We will see what happens. Right now it's the joy to be together.'

Just before the strike was announced, Kenneth Branagh said on the red carpet: 'We know it's a critical time at this point in the industry and the issues that are involved need to be addressed - there are difficult conversations.'

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the group that negotiates on behalf of studios, said it had offered significant gains to union members, reports Reuters.

Matt Damon signs autographs outside The Corinthia Hotel in London on Thursday night after walking out of the Oppenheimer premiere

In demand: Florence Pugh was all smiles as she posed with fans after walking out of the Oppenheimer premiere due to strikes in Hollywood

Tamsin Egerton in London (left) and (right) Josh Hartnett leaves his hotel in London on Thursday night. Both have joined the first major Hollywood strike in 60 years

Director Christopher Nolan told the cinema's audience: 'Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by Sag'

They included the highest percentage increase in minimum pay levels in 35 years and 'groundbreaking' protections around the use of actors' images by generative AI, the organisation claimed.

It said: 'Rather than continuing to negotiate, SAG-AFTRA has put us on a course that will deepen the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.'

After the Oppenheimer cast then failed to enter the cinema after appearing on the red carpet, director Christopher Nolan told the audience: 'You've seen them here earlier on the red carpet.

'Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by Sag, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them.'

Christopher then attended a second premiere screening of Oppenheimer and voiced his support for the strikes while introducing the film as he praised the 'talented' workers.

According to Deadline, he told the audience: 'They are here in spirit, and you'll get to see their incredible work and the reason we value these talented people so much and need to care for them and make sure they're looked after.'

'Thanks so much for being here and we hope you enjoy the film,' he added as the audience applauded his supportive words.

Christopher Nolan says the cast of #Oppenheimer left the premiere to go and write their pickets and join the strike pic.twitter.com/rc2SaSxcfk  Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 13, 2023

Christopher Nolan introduces a second premiere screening of #Oppenheimer in London and repeats his casts support for the SAG strike. He received a round of applause from the audience that included directors Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newall, artist-filmmaker Tacita Dean and several pic.twitter.com/FoYxJA7dhB  Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 13, 2023

At 07.01 UK time, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), representing around 160,000 movie and television actors, tweeted a black picture alongside the message: '12:01 a.m. PT That's a wrap!'

'This is a moment of history, a moment of truth - if we don't stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble,' SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher told a press conference, following the union board's unanimous vote to strike.

SAG-AFTRA union President Fran Drescher - star of the long-running show The Nanny - speaks next to Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, at SAG-AFTRA offices on Thursday - after negotiations ended with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the entity that represents major studios and streamers

'We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines and big business.'

Writers have already spent 11 weeks protesting outside the headquarters of the likes of Disney and Netflix, after their demands for better pay and guarantees over the use artificial intelligence were not met.

Movie studios have already begun reshuffling their calendars, and if the strikes drag on, major film releases will be postponed too.

Both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are demanding increases in base pay and residuals from streaming television, plus assurances that their work will not be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).

The actors' union said on Thursday that its board had unanimously agreed to a strike after failing to reach a deal with studios including Walt Disney Co and Netflix Inc . Officials said actors would join picket lines in New York and Los Angeles starting on Friday.

The WGA's work stoppage has rippled throughout California and beyond, hitting caterers, prop suppliers and others who rely on Hollywood productions for business. The economic damage is expected to spread after actors join the picket lines.

Fran Drescher, former star of 'The Nanny' TV show and the president of SAG-AFTRA, called the studios' responses to actors' concerns 'insulting and disrespectful.'

'We are the victims here,' Drescher said at a press conference on Thursday, 'We are being victimised by a very greedy entity.'

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced early Thursday morning that negotiations for higher wages from studios had ended without a deal.

Pickets: Meanwhile, the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2

Members of the Writers Guild of America East are joined by SAG-AFTRA members as they picket at the Warner Bros. Discovery NYC office on July 13, 2023 in New York City

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the group that negotiates on behalf of studios, said it had offered significant gains to union members, reports Reuters. (Pictured: Members of Writers Guild of America (WGA) join Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) to support striking hotel workers in Los Angeles)

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the group that negotiates on behalf of studios, said it had offered significant gains to union members, reports Reuters. (Pictured: Members of Writers Guild of America (WGA) join Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) to support striking hotel workers in Los Angeles)

'I beez on strike': Actor David Krumholtz (left) explains why he is on strike to his Instagram followers. Actor Matthew Modine (right) shows his solidarity with the strikes in an Instagram post

The provisions the studios had agreed to The highest percentage increase in minimums in 35 years

76% increase in High Budget SVOD foreign residuals

Substantial increases in pension and health contribution caps

AI proposal which protects performers' digital likenesses, including a requirement for performer's consent for the creation and use of digital replicas or for digital alterations of a performance

58% increase in salaries for major role (guest star) performers wages on High Budget SVOD Programs

Limitation of self-tape requests, including page, time and tech requirements. Options for virtual or in-person auditions

11% pay increase in year 1 for background actors, stand-ins and photo doubles, an additional 17% increase for background actors required to do extensive self-styling, and an additional 62% increase for stand-ins required to deliver lines during a run-through and photo doubles required to memorize and deliver lines on camera.

First-time-ever fixed residuals for Stunt Coordinators on television and High Budget SVOD programs

Shortened option periods for series regulars earning less than $65,000 per episode on a half-hour series or less than $70,000 per episode on a one-hour series

Dancers will now receive the on-camera rate for rehearsal days. Advertisement

By Thursday afternoon, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced the union leadership officially voted for a work stoppage to begin at midnight after their demands for higher wages and protections against artificial intelligence were not met.

Under the rules of a strike, SAG-AFTRA members would not be able to film any movie or TV series, take part in any press or film premieres or promote anything at this month's San Diego Comic-Con.

The pending strike will affect Disney's Avatar and Lion King sequels, as well as shows that were scheduled to return to television in the fall, like The Simpsons.

Announcing the strike Thursday afternoon, actress Fran Drescher, who serves as the president of SAG-AFTRA, said 'We demand respect! You cannot exist without us!'

'What happens to us is important,' The Nanny star said. 'What's happening to us is happening across all fields of labor.

'When employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors who make the machine run, we have a problem.'

'The jig is up, we demand respect,' she said.

Almost immediately afterwards, picketing screenwriters outside Netflix's Hollywood offices started chanting 'Pay Your Actors!'

A spokesperson for SAG said: 'After more than four weeks of bargaining, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)  the entity that represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery  remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that are essential to Sag-Aftra members.

'The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us.

'Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.

'We have no choice but to move forward in unity, and on behalf of our membership, with a strike recommendation to our national board.

'The board will discuss the issue this morning and will make its decision.'

SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers.

The walkout affects only the union's 65,000 actors from television and film productions.

Meanwhile, the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2. The stoppage has showed no signs of a solution, with no negotiations even planned.

Undeterred by the earlier start time last night, the Oppenheimer cast were dressed to the nines on the red carpet with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress.

The actress made sure all eyes were on her in the plunging number which flashed some side boob and had a daring cut-out section across her midriff.

Emily, meanwhile, wowed in a black sequin gown which had skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff.

The untimely clash is a bit of a blow to Christopher who has shelled out 81million on the blockbuster production, set to hit UK cinemas on July 21.

Peaky Blinders star Cillian takes on the role of Dr J. Robert Oppenheimer, the 'father of the atomic bomb' and, after the Paris premiere earlier this week, critics have tipped it to win big.

Emily takes on the role of physicist Oppenheimer's wife Kitty, while Florence plays Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, Communist Party member, and close friend of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Clash: The London premiere of Oppenheimer was moved forward an hour early on Thursday ahead of the writers strike (L-R Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh)

Plan: In a red-carpet interview with Variety on the night, Damon revealed that 'once the strike is officially called', the cast is 'going to walk obviously in solidarity'

Playful: Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast

Crowds: The Oppenheimer cast and crew all looked united as they smiled for pictures ahead of the walkout

Glam: Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines on the red carpet with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress

A-list talent: Cillian Murphy, who plays the leading role of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Emily Blunt both graced the red carpet

Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast. She added a dramatic and glamorous touch with the puffy skirt and accessorised with silver hoop earrings.

The actress starred alongside Cillian in A Quiet Place Part 2 and the duo hugged on the black carpet.

The film is being adapted from the 2006 book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

The book, which won the Pulitzer Prize, details Oppenheimer's personal life and his time leading the Manhattan Project in the early and mid-1940s.

The film has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards.

Journalists have taken to Twitter to share their glowing reviews of the movie, with one critic describing how the film 'split my brain open' and 'left me sobbing through the end credits'.

Celebrating: The stars, including Emily and Florence, all smiled and showed their close friendships as they celebrated the release of Oppenheimer

Say cheese: Florence posed for selfies with fans

The Telegraph's Robbie Collin wrote: 'Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it's a total knockout'

Elsa Keslassy of Variety added: 'A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stayed in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to debate about it!'

A whole host of Hollywood stars, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Mark Ruffalo, are poised to join writers on strike for the first time in 60 years.

Thousands of members of the Writers Guild of America have downed tools after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over pay fell apart.

At the center of the row is the rise of streaming - with the guild claiming that even as budgets have increased, writers' share of that cash has consistently shrunk.

Attending a photo event on Wednesday, Oppenheimer star Matt said while everyone was hoping a strike could be averted, he said many actors need a fair contract to survive.

'We ought to protect the people who are kind of on the margins,' Damon told the AP.

'And 26,000 bucks a year is what you have to make to get your health insurance. And there are a lot of people whose residual payments are what carry them across that threshold.

'And if those residual payments dry up, so does their health care. And thats absolutely unacceptable. We cant have that. So, we got to figure out something that is fair.'

It is the first time since 1960 that actors and writers picket film and television productions.

Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since early May slowing the production of film and television series on both coasts and in production centers like Atlanta.
Florence Pugh and Matt Damon wasted no time walking out of the Oppenheimer premiere on Thursday as thousands of actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years.

The A-list stars joined their colleagues by leaving the premiere early after the strike was announced and returning to the Corinthia Hotel in London.

Footage from the black carpet, which was brought forward by an hour to avoid clashing with the strike's announcement, showed the cast posing for photos together before walking out.

Despite the strike, Florence appeared in good spirits as she arrived back to the hotel the cast were staying at.

The actress looked incredible in a burnt orange gown with a plunging neckline and a cut out along the midriff that highlighted her jaw-dropping figure.

Strike: Florence Pugh and Matt Damon wasted no time walking out of the Oppenheimer premiere on Thursday as actors went on the biggest strike to hit Hollywood in 60 years

Exit: The A-list actors joined their colleagues by leaving the premiere early after the strike was announced and returning to the Corinthia Hotel in London

The garment also featured a pleated detail while her flame-haired locks were styled into a short cropped 'do.

Matt looked dapper in a black blazer with a matching waistcoat and trousers along with a white T-shirt.

The stars were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early, with the film's director Christopher Nolan later saying the cast had left the event to 'write their picket signs.'

Hollywood is set to grind to a halt for the forseeable future as unions take militant action over how streaming services are pushing down pay and the increasing use of AI in production.

The likes of Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Rami Malek also walked the red carpet at the Odeon in Leicester Square earlier in the night.

But the group left the event prematurely to 'go and write their picket signs' in preparation for the 'imminent' strike by the actors' union.

The last minute change came after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it had voted in favour of taking action, after a deadline to reach a deal passed.

The reasons for the strike include issues such as the use of unregulated AI as well as the effects of the rise of streaming services on pay.

Event: Despite the strike, Florence appeared in good spirits as she arrived back to the hotel the cast were staying at

Stunning: The actress looked incredible in a burnt orange gown with a plunging neckline and a cut out along the midriff that highlighted her jaw-dropping figure

In demand: Florence was all smiles as she posed with fans

Popular: Matt was greeted by dozens of fans as he arrived back at the hotel

A-list: The actor was happy to oblige his fans by signing autographs

Leaving! Stars including Emily Blunt and Florence were visibly emotional as they exited the premiere early

Off they go! Footage from the black carpet showed the cast posing for photos together before making their way back to their hotel in London

Departure: Christopher Nolan was also seen arriving back to the hotel after the strike was called

Director Christopher Nolan told the cinema's audience: 'You've seen them here earlier on the red carpet.

'Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by Sag, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them.'

Christopher then attended a second premiere screening of Oppenheimer and voiced his support for the strikes while introducing the film as he praised the 'talented' workers.

According to Deadline, he told the audience: 'They are here in spirit, and you'll get to see their incredible work and the reason we value these talented people so much and need to care for them and make sure they're looked after.'

'Thanks so much for being here and we hope you enjoy the film,' he added as the audience applauded his supportive words.

In a red-carpet interview with Variety on the night, Matt revealed that 'once the strike is officially called', the cast is 'going to walk obviously in solidarity'.

'That's why we moved this [red carpet] up because we know the second it's called, we're going home,' he said.

Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet earlier, Emily added: 'I hope everyone makes a fair deal and we are here to celebrate this movie.

'And if they call [a strike], we'll be leaving together as cast in unity with everyone.  We are gonna have to. We are gonna have to. We will see what happens. Right now it's the joy to be together.'

Taking a stand: The cast walked out of UK premiere in 'solidarity' with actors' strike (L-R: Matt, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, and Florence)

Christopher Nolan says the cast of #Oppenheimer left the premiere to go and write their pickets and join the strike pic.twitter.com/rc2SaSxcfk  Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 13, 2023

Director Christopher Nolan told the cinema's audience: 'Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by Sag'

Tension: The last minute change came after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it had voted in favour of taking action, after a deadline to reach a deal passed'

Clash: The London premiere of Oppenheimer was moved forward an hour early on Thursday ahead of the writers strike (L-R Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh)

Support: Christopher then attended a second premiere screening of Oppenheimer and voiced his support for the strikes while introducing the film as he praised the 'talented' workers

Christopher Nolan introduces a second premiere screening of #Oppenheimer in London and repeats his casts support for the SAG strike. He received a round of applause from the audience that included directors Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newall, artist-filmmaker Tacita Dean and several pic.twitter.com/FoYxJA7dhB  Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 13, 2023

Sag-aftra is expected to rule in favour of a picket line after its negotiating committee had unanimously voted to recommend its 160,000 members go on strike on June 12.

The decision has the potential of bringing a simultaneous strike from actors and writers for the first time in 60 years.

Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines on the red carpet with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress.

The actress made sure all eyes were on her in the plunging number which flashed some side boob and had a daring cut-out section across her midriff.

Emily, meanwhile, wowed in a black sequin gown which had skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff.

The untimely clash is a bit of a blow to Christopher who has shelled out 81million on the blockbuster production, set to hit UK cinemas on July 21.

Peaky Blinders star Cillian takes on the role of Dr J. Robert Oppenheimer, the 'father of the atomic bomb' and, after the Paris premiere earlier this week, critics have tipped it to win big.

Emily takes on the role of physicist Oppenheimer's wife Kitty, while Florence plays Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, Communist Party member, and close friend of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Emily styled her blonde locks in soft waves and added a boost to her height with black heels.

Plan: In a red-carpet interview with Variety on the night, Damon revealed that 'once the strike is officially called', the cast is 'going to walk obviously in solidarity'

Words: Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet earlier, Emily added: 'I hope everyone makes a fair deal and we are here to celebrate this movie'

United: Before the strike action was announced, the Oppenheimer cast had put on a united display while arriving at the premiere

Leading man: Cillian, 47, joined his co-stars Emily, 40, and Florence, 27, on the black carpet at 5.45pm in Leicester Square to avoid a clash

Braless: Florence put on a daring display in a plunging burnt orange gown as she joined Emily on the black carpet

Playful: Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast

Stunning: Florence wowed in a racy dress as she posed at the Oppenheimer London Premiere

Plunging: She had her ample assets on display in the dress

Having a laugh: Emily and Florence shared a laugh at the premiere

Gorgeous: Emily wowed in a black sequin gown with skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff

Bringing the fire: She posed up a storm for the cameras in the dress, which was a nod to the film plot

The actress starred alongside Cillian in A Quiet Place Part 2 and the duo hugged on the black carpet.

The film is being adapted from the 2006 book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

The book, which won the Pulitzer Prize, details Oppenheimer's personal life and his time leading the Manhattan Project in the early and mid-1940s.

The film has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards.

Journalists have taken to Twitter to share their glowing reviews of the movie, with one critic describing how the film 'split my brain open' and 'left me sobbing through the end credits'.

The Telegraph's Robbie Collin wrote: 'Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it's a total knockout'

Elsa Keslassy of Variety added: 'A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stayed in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to debate about it!'

A whole host of Hollywood stars, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Mark Ruffalo, are poised to join writers on strike for the first time in 60 years.

Thousands of members of the Writers Guild of America have downed tools after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over pay fell apart.

At the center of the row is the rise of streaming - with the guild claiming that even as budgets have increased, writers' share of that cash has consistently shrunk.

Attending a photo event on Wednesday, Oppenheimer star Matt said while everyone was hoping a strike could be averted, he said many actors need a fair contract to survive.

'We ought to protect the people who are kind of on the margins,' Damon told the AP.

'And 26,000 bucks a year is what you have to make to get your health insurance. And there are a lot of people whose residual payments are what carry them across that threshold.

'And if those residual payments dry up, so does their health care. And thats absolutely unacceptable. We cant have that. So, we got to figure out something that is fair.'

Crowds: The Oppenheimer cast and crew all looked united as they smiled for pictures ahead of the walkout

Celebrating: The stars, including Emily and Florence, all smiled and showed their close friendships as they celebrated the release of Oppenheimer

Fun: The girls put on an animated display as they walked the black carpet

Say cheese: Florence posed for selfies with fans

It is the first time since 1960 that actors and writers picket film and television productions.

Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since early May slowing the production of film and television series on both coasts and in production centers like Atlanta.

The provisions the studios had agreed to The highest percentage increase in minimums in 35 years

76% increase in High Budget SVOD foreign residuals

Substantial increases in pension and health contribution caps

AI proposal which protects performers digital likenesses, including a requirement for performers consent for the creation and use of digital replicas or for digital alterations of a performance

58% increase in salaries for major role (guest star) performers wages on High Budget SVOD Programs

Limitation of self-tape requests, including page, time and tech requirements. Options for virtual or in-person auditions

11% pay increase in year 1 for background actors, stand-ins and photo doubles, an additional 17% increase for background actors required to do extensive self-styling, and an additional 62% increase for stand-ins required to deliver lines during a run-through and photo doubles required to memorize and deliver lines on camera.

First-time-ever fixed residuals for Stunt Coordinators on television and High Budget SVOD programs

Shortened option periods for series regulars earning less than $65,000 per episode on a half-hour series or less than $70,000 per episode on a one-hour series

Dancers will now receive the on-camera rate for rehearsal days. Advertisement

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced early Thursday morning that negotiations for higher wages from studios had ended without a deal.

By Thursday afternoon, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced the union leadership officially voted for a work stoppage to begin at midnight after their demands for higher wages and protections against artificial intelligence were not met.

Under the rules of a strike, SAG-AFTRA members would not be able to film any movie or TV series, take part in any press or film premieres or promote anything at this month's San Diego Comic-Con.

The pending strike will affect Disney's Avatar and Lion King sequels, as well as shows that were scheduled to return to television in the fall, like The Simpsons.

Announcing the strike Thursday afternoon, actress Fran Drescher, who serves as the president of SAG-AFTRA, said 'We demand respect! You cannot exist without us!'

'What happens to us is important,' The Nanny star said. 'Whats happening to us is happening across all fields of labor.

'When employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors who make the machine run, we have a problem.'

'The jig is up, we demand respect,' she said.

Almost immediately afterwards, picketing screenwriters outside Netflix's Hollywood offices started chanting 'Pay Your Actors!'

A spokesperson for SAG said: 'After more than four weeks of bargaining, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)  the entity that represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery  remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that are essential to Sag-Aftra members.

'The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us.

'Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.

'We have no choice but to move forward in unity, and on behalf of our membership, with a strike recommendation to our national board.

Glam: Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines on the red carpet with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress

A-list talent: Cillian Murphy, who plays the leading role of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Emily Blunt both graced the red carpet

Thriller: Oppenheimer has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards and the stars have all been busy promoting its release

Early: The actors, including Florence Pugh, walked the black carpet at 5.45pm at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square as the event kicked off an hour early

Couple: Christopher Nolan was joined by his wife Emma Thomas as they celebrated his new movie Oppenheimer

Having a blast: Robert Downey Jr appeared in high spirits

Amorous: Rami Malek gave Robert a kiss on the cheek

Pickets: Meanwhile, the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2

'The board will discuss the issue this morning and will make its decision.'

SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers.

The walkout affects only the union's 65,000 actors from television and film productions.

Meanwhile, the 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since their own talks collapsed and their contract expired on May 2. The stoppage has showed no signs of a solution, with no negotiations even planned.
Elizabeth Jagger looked positively giddy as she left the Vogue x Self Portrait Summer Party on Thursday night.

The model and activist, 39, beamed from ear to ear as she climbed into her car after a fun-filled night.

The daughter of rock icon Mick Jagger attended the event with her husband Christopher Behlau as the two posed for photographers.

The duo keep their relationship very private but are parents to two-year-old Eugene who was born in 2020.

Away from parent duties, Elizabeth looked stunning last night as she wowed in a long black dress with mesh detailed bodice.

Fun-filled night: Mick Jagger's daughter Elizabeth Jagger, 39, looked positively giddy and glamorous in shimmering gold jacket as she left the Vogue x Self Portrait Summer Party on Thursday night

The perfect couple: The model attended with her husband, film producer Christopher Behlau

Stylish: The couple looked incredibly glam as they were photographed on the streets of London after attending the swanky fashion event

Leaving the night, the star threw on a shimmery gold jacket with added hanging gold tassels while donning a bold red lip makeup look.

Elizabeth wore her long auburn hair in loose curls down her back as she completed the outfit with a pair of chunk gold platform heels.

Her film producer husband looked like a rockstar himself as he matched his wife in an all black and dark grey ensemble.

Wearing a cowboy-esque black shirt with dark grey blazer and black jeans, Christopher wore his thick locks tucked behind his ears as she posed happily with his wife.

The event took place at the Chiltern Firehouse and was hosted by the publications editor-in-chief Edward Enninful.

A whole host of celebrities descended on the event including stars Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Rita Ora, Emily Ratajkowski and Rochelle Humes.

The model, 32, commanded attention in a black velvet cut-out gown which was emblazoned with pearl jewels and complete with a thigh-high slit.

Meanwhile Rita, also 32, left little to the imagination as she showed off lingerie in a black beaded mesh dress.

Looking good! Elizabeth beamed as she posed at the swanky fashion event with her spouse

All about the gold: Elizabeth embellished her black outfit with a series of gold accessories

Stunning: The star looked incredible in a long black dress with mesh bodice detailing

Glamorous: Elizabeth let her auburn locks hang in natural girls as she donned a bold red lip

Ready for the night: A whole host of celebrities were invited to attend the bash

Father and daughter: Elizabeth is the eldest daughter of Sir Mick Jagger, 79, and Jerry Hall, 67, and the third of Sir Micks eight children (pictured 2011)

Show-stopping display: Emily Ratajkowski,32, commanded attention in a black velvet cut-out gown

Career high: The Love Island Maya Jama, 28, host looked thrilled to be at the party, having marked a milestone earlier this week when her Vogue cover was released

Stunning: Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 31, dazzled as she channeled her inner Barbie in a pink and white rhinestone gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline

The Voice judge teamed the racy number with sparkly cowboy boots and a gold necklace.

Jetting back from filming Love Island in Mallorca, Maya Jama looked gorgeous in a figure-hugging black dress with diamante neckline.

She is the latest star to front a Vogue cover and the brunette beauty looked thrilled to be at the party, having marked a milestone earlier this week when the cover was released.

Little Mix star Leigh-Anne channeled her inner Barbie for the event in a pink and white rhinestone gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline.

She styled her locks in a complicated up do while pairing the dress with some strappy heels and a mirrored clutch bag.
Love Island exes Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti endured a painfully awkward reunion on the red carpet at the London Barbie premiere.

The former couple clapped eyes on each other at the A-list event on Wednesday just meters away from the film's big star Margot Robbie before Ekin mouthed 'oh wow' and warned Davide with a glaring stare not to come any closer.

Their run-in came 24 hours after Davide had moved out of the east London apartment that he shared with Ekin as the couple's public split is made official.

In a TikTok video, the pair came face to face as they soaked up the atmosphere but avoided speaking before Davide quickly turned his back on his ex-partner.

Following their breakup, which Davide announced on Instagram last month, the Italian was captured on video 'sniffing a white suspicious powder' in Ibiza, later telling his fanbase that the past few weeks have been 'difficult'.

Love Island exes Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti endured a painfully awkward reunion on the red carpet at the London Barbie premiere

The former couple clapped eyes on each other at the A-list event just meters away from the film's big star Margot Robbie before Ekin mouthed 'oh wow' and warned Davide with a glaring stare not to come any closer

Their run-in came 24 hours after Davide had moved out of the east London apartment that he shared with Ekin as the couple's public split is made official

In a TikTok video, the pair came face to face as they soaked up the atmosphere but avoided speaking before Davide quickly turned his back on his ex-partner

A source told MailOnline: 'Davide spent the beginning of the week moving out of the London flat he shared with Ekin.

'He's had a terrible time since their split from having to find a new place to live back in Manchester and the added stress of being betrayed by someone he trusted while on holiday.

'Davide and Ekin have always loved the excitement of film premieres and attending them together, so it was a sad moment to be at the Barbie opening but not as a couple.

'He's now gone home to Italy to spend some much-needed time with his family.'

Ekin and Davide posed up for separate photos with Love Island super fan Margot, who stars in hotly anticipated film Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken.

Margot has previously admitted to watching Love Island and producers told MailOnline they even provide the Hollywood actress with a personal link so she can view the UK series from overseas.

She will have watched Ekin and Davide fall in love during last year's summer series and win the show, banking the 50,000 prize fund.

But their romance came to a dramatic end in June when Davide announced they had split after 11 months together amid continued speculation over his behaviour throughout their relationship.

The couple's romance came to a dramatic end when Davide announced they had split after 11 months together amid continued speculation over his behaviour throughout their relationship

Ekin and Davide posed for separate photos with Love Island super fan Margot, who stars in hotly anticipated film Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken

Margot will have watched the couple meet and fall in love during the ITV2 summer series last year

Ekin and Davide would often attend film premieres together and their last joint appearance was at the India Jones and the Dial of Destiny opening just a day before their split

The couple were repeatedly rocked by rumours that Davide was unfaithful, but Ekin stood by him until the bitter end when he allegedly 'blindsided' her by announcing their breakup on social media.

Following their separation, Davide jetted to Ibiza on holiday, where he was filmed 'sniffing a suspicious white powder'.

On Tuesday, Davide released a statement admitting that he found himself in an 'awkward situation' and a 'vulnerable state'.

He said: 'You have seen some stories about me over my trip in Ibiza.

'It was no secret that the last few weeks have been difficult for me.

'There was speculation about my behaviour and a video which was questionable. However, below the surface of this I did something that's not nice to see and was not acting like myself.'
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Heigh-ho, heigh-ho it's off to the job centre they go  for the seven dwarves have been replaced by 'magical creatures' for Disney's live-action remake of Snow White.

The character of the fictional princess, who will be played by Rachel Zegler in the film, has been pictured for the first time with her new companions who appear to be a mix of genders, ethnicities and heights.

The actress, wearing Snow White's famous yellow and blue dress and a red cape, is trailed by the group who are dressed in brightly coloured clothes and carrying work tools. They were spotted shooting scenes in Bedfordshire on Thursday in pictures obtained exclusively by MailOnline.

The scenes pictured here featured two 'stand-in' extras, who were used to film additional photography.

Disney announced that 'magical creatures' would replace the seven dwarves to 'avoid reinforcing stereotypes' after Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage criticised the 'f****** backwards story' last year.

'I was a little taken aback when they [Disney] were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you're still telling the story of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs,' he told Mark Maron's WTF podcast. 'It makes no sense to me. You're progressive in one way and you're still making that f***ing backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f*** are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I'm not loud enough.'

Disney bosses also came under fire for giving the titular role Zegler, despite the story being about a traditionally 'fair' German princess. The film - which also stars Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot as the evil stepmother - is set to be released in March 2024.

In exclusive pictures Snow White's Seven... Companions can be seen for the first time as bosses snub the original text amid criticism of the out-of-date portrayal. The Disney production is live action and will not have seven dwarves playing the roles

The character of the fictional princess, who will be played by Rachel Zegler in the film, has been pictured for the first time with her new companions who appear to be a mix of genders, ethnicities and heights. Pictured is an extra who was used for additional for the film

The merry band follow behind Snow White as they make their way across the idyllic Berkshire scene - and she serenely strides ahead

The Seven... Friends walk behind the character 'Jonathan' as the movie ditches the character of the Prince

The line follow through the flowered fields in a rag-tag assortment of wacky clothing - with no apparant theme of colours, style or period to tie the group together

New direction: Disney says it is taking a 'different approach' with the characters originally referred to as the 'seven dwarfs' in its remake of its classic film Snow White in an effort to 'avoid reinforcing stereotypes'

Co-written by Barbie's Greta Gerwig, the upcoming adaptation will not feature a Prince Charming and will instead focus on a 'stronger' Snow White who dreams of becoming a leader.

Ms Zegler previously addressed reports that the film was trying to be politically correct, claiming that the story needed 'refreshing'.

She said: 'People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White... yeah, it is - because it needed that.

'Our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond Someday My Prince Will Come.'

The Colombian-American actress faced scrutiny by some critics after she was cast as Snow White, who was described as having 'skin as white as snow'.

In a since deleted tweet, she wrote: 'Yes I am Snow White; no, I am not bleaching my skin for the role.'

Disney's 1937 animated film follows Snow White as she befriends the seven dwarves while hiding from her wicked step-mother who later poisons her with an apple before Prince Charming wakes her from her slumber with a kiss.

It was loosely based on the 1812 fairy tale of the same name by the Brothers Grimm.

At one point the group appear to cheer Snow White as she stands with her back to us - while the Seven... Pals punch the air and cheer in response

The re-thinking of the Seven... People comes amid the corporation taking a new look at their old stories - with classics including Peter Pan and Aristocats getting content warnings for outdated content

Zegler as Snow White looks warily ahead, as her stern-faced Seven... Heads meander down the field

At one point the group appear to have a spirited discussion, as the wackily-clad Seven... Associates contend at the edge of a wood

Of the band only one appears to have dwarfism - while the other six seem to all be of average height

One man is wackily dressed and holding a large walking pole - while another, in a blue and brown jacket and holding a walking stick, appears to be in more modern attire

In sharp contrast, the man behind him - who has long brown curly hair and a beard - appears to be in a medieval get-up. Another wears bright patterns of blues and clashing red, and appears to be holding a club

One actor is on an eccentric in an array of blue and pink, while another is in a scarlet jacket and multi-coloured hoodie

Backlash: The movie faced backlash from Peter Dinklage

Dinklage's concerns were shared by some charities, including the Restricted Growth Association in the UK.

'I very much stand with Peter Dinklage on the disappointment and irritation towards Disney for the remake of Snow White,' Rhonda Cutmore, a member of the association, told The Telegraph. '

As a 46-year-old woman with restricted growth, this story has always had a negative impact on me. Not just the physical characteristics, but the labelling of 'Dopey' and 'Bashful', were not helpful in the playground.

She added: 'People with restricted growth are in majority born to average height parents - they never live in gingerbread houses, have little bear beds nor live in homogeneous groups together.'

Dwarfism writer Steph Robson said she hoped film producers make an effort to avoid stereotypes in its retelling of the classic movie.

'It is my hope that the latest live action remake, and Disney, will, at the very least go some way to redress the decades of the one-dimensional stereotypes that our disability continues to experience, especially within arts and cultural settings,' she told the outlet.

The story has also been criticized as being ableist for portraying the dwarfs with lesser intelligence and Snow White seeing them as children.

Daubed in bright reds, blues and greens, the group of seven appeared to be in good spirits on set in Berkshire

Behind them are a huge camera crew - tracking their movements across the idyllic English countryside

The team of techies are pushing ahead as they get ready to show the film in March next year - and they have even enlisted the help of a drone

The team look relaxed as they take a break and are given some direction as they enjoy some coffee in the shade

The original animated film was based on an 1812 fairy tale from The Brothers Grimm, though the dwarfs in that story lived in a cottage, not a cave.

The story has also been criticized as being ableist for portraying the dwarfs with lesser intelligence and Snow White seeing them as children.

Disney has said it's 'taking a different approach' with Snow White's seven companions, after Game Of Thrones actor Peter slammed the studio for remaking the 'backward' film that reinforces stereotypes.

In a statement last year, the company said it had been consulting with members of the dwarfism community throughout the early stages of production.

'To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community,' a spokesperson said.

'We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period.'

In December last year, sources close to the production said Snow White's seven 'dwarfs' were not going to be fully computer generated, and wouldn't be dwarfs at all.

Instead, she would be befriended by magical, forest-dwelling creatures.

At one point the appear to stop and cheer, while in another moment they stand on the edge of the wood apparently in the midst of a heated discussion

A source connected with the production explained that they will be rather like the trolls in Frozen, or JRR Tolkein's hobbits. They will have two legs, two arms and a face with eyes, nose and a mouth . . . but not be actually human.

They said: 'We finished filming in the summer but it takes months to sort out the CG for the dwarfs, who aren't dwarfs. Also, it always takes ages for all the merchandise to be made, so the film's not out for a long time still.'

Zegler also brushed off scandals after her casting recieved backlash because of her Columbian-American heritage.

In the classic fairytale, Snow White is described as the 'fairest one of all' with 'skin as white as snow.'

Zegler took to social media in June to celebrate the news and fire back at a handful of haters who questioned her casting as the historically white character.

'yes i am snow white no i am not bleaching my skin for the role,' she wrote in a since-deleted tweet.

She later said: 'Never in a million years did I imagine that this would be a possibility for me. You don't normally see Snow Whites of Latin descent, even though Snow White is a big deal in Spanish-speaking countries.

'People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White . . . yeah, it is  because it needed that.

'It's an 85-year-old cartoon and our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond 'Someday My Prince Will Come'.'

Marc Webb, director of the Snow White adaptation, said Rachel's 'strength, intelligence and optimism' made her the right choice for the iconic role.

The reboot comes as - since 2020 - Disney have slapped racism warnings on some of its most iconic movies, including Peter Pan and The Jungle Book, to alert viewers to sensitive scenes.

The media conglomerate believes some of its older cartoons contain outdated racial or ethnic stereotypes, and now opens some films with a disclaimer.

It reads: 'This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.'

Movies with warning include the 1970 musical comedy The Aristocats, 1955 canine love story Lady and the Tramp and 1960 adventure Swiss Family Robinson.

In relation to The Aristocats, Disney warns viewers about a scene where one cat, voiced by a white actor, yells out stereotypical Chinese 'words' while playing the piano with chopsticks.

Peter Pan viewers are warned that Native Americans Indians are referred to as 'redskins'. Disney says scenes in which Peter and The Lost Boys dance in native American headdresses are a 'form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples' culture and imagery.'

The Jungle Book has also been highlighted, namely for its depiction of the ape King Louie, which was accused of perpetuating a stereotype of African Americans.

Elsewhere 1941 release Dumbo comes under fire for its references to racist segregationist laws in the deep south, as well as its use of affected African-American voices.

The lead crow in the film is also called Jim Crow - a reference to the segregation laws in late 19th and early 20th Century America.

Lady And The Tramp has been placed on the list due to its perceived stereotyping of Asians courtesy of Siamese cats Si and Am, while a dog pound features canines with largely ethnic names and accents

 This article has been amended since initial publication to correctly identify the actress portraying Snow White as an extra who stood in for post-production photography. Disney confirm that stand-ins were used for both Rachel Zegler and Andrew Burnap in these images. We are happy to clarify this point.
Jackie 'O' Henderson shocked KIIS FM listeners when she revealed that one of her colleagues defecated the bed in her luxury Saint Tropez villa.

The radio host recently returned home from the South of France, where she and several other KIIS FM staff gatecrashed Kyle Sandilands and Tegan Kynaston's honeymoon.

Kyle and Jackie O continued to host their hit radio show from Europe during the three week holiday, and told listeners daily of their antics while abroad.

However, Jackie waited until Friday to tell the story that one of the KIIS FM crew went to the toilet on a bed in her luxury rented villa.

She explained: 'When I was in the South of France staying in that villa I had house guests, Brooklyn and Damian, Mayo and Seb.

Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) shocked KIIS FM listeners when she revealed that one of her colleagues defecated the bed in her luxury Saint Tropez villa

'And when I checked out the owner of the villa said I will now have to pay for the sheets because somebody soiled the bed.

'I asked everybody and they have swore black and blue that nobody did anything that would warrant such a comment.

'When they say they couldn't get out the stains so they had to throw out the sheets- I'm thinking what could that be?'

KIIS FM then put a poll on its official Kyle and Jackie O Instagram page, asking listeners who they think soiled the bed.

The radio host recently returned home from the South of France, where she and several other KIIS FM staff gatecrashed Kyle Sandilands and Tegan Kynaston's (pictured) honeymoon

KIIS FM put a poll on its official Kyle and Jackie O Instagram page, asking listeners who they think soiled the bed

Thirty-nine per cent guessed that Jackie herself defecated the bed, 45 per cent voted for Brooklyn and Damien, and 16 per cent thought it was Mayo and Seb.

While Jackie will have to pay for the soiled bed sheets, she said at least she didn't spend anywhere near what Kyle did on the three week holiday.

Last Tuesday, it was revealed on the show that he spent a whopping $514,000 on his luxurious honeymoon.

The price of their villa in Saint Tropez came to $155,000 alone, while Sandilands and Kynaston's first class plane tickets to Paris set them back $35,000.

After two weeks in France with the KIIS FM crew, the 52-year-old shock jock spent $50,000 for an extra trip to Barcelona with Kynaston, 37, and their one-year-old son Otto, where their hotel accommodation cost about $10,000 per night.

Radio presenter Kyle Sandilands (left) has revealed the jaw-dropping amount of money he spent on his honeymoon in Europe with his wife Tegan Kynaston (right) and their friends

The newlyweds, who tied the knot in a $1million wedding in April, spent three weeks in Saint Tropez and Barcelona, joined by several members of the KIIS FM team and their spouses

When questioned about this exorbitant sum, Sandilands admitted he hadn't kept track of his expenses.

Also on the bill was $21,000 for the couple's nanny, who accompanied them, which included her accommodation and meals.

'She gave her life for us for three weeks. That was a good investment,' Sandilands reasoned.

The cost of air travel was a significant outlay.

Sandilands preferred the first class option throughout the whole trip, shelling out an additional $80,000 to 'skip the queue'.

Ground transportation, boat travel, car rentals and flying over KIIS FM producer 'Intern Pete' Deppeler added another sizeable chunk to the total.

The price of their Saint Tropez villa came to an incredible $155,000. (Sandilands and Kynaston are seen with Jackie 'O' Henderson, second from right, and her daughter Kitty, right)

Sandilands and Kynaston's first class plane tickets to Paris set them back $35,000

The gourmet food and drinks the group indulged in throughout his trip racked up a staggering $60,000, while Sandilands' generous tipping added a further $20,000.

Casino expenses, too, were considerable, totalling $6,000.

But what left Henderson most dumbstruck was Sandilands' $6,000 splurge on cigarettes and vapes - but he insisted it was not just for him, but the entire team.

In the end, the total cost of this 'once-in-a-lifetime' honeymoon trip was $514,000.
Clara McGregor looked incredible in a plunging silver chainmail mini dress as she attended the Ischia Global Fest in Italy on Thursday night.

The actress, 27, looked ready to party as she wore the sparkly number while posing up a storm for photographers.

Keeping her makeup natural with a nude lip and minimal eyeliner, the daughter of Ewan McGregor and Eve Mavrakis, let her short brunette bob fall naturally.

The actress showed off her collection of fine line tattoos, including a scarab beetle on her upper arm, as she posed for the camera.

The star kept her footwear casual and practical, ready for dancing, as she sported a pair of classic white high top Converse.

Sparkling: Clara McGregor, 27, wowed in a plunging silver chainmail dress at the Ischia Global Fest in Italy on Thursday

Beaming: The actress kept her makeup natural with a nude lip and minimal eyeliner as she let her short brunette bob fall naturally

Ready to party: Clara looked ready for a night out as she wore the sparkly number with a plunging v-neckline

Clara was joined by a host of celebrities at the event including Swiss actress Sofia Milos, 53, and British model Elle Dowling.

Sofia looked incredible in an all black belted halter neck with sparkly detailing, her natural curls flowing.

Contrasting the all-black ensemble, Elle opted for an all white look as she donned an elegant jumpsuit with black handbag.

Her bold red lips stood out against her pale skin and her auburn locks flowed in natural waves down her back.

Also in attendance was Paper Towns actor Nat Wolff who was pictured with his girlfriend, Grace Van Patten.

Italian-American model Soleil Sorge also looked stunning in a long flowing skirt with feathered top half.

The film festival comes after Clara was recently spotted in Czech Republic with her dad, Ewan to promote their new movie You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder.

The father-daughter duo are starring together in their latest project which focuses on a father daughter road trip, with Ewan's character driving his daughter, played by Clara, to rehab.

Ewan has repaired his relationship with his daughter over the past five years 'after they experienced a difficult' period of estrangement.

The pair had a rocky relationship, after she famously branded her dad's second wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, a 'piece of trash' and her dad an 'a***hole' when the pictures of them kissing first emerged.

While the drive in the film is fictional, the premise of a dad trying to help his daughter is based on Clara's own experience.

Ready for a dance: The star kept her footwear casual and practical as she sported a pair of classic white high top Converse

Keeping it in the family: Clara is daughter to Scottish actor Ewan 52, and Eve Mavrakis

Gorgeous: The film festival comes after Clara was recently spotted in Czech Republic with her dad, Ewan McGregor to promote their new movie You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder

Building bridges: The actress and her famous father have recently repaired their relationship over the last five years 'after they experienced a difficult' period of estrangement

Stunning: Actress Sofia Milos, (left) looked incredible in an all black belted halter neck with sparkly detailing, her natural curls flowing

Cute: Actor Nat Wolff also made an appearance at the festival with girlfriend Grace Van Patten

Beautiful: Italian-American model Soleil Sorge looked stunning in a long flowing skirt with eye-catching feathered top

Clara has been making the most of her time in Italy after she was spotted soaking up the Mediterranean sun in an orange pattered bikini on Thursday.

The actress highlighted her trim physique for the day out with her companions in the sunshine as she added some trendy oval-shaped sunglasses and an orange tote bag to her look.

Not shy of a boogie, Clara also appeared to be having the time of her life as she showcased a host of energetic dance moves at the festival on Wednesday.

Clara appeared in good spirits as she busted some serious moves while looking stylish in a white and brown striped shirt and beige linen trousers.
James Cook was seen holding hands with his mysterious blonde girlfriend as they left the Vogue x Self Portrait party at the Chiltern Firehouse on Thursday night.

The ex-husband of Poppy Delevingne, 43, didn't hold back from showing off his loved one - who is a dead ringer of his former flame.

The businessman looked smart in a total black outfit for the occasion, as he donned a zipped shirt and matching trousers - and contrasted the dark look with a pair of white Nike AirForce.

James looked in great spirits while leaving the star-studded event - who saw the likes of Neelam Gill and Jamelia in attendance - as he flashed a smile to the camera.

The former model beamed to his mysterious partner, whose identity remains unknown, as the duo put on a united front.

Smitten: James Cook, 43, was seen holding hands with his mysterious blonde girlfriend as they left the Vogue x Self Portrait party at London's Chiltern Firehouse on Thursday

Resemblance: The ex-husband of Poppy Delevingne didn't hold back from showing off his loved one - which is exactly a dead ringer of his former flame

Meanwhile the blonde stunner cut a smart but stylish figure as she donned a navy pinstripe blazer and a white top underneath, teamed with classy black trousers and loafers.

The blonde beauty carried the essentials in a black leather handbag and showcased her taut visage with a very lightning and subtle make up look.

But this was not the couple's first appearance, as they were seen stepping out of the same place earlier in May.

James was all smiles as he went to hold hands with the beauty, who looks very similar to his model ex.

The pair looked like they were really letting their hair down as they put on a giddy display.

The businessman and his mysterious lady made their first public debut in May when they were spotted enjoying some drinks in Mayfair.

James and Poppy, 37, have not addressed their split publicly but are said to have called time on their union at the beginning of last year.

While the pair are said to have remained friends and still mix in the same social circles, it appears James is now moving on romantically.

Classy: Meanwhile the blonde stunner cut a smart but stylish figure as she stood by her beau's side

Split: James and Poppy, 37, have not addressed their split publicly but are said to have called time on their union at the beginning of last year

And the news was ultimately confirmed by James' public appearances with his mysterious woman, as well as Poppy's recent relationship with her toyboy Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece, 24, - as it appears they have both moved on.

The English socialite was seen enjoying the company of her royal beau again just on Thursday, as the new couple spent some quality time at the Chiltern Firehouse in London - a place that seems to be the former pair's favourite.

Despite the 12-year age gap between Poppy, 36, and Prince William's godson, 24, they are believed to have been enjoying each other's company for a while now.

The son of Crown Prince and Princess Pavlos, known as Tino to his pals, has often been considered one of Europe's most eligible royal bachelors.

He is the grandson of Greece's late King Constantine II, who was a cousin of King Charles and one of Prince William's five godparents. He died aged 82 in January.

Poppy and James, who works for his family's aerospace company, tied the knot in 2014 at a Knightsbridge church ceremony, with sisters Cara, 30, and Chloe, 37, among her many bridesmaids.

Rumours started to circulate about their marriage when James resigned as a director of her company Poppy Delevingne Limited, the firm which files the accounts for her 'photographic activities'.

Ex: Poppy and James, who works for his family's aerospace company, tied the knot in 2014 at a Knightsbridge church ceremonyl with sisters Cara, 30, and Chloe, 37, among her many bridesmaids (pictured together in 2019)

Celebrity dating app Raya had a new account added in November featuring pictures appearing to be of James, but he never confirmed whether it was his account or if somebody had opened a parody account.

Alongside a series of brooding snaps, James describes himself as a CEO in the business and entrepreneur industry.

One black and white image originally featured on his Instagram page with Poppy in the snap, yet he cropped her out for his dating profile.

He had originally shared the picture on his social media in May last year alongside a birthday tribute to his wife.

The image - which is the last photograph of Poppy on his Instagram feed - was captioned: 'Happy happy birthday my love cant wait to celebrate with you when you get home. @poppydelevingne.'

MailOnline has contacted James and Poppy's representatives for comment.

The Mail On Sunday reported last January that the pair had 'consciously uncoupled' after being little more than friends for the best part of a year.

The following month she flashed her ringless hand to photographers at Perfect Magazine's London Fashion Week party at The Standard.

Poppy looked gorgeous on the night in a striking black and white gown, enjoying the celeb-packed bash with friends Georgia May Jagger and Iris Law.

The same month, Poppy's husband James was posting from Chamonix, France, enjoying a ski trip with friends.

It's believed that Poppy moved into her own place in West London, with an insider spilling: 'James is refusing to accept things are over.'

Despite the reported split, the pair have continued to mix in the same social circles, with the pair attending Glastonbury Festival together alongside pals Sienna Miller, Alexa Chung and Matt Smith in June.
'She can't help but be jealous of the attention Candy is paying to Josh,' the source said. 'She resents the attention he's getting'

Candy, 77, has been spoiling Flagg, 37, with trips abroad, lavish gifts and is even letting him stay with her

A Spelling family friend tells DailyMail.com that Tori, 50, is jealous that her mom Candy is getting so close to Josh Flagg

As if she needs another thing to worry about, beleaguered Tori Spelling is in a snit that her mother Candy is getting so close to Million Dollar Listing star Josh Flagg - splurging on him while her daughter is feeling the pinch.

A Spelling family friend tells DailyMail.com that Candy, 77, has been spoiling Flagg, 37, with trips abroad, lavish gifts and is even letting him stay with her at a time when Tori is facing marital strife with husband Dean McDermott and staying at a cheap motel with her kids.

'Tori and Candy have long had a fraught mother-daughter relationship,' the insider said. 'But now, when Tori is feeling particularly vulnerable with money being tight and her relationship with Dean in limbo, she can't help but be jealous of the attention Candy is paying to Josh.

'He's her friend too. But she resents the attention he's getting and believes he's practically living with her mother since his split from his husband.

'Let's face it. Tori is needy and so is Candy. It's just that their needs don't often intertwine.'

Tori Spelling is jealous that her mom is splashing out on Million Dollar Listing star Josh Flagg while she's staying at a motel

Candy, 7.7, has been spoiling Flagg, 37, with trips abroad, lavish gifts and is even letting him stay with her. 'She can't help but be jealous of the attention Candy is paying to Josh,' the source said. 'She resents the attention he's getting'

Flagg and Candy have posted pictures traveling together to Vienna, Prague and Paris this summer

Flagg and Candy have posted pictures traveling together to Vienna, Prague and Paris this summer.

And he's reportedly been staying at her home in LA since divorcing his husband Bobby Boyd.

The insider claims that Candy has stopped giving Tori money and that it's put a strain on their already delicate relationship.

Dean McDermott announced their divorce before deleting the statement

And it looks like Tori, 50, could use the financial help from her mother.

DailyMail.com revealed Tori checked into a Los Angeles area motel - the Travel Inn - on Saturday alongside her brood amid marriage issues with her 56-year-old husband of 18 years.

She was pictured leaving the no-frills accommodation - which is a stark contrast to her luxury life growing up in one of LA's most expensive mansions with her kids; 16-year-old Liam, 15-year-old Stella, 11-year-old Hattie, ten-year-old Finn, and six-year-old Beau.

DailyMail.com can reveal the roadside lodge where Spelling and her five children spent the weekend is actually a shabby $83-a-night motel tucked away in an industrial area of Los Angeles that sits directly opposite a strip club.

Staff at the green-painted motel confirmed that the 90210 star had stayed at the property but said she checked in under a fake name with no record of her stay under either Spelling or McDermott.

Just last week, Candy told TMZ that she is supporting her daughter throughout her marriage problems.

The outlet caught the star as she left Hermes in Beverly Hills last week - accompanied by none other than Josh Flagg.

'I love my daughter, and I support her in whatever she does. I support my daughter, what can I tell you?' Candy said.

Candy, who is reportedly worth over $600million, became estranged from her daughter following the death of Tori's father Aaron Spelling in 2006

Tori was pictured staying at a motel with her five children just weeks after Dean McDermott announced their divorce before deleting the statement

The budget motel rooms sleep up to four people and feature wood furnishings, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi and parking

DailyMail.com can reveal the 'roadside lodge' where Spelling and her five children spent the weekend is actually a shabby $83-a-night motel tucked away in an industrial area of Los Angeles that sits directly opposite a strip club

Candy, who is reportedly worth over $600million, became estranged from her daughter following the death of Tori's father Aaron Spelling in 2006.

After he died, it emerged that the bulk of his estimated $500million fortune would go to his widow.

Tori, whose struggles with finances have been making headlines for years, received just $800,000 under the terms of her dad's will.

In addition, Candy was critical of her daughter in an open letter she published in 2009 and the duo spoke openly about one another in their respective memoirs.

But all that seemed to be water under the bridge as Tori revealed in October she was getting along very well with her mother.

'We have had a good relationship it's like next level right now. I'm really really happy,' she told Jeff Lewis during his SiriusXM show.

And it was actually Flagg who helped them mend their fractured relationship after the reality star suggested they all get together.

It was actually Flagg who helped Tori and Candy mend their fractured relationship after the reality star suggested they all get together

Flagg has reportedly been staying at her home in LA since divorcing his husband Bobby Boyd

'I hadn't seen her since before COVID,' Tori said. 'And then Josh was like, ''Okay, we're gonna do a family dinner at her place.'' So we went and had a great night.'

She said they had been texting each other everyday ever since and have gotten together many times.

Tori wrote on Instagram about her first dinner out with Candy and brother Randy.

'This was a special moment in time. I don't think the 3 of us { just the 3 of us} have gone out to dinner together in 20 years,' she wrote.

'All to celebrate our mom! Happy Birthday @candyspelling !!!! @randyspelling and I love you so much! Such an iconic woman! Loved Mom and Grandma! Can't wait to keep celebrating your birthday with you!'
Vogue Williams went for business casual as she headed to work at Global Studios with her husband Spencer Matthews on Friday.

The Irish star, 37, battled the elements in London's Leicester Square to get into the building while sporting a chic cream waistcoat and loose-fitting trousers.

The linen top hung loose on her frame while she highlighted her slender figure further with her wide leg trousers.

The duo looked to have zipped across town to work on a motorbike or scooter, as they both clutched helmets while Vogue was also toting a chic black straw bag.

She covered her eyes with a pair of tortoise shell sunglasses and displayed her trendy new choppy hairdo, which she debuted earlier this week.

Stunner: Vogue Williams went for business casual as she headed to work at Global Studios with her husband Spencer Matthews on Friday

Chilly: The Irish star, 37, battled the elements in London's Leicester Square to get into the building while sporting a chic cream waistcoat and loose-fitting trousers

Chic: The linen top hung loose on her frame while she highlighted her slender figure further with her wide leg trousers

Off we go: She contrasted her cream suit with her black bag

Spencer, 34, meanwhile kept things super casual as he wore a shacket with a pair of Nike tracksuit bottoms and trainers also from the sporting giant.

The outing comes after Vogue told how she has paused her therapy sessions and has said how she is in a 'very good place' with her husband Spencer.

The Irish model candidly revealed that 'things are great' between herself and Made in Chelsea star Spencer as she gushed over their marriage.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Vogue told how she hasn't felt that she needs her therapy sessions at the moment and has said things are going so well with Spencer.

'We're in a very good place at the moment. I'm not feeling like I need [therapy] at the moment. I always have it on the back burner because I've found someone I really enjoy talking to. It's good to have when you need it.'

Vogue doesn't have therapy because of her marriage.

She has admitted she thinks therapy is an 'amazing' thing to do and said although she isn't always 'diligent' about going all the time, she finds it helpful.

She went on to say that although she and Spencer - who share three children - are both 'super busy' with their work, they are still finding time to see each other.

Casual: Spencer, 34, meanwhile kept things super casual as he wore a shacket with a pair of Nike tracksuit bottoms and trainers also from the sporting giant

Larking around: The Made In Chelsea star was making his wife laugh

'Things are great! Spenny is super busy, I'm super busy but we're getting to spend lots of time together which is really good,' she said while speaking about her Dulux Heritage partnership.

The TV personality also admitted she has not ruled out having any more children with Spencer, with whom she shares Theo, four, Gigi, two, and Otto, 15 months.

'It's definitely not a permanent no, I don't know yet, but not anytime soon,' she revealed, when asked if they plan to have more children.

'Trying to organise three kids is a lot, we have a wonderful nanny but I wouldn't leave somebody with three kids, so it's like trying to organise our time so we're always there with them.

'So I think Otto would have to be a lot older, it's very full on. I don't know how my mum did four! I'll be grateful for it when they're older.'

Vogue also gave an insight into her and Spencer's five-year plan as she said she has her sights set on moving back to her native Dublin and ditching their London home.

Hmm... Vogue also gave an insight into her and Spencer's five-year plan as she said she has her sights set on moving back to her native Dublin and ditching their London home
She exhibited no signs that she was under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Arquette, 63, was taken to the hospital anyway just to be safe

A Los Angeles Fire Station 71 captain revealed that that 'no one was injured'

Rosanna Arquette accidentally crashed her car into the Malibu shopping center Point Dume Village Tuesday morning.

'We can confirm Rosanna Arquette was involved in a traffic incident in Malibu,' the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department revealed in a statement to People.

Los Angeles Fire Station 71 Captain Mike Rivera has informed the Malibu Times that 'luckily no one was injured' in the collision.

Arquette, 63, was taken to the hospital anyway just to be safe, and was apparently 'a little shook up about what happened,' Rivera said.

She exhibited no signs that she was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident, the exact cause of which is still 'pending investigation,' the authorities explained to Fox News.

'Shook up': Rosanna Arquette accidentally crashed her car into the Malibu shopping center Point Dume Village Tuesday morning (pictured 2022)

Crash scene: The area in which Arquette smashed her car into a shop front was cordoned off with police tape

Various responders, such as the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Malibu/Lost Sheriffs Station, arrived at Point Dume Village after the crash.

'Around 9:45 a.m. a vehicle that was attempting to park, it was unknown exactly what happened, but instead of backing out, it went forward, and took out three pillars that support the roof,' said Rivera: 'luckily no one was injured, we had two tables nearby but luckily no one was sitting there.'

He added: 'Right now were just waiting for engineering to come out to deem the building safe and make sure its safe.'

Rivera noted that the affected businesses would have to be shut for three to five hours minimum, with his department on hand 'making sure it doesnt collapse.'

The Point Dume Village shopping center contains the local favorite Lily's Malibu, a Mexican restaurant that has been operating for about a quarter-century.

On the professional front, Arquette was recently cast opposite Ron Perlman in an upcoming horror thriller called Succubus.

She has a number of projects in the pipeline, including the drama Men Of Divorce, in which she and James Norton play a couple whose marriage has collapsed.

Arquette also has a role in the forthcoming film Here's Yianni!, about a Greek diner owner whose declining faculties cause him to think he is a late-night TV host.

Cordoned off: Los Angeles Fire Station 71 Captain Mike Rivera has informed the Malibu Times that 'luckily no one was injured' in the collisio

Notice: A sign informing patrons a car had 'driven through a patio' was placed on the partition

Damage: Various responders, such as the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Malibu/Lost Sheriffs Station, arrived at Point Dume Village after the crash

Location: The accident took place at a busy Malibu shopping center

Unharmed: Los Angeles Fire Station 71 Captain Mike Rivera has informed the Malibu Times that 'luckily no one was injured' in the collision

She is part of a glittering showbiz family - her sister Patricia won the best supporting actress Oscar in 2015 and their brother David starred in the early Scream movies.

At the dawn of the #MeToo movement, Rosanna Arquette was one of the earliest women to publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

She has expressed her belief that Weinstein seriously damaged her career after she spurned his alleged advances at the Beverly Hills Hotel in the 1990s.

During the early years of her career, she enjoyed a run in a such classic films as Desperately Seeking Susan, After Hours and Pulp Fiction.
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Irina Shayk treated her 22million Instagram followers to an eye-popping photo album from her recent travels overseas.

The Vogue model posted over a dozen new images that showed her taking in the 'red city,' which is the medina in Marrakech in Morocco.

The ex-partner of Bradley Cooper was seen in a black string bikini that highlighted her stunning frame while in the North African country.

The 37-year-old Burberry model looked both toned and tanned as she sat on a red wall and lay on a tiled floor to make her pin-up poses.

The mother-of-one clearly was entranced with the look of Morocco as she also shared several images of the local food, including olives, beans and fried bread.

'Red city ,' was all the Russian supermodel wrote in her caption.

At play: Irina Shayk treated her Instagram followers to a photo album from her recent travels

On a wall: The Vogue model posted over a dozen new images that showed her taking in the 'red city' which is the medina in Marrakech in Morocco. The ex of Bradley Cooper was seen in a black string bikini that highlighted her stunning frame

In one startling image she was seen propped up on a pale peach wall as clouds could be seen above her.

She was in a black swimsuit which had a triangle top and little briefs that tied on the side. The runway veteran must have just taken a dip in a swimming pool as her hair was wet and slicked back.

One leg was pulled up and her hands were on the way as she raised her chin for the artistic image.

In another shot, she was laying down on the beige tiled ground with her little top on while looking at the camera.

The cover girl looked flawless as she wore no makeup, allowing her natural beauty to shine as she took her selfies.

And Shayk was also seen in a blue bikini and straw hat as she took a mirror selfie by a swimming pool that was surrounded by outdoor furniture.

Then there was a photo of the model in a long white cotton dress with a high slit up one leg as she pulled her hand through her dark hair.

Nice look: The 37-year-old Burberry model looked both toned and tanned in her collection of images

A closer look: Her green eyes were the focus of this shot where she got the camera closer

Legs on parade: And she took a leg selfie as she sat on a tiled floor in a courtyard at sunset

Bikini beauty: Here she was seen in a blue bikini as she posed for a selfie by a swimming pool

Last week Irina's former partner made rare comments about their daughter.

Cooper said he wants to 'unburden' his six-year-old daughter of his 'bull****'.

The Silver Linings Playbook actor, 48, co-parents his little girl Lea De Seine with Shayk and gave a rare insight into his parenting style and hopes in an upcoming episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge.

Telling how the death of his dad Charles had an effect on his approach to life and parenthood, Bradley told 49-year-old British adventurer Bear: 'I mean you learn from your predecessor's mistakes and I'll make tons that hopefully Lea will learn from and then being rigorous with myself to grow  to help unburden her with any of my bull****.'

Getting it white: She looked elegant in a long white dress with a slit up one leg

Bear added: 'That's one of the best things you can do for Lea, isn't it?'

Bradley admitted: 'And for me,' adding: 'It's for me too. It just makes life much better.'

Bradley also talks on the show about how he wished his dad, who lost his battle with lung cancer in 2011, was still alive.

He added: 'Yeah, I wish my dad was around to enjoy more of it, but we all recognise how lucky we've been.

The locals: Here she posed with a donkey as she still had her bikini top on

Local color: The mother-of-one clearly was entranced with the look of Morocco as she also shared several images of the olives, food and sunsets

So many different types of olives to be had: 'Red city ,' was all the Russian supermodel wrote in her caption

There were also images of fried bread, left, and local pottery, right

'It was a blessing though. He gave me a huge gift; he died in my arms. To see that kind of factual example of mortality.'

Bear asked: 'Did that change how you look at things?'

Bradley said: 'Oh yeah. Some ways for the worst. I definitely had a nihilistic attitude after, for a little bit. Just like, 'Wow I'm gonna die.'

'It was not great for a little bit until I realised I had to just embrace who I actually am and try to find peace with that.

'And then it sort of evened out.'

Bradley split from Irina in June 2019, but the pair are said to be on good terms and are often seen together with their daughter.
Renee Zellweger joined her British beau Ant Anstead at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex on Friday.

The Hollywood actress, 54, cut a casual figure and appeared to channel one of Peaky Blinders' bad boys in a brown flat cap for the occasion.

Renee was spotted as she toured the annual motorsports event and she kept warm in a black padded jacket.

The Bridget Jones star also wore a pair of dark jeans as she toted her essentials for the day in a handbag slung over her shoulder.

She accentuated her age defying features with a light dusting of make-up and tied her blonde tresses into a ponytail.

Hats off: Renee Zellweger (L) appeared to appeared to channel one of Peaky Blinders' bad boys (R) in a flat cap at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex on Friday

Couple: She was joined by her British beau Ant Anstead at the event

Despite appearing to enjoy herself the noisy cars proved too much for Renee who stuck her fingers in her ears.

Meanwhile TV presenter Ant, 44, who recently moved in with the Oscar winner, almost matched his other half in grey jeans and a black waterproof jacket.

Peaky Blinders is a popular BBC series starring Cillian Murphy which followed a gang based in 1990's Birmingham.

Renee and the British TV presenter first crossed paths in 2021 when the actress made a special appearance on Ant's Discovery+ show titled, Celebrity IOU: Joyride.

The actress has previously dated stars such as Bradley Cooper and also musician Doyle Bramhall II from 2012 until their split in 2019.

She tied the knot with Kenny Chesney in 2005, but the marriage was annulled four months later.

Ant Anstead shares two children, daughter Amelie, 19, and son Archie, 16, from his first marriage, and another son, Hudson, three, with fellow TV personality, Christina Hall. The two were married from 2018 until their divorce was finalized in 2021.

Earlier this year in April, Anstead revealed to People that he had sold his Laguna Beach home in a deal that was off the market and explained, 'It came at the right time, for another property and a change in my personal life that I'm really pleased about.'

Low key look: Renee was spotted as she toured the annual motorsports event as she kept warm in a black padded jacket

Noisy! Despite appearing to enjoy herself the noisy cars proved too much for Renee who stuck her fingers in her ears

Casual: The Bridget Jones star also wore a pair of dark jeans as she toted her essentials for the day in a handbag slung over her shoulder

Fans: Fans could take their eyes off the Hollywood star

Twins: Meanwhile TV presenter Ant, 44, who recently moved in with the Oscar winner , almost matched his other half in grey jeans and a black waterproof jacket

All smiles: the couple beamed as they explored the famous festival

A source close to the two stars also informed the outlet that the pair had, 'found a house that they both love and are moving in together.'

'They are very happy and in love. They have tried to keep their relationship private and low-key because of Hudson,' the insider further gushed.

Shortly before in March, a separate source told People that, 'Ant is very happy with Renee. He really loves her.'

The insider expressed that they live a 'quiet family life' and added, 'They spend a lot of time at home. It's a very normal relationship and both are committed long-term.'

Anniversary: In April, the happy couple celebrated their two-year anniversary, and Ant jumped to his Instagram page to share sweet snaps of the two

Family: Ant Anstead shares two children, daughter Amelie, 19, and son Archie, 16, from his first marriage, and another son, Hudson, three, with fellow TV personality, Christina Hall

Also in April, the happy couple celebrated their two-year anniversary, and Ant jumped to his Instagram page to share sweet snaps of the two.

One image was taken from behind the pair as they enjoyed a nature hike as the sun shone brightly through the trees. Another photo showed the couple sitting closely together while sharing a laugh and affectionate kiss.

The last picture was Renee and Ant locking lips in a loving embrace. Anstead had captioned the Instagram carousel with, 'Two years of magic.'
Claire Sweeney is set to make her return to Coronation Street as troubled addict Cassie Plummer.

Fan have just a month to wait as the actress, 52, revealed on Lorraine on Wednesday she will be back on TV screens from the 16th August.

Claire left the soap last month as her and mother Evelyn (Dame Maureen Lipman) sought help for Cassie's sobriety.

But the departure was only temporary and the drama is set to continue with both women returning.

Speaking on Lorraine, the actress confirmed: 'I'm back on August 16th on screen and I'm back in the thick of filming.'

She's back: Brookside favourite Claire Sweeney, 52, is set to make her return to Coronation Street as troubled addict Cassie Plummer(pictured in scenes in June)

Stunning: The actress wowed in a bright yellow dress as she appeared on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine to discuss her return to Corrie

Claire plays Tyrone Dobbs' estranged mother Cassie who arrived back on the street to reconnect with her son despite struggling as a drug addict.

Praising her co-stars, she said: 'Working with the wonderful Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs). He's so good, and Maureen, and Sally Carman (Abi Franklin) as well, I love it.'

The actress first filled the nation's homes when she joined Liverpool-based soap Brookside playing the character of Lindsey Hill for a whole decade.

Brookside was axed in 2003, but Claire returned to the soap world in June and earned fans' seal of approval with her portrayal of Cassie.

Claire admitted she was 'sworn to secrecy' after gaining the role.

Claire revealed she had to be 'careful' what she told her young son Jaxon in case he announced the news to everyone before she was allowed too.

She said: 'I got offered Corrie on my birthday this year and I couldn't tell anyone!

'So I was sat on the balcony, I was on holiday with my mum and Jaxon and I got the phone call was sworn to secrecy.'

The drama continues: Claire left the soap last month as her and mother Evelyn (pictured Dame Maureen Lipman) left to seek help for her character Cassie's sobriety

Excited to be back: The actress looked glamorous as she revealed she's back on the cobbles on 16th August

'And I had all my mates phoning me and I wasn't allowed to tell anyone! I told my mum of course. I've got to be careful what I tell Jaxon though because he's got a big mouth!'

'He's eight and he doesn't really understand when you have to keep quiet, he's just announcing it to everyone!'

Cassie's arrival on the soap last month wasn't a happy one as she was rushed to hospital after an overdose, before her furious mother Evelyn confronted her.

In the episodes, Evelyn spotted a disheveled Cassie lingering on the street, and later received a call from the hospital where her daughter was taken.

Viewers then learned Evelyn had tried to help her daughter get clean multiple times, including as recently as last Christmas.

The two-handed scene was praised by soap fans, with many keen to see more of Claire's character, so they can find out whether she and her son Tyrone will reconnect in the future - and it seems the possibility could now be on the table.

Drama: Cassie arrived in Weatherfield in June but her mother begged her to stay away following her latest heroin overdose

Double exit: Fan favourite Evelyn Plummer left Weatherfield with her drug addict daughter (both pictured) as she vowed to help get her clean amid her latest overdose

Favourite: The actress first filled the nation's homes when she joined Liverpool-based soap Brookside playing the character of Lindsey Hill for a whole decade

Dame Maureen, 76, took a short break from the show earlier in May after taking some time off to star in the West End production of Rose.

Maureen previously starred as Rose during the online pandemic run and some subsequent shows, but said she was excited to portray the character once again.

The hilarious grandmother has been a firm favourite on the soap since she joined with her famous late dog Cerberus in 2018.

Her scenes with Claire were quipped as 'the best scene [the soap's] had in months' by fans who can't wait to see where the storyline will go next.

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Travis Barker's teenage daughter Alabama has thrilled fans after revealing her striking new look on social media.

The 17-year-old is fast becoming known for her love of vibrant hair color and extremely glamourous makeup, and the budding rapper's latest look has already made waves with followers.

The daughter of the Blink-182 rocker, and his ex-wife Shanna Mockler, looked almost unrecognizable with her dark, reddish-purple hair in a TiKTok video posted on Thursday.

She styled her locks into a sleek up-do with bangs slicked to the side, while she gelled down her baby hair.

Feeling herself: Travis Barker's teenage daughter Alabama delighted fans after revealing her striking new look on social media

Daddy-daughter duo: The 17-year-old (seen with her father in 2018) has changed a look dramatically in recent years

Dressed in a busty corset top, the aspiring musician accessorized with large silver chains and statement earrings as she struck poses in the short clip.

Alabama also shared snaps of the look on Instagram, ahead of her night out in Atlanta.

The star also sported a full face of makeup including large fake lashes, overlined lips and heavy blush.

Fans were quick to gush over her appearance as one wrote: 'Loving this red hair.'

'Gurlll!!! youre so pretty,' another commented, while one fan added: 'ALABAMA IS SO PRETTYYY'.

A fan simply stated: '@Alabama barker bad and she know it.'

However, the reality star soon debuted another vibrant hair color just hours later.

This time, she revealed modelled an ice blue wig with white blonde streaks.

Capture the moment: The aspiring musician teamed a busty corset top with large silver chains and statement earrings

Ready for her close-up: She styled her locks into a sleek up-do with bangs slicked to the side while she gelled down her baby hair

Back in May, Alabama - who's an ambassador for Pretty Little Thing - was forced to send a message to online critics of her makeup practices.

She used TikTok to air her grievances toward her online haters and wrote over a clip of herself laughing: 'When Kathryn with 3 kids, only waterline liner, 4 different colored blonde [hair] & Toms shoes talks about my makeup or age.'

The snippet also showed the influencer mouthing, 'I'll tell you what you look like, but you won't like it.'

Barker is often criticized by trolls who think she dresses and acts too mature for her age.

Some of Alabama's followers used the comments section to show support for her.

One fan wrote, 'This 44-year-old momma loves your hair, makeup, outfits, vibes and videos!'

Someone else added, 'Let them know sis!' and another said, 'I'll never understand why young girls takin' care of themselves is frowned upon. You are gorgeous. I love it!'

Quick switch: However, the reality star soon debuted another vibrant hair color hours later

Speaking up: Back in May, Alabama was forced to send a message to online critics of her makeup practices

Someone else offered, 'I think people are just concerned about the over sexualization of youth in Hollywood/Los Angeles culture.'

To that, the blonde makeup mogul replied, 'Well, I'm doing great thank u.'

Barker has an older brother, Landon, who is 19. And she's also younger sister to Atiana De La Hoya, 24, who her mom Shanna shares with ex Oscar De La Hoya.

The young woman regularly entertains 1.8 million followers on Instagram and she boasts 3.8 million fans on TikTok.

In March 2021 Alabama showed off her makeup prowess as she applied foundation to her dad's face using KVD Beauty's Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm.
Sylvester Stallone frolicked in the pool with wife of 25 years Jennifer Flavin during their sun-soaked Italian getaway on Friday.

The movie star, 76, beamed as he wrapped his muscular arms around his bikini-clad wife, 45, who couldn't contain her giggles - ten months after calling off their divorce.

Sylvester donned a black T-shirt for his dip in the water and shielded his eyes behind a pair of oversized shades.

Meanwhile, Jennifer showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy blue two-piece that featured gold detailing.

The stunner teamed it with a floral cover-up before jumping into the cooling water alongside her buff beau.

Lovebirds: Sylvester Stallone, 77, frolicked in the pool with wife Jennifer Flavin, 54, during their sun-soaked Italian getaway on Friday

Happy as Larry: The movie star beamed as he wrapped his muscular arms around his bikini-clad other half who couldn't contain her giggles - just ten months after calling off their divorce

She completed the ensemble with gold jewellery, shades and tied back her caramel tresses into a bun.

The couple appeared to have to shake off any woes as they packed on the PDA and made the most of the fantastic weather.

The couple share daughters Sistine, 24, and Sophia Rose, 26, and Scarlet Rose, 20, who star in reality show The Family Stallone.

It comes months after they shocked the public by announcing they were planning to divorce after 25 years of marriage.

Then, in an astonishing volte-face, it emerged that they had decided to give their marriage another try after ironing out their issues.

Late last year, after he and Jennifer reunited, Sly gave a revealing interview to the Sunday Times about how their marriage was ultimately repaired.

'There was a reawakening of what was more valuable than anything, which is my love for my family,' the Rambo beefcake explained. 'It takes precedence over my work, and that was a hard lesson to learn.'

Stallone revealed that earlier in his career, he tended to place work ahead of his children, saying, 'I didn't pay enough attention when they were growing up.'

Figure: Jennifer showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy blue two-piece that featured gold detailing

Fun in the sun: Sylvester donned a black T-shirt for his dip in the water and shielded his eyes behind a pair of oversized shades

PDA: The couple appeared to have to shake off any woes as they packed on the PDA and made the most of the fantastic weather

Sensational: She completed the ensemble with gold jewellery, shades and tied back her caramel tresses into a bun

Fun times: They were joined by pals and appeared to be having a wonderful time

Cold? Despite the heat, Sly appeared slight chilly as he made his way into the water

He said: 'I was so career-oriented, and now I go: "OK, I don't have that much runway up ahead, and I want to start asking them about their lives."'

Sly recalled: 'I ask them about their day, and they started at first a little monosyllabic. Then I heard one say: "I was just thinking about you." Oh my God. I've never heard that before in my life. When a daughter knows you care, she's there forever.'

The reconciliation came one month after Jennifer filed for divorce.

Cover up: The stunner teamed it with a floral cover-up before jumping into the cooling water alongside her buff beau

Toned: The skimpy ensemble perfectly showcased her toned figure

Sweet: The couple appeared closer than ever as they sweetly sat with their arms around each other

Smitten: Jennifer was seen holding Sylvester's hand as she walked ahead of him after relaxing on the deckchair

Cosy: They appeared in jovial spirits as Jennifer leant on her husband's legs for the outing

Arm-in-arm: Sylvester wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders as they sat together

Couple: They enjoyed some quality time together relaxing in the sunshine

Cuddles: Jennifer was seen cosying up to Sylvester as they sweetly shared a deckchair

Laughing: Sylvester threw his arm around his wife's shoulders as they chatted

Day out: Sylvester went barefoot as he carried his trainers while heading for a walk with Jennifer

Stroll: The couple then strolled together hand-in-hand

Days prior to their reconciliation, a court filing revealed at a Palm Beach Country, Florida court revealed that the duo agreed 'that it is in the best interests of each of them individually, and more importantly collectively as a family, to resolve all issues attendant to the dissolution of their marriage in a dignified, amicable and private manner out-of-court.'

On August 19, Jennifer filed for divorce from him, alleging that he 'engaged in the intentional dissipation, depletion and/or waste of marital assets, which has had an adverse economic impact on the marital estates'.

The actor denied her allegations at the time.
Of all the causes dear to Prince Harry's heart, few matter more than Sentebale, the charity he co-founded as a carefree bachelor back in 2006 which dedicates itself to tackling poverty and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. But from now on its work will continue without one of its shrewdest operators, advertising king Johnny Hornby.

I can disclose that Hornby, 56  half-brother of About A Boy author Nick Hornby and brother-in-law of bestselling thriller-writer Robert Harris  has stood down after 11 years as a trustee, during the last five of which he was chairman of Sentebale's board.

His departure has prompted Harry to pay tribute to his 'leadership and vision' and 'dedication, partnership and friendship'. Describing Hornby's commitment to the children and young people of southern Africa as 'incredible', Harry and the charity's co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, thank him for enabling Sentebale to 'deliver holistic support to thousands in Lesotho and Botswana'.

Fellow entrepreneurs in cut-throat ad land acknowledge Hornby's talents. 'He's smart, no doubt about it. A smooth operator and a hard commercial man,' one tells me, adding that Hornby is in many respects comparable to advertising titan  and his one-time ally  Sir Martin Sorrell.

There's certainly no doubting Hornby's smoothness. During his time as a trustee at Sentebale, he was regularly snapped in easy, amicable conversation with Harry and Meghan, or walking discreetly behind them, as he did when the couple attended a London performance of Hamilton, the award-winning rap musical.

Johnny Hornby has stepped down as chairman of Prince Harry's charity after 11 years. Pictured: Mr Hornby with Meghan Markle at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in July 2018

The advertising king has a business partnership with Jeremy Clarkson, who faced backlash for comments made about Meghan Markle in a column. Pictured: Mr Clarkson (left), Mr Hornby (centre) and Kaleeb Cooper (right) at the Hawkstone lager launch in November 2021

Yet his intimacy with the Sussexes didn't preclude him from replicating a similarly warm friendship and professional relationship with someone very far removed from the couple's circle  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

Sharing the high-octane broadcaster's ambition and optimism, Hornby joined him in a brewing venture, Hawkstone, to produce a potent lager, as well as a pale ale and a cider.

Their partnership might have gone unremarked upon, had it not been for Clarkson's decision to write an article, late last year, in which he pointed out that he hated Meghan on 'a cellular level' and added  seemingly inspired by a scene from Game of Thrones  that he wanted to see her paraded through the streets, naked, while people threw excrement at her.

When this provoked howls of criticism, Clarkson wrote a private, confidential letter to Harry on Christmas Day.

It was then, it is said, that Hornby stepped in. 'Johnny is friends with both Jeremy and Harry, so he was kind of in the middle of it all,' one of Hornby's allies said. 'He suggested that it would be a good idea for Jeremy to apologise.'

Clarkson evidently took the hint and wrote a full and abject public apology.

It failed to placate Harry and Meghan, who issued a statement, stating that it was 'clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate'.

But the apology did work in one respect: a boycott of Hawkstone lager, which seemed possible  and which had already been instituted by one pub  did not materialise.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not placated by Clarkson's apology for his comments, writing it was 'clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate'. Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala at New York Hilton in December 2022

Only the most cynical would suggest that Hornby's sole motivation was to protect his shared brewing interests with Clarkson. When asked in the past about his work for Sentebale  and whether it might be a stepping stone to a knighthood  he immediately replied: 'If anyone deserves one it would be Harry himself for his work on it.'

But the end of his association with the charity does perhaps make things a little easier for his second wife, Clare, with whom he lives in Notting Hill, West London. Not one to be overshadowed, she founded and runs clothing brand Me+Em's, valued at well over 100million.

Asked last year who had the biggest impact on her business, she unhesitatingly replied 'the Duchess'  not Meghan, but Catherine, who, at the time, was, of course, the Duchess of Cambridge. 'There isn't anyone like her. In terms of global appeal, nothing comes close,' added Clare. 'And quite rightly. She is amazing. So stoic.'

Nothing that even her supremely smooth husband could do about that...
Five Star Kitchen fans slammed the judges' decision as Dom was crowned the winner during Friday's final, claiming that Jordan was 'robbed.'

In the episode, contestant's Jordan, Dom and Adria each had the opportunity to run the Palm Court for one night.

The trio were tasked with impressing 50 guests at the restaurant and judges Ravneet Gill, Michel Roux and Mike Reid, in what was their last chance to put their name on the door.

Adria was up first but soon began running behind with one table leaving before the desserts were served.

Dom also went gone over the two and half hour service time and his vegan ice cream failed to set correctly.

Not happy: Five Star Kitchen fans slammed the judges decision as Dom was crowned the winner during Friday's final, claiming that Jordan was 'robbed'

People's winner: Jordan was the only contestant who's service ran smoothly but the judges weren't impressed with his menu choice

Jordan was the only contestant who's service ran smoothly but the judges weren't impressed with his menu choice.

After the judges announced the winner of the show as Dom, viewers at home were left outraged by their choice.

Sharing their thoughts on Twitter one person wrote: 'I think Jordan has won this pretty comfortably. He had total control of the kitchen.'

'Jordan was robbed, Dom definitely didn't deserve that,' another added.

A third person agreed: 'Glad I don't gamble. I had Jordan as the winner.'

'WTF! What an absolute disgrace! Dom did not deserve that. Never watching this nonsense again!' another shared.

One fan posted: 'Congrats to Dom and I hope he does well. Just dont agree with the decision.'

Meanwhile some one else said: 'Sorry, but none of them look ready.'

Final say: After the judges announced the winner of the show as Dom, viewers at home were left outraged by their choice

Oh dear: Sharing their thoughts on Twitter one person wrote: 'I think Jordan has won this pretty comfortably. He had total control of the kitchen'

Speaking afterwards Dom said: 'What am I going to do with The Palm Court? I'm going to make it sexy. People will come from far and wide for this Caribbean cuisine.'

Channel 4's shiny new cooking show was previously branded 'pretentious', 'tin-eared' and 'obscene' for showcasing meals that cost tens of thousands of pounds during the cost of living crisis.

Five Star Kitchen follows contestants as they try to wow a panel of judges including Ravneet Gill, Michel Roux and Mike Reid with outrageously expensive dishes.

Last night's episode held a 21,000 taco from Mexico and a 1,700 pizza from New York as examples of the 'pure luxury' the competitors should strive to achieve.

But viewers watching at home slammed the show on Twitter, calling it 'out of touch' in the wake of the cost of living crisis.

As the second episode of the show opened last night, the judges encouraged the contestants to use expensive ingredients in order to market their food to upper crust diners with cash to spare.

'Today is all about money,' pastry chef and restaurant consultant Ravneet Gill said.

'Luxury hotels like this are playground for the rich and famous. To them, money is no object,' she added.

The chef added that contestants had to use the 'finest ingredients that money can buy' in order to attract 'diners who just want to splurge and create buzz around their menus.'

Global restaurateur Mike Reid explained that the contestants had to find that one dish that 'showcases pure luxury,' to set themselves apart from other restaurants.

'Think the 24 carat pizza from New York, costing just under 2,000,' he said, referencing Industry Kitchen's 1,700 pizza, which was inspired by Wall Street and is topped with gold leaves.

'Up to the Grand Velas taco from Mexico, which is wrapped in a gold infused tortilla,' he said, about the delicacy served at the Grand Velas Los Cabos resort for the super rich.

The taco, which is made of a gold-infused tortilla and topped with gold leaf, is thought to be the most expensive taco in the world.

During the episode, contestants tried to come up with the most outrageously expensive dishes they could think of.

One restaurateur told the judges she hoped to charge customer 2,500 for a ceviche with caviar out of the tin, served on an ice sculpture of a mermaid.

Meanwhile, a chef called Jordan had the judges scoffing when he revealed he hoped to sell a yellowfin tuna blue corn taco for an eye-watering 500.
Blac Chyna joyfully announced on Instagram this Friday that she is 10 months sober - amid her shocking born-again Christian turnaround.

Over the past few months the ex-stripper has overhauled her life, finding religion, quitting OnlyFans, having her plastic surgery reversed and going on the wagon.

'Happy 10 months sober, clean eating, working out, staying in the word(bible), healing my mind, body and soul. My Inner light,' she wrote.

Her message was accompanied by a video of her twirling around and smiling beatifically as she modeled a plunging, frou-frou purple blouse.

Chyna teamed the top with a split floral skirt that featured a floral design, plus a towering pair of sky-high stilettos.

New life: Blac Chyna joyfully announced on Instagram this Friday that she is 10 months sober - amid her shocking born-again Christian turnaround

Looking fab: Over the past few months the ex-stripper has overhauled her life, finding religion, having her plastic surgery reversed and going on the wagon

'My Inner light': 'Happy 10 months sober, clean eating, working out, staying in the word(bible), healing my mind, body and soul,' she wrote

Sharpening her unmistakable features with makeup, she augmented her locks with Burmese hair courtesy of the brand Hearts Pure.

She allowed her fans to get a fuller glimpse of the ensemble in another photo - one that showed her tantalizingly showing off her legs through her thigh-slit as she sunned herself pin-up style on a deck chair.

Her latest posts came one day after after Khloe Kardashian addressed the claims around her 'co-parenting' Chyna's daughter Dream Kardashian.

Chyna shares little Dream with her ex-fiance Rob Kardashian, the reclusive younger brother of the Kardashian sisters.

On the latest episode of the Kardashians, Khloe said she was the 'third parent' to Dream and added she had no contact with Chyna.

'I do not have a relationship with Dream's mom,' said Khloe. 'It's hard to have a relationship with someone when they sue you for hundreds of millions of dollars.'

The episode saw Khloe help Rob throw Dream - the only offspring of the Kardashian clan to inherit their famous last name - a sixth birthday party.

Khloe fired up her Instagram on Thursday to share two statements about helping raise Rob and Chyna' six-year-old daughter.

A place in the sun: She allowed her fans to get a fuller glimpse of the ensemble in another photo - one that showed her tantalizingly showing off her legs through her thigh-slit

Speaking up: Khloe Kardashian appeared on Instagram on Thursday morning to address 'co-parenting' her niece Dream Kardashian

Statement: Khloe used the platform to share two statements about helping raise her brother Rob Kardashian's 6-year-old daughter

Positive: 'We are ALL trying to do our best in life,' she said in back-to-back Instagram Stories

Speaking to her 310 million followers, she wrote, 'I love ALL of my nieces and nephews more than I can express. Dream and I are particularly close.

'My brother and I are extremely close. I am with Dream all the time because I am with my brother all of the time. I love her beyond measure.'

She then touched on the bond her daughter True, five, shares with her cousin Dream.

'True and Dream are best friends and I feel so incredibly blessed they have this relationship.'

She then added, 'I consider ALL of my nieces and nephews my babies. I even consider my sisters my babies.'

Khloe gushed, 'I take pride in this love and always have,' before adding, 'I wholeheartedly believe it takes a village to raise a child.'

Touching on her family's close-knit dynamic, she wrote, 'Life is full of ups and downs and I am proud that we have a family that can lean on one another. That's what family does.'

She finished the first post, 'We are a tribe and all of us will always be there for one another. Especially the babies!'

Former couple: Rob, 36, and Chyna, 35, welcomed Dream in 2016 before going their separate ways in 2017; seen in 2016

A second post, featuring black text over a light gray background, was dedicated to spreading positivity.

'Life is challenging enough. I hate how something so sweet as Dream's 6th birthday is getting twisted.'

The entrepreneur addressed Rob and Blac Chyna individually, calling the model by her real name, as she said, 'Rob is doing the best he can as a parent and in life. Angela is doing the best she can as a parent and in life.'

She said the same for herself and then declared, 'Our children are healthy and happy! Most of all they are LOVED!! LOVED by everyone in our tribe.'

About the past feud between the Kardashians and the media personality, she said 'there really is nothing there anymore.'

Khloe then said, 'The focus is on Dream and her happiness and making sure she feels unconditional love at her mommy's house, her daddy's house, and any family member's house for that matter.'

On The Kardashians Khloe admitted to feeling like a 'third wheel' to Rob and Chyna before Scott Disick replied, 'You're the wheel that makes the car move.'

In addition to True, Khloe is also raising son Tatum Thompson, 11 months, with ex-beau Tristan Thompson.

Unbreakable: Khloe declared, 'I love ALL of my nieces and nephews more than I can express. Dream and I are particularly close'

BFFs: 'True and Dream are best friends and I feel so incredibly blessed they have this relationship,' she said about her daughter and niece

Trio: Khloe regularly shares outtakes from life with True and Dream, like this picture of them at Disneyland

'Dream is one of my babies, too, just like all the rest of them,' the proud aunt gushed in an interview snippet on the show.

'I absolutely love being a mom to people,' she said in the confessional. 'I love mothering people. It's so in my blood just to be a mom. I wouldn't have it any other way.'

In addition to Dream, Khloe is also aunt to Mason Disick, 13, Penelope Disick, 11, Reign Disick, 8, North West, 10, Saint West, 7, Chicago West, 5, Psalm West, 4, Stormi Webster, 5, and Aire Webster, 1.

Rob and Chyna welcomed Dream in 2016 before going their separate ways in 2017.

That year Chyna - born Angela White - took Khloe, Rob, Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian to court for defamation, in hopes of winning upwards of $100 million.

The five reality TV stars emerged triumphant in 2022 when a jury found them innocent following a two-week trial.

Despite the litigation, Chyna told The Sun that there's never been any ill-will toward the family on her part.
Victoria Beckham is reportedly set to reunite with the Spice Girls for a 30th anniversary reunion next year.

The fashion designer, 49, will join her bandmates Emma Bunton, Geri Horner, Mel Brown and Mel Chisholm for a set of tour dates in 2024, it has been claimed.

The 90s pop stars are reportedly considering a headlining slot at Glastonbury's Pyramid stage amid their huge 30th anniversary plans.

Victoria's apparent return comes after she didn't make a comeback as Posh Spice for the band's last reunion tour in 2019.

A source told The Sun: 'Victoria will be 50 next year, and the girls turning 30 seems like two anniversaries too good to miss.

Exciting! Victoria Beckham (pictured in 2012) is reportedly set to reunite with the Spice Girls for a 30th anniversary reunion next year

Plans: The fashion designer, 49, will join her bandmates Emma Bunton, Geri Horner, Mel Brown and Mel Chisholm (pictured in 2007) for a set of tour dates in 2024, it has been claimed

'There will be no new music, and Victoria is adamant she doesn't want to perform live unless for an incredibly exciting one-off opportunity.

'The group have been in talks to headline Glastonbury and this would sit with Victoria's 'cool' aesthetic, and, certainly, hubby David and their four kids would love it.'

The Spice Girls are also reportedly planning a one-off documentary featuring never-before-seen footage, with Netflix and Apple TV said to be keen for the rights.

MailOnline has contacted Victoria's representatives for comment.

The last time the iconic pop group took to the stage as a five-piece band was at the 2012 London Olympics.

The 2019 Spice Girls reunion was then as a four-person group made up of Sporty, Ginger and Baby and Scary Spice, leaving many fans disappointed.

However, Mel B recently teased that this won't be the case for their next project but kept quiet on what their big plans are.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Mel B said: 'We are doing something together as the Spice Girls and it has always been me kind of championing everybody together.

'But this time it was actually Victoria that was saying, "come on, let's all do something". So we have got something in the works, which will be announced soon.'

She added: 'It is about f***ing time.'

Comeback: Victoria's apparent return comes after she didn't make a comeback as Posh Spice for the band's last reunion tour in 2019

Stars: The stars rose to fame in the late 90s (pictured in 1996) and scored massive success with hits including Wannabe and 2 Become 1, selling 100 million albums worldwide

Cryptic: After the group last reunited as a four in 2019 (pictured), Mel B recently teased that this won't be the case for their next project but kept quiet on what their plans as a five are

The stars rose to fame in the late 90s and scored massive success with hits including Wannabe and 2 Become 1, selling 100 million albums worldwide.

While rumours swirled about various group members fighting after they broke up in 2000, Emma, 46, recently revealed that they will always have an incredible bond.

Speaking to MailOnline in December 2022, she said: 'Nobody else will ever understand that relationship between us.

'We've been through so much and we still go through so much, from children to work. There's a bond there and it's very, very strong.'

After they initially broke up in 2000, they reunited seven years later for a tour and released the track Headlines (Friendship Never Ends).
Doctor Semmelweis (Harold Pinter Theatre, London)

Verdict: Scrubs up well

Rating:

Cuckoo (Royal Court Theatre, London)

Verdict: Game of phones

Rating:

Having fought Covid as the rest of us might battle vampires  with garlic and Vitamin C  Mark Rylance returned to the West End this week to play a 19th-century Hungarian doctor who fought mother and infant mortality with nothing more than hand hygiene.

The Oscar-winning actors show, first seen at Bristols Old Vic in January last year, charts the life of oddball physician Ignaz Semmelweis who stumbled on the realisation that clean hands could stop childbirth infections.

For his life-saving revelations, he was rewarded by being run out of town and driven mad.

And in a cruel twist of fate, he eventually died of sepsis, thanks to poor hygiene in the mental asylum where he wound up being incarcerated.

PATRICK MARMION: Much of the foreboding in Tom Morriss murky production hails from Adrian Suttons angular, sometimes discordant chamber music. Pictured: Dr Semmelweis being performed at the Bristol Old Vic

This was, of course, in a time when germs and bacteria were not understood; and Stephen Browns play (written with Rylance), extols Dr Semmelweis with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight  and the usual scorn for Victorian males.

That said, Rylance is perfectly suited to the part. His bashful gynaecologist is neatly embodied, with his hair combed forward before his ears and backwards behind, setting off mutton chop sideburns and a waxed tache. Narrating his story to his wife in later years, he comes across as a nervous dogmatist who is weirdly unsure of himself.

His tactlessness and hair-trigger temper often invite the mistrust of others. And yet he also has the vulnerability of a quaking schoolboy in a Victorian borstal.

Affecting childlike fear and wonder, Rylance seems to fumble for his lines and shifts furtively about the stage, sometimes groping for support on the nearby pillars.

He looks as though hes away with the fairies, yet he always has one eye on the audience.

His unease is well placed, as he runs up against Johann Klein (Alan Williams), the belligerent bulldozer who runs the Viennese maternity hospital; and Karl von Rokitansky (Daniel York Loh), an adjutant of an anatomist. Senior midwife Anna Muller (Pauline McLynn) is a touchstone of good sense, amid the doctors strutting egos.

Much of the foreboding in Tom Morriss murky production hails from Adrian Suttons angular, sometimes discordant chamber music. A ghostly chorus of dead mothers dance along, swaying like underwater weeds in invisible currents. And a glossy black floor beneath a wrought iron balustrade lends a suitably gothic atmosphere.

There is little tension in a story where the outcome is never in doubt. And as for the message  now wash your hands  well, that didnt even make it to the gents loos in the interval.

But as a chance to witness Rylances peculiar stage magic, this is a show not to be missed.

PATRICK MARMION: Phones are nothing new in theatre. But in Michael Wynnes new stage sitcom, Cuckoo, theyre like Greek Gods, issuing reversals of fortune and unwelcome verdicts on our lives

PATRICK MARMION: Actually, its about as deep as an episode of Gogglebox  here with a family of three women and a teenage girl, holding forth in Birkenhead

Phones are nothing new in theatre. But in Michael Wynnes new stage sitcom, Cuckoo, theyre like Greek Gods, issuing reversals of fortune and unwelcome verdicts on our lives.

That doesnt mean its deep, mind you. Actually, its about as deep as an episode of Gogglebox  here with a family of three women and a teenage girl, holding forth in Birkenhead.

The teenager is struggling with anxiety, which has been brought on by hormones and climate change . . . with a little help from her hard-bitten single mum.

And even though her well-meaning teacher aunt tries to help, its her Nan (whos busily flogging her worldly goods on eBay) who really makes a difference.

The play opens in silence over fish and chips, while all four gaze at their phones.

I only wish Wynne showed more ambition, taking on the question of if (or how) the devices damage their lives.

For no obvious reason in Vicky Featherstones production, the living room features a pool of water to one side. Never mind. Emma Harrison manages to elicit great sympathy as the teen, despite being almost completely silent.

And as the end-of-her-tether mum, Michelle Butterly is as hard as the M53 motorway. Otherwise, the pity goes to Jodie McNee, as the teacher aunt who falls head over heels for a hot dentist.

But its Sue Jenkins who rules the roost as gran Doreen: plucking her chin and dancing to Tina Turner, in preparation for a secret date.

A version of the first review was made available exclusively to Mail+ subscribers on Wednesday.

The Wizard Of Oz (London Palladium and touring)

Verdict: Pleasingly zany

Rating:

Many will feel a chill wind blowing through their souls when they hear that producers have been meddling with their beloved classics. Devotees of The Wizard Of Oz may even feel its like tampering with their childhood.

But fear not. Its true that Nikolai Fosters re-boot, starring Georgina Onuorah as Dorothy and Dianne Pilkington as the Wicked Witch, does turn the analogue, Technicolor story into a cross between a video game and a Las Vegas amusement arcade. But its also good, respectful fun.

Maybe its lost some innocence (havent we all?), but we can still admire Fosters staging, combining a Super Mario-style Yellow Brick Road with animations of the highways and byways of Kansas, Oz and the Emerald City.

Onuorah has a crystal voice reminiscent of both Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli. But her streetwise Dorothy is no ingenue, and I did miss the vulnerability that is one of the characters obstacles to overcome.

PATRICK MARMION: Many will feel a chill wind blowing through their souls when they hear that producers have been meddling with their beloved classics. Devotees of The Wizard Of Oz may even feel its like tampering with their childhood

Nor is Toto the Cairn Terrier of legend. Instead, hes a puppet of mixed ancestry, masterfully handled by Ben Thompson: sitting, leaping, yapping and watching with head tilted.

Louis Gaunt cuts a cute scarecrow, and Jason Manford is a nicely goofy Lion, but Ashley Banjo is outstanding as an animatronic Tin Man.

Gary Wilmot is a shoo-in for the deeply weird Wizard, while Christina Biancos good witch Glinda is like a stick of pink, warbling candyfloss.

No contest for whos having the most fun, though. If Dianne Pilkington had been allowed to steal the show as the Wicked Witch, theyd be staging it in Rio  to the ghost of Ronnie Biggs.

The shows additional songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, including If We Only Had A Plan, add a bit of extra (modern) sauce.

There are moments of near raucousness, too, in Shay Barclays sometimes giddily kitsch choreography. The only thing it has to compete with is the conductors long fringe below the stage, which flips up, down, left and right, causing an intermittently restricted view in the front row. P.M.

Giffords Circus (Touring)

Verdict: Roll up, roll up

Rating:

By Georgina Brown

The site has the vibrancy of a village green. From one wagon, Tweedy, the clown, serves Circus Sauces mouth-watering burgers (try the pork belly with rhubarb). Wisp-slender, an orange quiff spraying from the green velvet cone on his head, Tweedy has a brand of sauce all his own. Outside he is trailed by excited, babbling children. Inside this intimate Big Top, by Keef, his pet iron.

Tweedys clowning is a matter of making magic by mending things. When the members of the audience are too slow to ring their goat-bells, he attaches tapes to their hands and pulls them himself. When his dummys jaw drops off (jaw-dropping really is the word)  followed by his head and limbs  Tweedy becomes a live marionette.

Director Cal McCrystals inspiration for this years show is Les Enfants du Paradis, a nod to the famous films atmosphere of demi-monde Paris where young Clair de Lune (another character is named Hugo Victor) finds herself in a derelict theatre. Helped by a broken-hearted ballet-dancer (awesome Antoine Cesar) and Tweedy, she summons expert performers who bring the stage to fabulous life. Romance blooms, to the accompaniment of a band, Quelle Fromage, singing old favourites by Blondie and ELO.

GEORGINA BROWN: Giffords Circus combines sequinned sophistication with sawdust and slapstick. Every death-defying, life-enhancing act celebrates skills honed by years of practice, determination and grit

Les Garcons Abyssinia climb poles and shoot through rings, with the bounce of superballs and swoop of swallows; Marie Meggiolaro spins hoops on each limb independently, while hanging bat-like; daredevil flying trapezist Alexander Saint-Michael skywalks upside down  without a safety net.

Florentine Le Febvres quartet of miniature spotted ponies resemble tubby dalmatians and dance to her tune. Adorable, but easily upstaged by human performers making music on glass bottles and conjuring a shadow-play snogging couple, backlit by a tricycle torch.

Giffords Circus combines sequinned sophistication with sawdust and slapstick. Every death-defying, life-enhancing act celebrates skills honed by years of practice, determination and grit. A lesson of sorts, coming with buckets of charm  and candyfloss.

Visit giffordscircus.com for tour dates and details.
She became Britains richest divorcee in 2021 when her billionaire husband, Ernesto Bertarelli, agreed to a 350 million settlement. She was awarded a 52 million home in Switzerland, too.

Now, the Staffordshire-born former Miss UK Kirsty Bertarelli is singing for joy, as she hosted a joint birthday party with her new boyfriend in Sardinia.

Songwriter Kirsty, 52, who co-wrote All Saints No 1 single Black Coffee, sang for her man, Marc, at the do.

You give me butterflies, she gushed. One guest says: Its true romance. There wasnt a dry eye in the house.

Kirsty declines to give more details about Marc, but they are thought to have been a couple for some time.

Kirsty declines to give more details about Marc, but they are thought to have been a couple for some time. They are pictured together

Miss Bertarelli divorced husband Ernesto (left), with whom she has three children, in 2021 after their 21-year marriage hit the rocks and became Britain's richest divorcee, netting a 350 million settlement

Staffordshire-born former Miss UK Kirsty Bertarelli is singing for joy as she hosted a joint birthday party with her new boyfriend in Sardinia

Miss Bertarelli secretly divorced husband Ernesto, with whom she has three children, in October 2021 after their 21-year marriage hit the rocks.

She spoke fondly of her new man to her Instagram fans, writing: 'Stepping forward in harmony - in the moment just you and me - taking in lifes beauty in perfect synchronicity -

'Sometimes the stars are aligned - you held my hand and made me shine'

'Sometimes in life youre given a second chance - dont let go just be strong - love knows no bounds when its pure and sweet - stable as the ground beneath your feet. Thank you babe.'

A friend of Miss Bertarelli said she had been 'through the mill' but is now in a better place with 'close friends, a new younger man, and a bulging bank balance'

Before their divorce, the couple were jointly listed in 14th place in last year's Sunday Times Rich List with a fortune estimated at a staggering 9.2billion  bigger than the gross domestic product of many countries, including the Bahamas, Brunei and Armenia.

In addition to her settlement, she has been given a spectacular modern house by Lake Geneva in Switzerland bought this year for 52million. She also owns an 8million chalet in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad.

Mrs Bertarelli was born Kirsty Roper in the Staffordshire market town of Stone to a well-off family behind one of the world's biggest manufacturers of ceramic products, Churchill China in Stoke-on-Trent.

A friend of Miss Bertarelli said she had been 'through the mill' but is now in a better place

Kirsty Bertarelli, the beauty queen whose divorce made her wealthier than Queen Elizabeth, has a new boyfriend

'Sometimes the stars are aligned - you held my hand and made me shine': Former Miss UK beauty queen Kirsty Bertarelli (right), 51, holding hands on a romantic walk with Marc last August

She joined the super-rich after meeting bio-tech tycoon Bertarelli at a dinner party in Sardinia

Mrs Bertarelli (pictured in August 1988) was born Kirsty Roper in the Staffordshire market town of Stone. She comes from the well-off family behind one of the world's biggest manufacturers of ceramic products, Churchill China in Stoke-on-Trent

After being crowned Miss UK in 1988 (left and right), Kirsty was second runner-up in that year's Miss World pageant. She then became a successful pop singer and songwriter. She co-wrote All Saints' No 1 single Black Coffee, a worldwide hit in 2000

After moving to London, she partied with socialites such as Elizabeth Hurley, Tamara Beckwith and Tamara Mellon.

Among those who fell for her charms was gambling and wildlife park heir Damian Aspinall, whose ex-wife Louise named her in their divorce.

But Mrs Bertarelli denied that anything happened while Damian and Louise were still together. 'He was already separated,' she explained. 'At least, that's what he told me.'

She joined the super-rich after meeting bio-tech tycoon Bertarelli, 56, at a dinner party in Sardinia. Twice a winner of sailing's top prize, the America's Cup, he is said to have bought the 100million British-built superyacht Vava II for his wife's 40th birthday.

After being crowned Miss UK in 1988, Kirsty was second runner-up in that year's Miss World pageant. She then became a successful pop singer and songwriter. She co-wrote All Saints' No 1 single Black Coffee, a worldwide hit in 2000.

'So many people would just go off on their yacht and spend their life drinking champagne, but not me,' she said.

'You should grasp life. Singing has been inside me my whole life and I can't not do it.'

When the couple separated after 21 years last year, although the size of her payment was not disclosed, Miss Bertarelli reportedly agreed to a 350 million payout.

Mrs Bertarelli was represented by Baroness (Fiona) Shackleton, the lawyer known as the Steel Magnolia who represented Prince Charles and Sir Paul McCartney in their divorces. She is believed to have signed a prenuptial agreement before marrying Italian-born Bertarelli in 2000.

Pictured: Bertarelli (left) with her husband Ernesto and supermodel Eva Herzigova in Paris in 2017

Kirsty Bertarelli was awarded a 350million divorce settlement that made her the richest British-born divorcee in history, with a fortune exceeding that of the Queen and J. K. Rowling

Ex-Miss UK Kirsty Bertarelli, 51, divorced billionaire husband Ernesto in 2021 after 21 years and 3 children

Recalling the first time they met Kirsty said: 'There were so many girls wanting to be with him and I think he just found me naively refreshing'

In the year 2000, Kirsty achieved success in the music industry after a song she had co-written, Black Coffee, went to No 1 in the UK charts

Motherhood, alongside Ernesto's sailing obsession, curtailed Kirsty's dreams of pop stardom

One of her friends told the Mail: 'The settlement was more generous than it had to be. They didn't want a long, drawn-out court case in Switzerland and he wanted to recognise the length of their marriage.'

In July last year, Miss Bertarelli posted a heartfelt message on Instagram to mark her 20th wedding anniversary.

'Twenty years together today!! Taking a little spin with you to mark the occasion of one hell of an amazing journey!' she wrote. 'With you always by my side and me always by yours. I love you so very much!'

Kirsty said in a rare interview several years before, marriage to Ernesto proved the gateway to an 'amazing' life, pictured on social media showing the pair jetting off to exotic locations, exclusive beach clubs, and ski resorts.

It came as a shock to many when the couple quietly divorced after 21 years of marriage, with Miss Bertarelli now living alone in a stunning 350 million mansion on the shores of Lake Geneva.

A source told the Daily Mail at the time: 'Only a very few were aware of what was going on.

'They have both been very discreet. They still have a lot of respect for each other.'
TD SYNNEX Corporation operates as a distributor and solutions aggregator for the information technology (IT) ecosystem. The company offers personal computing devices and peripherals, mobile phones and accessories, printers, supplies, and endpoint technology software; and data center technologies, such as hybrid cloud, security, storage, networking, servers, technology software, and converged and hyper-converged infrastructure, as well as computing components. It also provides systems design and rack integration, build-to-order, and configure-to-order assembly; and thermal testing, power-draw testing, burn-in, and quality and logistics support. In addition, the company offers outsourced fulfilment, virtual distribution, and direct ship to end-users; shipping documents generation, multi-level serial number tracking, and configured products and online order and shipment tracking, as well as turn-key logistics solutions. Further, it provides public cloud solutions in productivity and collaboration, IaaS, or Infrastructure as a Service, PaaS, or Platform as a Service, SaaS, or Software as a Service, security, mobility, IoT, and other hybrid solutions. Additionally, the company offers online services; provides net terms, third party leasing, floor plan financing, and letters-of-credit backed financing and arrangement; and leases products and provides device-as-a-service, as well as offers direct mail, external media advertising, reseller product training, targeted telemarketing campaigns, national and regional trade shows, trade groups, database analysis, print on demand services, and web-based marketing. It serves value-added resellers, corporate resellers, government resellers, system integrators, direct marketers, retailers, and managed service providers. The company was formerly known as SYNNEX Corporation and changed its name to TD SYNNEX Corporation in September 2021. TD SYNNEX Corporation was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Fremont, California.
Barclays upgraded shares of Azul (NYSE:AZUL  Free Report) from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report released on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has $14.00 price objective on the stock, up from their previous price objective of $8.00.

AZUL has been the subject of a number of other reports. Bank of America raised shares of Azul from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $6.90 to $11.00 in a research note on Monday, May 22nd. Morgan Stanley raised Azul from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $6.00 to $8.60 in a research note on Wednesday, March 15th. Raymond James raised their price objective on Azul from $12.00 to $14.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 31st. Finally, UBS Group raised Azul from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $11.28.

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Azul Trading Down 2.2 %

NYSE:AZUL opened at $11.29 on Monday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $10.88 and its 200 day moving average is $7.91. Azul has a 12 month low of $3.82 and a 12 month high of $13.86. The company has a market capitalization of $4.75 billion, a P/E ratio of -1.95 and a beta of 1.47.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Azul ( NYSE:AZUL Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 15th. The company reported ($0.99) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.42) by ($0.57). The business had revenue of $862.07 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $930.89 million. On average, research analysts forecast that Azul will post -1.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. UBS Group AG lifted its stake in shares of Azul by 930.7% during the 2nd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 3,628 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 3,276 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its stake in shares of Azul by 697.6% during the first quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 6,915 shares of the companys stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 6,048 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA grew its holdings in shares of Azul by 18.0% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 9,746 shares of the companys stock worth $69,000 after purchasing an additional 1,487 shares during the last quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Azul in the 4th quarter worth about $73,000. Finally, Avantax Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in Azul during the 1st quarter valued at about $108,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 2.30% of the companys stock.

Azul Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Azul SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides scheduled air transportation services in Brazil. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated approximately 1,000 daily departures to 158 destinations through a network of 300 non-stop routes with an operating fleet of 177 aircraft and a passenger contractual fleet of 194 aircraft.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSEAMERICAN:BHB  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning.

Bar Harbor Bankshares Stock Down 0.6 %

BHB stock opened at $24.80 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 0.98. Bar Harbor Bankshares has a 52 week low of $19.55 and a 52 week high of $33.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $375.47 million, a P/E ratio of 7.87 and a beta of 0.79. The company has a 50-day moving average of $28.31.

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Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSEAMERICAN:BHB  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 20th. The financial services provider reported $0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $40.09 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $40.30 million. Bar Harbor Bankshares had a net margin of 27.03% and a return on equity of 12.04%. On average, analysts anticipate that Bar Harbor Bankshares will post 2.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Bar Harbor Bankshares Increases Dividend

Institutional Trading of Bar Harbor Bankshares

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 16th were paid a dividend of $0.28 per share. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.52%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 15th. This is a boost from Bar Harbor Banksharess previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. Bar Harbor Banksharess payout ratio is presently 35.56%.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares by 0.4% during the first quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,359,680 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,964,000 after purchasing an additional 5,281 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares by 0.3% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,120,430 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $32,068,000 after purchasing an additional 3,221 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Bar Harbor Bankshares by 1.2% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 726,838 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $19,225,000 after buying an additional 8,301 shares during the period. Bar Harbor Wealth Management lifted its holdings in Bar Harbor Bankshares by 4.4% in the first quarter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management now owns 487,732 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $12,901,000 after buying an additional 20,663 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its holdings in Bar Harbor Bankshares by 6.8% in the first quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 452,043 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $12,937,000 after buying an additional 28,851 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 53.18% of the companys stock.

About Bar Harbor Bankshares

(Get Free Report)

Bar Harbor Bankshares operates as the holding company for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust that provides banking and nonbanking products and services primarily to consumers and businesses. It accepts various deposit products, including interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing demand accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, and money market deposit accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.

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Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC (LON:ERM  Get Free Report) shares crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 1,459.28 ($18.77) and traded as high as GBX 1,460 ($18.78). Euromoney Institutional Investor shares last traded at GBX 1,460 ($18.78), with a volume of 4,978,005 shares trading hands.

Euromoney Institutional Investor Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of 1.60 billion and a PE ratio of 14,600.00. The businesss 50-day moving average is GBX 1,460 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 1,459.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.74, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a current ratio of 0.48.

Euromoney Institutional Investor Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, together with its subsidiaries, provides business-to-business information services in the United Kingdom, North America, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Fast Markets, Financial & Professional Services, and Asset Management. The Fast Market segment provides commodity price benchmarks and analysis to its clients' business processes and workflows in the metals, mining, forest products, and agriculture industries.

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Shares of Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (NYSE:HMY  Get Free Report) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $4.06 and traded as high as $4.14. Harmony Gold Mining shares last traded at $4.08, with a volume of 3,555,950 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HMY has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Investec lowered shares of Harmony Gold Mining from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, April 17th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Harmony Gold Mining from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, April 24th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Harmony Gold Mining in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold.

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Harmony Gold Mining Stock Up 1.4 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $4.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $4.07.

Institutional Trading of Harmony Gold Mining

Harmony Gold Mining Company Profile

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its stake in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 58,627,033 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $240,371,000 after buying an additional 168,513 shares in the last quarter. Exor Capital LLP raised its stake in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 11.5% in the 4th quarter. Exor Capital LLP now owns 29,744,388 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $119,549,000 after buying an additional 3,079,485 shares in the last quarter. Kopernik Global Investors LLC raised its stake in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Kopernik Global Investors LLC now owns 17,459,280 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $71,583,000 after buying an additional 213,920 shares in the last quarter. Polunin Capital Partners Ltd raised its stake in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 19.4% in the 4th quarter. Polunin Capital Partners Ltd now owns 10,624,626 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $36,123,000 after buying an additional 1,728,500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 16.3% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 7,880,911 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $39,649,000 after buying an additional 1,103,023 shares in the last quarter. 35.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited engages in the exploration, extraction, and processing of gold. The company also explores for uranium, silver, copper, and molybdenum deposits. It has eight underground operations in the Witwatersrand Basin; an open-pit mine on the Kraaipan Greenstone Belt; and various surface source operations in South Africa.

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PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III (NYSE:PZC  Get Free Report) passed above its 50 day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of $7.71 and traded as high as $7.86. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III shares last traded at $7.85, with a volume of 19,849 shares changing hands.

PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $7.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $7.80.

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PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 13th will be issued a $0.0295 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 12th. This represents a $0.35 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.48%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III

PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III Company Profile

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III by 11.7% in the 1st quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 457,740 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $3,552,000 after acquiring an additional 47,870 shares during the last quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC boosted its position in PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III by 4.9% during the 1st quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 375,446 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,913,000 after purchasing an additional 17,498 shares during the period. UBS Group AG boosted its position in PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III by 70.0% during the 2nd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 353,271 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,918,000 after purchasing an additional 145,483 shares during the period. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III by 24.0% during the 1st quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 342,019 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,654,000 after purchasing an additional 66,231 shares during the period. Finally, Core Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $748,000.

(Get Free Report)

PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. It is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors.

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Sonoco Products (NYSE:SON  Free Report) had its target price trimmed by Bank of America from $80.00 to $68.00 in a report released on Monday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

SON has been the subject of a number of other reports. Seaport Res Ptn raised shares of Sonoco Products from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 20th. StockNews.com raised shares of Sonoco Products from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, June 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on shares of Sonoco Products from $61.00 to $57.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their target price on shares of Sonoco Products from $70.00 to $68.00 in a report on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $63.67.

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Sonoco Products Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE SON opened at $57.89 on Monday. Sonoco Products has a 52-week low of $53.78 and a 52-week high of $65.96. The businesss 50 day moving average is $59.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $59.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. The firm has a market cap of $5.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.46, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.69.

Sonoco Products Increases Dividend

Sonoco Products ( NYSE:SON Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 1st. The industrial products company reported $1.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.07. Sonoco Products had a net margin of 6.93% and a return on equity of 29.17%. The company had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.84 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.85 earnings per share. Sonoco Productss revenue for the quarter was down 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Sonoco Products will post 5.77 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 10th were given a $0.51 dividend. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 9th. This is an increase from Sonoco Productss previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. Sonoco Productss dividend payout ratio is 40.40%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SON. Merit Financial Group LLC grew its position in Sonoco Products by 5.4% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 3,504 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $214,000 after purchasing an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System grew its position in Sonoco Products by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 26,100 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,585,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG grew its position in Sonoco Products by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 13,645 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $832,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning lifted its holdings in shares of Sonoco Products by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 5,426 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $309,000 after acquiring an additional 214 shares during the period. Finally, Centennial Wealth Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Sonoco Products by 4.8% during the 1st quarter. Centennial Wealth Advisory LLC now owns 5,072 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $309,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares during the period. 75.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Sonoco Products Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Sonoco Products Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells various engineered and sustainable packaging products in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company operates through two segments: Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging.

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Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust plc (LON:SLS  Get Free Report) passed below its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 732 ($9.42) and traded as low as GBX 732 ($9.42). Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust shares last traded at GBX 732 ($9.42), with a volume of 84,315 shares.

Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust Trading Down 1.3 %

The firm has a market capitalization of 715.41 million and a PE ratio of 3.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.92, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.60. The firms fifty day moving average is GBX 732 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 732.

About Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust

(Get Free Report)

Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust plc is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by Standard Life Investments Limited. The fund is managed by Standard Life Investments (Corporate Funds) Limited. It invests in the public equity markets of the United Kingdom. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors.

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TELUS International (Cda) (NYSE:TIXT  Get Free Report) updated its FY 2023 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of $0.90-$0.97 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $1.62. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.70 billion-$2.73 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $3.93 billion. TELUS International (Cda) also updated its FY23 guidance to $0.90-0.97 EPS.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently issued reports on TIXT. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of TELUS International (Cda) from $26.00 to $21.00 in a research note on Monday, May 8th. TheStreet lowered shares of TELUS International (Cda) from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Thursday, May 4th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on shares of TELUS International (Cda) from $22.00 to $17.00 in a report on Monday, July 3rd. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group began coverage on shares of TELUS International (Cda) in a report on Monday, April 24th. They set a buy rating for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $25.69.

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TELUS International (Cda) Price Performance

TELUS International (Cda) stock traded up $0.15 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $14.71. 112,713 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 141,651. TELUS International has a one year low of $14.33 and a one year high of $31.52. The stock has a market cap of $1.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.30. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $15.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $19.21.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

TELUS International (Cda) ( NYSE:TIXT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.22 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $686.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $693.05 million. TELUS International (Cda) had a net margin of 6.38% and a return on equity of 17.21%. On average, equities analysts predict that TELUS International will post 1.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in TIXT. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of TELUS International (Cda) by 156.0% in the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 9,241 shares of the companys stock worth $228,000 after buying an additional 5,631 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of TELUS International (Cda) by 43.4% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 7,367 shares of the companys stock worth $182,000 after buying an additional 2,228 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in shares of TELUS International (Cda) by 39.2% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 23,362 shares of the companys stock worth $577,000 after buying an additional 6,582 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. increased its position in TELUS International (Cda) by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 88,458 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,186,000 after purchasing an additional 728 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its position in TELUS International (Cda) by 39.8% during the 1st quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 71,700 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,774,000 after purchasing an additional 20,400 shares during the period. 61.30% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About TELUS International (Cda)

(Get Free Report)

TELUS International (Cda) Inc design, builds, and delivers digital solutions for customer experience (CX) in Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific, and the Central America. The company provides digital experience solutions, such as AI and bots, omnichannel CX, enterprise mobility solutions, cloud contact center, big data analytics, platform transformation, and UX/UI design; and customer experience solutions, including work anywhere/work from home, contact center outsourcing, technical support, sales growth and customer retention, healthcare/patient experience, and debt collection.

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The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Free Report) had its target price reduced by JMP Securities from $470.00 to $450.00 in a research report report published on Monday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on GS. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $360.00 to $370.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $415.00 to $398.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. UBS Group raised shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer cut their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $440.00 to $437.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, The Goldman Sachs Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $387.73.

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The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GS opened at $328.68 on Monday. The Goldman Sachs Group has a twelve month low of $277.84 and a twelve month high of $389.58. The firm has a market cap of $109.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.70, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a 50 day moving average of $325.65 and a 200 day moving average of $337.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25.

The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement

The Goldman Sachs Group ( NYSE:GS Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 18th. The investment management company reported $8.79 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.14 by $0.65. The company had revenue of $12.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.66 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 9.84%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $10.76 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 27.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 1st were paid a $2.50 dividend. This represents a $10.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.04%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 31st. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is currently 35.60%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $337.66, for a total value of $1,012,980.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 15,052 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,082,458.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 9,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total transaction of $105,570,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 51,676,439 shares in the company, valued at approximately $606,164,629.47. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $337.66, for a total transaction of $1,012,980.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 15,052 shares in the company, valued at $5,082,458.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 34,978,986 shares of company stock worth $660,057,057 in the last 90 days. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of The Goldman Sachs Group

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank bought a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group in the 4th quarter worth about $759,531,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 608.2% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,390,752 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $114,359,000 after acquiring an additional 2,053,162 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew 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 worth $2,038,425,000 after acquiring an additional 1,696,350 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew 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 worth $427,367,000 after acquiring an additional 1,243,852 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1,226.0% in the 1st quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 875,239 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $286,299,000 after acquiring an additional 809,232 shares in the last quarter. 76.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited (LON:SMIF  Get Free Report) declared a dividend on Thursday, July 13th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 20th will be paid a dividend of GBX 0.50 ($0.01) per share on Friday, August 4th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 20th. The official announcement can be accessed at this link.

TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Price Performance

Shares of LON SMIF traded up GBX 0.40 ($0.01) during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting GBX 71 ($0.91). The company had a trading volume of 74,135 shares, compared to its average volume of 518,605. The stock has a market cap of 173.42 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -417.65. TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund has a 12 month low of GBX 64.15 ($0.83) and a 12 month high of GBX 81 ($1.04). The firms 50 day simple moving average is GBX 72.04 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 74.18.

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About TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund

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TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Numis Securities Ltd. The fund is managed by TwentyFour Asset Management LLP. It invests in fixed income markets of the United Kingdom. The fund primarily invests in less liquid instruments across the debt spectrum, including asset backed securities, bank capital, corporate loans, high yield bonds, and leveraged loans issued by a wide variety of issuers.

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StockNews.com began coverage on shares of WidePoint (NYSEAMERICAN:WYY  Free Report) in a report published on Monday morning. The firm issued a sell rating on the technology companys stock.

WidePoint Stock Up 3.0 %

WidePoint stock opened at $2.08 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $1.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $1.92. The company has a market capitalization of $18.17 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.20 and a beta of 1.04. WidePoint has a 52 week low of $1.70 and a 52 week high of $3.06.

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WidePoint (NYSEAMERICAN:WYY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 15th. The technology company reported ($0.11) EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $25.27 million for the quarter. WidePoint had a negative net margin of 16.03% and a positive return on equity of 2.98%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

About WidePoint

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of WidePoint by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 390,757 shares of the technology companys stock worth $833,000 after buying an additional 34,072 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in WidePoint by 27.5% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 43,483 shares of the technology companys stock worth $79,000 after acquiring an additional 9,377 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC acquired a new position in WidePoint during the second quarter worth $37,000. UBS Group AG purchased a new position in WidePoint during the first quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Citadel Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of WidePoint by 121.1% in the third quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 13,577 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 7,437 shares during the period. 11.85% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

WidePoint Corporation provides technology management as a service (TMaaS) to the government and business enterprises in North America and Europe. The company offers TMaaS solutions through a secure federal government certified proprietary portal and secure enterprise portal that provides ability to manage, analyze, and protect communications assets, as well as deploy identity management solutions that provide secured virtual and physical access to restricted environments.

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CAVA Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA  Free Report)  Analysts at William Blair issued their Q2 2023 EPS estimates for CAVA Group in a note issued to investors on Monday, July 10th. William Blair analyst S. Zackfia anticipates that the company will post earnings of ($0.04) per share for the quarter. William Blair currently has a Outperform rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for CAVA Groups current full-year earnings is ($0.12) per share. William Blair also issued estimates for CAVA Groups Q3 2023 earnings at ($0.03) EPS, Q4 2023 earnings at ($0.04) EPS, FY2023 earnings at ($0.13) EPS, Q1 2024 earnings at ($0.07) EPS, Q2 2024 earnings at $0.02 EPS, Q3 2024 earnings at $0.01 EPS, Q4 2024 earnings at ($0.05) EPS, FY2024 earnings at ($0.09) EPS, FY2025 earnings at ($0.05) EPS and FY2026 earnings at $0.02 EPS.

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A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on CAVA. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on CAVA Group in a report on Monday. They issued an overweight rating and a $45.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup began coverage on shares of CAVA Group in a report on Monday. They issued a neutral rating and a $42.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on shares of CAVA Group in a research note on Monday. They set an equal weight rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on shares of CAVA Group in a research note on Monday. They issued a buy rating and a $48.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Piper Sandler assumed coverage on shares of CAVA Group in a report on Monday. They set an overweight rating and a $45.00 target price for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $45.86.

CAVA Group Stock Down 8.4 %

Insider Activity

Shares of CAVA stock opened at $47.67 on Wednesday. CAVA Group has a 1 year low of $36.45 and a 1 year high of $54.86.

In other news, insider Kenneth Robert Bertram purchased 2,295 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 20th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $22.00 per share, with a total value of $50,490.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now owns 1,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $33,000. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other CAVA Group news, CFO Tricia K. Tolivar acquired 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 20th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $22.00 per share, for a total transaction of $55,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 2,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at $55,000. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Kenneth Robert Bertram bought 2,295 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 20th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $22.00 per share, for a total transaction of $50,490.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,500 shares in the company, valued at $33,000. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders bought a total of 9,295 shares of company stock valued at $204,490 in the last three months.

About CAVA Group

(Get Free Report)

CAVA Group, Inc owns and operates a chain of Mediterranean restaurants. The company offers salads, dips, spreads, toppings, and dressings. It sells its products through whole food markets and grocery stores. The company also provides online food ordering services. Cava Group, Inc was founded in 2006 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.

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Simplicity Solutions LLC grew its stake in shares of AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC  Free Report) by 2,400.2% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 45,554 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 43,732 shares during the period. Simplicity Solutions LLCs holdings in AmerisourceBergen were worth $7,294,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. J2 Capital Management Inc raised its position in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. J2 Capital Management Inc now owns 2,682 shares of the companys stock worth $444,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. raised its holdings in AmerisourceBergen by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. now owns 1,989 shares of the companys stock valued at $334,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Farmers Trust Co. raised its holdings in AmerisourceBergen by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 9,765 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,618,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Donald L. Hagan LLC raised its holdings in AmerisourceBergen by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Donald L. Hagan LLC now owns 6,082 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,008,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA raised its holdings in AmerisourceBergen by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 1,968 shares of the companys stock valued at $315,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. 92.64% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on ABC shares. Mizuho boosted their price target on AmerisourceBergen from $174.00 to $192.00 in a report on Tuesday. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 7th. TheStreet raised shares of AmerisourceBergen from a c rating to a b+ rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 2nd. Citigroup began coverage on shares of AmerisourceBergen in a research note on Friday, March 31st. They set a buy rating and a $185.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of AmerisourceBergen from $182.00 to $189.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, AmerisourceBergen has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $185.38.

Insider Activity

AmerisourceBergen Stock Performance

In other news, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.52, for a total value of $1,779,790.48. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 257,967 shares in the company, valued at approximately $43,730,565.84. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . In other news, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.52, for a total value of $1,779,790.48. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 257,967 shares in the company, valued at approximately $43,730,565.84. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, major shareholder Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. sold 275,984 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $181.17, for a total transaction of $50,000,021.28. Following the sale, the insider now owns 33,090,404 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,994,988,492.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 627,815 shares of company stock worth $110,824,233. 20.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

NYSE:ABC opened at $191.28 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.13, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.51. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $179.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $167.61. The stock has a market cap of $38.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.59, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.56. AmerisourceBergen Co. has a 1-year low of $135.14 and a 1-year high of $193.83.

AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 2nd. The company reported $3.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.29 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $63.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $60.40 billion. AmerisourceBergen had a net margin of 0.65% and a return on equity of 809.53%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.22 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that AmerisourceBergen Co. will post 11.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

AmerisourceBergen Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 12th were paid a $0.485 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 11th. This represents a $1.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.01%. AmerisourceBergens dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.94%.

AmerisourceBergen Company Profile

(Free Report)

AmerisourceBergen Corporation sources and distributes pharmaceutical products. Its U.S. Healthcare Solutions segment distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC  Free Report).

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Benjamin Edwards Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 14.3% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,654 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 333 shares during the period. Benjamin Edwards Inc.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $912,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LLY. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 32.6% in the 1st quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 4,515 shares of the companys stock worth $1,551,000 after purchasing an additional 1,111 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 78.0% in the 1st quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 2,567 shares of the companys stock worth $882,000 after purchasing an additional 1,125 shares during the period. Simplicity Solutions LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 456.0% in the 1st quarter. Simplicity Solutions LLC now owns 57,374 shares of the companys stock worth $19,703,000 after purchasing an additional 47,055 shares during the period. Bensler LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,214,000. Finally, Rice Partnership LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Rice Partnership LLC now owns 30,255 shares of the companys stock worth $10,390,000 after purchasing an additional 434 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.25% of the companys stock.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $434.70 on Friday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $443.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $382.72. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $296.32 and a 1 year high of $469.87. The company has a market capitalization of $412.65 billion, a PE ratio of 69.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.30.

Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $1.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.73 by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $6.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.87 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 20.54% and a return on equity of 61.42%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.62 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 8.79 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 8th will be issued a dividend of $1.13 per share. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 71.86%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on LLY shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $440.00 to $500.00 in a research report on Friday, May 26th. 3M reissued a maintains rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $290.00 to $310.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. SVB Securities increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $410.00 to $458.00 in a research report on Monday, May 1st. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $443.45.

Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 178,302 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $426.40, for a total transaction of $76,027,972.80. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 101,688,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $43,360,108,584. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 178,302 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $426.40, for a total value of $76,027,972.80. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 101,688,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $43,360,108,584. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 600 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $435.29, for a total transaction of $261,174.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,978 shares in the company, valued at $2,602,163.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 970,965 shares of company stock valued at $423,725,107 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

About Eli Lilly and Company

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Conning Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 27.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 259,795 shares of the companys stock after selling 98,673 shares during the quarter. Conning Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $25,204,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in PM. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of 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 worth $1,582,939,000 after purchasing an additional 15,624,628 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its holdings in Philip Morris International by 122.0% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,632,467 shares of the companys stock valued at $247,294,000 after acquiring an additional 1,446,567 shares in the last quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC raised its holdings in Philip Morris International by 34.0% in the 4th quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC now owns 4,287,519 shares of the companys stock valued at $433,940,000 after acquiring an additional 1,088,034 shares in the last quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC raised its holdings in Philip Morris International by 52.0% in the 4th quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 2,724,776 shares of the companys stock valued at $275,772,000 after acquiring an additional 931,659 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Nova Scotia raised its holdings in Philip Morris International by 2,021.0% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 950,806 shares of the companys stock valued at $96,231,000 after acquiring an additional 905,977 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.43% of the companys stock.

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Philip Morris International Trading Down 0.5 %

NYSE PM traded down $0.53 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $99.96. 640,887 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,415,959. The stock has a market cap of $155.16 billion, a PE ratio of 17.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.70. Philip Morris International Inc. has a one year low of $82.85 and a one year high of $105.62. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $94.58 and a 200-day moving average of $97.81.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 20th. The company reported $1.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $8.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.03 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 128.55% and a net margin of 10.80%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.56 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.19 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 23rd were given a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 22nd. This represents a $5.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.08%. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 90.88%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on PM. StockNews.com began coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and upped their price target for the company from $109.00 to $116.00 in a report on Thursday, March 30th. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, April 13th. They issued a buy rating and a $114.00 price target for the company. Citigroup upgraded Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $109.00 to $117.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. Finally, 22nd Century Group reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Tuesday, June 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $111.40.

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 that are sold in markets outside the United States.

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Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE:CRR.UN  Get Free Report)s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$15.35 and traded as low as C$13.67. Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust shares last traded at C$13.77, with a volume of 286,304 shares.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, TD Securities reduced their price objective on shares of Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust from C$19.00 to C$17.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 5th.

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Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of C$1.46 billion, a PE ratio of 194.71 and a beta of 0.85. The stocks fifty day moving average price is C$14.42 and its 200-day moving average price is C$15.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 114.16, a current ratio of 0.12 and a quick ratio of 0.11.

Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust Dividend Announcement

About Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 15th will be issued a $0.0742 dividend. This represents a $0.89 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.45%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 28th. Crombie Real Estate Investment Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently 1,271.43%.

(Get Free Report)

Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust ("Crombie") is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established under, and governed by, the laws of the Province of Ontario. Crombie is one of the country's leading national retail property landlords with a strategy to own, operate and develop a portfolio of high quality grocery and drug store anchored shopping centres, freestanding stores and mixed use developments primarily in Canada's top urban and suburban markets.

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Strs Ohio increased its stake in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS  Free Report) by 24.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 317,000 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 62,000 shares during the period. Strs Ohio owned 0.12% of Discover Financial Services worth $31,332,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Integrated Advisors Network LLC increased its position in Discover Financial Services by 6.7% in the 4th quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 11,856 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,160,000 after acquiring an additional 742 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in Discover Financial Services by 29.6% in the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 131,627 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $12,877,000 after acquiring an additional 30,058 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its position in Discover Financial Services by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 24,855 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,432,000 after acquiring an additional 543 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Vermont increased its position in Discover Financial Services by 80.6% in the 1st quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 2,723 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 1,215 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Discover Financial Services by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,670,693 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $163,444,000 after acquiring an additional 32,744 shares during the period. 83.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Discover Financial Services Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of Discover Financial Services stock opened at $119.68 on Friday. Discover Financial Services has a 12-month low of $87.64 and a 12-month high of $121.03. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $30.39 billion, a PE ratio of 8.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 1.44. The stocks fifty day moving average is $109.32 and its 200-day moving average is $106.33.

Discover Financial Services ( NYSE:DFS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The financial services provider reported $3.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.84 by ($0.26). Discover Financial Services had a net margin of 24.65% and a return on equity of 31.30%. The business had revenue of $3.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.71 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.22 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 29.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Discover Financial Services will post 13.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Discover Financial Services declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 19th that allows the company to buyback $2.70 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 9.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Discover Financial Services Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 25th were issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. This is an increase from Discover Financial Servicess previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 24th. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.34%. Discover Financial Servicess payout ratio is currently 18.86%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently commented on DFS. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $129.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 6th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $105.00 to $103.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 31st. StockNews.com began coverage on Discover Financial Services in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $115.00 to $112.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $115.00 to $116.00 in a research note on Friday, June 2nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $119.47.

Discover Financial Services Company Profile

(Free Report)

Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; private student loans, personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts.

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Benchmark began coverage on shares of Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE:HVT  Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $41.00 price target on the stock.

Separately, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Haverty Furniture Companies in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating on the stock.

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Haverty Furniture Companies Trading Up 3.1 %

HVT opened at $32.99 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $28.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $31.19. The company has a market cap of $532.79 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.79 and a beta of 1.39. Haverty Furniture Companies has a 12-month low of $23.87 and a 12-month high of $38.85.

Haverty Furniture Companies Increases Dividend

Haverty Furniture Companies ( NYSE:HVT Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The company reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.86 by ($0.12). Haverty Furniture Companies had a net margin of 7.97% and a return on equity of 29.00%. The business had revenue of $224.75 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $233.00 million. On average, analysts predict that Haverty Furniture Companies will post 3.9 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 21st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 6th were given a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 5th. This is an increase from Haverty Furniture Companiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.64%. Haverty Furniture Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.69%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Haverty Furniture Companies news, Director Mylle H. Mangum sold 5,158 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.28, for a total value of $135,552.24. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,519 shares in the company, valued at $92,479.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 8.89% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Haverty Furniture Companies

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies in the 2nd quarter worth $321,000. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System grew its stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies by 41.0% in the 1st quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 46,106 shares of the companys stock worth $1,471,000 after buying an additional 13,414 shares in the last quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies by 41.8% in the 1st quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 37,201 shares of the companys stock worth $1,187,000 after buying an additional 10,963 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies by 45.5% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 74,128 shares of the companys stock worth $2,365,000 after buying an additional 23,169 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund grew its stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 53,918 shares of the companys stock worth $1,721,000 after buying an additional 1,994 shares in the last quarter. 83.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Haverty Furniture Companies Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc operates as a specialty retailer of residential furniture and accessories in the United States. The company offers furniture merchandise under the Havertys brand name. It also provides custom upholstery products and eclectic looks; and mattress product lines under the Tempur-Pedic, Serta, Sealy, and Stearns and Foster names, as well as private label Skye name.

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KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY  Get Free Report) had its target price lowered by equities researchers at Citigroup from $15.00 to $14.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, FlyOnTheWall reports. Citigroups price target would suggest a potential upside of 31.95% from the companys previous close.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on shares of KeyCorp from $20.50 to $16.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 30th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of KeyCorp from $20.00 to $17.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 21st. Wedbush restated a hold neutral rating and set a $13.00 price objective on shares of KeyCorp in a report on Friday, April 21st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of KeyCorp in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a sell rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $16.00 to $14.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $14.57.

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KeyCorp Trading Up 3.7 %

KEY opened at $10.61 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day moving average is $9.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $13.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.92, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.86. The firm has a market cap of $9.92 billion, a PE ratio of 5.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.23. KeyCorp has a twelve month low of $8.53 and a twelve month high of $20.30.

Insider Buying and Selling

KeyCorp ( NYSE:KEY Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 20th. The financial services provider reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.44. KeyCorp had a net margin of 19.09% and a return on equity of 15.63%. The business had revenue of $1.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.80 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.45 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that KeyCorp will post 1.42 EPS for the current year.

In related news, insider Victor B. Alexander bought 8,500 shares of KeyCorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 21st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $11.83 per share, with a total value of $100,555.00. Following the acquisition, the insider now owns 117,196 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,386,428.68. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other KeyCorp news, insider Andrew J. Paine III acquired 75,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 3rd. The stock was acquired at an average price of $9.78 per share, for a total transaction of $733,500.00. Following the purchase, the insider now directly owns 335,414 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,280,348.92. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Victor B. Alexander bought 8,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 21st. The stock was purchased at an average price of $11.83 per share, with a total value of $100,555.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 117,196 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,386,428.68. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders purchased 85,700 shares of company stock valued at $857,507. Company insiders own 0.61% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On KeyCorp

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC acquired a new position in shares of KeyCorp in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $118,000. HB Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of KeyCorp in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $146,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of KeyCorp by 10.8% in the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 105,559 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $975,000 after buying an additional 10,325 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of KeyCorp by 817.8% in the 2nd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 640,085 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,914,000 after buying an additional 570,342 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Valicenti Advisory Services Inc. raised its position in shares of KeyCorp by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Valicenti Advisory Services Inc. now owns 267,743 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,474,000 after buying an additional 1,400 shares in the last quarter. 79.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

KeyCorp Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

KeyCorp operates as the holding company for KeyBank National Association that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Bank and Commercial Bank. The company offers various deposits, investment products and services; and personal finance and financial wellness, student loan refinancing, mortgage and home equity, lending, credit card, treasury, business advisory, wealth management, asset management, investment, cash management, portfolio management, and trust and related services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.

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Lenovo Group Limited (OTCMKTS:LNVGY  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 106,700 shares, a growth of 571.1% from the June 15th total of 15,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 236,300 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.5 days.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on LNVGY shares. Morgan Stanley upgraded Lenovo Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Lenovo Group from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised Lenovo Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, May 31st.

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Lenovo Group Stock Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS LNVGY traded down $0.06 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $21.74. 131,934 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 53,272. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Lenovo Group has a 1 year low of $13.51 and a 1 year high of $22.34. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $19.11. The stock has a market cap of $13.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.61, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.99.

Lenovo Group Increases Dividend

Lenovo Group ( OTCMKTS:LNVGY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 24th. The technology company reported $0.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Lenovo Group had a return on equity of 28.36% and a net margin of 2.60%. The firm had revenue of $12.64 billion for the quarter. On average, research analysts forecast that Lenovo Group will post 2.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 17th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 27th will be issued a $0.7462 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 26th. This is a positive change from Lenovo Groups previous dividend of $0.18. Lenovo Groups payout ratio is currently 14.62%.

About Lenovo Group

(Get Free Report)

Lenovo Group Limited, an investment holding company, develops, manufactures, and markets technology products and services. It operates through Intelligent Devices Group, Infrastructure Solutions Group, and Solutions and Services Group segments. The company offers commercial and consumer personal computers, as well as servers and workstations; and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smartphones.

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Smart Portfolios LLC bought a new stake in shares of Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU  Free Report) (TSE:EFR) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 10,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock, valued at approximately $56,000.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UUUU. Whittier Trust Co. bought a new stake in Energy Fuels in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Hollencrest Capital Management bought a new stake in Energy Fuels in the 4th quarter valued at $54,000. Verition Fund Management LLC bought a new stake in Energy Fuels in the 2nd quarter valued at $62,000. Motley Fool Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Energy Fuels in the 4th quarter valued at $62,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Energy Fuels by 28.4% in the 1st quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 11,221 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 2,485 shares during the period. 40.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Energy Fuels Stock Performance

UUUU stock traded down $0.12 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $6.24. 338,669 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,687,640. Energy Fuels Inc. has a 1-year low of $4.85 and a 1-year high of $8.24.

Insider Transactions at Energy Fuels

Energy Fuels ( NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU Get Free Report ) (TSE:EFR) last announced its earnings results on Friday, May 5th. The basic materials company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.54). The company had revenue of $19.61 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.50 million. Energy Fuels had a negative return on equity of 16.69% and a net margin of 236.87%. On average, analysts predict that Energy Fuels Inc. will post 0.59 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, Director J. Birks Bovaird sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.05, for a total transaction of $120,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 191,647 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,542,758.35. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, Director J. Birks Bovaird sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.05, for a total value of $120,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 191,647 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,542,758.35. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, VP Curtis Moore sold 9,800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.37, for a total transaction of $62,426.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 82,978 shares of the companys stock, valued at $528,569.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 92,486 shares of company stock valued at $620,040 in the last ninety days. 2.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UUUU has been the topic of several analyst reports. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $9.75 target price on shares of Energy Fuels in a report on Friday, June 30th. TheStreet raised shares of Energy Fuels from a d rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, May 18th.

Energy Fuels Profile

(Free Report)

Energy Fuels Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the extraction, recovery, exploration, processing, permitting, evaluation, and sale of uranium, vanadium, and rare earth elements. It also targets heavy mineral sands, including ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and monazite. The company owns and operates the Nichols Ranch project located in Wyoming, White Mesa Mill located in Utah, the Pinyon Plain project located in Arizona, the Roca Honda project located in Central New Mexico, the Sheep Mountain project located in Wyoming, the Bullfrog project located in Utah, and the La Sal project located in La Sal West and La Sal East.

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Sarasin & Partners LLP lessened its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 24.6% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,028,516 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after selling 660,470 shares during the quarter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing makes up about 2.4% of Sarasin & Partners LLPs holdings, making the stock its 18th largest position. Sarasin & Partners LLPs holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $250,522,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in TSM. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 30.0% during the 1st quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 1,381,845 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $144,071,000 after purchasing an additional 318,570 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 29.2% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 597 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 40.1% in the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 12,700 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $1,324,000 after buying an additional 3,638 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 17.3% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 2,350 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 346 shares during the period. Finally, Ergoteles LLC grew its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 138.6% in the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 45,497 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $4,744,000 after buying an additional 26,426 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.41% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

TSM has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $110.00 to $118.00 in a report on Thursday, June 1st. StockNews.com upgraded Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, June 3rd. KGI Securities initiated coverage on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a report on Wednesday, March 29th. They issued an outperform rating for the company. Finally, Susquehanna lifted their price target on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $128.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $104.00.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Trading Up 1.1 %

Shares of NYSE:TSM traded up $1.12 during trading on Friday, reaching $106.69. 3,776,449 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 12,204,055. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a current ratio of 2.29. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a 12-month low of $59.43 and a 12-month high of $110.69. The firm has a market cap of $553.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.66 and a beta of 1.08. The firms 50-day moving average price is $98.05 and its 200 day moving average price is $91.49.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The semiconductor company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.10. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a return on equity of 36.02% and a net margin of 44.72%. The business had revenue of $16.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.30 billion. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 5.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 12th. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.489 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. This is a positive change from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.83%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings payout ratio is 21.48%.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Profile

(Free Report)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors.

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Ford Motor (NYSE:F  Free Report) had its price objective increased by Wells Fargo & Company from $10.00 to $11.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Benchmark increased their price objective on shares of Ford Motor from $19.00 to $20.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded shares of Ford Motor from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $12.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 25th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Ford Motor from $13.00 to $14.00 in a research note on Monday. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Ford Motor from $14.00 to $16.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded shares of Ford Motor from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $12.80 to $16.00 in a report on Monday, June 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $15.28.

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Ford Motor Price Performance

F opened at $15.18 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $60.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.59. Ford Motor has a fifty-two week low of $10.90 and a fifty-two week high of $16.68. The companys 50-day moving average price is $13.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $12.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16.

Ford Motor Dividend Announcement

Ford Motor ( NYSE:F Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 2nd. The auto manufacturer reported $0.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $39.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $37.42 billion. Ford Motor had a net margin of 1.75% and a return on equity of 19.99%. Ford Motors quarterly revenue was up 21.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.38 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Ford Motor will post 1.78 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 25th will be given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.95%. Ford Motors payout ratio is 84.51%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Semmax Financial Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Ford Motor by 78.2% in the 4th quarter. Semmax Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 1,998 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 877 shares during the last quarter. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Ford Motor in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Baldwin Brothers LLC MA acquired a new position in Ford Motor in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Boulder Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Ford Motor in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Milestone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Ford Motor in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Institutional investors own 53.20% of the companys stock.

Ford Motor Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Ford Motor Company develops, delivers, and services a range of Ford trucks, commercial cars and vans, sport utility vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles worldwide. It operates through Ford Blue, Ford Model e, and Ford Pro; Ford Next; and Ford Credit segments. The company sells Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories through distributors and dealers, as well as through dealerships to commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments.

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Dr Jitendra Singh said in the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal, India's ascent has begun through Space and the Space economy will be an important pillar of overall economic development in future. PTI

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Chandrayaan-3 will open up new Moon vistas for the world.

In an exclusive interview with ET (Economic Times) Governance, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Indias earlier mission, Chandrayaan-1 had thrown up new light on various aspects of the moon as it was Chandrayaan-1 which brought before the world for the first time the evidence of the presence of water on the surface of the moon. Now, the whole world looks up to Chandrayaan 3 with great anticipation, expectation and hope, and at the same time waits for it to uncover many more new features and mysteries of the Moon and the universe, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that Chandrayaan-3 mission signals March to the Moon one step closer and also demonstrates the fact that India is not lagging behind other countries so far as exploration of the moon is concerned. He said, the unique feature of this mission is that it will not only observe the Moon from the Moon but will also see Earth from the Moon, thus making India part of the world's elite club of three or four nations.

Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States, it became clear that America treats India as an equal partner and collaborator in space exploration. He said NASA is today soliciting Indias astronauts and the Artemis Accord, where India is also one of the signatories, is also proof of India's great Space march.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that Indias space technology is not only confined to launching rockets, but has great implications for sectoral development. Dr Jitendra Singh said India has demonstrated the application potential of space technology during 6 decades of Indian space programme. He said, today, space has touched all walks of human life, including science & technology, telecommunication, agriculture, education, health, rural development, disaster warning & mitigation, studying climate change, navigation, defence & governance to name a few.

Dr Jitendra Singh said in the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal, Indias ascent has begun through Space and the Space economy will be an important pillar of overall economic development in future. Out of 424 foreign satellites launched till date by India, 389 were launched in the last nine years of the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Further, out of 174 million US dollars earned, 157 million came in the last nine years and similarly out of 256 million Euros earned so far, 223 million came during the 9 years of the Government led by PM Modi.

In response to a question, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Space technology has become a medium of instruction and having contributed significantly in disciplines like geophysics, telemedicine. He said, today education is also being acquired through Space technology via wifi.

Lauding the vision of PM Modi for unlocking the space sector, he said integration is the new Mantra as the days of working in silos is over. He said, for greater results, public private partnership is imperative, not only at the national level but also at the international level.  PIB
ISRO's Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) M4 rocket carrying 'Chandrayaan-3' lifts off from the launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, Friday, (PTI Photo)

Sriharikota: India embarked on her third mission to the moon, this time to become the first nation to attempt a landing on the lunar south pole in search of water ice with a lander, Vikram, on board the Chandrayaan-3 atop the heavyweight Launch Vehicle Mark-III 'Fat Boy' rocket which took off with textbook precision from the spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on the dot at 2.35 pm.

The lander, Vikram, is scheduled to touch down near the moon's little-explored south pole at 5.47 pm IST on August 23.

The mission is a crucial part of ISRO's long-term plan for future inter-planetary exploration. Through the Chandrayaan-3, scientists are aiming at mastering the technology of soft landing on the surface of a celestial body.

Fifteen years ago, Chandrayaan-I had helped India become the first nation to confirm the presence of water on the moon: On 14 November, 2008, India had released the Moon Impact Probe from the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter to strike the Shackleton crater which

helped confirm the presence of water ice. Earlier, the CHandra's Altitudinal Composition Explorer (CHACE), which Chandrayaan-1 carried, had detected absorption features for water on the surface of the Moon.

Chandrayaan-2, the second mission in July 2019, faced communication issue during the attempt to land Vikram; its orbiter is still functioning. Friday's mission does not carry an orbiter to study the moon from space. Instead, it will drop a lander, named Vikram, and a rover, Pragyan, on to the lunar surface which will operate for a lunar day which is about 15 earth days. Union minister Jitendra Singh has estimated the mission cost at just about `600 crore. The new Vikram can survive a faster landing, at three metres a second.

About 16 minutes after launch, Chandrayaan-3 separated from the rocket and began orbiting around the earth. Chandrayaan-3 weighs approximately 3,900 kilograms and is equipped with a lander, rover, and propulsion module.

Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the lunar surface. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will take much longer to reach the Moon than the manned Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days.

The LVM-3 is much less powerful than the United States' Saturn V. It will orbit the earth several times to gain speed, before being sent on a month-long

lunar trajectory. If the landing is successful the rover will roll off Vikram and explore the nearby lunar area, gathering images to be sent back to Earth for analysis.

Isro chief S. Somanath has said his engineers carefully studied data from the last failed mission and tried their best to fix the glitches. Chandrayaan-3 is designed to handle the challenges faced by its predecessors better. It utilises the LVM3 rocket, which consists of three modules: propulsion, lander, and rover, carrying a total of eight payloads.

The propulsion module, along with the lander, will travel for over a month to reach the moon's orbit before descending for a soft landing on the lunar surface. The mission has eight payloads. While the Vikram lander carries four payloads, the Pragyan rover takes two, and the propulsion module carries one.

Following the separation from the launch vehicle, the propulsion module along with the lander would proceed for an over a month-long journey towards reaching the orbit of the moon until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface.

After reaching the desired altitude, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the south pole region of the moon. Speaking at the Mission Control Centre (MCC), Isro chairman S. Somanath said that the Chandrayaan 3 had been successfully placed into a precise orbit by the LVM 3 rocket. He congratulated India on the accomplishment and stated that Chandrayaan 3 had begun its journey towards the moon.

Mission director S. Mohana Kumar said that the LVM3 had once again proved to be the most reliable heavy lift vehicle of Isro. "We are in the process of

increasing the launch frequency of this vehicle considering the national requirements as well as satellite demands," he said, adding that today's mission was a 'penance' of many across Isro.

Project director P. Veeramuthuvel said that all the spacecraft's health parameters, including power generation in the propulsion module and lander module, were normal.

Jitendra Singh, Union minister of state for science and technology, described the event as a moment of glory for India and a significant milestone for everyone in Sriharikota. He commended the Isro team for bringing pride to the country and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enabling India's space sector by facilitating access to Sriharikota.

He mentioned the Prime Minister's statement that the sky is not the limit and remarked that Chandrayaan had gone beyond the confines of the sky to explore uncharted horizons in the universe. He also paid tribute to Vikram Sarabhai, known as the Father of India's space program, highlighting his visionary dreams and unwavering confidence in India's potential.

Thousands of spectators who had assembled since morning at a special amphitheatre created to watch the launch of spacecraft, broke into loud cheers and applauded as the launch vehicle soared into clear skies and, possibly, into history.
Dasoju Sravan

BRS leader Dasoju Sravan on Friday claimed that unidentified persons claiming to be followers of TPCC chief and MP A Revanth Reddy called him at midnight and threatened him of dire consequences for making comments against Revanth Reddy. "I will approach the police and urge them to bring all these persons to the book and take action against them as per the law," Sravan tweeted on Friday.

Responding to the tweet, BRS party working president and Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao urged the Home Minister and DGP Telangana to take swift action on the callers.

"I request Home Minister @mahmoodalibrs Garu and @TelanganaDGP Garu to kindly take this matter seriously and act sternly and swiftly as per law Its truly unfortunate that Scamgress now has been handed over to a thug in Telangana who is resorting to open threats," he tweeted.

In reply , Home Minister Mahmood Ali assured of action. " Noted @KTRBRS Garu, action will be initiated as per law," he tweeted, tagging the DGP Telangana and Hyderabad CP CV Anand.

In response to Mahmood Alis tweet, Anand replied, "Noted sir. We will initiate action immediately." It was learnt that the issue was directed to the cybercrime wing of Hyderabad city police and a case is being registered for further investigation.
A 40-year-old air passenger Furoqon Hussain, who was on an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to the national capital on July 8, allegedly opened the cover of the emergency exit door of the aircraft during taking off, according to Delhi airport sources.

The incident happened on flight 6E 5605 and the individual was handed over to the security personnel after landing at the Delhi airport. An FIR has been filed against the individual.

The unruly behaviour of the flyer caused panic among other passengers, crew and the pilot-in-command, the sources said.

The passenger was in seat 18A which was close to the emergency exit door. After the incident, the cover of the emergency exit was immediately restored and the passenger was relocated to another seat in the aircraft, they added.

Also Read | IndiGo aircraft suffers tail strike on arrival at Delhi airport



Query sent to IndiGo seeking comments on the incident remained unanswered.

According to safety experts, the handle of the emergency exit door has a cover which protects it from opening due to cabin pressure or any other accidental reasons.

"If the cover is removed, then the handle is bare open and it can open mid-air due to any reason and it is hazardous for the aircraft," S S Panesar, former Director of Flight Safety at erstwhile Indian Airlines, said.

A crew member from an airline told PTI that the emergency exit cover is such that it cannot open by mistake.

"You have to pull it out and it needs effort. It is only out of mischief that someone can do that," the crew member said on the condition of anonymity. "Passengers who are allocated seats closer to the emergency exit are told categorically that they should not fiddle with the cover or handle. If any passenger does it, it is clearly out of some mischief. It comes under the definition of unruly behaviour because it endangers the aircraft," the crew member said.

The sources said that based on a complaint filed by the airline, Delhi police has registered an FIR against the individual.

The police has invoked Section 336 of the Indian Penal Code that deals with endangering the personal safety of others and Section 22 of Aircraft Rules for refusing to follow a lawful instruction given by the pilot-in-command or crew of an aircraft, they said.
India and France have signed an agreement allowing India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to be used in the case of retail payments.

PM Narendra Modi announced the news after reaching France on his official visit, and with this latest development, France is the first country in Europe to allow it.

In June 2022, the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NCPI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with France's Lyra Network to accept UPI and RuPay there.

What the India-France UPI agreement means

With this new deal, Indian tourists can make rupee payments in France using UPI. Earlier they could only use credit and debit cards for payments. But scanning the QR code or UPI id is an option now.

What this new deal is expected to bring

With this deal in place digital payments will be encouraged in France and news18.com reported a bank official saying that it would help save forex reserves as the retail payments in France would be made in rupees.

What about markup charges

International payments through credit or debit cards usually have markup charges between 0.99 per cent and 3.5 per cent, based on the payment amount, and depending on card features. The bank official told the site "In the credit and debit cards, payments abroad are made in foreign currencies. The banks charge markup fees.

Now, in the UPIs case, since the payment, as per PM Modis speech, will be made in France in rupees and there is an agreement between Indias NPCI and Frances Lyra Network, the markup charges might not be there. However, it will become clear once more details come in", adding that it would nonetheless be a cost-effective method when compared to using forex or credit cards.

India's other UPI ventures

UPI payments are allowed in Singapore since February after a deal between UPI and Singapore's PayNow.

PhonePe also has payments abroad enabled and international merchant outlets in Singapore, the UAE, Bhutan, Nepal, and Mauritius that have their own QR codes are supported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day visit on the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

On Friday, he attended the Bastille Day parade, where he was the guest of honour.

Ahead of the ceremony, Macron awarded Modi the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the country's top order of merit, which Modi hailed as "an honour for the 1.4 billion Indians".

Also Read: PM Modi conferred with France's highest honour by President Emmanuel Macron

During his visit, the Prime Minister made various announcements for the Indian diaspora residing in the European nation.

UPI in France

Modi said that India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the European nation, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation.

Addressing the Indian community at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine, Modi said very soon Indian tourists will be able to make rupee payments using UPI from atop the Eiffel Tower.

In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI. It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower, the prime minister said.

In 2022, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation that offers UPI services, signed an MoU with France's fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra.

Visa extension for master's students

Indian students pursuing a master's degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa, Modi announced.

Also Read: As Modi lands in Paris, European Parliament expresses concerns over Hindu majoritarianism, situation in violence-hit Manipur

"The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a two-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Masters in France will be given a long-term post-study visa of five years," he said.

During his address, the Prime Minister also highlighted the contribution of the Indian community in France, who form a strong foundation of the India-France partnership.

Approximately 65,000 immigrants from India currently reside in France.

Indian Consulate in Marseille

Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France. He also said in a few weeks or months from now a statue of great Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar will be built in the Cergy Prefecture.

OCI issues in Reunion Island

The Prime Minister also announced that the issue of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) in Reunion Island is resolved. He assured that the government is working to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe as well. All three aforementioned islands are overseas regions of France.

The Prime Minister will also hold talks with Macron, and the deal to purchase 26 Rafale aircraft and three submarines is also likely to be finalised during his visit.

Rafale jets

Along with various announcements for the Indian diaspora, a new multi-billion-dollar deal for French fighter jets was also announced during the visit.

The defence ministry said that the country intended to order 26 more Rafale jets as well as another three Scorpene-class submarines, with the price and other terms still being worked out.

India is one of the biggest buyers of French arms, and Modi announced a landmark deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets during a 2015 trip to Paris that was worth around 4.0 billion at the time.

(With agency inputs)
The Supreme Court Friday issued notice to the CBI and Enforcement Directorate on a bail plea by senior AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the case related to the Delhi liquor policy case.

A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna sought a response from the central agencies in view of the medical conditions of the petitioner's wife.

The court said it was considering the issue due to the medical condition of his wife but on the status of the party.

Appearing for Sisodia, senior advocate A M Singhvi submitted that his clients wife is very sick and her medical condition should be considered.

The bench said they are aware, it is a progressive disease.

Read | BJP spreading lies, wants to defame Manish Sisodia: AAP's Atishi

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju for the ED submitted that Sisodias bail plea was rejected by lower courts and one medical bail plea was withdrawn.

Singhvi said there is 50 per cent disability and MRIs show white plaque.

The court fixed the matter for further hearing on July 28.

Sisodia sought bail on grounds of his wife's ill health and hospitalization.

On July 3, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the bail plea by Sisodia, AAP leader, saying that the charges against him are very serious in nature. This is the second occasion when the high court had rejected Sisodia's bail plea in the CBI case in relation to the same scam.

Sisodia had moved the Supreme Court against the denial of bail to him in two separate cases lodged by the two probe agencies -- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) -- in the Delhi liquor scam case.

Sisodia was arrested on February 26, 2023.

According to his plea, the charge sheet by the CBI and complaints by the ED in the matter already stood filed after the investigation and hence there was no necessity or requirement for Sisodia to remain in jail.

"There is no documentary evidence or even an allegation that any of the alleged kickbacks/bribe were paid to or received by Manish Sisodia. There is also no evidence or material produced to show any demand or receipt of a bribe by Manish Sisodia. Nothing incriminating was found during the raids and house search of Manish Sisodia. It is completely a false and fabricated case," his plea said.

It also contended his bail was rejected on the ground that he is a high-profile person and has the potential to influence witnesses some of whom are public servants.

"There is absolutely no material placed on record by the CBI/ED to show that Sisodia tried to influence any witness while he was not arrested," it said.

The plea also claimed the ED failed to show that Sisodia is involved in any of the activity or process relating to proceeds of crime which is mandatory to prosecute him under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

"There is no evidence at all that Sisodia is involved in concealment, possession, acquisition or use of proceeds of crime. There is no evidence at all that Sisodia was part of any alleged money trail.

Excise Policy was made transparently after deliberation with various officers/secretaries of Departments, Ministers and the Lieutenant Governor," it said.
Less than a month after the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, a Congressional Senatorial Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

The resolution was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen on Thursday.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the Peoples Republic of China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRCs increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

Also Read: PM Modi conferred with France's highest honour by President Emmanuel Macron

The resolution will go to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Americas values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world -- especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision, said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.

Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India -- not the Peoples Republic of China -- and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners, he said.

Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific, its critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region -- especially India and other Quad countries -- and push back against the CCPs broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific.

As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, said Senator Cornyn.

This resolution would reaffirm that the US recognises the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay, he added.
Mushrooms, a delight in the fungi world, are full of flavoursearthy, musty, woody and even slightly meatysatiating the palette with savoury gust. But some mushrooms, like the death cap mushrooms, are born to kill, quite literally. Death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) is the worlds deadliest mushroom. Just half a mushroom can kill an adult within hours. About 90% of mushroom-related deaths globally are due to this mushroom. Bravehearts who have tasted the death cap say it has a pleasant taste.

Native to Europe, death cap mushroom spores have travelled the world, hitchhiking on logs. The mushroom typically grows at the base of trees like oaks, chestnuts, pines and spruces, and where it is introduced, it looks for locally invasive trees to thrive. Death caps, with a white stalk and a yellow-green or olive-bronze cap, are easily mistaken for other edible species like straw mushrooms or Caesars mushrooms. Hence, wild mushroom foragers are at a higher risk of death cap poisoning. Many species of the genus Amanita are found around the world, including one in India, and are similarly toxic.

What makes the mushroom so deadly is -Amanitin, a peptide that can damage the kidneys and liver by blocking the production of certain enzymes needed to make vital proteins. Until now, no known antidote worked against this toxin and hence it was difficult to treat death cap mushroom poisoning. This fatal fungus is thought to have killed Charles V1, the 18th century Holy Roman Emperor and Russian Tsaritsa Natalia Naryshinka, mother of Peter the Great.

However, in a recent study, scientists have discovered that a common dye used in medical imaging, called indocyanine green, prevents liver and kidney damage caused by -Amanitin. Laboratory experiments have shown the dye inhibits the working of the protein STT3B, which the toxin needs to continue its damage. They hope this antidote can save those unfortunate victims of death cap poisoning.
Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET  Free Report)  Cantor Fitzgerald issued their FY2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Cloudflare in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, July 11th. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst J. Ruykhaver forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of ($0.41) for the year. The consensus estimate for Cloudflares current full-year earnings is ($0.32) per share.

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Cloudflare (NYSE:NET  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported ($0.10) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.08) by ($0.02). Cloudflare had a negative return on equity of 25.10% and a negative net margin of 18.05%. The company had revenue of $290.18 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $290.96 million.

Cloudflare Stock Up 5.3 %

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on NET. UBS Group started coverage on Cloudflare in a research report on Monday, June 5th. They set a sell rating and a $55.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on Cloudflare from $70.00 to $54.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. KeyCorp dropped their target price on Cloudflare from $80.00 to $61.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. JMP Securities lifted their price target on Cloudflare from $60.00 to $75.00 in a report on Thursday. Finally, Mizuho decreased their target price on Cloudflare from $60.00 to $49.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.25.

NYSE:NET opened at $67.61 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 4.40, a current ratio of 4.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -114.59 and a beta of 0.93. Cloudflare has a twelve month low of $37.37 and a twelve month high of $80.99. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $61.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $57.21.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Katrin Suder sold 691 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.50, for a total value of $46,642.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 42,697 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,882,047.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Cloudflare news, Director Katrin Suder sold 691 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.50, for a total transaction of $46,642.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 42,697 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,882,047.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Carl Ledbetter sold 30,145 shares of Cloudflare stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.76, for a total value of $1,952,190.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 1,938,954 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $125,566,661.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 516,806 shares of company stock worth $32,460,979 over the last three months. 14.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Cloudflare

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 48.6% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,903 shares of the companys stock worth $1,066,000 after purchasing an additional 2,912 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cloudflare in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,950,000. Synovus Financial Corp bought a new stake in Cloudflare during the first quarter worth $439,000. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its stake in Cloudflare by 16.8% during the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 21,811 shares of the companys stock worth $2,611,000 after purchasing an additional 3,140 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Cloudflare by 10.8% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 181,514 shares of the companys stock worth $21,732,000 after buying an additional 17,681 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 74.38% of the companys stock.

About Cloudflare

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CloudFlare, Inc operates as a cloud services provider that delivers a range of services to businesses worldwide. The company provides an integrated cloud-based security solution to secure a range of combination of platforms, including public cloud, private cloud, on-premise, software-as-a-service applications, and IoT devices; and website and application security products comprising web application firewall, bot management, distributed denial of service, API gateways, SSL/TLS encryption, secure origin connection, and rate limiting products.

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Benin Management CORP lessened its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 0.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 56,202 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 99 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil makes up approximately 2.3% of Benin Management CORPs holdings, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Benin Management CORPs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $6,163,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake 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 worth $13,604,575,000 after buying an additional 123,254,064 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter worth about $5,226,390,000. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake 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 worth $5,788,398,000 after buying an additional 5,566,797 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 272.4% in the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 2,606,938 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $287,545,000 after buying an additional 1,906,940 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CI Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter worth about $209,464,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.59% of the companys stock.

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Exxon Mobil Price Performance

XOM stock opened at $104.54 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 52-week low of $80.69 and a 52-week high of $119.92. The stocks 50 day moving average is $105.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $109.58. The company has a market capitalization of $422.65 billion, a PE ratio of 7.08, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.08.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 28th. The oil and gas company reported $2.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.65 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $86.56 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $90.07 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 31.48% and a net margin of 15.06%. Exxon Mobils revenue for the quarter was down 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.07 EPS. Analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, May 16th were given a dividend of $0.91 per share. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, May 15th. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio is currently 24.64%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on Exxon Mobil from $148.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Monday, May 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Exxon Mobil from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $125.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Monday, May 1st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Exxon Mobil in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Wolfe Research lowered Exxon Mobil from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, UBS Group raised Exxon Mobil from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $125.00 to $144.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $124.70.

Insider Activity at Exxon Mobil

In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.11, for a total transaction of $290,275.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 29,272 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,398,771.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Exxon Mobil Profile

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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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PSNI officers participating in the Belfast Pride events will not be permitted to wear uniform, a senior officer has confirmed.

Assistant chief constable Bobby Singleton said he understood the decision would be disappointing for some, but added that the PSNI had statutory obligations to act with fairness, integrity and impartiality.

A Policing Board member has said the decision has set the clock back on years of work to improve relationships with the LGBTQ+ community.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in the Pride parade in Belfast later this month.

The theme of the 2023 Belfast Pride Festival is Stand By Your Trans.

It will feature more than 150 events over 10 days, with the main parade taking place on July 29.

In previous years, some police officers have walked in the parade in uniform.

A police statement on Friday said the forces executive team has taken the decision that whilst police will still attend and participate in Belfast Pride events this year, its officers and staff will not take part in uniform.

Mr Singleton said: Having personally engaged with members of the LGBTQIA+ community at a number of events in recent months and met with our own LGBT+ network on this issue, I know that this decision will come as a disappointment to some.

As a police service, we have had to carefully consider this request from our LGBT+ network on its merits, the stated purposes and circumstances surrounding the parade and our statutory obligations to act with fairness, integrity and impartiality, whilst upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all individuals, their traditions and beliefs.

Our broader participation in this and other Pride events continues to be an important element of our outreach and engagement highlighting the valuable role that LGBTQIA+ officers and staff play in our service, that we are an employer and service for all and that hate crime in whatever form is wrong.

The PSNI service policy prohibits officers from wearing their uniform or being identifiable as police when engaging in cause issues.

The service policy does however state that officers and staff can participate in such events provided they do so in a personal capacity and do not identify as members of the police.

Alliance Party Policing Board member Nuala McAllister said it was a backwards step by the PSNI.

She said: I have seen first hand the praise PSNI officers have received while participating in the Belfast Pride parade.

It also sends out an important message of support for those in the LGBTQ+ sector, to see police officers parading in their uniform, especially at a time when members of that community are under more attacks than in many years.

It is not only a bad move for the PSNI to take this decision but a backwards one, which has set the clock back on years of work to improve relationships with and gain the confidence of LGBTQ+ people in policing.

To have participated in previous parades in uniform and then decide this year not to, gives credence to those opposed to LGBTQ+ rights and suggests police taking part in the parade in uniform was wrong, which is clearly not the case.

She added: I have spoken to PSNI leadership and expressed disappointment and frustration at this decision.

There remains time before the Pride parade itself for the police to change their minds and not give in to those pushing an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda.

But TUV councillor Timothy Gaston welcomed the decision and said the PSNI had no business taking part in the parade.

He said: I welcome the decision by the PSNI to not permit officers in uniform to take part in this years parade.

ACC Singleton is correct to point out that this is necessary in order to recognise their fairness, integrity and impartiality obligations.

TUV alone has been clear in previous years that the PSNI had no business taking part in Belfast Pride for exactly those reasons.

We therefore welcome that the penny has, finally, dropped with the PSNI top brass.
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is finally live for everyone, and its time to enjoy the best deals on PC components for all you gamers out there. Weve compiled a list of the best deals on Amazon for PC components.

From graphics cards to processors, weve got you covered. Whether youre looking for a budget build or a high-end gaming rig, theres something for everyone. And the best part? You can save up to 70% on your purchase and enjoy no-cost EMI payment plans for products in the PC Components category. So sit back, relax, and get ready to save big on your next PC build!

Kingston Fury Beast 16GB 3600MHz DDR4 RAM

Price - 3,399

RAM is an essential component of any PC build, and upgrading your RAM can have a significant impact on your systems performance. The Kingston Fury Beast KF436C18BB-16 is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their RAM. With a clock speed of 3600MHz and a capacity of 16GB, this RAM module is perfect for gaming and other demanding applications. And the best part? You can now get it at an incredible discount on Amazon India during Prime Day 2023. Usually retailing for Rs.4388, this RAM module will now be on sale for just Rs.3399! Buy now

Samsung 980 Pro 1TB SSD

Price - 7,797

The Samsung 980 Pro 1TB SSD is one of the best-performing SSDs on the market, and its currently retailing for just Rs. 7797 on Amazon India during Prime Day 2023. Thats better than some of the best deals you can get offline! With read speeds of up to 7000 MB/s and write speeds of up to 5000 MB/s, this SSD is perfect for gamers and other demanding users who need fast storage. And with a capacity of 1TB, youll have plenty of space for all your games and applications. Buy now

Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6650 XT

Price - 23,990

The AMD RX 6650 XT is a great mid-range graphics card for upgrading gaming PCs. And if youre looking for a good deal on this card, youre in luck! Right now, you can get the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6650 XT for just Rs. 23,990 on Amazon India, which is a great price compared to the usual price of Rs. 25,345. This card features 8GB of GDDR6 memory and AMD RDNA 2 architecture, which means it can handle even the most demanding games with ease. So if youre looking to upgrade your gaming PC without breaking the bank, this is definitely a deal worth considering! Buy now

For more such deals on all sorts of gadgets and gizmos during Amazon Prime Day 2023, keep ready Digit.in.

Disclaimer: Deal prices as of the time of writing this story, deal prices are subject to change as per retailers' availability and other conditions which Digit has no control over.
With reported improvements in 3/4nm yield rates, Samsung sees increased possibility of customers returning

Recently, Samsung Electronics has been catching up in terms of advanced wafer foundry process technology. As its 3/4nm yield rates gradually improve, the South Korean industry expects major semiconductor clients that previously redirected their orders to TSMC will return to Samsung under the demand for supply chain diversification.

Citing the wafer foundry report from Hi Investment & Securities, Korea Economic Daily pointed out that Samsung has successfully improved the yield rates for its 4nm process. This development increases the possibility of Qualcomm and Nvidia once again entrusting Samsung's foundry services. It's speculated that in 2023, Samsung's 4nm yield rate has achieved 75%, while the 3nm yield rate is around 60%.

Industry speculation was that, at the start of 2023, TSMC's 4nm yield rate was around 7080%, while Samsung's was still around 50%. If Samsung can achieve 75%, it means that it's approaching TSMC's level. Hi Investment & Securities stated that Samsung was able to improve its yield rate in such a short period due to the industry-wide downturn. With factory utilization rates decreasing, Samsung has increased the input of test wafers, which has effectively improved the yield rates for processes under 7nm.

Since Samsung's wafer foundry business started delving into processes below 10nm, it has encountered issues like product launch delays and slow yield rate improvements. This has caused major customers like Apple, Nvidia, and Qualcomm to redirect their orders to TSMC. In 2022, TSMC's capital expenditure (Capex) and capacity (CAPA) reached 3.4 times and 3.3 times that of Samsung's foundry business division. It also achieved a 90% market share for processes under 7nm, further widening the gap with Samsung.

Despite that, industry sources pointed out that as Samsung gradually improves its yield rates for the 35nm processes and remains the only competitor with the capability to mass-produce the GAAFET technology, it's expected to receive some returning orders due to an increased demand for supply chain diversification from current TSMC customers.

Besides catching up in the 3/4nm processes, Samsung has also accelerated its R&D to achieve mass production of its 2nm technology by 2025. Previously, Samsung announced a roadmap for wafer foundry processes below 2nm, with plans to begin mass production of the 2nm process (SF2) by 2025 with a focus on mobile devices. This will be followed by adding high-performance computing (HPC) in 2026 and expanding to automotive semiconductors by 2027. The 1.4nm process is scheduled for mass production in 2027.
I saw "de-globalization" at Semicon China

TSMC founder Morris Chang on July 4 delivered a keynote speech titled "Redefining Globalization," presenting his views on the current geopolitics and posing a question to the audience, "Can this still be considered globalization?"

Chang said the new definition of "globalization" is to allow domestic enterprises to make profits in the country, and also allow foreign products and services to enter domestic market without undermining the national security as well as the current or future technological and economic leaderships of the country.

Coincidentally, at Semicon China 2023, held June 29 to July 1 in Shanghai, several opening keynote speeches revolved around the topics of globalization and de-globalization. I happened to be on the spot, personally experiencing the current atmosphere of the Chinese semiconductor industry under the impact of geopolitical tensions.

This year's Semicon China took place on the cusp of a massive export control ban imposed by the US in October 2022, followed by equipment trade restrictions launched by Japan and the Netherlands. As such, it seemed too sensitive to talk directly about the US actions, nor appropriate to touch on technological autonomy in a high-profile and nationalistic manner. Therefore, several keynote speakers at the opening forum all started with the theme of "globalization" for their speeches.

Lung Chu, president of SEMI China, remarked that the development of the semiconductor industry can be divided into three stages: globalization, de-globalization, and re-globalization. Prior to the US-China trade war, the industry followed the trend of globalization, with global division of specialization and regional division of labor moving from the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to China. However, after the trade war broke out, there has been a trend of de-globalization. Nevertheless, Lung said he believes that even with the implementation of chip laws and related investment plans in various countries, no single country can independently complete the entire semiconductor industry ecosystem. The industry still needs to continue collaboration and integration to facilitate re-globalization.

Chen Nanxiang, chairman of Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC), made a rare appearance at a public event and discussed the prosperous development of the semiconductor industry in the past. He emphasized that this development was built on five key elements: globalization of markets and competition, innovation and technological standards, supply chains, talent mobility, and resource allocation. These elements were supported by international systems such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)."

Chen believes that in the past, enterprises were the main drivers of globalization, but after the US-China trade war, the main actors have shifted to governments, aiming to control value chains and deter the development of others. He urges that if this is the current reality, the process of re-globalization should preserve at least two key elements: globalization of markets and competition, and globalization of innovation and technological standards, in order to support a healthy development of the semiconductor industry in the future.

Wei Shaojun, president of VLSI Design Chapter of the China Semiconductor Industry Association and professor at Tsinghua University, noted that the establishment of a successful global semiconductor supply chain mainly resulted from "government acquiescence and industry initiative." But the trend of de-globalization has made it difficult to achieve optimal resource allocation in the semiconductor "design-fabrication" model. He suggested that on the one hand, the goal should be to achieve self-reliance by breaking through blockades and restrictions, and on the other hand, China should leverage its largest domestic market and adhere to expanding openness, allowing cooperation partners in the global supply chain to benefit collectively.

My view is that under such trends of globalization/de-globalization, the national interests of the US may not necessarily align completely with the interests of its enterprises.

The national interests of the US lie in containing the development of China's key technologies and industries and maintaining a single hegemonic position in dominating the world order. However, corporate interests are classified into three types. First is the "market first" camp, which insists that as the largest market, China should be left untouched by the government's intervention. Second is the "support for greater restrictions" camp, which believes that the US government's actions will uphold the competitiveness and interests of American companies. And the third is the "support for limited restrictions" camp, which is concerned about the competitive threat posed by the rise of Chinese companies, but believes that excessive containment measures would instead accelerate their development. Accordingly, the interests of enterprises in the first and third camps are both inconsistent with the US policy direction.

Under the current international reality, China's national interests are aligned with those of enterprises, and both the government and enterprises must inject more resources to accelerate the process of technological independence and market self-sufficiency.

During the show period of Semicon China 2023, the exhibition hall was always crowded with show-goers, although it happened to be the rainy season with unusually hot and humid weather. Just as one of the forum speakers mentioned, the external situation felt "stifling" like the current weather. However, just like the flourishing plants in this season, I also felt thriving vitality of the Chinese semiconductor industry in its efforts to break through the stagnation.

Author's Bio:

Eric Huang is currently vice president of DIGITIMES Asia. He holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and is a Ph.D.candidate in International Business at National Taiwan University. He served as head of the DIGITIMES Research and led several research advisory projects commissioned by government and corporate entities, focusing on the development of Taiwan's industries in the face of changing circumstances.
Hit by GPU restrictions? China's leading AI server provider sees possible loss for 1H23

China's leading AI server provider, Inspur Information, has recently partnered with Intel to announce the new generation AI server NF5698G7, equipped with the Gaudi 2 accelerator card, claiming to provide Chinese AI customers with large language model (LLM) training and inference capabilities.

However, Inspur's recetntly released performance warning for 1H23 cannot be ignored, indicating a potential 60-70% year-on-year decline in net profit for the first half of the year, with a possible loss in the second quarter.

According to reports from Chinese media, Inspur stated that the changes in its performance were influenced by factors such as the global shortage of GPUs and related specialized chips. However, Inspur did not elaborate on whether the tight supply of GPUs, including those from Nvidia, was due to factors such as US blacklist sanctions or general supply constraints. Additionally, it remains uncertain whether Intel's China-exclusive AI chips will benefit Inspur's future performance.

Public data shows that Inspur's revenue skyrocketed from CNY 2.191 billion in 2012 to CNY 69.525 billion in 2022 over the past 10 years. However, its gross profit margin dropped from 21.44% to 11.18%. Industry experts speculate if Inspur, touted as the leading domestic server provider in China, is only making marginal profits from assembly. They point out the challenges of obtaining supplies from major players like Intel while facing difficulties in negotiating with major internet companies such as Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether the company will benefit from the AI trend in 2023.

In addition to the tight supply of GPUs mentioned by Inspur, Chinese media reports also suggest that the high cost of advanced GPUs has forced Inspur to raise prices.

Furthermore, Inspur's LLM application, which mainly focuses on small-scale industrial scenarios and emphasizes the significance of AI conversation, lacks differentiation and competitive advantages compared to authentic AI generated content (AIGC) applications.

It is worth mentioning that since 2023, Inspur Group, the major shareholder of Inspur Information, has significantly reduced its holdings of Inspur Information's stocks. This indicates a lack of confidence and support for the company's future development following the blacklist sanctions imposed by the US.

Despite Inspur's advantageous market position in the Chinese AI server sector, its partnership with Inspur will have implications for its position in the Chinese AI chip market and its potential rivalry with Nvidia.
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TSMC and Samsung to be less of a duopoly in open foundry market, says Yole Intelligence

As the US is spending tens of billions in attracting investments to solidify its leadership in the global semiconductor ecosystem, analysts forecast the US and its European allies will benefit from industrial policy, with TSMC and Samsung Electronics expected to be less of a duopoly in the foundry business.

Yole Intelligence posits the US' control over its semiconductor production will increase by 2028, thanks to its strategies focusing on re-shoring and friend-shoring.

According to data compiled by Yole Intelligence, the US expanded its market share in the global semiconductor device market from 51% in 2021 to 53% in 2022, and Taiwan saw its market share drop from 22% to 18% for the same period.

Yole Intelligence forecasts that as other semiconductor manufacturers, such as Intel, GlobalFoundires, UMC, and SK Hynix, are looking to capitalize on subsidies that governments provide and diversify their production, TSMC and Samsung may not be a duopoly in the global foundry market.

Stephen Rothrock, founder and CEO of ATREG, said that GlobalFoundries is expected to increase its market share in the US, Europe, and Singapore, thanks to the incentives on offer that may be seen once in a decade.

Meanwhile, the data shows for the overall semiconductor value chain that includes upstream to downstream suppliers, Taiwan expanded its market share from 15% in 2021 to 17% in 2022, and China's market share increased by one percentage point.

Still, Yole Intelligence said over the next five years, the semiconductor production capacity will expand in the US and EU, which provides high subsidies to US-based companies, such as Intel. The report added that the EU would gain more secure semiconductor supplies but would not own them as the manufacturers are from the US and Asia.

In late June, Intel and the German government reached an agreement in which Intel would raise its investments in the German wafer fab to EUR 30 billion, with the German government agreeing to increase its subsidy level to EUR 9.9 billion.

The Biden administration unveiled the US$52.7 billion Chips Act to rebuild the US's leadership in the semiconductor ecosystem. On June 23, the US agreed to broaden eligibility for federal subsidies under the act to include semiconductor equipment and materials suppliers. Gina Raimondo, the US commerce secretary, said that the US needs the chemicals, materials, and tools that go into these fabs.

Financial Times reported that European countries are dissatisfied with the new US industrial policy. The report quoted Jens Sudekum, professor of international economics at Dusseldorf's Heinrich Hein University, saying that the US is actively offering subsidies to encourage manufacturers of hydrogen, batteries, and semiconductors to invest there, and Europe has no choice but to follow suit.

Source: Yole Intelligence, July 2023

Source: Yole Intelligence, July 2023

Source: Yole Intelligence, July 2023

Source: Yole Intelligence, July 2023
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ABOVE: The team at Drogheda Museum Millmount receiving their accreditation award from Heritage Council CEO Virginia Teehan (third from left) and Heritage Council Member Sheila Pratschke (third from right) at the ceremony in Kilkenny Castle

Drogheda Museum, Millmount was among 13 museums celebrated at a ceremony in Kilkenny Castle yesterday, having achieved official accreditation under the Heritage Councils Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI).

Established to promote professional standards in museums, selection under the MSPI is a major accolade with accredited museums considered to have attained excellence across a range of areas.

Factors taken into account during the assessment process include how museums care for their collections and visitors, as well as governance and management standards, and their education and exhibition programmes. Since its inception in 2006, the Irish museum sector has continued to embrace the programme with participation growing from 12 museum sites to 73 in 2023.

Drogheda Museum, Millmount, is an independent, volunteer-run museum which has worked hard to deliver a professional offering with ever changing staffing and financial resources.

The assessors noted the improvements made to the visitor experience, such as new cabinets, painting and lighting, as well as the work done to document its collection.

Commenting at the ceremony, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council Virginia Teehan said: As Irelands only accreditation programme for museums, MSPI has become an integral part of the sector. Seeing the variety of museums represented at the ceremony, along with the increase in participants year on year, further underline its importance.

"I am happy to say that the Heritage Council has committed in its new five-year strategy to making further improvements to the MSPI through increased funding, and through new training and professional development opportunities for the volunteers and the professionals who run our museums.

Presenting the awards, Council Member for the Heritage Council, Sheila Pratschke said: It was a real privilege for me to be in Kilkenny Castle, another MSPI-accredited site, and to be able to personally congratulate all of this years award winners. I know how hard these museums have worked for their accreditation and are richly deserving of this recognition.
Figures released this week by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on the population of the country in 2021, have given some insights to the breakdown of the population of Louth, at a local authority level and also at a local electoral area (LEA) level.

Among the figures relating to Louth in the release, it estimates that in 2021 Dundalk South was the most populated LEA and had more males than females; there were 63,220 people at work; and 13,643 were students or pupils.

The CSO release, Irish Population Estimates from Administrative Data Sources (IPEADS), 2021, is a CSO Frontier Series Research Paper, that the CSO says, may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources. It adds that particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in the release.

IPEADS 2021 does not produce population statistics for households or small areas, but improved inclusion of Eircodes across a number of key administrative datasets has led to 80% of records containing an Eircode up from 60% in 2020. As a result of this, an experimental LEA population is presented by the CSO for the first time.

Looking at the LEAs in Louth, in 2021 the population was estimated as follows:

Dundalk-Carlingford, Louth - 28,721

Dundalk South, Louth - 37,692

Ardee, Louth - 26,773

Drogheda Rural, Louth - 19,995

Drogheda Urban, Louth - 32,364

The number of males and females in each was as follows:

LEA Male Female Dundalk-Carlingford, Louth 14,512 14,209 Dundalk South, Louth 18,998 18,694 Ardee, Louth 13,651 13,122 Drogheda Rural, Louth 10,065 9,930 Drogheda Urban, Louth 16,117 16,247

The figures also give details on the Principal Economic Status of all the people in the area covered by Louth County Council. It reveals that there was 115,922 people aged 15 and over, 58,051 male and 57,871 female. 63,220 were at work; 13,643 were students or pupils; 8,092 were looking after home/family; 15,719 were retired; 4,069 unable to work due to permanent sickness or disability; 10,803 were unemployed; and 376 were not in the Labour Force.

Commenting on the release, Rob Kelly, Statistician in the Life Events and Demography Section, said: This research paper, as the second iteration of Irish Population Estimates from Administrative Data Sources (IPEADS), continues to demonstrate the policy-relevant research projects the CSO is developing as part of its leadership role in the Irish Statistical System.

"While serving primarily as a means of demonstrating the potential of administrative data for delivering new classes of statistical products, IPEADS also demonstrates an experimental and evolving platform for the development of population estimates.

"It must also be emphasised that as an experimental methodology, IPEADS estimates must be interpreted with caution and are not comparable with official CSO population estimates such as Census data."
Fianna Fail Senator Erin McGreehan has welcomed funding for two creative, cultural and artistic initiatives in Co Louth under a new 5.8 million creative fund.

A total of 43 projects across the country are due to receive the funding under the Governments new Creative Climate Action Fund II.

The Creative Ireland initiative supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empowers citizens to make meaningful behavioural changes.

This fund received 239 applications from an array of disciplines and industries from architecture to theatre and animation. It follows the success of the previous fund in 2021.

Senator McGreehan said: The Creative Climate Action Fund is hugely ambitious containing a range of projects that will benefit the whole island of Ireland.

Im delighted to see two recipients of the fund are based in Louth.

The Wheel and Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) are planning a cross-border creative arts programme to bring together the coastal communities around Carlingford Lough to engage with their marine environment, while the Urban Food Sanctuary project will empower the people of North Louth with the skills to develop local food resilience.

These all hugely important projects and I want to commend everyone involved.

She added:

This Creative Ireland funding is a thoughtful, creative and powerful way of raising awareness of climate change and biodiversity loss. It will bring about meaningful change in our local communities by inspiring people to take action. This is something Fianna Fail in Government is hugely passionate about.
Ireland has been warned that it needs to make faster progress in cutting emissions after a report showed that a carbon reduction target was not met last year.

Concern has been expressed by environmental groups in response to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which show Irelands greenhouse gas emissions decreased by just 1.9% in 2022.

Ireland should be reaching a 6% or 7% reduction a year from 2021 to 2025  and the shortfall means that a 12.4% annual reduction is now needed for the remaining years, which has been called near impossible.

If you look at the (12.4%) reduction, that would be higher than weve achieved previously in Ireland, even during the recession, EPA director-general Laura Burke told RTE Radio.

It also means 47% of Irelands carbon budget for 2021-25 has been used in the first two years.

Transport and Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has acknowledged the challenge Ireland faces to reduce its emissions while its economy and population grows, and admitted that it needs to make progress faster.

But Mr Ryan also said there was evidence of green shoots of progress in reducing emissions and developing public transport.

Chairwoman of the Climate Change Advisory Council Marie Donnelly stated that Ireland was not on track to achieve its emissions targets.

She added that the rise in emissions in the transport sector was a result of a lack of government policy.

While transport emissions dropped during Covid, they rebounded because there were not active policies in place to maintain low emissions levels.

Investment and support is needed now, to incentivise a switch to public transport and an uplift in active travel.

She added: The best-performing sector  residential buildings  is delivering benefits on the ground through the retrofitting of cold damp homes and eliminating harmful heating fuels which have high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA found that power generation emissions decreased by 1.9% last year due to a reduction in coal, oil and peat use and more renewable energy.

Agriculture emissions fell by 1.2%, driven by reduced fertiliser use which offset the impact of an increase in livestock numbers.

Residential emissions decreased by 12.7%, influenced by the impact of higher fuel prices, new regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel and milder weather.

However, transport emissions increased by 6% as the the rebound to pre-pandemic levels continued.

The agency said current decarbonisation actions are being outpaced by increased energy demand across the economy and dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.

It warned that a growing economy, with high employment, will continue to produce emissions if cleaner and alternatives sources of energy are not used.

Mr Ryan said it showed important green shoots of change but admitted that we do need to see our emissions fall at an even faster rate.

The Green Party leader also said that an increase in the transport sectors emissions was expected as people resumed their commute to work and school after the pandemic.

Its also worth noting that transport emissions are 4.6% below their pre-pandemic levels in 2019, indicating an overall downward trajectory, he said.

We are going to have to make further progress, however, speeding up the switch to public transport and active travel.

We will continue to revise our climate plans to ensure that we scale up and speed up our actions. This is going to be good for the country, is a vital necessity as we are see global temperatures meet unprecedented levels.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said that as Ireland needs a 6% to 7% reduction in carbon emissions annually, the overall target is now near impossible to reach.

In order to make up for previous failures to reach our targets, we now need to make an annual reduction of 12.4% to meet our carbon reduction targets for this period. That level of reduction is going to be near impossible, she said.

It is also important to note that the reductions in residential and agriculture, while welcome, are not driven by government policy.

She said that the reductions were due to lower energy usage because of high prices and a mild winter.

There are significant questions to be asked about what will happen when energy prices go back to pre-2023 rates, she said.
Swimmers are being urged to take part in the 'Splash Out' in Carlingford to raise funds for the Rape Crisis North East.

People are being invited to join the swim from St. Johns Pier to the South Pier in Carlingford on Saturday July 29th in aid of the Rape Crisis North East (RCNE).

The swim, co-ordinated by Harry Jordan of Carlingford Swimmers, will start at 9am to coincide with full tide and will be approximately 150 metres taking 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

And Hot House Sauna, a mobile sauna, will be on hand to raise the temperature should the waters prove chilly for some.

Leading this swim will be four members of the Grainne Ni Mhaille relay team who swam from Templetown Beach in Co. Louth to Rockall Light in Skerries, a distance of 44 klms.

We are hoping to make a big splash with loads of swimmers taking to the water to raise awareness of our service and to generate funds for a deposit to buy a new building and expand our HQ and service in Dundalk, said Jennifer Norton of RCNE.

There will be a commemorative medal for each participant and a Go Fund Me page has been set up for anyone who wishes to donate https://gofund.me/84fff562

Swimmers will be counted in the water at St. Johns Pier and counted out of the water at the South Pier.

There will be health and safety boats on hand and flotation devices are recommended as backup for inexperienced swimmers.

Harry Jordan was approached to ask for advice in running a charity swim for Rape Crisis North East Clg and within a few days he had formed a Committee of Jenn Fitzgerald, Fiona ONeill, Aisling Burke and Deirdre Jordan.

Harry is passionate about open water swimming and formed the Carlingford Swimmers six years ago, he himself has been swimming about half a million metres in the sea each year and swears by the benefits.

The team in Rape Crisis North East Clg said they are so grateful for the trojan work done by everyone on this Committee to make our fundraiser a success.

Rape Crisis North East provides a specialised counselling, advocacy and support service to all survivors of rape and sexual abuse in the North East of Ireland including Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan and surrounding areas.

Grace McArdle, Manager of Rape Crisis North East.said: We are currently fundraising to purchase a new building with enough space to expand our service and base in Dundalk.

Our waiting list is unacceptable and it is imperative that we find a premises suitable for our needs. We need a young persons room designed to ease the process of disclosure and enough counselling rooms to expand.

We are currently expanding our outreach in Drogheda in collaboration with Drogheda Women and Childrens Refuge Centre Clg and setting up a new service in Co. Meath in collaboration with Meath Womens Aid Refuge and Support Service along with our existing outreach in Castleblayney.

We are so looking forward to this event. It will be an amazing way to start a Saturday in July and hopefully we will see lots of swimmers making a big splash for our service

For more information or to register to take part email office@rcne and follow the RCNE on their social media platforms for updated information.
The launch of a Playful Culture Trail in Cork city has been announced, promising a new, family-friendly initiative designed to promote sustainability and artistic expression.

The event will run through July and August, with 25 engaging activities for those of all ages.

The Playful Culture Trail was first created in 2021, in an effort to make Cork a playful city and one that can be fun and interactive for children.

The aim is to make cultural and heritage spaces more suitable for children, giving them an opportunity to simultaneously learn and have fun.

The attractions will all be listed on a kid friendly map of the city and will be handed out to those who participate. It will take them to different museums, historic sites and galleries, where they will receive stamps.

The trail will include several captivating locations, including Blackrock Castle Observatory, The Butter Museum, Cork City Gaol, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork City Library, Shandon Bells and Tower, Nano Nagle Place and much more.

The Playful Culture Trail website will also feature sustainable craft ideas, and plenty more to keep the children involved busy for the duration of the summer.

Elsie OBrien (5) and Julia OBrien (8) getting crafty with sustainable materials to celebrate the launch of Corks Playful Culture Trail. Picture: Clare Keogh

The success of the past two years of the Playful Culture Trail have encouraged us to go back to the drawing board and find new ways for families and children to discover the citys many cultural attractions and greenspaces, said Jess Cull, one of the key organisers and Learning and Engagement Officer at Nano Nagle Place.

This years theme encourages kids to get creative and use environmentally friendly ways to play and engage with our citys rich heritage."

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, added: "There are so many curiosities and historic gems to discover and rediscover in our city.

My sincere thanks to all the building owners who have reinvented part of their inhouse trails to make sure our young citizens get a chance to learn about the city's histories and to voice their opinions on our cultural heritage."

For more, go to www.playfulculturetrail.com.
The decision by Cork City Council to name its newest footbridge after a stately home allowed to fall to rack and ruin has been met with bemusement by one local representative.

At this weeks meeting of the city council, the decision was taken to name the pedestrian and cycle bridge over the N40 Vernon Mount Bridge after the adjacent derelict Vernon Mount site.

Despite calls in March of this year for the council to compulsorily purchase the Mount Vernon site, City Hall has not answered multiple questions from The Echo as to whether it has followed up on those entreaties.

Naming process

Earlier this year, the local authority sought nominations for the naming of the new 4m wide bridge over the South Link Road, which, when opened, will provide a new pedestrian and cycle link to Tramore Valley Park.

Over a period of a month, a total of 598 nominations were received from the public through a naming submission process, and councillors eventually chose the Vernon Mount Bridge from a shortlist.

Following the decision by Cork City Council, the new bridge is named after Vernon Mount House, a neo-classical Georgian mansion built in the 1780s and overlooking what is now Corks South Ring Road.

Vernon Mount was one of Corks last surviving Georgian mansions and had contained significant murals by 18th-century artist Nathaniel Grogan.

Derelict house

It had been in private ownership since the 1990s and had fallen into dereliction after an investment company was refused planning permission for a hotel and residential property development on the site.

Following years of anti-social behaviour, the building was badly damaged in a fire in 2016, three years after Cork County Council had used its powers under the 2000 Planning and Development Act and intervened to repair a leaking roof, at a cost of 170,000.

In 2019, following the city boundary extension, Vernon Mount came under the jurisdiction of Cork City Council.

Cork City Council was understood to have been attempting to contact the sites owner after the Office of Public Works (OPW) said in late 2021 that it had no jurisdiction over the property.

Fine Gael councillor Shane OCallaghan was among the councillors to this week voice support for the name Vernon Mount Bridge, in recognition of Vernon Mount Houses unique, historical, and architectural place.

Cllr OCallaghan told The Echo in December 2021 that the council was seeking permission from the owner of Vernon Mount House to apply for a national heritage grant to fund the necessary repairs to the building, estimated in 2017 at over 43,000 at that time.

It is understood that the council had failed to contact the owner of the property, prompting calls earlier this year on the council to issue a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on the site.

In late 2021, Labour Party TD for Cork East, Sean Sherlock, was told by the then-public expenditure minister Michael McGrath that the lands surrounding the house were owned by a company which had dissolved, meaning these lands may have devolved to the State.

However, Mr McGrath said the house and its immediate curtilage was owned by a separate, live company with up-to-date annual returns and a normal Company Registration Office status.

Therefore the house and its immediate curtilage is not vested in the minister for public expenditure and reform under the State Property Act 1954 and, that being the case, the OPW has no role in the matter.

In March of this year, Mr McGraths successor as public expenditure minister, Paschal Donohoe, told Mr Sherlock that the position regarding Vernon Mount House remains the same.

At the time, Mr Sherlocks Labour Party colleague, Douglas local area representative Peter Horgan, said it felt like a case of the OPW and Government passing the buck to the local authority, who in turn wanted to pass it back to the OPW.

Regardless of the property being in public or private ownership, the property is in dereliction and is an unsafe structure and there needs to be an intervention made to secure the site and restore it, and whether that means that the owner then gets billed, or some mechanism is devised to recoup the public monies spent on such a move, thats something that needs to be decided by the powers that be, Mr Horgan said.

He said the situation could not be allowed to continue where derelict structures lay unaddressed for years on end, with seemingly no clear actions being taken to resolve them.

In the case of Vernon Mount, quite simply I would say Cork City Council needs to CPO it, he said.

Cllr Shane OCallaghan agreed, saying in March that the time had come for Vernon Mount House to be taken into public ownership.

If efforts to contact the owner have been unsuccessful, or the owner has been uncooperative, I think either way the time has come now for Vernon Mount House to be brought into public ownership by way of compulsory purchase order, Cllr OCallaghan said.

In December 2020, I succeeded in getting Vernon Mount placed on the Derelict Sites Register, and that means that the owners of the property since December 2020 have been required to pay an annual levy of 7% of the market value of the property to the city council.

To my knowledge that levy has not been paid, and I think that, given the fact that all of the efforts to engage with the owner have been unsuccessful, now is the time to start the process of bringing the property into public ownership, he said.

Asked in March whether the owner of Vernon Mount has paid the dereliction levy, a spokesperson for Cork City Council said:

The payment of a levy by an individual and/or site owner is not something that Cork City Council discloses to the public as it is private information.

Renewed calls for CPO

Following Mondays decision by councillors to name the new bridge over the N40 the Vernon Mount Bridge, Peter Horgan said that Cork City Council should go a step further and action a CPO to take the damaged house into public ownership to attempt preservation and some partial restoration.

Naming a bridge is one thing but owning the land that the house that bears its name would be a further signal of ownership for the lands involved, he said.

Vernon Mount House is spoken of in glowing terms but we still are nowhere with obtaining the land.

State authorities are shrugging their shoulders as Vernon Mount continues to fall more and more asunder, Mr Horgan said.

Multiple queries from The Echo to Cork City Council asking whether the council was looking at compulsorily purchasing Mount Vernon have gone unanswered.
UNIVERSITY College Cork (UCC) Professor Adrian Favell has been awarded 2.5 million by the European Research Council to lead a major new study on international migration.

The European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant is awarded to established research leaders to lead cutting-edge research.

Professor Favell, founding director of UCCs Radical Humanities Laboratory and a leading figure in international migration studies, has received funding for a five-year project entitled MIGMOBS - The Orders and Borders of Global Inequality: Migration and Mobilities in Late Capitalism.

The MIGMOBS project is a global study of international migration and mobility categories and how these have changed over the fifty-year period of neoliberalism 1970-2020. It will explore how these changes in the governance of international population movements during a period of globalisation have affected the comings and goings of people across borders.

MIGMOBS will explore how selectivity and categorisation in migration and mobilities relates to shifting global inequalities and hierarchies of power, measured by the different access enabled by passports internationally. It will also consider how the covid-19 pandemic may have affected this.

The project will establish a partnership with four institutions: the European University Institute, in Florence, which will host the Global Mobilities Project database at the heart of the project; the University of Leeds; Waseda University in Tokyo; and the Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Professor Favell said: It is a huge and ambitious project on the root of global inequalities: on the neo-colonial relations implied in a world of hyper-selective borders which dictate who can be mobile, who is excluded, and who gets left behind. As the first major project to be brought into the Radical Humanities Laboratory, I hope MIGMOBS will help us establish the lab as a dynamic space for critical and transformative research on key interdisciplinary topics in the humanities and social sciences."

Dr James Kapalo, vice head of College for Research and Innovation in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences at UCC, said: Professor Adrian Favell and the MIGMOBS project are at the forefront of interdisciplinary thinking on how to meet one of the most pressing of global challenges.

"This project places UCCs Radical Humanities Laboratory at the heart of international research on migration and inequalities that are all too visible in the contemporary world.

"The project, which combines comparative, historical and ethnographic methodologies, is a perfect illustration of the vital contribution that humanities and social sciences are making in our rapidly changing world.

Professor John Cryan, UCC vice president for Research and Innovation added: Congratulations to Adrian on securing a highly competitive and prestigious ERC Award. The Radical Humanities Laboratory is an important component of UCC Futures  Future Humanities and it is fitting that this project will be the first large scale study hosted at this research facility. UCC has an established research focus on migration and integration studies through ISS21, and I look forward to hearing about the impactful outcomes from this research study in international migration and mobility.

MIGMOBS will be the first large scale project to be hosted by the Radical Humanities Laboratory, located at the CACSSS Wandesford Quay Research Facility in Cork city centre. The Laboratory was set up as a flagship initiative of the UCC Futures programme, bringing together twelve new interdisciplinary researchers to work in the fields of interdisciplinary humanities at UCC.
A 36-year-old man was remanded in custody until July 24 on charges of possession of cannabis for sale or supply in Mayfield and having 49,000 in cash being the proceeds of crime.

James McCarthy of 5 Barnavara Crescent, Banduff Road, Mayfield, Cork, appeared before Cork District Court by video link from prison.

Judge Olann Kelleher remanded him in custody for a fortnight on the application of Sergeant John Kelleher.

The defendant is charged that on May 9 he had cannabis in his possession for sale or supply at his home and that he also engaged in the possession of property namely 49,000 in cash knowing that the property was the proceeds of criminal activity.
The Lord Mayor of Cork has commended Cork City Council for its rapid response to a fuel spill on the River Lee today.

The incident occurred at 9. 45am this morning, when what the council described as a small amount of marine gas oil (MGO) was discharged into the river at Hogans Quay.

In a statement, Cork City Council said an estimated 20 litres of MGO was released into a limited area of the River Lee.

The council said the discharge had occurred during a transfer from a road tanker to a fishing vessel at Horgans Quay.

The release was momentary and was stopped quickly, the council said.

In a joint operation, teams from Cork City Council and the Port of Cork Company are currently responding to the incident.

The council stated that the release took place adjacent to the quayside and away from Cork Harbours environmentally sensitive areas.

The council said the Irish Coastguard has been informed, and it was expected that the response would be completed in the coming hours.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, commended those involved in addressing the matter so quickly.

Im disappointed that the incident happened, but thankfully it was stopped straight away, and health and safety measures were put in place quickly, Cllr McCarthy said.

I will be asking the chief executives office for a full debriefing on what has actually occurred.

Cllr Lorna Bogue of An Rabharta Glas said she welcomed the councils quick response to the incident.

Im glad to hear that action has been taken quickly on it, and that an investigation is ongoing, Cllr Bogue said. I will be interested to hear the results of that investigation.

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle said the incident was very regrettable.

Its something you certainly dont want to see a repeat of, and the city centre is no longer a venue for fishing boats in any large numbers, and there should be accountability when incidents such as this happen, Cllr Boyle said.

It was dealt with fairly quickly, but there should be consequences for those people responsible.

Fianna Fail councillor Colm Kelleher said he was hopeful that the damage would be minimal.

Any contamination of the river is unfortunate, and Im not acutely aware in relation to the potency of the substance involved, but 20 litres in comparison to the size of the Lee is small, but there are protocols in place, and between the city council and all the relevant stakeholders, we look forward to the completion of the clean-up.

Cork City Council said an investigation was ongoing.
A five-year-old girl who had sued over the care she received at Cork University Maternity Hospital after her birth has secured a further 3 million in the settlement of her action.

Maja Moldysz from Fermoy, Co Cork, who was one of a set of triplets was born healthy at the hospital but suffered catastrophic injuries just 22 hours after her birth, the High Court heard.

Her counsel Dr John OMahony SC with Doireann OMahony BL told the court there was a profound and tragic background to the matter. It was their case that while an apparatus for intravenous IV fluids was being set up for the baby, air escaped to her heart and brain and Counsel said Maja suffered catastrophic injuries.

An investigation that took place in CUMH following the incident recommended that all neonatal nursing staff in the hospital participate in a programme of education regarding the preparation and administration of IV fluids, including infusion pump training.

Maja, Counsel told the court, has spastic quadriplegia and is severely disabled both physically and intellectually. He said she is cherished by her family who had brought her every year to Poland for intensive therapy.

Two years ago Cork University Maternity Hospital apologised to Majas family when her case first came before the court and she received a 887,200 interim payment at that time as her case settled against the HSE.

When her case came back before the High Court this week and an interim settlement for the next five years was ruled upon on Friday, her mother Agnieszka Moldysz told the court she was eternally grateful for her legal team who fought a relentless fight for Maja".

Sadly nothing will revert the injuries, however, the funds will provide therapeutic input and suitable accommodation for her and make her life comfortable, she added.

In a letter of apology previously read to the court CUMH said a hospital review showed that aspects of the care that Maja received did not reach the standards that should be expected and it unreservedly apologised for that.

It read: I write to you on behalf of Cork University Maternity Hospital to sincerely apologise for the incident that occurred on July 5, 2018, while Maja was under our care.

"We recognise the impact that this has had on Maja and your family and the distress this has caused. Regrettably, our review has shown that aspects of the care that Maja received did not reach the standards that should be expected and we unreservedly apologise for this. Maja Moldysz of Fermoy, Co. Cork, had through her mother Agnieszka Moldysz sued the HSE over her care after her birth.

Maja was born on July 4, 2018, and after her birth was in reasonably good condition and breathing independently.

It was claimed that the day after her birth, when an apparatus was being placed for intravenous fluid administration, air was allegedly caused to enter her venous system which, it is claimed, later resulted in an air bubble travelling to the babys heart and brain and she suffered acute cardio respiratory arrest and profound brain damage.

It was claimed that air was caused to enter the babys vein system at or around the time of the placement of the apparatus for the IV fluid administration.

The claims were denied.

Approving the latest interim payment of 3m today Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a very deserving case and he wished Maja and her family the very best for the future.
LIFE in Ireland can be hard, and the same applies - in different ways and to different degrees - wherever you might go. But the hardness isnt equivalent for all, and life is a lot harder for Travellers.

If you are a Traveller yourself, you know this from lived experience. If youre just here on holiday, or are recent immigrants to our shores, I hope youre enjoying the place, and just believe me on this point. If youre an Irish non-Traveller, you know of this - but perhaps only in an abstract way, and perhaps without any emotional involvement.

The data are stark. Life expectancy in Ireland is about 78 for men and 82 for women; while among Travellers it is 63 and 71 respectively. When we consider healthy life expectancy, the gap is larger - 17 years.

And in regard to mental health, three times more Travellers than non-Travellers report inadequate well-being.

In less clinical terms, while Travellers make up approximately 1% of the population, they make up 9% of the homeless. Travellers are 10 times more likely to experience discrimination when looking for work; a fact reflected perhaps in the unemployment data - 68% of Irish women and 80% of Irish men are in work, but the figures for Travellers are 17% and 13% respectively. In 2016, only 167 Irish Travellers held a third level qualification.

I could go on. Add to this the daily social stigma and discrimination - anecdotally, I recently spoke with a college-graduate Traveller who told me of their regular, humiliating episodes of being the only one all of their classmates refused entry to pubs or nightclubs on class night out.

None of this is news - every Irish person has known the general picture for a long time, if not the exact figures. And yet, year after year, election after election, it is ignored or downplayed. It is never a priority. Indeed, some populist (and sadly as a result sometimes popular) politicians campaign strongly against improving treatment of Travellers.

This broad indifference is no surprise to psychologists - aside from anything else, it can often be tough to push for a change when a problem doesnt affect you and could conceivably reduce resources available for other purposes.

But try seeing it with a price tag involved.

In the US, several states have established commissions to consider reparations to the Black community for the long-term effects of slavery and ongoing disadvantage. These are now beginning to report, and that of California is among the first in line. They based their recommendation on a lifetime life value of $10 million (for statistical purposes, allocated equally to every year of life); and also consider health harm, imprisonment rates, housing discrimination, and other factors. Their estimated maximum payment to anyone was $1.2 million; San Francisco has estimated $5 million. If implemented, the overall cost in California alone could be $800 billion.

Now consider some back-of-the-envelope calculations here. The average male life expectancy is 78, that of women 82 - so applying the $10 million (converted to approximately 9.1 million  a conservative figure considering Irish and US GDP), Traveller males would be entitled to 1.75 million, and Traveller women to 1.22 million. And these figures are on the basis of life expectancy alone, discounting what we know are the very large levels of negative health, educational, occupational, residential consequences of systemic and societal discrimination against this section of the community. In 2016, the census found 15,377 Traveller males, and 15,610 female- so a total reparations bill of approximately 19.04 billion.

Lets let that sink in. The damage caused in an almost casual way to a really small section of the population of a very small country is almost 20 billion in years of life lost alone.

Lets try to imagine the extent of human suffering into which that figure translates.

And lets not forget the fact that this figure derives only from the living, and does not include the tens of thousands of prematurely dead.

Putting a euro figure on the damage caused makes it concrete. Further context - at the median house price in Ireland, this would buy 62,623 houses. At the current cost to councils of having contractors build social housing 3-bed apartments, it would buy 60,125 such units.

I dont hear any clamour from any quarter for reparations for Travellers, but perhaps steps should be urgently taken to address deprivation and inequality in this country, irrespective of ethnicity? Even 1 billion a year to improve education access, housing opportunities, employment prospects for all disadvantaged people in Ireland would make considerable impact, and would disproportionately benefit the Traveller community in doing so.

Lets not stand by and allow this injustice endure, as our Republic so often has in our short - and tragically often shameful - history.
The success of UK rap over the last 10 years can help provide inspiration for the scene here. For decades it was in the shadow of American hip-hop, which continues to be a global force, but in recent years UK rappers have finally emerged from the shadows. In Ireland, we are still behind, but its often worth looking at the past to see a pathway to the future.

As a teenager I can still remember buying Hip Hop Connection magazine religiously. This UK magazine was like the bible to myself and the other handful of youngsters into rap music here. It was a pre internet era where hip-hop was rarely on TV and almost never on radio, and this was an era in the early 90s where even pirate radio in Cork wasnt happening. Hip Hop Connection was one of the few places we could read about rappers, and there was only one shop in Cork that stocked it.

At the time, the editorial debates on the state of UK hip-hop echo what many of us feel in Ireland 30 years on. UK rappers werent being taken seriously by the public over there, and there was a sense of imposter syndrome too.

Many cringed when they heard UK accents rapping and others made the rest of us cringe more by trying to sound American. Great groups like London Posse and the Ruthless Rap Assassins made great records, but the general public and the music industry in general wasnt quite ready.

Lots of the music from the UK that did break through in that era came from a sound system culture that was intrinsically linked to hip-hop, and groups such as Soul 2 Soul, Massive Attack, Portishead, and others all had that hip-hop swagger (and sometimes even rappers, like Tricky, who was a big success too). Related UK music such as drum and bass, garage and even what became known as trip-hop seemed to swallow up most of the attention but all of these underground scenes helped provide the backbone of longer term success with the emergence of grime.

Garage crossover success came from artists such as the Streets while Dizzee Rascal, Ms Dynamite, and others hit the mainstream in a big way with their own cross pollination of styles. Underground stalwarts such as Rodney P, Roots Manuva, and Blak Twang continued to keep the heat up but grime crossed over in a commercial way when the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Tineh Tempah, and even Skepta made more pop orientated bangers for the radio.

It was only in the last decade that UK hip-hop really found its feet though. In reality, all of those artists who went before lay down the groundwork for success. UK hip-hop would succeed on its own terms by not aping the Americans, but instead using British culture as the backbone for original music.

This culture was often created by immigrants from the Carribbean and elsewhere, and it took decades for their children and their childrens children to develop sounds which are being embraced by us all in 2023.

Now we have grime that came out of garage and jungle and drill which was originally developed in Chicago and afro-trap and other genres which were greatly influenced by the large African migrant population there. These styles have all developed from the underground and have gone mainstream. Artists such as Stormzy, Skepta, Dave, Central Cee, Aitch, Little Simz, Giggs and many more have exploded in popularity and are now looked up not only by UK fans but by fans here too. Many Irish rap fans respect the above as much if not more than the Americans and many of them are more relatable too.

In 2023 UK rap sells out arenas and hits the pop charts on the regular, and the days of it being laughed at are well over. In Ireland rap was often laughed at too, but we are following a similar trajectory, though our history of bringing in new styles of music through immigration is far more recent.

The sons and daughters of those that first started arriving little over 20 years ago are now making moves and we have artists of all colours and backgrounds capable of making their mark abroad. Kojaque, Offica, TraviS & Ellzzz, Denise Chaila, Sweetlemondae, Jafaris, Aby Coulibaly or a host of others could be the next one to break abroad; so far weve had Rejjie Snow. But the future is looking good for both the UK and Ireland.
LEAVING her family behind in her native India, was a significant step for Ambika Fauzdar, but one thats paid off for the determined young woman.

Ambika started her career as an IT programmer in India, and later switched to IT services.

Describing herself as a passionate individual with a fondness for progression, early in her career she made the radical move to UCC, to pursue a Masters in BIS.

After graduation, she started working with Depuy Synthes in a graduate programme, and now has a lead role in the global supply chain of the organisation.

Shes not one to hang around! All things combined, its not surprising that judges found her a worthy winner of the Employee Rising Star category in this years Network Cork Businesswomen of the Year awards.

Ambika admits leaving her family behind was a daunting decision  but they were the very ones who encouraged her to follow her dreams and move here.

My family is my biggest support and the source of my energy.

"Thats my parents who live in the biggest Indian state, Rajasthan; my older sister, brother-in-law, and my two beautiful nieces who are based in the UK.

I was very lucky to share the house and grow up in the presence of my grandparents, receiving all their gracious advice and eternal love helped me learn a lot and creating an invaluable bond with them.

But Ive always been told to be brave and bold and pursue my dreams. It was my fondness for progression and my familys encouragement and unconditional love that helped me to pursue my dreams and relocate, she said.

When she came here in 2018, the plan was to stay for two years, but she said Cork had different plans for me. And by taking baby steps, she got the role she dreamed off when she first came to Ireland.

As a Global Supply Chain Planning Business Lead within Depuy Synthes, shes responsible for planning and managing Depuys Implants inventory (hips, knees, and shoulders) from two major distribution centres (US and Belgium).

And over the last three years, she has successfully designed, developed, and maintained innovative data solutions as strategic business solutions.

Ambika is focused on upskilling herself and keeping ahead in her role. It was that mentality that saw her join Network Cork, where shes a corporate liaison officer.

My intention to join Network Cork was to grow in a safe environment. I took it as part of my personal growth, mainly, dealing with people and giving back to the society Im part off.

I knew it is a group of confident, professional, and enthusiastic women with an aim to succeed against the odds.

I wanted to learn from these women, be part of them and give back by supporting them.

Personally, and professionally, she said, the committee has helped her make connections.

The network has helped me boost my confidence, and believe in my own leadership skills, said Ambika.

She said shes grateful for the win and enjoyed the recognition it has bought.

My family were also delighted and very proud of me, especially my five- and eight-year-old nieces! None of it would be possible without the unconditional support of my family and of the support of my Depuy Synthes mentors and the trust they have shown in me throughout my tenure.

Konstantina Stefanidou introduced me to the Network Cork, she challenged me to connect and to grow further, and my manager, Tommy Brett has supported my career and development within Depuy Synthes and I am sincerely thankful for this support.

Living in Victoria Cross, she feels really settled in Cork.

I love that Cork is surrounded by natural beauty, and that it is very safe for everyone, especially women, which is the biggest plus for me, and for my familys peace of mind.

Cork is and has always been very welcoming, especially the golden agers who are real sweethearts. Here, people are generally very helpful, jovial and sweet.

Ambika visits home once a year and her family visited Cork last year and loved it.

My nieces call Cork Airport the best airport of the world as its hassle-free and very welcoming! Cork is now my Karma Bhumi (land of karma), and as much as I take, I give back to the city; and India is my Janam bhumi (dear land), the place I belong to. I highly admire both!




Nigeria's senate calls for anthrax vaccination of livestock nationwide

Nigeria's senate has called on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the ministry of agriculture and rural development and the ministry of health to urgently embark on a nationwide vaccination of livestock with an anthrax spore vaccine.

The senate made the resolution on July 12 after a motion was adopted.

In June, the federal government warned Nigerians against the consumption of hide (ponmo), smoked meat and bush meat due to the outbreak of anthrax in neighbouring countries.

Anthrax is an infection caused by the spore-forming bacteria, Bacillus anthracis. It typically affects ruminants such as cows, sheep and goats. It is transmissible from contaminated animals to humans.

According to a lawmaker, a report had indicated that 30 animals have died, with three human deaths recorded and 13 cases tested positive for the disease in Ghana as of June. The senator said that, although Nigeria had yet to record any suspected or confirmed cases, the outbreak in Ghana poses a serious public health risk to the country due to the highly transmissible nature of the disease.

In its resolutions, the senate called upon the ministry of information to start intensive awareness campaigns to keep Nigerians aware on the outbreak of the disease, symptoms for early detection and prevention guidelines.



- The Cable




Orffa CEO to step down by end 2023, successor named





The chief executive officer of Orffa, Eddy Ketels, will step down at the end of 2023.

He will be succeeded by Haiko Zuidhoff, who will start his new role as of October 1.

Ketels has been working for 35 years at Orffa. He became CEO in 2001. Under his leadership, Orffa has developed from a local player, mainly focused on ingredients in Belgium and the Netherlands, into a global innovative value-adding company having presence in key feed-producing countries and offering a balanced portfolio of feed additives.

Zuidhoff has worked in Asia for 25 years. He most recently served IMCD as president for the Asia region, overseeing IMCD's vision, strategy and accelerated growth through both organic growth and mergers and acquisitions.

Prior to IMCD, Zuidhoff served in various senior leadership roles at Trouw Nutrition Nutreco and Corbion. His knowledge and expertise will contribute to Orffa's strategy and vision to be a value-adding partner to global animal production, Orffa said.

Zuidhoff will be based at the company's headquarter in Breda, the Netherlands.

- Orffa




Programme opens door for major investments in Alabama, US meat, poultry processing industry

The meat and poultry processing industry of Alabama, the United States, is receiving major financial investments through the Alabama Meat Processing Program.

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries created the low-interest loan programme through funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Market concentration within the US agriculture industry is a hot topic. Many people believe the industry is becoming too concentrated, leaving fewer firms to compete with one another. A recent publication from the USDA Economic Research Service reported that critics believe this level of concentration has led to a series of economic impacts. These impacts include higher consumer prices, lower prices paid for farm commodities, increased corporate profits and reduced wages.

In March, the USDA announced an US$89 million investment to support the startup and expansion of independent meat processors. This investment is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain. Alabama received US$15 million of this allotment.

"The USDA is laser-focused on standing up for America's farmers and ranchers by expanding processing capacity, creating fairer markets and more revenue streams and market opportunities, which helps bring down food costs for families at the grocery store," said US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

The Alabama Meat Processing Program allows Alabama's independent meat processors to make investments in their operations. These investments can include items such as purchasing or constructing new facilities and expanding existing facilities. Processors can also purchase new equipment, cover start-up costs and hire more employees.

Dennis Brothers, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System associate Extension agricultural economics professor, said the supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic sparked an interest in expanding local meat processors across the US.

"In a recent study, 57% of Alabama cattle producers expressed an interest in adding more processing facilities in the state for their operations to utilise as an outlet for their product or a source for processing their product," Brothers said.

According to Brothers, the long-term success of new and expanded facilities will depend on how well the owners market the products. In order for the local public to demand a locally supplied product, they must know what is available and how to obtain it. Also, finding the needed workforce to operate these facilities will be crucial to successfully running the businesses.

"We all remember the shortage of beef, pork and poultry on the store shelves during COVID-19," Brothers said. "If consumer demand and producer interest remain high, the Alabama Meat Processing Program could strengthen the local supply chain for those products and have big impacts on local economies."

The Alabama Agricultural Development Authority administers the Alabama Meat Processing Program.

"I want to encourage business owners who are currently engaged in or thinking of starting to process meat (cattle, swine or poultry) to apply for this beneficial programme," said Rick Pate, Alabama's commissioner of agriculture and industries.

- Gulf Coast Media




Phileo celebrates sustainable agriculture at new factory in Valladolid, Spain





Phileo by Lesaffre recently celebrated the opening of its new factory in Valladolid, Spain.

More than 100 customers and business partners from the agriculture industry joined Phileo for an afternoon and evening of networking and celebration followed by the symposium, "Reconciling Planet, People and Profit for a positive impact."

Committed to a sustainable agrifood industry, Lesaffre constructed the factory for the production of Selsaf, Phileo's nutritional solution enriched in organic selenium.

"For 170 years, and on the initiative of its founders Louis Lesaffre and Louis Bonduelle, the group has built itself up with a very strong entrepreneurial spirit and a constant concern to meet the evolving needs of its customers in various fields of expertise," said Brice-Audren Riche, general manager of Lesaffre during his speech. "The inauguration of this new selenium-enriched yeast factory to serve the animal nutrition sector is an example of Lesaffre's desire to evolve and grow alongside its customers in a spirit of partnership."

On the following day, Jean Baptiste Dolle, head of department (environment) at Institut de l'elevage, set the scene of climate smart agriculture by showcasing methodologies and tools that are developed to evaluate the impacts on climate change and water pollution and to assess the positive contributions to biodiversity and carbon sequestration of milk and beef production.

A practical example of low carbon dairy and beef farming was presented by Maxime Briche, Phileo's Western Europe ruminant manager, with data showing how Actisaf, Phileo's yeast probiotic helps to reduce the climate impact of milk production.

Dr. Elisabeth Santin of ISI Institute Brazil emphasised the importance of avoiding oxidative stress in animals as it has shown to compromise their health status and lead to immunosuppression and decreased production parameters. Dr. Ruth Raspoet then elaborated how Selsaf helps the body resist against oxidative stress  both in the short term (thanks to selenocysteine) and in the long-term (due to selenomethionine)  and boosts natural defenses of animals. This dual protection leads to dual benefits to farmers and consumers.

For farmers, Selsaf supports animal health (better embryo viability and survival rate, more selenium transfer to offspring and less morbidity) and increases animal performance (higher feed efficiency, growth performance and laying intensity). In reducing the oxidation, and, therefore, the rancidity of animal-derived end-products, Selsaf also brings a lot of benefits to consumers, with more selenium in meat, milk and eggs, and higher food satisfaction with increased meat quality (less drip loss, increased juiciness and tenderness).

Dr. Julie Schulthess concluded with a comprehensive talk on immunity and explaining how immune fitness is a measure of animal health, welfare and productivity.

Nourishing the world and preserving the planet is a huge responsibility and opportunity for agriculture and Phileo by Lesaffre, concluded Dr. Gildas Joalland , chairman of the symposium.



- Phileo by Lesaffre
Busy hall: the premiere of embedded world China exceeded exhibitors' and visitors' expectations.

From June 14-16, 2023, embedded world China celebrated its premiere at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre (SWEECC). More than 8,100 visitors attended the launch event in Shanghai.

With embedded world China, we are exporting our recipe for success to the key Chinese market and sending an important signal to our customers in Asia, reports Executive Director of embedded world Exhibition&Conference Benedikt Weyerer.

embedded world China kicked off with 124 exhibitors (70 from China plus 54 international companies) on an area of around 11,000 m2. More than 8,100 visitors passed through Hall 3 of the SWEECC in Shanghai over the three days.

We planned this first embedded world China for over three years and finally brought it to a successful conclusion. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our valued partners, programme committee members and service providers for their patience and support in sharing this historic moment with us. Of course, we also thank our exhibitors and visitors for their thoughtfulness and understanding of a newly established service platform in the industry. In the future, we will develop and explore more opportunities for exchange in the industry, especially for the embedded community in China, said William Gu, project manager in the embedded world China team, summarizing his impressions.

But it was not only the organisers who were very satisfied with the premiere in Shanghai, exhibitors too are already looking forward to next year's sequel.

We at Advantech valued embedded world China as a good opportunity to exchange ideas with partners from upstream and downstream industries, to learn from them and to present our companys own industry solutions. We look forward to meeting these partners again next year! said exhibitor Advantech in an official statement.

The conference was a complete success

The event was accompanied by a conference with top-class speakers. The programme for this was assembled under the leadership of Chairman Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Sikora. This first staging of the conference was a complete success, as is also evidenced by the more than 100 submissions. As a result, there were 35 technology-oriented presentations, two keynote lectures by AMD and ARM, and a very lively panel discussion. All in all, an event of very high quality and professionalism, said a highly satisfied Prof. Sikora.

Prof. He Xiaoqing, Chief Secretary of the Embedded System Association, agrees with this positive conclusion: The first ever embedded world China in June 2023 here in Shanghai was a complete success. It is a professional exhibition, with targeted exhibitor and visitor groups. The embedded world China Conference, held in parallel, was a professional conference that brought together experts from renowned companies both at home and abroad. The conference sessions covered a wide range of topics. I was very impressed by the active participation of embedded software companies at this event and look forward to seeing even more exhibitors and speakers at embedded world China next year.

Save the date

The next embedded world China will be held in Shanghai, China, in June 2024.
New Studio Ghibli film The Boy and the Heron is coming to North America later this year The movie is the first from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki in 10 years.

Hayao Miyazakis first film in ten years (and supposedly his last) premiered in Japan today  without any lead-up marketing from Studio Ghibli. Soon after, Gkids announced that it had acquired the animated movies North American rights. Called Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka (translated as How Do You Live) in Japan, the international release will use the title The Boy and the Heron. Gkids says it will arrive in North America later this year.

Little is known about the new movie, but Gkids describes the hand-drawn animated feature as an original story written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki produces it with a musical score from Joe Hisaishi. It was previously announced that Miyazakis next film would have an IMAX release (as well as Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema and DTS:X) in Japan. However, it isnt clear if it will screen in IMAX in the US.

When the film arrives stateside, dont expect to see any more promotion than it got in Japan. Gkids says it will follow Studio Ghiblis unprecedented decision to premiere the film in Japan without any marketing images, trailers, synopses ads  or any information  ahead of its surprise premiere today. Suzuki attributes the decision to honoring another era while hoping to spark imagination. A poster and a title  thats all we got when we were children. I enjoyed trying to imagine what a movie was about, and I wanted to bring that feeling back, Suzuki reportedly told Japanese broadcaster NHK via The Japan Times and Deadline.

Gkids has distributed the North American versions of previous Miyazaki films, including The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There and From Up on Poppy Hill (among others). The 15-year-old producer and distributor has 12 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations in its short history. Hayao Miyazaki is a living legend in filmmaking, as evidenced by his Academy Award win for Spirited Away and his two Oscar nominations for Howls Moving Castle and The Wind Rises, David Jesteadt, president of Gkids, wrote in a press release today. Its been ten years since the world has seen a new film from Miyazaki-san, and Gkids is so proud and honored to unveil his latest, highly anticipated masterpiece in North America.
(Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante)

OSLO, Norway, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser AS, a subsidiary of Nel ASA (Nel) (OSE:NEL), has signed a contract for 20 MW of alkaline electrolyser equipment for about EUR 9 million with Hyd'Occ for its project in Port-La-Nouvelle, France. Nel has already performed and delivered the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study on the project.

The 20 MW electrolyser will supply renewable hydrogen to local industry and transportation in southern France. Port-La-Nouvelle, where the electrolyser will be located, is expected to be a significant hub for hydrogen flows in the Mediterranean.

Hyd'Occ is backed by Qair, a leading French renewable energy and hydrogen producer, as the primary shareholder and developer, and AREC Occitanie the regional agency for energy transition (held by the Occitanie administrative region), as minority shareholder.

"We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Hyd'Occ on this pivotal project in France, where our business footprint has been relatively modest so far. The project holds great potential for Nel being in one of the Mediterranean's future hydrogen hubs," says Hans Hide, Chief Project Officer at Nel.

"We are pleased to count on Nel's support in the development of the first high-capacity hydrogen production unit in France. This collaboration takes us a step further in making concrete the hydrogen ecosystem of the future," says Guirec Dufour, Chief Executive Officer at Qair France.

This is a firm purchase order for alkaline stacks and balance of stacks. The stacks are planned to be delivered to the client around year-end 2023. Nel will assist the client in the project's installation, commissioning, and start-up.

For additional information, please contact:Kjell Christian Bjrnsen, CFO, +47 917 02 097Wilhelm Flinder, Head of Investor Relations, +47 936 11 350

About Nel ASA | www.nelhydrogen.com

Nel has a history tracing back to 1927 and is today a leading pure play hydrogen technology company with a global presence. The company specializes in electrolyser technology for production of renewable hydrogen, and hydrogen fueling equipment for road-going vehicles. Nel's product offerings are key enablers for a green hydrogen economy, making it possible to decarbonize various industries such as transportation, refining, steel, and ammonia.

This information is subject to a duty of disclosure pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was issued as inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and was published by Wilhelm Finder, Head of Investor Relations, at NEL ASA on the date and time provided.

The following files are available for download:

View original content: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nel-asa-receives-purchase-order-for-20-mw-electrolyser-equipment-from-hydocc-301877357.html
The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate experienced an increase of more than one percent on Thursday, supported by the UK economy's less severe contraction than expected in May.

Concurrently, the US Dollar faced challenges that contributed to the GBP/USD's rise, as wholesale inflation in the global economic powerhouse, the United States, eased in June.

GBP/USD gained after favourable yield spreads over the USD, alongside technical indicators led to a bullish Sterling advance.

At the time of writing, GBP/USD traded at 1.31322, a 1.05% increase on the day's opening levels.

According to research released by Scotiabank, there is scope for gains to the 1.3328 level in the near term outlook.

Foreign exchange analysts at Scotiabank note Sterling's resilience despite less than stellar domestic conditions.

Their analysis suggests that the currency pair's strength can be attributed to favourable yield spreads over the USD, alongside technical indicators that point towards a bullish market.

While the UK's recent GDP figures might seem discouraging, having declined by 0.1% in May and exhibiting no growth in the three-month period, the analysts point out that the situation might not be as grim as it first appears.

The current figures are, in fact, better than the anticipated results, offering a silver lining amidst the economic gloom.

"Sterling is also strengthening further this morning even as domestic news has not been especially positive. UK GDP fell 0.1% in May and was flat in the 3m/3m read; but these data were marginally better than forecast," says Shaun Osborne, Chief FX Strategist at Scotiabank.

A key factor that Osborne identifies as contributing to Sterling's resilience is the yield spreads over the USD.

These spreads, he explains, are currently at their highest point in a decade, providing substantial support for the Sterling amidst these trying times.

"Cable is strengthening, with the help of solid yield spreads over the USD (2Y gap at 53bps today, the highest in 10 years)," adds Osborne.

In addition to these macroeconomic indicators, Osborne observes a significant deterioration in the UK's housing market, as indicated by the recent RICS House Price data.

Despite this downward trend, the strategist's perspective on the Sterling remains bullish.

From a technical standpoint, Osborne notes that Sterling is currently experiencing a positive trajectory, with consistent daily gains.

The currency has risen by 2.8% over the period in question, clearly breaking through its 200-week moving average (MA). This is an important technical marker, indicating an ongoing upward price trend.

"Sterling is trading higher for a sixth, consecutive daily gain and a 2.8% gain over the period. Sterling is trading well through its 200-week MA which is support now at 1.2887," Osborne remarks.

Looking to the future, the strategist identifies minimal resistance to the Sterling's advancement until it reaches the level of 1.3328.

This level marks a significant 76.4% retracement of the 2021/22 decline, a noteworthy technical threshold that traders will likely be keeping a close eye on.

Osborne concludes, "and [Sterling] has little ahead of it in terms of resistance until 1.3328 (76.4% retracement of the 2021/22 decline)."

Despite the challenging domestic conditions that the UK is experiencing, Osborne suggests that the combination of better-than-expected GDP figures, favourable yield spreads over the USD, and positive technical indicators are contributing to the Sterling's sustained strength.
FRIDAY, July 14, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment can control the symptoms of the most common type of glaucoma and save someones vision.

The catch is that a person cant feel the changes in eye pressure that can damage vision, so they often wont know they even have it before its too late.

That is, unless theyve been seeing an eye doctor regularly.

One vision expert encourages people to not wait for that pressure to damage the optic nerve, but rather to preserve vision with regular health care.

Some people say they dont need glasses, so they dont need to see an eye doctor, said Dr. Tara ORourke, an optometrist at Penn State Health Eye Center. Its important for everyone to have yearly eye exams to monitor the health of the eye, especially for patients over the age of 50.

About 3 million Americans have glaucoma, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition is the second leading cause of blindness in the world.

Half of those who have the most common type, open-angle glaucoma, dont know they have it.

In open angle glaucoma, the tiny canals that naturally drain away eye fluid become clogged.

The exact cause or mechanism of open angle glaucoma is unknown at this time. We can manage the eye pressure, but do not have a cure for the disease, ORourke said in a center news release. However, treatment can control glaucoma.

Both heredity and age can contribute to the condition. ORourke recommends that people over 50 get tested for glaucoma at least annually, even with perfect vision. A person who has a family member with glaucoma should test earlier.

Some can experience pain, cloudy vision and a sensitivity to light, but many have no symptoms early in the disease. Rather, they have a slow progressive peripheral vision loss, which is irreversible.

Eventually, people with this condition will have total vision loss without treatment. Yet, glaucoma is treatable, especially in the early stages.

To diagnose glaucoma, doctors test to determine eye pressure. Normal pressure is anywhere from 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 21 mm Hg. Any measure over 21 is a reason for more testing.

A puff test, in which a machine blows a puff of air into a patients eye, is common.

ORourke said she typically uses a device called a Goldmann applanation tonometer. With this test, an eye drop numbs the eye, then the device gently taps or rests on the front surface of the eye to get a better reading.

A common treatment is using eyedrops, which will need to continue indefinitely. A variety of drops will have different effects. Some drops decrease fluid production. Others help to improve fluid outflow.

Oral medications can also lower the pressure in the eye, and laser therapy can enhance the outflow of fluid through the drainage system of the eye. Medication will still typically be needed to keep the pressure in the eye down.

Surgical options include installing tiny tubes called stents. These tubes help to clear fluid in the eye. This may happen at the same time as cataract surgery for some patients.

More information

The U.S. National Eye Institute has more on glaucoma.

SOURCE: Penn State Health, news release, July 6, 2023
Carol Murray, a Blackfeet Tribal elder. (Provided by the University of Montana)

The University of Montana was awarded $1 million through the Mellon Foundation to support Indigenous ways of knowing and Native American expertise in humanities, UM said Thursday in a press release.

This award aims to elevate knowledge that represents more complete and accurate narratives of the human experience by incorporating perspectives of Native elders and knowledge holders into higher education, said Fernando Sanchez, director of the Elouise Cobell Land and Culture Institute, in a statement from the university.

Knowledge holders are individuals in the tribal nations who have expertise in traditional history, customs and culture.

The Montana Constitution mandates Indian Education for All to ensure that Montana students understand Native people in this region. This is the first time the Mellon Foundation selected UM for funding to advance the humanities.

The money will support curriculum developments, a tenure-track faculty hire and 15 internships for students over the three years of the project. The project will also offer opportunities for undergraduates to interact with elders and knowledge holders.

Carol Murray, who is considered aawaahsskataiksi, is an elder who advises on teachings of Kipaitapiwahsinnooni (Our Way of Life in Blackfoot culture). In the news release, she said the existence of traditional knowledge is because of the survival of Indigenous people.

Indigenous people survived mentally, physically, socially, but the greatest challenge was to acknowledge survival by spirituality, said Murray in a statement from UM. Traditional knowledge and practices are a holistic and interrelated worldview that Indigenous people believe was given to them by the Creator. Knowledge lives in people.

In the news release, UM President Seth Bodnar said he is pleased for UM to be a part of the Mellon Foundation to support Indigenous teachings and research approaches for the universitys humanities curricula and to support faculty, staff, students, and campus community members.

The following people are involved in the project from various of programs and offices on campus: Annie Belcourt, (Blackett, Chippewa, Mandan, Hidasta,), Heather Cahoon (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes), Karla Bird (Blackfeet), Sanchez, and Amy Fowler Kitch, who is a deputy chief of staff to the president and a senior member of the project.

Sanchez said the program would involve an effort to bring millennia of knowledge from the Indigenous World into humanities education.

By connecting the direct guidance of elders and other Indigenous knowledge holders to Indigenous research and teaching across our Humanities and Arts curricula, the University of Montana intends to provide a national model to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing into higher education, he said.

The post University of Montana awarded $1 million to support Indigenous knowledge in humanities appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Brian Cox has warned the Hollywood actors strike could get "very, very unpleasant" and last until the end of the year.

Brian Cox thinks the Hollywood strikes could last all year

The 'Succession' star warned the dispute between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) - over issues including concerns over wages, AI technology, and how the profits of digital streaming on services such as Netflix and Disney+ can be divided - could take actors "to the brink".

He told Sky News: "It's a situation that could get very, very unpleasant. It could go on for quite some time. They'll take us to the brink and we'll probably have to go to the brink.

"So it may not be solved... until towards the end of the year."

The 77-year-old actor noted the strike was mainly in support of Hollywood writers - whose union, WGA, has been on strike since early May - because without them "we have nothing".

He added: "That's why we have shows like 'White Lotus', like 'Succession'..."

Brian also criticised the low residual payments actors and writers receive in residuals from streaming services compared to broadcast television, which occurs because content is always there so there are no repeat fees, and he said the system was "failing rapidly".

He said: If our residuals go down it means our health insurance isnt going to be met.

In a way, the streaming services have shot themselves in the foot because theyve said, oh, were going very well on this front. And when we called them to task and said what about our residuals, what about our money?, everything kind of closes down and  you know, its not going to happen.

And the veteran actor branded the use of AI in film and TV, to generate scripts or recreate a person's likeness, "unacceptable".

He said: We dont know the extent to which it can operate.

Its the boogeyman, it really is the boogeyman.

"[Streamers] could easily go and create AI, artificial intelligence programs, which would be a nonsense. There would never be an original voice.

It would be some kind of copy monkey of the show. And that is unacceptable.
Chinese readers mourn death of literary giant Milan Kundera Pub Date:2023-07-14 09:12 Source:CGTN Czech-born writer Milan Kundera died in Paris where he has lived for decades, at the age of 94, the Milan Kundera Library said on Wednesday. Receiving the news of Kundera's death, many Chinese netizens sent messages of condolence and paid tribute to this notable writer online. Kundera was born in the southeastern Czech city of Brno in 1929. He studied in Prague at a young age, translated the French poet Apollinaire and wrote poetry and short stories of his own. After emigrating to France with his wife in 1975, he became one of the major authors of the publishing house Gallimard in Paris and has been writing books in French since the 1980s. The novel "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" (1984) is generally regarded as his best-known work and has seen nearly 300 million copies distributed around the world. It was turned into a film starring Juliette Binoche and Daniel Day-Lewis in 1987.

Kundera's works were first introduced to China in the 1970s but didn't garner much attention until "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" was published in China in 1987. For quite a long time, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," "Life is Elsewhere" (Kundera's second novel telling the story of a young poet who fails to break free from his adoring mother and dies an absurd death) and "Kitsch" (a concept he frequently mentions in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being") have been buzzwords among the younger Chinese generations and literature lovers. Many Chinese writers have also been influenced by this Czech-French novelist, poet and essayist. Nobel laureate Mo Yan, writer and professor Wang Anyi, as well as writer Bi Feiyu have published articles on their research into Kundera's work. Editor:Zheng Chen

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Ty Pennington was rushed to hospital after finding himself "barely" able to breathe.

Ty Pennington was hospitalised (c) Instagram

The 58-year-old star has reflected on his "interesting" week that started with him walking the red carpet and ended with him in an intensive care unit after developing an abscess that grew so large it began "closing off" his airway.

Ty took to Instagram to reassure fans he is "recovering" but wanted to explain why he hadn't commented on his team being victorious on his real estate show 'Battle on the Beach.

Alongside a photo of himself in hospital and another of him at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Barbie', he wrote: From the red carpet, to the ICU this last week has been interesting.

Im okay now, still recovering but I felt it looked weird that I hadnt posted about my teams #BOTB VICTORY!! SO freaking proud of @smashingdiy and @iamstevelewis !! Will post about that next.

To shed some light on why I was MIA Sunday I hit the red carpet for @barbiethemovie, Monday I flew to Colorado to start filming in Breckinridge and Tuesday morning I woke up at 4am and could barely breathe.

Turns out, that sore throat I've had for the last month was actually an abscess which had grown so large it was closing off my airway. Next thing I know, I was intubated and flown to the ICU in Denver.

The 'Rock the Block' star underwent surgery on Wednesday (12.07.23) and was allowed home the following day.

He continued: "Wednesday I had surgery and yesterday afternoon I was released from the ICU.

"Thank you so much to all the amazing staff at St.Anthonys in Lakewood, CO + Summit Health in Frisco for taking such great care of me."

Ty signed off by urging his fans to "listen" to their bodies and seek medical help when they need to.

He added: "A great reminder to LISTEN to your body when its telling you something #justhappytobehere Also, even through heavy sedatives its good to see I was still in the right frame of mind (pic 4) #speedosforlife (sic)"
The Prince and Princess of Wales took their children on a surprise outing to the world's largest military air show on Friday (14.07.23).

The Prince and Princess of Wales with their children at RIAT

The couple and their three kids, Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis - who recently finished school for the summer - braved heavy rain as they paid a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire.

But the wet weather didn't dampen their enthusiasm, with Prince William and his wife Catherine sporting broad smiles as they were greeted by Wing Commander Will Essex.

The family first shook hands with senior members of the RAF before being escorted up the ramp of a C-17 transporter plane, which was used to carry Queen Elizabeth's coffin before her funeral last September.

George, who turns 10 next week, was given the task of partially raised the ramp, with his father looking on as he pushed the button, while Louis gave a wave to the camera after his mother helped him onto a quad bike.

Catherine also met winners of the Road to RIAT competition, which had seen children from 300 schools across the UK working in groups to design a sustainable plane and spoke to cadets in the Techno Zone, which aims to inspire young people to consider careers in engineering, aerospace and aviation and to learn more about science, technology, maths and engineering.

George previously visited the air show with his parents in 2016, where he was pictured in a Red Arrow Hawk cockpit sporting blue ear defenders.
Rosanna Arquette has accidentally crashed her car into a California shopping centre.

Rosanna Arquette escaped without injury after a car crash in California

The 63-year-old 'Pulp Fiction' actress is said to have been attempting to park her BMW SUV outside Point Dume Village in Malibu, California on Tuesday (11.07.23) when she accidentally sent the vehicle flying forwards hitting a number of support pillars and narrowly missing tables set up outside the Lily's Malibu restaurant.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed the accident in a statement to PEOPLE, saying: "We can confirm Rosanna Arquette was involved in a traffic incident in Malibu."

Los Angeles Fire Station 71 Captain Mike Rivera told The Malibu Times: "She was a little shook up about what happened ... Around 9:45 a.m., a vehicle that was attempting to park, it was unknown exactly what happened, but instead of backing out, it went forward, and took out three pillars that support the roof. Luckily no one was injured. We had two tables nearby but luckily no one was sitting there."

Rivera added that engineers were called out to inspect the building to make sure it is safe after the car wiped out the support pillars.

Arquette - who is the sister of acting siblings Patricia and David Arquette - is not believed to have been hurt in the accident but was transported to hospital as a precaution.

Malibu/Lost Hill's sheriff's Deputy Navarro told Fox News: "It appeared that she had possibly lost control of her vehicle ... At the time of the incident, it did not appear that she had any injuries."

The outlet reported that officials have since confirmed there did not appear to be any "indication of impairment due to drugs or alcohol". An investigation into the accident is said to be pending.
Shaun Ryder got so paranoid about being poisoned by Vladimir Putin he changed lyrics mocking the despot.

Shaun Ryder got so paranoid about being poisoned by Vladimir Putin he changed lyrics mocking the despot

The Happy Mondays frontman, 60. wrote lines poking fun at the Russian warmonger in tunes for his new group, Mantra of the Cosmos, which also features Zak Starkey, 57, from The Who and Oasis bassist Andy Bell, 52, and Happy Mondays dancer Bez, 59.

Shaun told the new issue of Uncut magazine that even though he started off wanting to put the boot into Putin with his new tracks, he toned down the words after he started to get scared they could make him a target for assassination.

He said: It started off worst than that, but we thought, Lets give this band a chance before we all get poisoned.

Shauns fears come after the 2018 Salisbury Novichok poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia  and amid warnings 70-year-old Putin, who experts have said could be suffering from Parkinsons disease, cancer and dementia, could launch a nuclear attack on the Ukraine and the West.

Dad-of-six Shaun added that instead of going down the political route, he started doing fun rhymes such as matching laughing gas with working class.

The former drug addict and party animal said about his chaotic songwriting technique: We just press record and I get to throw a s***load of ideas down.

He said lyrical themes have become whatever floats me boat at the time.

Zak Starkey has said Mantra of the Cosmos first single Gorilla Guerilla is a fantastic psychedelic groove from a band of misfits, outsiders and innovators.

Shaun has said about the group: It doesnt sound like the Mondays or Black Grape or Oasis or The Who, its what were doing all together.

The group, which played this years Glastonbury festival, was described in a press release announcing its formation as a dubby, electronic, 21st century Hawkwind of a band destined to be experienced through epic live performances.
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of selling drugs to Robert De Niros grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.

Robert De Niro's grandson is said to have died of a drug overdose

Leandro, 19, was found dead at his apartment in New York City on July 2 throwing his whole family into mourning and now it's been reported that Sofia Haley Marks, 20, was detained by police on Thursday (13.07.23) in connection with the tragedy.

New York Post column Page Six reports Marks was charged with the distribution of narcotics and is expected to be arraigned at a court in Manhattan on Friday (14.07.23).

Leandro's mother Drena De Niro - who is Robert De Niros adopted daughter from his marriage to ex-wife Diahnne Abbott - previously claimed her son died after taking pills laced with fentanyl - a powerful opioid which is said to be up to 50 times stronger than heroin.

In a post on Instagram, she alleged: "Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him.

"So for all these people still f****** around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever."

The 51-year-old actress previously confirmed his passing in an emotional post on Instagram. She wrote: My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I dont know how to live without you but Ill try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama . You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you. Im so sorry my baby.


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We are excited to announce our next FIA Trade Mission which will be taking place in Cyprus on Thursday 19th October, and this is an official invitation to you as an FIA Member to attend.

The trade mission in Cyprus is centred around a 1-day conference with attached FIM Expo style exhibition called locally The Fire Summit.

The topics of the conference will focus on key issues across the fire industry including the importance of competence, best practise on high rise buildings, issues facing the Cypriot Fire Rescue Service and looking at the future of the fire industry. Within each topic the FIA UK will be delivering keynote presentations which will be CPD accredited with panel discussions.

Why Cyprus?

The FIA was contacted by companies within the Cypriot fire industry who were seeking to raise the bar on professionalism in several areas. We discussed how we could help as a not-for-profit organisation in key areas such as training, guidance documents and defining competency for companies, individuals, and products.

After two years of discussions, this led to setting up a standalone branch in Cyprus to be run by Cypriots for Cypriots. The Fire Summit will serve as an official launch for FIA Cyprus, whilst providing the ideal opportunity for FIA UK member to network with the Cypriot fire safety market and meet Cypriot Government officials, Cypriot fire safety companies and other relevant stakeholders.

There is a clear and strong desire to improve the industry from the Government to key stakeholders and businesses. This presents an opportunity for UK and Cypriot companies to collaborate to share information on guidance and solutions.

The FIA have invested two months of in-country preparatory work that has laid the foundation for closer relationships between the UK and Cypriot fire industries.

Key Details:

When: Thursday 19th October  09:00 to 15:30

Where: Nicosia, State Fair Exhibition Centre

Price: Please contact [email protected]

Sign Up Here.

Who will be attending from Cyprus?

Audiences/Industries:

Fire safety industry

Fire and Rescue Services

Security

Construction: Developers, Architect and Building Control

Hotels

Universities

Government Bodies: British High Commission, Police Service (who give licenses for fire professionals), Local Government, Ministry of Interior

Politicians

Utilities: Energy, etc

Standards Organisations

Insurance

Job Roles:

Installers, Designers, Maintainers, Commissioners and Engineers

Health and Safety inspectors.

Building Managers, Facilities Managers

Consultants

What are the opportunities?

Access to New Markets: Attending the trade mission in Cyprus provides you with an opportunity to access new markets and expand your customer base. Cyprus offers a strategic location, serving as a gateway to markets in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.

Networking Opportunities: The trade mission provides a platform for you to connect with local businesses, industry leaders, and government officials in Cyprus. Networking opportunities that can lead to valuable partnerships, collaborations, and access to new business opportunities.

Showcase Products and Services: Participating in the trade mission allows you to showcase your products and services to a targeted audience. This exposure can lead to increased brand visibility, generate sales leads from potential customers. Exhibit your products in a new market with a 2x1m table-top pitch with a professionally made 2m foam board backing  saving costs on logistics .

Knowledge Exchange: The trade mission offers a valuable platform for knowledge exchange. You can gain insights into the Cypriot market, industry trends, and local business practices. This knowledge can help you tailor your strategies and offerings to better cater to the needs and preferences of Cypriot consumers.

Government Support and Assistance: The trade mission provides a direct connection to government officials and the British High Commission who can offer support and assistance. This support can include guidance on regulatory frameworks, market entry requirements and access to potential funding programs.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or go directly to the booking form here. to secure your place. Bookings to exhibit will close by 31st July 2023. Limited spaces are available and will be taken on a first come first serve basis.

Sign Up Here.

Here is the floor plan and a few photos:

Example of foam board backing:
Netherlands total volume of goods exports saw a year-on-year (YoY) increase of 0.8 per cent in May 2023, according to recent data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Conversely, the volume of goods imports fell by 3 per cent compared to May 2022.

The CBS Exports Radar suggests that circumstances for exports in July are predicted to be more challenging than in May. This downturn is attributed mainly to an unfavourable shift in the real effective exchange rate, coupled with an increased negativity in producer confidence within the euro area and in Germany specifically.

Dutch goods exports rose 0.8 per cent YoY in May 2023, while imports fell by 3 per cent, as per CBS. However, the CBS Exports Radar predicts less favourable export conditions in July due to an unfavourable real effective exchange rate, lower producer confidence in the euro area and Germany, and deteriorating foreign order expectations among manufacturers.

Furthermore, the views of Dutch and European manufacturers on their foreign orders have also taken a negative turn, contributing to the less favourable forecast for exports in July, as per CBS.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)
The European Commission has unveiled plans to boost sustainability and efficiency in freight transport, in line with the European Green Deals target of a 90 per cent cut in transport emissions by 2050. Proposed measures include improving rail infrastructure management, providing incentives for low-emission lorries, and better tracking of freight transport emissions.

The new regulation seeks to optimise rail use, enhance cross-border coordination, and increase reliability, in turn attracting more freight companies to rail. Current regulations on capacity management are criticised for not favouring cross-border traffic, leading to delays. This is addressed by the new rules, which build on the Timetable Redesign Project, aiming to cater to different rail sector needs, the European Commission said in a press release.

Over 50 per cent of freight is road transported in the European Union, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. To address this, the commission proposes revised rules under the Weights and Dimensions Directive to allow additional weight for zero-emission technology vehicles. This will incentivise the adoption of cleaner vehicles and technologies, increasing the efficiency of zero-emission powertrains.

The European Commission has proposed measures to enhance sustainability in freight transport, aligning with an earlier goal of cutting transport emissions by 90 per cent by 2050. Initiatives include better rail infrastructure and incentives for low-emission lorries. The changes aim to attract freight firms to rail and accommodate zero-emission vehicles.

The proposal also offers clarity on the use of heavier and longer vehicles in cross-border traffic under certain conditions, encouraging intermodal transport. Furthermore, it proposes a common methodological approach for companies to calculate and report their greenhouse gas emissions, allowing consumers to make informed transport choices.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)
The 13th of July is a special day for Rajinikanth fans every year. They celebrated this day as the day their superstar had a rebirth.During the filming of his movie Rana, Rajinikanth experienced exhaustion and required hospitalisation. He was initially admitted to a hospital in Chennai but later had to travel to Singapore for additional treatment due to a kidney condition.Throughout this period, numerous reports were being released daily regarding Rajinikanth's declining health. There were also several reports circulating that the Annaamalai actor had passed away and that an official announcement would be made imminently.Disproving these rumours, it was announced that Rajinikanth would return to Tamil Nadu on July 13. When news of his return spread, people from across the state flocked to the airport and eagerly awaited the arrival of the superstar. Upon his arrival, he appeared in good spirits, greeted the cheering crowd, and waved to them.
Kriti Sanon's Production House: Renowned for her exceptional acting prowess, endearing personality, and top-notch fashion choices, Kriti Sanon is a name that needs to introduction today.

Having created a lot of buzz with the announcement of her production house 'Big Butterfly Films ', the actress has created a big wave of excitement amongst her fans across the nation as they cannot wait for her to show her magic in the production segment also.

KRITI SANON REVEALS WHY SHE CHOSE BLUE BUTTERFLY FILMS FOR HER PRODUCTION HOUSE

Taking to her social media, Kriti Sanon has beautifully explained the real reason for her choosing this title and this blue butterfly- something that she truly resonates with.

As she says, " So why blue butterfly films -

I do love butterflies and I do love the color blue, it's been there on my insta bio for ages, I use it in my captions, and I use it when I write poetry. I think it signifies dreams, wings, flight, freedom, liberal, positivity, happiness all of it. I feel like a butterfly is beautiful but it starts off with you know, being a caterpillar, turning into a cocoon and then turning into a butterfly. It is a slow steady process and becoming the most beautiful version of yourself and I think my life on my journey has kind of been like that, I've learnt everything on the job, I've slowly gotten to where I am today,evolved into the person I am today. You have your struggles but you move on,you grow, you change and then you find the best, the most beautiful version of yourself and then you fly. So, that's why it is blue butterfly "

Check out the post.

Kriti Sanon has made an indelible mark in the Indian film industry within a mere span of 9 years. Renowned for her versatility, she has captivated audiences with her memorable performances, leaving a lasting impression.

Looking ahead, Kriti Sanon has an exciting lineup of projects. She is set to star in Vikas Bahl's Ganapath - Part 1 and The Crew, alongside acclaimed actors Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, and Rajkummar Rao.

The actress has shared an adorable video of her journey throughout explaining and showing visuals of her high points so far, and also revealed how she has been using the emoji since her debut.
Karan Deol Drisha Acharya Video: Karan Deol, the son of actor Sunny Deol, and grandson of legendary actor Dharmendra, recently got married to his childhood sweetheart Drisha Acharya in a lavish traditional Punjabi wedding on June 18, 2023.

The couple's wedding videos and pictures have been doing the rounds on the internet since. After celebrating their wedding, Karan and Drisha enjoyed some quality time during their honeymoon in Manali.

Karan Deol & wife Drisha Acharya return back from honeymoon

The newlyweds recently returned to Mumbai and were greeted by paparazzi at the airport. They smiled as they headed outside the airport premises. Karan and Drisha, after Manali, later went to Masai Mara, Africa. They also shared glimpses of their romantic getaway.

Karan and Drisha ditched fashionable outfits and opted for casual and comfortable clothes for the trip. Karan wore a matching light blue-hued Co-ord set, while Drisha was dressed in a blue tracksuit with a white tank top.

Dharmendra's FIRST Wife Prakash Kaur, Sunny's Wife Pooja, Tania- Deol Bahus' RARE PICS At Karan-Drisha Wedding

Karan Deol's wife Drisha age shamed, trolls call her aunty

As soon as their video was uploaded, people called them a cute couple. However, there was a section of people online who went low and trolled Drisha for her look and age shamed her. Reacting to their video, one troll said, "Ye aunty jaisi lg rhi hai".

Another one commented, "Ye to Karan ki chachi lag rahi hai". A third person wrote, "Bakwas jodi. Aunty lag rhi hai bilkul," while a fourth said, "Ya es ki mama ha kia?" "Kidhr se cute h beta aunty," commented one. One said, "Ladki badi lag rahi hai."

Who is Karan Deol's wife Drisha Acharya?

Karan Deol and Drisha Acharya have been dating for several years. For the uninitiated, Drisha is the great-granddaughter of the legendary filmmaker, Bimal Roy. She is settled in Dubai and works in the travel industry.

Sunny Deol, Younger Son Rajveer Groove At Karan's Reception On Dharamji's Song Is Super Cute To Miss. Watch

Drisha's father's name is Sumit Acharya, and her mother is Chimoo Acharya, a wedding planner and stylist by profession.

Meanwhile, Karan Deol debuted in Bollywood with Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas and will next appear in Apne 2 with his family members, Sunny Deol, Dharmendra, and Bobby Deol.

DISCLAIMER: The particular article is a compilation of thoughts shared by social media users on the subject. Ideas expressed do not reflect the view of Filmibeat.
Maaveeran Full Movie Leaked Online: Within hours of the film's theatrical release, several illegal websites started circulating pirated links to Sivakarthikeyan's Maaveeran movie. These pirated links are all over the internet, being shared by social media sites and personal accounts.

Strict Action Needed

The links allow one to watch the content in them or to download the entire film for free. The cinematic experience is entirely different from watching the content through these links. However, no amount of measures taken by the cops and Producers Council could contain piracy. If this is the case for a Sivakarthikeyan film, think about the situation of other films. Will government able to take strict action against these illegal websites?

Sivakarthikeyan last acted in Prince. The result dealt a heavy blow to him who starred in the film to strengthen his market in Telugu as well. Prince was named as the worst film in his line-up. SK fans were a bit shocked as the film was pulled from theaters within a week of its release.

Sivakarthikeyan Is Back

Before Prince, Nelson Dilipkumar's Doctor and Cibi Chakravarthi's Don have joined the hundred crore club for Sivakarthikeyan. He is hopeful that Maaveeran will save him.

In such a situation, the reviews from the first show audience looks too good. The film recieves amazing response from everyone who watched it in overseas as well.

A fan who watched the film till interval block in Tamil Nadu posts on his social media page, "The interval block fight scene is just extra ordinary.. Screenplay is too good.. Filled with a lot of high points and many comical elements.. The phase is setup between SK & Mysskin.. If the second half continues like the same.. it's a Sureshot winner."

DISCLAIMER- FILMIBEAT doesn't support or promote piracy as it is a criminal offense under the Copyright Act of 1957. We sincerely request you to not participate in any such practice or encourage piracy in any form.
Maaveeran Overseas Review: Sivakarthikeyan starrer Maaveeran is releasing worldwide today. As per reports, the first show in Tamil Nadu starts by 9 AM. But the film is releasing in USA by 8 AM IST, which is considered as the first show of the film.

SK fans are eagerly waiting to watch the film. Twitter is full of expectation posts and wishes for Maaveeran. Checkout this space for Overseas Review of the film:

#Maaveeran Overseas Review.



1st Half - Very Good

2nd Half - Decent



Overall GOOD Reports.



Congratulations for 3rd 100cr club  pic.twitter.com/E7ClrS3J7e  s s   Leo (@JD_Jaffna) July 14, 2023

Will Maaveeran Save SK's Film Career?

Sivakarthikeyan last acted in Prince. The result dealt a heavy blow to him who starred in the film to strengthen his market in Telugu as well. Prince was named as the worst film in his line-up. SK fans were a bit shocked as the film was pulled from theaters within a week of its release.

Before Prince, Nelson Dilipkumar's Doctor and Cibi Chakravarthi's Don have joined the hundred crore club for Sivakarthikeyan. He is hopeful that Maaveeran will save him.

Brilliant Strategy from @ShanthiTalkies



They did not plan for too many interviews in #Maaveeran. They executed one good interview and released it the Night before release.



Perfect Utilisation of the Digital Medium with @kishendas https://t.co/dQbKCaxsDq  Jeya Suriya (@MSPMovieManiac) July 13, 2023

Madonne Ashwin, who grabbed the attention with the National Award winner Mandela, is directing Maaveeran. Aditi Shankar plays the female lead; Mysskin plays the villain. The trailer of the film has been released earlier and it was well received.

Planning for Back to Back shows today.#Baby (Telugu) - 4 am ist#Maaveeran (Tamil) - 8 am ist



USA Premiers.  Christopher Kanagaraj (@Chrissuccess) July 13, 2023

Vijay Sethupathi In Sivakarthikeyan Film

Mysskin had given an interview to a leading media portal recently. In it he said, "Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and others were asked to give voice over for Maaveeran. But they refused. However, a celebrity has given the voice over finally.

In this context, the film team has officially announced that Vijay Sethupathi has given his voice in the film. Sivakarthikeyan also took to his Twitter page and said, "Thanks bro. Very happy to join with your voice in Maaveeran." This information made both their fans happy. It is also said that Mysskin spoke to Vijay Sethupathi for this voice over process and he agreed it immediately.
BRISBANE, Australia" July 13, 2023, a precision livestock company, is progressing on their five-year plan to provide accessible, hormone-free, bovine in vitro fertilisation to producers across the globe. Announced today, Vytelle has expanded to Brisbane, Australia with its sixteenth global laboratory.

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Vytelle's integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence based genetic analytics engine.??The platform provides progressive cattle producers the technology to make reliable data-driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of genetic progress, replicating the right genetics faster.

The Brisbane-based, Australia laboratory brings accessibility to modern reproduction technology like never before to Australia's eastern states' beef herds. Vytelle's hormone-free in vitro fertilisation process, including their proprietary media, will deliver high-quality embryos to producers allowing them to make more valuable calves, faster to maximise sustainability.

"Vytelle is the fastest growing bovine IVF company in the world," commented Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle. She continued, "We are thrilled to open our doors in Brisbane, positioning Vytelle to serve 70% of the total beef herd in Australia from this location."

?Vytelle has a long history in Australia through its Vytelle SENSE phenotypic data capture technology to measure and select for feed efficiency. With this investment, Vytelle is positioned to help Australian producers improve efficiencies and make faster genetic progress across the supply chain to consistently market more efficient and sustainable beef. "The large-scale adoption of IVF will be driven by the successful use of frozen embryos," stated Andrew Donoghue, Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand. He continued, "Unlike other technologies, the Vytelle system allows us to deliver frozen results producers can count on, providing reliable IVF to herds historically underserved with fresh programs."

The Australian-based team is serving beef and dairy producers with on-farm ovum pick-ups immediately. Visit www.vytelle.comor contact Andrew Donoghue at andrew.donoghue@vytelle.comor +61 428 442 1555 to accelerate your herd's genetic progress today.

Attachment
EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]

Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated: Release according to Article 50 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution



14.07.2023 / 04:29 CET/CEST

Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



press release Media contact: Investor contact: Mike Jacobsen, APR Chris Sikora +1 330 490 4498 +1 330 490-4242 michael.jacobsen@dieboldnixdorf.com christopher.sikora@dieboldnixdorf.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2023 Diebold Nixdorf Plan of Reorganization Confirmed Company continues to anticipate completing debt restructuring process during the third quarter HUDSON, Ohio - Diebold Nixdorf today announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas has confirmed the company's plan of reorganization related to its comprehensive debt restructuring. This confirmation is one of the final steps in Diebold Nixdorf's restructuring, allowing the company to move forward and execute its plan. The company continues to anticipate completing the debt restructuring process during the third quarter after final conditions are met and Dutch legal processes and court proceedings are concluded. Octavio Marquez, Diebold Nixdorf chairman, president and chief executive officer, said: "This represents another significant milestone in our process to strengthen our balance sheet, enhance liquidity and position Diebold Nixdorf for long-term success. We are grateful for the momentum in this process, due in no small part to the collaboration and support from our consenting lenders. We are committed to emerging from our debt restructuring proceedings as a fundamentally stronger company, better positioned to serve our customers, employees and partners. I also want to express my gratitude to the entire DN team for their focus on continuing our solid performance and delivering best-in-class products and services to banks and retailers worldwide." Court filings and other relevant documents related to Diebold Nixdorf's Chapter 11 and 15 court proceedings are available at https://cases.ra.kroll.com/DieboldNixdorf/ or by calling (833) 701-9076 (Toll-free) or (646) 440-4833 (International). About Diebold Nixdorf Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated automates, digitizes and transforms the way people bank and shop. As a partner to the majority of the world's top 100 financial institutions and top 25 global retailers, our integrated solutions connect digital and physical channels conveniently, securely and efficiently for millions of consumers each day. The company has a presence in more than 100 countries with approximately 21,000 employees worldwide. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that are not historical information and are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. Statements can generally be identified as forward looking because they include words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "will," "estimates," "potential," "target," "predict," "project," "seek," and variations thereof or "could," "should" or words of similar meaning. Statements that describe the company's future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of the company with respect to future events, including the company's emergence from its Chapter 11 and 15 court proceedings, and are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Although the company believes that these forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions regarding, among other things, the economy, its knowledge of its business, and key performance indicators that impact the company, these forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. DN-F ### PR_23-4103



14.07.2023 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


With this announcement, Reyna Law Firm aims to enhance public awareness in Odessa, West Texas, and New Mexico regarding the legal options available following car, truck, motorcycle, van, and other vehicle collisions that have resulted in injuries.

Odessa, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - July 13, 2023) - With the current level of industrial activity in West Texas, roadways are often crowded and in need of servicing to maintain safety standards. The traffic conditions across the region create dangerous circumstances for residents and traveling laborers alike. With this announcement, Reyna Law Firm aims to enhance public awareness in Odessa, West Texas, and New Mexico regarding the legal options available following car, truck, motorcycle, van, and other vehicle collisions that have resulted in injuries. Their team of personal injury lawyers offers their expertise to advise victims on potential next steps during settlement negotiations or injury lawsuit proceedings, as required.

For more information, visit https://www.reynainjurylaw.com/odessa.





Reyna Law Firm Announces Odessa Car Accident Injury Claim Services



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The West Texas based law firm primarily assists individuals who are unsure of their options or may hesitate to take legal action against companies, often supported by major insurance providers. Thus, Reyna Law Firm's new services provide car accident survivors in Odessa with continuous access to specialized injury attorneys who are well-equipped to work towards favorable outcomes.

Reyna Law Firm emphasizes that the process of initiating personal injury cases remains the same whether victims have been involved in accidents with company-affiliated vehicles or regular motorists. The firm maintains that the most crucial aspect is to promptly submit claims in accordance with statute of limitation rules.

According to JR Reyna, the lead attorney at Reyna Law Firm, "You have a limited time frame in which you must file your accident claim to have a chance at recovering compensation. When you collaborate with a car accident attorney in Texas, you can be assured that your lawyer is ready to investigate the accident and determine fault in order to successfully pursue a compensation claim against any responsible parties."

In cases involving commercial vehicles, the employers of the at-fault drivers may be liable to pay for damages. At their Odessa offices, Reyna Law Firm diligently assesses liability by examining the accident alongside the insights provided by medical and financial experts consulted by their team.

The firm's longstanding partnerships with such professionals enable them to accurately demonstrate the extent of injuries sustained by their clients in a court of law, as well as the potential costs of future treatment and therapy.

Under the leadership of JR Reyna, Reyna Law Firm continues to provide support to communities throughout Texas and New Mexico. This recent addition to their services complements their existing legal representation options in practice areas such as oilfield, pipeline, and refinery accident injury claims.

For interested parties in Odessa and the surrounding areas, further details about Reyna Law Firm and their comprehensive services can be found at https://www.reynainjurylaw.com/.

Contact Info:

Name: James Lewis

Email: james@jreynalawfirm.com

Organization: Reyna Law Firm Odessa

Address: 301 North Muskingum Avenue STE. A, Odessa, Texas 79761, United States

Website: https://www.reynainjurylaw.com/odessa

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173374
NOMINATION OF HERMIEN SMEETS-FLIER AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Flow Traders Ltd. (Euronext: FLOW) announces the nomination of Hermien Smeets-Flier for election as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of the Flow Traders Board.

Hermien Smeets-Flier will join Flow Traders on 17 July 2023. Her nomination as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of the Flow Traders Board is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. In her role as Chief Financial Officer, Hermien will be responsible and oversee the firm's control functions including Finance, Compliance, Risk, Tax, Legal, Investor Relations and ESG. As a Board and Executive Committee member, Hermien will work in close collaboration with Trading and Technology and focus on supporting the execution of Flow Traders' strategic agenda as well as further developing the control functions in light of the firm's continued growth.

Hermien has over 20 years of experience leading and scaling finance, risk, control and operational functions across insurance and asset management firms. She also has broad expertise in providing audit, financial and M&A advisory services to listed companies. Hermien has extensive board experience having served on several Supervisory and Management Boards and Risk and Audit committees during her career.

Prior to joining Flow Traders, Hermien served as Chief Financial and Risk Officer and member of the Management Board at Achmea Investment Management, where she was responsible for the firm's finance, operations, legal, risk and IT functions as well as managing Achmea IM's regulatory agenda. Before that, she served as Chief Financial Officer at AEGIS London, during this role she also served as Deputy Chair of the Finance Committee of the Lloyd's Market Association. Prior to joining AEGIS London, Hermien served as Chief Financial Officer at Amlin Underwriting Ltd. where she was part of the strategic transition of the firm through various M&A transactions. She started her career at KPMG, where for 15 years she provided audit, financial, and M&A advisory services to listed companies.

The Board of Flow Traders has nominated Hermien for election as Executive Director to the Board at a Special General Meeting of shareholders scheduled to take place on 14 September 2023 at 14.00 CEST. The convening notice, agenda and other documentation relating to the meeting, as well as how to register, is available in English and can be found at: https://www.flowtraders.com/investors/corporate-governance/agm

Rudolf Ferscha, Chairman of the Board, commented:

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome Hermien to Flow Traders. She brings exceptionally broad experience in leading finance and control functionsas well as in developing and contributing to international growth strategies within financial firms. She is a commercially driven leader with extensive boardroom experience and comes equipped with the understanding and mindset required to make impactful decisions and to champion the highest standards of corporate governance, all of which we believe will be extremely valuable to the development of Flow Traders."

Mike Kuehnel, CEO, added:

"We are delighted to announce that Hermien will join Flow Traders as our CFO. As an experienced leader, Hermien brings with her a wealth of corporate finance, operational and risk expertise which we are confident will add tremendous value to our firm as we continue to focus on executing our ambitious growth strategy. Alongside her expertise in scaling and managing finance and control functions, her passion for developing teams and fostering talent is closely aligned with our firm's ethos and we are looking forward to welcoming her to our firm."

Contact Details

Flow Traders Ltd.



Investors

Eric Pan

Phone: +31 20 7996799

Email: investor.relations@flowtraders.com

Media

Laura Peijs

Phone: +31 20 7996799

Email: press@flowtraders.com

About Flow Traders

Flow Traders is a leading global financial technology-enabled liquidity provider in financial products, historically specialized in Exchange Traded Productsfor more information.





Important Legal Information

This publication is prepared by Flow Traders Ltd. and is for information purposes only. It is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and you must not rely on the content of this document when making any investment decisions. The information in this publication does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice and is not to be regarded as investor marketing or marketing of any security or financial instrument, or as an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell, securities or financial instruments.

The information and materials contained in this publication are provided 'as is' and Flow Traders Ltd. or any of its affiliates ("Flow Traders") do not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the information and materials and expressly disclaim liability for any errors or omissions. This publication is not intended to be, and shall not constitute in any way a binding or legal agreement, or impose any legal obligation on Flow Traders. All intellectual property rights, including trademarks, are those of their respective owners. All rights reserved. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Flow Traders. No part of it may be redistributed or reproduced without the prior written permission of Flow Traders.

Flow Traders expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any statements contained in this publication to reflect any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statements are based. Unless the source is otherwise stated, the market, economic and industry data in this publication constitute the estimates of our management, using underlying data from independent third parties. We have obtained market data and certain industry forecasts used in this publication from internal surveys, reports and studies, where appropriate, as well as market research, publicly available information and industry publications. The third party sources we have used generally state that the information they contain has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable but that the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed and that the projections they contain are based on a number of assumptions.

By accepting this publication you agree to the terms set out above. If you do not agree with the terms set out above please notify legal.amsterdam@nl.flowtraders.comimmediately and delete or destroy this publication.

Market Abuse Regulation

This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

Attachment
Shelley Ann Kirsten has announced the release of a new pastry and pie guide on her Cape Cook baking website, designed to inspire at-home chefs and patissiers.

Cape Town, South Africa--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - The newly announced guide from Shelley Ann Kirsten and Cape Cook offers an overview of pies and pastries, outlining key differences and providing tips about baking procedures, which fillings to select, and how to experiment with various textures and flavors.

More information can be found at https://capecook.convertri.com/pie-pastry.





Cape Cook's Shelley Ann Kirsten Announces Pastry & Pie Guide For Patissiers

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Aimed at professional patissiers wishing to expand their repertoire as well as at-home parents who might need creative baking projects to keep kids busy during the summer months, the latest guide on Shelley's Cape Cook website covers various types of pies and pastries, including danishes, croissants, brioche rolls, buns, and donuts.

The history of the pie can be traced back to the time of the ancient Greeks and its global popularity as a savory and sweet treat has remained constant for centuries, explains Shelley. Because pies and other types of pastries are versatile and can be incorporated into any meal, the Cape Cook guide allows pastry chefs to experiment with options that go beyond conventional brunch and dessert. Further details can be viewed at https://capecook.convertri.com/about.

The guide distinguishes between tarts, potpies, classic pies, danishes, and other kinds of pastries, while offering tips on how to select recipes appropriate to a chef's experience level and experimenting with add-ins, such as fresh herbs or chocolate chips.

Shelley also describes the uses and advantages of common filling choices for pastries and pies, including cream cheese, fruit, chocolate ganache, custard, meats like ground beef and sausage, vegetables, and savory cheeses.

About Shelley Ann Kirsten and Cape Cook

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Cape Cook was born out of Shelley's childhood love for baking, which started with a family birthday cake at age 9. Inspired by her life-long work with desserts and confectionery, the Cape Cook website contains a broad collection of recipes and tips for bakers and chefs at all levels.

Along with pastry and pie advice, readers can also find help for making cakes, desserts, Christmas baking, and more.

Further information can be viewed at https://capecook.convertri.com.

Contact Info:

Name: Shelley Ann Kirsten

Email: shelley@wolfdigitalmedia.co.za

Organization: Wolfdigitalmedia DBA Cape Cook

Address: 11 Morgenrood Road Kenilworth, Cape Town, Western Cape 7708, South Africa

Website: https://capecook.convertri.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173508
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Friday. The U.S. dollar fell to near 1-1/2-year lows of 1.1243 against the euro and 1.3142 against the pound, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.1226 and 1.3135, respectively. Against the Swiss franc and the yen, the greenback dropped to an 8-1/2 year low Of 0.8569 and nearly a 2-month low of 137.23 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.8587 and 138.04, respectively. Against the Australia, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the greenback slipped to near a 1-month low of 0.6895, near a 6-month low of 0.6412 and a 10-month low of 1.3092 from Thursday's closing quotes of 0.6888, 0.6392 and 1.3109, respectively. If the greenback extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.15 against the euro, 1.35 against the pound, 0.83 against the franc, 130.00 against the yen, 0.72 against the aussie, 0.65 against the kiwi and 1.29 against the loonie. Copyright(c) 2023 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.
88% of Brits open to breaking holiday tradition and going for an alternative destination this summer*

LONDON, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Skyscanner's latest research, in association with OnePoll, a huge 88% of Brits are open to travelling to more alternative or lesser-known destinations with almost half (49%) saying they would be likely to swap their holiday favourites for an alternative option if it meant they were likely to save money. The desire for new and alternative destinations appears to be increasing too. In 2022, only 39% of UK travellers surveyed said that they wanted to explore new places versus returning to an old favourite.** This is reflected in an increase in searches to underrated, alternative destinations this year on Skyscanner including Biarritz + 166% and Valencia +165%.***



Skyscanner's new Destination Decider is on hand to help find the underrated alternatives to the usual holiday hot spots this year. Hosted on Instagram, travellers answer a series of questions to be matched with the perfect alternative, and even curveball, destination to some of the most popular destinations this summer.

Crowd pleasing (yet crowd avoiding!) curveball destinations (popular with the locals!)

Over half (52%) of Brits surveyed shared they had been to Amsterdam, but only 10% have been to The Hague versus 86% of Dutch travellers surveyed. Full of history and culture, as the seat of government in the Netherlands, The Hague is also famous for its seaside atmosphere with 11km of coast on its doorstep (as well as being less crowded and cheaper than once there).

In need of a beach escape? Over half (51%) of Brits shared they are most craving a beach break this summer! 37% of UK travellers have been to Palma, but only 7% have explored El Hierro versus 20% of Spanish travellers surveyed. Nicknamed Isla del Meridiano, El Hierro is the second-smallest Canary Island.

Skyscanner's guide to alternative travel according to Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner's Trends and Destination expert:

Destination unknown? "Still hovering over the 'book' button like 31% of Brits? Skyscanner's new Destination Decider?is on hand to help you find the underrated alternative to the usual holiday hot spots this year. From city breaks to beach escapes and outdoor adventure, just answer a few simple questions on Instagram and Skyscanner's Destination Decider will match you with the very best alternative destination options this summer." Consider Everywhere: "An ' Everywhere' search on Skyscanner (https://www.skyscanner.net/) is a great starting point for your next break away.?Ordered by lowest to highest price from your departure airport to destinations around the globe, an 'Everywhere' search can inspire you to go somewhere you've never been before, and for a lower price than many traditional summer holiday destinations.?In fact, 'Everywhere' is the top search destination for adventurous Brits on Skyscanner this summer!" ***** Flex those dates: "Searching by multiple dates is one of your best chances of a finding bargain. Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary. Skyscanner's 'whole month' search tool allows you to see cheap flights?at a glance?and pick the right deal for you. Consider traveling a day before or a day after your original departure dates, as flying on less popular days of the week can be cheaper."??



In need of alternative destination inspiration? Check out Skyscanner's Destination Decider

Looking for further money-saving tips? Check out Skyscanner's summer hacks hub!

Notes to editors:

How were the underrated alternative destinations selected for the Destination Decider?

Skyscanner's destination experts looked at the top 50 most popular destinations booked on Skyscanner last year for economy return travel in July and August 2022. From this list, the team selected 20 alternative destinations per market across four different and popular holiday categories: beach, city, long haul/bucket list and nature/outdoors. The underrated alternatives are cheaper to get to (or the same price) as the popular holiday hot spots, accessible to international visitors via airport and reasonably priced once you get there.

*Skyscanner x OnePoll research conducted in April 2023 with 2,000 UK respondents.

**Skyscanner x OnePoll research conducted in April 2022 with 1,000 UK respondents.

*** YTD searches made on Skyscanner this year for return travel from the UK.

****All live prices included correct on Skyscanner on 6 June 2023 and subject to change.

***** Based on searches made on Skyscanner this year (1 January 2023-4 June 2023) for economy travel from the UK in July and August.

About Skyscanner?

Skyscanner is a global leader in travel helping travellers plan and book their trip with ease and confidence. Every month Skyscanner connects over 100m users in 52 countries and 30 languages to more than 1200 trusted travel partners so they can find the best flight, hotel or car hire options.

Contact

Gemma Jamieson

gemma.jamieson@skyscanner.net
LONDON, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nakheel, the world-leading real estate master developer based in the United Arab Emirates, is showcasing its developments at Harrods, the world's leading luxury department store, in London.

Until 29 July 2023, Nakheel will host a pop-up stand on the fifth floor, in conjunction with Harrods Estates and will also be featured in seven ground floor window displays until 3 August 2023.

Nakheel landmark projects include a portfolio of mega developments and master communities with residential, retail, hospitality and leisure facilities that offer an unparalleled lifestyle and amenities and are pivotal to realising Dubai's future vision.

Rasha Hasan, Chief Commercial Officer at Nakheel, said: "Our partnership with Harrods is a natural fit for the Nakheel brand as we are both committed to elevating lifestyles through luxurious experiences. Our pop-up stand will enable us to bring Nakheel's waterfront projects to a wider regional and international audience, attracting investors while also sharing the incredible growth story of Dubai."

Simon Barry, Head of New Developments at Harrods Estates comments: "We are thrilled to collaborate with Nakheel, a global leader in real estate development, to curate a luxurious summer pop-up at Harrods. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering unparalleled luxury experiences, and we are confident that the Nakheel pop-up will captivate investors and visitors and offer them new and exclusive investment opportunities in Dubai."

Nakheel's waterfront projects, including the world-famous, award-winning Palm Jumeirah, have added more than 300 kilometres to Dubai's original, 70km coastline, paving the way for the development of hundreds of waterfront homes, resorts, hotels and attractions. Nakheel is also the developer of The World and Dubai Islands as well as 18 master communities that accommodate nearly 700,000 people in Dubai.

The Harrods collaboration marks the second time that Nakheel has displayed its projects at the department store. Harrods remains a popular destination for visitors from the Middle East and Nakheel's presence at the department store enables their pioneering projects to be showcased to prospective investors, as well as showcasing Dubai's growth and future development.

During the pop up at Harrods, Nakheel will be running a competition called 'A Luxury Living State Of Mind' where three trips to Dubai can be won by potential investors who register their interest. For details visit @nakheelofficial.

Download the video here

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2154253/Nakheel_Harrods.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dubai-based-nakheel-curates-luxury-summer-pop-up-at-harrods-london-301877376.html
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Cipher Neutron Inc. ("Cipher Neutron", "CN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received an initial purchase order for a 10-Kilowatt AEM Electrolyser Stack and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kuber Group Africa ("Kuber").

Projects Totalling 10 Megawatts

The Memorandum of Understanding (the "MOU") provides for the promotion and increase of the use of AEM Electrolysers supplied by CN in jurisdictions where Kuber has an established business footprint and the fulfillment and execution of purchase orders from Kuber of 10 Megawatts of CN's AEM Electrolysers for multi-Megawatt capacity projects to be secured by Kuber in Ghana and Nigeria.

Further Collaborations in Africa

The MOU also proposes the collaboration between Kuber and Cipher Neutron for rapidly advancing the large multi-Megawatt hydrogen projects secured by Kuber in Africa with leading state-of-the-art AEM Hydrogen Electrolysers supplied by Cipher Neutron for industrial applications, clean energy storage and power energy generation required by Kuber and its clients.

About the Kuber Group

Kuber is an infrastructure development group headquartered in Ghana and has expanded and established itself in the following countries: Ghana, India, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Niger, Sierra Leone, Portugal, USA and the UK. Please see: https://kubergroupafrica.com/.

Kuber Power Africa

Kuber Power Africa, one of the many subsidiaries of the Kuber Group, is a private power plant development company established to focus on independent power generation in Africa. The company has entered into an agreement with the Electricity Company of Ghana to finance and develop a 200-Megawatt combined-cycle thermal power plant in Ghana as an independent power producer. The company has also been granted a Generation License by the Energy Commission of Ghana to build and operate a 400-Megawatt Wholesale Electricity Supply facility at Miotso in the Ningo-Prampram district of Ghana.

Cipher Neutron's advanced AEM Electrolysers are intended to be used to produce Green Hydrogen in the Power Generation sector and other similar projects in the African continent where the Kuber Group's initiatives are focussed.

Col. Raj Kalra, Chairman of the Kuber Group, stated, "Cipher Neutron's AEM technology fits perfectly with our ongoing hydrogen projects across Africa. We are delighted to launch PFAS-free and PGM-free disruptive AEM electrolyser technology in the African continent to foster the greener and more sustainable future of Africa and the rest of the world. Kuber Group has a long history in power generation with our combined-cycle thermal power plants and now we welcome the opportunity to be a part of this transition to Green Hydrogen Economy."

Gurjant Randhawa, President and CEO of Cipher Neutron, stated, "Cipher Neutron welcomes the strategic collaboration with the Kuber Group on its ongoing energy projects. We commend Kuber Group for its leadership in Green Hydrogen adoption. Cipher Neutron supports the Kuber Group belief that carbon emissions and all other harmful impacts on our environment can be reduced drastically in Africa by deploying CN's Green Hydrogen Electrolysers."

About Cipher Neutron Inc.

Cipher Neutron is a rapidly growing disruptive technology company focused on AEM Electrolysers for Green Hydrogen production and Reversible Fuel Cells for power generation and Energy Storage Solutions. Cipher Neutron is a global group of scientists, engineers, technology developers, experts in hydrogen technology, investment bankers and people that have worked in hydrogen for decades. Cipher Neutron's innovative products, such as AEM Electrolysers and Reversible Fuel Cells have unique advantages over other Green Hydrogen production, power generation and energy storage solutions currently available in the global market. Please see: https://cipherneutron.com

For more information, please contact:

Gurjant Randhawa, CEO & President

Cipher Neutron Inc.

101 - 501 Alliance Avenue

Toronto, Ontario M6N 2J1

+1 (647) 803-0002

grandhawa@cipherneutron.com

Nancy Massicotte

Vice-President Corporate Development

Cipher Neutron Inc.

+1 (604) 507-3377

nancy@irprocommunications.com

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events, financial performance, or business strategies of Cipher Neutron Inc. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in possible forward-looking statements. Cipher Neutron Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, if any, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Cipher Neutron Inc. reserves the right to modify, amend or update any information in this news release without prior notice. Cipher Neutron Inc. is not required and may not inform readers of any such changes or any updates to this news release to reflect subsequent developments.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173477
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

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.
Helsinki, Finland - 14 July 2023 - SSH and a leading Financial Services Institution in APAC region have signed an Enterprise Licence Agreement (ELA) for its entire corporate network.

This three-year contract is based on SSH's subscription business model. The total contract value is approximately one million USD. Additionally, SSH provides Professional Services. The client has been utilizing SSH solutions for several years, and this agreement shows their continuing trust in Tectia. This ELA provides secure remote login/access for their privileged users and facilitates smart, secure file transfer (SFTP).

Proven in use and future-proof securefile transfer, remoteaccess & tunneling

Secure Shell (SSH) protocol enables online connections and file transfers between systems handling critical data. Tectia is the original commercial implementation of the SSH protocol, providing maximum security for an organization's data in transit with industry-leading reliability, efficiency, and speed. Improved into a future-proof solution, Tectia is now offered as Tectia Quantum-Safe Edition, Tectia Zero Trust Edition, or IBM z/OS edition.

"We have numerous major customers in the FSI sector that have used Tectia in their critical infrastructure worldwide and expanded the use of Tectia. SSH develops and continuously improves the Tectia product line as part of our Zero Trust Suite, which offers future-proof solutions in the areas of Zero Trust, Operational Technologies, and Post Quantum Safe computing. The key success factors were Tectia's performance, versatility, scalability, and high-level expertise in SSH's support and professional services, said Dr. TeemuTunkelo, CEO of SSH.

Learn more about Tectia: Tectia SSH Client/Server

For more information on Post Quantum effect on FSI customers, please visit: Why financial institutions should protect themselves with Quantum-Safe cryptography

For further information, please contact:

Teemu Tunkelo, CEO, tel. +358 40 5499605, email Teemu.Tunkelo@ssh.com

Jussi Rautio, Zero Trust Suite Product Manager, email Jussi.Rautio@ssh.com

Distribution:

Major media

www.ssh.com

About SSH

SSH is a defensive cybersecurity company that safeguards communications and access between systems, automated applications, and people. We have 5,000+ customers worldwide, including 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies and major organizations in the Finance, Government, Retail, and Industrial segments. We help our customers secure their business in the age of hybrid cloud and distributed IT and OT infrastructures. Our passwordless and keyless Zero Trust solutions reduce costs and complexity while quantum-safe encryption keeps critical connections future-proof. Our teams and partners in North America, Europe, and Asia ensure customer success. The company's shares
Northwestern Clinics Embrace CrossTx's Chronic Care Management Solution to Enhance Patient Outcomes and Care Coordination

BOZEMAN, MT / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Multiple clinics in the Northwestern United States recently demonstrated their commitment to address serious needs in their Medicare Beneficiary populations by adopting the Chronic Care Management (CCM) program. Although these clinics are already providing extensive medical services, by selecting CrossTx's CCM business solution, they can further patient outcome improvements, enhance patient engagement, and address Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) while expanding reimbursement opportunities. The move to Value-Based Care models include the embrace of care coordination programs such as CCM and other Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) care coordination programs. CCM programs support and contribute to clinical quality measures by managing care for eligible patients with two or more chronic conditions. CrossTx's cloud-based, purpose-driven software now enables Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center, Arbor Health, Southwest Healthcare Services, and South Lincoln Hospital District to track quality with comprehensive care plans, medication management, preventative services/health maintenance, and patient engagement, improving health literacy and transitions of care.

RN Care Coordinator with Patient

RN Care Coordinator with Patient

Pacific Northwest Clinics

Raymond Hino, the CEO at Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center, headquartered in Bandon, OR, embraces the focus on enhancing care coordination among the healthcare providers. "Chronic Care Management ensures continuity of care for our patients, allowing them to gain ongoing access to primary care services. Our care coordination program will promote a seamless care experience for our patients with chronic conditions."

Morton, Washington-based Arbor Health will implement CCM programs as part of its mission to optimize care delivery and patient outcomes. Julie Taylor, Ancillary Services Director, elaborates on this patient-centric care strategy: "Chronic Care Management meets our vision to provide each patient with the best possible care. Through our care coordination program, we can better address gaps in care and thereby nurture healthy communities in East Lewis County."

North Dakota and Wyoming Clinics

Rural health clinics in states like North Dakota embrace dynamic, patient-centric care coordination across vast patient catchment areas. The Practice Administrator for Southwest Healthcare Services, Melani Kline, RN, reports that their approach is to "optimize high-quality care for their patients by developing a comprehensive plan of care that enables them to better manage their chronic conditions. Using best methods, our staff members can address patient needs and optimize engagement while improving access to the appropriate level of care."

In rural Wyoming, Jamie Linn, the Practice Manager at South Lincoln Hospital District in Kemmerer, WY, shares that their CCM program addresses overall timeliness of care and patient satisfaction. "Our CCM patients know they have an additional resource to help them navigate the complexities of healthcare. Through our program, we can bring a personalized touch while monitoring health outcomes and tracking clinical performance measures as related to chronic conditions."

CrossTx provides an end-to-end CMS-compliant CCM business solution. Infusing foundational knowledge and expertise into in-house staff and/or local partners with dynamic, compliant and evidence-based workflows is key to initiating the program. Quality measures and collaboration with community-based care team members ensure gaps in care are addressed along the way. "Our technical team is dedicated to maximizing seamless interoperability with Health Information Exchanges and EHRs. Additionally, our cloud-based software minimizes inefficiencies across evidence-based care coordination workflows," states Chad Nybo, CrossTx CEO. CrossTx supports continuous clinical improvement with world-class support and client success, while keeping staff current to best practices and CMS regulation changes. Chandra Donnell, CrossTx VP Client Success, says, "CrossTx concentrates our CS team's focus on supporting tailored workflows and granularities in policies, while simultaneously looking at comprehensive reports that measure the program's sustainability, quality measures, and other key performance indicators for our clinical network."

About CrossTx

CrossTx, the leading CCM cloud-based platform for healthcare organizations, works with Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, independent physician-owned clinics and special carve outs such as Accountable Care Organizations, Independent Physician Associations, and Clinically Integrated Networks across more than two dozen states.

Thanks to a combination of purpose-designed software, compelling risk-sharing economic models, and data interoperability, CrossTx has emerged as the leading CCM platform for rural America. Learn more at CrossTx.com.

Contact Information

Chandra Donnell

VP Client Success

chandra@crosstx.com

406.595.1326

SOURCE: CrossTx

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/767810/Improving-Quality-in-Northwest-Clinics-Through-Chronic-Care-Management
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Unigold Inc. (TSXV: UGD) (OTCQB: UGDIF) (FSE: UGB1) ("Unigold" or the "Company") announces the execution of a binding term sheet (the "Agreement") with Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") that sets the terms under which the Company will allow Barrick to earn into, and form a joint venture ("JV"), in respect of the Neita Norte Exploration Concession in the Dominican Republic.

Joe Hamilton, Chairman and CEO of Unigold, commented, "We welcome Barrick as a partner in the Neita Norte area. Barrick brings considerable technical and financial capability to the project. Barrick operates the world-class Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic and has installed a significant amount of related infrastructure in the country, holding a commendable record as a good corporate citizen. The Agreement creates an opportunity for both companies to benefit from the development of this frontier area. Unigold will continue to be active in the area as we concentrate on the development of the Neita Sur concession and work to convert our significant resources into producing mines."

Terms of the Agreement

Unigold will grant Barrick the exclusive option to acquire a 60% undivided interest in the Neita Norte Exploration Concession by:

incurring not less than US$2.5 million of expenditures in respect of the concession within the first three years; incurring a total of not less than US$8 million of expenditures in respect of the concession within the first six years and delivering a PEA; incurring a total of not less than US$12 million of expenditures in respect of the concession within the first eight years and delivering a PFS; and delivering a written notice to UGD electing to exercise the earn-in right.

Following the earn-in of a 60% interest, Barrick will have the ability to elect to sole-fund and deliver a Feasibility Study by the end of year twelve which will allow Barrick to increase its ownership in the JV to 80%. The JV will be subject to standard dilution clauses which includes the criteria that should any partner own less than 15% of the JV they would be immediately diluted to a 2.5% NSR royalty. Barrick will be the manager and operator of the project.

Unigold and Barrick will work together to finalize a long-form agreement, a shareholder's agreement and to create a joint-stock Dominican Company to hold the concession permits within the next 60 days. Unigold has received all permissions and permits to conduct exploration over the Neita Norte area. Work will commence as soon as practicable.

The agreement is subject to standard representations and warranties from both parties and is subject to TSX-V approval.

About Neita Norte

The 10,903 Ha Neita Norte Exploration Concession was granted to Unigold on March 27, 2023. The concession is valid for three years and has two one-year extensions that may be granted. Unigold has held the Neita area under various Exploration Concessions since 2002. In 2022, Unigold applied to split the area into a northern section (Neita Norte) and a southern area (Neita Sur). Unigold applied to convert the Neita Sur area into an Exploitation Concession in early 2022. That application is still pending final approval from government authorities.

The Neita Norte Concession is dominated by the Tireo Formation which can be traced for 300 km along a northwest-southeast strike and averages 35 km in width. It is comprised of volcano-sedimentary rocks and lavas from an Upper Cretaceous age volcanic island arc that extends from northwestern Haiti into the Cordillera Central of the Dominican Republic. It is believed that the older rocks of the Tireo Formation were thrust from north to south over the younger marine sediments of the southerly Trois Rivieres - Peralta Formation.

The Tireo Formation is subdivided into Upper and Lower members. The older Lower Tireo occurs in the eastern part of the concession area and is dominated by volcanic, volcaniclastics and pyroclastics of predominantly andesitic composition. Porphyry copper deposits are known to occur in the Lower Tireo formation in Haiti and likely also occur within the exposures of these rocks in the Dominican Republic. The main branch of the San Jose - Restauracion Thrust Fault bisects the Concession almost in half along a northwest trending corridor. The younger Upper Tireo member dominates on the western side of the thrust and is comprised largely of volcanic and volcanoclastics rocks of andesitic to rhyodacitic composition. The Upper Tireo Formation is known to host volcanogenic copper-gold massive sulphide mineralization as well as epithermal gold-silver mineralization.

Unigold has identified areas within the Neita Norte concession that host surface expressions of mineralization. Some of these areas have seen limited follow-up drilling in the past ten years.

About Unigold Inc. - Discovering Gold in the Caribbean

Unigold is a Canadian based mineral exploration company traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol UGD, the OTCQB exchange under the symbol UGDIF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol UGB1. The multi-million ounce Candelones gold deposits are within the 100% owned Neita Fase II exploration concession located in Dajabon province, in the northwest part of the Dominican Republic. The Company delivered a feasibility study for the Oxide portion of the Candelones deposit in Q4 of 2022. The Company applied to split the "Neita Fase II" concession into an Exploitation Concession and an Exploration Concession in late February 2022. The application for the 9,990 Ha "Neita Sur" concession has moved smoothly through various permitting stages and the Company expects that a decision will be given on the application in the third quarter of 2023. The 10,903 Ha "Neita Norte" Exploration Concession was awarded to the Company in Q2 2023. Unigold has been active in the Dominican Republic since 2002 and remains the most active exploration Company in the country. The two concessions together form the largest single exposure of the volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous Tireo Formation. This island arc terrain is host to Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide deposits, Intermediate and High Sulphidation Epithermal Systems and Copper-gold porphyry systems. Unigold has identified over 20 areas within the concession areas that host surface expressions of gold systems. Unigold has been concentrating on the Candelones mineralization and is moving to bring these deposits into production.

For further information please visit http://www.unigoldinc.com or contact:

Mr. Joseph Hamilton

Chairman & CEO

jhamilton@unigoldinc.com

T. (416) 866-8157

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this document, including statements regarding events and financial trends that may affect our future operating results, financial position and cash flows, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Where applicable, we claim the protection of the safe harbour for forward- looking statements provided by the (United States) Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For more information, please visit https://www.unigoldinc.com/profile/forward-looking-statement.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173476
DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nagad, the world's fastest-growing mobile money carrier based in Bangladesh, has been instrumental in speeding up this South Asian country's journey towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) through its relentless efforts in the form of digital financial inclusion of underserved people.

The SDGs were adopted by United Nations in 2015 with a universal call for action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. In terms of meeting SDGs, Bangladesh has had positive outcomes in areas, such as poverty eradication, education, health, employment, gender equality, and financial inclusion.

Nagad is working with the government as its development partner and is leading the way towards attaining SDGs.

By leveraging state-on-the-art technologies and disruptive innovations, Nagad has expanded access to financial services, particularly for unbanked and underbanked individuals. People can easily open accounts digitally, make instant transactions, and access various financial services using this platform. The company has recently reached the milestone of 80 million registered customers, with its daily transactions reaching over USD111 million on average.

The MFS carrier provides a convenient and secure means for individuals, especially in remote areas, to store, transfer money using their mobile phones and engage in economic activities, thus empowering people who previously lacked access to traditional banking services.

The state-owned mobile money operator also digitalised G2P payments, such as social safety allowances, education stipends, and other financial aid. By digitising such payments, Nagad ensures faster, more efficient, and transparent disbursements, reducing leakage and ensuring that funds reach the intended beneficiaries promptly. In this way, it is helping Bangladesh government find sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and achieve food security. It has so far disbursed over USD 1.85 billion among beneficiaries.

Nagad has simplified the account opening process which does not require any paperwork. People now can open accounts either through e-KYC on smartphones or by simply dialling *167# on their feature phones. Thus, the use of papers has reduced, resulting in a positive impact on environment.

Tanvir A Mishuk, founder and managing director of Nagad Limited, said, "We think development should be sustainable. Keeping this in mind, we have been working as a development partner of the government since we entered the mobile financial market. Nagad is making a clear contribution to at least 9 out of the 17 SDGs."

The SDGs can be a stepping stone to reach our goal of Smart Bangladesh by 2041. In this case, Nagad will be a powerful tool, he noted.

About Nagad Ltd (https://www.nagad.com.bd/)

Nagad Limited is one of the leading MFS operators in Bangladesh's payment industry with 80 million registered customers and an average daily transaction of over USD 111 million. The payment platform, known as a successful public-private partnership between Bangladesh Postal Department and the private sector, was inaugurated in 2019 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the people's republic of Bangladesh.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nagad-ignites-sdgs-thru-digital-financial-inclusion-in-bangladesh-301876449.html
NANJING, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rebecca, the masterpiece of director Alfred Hitchcock tells the illusory and mysterious life story of a woman. It mirrors the traditional Chinese story of "Zhuang Zhou tests his wife". The classic Kunqu Opera the Butterfly Dream produced by Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Co., Ltd. and innovatively performed by Jiangsu Kunqu Opera Theater was staged at Zijin Grand Theatre in June. The new rendition of the classic piece which tells the story of Zhuang Zhou, an ancient Chinese philosopher and Taoist master who doubts his wife's loyalty and tries to test her love for him has enthralled the audience.

As a rare light comedy of Kunqu Opera on the contemporary stage, it combines both banter in the classical theater and the absurdity in contemporary aesthetic expression. It makes a new interpretation of the traditional plot that Zhuang Zhou tests his wife, and his wife splits the coffin and awaken him from dreams.

Director Xu Chunlan said that the Butterfly Dream after adaptation is a romantic fantasy. Following the artistic patterns of Kunqu Opera, the creators have innovated performance methods, stage design and music design from multiple perspectives, and integrated modern aesthetic spirit, so that it shows strong characteristics of the times in terms of aesthetic sentiments.

Young Kunqu Opera artists have also developed new interpretations of traditional themes. As the heroine of this play, Tian is no longer the same as she was in the past. The character has undergone subversive changes, from a "testee" to an active "tester". In traditional plays, Zhuang Zhou and Chu Wangsun are played by one person, but in this version, they are played by two people, which puts forward higher requirements for the actors. During the performance, the five artists worked together appropriately, showing their own unique charm and interpreting the characters vividly.

Inheriting the aesthetic characteristics of traditional Kunqu Opera, the adaptation of the Butterfly Dream has carried out creative transformation and innovative development, highlighting life philosophy through a love episode. Therefore, the audience can naturally think more deeply after laughing, and the traditional play also shines with new brilliance.

Art transcends borders. Follow the Facebook and YouTube accounts of "China Culture & Art" to appreciate the innovative expression of traditional Chinese culture online.

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Caption: The classic Kunqu Opera the Butterfly Dream

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kunqu-opera-with-echoes-of-rebecca-enthralls-audience-301877463.html
SHERIDAN, WY / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Buyer Group International, Inc. (OTC PINK:BYRG) is pleased to announce the most recent XRF results from our flagship Shambhala Project. During our 2022 exploration season, we successfully gathered high-grade XRF data from the Shambhala #71 adit, outcroppings, and tailings (See 2022 XRF data). This 2023 report focuses on the Joker Mine region, including the shafthouse, cabins, mine, and tailings. Advancing our objectives of determining the extent of mineralization present. These locations are designated on the map below.

*Sample 60 Rock See below

Sample ID Al Ti Fe Co Pd V Cu Ni Y Mn Rh Ta Nb #52 1.97% 553 ppm 1.14% 19 ppm 55 ppm ND 17 ppm 7.3 ppm ND 1923 ppm ND ND 2.8 ppm #53 7.91% 4255 ppm 7.65% 204 ppm ND 200 ppm 39 ppm 35 ppm 26 ppm 1633 ppm 124 ppm 28 ppm ND #54 6.95% 3576 ppm 5.55% 120 ppm 51 ppm 196 ppm ND 30 ppm 18 ppm 2692 ppm 57 ppm 34 ppm ND #55 10.68% 4634 ppm 6.77% 125 ppm ND 282 ppm ND 40 ppm 21 ppm 1349 ppm 108 ppm 37 ppm ND #56 14.15% 6162 ppm 9.53% 106 ppm ND 303 ppm 39 ppm 43 ppm 24 ppm 2086 ppm 156 ppm 43 ppm ND #57 14.41% 1546 ppm 11.29 % 376 ppm ND 276 ppm 230 ppm 62 ppm 25 ppm 7123 ppm 161 ppm 55 ppm ND #58 9.82% ND 1.36% 39 ppm ND ND 29 ppm 10 ppm ND 283 ppm ND 34 ppm ND #60 14.79% 8767 ppm 13.71% 307 ppm ND 332 ppm 42 ppm 19 ppm 22 ppm 1690 ppm 185 ppm ND ND #62 6.13% 3023 ppm 6.6% 232 ppm 39 ppm 238 ppm ND 80 ppm 11 ppm 1959 ppm 79 ppm ND ND #63 10.39% 2233 ppm 5.42% 193 ppm 31 ppm 217 ppm ND 86 ppm 15 ppm 1883 ppm 88 ppm 62 ppm ND #64 9.67% 646 ppm 1.40% 34 ppm 29 ppm 67 ppm 19 ppm 11 ppm 10 ppm 1125 ppm ND 21 ppm ND #65 10.83% 377 ppm 4.84% ND 36 ppm ND 32 ppm 16 ppm 16 ppm 4909 ppm 30 ppm 26 ppm ND #66 1.68% 317 ppm 945 ppm ND 39 ppm ND ND ND ND 74 ppm ND ND ND

**Notable Intercepts and Samples in Bold

"We are very pleased to see the continuation and consistency of the high-grade results at the Joker Mine that we saw last year around Shambhala #71 adit," said Dave Bryant, CEO of Buyer Group. We successfully intercepted high-grade rhodium, palladium, cobalt, and several other minerals important to the United States' domestic supply chain in multiple tests. Considering the size of Project Shambhala, if this mineralized zone persists at depth, it could yield a significant supply of strategic metals.

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

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: byrg.group@gmail.com

SOURCE: Buyer Group International, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/767877/Buyer-Group-International-Inc-Announces-a-Wide-Range-of-High-Grade-XRF-Results-from-Project-Shambhala-Including-PGMs-Rare-Earth-Metals-Cobalt-and-Other-Critical-Minerals
NEW ALBANY, IN / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Patoka Capital LLC, a Southern Indiana-based private investment firm, announced the completion of a sale transaction of Cyber Sciences, a manufacturer of high-quality specialty products for monitoring electrical power systems, to Minnesota-based designer and manufacturer of custom power solutions, Trystar, LLC.

Patoka Capital acquired Murfreesboro, Tennesee-based Cyber Sciences in June 2017. Since then, they have aided in the expansion and development of the company's highly-sophisticated technology applications. The sale of Cyber Sciences to Trystar, LLC is a perfect fit. Joining forces with Trystar allows for even more customers to access the benefits of Cyber Sciences' product offerings, including Sequence-of-Events Recorders (SER) and GPS time reference and synchronization devices.

"We have been very pleased with the strong performance of Cyber Sciences in the field of precision time synchronization and sequence of event recording," notes Patoka Managing Director Dan Von Behren. "The addition of Cyber Sciences to the Trystar team will undoubtedly enhance the industry of power monitoring and analysis."

"Trystar has been a great partner throughout this transaction and we believe Cyber Sciences will continue to grow and prosper with them in the future," Von Behren added.

About Patoka Capital

Patoka Capital is a closely-held private equity firm with a track record of partnering with management teams and successfully scaling businesses. Their sole mission is to build long-term value by acquiring and growing privately held businesses.

Patoka Capital is actively looking to partner with owners who are dedicated to ensuring the long-term success of their businesses. Patoka Capital invests a pool of its own committed equity capital and is not an institutional fund. They define success by the contributions they make to their customers, employees, stakeholders, and the community.

For more information, visit www.patokacapital.com.

About Trystar

Trystar is a Faribault, Minnesota-based manufacturer of portable and permanent industrial power products. Trystar designs and manufactures a wide range of portable and industrial power products, including portable renewable hybrid energy systems, panels, I-Lines, transformers, mobile automatic transfer switches (ATS), and welding racks. It also manufactures generator docking stations, load banks, and UL-891-rated switchboards. Trystar cable products include portable and industrial power, welding, utility, and medium voltage cables. Trystar also offers emergency lighting inverters, power conditioning and voltage regulation equipment, industrial DC power supplies (rectifiers), GPS time synchronization devices, sequence-of-event recorders, and uninterruptible power solutions. The manufacture of prefabricated conventional and blast-proof remote instrument enclosures (REIs) and E-Houses complements its diverse solutions portfolio.

For more information, visit www.trystar.com.

About Cyber Sciences

Cyber Sciences is a Murfreesboro, Tennessee-based manufacturer of high-quality specialty products for the monitoring and control of electrical distribution systems for data centers, hospitals, microgrids, alternative energy, and other critical-power system applications. Sequence-of-Events Recorders (SERs) provide precision time synchronization for supervisory control and data acquisition systems enabling accurate event recording in modern data center Electrical Power Monitoring Systems (EPMS) and helping customers ensure the reliability, safety, and efficiency of their electrical power systems. As a component supplier, Cyber Sciences enables OEMs, systems integrators, and solution providers to complete their own comprehensive solutions for their end customers.

For more information, visit www.cyber-sciences.com.

Contact Information

Corry Hodges

Marketing Coordinator, Patoka Capital

info@patokacapital.com

SOURCE: Patoka Capital, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/767706/Patoka-Capital-Completes-Sale-of-Portfolio-Company-Cyber-Sciences
Over 700 pre-1865 U.S. gold coins have been unearthed from Kentucky farmland.

EAGAN, MN / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Whether you are an avid coin collector or a history aficionado, the discovery of the Great Kentucky Hoard will impress all as one of the greatest historical finds. Comprising of over 700 exceptionally rare U.S. vintage gold coins from the Civil War-era, this buried treasure was discovered in 2023 under Kentucky farmland soil in pristine condition. GovMint.com, one of the largest direct-to-consumer retailers of collectible coins, is the exclusive distributor of this incredible discovery and will offer collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold and own a piece of U.S. Civil War history.

The Great Kentucky Hoard

The hoard of Civil War-era coins before certification. Image courtesy of NGC.

After 160 years, the Civil War-era gold coins were found in excellent condition and feature captivating varieties, including the scarce and highly sought-after 1863 Gold Liberty Double Eagle. The hoard of gold coinage dated between 1840 through 1863 consists primarily of U.S. Gold Dollars. Also found were a few $1 Gold Indian coins, $10 Gold Liberty coins, and $20 Gold Liberty coins from 1863, an extremely rare date in the Double Eagle series.

"I am always excited when someone calls asking for advice about a rare coin discovery," said Jeff Garrett, rare coin dealer and leading U.S. coin expert in U.S. coinage. "The opportunity to handle the 'Great Kentucky Hoard' is one of the highlights of my career."

Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), a leading third-party coin grading company, carefully conserved each coin by delicately removing the dirt and certified them as genuine. Nearly all 1863-P $20 Liberty coins were certified by NGC to be in as good of a condition as the day they left the Mint in the 1800s. The authentic coins will receive special NGC designations to indicate they are from the Great Kentucky Hoard.

"The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated," Garrett said. "Over 700 gold dollars represent a virtual time capsule of Civil War-era coinage, including coins from the elusive Dahlonega Mint. Finding one mint-condition 1863 double eagle would be an important numismatic event. Finding a roll of superb examples is hard to comprehend."

The exact origin and circumstances surrounding the burial of the Great Kentucky Hoard remain unknown-yet its discovery is significant enough to change the numismatic landscape of Civil War-era coinage, adding allure for coin collectors and history enthusiasts. The question remains why was this treasure buried 160 years ago? The world may never know.

Contact Information

Brian Johnson

Senior Marketing Director

bjohnson@amsi-corp.com

952-707-7248

SOURCE: GovMint.com

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/767823/The-Great-Kentucky-Hoard-A-Historical-Discovery-of-Lost-Buried-Treasure-From-the-Civil-War-Era
Bremen, Indiana--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Digger Specialties Inc. (DSI), a leading manufacturer of outdoor living products including the industry leading Westbury Aluminum Railing, is pleased to announce a partnership with Alexandria Moulding to expand into the Pacific Northwest. Alexandria Moulding is a premier distributor of specialty building products in North America.

The Westbury expansion will include the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Alexandria Moulding has experience and success at serving the needs of lumber yards, building suppliers, and home centers with a variety of building materials. The Palmer Marketing Group will be representing DSI and supporting the ongoing sales needs of Alexandria Moulding.

Jeff Clark, Regional Manager at Alexandria Moulding noted, "This is an exciting new venture for our two companies. Working with the DSI team has been an amazing experience and we are grateful for the opportunity to take this incredible product line to our customers. We will service our markets with the Westbury line in true Alexandria fashion by providing the highest quality railing products, on-time, and with a 100% fill rate. Thank you to Larry Boyts and the rest of the DSI team for embarking down this exciting path with us."

Westbury Aluminum Railing is available at lumberyards and home centers throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, North Central, Midwest, Plains, and Southwest regions of the United States. Larry G. Boyts, DSI Vice President of Sales and Marketing noted that "We are extremely excited to partner with Alexandria Moulding to expand Westbury Aluminum Railing sales into the Pacific Northwest. This expansion will lead the way in positioning DSI and Westbury Aluminum Railing into the Western United States. Alexandria Molding's proven distribution excellence will be a major asset to DSI's growth initiatives and will bring new sales opportunities to both companies."

As a product category, aluminum railing is the fastest growing railing material in the decking and railing market segment. The Westbury Aluminum Railing product line is the most extensive in the industry. Alexandria Moulding will start their Westbury offering with Tuscany Series. Tuscany adds a touch of class to decks, patios, and porches with a classic two-rail design. Alexandria Moulding will add additional Westbury models including VertiCable vertical cable railing and Veranda glass railing systems, designed to offer unobstructed views, Riviera railing models provide distinctive profiles for classic to contemporary elegance, and Montego models create an eye-catching look with the curved lines of architectural balusters. Westbury Aluminum Railing is available in an industry leading 12 standard powder coated colors in both smooth and textured surfaces. All Westbury railing systems are covered by DSI's Aluminum Lifetime Limited Warranty.

###

DSI is an industry leading manufacturer of aluminum and vinyl railing, aluminum and vinyl fencing, gates, composite, aluminum, and fiberglass architectural columns and outdoor lighting. For information about DSI's extensive group of products visit diggerspecialties.com.

Westbury Tuscany Aluminum Railing



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Media Contact:



Chris H. Beyer

Director Public Relations/Channel Marketing

DSI/Westbury aluminum railing

704-438-7998

cbeyer@dsiwestbury.com

diggerspecialties.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173173
Jason Knoblauch joins as Chief Financial Officer from Curia

Lauren Misztal promoted to SVP, General Counsel

Dr. Joyce Suhy promoted to EVP, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions

Kristina Lowe promoted to SVP, Client Success & Customer Experience

PHILADELPHIA, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Clario, a healthcare research technology company that delivers leading endpoint technology solutions for clinical trials, today announced the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer, Jason Knoblauch, and three internal promotions to the Executive Leadership Team. These appointments strengthen Clario's focus on growth, customer service and scientific innovation and expertise.

New Chief Financial Officer - Jason Knoblauch

Jason Knoblauch will join Clario as Chief Financial Officer, effective August 7, 2023.

Jason joins Clario from Curia, a global contract research, development, and manufacturing organization, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his tenure at Curia, Jason held various financial leadership roles at PPD, including serving as interim CFO in 2018, and was a director in PwC's Transaction Services practice.

"I am delighted to welcome Jason to our leadership team," said Chris Fikry, M.D., Chief Executive Officer. "Jason brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our organization. His appointment reflects our commitment to attracting top talent and ensuring the continued success of Clario."

Commenting on his appointment, Jason Knoblauch said, "I am thrilled to be joining the Clario team. Clario not only has a strong legacy but also is well-positioned to drive the next wave of innovation in fulfillment of its purpose to unlock rich clinical evidence to reduce disease, improve health and transform the lives of patients."

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Economics from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Additionally, he earned a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Clario also announced three internal promotions to their Executive Leadership Team.

New Senior Vice President, General Counsel - Lauren Misztal

Lauren Misztal joined Clario in 2022 as VP, Global Privacy & Deputy Compliance Officer, Assistant General Counsel. In June 2023 she was promoted to SVP, General Counsel.

Prior to joining Clario, Lauren held senior legal and compliance roles at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and McKesson Corporation and was an associate and Of Counsel at Quinn Emanuel LLP. Lauren began her legal career as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice after clerking for a federal judge in Washington, D.C. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and bachelor's degree from Georgetown University. Before attending law school, Lauren was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs.

NewExecutive Vice President, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions - Dr. Joyce Suhy

Dr. Joyce Suhy has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions. She brings over 30 years of experience in both operational and scientific aspects of the medical imaging field across several therapeutic areas and leads Clario's Medical Imaging division. She has significant expertise in the field of Neuroscience, and since 2001, Dr. Suhy has been at the forefront of designing and scientifically overseeing Neuroscience clinical trials that incorporate imaging endpoints. Notably, she and her team's extensive imaging knowledge and experience have been instrumental in the development of the first and second Alzheimer's disease-modifying drugs to receive FDA approval.

Dr. Suhy holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, complemented by fellowship training in Neuroradiology. Her dedication and expertise have earned her recognition, including being named one of PharmaVoice's 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life-Science Industry in 2020. With extensive experience, scientific acumen and leadership prowess, Dr. Suhy continues to drive advancements within the Medical Imaging business at Clario.

New Senior Vice President, Client Success & Customer Experience - Kristina Lowe

Kristina Lowe has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Client Success & Customer Experience. Kristina has over 22 years of experience in clinical research, having specialized in commercial roles globally across biotech, large pharmaceutical companies and Contract Research Organizations (CROs). During her 18-year tenure at Clario, Kristina has developed an expertise in clinical endpoint solutions for critical safety and efficacy data and has led her teams to be consultative in selecting solutions that deliver high quality data in support of drug development.

As Senior Vice President of Client Success & Customer Experience, Kristina plays a pivotal role in overseeing Clario's customers, ensuring successful collaborations, emphasizing a solution-oriented approach and fostering understanding of the interconnectedness within the organization and the broader e-clinical landscape. Kristina's team is comprised of Clario's Client Success Managers, CRO Partnerships, Global Customer Care, Logistics and Client Education.

Further information and biographies of the Clario Leadership Team can be found on Clario.com

About Clario

Clario is a leading healthcare research and technology company that generates the richest clinical evidence in the industry for our pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device partners. Across decentralized, hybrid and site-based trials, our deep scientific expertise, global scale and the broadest endpoint technology platform in the industry allows our partners to transform lives. Clario has the only technology platform that combines eCOA, cardiac safety, medical imaging, precision motion, and respiratory endpoints. Clario's global team of science, technology and operational experts have helped deliver more than 27,000 trials and contributed to over 500 FDA and EMEA new drug approvals involving more than seven million participants in over 100 countries. Our innovation has been transforming clinical trials for 50 years.

For more information, go to Clario.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact

Duncan Cantor

Snr. Director, Content and Communications

Media@clario.com

+44 7307 533 162

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Medicxi co-led Company's US$70 million Series A less than 2 years ago

Third Medicxi portfolio exit to US biopharma in last 12 months

LONDON, GENEVA and JERSEY, British Isles, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicxi, a leading European life sciences investment firm, announces that its portfolio company, Versanis Bio, a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new medicines for the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY). Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to customary conditions, Versanis shareholders would receive up to $1.925 billion USD in cash, inclusive of an upfront payment and subsequent payments upon achievement of certain development and sales milestones.

Versanis was founded in 2021 by biotech investment firm Aditum Bio to develop bimagrumab for the treatment of metabolic diseases and obesity following its in-licensing from Novartis. Medicxi invested in the company in August 2021 when it co-led a $70 million Series A financing with Atlas Venture. Nick Williams, Partner at Medicxi, led the investment and is a member of the Versanis Board of Directors.

Versanis' lead asset is bimagrumab, a first-in-class, fully human monoclonal antibody to activin type II receptors that blocks binding of ligands including myostatin, activins, and GDF11. Bimagrumab is currently being assessed in the BELIEVE Phase 2b study alone or in combination with semaglutide in adults living with overweight or obesity. Combining incretins with bimagrumab has the potential to improve the quality and durability of weight loss, with the goal of achieving better outcomes for people living with obesity and obesity-related complications.

Nick Williams, Partner at Medicxi, said: "The acquisition of Versanis reinforces our belief in the importance of body composition when considering the therapeutic management of obesity. Bimagrumab exhibits a differentiated clinical profile, with the potential to achieve meaningful body fat loss whilst at the same time increasing muscle mass. This single-asset exit further strengthens our belief in delivering value via investing in focused, asset-driven companies. We are extremely excited to be partnering with an experienced organisation like Lilly that will continue to develop bimagrumab in combination with its portfolio of incretins to improve patient outcomes in cardiometabolic diseases."

Notes to Editors

About Medicxi

Medicxi is a healthcare-focused investment firm with the mission to create and invest in companies across the full drug development continuum. Leveraging deep expertise in drug development and company creation spanning over two decades, Medicxi invests in early and late-stage therapeutics with a product vision that can fulfill a clear unmet medical need. For more information, please visit: https://www.medicxi.com

About Versanis

Versanis is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company bringing transformational treatments to people living with cardiometabolic disease. The company's lead asset, bimagrumab, is being advanced in the BELIEVE Phase 2b study as a novel treatment to help adults achieve and maintain both fat loss and a healthy body composition, with additional indications to follow. Versanis was founded in 2021 by Aditum Bio. For more information, please visit www.versanisbio.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/medicxi-asset-centric-portfolio-company-versanis-bio-to-be-acquired-by-lilly-to-improve-patient-outcomes-in-cardiometabolic-diseases-301877435.html


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European Union has lifted the import restrictions it imposed on food items from Japan following the nuclear accident at Fukushima.



Announcing the decision at the EU-Japan Summit in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the Commission is lifting the import restrictions on the basis of positive results from controls done on the products by the Japanese authorities and the Member States.



Speaking at a post-summit news conference, von der Leyen said the Commission took this decision based on science, evidence and the assessment of the International Atomic Energy Agency. 'And we also agreed to solve several other trade issues in the course of this year, in particular the access for our agricultural products to the Japanese market'.



Shortly after the meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in 2011, the EU took measures to protect human health against possible radioactive contamination from food and feed imported from Japan and imposed thorough pre-export testing of food products for radioactivity.



The last review took place in September 2021 and limited the import restrictions to wild mushrooms, some fish species and wild edible plants.



Although the restrictions have been fully lifted, the EU made it clear that the Japanese government should continue to monitor domestic production for radioactivity. This includes in particular fish, fishery products and seaweed close to the release site of the contaminated cooling water.



Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and European Council President Charles Michel also attended the joint press conference with von der Leyen.



Japan is still in the blacklist of many countries for importing produce from Fukushima and other parts of the country.



Japan is set to release tens of thousands tons of treated nuclear waste water from the destroyed Fukushima power plant into the Pacific ocean after it recently got permission from The International Atomic Energy.



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Mega-Chance Cyber Security Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen. Hier klicken
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / KeyBank:

A ribbon cutting on Tuesday June 11, 2023 signaled the completion of construction of True Bethel Commons in Niagara Falls, NY. KeyBank Community Development and Lending provided financing for the $15 million adaptive reuse of the vacant former historic Sacred Heart school, rectory and convent buildings on South Avenue.

"True Bethel Commons is already having transformative impact on the neighborhood surrounding the former Sacred Heart school, rectory and convent buildings on South Avenue, bringing safe and affordable housing to this area," said Michael McMahon, KeyBank Buffalo Market President and Regional Commercial Bank Executive. "We are very proud to have played a role in helping True Bethel Commons become reality and thank all of the partners in the project - Belmont Housing, True Community Development Corp., New York State and the City of Niagara Falls - for their vision and commitment to our community."

"True Bethel Commons is representative of what we want to invest in, because it is community-based," said Kate de la Garza, senior relationship manager with KeyBank Community Development Lending. "It came from an on-the-ground vision of True Bethel Baptist Church in partnership with Belmont. So you know that it's reflective of the neighborhood that it is in."

The building's 39 apartments are available to households earning at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income. Eight apartments are fully accessible and adapted for people with certain physical needs. The project has 24 Project-Based Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers from the city of Niagara Falls.

True Bethel Commons is close to health care facilities, municipal services, schools, retail establishments, grocery stores, pharmacies, a library, and public parks. Its urban location provides direct access to multiple public transportation routes that provide residents direct access to the City of Niagara Falls' commercial corridors and an array of other services outside of the immediate neighborhood.

The complex in Niagara Falls, which dates to 1889 and was expanded over the years, is listed on the State and Federal Register of Historic Places. As such, the reuse design was required to preserve the character of the buildings, including maintaining the wide school corridors and transom windows, as well as the extensive woodwork and stained-glass windows in the rectory and convent house, and retaining a large portion of the gymnasium.

The project meets Enterprise Green Communities requirements and building amenities include a community room with a kitchen area, playground, bulk storage for bikes and other larger objects, computer room, and laundry. Tenants are responsible for electricity, heat, and gas costs. All apartments include energy efficient ranges and ovens, refrigerators and lighting.

Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Inc. is the developer in partnership with True Community Development Corporation. Ranked as a Top 4 affordable housing lender for 2022 by Affordable Housing Finance, KeyBank is committed to bringing much needed housing projects to life, and homes to those in need.

Learn more about KeyBank's commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

See KeyBank's latest Environmental, Social and Governance Report

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: KeyBank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: KeyBank

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/767944/KeyBank-Financing-Helps-Bring-Affordable-Housing-Project-to-Life-in-Niagara-Falls-NY
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) (OTCQB: BNNHF) ("Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated May 9, 2023 and June 29, 2023, the completion of its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement.

Private Placement

The Company is issuing 3,349,999 units at a price of $0.12 per unit for a gross proceeds of $401,999.88, with each unit consisting of one common shares and one full transferable warrant. Each full warrant will be exercisable for one common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 per common share for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

About Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior gold exploration company focused on exploring and developing The Alotta project in Canadian Yukon Territory. The Alotta project is a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum prospect, located 50 km south of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Cole McClay", CEO Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

info@benjaminhillmining.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173514
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) announced Friday the next steps of the wind down of its Northeast Alliance with American Airlines, Inc., a subsidiary of American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL). JetBlue said its customers will no longer be able to book new codeshare bookings on American Airlines and vice versa from July 21, 2023. For customers with travel already booked, TrueBlue or AAdvantage numbers will need to be added to the booking before July 21, 2023 in order to earn points, tiles and reciprocal perks. Customers can accrue TrueBlue points for all tickets purchased prior to July 21, 2023, as long as their TrueBlue number is added to the booking before July 21, 2023. Meanwhile, JetBlue noted that customers who have booked travel for the months ahead can remain confident in their plans. To the extent any individual customers are impacted, JetBlue will reach out individually for any required re-accommodation or refund. Copyright(c) 2023 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.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Andrea Gacki has been appointed as the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director.



Gacki, who is currently working as the director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, has been the architect of a number of sanctions that Washington imposed on Russia in retaliation for its attack of Ukraine.



In her new role at FinCEN, another division within the Treasury Department, Gacki will be in charge of cracking down on money laundering, and its related crimes including terrorist financing and cybercrime. She is also responsible for supervising sanctions evasion.



In 2021, Andrea Gacki performed the functions of the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI).



Since September 2019, Gacki has been serving as the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which is a federal agency charged with implementing and enforcing economic sanctions on behalf of the U.S. government.



In the key position, Gacki played a leading role in the U.S. Government's implementation of economic sanctions during critical national security challenges facing the United States, including from countries such as Iran, North Korea and Russia.



In a statement on the appointment of Andrea Gacki as FinCEN Director, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said, 'As FinCEN embarks on its most ambitious project in recent years - bringing transparency to corporate ownership and protecting the U.S. financial system - there's no one I trust more to lead the office than Andrea. Andrea's encyclopedic knowledge of policy, her deep global relationships, and her steady leadership will ensure the Bureau continues to set the international standard for combatting financial crimes'.



'I am honored and excited to serve as the Director of FinCEN,' said Gacki. 'FinCEN plays a vital role in safeguarding the U.S. financial system, and I look forward to leading the FinCEN team in these important efforts. I also look forward to continuing FinCEN's critical efforts to implement the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, including the Corporate Transparency Act.'



The Treasury Department said that Acting FinCEN Director Himamauli Das will continue in his role during the transition period and assist Gacki in her onboarding process.



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Mega-Chance Cyber Security Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen. Hier klicken
Regulatory News:

In accordance with Article 14 of the Belgian Transparency law of 2 May 2007, Azelis Group NV announces that it has received the following transparency notification on July 12, 2023:

Transparency notification from Public Sector Pension Investment Board/PSP Investments Holding Europe Ltd

1. Summary of the notification

Public Sector Pension Investment Board reported in a notification dated July 12, 2023, that on July 10, 2023, following a disposal of voting securities, its shareholding decreased and crossed downwards the threshold of 5.00% in Azelis Group NV.

On July 10, 2023, Public Sector Pension Investment Board (taking into account the holding of its affiliates) owned 11,951,409 shares with voting rights, representing 4.90% of the total number of shares issued by the company (243,921,719), versus 8.89 (20,787,122 shares) in the previous notification dated April 11, 2023, based on the total outstanding number of shares issued by the company at that time (233,846,153).

2. Content of the notification

Reason for the notification

Acquisition or disposal of voting securities or voting rights and downward crossing of a threshold.

Notification by

A parent undertaking or a controlling person

Persons subject to the notification requirement

Name Address (for legal entities) Public Sector Pension Investment Board 1250 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Suite 1400

Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 5E9 PSP Investments Holding Europe Ltd 10 Bressenden Place 8th Floor London SW1E 5DH

United Kingdom

Date on which the threshold is crossed

July 10, 2023

Threshold that is crossed (in %)

5%

Denominator

243,921,719

Notified details

A) Voting rights Previous notification After the transaction # of voting rights # of voting rights % of voting rights Holders of voting rights Linked to securities Not linked to the securities Linked to securities Not linked to the securities Public Sector Pension Investment Board 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% PSP Investments Holding Europe Ltd 20,787,122 11,951,409 0 4.90% 0.00% Subtotal 20,787,122 11,951,409 4.90% TOTAL 11,951,409 0 4.90% 0.00%

B) Equivalent financial instruments After the transaction Holders of equivalent

financial instruments Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise period or date # of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised % of voting rights Settlement TOTAL 0 0.00%

TOTAL (A B) # of voting rights % of voting rights CALCULAT E 11,951,409 4.90%

Chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held, if applicable

PSP Investments Holding Europe Ltd is controlled by Public Sector Pension Investment Board. All of the shares of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board are directly held by the Government of Canada (his Majesty in right of Canada), by the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, a Canadian Cabinet Minister. The shares are held by the Minister as a fiduciary on behalf of His Majesty the King in right of Canada, and as a formal requirement of the ministerial office of the President of the Treasury Board, and do not represent any control of PSPIB by the Minister, as these shares are non-voting.

3. Further information

The full transparency notification as well as this press release can be consulted on the Azelis Group NV's website.

About Azelis

Azelis is a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemical and food ingredients industry, present in 63 countries across the globe with over 3,800 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. We offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to more than 59,000 customers, supported by +2,700 principal relationships, creating a turnover of 4.1 billion (2022). Azelis Group NV is listed on Euronext Brussels under ticker AZE.

Across our extensive network of more than 65 application laboratories, our award-winning staff help develop formulations and provide technical guidance throughout the customers' product development process. We combine a global market reach with a local footprint to offer a reliable, integrated, and unique digital service to local customers and attractive -business opportunities to principals. Top industry-rated by Sustainalytics, Azelis is a leader in sustainability. We believe in building and nurturing solid, honest and transparent relationships with our people and partners.

Impact through ideas. Innovation through formulation.

www.azelis.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714050144/en/

Contacts:

Azelis

investor-relations@azelis.com
COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Coeur d'Alene Bancorp (OTC Pink:CDAB), the parent company of bankcda, is pleased to announce its results for the second quarter 2023 and year to date 2023.

Coeur d'Alene Bancorp today reported net income for the second quarter of $543,152 or $0.29 per share, compared to $413,517 or $0.22 for the second quarter of 2022. Net income of $948,437 or $0.50 per share for the six months ended June 30, 2023, was also reported, compared to $644,772 or $0.34 per share for the six months ended 2022. All results are unaudited.

As of June 30, 2023, total consolidated assets were $236.4 million, a decrease of $14.8 million or 5.9% compared to June 30, 2022. Gross loans ended the period at $112 million compared to $96.5 million as of June 30, 2022, a 16% increase. Total deposits ended the quarter at $213.1 million compared to $228.9 million as of June 30, 2022.

"We are pleased with our performance so far this year with a 47% increase in year-to-date net income over the previous year and a 31% over the second quarter 2022. Loan demand remains strong, with an increase of 4.51% in the second quarter, which has historically been a slow period for us. The duration of our investment portfolio remains short at 2.24 years and continues to pay down as expected, which will provide liquidity in the coming quarters. We anticipate increased competition for deposits will put pressure on our net interest margin in the second half of the year." Said Wes Veach, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Financial Highlights :

Diluted earnings per share were $0.50 per share for the six months ended 2023 versus $0.34 per share for the six months ended 2022.

Net Book value per share increased to $9.79 compared to $9.13 from one year ago.

Annualized return on average assets (ROAA) was 0.80% for the six months ended 2023 compared to 0.51% for the six months ended 2022.

Annualized return on average equity (ROAE) was 10.45% for the six months ended 2023, compared 6.75% for the six months ended 2022.

For the 6 months ended June 30, 2023, net interest margin was 3.55% compared to 2.37% for 6 months ended June 30, 2022.

Total assets ended the period at $236.4 million, compared to $251.2 million one year ago and $238.5 million as of March 31, 2023.

Gross loans were $112 million at quarter end, versus $96.5 million on June 30, 2022, and $107.3 million as of March 31, 2023.

Total deposits were $213.1 million at quarter end, versus $228.9 million on June 30, 2022, and $214.7 million on March 31, 2023.

All capital ratios continue to exceed regulatory minimums.

Continue to be FIVE Star-rated by Bauer Financial, which is their highest rating.

Coeur d'Alene Bancorp, parent company of bankcda, is headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho with branches in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls and Kellogg, Idaho.

For more information, visit www.bankcda.bank or contact Wes Veach at 208-415-5006.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, among other things, certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words "may," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "projects," "outlook" or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current belief and expectations of the Coeur d'Alene Bancorp's management team and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond Coeur d'Alene Bancorp's control). Although Coeur d'Alene Bancorp believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, Coeur d'Alene Bancorp can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by Coeur d'Alene Bancorp or any other person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by Coeur d'Alene Bancorp will be achieved.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Coeur d'Alene Bancorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Coeur d'Alene Bancorp does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made, except as required by law.

Balance Sheet Overview (Unaudited)

Jun 30, 2023 Jun 30, 2022 Mar 31, 2023 Assets: Cash and due from banks $ 12,689,001 $ 41,883,707 $ 11,630,434 Securities available for sale, at fair value 103,254,381 104,527,719 111,440,827 Net loans 110,192,220 94,652,225 105,281,362 Other assets 10,247,109 10,104,680 10,157,167 Total assets $ 236,382,711 $ 251,168,332 $ 238,509,790

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity: Total deposits $ 213,078,287 $ 228,889,682 $ 214,730,653 Borrowings - 204,515 - Capital lease liability 441,024 455,993 455,017 Other liabilities 4,353,771 4,347,959 4,524,832 Shareholders' Equity 18,509,629 17,270,182 18,799,288 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 236,382,711 $ 251,168,332 $ 238,509,790

Ratios: Return on average assets 0.80 % 0.51 % 0.67 % Return on average equity 10.45 % 6.75 % 9.09 % Community bank leverage ratio 10.04 % 8.46 % 9.57 % Net interest margin (YTD) 3.44 % 2.27 % 3.43 % Efficiency ratio (YTD) 67.03 % 73.98 % 70.17 % Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.01 % 0.05 % 0.01 % Nonperforming assets to tier 1 capital 0.07 % 0.60 % 0.08 %

Income Statement Overview (Unaudited) For the three months ended For the six months ended Jun 30, 2023 Jun 30, 2022 Jun 30, 2023 Jun 30, 2022 Interest income $ 2,326,508 $ 1,624,914 $ 4,615,300 $ 3,023,389 Interest expense 346,257 118,414 604,254 234,407 Net interest income 1,980,251 1,506,500 4,011,046 2,788,982 Loan loss provision 45,000 - 90,000 - Noninterest income 235,399 225,952 448,381 457,916 Salaries and employee benefits 743,477 610,036 1,514,905 1,264,652 Occupancy expense 139,102 147,568 296,535 303,632 Loss on sale, net of gains 9,760 - 263,055 - Other noninterest expense 533,596 425,608 1,001,418 833,473 Income before income taxes 744,715 549,240 1,293,514 845,141 Income tax expense 201,563 135,723 345,077 200,369 Net income $ 543,152 $ 413,517 $ 948,437 $ 644,772

SOURCE: Coeur D Alene Bancorp

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/768052/Coeur-dAlene-Bancorp-Announces-Its-Second-Quarter-and-Year-to-Date-2023-Results
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - LevelJump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) (OTCQB: JMPHF) (FSE: 75J) ("LevelJump" or the "Company"), a Canadian leader in B2B telehealth solutions, announces that it is amending the terms of its current preferred share offering.

The Company plans to sell a total of 5,000,000 of units at $1 per unit which consist of: (i) one (1) common share of LevelJump ("Common Share"), at an issue price of $0.10 per Common Share; and (ii) one (1) 12% cumulative redeemable convertible Class A Series 1 preferred share ("Preferred Share"), at an issue price of $0.90 per Preferred Share.

Each Preferred Share is non-voting, carries a cumulative annual dividend of 12% payable quarterly (previously 8%), along with a top up dividend of 25% of the portion of LevelJump's EBITDA that is above $2,000,000 per year, divided by the then outstanding Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares are redeemable on the fifth anniversary (the "Redemption Date") after issuance at a price of $1.00 per Preferred Share (or at a price of $1.10 per Preferred Share if redeemed any time prior to the Redemption Date) together with all accrued and unpaid dividends. The Preferred Shares are also convertible, prior to being redeemed or called, into common shares of the Company at a price of $0.20 per Common Share (previously $0.40 per Common Share). Subject to applicable law and to certain exceptions, LevelJump may, at any time prior to the Redemption Date, purchase for cancellation all or any number of the Preferred Shares outstanding from time to time at any price in the open market if they are listed or posted for trading on a stock exchange or by tender available to all of holders of Preferred Shares or by private agreement or otherwise.

Previous Sales of Preferred Share Units

Subject to TSXV consent, the Company will be amending the terms of its currently issued and outstanding 139,000 Class A-1 Preferred shares such that the dividend will be increased to 12% and the conversion price reduced to $0.20 per Common Share thus ensuring the previous investors in the Class A-1 shares will be treated the same as any new investors under the revised preferred share offering.

Update on Alberta Acquisition

As previously announced, the vendors of the Alberta acquisition will be receiving 1,130,000 Class A-1 Preferred units from the above placement and will carry the new dividend and conversion terms as well.

About LevelJump Healthcare

LevelJump Healthcare Corp., (TSXV: JUMP) provides telehealth solutions to client hospitals and imaging centers through its Teleradiology division, as well as in person radiology services through its IHF's (Independent Healthcare Facilities). JUMP focuses primarily on critical care for urgent and emergency patients, establishing integral relationships in the communities we serve.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

LEVELJUMP HEALTHCARE CORP.

Mitchell Geisler

Chief Executive Officer

Caitlin-Robyn Densmore

Investor Relations Manager

Caitlin.Densmore@leveljumphealthcare.com

(437) 214-1568

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc., their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable).

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The securities being 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173552
VALLEY COTTAGE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / CreditRiskMonitor (OTCQX:CRMZ) conducted its Annual Shareholder Meeting on July 12, 2023 and Dr. Brigitte Muehlmann and Mrs. Lisa Reisman were elected as new members of its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Muehlmann and Mrs. Reisman replace former Directors, Messrs. Andrew Melnick and Richard Lippe, who chose not to stand for re-election.

Mike Flum, CEO & President, said, "We would like to thank Andrew and Richard for their outstanding service to CreditRiskMonitor and its shareholders during their time as Directors. Andrew has served as a Director since March 2005 and we sincerely appreciate his dedication over the past eighteen years. Richard became a Director in May 2020 and was instrumental in providing insight and advice as we navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. We wish them well in all future endeavors and they remain as friends and advisors to the Company.

We are extremely pleased to welcome Lisa and Brigitte as our newly elected Directors. Their domain experience and wealth of knowledge are great additions to our Board and we are excited to collaborate with them as we enter our 25th year of operations in 2024."

Background of Arriving CreditRiskMonitor Board Members

Dr. Brigitte Muehlmann has been a director since July 2023. She is currently a Professor at Babson College and an Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law. She serves as a Director of Babson Global, Inc., and the USA Branch of the International Fiscal Association. Entrepreneurial leaders are a perennial focus for Dr. Muehlmann and she aims to contribute to sustainable business success. Her research is centered on design and opportunities for both human and technological innovation in accounting and taxation. She teaches MBA courses in financial and sustainability reporting and analysis as well as operating and expanding businesses in global markets. Brigitte developed expertise in serving international businesses at Ernst & Young in Vienna and on the entrepreneurial services team in Boston, as a member of the global tax team at PwC in Boston, and at Kearney in New York before turning to a full-time career in academia. Dr. Muehlmann is a dual Austrian-American citizen holding a Ph.D. and an MSBA degree from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in Austria, an MST degree from Bentley University, and a CPA license.

Lisa Reisman has been a director since July 2023. She is currently co-founder and CEO of MetalMiner. With a background in physical metal trading, management consulting and executive leadership, Lisa has a proven entrepreneurial track record. Through her Companies' Insights platform, they offer a SaaS solution across the full range of industrial metals, including global data points. Detailed should-cost models and forecasts provide buying organizations with price data on the industrial metals that companies actually buy and not just the ingot prices which trade on public exchanges. Before founding MetalMiner, she was Managing Director and CEO of Azul Partners in Chicago and worked as a Senior Manager for both Deloitte Consulting and Arthur Andersen Consulting. She holds an MPA in management and public policy from New York University and a BA in journalism and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Overview

CreditRiskMonitor (creditriskmonitor.com) sells a suite of web-based, SaaS subscription products providing access to comprehensive commercial credit reports, bankruptcy risk analytics, financial and payment information, and curated news on public and private companies worldwide. The products help corporate credit and procurement professionals stay ahead of and manage financial risk more quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively.

The Company's newest platform, SupplyChainMonitor, leverages its financial risk analytics expertise to create a risk management solution built specifically for procurement, supply chain, sourcing, and finance personnel involved in the supplier lifecycle, risk assessment, and ongoing risk monitoring. Users can assess counterparty risks at the aggregate and granular levels under a variety of categories including geography and industry, as well as customized, customer-specific configurations. The platform features mapping capabilities with real-time weather/natural disaster event overlays as well as customizable news notifications, reports, and charts.

Our subscribers, including nearly 40% of the Fortune 1000 and well over a thousand other large corporations worldwide, use the Company's timely news alerts, research, and reports on public and private companies to make important risk decisions. The Company's comprehensive commercial credit reports covering both public and private companies worldwide are published through its web-based platform and feature detailed analyses of financial statements, including ratio analysis and trend reports, peer analysis, corporate issuer ratings from key Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSROs"), as well as the Company's proprietary bankruptcy analytics: the FRISK and PAYCE scores. One of the FRISK scoring model's exclusive input features is the aggregate risk sentiment of our subscribers based on their crowdsourced usage behaviors resulting in the improved classification of bankruptcy risk for the riskiest corporations and boosting overall accuracy.

The Company, through its Trade Contributor Program, receives confidential accounts receivables data from hundreds of subscribers and non-subscribers every month. This trade receivable data is parsed, processed, aggregated, and finally reported to summarize the invoice payment behavior of B2B counterparties, without disclosing the specific contributors of this information. The Trade Contributor Program's current trade credit file processes nearly $3 trillion of transaction data annually.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release, including statements prefaced by the words "anticipates", "estimates", "believes", "expects" or words of similar meaning, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, expectations or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, those risks, uncertainties, and factors referenced from time to time as "risk factors" or otherwise in the Company's Registration Statements or Securities and Exchange Commission Reports. We disclaim any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, a future event, or otherwise.

CONTACT:

CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc.

Mike Flum, CEO & President

845.230.3037

ir@creditriskmonitor.com

SOURCE: CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/768081/CreditRiskMonitor-Announces-Election-of-Two-New-Board-Members
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Whole Foods Market Foundations

Suppliers of Whole Foods Market are empowering microentrepreneurs with economic opportunity. These generous brands fund microloans for entrepreneurs living in poverty so they can start or expand a small business, often home-based. With a small loan of around $200, an entrepreneur can purchase essential needs for their small ventures, such as products for a food stand, equipment for a sewing business, or tools for a small-scale farm. ?Profits from their microbusinesses provide these entrepreneurs the opportunity to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, one loan at a time.

Supporting brands are invited to help further our mission by funding additional microloans. Brands that donate $25,000 in July to fund microcredit are recognized as members of Whole Planet Foundation's Poverty Is Unnecessary Fund. This month's generous donors include Ben & Jerry's and So Delicious Dairy Free.

So Delicious Dairy Free

Since 2015, So Delicious Dairy Free has been committed to funding opportunity through Whole Planet Foundation. As a repeat 2023 donor, their $50,000 commitment this year will help fund an additional 270 microloans for entrepreneurs living in poverty. With a small microloan, microentrepreneurs can start or develop a business, often home-based, to support themselves and their families. "So Delicious Dairy Free is on a mission to show what's possible when everyone has an equal seat at the table. This means advocating for a more inclusive economy and creating economic opportunities for marginalized communities. We are proud to support Whole Planet Foundation and their mission to alleviate global poverty through microfinance", says Virginia Kelly, VP of Marketing for So Delicious Dairy Free.

Ben & Jerry's

Since 2020, Ben & Jerry's has a business model of linked prosperity. Their social mission is to work towards their goal to create positive change in the world from inside the pint out, starting with responsible sourcing and support of their suppliers. As a $25,000 Poverty is Unnecessary Fund member in 2023, they extend that support in the form of microloans to microentrepreneurs living in poverty all around the globe.

Whole Planet Foundation's $25,000 donors believe Poverty is Unnecessary. That's why they support our mission to empower microentrepreneurs with income-generating opportunities, like Margaret a microcredit client from Uganda. Watch the video about Margaret's inspiring story and how you can help support our work here.





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Whole Foods Market Foundations on 3blmedia.com.



Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Whole Foods Market Foundations

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/whole-foods-market-foundations

Email: info@3blmedia.com



SOURCE: Whole Foods Market Foundations

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/768097/25000-Fund-Donors-Help-Fund-Income-Generating-Opportunities-for-Entrepreneurs-and-Smallholder-Farmers-Around-the-World
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Atacama Copper Corporation (TSXV: ACOP) ("Atacama Copper" or the "Company") is saddened to report the sudden and unexpected passing of our CFO, Eduardo 'Eddy' Yu. Eddy was a key member of the small management team at the Company and will be greatly missed by all his colleagues.

Tim Warman, CEO said, "On behalf of everyone at Atacama Copper I want to extend our deepest condolences to the Yu family. Eddy was a talented individual who everyone on our team enjoyed working with, and we will miss his insight and guidance."

The Company has commenced a search for a new CFO.

About Atacama Copper Corporation

Atacama Copper Corporation is a resource company focusing on acquiring, exploring, and developing copper properties in Chile and elsewhere in the Americas. It is committed to advancing the exploration and development of the Placeton and El Cofre projects while looking to increase its asset portfolio through the acquisition and development of other high-value copper exploration, development, and production opportunities. Atacama Copper's Placeton project is a large porphyry copper target located between the Relincho and El Morro Copper-gold deposits of the Nueva Union joint venture between Teck and Newmont Mining.

Additional Information - Please Contact

For more information, please contact:



Tim Warman

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Atacama Copper Corporation

Email: info@atacamacopper.ca

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering and receipt of final approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. The material facts and assumptions include the intended use of proceeds remaining in the best interests of the Company. The Company cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Due to the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward- looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173561
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) (OTCQB: GGLDF) ("Getchell" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed the second tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") by issuing 638,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.20 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $127,600 (the "Second Tranche"). Together with the first tranche of the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate of 4,925,500 Units for gross proceeds of $985,100.

Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") of the Company. Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years from the date of closing.

The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for exploration and development of the Company's properties and general working capital.

In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company paid finder's fees in the amount of $4,800 and issued an aggregate of 24,000 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants"). Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years from the date of closing.

The securities to be issued in connection with the Second Tranche are subject to a statutory four-month hold period expiring on November 15, 2023, in accordance with applicable securities laws.

One officer of the Company participated in the Second Tranche in the amount of $27,600. The transaction with the officer, who is an insider of the Company, constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on the exemptions under section 5.5(a) and section 5.7(1)(a) from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the Units issued to the related party and the consideration paid by the related party under the Second Tranche does not exceed 25% of Company's market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the Second Tranche, as the details of the participation by related party of the Company were not settled until shortly prior to closing of the Second Tranche.

The Company also announces that it has granted an aggregate of 325,000 stock options to certain consultants of the Company. The stock options are exercisable into common shares at $0.20 per share for a period of five years.

The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

About Getchell Gold Corp.

The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH and OTCQB: GGLDF. Getchell Gold is primarily directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a significant in-the-ground historic resource estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is Dixie Comstock, a past gold producer with a historic resource and two earlier stage exploration projects, Star (Cu-Au-Ag) and Hot Springs Peak (Au). Getchell has the option to acquire 100% of the Fondaway Canyon and Dixie Comstock properties, Churchill County, Nevada.

For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company at info@getchellgold.com.

Mr. William Wagener, Chairman & CEO

Getchell Gold Corp.

1-647-249-4798

info@getchellgold.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the use of proceeds. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: use of proceeds from the financing. Although management of Getchell have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173621
Foundry, a Dallas, TX-based provider of a brand platform specializing in acquiring, nurturing, and growing online brands, acquires Blu Atlas, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) mens skincare, haircare, and fragrance brand, for an undisclosed eight-figure sum.

With the acquisition, Foundry continues to solidify its position as a brand platform delivering products that are tailored to customer needs and preferences.

Led by CEO Hendre Ackermann, Foundry acquires businesses and nurtures them into enduring brands to curate a selective portfolio of companies. It already boasts a portfolio of brands, including Supply, a mens premium razor brand, Stryx, a mens cosmetics brand, and Craft & Kin, a home fragrance brand.

FinSMEs

14/07/2023
May River Capital LLC, a Chicago, IL-based private equity investment firm, raised its third fund, May River Capital Fund III, LP, at $500m.

The fund received commitments from a group of limited partners, including endowments and foundations, insurance companies, fund-of-funds, family offices, wealth managers, and high-net-worth individuals. In addition to commitments from its limited partners, May River Capitals investment team, along with the firms operating partner network, made significant capital commitments to Fund III.

Fund III will continue May River Capitals focus on investing in high quality, lower middle-market industrial businesses withthe potential for significant growth and value enhancement.

The firm invests in high-quality industrial growth businesses, including advanced manufacturing, engineered products and instrumentation, specialized industrial services, and value-added industrial distribution services. .

Since its founding in 2012, May River Capital has raised more than $1.2 billion in committed capital and has invested in 11 platform companies, as well as completed 17 add-on acquisitions.

FinSMEs

14/07/2023
Radar, a New York-based provider of a technology platform that combines RFID and computer vision technology to track and precisely locate in-store inventory, raised $30M in Series A funding.

The round, which brought the total amount to $63M, was led by returning investor Align Ventures, with participation from RX Ventures, which is the corporate venture capital fund of South American retailer Lojas Renner, Ferrante Group, Future Archives, and Leeds Holding.

The company intends to use the funds to expand its customer roster, accelerate its product development efforts, and hire engineering, product and sales talent.

Led by Spencer Hewett, Founder and CEO, Radar offers a proprietary hardware and software platform that uses RFID and computer vision to track and precisely locate in-store inventory in near real time with accuracy, empowering store associates with the knowledge they need to provide an improved customer experience and enabling brands to ensure each store has the right inventory in stock each day.

The company recently announced that American Eagle Outfitters is launching its inventory-tracking technology in approximately 500 American Eagle stores across the U.S. In addition, RADAR is currently piloting its platform with two other Fortune 500 retailers.

FinSMEs

13/07/2023
Samantha Markle, the half-sister of Meghan Markle reportedly sued her over comments made in her interviews with Oprah Winfrey and in her Netflix documentary. According to the USMagazine.com After years of public drama, Samantha Markle filed a lawsuit against half-sister Meghan Markle, alleging the duchess lied during her 2021 tell-all interview with husband Prince Harry.

The siblings tumultuous relationship originally made headlines ahead of Meghan and Harrys wedding in May 2018. Two years later, the couple announced that they were stepping back from their duties as working members of the royal family. In February 2021, they confirmed their decision to not return to their senior roles.

The ongoing feud between the two siblings dates back to the early days of Meghans relationship with Harry when Samantha wasted no time in criticizing the Duchess. A court filing seen by Newsweek reads: Plaintiff Samantha Markle, and Defendant Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, by and through their respective undersigned counsel of record, hereby request that the Court hold oral argument in connection with Defendants pending Motion to Dismiss the Third Amended Complaint, in light of the extensive briefing by the parties. Counsel estimates a total of 60 minutes for oral argument.

Samanthas complaint objects to the ways Meghan degraded their relationship in her March 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview and suggested the duchess made defamatory statements including, I grew up as an only child, which everyone who grew up around me knows, and I wished I had siblings.

The Newsweek report further mentioned that the duchess said she lived with her mother during the week and father on weekends, but said Thomas Markle lived alone because his adult children had moved out.

The complaint also targets Meghans statements to Netflix, including: I was with my mom during the week and with my dad on the weekends. And my dad lived alone, he had two adult children who had moved out of his house.

Earlier, Firtspost reported that Meghan Markles estranged half-sister has launched another blistering attack on the Duchess of Sussex by claiming that her marriage to Prince Harry will end in divorce unless they get extensive counselling. Samantha Markle suggested the Duke may already be questioning the marriage and predicted it could get nasty until he starts dissenting or pulling back from her. The 56-year-old American also called on the Sussexes to go on an apology tour after the couple made accusations of racism within the Royal Family during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Samantha, who has accused Meghan of having narcissistic personality disorder

Samantha, Meghans half sister has also claimed that she did a lot of damage to their father Thomas Markle and called on her half-sister to make a public apology to him.

Speaking to TMZ about Meghan and Harrys marriage, she said: I see it ending in divorce unless they get extensive counselling and can agree to work on being honest, to work on apologies to everyone that theyve damaged in the course of this bull in a china shop two-year spiel. I mean, nothing about any of this has been honest, and the damage to the Royals has been massive  especially now.

She said of Harry: Maybe hes already questioning it, he has to be if he has a functioning frontal lobe. Come on, hes not 12. What man would be happy or comfortable like that? And the minute I believe he starts dissenting or pulling back from her, I think it can get nasty unless he has a really good lawyer or they have really good counsellors. I dont know what its gonna take.

Samantha on Meghan and her fathers relationship

When asked what would need to happen for Meghan and her father to restore their relationship, Samantha said: She would have to apologise  a public apology, god, I know would be like getting blood from a rock but she did a lot of public damage.

Really, I mean I really feel like this thing was all orchestrated that she needs to unravel the damage. She did a lot of damage to a man who gave her an incredible life  so hurtful, so wrong. She would need to make the first move and, I mean, you know, parents are always unconditionally loving but god, she really hurt him.
The Chandrayaan-3 successfully lifted off from Satish Dhawan space centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota today afternoon.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its third lunar mission using the heavy-lift LVM3-M4 rocket  the largest and heaviest in its class which has been dubbed as Fat Boy,

ISRO chief Somanath said the bahubali rocket put Chandrayaan-3 into the precise orbit.

But what happens next? And when will Chandrayaan-3 reach the moon?

Lets take a closer look:

What happens next?

As per Mint, the propulsion module will now separate from the rocket.

The propulsion will orbit the Earth around five to six times  in an elliptical cycle  before moving towards the lunar orbit.

The module, with its attached lander, will then begin its 42-day journey to the Moon.

According to The Times of India, the module has to make a journey of 3.84 lakh kilometres.

According to ISRO, the Moon mission comprises three phases

The Earth-centric phase

The Lunar Transfer Phase

Moon Centric Phase

As per News9, the Earth-centric phase will see the craft need to make a set of altitude raising-burns called Earth-bound Manoeuvres (EBMs).

After completing 5 EMBs, the Chandrayaan-3 will then head to the Moon in the Transfer Trajectory Phase.

The spacecraft will reach lunar orbit around 5 August  where it will stay for a Lunar day (14 Earth days) and get get into position around 100 kilometres above the lunar surface.

The lander will then begin its descent for a soft landing on the Moons South Pole region.

Now, the Propulsion Module will separate from the spacecraft, while the lander de-boosts in preparation for landing.

The lander and rover will study the Moon, while the Propulsion Module will scan the Earth using the instrument called the Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE).

The Times of India quoted ISRO as saying SHAPE is an experimental instrument that will study our planet in the near-infrared wavelength range.

The lander module will use payloads including RAMBHA-LP to measure the near-surface plasma ions and electrons density and its changes.

The lander will ChaSTE Chandras Surface Thermo Physical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure thermal properties near the Moons South Pole

It will also Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) to check seismicity around the landing site and delineate the structure of the lunar crust and mantle

The rover will use Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) to study the lunar surfaces chemical and mineral composition.

It will also use the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) to quantify the composition of lunar soil and rocks around the landing site, according to The Times of India.

After the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the surface of the Moon, the rover, which has six wheels, will come out and is expected to work for 14 days on the Moon. With the support of multiple cameras on the rover, we will be able to receive images, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh earlier said.

When will Chandrayaan-3 reach the moon?

The Chandrayaan-3 is expected to reach the Moon on 23 or 24 August.

According to NDTV, scientists determined the date for soft-landing keeping in mind the need for sunlight.

This is because the Moons South Pole can go several days without getting sunlight  thus rendering it impossible for the solar panels attached to the lander to charge.

According to NDTV, if the Chandrayaan-3 misses the August date, it will have to wait till September to execute a soft-landing.

A successful mission would make India only the fourth nation to achieve the rare feat after the United States, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

PM Modi, president Murmu hail ISRO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed that the Indian Space Research Organisations third lunar mission had scripted a new chapter in Indias space odyssey and elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.

Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in Indias space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity! https://t.co/gko6fnOUaK  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

Modi tweeted, 14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. He noted that Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the lunar transfer trajectory after the orbit raising manoeuvres. Covering over 300,000 km, it will reach the moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments on board will study the moons surface and enhance our knowledge, he said.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said Indias successful launching of Chandrayaan-3 marks another significant milestone in space exploration besides demonstrating the nations unwavering commitment to advancement in space science and technology.

She also congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team and everyone else who worked relentlessly to accomplish the feat.

India successfully launches Chandrayaan-3 marking another significant milestone in space exploration. Heartiest congratulations to the ISRO team and everyone who worked relentlessly to accomplish the feat! It demonstrates the nations unwavering commitment to advancement in space science and technology. My best wishes for the success of the lunar mission, President Murmu tweeted.

With inputs from agencies
India successfully launched its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota today (14 July). Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon. Our dear LVM3 has already put Chandrayaan-3 craft into the precise around Earth  Let us wish all the best for the Chandrayaan-3 craft to make its farther orbit raising manoeuvres and travel towards the moon in the coming days, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somanath said following the lift-off at 2.35 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in France, also congratulated ISRO for the successful launch. Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in Indias space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!

Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in Indias space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity! https://t.co/gko6fnOUaK  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

Lets meet the team behind Indias third lunar journey and the second attempt at a soft landing on the Moons surface.

S Somanath

ISRO carried out the ambitious Chandrayaan-3 under the leadership of its chairman S Somanath.

#WATCH | ISRO chief S Somanath says, Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon. Our dear LVM3 has already put Chandrayaan-3 craft into the precise around earthLet us wish all the best for the Chandrayaan-3 craft to make its farther orbit raising manoeuvres and pic.twitter.com/S6Za80D9zD  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

Speaking to NDTV earlier, the ISRO chief said they have taken additional measures this time to ensure the lander and rover reach the Moons surface even if certain elements do not go as planned.

We have added new instruments to handle failures, new algorithms to handle off-nominal situations, new approaches to soft land in case of not-availability, any such measurements and total uncertainty, the ISRO chief said.

A day ahead of the launch, Somanath offered prayers at Sri Chengalamma temple in Andhra Pradeshs Sullurpeta. A team of ISRO scientists team had also visited the Tirupati Venkatachalapathy Temple in the southern state with a miniature model of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft to offer prayers.

P Veeramuthuvel

P Veeramuthuvel, a native of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu, is the project director of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. He joined ISRO as a scientist in 1989, as per a News9 report.

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Veeramuthuvel took charge of Indias third moon mission in 2019.

He succeeded Muthayya Vanitha, who served as the project director of Chandrayaan-2. During Indias second moon mission, Veeramuthuvel was the point person for ISROs negotiations with United States  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), reported Business Standard.

Veeramuthuvel was previously the deputy director of the Space Infrastructure Programme Office at ISRO headquarters, the report added.

Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar exploration mission takes off from Sriharikota,Andhra Pradesh. LVM3 Launch Vehicle Mk III takes the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft to Geo Transfer Orbit (GTO). #Chandrayaan3 consists of an indigenous propulsion module, lander module, and a rover pic.twitter.com/pbhxmZO0Eq  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 14, 2023

S Unnikrishnan Nair

S Unnikrishnan Nair is the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). As per Business Standard, Nair and his team are responsible for various key functions of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Nair, who has a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT(M), Chennai, is the founding director of the Human Space Flight Centre in Bangalore.

As per the VSSC website, Nair has contributed to developing various aerospace systems and mechanisms for Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3).

LVM3 was the rocket trusted by ISRO for sending its Chandrayaan-3 satellite to the moon.

Chandrayaan 3 successfully separated from LVM3-M4 rocket ISRO scientists announce the successful separation of the Satellite from the launch Vehicle. The Satellite has now been injected into the desired Orbit to begin its journey to the Moon.#Chandrayaan3 | #ISRO | @isro pic.twitter.com/rupngrrZj7  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 14, 2023

A Rajarajan

As per Business Standard, A Rajarajan is the chairman of the Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) which approves the launch.

Currently, Rajarajan is serving as the director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota. He has extensively worked in the area of design and development of composites products and played a pivotal role in developing many innovative technologies for the development of composites for Satellites & Launch Vehicle sub-systems, says the SHAR website.

Chayan Dutta

Chayan Dutta will supervise the launch control operations of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Hailing from Assams Lakhimpur district, Dutta is an alumnus of Tezpur University, reported Times of India (TOI).

He is currently working as Scientist/Engineer-G at UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Department of Space, as per East Mojo.

According to Tezpur University, Dutta is heading the on board command telemetry, data handling and storage system, of the lander in Chandrayaan-3, noted TOI.

I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been entrusted with the responsibility. This mission represents a significant milestone for our nation and the global scientific community, Dutta said in a message to his alma mater.

Others

S Mohana Kumar is the mission director of the third moon mission, while Biju C Thomas is the Vehicle/Rocket director, reported IANS.

One of the major differences between the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions was that the former was helmed by women. While Vanitha was the project director of Chandrayaan-2, Ritu Karidhal was the mission director.

Although several women were involved in Chandrayaan-3, the mission was led by male scientists.

There are about 54 female engineers/scientists who worked directly in the Chandrayaan-3 mission. They are associate and deputy project directors and project managers of various systems working at different centres, a senior ISRO official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

If all goes well with the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the lander and rover will safely touch down on the Moons surface by 23-24 August.

With inputs from agencies
The Chandrayaan-3 moon mission was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 2.35 pm today, drawing the worlds attention to Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota.

It is a follow-up mission after the crash-landing of Chandrayaan-2 in September 2019 due to a software glitch. A successful landing would make India the fourth country  after the United States, the Soviet Union, and China  to achieve the feat.

The objective of the mission is to investigate the Moons surface, particularly regions that have been shielded from sunlight for many billions of years.

A facility in Mumbai, around 1,300 kilometres from the space station, will also be supporting one specific feature of the lunar mission: the Vikas engine which is named after the late astronomer and physicist Vikram Sarabhai.

Here are all the details.

Also read: ISRO to launch Chandrayaan-3 in July: Why this project is special

Made-in-Mumbai engine

Godrej Aerospace, a firm hidden away in a green area across the Eastern Express Highway in the suburbs of Vikhroli, has produced the Vikas engine. It is mounted at the very top of the missile, according to News18.

The team carried out basic structuring, obtained sheets in various shapes, and welded them to mould them for the rocket. For cutting and shaping the steel sheets, laser technology was used.

According to the facilitys engineers, it takes them roughly five months to create an engine, and each month, one is shipped to ISRO in accordance with their needs. Once these units are prepared, they are shipped via road at a leisurely 20-kilometre-per-hour rate, taking 10 to 14 days to go from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram.

At this plant, even the cryogenic engine that will aid in placing the lunar module in an orbit around the Earth has been prepared. Thiruvananthapuram is where the satellite is put together.

News18 quoted Maneck Behramkamdin, AVP and Business head at Godrej Aerospace as saying, We have come a long way since this plant and the partnership started in 1985. A few decades ago, for a CE-20, rather referred to as a cryogenic engine, we had to depend on other countries. But now India has made tremendous progress in space technology and space missions, and these engines are produced within the country as a part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

In the last nine years, India has witnessed a quantum jump in its space sector, bringing it at par with countries like the USA that started their space journey much earlier. The governments focus on public-private participation has led to collaborations between premier space organisations like NASA and ISRO, with ISRO now working with nearly 150 private startups, said Anil Verma, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Godrej and Boyce.

Vikas engine is a family of liquid-fueled rocket engines conceptualised and designed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of ISRO in the 1970s. Initially, France-sourced parts were used in these engines; however, later, domestic alternatives took their place, according to Financial Express.

Godrej Aerospace becomes source for critical equipment for mission Chandrayaan-3

Edited video is available in video section on https://t.co/lFLnN4oaDV pic.twitter.com/xss5qVEl7M  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 11, 2023

The second stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), boosters, the second stage of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark I and II, as well as the first stage of the GSLV Mark III or Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3), are all propelled by Vikas propulsion motors.

Also read: Indias Bahubali rocket: What is LVM3 that will launch Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft?

The role of Godrej

Since 1985, the facility has been one of ISROs major private suppliers and producers. In addition to taking part in ISROs other projects, Godrej Aerospace made significant contributions to the Chandrayaan-1 and 2 and Mangalyaan space missions, as per News18.

It provided the Vikas engine, thrustors, vital components for the remote sensing antenna, and ground system antenna for Chandrayaan-1. It provided Chandrayaan-2 with the L110 and CE20 engines for the GSLV Mk III launcher, as well as thrusters for the orbiter and lander and parts for the DSN antenna, according to The Hindu.

According to information provided by Behramkamdin to The Hindu, Godrej Aerospace has contributed to more than 175 engines for Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) launches to date. These engines include satellite thrusters, antenna systems, and liquid propulsion engines for PSLV and GSLV rockets.

Moreover, Godrej Aerospace has also sharpened its emphasis on domestic production, innovation, and technological development. It is set to invest Rs 250 crore in the construction of a new facility for advanced manufacturing, assembly, and integration facilities at Khalapur in Maharashtra.

Our visit yesterday to Godrej Aerospace (GA) in Mumbai GA Empowers Indias Space Exploration & Civil Aviation Sector with Indigenous Manufacturing To invest Rs 250 cr in a new state-of-the-art facility GA has supplied critical components for ISROs Chandrayaan 3 mission 1/2 pic.twitter.com/y2A26tNpzY  Vayu Aerospace Review (@ReviewVayu) July 11, 2023

Also read: How is ISROs Chandrayaan-3 mission different from Chandrayaan-2?

Chandrayaan-3 is special

The third planned moon exploration mission of ISRO is the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.

The three goals of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, according to ISRO, are to show a soft and safe lunar landing, lunar rover wandering, and to carry out in-situ scientific research. This mission was necessary, especially after the unfortunate landing of the Vikram lander during Chandrayaan-2.

According to News18, India intends to carry out the proposed lunar polar exploration mission with the assistance of Japan in 2024, and this new mission is intended to demonstrate the critical landing procedures required for that mission.

14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. pic.twitter.com/EYTcDphaES  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

The LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) will launch Chandrayaan-3 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota. It is set up with a Lander and a Rover. The propulsion module will transport the Lander and Rover configuration to a lunar orbit of around 100 miles, according to a report by India.com.

The propulsion module is topped by the Spectro-polarimetry of the Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, which will conduct spectral and polarimetric studies of Earth from the lunar orbit. This payload will provide crucial data and insights into the characteristics and habitability of the Earth from a unique vantage point on the Moon.

Also read: When & where to watch ISROs Chandrayaan-3 launch LIVE

With inputs from agencies
Doctors in Israel recently reattached a 12-year-old boys head to his neck in a rare surgery. The surgeons at Hadassah Medical Center, a hospital in Jerusalem, announced earlier this month that the Palestinian boy, identified as Suleiman Hassan from the West Bank, suffered from bilateral atlanto-occipital joint dislocation, commonly known as internal or orthopedic decapitation, reported The Times of Israel.

The surgery took place in early June but the Jerusalem hospital revealed the case only recently.

What is this condition and how did the surgeons in Israel rejoin the boys head? We explain.

Internal decapitation

Atlanto-occipital dislocation or (AOD) is a rare injury that is mostly fatal. This condition occurs due to accidents when ligaments that link the skull to a persons spine get severed, causing internal decapitation.

Doctors use rods, wires or screws to restore the link between the skull and the spine.

While the exact fatality rate from the injury is not known, a 2005 study conducted by a hospital in Philadelphia found that out of the 16 children treated for atlanto-occipital dislocation between 1983 and 2003, only five survived, as per CBS News.

According to a review study in 2015, this injury is three times more common in children than in adults. This study says internal decapitation is an essentially ligamentous injury and, as such, is unlikely to spontaneously heal well over time, even after prolonged external immobilisation.

Dr Toba Niazi, a pediatric neurosurgeon in the United States, told CBS News in 2016 that children are more prone to these types of injuries because of the sheer weight of their head as compared to the rest of their body.

What happened in Israel?

Hassan was hit by a car when he was riding his bicycle. After the accident, he was admitted to Hadassah Hospitals trauma unit in Ein Kerem, a historic mountain village, as per The Times of Israel report.

According to the doctors, the ligaments connecting the posterior skull base got detached from the top vertebrae of the young boys spine due to the accident.

Dr Ohad Einav, the orthopedic specialist who operated on the 12-year-old, told The Times of Israel, The procedure itself is very complicated and took several hours. While in the operating room, we used new plates and fixations in the damaged area Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room.

Last month, Suleiman, a 12 year old Palestinian boy was in a horrific car accident while riding his bike. He sustained life threatening injuries when his head was severed from his neck. The child was airlifted to the Hadassah Medical Center and underwent an emergency pic.twitter.com/wTuQ1IZH3Q  Israel   (@Israel) July 11, 2023

Einav, who returned to Israel from Toronto a year back, had to perform this surgery on adults during his fellowship at trauma centers in Canada, as per The Times of Israel.

This is not a common surgery at all, and especially not on children and teens. A surgeon needs knowledge and experience to do this, he explained.

The injury is extremely rare, but we do know that because children between ages four and 10 have heads that are large in relation to their bodies, they are more susceptible than adults, Einav added.

Hassan discharged

Hassan was recently sent home with a cervical splint and his health is being monitored by the Hadassah staff.

According to Einav and his team, Hassans survival rate was estimated to be 50 per cent, thus his recovery is seen as nothing less than a miracle, reported Israels i24 News.

According to Israels TPS news agency, Hassans father continued to stay by his sons bedside during the recovery process. Expressing gratitude for the medical staff, he said, Thanks to you, he regained his life even when the odds were low and the danger was obvious.

What saved him were professionalism, technology and quick decision-making by the trauma and orthopedics team, TPS quoted the father as saying.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, Dr Marc Siegel, Clinical Professor of Medicine and a practicing internist at NYU Langone Medical Center, told that the amazing surgery is possible only if major blood vessels remain intact.

The key is preserving blood flow to the brain, Siegel said. It sounds like  from the story  that the major blood vessels were likely not severed and that this involved an orthopedic rebuilding  probably using rods and reattaching ligaments and possibly bone grafts and implants.

With inputs from agencies
Indians in France will soon be able to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for transactions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the diaspora in France on 13 July. The Indian leader is in Paris till Friday (14 July) when he will attend the Bastille Day military parade.

Addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on an island in scenic river Seine, Modi said, Be it Indias UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction.

India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. In the coming days, it will begin from the Eiffel Tower, which means Indian tourists will now be able to pay in Rupees, the Indian prime minister announced.

How will UPI benefit Indian tourists in France? Which other countries have Indias digital payments system? Lets take a closer look.

How UPI in France will help

Indias UPI enables users to make real-time cashless payments using a quick response (QR) code or a four or six-digit PIN.

Indians visiting France will now be able to deploy this homegrown digital payments facility to carry out seamless transactions.

In France, an agreement has been made for the use of Indias UPIIt will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in Eiffel Tower.  PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/8BTtvOXGzN  BJP (@BJP4India) July 13, 2023

UPI will make it easier for Indian tourists who earlier relied mostly on forex cards or had to carry cash for making payments.

Last year, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI)  the umbrella organisation tasked with supervising retail payment systems in the country  had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Frances online payment system, Lyra, for allowing UPI and Rupay Card in the European nation.

Speaking to News18, a bank official said using UPI in France will be a cost-effective method of payment.

It will be a cost-effective method as compared to the traditional method of using forex cards, credit cards, etc. The recent UPI agreement between India and Singapore in February has also enabled people to save as much as 10 per cent on their cross-border payments between the two countries.

Launched in 2016, UPI has witnessed rapid growth in India. In May this year, the number of UPI transactions touched 9.41 billion in May worth a whopping Rs 14.3 trillion in terms of value.

ALSO READ: After big success at home, how Indias UPI is going global

Countries accepting UPI

India has expanded UPI services in more than a dozen countries across the world.

Bhutan was the first to launch BHIM UPI, the Indian governments digital payment app, in July 2021. The same year, Malaysias Merchantrade Asia partnered with NPCI International to permit real-time remittances to India through UPI.

In March last year, Nepal adopted UPI for digital transactions, becoming the first foreign country to do so. India collaborated with Nepals Manam Infotech and Gateway Payments Service to make person-to-person (P2P), person-to-merchant (P2M) and cross-border payments operational in the country, officials told PTI.

NPCIs international arm, NIPL, has joined hands with Liquid Group, a leading cross-border digital payments provider, to facilitate UPI QR-based payments in 10 markets across north Asia and southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, reported PTI.

Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in 10 countries, including Singapore, the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom, who have Non-Resident External (NRE) or Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) bank accounts can also avail UPI services. The diaspora in these countries can use their international mobile numbers to transact using UPI.

India has signed a deal with the UAEs Mashreq Bank to help the diaspora carry out transactions through UPI.

In February, online payment app PhonePe rolled out UPI international feature to enable cross-border UPI payments in the UAE, Singapore, Nepal and Bhutan. Indians travelling to these nations can make payments through UPI provided the foreign merchants have a local QR code, as per CNBC TV18.

Earlier this year, Indias UPI linked with Singapores payment system, PayNow, for faster remittances between the two countries. This will help the Indian diaspora in Singapore, particularly migrant workers and students, to make quick and low-cost fund transfers.

Officials told PTI in February this year that the NIPL has partnered with European payment services facilitator Worldline, to expand UPI services across Europe, particularly in nations such as Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Under the agreement, Worldlines QR code-based mechanism will allow Indians to pay merchants in Europe using their mobile phones.

According to a Mint report in June, India is in talks to take UPI to Gulf countries, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. NPCI is in initial discussions with a few Gulf countries for developing cross-border remittances using UPI, which will be primarily bank account-to-bank account transfers. The discussions have been facilitated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other-country central bank collaboration, and by our Indian mission offices, NPCI managing director and chief executive Dilip Asbe told the business newspaper.

With inputs from agencies
With an aim to help the state government undertake relief measures for affected people during the monsoon, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday approved the advance release of Rs 180 crore as the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to flood-hit Himachal Pradesh.

Shah approved the advance release of the second instalment of the central share of the SDRF, amounting to Rs 180.40 crore for 2023-24, as an interim relief to Himachal Pradesh, it said.

To support those affected in Himachal Pradesh, the central government released the first instalment of the central share of Rs 180.40 crore to the state from the SDRF on July 10 for relief measures immediate in nature.

To deal with the situation caused due to flash floods and floods, cloudbursts and landslides in Himachal Pradesh, the central government has provided all necessary logistics and financial assistance to the state government to meet the situation efficiently, the statement said.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission will herald Indias quantum leap in the global arena, reinforce the countrys capabilities in indigenous science and technology innovation startups, and firmly establish the country as a global player to reckon with, Jitendra Singh, minister of state in charge of the department of space, told CNN-News18 in an exclusive conversation.

Even though we started our space journey late it was we but through this Chandrayaan series got evidence of water being present on the surface of the moon. Chandrayaan-3 will target a relatively unexplored site near the south pole of the moon, where scientists hope to find water/ice locked in its perennial cold sub-surface, he said.

Singh said that India has taken a lead in space technology and the entire nation is feeling proud about it. Today Americans also value Indian talent and astronauts. In fact, they are looking to send an Indian astronaut into spaceI am so proud that we all witnessed the history of making I also thank PM Modi and congratulate the ISRO team, he said.

The rover would not only do in situ experiments, it will also pick up samples and send findings, Singh told CNN-News18. Since we are on the south pole, these will be virgin inputs, so we will be pioneers. This mission will also have the capacity to pick up all the nuances of planet Earth. Earlier we would say Looking at moon from moon. Now it is looking at moon from moon, and looking at earth from moon.

VIDEO | Here we are reiterating Indias indigenous capabilities living up to the idea of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), says Union Minister @DrJitendraSingh after the launch of Chandrayaan-3, Indias third moon mission. pic.twitter.com/O01L5qa0b1  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 14, 2023



The Indian Space Research Organisation has announced the successful launch of its glorious project, Chandrayaan-3.

In a tweet, the space body wrote, LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.

Chandrayaan-3, in its precise orbit, has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the Spacecraft is normal, it added.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said following the lift-off, Here we are reiterating Indias indigenous capabilities living up to the idea of Aatmanirbhar Bharat .
The Indian Navy contingent which would participate in Frances Bastille Day ParadePM Narendra Modi is the chief guest at the paradeis all set and proud of their prime minister being in France.

The contingent is full of enthusiasm. You will be able to see during the parade that what preparations we did. We have been preparing for the last one month. Today is the final dayWe are very proud that PM is here and our contingent is participating here. said Indian Navy officer Ranveer.

Indian Navy Contingent

The Indian Navy Marching Contingent, as part of the Tri services contingent, arrived in France for participation in the Bastille Day Parade at Paris on July 14.

The Navy team on parade will comprise of four officers and 64 sailors. The contingent will be led by Cdr Vrat Baghel. The officer is a specialist in Gunnery and Missile Warfare and has sailed on the French Ship BCR Var during exercise Varuna. He will be followed by his deputies, Lt Cdr Disha Amrith (who led the Indian Navy Contingent at the RD Parade 2023), Lt Cdr Rajat Tripathi and Lt Cdr Jittin Lalitha Dharmaraj.

To commemorate the event, the Indian Navy is also being represented by INS Chennai, an indigenously built frontline destroyer, which will be deployed to France between July 12 and 16. The ships crew will represent India at the Bastille Day celebrations at Brest.

Forging Bonds  , Exploring New Frontiers Save the date 14 Jul 23  the breathtaking performance of Marching Contingent & Band from Tri-Services at #Paris & #INSChennai at #Brest commemorating the magnificent festivities on #BastilleDay.@PMOIndia @IndiaembFrance pic.twitter.com/KffX66f35p  IN (@IndiannavyMedia) July 13, 2023

Indian Navy is amongst the largest Navies in the world with a potent mix of ships, submarines and aircraft. Its motto in sanskrit Sam No Varunah (meaning May the lord of oceans be auspicious unto us) has been taken from Rig Veda which dates back to 1500 BC.

PM Modi as Chief Guest

The India-France strategic partnership has completed 25 years. Its a big diplomatic milestone and to mark it Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in France. He will be in Paris on 13 July and 14 July at the invitation of French president Emmanuel Macron. There will be bilaterals, the focus will be on defence and space. And one of the highlights of the visit will be the Bastille Day celebrations to which the Indian premier has been invited as a guest of honour.

Its a rare honour. On Bastille Day or French national day, the country holds the Bastille Day parade, said to be the oldest and largest in Europe. Its a lot like Indias Republic Day; there is a display of Frances military strength. But unlike India, foreign leaders are seldom invited to the celebrations. This makes the presence of PM Modi all the more significant. The last time a foreign leader was invited to Bastille Day was in 2017  it was then US president Donald Trump.
The Indian Space Research Organisation has announced the successful launch of its glorious project, Chandrayaan-3.

In a tweet, the space body wrote, LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.

Chandrayaan-3, in its precise orbit, has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the Spacecraft is normal, it added.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said following the lift-off, Here we are reiterating Indias indigenous capabilities living up to the idea of Aatmanirbhar Bharat .

VIDEO | Here we are reiterating Indias indigenous capabilities living up to the idea of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), says Union Minister @DrJitendraSingh after the launch of Chandrayaan-3, Indias third moon mission. pic.twitter.com/O01L5qa0b1  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 14, 2023

Chandryaan-3, ISROs third lunar mission, lifted off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh earlier today.

#WATCH | #Chandrayaan3 project director P Veeramuthuvel and ISRO chief S Somanath share their delight after the LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched it into orbit. Chandrayaan-3, in its precise orbit, has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the Spacecraft is normal, says pic.twitter.com/nL52Ue5e7D  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

The cost of the Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission is said to be Rs 615-crore.

The aim of Chandrayaan-3 mission is to accomplish what its predecessor Chandrayaan-2 could not, i.e. land softly on the lunar surface and explore it with a rover.

A successful soft landing will make India the fourth country, after US, Russia, and China, to achieve the feat.

ISROs Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing in 2019.

Indias upgraded rocket lifted the Chandrayaan-3 satellite toward the moon.

Chandrayaan-3 satellite weighs 3,921 kilograms. The upgraded Bahubali rocket is massive, standing 43.5 meters tall.

It will be on the sixth flight of the rocket which has a one hundred per cent success rate to date. With this, hopes are mounting for the successful lift-off from Indias space port.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Indian leader to be conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour is Frances highest civilian and military award.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore people of India.

He added, I thank President Emmanuel Macron, the French Government and people for this gesture. It shows their deep affection towards India and resolve for furthering friendship with our nation.

A warm gesture embodying the spirit of - partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron. pic.twitter.com/OyiHCHMDX2  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 13, 2023

On Thursday PM Modi was conferred the award at the Elysee Palace. With this award, the Indian leader joined the ranks of world leaders like the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles  the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others.

Prime Minister Modi received a ceremonial welcome in Paris as he arrived on Thursday. He will join Macron on Friday for Bastille Day celebrations where he has been invited as the Guest of Honour.

A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Prime minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India, the MEA said in a statement.

Apart from the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, PM Modi has received other international awards like the Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019.

The French Award was established in 1802 by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Although the membership to the award is restricted to French nationals, foreign nationals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also be given a distinction of the Legion.

With inputs from agencies
Karachis Seema Haider fell in love online. She fled Pakistan, entered India illegally, to be finally united with her India lover. But, Sapzla Akhtar, who did a Seema from Bangladesh was spurned by her Indian boyfriend and has landed in jail.

Sapla Akhtar (21) came to West Bengals Siliguri in India from Bangladesh risking her life and limb for love. But, when she saw the real face of her Indian lover, she just bolted; he wanted to sell her in Nepal.

According to reports, Sapla Akhtar had crossed over to India illegally from Bangladesh nearly two-and-a-half months back with the intent of uniting with her Indian lover.

All this time, Sapla Akhtar happily stayed with her lover, but one day suddenly came to know that he was allegedly plotting to sell her in Nepal.

As soon as she came to know of the real motive of her lover, she escaped. Reports say that she was spotted in a disoriented state by a volunteer organisation when she was trying to catch a train at the Siliguri Railway Junction.

The Organisation handed over Sapla Akhtar to police at the Pradhan Nagar police station. Police arrested Akhtar on charges of having illegally entering India and produced her in the Siliguri court Thursday. The accused girl has been sent to jail.

The Siliguri police, however, have launched a manhunt for the Indian man.
President Emmanuel Macron said that India is a giant in world history and a strategic partner of France.

Macron said that the country is proud to welcome India as the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the military parade on Frances National Day as the Guest of Honour.

Taking to Twitter, President Macron tweeted, A giant in world history, with a decisive role to play in the future, a strategic partner, a friend. We are proud to welcome India as our guest of honour at the 14 July parade.

The Bastille Day Parade took place under bright and sunny skies at Champs-Elysees in Paris. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the ceremonial salute from the Indian contingent as they marched at the Champs-Elysees.

French President Emmanuel Macron, First Lady Brigitte Macron, topped the dignitaries attending the Bastille Day Military Parade on Friday. The French fighters, which led the flypast, left a trail of smoke in the colours of the French national flag  red, blue and white, leaving the skies of Champs-Elysees bathing in its afterglow.

Both the Indian and French troops marched with trumpets and drums. Macron received the Guard of Honour upon his arrival ahead of the military parade. Champs-Elysees was gilded in the colours of the French Flag.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution.

This year the Bastille Day Parade had 6,300 soldiers in various marching contingents. This included a tri-services contingent of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The Indian Army was represented by the Punjab Regiment.

The troops of the Regiment have participated in both World Wars, having been awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours in the first war. The Punjab Regiment participated in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in France in September 1915 during World War One. The regiment also won 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours in the Second World War.

In a moment to savour for India, the IAF Rafales streaked the skies over the Champs-Elysees, leaving the audience in awe.
Heroes dont always come in covered gear and sword sheaths as knights in shining armour. Some believe in fighting secret battles daily. One glance and they can be easily spotted around us, dressed as food delivery executives. With the monsoon taking hold of India and throwing life out of gear, the only thing that continues to be active is their delivery services. Looking at their plight, a man took it on himself and placed a relax station where delivery agents could have snacks and take a break from work.

Siddhesh Lokare, an Instagram Influencer, known as sidiously_ on Instagram pronounced the move as societys collective salaam to the real heroes of India. Furthermore, he explained that the relax station is a collective effort and bravery of the delivery network delivering food and comfort. Sharing his experience, he mentioned how a sense of pride and passion ensued during his conversation with these hard-working people who relish their jobs irrespective of the appalling seasons. Baarish ho ya kuch bhi ho, rukna nahi hai, he said in the reel.

The post garnered over 6 lakh views.

Kya aap delivery kar rahe hain? Thoda relax kar lo. (Are you out for delivery? Kindly take some rest), read the placard.

Check out the mans Instagram post:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Siddhesh Lokare (@sidiously_)

The clip shows Lokare setting things off on a scooter. It includes a few snacks like pakora and samosa, chai and some raincoats for those who might need them.

Check out some of the comments below:

Youre doing a great work bro, wrote one user. Another said: Nice work brother.

Overburdened with work, delivery partners always rush from one place to another with alacrity and at breakneck speeds to deliver the food in time. Recently, food delivery firm Zomatos grocery unit, Blinkit, became temporarily unavailable after 50 stores shut down in different parts of Delhi-NCR. The incident happened after delivery partners associated with the unit protested against recent changes in their pay structure.

As per Blinkits revised pay structure, delivery executives shall be entitled to a minimum fee of Rs 15 per delivery, instead of Rs 25 per delivery. This led to issues with the orders and a message displaying: Due to excess demand, temporarily unavailable.

Viral videos on various social media platforms showed Blinkits delivery executives protesting against the revised payment structure.
As tomatoes continue to bleed Indians red, they are now being smuggled from across the Nepal border to make a killing in Indian markets and bazaars.

After three tonnes of tomatoes were caught being sneaked illegally into India from Nepal in Uttar Pradeshs Maharajganj district on July 7, an investigation has been launched not just into the smuggling bid, but also to probe how the tomatoes went missing after being seized by a joint team of police and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

After being seized on July 7, valued at approximately Rs 4.8 lakh, they were handed over to customs officials for destruction. The rule book says perishable items seized must be destroyed within 24 hours.

It is now alleged that some customs officials released the consignment, only for it to be intercepted and seized by police again. The Lucknow headquarters of the customs department was later informed about this incident.

Aarti Saxena, the Customs Commissioner in Lucknow, confirmed that an investigation has been initiated, and six department officials stationed in the border area have been summoned to the headquarters.

The chain of events began on July 7, when two jeeps, each carrying 1.5 tonnes of tomatoes, were intercepted by an SSB team near the Nichlaul area of Maharajganj district.

The local police were then informed by the SSB, and a police team was dispatched to the location.

After inspection, the customs department was notified. An SSB official stated that goods not manufactured or prepared in Nepal are prohibited from entering India.

In the past, we used to frequently seize Chinese apples, the official added.

The official further explained that for perishable items, a duty must be paid, and a certified copy of payment must be presented for their entry into India.

We can seize items like jewelry, foreign currency, and electronic items if they are purchased without paying duty, stated Nichlaul SHO Anand Kumar Gupta.

He also mentioned that cigarettes and liquor are seized under the NDPS Act.

The customs department took possession of the consignment along with the vehicles.

On July 8, two more jeeps, each carrying 1.5 tonnes of tomatoes, were intercepted at the Samptiha police outpost in the Nautanwa area of the district.

Nautanwa SHO Satya Prakash Singh confirmed that the incident was recorded in their general diary, and senior police officials were notified.

The cost of tomatoes in Uttar Pradesh is Rs 160 per kilogram, whereas in Nepal, they are priced at around Rs 100 to Rs 110, equivalent to Rs 62 to Rs 69 in India.

Residents and traders from border areas often cross over to the other side to purchase daily necessities.

However, the district authorities have imposed a limit of goods worth a maximum of Rs 25,000 for such purchases.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai strongly criticized CM Nitish Kumar led Bihar government for the lathi charge during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) march in Patna on Thursday and likened Bihar CM to Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, who in 1919 carried out the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and demanded his resignation.

He asserted that Bihar is currently witnessing Jungle Raj 3 and demanded his resignation after a party leader died allegedly in a police lathi-charge in Patna.

The opposition party in Bihar alleged that the police lathi-charge during the Vidhan Sabha march was a pre-planned conspiracy of the state government to instil fear among people and prevent them from holding protests for their rights and justice.

The BJPs Jehanabad district general secretary Vijay Singh died while taking part in the march organised by the party against the Nitish Kumar government. Party leaders have alleged that Vijay Singh succumbed to injuries he suffered in a brutal lathi-charge by the police.

The party demanded the arrest of the culprits behind the police action and claimed the lathi charge and use of tear gas shells during their protest against various decisions of the Bihar government was a reminder of similar incidents during the British Raj.

It was the same as the Britishers had done with people protesting against the Simon Commission, said Nityanand Rai the union minister of state for home and the BJPs MP from Bihars Ujiyarpur Lok Sabha constituency said a press conference.

Indeed, Jungle Raj 3.0 has arrived in Bihar. He sought the Nitish Kumar governments answer over the police brutality unleashed on the people of Bihar who were holding a peaceful demonstration, demanding rights and justice.

The kind of barbarism witnessed on the streets of Patna yesterday was a reminder of General Dyer who is known for his barbaric way of crushing those demanding justice, he said.

Lathi-charge on teachers, lathi-charge on students, lathi-charge on women This shows that Bihars Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav government is conspiring to crush their opponents like the British, he said. The BJP demands his resignation.

Chief Minister Kumar is in charge of the states home department.

Asserting that the BJP will continue the struggle in Bihar, Rai demanded the state government roll back all the decisions taken against the interests of farmers, students and teachers in the state.

The use of force by the police on BJP leaders and workers was a well-thought-out conspiracy of the state government to instil fear in the minds of the people of Bihar so that nobody dares to organise such kind of march, demonstration and protest in future, he alleged.

The union minister said BJP leaders and workers cannot be scared by lathis and bullets. Vijay Singh has made a big sacrifice for the farmers, labourers, teachers, students and, womens rights, he added.

With inputs from agencies
The infamous Golden Triangle known for decades to manufacture a variety of drugs has entangled the border state of Manipur which has been witnessing unrest for almost the past two months.

Manipur, one of the four Indian states bordering Myanmar, has witnessed a spurt in poppy cultivation and manufacture of drugs in recent years prompting the government to launch a war on drugs. The crackdown is one of the several reasons that triggered turbulence in the state since 3 May that is yet to subside.

The states linkages with the Golden Triangle and overseas drug cartels have been a subject of discussions and writings for quite some time. Newspapers editorials in Manipur have often underscored the phenomenon which is in addition to the statements by senior government officials. In January, former police chief of Manipur P Doungel went on record to say that the state has become the direct victim of the infamous golden triangle.

More recently, the development in Manipur has been analysed elaborately in a paper titled Rise of Alternative Agriculture: The Case of Poppy Cultivation which was authored by Ch. Priyoranjan Singh, Homen Thangjam and H Isworchandra. The paper was submitted to the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) last year.

The paper quotes diverse sources citing the linkages between the state and the Golden Triangle that encompasses regions in the three countries of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. It delineates the extent and implications of poppy cultivation at certain regions in the hill districts across the border state that has a long border of 398 km with Myanmar.

In Myanmar, the hub of drugs continues to be Shan State in the Golden Triangle which was further confirmed by resistance fighters and police officers under the National Unity Government (NUG) to this correspondent between JanuaryMarch at different locations in Chin State and Sagaing Region. As such, it may be safely concluded that whatever opium is ferried from Manipur to Myanmar is headed to the laboratories in Shan State.

The paper explains how poppy cultivation in Manipur expanded from small beginnings in the late 1990s to cover a vast expanse in the state. It quoted Inspector General of Police Lunsieh Kipgen as saying that initially some zones of Ukhrul district and the adjoining area of Saikul of Sadar Hills in Senapati district were known to have poppy cultivation.

Saikul area came to be known as the hotspot of massive poppy cultivation for commercial intent. Chandel and Churachandpur districts soon figured in the poppy-growing map of the state. Koubru hill range in Sadar Hills, Senapati, parts of Tamenglong and Senapati districts too soon found plots in the poppy map. For example, in the New Samtal Village of Dingpi region in Chandel bordering Myanmar, poppy cultivation started in 199697. Poppy seeds were brought from Ukhrul areas and Myanmar by people who were already into the trade, the officer said.

The researchers found that there was an alarming CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 79.78 per cent from the year 2016 to 2019. The hilly tracts bordering Myanmar were found to have been most adversely impacted by the phenomenon. The districts of Ukhrul and Chandel to the east neighbouring Sagaing Division in Myanmar and the district of Churachandpur to the south, neighbouring the Chin Hills of Myanmar, have become prime targets for poppy cultivation in recent times.

It may be mentioned that the boom in poppy cultivation in Manipur coincided with a plummeting trend in Myanmar between 2014-20. The trend has reversed after the military coup early in 2021 resulting in an increase of 33 per cent in the cultivation of poppy as revealed in the latest report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

An Indian government official engaged with an agency to check drug trafficking in the countrys North East attributed the increase in poppy cultivation in Manipur to the demand from Shan State in the Golden Triangle. The crackdown against poppy cultivation in Myanmar before the coup compelled the drug barons to explore alternatives. The remote areas along the India-Myanmar border were ideal for cultivation as they could avoid detection. The farmers and middlemen garnered profits and it was not long before the cultivation spread to more areas in Manipur, he said on condition of anonymity.

Conversation with another government official revealed other aspects of the phenomenon in Manipur including how new markets were found in the Indian mainland for the opium in Manipur. He pointed out that middlemen were successful in establishing new buyers in many far-off states in the country such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra and links with cartels in other neighbouring countries.

Consumption of raw opium is an old tradition in India. Some middlemen in Manipurs Imphal valley realized that greater profits can be earned by selling the opium in some states of the country (India) then to the laboratories in Shan State. Similarly, some of them also understood that manufacturing Heroin and Brown Sugar and selling them in the Indian market was more lucrative than importing consignments from Myanmar, he said.

Several laboratories manufacturing these commodities had been busted in Manipur over the past few years. The paper submitted to ICSSR cited an incident on 3 December 2019 when a heroin-manufacturing unit was raided by the police at Kangpokpi in which 41 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 165.172 crore ($2,01,36,421 approximately) in the international market was seized. Altogether six drug laboratories were destroyed by the security personnel in 2019.

According to an estimate, a total area of 4565 acres of poppy fields had been destroyed in the hill areas of Manipur between 2016-19. The paper mentions that the maximum eradication was in Senapati (2,497 acres) followed by Chandel (795 acres) and Churachandpur (791 acres). Bishnupur was the only district in Imphal valley where poppy cultivation was reported which had also witnessed raids by the police.

The battle against drugs and poppy cultivation in Manipur could be long drawn which might stretch for many years. Some officials are of the view that only about one-third of the total area under poppy cultivation had been destroyed in the state so far. There are vast tracts in the remote mountain slopes which have remained beyond the reach of government agencies. There are arguments as well making a case for providing viable alternatives to the farmers growing poppy for long-term results on the governments war on drugs.

The author is a senior journalist in Assam, India. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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On a cloudless morning in late 1943, a blue-eyed six-feet tall man with close-cropped hair wearing a big-brimmed brown porkpie hat stood somewhere in the middle of Los Alamos in New Mexico, United States, chain-smoking cigarettes and reciting passages from the Bhagavad Gita. The world was at war. The Japanese forces had humbled the nation after bombing Pearl Harbour on 9 December 1941. The threat of the Third Reich dominating Europe was real. America needed to ensure victory and end WW2 faster, saving lives. If WW1 was the chemists war, WW2 became a physicists war. American theoretical physicist Dr Robert Oppenheimer was in charge of the top-secret $2-billion Manhattan Engineer District. His mission was to lead the scientific effort to devise the ultimate weapon of war  the atomic bomb. It was the highest priority project of WW2.

Born in New York on 22 April 1904, Oppenheimer was the first son born to a family of rich Jewish German immigrants. He had a privileged upbringing and his parents opulent apartment on the Upper West Side was filled with an art collection that included three Van Goghs. The musically and intellectually gifted boy studied at Ethical Culture School and entered Harvard in 1922 graduating in just three years. From Harvard, Oppenheimer went to the University of Cambridge, studying under Lord Rutherford, and also worked in atomics with the eminent physicist Dr. Max Born.

Five years later these top scientists would encounter another brilliant physicist  Homi J Bhabha of India. Meanwhile, in 1929 Oppenheimer returned to teach theoretical physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He proved to be an exceptional teacher, inspirational and impelling for the youngsters, training an entire generation of world-class physicists. At Berkeley, he was also associated with the quintessential intellectual Arthur W Ryder, a professor of Sanskrit. Ryder had in 1912 recommended Indian revolutionary Har Dayals name for a faculty position at Stanford. Ryder gave Oppenheimer private tutorials in Sanskrit every Thursday evening.

With his facility for foreign languages, Oppenheimer was soon enraptured by his Sanskrit studies and the Bhagavad Gita. Motivated by the idea of discharging the duties of ones station without the thought of fruit the young physicist remained for the rest of his life engaged as a scientist with the physical world, and yet detached from it. In his later years, he listed the Bhagavad Gita as one of the books that shaped his philosophical outlook and gifted copies of the ancient Indian text to his friends. He also named his Chrysler car  Garuda, after the giant bird god in ancient Indian mythology that ferries Vishnu  the preserver, across the sky.

Oppenheimers comprehensive grasp of his professional field saw his reputation grow in American scientific circles. By the early 1940s he came to be known as the man who always gave the right answers before one could even formulate the questions. The inhuman treatment of the Jewish community in Europe by the Nazis had the brilliant nuclear physicist smoldering with fury. At that time Oppenheimer was named as the head of the highly classified Project Y  the mission to build the atom bomb. He recruited the best young physicists from American university campuses by only divulging, I cant tell you what work well be doing. But I can tell you that it may end this war  and it may end all wars.

Working in extraordinary secrecy at the hastily built remote desert facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico by 1942 he led a group of super brilliant scientists, some of whom were recipients of the Nobel Prize. Gulping his signature martinis and waving cigarettes he drove himself and skilled scientists at breakneck speed at the field laboratory to get military superiority over the Axis Powers. Oppenheimer knew if his team could not crack the atomic secrets then neither could the Axis powers. Mathematician Charles Crutchfield noted that Even at Los Alamos, Oppenheimer didnt talk about weapons or physics. He talked about the mystery of life He kept quoting the Bhagavad Gita. Oppenheimer even named the atom bomb test site Trinity. It has been inferred by historian Marjorie Bell Chambers that he based it on the Indian divine trinity of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

At 0530 hours on 16 July 1945, an event at the remote section of the Alamogordo bombing range about 35 miles from the nearest city in New Mexico changed the course of human history. On orders from Oppenheimer and Kenneth Bainbridge, a series of signals were put in motion. There was a tremendous burst of multi-coloured light outshining the sun and expanding over 20 miles before rising to 10,000 feet in a fraction of a second. This was followed shortly thereafter by a 40,000 feet high mushroom cloud, a deep growling roar, and a shockwave that was felt 100 miles away.

The flashlight caused by this man-made gadget was visible from as far as Mars. It announced the birth of the Atomic Age. That morning after the first successful atomic test in history, codenamed the Trinity explosion, humankind discovered atomic fire. A section of the ancient Indian scripture ran through Oppenheimers mind. It was Chapter 11, Verse 32 of the Bhagavad Gita, Shri-bhagavan uvacha, kalo smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddho, lokan samahartum iha pravrittah

In 1965 in an NBC television documentary, Oppenheimer the emotional and intellectual heart of the atom bomb project recollected: We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed; a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the prince that he should do his duty, and to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. I suppose we all thought that one way or another.

At the Potsdam conference, American President Harry S Truman received word of the success of the Trinity test and the arrival of a new weapon of unusual destructive force. Next, Japan was given an ultimatum to surrender unconditionally or meet prompt and utter destruction. Japan ignored the demand for unconditional surrender and Radio Tokyo announced that its forces would continue to fight. Truman decided to end the war swiftly to preserve an estimated million American lives that would be lost in the invasion of Japan.

On 6 August 1945 Colonel Paul Tibbets, flying ace and the commanding officer of Enola Gay the B-29 bomber arrived over Japan. His nine-man crews adrenaline was up. They were carrying the 8,900-pound uranium atomic bomb named Little Boy. Tibbets had a clear view of the city of Hiroshima. Flying without escort fighters he carefully guided his four-engined plane to the site of headquarters of Japans Secord Army. Morris Jeppson, the electronics expert checked the circuits for the last time. The bomb bays were opened.

Then the countdown began. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 Major Freebee pushed a lever in the B-29 and shouted, Bomb away. The heavy bombers nose lurched up as Little Boy departed with its nose down towards the target. The bomb fell for 43 seconds and at 1,890 feet above ground zero it exploded in a nuclear inferno. The fire released by the bomb swallowed the whole city. The citizens of Hiroshima saw something much brighter than the brightness of the sun with temperatures around ten million degrees. 80,000 lives were lost instantly, and an estimated 200,000 human beings died subsequently due to a new scientific invention that used nuclear radiation to massacre on a scale unknown previously. An area of nine square miles in Hiroshima was transformed into an expanse of debris and ruins. From infants to the elderly 140,000 people died by the end of the year.

On that day WW2s most closely held secret was no longer a secret. For the first time, our planet witnessed the destructive power of an atomic bomb. But Japan still refused to surrender. Washington swiftly ordered a second nuclear strike. Three days after obliterating Hiroshima, at 3:47 a.m. on 9 August, another B-29 lifted off from the Tinian airbase. After eight hours of flying, it dropped the Fat Man over the port city of Nagasaki. The shockwave and the atomic heat generated were estimated at 21 kilotons, forty percent greater than that of the Hiroshima bomb. It killed 74,000 people in Nagasaki by the end of 1945. On 11 August 1945, The New York Times ran a banner headline, JAPAN OFFERS TO SURRENDER as thousands of ecstatic Americans crowded the Times Square in Manhattan.

Oppenheimers leadership at Los Alamos ended with the war and he went on to head the Atomic Energy Commissions General Advisory Committee. His desk in the Presidents Executive Office was across the street from the White House. Acclaimed as the father of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer comprehended he had set a course for a future apocalypse by bestowing upon humanity the possible means for its own annihilation. Unable to deny his moral responsibility the famed scientist told President Truman he had blood on his hands.

In his neo-pacificist avatar, he favoured nuclear energy for electricity generation and opposed nuclear weaponry and nuclear terrorism. In a closed Senate hearing in 1946 Oppenheimer was asked, whether three or four men couldnt smuggle units of an atomic bomb into New York and blow up the whole city, to which he reacted sharply, Of course it could be done, and people could destroy New York. The alarmed senator then asked, What instrument would you use to detect an atomic bomb hidden somewhere in a city? Oppenheimer joked, A screwdriver  to open each and every crate or suitcase.

In the subsequent years, the hero of American science who had been hailed as a genius was shockingly alleged to be a communist based on rumours. In April and May of 1954, after 19 days of secret hearings, Oppenheimers security clearance was revoked. The entire scientific community was deeply shocked by the decision. Once the technocrat of a new age for mankind Oppenheimer was branded a traitor. Appointed the Director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University he lived his life as a broken man.

In this period, he wrote to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru urging him not to sell thorium to the United States in case it would be used for destructive ends. He also received an offer to settle in India from Nehru through his friend Homi Bhabha which he declined. Then his younger brother physicist Frank Oppenheimer, was offered a job by Bhabha at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, but the United States denied him even a passport. Later in January 1966 on receiving the news that Bhabha tragically died in a plane crash in the Alps, Oppenheimer noted, He will be sorely missed as a scientist.

Oppenheimer lived in quiet obscurity and was once invited by President John F Kennedy to a White House dinner of Nobel Prize winners in April 1962. He could have been an Einstein as he was nominated three times for a Nobel Prize, (1946, 1951, and 1967) however he never won. In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson gave Oppenheimer the $50,000 tax-free Fermi Award but by then the glory was gone and his days as a scientist were almost over. In his acceptance speech, Oppenheimer said, I think it is just possible, Mr President, that it has taken some charity and some courage for you to make this award today.

Oppenheimer was diagnosed with cancer of the throat in mid-1966. After unsuccessful treatments, the globally celebrated physicist lost his battle with the terminal disease at 10:40 pm on 18 February 1967. He was 62. He was survived by his wife, Kitty, and their two children Peter and Toni. Two days later his remains were cremated and a memorial service was held on 25 February at Alexander Hall in Princeton. With visible emotion, the gathering of an estimated 600 people was informed that Oppenheimer had spurned the opportunity to work abroad when he was considered a security risk and had replied with tears in his eyes, I happen to love this country.

The New York Times while recognising his genius called him a classic figure of tragedy. Japans first Nobel prize-winning scientist Dr Hideki Yukawa agreed stating, Dr Oppenheimer was also the symbol of the tragedy of the modern nuclear scientists and felt that the governments actions of stripping him of his security clearance might have shortened his life. Fifty-five years later on 16 December 2022 the US Department of Energy appropriately nullified a 1954 decision to revoke the security clearance, correct the historical record, and honour Dr Oppenheimers profound contributions to our national defence and the scientific enterprise at large.

Now in 2023, over three-quarters of a century after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no nuclear weapon has been employed in the last seventy-eight years. Still, there is no assurance in the future. Consequently, the vision of a nuclear-free world must be a global effort. It is time humankind gave peace a chance since a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.

Oppenheimer once said, Mankind must unite, or we will perish.

The writer is the biographer of Subhas Chandra Bose and Har Dayal and is the author of India on the World Stage. He can be reached at writerlall@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.

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So it only took one day for images of political violence in Bengal to disappear from our television screens and front pages of newspapers. But while it lasted, news channels thought they had invited all the stakeholders to the evening debates. That means one representative each from the TMC, the BJP, the Congress and the CPM. Seems fair enough, doesnt it? Not at all. Because the TMC, the CPM and the Congress are on the same side, united against the BJP. So it is really three liberal parties against one. This is just the beginning of what the media gets wrong when reporting on Bengal. Perhaps deliberately.

Also, the debate panels typically included at least one senior journalist from Bengal. That means one more leftist. So it is four versus one, which leaves the BJP all alone. Smooth sailing for the TMC. First, the ruling party gives its view. Then it gets soft questions from two supposed opposition parties and one supposedly neutral journalist. Life is easy when you have liberal privilege.

On election day, we are supposed to get updates about voter turnout. We talk about opinion polls and exit polls. If you are more serious, you talk about the issues. But what do you do when you need a ticker on the screen to count the number of dead and injured since last night?

Most TV channels use the language of old style battle when discussing elections. Words like bastion or stronghold. They show animations of political leaders in battle armor, wearing a helmet and carrying a sword. But that is supposed to be just a figure of speech. It was supposed to be in good humor. What do you do in Bengal where the bloodshed is real? So let me suggest some new rules for the media. So that we can understand the gravity of the situation in Bengal. And ask the right questions.

Stop saying that political violence is a tradition in Bengal

You are getting it wrong. Rosogolla is a tradition in Bengal. So is Rabindra Sangeet. So is Durgapujo with the sound of dhaak in the background. In Cooch Behar district, voters arrived at the polling station in the morning to find the BJP representative murdered. His body lay on the doorstep. His head was all smashed up in a pool of blood. Whose tradition is that? Not mine. Not of any other community. Do not make excuses for the failure of the ruling government to maintain law and order.

Yes, there is a history of deadly political violence in the state. The media should inform people about that. Bengal has been ruled by a number of political parties. And each successive government has made a conscious choice to use political violence for its benefit. Incidentally, all of these parties that have ruled Bengal are on the same side today: Congress, CPM and TMC. The media should question them, not the culture of innocent Bengalis.

Acknowledge the role of media in covering up political violence in Bengal

In 1997, the Left Front government presented official data on the floor of the West Bengal Assembly. By official count, there had been 28,000 political murders since Jyoti Basu came to power in 1977. That works out to an average of 1400 political murders a year. That is over 116 political murders a month, or just under 4 political murders a day. Every day, for twenty years running. These are horrifying numbers. Then why are so few people aware of them?

We all know the answer. Because the vast majority of people in media and intellectual circles are sympathetic to the left. They see left liberal dominance in West Bengal as a bulwark against the BJP. That is why they have covered up the facts about Bengal for 75 years. So much so that the same Jyoti Basu was offered the chair of prime minister several times in the 1990s. Imagine what would have happened to India if four decades of Nehruvian socialism had been followed by a decade or more of Jyoti Basus Communism!

And now, the media is doing it again. The media stopped covering the panchayat poll violence in Bengal after just one day.

Inform people that Central forces in Bengal elections are not under the control of the Center

By order of the Calcutta High Court, Central forces were deployed in Bengal for the period of the panchayat polls. But this also creates confusion in the minds of people about who is responsible for the failure to maintain law and order. When people hear names like CRPF, CAPF or CISF, they think that the Central government was in charge. At least one unscrupulous newspaper seems to be using this confusion to pass the blame to the Centre. Many other news outlets have done the same, whether deliberately or otherwise.

But this is wrong. As per the Constitution, law and order is purely a state subject. When central forces are sent to a state, they only take orders from state authorities. During the panchayat polls, Central forces in Bengal were taking orders from the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC), appointed by the TMC government. It was up to the WBSEC to decide where the central forces would be deployed and what they could do. The center had no role in the matter. In fact, the state government is even supposed to pay for using the services of Central forces. In this case however, the high court ordered the center to provide the services for free. This means that the nation as a whole is literally paying the price for the collapse of law and order in Bengal.

Question the judiciary about the appointment of the State Election Commissioner

Remember this? A few months ago, the Supreme Court took away the power of the government to appoint election commissioners. The power was transferred to a panel on which the government, the opposition and senior judges would all be represented. They said this would make elections more free and fair. But then, how did the TMC government manage to unilaterally appoint the state election commissioner in Bengal?

Because that Supreme Court ruling applied only to the Election Commission of India. Every state has its own state election commission, which oversees local body polls. In effect, the Supreme Court took away the power of the prime minister to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner. But it did not touch the power of Chief Ministers to appoint State Election Commissioners. First of all, why this imbalance? Second, does this mean that the Supreme Court is not concerned about local body polls being free and fair? In fact, the state election commissioner in Bengal announced panchayat polls just one day after being appointed. Against all sane advice, he decided that the polls would be conducted in a single phase. This means that central forces were stretched thin, even where he allowed them to be deployed. And the ruling party had the best chance to use strong arm tactics everywhere. Why did the Supreme Court not apply the same logic to state election commissioners as it did to the Chief Election Commissioner? Who will take responsibility for this failure?

Ask what is the real motive of those who want ballot papers back

A man arrives at a voting booth. He grabs as many ballot papers as he wants, stamps them and stuffs them into the ballot box. Feel like you might lose the election? Open the box, pour a glass of water and destroy the paper ballots. Or you could just run away with the box, take it outside to be kicked around, or burned, or thrown into a pond. Are you behind while the votes are being counted? Just pick up a bunch of your opponents votes, chew them up and eat them. Dont mind the cameras, because nobody cares.

Such were the scenes from the panchayat polls in Bengal the other day. Should the media not ask what is the real motive of those who want to get rid of EVMs? Why would anyone want to see general elections in Bengal next year conducted with ballot papers? In the last few years, opposition parties and their intellectual fellow travelers have chased every wild goose theory about the Election Commission favoring the BJP. But when ballots are plundered openly in Bengal, they choose to be silent. And the media chooses not to question them about it.

Humanise the victims of political violence in Bengal

Ever seen those fashionable status updates? 100 days or 1000 days since so and so was put in jail. These are usually accompanied with a sepia tinged photo of some five-star activist raising their fist. But have you ever seen a status update about it being two years since someone died in political violence in Bengal? In any case, there is always another round of political violence happening in Bengal. The last one was in 2021 during the Assembly elections. Now it is happening during the panchayat elections. Like clockwork, we all know it will happen again during the general elections next year.

Have you noticed? We only hear of the victims of poll violence in Bengal in terms of numbers. Their deaths are reported by ticker tape running at the bottom of the screen, if at all. Nobody gives out their names. Nobody goes to their villages to interview their relatives, their girlfriends or boyfriends. Soft words like dog lover or college student are reserved for privileged liberals who may have had to go down to the police station for a day or two. The media understands the power of images. A headline like 20 killed in violence in Bengal will not bring out the same emotion as a front page photo accompanied with College student, dog lover, 21, arrested.

Here is a challenge. Could you name even one person who has been murdered in political violence in Bengal? Let me at least name one. He was Trilochan Mahato. He was 18. They hanged him from a tree and wrote on his shirt that this is his punishment for joining BJP.

That was five years ago, during the last round of panchayat polls in Bengal. What if the media had shown just a little bit more conscience back then? Perhaps the state government could have been shamed into taking responsibility. Maybe there would have been less violence this time around.

Do not let off the state government with mild issues

Several years ago, the TMC government arrested a professor because he forwarded a silly cartoon of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The case got some media attention back then, because of which most people remember it even today. Ironically, this actually works in favor of the TMC government now. Because liberals now use it as a convenient fig leaf. Look, we criticised Mamata Banerjee when she arrested that professor, they say. What more do you want from us? How can you say that we are not fair and balanced?

Yes, I can say that. Because you do not want to talk about the hundreds of people who died in political violence in Bengal since that day. That is the only reason you keep bringing up that professor and the cartoon. It is a simple trick. And really quite perverse.

Do not go to ridiculous lengths to cover for the TMC

This should be obvious. But somehow it is not. The media needs to get a grip on their members who are getting carried away by their ideological need to defend the liberal TMC. I will give you an example from the 2021 Assembly election. One organisation said they had received an alert from the TMC that innocent TMC supporters were being stopped from voting in Bengal. Yes, you read that correctly. On receiving this alert, the media organization said they drove for three hours to go and report on this supposed incident.

It is okay to be a liberal. But it is not okay to make a complete fool of yourselves.

The author is an author and columnist. He tweets @AbhishBanerj. Views expressed are personal.

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In a glorious moment for billions of people across India, ISRO successfully launched its third mission to the Moon, the Chandrayaan 3, from the hallowed grounds of Sriharhikota.

While the scientists and engineers at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) were solely responsible for the magnificent launch, the people at NASA and the ESA (European Space Agency) will be just as responsible for ensuring Indias lunar mission reaches its destination safely, and on time. The three of them coming together is also a great example of Indias soft power, as well as the Indian Space Programmes repute.

ISRO, ESA and NASA working together

Chandrayaan 3, for those unaware, is a lunar expedition comprising of a lander and a rover. The primary objective of this endeavour is to conduct scientific studies on the lunar surface for a duration of 14 days.

To ensure seamless communication, ISRO will use its own deep-space communication antenna but will need assistance from ground stations across the world. The coordination of these ground stations will be facilitated by the ESA and US NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).

For any space-based mission, the ability to communicate with the Earth is the most crucial aspect.

In such a scenario, ground stations on Earth play a crucial role in maintaining communication and connection with spacecraft as they venture into the uncertainties and hazards of space. These stations are vital for gathering data from the spacecraft, monitoring its status, ensuring its safety, and determining its location.

The need to collaborate

ISRO operates a 32-metre deep space tracking station in the country, which enables them to track, command, and receive telemetry and scientific data from their distant spacecraft. However, there are instances when ISROs operators need to communicate with a spacecraft that is beyond the range of this antenna. During the Chandrayaans flight to the Moon, there will be many such instances, where ISRO wont be able to establish a direct line of communication.

Constructing new large-scale antennas and control stations worldwide can be very expensive. To mitigate these costs and promote international collaboration in space exploration, ISRO, like many other space agencies and commercial entities globally, seeks support from partner organizations ground stations.

By leveraging the facilities of these partner stations, ISRO can effectively track, command, and receive data from its spacecraft. This approach not only reduces expenses but also fosters cooperation and collaboration in the field of spaceflight on an international scale.

How exactly are ESA and NASA helping ISRO.

Through its global Estrack network of deep space stations, ESA will provide assistance to ISRO in tracking, commanding, and receiving data from Chandrayaan 3, throughout its journey and even on the Moon. ESAs ESOC mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany will serve as the central hub for this network.

For the Chandrayaan 3 mission, ESA will also utilize its 15-meter antenna located in Kourou, French Guiana, to track the spacecraft in the initial days after launch. This tracking will help confirm the spacecrafts successful launch and its overall health.

As the spacecraft moves away from Earth, ESA will coordinate tracking support from Goonhilly Earth Station Ltds 32-meter antenna in the United Kingdom. Goonhilly will provide tracking assistance for Chandrayaan 3s propulsion and lander modules, playing a crucial role during the lunar surface operations phase to ensure the safe transmission of scientific data acquired by the rover back to ISRO.

The data and telemetry transmitted by Chandrayaan 3, received via Kourou and Goonhilly, will be first forwarded to ESOC before being sent to ISRO for analysis. This collaborative effort between ESAs European stations, NASAs Deep Space Network, and ISROs own stations will ensure continuous monitoring and support for the spacecrafts operators, allowing them to maintain constant contact and oversight of our pioneering Moon mission.
US regulators are investigating OpenAI, an artificial intelligence company, regarding the potential risks posed to consumers by ChatGPT, an AI system that generates false information.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in a letter to OpenAI, has requested information on how the company addresses the reputational risks faced by individuals. This inquiry reflects the increasing regulatory scrutiny surrounding this technology.

Sam Altman in trouble?

OpenAIs CEO, Sam Altman, has stated that the company will cooperate with the FTC. ChatGPT produces human-like responses in a matter of seconds, unlike traditional internet searches that generate a list of links. This and similar AI products are expected to significantly change the way people access online information.

Competing tech companies are rushing to develop their own versions of this technology, which has sparked intense debates on issues such as data usage, response accuracy, and potential violations of authors rights during the training process.

Altman said OpenAI had spent years on safety research and months making ChatGPT safer and more aligned before releasing it.

We protect user privacy and design our systems to learn about the world, not private individuals, he said on Twitter.

The FTCs letter inquires about the measures taken by OpenAI to address the potential generation of false, misleading, disparaging, or harmful statements about real individuals. The FTC is also examining OpenAIs approach to data privacy, including data acquisition for training and informing the AI system.

OpenAIs potential for errors

Altman emphasized OpenAIs commitment to safety research, stating that they made ChatGPT safer and more aligned before releasing it. He asserted the companys dedication to protecting user privacy and designing systems to learn about the world rather than private individuals.

Altman had previously appeared before Congress and acknowledged the technologys potential for errors. He advocated for regulations and the creation of a new agency to oversee AI safety, expressing the companys willingness to collaborate with the government to prevent mishaps.

I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong we want to be vocal about that, Altman said at the time. We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening.

AI hallucinations are dangerous

The Washington Post initially reported the FTC investigation, providing a copy of the letter. The FTC, led by Chair Lina Khan, has been actively policing major tech companies, prompting debates about the extent of the agencys authority.

Weve heard about reports where peoples sensitive information is showing up in response to an inquiry from somebody else, Ms Khan said.

Weve heard about libel, defamatory statements, flatly untrue things that are emerging. Thats the type of fraud and deception that we are concerned about, she added.

Khan has voiced concerns about ChatGPTs output, citing instances of sensitive information being exposed and the emergence of defamatory or false statements. The FTCs investigation into OpenAI is still in its preliminary stages.

OpenAI has faced previous challenges on similar grounds, such as Italys temporary ban on ChatGPT due to privacy concerns. The service was reinstated after OpenAI implemented age verification tools and provided more detailed information about its privacy policy.
Rostec, Russias state-run military-industrial conglomerate, has announced that its employees are no longer allowed to use Apple devices. The ban applies to all organizations within the corporation, according to a statement from Rostecs press service to Tass news agency.

Initially, it was reported that the ban only affected Shvabe, one of Rostecs subsidiaries specializing in optoelectronic systems. However, it has now been clarified that the prohibition extends across the entire conglomerate.

The decision to ban Apple devices stems from a surveillance operation carried out by US intelligence agencies in Russia, which was uncovered by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). The FSB claims that the CIA implanted malware on numerous iPhones used by Russian citizens and foreign diplomats in the country.

As a result, Rostec has accused Apple of collaborating closely with the US intelligence community, alleging that the company facilitates extensive surveillance activities on behalf of the US government.

Apple has vehemently denied these allegations, stating that it has never cooperated with any government to create backdoors in its products. Despite the denial, the Russian Ministry for Industry and Trade recently announced a crackdown on iPhones, with a ban on Apple devices for its employees set to take effect next week.
Pros:

 Energetic sound output

 Excellent ANC for the segment

 Neat design, sturdy build

 Lightweight and comfortable on the ears

 Good call quality, multi-point support

 Good battery backup

 Handy companion app

Cons:

 No aptX or LDAC codec support

 Sounds inferior with ANC switched off

 Feels plasticky, no ingress protection

 Lacks fast charging, wear detection

Price: Rs 9,990

Rating: 3.8/5

When we think of Sony wireless headphones, the first thing that comes to mind is the WH-1000XM5 for obvious reasons. It remains one of the very best in the segment in terms of sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC). The Sony WH-CH720N wireless headphones that we have for review today, does exhibit a few traits of the Sony flagship but doesnt exactly belong to the same segment.

It is a lot more affordable, and though there will be a few references to the XM5 in this article, we will keep the new kid out of its giant shadow as much as possible. So lets begin.

Sony WH-CH720N  Build, design and comfort: 7/10

The CH720N design has the trademark Sony feel about it, and shades of the XM5 too, but not its finesse. While the build quality is pretty good, the back of the earcups feels distinctly plasticky. Mind you, the XM5 shells are also made of plastic, but probably a different grade of material that feels nicer to touch. This headphone is available in Black, Blue and White shades. We got the black variant for review, and the even matte finish looks nice.

The headphone is mainly made of plastic, and the only visible metal part is a metal plate that runs across the headband that connects the two earcups. Unlike the Audio Technica ATH-M20xBT, there is no cable sticking out the headphone from anywhere. While the construction seems sturdy, Sony has managed to keep the weight of this product well under 200 grams, which is quite impressive for one with ANC circuitry. The step-based height adjustment is convenient, the ear-cups are nicely cushioned but the headband could have done with a bit more padding.

The earcups provide a good seal and decent passive noise isolation. The playback controls and volume rocker can be found on the right ear cup along with a toggle for noise cancellation modes. The left ear cup hosts a USB-C port for charging, a power/Bluetooth pairing button and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. An aux cable is supplied in the package in case the device runs out of battery, or if you wish to use it as a wired headphone.

A few things missing here are a carry pouch and wear detection sensors that automatically pause the audio when you take the headphone off, and resume when you wear it again. It also doesnt have any ingress protection; well, not many headphones do. The ear-cups can be turned and flattened but cannot be folded. As long as you can slip them in your bag vertically, they shouldnt take up much space.

The Sony WH-CH720N is comfortable to wear for long hours. Though the earcups arent large enough to go entirely over your ears, the padding is excellent. The soft cushions exert just the right amount of pressure on the earlobes to stay in place without causing any discomfort. As I mentioned, the headband could have used a bit more padding as you can feel its presence at the top of your head. One way to get around this issue is to extend the height a bit more and wear it slightly loose when not on the move.

Sony WH-CH720N  Key features: 7.5/10

These Bluetooth 5.2 headphones only support SBC and AAC codecs, and no high-end codecs like LDAC or aptX; we would have preferred to see at least one of those. Multi-point support is available though and the CH720N can be paired with two devices simultaneously, which is a good option to have. You also get active noise cancellation here along with a transparency mode to let ambient sounds through.

Each ear cup hosts a 30 mm dynamic driver and two beamforming microphones for voice pickup and wind noise suppression. You also get the Sony V1 processor that is present in the XM5 too for sound processing and ANC. Of course, the second QN1 processor hasnt been included here, but let me remind you (and myself) that this product sells for one-third the price of the XM5.

These headphones are compatible with the popular Sony Headphones app that lets you play around with certain features of this product like ANC and update the firmware. It also provides you with a multi-band equaliser to alter the sound profile. The wireless range is not an issue either with the headphones retaining a strong connection easily at 10 metres with a clear line of sight.

Sony WH-CH720N  Performance: (8/10)

Given that this is a far more affordable product, the audio quality was never going to be in the same league as the XM5s, and it isnt. Having said that, it is better than what I expected from a headphone priced at one-third its cost, and more importantly, it is thoroughly enjoyable. The sound signature doesnt even attempt to stay neutral and clearly favours the low-end frequencies. Despite that, the bass is fairly tight with ample thump, but thankfully not as overstated as on the XB series from the same company.

The mids are reproduced quite well with clear vocals and good instrument separation. The highs have ample sparkle without being harsh, but they roll off a bit too soon for my liking. The detail in sound is very good for the segment, and the reasonably broad soundstage gives the output a nice and fuller feel. The Sony Headphones app provides you with a multi-band equaliser to tweak the sound further, and its a great option to have.

The Sony CH720N is enjoyable in music and also when watching movies or content on OTT. The dialogue clarity is quite good and the action sequences sound punchy. There was no delay between audio and video either. Things are generally good, but there are a couple of issues I spotted while using these headphones. These are far from enjoyable at lower volumes south of 50 per cent. The sound feels bass-heavy and lacking in detail. Things are manageable between 50 to 70 per cent loudness, but they truly start to shine at the 70-75 per cent mark with a much better balance and detail.

Another unusual issue being the sound profile is completely different when you switch off ANC. Unintentionally, it can serve as a low bass preset for those who do not like boosted bass, but it lacks the thump and depth that you can hear and feel in the audio with ANC or Transparency switched on. So in order to get the best sound output from these headphones, you have to use them in ANC On or Transparency mode, and as a result, cannot save battery even when you do not need those modes.

Speaking of ANC, it is arguably the best I have come across in headphones priced under Rs 10,000. It is a feature Sony has mastered over the years and the implementation of the same in CH720N is excellent despite being a budget pair. Dare I say, it is comparable to what you get on the XM5 though not exactly as good. It not only cuts out several low-frequency noises but also eliminates a few mid to high-frequency sounds. Dont expect pin-drop silence though.

You also have an option of Adaptive noise cancellation that automatically switches between ANC modes depending on your movement or location. By default, it turns ANC on if you are stationary and switches to Transparency when you start to walk. You can alter that, also store locations and choose the mode you would prefer when there. The Transparency mode lets ambient sounds through when you need to be aware of your surroundings. It generally works well, but a bit more amplification of vocal frequencies would have been nicer.

Sony WH-CH720N  Call quality: (7.5/10)

This is not a feature potential buyers of on or over-the-ear headphones care about much, but theres no harm in checking it out. The microphone quality is quite good on this headset and your voice is transmitted with more than decent clarity to the person on the line even outdoors. The wind noise suppression works well and even the ambient noise is kept in check. So, yes, you can use this wireless headset for hands-free calling.

Sony WH-CH720N  Battery life: (8/10)

Sony claims a battery backup of 35 hours for the CH720N with ANC on, which though not the highest around, is pretty good for a headphone with that good an ANC. I managed to get over 30 hours out of it with AAC codec and ANC on all the time. At about three hours of daily listening, this headphone went on for just over 10 days. The figures with ANC off are pegged at 50 hours, but we didnt validate that claim, because realistically one would use it with ANC most of the time, as they also sound better that way.

These headphones dont exactly support fast charging. If it runs out of juice, 3 minutes of charging can give you close to an hour of playtime, which is handy when going for a walk maybe. But these cans take close to 4 hours to charge fully, something you may consider doing overnight once a week or fortnight depending on your usage.

Sony WH-CH720N  Price and verdict

The Sony WH-CH720N is priced at Rs 9,990 with a one-year warranty. Not often do I get to say this about Sony products, but this one is really well-priced. For less than 10K, you get a comfortable pair of headphones with enjoyable sound quality, excellent ANC and good battery backup. With the focus largely shifting to TWS earphones for most brands, you dont get too many good on or over-the-ear headphones in India these days in this budget, let alone with ANC. I cant even think of an alternative, thus making the CH720N arguably the best option under Rs 10,000.
At least seventy per cent of child abuse victims in Pakistans Punjab province during the first five months of 2023 were boys, an official report said on Friday.

Around 1,400 incidents of child abuse (rape) were reported in Punjab during the first five months of this year and of them  965 (70 per cent) victims were boys and 435 (30 per cent) girls, a report by the Punjab governments Home Department said.

there has been a significant increase in child abuse crime rate in the province of 120 million people, mostly against boys.

The department collected the region-wise data of child abuse in Punjab using the field staff and stated that the Rawalpindi region and Lahore city reported lowest crime against children than other divisions of the province, the Down reported.

It said that of the perpetrators facing trial in courts, 55 per cent are neighbours of the victims, 32 per cent are strangers, and 13 per cent are relatives.

It pointed out many key factors as prime barriers in controlling sexual crime against children in Punjab, it added.
The British government acted too slowly in reaction to Chinese influence, resulting in a serious failure and one that the UK may feel the consequences of for years to come, a cross-party committee of lawmakers said Thursday.

Chinas size and ambition have allowed it to successfully penetrate every sector of the UK economy, according to an influential parliamentary panel, which warns that Beijings national imperative to remain a technological and economic superpower on which other countries rely is the greatest risk to the UK.

The House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said in a wide-ranging report released on Thursday that the intelligence threat posed by China is compounded by a whole-of-state approach with the use of state and non-state players for spying.

The report highlights Chinas economic security threat to the UK, emphasizing the need for long-term planning. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden recently labelled China as the largest state-based threat to Britains economic security. However, he expressed no intention to sever ties with the country.

Commissioned in 2019, the inquiry by the ISC examines Chinas threat across academia, industry, and technology. The report reveals that China aims to acquire information and intellectual property by influencing elites and decision-makers.

It also highlights the potential for espionage and interference through the involvement of Chinese companies, academic institutions, and citizens.

The committee acknowledges that China views the UK as a significant target for espionage and interference due to its close relationship with the US. However, it falls just below Chinas top priority targets.

To safeguard the future security of the UK, the committee urges the government to adopt a longer-term planning cycle. It emphasizes the importance of addressing security concerns without being overshadowed by economic interests tied to election cycles.

The committee, consisting of MPs and peers responsible for scrutinizing intelligence agencies, also calls for an immediate review of Chinas continued participation in the nuclear industry.

Committee member Lewis warns of a potential nightmare scenario where China steals blueprints, sets standards, and exerts influence, posing a severe threat to liberal democratic institutions. He stresses the need for swift and decisive action.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak aims to strike a balance between neutralizing security threats from China and maintaining engagement in trade, investment, and climate change.

Sunak points out that the committees evidence predates the 2021 Integrated Review and subsequent updates in 2023. He claims that the government has already taken actions aligned with the committees recommendations.

However, Labour MP Kevan Jones criticizes Sunaks response, suggesting that the issues highlighted in the report were known but not adequately addressed.

The US has been urging the UK to adopt a firmer stance against China, given escalating tensions and concerns over protectionism and espionage.

The report reveals Chinas extensive reach across the UKs economy, successfully penetrating every sector. It highlights Chinas effective use of money and influence to influence academia and advance its international narrative.

Earlier this year, the UK government updated its foreign and defence policy, describing China as an epoch-defining challenge, although it refrained from directly labelling it a threat.

According to recent figures, the UK has utilized its national security powers to scrutinize Chinese-linked investments in British companies. The governments concern over Chinas potential influence in vital industries is evident, with eight transactions called in and 40% of the 65 investments scrutinized associated with China.

Despite these measures, the ISC criticizes the government for lacking independent oversight of the decisions made under the National Security and Investment Act.

The reports findings underscore the economic security threat posed by China to the UK and called for tougher action in the governments robust and clear-eyed approach.
Prior to Taipeis annual war exercises at the end of the month, during which Taiwan will simulate breaching a Chinese blockade, Chinas military has been flexing its might this week surrounding Taiwan by practising joint force operations well out at sea.

Since the past three years, China has conducted frequent drills surrounding Taiwan, which is democratically ruled, to put pressure on Taipei to recognise Beijings claim of sovereignty.

According to Taiwans defence ministry, China has dispatched dozens of fighters, bombers, and other aircraft, including drones, into Taiwans southern skies since Tuesday, some of which have crossed the Bashi Channel, which divides Taiwan from the Philippines and the Pacific, in support of Chinese warships.

Some of the aircraft engaged in harassment behaviour when they approached waters 24 nautical miles off Taiwans coast and crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, an unofficial line that divides the two sides.

Long-distance operations will serve as the main combat mode in any conflict, according to Chieh Chung, a military expert at Taiwans National Policy Foundation think tank.

China regards breaking through the first island chain as an important tactical goal, he said, referring to the islands running from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing Chinas coastal seas.

Chinas defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, Chinas foreign ministry, asked about the drills, said: The Chinese people will never waver in our resolve and determination to uphold Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Taiwans main annual Han Kuang exercises take place in the last week of this month, focusing on defending the islands main international airport and how to keep sea lanes open in the event of a Chinese blockade.

China practised precision strikes and blockades in drills around the island in April after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

A senior Taiwan security official, who declined to be identified, said Chinas activities, coming before Han Kuang, were part of its psychological warfare against the island.

They are expanding military deterrence actions to create a cognitive effect that Taiwans national defences are useless, the official said.

On July 6, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to the Eastern Theatre Commands headquarters, which is in charge of the region around Taiwan, and issued a warning about a new period of turmoil and change for the world, according to official media.

A U.S. Navy patrol plane crossed the strait on Thursday while being watched by Chinese jets, heightening the already high level of tension. China regularly criticises American military presence in the strait as provocative.

The Taiwanese military has been promoting the Han Kuang drills on its own, and this week it posted a professionally made video featuring fighters soaring through the air, missiles fired from warships, and artillery barrages to social media.

We are determined to protect our territory, read text in Chinese and English accompanying the video.

Su Tzu-yun, a research fellow at Taiwans top military think tank, the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, said judging by the aircraft used, the Southern Theatre Command, which covers the South China Sea, was being included in Chinas exercises this time to gain experience in joint operations across commands.

The Eastern Theatre Command are well seasoned, but its the Southern Theatre Command that needs training for long-distance support, Su said.

(WIth agency inputs)
The widely banned cluster munitions that the United States has approved for a war-torn Ukraine have arrived in the country.

President Joe Biden last week said that he had made a very difficult decision to sign off the weapons for Kyiv.

The news of Ukraine receiving the cluster bombs was confirmed by Lieutenant General Douglas A. Sims II who is also the director of operations of the militarys Joint Staff in Washington.

The feature that makes cluster munitions so deadly is its ability to break mid-air to release bomblets in a wider area. The unexploded bomblets can maim or kill civilians.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavsky told CNN that the bombs could radically change the situation on the battlefield.

The Pentagon, however, has not revealed exactly how many cluster munitions have been delivered to Ukraine. It said that Kyiv has assured that the bombs would not be used near civilian areas.

Owing to the dangers that they pose, cluster bombs have been banned in over 100 countries including many allies of the US.

Russia is constantly using cluster munitions on our territory, fighting exclusively on our land, killing our people, using cluster munitions for many years, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended his demand for the weapons.

He also assured that the cluster bombs will be exclusively used for military purposes and for use on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that defence ties have been an important pillar between India and France relation.

Addressing a joint press meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace in Paris, PM Modi said that India and France are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership, and also making a roadmap for the next 25 years on the basis of the strong foundation of the previous 25 years.

France is a crucial partner for India in the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. This is a symbol of the deep trust between the two nations, he said.

PM Modi, who is on a two-day official visit, received a warm welcome at the Elysee Palace from French President Macron, following which the two leaders delivered joint press statements.

French President Macron said he was happy to see Indian Contingent at the Bastille Day military parade earlier in the day. I was proud to see the Punjab Regiment here in the heart of Paris. We are going ahead on the basis of a historic trust. Together we can find solutions for global crises, he said.

Macron also announced plans to send over 30,000 French students to India by 2030. We aim to send 30,000 French students to India. The government is also aiming to set up a favourable visa policy for Indian students. For young Indians aspiring to pursue higher education in France, we want to establish a favourable visa policy, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called France a natural partner and said that a roadmap to strengthen India-France strategic ties over the next 25 years was being prepared with bold and ambitious goals.

We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of our Strategic Partnership. On the strong foundation of the last 25 years, we are preparing a roadmap for the coming 25 years. We are setting bold and ambitious goals for this, he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday joined French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour with an Indian tri-services marching contingent wowing crowds here during the French National Day celebrations.

Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) also joined the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

On this historic occasion of Bastille Day, joined the parade in Paris. My heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome and honour received, Prime Minister Modi tweeted along with pictures of the impressive march-past.

India, inspired by its centuries-old ethos, is committed to doing everything possible to make our planet peaceful, prosperous and sustainable. 1.4 billion Indians will always be grateful to France for being a strong and trusted partner. May the bond deepen even further! Modi tweeted.

PM Modi also talked about the successful launch of Chandrayaan3. This is a major achievement of our scientists. In the arena of space, India and France have had an old and deep cooperation. There have been new agreements between our space agenciesWe can enhance our cooperation in areas like Space-based Maritime Domain Awareness, he added.

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789. The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations.
US Federal authorities have arrested a man from Kentucky who was discovered in possession of stolen human skulls as many as 40 along with bones that he had transformed into morbid decorations.

As per reports, the accused was held after investigators found a potential connection to a body parts trafficking ring associated with Harvard Medical School.

James William Nott, a 40-year-old resident of Mount Washington, was taken into custody after an FBI raid on Tuesday uncovered his apartments unsettling contents.

The raid uncovered approximately 40 human skulls, some of which were adorned with scarves, as well as hip bones, rib cages, and spines. A criminal complaint cited by kmov.com detailed the findings.

When asked by an agent if anyone else was present in his home, Nott chillingly responded, Only my dead friends.

Federal officials allege that Nott, using the alias William Burke, engaged in the sale of human remains, which he brazenly used to decorate his bed and furniture.

Investigators suspect that Nott was involved in a network that facilitated the buying and selling of bones, with ties to Harvard Medical School. Recent events had already implicated a morgue manager from the prestigious institution, who was apprehended last month for selling human body parts.

A Harvard medical bag was also discovered at Notts residence during the FBI raid. Additionally, the raid unveiled loaded firearms, including an AK-47, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities uncovered a Facebook message from last month in which Nott communicated with another individual interested in bones, Jeremy Pauley from Pennsylvania. Pauley inquired about purchasing specific items, including spines, and assured Nott of payment.

Further investigations led agents to Pauley, who disclosed information about the broader network of individuals involved in the illegal trade of body parts. Hearts, brains, and lungs were among the organs allegedly offered for sale by this group.

In a related evelopment last month, federal authorities charged seven individuals with the sale of human remains. Cedric Lodge, a long-time employee of Harvard Medical School, was among those implicated, allowing buyers access to the schools mortuary unit to select and purchase body parts. It is suspected that Lodge is also connected to the same trafficking ring.

The ongoing investigation seeks to unravel the full extent of this disturbing operation and hold all responsible parties accountable for their involvement in the illegal trade of human remains.
India and France are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership made of trust and friendship, which are only getting stronger with time, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted in Hindi as he welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris.

Earlier today, PM Modi also became the first Indian premier to be conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.

The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour is Frances highest civilian and military award.

On Thursday PM Modi was conferred the award at the Elysee Palace. With this award, the Indian leader joined the ranks of world leaders like the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles  the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the world is marching towards a new world order and Indias role and capabilities are also changing rapidly.

Addressing the Indian Diaspora in Paris, PM Modi said that the People-to-people connection is the strongest foundation of the India-France partnership,.

Today the French Prime Minister came to greet me. Tomorrow Ill join my friend President Macron at the Bastille Day parade. This is a reflection of the bond between the two Nations, said PM Modi.

PM Modi announced that New Delhi and Paris have come to an agreement have reached an agreement on the use of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France which will start from the Eiffel Tower.

The PM also said that Indian students pursuing masters in France will be given a 5-year long-term post-study visa.

With inputs from agencies
India strongly reacted against the European Parliament discussing development in Manipur, calling the interference in internal affairs unacceptable.

India said European Parliament discussing developments in Manipur and adopting a so-called urgency resolution reflects a colonial mindset.

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said: We have seen that the European Parliament held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted a so-called Urgency Resolution.

Indias advice to European Parliament

Bagchi said Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and taking steps to maintain peace and harmony as well as law and order.

The European Parliament would be well advised to utilise its time more productively on its internal issues, the MEA spokesperson said.

On Wednesday, the European Union called for an urgent debate on Manipur and the violence that has ensued in Indias north-eastern state.

The European Union, on July 11, issued a resolution to include in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law pursuant.

It defended the conduction of a debate on the basis of the EU and India being the worlds two largest democracies that have committed to protecting and promoting human rights.
Indian tourists in France will now be able to pay in rupees, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the Indian diaspora in Paris.

India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower, PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister announced that New Delhi and France have got into an agreement to use Indias flagship payment system in France.

The announcement comes a year after the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella body that offers UPI service, signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with Frances Lyra, which is considered to be the European nations fast and secure online payment system.

Unified Payments Interface, or UPI, is Indias mobile-based payment system that enables people to make round-the-clock payments through a virtual payment address created by the users.

UPI brought huge social transformation in India

Addressing the Indian diaspora at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on an island in river Seine, PM Modi said: Be it Indias UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction. India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward, PM Modi said.

Also Read: PM Modi in Paris: France to launch UPI system with India. How will it help?

Earlier this year, Indias UPI and Singapores PayNow signed an agreement that enables users in the two countries to make seamless, real-time, and secure cross-border transactions.

Which other countries are expected to have Indias UPI services?

UPI services have already been adopted by UAE, Singapore, Nepal and Bhutan and NPCI is in talks with the US, Europe, and West Asia to extend it.

As per data by Indias central bank  Reserve Bank of India (RBI), UPI transactions stood at Rs 139.2 trillion in FY23 or about 73 per cent of all non-cash transactions in India in 2022.

NPCI introduced the UPI system in India in 2016 and PhonePe was one of the first platforms. A year later, several competitors including Paytm, GPay, BhimUPI, followed suit.

With inputs from agencies
An Indian origin man has been allegedly attacked by 4-5 Khalistani supporters in Australia when he was on his way to work on Friday morning. They even recorded the crime and threatened him before leaving.

The victim said that after leaving him bruised, the assailants told him: This should be enough lesson for him for opposing the Khalistan issue, if not they are ready to give me more lessons like this.

According to a report by Australia Today, the man, who is undergoing treatment in Westmead Hospital, was attacked in Sydneys western suburb of Merrylands.

Everything happened within 5 minutes

Sharing his ordeal, the Indian man said that he work as a driver and his vehicle was parked 50 metres from where he lives. As soon as I sat in my driving seat these Khalistani supporters came out of nowhere. One of them opened the left side door of my vehicle and hit me with an iron road on my cheekbone under my left eye, he said.

He further said that two of the Khalistani supporters were recording the video of the crime on their phones while 4-5 were hitting him from all sides.

Everything happened within 5 minutes and they left, the man said.

Indian beaten by Khalistani supporters in Sydney

Seeing the Indian man attacked and left injured, someone from the neighbourhood called NSW Police who reached the spot along with paramedics and took the man to the hospital.

The man received serious injuries to his head, leg and arm and may have to undergo a corrective surgery on his arm, which has split open at the elbow area, Australia Today report said.

This is, however, not the first time when Khalistani supporters have terrorised Indians based out in Sydney for opposing their divisive ideology.

In January this year, at least five Indians were injured after several members of pro-Khalistan groups attacked them for carrying the tricolour in their hands in Australias Melbourne.
Calling for the status quo to remain in place in the Taiwan Strait where China has held drills around self-ruled Taiwan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that freedom of navigation must be preserved in the South and East China Seas.

We must uphold the freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he told Southeast Asian ministers ahead of talks in Jakarta.

China claims almost the entirety of the strategic waterway with a supposed nine-dash line that overlaps with the territorial claims of other Southeast Asian nations like Indonesia and Vietnam.

Several Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members including the Philippines have argued for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea after a series of clashes with Chinese patrol ships. They have also complained that their own territorial claims were not being respected by Beijing.

Tensions between Beijing and Washington have flared in recent years over both the disputed waters and self-ruled Taiwan where the Chinese government has ratcheted up military and political pressure.

Beijing claims the island as its territory, reacting angrily in the past to voyages by foreign warships or military aircraft through the narrow waterway separating the island and mainland China.

On Thursday, a United States reconnaissance plane flew through the Taiwan Strait, the US Navy said, as China continued joint air and naval exercises around the island.

With inputs from AFP
The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea), China, India, Pakistan, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Israel are the nine nuclear-armed states. In 2022, several of these nations will deploy new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapon systems.

According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), there were approximately 9576 warheads in military stocks for potential use out of the projected 12 512 warheads in the overall world inventory in January 2023, which is 86 more than in January 2022.

A rough estimate of 3844 of those warheads were used with missiles and aircraft, and about 2000 of them, almost all of which belonged to Russia or the United States, were kept on high operational alert, which meant they were attached to missiles or stored at air bases housing nuclear bombers.

Together, Russia and the United States are in possession of about 90% of all nuclear weapons. Despite a drop in nuclear force transparency in both nations following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the quantities of their respective nuclear arsenals (i.e., the number of usable warheads) appear to have stayed largely steady in 2022.

Russia and the United States both have more than 1000 warheads that have been withdrawn from military service and are being slowly dismantled in addition to their operational nuclear arsenals.

Chinas nuclear arsenal is estimated to have 410 warheads as of January 2023, up from the 350 weapons SIPRI estimated in January 2022. By the turn of the decade, China might have at least as many intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as either the United States or Russia, depending on how it decides to organise its forces.

China has started a significant expansion of its nuclear arsenal, Hans M. Kristensen, Associate Senior Fellow with SIPRIs Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme and Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said in a statement.

It is increasingly difficult to square this trend with Chinas declared aim of having only the minimum nuclear forces needed to maintain its national security, he added.

The UKs nuclear arsenal is not believed to have grown in 2022, but because the British government announced in 2021 that it was expanding its limit from 225 to 260 warheads, the warhead stockpile is anticipated to grow in the future. The government also said that it would stop disclosing publicly how many nuclear weapons, deployed warheads, or deployed missiles it possessed.

In addition to refurbishing and modernising existing systems, France resumed its plans in 2022 to create a new air-launched cruise missile and a third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN).

The nuclear arsenals of Pakistan and India both appear to be growing, and in 2022, both nations introduced and continued to develop new nuclear delivery systems. While Pakistan continues to be the major target of Indias nuclear deterrence, it appears that India is emphasising longer-range missiles more and more, particularly ones that can reach targets throughout China.

As a key component of its national security plan, North Korea continues to place a high priority on its military nuclear development. North Korea didnt conduct any nuclear test explosions in 2022, but it did conduct more than 90 missile launches.

Some of these missiles, including the most recent ICBMs, might be able to transport nuclear warheads. According to SIPRI, the nation has manufactured roughly 30 warheads and has enough fissile material for 5070 warheads altogether, both of which are major increases beyond predictions for January 2022.

It is also claimed that Israel, which does not publicly acknowledge having nuclear weapons, is modernising its nuclear arsenal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he offered to the Wagner private military company to continue operating as a unified unit under the same commander, following their recent short-lived rebellion. This announcement comes as several mercenaries from the group were shown in Belarus on Friday, suggesting a potential relocation of the organization.

Putins statement seems to be motivated by his efforts to maintain the loyalty of the highly skilled Wagner mercenaries, who have played a significant role in Russian operations in Ukraine. The groups brief uprising last month posed a notable challenge to Putins 23-year rule.

The fate of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, remains uncertain in the aftermath of the armed revolt that took place on June 23-24. As the conflict in Ukraine enters its 17th month and Ukraine launches a counteroffensive against the invading forces, new tensions have emerged within the Russian military.

In remarks published Friday in the business daily Kommersant, Putin for the first time described a Kremlin event attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including Prigozhin, on June 29, five days after the rebellion. He said he praised their efforts in Ukraine, deplored their involvement in the mutiny  which he previously denounced as an act of treason  and offered them alternatives for future service.

Putin told Kommersant that one option would see Wagner keep the same commander who goes by the call sign Gray Hair and has led the private army in Ukraine for 16 months. The commander, Andrei Troshev, is a retired military officer who has played a leading role in Wagner since its creation in 2014 and faced European Union sanctions over his role in Syria as the groups executive director.

All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin told the newspaper, And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along.

Putin said many Wagner troops nodded in approval at the proposal, but Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and didnt see their reaction, quickly rejected it, responding that the boys wont agree with such a decision.

Putin didnt mention where and in what numbers Wagner could be deployed under his offer, or say what proposal the forces eventually accepted, if any. He said nothing about Prigozhins role.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to elaborate on Wagners future while speaking with reporters Friday.

Putin has previously said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to neighbouring Belarus or retire from service.

Speaking to Kommersant, Putin emphasized that rank-and-file soldiers of Wagner have fought honourably in Ukraine, adding that its a cause for regret that they were drawn into the mutiny.

Putins remarks were to a Kommersant reporter who has special access to the president. They appeared to be part of efforts to denigrate Prigozhin while trying to maintain control over Wagner mercenaries and secure their loyalty.

Putin previously denied any links between the government and Wagner and acknowledged after the mutiny that Prigozhins company has received billions of dollars from the state. He noted that investigators would probe whether any of the funds had been stolen, a warning to Prigozhin that he could face financial crimes.

State-controlled media have posted videos and photos of Prigozhins opulent mansion in St. Petersburg, including stacks of cash, gold bars and fake passports. The images appeared to be part of a smear campaign against the Wagner chief, who has portrayed himself as an enemy of corrupt elites even though he owes his wealth to Putin.

Putin also said Wagner has operated without legal basis.

There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesnt exist, he told Kommersant, adding that the government and the parliament have yet to discuss the issue of private military contractors.

In the revolt that lasted less than 24 hours, Prigozhins mercenaries quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot, before driving to within about 200 kilometres (125 miles) of Moscow.

Prigozhin called it a march of justice to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff Chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who demanded that Wagner sign contracts with the Defense Ministry by July 1.

The mutiny faced little resistance and fighters downed at least six military helicopters and a command post aircraft, killing at least 10 airmen. Prigozhin ordered his mercenaries back to their camps after striking a deal to end the rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for him and his men, and permission to move to Belarus.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered the deal, has said Prigozhin was in Russia while Wagners troops were in their field camps. He didnt specify the camps location but Prigozhins mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine before their revolt and also have bases in Russia.

Lukashenko said his military could benefit from the private armys combat experience, and Belarusian state TV broadcast a video Friday of Wagner instructors training Belarusian territorial defence forces at a firing range near Asipovichy, where a camp offered to Wagner is located. A Belarusian messaging app channel alleged Prigozhin spent a night at the camp this week and posted a photo of him in a tent.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry didnt say how many Wagner troops were in Belarus or specify if more will follow. Lukashenko has previously said it was up to Prigozhin and Moscow to decide on a move to Belarus. The Kremlin has refrained from comment.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said most mercenaries have remained in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, but added that at this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine.

While the fate of Prigozhin remains cloudy, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Wagner was completing the handover of its weapons to the Russian military. That appeared to show attempts by Russian authorities to defuse the threat posed by the mercenaries and also seemed to herald an end to the groups operations in Ukraine.

At the same time, new fissures have emerged in the military command. Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, a focal point in Ukraines counteroffensive, said he was dismissed after speaking out about problems faced by his troops in what he described as a treacherous stab in the back.

Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, refused to comment on Popovs remarks, referring questions to the Defense Ministry that also hasnt commented.

In the latest fighting, Ukraine said it shot down 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched overnight from Russias southern Krasnodar region. The presidential administration said at least four civilians were killed and 10 wounded since Thursday.

In southern Russia, three drones were destroyed late Thursday while approaching the city of Voronezh, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said, adding there were no injuries or damage.

A drone also crashed and exploded in Kurchatov, where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located, without causing any damage to key facilities, said regional Gov. Roman Starovoit.

And three people were wounded when a car exploded in a residential area of Belgorod, near the Ukraine border, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to suggestions this week by British Defense Minister Ben Wallace that Ukraine could show more gratitude for Western military aid. The remark was an unfortunate misunderstanding on the part of the British minister, Kuleba said.

No one has any reason to accuse us of any ingratitude. But the truth is that, sorry, we are at war, he said. When we win, then I will say, thank you, the weapons were enough, but while the struggle continues, the weapons are not enough.
Two days after 12 of its soldiers were killed in two attacks, Pakistans army declared on Friday that it was gravely concerned that militants had discovered safe havens in neighbouring Afghanistan and promised to take effective action.

The military reported that three more troops were killed in a firefight in the area on Wednesday after nine soldiers were murdered after Islamist terrorists seized an army post in Pakistans southern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.

The army has serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP in Afghanistan, it said, referring to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant umbrella group.

Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit effective response from the security forces of Pakistan, it said, without spelling out who it might target with its response.

The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed, it added.

Previous allegations that Kabul permits extremist organisations to attack Pakistan from its territory have been refuted.

A decades-old ethnic Baloch rebellion has caused problems in the mineral-rich area of Balochistan.

Balochistan has also seen activity from Islamist terrorists who want to destroy the Pakistani government and impose their own brand of harsh Islamic law on the countrys 220 million Muslim citizens.

Since violating a ceasefire agreement with the government in late 2022, they have intensified their attacks, including the bombing of a mosque in the northwest city of Peshawar earlier this year that left more than 100 people dead.

(With agency inputs)
While a compliment of Rafale jets from the Indian Air Force (IAF) flew over the Champs-Elysees during the Bastille Day Parade, the Indian military contingent marched to the sounds of Sare Jahan Se Accha.

At the yearly parade commemorating the historic fall of the Bastille in 1789, the Punjab Regiment began the march, which was subsequently followed by the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Captain Aman Jagtap was in charge of the Punjab Regiment, while Commander Vrat Baghel was in charge of the Indian naval presence. Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy was in charge of the Indian Air Force team.

As the event's Guest of Honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the salute from the contingent representing the Indian armed forces.

In a moment to savour for India, the IAF Rafales streaked the skies over Champs-Elysees, leaving the audience in awe.

French President Emmanuel Macron, First Lady Brigitte Macron, topped the dignitaries attending the Bastille Day Military Parade on Friday.

The French fighters who led the flypast left a trail of smoke in the red, blue, and white colours of the French flag, bathing the Champs-Elysees in its afterglow.

Drums and trumpets were used by both the French and Indian forces as they marched. Prior to the military march, Macron was greeted by the Guard of Honour.

The French President and PM Modi hugged warmly as they arrived for the Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Champs-Elysees was decorated with the French Flag's colours.

The 25th anniversary of the two nations' strategic cooperation falls this year as well.

The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution.

This year the Bastille Day Parade had 6,300 soldiers in various marching contingents. This included a tri-services contingent of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The Indian Army was represented by the Punjab Regiment. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both World Wars, having been awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours in the first war.

The Punjab Regiment participated in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in France in September 1915 during World War One. The regiment also won 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours in the Second World War.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence, in a press release, stated, "The Indian Army contingent comprising of 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the Band is being led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Indian Navy contingent is being led by Commander Vrat Baghel and the Indian Air Force contingent is by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy. The Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will also form part of the flypast during the parade."

It added, "The Army contingent is being represented by the Punjab Regiment which is one of the oldest Regiments of the Indian Army. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both the World Wars as well as the post-independence operations."
A United States Congressional Committee passed a resolution recognising Arunchal Pradesh as an integral part of India on Thursday.

The resolution was passed by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his trip to America.

The resolution, introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen, reaffirms that the much-contested McMohan Line is the international boundary between the Peoples Republic of China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRCs increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

The resolution will now go for full vote on the Senate floor.

Americas values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world  especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision, said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.

Importance of the resolution

The formal acceptance of Arunchal Pradesh as part of Indias territory by the US gives legitimacy to Washingtons support for New Delhi as Chinas claims in the region become stronger.

In addition to this, the resolution extends backing from powerful American political actors from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Senator Merkley said, Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the US views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of Indianot the Peoples Republic of China (PRC)  and commits the US to deepening support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners.

American values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships, he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Bill Hagerty said, At a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, its critical for the US to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region  especially India and other Quad countries  and push back against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)s broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific,

With inputs from agencies
This is really thrilling for us. Looking at the Champs-Elysees itself, it is coloured in blue, white and red. It is all so decorated and the crowd is new. We are so excited to hear what their reaction will be and what their cheers will be, said Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy.

We are excited because it is a new ground and a new feeling. The troops want to do their best. We have two Rafales flying the flypast for today. Air Force is showing their presence in the air as well as ground. This is a complete package force, Reddy added ahead of the parade.

#WATCH | Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy says, This is really thrilling for us. Looking at the Champs-Elysees itself, it is coloured in blue, white and red. It is all so decorated and the crowd is new. We are so excited to hear what their reaction will be and what their cheers will pic.twitter.com/afW4LDBymU  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

Indian Navy Contingent

The Indian Navy Marching Contingent, as part of the Tri services contingent, arrived in France for participation in the Bastille Day Parade at Paris on July 14. The Navy team on parade will comprise of four officers and 64 sailors. The contingent will be led by Cdr Vrat Baghel. The officer is a specialist in Gunnery and Missile Warfare and has sailed on the French Ship BCR Var during exercise Varuna. He will be followed by his deputies, Lt Cdr Disha Amrith (who led the Indian Navy Contingent at the RD Parade 2023), Lt Cdr Rajat Tripathi and Lt Cdr Jittin Lalitha Dharmaraj.

To commemorate the event, the Indian Navy is also being represented by INS Chennai, an indigenously built frontline destroyer, which will be deployed to France between July 12 and 16. The ships crew will represent India at the Bastille Day celebrations at Brest.

Indian Navy is amongst the largest Navies in the world with a potent mix of ships, submarines and aircraft. Its motto in sanskrit Sam No Varunah (meaning May the lord of oceans be auspicious unto us) has been taken from Rig Veda which dates back to 1500 BC.

PM Modi as Chief Guest

The India-France strategic partnership has completed 25 years. Its a big diplomatic milestone and to mark it Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in France. He will be in Paris on 13 July and 14 July at the invitation of French president Emmanuel Macron. There will be bilaterals, the focus will be on defence and space. And one of the highlights of the visit will be the Bastille Day celebrations to which the Indian premier has been invited as a guest of honour.

Its a rare honour. On Bastille Day or French national day, the country holds the Bastille Day parade, said to be the oldest and largest in Europe. Its a lot like Indias Republic Day; there is a display of Frances military strength. But unlike India, foreign leaders are seldom invited to the celebrations. This makes the presence of PM Modi all the more significant. The last time a foreign leader was invited to Bastille Day was in 2017  it was then US president Donald Trump.
US Ambassador Eric Garcetti enjoyed a musical National Day celebrations in New Delhi.

Music took the center stage at our National Day celebrations in New Delhi with the phenomenal @USARJBand hitting all the right notes! From marches to Broadway hits, pop to classical, jazz to contemporary grooves, theyve got it covered! The band members, with their diverse backgrounds and musical expertise, bring an incredible fusion of talent to the stage. As a music lover, I was thrilled to witness their extraordinary performance, he said in a post on Twitter.

Music took the center stage at our National Day celebrations in New Delhi with the phenomenal @USARJBand hitting all the right notes! From marches to Broadway hits, pop to classical, jazz to contemporary grooves, they've got it covered! The band members, with their diverse pic.twitter.com/fDaeOzgdaw  U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti (@USAmbIndia) July 14, 2023

Earlier on Thursday, Eric Garcetti said that US and India have a unique partnership and can work together to combat the climate crisis amid increase in disasters caused by global warming.

The United States and India have a unique partnership where we can do more to combat this climate crisis together than almost any other two countries in the world, the US Ambassador said during the US-India Energy Summit: Partnering for a Sustainable Future being organized by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

The US-India Energy Partnership Summit addresses a variety of bilateral issues related to energy efficiency, security, access and technology.
The Secret Service in the United States announced on Thursday that they are unable to identify the owner of a bag of cocaine that was discovered in a storage locker at the White House earlier this month.

The case has reportedly been closed due to a lack of evidence.

In a statement, the Secret Service explained that no surveillance footage was found to provide any leads for investigators to determine who deposited the illicit substance in the locker.

Additionally, the FBI laboratory test results indicated that there were no fingerprints or sufficient DNA present for investigative comparisons.

As a result, the investigators concluded that they would not be able to pinpoint a person of interest among the hundreds of individuals who passed through the area where the cocaine was found.

The bag was initially found on July 2 in a storage locker designated for personal belongings that are not allowed in the secure area of the West Wing.

The discovery prompted the Secret Service to evacuate the building temporarily, as there were concerns that the white powder could be a dangerous biological weapon like anthrax.

However, subsequent field tests confirmed that the substance was, in fact, cocaine, a Schedule II narcotic in the United States, illegal to possess without a doctors prescription. A laboratory test later corroborated these findings.

Trump Said

Former president Donald Trump has suggested that the cocaine could have belonged to either Hunter Biden, President Joe Bidens son, or the president himself.

He predicted that the entire scandal would be quickly covered up. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre countered these claims, asserting that the entire First Family was at the Camp David presidential retreat when the cocaine was discovered.

The Secret Service conducted an investigation involving White House staff, contractors, military personnel, and certain visitors who may have passed through the area. It should be noted that the nearby Situation Room is currently undergoing renovations and is not being used for secure meetings.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made it clear to Chinese diplomat Wang Yi that any action against the American government, companies, or citizens will be treated with great concern and action will be taken to hold those responsible accountable.

Blinkens comments refer to a major snooping case revealed by Microsoft that said a China-based group hacked the emails of a bunch of senior US officials including Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo.

On Tuesday, Microsoft revealed that a stealthy Chinese hacking operation had exploited a secret flaw in a piece of the companys authentication software in order to covertly break into email accounts belonging to 25 unnamed organizations.

Blinken made his comments during a meeting with Wang Yi in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

After the news of the hacking broke, several US officials acknowledged that their emails were compromised during the attack, including personnel at the State Department and the US House of Representatives.

The Chinese foreign ministry, however, dismissed the claims, calling them disinformation.

Raimondos department has implemented a series of export control policies against China, curbing the transfer of semiconductors and other sensitive technologies.

A Commerce Department spokesperson said on Wednesday that Microsoft had notified the agency of a compromise to Microsofts Office 365 system, and the Department took immediate action to respond. But the spokesperson declined to comment on an intrusion against Raimondo specifically.

Blinken and Yi met in Jakarta on the sidelines of the ASEAN-plus-three foreign minister talks in the Indonesian capital.

The meeting in Jakarta come a month after Blinken travelled to Beijing, making it the first time a top US diplomat visited the country in years. Blinken had also held meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as Wang and Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

Tensions between the worlds two largest economies have soared in the recent past over issues like Chinas assertiveness in the region including Taiwan and sweeping restrictions imposed by the United States on exports of its advanced semiconductors.

With inputs from agencies
Looking for a larger-than-life vacation? Royal Caribbean Australia & New Zealand might have something in store for you. The aristocratic cruise provider recently announced the launch of Icon of The Seas, the worlds biggest cruise ship. The extravagant cruise ship is set to sail next year and promises the vacation of a lifetime for its onboard passengers. The cruise ship measures 1,200 feet or 366 meters with 19-20 floors. The embedded space claims to host up to 5,610 passengers and over 2,350 crew members.

Royal Caribbean AU & NZ captioned the post: This is more than just a cruise. This is the worlds finest vacation.

Check out the royal cruise:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Royal Caribbean Australia & NZ (@royalcaribbeanaunz)

The post amassed over 40,000 likes.

Showcasing the sumptuous details from inside the cruise ship, cruise providers shared another post recently. The post said: Take laidback to another level.

The post garnered over 13,400 likes. Several users commented on the post. Cant wait, wrote one user. Another said: So fancy! A third user added: So excited to hang here in 5 months! Booked for the inaugural. Cant wait, states a fourth.

How much will it cost?

The worlds biggest cruise comes with thrilling journeys and an extravagant lifestyle. The cruise covers 7 nights on the Western Caribbean and is an ideal day trip starting in Miami, Florida. As per Royal Caribbeans official website, it would cost between 1.5 and 2 lakhs per person. However, the price may fluctuate depending on the time of year.

Icon of the seas

The mighty ship has several other offerings other than its unusual length. The ship boasts one of the largest waterparks at sea with six record-breaking slides. It includes the tallest waterslide to sail along with the Pressure Drop system; making it the first cruise to open a freefall waterslide.

Not just this, it has something in store for people who arent water park enthusiasts or into fancy adventure sports. For them, there are over 15 buzzing activity centers and live music venues and up to 20 different dining options that cater to a wide variety of palates. Making it an ideal laidback vacation with breathtaking views from over 19 floors.

Additionally, it houses a club-inspired hideaway, which depicts Mykonos moods as well as Mallorca mindsets for relaxation and rest. It also features a suspended infinity pool, technically the first at the sea.
ideaForge, a company that handles all aspects of product development and specializes in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), has announced a partnership with Qualcomm Technologies.

This collaboration aims to leverage Qualcomms compute hardware to enhance ideaForge UAVs payload capabilities.

Integration of Qualcomm Flight RB5 5G Platform Enables Advanced Applications

By integrating Qualcomm Technologies compute hardware on-board, ideaForge UAVs will gain enhanced payload capabilities. The integration of the Qualcomm Flight RB5 5G Platform opens up possibilities for improved on-board computing, enabling advanced applications such as object avoidance and path planning.

The Qualcomm Flight RB5 5G Platform is the worlds first 5G and AI drone platform and reference design. It offers exceptional heterogeneous computing and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.

With its foundation in the premium robotics platform, the Qualcomm Flight RB5 5G platform provides low-power consumption, AI capabilities, 5G connectivity, and support for multiple cameras.

The computational hardware provided by Qualcomm Flight RB5 5G Platform facilitates the development of advanced drones for various applications. It enables the hosting of diverse software modules and features, allowing ideaForge to engage customers and showcase the benefits of enhanced UAVs effectively.

Speaking at the partnership, Dev Singh, Vice President, Business Development and Head of Building, Enterprise, and Industrial Automation, Qualcomm Technologies, said:

We are thrilled to collaborate with ideaForge and help improve their UAVs capabilities. By integrating our compute technology with ideaForges UAV expertise, we aim to enhance operations across a range of applications.

Rajen Vagadia, VP & President, Qualcomm India Pvt. Ltd., and President of SAARC region, said:

Our partnership with ideaForge highlights the advanced technology solutions being developed by Indian companies to tackle real-world challenges, and showcases Indias design capabilities.

Commenting on the collaboration, Ankit Mehta, the CEO of ideaForge, said:
Google's Bard AI Now Accessible in Europe, Supporting Over 40 Languages News oi -Kabir Jain

Google is once again making waves in the world of artificial intelligence with the expansion of its AI chatbot, Bard. This intelligent conversational agent is now available in more than 40 languages, including the major European languages, bringing its advanced capabilities to a wider audience.

In addition to its multilingual support, Bard has introduced several new features, although some are initially accessible only in English. Let's take a closer look at the latest developments surrounding Bard.

Bard Goes Multilingual

In an effort to cater to a wider global audience, Google has expanded Bard's availability to over 40 languages, making it accessible to users from different corners of the world. This expansion includes the introduction of Bard in the European Union, further solidifying its reach in the international market.

With support for major European languages, Bard can now engage with users in their preferred language, enhancing user experience and breaking down language barriers.

New Features and Functionalities

Google has also introduced several new features to Bard, enhancing its capabilities and making it even more versatile. Although some of these features are currently only accessible in English, they are expected to roll out to other languages soon.

Listening and Modifying Responses

One of the notable additions to Bard is the option to listen to its responses. Users can now choose to have Bard speak out its answers, adding an auditory element to the conversation. Moreover, users can easily modify the responses provided by Bard, allowing for greater customization and personalization of the chatbot's output.

Tone and Style Options

To accommodate different communication preferences, Bard now offers five different tone and style options for its responses. Users can choose from simple, long, short, professional, and casual styles, tailoring Bard's conversational mannerisms to suit their specific needs. While this feature is currently available only in English, plans are in place to expand it to other languages in the near future.

Conversation Pinning and Renaming

Keeping track of conversations with Bard is now easier than ever. Users can pin important conversations for quick access and even rename them for better organization and clarity. This feature allows users to efficiently manage their interactions with Bard, ensuring that important discussions are readily available whenever needed.

Exporting Python Code

For developers and coding enthusiasts, Bard now provides the option to export Python code. This functionality enables users to seamlessly integrate Bard's capabilities into their own projects or platforms, such as Replit and Google Colab.

Image Incorporation and Analysis

In a move towards more comprehensive assistance, Bard now supports image incorporation in user prompts. Users can upload images along with their queries, and Bard will analyze the visual content to provide more accurate and contextually relevant responses. Although this feature is currently limited to English, it is expected to expand to other languages in the near future, further enriching the user experience.

Bard's Growing Potential

With its expanded language support and new features, Bard continues to grow in its potential to assist users across various domains. Whether it's answering questions, providing recommendations, or aiding in complex tasks, Bard's AI capabilities are becoming increasingly sophisticated. As Google invests in further developments and expands Bard's reach, the chatbot's impact is poised to extend even further.

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Vilnius Summit communique

Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau

July 11, 2023

Vilnius, Lithuania

We, the Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Alliance, bound by shared values of individual liberty, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, have gathered in Vilnius as war continues on the European continent, to reaffirm our enduring transatlantic bond, unity, cohesion, and solidarity at a critical time for our security and international peace and stability. NATO is a defensive Alliance. It is the unique, essential and indispensable transatlantic forum to consult, coordinate and act on all matters related to our individual and collective security. We reaffirm our iron-clad commitment to defend each other and every inch of Allied territory at all times, protect our one billion citizens, and safeguard our freedom and democracy, in accordance with Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. We will continue to ensure our collective defence from all threats, no matter where they stem from, based on a 360-degree approach, to fulfil NATO's three core tasks of deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security. We adhere to international law and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and are committed to upholding the rules-based international order. This Summit marks a milestone in strengthening our Alliance.

We warmly welcome President Zelenskyy to the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. We look forward to our valuable exchanges with the Heads of State and Government of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea, as well as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission at this Summit. We also welcome the engagements with the Foreign Ministers of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, and with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as we continue to consult closely on the implementation of NATO's tailored support measures.

We welcome Finland as the newest member of our Alliance. This is an historic step for Finland and for NATO. For many years, we worked closely as partners; we now stand together as Allies. NATO membership makes Finland safer, and NATO stronger.

We reaffirm our commitment to NATO's Open Door policy and to Article 10 of the Washington Treaty. Every nation has the right to choose its own security arrangements. We look forward to welcoming Sweden as a full member of the Alliance and, in this regard, welcome the agreement reached between the NATO Secretary General, the President of Turkiye, and the Prime Minister of Sweden.

Peace in the Euro-Atlantic area has been shattered. The Russian Federation has violated the norms and principles that contributed to a stable and predictable European security order. The Russian Federation is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. Terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, is the most direct asymmetric threat to the security of our citizens and to international peace and prosperity. The threats we face are global and interconnected.

Strategic competition, pervasive instability and recurrent shocks define our broader security environment. Conflict, fragility and instability in Africa and the Middle East directly affect our security and the security of our partners. The People's Republic of China's (PRC) stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values. We remain open to constructive engagement with the PRC, including to build reciprocal transparency, with a view to safeguarding the Alliance's security interests. We continue to be confronted by cyber, space, hybrid and other asymmetric threats, and by the malicious use of emerging and disruptive technologies.

Russia bears full responsibility for its illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, which has gravely undermined Euro-Atlantic and global security and for which it must be held fully accountable. We continue to condemn in the strongest terms Russia's blatant violations of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and OSCE commitments and principles. We do not and will never recognise Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexations, including Crimea. There can be no impunity for Russian war crimes and other atrocities, such as attacks against civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure that deprives millions of Ukrainians of basic human services. All those responsible must be held accountable for violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law, particularly against Ukraine's civilian population, including the forced deportation of children and conflict-related sexual violence. The destruction of the Kakhovka dam highlights the brutal consequences of the war started by Russia. Russia's war has had a profound impact on the environment, nuclear safety, energy and food security, the global economy, and the welfare of billions of people around the world. Allies are working to enable exports of Ukrainian grain and actively support international efforts to alleviate the global food crisis.

Russia must immediately stop this illegal war of aggression, cease its use of force against Ukraine, and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and equipment from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, extending to its territorial waters. We urge all countries not to provide any kind of assistance to Russia's aggression and condemn all those who are actively facilitating Russia's war. Belarus' support has been instrumental as it continues to provide its territory and infrastructure to allow Russian forces to attack Ukraine and sustain Russia's aggression. In particular Belarus, but also Iran, must end their complicity with Russia and return to compliance with international law.

We welcome the strong support in the UN General Assembly for efforts to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine. We welcome and support President Zelenskyy's commitment in setting out the principles for such a peace through his Peace Formula. We are committed to achieving a just and lasting peace that upholds the principles of the UN Charter, in particular sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. We underline that this cannot be realised without Russia's complete and unconditional withdrawal. While we have called on Russia to engage constructively in credible negotiations with Ukraine, Russia has not shown any genuine openness to a just and lasting peace.

We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the government and people of Ukraine in the heroic defence of their nation, their land, and our shared values. We fully support Ukraine's inherent right to self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. We remain steadfast in our commitment to further step up political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and will continue our support for as long as it takes. We welcome efforts of all Allies and partners engaged in providing support to Ukraine.

We fully support Ukraine's right to choose its own security arrangements. Ukraine's future is in NATO. We reaffirm the commitment we made at the 2008 Summit in Bucharest that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, and today we recognise that Ukraine's path to full Euro-Atlantic integration has moved beyond the need for the Membership Action Plan. Ukraine has become increasingly interoperable and politically integrated with the Alliance and has made substantial progress on its reform path. In line with the 1997 Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between NATO and Ukraine and the 2009 Complement, Allies will continue to support and review Ukraine's progress on interoperability as well as additional democratic and security sector reforms that are required. NATO Foreign Ministers will regularly assess progress through the adapted Annual National Programme. The Alliance will support Ukraine in making these reforms on its path towards future membership. We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when Allies agree and conditions are met.

The security of Ukraine is of great importance to Allies and the Alliance. To support Ukraine's further integration with NATO, today we have agreed a substantial package of expanded political and practical support. We have decided to establish the NATO-Ukraine Council, a new joint body where Allies and Ukraine sit as equal members to advance political dialogue, engagement, cooperation, and Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. It will provide for joint consultations, decision-making, and activities, and will also serve as a crisis consultation mechanism between NATO and Ukraine.

The continued delivery of urgently needed non-lethal assistance to Ukraine by NATO through the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) remains a priority. Since the Madrid Summit, Allies and partners have committed over 500 million Euros to the CAP. To support Ukraine's deterrence and defence in the short, medium, and long term, we have agreed today to further develop the CAP into a multi-year programme for Ukraine. The assistance provided will help rebuild the Ukrainian security and defence sector and transition Ukraine towards full interoperability with NATO. Allies will continue to fund the CAP in a sustained and predictable way. We highly welcome and encourage partner contributions.

Russia has increased its multi-domain military build-up and presence in the Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean Sea regions, and maintains significant military capabilities in the Arctic. Russia's more assertive posture, novel military capabilities, and provocative activities, including near NATO borders, as well as its large-scale no-notice and snap exercises, continue to threaten the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. In the High North, its capability to disrupt Allied reinforcements and freedom of navigation across the North Atlantic is a strategic challenge to the Alliance. NATO and Allies will continue to undertake necessary, calibrated, and coordinated activities, including by exercising relevant plans.

Russia's deepening military integration with Belarus, including the deployment of advanced Russian military capabilities and military personnel in Belarus, has implications for regional stability and the defence of the Alliance. NATO will remain vigilant and further monitor developments closely, in particular the potential deployment of so-called private military companies to Belarus. We call on Belarus to stop its malign activities against its neighbours, to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to abide by international law.

Russia is modernising its nuclear forces, including its large stockpile of theatre-range weapons, and expanding its novel and disruptive dual-capable delivery systems. It is unacceptable that Russia uses such dual-capable systems to attack civilians and critical civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. We condemn Russia's announced intention to deploy nuclear weapons and nuclear-capable systems on Belarusian territory, which further demonstrates how Russia's repeated actions undermine strategic stability and overall security in the Euro-Atlantic area. We condemn Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and coercive nuclear signalling. We recall the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear Weapons States issued on 3 January 2022 on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races. We call on Russia to recommit - in words and deeds - to the principles enshrined in that Statement.

Russia's actions demonstrate a posture of strategic intimidation and underline the continued need for NATO to monitor all of these developments and adapt its posture as necessary. Allies will continue to work closely together to address the threats and challenges posed by Russia and reiterate that any use of Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences.

Russia has intensified its hybrid actions against NATO Allies and partners, including through proxies. This includes interference in democratic processes, political and economic coercion, widespread disinformation campaigns, malicious cyber activities, and illegal and disruptive activities of Russian intelligence services. We are enhancing the tools at our disposal to counter Russian hybrid actions and will ensure that the Alliance and Allies are prepared to deter and defend against hybrid attacks.

We seek stability and predictability in the Euro-Atlantic area and between NATO and Russia. NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia. In light of its hostile policies and actions, we cannot consider Russia to be our partner. Any change in our relationship depends on Russia halting its aggressive behaviour and fully complying with international law. We remain willing to keep open channels of communication with Moscow to manage and mitigate risks, prevent escalation, and increase transparency. At the same time, we will continue to consult on and assess the implications of Russia's policies and actions for our security, and respond to Russian threats and hostile actions in a united and responsible way.

We categorically reject and condemn terrorism in the strongest possible terms. Countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is essential to our collective defence. NATO's role in the fight against terrorism contributes to all three core tasks of the Alliance and is integral to the Alliance's 360-degree approach to deterrence and defence. Allies will continue to fight this threat with determination, resolve, and in solidarity. As part of a broader effort to better respond collectively to this threat, we will further develop Allies' capabilities, and continue to engage with the Global Coalition to Defeat Da'esh and with partner countries in order to support their efforts and to help them build their capacity to counter terrorism. NATO will also continue to engage, as appropriate, with other international actors to ensure added value and complementarity.

Terrorist organisations threaten the security of our populations, forces and territory. They have expanded their networks, enhanced their capabilities and invested in new technologies to improve their reach and lethality. We will continue to deter, defend and respond to threats and challenges posed by terrorist groups, based on a combination of prevention, protection and denial measures. We have today tasked the Council in permanent session to update NATO's Policy Guidelines and Action Plan on Counter-Terrorism, and reassess, in consultation with our regional partners, the areas where NATO can provide civil-military assistance to partners in this field. Our approach to terrorism, and its causes, is in accordance with international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and upholds all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions on the fight against terrorism.

NATO's southern neighbourhood, particularly the Middle East, North Africa and Sahel regions, faces interconnected security, demographic, economic, and political challenges. These are aggravated by the impact of climate change, fragile institutions, health emergencies, and food insecurity. This situation provides fertile ground for the proliferation of non-state armed groups, including terrorist organisations. It also enables destabilising and coercive interference by strategic competitors. Russia is fuelling tensions and instability across these regions. Pervasive instability results in violence against civilians, including conflict-related sexual violence, as well as attacks against cultural property and environmental damage. It contributes to forced displacement, fuelling human trafficking and irregular migration. These trends pose serious transnational and humanitarian challenges and have a disproportionate impact on women, children, and minorities. In response to the profound implications of these threats and challenges within and in the vicinity of the Euro-Atlantic area, we have today tasked the North Atlantic Council in permanent session to launch a comprehensive and deep reflection on existing and emerging threats and challenges, and opportunities for engagements with our partner nations, international organisations, and other relevant actors in the region, to be presented by our next Summit in 2024.

The People's Republic of China's stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values. The PRC employs a broad range of political, economic, and military tools to increase its global footprint and project power, while remaining opaque about its strategy, intentions and military build-up. The PRC's malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target Allies and harm Alliance security. The PRC seeks to control key technological and industrial sectors, critical infrastructure, and strategic materials and supply chains. It uses its economic leverage to create strategic dependencies and enhance its influence. It strives to subvert the rules-based international order, including in the space, cyber and maritime domains.

We remain open to constructive engagement with the PRC, including to build reciprocal transparency, with a view to safeguarding the Alliance's security interests. We are working together responsibly, as Allies, to address the systemic challenges posed by the PRC to Euro-Atlantic security and ensure NATO's enduring ability to guarantee the defence and security of Allies. We are boosting our shared awareness, enhancing our resilience and preparedness, and protecting against the PRC's coercive tactics and efforts to divide the Alliance. We will stand up for our shared values and the rules-based international order, including freedom of navigation.

The deepening strategic partnership between the PRC and Russia and their mutually reinforcing attempts to undercut the rules-based international order run counter to our values and interests. We call on the PRC to play a constructive role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, to condemn Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, to abstain from supporting Russia's war effort in any way, to cease amplifying Russia's false narrative blaming Ukraine and NATO for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We particularly call on the PRC to act responsibly and refrain from providing any lethal aid to Russia.

In 2014, at the Wales Summit Allied Heads of State and Government agreed the Defence Investment Pledge. Since then Allies have made remarkable progress and all have increased their defence spending, developed further their forces and capabilities, and have contributed to Allied operations, missions and activities. However, as the Strategic Concept sets out, our nations are now facing more profound security threats and challenges than at any time since the end of the Cold War.

Consistent with our obligations under Article 3 of the Washington Treaty, we make an enduring commitment to invest at least 2% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually on defence. We do so recognising more is needed urgently to sustainably meet our commitments as NATO Allies, including to fulfil longstanding major equipment requirements and the NATO Capability Targets, to resource NATO's new defence plans and force model, as well as to contribute to NATO operations, missions and activities. We affirm that in many cases, expenditure beyond 2% of GDP will be needed in order to remedy existing shortfalls and meet the requirements across all domains arising from a more contested security order.

We commit to invest at least 20% of our defence budgets on major equipment, including related Research and Development. We recognise this should be met in conjunction with a minimum of 2% of GDP annual defence expenditure. We need to maintain our technological edge, and continue to modernise and reform our forces and capabilities, including through the integration of innovative technologies.

We commit to contribute the necessary forces, capabilities and resources to the full range of NATO operations, missions and activities. This includes meeting requirements for deterrence and defence, providing the forces needed to implement NATO's defence plans and contribute to NATO crisis management operations. Allies will ensure that our forces are ready and have the necessary personnel, equipment, training, spares, logistics, infrastructure, and stockpiles. We commit to improve the interoperability of our national forces, including through transparent compliance with, and further development of, NATO standards and doctrines.

To have the necessary capabilities, the Alliance requires a strong and capable defence industry, with resilient supply chains. A strong defence industry across the Alliance, including a stronger defence industry in Europe and greater defence industrial cooperation within Europe and across the Atlantic, remains essential for delivering the required capabilities. Furthermore, consistent with our commitments, obligations and processes, we will reduce and eliminate, as appropriate, obstacles to defence trade and investment among Allies.

NATO is the foundation of our collective defence. NATO's key purpose and greatest responsibility is to ensure our collective defence, against all threats, from all directions. NATO will continue to fulfil three core tasks: deterrence and defence; crisis prevention and management; and cooperative security. These are complementary to ensure the collective defence and security of all Allies.

Deterrence and defence are at the heart of the Alliance, underpinned by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and an enduring transatlantic bond. We are modernising NATO for a new era of collective defence. We are united in our commitment and resolve to prevail against any aggressor and defend every inch of Allied territory.

Guided by our sovereign decisions, and in response to the threats we face, we remain vigilant and stand together in solidarity ensuring a substantial and persistent presence of our military forces across the Alliance on land, in the air and at sea, in line with our 360-degree approach. NATO's deterrence and defence posture is based on an appropriate mix of nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities, complemented by space and cyber capabilities. It is defensive, proportionate and fully in line with our international commitments. We will employ military and non-military tools in a proportionate, coherent and integrated way to respond to all threats to our security in the manner, timing and in the domain of our choosing.

In response to a radically changed security environment, we are strengthening NATO's collective defence, against all threats, from all directions. We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against Allies' sovereignty and territorial integrity. Since 2014, and in particular at the 2022 Madrid Summit, we have taken decisions to strengthen our posture and set a clear trajectory for accelerated military adaptation. Today, we have agreed significant measures to further enhance NATO's deterrence and defence posture in all domains, including strengthening forward defences and the Alliance's ability to rapidly reinforce any Ally that comes under threat. We will fully implement these measures and deny any potential adversary any possible opportunities for aggression. We have:

Put in place a new generation of regional defence plans, building on our existing strategic and domain-specific plans. Together this family of plans will significantly improve our ability and readiness to deter and defend against any threats, including on short or no notice, and ensure timely reinforcement of all Allies, in line with our 360-degree approach. To a greater extent than at any time since the end of the Cold War, the planning for our collective defence will be fully coherent with the planning for our forces, posture management, capabilities, and command and control. We have committed to fully resource and regularly exercise these plans to be prepared for high-intensity and multi-domain collective defence.

Agreed that our defence plans are the main driver for the organisation of our forces and the specific military requirements NATO asks of them, allowing us to respond faster and at a greater scale. With the new NATO Force Model, agreed at the Madrid Summit, Allies are delivering a larger pool of dedicated combat-capable forces, including forces at high readiness, improving our military responsiveness, and harnessing regional expertise and geographic proximity. We are also establishing a new multinational and multi-domain Allied Reaction Force, which will provide more options to respond swiftly to threats and crises in all directions. We are committed to provide the necessary forces and capabilities in full.

Agreed to strengthen NATO's command and control, to ensure that it is sufficiently agile, resilient and staffed to execute our plans. This will improve our ability to conduct exercises, to manage NATO's posture in peacetime and in the transition to crisis and conflict, and to undertake command and control for the full spectrum of missions, including large-scale multi-domain operations for collective defence, conducted by SHAPE and its subordinate commands, including the three equally capable Joint Force Commands.

Reaffirmed our decisions at the Madrid Summit to put in place additional robust in-place combat-ready forces on NATO's Eastern Flank, to be scaled up from the existing battlegroups to brigade-size units where and when required, underpinned by credible rapidly available reinforcements, prepositioned equipment, and enhanced command and control. The eight multinational battlegroups are now in place. We will continue our efforts to implement these decisions, including by demonstrating the ability to scale up our military presence through robust live exercises across the Eastern Flank of the Alliance. We welcome ongoing efforts by Allies to increase their presence on NATO's Eastern Flank, which further adds to credible deterrence and defence. All these forces demonstrate our resolve and readiness to defend every inch of Allied territory.

Agreed to further improve the readiness, preparedness, and interoperability of NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence, in particular through regular training and rotational presence of modern air defence systems and capabilities across SACEUR's Area of Responsibility, with an initial focus on the Eastern Flank, thereby strengthening our deterrence.

Agreed to continue our work on multi-domain operations, enabled by NATO's Digital Transformation, which further drives our military and technological advantage, strengthening the Alliance's ability to operate decisively across the land, air, maritime, cyberspace and space domains.

We welcome the rapid progress towards the full integration of Finland into NATO's deterrence and defence, and have agreed to complete this process as soon as possible.

We need a robust and resilient defence industry able to sustainably meet the need of significantly strengthened collective defence. We have endorsed a Defence Production Action Plan, and its action items. This Plan will ensure long-term NATO engagement across the Alliance based on the principles of transparency, equitable treatment and inclusive participation. With this Plan, and in support of Allies' own priorities, we are committed to leveraging the Alliance's role as a convener, standard-setter, requirement setter and aggregator, and delivery enabler to promote sustainable defence industrial capacity. This will be underpinned by a renewed and urgent focus on interoperability and improving materiel standardization to ensure that our forces can operate seamlessly together, with an initial focus on land munitions. The Plan will ensure our understanding of defence industry across the Alliance, including small and medium size enterprises, help aggregate demand to meet NATO's capability targets, encourage multinational cooperation and more agile procurement, and enhance transparency with industry.

Our robust military capabilities are critical for NATO's deterrence and defence. We continue to invest more in advanced and interoperable capabilities across all domains, placing particular emphasis on combat capable, predominantly heavy, high-end forces and capabilities. These will reflect the requirements of NATO's defence plans and other tasks. We will ensure that these capabilities are resourced to maintain the required high levels of readiness. We continue to improve the deployability, interoperability, standardisation, responsiveness, force integration and support of our forces in order to conduct and sustain high intensity operations, including crisis response operations, in demanding environments. The NATO Defence Planning Process plays a key role in the sharing of risks and responsibilities, and we reaffirm our commitment to providing our respective shares of the capabilities required by the Alliance to fulfil our three core tasks. Our capability development plans will ensure that we maintain our technological edge, recognising the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging and disruptive technologies, while ensuring their timely integration. We have also decided to significantly increase our stockpiles of certain battle-decisive munitions.

We will continue to strengthen and regularly exercise the Alliance's ability to rapidly reinforce any Ally that comes under threat. Exercises are a key way of demonstrating the Alliance's resolve and capability. We are adapting and streamlining our decision-making processes and improving the effectiveness of our alert and response system.

We will individually and collectively deliver the full range of forces, capabilities, plans, resources, assets and infrastructure needed for deterrence and defence, including for high-intensity, multi-domain warfighting against nuclear-armed peer-competitors. Accordingly, we will strengthen training and exercises that simulate conventional and, for Allies concerned, a nuclear dimension of a crisis or conflict, facilitating greater coherence between conventional and nuclear components of NATO's deterrence and defence posture across all domains and the entire spectrum of conflict.

We have accelerated our efforts, both nationally and in NATO, to ensure the enablement of SACEUR's Area of Responsibility, including logistics, and to improve our ability to support the reinforcement and sustainment of Allied forces into, across, and from the entire Alliance territory, including through prepositioning of ammunition and equipment. As part of the enablement of SACEUR's Area of Responsibility, we are taking forward our work on fuel supply distribution arrangements, as the timely provision of fuel to NATO's military forces where required in Europe underpins the Alliance's readiness and responsiveness. We recognise that the changed security environment represents a more demanding challenge to the Alliance's collective logistics and we will make political and military efforts to address this challenge, recognising that credible deterrence and defence relies on adequate logistics capability. Effective military mobility is essential for enablement and further progress is required. Efforts to ensure a coherent approach and synergies between NATO and the EU in the area of military mobility should be pursued.

NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) remains key for credible deterrence and defence, and the indivisible security and freedom of action of the Alliance, including NATO's capability to reinforce, and to provide a strategic response. NATO IAMD is an essential and continuous mission in peacetime, crisis, and times of conflict. NATO IAMD incorporates all measures to contribute to deter any air and missile threat or to nullify or reduce their effectiveness. This mission is conducted in a 360-degree approach, and tailored to address all air and missile threats emanating from all strategic directions from state and non-state actors.

Allied IAMD deployments, including those on the Eastern flank in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as exercises and training demonstrate Allied solidarity and resolve. Based on the Strategic Concept, the new baseline for deterrence and defence posture agreed in Madrid in 2022, and the new generation of defence plans, NATO continues to strengthen its IAMD by improving IAMD readiness, responsiveness, effectiveness, and interoperability, as well as availability of airspace. NATO and Allies continue to improve IAMD capabilities, such as surveillance, interceptors, and command and control. We will continue to take into account the increasingly diverse and challenging air and missile threats ranging from simple Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to sophisticated hypersonic missiles.

The fundamental purpose of NATO's nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression. Nuclear weapons are unique. As long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance. NATO's goal is a safer world for all; we seek to create the security environment for a world without nuclear weapons. The circumstances in which NATO might have to use nuclear weapons are extremely remote. Any employment of nuclear weapons against NATO would fundamentally alter the nature of a conflict. The Alliance has the capabilities and resolve to impose costs on an adversary that would be unacceptable and far outweigh the benefits that any adversary could hope to achieve.

The strategic nuclear forces of the Alliance, particularly those of the United States, are the supreme guarantee of the security of the Alliance. The independent strategic nuclear forces of the United Kingdom and France have a deterrent role of their own and contribute significantly to the overall security of the Alliance. These Allies' separate centres of decision-making contribute to deterrence by complicating the calculations of potential adversaries. NATO's nuclear deterrence posture also relies on the United States' nuclear weapons forward-deployed in Europe. National contributions, by Allies concerned, of dual-capable aircraft, as well as the provision of conventional forces and military capabilities in support of NATO's nuclear deterrence mission, remain central to this effort.

NATO will take all necessary steps to ensure the credibility, effectiveness, safety and security of the nuclear deterrent mission. This includes continuing to modernise NATO's nuclear capability and updating planning to increase flexibility and adaptability of the Alliance's nuclear forces, while exercising strong political control at all times. The Alliance reaffirms the imperative to ensure the broadest possible participation by Allies concerned in NATO's nuclear burden-sharing arrangements to demonstrate Alliance unity and resolve.

The Alliance is committed to ensuring greater integration and coherence of capabilities and activities across all domains and the spectrum of conflict, while reaffirming the unique and distinct role of nuclear deterrence. NATO will continue to maintain credible deterrence, strengthen its strategic communications, enhance the effectiveness of its exercises and reduce strategic risks. NATO is ready and able to deter aggression and manage escalation risks in a crisis that has a nuclear dimension.

Missile defence can complement the role of nuclear weapons in deterrence; it cannot substitute them. The aim and political principles of NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) remain unchanged from the 2010 Lisbon Summit. NATO BMD is purely defensive and is aimed at countering ballistic missile threats emanating from outside of the Euro-Atlantic area. Allies remain committed to the full development of NATO BMD, to pursue the Alliance's collective defence and to provide full coverage and protection for all NATO European populations, territory, and forces against the increasing threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles.

NATO BMD is based on voluntary national contributions, including the US European Phased Adaptive Approach assets in Romania, Turkiye, Spain, and Poland, as well as the NATO BMD command and control, the only component eligible for common funding. Additional voluntary national contributions will provide robustness. We are committed to completing additional essential components of NATO BMD command and control, which is necessary for achieving the next major milestone before reaching the Full Operational Capability.

Strategic stability, delivered through effective deterrence and defence, arms control and disarmament, and meaningful and reciprocal political dialogue remains essential to our security. Arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation strongly contribute to the Alliance's objectives. Allies' efforts on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation aim to reduce risk and enhance security, transparency, verification, and compliance. We will pursue all elements of strategic risk reduction, including promoting confidence building and predictability through dialogue, increasing understanding, and establishing effective crisis management and prevention tools. These efforts will take the prevailing security environment and the security of all Allies into account and complement the Alliance's deterrence and defence posture. We will make use of NATO as a platform for in-depth discussion and close consultations on arms control efforts.

Arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation have made and should continue to make an essential contribution to achieving the Alliance's security objectives and for ensuring strategic stability and our collective security. NATO has a long track record of doing its part on disarmament and non-proliferation. After the end of the Cold War, NATO dramatically reduced the number of nuclear weapons stationed in Europe and its reliance on nuclear weapons in NATO strategy. Allies remain collectively determined to uphold and support existing disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation agreements and commitments. We will further strengthen arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, as a key element of Euro-Atlantic security, taking into account the prevailing security environment and the security of all Allies.

Russia's violations and selective implementation of its arms control obligations and commitments have contributed to the deterioration of the broader security landscape. We condemn Russia's purported suspension of the New START treaty and failure to comply with its legally-binding obligations under the Treaty. We call on Russia to return to full implementation of the Treaty as well as to act responsibly and engage constructively to reduce strategic and nuclear risks. We also condemn Russia's decision to withdraw from the landmark Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, which further demonstrates Russia's continued disregard for arms control, and is the latest in a series of actions to undermine Euro-Atlantic security. Allies urge Russia to implement its commitments and obligations, and to use the remaining time before its withdrawal to reconsider its decision. Allies will continue to consult on the implications of Russia's withdrawal from the CFE Treaty and its impact on the security of the Alliance.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains the essential bulwark against the spread of nuclear weapons. It is the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and disarmament architecture, the only credible path to nuclear disarmament, and the framework for international cooperation in sharing the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, science and technology. Allies remain strongly committed to the full implementation of the NPT across its three pillars, including Article VI. Russia blocking consensus at the Tenth NPT Review Conference was irresponsible. We call on all NPT States Parties to work together to implement and strengthen the NPT in the current NPT Review Cycle. We underline the urgent need to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force. We call for the immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other explosive devices in accordance with Conference on Disarmament report CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein. We call on all states that have not yet done so to declare and maintain voluntary moratoria on the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

NATO Allies support the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons, in full accordance with all provisions of the NPT, achieved in an effective and verifiable way that promotes international stability and which is based on the principle of undiminished security for all. NATO's nuclear burden-sharing arrangements have always been fully consistent with the NPT.

We reiterate that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) stands in opposition to and is inconsistent and incompatible with the Alliance's nuclear deterrence policy, is at odds with the existing non-proliferation and disarmament architecture, risks undermining the NPT, and does not take into account the current security environment. The TPNW does not change the legal obligations on our countries with respect to nuclear weapons. We do not accept any argument that the TPNW reflects or in any way contributes to the development of customary international law. We call on our partners and all other countries to reflect realistically on the ban treaty's impact on international peace and security, including on the NPT, and join us in working to improve collective security through tangible and verifiable measures that can reduce strategic risks and enable lasting progress on nuclear disarmament.

The PRC is rapidly expanding and diversifying its nuclear arsenal with more warheads and a larger number of sophisticated delivery systems to establish a nuclear triad, while failing to engage in meaningful transparency or good faith efforts to achieve nuclear arms control or risk reduction. We oppose any attempt to produce or support the production of plutonium for military programmes under the guise of civilian programmes, which undermines the objectives of the NPT. We urge the PRC to engage in strategic risk reduction discussions and to promote stability through greater transparency with regard to its nuclear weapon policies, plans and capabilities.

We reiterate our clear determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon. We remain deeply concerned about Iran's escalation of its nuclear programme. We call on Iran to fulfil its legal obligations under its Non-Proliferation Treaty-required safeguards agreement and political commitments regarding nuclear non-proliferation without further delay. The fulfilment by Iran of these obligations and commitments is crucial to allow the IAEA to provide credible assurances of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme. We also call on Iran to stop all ballistic missile activities inconsistent with UNSCR 2231.

We condemn in the strongest terms the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) WMD and ballistic missile programmes which violate multiple UN Security Council Resolutions. We reiterate that the DPRK must abandon its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, and any other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. We urge the DPRK to return to, and fully comply with, the NPT and IAEA safeguards. We call on the DPRK to accept the repeated offers of dialogue put forward by all parties concerned, including Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea.

The potential use of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) materials or weapons against NATO by hostile state and non-state actors remains a central and evolving threat to our security. We are implementing NATO's new CBRN defence policy, as agreed at the Madrid Summit, and are investing in the military capabilities required to effectively operate, fight and prevail in any environment, and to ensure our national and collective resilience against CBRN risks and threats.

NATO safeguards the freedom and security of all its members using both political and military means. The evolving security environment increasingly requires that NATO will take a structured and tailored approach that uses non-military and military tools in a deliberate, coherent, and sustained manner, throughout the full spectrum of peace, crisis and conflict. NATO uses a variety of non-military tools which support the Alliance's three core tasks. It also continues to serve as a platform for enhancing the coherent use of these tools by Allies, under their own authority and control, and alongside other international actors. We will continue to strengthen effective, clear, and convincing strategic communication.

As the war in Europe has fundamentally shifted the nature of the Euro-Atlantic security environment, the emphasis on intelligence has become even more prominent and essential to Alliance decision-making and strategic planning. The value of the NATO intelligence enterprise comes first and foremost from the Allied intelligence and security services working closely together to share intelligence and continue to ensure that the Alliance has a comprehensive understanding of the global strategic picture. To that end, Allies' intelligence capabilities will contribute to improving NATO's understanding of the threats, risks and challenges, and to optimising our significant and diverse analysis capabilities. We will strengthen our intelligence cooperation within the Alliance and with partners as appropriate. NATO and Allies will enhance their security and counter-intelligence measures to respond effectively to hostile intelligence activity.

National and collective resilience are an essential basis for credible deterrence and defence and the effective fulfilment of the Alliance's core tasks, and vital in our efforts to safeguard our societies, our populations and our shared values. Resilience is a national responsibility and a collective commitment rooted in Article 3 of the Washington Treaty. Today we have agreed the 2023 Alliance Resilience Objectives. We build on the 2021 Strengthened Resilience Commitment. The Resilience Objectives will strengthen NATO and Allied preparedness against strategic shocks and disruptions. They will boost our national and collective ability to ensure continuity of government and of essential services to our populations, and enable civil support to military operations, in peace, crisis and conflict. Allies will use these objectives to guide the development of their national goals and implementation plans, consistent with their respective national risk profile. We will also work towards identifying and mitigating strategic vulnerabilities and dependencies, including with respect to our critical infrastructure, supply chains and health systems. Allies should also promote societal resilience. As we strengthen our efforts to build resilience, we will continue to work with our partners engaged in similar efforts, in particular the European Union, in order to make the Euro-Atlantic area and our broader neighbourhood more secure. The actions, commitments and legal obligations of individual Allies in other international bodies also contribute to enhancing our resilience.

The Alliance's ability to fulfil its core tasks increasingly relies on the adoption of digital technologies. Recognising the urgency of a digitally-transformed Alliance, we have endorsed a Digital Transformation Implementation Strategy to underpin our ability to conduct Multi-Domain Operations, drive interoperability across all domains, enhance situational awareness, political consultation, and employ data-driven decision-making.

Emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) bring both opportunities and risks. They are altering the character of conflict, acquiring greater strategic importance and becoming key arenas of global competition. The operational importance of EDTs as well as of access to and adaptation of commercial technologies in current operations have been highlighted in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. NATO's strategic competitors and potential adversaries are investing heavily in technologies that can be highly effective, particularly in malign hybrid activities, and decisive in conflict. We are accelerating our own efforts to ensure that the Alliance maintains its technological edge in emerging and disruptive technologies to retain our interoperability and military edge, including through dual-use solutions. We are working together to adopt and integrate new technologies, cooperate with the private sector, protect our innovation ecosystems, shape standards, and commit to principles of responsible use that reflect our democratic values and human rights. We will ensure that we act in accordance with international law and seek to build public trust. NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has now launched its first challenges to start-ups in NATO countries. To further develop our transatlantic innovation ecosystem, the NATO Innovation Fund, the world's first multi-sovereign venture capital fund, will begin to invest in deep-tech in the coming months. Complementing the recently agreed strategies on Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy, NATO will develop further strategies for key emerging and disruptive technologies, including on Quantum Technologies and on Biotechnology and Human Enhancement to address the opportunities and risks they present.

We continue to face growing hybrid threats and challenges from state and non-state actors, who use hybrid activities, including through interference and the harmful use of technologies, to target our political institutions, our critical infrastructure, our societies, our democratic systems, our economies, and the security of our citizens. We remain united in defending our open and democratic societies against these malign activities. We reiterate that hybrid operations against Allies could reach the level of an armed attack and could lead the Council to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. We will continue to prepare for, deter, defend against and counter hybrid threats, including by potentially deploying Counter Hybrid Support Teams. We continue to develop comprehensive preventive and response options and stand ready to apply them to enhance resilience and deter malign actors from engaging in hybrid operations. Individual Allies may consider, when appropriate, attributing hybrid activities and responding in a coordinated manner, recognizing attribution is a sovereign national prerogative. We will continue to address disinformation and misinformation, including through positive and effective strategic communications. We will also continue to support our partners as they strengthen their resilience in the face of hybrid challenges.

The threat to critical undersea infrastructure is real and it is developing. We are committed to identifying and mitigating strategic vulnerabilities and dependencies with respect to our critical infrastructure, and to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against Allies' critical infrastructure will be met with a united and determined response; this applies also to critical undersea infrastructure. The protection of critical undersea infrastructure on Allies' territory remains a national responsibility, as well as a collective commitment. NATO stands ready to support Allies if and when requested. We have agreed to establish NATO's Maritime Centre for the Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure within NATO's Maritime Command (MARCOM). We also agreed to set up a network that brings together NATO, Allies, private sector, and other relevant actors to improve information sharing and exchange best practice.

Cyberspace is contested at all times as threat actors increasingly seek to destabilize the Alliance by employing malicious cyber activities and campaigns. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has highlighted the extent to which cyber is a feature of modern conflict. We are countering the substantial, continuous, and increasing cyber threats, including to our democratic systems and our critical infrastructure, as well as where they are part of hybrid campaigns. We are determined to employ the full range of capabilities in order to deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats, including by considering collective responses. A single or cumulative set of malicious cyber activities could reach the level of armed attack and could lead the North Atlantic Council to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, on a case-by-case basis. We remain committed to act in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law as applicable. We continue to promote a free, open, peaceful, and secure cyberspace, and further pursue efforts to enhance stability and reduce the risk of conflict, by ensuring that international law is respected and by supporting voluntary norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace. Today, we endorse a new concept to enhance the contribution of cyber defence to our overall deterrence and defence posture. It will further integrate NATO's three cyber defence levels - political, military, and technical - ensuring civil-military cooperation at all times through peacetime, crisis, and conflict, as well as engagement with the private sector, as appropriate. Doing so will enhance our shared situational awareness. Strengthening our cyber resilience is key to making our Alliance more secure and better able to mitigate the potential for significant harm from cyber threats. Today we restate and enhance our Cyber Defence Pledge and have committed to ambitious new national goals to further strengthen our national cyber defences as a matter of priority, including critical infrastructures. We have launched NATO's new Virtual Cyber Incident Support Capability (VCISC) to support national mitigation efforts in response to significant malicious cyber activities. This provides Allies with an additional tool for assistance. We will further seek to develop mutually beneficial and effective partnerships as appropriate, including with partner countries, international organisations, industry, and academia, furthering our efforts to enhance international stability in cyberspace. Complementing our existing exchanges, we will hold the first comprehensive NATO Cyber Defence Conference in Berlin this November, bringing together decision-makers across the political, military, and technical levels.

Space plays a critical role for the security and prosperity of our nations. Space is also an increasingly contested domain, marked by irresponsible behaviour, malicious activities, and the growth of counterspace capabilities by NATO's potential adversaries and strategic competitors. Maintaining secure use and unfettered access to space is key to effective deterrence and defence. As part of our work on space as an operational domain, we are accelerating the integration of space into planning, exercising and executing joint and multi-domain operations in peacetime, crisis, and conflict in order to ensure space effects are coordinated across all domains. We have committed to enhancing the sharing of our space data, products and services within NATO in support of the Alliance's requirements and defence plans. We welcome the ongoing efforts on the Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space (APSS) multinational programme, which will improve NATO's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capacity. We welcome the establishment of the NATO Space Centre of Excellence in France. Allies are committed to upholding international law and we will continue to support international efforts to reduce space threats by promoting norms, rules, and principles of responsible space behaviours. We reaffirm that hostile operations to, from, or within space could reach the level of armed attack and could lead the North Atlantic Council to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

Energy security plays an important role in our common security. The energy crisis intentionally exacerbated by Russia has underlined the importance of a stable and reliable energy supply and the diversification of routes, suppliers, and sources. We will continue to develop NATO's capacity to support national authorities in protecting critical energy infrastructure. We are committed to ensuring secure, resilient, and sustainable energy supplies to our military forces. As we adapt our Alliance to the ongoing energy transition, we will ensure military capability, effectiveness and interoperability. Allies are seeking and will continue to seek diversification of their energy supplies, in line with their needs and conditions.

Climate change is a defining challenge with a profound impact on Allied security facing present and future generations. It remains a threat multiplier. NATO is committed to becoming the leading international organisation when it comes to understanding and adapting to the impact of climate change on security. We will continue to address the impact of climate change on defence and security, including through the development of innovative strategic analysis tools. We will integrate climate change considerations into all of NATO's core tasks, adapt our infrastructure, military capabilities and technologies ensuring resilience to future operating environments. To contribute to the mitigation of climate change, we are committed to significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions by the NATO political and military structures and facilities; we will also contribute to combatting climate change by improving energy efficiency, transitioning to clean energy sources, and leveraging innovative next-generation clean technologies, while ensuring military effectiveness and a credible deterrence and defence posture. We will continue to strengthen our exchanges with partner countries, the scientific community, as well as other international and regional organisations that are active on climate change and security. We welcome the establishment of a NATO Centre of Excellence for Climate Change and Security in Montreal.

We are committed to integrating the Human Security and the Women, Peace and Security agendas across all our core tasks. We will continue to work towards fully operationalising this objective, through robust policies and clear operational guidelines, in order to enhance our operational effectiveness and ensure synergies between the civilian and military structures. In doing so, we are working with partners, international organisations, and civil society. We reaffirm our commitment to an ambitious human security agenda. Our Human Security Approach and Guiding Principles allows us to develop a more comprehensive view of the human environment, contributing to lasting peace and security. Today, we endorse a NATO Policy on Children and Armed Conflict, and an updated Policy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings. Our ongoing work on human security also includes cultural property protection.

We recognise the critical importance of women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in all aspects of peace and stability, noting the disproportionate impact that conflict has on women and girls, including through conflict-related sexual violence. We will consistently continue to implement our Policy on Women, Peace and Security, and, in this context, we will advance gender equality and integrate gender perspectives and foster the principles of the Women, Peace and Security agenda set out by the UN Security Council in all that we do, including in NATO operations, missions, activities, and our work on emerging challenges. We will assess and update NATO's Policy on Women, Peace and Security.

NATO's partnerships are, and will continue to be, essential to the way NATO works. They play an important role in supporting NATO's three core tasks and our 360-degree security approach. We are grateful to our partners for their significant contributions to NATO's situational awareness, operations, missions, and activities, including Trust Fund projects. The current security environment highlights the significance of partnerships. They are crucial to protect the global commons and enhance our resilience. We will strengthen our ties with partners that share the Alliance's values and interest in upholding the rules-based international order. We will continue to strengthen political dialogue and practical cooperation with partners, based on mutual respect, benefit and interest of both Allies and partners. This contributes to stability beyond our borders and enhances our security at home. We will increase outreach to countries in our broader neighbourhood and across the globe and remain open to engagement with any country or organisation, when doing so could bolster our mutual security. We remain committed to the principles underpinning our relations with our partners, and have taken steps to make our partnerships more strategic, more coherent and more effective. We will discuss common approaches to global security challenges where NATO's interests are affected, share perspectives through deeper political engagement, and seek concrete areas for cooperation to address shared security concerns. In line with our Comprehensive Approach Action Plan, we will continue to pursue coherence within NATO's own tools and strands of work, concerted approaches with partner nations and organisations such as the UN, the EU, and the OSCE, as well as further dialogue with non-governmental organisations.

The European Union remains a unique and essential partner for NATO. Our strategic partnership is essential for the security and prosperity of our nations and of the Euro-Atlantic area. It is built on our shared values, our determination to tackle common challenges and our unequivocal commitment to promote and safeguard peace, freedom and prosperity. NATO recognises the value of a stronger and more capable European defence that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to, and interoperable with NATO. The development of coherent, complementary and interoperable defence capabilities, avoiding unnecessary duplication, is key in our joint efforts to make the Euro-Atlantic area safer. Such efforts, including recent developments, will lead to a stronger NATO, help enhance our common security, contribute to transatlantic burden sharing, help deliver needed capabilities, and support an overall increase in defence spending. Non-EU Allies continue to make significant contributions to the EU's efforts to strengthen its capacities to address common security challenges. For the strategic partnership between NATO and the EU, non-EU Allies' fullest involvement in EU defence efforts is essential. We look forward to mutual steps, representing tangible progress, in this area to support a strengthened strategic partnership. We reaffirm in their entirety all the decisions, principles, and commitments with regard to NATO and EU cooperation. We will continue to further strengthen this partnership in a spirit of full mutual openness, transparency, complementarity, and respect for the organisations' different mandates, decision-making autonomy and institutional integrity, and as agreed by the two organisations.

In the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, NATO-EU cooperation has become more significant. We have unequivocally demonstrated unity of purpose and common resolve in leveraging our complementary, coherent and mutually reinforcing roles. NATO and EU will continue to support Ukraine. In this respect, we welcome the establishment of the dedicated NATO-EU Staff Coordination on Ukraine. We have also achieved tangible results in strategic communications, including the fight against disinformation, countering hybrid and cyber threats, exercises, operational cooperation, defence capabilities, defence industry and research, counter-terrorism, and defence and security capacity building. We are further expanding our cooperation on resilience, protection of critical infrastructure, emerging and disruptive technologies, space, security implications of climate change, and geostrategic competition. We will also continue to address the systemic challenges posed by the PRC to Euro-Atlantic security. Political dialogue between NATO and the EU remains essential to advance NATO-EU cooperation.

The Western Balkans is a region of strategic importance for NATO as highlighted by our long history of cooperation and operations. We remain strongly committed to the security and stability of the Western Balkans by supporting reforms that advance the respective NATO and EU aspirations of the countries in the region. We will continue to enhance our political dialogue and practical cooperation in order to support reforms, regional peace and security, and counter malign influence, including disinformation, hybrid, and cyber threats, posed by both state and non-state actors. The region requires continued attention and commitment from the Alliance and the international community to counter these challenges. Democratic values, the rule of law, domestic reforms, and good neighbourly relations are vital for regional cooperation and Euro-Atlantic integration, and we look to continued progress in this regard.

NATO strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a stable and secure Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other relevant international agreements. We encourage domestic reconciliation, and urge political leaders to refrain from divisive and secessionist rhetoric and actions. We remain committed to the country's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. We continue to support reform efforts, including through the newly agreed Defence Capacity Building package, NATO HQ Sarajevo, and wide-ranging cooperative security and partnership tools, and through the country's Reform Programme with NATO. We encourage Bosnia and Herzegovina to take advantage of NATO's support and intensify efforts to make progress on reforms in key areas, including the much-needed political, electoral, rule of law, economic, and defence reforms, without prejudice to a final decision on NATO membership.

Strengthening NATO-Serbia relations would be of benefit to the Alliance, to Serbia, and to the whole region. We look to Serbia to engage with NATO and its neighbours in a constructive manner, including in its public communications on the mutual benefits of NATO-Serbia cooperation. We support the EU-facilitated Dialogue and other efforts aimed at the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, and urge the sides to seize the moment and engage in good faith towards reaching a lasting political solution. We call on both sides to immediately de-escalate, return to dialogue, and engage constructively in implementing the agreement on the path to normalisation between Belgrade and Pristina reached recently in Brussels and Ohrid.

We remain committed to NATO's continued engagement in Kosovo, including through the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR). KFOR will continue to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo in line with UNSC Resolution 1244. The recent escalatory actions are unacceptable and we condemn the violence in northern Kosovo as well as the unprovoked attacks that caused serious injuries to NATO soldiers. We have increased KFOR's troop presence to respond to the recurrent tensions. Any changes to our force posture in KFOR will remain conditions-based and not calendar driven.

The Black Sea region is of strategic importance for the Alliance. This is further highlighted by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We underline our continued support to Allied regional efforts aimed at upholding security, safety, stability and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea region including, as appropriate, through the 1936 Montreux Convention. We will further monitor and assess developments in the region and enhance our situational awareness, with a particular focus on the threats to our security and potential opportunities for closer cooperation with our partners in the region, as appropriate.

We reiterate our support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders. We stand firm in our support for Georgia's right to decide its own future and foreign policy course free from outside interference. We call on Russia to withdraw the forces it has stationed in Georgia without its consent. We further call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia; to end the militarisation of these regions and continued attempts to forcibly separate them from the rest of Georgia through the construction of border-like obstacles; and to cease the human rights violations and abuses, including arbitrary detentions, and harassments of Georgian citizens. We highly appreciate Georgia's substantial contributions to NATO operations, which demonstrate its commitment and capability to contribute to Euro-Atlantic security. We remain committed to making full use of the NATO-Georgia Commission and the Annual National Programme (ANP) in deepening political dialogue and practical cooperation with Georgia. We reiterate the decision made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance with the Membership Action Plan (MAP) as an integral part of the process; we reaffirm all elements of that decision, as well as subsequent decisions. We welcome the progress made in implementing the enhanced Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, including Crisis Management, Cyber Security, Military Engineering, and Secure Communications, as well as new initiatives in the areas of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence and Training Facilities. To advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Georgia must make progress on reforms, including key democratic reforms, and make best use of the ANP.

We reiterate our support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognised borders and call on Russia to withdraw all of its forces stationed in the Transnistrian region without Moldova's consent. We stand firm in our support for Moldova's right to decide its own future and foreign policy course free from outside interference, and fully respect Moldova's constitutional neutrality. NATO is stepping up political and practical support to strengthen its resilience and uphold its political independence in light of the deteriorating security environment. Allies welcome Moldova's efforts to promote democratic reforms and are committed to supporting Moldova as it advances its European integration. NATO will continue to provide practical assistance through the enhanced Defence Capacity Building Package, as Moldova works to strengthen its security and defence capabilities and modernise its Armed Forces.

The Middle East and Africa are regions of strategic interest. We will deepen our political engagements and public diplomacy outreach to our long-standing partners in the Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. We will also increase our outreach to relevant regional organisations, including the African Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. We are implementing the Defence Capacity Building packages for Iraq, Jordan, Mauritania, and Tunisia. We will also explore with the Jordanian authorities the possibility of establishing a NATO Liaison Office in Amman.

NATO and Allies remain committed in our support to Iraq and its ability to stabilise the country. We recognise the continued efforts and progress of the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces to combat ISIS/Da'esh. We encourage further progress in Iraq's fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Our NATO Mission Iraq continues to deliver non-combat advisory and capacity building support to the Iraqi security institutions in the greater Baghdad area, and has deepened collaboration with Iraq's Ministry of Defence. Based on the request from the Iraqi government, we are considering broadening NATO Mission Iraq, by evolving it to provide advice to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior on its Federal Police. NATO Mission Iraq will continue to be demand-driven, and will be carried out with the full consent of the Iraqi authorities, in full respect of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in close coordination with relevant partners and international actors.

Iran's support to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has an impact on Euro-Atlantic security. We call upon Iran to cease its military support to Russia, in particular its transfer of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which have been used to attack critical infrastructure, causing widespread civilian casualties. We express our serious concern over Iran's malicious activities within Allied territory. We also call upon Iran to refrain from destabilising actions, including seizures of maritime vessels, and to play a constructive role in fostering regional stability and peace.

The Indo-Pacific is important for NATO, given that developments in that region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security. We welcome the contribution of our partners in the Asia-Pacific region - Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea - to security in the Euro-Atlantic, including their commitment to supporting Ukraine. We will further strengthen our dialogue and cooperation to tackle our shared security challenges, including on cyber defence, technology and hybrid, underpinned by our shared commitment to upholding international law and the rules-based international order.

NATO's engagement with other international and regional organisations, including the United Nations, the OSCE, and the African Union, contributes to international security. We will strengthen these interactions to advance our shared interests. We are exploring the possibility of establishing a Liaison Office in Geneva to further strengthen our engagement with the United Nations and other relevant international organisations.

We will ensure that our political decisions are adequately resourced. We will build on the progress made to ensure that increased national defence expenditures and NATO common funding will be commensurate with the challenges of a more contested security order.

We pay tribute to all women and men who work tirelessly for our collective security, honour all those who have paid the ultimate price or have been wounded to keep us safe, and their families.

NATO remains the strongest Alliance in history. As in the past, we will stand the test of time in safeguarding the freedom and security of our Allies and contributing to peace and security.

We express our appreciation for the generous hospitality extended to us by the Republic of Lithuania. We look forward to meeting again for the Alliance's 75th anniversary in Washington, D.C. in 2024, followed by a meeting in the Netherlands in 2025.

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July 13, 2023

Transcript

Major General William Zana, National Guard Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, and International Affairs, Holds a Press Briefing on the 30th Anniversary of the State Partnership Program

Maj. Gen. William Zana, Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, and International Affairs (NGB-J5), National Guard Bureau

STAFF: Good morning and welcome. Thank you all for coming.

Today, we're here with the director, strategy, plans and policy and international affairs, Major General William Zana, and he will discuss the State Partnership Program's 30th Anniversary Conference happening here in the National Capitol Region, 17 and 18 July. I'm Captain Jon LaDue, National Guard Bureau Public Affairs, and I'll be moderating today's media roundtable. We will have 30 minutes today, so I'd ask that you please keep your questions focused on the topic of the State Partnership Program and its anniversary events.

General Zana has a brief opening statement, and then we'll open it up for questions, and to ensure we have time for everyone to participate, we will limit everyone to one question and a follow-up, and then if there's additional time at the end, we'll open it up for additional questions. I have a list of the media joining us remotely and will call on you by name. And I know some of you in the room, but not everyone, so if you're in the room and I call on you, please announce your name and your outlet before asking your question.

And with that, I will turn it over to General Zana for his opening remarks.

General?

MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM ZANA: Thanks, Captain LaDue -- and good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for the opportunity to talk a little bit about the 30th Anniversary of the State Partnership Program, a program that began in 1993 with just 13 countries and has now grown to 100 countries. Program's growth and evolutions as you look at this is truly just quite remarkable.

Today's National Guard is a ready, capable, and vital part of our National Defense Strategy. The importance of allies and partners is a theme that runs deeply through our National Security Strategy, our National Defense Strategy and our National Military Strategy. And, I'd argue is deeply encultured within what we do as the U.S. military, how we operate and our values. The SPP is a program that clearly demonstrates our nation's enduring emphasis on working side-by-side with willing partners. The State Partnership Program provides an unparalleled opportunity where we, the National Guard, in close cooperation with both DOD, Department of State, and our both nation and state partners build enduring and trusting relationships with partner nations around the world.

The Guard's currently partnered with more than half of the world's nations, and we expect to see continued growth in the coming years. We've got capacity within the Guard to be able to support additional partnerships and additional missions, training opportunities, and exercises.

As many of you know, the National Guard State Partnership Program will celebrate our 30 years of building and growing these successful, long-term relationships with allies and partners in a conference scheduled for next week, July 17th and 18th, at the Gaylord National Convention Center, National Harbor, here in Maryland. At this event, we'll host approximately 600 participants from more than 90 nations with many ministers of defense, chiefs of defense, ambassadors, combatant command commanders, state adjutants general, senior enlisted leaders and a variety of speakers and panelists from across our whole-of-government, including the White House, Department of Defense and Department of State. It's truly a remarkable turnout for this.

At the conference, we will commemorate the program's many achievements, but I think more importantly, we're going to focus on ensuring discussion to help shape the program's future, the evolution as we go forward. An event of this magnitude is unprecedented in the program's history, and it's going to provide us an opportunity to do at the highest level what the program does every day worldwide, and that's to share, learn, and grow with one another.

We invite you to RSVP to one or more of the 30th Anniversary Conference events. The agenda is available and will be shared with you. Invited speakers include Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley, our JCS member, Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, many other high-ranking U.S. and foreign defense officials. We hope you will join us, and thanks again for your interest in this vitally-important program. I look forward to some questions and discussion.

STAFF: Thank you, General Zana. I will now open it up for questions here in the room. I will start with John with Defense Scoop.

Q: Thank you. Thanks for doing this, General.

GEN. ZANA: Thanks.

Q: I was wondering to what extent cyber plays a role in this program. And are you looking to expand any of those initiatives with some of these partner nations?

GEN. ZANA: Hey, John, thanks for the question on cyber. What we see is -- there are a lot of -- if you look over the history of the program, you see an evolution of the things we really focus on in training. Cyber information operations has been something that's emergent, there's a great demand signal for. One of the breakout sessions -- or one of the panel discussions that we've got during the event is focused specifically on cyber.

We see a great demand signal from our partners to -- to grow the capabilities. We face many of the same challenges, both in terms of adversaries and in terms of the efforts that we've put at this. Over the last couple of years, we've seen a tremendous growth of the number of things that we do, both exchanges, exercises, and events, that are either related to the State Partnership Program, or more broadly, what we do with the -- within the Guard with our partners in security cooperation.

I see continued growth in that and other areas. One of the other areas that we see a lot of discussion on -- and I think it's driven by what many people are seeing in the news -- unmanned aerial systems. We see tremendous interest in space activities and operations as well. We also see growth and I think opportunities within areas like women, peace and security.

I think there's a number of -- of our partners who we have both shared with and are learning from, in terms of best practices across all of those areas. Thank you.

Q: I was wondering, does this program play at all into the so-called Hunt Forward operations that CYBERCOM does? Is -- is the Guard part of that and is it at all connected to this program or is that a totally separate thing?

GEN. ZANA: Totally separate thing, but what I would say is, within the -- the State Partnership Program, you've got -- it's a mil-to-mil relationship initially, but really, that's just the opening of the door to all sorts of other activities. We see that -- often, that the trust that's built within these relationships helps us to partner many different ways with -- with partners. Thanks.

STAFF: Okay, we'll take our next question virtually. We'll go to Phil Stewart with Reuters.

Q: Hey there. I know you're focused on the State Partnership Program. I -- my questions are -- are related to Taiwan. Wondering, you know, how -- how -- how easily, you know, you would be able to incorporate Taiwan into the State Partnership Program, what challenges you would face in doing so? Hawaii's been cited as a possible state to do that. And also, could you bring us up to speed on -- on where Guard training is with the -- with the Taiwanese right now and what kind of cooperation exists? Thanks.

GEN. ZANA: Phil, thanks for the questions. And what I would say first off -- the focus for today is strictly on the State Partnership Program. Taiwan is not -- they're -- there haven't been discussions about admission there. The process that we work with every nation is that there has to be requests from the nation.

This has worked closely with Department of State representatives, it comes back to DOD, and there's a partnership that occurs and a dialogue at every step of the way. It'd be premature to talk about anything with Taiwan.

We have other nations that we partner with that are outside of the State Partnership Program every day, and we've got relationships that have more recently come into the program. An example would be with Norway in Minnesota, a partnership that existed not within the realm of the State Partnership Program but with combined operations and exercises over 50 years and just formalized last year.

Thanks, Phil.

STAFF: Take another one virtually. We will go to Chris Gordon with Air and Space Forces Magazine.

Q: Hi. Thank you, sir, for doing this. I just would -- as you look forward for the next 30 years of State Partnership Programs, is there going to be an increasing role to train partner nation air forces? And -- and to allude to Jon's point earlier, is there any plan to conduct some space training as well with partner nations?

GEN. ZANA: Chris, thanks for the question. And first, to -- to lead off about the -- the part for (30 years ?), one of the things we often talk about, as we reach this very important milestone of 100 countries at -- at 30 years, there was no goal for us to get to that. It's just kind of how the program's evolved.

As we look forward, one of the things that I talk about in the future is we don't expect the next 30 years to simply be adding another 100 countries and slap the table and -- and we're done. We look at, really, the evolution of -- of the relevance and the focus areas of training and partnership with -- with all the different nations.

What I would say is, while some of the initial partnerships featured a lot more activity that were associated with land forces over the arc of the program in the last 30 years, we see a tremendous increase in the partnerings across Air Force and Air Guard -- I -- and I think we just expect that to -- to continue.

I'd further, and this goes back to John's questions -- we absolutely see a demand signal from our partners and an opportunity to work with them much more closely on space. We see that at scale and at different levels, different nations are either directly involved in some of the things that -- that they want to do for their own interest in terms of space, or that other nations, in some cases, adversaries, have an interest in their capabilities. So it's a great opportunity for us to both learn, grow and -- and share with partners, and I think that access and influence is a very important part of the program. Thanks.

STAFF: Are there any questions here in the room? Jim?

Q: Yes, sir. Good to see you again.

GEN. ZANA: Great to see you, Jim.

Q: You know, (inaudible) -- I haven't spoken to a combatant commander who hasn't praised the State -- State Partnership Program (inaudible).

GEN. ZANA: Yeah.

Q: I mean, they -- they believe it's a -- it's very good expenditure of funds and they want more. Is there any way to speed up the process? I don't think it specifically means, you know, commands like Africa Command or -- or in -- in some of the island nations of -- of Indo-Pacific Command. Any way to speed that process up? Is that a problem with just the process, or is that -- is that a problem that you now are getting sort of limited with who you can add?

GEN. ZANA: Jim, great to see you again, and -- and thanks for the question. I could spend probably an hour just on this and expanding, but I'm going to focus on a -- a couple of aspects of it.

We benefit by the interest and the support from the combatant commanders, the service component commands. One of the great things about the program and my job is everyone wants more of this, and the participants both, when you look at this down at the tactical level, the soldiers and the airmen who are involved in this every day, up to our most senior leaders, they recognize the value and the return on investment. That return-on-investment piece, one of the metrics we often share, it's one percent of the nation's security cooperation budget; results in 20 to 30 percent of the touch points or engagements that combatant commands have. So they inherently see that value and the -- the multipliers that go with that.

When we look at this demand signal for both more partnerships, which is one aspect of it, but also, more resources to go towards the partnerships that we have, it's -- it's kind of a multipronged thing that we've got to work.

The first part in terms of the -- of the year-to-year addition of nations -- this past year was -- was unprecedented in adding five nations, unprecedented since the beginning the program. But it was the right time and the right fit as we looked at the cooperation with the Department of State and Department of Defense, it just made sense to do that. We normally would look at adding just a couple of partners a year, look across the globe at which nations have requested it. That's a key -- a key part of it. Which nations are ready to embark on this? And we see kind of the -- an emergence of many other nations who probably wouldn't have had an interest 20 years ago, who had a keen interest now.

Look no further than what's going on in Ukraine and Russia. We see a great interest from our Nordic partners and other partners in Europe. Enduring interest from Africa, and having spent two of the last four years on -- on continent in Africa, I saw the manifestation of how important those programs were to many of -- of the smaller nations that we deal it, and I say smaller in terms of their overall capacity or defense budget.

The other part to your question that I'd like to -- to just engage on -- we're limited only by -- by resources and -- and imaginations. Oftentimes, some of the most creative activities and the things that happen with the program are an expansion beyond mil-to-mil or the creativity that goes with our soldiers, airmen and their counterparts from other countries.

That said, there are limitations with the funding of the program. The funding processes that we have, it's about a $50 million program. We've often relied very largely each year on congressional adds. That -- that's great and we appreciate that support from the Hill.

The reality is getting this into base budgets is something that would normalize the processes and allow us, especially when we're operating under a Continuing Resolution, a better planning horizon working with our partners.

When you think about what it takes for a state or territory district within the U.S. to coordinate through a combatant command with a foreign partner, that -- just the -- add (inaudible) logistics of that to make it happen. It's a challenge and we make it very difficult. When you look at nearly 100 percent execution of -- of funds last year, it's just because of those efforts.

That said, with shortfalls in budget this year, we've got hundreds of events that we've either had to cancel or postpone, and these are all events that are very much aligned with our National Defense Strategy and very much aligned with our partners and our combatant commands' theater strategies.

And from my viewpoint, one of the things I -- I often cite -- you have so many stakeholders of this program but all of the stakeholders see the richness and the goodness of that. You could almost draw a Venn diagram of what a -- a -- a nation partner wants to do, kind of plot those points, what a chief of mission and ambassador, his or her staff want to do, in terms of their focus, look at what a combatant command wants to do, look at our strategy and look at the capabilities within the Guard.

All those things come together in a little bit of a sweet spot, where you then target what is it that builds the most readiness within our formations and how do we leverage that, working with our partners? The fact that it can adjust year to year, event to event, exercise to exercise, that dynamic part is -- is important.

I'd suggest that if we had full funding from the services and that -- those congressional adds -- and again, we appreciate that support -- are focused on those things that are emergent to the combatant commanders within year of execution.

We look at what's going on within Ukraine right now and supporting our partners who are supporting that fight. This is a vital way that the program got 30 years of trusted relationships and partnerships that go back to all the countries that are most directly involved in this. Recent discussions with our Polish counterparts, our Romanian counterparts, our Ukrainian counterparts, it's just -- you see the -- the importance of the program.

So additional, I think the -- the resources having a -- a process that we can -- we can depend on a little bit more soundly year to year is helpful, and then continued measured growth, and I think that goes in partnership, again, with Department of State and Department of Defense. Thanks, Jim.

Q: And if I could just --

(CROSSTALK)

Q: -- a little bit -- you -- 30 years is -- some of you -- some of you guys have grown up with your partners. I mean, that has to -- that has to be worth something there alone.

GEN. ZANA: Yeah, so one of the keys that I see -- and I've -- I've been the person who's gone into different nations or worked on different exercise and events where it's a short duration partnership and both sides of this -- you still want -- you -- you bring goodwill to that but it's not the same as having a -- a relationship that has endured over many, many years, where you -- you know, you exchange information outside of this, families know one another, you've broken bread on both sides of an ocean.

That trust, you -- you can't build that overnight. Those seeds that are planted, I think it's something that is -- we, as a -- as United States military, particularly good at and our partners are really good at.

The other piece is that if you look across the forces, there's so many soldiers and airmen on both the U.S. side and our -- our counterparts' side who have only known an existence, a context for their military service in which they had a partnership. So they look back and this is as much a part -- it's kind of the lore or the legacy within units -- that they hear this from the people who went before them, they hear stories about the events that they did, the challenges in training, the -- the shared aspect of this.

We wouldn't have realized when the program first started that it would then, years later, result in the co-deployments, forces from the National Guard deploying in harm's way and losing service members alongside partners.

The richness of those connections, it -- it can't be -- can't be overstated, and it's one of those things that I think has made the -- the program both -- both popular and this enduring enthusiasm for it. Thanks.

STAFF: We'll take another virtual question, and we'll go to Carla Babb with Voices of America (sic).

Q: Hey, General, Carla Babb with VOA. Thanks for doing this. I just want to follow up on what you said about Ukraine. Can you talk about how the spillover from the war in Ukraine has affected the California partnership, for example, and not just that partnership but the partnership with the -- with the surrounding countries, like Moldova, like Poland, like Romania?

GEN. ZANA: Carla -- and I appreciate the question and I think this has been one of the things that has really brought, for many people, the -- the State Partnership Program into the news and into -- into the vision of -- of folks who may have otherwise not realized the -- the depth and the breadth of the relationships.

So in advance of Russia's invasion of -- of Ukraine, we were doing close partnerships, not just with the -- with California and Ukraine. One of the things we often refer to is you marry one state but you get the whole family with the Guard.

So when there is a capability that doesn't exist within one Guard, Army Guard or Air Guard, within a state, we reach across the 54 states, territories, and District to be able to get additional resources or capability. This sort of dynamic shift really plays well to being able to support our partners' needs, demands and expectations in real time. We've got some flexibility that's built in by scaling this across the 54.

In advance of Russia's invasion, we were working closely -- and if you think about some of the things that have been, I think, sources of great success in Ukraine's success in defending itself against this unjust, illegal invasion, you see the manifestation of that on the battlefield.

Some examples of that that I would cite that I think are very important -- the emphasis that we place on unit and tactical level leadership, driven by non-commissioned officers, NCOs, and enlisted professional development.

That culture within the U.S. military and within many of our partners and allies is -- is not something that is -- has been a -- an aspect or a strength within all countries, and I think it's something that we've shared. If you look at the small unit tactics and -- and success within Ukraine, I think part of that is attributed back to much of the work that was done between Ukraine, California, and other partners in the region.

I'd also say that when you look at the -- the U.S. focus on building readiness and capabilities and the building blocks, how we -- we manage training, whether this be Army or Air, of individual, lower level collective and building that, I think you can see the evidence that Ukraine has leveraged this to great effect against Russian forces.

Similarly, I think that this has really supercharged the effort for the neighbor nations there, both in advance of the invasion and certainly afterwards. We see a -- a galvanizing of the relationships in NATO and I think a -- galvanizing in the support across the State Partnership Program.

One of the things that the State Partnership Program brings to the combatant commanders and DOD writ large is a connection of not just these bilateral relationships but multilateral relationships. I say the multilateral because often if there is a combatant command exercise or event or a service component command event, the State Partnership becomes a multiplier to -- to bringing in additional partners and players from other nations who may have otherwise not been a part of that. The richness of growing those capabilities then -- I -- I think it manifests in -- in growth and capabilities on -- on all sides.

One of the examples I often use -- and this is indirectly related to what we're talking about. We have a small state, Vermont, that has three state partners: their oldest, North Macedonia, now celebrating 30 years; a 15-year-old relationship with the nation of Senegal in Africa, and the first-year relationship with Austria. Seeing now the interaction between those three nations, some of that which occurs completely out of the -- the realm of what we do with State Partnership becomes a multiplier for each of those partners, and we definitely see that in Eastern Europe.

Carla, thanks for the question.

STAFF: Do we have any questions here in the room, or follow-ups?

Okay, John.

Q: Just a quick follow-up. With regard to Ukraine, has the Partnership program been paused, essentially, since the Russian invasion? Are you providing any assistance, you know, remotely? And then just kind of looking ahead, you know, long-term assistance to Ukraine's been a big topic of discussion at the ongoing NATO Summit.

GEN. ZANA: Yeah.

Q: Are you looking to expand that relationship in the future, specifically through this program or just through the Guard writ large in terms of improving Ukraine's long-term security posture?

GEN. ZANA: Sure, John. I'll -- I'll take that in two parts. First off, we've continued to do training and support both for Ukraine and -- and other partners. Obviously, things have had to shift to areas where we could do that training safely. And I think as we look at equipment that's been fielded in support of Ukraine's efforts, and not just equipment, but capabilities that -- that are needed to grow to support both the fight, and then the support from nations we're -- we're helping with everything from logistics, training -- all the things that it takes to -- to bring the capability to bear on the battlefield. That has continued and will continue there.

I think the -- to me, it seems that there will be growth in the demand signal from our partners in a number of ways. First off, our partners have paid a tremendous price in supporting and providing equipment. Much of the equipment that they had that was not, obviously, backfilled, or they didn't have ready backfills for types and pieces of equipment, that is going to have to be -- that demand signal is going to have to be met. So I think there'll be new equipment that there'll be an opportunity.

The Guard Army there do an exceptional job of doing new-equipment training and new-equipment fielding. It's kind of a bread-and-butter for something that happens across the 54 every day, and it's a logical expansion to help our partners as they field replacement equipment and train up in that.

I think the two-way street aspect of it -- we always look at this as being kind of a shoulder-to-shoulder. We learn from our partners and they learn from us. We share best practices, and I think this is an opportunity as we look to the future, and hopefully, at -- at some point, peace in the region, that there will be a reset that's needed for all the militaries who have done so much to support Ukraine, and indeed, with Ukraine themselves. And I think we'll be, you know, postured to be able to support that, working very closely with the combatant commander and across the department.

Thanks, John.

STAFF: We have time for one more question. We have a virtual one in the queue. We will go to Gina Cavallaro with Army Magazine.

Q: Thank you. Thanks, General Zana, for doing this. You said there were five nations added in the last year, and then that was the most -- a -- a big year for adding nations. What do you see in the coming year or the coming five years? And can you tell us, I guess in closing, to the uninitiated, make a statement about why the National Guard is the right way for this program to continue?

GEN. ZANA: Thanks for the question. So first off, this year, the way things worked out to add, like, three African partners. Malawi and Zambia will be a combined partnership, and we're currently evaluating the applications for multiple states who wish to -- to be a part of that. Gabon, another African nation which will be added. We added both Samoa to an existing partnership with -- with Nevada, and then Norway and Minnesota, I mentioned the formalization of this partnership that's existed for 50 years.

You look to the future, I think we look at the capacity to expand the program as being a couple of nations a year, and I purposely don't put a specific number on it because it's dependent upon both what the nations request, the combatant commanders and Department of State support, and then it is reliant on funding. We don't want to spread ourselves so thin that we're not able to have the depth of -- of the training, operations, exercise and exchanges that -- that each of these partners deserve.

And our -- the evolution of this, I think, is going to continue. There'll be some years where there'll be a slightly larger and a slightly not -- less number. So I think over the -- the five years, we'll see that evolve.

The -- the second part, you know, I think the Guard is -- is just uniquely suited to this program, and there's a lot of different ways you can look at that. First off, Citizen Soldiers -- this whole idea of -- of having both civilian capabilities, a connection back to state and community and a community-based force. A lot of times with our partners, this is -- this is a more approachable or an easier construct for them to engage with. You often find that we have civilian skill sets across the Guard. This is true for the rest of the reserve components and security cooperation, but the Guard really excels at this. Those civilian skills, which then translate to something that you can do on the ground.

An example that I provided for a couple of years deployed in Africa, I saw there were often things that were asked for by our partners that weren't necessarily strictly a military capability, but there was a civilian experience set that we could bring to bear to help the partner in that. So often, as we start with a mil-to-mil engagement, that expands into the whole-of-government.

And the whole-of-government part is really -- I describe it as the special sauce for the -- for the program. You start having things like municipalities working as sister cities and towns with one another. You look at state government doing engagements. We've had many foreign partners visiting their states, and similarly, governors and officials from states going to their state partners, academic to academic, think tank to think tank, economic first responder -- all of these things add a richness to this whole-of-government experience that I think the Guard's uniquely suited to -- to fill.

When we see the very best of the programs, they're the programs that expand into this space in a way that is authentic to both the capabilities and needs of both the state and the nation. There's just this richness and this relationship that occurs. And then it's where the imaginations go, and typically, these things are -- are not things that -- that we're funding from the Department of Defense. They're -- they're a bonus that starts building trust and -- and confidence and deepening those roots.

When I look at some of the pairings -- and I saw this both in -- in deployments within CENTCOM/EUCOM AOR and -- and with AFRICOM AOR, you see that there are relationships between the state and the nation that start building an understanding that our nations and our states have so much in common in terms of their desire for having peace and security, the opportunities for prosperity, the opportunities to -- to educate and -- and have safety for families.

When we get folks together from both sides of this equation, we often see that we're far more alike and we have so much in shared values. That is one of those things that really goes to building trust and I think building a -- a warmth that exists in -- in so many of these relationships. It's just something that the Guard does well and our nation partners really respond well to.

Thanks for the question, Gina.

STAFF: All right. Thank you, General Zana, and thank you to all of those in the room and online for joining us today. Please feel free to send additional questions to the National Guard Bureau Media Desk, and we will follow up on those and any taken questions as soon as possible. Thank you.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3458057/

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July 13, 2023

By Joseph Clark , DOD News

DOD Officials Highlight Risks to Force Posed by Senate Nomination Hold

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the risks to national security posed by the ongoing blanket hold on Senate confirmations for hundreds of military nominees in a brief phone call today with Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

During the conversation, which took place at the secretary's request, Austin explained the impact the lawmaker's holds are having on military readiness and uncertainty within the force, Department of Defense Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing at the Pentagon.

"This conversation also follows a call initiated by Secretary Austin earlier this year, as well as ongoing engagement at the staff level," Ryder said. "The two did agree to speak again next week."

Tuberville has placed a hold on Senate confirmation for hundreds of general and flag officers throughout the DOD over disagreements with the Pentagon on its uncovered reproductive health policy.

As many as 265 general and flag officer nominations have been delayed in the Senate as a result of the hold.

Among those general officers pending the Senate's confirmation, is Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith, who earlier this week took over as acting Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Smith replaces Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger who relinquished his position after four years of serving as Commandant.

The last time the Marine Corps had an acting commandant was more than a century ago, when Col. William Biddle served as in acting capacity from Dec. 1, 1910, to Feb. 2, 1911.

Austin underscored the negative impacts further delays in confirming the next commandant would have on Marine Corps and on national security during the Berger's relinquishment of command ceremony on Monday.

"Smooth and timely transitions of confirmed leadership are central to the defense of the United States and to the full strength of the most powerful fighting force in history," Austin said.

"We have a sacred duty to do right by those who volunteer to wear the cloth of our nation," he said.

Should the hold remain in place, as many as 650 critical leadership positions could be vacant by year's end, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said during a briefing earlier this week.

In an interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto following today's call between Austin and Tuberville, Singh said the impact to military readiness caused by the holds comes at a critical time.

As the U.S. faces the growing pacing challenge posed by China and responds to Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine, "we need our best team on the field," she said.

"These are our nominees who have incredibly important jobs all around the world, who are working with our partners and allies," Singh said. "And it sends a message to our adversaries."

Singh said Pentagon officials are hopeful that their ongoing engagement with Tuberville continues and encourages the Senator to lift his hold.

She added that DOD policy surrounding uncovered reproductive care has not changed, and that the Pentagon is not "making concessions or changing our policy" in light discussions over the Senate holds.

"Our policy is very clear, we're trying to ensure equity across the service to all of our service members who live in states that they have the same rights as service members that live in other states," she said in an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd.

"This is not a political fight," she added. "This is about our general and flag officers, our nominees  from four-star generals down to one-star generals  who deserve to be in the positions that they have been selected in."

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July 13, 2023

By Jim Garamone , DOD News

National Guard's State Partnership Program Marks 30 Years

This weekend, the National Guard's State Partnership Program marks 30 years of contacts, exercises and aid to nations around the world.

The SPP is a unique program that began in 1993. It paired state National Guard units with the newly independent nations of the former Soviet Union and nations emerging from the Warsaw Pact.

"The program that began in 1993 with just 13 countries and has now grown to 100 countries," said Army Maj. Gen. William L. Zana, the Guard's director of strategy, plans and international affairs. The general spoke about the program at the Pentagon today.

The importance of allies and partners is a cornerstone of U.S. strategy. "It is a theme that runs deeply through our national security strategy, national defense strategy, and national military strategy," Zana said. "And I'd argue [it] is deeply encultured within what we do as the U.S. military, how we operate and our values."

The SPP is based on working side-by-side with willing partners around the world. The National Guard Bureau administers the program in close consultation with Defense Department officials and the State Department. The aim is to build trust, confidence and capabilities with partner nations.

In the early days of the program, the emphasis was on helping nations throw off 47 years of Soviet domination. Many of the nations that were in that first class of partners are now proud members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The program soon punched above its weight and spread to U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. "The Guard is currently partnered with more than half of the world's nations, and we expect to see continued growth in the coming years," Zana said.

Combatant commanders universally praise the program. "[The SPP] is 1 percent of the nation's security cooperation budget and results in 20 to 30 percent of the touch points or engagements that combatant commands have," the general said. "So, they inherently see that value and the multipliers that go with that."

These contacts are not limited to senior military and civilian officials, rather they stretch from privates and airmen up to generals. Guardsmen - unlike active-duty personnel - tend to stay in place, and many of the Guard's noncommissioned officers and officers have "grown up" with their partners.

Zana, who has worked two of the last four years in Africa, said exercises are good training, but often of short duration. "It's not the same as having a relationship that has endured over many, many years where ... families know one another, you've broken bread on both sides of an ocean," he said. "You can't build that trust overnight. I think it's something that is we, as the United States military, are particularly good  and our partners are really good  at."

The partners have done more than simply exercise together. When U.S. National Guard units began deploying in harm's way, the partners came with them. "The richness of those connections, it can't be... be overstated," the general said. "It's one of those things that made the program popular and built the enduring enthusiasm for it."

National Guardsmen are citizen soldiers who bring experiences and education from their civilian occupations to the process. "Oftentimes, some of the most creative activities and the things that happened with the program are an expansion beyond mil-to-mil or the creativity that goes with our soldiers, airmen and their counterparts from other countries," he said. "That said, there are limitations with the funding of the program."

The program calls for around $50 million, with additions coming from Congress. Zana would like to see all the money "on budget" to create a better planning horizon. "This year, we've got hundreds of events that we've either had to cancel or postpone," he said. "And these are all events that are very much aligned with our national defense strategy and very much aligned with our partners and our combatant commands' theater strategies."

Ukraine was an early member of the program, partnering with the California National Guard in 1993. California Guardsmen helped train Ukrainian service members in NATO standards. They also trained them in using weapons like the Javelin and Stingers that were so crucial in the early days of the Russian invasion of the country.

The California connection thrust the SPP into the news, and Americans got an idea of the depth and breadth of the military-to-military relationship. "In advance of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we were doing close partnerships, not just with the, with California and Ukraine," Zana said. "One of the things we often refer to is 'You marry one state, but you get the whole family with the Guard.' So, when there's a capability that doesn't exist within the Army Guard or Air Guard within a state, we reach across the 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia to be able to get additional resources or capability."

One aspect that hasn't gotten the attention it deserves is the way Ukraine has adopted the U.S. emphasis on unit and tactical-level leadership, driven by noncommissioned officers. "If you look at the small unit, tactics and success within Ukraine, I think part of that is attributed back to much of the work that was done between Ukraine, California and other partners in the region," he said.

The 30th anniversary will be marked at National Harbor in Maryland on July 17-18. Partner officials will join National Guardsmen, DOD officials, State Department officials and ambassadors to mark the event. Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the keynote speaker on July 17.

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Guatemala: Statement by the Spokesperson on the electoral process in Guatemala

European External Action Service (EEAS)

13.07.2023

EEAS Press Team

In line with the statement issued today by the Election Observation Mission of the European Union (EU EOM) in Guatemala, the EU welcomes the official announcement by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of the results of the general elections held on 25 June.

The EU expresses grave concern over the persistent attempts to undermine the integrity of these election results. The EU reiterates its call on all Guatemalan institutions to fully respect the integrity of the electoral process and the outcome of the first round of voting, which was closely followed by national and international observers.

To preserve the integrity of the electoral process it is paramount that the second round of presidential elections on 20 August can take place in strict compliance with the law, full respect for the constitutional order, and with guarantee that those competing can do so on equal terms.

The EU expresses its continued and full support for democracy in Guatemala, including through the continued presence of the EU EOM in the country.

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EU-ASEAN: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the Ministerial Meeting in Indonesia

European External Action Service (EEAS)

13.07.2023

Jakarta

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Thank you, Minister [for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Enrique] Manalo, dear Enrique.

Thanks to all of you, dear friends, dear colleagues. It is a great honour for me to be with you here in Jakarta.

Let me start by thanking our Indonesian hosts for assembling us.

It was also a great pleasure to see many of you at the EU-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in Brussels, last December, where we commemorated 45 years of EU-ASEAN relations.

That meeting cemented my impression of a growing political momentum in our Strategic Partnership, with a sense of this being mutually beneficial.

Mutually beneficial, working on the values of multilateralism and rule of law that bind us together.

Also, yesterday marked the 7th anniversary of the award issued by the tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) between the Philippines and China, concerning the South China Sea.

I recall that the dispute settlement mechanism provided under UNCLOS contributed to maintaining the international order based upon the rule of law.

International law is often violated. It is being violated by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the European Union is doing all it can to support Ukraine's efforts to maintain its territorial integrity and condemn the acts of violence inflicted by Russian forces on the civilian population.

I will speak more on this later, at the ASEAN Regional Forum plenary, and thank you for your invitation to do so.

We are the most advanced regional integration organisations in the world - the European Union and ASEAN - and that is why we understand each other at a deeper level.

We both know how challenging it is to turn the vision of a regional community, at the political level, based on common rules for each of the members, into a practical reality for citizens. And we have to continue working in order for the ordinary citizens to perceive the advantage of regionalisation.

In Europe, we made the borders invisible, and you can travel from Gibraltar to Helsinki without crossing any border or showing your passport. And certainly, citizens have to understand the advantages of working together at the regional level, and working together as regional blocks that we represent - the European Union and ASEAN.

Our similarities, and the lessons learned from our first two years as Strategic Partners, have opened the door to deeper and more productive cooperation. I am personally strongly engaged in this cooperation between the European Union and ASEAN.

I think that this exemplifies the success achieved with our Strategic Partnership, the Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, our common [EU-ASEAN] Plan of Action, and the Commemorative Summit held in Brussels.

This was also recognised by our leaders at the Commemorative Summit in December, who affirmed - and I quote - "we have a common strategic interest of holding regular leaders level engagement between ASEAN and the European Union and [we] look forward to a decision on regular Summits in this year [2023]".

We will continue to look at ASEAN for a clear and positive decision on this proposal this year, one which would see contacts between our leaderships on a regular basis to identify new areas of mutual interest and ensure that our two regions remain on-track with regards to our trade and development links.

Because yes, we have to push for developing deeper our trade and development links.

Finally, let me raise one issue of concern. You know that we faced a challenge related to the potential of Myanmar assuming the role of ASEAN Coordinator for relations with the European Union. We do not recognise the military junta and trust you will find a solution to overcome this issue. All that being said with the best will of cooperation among us. You are the most vibrant region in the world, economically and geopolitically, and the European Union wants to share with you the future of the world by working together on facing the world challenges.

Thank you, and now I turn the floor back to my Co-Chair.

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PACIFIC AMPHIBIOUS LEADERS STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS, MODERNIZE FORCE

US Marine Corps News

13 Jul 2023 | Capt. Miraquel Ridenhour U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

BALI, Indonesia -- The Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, Lt. Gen. William Jurney, and Indonesian Marine Corps Commandant, Maj. Gen. Nur Alamsyah, co-hosted the 9th Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium in Bali, Indonesia, July 9 - 14, 2023.

PALS is the premier gathering of regional amphibious and maritime force leaders across the Indo-Pacific. Each of the participating delegations hold a key stake in maintaining freedom of the seas and skies across the region. The relationships strengthened at PALS are the cornerstone of a free and open Indo-Pacific for all nations.

"Our partnerships throughout the Indo-Pacific contribute to regional peace and security. Moreover, cooperation and collaboration among likeminded nations, particularly for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, improves our collective ability to save lives and alleviate suffering," said Lt. Gen. Jurney. "I am glad to benefit from the collective wisdom and experience of my colleagues here as we continue to work together to maintain peace, stability, and security in a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Indo-Pacific Allies and partners from 24 participating countries came together during PALS 23 to strengthen relationships and exchange information on a broad range of topics related to amphibious operations and capabilities. This year's symposium consisted of engagements between leaders as well as presentations covering: lessons learned from recent multilateral amphibious exercises; the role and value of amphibious forces in humanitarian assistance; regional coordination for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; innovation in littoral operations; and maritime interdiction operations.

In addition to panel discussions, representatives gave presentations on emerging capabilities such as the status of the U.S. Marine Littoral Regiment, joint personnel recovery, and new virtualization training opportunities. These presentations informed leaders on the latest modernization efforts while providing a forum to exchange experience-based knowledge and provide recommendations on further improving amphibious capabilities throughout the region.

"The Pacific region holds immense strategic significance, marked by its vast waters, diverse cultures, and unique geopolitical dynamics," said Maj. Gen. Alamsyah during the symposium. "It is crucial that we adapt our strategies and capabilities to effectively respond to the challenges at hand. Our collective strength lies in the diversity of perspectives present in this room."

Throughout PALS 23, delegations met in numerous bi-lateral and tri-lateral engagements to fortify personal relationships with one another as well as discuss various topics such as amphibious capability development, crisis response, and enhanced interoperability.

PALS 23 had participants from 24 countries including: Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Netherland, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, United Kingdom, and the United States.

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At least 87 bodies found buried in Sudan mass grave, including women, children: UN

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 3:48 PM

Bodies of at least 87 people, including women and children, have been found buried in a mass grave in West Darfur of Sudan, the United Nations has said.

The UN human rights office said on Thursday that it had credible information about the involvement of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the killings.

RSF officials have denied any involvement, saying the paramilitary group was not a party to the conflict in West Darfur, The Guardian reported.

Local people were forced to dispose of the bodies including those of non-Arab Masalit people in a shallow grave in an open area near the city, the UN statement said.

At least 37 bodies were buried on June 20 in a mass grave in an open area in the Ranga region, about two to four kilometers northwest of the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police in western El-Geneina. Another 50 bodies were buried at the same site on June 21, the statement added.

Many were victims of violence that erupted following the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbaker after he was taken into custody by the RSF.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the killing of civilians and hors de combat individuals, and I am further appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated," UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, said in the same statement.

"There must be a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the killings, and those responsible must be held to account," Turk added.

Conflict broke out in April between Sudan's regular army, headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

A RSF senior official on the condition of anonymity said, "The organization completely denies any connection to the events in West Darfur as we are not a party to it, and we did not get involved in a conflict as the conflict is a tribal one."

Another RSF source said it was being accused due to political motivations from the Masalit and others. He reiterated that the group was ready to participate in an investigation and to hand over any of its forces found to have broken the law, The Guardian reported.

Sudan's army spokesperson, Brig Gen Nabil Abdullah, told Reuters the discovery of the mass graves "rises to the level of war crimes and these kinds of crimes should not pass without accountability. This rebel militia is not against the army but against the Sudanese citizen, and its project is a racist project and a project of ethnic cleansing."

Ethnically motivated bloodshed has escalated in recent weeks in a bid to step up fighting between the rival military factions.

Since April more than 3 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to the conflict with 700,000 entering the neighboring countries as refugees.

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US Marine jets fly over South China Sea during Philippine drills

Military officials said the exercises did not target any country despite Chinese harassment concerns.

Jeoffrey Maitem for BenarNews 2023.07.13 -- The U.S. Marines showcased their aerial strength and capabilities during a joint exercise with their Philippine counterparts on Thursday by flying sophisticated warplanes over the South China Sea amid fresh tensions in the maritime region.

Two Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets flew over Zambales province as part of the Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA), annual two-week drills involving more than 2,700 allied personnel.

Apart from the training drills staged at Subic Bay in Zambales, exercises are planned for Cagayan, Tarlac, Palawan and Cebu provinces through July 21. Subic Bay is the site of a former U.S. Navy base that closed in the early 1990s, at the end of the Cold War.

At the Subic International Airport on Thursday, the U.S. Marines demonstrated loading 1,000-pound laser guided missiles on five F/A-18 Hornets. The Hornets were supposed to launch a mock attack to sink a ship about 12 nautical miles from San Antonio, a coastal town facing the South China Sea, but were hampered by storms.

Second Lt. Madison Walls, U.S. Marines Corps 3rd Aircraft Wing spokesperson, said four Hornets were deployed in the exercises to integrate with Philippine assets in coordinated attacks.

"This year's drills are not targeted to specific concerns in the region. This is to strengthen our partnership with our allies," Walls told reporters.

The drills are taking place amid continuing Chinese harassment of the Philippine Coast Guard, according to the government in Manila.

They are also unfolding against the backdrop of tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province.

As the Chinese military conducted military drills off Taiwan on Thursday, Chinese air force jets monitored a U.S. Navy plane as it flew through the Taiwan Strait, the Reuters news agency reported.

The joint U.S.-Filipino exercises came a day after the Philippines marked the seventh anniversary of an international arbitration court's ruling for the Philippines, in a landmark case that Manila brought against Beijing in their territorial dispute over the South China Sea.

Beijing has refused to abide by the ruling and claims nearly the entire South China Sea. This includes waters within the exclusive economic zones of Taiwan, as well as Southeast Asian neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Indonesia has a separate conflict with China over the Natuna Islands.

Earlier this week, Sen. Imee Marcos called on Philippine government agencies to monitor the presence of U.S. military aircraft and Chinese naval ships in the country "equally" as she questioned the presence of U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft in Manila and Palawan.

Sen. Marcos, who is the older sister of President Ferdinand Marcos, called on Philippine military, defense and foreign affairs officials to investigate whether undisclosed U.S. military flights have exacerbated volatile conditions in the region.

"Too little is known about ongoing U.S. military activity in our territory while we constantly call out the presence of Chinese vessels in the South China Sea," Sen. Marcos said in a statement on Sunday.

"The same zeal in tracking any violations in our maritime territory and EEZ (exclusive economic zone) must also apply where Philippine air traffic rules and joint military agreements with the U.S. are concerned," she said.

In February, the Marcos administration granted the American military greater access to bases in his country, alarming nationalist groups into suspecting that the Philippines may be drawn into a war if China invades Taiwan, a U.S. ally.

The allies have an existing Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1951 binding them to aid each other if a foreign power attacks.

According to Philippine Air Force spokeswoman Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, all personnel involved in the joint exercises are covered diplomatically.

"As long as they are covered by diplomatic clearances and communicated to us by the DFA, there is no threat because it went through the proper process," she said, referring to the Department of Foreign Affairs. "All those involved in the training went through the proper process of getting the proper diplomatic clearance."

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service.

Copyright 1998-2023, 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 July 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, ASEAN agree to accelerate accord on preventing conflict in disputed waters

A "milestone" is what Southeast Asian bloc's chair Indonesia calls the guidelines to speed up negotiations.

By Tria Dianti for BenarNews 2023.07.13 -- China and Southeast Asian nations agreed Thursday to speed up an agreement to prevent conflict in the South China Sea where overlapping claims by Beijing and its neighbors have raised tensions.

The guidelines to accelerate negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea represent a "milestone," the Indonesian foreign minister said after diplomats from both sides adopted them at a meeting in Jakarta.

No details were released, although the Associated Press news agency cited an unnamed Southeast Asian diplomat as saying that both sides agreed to conclude a pact before autumn 2026.

The Jakarta meeting was attended by all foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) barring Myanmar, and Wang Yi, who heads the ruling Chinese Communist Party's foreign affairs commission, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said.

Indonesia's top diplomat, Retno Marsudi, who co-chaired the meeting with Wang, said the agreement showed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

"These achievements should continue to build a positive momentum to strengthen a partnership that advances the paradigm of inclusivity and openness, respects international law including UNCLOS 1982, and promotes a culture of dialogue and collaboration," Retno said in a statement, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Retno also welcomed the completion of the second reading of the draft code of conduct this year, after the completion of the first reading in 2019.

China "should be a trusted partner of ASEAN" in nurturing an open and inclusive regional architecture, she said.

"Only in this way can we achieve win-win cooperation for the sake of peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Retno added.

Wang, meanwhile, said Beijing supported ASEAN's central role in the region, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

China stands ready to continue to play a constructive role in its early conclusion, Xinhua quoted Wang as saying.

China and ASEAN have been negotiating a code of conduct for the South China Sea since 2002, but progress has been slow amid disputes over the scope and legal status of the document.

China claims almost all of the strategic waterway, which is also contested by Taiwan and ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. And stability in Southeast Asia has been threatened lately with alleged incursions by Chinese vessels in the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines and Malaysia in the South China Sea.

Indonesia does not have any territorial disputes with China, but it has repeatedly lodged protests against Chinese fishing boats and coast guard vessels entering its EEZ near the Natuna Islands.

In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark international ruling at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which threw out China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. Beijing, however, has ignored the verdict and carried on with its military expansionism in the strategic waterway, including building artificial islands.

The South China Sea has also become a theater for big-power rivalry, as the United States, which has vital interests in the region, has accused China of militarizing the area and undermining freedom of navigation.

For its part, Beijing calls Washington's moves in the region interference and insists it has historical rights to the sea's resources.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet with his ASEAN counterparts at a conference in Jakarta on Friday.

'Potential positive impact'

The guidelines agreed to by ASEAN members and China could be in the nature of technical agreements on how the preventive principles in the code can be implemented, said Vinsensio Dugis, the head of the ASEAN Studies Center at Airlangga University in Surabaya.

"If this is the case, this should be welcomed, because it reflects the intention of the parties that claim part or all of the South China Sea territory to reach an agreement on the implementation of the code of conduct," he told BenarNews.

Additionally, one of the sticking points in the negotiation revolved around the involvement of countries outside China and ASEAN in the implementation of the code of conduct, Vinsensio said.

"China does not want any involvement of other countries, while some ASEAN countries see the need for countries such as the U.S. to also be involved in the process. I think this has been a major obstacle to implementing the principles in the code of conduct," he said.

Still, the agreement between ASEAN and China brings potential positive impact to Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.

"This means that there is a possibility of stability in the region, which is very important for peace and development," he said.

On trade, China has been an important partner for ASEAN in promoting economic growth and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia's Retno said.

Their bilateral trade reached U.S. $975 billion last year, making China ASEAN's largest trading partner, while China was also the fourth largest source of foreign investment in ASEAN with $13.8 billion, Retno said.

A day earlier, China's Wang urged ASEAN to speed up negotiations on an upgraded free trade agreement that would boost economic ties and post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

"China and ASEAN should jointly safeguard the global free trading system, uphold the ASEAN centrality, and jointly maintain regional peace and development," Wang said after talks with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Wednesday.

China and ASEAN have been operating a free trade area since 2010, which covers trade in goods, services and investment. It is the largest free trade area in terms of population and third largest in terms of nominal GDP.

The two sides launched negotiations on an upgraded version of the free trade agreement in 2016, aiming to further liberalize and facilitate trade and investment.

Wang said both sides should speed up the talks on the so-called FTA 3.0 to "inject new impetus into regional development."

Copyright 1998-2023, 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 July 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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Vietnamese online news outlet to go dark after government inspection report

Zing News will stop its service on Friday to address 'shortcomings.'

By RFA Vietnamese 2023.07.13 -- An online news site operated by a Vietnamese NGO will be suspended for three months as of Friday in accordance with a government decision as the publication focuses on "overcoming and thoroughly correcting shortcomings" to implement a government press directive.

The Ministry of Information and Communications concluded in an inspection report that Zing News, also known as Zing News Online Knowledge magazine, had to stop its online service, though the publication did not cite a specific reason in a notice to its readers on Thursday.

The site, which covers economic, culture and political news in Vietnam, is run by the Vietnam Publishing Association, an entity that does not receive funding from the government or the Vietnamese Communist Party, but still must obey its orders.

Zing's announcement said it would focus on implementing a prime ministerial decision issued on April 3, 2019, for a master plan on press development and management nationwide through 2025.

The government's plan states that "the press is a means of information, a tool for propaganda, and a weapon" that is "important ideological fuel" for the party and the state. It also calls for continuous efforts to complete legislation for the government's management and organization of the media and to eliminate the "overlapping situation" by reducing the number of newspapers.

Though Zing did not state what the shortcomings are, it said it would continue to innovate content to ensure the implementation of the principles and purposes specified in its license and to promote an identity of "prestige information, impressive images" that better serves readers.

Vietnam ranks near the bottom of Reporters Without Borders' 2023 Press Freedom Index - 178 out of 180 nations - for quashing dissent, controlling the public's access to social media and prosecuting journalists on contentious charges, such as "distributing anti-state propaganda" and "abusing democratic freedoms."

As of May 2022, Vietnam had 815 news outlets, including 138 newspapers and 677 magazines, of which 29 operate only in electronic format, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

To implement the government's plan, the online Tri Tri online newspaper (Zing.vn) of the Vietnam Publishing Association converted to an e-magazine model on April 1, 2020.

In 2022, the government suspended publication of two other websites for three months, Vietnam Law newspaper and the e-magazine Vietnam Business and Border Trade Journal.

The ministry determined that Vietnam Law Newspaper had 13 violations and was fined 325 million dong (US$13,720). The other publication, operated under the auspices of the Vietnam Association of Border Traders, was fined 70 million dong (US$2,960) for an administrative violation.

Translated by Anna Vu for RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2023, 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 July 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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Cambodian ruling party spokesman rejects criticism of Theary Seng conviction

A U.N. working group said she's been wrongfully detained for her criticism of Hun Sen.

By RFA Khmer 2023.07.13 -- Renewed calls from the U.S. State Department and a U.N. working group for the release of Cambodian-American lawyer Theary Seng are a violation of Cambodia's sovereignty, the spokesman for the country's ruling party said on Thursday.

"Our court jurisdiction is under the laws of Cambodia as an independent and sovereign state," said Sok Ey San, spokesman for the Cambodian People's Party.

"The court convicts [any person] based on the laws and the facts. She caused chaos in Cambodia for being a holder of foreign nation's passport. She stirred chaos in Cambodian society."

In June 2022, Theary Seng was sentenced to six years in prison on treason charges, prompting condemnation from rights groups and the U.S. government.

Her conviction was "a direct result of her exercise of her right to freedom of expression, which is protected under international law," a U.N. working group of independent human rights experts said in a report released on Wednesday.

"Her detention resulted from her long-term, high-profile criticism of the prime minister and her pro-democracy activism," the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in the 17-page opinion.

State Department comments

Asked about the working group's report, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States continues to condemn the conviction and sentence of Theary Seng, who holds dual Cambodian and U.S. citizenship.

When pressed by a reporter, Miller said the department still hasn't determined whether she is "wrongfully detained" - a designation that could involve the department's Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.

"With respect to this case, there is no higher ... pressure we can bring to bear than the secretary of state himself personally raising a case with his counterparts," Miller said at Wednesday's daily briefing.

In August 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed Prime Minister Hun Sen to free Theary Seng and other activists during a visit to Phnom Penh.

Other U.S. officials, including Under Secretary of State Uzra Zeya, USAID Administrator Samatha Power and Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy, have also called for her immediate and unconditional release.

Theary Seng was sentenced along with 50 other activists for their association with the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, once the main opposition in the country before it was dissolved by the Supreme Court in 2017.

The specific charges stemmed from abortive efforts in 2019 to bring about the return to Cambodia of opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who has been in exile in France since 2015. Theary Seng and the other defendants denied the charges.

Foreign intervention fears

Last month, Hun Sen said he wouldn't pardon Theary Seng or opposition party leader Kem Sokha, who was sentenced in March on treason charges widely condemned as politically motivated.

Hun Sen said the decision was necessary in light of recent foreign intervention in Cambodia. He added that even though Theary Seng has dual citizenship, her case applies only to Cambodian law.

In recent months, the prime minister has frequently invoked the specter of national security threats at public appearances ahead of the July 23 parliamentary elections, which he has framed as a referendum on who can best maintain Cambodia's sovereignty.

"From now on, those who seek foreign intervention will stay in prison," he said last month. "We don't release you. Don't include them in prisoners who will be pardoned or have a reduced prison term. We are stopping foreign intervention in Cambodia."

Theary Seng's case was submitted to the U.N. working group by the Perseus Strategies, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and Freedom House organizations, which represent her pro bono.

"Theary Seng's case is emblematic of the many people jailed in Cambodia for exposing human rights abuses, advocating for free expression, and calling for free and fair elections," said Margaux Ewen, director of Freedom House's political prisoner's initiative.

"The Working Group's judgment comes at a critical time. As democracy and internet freedom are under threat globally and in Cambodia, we need the international community's support of brave individuals like Theary Seng - and the rights for which they fight."

Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2023, 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 July 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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NATO 'More United Than Ever,' Biden Says As He Concludes European Trip With Stop In Finland

By RFE/RL July 13, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden said he and other NATO leaders showed the world at their summit this week that the military alliance is "more united than ever" after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The allies "understand that this fight is not only a fight for the future of Ukraine," Biden said in Helsinki as he closed out a five-day trip to Europe. Ukraine's fight is also about sovereignty, security, and freedom throughout Eastern Europe and the world, he said on July 13.

At a news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Biden reiterated that the United States' commitment to NATO would not waver.

"I absolutely guarantee it. There's no question," Biden said, adding that there's overwhelming support from the American people and lawmakers in Congress.

Earlier on July 13, Biden and Niinisto met with the leaders of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. A White House statement said the leaders "reconfirmed the strong U.S.-Nordic partnership and the intensifying cooperation between their countries, focusing on security, the environment, technology, and society."

Sweden is poised to be admitted as NATO's 32nd member after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the eve of the summit agreed to forward its application to Turkey's parliament for approval. Sweden also pledged more cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism efforts.

Both Sweden and Finland, which became NATO's 31st member in April, abandoned a history of military nonalignment and sought to join the NATO alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

Biden's brief stop in the Finnish capital followed what he deemed a successful NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where allies agreed to language that would further pave the way for Ukraine to also become a member.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the summit's outcome "a significant security victory" for his country and said it "removed any doubts and ambiguities about whether Ukraine will be in NATO." But he expressed disappointment at not getting an outright invitation to join.

Biden told reporters on the flight to Helsinki that his trip "accomplished every goal we set out to accomplish" and said that despite Zelenskiy's frustrations the Ukrainian president "ended up being very happy."

He told reporters in Helsinki that Ukraine will join NATO one day.

"It's not about whether or not they should or shouldn't join. It's about when they can join, and they will join NATO," Biden said.

President Vladimir Putin reacted on July 13 to the outcomes of the summit, saying Ukraine joining NATO would threaten Russia's own security and create further tensions on the world stage.

Speaking on Russian television, he also said supplies of new weapons to Ukraine would change nothing on the battlefield but would only further escalate the conflict. Tanks provided by Western powers will be a "priority target" for Russian forces, he added.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-united-biden-finland-ukraine- russia/32502503.html

Copyright (c) 2023. 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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Armenian PM Confirms Participation In Nagorno-Karabakh Talks With Azerbaijan

By RFE/RL's Armenian Service July 13, 2023

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian says he hopes progress will be made on a peace treaty when he meets with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels on July 15, with the president of the Council of the European Union, Charles Michel, in attendance.

"I have confirmed my participation in the meeting, I hope to make progress in the peace treaty negotiations," Pashinian said at a government session on July 13.

But he reiterated that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan "is not yet ready for signing."

The two countries are trying to make progress toward a peace settlement of their long-running dispute over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The simmering conflict led to a six-week war in 2020 in which nearly 7,000 soldiers were killed on both sides.

Pashinian on July 13 also denounced a blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only land link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, saying it contradicts a ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in February ordered Azerbaijan to ensure free movement along the road.

"As far as the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the deepening humanitarian crisis are concerned, the binding ruling of the ICJ creates a possibility for a greater international consolidation to prevent Azerbaijan's policy of ethnic cleansing in Karabakh," Pashinian said.

He also urged international unity against the blockade of the Armenian-populated region.

Azerbaijan's State Border Service (SBS) said on July 11 that traffic through a checkpoint had been suspended pending an investigation after "various types of contraband" had been discovered in the Red Cross vehicles coming from Armenia. Articles being transported included mobile phones, spare parts for phones, cigarettes, and gasoline, it claimed.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) denied the allegations in a statement saying none of the vehicles under its control was involved in smuggling. But it said without its knowledge four hired drivers had tried to transport some commercial goods in their own vehicles, which were displaying the ICRC emblem. The individuals were not ICRC staff members and they were fired, the ICRC said.

The move sparked concerns over a humanitarian crisis in the restive enclave, which Armenia has said is experiencing food shortages.

An EU official said the trilateral meeting scheduled for July 15 between Pashinian, Aliyev, and Michel -- the sixth in nearly two years -- would cover humanitarian issues, border delimitation, the peace treaty, the rights and security of Karabakh Armenians, and connectivity.

"We consider the leaders-level engagement essential to promote peaceful settlement and to prevent escalation," AFP quoted the official as saying. The official spoke in Brussels on condition of anonymity.

In his comments during the government session, Pashinian did not mention tensions on the border, where sporadic fighting and loss of life have persisted despite a cease-fire brokered by Russia to end the six-week war in 2020 and the presence of Russian troops.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said on July 13 that Azerbaijani units fired on Armenian positions in the Upper Shorzha sector. Baku has not responded to the report.

The two sides have previously blamed each other for violating the cease-fire. The fighting in 2020 resulted in Armenia and ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh losing control over parts of the region and seven adjacent districts.

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-pashinian-azerbaijan- talks-karabakh/32501743.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US-Nordic Summit Pushes NATO Agenda of Containing Russia in the North

Sputnik News

20230713

Ekaterina Blinova

US President Joe Biden and leaders from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland met on Thursday in Helsinki for the third US-Nordic Leaders' Summit following Turkiye's nod to Stockholm's membership in NATO.

"The summit in Helsinki is intended to once again demonstrate the transatlantic unity of the US and the Nordic countries," Nikita Lipunov, an analyst at the Institute for International Studies, MGIMO-University, told Sputnik.

"One of its main topics was defense cooperation: in the near future, the United States will demonstrate strength and increase its military presence in Northern Europe. Nevertheless, neither Helsinki, nor Brussels, nor Washington are interested in a direct clash with Russia."

The readout of the US-Nordic Leaders' summit, released on the White House's website on Thursday placed particular emphasis on the Ukraine conflict, pledging "to continue their [US and Nordic] support for Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through sustained security, economic, legal, and humanitarian assistance."

They also "reconfirmed the importance of [NATO] for regional and transatlantic security and stability" referring to Sweden and Finland - previously neutral states - forthcoming accession to the alliance.

The Nordic states signaled that they "stand ready to deepen their security and defense cooperation with the United States, including through the Nordic Defense Cooperation framework."

"I don't think NATO's ever been stronger," Biden said during a meeting with Finland's President Sauli Niinisto. "I think - it's a different era. The nature of our relationship, bringing along Sweden as well, makes a gigantic difference."

In his previous interview with Sputnik, Lipunov drew attention to Washington's plans in the Arctic, stressing that Sweden and Finland's membership in NATO would become instrumental for the US' Arctic gambit.

For instance, Sweden's accession to the bloc will have an impact on the adjacent Barents Euro-Arctic region, where military activity and tension will increase, Lipunov noted at the time. He added that a valuable asset for NATO will be Finnish and Swedish technology in the field of communications, armaments and the construction of icebreakers.

Meanwhile, it's unclear whether Finland's NATO membership is worth the pain of cutting off ties with Russia with which it shares a 1,340 km border. What interests does Helsinki pursue in NATO?

Lipunov explained that Finland receives legal security guarantees under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Even though Russia neither poses a threat nor challenges the Nordic country, Finnish politicians believe that this would strengthen their security.

"In addition, joining NATO for Helsinki is also a status marker of belonging to the Western community of states. By joining NATO, Finland formally confirmed the Euro-Atlantic orientation of its foreign and defense policy and for the foreseeable future abandoned good neighborly relations with its eastern neighbor," said Lipunov.

The preceding NATO Summit in Vilnius demonstrated the bloc's readiness for further expansion and perception of Nordic countries as an invaluable asset for the alliance's strategic plans.

"NATO expansion in Northern Europe is a strategic military-political task of the United States as part of its policy of constraining Russia," Lipunov said. "After the entry of Finland and the future accession of Sweden, the border of the alliance with Russia would double, and the Baltic Sea would actually become NATO's inland sea."

"Due to the close integration of the Nordic countries, including within the NORDEFCO format, and their intensive defense cooperation with other NATO members, primarily the US and Great Britain, NATO's northeastern flank has significantly strengthened, as it grows more militarily connected. Russia is already responding to new security threats: it is strengthening the grouping of troops in the North-West and recreating the Moscow and Leningrad military districts," the analyst concluded.

 Sputnik

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Biden Reaffirms US Commitment to NATO Amid Congressional Efforts on Withdrawal

Sputnik News

20230713

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the United States is committed to remaining a member of NATO in the long term, amid conflicting efforts in Congress to both withdraw from the alliance and bolster the country's place in it.

"There is overwhelming support from the American people. There is overwhelming support from the members of the Congress," Biden said during a press conference, when asked about the United States' reliability as a NATO ally. "I'm saying as sure as anything can possibly be said about American foreign policy: we will stay connected to NATO."

The statement comes following the introduction of an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, which would direct Biden to withdraw the United States from NATO.

Greene has frequently criticized the Biden administration's foreign policy as well as the disparity in financial commitments by NATO members.

However, a group of US senators also introduced legislation this week to prevent the president from exiting NATO without approval from the Senate or an act of Congress.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, who spoke alongside Biden at the press conference, said that Finland has no reason to doubt the United States' NATO policy in the future.

On Ukrainian Accession to NATO

US President Joe Biden said that Ukraine will join NATO and it remains only a matter of time, but no nation can join the alliance while being engaged in a military conflict. He added that it "guarantees that ... we're in a third world war. So that it's not about whether or not they [Ukraine] should or shouldn't join [NATO]. It's about when they can join, and they will join NATO," Biden said during a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

He added that he does not believe that the hostilities can go on for years.

On Prisoner Exchange with Russia

Joe Biden said he is serious about a potential prisoner swap with Russia, including with respect to Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich.

"I'm serious about a prisoner exchange. I'm serious about doing all we can to free Americans..," Biden said.

 Sputnik

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Designation of Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, Former Panamanian President, for Significant Corruption

US Department of State

Press Statement

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

July 13, 2023

Today, I am announcing the designation of former Panamanian President, Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez as generally ineligible for entry into the United States, due to his involvement in significant corruption. While serving as Panama's vice president and then president, Varela accepted bribes in exchange for improperly awarding government contracts.

This designation reaffirms the commitment of the United States to combat endemic corruption in Panama. The people of Panama place trust in those who represent them. Corruption unjustly deprives the people of Panama of quality public services such as schools, hospitals, and roads, hurting their economic prospects and their quality of life. If not addressed, corruption will continue to depress Panama's prosperity, weaken its democracy, and prevent it from realizing its full potential.

It is our hope that today's action will prompt Panama's elected representatives and authorities to tackle entrenched corruption and empower all those who stand up for the rule of law. Corruption anywhere damages the national security and economic health of the United States and our allies. We will continue to promote accountability for those involved in significant corruption throughout the world.

This public designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023. Officials designated under Section 7031(c) and their immediate family members are generally ineligible for entry into the United States.



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United States to Provide Additional Humanitarian Assistance to People in Burma, Bangladesh, and the Region

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

July 13, 2023

Today, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and announced more than $74 million in additional U.S. humanitarian assistance to support humanitarian responses in the region, including nearly $61 million to support Rohingya internally displaced in Burma as well as Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh.

With this new funding, total U.S. humanitarian assistance for Rohingya and other persons affected by ongoing violence across Burma reaches more than $2.1 billion since August 2017, after which 740,000 Rohingya fled genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing in Burma's Rakhine State for safety in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, this new humanitarian assistance will provide life-sustaining support to the nearly 980,000 Rohingya refugees, many of whom are survivors of genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing, and 540,000 generous host community members. It will enable the provision of food, safe drinking water, health care, protection, education, shelter, and psychosocial support. In Burma, the funding will assist in meeting the critical humanitarian needs of IDPs and other vulnerable groups, including for Rohingya and other conflict-affected populations in Rakhine State as well as for those in newly emerged conflict areas since the February 2021 military coup. We urge other donors to contribute robustly to the humanitarian response and increase support to those driven from and affected by the ongoing crisis in Burma.

The United States applauds the generosity of the government and people of Bangladesh and other Rohingya-hosting countries in the region. The United States is seriously concerned about the military regime's escalating violence in Burma. We remain committed to finding lasting solutions to the crisis, including the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return and reintegration of displaced Rohingya when conditions in Burma allow. We commend our humanitarian partners, including the many Rohingya volunteers, for the lifesaving work they continue to do every day.

For further information, please contact PRM at prm-pressofficers@state.gov.





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Continued Threats to the Integrity and Credibility of Guatemala's Election

US Department of State

Press Statement

Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

July 13, 2023

The United States welcomes the certification of the first round of election results by the Guatemalan Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which upholds the credibility and integrity of the most-observed electoral process in Guatemala's history. The certified official results validate the will of the Guatemalan people as expressed in first round elections on June 25. This should set the stage for a free and fair runoff election on August 20 between the two presidential candidates who received the most votes in the first round, Sandra Torres from the UNE party and Bernardo Arevalo from the Semilla party.

At the same time, the United States is deeply concerned by the Public Ministry's attempt to revoke the legal status of the Semilla party amidst the election process. We note the broad range of voices from Guatemalan society who have expressed concern that the Public Ministry's actions violate Guatemala's electoral law and basic constitutional protections. These actions put at risk the legitimacy of the electoral process at the core of Guatemala's democracy, which should be advanced and upheld consistent with Guatemala's constitution and the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The will of the Guatemalan people, as expressed through the June 25 elections results, must be respected.

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Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York

13 July 2023

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

All right, good afternoon.

** Noon Briefing Guest

After you are all done with me, we are delighted to welcome Angeli Achrekar, the Assistant Secretary-General and UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) Deputy Executive Director, who will brief you on the UNAIDS Global AIDS report 2023.

** Secretary-General's Travel

The Secretary-General of these United Nations is in Belgium, and, right now, he is meeting with their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians. And his Deputy, Amina Mohammed, is also with him at this meeting.

Earlier today, he met with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander de Croo. In remarks to the media, the Secretary-General thanked Belgium for its commitment to multilateralism and its cooperation in several areas, including human rights, sustainable development, climate action, as well as peace and security.

We shared the transcript with you.

In about an hour, he will join Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and he will also be speaking to the media. You should be able to see that on Web TV, and that will be ahead of the annual UN-EU High-Level Dialogue.

Discussions will continue tomorrow with the European Union, and, as we mentioned yesterday, it will include a broad range of topics, including climate ambition, peace and security, the digital transition, as well as the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the international financial architecture.

** Democratic People's Republic of Korea

This afternoon, in the Security Council, members will hear from the Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, [Mohamed] Khaled Khiari, who will brief members of the Security Council on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We will share those remarks with you ahead of time.

And as you will have seen yesterday afternoon, we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General strongly condemned the launch of yet another long-range missile using ballistic missile technology by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

He reiterated his calls on the DPRK to fully comply with its international obligations under all relevant Security Council resolutions and to resume dialogue without preconditions leading to the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

** Colombia

Just to note for the record, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia briefed the Security Council yesterday afternoon. He told Council members that the implementation of the Peace Agreement is gaining traction and highlighted the numerous peace-related provisions of the National Development Plan, the increased attention to comprehensive rural reform, and the allocation of funding for the Agreement, and the establishment of the Ministry of Equality as examples.

However, he noted that violence continues to hinder the realization of the Agreement and said he hoped that recent improvements regarding security guarantees will soon bear results and help improve the situation in conflict-affected regions.

** Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine. Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in that country, condemned today an attack that hit a vehicle of the national NGO called Proliska while the team for Proliska was delivering humanitarian aid to families in a village in the Kharkiv region, which is less than 1 kilometre from the border with the Russian Federation.

Fortunately, the team could take cover, and no one was injured, although their car  a clearly marked humanitarian vehicle  and some homes in the village were damaged. That is according to the NGO, what they are telling us.

Our humanitarian colleagues note that this was the third attack impacting humanitarian aid in Ukraine this week alone, at a moment when people need this support the most. Other attacks have also left civilians killed and injured, including in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia just last night.

Denise Brown said that these attacks underscore the challenges humanitarians in Ukraine are facing to carry out their life-saving work, worsened by the lack of access in areas currently under Russian control. Our humanitarian colleagues pointed out that between January and May of this year, nearly 90 incidents impacting humanitarian operations were reported in Ukraine. More than half of them had a moderate to severe impact on the delivery of assistance.

Ms. Brown underscored what should be clear to everyone, that humanitarians have one purpose and that is saving and protecting the people of Ukraine whose lives have been upended by Russia's invasion. Nearly 18 million people in Ukraine need humanitarian aid. That assistance and the workers who deliver it must be protected under international humanitarian law.

** Sudan

Turning to Sudan. Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, today condemned with the strongest terms the killing of civilians. This is after the discovery of a mass grave in West Darfur where bodies of at least 87 ethnic Masalit and others were apparently buried there.

The Office of Human Rights said they were allegedly killed last month by Rapid Support Forces and their allied militia. Mr. Turk, called on the Rapid Support Forces and other parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the prompt searches for bodies, their collection and evacuation.

** Sudan  Humanitarian

On the humanitarian front, more grim news, also from Darfur. West Darfur was one of the most food insecure areas in the country even before the current conflict started. However, our agencies are continuing efforts to reach those who most need. In Central, East, North and South Darfur, the World Food Programme has delivered food to nearly 500,000 men, women and children, and that is since the hostilities began.

Across Sudan, WFP says support is being provided to over 1.4 million people with food and nutrition assistance despite continued fighting and access challenges in 14 of the country's 18 States. And that includes some of the most hard-to-reach areas in Darfur. And that is since operations resumed on 3 May. As you recall, they had been suspended for a little bit of time.

Also to note that the deteriorating security situation and access restrictions by the warring parties is making it extremely challenging for WFP to scale up its assistance.

Also, as a response to the urgency of the ongoing main crop production season in the country, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has kicked off its emergency seed distribution campaign to reach farmers in key regions, ensuring that they have the necessary resources to meet food production needs.

** Democratic Republic of Congo

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just a quick update on our efforts to fight the spread of cholera.

The Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated $750,000 to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and to the World Health Organization, following three weeks of an above-average number of cholera cases in Tanganyika province. This is in the south-east of the country.

This is the second time this year that CERF has released funding for action against cholera in the DRC.

The Humanitarian Coordinator there, Bruno Lemarquis, said the allocation will allow for vital assistance to more than 100,000 people. UN agencies and, of course, our local partners, who are critical, will be working to rapidly detect cases, provide medical care, ensure access to safe water and sanitation and promote safe hygiene practices to reduce the spread of the disease.

So far this year, authorities in the DRC have reported more than 27,000 new cases of cholera, and nearly 180 deaths.

** Federated States of Micronesia

A quick update from our friends in the UN team in [the Federated States of] Micronesia, who launched yesterday a new joint programme to digitally empower small island developing States across the Pacific islands. Financed through a $3.8 million grant from the UN Joint SDG Fund, the new programme will help countries pool resources, expertise, and networks to provide better access to digital services, spur economic activities and strengthen climate change resilience. About seven UN entities are participating and there is more information in the press release.

** UN News  Survey

I just want to flag a message from our good friends at the UN News Centre, who run our very useful news site. They are conducting a survey to see what you, the users, are thinking of the content they are creating, how they distribute it and what can they do to improve and meet your needs. It is all online, takes four minutes, and can be taken in nine languages. [...].

** Noon Briefing Guests Tomorrow

Tomorrow, our guests will be Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat and the Vice-President for Partnerships from the Economist Impact. Also Ms. Edam Yemeru, Chief of Knowledge and Innovation Branch, UN-Habitat; Ambassador Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the UN and co-chair of the Group of Friends of UN-Habitat; and Ambassador Chimbindi, Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to the UN and co-chair of the Group of Friends of UN-Habitat. They will be here to talk to you about the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 11.

** Questions and Answers

Spokesman : I didn't know that by heart, but I had it on paper. Edie?

Question : Thank you, Steph. A couple of questions. First on the Black Sea Grain Initiative, has the Secretary-General received a response from [Russian Federation] President [Vladimir] Putin?

Spokesman : No, he has not. He said so to your colleagues in Brussels a short while ago. But as I mentioned yesterday, we do know they have it, and we do know they're taking a look at it.

Question : And is there any possibility as the end of the week is quickly approaching of either Rebeca Grynspan going to Moscow or Martin Griffiths going to Istanbul?

Spokesman : As soon as I have travel to confirm from either of those two senior individuals, I will share it with you, Edie, but I have none as of now.

Question : And on Sudan, can you tell us what Volker Perthes is doing and is the United Nations involved at all in any efforts to try and get negotiations between the two parties going again?

Spokesman : Volker Perthes, as far as I know, is in Brussels for discussions with the European Union and other partners. There are a number of initiatives going on to try to bring an end to the conflict. We are supportive of any initiative and to try to bring a stop to the horrendous pain and suffering of the people of Sudan, and our contacts continue as well.

Madame?

Question : Thanks, Steph. On Syria cross-border, is the UN talking to the Syrian Government in order to keep those two crossings, not Bab al-Hawa, the other two ones? I believe they'll expire on the 13th of August. And have you heard from the Syrian Government? [cross talk]

Spokesman : We are in regular contact with Syrian authorities in Damascus through our humanitarian operations. Obviously, those two, Bab al-Salam, Bab al-Rai crossing are open. But I have nothing to share with you in terms of, do we have a green light for further down the line? As long as they remain open, we continue to use them.

Question : If there was a green light from the Syrian Government, then you wouldn't need any approval from the Security Council?

Spokesman : Well, the way it works now is that Bab al-Salam is under Security Council authority. We do not have the authority to use that. So, we're not.

Question : Bab al-Hawa.

Spokesman : Al-Hawa. Sorry. Thank you.

Question : No. I was talking about those two that the Syrian Government... [cross talk]

Spokesman : No. The other two, we have permission from the clearance from the Syrian Government. We've been using them, and we'll continue to do so.

Dezhi, and then Ephrem.

Question : Two questions. Today, [United States] President [Joe] Biden said he's seriously thinking about a prisoner exchange for the Wall Street [Journal] reporter who's being accused espionage by the Russian, Evan Gershkovich. Any thoughts from the US would this kind...?

Spokesman : Those are not discussions that we're involved in. It's a bilateral issue between the Russian Federation and the US, and we hope it will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

Question : And yesterday, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution on religious hatred and bigotry. The interesting is the vote. The yes votes. 28 COP members  they're basically from developing countries and African countries and Arabic countries. The no... 12 no votes  basically, they're from EU, UK, US. They suggest this is something concerning the freedom of expression, but the other side said it's about the freedom of religion. So, I just want to know what's the opinion from the Secretary-General on how to strike a balance between these two?

Spokesman : It's a delicate balance to strike. I would refer you to the statement made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Turk, which I think reflects mostly the Secretary-General's own thinking.

Ephrem?

Question : Thank you, Steph. Amnesty International is calling for the Western countries to open pathways for Sudanese refugees given that the situation is out of control and the neighbouring countries are already stretched thin in terms of resources and already hosting a huge refugee population. What role does the Secretary-General see for Western countries in terms of Sudanese refugees right now?

Spokesman : Greater solidarity. We know the world over that it is developing countries are countries who already faced tremendous challenges, who have opened their doors to people fleeing conflict. We see it in Bangladesh. We see it right now in Chad, and in Central African Republic, countries that are facing their own issues and their own very real challenges who have opened their doors and welcomed refugees. And those are just two countries. It is a global solidarity that needs to be shared.

Question : Also, one quick one. We were looking forward to seeing Mr. Karim Khan today since we only see him twice a year. And the subject is especially relevant today. Why was the stakeout cancelled?

Spokesman : That is definitely not a question to ask me. You should reach out to the ICC. As you know, I do not speak for them.

Miriam? Sorry, then we'll come back to you, Linda.

Question : Thank you, Steph. Two questions about Afghanistan. The Taliban officials announced that they will be attending the next SG's meeting with the special representatives of countries on Afghanistan. Can you confirm that?

Spokesman : No.

Question : Okay. And also today, Roza Otunbayeva met with the Foreign Minister of the Taliban. And apparently, she briefed them about the goals of the meeting on Afghanistan that the SG is going to have. Any additional information... [cross talk]

Spokesman : Let me try to get a readout. We were not able to speak to our colleagues in Kabul this morning, but let me try to get a readout for you.

Question : Thank you. Okay.

Spokesman : Linda?

Question : Thank you, Steph. Going back to the cross-border situation between Syria and Turkiye. My question is that we know the Secretary-General wanted one-year extension, the compromise was nine months, and the Russian say six months. So, I don't know if I may have missed this, but has the SG, he'll eventually support the six months?

Spokesman : Well, the SG had called for a longer extension because, obviously, for obvious planning reasons. It is easier to plan operations and easier to plan finance if we have a longer-term extension. Right now, we have nothing. Right? We have nothing going through the one crossing that carried 85 per cent of our aid. The Secretary-General has not given up on his efforts. We continue to have discussions. We very much hope that we will have a positive outcome. As in many cases, the Secretary-General makes suggestions and recommendations and expresses his thoughts to the Security Council on a whole number of issues, and the Security Council comes back with a decision. We will abide and follow whatever decision ultimately comes out of the Security Council.

Edie and then Evelyn.

Question : Thank you, Steph. On a completely different subject, does the Secretary-General have any comment on the decision by the Government in Guatemala to ban the political party of the main opponent in the runoff presidential election?

Spokesman : I do not have language on that at this point, but I do expect I will have something for you a bit later on this afternoon because I know something's coming down the pipes and I don't want to ad lib.

Okay. Evelyn, and then we'll go to our guest.

Question : Thank you, Stephane. Is there any news on a possible envoy for Myanmar, Burma?

Spokesman : We are continuing that process. As soon as we have someone to announce, we will do that.

Question : But they don't seem to pay any attention to the UN. Does the UN first announce it or get agreement from them first or...?

Spokesman : No. The Secretary-General will name a personal envoy that does not need the approval of the authorities in Myanmar.

Yes, sir.

Question : Okay. The Hollywood actors, they are most likely going to join force with the writers to strike on the increased payment, which means probably in the very near future, we're not going to have new shows to watch. Do you think that would help accelerate UN's agenda on all the things since we're going to be more effective?

Spokesman : You always have me to watch. I will not dive into that. Okay. What? Yes. It will increase my own exposure. On that humorous note, we will move on to a very serious topic and the UNAIDS Global AIDS report. So, Angeli, if I could ask you to come up, and my colleague, Shirin, will moderate because I have to go to rehearsal.

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Sudan: UN rights chief calls for probe after 87 bodies found in mass grave

13 July 2023 - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on Thursday called for a swift investigation into the killing of 87 civilians in Sudan following the discovery of a mass grave in West Darfur.

The victims, who included members of the Masalit ethnic community, were allegedly killed last month by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militia, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said, citing credible information.

Local people were forced to dispose of the bodies in a mass grave outside the regional capital, El-Geneina , denying those killed a decent burial in one of the city's cemeteries.

Mr. Turk condemned the killings in the strongest terms and called for those responsible to be held to account.

Women and children killed

The RSF and the Sudanese army have been locked in fierce fighting since mid-April. Thousands have been killed and injured, and nearly three million people are displaced both within and outside the country.

At least 37 of the bodies were buried on 20 June in the roughly one-metre-deep mass grave in an open area called Al-Turab Al Ahmar, or Red Soil in English.

Another 50 bodies were buried there the following day, including those of seven women and seven children.

Those buried were killed by the RSF and their allied militia during the period 13 to 21 June in the districts of Al-Madaress and Al-Jamarek, located in El-Geneina, according to credible information gathered by OHCHR.

Many were victims of the violence that followed the killing of the Governor of West Darfur, Khamis Abbaker, on 14 June, shortly after he was taken into custody by the RSF. Others had died from untreated injuries.

Disrespecting the dead

The UN rights chief said he was "appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated."

"There must be a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the killings, and those responsible must be held to account," he said.

Mr. Turk called on the RSF and other parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate searches for the dead, their collection and evacuation, in line with international law and regardless of ethnicity or other distinction.

Bodies lying in the streets

OHCHR said witnesses report that local mediation efforts for access to and burial of the dead have generally taken too long, leaving many bodies lying in the streets for days.

The family of a Masalit dignitary who was killed on or around 9 June by the RSF and their allies, reportedly had to wait 13 days before being allowed to collect the body.

Witnesses told staff that in cases where the RSF have allowed the collection of the dead, following mediation with Arab and other community leaders, they have refused to allow those injured to be taken to hospitals for medical treatment.

Ensure injured receive care

"The RSF's leadership and their allied militia as well as all parties to an armed conflict are required to ensure that the dead are properly handled, and their dignity protected," Mr. Turk said.

Furthermore, international humanitarian and international human rights law require all warring parties to ensure the injured receive medical care.

The High Commissioner called on the RSF leadership immediately and unequivocally to condemn and stop the killing of people, and to end violence and hate speech based on ethnicity.

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Ethiopia: Rights experts denounce mass deportation of Eritreans

13 July 2023 - A group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts on Thursday voiced "grave concern" over hostile conditions impacting Eritreans refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Ethiopia, including targeted arrests and prolonged arbitrary detention.

According to the experts, hundreds of Eritreans were also subjected to summary deportations at the end of June.

"Collective expulsions are prohibited under international law," the experts, including Mohamed Babiker, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, said in a news release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

"Deporting migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers without conducting an individual and objective risk assessment of their exposure to human rights violations, including torture and enforced disappearance upon return, is refoulement."

The principle of non-refoulement, enshrined in the Convention against Torture and other international human rights treaties, guarantees specific protection against all forms of expulsion, regardless of nationality or migration status.

"Immigration detention should be an exceptional measure of last resort, used only for adults, for the shortest period of time and for a legitimate purpose," the experts said. "It also appears that the authorities are specifically targeting Eritreans, a practice that constitutes discrimination."

According to data from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), as of the end of May, there were around 165,000 Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in Ethiopia, having fled violence and hardship in their country.

Children separated from parents

The human rights experts said that several cases of separation were reported following the mass deportations, with parents forced back to Eritrea and children left behind in Ethiopia.

The Human Rights Council-appointed experts also called on Eritrean officials to ensure those forcibly deported are protected, amid report of serious rights violations against them, including torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, trafficking and arbitrary detention.

"We urge the Eritrean authorities to provide information on their fate and whereabouts and to ensure that they can have access to their relatives, lawyers or anyone of their choice," the experts said, calling on refugee protection organizations in Ethiopia to engage with the Ethiopian authorities to support access to the asylum system and relevant documentation for those on the move.

In addition to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, the experts joining the call included the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants; the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances; and the Working Group on arbitrary detention.

Independent experts

The Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts, and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council.

The experts are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations and work on a voluntary basis. They serve in their individual capacity; are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

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Secretary-General's press remarks before the UN-EU High-level Dialogue

United Nations Secretary-General

13 July 2023

Dear Ursula,

Thank you so very much for your warm welcome.

I am indeed very happy to be back in Brussels, and I thank President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission for hosting this second UN-EU High-Level Dialogue.

This will be the second but it will be one of many, that will happen every single year.

We are meeting at a time when international cooperation is challenged at its core.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shaken the region and the world.

Climate change is crippling countries that contributed least to causing it.

Countless people escaping conflict, persecution and poverty are left to die.

And an uneven economic recovery from COVID-19 is exacerbating inequalities and feeding mistrust between the global West and the global South - which finds itself blocked from access to crucial development finance.

This is when multilateralism is more vital than ever:

To bring peace.

To protect the planet.

To end hunger.

To build guardrails for new technologies.

And I know that our two organizations share these priorities.

I am grateful for your contributions to our efforts - from climate action to sustainable development, from peace and security to human rights and gender equality.

This - now yearly - dialogue is testament to the importance of our partnership.

We live in an ever more multipolar world.

This calls for enhanced forms of cooperation and multilateral governance - anchored in international law.

And the European Union must be an essential pillar of this new global order.

I remember my times in another capacity more than 20 years ago when I was deeply committed to strengthen and to make stronger the integration of the European Union, and it was my deep conviction that the fundamental pillar of a multilateral order is a strong and united European Union.

Together, we must help bridge geopolitical divides and address these global challenges.

It starts with rebuilding trust particularly with developing countries... and we do not have a moment to lose.

To rescue the Sustainable Development Goals, we need a transformation of the global financial system - so that it works for everyone and fulfils its role as a global safety net and I see the European Union as a potential engine for that transformation based on equity and solidarity.

On climate, we need international cooperation for increased ambition on mitigation and climate justice.

I have appealed for a Climate Solidarity Pact in which all big emitters make extra efforts to cut emissions and wealthier countries mobilize financial and technical resources to support emerging economies in a common effort to keep the goal of 1.5C alive.



And once again, I welcome what has been the EU's ongoing commitment in this regard.

And, finally, we desperately need international action on new technologies - including Artificial Intelligence.

Governments, regional organizations, the private sector and civil society must come together to build common monitoring and governance tools.

So that technology serves human rights and the common good. On all these matters, the world looks to the European Union that has always been a pioneer in promoting a digital world for good and I know, dear Ursula, that I can count on your full support.

I look forward to our discussions, and I thank you again for your warm welcome, and as you can witness after these two interventions, we, I believe, were close to Dupond and Dupont.

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International Criminal Court to Investigate Report of Sudan Mass Grave

By Margaret Besheer July 13, 2023

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Thursday that his office is investigating reports that at least 87 people were found in a mass grave in Sudan's West Darfur state.

"If this oft-repeated phrase of 'never again' is to mean anything, it must mean something here and now for the people of Darfur that have lived with this uncertainty and pain and scars of conflict for two decades," Prosecutor Karim Khan told the U.N. Security Council.

In 2005, the council referred the situation in Sudan's Darfur region to the Hague-based tribunal. An investigation was opened into the reported crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Several individuals have been indicted by the court, including former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted from power in 2019. The ICC has issued two arrest warrants for al-Bashir on charges including genocide and war crimes, but he is still at large.

Khan said the ICC has ongoing authority to investigate crimes committed in Darfur and is looking at violence committed there since fighting erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Security Forces. There have been numerous reports of violence against civilians, especially in the West Darfur capital of El Geneina.

"The investigations that we are looking at encompass also many allegations in West Darfur  looting, extrajudicial killings, burning of homes. And also allegations in North Darfur," he said.

The U.N. human rights office said earlier Thursday that the dead were found outside El Geneina and included members of the Masalit ethnic group. The bodies of seven women and seven children were among those found in the grave. Local residents said they were forced to bury the bodies June 20-21.

The U.N. said there was credible evidence that Sudan's Rapid Support Forces and an allied militia were responsible.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the killings and called for a "prompt, thorough and independent investigation."

In an interview Thursday with VOA at the White House, officials said they were "deeply troubled" by the report.

"This is completely unacceptable, and the United States will be obviously taking this up with our allies and partners and with the U.N.," said John Kirby, director of strategic communications for the National Security Council.

"But we condemn it. It's completely horrendous and unacceptable, and the Rapid Support Forces, they need to be held to account for this."

Paris Huang, White House correspondent for VOA's Mandarin Service, contributed to this report.

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Egypt Holds Conference With Sudan's Neighbors on New Cease-Fire

By Edward Yeranian July 13, 2023

Egypt is seeking ways to make an elusive cease-fire hold in the bloody Sudan conflict that has killed thousands and forced Sudan's residents into at least six neighboring countries as refugees. Regional states worry that the ongoing conflict will destabilize them, as well.

Leaders from Sudan's seven key neighbors met Thursday in Cairo at the behest of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who is hoping to prevent the three-month-old crisis from worsening and spilling into other regional states. Arab media reported that Sissi is trying to implement binding mechanisms with regional players in the conflict to make a cease-fire work, where previous attempts have failed.

Sissi told regional leaders at the opening session of Thursday's conference that everyone attending the meeting appears to understand the critical nature of finding a quick solution to the Sudan conflict.

He says that he thanks the heads of state and heads of government for their remarks to the conference, which indicate a deep understanding of the serious nature of the Sudan conflict and their interest in taking the necessary steps to put an end to that conflict.

Sissi went on to say that Sudan's seven neighbors are the most seriously affected by the conflict and "must unite their efforts and political positions to create the climate for a solution."

The conflict in Sudan has left more than 4,000 people dead and pushed close to 600,000 Sudanese refugees into Egypt, South Sudan, Chad, Libya, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia.

Despite the absence of Sudan's two key warring parties  Army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo  Sissi urged them to "stop further escalations and begin serious talks for a permanent and lasting cease-fire, in addition to opening supply lines to allow aid to enter the worst-affected regions."

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told the gathering he "hopes that Sudan will have a leader that will take the initiative to stop the situation from deteriorating further and to contain the crisis, adding that the conflict has affected all of Sudan's regional neighbors due to the flow of refugees out of Sudan.

Ahmed went on to thank Saudi Arabia for its efforts to try and reach a cease-fire in the initial weeks of the conflict, and he argued that Egypt's initiative "must be implemented in concert with African Union efforts in order to find diplomatic channels to make a cease-fire work."

Sudan's ambassador to Egypt, however, told Arab media Wednesday that "outside forces are trying to complicate the conflict in his country by getting as many parties as possible involved in attempts to negotiate a solution, making the situation impossible to resolve."

Egyptian political sociologist Said Sadek tells VOA that Sudan "had the longest civil war of any African country, lasting from the country's date of independence in 1956 until 2011, creating fears that the current conflict is not likely to end any time soon."

Sadek added that one of the reasons that it's so difficult to implement a cease-fire is because "no regional state has good ties with both of Sudan's warring leaders, each of whom control key elements of the country and its economy."

"There is also this feeling that the two warring factions believe that they control a lot of resources, and they can't give them up and that's why they continue the fighting, because the economic aspect of this fight is controlling uranium and gold in Darfur," he said.

Sadek emphasized that Egypt's initiative took place "because Egypt had the hope that when Sudan's seven regional neighbors sat down together and all agreed that the conflict must end because it could spill over into their own territory, this could help cut the flow of ammunition and arms to the warring parties."

Two key actors in the conflict, however  the United Arab Emirates and the Russian Wagner group, which supports Sudan's Rapid Support Forces  did not attend Thursday's Cairo summit, according to Sadek, complicating efforts to resolve the conflict.

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Al-Shabab Attacks Somali Base Handed Over by AU Forces

By Adan Mohamed Salad, Harun Maruf July 13, 2023

Al-Shabab fighters have attacked a Somali military base handed over by Kenyan forces late last month as part of an African Union troop drawdown.

Somalia regional officials said early Thursday the base in Geriley village in the Gedo region, about 12 kilometers from the Kenya border, was captured by militants.

Ibrahim Guled Adan, the district commissioner of El-Wak town, which Geriley falls under, told VOA Somali the militants seized the base after a firefight with Jubaland regional paramilitary forces.

Adan said four people  three soldiers, including two officers, and a civilian  were killed in the attack by al-Shabab.

"Today there was a fighting in Geriley between the anti-peace elements and the paramilitary forces," he said.

He said the administration is planning to recapture Geriley.

"We are in an urgent meeting," he said.

Geriley was handed over by African Union forces on June 29 as part of the publicized drawdown of 2,000 soldiers ahead of a full withdrawal by December 2024. The base was handed over to Somali regional forces.

Al-Shabab attempted to take over the base on July 4 but was repulsed by the regional forces.

The capture of Geriley could pose a security threat to Kenya because it's close to the border. Al-Shabab attacks in the northeastern and coastal regions of Kenya have increased recently.

Meanwhile, the Jubaland regional intelligence agency said that security forces conducted an operation in the vicinity of Welmarow village on Wednesday evening, killing 17 al-Shabab militants.

The agency published purported photos of the dead militants.

Without providing evidence, the agency alleged that some of the militants killed in the operation included Kenyans and Ethiopian al-Shabab fighters.

Somali troops and al-Shabab militants already clashed twice this week in the Welmarow area.

On July 11, several regional forces were killed in an al-Shabab suicide car bomb while they conducted an operation. Two days earlier, Somali troops were conducting an operation when al-Shabab militants engaged them, an incident which prompted a request for air support by the Somali government.

The U.S. military in Africa then carried out three airstrikes, killing 10 al-Shabab militants.

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UNHCR Concerned About Forced Repatriation of Burkinabe Refugees From Ghana

By Kent Mensah July 13, 2023

UNHCR, the U.N.'s refugee agency, has expressed concern about reports that Ghana's armed forces this week deported hundreds of asylum-seekers who were fleeing an insurgency in neighboring Burkina Faso.

Ghana's military said it only expels illegal immigrants and suspected terrorists, but an activist who made a recording of the forced deportations says the move involved mostly women and children seeking refuge from the violence.

The widely circulated video on microblogging site Twitter showed scores of dejected women sitting on the ground with their children in a parking lot with buses, as Ghanaian immigration officers took their information in the Upper East Region bordering Burkina Faso.

Ali Sulemana, a leading member of Tabital Pulaaku  an organization promoting and protecting the arts and culture of the Fula people  described the scene to VOA.

"They were crying and they didn't know what to do. They are even confused. They don't even know where to go and settle again. So, their lives have been condemned," Sulemana said. "Taking these people to Burkina they don't have any place to go. When they go there it may force some of them also to join the terrorists or may end up being killed by the Jihadists."

Attacks in Burkina Faso by extremist groups have led to political instability, with more than two million people fleeing their homes to seek shelter in neighboring countries, including Ghana. Thousands have been killed, according to the UNHCR, and six million individuals have been displaced in the region as a result of activities of armed groups.

A statement issued Wednesday by UNHCR called on the Ghanaian government "to cease these expulsions, which amount to a violation of the non-refoulement principle and guarantee access to the territory and asylum to nationals of Burkina Faso seeking international protection."

Under the non-refoulement principle, a country that receives asylum-seekers cannot send them back to a nation where they would face the prospect of persecution.

Reacting to the claim, Ghana's national security ministry issued a statement on Thursday, saying the government is not engaging in forced repatriation of Burkina Faso refugees.

The statement said, "Contrary to claims that displaced Burkinabes are being forced out of Ghana, a repatriation process has been instituted ... to aid the movement of Burkinabes, who wish to return to their country. The repatriation process is consistent with international protocols on the management of refugees."

Kofi Amankwa-Manu, the deputy minister of defense, said Tuesday's repatriation involved suspected terrorists and persons who are staying in Ghana illegally. He said the issue has nothing to do with refugees.

"Most of them are seeking refuge in Ghana and so we have droves of herdsmen. Some members of these terrorist armed groups being illegal immigrants have found their way to Ghana. So, the armed forces are helping to really deal with this issue of not allowing these illegal immigrants and herdsmen and these terrorist groupings free movement," he said.

Ghana is currently hosting more than 8,000 Burkinabe nationals as a result of conflict in their country.

A reception center managed jointly by the Ghana Refugee Board and UNHCR with a capacity of 4,000 individuals has been set up in the Upper East Region to move Burkinabe refugees away from the border for security reasons. Currently, 530 displaced Burkinabes are being accommodated at the center.

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Remarks by President Biden at the U.S.-Nordic Leaders' Summit | Helsinki, Finland

July 13, 2023

Presidential Palace

Helsinki, Finland

2:20 P.M. EEST

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: Mr. President, dear Joe, you're most welcome to this Nordic family meeting.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Good to be back.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: You know all of us, and we know you. We have understood and heard you referring many times on discussions so  by you and President Obama, and saying that if the whole world would be like Nordics, we wouldn't have that many problems.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: That's almost exactly what he would say. "If we left the important decisions to the Nordics, we'd all be in good shape."

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: Oh, it's even better. (Laughter.)

Let's  this afternoon, we try to be the worthy of that, by your assistance.

I think we have on the table only one issue that is guarantee the future  security-wise, environmental-wise, and technology-wise.

So, why don't we get started, please.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, friends, it's good to be here with all of you. It's good to be back in Finland and  (President Biden's microphone is adjusted)  there you go. It's good to be back in Finland and with all of you. And Barack wasn't very far off.

And we just finished a historic NATO Summit  and I think it was historic  where we welcomed Finland's accession to NATO and reached an agreement to move forward on Sweden's membership in NATO. And it was a reminder that the nations around the table are  not only share a common history, but we share common challenges and  I would add, presumptuously  common values.

And, you know, the vision for the world that we all share  and I think it's a very similar vision  is one that's more free, more secure, and opportunities made available for all. Because we know that when other countries do well, particularly those countries who are struggling, we all do better. We all do better.

And we're working in lockstep on  to tackle climate crisis, which you've been leaders on for a long time, and  in order to literally preserve our planet. It's the only existential threat humanity faces, and we don't have a lot of time. But I'm confident if we continue to work together, we can deal with it.

And we're pioneering the next generation of technologies, and that's going to power everyone's economies. And I think we have to even  we have to continue to remain very close on coordinating. Because it can be a great, great advantage for humanity, but it could also cause some great difficulties in artificial intelligence and  and other things if we don't cooperate and know what is going on.

And together, we're standing with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia's brutal assault.

So, today, I look forward to discussing these and many other issues. And  and, generally, it's an honor to be with you all. It's an honor to be with you. Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER JAKOBSDOTTIR: Well, thank you, Sauli, for organizing this meeting. And thank you, Joe, for being with us, your Nordic friends, here today.

I think it's actually very meaningful for all of us just arriving from Vilnius, the NATO Summit. And we can continue our discussions on security but also talk about the other generational challenges we are all facing  the climate and the biodiversity crisis, if I may mention that.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Yes.

PRIME MINISTER JAKOBSDOTTIR: And I must say that the U.S. obviously has a very important role to play there. And we definitely want to do our bit there.

Artificial intelligence  and I agree  it is really the responsibility of our societies to ensure that it will benefit all of us because it can also have a detrimental effect. And I would also like to mention societal resilience, which is a theme we often talk about here at our Nordic meetings, and I think we can actually, well, you know, learn a lot from each other when it comes to those issues.

So, I value this opportunity very much and  and look forward to our discussions.

PRIME MINISTER FREDERIKSEN: Well, first of all, thank you for  for hosting us today, and good to see you in the Nordic part of  of the world, President Biden. I think was  our meeting in  in NATO in Vilnius was very successful. It's  it's a stronger Alliance now after we left the  the meeting than before.

And  and I think we  we have to salute you, because it was a brave decision, just after the war started, to gather with Sweden to  to walk in  in our direction in NATO. And now you have become a member, and we are so happy that we will soon be able to welcome Sweden as well.

And, of course, this means something for the Nordic Region, because we have been together in so many areas through the years, but we have never been together in NATO before.

So, this also brings us some possibilities and opportunities in  in the Nordic region.

You said before that we have been frontrunners on the green transition, but it's you who have brought U.S. back on the green agenda, fighting climate change.

And I think one of the areas where we can work even closer together, U.S. and the Nordic, are the idea of not only

ensuring that we will combat climate change but, at the same time, we have to create jobs for ordinary people.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Yes.

PRIME MINISTER FREDERIKSEN: So  and this is  this is the Nordic way of doing things, that we always think holistic. So, not just solving a crisis or solving a problem but creating a better future for more people.

And  and with you as president in the White House, we have a possibility to do it together.

So, thanks again for  for inviting us. It's  it's fantastic to be here.

PRIME MINISTER STRE: I will follow up on my  my colleagues.

And for you, President Biden, to be with the Nordics, as we said in Vilnius, this is the first time in modern times. Historians will discuss whether you have to go back to the 14th century to see us around the same table. (Laughter.)

PRIME MINISTER FREDERIKSEN: (Inaudible.)

PRIME MINISTER STRE: Well  we've 

PRIME MINISTER FREDERIKSEN: And we decided that.

PRIME MINISTER STRE: Yeah. (Laughter.) We were very young then.

But  but nonetheless, it is historic. And I don't think this is a time for looking back; it's really time to see what will this mean. I think it will be a stronger Nordic voice in NATO. It will make us more secure and NATO stronger, as a strong Alliance.

And I'll pick up on what Mette is saying. I remember, President Biden, in the campaign, you said that "I'm a union man." And I think when we do work on  on the environment and the big energy transition, we really have to look after jobs and welfare. Because if this is going to be a detriment for jobs and welfare, we will not succeed.

And  and I take it that we are likeminded on this. And  and we have to be preparing for climate conferences this fall for  for new moments coming. And I think this discussion here will also give us some inspiration for that.

In addition, when we will now start planning our security and national defense, we will do so for the first time with what we call interoperability in the northern region. And that is a significant improvement.

PRIME MINISTER KRISTERSSON: First, Sauli, thanks very much for hosting us again in this beautiful place. The last time was together with President Zelenskyy. Thank you so much.

And, Mr. President, thanks for joining us and 

PRESIDENT BIDEN: (Inaudible.)

PRIME MINISTER KRISTERSSON: (Laughs.) Thanks for joining us anyway. And thanks for all your help and all your support in our NATO accession. I do appreciate it very, very much.

We met with you, President, in  I met you in the White House last week. And we met, all of us, in the NATO Summit yesterday. And now we meet in Helsinki.

So, recently, I have met you more than I met my own family, actually. (Laughter.) I like it a lot. (Laughter.)

And I think there is a great potential for even closer U.S.-Nordic cooperation in all these fields of security, of green transition. I think basically a stronger transatlantic link in our time's big challenges  not least in relation to China, for example  that is an answer to  to many questions.

So, I really hope these are a few of the topics we will be able to discuss here today. Thanks.

2:29 P.M. EEST

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Readout of the Third United States - Nordic Leaders' Summit

July 13, 2023

On 13 July 2023, the Presidents of Finland and the United States and the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden met in Helsinki for the third U.S.-Nordic Leaders' Summit. Building on the previous meetings in the same format, the leaders reconfirmed the strong U.S.-Nordic partnership and the intensifying cooperation between their countries, focusing on security, the environment, technology and society.

On security, the Nordic countries and the United States reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. They remained unwavering in their support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. They pledged to continue their support for Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through sustained security, economic, legal, and humanitarian assistance. The leaders committed to continue diplomatic outreach to build the widest possible international support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine founded on the principles of the UN Charter. This includes an increased engagement and dialogue with global partners on the challenges faced due to the war.

Meeting immediately after the NATO Summit in Vilnius, the leaders reconfirmed the importance of the Alliance for regional and transatlantic security and stability. The United States and Nordic leaders welcomed the 10 July 2023 statement by Sweden, Turkiye, and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and look forward to Sweden joining NATO as soon as possible. The leaders noted that Finnish and Swedish NATO membership will strengthen the ability of the Nordic region to contribute even further to the security of all NATO Allies. The Nordic countries also noted their appreciation for the continued U.S. commitment to transatlantic, European and Northern European security, and they stand ready to deepen their security and defense cooperation with the United States, including through the Nordic Defense Cooperation framework.

On the environment, the leaders underscored that climate change and biodiversity loss are among the most critical challenges facing our planet. In this context, the leaders noted the importance of protecting and preserving the Arctic and promoting its sustainable economic development, working in consultation with the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. U.S. and Nordic leaders discussed ways to intensify cooperation on clean technologies, resource and energy efficiency, energy security, critical mineral resources, and resilient supply chains. They noted that cooperation on these issues is critical to achieving shared goals of tackling the climate crisis, accelerating the clean energy transition, and upholding high environmental, social, labor, and governance standards. The leaders are committed to pursuing the opportunities in the transition, enabling new jobs and growth. The United States and the Nordic countries also work closely together in relevant international fora to address climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean health, and sustainable development.

On technology, the leaders recognized the crucial significance of critical and emerging technologieswith appropriate guardrails and risk mitigation measuresfor global prosperity and security. The United States and the Nordic countries committed to step up cooperation on technologies such as 5G and 6G, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies. They noted that cooperation on fundamental and applied research enables the United States and Nordic partners to stay at the technological forefront and to develop technologies and standards that align with common values and interests and are applied in ways that protect democracy and uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms. The leaders underlined the strategic importance of international connectivity.

On society, the leaders reaffirmed the fundamental and shared values of democracy, respect for human rights, gender equality, the protection and equal treatment of all people, rule of law, and economic freedom as the basis of U.S.-Nordic cooperation. These values are indispensable to the resilience of our societies. From that foundation, increased cooperation between the United States and the Nordic countries will help reduce critical strategic dependencies and vulnerabilities and create a more prosperous and secure future for all our citizens. The leaders stressed the importance of people-to-people connections between their countries at all levels as an essential component of U.S.-Nordic ties.

###

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Remarks by President Biden and President Sauli Niinisto of the Republic of Finland Before Bilateral Meeting | Helsinki, Finland

July 13, 2023

Presidential Palace

Helsinki, Finland

1:15 P.M. EEST

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: So, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, it's a great pleasure to wish you welcome to Finland. And I continue by thanking you for your strong support and your strong will to support us during the time that Finland has entered to a new era in our security policy.

And I have to tell you that this week in Vilnius was very impressive to experience the way you created unity amongst Allies. That was great to see.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank you.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: So, once again, I warmly welcome you, and I guess you got the best welcomes already on the streets of Helsinki  (laughter)  which are (inaudible).

PRESIDENT BIDEN: By the way, they are. They're very -very gracious. Very gracious.

Well, it's a delight to be here. It's good to be back in Finland. This is my second visit. And it's  you know, I remember a conversation you and I had when you called to come to the White House to talk about being a member 

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: Yes.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  of NATO. And it took me about three seconds to say, "Yes." Strong support.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: Yes. (Laughs.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN: No, I mean it sincerely, because we had  we launched your ratification process  the fastest it's occurred in modern history. The fastest ratification period in modern history.

You may remember my telling you  I said to our friend in the east that he wants the Finlandization of NATO; well, you're going to get the NATO-ization of Finland.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: (Laughs.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN: But all kidding aside, you know, you're  you've been a great partner. We're great allies. And, you know, Finland and the United States  I think we're stronger together. And I really mean that. You've been an incredible asset to NATO and to the world.

The  and the main reason is we have the same value set. I really mean that. It really matters. And, you know, we're deepening our defense cooperation to ensure that  the security of our people as we modernize your air force with the F-35 aircraft, which you already had.

And together, we're standing for shared democratic values. That's what it's all about. I really think  and you're very gracious and kind to give me credit for unity at  at NATO. But I think it's  I've been doing this a long time; I don't think NATO has ever been stronger.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: You could sense a feeling of that.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: No, I  I believe that.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: Yeah.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: And we had a  a very, very  I had a very good, long meeting with Zelenskyy, who ended up being very happy, and met with his military people.

And I think there's a  I  it's a different era in the nature of our relationship and bringing along Sweden as well. It makes a gigantic difference.

So, I'm anxious to continue to work with you.

PRESIDENT NIINISTO: It seems that when things get serious also, people understand that we have to stick together.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: And you putting together this U.S.-Nordic Summit means a lot to me as well, so I'm looking forward to meeting our colleagues. But I want to thank you. I mean, you've been an incredible, incredible partner.

1:18 P.M. EEST

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58th Combined Arms Army, military unit 47084

(Republic of North Ossetia-Alania)

On the evening of July 12, a recording with the voice of Major General Ivan Popov (call sign Spartak), known in the military environment for his successes on the Zaporozhye front, was circulated on social networks. In particular, the audio was posted on the Telegram channel of Andrey Gurulev, Deputy Head of the State Duma Defense Committee, State Duma Deputy. It was reported that Ivan Popov was removed from the post of commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces "for the truth." The Ministry of Defense did not comment on this information.

"As many commanders of the regiments of the division said today, the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine could not break through our army from the front, our senior commander hit us from the rear, treacherously and vilely decapitating the army at the most difficult and tense moment," the Russian major general said.

On July 11, the Dune Hotel in temporarily occupied Berdyansk, where the command headquarters of the Russian 58th Army was allegedly located, was allegedly hit by a Storm Shadow missile, killing occupying Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov. ussian Telegram channels wrote that Tsokov died by accident, saying that Major General Ivan Popov was the real target.

According to Popov, "many things have happened" over the past few days, including his removal from the post of commander. I have always been honest, from the first day I arrived in our army. Therefore, I honestly tell you: a difficult situation arose with the senior authorities, when it was necessary either to remain silent and cowardly and say what they wanted to hear, or to call a spade a spade. And in the name of you, in the name of all our military friends who died, I had no right to lie, so I outlined all the problematic issues that exist today in the army, said the general.

He called all things by their proper names, drew attention to the most important thing - the tragedy of modern warfare. This is the absence of counter-battery combat, reconnaissance,  the message says. Popov also drew attention to the wounds of Russian soldiers received from enemy artillery. According to the major general, he outlined a number of other issues that "were expressed at the highest level, frankly, extremely harshly."

The chairman of the movement We are together with Russia, Vladimir Rogov, was one of the first to react to the message about the removal of the commander of the 58th Army, Ivan Popov. According to him, the general lost his post "for the truth about the problems of the army."

Comrade General successfully and competently commanded most of the Zaporozhye Front, which the enemy has not been able to break through for a month and a half. <...> Ivan Ivanovich, it is a great honor for me to be personally acquainted with you. You are a real Russian Officer!  Rogov wrote in his Telegram channel.

According to the source of the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, the reason for the removal of the commander of the 58th Army, Ivan Popov, could be that the general, during a report to the head of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, raised the question of the need to rotate units that have been on the line of clashes for a long period of time ". The channel's report claims that Popov spoke about the losses and was stripped of his post after declaring his readiness to personally report the problem to Supreme Commander Vladimir Putin. The Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on these reports.

According to Russian political scientist Sergei Markov, what happened is of course, this is not a rebellion against Putin, but a call for Putin to intervene.

Popular among the troops for the success of the defense on the Zaporozhye Front, the commander of the 58th Army, General Popov, was dismissed from his post. Immediately after that, he turned to his soldiers and officers and stated that his dismissal was a treacherous stab in the back of the army <...> That he was fired because he proposed to remove the shortcomings of management. Criticism from Popov on the facts is very similar to criticism from Prigogine, Sergei Markov notes .

The political scientist believes that "such public disputes in the top military leadership of the Russian Army, of course, are not a sign of strength." We urgently need to put things in order. And the Zaporozhye Front is the most important all month of the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The army needs order, Markov concluded.

Ivan Popov served in the troops of the North Caucasian Military District in various positions, starting from a platoon commander. He graduated from the Academy of the General Staff, and in 2016, by decree of the President of Russia, he was appointed commander of the 33rd separate motorized rifle brigade.

Colonel Popov commanded the 20th brigade and at the same time the troops of the Volgograd garrison for about a year, until September 2017. Local experts note that this turned out to be one of the fastest brigade commanders - now Popov is moving up and, according to rumors that are walking in the army, he will soon put on the shoulder straps of a major general and move to Krasnodar, where he will take the post of deputy commander of the 49th army. This is not our only commander who became a general, NG was told in the garrison. Many of our officers today command large formations, hold positions in the General Staff, etc.

Ivan Ivanovich Popov has a good reputation in the military environment, military expert Alexander Foliyev told NG. - The soldiers of the 20th brigade under his command showed themselves well during the latest exercises at the Prudboy training ground in Volgograd and at the Kadamovsk training ground in the Rostov region. In addition, it was the servicemen of the Popov brigade who were engaged in the provision of military rally and tank biathlon projects in terms of ensuring movement, the work of evacuation services, etc. All this did not go unnoticed in Moscow.

The 58th Army was subsequently headed by Lieutenant General Denis Lyamin. Popov noted in the appeal that he was waiting to receive an offer for further service.

Lieutenant General Mikhail Zusko was reportedly arrested in Russia. The probable reason for his arrest was the failure of the offensive in southern Ukraine. Zusko was in charge of the most combat-ready army of the 58th Army of Russia's Southern Military District. This was reported 02 June 2022 by military journalist Andrey Tsaplienko in his Telegram channel. According to Tsaplienko, he got a tape with an intercepted conversation between the occupiers, in which one of the invaders spoke about the arrest of the general. "I got an interesting audio interception of a conversation with one of those Ossetians who apparently fights on the side of the occupiers. It reveals that General Mikhail Zusko, who commands the most combat-ready Russian 58th Army, has been arrested. For failures in the offensive near Mykolayiv," Tsaplienko wrote.

Lieutenant General Mikhail Stepanovich Zusko, Commander, 58th Combined Arms Army, assumed command of the 58th CAA in August 2020. Zusko has Ukrainian roots - he was born in Volyn. However, according to the journalist, residents of the Ukrainian region where he is from probably no longer consider him a Ukrainian. According to the conversation, the general allegedly "leaked" Russian positions near Mykolayiv to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which helped the Ukrainian military to destroy the invaders successfully, while the offensive against the town was also blocked. "Not least of all, judging from the conversation, Zusko's background influenced the decision to arrest him. He was born in Volyn, but I think the real Volyn people who are fighting for their home no longer consider him a Ukrainian," Tsaplienko said.

ZUSKO is a member of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation; he has been Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (West) since mid-2022. Therefore, there are sufficient grounds to suspect that Lieutenant General ZUSKO is a "person involved" because he "destabilizes Ukraine or undermines or threatens the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine" because he works for the Russian government as a Lieutenant General of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Considering the current international situation around Ukraine and in order to promote international efforts to achieve international peace aimed at resolving this issue, in accordance with the measures taken by other major countries, the Government of Japan has introduced, after taking measures in accordance with the Law on Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade, on the basis of the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers on the freezing of assets of individuals and legal entities of the Russian Federation and other measures of May 26, 2023.

The UK on 13 December 2022 announced a new package of 16 sanctions targeting senior Russian commanders for their involvement in the Russian military. This included Lieutenant General Mikhail Stepanovich Zusko, Chief of Staff Russian Forces Group (West).

42nd Motorized Rifle Division Chechnya 4th Military Base [693rd Separate Motorized Brigade] Dzhava-Tskhinval (South Ossetia) 17th Separate Motorized Brigade Shali 18th Separate Motorized Brigade Khankala 19th Separate Motorized Brigade Sputnik (Vladikavkaz) 136th Separate Motorized Brigade Buinaksk (Dagestan) 205th Separate Motorized Brigade Budennovsk 100th Separate Recce Brigade Mozdok 67th Air Defense Brigade Volgograd 34th C3 Brigade Vladikavkaz

The 58th Combined Arms Army was first formed in the Siberian Military District on November 10, 1941 on the basis of the directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (VGK) of November 2, 1941. It was directly subordinate to the Headquarters of the Supreme Command, and after formation was relocated to the territory of the Arkhangelsk Military District for deployment of works on equipping a defensive line on the shore of the Mariinsky Canal from Lake Onega to Lake Beloe. At the end of May 1942, the association was transformed into the 3rd Panzer Army.

In June 1942, the 58th combined-arms army was re-formed on the basis of the directive of the Supreme High Command Headquarters of June 17, 1942 and became part of the Kalinin Front. Since June 20, the army has been in the front reserve near the town of Ostashkov. In early August 1942, field control, formations, and military units of the 58th Army were turned to form the 39th Army.

On August 30, 1942, the 58th combined-arms army was formed for the third time on the basis of the directive of the Supreme High Command Headquarters of August 23, 1942 as part of the Transcaucasian Front of the 2nd formation. Her field control was formed on the basis of the field control of the 24th army.

By the beginning of the Malgobek defensive operation, the 58th Army was part of the Northern Group of Forces of the Transcaucasian Front, made up the second echelon of the group and performed the task of equipping the defensive line in the Makhachkala region.

At the end of November 1942, the main forces of the army were regrouped on the river. Terek to the area of Malgobek, where during December defensive battles were fought at the line of Mozdok, Upper Kurp. At the same time, the forces of the rifle division continued to defend Makhachkala.

In January 1943, the 58th Army, as part of the Northern Group of Forces of the Transcaucasian Front, participated in an offensive operation in the Stavropol direction with the aim of defeating the German Army Group A and liberating the North Caucasus. Going on the offensive on January 1, formations and military units of the army crossed the river. Terek and January 3 liberated the cities of Mozdok and Malgobek. Then they crossed the Terek River and, in cooperation with the 44th Army, began to pursue the enemy on the entire 320-km front.

By January 24, 1943, the army entered the area north of Novoaleksandrovskaya (70 km north-west of Armavir), where it was reassigned to the North Caucasus Front. In the course of the further offensive, the formations and military units of the army in early February reached the coast of the Sea of Azov. Then, as part of the main strike force of the front, they took part in the Krasnodar operation.

On September 10, 1943, the 58th Army was withdrawn to the reserve of the Supreme Command and on November 15, 1943 it was disbanded. Her field office is aimed at manning the management of the Volga Military District.

On June 1, 1995, in accordance with the directive of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation of March 17, 1995, the command of the 58th combined arms army with headquarters in Vladikavkaz was formed on the basis of the command of the 42nd Army Corps of the North Caucasus Military District. This day is the day of the formation of the army.

In November-December 1992, the personnel of the 58th army took part in the settlement of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, and then in the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus and in the operation to force Georgia to peace in August 2008.

Russian Minister of Defense General of the Army Sergey Shoigu awarded the Order of Suvorov to the 58th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District. This was reported to reporters on 29 May 2020 at the Ministry of Defense.

The decree on rewarding the association for services to strengthen the country's defense, high performance in combat training, heroism, courage and selflessness shown by the personnel during the performance of combat missions, was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Awarding the order established in honor of Generalissimo Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov is a high assessment of the work of the command, military personnel and civilian personnel of the 58th combined arms army of the Southern Military District," said the head of the Ministry of Defense, presenting the award at the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation.

According to Shoigu, "throughout the long history of the glorified association, its personnel has been a model of service to the Fatherland, demonstrating loyalty to the best traditions of the Russian army." The Minister emphasized that the awarding of the Order of Suvorov obliges a lot. Im sure that you will worthily follow his science to win, like the legendary commander, honestly perform military duty, make a significant contribution to strengthening the defense capabilities of the Fatherland, concluded Shoigu.

During the Great Patriotic War, military personnel of the Transcaucasian Front selflessly fought against the Nazi invaders. The personnel of the 58th combined arms army took part in the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, and solved special tasks of forcing Georgia to peace in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. For courage and heroism 52 army personnel were awarded the high title of Hero of Russia. The army was formed on November 10, 1941 in the Siberian Military District. It was recreated in accordance with the directive of the Minister of Defense of March 17, 1995.





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Russo-Ukraine War - 13 July 2023 - Day 505

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that in June 2023, there have been several reports of Russian forces using antiquated armoured vehicles packed with several tonnes of explosives as vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs). The crew likely bail out of the vehicle after setting it on its course.

Most Russian VBIED cases have been reported around Marinka, near Donetsk city, and started days after Chechen units reinforced the area: there is a realistic possibility that Chechen forces are pioneering the tactic.

There is a heritage of Chechen fighters being skilled in IED use, dating back to the Chechen Wars from the 1990s. Chechens fighting for Ukraine were also reported to have made similar VBIEDs in January 2023.

Most of Russia's VBIEDs have almost certainly detonated before they reached their target through a combination of anti-tank mines and direct fire, bringing into question the viability of the capability. However, these VBIEDs cause extremely large explosions, which are still likely to have a psychological effect on defending forces.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the during the day July 13, the Russian occupiers launched a missile-air strike on the territory of Ukraine, using 2x Caliber cruise missiles, 1x Iskander-M ballistic missile and 20x Iranian strike UAVs "Shahed-136/131". As a result of the successful combat work of Anti-Air Defense units, fighter jets, mobile fire groups and other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, 2 Caliber cruise missiles and 20x strike drones were destroyed.

In addition, Russian forces carried out 46x airstrikes and about 40x MRLS attacks on Ukrainian cities and Ukrainian Armed Forces. Unfortunately, some civilians, including children got under fire, houses and other civil and administrative infrastructure were destroyed.

The threat of missile and air strikes remains high across Ukraine.

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'inka axes, heavy battles continue. About 20x combat clashes took place during the day.

Volyn' and Polissya axes: no significant changes detected. There are no signs of the formation of offensive groupings. Armed Forces of Belarus continue to perform tasks in the Ukrainian border.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian forces maintain an enhanced military presence. They carried out an airstrike at Veterinary of the Kharkiv Oblast. Russian forces shelled with mortars and artillery more than 15x settlements, in particular, Kamin of the Chernihiv Oblast; Pokrovka, Ryasne of Sumy Oblast and Muravske, Oliynikove, Riznikove, Bologivka of Kharkiv Oblast.

Kup'yans'k axis: Ukrainian soldiers are holding their ground. The Russian forces launched an airstrike at Kislivka of the Kharkiv Oblast. Stroivka, Krasne Pershe, Novomlyns'k, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kup'yans'k of the Kharkiv Oblast shelled by Russian artillery and mortars.

Lyman axis: the Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensives east of Nevsky in the Luhansk Oblast and east of Terni in Donetsk Oblast. They carried out airstrikes at Nevsky and Belogorivka of the Luhansk Oblast. More than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Belogorivka of the Luhansk Oblast and Tors'ke, Verkhn'yokam'ians'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka of the Donetsk Oblast, were under artillery fire.

Bakhmut axis: under heavy fire from the Russian aircraft and artillery, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled all Russian attacks in the Berkhivka area. More than 15x settlements, including Vasyukivka, Chasiv Yar, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Diliivka, and North of Donetsk Oblast, were shelled by Russian artillery.

Avdiivka axis: Russian forces launched an air strike at Avdiivka. Russian forces shelled more than 10x settlements, in particular Berdychi, Stepove, Avdiivka of the Donetsk Oblast.

Mar'inka axis: Defense Forces continue to hold back the advance of Russian troops in the vicinities of Mar'inka of the Donetsk Oblast. The Russian forces shelled more than 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, and Georgiivka in the Donetsk Oblast.

Shakhtars'k axis: the Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the Novomykhailivka area and carried out an airstrike near Makarivka, Donetsk Oblast. He shelled the settlements of Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Novoukrainka, Storozheve, Blagodatne, and Makarivka in the Donetsk Oblast.

Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia is concentrating forces to prevent further advance of Ukrainian troops. Russian forces carried out airstrikes at Priyutny of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Kozatskyi - Kherson Oblast. They shelled more than 20x settlements, including Novodarivka, Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Biloghirya, Orihiv of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Zolota Balka, Mykhailivka, Antonivka, Chornobayivka, Kizomys of the Kherson Oblast and Kherson. Defense Forces of Ukraine continue offensive operations on the Melitopol and Berdyansk axes, are equipping captured positions, and carry out counter-battery measures.

The Russian occupiers continue to use the practice of artificial resettlement and forced assimilation of Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Thus, in Heniche of the Kherson Oblast, the Russian occupiers began the forced eviction to Russia of Ukrainian citizens who had not received or refused to receive Russian citizenship, including families with children and the elderly. Their places of residence are taken over by the occupiers, by representatives of national minorities from the poor sections of the population of the Russian Federation.

Ukrainian Air Force conducted 5x strikes on Russian manpower and 2x on Russian anti-air defense systems.

Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit Russian manpower, weapons and military equipment concentrations, 10x artillery units at firing positions and 1 counter-battery radar station.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the AFU continued unsuccessful attempts at offensive actions in South Donetsk, Krasny Liman and Donetsk directions.

In Donetsk direction, as a result of the courageous and competent actions of the Yug Group of Forces' units, aviation and artillery, 30 enemy attacks have been successfully repelled close to Zolotaryovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Spornoye, Kleshcheevka, Andreevka, Sol, Severnoye, Veseloye, Vodyanoye, Pervomaiskoye, Krasnogorovka and Petrovskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, enemy manpower and hardware concentration areas have been hit in two areas to the west of Andreevka and Kleshcheevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 335 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one U.K.-manufactured FH-70 towed howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, as a result of coordinated actions by the defending units of the Vostok Group of Forces, aviation and artillery, an enemy attack by the units of the AFU 35th Marine Brigade have been repelled forward Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and also foiled an enemy combat reconnaissance actions near Ugledar (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU inflicted a comprehensive fire attack on an AFU manpower and hardware cluster close to Storozhevoye and Makarovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).

The activities of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been suppressed close to Sladkoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In Zaporozhye direction, as a result of the selfless actions by Russian troops, two enemy attacks have been repelled near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

In addition, Army Aviation and artillery struck enemy military personnel close to Marfopol, Rabotino and Lugovskoye (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were over 240 Ukrainian servicemen, nine infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers, six armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, as well as Msta-B and D-30 howitzers .

In addition, one ammunition depot of the AFU 33th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region).

In Krasny Liman direction, as a result of the active actions by the units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, aviation, artillery, and heavy flame thrower systems, two enemy attacks of the 63rd and 66th mechanised brigades of the AFU each with the strength of up to a motorised infantry platoon have been repelled close to Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Karmazinovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The activities of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been suppressed close to Terny (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, enemy personnel have been hit near Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova and Kuzmino (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were over 60 Ukrainian servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles and one Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer.

In Kupyansk direction, the units of the Zapad Group of Forces, Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and artillery have successfully repelled three enemy attacks near Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

AFU manpower and hardware have been hit close to Molchanovo, Novomlynsk, Ivanovka (Kharkov region) and Artyomovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy were up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, and two motor vehicles.

In Kherson direction, assault groups of Russian troops continued reconnaissance and search operations on the islands close to Antonovsky Bridge.

The enemy losses were up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles, and two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 74 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, manpower and hardware in 107 areas.

One ammunition depot of the 1st Special Forces Brigade of the AFU has been destroyed near Volchansk (Kharkov region).

Fuel depots for Ukrainian military equipment have been destroyed close to Malodolinskoye and Chernomorsk (Odessa region).

The 5th National Guard Brigade's battalion command and observation post has been hit near Yampol (Donetsk People's Republic).

Fighter Aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down one Mi-24 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Cherevkovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Air defence facilities have intercepted 4 Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

15 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle have been destroyed close to Grozovoye, Priyutnoye, Dorozhnyanka, Vladimirovka, Konstantinovka (Zaporozhye region), Blagoveshchenka (Donetsk People's Republic), Chervonaya Dibrova, Verkhnekamenka, Chervonopopovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Tavolzhanka (Kharkov region) and Zburyevka (Kherson region).

In total, 455 airplanes, 242 helicopters, 4,981 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 air defence missile systems, 10,668 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,137 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,421 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 11,626 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 14 July 2023 - Day 506

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 12 July 2023, Russian state media reported that nuclear-powered submarines of Russia's Northern Fleet will not be taking part in the main Navy Day fleet review in St Petersburg on 30 July 2023.

Since the current Navy Day format was established in 2017, this would be the first year that no nuclear-powered submarines have been involved. The change is likely primarily due to allow for maintenance and to retain availability for operations and training.

There is also a realistic possibility that internal security concerns since Wagner Group's attempted mutiny have contributed to the decision.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day July 13, Russian occupiers launched another air and missile attack on the territory of Ukraine, using 17x Iranian-made Shahed strike drones and 1x S-300 anti-air guided missile. As a result of the successful combat work of of Anti-Air Defense units, fighter jets, mobile fire groups and other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, 16x "Shaheds" were destroyed. Moreover, Russian forces carried out 43x airstrikes and launched 17x MLRS attacks.

The threat of missile and air strikes remains high across Ukraine.

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mar'inka axes, heavy battles continue. About 20x combat clashes took place during the day.

Volyn' and Polissya axes: no significant changes detected. There are no signs of the formation of offensive groupings. Armed Forces of Belarus continue to perform tasks in the Ukrainian border.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian forces maintain an enhanced military presence. They carried out an airstrike at Radkivka of the Sumy Oblast. Russian forces shelled with mortars and artillery of more than 15x settlements, including Karpovychi, Kamin' of the Chernihiv Oblast; Malushyne, Boyaro-Lezhachi, Sumy Oblast and Kozacha Lopan', Neskuchne, Ternova, Kharkiv Oblast.

Kup'yans'k axis: Ukrainian soldiers are holding their ground. Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kam'ianka, Kislivka, Berestov, and Figolivka of the Kharkiv Oblast were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Lyman axis: Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensives west of Dibrova, Luhansk Oblast, and east of Novosadovo, Donetsk Oblast. More than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Belogorivka of the Luhansk Oblast and Tors'ke, Verkhn'yokam'ians'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka of the Donetsk Oblast, were shelled by artillery fire.

Bakhmut axis: despite heavy fire from the Russian aircraft and artillery, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled all Russian attacks at Berkhivka of the Donetsk Oblast. More than 10x settlements, including Vasyukivka, Chasiv Yar, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Diliivka, and Northern Donetsk Oblast, were shelled by Russian artillery.

Avdiivka axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives at Pervomaisky. They carried out airstrikes in the Avdiivka and Pervomaisky area of Donetsk Oblast. Russians shelled more than 10x settlements, in particular Berdychi, Lastochkine, Avdiivka of the Donetsk Oblast.

Mar'inka axis: Defense Forces continue to hold back the assaults of Russian troops in the vicinities of Mar'inka. Russian forces shelled more than 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, Pobyeda and Georgiivka of the Donetsk Oblast.

Shakhtars'k axis: Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the Novomykhailivka area of the Donetsk Oblast. They shelled Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Novoukrainka, Blagodatne, and Bogoyavlenka.

Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia is concentrating forces to prevent further advance of Ukrainian troops. They carried out airstrikes at Malaya Tokmachka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Grozovoy, Kherson Oblast. Russians shelled with artillery more than 20x settlements, among them Vilne Pole, Mala Tokmachka, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Biloghirya of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Antonivka, Tyaginka, Chornobayivka, Mykilske of the Kherson Oblast and Kherson. Defense Forces of Ukraine continue continue offensive operations in the Melitopol and Berdyansk axes, are equipping captured positions, open fire with artillery on designated Russian targets, and carry out counter-battery measures.

Ukrainian Air Force conducted 13x strikes on Russian manpower and 1x on the Russian forces' anti-air missile system.

Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit 9x artillery pieces at firing positions during the day.

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Secretary Mayorkas Delivers Updates on DHS Campaign to Stop Fentanyl Through Interdiction and Supply Chain Disruption

Release Date: July 13, 2023

Operations Artemis Has Led to the Seizure of Thousands of Pounds of Precursor Chemicals

NEW YORK -- Today, after an inspection of contraband interdiction operations at the International Mail Facility (IMF) operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at JFK International Airport, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas provided an update on DHS's surge campaign to target and prevent fentanyl and its precursor chemicals from entering the United States. Following the success of Operations Blue Lotus and Four Horsemen, which stopped nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl and led to 284 arrests during a two-month period earlier this year, the next phase of DHS's campaign to target and disrupt the fentanyl supply chain has stopped over 5,000 pounds of precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl in its first few weeks.

"Operation Artemis is surging our personnel to interdict the flow of precursor chemicals, as well as the equipment used to manufacture methamphetamine - thus far we have seized over 5,000 pounds of precursor chemicals," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. "Fentanyl is one of the greatest challenges that we are facing as a country, and our efforts are multipronged in addressing the traffickers who peddle in death and destruction. We are using all of our resources, all of our capabilities, and our tremendous creativity to guarantee traffickers will not get ahead of us. We will not stop our efforts until we eliminate the scourge of fentanyl and other contraband that is causing so much harm in our communities."

The Secretary's update on DHS operations follows the Biden Administration's release this week of a new National Response Plan to fight the dangerous and deadly combination of xylazine mixed with fentanyl. Operations like those underway throughout the country by CBP and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are critical to reducing the supply of these substances and other illicit narcotics in communities across the country.

In his update, the Secretary noted that since its launch a few weeks ago, CBP's Operation Artemis, which leveraged intelligence gathered from Operation Blue Lotus to target the fentanyl supply chain, has led to over 130 seizures, including:

Over 5,000 pounds of precursor chemicals

Over 60 pill presses and pill molds

Over 300 pounds of methamphetamine

And over 5,000 pounds of other drugs

CBP is concurrently running Operation Rolling Wave, which surges inbound inspections at Southwest border checkpoints. That U.S. Border Patrol operation has seized:

Over 1,100 pounds of fentanyl

Over 15,500 pound of other narcotics including: 1,000 pounds of cocaine Over 8,000 pounds of marijuana Over 6,500 pounds of meth



"CBP is continually adapting and expanding our efforts to detect and interdict illicit drugs like fentanyl, leveraging intelligence and investigation information in order to stay one step ahead of criminal organizations and their networks," said Troy A. Miller, CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. "Through their diligent efforts, CBP personnel - along with our partners - are keeping these deadly drugs out of our communities."

Under Operation Blue Lotus 2.0, which launched on June 12, CBP and HSI have also continued to surge resources to Ports of Entry, where 90 percent of fentanyl is trafficked primarily in cars and trucks. HSI's Blue Lotus 2.0 and CBP's operations have seized over 1,500 pounds of fentanyl and over 23,000 pounds of other narcotics like cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroine.

In addition to operations at Ports of Entry, CBP is running a parallel intelligence and analysis operation named Operation Argus, which provides trade-focused analysis in support of Blue Lotus 2.0 and Artemis.

These operations build on a tremendous amount of work across DHS:

DHS has initiated major investigative and enforcement operations targeting fentanyl, its chemical precursors, and the supply chain. HSI and CBP previously established Border Enforcement Security Taskforce (BEST) units at CBP's international mail facilities (IMFs), express consignment hubs, land border ports of entry, and international airports. DHS investment in non-intrusive inspection technology (NII), including the deployment of Multi Energy Portals (MEP) in the cargo environment that are significantly expanding our ability to screen traffic through Ports of Entry.

Additionally, HSI has deployed dedicated teams to every Special Agent in Charge (SAC) office throughout the country performing fentanyl investigation operations, including work to identify transnational criminal organization networks and to target dark web vendors. HSI is also bolstering support for its ongoing initiatives including Operation Hydra, which uses computer-based analytic tools to target TCO chemical supplies; Operation Pelican Bones, which includes a focus on financial tools used by criminal organizations; and Operation Chain Breaker, which targets equipment needed to manufacture pills; as well as additional personnel deployed at express consignment facilities.

"HSI is steadfast in its efforts to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and combat the flow of illicit opioids into the United States," said ICE Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Patrick J. Lechleitner. "We are committed to our partnerships that enable collaborative efforts, while leveraging broad spectrum resources needed to ensure continued success domestically and internationally - this is a whole-of-government epidemic that we, with other DHS components, are primed to tackle."

In addition to their disruption of fentanyl smuggling, these DHS operations are also designed to continue to improve interagency cooperation and strengthen regional partnerships, shared intelligence, and coordinated operations.

The JFK IMF that the Secretary visited today is the busiest international mail facility in the United States, serving as the clearing point for over 50% of mail and packages entering or leaving the country. The facility is a testing ground for mail processing modernization and was the site of CBP's first fentanyl interdiction seven years ago.

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Judge Sentences Florida Man to 18 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Thursday, July 13, 2023

WASHINGTON -- Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, 26, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

According to court documents, Al-Azhari pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2023. Al-Azhari is a United States citizen who spent most of his life abroad and came to embrace dogmatic, Islamist/Salafist beliefs. In 2018, Al-Azhari was released from prison in Saudi Arabia following a conviction and sentence for supporting terrorism in Syria, after which he was removed to the United States.

Upon Al-Azhari's arrival to the United States in or around December 2018, the FBI began investigating him for potentially providing material support to ISIS, which, at all relevant times, was designated as a foreign terrorist organization under federal law. In or around April 2020, Al-Azhari began to plan to carry out an attack in support of ISIS. Around the same time, Al-Azhari began to acquire multiple firearms. Al-Azhari also researched and scouted potential locations for an attack in the Tampa Bay area. Since at least May 2019, Al-Azhari also consumed ISIS propaganda and spoke favorably about ISIS, to which he eventually pledged his allegiance through a bay'ah (an Islamic oath of allegiance). Furthermore, Al-Azhari spoke about avenging the United States' imprisonment of Muslims, including ISIS fighters, and the United States' military actions in the Middle East. In addition, Al-Azhari rehearsed parts of his plans, including practicing statements that he would make during or in connection with, his intention to support ISIS.

Al-Azhari had multiple, recorded interactions with an FBI undercover employee and a confidential human source (CHS) in April and May 2020. Al-Azhari was in the process of trying to buy guns from the undercover employee, including a fully automatic rifle, when he was arrested on state charges for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. After his release from state custody, Al-Azhari continued to try to buy firearms from the UCE. Al-Azhari also met with the CHS, attempted to "convert" the CHS to Islam, and Al-Azhari confided in the CHS about Al-Azhari's affiliation with ISIS and his plans to provide material support to ISIS, as well as to send money to ISIS. Al-Azhari also recruited the CHS to help him in connection with his plans in support of ISIS, as well as robberies, and he asked the CHS to obtain a Glock pistol and an unregistered silencer. Agents arrested Al-Azhari when he took possession of the gun and silencer on May 24, 2020.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, and Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Tampa Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Clearwater Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Risha Asokan and Cherie Krigsman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case, with assistance from Joshua Champagne and Paul Casey of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.

Topics: Counterterrorism

National Security

Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - Florida, Middle

Press Release Number: 23-757

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NATO's cybersecurity policy hijacked by certain member states, resulting in double standards and self-contradictions: Chinese FM

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jul 13, 2023 05:58 PM Updated: Jul 13, 2023 05:56 PM

NATO's cybersecurity policy is being hijacked by certain member states, resulting in double standards and self-contradictions, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in response to NATO's accusation that China's cyber activities could reach the level of armed attack, challenge the bloc's interests and security and trigger the bloc's collective defense.

NATO heads of state accused China in their communiquA of its cyber operations, confrontational rhetoric, and disinformation target Allies and harm Alliance security, claiming that China is increasingly challenging the rules-based international order, adding that a single or cumulative set of malicious cyber activities could reach the level of armed attack and could lead the North Atlantic Council to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press briefing on Thursday that China has noticed that NATO's cybersecurity policy is being hijacked by certain member states, resulting in double standards and self-contradictions.

NATO claims that malicious cyber activities can constitute an armed attack and trigger NATO's collective defense clause, but at the same time, it turns a blind eye to certain member states openly adopting offensive cyber military policies, Wang said.

NATO claims to promote a peaceful cyberspace, but selectively ignores the potential danger of cyberattacks launched by certain member states that could drag nuclear-armed nations into geopolitical conflicts, Wang said.

NATO claims to uphold order in cyberspace, but remains collectively silent when certain member states abandoned the UN consensus by openly including critical infrastructure of other countries as targets for cyberattacks, Wang added.

China hopes that the smaller NATO member states will demonstrate more strategic autonomy in the field of cybersecurity. At the same time, China calls on NATO, especially the larger member states, to comply with the UN framework for responsible state behaviors in cyberspace, and to responsibly work with the international community in maintaining peace and stability in cyberspace.

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Emails of US government breached; Chinese hacker group blamed

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 10:31 AM

The United States says a Chinese hacker group has breached email accounts of two dozen government agencies, including the State Department -- a move which Microsoft and the White House said was aimed at acquiring sensitive information.

Microsoft and US national security officials claimed on Wednesday that US government agencies were infiltrated by a Chinese hacker group, code-named Storm-0558 by Microsoft.

A State Department spokesperson told CNBC that the department "detected anomalous activity, took immediate steps to secure our systems and will continue to closely monitor and quickly respond to any further activity."

The Department of Commerce, which has sanctioned Chinese telecom firms, was also breached, the Washington Post first reported.

Microsoft also said late Tuesday that it had mitigated an attack by "a China-based threat actor" that primarily targets government agencies in Western Europe and focuses on espionage and data theft.

The hacking group also compromised personal accounts "associated" with the agencies, likely employees of the agencies.

"The Senate Intelligence Committee is closely monitoring what appears to be a significant cyber security breach by Chinese intelligence," Senator Mark Warner said Wednesday.

He said that China "is steadily improving its cyber collection capabilities directed against the US and our allies."

"Close coordination between the US government and the private sector will be critical to countering this threat," said Warner, who is chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Back in May, Microsoft claimed that a Chinese government-backed hacking group had managed to insert a computer code that blended into Microsoft Windows systems, and evaded detection while maintaining access and gathering information.

It said the group, dubbed 'Volt Typhoon', had carried out the hack.

The group, it said, targeted organizations from telecommunications to transportation hubs, Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft itself, as well as the crucial US military outpost of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

According to the Washington Post, the State Department discovered the intrusion on June 16 and notified the company the same day.

And days later, Washington formally accused China of widespread destabilizing activities in cyberspace, including through a massive breach of Microsoft email systems.

China, for its part, has branded the US as the "biggest threat to global cybersecurity," saying that Washington "knowingly abuses technology" for spying and a range of other purposes.

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New battlefield command system to improve Defence's tactical communications

13 July 2023

The Australian Government has given first-pass approval for the LAND 200 Phase 3 Battlefield Command Systems project.

The investment will improve the security and performance of Defence's tactical communications network and battle management systems.

A new battlefield command system will increase the speed and quality of decision-making, which is essential to success in military operations. The new system will also improve communication and coordination within Army and between the land, sea, air, space and cyber elements of the Australian Defence Force.

Defence will issue an open tender for an integration partner for the Battlefield Command Systems project in 2023. This open tender provides opportunities for Australian companies to fulfil this role.

A second tranche of the project is scheduled to deliver enhancements to the tactical communications network and consider additional battle management systems.

Further details on LAND 200 Phase 3 will be published on the AusTender website.

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UN HRC53: UK comment on Belarus resolution

UK statement on the human rights situation in Belarus. As delivered by the UK's Ambassador to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

13 July 2023

Thank you, Mr President,

We thank the EU for its leadership on this resolution. We are seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Belarus, which the Special Rapporteur recently called catastrophic.

The regime continues to target civilians, independent journalists, trade unions, and human rights defenders in its brutal ongoing crackdown on civil society. Through a broad policy of arrest and arbitrary detention the regime is holding almost 1,500 of its citizens as political prisoners, many of whom are subject to torture and cruel and degrading treatment. In recent months, many political prisoners have been starved of contact with the outside world, with no ability to speak with relatives or update on their condition. Tragically, earlier this week, Ales Pushkin, imprisoned for his political beliefs, died in detention in Belarus.

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur is one of the only remaining outlets to shine a light on the human rights situation in Belarus. We have seen at this session through interactions with numerous Belarusian human rights defenders the importance they place on the mandate. Mr President, this Council must not let them down.

We urge the Belarusian authorities to engage faithfully with the mandate and regret the attitude of 'disdain' shown towards international human rights mechanisms as described by the Special Rapporteur.

We hope that the Human Rights Council can adopt this important resolution by consensus.

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China, Russia and Indonesia Hold Trilateral Meeting

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

2023-07-12 23:00

On July 12, 2023 local time, China, Russia and Indonesia held a trilateral meeting in Jakarta.

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi attended the meeting. Wang Yi said that today's world is undergoing accelerating changes unseen in a century which feature sluggish world economic recovery and rising geopolitical tensions. Yet the pursuit of peace, development and cooperation is still the unstoppable trend of the times, and multi-polarity, economic globalization and democratization of international relations remain the order of the day. Countries urgently need to strengthen solidarity and coordination, act on true multilateralism, and jointly meet risks and challenges, in a bid to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Wang noted that exchanges and cooperation among China, Russia and Indonesia, all leading representatives of emerging markets and important members of the Group of 20, serve the common interests of the three sides, and are conducive to advancing the process of multilateralism and promoting regional peace and stability. As a dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China backs the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation architecture, and supports ASEAN countries in keeping to the right direction of East Asia cooperation, and accelerating the building of the ASEAN Community.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi shared their views on the current international and regional situation. They noted that the meeting is a meaningful attempt for trilateral dialogue and exchanges, and has demonstrated their consensus on upholding the ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Way, and that they will continue to maintain communication on this matter. The three sides also exchanged views on food and energy security, and expressed the view that global governance should be improved to keep supply chains smooth and unimpeded and ensure the food and energy security of developing countries.



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Wang, Blinken meet; more high-level talks to be held

Global Times

Washington needs to show 'more sincerity' to stabilize China-US ties

By Yang Sheng Published: Jul 13, 2023 11:33 PM

China and the US have been having increasingly frequent talks between senior officials recently and are expected to have more exchanges in various fields, such as diplomacy, finance, trade, climate change and maybe military in the future, but Chinese experts said that if US President Joe Biden wants to stabilize ties with China and hold another China-US summit later this year before the US presidential election, Washington needs to show more concrete sincerity through actions, otherwise the frequent meetings would not be productive.

On Thursday, Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again in Jakarta, Indonesia on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings. About a month earlier on June 19, they met in Beijing, where Wang warned Blinken that China-US relations are at a low point, and "the root cause is US misperceptions toward China, which has led to misguided China policies."

Also on Thursday, Shu Jueting, a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said that China is open to and welcomes US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to visit the country, adding that "communication with the US in this regard is underway."

Experts said this would be a key to gauging to what extent the two countries can ease their tensions in the field of trade, while the recently ended visit of US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was more about macro economy and finance.

On Wednesday, China announced that "As agreed between China and the US, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will visit China from July 16 to 19."

Apart from diplomacy, finance, trade and climate change, China and the US also discussed the resumption of talks between the militaries of the two countries. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng met with US Assistant Secretary of Defense Ely Ratner upon invitation on Wednesday, according to the website of the Chinese Embassy to the US.

Xie urged the US to remove obstacles and manage differences with concrete actions, prudently handle important and sensitive issues such as the Taiwan question in accordance with the principles enshrined in the three China-US joint communiquAs, and work with China in the same direction to gradually bring "state-to-state and military-to-military relations back to the right track."

China's sincerity shown

All of these signs show that the consensus reached by the two heads of state in Bali last November has been implemented step by step, at least in terms of resuming dialogues between senior officials in different sectors, and China has shown its sincerity in meeting the US' desperate demands for talks despite Washington not yet correcting its mistakes, which deeply harmed bilateral ties, Chinese experts said.

Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the reason why the Biden administration is desperately seeking talks with China on all fronts is that the White House wants to manage and stabilize the worsening ties with China, because if Biden wants to win next year's presidential elections, he doesn't want to see any extreme incident or even direct conflict occurs between the two countries.

More importantly, the US will host the APEC leaders meeting later this year, and "Biden wants to use this chance to win credit for his reelection, and if he realizes another China-US summit in America, that would be key for him to proving that he has more capability than his Republican competitor in handling complicated ties with China," so before that, he needs his senior officials to lay the foundation for a summit with President Xi Jinping, Jin said.

According to the US State Department website, the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is scheduled to be held November 15-17. Observers said that ahead of this meet, in September, there will be another chance for Biden to hold a summit with Xi in India on the sidelines of the annual G20 summit, and this is why US senior officials are coming to China one after the other to create conditions for this to happen.

"China also wants to stabilize ties with the US, to make sure that tensions won't get out of control, and during the presidential elections, China-US ties usually get impacted, so we also want to try our best to fix ties as much as possible before those uncertainties emerge in 2024," Jin noted.

In addition, "by accepting the US' requests for talks, China also shows the world, especially those countries deeply concerned about worsening China-US ties, that China has done its part to ease tensions," said LA Xiang, an expert on US studies and a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Actions needed from US

Frequent meetings and nice words are not enough to bring a productive outcome, Chinese analysts warned. Diao Daming, an associate professor at the Renmin University, said, "If the US keeps saying one thing and doing another, it will be really hard to see bilateral ties getting stabilized." Diao told the Global Times on Thursday that "China won't refuse talks, but the US needs to implement what it says."

When the two sides are holding and arranging more talks, there are some noises within America looking to disrupt the efforts made by the two sides to reduce tensions, so to what extent the Biden administration can overcome these challenges and bring US-China ties back on the right track remain in question, experts said. LA noted that "the closer we get to the election year 2024, the more and bigger obstacles will emerge. Biden needs to hurry up."

On Wednesday, a day before the Chinese Ministry of Commerce welcomed Raimondo's willingness for a visit, the US hyped news about attacks by "Chinese state-linked hackers" against around 25 US organizations, including at least two US government agencies, claiming that "Commerce Secretary Raimondo and senior officials at the State Department were victims."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded on Wednesday by saying that "the US is the world's largest hacking empire and cybercriminal", while urging the US side to expeditiously respond to attacks targeting China rather than spreading false information.

Experts said this just proves that at the same time as seeking talks with China, the US never ceases its acts of confrontation against China, and it's possible that some forces within the US are trying to interrupt the process of stabilizing China-US ties.

LA said, "Raimondo's trip is key to gauging how much the Biden administration can do to actually stabilize China-US ties," and if the trip takes place and can produce a positive outcome, then there is hope for further recovery of bilateral ties.

Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the frequent meetings need to be transformed into concrete achievements to make the stabilization of China-US ties sustainable.

"For military ties, the US side should remove illegal sanctions against the Chinese defense minister, and stop their provocative activities in the regions around China and handle the sensitive Taiwan question in accordance with the principles enshrined in the three China-US joint communiquAs. For economic and trade ties, they at least need to show sincerity by lifting additional tariffs on Chinese goods, and stop the unfair suppression against China's sci-tech development," Wu noted.

China-US interactions should be reciprocal, Wu stressed. "Without sincerity, there will be no conditions for another China-US summit," he noted.

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Germany's first "China strategy" hurts its own companies more, has limited impact on bilateral ties

Global Times

'Bias-based policy only leads to misunderstanding'

By GT staff reporters Published: Jul 13, 2023 10:17 PM

Germany's first China strategy will put its own companies in a bind as it reportedly seeks to pressure them to reduce their dependency on China, and it will have a short-term impact on the just-stabilized China-German ties, Chinese observers warned. Observers predicted this document from China's biggest trade partner in Europe will also have ramifications for Europe's ability to form a unified stance on Beijing.

The German government on Thursday presented a long-awaited strategy for relations with China that points to a "systemic rivalry" with the Asian power and a need to reduce risks of economic dependency, but highlights Berlin's desire to work with Beijing on global challenges such as climate change.

The 64-page document approved by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's cabinet builds on Germany's first national security strategy, issued a month ago, which didn't go into detail on foreign policy. Scholz's three-party coalition had pledged when it took office in late 2021 to draw up a "comprehensive China strategy."

"It is not our intention to impede China's economic progress and development," the document said. "At the same time, de-risking is urgently needed. However, we are not pursuing a decoupling of our economies."

This message echoes that delivered in May by the Group of Seven leading industrial powers, including Germany.

In response to the published German strategy, the Chinese Embassy to Germany said in a statement on Thursday that China hopes Germany can view China's development in a rational, comprehensive and objective manner.

The difficulties and challenges Germany is currently facing are not caused by China. Viewing China as a "competitor and systemic rival" does not accord with reality, nor does it benefit either sides' interests, said the embassy.

The embassy said viewing China and making China policy based on ideological bias will only lead to misunderstanding and misjudgment, and impair cooperation and mutual trust.

The document is Germany's first China strategy as part of an effort to ramp up pressure on German companies to "de-risk" and reduce their dependency on China, experts said.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government last year ordered a rethink on how Germany interacts with China. Among the changes under consideration is the screening of investments by German companies doing business in China to protect the flow of sensitive technology and know-how, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The strategy will send out a signal "that we are not naive," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

The document is eagerly awaited, as politicians and businesses across Europe and beyond are keen to see how EU's biggest economy is re-positioning itself regarding China.

The strategy will double down on "de-risking," which has been repeatedly mentioned by European and US officials, and is also likely to re-position China as a "partner, competitor and systemic rival" as described in Germany's first ever National Security Strategy issued in June this year, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Cui noted that Germany's talk of "de-risking" with China in fact increases risk factors, especially for its own companies, as the strategy will put German companies in a bind.

German companies have always played the role of pragmatic and significant anchors in helping stabilize bilateral ties, analysts pointed out.

In a meeting with Karl Haeusgen, president of Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau (VMDA), and Christian Klein, CEO of German software and cloud company SAP SE in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the idea of "de-risking" should not lead to "decoupling" and "de-Sinicization."

Klein said that "SAP opposes 'decoupling' and other related activities. The company will actively participate in building a more resilient global supply chain, call for the strengthening of international cooperation and formulating unified global data security rules."

The opposition to "decoupling" will also be reflected in Germany's new strategy document, because it is impossible for Germany to "decouple" with China, a country it is intertwined deeply with in trade and other areas, Sun Keqin, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Thursday.

According to Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), China remained Germany's most important trading partner for the seventh year in a row in 2022.

Experts predicted that the strategy is likely to strain Germany-China ties in the short term, but they believe the influence will be limited.

The early version, drafted by Germany's Green-led Foreign Ministry, which was leaked last year, hinted at a much tougher stance on China, with measures ranging from import stops to mandatory stress tests for companies regarding "China-specific" risks.

The final version will reflect the result of negotiations within the German government, which is divided over the country's China policy: The Green party's Baerbock and Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck advocate a tougher stance on China while Scholz is considered more pragmatic, said Cui.

Scholz visited China in November 2022, making him the first European leader to do so after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and it was his first visit as the German chancellor.

Experts said Germany's first China document will likely have ramifications for the EU's stance on China, at a time when the bloc is struggling to reach a united approach.

"The strategy in part reflects the compromise between China hawks and pragmatists within Germany, but also Atlantists and pragmatists within Europe," said Sun.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had prepared to unveil a road map for "de-risking" economic ties with China. However, diplomats from France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands were among those expressing concerns about "national security" references made by Bjorn Seibert, von de Leyen's chief of cabinet, in a presentation, media reported.

European countries will still decide, based on their own situation, their ties with China regardless of Germany's "China strategy," instead of following the country blindly, said Cui.

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China, ASEAN 'should be vigilant to external threats' while eyeing greater cooperation

Global Times

By Zhang Han Published: Jul 13, 2023 10:56 PM

China and ASEAN member states are pushing ahead talks on version 3.0 of a free trade agreement (FTA), China's top diplomat Wang Yi revealed at a China-ASEAN 10+1 meeting in Jakarta on Thursday. The two sides should "overcome noises and external threats and eye common growth and prosperity," analysts said .

Wang, director of the Office of the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, underscored the achievements in joint construction of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, citing Cambodia's first expressway linking capital Phnom Penh and the port city of Sihanoukville, the China-Laos railway that offers cross-border passenger services, and the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the first of its kind in ASEAN.

Wang also welcomed the second reading of the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea. China supports all parties in forming a guideline document to speed up the COC and is willing to continue to play a constructive role in realizing a COC at an early date.

At a meeting with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Wednesday, Wang noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Both China and ASEAN should take it as an opportunity to usher in a new vision for cooperation and further promote China-ASEAN ties.

China and ASEAN should jointly safeguard the global free trading system, uphold ASEAN centrality, and jointly maintain regional peace and development, Wang said.

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday that as the world faces sluggish economic recovery and geopolitical challenges, it is crucial that the Asia-Pacific maintains stability in its industrial and supply chain, upholds the principle of openness and free trade, and continues to be the global engine.

The upgrading of the FTA is a hallmark of the steadily developing China-ASEAN partnership, despite the challenges, Xu said.

China's imports and exports with ASEAN, its largest trading partner, reached 3.08 trillion yuan ($420 billion) in the first half of 2023, up 5.4 percent year-on-year.

It is hoped that through the FTA 3.0 negotiations and future implementation, pact members can consolidate mutual trust, dispel any sense of uncertainty and enjoy greater development benefits, analysts said, expecting an upgraded FTA and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to reinforce each other.

Indonesia, the rotating chair of ASEAN, adopted the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth" for the meetings. However, some Western media have been focused on internal divergence in ASEAN over the Myanmar crisis and disputes over the South China Sea, claiming the bloc is losing solidarity and centrality.

Chinese analysts underscored the idea that ASEAN negotiations and consensus building are different from a super-state body like the EU, and imposing sanctions on a member is not the ASEAN way to solve problems.

Tang Qifang, an associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that ASEAN centrality must be respected in regional issues, be it Myanmar or the South China Sea.

A chaotic South China Sea doesn't serve ASEAN interests but only benefits external forces. Both China and ASEAN should stay vigilant to any attempt to exaggerate the disputes or intensify the situation, Tang said.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on July 13, 2023

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

AFP: I have a question on the report by Microsoft this week, which said a China-based hacking group was targeting Western government data. Does the Chinese foreign ministry have any further details on the origin of these hacks?

Wang Wenbin: I have answered relevant questions yesterday. The US needs to give an explanation for its own cyber attacks as soon as possible, instead of spreading disinformation and deflecting attention.

China Daily: From July 11 to 12, the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council held an urgent debate on acts of burning the Quran in relevant countries and passed a draft resolution proposed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, with a vote of 28 in favour, 12 against and 7 abstentions. The resolution condemns the recent public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Quran, decides to hold a topic discussion and an interactive dialogue at the 54th and 55th sessions of the UN Human Rights Council respectively and requests the High Commissioner to present an oral update on the root causes of religious hatred. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: China supports holding this urgent debate and expresses its strong condemnation over the burning of the Quran that happened once again in relevant country.

China advocates mutual respect, inclusiveness and mutual learning between civilizations and firmly opposes all forms of Islamophobia. The so-called "freedom of speech" is not a reason for stoking conflicts and antagonism between civilizations. All religious beliefs and feelings need to be respected.

China will work with the international community to implement the Global Civilization Initiative, advocate equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, safeguard the world's diversity of civilizations and together advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

CCTV: According to reports, the Cuban foreign ministry said in a statement on July 11 that it strongly rejects the arrival of a nuclear-powered submarine in the Guantanamo Bay and its stay for days at the US military base located there, which is a provocative escalation. The statement also said that the US has illegally occupied that territory for over 120 years against the will of the Cuban people, and its practical usefulness in recent decades has been limited to operating as a center of detention, torture and systematic violation of the human rights of citizens from several countries. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: As Cuba's foreign ministry noted in its statement, this US move is a violation of Cuba's sovereignty.

At the 2014 Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Havana, 33 members of CELAC adopted a declaration proclaiming Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. The US muscle-flexing runs counter to regional countries' aspiration for peace, which once again exposes its hegemonic and bullying nature.

China firmly supports Cuba in upholding its sovereignty and dignity, firmly opposes interference in Cuba's internal affairs and firmly rejects the US's six-decades-long ruthless blockade, political suppression and economic sanctions against Cuba. We urge the US to stop military provocation and lift its blockade and sanctions on Cuba as soon as possible.

Xinhua News Agency: China announced today that Algerian President Tebboune will pay a state visit to China. Can you share more about this visit and how does China view the current China-Algeria relations? What does China expect to achieve through this visit?

Wang Wenbin: This visit will be President Tebboune's first visit to China after taking office. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will hold talks with President Tebboune to jointly chart the future growth of China-Algeria relations and have in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues of shared interest.

China and Algeria enjoy a deep traditional friendship. The two countries have always respected each other, treated each other as equals and supported each other. China was the first non-Arab country to recognize the Algerian provisional government. Algeria made instrumental contribution to the restoration of China's lawful seat in the United Nations. In 2014, Algeria and China established comprehensive strategic partnership, making Algeria the first Arab state to forge such a partnership with China. In recent years, thanks to the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Tebboune, the China-Algeria relations have achieved comprehensive and in-depth development with deepening political mutual trust. China and Algeria had fruitful practical cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road cooperation, maintained close communication and coordination on regional and international affairs and firmly safeguarded international equity and justice and the common interests of fellow developing countries. China looks forward to working with Algeria through this visit to enhance mutual trust, cooperation and friendship, seek greater progress of the China-Algeria comprehensive strategic partnership and make greater contribution to promoting the security and stability in the Middle East and strengthening the unity and cooperation among developing countries.

Shenzhen TV: We have noted that recently, Ambassador Chen Xu delivered a joint statement on artificial intelligence (AI) to advance the rights of people with disabilities on behalf of 70 nations at the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council. Could you share more information on this? Since AI research and application is a cutting-edge topic of our times, what significance will the joint statement have on advancing the global cause of protecting people with disabilities with AI?

Wang Wenbin: Recently, at the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, China made a joint statement on promoting rights of people with disabilities with AI on behalf of 70 countries. It is pointed out that the fast-growing AI, on the one hand, will help realize inclusive development and the human rights of people with impairments. On the other hand, it will exacerbate the inequality faced by them. The joint statement put forward three proposals. First, there is a need to boost collaboration, have in-depth discussions about closing the digital gap, and develop more diverse ways for people with disabilities to equitably benefit from social and economic progress. The second is to develop inclusively so that the high-quality development of AI may assist the disabled and will be more convenient, accessible, and inclusive. The third is to utilize technology responsibly, encourage AI to further the protection of disabled people's rights and interests, and give special consideration to the disabled.a

People with disabilities are equal members in the family of humanity. Safeguarding their equal rights and promoting their integration and development are common consensus of the international community. As a major country in science and technology and a member state of the UN Human Rights Council, China is committed to better integration and development of people with disabilities through the application of AI, and contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to the sound development of the global cause of people with disabilities.

Reuters: Billionaire Elon Musk has said that China is interested in working in a cooperative international framework for AI regulation. Could the ministry confirm if this is true? And if so, what kind of cooperation is this, and with which countries or parties?

Wang Wenbin: I'm not aware of what you mentioned. China attaches importance to the development and governance of artificial intelligence (AI). We believe in a people-centered and "AI for good" approach in the regulation of AI tech and participate in global cooperation in a highly responsible way. China stands ready to step up communication and exchanges on AI security governance with the rest of the world and help establish a broad-based international mechanism and a set of widely accepted international AI governance framework, standards and norms.a

China News Service: NATO Summit issued a communiquA saying that "China's malicious cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation harm Alliance security" and "China strives to subvert the rules-based international order, including in the cyber domain." The communiquA also stated that "a single or cumulative set of malicious cyber activities could reach the level of armed attack and could lead the North Atlantic Council to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Treaty" and NATO needs to "enhance the contribution of cyber defence to our overall deterrence and defence posture." What's China's comment?

Wang Wenbin: As we can see, NATO's cybersecurity policy is being hijacked by certain member states and is dominated by double standards and self-contradiction.

NATO says "malicious cyber activities could reach the level of armed attack and lead the North Atlantic Council to invoke Article 5". But when its member publicly launched an "aggressive" cybersecurity strategy, NATO simply chose to ignore it. NATO says it promotes a "peaceful cyberspace". But when its member launched cyber attacks that risk dragging nuclear powers into geopolitical conflict, NATO selectively overlooked it. NATO says it promotes order in cyberspace. But when its member declared other countries' critical infrastructure to be "legitimate targets" despite UN consensus, NATO simply chose to remain silent.

We hope that small and medium-sized member states of NATO will be more aware of the need to stay strategically independent on cybersecurity. We call on NATO, especially the big countries inside NATO, to earnestly follow the UN framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace and work with the international community to responsibly uphold peace and stability in the cyberspace.

AFP: Chinese diplomat Wang Yi is expected to meet US Secretary of State Blinken today on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. What are the Chinese side's main goals and expectations for this meeting?

Wang Wenbin: I suggest you follow our updates.a

Reuters: China carried out military drills around Taiwan the past couple of days, which coincide with the NATO summit in Lithuania. Is China sending a message to NATO not to interfere in the Taiwan issue?

Wang Wenbin: I'd refer you to competent authorities on the specific question you asked.a

Let me stress that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China'saterritory. The Chinese people will never waver in our resolve and determination to uphold China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.a

CCTV: Recently some US and European officials have advocated "de-risking" from China. What is your comment?

Wang Wenbin: When talking about "de-risking", one must know what the risks are and where they come from.

China played an important role in the response to the Asian financial crisis and international financial crisis. China put forward the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the vision of a human community with a shared future. And China is committed to the settlement of international and regional hotspot issues, such as facilitating the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. China is undoubtedly a force for stability, a source of certainty and a factor of predictability as the world undergoes changes unseen in a century. China brings opportunities, not risks. Anyone seeing China as the source of risks is getting their target wrong.

In today's world, failure to cooperate is the biggest risk, failure to develop is the biggest security threat and failure to unite is the biggest challenge. What countries need to jointly guard against are: political risks stemming from instigation for bloc confrontation and a new Cold War; economic risks stemming from "decoupling", fragmented industrial and supply chains, and "small yards with high fences"; military risks stemming from military interference and aggression and expansion of military alliances; diplomatic risks stemming from scapegoating and risk-deflecting; and risks stemming from attempts to fan division and confrontation among the public. China is not the source of those risks, but a staunch force for preventing and defusing them. To shut out China in the name of "de-risking" is to throw away opportunities, stability and development. Such a move would only create and spread risks, and no one would benefit from it.

In recent months, a large number of senior executives of multinational corporations have visited China, which is essentially their way of expressing support for cooperation with China. We stand ready to enhance dialogue and cooperation with parties that have the sincerity to jointly guard against and address the real risks and contribute to world peace, security and prosperity.a

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Kerry: China won't surrender 'developing country' rights

US climate envoy says China won't give up a status that lets it commit to less stringent emission reductions.

Alex Willemyns for RFA 2023.07.13 -- China won't surrender its status as a "developing nation" any time soon due to the benefits it confers, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Thursday ahead of a trip to Beijing, even as he acknowledged the designation had poor optics given China is the world's largest carbon polluter.

Kerry also told lawmakers that concerns about human rights abuses in China should not stop cooperation to mitigate climate change.

Appearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee ahead of talks in Beijing next week, Kerry was asked by Chairman Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas, whether he would push Chinese officials to surrender the self-designation of "developing nation."

"It just continues to baffle me that the second-largest economy in the world is somehow treated as a developing nation," McCaul said, complaining that it both lets Beijing access cheaper World Bank loans and commit to less stringent carbon-reduction goals.

China, he noted, plans to continue increasing carbon emissions until 2030 and then start a program of reductions to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, despite already being the world's leading annual emitter.

"I talk to my constituents back home and say, 'Yeah, you know, Secretary Kerry's going over there trying to save the world. It's great, but hey, guess what? China doesn't have to comply till 2060, because they lie and say they're a developing nation,'" McCaul said.

"The United States," he continued, "we've got to comply almost immediately. The American people understand fairness. And honestly, sir, they do not see this as fair."

Be realistic

Kerry replied that he understood the poor optics of the designation.

"I can't disagree with that. They do not see it as fair," Kerry said, adding it was not only McCaul's constituents who were "concerned about this differential in the designation" with the United States.

"With respect to this developed/developing [question] it should confound anybody at this point in time - and it's one of the topics I've raised this with my counterpart in China and others," Kerry said.

Kerry said he believed the United Nations would "revisit" the issue of development designations next year, but that he did not expect Beijing to surrender "developing" status next week due to U.S. pressure.

"Let me just be frank with you: That's not going to happen," the climate envoy said. "It's just not going to happen on this visit. But the Chinese government understands that this is a growing issue of concern."

Big but developing

China is by far and away the world's largest carbon emitter, according to the latest World Bank data, emitting more carbon dioxide each year than the next seven-placed countries - the United States, India, Russia, Japan, Iran, Germany and South Korea - do combined.

But the question of the development status of the world's second-largest economy is complicated.

While the United Nations allows countries to self-designate their status - to the chagrin of lawmakers like McCaul - other institutions have more concrete metrics, and China is only just reaching the top tier.

The World Bank, for instance, puts in its top bracket of "high income countries" only those that have a per-capita annual gross national income of above US$13,205. Last year, China fell a few hundred dollars short of that - at $12,805 - and was far behind most Western countries. The United States, by comparison, reached $76,370.

When it comes to responsibility for climate change, China has also emitted less in total than the United States over the course of history, due to the much earlier industrialization of the Western world.

That has not gone unremarked upon by Chinese officials.

"Requiring a country that has only been developing for a few decades to shoulder the responsibilities of those industrial countries who have developed for hundreds of years, this itself is unfair," China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, said during a press conference in 2019.

Uyghur slave labor

During the hearing, Kerry was also pressed over an interview he gave to Bloomberg last year in which he appeared to downplay the treatment of Uyghurs by Beijing, which the United States has termed a genocide.

Kerry was asked in the interview if he had concerns about negotiating climate change mitigation given China's rights abuses.

"Well, life is always full of tough choices in the relationship between nations," he replied, pointing out that U.S. President Ronald Reagan met Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s to seek deals on nuclear weapons despite calling the Soviet Union as "the evil empire."

"The point I'm making is that, even as there were egregious human rights issues, which Ronald Reagan called them out on, we have to find a way forward to make the world safer, to protect our countries and act in our interests. We can do and must do the same thing now."

On Thursday, Kerry reiterated that point, after being asked by Rep. Cory Mills, a Republican from Florida, if he thought it was a "tough choice" whether the United States should import solar panels "built on the backs of Uyghur slaves" in order to reduce carbon emissions.

He replied he often brought up concerns about the treatment of Uyghurs in China during his talks, but that it would be "malpractice of the worst order" for the United States not to engage the second-largest economy on climate change due to its human rights concerns.

"We don't have to wrap [our priorities] up," Kerry said, "so one becomes hostage to the other, where you don't make progress."

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US, Australia call for China-Solomons police pact to be made public

Solomon Islands-China relations have blossomed since the Pacific island country cut ties with Taiwan.

By Stephen Wright for BenarNews 2023.07.13 -- The United States, Australia and the Solomon Islands opposition leader have called for China and the Solomon Islands government to make public a police cooperation agreement they signed this week, underscoring concerns the pact could undermine regional stability.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is on his second official visit to China since his government switched its diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taiwan in 2019. A police cooperation pact was among nine agreements signed by the two countries in Beijing on Monday, where Chinese leaders feted Sogavare and promised further aid to the economically-lagging island nation.

"In general, we have concerns over the expansion of [China's] internal security and surveillance apparatus beyond its own borders," a Papua New Guinea-based spokesman for the U.S. embassy in the Solomon Islands said Thursday.

"We encourage the parties to release these texts immediately to increase transparency and inform discussions about the impacts of these agreements on regional security," the spokesman said in an email to BenarNews.

The Solomon Islands, home to about 700,000 people, has become a hotspot in the escalating China-U.S. competition for influence in the Pacific. It signed a secretive security pact with China last year, alarming the U.S. and its allies such as Australia, who see the agreement as a possible prelude to a Chinese military presence in the region.

Under Sogavare, the Solomon Islands has sought to benefit from the China-U.S. rivalry by securing more development assistance. The South Pacific country, an archipelago about 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles) northeast of Brisbane, Australia, grapples with crumbling roads, limited telecommunications and lack of basic healthcare.

Solomon Islands opposition leader Matthew Wale said Sogavare's government must release all nine agreements it signed with China.

Some ministers in Sogavare's Cabinet had not been aware of the scope of the agreements that would be signed with China's government, Wale said.

"Solomon Islands is on its own in the region in the speed and breath in which it is concluding these agreements," he said in a statement.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Wednesday the policing agreement is consistent with international law and common practice.

Law enforcement cooperation with China has "played a positive role in promoting security and stability of the Solomon Islands," he told a regular ministry press conference.

The competition for influence in the Solomons has increasingly spilled into domestic security, raising concerns it could cause new instability in a country that spiraled into chaos only two decades ago, culminating in an Australian-led military intervention from 2003 until 2017.

China and Australia have been training Solomon Islands police and donating equipment, including water cannons gifted by China and guns courtesy of Australia. In the past month, the Solomons has been given seven Nissan X-Trail SUVs from Australia as well as night-vision devices, drones, a wireless signal jammer and two vehicles from China.

Sogavare's trip to China comes after Australia earlier this month offered to extend a military and police deployment in the Solomon Islands. The Pacific island country is preparing to host a regional sporting event later this year - bankrolled by China, Australia and Indonesia - and hold postponed elections in the first half of 2024.

Australia sent more than 200 troops and police to the Solomon Islands in late 2021 at the request of Sogavare's government following anti-China and anti-government riots in the capital Honiara.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said there is an understanding among Pacific island nations and Australia and New Zealand that security in the region is best provided by the region itself, and managed through diplomatic organizations such as the Pacific Islands Forum.

"That matters for stability. So, Australia, like many others, would want transparency about what this agreement means and we would want it discussed at the Pacific Islands Forum," she said at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The U.S. and Papua New Guinea signed a defense cooperation agreement in May that would give U.S. forces extensive use of six ports and airports in the Pacific island country. Critics of the pact said it could undermine Papua New Guinea's sovereignty.

The agreement has been tabled in Papua New Guinea's parliament and would be published on the State Department's website when it comes into force.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.

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Top US, Chinese Diplomats Meet in Indonesia

By VOA News July 13, 2023

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Thursday with China's top diplomat Wang Yi in Indonesia, discussions the United States said were part of the ongoing effort to ease relations between the two superpowers.

Blinken met with Wang on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) talks in Jakarta. His goal was to "maintain open channels of communication to clarify U.S. interests across a wide range of issues and to responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

"This is what the world expects" of the U.S. and China, Miller said in a statement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected to take part in the ASEAN talks.

Blinken and Wang "had candid and constructive discussions on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including on areas of difference and potential areas of cooperation," Miller said, with Blinken emphasizing "the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

Blinken, who met with Wang last month in Beijing, "made clear that the United States, together with our allies and partners, will advance our vision for a free, open and rules-based international order," Miller said.

Blinken's meeting with Wang is the latest effort by Washington to improve strained relations with Beijing.

In the newest conflict between the U.S. and China, hackers possibly linked to China's intelligence agencies are being blamed for a monthlong campaign that breached some unclassified U.S. email systems, allowing them to access a small number of accounts at the State Department and a handful of other organizations.

Microsoft first announced the intrusion on Tuesday, attributing the attack on its Outlook email service to Chinese threat actors it dubbed Storm-0558.

The company said in a blog post that the hackers managed to forge a Microsoft authentication token and gain access to the email accounts of 25 organizations in the U.S. and around the globe, starting in mid-May.

At the same time, top U.S. and Chinese officials have stepped up talks. Aside from Blinken's discussions with Wang, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Beijing last week to discuss trade and related issues between the world's two biggest economies. Next week, John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy on climate issues, will be in China Sunday through Wednesday.

On Thursday, in a joint communique, the ASEAN foreign ministers again condemned the violence in Myanmar and repeated their call for the junta to follow the five-point peace plan that they agreed to shortly after ousting Aung San Suu Kyi's government in early 2021.

The ministers also expressed concerns related to the South China Sea, including "land reclamations, activities, serious incidents in the area, including actions that put the safety of all persons at risk."

The ASEAN-crafted plan includes a call for an immediate halt to violence, delivery of humanitarian aid and peace talks.

The violence in Myanmar has displaced more than 1 million people, according to the United Nations.

Lucas Myers, senior associate for Southeast Asia at the Wilson Center, told VOA that ASEAN members are divided over whether and how to deal with Myanmar's military rulers.

"So, the maritime states a Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines a are much more pro-democracy in the Myanmar crisis, whereas mainland states, which are oftentimes more autocratic in this case, are much more in favor of the junta [ruling Myanmar]," Myers said.

VOA Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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China's Huawei Launches Innovation Center in South Africa

By Kate Bartlett July 13, 2023

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday welcomed the opening of a new Huawei Innovation Center in Johannesburg, praising the Chinese company for its "confidence in the South African economy and its potential."

Ramaphosa said that adopting Huawei's new technologies would help Africa "leapfrog into the Fourth Industrial Revolution."

Huawei was sanctioned in the United States in 2019 by then-President Donald Trump over concerns that Beijing was trying to monopolize networks and possibly use them for espionage. The company, however, already has a huge digital foothold in most of Africa, much of which struggles with low connectivity.

Ramaphosa attended the center's launch, alongside Chinese Ambassador Chen Xiaodong and the president of Huawei sub-Saharan Africa, Leo Chen.

"For South Africa, expanding digital infrastructure is one of the primary engines of economic growth. The development of information technology is key to the competitiveness of our economy," Ramaphosa said, after touring the facility and watching presentations by Huawei employees.

Pretoria and Beijing have strong relations, with the latter having supported the fight against apartheid in South Africa. Additionally, both countries are members of the BRICS group of emerging nations. BRICS encompasses Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Ramaphosa quoted China's leader in his address, saying, "President Xi Jinping described science and technology as 'a primary productive force, talent as a primary resource, and innovation as a primary driver of growth.' This is a sentiment that we share."

He said the innovation hub would now focus on knowledge and skills transfer as well as cultivating local talent through various programs. He also said it would be focusing on the development of small, micro- and medium enterprises, known as SMMEs.

According to a Huawei statement, Ambassador Chen said the innovation center showed "the Chinese private business sector and players are ready to stand by South Africa's side to accelerate the 5G application."

For his part, Leo Chen said, "We've been encouraged by the South African government's strong vision for the digital economy. South Africa is becoming a role model for the continent, as well as the global stage, in fields such as 5G deployment and 5G-driven industrial digital transformation."

While South Africa is the continent's most industrialized country, it is suffering high rates of unemployment. Ramaphosa said he hoped the Huawei Innovation Center would help launch new local information and communication technology, or ICT, enterprises to help with job creation.

The president added that he welcomed plans for Huawei to invest in data centers and cyber security industries in Africa.

US concerns

Earlier this year, a group of U.S. lawmakers criticized Pretoria for its ties to Beijing, including its use of Chinese tech. Telkom, South Africa's partly state-owned telecom operator, launched its 5G network throughout the country last year using Huawei technology.

China has been expanding its "Digital Silk Road," a part of its wider Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, in sub-Saharan Africa, where less than 30% of people use the internet. Huawei subsidiaries own up to 70% of all 4G networks across the region.

In 2022, Ethiopia celebrated the launch of a 5G network powered by Huawei in Addis Ababa.

Washington has been playing catch-up to China in Africa, announcing last year that U.S.-backed telecom company Africell had invested to deliver a 5G network in Angola.

China's foreign ministry has regularly criticized U.S. officials' warnings to Africa against relying on Chinese technology.

"Chinese companies including Huawei have conducted mutually beneficial cooperation with many countries in Africa and the world beyond, contributed to the improvement and development of the countries' communications infrastructure, provided advanced, quality, safe and affordable services for the local people and won great support," a ministry spokesman said last year.

And earlier this year, the ministry accused the U.S. of "technological hegemony" in its bans on Huawei.

The Chinese Embassy in Pretoria did not respond to a VOA request for comment.

Iginio Gagliardone is an associate professor of media and communications at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand and author of the book China, Africa and the Future of the Internet. The professor said he didn't think South Africa or other African states were choosing China over the West when it came to new technologies.

Asked why South Africa and other Global South countries don't necessarily share Washington's aversion to Chinese tech, Gagliardone said, "Because they see any provider of technology as a way to get to a specific vision."

Huawei recently partnered with South African company Vuma to provide higher speeds for fiber internet.

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White House to Keep Lines to China Open Despite Hack, Elaborates on Putin 'Loss'

By Paris Huang July 13, 2023

The Biden administration is "concerned" about a recent Chinese hack targeting the websites of U.S. federal agencies but will "keep the lines of communication open," John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said in an interview Thursday with VOA White House correspondent Paris Huang.

Kirby also elaborated on President Joe Biden's comment Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "lost the war" in Ukraine, and he voiced strong concerns about reports of a mass grave found in volatile Sudan.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: Chinese hackers recently hit several federal agency sites, including the U.S. State Department. Is the White House concerned about the hacks, and what actions will the administration take?

John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications: Well, of course we're concerned about this intrusion. We took it seriously from the get-go, took actions immediately to protect our systems and to mitigate the damage here. It's under FBI investigation, so I'm not going to get into anything more specific on that.

VOA: What actions are you going to take if you can pinpoint who did this?

Kirby: We are constantly reevaluating our posture in cyberspace and in cybersecurity, and constantly making changes. I mean, our systems are attacked every single day from state and nonstate actors. We're going to continue to do what we need to do to protect ourselves.

VOA: How will this hack affect future high-level U.S. engagement with Beijing? As we know, after the Chinese spy balloon incident, Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his trip to Beijing.

Kirby: Again, this particular intrusion is under investigation. I'm not going to get into the topic of attribution at this point. What I would tell you is Secretary Blinken had a good set of discussions when he went to Beijing. [Treasury] Secretary [Janet] Yellen did, as well. As you know, special envoy for climate John Kerry will be going next month. We're going to try to keep these lines of communication open. We believe that that is the most responsible way to manage this very, very consequential relationship.

VOA: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visits the White House on July 27. A White House statement said President Biden will talk to her about "closer transatlantic coordination regarding the People's Republic of China." What areas of coordination are we talking about?

Kirby: I'm not going to get too far ahead of the meeting ... you can expect that they will talk about the full range of national security issues affecting both our countries. Italy is a very valuable NATO ally, and Italy has security challenges of their own there in southern Europe. And they, too, like so many NATO allies, have concerns about what the PRC is doing a whether it's unfair trade practices, whether it's cybersecurity, whether it's the growing economic influence they're trying to have in the Global South. We share a lot of the concerns that Italy has, and the president is looking forward to talking about all that.

VOA: North Korea just launched another missile and threatened to shoot down U.S. reconnaissance aircraft. How concerned is the White House that North Korea seems to get better and better in its missile technology?

Kirby: Clearly, we are concerned about North Korea's burgeoning ballistic missile program. And with each test, whether it succeeds or fails, they learn, and they try to improve. And that's a challenge. That's a growing threat to the peninsula, but also to our allies and our partners throughout the region. We continue to urge [Korean leader] Kim Jong Un to take us up on the offer of talks with no preconditions, to address the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. ... Short of that, President Biden has made it clear that we're going to continue to revitalize, reinvigorate, restore the strength of our alliances and partnerships, particularly with South Korea and Japan, improving our trilateral and their bilateral cooperation with one another so that we have the requisite military capability in the region to protect our interests and to protect our allies and partners.

VOA: President Biden just said he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin has "lost the war." What assessment from the White House made him say that?

Kirby: If you just take a look at any of the strategic goals that President Putin said he was after: He wanted to wipe Ukraine as an independent country right off the map. He wanted to take out the [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy administration. He wanted to subjugate Ukraine and make it part of Russia as some sort of province. And he's achieved none of that. The other thing he wanted to do a and the president talked about this, as well a was divide the West, fracture NATO, show that there's disunity among the United States and our allies. And of course, he's gotten the opposite of everything. ... And as for the West, NATO is now two countries stronger ... and that's a real testament not just to Putin's activities, but to President Biden's leadership on the world stage.

VOA: In the language from the G7 Declaration, we notice that it doesn't say "guarantees" but "assurances" for the security to Ukraine. Will the G7 leaders guarantee security assistance to Ukraine until they [Ukraine] join NATO?

Kirby: What we will do, G7 leaders, is provide security commitments to Ukraine for the long haul. And they [Ukraine] will be on a path to NATO membership. I can't give you a timeline for that. But in between the time, well, actually starting now until they become NATO members, those security commitments will continue, yes.

VOA: Can you talk about the mass grave found in Sudan?

Kirby: We are deeply troubled by reports that we're seeing that the Rapid Support Forces near West Darfur slaughtered and then buried in a mass grave more than 80 civilians, 80 innocent people. This is completely unacceptable, and the United States will be obviously taking this up with our allies and partners and with the U.N. But we condemn it. It's completely horrendous and unacceptable, and the Rapid Support Forces, they need to be held to account for this.

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G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement On the Launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile by North Korea

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

July 13, 2023

The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union.

Begin text:

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms North Korea's brazen launch of another Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) conducted on July 12, 2023, following the launch using ballistic missile technology conducted on May 31, 2023 along with the launches of two ballistic missiles on June 15, 2023.

North Korea continues to expand its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and to escalate its destabilizing activities. These launches pose a grave threat to regional and international peace and stability, and undermine the global non-proliferation regime. They are a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs), which prohibit North Korea from conducting any further launches that use ballistic missile technology. We once again call on North Korea to refrain from any other provocative actions.

We reiterate our demand that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner and fully comply with all obligations under the relevant UNSCRs. North Korea cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon State under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

We call for a quick, strong, and unified response by the UN Security Council (UNSC). The frequency of North Korea's repeated blatant violations of UNSCRs juxtaposed with the UNSC's corresponding inaction because of some members' obstruction is cause for significant alarm. We call on all UN Member States to fully and effectively implement all UNSCRs, and urge the UNSC Members to follow through on their commitments. We call on North Korea to engage in meaningful diplomacy and accept the repeated offers of dialogue put forward by Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea.

North Korea's decision to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of the people in North Korea is aggravating an already dire humanitarian situation.

The G7 remains committed to working with all relevant partners toward the goal of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and to upholding the rules-based international order.

End text.

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North Korea Confirms 2nd Hwasong-18 Test, Warns of More Pressure

By Eunice Kim July 13, 2023

North Korea has confirmed its latest weapons launch was a second test of its newest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, saying it will "clearly show" Washington the danger and recklessness of its military choices on the peninsula.

The North's leader, Kim Jong Un, who was present at the morning launch, also warned of "a series of stronger military offensive[s] ... until the U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppet traitors admit their shameful defeat of their useless hostile policy" against Pyongyang, according to state media KCNA Thursday.

The report added that the region is in a "phase of nuclear crisis beyond the Cold War era," citing the deployment of an American nuclear-powered submarine and nuclear strategic bombers to South Korea as well as a planned inaugural meeting of the allies' Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) next week.

Both are commitments the U.S. made to Seoul as part of the Washington Declaration in April to galvanize deterrence amid growing North Korean threats and to reassure the South Korean public of its commitment to defend it in the event of a nuclear emergency on the peninsula.

The Hwasong-18 ICBM is part of North Korea's long-term plan to build a state nuclear force, KCNA said, to deter and overwhelmingly respond to "the diverse threat of a nuclear war" and reliably defend its security.

Longest-running flight

The three-stage solid-fueled ICBM Wednesday soared at a lofted trajectory for 74.8 minutes, state media said, North Korea's longest-running flight to date. It hit an apex of 6,648.4 kilometers to splash down in waters 1,001.2 kilometers from its point of launch, Pyongyang confirmed.

South Korea's Defense Ministry would not provide additional details during a regular briefing Thursday, saying only that analysis of intelligence is continuing with their U.S. counterparts.

Analysts in Seoul say Wednesday's launch shows that progress has been made since the initial test in April, during which the Hwasong-18 reached a top altitude short of 3,000 kilometers.

"The [doubled] engine thrust is strong enough to deliver a 1,000-kilogram payload farther than 15,000 kilometers," said Kim Dong Yup, a professor of military and security studies at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. That range would put the U.S. mainland within reach.

"It's in line with goals presented at the Eighth Party Congress in 2021, to advance North Korea's nuclear preemptive and retaliatory strike capabilities with the ability to annihilate targets within that 15,000-kilometer range."

While more tests are still needed, the Hwasong-18 could feature prominently at a military parade later this month, marking the 70th anniversary of the pause in the Korean War, which North Korea claims it won. It could be a rare but meaningful military display for Kim Jong Un's regime, which showed off only a model of the new ICBM in February.

Security Council meets

Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council met late Thursday to discuss the launch but remained divided about taking action. China and Russia continued to advocate for easing pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang, while several other council members recalled that the last resolution adopted in 2017 called for considering new measures in the face of violations.

"We should all ask ourselves: Is it our job to sit back and wait for North Korea to steadily develop the capability to target the world with nuclear weapons and take hostage the entire international community?" Japan's Deputy Ambassador Shino Mitsuko asked, adding there had been too many provocations and no tangible and responsible council action.

Pyongyang has launched 20 ballistic missiles so far this year, including four ICBMs.

North Korea's envoy, Kim Song, made a rare appearance, participating in his first Security Council meeting since 2017 to address Pyongyang's ballistic missile launches. He said it was his government's right to exercise its self-defense, and he blamed the "hostile policy" of the United States and its allies toward his nation.

Group of Seven foreign ministers also strongly condemned North Korea's launch in a statement Thursday and called for "a quick, strong and unified response" from the U.N. Security Council.

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DAC approves proposals for procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from France to boost Indian Navy's operational capabilities

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Also clears acquisition of three additional Scorpene submarines under Buy (Indian) category

Posted On: 13 JUL 2023 2:58PM by PIB Delhi

A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), held under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, approved three proposals on July 13, 2023. The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support for the Indian Navy from the French Government based on Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA). The price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French Government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries. Further, integration of Indian designed equipment and establishment of Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) Hub for various systems will be incorporated into the contract documents after due negotiations.

The DAC also granted the AoN for procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines under Buy (Indian) category which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). The procurement of additional submarines, with higher indigenous content, will not only help in maintaining required force level and operational readiness of the Indian Navy, but also create significant employment opportunities in the domestic sector. It will also help the MDL in further enhancing its capability and expertise in submarine construction.

In addition, the DAC approved the proposal to lay down guidelines for achieving the desired indigenous content in all categories of capital acquisition cases. It will help in achieving 'Aatmanirbharta' in critical manufacturing technologies and life-cycle sustenance of defence platforms/equipment through indigenous manufacturing.

*****

ABB/Anand/Savvy



(Release ID: 1939178)

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Iran rejects 'baseless' NATO allegations of supplying drones to Russia

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 9:42 AM

Iran has categorically rejected allegations it is providing drones to Russia, raised this time by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), urging member states of the military alliance to refrain from leveling such accusations.

Iran's embassy in Brussels said in a statement on Thursday that Tehran maintains a neutral position in the Ukrainian conflict and remains fully committed to the principles of the UN Charter and international law, which includes respecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries.

It came a day after NATO urged Tehran to stop its alleged military support to Russia, including the supply of drones to be used in the war against Ukraine.

The embassy said the "baseless" accusations are motivated by "short-sighted gains."

The statement also noted that Iran has suffered great losses due to the actions of some NATO members who have actively fueled unrest in the country by offering refuge and support to terrorist elements and organizations, disregarding Iran's adherence to international legal principles.

"Iran has also played a constructive role in assisting regional governments in countering destabilizing forces that often receive support from external sources," it said.

The statement further urged NATO member states to honor their commitments under the UN Charter and to stop making baseless accusations against Iran.

In a final declaration at a summit in Lithuania on Wednesday, the 31-member alliance called on Iran "to cease its military support to Russia, in particular its transfer of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which have been used to attack critical infrastructure, causing widespread civilian casualties."

This comes as Both Iran and Russia have repeatedly denied claims that Tehran has provided Moscow with drones to be used in the Ukraine war.

The anti-Iran claims first emerged in July 2022, when US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan alleged Washington had received "information" indicating that the Islamic Republic was preparing to provide Russia with "up to several hundred drones, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline" for use in the war.

In November, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian clarified that Tehran had provided Moscow with "a limited number" of drones, but months before the war in Ukraine. He also assured that Iran will not be indifferent if it is proven that Russia has used Iranian drones in the conflict.

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Lavrov Says Not Optimistic About JCPOA Renewal as Outcome of US 2024 Vote Uncertain

Sputnik News

20230713

JAKARTA (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that he was not very optimistic about possibilities of the resumption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal, due to uncertainty regarding the policy of the US administration following the 2024 presidential election there.

"Next year there are elections in the United States, a new administration will come. And who knows what kind of the administration it will be, Democratic or Republican. But no one can give any guarantees that this new administration will not repeat the trick of withdrawing from the agreement reached ... So I'm not very optimistic about the possibilities of JCPOA resumption," Lavrov said at a press conference on the sidelines of ministerial meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.

In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Germany and the European Union. The deal envisaged lifting sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restricting the Iranian nuclear program. During the presidency of Donald Trump, the US withdrew from the deal in 2018, reimposing sanctions against Iran. Tehran reacted by reducing its obligations under the deal, including those concerning nuclear research, centrifuges and uranium enrichment levels.

In December 2021, talks on the resumption of the JCPOA were resumed, but a year later the progress on the deal became largely frozen.

A Sputnik

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Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant speaks with representative of National Unity Government of Myanmar

Global Affairs Canada

Readout

July 13, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met virtually with Zin Mar Aung, representative of the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar.

The Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant reiterated Canada's condemnation of the Myanmar regime's 2021 coup, the escalation of armed conflict and violence and the targeting of civilians, which have had far-reaching consequences for humanitarian action, human rights, politics and economics in the region.

Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant highlighted Canada's ongoing commitment to responding to the Myanmar and Rohingya crises, including support for the efforts of the broad range of pro-democracy stakeholders in Myanmar who are advancing a democratic, peaceful and inclusive Myanmaraof which the NUG is an important voice.

Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant welcomed recent actions by the NUG to model its vision of an inclusive Myanmar and important commitments made at the UN Human Rights Council to take all the steps needed to protect civilians and ensure compliance with international law.

Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant expressed deep concern for those who have been affected by the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and for those who have been affected by the recent natural disaster Cyclone Mocha. He also expressed Canada's steadfast resolve to call out ongoing human rights violations, the Rohingya crisis and the deterioration of the security situation in Myanmar, including restrictions on humanitarian access.

Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant highlighted Canada's unwavering support for the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and stressed the importance of fully implementing ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus. He also welcomed Resolution 2669 of the UN Security Council and spoke to Canada's ongoing efforts to support justice, human rights and accountability in Myanmar, including through calls for UNSC referral and through Canada's sanctions regime, including on aviation fuel, in close coordination with key international partners.

Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant emphasized Canada's efforts to continue collaborating closely with partners, including ASEAN, the international community and pro-democracy stakeholders, such as the NUG, in support of a democratic, peaceful and inclusive Myanmar in line with the aspirations of the Myanmar people.

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Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, and Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi

12 July 2023 15:01

1387-12-07-2023

On July 12, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, and Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi in Jakarta on the sidelines of ASEAN ministerial events.

The sides focused on issues of expanding trilateral cooperation to facilitate food and energy security in the context of current crisis trends in the global markets. The sides reaffirmed their readiness to coordinate efforts in this field, including in the interests of boosting the economic resilience of the Global South, provided that all countries respect the principles of equality and mutual benefit in global economic ties.

They constructively exchanged opinions on a number of topical international and regional issues and discussed the objectives of strengthening the ASEAN-centric system of security and cooperation in the Asia Pacific region. Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi supported the efforts of Indonesia, which is currently chairing ASEAN, to promote these objectives at the upcoming ministerial meetings within the framework of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta.





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Press release on the Foreign Ministry's report on the violation of children's rights in the international adoption process in the United States

12 July 2023 09:38

1380-12-07-2023



The Foreign Ministry has prepared a report on the violation of children's rights in the international adoption process in the United States.

This issue acquired a special edge after the Russian Federation had to launch the special military operation for the demilitarisation and de-Nazification of Ukraine and the protection of Donbass.

The main reason for Washington's ostentatious concern for children in the zone of the special military operation is that the US administration regarded Ukraine as one of the main sources of the international adoption of children, predominantly children of Slavic origin.

The United States is the only country that has not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which set out the basic standards of the comprehensive protection of children's rights.

The process of international adoption in the United States is non-transparent, corrupt and not protected against neocolonial political considerations. In particular, the US administrations, whether Democratic or Republican, stubbornly refuse to sign relevant bilateral agreements with the origin countries of adopted children. At the same time, US administrations encourage the origin countries to join the 1994 Hague Adoption Convention, which suits the Americans' purposes, and is promoting the establishment of an international adoption services market based on a neocolonial scheme: developing countries as the suppliers of children for adoption - Western countries - the host party.

Regrettably, there were numerous flagrant violations in the process of the adoption of Russian children in by US citizens (this was banned on January 1, 2013), including grave crimes such as murder, rape, bodily harm and abuse. The number of adoptions by same-sex families and transfers of parental rights was increasing.

The US Department of State routinely hushed up numerous high-profile violations of US criminal, administrative, migration and social laws during the adoption of Russian children, and it did not include that information in its annual field-specific reports.

The US authorities, acting contrary to international law and the bilateral Russian-US Consular Convention (1964), withheld forensic documents in cases of crimes against adopted children from Russia and denied consular access to underage victims of physical or sexual violence. They disregarded relevant requests from concerned Russian bodies, including the Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee, and many times lowered adoption standards for American adoptive parents.

Information about all these negative elements, including numerous facts and statistics, is available in the report.

We regret to say that the United States' efforts to pose as one of the main defenders of children's rights on the international stage have not been supported by the relevant domestic legislation or law enforcement practice. The US system of children's rights protection is not suited to deal with current challenges.

We are referring to systemic drawbacks that prevent an appropriate overall protection of children's rights in the United States. Neither the adoptive parents, nor the US legal system nor American public organisations can guarantee the protection of children's rights and interests in accordance with international standards.





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Wagner surrendering thousands of tons of weaponry to Russian army: Moscow

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 5:10 AM

Russia says the Wagner group has handed over thousands of tons of weaponry and ammunition to the country's army as Moscow plans to bring the mercenary force under its control.

The Russian defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Wagner had transferred more than 2,000 pieces of equipment and over 2,500 tons of ammunition.

The statement was accompanied by a video showing officials inspecting some of the heavy military hardware reportedly belonging to Wagner.

The handover follows a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, under which the mercenary forces and their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who launched a short-lived mutiny against Moscow last month, abandoned what they called a "march for justice" on Moscow by thousands of recruits in exchange for safe passage to exile in Belarus.

Criminal charges against Prigozhin were also dropped as part of the agreement.

The handover of the weaponry could also be a sign that Wagner, which has been fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, is pulling out of the combat.

Thousands of Wagner members, however, are still believed to be based at the group's camp in Russian controlled areas in eastern Ukraine.

After the aborted mutiny, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wagner would be dismantled in Russia and that its fighters could sign contracts with the defense ministry, leave for Belarus or go home.

During their march toward Moscow on June 23, Wagner forces were seen carrying several types of anti-aircraft weapons and they claimed they had shot down a Russian helicopter.

Putin denounced the mutiny as a treason, but Prigozhin said later that the move was not meant to overthrow the government. He said it was aimed at "bringing to justice" the defense minister and chief of the general staff for what he called their unprofessional actions in Ukraine.

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Russian General Says He Was Fired After Accusing Commanders Of Betraying Troops In Ukraine

By Mike Eckel July 13, 2023

A top Russian field commander says he was dismissed after disagreements with superior officers over the situation on the front lines, an unusual public display of dissent from within the Russian ranks after just over 500 days of war in Ukraine.

The complaints by Major General Ivan Popov, which came in an audio message circulated by a prominent Russian lawmaker on July 12, suggest continuing intrigues following last month's mutiny by the private Wagner mercenary group and its owner, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The mutiny, which saw around 5,000 Wagner soldiers racing toward, then stopping 200 kilometers short of Moscow, lasted around 24 hours. But the effort was the biggest challenge to Vladimir Putin's 23 years as Russia's preeminent figure, and observers have looked for signs that the Kremlin could purge military commanders or political figures over the incident.

One prominent army officer, General Sergei Surovikin, who briefly served as overall commander for the Ukraine war and is believed to be a close ally of Prigozhin, has not been seen or heard from since the mutiny erupted on June 24.

In the four-minute recording, Popov, who was the commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army deployed in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzya region, said he had complained to the chief of Russia's General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, about the need to rotate frontline troops.

Zaporizhzhya is one of several fronts where Ukrainian forces last month launched the beginnings of a widely anticipated counteroffensive. Its troops have made slow advances and fighting is reported to be intense.

Addressing what he called "my dear gladiators," Popov, whose military call sign was "Spartacus," complained that Russian forces were being hampered by problems with counterbattery radar and artillery reconnaissance. He said Russian troops were hit with a "blow from the rear."

Popov reports that he raised questions about the lack of counterbattery combat, artillery reconnaissance stations, and, as a result, the death of Russian soldiers in connection with this.

"Our army could not be broken at the front, by the armed forces of Ukraine. [Instead] we were hit with a blow from the rear by the senior commander; treacherously and vilely decapitating the army at the most difficult and tense moment," he was heard saying.

"There was a difficult situation with the senior bosses, where it was necessary to either keep quiet and be a coward or to tell it like it is," he said.

It wasn't immediately clear what Popov was referring to by saying "blow from the rear."

News of Popov's dismissal first appeared on a Telegram channel affiliated with the Wagner Group, saying Gerasmiov dismissed him for accusing him of "disinformation and alarmism."

Hours later, the audio recording of Popov's message circulated on the Telegram channel of Andrei Gurulyov, a Duma lawmaker who previously served as deputy commander of Russia's Southern Military District. Gurulyov also was a commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army, like Popov.

The identity of the voice on the recording could not be independently verified, and it was unclear when it was made. Russian military bloggers and a handful of lawmakers appeared to confirm Popov was the speaker.

Gurulyov was criticized by other Russian lawmakers, including Andrei Turchak, the deputy chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament, for releasing Popov's recording, saying it was not intended to be made public.

Still, Turchak said, Popov's "conscience is clear. The Motherland can be proud of such commanders."

Though it remains unclear if Popov's criticism was intended to be publicized, it was to be the first such complaint of its sort from a serving officer -- moreover, it comes from a top field commander.

As of July 13, neither the Defense Ministry nor top commanders had publicly commented on Popov's firing or resignation.

Popov's purported demotion came days after the death of another Russian general in Ukraine. Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov was reported dead on July 11 in the port city of Berdyansk, allegedly killed in a strike of cruise missiles fired by Ukrainian forces.

The Defense Ministry has not commented about Tsokov either, but Gurulyov appeared to confirm Tsokov's death in comments to state TV on July 11.

Tsokov, like Gurulyov before him, served as deputy commander of the Southern Military District.

A connection between Popov's resignation, or firing, and Prigozhin's mutiny last month wasn't immediately clear.

Unlike with Popov's criticism, Prigozhin had openly feuded with top commanders overseeing Russia's invasion in Ukraine for months leading up to the mutiny. He had repeatedly criticized, and mocked, Gerasimov, as well as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, in an unusually public way that suggested he had some sort of tacit approval to do so.

Putin has publicly called those soldiers who participated in the mutiny "traitors" who had inflicted a "stab in the back" of Russia. But since then, there has been little public indication of purges or remonstrations or punishment for the mutineers.

Prigozhin, for his part, has been mostly out of public view, though he was reported to have traveled to Belarus, and then later was reported to be traveling openly in Russia. The Kremlin has admitted Prigozhin attended a meeting with Putin and others, including unit commanders from Wagner, on June 29.

Surovikin, meanwhile, has not been seen nor heard from since the initial hours of the mutiny, fueling speculation that he has been arrested.

Another prominent Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the Duma's Armed Services Committee, was asked on July 12 if he knew where Surovikin currently was.

"He's on holiday. Out of touch," he said in a video posted on Telegram.

The Wall Street Journal, citing "people familiar with the situation," said that the Kremlin's efforts to purge military officers suspected of disloyalty included at least 13 senior officers detained for questioning, and around 15 suspended from duty or fired.

Gerasimov, who also has been out of public view since the mutiny, was shown in a video released by the Defense Ministry on July 10 attending a meeting at Southern Military District headquarters in the city of Rostov-on-Don.

When Surovikin was removed as overall commander of the Ukraine invasion in January, he was replaced by Gerasimov.

Western officials have watched the mutiny and its aftermath closely, trying to determine what effects it may have on the Ukraine war, not to mention the security of Russia's nuclear arsenal.

The commander of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said on July 13 that Russia's leadership suffered from a significant amount of "friction and confusion" since the mutiny, but it wasn't fully clear what the effect on the battlefield would be.

"At the strategic level it is pretty clear that you have a significant amount of friction and confusion," General Mark Milley told reporters while traveling in Asia.

"There's a lot of drama going on at the very senior levels. How that's all going to play out at the end of the day? I'm not so sure yet," he was quoted as saying. "I don't think we're done with it. I think there's many more chapters to be heard on that."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-general- dismissed-complaints/32501538.html

Copyright (c) 2023. 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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Wall Street Journal's Legal Team Offers Glimpse Into Efforts To Free Reporter 'Wrongfully Detained' In Russia

By Shelby Rayer uly 13, 2023

The Wall Street Journal's legal team on July 13 offered a look into the "frustrating" process of trying to free journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia since March 29 on allegations of espionage.

Jason Conti, a leader of the U.S. newspaper's legal team, said there has been "a lot of action, [but] very unclear progress" in efforts to free Gershkovich. Conti spoke at a press conference in Washington that commemorated the 100th day of the Moscow correspondent's detention.

Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on espionage charges that the Wall Street Journal and the United States have repeatedly denied. A court last month upheld a request from Russian authorities to extend Gershkovich's pretrial detention until at least August 30.

Speakers at the new conference offered updates, though the impact of efforts thus far has been obscured by the nature of Russia's closed justice system, they said.

They praised U.S. President Joe Biden's swift action in labeling the arrest as a wrongful detention. Biden said on July 13 that he was "serious" about pursuing a prisoner exchange for Gershkovich and said the process was under way.

The Kremlin earlier this month suggested that it was open to a possible prisoner exchange but underscored that negotiations must be held out of the public eye.

Conti said the legal team has been barred from making deals until there is a conviction, although he said there is nothing in Russian law that requires that.

Speakers at the news conference included Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter who was detained for over a year and a half in Iran.

Rezaian, who was released in 2016, said that though the Iranian and Russian systems are different, both he and Gershkovich had "no bearing over what is going to happen."

Rezaian and the other speakers condemned the use of unlawful detention against journalists, saying that closed trials and baseless charges are used to justify hostage-taking and deter journalists from reporting on these countries.

"Doing [journalism in countries like Iran and Russia] is becoming almost impossible," Rezaian said. Describing his own trial, he said the only evidence tying him to espionage was "speaking English and having a Gmail account."

Both Rezaian and Conti called for a "more robust" plan to deter countries from imprisoning journalists, such as automatic sanctions conditional on the release of the detained journalist.

Danielle Gershkovich, Evan Gershkovich's older sister, noted that the process "feels unreal," but added that she is proud of her brother's courage.

She said she receives a letter from him "about once a week."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-journalist-gershkovich- prisoner-exchange-biden-wsj-update/32502406.html

Copyright (c) 2023. 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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Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office Wang Yi

13 July 2023 11:31

1401-13-07-2023

On July 13, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial events in Jakarta.

The two diplomats praised the development of the political dialogue and practical interaction between Russia and China against the backdrop of increasing global turbulence. They paid special attention to the implementation of agreements reached following bilateral contacts at the highest political level since the beginning of the year. The parties confirmed the importance of maintaining cooperation to deepen the two countries' foreign political interaction.

Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi discussed in detail cooperation within ASEAN in the context of certain countries' increased efforts to create bloc-focused military-political formats designed to undermine the ASEAN-centric system of maintaining security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The parties exchanged opinions on the current developments around the Ukrainian crisis and assessed the efforts of the global community to launch a peaceful negotiations process on Ukraine.

They also emphasised the importance of strengthening foreign political interaction between Moscow and Beijing at various international platforms, including the UN, the SCO, BRICS, APEC, the G20 and others. The sides expressed a shared commitment to boosting bilateral coordination regarding issues on the regional and global agenda in the interests of creating a more just and sustainable polycentric international order.

The conversation took place in a traditionally trust-based and productive atmosphere.

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at a meeting with Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee Wang Yi, Jakarta, July 13, 2023

13 July 2023 10:00

1399-13-07-2023



Dear friend,

Colleagues,

We met last March in Moscow during President of China Xi Jinping's state visit that was his first foreign trip after being re-elected for a third term. As you said, the visit produced some very important documents that confirmed the continuity in Russia-China relations, our intention to continue their comprehensive development and to promote the principles of justice, equality and mutual benefit in international affairs.

The extensive and wide-ranging agenda of the Russia-China dialogue requires coordinating our positions regularly, which makes this meeting today rather timely. We support ASEAN's determination to maintain its constructive role in the Asia-Pacific region and support ASEAN-centric mechanisms. Along with China, we are committed to strengthening them. We presented all these approaches to Foreign Minister of Indonesia and ASEAN Chair Retno Marsudi yesterday. We will continue to promote this principled line in the course of the upcoming events in Jakarta, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum. I look forward to a productive dialogue.

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks at the Russia-ASEAN Ministerial Conference, Jakarta, July 13, 2023

13 July 2023 07:22

1397-13-07-2023

Mr Co-Chairman,

Colleagues,

I am delighted to be staying in hospitable Jakarta once again. I would like to thank Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair for the wonderful organisation of today's meeting. I would like to convey special thanks to Cambodia and you, Mr Co-Chairman, for coordinating the Russia-ASEAN dialogue partnership for the past two years. Next year, these functions will be delegated to our Brunei colleagues, and we will continue to deepen our constructive collaboration with them.

The Russian Federation and ASEAN established relations over 30 years ago. Since 2005, the Russia-ASEAN dialogue has had the official status of a well-developed and comprehensive dialogue. This year, we are marking the fifth anniversary of our strategic partnership. I congratulate everyone present here on this significant date. A special statement has been drafted in this connection.

Efforts to strengthen and expand diverse cooperation in accordance with guidelines set by leaders at the 2021 summit are our common priority. We have already accomplished a lot. For example, contacts between foreign ministries and national security councils are developing intensively.

It is hard to overestimate the significance of our joint work in high-tech sectors. A meeting of ministers overseeing issues of science and innovations in February 2023 was a major event. The agenda includes new initiatives in the field of economic digitalisation and the development of smart cities. Cooperation in facilitating food and energy security and in the sphere of education has good prospects.

Russia and ASEAN countries are united by a firm commitment to forging a more equitable and democratic multipolar international order based on the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interdependence. We consistently advocate efforts to strengthen an ASEAN-centric system that should remain the foundation of the Asia-Pacific region's security and sustainable development. We know that not everyone likes this; however, we are guided by objective tasks of maintaining peace and stability in this vast region, rather than by anyone's preferences.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome a representative of East Timor and to congratulate him on the approval in May 2023 of a roadmap for joining the Association. We hope that this will facilitate the country's more complete integration into the region's political and economic life, the prosperity of its citizens, and that this will benefit all neighbours of this state.

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with Lenta.ru online newspaper, July 13, 2023

13 July 2023 00:15

1396-13-07-2023

Question: In recent months, several peace initiatives on Ukraine have appeared at once: Chinese, Indonesian, Vatican and African. To what extent have you had the opportunity to examine the content of each of them? Which is closer to Russia's vision? Don't you find such initiatives premature, given that they all involve a ceasefire?

Sergey Lavrov: Above all, I would like to express my gratitude to our partners for their efforts to search for ways to settle the Ukrainian crisis peacefully.

We do not find their initiatives premature: for the Russian side, peace always has priority over combat. So, let me remind you that we already participated in a negotiation process with Kiev, in the spring of 2022, and came close to a positive outcome. However, all efforts were undermined by the Anglo-Saxons, whose plans clearly did not include the cessation of hostilities. They have remained obsessed with the manic idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.

Of course, we have meticulously studied all the peace initiatives we have received. We have held special consultations with several of our partners and discussed their ideas in detail. In mid-June, President Vladimir Putin received heads of several African states in St Petersburg. In late May, we had a very trust-based and warm meeting with Chinese Special Representative for Eurasian Affairs, Head of the Chinese delegation on Ukrainian crisis settlement Li Hui in Moscow. We had a substantive discussion with Chief Advisor of the Presidency of Brazil on International Affairs Celso Amorim, who visited Russia in late March.

We agree with many of our partners' proposals, such as complying with the international law and the UN Charter, abandoning the Cold War mentality, resolving the humanitarian crisis, ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants, ending unilateral sanctions, and refusing to use the world economy for political purposes.

At the same time, we have to admit that Vladimir Zelensky's Western curators completely refuse any form of de-escalation. The Kiev regime has directly and immediately rejected the possibility of talks on peace initiatives proposed by China, Brazil and African countries. Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak said that "talks would be meaningless, dangerous and deadly for Ukraine and Europe."

Kiev did not find anything better to do than to beg for evidence of "reliability" from those who would like to become a mediator in the negotiation process. In particular, Defence Minister Aleksandr Reznikov demanded that China persuade Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Otherwise, contacts with Chinese negotiators would be a waste of time in the view of the Kiev politician.

Question: It was reported following the failed mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin that the G7 countries, Brazil, India, China, TArkiye and South Africa held a secret meeting in Copenhagen to discuss the possibility of launching peace talks on Ukraine in July 2023. Have you received any indication of this from Russia's partners that attended that meeting, and do you share their forecast? If such talks are held, which provisions of the Istanbul document would Moscow support, and on which of them has its position changed?

Sergey Lavrov: We have not received any indication of this. There are reasons to assume that this is fake news, considering the persistent intention of Kiev and its Western handlers to escalate the hostilities. We have pointed out on numerous occasions that Russia has never rejected dialogue as a political method of attaining the goals of the special military operation.

As for our views on a potential settlement, we clearly outlined its goals even before we launched the special military operation. They include the defence of the people of Donbass, the demilitarisation and de-Nazification of Ukraine, and the removal of threats coming from its territory.

During our talks with Kiev held at its initiative in February-April 2022, an understanding was reached that Ukraine should resume its neutral non-aligned status, refuse to join NATO and reaffirm its nuclear-free status.

Another provision stipulated the recognition of the new territorial reality following the free expression of the will of residents of the Donbass people's republics and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions in favour of political integration with Russia. Also, the Kiev authorities must guarantee the rights of Russian speakers and ethnic minorities in Ukraine, including the official status of the Russian language.

As for the reported meeting in Copenhagen, its main goal was to try to convince representatives of the Global South to give a degree of support to Zelensky's "peace formula," which is absolutely unacceptable and has no future, as we openly told our partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Because the conflict, which originates in the 2014 coup d'etat in Ukraine, has a geopolitical dimension, its settlement must include security guarantees on Russia's western border. I would like to remind you that this is the essence of the initiative which President Vladimir Putin advanced in December 2021. The West represented by the United States and NATO contemptuously rejected it.

Our position has not changed radically. We are open to dialogue, but we will be guided by our legitimate interests, and our stand on a possible settlement will be adjusted in accordance with the situation on the ground.

Question: What do you think of Ukraine's involving the International Criminal Court in the investigation of the Kakhovka hydropower plant dam breach? What other international organisations should have been involved and why? How do you assess the response of international humanitarian organisations to the incident?

Sergey Lavrov: We have no doubt that Kiev was responsible for blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. It appears that the Kiev regime is asking the so-called International Criminal Court to investigate a crime that it itself committed. This has probably never happened before in the history of this "pseudo-court."

We warned the UN Security Council about the plans of the Ukrainian neo-Nazis to destroy the dam back in October last year. At that time, we asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to do everything possible to prevent this criminal scenario. The lack of response on the part of the United Nations Secretariat has reinforced the confidence of the Ukrainian authorities that they will get away with it.

As for the response of international humanitarian organisations to what happened, just as in the case of the sabotage of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline and the terrorist act against the Nord Streams, no principled assessments were heard from them. UN agencies limit their role to ostensible attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to the needy across the line of combat contact. They know that this is unrealistic in the context of the military operation, but they are still trying to fulfil the political order of the West and the Kiev regime.

Question: There are different opinions regarding the use of nuclear weapons by Russia. What is your general view on the possibility of using or not using nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict?

Sergey Lavrov: We have repeatedly spoken out on this topic. I would even say that it has exhausted itself unless the West takes actions that again and again force us to point out the strategic risks posed by aggressive anti-Russian policy.

The conditions for Russia's use of nuclear weapons are clearly defined in our Military Doctrine. They are well known, and I will not repeat them once again.

At the same time, I would like to draw attention to the fact that the United States and its NATO satellites are creating risks of a direct armed clash with Russia, and this is fraught with catastrophic consequences.

Just one example of an extremely dangerous turn of events is the United States plans to transfer F-16 fighter jets to the Kiev regime. We have informed the nuclear powers, the United States, Britain and France, that Russia cannot ignore the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons. No amount of assurances will help here. In the course of combat operations, our servicemen are not going to sort out whether each particular aircraft of this type is equipped to deliver nuclear weapons or not. We will regard the very fact that the Ukrainian armed forces have such systems as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere.

Question: What are the tasks of the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for late July 2023? How fair is it to say that Russia is turning towards Africa? What will this mean for the Russian diplomatic service? For example, will Russia expand the network of its embassies on the continent?

Sergey Lavrov: Strong bonds of friendship have always linked Russia and Africa. For decades, they have successfully withstood an endurance test. We attach great significance to expanded Russia-Africa collaboration. The Russian Foreign Policy Concept, approved by the President of Russia in late March, formalises this aspect.

We view expanding the diverse ties with our African friends as an integral part of our common efforts to expand cooperation with the Global South.

I am confident that the Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg will play an important role in building strategic partnership with the continent's countries in the next few years.

Russia is ready to help strengthen the sovereignty of African states and all their security dimensions in every possible way. This is the key idea of the upcoming meeting. There are plans to pass a declaration of leaders and an action plan dealing with high-priority political, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation in 2023-2026. We are set to approve specific documents in the field of international information security, counter-terrorism operations and preventing the deployment of weapons in outer space.

Following the 1st Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi in 2019, the national leadership adopted decisions on expanding our diplomatic presence in Africa. The Foreign Ministry is working to open new embassies in a number of African countries. We will disclose their locations after coordinating everything with the authorities of receiving states and completing essential legal proceedings.

Question: How have Russian foreign policy priorities changed in the past 18 months? Is it possible to say that we have passed a point of no return in our relations with Western countries? If yes, when did this happen? How do you interpret the Foreign Policy Concept's definition of Russia as a civilisation-state in this context?

Sergey Lavrov: When the special military operation began, the United States and other NATO and EU countries stepped up their proxy war against Russia. In fact, they had launched that war in 2014. Doubtless, aggressive steps by unfriendly states create an existential threat for Russia. We will have to uphold our right to free and sovereign development using all available means.

It is also obvious that there will be no return to our former relations with unfriendly countries. If they decide to renounce their anti-Russia line all of a sudden, then we will see what exactly this means, and we will decide on our subsequent line, while relying on our interests. This concerns the collective West.

Regarding the Global East and South where about 85 percent of our planet's population live, these countries did not join the anti-Russian sanctions, and they are interested in expanding practical collaboration. Constructive partners include EAEU, CSTO, CIS, SCO and BRICS states. We are launching purposeful work with all of them in the interests of joint development; this work stipulates various cooperation formats.

We realise that a stronger multipolar world is a reality, rather than someone's whim. The updated Foreign Policy Concept proclaims Russia's civilisational mission as a world power that plays a stabilising role in international affairs. In reality, this means that Russia will not merge with geopolitical and geo-economic structures where it is unable to defend its interests. We intend to team up with our friends and supporters and to facilitate the creation of a more equitable world order based on the goals and principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interdependence and the principle of the sovereign equality of states, first and foremost.

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Destroyer Admiral Panteleyev of Pacific Fleet undergoes drills with Il-38H aircraft

13.07.2023

The Pacific Fleet's destroyer Admiral Panteleyev underwent joint drills with the Fleet's Il-38H anti-submarine naval aviation aircraft in the Peter the Great Bay.

The exercises took place in accordance to the combat drills plan of the Pacific Fleet.

In the course of the drills, the Il-38H aircraft transferred a mock enemy submarine coordinates located in the gulf's waters.

Destroyer Admiral Panteleyev travelled to the designated area and commenced to search for a mock enemy submarine.

Right after locating a mock enemy submarine, the destroyer's crew deployed anti-submarine weaponry.

The Pacific Fleet's Varshavyanka Project 636.3 submarine acted as an enemy vessel during the drills.

Press Service of the Eastern Military District

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Assad stresses look east policy as Indian minister visits Syria for first time in 7 years

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 5:17 PM

India's Minister of State for External Affairs Vellamvelly Muraleedharan has paid an official visit to Syria, a first by an Indian minister in several years, in an apparent sign of New Delhi engaging with the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Muraleedharan arrived in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Wednesday for a two-day visit. It came on the heels of Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad's visit in 2022 to New Delhi, where he held talks with Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Muraleedharan's trip is the first by a high-profile Indian diplomat in seven years and comes after Syria's return to the Arab League more than a decade after its membership was suspended by the 22-member regional organization. Arab government representatives in Cairo voted on May 7 to return Syria to the League after a 12-year suspension.

All 13 of the 22 member states that attended the session endorsed the decision. However, there is still no Arab consensus on normalization of ties with Damascus. Several governments did not attend the meeting. Among the most notable absentees was Qatar, which continues to back the so-called moderate opposition groups against the Assad government.

On Thursday, Muraleedharan met with Assad, where the Syrian leader expressed his country's interest to expand ties with New Delhi.

Assad highlighted that Syria has adopted an eastward foreign policy approach, emphasizing that the shift is due to friendly economic and political relations between Damascus and Asian countries, including India, and Asians' commitment to values and principles.

The president described relations between Syria and India as deeply-rooted, praising India's stance vis-A -vis developments in the Arab world and its unwavering support for Syria demonstrated earlier this year, when a devastating earthquake struck the northwestern part of the country.

Assad also underlined the need for establishment of close relations among Asian states in order to play an effective role in the new multi-polar world order, stressing that the West, as part of attempts to exercise its hegemony, is provoking conflicts worldwide.

Muraleedharan, for his part, extended friendly greetings of Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Syrian president. He said relations between New Delhi and Damascus are constantly developing despite all challenges.

"We are keen to maintain bilateral cooperation, especially in medical and educational sectors, for the benefit of Syrian society. This also includes the economic field," the Indian minister said.

Separately, Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous met with Muraleedharan, where the two sides discussed promotion of economic relations.

Arnous said Damascus was keen to further develop economic and trade ties with New Delhi, particularly in barter transactions, calling for greater role of businessmen to serve the common interests of both countries. He underlined the need for Indian companies to participate in the reconstruction projects across Syria, pointing to the remarkable experience these companies have.

In turn, Muraleedharan hailed India-Syria relations and stressed the need for promotion of ties in the fields of economy, banking, science, technology, and infrastructure.

The Indian minister called for concerted efforts in order to address the challenges that impede enhancement of bilateral cooperation, praising Syria's victory over terrorism. He said India is ready to contribute to Syria's reconstruction, economic progress, and will offer all kinds of support to the Syrian nation.

Meanwhile, Syrian Foreign Minister Mekdad received the visiting Indian minister.

Mekdad hailed India's outright rejection of all forms of terrorism, and its unwavering support for Syrian people through all harsh conditions they have gone through.

The top Syrian diplomat said Damascus expects a principal role for New Delhi in the multi-polar world order, as India respects the sovereignty of other states and refrains from interfering in their domestic affairs.

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Advanced weapons systems seen during Bali anti-landing drill rehearsal

ROC Central News Agency

07/13/2023 06:24 PM

New Taipei, July 13 (CNA) The army on Thursday deployed armored vehicles, drones, and Javelin anti-tank missiles while rehearsing for an anti-landing drill scheduled for July 27 that will form part of the Hang Kuang military exercises along a beach in Bali, New Taipei which is considered a critical strategic location.

The Army raised blue flags along the beach, indicating that the military drill rehearsal was underway. Uniformed military personnel were also seen gathering at Wazihwei Camp, among the camouflaged buildings.

The triangular area between the Bali beach, the nearby Taipei Port, and the Tamsui River mouth is considered by Taiwan's armed forces to be vulnerable to a surprise attack by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), and has traditionally been the location anti-landing drills are held.

During last year's Han Kuang drills, the army dug trenches and machine gun emplacements, built bunkers and deployed barricades along the stretch of beach, which will again serve as the site for anti-landing exercises during the drills set to take place this year from July 24-28.

During Thursday's rehearsal, the 6th Army Command was divided into a defensive "blue" side and an offensive "red" side. Shortly after the rehearsal began, the blue team deployed AAV7 amphibious assault vehicles and domestically built CM-32 "Clouded Leopard" armored vehicles to ward off an invasion by the red team who were portraying the PLA.

During the simulation, the red team's offensive was thwarted by the military barricades and trenches on the beach, while the blue team deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to determine the opposing force's coordinates which were then transmitted back to a command center that mobilized ground forces in a counterattack.

The rehearsal also saw blue team infantry carrying FGM-148 Javelin missiles in the trenches. The portable anti-tank missiles have gained fame after they were used to great effect by Ukraine to take out Russian tanks in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition, smokescreens were used during the rehearsal to create dense smoke rings and prevent military assets from being exposed to the enemy's radar systems, which could help increase their chances of survival in war.

Meanwhile, no airborne units were mobilized during the simulation out of concern that potential excessive noise would distract students taking the college entrance exam that entered its second day on Thursday, according to the Army.

(By Matt Yu and Sean Lin)

Enditem/kb

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U.S. Navy aircraft transits Taiwan Strait: Defense ministry

ROC Central News Agency

07/13/2023 03:31 PM

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft transited through the airspace above the Taiwan Strait Thursday morning, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND).

The U.S. aircraft, coming from the north, flew southbound along the Taiwan Strait's median line, MND spokesman Major General Sun Li-fang (ac) told a news conference in Taipei.

The military was closely monitoring the surrounding waters and airspace during the aircraft's transit, Sun said.

The U.S. 7th Fleet issued a statement Thursday regarding the transit.

"By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations," the statement said, adding "the aircraft's transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

(By Sean Lin)

Enditem/kb

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13 Chinese planes cross median line in reaction to U.S. aircraft transit

ROC Central News Agency

07/13/2023 09:47 PM

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) A total of 26 Chinese military aircraft and four naval ships were detected near Taiwan on Thursday, of which 13 warplanes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait in response to the transit of a United States aircraft over the Taiwan Strait, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

MND data Thursday evening revealed numerous Chinese warplanes were detected throughout the day, including Chengdu J-10, Sukhoi SU-30, Shenyang J-16 and J-11 fighter jets.

MND said of the 26 military aircraft, 13 had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

The ministry said it scrambled combat air and naval patrols, and deployed defense missile systems to track the Chinese military aircraft.

The MND added that the presence of the Chinese planes was likely a response to a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft transiting through the airspace above the Taiwan Strait Thursday morning.

The U.S. 7th Fleet issued a statement Thursday regarding the transit.

"By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations," the statement said, adding "the aircraft's transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

July 13: U.S. Navy aircraft transits Taiwan Strait: Defense ministry

Taiwan's Defense Ministry has been posting information about Chinese planes entering Taiwan's ADIZ since Sept. 17, 2020, amid the growing frequency of incursions by Chinese military aircraft.

China stepped up military maneuvers in August last year after U.S. House of Representatives then-speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, holding live-fire drills in six locations around the country.

Additionally, a significant number of Chinese warplanes, including the 13 on Thursday, have crossed the median line, the unofficial border between Taiwan and China, since Pelosi's visit, which is generally considered far more provocative than incursions into the air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

(By Matt Yu and James Lo)

Enditem/kb

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PLA deploys combat aircraft to handle US spy plane's Taiwan Straits transit following drills

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan Published: Jul 13, 2023 10:49 PM

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) deployed combat aircraft to deal with a US spy plane's transit through the Taiwan Straits on Thursday, which followed large-scale PLA exercises over the past two days that experts said were aimed at safeguarding China's national sovereignty and unity.

A US P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft on Thursday transited the Taiwan Straits, and the PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed combat aircraft to track, monitor and deal with it throughout its entire course in accordance with laws and regulations, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement.

Command troops are maintaining high vigilance at all times so as to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security as well as peace and stability in the region, Shi said.

The US spy plane's Taiwan Straits transit came after a round of large-scale PLA exercises around the island of Taiwan.

From Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, the defense authority on the island of Taiwan detected 38 PLA aircraft and nine PLA vessels operating near the island, with 32 of the aircraft crossing the "median line" of the Taiwan Straits or entering the island's self-proclaimed southwestern and southeastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ). From Wednesday morning to Thursday morning, 33 PLA aircraft and nine PLA vessels were spotted, with 24 of the aircraft crossing the median line or entering the ADIZ.

Fighter jets, bombers, early warning aircraft, anti-submarine aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft and drones were among the participating PLA aircraft, media on the island reported.

The P-8A's transit of the Taiwan Straits is a targeted move aimed to carry out reconnaissance on the PLA's warships or submarines following the PLA exercise, Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Such a move is a blatant provocation, but under the PLA's close monitoring, it posed no substantial threat, Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Thursday.

Overseas media including Reuters linked the PLA exercises to the island of Taiwan's upcoming Han Kuang drills as well as the recent NATO summit that criticized China.

Both Song and Zhang said that PLA exercises are routinely scheduled and not related to other events.

The exercises aim to safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Such drills are becoming more combat-oriented and more intensive in order to deter and prepare for interferences from external forces, experts said.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force spotted the PLA Navy flotilla led by the Type 075 amphibious assault ship Guangxi when it broke past the first island chain and entered the West Pacific in late June.

There has been no report on the Type 075's return, so it is possible that the recent PLA exercises around the island of Taiwan featured the amphibious assault ship operating in waters to the east of the island, Song said.

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China censures US reconnaissance plane flight over Taiwan Strait

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 3:04 PM

China has censured the United States after one of its maritime patrol and reconnaissance planes crossed the airspace over the sensitive Taiwan Strait, which separates China from Taiwan.

The Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft transited the waterway on Thursday, the US Seventh Fleet said in a statement, claiming the anti-submarine plane transited in international airspace to demonstrate what it called "the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

In response, Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China condemned the provocative move, saying "the US side hyped it publicly."

"The troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command have tracked and monitored the US aircraft in the whole course, and handled it in line with laws and regulations," said Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command.

The colonel said the troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command remain on high alert at all times to resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security and regional stability.

Separately, spokesman of Taiwan's ministry of national defense, Major General Sun Li-fang, said at a press conference that the American aircraft, coming from the north, flew southbound along the Taiwan Strait's median line.

China has sovereignty over self-ruled Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), and under the "One China" policy, virtually all world countries recognize that sovereignty, saying the island is part of China's territory awaiting reunification.

The US, too, recognizes Chinese sovereignty over the island but has long courted Taipei in an attempt to counter Beijing.

Washington has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei by law, but remains the island's largest weapons supplier and an avid backer of Taiwan's secessionist President Tsai Ing-wen, generating increasing tensions with Beijing over trade and a host of other issues.

The US almost regularly makes provocative moves around the self-governed island, particularly by sailing its warships through the sensitive and strategic Taiwan Strait.

Back in June, US and Canadian warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait in a joint mission, which Beijing slammed as "intentionally creating trouble" in the area.

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War in Ukraine - Military support for Ukraine

Germany - Federal Government

Germany provides support for Ukraine by supplying equipment and weapons, these come from supplies of the Federal Arms Forces and from deliveries from industry financed from the Federal Government's funds for security capacity building. An overview.

Wednesday, 12 July 2023

This list provides an overview of military assistance provided by the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine. It includes deliveries from the Federal Armed Forces, from industry and assistance measures together with partners, which have, inter alia, been financed from Federal Government funds for security capacity building.

Funding for the security capacity building initiative amounts to 5.4 billion Euros for 2023 (after 2 billion Euros for 2022) and additional authorisations to enter commitments in the following years amounting to 10.5 billion Euros. These funds are to be used primarily for military assistance to Ukraine. At the same time, they will be used for re-filling Federal Armed Forces stocks for items delivered to Ukraine as well as for Germany's contributions to the European Peace Facility (EPF), from which costs incurred from providing military assistance to Ukraine can be re-imbursed to EU member states.

Delivered military support to Ukraine:

(Changes compared to the previous update in bold)

Armoured fighting vehicles

8 tracked all-terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206 (BV206)*

ammunition for LEOPARD 1*

18 LEOPARD 2 A 6 main battle tanks with ammunition (German share in joint project with further LEOPARD 2 operators)

40 infantry fighting vehicles MARDER with ammunition (from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*)

50 MRAP vehicles DINGO

54 M113 armoured personnel carriers each with 2 MG* (systems of Denmark, upgrades financed by Germany)

118 MG3 for LEOPARD 2, MARDER and DACHS

Spare parts for LEOPARD 2 and MARDER

Air defence

40 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns GEPARD (before: 34) including circa 6.000 rounds of ammunition*

self-propelled anti-aircraft guns GEPARD (before: 34) including circa 6.000 rounds of ammunition* 2 air surveillance radar TRML-4D* (before: 1)

2 air defence system Iris-T SLM*

Iris-T SLM missiles*

air defence system PATRIOT with missiles

55,000 rounds ammunitions for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns GEPARD

4,000 rounds practice ammunitions for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

500 Man Portable Air Defense Systems STINGER

2,700 Man Portable Air Defense Systems STRELA

Artillery

27,230 (before: 24,000) projectiles 155mm

(before: 24,000) projectiles 155mm 1,184 rounds 155mm smoke ammunition

155mm precision guided ammunition*

5 multiple rocket launchers MARS II with ammunition (German share in joint project with USA and Great Britain)

ammunition for multiple rocket launchers MARS II

14 self-propelled howitzers Panzerhaubitze 2000 (German share in joint project with the Netherlands)

20 rocket launchers 70mm on pick-up trucks with rockets*

counter battery radar system COBRA*

Military Engineering Capabilities

5 bridges for bridge-laying tank BEAVER (before: 4)

bridges for bridge-laying tank BEAVER (before: 4) 10 bridge-laying tanks BEAVER* (before: 9)

bridge-laying tanks BEAVER* (before: 9) 5armoured engineer vehicles DACHS*

12 mobile and protected mine clearing systems*

4 mine clearing tanks WISENT 1*

15 armoured recovery vehicles Bergepanzer 2*

2 armoured recovery vehicles Bergepanzer 3

3 mobile, remote controlled and protected mine clearing systems*

17 heavy and medium bridge systems*

6 palettes material for explosive ordnance disposal

Protective and Special Equipment

159 (before 154)border protection vehicles*

(before 154)border protection vehicles* 10 laser aiming equipment IRIS-T SLM

10 radio jammers*

57 anti-drone sensors and jammers*

68 reconnaissance drones VECTOR*

93 drone detection systems*

40 frequency range extensions for anti-drone devices*

1 communications electronic scanner/jammer systems*

32 reconnaissance drones*

42 mobile antenna mast systems*

40 laser target designators*

10 unmanned surface vessels*

10 anti-drone guns*

28,000 combat helmets

125 binoculars

600 safety glasses

1 radio frequency system

3,000 field telephones with 5.000 cable reels and carrying straps

353 night vision goggles*

12 electronic anti-drone devices*

165 field glasses*

38 laser range finders*

6 mobile decontamination vehicles HEP 70 including decontamination material

10 HMMWV (8x ground radar capability, 2x jamming/anti drone capability)*

8 mobile ground surveillance radars and thermal imaging cameras*

1 high frequency unit with equipment*

Logistics

32 truck tractor trains 8x8 HX81 (before: 31) and 27 semi-trailers* (before: 23)

truck tractor trains 8x8 HX81 (before: 31) and semi-trailers* (before: 23) 124 trucks Zetros*

14 tracked and remote controlled infantry vehicles THeMIS*

4 load-handling trucks 8x6 with 20 roll of containers*

288 vehicles (trucks, minibuses, all-terrain vehicles)

179 Pick-ups*

12 tank transporter tractor M1070 Oshkosh*

26 load-handling trucks 15t*

35 load-handling trucks 8x8

30 protected vehicles*

10 roll off containers

Combat Readiness and Survivability

107,712 (before: 83,520) rounds ammunition 40mm*

(before: 83,520) rounds ammunition 40mm* 2 spare part packages for VECTOR drone

10 fire command units IRIS-T SLM

11,000 group module rations

160,000 first aid kits*

103,000 tourniquets

500 pistols SFP9*

2 hangar tents*

8 lift trucks*

295 generators

10 winter camouflage nets

168 mobile heating systems*

36 ambulances*

36,400 wool blankets

14,000 sleeping bags

Mi-24 spare parts*

spare parts for heavy machine gun M2

200 tents

116,000 winter jackets

80,000 winter trousers

240,000 winter hats

405,000 pre-packaged military Meals Ready

67 fridges for medical material*

3,000 anti-tank weapons Panzerfaust 3 with 900 firing devices

14,900 anti-tank mines (9,300* from industry stocks)

22 million rounds of ammunition for fire arms

50 Bunkerfaust with 15 firing devices

100 machine gun MG3 with 500 spare barrels and breechblocks

100,000 hand grenades

5,300 explosive charges

100,000 m detonating cord and 100.000 detonators

350,000 detonators

100 auto-injector devices

15 palettes military clothing

1,200 hospital beds

18 palettes medical material, 60 surgical lights

protective clothing, surgical masks

1 field hospital (project jointly financed with Estonia)*

medical material (inter alia back packs, compression bandages)

Diesel and gasoline*

10 tons AdBlue*

500 medical gauzes*

MiG-29 spare parts*

7,944 man-portable anti-tank weapons RGW 90 Matador*

Military support to Ukraine in planning/in execution

(due to security concerns, the Federal Government abstains from providing details on transportation modalities and dates until after handover)

Armoured fighting vehicles

56 tracked all-terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206 (BV206)*

66 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)*

110 LEOPARD 1 main battle tanks* (project jointly financed with Denmark)

20 infantry fighting vehicles MARDER*

ammunition for LEOPARD 1*

ammunition for MARDER*

Air defence

PATRIOT missiles

6 air defence system IRIS-T SLM*

Iris-T SLM missiles*

12 launchers Iris-T SLS*

Iris-T SLS missiles (from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*)

6 air surveillance radars TRML-4D*

12 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns GEPARD*

300,000 rounds of GEPARD ammunition

Artillery

3,816 rounds of smoke ammunition

26,174 projectiles 155mm*

18 wheeled self-propelled howitzers RCH 155*

16 self-propelled howitzer Zuzana 2* (project jointly financed with Denmark and Norway)

Military Engineering Capabilities

16 bridge-laying tanks BEAVER*

2 mobile and protected mine clearing systems*

38 mine clearing tanks WISENT 1*

3 heavy and medium bridge systems*

Protective and Special Equipment

357 reconnaissance drones VECTOR*

121 reconnaissance drones*

10 unmanned surface vessels*

40 ground surveillance radars*

1 Satcom surveillance system*

2000 portable light systems*

8 mobile antenna mast systems*

5 mobile reconnaissance systems (on vehicles) *

341 border protection vehicles*

vehicle decontamination system

11 communications electronic scanner/jammer systems*

Logistics

12 tank transporter tractor M1070 Oshkosh*

30 tank trucks (water/fuel)*

3 load-handling trucks 8x6 with 8 roll of containers*

58 heavy duty trailer trucks 8x8 HX81 and 63 semi-trailers*

2 tractors and 4 trailers*

10 protected vehicles*

76 trucks Zetros*

Combat Readiness and Survivability

108,288 rounds ammunition 40mm for grenade launchers*

340,000 first aid kits*

continuing deliveries of medical material*

100 machine guns MG5*

100 grenade launchers GMG*

17 mobile heating systems*

field hospital (role 2)*

* Deliveries from industry stocks financed by German funds for security capacity building. Some of the deliveries require upgrades or productions is ongoing; also training measures take place.

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Accountability for crimes during war of aggression against Ukraine: Committee of Ministers exchange of views with civil society

Council of Europe

Council of Europe

Strasbourg

13 July 2023

On 10 July, the Committee of Ministers Rapporteur Group on Legal Co-operation held an exchange of views with representatives of civil society on accountability for crimes during the war of aggression against Ukraine. Under the theme "The Accountability for Crimes Under International Law Committed in Ukraine: the State of Play and Way Forward", representatives of Ukrainian and international civil society were invited to share their views primarily on the situation of Ukraine before the International Criminal Court, criminal proceedings before domestic courts of Ukraine and other states and current efforts to establish a special tribunal.

The exchange of views took place following the ReykjavAk Declaration, adopted at the Council of Europe's 4th Summit held in Reykjavik on 16-17 May 2023, where the Council of Europe leaders stressed that "no statutes of limitation apply to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes". Furthermore, they welcomed "international efforts to hold to account the political and military leadership of the Russian Federation for its war of aggression against Ukraine and the progress towards the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression". Finally, they committed to "strengthening the work of the Council of Europe to support and promote national and international efforts, including the work of the European Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, and of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine".

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Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna to the Greek foreign minister: Ukraine belongs in NATO

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

13.07.2023

Meeting with his Greek counterpart on the second day of NATO's Vilnius summit, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna emphasised that NATO had launched Ukraine's accession process.

At his meeting with Georgios Gerapetritis, Tsahkna said NATO had taken an important step forward in its support for Ukraine and allied support must continue until Ukraine's victory. "We took a step closer to Ukraine's NATO membership. It is crucial for the security of both Ukraine and Europe, because after the war, only the path to NATO will provide Ukraine with the certainty that the aggressor will not attack them again," Tsahkna said.

Tsahkna also highlighted the decision to raise defence spending to at least 2% of GDP and the adoption of NATO's new defence plans in line with the decisions of last year's Madrid summit, strengthening the Alliance's collective defence.

The foreign minister also met with his Georgian colleague Ilia Darchiashvili. Tsahkna underlined that Estonia continued to support Georgia's accession into NATO and the European Union, which requires substantial reforms.

"NATO supports the development of Georgia's defence capabilities and Estonia is contributing to the country's cyber capabilities through the NATO-Georgia programme," Tsahkna said.

He also called on Georgia to do its utmost to support Ukraine in fighting Russia's aggression, and to impose as extensive sanctions on Russia as possible, including a complete flight ban.



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New agreements simplify and speed up deliveries of defence materiel to Ukraine

Government Offices of Sweden

13 July 2023

On 12 July at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Minister for Defence PAl Jonson signed a protective security agreement with Ukraine. The agreement makes it possible for Sweden and Ukraine to exchange confidential information concerning, for example, test flights of JAS Gripen or military equipment.

At the same time, the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) is entering into an agreement with Ukraine on procurement support. This agreement enables Ukraine to purchase defence materiel directly from the industry and use options in Swedish agreements, which will cut delivery times. The comprehensive protective security agreement, concluded on the same day, facilitates FMV's support to Ukraine.

"With the signing of these agreements, we're taking further steps to help strengthen Ukraine's defence capabilities and enable the purchase of newly produced defence equipment direct from the industry. We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes for them to win the war, regain their freedom and rebuild their country," says Mr Jonson.

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Biden warns Ukraine's NATO membership during war could trigger WWIII

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 6:16 PM

President Joe Biden of the United States has warned that Ukraine's potential accession to NATO while it is at war with Russia is likely to culminate in a third World War.

And Ukraine has said it just received internationally-banned cluster munitions from the United States.

On Thursday, and during a joint press conference in Helsinki with President Sauli Niinisto of Finland, Biden said, "No one can join NATO while a war is going on, because that guarantees that we are in a war, we are in a Third World War."

Biden said Ukraine's potential accession is "not about whether or not they should or shouldn't join, it's about when they can join."

NATO's Article 5 stipulates that an attack on one member is an attack on all, which means that if Ukraine is added to the bloc while it is still at war, all NATO members must enter a full-fledge and direct war with Russia, and this is not the bloc's intention right now.

When told if Ukraine could not immediately join NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin would be emboldened, Biden said he did not think the war would continue for years since Russia cannot maintain its resources for that long.

"There is no possibility of him [Putin] winning the war in Ukraine. He has already lost that war," the US president claimed.

Furthermore, Biden downplayed concerns that Putin could deploy nuclear weapons following a brief mutiny by the Wagner private military group.

"I don't think there's any real prospect a you never know a of Putin using nuclear weapons. Not only has the West, but China and the rest of the world has said, 'Don't go there. Don't go there.'"

According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, with 4,477 deployed and reserve nuclear warheads, including around 1,900 tactical nuclear weapons.

Ukraine receives first shipment of cluster bombs

The development came as Ukrainian authorities announced they had received controversial cluster munitions from the US.

"We just got them, we haven't used them yet, but they can radically change (the battlefield)," said Ukrainian army commander Oleksandr Tarnavskyi in an interview with US broadcaster CNN on Thursday.

"The enemy also understands that with getting this ammunition, we will have an advantage," he said. "The Russians think that we will use it on all areas of the front... This is very wrong."

On Friday, the White House said the US would indeed supply internationally-banned cluster munitions to Ukraine to help in its counteroffensive against Russian forces despite a global ban on the use of the controversial weaponry.

Cluster bombs are banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), an international treaty that addresses the humanitarian consequences and unacceptable harm caused to civilians by cluster munitions through a categorical prohibition and a framework for action.

The weapons can contain dozens of bomblets, dispersing over vast areas, often killing and maiming civilians. The CCMs are banned because unexploded bomblets can pose a risk to civilians for years after the fighting is over.

Cluster munitions generally eject submunitions that can cover five times as much area as conventional bombs.

The CCM, which took effect in 2010, bans all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs. More than 100 countries have signed the treaty, but the US, Russia and Ukraine have not.

The war in Ukraine began after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the launch of a "special military operation" in the ex-Soviet republic on February 24, 2022 to "demilitarize" two eastern Ukrainian regions amid Kiev's vaulting ambitions to join NATO, which Moscow deems a redline.

In September 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine formally applied for a fast-track NATO membership and ruled out talks with Putin as the war entered its eighth month.

Moscow has repeatedly warned Ukraine against its NATO membership proposals, calling the move "purely destabilizing." Russia has also warned the alliance against its further expansion toward its borders.

Since the beginning of the war, US media have regularly reported on the weapons shipments sent by the US to boost Kiev's fighting forces, with other NATO members delivering tens of billions in military assistance.

By January, the US and its allies had provided Ukraine with over 100 million rounds of small arms ammunition, over a million rounds of artillery shells, and more than 100,000 tank rounds.

Russia sees the flooding of Ukraine with weapons from the West as a futile effort to change the outcome of the war. Moscow says supplying Kiev with more weapons will only add to the death and destruction and prolong the conflict.

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Lavrov says Russia sees as 'nuclear threat' US-made F-16 jets in Ukraine

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:06 AM

Russia has warned that it will regard as a 'nuclear threat' the US-made F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine since the warplanes are capable of carrying atomic weapons.

In remarks on Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned against a purported plan by the United States to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, although Washington has not yet given the green light to any country to supply them.

"Russia cannot ignore the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons. No amount of assurances will help here," Lavrov was quoted as saying by the Russian foreign ministry.

"In the course of combat operations, our servicemen are not going to sort out whether each particular aircraft of this type is equipped to deliver nuclear weapons or not," Russia's top diplomat added.

Poland, the Netherlands and Denmark are leading a plan to train Ukrainian pilots on using the US-made aircraft as part of an 11-nation coalition. The program will reportedly begin in Denmark in August after the US authorizes the move.

"We will regard the very fact that the Ukrainian armed forces have such systems as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere," Lavrov further said.

He had raised the same alert last month, warning against sending the advanced American warplane to the ex-Soviet republic by the Western countries.

"We must keep in mind that one of the modifications of the F-16 has the capability to deliver nuclear weapons. If they do not understand this, then they are worthless as military strategists and planners," Lavrov said on June 6.

Initially, US President Joe Biden had said his country would not provide Ukraine with the jets. Back in May, however, he told leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Japan that Washington was prepared to help train the Ukrainian pilots of F-16 fighter jets.

Ukraine, which largely operates aged Soviet-era warplanes, has placed the US-made F-16 at the top of its wish list.

Russia vows response as NATO 'returns' to Cold War 'schemes'

In a statement on Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow is quite prepared to respond to the threats by "all means" necessary because the US-led NATO, as the military alliance, has returned to "Cold War schemes."

The ministry further stressed that the outcome of the NATO meeting would be "carefully analyzed" for the threats posed to the security of the Russian Federation.

"Taking into account the challenges and threats to Russia's security and interests that have been identified, we will respond in a timely and appropriate manner, using all means and methods at our disposal," the statement further read.

The Kremlin's strong reaction came just a day after Biden said at the end of the NATO summit in Lithuania on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a "craven lust for land and power" and that he had badly misjudged the resolve of NATO's support of Ukraine.

The US president said at the end of the two-day summit in Vilnius that when Putin launched the military operation in Ukraine "he was betting NATO would break apart ... But he thought wrong."

"NATO is stronger, more energized and yes, more united than ever in its history. Indeed, more vital to our shared future," the American leader added.

Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, US media have regularly reported on the weapons shipments sent by the US to boost Kiev's fighting forces, with other NATO members delivering tens of billions in military aid, as well.

By January, the US and its allies had provided Ukraine with over 100 million rounds of small arms ammunition, over a million rounds of artillery shells, and more than 100,000 tank rounds.

Russia sees the flooding of Ukraine with weapons from the West as a futile effort to change the outcome of the war. Moscow says supplying Kiev with more weapons will only add to the death and destruction and prolong the conflict.

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Turkey's Erdogan says Putin's proposals on Ukraine grain deal being discussed

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 13 July 2023 7:59 AM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says a few proposals by his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Ukraine's grain deal are being discussed, just a few days before the expiration of the vital agreement.

In remarks on Wednesday, Erdogan said that Putin had suggested a few proposals on the Black Sea grain deal, which was signed in July last year, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, in a bid to allow Ukraine to resume exports from its southern ports, which had been blockaded by Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.

"Our efforts to extend the grain deal continue. We have discussed the extension of the grain deal with [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky. He supports its extension. Also, Putin has voiced some proposals on the issue. We are making efforts to find a solution, taking into account those proposals," Erdogan said, as reported by Turkey's state news agency Anadolu.

The Turkish leader further noted that he would "continue discussing the grain deal both with Putin and Zelensky."

Russia has for long warned to exit the deal, set to expire on July 17, complaining that promises to remove obstacles to its own exports of grain and fertilizer have not been fulfilled. It has said sanctions on its payments, logistics and insurance industries have created barriers.

Last week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova once again restated Moscow's demand for its state agricultural bank to be reconnected to the global SWIFT payments system to prevent the deal from collapsing.

She also dismissed as "deliberately unworkable" a proposal reportedly put forward by the European Union that would allow Russia's Rosselkhozbank to establish a subsidiary that could connect to SWIFT, stressing that it would take many months to create such a subsidiary and another three months to connect to SWIFT.

Zakharova further dismissed an attempt by the UN to set up an alternative payment channel between Rosselkhozbank and American bank JP Morgan (JPM.N).

"There is no real replacement for SWIFT, and cannot be," she added on July 4, stressing that it was "obvious there are no grounds" to renew the deal beyond July 17.

Nevertheless, Zakharova stressed that Russia was doing everything necessary for all ships covered by the deal to leave the Black Sea before that date.

The agreement last came up for renewal on May 18 and Russia agreed at that point to extend it for 60 more days, to July 17.

Ukraine, which is a major exporter of corn, barley, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil, used to export most of its crop yields through its main ports on the Black and Azov Seas, but since the start of the Russian offensive, it has been forced to export by train or via its small Danube River ports.

The grain deal came with a separate agreement to facilitate shipments of Russian food and fertilizer that Moscow insists has not yet been applied. The Kremlin had initially threatened to abandon the deal if its concerns were not addressed.

UN reportedly urges Putin to extend grain deal in return for SWIFT access

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has proposed that if Putin extends the deal, a subsidiary of Russia's Rosselkhozbank would be connected to SWIFT, Reuters cited unnamed sources as saying on Wednesday.

The bank's SWIFT access was blocked by the European Union in June 2022 over Russia's war in Ukraine.

This while the European bloc is considering connecting to SWIFT a subsidiary of Rosselkhozbank to allow specifically for grain and fertilizer transactions, Reuters cited three unnamed sources familiar with discussions as saying on Wednesday.

The sources added that Guterres has proposed that the Russian leader allows the grain deal to continue for further several months, giving the EU time to connect a Rosselkhozbank subsidiary to SWIFT.

At a press conference on Wednesday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that Guterres had sent a letter to Putin a day earlier, proposing a way forward to further facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports in return for the continued Black Sea shipments of Ukrainian grain.

"The objective is to remove hurdles affecting financial transactions through the Russian Agricultural Bank, a major concern expressed by the Russian Federation, and simultaneously allow for the continued flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea," Dujarric added.

Moscow demands the reopening of a pipeline carrying ammonia from Russia to the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Pivdennyi for export to global markets. The Kremlin says the West has blocked the export of ammonia in violation of past deals. Ammonia is a core component of fertilizer.

More than 30 million tons of grain and agricultural products have been exported under the initiative to date. Any disruption or halt to the flow of Ukrainian grain could worsen a food crisis in the poorest countries and increase global prices.

The extension of the deal will be considered a win for countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia that are dependent on Ukrainian wheat, barley, vegetable oil and other affordable food products, particularly as drought takes a toll.

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Russia Targets Kyiv, Other Ukrainian Cities With Deadly Drone Strikes For Third Day In A Row

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service July 13, 2023

The Ukrainian military has received cluster munitions pledged by the United States to boost its counteroffensive against the Russian invasion, a senior army official said on July 13 after Russia launched drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions for a third day in a row.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said one man was killed and four others were wounded in the strikes on the Ukrainian capital overnight.

"We just got them, we haven't used them yet," General Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, the head of Ukraine's southern command, said in an interview with CNN, referring to the controversial cluster munitions. He added that Russian forces understand that this will give Ukraine an advantage and "radically change" the battlefield situation.

The United States last week said it would deliver cluster bombs to Ukraine despite concerns over the long-term risk to civilians.

Ukrainian forces will not deploy the weapon in heavily populated areas, Tarnavskiy said.

"The Russians think that we will use it on all areas of the front....This is very wrong," he said.

The news came as Germany said that additional military aid, including Leopard 2 battle tanks with ammunition and Gepard self-propelled antiaircraft guns, was on its way to Ukraine. A government statement said Germany's "security capacity building initiative" now amounts to 5.4 billion euros in 2023.

The drone and missile strikes earlier on July 13 killed at least two people, wounded several others, and caused material damage despite the success of Ukraine's air defense systems in destroying almost all incoming projectiles, regional officials and the military said.The body of the dead person was discovered by firefighters in Kyiv's Podil district, Klitschko said on Telegram, adding that two of the wounded were hospitalized. Buildings were also damaged, Klitschko said.

Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said about a dozen Iranian-made drones were shot down above the capital overnight.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry said debris from the destroyed drones fell on four districts of Kyiv.

Separately, the Ukrainian air defense said that it shot down all 20 drones that targeted Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine.

It also destroyed two Kalibr cruise missiles fired from the Black Sea and one Iskander cruise missile launched from Russian-occupied Crimea.

"We executed a successful air-defense operation," Yuriy Ihnat, an air-defense spokesman, told national television.

"Twenty Shaheds were destroyed -- all those flying were shot down."

Some of the drones and the cruise missiles were shot down above the regions of Mykolayiv and Khmelnytskiy, local authorities reported.

It was the third successive night of Russian strikes on Ukraine, which started just hours before a two-day NATO summit crucial for Kyiv opened in Vilnius, Lithuania, some 260 kilometers from Russia and 30 kilometers from Moscow ally Belarus.

On the battlefield, Ukrainian troops were involved in 35 combat actions around Bakhmut, in the eastern region of Donetsk, the General Staff reported early on July 13.

Serhiy Cherevatiy, a spokesman for Ukraine's military, said on July 12 that Ukrainian forces were moving forward at a "fairly moderate pace" in the Bakhmut area and the initiative remains with them.

It was not possible for RFE/RL to verify the reports from the battlefield.

In a separate development, Russian Major General Ivan Popov, the commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army that is currently involved in the fighting in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya region, said on July 12 that he was instantly dismissed after sending a report to Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov in which he described the abysmal situation of the Russian troops at the front.

In a voice message published by Russian lawmaker Andrei Gurulev, Popov said he outlined the problems that cause mass deaths on the battlefield. Popov said his report resulted in his being dismissed by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu "in one day."

On July 12, Russia's Defense Ministry said more than 2,000 pieces of military hardware from the private military company Wagner had been turned over following the mercenary group's short-lived mutiny last month.

The group is completing its handover of weapons, including tanks, rockets, and more than 2,500 tons of ammunition, and about 20,000 small arms, to Russia's regular armed forces, the ministry said on July 12.

The weapons have been transferred to rear positions where the equipment can be maintained or repaired, it said.

The handover follows a deal under which Wagner and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, called off their mutiny. The Wagner fighters, who took part in some of the heaviest fighting of the war in Ukraine, were given the option of joining Prigozhin in exile in Belarus, joining Russia's regular armed forces, or going home.

Prigozhin's whereabouts is still unknown. Belarusian authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka told reporters last week that the 62-year-old mercenary chief was in Russia.

Russian state television, meanwhile, said companies associated with Prigozhin have received more than 1 billion rubles ($11.1 million) in contracts to supply food to schools and hospitals since the private mercenary group mounted a mutiny on June 24.

The largest customer was the Department of Education in the district of Mytishchi to supply meals to schools in the Moscow region in 2023-2025.

The Foreign Ministry maintains it has no reason to terminate contracts with Wagner-related firms.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Reuters, AFP, and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-drones- russia-kyiv/32501609.html

Copyright (c) 2023. 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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Putin: Ukraine in NATO Will Create Threat for Russia, Won't Increase Own Security

Sputnik News

20230713

Zelensky said in early June that Kiev hoped to receive a clear invitation to join the bloc at the Vilnius summit. He also said Kiev was disappointed that it had not yet received a clear positive response about joining both the European Union and NATO.

Ukraine's possible membership in NATO will create a security threat for Russia and will not increase Ukraine's own security situation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"As for Ukraine's membership in NATO, we have repeatedly spoken about this, this creates threats to Russia's security. Obviously. And as a matter of fact, the reason for the special military operation, one of the reasons, is the threat of Ukraine's entry into NATO. I am sure that this will not increase the security of Ukraine itself," Putin said.

Ukraine has a right to have security guarantees but they should not create security threats to other nations, the Russian president highlighted. At the same time, Putin mentioned that Russia is not against discussing security guarantees for Ukraine.

"Now about security. We have said many times that any country has the right to ensure its security. And of course, it has the right to choose the way to achieve this goal, which it considers the most correct for itself. There is only one limitation. It is connected with the fact that achieving the security of one country should not create a threat to another country," Putin said.

On June 13 it was reported that NATO leaders urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "cool down" during their joint dinner in Vilnius after he voiced harsh criticism of the alliance and accused it of being indecisive when it came to Kiev's membership. In particular, Zelensky said that it was "unprecedented and absurd" that a time frame was set "neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine's membership."

Later, during the dinner on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Zelensky was told that he had gone too far and advised to look at the full package of NATO commitments to Kiev, a person present at the dinner was cited as saying by US media.

According to the source, the US delegation was "irritated" by Zelensky's comments, UK representatives were looking for ways to alleviate tensions, while the Germans were trying to find alternatives to resolve the situation.

Speaking about Western missiles and tanks supplied to Ukraine, Putin noted that they cause damage but do not pose a critical threat in the combat zone.

"As for the supply of weapons, various weapons, we see how many hopes were placed on the supply of missiles with a sufficiently long range. Well, yes, they cause damage, but nothing critical happens in the combat zone with the use of missiles. The same goes for foreign-made tanks, infantry fighting vehicles," Putin said on air at the Rossiya 24 broadcaster.

The president added that 311 pieces of military equipment used by Ukraine has been destroyed since June 4, and at least one third of those were Western-made.

"I can tell you that Ukrainian servicemen often refuse to even get into these tanks, because they are a priority target for our guys," Putin said, adding that foreign tanks "burn better" than the Soviet-made ones.

Russia May Suspend Participation in Grain Deal Before Conditions Fulfilled

Moscow is considering an option of suspending participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative until conditions that concern Russia are fulfilled, President Putin said.

He told reporters that "nothing was done" for Russia within the framework of the grain deal, as the agreement benefited only the other side.

"We may suspend our participation in this deal. If everyone once again says that all the promises made to us will be fulfilled, well, let them fulfill this promise, and we will immediately join this deal, again," Putin said.

The president also said that Russia will think about the extension of the grain deal as "there are still few days left" before the July 17 deadline.

Russia, Ukraine, Turkiye and the United Nations reached an agreement on July 22, 2022, to provide a safe humanitarian maritime corridor for vessels carrying food and fertilizer exports from Black Sea ports.

Russia has criticized the implementation of the agreement, saying the majority of the exports ended up in the countries of the collective West and only a small amount in the Global South. In addition, Russia has complained the agreement was not implemented fully since Western sanctions against Russia were not removed for exports of Russian grain and fertilizer.

On May 18, 2023, Russia extended the agreement for an additional 60 days until July 17. However, Moscow has repeatedly warned it will not extend the agreement if not implemented in full.

A Sputnik

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France's Le Pen Slams Macron for Pledging Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine

Sputnik News

20230713

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Marine Le Pen, former president of the French right-wing National Rally party and the current chairwoman of its parliamentary faction, said it was "irresponsible" of the French president to pledge long-range missiles to Ukraine.

"I do not understand why Emmanuel Macron is not integrally focused on organizing a conference for peace to put an end to this [conflict]," Le Pen was quoted as saying by French media.

The leader of the National Rally group in the lower house of parliament spoke to the press on Wednesday during a trip to the riot-hit city of Beauvais, north of Paris.

She warned that a strike "on a third country can trigger a third world war ... We do not know how a third country would react if it were hit by a weapon supplied by France."

Macron's decision to supply Ukraine with SCALP missiles, the French equivalent of the United Kingdom's Storm Shadows, prompted a strong reaction from both sides of the political aisle in France. The right-wing Republicans slammed it as escalatory while the leftist France Unbowed warned of a possible direct conflict with Russia.

A Sputnik

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Australian Defense Chief Elusive About Jet Deliveries to Ukraine

Sputnik News

20230713

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles was elusive on Thursday when asked about the prospects of his country giving Ukraine some of its disused aircraft as Kiev steps up demands for fighter jets.

"The situation around aircraft is pretty complicated. We will keep having the conversation with Ukraine around that, as we will around all the various requests that they've made," he told local radio.

Marles cited technology, timeliness and the ability of Ukrainian pilots to actually operate the planes as some of the concerns that came into play when Australia considered aircraft deliveries.

"That's why I say there is an ongoing discussion, which is an important one and has been a very thorough and fruitful one between ourselves and Ukraine. But the ultimate end of that discussion needs to be contributions which are practical and timely and are going to make a difference," he explained.

Western allies began pouring weapons into Ukraine after Russia launched its military operation. Their support has since evolved from light artillery munitions and training to heavier weapons. In recent months, Ukraine has been pushing its donors to supply fighter jets. Russia has consistently warned against further arms deliveries to Kiev.

A Sputnik

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Russia Thwarts 2 Attempts by Ukraine to Land on Dnepr's Left Bank

Sputnik News

20230713

GENICHESK, Kherson Region (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have thwarted two attempts by Ukrainian armed formations to force the Dnepr River near the Antonovka bridge in the Kherson region, the regional emergency services said on Thursday.

"As a result of fire damage by the formations of the Dnepr grouping of [Russian] troops in the Kherson direction, two attempts by the enemy to force the Dnepr River, in the areas of the settlements of ... and Antonovka, were thwarted. As a result of fire damage, three high-speed boats and more than 60 Ukrainian military were destroyed," the emergency services told reporters.

The Russian forces also destroyed two American M-777 howitzers near Kherson, the authority said, adding that 10 Ukrainian military were killed and three were injured.

A Sputnik

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NATO Leaders Reportedly Urged Zelensky to 'Cool Down' After Criticism of Alliance

Sputnik News

20230713

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO leaders have reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "cool down" during their joint dinner in Vilnius after he voiced harsh criticism of the alliance and accused it of being indecisive when it came to Kiev's membership.

On Tuesday, Zelensky said it was "unprecedented and absurd" that a timeframe was set "neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine's membership."

Later in the day, during the dinner on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Zelensky was told that he had gone too far and advised to look at the full package of NATO commitments to Kiev, a person present at the dinner was cited as saying by US media.

It was further reported that the US delegation was "irritated" by Zelensky's comments as UK representatives were looking for ways to alleviate tensions. As for German officials, they were allegedly trying to find alternatives to resolve the situation.

The Wednesday revelation come as earlier reports cited UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace as doubling down on the sentiment. "Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude," the official said before pointing out that nations were "giving up their stock" of weapons to Ukraine.

In early June, Zelensky said that Kiev hoped to receive a clear invitation to join the bloc at the Vilnius summit. He also said Kiev was disappointed it had not yet received a clear positive response about joining both the European Union and NATO.

A Sputnik

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Six states have already joined the G7 countries with which we agreed on security guarantees for Ukraine yesterday - address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President of Ukraine

13 July 2023 - 22:32

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

A brief report on this day.

First. A meeting with Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Malyuk. A meeting with the heads of intelligence: Main Intelligence Directorate - Budanov, foreign intelligence - Lytvynenko. We analyze the situation very carefully - everything related to the war and everything important for internal security.

Second. A meeting with the international relations experts. The Government, the Office. We are already starting to prepare for the next NATO Summit in Washington. At the Vilnius Summit, we have reached good agreements for Ukraine with almost all partners. We had a very good meeting with President Biden and his team: Secretary of Defense Austin and National Security Advisor Sullivan.

With everyone in the G7, and we managed to meet with many partners in NATO. Now it is time to turn each such agreement into a concrete result. We have the NATO-Ukraine Council, and this format should work in a meaningful way. We are preparing proposals for our partners. There are new agreements on weapons, on equipment, on aviation, and we are now specifying them. Today we also discussed the preparation of the Crimea Platform.

We continue our very successful agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine on its way to NATO by preparing treaties with countries. Bilateral treaties. Only a day after Vilnius, six countries have already joined the seven largest democracies of the world with which we agreed on security guarantees yesterday: the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. Thank you! I am confident that the number of guarantors will increase. Ukraine and the United States will keep a list of states that will join our joint declaration with the G7 on security guarantees on the path to NATO.

During the time period before the Washington Summit, we have to elaborate with our partners everything we discussed in Vilnius and form new common positions that Ukraine and our warriors clearly deserve.

I spoke today with President of the Republic of South Africa Ramaphosa. We do not lose focus on the Peace Formula and everything that is needed to implement the Formula for a single day. I invited Mr. President to join our "Grain from Ukraine" humanitarian initiative.

We equally see the need to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative. It is very important that there are no threats to food security anywhere in the world. And Russia must clearly realize that anyone who increases the threat of famine, particularly in critical regions of Africa, is terrorizing the whole world with hunger, not just a single nation.

Recently, representatives of presidents and foreign policy and national security advisors met in the Danish capital. Different countries. The meeting was dedicated to the Peace Formula and the preparation of the Global Peace Summit. I am grateful that the meeting was attended by a representative of the Republic of South Africa. We are already preparing for the next such meeting.

And, of course, I would like to thank each and every one of our warriors, all Ukrainian defenders. These days in Vilnius, at the NATO Summit, in the margins of the NATO Summit, at all the meetings, Ukraine enjoyed - and still enjoys - the greatest respect and support from our partners in all the years of our independence. Respect is always a derivative of courage, and attention to any country is always a consequence of the capabilities of that country. Ukraine is in the center of our partners' attention. No longer Russia, as it was decades ago. And when we put an end to this war by establishing Russia's defeat, respect and attention to Ukraine will be forever established in history - for all future generations of our people. But this is being achieved now, in battles for Ukraine, in offense and defense.

I thank everyone who is in combat, at combat posts and on combat missions! I thank everyone who defends our skies and who moves our positions on the ground forward. I thank everyone who works to ensure that our warriors have everything they need!

Glory to Ukraine!

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Head of State and President of the Republic of South Africa discussed preparations for the Global Peace Summit and consolidation of support for Ukraine by African countries

President of Ukraine

13 July 2023 - 19:59

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.

The Head of State thanked his counterpart for visiting Bucha and Kyiv as part of the African delegation in June this year and for his efforts to return Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia.

The interlocutors praised the results of the meeting at the level of national security advisors and political advisors to the leaders of the countries held in Copenhagen. The President of Ukraine thanked for the presence of the South African representative at that meeting and invited him to take part in the next meeting, which is currently being prepared.

The leaders of Ukraine and South Africa also discussed preparations for the Global Peace Summit and the necessary diplomatic steps to consolidate African support for Ukraine.

The parties noted the importance of extending the "grain corridor" in the Black Sea. Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited South Africa to join the Ukrainian humanitarian initiative Grain from Ukraine.

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Ihor Zhovkva met with Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic

President of Ukraine

13 July 2023 - 19:26

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva met with Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic ZdenAk BerAnek.

Ihor Zhovkva expressed gratitude for the constant political and practical support that the Czech Republic has been consistently providing to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression.

The Deputy Head of the Presidential Office briefed his interlocutor on the results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius and Ukraine's progress towards full membership in the Alliance.

The parties focused on the preparation of the Second Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform to be held in Prague at the end of October this year. Ihor Zhovkva thanked ZdenAk BerAnek for the readiness of the Czech side to host the Summit in the capital of the country.

The Deputy Head of the Presidential Office emphasized the importance of consolidating efforts to gain the greatest possible international support for the Second Summit of the Crimea Platform in the parliamentary dimension: "This year we hope for even greater international representation at the Second Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform. It is important that new representatives of the countries of the Global South will be among the participants of the October Summit. We count on the Czech Republic's assistance in this regard."

Finally, the parties exchanged views on possible parallel events in the framework of the Summit and agreed to maintain bilateral contacts to coordinate further actions to organize and hold the event.

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Ihor Zhovkva met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ukraine

President of Ukraine

13 July 2023 - 17:16

Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Ukraine Kim Hyung Tae.

Ihor Zhovkva thanked the Republic of Korea for its support of Ukraine, in particular its active position in the implementation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula.

"We appreciate the fact that the Republic of Korea is already taking practical steps on certain points of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, in particular in the field of energy and food security, for example, by joining Volodymyr Zelenskyy's humanitarian initiative "Grain from Ukraine," the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office noted.

The interlocutors discussed preparations for the next meeting at the ambassadorial level on the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and the organization of the Global Peace Summit, in which the Republic of Korea plans to participate.

The parties paid special attention to the preparations for the third summit of the Crimea Platform to be held in Kyiv on August 23, 2023. Ihor Zhovkva noted that Ukraine looks forward to the participation of the President of the Republic of Korea, who has already received a personal invitation.

The Deputy Head of the Presidential Office spoke about the results of the Vilnius NATO Summit and their impact on facilitating Ukraine's membership in the Alliance.

"The adoption of the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine by the Group of Seven (G7) countries was an unprecedented step in the written consolidation of effective security guarantees for our country on its way to NATO membership," emphasized Ihor Zhovkva.

He also proposed to consider the possibility of the Republic of Korea joining the Joint Declaration in the near future, as a number of Ukraine's partner countries have already done, in addition to the G7.

The interlocutors also agreed to continue coordinating joint actions and discussed a schedule of high-level contacts in the near future.

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Security guarantees received by Ukraine are not theoretical, they are an effective mechanism for effective defense of the state - Andriy Yermak on the results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius

President of Ukraine

13 July 2023 - 12:10

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak spoke on the air of the United News telethon about the results of the NATO Summit held in Vilnius on July 11-12, 2023.

Referring to the words of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Andriy Yermak confirmed that the results of the Summit are successful for our country.

A key achievement was the approval by the G7 countries of a Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, including the provision of security guarantees until Ukraine joins NATO.

The Declaration is a framework document that provides for the further conclusion of bilateral security agreements between Ukraine and individual guarantor countries. Such agreements will provide for a set of specific instruments and measures to be applied as soon as possible to provide Ukraine with everything it needs in the event of a repeated attempt at aggression by Russia.

"The security guarantees that Ukraine will receive as a result of the approval of the Declaration are not theoretical. They take into account all the experience of our war. Bilateral agreements with the guarantor countries will very clearly define the mechanisms of support for our state," the Head of the Presidential Office noted.

In addition to direct military support to Ukraine, which includes arms supplies, assistance in the development of the defense industry, military training, and cooperation in the fields of intelligence and cybersecurity, the guarantor countries will contribute to the stability of the Ukrainian economy and energy sector, and provide technical and financial assistance. They will also take economic and legal measures to hold Russia accountable for its crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians.

Andriy Yermak added that Ukraine has already started drafting wording for bilateral agreements with partners.

He also thanked the participants of the Summit for providing our country with new powerful military assistance packages announced during the Summit.



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Latest in Ukraine: Russian Attacks Kill Three More Civilians, Wound 38

By VOA News July 13, 2023

Latest developments:

Ukraine's military cites some success in fighting along the front lines to the south of the Russian-occupied city of Bakhmut.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells reporters at recent NATO summit that Ukraine needs long-range weapons.

Russian attacks killed at least three Ukrainian civilians and wounded another 38 in the last day, Ukraine's presidential office reported Thursday.

The government in Kyiv said Russian forces targeted 13 cities and villages under Russian control in the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region with air attacks, missiles and heavy artillery.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, also partly Russian occupied, Ukraine said 21 people were injured by drone debris on Wednesday and that fires broke out in Kherson after Russian shelling.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said their air defenses shot down 20 Iranian-made drones fired by Russia that targeted the Kyiv region. But they said wreckage from the drones fell on four districts of the capital early Thursday, hospitalizing two people with shrapnel wounds and destroying several homes.

The interior ministry said firefighters extinguished a blaze in a 16-story apartment building and another fire in a non-residential building. Debris also smashed into the front of a 25-story apartment building.

The latest wave was the third consecutive night in which the drones were used in attacks on Kyiv.

Elsewhere, Ukraine said one of its missile strikes killed a senior Russian officer, Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov, who was leading Moscow's forces against Kyiv's recent counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.

Ukraine said Tsokov was killed when the Ukrainian military struck the city of Berdyansk on Tuesday with British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Russia's defense ministry has not confirmed Tsokov's death.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Singapore, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOMAD Caviar Singapore offers farm-to-table delivery of fresh caviar in Singapore and aims to change the common perception of caviar as something that is eaten as garnish off a tiny spoon. Caviar is roe or eggs from the sturgeon family of fish and is regarded as a delicacy and is eaten raw. It is commonly eaten as an appetiser, but this is what NOMAD Caviar wants to change. For more information visit https://nomadcaviarsingapore.com/

The common varieties of caviar are: Kaluga, Beluga, Ossetra, Sevruga, and Sterlet. Raw and unpasteurised caviar has a shelf life of two weeks when stored in the fridge. Unpasteurised or completely raw caviar is typically preferred because of its superior texture and flavour. Caviar can be eaten right off a spoon or it can be served with toast points, crackers, or blini. Caviar can be added as a finishing touch to pasta and appetisers too, but it is not frequently cooked; instead, it is added as garnish to maintain its flavour.

With regards to taste, caviar is usually salty, but its saltiness depends on the variety. The tiny eggs burst in the mouth, providing a buttery flavour that is sometimes nutty and slightly sweet to taste.

Unpasteurised caviar has to be kept in the coldest part of the fridge. An unopened tin can of caviar will remain fresh in the refrigerator for two weeks. However, an opened tin can last for two to three days if kept tightly covered in the fridge.

Jason Cohen, founder of NOMAD Caviar, says: We want to enjoy caviar as it was meant to be throughout history, served generously, and certainly more than a measly mouthful! From farm to table, we deliver to your door so you can enjoy caviar the way it should be savoured. Pricing was the main obstacle we had to face, so we wondered if there was a way to cut out the middlemen and buy directly from the producers. After extensive research, travels, and numerous tastings, we finally found the perfect farms to collaborate with on our vision. Supporting a sustainable farm and sharing the savings with our friends; what could be better!

As previously announced, NOMAD Caviar Singapore offers the Kaluga Hybrid Caviar, which is a sensational caviar with a unique, robust texture and a nutty and earthy flavour. It has very little or no fishy taste. The Kaluga sturgeon is a hybrid sturgeon that is native to the Amur River basin and is the cousin of the farmed Beluga sturgeon. The Kaluga caviar is sustainably farmed and hand-picked to ensure the best quality. It is then packed in airtight tins to make sure it arrives at the customers table in Singapore fresh and ready to eat.

Despite offering a comparable experience to Beluga, the other popular caviar offering, Kaluga Hybrid Caviar is priced significantly lower, making it a more accessible choice for connoisseurs and those wishing to experience caviar for the first time. Like Beluga, the Kaluga Hybrid possesses a rich, buttery taste and creamy aroma, and its large, firm beads provide the unique texture and "pop" that caviar enthusiasts appreciate.

Also available from NOMAD Caviar Singapore is the NOMAD Caviar Spoon and the NOMAD Caviar Bowl. The caviar spoon is important because the usual metal spoon can affect the delicate flavour of caviar. The NOMAD Caviar Spoon has a mother of pearl tip that ensures no unwanted flavours are added to the caviar.

The NOMAD Caviar Bowl is a delicately made glass bowl that provides a simple but remarkable way to serve caviar. It has a rounded ice compartment where the conical caviar housing is placed on top to provide the ideal temperature to keep the caviar fresh.

NOMAD Caviar Singapore was founded by Jason Cohen with the vision of bringing the best quality, sustainably farmed sturgeon eggs directly from the farm to the customers table. The companys mission is to ensure people can enjoy caviar as a main course, instead of having just a mouthful.

To learn more about the premium caviar subscription and delivery service in Singapore, visit the website at https://nomadcaviarsingapore.com/collections/all or contact them on the phone or via email.

###

For more information about NOMAD Caviar Singapore, contact the company here:



NOMAD Caviar Singapore

Jason Cohen

+85297732233

hello@nomadcaviar.com

30 Cecil St, # 19-08 PRUDENTIAL TOWER, Singapore 049712
German English

Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Feintool wins an important new customer as a supplier of rotors and stators. The multi-year contract for a renowned American OEM has a lifetime volume in the triple-digit million euro range. For the first time, the innovative Glulock Multidot (MD) bonding technology will be used in high volume production for the main drives of electric cars.

Feintool has been awarded a multi-year contract by a renowned American original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The contract involves supplying stators and rotors for the main drive of e-cars over a six-year period and has a lifetime volume valued in the three-digit million euro range.

For the first time, the innovative and patented Glulock MD bonding technology will be used in high volume production to manufacture these components. Winning this significant contract underscores the outstanding performance of Feintools unique Glulock MD technology. This customer-specific bonding process with optimized mechanical and electromagnetic properties will be key in the next generations of electric vehicle drives. By employing several strategically placed adhesive dots on the sheet metal, nearly full-surface bonding is achieved, effectively meeting stringent tightness requirements as needed. This enhances the efficiency of the e-machine through direct motor cooling. In addition, the bonding on the yoke and tooth components ensures optimal stability.

The drive components will be produced in one of the plants in the Stamping business unit starting in the second semester of 2026. Over 800,000 rotor-stator sets will serve as the core for electric cars manufactured in Europe.

Torsten Greiner, CEO Feintool, is delighted: "This contract with a renowned OEM strengthens our company as a leading manufacturer of rotors and stators for electrically powered passenger cars. The fact that our patented Glulock MD adhesive bonding technology is being used shows that our technologies are mature and are gaining traction in the electric mobility market."

About Feintool

Feintool is an internationally active technology market leader in the field of fineblanking, formed steel components and stamped electro sheet metal products. Cost-effectiveness, superior quality, and high productivity distinguish these technologies.

As an innovation driver, Feintool continually pushes the boundaries of these technologies and develops intelligent solutions to meet its customers requirements. Feintool offers innovative tools and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes for all aspects of high-volume sheet metal applications in the automotive industry and other demanding industrial sectors as well as renewable energies. The processes used support the megatrends of green energy generation, storage, and application.

Founded in 1959 and headquartered in Switzerland, the company owns 17 production plants in Europe, the United States, China, and Japan, ensuring proximity to its customers. Around the globe, about 3,500 employees and over 100 apprentices are at work on new solutions to create key advantages for Feintool customers.

Feintool International Holding AG

Industriering 8

3250 Lyss

Schweiz

Media spokesperson

Karin Labhart

Phone +41 32 387 51 57

Mobile +41 79 609 22 02

karin.labhart@feintool.com

www.feintool.com

The press release can be downloaded from the following link:



Press Release (PDF)




Dublin, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Forklift Rental Market 2023-2028 report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global forklift rental market is expected to reach USD 8.17 billion, registering a CAGR of 4.78% over the next five years.



The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a positive impact on the forklift rental industry for the foreseeable future. Renting equipment can provide several long-term benefits for dealers and users. A key takeaway is that, in the long run, renting will be far more profitable than owning. When an equipment dealership offers rentals, it is investing in future revenue streams with the potential for extremely high returns. Furthermore, by renting a forklift, the company gains some monetary benefit that can be used for other purposes.



Over the long term, renting forklifts is becoming more popular among contractors and e-commerce firms due to the high initial purchase cost of a new forklift. The demand for forklift rentals has increased as a result of market factors such as high taxes, maintenance costs, high depreciation costs, and equipment insurance requirements for new machines. Industries are also dynamic and heavily influenced by changes in the market. Renting equipment helps protect the company from unexpected financial instability.

The rental of a wide variety of cutting-edge equipment is also helping to boost market revenue. Several emerging trends in the automation sector have led to an increase in forklift rental market share following the pandemic. Moreover, with more people shopping online, there is a greater need for warehouse and logistics specialists, such as forklift operators and mechanics. The trajectory of e-commerce is increasing demand for forklift operators and other logistics personnel in two ways: higher volumes of online orders necessitate more staff to fulfill them, and as the e-commerce sector becomes more competitive, consumers pressurize retailers to increase delivery speed and efficiency.



Along with forklift operators, the rise in e-commerce will most likely benefit forklift suppliers, manufacturers, and engineers. In 2021, retail e-commerce sales in the United States surpassed USD 900 billion, including digital services. However, a significant constraint to growth in the global market is a lack of trained labor.



In the coming years, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to experience significant growth. Governments of emerging economies in Asia are heavily investing in the construction of roads, airports, dams, and special economic zones to improve trade, increase connectivity, and strengthen the region's economy. These initiatives have caught the attention of major manufacturers of construction equipment, who are now motivated to invest heavily and establish a presence in the area.



For instance, GIKEN and AKTIO Corporation work together in the rental business. AKTIO Corporation is one of the industry's leading construction equipment rental companies. The company recognizes this business alliance as a significant step toward reaching JPY 100 billion (around USD 739 Million) in sales in 10 years as a 2024 Mid-term Management Plan. To meet rising demand, the company will use AKTIO's extensive network to accelerate the development of new customers and establish the supply structure for press-in machinery.



Through a proposal-based construction equipment rental service called 'RensultingR,' AKTIO works with various construction companies and specialty contractors. AKTIO will be a strong partner for GIKEN in customer development. By utilizing AKTIO's various channels, GIKEN hopes to increase its user base, and AKTIO hopes to increase its revenue by adding SILENT PILERTM to its line of products. The 'Construction Revolution' will continue to advance thanks to the synergistic effects of this business partnership, ushering in a new era of construction.



Forklift Rental Market Trends

Forklift Rental is Expected to Witness Considerable Market Growth Over the Forecast Period

North America is Expected to Hold a Considerable Share in Target Market

Forklift Rental Market Competitor Analysis



The forklift rental market is fragmented, with the presence of several domestic and international players operating in the market. Partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions happen in the forklift rental industry. To install the newest features and technologies that will make the vehicle suitable for the needs of customers right now, OEMs are producing white-label vehicles for technology companies. For example,

In October 2022, H&E Equipment Services Inc. acquired One Source Equipment Rentals Inc. With the completion of the transaction, H&E expanded its branch network by 10 equipment rental locations. These locations include initial locations in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. Furthermore, the company will expand its operational presence in the southern United States while investing approximately USD 138 million in the fleet, as measured by the original equipment cost.

In June 2022, to assist in the decarbonization of the construction and equipment rental industries, Sunbelt Rentals, a rental company for forklifts, and Britishvolt will collaborate closely to support the development of heavy plant and equipment battery solutions. Britishvolt, a leader in battery technology, has begun a strategic partnership with the largest equipment rental company in the United Kingdom to support the construction of the business's first fully operational 38 GWh battery Gigaplant in Northumberland and to foster 'economies of carbon.'

Additional benefits of purchasing the report:

The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

3 months of analyst support

Key Topics Covered



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions

1.2 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Drivers

4.2 Market Restraints

4.3 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.3.1 Threat of New Entrants

4.3.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.3.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products

4.3.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION (Market Value in USD Billion)

5.1 Load Type

5.1.1 3.5 Tons

5.1.2 10 Tons

5.1.3 Above 10 Tons

5.2 End-Use Type

5.2.1 Construction

5.2.2 Automotive

5.2.3 Aerospace & Defense

5.2.4 Warehouse and Logistics

5.2.5 Other End-Use Types

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 North America

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.4 Rest of World



6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Vendor Market Share

6.2 Company Profiles

6.2.1 Caterpillar Inc.

6.2.2 Crown Equipment Corporation

6.2.3 Sunbelt Rentals Inc.

6.2.4 Toyota Industries Corporation

6.2.5 Combilift DEpot

6.2.6 Herc Rentals Inc.

6.2.7 H&E Equipment Services Inc.

6.2.8 AHERN RENTALS

6.2.9 United Rentals Inc.



7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8rpxxs

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.

Attachments
Dallas, TX, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Laser tattoo removal can truly change the trajectory of someones life by helping them improve how they feel about themselves. Astanza Laser is the provider of FDA-cleared, medical-grade laser machines and is the official sponsor of National Tattoo Removal Day, which is coming up on August 14th. Astanza lives the mission of #ChangingLives through our clients and the communities they serve. Astanza will be celebrating National Tattoo Removal Day by hosting Community Day at our headquarters, where we will provide free laser tattoo removal for individuals who have been formerly incarcerated, affected by human trafficking, or have visible tattoos hindering employment opportunities.

Laser practitioners nationwide witness the transformative impact of laser tattoo removal daily. National Tattoo Removal Day champions tattoo artists, laser practitioners, and individuals who have undergone laser tattoo removal to show appreciation and increase awareness for the advanced procedure. National Tattoo Removal Day aims to destigmatize the process of laser tattoo removal and celebrate everyone who wants to modify or completely remove their tattoos. Laser practitioners can take advantage of the trending holiday to educate and engage with the community. Join Astanza in celebrating the transformative power of laser tattoo removal technology on National Tattoo Removal Day, August 14th.

August 14th was declared National Tattoo Removal Day because it falls one month after National Tattoo Day (July 17th) and six months before Valentines Day (February 14th). If you start laser tattoo removal on National Tattoo Removal Day, six months is about the average time and number of sessions it would take to rid an ex-partners name just in time for the holiday of love.

Get an official National Tattoo Removal Day promotional kit to use in all of your promotions! As the official sponsor of National Tattoo Removal Day, Astanza is offering promotional kits for sale, while supplies last, to laser business owners who want to elevate their National Tattoo Removal Day celebrations.



Ways Laser Tattoo Removal Practitioners Can Celebrate:

Educate: Share the most FAQs about laser tattoo removal, its benefits, and the services your clinic provides. Encourage discussion, address common misconceptions, and emphasize the importance of seeking professional expertise for laser tattoo removal. Promote: Consider running specials on laser tattoo removal treatment packages to encourage people to book an appointment on August 14 in celebration of National Tattoo Removal Day. Offering a one-day-only promotion creates urgency and entices more people to participate. Community Outreach: Share about the availability of safe and effective tattoo removal services in the area. Offer free consultations or on-site demonstrations to engage with the community directly. Share Success Stories: Highlight inspiring stories and features with before-and-after photos, testimonials, and personal narratives to demonstrate the positive impact of laser tattoo removal on one's self-esteem and overall quality of life. Social Media Campaigns: Social media is the fastest way to share your National Tattoo Removal Day promotions. Encourage clients to share their tattoo removal stories and be sure to use the official hashtags: #NationalTattooRemovalDay and #NTRD.





Learn more about National Tattoo Removal Day by visiting the website and liking the official Facebook page. For queries about laser technology or starting a laser business, contact Astanza.





About Astanza Laser

Astanza Laser is the provider of FDA-cleared, medical-grade laser devices for tattoo removal, hair removal, and other aesthetic laser procedures. Our powerful product line comprises the Trinity, Duality, EternityTSR, MeDioStar, PicoStar, DermaBlate, and QuadroStarProYELLOW laser machines. Astanza offers an unbeatable support system through The Astanza Experience, which consists of the Business Builder System, 3-Business Day Service Guarantee, and Lifetime Training and Clinical Support. This all-encompassing system guides laser businesses every step of the way, providing a complete range of training, service, marketing, and business support. Astanza is an award-winning company that has received several accolades from leading industry organizations, including MyFaceMyBody and Aesthetic Everything. They are also certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked #49 on Fortunes 2023 Best Places to Work in TexasTM and #49 on Fortunes Best Workplaces in Health CareTM.

Astanza Laser is headquartered in Dallas, TX, with clients throughout North America and Europe. Learn more about Astanza by visiting the website or calling (800) 364 - 9010. Connect with Astanza on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.




VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goat Industries Ltd. (the Company or GOAT) (CSE: GOAT) announce that pursuant to receipt of shareholder approval on July 11, 2023, the Company will be consolidating its issued and outstanding common shares (the Share(s)) on the basis of one (1) post-Consolidation Share for each one hundred (100) pre-Consolidation Shares (the Consolidation) effective July 20, 2023 (the Record Date). The Companys name and trading symbol will remain the unchanged.



The Consolidation is expected to result in the number of issued and outstanding Shares being reduced from 328,167,950 pre-Consolidated Shares to approximately 3,281,680 post-Consolidation Shares. The Common Shares are expected to begin trading on a post-Share Consolidation basis on the Canadian Securities Exchange when markets open on July 19, 2023.

New ISIN: CA38021J2020

New CUSIP: 38021J202



No fractional Shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. Any fractions of a Share less than one half will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Shares. Any fractions of at least one half will be rounded up to the nearest whole Share. No cash consideration will be paid in respect of fraction shares. Shareholders of record as at the Record Date will receive a letter of transmittal providing instructions for the exchange of existing share certificate(s) evidencing pre-Consolidation Shares for new share certificate(s) representing the number of post-Consolidation Shares to which they are entitled, as soon as practicable following Record Date.

ABOUT GOAT INDUSTRIES

Goat Industries is an investment issuer focused on investing in high-potential companies and assets operating across a variety of sectors. The paramount goal of the Company will be to generate maximum returns from its investments.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Lawrence Hay, CEO

Phone: 604-687-2038

GOAT Industries Ltd.

Investor Relations

Email: alex@goatindustries.co

Phone: 604-687-2038

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains certain forward-looking that may be deemed to include forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as anticipates, plan, continue, expect, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate, may, will, potential, proposed, positioned and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur. The Company has provided the forward-looking statements in reliance on assumptions that it believes are reasonable at this time. All such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties certain of which are beyond the Companys control. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; a rising interest rate environment, adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.

The reader is cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and the actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, the Company will derive therefrom. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly 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 expressly required by applicable law.
Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. ("Buenaventura" or "the Company") (NYSE: BVN; Lima Stock Exchange: BUE.LM), Peru's largest publicly-traded precious metals mining company, today announced 2Q23 results for production and volume sold.

2Q23 Production per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) 2023 Updated

Guidance (1)(2)(3) Gold (Oz.) Orcopampa 19,996 19,975 39,971 72k - 80k Tambomayo 10,600 10,896 21,496 35k - 40k Coimolache 6,536 9,632 16,168 60k - 65k El Brocal 4,421 4,377 8,798 24k - 26k Silver (Oz.) Uchucchacua 0 0 0 0.7M - 1.0M Yumpag 0 0 0 1.6M - 1.8M El Brocal 436,678 635,530 1,072,208 2.7M - 3.0M Tambomayo 394,305 540,732 935,038 1.9M - 2.2M Julcani 417,887 472,740 890,626 1.9M - 2.1M Lead (MT) El Brocal 0 1,275 1,275 7.5k - 8.3k Uchucchacua 0 0 0 1.4k - 1.5k Yumpag 0 0 0 0.3k - 0.4k Tambomayo 1,324 924 2,248 2.9k - 3.2k Zinc (MT) El Brocal 0 3,812 3,812 23.0k - 25.0k Uchucchacua 0 0 0 2.0k - 2.2k Tambomayo 1,552 1,150 2,702 4.8k - 5.3k Copper (MT) El Brocal 12,238 13,213 25,452 45.0k - 50.0k

Above 2023 projections are considered forward-looking statements and represent management's good faith estimates or expectations of future production results as of July 2023. 2023 Uchucchacua and Yumpaq Guidance is subject to permit approval to begin production. El Brocal stockpiled ore mined from its open pit during the 1Q23. Lead and zinc ore are being treated at the processing plant starting in 2Q23. The underground mine will operate continuously throughout 2023.

2Q23 Comments

Tambomayo:

Gold, silver, lead and zinc production was in line with 2Q23 expectations. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

Orcopampa:

2Q23 gold production exceeded expectations due to higher gold grades extracted from the Pucara and Ramal 4 vein system. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

Coimolache:

2Q23 gold production was below quarterly projections due to a slower than expected leach pad gold extraction rate with longer than expected percolation time. These are expected to increase in the second half of 2023. 2023 guidance therefore remains unchanged.

Julcani:

2Q23 silver production was below projections due to a negative geology reconciliation with decreased treated ore. 2023 guidance has therefore been updated.

Yumpag:

4Q23 targeted production initiation remains unchanged and is subject to the final permitting and approval required to operate.

Uchucchacua:

Exploration and mine development continued during 2Q23 as planned.

During 3Q23 Buenaventura will focus on ensuring processing plant operational readiness to receive ore from Uchucchacua and Yumpag by the end of 2023.

El Brocal:

2Q23 copper production exceeded projections due to underground mine production ramp-up which remains ahead of expectations. Buenaventura expects to reach its targeted 10,000 tpd by 4Q23. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

Open pit polymetallic ore processing resumed as planned during 2Q23. Zinc and lead production during the quarter was in line with expectations. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

2Q23 Payable Volume Sold

2Q23 Volume Sold per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz.) Orcopampa 20,326 19,718 40,044 Tambomayo 9,360 9,868 19,228 Coimolache 6,854 8,170 15,024 El Brocal 2,595 2,427 5,022 Silver (Oz.) Uchucchacua 130,642 150,637 281,279 Yumpag 0 0 0 El Brocal 379,158 508,257 887,415 Tambomayo 370,299 485,593 855,892 Julcani 412,890 449,841 862,731 Lead (MT) El Brocal 88 1,215 1,302 Uchucchacua 0 0 0 Yumpag 0 0 0 Tambomayo 1,189 808 1,996 Zinc (MT) El Brocal 38 3,094 3,132 Uchucchacua 0 0 0 Tambomayo 1,269 895 2,163 Copper (MT) El Brocal 11,748 12,355 24,104 Realized Metal Prices* 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz) 1,915 1,945 1,930 Silver (Oz) 22.5 24.27 23.48 Lead (MT) 2,139 1,846 1,960 Zinc (MT) 2,004 2,497 2,375 Copper (MT) 8,972 8,992 8,983 *Buenaventura consolidated figures.

Appendix

1. 2Q23 Production per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz.) La Zanja 3,051 2,030 5,081 Silver (Oz.) Orcopampa 7,618 7,242 14,860 La Zanja 6,630 5,322 11,951 Coimolache 25,485 64,084 89,570 Lead (MT) Julcani 106 159 266 2. 2Q23 Volume Sold per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz.) La Zanja 3,211 1,892 5,103 Silver (Oz.) Orcopampa 6,699 6,023 12,722 La Zanja 10,942 11,589 22,531 Coimolache 24,909 57,608 82,517 Lead (MT) Julcani 94 138 232

Company Description

Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. is Peru's largest, publicly traded precious and base metals Company and a major holder of mining rights in Peru. The Company is engaged in the exploration, mining development, processing and trade of gold, silver and other base metals via wholly-owned mines and through its participation in joint venture projects. Buenaventura currently operates several mines in Peru (Orcopampa*, Uchucchacua*, Julcani*, Tambomayo*, La Zanja*, El Brocal and Coimolache).

The Company owns 19.58% of Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde, an important Peruvian copper producer (a partnership with Freeport-McMorRan Inc. and Sumitomo Corporation).

(*) Operations wholly owned by Buenaventura

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking information (as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involve risks and uncertainties, including those concerning Cerro Verde's costs and expenses, results of exploration, the continued improving efficiency of operations, prevailing market prices of gold, silver, copper and other metals mined, the success of joint ventures, estimates of future explorations, development and production, subsidiaries' plans for capital expenditures, estimates of reserves and Peruvian political, economic, social and legal developments. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's view with respect to Cerro Verde's future financial performance. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors discussed elsewhere in this Press Release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713972796/en/

Contact

In Lima:

Daniel Dominguez, Chief Financial Officer

+51 (511) 419 2540

Gabriel Salas, Head of Investor Relations

+51 (511) 419 2591 / Gabriel.salas@buenaventura.pe

Company Website: www.buenaventura.com.pe/ir

In NY:

Barbara Cano

+1 (646) 452 2334

barbara@inspirgroup.com
VANCOUVER, July 13, 2023 -

TSX VENTURE COMPANIES

BULLETIN TYPE: Cease Trade Order

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Company

A Cease Trade Order has been issued by the Ontario Securities Commission on July 12, 2023 against the following company for failing to file the documents indicated within the required time period:

Symbol Tier Company Failure to File Period Ending (Y/M/D) FRXI FRXI.WT 2 FRX INNOVATIONS INC. Interim financial statements for the period 2023/03/31





Management's discussion and analysis relating to the interim financial statements for the period 2023/03/31





Certification of the foregoing filings as required by National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings.





Upon revocation of the Cease Trade Order, the Company's shares will remain suspended until the Company meets TSX Venture Exchange requirements. Members are prohibited from trading in the securities of the companies during the period of the suspension or until further notice.

________________________________________

RE ROYALTIES LTD. ("RE")

BULLETIN TYPE: Declaration of Dividend

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 1 Company

The Issuer has declared the following dividend:



Dividend per Common Share: $0.01

Payable Date: August 23, 2023

Record Date: August 02, 2023

Ex-dividend Date: August 01, 2023





________________________________________

RENEGADE GOLD INC. ("RAGE")

[formerly Trillium Gold Mines Inc. ("TGM")]

BULLETIN TYPE: Name Change and Consolidation

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Pursuant to a resolution passed by directors on June 29, 2023, the Company has consolidated its capital on a ten (10) old for one (1) new basis. The name of the Company has also been changed as follows.

Effective at the opening July 17, 2023, the common shares of Renegade Gold Inc. will commence trading on TSX Venture Exchange, and the common shares of Trillium Gold Mines Inc. will be delisted. The Company is classified as a 'Mining' company.

Post - Consolidation

Capitalization: Unlimited shares with no par value of which

14,983,715 shares are issued and outstanding

Escrow: nil shares are subject to escrow

Transfer Agent: Computershare Investor Services Inc.

Trading Symbol: RAGE (new)

CUSIP Number: 75974M105 (new)

________________________________________

23/07/13 - TSX Venture Exchange Bulletins

TSX VENTURE COMPANIES

AURION RESOURCES LTD. ("AU")

BULLETIN TYPE: Property-Asset or Share Purchase Amending Agreement

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation pertaining to an Option Agreement dated May 29, 2023, and as amended on June 27, 2023, (the "Amending Agreement"), amending the terms of a Purchase Agreement, dated May 23, 2014, and as amended on March 3, 2015, May 13, 2020 and October 28, 2021 (the "Purchase Agreement"), between the Company and an arm's length party (the "Optionor").

Pursuant to the terms of the Amending Agreement, the Company may acquire and eliminate all encumbrances, including a 3% net smelter returns royalty and certain future cash bonus payments based on gold resources, on the Kutuvuoma and Silasselka projects originating from the Purchase Agreement.

As consideration, the Company will issue 37,500 shares to the Optionor for the grant of the option, and the option may be exercised by the payment of an additional 5,000,000 to be paid in either cash or shares, or a combination of both, at any time on or before September 30, 2023. The number of consideration shares that may be issued to the Optionor under the Amending Agreement will be restricted to the Optionor having control or direction to no more than 9.9% of the Company's then issued and outstanding.

For further details, please refer to the Company's news releases dated May 31, 2023 and July 10, 2023.

________________________________________

AZIMUT EXPLORATION INC. ("AZM")

BULLETIN TYPE: Property-Asset or Share Disposition Agreement

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to the arm's length disposition of the Corvet and Kaanaayaa lithium properties.



CASH ($) SECURITIES WORK EXPENDITURES ($) CONSIDERATION FOR EACH PROPERTY First option to acquire a 50% interest Second option to acquire a 70% interest $250,000 on signing within 45 days of the commencement date and $150,000 on each anniversary of the Commencement Date, for a total of $850,000 per property None None None $1,500,000 in the first year and $5,500,000 in subsequent years for a total of $7,000,000 per property $50 million over five (5) years per property



For further details, please refer to the Company's news release dated July 10, 2023.

EXPLORATION AZIMUT INC. ( AZM )

TYPE DE BULLETIN : Convention d'achat de propriete d'actif ou d'actions

DATE DU BULLETIN : Le 13 juillet 2023

Societe du groupe 2 de TSX Croissance

Bourse de croissance TSX a accepte le depot de documents relativement a la cession a un tiers independant dans les proprietes lithium Corvet et Kaanaayaa.



ESPECES ($) TITRES ENGAGEMENTS AU TITRE DE TRAVAUX ($) CONTREPARTIE POUR CHAQUE PROPRIETE Premiere option pour acquerir un interet de 50% Deuxieme option pour acquerir un interet de 70% 250 000 $ a la signature dans les 45 jours de la date de commencement et 150 000 $ a chaque anniversaire de la date de commencement pour un total de 850 000 $ par propriete Aucun Aucun Aucun 1 500 000 $ au cours de la premiere annee et 5 500 000 $ les annees subsequentes pour un total de 7 000 000 $ par propriete 50 millions $ par propriete sur une periode de 5 ans



Pour plus d'information, veuillez-vous referer au communique de presse emis par la societe le 10 juillet 2023.

________________________________________

BLOCKMATE VENTURES INC. ("MATE")

BULLETIN TYPE: Shares for Debt

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the Company's proposal to issue 2,830,761 shares to settle outstanding debt for $141,538.03.

Number of Creditors: 7 Creditors

Non-Arm's Length Party / Pro Group Participation:









Creditors # of Creditors Amount Owing Deemed Price per Share Aggregate # of Shares









Aggregate Non-Arm's Length Party Involvement: 5 $85,666.88 $0.05 1,713,337 Aggregate Pro Group Involvement: N/A N/A N/A N/A



The Company shall issue a news release when the shares are issued and the debt extinguished.

________________________________________

ECC VENTURES 6 CORP. ("ECCS.P")

BULLETIN TYPE: Halt

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Effective at 7:11 a.m. PST, July 13, 2023, trading in the shares of the Company was halted, pending news; this regulatory halt is imposed by Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, the Market Regulator of the Exchange pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.9(1) of the Universal Market Integrity Rules.

________________________________________

GSP RESOURCE CORP. ("GSPR")

BULLETIN TYPE: Property-Asset or Share Purchase Amending Agreement

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing an agreement dated June 29, 2023 (the "Amending Agreement") between the Company and (the "Vendors") in respect of the agreement dated January 30, 2020 (the "Agreement") regarding Alwin Mine Copper-Silver-Gold property. The Amending Agreement provides for the following changes.

By way of consideration, the Company will replace the third-year cash payment of $50,000 due to the Vendors by issuing 333,332 shares at a deemed price of $0.15 per share to the Vendors on or before August 5, 2023.

For further details, please refer to the Company's news release dated July 12, 2023.

________________________________________

Mantaro Precious Metals Corp. ("MNTR")

BULLETIN TYPE: Halt

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Effective at 5:57 a.m. PST, July 13, 2023, trading in the shares of the Company was halted, pending news; this regulatory halt is imposed by Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, the Market Regulator of the Exchange pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.9(1) of the Universal Market Integrity Rules.

________________________________________

Melkior Resources Inc.("MKR")

BULLETIN TYPE: Private Placement-Non-Brokered

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Non-Brokered Private Placement announced on June 06, 2023:

Number of Units: 3,263,609 Flow-through shares (the "FT Share")

100,000 Non-Flow-Through Shares (the "NFT share")

Purchase Price: $0.24 per FT share

$0.20 per NFT share

Number of Placee: 9 Placees

Insider / Pro Group Participation:







Placees # of Placee (s) Aggregate # of Shares





Aggregate Existing Insider Involvement: Aggregate Existing Pro Group Involvement: 2 N/A 1,241,667 N/A









Aggregate Cash Amount Aggregate # of Shares Aggregate # of Warrants Finder's Fee: 10,080 N/A 42,000



Pursuant to Corporate Finance Policy 4.1, Section 1.9(e), the Company issued a news release on June 12, 2023, and June 27, 2023 announcing the closing of the private placement.

________________________________________

RIO2 LIMITED ("RIO")

BULLETIN TYPE: Shares for Services

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 1 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the Company's proposal to issue 372,974 shares at a deemed price of $0.27, in consideration of certain services provided to the company for the period April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023, pursuant to agreements dated January 3, 2023, and publicly announced March 27, 2023.

Non-Arm's Length Party / Pro Group Participation:









Creditors # of Creditors Amount Owing Deemed Price per Share Aggregate # of Shares









Aggregate Non-Arm's Length Party Involvement: 6 $110,702.50 $0.27 372,974



The Company shall issue a news release when the shares are issued.

________________________________________

Sailfish Royalty Corp. ("FISH")

BULLETIN TYPE: Normal Course Issuer Bid

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has been advised by the Company that pursuant to a Notice of Intention to make a Normal Course Issuer Bid dated July 12, 2023, it may repurchase for cancellation, up to 3,547,390 shares in its own capital stock. The purchases are to be made through the facilities of TSX Venture Exchange or other recognized marketplaces during the period July 18, 2023 to July 17, 2024. Purchases pursuant to the bid will be made by PI Financial Corp. (Jeremiah Katz) on behalf of the Company.

________________________________________

Silver X Mining Corp.("AGX")

BULLETIN TYPE: Private Placement-Non-Brokered

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Non-Brokered Private Placement announced on May 17, 2023:

Number of Units: 8,600,750 shares

Purchase Price: $0.30 per share

Warrants: 8,600,750 share purchase warrants to purchase 8,600,750 shares

Warrant Exercise Price: $0.45 for a two-year period

Number of Placee: 28 Placees

Insider / Pro Group Participation:







Placees # of Placee (s) Aggregate # of Shares





Aggregate Existing Insider Involvement: Aggregate Existing Pro Group Involvement: 2 N/A 445,000 N/A









Aggregate Cash Amount Aggregate # of Shares Aggregate # of Warrants Finder's Fee: $ 59,143.5 N/A 197,145



Finder's Warrants Terms: 104,580 warrants entitle the holder to purchase one common share at the price of $ 0.45 for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance

92,565 warrants entitle the holder to purchase one common share at the price of $ 0.30 for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance

Pursuant to Corporate Finance Policy 4.1, Section 1.9(e), the Company issued a news release on July 07, 2023, announcing the closing of the private placement.

________________________________________

St. James Gold Corp. ("LORD")

BULLETIN TYPE: Private Placement-Non-Brokered

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Non-Brokered Private Placement announced on May 18, 2023:

Number of Shares: 886,668 shares

Purchase Price: $0.15 per share

Warrants: 443,334 share purchase warrants to purchase 443,334 shares

Warrant Exercise Price: $0.20 for a one-year period

Number of Placees: 7 placees

Insider / Pro Group Participation:









Placees # of Placee (s) Aggregate # of Shares





Aggregate Existing Insider Involvement: NA NA Aggregate Pro Group Involvement: NA NA



Aggregate Cash Amount Aggregate # of Shares Aggregate # of Warrants Finder's Fee: NA NA NA



The Company issued a news release on July 6, 2023 confirming closing of the private placement. Note that in certain circumstances the Exchange may later extend the expiry date of the warrants, if they are less than the maximum permitted term.

________________________________________

TURNIUM TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC. ("TTGI")

BULLETIN TYPE: Halt

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Effective at 5:54 a.m. PST, July 13, 2023, trading in the shares of the Company was halted, pending news; this regulatory halt is imposed by Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, the Market Regulator of the Exchange pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.9(1) of the Universal Market Integrity Rules.

________________________________________

TURNIUM TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC. ("TTGI")

BULLETIN TYPE: Resume Trading

BULLETIN DATE: July 13, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Effective at 8:00 a.m. PST, July 13, 2023, shares of the Company resumed trading, an announcement having been made.

________________________________________

SOURCE TSX Venture Exchange
Vancouver, July 14, 2023 - Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) (OTCQB: BNNHF) ("Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated May 9, 2023 and June 29, 2023, the completion of its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement.

Private Placement

The Company is issuing 3,349,999 units at a price of $0.12 per unit for a gross proceeds of $401,999.88, with each unit consisting of one common shares and one full transferable warrant. Each full warrant will be exercisable for one common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 per common share for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

About Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior gold exploration company focused on exploring and developing The Alotta project in Canadian Yukon Territory. The Alotta project is a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum prospect, located 50 km south of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Cole McClay", CEO Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

info@benjaminhillmining.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173514
TORONTO, July 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Adventus Mining Corp. ("Adventus Mining" or the "Company") (TSXV: ADZN) (OTCQX: ADVZF) is pleased to provide a corporate update with regards to the final funding requirements for the El Domo - Curipamba copper-gold project located in central Ecuador ("El Domo" or the "Project").

Since February 2023, Adventus Mining has been engaged with a number of international mining and financing groups to explore strategic options for the development of El Domo, in addition to the previously announced financing secured from Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. ("Wheaton") and Trafigura Pte Ltd. ("Trafigura") (see news release dated January 17, 2022). The Adventus Mining management team and board of directors are continuing these discussions to evaluate and select the optimal advancement strategy for the Company's shareholders and the Project's stakeholders.

In the meantime, the formal consultation process for the Project led by the Government of Ecuador commenced in the second quarter of 2023, and full environmental licensing approval is still expected in the second half of 2023 (see news release dated June 1, 2023). Construction is expected to start immediately thereafter subject to final funding arrangements.

Financing with Altius Minerals

Adventus Mining has entered into a financing arrangement with Altius Minerals Corporation (TSX: ALS, "Altius"), whereby Altius has agreed to advance, and the Company has agreed to borrow, US$4 million (the "Altius Financing") by way of an unsecured convertible debenture (the "Debenture"). Interest will accrue at 10% per annum until the Debenture is repaid in full. The maturity date (the "Maturity Date") will be the earlier of December 31, 2023 and the date on which there is an event of default under the Debenture. Altius will have the right to convert, at any time, the outstanding principal amount under the Debenture into common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at the then-current market price, subject to a minimum of two days notice. If the Debenture (including all accrued interest on the principal amount thereof) is not repaid in full on or prior to the Maturity Date, or converted into Common Shares, Altius will have the sole right to convert the outstanding indebtedness under the Debenture into a 0.63% net smelter royalty in respect of El Domo?. A US$120,000 fee in favour of Altius will be paid by the Company upon closing of the financing transaction. Funding in respect of the Altius Financing is anticipated to be advanced on or around July 19, 2023, subject to funding being concurrent to the first draw under the Credit Facility with Trafigura (as discussed below), or such other date as the parties may agree, and is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The use of proceeds is for El Domo project related expenditures, including permitting and pre-construction activities, and related general and administrative expenses.

First Draw Under Credit Facility with Trafigura

Adventus Mining has delivered its first drawdown notice for US$5 million (the "First ?Draw") under its existing US$45 million credit facility with Trafigura (the "Credit ?Facility"), the terms of which were disclosed in the Company's news release dated August 4, 2022. Funding is anticipated to be completed on or around July 19, 2023. The remaining US$40 million will remain available to Adventus Mining for construction activities on the Project, ?subject to certain conditions precedent. Pursuant to an amendment to the Credit Facility, should the Company not draw additional funds under the Credit Facility by June 30, 2024, the First Tranche will become payable. The use of proceeds of the First Draw is for El Domo project permitting and pre-construction expenditures.

In connection with the Credit Facility, an arrangement fee equal to 2% of the total amount available under the Credit Facility will be added to the principal amount owing with respect to the First Draw. In addition, an availability fee of 2% per annum is payable quarterly on the amounts which have not been drawn at any time until February 1, 2025.

Amendment of Warrants

The Company has agreed to amend (the "Amendment") the terms of 13.5 million common share purchase warrants of Adventus Mining issued to Trafigura concurrently to the entry into the Credit Facility (the "Lender's Warrants"). Each Lender's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one common share of Adventus Mining. Pursuant to the Amendment: (i) the exercise price of the Lender's Warrants will be C$0.448, representing the mean between $0.513 (the previous exercise price) and C$0.384 (a 25% premium to the 10-day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares of Adventus Mining on the TSXV immediately prior to July 10, 2023), and (ii) the expiry of the Lender's Warrants will be August 3, 2026. The Amendment is subject to final approval of the TSXV. All other terms of the Lender's Warrants will remain unchanged, such as the share price threshold accelerator provisions based on Adventus Mining's share price.

Amended and Restated Share Compensation Plan

Adventus Mining's proposal to adopt a rolling 10% share ?compensation plan amending and restating its previous share compensation plan (as amended and restated, the "2023 Amended and Restated Plan"), was approved at the annual meeting of the shareholders of Adventus Mining held on June 8, 2023.

The purposes of the adoption of the 2023 Amended and Restated Plan is to remove the maximum number of restricted share units (the "RSUs") issuable under Adventus Mining's previous share compensation plan and to comply with the amendments made by the TSXV to Policy 4.4 - Security Based Compensation. The removal of the maximum number of RSUs issuable under Adventus' previous share compensation plan allows Adventus Mining to increase the use of RSU awards in its long-term compensation strategy.

About Adventus Mining

Adventus Mining Corporation is an Ecuador-focused copper-gold exploration and development company. Adventus Mining is majority owner of the 215 sq. km Curipamba copper-gold project, which has a completed feasibility study on the shallow and high-grade El Domo deposit. In addition, Adventus Mining is engaged in a country-wide exploration alliance in Ecuador, which has incorporated the Pijili and Santiago copper-gold porphyry projects to date. Outside of Ecuador, Adventus Mining owns an exploration project portfolio in Ireland with South32 Limited as the funding participant. Its strategic shareholders include Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., and the Nobis Group of Ecuador. Adventus Mining is based in Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the TSXV under the symbol ADZN and trades on the OTCQX under the symbol ADVZF.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Information

This release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as "defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Adventus Mining's expectations or beliefs regarding future events. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the discussions regarding strategies for the development of El-Domo; the adoption of a strategy and the timing thereof; the obtaining of environmental licensing approval for the El-Domo and the timing thereof; the start of construction at El Domo and the timing thereof;? the completion of the Altius Financing and the timing thereof; the intended use of proceeds in respect of the Altius Financing; the receipt of TSXV approval in respect of the Altius Financing; the completion of the First Draw and the timing thereof; the intended use of proceeds of the First Draw; the availability and intended use of the Additional Tranches; the expiry term of the Warrants; the receipt of TSXV approval for the Amendment and the timing thereof; the increase of the use of RSU awards in the Company's long-term compensation strategy?. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, amongst others, risks related to the exploration, development, production, recoveries and other anticipated or possible future developments at El Domo, including, without limitation, that exploration, development and production activities will not occur or be as anticipated and that environmental licensing will not be approved; failure to obtain the environmental licensing approval for the El-Domo and to start construction; that the First Draw may not be completed at all or as planned; failure to receive TSXV approval for the Amendment, including the amended exercise price and expiry date; failure to use the RSU awards in the Company's long-term compensation strategy; and general economic, business and political conditions?.

Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of copper or certain other commodities; change in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties.

Adventus undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on the information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

Please also visit the Adventus Mining website at www.adventusmining.com.

SOURCE Adventus Mining Corp.
F1 poised to make tyre blanket call for 2024

Formula 1 is poised to decide if the sport will proceed with the planned banning of tyre-warming blankets for 2024.

Max Verstappen, British GP 2023

 Red Bull

Some teams, including Red Bull with Daniel Ricciardo at the wheel, ran Pirelli's 2024 development tyres this week at the post-British GP test at Silverstone.

Drivers are undecided as to whether F1 should proceed with the tyre blanket ban.

I don't have all the answers for now, said Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who ran at the earlier Pirelli test in Barcelona.

I have to say that in the conditions that I had during the test, it was good. In lower temperatures, I don't know. That's where the big question mark is.

Pirelli's F1 boss Mario Isola says the decision will be taken at the forthcoming meeting of the F1 Commission.

The F1 Commission is going to decide if we ban the blankets or not, he confirmed.

We are doing a report now - an executive summary for team principals so they don't have to read 40 or 50 pages. Obviously we will also supply all the data to the tyre expert of the team, Isola added.

If we want to continue for another year with blankets, we will do that.

Isola admits that the non-blanket tyres are different , meaning drivers need to get them up to temperature themselves once they hit the track.

We need to understand which is the impact on race strategies, he added, "because obviously we don't want the show to be damaged by the new situation.
Madrid is going to sign F1 race deal

Organisers of a grand prix in Madrid claim they will soon be signing a race contract with Formula 1.

Carlos Sainz, Spanish GP 2023

 Ferrari

In recent months, rumours have ramped up about a potential rival bid for the existing Spanish GP in Barcelona.

Yeah, I've heard of the project and everything, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz said, when asked about the proposed street circuit event.

I just can say that I will do my maximum and just to ensure that there's still a Spanish GP, independently of where, the Spaniard added.

On Thursday, the president of Ifema, the entity in charge of the organisation of major events in Madrid, claimed that a race deal is close.

We have a confidentiality agreement and I cannot reveal when we are going to have the contract, said Ifema president Jose Vicente de los Mozos.

But I know when we are going to sign it and when we are going to announce it, he added.

I speak with Stefano Domenicali and there is mutual trust. We are going to do things together.

As for whether a new event in Madrid would oust Barcelona from the calendar, de los Mozos answered: "If in the end there are two, as there was in the past, I'm delighted.
Renault backs Mercedes in 2026 rules dispute

Renault-owned Alpine has joined Mercedes in publicly backing Formula 1's controversial engine rules for 2026.

Pierre Gasly, British GP 2023

 Alpine

Christian Horner, in charge of Red Bull's F1 team that is producing its own engine - 'Red Bull Powertrains' - in collaboration with Ford for 2026, has sounded the alarm about problems with the rules.

He is worried about heavier batteries, a lack of overtaking because of the need to slash drag, and even 'downshifting' on the straights due to needing to preserve electrical power.

Horner has even likened the 2026 car-plus-engine package to Frankenstein .

We haven't gotten that far yet, Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer said. "We haven't defined the chassis regulations but I hope the cars will not be Frankensteins.

"I do remember how the current rules were defined, and everyone, including me, said it will be terrible, all the cars will look the same, it will no longer be F1.

It didn't work out that way, he insisted. It's hard to predict the future, especially when it comes to rules that haven't been decided yet. I hope everything works out.

While Alpine is owned by Renault, the French carmaker produces the team's Renault power units separately at Viry-Chatillon.

I spoke to the guys from the power unit department and we want to leave it at that, Szafnauer insisted when asked about the 2026 rules and Horner's proposal to tweak them.

I don't follow closely, I didn't participate in the negotiations, I'm not immersed in the reasons, he added. "But I asked them these questions, and we are satisfied with the version of the regulations that we have now.

As far as I can imagine, they are unlikely to be changed.

Mercedes' Toto Wolff responded immediately to Horner's concerns by suggesting that he is probably just worried about the progress of Red Bull's engine unit.

Indeed, the specialist German magazine Auto Motor und Sport reports rumours that Red Bull are slightly behind schedule for 2026, with teething problems dogging the 2026 engine.

Mercedes, meanwhile, is rumoured to already be leading the pack, with engine boss Hywel Thomas publicly not concerned about the 2026 rules.

When we started engine development for the current regulations cycle in 2011-2012, we couldn't have imagined what was possible by 2014, he said.

Wolff commented: We need first-class chassis rules to meet the state-of-the-art engines, but does anyone believe that Formula 1 is unable to write rules so that drivers don't have to downshift on the straights?

Horner, though, responded: "I'm not sure how close Toto is to the engine business because he's a client. He's not technically involved in the engine division.

"I'm getting feedback from our program, which is starting to come alive and we see some limitations. It's unavoidable.

"I would say this is probably a consequence of the fact that we have made a lot of progress, so we see limitations. And we don't need big changes.

We're not saying we need to destroy everything and start over, Horner added.
Stanchart affirms commitment to Ghana after sales agreements with Access Bank in 5 African countries

Graphic.com.gh Business News Jul - 14 - 2023 , 16:03

Standard Chartered has affirmed commitment to Ghana while entering into sales agreements with Access Bank Plc in five African countries.

Standard Chartered Bank and Access Bank Plc (Access) have entered into agreements for the sale of Standard Chartereds shareholding in its subsidiaries in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and its Consumer, Private and Business Banking business in Tanzania.

Each transaction remains subject to the approval of the respective local regulators and the banking regulator in Nigeria.



The announcement was made today at Standard Chartereds headquarters in London in the presence of senior representatives from both banks and was signed by, Sunil Kaushal, Regional CEO, Africa & Middle East, Standard Chartered and, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc.

The agreement with Access for the sale of the banks business in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and its Consumer, Private & Business Banking business in Tanzania is in line with Standard Chartereds global strategy, aimed at achieving operational efficiencies, reducing complexity, and driving scale.



Access Bank will provide a full range of banking services and continuity for key stakeholders including employees and clients of Standard Chartereds businesses across the five aforementioned countries. Access Bank and Standard Chartered will work closely together in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition, with the transaction expected to be completed over the next 12 months.



Commenting on the agreement, Sunil Kaushal, Regional CEO, Africa & Middle East, Standard Chartered, said: Following on the announcement we made in April last year, the project is now substantially completed with the announcement for the sale of the 5 markets and the furtherance of a partnership with Access Bank. This strategic decision allows us to redirect resources within the AME region to other areas with significant growth potential, ultimately enabling us to better support our clients. We look forward to working closely with Access Banks team over the coming months to achieve a successful conclusion to this transaction while safeguarding the interests of our valued clients and prioritising our employees.



Commenting on the agreement, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, stated, We are pleased to sign this agreement today and express our appreciation for being selected as the preferred partner to Standard Chartered through this transaction, in which it is exiting four African markets and refocusing in one. As a distinguished regional and international bank with a rich heritage spanning over 150 years, Standard Chartered Bank has built a solid presence in these markets for over 100 years.



For Access Bank, this strategic transaction represents a key step in its journey to build a strong global franchise focused on serving as a gateway for payments, investment, and trade within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world, anchored by a robust capital base; a relentless focus on execution; and best-in-class customer service & governance structures.



At Access Bank, we are committed to reshaping the global perception of Africa and African businesses, even as we continue to build toward our vision to be the World's Most Respected African Bank. Our 5-year growth plan will see us build a world-class class payments gateway leveraging the power of technology and a robust network of relationships across our operating countries. This will be supported by a dynamic ecosystem of local and international partnerships, enabling us to serve global payments and remittances efficiently. With our recent European expansion and our deepened presence in key trading corridors across Africa, we will bridge the gap between cross-border and domestic transfers across all business segments. More importantly, we are committed to impacting our host communities positively. Ogbonna added.



In April 2022, Standard Chartered strategically decided to divest from a number of markets, namely Lebanon, Angola, Cameroon, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Jordan, and to exit the CPBB (Consumer Private and Business Banking) business in Cote dIvoire and Tanzania. The Bank announced its sale of its business in Zimbabwe earlier in June and in Jordan in March this year. With this announcement, Standard Chartered has substantially completed the divestment process from the markets announced in April 2022, except Cote dIvoire where it remains actively engaged in discussions with potential buyers for the sale of its CPBB business in the country.
Great ruling, Mr Speaker

Enimil Ashon Opinion Jul - 14 - 2023 , 16:26

At last Wednesdays sitting of Parliament, Okudzeto Ablakwa demanded  all but prayed that it be part of the law or Standing Orders  that Parliamentarians who boycott sittings to solidarise with their colleagues facing the courts over their personal and private battle with the law, must not be deemed to have absented themselves.

His reason: boycotts are part of the package of rights for MPs.

Watching the proceedings on the telly, I was livid, so enraged I could hardly breathe.

Then the Speaker spoke.

His ruling was that an MP who wants to absent themselves must first obtain permission from Mr Speaker and that the request and permission must be in writing.

Why are the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs boycotting Parliamentary sittings, in the first place? They are using the period of the boycotts to picket the courts trying their embattled colleagues.

Picketing is my own word, but dear reader, that is what their action is tantamount to.

Why should we allow them to? Is it the first time an MP is on trial?

In 2012, an Accra Fast Track Court sentenced the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Bawku Central, Adamu Sakande, to two years imprisonment for offences related to dual citizenship.

He was found guilty of making false declaration, deceit of public officer and perjury  a case brought by a cattle dealer.

The trial began in 2009 and it travelled unimpeded for three years in court.

So why did the NPP MPs not boycott Parliamentary sitting then? I am not NPP.

I can only suspect the party concluded that no action of theirs, no amount of noise or threats could influence the decision of the court.

So why is society allowing NDC MPs to pursue this course of action without let or hindrance?

NLC

When ordinary workers embark on an industrial action, the National Labour Commission is called in.

In seven out of 10 cases, the commission succeeds in convincing them to call off the action.

The reason they succeed is that the workers operate under law and are law-abiding.

In these disputes, nobody considers themselves above the law.

Are Parliamentarians above the law? Why should they expect full remuneration for no work done?

To get the full import of this question  from all that we have observed about this class of Ghanaians since 1992  ask yourself, how many times have MPs been heard agitating for salary increase? It just gets done.

Was any Ghanaian consulted when MPs imported chairs from China?

Their will is done  always.

The most bizarre of the current goings on is the boycott in support of Ato Forson.

It is bizarre that all 30 million-plus of us in Ghana should sit by, paralysed, as the leader of a Parliamentary caucus mobilises his crowd to boycott sittings and accompany him to court.

Just because he is an MP!

By this the House is crippled

Bills cannot be debated, let alone pass them.

But is that why God, by His sovereign will, permitted the present arrangement of a hung Parliament? It is being abused.

This is the only time in Parliamentary history when fisticuffs ended in the slashing of the face of an MP with what is suspected to be razor blade.

What would enter the mind of an individual facing trial, to decide to mass up 100 or more family or friends in court and delay Parliamentary business with intent to pressurise the country into terminating the trial?

Cassiel Ato Forson and Gyakye Quayson are not criminals, not yet; that verdict will be determined by the trial judge or judges.

By the action of the MPs, the NDC has pre-determined that the accused persons are not guilty.

If they are so sure of their innocence, why dont they allow the courts to determine that?

Rule

The rule of law that allowed Quayson and Forson to be declared MPs is the same rule that forbids stampeding the courts into decisions.

After all, did the High Court in Accra need a stampede or boycott to rule in favour of Tsatsu Tsikatas arguments that Quayson be given time to campaign in the June 27 bye election?

What is the boycott and the massing up in court intended to achieve? Will the judge bow to pressure to declare the two not guilty?

I am no sadist, I am not anti-NDC and I dont hate Gyakye Quayson but I rejoiced and gave a thumbs-up to the law when the Court of Appeal dismissed his plea for stay of proceedings.

For me, the ruling of the court meant that the law does not bow to pressure by any group, no matter how fearsome or important they may be.

The NDC action is not fair to Ghanaians.

We didnt end military dictatorship only to tolerate parliamentary dictatorship.

PS: Can we imagine the noise if Okudzeto Ablakwa had lost in the National Cathedral case?
2.9m Pupils benefit from GALOP project

Timothy Ngnenbe Education Jul - 14 - 2023 , 07:20

The World Bank's $210.7 million investment in the implementation of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) has yielded positive results in beneficiary schools, reaching over 2.9 million students.

The GALOP, which was birthed in 2019 and is expected to end in 2025, is an initiative meant to improve the quality of education in 10,579 low-performing basic schools across the country.

It is funded through the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank and the Trust Fund facilities and targeted to improve teacher quality through training, improving school management by providing learning grants to schools for the purchase of teaching and learning materials (TLMs) and building the capacity of school management committees (SMCs).

The IDA is providing $150 million while the remaining $60 million is provided by the Trust Fund.

When the visiting World Bank Managing Director of Operations, Anna Bjerde, went on a tour of one of the beneficiary schools  the New Gbawe Municipal Assembly Basic One, located at New Gbawe in the Greater Accra Region yesterday (July 13), it came to light that although the project targeted 2.3 million pupils, it had so far reached 2.9 million pupils.

A mid-term review of the project, which revealed the success so far chalked up, also showed that all the over 10,500 beneficiary schools achieved an 80 per cent utilisation rate.

Again, the review showed that school management committees (SMCs) in all the schools were functional, with members trained on learning under the School Performance Improvement Plans (SPIP).

Satisfaction

Ms Bjerde expressed satisfaction at the success the project had achieved and gave an assurance that the World Bank would continue to support the country to improve on basic education.

"Human capital is the most important ingredient for development and that is why the World Bank is investing in Ghanas education sector.

We believe that this will help to create sustainable livelihoods and address poverty," she said.

Ms Bjerde said it was refreshing that the project had made a great impact in the beneficiary schools.

"We look forward to other areas that we need to work to improve education, and we are ready to work with the Ministry of Education," she said.

She underscored the need to pay more attention to early childhood development to lay a solid foundation for pupils.

Transformation

For his part, the Deputy Minister in charge of General Education, Rev. Ntim Fordjour, described the GALOP as "a phenomenal intervention" that needed to be sustained to improve basic education.

He said since the implementation of the intervention, there had been a positive classroom environment for teachers and students, leading to improved outcomes.

He commended the World Bank for its support and asked for more partnership between the two sides going forward.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Weija-Gbawe, Patrick Kwesi Brako Kumor, said the GALOP intervention had been a game changer for the seven beneficiary schools in the municipality.
Ministry of Education denies reports of teachers' and nurses' trainee allowance cancellation

GraphicOnline Education Jul - 14 - 2023 , 12:06

The Ministry of Education has responded to allegations claiming the cancellation of allowances for Teachers and Nurses' Trainees, refuting them as baseless and without merit. In an official statement, the Ministry firmly denied any plans or intentions to terminate these allowances.

The statement explicitly mentioned the Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, clarifying that any claims attributed to him regarding the termination of these allowances are completely false.

"The alleged statement made by the Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, suggesting the cancellation of allowances for teachers and nursing students is unequivocally false and lacks foundation. The Ministry of Education categorically denies any such assertions or plans to discontinue these allowances."

Recognizing the significance of supporting and prioritizing the training of teachers, the government remains dedicated to providing essential financial assistance in these areas.

Additionally, the Ministry urged the public to rely on accurate and verified information from official sources such as the Ministry of Education, government press releases, and reputable news organizations for reliable updates concerning education and healthcare matters.
University of Ghana reappoints Mary Chinery-Hesse as Chancellor

Kweku Zurek Education Jul - 14 - 2023 , 06:43

The University of Ghana Council has officially announced the reappointment of Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse as Chancellor of the esteemed institution.

Following a thorough selection process, the Council, in its meeting held on July 6, 2023, approved her appointment for a second five-year term, set to commence on August 1, 2023, and conclude on July 31, 2028.

Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, the first female Chancellor of the University of Ghana, brings with her a remarkable career in both Ghana's Civil Service and the United Nations.

Recognized as a prominent figure in economic and development matters, she has dedicated her efforts to championing human and women's rights, while also advocating for African imperatives, conflict resolution, and mediation.

A trailblazer in her field, Mrs. Chinery-Hesse holds the distinction of being the first African woman appointed as the Resident Coordinator of the UN System, as well as the first African woman to attain the rank of Under Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Since assuming the role of Chancellor in August 2018, Mrs. Chinery-Hesse has demonstrated her exceptional capabilities in various capacities. Notable among her achievements are her role as a Friend of the African Union Panel of the Wise, a former Chief Advisor to the President of Ghana, a retired Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and a former Vice-Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission.

Furthermore, Mrs. Chinery-Hesse's outstanding contributions have garnered recognition from her alma mater, the University of Ghana, which awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1991. In November 2021, she received another prestigious accolade, an honorary Doctor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of London. This recognition has also fostered a renewed connection between the University of Ghana and the University of London, as both institutions share a longstanding history dating back to the establishment of the University College of the Gold Coast, where University of London degrees were conferred upon its students.

The University of Ghana in a press release on behalf of the university community congratulated Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse on her reappointment as Chancellor.
Binduri SHS: Caterer paid and supplied with food items to vary "banku and okro" on menu

Graphic.com.gh Jul - 14 - 2023 , 11:45

The caterer who stopped cooking the one hot meal per day at the Binduri Community Day Senior High School in the Upper East Region, resulting in a shut down following protest by students over lack of food has resumed cooking.

The students had complained about the caterer's inability to cook the one hot meal per day for them due to the failure of the administration to supply her with food stuffs.

In addition to that, the caterer had complained about not being paid her arrears and hence her decision to stop cooking until she was paid the arrears and was supplied with food items.

Prior to stopping operations, the students said the caterer had resorted to providing them with one menu continuously - banku and okro - for a long time.

Through the assistance of the Member of Parliament for Binduri, the caterer has been able to mobilise the needed food items including bags of rice to enable her vary the "banku and okro" on the menu continuously, which the students complained about.

On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, some agitated students boycotted classes to protest and express their displeasure about the inability of the schools administration to provide them with the one hot meal daily for some time now.

The District Director of Education therefore shut down the school temporarily until the food issues were resolved.

Read also: Binduri Day SHS shut down over lack of food

In a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online in which the caterer, Mary Nyaaba explains how she was able to get the needed assistance to return to work, she said: "I decided to cook on Monday, when the issue arised but the MP of Binduri, Abanga, was at the Ministry of Education and made sure my cheques were written and paid, all my arrears have been paid, except those that we are yet to retire and I thank him so much."

"And he has donated 25 bags of rice to me to help feed the students, I'm so grateful and I thank the government for this free senior high school because it has helped our younger ones to go to school, they are all educated, we thank him for this programme."

more to follow...
Former Speaker, Second Lady sign Ga Manye's Book of Condolence

GraphicOnline Jul - 14 - 2023 , 07:02

A former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, and a former Second Lady, Mrs. Amissah Arthur, have joined numerous mourners in expressing their condolences to the family of Ga Manye Naa Dedei Omaedru III, as well as the chiefs and elders of the Ga Traditional Council.

Professor Oquaye who signed the book of condolence yesterday and paid his respects, spoke highly of the late Queen Mother, who passed away in 2022.

He commended her commitment and selflessness in serving her people diligently, describing her as a distinguished stateswoman of integrity.

"Our late Queen Mother was a tireless servant of the Ga State, always ready to selflessly serve her people from morning to night. We all believe she is now safe in the arms of her Maker," wrote the former Speaker of Parliament in the book, bidding farewell with the words, "Naa, Rest in perfect peace."

Professor Oquaye also made an undisclosed cash donation and provided other items to support the preparations for the final funeral rites.

He encouraged the Ga Traditional Council to organize a dignified and memorable farewell ceremony, emphasizing the importance of preserving the Ga State's esteemed reputation as one of the foremost kingdoms. Nii Adotey Otintor II, Sempe Mantse, and Chairman of the funeral committee, assured Professor Oquaye that the Council would keep him informed about all upcoming funeral activities.

Naa Omaedru, also known as Naa Dedei Ablah in private life, passed away at the age of 88 on December 26, 2022, at her Dansoman residence. Throughout her 59-year reign, she dedicated herself to public and voluntary service, advocating for peace, education, and opportunities for young people, particularly girls. The Ga Traditional Council is expected to announce the date for the final funeral rites in the coming days.

Prior to Professor Oquaye's visit, former Second Lady, Mrs. Amissah Arthur, also signed the book of condolence on Wednesday. She expressed her condolences to the elders at the Ga Mantse Palace and assured them of her willingness to provide any assistance necessary to ensure a dignified funeral for the deceased.

"I am here to mourn with you for this great loss. Please do not hesitate to inform me about the funeral arrangements, and I promise to offer any form of assistance to give our sister, mother, and friend a befitting farewell," said the former Second Lady.

The chiefs and elders expressed their gratitude to Mrs. Amissah Arthur for her visit and kind words. The deceased held the esteemed position of paramount queen of the Ga state, and her passing is mourned by the entire community.
G-Pak invests GH3m in packaging equipment - Launches 50th anniversary

Maclean Kwofi Jul - 14 - 2023 , 06:32

G-Pak Limited, a subsidiary of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), has invested GH3 million to expand its operation in packaging in the last three years.

The investments went into the acquisition of machinery and quality control instruments, software, as well as training of staff who will operate the machines.

Some of the equipment secured included die cuttings, folder gluers, spectrophotometers, fixed machines and other latest machines required in the packaging business.

The Production Manager of G-Pak, Vincent Kusi-Appiah, in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, said the investments were part of measures to deliver quality packaging with features compared to none in the country to meet industry demand.

Within the last three years, we have invested about GH3 million in machinery to position G-Pak as a market leader in the packaging business in the country.

Our investments went into the finishing lines, printing, quality control, and so, we just brought in the latest version of the quality control instrument, the G-Pak Production Manager said.

The anniversary

Mr Kusi-Appiah was speaking ahead of todays launch of the 50th anniversary of G-Pak to take stock of its contribution to the development of the printing and packaging industry in the country.

On the theme: Our experience, our heritage, the anniversary is to encourage clients of the company to experience its rich heritage in the next 50 years.

The company would use the launch to unveil its anniversary logo which shows its experience over the years.

It will also showcase its state-of-the-art binding equipment to the public.

The anniversary will be marked with pomp and grace on July 25, this year at the companys premises to be characterised by cake-cutting and long service awards, among others.

Improved output

With the new equipment, Mr Kusi-Appiah stated that the printing company had now been clothed to execute a more improved packaging for the Ghanaian market.

There has been a drastic improvement in our delivery, he said.

Mr Kusi-Appiah added that the company sought to deliver products that were environmentally sustainable to help protect the environment under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said the company also wanted to create more employment for Ghanaians and promote local businesses, especially those in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) space.

We understand the Ghanaian printing and packaging industry better than any other business through the provision of quality products which meet international standards, Mr Kusi-Appiah said.

Towards that, he said the G-Pak was poised to produce excellent packaging products to support news firms under the governments One District, One Factory (1D1F).

The G-Pak Production Manager added that the company was also able to support the government to produce packaging materials for the production of text books for school children.

Fund from GSDF

Mr Kusi-Appiah added that the company had secured GH2 million from Ghana Skills Development Fund (GSDF) to train workers of the company.

As a result, the Production Manager said experts from Europe would soon come into the country to help train its staff to produce material that could meet international standards.

We are also appealing to the government to waive the duties and taxes on imported raw material we use locally so that we can stay competitive in the business, he said.

He urged academia and industry to forge stronger partnerships in areas that would enable the country to produce some of the imported raw materials locally.

Areas of specialisation

The Ag. General Manager of G-Pak, Kingsley Mate-Kole, said in the 50 years of operations, the company had successfully specialised in areas such as packaging and printing.

We have been in the business for the past 50 years and we have learnt the ups and downs in the business and what we are telling the world is, we know the way forward and we will follow that to succeed, he said.
Govt welcomes increase in oil production

Dotsey Koblah Aklorbortu Jul - 14 - 2023 , 09:46

The government has reiterated the commitment to work with all strategic partners with a view to leveraging oil and gas as well as natural resources for the ultimate benefit of the country and the investors.

This was contained in a press statement after Tullow Ghana and its joint venture partners announced the successful start-up of the Jubilee South East (JSE) Project, offshore Ghana to boost production.

The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who welcomed the achievement by the Jubilee and TEN Partners said government will continue to work with all strategic partners with a view to leveraging the resources for the ultimate benefit of the country.

Below is a copy of a press statement by Tullow

Start-up of Jubilee South East Project

14 July 2023  Tullow Ghana limited, alongside its joint venture partners Kosmos Energy, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Petro SA and Jubilee Oil Holdings, is pleased to announce the successful start-up of the Jubilee South East (JSE) Project, offshore Ghana.

The first JSE production well has been brought onstream and a further two producers and one water injector are expected onstream this year to help sustain gross Jubilee production over 100,000 bopd. Tullow and its partners plan to maintain this increased level of production at Jubilee over the next few years through an ongoing infill drilling programme. The partnership has identified multiple future drilling locations and is focused on high-grading these opportunities to further extend the plateau and realise the full potential of the significant Jubilee resource base.

Tullow and its partners have invested c.$1 billion over the last three years on the JSE Project to drill wells and install the infrastructure needed to bring previously undeveloped reserves to production. The project has advanced the use of local suppliers and the majority of the complex offshore infrastructure has been fabricated by local companies in Ghana, with more than 90% local workforce. This demonstrates the evolution of the Ghanaian supplier base that can now support substantial elements of its oil and gas industry and is testament to Tullow and its partners commitment to developing local capacity.

A ceremony to celebrate First Oil will be held in Ghana during the third quarter of 2023.

Rahul Dhir, Chief Executive Officer, Tullow, commented today:

Successful start-up at Jubilee South East is a significant milestone for Tullow and for Ghana and I would like to thank all those who have played a role in bringing this near-field Ghanaian development into production. Through our strong project management and operating capability, we have delivered a complex offshore development which is one of the key catalysts to unlock value for our business. We are well positioned for future growth with production ramping up in the second half of 2023 that will generate significant free cashflow. This marks the start of material deleveraging as we continue our transition into a low-debt business with the financial flexibility to pursue value accretive opportunities.

Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Energy, Ghana, commented today:

At the Ministry of Energy, we are delighted by this important milestone and wish to congratulate Tullow and the Jubilee partners who have contributed in diverse ways to this journey.

The approval of the Greater Jubilee Full Field Development Plan by the Ministry in October 2017 paved the way for investment in the development of the JSE project, which has now culminated in the delivery of the First Oil from the JSE area. The government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will continue to work with all our strategic partners with a view to leveraging our God-given resources for the ultimate benefit of our people.
Gyakye Quayson files fresh suit at Supreme Court to quash daily criminal trial

Justice Agbenorsi Jul - 14 - 2023 , 12:15

The Member of Parliament for the Assin-North constituency, James Gyakye Quayson, has filed a fresh application at the Supreme Court to quash the Accra High Court decision to hear his criminal trial on daily basis.

He is also asking the apex court to bar the court from further continuing with the hearing of the matter until the Attorney-General furnishes him with full set of documents against him in the matter.

At the High Court today (July 14) where Quayson has pleaded not guilty to charges of forgery and perjury, his lead counsel, Tsatsu Tsikata, notified the court about the latest application at the apex court and added that his client had also filed an application at the Court of Appeal to stay proceedings pending an appeal brought before it.

He, therefore, prayed the court to adjourn the trial pending the proceedings filed at the higher courts.

But the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, urged the court to disregard the prayer by Mr Tsikata.

He argued that there was no legal basis preventing the court from continuing with the matter pending the determination of the two processes

The Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh subsequently adjourned the matter to July 18, 2023 to rule on the matter.

Charges

Mr Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences in the run up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.

He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office.

It is the case of the prosecution that Mr Quayson allegedly made a false statement to the Passport Office that he did not hold a passport to another country when he applied for a Ghanaian Passport.

In addition, the prosecution has accused Mr Quayson of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC) to the effect that he (Quayson) did not owe any allegiance to a foreign country when he filed to contest as candidate for the Assin North seat.
How Lordina Foundation brings succour to underprivileged

Osman Kitoe Sulemana Jul - 14 - 2023 , 09:09

The Lordina Foundation, established by a former First Lady, Lordina Mahama, during the Presidency of her husband, John Dramani Mahama has effectively reinvented the role of First Lady in the country.

But even more instructively, the Lordina Foundation has not only outlived her tenure as First Lady, its activities have grown tremendously since she left that position at the start of 2017.

Her foundation is now globally reputed as one of the most active and impactful non-governmental organisations in Ghana with its activities having positive impact on thousands of beneficiaries every year drawn from some of the most vulnerable segments of our society.

The Lordina Foundation is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the welfare of the underprivileged in Ghana, particularly Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) as well as women.

The foundation, previously known as Alternative Source of Income Programme (ASOIP), has over the years embarked on several activities geared towards poverty alleviation, women and youth empowerment, promotion of quality health care and support for education.

Activities

These activities include the donation of medical supplies and equipment to poorly resourced health facilities; offering free integrated health screening services in various communities; donating essentials to orphanages and to ostracised women (alleged witches) at Witch Camps for their upkeep; assisting brilliant, needy students with scholarships to enable them to pursue their academic dreams; providing destitute artisans with start-up kits to enable them to make meaningful livelihoods out of their acquired skills and providing Persons with Disabilities groups with targeted support.

Explaining the rationale for establishing the foundation, Lordina Mahama asserts that: While the government is committed to improving the health and welfare of the people, it cannot achieve all that by itself.

The onus rests with individuals, non-governmental organisations and other charitable organisations to complement the efforts of the government to provide development-oriented support.

To this end, the foundations mission is to contribute to the development of deprived children and women in both rural and urban areas by focusing on quality healthcare promotion, education and general well-being.

Its vision is to bridge the gap between the disadvantaged and privileged by providing marginalised groups and communities with equal opportunities

Objectives

Underpinning these are several core institutional objectives.

These are to grant scholarships to the brilliant, needy and underprivileged children to further their education; to give charity to the poor and the needy and assist people irrespective of race, colour, tribe or social orientation; support orphanages, women and youth empowerment; and to provide vocational skills for the youth.

These are precisely what the Lordina Foundation has been doing over the past nearly one decade.

The most intriguing aspect of the Lordina Foundation was that even out of office, the foundation constructed a 45-bed maternity and childrens ward for the Bole government hospital, which was commissioned in July 2022.

Better described as Alanfiyawurche (Queen Mother of Health), she is a native of Bole by marriage, and she has impacted the lives of the most vulnerable in society, particularly children and women.

Over the past decade, 'Alanfiyawurche and President Mahama have organised Christmas parties for children in Bole, and various Christmas donations are made across the entire Savannah Region to the less privileged in society.

Other interventions during the early years of the foundation included: a computer donation to commemorate Flair @ 50; a donation of medical equipment to Kumawu Polytechnic; the facilitation of accommodation for toddlers at Osu Childrens Home; the donation of a Siemens Acuson X150 Ultrasound scanner to the La General Hospital; the donation of buses to the Queenmothers Association; assistance to people with disabilities; various donations of medical equipment and supplies; and empowerment of artisans.

Over the past few years, the former First Lady, through the Lordina Foundation has stepped up its activities even further.

For instance in December 2019, among other things, the foundation, visited and donated assorted items to the Frank May and Bethesda Childrens Homes in Techiman, the Tamale and Anfaani Childrens Homes in Tamale and the Christ Faith Foster Home and the Osu Childrens Home in Accra.

In line with its commitment to the health of children, it supported the Anglican Diocese of Accra and Adoa Media Consult in its fund-raising efforts to provide immediate medical care to children diagnosed with hearing impairments.

In September 2019, 50 children from the Osu childrens Home and the Christ Faith Foster Home took part in another edition of the Lordina Foundations Time with Young and Influential Personalities programme.

The programme provides an opportunity to bring together orphans from selected orphanages to interact among themselves, and also interact with professionals from diverse backgrounds.

It helps them draw from the knowledge and real-life experiences of the professionals.

In 2020, among other things, the foundation gave donations to Frank May and Bethesda Childrens Homes in Techiman, Christ Foster Home in Fafraha and the Osu Childrens Home in Accra.

In May 2020, as part of its round of support during the Covid-19 period, the foundation presented 40 food relief packages to the ShareCare Foundation.

That same month, the Paramount Queenmother, Manye Amponsah Dokua, with the support of the Lordina Foundation, donated some food items and medical supplies to health facilities and residents in Osudoku to alleviate the effects of COVID 19.

Legacy

Alanfiyawurche is highly educated.

She holds a Masters Degree in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra and a Master of Laws Degree in Business Law from the De Montfort University in Leicester, United Kingdom.

The former First Lady is also a certified marriage counsellor and in 2019 completed a counselling skills programme at the International Centre for Training and Development (ICTD) in Abu Dhabi.

She also holds a degree in hospitality from GIMPA and a certificate in Catering from the Flair Catering Services.

Lordina Mahama is a great cook, loves cooking, has great passion and loves to encourage, motivate, inspire, help and counsel.

As part of her many recognisable achievements, Lordina Mahama is a former President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) and also a former Premier HIV Ambassador for the UNAIDS Global Plan to Eliminate Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT) and Keep Mothers Alive.

Her biggest legacy, however, will be the Lordina Foundation, which has not only positively impacted thousands of lives all around Ghana but has redefined what the role of Ghanas First Lady, both incumbent and former, should be.

In doing so, Ghana continues to benefit tremendously.

The writer is the former CEO- Venture Capital Trust fund (VCTF)
Kimathi and Partners awards book grants to students with disabilities

Yaa Kuffour Senyah Jul - 14 - 2023 , 15:45

A leading law firm, Kimathi and Partners, has awarded 39 first-year students with disabilities at the University of Ghana (UG) with book grants.

The grant is expected to cover the students expenses for books and other reading materials throughout their four-year study period at the institution.

The gesture by the firm is also a renewal of commitment to help cater for the vulnerable and the needy as its corporate social responsibility.

Gesture

A Partner of Kimathi and Partners, Sefakor Kuenyehia, who led the presentation at a short ceremony at UG in Accra yesterday, said the initiative, which had been in existence since 2016, was part of the efforts the firm had made to positively impact the society.

He indicated that a society which did not take into consideration the needs of the vulnerable would not prosper or develop, hence it was important to actively address the needs of those individuals.

Mr Kuenyehia, however, commended the students for their admission to such a reputable institution as he encouraged them not to doubt their capabilities or look down upon themselves.

 So, I urge you all to use this admission as a foundation to explore all the opportunities that come your way in order to contribute to development in your society and the country in general, he advised.

Commitment

The Coordinator of the Centre for Disability Studies and Advocacy at UG, Dr Efua Agyire-Tettey, expressed appreciation to the firm for its benevolent act and stated that the centre had previously been awarding visually impaired students with grants.

However, that had taken a different turn as all level 100 students with disabilities were beneficiaries of the book grant which she said depicted a level of inclusion for the students in the high learning community.

The former Coordinator of the Office of Special Needs (OSSN) at UG, Professor Isaac Asante, said that with the grant given to the students, it was their responsibility to study and work hard to impact their society.

So, with all the resources you have now, I will advise that you study and do well not to mind your disabilities because you have none, he said.

He said that was because once they did accept that they had disabilities, it brought down their self-confidence which must not be.

Prof. Asante, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to interact with all fraternity as a way to boost their self-confidence and do better in their field of study in order to become impactful to themselves and society.
Ledzokuku: Unique, assertive voter population

Justice Agbenorsi Jul - 14 - 2023 , 10:35

The Ledzokuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region is perhaps one of the constituencies with a unique and assertive voter population in the country.

Although known to usually favour presidential candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the constituency is particularly notable for electing new people as Members of Parliament (MP) in every election.

Since 1996, no MP has retained the seat even when the MPs party is retained in power.

Due to a prolonged chieftaincy dispute within the area, the electorate  many of whom are indigenes of the cosmopolitan community  regard the sitting MP, rather than the municipal assembly, as their development leader expected to lobby for developmental projects.

The constituency, which has 12 electoral areas, is home to the Southern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre and a host of industries and malls.

The electoral areas are Tsuibleoo Central, Akromadeokpo, Akromadeokpo West, Nii Ashietey Akomfra, Tsuibleoo South, Okosekor, Sutsurunor, Teshie-Nungua North, Teshie-Nungua South, Agblezaa, Tsuibleoo North and Aborle.

The constituency boasts Teshie Presbyterian Senior High School (SHS), Teshie Technical Institute and the OReilly SHS as pre-tertiary schools, while the Southern Cluster of Schools, Northern Cluster of Schools, Anglican Primary, Roman Catholic School, Methodist School, Presbyterian Primary and the Da'salam Islamic schools provide basic and junior high education in the area and its neighbouring constituencies.

It is also famous for neighbourhoods such as the Teshie Nungua Estates, Martey Tsuru, Greda Estate, Teshie Camp 2, Manet, Tsuibleoo, Tebibiiano, and Lascala, among others.

Hitherto, the main economic activity in the constituency was fishing, but the springing up of some industrial concerns has changed the economic landscape of the area into a mixed bag of formal and informal work.

The LEKMA Hospital is the only government hospital providing health service to the people of Teshie and its nearby communities.

The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, which hosts the constituency, was established on November 1, 2017, under the Legislative Instrument 2319.

The front view of Teshie Presbyterian sHs

The area is bounded on the south by the Gulf of Guinea, to the east by the Krowor Municipal Assembly, on the north by the Adentan and the Ayawaso West Municipal assemblies, and to the west by La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly.

Observations

Despite its recent economic and political importance, the constituency has become known for its poor state of roads.

While the Accra-Tema Beach Road reconstruction has advanced, residents complain that the slow pace of work in recent times has come with health implications as they continue to inhale and endure the dust.

Indeed, in May this year, the Concerned Youth of Teshie poured out onto the streets to protest the poor quality of roads in the constituency.

The group comprised keep fit clubs, driver unions, among other identifiable groups and individuals.

The roads in poor shape include the Tsuibleoo Road, Mobil to Tsuibleoo Last Stop, Bush Road, Adjorman Roundabout, Fertiliser Road and King Kotey Road.

Moments before the street protest, the Chief Executive of the Municipal Assembly, Mordecai Quarshie, announced the start of repair works and the laying of asphalt on some of the roads under construction in the constituency.

Apart from roads, the constituency has been experiencing flooding lately as evidenced on June 13 this year when a downpour caused disaster for many households in the community.

Many of the public schools in the area are also in a deplorable state.

Front view of the LEKMA Hospital

At the LEKMA Hospital, the main health centre in the constituency, the Administrator, Charles Banafo, said the hospital was mainly confronted with human resource and infrastructure deficits.

Assemblyman

The Assembly Member for the Okosekor Electoral Area, Saint Kabu, said the construction of the Demo Road, which commenced in 2016, had been halted since the general election.

The streetlights in the municipality are also not working, and this contributes to a lot of theft and robbery cases within the municipality, he said.

He added that the Demo footbridge, which connected the Okosekor Electoral Area to Nii Ashietey Akomfra, had also been left unattended to, stressing that it now posed a threat to commuters during the rainy season.

Floods

The Chief Executive Officer of the assembly, Mr Quarshie, said his outfit had commenced dredging works in the Sango Lagoon at Teshie to remove accumulated debris and sediment, and to broaden the lagoon to enable it to contain more water whenever it rained.

He said as part of efforts to check flooding in the area, the assembly had commenced efforts to demolish structures built on drains and watercourses, with the assembly set to demolish over 700 illegal structures built on watercourses.

The effort, he said, had come to a standstill due to litigations and interference by some authorities in the constituency.

Mordecai Quashie, LeKMA Municipal Chief Executive

He added that discussions were currently underway to begin the construction of the Demo footbridge, which started in 2022 but had stalled for several months.

I am prepared to do anything for work to continue, he said.

Roads

Mr Quarshie explained that many of the inner roads in the constituency got damaged when heavy-duty vehicles diverted traffic to those roads because of the construction of the beach road.

He said currently some major roads such as the Tsuibleoo Road, LEKMA to Adjorman roundabout, Fertiliser Road, King Kotey Road, Mamfe Junction to Yoomo Specs, the Numo Mashie Road and Mobile to Tsuibleoo Last Stop were being worked on.

He, however, gave an assurance that the government would consider other inner roads as part of the construction.

Mr Quarshie said gantries would be mounted at vantage points in the constituency to prevent the heavy-duty trucks from using the inner roads when they were eventually fixed.

Some inner roads at Teshie

Security

On streetlights and security in the constituency, Mr Quarshie said the main problem was with the quality of lights supplied to the municipal assembly.

Reacting to the rising spate of theft and armed robbery cases in the constituency, he said 30 years ago, the situation was not so due to mob attacks on suspected criminals.

He added that through various advocacy efforts, mob justice had faded but some criminals had capitalised on the soft side of the advocacy to commit crime.

Mr Quarshie said currently, the Municipal Security Committee and other stakeholders were in talks with the Regional Police Command to identify the hotspots to ensure the police paraded those areas at night.

On Education, he said, aside from donating furniture to public schools, the assembly had also painted the schools in the constituency.

Presently, he said, the assembly was working to provide solar-powered lighting in the classrooms to promote good eye care among the learners.

Green Ghana

As part of governments aggressive afforestation and reforestation agenda to restore the lost forest cover of the country, the municipal assembly has embarked on a massive drive to get rid of makeshift structures close to the roads in the community to pave the way for the planting of seedlings.

When completed, Mr Quarshie said, walls would be constructed to protect the green belts, which would be made available for the public to rent.

Revenue

Mr Quarshie noted that property rate alone could yield GH75 million a year to the municipal assembly, adding that notices covering GH75 million had been issued to property owners.

However, he said, the revenue collection platform set up by the Ghana Revenue Authority did not have many property owners enrolled on the platform, making it difficult for the assembly to collect the rates.

MP

The MP for the area, Benjamin Nartey Ayiku, said since assuming office, he had embarked on projects in five sectors, namely health, infrastructure, education, agriculture and security.

In the area of health, he said in the first three months in office, he provided streetlights to the LEKMA Hospital in addition to other equipment for the mainstream administrative duties of the hospital, besides donating office equipment to the municipal health directorate to augment effective health service delivery in the municipality.

I have also secured a parcel of land for the construction of a polyclinic within the constituency to expand access to quality health care for residents of the area and adjoining communities, he said.

For infrastructure, the MP explained that footbridges had been constructed at the Tsuibleoo South Electoral Area (Muji Park), Akromadeokpo West Electoral Area, and Teshie-Nungua North Electoral Area to enable residents to access nearby communities.

He added that plans were advanced to provide similar footbridges in some other electoral areas.

To help mitigate floods in the flood-prone areas in the constituency, he mentioned that good drainage systems had been provided for the people of Yomo Specs, Okpoigonno and Rasta.

Contractors asphalting the road linking the Tsui Bieoo, Fertilizer and the LeKMA Hospital. Pictures: ESTHER ADJORKOR ADJEI

On education, Mr Ayiku said he distributed Mathematical sets to students who sat the mock Basic Education Certificate Examinations in 2021 and 2022.

He added that 4,000 exercise books had also been donated to the students.

Reacting to the rising crime issues in the constituency, Mr Ayiku said over 2,000 streetlights had been provided to electoral areas to brighten up the constituency to check the increasing crime rate at night.

Sanitation

The MP noted that sanitation remained one of the major problems in the Greater Accra Region, adding that his constituency was not an exception.

To help tackle the problem, he said his office, with support from the Chinese Herbal Medicine Group, had provided 100 mobile places of convenience to address the sanitation challenges in the communities, adding that: Apart from that, we have also financed the periodic clean-up exercises in the municipality.

For employment, the MP disclosed that he had guided qualified youth to successfully apply to be recruited into the Fire Service, Armed Forces, Police Service and the Prisons Service.

Mr Ayiku added that his office had also provided start-up capital to some young women to start their own businesses and provided assistance to some artisans to start their trades.
National Cathedral case: Rev. Kusi Boateng fails to gag Ablakwa

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Jul - 14 - 2023 , 08:08

The Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court has dismissed an application by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, aka Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, which sought to restrain the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, from discussing him in relation to the National Cathedral project.

Rev. Boateng, aka Mr Gyamfi, filed the application under Article 33 of the 1992 Constitution seeking an enforcement of his fundamental human rights.

In a judgment yesterday, the court, presided over by Justice Barbara Tetteh-Charway, held that an application under Article 33 implied the enforcement of a human right of a person or entity with personal interest.

According to the court, the two distinctive identities - Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng and Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, meant it was not clear which of the two identities sought the enforcement of human rights.

The court dismissed the contention of Rev. Boateng, aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi, that the two names referred to the same person, and held that how the two names had been deployed meant two completely separate identities.

Because of the lack of clarity of the person seeking the enforcement of human rights (that is whether Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng or Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi), the court dismissed the application for lack of capacity or locus standi.

Apart from dismissing the case, the court also slapped Rev. Boateng, aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi, with a cost of GH10, 000.

Background

Mr Ablakwa has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate Rev.Boateng, aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi, over an alleged conflict of interest, including possession of multiple identities and other alleged criminal dealings.

The MP alleged that there was a transfer of GH2.6 million from the National Cathedral Secretariat to JNS Talent Centre Limited owned by Rev. Boateng under a secondary identity - Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

Mr Ablakwa said the petition was seeking to invoke the mandate of CHRAJ under Article 218 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate the odious conflict of interest with regard to Rev. Boatengs position on the National Cathedral board as he literally paid his own company a staggering GH2.6 million for no work done.

Rev. Kusi Boateng, who is also the founder of Power Chapel Worldwide, Mr Ablakwa said, was the same person as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi who received the GH2.6 million from the National Cathedral Board.

Suits

Rev. Kusi Boateng subsequently filed a defamation suit against Mr Ablakwa and followed it up with a contempt application, accusing the legislator of refusing to be served with the defamation suit.

He applied for an order to enforce his human rights seeking to prevent the MP from further commenting on the subject.

In May this year, an Accra High Court dismissed the contempt application on the basis that it was flawed with inconsistencies, was irregular and failed to meet the threshold of the law.

After dismissing the contempt application, the court presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Dankwa, slapped Rev. Boateng with a cost of GH10, 000 in favour of the MP.
Police will play role in free elections - IGP assures ECOWAS elections team

Emelia Ennin Abbey & Linda Sah Jul - 14 - 2023 , 06:22

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and members of the Police Management Board (POMAB) have assured an ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) post-election follow-up team that the police would play its role to ensure free and fair elections.

ECONEC is the umbrella body of West African Election Management Bodies (EMBs).

The team, which is on a four-day post-election mission to Ghana, is led by the chairmen of the electoral management bodies of Nigeria and Niger, and also includes the ECONEC Permanent Secretary and a technical team from the Permanent Secretariat.

Since its arrival in Ghana on July 10, 2023, the team has been assessing the level of implementation of the recommendations made by the ECOWAS and AU Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) which observed the December 2020 general election in Ghana.

It had earlier held working sessions with various stakeholders of the electoral process, including the Electoral Commission (EC), the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), civil society organisations (CSOs), the Ghana Journalists Association and international partners.

Yesterday, the team met the leadership of the Ghana Police Service, which is a major stakeholder in the country's electoral process.

After the meeting, the team toured the police headquarters as Dr Dampare briefed them on the operations of the Ghana Police Service and how the police were poised to serve the people.

The IGP informed the team about the measures put in place as far as election security was concerned to ensure a peaceful process in the upcoming 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections and other elections such as internal political party elections and elections in schools.

He said the Police Administration had established the Police Election Security Secretariat Unit to take care of election processes and election-related issues.

Until the establishment of the unit, he said the National Election Security Task Force only came together to do ad hoc preparation when national elections were approaching, but it was realised the approach was not helping.

Also, he said, the Police Administration continued to engage the EC, all the political parties and leadership of Students Representative Councils (SRCs) in the various universities to support in the holding of internal political party elections and student leadership elections.

Dr Dampare mentioned that the two main political parties in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had written to commend the police for the impressive security arrangements.

Social media review

The IGP told the team that the police had also put in place measures to enable it to review social media comments to curb the propagation of inflammatory comments.

Some of the mechanisms put in place included investigators and legal teams reviewing comments by, especially, opposing political parties.

Following such reviews, he said the police pursue any criminality to the fullest, while also intensifying its information dissemination with the public to control the speculation of fake news.

He indicated that the police would continue to engage all stakeholders, including the EC, political parties, civil society actors and the electorate.

Commendation

After explaining to the team how the Police Administration had declared the Assin North Constituency and the Kumawu Constituency weapon-free zones during the recent by-elections, the team was full of praises for the Ghana Police Service, indicating that it had observed that the two by-elections were violence-free and therefore commended the police for their work.

It also said it had observed no election violence had been perpetrated against women as in other jurisdictions.

The leader of the ECONEC delegation, Issaka Souna told the Daily Graphic that the objective of the visit to the Ghana Police Service was to follow up on the implementation of a specific recommendation on the 2019 vigilantism and other related offences during the by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Also, it was to find out the election security preparedness of the Ghana Police Service for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

They said the Police Administration had provided satisfactory information on the work that had been done with regard to its implementation of the specific recommendation on the 2019 vigilantism in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

It said the mission had met with the Minister for the Interior and impressed upon the Ministry to continue supporting the Ghana Police Service with the necessary resources for even better service delivery.
Policeman killed in Ablekuma Fan Milk robbery incident promoted posthumously

Graphic.com.gh Jul - 14 - 2023 , 12:08

Callistus Amoah, the policeman killed by suspected armed robbers in the Ablekuma Fan Milk incident has been promoted posthumously by the Police Administration.

His promotion from Lance Corporal to General Corporal took effect from June 22, 2023.

The promotion was announced during a pre-burial service at the St. George Catholic Church in Tesano, Accra, to honour the slain police officer on Friday morning, July 14.

General Corporal Callistus Amoah was killed in a bullion van robbery incident at a fuel filling station at Ablekuma on June 22, 2023.

In a shocking incident of daylight robbery, General Corporal Callistus Amoah was killed during an attack on a bullion van in Ablekuma Fanmilk, a suburb of Accra.

Videos capturing the aftermath of the incident were circulated on social media depicting some members of the public coming to the aid of the fatally wounded policeman, who was rescued from a pick-up truck.

Amoah succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

The attack occurred when the bullion van made a stop at the fuel station, presumably to purchase fuel or pick cash. It was during this moment that the assailants attacked the vehicle.

Fortunately, the driver of the van managed to escape unharmed.

Ablekuma: Police officer fatally shot in daylight robbery attack on bullion van (VIDEO)

more to follow...
Rotary Club of Accra Industrial partners Money Hub for tree planting and career counselling at Senior Correctional Centre

GraphicOnline Jul - 14 - 2023 , 21:34

Rotary is a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackling the worlds most pressing humanitarian challenges. It is a non-political and non-religious organization that brings together individuals from various social factors. Rotary comprises individual Rotary clubs, Rotary International, and the Rotary Foundation.

The organization develops service projects in seven broad areas, including promoting peace, fighting disease, promoting economic development, protecting the environment, and maternal and child health. Rotary clubs exist all around the world, and their purpose is to connect people who then work together to solve community problems, provide humanitarian aid, and promote goodwill and peace.

The Rotary Club of Accra Industrial was chartered in December 2019 and has executed several service projects in all seven areas of Rotarys focus.

Today, July 14, 2023, The Rotary Club of Accra-Industrial collaborated with The Money Hub to organise a significant event involving the planting of economic trees and Career Counseling for the young inmates at the Senior Correctional Centre in Roman Ridge, Accra. The Money Hub, a subsidiary of Eagles Netwox provides comprehensive and outstanding mentorship training for young adults and corporate institutions in several vital areas including corporate communication, business strategy and efficient marketing.

Led by Rotarian President (RP) Karol Kunko and Rotarian Casandra Appertey, the team executed this initiative, which entailed planting around 200 trees and offering career counselling to the second and third-year classes of the Junior High School Students within the Correctional Centre. The counselling topics included; identifying your talent (first aid version), developing soft skills (first aid version), emotional intelligence (first aid version) and knowing your genius.

The selection of economic seedlings included coconut, mango, avocado, velvet tamarind (yooyi), and a few ornamental trees.

RP Kunko, in an interview with Graphic Online following the event, explained that the activity was in response to the call made by District Governor David Osei Amankwah, the first District Governor of Rotary International District 9104 (Ghana District), to plant 1,000 trees within the Rotary year.

Additionally, RP Kunko highlighted that the project aligned with Rotary's focus on two crucial areas: the environment and economic development. The planted trees would have a positive impact on the environment, while the food-producing trees would provide nutritional and economic benefits to the centre.

The collaborative effort between the Rotary Club of Accra-Industrial and The Money Hub aimed to make a meaningful contribution to the rehabilitation and development of the clients while promoting environmental sustainability and equipping them with essential career guidance for their future endeavours.

In his closing remarks, Rotarian President Karol Kunko expressed the gratitude of the Rotary Club of Accra Industrial to The Money Hub team and the management of the Senior Correctional Centre and promised future collaborations aimed at positively impacting the community.
Stop deporting Burkinabe refugees - UNHCR urges government 'Ministry refutes allegation'

Emmanuel Bonney & Augustina Tawiah Jul - 14 - 2023 , 13:54

The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has called on the government to cease the repatriation of Burkinabe citizens who are seeking safety and protection in the country.

It said the expulsions, which mainly involved women and children, amounted to violation of the non-refoulement principle and guaranteed access to the territory and asylum to nationals of Burkina Faso seeking international protection.

A statement issued in Accra yesterday said: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is concerned by the reports about deportations of hundreds of Burkinabe citizens, mainly women and children, who are seeking safety and protection in Ghana.

Non-refoulement is a fundamental principle enshrined in international law, which prohibits the return of an asylum seeker or a refugee to countries where his life or freedom would be threatened.

The statement said UNHCR had been collaborating with the government of Ghana to support its efforts to ensure the protection of over 8,000 Burkinabe nationals who sought protection on its territory as a result of the ongoing conflict in their country of origin.

It said in the framework of this cooperation, a Reception Centre managed jointly by the Ghana Refugee Board and UNHCR, with a capacity of 4,000 individuals, had been inaugurated in the Upper East Region to relocate Burkinabe refugees away from the border for security reasons.

Ghana has a long-standing history of upholding its international obligations towards refugees, and UNHCR stands ready to support the Government to address the needs of Burkinabe nationals fleeing the ongoing conflict, it said.

But the Ministry of National Security has refuted media reports and publications that suggest a deliberate and targeted operation, spearheaded by the Ghana Armed Forces, to forcibly repatriate Burkinabe refugees from Ghana.

It said Ghana was committed to accommodating Burkinabe nationals who had been displaced into the Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana due to the prevailing security situation in southern Burkina Faso.

The Ministry of National Security has taken note of media reports and publications that suggest a deliberate and targeted operation, spearheaded by the Ghana Armed Forces, to forcibly repatriate Burkinabe refugees from Ghana.

The Ministry refutes such claims and wishes to state that Ghana is committed to accommodating Burkinabe nationals who have been displaced into the Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana due to the prevailing security situation in southern Burkina Faso, a statement issued in Accra, said.

Collaboration

It said the ministry in collaboration with the Ghana Refugee Board and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), had accordingly established a temporary reception centre in the Upper East Region, capable of holding an estimated 2,100 displaced people from Burkina Faso.

Currently, 530 displaced Burkinabes are being accommodated at the reception centre.

Additionally, Ghanaian official entities ensure that the displaced persons have access to free food and medical care, a statement issued by the Ministry of National Security last Thursday, said.

Moreover, it said as part of measures to enhance containment efforts, a 30-acre land had been acquired for the establishment of housing facilities to host displaced persons.

Claims

Contrary to claims that displaced Burkinabes are being forced out of Ghana, a repatriation process has been instituted at the reception centre to aid the movement of Burkinabes who wish to return to their country.

The repatriation process is consistent with international protocols on the management of refugees and has so far been implemented in collaboration with Burkinabe Immigration Authorities along the Ghana- Burkina Faso border, it emphasised.

While reaffirming its determination to safeguard the peace, stability and territorial integrity of the country and promote the welfare of its citizens, the statement said the government would continue to undertake the necessary operations without compromising values such as respect for human rights, including the rights of refugees and displaced persons from neighbouring countries.

Refugee board

For its part, the Executive Director of the GRB, Tetteh Padi, told the Daily Graphic that none of the people it had registered were being repatriated.

As I said we have not had any report that the people (registered as asylum seekers) that we are dealing with are being repatriated, he emphasised.

But he said information that the GRB had received suggested that some people were being repatriated but we dont know who those people are.

However, he said, the board would try to find out who they were.
UGMC to establish unit for trial of medicines

Augustina Tawiah Jul - 14 - 2023 , 06:03

The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) is to establish a clinical trials unit and laboratory for trials of new medicines in the country.

The facility would carry out the entire process of testing the efficacy of medicines, including analysing relevant blood samples locally rather than in South Africa.

The unit, which is expected to start operating next year, will be the first in the country and in the West Africa sub-region.

This was announced at the fifth anniversary launch of the UGMC and a $5million fundraiser for the trials unit in Accra yesterday.

The Chief Executive Officer of the UGMC, Dr Darius Osei, appealed to corporate organisations and individuals to support the centre finance the project.

Most clinical trials for medicines are done in South Africa.

We do not have any in the sub-region, and we want to have the facility here.

Most samples by the time they get to South Africa are not viable, but if we have it here, we have the opportunity to do our own trials and most drug manufacturers could use the samples to manufacture medicines that are suitable to our environment, he said.

The CEO said that most people do not respond to certain drugs because the trials for such drugs were done somewhere.

Achievements

Dr Osei said the centre in the past five years had made some strides and established itself as a leading institution for world-class patient care, training and research.

He mentioned some of its successes to include an agreement between the government and the University of Ghana for a mutually acceptable ownership structure; increased infrastructural development and conducted several open-heart surgeries, brain surgeries and catheterisations of adults and children.

Others are laparoscopic surgeries, MRI services, dental services and the setting up of the second biggest cardiothoracic centre in the country, the Cardiac Catheterisation Lab.

Through our focus on infrastructure development, specialised training programmes, cutting-edge research initiatives, strategic partnerships and community engagement, the UGMC has been transformed into a leading academic medical centre in the country, he added.

Ineffective drugs

The Director, Medical and Scientific Research at UGMC, Prof. George Boateng Kyei, said some blood pressure medications were not effective in black people because the initial trials for such drugs were not done with blacks but rather with Europeans or the Americans.

He said Africa, compared to the rest of the world, had more genetic diversity for which it should be at the forefront of trials.

The director said two things were needed to conduct trials - a dedicated place on a ward and an international standard organisation and a certified laboratory, which he said the centre had complied with.

When we get this laboratory done, it will help prevent the situation where samples are taken and sent to South Africa.

It comes back in two weeks and is not useful to the doctor anymore.

So we need to be able to do these things here, he added.
Akufo-Addo on how ordinary citizens engage in corruption

Donald Ato Dapatem Politics Jul - 14 - 2023 , 12:37

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that it is not only the headline canker of corruption by politicians and high-profile figures that retire progress and hinders development but also the petty bribery, corruption and circumvention of the laws that are meant to guide the society by ordinary citizens.

These, he explained, involved breaking traffic regulations and trying to bribe the police officer, not getting proper permits to build a house, looking the other way when something wrong was going on, degradation of the environment and polluting of the atmosphere and water bodies.

President Akufo-Addo stated this when he addressed the world convention of the Full Gospel Businessmen in Accra, the first on its kind in Africa.

More to follow...
Death penalty appeals more to victims' families than life imprisonment - Cletus Avoka

Zadok Kwame Gyesi Politics Jul - 14 - 2023 , 13:57

Scrapping the death penalty in Ghana will embolden criminals to commit more heinous crimes, the Member of Parliament for the Zibilla East Constituency in the Upper East Region, Cletus Avoka has said.

He believes that handing death sentences to offenders who deserve it as prescribed in Ghanas laws will appeal more to the families of the victims.

There is a private member Bill in Parliament seeking to amend Ghana's Criminal Offences Act to replace or substitute the death penalty sentence with life imprisonment.

In a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online on Accra-based 3Fm on Friday afternoon, July 14, 2023, Mr. Avoka said "the death penalty appeals more to the emotions of the victim's family than the life imprisonment."

Ghana has not carried any execution of those on death penalty since 1992 although there are a number of people on the list in the countrys prisons.

The Zebilla East MP is of the view that slapping offenders who deserve death sentences will aggravate the pains and trauma of families that lose members to such offenders.

He said the death sentence also serves as a major deterrent to offenders although those on such punishment list had not been executed in the country for a very long time.

For him, the sponsors of the bill "have not adequately addressed the side of the victim", stressing that "If you are a victim of murder and you leave behind your family" the pain it leaves them cannot be equated with the life imprisonment.

Mr. Avoka further expressed concern that the countrys political system will make it easier for people on the life imprisonment to find escape route.

For him, once somebody is given life sentence instead of death sentence and spends a few years in prison and there is a change of government or that person has well-to-do family, they can push an agenda to get the person freed.

That, he added, will upset the families of the victims and therefore before such an amendment to the Criminal Offences Act, there should be more education on that to the entire populace than just smuggling in the bill.
Election 2024: Parties commit to peace

Benjamin Xornam Glover Politics Jul - 14 - 2023 , 06:39

Representatives of political parties have pledged their commitment to foster peace before, during and after the December 2024 general election.

Speaking in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic at a two-day national dialogue on improving civilian  security agency relations for the prevention of violent extremism in Ghana, the parties called on all stakeholders including the police, other security agencies, politicians and the election management body to be fair, credible, truthful, transparent and consistent in the conduct of the election.

The representatives, who spoke with the Daily Graphic, were from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the People's National Convention (PNC), the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and the Liberal Party of Ghana, (LPG).

The national dialogue was organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) with funding from the Netherlands Embassy with the objective of strategically building consensus and trust to improve civilian-security agency relations towards preventing violent extremism in Ghana under the Prevention of Violent Extremism Through Social Accountability (PoVETSA) project.

Peace

A member of the communication and legal teams of the NDC, Abraham Amaliba commended the NPC for initiating the dialogue and urged the council to extend it to all the regional capitals to sensitise stakeholders to the need to eschew violence.

He noted that the challenge that confronted the nation was the politicisation of the security agencies, stressing that such politicisation, if not nib in the bud, could be the downfall of Ghana's democracy.

He said the NDC was committed to peace and as a party that gave birth to the fourth Republic, it wouldn't do anything to collapse the democracy.

A Research Officer of the NPP, Ernest Owusu Kumi, said as a political party poised to break the eight and continue the governance of this country, the party was dedicated to ensuring a peaceful outcome of the election.

He said the NPP inherited a peaceful country and was ready to work for peace before, during and after the general elections to deliver the good policies it has for the country.

The General Secretary of the PNC, Janet Nabla, advised all political parties at the dialogue to go back to their members at the grassroots and sensitise them to the need to foster peace.

She said the political parties must champion the interest of Ghana and love the nation more instead of the political party colours.

The General Secretary of the GCPP, Citizen Ato Dadzie said for Ghana to continue enjoying a harmonious atmosphere, there was the need for everyone in the political space to play their part, stressing that the inputs of all political parties, instead of the NPP and the NDC must be sought to ensure a level playing field.

The General Secretary of the LPG, Jerry Owusu Appauh, appealed to the security agencies to be fair in dealing with persons who flouted the laws irrespective of their status to engender confidence in the service.
Speaker Bagbin sets up 7-member special committee to probe leaked audio on IGP

Daniel Kenu & Nana Konadu Agyeman Politics Jul - 14 - 2023 , 08:38

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has directed that a special seven-member committee to probe the alleged leaked audio containing a discussion on removing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare, from office.

Mr Bagbin's committee will comprise of three legislators from each side of the House, with support from a technical person to assist the committee in its investigations.

This issue goes beyond defence and interior committee and we need some of you who are good in information technology (IT) and other areas to submit your talents and skills to the committee for this work to be done, he said.

Names of members

Addressing Parliament prior to the House adjourning, Mr Bagbin asked that the leadership of the Majority and Minority caucuses should submit the names of their members to committee.

Leadership, please within one week we should get the names submitted because I know you have to do some consultation, the Speaker directed.

Terms of reference

The Speakers directive came after the Minority Leader, Emmanuel Kofi Armah-Buah, had submitted, per the directive of the Speaker, the terms of reference of investigation of the committee.

He mentioned that as the authenticity of the leaked audio recording, investigate the conspiracy to remove the current IGP, investigate any other matter contained in the audio recording, recommend sanctions to persons found culpable where appropriate, make recommendations for reforms where necessary and make such other recommendations and consequential orders as the committee might deem appropriate.

Why committee?

The decision to form the committee comes in response to a demand by the Minority caucus of Parliament, who called for a thorough forensic audit to determine the authenticity and credibility of the leaked tape.

That was after Mr Armah-Buah had read an urgent statement on the alleged leaked tape on the floor of Parliament last Wednesday.

He said in the allege leaked tape there were purported senior members of the New Patriotic Party who had met a senior police officer to discuss the Assin North by-election, the role of the IGP and how the IGP did not lead efforts in allowing the NPP win the election.

He said the attempt to remove the IGP and the discussion about the 2024 elections and what must be done to remove Dr Dampare for a new IGP to be put in place to collude with the sitting government to get a certain outcome must concern to Parliament.

It boils down to the security of this country and it is important that this House wants to know the authenticity of that leaked tape, he said.

Forensic audit

Contributing to the statement, the immediate former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said it was a truism that the leaked tape contained matters relating to the conduct of the IGP and efforts and conspiracy to seek his removal.

He said the primary duty of the President and the Interior Minister was safety and security of the citizens which was vested in the hands of the IGP.

Because the identities of the persons in the tape are not known, it is only through forensic thorough audit that you will establish those persons.

Mr Speaker, we do so not just for the professional integrity of the IGP and to preserve and protect and empower him to ensure that elections in this country even tomorrow are conducted in a manner that is free from intimidation and fear, he said.

He therefore urged the House to conduct a thorough forensic audit into he leaked tape to establish the veracity or otherwise what was contained in that tape.

False impression

Contributing, the Minister of Local Government, Dan Botwe, said insecurity anywhere and under any circumstance should be condemned.

He, however, said the impression should not be created that an appointment of an IGP by a ruling government determined the outcome of an election.

If you are saying there is a tape and whether it should be investigated or not, I have no problem since it is your bosom Mr Speaker. But for the Minority to go ahead and comment on it and create the impression that a particular IGP in place determines the outcome of an election is wrong, he said.

Mr Botwe cited how various elections conducted during the era of various IGPs in the past saw opposing political parties winning parliamentary elections across the country.
Parliament to investigate alleged leaked tape on IGP

Daniel Kenu & Nana Konadu Agyeman Politics Jul - 14 - 2023 , 06:59

Parliament is to constitute an enquiry into the alleged leaked tape concerning discussions about the possible removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, from office.

The move came after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, agreed to an application by Members of Parliament (MPs) for a thorough forensic audit to be carried out to unravel those behind the tape.

He, however, said by the Standing Orders, there was the need for him to give proper direction as to the nature and type of investigation to be conducted into the tape.

Going by Standing Order 72, the terms of any proposed statement shall first be submitted to Mr Speaker.

So, I urge Deputy Minority Leader to submit in writing the terms of the proposed statement.

This will guide me to give the direction as to how the investigation or enquiry should be conducted by the appropriate committee of the House, he directed.

Urgent statement

The Speaker made the pronouncement after the Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah- Kofi Buah, had read an urgent statement on the alleged leaked tape on the floor of Parliament last Wednesday.

He said in the alleged leaked tape, there were purported senior members of the New Patriotic Party who had met a senior police officer to discuss the Assin North by-election, the role of the IGP and how the IGP did not lead efforts in allowing the NPP to win the election.

He said the attempt to remove the IGP and the discussion about the 2024 elections and what must be done to remove Dr Dampare for a new IGP to be put in place to collude with the sitting government to get a certain outcome must be of concern to Parliament.

It boils down to the security of this country and it is important that this House gets to know the authenticity of that leaked tape, he said.

Contributing to the statement, the NDC MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, said it was a truism that the leaked tape contained matters relating to the conduct of the IGP and efforts and conspiracy to seek his removal.

He, therefore, urged the House to conduct a thorough forensic audit into the leaked tape to establish the veracity or otherwise of the contents.

Contributing, the NPP MP for Okere, Dan Botwe, said insecurity anywhere and under any circumstance should be condemned.

He, however, said the impression should not be created that an appointment of an IGP by a ruling government determined the outcome of an election.

The NDC MP for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, said Ghanaians had chosen democracy as the path to meeting the aspirations of the people.

He said anything that would affect democratic consolidation in Ghana must be seriously looked into.

Investigation

Responding to the concerns raised the by MPs, Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, said it was his duty to ensure that there was peace and security in the country.

He, therefore, said he had in principle, no qualms if any investigation was conducted into the leaked tape.

The government has no plan to sack the IGP and we are sure that nothing will be allowed to disturb the peace from now till 2024, he said.
MAN Energy Solutions announced the successful first running of a test engine on ammonia at its Research Centre Copenhagen (RCC). The company reports that the successful combustion was performed on a MAN B&W two-stroke 4T50ME-X type and produced positive results with particularly promising data regarding pilot-oil amount and combustion stability.





This marks a major milestone on our road to developing a full-scale two-stroke ammonia marine engine. Its been a historic week for our team at the RCC where a lot of groundwork and research has now paid off and we have gained a deep understanding of ammonias unique characteristics as a marine fuel, as well as its effects on fuel supply and safety systems. This successful combustion represents yet another, important step towards decarbonizing the marine market and bringing big things to zero. Gunnar Stiesch, Chief Technical Officer, MAN Energy Solutions

MAN Energy Solutions reports that safety has been of paramount importance at all stages leading to the new milestone. Precautions taken due to the fuels inherent characteristics include the construction of a custom-built cold hall, which can contain ammonia vapor in the unlikely event of a leak with the activation of a water screen. Robust safety features from the companys existing dual-fuel portfolio, such as double-walled piping and system ventilation, have also been built into the ammonia engines design.

This is groundbreaking for both our company and the maritime industry as a whole. That said, we know we still have a lot of hard work ahead and, over the following months, will execute a testing program that will study aspects such as heat-release, ignition, safety, pilot-oil energy fraction, NO x and N 2 O emissions. We then plan on rebuilding the test engine from one cylinder capable of running on ammonia to a full-scale test engine running on ammonia around the end of this year or early in 2024. Brian stergaard Srensen, Vice President and Head of Research & Development, Two-Stroke at MAN Energy Solutions

MAN Energy Solutions states that it broadly expects to hold its delivery timeline for the first ammonia engine, with subsequent operation onboard a commercial vessel from around 2026.

Interest in this breakthrough has been overwhelming. However, while we provide the decarbonizing technology, the maritime industry must show the will to implement it. Now its up to the International Maritime Organization to establish clear regulations that ensure that maritime actors are not penalised for choosing carbon-neutral fuels. At MAN Energy Solutions, our expectations for ammonia are positive owing to its predicted lower production cost compared to other, relevant e-fuels; we foresee around 27% of fuel used onboard large merchant-marine vessels to be ammonia by 2050. Bjarne Foldager, Head of Two-Stroke Business, MAN Energy Solutions

The first MAN B&W ammonia engine will be a 60-bore engine, which will be applicable to a very wide range of vessel types. The interest in this engine is very high and we have received many queries across basically all large merchant-marine vessels. MAN Energy Solutions expects a quick uptake of ammonia-fuelled engines towards the end of the current decade. Thomas S. Hansen, Head of Promotion and Customer Support, MAN Energy Solutions

Project steps. The ammonia engine R&D project started in 2019 with a pre-study and investigation of ammonia combustibility. The following year, a second test-engine arrived in Copenhagen, enabling a parallel-test engine setup with different fuels at RCC; HAZID workshops on the engine concepts were performed simultaneously.

In 2021, the ammonia fuel-supply system and auxiliary systems were specified with the highest possible focus on safety, while 2022 saw the installation of the same systems at RCC with instrumentation for test engine No. 1 for 1-cylinder ammonia testing initiated.

In 2023, ammonia bunkering and service-tank facilities were built with all auxiliary systems enabling a full containment of ammonia in the unlikely event of a leak. Similarly, all auxiliary systems were initially tested with water, followed by ammonia.
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Fridays legislative hearing on the Attorney Generals Offices budget request of $19.9 million for fiscal year 2024 took a tense and ugly turn when two lawyers on the opposite side of the room traded barbs over hiring and retention, spending, giant public signs with convicted criminals faces, and even the use of the phrase Eagles Nest in government documents.

Attorney General Douglas Moylan and his staff laid out the AGOs 2024 budget request, which is $4.2 million more than the 2023 appropriation to, among other things, hire prosecutors and other employees and fully fund the 22% General Pay Plan increase.

Sen. Joe San Agustin and members of the Appropriations Committee took turns asking questions about the budget submission, but it was when Sen. Thomas Fisher, a defense lawyer, that the questioning set a different tone.

Fisher noted that 44% of the lawyers at the AGO have left since Moylan became attorney general in January.

They do not agree with the legal policies of this attorney general. If they wish to leave, theres the door, Moylan said.

Moylan describes himself as the toughest AG on crime.

The AGO has a good team of lawyers, he said, adding that he would rather have a few good, loyal, dedicated lawyers that want to protect this community than to keep attorneys that want to get paid and not do the work and be lazy, or just want to leave the office.

Fisher asked for the number of cases that have been dismissed, after hearing that the AGO was able to win a number of cases since Moylan took office again.

Moylan asked Fisher about his insinuation, to which the senator said that Its not an insinuation. Its an accusation.

My accusation is you are driving that office into the ditch, Fisher said. Youve lost 44%. That is just unsustainable.

Moylan, whos only six months into his elected position, asked how Fisher can say those statements without ever been an attorney general and without ever having managed over 150 employees.

The AGO is trying to fill some 37 vacancies, after filling up some 34 positions since January.

Offensive term

The heated exchanges started when Fisher asked how offensive it is to use the phrase Eagles Nest in the AGOs press releases. In history, the term refers to a Nazi-built structure atop a hill, and is associated with German national socialism and dictator Adolf Hitler.

Are you saying Im a Nazi? Moylan asked, to which Fisher responded, I dont know what youre thinking. I hope not. Why are you choosing a Nazi memorabilia?

Moylan said the image of an American eagle is a recognized symbol of law enforcement, and the eagles nest is where were at. He said he takes offense at Fishers remarks, saying he and his family are not what Fisher is trying to picture.

San Agustin, the chairman of the committee with oversight of government of Guam agency budgets, asked the senator and the attorney general to go back to the topic of budget.

Were on the budget, Sir. Hes expending taxpayer money to advertise a vile, repellant, evil regime, Fisher continued.

Moylan said hes offended by Fishers statements, and the two talked over each other once again.

Billboards

Fisher later asked about the AGOs spending on the giant billboards and digital signs showing the faces of convicted criminals.

Each billboard costs about $1,600, while the digital signs cost $800 a month, Moylan said, adding that many states use the same type of effective public messaging in order to fight crimes, and shame and embarrass criminals.

Moylan said these are unlike the mug shots that the media publish, which show people in orange jumpsuits who are still innocent because they have not been proven guilty, because the AGOs signs show those who are already convicted of crimes.

I will continue doing it and I will make no apologies about it, he said.

Moylan said he takes offense at Fisher for accusing him of using government money for the signs that the senator said are perceived as campaign signs.

Nowhere on those signs that it says, Candidate Douglas Moylan, the attorney general said.

San Agustin, also a former law enforcement officer, later expressed support for the signs to deter crimes, and asked whether the AGO can put up more, including a wall of shame thats also seen in other states.

Senators asked about the request to allow attorneys at the AGO to engage in the practice of law outside the government, with approval from the attorney general or the chief deputy attorney general.

This was allowed before. Im being singled out just because Im trying to serve this community, Moylan said, adding that he will engage any senator in a debate on this.

He said he will defend his elderly parents and family when they need a lawyer. Senators are allowed to engage in private practice, he said.

Moylan also answered questions about the need to hire unclassified employees.

This is an elected office, like the senators, you guys have the ability to hire unclassified positions. The question aptly is the same to the senators. When a new elected official comes in, a policy accompanies that elected official, he said. The respect given to an elected official to be able to bring in an unclassified employee subject to the discharge by that employer.
Michael Lujan Bevacqua is an author, artist, activist and the curator for The Guam Museum.




Haiti - Justice : Racist treatment of Haitian asylum seekers





States across the Americas must put an immediate end to the anti-Black discrimination, including race-based torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, against Haitian people seeking safety and international protection, Amnesty International said.



"Racist migration and asylum policies only exacerbate the harm already inflicted on people forced to endure and flee the humanitarian and human rights crises in Haiti. States across the Americas must fulfill their international human rights obligations without discrimination, assess the protection needs of Haitians seeking refuge in fair and effective asylum procedures and refrain from returning them to Haiti," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Director for the Americas at Amnesty International.



"Instead of further endangering them, states must protect and uphold the dignity and rights of Haitian migrants and asylum seekers. Regional solidarity and the reformation of migration policies with an anti-racist perspective are essential to addressing the grave dangers and injustices they face."



Amnesty International has documented and received information on cases of assaults, arbitrary detentions, torture and other ill-treatment, mass deportations, and discriminatory practices that undermine Haitian asylum seekers human rights and their access to international protection in Peru, Chile, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Mexico, and other countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America.



Haitians transiting through the Americas have also suffered a constant lack of access to basic services and legal protection. These precarious conditions have been exacerbated by the systemic racism and negative stereotypes they face, hindering their integration and perpetuating their marginalization.



Amnesty International has documented the many human rights concerns inherent in the US governments recent decision to make the use of the mobile application mandatory in order to request asylum at the nations southern border. his requirement places Haitian individuals at a greater disadvantage, as they may face a higher risk of experiencing racial discrimination and violence in northern Mexico, where they are systematically excluded from shelters, forcing them to live in camps with cruel conditions and exposing them to greater danger. They have also experienced difficulties using the CBP One apps facial recognition technology that struggles with recognizing Black faces and raises serious privacy, discrimination, and surveillance concerns.



Governments in the region must end mass expulsions and deportations as well as other racially discriminatory practices against people in need of international protection, including Haitians. Instead, they must provide them with access to protection without discrimination, including fair and individualized assessments for refugee status, and other pathways to regularize their status, in accordance with both the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees and the Cartagena Declaration.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Telecom : Fight against radio interference in aeronautical communications





Aware of the difficulties and damage that radio interference can cause to aeronautical communication, Engineer Joses Jean Baptiste of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) received a delegation from the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC) led by the Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent Joseph DUMAS its Director General.



Lieutenant-Colonel Dumas and his team drew CONATEL's attention to the need to protect the frequency bands used by aeronautical communications. He also drew the attention of CONATEL to the standards relating to the location of base station towers in the immediate vicinity of airports.



In addition, the question relating to the deployment of 5G base stations was addressed. It was decided to keep good practices which consist in not deploying 5G base stations around the airport, as is the case in many countries.



Joses Jean Baptiste, pledged to eliminate radio interference that could interfere with aeronautical communications, and promised to release spectral resources for the deployment of a radar newly acquired by OFNAC.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2023/07/13 | Source

Season 2 of the Netflix series "D.P" is coming to viewers.

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On the 13th, Netflix released the main poster and main trailer for "D.P - Season 2" (written by Kim Bo-tong, Han Jun-hee/directed by Han Jun-hee). "D.P - Season 2" is a Netflix series that tells the story of Joon-ho (Jung Hae-in) and Ho-yeol (Koo Kyo-hwan) constantly running into the reality and absurdity that still hasn't changed.

The poster released shows the reality that has still not changed and the worries and conflicts between the 103rd Infantry Division's military police investigation department, which faces absurdity. The poster, reminiscent of last season 1 "D.P"'s teaser poster, which placed a military identification tag in front of Joon-ho's face, suggests that the reality they still have to face is burdensome with photos of deserters hanging behind the four.

The trailer, which was released together, begins with D.P. Joon-ho and Ho-yeol, who received a lot of love in season 1. The two show an unchanged combination of chemistry, chasing the traces of deserters with an upgraded harmony. However, the atmosphere suddenly changes with Joon-ho's line, "How about not catching deserters?" Unlike Joon-ho, Ho-yeol, Beom-goo, and Ji-seop, whose biggest goal is to bring deserters without anything happening, the confrontation of the headquarters of the Armed Forces that is irreversible still, makes it even more hopeless. Joon-ho, who asks the question, "Then who has to handle it if it can't be helped?" deepens the question of what direction the unfinished story will flow, and what consequences their decision to no longer sit on the sidelines to change anything will bring.

"D.P - Season 2" increased the fun with a high level of completion and variety of genres, such as combining action and social accusation dramas, musical numbers, or borrowing horror genres for each episode. Koo Kyo-hwan said, "If season 1 focused on the story of deserters, season 2 focuses more on the appearance of D.P"., raising expectations for a change in D.P. who meets people with various stories.

Meanwhile, "D.P - Season 2" will be released on Netflix on the 28th.
We went through quite a lot of issues. Weve been meeting quite frequently, so its very straightforward and we can get through quite a large agenda quickly, he stated during an exclusive interview with YLE on Thursday.

PRESIDENT Sauli Niinisto says a number of issues were discussed during his meeting with US President Joe Biden in Helsinki on Thursday.

Niinisto revealed that the topics of discussion included the FinnishUS defence co-operation agreement and technological questions, such as co-operation in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and wireless communication.

Technology co-operation is also becoming a major security question. Artificial intelligence and quantum technology are taking us to something thats difficult to foresee, he said to the public broadcaster. Then theres of course our expertise in 5G and 6G, which is of interest to the US. And naturally we talked about Nato issues, memberships, the Swedish membership bid and that sort of things.

Niinisto said no details of the bilateral defence agreement were discussed and declined to comment on the timeline for the negotiations.

It wasnt even the intention that itd move forward. There are many details there, including some quite significant ones: US presence in Finland, their locations and all these kinds of questions will now come to the fore, he said. [The agreement] has been discussed throughout the spring and its a bit difficult to predict when we could get over the finish line.

He also commented briefly on the new defence plans Nato is drafting for Europe.

Now you should first keep in mind that Finland has traditionally had excellent plans for how to defend itself. Finlands situation will be taken into consideration in the regional plans that are presently being drafted. Well see how much new [the drafting] will produce, said Niinisto.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen (NCP) on Thursday told Helsingin Sanomat that Bidens visit to Helsinki is indicative of major changes.

This does clarify to everyone that the world has changed, that Finland has changed, she stated to the newspaper, drawing comparison to the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki in July 2018.

Valtonen on Wednesday conveyed an apology from the Finnish government to Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan at the Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The apology related to the racist online comments posted years ago by Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (PS).

I did indeed apologise on behalf of the government. I wanted to have a discussion with him about what has happened, Valtonen stated to YLE on Thursday. I conveyed the governments apology to him and told that the minister of finance has apologised for her past writings  which indeed are years old. We had a good discussion about that.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
The Parliament as the supreme state body must have the opportunity to gauge confidence in the government and the governments ability to function as it relates to the racism controversy [surrounding Purra], Antti Kurvinen , the head of the Centre Parliamentary Group, wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUP of the Centre is proposing that lawmakers return from their summer breaks in order to gauge confidence in Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (PS), reports Helsingin Sanomat.

Also the Green League, Left Alliance, Movement Now and Social Democrats have voiced their readiness to convene in the middle of the summer break.

Kurvinen stated that the parliamentary group concluded in its meeting that the situation is serious enough that lawmakers should be summoned from their holidays by Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (PS).

Great! Send me an e-mail or something so its down in writing somewhere. We do after all have a shared understanding of the rules: messages are transmitted directly, not through the media, responded Halla-aho.

Halla-aho viewed earlier yesterday that he sees no reason to interrupt the summer break because no parliamentary group has submitted a request to do so, adding that the speaker has no obligation to do so in response to the opposition voicing its hope for a reconvocation on the media or social media.

Although Annika Saarikko, the chairperson of the Centre, said on Wednesday that the Centre will let Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) decide whether Finland can afford to wait until the autumn, Kurvinen argued that the party has not changed its mind.

Weve had the readiness to do this, so no, our stance hasnt changed, Kurvinen told Helsingin Sanomat before the parliamentary group sat down on Thursday. But now that the speaker has made such an evasive manoeuvre, well hold a group meeting.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Aboard Carolina Cruiser, Rep. Edwards reinvents constituent service

CHEOAH RANGER DISTRICT  An avid hiker, Cal Wiederholt loves the majestic trees in the virgin forest named for Joyce Kilmer, the Trees poet.

But something about the towering and century-old tulip poplars nags at him. As much as Wiederholt loves them, he fears that other forest users are loving them to death.

Their roots have become more and more exposed over the years, he says, and the publics ability to literally hug the poplars enormous trunks may be damaging them.

The outdoors lover  his email address is mountainrapture@  appealed to the rangers at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and Nantahala National Forest, then to the U.S. Forest Service headquarters in Asheville headquarters and even a federal office in Atlanta. No success, scarcely an ear. So when Wiederholt heard the news that his newly elected congressman was bringing his mobile office to his county, he showed up.

He came to our Robbinsville stop and sat down with the congressman and brought an issue to his attention, and Chuck takes all of those meetings very seriously, says Chris Burns, Edwardss district director. Weve got two mantras that we live with every day. One is we want to be first in constituent services, so you see those signs all over the RV and all over our office. And the second thing is that we constantly talk about we want our team to have a culture of action.

To serve Cal Wiederholt and his tulip poplar grievance, the culture of action meant a two-hour grind up switchbacks and along washboard dirt roads to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest deep in the heart of Nantahala National Forest. Upon arrival, Edwardss Carolina Cruiser and Burnss Ford Explorer disgorge the congressman plus two field reps, senior caseworker (and RV driver) Lisa Wiggins and a reporter. They meet U.S. forest ranger Brian Browning, and Gary Kauffman, who serves as the botanist for all national forests in North Carolina. A half-mile hike up a narrow trail through the old-growth hardwood forest is rewarded by visits to two of the enormous hardwoods, reaching high into the forest.

You have to remember, this root structure was created when it was a seedling and that was 100 to 200 or more years ago, Kauffman says. I cant say that there isnt some impact here (from foot traffic) but how its actually affecting these trees that are really old to begin with, I dont think anybody knows.

In the end, although nothing is really settled, its not lost on Wiederholt that his congressman invested a four-hour round trip plus an hour on the ground to learn more about the poplar trees and listen to his concerns.

This is the best response Ive gotten so far, he says.

* * *

As he drove from Hendersonville to Franklin to meet the Carolina Cruiser for the first stop of the day, Burns described Edwardss approach to the job, which he won last November after he upset the controversial incumbent, Madison Cawthorn, in the Republican primary.

Although Edwards knew nothing about Wiederholt or even the Joyce Kilmer forest, he does know that the 15-county 11th Congressional District contains almost a half million acres of public land, including Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, Smoky Mountain National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and more.

The National Park Service and the National Forest Service, Burns says, due to just the sheer amount of land that is incorporated in our district, the number of jobs that the national forest and national park systems employ and the amount of ancillary businesses and tourists that they bring in to support those businesses  you better believe it would be important to him because it is incredibly important his constituents.

* * *

In downtown Franklin, the congressmans constituent services team swings into action the minute the RV pulls up on Main Street at Franklins town hall.

Field rep Lake Silver pulls out a portable table and sets it up outside the RV doors. Wiggins, the offices top military affairs caseworker, field rep Tommy Laughter and Burns mix with the 20 or so people who are already gathered. They take their names and the subject they want to talk about and create a lineup for Edwards. The process at every mobile-office visit is the same, down to how long each constituent gets to security to handing out six-ounce bottles of water. (The day the cruiser visited Franklin, town police Chief Devin Holland stood watch the entire time. There were no threats.)

In Franklin, 20 constituents met with Edwards personally, including five women advocating for a new Macon senior center, a 33-year-old Army veteran trying to get disability benefits, a young woman who favors abortion rights, and local Republican Party leaders who just wanted to meet him.

Edwardss office christened the office-on-wheels the Carolina Cruiser after asking voters to suggest a nickname. Although Chuckwagon got more votes, Edwards thought cruiser sounded more dignified.

As far as Edwards knows, his is the only RV office among all 435 members of Congress. Part of the reason was the difficulty in getting the apparatus that polices Congress members spending to understand and approve the request.

There was a great deal of ethics involvement, Edwards told me on the two-hour ride from Franklin to the Cheoah Ranger District. The biggest challenge was that I cant buy the vehicle, I can only lease it. Its considered an office. We had a very difficult time finding people  dealerships or banks  that would lease an RV because the residual value is largely unknown.

Once aides did finally make an agreement, Congresss ethics office combed the lease from soup to nuts to make sure we were doing everything ethically, that we werent receiving any political favors and that we werent offering any political favors. It was quite a high set of hurdles to get through.

* * *

As soon as he won office, Edwards says, he knew he wanted to first fix the constituent service piece of the job, which Cawthorn had left in shambles.

The general opinion in the district that I was receiving while campaigning in all 15 counties is that the people just didnt feel heard or represented, he says. And when I coupled that with the decision process and where to put offices, it occurred to me that this process that Ive seen in the past  where Ive seen congressmen lease office spaces around the district and pay to staff them  just wasnt working. They werent capable of keeping them staffed and they were expecting people to find the congressional office usually in the dark backroom of a courthouse.

I came up with the idea  lets take our staff to the people  and quickly came up with the idea we need a mobile office to do that. Its just been an out-of-the-park homerun.

Edwards seems to be more press savvy and comfortable with reporters in his new job than he was during his three terms in the state Senate. Hes won the respect of the media, particularly in small towns where reporters and editors grew weary of the whack-a-mole nature of Cawthorns gaffes, public relations stunts and firearms misdemeanors.

The media has treated us well, Edwards says. They recognize the value of it. People very much appreciate it. We got to see people today that I never would have seen otherwise. If I had put an office in the Macon County Courthouse, they would not have taken the time to find me.

On two of the more controversial topics any Republican gets asked about, Edwards responds as if a quick sidestep has become second nature.

On Trump: My focus is on being the best congressman that I can be for District 11. Ill let people of the mountains decide who they want to endorse when they go to the ballot box.

Abortion: Its not federal governments business to write those laws. Ive advocated all along that it should be left up to the states. Ive supported that. I fought for that for years.

Although he devotes time and energy to legislation, too, hed rather talk about constituent service and the team thats carrying it out.

It is, in my opinion, unmatched by any office in Washington, he says. They are confident, competent, passionate and committed to serve and I couldnt be more proud of each and every one of them.

As one of many freshman, hes no household name, nor is he a regular on Fox News, like his two most recent predecessors. Hes known for something far more prosaic but  when it comes to old growth poplars or a new senior center  arguably more important. He has rehabbed the 11th Congressional Districts functions and won respect for his accessibility.

I hear that from the district, and from people around the country, he says. I mean, a lot of folks in D.C. have been watching whats taken place.
THE world of the stage has a lot in common with that of the law. Both involve conflict and confrontation. Actors and lawyers thrive on their speech and fluency. The return of the jury with its decision is a moment of pure, theatrical tension.

So, its not surprising that plenty of plays, from Shakespeares Merchant of Venice onwards, have turned on the dramatic potential of a court of law.

The Verdict, starring Paul Newman and Charlotte Rampling, was a memorable hit film of the early Eighties. Its now been adapted for the stage by Margaret May Hobbs for the Middle Ground Theatre Company.

Washed-up Boston lawyer Frank Galvin (Jason Merrells) is scraping a thin living from ambulance-chasing. Hes middle-aged, separated from his wife and children, and the whiskey bottle is never far from his hand.

His old friend and mentor Moe Katz (Vincent Pirillo) pushes him into what the Americans would call a slam-dunk case, one which he cant lose. A medical oversight on the operating table has left a young woman in a vegetative state. The hospital authorities are ready to offer $300,000 in compensation to help with her care and the support of her young children.

At first Frank is inclined to accept, take his cut and head back to the bar. But a visit to the comatose woman changes him. He decides to fight the case, to establish the truth and win a much higher settlement.

He and Moe are up against the combined forces of the blue-blooded legal establishment and the Catholic church, which is involved in administering the hospital.

The Verdict is partly the story of how a chippy outsider and underdog goes into combat with the complacent, clubby Boston establishment. On his side he has only Moe and barmaid Donna (Reanne Farley)  and justice.

The first half of this absorbing and suspenseful play shows the build-up to the trial, the search for expert witnesses, the manoeuvring of both sides for advantage.

The second act takes place almost entirely inside the courtroom, supervised by a grouchy, partial judge (Richard Walsh, who deftly doubles as the Boston bishop).

Are there surprise twists, betrayals and revelations before the satisfying conclusion? Yes, of course. But this courtroom drama isnt only about justice. Its about redemption and the possibility of a man regaining his self-respect and sense of purpose.

Under the direction of Michael Lunney, who also plays a couple of parts, The Verdict kept the Playhouse audience gripped and entertained. This jury returned a very favourable verdict.
Ahmed Alis Twilight in Delhi (1940) was the first significant Muslim novel to be published in English. Its about a family in old Delhi during the first two decades of the 20th century depicting a national, political and cultural decay and its impact on the lives of Indian Muslims. It was seeped in nostalgia  for the Mughal past of the city before the British, for Persian and Urdu poetry. A view of Old Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

In the decades since, there have been only a handful of notable Delhi novels. There arent too many on the lived Muslim experience in Indian English writing, and there arent enough good modern Indian middle-class family novels either.

288pp, 699; Bloomsbury Publishing

Anjum Hasans new novel Historys Angel is all of these things. Its about the life and anxieties of a Muslim schoolteacher in Delhi and his family  set in 2019 leading up to the citizenship bill protests. Its excellent cast of characters are drawn out with incisive clarity and wit. The city too is described perfectly with its neighbourhoods  old Delhi, Okhla, Jamia Nagar, Mehrauli, Noida  leaping out like minor characters as its protagonist wanders through them.

Alif is the quintessential Purani Dilli man who lives with his head in the clouds of the past. He teaches history and it is all he thinks about; its all he talks about; and it takes up half the novel.

The meat is in the other half.

Alifs wife, for instance. Tahira is ambitious and acerbic. She works long hours at a supermarket while pursuing an MBA.

Tahira dislikes the assumption that because she is Muslim and a woman she must be a great cook. Her colleagues at the supermarket treat her, whenever Eid comes around, as a source of biryani and kababs, an expectation that raises her hackles sky high.Is this all we are? she asks Alif.Bawarchis? Poetry-spouting fools with minced mutton coming out of our ears, thinking only of Allah and pining only for bahisht between mouthfuls of zafrani pulao?

A major source of contention between couples in Old Delhi is Old Delhi itself: So Alif is attached to the smallest floral detail in a lintel and Tahira cant wait to, is determined to, move out.

But not to her in-laws in Jamia Nagar. Alifs father Mahtab is a retired cop who barely ever stepped inside the kitchen but distracts himself from the news by watching cooking shows. His mother Shagufta, a paramedic, clucks over the suffering of women (whose life she is determined to improve) and small girls in headscarves, a new sartorial epidemic she neither approves of nor understands.

The question blares on TV: What does it mean, sir, to be a Muslim in contemporary India? and Hasan shows her characters engaging with it, the idea of Muslimness, in the distressing contemporary climate.

Alifs cousin Mir, a journalist, rues how, less than a hundred years ago, we were writers with pens of fire, we were brilliant socialists  think Faiz, think Manto  dreaming of world revolution Now we write scared books about being mistaken for terrorists and about our children being mocked in school. Ahmad, who works at Mahtab and Shaguftas house, has been dreaming about Babri Masjid, suffering for not putting my forehead on the walls of that mosque so that theyd have to kill me first to get to it  and determined to take a loan to go on pilgrimage to Mecca.

And, In recent years Alif has had to eat his biryani always anxious that his wife and his father might approach rudeness over that burning topic, the only one they ever discuss  Muslims. Its always Muslims they talk about  people who are them but also not them, a body of sufferers out there regarding whose suffering these two have come up with completely different diagnoses.

His aunt Amina thinks none of this is new and brings up the Prophets whole clan, which was boycotted by his tribesmen, the Quraysh. Is that not the same thing?

In the past five or so years, a variety of experiences of Indian Muslims have been explored in non-fiction: Neyaz Farooquees An Ordinary Mans Guide to Radicalism; Nazia Erums Mothering a Muslim; Ghazala Wahabs Born a Muslim: Some Truths about Islam; Salman Khurshids At Home in India: The Muslim Saga. More are underway. In 2019, Annie Zaidi wrote about the anxieties of rising nationalism in her excellent debut novel Prelude to a Riot.

In an interview on her publishers website, Hasan has said she wanted to write a novel about what this might feel like on the insidewhere joy in a new pair of shoes can override bad news politically, and where ambivalence is as strong a force as despair. In this, she is successful. Historys Angel is an important book. It is a counter to disinformation and historical distortion, and a novelised record of our times.

It is also a busy novel; theres a lot else happening in it. Alifs job is in peril because the new principal has taken offence to, among other things, bringing too much Muslim history into this school. He spends his free time drinking with his best friend Ganesh and daydreaming about an old crush theyve gotten back in touch with. Theres his cousins swanky new shoe store, his son, his colleagues and students, an old professor, potential landlords, Ganeshs parents. Every character in the novel is intriguing and tackled with humour, compassion and precision. But none of them gets enough space. Its taken up by kings, saints, philosophers and poets. Hundreds of men dug up from thousands of years of history of India and beyond. Everything transports Alif back in time and makes him ponder over some historical figure or event. When he isnt thinking about it, hes engaged in a historical or philosophical debate with one of the other characters in the novel.

Author Anjum Hasan (HT Photo)

History is the heavyweight and it hangs over everything. That may well have been the intention  history as a character, sure, but it feels more like a crutch. The philosophising, the contemplation, the poetry, the romance and the nostalgia is too digressive. It all comes in the way of the narrative.

Each part of Hasans novel is terrific on its own, the characters are compelling, the setting painfully accurate and the sentences shine. Ultimately, though, it feels too stiff; like a semi-novel or a composition glued together by history, too much history, encyclopaedic insertions of history.

I thought of what Rushdies Saleem Sinai said in Midnights Children, Is this an Indian disease, this urge to encapsulate the whole of reality?

Saudamini Jain is an independent journalist. She lives in New Delhi.
An excursion into history The pick of interesting reads of the week includes a look at the hidden history of opium in India, China and Britain, the story of the liberation of Goa, and a biography of a great wildlife writer and hunter of man-eating tigers (HT Team)

397pp, 699; HarperCollins (A travelogue, a memoir and an excursion into history, both economic and cultural.)

When Amitav Ghosh began his research for the Ibis Trilogy some 20 years ago, he was startled to find how the lives of the nineteenth-century sailors and soldiers he wrote of were dictated not only by the currents of the Indian Ocean, but also by a precious commodity carried in enormous quantities on those currents: opium. Most surprising of all was the discovery that his own identity and family history were swept up in the story.

Smoke and Ashes is at once a travelogue, a memoir and an excursion into history, both economic and cultural. Ghosh traces the transformative effect the opium trade had on Britain, India and China, as well as on the world at large. Engineered by the British Empire, which exported opium from India to sell in China, the trade and its revenues were essential to the Empires survival. Upon deeper exploration, Ghosh finds opium at the origins of some of the worlds biggest corporations, several of Americas most powerful families and institutions, and contemporary globalism itself. In India the long-term consequences were even more profound.

Moving deftly between horticultural histories, the mythologies of capitalism and the social and cultural repercussions of colonialism, Smoke and Ashes reveals the pivotal role one small plant has played in the making of the world as we know it - a world that is now teetering on the edge of catastrophe.*

On how Goa became part of India

391pp, 699; Penguin (The entire story of Operation Vijay and the liberation of Goa)

The subject of the liberation of Goa in 1961 and its integration into the Indian Union in 1962 is sparsely understood at best and misunderstood at worst. What were the events that led to the 36-hour military operation  possibly the first since Independence that occurred entirely at Indias initiative? What was the political climate within Goa? What role did Goans themselves play?

In this gripping account, former journalist Valmiki Faleiro covers a wide canvas in detail, including the entire story of Operation Vijay, the events that preceded it and those that followed. The diplomatic efforts, the arguments, the run-up, the build-up, the actual ops and their aftermath in Goa, within India and internationally  all of it is vividly related in this nuanced telling. Faleiro lucidly outlines the prevailing political atmosphere and its changing character, the part played by indigenous independence movements and freedom fighters leading to the liberation of Goa, and the impact of its consequent assimilation into India.

Extensively researched, Goa, 1961 is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian history.*

The Life of Jim Corbett

260pp, Rs399; HarperCollins (A biography of an unassuming individual who hunted down man-eating tigers and was an evocative writer on wildlife in India)

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, man-eating tigers and leopards ravaged the population of Kumaon, killing villagers in large numbers. For example, the Champawat man-eater had killed over 434 people in six years, and the Panar man-eater over 400. Jim Corbett became a hero for thousands of families in the region when he answered their appeals to end this menace. Born in Nainital and fluent in the local dialects, Corbett trained himself in the local jungles spread across hundreds of square kilometres to become patient beyond endurance, and an excellent shot. He was also an evocative writer on wildlife in India, whose books are still read with delight all over the world, and a conservationist whose legacy is still celebrated.Duff Hart-Davis threads together the biography of this very private, unassuming individual, who held a day job as a clerk in the Indian Railways. Often, through Corbetts own written word, the author highlights his adventures in sequence and in context, bringing the Hero of Kumaon to life once again.*

All copy from book flap.

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates  Business Wire India

The UAE-based Travel Saga Company is the proud recipient of the Tripadvisors Travelers Choice 2023 Award for Top Overall Experiences for the UAE region. This award has been the outcome of tireless work by the staff of the company and their dedication towards providing the best of customer experiences.



This award is a celebration of the efforts of those businesses on whom travellers from around the world heap praises on Tripadvisor in the last 1 year. The past year had been a challenging one, what with the tourism sector slowly emerging from the ravages of the Covid-19 days. However, Travel Saga was distinct from its competitors by being consistent in their service delivery  thus ensuring unbroken positive experiences for those tourists who are in quest of unique travel experiences & adventures.



Tripadvisor mentions that this award is recognition of premier quality service providers in the world of hospitality & tourism. And this award is based on the ratings & feedback provided by the most important stakeholders  the travellers. Travel Saga is the consistency in providing top-of-the-line services, thus ensuring a high-end traveller experience. Be it the use of improved technologies, heightened safety & hygiene standards, or sparing no expenses to recruit the most competent members of staff  Travel Saga has been able to create an extremely positive impression in the minds of the deciding members of Tripadvisor.



On behalf of Travel Saga, Mr. Jeetu Sainani has stated with all humbleness that this award wont make him and his staff too proud of themselves, rather, it will goad them to achieve even higher standards of service delivery. Mr. Jeetu Sainani said that this award was a welcome recognition of the incessant efforts put in by every staff member of Travel Saga (sister website: https://thedesertsafariindubai.com/) as the industry was emerging from the unprecedented pandemic days.



Mr. Jeetu Sainani also said that this award was an apt vindication of the commitment & dedication exhibited by the staff of Travel Saga.



Travel Saga is a leading tour operator, based in UAE. It offers a wide range of tourist friendly luxury & mid-range tour packages, customized to suit every traveller category. Managed by experienced & highly competent tour managers, Travel Saga is the go-to option for travellers seeking a personalized, enriching, and fulfilling trip experience of the UAE.
In India, oil marketing companies (OMCs)  Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, and Indian Oil  review petrol and diesel prices on daily basis, with the rates, whether new or constant, announced at 6am each day. Accordingly, on Friday, the OMCs kept fuel prices unchanged across most major cities, with minor revision seen in case of individual cities. Representational Image

In fact, petrol and diesel prices have been steady since May 21 last year, when the previous pan-nation revision to these was carried out.

Petrol and diesel prices in major cities

In Delhi, a litre each of petrol and diesel continues to be sold at 96.72 and 89.62 respectively, while in Mumbai, a litre of petrol continues to be available for 106.31, and diesel, 94.27. In Kolkata, customers must pay 106.03 for one litre of petrol, and 102.63 in Chennai. For an equal quantity of diesel in these two cities, you will have to pay 92.76 and 94.24 respectively.

City Petrol price (per litre) Diesel price (per litre) Ahmedabad  96.42  92.17 Bengaluru  101.94  87.89 Chandigarh  98.65  88.95 Gurugram  97.04  89.91 Hyderabad  109.66  97.82 Jaipur  108.16  93.43 Lucknow  96.57  89.76 Noida  96.65  89.82

It must, however, also be noted that fuel rates vary from state-to-state. This is because of factors such as value-added tax (VAT), freight charges, local taxes, etc.

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said he would retire from politics if it is proved that he has taken bribe for transfer of officials. He termed as 'figment of imagination' JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamys allegation that transfer business was going on in a big way under the Congress-led government in the state. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. (PTI)

I will retire from politics if anyone says that I took money for transfers. I object to the accusations made by Kumaraswamy and Bommai. I never transferred anyone in my department, he said during a discussion in the Assembly on Governor Thaawarchand Gehlots address to the joint session. Siddaramaiah also said he has asked his cabinet colleagues to ensure that there was no corruption in their departments.

READ | Amid increased demand, Karnataka govt to buy 4000 new buses, hire 13,000 officials to transport dept

The accusation of corruption in transfers is a figment of imagination because there is nothing else to speak against my government, the CM said. He also said Kumaraswamy was levelling charges because the five poll guarantees namely Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyoti, Yuva Nidhi, Shakti and Anna Bhagya have created a sense of political insecurity for the JDS leader. Siddaramaiah told the House that he has ordered a probe into the illegalities that took place during the BJP government.

However, former CM Basavaraj Bommai demanded investigation into the illegalities since 2013, he added. When we say that there was corruption in the previous government, their standard reply is wasnt there corruption in the Congress government? Siddaramaiah said.

READ | Karnataka CM, DCM stage 'silent protest' against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

Siddaramaiah took a swipe at the BJP, which was in power for nearly four months from July 2019 to May 2023 but did not prove any corruption charges against the Congress government headed by him from 2013 to 2018. You could not prove that corruption took place during my previous term (as Chief Minister). This shows that no corruption had taken place in our previous government, he said.

During the discussion, the Chief Minister slammed the BJP-led Centre for not allowing the Food Corporation of India to sell rice to Karnataka to implement the 'Anna Bhagya' scheme. Condemning the allegation, the BJP legislators raised slogans against the Congress and staged a walkout. The motion of thanks to the Governors address to the joint session was passed in the assembly.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Rupinder Singh on Friday extended the ban on unauthorised pasting of police, army and other such VIP tags on vehicles for two months. As per the DCP, anti-social elements and criminals can take advantage of such tags, causing a threat to law-and-order situation in the city. Ban on pasting police, other VIP tags on vehicles extended at Ludhiana. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Carrying sand in uncovered vehicles banned

The DCP also banned carrying of sand in uncovered vehicles for the safety of commuters. He said winds often lift sand from uncovered vehicles in the air, causing inconvenience to commuters. He added that it can also lead to mishaps. He ordered the drivers to cover their vehicles with tarpaulin or by other means. The police chief banned ferrying people on vehicles meant for loading material as it can cause mishaps and loss of life.

No liquor consumption in open

Singh also announced the ban the consumption of alcohol in the open dhabas, shops and other public places. He said inebriated people often indulge in fights, disrupting law-and-order in the area.

Petrol pumps, gas agencies directed to install CCTVs

The DCP ordered owners of petrol pumps, LPG gas agencies, marriage palaces and money exchange shops to install CCTV cameras in the premises within 30 days. He said that the establishments can be targeted by miscreants and asked them to be more vigilant to avoid such incidents.

Shopkeepers to keep record of buyers of army printed clothes

The DCP ordered the shopkeepers to keep a record of buyers of army print clothes and uniform under Section 144 of CrPC. He said that if the shopkeepers who sell army print clothes do not keep record, anti-social elements can exploit the situation for their gains. The DCP directed the shopkeepers to keep pictures, identification proof and phone numbers of buyers of army print clothes. The shopkeepers will have to keep a record of the stock and submit it with concerned police stations.

No loudspeakers after 10 pm

The DCP also announced the extension of the ban on playing loud music and DJ between 10 pm and 6 am, citing exams of students.

He said that the permission should be sought for playing DJ and loudspeakers in any function between 10 pm to 6 am. As per the DCP, loud music at night disturbs elderly persons, those suffering some illness, and animals and birds.

ATMs without guards to be locked after 8 pm

The DCP directed the banks to depute security guards at all automated teller machine (ATM) kiosks.

Issuing the order under Section 144 of the CrPC, he ordered for at least one security guard be deputed at all ATMs between 8pm and 6am. He said that ATMs without security guards will not be allowed to operate.

All the orders will remain in effect for two months.

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The Ludhiana rural police bagged the first position in crime control and disposal of cases in a contest held between three police districts  including Ludhiana rural, Khanna and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr) under the jurisdiction of the inspector general of police, (IG, Ludhiana range). The winners were felicitated with awards during a ceremony held in Jagraon on Friday. Ludhiana rural police tops in crime control, disposal of cases. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to the IGP, Ludhiana Range Kaustubh Sharma, a team of officials collected the data of complaints disposed of, supervisory notes (zimni) given, FIR registered and criminals arrested, recoveries made under the NDPS Act and regarding public dealing works in April and May 2023. The team evaluated the data and on the basis of the data, the winners were selected and awarded.

He said that the motive behind the contest is to improve the policing and to boost morale of the personnel.

The IGP said that Ludhiana rural, Khanna and SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr) under the jurisdiction of Ludhiana range and in the competition, Ludhiana rural bagged first position in crime control and disposal, Khanna police stood first in public services (CPRC) while SBS Nagar clinched first position in narcotics control. The SSPs of all three police districts were awarded.

Among sub-divisions, Banga sub-division from SBS Nagar police was the best performing sub-division followed by subdivision Samrala of Khanna police and subdivision Dakha of the Ludhiana rural police.

The IGP also awarded some individual police-posts in-charge, munshi and Saanjh Kendra in-charge for their performance.

During the period, the Ludhiana police have lodged a total of 67 cases and traced 54 out of it, which is 84.59% of the registered cases. Khanna police have traced 48 out of 70 cases, while 22 cases are untraced. Similarly, SBS Nagar police have traced 35 out of 48 cases. 13 cases are untraced.

The IG stated that the Ludhiana rural police have traced five out of six murder cases reported in April and May. Khanna police have traced two out of three murder cases. Similarly, SBS Nagar Police have traced all two murder cases.

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The City Raikot police arrested three Nihangs for a murder bid on a clerk of Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib in Raikot. The accused assaulted the victim with sharp- edged weapons and sticks when he was returning home. Three Nihangs held for murder bid on gurdwara clerk at Ludhiana. (HT FILE)

The arrested accused have been identified as Prem Singh of Raikot, Gurjit Singh of Jhordan village and Boota Singh of Boparai Khurd, while one of their aides is yet to be identified.

The FIR has been lodged following the statement of Harpreet Singh alias Happy of Raikot, who is a clerk at Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib. The complainant stated that the accused ran a makeshift juice counter on the main gate of the gurdwara and used to interfere in the functioning of the gurdwara. He deterred the accused from doing so following which they nursed a rivalry against him.

The complainant added that on Thursday when he was returning home, the accused followed him to the bus stand. They intercepted him on his way and assaulted him with sharp-edged weapons and sticks. When people gathered at the spot, the accused managed to flee.

Inspector Davinder Singh, SHO at City Raikot Police station, said the police lodged an FIR under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 324, 323, 341, 506 and 34 of the IPC against the accused. The police have arrested three of the accused, while their aide is yet to be identified.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday approved the advance release of 180 crore as the Central share of the state disaster response fund (SDRF) to flood-hit Himachal Pradesh. BJP national chief Jagat Prakash Nadda, state president Rajiv Bindal, Union minister Anurag Thakur and ex-CM Jai Ram Thakur inspect flood-affected areas in Mandi on Friday. (Birbal Sharma/HT)

The release of funds will help the state government undertake relief measures for affected people during the monsoon, said an official statement issued here.

The home minister approved the advance release of the second installment of the central share of the SDRF, amounting to 180.40 crore for 2023-24, as an interim relief to Himachal Pradesh, it said.

To support those affected in Himachal Pradesh, the Central government had released the first installment of the Central share of 180.40 crore to the state from the SDRF on July 10 for relief measures immediate in nature.

Nadda visits flood-hit Mandi, Kullu

Shimla

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda visited flood-hit Mandi and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh and assured all possible assistance from the Centre in rescue and relief efforts.

He was accompanied by leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, Union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur and BJP state president Rajeev Bindal.

Nadda visited Panchvaktra temple in Mandi, the centuries-old iconic Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, which withstood the fury of the mighty Beas, to take stock of the damage to the historical structure.

Nadda also visited Pandoh of the flood-affected Mandi area and inquired about the well-being of the affected people. He also assured the people of providing all possible help from the Centre in this hour of distress.

Nadda said the Centre was aware of the gravity of the situation and is in constant touch with the state government

Union government is committed provide every possible help to the state authorities and affected people, he said.

He said as far as relief work is concerned, 13 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the state for carrying out rescue and relief works.

From an economic point of view, Himachal Pradesh will definitely get the help of the Centre.

Nadda said Prime Minister Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have spoken to chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur to take stock of the situation.

He said the Centre has also sent MI 17 helicopters to carry out rescue operations. Despite, the adverse condition, the emergency workers have done exceptional work and are evacuating people from far off places, he said.
Several major areas, including ITO and Rajghat, near the Yamuna river in New Delhi continued to witness a flood-like situation on Friday following heavy rainfall and spate in the river for the past few days. However, according to the Central Water Commission, the water level of the Yamuna river was receding in the national capital as it was recorded at 208.4 metres at the Old Railway Bridge at 9am on Friday against 208.66 metres at 8pm last night, which was the highest ever recorded. At 11.45am Thursday, the downstream gauge of the Yamuna at Okhla Barrage reached the danger level of 200.60 metres. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Yamuna's water level at 8am stood at 208.42 metres. At 7am on Friday, the water level was 208.44 meters at the Old Railway Bridge. The water level decreased to 208.46 metres at 6am, but continuously remains over the danger mark of 205.33.

According to the Central Water Commission website, the Yamuna water level will further decrease to 208.3 metres at 1pm.

The water level of Yamuna river was receding in the national capital on Friday.

Delhi Minister Atishi said it's a good news is that the water level is not rising.

It was stable from 1pm to 7pm yesterday and it is receding very gradually now. But it is receding at a rate of 0.1 metre so it will take a day's time for the water to recede. Water is entering areas because all drains are full and it is backflow that is flooding the areas, she said.

"Pumping out is not possible now because the water will have to go to Yamuna itself and its water level is already high...This difficulty is not due to a person or situation but due to incessant heavy rainfall in north India. Good thing is that the water is receding slowly," she added.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted that Delhi will likely receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms for the next four-five days.

On Friday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Delhi government is taking all measures to ensure that there are no barriers to the exit of water entering the capital.

Even though Yamuna's water level began to recede, areas in ITO and Rajghat were submerged on Friday as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage near Indraprastha, exacerbating the already dire situation.

Yamuna floodwaters even reach the Supreme Court

The floodwaters even reached the Supreme Court, located in the Tilak Marg area in the central part of the city.

Delhi cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of the damage to the regulator on priority and resolve the problem.

"Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at regulator of drain no. 12 near WHO building. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The government has directed the chief secretary to take it up on highest priority," he said in a tweet.

The compromised regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back towards the city areas.

The flooding in ITO and Rajghat areas has led the authorities to impose curbs on movement of traffic.

A total of 23,692 people were evacuated on Thursday from the adjacent areas of the Yamuna in Delhi, as the water level is still surpassing the danger mark, an official statement said.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aniruddha Dhar Have 11 years' experience in print and digital media. Write on politics, defence and world affairs, and have a keen eye for human-interest stories. ...view detail
The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi decreased to 208.46 metres at 6am on Friday, but continuously remains over the danger mark of 205.33. A total of 23,692 people were evacuated on Thursday from the adjacent areas of the Yamuna River in Delhi, an official statement said. An NDRF team conducts a rescue operation on Ring Road in New Delhi on Thursday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Roads turned into rivers and water gushed into houses, medical facilities, crematoriums and shelter homes in Delhi as the Yamuna river water level rose to a record high.

Top updates on the Delhi flood:

1. Several key areas in Delhi, including the secretariat which houses the offices of the chief minister as well as his cabinet colleagues, were flooded on Thursday as authorities scrambled to lead rescue and relief efforts. On Friday morning, waterlogging continued near Rajghat due to the rise in water level in Yamuna river after heavy rain. On ITO road, people face problems due to waterlogging.

2. On Thursday night, Yamuna flood water reached close to the Supreme Court due to the possible backflow of water from drains. Some portions of Mathura Road and Bhagwan Das road near the Supreme Court were flooded.

3. Authorities closed all schools and colleges till July 16 and ban the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services.

4. Delhi is staring at a drinking water shortage as the Delhi government decided to cut down supply by 25 per cent following the closure of three water treatment plants -- Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla -- due to the rising level of the Yamuna.

5. Although the Yamuna water level remained stable for three hours on Thursday, it started rising again to reach 208.66 by 7pm, three metres above the danger mark.

6. Chief minister Arvind Kekriwal said that entry of heavy vehicles, except those providing essential services have been banned. He also requested the Delhiites, residing in flood-affected areas, to not leave their houses if not essential.

7. The Outer Ring Road near the Red Fort, Vishwakarma Colony, Yamuna Bazar, ISBT bus terminus, Kashmere Gate, Shankaracharya Road, Majnu Ka Tila, Batla House, Kirari and Kingsway Camp were among other areas that were inundated.

8. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday issued an advisory asking people not to go to Nigambodh Ghat to carry out last rites. The crematorium in Geeta Colony too was closed due to the rise in Yamuna water levels.

9. The Archaeological Survey of India on Thursday announced that Red Fort will remain closed for the general public and visitors from the second half of July 13 to July 14 due to heavy monsoon and rainfall in the national capital.

10. Twelve National Disaster Response Force teams, equipped with inflatable boats, ropes and other equipment continued with the rescue and evacuation work along with Delhi Fire Service and police on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the water treatment plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal will resume functioning by Saturday morning if the Yamuna water level recedes to 207.7 metres. Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal inspects Wazirabad water plant after flooding forces 3 water plants Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla have been shut down due to the rising water levels of the Yamuna river in New Delhi on Thursday. (HT PHOTO)

Visiting the ITO barrage, where five of the 32 games are jammed, obstructing the drainage of water from Delhi, he said, "The Navy is working to open them but it cannot be said when these will be opened."

"The Haryana government is responsible for their maintenance but they have no interest. We will surely begin the process to take control of the barrage," Kejriwal told reporters.

Three water treatment plants were shut down on Thursday due to the rising Yamuna water level, the chief minister said, adding the Okhla water treatment plant resumed operation on Friday.

"The Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants will be started by Saturday morning if the water levels recede to 207.7 metres," he added.

Stressing that everyone should work together towards mitigation of the flood crisis, Kejriwal said this is not the time for a blame game.

Asked when the situation will normalise in Delhi, he said there is a possibility of rain in the next two days. "If there is no rain, the situation will return to normal in a couple of days," the chief minister said.

He expressed sadness over the death of three boys in Mukundpur and cautioned people against bathing in the river which is in spate.
Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday inspected the site of the damaged drain regulator that inundated the arterial Vikas Marg, one of the lifelines of east Delhi linking the trans-Yamuna region to the rest of the Capital, and ITO. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (HT PHOTO)

Saxena said teams from the army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Delhi Jal Board, and the irrigation and flood control were working to fix the problem on a war footing basis. I am confident that we will see some positive results in the next four to five hours, said Saxena.

He added sandbags were being placed to halt the flow of water. We are also placing boulders to create a temporary embankment. ...Since the flow of the Yamuna is very strong, we need to ensure water does not flow deeper into the city.

Kejriwal echoed Saxena saying the government was hopeful of a quick solution with efforts underway since Thursday night. One plate of the regulator got bent completely and we are now repairing it...We feel work should get completed in the next three to four hours, he said. He said irrigation and flood control minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has been at the site since Thursday night and the army and NDRF have joined the repair work.

Bhardwaj told Saxena that he made several requests to officers on Thursday night to bring in the NDRF, but the agency was deployed only on Friday morning. We thank you...but had NDRF reached at night, it would have been better.

Saxena said this was not the right time to blame others. Right now, we need to work on this problem and need teamwork. I can also say a lot of things, but it will only make the situation worse, Saxena said.
Delhiites continued to face traffic woes on Thursday as several parts of the national capital near Yamuna were flooded due to the overflowing river. A regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department has also suffered damage near the Indraprastha bus stand and the WHO Building on Drain No 12, exacerbating the already dire situation. The damaged regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back towards the city. National Disaster Response Force personnel rescue people from flooded waters at Jaitpur Khadda in New Delhi on Thursday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The flood water has inundated the Ring Road from Majnu ka Tila up to Rajghat and adjacent areas, affecting the traffic movement on the stretch.

The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory on Thursday on the restrictions and the regulation of vehicular movement as harried commuters struggled to reach their destinations.

According to the latest update available, vehicular movement on Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover has been prohibited due to the overflow of drain water near the WHO Building. The traffic movement has been closed on Bhairon Road due to the overflow of drain water near the Railway Under Bridge.

The traffic movement has been impaired on Mahatma Gandhi Marg -- between the IP flyover and the Chandgi Ram Akhara and the Kalighat Mandir and the Delhi Secretariat -- and on the Outer Ring Road between the Wazirabad Bridge and the Chandgi Ram Akhara.

The Pragati Maidan tunnel, meanwhile, has been opened for vehicular traffic after remaining closed for four days due to waterlogging.

While the non-destined commercial vehicles will not be allowed entry into Delhi, the commercial vehicles will also be diverted from Mukarba Chowk.

No commercial vehicles will be allowed between Mukarba Chowk and Wazirabad Bridge, the advisory stated.

The commercial vehicles will also be diverted from Sarai Kale Khan. No such vehicles will be allowed between Sarai Kale Khan and the IP flyover. They will be diverted from the Ghazipur border as well as from Akshardham towards DND. No such vehicles will be allowed between Akshardham and Sarai Kale Khan, it added.

Interstate buses coming from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand will stop at the Singhu border instead of ISBT Kashmere Gate.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT News Desk Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail
The road leading to ITO and Rajghat were among new parts of the city to go under waist-deep waters after drains that emptied into the Yamuna began flowing back on Friday, even as the swollen river itself began receding but only by fractions of a metre every hour. A man walks through a flooded alley at a residential colony, after water rose from the river Yamuna due to heavy monsoon rain,(REUTERS)

Since last weekend, an unusually intense monsoon has poured misery onto the city, first by waterlogging streets on July 8 and 9, when the city received 125% of its monthly quota of rain in just two days. The heavy rains in the hill states then swelled the Yamuna to record levels, 208.66m on July 13, which swept over embankments and reached the farthest into the city it has in over four decades.

Also read: Delhi locals flee inundated homes, clutching their pets

At least 23,000 people have been evacuated, with losses to homes, businesses and earnings running into crores, and two of the citys four arterial links with its populous eastern localities across the river lying mostly snapped.

Then came Friday, when the citys proverbial cup of woes spilled over to the doorsteps of the Supreme Court, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, and the busiest intersection of the city, ITO, as water in at least half a dozen drains back flowed, creating pools of muddy, stinking water.

This led to massive traffic spillovers on other connections to central Delhi from east Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad as Vikas Marg and the Ring Road from Nizamuddin Bridge to ITO were cut off.

There will be relief in store for the citizens of Delhi in the coming few hours as the water levels in the Yamuna river have started to recede. Last night it was 208.66 metres and today it is 208.38 metres. But there is a possibility of rain tomorrow, said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, adding that he was hopeful of the flooding in the river  the trigger for the most acute problems at present  to relent.

Yamuna receded to 207.98 metre at 10pm on Friday, down from the peak of 208.66 metre  highest in recorded history  at 8pm on Thursday. According to projections, it was set to fall further, but still remain at least two metre above the danger level on Saturday.

Weather officials of the India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for the weekend, saying they expected light to moderate rain which, experts separately added, could worsen the flooding.

Normally, such spells are not sufficient to lead to an increase in the water level, but we are likely to see waterlogging across the city as most drains are currently full and have no outlet. The stormwater drains could start spilling out, with them taking longer than normal to drain out, said Bhim Singh Rawat, a Yamuna conservation activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

Officials and personnel of the Indian Army were racing to fix a broken flow regulator at Drain No. 12, where the water backflow from the river had reached the countrys top court. To prevent water from flowing into the city, we are trying to create a dam, said Saurabh Bharadwaj, Delhis flood control and irrigation minister, adding that sacks would be stacked up to achieve this.

The two power centres in the Capital  the lieutenant governors office and the elected government led by the chief minister  clashed over Drain No 12.

Delhi LG VK Saxena and CM Kejriwal visited ITO to take stock of the repair work for which the Delhi government later called in the Indian Army. LG Saxena and irrigation and flood control minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has a bitter exchange on camera when they were interacting with the media after inspecting the situation.

As the LG and CM addressed the media on Friday morning, Bhardwaj said the support from NDRF teams came late. Thank you, the situation would have been better had the NDRF reached the spot last night itself. I kept calling the teams for help all night but did not get any response till the morning. Meanwhile our teams worked all night without a wink of sleep, he said.

Responding to the comment, the LG said: I would like to tell you that this is not the time to resort to a blame game or point fingers at each other. I, too, can say a lot of things

Before the worsening on Friday, the floods had already touched the rear ramparts of the Red Fort and inundated one of the citys main bus terminals at Kashmere Gate. The Ring Road, built partly over land reclaimed from what used to be floodplains a century ago, was shut for the thirdday on Friday near Kashmere Gate.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP has manufactured floods to defame the Arvind Kejriwal government. In case of a flood, water is released from Hathnikund towards Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi in balanced quantities. But from July 9 to 13, all the water was released towards Delhi. Had water been released equally towards all the three states, the areas of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh adjacent to the Yamuna would have been safe, Sanjay Singh said at a press conference.

Executive engineer of the Haryana irrigation and water resources department Sandeep Kumar said the CWC water sharing-formula is adopted only when the flow of water comes down below 1 lakh cusecs. According to the formula, in that scenario, 15,000 cusecs is discharged into western canal and 2,000 cusecs into eastern canal and remaining flows into main Yamuna.

If the flow of water exceeds 1 lakh cusecs, there will be no flow into the western and eastern canals and the entire water is to be discharged into the main Yamuna as two canals cannot withhold the high flow of water, he said.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said the Delhi government has not done work on cleaning the Yamuna and the drains, due to which the river has a shallower bed. Arvind Kejriwal should understand that political leaders do not decide when and how much water will be released from any barrage or dam, but technical administrative officers take such a call, Sachdeva said.

Kejriwal did not react directly on the political blame game but said the BJP should not engage in politics at this time. I do not want to respond to whatever the BJP is saying, he said during ITO inspection.

Citizens in worst-hit areas said they were marooned. The flood water has completely submerged multiple colony roads near Lala Lajpat Rai Park in Mukherjee Nagar. It is difficult for us to walk out. The situation has not improved even though water is reportedly receding. It has raised the fear of disease also, said Neelima Shankar, a resident of the colony.

Also read: Water from Haryana barrage sent to Delhi intentionally: AAP's Sanjay Singh

Among the important buildings still affected are Central Revenues Building housing the Income Tax Department office, the School of Planning and Architect, the old headquarters of the Delhi Police, and the Public Works Department (PWD), Mukherjee Nagar police station, Sushrut Trauma Centre, Delhi government observation home and Blind School in Kingsway Camp, Kashmere Gate ISBT.

There was, however, some respite on the horizon with regards to the water supply situation. Kejriwal said the Okhla water treatment had been restarted as the rivers level relented.
Union minister for civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday inaugurated the fourth runway at Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. With this, the airport became the first in India to have four runways. An aircraft takes off from the newly inaugurated fourth runway of the IGI airport, in New Delhi on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT)

Scindia also inaugurated Indias first eastern cross taxiway (ECT) that will connect the northern part of the airfield to the southern side.

Inaugurating the fourth runway, the Union minister said that the new runway is expected to boost the capacity at the airport.

This fourth runway makes Delhi airport the only one in the country to have four runways. This runway increases the throughput capacity of the Delhi airport from roughly 1,400-1,500 air traffic movements (ATMs) per day to almost 2,000 ATMs per day, Scindia said.

Scindia also said that he has asked the Delhi airport operator  the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL)  to launch the fourth terminal by October. The next challenge which I have put before them is to ensure that the fourth terminal is also operational by October prior to the onset of the rush season, the minister said.

Pointing that the new runway, along with the new terminal, will allow Delhi airport to cater to 109 million passengers yearly, Scindia said that the countrys civil aviation sector is witnessing the beginning of the growth phase and that the sector is contributing to the economic rise of India.

This runway, along with the terminal expansion, will add to creating capacity to serve more than 109 million people throughput which would crest and beat even Atlanta in its capability, he said.

There will come a time in India... in the next three years or four years, where our fleet capacity will grow from the current 720 to almost 1,500 aircraft..., he said.

Meanwhile, Scindia also inaugurated the eastern cross taxiway (ECT) which officials said will reduce taxi time for aircraft and help passengers deplane within 12 minutes of landing.

With the ECT and the fourth runway you will see a reduction of almost 55,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission on an annual basis, Scindia said.

He said that the civil aviation sector today is not only contributing to the transportation and the infrastructure sector in India but is also a key enabler in the rise of Indias economic power.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Neha LM Tripathi I am a principal correspondent with the national political bureau of the Hindustan Times. I track the aviation and railways ministry. I also write on travel trends. I cover the beats at the national level for the newspaper. Before being in Delhi, I have worked as a journalist in Mumbai as well. My hobbies include trekking and travelling. ...view detail
The movement of traffic remained disrupted while it was closed in many areas across Delhi on Friday due to the overflowing of drains and the flooding of the Yamuna River. Delhi traffic cops near Rajghat diverting commuters amid flooding (Twitter/@dtptraffic)

Several major areas, including ITO and Rajghat, near the Yamuna river in New Delhi continued to witness a flood-like situation on Friday following heavy rainfall and spate in the river for the past few days.

The Delhi Traffic Police has actively been updating the commuters through media and their official social media handles about the traffic and flood situation.

Also Read: Kejriwal seeks NDRF, Armys help as Yamuna threatens to flood Supreme Court

According to a senior Delhi Traffic Police official, the vehicular movement on Bhairon Road was restricted due to an overflow of drain water near the railway under-bridge. Traffic movement was affected on Vikas Marg towards ITO due to overflow of flood water. Commuters are advised to avoid this stretch and take their route of the National Highway 24 via Akshardham-Nizamuddin-ITO, he said, asking not to be named.

He said that the movement of traffic is restricted from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate, due to the rise in the water level of the Yamuna River.

The movement of traffic is restricted from Shanti Van towards Geeta Colony Flyover. The road from Geeta Colony to Shanti Van and vice versa have been closed due to water logging. Commuters are advised to avoid this stretch and plan their journey accordingly, he said.

The official added that the traffic is also affected on NH-48 in the carriageway from Dhaula Kuan towards Mahipalpur, due to the Kanwariyas procession and due to the breakdown of a truck on the Gurgaon flyover opposite Subroto Park.

Meanwhile, traffic movement is also restricted on IP Road in both carriageways from under the IP flyover to W point and vice versa due to overflow of sewer water near the IP flyover.

Also Read: Is Yamuna river water in Delhi rising or receding? Check the latest updates

The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi decreased to 208.46 metres at 6am on Friday but continuously remains over the danger mark of 205.33. A total of 23,692 people were evacuated on Thursday from the adjacent areas of the Yamuna River in Delhi, an official statement said.

However, according to officials familiar with the matter, Yamuna River water is still entering Delhi through a breach at a regulator, exacerbating the already dire flooding situation in the city.

With Yamuna levels rising to a record high, several key areas in Delhi including the Secretariat housing the chief ministers office were flooded. Amidst the situation, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced the closure of schools and the shutting down of water treatment plants, as people waded through knee-deep waters in low-lying areas to reach safer places.
Theres unlikely to be any let up in the rains in north India anytime soon with the India Meteorological Department predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for the next five days. The reason: another western disturbance, the second since June 1. The bad news, especially for Delhi is that a lot of this rainfall will fall in catchment area of north Indian rivers, including the Yamuna.(HT)

Also read: Of late, Yamuna rises less often but levels turn more dangerous

The conditions suggest this, IMD explained: the western end of the monsoon trough is lying south of its normal position and the eastern end is lying north of its normal position; a western disturbance as a cyclonic circulation is lying over central Pakistan; another cyclonic circulation is lying over Haryana; a third cyclonic circulation over central Uttar Pradesh; and finally, a cyclonic circulation is also likely to form over northwest Bay of Bengal around Sunday (that could become a low pressure area early next week).

All these weather systems in the north mean more rain.

Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh will continue to receive heavy rain; Himachal Pradesh is expected to receive isolated heavy rainfall for next few days, said DS Pai, senior scientist, IMD.

IMD defines heavy rain as rainfall between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm in a 24-hour period and very heavy rain as that between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm (any more and it is extremely heavy rain).

For the Capital, IMD has issued a yellow alert for moderate rain on Saturday, followed by light to moderate rain on Sunday.

We will see major activity on Sunday itself, with rain expected from the afternoon. Moderate rain is expected in most parts of Delhi NCR till the early hours of Sunday. Another spell will then take place towards the second half of Sunday, said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD.

The good news for the rain-soaked north is that the western disturbance is a feeble one.

There is a feeble western disturbance that is likely to impact the Western Himalayan region. In addition, we are expecting a cyclonic circulation to form over the Bay of Bengal around Sunday. The cyclonic circulation will help bring easterly winds. The interaction of these two systems may bring good rainfall to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh around July 17, 18 and 19 but we are not expecting extremely heavy rainfall as yet over the region, said Mahesh Palawat, Vice President, climate and meteorology at Skymet Weather.

The bad news, especially for Delhi is that a lot of this rainfall will fall in catchment area of north Indian rivers, including the Yamuna.

It will definitely lead to an increase in flow of the rivers, Palawat added.

HT reported on July 10 that an interaction between a western disturbance and the monsoon trough led to extremely heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, causing landslides, flash floods, widespread damage to highways and other infrastructure. Floods in north India have led to death of over 100 people so far. Several parts of Delhi are seeing the worst floods in 45 years.

Normally, such spells are not sufficient to lead to an increase in the water level, but we are likely to see waterlogging across the city as most drains are currently full and have no outlet. The stormwater drains could start spilling out, with them taking longer than normal to drain out, said Bhim Singh Rawat, a Yamuna conservation activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP).

On Friday, parts of Delhi recorded light rain. Safdarjung, Delhis base weather station, recorded trace rainfall between 8.30am and 5.30pm on Friday. Lodhi Road, meanwhile, recorded 0.6mm during the same period, Palam 9.8mm, Jafarpur 1.5mm, Mungeshpur 3mm, Pitampura 3mm and Pusa 1mm. Trace rain was also recorded at Ridge and Ayanagar.

Also read: Union home minister Shah approves release of 180 crore to Himachal

There is an orange warning for Uttarakhand on Saturday and Sunday. A red warning implies that local authorities need to take action to prevent disasters associated with extremely heavy rain; orange warning implies that authorities need to be prepared.

There is 1% excess rainfall over the country with 52% excess over northwest India; 21% deficiency over south peninsula; 19% deficiency over east and northeast India; and 2% excess over central India.
With the Yamuna river in Delhi flowing above the danger mark for days creating flood-like situation across the city, Aam Aadmi Party on Friday alleged that the BJP through its government in Haryana is "intentionally" diverting the water to the national capital. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh(ANI)

Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar, said, "In case of a flood, water is released from Hathni Kund towards Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi in balanced quantities. But from July 9 to 13, all the water was released towards Delhi. Had water been released equally towards all the three states, the areas of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh adjacent to the Yamuna would have been safe."

Singh listed out the five states that are the most affected by the floods in the country and pointed out how Delhi is included in this list despite there being no rainfall in the last three days. "There are five states within the country that are facing the brunt of natural calamity at the moment - Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. If we speak only about Delhi, everyone present here today will be aware that in the last three days, it hasn't rained in the city. Then why is it still that the water level of the Yamuna has constantly been on the rise and it has gone on to flood parts of the city that are in the low-lying region?" he asked.

Singh provided further details and said that the water from the Hathnikund barrage was intentionally only being sent to Delhi to flood parts of the city. "At the Hathnikund barrage, there are three different routes that the flow of water takes. One stream brings the water into Delhi, another takes it to Uttar Pradesh and the final stream takes the water into Haryana. Ideally in a situation of a flood such as this one, it would have been ideal if the pressure of water was equally distributed into the three canals. But the BJP conspired to send all of the water into the stream that forms the Yamuna river and enters Delhi," he said.

He added, "I have the log sheets of the water meter at these places to show that since July 9, no water has been sent on the other two streams and all of the water has been allowed to flow into Delhi. It is very clear that the attempt over here was to drown as much of Delhi as possible."

He further said, "However it is by the grace of God that there is a state government such as the Kejriwal Government in Delhi, and they have been working overtime to address the people created by this in Delhi. Otherwise, the situation on the ground would have been worse than the floods that we saw in Delhi in 1978."

He also said that the seven BJP MPs should have appealed to the Haryana government and the Prime Minister to release water equally in UP, Haryana and Delhi, but they did not do so.

Lashing out at BJP leaders, he said, "But why are the leaders of the BJP indulging in such negative politics? There are 7 BJP MPs in Delhi and ideally, they should have all requested the Prime Minister to equally distribute this water among the three canals. If the water had been equally distributed then we would not see such floods in Delhi."

"This action of the BJP Government has also caused a lot of flooding in Noida and Haryana as well. There is a 230-kilometre stretch in which Delhi, Haryana and UP come and all of these areas have now been flooded," he added.

Besides, Priyanka Kakkar said, The BJP government comprises people who seem to have had no sympathy towards the citizens. They must be held responsible for their actions. We demand answers as to why no water was released from the Hathini Kund Barrage between July 9 and July 13, and why the entire water flow was diverted towards Delhi, causing these devastating floods.
Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday said that the water of the Yamuna River still entering through a breach at a regulator of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. The regulator suffered damage near the Indraprastha bus stand and the WHO Building on Drain No 12, exacerbating the already dire situation. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal with Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj at Wazirabad water treatment plant in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI)

The compromised regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back towards the city, and on Thursday night, the flood water reached close to the Supreme Court due to the possible backflow of water from drains. Some portions of Mathura Road and Bhagwan Das Road near the Supreme Court were flooded.

Kejriwal said the breach is causing flooding in ITO and surroundings.

"I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently," he said in a tweet.

Bharadwaj, Irrigation and Flood Control minister in the AAP-led Delhi government, rushed to the scene Thursday evening to oversee the evolving situation.

"On CM Arvind Kejriwal's instructions, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj is himself present on the spot as of now and is monitoring the whole situation himself. He is arranging for all possible resources that can be deployed to control the flow, the Delhi government said in a statement.

According to the latest update, the water has now reached the entrance of the top court even as the water level of the Yamuna River has decreased to 208.44 meters at the Old Railway Bridge at 7 am today against 208.66 metres at 8 pm last night, which is the highest ever recorded.

Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at regulator of drain no 12 near WHO building, Bharadwaj said in a tweet. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The Govt has directed Chief Secretary to take it up on highest priority.

Bhardwaj also said that Kejriwal will visit ITO at 11am to inspect the drain regulator.

Drinking water shortage

The city is also staring at a drinking water shortage as three water treatment plants had to be stopped after they were inundated with flood water. The Delhi government said the inundation of a pump house at Wazirabad impeded operations at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants, leading to a 25 per cent drop in the water supply.

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The 19-year-old Dalit womans body was found in a well in Rajasthans Karauli district on Thursday night, who according to the police was shot dead, as per the autopsy report on Friday. (Representative Photo)

The woman, a native of the Balaghat village, went missing early Thursday morning at the time she had gone with her mother to the nearby jungle following which the mother lodged a complaint with the police.

A search operation by the police was conducted based on the complaint filed. According to the police, her body was recovered from a roadside well in Naduati, four kilometres away from Balaghat village.

In her complaint, the mother alleged that her daughter was abducted by some men who gang-raped her and also threw acid on her face.

The body was sent to the Hindaun City Hospital, according to the autopsy report, the girl died from a gunshot wound, said Karauli superintended of police (SP) Mamta Gupta.

On the charges of gang rape against the girl, the SP said, The doctor has kept the opinion reserved for the Forensic Science Laboratory. Further investigation is underway.

Police said the body was handed over to the family after the autopsy.

The incident sparked a fresh political conflict as the opposition protested in the Rajasthan Assembly on Friday. They questioned womens safety and the law and order situation under the Congress-led government in the state.

Rajasthan Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirodi Lal Meena reached the Hindaun hospital on Thursday night and staged a dharna with the deceaseds family members and demanded immediate action against the perpetrators and compensation for the kin.

We, on behalf of the family, are demanding compensation of Rs.50 lakh and a government job for the victims family. We also demand the immediate arrest of the culprits, said Meena.

The leader of the opposition and BJP MLA from Churu, Rajendra Rathore, told reporters, Whatever happened in Karauli and earlier in Khajuwala recently are unfortunate. Our daughters are not safe in this state. The CM failed to fulfil his responsibility.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan BJP president CP Joshi has formed a three-member committee to probe the incident and submit a report to the state BJP office.

Congress MLA from Tonk Sachin Pilot took to Twitter to condole the death of the girl and demanded an immediate probe into the incident. The barbaric murder of the Dalit woman in Haindaun is unfortunate. The administration should immediately probe an investigation considering the seriousness of the matter and should also ensure justice for her, he wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Rehana Rayaz, Rajasthan Women Commission president reached Karauli on Friday to take stock of the situation.

Five police teams have been constituted to investigate the incident. Karauli district collector is holding talks with the family and protestors over the demand related to compensation.
The body of an 18-year-old woman, who was allegedly abducted and attacked with acid, was found in a well in Rajasthan's Karauli district, police said on Thursday. The woman's family members staged a sit-in outside the hospital where the body has been kept for postmortem. (File)

Opposition BJP leaders, including MP Kirodi Lal Meena, and the woman's family members staged a sit-in outside the hospital where the body has been kept for postmortem.

The family members have demanded immediate arrest of the culprit and compensation of 50 lakh and a government job.

Nadauti SHO Babu Lal said the woman, a resident of Mohanpura of Todabhim area, had gone missing on Wednesday. Her family members in a complaint has said that she was kidnapped and later murdered, the officer said.

While speaking to reporters, BJP leader Meena claimed that the woman was abducted, raped and killed.
The Rajasthan high court on Friday directed the Additional Advocate General to file an affidavit within four weeks seeking details on matter concerning religious education in madarsas and financial support provided by the state government. Rajasthan high court (File Photo)

The affidavit should provide specific details regarding the curriculum, the mode of selection and appointment of staff, the control and management of the Madarsa, and address the concerns raised about religious education imparted through these institutions, the bench of chief justice Augustine George Masih and justice Vinit Kumar Mathur ordered.

The bench hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner Mukesh Jain.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot-led government launched the Madrasa Modernization Scheme under which it said that the state will provide financial assistance of up to Rs.25 lakh for the development of madrassas in Rajasthan.

Counsel Motisingh Rajpurohit, representing the petitioner, said India is a secular and democratic nation, where minorities have been granted additional fundamental rights through Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution, however, the Rajasthan Madarsa Board Act 2020, which was notified in the Rajasthan Gazette on September 23, 2020, promotes a particular religious ideology and is in conflict with the principles of a secular democratic state.

He further highlighted the enactment of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act 2004, which governs the establishment, affiliation, and recognition of minority educational institutions and argued that as education falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution, the state cannot create laws that contradict those enacted by the Union Parliament.

The counsel claimed that the state governments funding and grants to promote a specific religious ideology through legislation could potentially infringe upon the fundamental rights of other minority communities in Rajasthan.

Rajpurohit raised concerns about the lack of adoption of the National Education Policy and the absence of governance from the state education program and examinations conducted by the secondary board or the government in the madarsas of Rajasthan.

Considering the arguments, the high court ordered the state government to file an affidavit within four weeks and scheduled the next hearing for this case on September 1, 2023.

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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said if the skill and scale of India and the United States were put together, the world would witness exceptional results, according to a press note. He said a number of startups had been launched in the past nine years and they had been able to establish a distinct identity. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath with a team of Stanford Byers Centre for Biodesign, Stanford University and others at his official residence in Lucknow on July 14. (Sourced)

Yogi was speaking at the Uttar Pradesh Health Technology Summit 2023 organised on the occasion of beginning of partnership between the Stanford Byers Centre for Biodesign, Stanford University and Centre for Excellence (Set up at SGPGI by IT and Electronics Department).

He said it was good to know that a Stanford Biodesign team has partnered with two prestigious institutions namely the SGPGIMS, Lucknow, and the JIMS, Gautam Buddh Nagar, as per the press note. Director, SGPGIMS, Prof RK Dhiman said, PGI with work with Stanford University for startups in medical field.

Indias population is four times that of the United States. When it comes to Covid-19 mortality rates, Indias rate was half of those of the US. India showcased exceptional performance during the Covid-19, Yogi said.

He further said Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a leading contributor by providing excellent healthcare facilities. The CM said India has significantly emerged as a new hub for unicorns. He said Uttar Pradesh has made significant progress and has a favourable environment for US innovation and startups.

Yogi said, The IT and electronics department, along with prestigious institutions associated with the partnership programme, will also support it to achieve positive results.

The CM said Uttar Pradesh government has established several startups under its startup policy and has also provided various incentives. He said the SGPGI initiated the facility of virtual ICUs during the Covid-19 pandemic taking advantage of these policies. He said the Stanford Biotech should extend technical cooperation to Sitapur Eye Hospital as well.

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LUCKNOW A jailor posted at Sultanpur jail has been placed under suspension for allegedly providing special facilities to incarcerated five-time MLA from Mau, Mukhtar Ansari, who has nearly 63 criminal cases against him, said officials. D-G (UP prisons) SN Sabat confirmed that Verma had been suspended for dereliction of duty while being posted at Banda jail. (Pic for representation)

The action came after the submission of a report by DIG (prisons), Prayagraj zone, to the government, which detailed jailer Virendra Kumar Vermas alleged involvement in facilitating Ansaris illicit activities while in Banda jail before June 2022.

D-G (UP prisons) SN Sabat confirmed that Verma had been suspended for dereliction of duty while being posted at Banda jail. He said the jailor was suspended after his involvement was initially confirmed in helping some jail inmates of hypersensitive Banda jail. The inquiry into the matter was carried out by DIG (prisons), Prayagraj range, and the action came taking cognizance of the report.

Superintendent Anil Gautam, who was posted at prison headquarters in Lucknow, was immediately sent to take over chargeof Sultanpur jail after Varmas suspension, said the D-G.

Another jail official said it was alleged that Verma used to help arrange meetings of Mukhtar Ansari and his aides. Earlier, a Banda deputy jailer and four jail warders were suspended in June 2022 following the same allegations, he added.

Another prison official said they allegedly provided special treatment to Ansari inside the jail barrack. They were also accused of obstructing the process of routine check by district authorities.

Ansari, who has remained in different jails for the last 18 years, is currently lodged in Banda prison for two years when he was brought back to Uttar Pradesh in April 2021 from Punjabs Ropar jail, where he remained lodged for nearly 27 months.

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The state medical education department has terminated the contract of Dr Hemant Gupta, an honorary physician at Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, after his name cropped up in the on-going Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the alleged scam related to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMC) jumbo Covid-19 centres, officials aware of the development said. JJ hospitals honorary physician linked to jumbo Covid-19 centres scam sacked

A formal order in this regard was issued on July 12.

Dr Gupta is one of the four co-owners of the Worli-based M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Services (LHMS), a firm that secured a 38-crore contract from the BMC to provide manpower at the jumbo centres at Dahisar and Worli. However, the ED alleged that the company bagged the contract after submitting forged and fabricated documents and had no previous experience of providing manpower for any medical facility.

The EDs probe began after an FIR was registered against the partners at LHMS in August 2022. According to ED sources, Dr Gupta had allegedly looked after the health-technical aspects at the firm.

With the ongoing ED investigation, the institutions (JJ hospitals) name was getting tarnished as he was an honorary professor. We also found that as an honorary professor, he had hardly attended national and international medical conferences or participated in academic activities. His association with the institution was not of much benefit to the purpose for which he was awarded the honorary post. We therefore decided to terminate the contract, an official from the medical education department said.

HT had on June 30 reported on how a senior administrator at JJ hospital found that Dr Gupta did not sit in the medicine department but pharmacology department where 14 non-hospital staff were found to be conducting clinical drug trials.

The dean of the hospital on June 21 set up a five-member committee headed by Dr Ameeta Joshi, head of the microbiology department, to investigate the role of a private firm - Parshwa Life Sciences (PLS) - and Dr Hemant Gupta in the clinical drug trials.

The committee in its preliminary report, which was submitted to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research on July 11, said that the principal investigators had not followed due diligence and many were not even aware of the trials done by them. It also found that the ex-dean Dr Mukund Tayade had arbitrarily fixed the rent amount of three rooms given to PLS for 2 lakh per year without following the government-defined commercial renting rate, which is 150 per square feet a month.

The committed also found that the coordinator mentioned in the MoU signed by Dr Tayade with PLS had not done his job and had no idea about the 14 non-JJ hospital staff working in the pharmacology department even though he was the former head of the department. However, the preliminary report has no mention of Dr Gupta and his role in the clinical trials, a senior official at the hospital said.

We are expecting strict actions against the coordinator, who also happens to be the former medical superintendent of ST George hospital and is presently working at JJ hospitals pharmacology department. A decision on him and other doctors will be taken soon. So far, 28 doctors have been questioned by the committee, the official added.

Sources in the hospital said it is a matter of investigation if apart from Dr Gupta, PLS and LHMS were linked to each other.
At least nine villages in Ghaziabad were flooded following a second breach in the 18 km Alipur embankment spanning the Ghaziabad and Baghpat districts of Uttar Pradesh. About 10,000 people and 1000 hectares of agricultural land have been affected. Residents moving to safer places on Thursday. (HT PHOTO)

The breach was about five metres and now it has expanded to about 22 metres. ...the UP [Uttar Pradesh] irrigation department, National Highways Authority of India, administrations of the two districts, and others are working to plug the breach. The water from the Yamuna has entered the villages and nine of them have been affected. Efforts are being made to evacuate people and transfer them to safer places, said additional district magistrate Vivek Srivastava.

The first breach, which took place near Pychara village on Wednesday, was plugged with sandbags, boulders, and tin sheets as the Yamuna waters level crossed the danger level of 209 metres on Thursday and touched 212.1 metres. Officials said the level stood at 211.8 metres on Friday.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Peeyush Khandelwal Peeyush Khandelwal writes on a range of issues in western Uttar Pradesh  from crime, to development authorities and from infrastructure to transport. Based in Ghaziabad, he has been a journalist for almost a decade. ...view detail
Brahmaputra, Disang and Beki rivers were flowing above danger levels as Assam continued to receive heavy rainfall. Officials said 179 villages across 10 districts were flooded and seven people have died so far due to floods this year. A flood-hit area in Assams Biswanath district. (PTI)

Over 2211 hectares of cropland have been submerged. Dhemaji remains the most affected district, where 1,7604 people across 51 villages are hit. As many as 28 relief camps were functioning in Assam, where the state government was providing food and medicines to the flood-hit people.

Officials said embankments, roads, bridges, and other important infrastructure have been damaged while erosion has been reported from six districts.

In a tweet, Assams urban affairs minister Ashok Singhal said the state has been facing floods and the government has been tackling this herculean ordeal with sincerity & fortitude, taking every constructive criticism positively.

He took a dig at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as the national capital faced floods. The self-appointed Delhi ke Maalik, the ever-so-perfect Mr Arvind Kejriwal claimed to have made Delhi better than Singapore. A few days of rain, and the city has turned to Venice without the gondolas.

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PATNA A Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation on Friday called on Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Raj Bhawan and submitted a memorandum, demanding an inquiry by a sitting Patna High Court judge or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the unprovoked police lathi-charge during partys Thursday protest march in state capital Patna. At Raj Bhawan in Patna on Friday. (Santosh Kumar/HT)

The memorandum said the lathicharge was done at the behest of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who also holds the home portfolio, and deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, which is bad for a healthy democracy.

BJP leaders described the turn of events as unprecedented and said the entire government machinery, including officials, was desperately trying to paint the death of a BJP leader as normal through contradictory statements.

State BJP president Samrat Choudhary, leader of Opposition in assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha, MLAs Nand Kishore Yadav and Prem Kumar, besides several other legislators and leaders, were part of the BJP delegation.

Former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi also accompanied the BJP delegation.

The march was planned a long time back to demand the resignation of charge-sheeted deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and corner the government for backtracking from promise of 10 lakh jobs and government employee status to school teachers, but the government murdered democracy and insulted the Constitution by ordering lathi-charge. There is administrative anarchy in the state, with a rising crime graph and open sale of liquor despite prohibition. Sand mining mafia is thriving due to the government patronage, while rampant corruption affects one and all, said the memorandum.

According to the memorandum, there was unprovoked lathi-charge on the procession comprising MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other senior leaders and party workers when it reached Dak Bungalow and many of them are admitted to hospitals with serious injuries.

The brutality on a peaceful pre-announced political demonstration, which caused death of one leader and left several injured, has been seen by all. It was pre-planned for the way even senior leaders and MPs/MLAs were also targeted. Our central leadership is also sending a team to Patna, said Choudhary.

BJP forms 4-member probe panel

Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda has set up a four-member committee of party leaders, which would visit Patna soon to investigate the lathi-charge incident, according to a statement issued by the partys national general secretary Arun Singh.

The members of the committee include former Jharkhand CM Raghunath Das and MPs Manoj Tiwary, Vishnu Dayal Ram and Sunita Duggal. The team would submit its report to Nadda.

Nadda also expressed his pain over the death of a BJP leader, Vijay Kumar Singh, and injury to several senior leaders and party workers. The lathi-charge on BJP workers has been taken very seriously, said state BJP president Samrat Choudhary.

Later, BJP leaders assembled at Dak Bungalow intersection in Patna and burnt effigies of the chief minister and raised slogans as part of partys statewide black day protests against lathi-charge incident.

Meanwhile, ruling Janata Dal-United president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh justified the police lathi-charge on BJP workers, saying they were provoked, and slammed BJP for spreading rumours on the death of Vijay Singh.

Vijay Singh did not reach the (protest) venue. Then how could he die in the lathi-charge? he told reporters.

He also shared a video clip, purportedly of one Bharat Prasad Chandravansi, who had accompanied Vijay Singh from his native place Jehanabad to Patna. We were on the way to the venue when a stampede-like situation occurred after the lathi-charge and he fell down. Due to this, he might have sustained injuries on his head. We took him to Tara hospital where he was put on the ventilator machine, but he was not responding. Then an ambulance came and we went to PMCH, the man says in the video.

JD-U spokesman Rajib Ranjan said BJP is trying to exploit the demise of their own party leader. There is no hint that the BJP leader died due to lathi-charge. Those who were there have also corroborated it, but BJP is not ready to accept it and wants to exploit even death of its worker, he said.

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Mohammad Arif drove all the way from Amethi on Friday to meet his friend  the Sarus  in the Kanpur zoo. He bought the ticket and spent 15 minutes in the bird enclosure. A screengrab from the video that Arif took and uploaded to the internet (HT Photo)

He wore a mask and when he removed it before the Sarus, asking Pehchana, the bird went into overdrive with excitement.

Shaking the neck up and down, the Sarus spread its wings and ran in the enclosure. The video of the birds reaction has since gone viral on the internet.

Arif met his special friend after 95 days. Last he came to visit the bird on April 12 this year. Their friendship has been most talked about after videos of Arif and the Sarus went viral last year. The bird was living with Arif after he found it injured and treated it to full recovery.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav went to Amethi to visit this pair and posted videos and pictures on his social media timelines.

However, the forest department moved the bird to Kanpur zoo on April 9, 2023.

Arif visited the Sarus on Friday and the Sarus reacted the same way it reacted seeing him in April.

Arif said that the Sarus appeared weak and thin. Release him in the open please, dont hand it over to me but do release him. It appears distressed and I am pained.

I just wanted to see my bird; if I could have my way, I would visit it every day.
The Odisha Cabinet this week approved 4,000 crore Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha (Our Odisha, New Odisha) scheme for rural development and to spread Lord Jagannath culture even as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress dismissed it as a pre-poll gimmick. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. (ANI)

The scheme is a repackaged version of the Ama Gaon, Ama Bikash (Our village, Our development) and is seen as part of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD)s attempts to counter the BJPs Hindutva agenda ahead of 2024 assembly and national polls.

The BJD government has since 2019 undertaken redevelopment of scores of temples in the state including the iconic Jagannath Temple in Puri. It plans to spend over 4,224.22 crore on transforming Puris infrastructure.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said every panchayat has places of importance rooted in spirituality and history. It is important for our future generations that they be preserved and protected. And who better to do this important work than our Panchayati Raj institutions through the new scheme.

Political observer Satya Prakash Dash said the government may have thought of a smart way to appropriate the Jagannath culture through the new scheme ahead of polls.

By championing the cause of Jagannath culture, a syncretic one, he [Patnaik] is trying to nip in the bud BJPs plans of hard Hindutva like it is doing in Uttar Pradesh through Ram Temple construction. In the last five years, he [Patnaik] has taken up the development of all major temples in all 30 districts.

Dash said the BJD is leaving little room for BJP electorally by talking about protecting Jagannath culture. He added small temples in each village may be renovated under the new scheme.

Dash said Patnaik has reasons to be worried over the rise of the BJP, which was BJDs coalition partner between 1998 and 2009.

In 2017, the BJP won nine of the 30 zilla parishads. It won eight of the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 23 of 147 assembly seats in 2019.

Wary of BJPs game plan, Patnaik has never lost an opportunity to talk about Jagannath culture over the last five years. He has called Lord Jagannath the greatest identity of the Odia community. Our history, culture, tradition, and belief system are all centered on the Almighty. Visiting the Jagannath Temple once in a lifetime and getting a glimpse of the Lord is the only prayer of millions of devotees. All devotees, who come to the Jagannath Temple in Puri to see the Lord, have a desire in their hearts to see deities in a calm, beautiful, and spiritual environment, Patnaik said while tabling a resolution in the assembly for early completion of the Jagannath Temple Corridor in 2021.

BJP leader Samir Mohanty said the government should have said how many of the projects are still pending under the old scheme while announcing the Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha. As per our information, of the 3,24,523 projects sanctioned under the Ama Gaon Ama Bikash scheme, 2,94,623 projects are yet to be completed, he said.

State Congress chief Sarat Patnaik said every time the election approaches, BJD announces schemes. The announcement of the [new] scheme is to protect the livelihood of BJD workers...only the party workers or selected contractors will get the funds through these schemes. As many as 1,000 cold storage can be opened using 4000 crore which has been sanctioned for the scheme.

He asked the government why was not it opening the Ratna Bhandar of Puri Srimandir. A judicial probe was ordered into the issue of the keys of the Ratna Bhandar going missing. The commission submitted its report over four and half years ago. Why is the government not making the report public? Why cannot the government simply open the Ratna Bhandar and do an audit of the jewellery of three deities.

In a statement, the government said measures to augment rural infrastructure to accelerate growth as well as to promote, preserve, and protect the Jagannath culture and tradition are the main aims of the new scheme. Odisha is the land that gave Jagannath culture to the world. A culture that is based on universal love, service, and equality, the statement said.

The earlier scheme was announced in March 2018 for the allocation of 50 lakh to each panchayat for the creation of additional facilities for Mission Shakti (self-help) Groups, development of sports, banking facilities, improvement of digital access, WiFi and internet connectivity, etc.

As in the 2018 scheme, local people, community organisations, public representatives, and other stakeholders can suggest projects under the new one.
Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Thursday claimed opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was getting restless and frightened with the prospect of losing power at the Centre in 2024 due to strong unity among non-BJP parties. Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. (Santosh Kumar/ HT Photo)

He said he has nothing to prove to those who believe in levelling allegations without substance and targeting opposition as per situation.

The first charge sheet was filed against me in 2017 and in 2020 I got a thumbs-up from the peoples court by emerging as the largest party in the Bihar assembly. There is no court bigger than that. They (BJP) want everyone to get cleaned of all sins in their washing machine and use pressure tactics, but I dont fear the BJP. Rather, they are fearing the opposition unity as the country has started talking about issues now, not Modi, he said.

Giving the governments response after the debate on budgetary demand for urban development and housing department, Yadav said the BJP acted on expected lines the way it spread rumours in his absence about a rift in the Grand Alliance (GA) and split in parties.

It is after a long time that the Bihar BJP has taken to the streets, but what they are protesting on is something they themselves have a lot of answering to do  jobs. No state in the country can claim to have advertised 300,000 jobs as we have done, but they should answer about 20 million jobs annually that they had promised. We will also provide 1 million jobs. We walk the talk, and we are working on it, he added.

Maintaining that Bihar was marching ahead under chief minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP was up to spreading communal hatred, he said the attack on dynastic politics by the BJP was also not looking good from them as they themselves have a long list of leaders who benefited from their fathers political legacy. Yadav also read out the names from a long list of such BJP leaders.

The problem is that the BJP has nothing to show in terms of employment and development, while price rise has broken all records. People will ask for their report card, but they are distracting people. They will fail. People are more aware now and will not fall into the trap of empty rhetoric. They raise corruption, but people see that all corrupt people find safe havens in the BJP. The countrys culture, history, social fabric, beauty of diversity and democratic values are all being damaged one by one. Development means a lot more than brick and mortar. It is about last mile delivery. Without peace and social cohesion, prosperity is not possible, he added.

Taking a dig at the BJP, he said the party had also started bringing things for 2024 and Bihar was the biggest hurdle for them. You know what things, but nothing will work here as all are united. It is good that they have taken to the streets after a long time for the cause of jobs. They have left the country with highest unemployment rate and up to privatising everything, he added.

The BJP leaders sat outside the Assembly in protest on Thursday, and leader of opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha said they had been stopped from reaching the assembly through brutal police action against a democratic protest.

Nitish Kumar is shielding a charge sheeted deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav even though the BJP had made him the CM after the people of the state unitedly resolved to uproot the regime of fodder scam accused Lalu Prasad and his family. Today, he is sitting in their lap just to protect the chair, he added.

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The Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), the only tiger reserve of Bihar in West Champaran district, has been asked to tighten security and ensure safety of tigers, leopards and other wildlife species at the reserved forest over concerns of poaching. For representaional purposes only. (Alexina Correya/ HT File Photo)

Following instructions from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), VTR has intensified patrolling, especially in areas located along the Nepal border.

A strict vigil is being maintained on poachers who try to enter the forests during the monsoon season in the garb of Kanwariyas or nomadic people (banjaras).

During the monsoon month of Shrawan, thousands of devotees from Nepal and from across the state visit Lord Shiva temples, such as the Someshwar temple and Sofa temple in tiger reserve areas, and there are apprehensions that poachers might take advantage of the free flow of Kanwariyas.

VTR authorities are also keeping eyes over the nomadic people and Banjaras who, during monsoon, make temporary settlements in villages located on the outskirts of the reserved forest area and often go to forests to collect herbs and medicinal plants. It has been noted that poachers might go there in the garb of nomads.

The wildlife crime control bureau (WCCB) has already issued red alert for six tiger reserves of the country in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra while some tiger reserves which are located on border areas of Nepal, including the VTR, have also been asked to intensify patrolling to stop poaching of tigers, said Pradyumna Gaurav, DFO, Division I, VTR.

Following the NTCA instructions, joint teams have been constituted with forest guards and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) to intensify patrolling in sensitive areas on the Indo-Nepal border, he added.

We are also keeping track of the nomadic people who can be seen these days in village markets selling herbs, medicinal powders and such materials. They also go deep into the forests. Poachers may take advantage of this situation, he added.

Hardly a few days ago, during a raid made by the forest guards at a local market at Champapur village in Ganauli forest area of Division II of VTR, some nomads were learnt to have been found with animal bones, nails and skulls. Three of them were arrested as well, he added.

In 2006-07, a tiger in the Division I of the VTR was killed by these nomadic people, the official stated.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Reena Sopam Reena has been a journalist for over two decades. She has the experience of covering wide range of issues, including art, culture, archaeology, tourism, forest and women issues. She has also authored a book and is a recipient of the Ramdhari Singh Dinkar Award, given by the government of Bihar. ...view detail
City-based Upswing Cognitive Hospitality Solutions, a predictive data solutions startup for the hospitality and travel industry, has been selected for the Cohort 7 of the Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme. This will help the startup set their foot in the Singapore Hospitality market. Founded by Harshvardhan Amle and Harsh Mathur in 2019, Upswing Cognitive Hospitality Solutions is providing predictive data solutions for hospitality chains in Middle East and the Europe to automate their operations and increase revenue. Amle said, The Singapore Tourism Accelerator is a highly-selective, equity-free programme for the worlds most promising technology startups or scaleups that can power the travel and tourism industry. We have also been selected in Goa Tourism Accelerator this year, where they are helping us pilot with hotels in Goa. The Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore. Pune-based Upswing Cognitive Hospitality Solutions, a predictive data solutions startup for the hospitality and travel industry, has been selected for the Cohort 7 of the Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

Horiba Group announced the launch of Advanced Techno SAS post-acquisition of French company Tethys to provide total solutions for water and wastewater monitoring systems in India. The launch event in Pune was followed by panel session on Jal Samvad: Sustainable Water Quality Monitoring and Management System by industry experts. Rajeev Gautam, president, Horiba India, said, India with its large population is a major consumer of water. According to UNICEF, India is under the economic burden of approximately USD 600 million a year due to waterborne diseases. The accurate monitoring of rivers and waterbodies is thus getting necessary to be implemented. Horiba plays a crucial role here by providing world-class Japanese technology and now with Tethys acquisition will further strengthen its product range for water solutions.

Axtria Inc., announced opening of its two new offices in Pune situated at the IT hubs of EON IT Park, Kharadi, and Nalanda SEZ IT Park, Hinjewadi. Jaswinder Chadha, Axtria co-founder and CEO said, The two new offices in Pune can seat about 1,000 people. With these two new offices, Axtria will now have eight global innovation, R&D, and capability centers in India across the National Capital Region (three offices in Gurugram and two in Noida) and one in Bengaluru. A new office is soon expected to come up in Hyderabad, India.

Digital marketplace for biomass and biofuels, BiofuelCircle has signed an MoU with Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC) for innovating alternatives to Agri residue-based bio-energy. The objective is to develop projects that provide industries with access to non-agricultural sources of biofuels as alternatives. This initiative will augment the current sources of biofuels and help boost the rural economy, rejuvenate degraded land and be an important step towards energy independence of the country. Tushar Lowalekar, founding member and CBO, BiofuelCircle said, The two organisations will work towards setting up projects with several large industrial houses of India. Companies currently procuring biofuels on the BiofuelCircle platform will benefit from such projects as this will add new sources to the regular supply of agri residue-based biofuels.

The Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, announced its plan to enhance travel and trade opportunities in Maharashtra during a domestic conclave organised in Pune. BN Patil, director, Directorate of Tourism, said, Recognising the regions tremendous potential, Maharashtra Tourism aims to leverage its unique cultural, historical, and natural assets to attract domestic and international visitors while promoting business and trade collaborations within the state. The board will engage with industry leaders and other stakeholders to foster trade opportunities.
Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has released tentative answer key of the 32nd Bihar Judicial Services Preliminary examination which was held on June 4, 2023. Candidates can now download 32nd Bihar Judicial Services Prelims answer key 2023 of General Studies and Law subjects for question paper series A, B, C and D from bpsc.bih.nic.in. BPSC 32nd Bihar Judicial Services Prelims answer key 2023 out on bpsc.bih.nic.in (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

BPSC 32nd Judicial Services Prelims answer key 2023: Law

General studies

Candidates who want to raise objections to any answer published on these keys have to do it offline. They can send their objections in the format given on the notification with name, roll number and address to:

Controller of Examination, BPSC

15, Nehru Path, Patna  800001.

The last date for receiving objections by post is July 22.

Objections received through email will not be considered for review, the commission has informed.

This answer key is provisional, BPSC said, adding that candidates' feedback will be reviewed by a committee of experts and the final model answer key will be prepared accordingly. OMR sheets will be examined using the final answer key.

For more information, check the BPSC notification.
Union Public Service Commission has released UPSC CAPF Admit Card 2023 on July 14, 2023. Candidates who will appear for e Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination-2023 can download the admit card through the official site of UPSC at upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in. UPSC CAPF Admit Card 2023 released at upsconline.nic.in, download link here (HT file)

The admit card will be available to candidates on the official website from July 14 to August 6, 2023. The examination will be conducted on August 6, 2023. The candidates are advised to download their eAdmit Cards and take a printout thereof. No paper Admit Card will be issued for this Examination.

The e-admit cards will have to be produced by candidates at the allotted Venue for appearing at the Examination. The candidates are also required to carry along the Photo ID Card, whose number is mentioned in the eAdmit Card, for appearing at each Session of the Examination. To download the admit card, candidates can follow the steps given below.

UPSC CAPF Admit Card 2023: How to download

Visit the official site of UPSC at upsc.gov.in.

Click on UPSC CAPF Admit Card 2023 link available on the home page.

Enter the login details and click on submit.

Your admit card will be displayed on the screen.

Check the admit card and download the page.

Keep a hard copy of the same for further need.

The eamination will be conducted in two shifts- first shift from 10 am and second shift from 2 pm. It may also be noted that entry into the Examination Venue shall be closed 10 minutes before the scheduled commencement of the Examination i.e. 09:50 A.M. for the Forenoon Session and 01:50 P.M. for the Afternoon Session. No candidate shall be allowed the entry into the Examination Venue after closure of the entry. For more related details candidates can check the official site of UPSC.

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The Madhya Pradesh State Open School Education Board has announced the class 12th open School on-demand examination results. Candidates who have appeared for the examination can download the results from the official website at www.mpsos.nic.in. MPSOS releases open school on demand 12th result at mpsos.nic.in

Candidates can check their results through their roll numbers.

MPSOS Open School On-Demand Examination 12th result: Know how to check

Step 1: Visit the official website of the MPSOSEB at mpsos.nic.in

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the result tab

Step 3: On the homepage, click on the Open School On-Demand Examination 12th

Step 4: Key in the Class 10 or 12 roll number to log in

Step 5: Download the result and take the print for future reference.
Alia Bhatt will soon be joining Aditya Chopra's spy universe, as per a new report. The latest film in Yash Raj Films' ambitious spy universe was Pathaan this year which turned to be a blockbuster. The next would be Salman Khan-led Tiger 3. Amid all these releases, Alia Bhatt has been reportedly signed on to play a spy and headline a big budget spy film which will go on floors next year. Also read: Kiara Advani to star with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR in War 2? Here's what we know about actor joining YRF Spy Universe Alia Bhatt will play a super agent in YRF's spy film.

Alia had once played a spy in Raazi but this role in the YRF film will reportedly feature her in a never seen before avatar. Alia is currently awaiting the release of her Hollywood debut Heart of Stone, in which she plays the antagonist. She also has Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in her kitty.

Alia to play spy in out-and-out action entertainer: Report

Talking about Alia's entry in YRF's spy universe, a Pinkvilla reported quoted a source as saying, Aditya Chopra and the team have planned an epic female-led spy film with Alia Bhatt which is expected to push her to the edge. Alias inclusion to the Spy Universe indicates that Aditya Chopra is leaving no audience segment out of the equation. She will be playing a spy in an out-and-out action entertainer, and this will be a big novelty for the audience base that she appeals to. Its going to be Alia Bhatt like never before.

The source further added, Aditya Chopra is very bullish about Alia and has big plans for her character arc in his universe. He is looking to start a franchise within the Spy Universe centered around Alias character and he will pull all stops to mount the yet untitled film on a scale that none can imagine."

More about YRF's spy universe

YRF's spy universe came into being with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif's 2012 film Ek Tha Tiger, followed by the sequel Tiger Zinda Hai in 2017. Hrithik Roshan joined the spy universe with 2019 film War, which also had Tiger Shroff but his character died in the film. It was then followed by this year's Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. Now Tiger 3 is in the works and will bring back Salman and Katrina again. War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger vs Pathaan starring Salman and Shah Rukh are also in works.

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In a surprising turn of events, actor-comedian Krushna Abhishek tagged his uncle-actor Govinda for the first time amid their seven-year-long family feud. He confesses his post and tagging him on social media was his way of mending their strained relationship. Krushna Abhishek on ending feud with uncle Govinda

From Abhishek accusing Govinda of not visiting his children in the hospital, to Govinda labelling his nephew as a liar, their public spats have kept the media abuzz over the years. Abhishek,40, had shared a dance video on social media. He says the dance video evoked emotions in him and made him think how he has learnt a lot from his mamu.

Bhale hi woh response de ya na den, I wanted to tag him. Bhagwan kare jhagda end hojaaye. Time is passing away, I want all of this to get solved now. I love him. Mere jitni family mai unki koi respect nahi karta hoga, says Abhishek, whose first appearance on television was also with Govinda on the show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai .

He adds, Jaahan par pyaar hota hai, wahin par jhagda hota hai. Bahut hogaya, this should end now. I love my maami (Govindas wife - Sunita Ahuja) as well. She has done a lot for me. She is like a mother to me. Maa ko jab bache ki koi baat buri lagjaati hai toh woh itna gussa hojaata hai ki fir the person thinks that I dont want to meet him only. So, I think vaisa reason hogaya gusse ka.

Ask Abhishek if he met Govinda recently, he responds, We havent met because we were busy. But I know, if we see each other face to face, things will get sorted immediately. The last time I met him was in Dubai four-five years ago. Ekdum filmy scene tha. I saw him in the mall and screamed his name. He saw me and his response was so happy ki arrey yeh toh mera beta hai, ye yahan kya karaha hai. We met each other with a lot of love. Hum dono pighal hi jaate hain.

Abhishek recalls how he used to accompany him to film sets as a kid, which started with the film Hatya (1988). He shares, I was the kid on the poster of the film Hatya. I went with him on the set and the kid who had to do the shoot was a star from the South film industry, and was not available on those dates. I was seven-eight years old and that was my first interaction on the sets. My journey started from there.

Then I used to go to more sets from Joru Ka Gulam (2000), Hero No.1 (1997), Haseena Maan Jayegi (1999). Akhiyon se Goli Maare (2002) and Pardesi Babu (1998) were shot in front of me. I have never seen a performer like him. Mere liye hamesha se hi hero Govinda hai. Ganesh (choreographer Ganesh Acharya) ji used to make me stand at the back, and it turned out to be a start for me as a dancer. If I look like him while dancing, it is the biggest compliment for me. I dont copy him. It comes naturally as it is in my blood. And al of this has influenced and shaped my career, he ends.
In a major update in the ongoing investigation into the shocking death of Robert De Niro's grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, a woman who allegedly sold drugs to the 19-year-old, has been arrested. According to New York Post, the woman known as the Percocet Princess The alleged drug dealer's real name is Sofia Haley Marks. Robert De Niro, his grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez(Twitter)

As per the report, Sofia was arrested on Thursday during an undercover sting operation conducted by the NYPD, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security. Reportedly, she has been federally charged with the distribution of narcotics.

On July 2, Leandro was found dead in his Financial District apartment in New York City. His death was discovered by a friend who hadn't heard from him for few days and went to check in on him. Law enforcement authorities had found drugs and drug paraphernalia near Leandro's body.

ALSO READ| 2023 San Diego Comic Con: Ticket prices, list of shows, movie dates and more

Days after Leandro's death, his mother Drena De Niro had taken to Instagram and claimed that fentanyl-laced pills were the cause behind her son's unfortunate death.

In response to an Instagram user's enquiry, Drena commented Someone sold him[Leandro] fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him.

So for all these people still fking around selling and buying this st, my son is gone forever, added Drena.

Meanwhile, the exact cause of Leandro's death has not been made official.

19-year-old Leandro was a budding young actor. His first major break in Hollywood was the 2018 movie "A Star Is Born" in which was directed by Bradley Cooper. Leandro also acted in 2018 drama "Cabaret Maxime".
On July 14, Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) officially declared a strike against studios and streamers. The actors' union, which reportedly represents around 160,000 performers, including film and television actors, worldwide, also issued an order laying out the rules its members must follow. During the strike, SAG-AFTRA members cannot participate in a number of activities  film tours and promotions to festivals, premieres and award shows. Also read: Hollywood actors unite with screenwriters in historic strike against wages, AI threat Margot Robbie's Barbie press tour ended early due to SAG-AFTRA strike. (AFP)

According to the strike order, all SAG-AFTRA members were instructed to not participate in any production covered by theatrical contracts. This means not only no on-camera work for film and TV, but also prohibition from doing background work and any promotion for projects made under the contract, including interviews, red carpets, promotional social media, premieres and fan conventions. Pre-production work, including auditions, are also not allowed.

Things actors cannot do during SAG-AFTRA strike

As per a report by Variety, all covered services and performing work under the TV/ theatrical contracts must be withheld, including but not limited to on-camera work such as acting, singing, dancing, performing stunts and puppeteering, among others.

Off-camera work, such as, TV trailers (promos) and theatrical trailers, voice acting, singing, narration, stunt coordinating and related services are also not allowed. Moreover, background work, such as fittings, wardrobe tests, and makeup tests, as well as rehearsals and camera tests, interviews and auditions (including via self-tape) are prohibited.

Actors must not promote projects on social media

Perhaps most potentially damaging to upcoming events involving SAG-AFTRA actors, the strike order also forbids promotion and publicity work covered under the contracts. The actors must not promote their projects via social media, tours, personal appearances, interviews, conventions, fan expos, festivals, panels, premieres/screenings, award shows, junkets and podcast appearances.

The order further said that negotiating or entering into or consenting to an agreement to perform covered services in the future or any new agreement related to merchandising connected to a covered project and the creation and use of digital replicas, including through the reuse of prior work were not allowed.

About SAG-AFTRA strike

Last month, SAG-AFTRA had postponed their initial strike deadline, in the hope of making a deal with the likes of Netflix and Disney over demands for better pay and more protection against artificial intelligence (AI). That extension failed to yield any progress in talks, which collapsed on Thursday. In what has now become the biggest Hollywood labour fight in decades, the SAG-AFTRA declared a strike, effective just after midnight on July 14.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher during Thursdays press conference slammed Hollywood executives. She said, "They plead poverty, that theyre losing money left and right, when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting  shame on them." She added, "We are being victimised by a very greedy enterprise... At some point you have to say, No, were not going to take this anymore.'

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT Entertainment Desk Dedicated professionals who write about cinema and television in all their vibrancy. Expect views, reviews and news. ...view detail
Ruslaan Mumtaz, who was stuck in Manali due to recent floods and landslides, is back in Mumbai and is safe. He shared pictures and informed fans about his return on Instagram. (Also read| Ruslaan Mumtaz: I saw the highway connecting Manali to the rest of India getting swept away by the river) Ruslaan Mumtaz is back in Mumbai.

Ruslaan thanks river for sparing his life

Taking to Instagram Stories, Ruslaan shared a picture of the river and captioned it as: "The river that caused it all, thank you for sparing my life." In another set of Instagram Stories, the actor shared pictures from the airport before boarding his plane from Delhi and after landing in Mumbai.

Ruslaan is back in Mumbai

He also shared a picture of himself sitting inside the plane. He wrote, "Bye Bye see you when your mood is better." Posting an image of his boarding pass, he added, "Now just pray I reach Mumbai."

Ruslaan thanks host

In an earlier Instagram post, Ruslaan thanked his host and posted a picture with him. Nakul Mahant - a real life hero Instead of worrying about losing one of his most precious assets. Nakul made sure that all his hotel guests which included our shooting crew of 40 ppl reached safety. He made timely decisions and all through this ordeal we had a roof over our head and hot food. His smiling face always made me feel that no matter what I will be safe. 

Ruslan's post.

Ruslaan added, This is my first experience of dealing with a natural disaster and my first meeting a real-fromlife hero. You have the prayers and best wishes of all the guests and your staff. We will be back soon to complete our project at @shirarresort and I as promised will be back for a holiday with family and friends.

Ruslaan recalls watching the natural disaster unfold

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Ruslaan revealed he saw the floods washing down the roads around him. The shoot was taking place inside the hotel and Ruslaan had some free time when he watched the river sweeping all the roads around, and wondered if it was normal. "Nobody was bothered by that ke road kahan ja raha hai (where is the road going). I saw huge trees get swept by the river. Nobody realised until the owner came and asked us to leave. I packed my bags in two hours taking only the essentials like money."

Khyati Keswani escapes Manali floods

Meanwhile, Kumkum Bhagya actor Kyati Keswani had a narrow escape, when she cancelled her trip to Manali mid-way. She told ETimes that she had decided to go ahead with her plans despite her parents and family being apprehensive about her travelling in such weather. It was only when it started raining, when she drove on the Kasol-Manali road that she felt she should cancel her trip for the time.

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Shah Rukh Khan once took on Amitabh Bachchan's hosting duties in season three of the hit quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati. The actor used to bid the participants goodbye by giving them a hug. However, once a woman refused to hug him and made it clear that she doesn't like him as an actor. A clip of the particular episode was recently shared on Reddit and fans of the actor were angry over the same. However, some also defended the contestant and came up with an explanation. Also read: Vignesh Shivan reacts to Shah Rukh Khan romancing wife Nayanthara in Jawan Shah Rukh Khan had hosted Kaun Banega Crorepati season 3.

What happened in the KBC episode hosted by SRK

The video clip shows the woman contestant telling Shah Rukh Khan, Main aapki filmein dekhti hu aur main aapko ajha actor nahi mana karti. Aur mujhe is show mein aapse gale milne ka koi shauk nahi hai (I watch your films but I don't consider you a good actor. I am also not willing to hug you on the show)."

After she won a certain prize money on the show, Shah Rukh asked her, aap bura manegi agar main apni taraf se ye check aapki ma ji ko dekar aau kyunki wo mujhse gale zarur milengi (will you feel bad if I give this check to your mom because she will definitely give me a hug)? The woman agreed and SRK went on to give her mom a hug.

Shah Rukh Khan fans respond to clip

A fan commented on the Reddit post, Lol for I am not a fan either but that doesnt mean that I would be rude. Just because hes famous people think he wouldnt feel offended or hurt if someone says this directly. And there's no way this is scripted because who would write a script like that??? Another said, Supreme confidence. You have to know yourself so you are never looking for anyone else's validation. One more fan said, I need to learn peoples skills from this man! A comment also read: She tried to show off. The king just humbled her in seconds. His sense of humor is one of the top reasons why I love SRK, read another comment. A fan also said, SRK is an actual star. He knows everyone will not be a fan but he sure knows he is a star and how to show it to people like her. That was very witty and nicely handled.

Some defend the contestant

Some on Reddit also defended the woman. A comment read: Not all women are dying to hug celebrities. She was setting boundaries and its healthy for your own mental peace. Another said, I agree. She seemed around my mother's age and I know women that age are not comfortable being hugged by a man. Nothing wrong with enforcing personal boundaries.

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SC notice on disqualification pleas against Sena MLAs; Uddhav camp's time up swipe Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Maharashtra assembly speaker Speaker Rahul Narvekar on a petition complaining against the delay in deciding on the disqualification petitions against Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and MLAs supporting him. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu Prabhu, in his capacity as chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, had filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other 15 MLAs last year after they rebelled and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022. Read Here. The Supreme Court issued notice to the Maharashtra assembly speaker. (File)

Indian student brutally beaten with iron rod by Khalistan supporters in Sydney: Report

An Indian student in Australias Sydney was brutally attacked by a mob of Khalistani separatists on Friday, Australia Today claimed. Swapnil Singh (name changed) told the news outlet that he was attacked in Westmead, a suburb of Western Sydney. Read Here.

Watch: Yashasvi Jaiswal makes crucial 'Rohit Sharma' revelation as Team India stars reserve 'special' welcome for opener

Team India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made the most of the opportunity as he recieved his maiden Test cap during the first match of the series against West Indies. Opening the innings on Day 1 of the Test, Yashasvi continued to remain unbeaten by the end of second, as the 21-year-old smashed his first Test century  only third Indian opener to hit a hundred in his maiden Test  putting India in a commanding position in Dominica. Read Here.

Watch J-Hope sparkle and shine in Louis Vuitton's new Men's Fall-Winter 23 campaign, BTS' ARMY loves new pics and video

BTS member J-Hope, aka Jung Hoseok, is the star of Louis Vuitton's latest Fall-Winter 2023 fashion campaign. Louis Vuitton released pictures and a video for their latest men's clothing line starring J-Hope, the French luxury fashion house's brand ambassador. The Instagram posts show the K-pop star dressed in intricate pieces from the new collection. BTS ARMY, the K-pop supergroup's fans, loved the photoshoot and showered him with compliments. Read Here.

Margot Robbie and fan recreate classic Barbie dialogue, video goes viral. Watch

Greta Gerwig's Barbie starring, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling has taken over the world by storm. The world premiere of the film Barbie took place at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California on July 9, following which another premiere was held in London two days ago. While there were several wow moments on the red carpet, a video from the London premiere featuring Margot Robbie and a fan named Barbie has gone viral on social media. Read Here.

Mohanlal is suited and booted at Wimbledon, shares pics as he watches a match in London; fans love his look

Veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal was recently in London. Pictures of Mohanlal watching a Wimbledon match are grabbing the attention of fans, who can't stop praising him. Some are also showering love on his look  the actor wore a blue shirt with matching tie and a white shirt. He also wore rimless glasses Read Here.

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The Bengaluru police have seized over 300 counterfeit and expired passes used to enter Vidhana Soudha on Friday, days after an imposter gained entry to the Assembly hall during chief minister Siddaramaiahs budget presentation, officials privy to the development said. The Bengaluru police has seized over 300 counterfeit and expired passes used to enter Vidhana Soudha on Friday (HT Photo)

The police have beefed up security at the Vidhana Soudha, with officials checking the identity card of each person entering the premises. The police have seized over 300 expired and coloured photocopies of the passes, along with data pertaining to individuals who were found to have these counterfeit passes, officials said.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the motive behind the creation and distribution of these counterfeit passes, an official said.

The police have seized the passes that have expired on March 31, 2023 and have asked employees to get valid passes in order to enter Vidhana Soudha.

On July 7, a 72-year-old man named Thipperudrappa, managed to enter the Assembly hall of Vidhana Soudha claiming to be the Molakalmuru MLA. He briefly attended the budget presentation by Siddaramaiah. His presence in the Assembly was first noticed by Janata Dal (Secular) JD(S) MLA from Gurmitkal Sharana Gowda Kandakur, who saw Thipperudrappa sitting in a seat reserved for the Devadurga JD(S) legislator and informed the marshal, following which, the man was arrested.

Earlier this week, the Vidhana Soudha security staff found a fruit cutter inside the bag of a woman on Monday. The woman was a government employee, who was carrying a small knife-like cutter, raising concerns over security.

Following these incidents, security has been beefed up at Vidhana Soudha, where personnel were seen thoroughly vetting credentials before letting people in.

Karnataka legislative assembly speaker UT Khader on Monday said a new technology-driven system will be introduced to beef up security at Vidhana Soudha, the Karnataka high court and Raj Bhavan as well.

It has been decided to introduce a new security system incorporating technology for the region comprising Vidhana Soudha, the High Court and the Governors office, Khader said in the Assembly.
A delegation of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar on Friday met and submitted a memorandum to governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, seeking an inquiry by a sitting judge of Patna high court or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into an unprovoked police lathicharge on party workers during a protest against deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav over an alleged land-for-jobs scam. Police personnel lathi-charging the BJP workers during their Vidhan Sabha march in Patna on Thursday (Santosh Kumar/ HT)

A 46-year-old BJP leader, Vijay Kumar Singh, had died during the stir on Thursday, with the Opposition alleging that he was killed in the police lathicharge on the protesters. The district magistrate, however, said no external injury was found on the deceaseds body.

In its memorandum, the BJP said the lathicharge was done at the behest of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who also holds the home portfolio, and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, which is bad for a healthy democracy. HT has seen a copy of the memorandum.

The march was planned a long time back demanding resignation of a chargesheeted deputy CM, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, backtracking from promise of 10 lakh jobs and government employee status to school teachers, but the government murdered democracy and insulted the Constitution by ordering lathicharge, the memorandum said.

It condemned the unprovoked lathicharge on the procession comprising MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other senior leaders and party workers when it reached Dak Bungalow and said many of them are admitted to hospitals due to serious injuries.

Bihar CM is also the states home minister. His alliance partner, deputy CM is chargesheeted and for his removal the march was organised. At their behest (ishara), the police and the administrator acted brutally, which is disappointing and painful for healthy democracy. Kindly order an inquiry by a sitting Patna high court judge or CBI into the incident. Instead of fixing responsibility for lathicharge and murder of Vijay Kumar Singh, district administration is trying to hush up the matter, the memorandum said.

The delegation also held talks with the governor and described Thursdays events as unprecedented.

BJP state president Samrat Choudhary, leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, MPs Vivek Thakur and Prince Raj, MLAs Nand Kishore Yadav, Prem Kumar, Nitin Navin and Sanjay Saraogi were among those who met the governor.

The brutality shown on a peaceful pre-announced political demonstration, which caused the death of one leader and left several injured, was seen by all. It was pre-planned as even senior leaders and MPs/MLAs were targeted. Our central leadership is sending a team to Patna, Choudhary said.

Through a communique, Raj Bhavan confirmed the submission of the memorandum by the BJP delegation with regard to the police lathicharge on Thursday.

On Thursday, the BJP held the demonstration and was planning to march to the state assembly to protest against the state teachers recruitment policy and demand resignation of Tejashwi, who was recently named in a CBI charge sheet in the land-for-jobs scam.

According to the police, they resorted to lathicharge after some protesters allegedly abused and manhandled them which led the police to use water cannons and tear gas shells. In response, the protestors pelted stones, and they also damaged the windscreens of several vehicles.

Police said more than three dozen people, including cops and women protestors, were injured in brick batting and lathi charge. The BJP said over two dozen of its workers sustained injuries in the police action.

While the BJP alleged that Vijay Kumar Singh, general secretary of Jehanabad unit, died due to the injuries, district magistrate Dr Chandradeskhar Singh said the leader was found unconscious by the roadside in Chajju Bagh area, and no external injury was found on his body during initial examination.

There was no external injury mark on the patient when he was brought to the hospital. We intubated him and put him on a ventilator in the intensive care unit but his ECG was flat (indicative of the fact that the patient has died), said Dr IS Thakur, medical superintendent of the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH), where Vijay Singh was undergoing treatment.

Senior superintendent of police Rajiv Mishra, too, said: The superintendent of the PMCH Dr I S Thakur confirmed his death after 30 minutes of the treatment. We are awaiting his postmortem report to ascertain the cause of death.

Hitting back at the BJP, the ruling Janata Dal (United) spokesman Rajib Ranjan said: The BJP is trying to exploit the demise of their own party leader. There is no hint that the BJP leader died due to lathicharge, as he was far away from there. Those with the deceased have also corroborated it, but the BJP is not ready to accept it and wants to exploit the matter.

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Ahead of Chandrayaan-3 mission launch on Friday, former Indian Space Research Organisation chairman Madhavan Nair explained how India's third lunar mission has very high chances of succeeding as it has been devised by extensively studying the mistakes from Chandrayaan-2 mission of 2019. (Chandrayaan-3 launch LIVE updates) Chandrayaan-3 launched Friday from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota.

Chandrayaan-3 launched Friday from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota to attempt a soft landing on the moon's surface.

Chandrayaan-2's soft landing was failure at the last minute (the lander had lost communication with the ground state just 2.1 km above the moon's surface) but all the operations before that were successful the ISRO had revisited all the data that have been collected from the mission and corrections have been taken in all the elements to ensure a foolproof mechanism, Nair told PTI.

Nair said that changes were made to the technical aspects such as thrusters configurations, and the landing gear was further strengthened as well as computer software modified. whatever was humanly possible, has been done to ensure the mission is a success, he said, adding that ISRO's track record is to learn from its mistakes and leap towards success and Chandrayaan-3 is that stage.

Chandrayaan-3's journey will last for over a month before landing on the lunar surface later in August. The mission is designed to exihibit three major objectives of a safe and soft landing on the moon, to demonstrate the Rover roving on its surface and study its environment. Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions, ISRO explained on its website about the project.

If successful, Indian will join the United States, China and the former Soviet Union in having achieved the rare accomplishment.

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ISRO Chandrayaan-3 Launch Live Updates: The India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched its ambitious third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, and announced a successful separation of satellite into the orbit, achieving a major accomplishment in the moon mission journey. Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-3, the word for moon craft in Sanskrit, lifts off from Sriharikota, India. (ISRO)

A successful soft landing on the surface of the moon will make India only the fourth country to achieve the feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.

Chandrayaan-3 carries a lander (Vikram) and a rover (Pragyan) with the aim of conducting in-situ scientific experiments on the lunar surface. The lander, this time, has been equipped with stronger legs compared to its previous version to withstand landings at higher velocities. There are four payloads in Vikram and two payloads in Pragyan, which will be used to study lunar characteristics.

Earlier in 2019, the second series of Indias lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2 was launched but it failed to achieve the desired soft landing on the Moons surface. The ISROs 978 crore unmanned mission failed its objective after the lander ceased communication with the ground stations at an altitude of 2.1 km from the surface of the Moon.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday lauded scientists, engineers, and those involved in the launch of Chandrayaan 3 mission. Taking to Twitter he wrote, Our collective happiness is Over the Moon !! Thanks to the tremendous ingenuity, dedication, skill and hard work of our scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3 Mission. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (HT File)

We are extremely proud of each one of you for this remarkable achievement. On behalf of the Congress party, we express our sincere gratitude to the extraordinary team at @Isro, he tweeted.

Kharge's comments come on a day when the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the third lunar spacecraft from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The Launch Vehicle Mark-3, formerly known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III, carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was launched around 2:35 pm on Friday.

READ | Nambi Narayanan calls Chandrayaan-3 a game-changer, says 'India will inspire'

Tweeting further about the achievements of Chandrayaan-1 and 2 Kharge said, India's lunar missions began with Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, which confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon ! This was a historic feat by our country !  Chandrayaan-2 also detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing. The perseverance of our scientists did not go in vain.

READ | Chandrayaan 3 is an invaluable milestone

Today, Chandrayaan-3 is a testimony to the vision, foresight, determination and accomplishment of all our previous Prime Ministers including Pandit Nehru ji, Lal Bahadur Shastri ji , Indira Gandhi ji, P V Narasimha Rao ji, Rajiv Gandhi ji, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji and Dr Manmohan Singh ji, Kharge said invoking the previous prime ministers of the country.

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2, which aims to demonstrate the country's capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. The lander will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.
In a sweet gesture, Zomato on Friday said it was sending dahi cheeni (yogurt and sugar) to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as the agency gears up to launch Chandrayaan-3., India's third lunar mission. The Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) M4 vehicle with Chandrayaan-3 at the launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (PTI)

sending dahi cheeni to @isro for the launch of Chandrayaan 3 (heart emoji), Zomato said in a tweet.

At 2:35pm on Friday, Chandrayaan-3 will set off for its journey to the Moon, with the launch to take place from ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota.

Why dahi cheeni?

As per Hindu traditions, feeding sweet yogurt to someone before they set out to achieve something, brings good luck for the task ahead. For example, a student appearing for an exam, or a person who has a job interview, is given sweet yogurt before they leave.

Excitement builds for Chandrayaan 3

Meanwhile, people from all walks of life are sending best wishes to ISRO for Chandrayaan-3, the successor to 2019's Chandrayaan-2. From politicians to celebrities, and sportspersons to citizens, social media is flooded with messages for the country's national space agency.

Also Read | Chandrayaan-3: Twitter erupts in excitement as India all set to reach the moon

14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India's space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation, tweeted prime minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a visit to France.

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Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar exploration mission, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday afternoon, in hopes to land the country among the elite group of nations to have achieved a soft landing on the Moon's surface. (Chandrayaan-3 launch LIVE updates) Chandrayaan 3 lifts off from space center in Sriharikota.

The mission follows the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-2, which failed a desired soft landing on the lunar surface nearly four years ago in September 2019, after the landers communication failure with the ground stations at an altitude of just 2.1 km from the surface of the Moon.

Chandrayaan-3 will journey for over a month before landing on the lunar surface later in August. If successful, the mission will make India the only fourth nation, after the United States, the former Soviet Union and China, to have accomplished the task.

The ISRO explained the three main objectives of this 615 crore mission  safe and soft landing on the Moon, to demonstrate the Rover roving on its surface and study its environment. The spacecraft consists of a six-wheeled lander and rover module, which is configured with payloads to provide data related to the moon's surface. Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions, the ISRO explained on its website about the project.

The ISRO and the former scientists associated with the space agency, including ex-chairman Madhavan Nair and scientist Nambi Narayan, expressed high confidence about the success of the mission. Both Nair and Narayan reiterated that the ISRO has revised the data collected from Chandrayaan-2 mission, factored in all elements and studied past mistakes. Chandrayaan-3 will definitely be a game changer for India and I hope it will be successful, Narayan had told news agency ANI ahead of the launch.

Visuals surfaced from across India showing people cheering for Chandrayaan-3, congratulating and wishing ISRO in anticipation of the mission's success ahead of its launch. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in France at present, also tweeted this morning, expressing optimism about the mission and said it will carry the hopes and dreams of India.

The mission brings back the memories of Chandrayaan-2 launch, which successfully deployed an orbiter but its lander and rover were destroyed in a crash. The image of an emotional and dejected K Sivan, the then ISRO chief, being consoled by PM Modi during the moment remains etched in the memories of many.

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Indias third moon craft successfully blasted off on Friday afternoon from Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota spaceport, marking the first stage of a complicated 40-day mission that aims to vault the country into an elite club of nations that have successfully landed on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday, on board the LVM-3 rocket. (ISRO)

Also read: The Tamil connect behind Chandrayaan series

Built at a cost of nearly 600 crore by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), Chandrayaan 3 was launched at 2.35pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre using a Launch Vehicle Mark-3, formerly known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III. The craft carried a rover (Pragyan) and a lander (Vikram) that will aim to become the first to land on the south pole of the moon, which has generated tremendous scientific interest in recent years due to the presence of water ice.

We are expecting it (Chandrayaan-3) to enter into lunar orbit by August 1 and two-three weeks from then, separation of the propulsion module and lander module will happen on August 17. The final descent is currently planned for August 23, at 5.47pm. That is the plan if it goes as per the schedule, said Isro chief S Somanath.

Scientists inside the mission control centre (MCC) waited with bated breath to see Chandrayaan-3 separate from the rocket about 16 minutes after lift-off even as thousands of spectators broke into loud cheers as the rocket lifted off in plumes of golden and white smoke.

If Chandrayaan-3 lands on the moon  something its predecessor was unable to do when it veered off course in the final moments before the descent on September 6, 2019, and crashed on the lunar surface  it will make India only the fourth country (after the United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union, and China) to achieve a soft landing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch of the mission as a new chapter in the countrys space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity! he tweeted.

President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Isro, for which the launch marked yet another triumph of frugal science, a reference to the fact that the agencys missions are funded at a fraction of the cost of western nations.

Heartiest congratulations to the Isro team and everyone who worked relentlessly to accomplish the feat! It demonstrates the nations unwavering commitment to advancement in space science and technology, she said.

The spacecraft comprises a lander and rover, which will be carried by a propulsion module till 100km lunar orbit. The scientific equipment on the craft consists of three payloads on Vikram and two on Pragyan. One will measure moonquakes, another the plasma distribution, and a third the temperature distribution in the first 10-cm beneath the lunar surface. Two experiments on the rover will determine the elemental and chemical composition of the lunar surface.

Mission director S Mohana Kumar said the LVM3 rocket once again proved to be the most reliable heavy-lift vehicle of Isro. Todays mission was a penance of many across Isro, he added.

Project director P Veeramuthuvel said all the spacecraft health parameters, including power generation in propulsion module and lander module, were normal.

...This is a moment of glory for us, a moment of glory for India and a moment of destiny for all of us... I must thank team Isro for making India proud..., Union minister of state Jitendra Singh said.

Chandrayaan-3 aims to achieve three objectives  to demonstrate safe and soft landing on the moon surface which could not be achieved by Chandrayaan-2; demonstrate rover abilities on the moon surface; and conduct in-situ scientific experiments. If successful, it could pave the way for Isro to take on more challenging missions, including a planned one to the sun and another to send a human being into space.

Scientists explained that the 2019 mission fell at the final hurdle but managed to successfully place its orbiter around the moon, and this provided invaluable information. Somanath said that it was on the basis of the data and pictures from the orbiter that Isro were able to take corrective steps for the make and landing strategies for Chandrayaan-3 .

Senior officials from the department of space explained that Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous lander module (LM), propulsion module (PM), and a rover, with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions. The lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover, which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.

The lander and the rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface. The main function of PM is to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from PM. Apart from this, the propulsion module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of the lander module, the Chandrayaan 3 mission module read.

After entering the orbit of the moon, Chandrayaan-3 is expected to reach the lunar orbit, nearly a month after its launch, and its lander and rover are expected to land on the moon on August 23.

The landing site for the mission is near the south pole of the moon (around 300km from the pole) at 70 degrees latitude.

Also read: PM Modi's Chandrayaan-3 scripts new chapter tweet as ISRO launches 3rd Moon mission

We are aiming for all the geophysical, chemical characteristics on the surface of the moon. Second, study of the south pole has still not been explored. Nobody has conducted the thermal characteristics on the surface of the moon which Isro would be doing in this mission, Somanath said.

Before this, all the lunar missions have only managed to make a landing in the equatorial region of the moon  a few degrees north or south of the lunar equator. Only the Surveyor-7, launched by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1968 managed to land near 40 degrees south latitude, which is the furthest that any spacecraft has landed from the equator.

Soft landings occur when the craft touches down at a safe, slow and controlled speed. Soft landings are particularly necessary on crewed missions or missions in which the craft is expected to take scientific measurements or perform tests after landing, as is the case with the Chandrayaan 3 mission.

Congratulatory messages poured in from across the globe.

This is a great milestone that India has achieved today. I congratulate the Indian government, the space agency Isro, and the people of India for the successful launch, said Gennady Krasnikov, president of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Senator Bill Nelson, Administrator of the USs National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) also congratulated Isro on the launch of Chandrayaan-3.

He tweeted, Congratulations to ISRO on the Chandrayaan-3 launch, wishing you safe travels to the Moon. We look forward to the scientific results to come from the mission, including NASAs laser retroreflector array. India is demonstrating leadership on #ArtemisAccords!

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The Congress party on Friday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) electoral funding collection, which is three times higher than all other political parties, is a result of chronic capitalism and an opaque electoral bond scheme. Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera (File Photo)

Speaking to the reporters during a press briefing at the party headquarters in New Delhi, Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned the BJP on the lack of transparency in political donations, while alleging that the electoral bond scheme was designed to favour the ruling party and demanded a transparent system of electoral funding.

Citing a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Khera said more than 52% of the BJPs political donations which came from electoral bonds was Rs.5,271.97 crore between 2016-17 and 2021-22 as against Rs.1,783.93 crore received by all other national parties combined.

The BJPs money is three times higher than any other party. Earlier, a company could not donate more than 7.5% of net profit for three years. But the BJP government took off the limit. Due to this, now the companies/organisations do not have to reveal how much they donated and to whom, Khera claimed.

This is a fair and lovely scheme as Rahul Gandhi says where money goes into the account of one party and becomes white, the Congress spokesperson said.

This effectively implies that the (PM) Modi governments controversial, corrupt and contrived electoral bonds scheme is a money whitening scheme, which converts black money to white, he said at the press conference. Cash, crony capitalism and corruption are the new chal, charitr and chehra of the BJP, Khera said.

Khera said while demanding total transparency in the funds received by the BJP and other political parties, said that the information should be made public. Why do you have to hide from your own people? Why should this not be under the Right to Information? he said.

Questioning the role of central agencies, Khera pointed out that the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Income Tax department, only investigates the members of opposition parties and does not act when it comes to the BJP.

ED, CBI, Income tax  neither of these agencies will raid, nor they will come at the doorsteps of the BJP. But misbehaviour with the opposition parties by these agencies is in front. BJP has legitimised chronic capitalism through the electoral bond scheme, Khera told reporters.

He added that Congress always wanted a transparent system of electoral funding. Congress party stands absolutely opposed to this opaque system of electoral funding. We will keep on exposing the corporate money greed of the Modi government and the BJP, Khera added.

He continued, the Congress in its 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto and the 85th Plenary Session in Raipur earlier this year promised to scrap the opaque electoral bond scheme that is designed to favour the ruling party.

In 2017, the BJP through an amendment to the Finance Act exempted political parties from disclosing details of those contributing to the electoral bonds in their contribution reports filed mandatorily with the Election Commission every year. It has been criticised for its lack of transparency and many petitions questioning its constitutionality are pending before the Supreme Court.

(with PTI inputs)

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Flood in Delhi live updates: Several developments took place in the submerged capital on Friday as authorities stepped up relief work. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal paid a visit to Okhla water treatment plant and informed that the operations there have now resumed. Locals at the flooded Jamuna Bazar area as the swollen Yamuna river inundates nearby areas, in New Delhi(PTI)

Read | PM Modi dials up Shah, Delhi L-G from France, takes stock of flood-like situation in capital

Water level in Yamuna has been reducing since morning even as parts of capital including Kashmere Gate, Mahatma Gandhi Marg and adjoining Noida remained waterlogged.

Read | Where is the Delhi CM?': Congress leader jabs Kejriwal over flood situation in capital

Three minor children drowned in a waterlogged area of Mukundpur in Northwest Delhi, said police adding that their bodies have been fished out and sent to a hospital for postmortem.
The Delhi flood has brought into sharp focus the Hathnikund barrage, upstream on the Haryana-UP border, through which the flow of water of the Yamuna is regulated, with the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday alleging it was being deliberately mismanaged to inundate the Capital. Hathinikund Barrage in Haryanas Yamunanagar district. (PTI)

Also read: I, too, can say a lot of things but: Delhi L-G in front of Arvind Kejriwal over Delhi flood

How the barrage works, therefore, is important to understand.

Water regulation through Hathinikund barrage (it is not a dam, and does not have a reservoir or overflow channel) is regulated by the Upper Yamuna River Board, which has representatives of all riparian stakeholders of the river -- Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan  ensuring that every state gets the share of the water agreed upon on May 12, 1994.

The agreement was signed under the aegis of the then Water Resources ministry, now Jal Shakti ministry, to resolve a long-pending Yamuna water dispute between different states, and to ensure that the states get adequate water for drinking and irrigation.

A key part of the agreement was to build the Hathinikund barrage, which started in 1996, and was completed in 1998, to replace the Tajewala barrage, 3km downstream, and set up the Upper Yamuna River Board to regulate all water storage and barrages on the Yamuna till Okhla in south Delhi, in consultation with the floodplain states.

The Hathinikund barrage (HKB) regulates the flow and distributes share of water from the main stream of the Yamuna, Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) in Haryana and Eastern Yamuna Canal (EYC) in Uttar Pradesh, as per the agreement. Delhi is supposed to get 0.580 billion cubic meter of water every year from Yamuna through Hathinikund.

The barrage in the Tajewala village of Yamunanagar district, from where the Yamuna enters the plains, 172km from its point of origin in Yamunotri in Uttarakhand, ensures a minimum flow of 10 cumec (cubic meter per second) water in the main Yamuna. One cumec is equal to 35.5 cusecs (cubic feet per second).

The barrage does not stop flow of the water on river Yamuna, it just regulates water flow as per the agreement and water sharing guidelines of the Central Water Commission. The barrage is managed by Haryana government as per the guidelines, said a Jal Shakti ministry official.

The AAP, which rules Delhi, on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Haryana government of releasing all water from Hathinikund to Delhi, and not diverting the excess water to Uttar Pradesh. The party said that had the excess water been diverted to Uttar Pradesh, Delhi would not have got flooded.

Since July 10, the Haryana government has been releasing water in one direction, whereas it could have been distributed evenly in all three states. The Delhi flood is an organised plan. The BJP has purposely pushed the national capital into this situation and made people suffer because of political reasons, said senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.

There is one key condition in the guidelines that monitor the release of water, Haryana irrigation officials said. Sandeep Kumar, executive engineer of Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Department, said the CWC water sharing-formula is adopted when the flow of water comes down below 100,000 (1 lakh) cusecs. As per the formula, in that scenario, 15,000 cusecs is discharged into western canal and 2,000 cusecs into eastern canal and remaining flows into main Yamuna.

If the flow of water exceeds 1 lakh cusecs, there will be no flow into the western and eastern canals and the entire water is to be discharged into the main Yamuna as two canals cannot withhold the high flow of water, he said. This is because the higher intensity of water, measured through cusec flow, can damage the man-made canals, he added.

As the water flow at Hathinikund got reduced to 58,495 cusecs at 3pm on Friday, 10,510 cusecs was discharged into western canal, which provides drinking water to northern parts of Delhi, and there was no release of water into the eastern canal. The UP has not demanded water as there is a breach in the eastern canal in UP and the water will be discharged when the UP government raises demand, an official said.

When contacted, a spokesperson for AAP said: So the Centres planning was always that whenever there is a natural calamity in Yamuna, the Delhi side would be overwhelmed. Even if the western and eastern Yamuna canals were made for irrigation, in the event of such a calamity why cant it be opened? And if this all was really true, how come water started being released into both the western and eastern canals today after AAP strongly raised this issue? Did the CWC guidelines change so suddenly?

Also read: Of late, Yamuna rises less often but levels turn more dangerous

Devender Singh, advisor (Irrigation) to Haryana chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, said the Hathinikund is a barrage, which regulates water flow and is not a dam, in which water can be stored. The water discharged into the Yamuna river, for the protection of the barrage, is the water which is constantly coming from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand these days due to excessive rains, he said in a statement.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva dismissed AAPs allegations. Political leaders do not decide when and how much water will be released from any barrage or dam, but technical officers take such a call, he said

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Neeraj Mohan Neeraj Mohan is a correspondent, covering Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Panipat and Yamunanagar districts of Haryana. ...view detail
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued rainfall alerts for various states in the coming five days. These included flood-wrecked Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, many districts of Maharashtra, as well as states like Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan, which are set to receive different intensities of rainfall. Vehicles ride through a flooded street after Yamuna river overflowed due to monsoon rains in New Delhi on Friday.(AFP)

Delhi, which is facing a flood-like situation due to rising level of the Yamuna river, received light rainfall today as well, adding to the woes of the people as several key areas remained inundated. Laxmi Nagar, Lutyens' Delhi were some areas which witnessed a drizzle in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh, extensively damaged due to flash floods and landslides over the past few days, will also continue to receive isolated heavy rainfall during the next five days, IMD said.

Here's the full weather forecast by IMD:

1)The national capital, its adjoining areas and Haryana are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall for the next 5 days, the weather body said. We are expecting a slight increase in rainfall on July 17 and 18, Soma Sen Roy, IMD scientist was quoted as saying by ANI.

2)IMD also issued a Yellow alert for several districts of Maharashtra starting today. A Yellow alert was marked for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhugarg, Dhule for today. Of these, Mumbai, Thane and Palghar will see moderate rainfall tomorrow but Thane will be on Yellow alert thereafter till July 18. IMD also put Mumbai Yellow alert again on 17-18 July, as heavy rainfall is expected there while the same for Palghar will be seen only on July 18. Separately, Sindhudurg will continue to be on a Yellow alert till July 18; Raigad and Ratnagiri are on Orange alert on July 17-18.

3)Other than Himachal, isolated 'heavy' rainfall will occur in Rajasthan over the next five days. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh have been predicted to receive isolated heavy to 'very heavy' rainfall during the same period.

4)IMD also said that while west Madhya Pradesh will get isolated heavy rainfall during the next five days, the rainfall activity will increase across eastern Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha and Goa from July 17 onwards.

5)Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim will experience 'fairly widespread, heavy to very heavy' rainfall till July 17.

6)'Heavy' rainfall is likely to occur over Bihar on July 17, while in Jharkhand, the same will be seen from July 15-17, IMD said.

7)Northeastern states namely Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya are projected to receive heavy rainfall during the next four days; while Arunachal Pradesh will get heavy rains till July 16.

8)Gujarat is predicted to get heavy to very heavy rainfall over isolated pockets on July 18.

9)Coastal Karnataka is expected to have isolated heavy rainfall till July 18. There may also be isolated instances of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Telangana, Kerala, and Maharashtra on July 18.

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An estimated 72 per cent of districts in India are exposed to extreme flood events but only 25 per cent of them have level flood forecasting stations, or early warning systems, a new report said on Thursday. A man rides a cart on a flooded road behind the Red Fort after a rise in the water level of the river Yamuna after heavy monsoon rains, in New Delhi. (Reuters)

Despite high exposure to floods, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are the best-performing states in terms of flood early warning systems (EWS), according to the report by independent policy research think tank The Council on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW).

The report showed that Himachal Pradesh, currently battling massive floods, is among the states with the lowest availability of EWS. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, is moderately exposed to extreme flood events but has a high availability of flood EWS, it said.

Delhi, in the throes of severe flooding due to a raging Yamuna, is moderately exposed to extreme floods and has a moderate level of resilience through EWS.

Approximately 66 per cent of individuals in India are exposed to extreme flood events; however, only 33 per cent of them are covered by flood EWS. Moreover, 25 per cent of the Indian population is exposed to cyclones and their impacts, but cyclone warnings are available to 100 per cent of the exposed population, the report said.

States such as Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal are at the forefront of building resilience by establishing cyclone EWS.

"The district-level analysis revealed that while 72 per cent of districts in India are exposed to extreme flood events, merely 25 per cent of these exposed districts have level flood forecasting stations. This means that two-thirds of individuals in India are exposed to extreme flood events, and only one-third of them have flood EWS," the report said.

According to the CEEW, 12 states -- Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Bihar -- are highly exposed to extreme flood events. However, only three -- Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Bihar -- have a high availability of flood early warning systems.

Odisha has moderate EWS availability and the rest low availability, indicating a gap in the planning for installing flood monitoring and forecasting stations, the report said.

Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana are moderately exposed to extreme floods.

While Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tripura have a high availability of flood early warning systems, the rest have a moderate resilience through flood EWS.

States such as Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana have the lowest availability of flood EWS.

Research shows that 97.51 million people in India are exposed to extreme flood events, and most districts are exposed to more than one extreme event, highlighting the importance of making EWS available to all in the country, especially in the states and districts most exposed to its impacts, the report said.

It said that more than 88 per cent of the Indian states exposed to floods and 100 per cent of the states exposed to extreme cyclone events have a high teledensity ratio, which means to access early warnings through telecommunications.

The recent floods in India and Cyclone Biparjoy have once again shown the importance of investing in early warning systems, said Dr Vishwas Chitale, senior programme lead, CEEW.

"The country is rapidly expanding its early warning coverage by embracing transformative technologies. However, as we witness swapping patterns in the climatic extremes in the country, where previously drought-prone areas are now facing floods, all states need to ramp up their early warning systems to safeguard lives and livelihoods," he said.

According to him, states should leverage state-of-the-art technologies to build inclusive, impact-based multi-hazard early warning systems that involve the local communities for last-mile connectivity.

"Intensifying adaptation finance for enhancing disaster preparedness is the need of the hour," he said.

A CEEW study released in 2021 found that 27 of 35 Indian states and union territories (UTs) are vulnerable to extreme hydro-met disasters and their compounding impacts. Eighty per cent of Indias population resides in these vulnerable regions.

However, India has been taking steps to build its resilience to the impacts of such extreme events by increasing preparedness and investing in EWS. These systems are being deployed throughout the world as essential instruments for disaster risk reduction.

At the 2022 UN climate summit in Egypt, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres unveiled an Executive Action Plan to provide "Early Warnings for All", saying that "one out of three persons globally, primarily in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), lack access to effective early warning systems". This plan requires an investment of USD 3.1 billion from 2023 to 2027 to make EWS available to everyone across the globe.

Incessant, heavy rain wrought massive damage in several parts of north India over the last few days.

Due to a rare interaction of a western disturbance, monsoonal winds and a cyclonic circulation, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh over the weekend caused flooding and landslides in the hilly terrain.

The gushing water swept away bridges, homes and cars, and caused widespread devastation in the state.

Neighbouring Uttarakhand also saw a similar situation with water levels of several rivers crossing the danger mark.

In Delhi, the Yamuna swelled to 208.62 metres, surpassing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set 45 years ago. The raging river inundated nearby streets, impacted public and private infrastructure, road and rail traffic and caused immense hardships to people living in close proximity to the river.

Curbs have also been placed for the entry of vehicles into the national capital.
The Indian Air Forces Rafale fighter planes and tri-services marching contingents on Friday took part in the imposing Bastille Day parade in Paris, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the guest of honour at a time when India and France are commemorating the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. (Twitter/@PIB_India)

Three IAF Rafales formed part of the spectacular multi-aircraft fly past over the iconic Paris landmark, Champs-Elysees, which set the stage for scores of military contingents to march down the boulevard, with French President Emmanuel Macron, Modi and other dignitaries watching the proceedings from a stage facing the war memorial Arc de Triomphe.

The Indian Armys marching contingent, drawn from the Punjab Regiment, led the parade, followed by a military band from the Rajputana Rifles Regiment, the Indian Navy contingent and the Indian Air Force contingent. As many as 242 Indian military personnel were part of the marching contingents. French marching squads and mechanised columns came thereafter.

Every Indian would be proud to see this, Modi wrote on Twitter, captioning a video clip showing the Indian contingents marching down Champs-Elysees with the army band playing the tune of Saare Jahan Se Acha.

The IAFs Rafales and the tri-services contingents reached France a week ago to practice for the Bastille Day parade. Indian military contingents had led the parade in 2009 too when then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attended the ceremonial event as the guest of honour.

The 68-member IAF contingent taking part in the parade was led by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy, a helicopter pilot who had commanded the 144-member IAF contingent at this years Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

The army contingent was led by Captain Aman Jagtap while the naval contingent was headed by Commander Vrat Baghel.

The Indian participation in the parade came seven years after a French army contingent took part in the Republic Day parade for the first time in 2016 when then President Francois Hollande was the chief guest at Indias biggest ceremonial event in Delhi.

Taking part in the Bastille Day parade was extra special for the contingent from the Punjab Regiment as soldiers from the regiment had fought alongside French troops in the two world wars.

The troops of the Punjab regiment have participated in both the World Wars as well as the post-independence operations. In World War I, they were awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours. The gallant soldiers fought in Mesopotamia, Gallipoli, Palestine, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, Damascus and France. In France, they took part in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in September 1915 earning the Battle Honours Loos and France and Flanders. In World War II, they earned 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours, the army said in a statement in the run-up to the parade last week.

To commemorate the event, the navy has also deployed INS Chennai, an indigenously designed and constructed guided missile destroyer, to France from July 12 to July 16.

The IAFs Rafales returned to France after taking part in a multi-nation exercise there three months ago. The fighter jets debuted in an overseas exercise, Exercise Orion, held at the Mont-de-Marsan airbase in France from April 17 to May 5, and involved the air forces of the host nation, the US, the UK, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain.
An Indian tri-services contingent, led by the Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army, gathered at the Champs-Elysees Avenue on Friday, ahead of the annual Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France. Punjab Regiment's soldiers look on during the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on Friday.(AFP)

Preparations are underway for the Bastille Day Parade, which commemorates the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution.

Meanwhile, security has also been beefed up.

French security forces are seen checking the cars and buses ahead of the parade.

Earlier, on Wednesday, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the adoption of an exceptional security plan for the French national holiday, which will be placed under heavy police surveillance due to a "particular environment (...) of violence," Le Monde reported.

No fewer than 130,000 members of law enforcement will be mobilised across the country on Thursday and Friday, "including 45,000 each evening, equipped and organized (...) for urban violence", the minister said.

The Punjab Regiment will be led by Captain Aman Jagtap. The Indian Navy contingent is being led by Commander Vrat Baghel while the Indian Air Force contingent is by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy.

Expressing his happiness over being part of the Bastille Day parade, Captain Aman Jagtap, 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, Longewala, who will command the Indian contingent at the Bastille Day Parade, said, "It is a proud and historic moment. After 107 years, we will parade at the same place where the ancestors of my Regiment did. For my troop and me, it is a matter of pride for me...It is not every day that someone gets to parade before one's PM in a foreign land. It is a huge and rare opportunity for us."

This year the Bastille Day Parade will have about 6,300 soldiers in various marching contingents. This includes a tri-services contingent of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The Punjab Regiment participated in both World Wars, having been awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours in the first war.

Meanwhile, Subedar Satinder Pal Singh from the Punjab Regiment, said, "The troops are full of vigour. We are ready to march. Our 'josh' and morale is high. Our ancestors sacrificed themselves for this land. Now we are here."

Indian Navy's contingent is also set to participate in the Bastille Day Parade.

Ranveer, an officer of the Indian Navy, told ANI, Our contingent is brimming with anticipation and enthusiasm. From the parade, you will get a sense of the preparations that went into it. We have been preparing (for the parade) for the last one month. However, all stage rehearsals are over and we are all set for the march today. We are very proud that the PM is here and that our contingent is taking part in the Bastille Day Parade.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence, in a press release, stated, "The Indian Army contingent comprising of 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the Band is being led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Indian Navy contingent is being led by Commander Vrat Baghel and the Indian Air Force contingent is by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy. The Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will also form part of the flypast during the parade."

It added, The Army contingent is being represented by the Punjab Regiment which is one of the oldest Regiments of the Indian Army. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both the World Wars as well as the post-independence operations.

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An Indian student in Australias Sydney was brutally attacked by a mob of Khalistani separatists on Friday, Australia Today claimed. Swapnil Singh (name changed) told the news outlet that he was attacked in Westmead, a suburb of Western Sydney. The victim said alleged that the mob was repeatedly raising the slogan Khalistan Zindabad.(File)

Swapnil claimed he is an international student and was on his way to work when the mob allegedly attacked him with iron rods. He was struck with a rod on the left side of his face.

Today, morning at 5.30am when I was going to work some 4-5 Khalistan supporters attacked me. I work as a driver and my vehicle was parked just 50 metres from where I live. As soon as I sat in my driving seat these Khalistan supporters came out of nowhere, Australia Today quoted Swapnil as saying.

He alleged that one of the attackers opened the left side door of the vehicle and hit him with an iron road on his cheekbone under his left eye.

After which they opened the driver-side door and dragged me out of the vehicle and started beating me with iron rods. Two of them were doing video recording on their phones while 4-5 were hitting me from all sides, he added.

He alleged that the mob was repeatedly raising the slogan Khalistan Zindabad.

He was later taken to Westmead Hospital with serious injuries to his head, leg, and arm. Shortly after 5.40 am on Friday 14 July 2023, officers attached to Cumberland Police Area Command attended Rupert Street, Merrylands West, following reports of an assault, the NSW Police spokesperson said in a statement.

The Indian government is yet to make an official statement over the issue.

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Indias acceptance among developed and emerging economies within G20 is helping it push proposals in areas such as digital transformation and climate justice through political heavy lifting that could be required to forge consensus on the Ukraine crisis, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The G20 summit will be the biggest multilateral event held in India in four decades (File Photo)

As the G20 sherpas, or senior officials acting on behalf of leaders of the worlds 20 largest economies, discuss the text of the final communique to be adopted at the summit in September, the Indian side has been making a concerted push on several issues considered vital for developing countries, including equitable debt restructuring, data for development, and finding funding for climate transition.

In the field of digital public infrastructure, the Indian side has been pushing for a secure and interoperable digital eco-system, the people said. The Indian side expects this will find reflection in the final communique to be adopted by leaders at the upcoming G20 Summit, while details for such infrastructure can be finalised in subsequent discussions.

Indias so-called digital stack, which includes open-source applications for identity, digital payments and healthcare solutions, has already received a good response in developing countries, including those in Africa, and this is expected to build momentum for DPI within the G20, the people said.

The work in the digital sphere also includes evolving common standards for cyber-security, the people added.

The Indian side is working towards a common framework for debt restructuring, especially for vulnerable debt-stressed nations of the Global South, which will include private, bilateral and multilateral debt, the people said. There should be a common but differentiated response, whereby basic benchmarks can be set through the common framework and country-specific solutions worked out, they said.

Given that this common framework will also include strong transparency and sharing of data, the Chinese side has not been very forthcoming in supporting it, the people said. These measures have found resonance with other G20 members.

Indias initiatives for restructuring multilateral financial institutions are linked to generating funding for green development and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Given that India is not a major producer of fossil fuels, its work in green energy is aimed at decarbonising while also fostering growth, the people said.

Referring to the Ukraine crisis as the 1,000-pound gorilla in the room, the people said some political heavy lifting could be needed as the G20 is the only forum in which decisions rest with the leaders. The text used in the leaders declaration at the last G20 Summit in Indonesia only created a containment zone that didnt hold for long, they said.

The communique in Bali had said most G20 members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it was heightening energy and food insecurity, but it added that there were also other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. The G7 members do not want any shift from this text, though Russia and China have been saying this formulation is no longer acceptable as the situation on the ground has changed.

The work being done by the 14 sherpas and other senior officials attending the deliberations in Hampi is aimed at preparing the grounds so that the G20 leaders can step in if needed, the people said.

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Indias third lunar spacecraft took a successful flight from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday afternoon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said. After a 25-hour and 30-minute countdown, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3, formerly known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III, carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was launched. Chandryaan-3 is the successor to Indias ongoing series of lunar missions. (Twitter | ISRO)

LVM3 M4 / Chandrayaan-3 Mission: LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched Chandrayaan-3 into orbit, Isro said in a tweet after the launch.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that July 14, 2023, will always be etched in golden letters in Indias space sector. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable journey will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation, Modi tweeted before the launch.

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2, which aims to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. The spacecraft comprises a lander and rover configuration, which will be carried by a propulsion module until a 100 km lunar orbit.

According to Isros mission brochure released ahead of the launch, the propulsion module has a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of the earth from the lunar orbit.

A follow-up mission to the 2019 Chandrayaan-2, the latest programme aims to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the moon surface, which could not be achieved during Chandrayaan-2, rover abilities on the moon surface and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments. In the second lunar mission, the soft landing attempt by the Indian space agency might have failed, but Isro managed to successfully place its orbiter in the path, which continues to provide key information.

Isro chairman S Somanath said that it was based on the data and pictures from the orbiter that they were able to take corrective steps for the make landing strategies for Chandrayaan-3

Officials from the department of space said that Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous lander module (LM), a propulsion module (PM), and a rover, with the objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions.

The lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover, which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.

The lander and the rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface. The main function of PM is to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from PM. Apart from this, the propulsion module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of lander module. The launcher identified for Chandrayaan-3 is GSLV-Mk3 which will place the integrated module in an Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) of size ~170 x 36500 km, the Chandryaan-3 mission module said.

After entering the orbit of the moon, Chandrayaan-3 is expected to reach the lunar orbit nearly a month after its launch. Its lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyaan) are expected to land on the moon on August 23.

The landing site for the mission is near the south pole (around 300kms from the south pole) of the moon at 70 degrees latitude. The successful landing of the spacecraft will make India the first country in the world to soft-land near the lunar south pole and the fourth country to have landed on the moons surface.

Before this, all the lunar missions have only managed to make a landing in the equatorial region of the moona few degrees north or south of the lunar equator. Only the Surveyor-7, launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1968, has managed to land near 40 degrees south latitude, which is the furthest that any spacecraft has landed from the equator.

Soft landings occur when the craft touches down at a safe, slow, and controlled speed. They are particularly necessary on crewed missions or missions in which the craft is expected to take scientific measurements or perform tests after landing, as is the case with the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Gennady Krasnikov, president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, congratulated India on successfully launching its third lunar mission, which could set an important benchmark for space missions globally.

This is a great milestone that India has achieved today. I congratulate the Indian government, the space agency Isro, and the people of India for the successful launch. Russia is also preparing for its lunar mission soon. We are expected to launch Luna 25 around August, Krasnikov said.

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Indias proposal to include the African Union as a full member of the G20 has been included in the draft communique for the summit of the group of 20 largest economies, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. PM Narendra Modi has led from the front on the issue of the African Unions membership of the G20. (Twitter | G20 India)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to counterparts among G20 members last month that the African Union should be given full membership at the summit to be hosted by India in September.

The proposal was made in line with a request from the African Union, which comprises 55 countries of the African continent.

Also Read: The African Union and Indias G20 presidency

Text regarding the inclusion of the African Union has been included in a revised draft for the joint leaders declaration that is being discussed at the third meeting of G20 sherpas at Hampi in Karnataka, the people said.

The response to Indias proposal from other member states has generally been very positive, the people said on condition of anonymity. They, however, made it clear that consensus  which is at the heart of all decision-making within the G20  will be required to take this matter forward.

Indias position in forwarding the proposal to other G20 members has been that Africa needs a greater voice at all multilateral forums, especially one that is focused on the global economy and sustainable development. They acknowledged that the inclusion of a large grouping such as the African Union will have its own challenges.

Earlier, the Indian side had said the proposal is aimed at enhancing Africas voice on the international stage and in shaping the future of a shared world.

Modi has led from the front on the issue of the African Unions membership of the G20, which he strongly advocates and supports.

Modi is also a strong believer in having a greater voice for countries of the Global South, particularly African countries, at international platforms, the people said.

The Indian side has also said the African Unions membership of the G20 will be a right step towards a just, fair and more inclusive global architecture and governance.

The G20, which was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis, comprises the worlds largest economies.

The groupings members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the UK, the US and the European Union.

The African Union was founded in 2001 to replace the Organisation of African Unity. The total population of member states of the African Union is more than 1.3 billion.

The grouping represents the interests of African states at international forums, and it has the status of a permanent observer at the United Nations General Assembly.

India is set to host the G20 Summit in New Delhi during September 9-10.

As part of Indias G20 presidency, Modi has focused on incorporating the priorities of African countries in the groupings agenda.

Earlier this year, India hosted the Voice of Global South Summit to ascertain the priorities and concerns of developing countries so that they could be incorporated in the G20s agenda for this year.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rezaul H Laskar Rezaul H Laskar is the Foreign Affairs Editor at Hindustan Times. His interests include movies and music. ...view detail
Muslim World League chief Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who is currently on a five-day visit to India, on Friday criticised terrorist organisations and expressed concern about escalating conflicts and wars worldwide. Speaking to news agency ANI, he emphasised that these outfits operate on distorting the image of religions and said, Islam and terrorism have nothing to do with each other". The Muslim leader also made a visit to the Akshardham temple in Delhi on Thursday and called for peace and love amongst all, regardless of the reasons behind these conflicts. Muslim World League secretary general Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa is on a five-day visit to India.(ANI)

Also Read | Are Muslims a more unequal society in India?

Al-Issa said, "These terrorist organisations don't represent anyone except themselves; they have no religion or country." He also highlighted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a strong platform to combat such ideas.

He added that the Muslim World League is actively working to eradicate these ideological ideas, stressing the importance of addressing these ideas on an ideological level to eliminate them from existence.

Earlier in his address on Wednesday at the Dialogue for Harmony among Religions, Al-Issa criticised organisations that spread terrorism, saying that misconceptions, hate theories, and wrong perceptions contribute to the path from radicalisation to terrorism. He also mentioned that some leaders have used hate narratives to maintain their power and relevance.

Prior to serving as the Secretary General of the Muslim World League in 2016, Al-Issa held the position of Minister of Justice in the Saudi Cabinet. He is renowned as an Islamic scholar, a proponent of moderate Islam, and an advocate for interfaith dialogue and global peace.

Akshardham visit

After visiting Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi, the chief of the World Muslim League expressed admiration for India, saying that it is a great example of unity in diversity. India is a great example of Unity in Diversity and my visit to Akshardham - a place of worship, full of love, peace and harmony, sums it up, he said.

During his three-hour visit, the Muslim leader appreciated Akshardham's art, architecture, culture, and values, acknowledging its significant contributions to the world. He specifically desired to engage with the Swamis to discuss matters related to global peace, harmony, and coexistence.

The secretary general expressed his delight in meeting Swami Brahmaviharidas again, recalling their previous interaction in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh during an interfaith conference in 2022.

He was captivated by the stone parikrama's design, as well as the meaningful carvings found throughout Akshardham. He praised the scale and intricate details of the work.

Al-Issa about his visit to India

Al-Issa said his visit to India is a visit to their friends in the Republic of India. He mentioned having important meetings with political and religious leaders, which he found very enriching. The discussions focused on vital issues related to fostering harmony within societies and promoting global peace.

Earlier on Wednesday, the chief of the Muslim World League praised Indian philosophy and traditions for teaching harmony to the world. He saluted Indian democracy, the Constitution of India, and the values that promote peaceful coexistence. Al-Issa also emphasised his respect for the rich Indian heritage that upholds harmony and unity.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao Trainee Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream. India's regional languages attract me. ...view detail
At 2.35pm on Friday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully launched Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar mission. On August 23, India hopes to be the fourth country to successfully land on the moon. E ISRO's Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) M4 rocket carrying 'Chandrayaan-3' lifts off from the launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, Friday, July 14, 2023 (PTI)

Isro has worked hard to ensure that the landing goes well; after all, four years ago, the second mission, Chandrayaan-2, was a success till that stage. Isro officials have termed that mission a part failure because while the lander and rover of the spacecraft did not complete its scientific objectives, the orbiter was injected into the lunar orbit and continues to provide key data and pictures from the moon.

Also read: NASA chief hails ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 launch: India demonstrating leadership

We landed with a higher velocitywe call this a crash landing. But if you analyse the mission in its entirety, we have perfected the part of reaching up to the moon in earlier missions, said an Isro official who did not want to be identified.

The failure analysis report prepared by Isro after Chandrayaan-2 highlighted that the five engines that were used for the reduction of velocity on the lander, developed a higher thrust than was intended.

The intention was for Vikram lander to lose most of its velocity by the time it was around 400m from the lunar surface and start the process of hovering above the intended landing site to ensure a soft vertical descent. The high velocity, however, caused it to crash on the moons surface.

While this higher thrust was being achieved, the errors on the account of this differential started accumulating over a period. This is called the camera costing phase. During this period, the craft is ideally supposed to be steady to take pictures. If there are any errors, corrections can be made while it is happening, but we didnt do that. We started correcting this only towards the end. When all these errors accumulated, which was slightly higher than we expected, the craft started making very fast turns. This hampered the ability of the craft to turn, Somanath told HT in an interview before the launch.

Also read: Crediting ISRO for Chandrayaan 3 launch, Congress chief Kharge invokes ex-PMs

Chandrayaan-3 has four engines.

The Chandrayaan-2 lander was to land within a 500mx500m area. That meant the lander had no flexibility . In the case of Chandrayaan-3 the landing area has been increased to 4km x 2.5 km.

Isro has also ensured that the lander is now sturdier, with stronger legs, and a higher fuel capacity, to reduce the possibility of failure . It has worked to give the craft more flexibility to react to possible errors during the mission, even move around the landing area before landing.

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Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday took a dig at prime minister Modi after he spoke to union home minister Amit Shah to inquire about the flood situation in Delhi. Mocking Modi for showing 'such concern', the Congress leader asked why the prime minister made no inquiries at the height of ethnic violence in Manipur; the PM was then in the United States. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh(ANI)

"Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi. It is good that he showed such concern. Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning?" Ramesh tweeted.

"Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is in France. But looks like he's taken a vow of total and complete silence on Manipur..."

Ramesh's barb comes after reports said on Thursday that Modi - in France on a two-day visit during which he will be the Guest of Honour for French National Day celebrations - spoke to Shah and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena as the national capital battles widespread floods.

It is unclear if Modi spoke to Arvind Kejriwal, who is the Delhi chief minister.

The flood situation in Delhi has been near catastrophic levels over the past few days as the Yamuna overflows its banks because of heavy rain and overflowing barrages upriver.

Water levels fell slightly to 208.46 metres on Friday - from 208.62 on Thursday but the situation remains tense as the river is still well over the mark of 205.33 metres.

READ | Delhi flood: Yamuna water reaches near Supreme Court, remains over danger mark. 10 updates

Across large parts of the city, roads have turned into mini rivers of raging floodwaters, entering homes and offices and washing away cars. Bus terminals have been closed and metro services affected as people struggle to reach their jobs or even buy groceries.

Tens of thousands have been evacuated from low-lying areas in the city and along the swollen banks of the Yamuna. However, in heartrending scenes, many refused to budge for fear of losing their homes and belongings, prompting Kejriwal to issue pleas and appeals.

Schools and colleges across the national capital region have been closed till Sunday.

According to the Central Water Commission, the floods in Delhi - which, it has been pointed out, has not actually received that much rainfall, can be attributed to reasons like heavy release of rainwaters from Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana, which reached Delhi quicker than anticipated. A CWC official said this may be because the overflowing Yamuna has less space to occupy. Increased amounts of silt on the river bed may be another reason for the floods.
The minister of state (MoS) for home affairs Nityanand Rai on Friday hit out at the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led state government over the death of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Vijay Kumar in Patna in the aftermath of protests organised by the party. BJP had organised protests over the teacher recruitment programme in the state. (PTI image)

The union minister dismissed the claims of the Patna district administration that the BJP worker was found unconscious by the roadside and had no injury marks.

Also Read: BJP attacks CM Nitish over workers death: Ever since he became friends with

BJP had organised protests over the teacher recruitment programme in the state.

Its not a natural death, MoS Rai said while addressing media persons in the national Capital.

What happened in Bihar yesterday was condemning. BJP was conducting a peaceful march towards Bihar Vidhan Sabha, but the barbaric action of the police reminds us of how General Dyer used to stop people from justice. Vijay Kumar Singh was killed, and it is a massive oblation for the BJP. Jungle Raj 3 has finally arrived in Bihar and the wrong decision of the Bihar government has anguished the people of the state too. This is a calculated action, and the lathi-charge was pre-decided, Rai said.

Rai also demanded the resignation of the Bihar chief minister and action against the people behind the BJP leaders death.

We demand the resignation of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and withdraw all the decisions made against the farmers, students and teachers in Bihar. We also demand the perpetrators involved in the death of Vijay Kumar, he said.

In a statement, the Patna district administration had said that Vijay Kumar Singh, a resident of Jehanabad district, was found unconscious by the roadside. No injury marks have been found, said the statement, adding that Singh was taken to PMCH, Bihars largest government hospital.

Massive clashes ensued in Bihar on Thursday between BJP workers and the Bihar police after leaders of the opposition party (BJP) attempted to march towards the Bihar Vidhan Sabha in protest against the Nitish governments teacher recruitment policy.

According to BJP workers, they were met with lathi charge, tear gas shells and water cannons.

They alleged that Singh had died from injuries from the brutal lathi charge.
The mighty Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project on Godavari river in Telangana, which suffered heavy damages due to massive floods around this time last year, is back in operation to meet the irrigation requirement of the state, officials familiar with the matter said. The Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project on the Godavari river in Telangana suffered heavy damages due to massive floods around this time last year. (HT Archives)

Even though it has been over a month that the monsoon has set in, the irrigation department officials are taking all precautions to prevent recurrence of the catastrophe that hit the project  built at a cost of nearly 1 lakh crore  in view of reports of increasing water levels in the upstream of Godavari river.

On July 14 last year, the river witnessed unprecedented floods due to heavy rains in its catchment areas, inundating two of the huge pumping stations of Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, the Kannepalli pump house at Medigadda village of Mahadevpur block in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district and Annaram pump house in the upstream of Godavari river near Manthani of Peddapalli district.

The Kannepalli pump house, that lifts water from Lakshmi barrage built on the Godavar river, comprises 17 giant motor pumps, each weighing 2,376 metric tonnes and having 139 megawatts capacity  popularly referred to as Baahubali motors, has the capacity to lift three thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of water every day.

Similarly, the Annaram pump house that lifts water from Saraswati barrage, comprises 12 such gigantic motors. Both the pump houses got submerged last year and it was an uphill task for the irrigation engineers to restore them. It took more than eight months and an expenditure of more than 1,000 crore to restore the motors. Yet, only seven of 17 motors in Kannepalli are fully operational now, a senior engineer working on the project said on anonymity. The irrigation department has been working overnight to lift water from the Kaleshwaram project to fill the reservoirs upstream for the irrigation requirement of northern Telangana.

Last week, over 2.7 tmc of water was pumped from Kaleshwaram into Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP), starting with 0.25 tmc feet on July 3, to meet the irrigation needs in the ayacut. Similarly, water will be drawn to fill up the reservoirs like Mallannasagar, Ranganayaka Sagar and Annapurna, to ensure there is enough water for the agriculture operations, the engineer said.

Battling the flood threat

The Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, which is a redesigned version of originally planned Pranahita-Chevella project, was started in May 2016. The project was completed in phases  the Lakshmi barrage was completed in 2019, followed by Saraswati in 2020 and Paravati (Sundilla) in the same year.

The project aims at irrigating over 10 million acres in northern Telangana. The construction of canal works and a chain of reservoirs as part of the project is still going on.

When there are no rains from upstream of Godavari river, water stored in the Lakshmi barrage would be pumped in reverse direction into Saraswati barrage and from there to Parvati barrage, which would supply water to a chain of reservoirs through pumps and gravity.

However, when Godavari river is flooded, there is no need for operation of Kaleshwaram pumps and the barrage gates are opened to let the water go downstream. The spillway of the Lakshmi barrage has the discharge capacity of 28.23 lakh cusecs of water and that of Saraswati barrage can discharge 15.95 lakh cusecs.

On July 14 last year, the Godavari received a flood of 28.46 lakh cusecs and the authorities lifted all the 85 floodgates of Lakshmi barrage to discharge the water. Yet, it was overflowing and it put pressure on the backwaters, resulting in the collapse of the retaining wall of the pump house and water submerging the motors.

Similarly, at Saraswathi barrage, the inflow was about 15,95,228 cusecs. By lifting all 60 floodgates of the barrage, 15,95,228 cusecs of water was released downstream. Yet, it could not withstand the increasing inflow; resulting in the submergence of the Annaram pump house, the engineer quoted above said.

This year, the authorities are taking all steps to prevent any further damage to the Kaleshwaram project. So, when there were reports of heavy rains in the upstream of the river in Maharashtra, the authorities lifted 36 gates of Lakshmi barrage to let 1.29 lakh cusecs of water on Wednesday.

The authorities also pumped 10,600 cusecs water back into the Annaram barrage to prevent submergence of motors, while meeting irrigation requirement of the areas upstream.

The water storage level of Lakshmi barrage is currently 13.05 tmcs, compared to its full capacity of 16.17 tmcs. We are storing enough water in the barrage to see that the irrigation needs of the command area are met, in case of lack of rainfall upstream, the engineer said.

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Twelve days after nine Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders took oath as ministers in the Maharashtra government, their portfolios were announced on Friday after protracted negotiations between the three partners in the states ruling alliance. HT Image

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar got finance, a department he held under the previous government as well, and planning portfolios; at the same time assured chief minister Eknath Shinde and his MLAs that all major decisions related to the finance department would be monitored by the CM and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis.

Dilip Walse Patil, who was the home minister when Shinde rebelled and pulled down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last year  will now head the cooperation department while Chhagan Bhujbal will handle the food and civil supplies department. Dhananjay Munde will head the agriculture department and the only woman minister in the cabinet, Aditi Tatkare, will be in charge of the women and child welfare department.

The other ministers are Hasan Mushrif (medical education), Dharmarao Atram (food and drugs administration), Sanjay Bansode (sports and youth welfare), and Anil Patil (relief and rehabilitation).

Following the reshuffle, the BJP now has 10 of the 29 cabinet berths, the NCP has nine and Sena has 10. The BJP controls important departments such as home, revenue, water resources (irrigation), energy, housing, public works, and tribal development. The Sena, on the other hand, will look after urban development, social justice, public health, industries, and school education departments.

On July 2, Ajit Pawar and his loyalists rebelled against his uncle and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar in what was an almost play-by-play repeat of the split in the Shiv Sena last year that brought down the MVA government.

If one goes by the distribution of portfolios, the BJP has more strategic or politically important departments among the three parties while Shiv Sena and NCP have almost an equal number of such portfolios with them. Thus, the BJP brought Ajit Pawar-led NCP on par with Shindes Shiv Sena, a BJP minister, who did not wish to be named, said.

Shinde and his lawmakers had rebelled against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray exactly a year ago, citing the alleged high-handedness of Ajit Pawar, who was also the finance minister in the MVA regime. They had then said that they were not getting enough funds from the government for their constituencies.

One has to make some adjustments in an alliance. I am the chief minister. I will ensure that everybody gets justice. All our MLAs are matured politicians, Shinde said when asked about the objections raised by some of his MLAs over allocating the finance department to Ajit Pawar.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to people aware of the matter, also assured Sena MLAs that the CM and him would monitor the allocation of funds to all the departments.

Shiv Sena was assured that Ajit Pawar would not have a free hand to do what he did during the MVA rule. Decisions related to funds allocation would have to be taken in consultation with Shinde and Fadnavis to ensure that Sena MLAs would not have any grievances, the BJP leader cited above said.

School education minister and Shiv Sena lawmaker Deepak Kesarkar said all the decisions would have to be approved by the chief minister and thus they were not worried. I share a good rapport with Ajit dada and he had told me that the decision taken by him would have to be approved by the chief minister. Now, we have a CM who can take decisions.

The cooperation department, which the BJP leadership gave up reluctantly, will help Ajit Pawar keep his flock together and ensure that most of the NCP legislators and prominent leaders do not side with his uncle, Sharad Pawar. BJPs Atul Save, who was handling the portfolio until now, will head the housing and other backward classes (OBC) departments in his next assignment.

Two controversial Shiv Sena ministers - Abdul Sattar and Sanjay Rathod  too had to give up the agriculture and food and drug administration portfolios to the NCPs Munde and Atram respectively. Sattar was given the agricultural marketing and minority affairs departments while Rathod will head the soil and water conservation department.

The BJP heavyweight from Mumbai, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, lost his women and child development department to NCPs Tatkare, and tourism to party colleague Girish Mahajan who had to concede his medical education to the NCPs Mushrif.

The Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP taunted the chief minister. Portfolio allocation @AjitPawarSpeaks dada got what he wanted but CM @mieknathshinde lost the high moral ground as he had blamed dada for not allocating resources to Sena MLAs in the previous MVA government & hence the coup. Now will the CM refer all Sena MLAs files back to dada? Mahesh Tapase, NCPs chief spokesperson, tweeted.

Before the portfolios were announced, Ajit Pawar met additional chief secretary (finance) Nitin Kareer on Friday. Later, he also met speaker Rahul Narwekar.

The powers for allocation of portfolios are with chief minister Ekanth Shinde. We have joined his cabinet and are ready to take up whatever responsibility is being given by him, he said ahead of the allocations.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday highlighted the ongoing economic reforms in India and urged the French business leaders to harness opportunities that the country offers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi(via REUTERS)

He said this while addressing the India-France CEO forum along with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Forum consisted of 16 CEOs from the French side and 24 from the Indian side in diverse sectors, including aviation, manufacturing, defence, technology, and energy, among others, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Guillaume Faury, Airbus; Henri Poupart Lafarge, Alstom; Peter Herweck, Schneider Electric; Namita Shah, Total Energies; Philippe Errera; Safran and Paul Hermelin, Capgemini were among the prominent French business leaders who attended the forum.

Hari S Bhartia, Jubilant Life Sciences Limited; Lakshmi Mittal; Arcelor Mittal, Tarun Mehta, Ather Energy and Amit B Kalyani, Bharat Forge were among the business leaders on the Indian side.

"President @EmmanuelMacron and I met top CEOs to discuss ways to diversify business cooperation. I highlighted the reforms in India and urged entrepreneurs to harness the many opportunities our nation offers," the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by these industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between India and France, the MEA statement said.

He highlighted Indias progress in renewables, startups, pharma, IT, digital payments and infrastructure and the various initiatives undertaken to foster business, it said.

Prime Minister encouraged the CEOs to utilize the investment opportunities in India and be a part of Indias growth story, it added.

"The prime minister highlighted Indias mission-mode reform journey and various initiatives undertaken to boost the business environment such as the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme etc," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) tweeted.

Modi also exhorted the business leaders of India and France to work towards accelerating the journey of friendship between the two countries.

The business community of the nations has contributed a lot in strengthening bilateral ties, he said in his address.

"I would like you to work for accelerating and strengthening this great journey of the two nations," he said while committing to extend full support to them in their endeavour on behalf of Indian and French leadership.

Observing that India and France have completed 25 years of strategic partnership, Modi said the business leaders of the two countries have played a big role in the long journey.

"We are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership. In this journey, the business leaders have played a big role," Modi said.

The Indian government during the last nine years of the NDA rule have taken several initiatives to improve ease of doing business. These include relaxing FDI norms, encouraging manufacturing through Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and reducing corporate tax.

Prime Minister Modi is here on a two-day official visit at the invitation of French President Macron.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the highest honour of France, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron, an official statement said. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before a working dinner(AP)

Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived in Paris on a two-day visit on Thursday. He will join Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted photographs from the award ceremony that took place at the Elysee Palace here, saying A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron"

"Prime minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India, the MEA said in a statement.

Earlier, the French President and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi at the Elysee Palace.

On Thursday evening, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora here and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for the Indian innovation in cashless instant payment.

In his nearly an hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale -- a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine -- Modi outlined India's fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India's strength and role is also changing very quickly.

Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas.

Noting that France is celebrating its national day, in which he is the guest of honour, Modi said he has been to the country many a time but it was special this time, as he lauded its support to India and the strength of ties between the two countries, which mark 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

Describing people-to-people connect as a key foundation of the India-France partnership, he also asked the diaspora members to invest in India, noting that global experts are recognising the country's attractiveness as an investment destination and the country is taking rapid strides in development.
France has conferred the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest of the countrys civilian and military honours, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The award was presented to Modi by President Emmanuel Macron following a private dinner hosted by the French leader at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday evening. Modi thanked Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India, the external affairs ministry said. French President Emmanuel Macron bestows the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The dinner was the final engagement on the first day of Modis two-day visit to France.

I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the Elysee Palace this evening, Modi tweeted.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi described the award as a warm gesture embodying the spirit of India-France partnership.

Modi is the first Indian premier to receive this honour. In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has been awarded to prominent leaders and eminent personalities from around the world, including former South African president Nelson Mandela, former German chancellor Angela Merkel and former UN secretary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

In June, Egypt conferred the Order of the Nile on Modi. He also received the Order of the Druk Gyalpo from Bhutan in 2021, the Legion of Merit from the US in 2020, the Order of St Andrew from Russia in 2019, the Order of Zayed from the UAE in 2019, and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia Arabia in 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India sees France as a natural partner in its resolve to become a developed nation.



We are celebrating 25 years of our strategic partnership. We are making a roadmap for the next 25 years on the basis of the strong foundation of the previous 25 years. Bold and ambitious goals are being set for this. People of India have taken the resolve to make ourselves a developed nation. In this journey, we see France as a natural partner, the prime minister said in a joint briefing with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris.



ALSO READ: PM Modi conferred with France's highest honour by President Macron



Calling defence ties as the foundation of Indo-French relations, Modi said France is an important partner in the Make In India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Be it submarines or Indian Naval ships, together we want to fulfill not just ours but also the requirements of other friendly countries", the prime minister said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French president Emmanuel Macron.(AFP)

I welcome the long-term agreement between Indian Oil and France's Total company to export Liquefied natural gas (LNG), it will help in achieving our target of clean energy transition, Modi added.

The prime minister announced the launch of India's unified payments interface in France.

We will open a new Indian Consulate in the city of Marseille. We welcome the decision to grant long-term visas to people of Indian origin studying in France. I invite French universities to set up their campuses in India... Indian athletes are excited to participate in next year's Paris Olympics, he said during the briefing at the Elysee Palace.



French president Macron said,"We can't forget the youth...By 2030, we want to send 30,000 French students there (to India)...For the young Indians who want to pursue higher education in France, we want to make a conducive visa policy".



Hailing the launch of Chandrayaan 3, PM Modi also spoke on the agreements between the space agencies of both the countries.

Today, on the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3, the entire India is excited. This is a major achievement of our scientists. In the arena of Space, India and France have had an old and deep cooperation. There have been new agreements between our Space agencies, Modi said.





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The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to Maharashtra assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar in response to a plea for deciding on the disqualification petitions in a time-bound manner against chief minister Eknath Shinde and legislators of his faction of Shiv Sena. The Supreme Court. (ANI)

Sunil Prabhu, the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, filed separate disqualification petitions against 39 lawmakers, including Shinde, who took over as the chief minister with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) support after rebelling against his predecessor, Uddhav Thackeray, and splitting the Sena last year.

Senior advocate Devadutt Kamat, who appeared for Prabhu, told a Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud-led bench that Narwekar has not decided on the disqualification petitions even as the May 11 order of a Constitution Bench required him to do so within a reasonable time. We will issue notice and make it returnable after two weeks, said the bench which also comprises justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra

Prabhu said he sent three reminders to Narwekar in May and June after the courts May 11 order for taking up the disqualification pleas. He added not a single hearing has been conducted since the court passed the judgment.

In his petition, Prabhu said the Speaker in brazen disregard to his constitutional duties as a neutral arbiter has sought to delay the adjudication of the disqualification petitions, thereby permitting the illegal continuance of Shinde.

Prabhu filed the disqualification petitions on behalf of the undivided Shiv Sena initially against Shinde and 15 other lawmakers on June 23, 2022. Notices were issued on them last year but no responses have been filed to date. Prabhu later moved disqualification petitions against two independent lawmakers on June 25 last year and 22 Shiv Sena legislators. Two separate disqualification petitions were filed on July 3 and July 5 against 39 lawmakers including Shinde for violating the party whip.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Sena has maintained the Speaker was bound to act under the Constitution in a fair and unbiased manner. It added this obligation requires the Speaker to decide disqualification pleas in an expeditious manner. The faction asked the court to direct time-bound disposal of the disqualification pleas and preferably within two weeks.

The Speakers inaction in deciding the disqualification proceedings is an act of grave constitutional impropriety as his inaction is allowing MLAs [members of legislative assembly] who are liable to be disqualified to continue in the assembly and to hold responsible positions in the government of Maharashtra including that of the Chief Minister, it said in its plea

In its May 11 verdict, the court said it cannot ordinarily adjudicate petitions for disqualification under the Tenth Schedule or the anti-defection law, in the first instance. There are no extraordinary circumstances in the instant case that warrant the exercise of jurisdiction by this Court to adjudicate disqualification petitions. The Speaker must decide disqualification petitions within a reasonable period.

It added the Speaker is expected to act fairly, independently, and impartially while deciding the disqualification petitions under the Tenth Schedule as ultimately the decision of the Speaker is subject to judicial review.
Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Maharashtra assembly speaker Speaker Rahul Narvekar on a petition complaining against the delay in deciding on the disqualification petitions against Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and MLAs supporting him. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu Prabhu, in his capacity as chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, had filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other 15 MLAs last year after they rebelled and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022. The Supreme Court issued notice to the Maharashtra assembly speaker.

Prabhu approached the apex court this month seeking a direction to the assembly speaker to hear the disqualification petitions expeditiously, claiming Narwekar was deliberately delaying the hearing despite the Supreme Court, in its May 11 judgement, asking the Speaker to decide on the petitions in a reasonable time period.

After the court's notice, Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said in a tweet, Time up for the traitor gang!

Last Friday, Narwekar said he has received a copy of the Shiv Sena's constitution from the Election Commission of India, and the hearing on the disqualification petitions will start soon.

Now we will start the hearing, he said. When asked when exactly the process will start, Narwekar replied, Soon.

On May 11, the top court censured former Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his decision calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority. Refusing to disqualify the 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs including Shinde, the bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the court cannot ordinarily adjudicate on disqualification petitions under the anti-defection law, and directed the Speaker to take a decision on the pending matter within a reasonable period.

Since then, politics has taken another dramatic turn, with several MLAs of the rival Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, joining the BJP-Shiv Sena government. After Pawar's induction into the Maharashtra cabinet, speculations were rife about Shinde's exit from the government. But the chief minister refuted claims as rumours and asserted that the ruling alliance is stronger than ever.

(With PTI inputs)

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The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate on separate bail pleas filed by former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged liquor policy irregularities case. The court agreed to consider on July 28 the interim prayer for urgent bail due to his wife Seema Sisodia's hospitalisation. Manish Sisodia. (PTI)

The plea was heard by a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi.

On Monday, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud agreed to list the Sisodia plea on July 14. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia has said his wife was not well and sought an urgent listing.

Sisodia had moved the Supreme Court for bail in CBI and ED cases related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case. He has challenged the Delhi high court's order rejecting his bail plea.

Recently, the Delhi HC denied him bail in both matters. In its order passed on July 3, 2023, in the ED case, the Delhi HC stated that this court inter alia was of the view that in view of the high political positions held by the accused and his position in the party in power in Delhi, the possibility of influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.

During arguments, the CBI had opposed the bail plea moved by Sisodia and stated, "The applicant (Sisodia) enjoys close nexus with the executive, offices and bureaucrats and his influence and clout is evident. His party colleagues holding high ranks continue to make factually wrong claims in order to influence the investigation and also claim the applicant to be a victim of a political vendetta."

In February 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI last for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of Delhi's new excise policy. The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the Opposition. He is currently in judicial custody.

According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most important and vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the said conspiracy.

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The Supreme Court on Friday set October 10 as the day to begin arguments in a legal battle between Google and Indias antitrust regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) after the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in March upheld key findings of the Commission against the tech giant for abusing its dominant position in the Android ecosystem including a penalty of over 1337 crore. Supreme Court of India (Representative Photo)

Filing cross-appeals against the March 29 NCLAT order in the top court, Google questioned the tribunals finding upholding 6 out of the 10 non-monetary directions issued by CCI on October 20 claiming that there was no evidence of abuse.

At the same time, CCI challenged the four conditions on which the tribunal gave relief to Google seeking reconsideration of the order.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud issued a notice on the two appeals seeking response from both CCI and Google.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the tech giant, suggested having the matter come up on any specific day in September or October. For CCI, additional solicitor general (ASG) N Venkatraman appeared in Court.

The bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra, directed the matter to come up on October 10. The Court even directed the two sides to prepare common digital compilations for the reference of the Court and appointed advocate Sameer Bansal as the nodal counsel to interact with both sides for preparing the set of digital files by October 3.

In its appeal before the top court, Google said, In upholding the Commissions findings, the Tribunal has committed a grave error in law where, without any evidence of abuse and based only on Googles alleged market power, it has been directed to discontinue its procompetitive practices.

The tech giant was accused of abusing its monopoly in the Android ecosystem by imposing unfair conditions on mobile device manufacturers in pre-installing a bouquet of Google apps. This was achieved through a host of agreements signed between Google and original equipment manufacturers although Google claimed it was not mandatory. The tribunal also agreed with the Commission that by getting favourable display on the device home screen, Google got an unfair advantage over other rival apps.

Google said that the findings have far reaching consequences on the Indian mobile ecosystem. It said that the Commission cannot use the provisions of the Competitions Act, 2002 to shape market structures through policy by ignoring consumer benefits, its possible effects and lack of evidence of abuse.

Stating the pitfalls in the tribunals order, the appeal said that the commissions investigation lacked evidence and economic data and the reams of data and evidence submitted by Google to show that its agreements were incapable of foreclosing rivals had not been considered.

The tribunal erroneously relied on Googles alleged market power to suggest that high market shares themselves demonstrate effects, Google said, while adding that evidence of dominance (i.e. high market share) cannot be equated with evidence of anti-competitive effects as required under the Competition Act.

It categorically stated that its agreement with device manufacturers does not prevent them from signing similar deals with competing apps. The point is about consumer choice and that the user has the choice to get rid of these apps not just from the device home page but from being used on the device, the appeal said.

The CCI, in its appeal, challenged the tribunals order for exempting its conditions that required Google to allow uninstalling of its pre-installed apps on Android devices. The CCI claimed that these pre-installed apps could only be disabled. Among the other relief given by the tribunal, the Commissions directive allowing rival app store developers to distribute their app via Google Play Store was also set aside.

Figures provided by CCI showed that in 2018, Google was the operating system used in over 98% of smartphones, while its App store for Android smartphones had 100% dominance due to pre-installation.

In the general web search, Google has had 98% dominance in India since 2009, and in the online video hosting platform, Google-run YouTube had 88% coverage.

CCI extensively relied on the investigations conducted against Google to justify each of its directions. It further pointed out that the global tech firm has complied with similar directions passed by the European Commission (EC).

Google in its appeal said, The Tribunal/CCI chose to follow the path taken by the EC without examining either the difference in the laws and more significantly, without even examining the difference in the implications of a trade practice upon competition within the country. The structure of the industry in India, its stage of development, and the implications of a trade practice may be benign or even beneficial to trade in India but may be considered as anti-competitive outside India and vice versa.

It termed the imposition of 1337.76 crore penalty as disproportionate and excessive that was based on Googles total revenue from its entire business in India and not the relevant turnover arising from revenue generated out of Android operating system based mobile phones.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday hit out at Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan over the latter's remarks on the Uniform Civil Code.



If someone is voicing their concerns, it should be welcomed. Whatever people are saying the government will know and will keep all those sensitivities in mind, Khan said while responding to a reporter's question on criticism around the UCC.



Hitting out at Khan, Owaisi said,"As a Governor he should not be showering praises on a Government. He should resign from the Governorship and officially join BJP..."



Earlier in the day, Owaisi hit out at the Centre over its proposal to implement the UCC, alleging it is being discussed to divert public attention from issues like poverty, unemployment, price rise and Chinese intrusion. AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi.(ANI file)

Owaisi said his party has sent its response along with ex-Supreme Court judge Gopala Gowdas legal opinion on UCC to the law Commission which had appealed for suggestions on the common law code, PTI reported.



This is not a coincidence that exactly after five years again the Law commission is undertaking this exercise. Like a clockwork, five or six months before the general elections BJP raises this issue. The aim is to vitiate the atmosphere and polarise the electorate so that they reap political gains in the coming 2024 elections, Owaisi said.



Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code while addressing party workers in Bhopal. The prime minister said that Muslims were being misled in the name of UCC. "If there is one law for one member in a house and another for the other, will the house be able to run? So how will the country be able to run with such a dual system? he had said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two-day official visit to France, joined President Emmanuel Macron as the Guest of Honour for the Bastille Day parade, a part of the French National Day celebrations. Additionally, PM Modi attended a lunch hosted by the President of France's National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet, in Paris. PM Modi gifted Sandalwood Sitar for French President Emmanuel Macron(ANI)

During his visit, PM Modi met with several dignitaries and presented a collection of gifts that reflect India's vibrant cultural heritage. Here is the list of gifts presented by PM Modi to the hosts in France:

Sandalwood Sitar for French President Emmanuel Macron

1. Sandalwood Sitar for French President Emmanuel Macron: A unique replica of the Sitar (Veena), a musical instrument, crafted from pure sandalwood. This exquisite piece features carvings of Goddess Saraswati, symbolising knowledge and music, and Lord Ganesha, representing wisdom and obstacle remover. It showcases the ancient art of sandalwood carving practised in Southern India. The piece is illustrated with peacocks  the national bird of India and embellished with intricate carvings that reflect the myriad motifs from Indian culture.

Pochampally Ikat in Sandalwood Box for Brigitte Macron, Presidents Spouse:

2. Pochampally Ikat in Sandalwood Box for Brigitte Macron, Presidents Spouse: PM Modi gifted a Pochampally silk ikat fabric, renowned for its vibrant colours and intricate designs. Originating from the town of Pochampally in Telangana, India, this fabric represents India's rich textile heritage. It was elegantly presented in a decorative sandalwood box, showcasing the craftsmanship and aromatic qualities of sandalwood.

Marble Inlay Work Table for Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister of France

3. Marble inlay work table for Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister of France: A stunning marble table showcasing the art of 'Marble Inlay Work.' This intricate craftsmanship involves cutting and engraving semi-precious stones on marble, sourced from Makrana, Rajasthan, known for its high-quality marble. The table features small pieces of semi-precious stones carefully placed into grooves, resulting in a beautiful and colourful masterpiece.

Hand-Knitted Silk Kashmiri Carpet for Yael Braun-Pivet, President of French National Assembly

4. Hand-knitted Silk Kashmiri carpet for Yael Braun-Pivet, President of French National Assembly: PM Modi presented a soft hand-knitted silk carpet from Kashmir. Known worldwide for its intricate knotted details and captivating colours, the carpet possesses a unique characteristic of displaying different shades when viewed from various angles. Often the colours tend to have a day-and-night variation in shades that seem to impart an illusion of viewing two carpets instead of the actual one carpet.

Sandalwood Hand-carved Elephant Ambavari for Gerard Larcher, President of French Senate

5. Sandalwood Hand-carved Elephant Ambavari for Gerard Larcher, President of French Senate: PM Modi gifted a decorative elephant figurine meticulously carved from pure sandalwood. These figurines symbolise wisdom, strength, and good fortune, holding a special place in Indian culture. They serve as a reminder of the harmonious connection between nature, culture, and art.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron, making him the first Indian premiere to receive this honour. With this, PM Modi also joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders who were awarded the honour. (L) Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. (R) PM Narendra Modi with French President Emmanuel Macron(ANI)

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on 13 July 2023, by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India, the Union ministry of external affairs said in a statement.

The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour is yet another one in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on PM Modi.

The Legion of Honour is the highest French decoration given to the most deserving citizens in all fields of activity. It has been conferred to prominent personalities for two centuries. Established by former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honour is divided into five degrees (lower to higher)  Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer and Grand Cross. The PM was awarded the fifth honour. The color of the ribbon is red and the badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk hung on an oak and laurel wreath. On the obverse is the effigy of the Republic and on the reverse two tricolor flags surrounded by the motto Honor and Fatherland written in French. Although the membership to Legion of Honour is restricted to French nationals, foreign nationals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also be given a distinction of the Legion. Over 79,000 members are there so far and France decorate around 300 foreign nationals with this honour each year. Other personalities who received this honour include former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Friday blasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging a lack of social and economic inclusivity and progressiveness as Tamil Nadu topped the states exporting electronic goods in the 2022-23 financial year. Kharge said the neighbouring state emerged as India's leading electronic exporter and created lakhs of jobs while Karnataka, under the BJP, was preoccupied with polarising narratives of Hijab and Halaal. Karnataka last year witnessed a controversy over the hijab ban.(PTI)

In a tweet, Kharge said, I oppose the ideology and politics of the BJP primarily due to its lack of social and economic inclusivity and progressiveness.

Over the past four years, while Karnataka was preoccupied with narratives like Hijab, Jhatka-Halaal cut and rampant corruption, our neighboring state exported electronics worth $5.37 billion and created lakhs of jobs & emerged as India's leading electronics exporter.

He added, We should have had the top spot considering our ecosystem. Time to reclaim this spot.

Earlier this month, the Tamil Nadu government's nodal agency for investment promotion and single window facilitation informed that the state has become India's electronic goods export powerhouse as it exported electronic goods worth $5.37 billion in the previous financial year.

"Tamil Nadu continues to pave the way for the electronic sector's growth. It is a testament to the State's vibrant ecosystem that encourages businesses to invest, innovate, and create," the agency said in a tweet.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said the achievement was a "small example of our Dravidian Model governance."

"We strive to position Tamil Nadu as the first port of call for investors and make it the investment hub of South Asia. We will continue to explore opportunities and excel in them," he added.

Tamil Nadu was followed by Uttar Pradesh with $4.90 billion in export of electronic goods and Karnataka was the distant third with $2.27 billion, according to government data. The fourth and fifth position was occupied by Maharashtra and Gujarat respectively.

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If the considerable efforts of our Nari Shakti (women power) are added to the hard work that is required to fulfil the dreams in this Amrit Kaal (the period leading up to the centenary of Indias independence), it will require less hard work and our deadlines will also be met. Our dreams will be more vivid, vivacious and resplendent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted in his 76th Independence Day speech. This statement captures the governments position on women empowerment, while indicating foresight about the pivotal role that the government envisions for women. Group Captain Shaliza Dhami is the first woman to take charge of IAFs frontline combat unit . (File photo)

Over the last decade, India has witnessed a remarkable shift towards empowering women and fostering their participation in the economy, society, and politics. Significant efforts were made to creating an environment where women could lead and spearhead the nations development. While women empowerment schemes were implemented by successive governments since the 1990s, the current approach is different as it seeks to remove various barriers, including mental, psychological, physical, economic, social, and political obstacles, by constructing narratives that foster an ecosystem characterised by egalitarianism, equity, and empathy.

To such ends, several policies and initiatives were introduced and adapted over time to address the evolving needs of women. Around a dozen major policies currently aim to empower women in education, entrepreneurship, skill development, health, well-being, and political representation. Through targeted interventions and awareness-raising efforts, the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme increased female literacy rates and reduced gender imbalances. Pursuing higher education and establishing businesses have become possible and accessible like never before. Schemes such as the Sukanya Samridhi Yojana (2015), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (2015), and Stand-Up India Scheme (2016) allowed women to gain financial independence while also becoming a contributor to Indias economic development. The data on the growth of women-led enterprises, receding the gender gap, and increased credit to women entrepreneurs are a testament to changing realities.

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was introduced to improve womens health, safety, and overall well-being in economically weaker households. By providing free LPG connections, the scheme effectively eliminates health hazards associated with traditional cooking methods enabling them to pursue education, employment, and other opportunities. Meanwhile, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana provided working women -- who left their job due to pregnancy -- compensation for their wage loss.

Besides policy measures that touched the lives of millions of women, the most significant change India witnessed was a societal renaissance that removed hidden barriers. The active government efforts aided by rising consciousness among the Indian populace resonate with the renewed push for articulating and propagating Bharatiya (Indian) narratives. About women empowerment, there has been a reach out to the hinterlands and remote tribal communities, manifested in the Prime Ministers regular recounting stories of women in his Mann ki Baat addresses. Moreover, there is a reinvigorated focus on broadening the knowledge base in Indian knowledge systems by incorporating diverse viewpoints and recognising the historical contributions of women from different regions of India. Finally, the Indic narratives that resonate with the themes of womanhood and core feminist values have allowed connecting tradition with modernity, continuity with change, realm with region, and a theory with practice.

The Indic narratives that empower the feminine are extremely relevant for Global South Alternatives. These narratives can be used as our civilisation values such as Drapaudi as the first feminist, Sita as the first single mother, Kannagi as the first citizen activist, and Madhavi as the first poet. These narratives have to be articulated extensively and researched. For these articulations, the use of science and technology are just instruments, which are ineffective without developing an ecosystem that builds an egalitarian, equitable and a non-discriminatory order that will not have a lifelong and long-term impact.

India has recognised the universal significance of womens empowerment as a global issue since it is evident that such concerns cannot be limited to national borders. As India gains increasing respect and recognition on the world stage, there is a need for the country to serve as a role model for others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated this awareness multiple times, most recently in his speech in Bali in November 2022, where he emphasised the indispensable role of womens participation in global development. He stressed prioritising women-led development in the G20 agenda, highlighting that global goals are attainable only with womens active involvement. This significant aspect has been prominently observed during Indias chairmanship of the G20 this year. Recognising the importance of women empowerment internationally reflects Indias commitment towards driving a positive change within its borders and globally.

In contrast to the Western approach of empowering women that remains limited to providing increased opportunities, the Indian approach of women-led development places women at the forefront of development, enabling them to take charge of their progress and play a leading role. India has come a long way in a short time, but the fact that there are still events where one sees the phrase first female used should prompt better action and awareness. Womens empowerment is not just a matter of social justice; it is an inherent part of Indias rich and vibrant civilisation. Although there is still progress to be made, the fact that India, as the worlds oldest and largest democracy, is led by its first tribal woman as the head of State is a powerful testament to its commitment towards women-led development.

Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is the Vice Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Its all in there. Find it. Dig it out. Thats one of the lines Harman Baweja delivers as JCP Harshvardhan Shroff in the Netflix series Scoop (2023). The 42-year-old actor, who started out as a hero and then disappeared, certainly dug deep to rediscover his acting skills in the 2023 crime drama. It won praise from critics and Anurag Kashyap, who called his performance a breakout. What does it take to return to Bollywood when you look older but are wiser? Sharmila Tagore, Harman Baweja, Bhagyashree and Chandrachur Singh, who made surprise comebacks after long gaps, fill us in

Looking older didnt bother Baweja. Ive got to be honest to myself and the character I am playing, says Baweja.He knew the reason he needed to come back was because it didnt work out the first time round.

With film director Harry Baweja and producer Pammi Baweja for parents, Harman Baweja would have found it easy to stay behind the scenes. But he wanted to act, and made his debut in Love Story 2050 (2008), which bombed. It took 15 years for Baweja to deliver a standout performance as the sleazy cop JCP Shroff in Scoop. Scoops director Hansal Mehta urged him on, Baweja says. I told him I wasnt in the space. I agreed to an audition because I didnt want them to be stuck on set with me, slapping their foreheads for picking me in the first place, he says. Baweja admitted to being nervous about his performance. Styling by Suveera and Swetesh, Make-up by Aniketh Kamble, Hair by Milin Surti, Artist Pr: Tree-Shul Media Solutions. (Munna S)

Bawejas comeback has had a slow reception. Many viewers simply didnt recognise him. His sisters friend had to google it to believe it, he says. People were congratulating me during my dads 70th birthday celebrations, Baweja recalls. That was the perfect gift for him. Sharmila Tagore picked Gulmohar (2023) as she was looking for a role that was different. A character that spoke to me. Something age-appropriate, not a stereotypical mother/bhabhi, she says.

Sharmila Tagore, 78, dislikes calling her performance in Gulmohar (2023) a comeback. I was looking for a role that was different, A character that spoke to me. Something age-appropriate, not a stereotypical mother/bhabhi, she says. In Virrudh... Family Comes First (2005), she loved playing Sumitra, a mother forced re-examine her faith in humanity after the murder of her only son. The storyline of Gulmohar, she found, reflected present day concerns but also addressed a timeless theme: Family property and the relationship shifts in a multi-generational family. Her character also reveals that she has had an affair with a woman. Chandrachur Singhs long break was to focus on his son, Shaarnjai, whom he raised as a single father in Gurugram. I did have offers, but they werent projects I wanted to do, he says.

Though hed been in the industry since 1990, actor Chandrachur Singh, 55 became a household name with Maachis in 1996. Josh followed in 2000. And that was that. Until one logged onto Disney+Hotstar in 2020 to watch Sushmita Sen in Aarya, only to be surprised by Chandrachur Singh playing her husband, a pivotal role, and killing it. Bhagyashree says she is fortunate to have starred in the superhit film Maine Pyar Kiya. It opens more doors and allowed her to showcase how much more she can do today.

Over 30 years ago, actor Bhagyashree shot to stardom with the superhit Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). Immediately after, she disappeared from the spotlight to raise her kids (actors Abhimanyu Dassani, 33, and Avantika Dassani, 28). She sought small roles that allowed her some flexibility and the freedom to bring her daughter to the sets. Most of these opportunities lay in industries in the South, as they are relatively more professional and punctual, and wrap productions quickly.
During his recent State visit to the United States (US), Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted with a lavish reception brimming with optimism and infused with deep symbolism. Every choice  song, food, flower, and colourmade at these events is a signal. From the playing of the American classic Aint no Mountain High Enough or Indias patriotic standard Aye, Mere Watan ke Logon (a poignant tribute to soldiers lost in the 1962 war), that signal was eminently clear: In the face of shared challenges, the US and India will stand together. PREMIUM GE Aerospace signed a highly anticipated memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HAL during Prime Minister Narendra Modis state visit to the US (Arindam Bagchi Twitter)(HT_PRINT)

The signal was backed by substance. Utilising the iCET framework, the Joe Biden administration invested enormous political capital to cut through bureaucracy and expand Indias access to sophisticated defence capabilities. India will be the first non-treaty ally to receive American jet engine technology via the sale of General Electric Aerospace GE-F414 engines for indigenous fighter aircraft production. Potentially more impactful in the long-term, both countries have also outlined plans to co-invest in future capabilities ranging from 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum, space, and gravitational technologies.

The significance of these accomplishments cannot be overstated. When I was a young officer at the State Department, India was on a list of nations where measures were being taken to prevent any tech bleed; to suggest lifting an export control on them was borderline heretical. How far we have come, together.

During the State visit, government, industry, academia, and financial institutions also partnered to launch the INDUS-X platform, which will connect Indian defence start-ups with American corporate technology and global capital  ultimately offering a stronger path to Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) while forging an Indo-US co-development and co-production strategy. For its immediate security needs, India is set to procure the MQ9 Guardian drone, which will supplement other American maritime-patrol platforms such as the Boeing P-8I Poseidon to build Indias surveillance and deterrent capability along its lengthy land borders and in the Indo-Pacific.

During the launch of the INDUS-X platform, US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, captured the transformation of Indo-US relations succinctly, If our Facebook status used to be its complicated, today, the US and India are dating.

But these are turbulent times, and we cannot rest on our laurels. For effective deterrence, we need a stronger architecture to bolster the competitiveness of our market economies. The recent decision by both sides to terminate six outstanding disputes at the World Trade Organization sets a positive tone for the bilateral trade partnership. It reflects the tireless advocacy of industry bodies for the US and India to focus on productive, not confrontational, economic relations. With that aim in mind, I see three pillars to construct.

The first comprises agreements that will allow our private sectors to boost trade and investment  the muscle and sinew of our strategic partnership. The sooner India joins the echelon of countries with which the US has $500 billion in annual trade, the better for all of us. Major companies are already galloping forward with huge investments in both directions, but to institutionalise and facilitate greater commercial activity across sectors, we need a Bilateral Investment Treaty. The next element would be a US-India Digital Services Agreement. To lead the digital economy this century, we must get our standards and regulations around data privacy and data flow aligned. A good place to start would be a Quad MoU on data governance, which can be expanded to scientific research and development, and could serve as a foundation on which we could advance negotiations.

The second pillar will facilitate the exchange of talent between our two democracies. The announcement of new consulates in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Seattle are overdue and welcome steps. Funds should be secured for interim operations even while full construction may take time. In addition, the US and India should negotiate an agreement that would allow American companies to utilise the e-Treaty Trader and Treaty Investor visa classifications. Such an agreement would be a game-changer for US companies to seek and retain critical talent from India. Lastly, any administrative reforms to expedite visa processing for Indian nationals must be implemented effectively to avoid needless business disruptions that have become commonplace.

The third pillar must focus on an array of agreements on enhancing mutual recognition of standards and interoperability of our platforms. Mutual recognition agreements for commercial electronics, harmonised Quad standards for telecommunications equipment, and interoperability of our defence platforms (enabling India to become a North Atlantic Treaty Organization supplier) would position our two nations to shape the global technological and security landscape.

Right now, the bilateral engines are revving, but we need a stronger economic architecture to carry us to new heights. If we build it right, in a future State visit, there will be an occasion for another portentous tune, Come Fly with Me by Frank Sinatra. In the song, the narrator invites his partner on a soaring adventure, even predicting that, once they reach the heavens, theyll hear, Angels cheer, just because were together.

Ambassador (retired) Atul Keshap is President, US-India Business Council. The views expressed are personal
When Sharad Pawar first became Maharashtra chief minister (CM) in 1978, Morarji Desai was the countrys Prime Minister (PM), Rajiv Gandhi was still an Indian Airlines pilot, Narendra Modi was an unknown Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak and Rahul Gandhi was in junior school. This reveals just how remarkably durable as a political figure the four-time Maharashtra CM and former Union minister has been in national politics. The ultimate survivor, the 82-year-old Pawar has even fought and won a tough battle against cancer. The question now is: Does the Maratha strongman have the stamina for one last fight, this time within his own family as well as with his political rivals? PREMIUM For a while, his Nationalist Congress Partys (NCPs) core dilemma has been  After Pawar, who?(ANI)

For a while, his Nationalist Congress Partys (NCPs) core dilemma has been  After Pawar, who? An ambitious nephew, Ajit Pawar, with grassroots organisational connect, squared off against a more urbane and sophisticated daughter Supriya Sule, creating the kind of inheritance wars that often roil family-centric parties.

Although an astute Pawar divided responsibilities between nephew and daughter  Ajit handled the western Maharashtra family bastion while Supriya was the partys parliamentary face in Delhi  a clear succession plan was never drawn up. As a five-time deputy CM, Ajit Pawar was desperate to take the final step up and emerge from his uncles shadow. The rebellion last week was Ajits way of asserting his autonomy, although the fact that he still needs to showcase his uncles life-size photo at public meetings is a reminder of the limitations of his personal appeal.

But family conflicts are only a small part of the crisis confronting the NCP. Unlike the fierce battle between the Thackeray cousins for control of the Shiv Sena, there has been little acrimony, at least in public, between the Pawars. In fact, shared commercial interests, especially across Maharashtras vast cash-rich co-operative and real estate sector, means that the Pawars are not just a political family but also a deeply entwined joint family business enterprise. So what has suddenly changed to explain the tit-for-tat expulsions and bitter war of words that threatens the NCPs very identity?

This is where the larger political context becomes relevant. For only the second time in his long political career, Pawar is faced with the prospect of being in the Opposition for an extended period, both at the state and national level. The only other time was in the 1980s, when Pawar had spearheaded an anti-Congress front in Maharashtra, only to do a ghar wapsi (homecoming) in 1986. On that occasion, Pawar was able to work out a deal with Rajiv Gandhi, a PM who was still coming to terms with the demands of power politics. In 2023, the challenge facing the octogenarian Pawar is not managing an intra-Congress feud but battling a belligerent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bent on crushing all opposition.

For PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra has always been a prized state, not only because it is the countrys commercial hub but also because it has 48 Lok Sabha seats on offer, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh. When Pawar walked out in the last stretch of a dialogue over government formation with the BJP in 2019, Modi and Shah felt a sense of betrayal. Modi has a personal rapport with Pawar, often praising him fulsomely in public and even awarding him the Padma Vibhushan in 2017. Their common friends include industrialist Gautam Adani. Shah, on the other hand, has no such special equation with Pawar.

Nor does the BJPs Maharashtra face, former CM Devendra Fadnavis. Having settled scores with Uddhav Thackeray by breaking the Shiv Sena last year, Shah and Fadnavis were looking to checkmate the NCP leadership. In fact, the playbook was uncannily similar in both cases: Identify restive individuals with vaulting ambitions, strike bargains with them, offer them the carrot of plum ministerial posts and, as other Opposition parties have speculated, use the stick of federal agencies.

That both the major regional parties of Maharashtra are so vulnerable reveals the complete breakdown of the states moral and political core. While the Sena was held together by the ideological glue of Maharashtrian asmita (self-respect) and later Hindutva, the post-Bal Thackeray leadership has struggled to match the charismatic personality of the organisations eternal mascot. The NCPs ideology, by contrast, is almost non-existent. The party was founded by Sharad Pawar against the backdrop of his stand against Sonia Gandhis foreign origin. But once Mrs Gandhi withdrew from the prime ministerial stakes in 2004, the very raison detre of the NCP was called into question. The party then became a transactional coalition of Maharashtras agrarian and industrial bourgeoisie, driven by the lure of wealth and power and Pawars persona as the consummate dealmaking politician.

Power can be ephemeral. The BJP is the countrys number one party at the moment by some distance, but in the more combative terrain of Maharashtra, it is still to establish its dominance. Which explains its urgent need to make alliances and break parties ahead of next years Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Which is also why the 2024 battle presents the inscrutable Pawar, down but not out, one last opportunity to reclaim his position as a front-ranking politician. In Bollywood lingo, picture abhi baaki hai (The picture is still not over)!

Post-script: When I asked him for the secret to his political longevity, Sharad Pawar replied: In one word: Patience. Which is why when his nephew taunted him by asking him to retire, Pawars reply was typically unflappable: I am neither tired nor retired. Maharashtras game of thrones awaits a final act next year.

Rajdeep Sardesai is a senior journalist and author. The views expressed are personal.
As India launched its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, on Friday, the chief of NASA extended congratulations to ISRO. The US space agency chief expressed anticipation for the scientific findings that will emerge from this mission, emphasising the United States' interest in the outcome. Chandrayaan 3 Launch: People wave the national flag as they celebrate the launch of Chandrayaan-3 mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota on Friday.(Anathakrishnan L)

Bill Nelson, chief of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), tweeted, Congratulations to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the Chandrayaan-3 launch, wishing you safe travels to the Moon. We look forward to the scientific results to come from the mission, including NASAs laser retroreflector array. India is demonstrating leadership on ArtemisAccords!

Follow Chandrayaan 3 Launch Live Updates here

NASA's instrument on Chandrayaan-3 lander

Chandrayaan-3 contains eight payloads, including NASA's Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA). The LRA is a specialised instrument used for lunar range research. It enables scientists to calculate distances on the moon by bouncing signals off the retroreflector and monitoring how long it takes for them to return.

India is part of the Artemis Accords

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to the United States last month, India signed up to the Artemis Accords. The Accords, signed by 26 countries including Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, aim to boost human space exploration on the Moon and Mars while also enhancing peaceful relationships between nations.

ALSO READ: Nasa launches Artemis I moon mission's Orion spacecraft on SLS rocket | Video

'Not just India, world waiting for Chandrayaan-3's success': Jitendra Singh

In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh has told that the success of Chandrayaan-3 holds great significance not only for India but also for the global space community.

Not just for India, the world is waiting for the success of Chandrayaan-3 because the mission will ensure some very significant findings from the moon, which will be valuable for space agencies globally, Singh has said.

Recalling Chandrayaan-1's success in conclusively determining the presence of water on the lunar surface, the minister added, The US might be the first nation to land a human on the surface of the moon, it our Chandrayaan-1 mission that first picked up images of water on the surface of the moon. These pictures were also provided to NASA for their future explorations. This mission series placed us at par with global leaders when it comes to our R&D capabilities.

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There are a few things that a landlord may consider before renting out their property. If you are in Bengaluru, the list may also include an interview that you have to pass in order to get a house. Time and again people have taken to social media to share their experiences of being in tenant interviews while looking to rent a house in this city. Twitter user Neeraj Menta is another one who joined the list. In a Twitter thread he explained how he felt that the tenant interview he gave was more gruelling than seed round pitch for his startup. The Twitter user's post on gruelling tenant interview in Bengaluru has left people intrigued (representational image). (Unsplash/@tierramallorca)

My tenant interview was longer and more gruelling than my Seed round pitch. I recently started househunting in Bangalore and one owner wanted to interview me before saying yes, Menta wrote as he shared the first tweet. In the next few ones he added more about his interaction. Pre-interview - we had to send out a small list of data points about our background along with my wife and my LinkedIn profiles through the broker. Then once we got shortlisted the broker wanted to set up a call, he added. He also explained that the landlord asked him about his  background, family size, etc., then moved to my startup. Furthermore, the person asked Menta about his business model, burn rate, last-round investors, and more.

And after all this, he said that he will come back to me in a day or two after having calls with a few other candidates who were interested in taking the house. My wife thought I was in a fundraising pitch and asked how it went - I said It went well, fingers crossed, he added and concluded the thread.

Take a look at the tweets about the mans gruelling tenant interview in Bengaluru:

The thread left people with lots of questions. Many wanted to know if he managed to get the house. Just like this individual who asked, Finally could you get the flat? To which, Menta replied, Yes, we did.

Take a look at how other Twitter users reacted to the post about tenant interview:

The owner of the house Im renting in Vizag wanted our bank statements and salary slips! He even wanted any company ID and the documents should be sent via the company email id. Its when I put my foot down and didnt budge to share the information is when they settled, shared a Twitter user. Shark Tank, Landlord edition!! joked another. Haha, this should be a new TV series, joined a third. This is the funniest Ive seen on Bengaluru rents till now, wrote a fourth.

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There are people who travel across the world to capture the beauty and culture of different places. One such traveller is Alexandra Blodgett. Her Instagram page is filled with videos of her exploring various places. On her recent trip, she visited Guatemala, where she tried an unusual version of pizza. The pizza she had was prepared inside an active volcano. Woman eats pizza cooked on an active volcano in Guatemala.(Instagram/@Alexandra Blodgett)

POV: travelling to Guatemala to eat pizza cooked on an active volcano. Ok so maybe we didnt travel there just for that, but it was a fun bonus, she wrote as she shared the video on her Instagram page. She also added that the eatery that serves the pizza is called Pizza Pacaya. This volcano is active! The last significant eruption was in 2021. It gets WINDY and cold up there, so make sure you bring layers! she further explained.

What does the pizza video show?

The video opens to show a person putting an uncooked pizza into the ground and covering it. A few moments later, they take it out and serve it to Blodgett. The rest of the video shows her enjoying the dish cooked in a unique way.

San Vicente Pacaya: Only place that serves pizza cooked in a volcano

San Vicente Pacaya, a town in Guatemala, is the only place where pizza is cooked inside a volcano, reports the ABC. The eatery known as Pizza Pacaya, which serves this delicious dish, was started by David Garcia. He got the idea to start his business after witnessing a few tourists roasting marshmallows in the volcano caves.

Take a look at the video that shows Blodgett enjoying the dish:

The video was posted on July 2. Since being shared, the clip has accumulated more than 1.2 million views, and the numbers are only increasing. Additionally, the video has received several likes and comments.

Heres how Instagram users reacted to the video showing pizza being cooked inside an active volcano:

What a unique experience. Would totally do this, posted an Instagram user. I think IG is telling me its time to visit Guatemala, joined another. This looks so fun! I love Guatemala! added a third. Seriously one of the coolest things weve seen. Thanks for sharing! wrote a fourth.

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Authorities in Pakistan said that a terror attack on a military base and clashes elsewhere in the turbulent southwestern Baluchistan province killed 12 soldiers and a civilian, Voice of America (VOA) reported. In recent months, extremist attacks have dramatically increased in Balochistan and the northwesterly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region(AFP/Representative image)

The army's media wing said that five "terrorists" had attempted "to sneak into the facility" in the province's northern Zhob district early in the morning, but troops intercepted them.

According to a military statement, nine soldiers and all of the attackers were killed in the ensuing hour-long confrontations. It did not provide any other information, but according to dependable security sources in Zhob, at least 12 soldiers were hurt, and the number of fatalities was anticipated to rise, VOA reported.

Voice of America (VOA) is the US' international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages. VOA produces content for digital, television, and radio platforms. VOA is part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the government agency that oversees all non-military, U.S. international broadcasting. It is funded by the U.S. Congress.

"Security forces and the nation remain resilient and determined to thwart all such dastardly attempts of the enemy aimed at destroying the peace of Balochistan and Pakistan," the military said in its statement.

Earlier, a senior member of the district administration acknowledged that terrorists had overrun the Zhob cantonment region. According to Azeem Kakar, who spoke to reporters, civilians were caught in the crossfire, leaving one woman dead and five others hurt, according to VOA.

Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a relatively young terrorist group, is said to have claimed responsibility for the attack on the army base, though it was not immediately possible to verify this. The organisation is thought to be affiliated with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, a coalition of illegal extremist groups that carries out assaults against the Pakistani government.

Separately on Wednesday, the military said a gunfight with "heavily armed terrorists" in the Sui district of the province left three soldiers dead. It added that two terrorists also were killed, saying a "clearance operation is underway to apprehend remaining terrorists as well."

In recent months, extremist attacks have dramatically increased in Balochistan and the northwesterly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, which borders Afghanistan. Since the start of 2023, the violence has claimed the lives of more than 400 people, primarily members of the security forces, in suicide bombings and other attacks, according to VOA.

The TTP and the so-called Baloch Liberation Army, both designated as global terrorist organizations by the United States, have taken responsibility for most of the bloodshed in the two provinces and elsewhere in Pakistan.

The Pakistani military has confirmed the death of more than 100 officers and soldiers in insurgent raids and clashes in the first six months of the year. (ANI)
Andrew Tate and his brother have filed a lawsuit against a Florida woman who accused them of imprisoning her in Romania and led to their arrest on charges of human trafficking. They have sued the woman in Palm Beach County and are seeking at least $5 million. Along with the woman, Tate brothers have also sued the woman's parents, another woman who lived at their Bucharest estate in Romania and a male friend of the woman. Andrew Tate(AP)

According to the New York Post, the case was filed in Palm Beach County on Tuesday as the woman and her parents are residents there. The Tate brothers have alleged that the five persons did a conspiracy against them which has costed them their freedom and led to losses of millions of dollars from their social media, podcasting and other businesses.

ALSO READ| US Senator Chuck Schumer pushes for declassifying documents related to UFOs

Tates' attorneys Thomas Maniotis and Joseph D. McBride have claimed that their clients are the victims of the Florida woman. They have labelled the woman as "a professional con artist" who had a sexual relationship with one of the Tate brothers. She tried to defraud the brothers after moving to Romania and filed charges against them when her such attempts failed.

At no point did the Tate brothers engage in human trafficking, says the lawsuit.

The attorneys accuse the woman of being a serial liar, manipulator and schemer who exploits vulnerable, often wealthy men with good intentions for sexual, financial and emotional profit.

The Tate brothers were arrested in Romania in December. They have been indicted for forcing seven victims into pornography and subjecting them to physical violence. The Tates are currently under house arrest in Romania.

According to the charges by Romanian officials, the Tates and two Romanian woman formed a gang in 2021 in order to commit the crime of human trafficking in Romania, Britain and the United States.
The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) has approved, on a bipartisan basis, a resolution that reaffirms Arunachal Pradeshs status as an integral part of India. The SFRC approval clears the way for the resolution to be introduced on the floor of the Senate and its possible adoption by the full chamber. The resolution was introduced by Oregons Jeff Merkley (in pic) and Tennessees Bill Haggerty, and co-sponsored by Texass John Cornyn, Virginias Tim Kaine, and Marylands Chris Van Hollen.(AFP)

The resolution was introduced by Oregons Jeff Merkley and Tennessees Bill Haggerty, and co-sponsored by Texass John Cornyn, Virginias Tim Kaine, and Marylands Chris Van Hollen.

The resolution, as HT first reported in February when it was introduced, lauds the Indian government for the steps it has taken to defend itself against the aggression and security threats from China. It supports Indias defence modernisation and diversification; applauds Indias development efforts in Arunachal Pradesh, including the steps taken to improve border infrastructure; and commits to deepening US assistance in the region including through its aid agencies. Additionally, it encourages like-minded partners to bolster their own respective assistance to Arunachal Pradesh and expresses strong support for the US-India bilateral partnership, including the initiative on critical and emerging technologies (ICET).

The SFRC approval of the resolution is one more sign that the Senate is emerging as a strong institutional source of support for India, including by advocating deeper defence and security ties and enhancing high-level engagement with the Indian political leadership. This is expected to help in the future when the US executive seeks India-specific exemptions from the US Congress across sensitive defence and technology domains to deepen bilateral ties.

The resolution and its importance

To be sure, successive US administrations have, since 1962, recognised Arunachal as a part of India. But a formal legislative stamp on the recognition adds to the legitimacy of the Indian position in the wake of increased confrontation with China, which continues to reject the Indian claim. It is the first detailed resolution of its kind in the American legislature that not just condemns China but explicitly supports the actions India has taken to counter China, and has the support of political actors from the progressive end of the Democratic Party to the conservative end of the Republican Party.

In a statement after the SFRC approval, Merkley, who is also the co-chair of the Congressional executive commission on China, said, Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the US views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of Indianot the Peoples Republic of China (PRC)  and commits the U.S. to deepening support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners. He added that American values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world, especially as PRC pushed an alternative vision.

Haggerty, who has also served as the American ambassador to Japan and is an important voice on Indo-Pacific issues, said that he was delighted to co-lead the resolution reaffirming Indias territorial integrity and pushing back against Chinas provocations.

At a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, its critical for the US to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region  especially India and other Quad countries  and push back against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)s broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific, Haggerty said.

Cornyn, who is also the co-chair of the Senate India caucus, said that as tensions escalate between India and China over the border, the US must stand strong in its support for democracy and a free and open Indo-Pacific, and urged his colleagues in the Senate to pass the resolution without delay.

The SFRC is led by Bob Menendez, a Democratic Senator from New Jersey, and the committees ranking member is James Risch, a Republican from Idaho. Both are hugely influential in foreign policy-making in the US, and their support for Indias position is seen as important enablers for future cooperation.

The Senate rises as Indias friend

As a co-equal branch of the US government, the Congress has traditionally been important in shaping foreign policy. On Capitol Hill, just this year, the US Senates growing support for India is reflected in a range of actions.

Earlier this week, the Senate Armed Services Committee, in its version of the National Defense Autorization Act, directed Pentagon to deepen defence cooperation with India in a range of areas including artificial intelligence, undersea domain awareness, air and combat support, munitions, mobility, joint operations, and asked the Secretary of Defense to explore the possibility of Indian companies bidding for contracts for repair of US defence equipment located outside America.

While the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy played a key role in inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the joint meeting of the US Congress during his state visit, the formal invitation letter was also signed by both the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.

In the run-up to Modis visit, SFRC chair Menendez and co-chairs of the Senate India caucus, Mark Warner and Cornyn, had also introduced a resolution celebrating India-US ties. The resolution recognised the US-India global strategic partnership as critical for regional and global prosperity, hailed Indias participation in Quad and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and its presidency of G20, supported ICET, and lauded the role of the Indian diaspora. It also supported deepening commercial, defence, investment, and people-to-people ties.

In a rare foreign visit, the Senate majority leader, Schumer, had also led the most powerful Congressional delegation to ever visit India earlier this year. The delegation had met Modi.

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Google Doodle on Friday celebrated Bastille Day, which is the French National Day commemorating the fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. This event marked the beginning of the French Revolution, which aimed to spread principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity in the nation. The storming of the Bastille was a significant triumph for the country, as it represented a victory against the oppressive Ancien Regime (Old Regime) symbol. This event is known as la Fete nationale (The National Celebration) or le 14 juillet (the 14th of July) in France. The first celebration of Bastille Day occurred on July 14, 1790, exactly one year after the storming of the Bastille. The military parade in Paris called Defile du 14 juillet is one famous tradition that takes place on Bastille Day. (AP)

Also Read | France confers Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on PM Modi

What can you see at Bastille Day celebrations?

The military parade in Paris called Defile du 14 juillet is one famous tradition that takes place on Bastille Day, which is also one of the oldest and largest regular military parades in Europe and occurs on the Champs-Elysees. It includes representatives from all branches of the French military and is attended by the President of France. A spectacular fireworks display is held near the Eiffel Tower in Paris on this day and similar fireworks shows will take place throughout the country. These displays have been a cherished tradition and are eagerly anticipated every year.

Google Doodle celebrates France's Bastille Day(Google)

PM Modi to be the Guest of Honour

During his two-day visit to France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join French President Emmanuel Macron as the guest of honour for the French National Day in Paris on Friday. As part of the celebrations, an Indian tri-services contingent will participate in the Bastille Day Parade, and the Indian Air Force aircraft will perform a fly-past. This visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between India and France.

PM Modi and President Macron will witness the march of French and Indian soldiers along the Champs-Elysee Avenue in Paris. Additionally, the French-made Rafale fighter jets which India acquired in 2015 will participate in a fly-past over the Arc de Triomphe, news agency Reuters reported.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi was conferred with the highest honour of France, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, by President Emmanuel Macron during a private dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Modi thanked Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India, the external affairs ministry said.

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The US Department of Education will forgive $39 billion in student debt by updating a technical requirement under an existing program. FILE - Jordan Braithwaite, 21, center, an undergrad at Grambling State University facing over $10,000 in student loans, demonstrates outside the Supreme Court, Friday, June 30, 2023, in Washington. (AP)

The change, announced Friday, will help more than 804,000 borrowers. It comes as the Biden administration pursues alternatives to a $400 billion student loan forgiveness plan that the Supreme Court struck down in June.

The new plan counts more payments toward a forgiveness program that kicks in when borrowers have made the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years worth of payments.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The Education Department said it will begin notifying eligible borrowers Friday and will continue to identify those who reach the threshold for eligibility every month until next year. Qualified borrowers would have made between 240 to 300 total monthly payments, and discharges start within 30 days after email notifications are sent.

After the Supreme Court decision, President Joe Biden said he would attempt another mass debt forgiveness plan using a different legal rationale than the one rejected by the courts conservative majority.

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A devastating cluster of tornadoes wreaked havoc across the Chicago area overnight on Wednesday, leaving a trail of extensive damage in its wake. Chicago area ravaged by powerful tornado cluster(Twitter)

The violent storms prompted widespread panic, and flight cancellations, and forced thousands of people to seek refuge at O'Hare Airport.

The National Weather Service issued an alarming message at 7:03 pm local time, urgently warning residents about the imminent danger: "A tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building."

Sirens blared throughout the region as menacing dark clouds formed over the city.

At least eight tornadoes were reported in the city amid severe thunderstorms.

Videos quickly went viral on social media, capturing the sight of thousands of people seeking shelter at O'Hare Airport after all air traffic was halted.

The aftermath of the tornadoes resulted in the grounding of all departures from O'Hare and Midway airports, causing significant delays for outgoing flights, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The destructive tornadoes tore through several counties in northeastern Illinois, including Cook County, where Chicago is located.

The NWS reported that trees were uprooted and roofs were blown off in the towns of Countryside and La Grange. In McCook, an industrial district located 15 miles southwest of Chicago, a cinder block building collapsed under the force of the storms.

While property damage was evident, authorities reported no immediate injuries or fatalities resulting from the tornadoes.

Earlier in the day, the Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service had issued an enhanced risk warning for severe weather, including tornadoes, in northern Illinois, specifically mentioning Chicago.

Brett Borchardt, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service, confirmed that multiple tornadoes had touched down across the Chicago area. Assessing the full extent of the damage is expected to take several days.

ALSO READ| US sweats through hottest June on record, warning for a tornado or two

The Chicago metropolitan area has experienced numerous tornadoes over the years, with some striking within the city limits. According to data from the National Weather Service spanning from 1855 to 2021, a total of 97 significant tornadoes have been recorded in the Chicago metro area.

Among the deadliest tornadoes was the one that formed in Palos Hills, Cook County, on April 21, 1967. This powerful twister traveled a distance of 16 miles (26 kilometers) through Oak Lawn and the south side of Chicago, claiming the lives of 33 people, injuring 500, and causing over $50 million in damage.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has outrightly dismissed Ron DeSantis' claims that the company sexualises children in its projects. In an interview with CNBC's David Faber on Thursday, Iger labelled DeSantis' claims as "preposterous and inaccurate". Ron DeSantis (AP)

"I don't want to engage in the specifics except to say that it's not our goal to be involved in a culture war," said Iger.

"The notion that Disney is in any way sexualizing children, quite frankly, just is preposterous and inaccurate," said Iger further.

DeSantis who is the Republican 2024 Presidential election candidate and Governor of Florida, had taken a dig at Disney in a campaign speech last month. He vowed to protect children and fight against anyone who tried to take away kids' innocence.

"I know in Florida they [Disney] basically called the shots for many, many decades. But there's a new sheriff in town and we don't subcontract our leadership out to woke corporations," DeSantis said in

"We stand for the protection of our children. We reject the sexualization of our children. We will fight against anybody who seeks to rob them of their innocence," added DeSantis.

ALSO READ| San Francisco's drug market: How migrants from Honduras are operating it

Notably, Disney is known for its support to LGBTQ+ and also criticised for promotion of wokism.

Meanwhile, Government of Florida and Disney are involved in a legal battle in the state after DeSantis appointed tourism oversight district to oversee the company's operations.

"Just over a year ago, Disney expressed a political view that Governor DeSantis did not like. In response, the Governor unleashed a campaign of retaliation, weaponizing the power of government to punish Disney for its protected speech," said Disney in a court filing in May.
Israeli doctors have performed a miraculous feat of reattaching a boy's head after he suffered internal decapitation in a road accident. According to The Times of Israel, a 12-year-old Palestinian named Suleiman Hassan, suffered a serious injury in which his skull got detached from the top vertebrae of his spine- officially known as a bilateral atlanto occipital joint dislocation. Image for representation(Getty Images)

Hassan was riding his bike when he was hit by a car. He was brought to Hadassah Medical Center and was immediately operated upon via surgery in the trauma unit.

Dr. Ohad Einav, an orthopedic specialist led the operation which took several hours. He informed that the doctors used new plates and fixations in the damaged area.

Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room, said Einav as quoted by New York Post.

As per the doctors, Hassan's head was almost completely detached from the base of his neck in what is known as an internal decapitation. The operation actually happened in June but doctors revealed about it only now.

ALSO READ| US Senator Chuck Schumer pushes for declassifying documents related to UFOs

Meanwhile, Hassan was discharged with a cervical splint and doctors will continue to monitor his recovery.

The fact that such a child has no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction and that he is functioning normally and walking without an aid after such a long process is no small thing, said Einav.

This is not a common surgery at all, and especially not on children and teens. A surgeon needs knowledge and experience to do this, he explained.

Israels TPS news agency quoted Hassan's father as thanking the doctors: Bless you all. Thanks to you, he regained his life even when the odds were low and the danger was obvious.

What saved him were professionalism, technology and quick decision-making by the trauma and orthopedics team, said the father.

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Rex Heuermann, a well-respected 59-year-old architect from New York City, has been taken into custody in relation to a perplexing case involving the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, known as "The Gilgo Four." The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a prolonged and meticulous investigation surrounding a series of unresolved homicides that have left authorities perplexed for an extended period. Following Heuermann's apprehension, law enforcement officials conducted a thorough search of his residence, shedding new light on a haunting case that has plagued the local community for an extended period of time. Forensic psychiatrist reveals Rex Heuermann's disturbing perspective on women, while clues from interviews and neighbors shed light on his chilling personality.(Twitter/ Billy Baldwin)

The victims, all young sex workers in their twenties, were found deceased on Gilgo Beach in Suffolk County. Dr. Carole Lieberman, a respected forensic psychiatrist, believes that the murderer's actions reveal a disturbing perspective on women. Speaking to Newsweek, Dr. Lieberman stated, "It reveals his insecurities about his masculinity, his sexual prowess. He needed to have these women under his control." According to the psychiatrist, the murderer displayed sociopathic tendencies and viewed women as objects to be dehumanized.

Dr. Lieberman further analyzed the suspect's personality based on a 2022 interview between Heuermann and real estate agent Antoine Amira. In the interview, Heuermann exhibited narcissistic and controlling behavior. Interestingly, he mentioned his involvement in furniture-making, a fact corroborated by observant neighbors who had seen him engage in woodwork outside his dilapidated house in Massapequa Park.

During the interview, Amira inquired about Heuermann's favorite tool for his work. To the surprise of many, Heuermann selected a cabinet-maker's hammer. When questioned if the tool was used to persuade people, he cryptically responded, "Something... It always yields excellent results." This statement adds another chilling layer to the suspect's personality and motivations.

Neighbors described Heuermann as a reclusive individual, characterized as "very quiet" and "not very nice." Dr. Lieberman found it intriguing that the suspect presented himself as a successful architect while residing in a rundown house. This stark contrast between his professional image and personal life raises questions about his true intentions and whether he was concealing a sham.

As the investigation continues, law enforcement authorities are urging anyone with information regarding Rex Heuermann or the Long Island murders to come forward. The arrest of the suspected serial killer brings hope for justice to the families of the Gilgo Four and to a community that has long awaited answers to this gruesome mystery.

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Authorities have apprehended a serial killer suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, also known as the Gilgo Four" case, which involved four women whose bodies were found wrapped in burlap in late 2010. According to New York Post, the suspect was identified as Rex Heuermann, a married 59-year-old architect who works in a firm based in New York City. Heuermann was arrested from his residence on 1st Avenue in Massapequa Park, sources told New York Post. Police officers stand guard near the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)(AP)

Although theres no official confirmation of the suspects identity, the suspect is due to appear in court later in the day. The arrest is believed to be for the actual Gilgo Four" case, involving four women and not the murders that followed later and were considered to be connected to the first four by the authorities.

While State and Suffolk County police have not yet confirmed the arrest, their presence at the scene and the hint of upcoming press conferences suggest the significance of this arrest in solving the long-standing investigation.

Heuermann is the founder of RH Consultants and Associates, an architecture firm located in Midtown, Manhattan, with notable clients such as Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment, and American Airlines, according to the company's website.

Neighbors expressed shock at the news, describing Heuermann as a regular individual of the community. Barry Auslander, a resident living nearby told The New York Post, "He seemed like a regular neighbor... I never thought he was anything but a businessman, an average guy who had a family and went to work."

The Gilgo Beach murders were a horrifying ordeal for the Long Island community when the remains of four women were discovered in 2010, sparking concerns about a serial killer operating in the area. The investigation later expanded, leading to the recovery of 6 additional bodies including 8 women, 1 man, and a toddler.

John Ray, an attorney representing the families of the victims, welcomed the news of the arrest. "We're pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this... We're pleased that something is finally occurring because we've been frustrated," he commented.

This major break in the case came after the establishment of a dedicated Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force, initiated by Suffolk County's police commissioner in February of last year. Commissioner Rodney Harrison, formerly the chief of department for the NYPD, previously expressed his commitment to resolving the case, stating, "I believe this case is solvable and identifying the person or people responsible for these murders is a top priority."
In a significant breakthrough, after 13 years of man hunt in the Gilgo Beach serial killings, authorities have arrested a suspect responsible for the murders. New York Post reports suggests, he has been identified as Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Massapequa Park. Heuermann will be produced in court tomorrow. Police officers stand guard near the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa, N.Y. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)(AP)

The case has drawn immense public attention since 11 human remains were found along a New York beach highway more than a decade ago. The mystery attracted national headlines for many years and the unsolved killings were the subject of the 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls.

The arrest is specifically connected to the murders of the "Gilgo Four," the four women who were found wrapped in burlap in close proximity to each other in late 2010. By 2011, the number of bodies had climbed to 11  eight women as well as an unidentified man and toddler.

The bodies were found during a search for missing Jersey City-based sex worker Shannan Gilbert, whose body wasnt found until December 2011, a year after the Gilgo Four.

But will open the pandora's box for other victims who were killed in the similar fashion.

The suspect has been accused of murdering eleven victims, who were found wrapped in burlap in close proximity to each other in late 2010 and 2011 along a suburban Long Island beach highway. Those who have been identified are Shannan Gilbert, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, Megan Waterman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack.

The locations where eight of 10 bodies were found near Gilgo Beach since December 2010 are seen in this Suffolk County Police handout image. (Reuters/Courtesy of Suffolk County Police)

All About the Long Island Killer

According to the New York Post, the arrested suspect's neighbours claim shortly before 9:30 a.m., at least eight investigators dressed in forensic gear were seen milling around Heuermanns house. Some identified him as neighbourhood creep and admitted they have chills thinking he lived nearby for so long.

According to reports, Rex Heuermann is an experienced architect who owns and founded the Midtown architecture firm RH Consultants and Associates. The firm has prestigious clients such as Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment, and American Airlines. Heuermann, who has been working in Manhattan since 1987, was born and raised on Long Island, as he mentioned in an interview posted on YouTube.

How was the Gilgo Beach suspect arrested

According to The Post, Heuermann was nabbed at his home in Massapequa Park and was on the special Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force for nearly a year. He was arrested after being linked by DNA.

According to CBS the big breakthrough came last year when after police released an audio of a 911 call made by one of the victims, Shannan Gilbert just before she vanished in 2010.

Gilbert, a sex worker was leaving from a client's house when she called 911. "There's somebody after me," she is heard repeating to the operator. After the 21 minutes call when the police reached the spot she had gone missing.

Investigators back then claimed they didn't think Shannan was murdered. Instead, they felt she might have been high on drugs and ran into the marsh where she may have drowned. 'Based on the evidence, the facts, and the totality of the circumstances, the prevailing opinion of Shannan's death, while tragic, was not murder and most likely not criminal,' investigators stated.

Later in 2022 investigators voiced hope that releasing the 911 audio would lead to answers in the larger search for the Gilgo Beach killer, and officials announced a doubling of the reward for information on the murders to $50,000.

Investigators were searching for Gilbert when they found other remains on Gilgo Beach in December that year  women in their 20s whose remains had been wrapped in burlap sacks. Known as the Gilgo Four, they were later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, abducted in 2007; Melissa Barthelemy in 2009; and Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, who went missing in 2010. Six more sets of remains were found along Ocean Parkway the following spring.

The Gilgo Beach killings case

The case became national headlines in 2010 when body of Melissa Barthelemy was discovered along Ocean Parkway, followed by the subsequent recovery of three other women's remains in the following days. These victims, known as the "Gilgo Four," include Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. By spring 2011, the number of bodies discovered in the area had risen to a total of 10, including an unidentified man and toddler.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT News Desk Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail
Residents of Massapequa Park, a suburban town on Long Island, were shocked and frightened to learn that one of their neighbors was arrested in connection with a notorious long island serial killer case. Residents try to take a look as police officers search the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)(AP)

Rex Heuermann, 59, a New York City architect who ran his own firm, was taken into custody at his home on 1st Avenue early Friday morning by investigators who linked him to the Gilgo Four murders, a series of unsolved slayings of women whose bodies were found along Ocean Parkway in 2010 and 2011.

Neighbors described Heuermann as a regular and average guy who grew up in the area and commuted to the city for work.

They said they had no idea that he could be involved in such gruesome crimes.

Ive seen him when I take my wife to the train  he takes the train to his office in the city, said Barry Auslander, 72, who lives down the block from Heuermanns house.

He seemed like a regular neighbor. I never thought he was anything but a businessman.

Residents try to take a look as police officers search the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)(AP)

Another frightened neighbor, who did not want to be named, said he was stunned by the news. You dont expect something like this to happen in a town like Massapequa. This is as suburban as it gets, he said.

Some neighbors said they rarely saw Heuermann or anyone else coming out of his house, which was painted red and looked rundown compared to other homes on the street.

Weve walked past it for years and I always ask myself when is someone going to fix up that house, said Cheryl Lombardi, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1989.

One woman, who also declined to give her name, said she felt scared and uneasy knowing that Heuermann had been living nearby for so long.

We couldve been in the grocery with him and just never know. Im getting chills, she said. It kind of makes sense  hot shot city guy. He has money. Im not surprised.

ALSO READ| Who is Rex Heuermann? Arrested as suspect in Long Island serial murders

She added that she felt sorry for the families of the victims, who had to relive their pain and grief after hearing about Heuermanns arrest.

The investigators who arrested Heuermann were seen wearing forensic gear and searching his house for evidence. Heuermann is believed to have been married with two children.
Even as the next phase of the so-called Khalistan Referendum is scheduled for this Sunday, India has reiterated its displeasure to Canada over its territory being used for this purpose. HT Image

The referendum, being organised by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice or SFJ, is scheduled to take place at the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in the Malton area of the town of Mississauga in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA.

However, while the previous referendum in the GTA, in Brampton in September last year, was held at a public community centre, permission to use a similar space this time was denied, an Indian official said.

The so-called referendum is being held a second time in the GTA because of demand from those who were unable to participate in the previous round, SFJ has claimed.

The voting centre has been named after Mohinder Singh Kooner, a resident of Canada, who was shot dead by Border Security Force in Rajasthan near the border with Pakistan while trying to cross into India on July 15, 1989. Kooner had been associated with the Khalistan Liberation Force as well the International Sikh Youth Federation, which remains banned in Canada as a terrorist entity.

Indias High Commission in Ottawa has flagged this matter to Global Affairs Canada, the countrys foreign ministry, in a formal communique.

The illegal referendum by Sikh for Justice, an organisation proscribed under Unlawful Association Prevention Act of India, is a futile effort by those who want to derail the Canada-India relationship. Such an ill-intentioned move will be thwarted by tens of millions of friends of India in Canada through non-violent and peaceful means, as was evident in Indo-Canadians coming together in Toronto on 8 July, Indias High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma said.

He was referring to the counter-demonstration held by Indo-Canadian in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto that day, while pro-Khalistan elements held their Kill India rally, which had directly targeted Indias seniormost diplomats in the country.

In fact, those who opposed the Khalistani rally are active in complaining against the signs appearing in the GTA promoting the referendum. They have lodged complaints about them with municipal authorities. Among them was Vijay Jain, who was present at the demonstration last Saturday in Toronto. He said they felt such pro-Khalistan rallies and referendums were creating disharmony among diaspora communities, and its not good for Canada.

We are writing to all levels of government to stop encouraging Khalistani activities in Canada, he added.

They have launched a letter-writing campaign to Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. That letter states, These referendums, often fueled by misinformation and propaganda, have the potential to create divisions within our society and undermine the values that Canada stands for. It is essential to address this issue promptly and ensure that our democratic processes are not exploited to spread hatred and misinformation.

As for the referendum signs that have appeared at several locations in the GTA, the letter said, The illegal posters that have been appearing in various parts of Canada not only incite fear but also contribute to the spread of false narratives and divisive ideologies.

Letters are also being sent to the Mayor of Mississauga Bonnie Crombie and city councillors are being contacted in this regard as part of a multi-pronged strategy, Jain said.

SFJ had claimed that over 100,000 persons had participated in the 2022 Brampton referendum and expected a large turnout on Sunday as well.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anirudh Bhattacharyya Anirudh Bhattacharya is a Toronto-based commentator on North American issues, and an author. He has also worked as a journalist in New Delhi and New York spanning print, television and digital media. He tweets as @anirudhb. ...view detail
Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host who downplayed the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as mostly peaceful chaos when he was on the network, grilled former Vice President of United States Mike Pence Friday about how he viewed the day when a mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, disrupted the counting of electoral votes in the 2020 election and forced lawmakers to flee. Republican presidential candidate former Vice President Mike Pence talks with moderator Tucker Carlson, left, during the Family Leadership Summit, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)(AP)

The tough questioning by Carlson highlighted how Pences split with former President Trump on Jan. 6 will be a major challenge for his presidential campaign.

Many of Trumps loyalists have not forgiven Pence, who faced chants of hang Mike Pence from the rioters that day, for his actions on Jan. 6, and it is a huge obstacle in his bid for the White House.

The former Fox News host began his questioning of Pence by asking him if he agreed with the term insurrection to describe the attack on the Capitol.

Ive never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the past two years, but it was a riot that took place at the Capitol that day, Pence said at an event hosted by Family Leader in Des Moines, Iowa.

All I know for sure having lived through it at the Capitol is that it was a tragic day.

ALSO READ| 'I'm getting chills,' shocked neighbors in Massapequa Park react to arrest of 'regular' neighbor in Gilgo Beach murders

The former Vice President, who was rushed to a secure location as rioters breached the Capitol to try and stop the certification of President Bidens electoral win, said he saw with his own eyes the violence that was inflicted on dozens of police officers and the tragic loss of life that resulted.

Carlson pressed Pence on who he was referring to when he mentioned the loss of life, and Pence named Ashli Babbitt, a protester who was fatally shot by law enforcement in the Capitol and whose death has become a cause celebre for Trump and other conservatives.

I just think it was a tragic moment, without question, Pence said. But I have to tell you that seeing people assaulting law enforcement officers, smashing windows, breaking into the Capitol building, it infuriated me. And its very likely that the restraint that was shown by law enforcement officers saved lives that day.

Pence oversaw the certification that day. Trump, who addressed a crowd before the Capitol invasion and repeated his false claims that the election was stolen from him, had urged his vice president to overturn the results of the election.

The 64-year-old said he had no authority under the Constitution to do so, a position that has been widely accepted by policymakers from both parties as well as constitutional experts.

Pence received lukewarm applause from the audience as he told Carlson that day of tragedy became a triumph of freedom and that he did his duty under the Constitution.

He received an even colder response from the crowd as he told Carlson that Trumps words that day were reckless.

I believe whatever his intentions in that moment, it endangered me and my family and everyone that was at the Capitol that day, Pence said. I believe history will hold him accountable for that.

Those who marched on the Capitol that day were heard chanting hang Mike Pence because they saw him as a traitor to Trump.

The former US Vice President launched his campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination last month by arguing that Trumps conduct around Jan. 6 should be disqualifying for another White House term.

ALSO READ| Divers encounter enigmatic Oarfish with mysterious wounds off Taiwan's coast. Watch video

Trump spent weeks claiming the 2020 election was stolen before Jan. 6 attack, and he has been criticized by members of both parties for inciting the crowd that day. Some of Carlsons former colleagues at Fox were among those who on Jan. 6 tried to get Trump to calm down the mob that had overrun police and entered the Capitol.

Trump attacked Pence on Twitter Jan. 6 for lacking courage as the then-vice president was being escorted to safety.
From the grounds of Onagawa Nuclear Power Station, a plant in northern Japan, waves can be heard lapping at the nearby shore. They serve as a reminder of the tragedy that struck on March 11th 2011, when a giant earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that flooded Japans eastern coast. While the Onagawa reactors managed to shut down safely, the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, 180km down the coast, suffered a meltdown. After the disaster, Japan shuttered all of its nuclear reactors. Since then only a handful have been turned back on. Onagawa is among the nuclear plants that remain idle. A combination photo shows tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on March 17, 2011, six days after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and the bottom photo taken from a helicopter on February 14, 2021, ahead of the 10th anniversary of the disaster. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN.(REUTERS)

This will soon change. Onagawa recently received a safety sign-off from the new independent regulator set up in the wake of the disaster, thanks in part to the facilitys new 29-metre-high seawall. In 2020 local officials also gave their approval to a restart. Tohoku Electric, the plants operator, could begin generating power again by early next year (after finishing some repairs). Recently, the electricity crunch and rising resource costs have made people across Japan think, says Suda Yoshiaki, Onagawas mayor. Is there any other way to supply large amounts of energy in a stable manner? There is no alternativeIn terms of the big picture, nuclear power is needed.

Restarting reactors such as those at Onagawa is the first step of another drastic reversal in the energy policy of the worlds third-largest economy and fifth-largest carbon emitter. In December Kishida Fumio, Japans prime minister, codified a new ten-year road map for Japans gx, or Green Transformation, which includes measures to revive the nuclear industry, strengthen the countrys grid and begin introducing carbon pricing. Terazawa Tatsuya, chairman of the Institute of Energy Economics Japan, a think-tank in Tokyo, argues that Japan is finally putting meat on the bones of a pledge made by Mr Kishidas predecessor, Suga Yoshihide, to make the country carbon neutral by 2050. It is a delicate task, which requires striking a fine balance between safety, energy security and environmental concerns.

As an island nation with scant natural resources, Japan has long been in a precarious position when it comes to energy. Heavy dependence on Middle Eastern oil fuelled Japans rapid economic growth after the second world war, then backfired during the oil crisis of 1973-74. That spurred Japan to expand its nuclear fleet, develop liquefied natural gas (LNG) and make forays into renewable technologies under the banner of the Sunshine Project. By 2010 nuclear had emerged as the core of Japanese energy policy, with 54 reactors providing about 25% of electricity production; the government aimed to expand the share of nuclear and hydropower to 70% by 2030. The Fukushima crisis scuppered those plans. New laws were instead passed to help stimulate solar power. The share of renewables in electricity generation doubled from 10% in 2010 to over 20% last year. Yet Japan has mainly filled the gap by turning to LNG and coal (see chart).

Emissions Tsunami(The Economist)

The war in Ukraine has revived memories of the first oil crisis, with Japan again finding itself heavily dependent on imported fuel in an unstable world. The only country less energy self-sufficient than Japan among the 36 members of the OECD, a rich-country club, is small, landlocked Luxembourg. Mr Kishidas administration has used this latest shock primarily to justify a revival of nuclear power. Its new energy-policy roadmap calls for maximising the use of power sources that contribute to Japans security and are highly decarbonising, including both nuclear and renewables. Nuclear accounted for around 8% of the electricity supply last year; the latest government targets envision the share bouncing back to 22-24% by 2030. The government has also announced plans to extend the operating lifespan of reactors from 40 to 60 years and to build new ones. Together, the changes amount to a U-turn back towards nuclear power, says Tom OSullivan of Mathyos, a Tokyo-based energy consultancy.

Turning on well-regulated nuclear plants in order to phase out coal is a sound policy. But there is a risk that the turn will also slow or reverse the recent momentum behind expanding renewables. The real issue is how to aggressively and rapidly install more solar and wind, says Iida Tetsunari of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, a think-tank in Tokyo. Japan is falling behind the global curve. Japan generates about half as much electricity from renewable sources as its European peers. Experts who seek to explain this are divided into two camps. One focuses on geographical limitations: a lack of flat land for solar panels and deep ocean shelves that make it relatively hard to install offshore wind turbines. The other reckons the barriers are primarily political: onerous regulation, vested interests and a system of regional power monopolies that do not share power effectively across the country. Under Mr Suga, reformist ministers sympathetic to the latter camp drove the recent progress on renewables; under Mr Kishida, voices from the former camp have once again come to dominate the policy debate.

The latest plans for renewable expansion are accordingly far less ambitious than many want. The government envisages the share of renewables in electricity growing to 36-38% by 2030, just over half the level the EU is projecting. Mr Kishidas strategy also earmarks money for a big upgrade of transmission lines, including between the windy but sparsely populated northern island of Hokkaido and population centres around Tokyo. But efforts to make the grid operate more flexibly and nimbly have stalled, Mr Iida laments. Plans to implement carbon pricing, while a welcome step, maybe too little too late: Japans carbon tax will only come into force in 2028, and at levels that will probably be too low to make very much of an impact.

Nor is Mr Kishidas planned nuclear revival a sure bet. Restarting plants is subject to regulatory and local approval processes that the central government cannot short-circuit. Public opinion has begun to shift in its favour. According to polls by Nikkei, a business newspaper, 53% of Japanese support restarting reactors so long as safety can be ensured, the first time a majority has been in favour of this in more than a decade. Some people living near the reactors would like to keep them and the subsidies they bring. Yet mistrust is widespread; plenty of others fight the reopening. In Onagawa, residents have sued to prevent the restart, claiming that the governments disaster-evacuation plan is gravely flawed. Of Japans 33 remaining reactors, only ten have restarted. Mr Kishida wants seven more to come online this year; to reach the 2030 target, he would need another ten or so beyond that. Many energy gurus suspect that this will be impossible.

For more coverage of climate change, sign up for The Climate Issue, our fortnightly subscriber-only newsletter, or visit our climate-change hub.

 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com

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Three Khalistan supporters, alleged to have to been involved in attacks on police establishments in India, are believed to have been detained by immigration authorities in Canada. HT Image

According to a Canadian source, the three are Satbir Singh also known as Satta Naushera, Jaswinder Singh and Parminder Singh.

They were detained by the Canadian Border Services Agency or CBSA late last month, after they arrived at Torontos Pearson International Airport from London. The source said they were apprehended due to attempted illegal entry as some of their documentation may have been forged and they may have been travelling on Portuguese passports.

In an emailed response to queries from the Hindustan Times, a spokesperson from the Agency said they could not comment on specific individuals due to privacy concerns.

She said, The CBSAs role is to assess the security risk and admissibility of persons coming to Canada. All persons seeking entry to Canada must present to the CBSA and may be subject to a more in-depth exam.

Upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry, travellers must demonstrate to a CBSA officer that they meet the requirements for entry into Canada, the spokesperson added.

A senior Punjab Police functionary confirmed to Hindustan Times that three Khalistani activists had been detained a few days ago. He also added that all three were involved in planning the RPG attack in Punjab Polices Intelligence wing headquarters on May 9, 2022 and are close associates of Canada-based Lakhbir Singh Landa.

Indian officials in Canada have received no official communication in this regard, possibly as the three were not holding Indian travel documents.

Gurpatwant Pannun, legal counsel for secessionist group Sikhs for Justice has said, SFJ will coordinate legal defence of these individuals if we are approached through their representatives in Canada. They have campaigned for the Khalistan referendum in Punjab.

He added, This is a political case to suppress the ongoing referendum.

No specific dates for their arrival could be accessed by the Hindustan Times.

However, they are believed to also be linked to another attack on a police station in Tarn Taran in December last year. None of these allegations have been tested in a Canadian court.

Pannun said they were not involved in the Mohali attack as they were not in India at that time. He reiterated that SFJ does not use violence in its so-called Khalistan referendum campaign or otherwise.
Rex Heuermann, a New York City architect, has been arrested in connection with the infamous "Gilgo Four" killings. Heuermann, known for his architectural prowess and self-proclaimed troubleshooter skills, bragged about his career in an interview that took place over a decade after the alleged murders. Architect Rex Heuermann arrested in the "Gilgo Four" can be seen in a video interview, bragging about his career and acting as a "troubleshooter."(Bonjour Realty)

The 19-minute video, originally posted by Bonjour Realty on Feb. 17, 2022, more than 11 years after the bodies of four women were found in 2010, showcases Heuermann discussing his extensive work history and his eponymous architecture firm, which catered to prestigious clients such as American Airlines and Catholic Charities. Heuermann proudly proclaimed himself as a troubleshooter, born and raised on Long Island. Ive been working in Manhattan since 1987, Heuermann, told the interviewer.

While emphasizing that he didn't directly work for the city, Heuermann referred to himself as a "facilitator" for out-of-town companies who found themselves intimidated by the complexities of New York City's regulations. Chuckling throughout the interview, he mockingly criticized city workers for their inability to comprehend their own codes and laws. He claimed that part of his job involved educating the city on these matters, showcasing his patience as his main skill.

It is persuasive enough when I need to persuade something, Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann said in the video about his favorite cabinet makers hammer. Someone! his interviewer joked.

According to his website, Heuermann also provided services to various city agencies, non-profit organizations, builders, developers, and individual building owners. His client list included notable names like Catholic Charities, the NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment, and American Airlines, among others.

The arrest of Rex Heuermann comes more than 11 years after the bodies of the "Gilgo Four" women were discovered wrapped in burlap along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, and Megan Waterman, all victims of strangulation, are believed to have been murdered between 2007 and 2010.

Also Read | Who is Rex Heuermann? Arrested as suspect in Gilgo Beach murders

Heuermann, 59, was apprehended by a special task force dedicated to investigating the Gilgo Beach murders. Sources reveal that he had been on the task force's radar for over a year and was ultimately linked to the crimes through DNA evidence. As authorities swarmed his residence in Massapequa Park, the arrest of the architect sent shockwaves through the community.

As the president of his own firm, RH Architecture Design, located on Fifth Avenue, Heuermann had been operating since 1994, six years prior to the Long Island murders. While investigations continue, Heuermann is specifically being scrutinized in relation to the "Gilgo Four" killings, distinct from the other six bodies discovered later, allegedly connected to the same case.

The Gilgo Beach murders shook Long Island and the nation, with a total of ten bodies eventually being found, including eight women, a toddler, and an unidentified male. The investigation into the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) began after the initial discoveries, starting with Melissa Barthelemy, an escort who had disappeared from the Bronx in 2009. All victims were discovered wrapped in burlap, triggering a manhunt for the perpetrator.
There has been a trace of marijuana at the White House, discovered by the Secret Service at the West Wing's executive entrance. The search was made by the Secret Service, and all of these unusual drug busts have been showing up since the Biden Administration. FILE PHOTO: A general view of the White House, where over the Fourth of July holiday weekend cocaine was discovered in an entry area where visitors place electronics and other belongings before taking tours, in Washington, U.S. June 12, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo(REUTERS)

On July 2nd, during a routine sweep, it was brought to the attention of a Secret Service agent that a white powder-like substance had been discovered. After running tests, it was found that this powder-like substance was nothing but cocaine. The narcotics were found in the hallway of the West Wing's executive entrance.

Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said in his statement, "No one was arrested in these incidents because the weight of the marijuana confiscated did not meet the legal threshold for federal charges or DC misdemeanor criminal charges as the District of Columbia had decriminalized possession." The marijuana was collected by the officers and eventually destroyed.

In 2022, while passing through security and screening, people were caught in possession of marijuana twice before, making this the third time narcotics were found on the property. Biden Administration to be held suspicious and questioned for the purpose of such an incident occurring for the third time.

There is only one question that the people held the Biden government accountable for, and that is: how are the people with access to narcotics being allowed into the White House? And what is the true purpose of these people being there?

Prior to the incidents that took place before 2021, there have been five members of the Biden administration who have been fired for the consumption of marijuana. It was seen that the use of marijuana was inclined toward younger staff and members who came from states where it has always been legal.

The evidence and the case being provoked in the cocaine case were neutralized simply because there has not been enough evidence stating that the FBI forensic tests were unable to grasp fingerprints on the bag of cocaine that was found.
Rex Heuermann, the alleged serial killer behind the Gilgo Beach murders, was crying and denying his involvement in the killings after his arrest on Thursday, his lawyer said Friday. This booking image provided by Suffolk County Sheriffs Office, shows Rex Heuermann, a Long Island architect who was charged Friday, July 14, 2023, with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders. (Suffolk County Sheriffs Office via AP0(AP)

I did not do this.

But he showed no signs of emotion or remorse on Friday as he was arraigned on three counts of murder in connection with the deaths of three women whose bodies were found on Long Island in 2010.

Heuermann, who was arrested at his office in New York City on Thursday, wore a gray polo shirt, white pants, and shaggy hair as he appeared in court at the Cromartie Court Complex in Suffolk County, New York.

He remained silent and expressionless as prosecutors presented a slew of evidence linking him to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello.

The evidence included cell phone records, burner phones, Google searches, and Heuermanns DNA from a half-eaten pizza that matched a hair found on a piece of burlap that wrapped Watermans body.

ALSO READ| Who is Rex Heuermann? Arrested as suspect in Long Island serial murders

Heuermann only spoke to confirm his name at the start of the crowded hearing. He entered a not-guilty plea to the charges before Judge Richard Ambro cited the extreme depravity of the crimes in ordering him held without bail.

He is charged with both first and second-degree murder for each of the victims.

His defense attorney, Michael Brown, reserved the right to file a bail application, citing the time needed to gather evidence.

In terms of speaking to my client, the only thing I can tell you that he did say as he was in tears was, I didnt do this,' Brown told reporters after the hearing.

The NYC-based architect is a married father of two who lives with his second wife Asa Ellerup, 59, in Massapequa Park. Neighbors told The Post Friday they have a daughter and a son.

A bail application released to the public shows Heuermann was charged in connection with only three of the eight women who have been linked to the Gilgo Beach serial killer, but notes he is the prime suspect in at least one more.

They claim Heuermann is also being investigated in the case of the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose body was found on the same beach years earlier.

The bodies of each of the three women Heuermann is charged with killing were found along the same stretch of Long Islands Gilgo Beach between June and September 2010.

The case captured the nations attention as it was revealed the bodies of eight women had been found in the same general area in the past few years.

ALSO READ| Long Island Serial Killer, Rex Heuermann calls himself 'troubleshooter' in interview, 11 years after killings | Watch

It re-emerged in January 2022 with the creation of a team of investigators specifically focused on investigating the alleged serial killer.

Although Law enforcement authorities have not revealed what initially led them to Heuermann, they discovered in March 2022 that he owned a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, which matched the description of the vehicle driven by Costellos killer given by witnesses.

The discovery led to more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants executed over the following months.

They hit the jackpot on Jan. 26, 2023, when surveillance teams retrieved Heuermanns leftover pizza crust from a trash can along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, prosecutors said.

DNA extracted from the pizza crust matched a hair found on a piece of burlap that wrapped Watermans body, the document states.

DNA from the hair of victim Megan Waterman matches that of Rex Heuermann, leading to his arrest.(Suffolk County)

Other hair found with three of the victims was later found to have DNA belonging to Heuermanns wife.

Investigators said Heuermanns wife and children were out of town around the same time three of the women disappeared. In Watermans case, she was in Maryland, the application states.

She was in New Jersey when Costello vanished and Iceland when Barthelemy was last seen.

And he made extensive searches on the Gilgo murders and family members of victims, including over 200 in a single four-month period, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said.

One search allegedly asked: Why hasnt Long Island serial killer been caught

Investigators also found cell phone records connecting him to the disposable cellphones used to set up meetings with three of the four victims, as well as to make harassing calls to a relative of Ms. Barthelemy, and a call made by a detective to Ms. Barthelemys cellphone while investigating her disappearance as well as calls checking voicemail on Ms. Brainard-Barnes cellphone after her disappearance.

ALSO READ| 'I'm getting chills,' shocked neighbors in Massapequa Park react to arrest of 'regular' neighbor in Gilgo Beach murders

Heuermann frequently used disposable phones and was seen on surveillance footage paying for more use of the typically untraceable device.

Records also show Heuermann was familiar with using fake email addresses, such as one registered to the alias Thomas Hawk.

The bogus email address was used to conduct thousands of searches related to sex workers, sadistic, torture-related pornography, and child pornography, prosecutors said.

Both the email address and the disposable phone were also allegedly used to take selfies to send to solicit sex and prostitutes.
One person was killed at a uranium enrichment plant in Russia's Urals region on Friday after a cylinder containing a depleted uranium compound ruptured, state nuclear corporation Rosatom said. It said the worker died from a "mechanical injury" caused by a breach in a container of uranium hexafluoride, a chemical compound used in uranium enrichment.

It said that radiation levels at the plant and surrounding area were normal and that the incident posed no threat to people living in the area.

"We are deeply saddened to announce a tragic incident at the Ural Electrochemical Plant, resulting in a worker fatality," Rosatom said.

It said the worker died from a "mechanical injury" caused by a breach in a container of uranium hexafluoride, a chemical compound used in uranium enrichment.

Rosatom, which owns the plant, said the depleted form of the compound was less radioactive than natural uranium. It said other staff had been sent for medical examination and most had already been discharged after undergoing decontamination procedures.

"There is no danger of any kind for residents of the city of Novouralsk or the staff of the plant," the plant's deputy production manager, Yuri Mineyev, said.

The plant says it enriches uranium for use in nuclear power stations and is the largest of its kind in the world. The causes of the incident are being investigated, it said.

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Belarus said on Friday that fighters from the Wagner mercenary group were instructing its soldiers at a military range southeast of Minsk, the first indication that at least part of a deal to end a mutiny in Russia may be being implemented. A fighter from Russian Wagner mercenary group conducts training for Belarusian soldiers on a range near the town of Osipovichi, Belarus July 14 in this still image taken from handout video.(via REUTERS)

Some Wagner fighters have been in Belarus since at least Tuesday, two sources close to the fighters told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Wagner's mutiny, in which it took control of a major military headquarters in southern Russia and then marched on Moscow, could have tipped Russia into civil war, according to President Vladimir Putin.

With fighters from one of the world's most battle-hardened mercenary forces just 200 km (125 miles) from Moscow, the Kremlin struck a deal under which Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin stood down his mercenaries and agreed to move to Belarus in exchange for Russia dropping mutiny charges.

Yet until now, there has been no sign of Wagner fighters in Belarus and Prigozhin has not been seen in public since he left the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don late on June 24, though a private jet linked to him has moved between Belarus, Moscow and St Petersburg.

Instructors

"Wagner fighters acted as instructors in a number of military disciplines," the Belarusian defence ministry's television channel said. State news agency BELTA also reported that Wagner were training Belarusian soldiers.

The ministry released a video showing what it said were Wagner fighters instructing Belarusian soldiers at a military range near the town of Osipovichi, about 90 km (56 miles) southeast of the capital Minsk.

At least one of the fighters identified as Wagner mercenaries had a Matryoshka doll symbol on his helmet which is used by some Wagner fighters.

When Reuters visited a tent camp near Osipovichi last week as part of a trip organised by Belarus there was no sign of Wagner fighters there.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko helped broker the June 24 deal, though he told reporters a week ago that Prigozhin was in Russia.

Wagner was founded in 2014 by Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, a former special forces officer in Russia's GRU military intelligence, as a way for Russia to dabble in wars around the world with full deniability from the Russian state.

Since the mutiny, Putin said the group had been financed by the Russian state.

Wagner helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014, fought Islamic State militants in Syria, operated in Central African Republic and Mali and took the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut for Russia earlier this year after both sides suffered heavy losses.

Putin offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to keep fighting at a meeting just days after their failed mutiny but suggested Prigozhin be moved aside in favour of a different commander, the Kommersant newspaper said.

The United States and its allies cast Wagner as one of the world's most ruthless armed groups and say it has plundered natural resources across Africa.

Prigozhin says the West has no right to lecture Wagner after the exploitation Africa suffered under European colonial rule and the chaos he says the United States has sown across the Middle East.
A THAI BEACH in high season is normally a carnival of umbrellas and selfie sticks, drained coconuts and peeling skin. But this year Koh Samui, an island popular with foreign tourists, is like a graveyard, says Virach Pongchababnapa, a local hotelier. Tourists are gone. Hotels and restaurants are boarded up. There is no life, no movement, Mr Virach sighs. PREMIUM Hanoi has transformed into a South East Asian hotspot over the last few decades. (Shutterstock)

This was supposed to be the year that South-East Asias tourism industryon life-support since the pandemic struckbegan to recover. The Omicron variant, however, delayed the revival. At the end of 2021, several countries began admitting tourists for the first time in nearly two years, only to slam the door shut again when Omicron emerged.

This month borders started creaking open once more, some wider than others. Fully jabbed travellers no longer need quarantine in Thailand as of February 1st, or the Philippines, starting February 10th. Thailand is expecting 300,000 visitors this montha far cry from the pre-pandemic monthly average of 3m, but a start.

Government bean counters will be pleased. South-East Asias economy relies on tourism more than any other region in the world bar the Caribbean, according to the World Trade and Tourism Council, an industry body. In 2019, the last year that people could travel freely, tourism contributed nearly 12% of the regions GDP. The industry accounted for about a seventh of Cambodias economy and employed a fifth of Thailands workforce.

People from outside the region are the lifeblood of the business. They spend half of all tourist dollars even though, in countries with robust domestic tourism, they make up just 33% of visitors, and sometimes as little as 5%. Yet the virus grounded these travellers. Compared with 2019, international visitor arrivals in South-East Asia dropped by 82% in 2020 and 98% in 2021. Those figures should improve somewhat this year. As the region opens up, Europeans and Americans will flock back to the sandy beaches of Bali and Phuket. But the recovery will be tentative. Most of South-East Asias tourists come from elsewhere in Asia. China, the biggest source, shows no sign of letting its citizens travel abroad for pleasure any time soon.

This absence has taken its toll on the economy. In 2020 tourisms contribution to regional GDP fell by more than half. Receipts from international tourists declined by 78%, more than in any other region. Many businesses have shut. In May, when a wave of covid-19 swept Cambodia, some 47% of small- and medium-sized enterprises canvassed by the Asia Foundation, an American NGO, had closed. A quarter of Thai tourism firms have shut permanently since the pandemic, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand.

Many South-East Asians are out of work. Seven million of the 43m tourism jobs that existed in 2019 had vanished a year later. Many workers who held onto their jobs had their shifts or wages cut. In the Philippines, hours were reduced by an average of 38%, reckons the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a UN agency. The pandemics impact on the tourism sector in Asia and the Pacific has been nothing short of catastrophic, says Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, its regional director.

Yet even if international tourists were to return in their pre-pandemic numbers overnight, the woes of hoteliers like Mr Virach would continue. Indeed, they may be exacerbated. Labour shortages are already being felt in countries with strong domestic tourism or which have begun reopening. Hotels in Phuket are struggling to hire engineers, electricians and chefs, says Kongsak Khoopongsakorn of the Thai Hotel Association, an industry body. Singapores restaurant industry faces a shortfall in manpower of 20-30%. The city-states biggest hotel operator, Accor, has ample vacancies in its kitchens, housekeeping and security departments. In November the Malaysian Association of Hotels, another industry group, said that the lack of workers meant hotels were not prepared to receive guests when the country re-opens.

Hotels and restaurants in these countries have long relied on migrant labour from poorer neighbours, such as Indonesia and Myanmar. But lack of work, fierce immigration rules and the absence of much of a safety net prompted many of them to return home during the pandemic. Singapores foreign workforce declined by 16% in the 18 months to June. Malaysias has decreased by 800,000, from 1.9m in 2018, in part because work permits expired and could not be renewed. At least one-fifth of Thailands 2.5m foreign workers have left since the pandemic. The Federation of Thai Industries says that the tourism industry and related businesses need 300,000 migrant workers immediately.

Even in countries where most workers are locals, employers are nervous. Many Cambodians are riding out the pandemic in the countryside. Returning to tourism hubs entails paying for transport and accommodationcosts that can be borne if stable jobs are in the offing. But stability is precisely what employers cannot offer. So long as you dont provide a guarantee that they will have these jobs for a long-term perspective, then people still hesitate to come back, says a Cambodian consultant.

The problem is chronic uncertainty about the timing of the industrys recovery. Some workers are fed up and leave the business for good. According to the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union, a Singaporean lobby group, a growing number of hotel workers have taken up jobs in other industries that offer better wages and greater job security. A survey conducted by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism last June found that nearly a quarter of highly qualified workers in the tourism industry had moved on.

The consequence is that tourists are not receiving the standard of service they expect. Hotel guests in Singapore are complaining about having to queue to be seated for breakfast. Visitors to Penang, in Malaysia, gripe that it takes hours to check in to their hotels. Complaints are piling up on sites like TripAdvisor, an online review behemoth. Such frustrations are likely to persist for a time.

But in the long run, these experiences will prove to be the exception, as they were before the pandemic. Once migrants can easily cross borders and the virus becomes endemic, thereby allowing some semblance of normality, workers should return to their posts. The industry remains appealing to South-East Asian workers, particularly those from the regions poor countries. There is a plethora of low-wage people willing to take this low-wage work, says Sara Elder, a senior economist at the ILO. But they are not breaking out the coconuts and umbrellas just yet.

 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
Unidentified Flying Objects(UFOs) and Extraterrestrial creatures or aliens have always intrigued people across the globe. In the United States, there have been many unverified claims by people on having seen UFOs etc. Some people also argue that the US government is withholding secrets on the matter, which has led to several conspiracy theories too. Image for representation(Getty Images)

To the clear the air around the subject, US Senator Chuck Schumer is introducing a new legislation which aims to declassify government documents. Schumer has received bipartisan support, including that of Senator Mike Rounds(Republic Party) and Senator Marco Rubio( Republic Party).

ALSO READ| 'Wild n Out star Nick Cannon shares photos of spending father's time with his kids

"BREAKING: Im introducing new legislation to declassify government records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena and UFOs as an amendment to the NDAA, modeled after the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act," tweeted Schumer.

The new legislation is modeled after the commission that took a call on the release of information about John F. Kennedys assassination. Under the legislation, the US President will have the authority to delay material based on national security concerns.

After the Senate's approval, President Joe Biden would appoint a nine-person review board. The board will comprise of people who would push for disclosure while protecting sensitive intelligence collection methods.

In recent times, unexplained aerial phenomena have been explained as optical illusions, airborne trash etc. Pentagon and intelligence agency have dismissed videos and other material on the matter as not an evidence of alien visitation.

Few months ago, Biden administration shot down a Chinese spy balloon hovering in US territory.
In a significant development related to the notorious Gilgo Beach serial murders on Long Island, a suspected serial killer has been apprehended. Rex Heuermann started his business a decade prior to the occurrence of the Long Island murders(Twitter/ Billy Baldwin)

Reports indicate that Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from New York City, was arrested at his residence on First Avenue in Massapequa Park.

Although the name of the suspect has not been officially confirmed by any additional source, it has been disclosed that an individual is expected to appear in court within the next few hours.

Notably, the arrest primarily centers around the infamous "Gilgo Four," referring to the victims who were discovered wrapped in burlap over a span of a few days in late 2010. The arrest reportedly focuses on these particular victims rather than the other six individuals who were later suspected of involvement, according to an undisclosed source.

Who is Rex Heuermann?

The owner of a prominent architecture firm in Midtown, RH Consultants and Associates, has been arrested in connection with the Long Island serial killings. Rex Heuermann, who has worked on projects for Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment, and American Airlines, was taken into custody last night outside his office in Manhattan.

The 59-year-old accused holds the position of president at RH Architecture Design, his own company based on Fifth Avenue. He has been leading this company since 1994

Heuermann, who claimed to be a Long Island native in a YouTube interview with Bonjour Realty, said, Ive been working in Manhattan since 1987, a very long time. He lives in Massapequa Park, a short distance from Gilgo Beach, where the remains of several victims were discovered in 2010 and 2011.

Rex Heuermann(Twitter)

The married father of two has been a suspect since last year, according to law enforcement sources cited by reports.

Investigators used burner phones to trace the calls that Heuermann allegedly made to the victims cell phones more than a decade ago.

ALSO READ| Gilgo Beach's long Island serial killer arrested: All about what happened and how was he arrested

The locations of the calls matched his home and office addresses.

Reports said that the case was cracked by good, old-fashioned police work rather than any DNA evidence. It is unclear what specific information led to his arrest last evening.
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa - a legend among downtown Denver hotels since 1892 - proudly announces the appointment of Jana Smith as the iconic landmark's first female General Manager. In her new role, Smith will be responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of the 241-room hotel and its 300-person team, ensuring day-to-day success in providing guests with exceptional dine and drink experiences and distinguished service.

A seasoned leader in the hospitality realm with proven success in the luxury sector, Smith joins The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa team following a nearly two-year stint as General Manager at the Colorado Springs Marriott, where she successfully increased both revenue and guest satisfaction. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Hospitality at Brush Creek Ranch, a collection of all-inclusive luxury guest ranches in Saratoga, Wyoming, where she contributed to achieving record-setting top line revenue, maintaining the coveted Forbes Five Star rating, and earning the resort the accolade of #1 in the USA by both Travel and Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. Additionally, Smith's resume - which spans across more than 25 years of industry experience - touts executive-level positions like Hotel Manager and Director of Operations at several notable hotel properties including The St. Regis Deer Valley, W Seattle, and Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Originally from the greater Seattle area, Smith received her Bachelor of Science in Hospitality from Central Washington University.
HOTEL DU PONT, the award-winning independent luxury hotel and iconic Wilmington, Delaware landmark, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Paulus as Director of Sales and Marketing. As the newest addition to the leadership team, Paulus will offer exceptional market vision, strategic business perspectives and marketing leadership to develop new business and achieve sustainable revenue growth in a highly competitive market.

Paulus brings more than three decades of experience in sales and operations with upscale and luxury brands. He most recently worked with Hilton Hotels & Resorts in San Francisco. Additionally, he has experience with other Historic Hotels of America such as Francis Marion Hotel, Cranwell Resort & Spa, The Poinsett Hotel and the Claremont Resort as well as branded properties including Wyndham and Starwood.

In synergy with HOTEL DU PONT's 110th Anniversary, Paulus will oversee all commercial efforts for the hotel including Direct sales, Marketing, and Public Relations. His proven track record of leading teams and driving profitability has been a cornerstone of his career in various geographic areas and across various market segments.
The World Travel & Tourism Councils (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) today reveals the Portuguese Travel & Tourism sector is projected to exceed the 2019 peak this year.

According to the report, the sector is set to contribute 40.4 billion to the Portuguese economy by the end of 2023, surpassing the 2019 pre-pandemic high of 40.1 billion.

WTTC is also forecasting that the sector will create around 30,000 jobs this year, only 68,000 jobs below the 2019 level of just over one million, to reach 950,000 employed by Travel & Tourism.

A look back on last year

Last year, the Travel & Tourism sectors GDP contribution grew 61.6% to reach nearly 38 billion, representing 15.8% of the Portuguese economy.

The sector also created 83,000 more jobs from the previous year to reach 921,000 jobs nationally.

The latest report from the global tourism body shows that the sector has now recovered to more than 90% of the pre-pandemic level of jobs.

Last year also saw the return of international travellers heading to Portugal, with Spain (16%), France (12%), UK (11%), and Germany and U.S. (both 8%) leading as source markets for international arrivals in Portugal.

According to the data, in 2022, international visitor spend contributed 21.7 billion to the national economy, representing a striking year-on-year growth of 80.4%, and just 7.7% behind 2019 levels.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: The Travel & Tourism sector in Portugal is recovering strongly with high visitor demand.

The future for the sector is very optimistic. By the end of this year, the sectors contribution will surpass 2019 levels, and over the next decade, growth will outstrip the national GDP and create 248,000 new jobs over the decade, representing one in four jobs.

What does the next decade look like?

The global tourism body is forecasting that the sector will grow its GDP contribution to 56.4 billion by 2033, representing more than one fifth (21.1%) of the Portuguese economy.

Over the next decade, Travel & Tourism could employ more than 1.2 million people across the country, with one in four people working in the sector.

Europe

In 2022, the European Travel & Tourism sector contributed 1.9 trillion to the regional economy, just 7% below the 2019 peak. WTTC forecasts the regional sectors GDP contribution will reach 2.04 trillion in 2023 and be within touching distance of the 2019 highpoint.

The sector employed 34.7 million people across the region in 2022, an increase of 2.9 million from the previous year, but still 3.2 million behind the 2019 peak. WTTC forecasts the sector will fully recover the jobs lost during the pandemic by the end of 2024.

About WTTC

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global travel & tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the travel & tourism sector.
Travelers React to AI-Generated Travel Ads

With the rise of AI, Destination Analysts explores how travelers feel about AI-generated travel ads.

AI has dominated the news for this first half of 2023 and using new artificial intelligence tools to help create ads has been all the buzz lately. So much so that NPR recently published an article and released a related podcast episode on how to recognize AI-generated images. The travel marketing space has been no different; AI has begun its integration with travelincluding providing recommendations, booking, forecasting, creating itineraries, and now advertisements. Case in point, an AdAge article published in March explored how Lithuania Travel deployed the generative AI software Midjourney to make tourism ads for one of their campaigns.

With all the hubbub around AI and advertising, Destination Analysts decided to bring together a panel of travelers to react to AI-generated travel ads and see what we can learn about what travelers think about how AI is being used in travel marketing.





As marketers continue to experiment with AI, its imperative to keep our eyes on what really matters to travelers when it comes to advertising: unique destination experiences for real people.



Hot Takes on Visit Denmarks AI-Authored Ad

Travelers were asked to view a campaign from Visit Denmark that used deepfake technology to bring famous works of art to life and employed a script written by ChatGPT.

All in all, this AI ad was well-received for the clever conceit of having highly recognizable works or art like the Mona Lisa speak directly to the viewer, but the animation of the deepfakes was slightly underwhelming to travelers. One person noted, Theres work to be done to make the animations more fluid, while another observed that some of the animations worked well but, for instance, the Statue of Libertys mouth did not move as well. A more seamless animation would have drawn viewers into the ad without distracting them with clunky visuals.

On the other hand, the script  combined with the famous artworks  was confusing for American travelers. While it was largely understood that most of these pieces are not located in Denmark, travelers were at a loss to comprehend why an advertisement about Denmark would spend so much of its run-time focused on artworks that are not actually in Denmark (with the exception of the statue of Hans Christian Andersen). The result was a highly mixed message; travelers wondered if the ad was about Denmark or about traveling the world. Rather than a clever advertisement showing famous, non-Danish pieces of art, travelers would prefer to see featured landmarks, attractions, or pieces of art specific to Denmark. As one traveler put it, focusing on interesting things to do and see in Denmark would have piqued their interest to visit the country more than fun, talking paintings. Playing with AI is fun and novel at the moment, but ultimately travelers want to know what they can experience in a destination that is unique and sets it apart from anywhere else.



Botticellis Venus Becomes a Virtual Influencer

Italys tourism ministry launched a campaign called Open to Wonder that features Botticellis Venus (of The Birth of Venus fame) as a modern-day virtual influencer, content creator, and tourism ambassador for Italy (Fig. 1). Throughout the campaign on Instagram, Venus is dressed in todays designer clothing, taking selfies in St. Marks square, riding a bicycle in front of the Colosseum, and eating pizza on the shores of Lake Como.







Figure 1 and 2: Botticellis Venus as a virtual influencer for Italy

As part of the exercise, panelists viewed an Instagram reel created for the campaign, in which Venus showcases Italy as a travel destination.

Overwhelmingly, travelers said they would have preferred to see a real person rather than an AI person. The AI Venus influencer was described as completely unrelatable and out of place. One traveler noted that it was odd to see just a cutout of the painting, with no animation of the hair or facial expressions. Another argued that, even with more animation, the impact would have been minimal  without a living, breathing human to relate to, the ad garnered no additional interest in visiting Italy.

And travelers dont just want any real person, but a lesser-known person  no celebrities, in other words. When it comes to sharing a travel destination, nothing beats someone real and relatable talking about their favorite places. Even a popular Italian TikTok-er or Instagram influencer would have been considered more appealing, and travelers expressed a keen interest in being able to see an actual human walking the streets and going into restaurants. As several travelers observed, it is always better with a real person.

The Future of AI in Travel Marketing

We are still in the early days of AI in advertising, but with major film studios like Marvel using AI to generate opening credits, and the sustained buzz around AI in the media this year, AI is here to stay and will have very real impacts on how travel marketing is done. With creative testing among travelers, travel marketers can continue to home in on best practices for employing AI and discover what works for their brand among their target audience. Even as marketers spark new creative ideas in how to wield AI in the most eye-catching (but relevant) ways possible, its imperative to keep our eyes on what really matters to travelers when it comes to advertising unique destination experiences for real people.

For further opportunities for creative testing, please reach out to our research team at info@destinationanalysts.com to learn how we can best partner with you.

Learn more about the latest trends during our monthly livestream.

This article originally appeared on Destination Analysts.
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HWUM proudly bestowed Honorary Degrees upon three outstanding Malaysian leaders at its recent Graduation ceremony.

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia proudly bestowed Honorary Degrees upon three outstanding Malaysian leaders at its recent Graduation ceremony, acknowledging their significant contributions to society.

Among the recipients, Datuk Nora Abd Manaf, Group Chief Human Capital Officer of Maybank, was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University. Dzameer Dzulkifli, Co-Founder of Teach For Malaysia, received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering, and Datuk Dr Hamzah Kassim, former Chairperson of Heriot-Watt University Malaysias Board of Directors, was granted the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University.

The prestigious Honorary Degrees were conferred by Professor Mark Biggs, Provost, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, during the Graduation ceremony held at the Marriott Putrajaya Hotel as part of the Summer graduation programme for 2023 last Monday, 10 July 2023.

Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi, Provost and Chief Executive Officer of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, expressed his appreciation for the graduates' accomplishments, stating, Graduation is a significant milestone in our academic calendar, providing an opportunity to recognise and applaud your achievements. As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, we recognise the critical need for effective leadership and collaborative efforts to address the challenges of our world. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia is at the forefront of purpose-driven education, committed to nurturing purposeful leaders who are equipped to make a positive impact on the world. Your achievements serve as a testament to this commitment, and I am confident that we can rely on each of you to play your part. Congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment; you have made us all incredibly proud!

In her acceptance speech, Datuk (Dr) Nora Abd Manaf expressed her gratitude:

My deepest gratitude to Heriot-Watt University Malaysia for this conferment of Honorary Degree Doctor of the University upon me. I am deeply honoured. I thank the Principal, Provost, and Senate of the University for inviting me here and for bestowing on me this honour and therefore giving me this opportunity to continue my association and contribution to the university and community reach. I would also like to congratulate the new graduates of HWUM and your parents. It is such an honour to not only humbly accept the conferment but also being given this platform to speak Datuk (Dr) Nora Abd Manaf, Honorary Graduate, HWUM July 2023 Summer Graduation

(Dr) Dzameer Dzulkifli, in his acceptance speech, emphasised the importance of continuous learning, stating, As an engineer, what helped me was the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn continuously. You need to learn from your weaknesses, and you need to find what works and needed change. In every pursuit, you need to remind yourself of your purpose repeatedly. Thank you very much for this opportunity to be here. It is truly an honour to be given this Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering, this is an achievement of a lifetime, so I would like to thank Heriot-Watt University Malaysia very much. To all the graduates, congratulations! I am so proud of you  all of your hard work has finally paid off and you have succeeded, but you still have a long way to go, this is your new beginning."

During his acceptance speech, Datuk Dr Hamzah Kassim conveyed his gratitude and humility, stating, I stand before you with profound gratitude and humility as I accept the Honorary Degree, Doctor of University. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the University for bestowing this prestigious honour upon me. It feels so privileged to be associated with such an institution with a rich heritage of 200 years and a renowned reputation in education and research. Today, we are not only celebrating your achievements but also the endless potential that each of you represents as you enter this new era  the age of disruptions. It is essential that we reflect on the evolving landscape we face and the strategies we must explore to take on the challenges. The disruption brought on by AI opens doors to new industries, new roles, and ways of working. Embrace these opportunities with optimism. Seek out emerging fields, explore entrepreneurial ventures, and be open to non-conventional opportunities. In this era of disruptions, the ability to be resilient and seize every opportunity will be a crucial asset.

The HWUM Summer graduation ceremony honoured over 340 graduates from the School of Social Sciences (SoSS); School of Mathematical & Computer Sciences (MACS); School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure & Society (EGIS); and School of Engineering & Physical Sciences (EPS). Notably, 34% of its undergraduate students graduated with first-class honours and distinction, while 73% graduated with first-class honours, second upper class, and distinction. Additionally, 35% of its postgraduate students achieved distinction and merit.
Pittsfield Main Pleads Guilty to Assault and Battery

ADAMS, Mass.  On Monday, July 10th Dylan Greene, age 22 of Pittsfield, pleaded guilty to indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older.

The offense occurred in a residence in Adams on the evening of Jan 24, and the early morning hours of Jan 25.

Greene was sentenced in Berkshire Superior Court by the Honorable Judge Agostini to:

2.5 years in the House of Corrections, 18 months direct with a balance suspended for 4 years;

Probation on and after incarceration with the following conditions:

Register as a sex offender with the Sex Offender Registry Board

Attend sex offender treatment

No direct contact with the victim

Stay ways from the victim's home and place of employment

On the evening of Jan 24, Greene was invited over to the victim's apartment. The victim woke up in the middle of the night to find Greene assaulting her. The victim requested to not testify in the case. A victim impact statement was read at sentencing.

Assistant District Attorney Rachel Eramo represented the Commonwealth. Jane Kibby-Peirce, Director of Victim Witness Advocates, served as a victim witness advocate on behalf of the District Attorney's Office.

The Adams Police Department, State Police Detective Unit and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab were the law enforcement bodies involved in the case.
The Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) hosted a highly successful The Launch Mixer event on June 27, at The Astbury in Orion, Makati City. The event aims to highlight the council's efforts in driving Web3 adoption, while also announcing their plans and objectives for the future. BCP has also announced its partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

The Launch Mixer served as a platform for the council's founding members to share their insights and visions with the attendees. The event featured notable industry experts and thought leaders, including Dr. Donald Lim, the Founding President of BCP, DICT Director Emmy Lou Delfin, Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhuo, Direct Agent 5 and SurgePay CEO Raymond Babst, Yield Guild Games (YGG) Country Manager Luis Buenaventura, Dr. Guido David, Chief Data Scientist of Capstone Intel-Corporation, and Mayeth Cruz of Moneybees.

DICT Director Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin stated, Our nation is no stranger to blockchain technology. We have seen the rise of innovative blockchain in startups, the success of blockchain-based business solutions, and the birth of the initiative that makes blockchain for public good. So this development signifies that the Philippines' investment is not just ready for blockchain adoption, but poised to be a leader in blockchain education, and definitely will be a global leader in the blockchain industry.

Dr. David presented Capstone Intel-Corporation's comprehensive report on blockchain, cryptocurrency, and NFT in the country. Among 1000+ respondents, 28% of financially capable individuals aged 25 to 34, and 22% aged 18 to 24, expressed involvement in cryptocurrency. 88% of respondents depend on social media for cryptocurrency information, seeking news and insights from experts and influencers. The majority expressed a strong interest in learning about various digital assets to understand the process of investing and mitigate risks.

BCP unveiled an array of comprehensive plans and strategies designed to propel Blockchain adoption in the Philippines. These initiatives encompass a multifaceted approach that includes opening the council for membership, with the formal induction process set to commence next month. BCP aims to educate, engage, and collaborate with various stakeholders in the Philippine Blockchain ecosystem, including government bodies, Web3 developers, businesses, civil society organizations, NGOs, and the Filipino population as a whole. The objective is to ensure the safe, secure, and responsible integration of Blockchain technology into the everyday lives of individuals across the nation.

The council also aims to position the Philippines as a global leader in blockchain technology, propelling it as the Blockchain capital of Asia. Our vision is to be the prime mover and the largest industry organization that drives the adoption of blockchain and Web3 technologies for the Philippines, announced Dr. Donald Lim, Founding President of the BCP.

Among its roster of speakers, Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhuo stated that: Despite the bear market, which is kind of hurting I think we're almost there, we're gonna get more people interested in digital assets. And what I'm really excited about the Philippines, and why I'm here all the time, and why we're building non-stop [is that] we've been listing tokens on Coins.ph, we've been adding ownership on Coins.ph, and in about three months, we're gonna get spend and earn on Coins.ph. What I'm really excited about, we can actually start building a local ecosystem here.

In addition, the event provided a networking platform for attendees to connect with industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts. Presented by its PR partner, Blockceler8 by Uniquecorn Strategies, the Launch Mixer witnessed the presence of BCP Committee members, including Membership Head Sheree Gotuaco of Scarletbox, Education and Training Head Paul Soliman of Bayanichain, Governance and Ethics Head Ida Tiongson of PruLife, Meetings and Fellowship Head Emman Navalan of Tetrix, Legal Head Mark Gorriceta of GorricetaLaw, Youth and Academe Head Brian Poe-Llamanzares of Artifact, CSR Women and Advocacy Gail Macapagal of DynaQuest, and VP for External Committee Emmanuel Samson of Impero Group.

The committee also includes Industry and Business Relations Head Lito Villanueva, executive vice president of RCBC; Public Policy and Government Relations Head Henry Aguda, CEO and President of UnionDigital Bank; Philippine Block Awards Head Kate Hancock, founder of Metaverse XYZ; and Ways and Means Head Jong Layug, Head of Wealth Management of Gcash. Completing the council are Chezka Gonzales, the founder of Philippine Blockchain Week; Oscar Tan-Abing Jr., the CEO of Anotoys Collectiverse; and Dr. Lim, the COO of DITO CME.

To become a member of the Blockchain Council of the Philippines, interested individuals and corporations can apply at blockchaincouncilph.org.
 Close No contracts, no peace: Actors stage demonstration in New York

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Universal Studios has been accused of trimming the trees that lined its studio lot and provided shade for striking actors and writers.

On Monday (17 July), following the first weekend of the historic Hollywood shutdown, comic Chris Stephens tweeted a photo showing the bare trees.

Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week, Stephens wrote.

SAG-AFTRA negotiators unanimously recommended a strike after talks with the AMPTP broke down last week.

Additionally, the Writers Guild of America has been on strike since early May. Both groups demand increases in base pay and residuals in the streaming TV era, plus assurances that their work will not be replaced by AI.

Fran Drescher, former star of The Nanny and SAG president, said studios responses to the actors concerns had been insulting and disrespectful.

In light of the historic double strike, several actors and writers have shared personal horror stories of Hollywood studio greed.

Meanwhile, Disney CEO Bob Iger condemned the threatened strike action as very disruptive at the worst time as well as calling the expectations of writers and actors not realistic.
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Disney CEO Bob Iger has been criticised for saying writers and actors are not being realistic with their strike expectations, and calling the prospect of the strike disturbing.

During an appearance on CNBCs Squawk Box on Thursday morning (13 July), hours before the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) began striking, Iger said the decision by the actors and writers unions to go on strike was very disturbing to me.

He said: Weve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges were facing, the recovery from Covid, which is ongoing, its not completely back.

This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption.

Iger, 72, added: I understand any labour organisations desire to work on behalf of its members to get the most compensation and be compensated fairly based on the value that they deliver.

We managed, as an industry, to negotiate a very good deal with the directors guild that reflects the value that the directors contribute to this great business.

We wanted to do the same thing with the writers, and wed like to do the same thing with the actors. Theres a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic.

And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive.

Strike action began after a midnight deadline on Wednesday (12 July) for negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) came and went without a deal.

Sag-Aftra approved its membership of 160,000 TV and film actors to begin striking and join screenwriters whove been picketing since May  a historic move that will effectively shut down Hollywood, which hasnt happened in over 60 years.

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There has been a considerable backlash to Igers comments. She-Hulk writer Cody Ziglar tweeted: The residual check from my episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was $396.

This was one of the most watched episodes of television, of one of the most watched television series on Disney +. Even made multiple best episodes of 2022 lists. My residual check was $396. This is why were striking.

Lampooning the millionaire businessmans inability to empathise with low-paid writers and actors, another critic wrote: Then he drove away in a solid gold, diamond-encrusted Lamborghini.

Iger is expected to earn up to $27m (approximately 20.1m) in 2023.

Bob Iger (Getty Images)

Yes, strikes are very disruptive. So is poverty, added another.

We dont care what disturbs you, Bob. Your salary is whats disturbing, a third posted.

The Independent has contacted Iger for comment.

Zack Arnold, the co-editor of Netflixs Cobra Kai, told The Independent that the strike was caused by a perfect storm of streaming dominance, which has led to the erosion of residual pay, and the advent of AI in the industry.

Read about what impact the strike will have here.
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Hayao Miyazaki has released his final film How Do You Live in Japan today (Friday 14 July).

The film reportedly takes its title from the 1937 novel by Genzaburo Yoshino, but its story is completely original, written by Miyazaki himself.

The script is based on a coming-of-age story about a young boy whose mother is killed in a fire.

Last month, Miyazakis Studio Ghibli announced it wont be releasing commercials or trailers for How Do You Live.

In an interview with Japanese magazine Bungei Shunji, Ghiblis lead producer, Toshio Suzuki, confirmed that the studio will remain quiet about the film until it comes out.

As part of company operations, over the years Ghibli has wanted people to come see the movies weve made. So weve thought about that and done a lot of different things for that purpose  but this time we were like, Eh, we dont need to do that, he said.

Doing the same thing youve done before, over and over, you get tired of it. So we wanted to do something different.

Suzuki also compared Miyazakis approach to that of Hollywoods marketing plans.

(Getty Images)

Theres an American movie  ah, I almost said the title out loud!  coming out this summer around the same time [as How Do You Live?], he said.

Theyve made three trailers for it, and released them one at a time. If you watch all three, you know everything thats going to happen in that movie. So how do moviegoers feel about that? There must be people, who, after watching all the trailers, dont want to actually go see the movie. So, I wanted to do the opposite of that.

According to BBC, How Do You Live is full of Miyazakis signature obsessions, quirks, and thematic concerns.

There are the usual visual treats, like cute yet eerie creatures, great-looking food and gravity-defying flights of fancy - primarily hand-drawn and moving with the fluidity and sense of weight that mark the master animators work, the publication reported.

US and UK release dates for How Do You Live have yet to be announced.
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Jamie Foxx was seen looking good as he returned a womans lost handbag in another sighting of the actor following his medical emergency in April.

Earlier this week, Terri Quenni Glenn and her two sisters were riding in an open-air pedicab on Michigan Avenue in Chicago when they saw a black SUV driving behind them and honking its horn.

Glenn told People Magazine that she and her sisters were shocked when the car pulled up next to them and Foxx opened the back door holding her bag.

She had placed the bag on the floor of the pedicab. It had apparently fallen out the side of the vehicle when it turned a corner.

I wanted to ask Jamie where he found the purse, Glenn, a home health care aide in Columbus, Ohio, told the publication. I didnt even know it fell out.

The door opens and we see someone holding the bag as hes stepping out, said Glenn. I saw it was Jamie holding the bag.

The bag contained an iPad, her keys, and approximately $20 (15).

Glenn recalled that she called out to Foxx, asking: Are you feeling good? And he said, Im feeling good.

Jamie Foxx (Getty Images)

As he was getting back in the SUV, Glenn thanked him to which he reportedly answered: Youre welcome baby.

He hopped out and came toward me, and hopped back in. He looked good. He looked very good, Glenn recalled. His voice, it was calm. It sounded good to me.

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She took a photo of the star, which was published on People.

She added that there was a driver in the front seat and a woman sitting next to him in the back.

The encounter follows after Foxx was recently pictured in public for the first time since he suffered a medical complication that led to him being admitted to hospital.

Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained' (Columbia/The Weinstein Company/Kobal/Shutterstock)

On Sunday (9 July), TMZ shared footage of the actor on a boat on the Chicago River. In it, he can be seen doing a peace sign and waving to fans.

Earlier this year, the Django Unchained star was taken to hospital in April, with his daughter Corinne telling fans that due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery.

Weeks later, Foxx shared his first post on social media after the incident, and Corinne confirmed in May that he had been out of hospital for weeks. No details of the medical complication have been shared.

He had been filming the forthcoming Netflix comedy Back in Action alongside Cameron Diaz in Georgia in April when he was admitted to hospital.

In June, Foxxs representatives were forced to refute right-wing conspiracy theories that the actor had been left paralysed and blind by the Covid-19 vaccine, calling the theories completely inaccurate.

Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx and John Boyega in They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix)

He will next star in another Netflix comedy, They Cloned Tyrone, alongside British actor John Boyega.

On the red carpet for the films premiere, for which Foxx was absent, Boyega said that after hearing of Foxxs medical issues, hed been calling his co-star and would keep on calling until his co-star answered.

He finally picked up the phone. Thank you, bro, he said. Hes doing well. And then, you know, we just giving him the privacy, and we cant wait for his return.

Boyega continued: I gave him the well wishes directly. I gave him all the well wishes. So Im just gonna be waiting until he comes back out here. So take your time, Jamie. We love you, bro.

They Cloned Tyrone co-producer Datari Turner also told People: Hes doing amazing. I promise you. Doing really, really good.

The film begins its limited theatrical release on 14 July before it arrives on Netflix on 21 July.
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Mission: Impossible star Henry Czerny has shed some light on his nearly three-decade long absence from the franchise.

The Canadian actor, 64, played IMF boss Eugene Kittridge in the original Mission: Impossible film in 1996, but did not appear again until Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One, which was released in cinemas this week.

Speaking to Uproxx, Czerny, who is also known for his role in the spy thriller Clear and Present Danger, revealed that he had once been involved in a dispute over his character.

Ahead of filming Mission: Impossible, he took it upon himself to research the role, spending a day and a half with people at the CIA.

Because they want people to know what they do as well, within reason, of course, Czerny said. So, I did all kinds of homework there. And then I had the script with me, and I didnt try to show them the script, but I knew the questions that I wanted to ask them about it.

And so I went to the UK with all these answers  all these suggestions about what should be done perhaps with this script. And, of course, that was not met in the way I expected it to be met. It was, Thank you very much, but please keep that to yourself. Great backstory for you. I love that you did that for you. Very Mission: Impossible.

The actor explained that he was a bit s***-grinned over their response because he had gone through the effort.

He continued: So, after Mission: Impossible, the first month, I had a lunch with Paula Wagner, who was, at that time, Tom [Cruise]s producing partner. And I let her know all the things they didnt do with Kittridge, and what they should be doing with Kittridge in the future, if they had options.

Henry Czerny as Kittridge in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount)

And she was very polite, very nice, paid for the lunch. And thats the last I saw of Mission: Impossible. I burned that bridge.

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Czerny added that they may have been planning to write out his character anyway. But I certainly didnt do myself any favours as a young actor telling Paula Wagner what she missed in this supporting character, he said.

The actor also claims that Christopher McQuarrie, Dead Reckonings director, had wanted to bring back Kittridge in an earlier instalment, but it just wasnt right apparently, or whatever.

He claimed that McQuarrie was more open to his own input on the character.

Absolutely, he said. Hes more open to what the actor wants to bring, given the genre, given the tone of the scene, given the trajectory of the story. Yes. All within that, thank you very much. But bring it and well see. Well see.

Dead Reckoning is out in cinemas now.
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A woman has reportedly been arrested in connection with the death of Robert De Niros grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.

The child of Roberts daughter Drena, Leandro, 19, was an actor who appeared in A Star is Born and Cabaret Maxime in 2018.

His death was announced on 2 July by Drena, who shared a picture of Leandro with a caption paying tribute to his life on social media.

Robert, 79, subsequently released his own statement saying that he was deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo.

While an official cause of death is yet to be announced by authorities, Drena, 51, claimed last week that Leandro died after being sold fentanyl-laced pills. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, with only two milligrams having the potential to be lethal.

According to a report by The New York Post, a woman was arrested on Thursday (13 July) in connection with Leandros death.

She is accused of selling Leandro drugs shortly before his death, and was reportedly arrested as part of an undercover sting operation by the NYPD.

Sources told the Post that the woman has been federally charged with distributing narcotics, with investigators still conducting a search of her home.

The Independent has contacted the NYPD for comment.

Announcing Leandros death earlier this month, his mother Drena wrote on social media: My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life.

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I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I dont know how to live without you but Ill try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy.

Drena later claimed that fentanyl-laced drugs were responsible for his death, writing: Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him so for all these people still f***ing around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever.

In his own statement, Robert said: Were greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.

In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP
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The cast of Oppenheimer left a London premiere prematurely to go and write their picket signs in preparation for the imminent strike by the actors union.

Follow along here for real-time updates on SAG-AFTRAs historic strike.

On Thursday (13 July), the cast of Christopher Nolans highly anticipated movie about the creation of the atomic bomb, including leading man Cillian Murphy and co-stars Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Ramy Malek, walked out of the films UK premiere in solidarity with SAG-AFTRAs looming strike.

Youve seen them here earlier on the red carpet, Nolan announced to the cinemas audience.

Unfortunately, theyre off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them.

Later that day, SAG approved its membership of 160,000 to begin striking on Thursday at midnight, joining screenwriters whove been picketing since May  a historic move that will effectively shut down Hollywood, which hasnt happened in over 60 years.

The decision came hours after contract negotiations with companies such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney and Warner Bros failed to pass before the Wednesday (12 July) midnight deadline.

Ahead of the Oppenheimer screening, the actors had been walking the red carpet, posing for pictures, interacting with fans and speaking to press.

In a red-carpet interview with Variety, Damon said that once the strike is officially called, the cast is going to walk obviously in solidarity.

Thats why we moved this [red carpet] up because we know the second its called, were going home, he said.

The acting unions demands are similar to those of its counterpart, the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Among the formers chief demands include increased wages, higher streaming residuals and improved working conditions.

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Union members should withhold their labour until a fair contract can be achieved, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA said during a press conference. They have left us with no alternative.

Following the strike announcement, several other A-listers, including Issa Rae and Jamie Lee Curtis, spoke out in support of the unions decision as they joined the strike, which could last at least six months.

Oppenheimers premiere could be among the last of its kind, at least while the strike is in effect. According to SAGs strike guidelines, union members are barred from attending premieres, film festivals and award shows, or even promoting their projects on social media or in interviews.

They are also barred from attending conventions, including the popular Comic-Con or 90s Con, to promote projects, either past or present, that have been made under SAG contracts.
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A kindergarten teacher has been executed in China for poisoning 25 students and killing one of them, a court in Henan province said.

Wang Yun, 40, was arrested and convicted in 2020 of putting toxic sodium nitrite in porridge served to students at Mengmeng Pre-school Education in Jiaozuo on 27 March 2019.

The court said she had mixed poison in the breakfast of her colleagues students after an argument over student management.

The incident had sent dozens of students into vomiting and fainting spells and led to many being admitted to hospital, triggering nationwide outrage and making international headlines.

One of the students, identified by the surname Wang, died from multiple organ failure after 10 months of treatment, the court said, adding that others recovered.

The No 1 Intermediate Court in Jiaozuo said the teachers sentence had been carried out on Thursday, according to a notice posted outside court.

Announcing her death sentence, the court called her actions despicable and vicious, adding that the consequences of her crimes were extremely serious, and she deserves to be severely punished.

This was not Wangs first attempt at poisoning. She had previously poisoned her husband with the same substance that she bought online. Her husband survived with mild injuries.

It is not known if she had intended to kill or merely make her husband and the students sick.

China is believed to carry out more executions annually than the combined total of the rest of the world, although the exact number remains undisclosed as a state secret.

The majority of these sentences are enforced through a bullet to the back of the head, while in certain instances, mobile units administering lethal injections have been utilised.

It comes as attack on students and young people in China has become a disturbing trend in recent years. Knives have been seen as a common weapon in the country where ownership of guns is illegal.

On Monday, a 25-year-old man allegedly attacked several students in a kindergarten in Guangdong province, killing six people and injuring one. The attack sparked outrage and calls for stricter rules and increased security.

In 2020, a school guard was accused of injuring 39 people with a knife.
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A top tribal association in India has demanded a separate state be carved out in the wake of ethnic violence that has left more than 130 people dead since May.

The northeastern state of Manipur has been wracked by violence after indigenous communities, predominantly the Kukis, protested against the demand for granting tribal status to the majority Hindu Meitei community. Since then, people from both communities have engaged in attacks on each others residences, vehicles, as well as places of worship such as churches and temples.

The apex body of all Kuki tribes, called the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), on Thursday demanded a separate state be created out of Manipur. KIM said the decision for a new state along with the demand for a separate administration under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution was taken on 12 July.

Following its [KIMs] crucial cabinet meeting on July 12, 2023, and the executive decision taken thereof, the Kuki Inpi Manipur explicitly stated its demand for separate administration in the form of separate State under Art. 3 of the Indian Constitution, said a statement issued by Khaikhohauh Gangte, KIMs general secretary.

As per Article 3, the Indian parliament has the authority to establish a new state by either separating territory from an existing state, merging two or more states or parts of states, or joining any territory with a part of any state.

Mr Gangte, according to Telegraph India, said the decision was taken because there has taken place a hounding of all the Kukis from the Imphal Valley after burning down their colonies and settlements and churches.

He said the Kukis shall continue to strive together with sweat and blood to protect our rights and liberties until our political demand is realised in the form of separate state.

The Meitei community, comprising mainly of Hindus and constituting approximately 50 per cent of the states population, has been advocating for recognition as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) for several years.

Under Indian law some government jobs, college admissions and electoral seats  from village councils to parliament  are reserved for communities under the ST category as a form of affirmative action to tackle historical structural inequality and discrimination.

But other ethnic groups, many of whom are Christians, express concerns that granting the Meiteis this status could potentially result in unequal competition for employment opportunities and other related benefits.

The Meitei community holds a dominant presence in positions within the state government and has witnessed greater economic and infrastructural progress compared to other ethnic groups.

Members of the community predominantly reside in the six valley districts of Manipur, while the mostly Christian Kuki and Naga tribes inhabit 10 hill districts.

Meanwhile, India has denounced a resolution passed by the European parliament regarding the ethnic conflicts, calling it an interference in its internal affairs.

The resolution adopted by the EU parliament denounced in the strongest terms nationalistic rhetoric deployed by leading members of the BJP party.

India reacted to the EU parliament resolution by saying it was unacceptable and was a reflection of a colonial mindset.

Such interference in Indias internal affairs is unacceptable, and reflects a colonial mindset, Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for the Indias foreign ministry, said in a statement.

Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. The European Parliament would be well advised to utilise its time more productively on its internal issues.

The resolution called on India to take all necessary measures and make the utmost effort to promptly halt the ongoing ethnic and religious violence, to protect all religious minorities, such as Manipurs Christian community, and to pre-empt any further escalation.

So far, more than 50,000 have been displaced in Manipur due to the violence, 1,700 houses have been destroyed and over 250 churches and several temples have been wrecked.

The EU parliament also noted that the violence in the northeastern state had been instigated by politically motivated, divisive policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism as well as increased activity by militant groups.
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Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Thursday that he will hand over power to a caretaker government on 14 August, setting the stage for general elections amid rising uncertainties over the vote.

During an address in Islamabad, the prime minister said: I assure you that our government will end on 14 August, and whenever elections happen, whether in October or November, the Election Commission of Pakistan will announce it.

Mr Sharif, of the Pakistan Muslim League, was elected unopposed successor of Imran Khans government after he lead a coalition of opposition parties to overthrow his government through a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April 2022.

His term is due to end in mid-August.

According to the constitution, general elections are held 60 days after the completion of the National Assemblys constitutional tenure. However, if the government chooses to dissolve the lower house of parliament shortly before its constitutional term ends, the window for elections is extended up to 90 days following the dissolution.

Mr Sharifs latest statement suggested that his government has no plans to dissolve the National Assembly before the end of its tenure on 14 August.

It comes after Pakistans election commission postponed a key vote in the state of Punjab until 8 October, citing security issues and an ongoing economic crisis.

Pakistans Supreme Court called moves to delay the Punjab election unconstitutional and demanded more transparency around the decision, while ordering the government to release Rs 21bn (60m) in funds to pay for the Punjab vote to go ahead.

There are hopes that the general election will finally ease a long-running political crisis that has beleaguered the country since Mr Khan and his party PTI were ousted from government, and responded with unprecedented nationwide protests demanding a new snap general election be held.

It remains unclear whether Mr Khan would be able to contest the election, as he is facing almost 200 different criminal charges ranging from sedition to corruption. Mr Khan has denied the charges and says they are politically motivated.

Thousands of PTI supporters staged violent protests and attacked sites associated with the military establishment following Mr Khans arrest and detention by officials from the National Accountability Bureau.

The lingering political turmoil has only worsened the cash-strapped countrys economic crisis. It finally managed to secure a $3bn bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday after an extensive period of negotiations.
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A third of the US population was under heat alerts on Friday as the merciless conditions continued to topple hundreds of temperature records from coast to coast.

In the west, Death Valley National Park could set a new world record for the hottest temperature ever reliably recorded, while in Arizona, emergency responders were treating people for second-degree contact burns caused by sidewalks which have surpassed 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71C).

The intensifying heatwave across the southern US was mirrored around the world as millions of people in Europe, Asia and Africa contended with extreme, record-breaking temperatures driven by the climate crisis.

In the fast-growing Arizona city of Phoenix, temperatures have hit 110F (43C) for two weeks and are expected to remain there until Tuesday.

The citys downtown was largely deserted under the baking sun, and some residents have taken to exercising before dawn when temperatures drop to lows of 90F (32C). The city has opened a heat relief network to allow those without air conditioning to cool off at places like public libraries.

Across Arizona, Arkansas, California, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas, residents were warned to limit their time outdoors, turn on air conditioning, hydrate and not leave kids or pets locked in cars.

Public health officials advised residents to be alert to signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke as risks of heat-related illnesses and death rise when temperatures surpass 90F.

An excessive heat warning was issued for Death Valley National Park until Tuesday by the National Weather Service (NWS). It does feel like the sun has gone through your skin and is getting into your bones, Park Ranger Nichole Andler told The Associated Press.

Furnace Creek, inside the park, is expected to hit 130-132F (54.4C - 55.6) on Sunday. The temperatures would either tie or break [the] record for the hottest temperature reliably measured on Earth, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles told KTLA.

NWS warned of life-threatening daytime heat above 120F and overnight temperatures unlikely to fall below 100F in Death Valley. Any prolonged exposure to the heat is highly discouraged due to extreme risk of heat-related illness, forecasters added.

The National Park Service reported earlier this month that extreme heat appeared to have caused the death of a 65-year-old California man whose body was found in a vehicle with two flat tires in Death Valley.

The National Weather Service issued maps showing the heat risks across the country including southwest and western states (NWS)

In June, a man and his teenage stepson died while hiking at Big Bend National Park, near the Rio Grande, in west Texas in temperatures of 119F (48C).

Officials advised people to stay off the trails in the afternoon at Big Bend while at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, rangers told people to stay off inner canyon trails for most of the day, where temperatures can be 20 degrees hotter than the rim.

In Las Vegas, near record temperatures were expected this weekend with Sin City potentially seeing three consecutive days of 115F highs and lows of 90F. This has only happened once before in 2005, the NWS noted.

Parts of California were also being warned to prepare for searing temperatures from Friday  the hottest of the year so far, NWS reported.

The most at-risk regions are Californias Central Valley, the Mojave and Sonoran desert regions, and southern California, Nevada, and Arizona including the cities of Las Vegas, Phoenix, Bakersfield and Fresno. Midday highs were mostly expected to be above 100F (37.7 C), and desert areas could reach 120F (48.8 C), forecasters said.

A person receives medical attention after collapsing in a convenience store on July 13, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Temperatures have remained at 110F for two weeks (Getty Images)

Please plan accordingly, this is not the time to be hiking or be outside for long durations, NWS Los Angeles office tweeted. If you need to work outside, shift hours to the early morning, take frequent breaks and hydrate!

California state officials reminded employers of health and safety regulations that mean outdoor workers are given water, shade and regular breaks to cool off. There are few protections for outdoor workers in other parts of the south including Texas.

Rising global temperatures are the most direct consequence of the climate crisis, caused by burning fossil fuels.

Heatwaves arent new: but global average temperature rise of 1.2C is making high temperatures more severe, erratic and prolonged and will continue to do so for years to come as countries continue to spew emissions.

One major shift is that in many places, nights are no longer cooling off, giving people less time to recover from the day. The African continent experienced its hottest night ever recorded last Thursday, when the nighttime low in Adrar, Algeria, remained at 39.6C (103.3F).

The same goes for the US, where 90F-plus water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic were contributing to prolonged humidity which doesnt break when night falls.

Searing temperatures are making for a dangerously hot summer in large parts of the Northern hemisphere in tandem with bursts of catastrophic flash flooding. Torrential rains and floods have caused dozens of deaths and affected millions in the US, Japan, China and India.

Conditions this summer are being amplified by the still-emerging El Nino climatic pattern, with more severe impacts expected throughout this year and into 2024. Last week was the planets hottest on record - an alarming milestone which climate scientists warned would likely be toppled soon.

The extreme weather  an increasingly frequent occurrence in our warming climate  is having a major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies, said UN World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas on Friday.

We have to step up efforts to help society adapt to what is unfortunately becoming the new normal.
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Presidential climate envoy John Kerry has nixed the idea that the United States will contribute to climate reparations - a financial fund for poorer countries bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.

At the Cop27 climate summit last November, countries reached a milestone agreement to establish a so-called loss and damage fund, where wealthy nations - who have historically created most greenhouse gas emissions - compensate those who are suffering from climate disasters which they did little to cause.

Mr Kerry was asked about whether the US would contribute to climate reparations at a hearing before a House of Representatives foreign affairs oversight subcommittee on Thursday at the US Capitol.

No, under no circumstances, Mr Kerry said.

Very good, Im glad to hear you say that, Florida Republican Brian Mast, chairman of the committee, replied.

While the creation of the loss and damage fund was heralded as a momentous moment for climate justice, there are many questions around how much rich countries will pay into it, and how the money should be distributed.

Climate advocates reacted with dismay to Mr Kerrys testimony.

This is like a millionaire crashing their Ferrari into your house and then refusing to pay for the building to be fixed, Mohamed Adow, Director of Power Shift Africa, said in an email.

It is a completely unacceptable statement from a so-called climate envoy from the worlds largest fossil fuel producer. It shows utter disregard for the international climate negotiations not to mention the people in desperate need for loss and damage funding.

No one has caused climate vulnerable people more loss and more damage from their years of burning fossil fuels than the US and now they say they wont clean up their own mess.

Illari Noriega, Christian Aids Climate Policy Lead, called the US announced simply outrageous.

They are failing the poorest people in the world in need of help after their homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by floods, droughts and storms, she said.

A swollen River Beas following heavy rains in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India, on July 9, 2023. Heavy rain fall has triggered landslides, damaged houses and caused loss of lives. Poorer countries facing worsening climate disasters are calling for greater financial support from rich nations

The US is becoming a rogue nation on climate change. Contributing to the Loss and Damage Fund is the least the US can do to rebalance the climate injustice they are responsible for.

Mr Kerry appeared on Capitol hill shortly before flying to Beijing for bilateral talks on the climate crisis with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua.

The talks come after plans by the worlds two largest emitters to cooperate - at least on the climate crisis, if not on other major issues such as trade - stalled over the past year.

Mr Kerry strongly defended the need for the US to engage with China on the climate crisis even in the face of major differences.

Republican lawmakers cited Chinas dismal human rights record and its refusal to make more ambitious cuts on emissions.

Theyre not an honest broker when it comes to addressing emissions. They fire a coal plant up pretty much every day, if not week, said Republican Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr Kerry conceded that he was not going to be able to immediately persuade China to move the needle on emissions reductions.

Let me just be frank with you, thats not going to happen in this visit, he said.

But the Chinese government understands this is a growing issue of concern, he added.
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Floodwater has reached the centre of Indias national capital Delhi and covered important government buildings, key roads and historic forts, apart from sparking evacuations of thousands of people and warnings over a potential drinking water crisis in the city.

The floods have been caused by overflowing water from the Yamuna river that cuts across northeastern Delhi after the city state received a record amount of rain just days ago and amid widespread floods and devastation caused by extreme monsoon rains in India.

The floodwater on Friday reached key government buildings like the countrys supreme court, the Gandhi Memorial and the iconic Red Fort, just a day after the highest-ever water level was recorded for the river.

The severity of the increasing water levels is such that roads have been submerged in Delhi and three water treatment plants had to be shut down, leading to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal warning residents of a potential drinking water shortage.

The state government has already evacuated over 16,000 people from low-lying areas close to the river banks after the Yamuna swelled and crossed the 285-metre mark from the average mean sea level on Tuesday.

The water from the river, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of Delhis water supply, flowed into parts of the city through a broken drain regulator, authorities said.

Footage from Indian news agency ANI showed roads surrounding the citys iconic Red Fort completely flooded, with broken down trucks and buses abandoned at several spots, only their windshields and roofs visible above the water.

The state government said the regulator, located near Delhis Indraprastha metro station, was in a state of prolonged disrepair and collapsed around 7pm (1330 GMT) on Thursday.

The damage caused to the regulator has resulted in Yamuna flood water flowing towards the city as its backflow, the government said in a statement, adding that work is underway to repair the breach.

Help is also being sought from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the army, tweeted Mr Kejriwal.

Movement on the metro rail network was affected while key roads turned into rivers, leading to major transportation delays.

The citys ITO area, which houses several private and government offices, including the headquarters of the Delhi Police, was also flooded.

The record-breaking torrential downpour has also caused floods and landslides in the countrys mountainous regions, killing over 100 people.

The impact of the severe downpour continues even as it has appeared to have subsided in parts of northern India after wreaking havoc in over five states.

The excessive monsoon rain is the result of a combination of weather patterns as well as human-induced climate crisis and the El Nino phenomenon, experts said.
 Close Devastating floods batter Vermont as water levels continue to rise

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Vermont authorities confirmed the first flood-related death following catastrophic rain on Wednesday.

Some 117 rescues were made in Vermont as the towns of Londonderry and Weston remained largely inaccessible. Officials were beginning to assess how many homes had been destroyed and what the financial cost would be from damaged roads, bridges and railways.

Vermont Emergency Management confirmed on Thursday that 63-year-old Stephen Davoll died as a result of a drowning incident in his home on Wednesday. It is the first death linked to the historic floodings in the state.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared the floodings a 1-in-1,000-year weather event caused by the climate crisis, after a woman died in the Empire State when she was swept away while trying to escape her home with her dog.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott said at a news conference that thunderstorms were expected to move into parts of the state by Thursday night, which could cause more flash flooding.

The period we are more concerned about is Sunday because that could be more widespread and heavier, but not nearly on the scale of what we saw earlier in the week, National Weather Service meteorologist Seth Kutikoff also said.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the US governments premier scientific agencies, with a mission to better understand our natural world and help protect its precious resources, is helping drive the killing of sensitive shark species by encouraging reckless sport fishing, according to an investigation.

NOAA directed hundreds of thousands of dollars in research funding into instances where sharks bite off a piece of a different fish thats already been hooked, encounters known as depredations or bite-offs, according to government documents obtained by The Nation.

Key grantees behind the research, encouraged in part by private interests who argued such bite-offs were driving down hauls from sport and tournament fisherman, suggested culling of sharks would be an appropriate solution to the bite-offs, even though some shark experts doubt this is an appropriate response.

In this drone image provided by researchers with the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, shows an aggregation of juvenile white sharks swimming along the Southern California coastline, May 30, 2023

Id like to simulate increases in shark harvest, one grantee, Mississippi State University marine biologist Marcus Drymon, wrote in an email.

Citing scientific advice from Professor Drymon, the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, the worlds largest fishing competition, reinstated shark hunts in 2022 after previously banning them, even though the practice may run afoul of state law.

Another grant, which funded research in the waters off Florida, included collecting genetic samples from sharks caught in competitions.

Such events have questionable records when it comes to protecting species.

At the 2022 Daymaker Memorial Tournament in Palm Beach County Florida, anglers hunt exclusively for bull sharks, and are supposed to catch and release other shark species, tagging them for research purposes.

However, activists going undercover at the tournament recorded participants talking about taking fins and meat for personal use, while one crew was seen by reporters beating a protected sandbar shark, as another bragged about dragging a bull shark for two hours behind a boat until it died.

Theyre calling it a tournament, but its really a cull, conservationist Ryan Walton, who monitored the event, told Local10 news at the time. Its not the first time weve seen it. Whats crazy, though, is its legal every day of the week here in Florida.

This is a spiteful, spiteful killing event by individuals who realise that through the State of Florida, the bull shark is a legal species to catch, he added. So theyve taken advantage of that, and theyre doing everything they can to wipe them out.

NOAA also largely doesnt recognise the International Union for Conservation of Nature listings for protected sharks, only considering one Pacific shark species endangered and none in the Atlantic, even though the IUCN considers about one-third of sharks to be on the red list of species at risk.

NOAA told The Independent it doesnt operate or sponsor any tournaments that include shark-hunting, and that all such events must comply with federal law.

The US Atlantic Ocean has some of the best-managed and sustainable shark fisheries in the world, the agency said in a statement. NOAA Fisheries manages all of these species to end overfishing and rebuild populations consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The agency added that it is currently accepting public comment on potential changes to the management of the Atlantic shark fishery.

Some scientists have argued that proposing to kill sharks to stop depredation is missing the point, noting that overfishing of sharks prey species can cause them to bite fish already on someones line, and that they are equal-opportunity predators who will seize an easy meal if fisherman are operating in their waters.

As The Independent has reported, climate change and other human impacts are driving massive changes to shark populations, who play a key role as an apex predator in keeping ocean ecosystems in their proper balance. The climate crisis has pushed sharks into new territories, where theyre changing their feeding habits.

Nature has many ways to tell us the status quo is being disrupted, but its up to us to listen, Monterey Bay Aquarium chief scientist Dr Kyle Van Houtan told The Independent. These sharks  by venturing into territory where they have not historically been found - are telling us how the ocean is being affected by climate change.

Couple that with social media and the internet making sharks more visible than ever, and experts worry the public is getting a mistaken impression of a dangerous shark invasion, even when shark bites are extremely rare, a fact statistically unimpacted by the massive increase in beach use in the last hundred years.

Im incredibly struck by how rare shark attacks are. There are lots of sharks out there. Thats where they live and theyre pretty numerous. Any time anybody goes in the water for any amount of time, youve probably been within a few hundred yards of a shark, Professor F Joel Fodrie of the University of North Carolinas Institute of Marine Sciences, noting the states famed beaches only average 2 or 3 bites a year, told The Independent. Thats amazing to me. Theres millions of people spending millions of hours in the water.
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Fran Drescher has spoken out in response to the backlash over a selfie with Kim Kardashian that was posted during the negotiations over Hollywood strikes.

The 65-year-old actor is the president of SAG-AFTRA, the actors trade union which, as of Thursday (13 July), has gone on strike.

Because the AMPTP [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers] remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers, SAG-AFTRAs national board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against studios and streamers, SAG National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a press conference.

Union members should withhold their labor until a fair contract can be achieved, he told the room. They have left us with no alternative.

The strike involves more than 150,000 television and movie actors and picket lines began on Friday (14 July) morning, marking the first time since 1960 that both actors and writers have picketed film and television production companies. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike since early May.

Last weekend, Drescher travelled to Puglia for a promotional event with Dolce & Gabbana and appeared in a selfie with Kardashian, who was also at the event.

However, critics accused Drescher of being tone deaf for posing with Kardashian, who reportedly crossed the WGA picket line in New York to film her forthcoming season of American Horror Story.

My union president chilling in Italy while were in the middle of negotiations and about to go on strike, tweeted actor Kirk Acevedo.

Were asking to be better compensated by the studios and Fran Drescher is mugging for cameras in Italy. The optics look f***ing terrible.

Writer Taffy Brodesser Akner added: Some real let them eat cake vibes for the SAG-AFTRA members who were marching alongside us WGA members just this morning.

(REUTERS)

However, on Thursday, during the press conference in which the SAG-AFTRA national board formally announced the strike, Drescher addressed the controversy and the reason why she took the photograph.

Im a brand ambassador for a fashion company, and so is Kim, she said.

I had only met Kim seconds before that publicity photo was taken. It had nothing to do with being at a party or having fun, it was absolute work.

I was in hair and makeup three hours a day, walking in heels on cobblestones doing things like that, which is work and not fun.

Im sure Kim would have rather been at her home in Malibu with her children as well. Its work, and thats what we do.
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Joe Manganiello divided fans after sharing what some claimed was an awkward and cold birthday tribute to his wife Sofia Vergara just days before the couple reportedly announced their intention to divorce after seven years of marriage.

Last week, the True Blood star, 46, posted a photo of himself and Vergara, who celebrated her 51st birthday on 10 July, to Instagram.

The photo in question, which was pixelated and blurry, appeared to be a throwback, as Vergara posted what looks like the same photo of the couple in December 2021 to celebrate Manganiellos birthday.

However, it was the actors brief caption, which simply read: Feliz Cumpleanos Sofia! that upset fans the most, as many believed Manganiello should have shared a more loving tribute to his wife of seven years.

Am I the only one who doesnt like the way it sounds? Sofia... Not even my love, my beloved wife, one person wrote, while another asked: Why so dry?!

How about happy birthday my love! someone else suggested alongside an exasperated face emoji.

According to one critic of the birthday tribute, not even bank birthday messages sound so cold.

While many were critical of the alleged lack of emotion in Manganiellos post, others defended the couple from speculation that their relationship may be struggling.

I dont think he ran out of love for her  he wanted to give a different message. I dont see anything wrong with it, one person claimed, while noting that the fans criticising the post misunderstood everything.

Someone else revealed that they found the tribute lovely, as it was written in Spanish for the Modern Family actor, who was born in Colombia.

I thought it was lovely that he wrote in Spanish. It is quite meaningful, they wrote.

Others came to Manganiellos defence on the basis that a social media tribute does not reflect an accurate representation of real life.

Everyone making a fuss about him calling her Sofia, please grow up! one person commented, while another said: Imagine being bothered by how some guy wishes happy birthday to his wife.

So many comments [about] maybe they hit a bump or just maybe its a memory he shared of a birthday that was special. Ya never know, someone else wrote, before adding: Married couples go through ups and downs.

Manganiello and Vergara met in 2014 at the White House Correspondents Association dinner and exchanged vows the following year. However, Vergara previously revealed that she had concerns about a relationship with the Magic Mike star because he is too handsome.

I told him when I met him that he was too handsome, the actress told Jimmy Kimmel in 2015. I didnt want to go into a relationship with somebody that  I thought he was going to be too much work, because girls were throwing themselves at him.

At the time, Vergara also joked that shed wanted to find a partner who was normal.

But in 2018, Manganiello opened up about the couples loving marriage, with the actor tellingCigar Aficionado that the biggest adjustment for him was coming to grips with the idea that someone who is not related to you could possibly love you that much.

She was it for me, he said, adding: People say things like: Marriage and relationships are work. But its not. Life is hard. Having somebody to help you deal with it is the greatest thing that ever happened.

For Vergaras 50th birthday in 2022, the actor shared an album of photos of the pair on his Instagram, where he wrote: Feliz Cumpleanos mi amor! I love you so much.

In a statement to Page Six on Monday 17 July, a representative for the couple said: We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.

The Independent has contacted a representative for Manganiello for comment.
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Simon Cowell has sold his London home and is set to leave the capital out of safety concerns, according to reports.

The 63-year-old music mogul and his partner, Lauren Silverman, and son, Eric, nine, are said to have already moved out of London and started a new life in the countryside.

According to the Mail, Cowell made the move because he no longer felt safe living in London and recently sold his 45m Holland Park home.

The move comes after Cowell has encountered various incidents at his London house, including a burglary in 2015 that took place while he and his family were sleeping.

A security guard at the west London mansion was reportedly woken by an alarm in the early hours one morning but the burglar quickly fled the scene.

At the time, it was reported that the burglar stole some cash and jewellery after gaining access to Cowells safe.

A family friend told The Sun: Obviously Simon and Lauren are really badly shaken by this. It is a horrible violation of their privacy. But more than anything they are incredibly relieved no one was hurt.

As upsetting as it is, Simon can cope with losing possessions, as long as his family are safe. That is his one and only concern.

Later, it emerged that the burglar stole more than 1m of jewellery, as well as watches and passports.

In October 2016, prosecutor Kevin Christie told the court that Cowell was in bed with Silverman in a first floor bedroom when the robber, Darren February, was in his home.

A burglary took place at a dwelling at approximately 1.20am, he said. The property owner Mr Simon Cowell was asleep in the master bedroom on the first floor with his partner.

Cowell pictured ahead of appearing on Britains Got Talent in January 2023 (Getty Images)

Also in the property was his son, a nanny, and a security guard was also in the house.

In the safe was jewellery belonging to Lauren Silverman with an estimated value of over 1m. Also in the safe were two passports belonging to Mr Cowell and some watches.

Meanwhile, last month, it was reported that a plot to burgle Cowells home again had been foiled.

Police arrested a security expert who had allegedly planned to access the home using a lock decoding gadget.

When I initially was told about this story by The Sun, I couldnt believe it, Cowell said in a statement.

It was like something out of a science fiction film. I want to thank the team at The Sun who have been working hard to expose this.
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A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for coordinating a smuggling trip in which two dozen migrants were stacked into a Ford Expedition that crashed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people outside a California desert town.

Jose Cruz Noguez pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges stemming from the March 2, 2021, crash near Holtville, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of San Diego. It was one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants smuggled into the United States.

Cruz Noguez also admitted to trying to still get payment for the smuggling trip from the survivors, prosecutors said. Neither Cruz Noguez nor his attorney could be reached for comment.

Cruz Noguez organized one of the most callous and inhumane smuggling attempts that law enforcement has responded to in this district, U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said. He and his co-conspirators treated these individuals like a worthless commodity."

Cruz Noguez arranged for the Ford Expedition and a GMC Yukon to be modified by removing the passenger seats so people could be stacked on top of each other, prosecutors said. He then drove the route north of the border to ensure no law enforcement were in the area.

At least 24 people were crammed into the Ford Expedition and another 19 were put in the GMC Yukon. A section of the border fence was then removed so the vehicles could drive across the Mexican border into California, prosecutors said.

Shortly after crossing the border, the Yukon caught fire and the driver fled, while the Ford Expedition continued on Interstate 8 towards Holtville. Just outside the town, it slammed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people.

When crews arrived at the scene, some passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled SUV. Others were wandering around the nearby fields. The big rigs front end was pushed into the SUVs left side, and two empty trailers were jackknifed behind it.

The passengers ranged in age from 15 to 53, and those who survived had injuries that were minor to severe, including fractures and head trauma, officials said. The driver was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, and was among those killed.

The 68-year-old driver of the big rig, who is from the nearby California community of El Centro, suffered moderate injuries.

The crash occurred around 6:15 a.m. under a clear, sunny sky at an intersection just outside the community of Holtville, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) north of the border. Authorities said the tractor-trailer was heading north on a highway when the SUV pulled in front of it from a road with a stop sign.

The crash happened in an area that became a major route for illegal border crossings in the late 1990s after heightened enforcement in San Diego pushed migrants to more remote areas.

Barely a mile from the crash, there is a cemetery with rows of unmarked bricks that is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border.
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An urgent measles warning has been issued by health chiefs who say London could face an outbreak of up to 160,000 cases if vaccination rates do not improve.

An alert issued on Friday, warned the UK could see a resurgence of the potentially fatal virus with the capital to be hit the worst, according to UK Health Security Agency.

UKHSA said there had been 128 cases of measles between January and June 2023 compared to 54 cases across 2022  with 66 per cent of cases detected in London.

Parents are being urged to check their children are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella MMR vaccines and to call their GP practice if they are unsure.

The public health authority said: Assessment finds the risk of a measles epidemic across the UK is considered low. However, with lower current levels of coverage in London, a measles outbreak of between 40,000 and 160,000 cases could occur in the capital.

It said assessments also found a high risk of cases linked to overseas travel which have led to outbreaks in young people and unvaccinated communities.

The MMR vaccine is given to children at around 9 to 15 months and a second dose is given up to six years old.

The World Health Organisation has said 95 per cent vaccine coverage is needed to prevent outbreaks among populations. However, in England, the coverage of MMR doses at 5 years old is just 85 per cent

UKHSA said the increased risk of fresh cases in London is due to low vaccination rates over the past several years, which was worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. In some groups, such as 2-year-olds, the coverage of the first MMR vaccine dose is as low as 69 per cent.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist said: Measles can be a serious infection that can lead to complications, especially in young children and those with weakened immune systems. Due to longstanding sub-optimal vaccine uptake, there is now a very real risk of seeing big outbreaks in London.

Measles spreads very easily but is preventable. To help protect ourselves, our families and those around us it is vital we all ensure we are vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine, free on the NHS whatever your age. Parents can check their childrens red book to see if they are up to date or if youre not sure anyone can call their GP practice. Its important everyone is fully vaccinated before travelling overseas this summer.

The NHSs top nurse for London, Jane Clegg, said GPs had been calling more than 10,000 parents of unvaccinated children, and booking in hundreds for an appointment.

Recommended Five measles symptoms to watch out for as health chiefs warn of fresh outbreak

What are the symptoms of measles?

Symptoms can include high body temperature, a runny or blocked nose, coughing and or sneezing and sore and red watery eyes.

Small white spots may appear inside the mouth and a blotchy rash with raised bumps that are usually not itchy.

The NHS advises people to call their GP or NHS 111 immediately if they suspect they or their child has measles, or if they have been in close contact with someone who has had measles and are unvaccinated, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system.
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Plans to toughen up laws on sexual harassment in the workplace will be watered down after a compromise was reached between the Government and Conservative peers.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill will no longer make employers liable for harassment of their employees by third parties and the duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment will also be weakened.

The changes come after Conservative peers had raised concerns about free speech and employers becoming at risk of costly lawsuits, threatening to choke the Bills progress through Parliament.

During committee stage in the House of Lords, the Government accepted the need for compromise in order to ensure the Bills passage and indicated the two amendments tabled by Tory peers would be added into the final version.

Communities minister Baroness Scott of Bybrook said: We hear the level of concern that has been raised around the reintroduction of third party harassment.

Whilst the Government does believe that it is important that workers are protected against this form of harassment, having heard the debate, I recognise that there are strongly held views held by those who have spoken.

On the second amendment, which weakens the duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment by changing the requirement from taking all reasonable steps to simply taking reasonable steps, Lady Scott said: While it could be said that the duty to take reasonable steps is a lower bar than all reasonable steps, it has to be remembered that this will be a new duty which has not existed before.

And as such, a duty to take reasonable steps is still an improvement for employees in respect of sexual harassment compared to the state status quo.

She confirmed the Government would seek to accept the amendments at report stage.

The amendments proposed today will change and ultimately attenuate the provisions of this Bill. However, I'm a firm believer of not allowing the perfect to become the enemy of the good. Baroness Burt of Solihull

Conservative peer Lord Hannan of Kingsclere, who had tabled the amendment on employer liability for harassment of employees by third parties, expressed his satisfaction with the compromise, saying: This is what we are here for.

Finding these compromises and I think we have done so on this issue.

It goes too far for some of us and not far enough for others, but all sides can at least live with it.

The other amendment was tabled by Tory peer Baroness Noakes, who told peers: Let me just reiterate that this is not intended to water down what is currently in the Equality Act, where employers are responsible for the acts of employees in relation to harassment unless they have taken all reasonable steps.

She added: All reasonable steps seems to imply an almost infinite number of steps that employers could take.

And we have to think about the impact on employers and in particular, small businesses, who struggle to cope with things like that.

The Bills sponsor in the Lords, Liberal Democrat Baroness Burt of Solihull, said: The amendments proposed today will change and ultimately attenuate the provisions of this Bill.

However, Im a firm believer of not allowing the perfect to become the enemy of the good.

Whilst its disappointing that the Bill sent to us would be changed by these amendments, I recognise the need for compromise to retain its core purpose while allowing it to progress.

The Bill has already cleared the House of Commons and will return to the upper chamber at a later stage.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the concessions let down working women.

General secretary Paul Nowak said: Ministers promised to bring in new laws to tackle sexual harassment at work by customers and patients.

It is disgraceful that theyve given in to Tory backbenchers and let down working women across the country.

Every day we hear stories about sexual harassment in our workplaces.

Many women in frontline jobs  like shop workers and GP receptionists  suffer regular abuse and harassment from patients and customers.

This new law could have put the onus on employers to keep their staff safe from this type of abuse. They have abandoned working people  again.
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A man has been charged with murdering two women more than a year apart, including one who disappeared from an off-licence last month.

Naomi Hunte, 41, was stabbed to death at an address in Greenwich, southeast London, on Valentines Day last year, while the second woman, Fiona Holm, 48, was last seen leaving a shop in Bromley on 20 June this year.

Ms Holm was reported missing on 29 June and has not been heard from since, with police saying her disappearance is out of character.

Due to the amount of time since she was last seen alive in Verdant Lane, the Metropolitan Police are now treating her disappearance as a murder investigation.

Carol Cooper, 65, was initially arrested on suspicion of Ms Huntes murder on 18 February 2022. He was bailed pending further inquiries before being released under investigation.

He was not on bail when he was re-arrested on 11 July on suspicion of Holms murder and has since been charged with the murders of both women.

Police said Cooper was known to both women and searches are ongoing to find Holms body at addresses and open areas in southeast London.

Following Ms Huntes death at her home in Congleton Grove, a neighbour told The Evening Standard shed heard a scream coming from her flat.

Firefighters later used axes to break down the door, with residents told by police that her body could have lay in the flat for several days before being discovered.

Last April, the charity Crimestoppers offered a 20,000 reward for information that may help catch her killer. Speaking at the time, Naomis mother, Lorna, said: Its been over a year since Naomi died and we, as a family, need to understand what happened to her.

Naomi was a vibrant, kind and loving person and her death has caused our family great suffering.

The families of both women have been informed of the murder charges and are being supported by specially trained officers. The Mets Directorate of Professional Standards has also been informed because of Coopers prior arrest over Ms Huntes death.

Cooper, of Broadfield Road, SE6, is due to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court later on Friday.

Anyone with information about Ms Holms disappearance is asked to contact police via 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 22MIS023317.
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Suella Bravermans immigration plans are facing another legal battle after councils and campaigners were given the green light to bring a High Court challenge against housing migrants on disused airfields.

The ruling comes just two days after the Home Secretarys department moved asylum seekers on to Wethersfield Airfield for the first time.

Braintree District Council and a nearby resident are bringing legal action to challenge the use of the Essex airfield to house up to 1,700 men while West Lindsey District Council is challenging similar plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

The development, only two weeks after the Court of Appeal ruling on the Rwanda deal, may be seen by some as another setback in the Governments plan to stop the boats and overhaul the asylum system.

We are grateful to have had another opportunity to put our views and the views of our local community across to the High Court at this initial stage Graham Butland, Braintree District Council

But the threshold for permission to bring forward a High Court challenge is low and an early stage in a judicial review claim.

During a two-day hearing in London this week, the councils and Gabriel Clarke-Holland made a bid to bring a full legal challenge in their claims against the Home Office.

In a ruling on Friday, Mrs Justice Thornton ruled in their favour, granting permission to both councils and Mr Clarke-Holland.

She said: The decision to accommodate asylum seekers on the sites may give rise to strong local opinion, adding that there may also be wider discussions about the welfare of the asylum seekers.

Those are not, however, matters for the court, the judge continued.

The decision comes after the first 46 asylum seekers arrived at Wethersfield Airfield, around eight miles from Braintree, on Wednesday.

Alex Goodman KC, for Mr Clarke-Holland  who lives approximately 80ft from a gate on to the airfield  said members of the right-wing group Britain First were protesting near his home on the morning of the arrivals.

Following the ruling, Graham Butland, leader of Braintree District Council, said: We are grateful to have had another opportunity to put our views and the views of our local community across to the High Court at this initial stage, as we still believe Wethersfield Airfield is not a suitable site for these plans.

He continued: Well continue to work closely with the Home Office and multi-agency partners to ensure there is minimal impact on all those involved residents that live nearby and local services, as well as raising our concerns with the Home Office so it can put in place mitigating action, whilst supporting asylum seekers coming to our district.

We will also continue to push for regular, open and transparent engagement with the wider community, which to date we feel has been lacking and creating frustrations quite rightly for our residents and businesses who have been left with a void of information.

West Lindsey District Council leader Trevor Young said: I welcome todays judgment, which I hope the community will take as a positive in that it clearly shows we have a case.

However, as we have seen at other large sites across the country and in particular at Wethersfield, the Home Office is continuing to press ahead with its plans to use larger sites for asylum accommodation.

Therefore, our challenge is to continue to balance our legal process with our duty of care as a local authority, to hold the Home Office to account on their proposals, as we have been doing since March.

The Home Office said the ruling does not affect the current accommodation at Wethersfield  where more migrants are expected to arrive in the coming weeks  or the plans for Scampton.

A department spokeswoman added: As this matter is subject to ongoing litigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

We remain committed to deliver accommodation on surplus military sites which are not only more affordable for taxpayers, helping to reduce the 6 million daily cost of hotels but are also more manageable for local communities.

On Thursday the Government was given the go-ahead to take its legal battle over its Rwanda deportation policy to the Supreme Court.

The move was welcomed by Mrs Braverman, who reiterated her belief that the plan is lawful.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had indicated he would seek an appeal as he fundamentally disagreed with the Court of Appeals ruling that the multimillion-pound deal  which would see asylum seekers deported to the East African nation  was unlawful.

Meanwhile, the wrangling over the Illegal Migration Bill  the Governments plans to change the law in a bid to curb Channel crossings and grip problems with the asylum system  continues in Parliament.

Despite peers inflicting a series of fresh defeats and pressing for more changes to the much-criticised proposed legislation, immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the Government is not planning to make any further compromises as the stand-off between the Commons and the Lords continues.
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Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has labelled the prosecutions case against him as weak  accusing one alleged victim of being after money, money and then money.

The Hollywood star told a jury he could have had sex all the time but found it hard to trust people because of his fame, as he continued to give evidence from the witness box at Southwark Crown Court.

After describing the accusation of an alleged victim he met in a West End theatre in the mid-2000s as absolute bollocks, prosecutor Christine Agnew KC responded: Because thats exactly where you did grab him, isnt it?

Really? Spacey replied before turning to the judge to ask: Did he accuse me of grabbing his bollocks?

After being asked by the judge to answer the question, the defendant eventually said: I did not.

Spacey said he objected to the term crotch grab that his alleged victims had used in accusations against him.

He denies 12 charges concerning four men, including sexual assault and indecent assault, which are alleged to have been committed between 2001 and 2013.

Spacey, 63, admitted he felt lonely at times after becoming famous and said he had reached out to people to ease that burden  telling the jury: Welcome to life.

During her cross-examination of the defendant, Miss Agnew first asked Spacey whether the crotch grab was something that he would normally do to someone you had met for the first time.

Spacey replied: No.

Questioned on whether it was something he had done before that had worked, and that he considered it a trademark, Spacey replied: No.

Let me put it this way, it is the term grabbing a crotch or groping a crotch that I object to.

I dont know who made the first move, but we were consensually together in a romantic situation Kevin Spacey

Responding to allegations made by an aspiring actor, who accused Spacey of having drugged him and performing a sex act on him while he was asleep in his flat in the late 2000s, the star said: We were in a romantic situation.

I dont know who made the first move, but we were consensually together in a romantic situation.

He did not fall asleep and I did not perform (a sex act) on him while he was asleep, despite what he has shockingly accused me of.

When Miss Agnew suggested the complainant was asleep, Spacey said: Thats your theory.

Well that is the prosecution case, the prosecutor said.

Spacey replied: And its a weak one.

Addressing the suggestion that he might have ignored signs from the four complainants, Spacey said he definitely misread signs from one man who rejected an alleged sexual grab at an expensive property he was staying at in the Cotswolds in the early 2010s.

The actor said he had consensual interactions with two other complainants  one who drove him to a lavish showbiz party in the early 2000s and the aspiring actor.

Miss Agnew asked Spacey: Do you think that you might have misinterpreted what they were doing or saying?

The actor replied: If they went further than they wanted they did not let me know that.

Spacey said it seems that they regretted what they did at a later time.

Questioned on whether he thought people were tempted by his approaches because of who you are, the defendant said: I hope they liked me because they liked me, not because of who I am.

Miss Agnew then asked: You must have been aware that you were an extremely famous person?

Spacey replied: Yes, but I dont go through my life thinking about that.

He continued: I was a very fortunate actor who got some very remarkable film roles.

Continuing to question the actor, Miss Agnew then asked: Did you ever feel lonely in those years?

Of course, Spacey answered.

Miss Agnew continued: Did you then reach out to people sexually in order to ease that burden?

Spacey replied: Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did.

Asked if he found a thrill out of taking sexual risks such as one-night stands, Spacey responded by saying he was open about the times he had been promiscuous.

It doesnt make me a bad person, the actor added.

I am sure if I wanted to I could have had sex all the time, but I didnt Kevin Spacey

Miss Agnew then asked Spacey: Have you found that due to your status and position, people normally did what you wanted them to do?

No, the actor replied.

Miss Agnew went on: You didnt find it easier to pick up people because of who you are?

Spacey answered: I found it harder to trust people because of who I was.

After the prosecutor asked the same question again, the actor responded: I am sure if I wanted to I could have had sex all the time, but I didnt.

The Hollywood star said he was attracted to masculine men but when asked about whether he was attracted to straight men, Spacey replied: How would I know if they were straight or not?

The defendant, standing trial under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, was labelled a sexual bully when proceedings began last month.

He pleaded not guilty in January to three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

The two-time Academy Award winner also previously denied four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The trial continues.
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Two men who smuggled seven Indian migrants, including women and children, into the United Kingdom in the boots of their cars have been jailed.

Law enforcement officers arrested Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, at the UK border in Dover when they discovered three Indian nationals -claiming to be Afghan Sikhs  in the boot of his hire car on 8 July 2018.

Four days after Phull was arrested his co-accused Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, was stopped at the same checkpoint as border security personnel discovered four more Indians  who also claimed to be Afghan Sikhs  hiding in the boot of his car.

The Home Office on Friday 14 July said Phull, from Hounslow, and Dhaliwal, from Middlesex, had been sentenced to six years in prison after they pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday 13 July.

While Phull received a three-and-a-half-year term, Dhaliwal was jailed for three years and two months.

Todays sentencing sends a clear message to those abusing our laws and borders: we will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people into the UK, the deputy director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the Home Office, Chris Foster said in a statement.

We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to disrupt people smuggling gangs and make sure those who break our laws face the consequences, Mr Foster added.

Women and children were smuggled in the vehicles (UK Home Office )

The department discovered Phull and Dhaliwal were working together after going through their phone records.

Earlier this week, a Romanian man was sentenced to more than 12 years in jail for the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese migrants, including women and children.

Marius Mihai Draghici, 50, pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration at the Old Bailey last month. The Vietnamese nationals died in an airtight sealed container as it was being transported by ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Purfleet in October 2019.

In a televised hearing at the courthouse on Tuesday, Mr Justice Garnham told Draghici he was an essential cog in a conspiracy that made astonishing profits out of the exploitation of people desperate to get to the UK.

He said the conditions inside the trailer where the victims died were unspeakable with people trapped inside the trailer with no ventilation and no way of getting out.

And in March, three people were handed an 11-year sentence for trying to smuggle Turkish nationals, including one person hiding in the boot of their rented Peugeot, into the UK.
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Two councils opposing plans to house asylum seekers on disused airfields have been given the green light to bring a High Court challenge against the Home Office.

Braintree District Council and a nearby resident are bringing legal action to challenge the use of Wethersfield Airfield in Essex to house up to 1,700 men while West Lindsey District Council is challenging similar plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

During a two-day hearing in London this week, the councils and Gabriel Clarke-Holland made a bid to bring a full legal challenge in their claims against the department.

In a ruling on Friday, Mrs Justice Thornton ruled in their favour, granting permission to both councils and Mr Clarke-Holland.

We are grateful to have had another opportunity to put our views and the views of our local community across to the High Court at this initial stage Graham Butland, Braintree District Council

She said: The decision to accommodate asylum seekers on the sites may give rise to strong local opinion, adding that there may also be wider discussions about the welfare of the asylum seekers.

Those are not, however, matters for the court, the judge continued.

Mrs Justice Thornton said that two out of the 15 grounds could go ahead to a further hearing, including on the use of emergency planning powers.

Both of these grounds were advanced by all three claimants, the judge continued.

The decision comes after the first 46 asylum seekers arrived at Wethersfield Airfield, around eight miles from Braintree, on Wednesday.

Alex Goodman KC, for Mr Clarke-Holland  who lives approximately 80ft from a gate on to the airfield  said members of the right-wing group Britain First were protesting near his home on the morning of the arrivals.

Following the ruling, Graham Butland, leader of Braintree District Council, said: We are grateful to have had another opportunity to put our views and the views of our local community across to the High Court at this initial stage, as we still believe Wethersfield Airfield is not a suitable site for these plans.

He continued: Well continue to work closely with the Home Office and multi-agency partners to ensure there is minimal impact on all those involved residents that live nearby and local services, as well as raising our concerns with the Home Office so it can put in place mitigating action, whilst supporting asylum seekers coming to our district.

We will also continue to push for regular, open and transparent engagement with the wider community, which to date we feel has been lacking and creating frustrations quite rightly for our residents and businesses who have been left with a void of information.

Leader of West Lindsey District Council Trevor Young said: I welcome todays judgment, which I hope the community will take as a positive in that it clearly shows we have a case.

However, as we have seen at other large sites across the country and in particular at Wethersfield, the Home Office is continuing to press ahead with its plans to use larger sites for asylum accommodation.

Therefore, our challenge is to continue to balance our legal process with our duty of care as a local authority, to hold the Home Office to account on their proposals, as we have been doing since March.

During the two-day hearing, lawyers for Braintree District Council told the court that the Home Office failed to take several issues into account, including access to healthcare at Wethersfield Airfield and serious issues with the ageing wastewater provision on site.

However, Home Office lawyers said the three linked claims should not be allowed to have a full hearing.

Paul Brown KC, for the department, said in written submissions: There is significant overlap in the grounds in all three claims and the misapprehensions which underpin them.

None of the three claims raises any genuinely arguable point.

The High Court previously heard the planning law which would allow the airfields to be used covers the change of use of some Government land to prevent or mitigate an emergency which threatens serious damage to human welfare.

The two councils and Mr Clarke-Holland have challenged the use of these planning powers, while the Home Office has said their use is justified.

Both councils previously lost bids for injunctions preventing the use of the large sites by the Home Office.
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The Hollywood actors strike could be moving across the Atlantic if US production companies shift filming to the UK because of the industrial action taken by their American counterparts, a British union has said.

Equity, which represents more than 47,000 performers in the UK, says the union stands in solidarity with US actors who are striking in a dispute with Hollywood studios.

The union  which is not striking  told US companies it will be keeping a very close eye on any attempts to move productions to the UK due to the action called on Thursday evening.

Yesterday, Robert Downey Jr, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh staged a walkout of the London premiere of historical epic Oppenheimer due to the strike.

Equitys general secretary Paul Fleming told the PA news agency he is hopeful a settlement with members of the Screen Actors Guild  American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) will come soon.

He said: Anything that happens on a British contract, were looking to next years negotiations.

The one exception is if there are productions from the United States that attempt to avoid the industrial action by relocating to the United Kingdom  we are keeping a very, very close eye on them.

We do reserve the right to use British legislation to take British industrial action in those sorts of instances and that will be on a case-by-case basis.

I cant say the law here is significantly more restrictive than the United States in terms of how you take a strike, but we will be clamping down on those sorts of productions.

And also a huge issue for Sag-Aftra members for the last month or so has been an adverts for British productions which say no Sag-Aftra member need apply.

Well, Im sorry, this contract is not in dispute and discrimination on the grounds of a trade union membership is illegal in this country, irrespective of where that trade union is based.

So thats where things might get a bit more heated this end.

It comes amid the ongoing industrial action by more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who began industrial action on May 2.

Among the productions in the UK that could be affected by the strike action is the filming of Deadpool 3, starring Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

House Of The Dragon series two with Matt Smith and Emma DArcy could also be affected, alongside the second series of The Sandman with Tom Sturridge and the fourth series of Slow Horses with Academy Award winner Gary Oldman.

Speaking about the impact on the British film industry, Mr Fleming said it depends on whether an actor is under an Equity or Sag-Aftra contract.

He said: So a Sag-Aftra or an Equity member working on an Equity contract is not on strike because thats not the contract in dispute.

Where it gets a little bit more complicated is that there are some Sag-Aftra members around the world who are working on Sag-Aftra contracts alongside others who are on Equity contracts.

So imagine something that shoots in multiple locations, for instance, and (the actor) might be on a full American contract, their position is more ambiguous and more complicated.

He said that if the dispute goes on then there will be a major impact as British actors working on American contracts are now on strike.

Mr Fleming said: The vast majority of shows that are recorded principally in the UK or in Europe are on our agreements so thats the consequence but there will be some that stop.

He said the studios, production companies and streamers are not going to win as actors resolve is absolute.

Mr Fleming added: Our view is that we have complete and utter solidarity and support with Sag-Aftra.

We will do all we legally can do to support and uphold their industrial action, and the message to the producers who operate over here is: get your house in order, get to the table quickly. before this starts impacting the global industry.
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The Afghan pilot threatened with deportation to Rwanda remains in limbo four months after he first pleaded with Rishi Sunak to be granted safe haven in the UK.

As part of the Afghan Air Force, he went on sorties planned and designed by British and US commanders, flying more than 30 combat missions alongside coalition forces in the run-up to the fall of Kabul in 2021.

Often at night, these missions were designed to support army bases on the ground against Taliban attack.

When the coalition troops left in August that year, the pilot was among those dangerously exposed.

The Taliban took over their offices and uncovered every detail about the pilot  his email address, his phone number and where he lived.

Having been promised safe haven by the UK and the US, he waited in hiding in Afghanistan for several months before making the heartbreaking decision to leave his wife and young children and find safe refuge.

A long journey over land and sea culminated in a dangerous journey across the English Channel last November.

(The Independent)

Thinking he would be welcomed and thanked for his sacrifice, the pilot was appalled to discover that he was threatened with deportation to Rwanda.

Since then, he has lived in limbo while his family live in hiding in Afghanistan. He applied for settlement in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which was set up to bring those who helped British forces during the war to safety in the UK. He produced a raft of documents showing his work alongside coalition forces and a letter of recommendation from a US official who described him as a patriot to his nation.

Dozens of military chiefs, politicians and diplomats have since backed The Independents campaign to secure safe haven for the airman. The matter was raised in parliament and at a select committee with Rishi Sunak who pledged to look into his case.

The Independent pushes White House over Afghan pilot campaign

In the meantime, The Independent raised the pilots plight with White House officials who also promised to look into his case.

He was given a sliver of hope when he was told that permission for him to apply for asylum had been given  this is only done when a US official formally recommends you for consideration. The process in the US, by no means assured, can take months if not years.

Meanwhile, there was huge disappointment when the pilot was told he had been rejected under Arap because he was not deemed to have worked for or alongside British troops.

Speaking of his disappointment, the pilot said he felt abandoned by the UK. He said: Who are these people who think Afghan veterans are not in danger? They clearly dont understand the situation in Afghanistan  right now the Taliban are mercenaries, targeting people like me who worked alongside UK and US forces.

If the UK are abandoning us again, I hope the US may help, the pilot said. Many former Afghan pilots are even flying in the US, they are using their skills, unlike what the UK are doing with me.

The pilots notice of deportation to Rwanda lapses after six months if there is no decision  impossible given that the whole Rwanda policy is held up in the courts.

Afghan pilot (Holy Bancroft)

That six-month deadline runs out at the end of this month and he will automatically fall back into the normal asylum system for processing as an asylum seeker.

That process could also take months if not years and the bravery he showed by serving alongside the coalition forces in Afghanistan will count for nothing.
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Suspended BBC presenter Huw Edwards is facing several allegations against him after being accused last week of paying a young person for sexually explicit photos.

The Sun first reported allegations against an unnamed presenter on Friday, claiming a top BBC star had paid a young person tens of thousands of pounds for explicit images.

The young persons mother made the allegations in the Sun newspaper, which published her claim that payments helped fund her childs crack cocaine habit.

Mr Edwards, who has been suspended by the BBC, was named by his wife Vicky Flind on Wednesday night as the presenter at the centre of the scandal.

Ms Flind also said her husband is suffering from serious mental health issues and is receiving in-patient hospital care, adding he intends to respond when he is well enough.

The presenter was hit by fresh allegations on Wednesday evening, with BBC Newsnight reporting the veteran broadcaster sent BBC staff "inappropriate messages".

Separately, a 17-year-old alleged they were following the star on Instagram when he messaged them, using love hearts and kisses, The Sun reported on Tuesday.

Here, we take a look at the allegations facing the BBC presenter:

Follow The Independents live coverage for the latest updates

Have you been affected by this story? If so email holly.evans@independent.co.uk

What are the allegations?

The first allegations against Mr Edwards emerged in The Sun on Friday. The newspaper - which did not name the presenter in their story - alleged the presenter paid a young person around 35,000 for sexually explicit images. It also claimed the BBC star appeared in his underwear in a video call.

The family of the young person, now 20 years old, claimed the series of payments over three years fuelled their crack cocaine addiction.

Days later the young persons lawyer issued a statement saying the mother and the Sun had made false claims.

The lawyer said: For the avoidance of doubt, nothing inappropriate or unlawful has taken place between our client and the BBC personality and the allegations reported in the Sun newspaper are rubbish.

On Sunday, The Sun published an update that claimed that the presenter called the young person twice after the allegations became public. He reportedly told them in panic what have you done and demanded that their mother stop the investigation.

The BBC reported on Tuesday that a second person in their 20s alleged that they were sent threatening messages by the then-unnamed man after meeting on a dating app.

In another set of allegations published by The Sun, a 17-year-old claimed they were following the star on Instagram when he messaged them, using love hearts and kisses.

Separately, a 23-year-old claimed Mr Edwards broke lockdown rules to meet them during the pandemic in February 2021, according to The Sun. Its report alleges the presenter travelled from London to a different county to meet the 23-year-old at their flat in February 2021, when strict lockdown rules were in place.

The young person, who claims to have met the newsreader on a dating website, said Mr Edwards also gave them more than 600 in three payments.

Fresh allegations Mr Edwards sent BBC colleagues "inappropriate messages" also emerged on Wednesday. The new claims come from two current BBC employees and a former member of BBC staff, who said they had received inappropriate messages from Mr Edwards on social media, according to BBC Newsnight.

The former employee said they had never met the presenter but received messages from him on social media, some late at night and signed off with kisses, which they said they believed was an abuse of power.

One of the current staffers said Mr Edwards sent a private message to them on social media, commenting on their physical appearance, which gave them a cold shudder.

While the other current BBC employee said Mr Edwards had sent them inappropriate messages, which had left them feeling uncomfortable. There is a power dynamic that made them inappropriate, they told the BBC.

Two of the three said there was a reluctance among junior staff to complain to managers about the conduct of high-profile colleagues in case it adversely affected their careers, Newsnight said.

What have the police said?

Two police forces have determined that no criminal offence was committed.

Neither force is taking any further action with regards to the allegations, with the BBC confirming that it will resume its fact-finding investigations to ensure "due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved.

Known for presenting the BBCs News At Ten, Mr Edwards has been a familiar face in British television for over 20 years

Detectives from the Mets Specialist Crime Command have now concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed, the Metropolitan Polices statement read.

In reaching this decision, they have spoken to a number of parties including the BBC and the alleged complainant and the alleged complainants family, both via another police force. There is no further police action. As such, the Met has advised the BBC it can continue with its internal investigation.

The statement added: We are aware of media reporting of further allegations against the same individual. No specific details or information about these allegations have been passed to us and therefore there is no police action at this time.

Meanwhile, South Wales Police also revealed that it has identified no criminality and, as such, there are no ongoing enquiries being carried out against Mr Edwards.

"South Wales Police has remained in contact with representatives of the Metropolitan Police and the BBC following a meeting on Monday, a statement from South Wales Police read.

"Information was initially received by the force in April 2023 regarding the welfare of an adult. No criminality was identified.

"Following recent events, further enquiries have been carried out and officers have spoken to a number of parties to establish whether any criminal allegations are being made.

"At this time, there is no evidence that any criminal offences have been committed. There are no ongoing enquiries being carried out by South Wales Police.

"However, should evidence of criminality or safeguarding issues be identified at any point in future then they will be investigated."

What has his wife said?

In a statement issued on his behalf, Vicky Flind stated that Mr Edwards is receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future after suffering from serious mental health issues, requesting that the family receive privacy.

In light of the recent reporting regarding the BBC Presenter I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family, Ms Flinds statement read.

I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.

Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years.

The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where hell stay for the foreseeable future.

Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.

To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday.

In the circumstances and given Huws condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected.

I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end.

What is the BBC saying?

After Mr Edwards was named as the TV presenter by his wife, the BBCs director-general Tim Davie sent a note to staff, saying this is a reminder that the last few days have seen personal lives played out in public. At the heart of this are people and their families.

He said it will no doubt be a difficult time for many after a challenging few days and added: I want to reassure you that our immediate concern is our duty of care to all involved.

Also this afternoon, the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police confirmed they would be taking no further action following an assessment of information provided to them.

As you know, we were asked to pause our fact finding investigations until that assessment had been concluded. It is important we now continue with this work. I want to be clear that in doing so we will follow due process.

This remains a very complex set of circumstances. As we have done throughout, our aim must be to navigate through this with care and consideration, in line with the BBC values.

In a new statement on Thursday, a BBC spokesman said: We are moving forward with our fact finding investigations.

We are going to get on with this work calmly, carefully and with diligence, with full consideration of our duty of care to all involved. We will not be providing further comment while this work is ongoing.

BBCs director-general Tim Davie sent a note to staff, saying this will no doubt be a difficult time for many after a challenging few days

What are politicians saying?

Security minister Tom Tugendhat told Sky News the BBC should be given space to conduct an investigation into the allegations, adding the broadcaster should make sure that the family are not dragged into this.

Spokespersons for culture secretary Lucy Frazer and Rishi Sunak both refused to comment in the wake of the BBC presenter being named, saying it was a matter for the BBC.

On Saturday Ms Frazer did comment, saying she had spoken to BBC director-general Tim Davie about the deeply concerning allegations.

And on Tuesday, Mr Sunak described the initial allegations as shocking and concerning on the plane to the Nato summit in Lithuania.

On Saturday Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer did comment, saying she had spoken to BBC director-general Tim Davie about the deeply concerning allegations

What are other BBC stars saying?

Several stars at the BBC tweeted over the weekend to try and distance themselves from the allegations at a time when Mr Edwards had not yet been identified.

Jeremy Vine, meanwhile, was among those urging Mr Edwards to come forward publicly as speculation about his identity deepened before his wife disclosed his name.

Jeremy Vine was among those urging Mr Edwards to come forward publicly as speculation about his identity deepened before his wife disclosed his name on Wednesday

What next?

Currently, Mr Edwards wife said the father-of-five is suffering from serious mental health issues and is receiving treatment in hospital.

The broadcaster is continuing its fact-finding investigations into the allegations, following a pause to allow police to conduct their probe, which found no criminal case.

BBC chief Tim Davie will be questioned in Parliament about the corporations leadership during a pre planned committee.

The BBC director general, acting chairwoman Dame Elan Closs Stephens and policy director Clare Sumner have been called to appear before the Lords Communications Committee on Tuesday.

The peers will raise a range of issues, including in light of recent events, what concerns have been raised about the adequacy of the BBCs governance arrangements and how it is addressing these.

The Sun has said it has no plans to publish further allegations.

The newspaper was on Wednesday accused by its former editor David Yelland of having inflicted terror on Mr Edwards. , saying the paper now faced a crisis.

I wish @thehuwedwards well, Mr Yelland wrote on Twitter. The Sun inflicted terror on Huw despite no evidence of any criminal offence.

This is no longer a BBC crisis, it is a crisis for the paper. Huws privacy must now be respected. Social media also needs speedy reform.
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The wife of newsreader Huw Edwards has revealed he is the presenter in the middle of the BBC scandal.

Vicky Flind said her husband was in hospital suffering from serious mental health issues after facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images.

The BBC is facing increased pressure after fresh claims emerged about the presenter, with The Sun reporting a 23-year-old has claimed Mr Edwards broke lockdown rules to meet them during the pandemic in February 2021.

Follow The Independents live coverage for the latest updates

Separately, BBC News reported on Tuesday that a person in their early 20s has alleged that they were sent threatening messages by the unnamed man.

They appear to be separate to a young person who The Sun claims was paid around 35,000 over three years, from the age of 17, for sexually explicit images by the presenter, who has been suspended by the BBC.

Below we set out a timeline of how the story has developed over the last week.

Have you been affected by this story? If so email tara.cobham@independent.co.uk

May 19

The family of a young person, who was 17 when the presenter allegedly started payments back in 2020, complained to the BBC and became frustrated when the presenter stayed on air. They reportedly asked the broadcaster to stop the man sending the cash.

July 6

The BBC said it became aware of new allegations against the male presenter.

A statement said: New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own inquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols.

July 7

The Sun publishes an exclusive which revealed a BBC presenter is facing allegations he paid a total of 35,000 for sexual content. A legal representative of the young person told the Sun that evening there was no truth to it.

The BBC responded to the article with a statement saying: We treat any allegations very seriously and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.

July 8

BBC presenters choose to publicly clear their names  including Gary Lineker, Jeremy Vine, Rylan Clark and Nicky Campbell.

July 9

The BBC says in a statement that it has suspended a male presenter from all duties and contacted the Metropolitan Police over the allegations. The Sun reported the presenter allegedly made two calls to the young person and asked them to call their mother to stop the investigation after the exclusive was published.

July 10

The Metropolitan Police said it is carrying out further inquiries to establish whether any crime has been committed after BBC representatives met with detectives virtually in the morning.

The force requested the BBC pause its investigations into the allegations while they scoped future work. A lawyer representing the young person said the claims in the inappropriate article are rubbish.

In a letter reported by BBC News At Six, the young person said via the lawyer: For the avoidance of doubt, nothing inappropriate or unlawful has taken place between our client and the BBC personality and the allegations reported in The Sun newspaper are rubbish.

July 11

The BBC reported a second person felt threatened by messages they had allegedly received from the presenter. According to the BBC, the person  aged in their early 20s  met the presenter on a dating app before their conversations moved to other platforms.

The presenter then revealed his identity and asked the young person not to tell anyone. The young person later posted online alluding to having had contact with a BBC presenter and hinting they might name him.

The presenter then sent a number of threatening messages which the BBC said it had seen, it is claimed, and confirmed came from a phone number belonging to the presenter. The BBC said the young person felt threatened by the messages and remain scared.

BBC News said it had contacted the presenter via his lawyer but had received no response to the allegations.

Separately, The Sun reported on Tuesday that a 17-year-old has alleged they were following the star on Instagram when he messaged them, using love hearts and kisses.

The teenager told the newspaper: Looking back now it does seem creepy because he was messaging me when I was still at school.In light of everything now, I feel shocked because as a broadcaster it is a name everyone would trust.

I had no reason to think it was anything beyond that at that time.

The Sun reported it is handing its dossier to BBC investigators.

July 12

Vicky Flind, the wife of Mr Edwards, issues a statement naming her husband as the individual involved.

She said that he was suffering from serious mental health issues and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future as she asked for privacy for her family.

Earlier, The Suns new report claimed messages seen by the paper suggested the presenter travelled from London to a different county to meet a 23-year-old at their flat in February 2021, when strict coronavirus lockdown rules were in place including a stay at home order and mixing only between household bubbles.

The young person, who claims to have met the presenter on a dating website, said the man also gave them more than 600 in three payments, which the newspaper said messages also suggest.

They told The Sun: The BBC were briefing the nation on the rules  when their star who was part of the institution was quite happy to break them.The Sun said it had approached the BBC and the presenter for comment and would hand over evidence to the BBCs investigation team.

Broadcaster Jeremy Vine called on Mr Edwards to name himself publicly to prevent damage to the BBC, his friends and those falsely-accused.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that he personally was concerned by the serious allegations.

The Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police say that no criminal offence has been committed by Mr Edwards and neither force would currently be taking any further action in relation to the allegations.

The BBC announces it will resume its fact-finding investigations to ensure due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved.
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Rishi Sunak has invited Saudi Arabias crown prince and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman to the UK in the autumn, it has been reported.

It would be his first visit to Britain since the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi five years ago.

The Gulf states day-to-day leader was accused of ordering the assassination of the Washington Post writer at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, although he denied any involvement and blamed rogue agents.

We have been clear that this murder was a terrible crime and that Saudi Arabia must ensure such an atrocity can never happen again Prime Minister's spokesperson

Downing Street declined to comment on whether an invite has been extended, as reported by the Financial Times, citing a Government official.

Asked about the Prime Ministers view of the journalists killing, his official spokesman told reporters on Friday: From the start we have been clear that this murder was a terrible crime and that Saudi Arabia must ensure such an atrocity can never happen again.

Weve sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the murder under the global human rights scheme.

A UK visit would be the latest sign of western countries welcoming the crown prince back into the diplomatic fold after he was frozen out following the murder.

Britain is aiming to strengthen its ties with the kingdom despite concerns over its human rights record as it seeks to attract investment from the oil-rich Gulf following Brexit.

The FT said details of the trip have not yet been finalised, quoting an official as saying: Its more up to them, given we need them more than they need us.

Mr Sunak met the crown prince on the margins of the G20 summit in Bali last November.

The leaders discussed social reforms, womens rights and civil liberties, but Mr Sunak did not raise the murder of Mr Khashoggi, No 10 said at the time.

US President Joe Biden raised the subject in his own talks over energy and security issues with the crown prince in July 2022, indicating that he thought the Saudi leader was responsible for the killing.

Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UKs foreign policy adviser, said the crown prince must be properly held to account for abuses by Saudi officials, including Khashoggis murder.

She said: There must be no question of the UK rolling out the red carpet for Mohammed bin Salman or of the Saudi ruler being able to use this visit to rehabilitate himself on the world stage.

The visit looks set to coincide with the five-year anniversary of Jamal Khashoggis sickening assassination and dismemberment at the hands of Saudi agents in Turkey, a crime which has essentially been covered up by the unrepentant Saudi authorities.
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Political parties must come together to make politics a safe space for women, Scotlands Deputy First Minister has said after the wake-up call delivered by Mhairi Blacks decision to step down at the general election.

Shona Robison has urged young women not to be deterred from standing for public office despite the abuse often targeted at female politicians on social media.

She was speaking after seven SNP MPs confirmed they would not seek re-election at the upcoming general election, including Ms Black, the SNP depute leader at Westminster, who described the UK Parliaments working environment as toxic earlier this month.

Ms Black, who was first elected in 2015, said she would not contest her Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP seat and described Westminster as one of the most unhealthy workplaces that you can ever be in.

We need to look at ways of how we can do that and how we can make it better but my message to any young women thinking of coming into politics is do it Shona Robison, Deputy First Minister

However, Dundee City East MSP Ms Robison appealed to likeminded and opposition parties to work together to make politics a better place in the wake of Ms Blacks decision to resign.

Speaking to the PA news agency during a visit to the Inverclyde Royal Hospital, where she met with volunteers from Compassionate Inverclyde, who offer end of life support for patients, said: This is a challenge for all political parties, and I think for politics generally, that we really need to listen to what Mhairi Black was saying.

Its something that we all need to address as politicians because if were going to get the future generation, particularly young women, into politics, it has to be a better place.

Weve all got a vested interest in doing that, and Im keen that we try to work across parties to make politics a better place. I think its a bit of a wake-up call to be honest.

Ms Robison, who is also Finance Secretary, was first elected to Holyrood in 1999 and said women in politics are often judged more harshly on their appearance than their male counterparts.

She said: As a woman in politics, it can be hard. I think women get a particularly hard time. Its more about what they are wearing, their appearance, everything is questioned, I think to a higher degree than perhaps our male counterparts and that is something that should be of concern to all of us.

However, I would still say despite all of that we have a job as existing politicians to make it better for the next generation of politicians coming through.

We need to look at ways of how we can do that and how we can make it better but my message to any young women thinking of coming into politics is do it.

Falkirk MP John McNally, 72, became the latest SNP MP to rule himself out of re-election, following Ms Black; former Westminster SNP leader Ian Blackford; and ex-party deputy leader Stewart Hosie.

Peter Grant, Angela Crawley and Douglas Chapman will also not contest their seats.

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray, who left Westminster to become an MSP at the Scottish Parliament, told the PA news agency on Thursday he can understand why some are choosing to stand down.

He added: I pay tribute to all of those who have given the service that they have  each of them who has chosen to stand down has done incredible service there.

I know them all well and respect them all, having served with them for varying lengths of time when I was at Westminster.
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Military chiefs and MPs have called on Rishi Sunak to keep promises made to Afghan refugees, as they urged the government not to forget its debt of honour to those who fought with the UK against the Taliban.

In a letter to the prime minister, key figures  including former British army chief General Lord Dannatt and ex-Nato general secretary Lord Robertson  called for action to end the disgrace of those still stranded in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The demand to help Afghans who were promised sanctuary in Britain comes afterThe Independent repeatedly exposed failings in the governments resettlement schemes.

Among those who have suffered at the hands of the system are the Afghan air force pilot who served alongside coalition forces but is now threatened with deportation to Rwanda because he arrived in the UK in a small boat.

There is also the scandal of nearly 2,000 Afghans who have been deemed eligible to come to the UK, but have been abandoned in hotels in Pakistan still waiting for relocation  an issue first exposed by The Independent. The refugees, who helped British forces, have been accepted under resettlement programmes and moved from their homes in Afghanistan, but have not been given the final green light to come to the UK.

MP Dan Jarvis, a former army officer who served in Afghanistan, today praised The Independent for shining a light on the issue as he joined a chorus of voices demanding the prime minister pay attention to those who have been forgotten and ignored.

The letter calls on Mr Sunak to urgently establish control over the situation, warning that movement from Afghanistan to the UK effectively ceased seven months ago, leaving thousands stranded in dangerous situations.

Mr Jarvis told The Independent: I think Afghanistan is very much in the rear-view mirror and there isnt the political will to honour the commitments that were made previously.

These are not economic migrants, these are not people who just want to leave Afghanistan for a better life. These are people who are and will be murdered by the Taliban if they do not get to a place of safety.

These are people who risked their lives to serve alongside us in support of our mission, at our request, and to whom the UK prime minister made a commitment to shift heaven and earth to get them to a place of safety.

We are now living as prisoners says one person staying in an Islamabad hotel (The Independent )

The former officer said he was grateful for The Independents campaigning on the issue, adding: I really appreciate the fact that youre shining a light on it, because you... have done really good work in trying to keep the flame alive with this.

Latest figures show that, since the fall of Kabul, 21,387 people have been relocated to the UK under Arap  designed to bring those who helped British forces during the war to the UK  and ACRS, the general scheme for at-risk Afghans applying for resettlement.

But there are many who have not yet made it to the UK. Those accepted under the schemes are initially issued with temporary visas to neighbouring Pakistan where they are put in hotels or holding centres before accommodation can be found for them in Britain.

In the year from September 21 to November 22, 1,377 Afghans were relocated from Pakistan to the UK. But since December last year the government has quietly stopped moving people from there on to the UK, the letter says, with just six relocated to Britain in that time.

According to latest figures, this has left 1,953 Afghans living in limbo. The letters signatories warned that figure could be close to 4,000 in a years time.

Some campaigners claim the government has stopped the flights from Pakistan because it is sensitive to criticism over refugees being housed in hotels in Britain, due to a lack of other suitable accommodation.

But the apparent decision to clear people from hotels before more Afghans are allowed to come to Britain under the scheme means the bottleneck has been moved to Pakistan. Their numbers are growing, their lives are on hold, and they are desperate, the letter says.

One former interpreter with the British army has been told he should not leave his hotel in Pakistan for fear of arrest and deportation (The Independent )

Some have been there for a year, and they are facing a second year. They believe that the British government is working to enable them to start their new lives in the UK. They are mistaken.

These are people who have passed the rigorous Arap/ACRS tests, they have risked their lives, alongside our own service men and women, to support the UKs objectives in Afghanistan. It is inconceivable that we should renege on our debt of honour, and forget them.

Top military figures and politicians who have pursued ministers on the fate of the stranded Afghans say they have been met with a lack of political will in government and found a chaotic situation in which no department has taken responsibility for bringing them to safety.

The letter, meanwhile, warns there is no plan.

General Sir John McColl, the armys former deputy supreme allied commander for Europe, said: The plight of those Afghans ignored and forgotten in Pakistan is a disgrace. The government must honour its pledge to support those who fought and died alongside us so bravely.

The former prime ministers special envoy to Afghanistan told The Independent the government appeared to be quite happy for this issue to be forgotten and swept under the carpet, adding: Theyre out of sight and therefore out of mind.

Mr Jarvis added: It's almost impossible not to conclude that there isn't a plan and that those people have been abandoned.

Lord West, a former head of the Royal Navy, told The Independent: Were letting people down. We owe the Afghans  so we jolly well ought to get on and do it. Having made all sorts of very good statements, it doesnt look like we arent resettling people we said we would.

He added: If its an administrative cock-up it must be resolved. If its not a cock-up then it goes against government policy. The accommodation seems to be the real problem. Its not beyond the wit of man to resolve this.

Afghan pilot outside Westminster and in plane (The Independent)

Lord Robertson told The Independent there was a moral commitment made to Afghans eligible for Arap that had been allowed to drift.

The former Labour defence secretary said: There is an outstanding obligation that they need to deliver on. Urgency is appropriate given the promises and commitments made.

Lord Robertson also called for a rethink on the case of the Afghan pilot refused under the Arap scheme.

The pilot, threatened with deportation to Rwanda, flew more than 30 combat missions alongside coalition forces. As part of the Afghan air force, he went on sorties planned and designed by British and US commanders in the run-up to the fall of Kabul in 2021.

It seems ludicrous to threaten someone like that with deportation when we committed to help those who helped us, he added. Other countries have lived up to their obligations  we should do the same.

Other signatories of the letter include former international development secretary Rory Stewart, former cabinet secretary Lord Sedwill, and Dr Sara de Jong, co-founder of The Sulha Alliance, a charity which supports Afghan interpreters and other local civilians who assisted British forces.

Recommended Scandal of refugee families separated by UK red tape

A government spokesperson said: The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan resettlement schemes.

We continue to honour our commitments to bring eligible Afghans to the UK, and we are issuing new visas to people in Afghanistan and other countries for resettlement here. However, it is vital those arriving have somewhere suitable to stay once they are in the UK, so they can put down roots immediately.
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A breakthrough may have been in the saga surrounding Boris Johnsons old mobile phone, after an ally claimed Rishi Sunaks government has recovered the passcode to unlock it.

The Covid inquiry had demanded the crucial device  known as Phone 1 in Whitehall  by Monday 4pm but the deadline was missing due to complications in gaining access.

Mr Johnson had forgotten the code used to unlock the iPhone  abandoned in May 2021 after it emerged his mobile number had been online for 15 years, according to The Times.

Allies suggested it was not correct to say the former PM could not recall his own digits, but instead that he was just not entirely sure of them.

The device likely contains key messages relating to the ordering of Covid lockdowns in 2020 and other important decisions leading up until April 2021.

An ally of Mr Johnson: It is not true that Boris does not remember his PIN number, it is just that he does not have 100 per cent confidence he remembers it. Separately, the government has found its own version of the PIN.

The Cabinet Office declined to comment on whether the passcode had been found, saying only that work to help Mr Johnson retrieve the messages was ongoing. A spokesperson said: In-line with the process set out by the court, the Cabinet Office has provided all of the requested material to the inquiry.

The former Tory leader was advised not to access the phone again on security grounds while serving as PM in May 2021, after it emerged his number had been freely available online for 15 years.

Whitehall officials were known to be trying to securely retrieve the messages on the phone, which is being held by the ex-premiers lawyers. There were concerns the contents could be wiped if the wrong combination of numbers is entered.

Boris Johnson repeatedly at odds with Sunak government over Covid inquiry (PA Archive)

However, The Times reported that the device was last accessed in December 2021 after Lord Geidt, then the PMs ethics adviser, asked for messages relating to an investigation about the funding of the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat.

If accurate, the report would suggest that the phone has been opened since Mr Johnson was told to no longer use the mobile. Mr Johnsons spokesman has been approached about the claim.

But security experts have cast doubt on claims the messages cannot be accessed because of a memory lapse on Mr Johnsons part  saying the data could likely be retrieved simply by taking out the sim card and putting it in another phone.

Andrew Whaley, senior technical director at Norwegian cybersecurity company Promon, said: This is a pretty lame excuse.

He added: Provided Boriss WhatsApp is backed up, accessing the data would take minutes. As this is a diplomatic phone, the security measures may very well be different, but even still, Its not an impossible task by any means.

Boris Johnsons Phone 1 demanded by Covid inquiry (PA Archive)

Susie Flintham, a spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, said the idea of the passcode holding things up was a complete joke.

The campaigner said: No one seriously believes that Johnsons messages cant be accessed because he forgot a passcode that he was apparently using last December.

The Cabinet Office had until 4pm on Monday to hand over the unredacted WhatsApp messages from Mr Johnsons previous phone after it lost a legal challenge.

Ministers had fought a request from inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett to release his uncensored messages, notebooks and diaries, arguing they should not have to hand over material that was unambiguously irrelevant.

But the argument was dismissed by the High Court last week. The government has since handed over the rest of Mr Johnsons documents, except for the messages from the locked phone.

The inquiry is understood to be aware of the efforts to securely extract any potentially relevant content from Mr Johnsons old phone.
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At least 87 people, including children, have been found buried in a mass grave in Sudan, the UN has said, as calls grow for the UK to act over the violence that has plagued the country for months. Those on the ground and from across the political spectrum believe the situation is comparable to the killings in Darfur that sparked international outcry in 2003.

Ethnically motivated bloodshed has escalated in recent weeks, in step with the fighting between rival military factions that erupted in April, and has brought the country to the brink of civil war. Thousands have died and millions have been forced from their homes by the broader conflict between Sudans army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by al-Burhans former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is known as Hemedti.

The UN Human Rights Office said that the people in the mass grave  some of them from the ethnic African Masalit tribe  were killed by the RSF and an affiliated Arab militia. According to credible information gathered by the Office, those buried in the mass grave were killed by RSF and their allied militia around 13-21 June, a UN statement said.

But the RSF has denied being involved in any fighting in West Darfur and says it has no connection to events there.

The discovery of the mass grave is the latest incident to be reported from West Darfurs capital, El Geneina, where The Independent has heard from witnesses who claim that teenagers are being rounded up and shot, and women and girls are being raped. People are said to have been told that this is being done in order to destroy and change the DNA of the area. One of those who made it out of the city said they were running from hell.

What is happening in El Geneina is a genocide  we want this said out loud, says Ibrahim*, who is sheltering in the neighbouring country of Chad, where his family have sought refuge after fleeing the city. He does not want his real name to be published, as this could jeopardise the safety of members of his extended family who are still stranded. Its been going on systematically.

Urging the UK and the wider international community to take action, David Alton, a crossbench peer who is a member of parliaments human rights committee, tells The Independent: There is an unfolding genocide happening in Darfur and the international community is doing nothing.

Mass graves are synonymous with 20 years ago. It is an appalling indictment of the abysmal failure of the international community that two decades later a commitment of never again has been allowed to happen all over again. There is no end to the suffering which the people of Darfur have had to endure. We should hang our heads in shame.

What started then has been a slow-burn genocide that never ended. The perpetrators were never held to account... and surprise, surprise, it is now happening again on a shocking scale.

Lord Alton says the UK governments response has so far been lamentable, adding: Ive spoken personally to ministers about this, and there is plenty of sympathy, but that is not matched by appropriate action.

El Geneina, in West Darfur, pictured at the end of April after the conflict began (AFP via Getty)

Following the discovery of the mass grave, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, called for a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the killings with those responsible being held to account.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating events in Darfur, noting the reports of killings, rapes, and crimes affecting children, an ICC prosecutor told the United Nations on Thursday. The office can confirm that it has commenced investigations in relation to incidents occurring in the context of the present hostilities, Karim Khans office said in a report to the UN Security Council.

ICC prosecutors are closely tracking reports of extrajudicial killings, burning of homes and markets, and looting in El Geneina, as well as the killing and displacement of civilians in North Darfur and other locations across Darfur, the report said. The court is also examining allegations of sexual and gender-based crimes, including mass rapes and alleged reports of violence against and affecting children, it said.

El Geneina, which has a population of around 250,000, has been under siege for more than two months, shortly after the conflict between the military factions broke out. In June, the West Darfur governor was killed soon after accusing the RSF of carrying out a genocide against the Masalit people.

Newly arrived refugees from Sudan at a camp in Chad (Supplied)

The RSF suffocated El Geneina, says Ibrahim. Describing destroyed water pumps, looted banks, burnt food markets and ravaged medical supplies, he tells of how his 86-year-old diabetic mother has gone for six weeks without medicine.

His family of almost 20, with the youngest being just a few months old, say they have been sheltering in their homes, afraid to step outside for fear of snipers. For us, we see that death is moving closer every day, says one of his brothers, who tells of streets littered with bodies, the stench of decomposing flesh hanging heavy over the city.

It was only when Ibrahims uncle was killed on 21 June that the family say they made the life-or-death decision to try to escape via the perilous 28km road to Adre, a town very close to Chads eastern border with Sudan, where tens of thousands of refugees are currently living in makeshift camps, seeking humanitarian aid.

The family say they drove through at least 10 checkpoints on the 12-hour journey. Every moment, every single second we feel we are going to be killed, says Ibrahims brother. They say they were insulted, pushed around, and robbed of their only remaining money in a terrifying ordeal  but they survived.

Ibrahim, finally made contact with his family when they got across the border. Weeks without hearing from them was a feeling that is killing and led to his being forced to take time off work, he says. He had been about to travel to his family in El Geneina for the holidays when war broke out, and he was evacuated in a UN convoy days later.

A camp in Adre, Chad, where people have sought refuge after fleeing Sudan (Supplied)

Now, he is in a city 100km inland from Chads border, desperately trying to find homes for his family amid rocketing rents and low availability due to the high demand created by Sudanese people seeking refuge, he says.

About 2.2 million people have fled their homes in Sudan, while 25 million people are in need of humanitarian aid, according to Vicky Ford MP, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Sudan and South Sudan. She says the death toll in El Geneina alone now exceeds 5,000, and the number of injured has surpassed 8,000.

Ibrahim says the lack of support from the international community has caused him to lose hope. Like many others, he is calling for leaders to establish a safe passage along that 28km road to make it safe to evacuate civilians, or at a minimum the thousands who have been wounded.

Lord Alton travelled to Darfur in 2004 with Rebecca Tinsley, who founded her organisation Waging Peace in response to the horrors she witnessed there, and both took testimonies from survivors. Describing bodies there currently being used as road bumps, Ms Tinsley says: The situation in Darfur now is possibly as bad as it was during the genocide, if not worse.

The perilous 28km road to the camps in Adre, Chad, involves at least 10 checkpoints for those escaping El Geneina (Supplied)

Ms Ford describes civilians facing horror as they are murdered, disappeared and raped in Khartoum and parts of Darfur, with lawyers, doctors and community leaders being targeted. Again, atrocities are happening at all levels, she says, adding: Whats happening in El Geneina has also got an ethnic element  there are systemic ethnic attacks and cleansing of non-Arabs.

A man who has a leadership role in the El Geneina community tells of being targeted from the moment the war started. He says he had to make the difficult decision to leave his wife and children at home and go into hiding, where he was stuck for weeks.

He says he finally managed to flee the city and ended up walking all the way from there to Adre, without any water or food, and constantly thinking, Theyre going to catch me, theyre going to get me now.

Eventually, he says, he made it to the temporary camps across the border in Chad. Miraculously, he was reunited with his family there, and they all held each other and wept.

Finding somewhere to live in Chad is difficult amid rocketing rents and low availability due to the high demand created by Sudanese people seeking refuge (Supplied)

Without an urgent response, Ms Ford fears the violence against civilians will spread into other parts of Sudan or neighbouring countries, because of Sudans importance, size, and location at the crossroads in Africa. She adds: There are risks that instability in Africa leads to more migration, then more instability in Western Europe  this is important domestically in the UK, too.

The MP for Chelmsford says the British government is aware of Sudans importance to the UK, and has been having discussions with many of its international partners. She says that the international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, absolutely understands the critical nature of this situation and the risk of it spreading. Although, she adds, There are more questions about other potential steps the UK government could take, and I hope they ... take them as soon as possible.

Ms Ford says the all-party group will be calling for measures including asset freezes, an arms embargo and a peacekeeping force. These are in addition to sanctions.

Mr Mitchell said: The UKs immediate objective in Sudan is to stop the violence and atrocities being committed, ensure civilians are protected, and push for immediate, safe and unfettered access for humanitarian organisations. The UK continues to support local peacebuilding activities in Darfur, working with international non-governmental organisations and civil society actors to end the conflict as soon as possible and support efforts to sustain a ceasefire.

He said the UK has contributed more than 250m in humanitarian aid to Sudan in the past five years, while it recently announced 21.7m more, following an earlier 5m to support those fleeing the country.

*names have been changed to protect identities
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Billy Baldwin has revealed he has an unlikely connection to suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann  following the shock arrest of the architect and married father-of-two.

The actor took to Twitter on Friday to announce his shock that his high school classmate had been arrested on suspicion of carrying out up to 11 unsolved murders on Long Island.

Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann, he tweeted.

Berner High School Massapequa, New York Class of 1981 Married, two kids, architect. Average guy quiet, family man. Mind-boggling Massapequa is in shock. 23andMe strikes again???

Baldwin  part of the Baldwin family of actors including Alec Baldwin  grew up in the Massapequa suburb of Long Island.

It was there that multiple law enforcement agencies descended late on Thursday and into Friday at Mr Heuermanns home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach.

Neighbours told The Independent that Mr Heuermann, 59, was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One neighbour, who has lived a stones throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is a very quiet family who made no imprint at all on the neighborhood.

Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him, the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch in a great neighbourhood.

One woman told News12 that it was mind-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Rex Heuermann (left) and Billy Baldwin (right) were high school classmates (Getty/Bonjour Realty/YouTube)

Mr Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody outside his Midtown Manhattan office at around 8.30pm on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders, sources told News 12 Long Island. Police have not officially announced the suspects name.

The architect and married father-of-two works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning or Mr Heuermanns identity to The Independent, but have announced a press conference for Friday afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

The Gilgo Beach murders have long stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday (RH Architecture)

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Four victims are still yet to be identified more than 10 years on from the discovery of their bodies.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Map showing where victims bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

News of the shock arrest comes after Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice when he was appointed to the role in early 2022.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

I want to make a commitment to the residents of Suffolk County as well as the family members, Mr Harrison, a former NYPD chief said in his first press briefing in his new role at the Long Island beach at the center of the murders in January 2022.

We will not rest until we bring those accountable to justice.

He added: Theres a commitment, a relentless pursuit to identify the individuals and bring them to justice. Thats for the family members to hear, to let them know that we will not rest, and we will make sure we do everything we have to do to hold them accountable.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

Four months later, police released the 911 call made by Gilbert on the night that she disappeared  something that Ms Gilberts family had been calling for for years.

In the call, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

Later in the call, she is heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car.

At one point, Gilbert is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

It is not clear if the release of the 911 call after all these years helped lead law enforcement to the suspect.
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Five people in the same car were shot and wounded while leaving a funeral after someone in a second vehicle opened fire in a brazen attack in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC, authorities say.

Police were called to a the shooting site on a bridge over the Anacostia River on Bladensburg Road, 40 miles east of Washington DC, just before 12.30pm on Friday.

The five victims received life-saving treatment from first responders at the scene before being taken to hospital, Bladensburg Police Department chief Tyrone Collington said at a press conference.

He could not provide any details on the victims ages or conditions, but FOX DC reported three were in a critical condition.

Mr Collington said police had not yet identified any suspects and asked for help from motorists who were in the area at the time.

Mr Collington said police were seeking surveillance footage of the incident. Police received a description of the suspects vehicle as dark-coloured.

He said police were working to establish a possible motive, including whether the suspects had attended the same funeral.

At this time, I cant confirm that it was road rage or not, Mr Collington said. We are still working through it.

Multiple people have been wounded in a shooting on Annapolis Road in Bladensburg, Maryland (CBS News)

He said none of those in the targeted car had fired any shots.

There was not an exchange (of gunfire) between the two vehicles. It was one vehicle that was shot at and struck multiple victims within that vehicle, Mr Collington said.

He described the shooting as an unnecessary, senseless act of violence.

This is uncommon in this community, he said.

Bladensburg Police Department chief Tyrone Collington gave further details about a mass shooting in the Maryland shooting on Friday (FOX5)

Officials with the Edmonston Police Department were assisting with the investigation and said they believed the shooting was an isolated incident and didnt pose an ongoing threat.

Bladensburg, home to about 9,400 people, has a well-known World War I memorial known as the Peace Cross situated on a median near the bridge.
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The father of murdered 11-year-old Gannon Staunch has hit out at the evil YouTuber who is selling autopsy photos of the boys severely beaten body to subscribers for $3.

On 9 May, 11-year-old Gannon Stauchs stepmother Letecia Stauch was sentenced to life in prison for brutally stabbing and shooting him to death in a fit of hatred and jealousy. The little boy was reported missing in 2020 from his familys home in Colorado two months before his body was found in a suitcase below a bridge in the Florida Panhandle.

Pictures of the state in which Gannons body was discovered were shown in court during Stauchs trial but were not in view of the public, with the judge presiding over the case noting that the case was most horrific I have ever seen. Last month, a YouTuber known on the platform as ZavGirl said she obtained Gannons autopsy report, including graphic pictures, through a Freedom of Information Act request.

This is about Gannon, this is not about anyones opinions, or if you view it as a scientific discussion. This is about respect for a little boy who tragically lost his life and did not deserve this, the boys father Al Staunch said in an interview with NewsNation.

For the family that survives Gannon, it is retraumatising. We just finished the trial two months ago and now were having to relive this stuff, were not able to put it behind us.

The word I use to describe it is evil. The world got enough information from the trial to have every discussion they want to have. Why do we need to go and have freedom of information requests and pay for this kind of information and dishonor my son by putting these photos out there?

The YouTuber, who has over 90,000 subscribers, charged individuals $3 to see the autopsy photos and other material on her Patreon account. District Attorney Michael Allen, the lead prosecutor in Gannons case, has branded her actions as the lowest of human form.

Gannon deserved so much more in life from his stepmother and he certainly deserves dignity and respect in death and theres nothing about what this YouTuber is doing that provides any dignity or respect to Gannon, Mr Allen told NewsNation.

The YouTuber has since issued a statement on her page and removed her Patreon account. She claimed that she shared the pictures because she saw them as interesting and informative and [is] able to view it all in a more scientific detached way, also alleging that there are a lot of other people who are acting in bad faith and creating lies ...

Gannon Stauch was stabbed 18 times and shot to death by his stepmother in January 2020

I spent a lot of time and worked hard putting together a video lining up the coroners audio and descriptions along with the appropriate part of the photos she is describing and editing it together to try to make it as informative as possible for the viewer, she added. That is what I am charging for...

Mr Allen said that Gannons family has been informed that photos of his abused body had been shared online, adding that it is unlikely they can be completely removed from the internet. He said that other YouTubers have also posted the photos, but it is unclear whether theyre also charging their subscribers to see them.

The statement that [ZavGirl] put out about this incident sort of justifying, it just rings hollow, Mr Allen said. Scientifically, they could have used body diagrams that the autopsy also included instead of putting out Gannons just completely broken body that reflects the depravity and horror that he had to live through and suffered. Its outright disgusting.

Stauch reported her stepson Gannon missing in January 2020, while his father Al Stauch was on deployment with the National Guard.

During that time, Stauchs account of what happened to Gannon continued to change. She first claimed Gannon had failed to return home after saying he was going to visit a friend. Then she said that a Mexican man raped her and abducted the boy. Prosecutors later learned that Gannon likely died on the same day Stauch contacted investigators, after finding his blood on her shoes and her DNA on a gun linked to Gannons death.

Letecia Stauch appears in El Paso County District Court in Colorado Springs, Colo., March 11, 2020

Gannons remains were found wrapped in bed covers and inside a suitcase in Florida. Prosecutors said during the trial that Stauch stabbed Gannon 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump the suitcase with his remains inside over the side of a bridge in Pensacola.

She cleaned up the blood-covered walls and mattress in Gannons bedroom, and moved his body to various locations to hide it before disposing of it like garbage.

Blood traces were also reportedly found on Stauchs car and in the garage. A 9mm found in the home had Stauchs DNA.

Before the remains were found, Stauch even went on TV to defend herself against accusations that was lying about Gannons whereabouts.

Im like, What are you saying Gannon is death? Gannon is not dead, we are going to find Gannon. And thats the main goal that we have, my family has, Stauch insisted. I would never ever hurt this child.

During the trial proceedings, Stauch claimed that she was insane and that one of her other personalities killed her stepson, but the court dismissed that defence.

There is no time during the minutes, hours and days following the murder where Letecia came out and wondered Gee, why am I carrying a body around in my luggage? That just isnt credible, the judge said during Stauchs May sentencing.
 Close Gilgo Beach: Police remove evidence from home of Long Island serial killer suspect

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Law enforcement in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is investigating potential ties between local unsolved cases and Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison told ABC News that his task force is looking into possible connections between Mr Heuermann and the murders of four female sex workers whose bodies were found in a ditch just over the Atlantic City border in 2006.

Shame on us if we dont look into Las Vegas, South Carolina, even Atlantic City, weve got to make sure if anyone has any information, Mr Harrison said.

It comes amid comments from Mr Heuermanns sister-in-law that she is in complete disbelief following his arrest over the deaths of Amber Costello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy.

I vacillate between desperately wanting my niece and nephews life returned to its previous state, intact, without a father accused of being a serial killer to being pleased and secure in knowing that someone is in custody, Dr Johanna Ellerup told NBC News.

My ego has great difficulty processing the idea that I looked Rex in the eye and was unable to discern any murderous intentions.
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For around two decades, the sands and marshes of Long Islands Gilgo Beach kept a dark secret.

A killer or killers roamed the locality, luring in escorts and sex workers and brutally murdering them.

Body after body was dumped along the shoreline, hidden for months and even years without being discovered.

Then, in 2010, a chilling 911 call made by a woman in fear for her life led police to search the area.

What they discovered was far more horrifying than anyone could have imagined.

Over the next year, the remains of 11 victims  mainly female escorts  were discovered dumped in the area, plunging the Suffolk County community into terror.

But, the case went cold and no arrests were made, no suspects were named and there was no justice for the victims and their families.

That is, until now.

On Thursday, local married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was arrested on suspicion of being the infamous serial killer.

The 59-year-old has been charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello and is also the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth woman Maureen Brainard-Barnes  who was last seen alive in New York City in early June 2007.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

Long Island native Mr Heuermann lives close to Gilgo Beach, where the killer dumped his victims. He also works as an architect in Manhattan, where some of the women were last seen alive.

While neighbours, professional acquaintances and victims families react to the shocking news, the question is: now an arrest has been made, is the hunt for the Gilgo Beach serial killer finally over?

The murders

For more than a decade, the Gilgo Beach murders stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help, saying she feared for her life, and was never seen alive again.

In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

She is also heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back into a car; at one point, she is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

Map of the sites the bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found  eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested, with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Several theories have been considered over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Brush area along Ocean Parkway. where Megan Watermans remains were recovered in 2010 (Suffolk County Police Department)

The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Polices Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice.

The newly appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

The victims

The remains of at least 11 victims were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City.

The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy, whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert  a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life.

Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims  Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello  were found close by.

All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist.

Brainard-Barnes  known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four  was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010.

Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge.

This combination of undated image provided by the Suffolk County Police Department, shows Melissa Barthelemy, top left, Amber Costello, top right, Megan Waterman, bottom left, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. (AP)

Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City.

Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy.

Some of the victims have never been identified.

The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier.

That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed Peaches whose remains were found in Nassau County.

The suspect

On Thursday, there was a huge breakthrough in the case when suspect Mr Heuermann was finally arrested on suspicion of the murders.

Dramatic video captured him walking along a Manhattan road when he was suddenly surrounded by plainclothes officers and taken into custody.

Gilgo Beach: What we know so far

The accused killer has been married twice and shares a 26-year-old daughter and stepson, with special needs, with his second wife.

Mr Heuermann is president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates, a company which he founded in 1994 and which his adult daughter also works for.

According to the company website, Mr Heuermanns company has worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo was taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

The architecture firm is based in Midtown Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive.

According to court records, phone calls made from burner phones and some of the victims cellphones can be traced to his office.

In his professional life, some acquaintances described him as arrogant while others said he was creepy.

Paul Teitelbaum, who worked with Mr Heuermann on a building in Brooklyn Heights, told The New York Times that the suspect had a swagger and an attitude that said: Im the expert, youre lucky to have me.

Meanwhile, Dominique Vidal  an interior designer who was part of the same architecture networking group as Mr Heuermann  said that he repeatedly called her and left her a creepy voicemail despite them never having worked together.

Rex Heuermann booking photo (AP)

He left this [voicemail] for me end of February after I left the group, she said in a TikTok video posted on Sunday.

Previous to that, he did call me a couple of times. I answered the phone. Nothing really significant. I found it odd he was calling me because I had no work for him. Theres no ongoing relationship. We were just two people who used to be in the same networking group.

Theres nothing incredibly scary about the voicemail, besides the fact that he is the Gilgo Beach murderer.

Neighbours of Mr Heuermann in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims  gave a mixed picture of the accused killer.

Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One neighbour, who has lived a stones throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is a very quiet family who made no imprint at all on the neighborhood.

Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him, the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch in a great neighbourhood.

Yet another neighbour  who had lived there for 13 years  told Newsweek that children would avoid his home on Halloween.

Most people dont knock on his door, said Barry Auslander. During Halloween, the kids are told to stay away. Hes not a very nice person.

He added that his home was dilapidated and always dark.

New York State police officers move a metal cabinet as law enforcement searches the home of Rex Heuermann, Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP)

Mr Heuermann has lived on Long Island his whole life  and now lives in the same property where he spent his childhood.

He grew up in Massapequa Park and attended Berner High School where Billy Baldwin was a classmate.

Maureen Holpit, 59, who also attended Berner High School with Mr Heuarmann, told The Independent that Mr Heauerman was once a shy teen who would often leave love notes in her locker. Ms Holpit said her exchanges with the now suspected serial killer were always pleasant and polite.

I was always nice and friendly to him, you know. Seemed like he kind of got picked on and people would make maybe portray him as a little nerdy. He was very quiet, mild-mannered. So I was nice and would say, Hey, Rex, how are you?, Ms Holpit, who now lives in Florida, tells The Independent.

I was getting these notes in my locker. As Im remembering, there were multiple little love notes but they were not signed, she added. Then, one day I did see him put it in my locker and so I knew they were from him. I may have said to him that I had a boyfriend or I just liked him as a friend.

The investigation

Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriffs Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermanns bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday.

A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance.

Prosecutors have argued that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.

Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costellos disappearance.

Mr Heuermann appeared in court in handcuffs on Friday and pleaded not guilty to six murder charges (Fox 5/YouTube)

As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the Gilgo Four victims before they went missing.

Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuermans architecture business are located.

Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Watermans corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020.

A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June.

Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches.

Police remove evidence from home of Long Island serial killer suspect (Patrick Reichart)

The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and other disturbing content.

Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer, why hasnt the long island serial killer been caught and new phone technology may be key to break in case.

More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermanns wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermanns wife was out of state when the murders took place.

At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermanns wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year.

It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilised in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermanns residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing, prosecutors explained.

Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the Gilgo Four. Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist.
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A Manhattan architect and married father-of-two has been arrested on suspicion of being the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer responsible for up to 11 murders on Long Island.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody outside his Midtown office on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which sent fear through the shorelined community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago, sources told News 12 Long Island. Multiple other outlets including NBC News also identified the architect as the suspect arrested in the case.

On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims.

Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One neighbour, who has lived a stones throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is a very quiet family who made no imprint at all on the neighborhood.

Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him, the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch in a great neighbourhood.

One woman told News12 that it was mind-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday (RH Architecture)

However, it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning or Mr Heuermanns identity to The Independent, but have announced a press conference for Friday afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

The Gilgo Beach murders have long stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Four victims are still yet to be identified more than 10 years on from the discovery of their bodies.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Map showing where victims bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

News of the shock arrest comes after Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice when he was appointed to the role in early 2022.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

I want to make a commitment to the residents of Suffolk County as well as the family members, Mr Harrison, a former NYPD chief said in his first press briefing in his new role at the Long Island beach at the center of the murders in January 2022.

We will not rest until we bring those accountable to justice.

He added: Theres a commitment, a relentless pursuit to identify the individuals and bring them to justice. Thats for the family members to hear, to let them know that we will not rest, and we will make sure we do everything we have to do to hold them accountable.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

Four months later, police released the 911 call made by Gilbert on the night that she disappeared  something that Ms Gilberts family had been calling for for years.

In the call, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

Later in the call, she is heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car.

At one point, Gilbert is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

It is not clear if the release of the 911 call after all these years helped lead law enforcement to the suspect.
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A Kentucky man was arrested after an FBI investigation led agents to discover dozens of human skulls and spinal cords decorating his apartment.

The case has been linked by authorities to the nationwide Harvard morgue trafficking scheme, in which a network of individuals were allegedly involved in trafficking human remains stolen from Harvard Medical Schools morgue.

FBI agents filed a federal criminal complaint and executed a search warrant at the Mount Washington home of a man, identified as 39-year-old James Nott, and have accused him of selling human remains and for illegally possessing a firearm.

The agents said they found about 40 human skulls, spinal cords, femurs and hip bones in Notts apartment, along with a Harvard Medical School bag.

According to the complaint, the FBI agents asked Nott if anyone else was in the house before entering, to which he replied: Only my dead friends.

The agents found human remains placed decoratively around his furniture and one found wrapped in a headscarf, while another was on Notts bed.

Authorities said they reviewed Notts Facebook profile and messages and found he had bought human remains online using the alias "William Burke.

The Facebook page includes dealings of human remains as recently as June 2023, according to the documents.

According to the complaint, he exchanged messages with Jeremy Pauley, 40, from Pennsylvania who was charged in the Harvard morgue case for selling human remains. The two allegedly exchanged messages about selling and buying body parts.

The body parts found in Notts possession, however, are not believed to be from the Harvard morgue, according to an initial investigation, but he allegedly tried to sell them to someone connected to the case, reported HuffPost.

Nott sent photos and videos of human remains to Mr Pauley and said these will be here soon.. not claimed yet in one of the alleged text message exchanges.

Jeremy Pauley, age 41, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, allegedly bought some remains from Candace Chapman Scott, an accused in the Harvard morgue trafficking case (East Pennsboro Township Police Department)

Yeah some of these prices are fucking garbage out there. I dont mind paying up a little for shop stock, Mr Pauley allegedly replied. Makes things look good. How much total for the couple and the last video you sent plus the spines?

During the search, FBI agents said they found a handgun and AK-47 and arrested Nott for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Nott was convicted of possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of marijuana in 2011.

Last month, a network was uncovered of half a dozen people involved in the ghoulish case of trafficking of human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School.

At least six people, including the former manager of the Harvard Medical School morgue, Cedric Lodge, and his wife were charged with trafficking human remains last month.

Some crimes defy understanding, said US attorney Gerard M Karam about the case.

The theft and trafficking of human remains strikes at the very essence of what makes us human.
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A New York architect accused of murdering three women and dumping their bodies near Gilgo Beach on Long Island allegedly made taunting calls to a relative of one of his victims, prosecutors say.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested on Thursday and charged with six counts of murder in connection with three of 11 unsolved killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders.

Suffolk County district attorney Raymond Tierney wrote in a court filing that the sister of victim Melissa Barthelemy received taunting calls near to Mr Heuermanns office in Midtown Manhattan after her disappearance in July 2009.

Mr Heuerman also used the phones of Barthelemy and another victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes to check their voicemails after they disappeared, the district attorney wrote while requesting the suspect be held without bail.

Mr Heuerman has been charged with first and second-degree murders of sex workers Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22; and Amber Costello, 27, and is considered a prime suspect in the murder of Brainard-Barnes, 25.

Mr Tierney added that investigators found no instance where Mr Heuermann was in a different location from where the womens cellphones had been used.

During a court appearance on Friday, Mr Heuermann pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The bail application detailed disturbing internet search records traced to one of Mr Heuermans burner cellphones for sadistic, torture-related pornography and child pornography.

Rex Heuermann is allegedly seen in a store buying a burner phone (Suffolk County DA)

Investigators say Mr Heuermann also looked up images of the victims and their relatives, and conducted counter-surveillance on the criminal investigation on his burner phone.

The searches included why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer, and why hasnt the long island serial killer been caught.

Mr Heuermann allegedly created an email account under the fictitious name Thomas Hawk, and used it to repeatedly view hundreds of images depicting the murdered victims and members of their immediate families.

Rex Heuermann used a burner phone to call the sister of one of his alleged victims, prosecutors say (RH Architecture)

He also used the account to search for podcasts and documentaries about this investigation.

Mr Heumann was observed by law enforcement purchasing credit for one of the burners at a cell phone store in Midtown.

He used the phones to solicit the services of sex workers and create fake Tinder profiles, authorities say.

Law enforcement first identified Mr Heuermann as a suspect in March after his Chevrolet Avalanche was linked to a witness sighting during Costellos disappearance.

Subpoenas and search warrants uncovered records of burner cellphones used to arrange meetings with three of the four victims before they went missing.

District Attorney Tierney said the weight of evidence against Mr Heuermann meant that the only means to ensure (his) return to court is to remand him without bail.

Mr Heuermann, a married father of two, lives in Massapequa Park, near where the victims disappeared from.
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Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann appeared in court on Friday as he insisted on his innocence.

Mr Heuermann, 59, is accused of murdering Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello  all women in their 20s who were working sex workers and who disappeared in the Massapequa Park area in Long Island before their bodies were found during a separate missing person investigation in 2010.

The architect, a married father of two who lives in Massapequa Park and works in Manhattan, reportedly broke down in tears during his court appearance. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and three of second-degree murder.

We just got appointed on this case. Theres not much I can tell you folks at this point in time, his attorney, Michael Brown, told reporters, according to NBC. I will say to you folks that its extremely circumstantial in nature. In terms of speaking to my client, the only thing I can tell you that he did say, as he was in tears, was I didnt do this.

Mr Heuermann was walked out of the courthouse in handcuffs and wearing a polo shirt and khaki pants. He was held without bail as prosecutors had previously sought, citing his recent searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.

Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the Gilgo Four. Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist.

Her body and Barthelemy, Waterman and Castellos were found within one-quarter mile of each other, similarly positioned and bound in a similar fashion by either belts or tape. The unsolved murders sent fear through the shoreline community of Gilgo Beach but for more than a decade, few developments were made in the case.

Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriffs Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermanns bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday night in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders (Fox 5/YouTube)

A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance.

Prosecutors have argued that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.

Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costellos disappearance.

As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the Gilgo Four victims before they went missing.

Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuermans architecture business are located.

Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Watermans corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020.

Police remove evidence from home of Long Island serial killer suspect (Patrick Reichart)

A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June.

Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches.

The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content. Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer, why hasnt the long island serial killer been caught and new phone technology may be key to break in case.

A map shows the location of 10 victims remains found along Gilgo Beach since 2010 (Reuters)

More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermanns wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermanns wife was out of state when the murders took place.

At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermanns wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year.

It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermanns residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing, prosecutors explained.
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His Manhattan business describes him as a registered architect with over 30 years experience.

His neighbours describe him as a family man living with his wife and two children in a tight-knit community in Suffolk County.

But now authorities are describing him as the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer who unleashed terror along the shores of Long Island more than a decade ago.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday night in connection to the shocking murder case where body after body was found dumped along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

The 59-year-old has been charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello and is also the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth woman Maureen Brainard-Barnes  who was last seen alive in New York City in early June 2007.

All four women  known as the Gilgo Beach Four  worked as sex workers and vanished after going to meet clients.

While he has pleaded not guilty to the charges and broke down in tears sobbing to his attorney that he is innocent of the heinous crimes, authorities have painted a picture of a warped demon or animal who preyed on his victims, was obsessed with police efforts to catch him  and was at risk of striking again.

So who is the man suspected of being the infamous Long Island serial killer?

Rex Heuermann

Manhattan architect and married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was taken into custody at around 8.30pm on Thursday night near his Midtown office.

Dramatic video captured him walking along a Manhattan road when he was suddenly surrounded by plainclothes officers and taken into custody.

The accused killer has been married twice and shares a 26-year-old daughter and stepson, with special needs, with his second wife.

Mr Heuermann is president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates, a company which he founded in 1994 and which his adult daughter also works for.

Rex Heuermann in his booking photo (AP)

According to the company website, Mr Heuermanns company has worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo was taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

The architecture firm is based in Midtown Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive.

According to court records, phone calls made from burner phones and some of the victims cellphones can be traced to his office.

In his professional life, some acquaintances described him as arrogant while others said he was creepy.

Paul Teitelbaum, who worked with Mr Heuermann on a building in Brooklyn Heights, told The New York Times that the suspect had a swagger and an attitude that said: Im the expert, youre lucky to have me.

Meanwhile, Dominique Vidal  an interior designer who was part of the same architecture networking group as Mr Heuermann  said that he repeatedly called her and left her a creepy voicemail despite them never having worked together.

New York State police officers carry out a large item as law enforcement searches the home of Rex Heuermann, Saturday, July 15, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP)

He left this [voicemail] for me end of February after I left the group, she said in a TikTok video posted on Sunday.

Previous to that, he did call me a couple of times. I answered the phone. Nothing really significant. I found it odd he was calling me because I had no work for him. Theres no ongoing relationship. We were just two people who used to be in the same networking group.

Theres nothing incredibly scary about the voicemail, besides the fact that he is the Gilgo Beach murderer.

Neighbours of Mr Heuermann in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims  gave a mixed picture of the accused killer.

Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One neighbour, who has lived a stones throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is a very quiet family who made no imprint at all on the neighborhood.

Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him, the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch in a great neighbourhood.

Yet another neighbour  who had lived there for 13 years  told Newsweek that children would avoid his home on Halloween.

Most people dont knock on his door, said Barry Auslander. During Halloween, the kids are told to stay away. Hes not a very nice person.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

He added that his home was dilapidated and always dark.

Mr Heuermann has lived on Long Island his whole life  and now lives in the same property where he spent his childhood.

He grew up in Massapequa Park and attended Berner High School where Billy Baldwin was a classmate.

Maureen Holpit, 59, who also attended Berner High School with Mr Heuarmann, told The Independent that Mr Heauerman was once a shy teen who would often leave love notes in her locker. Ms Holpit said her exchanges with the now suspected serial killer were always pleasant and polite.

I was always nice and friendly to him, you know. Seemed like he kind of got picked on and people would make maybe portray him as a little nerdy. He was very quiet, mild-mannered. So I was nice and would say, Hey, Rex, how are you?, Ms Holpit, who now lives in Florida, tells The Independent.

I was getting these notes in my locker. As Im remembering, there were multiple little love notes but they were not signed, she added. Then, one day I did see him put it in my locker and so I knew they were from him. I may have said to him that I had a boyfriend or I just liked him as a friend.

The murders

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

She is also heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car and at one point, she is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

Map showing proximity of home being searched by police and Gilgo Beach where bodies were found (Google Maps)

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Aerial view of Manorville area where Valerie Mack remains were recovered (Suffolk County Police Department)

The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

The victims

The remains of at least 11 victims were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City.

The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert  a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life.

Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims  Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello  were found close by.

All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist.

Brainard-Barnes  known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four  was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010.

Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City.

Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy.

Some of the victims have never been identified.

The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier.

That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed Peaches whose remains were found in Nassau County.

The evidence

Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriffs Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermanns bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office.

A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance. It also revealed recent internet searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.

Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costellos disappearance.

Surveillance footage still of Rex Heuermann topping up a burner phone (via REUTERS)

As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the Gilgo Four victims before they went missing.

Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuermans architecture business are located.

Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Watermans corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020.

A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June.

Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches.

The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content.

Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer, why hasnt the long island serial killer been caught and new phone technology may be key to break in case.

Moment Gilgo Beach suspect arrested in crowded New York street

More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermanns wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermanns wife was out of state when the murders took place.

At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermanns wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year.

It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermanns residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing, prosecutors explained.

Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the Gilgo Four. Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist.
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New York architect Rex Heuermann is facing charges in the murders of three Gilgo Beach victims, court documents released by the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office revealed.

Mr Heuermann, 59, is accused of murdering Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello  all women in their 20s who were working as sex-workers and who disappeared in the Long Island area before their bodies were found during a separate missing person investigation in 2010.

The womens remains along with the body of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is also believed to be one of the Gilgo Four, were found within one-quarter mile of each other, similarly positioned and bound in a similar fashion by either belts or tape.

The unsolved murders sent fear through the shoreline community of Gilgo Beach but for more than a decade, few developments were made in the case. Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriffs Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermanns bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday.

A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance.

Mr Heuermann has not been charged with Brainard-Barnes murder but is also the prime suspect in that investigation. Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist.

Police mugshot of Rex Heuermann (SCPD)

Prosecutors have argued that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.

Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to Mr Heuermann was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costellos disappearance. Mr Heuermann, a married father of two and lives in the Massapequa Park area, where the victims were last seen.

Heuermann was arrested on Thursday night in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders (Fox 5/YouTube)

As law enforcement closed in on Mr Heuermann, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the Gilgo Four victims before they went missing.

Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuermans architecture business are located.

Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Watermans corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020.

Police remove evidence from home of Long Island serial killer suspect (Patrick Reichart)

A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June.

Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches.

The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content. Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer, why hasnt the long island serial killer been caught and new phone technology may be key to break in case.

A pizza box discarded by Heuermann was used to link him to the killings through DNA (Suffolk County DA)

Defendant Heuermann also searched for and viewed articles concerning the very Task Force that was investigating him, investigators noted in the bail application.

More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermanns wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermanns wife was out of state when the murders took place.

At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermanns wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year.

It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermanns residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing, prosecutors explained.
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Police held a press conference after Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann was arrested on suspicion of being the Gilgo Beach serial killer.

Suffolk County officials, representatives from the New York State Police and FBI will make a statement to announce the latest developments in the investigation of the Gilgo Beach murders.

The notorious Long Island serial killer targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along remote Long Island beaches.

Mr Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody on Thursday, 13 July in connection with the unsolved murders of at least 11 victims

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach. During a search for Gilbert police discovered the remains of another woman. Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

The deaths of 11 people whose remains were found in 2010 and 2011 along a New York Beach Highway left authorities puzzled for more than a decade.
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Tucker Carlson is looking to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to launch a new media company anchored on Twitter, a new report claims.

The former Fox News anchor is teaming up with ex-White House adviser Neil Patel and plan to anchor the new venture around extended versions of his Twitter shows, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Under the proposal, viewers could watch short clips of Carlsons shows for free and would then need to subscribe to watch the full version, according to the Journal.

Carlson was pushed out by Fox Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch in the wake of the $787.5m settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over the spread of 2020 election lies.

After launching a new show on Twitter, he became embroiled in a bitter dispute with Fox who alleged he had broken the terms of his $25m annual contract.

Carlson and Mr Patel founded the right-wing Daily Caller news site in 2010, and have reportedly lined up a team of lawyers, financiers and media strategists for the new company, the Journal reports.

The media company would reportedly have its own website and mobile app, and would look to expand on other social media sites beyond Twitter.

The venture could complicate Twitters efforts to coax advertisers back on to the platform, who fled after Elon Musks chaotic $44bn takeover led to a surge in hate speech.

Tucker Carlson is raising millions to launch a new media company (Twitter)

The Musk-owned social media platform this week began paying high-profile content creators to post on the site as part of his strategy to encourage media personalities to migrate to Twitter.

Andrew Tate, who is facing rape and human trafficking allegations in Romania, said he had received a payment of $20,000 from Twitter.

According to the Journal, Twitters new CEO Linda Yaccarino recently met with Carlsons longtime producer Justin Wells.

Carlon is yet to comment publicly on the new company. But a spokesperson for Carlson told the Journal he was unlikely to broadcast the show on YouTube due to censorship concerns.

Carlson has been at the centre of a wave of litigation aimed at Fox News in recent months.

His top rating 8pm primetime show repeatedly spread conspiracies about the 2020 election, and January 6 riots, which became the focus of defamation lawsuits by Dominion and Smartmatic voting machine companies.

Lat month, former Tucker Carlson Tonight producer Abby Grossberg received a $12m settlement from Fox over claims of a culture of misogyny at the network.
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(asterisk)(asterisk) TO MOVE AT 0400 GMT(asterisk)(asterisk)

The Guatemalan governments clumsy interference with its presidential election has tturned a global spotlight on a country whose struggles with deep corruption had received limited international attention.

President Alejandro Giammattei was deeply unpopular at home, but other than occasional statements of reprobation from the United States and Europe, had managed to consolidate his control of the justice system with little consequence.

It was a dramatic transformation for a country that until four years ago hosted an aggressive and productive anti-corruption effort supported by the United Nations. But since that mission was forced out by Giammatteis predecessor, the president had systematically put in loyalists to replace prosecutors and judges who led that fight against graft. Even those who had grown critical of the zealous anti-corruption effort now concede the country is much worse off now.

Then came the June 25 presidential election, which produced a shock for Guatemalans and outside observers. Heading into the vote, all polls indicated there would be a runoff between a narrow spectrum of candidates between the right and extreme right.

But with the number of null votes, many cast in protest, beating out all the 22 candidates, the progressive Seed Movements Bernardo Arevalo came in second, ensuring his participation in an Aug. 20 runoff. Suddenly, there was a real possibility of choice for Guatemalans who want to change the status quo

Katya Salazar, executive director of the Due Process Foundation, said Arevalos surprise support was a demonstration of the dissatisfaction in the Central American country and that shook the entrenched power structure right up to the president.

I think that fear clouded him, blinded him, and I think he thought that it would be the same as always, Salazar said.

Late Wednesday, a federal prosecutor announced the Seed Movement had been suspended for allegedly violating election laws in forming. Prosecutors followed up on Thursday morning by raiding the offices of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal just hours after it certified the election results that put Arevalo in the runoff.

The uproar was immediate. In addition to statements of concern from the United States, European Union and Organization of American States, criticism came from other Latin American governments as well as Guatemalas most powerful private business association.

Even Arevalos runoff opponent, conservative Sandra Torres, joined in, announcing that she would suspend her campaign activities in solidarity because the competition was uneven while authorities pursued the Seed Movement.

Torres' UNE party has been a key force in allowing Giammattei to advance his legislative agenda, but it appeared she felt his attack on the Seed party could undermine her own candidacy.

We want to demonstrate our solidarity with the voters of the Seed party and also with those who came out to vote, she said. As a candidate, I want to compete under equal conditions.

Not long after that, the Constitutional Court, the country's highest tribunal, provided another blow, granting the Seed Movements request for a preliminary injunction against a lower courts suspension of its legal status. That quickly, if temporarily, lowered tensions.

Giammattei, who was barred by law from seeking reelectdion, keep out of sight. His office issued a statement saying it respects the separation of powers and would not be involved in any judicial processes.

Arevalo thanked the Constitutional Court as well as the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which promised to defend the will of voters against government interference.

The corrupt who have tried to steal these elections from the people today find themselves marginalized, he said. Today we are starting the first day of the campaign.

___

Sherman reported from Mexico City.
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President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday allowing the Pentagon to tap an additional 3,000 military reservists to support the US mission in Europe to bolster Nato amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The additional troops will join the estimated 100,000 US service members already on the European continent.

"These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations, Lt Gen Douglas Sims told Military.com of the move.

Joe Biden with Volodomyr Zelensky at Nato summit (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The current US mission in Europe, dubbed Atlantic Resolve, began in 2014, as Russia annexed Crimea and put pressure on Ukraines Donbas region, a prelude to its wider invasion in 2022.

So far, the US has sent more than $76bn in aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, more than $46bn of which has been military-related.

The additional US forces came as President Biden made a high-profile swing through Europe for Nato summit in Lithuania on Wednesday.

On Thursday, speaking from Helsinki, Mr Biden reiterated US support for Nato.

Theres overwhelming support from the American people. Theres overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate, in both parties, he said, though he conceded some extreme elements of the Republican Party feel differently.

The previous day, Mr Biden voiced his awe at the unbroken people of Ukraine, who had shown incredible dignity in the face of Russia aggression.

One country cannot be allowed to seize his neighbour territory by force, Mr Biden said.

The US visit to Europe was not without its complications.

Shortly before the Nato summit, Mr Biden threw cold water on the idea of Ukraine joining the defensive organisation in the near term.

I dont think there is unanimity in Nato about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the Nato family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war, he told CNN last week.

The president also said that Ukraine would need to make reforms in terms of democratization before joining the alliance.
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Casey DeSantis has quickly become the face of Gov Ron DeSantis presidential campaign. The Florida first lady has been credited for everything from her fashion sense, local celebrity, and ability to baby proof the governors mansion, to serving as a humanizing contrast to her husband.

But is her rising profile enough to turn her husbands campaign around? Some have criticized her up to her eyebrows  literally  while others think she is a vital asset to the DeSantis campaign.

Before she was Mrs DeSantis, Jill Casey Black  she goes by her middle name  was born and raised in Ohio. She left the midwest to attend the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she studied economics and competed as an equestrian.

After graduating, she became a journalist, and began working as a producer and an on-air host on the PGA tour. She later worked as a reporter and anchor for Jacksonville television stations, a gig that earned her an Emmy award and landed her in Florida, where she would eventually meet her husband.

The couple met at a driving range in 2006 in Florida. Three years later, they tied the knot at Disney World, which the governor himself called ironic in hindsight, given his feud with the company in recent months.

The couple have three children  two daughters and a son, all under five  who are fixtures of DeSantis ads. Mrs DeSantis was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and was declared cancer-free in 2022. After her diagnosis, Gov DeSantis proposed $100m for cancer research, which was later approved.

She has supported the governors hard-right stances, like Floridas six-week abortion ban, the so-called Dont Say Gay law, disregard of pandemic-era masks, and prohibition of classroom discussions of issues of race in society and history, often bundled together under the phrase critical race theory. The Florida first couple are often photographed arm-in-arm, and her spotlighting has even sparked speculation that Casey DeSantis is the puppetmaster behind the campaign.

The role of the candidates spouse is not well-defined. Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of Americas Modern First Ladies, said in an email that candidates spouses main role is to serve as their adviser in private and to humanize them in public. She also added that spouses can make candidates relatable by sharing moments seen only behind the scenes.

Floridas first lady is a former TV presenter on the golfing shows On The Tee and PGA Tour Today (Getty Images)

Ms Brower noted, Michelle Obama was masterful at this, she would often joke about her husband leaving his dirty socks on the floor. Mrs DeSantis is accomplishing this, Ms Brower added, saying she is making him seem more like a three dimensional person and that she serves as a contrast to the governor, who can be stiff and very serious.

Former Minnesota Congressman and current GOP strategist Vin Weber said that the traditional role  to stand beside the candidate and look nice and supportive  has changed, pointing to Hillary Clinton and Laura Bushs influence in both campaigning and policy. Mr Weber said he doesnt know Ron DeSantis personally, but from what he has seen, Casey DeSantis could be making up for her husbands social stiltedness: She seems to have a real people touch and people like her.

But how much of an asset can the Florida first lady be if she isnt well known? Gunner Ramer, political director of Republican Accountability Project, pointed to focus groups reactions. He said that when talking to Republican primary voters in Florida, they know and like Mrs DeSantis. She makes Ron DeSantis into this family man, which I think can sometimes serve as a good contrast to Donald Trump, he said. But the thing is, on a national level, she isnt that well known.

Casey DeSantis speaking at a campaign event for her husband in Iowa in May. She has been happy to take a prominent role (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A longtime supporter close to Gov DeSantis tried to shed some light on the Florida first ladys private life. The source described her as a go-getter and a very involved mom. Usually when calling her, the source said, the kids are hanging all over her: Shes juggling the phone and juggling them.

Lack of recognition is probably a new problem for the couple, given Casey DeSantis reputation as a TV anchor. Perhaps that will change in the near future with her new initiative: Mamas for DeSantis. The coalition, launched this week, says its dedicated to raising the volume on the silenced voices of parents under Joe Biden. It aims to protect the innocence of our children, alluding to some of Gov DeSantis controversial education and LGBTQ+ policies, and is looking for every mama and every grandmama to support her husband.

Megyn Kelly goes after MSNBC guests for calling Casey DeSantis 'America's Karen'

The recent attention she has gotten hasnt always been positive. Last week, speculation  and eyebrows  rose over a viral photo of the Florida first ladys bushy brows. (Many say the image was doctored.) Far-right activist Laura Loomer accused her of an over exaggerated cancer diagnosis, a former GOP congressman dubbed her Americas Karen (her husband said she would wear the label as a badge of honour), and former President Trump and others have charged her with running her husbands campaign.

The longtime DeSantis supporter countered: Shes very involved as a candidates wife, especially in communications, given her background in media. The source called Mr Trumps claim a ludicrous accusation that is meant to make Ron look weak.

Others have been quick to comment on her style, ranging from glowing profiles to social media users calling her Swamp Barbie. Her wardrobe has been likened to Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the closest the US ever had to royalty, as Mrs DeSantis flaunted white gloves and dresses reminiscent of those worn by the late Mrs Kennedy. (Twitter users called her Tacky Onassis.)

Casey DeSantis outfit  complete with white gloves  at her husbands second inauguration as Florida governor in January drew comparisons with Jackie Kennedy (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A writer at The Daily Beast quickly put a distance between the Florida governors mansion and any royal castle  the DeSantises will never be Camelot  and described Casey DeSantis as Walmart Melania, comparing her wardrobe to that of former President Donald Trumps model wife.

But why would Casey DeSantis want to be compared to Melania Trump? Their husbands are competing for the GOP nomination and the couples relationships also appear markedly different. Melania was notoriously absent from the White House and has been distant throughout Mr Trumps 2024 campaign, while the Florida governors wife often appears beside her husband.

Mr Ramer said he thought Ron and Casey being together all the time can create a contrast to Trump. Ms Brower echoed that: I think knowing that Casey supports her husbands campaign is a vote of confidence that Donald Trump doesnt have from his wife. At least not at the moment.

I think Casey is an asset, but, Mr Weber said, I think shes an asset to a campaign that seems to be floundering.

Theres one thing running in a statewide contest. Theres another thing running for president on the national level, Mr Ramer said before posing the question: can the DeSanti replicate what they have accomplished in Florida on a national scale?

Ron and Casey hold hands as they leave Japan's premier's official residence on a trip to Tokyo (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Some of her husbands signature stances may not be as favourable nationally. A recent Gallup poll shows 69 per cent of Amercians think abortion should generally be legal in the first three months of pregnancy. Before the Dont Say Gay bill became a law, an ABC News and Ipsos poll showed 62 per cent of Americans opposed it.

But one group may support him at the ballot box: women. Female voters will not like it if they see the opponents attacking his wife, Mr Weber said, adding, that will have a little bit of a rallying effect on her behalf and his behalf.

Both Mr Ramer and the longtime supporter pointed to DeSantis 2022 gubernatorial victory, in which he earned 53 per cent of Floridas women voters, and credited Mrs DeSantis for helping achieve those numbers.

Despite the campaign brightening her spotlight, Mr Trump leads Mr DeSantis in nearly every recent poll. One edge that Gov DeSantis could use to trump Mr Trump? His age. The source predicted voters will want a younger candidate with school-aged children who understand what issues working class moms and dads are having to deal with. Ron DeSantis is 44, a year older than his wife.

A pretty, working mother seems like the perfect fit for a first lady; no one could quite pinpoint the heart of the divisiveness surrounding Mrs DeSantis. There are plenty of policy positions that she and her husband can, and should be, called out on, Ms Brower said, but instead people are focusing on her appearance, which is always low hanging fruit and its a shame.

Who is Ron DeSantis?

The longtime DeSantis supporter said she is the subject of criticism because she is a powerful figure, and is viewed as a threat to the establishment. The source agreed with Ms Brower: You can disagree with her philosophy on politics or on issues around culture, wars, etc. but attacking her looks and personality is unfair.

The source added that the DeSanti are protective of one another regarding public criticism: What really bothers her is when they hit her husband. And then what really bothers him is when she gets it.

Theres little doubt that the Florida governor faces an uphill battle  one he will climb arm-and-arm with his wife.
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California Republicans had a rare chance to celebrate Thursday after Democrats in the state Legislature capitulated on one of the GOP's top priorities: A bill to increase penalties for child traffickers.

If's not often that Republicans get to set the agenda in Sacramento, where they hold less than a quarter of seats in the state Legislature and haven't had a statewide officeholder in more than a dozen years. But the bill proved to be a winning topic among the public and even Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who took the unusual step of publicly supporting the proposal this week.

The bill by Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove would add child trafficking to a list of serious felonies in California. Anyone convicted of at least three serious felonies faces a prison sentence of between 25 years to life in prison under the states three strikes law.

The Democrats who control the Assembly Public Safety Committee decided not to advance the bill earlier this week. They opposed the bill in part because they oppose longer prison sentences, which they do not see as an effective deterrent of crime. They also worried the bill could inadvertently punish child trafficking victims with lengthy prison sentences.

It looked like the bill might not pass this year, until Wednesday when Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom intervened and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas also publicly pledged to get it right.

Thursday, lawmakers allowed the Public Safety Committee to meet again. In a brief meeting, four Democrats  including chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer  joined Republicans to advance the bill out of the committee ahead of a legislative deadline.

The bill now must be vetted by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, where Jones-Sawyer said he will ask for amendments to make sure victims of child trafficking are not penalized and that the legislation doesn't disproportionately affect people of color.

We shouldn't be playing politics. We should be coming together  together  to move this forward so that everybody is safe, Jones-Sawyer told reporters after the hearing. I'm going to make a commitment to do everything in my power to get it on the governor's desk so he can sign it.

The issue exposed a rift among Democrats over the best way to punish and prevent crime, with some supporting increased penalties while others favor more treatment options and alternative sentences.

It also presented a first test for Rivas, who just took over as Assembly speaker at the end of June. Rivas replaced Anthony Rendon, one of the longest serving speakers in state history who was famous for his hands-off approach, often deferring to committee chairs to decide the fate of bills.

It's not clear if Rivas ordered Jones-Sawyer to hold a second hearing and pass the bill. But during an appearance at the Sacramento Press Club on Wednesday, Rivas would not say whether he would allow Jones-Sawyer to stay as chair of the committee. Jones-Sawyer is termed out of office at the end of 2024.

Jones-Sawyer told reporters on Thursday he held Thursday's hearing to advance the bill after meeting privately with Grove the day before  a meeting he said answered some of my questions.

Republicans cheered the bill's revival, with Grove calling it a day for Californians to celebrate. But she said she would not change the bill, especially since Newsom indicated his support for it and the state Senate already voted unanimously to pass it.

There's no reason to take amendments. It's a very narrowly tailored bill addressing human trafficking of a minor child  selling a child for sex." Grove said. It needs to be passed as is.

Grove's refusal to take amendments could be trouble for the bill in the Assembly. Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan, a Democrat from Los Angeles who is a member of the Public Safety Committee, did not vote for the bill on Thursday. He later posted a message on his Twitter account saying the people most vulnerable to being charged with trafficking are the victims of trafficking themselves.

Grove said she had already made changes to the bill to address those concerns.

We don't want anyone who's a victim of a violent crime like human trafficking to be charged or put in prison for that," she said. That is not my intent. that is not what the bill says.

___

Associated Press reporter Tran Nguyen contributed to this report.
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Former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera faced a grilling from panelists on The View about his past friendship with crazy, racist and misogynistic Donald Trump.

Mr Rivera appeared on the talk show on Thursday  just weeks after he revealed in a Twitter video that he had been fired from Fox News show The Five after 23 years with the right-wing network.

On the show, the 80-year-old was mocked by hosts Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin over his once close relationship with the former president, who sought to correct him when he claimed Mr Trump only went crazy after losing the 2020 presidential election.

In a marked change of heart from the past, Mr Rivera said that he would now dedicate whatever energy I have left in the profession to ensure that he is not reelected president ever.

You know, it is a process, I think. And listening to your previous discussion in the last segment that Fox had a moral crisis after the election. Yeah, everyone knows I was close to Donald Trump for decades. You can boo or cheer. We came up together in New York from the 1970s when he was in New York, he told the panel about his friendship with Mr Trump.

Ms Behar responded by saying things were different then as Mr Trump was a New York character rather than a powerful political figure.

Mr Rivera agreed and went on to try to explain why he remained close to Mr Trump as he entered the White House.

He was a New York character. I went to and I did Celebrity Apprentice, you know. And then, you know, fate would have it just weeks after I did the Celebrity Apprentice, he announced his candidacy for the presidency, he said.

So, I mean, how many people have, you know, their friend... in the White House as president of the United States? He gave me tremendous access.

He added: He was always very nice to me even though he knew I didnt vote for him. So, you know, I have a different [outlook].

When Ms Behar asked the former Fox News host what he thinks happened to Mr Trump, Mr Rivera replied: What happened was he lost the election and became a crazy guy.

At that point, both Ms Behar and Ms Hostin interjected to say that Mr Trump always had those characteristics.

He was crazy before that. What are you talking about? asked Ms Behar.

Geraldo Rivera speaks out on The View after parting ways with Fox News (The View)

I mean, he was a misogynist and a racist before then, Ms Hostin added.

Mr Rivera backed down agreeing that youre right but adding that Mr Trump was always nice to me.

Ms Hostin fired back: Did he know you were Puerto Rican?

Mr Rivera replied that a lot of Puerto Ricans like Donald Trump, before adding: I know. You know, I know

Later in the interview, Mr Rivera called Mr Trumps actions leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot unforgivable saying that he incited a riot and encouraged his followers to go there and ruin their lives that day.

He stabbed the Constitution in the back, he said.

And I really, even though I still have affection for him and I remember the good times  because of that, he is disqualified, I believe, from ever being president of the United States.

The former Fox News host was a close friend of the former president for many years but has been seeking to distance himself from him of late.

Last year, Mr Rivera took to Twitter to say that he would never back Mr Trump ever again after he refused to accept his 2020 election loss and peddled false claims that it was stolen from him.

Election Deniers depress me. I blame President Trump for his shameful campaign to slander and undermine American faith in our elections. For all his positive accomplishments, and there are many, I could never support him again, he tweeted in September,

Without fealty to the Constitution, were [second] rate.

In his appearance on The View, Mr Rivera also spoke out about his departure from Fox Nes

Mr Rivera announced in late June that he was parting ways with Fox News after he claimed that he had been fired from The Five.

In a bizarre Twitter video filmed aboard a speeding boat off Long Islands Jones Beach, Mr Rivera told the camera: Im not going to be on The Five. Ive been fired from The Five. And, as a result of that, I quit Fox.

In a statement at the time Fox News said: We reached an amicable conclusion with Geraldo over the past few weeks and look forward to celebrating him on Fox & Friends Friday morning which will be his last appearance on the network.

Mr Rivera joined the network in 2001 and became a host of The Five a year later. The show became Foxs most-watched programme, averaging more than three million viewers last year despite airing in the late afternoon and not in primetime.
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Lawyers for the presidents son Hunter Biden sent Donald Trump a cease-and-desist letter on Thursday, alleging that the former presidents frequent hostile comments about Mr Biden are defamatory and likely to inspire violence.

We are just one such social media message away from another incident, the letter, obtained by Law360, claims, citing the violent attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosis husband as a cautionary tale of the dangers of online rhetoric.

You should make it clear to Mr Trump  if you have not done so already  that Mr Trumps words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop, the letter adds.

Hunter Biden has become a regular target for right-wingers including the former president (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The letter points to recent examples of Mr Trumps aggressive statements about Mr Biden, such as a March social media post allegedly implying Mr Biden should get a death sentence and July message claiming cocaine found in the White House was for use by Hunter. The letter claims such provocations could inspire one of Mr Trumps easy-to-trigger followers.

Donald Trumps lawyers Joe Tacopina declined to comment when contacted by The Independent.

In June, Mr Biden reached a tentative agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to two misdemeanour counts of failing to pay taxes and to admit the facts of a gun charge in exchange for likely avoiding jail time.

The plea still needs to be approved by a federal judge, and a hearing is scheduled for later this month.

Republicans in Congress and beyond have alleged that Mr Biden is benefitting from his famous name to avoid harsher prosecution.

During a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee this week with FBI Director Christopher Wray, GOP members sharply criticised the agency, alleging a political bias.

Heres what the American people know and believe about the FBI today, sir, Rep Wesley Hunt told Mr Wray. If you are a Trump, you will be prosecuted. If you are a Biden, you will be protected.

I obviously disagree with your description of the two standards, the FBI director said in response. In my view, at least under my watch, we have one standard. And that is were going to pursue the facts wherever they lead, no matter who likes it.
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Federal prosecutors investigating Donald Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results have questioned his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, among other witnesses to see if the former president acknowledged he had lost.

Mr Kushner testified to a grand jury in Washington DC last month, according to a report from The New York Times.

Prosecutors inquiry about Mr Trumps private knowledge of the election results may determine whether US Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith brings charges against the ex-president regarding his interference with the results of the 2020 election.

During his testimony, the former presidents son-in-law maintained that Mr Trump believed the election was stolen, a source briefed on the matter said.

Other people close to Mr Trump, including Alyssa Farah Griffin, the former White House director of strategic communications, and Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director, were questioned as well.

Throughout a series of congressional hearings by the House Select Committee on the January 6th Attack, members of Congress provided the public with witness testimony that allies of Mr Trump informed him multiple times he lost the election.

Despite this, the ex-president maintained he won and purported lies of voter and election fraud.

A baseless narrative of election fraud fuelled supporters of Mr Trump who stormed the Capitol building on 6 January 2021, interrupting the certification of the election results and assaulting dozens of law enforcement officers.

It is unclear what charges federal prosecutors could bring against Mr Trump, should they decide to, but the House Select Committee referred several possible charges to the Justice Department last year, including inciting an insurrection and obstructing an act of Congress.

Mr Trump is already facing federal charges brought by Mr Smith regarding his alleged mishandling of classified documents. He also faces charges in New York related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

He also is facing an investigation in Georgia by Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis regarding his alleged efforts to overturn his election loss in that state.
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The top state election official in New Mexico has spoken with federal prosecutors as part of the special counsels probe into the 2020 election, the official's spokesman said Friday.

The meeting with New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver occurred sometime in the past few months, according to spokesman Alex Curtas, who declined further comment.

The Justice Department has spent months examining pressure campaigns by Trump associates aimed at getting battleground states won by Democrat Joe Biden to undo the results of their elections. Special counsel Jack Smith and his team have issued subpoenas to election officials in states that Trump disputed, seeking correspondence from Trump associates and campaign aides, and have also lined up interviews in recent months with state officials.

The communications with state officials are one prong of a much bigger probe by Smith and his team into efforts to block the transfer of power from Trump to Biden. It is not clear when Smiths investigation into the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot might end or whether anyone might be charged.

A spokesman for Smith declined to comment on Friday.

Its unknown what questions were asked of Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat in her second term, about the 2020 election in New Mexico.

After Biden won the state by nearly 11 percentage points, Trumps campaign briefly challenged the results in court before dropping the lawsuit. Republicans in the state submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the winner  though the fake electors added a caveat saying the certificates were submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors.

Although Democrats control every statewide elected office in New Mexico, with majorities in the Statehouse, false claims of fraud and manipulation of voting machines in 2020 have resonated in some politically conservative communities, including Otero County, where commissioners in June 2022 initially refused to certify election results.

Former Otero County commissioner and Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin was barred last year from holding public office for engaging in insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson have also spoken with officials from Smiths office in recent months, according to their staffs.

Kathy Boockvar, the chief state election official in Pennsylvania during the 2020 election, said Friday she has not been asked for an interview.

It was not currently clear whether state officials overseeing elections in 2020 in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin  other states disputed by Trump -- have met with investigators.

Efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn his loss in Georgia are also the subject of a separate investigation in Atlanta's Fulton County with local prosecutors saying they expect a decision later this summer on next steps. It was in a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call that Trump suggested Raffensperger could help find the votes necessary to reverse Bidens win.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contributed to this report.
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For the past two years, Ray Epps has been living a surreal nightmare, one born out of the same conspiracy theory universe that launched a riot in the halls of Congress, hundreds of criminal investigations, and a blockbuster defamation lawsuit against one of the most influential cable networks in the country.

He cast his vote for Donald Trump weeks before he would end up at the centre of a conspiracy theory on that same network, one he loyally watched.

Mr Epps traveled to Washington DC from Arizona to support the president while a joint session of Congress certified the results of an election he lost but refused to accept. He moved past exterior barricades as an unruly mob pushed through police and stormed the US Capitol.

He never went inside, and he was never arrested, fuelling an ongoing conspiracy theory that the now 66-year-old was working with law enforcement to instigate a riot to entrap Trump supporters, part of a long-running belief among Republicans that federal authorities are using the levers of power to discriminate against them.

Those claims have circulated across social media, among members of Congress  and in dozens of segments on Tucker Carlsons Fox News platform, now the subject of a defamation lawsuit from Mr Epps.

The man in the middle of the right-wing conspiracy theory surrounding January 6 has accused the far-right pundit of amplifying a fantastical story that has destroyed his family and his business, accusations that echo an historic $787m settlement between Fox and Dominion Voting Systems, which accused the network of spreading defamatory statements about the company in the elections aftermath.

A lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court on 12 July points to the mountains of allegations from that case, noting that Foxs role in creating and disseminating destructive conspiracy theories has already been well documented.

The complaint was signed by Brian Farnan  who served as the lead Delaware counsel for Dominion in its suit against Fox.

Defamation is defamation, so if Tucker and Fox News defamed Ray Epps, it doesnt ultimately matter what happened with Dominion, Michael Teter, an attorney for Mr Epps, told The Independent.

It certainly is possible for us to prove a pattern of disregard for the truth. I think it will resonate with a jury that there should be additional punitive damages associated with Foxs behavior and conduct, he said. I believe that this case is ripe for punitive damages, not just because of the willfulness on the part of lying about Ray and the egregious lies but also because theres a past conduct here of disregard for the truth.

Rodney Smolla, president of Vermont Law School who consulted for Dominion in its case against Fox, told The New York Times that when it comes to proving defamation no case is easy but the lawsuit from Mr Epps is certainly, in my view, viable.

The challenge, Mr Smolla said, is for a judge to agree that the conspiracy theory is so inherently, bizarrely improbable that only a reckless person would put it into circulation.

Recommended Damning court documents reveal Rudy Giuliani knew claims about Georgia election workers were false

The lawsuit follows a cease-and-desist letter that Mr Teter sent to the network earlier this year, demanding that Carlson retract his false and defamatory statements about him and deliver a formal on-air apology for the lies he promoted. Fox did not respond, Mr Teter said.

The extensive filings in the Dominion case documented how Fox employees were harassed and intimidated and threatened by Fox viewers because of the lies that Fox was spreading about the company, according to Mr Teter.

And if a company is going to feel the brunt of that, then an individual whos singularly targeted by Fox is going to especially feel that, and so they acted with a heightened degree of malice and disregard for the consequences of their actions, he said.

The Independent has requested comment from Fox.

On his Tucker Carlson Tonight, Carlson claimed there is no rational explanation why this mysterious figure who helped stage-manage the insurrection had not yet been charged, among more than two dozen statements collected in the lawsuit, which notes that the claims were not isolated to Carlsons prime-time program.

Fox repeatedly published defamatory falsehoods about Epps, including by broadcasting and rebroadcasting defamatory statements by Tucker Carlson who devoted over two dozen segments to Epps and by republishing those falsehoods across Fox platforms, according to the lawsuit.

The House select committee that investigated the January 6 attack and efforts to overturn the 2020 election also dismissed the conspiracy theory surrounding Mr Epps. In his interview with committee investigators, he testified that he was not a federal agent, and that the crazy conspiracy theories surrounding him have torn his life apart.

Its almost like an out of body experience like, is this really happening to me? Mr Teter said. They had one life that was serene and calm and happy and contented and busy and prosperous. And then within a matter of weeks or months, after lies started being told about them, all that disappeared, all of it.

Ray and his wife Robyn Epps received threatening messages, including death threats and a plastic bag with a bullet casing inside and voicemails threatening to burn their house down, according to the complaint, which includes several examples of harassing emails, letters and text messages.

They were forced to sell their five-acre ranch in Arizona, out of which they ran their wedding business, according to the complaint. They moved into a 350-square-foot mobile home in Utah.

The business went with it, Mr Teter said. They didnt get to sell the business separately. It just was part of the house going for the appraised value and that was it. There was no additional value of the business. So theyve lost their business. Theyve lost their livelihood.

The lawsuit also seeks unspecified significant damages for the extensive emotional harm the couple has endured.

The Eppss story illustrates the depths of the conspiratorial coverage driving right-wing media  the irony of a Trump-supporting Fox News viewer turning into the star of a conspiracy theory is not lost on Mr Teter.

I think it demonstrates the extreme nature of conspiracy theories and that conspiracy theories are often born out of his political tool, He said. You could look at any amount of evidence existing prior to January 6 to see that Ray Epps and Robyn Epps supported Donald Trump and supported Republicans. The fact that they would turn against some of their own demonstrates that it really is about serving some other interests and other purpose.

Those claims have also been echoed by Republican members of Congress who have made Mr Epps the subject of investigative hearings. On the same day the lawsuit was filed, House Republicans grilled FBI director Christopher Wray about alleged federal agents at the scene of the attack.

I will say this notion that somehow the violence at the Capitol on January 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources and agents is ludicrous and is a disservice to our brave, hardworking dedicated men and women, Mr Wray said in his sworn testimony to the House Judiciary Committee.

Carlson, in his first interview since his exit from the network in the wake of the Dominion settlement, said he doesnt know why he was fired.

The network announced that Carlson agreed to part ways days after Fox agreed to the settlement with the voting machine company over bogus claims that Carlson privately disputed but amplified on air.

Fox also reached a $12m settlement with Abby Grossberg, a former producer for Tucker Carlson Tonight, who alleged a culture of misogyny at the network in a federal lawsuit that depicted an environment where women are routinely verbally violated by a poisonous and entrenched patriarchy.

Speaking about her case, Ms Grossberg alleged that she was directed to find lawyers for January 6 defendants who would speak to and validate a conspiracy theory surrounding any alleged federal involvement in the attack.

When none of them would, she was told to find someone else, she said.

Tucker was very set on finding an FBI person who was implanted in the crowd and spinning this conspiracy that they were ultimately the ones responsible for the Capitol attack, she told MSNBC.

An attorney told her, twice, there is no conspiracy, get away from this stuff, this is dangerous, tell Tucker to stop, she said.

The response was, Find somebody else. Tucker is really intent on this, she said.

Recommended Justice Department challenges prison sentences for Oath Keepers convicted on January 6 charges

Mr Teter said they are keeping the door open for potential settlement discussions, but attorneys have not had any communication from the networks legal team after issuing the cease-and-desist letter in March.

Theyve had opportunities to reach out to us, he told The Independent. Maybe it takes the formality of a complaint to get those conversations started. And if they want to engage in those conversations, we are always open to them.

Ray and Robyn Epps face the prospect of a similar media circus that descended on the near-trial in the Dominion case, with media reporters and news outlets from around the US parked in front of the Delaware courthouse in Wilmington.

Theyve been scrutinized for two years. And so in some sense, having a framework and a forum that is fair and deliberate and meaningful will be much better for them than what theyve had to experience, Mr Teter said. Theyre open-eyed about it. They know their lives will never be the same as they were before.
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The special counsel investigating former president Donald Trump threatened potential criminal charges against a Trump Organization employee suspected of lying to investigators, according to sources of ABC News.

Jack Smith transmitted a letter to a staffer that indicated that they might have perjured themselves in an appearance before the federal grand jury that ultimately indicted Mr Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents, the sources said to ABC.

The letter appears to signal Mr Smiths interest in the Trump Organizations handling of surveillance footage and possible efforts by the organization to avoid sharing footage with investigators.

The former president pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to his handling of classified documents from his presidency. Prosecutors allege that Mr Trump repeatedly refused to turn over hundreds of documents that contained classified information ranging from US nuclear threats to the countrys defence capabilities.

The letter informed the employee that they face the prospect of an indictment. Mr Smiths office had previously sent a similar warning to Mr Trump in the weeks before a grand jury indicted the former president.

The employee declined to comment to ABC News, saying It's none of your business, as did Stanley Woodward, a lawyer who represented the employee. Investigators are reportedly looking into the employees role in handling surveillance footage at Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate, as well as any interactions he had with Walt Nauta, another employee of Mr Trump whom a grand jury indicted last month.

Mr Nauta also plead not guilty to all the charges leveled at him.

But sources said that the special counsel is not taking the position that anyone destroyed the surveillance footage but rather say that it was withheld.

Mr Smith is in charge of not only the investigation into Mr Trumps handling of classified documents after leaving office but also his actions related to the January 6 insurrection.
 Close Trump shares threatening fan-made video

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Donald Trump will face trial for the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case on 20 May 2024, just six months before the presidential election. Judge Aileen Cannon gave the order on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, the former president has been busy bullying his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, including Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson, on Truth Social as he braces for an imminent grand jury indictment over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his role in inciting the Capitol riot of 6 January 2021.

Mr Trump announced on Tuesday that he had been sent a letter by special prosecutor Jack Smith informing him that he is the target of the investigation, citing three statutes under which he could be charged, including conspiracy to commit offence or to defraud the United States, deprivation of rights under colour of law and tampering with a witness, victim or informant.

That indictment, Mr Trumps third in four months, could be handed down any day now, The Independent learned.

Meanwhile, the latest attorney to join Mr Trumps legal team says he wants cameras in court when the former president is potentially put on trial over his alleged election interference.
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Former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson on Friday appeared to lose his patience with former vice president Mike Pence after the 2024 presidential candidate refused to back down from his support for arming Ukraines defence forces.

Mr Pence and Carlson, who spoke for approximately 26 minutes as part of a GOP candidate forum in Iowa sponsored by Blaze Media and the Family Leader social conservative organisation, spent roughly half of their discussion sparring over Mr Pences view of the nearly 18-month-old war, which the ex-vice president described in stark terms based on his two visits to the region.

The ex-Fox News host, who before his firing in April used his prime time programme to rail against US support for Kyiv while frequently parroting Russian government talking points, attempted to bait Mr Pence into denouncing the Ukrainian government for what he described as mistreatment of Christians.

Carlson was referring to a series of actions by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who since the start of the war has imposed internal economic sanctions on a number of clergy from the Russia-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The UOC is an offshoot of the pro-Kremlin Russian Orthodox Church, which is headed by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who according to Forbes was listed in Soviet archives as an agent of the KGB.

After the former television presenter accused Mr Zelensky of having raided convents, arrested priests [and] effectively banned[ing] a denomination, Mr Pence replied that he had raised that issue with the head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, who he said had assured him that Mr Zelenskys government was respecting religious liberty even while recognising that they were very small elements of the Russian Orthodox Church that were being utilised for the purpose of advancing the Russian cause in Ukraine.

The leader of the church at St Michael's in Kyiv told me personally that he he believed that this Zelensky government was respecting religious liberty, and I must tell you, other than the sanctity of life, there's no higher priority in my life than preserving the freedom of religion in America and championing religious liberty around the world, he said.

Carlson, who became rather irate at Mr Pences answer, asked the former vice president how a Christian leader such as himself could support the arrest of Christians for having different views, at which point Mr Pence said the church leader hed spoken to in Kyiv had assured [him] that no one in Ukraine was being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

Carlson has repeatedly amplified Kremlin talking points and attacked the president of Ukraine (REUTERS)

The fired Fox presenter became yet more flustered when Mr Pence launched into a full-throated defence of American and European efforts to arm Ukraines defence forces, telling Carlson that what hed seen during his visits there was not just evidence of war but of evil.

After Mr Pence said he believes it is in American interests to continue supporting Ukraine, Carlson began to raise his voice and accuse Mr Pence of plodding over the treatment of Christians there.

The former vice president interjected, telling Carlson: The problem is you wont accept my answer!

I just told you that I asked the religious leader in Kyiv if it was happening, you asked me if I raised the issue, and I did. And I'm saying I also raised it with the Ukrainians, and I was told that there are there are religious leaders who have been working with the Russian military that is murdering people by the thousands, he said.
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Conditions in Greece have been compared to those in Africa as southern Europeans suffer through a heatwave forecast to only worsen in the coming days.

Europes highest ever recorded temperature  48.8C (119.8F)  could be breached in Sicily and Sardinia next week and Spain is expected to reach 45C, experts say.

Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Poland and Croatia have all been hit, and officials in several countries have been preparing emergency measures, including mobile phone heat alerts.

Rescue workers take a visitor from the Acropolis to an ambulance (AFP via Getty Images)

Its like being in Africa, said 24-year-old tourist Balint Jolan, from Hungary. Its not that much hotter than it is currently at home, but yes, it is difficult.

Officials in Athens shut the ancient Acropolis for several hours on Friday to protect visitors as the Greek meteorological service forecast temperatures peaking at 41C in the city.

Read live updates on Europes heatwave here

Hellenic Red Cross workers handed out bottled water to tourists in long queues fanning themselves, and paramedics gave first aid to tourists fainting and suffering dehydration.

The mercury on Acropolis Hill is usually even higher due to its altitude and lack of shade, but the last-minute decision left some people frustrated. I even bought a 50 ticket to skip the line to enter and I couldnt enter the place, one said.

Elsewhere in Athens, tourists huddled under mist machines.

There and in other Greek cities, working hours were changed for the public sector and many businesses to avoid the midday heat, while air-conditioned areas were opened to the public.

Volunteers try to put out the wildfire in Grebastica (AP)

In the Spanish capital, Madrid, zoo animals were fed fruit ice pops, while authorities in Cyprus urged residents to avoid forest areas where wildfires could be sparked accidentally.

Swathes of the Balkans also sweltered. In Croatia, the village of Grebastica near the Adriatic coast was devastated by a wildfire that destroyed cars and homes. Dozens of firefighters and three aircraft struggled to contain the blaze that spread rapidly due to strong southerly winds.

The Earth steamed to its hottest June on record, smashing the previous global mark by nearly a quarter of a degree, with global oceans setting temperature records for the third month running, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  considered the gold standard for record-keeping.

Europes monster heatwave, called Cerberus, has already claimed at least one life as it brought temperatures surpassing 104F (40C) across the continent this week. On Tuesday, the land surface temperature in parts of the Spanish region Extremadura exceeded 140F (60C).

Tourists used umbrellas for shade at the Parthenon (AP)

A 44-year-old man painting road markings in northern Italy collapsed and died.

Many people are worried about next week, when the heat in the country is expected to intensify, and temperatures are forecast to climb to above 45C (113F) in the centre and south, under a new heatwave named Cheron.

According to La Repubblica, the heat this weekend could be trumped by 12C in the following days, particularly in Tuscany and Lazio.

If so, it would break Europes current record of 48.8 Celsius recorded in Sicily in August 2021.

The impact of such extremities has been brought into focus by a new study that found up to 61,000 people died in Europes sweltering heat last summer. The forecast has also raised fears about the impact on crops and animals.

A man cools off at a fountain in Rome (Reuters)

The European Space Agency said: Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland are all facing a major heatwave, with temperatures expected to climb to 48 degrees Celsius on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia  potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe.

Emergency services in Turkey have been grappling with both fires and floods, in which three people have died.

While there are heat and fires on one side of the country, there are floods and deluges on the other, said deputy agriculture minister Veysel Tiryaki.

Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald said: We are just getting a small taste for the types of impacts that we expect to worsen under climate change.

Recommended Cities in the US are sinking due to the climate crisis

Climate scientist Friederike Otto of the Imperial College of London said: Until we stop burning fossil fuels, this will only get worse. Heat records will keep getting broken, people and ecosystems are already in many cases beyond what they are able to deal with.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Watch again as Emmanuel Macron and Narendra Modi gave a joint statement at the Elysee Palace after watching the Bastille day parade on Friday, 14 July.

The Indian prime minister was a guest of honour at the military parade earlier in the day, which saw members of the Indian army march alongside French troops down the Champs-Elysees accompanied by a marching band.

During the parade, French-made Rafale fighter jets India bought in 2015 took part in a fly-past over the Arc de Triomphe.

As part of his two-day visit, Mr Modi was granted the Legion of Honour, Frances highest award, on Thursday.

Mr Modis visit has been criticised by human rights organisations who say they are concerned about the perceived growing authoritarian nature of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and accusations of discrimination against minorities.
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Russias top mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin has probably been murdered after leading a failed rebellion against the Kremlin regime, a former senior US military leader has suggested.

Prigozhin, the Wagner Group chief, ordered his soldiers to march on Moscow last month amid an ongoing feud with Russias top military brass about its strategy in the Ukraine war.

I personally dont think he is, and if he is, hes in a prison somewhere, Robert Abrams, a retired general, told ABC News when asked if he thought the warlord was alive.

The Kremlin claimed that president Vladimir Putin met with Prigozhin five days after the latter stood down his troops.

But Prigozhin has not been seen in public since then and general Abrams cast doubt on whether the meeting ever actually took place.

Id be surprised if we actually see proof of life that Putin met with Prigozhin, and I think its highly staged, he said.

The move by Prigozhin, viewed by some in Russia as a potential successor to Putin, plunged the country into a temporary meltdown.

On 24 June Prigozhin claimed to have taken control of all of Russias military sites in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and demanded that the military leadership come to him after accusing them of killing his forces with a rocket attack on the front line.

He vowed to take revenge for the deaths and to stop the evil brought by the military leadership of this country in an extraordinary series of audio clips published the night before.

Some reports suggest Prigozhin is in Belarus (PRIGOZHIN PRESS SERVICE)

Images and video circulating on social media showed armed men on the streets of Rostov, skirting the regional police headquarters in the city on foot, as well as tanks positioned outside the headquarters of the Southern Military District - key to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

It sparked a huge security response in Moscow, where anti-terrorist measures were put in place and additional checks on roads, with unconfirmed footage showing military vehicles on the streets.

Russias FSB Security Service, meanwhile, opened a criminal case for armed mutiny against Prigozhin and said his statements and actions constituted calls for the start of an armed civil conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Prigozhin later called off the rebellion, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed and the charges against him were later dropped.

Putin conceded in a speech to military personnel in Moscow that a civil war had been narrowly avoided and some analysts suggested that his authority had been badly damaged by the public spat between Wagner and the Kremlin.

The Kremlin suggested Prigozhin would be exiled to Belarus as punishment but his whereabouts since the failed rebellion have remained a mystery. His fellow mercenaries involved in the rebellion were also reportedly being allowed to leave to Belarus.

But neither Russia nor Belarus has confirmed where Prigozhin is. Belaruski Hajun, an independent Belarusian military monitoring project, said a business jet that Prigozhin reportedly uses landed near Minsk on the morning of 27 June.

On Wednesday this week Russias defiance ministry said the Wagner Group was completing the handover of its weapons to the military.

The disarming of Wagner reflects efforts by authorities to defuse the threat it posed and also appears to herald an end to the mercenary groups operations on the battlefield in Ukraine.
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Wagner mercenaries have arrived in Belarus and are instructing the countrys troops, the Belarusian defence ministry has said.

Wagner fighters acted as instructors in a number of military disciplines, the Belarusian defence ministrys television channel said. The ministry also released a video showing what it said were Wagner fighters instructing Belarusian soldiers at a military range near the town of Osipovichi, around 55 miles southeast of the capital Minsk.

Some Wagner fighters have been in Belarus since at least Tuesday, two sources close to the fighters told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

The relocation was part of a deal to end a mutiny led by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, which had threatened to tip Russia into civil war. Twenty-four hours after the uprising started, after the group's forces had marched to 125 miles from Moscow, Mr Prigozhin stood down his mercenaries and agreed to move to Belarus in exchange for Russia dropping mutiny charges. The deal also included an offer for some of Mr Prigozhin's forces to join him.

Yet until now, there has been no sign of Wagner fighters in Belarus and Mr Prigozhin has not been seen in public since he left the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don late on 24 June, though a private jet linked to him has moved between Belarus, Moscow and St Petersburg.

When Reuters visited a tent camp near Osipovichi last week as part of a trip organised by Belarus, there was no sign of Wagner fighters there. A picture of Mr Prigozhin in a tent appeared on a Wagner-linked Telegram channel on Friday, with some speculation that it may have been taken in Belarus this week. That is unconfirmed, as there was confusion over the date connected to the image.

In the video released by Belarusian authorities, at least one of the fighters identified as Wagner mercenaries had a Matryoshka doll symbol on his helmet which is used by some of Mr Prigozhin's forces.

Wagner helped Russia annex Crimea from Ukraine in 2014  territory that Kyiv says it is seeking to reclaim as it fights Russias current invasion. Wagner was involved in the fierce fighting around the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine in recent months. Elsewhere, Wagner forces have also fought Isis militants in Syria and operated in Central African Republic and Mali.

Mr Putin is also said to have offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to keep fighting at a meeting just days after their failed mutiny, but the Russian president suggested Mr Prigozhin be moved aside in favour of a different commander, the Russian Kommersant newspaper reported.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Mr Putin had held talks with Wagner commanders and Mr Prigozhin at a meeting on 29 June, five days after the mutiny. The mercenaries, the Kremlin claimed, reaffirmed their loyalty to Mr Putin.

But Kommersant's report suggested the future of Mr Prigozhin and Wagner was in doubt. Wagner does not exist, Mr Putin told the newspaper, when asked if it would be preserved as a fighting unit. There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesn't exist.

Asked about Mr Putins remark, the Kremlin said on Friday that there was no legal entity named Wagner and the legal status of such companies was a complicated one which needed consideration. That was long the stance of Mr Putin and the Kremlin, which gave deniability about Wagner's actions. But in the wake of the aborted mutiny, Mr Putin admitted that the group was funded by the state  saying that wages for the groups fighters had come out of state coffers.

He also related details about the 29 June meeting to Kommersant, saying he had suggested several options for them to continue fighting, including that a senior Wagner figure known by his nom de guerre Sedoi  or "grey hair"  take over command.

Sedoi is the nom de guerre of Andrei Troshev, a senior Wagner commander, according to European Union sanctions documents, French official documents, sources with knowledge of the matter and Russian media reports. A highly decorated veteran of Russias wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya, Mr Troshev is from St Petersburg, Mr Putins hometown, and has been pictured with the president.

All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve, Kommersant quoted Mr Putin as saying. And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all that time.

Mr Putin said that many of the commanders had nodded their head at his suggestion but Mr Prigozhin, who was sitting at the front, did not see this, Kommersant said.

No, the boys wont agree with such a decision, Mr Putin quoted Mr Prigozhin as saying. The remarks do not appear in an official Kremlin transcript of comments Mr Putin made to the newspaper and a state television reporter on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, the Pentagon said that the US believed that Wagner mercenaries are now not participating in military operations in Ukraine in any significant capacity.

According to the Pentagon's assessment, the majority of Wagner forces are still in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, defence department press secretary, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, said, but really effectively are no longer contributing as a significant combat capability.

US president Joe Biden said on Thursday that the United States was unsure where Mr Prigozhin was but joked that the mercenary chief could be poisoned.

If I were he, Id be careful what I ate. Id be keeping my eye on my menu, Mr Biden said, according to a White House transcript. But all kidding aside, I dont think any of us know for sure what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia.

Reuters
 Close Aspen Security Forum: Top officials discuss Ukraine war

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the countrys counteroffensive to push back occupying Russian forces is set to gain pace as Kyiv expects more military aid from its allies, including the US.

Mr Zelensky called on allies to provide fighter jets and more long-range missiles, with Washington planning to announce a new military package to Ukraine imminently.

US national security adviser told the same security forum in Colorado that the results of the counteroffensive would only become clear once Kyiv fully commits its forces, saying this has not yet happened.

Meanwhile, president Vladimir Putin accused Nato member Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and said any aggression against Russias neighbour and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia.

Moscow would react to any aggression against Belarus with all the means at our disposal, Putin told a meeting of his Security Council in televised remarks.

And a South African court has issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin ahead of a Brics summit in Johannesburg next month. The Kremlin says Mr Putin will not be attending.
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Nasas James Webb Space Telescope has spotted three bright objects astronomers suspect could be monster-size objects powered by annihilating particles of dark matter.

If confirmed, the results, published in the journal PNAS, could reveal fresh insights on the type of matter that remains one of the most unsolved problems in the entirety of physics.

Dark matter is a theorised, but undiscovered component of the universe, the presence of which is predicted based on its gravitational attraction, as it does not absorb, reflect or emit light, making it extremely difficult to spot.

Discovering a new type of star is pretty interesting all by itself, but discovering its dark matter thats powering this  that would be huge, said study co-author Katherine Freese from The University of Texas in Austin.

Although estimates say dark matter makes up about a quarter of the known universe, its nature has eluded scientists, who suspect it could be formed by a new type of undiscovered, elementary particle.

A main candidate for such a particle is the theorised Weakly Interacting Massive Particles.

These particles are suspected to annihilate themselves when they collide, depositing heat into collapsing clouds of hydrogen and converting them into brightly shining dark stars.

The identification of such supermassive dark stars  which could grow to be several million times the mass of the sun and up to 10 billion times as bright  may open new doors to understanding dark matter.

Dark stars could also unravel one of the mysterious observations of the Webb telescope that suggests there are too many large galaxies in the early universe to fit the predictions of the origin and fate of the cosmos.

Its more likely that something within the standard model [of cosmology] needs tuning, because proposing something entirely new, as we did, is always less probable, Dr Freese said.

But if some of these objects that look like early galaxies are actually dark stars, the simulations of galaxy formation agree better with observations, she explained.

The three likely dark stars  JADES-GS-z13-0, JADES-GS-z12-0 and JADES-GS-z11-0  were originally identified as galaxies last December.

Research suggested they existed about 320-400 million years after the Big Bang, making them some of the earliest objects ever seen.

A new analysis of data, however, suggests there are two competing possibilities for these objects.

One is that they are galaxies containing millions of ordinary, population-III stars. The other is that they are dark stars. And believe it or not, one dark star has enough light to compete with an entire galaxy of stars, Dr Freese explained.

Scientists have theorised what dark matter could likely do to the formation of some of the first stars in the universe.

They suspect very dense clumps of dark matter could have existed at the centres of early galaxies along with clouds of hydrogen and helium gas.

As the gas cooled, it would have collapsed and pulled in dark matter along with it.

The dark matter particles would have then increasingly annihilated due to the increasing density from the clumping, adding more and more heat.

This, scientists suspect, would have prevented the gas from collapsing all the way down to support fusion as is seen in an ordinary star.

Instead, the cloud would have continued to gather more gas and dark matter, becoming big, puffy and much brighter than ordinary stars.

As a result of this unique star formation process, in dark stars, unlike in their ordinary stellar counterparts, the power source would be evenly spread out rather than concentrated in the core.

And with enough dark matter, these mysterious stars could grow to a monster size and brightness as well.
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Elon Musk has launched a new AI company that aims to understand reality and unlock the secrets of the universe.

The formation of xAI brings together researchers from leading artificial intelligence firms, including Googles DeepMind, OpenAI and Microsoft Research, who collectively have contributed to major advances in AI in recent years.

Announcing the launch on Twitter on Wednesday, Mr Musk gave further details about what he hoped to achieve with his latest venture.

I often wonder where consciousness starts, as we progress from one cell to ~35 trillion cells, Mr Musk wrote.

If the Standard Model is correct, then quarks and leptons become conscious no later than ~13.8B years from start, assuming there are no sentient aliens. Btw, where are the aliens!?

Mr Musk has warned for months about AIs potential for civilizational destruction, arguing that a race among companies such as Google and Microsoft to develop the technology should be halted to allow time for drafting regulation for the sector.

The reason for the launch of xAI is to understand the true nature of the universe, said Mr Musk, who also co-founded OpenAI but later left the startup credited with sparking the generative AI frenzy through its launch of the ChatGPT chatbot.

Dan Hendrycks, who serves as the director of the Center for AI Safety, a nonprofit that aims to reduce the risks posed by the technology, will be an adviser to xAI.

The startups team includes several former engineers and scientists from Alphabet-owned Google, Microsoft and OpenAI.

We have worked on and led the development of some of the largest breakthroughs in the field including AlphaStar ... GPT-3.5, and GPT-4, the startup said on its website.

The company, which is looking for experienced engineers and researchers to join its team as technical staff in the Bay Area, will hold a Twitter Spaces event on 14 July.

Mr Musks startup will work closely with his other companies including Twitter and Tesla, according to the website.

Tesla shares showed little reaction to the news and were trading 1.5 per cent higher, a sign that investors were not worried the startup will be a potential distraction for Mr Musk.

The billionaire in March registered a firm named X.AI Corp, incorporated in Nevada, according to a state filing. The firm lists Musk as the sole director and Jared Birchall, the managing director of Musks family office, as a secretary.

Mr Musk has previously warned of the existential risk posed by advanced AI, claiming that it is one of the most serious threats to the future of humanity.

Earlier this year, he joined more than 1,000 tech leaders and researchers in signing an open letter urging a moratorium on the development of powerful AI.

Additional reporting from agencies
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Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk now has a new artificial intelligence startup xAI, years after he left ChatGPT-owner OpenAI.

The Twitter owner announced the formation of the new firm on Wednesday in a tweet, sharing that its goals are to understand reality.

He did not reveal any more details about the companys plans and the firms website also doesnt say much other than that its aims are to understand the true nature of the universe.

The startup, however, noted it is a separate entity from X Corp  the new name of the company formerly known as Twitter.

However, the company mentions in its website that it would work closely with X Corp, Tesla, and firms owned by Mr Musk as well as other companies to make progress towards our mission.

While xAI does not reveal a lot on its website about its mission, the new companys sole Twitter post hints it would look into the most fundamental unanswered questions of the universe.

The companys website also reveals the names of its employees, led by Mr Musk and listing Dan Hendrycks  the director of the Centre for AI Safety  as an advisor.

Employees listed with the company are all men, and people who have previously worked at DeepMind, OpenAI, Google Research, Microsoft Research, Tesla, and the University of Toronto.

Collectively we contributed some of the most widely used methods in the field, xAI mentions in its website.

We have worked on and led the development of some of the largest breakthroughs in the field including AlphaStar, AlphaCode, Inception, Minerva, GPT-3.5, and GPT-4, the company noted about its employees.

Mr Musks new venture also comes as companies including Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and even smaller firms and competitors in other countries like China continue to invest heavily in AI technology.

The multibillionaire had previously co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left the firm in 2018 to avoid conflicts of interest with Tesla which had its own AI operations for the vehicles autopilot mode.

Following the launch of the now popular ChatGPT AI chatbot by OpenAI, the Tesla titan had also hinted in interviews that he was planning to start his own new artificial intelligence firm.

In April, he told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he planned to develop TruthGPT, which he called a maximum truth-seeking AI.

This was followed by an xAI statement calling for the world to prioritise reducing AIs dangers, signed by prominent members of the tech industry, and Mr Musk also reportedly acquired thousands of GPU processors from Nvidia seemingly to run a large language model like ChatGPT.

The xAI team is planning to host a Twitter Spaces discussion on Friday  one in which listeners can meet the team and ask us questions, according to the startups website.
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A Frontier airlines flight bound for Las Vegas was forced to divert to Denver after a brawl between two passengers.

Flight 2143 had departed Philadelphia but was forced to land 700 miles from its planned destination as the two passengers were escorted off the aircraft.

Footage taken by fellow passengers shows the two women involved screaming at each other  and other passengers  in a series of threatening, expletive-filled rants. Other passengers can be heard voicing their discontent, repeatedly telling the women to shut up.

Its unclear what started the fight between the pair, who appeared to be travelling together. The women began loudly arguing with each other, and one of them was even moved to a different part of the aircraft by a flight attendant.

The verbal barrage continued even after they had been moved, with one women seemingly hitting a male passenger on or near the head as she made her way to the toilets.

The woman who filmed the video told KSNT that it was fairly disruptive, so passengers began to tell them to shut up because their behavior was escalating.

The women are both restrained by members of the cabin crew before the video ends, though other videos online show the woman in the red tank top becoming aggressive with other passengers, especially when she realises shes being filmed.

Upon arriving in Denver, the two women were escorted off the plane and other passengers also briefly left to give statements to police. The flight eventually landed in Las Vegas around an hour after its scheduled arrival time.

The person who filmed the clip praised the flights cabin crew and their handling of the situation, saying that luckily the Vegas-based Frontier crew was great.

The Independent has contacted Frontier Airlines for comment.

There have been other incidents of disruptive behaviour on flights in recent months. At the start of July, a man had to be tackled and restrained by other passengers on board a Ryanair flight after he tried to open the door moments before take-off.

And last month, drunk passengers on board a plane heading to Turkey from the UK forced the flight to abandon its route and land in Greece.
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Logan Parson's first flight by himself ended with airport officials taking the teenager into custody and whisking him away into an interrogation room.

Logan was visiting Gainesville, Florida, with his father, and planned to fly back alone. On the return trip, his father booked him a flight that began in Gainesville, but ended in New York.

New York, however, was not Logan's final destination.

Instead, he planned to exit the plane during its layover in Charlotte  his hometown  and simply forgo the final leg of his journey, employing a travel hack called skiplagging, or hidden-city ticketing.

Skiplagging exploits the airline companies' pricing schemes to the benefit of the customer.

Typically direct flights to a destination are more expensive than a flight with a layover. Perhaps a direct flight to Denver costs $370, but a flight to San Diego  with a several-hour layover in Denver  only costs $200. For a traveler hoping to get to Denver, it makes more sense to purchase the San Diego ticket and simply exit the plane in Denver, rather than purchasing a direct ticket to the city.

That's what Hunter Parsons, Logan's father, thought when he booked his son a ticket to New York.

Weve used Skip Lagged almost exclusively for the last five to eight years, Mr Parsons told Queen City News. Booked a flight from Gainesville regional to JFK via Charlotte.

Mr Parsons dropped Logan off at the airport in Florida, but a gate agent noted the teenager's ID cards were issued in Gainsville  the same city where his flight was scheduled to stop for a layover. The agent became sceptical and reported him to airport officials, who detained and questioned the teen.

Interrogated a little bit, ultimately taken to a security room, Mr Parsons said. They kind of got out of him that he was planning to disboard in Charlotte and not going to make the connecting flight.

After American Airlines learned that the teen was planning to skiplag, officials reportedly called his parents and forced them to buy a new direct flight from Gainsville to Charlotte.

Skiplagging cuts into the airline industry's profits, therefore the airline industry does not like skiplagging. United Airlines actually sued a website dedicated to helping travelers find better skiplagging deals, but ultimately lost. Lufthansa went so far as to sue a passenger who skiplagged, claiming the customer should have paid 2,769, but instead bought a 600 ticket and disembarked early.

A German court ultimately ruled in the traveller's favour.

While there is nothing illegal about skiplagging  at least at present  the airline industry can set its own rules and punish travelers who are caught using the travel hack. Those punishments could include the loss of travel points or  as happened to the Parsons  additional ticketing charges.

Not only did Mr Parsons have to pay more for his son's second ticket, he also was left afraid for his child, who had never flown alone.

Our concerns are he is a minor and was kind of left to fend for himself several states away, Mr Parsons said.

American Airlines provided a comment on its decision to detain the child traveler to Queen City News.

Purchasing a ticket without intending to fly all flights to gain lower fares (hidden city ticketing) is a violation of American Airlines terms and conditions and is outlined in our Conditions of Carriage online. Our Customer Relations team has been in touch with the customer to learn more about their experience," the airline said in a statement.

Mr Parsons  who did not know the practice was frowned upon by the airlines  said a warning would have been preferable to having his son detained and questioned.

I think a stern warning, hey this is frowned upon, if you do it again there would be consequences, financial penalties, he said. But to put a minor in that situation was really the reason we have a concern.
A Massachusetts policeofficer who was trying to stop a motorcyclist from fleeing was pushed into a busy intersection by the biker.

Police footage of the 5 July incident showed the officer jumping out of the way of the bike moments before a pickup truck passed the intersection metres behind.

On 7 July police arrested Colin James Webb, 19, of Reading, Massachusetts, in connection with the incident, a Massachusetts State Police press release said.
Video shared by Ukrainian forces appears to show troops launching a special operation on a Russian-held island in the Dnipro river.

Footage shows Ukrainian soldiers chasing after what the force claimed to be an "enemy boat", as they headed towards a Russian-held island.

After detailed planning, the soldiers of the 73rd Marine Center of Special Operations of the SSO advanced on two boats and stormed the enemys positions, the Command of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

An enemy boat was destroyed and another was damaged, Ukrainian officials said.

Footage that appears to be taken on a drone shows troops firing towards the island.
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For the past few months, Sen Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has held up military nominations to oppose the Pentagons policy that allows for servicemembers stationed in states with abortion restrictions to be reimbursed for travel to a state where abortion is more accessible.

The move has received condemnation from even members of his own party. But on Thursday, House Republicans voted to pass an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would roll back the policy. It was one of a litany of right-wing policies that the GOP loaded into the must-pass legislation.

Friend of the Independents Inside Washington newsletter Sarah Ferris of Politico reported that Rep Nancy Mace (R-SC), who previously said the GOP needed to stop being a**holes to women, disliked an amendment to roll back the policy, saying to a staffer in an elevator, We should not be taking this f***ing vote, man. F**k. But she ultimately voted for the amendment, showing that her frequent criticisms of the GOPs policies on abortion ring hollow since she wont take actual hard action.

This process repeated itself throughout the amendment process for the NDAA. Rep Eli Crane (R-AZ) using the term coloured people on the House floor to describe Black people and people of colour outraged many of his Democratic colleagues. But his words came as he was proposing an amendment that would prohibit the Pentagon from considering race, gender, religion or any other ideological concepts when it comes to recruitment, education, promotion and retention.

In the same respect, Rep Ralph Normans amendment would prohibit unapproved flags but was meant to restrict the use of pride flags. Similarly, amendments to prevent gender-affirming care for troops also passed.

Of course, the repeal of the Pentagon policy means the legislation is essentially a non-starter in the Senate, where Democrats control the Senate and where Republicans might see such an amendment to be politically radioactive. But this was not an exercise in serious governance; rather House Speaker Kevin McCarthy allowed for these amendments to have a vote so that Republicans could appear like they are actually trying to pass a defence spending bill rather than passing something they know the Senate  to say nothing of the White House  would find amenable.

All of this is part of Mr McCarthys attempt to keep his gavel. Look no further than the fact that Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters that in exchange for her vote for the final passage of the NDAA, he would give her a spot on the conference committee that would negotiate with the Senate on the final bill.

Leadership typically reserves these spots for senior members or members who are known to get things done. But Ms Greene doesnt seem interested in coming to a compromise but rather said On final passage, Im a zero. Mr McCarthy and Ms Greene have so far had a mutually beneficial relationship, with her giving him cover on his right flank and with him giving her hard political power that she desires.

In the same vein, Mr Norman and Mr Crane opposed Mr McCarthys bid for the speakership, with Mr Norman ultimately flipping and Mr Crane opposing his bid until the bitter end back in January. That alone shows how much Mr McCarthy wants to assuage his right flank; hes willing to satisfy people who remain uneasy about him to avoid a rebellion.

All of this bears striking resemblance to Mr McCarthys approach to the debt limit, wherein he initially passed legislation that included a right-wing wishlist that simultaneously kept his conference happy and forced the White House to the negotiating table.

The NDAA is different. Republicans have long battered Democrats for being unserious about defence spending and leaving the country vulnerable to its adversaries. They have also accused Democrats of playing politics with the must-pass bill.

But they now open themselves up to accusations that it is the GOP who is trying to enact their agenda by holding a necessary bill hostage with their own agenda and making the military an extension of their social policy.

The most likely outcome to happen will be that the Senate will now cobble together a version of the bill that is more in line with previous iterations of the NDAA and ultimately strip out some of the aspects that both Democrats and Republicans in the upper chamber cant stomach. But it once again shows how Mr McCarthy is not leading the House to actually govern, hes leading the House in a way that makes the far right happy as a way for him to keep his power and little else.
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The second even stronger part of the Cerberus heatwave, which has ravaged parts of Europe this week, is set to strike Italy in a few days time.

Sardinia and Sicily could see temperatures of 48C next week, which is approaching the continents record of 48.8C from 2019.

Wildfires are also tearing through Croatia, causing tourists and locals to flee the area of Grebastica, near Sibenik on the Dalmatian Coast. Propelled by strong winds, the forest fire has caused towns and homes to be evacuated as the blaze spreads.

Follow our live blog for the latest news from the weather around the continent here.

Weather alerts are in place for Friday and Saturday for Spains Canary Islands, Italy, Cyprus and Greece - where temperatures of 44C might be felt. And it might get even hotter from there, with the Italian journal La Repubblica stating that 48C could be recorded in the islands of Sardinia and Sicily.

Luca Lombroso, meteorologist from the AMPRO group in Italy, said: Next week there will be an even stronger heatwave than this one, some values in the central south will be really freaky.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday in Rome and Florence, we will probably exceed 40 degrees, which will also be approached in the north.

Italy has already seen one fatality when a 44-year-old man collapsed and died while painting lines in Lodi, near Milan.

The high-pressure system affecting the region, which crossed the Mediterranean from north Africa, is being tracked by the European Space Agency, which warned that the heat wave will also be felt in parts of northern Europe.

Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland are all facing a major heat wave, with temperatures expected to climb to 48 degrees Celsius on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia - potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe the agency said Thursday.

Tourists in central Athens huddled under mist machines and zoo animals in Madrid were fed fruit popsicles Thursday as southern Europeans suffered through a heat wave that was projected to get much worse heading into the weekend.

Here are the heat warnings in countries around Europe:

A woman admires the skyline filled by the St. Peter's Dome in Rome (AP)

Italy

A red alert has been issued for 15 cities across the country, including Rome, Florence and Bologna.

The country has a fresh warning about the impending second wave of Cerberus, named Charon, which is set to see most of the country roast in temperatures of 40C or above next week.

Marco Impagliazzo, president of the SantEgidio Catholic charity, said an estimated 9 million older Italians lived alone or with an elderly partner and were particularly vulnerable.

"With this solitude and this heat emergency, we see an explosive mix," he told a press conference.

A field of pistacho trees growing in a very dry field in Daimiel, in the Castilla La Mancha region (AFP via Getty Images)

Greece

The government has ordered the suspension of work between midday and 5pm in areas where the risk from heat is very high, and also requested remote work for private sector employees with health conditions.

Authorities have banned access to nature reserves and forests to reduce the risk of wildfires.

The government has also said that working from home should be in place for those who are able to, while those who may be in danger from the heat should be exempt from working if they are put into potential trouble.

In addition, an ambulance is on standby near the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, according to local media, ready to provide first aid to tourists suffering in the heat. The Acropolis was shut for a few hours on Friday.

A delivery man drinks water in Thessaloniki (AFP via Getty Images)

Croatia

After the wildfires, several roads have been closed around Sibenik as evacuation orders were issued in multiple areas.

More than 50 vehicles and five planes have been dispatched to the area to tackle the blaze but so far, no deaths or injuries have been reported.

Elsewhere, residents have been encouraged to look out for each other.

Many towns have seen temperatures of up to 40C already this week, while Zagrebs average is 8C warmer in 2023 than its average for July. But some residents have reportedly been turning to the older treatment of mud, rather than sun cream.

A view of damage done by wildfire, in Grebastica, Croatia (REUTERS)

Spain

Maximum temperature warnings are in place in four areas, including Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. A weather alert is also in place across the Canary Islands.

Hungary

The National Meteorological Service issued a high temperature warning for 14 counties in Hungary.

France

France has not been hit as badly as its neighbours Spain and Italy, but cities such as Toulouse have seen temperatures in the mid-30s. No reports could be found of restrictions.

Germany

Eastern and southeastern regions of Germany are set to hot up to 35C this weekend but there could also be thunderstorms.

United Kingdom

Closer to home the Met Office has warned Britons to prepare for very damp couple of days, with heavy and persistent rain on Friday, and heavy and thundery showers on Saturday.

The British Isles have not felt the effects of Cerberus and the Met Office has predicted the country will not see the extreme heat that was registered last summer.

US

Further afield, a heatwave is gripping the US this week  with southern states the most particularly hit. Phoenix in Arizona hit 43C for the fourteenth consecutive day on Friday. Authorities have advised residents against venturing out after 10am.
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A deadly heatwave sweeping across Europe with temperatures forecast to shatter records in the coming days stands in complete contrast to the weather faced by the United Kingdom that has had wet and windy conditions continuing this week.

As the UK gets prolonged showers  the Met Office predicts unsettled conditions to continue for the next few days  the Mediterranean region grapples with soaring heat that could touch a new European record as soon as this week.

Temperatures are expected to go beyond 40C in parts of Spain and Italy in the coming days.

Spain, Italy and Greece have been experiencing scorching temperatures for several days already, damaging agriculture and leaving tourists scurrying for shade.

But a new anticyclone dubbed Charon, who in Greek mythology was the ferryman of the dead, pushed into the region from north Africa on Sunday and could lift temperatures above 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in parts of Italy early this week.

The countrys blazing mercury led to the death of a 44-year-old man, while a tourist from the UK visiting Romes Colosseum fainted, prompting health warnings.

We need to prepare for a severe heat storm that, day after day, will blanket the whole country, Italian weather news service Meteo.it warned on Sunday.

In some places ancient heat records will be broken.

The temperature of the ground, which is different from the air temperature that weather forecasts mention, hit more than 60C in some areas of Spain last week, satellite recordings have shown.

While mean ground temperatures are generally close to the air temperatures, they can sometimes be higher as the soil in summer can trap more heat. However, a surface land temperature of 60C is extremely high and rare in Europe.

The heatwave will intensify from Monday, with temperatures reaching 44C (111.2F) in the Guadalquivir valley near Seville in the south of the country, forecasters predicted.

The conditions have been raising fears of a repeat of last years extreme heat conditions when Europe experienced its hottest summer on record in 2022, marked by an onslaught of scorching heatwaves, devastating droughts and raging forest fires driven by the human-induced climate crisis.

The heat contributed to the deaths of over 61,000 people, a recent study has shown.

Heat map showing extremely hot areas in black (European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-3 imagery)

Experts have said the European heatwave is because of an area of high pressure named after the underworld monster from Dantes Inferno  Cerberus.

The area of high pressure comes as the world recently experienced record-shattering temperatures that have fuelled baking heatwaves in several countries like the US  that has seen contrasting weather extremes of its own.

The southern US has been engulfed by extreme heat while its northeast grapples with severe flooding.

The UK, on the other hand, finds itself under the influence of a different weather pattern that has brought in more rain and thus pulled down temperatures after the country got its hottest June on record, pointed out experts.

Dr Melissa Lazenby, a climate change lecturer at the University of Sussex, explained that the current placement of a high-pressure system located further south is the primary reason for this divergence.

The current European Heatwave is being driven by stable atmospheric conditions from a stationary high pressures feature, Dr Lazenby explained.

She added that while it is not possible to determine all the drivers and their exact contributions to the current heatwave yet, Europe is not particularly affected by El Nino events directly.

Therefore it is likely the high-pressure system and climate change are the main contributors to this heatwave event, she said.

The UK at the moment is not experiencing the same high temperatures as the rest of Europe and that is mainly due to the placement of the current high-pressure system, which does not cover the UK and is situated further south, Dr Lazenby said, which provides stable atmospheric conditions for enhanced warming and resulting heatwaves.

If you are in the UK today, you will notice the higher winds which are not associated with a high-pressure feature and therefore not allowing conducive heatwave conditions explaining why UK temperatures are not anomalously warm like the rest of Europe.

A woman fans herself in Madrid, Spain (AP)

While the UK may be relieved to avoid sweltering conditions experienced by its European counterparts, extreme temperatures have impacted the countrys summertime this year.

The Met Office said record June temperatures in the UK were caused by the background warming of the Earths atmosphere due to human-induced climate change.

The sea around the UK and Ireland also experienced an unheard of extreme marine heatwave that posed dangers to the coastal ecosystem.

July was largely expected to be the hottest month of the year, surpassing June temperatures, as experts predicted more heatwaves in the coming days. Current changes, however, indicate no imminent heatwave threat to the country.

But the rapid temperature rise in the Mediterranean region serves as a stark reminder that the climate crisis is an intricate system with potential feedback loops and unforeseen events, experts say.

To an extent, the European heatwave we are seeing in summer 2023 reflects what has been observed over the last few years in the science. Namely, that Europe has been warming much faster than other continents in recent decades, and that this trend is especially pronounced in north-west Europe  including the UK, said Dr Leslie Mabon, lecturer in environmental systems at The Open University.

Dr Mabon explained that while it is difficult to pinpoint a single factor responsible for making Europe warm so fast, due to the complex relationships between the different elements in the system, we can be in absolutely no doubt that a critical driver behind this warming trend is carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.

Until we rapidly reduce emissions from fossil fuels, extremes like the heatwave we are seeing in Europe at the moment are going to become more and more likely, Dr Mabon said.

The differences that we are seeing in the extent of warming both globally and between regions of Europe are also a stark reminder that the Earths climate is a complex system.

As we get to higher degrees of warming, the danger of feedback loops or unexpected events occurring becomes greater. This is why we need to urgently reduce emissions from fossil fuels and limit the extent of global heating at all costs.
Moore Ireland has 85 staff in Cork and 50 in Dublin

Accountancy firm Moore Ireland plans to double and potentially triple in size through bolt-on acquisitions after selling a majority stake to a buyer backed by Waterland Private Equity.

The acquisition by London firm Moore Kingston Smith (MKS), funded by Waterland Private Equity is part of a significant wave of consolidation, which has included the takeover of Baker Tilly Ireland by audit and advisory business Azets.

Moore Ireland will retain its name and was already part of the global Moore network which includes MKS and the Moore group in Belgium, which has become an aggressive consolidator in that market following investment from Waterland.

Moore Ireland managing partner Ned Murphy said the deal means huge scope for his firm to become a significant consolidator here.

Weve seen Moore in Belgium go from being number 15 in that market to number five and private equity backing gives us the firepower to replicate that, he said.

The firm will be structured as a company with Waterland via Moore Kingston Smith as majority owner and the partners retaining a minority stake in addition to day-to-day control of the business, he said.

The structure will give the firm financial capacity to scale-up quickly, he said.

That matters amid growing regulatory and technological costs as well as changing client demand for enhanced expertise around areas including ESG and other new reporting lines.

Moore Ireland has 85 staff in Cork and 50 in Dublin. It will remain focused on the SME market and will look at potential bolt-on deals across the country to add scale, he said.

Were ambitious, we want to be a challenger in the top 10 of firms, he said.

Moore Kingston Smith in London has over 70 partners and more than 700 staff and completed its investment from Waterland in June this year.

The investment in Moore Ireland is the first major strategic investment since.

Moore Kingston Smith managing partner, Maureen Penfold, said: Ireland represents a stepping-stone for companies across the globe wanting to do business in Europe and needing an English-speaking base to help them do so. Joining forces with Moore in Ireland makes Moore Kingston Smith ideally positioned to provide clients with the direct access and frictionless trade across Europe they need in a post-Brexit world.
Thorntons is owned by brothers Paul and Shane Thornton and has been active in Irelands waste sector for 45 years

A takeover of The City Bin Co by rival Thorntons Recycling has been approved by competition regulators but subject to conditions, and the competition authority said it believes the waste collection sector needs its own regulator.

The Thorntons takeover has been in the works for more than a year. While it has now been cleared, to close a key condition imposed by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is a commitment to divest certain numbers of domestic waste customers in parts of Dublin to an alternative buyer in order to ensure competition.

The purchaser will be subject to the CCPCs approval. An independent monitoring trustee is to be appointed to ensure compliance with these commitments.

The deal was announced in July last year but only notified to the CCPC in December. It opted in May this year for a more comprehensive so-called Phase 2 review of the purchase after concluding it might lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the market.

The CCPC then identified potential competition concerns that some households in county Dublin, where both companies are active, could have less choice, increased prices and diminished quality of domestic waste collection services. Thornton has agreed to the proposed remedy.

That clears the way for an exit of City Bins private equity backers, Carlyle Cardinal Ireland, and for founder Gene Browne.

Thorntons, owned by brothers Paul and Shane Thornton, has been active in Irelands waste sector for 45 years.

Operating in 11 depots across Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, the company handles 700,000 tonnes of waste per year for 80,000 household and commercial customers. It employs 550 people.

The smaller City Bin Co is headquartered in Galway and has been providing waste collection services there and in Dublin since 1997. The company is known for its customer service focus, which Thorntons cited as a key reason behind the acquisition bid.

Commenting on its decision and the wider waste collection market, the CCPC said bin services have unique characteristics which may encourage consolidation, reducing the number of competitors.

Without intervention, this means consumers may have little or no power to influence the behaviour of operators in this market by, for example, switching,  it said.

While the CCPC acts within its powers to ensure consumers continue to have access to a choice of providers, it suggested that is not enough to ensure a healthy sector.

Notwithstanding this, it continues to be the CCPCs view, that the market needs an economic regulator with responsibilities including market design. it said.

On This Day In History - July 14th
Ulster Bank has been accused of failing to learn lessons from a multi-million euro tracker mortgage fine it got from the Central Bank.

It comes after the bank decided to appeal two tracker cases it lost in the High Court. The move by the departing bank could have implications for thousands of mortgage customers.

The bank told the courts this week it wants to appeal against a High Court ruling that upheld the entitlement of two borrowers to tracker mortgage refunds and compensation.

Tracker mortgage restoration expert Padraic Kissane accused the bank of putting its own financial interests ahead of the financial well-being of its former customers.

Ulster Bank was fined 38m by the Central Bank for what it called deliberate tracker overcharging in March 2021.

Mr Kissane said the NatWest-owned Ulster Bank had failed to learn any lessons from this fine.

Borrowers lost 43 properties as a result of overcharging as they were denied their entitlement to a low-cost mortgage linked to the European Central Banks main rate, the Central Bank said in 2021. Family homes accounted for 29 of these cases.

Ulster Bank, which is exiting the Irish market after more than 160 years, has paid 128m in refunds and compensation to 5,940 overcharged mortgage customers.

At the time of the fine Ulster Bank chief executive Jane Howard said the bank had learned serious lessons from the debacle. But Mr Kissane said this did not tally with the decision of the bank to appeal last months tracker cases it lost in the High Court.

The bank said it had learned lessons from the fine. You would have to wonder about that, Mr Kissane said.

He stressed how wrong the continual behaviour of Ulster is in denying the customers affected of correction, especially given the times.

Last month Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger dismissed Ulster Banks appeals against the ombudsmans findings that two borrowers were entitled to tracker mortgage refunds and compensation.

The bank failed to persuade her that the ombudsman had fallen into serious and significant error in his decisions.

The ombudsmans binding decisions could be upheld on the basis that the banks conduct was contrary to its contractual and consumer-protection obligations.

Ulster Bank said in a recent annual report that the outcome of the cases may have a materially adverse impact on the firm. But Mr Kissane challenged the bank to consider the adverse impact its denial of compensation and refunds are having on the thousands of tracker customers who he said were overcharged.

What about the material adverse impact to customers of this decision to appeal the High Court finding? The bank said the courts decision has enormous financial implications for it. Well, it has enormous financial implications for the customers caught up in this.

Mr Kissane said it was extraordinary the lengths Ulster Bank is going to in a bid to avoid having to make payouts. He counted 21 boxes of evidence brought to the High Court by the banks solicitors for two mortgage accounts.

Counsel for the bank told the court in October the cases could affect thousands of customers and trigger enormous financial consequences for the lender.

The two borrowers who took their cases to the ombudsman had been excluded from redress in an industry-wide examination overseen by the Central Bank between late 2015 and mid-2019. More than 40,000 cases of overcharging were identified across Irish lenders.

When Mr Kissanes allegation was put to Ulster Bank that it had failed to learn lessons from its fine, the bank said: Ulster Bank has sought leave to appeal in relation to the recent ruling from the High Court. No further comment will be made at this time.

On This Day In History - July 14th
The launch here follows a temporary block on its rollout from the Data Protection Commissioner for data privacy reasons

Bard is now available in over 40 new languages including Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese and Hindi

The service, which can be accessed at bard.google.com, allows users to get suggestions or information by inputting prompts. It also displays previous queries and allows for them to be shared with others or read out loud.

A feature allowing images to be included in prompts and queries for additional context, claimed by Google as a new element today, appears not to be currently available at the time of launch.

Last month, Bards European launch was delayed in Europe by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, which said that it had not received sufficient information from Google on the data privacy implications of the service.

Google has now set up a privacy hub with the service, as well as including a series of warnings that the information returned from Bard may be inaccurate or inappropriate. It also warns users not to rely on Bard's responses as medical, legal, financial or other professional advice and adds that users should not include confidential or sensitive information in your Bard conversations.

AI services such as ChatGPT and Bard have boomed in recent months, credited with cutting down the amount of time it takes to generate ideas or code.

The Bard launch today covers the EU and Brazil. The service is now available in over 40 new languages including Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese and Hindi.

Responses can also be tweaked in tone to be simpler, longer, shorter, more professional or more casual.

And users can now export Python code to Replit, in addition to Google Colab.

But image uploads using Google Lens, touted as one of the big upgrades to Bard this week, appears not to work.

"Image upload in Google Bard is not yet fully supported, according to Google Bard, when asked. It is still under development, and Google is working on making it more reliable.
Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon were among the stars who staged a walk-out from the London premiere of Oppenheimer to "write their picket signs" ahead of the Sag-Aftra strike announcement on Thursday evening.

The premiere of Christopher Nolan's historical epic was brought forward by an hour ahead of a Sag-Aftra press conference in Los Angeles, which later declared the US union had agreed to strike.

The anticipated announcement cast a shadow over the London film premiere at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, with the film's major stars including Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Rami Malek leaving before the screening of the film.

Speaking on the red carpet, Sir Kenneth told the PA news agency: "Everybody is working very hard to make sure it doesn't happen, if it happens I stand in solidarity with our Sag members.

"We know it is a critical time at this point in the industry and the issues need to be addressed, difficult conversations, I know everybody is trying to get a fair deal, that is what's required so we'll support that."

Murphy told PA: "I stand by my colleagues, that's all I can say to you."

Cast of Oppenheimer walk out of UK premiere ahead of actors strike announcement

Speaking on stage at the premiere ahead of the strike announcement, filmmaker Nolan said: "I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy.

"The list is enormous - Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and so many more. You've seen them here earlier on the red carpet.

"Unfortunately, they are off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of their union."

Arriving on the red carpet ahead of the screening, British actress Blunt warned that the cast would be leaving "in unity" if the strike was announced.

She told US outlet Deadline: "I think right now we are just sorting of ... I hope everyone makes a fair deal and we are here to just celebrate this movie.

"And if they call it, we'll be leaving together as a cast in unity with everyone."

When asked if she is "upping sticks", she replied: "We're going to have to. We are going to have to. We will see what happens, but right now it's a joy to be together."

Fellow British actress Pugh told PA that the cast felt lucky to have got to the Oppenheimer premiere before the strike was announced but also lucky to be standing in solidarity with their acting peers.

She said: "It's been a really, really tense few days for a lot of people, not just actors but everybody in the industry who are going to be affected by this decision but affected by a decision that is necessary.

"Equally, premieres aren't just for us, they are to honour a movie, they are to honour a crew that made them so we feel both lucky, that we got to squeeze this in, and also lucky that we get to stand by our peers in a decision that is made.

"We hope that something comes of it soon."

The strike news comes after the US union and Hollywood studios failed to reach an agreement after more than four weeks of negotiations, with actors wanting better pay and increased safeguarding around AI rights among their demands.

A look at Cillian Murphy's best roles on screen

Last month Sag-Aftra members voted overwhelmingly to authorise a strike if a new contract with major studios, streamers and production companies could not be reached.

Nearly 98pc (97.91pc) of the 65,000 members who cast votes were in favour, Sag-Aftra said.

A statement from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPT) said: "We are deeply disappointed that Sag-Aftra has decided to walk away from negotiations.

"This is the union's choice, not ours.

"In doing so, it has dismissed our offer of historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, a ground-breaking AI proposal that protects actors' digital likenesses, and more.

"Rather than continuing to negotiate, Sag-Aftra has put us on a course that will deepen the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods."

It is now anticipated the strike will affect upcoming award shows, premieres, events and film festivals around the world, including the Toronto and Venice film festivals, and the 75th Emmys.
The European Commission is helping the United Nations and Turkey try to extend a deal allowing the Black Sea export of Ukraine grain and is open to "explore all solutions," a European Union spokesperson said on Thursday, ahead of the deal's possible expiration on Monday.

The U.N. and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Russia and Ukraine in July 2022 to help alleviate a global food crisis worsened by Moscow's invasion and blockade of Ukrainian ports. Ukraine and Russia are among the world's leading grain exporters.

The EU is considering connecting a subsidiary of the Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the international payment network SWIFT to allow for grain and fertilizer transactions, sources familiar with discussions told Reuters on Wednesday.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that Moscow allow the Black Sea grain deal to continue for several months to give the EU time to connect a Rosselkhozbank subsidiary to SWIFT, two of those sources familiar with discussions told Reuters.

During a visit to Brussels on Thursday, Guterres told reporters that he had not yet received a response from Russia. He said his letter to Putin contained "concrete proposals that I hope can allow us to find a positive way forward."

According to TASS news agency, Putin said he had not seen the letter from Guterres proposing an extension of the deal, but said Russia was in contact with U.N. officials.

"We can suspend our participation in the deal, and if everyone once again says that all the promises made to us will be fulfilled, then let them fulfill this promise. We will immediately rejoin this deal," he told Russian state television.

A Kremlin spokesman later said that Russia had not taken a final decision on whether to exit the grain deal.

EU 'OPEN TO EXPLORE SOLUTIONS'

The European Commission's priority is to ensure that Ukrainian grain can reach the world market and it calls on all parties to extend the Black Sea deal, an EU spokesperson in Brussels said on Thursday.

"We are assisting the talks led by the U.N. and Turkey as required," the spokesperson said. "We are of course open to explore all solutions that contribute to our objective, whilst continuing to ensure that Russia's ability to wage war in Ukraine is hampered as much as possible."

A key demand by Moscow is the reconnection of Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT. It was cut off by the EU in June 2022 over Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later on Thursday urged Putin to extend the deal. "The ball is in President Putin's court and the world is watching," she said.

Russia has threatened to ditch the Black Sea grain deal because several demands to dispatch its own grain and fertilizer abroad have not been met. The last ship traveling under the Black Sea agreement is currently loading its cargo at the Ukrainian port of Odesa ahead of the Monday deadline.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he spoke with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday and that they both agreed it was "vital" to extend the Black Sea deal.

"It is very important that there be no threat to food security anywhere in the world. And Russia must clearly realise that anyone who increases the threat of famine, particularly in critical areas of Africa, terrorises the entire world with famine," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

'BALL IN RUSSIA'S COURT'

More than 32 million tonnes of corn, wheat and other grains have been exported by Ukraine under the arrangement. Russia has complained that not enough reaches poor countries, but the U.N. argues that it has benefited those states by helping lower food prices more than 20% globally.

To convince Russia to agree to the Black Sea deal, a three-year memorandum of understanding was struck in July 2022 under which U.N. officials agreed to help Russia get its food and fertilizer exports to foreign markets.

While Russian exports of food and fertilizer are not subject to Western sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have amounted to a barrier to shipments.

As a workaround to the lack of access to SWIFT, U.N. officials have got U.S. bank JPMorgan Chase & Co to start processing some Russian grain export payments with reassurances from the U.S. government.

The U.N. is also working with the African Export-Import Bank to create a platform to help process transactions for Russian exports of grain and fertilizer to Africa, a U.N. trade official told Reuters last month.
Former DUP leader Arlene Foster has said her biggest regret when at the helm of the party was not pulling the plug on the confidence and supply arrangements which allowed the Conservative Party to hold on to power.

Mrs Foster appeared on the These Times podcast with UnHerd political editor Tom McTague and Cambridge professor Helen Thompson.

In the episode, named Come on Arlene: An interview with Arlene Foster, she disputes that Ireland is wealthier than Britain, arguing that UK money going into the EU was then funnelled back to Ireland to help build roads.

At one point the Brexit referendum of June 2016 is mentioned after which Theresa May became Prime Minister.

In December 2017 the Conservative Party had no majority and a confidence and supply agreement was made with the DUP to keep the Conservatives in power.

As negotiations evolved between the EU and UK Government it was agreed there would be no land border.

Ms Foster didnt find out about this from the PM but from European contacts and she accused Ireland of pushing the whole issue knowing the implications it would have for NI and couldnt believe their luck when the UK Government did sign it.

She rang the PM to express her dissatisfaction with this arrangement saying, we couldnt accept it.

Ms May was said to be quite shocked the DUP had a difficulty with it.

The whole point about the confidence and supply agreement from a Northern Ireland perspective, first of all from a nation perspective, we wanted to support her to try and get Brexit done, but of course in that respect it was to protect Northern Ireland as well, Baroness Foster explained.

By the way, this whole thing that it was a surprise that the DUP under me supported Brexit  the DUP have always been anti-European, right from their inception...as were Sinn Fein but they did a flip-flop, as they do with a number of issues from abortion to everything else.

Asked if she had concerns about a border issue at that time, Ms Foster said she had been an economy minister for seven years and saw the way in which the dead hand of Europe had been negative in relation to innovation and enterprise and we couldnt intervene to help companies because of state aid rules.

Those state aid rules remain with the Protocol, listeners were told. She wanted sovereignty and felt the EU was a drag on NI.

Ms Foster disputed that Ireland is wealthier than GB saying Mr McTague must visit different parts to her.

Arlene Foster apologises after man swears on live TV during July 12th coverage in Sandy Row

She added that Ireland was, until recently, a net beneficiary from the EU, claiming money from the UK was going to the EU, back into Ireland to have all of those nice roads that we now have.

Distancing NI from Ireland was not the DUPs primary motivation for supporting Brexit, she said.

Looking back, Ms Foster said the genesis of the Protocol, and cause of all the problems today, is in ex-PM Ms Mays negotiation stance.

Thats where we are, because of what she agreed at that time back in 2017, is the reason (why) were here today.

The lesson is that we shouldve pushed to be more involved in the negotiations which she didnt allow us to get in to.

The lesson is that we shouldve probably pulled the plug in terms of the confidence and supply agreement.

Asked if it was her biggest regret, Ms Foster said: It is actually. We wanted Brexit to happen for the whole of the UK. We were looking at the wider national picture. We were trying to stay with it to make sure that it happened.

And all the while Theresa May had basically sold the pass in relation to Northern Ireland and that caused us to be where we are today.

The dye was cast then (for Boris Johnson) and he continued on the trajectory, made a lot of promises in relation to, oh well, dont worry about that, well deal with that, ignore it, and all this sort of thing.

And we knew. We dont feel duped because we knew what was going to happen. We warned him what was going to happen. We spoke to HMRC, we knew what was going to happen. He dismissed it all.

While Ms Foster still has a good relationship with Boris, she feels terribly let down by Mr Johnson and said it was part of the reason why I was taken out as leader and taken out as First Minister.

As part of an advisory panel to Jeffrey Donaldson, she acknowledged the Windsor Framework is an improvement on the Protocol but there are still many difficulties with it in terms of practical issues and of course that issue that goes to the heart of the Protocol around the place of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.

She said if the DUP goes back into government it will be implementing EU laws and would be pulling the Stormont brake every day of the week.

On This Day In History - July 14th
Cork City Council has said a clean up operation is underway following an oil spillage at the iconic River Lee in city.

The local authority said it was working with the Port of Cork Company the remove contamination from the water, following an accident which took place this morning.

"At 9.45am today, a small amount of marine gas oil (MGO) was released into a limited area of the River Lee. The release took place during a transfer from a road tanker to a fishing vessel at Horgans Quay. The release was momentary and was stopped quickly, a spokesperson for the council said.

In a joint operation, teams from Cork City Council and the Port of Cork Company, are currently responding to the incident. It is estimated that up to 20 litres of MGO may have entered the water.

The spokesperson said the release took place adjacent to the quayside and away from Cork Harbours environmentally sensitive areas.

"The Irish Coastguard has been informed. It is expected that the response will be completed in the coming hours. An investigation is ongoing, they added.

A spokesperson for the Port of Cork Company said they have now moved from a clean up response to monitoring the situation with response equipment in place at the incident.

The port of Cork is one of the busiest in Ireland and according the companys 2022 Annual report  which was released earlier this month  its turnover increased by 21.5pc to 48.41 million in 2022 from 39.8 million in 2021 and the companys profits also increased by 17.7pc, with an operating profit of 9.16 million  up from 7.78 million in 2021.

Employment figures also increased last year, from 154 to 170, as a result of operating two container terminals at Tivoli and the new Cork Container Terminal in Ringaskiddy, the report states.

The Port of Cork is also currently the only port in Ireland with full planning permission in place for Offshore Renewable Energy infrastructure development.
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said climate action will be scaled up and speeded up as latest emissions figures show only a minor improvement.

He was responding to the emissions inventory published by the Environmental Protection Agency which shows the volume of greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted last year fell by 1.9pc.

While the reduction was welcomed, climate scientists, advisors and NGOs said it was far short of what was required by law and by a climate that has been causing chaos through its extreme weather impacts of late.

It is a relief to see that Irelands climate changing pollution fell in 2022 but it was only a dip and not yet the dramatic reductions we need to see, said Oisin Coghlan of Friends of the Earth.

He pointed out that some of the factors behind the fall were temporary so there was no guarantee that one years reduction would become a trend.

The reductions in agriculture and home heating pollution were largely driven by rising fertiliser and fossil fuel prices as a result of war in Ukraine, he said.

The Government needs to take steps to actively ensure those reductions are locked in, rather than rebounding as prices ease.

He described the 6pc rise in transport emissions, the worst performing sector, as horrifying.

Marie Donnelly, chair of Climate Change Advisory Council, also expressed concern at the temporary nature of the factors at play.

We are not on track to achieve our emissions targets, she said.

She also highlighted the continued rise in transport emissions as a worry.

Investment and support is needed now, to incentivise a switch to public transport and an uplift in active travel.

Stop Climate Chaos Coalition (SCC) coordinator Sadhbh ONeill said the overall emissions reduction masked a worrying increase in the use of gas in power generation.

While use of coal, oil and peat fell, almost 13pc more gas was used which was the highest amount since 2010.

At University College Cork, Professor Hannah Daly stressed that the 1.9pc reduction was far below the 5-6pc that was required to keep legally binding targets in sight.

Failure to achieve that level of reduction meant only sustained annual cuts of 12.4pc over the next few years would make the targets a realistic goal.

Minister Ryan said the 2022 reduction displayed important green shoots of change.

We do need to see our emissions fall at an even faster rate but this decrease remains a significant achievement given our expanding economy and our growing population, he said.

We will continue to revise our climate plans to ensure that we scale up and speed up our actions.

Professor Brian O Gallachoir of UCC, said, however, that accelerating climate action alone would not suffice as it was being outpaced by economic growth and increasing consumption.

The drivers of emissions growth are stronger than the drivers of emissions reduction.

This means we need to seriously question how and why we prioritise economic growth above all and this discussion will be challenging from both a political and societal perspective."
The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has expressed its disappointment with RTEs Prime Time for cancelling an appearance by one of its members on short notice.

On Monday the current affairs programme aired its much publicised Milking It; Dairys Dirty Secret report, which highlighted animal welfare breaches in the sector.

The airing of the show had been nervously anticipated by many in the dairy industry in recent weeks, with the treatment of calves a long-running concern within the sector in the wake of a huge expansion in cow numbers since 2015.

Some of the footage appeared to show workers repeatedly kicking young calves, and animals were also thrown from trailers on delivery into marts by both staff and farmers.

On Tuesday, Social Democrat Leader Holly Cairns raised the issues highlighted in the programme during Leaders Questions.

The Cork TD pressed Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on what the Government was going to do about cruel and inexcusable practices in part of our dairy sector.

She described the scenes as consequences of the lifting of milk quotas in 2015, saying it had resulted in an explosion in the number of bull calves which had in turn resulted in the animals being treated as a waste product, valueless and disposable.

This scandal is a direct consequence of Government policy that has pushed intensification and maximum production in the dairy sector, she said.

This failed model has also resulted in pollution of our pristine waterways, the degrading of our soil and an increase in our emissions.

Mr Varadkar responded, describing the incidents in the clips as repugnant, and said they had been widely condemned across the farming, dairy and industry sectors. He also said an investigation would be launched.

Social Democrat Leader Holly Cairns.

Ms Cairns appeared on last nights episode of Prime Time on her own and did a one-on-one interview with the programmes co-presenter Fran McNulty.

However, in an internal message to the IFA National Council, seen by the Irish Independent, a member of the farming organisation said they had been contacted by RTE yesterday afternoon to provide a guest for a debate with Deputy Cairns on Prime Time.

After considering the nature of the likely debate, we put forward Aine OConnell, our Dairy Policy Executive. Aine has a PhD in Dairy science, has considerable experience of the national and global sector and is a member of the Departments Calf Stakeholder forum, the message read.

When the press office went back to Prime Time, they declined to include her in the programme. Following this, IFA wrote to the programme registering our disappointment that, despite the short notice we were given, we had identified a person who could talk very knowledgeably on this issue, but the programme chose not to use her.

In response to a query from the Irish Independent, a spokesperson for RTE said they asked Deputy Cairns to appear on the programme as she had made a significant contribution to the debate after the Mondays programme aired.

At the start of last nights interview, the Ms Cairns said it was astounding that not the senior minister, neither of the junior ministers or anybody else is here from Government to speak about this issue because it is a very important time in the sector.

RTE said no government representative and no member of Fianna Fail or Fine Gael was made available to the programme team.

Regarding the perceived slight felt by the IFA, the RTE spokesperson said: We explored a wide variety of other guests in this context and spoke to representatives of a range of organisations, including the IFA. In the end it was decided that the issues were heavily political in nature and it was best to keep them in the political domain. For this reason and also because of time constraints, we decided to stick with an interview with Holly Cairns.

We are very grateful to the IFA for offering to supply a spokesperson in this instance and we look forward to engaging with them on this and many other subjects in future".

Deputy Cairns told the Irish Independent that the matter was between the IFA and RTE she had no comment to make on it.
Reports of a very large exit package prompt probe as scandal widens

RTE is to launch an investigation into potential golden handshakes given to some senior executives leaving the organisation.

The move follows revelations about a very large exit package paid to a key witness in the Ryan Tubridy payments scandal.

It comes as RTE confirmed the former Late Late Show presenter has invoiced for his last month of TV and radio work.

He is now set for showdown talks with management over his salary arrangements.

Tubridy is also being encouraged to pay back the 150,000 paid to him by RTE for sponsor gigs that were never done.

Conflicting committee statements from Adrian Lynch and Noel Kelly

But the ever-widening scandal has now moved to an investigation into exit packages, following criticism of the payment to RTEs former chief financial officer Breda OKeeffe.

Among RTE staff, there is now speculation about sizeable sums being paid to other senior executives who departed the station.

RTE is not saying who left under a voluntary redundancy schemes in 2017 and 2021. But a substantial voluntary exit package was agreed between former RTE director general Dee Forbes and Ms OKeeffe. The package was not signed off on by all members of the RTE executive.

Former RTE chief financial officer Breda OKeeffe (Brian Lawless/PA)

Unions at RTE say some ordinary staff members were turned down for packages, so there was a clear inconsistency.

Following criticism by the Dail Public Accounts Committee, RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst has announced the commissioning of an external review of redundancy payments. Details of the review, which will feed into the Governments Review of Contractor Fees, Human Resources (HR) and other matters, will be announced as soon as possible, he said.

Under the 2017 redundancy programme, 182 staff left, saving 12.7m on the payroll.

Ms OKeeffe was replaced in her position as chief financial officer upon her departure in March 2020 after 18 years with the broadcaster and eight years in that senior management role. She applied for a voluntary restructuring programme that was open for staff at the time.

However, redundancy packages that involve a payment to the exiting member of staff are normally granted in circumstances where their role is made redundant, they are not directly replaced, or the job is reduced, Her replacement, Richard Collins, is on a salary of around 200,000 and gets a car allowance of 25,000.

National Union of Journalists Irish secretary Seamus Dooley said the review would have to establish if there were other exit packages.

I had dealt with a significant number of people who had been refused. The idea was non replacement or restructuring, he said.

Mr Collins told the Dail Public Accounts Committee he knew nothing about the package given to his predecessor. Breda never explained anything about it, he said.

Richard Collins is chief financial officer at RTE. Photo: PA

And deputy director general Adrian Lynch said the first he heard of the package to Ms OKeeffe was when she said it at the previous weeks meeting.

Mr Lynch agreed with Labour Party TD Alan Kelly that it should have been signed off on by the executive board. Correct. That is absolutely factual. Never came to us for sign-off.

Also yesterday, it was revealed that Tubridy has invoiced RTE since ending his term as Late Late Show host.

The presenter is off the air since the emergence of the payments scandal. Mr Bakhurst said there is no salary being paid to Tubridy.

We need to decide what were paying him because hes not doing his duties any more. Clearly hes not doing his TV programme any more, he should be available for radio, he said.

The latest invoice from Tubridy was sent in June, so may cover his final month on the Late Late Show, as well as his radio work.

Former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy appeared before the committee

The invoice received by RTE was for Ryans television and radio work. As Ryan does not currently do television work for RTE, we will consider remuneration in the coming days and discuss with Ryan and his agent, Noel Kelly, RTE said.

Mr Bakhurst also stated he would look at recouping 150,000 from outstanding Renault appearances from Tubridy if he was agreeable to returning it.

Mr Bakhurst said the scandal around the payment of Tubridy is one of the most shameful and damaging episodes in the national broadcasters history.

The Government is still weighing up how to deal with RTEs wider financial crisis.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it isnt fair that the majority of TV licence revenue goes to RTE.

Mr Varadkar said reform of the system is long overdue, adding he was determined to see it through during this Governments term in office.

Its a very-old fashioned way of collecting revenue, linked to a device that many people dont own any more, and of course, a fund that goes almost entirely to RTE, which isnt fair, as theres more to public service media than RTE, Mr Varadkar said.

The national broadcaster received over 3.7bn in TV licence fee income from the State in the last 20 years.
Interim deputy director general of RTE, Adrian Lynch, told the Media Committee that contract negotiations for Ryan Tubridy were suspended, but he was still being paid. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Director general of RTE, Kevin Bakhurst, has said RTE still have to decide what to pay Ryan Tubridy. Photo: Collins

Former 'Late Late Show' host Ryan Tubridy appeared before the Public Accounts Committee and the Media Committee this week. Photo: PA

Ryan Tubridy could be entitled to nearly 11,500 in pay for his radio show since he has been taken off air by RTE.

Figures detailed by the presenter's agent Noel Kelly to the Oireachtas this week revealed that Mr Tubridy received 240,000 for his television work.

This leaves him with 200,000 for radio work, as per the 440,000 contract.

It works out at just under 4,000 per week, with the former Late Late Show host off air for three weeks already. Mr Tubridy insists he is still under contract at RTE.

The news comes as new RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst revealed yesterday that the national broadcaster received an invoice from Mr Tubridy this week.

RTE later clarified to Independent.ie that the invoice was received last month and was for Mr Tubridy's TV and radio work.

'We'll wait to see what he does about it' - RTE Director-General Kevin Bakhurst on Ryan Tubridy's offer to return payments

However, RTE would not go into detail on the period of time this was for.

RTE said: "As stated by Kevin Bakhurst at today's PAC meeting, the invoice received by RTE was for Ryan's television and radio work. As Ryan does not currently do television work for RTE, we will consider remuneration in the coming days and discuss with Ryan and his agent, Noel Kelly.

Director general of RTE, Kevin Bakhurst, has said RTE still have to decide what to pay Ryan Tubridy. Photo: Collins

"For clarification, while Kevin Bakhurst stated in today's meeting that he had seen the invoice this week, the invoice was received by RTE in June."

Mr Bakhurst yesterday said RTE still have to decide what to pay the former Late Late Show host as he is not doing his past duties anymore.

He said: On Mr Tubridys return  Ive been asked about this a lot from the media and obviously theres a lot of interest and rightly so  I need to deal with that properly, there will need to be a fair process.

Mr Bakhurst said he needs to have discussions with some of my colleagues and staff and then potentially with Mr Tubridy, but there will be a fair process around that.

He told PAC that the broadcaster had received an invoice from Mr Tubridys agent, adding: We are currently in discussion  well, we were  but well need to be in continued discussions with Mr Tubridys agent about that because clearly, hes not doing his TV programme any more, he should be available for radio.

Conflicting committee statements from Adrian Lynch and Noel Kelly

Mr Bakhurst said they have not yet settled on what [Tubridy] should be being paid at the moment.

When asked whether Mr Tubridy was currently being paid by the broadcaster, Mr Bakhurst said: As of this week, no... because we need to decide on what the level of that is.

This is despite Mr Tubridy telling the same committee on Tuesday that he was still under contract and being paid.

He told PAC on Tuesday morning: My understanding is that I am still under contract with RTE and my aim and hope is to go back to work.

Appearing before the Media Committee later that day, he was asked whether he was still being paid by RTE. Mr Tubridy replied: Yes, I am.

He added, however, that his job at RTE was touch and go at the moment and he could be out of a job by Friday.

Interim deputy director general of RTE, Adrian Lynch, told the Media Committee that contract negotiations for Ryan Tubridy were suspended, but he was still being paid. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Interim director general Adrian Lynch had told the Media Committee last week that contract negotiations for Mr Tubridy were suspended, but he was still being paid.

In terms of Mr Tubridy's contract, his contract, which was for radio and television services, ended at the end of May. There were negotiations going on about a radio contract, said Mr Lynch.

Those negotiations, as a result of all of this, were suspended. Currently, as we said, we are still paying Mr Tubridy and there are certain elements of the contract that are in dispute with the agent.

According to Mr Tubridys agent Noel Kelly, the presenter received 240,000 for his television work.

It means he earned around 6,600 per episode of the last 36-episode season, less than incoming host Patrick Kielty will earn at the helm of the iconic chat show.

In a statement shared shortly after the news of the RTE payments controversy broke, Mr Kielty said he will be paid 250,000 for a 30-show season. This works out at around 8,300 per episode.

He will also get a one-off payment of 20,000 to cover the pre-production and rehearsals from now to September.

Mr Kielty said he will be covering his own flights and accommodation costs, and has asked RTE to carbon-offset his flights.
Ryan Tubridy gives evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday. Photo: PA

The unprecedented Public Accounts Committee (PAC) grilling of Ryan Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly over the RTE payments scandal broke online streaming records for Oireachtas TV.

New figures show there was more than nine million streaming minutes during the lengthy hearing on Tuesday morning.

Streaming figures Mr Tubridy and Mr Kellys appearance before PAC were significantly higher than those for the Dail addresses by US President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ryan Tubridy bangs fist on desk and says well stay for as long as it takes

Figures from the Houses of the Oireachtas show public interest in the long running RTE controversy has grown steadily over recent weeks.

There was 900,070 streaming minutes for the first appearance by the RTE executive and board before the Oireachtas Media Committee on June 28.

The following day there was 1,197,193 streaming minutes on Oireachtas TV when the same group appeared before the PAC.

When RTE executives returned to the Media Committee last week there was 1,799,070 minutes.

However, on Tuesday for Tubridys appearance before PAC the figures hit a massive 9,007,810 minutes.

Meanwhile, there was 261,944 minutes of streaming on Oireachtas TV for Mr Bidens address and 384,108 minutes for Zelensys Dail speech in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There was 445,078 minutes of streaming for Budget Day last September.
The cocaine seized by Revenue at Rosslare on Thursday. Photo: Revenue.

Specialist gardai this evening continue to interview two men over one of the biggest drug seizures of the year with the help of translators.

Over 11 million worth of cocaine was discovered when customs officers searched a concealed compartment of a horse box that landed at Rosslare Europort yesterday.

Gardai believe that the massive drugs haul was destined for the Irish market.

Before this bust there was known links between the Bulgarian mafia and Irish criminals and this is now something that national garda units are investigating, given the men arrested are Bulgarian nationals.

The reason for this belief is that the vehicle that was stopped by Customs is that its final destination was due to be in Dublins north inner city, at a false address a senior source said.

Look this is a massive amount of coke  it is not known who exactly controls it but multiple devices are now being examined in terms of this so it could yet emerge who is behind it, the source added.

Gardai announced details of the arrest operation today.

Gardai arrested two men after Revenue Customs Officers searched the horsebox that had come off a ferry from Cherbourg, France.

Gardai said over 160kg of cocaine was discovered inside the animal trailer. The discovery was made with the assistance of Revenues mobile x-ray scanner and detector dog Daithi.

Detector Dog Daithi

At approximately 1:30pm, Revenue Customs Officers conducted a search of a horsebox which had disembarked a ferry. During the course of this search an estimated 163kg of suspected cocaine was discovered, a garda spokesperson said.

Wexford Gardai attended the scene and arrested two men, aged in their 20s and 30s, in relation to this seizure.

Both men are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda Station in the Wexford District.

Gardai said the drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for further analysis and investigations are ongoing.

A spokesperson for Revenue Customs said the seizure is part of its ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity.

"If businesses, or members of the public. have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295, they added

Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 14th
A walker has died after collapsing at the summit of Slieve Donard, Co Down.

At 1.18pm on Thursday, the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team received a call for assistance via police for a walker collapsed at the summit of Slieve Donard.

The team responded alongside Air Ambulance and given the nature of the call also requested the assistance of a SAR Aircraft.

Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of all involved, in particular fellow hill walkers, the walker sadly passed away at the scene, a spokesperson for Mourne Mountain Rescue Team said.

"Twelve members responded and stood down at 1640hrs.

Our thoughts are very much with family, friends and all those involved at this time.

Many people offered their condolences on social media and recognised the efforts of the rescue team.

One person said: This is so sad.

We summited today less than an hour later. We kept right out of the way to let the rescue teams carry out their work.

Thank you to all involved for your efforts.

Another added: Very sad to read this, a difficult day for everyone involved, condolences to their family and friends, thoughts with you all.

On This Day In History - July 14th
It is now inevitable that the taxpayer will once again be forced to shoulder the financial burden of the latest controversy to engulf the State.
A handyman accused of the murder of Cork-born bishop David OConnell, who was killed in Los Angeles in February, is to plead not guilty when his trial begins in August, it has been reported.

Carlos Medina(65) is accused of murdering the 69-year-old Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, David OConnell, who had been in Los Angeles since 1979, as he lay sleeping in his bed in the US.

The preliminary hearing is to get underway in Los Angeles on August 10. At this hearing, the District Attorney will lay out the evidence  the judge could decide to dismiss the charges against Mr Medina or send him for trial on a murder charge.

A native of Brooklodge, Glanmire in Cork, the Irish priest, and later bishop, was happiest when working with the poor, the socially disadvantaged and vulnerable migrants.

Colleagues from All Hallows in Dublin, where he studied, recalled a kind-hearted man with a keen sense of humour who saw his ministry as trying to help the needy.

The fatal shooting of the 69-year-old Irish bishop on February in his Hacienda Heights home has caused shock in a US city usually numbed to violent crime

The Irish cleric became renowned for his work with vulnerable migrants from Central and South America after his assignment to the California diocese from Cork in 1979. Many of those migrants live in squatter camps and even underneath highway overpasses  often just a few minutes drive from neighbourhoods renowned for their wealth and multi-million-dollar homes.

Bishop OConnell worked to protect the migrants from gang exploitation. Throughout his life, the cleric took a great interest in education  and regularly visited schools around Los Angeles.

When Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of auxiliary bishop in 2015, he humbly declined all honorific titles  and insisted parishioners simply call him Dave or Bishop Dave.

In 1992, he personally intervened in the race riots sparked by the police beating of African-American motorist Rodney King.

It was an involvement  often at great personal risk in areas controlled by some of the most feared gangs in the US  that earned him the nickname across Los Angeles as The Peacemaker.

But Bishop OConnell was found lying critically injured on his bed in his home off Janlu Avenue at lunchtime last Saturday.

He lived alone in the single-storey property located in east Los Angeles, just north of Anaheim.

He had suffered a single gunshot wound to his upper chest.

Within hours of his death, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department had launched a murder investigation.

In Cork, friends remembered a cleric who, despite almost half a century based in the US, cherished his Irish roots.

Four years ago, Bishop OConnell brought a diocesan group from Los Angeles to Ireland  and delighted in having them entertained by Irish folk group Masons Apron, in Cork.

Band member Greg Daly said Bishop OConnell was renowned for his kindness and his sense of humour. Cork priest Damian OMahony  speaking at the Glounthaune church where

Bishop OConnell was baptised in 1953  said: His heart was here in Cork, and particularly in Glounthaune parish.

He said mass here in this church over the years and we pray also for his family and his many friends.

It is a time of heartbreak, shock, tears, sadness and sorrow.

Bishop of Cork Fintan Gavin said Bishop OConnell had been widely admired in Ireland and the US.

The Archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez said the entire diocese was in shock at the tragedy.
Kevin Quaid after getting the tattoo of the shell logo for the Camino walk.

The film crew setting up at Barretts in Kanturk for the documentary but which turned out to be a mighty night.

POPULAR Kanturk man Kevin Quaid - living the best he can and doing his best with a diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia - is now the focus of a documentary which is a pilot series for Netflix for people who have different types of dementia from all over the world.

Because people with dementia are sometimes treated horrendously in other countries, the message of the documentary is to educate people to the possibility of living with your ailment as Kevin Quaid has. Diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, Kevin has not only come to terms with his own condition but has also written books on living with dementia and has become a dementia ambassador, giving talks to others to help them cope also.

Now, journalist, bestselling author and Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health Fernando Aguzzoli arrived with a film crew to Ireland to make a pilot documentary. This documentary will be aired all around the world and it will be a big comfort for all those with dementia and for those caring for someone with dementia.

Meanwhile, Kevin walked 40km of the Camino de Compostella a few weeks ago with seven other people with a diagnosis of different types of dementia, mainly the Alzheimer type. They were all from different countries and the documentary began as they walked each day together with their carers and supporters.

The crew then travelled to Kanturk to film Kevin in his home last week. They filmed many places around the town, the beautiful parks, rivers, bridges and, of course, Kanturk Castle. They also filmed him in Patricias Daily Grind Cafe, where Kevin and his wife, Helena, started the first dementia cafe in the area. This has now relocated to the Culturlann in Newmarket and is held on one Thursday a month from 11am to 1pm.

They also filmed at Banteer Station where they got some lovely footage of the Irish Rail trains.

The following day they travelled to Kevins home county, Limerick, where he was born and reared, across the border in Broadford and got some lovely shots of the Broadford Ashford Walking Trails by the lake and the spectacular views of the Mullaghareirk Mountains.

While primarily focusing on dementia, the documentary will show what Ireland has to offer to others who may be suffering.

Barretts Bar in Kanturk was set up early on the second morning of filming and they spent four hours there filming for two documentaries, one is called walking the talk and thats about the Camino, and the second interview was for the Netflix documentary.

After all the hard work the group had a mighty night at Ned Barretts premises in Kanturk which was the venue for music, song and dance. This was a fantastic opportunity to highlight our traditional Irish music on this documentary.

Noreen Murphy Clery, who works in Kanturk Hospital, explained the background to their musical instruments and also played her wonderful music with the help of Colleen Angland and Darragh Twomey, while Kevin, his brother Tim and his dad accompanied them on the bodhran.

It was a night of great craic as other friends and family joined in and sang their favourite songs and put on a fantastic show for the visiting crew.

Then they went to Dublin by train and on to Dublin and Croke Park, where they filmed a lot about the wonderful stadium and toured the stadium as well as filming pitchside.

The grand finale was in Dublin with Kevin getting his first ever tattoo, which was the Camino shell. A pact was agreed on the Camino that all who were walking the talk for dementia would get that tattoo to show solidarity to all those other people around the world living with dementia of any type.

This Kevin Quaid is A Man You Dont Meet Everyday.
Works will incorporate a new footbridge over the tracks and the installation of two lifts at the North Cork station.

A COMPREHENSIVE programme of works will get underway at Banteer Railway Station over the coming days aimed at making it more passenger friendly and cope with a predicted increase in traffic.

A wide package of improvements to Corks railway network was announced under the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) 2040 published in 2019, a long-term programme aimed at increasing the frequency of rail services across the county developed by the National Transport Agency (NTA) in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Cork County and City Councils.

It followed on from the publication of the National Planning Framework (NPF), which anticipates that Cork Metropolitan Area (CMA) will become the fastest growing city region in Ireland, with a projected 50% -60% increase in population by the year 2040.

It is predicted this population increase will also result in associated economic growth, with CMATS recognising this needs to be carefully managed and planned for carefully in order to safeguard and enhance Corks attractiveness as a place to live, work, visit and invest in.

Under the CMATS programme an enhanced rail network will not only support local population and economic growth but will also help Ireland reach ambitious climate change targets by giving people, in particular commuters, an alternative to using cars.

In addition to upgrading a 10km section of the rail network in East Cork that would triple the frequency of services between Cork and Midleton, the strategy also incorporates significant plans for the network servicing the North Cork region. These new stations at Blackpool/Kilbarry & Monard and a major station & Park and Ride facility at Blarney/Stoneview.

It will also see an increase in the frequency and reliability of Cork Suburban Rail Services between Cork City and Mallow as well as regional and intercity services through Charleville, Banteer and Millstreet.

Iarnrod Eireann has announced contractors will commence work on what they described as accessibility works at Banteer station within the coming days, with initial enabling works involving the provision of a temporary car-park ahead of main construction, which will commence in the second week of August.

The works will include the provision of a new footbridge over the railway, which will feature two 13-peron lifts, remedial works to platform 2 and upgrades to the toilets. Work is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, said an Iarnrod Eireann spokesperson.

An integral element of Iarnrod Eireanns ongoing investment programme is to continuously improve accessibility of its stations and services. Banteer is the latest accessibility works to commence on the network,, they added.
The latest world ranking list for the globes top show jumpers was unveiled this week and Castlemagner rider Shane Sweetnam has been placed in the top 10 at Number 9.

A recent run of good form has led to the north Cork man climbing three places in the latest ranking and hes now the highest placed Irish rider in the world rankings.

The 41-year-old from Castlemagner had travelled from his US base with high hopes to the Tokyo Olympics when they were eventually held in 2021 but crashed out when he fell from his horse, Alejandro, during one of the qualifiers.

However since going professional in 2010, the North Cork rider has notched up almost 100 wins in international competitions and helped Ireland achieve a gold at the European Equestrian Games in 2017.

His current mount is James Kann Cruz and the pairing are in great form at present, winning a number of competitions. Last year, 2022, was an outstanding year for the duo with a win in the Aga Khan at the Dublin Horse Show and they played a key role in Irelands recent FEI Nations Cup win in Vancouver in Canada. That venue was a happy hunting ground for the pair as they finished in the runner up position in the Grand Prix, one of the worlds top ranked competitions.

This week the north Cork rider was speaking to the Irish Field and paid tribute to James Kann Cruzs breeder, the Connolly family in Galway.

The family who bred James Kann Cruz  they are not just once-off breeders he said. Their passion, they think a lot about the process and put a lot of money into it. Its not easy, but to get that reward is really great.

I know they are always following the horse and hopefully in the future, there will be many more Irish breeders that put in that effort, and can get that success.

All the horses are jumping well at the moment and that obviously reflects in the rankings  James Kann Cruzs result speak for themselves.

He is always in the mix in any big class that h jumps in and that obviously gives a big boost to me in all of the major Grand Prixs.

I dont look at the rankings too much but it obviously shows consistent we are and James Kann Cruz and one of my other horses Alejandro have played a key role in that and its great to have them.

The rider said that he was optimistic as he looked forward to the forthcoming Dublin Horse Show (August 9-13) and the European Championships after that. He feels in great shape so fingers crossed.

The form of James Kann Cruz and its growing global reputation is something that Shane believes is a reflection of recent improvements in the Irish breeding system.

It shows the dream is there, the hope is there, he said in his interview with The Irish Field. You can have a horse in Ireland, breed it, produce it and it can go on to the very top.

It certainly feels like the Irish breeding system has continued to get better in recent years and there are more of those horses turning up and, hopefully, there will be more still to turn up.

Its great for me to have the horse obviously but its great to be involved in that story.
The housing scheme offers hope to people who are struggling to afford the cost of a new home.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin speaking to Clonmore resident Pamela Kruger. Also pictured are Land Development Agency CEO John Coleman and Cllr Pat Hayes, deputising for the Mayor of County Cork. Photos: Gerard McCarthy.

Clonmore resident Martin Ryan proudly showing off the keys to his new home with Tanaiste Micheal Martin and Land Development Agency (LDA) CEO John Coleman.

THE Tanaiste Micheal Martin was in Mallow on Friday meeting residents of a new 95-unit private housing development facilitated by the Land Development Agency (LDA) under a pair of Shared Equity Schemes aimed at providing people with affordable new homes.

Planning permission for the Project Tosaigh development at Clonmore, Ballyviniter, was granted in 2019, with people invited to apply to purchase the three and four bed houses under the First Homes and Local Authority Affordable Purchase Schemes. They are aimed at helping first-time buyers and other eligible home-buyers purchase a home in a private development.

Under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, a maximum of 75,000 per house is available to bridge the funding gap, subject to the purchasers particular circumstances.

The First Home Scheme allows first time buyers and other eligible homeowners, who might otherwise be unable to buy a home due to insufficient funds, to bridge the gap between their deposit, mortgage and the price of a new home.

In both cases, purchasers can buy back the First Homes or Local Authoritys stake at any time, but are not obligated to repay it until the ultimate sale of their home.

In Clonmore, homes are currently available for occupation under the First Home Scheme.

Operating under the umbrella of the Governments ambitious Housing for All strategy and financed through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), the Clonmore development was delivered by the LDA in partnership with Cork County Council and the OFlynn Group.

It is hoped development will go some way to addressing the chronic local housing shortage, particularly within the context of expected population growth figures contained within the Cork County Development Plan (2022-2028).

It has predicted Mallows population, which according to the 2016 census stood at 12,459, will expand to 15,351 over the six-year life span of the Development Plan  an increase of 2,892 people.

The plan said that in order to accommodate this level of population growth, Mallow will need an additional 1,105 additional housing units by 2028.

During his visit to Mallow the Tanaiste met with some of the new Clonmore residents and heard how they would have struggled to buy a new home without the assistance of the twin Shared Equity Schemes.

One resident told the Tanaiste about the difficulties of saving for a deposit needed to obtain a full mortgage while also paying rent, but was able to bridge the affordability gap under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme.

Other residents praised the speed with which they were able to apply for schemes, some moving into their new home less than 6-months after initially applying.

Speaking after meeting the residents, the Tanaiste said the LDA and Local Authorities were making significant progress in helping to reach ambitious Government targets for the delivery of affordable and cost rental homes.

We are conscious of the pressing need to maintain momentum in this regard and to continue to ensure the delivery of more housing, but it is also good to recognise successful projects that are already delivering and to meet and engage with the homeowners who have benefited from the work and the considerable investment involved, said the Tanaiste.

Mallow-based Cllr Pat Hayes, deputising for the Mayor of County Cork, said the Clonmore development was an excellent example of what can be archived by local authorities through in partnerships with developers and the LDA

The positive impact of such housing can be fully understood when hearing from the homeowners themselves and learning about the difference it has made to their quality of life by people being able to purchase their own home, said Cllr Hayes.

Meanwhile, the LDA has urged more people to apply for the Shared Equity home purchase schemes in the Clonmore development.

These schemes are open to households who are effectively locked out of the housing market because they earn too much to qualify for other state backed housing supports, but not enough to purchase their own home in the private market without the of the schemes, said LDA chief executive John Coleman,

The schemes simply offer financial support in return for equity, but ultimately the homeowner owns the home and benefits from the security of having an affordable mortgage, he added.

Full details on the Shared Equity Schemes are available on the LDA and people can register their interest in purchasing one of the Mallow homes at www.clonmore.ie.
Priscila Leonardi (40) had been working in Ireland since 2019 before she was found murdered in her native Brazil

A man known to Dublin-based nurse Priscila Leonardi has been arrested over her murder.

Last week a fisherman discovered Ms Leonardis body on the banks of the Ibirapuita River in Alegrete, Brazil.

She had been missing since June 19 after traveling home to collect some of her belongings to bring back to Dublin.

She was found with a ribbon-like lanyard around her neck, and injuries consistent with beating.

According to reports in Brazil, a 30-year-old man was temporarily arrested yesterday on suspicion of the crime. The warrant issued by the court is valid for 30 days.

Police suspect that he is the main perpetrator of Priscilas death and hiding her body.

They did not disclose his identity, but say he had an important participation in the crime and even reported Priscilas disappearance to the police.

Civil Police are investigating whether the crime is linked to an inheritance left by Priscilas father. Ms Leonardi (40) was laid to rest in her hometown last Friday.

A protest will be held in Dublin at 12pm on Monday, July 17, outside the Brazilian embassy to demand more answers.

Friends of Ms Leonardi are encouraging people to wear black shirts at the event.

One said: Were going to go in front of the Brazilian embassy and fight for justice. We want answers. Its been over 20 days, but weve no answers about Priscila and her disappearance.

Its very strange  the police never reached out to us, asked us who was close to her. Its not acceptable. She died in the most horrible way.

There wont just be people from Ireland at this protest. Her friends from places like Portugal, Croatia, Spain, and Bolivia will be there. Were getting together to make this happen on Monday.

We want to know why she died and who did it to her. The police in Brazil are very slow. Its not new that theres a lot of corruption and with a case like this, it could be forgotten very easily.

Were afraid to tell our names publicly because we dont know what happened to her. We have to protect ourselves.

Priscila had no close family, both her parents are dead. She had some relatives in her hometown, but she did not have a close relationship with them.

Her friends became her family, she was very social, and she made friends with people all over the world. We want to help with this case.

Anyone can join the protest. We want justice. We want people to know that she was loved by us, and she was supported by people from all over the world.

Its a way for us to highlight violence against women. People can wear black on the day. The embassy didnt show us much support, they didnt really help (considering Ireland) was the country she was living in.

On This Day In History - July 14th
Members tell of pride in the Irish defence forces ahead of open day in the Phoenix Park

Sergeant Alan Lawlor and Private Robert Kelly in Farmleigh House to announce details of the Defence Forces Open Day on July 29. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins

Members of the Irish defence forces have spoken of their pride ahead of an open day in the Phoenix Park later this month.

The family-friendly event will be held in Farmleigh House on Saturday, July 29, in support of the Defence Forces commemorative centenary celebrations.

It is an opportunity for the public to interact with Defence Forces personnel and equipment, with displays and stands from all services including the army, naval service, and air corps.

Sergeant Alan Lawlor told Independent.ie about his job within the defence forces.

Were snipers. We use camouflage to melt into the environment, we dont want to look like anything, when you look out into a field you see nothing, he said.

The camouflage works with the environment. Its tough work, its a different level of soldiering.

Were looking for an individual that is very confident navigating in all weather conditions, can shoot, can think tactically, and someone who is physically fit and a step above everyone else.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheal Martin with Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy and snipers, Sgt. Alan Lawlor and Pte Robert Kelly

Its a force multiplier, you put us on the ground and we can stop a group of men moving forward. All you have to do is take a pop shot, you dont even have to hit anybody, a warning shot will stop someone from moving forward.

Weve a basic sniper course thats two months long. About 100 apply, 12 are picked and on average, three pass.

Being a sniper means that youre a step above anyone else. A lot of trust is given to us, we go out and shoot, but we also observe. Were the eyes and ears and a lot is expected from us.

Theres no extra money. Its an individual thing, its pride, it helps you be a more professional soldier, he added.

Commandant Finbar McArdle has been in the defence forces for 23 years, after joining the air corp when he left school at 18.

Im a pilot and Im the captain of the helicopter here today. My job is to lead the team, another pilot, and a crewman in the back, he said.

When I left school, it was a choice for me to go to college or do something a little bit different. The defence forces were particularly appealing for me, particularly aviation.

Its a rewarding career, a challenging career and its something where you can help people in the Irish state.

Sniper Sergeant Alan Lawlor pictured in Farmleigh House

Theres emphasis on physical fitness as well because you are joining a military organisation. Its very technical too.

Youve to prove youve the values the defence forces are looking for. Flying is a lot different compared to commercial, you fly upside down and its more challenging, he added.

As part of the open day, therell be the chance to see an AW139 Helicopter and an aerial jump by the Black Knights parachute team.

Therell also be an Army Ranger Wing display, SERE (Survival, Escape & Evasion, Resistance to Interrogation, Extraction) display, Unarmed Combat Display and a medical corps and military police interactive stands.

If thats not enough, therell be a concert by the Defence Forces Combined Bands and School of Music, vehicle displays including cavalry and military motorbikes, MOWAGs (Armoured Personnel Carrier), and Naval Service RHIBs.

There will also be a kids play area, a food market and music on the day.

On the open day well be doing a parachute display into the grounds of Farmleigh House, Captain Keith Meehan said.

The public can come and see what we do and see some of the equipment we use. Kids or anyone whos interested can come and have a look up close.

I've been in the defence forces for about 13 years now. I didnt want the standard nine to five, theres variety in my workplace.

I have opportunities to serve overseas with UN mandated missions, Ive done that on two occasions. Both for six months and both very enjoyable, he added.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Micheal Martin, said the open day is an opportunity for the public to see the ongoing progress and investment in our defence forces.

Theres an ongoing transformation of the defence forces to encourage people to join. The pay conditions continue to increase, he said.

We approved of secondary health benefits recently and were continually improving the working environment.

Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy added: Recruitment is an issue, theres no question about that, but were being successful in the open recruitment.

Were doing everything we can to retain the people we have, people who are highly valued, with high levels of skills and confidence.

We have a challenge in terms of gender balance. Were striving to do better but its a very slow process.

Private Robert Kiely added that being in the defence forces is a one-of-a-kind job which he loves.

Theres no other job like it. What other job pays you to walk up mountains or to go shooting? The opportunity to go abroad and see things you wouldnt normally see, he said.
Disqualified from driving

A Sligo man, who admitted charges of drug driving and a refusal has been fined and banned at the district court.

Stanley Harte (27) of Largan, Collooney pleaded guilty to drug driving at Drumderry, Castlebaldwin on October 26 2020.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of refusing to give a blood sample at Ballymote Garda Station on December 20 2020.

His defence solicitor Mr Mark Mullaney said his client had come from England to face the charges.

Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that gardai had a checkpoint at Drumderry, Castlebaldwin on October 20 2020.

They stopped a car coming from the direction of Carrick-On-Shannon.

The defendant had no insurance disc displayed.

His pupils were dilated, and his eyes were bloodshot and there was a strong smell of cannabis.

The defendant said he had smoked a joint earlier that day.

A roadside fluid test showed that he had cannabis and cocaine in his system.

A subsequent blood test in Ballymote Garda Station confirmed the presence of cannabis and cocaine.

The defendant was a non-specified driver.

He had no previous convictions.

Sergeant Butler told the court that a vehicle was acting suspiciously and beeping its horn at Lower Quay Street on December 20 2020.

It had no lights on and was reversing and revving on the footpath.

There was a strong smell of drink from the car.

When the defendant was asked to get out of the car he fell on the ground.

His speech was slurred, and his eyes were glassy and a half bottle of Prosecco was on the car seat.

The defendant was brought to Ballymote Garda Station where he refused to blood or at his option urine sample.

Defence Solicitor Mark Mullaney said the defendant was 27 years old and since these matters, had qualified as an electrician.

He had gone to London and was working there.

The case had been put back to allow him to finish his qualification, but a guilty plea had been tendered earlier.

The defendant very much regretted the offences, and they were now almost three years old.

Mr Mullaney asked the court to postpone the driving ban to January 1 as his job in England finished in five months- time.

The solicitor said the defendant had learned his lesson.

Judge Brendan OReilly fined the defendant 100 and banned him from driving for a year on the drug driving charge.

The judge fined the defendant 400 and banned him from driving for four years on the refusal charge.

The driving bans were concurrent, and the disqualification was postponed until January 1.
Memories of the past and ambitions for the future were shared at Ballyellis on Sunday as the heroics of those who have fought in the 1798 Rebellion and the War of Independence were commemorated in a special ceremony. With pikemen and women marching in columns, and both musical and oratory contributions from Michael Fortune, Barry Lacey, Aileen Fortune, Marcella Byrne, and John Cullen, this solemn occasion offered all present the opportunity to reflect upon the sacrifices made by others on the very ground they stood upon.

Local councillor Fionntan O Suilleabhain outlined how the Ballyellis Memorial site was of significant importance all those years ago, indeed how this entire part of north Wexford was considered crucial in the fight against the invaders.

Were in a very special place, the area from Askamore right across to Coolgreany, under the leadership of the Catholic Miles Byrne and the Protestant Anthony Perry, played such a pivotal role in the Rebellion of 1798, said the Sinn Fein councillor. It wasnt just non-sectarian, but was anti-sectarian, and in the words of Wolfe Tone had as its mission to: Break the connection with England-the source of Irelands ills, and re-unite protestant, catholic and dissenter under the common name of Irishman.

Without going into too much detail, the United Irish Movement (UIM) had great victories here in Ballyellis and later in Ballygullen, continued Cllr O Suilleabhain. They had marched from their encampment at Croghan to attack the garrison town of Carnew at Ballyellis. On their way they stopped at Monaseed for refreshments and talked to the keeper of the village inn.

"They complained of being fatigued to death, completely exhausted and scarcely a ball or cartridge remaining. In addition it was difficult to find something to drink as in the words of Miles Byrne every house had been plundered by the English troops on their way to Vinegar Hill a short time before.

Unfortunately, General Needham was informed of the UIMs presence and sent the notorious Ancient Britons to attack them, a regiment which had previously been described as the horror of the country. The Irish soldiers subsequently ambushed the would-be attackers at the spot where the memorial now stands, with an estimated three thousand on the United Irish side and approximately two thousand on the English side.

This bloody, wretched battle was later described by Brother Luke Cullen: Since Vinegar Hill, they had 15 days of marching, fighting and counter-marching with very little rest. Falling in battle, retiring from wounds, exhaustion of strength. Spirited men retiring from hopelessness, desertions and numerous privations-want of food, sleep, bad shoes. Numbers from sleeping on ground in the open air, appeared as if they were in an advanced state of consumption. And notwithstanding all these disadvantages, they called on their generals to halt on some favourable position and give the enemy battle YOUR ancestors!

While he was keen to pay tribute to those who had fallen for the future of the nation, Cllr O Suilleabhain said in modern-times the focus needed to shift to the future and the Ireland the children in attendance would grow up in.

We are looking back in remembrance, but also looking forward to a future Ireland-to help realise the vision of Miles Byrne and Anthony Perry, he said. Thats why we need to be discussing a citizens assembly on Irish unity, its essential that we start having these discussions and debates; to work together and co-operate so that everyone-from whatever tradition or political background has their say in mapping out the type of Ireland we want to build for future generations. Young Tomas will be spearheading the commemoration in 2048 in a new Ireland.

We must look back in admiration for those from these fields around us who have gone before us, but also look to the future to help realise the dreams for which they died. That would be the greatest monument we could erect to our ancestors who gave their lives for us 225 years ago.
Declan Hannon was originally convicted at the Central Criminal Court in April 2019 of four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault in Co Wicklow on dates between 1987 and 1989

A child rapist who repeatedly attacked a young girl in the late 1980s and was named after a legal battle has lost a bid to overturn his conviction

At the Court of Appeal on Thursday, Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh said that the court had reached the conclusion that the appeal launched by Declan Hannon (52) should be dismissed on all grounds.

Hannon was convicted at the Central Criminal Court in April 2019 of four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault in Co Wicklow on dates between 1987 and 1989.

Due to the collapse of a number of trials the victim, now aged in her 40s, had to give evidence six times in court before her attacker was finally convicted.

Hannon, of Ramsgate Village, Gorey, Co Wexford, had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury on all six counts and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White in May 2019.

Mr Justice White said that Hannon carried the "brutal and cynical rape of an innocent child".

In November 2020, the woman won a legal battle at the Court of Appeal to have Hannon publicly named, overturning a gagging order made by Mr Justice White during the trial.

Mr Justice White's order prevented the publication of both the victim and her abuser but the Court of Appeal ruled that the order was superfluous and ought not to have been made.

Mr Justice White said he made his order "at the request of the DPP and the complainant". However, the DPP then appealed the order after the woman contacted them to say that she wished to waive her right to anonymity and for Hannon to be named. In response, Hannon's lawyers made an application to say the victim had no legal right to waive her anonymity.

That Court of Appeal judgement agreed with the DPP, who had submitted that in the absence of any familial relationship, the publication of the name of the accused would not, at this stage, tend to identify the complainant.

Speaking outside of court in 2019, the victim said she was never asked by the DPP at the sentencing hearing about her wishes and did not know she had to address the question of her anonymity.

At his appeal against this conviction, Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that the primary complaint of the appellant was that the trial judge should have discharged the jury because of the prejudice caused by the delay, as the victim made her complaint to the gardai in 2013 relating to criminal acts that took place in the 1980s.

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that there was an eight-year age gap between Hannon and the victim, with the appellant in his teens at the time while the victim was a child aged nine to 11. The matters first came to light in the early 1990s when she was 17.

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that the complainant made a statement in which she said that on four occasions at different locations, the appellant put his penis into her vagina, and on two of those occasions he also sexually assaulted her.

The judge said that two earlier trials against the appellant were not concluded, and the third trial concluded with his conviction.

Turning to the grounds of his appeal, Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said the appellant relied on a number of matters, including missing witnesses and physical changes to the locations of the offences.

She said that, despite the fact that there was a period of 17 years between the time the victim turned 18 in 1996 and when she made her complaint in 2013, the court was not persuaded that there was any conduct which could be described as culpable investigatory of prosecutorial delay in the case. She said there was ample explanation why people sexually abused as children may be unwilling to come forward and disclose the abuse.

The judge went on to say that the court was not persuaded that the loss of the appellants parents as witnesses in the case presented a real risk to the fairness of the trial.

She went on to say that the absence of his work timesheets did not threaten the fairness of his trial, nor did the typography of one of the locations of the offences.

Another ground of appeal related to disclosure, as the appellant submitted that the trial judge erred in failing to discharge the jury when it became apparent that the complainant had given evidence that by her own admission was not true. This only emerged during a voir dire after she had given her evidence to the jury.

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that this information did emerge during the trial, and she concluded that there was no prejudice to the appellant that would have warranted the discharge of the jury. She said he had the opportunity to cross-examine the complainant, which he did, and she went on to say that the fairness of the trial did not dip below what was required.

The third issue that the appellant raised was a question he was asked during the trial as to the current whereabouts of his sister. The appellant said that this question was highly prejudicial as it would have led the jury to speculate why his sister did not give evidence. Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that the court agreed with the trial judge that the matter was not of such gravity as to warrant a discharge of the jury.

The final issue raised by the appellant concerned the victims disclosure that she had undergone counselling during her 20s, as the fact of her counselling had not been disclosed to the defence. Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that it was disclosed to the appellant in May 2019 that the complainant could not recall who she attended for counselling, so there was no failure by the prosecution to disclose this.

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said the court had reached the conclusion that the appeal should be dismissed on all grounds.

On This Day In History - July 14th
As Taoiseach Leo Varadkar exited his government car at the entrance to the Bannow and Rathangan Show and commenced pressing the flesh, he seemed to have one goal in mind  reassuring the people of rural Ireland and the South East that the government sees them and they are not being overlooked.
A world premiere taking place in Wexford town this month will focus attention on dementia and raising awareness around the illness.

On Thursday, July 27, Filmwex Productions in association with the National Opera House, Wexford, will present the dementia awareness event, which will begin with an opening address from Deirdre Lang, who is Director of Nursing Older Persons Services, with the HSE.

Ms Langs address will be followed by the world premiere screening of buttons, zips & belt buckles, which is an 80-minute documentary film by award-winning Wexford filmmaker, Philip Bertrand Cullen.

The documentary is a truthful, honest and open account of Edward and Deirdre Barker as they navigate their way through the complex journey of dementia.

They met online, nine years ago, when they were both in their 60s. Edward lived in America and Deirdre lived in England. For the first year and a half they spoke to each other everyday on Skype and then they decided to get married and settle down in Wexford.

There starts the story of Edward and Deirdre Barkers life together. Following the screening there will be a questions and answers session hosted by Sharon Clancy and the participating guests in that session will include Professor Michael Reardon, (Geriatrician/GP), Julia Miller (Director of Nursing, Kerlogue Nursing Home), Deirdre McGarry-Barker (carer) and filmmaker, Philip Bertrand Cullen.

There will also be audience guests in attendance including representatives of Family Carers Ireland and the HSE.

The event will provide people with a great opportunity to ask questions and more importantly receive answers that will inform, assist and connect them to the information they may need to navigate their own dementia journey.

The overall aim of the event will be to raise awareness and open up a discussion around dealing with dementia and everything it entails.

Commenting ahead of the night, Philip said its hoped the event will connect, inform and assist people who might find themselves starting out on the dementia journey and to those who have already begun their journey.

In addition to information tables there will be a CD available on the night of recorded song by Ed Barker titled I Aint Dead Yet  and a book outlining a dementia journey in poetry, titled  Be Like Water, which was written by Deirdre McGarry-Barker.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Wexford branch of Family Carers Ireland and also to St. Bridgets Day Care Centre, Wexford.

There are an estimated 65,000 dementia sufferers in Ireland today according to official reports and as Philip pointed out: When you take into consideration the family members and friends who care for dementia sufferers that figure of 65,000 increases substantially.

Pinning down the different types of dementias that are associated with different age categories would be a complex undertaking, said Philip.

The truth is there is no way of calculating what the actual true figures are and this figure of 65,000 seems a drop in the ocean when it looks like everybody you talk to seems to know somebody who suffers with one of many dementia conditions or they know somebody who cares for a dementia sufferer," he added.

However, he also pointed out that everyone who finds themselves on a life-changing dementia cycle, whether they are a carer or have the illness, experience a similar journey, which he said: Is a journey that will challenge both the physical and mental state of the best of us.

A dementia diagnoses brings about a whirlwind of emotions for those either directly of indirectly affected by it and those emotions can include loss, grief, mental strength, reliance, acceptance and self discovery.

When one finds themselves in the dementia life cycle it is without doubt a place where the true meaning of the human spirit becomes apparent, said Philip.

For the sufferer discovering the strength to transition between an outward world to an inward world and then to an acceptance of this new world and for the carer a discovery of hidden strengths both physically and more importantly mentally, he added.

Such strengths allow a person to cope and to accept help without condition. It can make a person stronger in every aspect of the word and that then allows that person to move

forward with a new version of their life. A life that can be as meaningful and loving as the life they had before dementia.
A minor re-route of the Wicklow Way has been constructed on Coillte land in a collaborative effort to improve recreation in the Garden County.

A new path has been built heading south just after passing the Mullacor saddle and near to the descend into Glenmalure.

The Wicklow Way is considered to be Irelands oldest marked trail, and was pioneered over 40 years ago by famous Irish hill climber JB Malone.

The new path will help create a more sustainable trail and remove some difficult and sensitive muddy and hard to maintain terrain.

The collaborative efforts involved Coillte, Wicklow Mountains National Park and County Wicklow Partnership, with funding secured through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. David Ward is also thanked for his excellent work on the path.
I give less of a f**k now Im 40  Aidan Turner talks life post-Poldark, becoming a dad, and the 'small world' of Irish actors in London

Hitting a milestone age doesnt seem to have phased actor Aidan Turner. In fact, he sees getting older as an advantage in his career. Here, he talks about why hes more careful about what roles he accepts since becoming a dad, the sensitive subject of his new show and the camaraderie between Irish actors in London

Aidan Turner. Picture:

Shilpa Ganatra Fri 14 Jul 2023 at 03:30
Spells of heavy rain and blustery winds are expected, with the public urged to remember this weather can bring with it localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

Met Eireann has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for the country as spells of heavy rain are expected.

Spells of heavy rain and blustery winds are expected, with the public urged to remember this weather can bring with it localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

The warning for counties in Leinster, Munster and Connacht as well as Monaghan and Cavan is valid since 2am this morning until 7pm this evening.

Donegal has also been issued with a Status Yellow rain warning that is in place until midnight on Saturday.

It will be a wet and blustery day that brings with it the risk of localised flooding.

Bands of rain will spread across the country this morning, becoming heavy at times.

In these areas, there will be a risk of localised flooding.

Ireland's 7-day weather forecast - (10th of July - 17th of July)

The rain will begin to clear this afternoon in the south of the country, though the chance of isolated showers  that may turn heavy and thundery  will remain.

Highest temperatures of 13 to 19 degrees are to be expected throughout the day.

Tonight, counties in the north of the country will continue to see rain while isolated showers continue in the south.

Clear, dry spells will develop in the south and east overnight.

Lowest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees are forecast.

Heavy showers will continue throughout the weekend, with the unsettled weather continuing into next week.

The wet and windy weather will continue tomorrow, with widespread and heavy showers expected.

Highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees with fresh to strong westerly winds.

Showers will potentially turn thundery in the south tomorrow night, remaining wet and windy on Sunday morning.

Those patches of rain will gradually become more isolated later in the evening on Sunday, Met Eireann predicts.
The Indo Daily: Introducing Im Not Here to Hurt You  a new podcast about Irelands most polite bank robber
President Joe Biden speaks with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, as they stand for a family photo with Nordic leaders, at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland

President Biden defiantly declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "already lost the war" in Ukraine. He made the claim on a visit to the newest member of the NATO alliance as he wrapped up his five-day trip to Europe with a stop in Finland.
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PIB

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron.

"Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," read the Indian statement.

A warm gesture embodying the spirit of - partnership.



PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron. pic.twitter.com/OyiHCHMDX2  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 13, 2023

The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Modi on Thursday arrived in Paris as part of his official two-day visit to France and to attend the Bastille Day celebrations.

My request to the Indian diaspora in France- bring as many tourists from France to discover the beauty of India. pic.twitter.com/GsNnB4IEVC  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2023

He will later visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Image: PIB
Arindam Bagchi Twitter page

Paris: Indian PM Narendra Modi, who is currently in France, met the country's Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and discussed furthering cooperation in various areas.

"The leaders discussed furthering cooperation in various areas such as economic and trade, energy, environment, education, mobility, railways, digital public infrastructure, museology and people to people ties," read the government statement.

Had an excellent meeting with PM @Elisabeth_Borne. We discussed ways to deepen cooperation in areas such as commerce, infrastructure building, energy, culture and more. pic.twitter.com/Z3DuCsOg8b  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2023

Both sides reiterated their desire to further deepen the multifaceted cooperation between India and France.

He also met the President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher during this trip.

"The discussions focused on wide range of areas including India's G20 priorities, democratic values in technology usage and cooperation between the two Upper Houses. Regional and global issues of mutual interest were also discussed," read the statement.

My request to the Indian diaspora in France- bring as many tourists from France to discover the beauty of India. pic.twitter.com/GsNnB4IEVC  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2023

Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Paris as part of his official two-day visit to France and to attend the Bastille Day celebrations. He will later visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport as he began his tour.
Image Credit: Twitter/@MEAIndia

Amid the chanting of "Modi, Modi" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai" at La Seine Musicale in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the Indian diaspora during his two-day trip to France, media reports said.

In a late night speech, Modi made some big announcements including a new consulate in Marseille, UPI in France.

UPI in France will allow Indians in France to make transactions in the Indian currency, Rupee.

Among other announcements, the Prime Minister said Indian students studying masters in France will get a five-year-long-term-post-study visa.

In his long speech to the Indian diaspora, Modi highlighted India's bonding with France.

Modi said, "I have visited France several times but this time my visit is special. Tomorrow is France's National Day. I congratulate the people of France. I thank the people of France for inviting me.

"Today the French PM received me at the airport and tomorrow I will attend the National Day parade with my friend Emmanuel Macron. This is a reflection of the unbreakable friendship between India and France."

Showcasing India's strength at the global stage, the Prime Minister further said, "Today the world is moving towards the new world order. India's role is changing rapidly.

"India is currently chairing the G20 and the entire G20 group is seeing India's potential."

Bringing his personal connection with France, Modi said, "My attachment with France is quite old, and I can never forget it. Around 40 years ago, a cultural centre of France was started in Ahmedabad and the first member of that very centre is today talking to you."

Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Modi is scheduled to have a day-long trip to UAE after the conclusion of his French visit.

(Images: Twitter/@MEAIndia)
Image Credit: Bengal BJP Twitter

"Thousands of Opposition party candidates, party workers, and supporters have been left shelterless across the State as their houses are being attacked, put on fire, or they are being driven out of the villages due to the threat to their lives," Adhikari tweeted.

"BJP Gram Panchayat Candidate Soma Roy's house was set on fire in Amragori village in Amta Block in Howrah district around 2.30 am last night," he mentioned.

"Tapasi Das Burman, a BJP Zilla Parishad candidate from Sabang Block, Paschim Medinipur district, has no roof over her head now, and she and her family are desperately searching for shelter in the monsoon," Adhikari further alleged.

The BJP MLA from Nandigram informed that hundreds of safe houses have been made operational by the BJP across the State for sheltering hounded BJP candidates and their families.

Alleging that the BJP and other Opposition candidates are being tormented by the TMC goons for participating in the Panchayat elections, while the police conveniently look the other way, Adhikari questioned, "Is this Democracy? "

It may be mentioned that a four-member BJP fact-finding team, led by party MP Ravishankar Prasad, is now visiting the violence-affected areas of the state.

On Thursday, the team, along with State BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, called on Governor C V Ananda Bose and apprised him of the law and order situation in the state.

The team, after taking stock of the situation in North and South 24 Parganas, is going to North Bengal on Friday.
Narendra Modi Twitter page

New Delhi: Indian PM Narendra Modi on Friday said accepting the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor from the French government is an honour for the 140 crore people of India.

" It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore people of India. I thank President @EmmanuelMacron , the French Government and people for this gesture," Modi tweeted.

It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore people of India. I thank President @EmmanuelMacron, the French Government and people for this gesture. It shows their deep affection towards India and resolve for pic.twitter.com/Nw7V1JVgpb  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

" It shows their deep affection towards India and resolve for furthering friendship with our nation," he said.

Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Sharing highlights from the first day of the Paris visit. pic.twitter.com/OpGVkpqu9I  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

"Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," read the Indian statement.

The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Modi on Thursday arrived in Paris as part of his official two-day visit to France and to attend the Bastille Day celebrations.
Image: Unsplash

New Delhi: The 7th Deputy NSA level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) was hosted by Maldives on Wednesday.

Member States India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka met in the virtual format. Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as Observers.

The Indian delegation was led by Deputy National Security Adviser, Vikram Misri. Delegation of Maldives was led by Aishath Nooshin Waheed, Secretary, National Security Advisors Office of the Republic of Maldives.

Delegation of Mauritius by Mr. Yoidhisteer Thecka, Principal Coordinator Security Matters, Prime Ministers Office, Republic of Mauritius and delegation of Sri Lanka by General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc, MPhil, Chief of Defence Staff, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Member States reviewed the decisions taken at the 5th NSA level Meeting held in Maldives on 09-10 March 2022 and the 6th Deputy NSA level meeting held in Kochi, India on 07 July 2022.

They also reviewed the progress of activities under the different pillars of cooperation and discussed new proposals for activities in 2023-2024. The 8th Deputy NSA meeting will be held in the first quarter of 2024.

A number of activities have been held under the five pillars of cooperation of the CSC which include Maritime Safety and Security, Countering Terrorism and Radicalization, Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crime, Cyber Security, Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

Over the past year, India hosted a number of events including the First CSC Oceanographers and Hydrographers Conference where member and observer states shared knowledge and best practices relating to oceanography and hydrography and discussed collaborative ways to address the regional challenges related to the Oceans; the maiden CSC Coastal Security Conference which focused on the greater role and responsibilities of the Coast Guards of Member and Observer States in ensuring security of coastlines and beyond, and the third edition of Maritime Law Workshop.

A number of training programmes were also held by India on investigation of terrorism cases, countering trafficking and organized crime and drug law enforcement.

The 6th NSA level Meeting of the CSC is scheduled to be held in Mauritius in October 2023.
Image UNI

Mumbai: Rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who joined Maharashtras Shiv Sena-BJP coalition nearly two weeks ago, has secured the crucial finance and six other portfolios in the recent Maharashtra Cabinet expansion.

Earlier, the finance department was with BJPs Devendra Fadnavis. The transfer of this critical department to the new coalition entrant can create a rift within the alliance, according to India Today.

In the latest Cabinet rejig, the Ajit Pawar faction secured finance and planning, food and civil supplies, cooperatives, women and child development, agriculture, relief and rehabilitation, and medical education departments.

Today, officials from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) visited Governors official residence Raj Bhavan to conclude and submit the list outlining the distribution of portfolios. Once the Governor gives their approval, the list will be forwarded to the Chief Secretary for further necessary actions, the report said.

Currently, the Maharashtra Cabinet consists of a total of 43 members, including the chief minister, two deputy chief ministers, and representatives from various political parties. Among these, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nine ministers, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde has nine ministers, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also has nine ministers.

Since joining the ruling BJP, Shiv Sena coalition, Ajit Pawar has been pressing for important portfolios for his party's ministers.

According to the report, he raised the matter during his discussions with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, aiming to strengthen the position and influence of the NCP within the alliance.

The MPs of both the BJP and the Shiv Sena have been expressing dissatisfaction though not openly, the report said, adding that the delay in the Maharashtra cabinet expansion was caused due to a standoff between Ajit Pawars camp and the Eknath Shinde faction.

Ajit Pawar's successful lobbying efforts during his meetings with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have resulted in a big win for the NCP, enabling him to secure the coveted finance portfolio, along with other important portfolios, for members of his party.

Deputy CM Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar held several meetings on July 10-11 during which the two might have resolved the differences.

In a surprising turn of events on July 2, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar saw a split, as his nephew Ajit Pawar and nearly three dozen MLAs joined the ruling alliance of Shiv Sena and BJP.
Image: UNI

New Delhi/IBNS/UNI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Friday inspected repair works at Indraprastha Regulator and deployed all resources to stop flooding caused by the same.

Kejriwal said that he is personally monitoring repair work. Delhi government, NDRF, and Army teams are repairing the regulator, and "we are trying our best to prevent water from entering the city," said Kejriwal.

"Engineers and staff have been at work through the night, trying to repair the regulator, I thank everyone for their dedication," said CM.

Kejriwal also informed Yamuna levels are going down slowly and the people of Delhi will soon start getting relief.

As soon as the water level of Yamuna comes down, all the water treatment plants will start functioning, he added.

He also hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing it of doing politics over the damaged regulator.

"BJP should not do politics at such a time," Kejriwal said.

Responding to the question of some gates being closed on the ITO Bridge, he said there are 32 gates on the bridge, out of which five are jammed.

"The Haryana government is responsible for its maintenance. They are trying to open those gates since yesterday. This is not the time to blame each other. Everyone is working together. If all the gates were open, the water would come out faster," he added.


Image Credit: PIB

Paris: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a joint statement issued with French President Emmanuel Macron emphasised the significance of France as a crucial partner in India's 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) initiatives.

He further highlighted that the defence ties between the two nations have served as a vital pillar in their bilateral relationship.

The Prime Minister's statement came a day after the Defence Acquisition Council's approval of the proposal to procure 26 Rafale-M fighter aircraft from France for the Indian Navy. Speculations had been circulating regarding the announcement of the deal during Prime Minister Modi's visit to France.

After witnessing the parade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Indo-French relationship and said, "1.4 billion Indians will always be grateful to France for being a strong and trusted partner. May the bond deepen even further."

"India, inspired by its centuries old ethos, is committed to doing everything possible to make our planet peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future" he tweeted.

L'Inde, inspiree par son ethos vieux de plusieurs centaines d'annees, est engagee a faire tout son possible pour la paix, la prosperite et le developpement durable de notre planete.



1,4 milliard d'Indiens resteront toujours reconnaissants a la France pour ce partenariat solide https://t.co/E9wifWUap2  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

"Be it submarines or Indian naval ships, together we want to fulfill not just ours but also the requirements of other friendly countries," said PM Modi on Friday. He added that defence ties between the two countries are a symbol of their "deep trust".

PM Modi also underscored several initiatives which will be undertaken as part of efforts to enhance ties between India and France.

The prime minister highlighted in his speech that France is a "natural partner" to India's resolve to make itself a developed nation.

"India and France are celebrating 25 years of our strategic partnership. We are making a roadmap for the next 25 years on the basis of the strong foundation of the previous 25 years. Bold and ambitious goals are being set for this. The people of India have taken the resolve to make ourselves a developed nation. On this journey, we see France as a natural partner," said PM Modi.

During his announcement, Prime Minister Modi revealed that an agreement had been reached to introduce India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France. Further, several new initiatives to enhance cooperation between the two countries were identified, spanning areas such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, cyber technology, and digital technology. The aim is to foster collaboration and advancements in these domains.

PM Modi also said the long-term deal between Indian Oil and France's Total company to export Liquefied natural gas (LNG), will help in achieving India's target of clean energy transition.

We will discuss cooperation on small and modular nuclear reactors, take our cooperation in nuclear energy forward, said the prime minister.

Prime Minister Modi expressed his enthusiasm and pride in the anticipated launch of Chandrayaan 3, India's lunar mission, emphasizing that the entire country is eagerly looking forward to this remarkable achievement.

"This is a major achievement of our scientists. In the arena of space, India and France have had an old and deep cooperation."

Prime Minister Modi made an announcement regarding the construction of a new Indian Consulate in the city of Marseille, France.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude and dedicated the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest honour bestowed upon him by President Emmanuel Macron, to the people of India.

"It is not my honour but the honour of 140 crore people of the country," said PM Modi.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has joined French President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day in Paris as the Guest of Honour on Friday.

During the event a 269-member Indian tri-service contingent took part in the Bastille Day Parade, while Indian Air Force aircraft also performed a fly-past on the occasion.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will hold delegation-level talks with President of France Emmanuel Macron in the evening.

He will also interact with CEOs of Indian and French companies, and prominent French personalities.

The French President will host the State Banquet at the iconic Louvre Museum tonight.

On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on PM Narendra Modi.

It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. PM Modi is the first Indian PM to receive this honour.

Interacting with the Indians at a community event Thursday night, the Prime Minister said, "India is the mother of democracy and a model of diversity. The world is moving to a new world order and India's role is also steadily changing and India is witnessing a major transformation today and the command of this change lies with the citizens of India.
Image tweeted by @EmmanuelMacron

Paris/IBNS: India and France took a fresh pledge to deepen their bilateral ties as the European nation welcomed Indian PM Narendra Modi as the guest of honour on the occasion of its National Day.

"I thank President of France Emmanuel Macron for this warm welcome in the beautiful city of Paris. My best wishes to the people of France on their National Day. This day symbolises the values of liberty, fraternity and equality. These values also form the most import basis of the bilateral relations of our two democratic countries," PM Modi said, addressing the media in Paris.

The Prime Minister said that France has honoured 140 crore people of India with its gesture.

French President Emmanuel Macron also resonated the same sentiments for India. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Vive lamitie entre lInde et la France ! Long live the French-Indian friendship!        !" along with a selfie with PM Modi.

Vive lamitie entre lInde et la France !

Long live the French-Indian friendship!

       ! pic.twitter.com/f0OP31GzIH  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 14, 2023

Earlier, during his media address, PM Modi expressed happiness on being part of the Bastille Day parade as the guest of honour. "I am happy that the Indian tri-service contingent took part in the Bastille Day Parade to increase the dignity and grace of this significant occasion."

The participation of the tri-service contingent and the presence of Indian Navy vessel at Frances port indicate the growing cooperation between India and France, the Prime Minister said.

As we celebrate the 25 years of our strategic ties, India and France are preparing the roadmap of mutual cooperation for the next 25 years, he said.

India sees France as a natural partner as its people gear up to make their country a developed nation, Modi stated.
New Delhi: The Indian government has communicated to streaming services such as Netflix, Disney, and others that their content should undergo independent scrutiny for obscenity and violence before being made available online, Reuters reported.

The streaming platforms were asked to filter content during a meeting held on June 20 at the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

However, the streaming companies, also known as OTT (Over-The-Top) platforms, expressed objections, and no final decision was reached during the meeting, as stated in the government minutes and confirmed by an industry source who participated in the discussions, said the report.

The ministry "highlighted concerns regarding obscene and vulgar content on OTT platforms, as expressed by Members of Parliament, citizen groups, and the general public," said the minutes, which are not public but were seen by Reuters.

Netflix and Amazon enjoy a huge viewership in India, which is set to expand into a $7 billion market for the sector by 2027, according to Media Partners Asia.

Unlike movies released in theatres, streamed content is not reviewed and certified by a government-appointed board.

During the meeting, the government emphasised the importance of adopting a "more proactive approach" to ensure that streaming content, including international content, adheres to a designated code of ethics, as indicated by the meeting minutes.

The existing code already requires providers to exercise caution regarding content that may incite violence or be sensitive from a religious standpoint.

Attendees at the meeting included Amazon, Disney, Netflix, Reliance's broadcast unit, Viacom18, and Apple TV.
Pixabay

A teen girl in Pakistan's Karachi city has been allegedly raped in a housing society, media reports said on Friday.

She is a student in class 7.

The rape incident was reported in the White House area in the vicinity of the Sachal police station. Police arrested the suspect after lodging a case over the complaint of the girls mother, reports ARY News.

The First Information Report (FIR) stated that some labourers were working in the next house when the girl went there to give tea. It added when the girl did not return home after a while then she went to the house where she was found crying.

The girl informed the incident to mother.

Police officials told Ary News that the affected girl and the suspect were sent to the hospital for medical examination.
Pixabay

Helsinki: Amid rowdy street protests, U.S. President Joe Biden concluded his visit to Finland on Thursday, but failed to address the latest NATO ally's insecurity over fear of the U.S. domestic political uncertainty.

The visit came on the heel of the just-concluded North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. After arriving in Helsinki on Wednesday evening, Biden engaged in bilateral talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Thursday afternoon, followed by a meeting with leaders of the five Nordic countries.

After their meeting, Biden and Niinisto held a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace, where Niinisto said that they discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries in defense and technology. During the meetings with leaders from other Nordic countries, they also exchanged views on addressing environmental issues.

In his speech, Biden emphasized the friendship between the United States and Finland, as well as with other Nordic countries, but gave a paradoxical answer to a Finnish journalist's question on the reliability of NATO partnership.

In the joint press conference, a Finnish journalist asked how the United States can ensure a reliable NATO partnership in the coming decades amid the country's internal political volatility. Biden said he can "absolutely guarantee it" but adding, "No one can guarantee the future, but this is the best bet anyone can make."

During Biden's visit, demonstrations and marches were held by peace organizations near the Finnish parliament building and the Presidential Palace. The protesters held signs and chanted slogans, accusing the United States of fueling wars and demanding NATO cease its disruptive actions in Europe.
On Tuesday, two men were detained after they were caught eating half-burnt human flesh from the body of the deceased at a cremation ground in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, as per reports.

Representational image

In the startling incident that occurred at tribal village Bandhasahi, the two accused have been identified as Sundar Mohan Singh and Narendra Singh.



Based on account of locals, it was found that Madhusmita Singh, a man living in the village, had passed away at a hospital following being ill.



After the post-mortem was conducted, the body was handed to deceased's family, who then took it to the cremation ground to perform last rites.



Accused cut body for speedy disposal but kept a piece

But during the cremation, two intoxicated men at the spot cut down a part of the half-burnt body into three pieces for speedy disposal. They kept one piece with them, and others were set on fire.

"When I asked what you will do with the flesh, Sundar said you don't know about witchcraft. After some time, though I was opposing, he started eating the half-burnt flesh." Laba Singh, uncle of Madhusmita, told IANS.



Representational image

Disturbed by their act, the deceased's family reportedly caught the duo and took them to the village head.



Upon becoming aware of this development, the villagers beat up the duo, tied them up in rugs, and seized the meat they had brought with them before informing the local police.



Arrest made on complaints by villagers

The police reached the location immediately and launched a probe after detaining the two. Both Sunder and Narendra admitted the wrongdoing.



Subsequently, a case under Section 297 (trespassing on burial places, etc.) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code was lodged against the accused by the police.



Representational image

Senior police official Sanjay Kumar Parida told India Today that the duo had been confined based on complaints from the villagers about their consumption of human flesh.



However, he said that no traces of flesh were found on the accused, and the arrest was made based on the statements provided by the witnesses.



Man killed elderly woman and ate her flesh

In a similar incident from May, a 24-year-old man believed to be suffering from hydrophobia was arrested by the police for allegedly killing an elderly woman and consuming her flesh in Rajasthan's Pali district.



The accused was admitted to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment.



"The accused is behaving like a mentally sick patient and in an aggressive manner. We have admitted him to the hospital where his medical examination is going on. Even in the hospital, he created a ruckus, after which he was tied up by the nursing staff on a bed," Jaitaran Deputy Superintendent of Police Sukhram Bishnoi had said while talking about the incident.



For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.


Things might be getting a little too exciting in Florida. A Japanese steakhouse in the US state was earmarked after seven customers of the restaurant were poisoned with methamphetamines last month. After over a month of scrutiny and bad press, the eatery has unfortunately closed its doors permanently.



Florida Steakhouse Soy Sauce Tests Positive For Meth; Eatery Shuts Down



Unsplash

The seven customers who fell ill were reportedly eating at one of the restaurant's Hibachi tables. After having food there, the customer had to be hospitalised. On closer testing, it was found that they had tested positive for meth. Three of the seven people approached the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office through their attorneys in search of answers.

The Sheriffs Office started an investigation into Nikko Japanese Steak and Sushi Bar in Pace, Florida, soon after. The leftover food and the customers were tested for narcotics and came back positive.

After some police work, they found that the meth was mixed into the soy sauce, which was both bottled and packed. The incident prompted the restaurant to temporarily close its doors. They did open back up after some time.

Unsplash

However, the restaurant officially announced its closure in a post on Facebook. The owner of the restaurant mentioned in the post how they had been "brutally harassed, daily, by various media outlets, who have slandered and defamed every aspect of our business."

Not only the owner but the employees as well were approached constantly through their private and official contacts. The owner added, "We have been investigated, searched, and questioned while fully cooperating at all times."

But it was not the polices questions and suspicion that led the restaurant to close its doors; it was the constant poking from the media outlets that put the last nail in the coffin.

The owner noted, "Today, a family-owned and operated business is closed, and 20 employees are out of work, all because of the power of social media."

Who Did It?

After a careful investigation of the case, the Sheriffs Office decided not to pursue any charges against the restaurant. Even though multiple employees pointed fingers at a worker they thought contaminated the food, a lack of evidence left the investigation at a standstill.

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Back in 1984, Wendys (an American fast-food chain) released an advertisement starring an elderly actress named Clara Peller. The premise of the ad had Peller ordering a hamburger from an unnamed competitor, only to receive a very large bun containing a very small beef patty on the inside.



By Scott Ritter Scott Ritter: NATO Summit Serves Up Cringe Nothing-Burger July 14, 2023: Information Clearing House -- Upon examining the burger, Peller looks up in exasperation, and proclaims Wheres the beef? In the aftermath of the Vilnius-hosted NATO Summit, a two-day affair spanning July 11-12, one cannot help but feel that the spirit of Clara Peller was channeled into the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, as he pored over the results of the event, and contrasted them with the expectations that existed going into the summit. I dont know how to say Wheres the beef in Ukrainian, but something like that phrase had to be coursing through the mind of the Ukrainian President as he examined the big nothing burger that NATO had delivered up for him. The Vilnius Summit was intended to showcase the alliances unity and resolve in the face of the challenges presented by Russia and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. There had been a great deal of discussion prior to the summit about the prospects of Ukrainian membership in NATO. It was understood by all parties that, while the conflict between Ukraine and Russia remained in an active phase, Ukrainian membership was impossible, if for no other reason that, under Article 5 of the NATO charter, NATO would immediately find itself in a war with Russia which had a good chance of going nuclear. The working premise going into the Vil Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter nius Summit was that NATO would empower Ukraine to carry out a massive counteroffensive designed to break through the Russian defenses and drive to the Sea of Azov, thereby severing the land bridge between Crimea and Russia, forcing Russia to negotiate an end to the conflict. At that juncture, having frozen the conflict on terms that would be unfavorable to Russia, NATO would extend an invitation to Ukraine for membership, thereby shrouding Ukraines gains with Article 5 protections while effectively checking any future Russian offensive operations. In the weeks leading up to the summit, Ukraine was desperately trying to do its part, throwing its newly constituted NATO-trained and equipped assault brigades at prepared Russian defenses in actions which made the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade seem like the epitome of military planning and execution by comparison. With much of its NATO-provided weaponry, including the much-touted Leopard tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, destroyed or damaged without ever reaching the main Russian defensive positions, and some 20,000 Ukrainian casualties, the Ukrainian counteroffensive fizzled out. Instead of presenting his NATO partners with a decisive Ukrainian victory, Zelensky confronted his erstwhile allies with the harsh reality that not only would the conflict with Russia not be ending any time soon, but also the growing realization that, when it did end, it would be as a decisive Russian military victory. Confronted with this reality, NATO sought to soften expectations about Ukrainian membership. Rather than provide Ukraine with a concrete road map to membership, NATO declared that it would extend an invitation to Ukraine when conditions are met, one of which is that the conflict with Russia must be over. NATO offered up as a consolation prize the establishment of a NATO-Ukraine Council to advance political dialogue, engagement, cooperation, and Ukraines Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO, and promised to continue our support for as long as it takes. For Zelensky, these words ring hollow in the face of a deteriorating situation on a battlefield largely defined by the previous support of NATO. And the harsh reality of the battlefield looms large as Zelensky departs Vilnius with little more than assurances that NATO will continue to support Ukraine along the lines of what it has done to date. But all that this support has done is condemn hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers to death, while stripping bare both the armories and coffers of Ukraines NATO partners. Zelensky must likewise reflect on the words of President Joe Biden who, in an interview with CNN, noted that Ukraine was not ready for membership in NATO, adding that any such dialogue was premature while Ukraine was in the middle of a conflict. Biden also stated that he did not think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, and that the process could take place only after a peace agreement with Russia was in place. But to achieve a peace that created the conditions favorable to Ukraine joining NATO meant that Ukraine must first defeat the Russian army on the field of battle. To do that, Ukraine would need NATO to radically alter the formulation upon which current levels of military assistance were being calculated, if for no other reason that the current formulations were, simply put, not working. But NATO is neither inclined nor capable of changing this formulation. Its goal has never been to defend Ukraine, but rather defeat Russia, a cause it is willing to pursue to the last Ukrainian. Zelensky came to Vilnius like customers flock to fast food restaurants, full of expectations about the delicious burger they are going to order and consume, only to find himself cast in the role of Clara Peller, shouting out in exasperation, Wheres the beef? It's not the role Zelensky wanted or expected rolling into the Vilnius Summit. For more than 500 days he had been cast as the modern-day incarnation of Winston Churchill, a heroic figure standing firm against the forces of evil. But Zelensky operates in the theater of the absurd, where perception trumps reality until which time reality hits hard, and the script changes. The narrative has flipped, with Ukraine transformed from the leading character into part of the supporting cast. Zelensky the politician must be disappointed by this turn of events. But Zelensky the actor simply looks down at the words put before him, written by others, takes his cue, and reads aloud. Wheres The Beef? The answer doesnt matter. There is no beef. Its just a script. And Zelensky is just an actor, playing out his role in the tragic opera that has become the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, watching helplessly as his nation and people are being sacrificed on behalf of a dysfunctional NATO alliance that proclaims its mission as peace, but whose only product is war. Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Registration is not necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also Search Information Clearing House The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
July 14, 2023: Information Clearing House -- Yesterday a House Committee  Republican-led, but still  released a series of documents showing without a doubt that the FBI has been forwarding thousands of content moderation requests to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube on behalf of the SBU, Ukraines Security Agency.

The documents not only contain incontrovertible evidence that our own FBI pressures tech companies to censor material, but that the Bureau is outsourcing such work to a foreign government, in this case Ukraine. This passage below for instance reads The SBU requested for your review and if appropriate deletion/suspension of these accounts.

There cant possibly be controversy at this point as to whether or not this censorship program is going on. Whether its the FBI forwarding the SBU asking for the removal of Aaron Mate, or the Global Engagement Center recommending action on the Canadian site GlobalResearch.Ca, or the White House demanding the takedown of figures like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the same types of behavior have now been captured over and over.

In light of this, I have to ask: where are the rest of the card-carrying liberals from the seventies, eighties, and nineties  people like me, who always reflexively opposed restrictions on speech?

Is your argument that private companies can do what they want? Then why did you think otherwise in 1985, when Tipper Gores Parents Music Resource Center suggested record companies voluntarily label as dirty songs like Darling Nikki, and call them McCarthyites when they compiled a list of the Filthy Fifteen albums? Does that not sound suspiciously like the Disinformation Dozen? Why were you on Frank Zappas side then, but with blacklisters now?

Do you now think its not really censorship if the FBI merely makes its opinion known about content, and doesnt order takedowns? Did you think the same when the FBI sent a letter to Priority Records complaining about NWAs Fuck the Police? Did you agree then with the ACLU, whose Southern California chairman responded to the FBIs letter by saying, It is completely inappropriate for any government agency to try to influence what artists do. It is completely against the American traditions of free speech?

Is your belief that new forms of speech constitute harm and offense to such a degree that censorship is warranted? If so, why did you once support Andres Serrano and his work Piss Christ, which Catholics insisted was an intolerable offense, and call it censorship when opponents like Al DAmato and Jesse Helms tried to pull funding for Serrano from the National Endowment of the Arts? Wasnt the Hustler magazine spread suggesting Jerry Falwell had sex with his mother in an outhouse offensive? Didnt you go to The People Versus Larry Flynt anyway?

If youre okay with the FBI collaborating on censorship with the SBU now, why oppose the original PATRIOT Act, suggesting you didnt even want the government looking at library records in search of Islamic terrorists? Why did you support the Dixie Chicks when they were blackballed for antiwar views after the Iraq invasion? Did you cheer them when you watched Shut Up and Sing?

Werent those national security issues, too? That wasnt even that long ago. Is Vladimir Putin that much more of a menace than Al-Qaeda to justify the change in heart?

The change in thinking of traditional American liberals is the only part of this censorship picture that still doesnt quite compute for me. Id like to hear from anyone who has an explanation, a personal testimonial, anything. Comments are open to everyone here.

Matt Taibbi is an American author, journalist, and podcaster. He has reported on finance, media, politics, and sports. A former contributing editor for Rolling Stone, he is the author of several books, co-host of Useful Idiots, and publisher of the newsletter Racket News on Substack.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda?

Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
By Tass

July 14, 2023: Information Clearing House -- MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. Ukraine should work to ensure its security, but not by creating threats to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Every country has a right to ensure its security and, of course, it has a right to choose the way to achieve that goal that it considers the best," he said on Rossiya-24 television.

Putin said theres just one limitation for Ukraine when it seeks to ensure its security, which is that "the work to achieve security for one country shouldnt create threats for another country."

"Therefore, we proceed from the understanding that this principle, which has been repeatedly proclaimed in various international documents, will be taken into account," the president said.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda?

"Ukraine, of course, has a right to ensure its security," Putin said.

According to the president, the draft agreement between Moscow and Kiev, which was put together in Istanbul, stipulated detailed guarantees of Ukraine's security.

"The draft agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which was prepared in Istanbul and was subsequently tossed into the trash bin by the Ukrainian regime, set out in great detail the issues of ensuring Ukraine's security," Putin said.

He said the draft Istanbul agreement was acceptable to Moscow.

"We still had to think whether we agree with everything that was laid out there, but on the whole, I believe that this document was acceptable," the president said. "Therefore, there is nothing unusual for us in what was now proclaimed both by NATO and the G7, and we are not against discussing issues of this kind."

But he reiterated that such issues should be resolved "under the obligatory condition of ensuring the security of the Russian Federation."

On July 12, the G7 convened on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius and adopted a declaration on the general principles of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. As a priority, it named increasing the supply of weapons, primarily long-range artillery and combat aviation.
The Anambra state Governor, Charles Soludo has vowed that his state and its residents will not obey any illegal sit-at-home orders enforced by suspected members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

Governor Soludo made this known following the state governments directive that, henceforth, residents should ignore the sit-at-home order by unauthorised individuals or groups in the state.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime on Thursday.

According to the statement, the decision was necessitated by a recent order to sit at home given by Simon Ekpa.

The state government urged residents of the state not to comply with such directives from non-state actors or blame themselves for such compliance.

READ MORE: Police Arrest 26 IPOB Sit-At-Home Enforcers In Imo

The statement read, Such directives should be completely ignored by the citizens of Anambra and, by extension, the entire South East.

As for the imposition of sit-at-home orders by unauthorised individuals or groups, this is a clear violation of the law.

Anambra State will never observe any sit-at-home order. Our markets, schools, businesses, and other social activities will remain open.

Anambra State will never be a breeding ground for anarchy, fear, or lawlessness.

The sit-at-home order by IPOB has forced many schools and business owners to stay indoor.

The IPOB claimed that they will continue to enforce the order until Nnamdi Kanu, their leader is released from Federal Governments detention.
An Abuja High Court, has dismissed a criminal suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

The Presiding Judge, Yusuf Halilu, on Friday, dismissed the suit for being an abuse of court process.

The EFCC alleged that the former governor laundered N2.9 billion during his tenure as governor from 2011 to 2019.

Okorocha had challenged the competency of the charge, arguing that there are subsisting orders restraining the Commission from trying him with the same allegations.

According to him, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, on December 6, 2021, granted an application stopping his prosecution, after faulting the process of investigation adopted by the agency.

Okorocha said since that order is still subsisting, the present charge by the EFCC is an abuse of prosecutorial powers and judicial process.

He also cited a ruling of an Abuja court delivered in February 2023, which dismissed a similar suit filed by the Commission.

READ ALSO: Hours after declaring for Nigerias presidency, EFCC charges Rochas Okorocha with N2.9 billion fraud

However, the EFCC had argued otherwise, stating that the fresh charge is different from the previous suits.

Delivering the ruling, the Federal Capital Territory High Court held that the charge before it is a product of the same investigation which was invalidated by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

Halilu said the judgement of the Port Harcourt court is still valid since it has not been vacated by a court of appeal.

An order made by a court is still valid until it is vacated by a competent court, he said.

He furthered that the EFCC ought to have challenged the pronouncement of the federal high court, Port Harcourt before the court of appeal and followed through till it is concluded.

Any step taken in filing any charge against the defendant which stems from the same investigation, cannot stand.

This court is bound hands and legs by the decision of the federal high court,

the judge added.
An 8-year-old girl allegedly defiled by a man identified as Lekan Tunji, died on Monday, July 10, while the suspects trial is still ongoing in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The charge sheet revealed that the suspect committed the offence on June 27, 2022, at Lagbua Village, Kemta Housing Estate, Idi-aba, Abeokuta.

It was alleged that after defiling the girl, he inserted a blackish substance into the girls private part with his finger.

READ ALSO: 17-Year-Old Female Student Lures Man From Lagos To Osun, Robs Him Of N1.5m

The charge sheet read, That you LEKAN OYEDELE TUNJI (M) on or about the 27th day of June 2002 at 05:30 pm at Lagbua Village, Kemta Housing Estate, Idi-aba, in the Abeokuta Magisterial District Sexually Exploited one (name withheld) eight (8)-year old girl by inserting a blackish substance into her vagina with your finger and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 of the Child Rights Law, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

Tunji had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail by the Magistrate in charge of the case, Mrs Idowu.

At the resumed trial on Thursday, July 13, where it was expected that the defendants counsel will open up defence, the court was informed that the minor is dead.

The defence counsel, T A Akinsolas plea for the court to adjourn the matter in view of the recent development, was not opposed by the prosecuting counsel.

Magistrate Mrs E.O Idowu, therefore, adjourned the matter till August 3 for the opening of defence.

Confirming the minors death, the complainant, Barrister Adedamola Lapite, who is also the Executive Director, Spring Centre, a sexual assault referral centre in Ogun state, told newsmen after the adjournment that the girl died while she was preparing for school on Monday. She had dressed up for school, but dropped dead after she was told to go and pick up her water bottle.

Lapite noted that her death wont affect the suspects trial as the prosecuting counsel opened and closed the case before her demise.

He said, The next line of action is for the defence to open their case except we are able to link her death to his (suspect) actions. She already gave evidence. She is not a party parse when it comes to law. If you look at the case, its State or Commissioner of Police vs Defendant. So, the case will still go on even if she is not there.
Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 13 Chinese Nationals over offences bordering on illegal mining activities, in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The commission disclosed this in a statement by Mr Wilson Uwuajaren, head of Media and Publicity of EFCC on Thursday.

The suspects, comprising a female and 12 males, were arrested on Wednesday 12 July at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A Ilorin, following credible intelligence about their activities which included but were not limited to, illegal mining and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government as required by law according to the statement.

READ ALSO: EFCC Arrests Fake Senator For Defrauding Spanish Woman Of 5.7m

The statement read, Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 13 Chinese nationals for offences bordering on illegal mining in Ilorin, Kwara State. The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983.

The suspects, which comprise of a female and 12 male, were arrested on Wednesday July 12, 2023 at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A Ilorin following credible intelligence about their activities which included but not limited to, illegal mining and non-payment of royalties to the Federal Government as required by law.

The suspects are Guo Ya Wang (36), Lizli Hui (42), Guo Jian Rong (36), Lizh Shen Xianian (37), Lishow Wu (26), Guo Pan (38), Lia Meiyu (53), Guo Kai Quan (36) Lin Pan (50).

Others are Ma Jan (38), Wendy Wei Suqin (31), Li Zhinguo Wei (29) and Xie Zhinguo (53).

Prior to their arrest, discrete investigations on the activities of illegal mining operators in Kwara State revealed that the operators have different illegal mining sites in almost all the 16 Local Government Areas of the State.

Upon interrogation, the arrested suspects confessed to being workers of a Chinese Company known as W. Mining Global Service Limited situated at Olayinka in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

It was gathered that the company was using the illegally mined crude to produce marble and sell locally within Nigeria. Findings also revealed that some of the suspects working in the said company were without work permit, but only came with visit permit from China to Abuja and travelled by road to Ilorin, EFCC said.

The suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the Labour Party (LP) has no ground to call for the sack of its Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

Information Nigeria reports that LP in a press conference on Thursday, asked the international community to take punitive action against Yakubu and other top officials of the electoral body over the conduct of the 2023 elections.

The Party said the action should come as a result of final observer group reports on the elections.

According to the Party, the election reports from observation groups was sufficient proof.

READ ALSO: Adamawa REC Seeking Protection From Another Court To Run Away  INEC Prosecutor Fumes

In reaction to the submission, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the reasons adduced by the LP in making the latest and familiar demand are not only illogical but also ridiculous.

According to Oyekanmi, INEC accredited local and international election observers under specific rules and regulations, with which they were required to submit their reports to the Commission.

Therefore, it is not within the remit of any election observer whatsoever to indict INEC. They are to observe, make recommendations if they have any, but never to indict.

In the same manner, it is also not within the LPs jurisdiction to demand the dismissal and prosecution of the INEC chairman over the outcome of an election in which the party fielded candidates, Oyekanmi added.
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday, revealed that it has charged embattled suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to court.

Recall that a Federal Capital Territory High Court had ordered the DSS to charge Emefiele to court if they have criminal allegations against him.

Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, had asked the service to release the former CBN governor on bail if he is not taken to a competent court within one week.

Hours after the court order, DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, in a statement said Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the court order.

The DSS spokesman, however, did not state the court where Emefiele was charged and did not state the allegations brought against the suspended bank chief before the undisclosed court.

READ ALSO: Emefiele Identified Traditional Rulers, Army Generals, Judges, Clerics As Alleged Accomplices In Corruption Saga  DSS Soure

Sequel to an Abuja high court order of today, 13th July 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order.

The public may recall that the Service had, in 2022, applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation, Afunanya said in a statement late Thursday.

Though he (Emefiele) obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June, 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

The DSS assured the public of professionalism, justice and fairness in handling the matter and in the discharge of its duties.
The House of Representatives, on Thursday, amended the 2022 supplementary appropriation act and approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubus N500 billion request to provide palliatives for Nigerians following the removal of petrol subsidy.

Information Nigeria had reported that Tinubu, in a letter read at plenary on Wednesday, by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, said the sum of N500 billion only has been extracted from the 2022 Appropriation Act of N819.536 for the provision of palliatives to Nigerians to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. I expect that the House will speedily consider the request.

READ ALSO: Fuel Subsidy: Tinubu Seeks Reps. Approval Of N500bn For Palliatives

The amendment which came less than 24 hours after Tinubus request, was speedily taken through 1st and 2nd reading, which according to the lawmakers is in line with the need to urgently cushion the effect subsidy removal on Nigerians.

While taking turns to commend the President for taking a bold step to remove fuel subsidy, the lawmakers urged him to ensure judicious use of the funds.

Julius Ihonvbare, House Leader, who presented the request to members for debate, said the country has a president who listens to the yearnings of the people.

On his part, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, said the proper yardstick to measure a government is whether it is responsible and responsive.
Phrank Shaibu, Media Aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed the plan by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay N8,000 monthly to 12 million low income households.

Information Nigeria had reported that the President sought and got the National Assemblys approval for an $800 million loan to be used to provide relief to for vulnerable citizens.

However, in a statement on Thursday, Shaibu described the plan as a joke.

According to statistics, a Nigerian household as of 2019 counted on an average of 5.06 members.

So, with Tinubus uninspiring plan, each individual in a household will get N1,600 per month or N53 per day. What should they do with it? Use the money to buy a sachet (pure) water or a cup of boiled groundnut on a daily basis?

READ ALSO: Tax Reform: Tinubu Taming Govt. Critics With Appointments  Atikus Aide

Tinubu boasted that he would develop Nigerias economy like that of Lagos but this was all a scam. Statistics show that over 70 percent of Lagos revenue comes from income tax paid by private companies which had been in Lagos for decades due to its status as Nigerias former capital.

His only plan is to tax Nigerians to death as he did in Lagos and that is why the people of Lagos rejected him in the last election, he disclosed

Shaibu however furthered that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost favour with majority of Nigerians.

It is no coincidence that since 2019 when the party invented the charade of trader moni, it also incontrovertibly introduced the menace of vote buying into Nigerias politics, he added.




Medical Doctors in Israel have reportedly re-attached a boys head after he was hit by a car while riding his bike.

According to Mail Online, twelve-year-old Palestinian, Suleiman Hassan, from the West Bank, suffered an internal decapitation where the base of the skull and the top of the spine become detached, but the skin is still intact.

Doctors said Suleimans head was almost completely detached from the base of his neck. He underwent painstaking surgery carried out by an intensive care team that took several hours.

Suleiman was riding his bike when a car hit him. He was airlifted to Hadassah Ein Kerems Trauma Unit in Jerusalem and immediately put into surgery.

His injury was fixed in early June, but the Jerusalem hospital waited a month to announce the results.

READ ALSO: Doctors In England To Stage Five-Day Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

The true incidence of internal decapitation is unknown as 70 percent of victims die instantly or en route to the hospital.

We fought for the boys life, Dr. Ohad Einav, one of the surgeons who operated on the patient, told The Times of Israel.

The surgery is only possible if major blood vessels are still intact, as blood flow to the brain must be preserved.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Clinical Professor of Medicine and a practicing internist at NYU Langone Medical Center and Fox News contributor, told Fox News Digital the surgery is amazing.

Dr Einav said, The procedure itself is very complicated and took several hours. While in the operating room, we used new plates and fixations in the damaged area.

Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room.

After surgery, patients will go through rehabilitation to help them regain movement in the neck.

Suleiman has been discharged with a cervical splint, and doctors will continue to monitor his recovery.

He has no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction and can walk without help.

Suleimans father, who did not leave his sons bedside during his recovery, said, I will thank you all my life for saving my dear only son. Bless you all.

Thanks to you, he regained his life even when the odds were low and the danger was obvious. What saved him were professionalism, technology and quick decision-making by the trauma and orthopedics team. All I can say is a big thank you.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, ordered security agencies to provide maximum security for Murtala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Partys (SDP) candidate, for the Kogi State gubernatorial election.

Information Nigeria reports that on July 11, an application for a restraining order was filed, prohibiting security agencies from arresting, inviting, detaining, or threatening the applicants (Ajaka) life and property, pending the outcome of the substantive suit.

Justice Inyang Ekwo in a ruling on an ex parte application, however directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Army, Navy, Department of State Services (DSS) and others to ensure Ajakas safety pending the outcome of the suit.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/952/2023, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Commissioner of Police (Kogi State), Director General of DSS, Director DSS (Kogi State), Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, and Chief of Naval Staff were listed as defendants

After reading Ajakas affidavit and the submission of his counsel, Sunday Aruwan, Justice Ekwo concluded that the applicants request was meritorious and granted as prayed.

READ ALSO: Kogi Guber: Investigate Gov. Bellos Plan To Eliminate SDP Candidate  Falana Tells IGP Egbetokun

An order is hereby made restraining the respondents, their agents, servants and anybody acting through or under them from arresting, inviting, detaining or threatening the applicants life and property pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

An order is hereby made compelling the 2nd  11th respondents (respondents) to immediately provide maximum security to the applicant in Abuja FCT, Kogi State and elsewhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit, the judge ruled.

Having adjourned the hearing to July 21, the court ordered the applicant to serve the respondents with all of the processes in this suit, as well as the order of the court.

Recall that the SDP candidate had previously petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, against Governor Bello, alleging a threat to his life and the lives of his family members.

Ajaka accused Bello of using his executive powers to launch a series of violent attacks on him, his political party, and his throngs of supporters in a petition dated July 12 and written on his behalf by his lawyer, Femi Falana.
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a man identified as ThankGod Ekwueme for selling his three children.

The suspect, whose wife is deaf and dumb, sold the 5-year-old for N700,000, 3-year-old for N350,000 and a day old baby for N500,000.

Spokesperson of the command, Grace Iringe-Koko who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, July 13, 2023, said the suspect, was arrested after credible information on his illegal activity.

READ ALSO: Suspected Drug Addict Arrested For Stabbing Clergyman To Death In Lagos

In an interview with journalists, Ekwueme, said he was intercepted by OSPAC in his community Omerelu, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state when he was about selling his newborn baby.

The suspect disclosed that he was handed over to Elele Police Division from where he was transferred to CP Monitoring unit.

Meanwhile, the mother-in-law of Mr. Ekwueme explained to newsmen that before now, the suspect had been lying to her that her grand children died after child bearing.

She said the suspect, Ekwueme, was taking advantage of her daughter (his wife) who is deaf and dumb, to perpetrate the act of selling the wifes children upon delivery.
Adeniyi Ishau, a 77-year-old witness has told the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abeokuta, Ogun State, how political thugs stormed his polling unit during the States March 18 poll, destroying ballot boxes and setting them ablaze.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) witness from Sagamu Local Government Areas ward 8, unit 7, was one of the 10 witnesses who testified on Thursday in support of the petition filed by candidate Ladi Adebutu against Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Information Nigeria reports that the petitioners lawyer, Gordy Uche, has called 45 witnesses out of a total of 120.

The septuagenarian testified that the election started well at his polling unit but was called off after three gunmen stormed the place, chased out voters, and set ballot papers and ballot boxes on fire.

He said, Election at my polling unit started but was cancelled when voting was disrupted. To our surprise, three people came in motorcycle with guns and chased voters away. Ballot papers were burnt by those who came in. After running away we came back and saw the burnt ballot papers. No result was declared in polling unit due to the disruption.

READ ALSO: Senate Confirms Appointment Of CDS, Service Chiefs

Moreso, Remi Olatubora of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Taiwo Osipitan representing Governor Abiodun, and Olanrewaju Baruwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) cross-examined the 10 witnesses.

One Adenike, of polling Unit 0011, Sabo in Sagamu, was accused of voting at a different polling unit than the one listed on her Permanent Voters card.

My current polling unit is different from the one on my voters card because INEC transferred us to another polling unit in 2023. INEC should explain why they switched to a different polling unit, she responded.

Counsel to INEC, however expressed satisfaction with the tribunals process thus far in an interview with journalists.

The former Commissioner in Ondo State said: They (petitioners) have called 40 witnesses now. We hope to take on more of these witnesses even though they are basically saying the same thing, identical statements but we will take them as they come.

Im satisfied as counsel to INEC. INEC is like a neutral party in this litigation but we are also primarily a defendant because the petitioners sued other respondents and INEC jointly and severally, so we have to defend the petition as a respondent.

We are putting in our best in our cross-examination process as we should do, but then we thank God for a good and listening tribunal, they are very patient people and the proceeding has been very smooth and and very fine.
The organised labour has kicked against the plan by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to pay N8,000 monthly to 12 million poor households.

Recall that the Federal Government had announced that it would transfer the sum of N8,000 monthly to 12 million poor and low-income households for a period of six months with a multiplying effect on about 60 million individuals.

The President also stated that the money would be transferred directly to beneficiaries accounts.

However, President, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo, dismissed Tinubus plan, saying that the action runs contrary to the works of the Presidential Technical Committee on the removal of Subsidy.

Any palliative payment must be in line with the agreement reached with labour in line with the technical committee meeting, Osifo said in a chat with Vanguard on Thursday.

READ ALSO: Fuel Subsidy: Tinubu Seeks Reps. Approval Of N500bn For Palliatives

A senior officer of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) speaking anonymously said the President made up his mind and didnt consult with organised labour.

The issue is whether the President has trust and confidence in the Steering Committee set up or not. If he has a budget already, it means that he already has activities he has planned on his own. If he has that, what is the need of the Committees? The action of the President has actually undermined the credibility of his own Committee

We believe that it is not only undemocratic but shows that the President is merely setting up the committee as a window dressing for whatever purposes he has set out for himself.

When you also look at what he has planned, to give N8,000 to households for six months which approximates to N48,000, you ask yourself, can N48,000 address the millions of suffering the government has already inflicted on the poor?

Will it make any significant impact in addressing the consequences already being faced by Nigerians? Will the suffering suddenly end after six months? the NLC source queried.
As part of efforts to address challenges facing Nigerians livelihood, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security in Nigeria.

Tinubu also approved that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.

According to the Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, led this out while briefing State House correspondent on Thursday.

The President directed that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.

The directive was said to be in line with the Tinubu administrations position on ensuring that the most vulnerable are supported.

We will immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

There will be an organic synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the use of water resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is available all years round. 

As a country, Mr. President has made it clear that we are no longer comfortable with seasonal farming. We can no longer afford to have farming downtime. 

Alake further explained that the Federal Government will partner with states to create ranches in those that are willing to avail lands.

READ MORE: Tinubu Trying To Appease Christians But Kaduna Emperor, El-Rufai Triggering Religious Bitterness  Shehu Sani

He said the ranches will have sections dedicated as grazing reserves.

According to him, We will establish ranches in collaboration with state government and the federal government will pay for the land.

Alake explained that the government at the centre will activate land banks nationwide, which currently stand at 500,000 hectares mapped to increase the availability of arable land for farming which will immediately impact food output.
The Nigerian Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointments of the new service chiefs after screening them for more than two-hour.

It was gathered that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio said this during the closed-door session.

The service chiefs answered questions on defence-related matters and topical issues.

The President had in a letter he read on Monday on the floor of the Senate, requested that the red chamber confirm the service chiefs.

The Senate, upon resumption of plenary on Thursday, started the screening of the service chiefs, with each of them mounting the podium to speak on how they will tackle insecurity in the country if confirmed.

The service chiefs confirmed are Maj. Gen. C.G Musa (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla (Chief of Naval Staff), and AVM H.B Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff).

During the screening, the service chiefs briefly introduced themselves to the Senators.

The defence chief was the first to speak. He said members of the Armed Forces under his watch will work tirelessly to safeguard the country.

He said members of the Armed Forces will continue to serve Nigerians dutifully.

The Army chief was the second to mount the podium. He said Nigeria has gone through challenging security situations which have impacted on the economy and entire fabric of the society.

He said insecurity has distorted the development plan of Nigeria, saying that he will bring fresh proactive, adaptive and inclusive skills onboard to stop the ugly trend.

READ MORE: Sacking Service Chiefs Wont Tackle Insecurity  Security Expert To Tinubu

The Army chief said if confirmed by the Senate, he will do his best to justify the confidence of the President in him.

On his part, the Naval chief said the Nigerian Navy will enhance monitoring and surveillance to ensure its operations are effective.

He promised to improve on the strategies used in the past, develop new strategies, build on inter-agency cooperation to fight oil theft.

For the Air chief, additional air power will be adopted to diminish threats to the country. He said his ultimate focus will be on air fighting capabilities.
Three persons have been arrested as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, intercepted over 64, 863.5 kilogram consignments of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas at Apapa seaport in Lagos and Imo state.

This is coming barely 24 hours after the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) directed all commands and formations of the Agency to begin an immediate clampdown on the illegal sale and use of the gaseous substance following its abuse by people who use it for recreational purposes.

A statement released by Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the agency on Friday, July 14, says following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives at the Apapa seaport on Wednesday July 12, intercepted two containers marked MSKU 7626856 and MSKU 7689448 suspected to contain cartons of Nitrous oxide and plastic pressure release nozzles imported from China.

READ ALSO: Drug Abuse: NDLEA Begins Nationwide Clampdown On Sale, Use Of Laughing Gas

As a result, a joint examination of the containers was carried out by NDLEA officers, men of the Customs Service and other stakeholders the following day, Thursday 13th July.

During the search of the two containers, a total of 522 cartons of Nitrous Oxide, containing 16,366 packages weighing 64,852kgs were recovered along with the paraphernalia for recreational use. The importer of the consignment, 30-year-old Stephen Eze and his agent, Michael Chukwuma were thereafter arrested and detained for further investigation, Babafemi said.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Owerri  Onitsha expressway in Imo state on Thursday July 13, intercepted three cartons containing 18 canisters of the same substance weighing 11.5kg heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

A swift follow up operation was conducted in the stadium road area of Elekahia, Port Harcourt same day leading to the arrest of the owner of the shipment, 24-year-old Tonye Kalio, Babafemi said.

While commending the officers and men of the Apapa Port, and their Imo state Command counterparts for being pro-active and swift, Marwa said the clampdown on illegal sale and use of nitrous oxide will continue nationwide to protect young Nigerians from the devastating effects of abusing the substance and in the overall interest of public health.

He commended the cooperation of other sister security agencies and stakeholders towards achieving the set objective.
Andre Watts, 77, a piano prodigy who received his training in Philadelphia and went on to become one of the very few Black instrumentalists with a major solo career, died July 12 in Bloomington, Ind. His death was announced by the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he had been on the faculty since 2004. He died of prostate cancer, his manager said.

Mr. Watts was one of the most popular soloists in the Philadelphia Orchestras history. From 1971 until 2014, hardly a season went by without at least one visit from the charismatic pianist, and sometimes there were several. Between his first performance in 1957  when he was 10  and his last in 2014, he performed Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff with the Philadelphians in nearly 130 concerts in Center City and Fairmount Park, at Carnegie Hall and the United Nations, and across the country.

Even as a child, he had the gift of poetry, Philadelphia Orchestra associate conductor William Smith told The Inquirer in 1984. You knew immediately that this was a big talent, that he would have a career.

He was a sensitive-faced 16-year-old boy from Philadelphia, Leonard Bernstein said in introducing Mr. Watts before a New York Philharmonic Young Peoples Concert in 1963 that was broadcast nationwide. He wowed the TV audience with Liszt.

A little more than two weeks later, he was waiting for his lesson at the Philadelphia Musical Academy when the manager of the New York Philharmonic called, inviting him back to step in for an ailing Glenn Gould. His career was launched.

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Mr. Watts was born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1946, and at age 8 moved to Philadelphia with his family and piano into a rowhouse at 62nd and Market Streets. As a boy he would sometimes play hooky from school, escaping to the Free Library of Philadelphia to soak in recordings of famous pianists. At the Philadelphia Musical Academy (which later merged with the University of the Arts), he studied piano with Genia Robinor, a pupil of the legendary Theodor Leschetizky and others; and composition, theory and music history with Joseph Castaldo.

A competition with the Philadelphia Orchestra won him the performance with the ensemble at age 10, and he had another at 14. He enrolled at the Peabody Institute when he was 20, studying with Leon Fleisher while already landing concert dates with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and National Symphony. His career of recitals, chamber music and concertos with major orchestras spanned decades.

Critics admired his intensity. Watts playing moves forward. His opening solo playing made those thick chords glow with anticipation and helped make the orchestral entrance more than usually dramatic, wrote Inquirer music critic Daniel Webster of a 1993 performance of Rachmaninoffs Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The playing was always kinetic.

Mr. Watts is included in the Philips Records Great Pianists of the 20th Century box set. He received honorary degrees from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania, a Grammy Award, the Avery Fisher Prize, and, in 2011, the National Medal of Arts.

He was a beautiful player, said retired Philadelphia Orchestra violinist Robert de Pasquale, who was a member of the New York Philharmonic when Mr. Watts made his debut there.

To me, he was like Yo-Yo Ma  he would walk out on stage and the audience would love him.

Mr. Watts is survived by his wife, Joan Brand Watts, stepson William Dalton, stepdaughter Amanda Rees, and seven step-grandchildren. No memorial was immediately announced.
Ukrainian Selfreliance, based in Feasterville, signed up more than 1,600 new members in the past year, according to the National Credit Union Administration. Read more

On Saturday mornings, at the life-skills classes for Ukrainian immigrants and young people at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Jenkintown, they call me Pan Hroshi, the Money Guy, said Anatoli Murha, smiling.

Hes the new chief executive officer of the 70-year-old Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit Union of Philadelphia, and leader of a national association of Ukrainian American credit unions, whose membership has swelled in the 17 months since Russia sent forces to invade and bomb its neighbor.

Ukrainian Selfreliance in the past year signed up more than 1,600 new members, according to the National Credit Union Administration. That includes sponsored and working refugees admitted under the U.S. United for Ukraine (U for U) program, mostly women and children, since fighting-aged men are barred from leaving. This brought the total to 14,000, at a growth rate triple that of the expansive U.S. credit union universe as a whole.

Loans and deposits also rose quickly; assets now stand at half a billion dollars, a one-third jump since 2020.

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Murha agreed to answer questions for The Inquirer at his Feasterville headquarters; there are satellite branches in Northeast Philadelphia and nearby suburbs, a center of the Ukrainian diaspora. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

Of all the things Ukrainian immigrants might have built, why a credit union?

There was a self-reliance movement in Ukraine more than 100 years ago, to start our own community institutions. This included what we called the cooperative credit union movement of the Ukraine. [The Communist Soviet government] shut it down.

After World War II, Ukrainians went to many nations. Everyone needed some kind of access to credit. Ukrainians in New York remembered the old movement, and they started the Selfreliance Association, to help channel financial grants and provide basic necessities, with branches around the U.S.

At that time, American federal credit unions were also still new. The association began forming these credit unions wherever Ukrainians settled.

We now have 11 credit unions with 118,000 members, $4.5 billion in assets, and branches in many cities. Im the chairman of the national association. We work together and share a lot of information and support for Ukraine.

We grow, and the Ukrainians keep coming, especially since Feb. 24 [when Russia attacked Ukraines capital, Kyiv, and neighboring areas].

Has the war changed your business?

The typical Ukrainian is conservative. They want to see the money safe in a savings account. But now instead, a lot of people are sending money back.

A lot of people want to contribute to Ukraine, through the Ukrainian Federation of America, the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee on Cottman Avenue, sometimes directly to the National Bank of Ukraine. So we stopped charging on wire transfers to Ukraine or Poland. We dont sweat thinking about the costs involved in that.

Do you expect to be dealing with the effects of the war for a long time?

You think you are becoming numb, and then something else happens, and it is real. You see someone crying, you know it has happened, again.

On [July 7], one of my colleagues found out her uncle was killed in the war. Earlier in the week, Lviv was bombed, a residential complex, near the Ukrainian Catholic University, a well-known institution. It is difficult, it is sad. The Ukrainians here are resilient.

Many of your members have been in America for a long time, or were born here. How do you stay useful to them?

For a long time, people thought of us for savings and small, personal loans. Our customers save money. And some have done well for themselves. They want to do more, but they also want assurances they can afford what they are wanting to do.

Under Mary Kolodij, our previous president, we did a better job letting people in the community know we now have more infrastructure, supporting more products  different types of mortgages, better auto-loan rates, investment-property loans, small-business loans.

People come to us because they know we will talk them through the process. If you are buying a house, for $200,000 or $2 million, its a big step that changes your life. Our staff can help, in English and Ukrainian, and in Russian. In Soviet times, a lot of people spoke Russian. If that is their primary language it makes them really comfortable.

And we are becoming multigenerational: we are seeing the grandchildren of people who joined in the 1990s now opening accounts with us. Twenty percent of our customers are under age 18. They start saving early.

Have Ukraines own credit unions revived since independence in 1991?

There is a network of over 300 credit unions in Ukraine now. In 2020, for example, I went to the area of Cherkasy, to a credit union for small agricultural producers, with the World Council for Credit Unions, a nongovernmental organization. I spent a day and a half presenting on how we use business-development techniques in the U.S. to develop relationships with members. I grew up in Detroit  my family worked for all of the Big 3 automakers  but I was able to present in Ukrainian, so we were a big hit.

After Communism, were people in Ukraine ready for Western-style finance, with its emphasis on individual responsibility?

There has been a big shift! In the 1990s, you still had the old attitudes from under [the Soviet Union]. Then a challenging time in the late 2000s, with the shifting governments.

For a few years, I didnt go there. And then I was back in 2018. Walking in Kyiv, I saw a new country. People laughing in public, and embracing! A hip Ukraine!

The country changed a lot faster than I thought was possible. You have a whole new generation born post-Soviet, they have had a chance to travel and see how the rest of the world operates and how people are living.

At the credit unions, you dont just see the legacy employees from the time of the state enterprises; you see younger people, having a good camaraderie, and not waiting for the leader to ask all the questions.

They are asking, What can we do to embrace those ways, and have true freedom? They are more accepting that they can do this and have a happier life.
Police officers stand guard near the house where a suspect was taken into custody on Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders. Read more

A New York man has been charged in the murders of three women who died in a series of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders that left 11 victims, including a Philadelphia woman whose remains went unidentified for 20 years, authorities say.

Long Island architect Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested late Thursday, and was arraigned in a New York state court in Riverhead on Friday.

Heuermann is a resident of Massapequa Park, an area across Oyster Bay from Gilgo Beach, where police found skeletal remains along a nearby highway in 2010 and 2011. A married father of two, Heuermann works as a licensed architect with a small firm in Manhattan that has done store buildouts and other renovations for major retailers, offices, and apartments.

Since bodies now attributed to Heuermann began surfacing along the South Shore area of Long Island, N.Y., in 2010, names including the Long Island Serial Killer, the Gilgo Beach Killer, the Manorville Butcher, and the Craigslist Ripper have been attributed to the perpetrator. In 2020, a Netflix film, Lost Girls  based on the 2013 book Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery  dramatized the killings.

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Among the suspected victims is Valerie Mack, a Philadelphia resident who went missing in the spring of 2000 at age 24. Her partial remains were initially discovered in November 2000, but remained unidentified until 2020.

Heuermann has not been charged in Macks killing. He is charged with first- and second-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, and is a primary suspect in a fourth killing, according to the New York Times. He pleaded not guilty in his arraignment Friday.

What are the Gilgo Beach killings?

Authorities began investigating what would come to be known as the Gilgo Beach killings in December 2010. The disappearance of Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker from Jersey City who went missing after leaving a clients home in Oak Beach, triggered the search.

Several months later, a police officer working with a cadaver dog searching for her body along Ocean Parkway discovered the remains of another woman. Over a period of days, investigators found three other bodies in close proximity.

The investigation continued, and by spring 2011, authorities had found 10 sets of human remains in the area, including eight women, one man, and one toddler. Authorities later linked some of the remains to parts of dismembered bodies found throughout Long Island. Authorities discovered Gilberts body that December, about three miles away from where the other 10 were found.

Most victims were female sex workers. Four of the identified women  Barthelemy, Waterman, Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes  became known as the Gilgo Four because they were found within a quarter-mile of one another.

Another victim, Jessica Taylor, a sex worker living in Manhattan, went missing in July 2003, and her partial remains were found about 45 miles east of Gilgo Beach. Additional remains identified as belonging to Taylor were found in March 2011.

Four other victims remain unidentified.

Who was Valerie Mack?

Mack was a 24-year-old who went missing near Port Republic in Atlantic County in the spring of 2000. A sex worker with a last known address in Philadelphia, she also went by the name Melissa Taylor.

Months after Mack went missing, her partial remains were discovered in Manorville, N.Y. The rest of her body wouldnt be found until 2011, when police discovered more remains along Ocean Parkway on Long Island, near where remains of other Gilgo Beach victims were found.

Police would not discover Macks identity until May 2020, when genetic genealogy testing revealed the body was hers. Before that announcement, she was known as Jane Doe #6 or Manorville Jane Doe.

For two decades, Valerie Macks family and friends were left searching for answers, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said following Macks identification. And while this is not the outcome they wanted, we hope this brings some sense of peace and closure.

While Heuermann was not charged in Macks killing, or those of other suspected victims, additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Friday.

How was Heuermann arrested?

Heuermanns arrest Thursday came following a renewed investigation in the case. Last year, authorities formed a task force with the FBI that worked to solve the slayings.

Ultimately, investigators were able to associate Heuermann with a pickup truck that one witness claimed to have seen when one victim disappeared in 2010. Authorities later matched Heuermanns DNA  recovered from a pizza crust in a box that he tossed in a Manhattan trash can  to genetic material recovered from the bodies, which had been found bound and hidden in thick underbrush.

Authorities said investigators later linked Heuermann to other evidence in the case, including cell phones used to arrange meetings with the slain women, and taunting calls that a person claiming to be the killer made to a victims relatives using her cell phone following her disappearance in 2009.

Heuermann is being held without bail, with Suffolk County prosecutors citing the heinous nature of these serial murders.

This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families  peace that has been long overdue, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said during an unrelated Friday appearance on Long Island.

This article contains information from the Associated Press.
Philadelphia police help a resident with their bag outside of a building at 1228 Lindley Ave. in North Philadelphia on Sept. 14. The building was in danger of collapse, resulting in residents evacuating. To the right is an area of the building that came off. Read more

The company that manages a Logan apartment building that partially collapsed must continue to house displaced residents until they find new units, a judge ruled this week.

SBG Management, which manages the Lindley Towers apartment building that partially collapsed in September, must continue to pay for hotels for displaced tenants seeking units in properties owned by the company until they find a new unit, Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Anne Marie B. Coyle ruled Tuesday.

Coyle also ruled that SBG must pay for hotels for all tenants through Nov. 14, even if they were not seeking alternate units through the company, she said.

A call to SBG Management was not returned Friday.

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The ruling came four days after residents were given less than a days notice that they would have to check out of hotels they had been staying in while waiting for alternate housing. That move would have displaced about 20 families who had been staying in hotels in Bensalem since the Lindley Towers collapse.

Community Legal Services filed an emergency motion Oct. 28 seeking to have SBG continue paying, and the city said it would pay for the hotel rooms for a few more days. The court granted the motion the same day and ordered the management company to hold off on any action, including pushing tenants out of hotels, until Tuesdays hearing.

On Sept. 14, an upper part of the seven-story building collapsed, forcing around 100 residents to evacuate. No injuries were reported.

Residents have not been able to move back into their apartments. Many tenants at the time complained that much of the building was in poor condition, with vacant, deteriorating apartments, bedbugs, and renovations that had been planned but never finished.

The building had been cited almost 200 times since 2007, according to Licenses and Inspection Department records. At the time, a city spokesperson said none of the open cases were structural in nature.

In September, the city sued the owner of the apartment building, demanding repairs and nearly $1.5 million for fines and other costs.

As part of the citys lawsuit, a judge ruled that before a tenant signs a lease for a unit, the unit must have a license, a certificate of rental suitability, and no violations with L&I, said Osarugue Grace Osa-Edoh, an attorney for the tenants through Community Legal Services, a nonprofit legal aid agency.

A judge also ordered that tenants have the option to take moving assistance payments instead of a new apartment offered by SBG, she said. Tenants are eligible for moving assistance payments of more than $3,500 for a two-bedroom and more than $2,900 for a one-bedroom, she said.

Community Legal Services also previously filed a lawsuit against the owner, demanding emergency relief and claiming that the building had long dealt with vermin infestations and that residents were living with leaks, mold, and broken appliances.
The Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center where there have been reports of poor conditions inside. Read more

A Commonwealth Court judge has ordered Pennsylvania officials to take custody of 26 young people living at Philadelphias juvenile jail to alleviate what the city has described as dangerously overcrowded conditions  but one youth advocacy group called the judges instructions a disappointment that will only stop the bleeding temporarily.

The 26 young people are among 75 currently housed at the Juvenile Justice Services Center in West Philadelphia whod been adjudicated delinquent  the juvenile equivalent of being convicted  but were awaiting placement at a state Youth Development Center to serve out their sentences. Some children have been at the city facility for months awaiting placement, and because they dont get credit for that time served, the delays can sometimes double their time incarcerated.

The order, issued Friday afternoon by Judge Ellen Ceisler, requires the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to find placement for 26 children within 30 days. After that, if the citys juvenile jail remains over its 184-youth capacity, the state must accept as many youths as possible into its treatment facilities within another 30 days until the citys facility is at capacity.

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 READ MORE: Phillys juvenile jail is in crisis, city says, and conditions will cause serious harm to kids if unaddressed

Ceisler also strongly urged the state to reevaluate how it managed the wait-list for youth awaiting placement and to further evaluate every possible measure to obtain temporary emergency staffing and security personnel to alleviate overcrowding or understaffing.

She also directed the city to work with local stakeholders  like judges and law enforcement officials  to resolve cases or change sentences to reduce the population.

In a statement, the city said it was grateful for the order, which it said would ensure that the Commonwealth will provide prompt treatment, supervision, and rehabilitation to these youth and will also lead to the safety and well-being of the youth and staff.

Ali Fogarty, spokesperson for Pennsylvania DHS, said officials were reviewing the order, and that they are committed to providing treatment to youth while maintaining safe staff-to-youth ratios at our facilities, which it is working to expand.

Fogarty said a shortage of beds and a growing population of young people being referred to DHS for periods of time far exceeding the traditional timeframe for treatment are stretching resources thin. She said the state plans to open a new secure care treatment program in November 2023 and is working to alleviate overcrowded centers in the meantime.

We are committed to working with Philadelphia leadership ... to address the drivers that are straining the capacity of Philadelphias Juvenile Justice Services Center, she said.

Fridays order marks the second time since November that the courts have intervened to alleviate the increasingly fraught conditions inside Philadelphias juvenile jail. The facility is licensed to hold 184 young people ages 10 to 17 who are awaiting trial or state placement. But the population recently ballooned to more than 246 youths  a new high, the city said.

Children were sleeping on mattresses on the floor in the gym and hallways, getting into more fights, and building makeshift weapons. Young people were often forced to stay in their units, some of which are windowless, for the majority of the day, often without schooling, and nonemergency medical care has not been available, officials said. These conditions, the city said, would cause serious harm if unaddressed.

The city sued the state in October over the centers conditions, and in November, Ceisler ordered the state to take custody of 15 youths. But the intervention brought little help long-term, as the conditions worsened, the city said. Last month, the city filed another petition asking the courts to intervene and require the state to prioritize placements for young people from Philadelphias facility, increase the staff-to-youth ratio at state facilities so more young people could be moved there, and direct the state to take custody of two Philadelphia children per day.

During a hearing on Wednesday, Ceisler heard hours of testimony from both sides and appeared desperate to find open beds for Philadelphia children to be moved to.

But the hearing ultimately showed that city and state officials remain at the same impasse: Neither party appeared willing to take necessary steps to improve conditions without the courts intervention. The states witnesses described a statewide juvenile justice system in crisis and said other counties similarly had young people waiting for placement. The city argued residents and staff were living in unacceptable conditions because of state inaction.

Marsha Levick, chief legal officer of Juvenile Law Center, said the order to move some children was welcome news.

But, she said, this barely qualifies as a Band-Aid.

Even when implemented, it merely stops the bleeding, she said. We owe it to these children to reduce confinement and pursue more creative solutions to holding children responsible and keeping communities safe.

State DHS officials have said the issue is multifaceted and complex, and could be solved locally if city departments and offices worked to resolve outstanding cases or change sentences. And there is a staffing shortage across Pennsylvania, with few open beds at its three Youth Development Centers. Moving Philly kids to those facilities, they argued, would overcrowd those spaces, which are also at or near capacity, and cause cascading harm to more children.

The states Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services director Kevin Seabrook had said changing the staffing ratio would hurt the quality of programming and essentially turn facilities into detention centers with little to no rehabilitation.

Gary Williams, a deputy commissioner at Philadelphias Department of Human Services, said the centers processing area had been converted into an overflow space where up to 13 youths squeezed into 15-by-15-foot rooms where the lights cant be dimmed. He said young people often eat meals on their mattresses because of the overcrowding.

The state has said the city could use more private facilities, but that comes with other challenges. For example, the city entered an emergency contract with Rite of Passage, based in Texas, and 10 Philadelphia youths were accepted. But the city and District Attorneys Office have opposed six of those placements, citing the facilitys disciplinary tactics and distance from the city, so only four young people have been sent there.

Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner Kimberly Ali said the nonprofit Adelphoi has a contract with the city as well, but Adelphoi has rejected some of the young people referred there.

And plans to open a 28-bed juvenile wing in Northeast Phillys Riverside Correctional Facility have been put on hold after city lawyers discovered that armed corrections officers would inevitably be interacting with young people. Weapons such as batons or pepper spray cant be used to restrain juveniles.

Laval Miller-Wilson, deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania Office of Children, Youth, and Families, asked for more time to get stakeholders together. He worried young peoples trauma would go untreated if they were simply shuffled around for the sake of relieving Phillys overcrowded center.

Cesiler scheduled another hearing for Sept. 8 to check the status of the transfers and conditions inside the facilities.
A memorial to Joseph Wamah Jr., who was killed before the shooting rampage, at his home in Philadelphia. Read more

A day after the July 3 mass shooting that police said killed five people in Kingsessing, the Philadelphia Medical Examiners Office concluded that one of the victims had been shot to death at least 30 hours before the others. But for days, the office did not inform law enforcement officials of that finding, which clashed with the police narrative of events.

It was four days before law enforcement officials learned that Joseph Wamah Jr., shot to death in his house on 56th Street, had been killed well before the shooting rampage in which police say Kimbrady Carriker killed four people and shot two others. They were told only after a prosecutor contacted the Medical Examiners Office on July 8, as authorities were reexamining the timeline of the crime.

The reason for the lapse in communication is unclear, but it caused confusion about the sequence of events in a high-profile crime and was the latest misstep in an investigation already marked by mistakes, including a mishandled 911 response on the night Wamah was killed.

The Medical Examiners Office does not always immediately alert police to autopsy results, law enforcement sources say, but they said that in this case, Wamahs time of death was something they should have been told right away.

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Cyril Wecht, a veteran pathologist and former medical examiner in Allegheny County, also said the office should immediately have informed police.

Thats important information indeed, and it should have been passed on as soon as they saw that one body was dead much longer than the others, he said.

Before law enforcement officials learned that Wamah had been killed in a separate shooting a day earlier, they provided the public with an inaccurate account of the crime and were later forced to revise the official timeline of events.

Constance DiAngelo, the citys chief medical examiner, did not directly respond to questions about why the office didnt immediately inform investigators of the autopsy results or take steps to revise the official law enforcement account of a shooting that made national news.

Law enforcement can certainly call the office or email and discuss the findings with the medical examiner, she said.

A spokesperson for the city health department, which oversees the Medical Examiners Office, said an assistant medical examiner told a prosecutor about the time of death finding on July 8. He said the office typically puts death certificate information into a state database about one to three days after completing autopsies, but said he was unsure if police had access to that database.

The District Attorneys Office declined to comment, and a police official said only that he wasnt sure when the Medical Examiners Office had completed its work.

Attempts to reach Wamahs relatives this week were not successful.

Shifting timelines

Police have said the accused gunman took to the streets of his neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. on July 3, firing randomly at people and cars near 56th Street and Chester and Springfield Avenues. Carriker, 40, opened fire while dressed in body armor, wearing a ski mask, and armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a ghost gun, police said. Officers took him into custody that night.

Speaking to reporters near the scene, officials said Carriker had killed four people and wounded at least two others. But shortly after midnight, Wamahs father, returning from a work trip, found his sons body inside his living room on 56th Street near Springfield. Authorities concluded that Wamah had also been killed during the rampage, in part because the fired cartridge casings at Wamahs house were the same distinct rifle caliber that officers had recovered at the other crime scenes nearby.

For several days, police said, they continued to operate under the assumption that each of the victims had been killed the night of July 3. But by later in the week, investigators began to question the timeline, said Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore, in part because they couldnt find any video of Carriker shooting at Wamahs house.

By July 7, detectives learned that some neighbors on 56th Street were saying theyd heard gunshots outside Wamahs house days before Carrikers crime spree.

By the morning of July 8, Vanore said, a prosecutor called the Medical Examiners Office to see if the autopsies could provide any clues to corroborate  or debunk  that notion. Thats when investigators learned that the autopsy concluded that Wamah had been killed at least 30 hours before the July 3 mass shooting, he said.

Another mystery

When police belatedly learned that Wamah had died on July 2, they looked to see whether anyone on the block had called 911 to report gunfire.

Investigators at first could find no record of such a call, which struck them as odd for a shooting on a residential street, Vanore said. But they eventually discovered that a neighbor had called 911 about 90 minutes after the shooting.

The reason police couldnt initially find the call is because officers were mistakenly dispatched to the wrong address  the 1600 block of North 56th Street, about three miles away from Wamahs house on South 56th Street.

Police are now investigating how that mix-up happened. The officers sent to North 56th Street saw no evidence of a shooting, so a dispatcher reached back out to the 911 caller to seek more details. The caller said she was put on hold and eventually hung up. And over the next 44 hours, police said, no other neighbors on Wamahs block reported hearing the shots or called to report bullet holes visible in his front door.

With the discovery of the 911 call and the autopsy findings in hand, police on Sunday were able to share the new timeline, and what they believed to be Wamahs actual time of death.

Vanore, who said medical examiners typically share every single thing with us, declined to criticize the Medical Examiners Office for the delay in telling detectives Wamahs time of death, saying: I just dont know how long that takes. ... I dont know what their timing on that was.
View of the proposed redesign plan of the Thomas Paine Plaza. Read more

Thomas Paine Plaza could one day include shaded areas to sit, accessible ramps, and two separate plazas to welcome guests.

The plaza is getting a redesign, for which plans were submitted to the Philadelphia Art Commission for review this month. Its the second phase of a three-part plan to remodel the area.

The plans for the plaza outside the Municipal Services Building include feedback from building employees, who expressed a need for better accessibility, green space, and inviting and safe sitting areas.

Although the Plaza has served as a public square, backdrop for tourist photos and protest site, Paine Plaza suffers from its lack of visibility, seating, physical amenities and shade, read the proposal from Erin Kindt, project manager at the Department of Public Property.

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The plaza began its remodeling process earlier this year, as the public art game piece sculptures of Your Move were removed. The pieces had been expensive and exhaustive to maintain due to damage caused by weather and graffiti, the city noted in its announcement in May.

Whats planned for the revamped plaza

The new plaza design would have more trees, including red maples, honey locusts, and dogwoods, which would provide shade. There are also plans to add a new access ramp at the John F. Kennedy Boulevard entrance, and an elevated 10,000-square-foot plaza near that entrance, where the Government of the People sculpture stands. Visitors would be able to overlook the surrounding area from an elevated perspective there.

Visitors would have ample choice in seating throughout the redesigned Thomas Paine Plaza. A terrace near the perimeter of the Municipal Services Building would have seating, and a new tree-lined shaded area with seating would separate the large plaza from a smaller 6,000-square-foot one at Broad and Arch Streets.

Both plazas would have small stages, and bike parking would be available. Lighting that could be adjusted for events would be spread throughout the plaza.

What else is happening with the remodel

The first phase of remodeling is underway to replace the waterproofing membrane of the lower-level roof of the Municipal Services Building. A third phase will fill in the sunken part of the plaza to connect it to surrounding sidewalks.

The current redesign plans are the result of focus group sessions that collected feedback from Municipal Services Building employees, as well as an online survey sent to the employees that generated 300 responses. In June, the planners also reached out to the general public with a pop-up event to gather more feedback.

The plaza was known as a popular skateboarding site, and some people from that community arent happy about the new plan.

Were pretty frustrated that we werent involved in any of the outreach process, said a board member of SkatePhilly, a skateboarding nonprofit, at an Art Commission meeting reviewing the plan.

The commission gave conceptual approval to the proposal on Wednesday, with a subcommittee meeting to take place in the near future to gather more feedback from the community. The commission will review the plan again for final approval, Axios reported.

The plaza redesign process will continue into January, at which point the bidding and contractor selection process would take place. Reconstruction could begin in May, and the project is estimated to cost $20 million.
A 37-year-old employee was fatally shot Thursday evening inside the neighborhood store where he worked in the citys Brewerytown section, police said.

Just after 6:40 p.m., the man was shot in the neck by an unknown assailant inside the Jefferson Food Market at the corner of North 29th and Jefferson Streets, police said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by medics at 6:47 p.m.

Police reported no arrests.
Its supposed to be another hot day and were likely to get more of those random downpours. And no, its not your imagination, a weather official confirmed that the atmospheres behavior has been crazy.

The three amusement piers known collectively as Moreys Piers in the Wildwoods is never really empty regardless of the time of day. Its an amusement empire.

Our lead story follows Inquirer reporter Jason Nark as he spends an entire day there, from sunrise to closing time.

 Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Moreys Piers is family owned and its not small with its 100 rides, two water parks, and employing more than 1,500 seasonal workers.

Through our written-by-the-hour story, watch the piers come alive with workers and tourists.

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The Inquirer tags along as the inspectors check roller coasters at the crack of dawn all the way until Bobby Rydells 1963 hit Wildwood Days plays to signal that its time to go home.

Meet the lifeguards, security guards, and other workers who kept the popular tourist draw running and safe through a busy Fourth of July weekend.

Click here for an inside look and stay for the beautiful visuals.

Donald Trump is struggling to convince a judge that his job as president in 2020 gives him immunity from current lawsuits.

This week, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Erdos rejected a request by the former president and his campaign to dismiss a 2021 defamation case.

The case: James Savage, a Delaware County voting machine supervisor, is accusing Trump of pushing unsubstantiated claims that he tampered with the 2020 election results. Savage said comments from Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and two Delaware County Republican poll watchers made him a target for hatred, ridicule, and physical threats. Savage is also suing Giuliani and the poll watchers.

This is a fight Trump has lost twice already for separate cases decided in Washington, D.C., and New York.

Continue reading to learn the basis of Erdos ruling.

What you should know today

 Trivia time 

Which bar invented the citys drink special known as the Citywide ?

A) Oscars Tavern

B) Bob & Barbaras Lounge

C) McGillins

D) None of the above

Think you know? Check your answer.

What were...

 Reminiscing about: Bey day. If you werent able to go to her concert Wednesday night, live vicariously through our review and this superfan who wore a six-pound UFO mask as a nod to the song, Alien Superstar.

 Explaining: The SAG-AFTRA strike and what that means for your favorite shows.

 Unscramble the anagram 

Hint: Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia

ELATION SLINK

Email us if you know the answer. Well select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Robert Dickinson, who correctly guessed Thursdays answer: Pine Barrens.

Photo of the day

And thats it from me. Enjoy your Friday!
Former president Donald Trump speaks on June 30 during Moms for Liberty Annual Summit in Philadelphia. Read more

Philadelphia will remain on the long roster of legal venues where Donald Trump has failed to convince a judge that his job as president in 2020 gives him immunity from lawsuits now.

Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Erdos this week rejected a request from Trump and his presidential campaign to dismiss a defamation case filed in 2021 by James Savage, a Delaware County voting machine supervisor who accuses Trump of pushing unsubstantiated claims that he tampered with the 2020 election results.

 READ MORE: A Delco election workers lawsuit says Trumps false rhetoric about stolen votes led to threats and gave him two heart attacks

Savage said remarks from Trump and his attorney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and two Delaware County Republican poll watchers made him a target for hatred, ridicule, and physical threats.

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Savage also sued Giuliani and the poll watchers.

Erdos based his ruling an October 2022 letter Trump, who was no longer president, sent to the U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trumps letter included his Delco allegations in a litany of debunked election fraud claims.

The judge said he will rule soon on Trumps claim of immunity in two other instances  his phone-in testimony during a state Senate committee hearing in Gettysburg three weeks after the 2020 election and a tweet from Trump two days later. Trump mentioned the Delco claims in both.

This is a fight Trump has lost twice already.

 READ MORE: POTUS just called me: Pa. GOP emails shed new light on 2020 election upheaval

A federal judge in Washington D.C. last year ruled that Trump does not have presidential immunity in several lawsuits that accuse him of causing the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Another federal judge in New York ruled two weeks ago that Trump has no immunity for comments he made in 2019 about the writer E. Jean Carroll, who had accused him of sexual assault.

A jury in a separate federal lawsuit in May backed Carrolls claim of sexual assault, awarding her a $5 million judgement.

Michael Madaio, Trumps attorney, argued Tuesday in Philadelphia that Trump relied on sworn statements from the Delco poll watchers and never mentioned Savage by name.

J. Connor Corcoran, Savages attorney, noted that Trumps lies about the 2020 election had been rejected in more than 60 court cases.

This was gross speculation that was manufactured to create chaos, Corcoran said of Trumps Delco claims. In this case, it was successful.

Trump faces a long docket of court cases  including a federal indictment for keeping sensitive government documents after leaving office and a New York criminal case for allegedly paying hush money to keep an affair quiet during his 2016 campaign, plus a New York civil case that accuses him and his company of financial fraud.

Rudy represents himself

Clout told you in May that Bruce Castor, the former Montgomery County district attorney and county commissioner who represented Trump during his second impeachment trial, had asked a judge to let him stop representing Giuliani in Savages lawsuit.

Castors reason: Hes not cooperating, and hes not paying me.

A spokesperson for Giuliani disputed that, contending that Castor was just trying to suck up to the anti-Trump legal community,

A judge approved Castors request last month.

Corcoran said Giuliani advised that he will now represent himself in the case. Giuliani did not respond to Clouts request for comment.

Giulianis legal career has been on a crash-and-burn trajectory since he hitched it to Trumps attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

His license to practice law was suspended in New York in June 2021 for lies he told in Pennsylvania about that election.

And a three-panel disciplinary committee for the District of Columbias Bar Association last week recommended that Giuliani should be disbarred, also for his actions in Pennsylvania in 2020.

Brendan Boyle slaps at royal protocol

U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Philadelphia Democrat tight with President Joe Biden, pushed back after a journalist for Englands The Independent shared a story on Twitter Tuesday about an awkward moment when Biden chatted with a soldier during a review with King Charles III.

Not awkward at all. One of these two is the the most powerful person in the world. The other is the constitutional monarch of a middle power. The UK was quite fortune to have a visit from the most powerful person in the world, Boyle tweeted in response.

That prompted several Irish attaboy replies, plenty of references to who won the Revolutionary War (not England) and some very British-ly rigid complaints about royal protocol.

If anything, the new king came off as peevish in the story, being snippy while Biden was just trying to talk to a guy.

Boyle told Clout he wasnt trying to pick a fight when calling the country known to have a special relationship with America a middle power.

Its not an insult, Boyle said. I value the U.K. as an ally. Its just a reflection of reality. Its not 1880 anymore. Some in the very rightwing elements of the British press are living in the past.

Clout provides often irreverent news and analysis about people, power, and politics.
Pieces fell from the facade of a building in Lindley Towers apartments in North Philadelphia on Sept. 14, 2022. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office filed a lawsuit against the property management company that operates Lindley Towers and Cresheim Valley Apartments in West Moung Airy. Read more

The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office has sued a Philadelphia-area property management company, accusing SBG Management Services of forcing Philadelphia tenants to live in unsafe homes and charging residents thousands of dollars in retaliatory fees for legal expenses when they filed complaints with the state.

The Attorney Generals Office said tenants in SBG Managements properties have lived with rodent and cockroach infestations, broken and unsecured doors and locks, leaks, water damage, lack of heat, and mold. Tenants told state officials that raw sewage has come up through their bathtubs and repeatedly has flooded a basement where washer and dryer units are located.

SBG Management operates about 15 residential properties in and around Philadelphia. But the lawsuit, filed Thursday, came in response to complaints from tenants at Cresheim Valley Apartments in Philadelphias West Mount Airy neighborhood and Lindley Towers in the Logan neighborhood, the property where part of a building facade collapsed last September, forcing about 100 residents to evacuate.

Last year, the city of Philadelphia and the legal aid nonprofit Community Legal Services of Philadelphia sued SBG Management over conditions at Lindley Towers.

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 READ MORE: Judge rules Logan apartment owners must keep residents displaced by collapse housed in hotels

Over the last few years, Philadelphias Department of Licenses and Inspections has cited Lindley Towers and Cresheim Valley Apartments for at least 118 total code violations, including for electrical hazards, structural problems, and fire safety, plumbing, heating, and water supply issues.

In the lawsuit filed Thursday in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, the Attorney Generals Office said SBG Management did not fix tenants issues in a timely manner or didnt address them at all, collected rent without the required licenses and lead-safe certifications, and used illegal tactics to get tenants to pay rent.

According to the lawsuit, SBG Management shut off electricity to two tenants in Lindley Towers who each were withholding rent because of unaddressed repair issues, instead of going through the eviction process. When the tenants paid, the landlord turned their electricity back on, the lawsuit said.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania landlord and tenant rights: Water, utility bills and shutoffs

According to the lawsuit, SBG Management charged some tenants $5,000 for filing complaints with the Attorney Generals Office. This January, the agency requested that the property management company stop charging these fees. The state said SBG Management did not respond.

A lawyer representing SBG Management said Friday that he learned of the lawsuit from an Inquirer reporter and had not read it, so he had no comment about the states allegations.

 READ MORE: Philadelphia sues owner of apartment building damaged by partial collapse last week

The Attorney Generals Office is asking the court to keep SBG Management and its owner, Philip Pulley, from collecting rent or starting or renewing leases until the properties are inspected and repaired and they get all required licenses and certifications. The office also is asking that they pay restitution to tenants and civil penalties.

This management company neglected the safety and basic human needs of their tenants, then thought they could intimidate those who spoke up by imposing unfair retaliatory fees, Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. My office will not tolerate landlords who fail to maintain properties and put Pennsylvanians at risk.

One resident at the Cresheim Valley Apartments, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, told a reporter that sewage will just sit in the basement like a pond that residents have had to walk through and tenants have been forced to use laundromats. The tenant said the sewage does get cleaned up, but backups continue. The most recent incident occurred about a month ago during heavy rains, the tenant said.

The tenants who have lived here have made these apartments their homes. They dont want to leave the community, the tenant said. This might be [the owners] property, but this is our homes and we are going to fight for our homes.

Residents started a tenant council and have been working with tenant advocacy organizations.

 READ MORE: Tenant rights: What to do when the heat in your rental unit stops working

We are on a mission to ensure that tenant rights are protected, the tenant said. We are on a mission to make sure this landlord and SBG Management do the right thing and make sure we have safe and stable housing, which is their responsibility. ... Tenants are integral parts, members, participants of communities. We are not disposable. We are not individuals you can exploit.

The tenant said the love and support that Cresheim Valley tenants feel from homeowners in West Mount Airy is just monumental.

 READ MORE: A Philadelphia landlord is being sued for refusing to accept housing subsidies in majority white neighborhoods

Neighborhood groups encouraged tenants to speak up about their experiences and joined their organizing efforts. Josephine Gasiewski Winter, executive director of the registered community organization West Mount Airy Neighbors, said she dropped off packages of informational flyers for tenants and put up flyers herself, but she saw people removing them.

We really had difficulty getting information about our advocacy meetings to tenants, she said.

The Attorney General Offices lawsuit is really a testament to the tenants and their tenacity, she said. Its the tenants who were brave enough to organize and take this on.
There is no publication without a fantastic editorial team  and at IB we believe we have the best in the business, something that has been emphasised by the recent honours. Leading the charge was North America editor Jen Frost, who was crowned General Insurance Journalist of the Year at the Headlinemoney Awards, and also won big at the APEX Grand Awards for Publication Excellence for her outstanding piece on the Florida and Louisiana insurance crisis, which you can read by following the link.
Justin has forged an impressive career at such a young age, becoming a director in 2020. He is a talented broker and has already built a reputation for high standards. Vero is proud to support the next generation of insurance brokers and its longstanding association with NIBA's Young Professionals and the Young Broker of the Year award, Butcher said.
The short survey asks clients to rate their brokers on criteria such as getting the best value for money, fast and easy communication, and understanding their needs for coverage.
I want to assure you that the city of Ottawa is here to help and support everyone that's been affected, said interim city manager Wendy Stephanson. We have multiple departments across the city working very hard immediately after this storm.
Business leaders are finding it a struggle to keep up with the constantly evolving cyber threat. But worryingly they appear less concerned by cyber risk than a couple of years ago, Bantick said. This could be because they have been lulled into a false sense of security as the war in Ukraine led to a temporary reduction in the ransomware threat level when a number of cyber gangs splintered, but this situation is only temporary and should not be viewed as the new normal.
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Steve Bannon must pay nearly $500,000 in outstanding legal fees to his former attorneys, a New York judge ruled.

Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump and far-right strategist, was sued earlier this year for allegedly stiffing the Manhattan law firm that has defended him against a cascade of legal troubles in recent years.

In her six-page order released this week, Judge Arlene Bluth found that Bannon paid just $375,000 of more than $850,000 in legal fees he owed to Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron LLP.

He was ordered to pay the balance of $480,487, along with 1% interest and reasonable legal fees.

In a statement, Bannons current attorney, Harlan Protass, said his client plans to appeal the clearly wrong decision.

Jeffrey Citron, a managing partner at Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron, said it was unfortunate that Bannon forced the firm to take legal action despite receiving excellent representation.

The firm intends to pursue every opportunity to collect our fees, Citron added.

The New York firm represented Bannon in multiple legal matters, including the federal investigation into charges that he duped donors who contributed money to build a wall along the U.S. Southern Border.

Bannon was pardoned by former President Donald Trump in that case, but he currently faces state charges for his role in the scheme. He is expected to stand trial in that case next year.

He also received legal help from the firm in his effort to fight a subpoena by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was sentenced to four months in prison for defying the subpoena, but he remains free while he awaits a decision on an appeal.

Bannon argued that he told the firm`s attorneys to stop working for him in early 2022, months before he stopped paying his bills. He also claimed that the firm did not properly alert him of the payments by failing to send the invoices to his various addresses.

The judge rejected both arguments, writing that Bannon cannot receive the benefit of plaintiffs legal representation and then insist he need not pay for it.

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation
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Tech and social media giants like Facebook, Amazon and Google bear responsibility for radicalizing the Buffalo supermarket shooter, who was fueled by racist conspiracy theories he encountered online, the victims relatives said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.

They were the conspirators, even if they dont want to admit it, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said at a news conference announcing a 171-page lawsuit, which seeks unspecified financial damages as well as changes in how the companies operate.

The suit names several online platforms including Facebook`s parent company Meta, Instagram, Google, Discord and Amazon  which owns Twitch, the livestreaming platform the shooter used to broadcast last year`s shooting. The suit also names RMA Armament, the maker of the gunman`s body armor, as well as the firearms retailers that sold him weapons.

He is serving a prison sentence of life without parole after pleading guilty to crimes including murder and domestic terrorism motivated by hate.

The lawsuit says Gendron admits he became addicted to social media and was lured, unsuspectingly, into a psychological vortex by defective social media applications and fed a steady stream of racist and white supremacist propaganda and falsehoods.

The mother of Zaire Goodman, who was shot in the neck and survived, described being tagged in a video that circulated widely online after Gendron livestreamed his rampage using a camera attached to the helmet he wore.

No one should be looking at that, Goodmans mother, Zeneta Everhart, said.

Twenty-two users watched the violence in real-time on Gendrons Twitch account, which was simultaneously broadcast on his Discord account, according to the lawsuit.

Just before the shooting, the gunman also made public 700 pages of an online diary detailing his plans, and linked to a Google document containing a self- described manifesto describing his racist motivations, the lawsuit said.

In response to the lawsuit, a spokesman for YouTube, which is owned by Google, said the company has invested in technology and policies to identify and remove extremist content.

We regularly work with law enforcement, other platforms, and civil society to share intelligence and best practices, Jose Castaneda said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Kimberly Salter, whose husband, Aaron Salter, was the store`s security guard, said at a news conference Wednesday that These are human beings lives that were taken by a murderer.

Aaron Salter, a retired police officer, was fatally shot after a bullet he fired struck Gendron but was deflected by body armor, authorities said.

The body armor`s manufacturer, RMA Armament, said the lawsuit comes as a surprise and that its products are intended for the protection of law-abiding private citizens, police departments and government partners.

Other companies named in the suit did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

Buffalo attorney Terrence Connors, who along with Crump represents the families, said the legal team has thoroughly examined the entire line of the gun distribution, the manufacturers of the body armor, the high capacity magazines that are plainly illegal, as well as not social media platforms.

What we found was downright scary, he said.

The suit also names Gendrons parents, Paul and Pamela Gendron, who the lawsuit claims armed their son despite warning signs that he was dangerous.

The Gendrons` lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit is similar to one filed in May by other victims of the shooting. Attorneys said the lawsuits may be combined.

There were many people who helped him load that gun, Crump said. And it is our objective to make sure that everybody that loaded that gun is held to account.

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits InsurTech Tech Amazon
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A New York state appellate court has upheld the constitutionality of the Child Victims Act (CVA) which granted a one year extension of the states statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse to bring court actions. The court found the claim-revival part of the CVA does not violate due process.

The Appellate Division, Third Department upheld a state Supreme Courts refusal to dismiss a sexual abuse complaint against the operators of a private boarding home for at-risk youth in foster care. The complaint was brought by a man who claims he was abused several times by an employee of the boarding house in the 1980s when he was 14 years old.

Part of the CVA allows childhood survivors of sexual abuse who did not bring suit by age 23, a one-year period to file a civil action for damages, regardless of their age now. The window opened for six months in August 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this window period was extended until August 2021. The law also changed the old statute that required claims to be brought within five years of the survivors eighteenth birthday, or by age 23. Survivors of child sexual abuse now have until the age of 55 to file a claim.

According to the court and legislative records, the law was enacted to open the doors of justice to the thousands of survivors of child abuse in New York State by prospectively extending the statute of limitations.

The plaintiff asserted various causes of action against the operators of the boarding home including that they were negligent in their failure to report the sexual abuse he suffered as required by the Social Services Law.

In their defense, the Menninger Foundation and Schenectady Community Action Program, Inc. argued that the common-law and statutory duties to report sexual abuse are not recognized causes of action under New York law and do not otherwise apply to them. They further challenged the Child Victims Act as unconstitutional both on its face and as it was applied to them in allegedly denying them due process.

The Supreme Court denied their motion, finding that New York recognizes a common-law failure to report cause of action, institutions can be found liable for a failure to report under the states Social Services Law, and the claim-revival part of the CVA satisfies due process.

The defendants appealed and the Appellate Division, Third Department heard their appeal, agreeing in the end with the Supreme Courts reasons for refusing to dismiss the action against them.

Defendants argued that the application of CVA violates their due process rights because of the significant passage of time which has certainly resulted in the destruction of relevant records, the death of two important witnesses, and the fact that other witnesses had their mental capacity diminished.

But the court called this argument conclusory and speculative as it neglects that the Legislature specifically considered these issues as it relates to all parties. The court noted that the legislative history of the CVA provides that a justification for passing the CVA was that the current law required a victim to file a civil action long before most survivors report or come to terms with their abuse, which has been estimated to be as high as 52 years old on average.

Moreover, the court noted several factors that undermine the defendants purported limitations in defending this action, including their lack of a sufficient effort to locate or contact the person alleged to have committed the sexual abuse, or other witnesses who allegedly held managerial roles during the relevant time period.

Accordingly, the court affirmed that the Supreme Court properly denied defendants motion to dismiss.

It is well settled that legislative enactments are entitled to a strong presumption of constitutionality, the court noted before concluding that the CVA was a reasonable response to remedy an injustice.

The court relied on legislative history that raised the unique character of sex crimes where victims of childhood sexual abuse struggle for years to come to terms with their abuse, and explained the justifiable delays in taking action against abusers because many young adults arent prepared to deal with the abuse they experienced as children within the five-year statute of limitations that would otherwise apply.

In addition, the legislative history highlighted how certain abusers  sometimes aided by institutional enablers and facilitators  have been successful in covering up their acts against children.

As a result, the Legislature sought to address these problems through the enactment of the CVA, determining that it will finally allow justice for past and future survivors of child sexual abuse . . . [and] shift the significant and lasting costs of child sexual abuse to the responsible parties, the court stated.

Topics Legislation New York
The Clear Group, the London-based independent broker, announced the acquisition of One Commercial Specialty Ltd., a speciality lines managing general agent. This represents the Clear Groups second MGA deal and is a continuation of its strategy to build a market-leading MGA capability.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. One Commercial Specialtys MGA expertise will sit alongside Clears retail broking business.

Harrogate, England-based One Commercial Speciality offers professional indemnity and directors and officers liability insurance products across a wide range of professions and industry sectors. The companys directors Dan Mitchell and James Russell will continue to lead the business and play a key role in developing Clears MGA proposition to brokers.

On July 4, the Clear Group announced the acquisition of a 50% shareholding in Thomond Underwriting Ltd., an MGA and Lloyds coverholder, which has been operating in Ireland and Northern Ireland since 2007. Thomond deals exclusively through brokers and offers a wide range of commercial insurance solutions including commercial liability, commercial material damage and business interruption, commercial property owners, contractors all risks, personal accident & illness, professional indemnity and cyber.

Commenting on the One Commercial Speciality acquisition, Mike Edgeley, group CEO of the Clear Group said: We are delighted to welcome One Commercial Speciality which will play an integral part in building our MGA proposition and help deliver better customer outcomes across a number of specialist lines of business. Dan and James have built a great business and we look forward to pulling together our different strengths and investing in their ambitious plans to provide a broader and enhanced proposition to brokers.

Dan Mitchell and James Russell of One Commercial Speciality jointly said: The investment which the Clear Group has made in our business will make a significant difference to our brokers and their clients. Clear is a great cultural fit and provides a stronger base for our business, and we look forward to working with the Clear management team to deliver an even more compelling proposition to our broker partners.

At the time of the announcement of the deal to purchase a stake in Thomond Underwriting, Edgeley said: Developing an MGA capability is a central plank of our growth strategy, joining forces with John and his team of highly skilled underwriters now provides us the strong foundations to broaden our capability and international reach to brokers in both the Irish and UK Markets.

Source: The Clear Group

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Commercial Lines Excess Surplus Insurance Wholesale
CHICAGO (AP)  A tornado touched down Wednesday evening near Chicagos OHare International Airport, prompting passengers to take shelter and disrupting hundreds of flights. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

A confirmed tornado was on the ground around 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Chicago.

This tornado has been touching the ground intermittently so far and is moving east. There are additional circulations along the line south of OHare. Seek shelter if in the warned area, it said.

By 8 p.m. the weather service said the Chicago forecast area was currently tornado warning free. It said the storm was moving east toward southwest Michigan, and a tornado watch was in effect into Thursday morning for parts of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

Video from TV stations showed hundreds of people taking shelter in an OHare concourse. Some 173 flights departing the airport were canceled and more than 500 were delayed, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.

Kevin Bargnes, director of communications for OHare and Chicago Midway International Airport, told WGN-TV Wednesday night that no damage was reported at either airport.

The National Weather Service had issued two tornado warnings for Chicago Wednesday evening. Tornado sirens sounded warning people to find shelter.

Lynn Becker, a longtime Chicago resident, posted video to Twitter with tornado sirens blaring across the citys iconic skyline.

Im in a 60 story apartment building so my options are somewhat limited, he said. We have to, I assume, go into the core of the building.

Becker said news of the storm was featured across local media.

Theres a certain panic when youre watching a TV screen and everything is in red  but the hope is that the damage is minimal, he said.

Local news outlets said warehouses were reportedly damaged near O`Hare.

The weather service quoted an unidentified emergency manager as saying a roof was blown off in the community of Huntley in McHenry County northwest of Chicago. Huntley Battalion Chief Mike Pierce told ABC-7-TV that firefighters and other emergency services were responding to downed power lines, trees and tree branches, and that power outages had been reported. Building damage appeared to be concentrated around two apartment buildings, he said.

More than 10,000 customers lost power in the region, according to poweroutage.us.

In Hodgkins, southwest of Chicago, police said storm damage and debris was found on the north end of town, near a shopping center.

Earlier Wednesday, the weather service`s Storm Prediction Center had said there was an enhanced risk for severe weather, including tornadoes in northern Illinois, including Chicago.

Brett Borchardt, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service, confirmed to WGN-TV that multiple tornadoes touched down across the Chicago area. He said surveying the damage will likely take days.

Over the years many tornadoes have struck in the Chicago metropolitan area, and several have hit within the city limits of Chicago, according to the National Weather Service. Between 1855 and 2021, the weather service recorded 97 significant tornadoes in the Chicago metro area.

The deadliest formed in Palos Hills in Cook County on April 21, 1967. The twister traveled 16 miles (26 kilometers) through Oak Lawn and the south side of Chicago, killing 33 people, injuring 500 and causing more than $50 million in damage, according to the weather service.

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Aviation
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After four years of unparalleled underwriting profitability ending in 2021, the property/casualty market is headed for a second straight year of underwriting losses, according to the newly released S&P Global Market Intelligence report.

S&Ps 2023 U.S. P&C Insurance Market Report estimates a combined ratio of 100.8 for 2023. Though an improvement from the calendar-year 2022 result of 102.6, its still above the 100 profitability threshold, the report said.

Dismal first-quarter 2023 direct incurred loss ratios in the homeowners and private auto business suggests a repeat of 2022, when highly favorable underwriting results in the commercial lines were more than offset by the personal lines losses, explained Tim Zawacki, principal research analyst, S&P Global Market Intelligence (S&P GMI).

We project a narrower, but still significant, gap between personal and commercial lines results will remain in 2023 as we anticipate that benefits from multiple rounds of private auto rate increases will lead to improvement in loss ratios for that embattled business line, he said.

Fast Fact: Personal vs. Commercial According to S&P GMIs U.S. P/C Insurance Market Report, in 2022, there was a 15.5 point gap between a personal lines combined ratio of 109.9 and a commercial lines combined ratio of 94.4. The last time there was a double-digit gap between personal and commercial lines combined ratios was in 2001, when commercial hit 121.8 and personal came in at 110.9, S&P said.

S&P GMI projects outsized growth in personal lines direct premiums written of 12.7% and 8.5% in both 2023 and 2024, with personal lines combined ratios improving to 105.3 in 2023 and 101.4 in 2024, both down from 109.9 in 2022. The 2023 personal lines growth figure encompasses what S&P GMI believes will be the highest annual jump in private auto direct premiums in at least 25 yearsand potentially back to the late 1970s or early 80s, the report noted.

The growth is due to several factors including aggressive carrier pricing actions across the nation, as well as the large rate catch-up occurring in California recently (the state is considered the largest U.S. private auto market).

Corrective actions employed by carriers in the private auto, as well as the residential and commercial property insurance businesses will translate into robust premium growth in 2023 even against a lackluster macroeconomic backdrop, Zawacki added.

We project double-digit growth in direct premiums written across the P/C business in 2023 in what would mark the first time in 21 years for such a level of expansion. The industrys 2002 premium growth of 14.6%, not coincidentally, came as leading private auto insurers aggressively responded to poor underwriting results in 2000 and 2001.

As a result, underwriting results will continue to improve in the second half of 2023. By 2024, S&P projected the industry will return to a combined ratio below 100, signaling a return to underwriting profitability. The reported predicted a combined ratio of 99.1 for 2024.

Property and auto insurers have continued their aggressive tactics by reducing market penetration in certain parts of the country known for catastrophic weather losses.

Workers compensation continues to perform above expectations, the report said. A workers comp combined ratio of 83.9 represents a decline of nearly 3.3 points from 2021s result.

S&P GMIs commercial lines market projections, the report indicated, point to narrowing but still positive underwriting margins over the course of our five-year outlook, due to continued underwriting scrutiny and aggressive pricing in commercial auto, benefits from significant rate increases in commercial property and reversion to longer-term means in casualty businesses.

The outlook for all years is subject to various risks and uncertainties associated with the frequency and severity of natural catastrophes, the report noted.

Topics Profit Loss Underwriting Property Casualty
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Medical marijuana sales in Arkansas are on track to set a new record this year, state officials said.

From January through June, patients spent $141 million to buy a little more than 29,000 pounds of marijuana, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

That`s up from $134 million in the first six months of 2022.

If the upswing continues, sales will pass $280 million in 2023. Arkansas` previous high for medical marijuana sales was $276 million last year.

The state`s medical marijuana industry has flourished since its inception, said Scott Hardin, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

Arkansas voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana. The first dispensary in the state opened in 2019. Medical marijuana sales have brought in a total of $105 million in tax revenue to the state.

Voters last year rejected a constitutional amendment that would have legalized recreational marijuana.

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cannabis Arkansas
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Extreme rainfall flooded roads and property in east-central Mississippi Thursday, leading authorities to rescue three people from vehicles and homes.

Water pushed a car into a ditch, and the driver escaped before the car submerged, local public media and the Associated Press reported. The man stood was rescued by law officers, the Winston County Sheriff said. Muddy water also rose into homes and businesses in and around Louisville.

Some 17,500 people live in Winston County. Louisville is about 95 miles northeast of Jackson.

The sheriff said the last time this much rain fell in the area was in 1977, when he was a child, he told the AP. Streets in Louisville, which had never been flooded, were underwater from the storm system that has battered much of the South for days.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued flash flood warnings on a few state highways in Winston and Neshoba counties. Roadways were also flooded in nearby Choctaw and Noxubee counties, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.

In Sumter County Alabama, just southeast of Louisville, more than 10 inches of rain fell in a few hours. Flooding in the town of York, Alabama, was severe, an Alabama weather blog reported.

Topics Flood Mississippi Alabama
Kin is expanding into Arizona, marking the digital insurers first move into the U.S. Southwest.

Kin is a direct-to-consumer digital insurer focused on the growing homeowners insurance market.

It is a licensed carrier that offers coverage through its reciprocal exchanges which are owned by its customers.

Topics Property Arizona
July 14, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The XRP cryptocurrency price exploded, and its market capitalization spiked up above $46 billion following the news that Ripple Labs Inc has won a case against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 13 July 2023. In line with this, Twitter influencer conversations around XRP witnessed a whopping spurt, reveals the Social Media Analytics Platform of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Smitarani Tripathy, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: "Twitter influencers sentiment was up on the victory of the Ripple, as the judge rules it as not a security which also led the top crypto exchanges to announce to relist XRP. Most of the influencers opine that the win of Ripple stands as the legal precedent for the crypto industry, which can be a giant leap for other cryptocurrencies as well."

Below are a few most popular tweets captured by GlobalDatas Social Media Analytics Platform:

"All of crypto cheering Big win for the industry! Congrats to all XRP hodlers who kept believing!! #RippleWins"

"Well done XRP. One Small step for XRP Nation, one Giant leap for Cryptocurrencies!"

"XRP is the industry hero now. USD is a killer cryptocurrency. JPGs are how Fortune 500s buy into crypto. The most entertaining outcome is the most likely."

"big sigh of relief from al the crypto exchanges suffering for revenue, they might be able to relist xrp now"

"Not legal advice, but my sense is US crypto exchanges should feel good about relisting XRP today."

"XRP just did us a huge favor. I think XRP is a overvalued project riding on vapor and a fanatic community of shillers but...and I never thought i'd be saying this...Thank you XRP. You stopped Gensler's onslaught against crypto. If XRP ain't a security...(almost) nothing is."

For more information

To gain access to our latest press releases: GlobalData Media Centre

Analysts available for comment. Please contact the GlobalData Press Office:

EMEA & Americas: +44 (0)207 832 4399

Asia-Pacific: +91 40 6616 6809

Email: pr@globaldata.com

Notes to Editors

Quotes are provided by Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData

The information is based on GlobalDatas Financial Deals Database

This press release was written using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world's largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData's unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData's mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

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Being open with others about social anxiety and seeking expert support can help reboot your life and your career, advises specialist education provider National Learning Network (NLN).

NLN is the education and training division of the Rehab Group. NLN provides inclusive education and training opportunities with specialist supports to promote student success in personal, vocational, and occupational goals.

NLN is hosting a free, public webinar on social anxiety on Thursday, July 20, at 2pm. The event will be of particular benefit to anyone struggling with social anxiety and related mental health challenges, with insights from people with personal experience.

Among the webinar guest speakers will be Ciara Glynn, a former NLN Maynooth student who lived with crippling social anxiety for years. She is now employed as a peer support worker with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Ciara Glynn, a peer support worker with the HSE, who thanks her training with National Learning Network for helping her to overcome her social anxiety.

Ciara said: In my early 20s, I started to experience debilitating mental health challenges. Panic attacks and overwhelming anxiety made it extremely challenging for me to cope with daily life and routine. I spent many years feeling lost and not knowing what to do.

I had lost confidence in myself, and my abilities and I developed social anxiety. I needed somewhere to heal. Somewhere that felt safe and comfortable and that would help get me back into the world again.

Ciara joined a course in National Learning Network in Maynooth, and her life soon changed.

I joined a course in NLN Maynooth. Being in there normalised my experience because I wasn't the only one who struggled. I felt less alone. It was the first time that I sat in a room and heard other people talk about their mental health openly.

Up until that point, I had thought that I was the oddest person on the planet. In my time there, I realised that it is a normal human thing to struggle.

Ciara attended an 18-month course called Jobstart, which she found hugely beneficial.

The instructors were brilliant, she recalls. I worked with an NLN instructor named Fiona, and she was such an amazing woman. She had these strategic ways, little games, and activities to help us all build confidence. She was really rooting for me and everyone else in there.

I felt NLN was different to other colleges as I didn't feel the need to hide my mental health. Everyone was there because they needed extra support in life, and there was something really comforting about being in that environment.

With NLN, Ciara trained in Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) facilitation. At the end of the 18 months, she gained a part-time job as an instructor in NLN.

I realised that I wanted to work in mental health and use my journey of recovery to support others. I am now working in the HSE as a peer support worker.

Ciara is working full-time in the HSE. She is also an occasional lecturer in DCU and UCD, delivering recovery/peer support content to peer support and nursing students.

I owe so much of this to National Learning Network, Fiona and all the staff who helped me get my life back. NLN was a significant milestone in my journey back to wellness, and I always recommend the organisation to the people I support, said Ciara.

National Learning Network offers over 70 certified, supported training courses across Ireland. It caters for people with learning, sensory, intellectual or physical disabilities, mental health issues including anxiety and social phobia, autistic people, or people who have suffered an illness or injury. All courses are fully-funded by the local Education and Training Board or the HSE.

Lucianne Bird, director of National Learning Network, says the pandemic had significant socio-emotional impacts on young people, leading to a rise in people presenting with social anxiety and related mental health difficulties in recent years.

Lucianne Bird, director of National Learning Network, said: "As a wider context to students' learning at NLN, the pandemic had significant socio-emotional impacts on young people.

While for some, it offered a comfort level insofar as they were able to stay within the parameters of the home, for many, it had negative socio-emotional effects, including heightened anxiety, damage to their social networks and contacts and a disruption to daily routines.

We have witnessed a significant increase in students presenting with social anxiety and related mental health difficulties in recent years. Anxiety is huge among the younger students coming to us. NLN provides a safe space to achieve educational and career goals in a supportive environment surrounded by people living with similar challenges.

NLNs training centres offer students a lot of one-to-one support and individual support. NLN assess where each student is at and then creates a personalised learning plan for them.

Dr Denise ODwyer, principal psychologist with National Learning Network, said: The defining feature with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is really the fear of negative evaluation by others. SAD is most often linked to social and societal standards and norms, as well as personal roles and expectations.

"If we feel were not living up to the standards that are expected of us, or that we have imposed upon ourselves, this can create tension and anxiety within. This often results in safety-seeking behaviours such as withdrawal, isolation, rumination and under or over-performance.

"Many NLN students reported struggling to leave their rooms during Covid, the consequences of which has had a sustaining impact for many. There also appears to be a rise in anxiety related new referrals, with co-morbid addiction patterns and low mood to further complicate matters.

National Learning Network is hosting a free webinar on social anxiety on Thursday, July 20, at 2pm.

Anyone can register for NLNs free webinar at: Social Anxiety Webinar. It takes place on Thursday, July 20, at 2pm. For more info, email info@nln.ie or visit www.nln.ie.
Over 2,000 farmers turned out to a rally in Bandon on Thursday night as frustrations and fears grow over the potential cut to the nitrates derogation stocking rate.

On foot and in tractors and trucks, attendees came from across industry and gathered in the West Cork town as they voiced their concerns about how a decrease from a maximum stocking rate of 250kg of nitrogen per hectare on dairy farms to 220kg can impact on farm incomes, livelihoods, and rural communities.

Pictured is Peter Fleming, Barryroe Co-op. Picture: Denis Boyle

However, it was not just dairy farmers who turned out on Thursday night, with other sectors in agriculture fearing the knock-on effects the cut will have for them.

Interim review

This rally came following the Environmental Protection Agency's recent report showing that nitrates "remain too high in rivers, groundwater, and estuaries in the south-east, south-west and midlands and eastern regions".

While negotiations are continuing, the EPAs report has gone to the European Commission.

The report is part of the interim water quality review process of the Nitrates Action Programme. The review was required by the commission as part of granting Irelands nitrates derogation.

The report outlines the regions that could be required to reduce their organic nitrogen stocking rate to 220kg in 2024 under the derogation, as a result of the effect of agriculture on water quality in these areas.

This would likely see a reduction in herd numbers, and add pressure on the land market.

'Deep sense of frustration'

Organised by Cork branches of the Irish Farmers Association, Cork Central chairman Conor OLeary said that he has been getting a deep sense of frustration from farmers who want to take action against these restrictions being imposed on them.

Frustration that theyve done everything asked of them and yet here we are  and this is a regulation facing us that would reduce our capacity to repay, Mr OLeary told the Irish Examiner.

The level of investment by co-ops, investment by farmers, its massive.

Michael Manning, Cathal Cronin, Adam Straob, Kevin McCarthy, Katie Twohig and Ella Manning at the rally. Picture: Denis Boyle

Teagasc has previously warned that nitrate banding and a reduction in the derogation to 220kg has the potential to reduce farm profitability by 29% in the most extreme scenarios.

Mr OLeary said that farmers have "undertaken another waft of measures to improve water quality recently, but we're not being allowed time for those to take account".

"Our big ask is that the measures were employing are given time to take effect, and that there are other measures we can undertake other than the reduction to 220kg," he said.

The reduction will mean either of two things  a farmer will have to reduce the number of stock they have, or they'll have to find more ground to put that stock across.

The threat of it has led to turmoil in the land rental market, where farmers are taking ground or looking for ground they dont really need.

"Its putting a competitive nature to the land market that the likes of tillage farmers and beef farmers can't compete with. If some farmers have to get bigger to stay the size they are, it means that well have fewer farmers at the end of the day."

Young farmer Mason O'Driscoll from Rossmore, Clonakilty. Picture: Denis Boyle

Rural economy

IFA poultry chairman Nigel Sweetnam had been urging farmers from all sectors to attend the rally.

He said the event was also heavily supported by co-ops, agri-merchants, and more.

This isnt just a dairy problem, this is a problem for the whole rural economy, Mr Sweetnam said.

If you take cows and production out of the economy, it will have knock-on effects.

Supporting the protest were Nigel Sweetnam, IFA national poultry chairman, and senator Tim Lombard. Picture: Andy Gibson

He said that the main focus of the rally was to unite people, and show them that we can make a difference.

People are not going to take it, Mr Sweetnam added.

This is to protect rural Ireland, and stand up for all farmers who feel they have been vilified. Its time for it to stop and for them to stand up.

Together we are stronger.

Flexibility sought

The Department of Agriculture has gone to the European Commission about the benefits of a science-based targeted approach that could deliver more for water quality than a cut to the nitrates derogation, but the commission is set on pulling down that maximum stocking rate, according to a senior inspector in the department.

Picture: Denis Boyle

DAFMs Ted Massey said recently that the department has been seeking flexibility around the interim review, and to try and bring this back to a science-based approach that will deliver for water quality.

Were fully accepting we have to do more but its to identify the best way to achieve that without those perverse consequences in terms of demand for land but also to protect farm income, Mr Massey said.

Theres a smarter way to do this  should we not be doing it that way?
When we think of great wines from Spain we tend to focus on the intense dark fruits to be found in Ribera del Duero or the more elegant long lived cedar and tobacco-tinged plum fruits of Rioja.

Then there is the silky perfection of Priorat at its best, the meaty black fruits of Monastrell from the South East and the many modern styles such as the juicy natural reds of Penedes and elsewhere.

What we tend to ignore are the great white wines of Spain - yes there are less of them, but they are often fascinating. Ireland is the third largest consumer (by volume) of Rias Baixas Albarino so you probably dont need much more encouragement on that front, but I would urge you to seek out better examples of Albarino from the likes of Terras Gauda and the top wines of producers such as Santiago Ruiz, Martin Codax.

The best ones age gracefully and develop layers of complexity.

Verdejo is the other famed white grape of North West Spain - its intriguing aromas of bay leaf and anise mixed with almonds and exotic fruits (e.g. guava) are balanced by texture and acidity with a noticeable touch of bitterness on the finish. Rueda has some of Spains oldest vines (100+ years) as the sandy soil in the region is inhospitable to phylloxera.

Catalonia, and Penedes in particular, is famed for Cava but also for stone-fruit scented taut and substantial wines made from Xarel-lo, another grape you need to know.

Rioja meanwhile has world-class red grapes to work with but its native Viura is often dismissed as far too innocuous so some Rioja producers grow Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay and other grapes instead, often with remarkably tasty results.

However old-school barrel-fermented, bottle-aged Viura can be an extraordinary experience if you can find it - I recommend a gorgeous one below.

Wines this week are all white wines from Spain with some entry-level wines to try if you are unfamiliar, and some more substantial complex age-worthy whites if you want to dig a little deeper.

Besides the two gorgeous Rioja Blanco, I also recommend Belondrade Verdejo at 28 - it is delicious but some day you also need to try Belondrade Y Lurton top cuvee which retails at around 60 and rivals top white Burgundy.

Wines Under 15

Marea Baixa Albarino, Galicia, Spain - 13.00

Marea Baixa Albarino, Galicia, Spain - 13.00

Stockist: Dunnes Stores nationwide

This great value Albarino is from just outside the Rias Baixas DO and is a bit of a find by importers WineLab, especially as Dunnes will occasionally have this on offer for around 11. Soft white peach and lemon aromas, full flavoured and substantial on the palate with zingy citrus freshness and a touch of saline on the finish. Bargain.

Paloma de Plata Verdejo, Rueda, Spain - 11.75

Paloma de Plata Verdejo, Rueda, Spain - 11.75

Stockist: Dunnes Stores nationwide

Verdejo from Rueda is Spains best selling white wine (unlike here where that honour falls to Albarino). This has typical herbal-citrus aromas with a touch of fennel, anise, and background tropical fruits. On the palate are soft white fruits and some tangy textured acidity. Most Verdejo cost over 15 so this is a great introduction.

Albet i Noya Curios, Penedes, Spain - 15.99

Albet i Noya Curios, Penedes, Spain - 15.99

Stockists: Organico; JJ ODriscolls; Connemara Hampers; Fields; Little Greengrocer; Vintry; Marypawlewines.com

Albet i Noya appears on this page a lot as they can do no wrong. This is made with 100% Xarel-lo and has soft pear aromas with a hint of garrigue herbs - creamy peach and pear fruits with taut freshness on the finish. Also, watch for its old vine big brother El Fanio (21).

Wines Over 15

Belondrade Quinta Apolonia 2022 Rueda, Spain - 28.99

Belondrade Quinta Apolonia 2022 Rueda, Spain - 28.99

Stockists: D-6 Wines; Pinto Drumcondra; Nectar Wines; Deveneys.ie; MartinsOffLicence.ie

Owned by Frances famed Lurton family this a blend of oak fermented (one third) plus concrete and stainless steel ferments. Organic grapes, aromatic and substantial on the nose with floral herbal notes and background vanilla. Textured and layered with lemon and fennel notes and pleasing endive bitterness on the finish.

Bodegas Tobia Cuvee Rioja Blanco, Spain - 19.00

Bodegas Tobia Cuvee Rioja Blanco, Spain - 19.00

Stockist: Ely Maynooth; Shop.Elywinebar.ie

From an unusual blend of grapes and vintages - Tempranillo Blanco, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Maturana Blanca from 2018 and 2019. Melon, citrus and tropical touches mixed wirh pithy grapefruit and lemon zest flavours and rounded out by a touch of creamy oak, soft pear fruits and textured complexity.

Amezola Inigo Reserva 2012 Rioja, Spain - 26.95

Amezola Inigo Reserva 2012 Rioja, Spain - 26.95

Stockist: Bradleys; Wine Pair; O'Reilly's Cabinteely; Emilies Glenbeigh; Boutiquewines.ie

Oxidatively aged barrel fermented white Rioja is rare these days but needs to be experienced. From 100% Viura fermented in new French oak this pours a copper-gold with beeswax and lavender aromas (to quote Tim Atkin MW) - flavours of almonds and green fruits with lingering tart lemon and surprising freshness. Completely fascinating.

Cider of the week

Stonewell Su Talun Strawberry & Apple Cider, 5.5% ABV, 330ml - 4.49

Stonewell Su Talun Strawberry & Apple Cider, 5.5% ABV, 330ml - 4.49

Stockists: Matsons; Bradleys; 1601; McHughs; Blackrock Cellar; Higgins; Independents.

Its Seasonal Stonewell Cider time - just 2000 litres were made of this delicious summery strawberry cider, so dont delay. Bottles only arrived in shops this week and wont last long. Made with fresh Wexford strawberries, long hours were spent figuring out how to filter the juice without stripping out flavour Im told.

The Strawberry juice was blended with Elstar apple cider plus a touch of bitter-sweet cider to round out the flavours. This pours a hazy dusky pink with good carbonation and delightful aromas of ripe strawberries, apples and citrus. Fleshy ripe strawberry fruits on the palate with freshness and zing. A perfect summer drink.
Tanaiste Micheal Martin has said the issue of an Irish airport being used as a stop-off to transport cluster bombs from the US to Ukraine doesnt arise.

The Foreign Affairs and Defence Minister said that Ireland remains opposed to cluster munitions, pointing out that it was a lead nation in the establishment of a global 2008 convention banning the weapons.

His comments come after the controversial decision by the US to provide Kyiv with cluster munitions; US president Joe Biden has defended the difficult decision to send the weapons to Ukraine to help in battling against an invasion by Russia.

When asked about the issue on Thursday, Mr Martin said the cluster munitions convention was adopted in Dublin in 2008, and he remembers convincing nations to sign up to it.

US President Joe Biden during his visit to Dublin (Liam McBurney/PA)

It was an outstanding diplomatic achievement by Ireland to have so many countries, over 120, I think signed eventually, he said.

I remember working with Gordon Brown at the time to get the UKs agreement to sign up to the banning of cluster munitions and I recall very well meeting many civilians from countries all over, Asia in particular: amputees, people with severe injuries as a result of cluster munitions that are left in the aftermath of battle, the aftermath of war, in childrens playgrounds and so on.

So, were opposed to the use of cluster munitions on the battlefield, that is Irelands position, that hasnt changed, and that will remain our position.

He said the possibility that they might be transported through Shannon doesnt arise.

No, I dont think that that issue arises.

In respect of any travel through Ireland or any flight (carrying munitions) coming through Ireland has to seek permission in the first instance.

The Tanaiste was speaking at a Defence Forces Open Day in Farmleigh House in Dublin to encourage people to join the Irish army.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lt Gen Sean Clancy chat to Irish soldiers (Grainne Ni Aodha/PA)

Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy said that recruitment is a challenge and that they have an all year round open recruitment campaign.

So were actively pursuing recruitment at the moment, in particular, in a very challenging environment where the highest levels of employment exists now in the state, and were in a competitive market as well.

He added: Were doing everything as well and to retain the people we have people that are highly valued with high levels of skills and competence that we train people and develop and nurture people within our organisation.

He said that some of the specific roles they are targeting for recruitment are medical corps and medical officers, and engineers.

We have a targeted campaign around specialists required in the naval service right now, for instance, weve a targeted campaign in terms of equitation There are specialist areas as well within growing areas of interest, if you like, demanded by the security environment that exists today, such as cyber.
Have you ever heard the phrase oh, what a tangled web they weave, when first we practice to deceive?' asked senior counsel Bernard Condon.

In the witness box at Stardust inquest, Leo Doyle, 75, told him he had not heard the phrase.

It means that if youre going to tell lies you have to have a good memory, the barrister shot back.

It means that when lies are being told, left, right, and centre, it becomes almost impossible to know the start from the end of them. And thats the position Im suggesting you are in today.

Mr Doyle replied he did not accept Mr Condons assertion.

With just a few exceptions, the Stardust staff members the jury has heard from so far have been on the more junior end.

People now in their late 50s and 60s who were young at the time of the 1981 blaze that caused the deaths of 48 people. They were glass washers, lounge boys, and waitresses.

Counsel for the families stressed in their questions about practices at the Stardust nightclub that they would not be putting any blame upon them.

But when it came to Mr Doyle, the deputy head doorman at the Stardust, things were a bit different.

In the sixth week of witness evidence, and last before it breaks for the summer, the tension in court ratcheted up several notches.

'False justification

Leo Doyle had been working in the Stardust for about five months when a fire ripped through the north Dublin club.

The then-33-year-old was promoted to deputy doorman just a few months into the job. By his own admission this week, no one else wanted it.

Other workers from the time have described how morale was on the floor among the staff at the club.

Doormen, especially, were not lasting very long.

Manager Eamon Butterly has been described as distinctly unimpressed with patrons getting in for free. Something had to be done about it.

That something appears to have been a new practice brought in several weeks before the fire.

The emergency exits would be kept locked on disco nights until after midnight, in a bid to prevent people from letting their mates in through them for free.

To what extent this was actually a problem in the first place has not been made fully clear at the inquests as of yet.

Des Fahy, representative for the families, went so far as to say this week it was a false justification and evidence suggested some doormen were on the take, which explained the disparity between the number of people in the venue and the takings at the door.

And then, even after the emergency exits were unlocked, the chain would be draped over the bars to give the appearance that they were locked.

This brings us back to Mr Doyle.

Claim exits opened

This week, he told the jury on numerous occasions that Michael Kavanagh  a young doorman  passed him the keys to these exits early on in the night and said they had been opened.

Back in 1981, in a statement to gardai, Mr Doyle said that it was head doorman Thomas Kennan who passed on the keys, saying all doors had been opened, at around 1.30am. This is shortly before the fire is first discovered.

And, in fact, Mr Kavanagh had himself gone on RTE on the Monday after the fire to maintain he had opened the doors.

But, just a few days later, Mr Kavanagh recanted this version and gave a new statement to gardai, admitting he had not unlocked the exits.

For most of the week, however, Mr Doyle maintained it was his recollection that Mr Kavanagh unlocked the doors on the night.

One of the families barristers  Mr Condon  suggested at one stage that Mr Doyle had advanced both of these conspiracies  Kennan opening the doors and Kavanagh opening the doors  at different times.

Mr Doyle rejected suggestions there was such a conspiracy among doormen to advance a narrative that all of the emergency exits were opened before the fire took hold on the night.

Get that chain off the door

Senior counsel Michael OHiggins, also for the victims' families, put to Mr Doyle there was no system in place for unlocking the doors on disco nights, to which Mr Doyle agreed.

Mr OHiggins then put witness evidence from those who tried to escape through some of these emergency exits to Mr Doyle, as the questions over whether or not the doors were locked rumbled on.

He described Mark Swaines account of thick black smoke in the corridor leading to the exit behind the stage of the Stardust.

They were shouting, get that chain off the door for fuck sake."

At another exit, adjacent to one of the smaller bars at the Stardust, witnesses described chains around the bars and a padlock. They saw men kicking the doors trying to get them open as the place filled up with smoke.

Mr OHiggins said an expert witness will assert that from the time the fire was first spotted in a small section of the Stardust, there was a three-minute interval to get everybody out.

Every second counts, he said.

And then it was towards the end of the evidence of Mr Doyle that there was a striking turn. After a brief break, he began by saying he'd like to apologise to the coroner because he thought he made a boo boo.

"I maybe now believe that the doors were locked, he said. They may have been locked. I just dont know.

A dramatic end to a fraught week at the Stardust inquests but, as it rises for the summer, there is still a long way to go and many more questions to be answered before the 14-person jury at Dublin District Coroners Court. The inquests will resume in September.
The Tanaiste has urged vigilantes who enter libraries to rip up books with LGBTQ+ references to stop such "outrageous" behaviour, which he branded a criminal act.

Last week, 500 people gathered at a solidarity protest in support of workers in Cork City Library. The workers say they have been intimidated and harassed by protesters who are opposed to LGBTQ+ reading materials being on the shelves.

Speaking in Mallow, Co Cork, Micheal Martin said policing had to be a factor when it came to addressing the problem.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin: 'As a young person reading O Faolain and O'Connor and how they went through periods of censorship. There can be no toleration of that anymore in modern Ireland. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

"It [tearing up books] is outrageous. We have to stop such vigilantism. We had that before. Joyce and Ulysses. The great novels were banned. We put that era way behind us. We have to trust parents. Libraries are an oasis for society and the community.

"I despair and I am dismayed that people would go in to a library, upset the peace and tranquility that people enjoy, by violently taking books off a shelf and destroying property.

"It is the destruction of property. It is a violation of the peace and tranquillity of our libraries which are essential to our community and to our democracy. I think it has to be very strongly resisted. I think policing has to be a factor now."

Mr Martin said such behaviour was a form of "vigilantism which has to stop".

'I am very angry'

This [what happened in Cork library] is the destruction of property in the full glare of people. It is just not on and I am very angry about it and annoyed about it. As a young person reading O Faolain and O'Connor and how they went through periods of censorship. There can be no toleration of that anymore in modern Ireland.

Of course [it is a criminal act]. It is the destruction of property. It is wilful destruction of property."

Meanwhile, Forsa trade union is calling on local authorities to undertake an immediate health and safety risk assessment in relation to issues facing staff in the library. It said it would engage with gardai to highlight any threats and to agree emergency measures to protect staff, users and books.

Liam O Briain of Forsa said in recent months individuals had entered the city library, accosted staff and demanded that certain books be removed.

In one incident in March, an individual grabbed a copy of Juno Dawsons This Book is Gay and tore it up. Staff have also been subjected to verbal abuse and paedophile slurs by people who have objected to certain reading material being available onsite.
A Dublin man charged with inciting hatred allegedly posted a social media video saying refugees "were here to rape women and children", a judge heard on Friday.

Graham Carey, 39, of Dunsink Drive, Finglas, Dublin, interjected from the dock during a procedural hearing at Blanchardstown District Court to deny the allegation and claim it was about "undocumented migrants" only.

Following an investigation by the Garda Special Detective Unit (SDU), he was charged in February with an offence under section 2 of the Prohibition of the Incitement to Hatred Act.

It is alleged that on January 30, at a place unknown within the State, he distributed, showed, or played a recording of visual images or sounds to stir up hatred.

Social media ban

He was granted bail on February 3 with a list of conditions, including a ban on using social media and an order to stay away from all refugee centres.

The truck driver faced his fourth hearing when he appeared before Judge Gerard Jones at Blanchardstown District Court on Friday.

His case was listed for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, which will set out if the matter should remain in the district court or go forward to the circuit court, which has broader sentencing powers.

SDU Detective Sergeant Eamon Hoey said they were still unavailable and sought a six-week adjournment.

Judge Jones acceded to a request from defence counsel Ciaran MacLoughlin to mark the case peremptory against the State, meaning the directions must be available by the next date.

Mr MacLoughlin also asked the court to consider amending one of his client's bail terms, which let him use the WhatsApp messaging app just for work purposes.

Family WhatsApp group

Counsel said Mr Carey asked to be allowed to join a family group on the app because he has been missing out on important family occasions such as communions or confirmations.

"All kinds of family stuff," said Mr Carey, who has still to indicate a plea.

Before ruling on that request, Judge Jones asked Det Sgt Hoey for details about the allegation.

The SDU officer alleged the accused "posted a video on social media where he made allegations against migrants, that they were here to rape women and children".

At that stage, the accused, who stood throughout the hearing, spoke up, disputed the evidence, and said the video was referring to undocumented migrants.

"I was talking about undocumented migrants that have been brought into my area," he told the court, adding refugees were welcome but not the undocumented.

Judge Jones refused to alter the bail terms and ordered the accused to appear again on September 29.

Last month, the court rejected a defence plea for the social media ban to be lifted. Mr Carey's barrister had argued it was tantamount to a person accused of shoplifting not being allowed to go shopping. He submitted it was "a step too far" because social media was an intricate part of life.

Judge Jones noted from Detective Sergeant Hoey that the allegation related to postings online on social media. The officer agreed to him having it for work purposes only.

Legal aid was granted earlier.

At his first hearing in February, Detective Sergeant Hoey said Mr Carey's reply to the charge was: "In hindsight, it won't be happening again; I will be taking a different approach going forward".

His bond was set at 200, and he was also ordered to reside at his address, not apply for travel documents, and obey a 9 pm-7 am curfew.

He was also ordered not to organise or participate in gatherings and protests in person or online or post or record videos on any social media platform.

He was barred from social media because it was a "complex issue".

He had to provide gardai with a contact number for his new phone, which had "to be a button phone". The bail terms also included an order "to stay away from all centres and locations housing refugees".
A 5-year-old girl who had sued over the care she received at Cork University Maternity Hospital after her birth has secured a further 3 million in the settlement of her action.

Maja Moldysz from Fermoy, Co Cork, who was one of a set of triplets was born healthy at the hospital but suffered catastrophic injuries just 22 hours after her birth, the High Court heard.

Her counsel Dr John OMahony SC with Doireann OMahony BL told the court there was a profound and tragic background to the matter. It was their case that while an apparatus for intravenous IV fluids was being set up for the baby, air escaped to her heart and brain and Counsel said Maja suffered catastrophic injuries.

An investigation that took place in CUMH following the incident recommended that all neonatal nursing staff in the hospital participate in a programme of education regarding the preparation and administration of IV fluids, including infusion pump training.

Maja, Counsel told the court, has spastic quadriplegia and is severely disabled both physically and intellectually. He said she is cherished by her family who had brought her every year to Poland for intensive therapy.

Two years ago Cork University Maternity Hospital apologised to Majas family when her case first came before the court and she received a 887,200 interim payment at that time as her case settled against the HSE.

When her case came back before the High Court this week and an interim settlement for the next five years was ruled upon on Friday, her mother Agnieszka Moldysz told the court she was eternally grateful for her legal team who fought a relentless fight for Maja".

Sadly nothing will revert the injuries, however, the funds will provide therapeutic input and suitable accommodation for her and make her life comfortable, she added.

Apology

In a letter of apology previously read to the court CUMH said a hospital review showed that aspects of the care that Maja received did not reach the standards that should be expected and it unreservedly apologised for that.

It read: I write to you on behalf of Cork University Maternity Hospital to sincerely apologise for the incident that occurred on July 5, 2018, while Maja was under our care.

"We recognise the impact that this has had on Maja and your family and the distress this has caused. Regrettably, our review has shown that aspects of the care that Maja received did not reach the standards that should be expected and we unreservedly apologise for this.

Maja Moldysz of Fermoy, Co. Cork, had through her mother Agnieszka Moldysz sued the HSE over her care after her birth.

Maja was born on July 4, 2018, and after her birth was in reasonably good condition and breathing independently.

It was claimed that the day after her birth, when an apparatus was being placed for intravenous fluid administration, air was allegedly caused to enter her venous system which, it is claimed, later resulted in an air bubble travelling to the babys heart and brain and she suffered acute cardio respiratory arrest and profound brain damage.

It was claimed that air was caused to enter the babys vein system at or around the time of the placement of the apparatus for the IV fluid administration.

The claims were denied.

Approving the latest interim payment of 3m on Friday Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a very deserving case and he wished Maja and her family the very best for the future.
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man whose body was found floating in waters off Slieve League cliffs in Co Donegal.

Alan Vial appeared before Judge Eiteain Cunningham at a special sitting of Ballyshannon Court on Friday.

The 38-year-old had been arrested by gardai at an address in Letterkenny.

He had been questioned throughout Thursday before being taken the short distance from Ballyshannon Garda Station to Ballyshannon Courthouse.

Mr Vial, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, was charged that on June 25, 2023, at a place unknown within the State, did murder Robert Wilkin, also known as Robin Wilkin.

The charge was contrary to Common Law and as provided for by Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1964.

Dressed in a striped T-shirt and dark tracksuit bottoms, the accused did not speak during the short hearing.

Members of his family were also in court.

Detective Garda Ciaran O'Brien of Ballyshannon Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge, and caution.

He told the court how after being charged, the accused made no reply.

Mr Vial's solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said that because the nature of the charge, there was no application for bail.

He asked that the case be adjourned back to Letterkenny District Court by videolink on Monday next, July 17, for the service of a book of evidence.

He said he appreciated that a book of evidence was unlikely to be ready due to time constraints.

Request for medical treatment

He also asked for the accused to receive all required medical treatment including an updated prescription for a medical condition while in custody.

Garda Superintendent Karen Duffy agreed to all matters including having the case referred back to Letterkenny District Court.

Judge Cunningham adjourned the case and agreed to all requests by Mr Gallagher.

Mr Vial had been previously arrested along with a woman in her 20s on Monday, June 26, on suspicion of a serious assault.

It followed information received by gardai which led to a large-scale search of the popular tourist destination at Slieve League.

Despite being questioned for two days, the pair were released without charge.

Following an extensive search involving gardai, the Irish Coastguard including Rescue 118 and the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team, a body was recovered in the water off the cliffs on July 3.

The body was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where a full post-mortem was carried out by the State Pathologist's Office.

The findings of that have not been released for Garda operational reasons.

The victim, Mr Wilkin, was aged in his mid-60s and from Northern Ireland.
I like getting the bus.

My daughter is sitting in the front seat of a double-decker.

It feels like were flying!

Children are quick to recognise power  from the invention of the wheel to the first steam train, to the absolute magic of aviation, our ability to transport ourselves and our goods comes closer to being a superpower.

Stepping off the bus on Sunday, myself and my daughter happen upon President Higgins being escorted from the Imperial Hotel to the army barracks in Cork.

I muse on the dozens of soldiers in white helmets, atop sleek-looking motorbikes, guarding our Head of State, both upfront and behind, protecting him inside a lovely big black car, flanked by two lovely big black cars. Transport is power, I think again.

Climate activists like Extinction Rebellion block roads for a reason. Rosa Parks changed America by staying in her bus seat in the 1950s, understanding what Dr Martin Luther King later wrote in a posthumously published letter, that transport rights are a genuine civil rights issue".

Last Sunday, President Higgins was as safe as an egg in a feathered nest at the centre of his entourage on Corks South Mall. But those who rely heavily on public transport, mostly the young and the elderly, are not so protected.

And poor transport, of course, means less power.

For one thing, users of public transport here must contend with violence. Some 55% of women will not use public transport after dark because of it.

Transport is power.

Early this month Senator Aidan Davitt called for gardai and members of the Defence Forces to be given free travel on public transport to manage the scourge of antisocial behaviour. This seems a good idea, to value public transport, and to acknowledge its importance in ordinary lives.

But alongside this particular scourge, people relying on public transport must deal with its poor infrastructure  our States unwillingness to share power with ordinary citizens. In May, Dublin was ranked the worst for public transport among 30 European capital cities. The worst.

And what about the issue of absolute neglect? Not poor transport, but no transport whatsoever.

If transport is power, then who are Irelands most powerless?

Bus Eireann explains that an occupied pram or buggy may be parked in this designated space only when it is not required by a wheelchair user. So, a parent with a small child and a wheelchair user best not cross paths on an Irish bus? Can that be right?

And even if a bus is accessible, and has a manageable number of young and adult bodies on wheels, what about the bus stops?

Jack Kavanagh, who has a spinal cord injury, speaking at a transport conference in 2022 said 75% of people with his kind of injury simply never work again. "This is not because they aren't qualified but because they can't get to work. Overall, 30% of people in the disability sector work compared to 70% of the rest of society," he said.

Indeed according to this years Eurostat figures, Ireland also has the EUs largest disability employment gap.

Transport is power.

Both of my parents are in wheelchairs and are too nervous to get onto a bus. They use a regular taxi driver whom they must book well in advance. Its an expensive way to get around.

This week I decided to call my dad an accessible taxi on an app, just to test the service.

To give some context, on paper, myself and my dad should have no problem finding a driver.

A national grant scheme with funding of up to 17,500 is available towards the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle and new drivers cant get plates on anything but a wheelchair taxi. As of April 30, there are 3,402 wheelchair-accessible vehicles active nationwide. There are a total of 255 where the licence holder has an address in Co Cork.

So, I make the call. To be fair, a taxi arrives promptly, in just under 10 minutes. However, the minivan isnt set up to take a disabled passenger so it takes some time, maybe 10 minutes, but the driver is lovely, chatting away as he constructs the ramp. It looks like heavy work. It takes considerable muscle to get my dad up the ramp and locked in.

I ask him straight up if all drivers accept fares from calls looking for accessible transport.

Are you joking me? he laughs. They do not.

There are plenty of drivers out there that dont even carry the ramp with them. And they can get away with it by saying they have another fare.

"Theyll avoid parents with prams and shopping too. They just want easy fares.

According to the National Transport Authority, as of November 2022 an on-the-spot fine can be levied against drivers who refuse to carry a passenger in a wheelchair.

It can even attract a criminal conviction, given the severity of the impact on those refused a journey and the NTAs continued pursuit of accessibility to public transport for all.

Well, I can tell you, our driver says, they have no way of catching drivers avoiding fares. I picked up a man in Midleton yesterday who hadnt left his house in three years because he couldnt get a taxi. Even when he has a medical appointment, he has no hope of getting there unless the HSE provide a car.

The first principle of universal design is equitable use and thats exactly what we need in Ireland  a transport system that works for everyone.

Myself and my dad did OK on our trip out but our driver revealed a harrowing reality for people who live beyond the city, inconveniently far away.

Whats to be done? Perhaps we need to incentivise drivers as they do in Australia, offering them a guaranteed lift payment for any journey carrying a passenger with a disability. Under their Taxi Subsidy Scheme such passengers only pay half their fare, the rest is government-funded.

Instead of calling drivers lazy, do we need to acknowledge the care work involved?

Is this less of an issue with taxi drivers being lazy and more of an issue with undervaluing care? Again!

If transport is power we must acknowledge and value the people who transport us rather than rely on their good will.

Whatever the answer, Ive been thinking about that man in Midleton all week. Unlike my daughter, hes not looking to feel like he can fly. He is not a VIP asking for a fancy procession to accompany him as he moves around his city.

Hes asking for the right to move at all.
Meteorologists believe that the current European temperature record may be broken over the coming days, as a heatwave continues to impact the south and east of the continent.

The heatwave, which Italian meteorologists named Cerberus after the three-headed monster in Dante's Inferno, is already impacting popular tourist destinations across Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Turkey, and Croatia.

Here, we look at what is driving the heatwave, how long it is likely to last, and where has been most affected:

What is causing the heatwave?

'Cerberus'

The ongoing heatwave in Europe, scientists say, is the result of a stationary high-pressure system or anticyclone.

Anticyclones are a slow-moving meteorological phenomenon wherein air from the upper atmosphere moves downward, resulting in dry and settled weather, with minimal wind and cloud cover.

Increased sea temperatures are another contributing factor. In a normal year, winds would blow cooler air from the Mediterranean inland, lowering land temperatures in the process. But his year, Mediterranean sea temperatures of up to 30C have been recorded  4C higher than average in some places.

Mediterranean bakes in intense heat

Heatwaves will become more frequent, intense & longer, per #IPCC #ClimateReport

By 2050, about 1/2 of European population may face high or very high risk of heat stress in summer

WMO roundup of July extreme weatherhttps://t.co/wHR6Vgg7UA pic.twitter.com/nBv3I0oR8z  World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) July 14, 2023

This anticyclone, which has now settled across Spain and much of the Mediterranean, appears to have formed over the dry Sahara Desert in Northern Africa, meaning the air within it is even hotter and drier than usual.

Because of the intensity of this anticyclone, extremely high temperatures are being reported across southern and eastern Europe.

So what countries have been most impacted?

- Italy

A woman cools off in the Barcaccia fountain at the Spanish Steps square in Rome. File Picture: Alberto Pizzoli/ AFP via Getty Images

On Friday, the Italian health ministry issued a red warning for 10 major cities, including Rome, Florence, and Bologna.

Temperatures above 40C have already been recorded across the country in recent days, and the red warning is set to be extended to further cities and regions this the weekend.

The ministry warned people against going out in the midday sun. People have also been urged to drink at least two litres of water a day and to avoid coffee and alcohol, which can be dehydrating.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), temperatures on the island of Sicily may climb as high as 48C this weekend, meaning Europes all-time temperature high of 48.8C  recorded on Sicily in 2021  may be broken.

Temperatures in Sardinia are also likely to surpass 44C over the coming week.

- Spain

Spain too is sweltering under the current heatwave.

Land temperatures in Spain on Tuesday, July 11 2023. Picture: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-X imagery

Daytime temperatures of up to 45C and overnight temperatures of 25C have been recorded throughout the south and east the country in recent days. Thirteen of Spains autonomous communities have now been put under high-temperature alerts.

Earlier this week, a satellite image captured by the EU's Copernicus Sentinel mission revealed that the land surface temperature in Spains Extremadura region hit 60C on Tuesday.

Spains weather service also said more extreme temperatures are forecast for the coming days, particularly in the south and east.

- Greece

A man sprays sunscren on himself at Monastiraki square in Athens on July 12, 2023. Picture: Spyros Bakalis/AFP via Getty Images

Greece has also been grappling with temperatures of up to 40C. Earlier this week, the Greek government prohibited access to nature reserves and forests to reduce the risk of wildfires.

Several municipalities have opened air-conditioned areas in public buildings for people to shelter from the heat, and the countrys public hospitals and emergency response personnel have been put on standby.

The region of Thessaly saw a temperature of 43C on Thursday, and the capital city of Athens is forecast to bake in 41C heat on Friday.

The Athens Acropolis, one the worlds most famous archaeological sites, has also been temporarily closed to tourists.

- France

Most of France, with the exception of the regions of Brittany and Normandy, is forecast to see temperatures of at least 30C today and tomorrow. Tourists visiting countrys two biggest cities of Paris and Marseille can expect the mercury to hit 33C this afternoon.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, where temperatures will be higher than 30C this weekend. File Picture: PA

The southwest of the country is expected to be hotter still  up to 40C in some areas.

- Turkey

In Turkey, the Turkish State Meteorological Service has warned that temperatures may climb as high as 43C in the provinces of Antalya, Aydn, and Manisa this weekend.

- Others

Other countries have also been affected.

Temperatures across Portugal have been consistently above 30C since Monday.

Via: GraphicNews

In Cyprus, temperatures are forecast to reach 41C on Saturday, and in Croatia, Serbia, and Romania, forecasters are warning of temperatures of up to 39C on Sunday.

In Prague, where temperatures are usually around 22C this time of year, temperatures are forecast to reach 36C tomorrow.

How long will it last?

The Cerberus heatwave is expected to continue for at least another fortnight, though intense heat may persist for even longer in some areas.

But the end of Cerberus may not be the end of Europe's weather woes.

This year has already been a record-breaking year for temperatures worldwide.

Globally, the week of June 3 to June 10 was, on average, the hottest week of all time.

Indeed, when all is said and done, 2023 may turn out to be the hottest year on record.

And the ongoing impact of climate change, together with this year's El Nino event, means the continent is likely to experience further periods of intense heat before 2023 is out.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) is calling on Myanmars military regime to immediately release labor federation leader Ko Thet Hnin Aung, after he was rearrested just weeks after being released from prison.

The young labor rights activist, the general secretary of Myanmar Industry Crafts and Services Trade Unions Federation, was first arrested in Karen States Myawaddy Township in June 2021 while fleeing from the junta.

Prior to his first arrest, junta forces raided his house as well as the headquarters of his federation in Mandalay on June 14, 2021.

Ko Thet Hnin Aung was sentenced to two-years in prison with hard labor and fined 20,000 kyats by a junta-controlled court on December 5, 2021.

The ILO said in its statement Wednesday that the labor rights defender was released on June 26 this year and appears to have been rearrested by the regime and that his whereabouts are unknown.

Workers and employers must be able to exercise their freedom of association rights in a climate of freedom and security, free from violence and threats, the ILO said.

The UNs labor agency also urged the military regime to uphold its commitments under the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, which Myanmar ratified as an ILO member.

Following the military coup in February 2021, the junta has targeted labor unions and labor rights activists as violations of labor rights by employers and the junta have surged.

A report released in January by the Business and Human Rights Resource Center found that Myanmars garment factories are rife with inhumane work rates and forced overtime, gender-based violence and harassment, unsafe working conditions, business-military collusion, and arbitrary arrests.

Natalie Swan, head of labor rights at the center, said: Two years after Myanmars military coup, apparel brands sourcing from the country continue to show a concerning lack of action in ensuring respect for the rights of workers who make their clothes.

Last month, five union leaders at a Chinese-owned garment factory in Yangon that supplies global brands Zara and Pull&Bear, were arrested along with two activists of the NGO Action Labor Rights and a union supporter, after protesting for a pay rise of 38 US cents per day.

The military regime has charged them under the Sedition Law and Unlawful Association, which carries hefty prison terms.

Inditex, the Spanish company that owns both brands, has made no public statement in support of those arrested at the factory that supplies it.

The company describes itself as a haven for workers, saying on its website: We strive to create a work environment that inspires authenticity and creates a sense of belonging  A workplace that empowers all our employees without exception.

Since the coup, the junta has banned nearly all labor unions and arrested more than 300 union members and labor rights activists, according to IndustriAll, a global federation of unions.
Myanmars junta leader indicated that military rule will be extended again after the current state of emergency expires at the end of this month, telling the cabinet on Thursday that much remains to be done to restore stability and rule of law across the union.

If extended, the country will be under military rule for another six months as permitted by the constitution.

The state of emergency was initially declared in February 2021, when the military ousted the democratically elected government of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar has been in chaos since then.

The countrys constitution states that an emergency can be declared for an initial period of one year and can normally be extended for a maximum of two half-year terms at the discretion of the military-dominated National Defense and Security Council.

On January 31, Min Aung Hlaing extended the emergency for a third time by six months, citing an extraordinary situation  resistance against the regime.

Two weeks before the state of emergency expires on July 31, Min Aung Hlaing told his ministers that the election he had promised cannot take place without peace and stability and the rule of law across the country. Consequently, power cant be transferred to the winning party as he had promised.

To support his claim of instability, Min Aung Hlaing cited casualty figures allegedly inflicted by resistance forces, or in his words, terrorists. There were a total of 489 explosions from January 1 to July 11 this year, resulting in 782 fatalities, he said.

Min Aung Hlaing also called for increased military operations in Sagaing Region as well as Chin and Kayah states, saying terrorist attacks are the worst there. The two states and region are major resistance strongholds.

Min Aung Hlaing has admitted that the regime has no control over 130 townships with martial law imposed in nearly 50 townships in Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing, and Magwe regions, as well as Chin and Kayah states.
Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told this weeks ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Indonesia that he met Myanmars detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during an unannounced visit to Naypyitaw on Sunday.

He said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi supports dialogue without preconditions to address Myanmars crisis.

Don is the first outsider to meet the democratically elected leader since her detention during the coup on February 1, 2021.

The 78-year-old is now in solitary confinement in a prison in Naypyitaw after a junta court sentenced her to 33 years imprisonment. The junta has rejected several requests by ASEAN and UN envoys to meet her.

Political activists shared their views with The Irrawaddy about her reported meeting with Don.

U Aung Hsan Myint

Secretary, Karenni National Progressive Party

We ethnic armed organizations have analyzed the report. If nationwide dialogue is to be held, there is a need to adopt basic principles first. There must be preparations.

If the dialogue is still based on the [military-drafted] 2008 Constitution, it will still be 1,000 miles from achieving national equality, justice and self-determination, which ethnic minorities want.

It will be impossible to build a federal union because the 2008 Constitution guarantees the militarys intervention in politics and its continued grip on power. We cant allow any individual to decide the fate of the country.

Dr Tayzar San,

Political activist

The news will not have a significant impact on our popular revolution. The regime is faced with a deepening crisis and is looking for solutions.

The revolution is not just about a power transfer, to change the countrys leadership or to restore the 2020 general election results.

The revolution is not about the restoration of the 2008 Constitution. We want a new system and a new era.

As the regime is hit by numerous crises, it will try to distract the publics attraction. We must continue on our revolutionary journey towards a federal, democratic union.

Daw Tin Tin Nyo

Adviser, Burmese Womens Union

Both civilians and the revolutionary forces do not accept talks with the regime.

Talks were held for decades without providing any solutions. We dont know if the Thai foreign ministers claim about Daw Aung San Suu Kyis openness to dialogue is true. Even if it is, if her wishes do not match public opinion, the people will not cooperate.

Daw Hnin Hnin Hmwe

Joint general secretary, Democratic Party for a New Society

We dont know if the Thai foreign ministers claim about Daw Aung San Suu Kyis acceptance of dialogue is true.

The regime is currently in a real fix so it is unsurprising that it passes a message through the Thai government, which has close ties to the regime and is cooperating with the junta for their mutual interests.

No individual should do anything without the peoples consent and push for anything that deviates from the real objectives of the revolution.

Ma Thinzar Shunlei Yi

Human rights activist

The Thai foreign ministers message from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi appears to be the answer Thailand wants and her message complies with its policy.

By meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the minister has ignored the existence of ASEAN and deviated from ASEANs five-point consensus. It could further divide ASEAN.

Dialogue without preconditions is possible. It did happen in the past.

Some groups might have a policy to reconcile with the military through dialogue.

If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi really made these comments there is a good possibility of talks between the National League for Democracy, groups which support the NLD and the military. But the revolution by ethnic minorities has never ceased and is strengthening. Talks with oppressed ethnic minorities are therefore unlikely.

Daw Zin Mar Aung

Foreign minister, National Unity Government

Don Pramudwinais meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has made resolving the Myanmar issue more complicated. He has also made such a mess recently by organizing talks to reengage with the junta.

What he has done is in total contrast with ASEAN leaders decision not to welcome the regimes leadership as long as they fail to honor the five-point consensus on Myanmar.

He is now trying to push the junta into the ASEAN fold. His attempts to do so have no legitimacy as he is an outgoing minister in a caretaker government.

Only the ASEAN chair or special envoys on Myanmar have a mandate to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

You should note that, before him, there were officials from China and the UN, and ASEAN envoys who sought permission from the junta to meet her.

They were all rejected. So it raises questions as to why the regime allowed Don, who has no mandate to see her, to hold the meeting.

We have to ask him seriously: whom did he represent? What are his responsibilities? Rather than helping to solve Myanmars problems, his action has caused disunity among regional countriesSecond Don has one-sidedly said he met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

We still cant verify that she really received him. If a meeting took place between them, it was bilateral. That means Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has to say something about the meeting. What we have heard is coming only from Don.

Read the full interview here.
E-Commerce eyed as cash cow for war chest

Myanmars military regime declared on July 4 that it would issue regulations governing online selling after categorizing it as an essential service, prompting concerns that the cash-strapped junta is seeking new tax revenue.

Online vendors have good reason to worry. The regime launched an online lottery last month while cutting power to households that fail to pay electricity bills for more than six months  signs that it desperately needs cash to continue fighting its multi-front war in the country.

It is therefore reasonable to assume that the regime may abuse provisions in the Essential Supplies and Service Law, which carries fines of up to 500,000 kyats (around US$ 170 at the market exchange rate of 3,000 kyats per dollar), to make money from the thriving online market.

E-commerce is a growing sector in Myanmar, but the majority of operators are individual vendors who sell imported food, consumer goods, clothes and cosmetics. The sector offers a precious lifeline for countless households throughout the country.

Netizens have criticized the juntas move to restrict online vendors in an economy that has been in freefall since the coup.

Bogus ads to lure recruits

Faced with a recruitment crisis, desertions and heavy casualties in daily clashes with resistance forces, the Myanmar military has been forced to revamp its recruiting strategy.

The military has been posting advertisements on social media designed to mislead job seekers into thinking that the employer is a private company, according to military defectors.

The advert details openings in the post of administrative clerk, with accommodation provided. Job-seekers who reply through Facebook Messenger are asked to come for an interview  where they are forcibly recruited into the military.

The accommodation advertised is actually a barracks and the administrative clerk is a sergeant clerk, said defectors.

The regime has also been forced to relax eligibility criteria for both officer cadets and soldiers after its brutal crackdown on anti-coup protesters and dissidents drew public ire. Falling interest in military jobs since the 2021 coup has prompted the junta to extend deadlines for applications from academies.

Its latest recruitment method shows that previous measures to attract potential young officials and soldiers have failed.

Thai hostage diplomacy with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

After repeatedly refusing to let special envoys see her following the 2021 coup, the junta allowed Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to meet detained civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday at Naypyitaw prison, where she is being held in solitary confinement.

Both the regime and Thailand kept the visit secret until Don revealed details about the meeting at the ASEAN foreign ministerial retreat on Wednesday.

However, his visit was widely branded a political ruse by the junta aimed at easing international pressure just before the ASEAN meeting. It also sparked suspicion that Thailand was trying to persuade ASEAN to lift its 2021 ban on the juntas participation in the blocs affairs.

Furthermore, the Thai foreign ministers claim that Aung San Suu Kyi had relayed messages, including recommending dialogue to solve the countrys political crisis, was met with skepticism since Don is known to enjoy close relations with the junta.

Junta investment minister attends Beijing talks

The regimes investment minister Dr Kan Zaw is in the Chinese capital to boost investment and economic cooperation. Read more:

Regime attempting to boost domestic steel production

The regimes Industry minister discusses iron and steel plans at trade fair in Russia. Read more:
JAKARTAAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers on Thursday condemned violence in Myanmar again and repeated support for a peace plan ignored by its junta rulers, as the divided bloc struggled to find unity over the protracted crisis.

Myanmar has been ravaged by deadly violence since a military coup ousted Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government in February 2021, unleashing a bloody crackdown on dissent.

A joint communique finally arrived late Thursday, more than a day after a two-day ASEAN ministerial meeting ended as the fractured group wrangled over its content and wording.

It said a five-point plan agreed with Myanmars junta two years agowhich they have failed to implementremained the blocs best hope of solving the crisis, despite Thailand launching a separate track to ASEAN efforts in recent months.

We reaffirmed our united position that the five-point consensus remains our main reference to address the political crisis in Myanmar, it said.

We strongly condemned acts of violence, including air strikes, artillery shelling, and destruction of public facilities and urged all parties involved to take concrete action to immediately halt indiscriminate violence [and] denounce any escalation.

It asked all sides of the Myanmar conflict to create a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogue.

ASEAN chair Indonesia on Wednesday urged a political solution to the crisis at two-day foreign minister talks.

But more than two years after the coup, the divided 10-member blocs peace efforts remain fruitless, as the junta ignores international criticism and refuses to engage with its opponents.

A Southeast Asian diplomat attending the meetings told AFP on condition of anonymity the delay was because they were working on the language on Myanmar.

An early draft seen by AFP on Tuesday had left a section on Myanmar blank.

The diplomat said some countries wanted outright re-engagement with the junta, while others said the five-point plan, which aims to end the violence and renew talks, must remain the basis for re-engagement.

This confirmed the deep divisions within ASEAN on the Myanmar issue, the diplomat added.

Thai dialogue track

Thailand has launched its own initiative to speak directly with the Myanmar junta and other actors in the conflict.

Last month, Bangkok hosted the juntas foreign minister for controversial informal talks that further split the bloc.

Then on Wednesday, on the second day of ASEAN talks, Thailands top diplomat announced that he met last week with Daw Aung San Suu Kyiwho has been detained since the coup, and jailed by a junta court for a total of 33 years.

Don Pramudwinai said he met the Nobel laureate on Sunday in Myanmars capital Naypyitaw and that she was in good health and encouraged dialogue.

Don freely discussed what he wanted with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said in an audio statement posted by the militarys information team Thursday, adding that her health was good.

On Thursday, Don told reporters: It has been two years now, [and] not much improvement. So there must be re-engagement with Myanmar.

Safe, stable, prosperous

Indonesia has said any other efforts must support ASEANs existing five-point peace plan.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir told reporters that all members were working towards the same issue, which was ensuring that Southeast Asia was a region that is safe, stable and prosperous.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Jakarta had engaged in quiet diplomacy with all sides of the conflict, and in its seven months as chair had held more than 110 engagements concerning Myanmar.

But analysts said Thailand was taking the lead on the crisis, undercutting ASEAN efforts and shifting the center of negotiation to Bangkok.

A Thai Foreign Ministry official declined to comment on Indonesias work as ASEAN chair.
At least eight Myanmar junta forces as well as a resistance fighter were killed in the last four days as Peoples Defense Forces and an ethnic armed organization (EAO) attacked regime targets across the country.

The junta has been conducting a major offensive against the Kachin Independence Army since Saturday.

Incidents were reported in Shan and Mon states and Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing regions.

The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and the EAO.

Some military casualties could not be independently verified.

Junta in heavy clashes with KIA in northern Shan

Five days of heavy clashes broke out in Kutkai and Muse townships, northern Shan State when junta troops raided the territory of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)s Battalion 9 on Saturday, according to local Kachin media.

After sustaining heavy losses, the junta conducted daily air strikes and troop reinforcements have been sent to the clash areas, the media reported citing local residents.

Military weapons factory attacked in Magwe

Local PDF group Eagle Force said it used two 90-mm rocket-propelled explosives to attack the militarys No. 12 weapons factory in Thayet Township, Magwe Region on Wednesday night.

One of the explosives struck near soldiers barracks in the factory. The extent of the damage and military casualties were unknown.

Regime forces attacked in Sagaing

Four regime forces were killed in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Wednesday when three PDF groups used twenty 60-mm improvised mortar rounds to shell regime forces stationed in Palai Village, said Chindwin Attack Force, which took part in the attack.

The regime forces raided and burned down several villages nearby.

During the PDF attack, the junta responded with two heavy explosives and firearms. However, PDF fighters retreated from the area without casualties.

Regime bases shelled in Sagaing

Local resistance group Chindwin Toenayar PDF claimed it and four other PDF groups killed three regime forces and injured five others when they used 40-mm, 60-mm and 80-mm improvised mortar rounds to shell regime forces stationed in a park and the township General Administration Department office in the town of Yinmabin, Sagaing Region on Monday.

A PDF video shows resistance fighters firing the mortar shells in the dark.

PDF fighter killed in clash in Sagaing

Local PDF group National Revolutionary Guards said member Moe Min Htet was killed during a firefight with regime forces in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday.

Military vehicle ambushed with land mines in Mandalay

Many regime forces are thought to have been killed or injured in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday when two PDF groups used three land mines to ambush a military vehicle carrying 40 soldiers near a village, said Tagaung-PDF, which coordinated the ambush.

Pro-regime militia leader assassinated in Mon

PDF group Special Operation Force claimed to have assassinated Myint Ye, a pro-regime militia leader, in a village in Paung Township, Mon State on Wednesday.

Myin Ye was killed while he was at a teashop with other pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members. He was providing military training to the militia and had also abducted civilians for ransom.
Beware! Myanmars generals are up to their old tricks. In fact theyve dusted off an old favorite: playing the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi card. So dont be fooled.

Whenever previous Myanmar military regimes faced international condemnation, Western sanctions or an uprising at home, they would allow the UN or international envoys or peace makers to meet the caged Suu Kyi as a way of releasing pressure, confusing the population and weakening the divided opposition and international opinion. For Myanmar regimes, hostage diplomacy has long been a part of the playbook.

The current junta may be a bunch of thugs and war criminals, and utterly inept at running the country, but in matters involving external affairs they possess a certain cunning.

Faced with isolation, economic sanctions and a resilient armed opposition, the pariah generals in Naypyitaw finally and reluctantly allowed a trusted ally to meet their most famous prisoner.

Thailands outgoing foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, a close ally of the regime, secretly flew into Myanmar on July 9 and met with her the same day.

Don later revealed he had met the ousted civilian leader and claimed she had encouraged engagement with the military junta to settle the crisis in Myanmar.

He described his encounter with Myanmars former State Counselor as a good meeting, going on to say that, in regards to the current situation in Myanmar, She encouraged dialogue. There has been no direct communication from Suu Kyi. The regimes spokesman said the two met freely for more than one hour.

The meeting is particularly noteworthy given that over the past two years the regime has denied requests to meet with Suu Kyi from envoys of the UN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China. So why did the regime allow Don to meet her, and why now?

In rejecting the earlier requests, the regime said Suu Kyi faced criminal charges and was on trial. A criminal suspect, they said, should not be allowed to meet international visitors. So why should this change now that shes been convicted?

The meeting came after Don invited some of his ASEAN counterparts to a meeting in June aimed at re-engaging with Myanmars military. Besides Myanmar and host Thailand, Laos was the only country to send its top diplomat. Indonesia and Singapore stayed away, saying it was not time to re-engage with the regime.

The frustrated Myanmar generals, who have been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings since late 2021, concocted this diplomatic game to embarrass Indonesia, the current holder of ASEANs rotating chair and a critic of the regime. Jakarta has repeatedly engaged Myanmar opposition figures including representatives of the exiled National Unity Government (NUG), activists and ethnic groups.

Allowing the top Thai diplomat to meet Suu Kyi just days before the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Indonesia was a calculated moveboth a snub to Jakarta and a reward for Don, who has consistently defended the regime since it came to power. It also shows that the junta believes Thailands Track 1.5 initiative on Myanmarlaunched unilaterally and independently of ASEANs effortsis working.

For now, the Myanmar regime seems to have achieved its goals of reducing the international pressure on it by appearing to allow access to Suu Kyi; dividing ASEAN; and sowing rifts within the Myanmar opposition through Dons claims that the detained State Counselor called for negotiations. But will it work in the longer term?

Next year, Laos will hold the ASEAN chair. The Myanmar regime may be hoping this will create an opportunity for it to be fully reinstated in the regional bloc if it plays its Suu Kyi card right. Thailand can assist in this.

Besides widening rifts in ASEAN, the regime was also clearly looking to provoke confusion within the resistance movement by allowing Don to report an endorsement of negotiations by Suu Kyi. It is a familiar game of divide and conquer.

Upon hearing the news of Dons meeting with Suu Kyi, public opinion inside and outside of Myanmar was mixed. Rather than excitement and joy that a senior figure of a foreign government had spoken with her, the news was met mostly with deep skepticism and doubt over Dons motivations. There was a sense of we have seen these tricks before. Suu Kyis alleged comments were delivered by a messenger who many doubt was acting in good faith.

It is important to note that Suu Kyi is still widely respected in Myanmar and the people continue to admire her for the sacrifices she has made over the last three decades.

In 2021, her government was overthrown and she was removed from the political scene, unjustly detained and hit with bogus charges. She must be released. Following Dons meeting with Suu Kyi, it is likely that international visitors will be allowed to meet her in the future and that she will be placed under house arrest. Again, the same old tricks. It shows that the regime leaders who removed her from power feel they have no choice but to use their old ploy of putting her back in the limelight so they can win some undeserved applause. Just wait and see how the opposition inside and outside reacts.

Indeed, it is the war criminals in Naypyitaw who should be in prison. They should never be allowed to attend ASEAN meetings to spout lies. It would be a disgrace if they are allowed to do so; they are holding not just Suu Kyi but an entire nation hostage.

However, Suu Kyi is no longer a central figure in Myanmars opposition movement. She has always been a part of the countrys elite establishment, and once in power she compromised herself to maintain that position by defending the regime, perplexing many Myanmar people and the international community, and earning herself critics. A notable case was her refusal to condemn the atrocities committed against the Rohingya population in 2017.

The regime has no intention of compromising.

This time the fault line is 78-year-old Suu Kyi herself. She will find it difficult to defend the regime or reconcile with criminals, but within the movement, Suu Kyi faces an opposition who question her leadership.

Today, the regime is at war with its own people. It has committed widespread war crimes across the country, all the while claiming to be Myanmars guardian. People in Myanmar see the junta as a common enemy, a regime of criminals and rapists.

What happened to Myanmar in February 2021 was a genuine tragedy. It caught Suu Kyis government and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), off guard, unable to prevent or counter it.

Sadly, this outcome was partly of her own making. She and her party disappointed many inside and outside the country. It is doubtful that any future democratic leadership, the generation who are leading todays resistance movement, will listen to her.

There is no turning back for the regime, which has committed brutal atrocities countrywide, including air raids, massacres, rapes and many other crimes and rights violations since the coup. ASEAN is right to condemn the juntas violence, but it must do more to see that the will of the people is restored in Myanmar and that the regime is punished. The international community and friends of Myanmar should put more political and economic pressure on the regimeboth the generals and the cronies who have colluded with them. Myanmar people dont want to be slaves of this murderous regime.

This is what the people want. They do not want the regime and its thugs to be appeased, reinstated or recognized.
Friday, Jul 14th, 2023 (12:01 am) - Score 768

The Comms Council UK, which represents the United Kingdoms national Unified Communications and Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) phone industry, has today published their annual shortlist of finalists for the organisations 2023 industry awards event.

Eli Katz, Chair of Comms Council UK, said: It is very exciting to be celebrating CCUKs 15th Awards this year, and it is testament to the talent and innovation in our sector to see such a strong shortlist. It is great to see so many fantastic companies represented, and we all look forward to the Awards presentation in September. Good luck to all those shortlisted  youve given the judges a tough job!.

This years winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Tate Modern in London on the 28th September 2023.
A photo shows the back view of the Ford Expedition (right) which was hit by a multi-trailer truck, taking the lives of illegal migrants being trafficked into the U.S. at the intersection of Norrish Road and Highway 115 in Holtville on March 2, 2021. IVP FILE PHOTO
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FILE - Attorney Michael Harper holds a photo of Lashawn Thompson's cell in the Fulton County, Ga., Jail at a news conference addressing the results of an independent autopsy determining the cause of death of Thompson, May 22, 2023, at the state Capital in Atlanta. The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into jail conditions in Georgia's most populous county, with officials citing violence, filthy conditions and excessive force by jail officers.
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By Hiba Baroud, Vanderbilt University | 

Heavy rainfall in the Northeast on June 9-11, 2023, generated widespread flooding, particularly in New Yorks Hudson Valley and in Vermont. One major concern was the Wrightsville Dam, built in 1935 on the Winooski River north of Vermonts capital city, Montpelier. The reservoir behind the dam rose to within 1 foot of the dams maximum storage capacity, prompting warnings that water could overtop the dam and worsen already-dangerous conditions downstream, or damage the dam.

Hiba Baroud, associate professor and associate chair in the department of civil and environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University, explains how flooding stresses dams in a changing climate.

How serious is the risk when flooding overtops a dam?

Dam overtopping can result in erosion, which subsequently could lead to a dam breach or failure and a sudden, uncontrolled release of impounded water.

The risk of dam overtopping results from the combined effect of a hazardous event, such as heavy rainfall, and the vulnerability of the dam. A vulnerable dam could be old, poorly maintained or not have enough spillway capacity to safely release water from the dam.

A dams design can affect its ability to withstand overtopping and resist failure. For example, concrete dams can typically better withstand certain levels of overtopping compared to soil embankment dams.

Overtopping is the leading cause of dam failures in the U.S. It accounts for 34% of all dam failures. How long water flows over a dam and the volume of water that flows over it are important factors in determining the likelihood that a dam will fail.

The consequences of a dam overtopping, and possibly failing, depend on several factors, such as the purpose of the dam, its size and its location. If a dam is designed for flood protection and is surrounded by homes, businesses or critical infrastructure, a large uncontrolled release of water could be catastrophic. Dams that are small and located in rural areas may cause less damage if they are overtopped or fail.

How old are most US dams?

There are more than 91,000 dams across the U.S., in all 50 states, with diverse designs and purposes. The average dam age is 60 years, and more than 8,000 dams are over 90 years old.

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers produces a report card for the nations infrastructure that assigns grades based on the condition of structures like roads, bridges and dams, and the investments that they need. The most recent report card estimates that 70% of U.S. dams will be more than 50 years old by 2030.

Overall, the report gave U.S. dams a D grade and estimated that more than 2,300 high hazard potential dams  those that could cause loss of life or serious property damage if they fail, based on the level of development around them  lacked emergency action plans.

KSAT 12: Video shows moment dam gate collapsed at Lake Dunlap

Are there ways to strengthen older dams against flooding without completely replacing them?

Decommissioning or replacing dams can be complicated and cost-prohibitive. It also can have cascading effects on the surrounding community, and possibly on other infrastructure. Regularly maintaining and upgrading older dams can be a cost-effective way to strengthen them and make them resilient to natural hazards.

When dams no longer serve the purposes for which they were built, they may be partially breached or entirely removed to restore the rivers natural flow.

The Association of State Dam Safety Officials estimates that it would cost US$157.7 billion to rehabilitate all nonfederal dams in the U.S. Of this amount, about one-fifth ($34.1 billion) is for rehabilitating high hazard potential dams. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes approximately $3 billion for dam safety projects, focusing on rehabilitation, retrofitting and removal.

Is climate change increasing stress on older dams?

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural hazards like storms that threaten dams. And these shifts dont follow historical trends. Conditions that once were considered extreme will likely be more common in the future.

For example, one recent study on predicting coastal flooding found that in New England, a 100-year flood  thats an event of a magnitude that now has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year  could become an annual occurrence by the late 2100s.

The fact that the climate is changing also means that extreme events are becoming more extreme. In 2015, a 1,000-year rainfall event in South Carolina resulted in breaches of 47 dams.

Designing new dams and upgrading existing infrastructure will need to be based on updated design procedures that take into account future climate projections, not just historical hazardous events. While older dams arent necessarily unsafe, they were constructed following outdated design standards and construction procedures and for different environmental conditions. That influences the likelihood and consequences of their failure during disasters.

Do you see this event in Vermont as a warning for other communities?

The disasters that have hit the U.S. in recent years should spur government agencies and communities to prepare and plan for disasters through proactive steps such as developing emergency action plans.

While the number of high hazard potential dams in the U.S. has more than doubled in the last 20 years as development has moved farther into rural areas, the proportion of these dams with an emergency action plan has also increased. It is now at 76%, which is much higher than just a few years ago.

Vulnerable dams and the risk of dam failure cascade through our economy and affect many sectors. Dams serve many purposes: They provide water for drinking and irrigation, generate energy and protect communities from flooding. They are also part of a large navigation network that transports more than 500 million tons of commodities across the U.S. each year.

As my colleagues and I have shown, its important to understand the direct and indirect costs when critical infrastructure systems like dams fail. This information is crucial for developing strategies that can help the U.S. prepare for future disasters.

Hiba Baroud, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Response of McGuire Gibson, Professor Emeritus of Mesopotamian Architecture , University of Chicago, to Iraqs Climate Crisis: Americas War for Oil and the Great Mesopotamian Dustbowl

Juan: In your devastating post about Iraqs drought, you could have given more attention to the crucial role of Turkey in flouting international law and damaging Iraq (and Syria) through its illegal capture of the bulk of the water of first the Euphrates and then the Tigris, building very large dams and hundreds of smaller water diversion devices on both rivers.

You might also have mentioned the dams that Iran has built on feeders to the Tigris, especially as they affect the Shatt al-Arab. The building of the Tabqa dam, the Tishrin dam, and other smaller dams in Syria also affected the water supply of Iraq. In the case of the Tabqa Dam, I witnessed personally the kind of disruption such an upstream dam could cause.

In 1974, as Syria began to fill that reservoir (Lake Assad), the water coming down the Euphrates to Iraq was greatly reduced. The Iraqi government made decisions about allocation of the remaining water and, as a result, the Dagharah/Afaq canal, that runs past Nippur (where I was digging at the time), received water only twice a week. This meant that the local farmers did not have enough water to plant and harvest grain, but did have enough for vegetable patches. A local man, who worked for us in the dig house, began to look exhausted and I found out that he was getting up in the middle of the night on those two days to go out and irrigate his fields. He knew that the Syrian dam was causing the problem. I asked him once what would happen if there continued to be tension between Iraq and Syria. He answered: One will eat the other.



Image of Euphrates, Iraq by David Mark from Pixabay

Farther south along the canal, the town of Afaq was allotted enough water to survive, but the area farther downstream was not. As a result, 20,000 people (mostly farmers and their families) along that canal were removed and resettled in the rain-fed area north of Baghdad. A couple of years later, when more normal water allocations were resumed, most of the people returned. With the flood of money that resulted from the nationalization of oil, the government took off of the Development Boards shelves ambitious irrigation plans that had been developed in the 1940s and 50s, based in part on Willcocks grand scheme that he created for the Ottomans. To gain some security in water to offset the dams upstream, the Iraqis built dams at Haditha on the Euphrates and at Eski Mosul on the Tigris, and began but did not finish another at the Fatha Gorge.

For the south, the government revived a desalinization project that was designed to flush the salt out of fields and drain the brine into the Third River, which would dump it into a newly created marsh south of Ur and/or into the Gulf. This huge project, designed by an American company and implemented by a Dutch company, was not finished because of the 1958 revolution. When the project was revived in the 1970s, it made great headway, including the cutting of the Third River, but was halted by the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980. Most important, the key project for the entire country DID see completionit was meant to offset a situation such as had happened with the filling of the Tabqa. The project connected the Tigris and Euphrates through a deep canal and siphon system just north of Baghdad, making it possible to shift Euphrates water to the Tigris and Tigris water to the Euphrates, as needed.

There was one unfortunate result of this linkage in that, although relief for short-term water crises was assured, there were several years in which too much water was made available and often the canals, including those near Afaq, were running at peak much of the time, allowing farmers to over-irrigate. This resulted in a drastic rise in groundwater, leading to increased salinization of fields. During that period, the marshes grew in size. Gradually, chemicals from agriculture and industry led to increasingly polluted water in Iraq.

By the 1980s, people in the marshes began to say that they tended not to wade in the water because exposure to the water resulted in skin rashes. They noted that fish, frogs, and other animals were showing odd lesions. And they began to witness the diminution of the marshes, as more and more of the water was drawn off and evaporated upstream. In 1988, my last trip to the marshes, the tourist village of Chibayish, where we used to get into boats to see the marshes, was five kilometers from the water.

This had nothing to do with any move by Saddam to drain the marshes, but was just the result of all the extraction upstream, primarily in Turkey. Northern Iraq has had a history of occasional long periods of drought, but the south never had uniform droughts until recently because enough water would come down the rivers to support irrigation, even if reduced.

We know that there were historical periods in which parts of the irrigated zone in the south were abandoned, but other areas still flourished. One of the easily foreseeable results of our current crisis of global warming is the effect of the reduction of snow in the Zagros, which will create massive desertification; we are seeing early effects in the entire system of both rivers, even in Turkey. But the coming disruption in the Tigris-Euphrates basin will appear to be moderate compared to the situation for the billions of people in the countries dependent on the Himalayas.

Mac
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Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  Let us imagine a country somewhere in the world, let us call it Qorlu. It has two major ethnic groups, the Laval and the Zorbi. The Laval are the majority in Qorlu, and the Zorbi are a minority.

But Qorlu had a war several decades ago in which it conquered neighboring Zorbiland. It did not make Zorbiland part of Qorlu immediately, but subjected it to military rule. It did not give Zorbilanders citizenship in Qorlu, unlike the Zorbi, who are the same ethnicity as the Zorbilanders.

The Laval follow an ancient religious rite, Lavalism. The Zorbi and Zorbilanders mostly follow a younger religion, Zorbism, that bears a lot of resemblance, at least to an outsider, to Lavalism. But they consider one another infidels.

A government comes to power in Qorlu composed of Laval supremacists. They want formally to annex Zorbiland and make it part of Qorlu, but they still refuse to give citizenship to Zorbilanders. They keep them stateless and without basic human rights. They also actively send in settler colonialists to usurp farms and orchards from Zorbilanders. These Laval settlers form armed bands who go wilding and attack small towns in Zorbiland, shooting people and setting fire to homes, cars olive trees, and other crops.

After the Zorbilander hamlet of Huwara is attacked by Laval settlers, Bezel Snorting, the Minister of Finance in the Laval government applauds them. Huwara needs to be wiped out, he says, and the State should do it.

He goes on to deny that there are any Zorbi or Zorbilanders. They are, he says, a recent invention to make Qorlu look bad. He doesnt know that there was a newspaper being published in 1900 called Zorbiland, or that in the 1700s authors referred to Zorbiland as a known territory where the Zorbi lived.

In contrast, the Laval are for the most part refugees from other continents who only came to Qorlu within the last century, where they formed their Laval-majority state in 1948 through concerted violence and an ethnic cleansing campaign waged against the indigenous Zorbi, on whose territory the Laval built the state of Qorlu.

Snorting goes on to say that he wants Qorlu to be ruled entirely by the religious law of Lavalism and that gay pride parades are worse than bestiality, adding that he is a proud homophone. He also said that the 20% of the population of Qorlu that is Zorbi is a mistake, since all Zorbi should have been expelled in 1948 by the Laval.

If any Zorbilanders take up small arms to defend themselves from Laval land thieves, they are denounced as terrorists and are killed by Laval special ops forces or even by fighter jet air strikes.

The Laval Minister of National Security, OTamar Benihana, recently shouted at a bereaved Zorbi mother. Her son was autistic, and was a little OCD, so that he felt he needed to wear gloves lest his hands stay dirty all the time. A teenager, he was walking in an alleyway when Laval soldiers saw him. They considered his gloves suspicious, as well as his behavior (he was autistic), so they shot him dead.

The autistic teenagers mother came to Minister Benihana to complain when the soldiers were absolved of wrongdoing by a Laval military investigation. Benihana told her, Get away from here, you terrorist!

Benihana wants to deport all the Zorbi and Zorbilanders in a mass expulsion. He also wants to expel those Laval who object to his fascist ideas.

The US Congress invites the president of Qorlu to address a joint session. Although the president himself is not an extremist, he as president represents the government in which Snorting and Benihana serve, and he had not resigned despite the egregious acts of violence and hate speech and racial incitement of the ministers of the government over which he presides.

Should members of Congress boycott the Laval president?

Would Vladimir Putin be invited to address Congress? He also occupies part of a neighboring country and commits war crimes against its population, and denies that Ukrainians exist as a nation.

Would Myanmars (Burmas) junta chief, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, responsible for attacks on the Rohingya, be invited to address Congress?

Flacks for Qorlu say that any criticism of the Laval-dominated government is a sign of bigotry toward the Laval people, and that boycotting the president is just blind prejudice and hatred. They wont discuss the racism of the ministers or their plans for ethnic cleansing. They just smear critics as prejudiced for daring question Laval policy toward the Zorbi. Amazingly, these smear campaigns are taken seriously in American society despite their transparent hypocrisy and groundlessness.

There is no way in hell I am attending the joint session address from a President whose country has banned me and denied @RashidaTlaib the ability to see her grandma. A thread  Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 13, 2023

1/3 US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar announced she would be boycotting Israeli occupation President Isaac Herzogs address to a joint session of Congress next week, saying Herzogs address comes on behalf of the most right wing government in Israels history, at a time when the pic.twitter.com/QJOpaGwYR3  Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 13, 2023

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Unigold Inc. (TSXV: UGD) (OTCQB: UGDIF) (FSE: UGB1) ("Unigold" or the "Company") announces the execution of a binding term sheet (the "Agreement") with Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") that sets the terms under which the Company will allow Barrick to earn into, and form a joint venture ("JV"), in respect of the Neita Norte Exploration Concession in the Dominican Republic.

Joe Hamilton, Chairman and CEO of Unigold, commented, "We welcome Barrick as a partner in the Neita Norte area. Barrick brings considerable technical and financial capability to the project. Barrick operates the world-class Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic and has installed a significant amount of related infrastructure in the country, holding a commendable record as a good corporate citizen. The Agreement creates an opportunity for both companies to benefit from the development of this frontier area. Unigold will continue to be active in the area as we concentrate on the development of the Neita Sur concession and work to convert our significant resources into producing mines."

Terms of the Agreement

Unigold will grant Barrick the exclusive option to acquire a 60% undivided interest in the Neita Norte Exploration Concession by:

incurring not less than US$2.5 million of expenditures in respect of the concession within the first three years; incurring a total of not less than US$8 million of expenditures in respect of the concession within the first six years and delivering a PEA; incurring a total of not less than US$12 million of expenditures in respect of the concession within the first eight years and delivering a PFS; and delivering a written notice to UGD electing to exercise the earn-in right.

Following the earn-in of a 60% interest, Barrick will have the ability to elect to sole-fund and deliver a Feasibility Study by the end of year twelve which will allow Barrick to increase its ownership in the JV to 80%. The JV will be subject to standard dilution clauses which includes the criteria that should any partner own less than 15% of the JV they would be immediately diluted to a 2.5% NSR royalty. Barrick will be the manager and operator of the project.

Unigold and Barrick will work together to finalize a long-form agreement, a shareholder's agreement and to create a joint-stock Dominican Company to hold the concession permits within the next 60 days. Unigold has received all permissions and permits to conduct exploration over the Neita Norte area. Work will commence as soon as practicable.

The agreement is subject to standard representations and warranties from both parties and is subject to TSX-V approval.

About Neita Norte

The 10,903 Ha Neita Norte Exploration Concession was granted to Unigold on March 27, 2023. The concession is valid for three years and has two one-year extensions that may be granted. Unigold has held the Neita area under various Exploration Concessions since 2002. In 2022, Unigold applied to split the area into a northern section (Neita Norte) and a southern area (Neita Sur). Unigold applied to convert the Neita Sur area into an Exploitation Concession in early 2022. That application is still pending final approval from government authorities.

The Neita Norte Concession is dominated by the Tireo Formation which can be traced for 300 km along a northwest-southeast strike and averages 35 km in width. It is comprised of volcano-sedimentary rocks and lavas from an Upper Cretaceous age volcanic island arc that extends from northwestern Haiti into the Cordillera Central of the Dominican Republic. It is believed that the older rocks of the Tireo Formation were thrust from north to south over the younger marine sediments of the southerly Trois Rivieres - Peralta Formation.

The Tireo Formation is subdivided into Upper and Lower members. The older Lower Tireo occurs in the eastern part of the concession area and is dominated by volcanic, volcaniclastics and pyroclastics of predominantly andesitic composition. Porphyry copper deposits are known to occur in the Lower Tireo formation in Haiti and likely also occur within the exposures of these rocks in the Dominican Republic. The main branch of the San Jose - Restauracion Thrust Fault bisects the Concession almost in half along a northwest trending corridor. The younger Upper Tireo member dominates on the western side of the thrust and is comprised largely of volcanic and volcanoclastics rocks of andesitic to rhyodacitic composition. The Upper Tireo Formation is known to host volcanogenic copper-gold massive sulphide mineralization as well as epithermal gold-silver mineralization.

Unigold has identified areas within the Neita Norte concession that host surface expressions of mineralization. Some of these areas have seen limited follow-up drilling in the past ten years.

About Unigold Inc. - Discovering Gold in the Caribbean

Unigold is a Canadian based mineral exploration company traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol UGD, the OTCQB exchange under the symbol UGDIF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol UGB1. The multi-million ounce Candelones gold deposits are within the 100% owned Neita Fase II exploration concession located in Dajabon province, in the northwest part of the Dominican Republic. The Company delivered a feasibility study for the Oxide portion of the Candelones deposit in Q4 of 2022. The Company applied to split the "Neita Fase II" concession into an Exploitation Concession and an Exploration Concession in late February 2022. The application for the 9,990 Ha "Neita Sur" concession has moved smoothly through various permitting stages and the Company expects that a decision will be given on the application in the third quarter of 2023. The 10,903 Ha "Neita Norte" Exploration Concession was awarded to the Company in Q2 2023. Unigold has been active in the Dominican Republic since 2002 and remains the most active exploration Company in the country. The two concessions together form the largest single exposure of the volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous Tireo Formation. This island arc terrain is host to Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide deposits, Intermediate and High Sulphidation Epithermal Systems and Copper-gold porphyry systems. Unigold has identified over 20 areas within the concession areas that host surface expressions of gold systems. Unigold has been concentrating on the Candelones mineralization and is moving to bring these deposits into production.

For further information please visit http://www.unigoldinc.com or contact:

Mr. Joseph Hamilton

Chairman & CEO

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

T. (416) 866-8157

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this document, including statements regarding events and financial trends that may affect our future operating results, financial position and cash flows, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Where applicable, we claim the protection of the safe harbour for forward- looking statements provided by the (United States) Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For more information, please visit https://www.unigoldinc.com/profile/forward-looking-statement.
LIMA, Peru / Jul 13, 2023 / Business Wire / Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (Buenaventura or the Company) (NYSE: BVN; Lima Stock Exchange: BUE.LM), Perus largest publicly-traded precious metals mining company, today announced 2Q23 results for production and volume sold.

2Q23 Production per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) 2023 Updated

Guidance (1)(2)(3) Gold (Oz.) Orcopampa 19,996 19,975 39,971 72k - 80k Tambomayo 10,600 10,896 21,496 35k - 40k Coimolache 6,536 9,632 16,168 60k - 65k El Brocal 4,421 4,377 8,798 24k - 26k Silver (Oz.) Uchucchacua 0 0 0 0.7M - 1.0M Yumpag 0 0 0 1.6M - 1.8M El Brocal 436,678 635,530 1,072,208 2.7M - 3.0M Tambomayo 394,305 540,732 935,038 1.9M - 2.2M Julcani 417,887 472,740 890,626 1.9M - 2.1M Lead (MT) El Brocal 0 1,275 1,275 7.5k - 8.3k Uchucchacua 0 0 0 1.4k - 1.5k Yumpag 0 0 0 0.3k - 0.4k Tambomayo 1,324 924 2,248 2.9k - 3.2k Zinc (MT) El Brocal 0 3,812 3,812 23.0k - 25.0k Uchucchacua 0 0 0 2.0k - 2.2k Tambomayo 1,552 1,150 2,702 4.8k - 5.3k Copper (MT) El Brocal 12,238 13,213 25,452 45.0k - 50.0k

Above 2023 projections are considered forward-looking statements and represent managements good faith estimates or expectations of future production results as of July 2023. 2023 Uchucchacua and Yumpaq Guidance is subject to permit approval to begin production. El Brocal stockpiled ore mined from its open pit during the 1Q23. Lead and zinc ore are being treated at the processing plant starting in 2Q23. The underground mine will operate continuously throughout 2023.

2Q23 Comments

Tambomayo:

Gold, silver, lead and zinc production was in line with 2Q23 expectations. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

Orcopampa:

2Q23 gold production exceeded expectations due to higher gold grades extracted from the Pucara and Ramal 4 vein system. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

Coimolache:

2Q23 gold production was below quarterly projections due to a slower than expected leach pad gold extraction rate with longer than expected percolation time. These are expected to increase in the second half of 2023. 2023 guidance therefore remains unchanged.

Julcani:

2Q23 silver production was below projections due to a negative geology reconciliation with decreased treated ore. 2023 guidance has therefore been updated.

Yumpag:

4Q23 targeted production initiation remains unchanged and is subject to the final permitting and approval required to operate.

Uchucchacua:

Exploration and mine development continued during 2Q23 as planned.

During 3Q23 Buenaventura will focus on ensuring processing plant operational readiness to receive ore from Uchucchacua and Yumpag by the end of 2023.

El Brocal:

2Q23 copper production exceeded projections due to underground mine production ramp-up which remains ahead of expectations. Buenaventura expects to reach its targeted 10,000 tpd by 4Q23. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

Open pit polymetallic ore processing resumed as planned during 2Q23. Zinc and lead production during the quarter was in line with expectations. 2023 guidance remains unchanged.

2Q23 Payable Volume Sold

2Q23 Volume Sold per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz.) Orcopampa 20,326 19,718 40,044 Tambomayo 9,360 9,868 19,228 Coimolache 6,854 8,170 15,024 El Brocal 2,595 2,427 5,022 Silver (Oz.) Uchucchacua 130,642 150,637 281,279 Yumpag 0 0 0 El Brocal 379,158 508,257 887,415 Tambomayo 370,299 485,593 855,892 Julcani 412,890 449,841 862,731 Lead (MT) El Brocal 88 1,215 1,302 Uchucchacua 0 0 0 Yumpag 0 0 0 Tambomayo 1,189 808 1,996 Zinc (MT) El Brocal 38 3,094 3,132 Uchucchacua 0 0 0 Tambomayo 1,269 895 2,163 Copper (MT) El Brocal 11,748 12,355 24,104 Realized Metal Prices* 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz) 1,915 1,945 1,930 Silver (Oz) 22.5 24.27 23.48 Lead (MT) 2,139 1,846 1,960 Zinc (MT) 2,004 2,497 2,375 Copper (MT) 8,972 8,992 8,983 *Buenaventura consolidated figures.

Appendix

1. 2Q23 Production per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz.) La Zanja 3,051 2,030 5,081 Silver (Oz.) Orcopampa 7,618 7,242 14,860 La Zanja 6,630 5,322 11,951 Coimolache 25,485 64,084 89,570 Lead (MT) Julcani 106 159 266 2. 2Q23 Volume Sold per Metal

(100% basis) 1Q23

(Actual) 2Q23

(Actual) 6M23

(Actual) Gold (Oz.) La Zanja 3,211 1,892 5,103 Silver (Oz.) Orcopampa 6,699 6,023 12,722 La Zanja 10,942 11,589 22,531 Coimolache 24,909 57,608 82,517 Lead (MT) Julcani 94 138 232

Company Description

Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. is Perus largest, publicly traded precious and base metals Company and a major holder of mining rights in Peru. The Company is engaged in the exploration, mining development, processing and trade of gold, silver and other base metals via wholly-owned mines and through its participation in joint venture projects. Buenaventura currently operates several mines in Peru (Orcopampa*, Uchucchacua*, Julcani*, Tambomayo*, La Zanja*, El Brocal and Coimolache).

The Company owns 19.58% of Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde, an important Peruvian copper producer (a partnership with Freeport-McMorRan Inc. and Sumitomo Corporation).

(*) Operations wholly owned by Buenaventura

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking information (as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involve risks and uncertainties, including those concerning Cerro Verdes costs and expenses, results of exploration, the continued improving efficiency of operations, prevailing market prices of gold, silver, copper and other metals mined, the success of joint ventures, estimates of future explorations, development and production, subsidiaries plans for capital expenditures, estimates of reserves and Peruvian political, economic, social and legal developments. These forward-looking statements reflect the Companys view with respect to Cerro Verdes future financial performance. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors discussed elsewhere in this Press Release.
TORONTO, July 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Adventus Mining Corporation ("Adventus Mining" or the "Company") (TSXV: ADZN) (OTCQX: ADVZF) is pleased to provide a corporate update with regards to the final funding requirements for the El Domo - Curipamba copper-gold project located in central Ecuador ("El Domo" or the "Project").

Since February 2023, Adventus Mining has been engaged with a number of international mining and financing groups to explore strategic options for the development of El Domo, in addition to the previously announced financing secured from Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. ("Wheaton") and Trafigura Pte Ltd. ("Trafigura") (see news release dated January 17, 2022). The Adventus Mining management team and board of directors are continuing these discussions to evaluate and select the optimal advancement strategy for the Company's shareholders and the Project's stakeholders.

In the meantime, the formal consultation process for the Project led by the Government of Ecuador commenced in the second quarter of 2023, and full environmental licensing approval is still expected in the second half of 2023 (see news release dated June 1, 2023). Construction is expected to start immediately thereafter subject to final funding arrangements.

Financing with Altius Minerals

Adventus Mining has entered into a financing arrangement with Altius Minerals Corporation (TSX: ALS, "Altius"), whereby Altius has agreed to advance, and the Company has agreed to borrow, US$4 million (the "Altius Financing") by way of an unsecured convertible debenture (the "Debenture"). Interest will accrue at 10% per annum until the Debenture is repaid in full. The maturity date (the "Maturity Date") will be the earlier of December 31, 2023 and the date on which there is an event of default under the Debenture. Altius will have the right to convert, at any time, the outstanding principal amount under the Debenture into common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at the then-current market price, subject to a minimum of two days notice. If the Debenture (including all accrued interest on the principal amount thereof) is not repaid in full on or prior to the Maturity Date, or converted into Common Shares, Altius will have the sole right to convert the outstanding indebtedness under the Debenture into a 0.63% net smelter royalty in respect of El Domo. A US$120,000 fee in favour of Altius will be paid by the Company upon closing of the financing transaction. Funding in respect of the Altius Financing is anticipated to be advanced on or around July 19, 2023, subject to funding being concurrent to the first draw under the Credit Facility with Trafigura (as discussed below), or such other date as the parties may agree, and is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The use of proceeds is for El Domo project related expenditures, including permitting and pre-construction activities, and related general and administrative expenses.

First Draw Under Credit Facility with Trafigura

Adventus Mining has delivered its first drawdown notice for US$5 million (the "First Draw") under its existing US$45 million credit facility with Trafigura (the "Credit Facility"), the terms of which were disclosed in the Company's news release dated August 4, 2022. Funding is anticipated to be completed on or around July 19, 2023. The remaining US$40 million will remain available to Adventus Mining for construction activities on the Project, subject to certain conditions precedent. Pursuant to an amendment to the Credit Facility, should the Company not draw additional funds under the Credit Facility by June 30, 2024, the First Tranche will become payable. The use of proceeds of the First Draw is for El Domo project permitting and pre-construction expenditures.

In connection with the Credit Facility, an arrangement fee equal to 2% of the total amount available under the Credit Facility will be added to the principal amount owing with respect to the First Draw. In addition, an availability fee of 2% per annum is payable quarterly on the amounts which have not been drawn at any time until February 1, 2025.

Amendment of Warrants

The Company has agreed to amend (the "Amendment") the terms of 13.5 million common share purchase warrants of Adventus Mining issued to Trafigura concurrently to the entry into the Credit Facility (the "Lender's Warrants"). Each Lender's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one common share of Adventus Mining. Pursuant to the Amendment: (i) the exercise price of the Lender's Warrants will be C$0.448, representing the mean between $0.513 (the previous exercise price) and C$0.384 (a 25% premium to the 10-day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares of Adventus Mining on the TSXV immediately prior to July 10, 2023), and (ii) the expiry of the Lender's Warrants will be August 3, 2026. The Amendment is subject to final approval of the TSXV. All other terms of the Lender's Warrants will remain unchanged, such as the share price threshold accelerator provisions based on Adventus Mining's share price.

Amended and Restated Share Compensation Plan

Adventus Mining's proposal to adopt a rolling 10% share compensation plan amending and restating its previous share compensation plan (as amended and restated, the "2023 Amended and Restated Plan"), was approved at the annual meeting of the shareholders of Adventus Mining held on June 8, 2023.

The purposes of the adoption of the 2023 Amended and Restated Plan is to remove the maximum number of restricted share units (the "RSUs") issuable under Adventus Mining's previous share compensation plan and to comply with the amendments made by the TSXV to Policy 4.4  Security Based Compensation. The removal of the maximum number of RSUs issuable under Adventus' previous share compensation plan allows Adventus Mining to increase the use of RSU awards in its long-term compensation strategy.

About Adventus Mining

Adventus Mining Corporation is an Ecuador-focused copper-gold exploration and development company. Adventus Mining is majority owner of the 215 sq. km Curipamba copper-gold project, which has a completed feasibility study on the shallow and high-grade El Domo deposit. In addition, Adventus Mining is engaged in a country-wide exploration alliance in Ecuador, which has incorporated the Pijili and Santiago copper-gold porphyry projects to date. Outside of Ecuador, Adventus Mining owns an exploration project portfolio in Ireland with South32 Limited as the funding participant. Its strategic shareholders include Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., and the Nobis Group of Ecuador. Adventus Mining is based in Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the TSXV under the symbol ADZN and trades on the OTCQX under the symbol ADVZF.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Information

This release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as "defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Adventus Mining's expectations or beliefs regarding future events. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the discussions regarding strategies for the development of El-Domo; the adoption of a strategy and the timing thereof; the obtaining of environmental licensing approval for the El-Domo and the timing thereof; the start of construction at El Domo and the timing thereof; the completion of the Altius Financing and the timing thereof; the intended use of proceeds in respect of the Altius Financing; the receipt of TSXV approval in respect of the Altius Financing; the completion of the First Draw and the timing thereof; the intended use of proceeds of the First Draw; the availability and intended use of the Additional Tranches; the expiry term of the Warrants; the receipt of TSXV approval for the Amendment and the timing thereof; the increase of the use of RSU awards in the Company's long-term compensation strategy. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, amongst others, risks related to the exploration, development, production, recoveries and other anticipated or possible future developments at El Domo, including, without limitation, that exploration, development and production activities will not occur or be as anticipated and that environmental licensing will not be approved; failure to obtain the environmental licensing approval for the El-Domo and to start construction; that the First Draw may not be completed at all or as planned; failure to receive TSXV approval for the Amendment, including the amended exercise price and expiry date; failure to use the RSU awards in the Company's long-term compensation strategy; and general economic, business and political conditions.

Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of copper or certain other commodities; change in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties.

Adventus undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on the information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

Please also visit the Adventus Mining website at www.adventusmining.com.
TORONTO, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hudbay Minerals Inc. (Hudbay or the company) (TSX, NYSE: HBM) senior management will host a conference call on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the companys second quarter 2023 results.

Second Quarter 2023 Results Conference Call and Webcast Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2023 Time: 8:30 a.m. ET Webcast: www.hudbay.com Dial in: 1-416-915-3239 or 1-800-319-4610

Hudbay plans to issue a news release containing the second quarter 2023 results on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and post it on the companys website. An archived audio webcast of the call also will be available on Hudbays website.

About Hudbay

Hudbay (TSX, NYSE: HBM) is a copper-focused mining company with three long-life operations and a world-class pipeline of copper growth projects in tier-one mining-friendly jurisdictions of Canada, Peru and the United States.

Hudbays operating portfolio includes the Constancia mine in Cusco (Peru), the Snow Lake operations in Manitoba (Canada) and the Copper Mountain mine in British Columbia (Canada). Copper is the primary metal produced by the company, which is complemented by meaningful gold production. Hudbays growth pipeline includes the Copper World project in Arizona, the Mason project in Nevada (United States), the Llaguen project in La Libertad (Peru) and several expansion and exploration opportunities near its existing operations.

The value Hudbay creates and the impact it has is embodied in its purpose statement: We care about our people, our communities and our planet. Hudbay provides the metals the world needs. We work sustainably, transform lives and create better futures for communities. Hudbays mission is to create sustainable value and strong returns by leveraging its core strengths in community relations, focused exploration, mine development and efficient operations.

For further information, please contact:

Candace Brule

Vice President, Investor Relations

(416) 814-4387

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The International Criminal Court has opened a new probe into alleged war crimes in Sudan, its chief prosecutor said Thursday, expressing major concern over escalating violence.

Karim Khan made the announcement in a report to the UN Security Council, after three months of war between feuding generals have plunged the northeast African country back into chaos.

The ICC has been investigating crimes in Sudan's Darfur region since 2005 after a referral by the UN Security Council, and the Hague-based court has charged former leader Omar al-Bashir with offenses including genocide.

Allegations of atrocities have mounted during the recent fighting, with the top UN official in Sudan calling for the warring sides to face accountability.

Around 3,000 people have been killed and three million displaced since violence erupted between Sudan army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

The pair were key figures in a 2021 military coup that derailed the country's transition to civilian rule, following the ousting and detention of Bashir in 2019.

The UN has warned of possible new massacres in Darfur, saying Thursday that the bodies of at least 87 people allegedly killed last month by the RSF and their allies had been buried in a mass grave in Darfur.

"The simple truth is that we are... in peril of allowing history to repeat itself -- the same miserable history," Khan told the UNSC.

"If this oft repeated phrase of 'never again' is to mean anything, it must mean something here and now to the people of Darfur that has lived with this uncertainty and pain and the scars of conflict for almost two decades," Khan said as he announced the new probe.

He said there have been a "wide range of communications" about alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity since fighting broke out in April, while the risk of further offenses was "deepened by the clear and long-standing disregard demonstrated by relevant actors, including the government of Sudan, for their obligations."

Alleged sexual and gender based crimes were a focus of the new investigation, Khan said.

- 'Affront to humanity' -

The US State Department welcomed the new probe. "Let this be a message to all who commit atrocities, in Sudan and elsewhere, that such crimes are an affront to humanity," spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Even before the recent fighting broke out, Khan said in the report, there was a deterioration of Sudan's cooperation with UN investigators.

Sudan's UN ambassador denied this. "The government of Sudan has constantly cooperated with the ICC," ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed said.

The lack of justice for crimes in Darfur in the early 2000s, when Bashir set his Janjaweed militia upon non-Arab minorities, had "sown the seeds for this latest cycle of violence and suffering," he added.

Bashir was charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, rape and torture and the court has been demanding his extradition to The Hague ever since, without success.

After Bashir was toppled in 2019, Khartoum announced it would hand him over to the court for prosecution, but this never happened.

Even before the recent fighting there was a "further deterioration in cooperation from Sudanese authorities," Khan said.

Bashir, 79, as well as Ahmad Harun and Abdel Raheem Hussein, two leading figures in the former dictator's government who are also wanted by the ICC, are still at large.

So far the only suspect to face trial for violence committed in Sudan is senior Janjaweed militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, also known by the nom de guerre Ali Kushayb.

Rahman's defense lawyers are expected to open their case next month, and Khan said the latest Sudan fighting "cannot be permitted to jeopardize" the trial.

The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people displaced in the 2003-4 Darfur conflict.

A summit of leaders from Sudan's neighbors met in Cairo on Thursday, urging an end to the fighting, but gun battles, explosions and the roar of fighter jets again shook the capital Khartoum, residents told AFP.
France posthumously awarded AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed while working in Ukraine, the Legion d'Honneur (Legion of Honour) on Thursday.

Soldin, AFP's video coordinator in Ukraine, was killed in a rocket attack in eastern Ukraine on May 9, more than a year after the Russian invasion began. He was 32.

His death sparked an outpouring of sympathy and tributes from across the world.

France's President Emmanuel Macron hailed Soldin's "bravery" in a letter sent to AFP in May.

"Through his strength of character, his journey and his drive, Arman Soldin embodied your editorial staff's passion -- a passion to convey the truth, tell stories and gather testimonies. It was a passion for a cause: the duty to inform," he said.

Soldin was given the chevalier de la Legion d'honneur with effect from June 28, 2023 by a presidential decree issued on Thursday.

"We are moved and touched by this award for Arman," said Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director. "It honours his superb journalism and helps to keep his memory alive."

Born in Sarajevo, Soldin was a French national who said he was drawn to telling stories of people displaced by fighting, stemming from his family's experience fleeing conflict.

As an infant, he fled fighting in Bosnia with his family, taking a humanitarian flight to France on April 25, 1992.

A French, English and Italian speaker, Soldin studied in London, Lyon and Sarajevo before securing an internship at AFP's Rome bureau in 2015.

That same year, he was hired by AFP in London, where he also became a UK sports correspondent for the French premium TV channel Canal+ from 2019.

After covering the first lethal months of Europe's Covid-19 epidemic in Italy, he volunteered to be part of the first AFP team to be sent to Ukraine.

- Hailed for his empathy -

Widely praised for his empathy, his courage and his professionalism, Soldin's final stories depicted both the intensity of the fighting in Ukraine and the threat of death hanging over people outside the headlines.

In bomb-scarred Siversk, he followed Oleksandr, a former welder who became one of the war's unsung heroes by delivering bread on a puttering moped to isolated elderly people near the front line.

And in the Donbas, he visited a field hospital providing first aid to wounded Ukrainian soldiers during the night.

Soldin joined a team of AFP reporters who were embedded with Ukrainian soldiers near the besieged city of Bakhmut, which was then an epicentre of fighting and targeted daily by Russian forces.

They were walking back to their car near the village of Chasiv Yar on May 9 when they came under fire by Grad rockets. The rest of the AFP team survived unharmed.

Soldin died "with his camera in his hand", AFP's Emmanuel Peuchot said.

French prosecutors announced they had opened a war crimes investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

At least 17 journalists and media workers have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, according to figures from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Disney+ dropped new stills of Han Hyo Joo's drastic transformation as an elite agent and a mother in the soon-to-premiere series "Moving."

Han Hyo Joo Turns Into Elite Agent & Mother in 'Moving'

On July 14, ahead of its long-awaited debut, Disney+ Korea unveiled Han Hyo Joo's character stills in the mystery series "Moving." The drama narrates the story of children living in the present with superpowers hidden and parents living in the past with painful secrets.

Han Hyo Joo takes the role of Lee Mi Hyun, the youngest elite agent of the Ministry of Security and the mother of Kim Bong Seok (Lee Jung Ha), who is hiding a superpower.

After Lee Mi Hyun is assigned to an internal duty due to a series of incidents, she is instructed by Deputy Director Min (Moon Sung Geun) to monitor Black agent Kim Doo Sik (Jo In Sung).

With only business in mind and to fulfill her duty as an agent, Lee Mi Hyun does not anticipate that she will fall for Kim Doo Sik, who also eventually develops feelings for her.

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Since their first encounter, an unimaginable event has occurred to those who had given birth to and raised Bong Seok to avoid people's attention.

Unfortunately, when things get hard, Kim Doo Sik disappears from her life. Lee Min Hyun is left alone and works hard to survive every day with her child.

In the stills provided by the production team, attention is focused on Han Hyo Joo's passion for acting beyond the gap of the times by showing a twist from her mysterious appearance as a secret agent in the past to her current life running a restaurant to support her child.

'Moving' Directors Praise Han Hyo Joo for Her Dedication in Acting

Han Hyo Joo shared a short message about her experience working in new challenging roles.

"It was a work that I wanted to have a lot of fun to try because there were many things that I could show through this project."

The "Happiness" lead star was enthusiastic about working in her role as Lee Mi Hyun as it allowed her to show new sides of herself as an actress. It was also revealed that Han Hyo Joo even practiced moving her ears to effectively convey the ability of a character with superhuman power.

Furthermore, Han Hyo Joo also received praise from the drama's director for her great and detailed acting.

In addition, the martial arts director complimented the actress on her amazing skill in gun firing. From her grip and posture, the star looked like the female version of John Wick, as per the director.

"Moving" is scheduled to air beginning August 9 on Disney+ Korea.

What are you anticipating from Han Hyo Joo's new role in "Moving"? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
Son Seok Koo is creating headlines in various media outlets as he is being criticized by this veteran actor for his arrogant remarks about fake acting.

Keep on reading for more details.

Nam Myung Ryul Criticized Son Seok Koo's Remarks About Fake Acting on Stage

All eyes are on the "My Liberation Notes" actor Son Seok Koo after veteran actor Nam Myung Ryul publicly criticized him for his previous remarks about fake acting on the theater stage.

According to a report cited by a media outlet on July 14, Nam Myung Ryul shared an article containing Son Seok Koo's haughty comment on his social media page. The "Queenmaker" actor said that saying 'fake acting' is 'arrogant.'

Son Seok Koo who is appearing in the play "Army on Tree" said in a press conference last June, "I didn't understand why they made me fake acting like that," while reflecting on his theater stage experience.

Due to his remark, Nam Myung Ryul expressed his sentiment, "Even though he whispers with real acting, he has to think about acting that can be heard by 350 audience seats."

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He continued, "If you didn't worry about it when you were in the play, I hope you take back the words when you said that you were only going to do the play. There are several actors who fill up about 350 seats with sound even if they whisper. Acting is about playing a fictional character, but it is absurd to define what real acting is."

When the post went viral, Nam Myung Ryul immediately deleted it from his account.

Son Seok Koo Expresses Why He Returns to Theater Stage

What the veteran actor pointed out were the words of Son Seok Koo, who attended the press conference for the play "Army on Tree" held on June 27. The "Roundup" actor said in his interview," I did not even intend to start in the media, but the reason I moved to movies and dramas was because I didn't want to fake acting."

Son Seok Koo added, "In the script, it says to whisper love, but if you're going to do that, it would make me act fake by attaching a microphone or saying that I shouldn't whisper on stage. So I quit the play and went mainstream. When I returned to the stage, I wanted to see what happens when I start acting again to play as there might be changes since I have been acting in dramas and movies for a while."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Lee Kyu Han Rumored to be Dating BB Girls' Yujeong + Agencies Address the Issue

What can you say about the news? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
A bottle of Sriracha chili sauce is shown in New York on Thursday, July 13, 2023. Huy Fong Sriracha, which used to go for under $5 or $10 a bottle, is now selling for shocking amounts in some listings posted to Amazon, eBay and Walmart. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)
Marine Corps group establishes scholarship to help Kennesaw State students reach graduation

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 14, 2023

David McKoy Military and Veteran Services (MVS) at Kennesaw State University provides service members, veterans, and dependents with academic and financial support to help them succeed.

A recent gift of $100,000 from the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Georgia (MCCCGA) established The Colonel George Bailey, USMC Endowed Scholarship Fund.

These scholarships will provide financial support to active duty or reserve Marine, Fleet Marine Force Navy Corpsmen, or honorably discharged Marine veterans participating in KSUs MVS program.

Immediate Past President of the KSU Alumni Association, David McKoy, is a member of MCCCGA and played an instrumental role in bringing this scholarship opportunity to Kennesaw State.

McKoy graduated with his masters in quality assurance from Southern Polytechnic State University in 2005 after 22 years of active service in the Marine Corps. McKoy said giving back to the University is essential because it has a noticeable impact.

Many of our students arent just studentsthey are going to school full time, working full time, serving their country, and having families, McKoy said.

An active community member, McKoy frequently engages with college and university students across Georgia.

One day, I was talking to a Marine reservist who told me he was having to delay his graduation a semester because his funding from the GI Bill had run out and he couldnt afford the cost of tuition, McKoy said.

Familiar with Kennesaw States Gap Scholarship, McKoy presented the idea to establish a similar scholarship to help service men and women who have exhausted all other financial aid options take the final steps to earn their degrees.

Our mission is simple, explained Brigadier General Denis Shortal, the councils chairman. We assist Marines, Marines families, and wounded warriors. When we found out there were Marines and Navy Corpsmen at KSU being forced to drop out of school because their GI Bill funds ran out, we saw a need that we knew we wanted to support.

We owe our veterans and active duty forces a debt of gratitude for their service. Oftentimes, their GI Bill education benefits do not cover the full cost of college, explained Stacey Dixon, Director of KSUs MVS. We are grateful to the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Georgia for establishing The Colonel George Bailey, USMC Endowed Scholarship Fund to ease that financial burden and help our military and veteran students cross the finish line to graduation. Kyle Posey

Kyle Posey, a construction management major, will be among the first students to cross the finish line thanks to the assistance provided by the Colonel George Bailey, USMC Endowed Scholarship.

I am grateful for the Colonel George Bailey Scholarship in assisting me to achieve my mission of attaining higher education, Posey remarked. The Marine Corps taught me to invest in self-development and to learn something new every day. I am thankful for organizations that help make self-development financially easier for veterans. I am honored to be among the first to receive this scholarship.

 By Elyssa Reed

This article first appeared in the Spring issue of Kennesaw State University Magazine.

Related Stories

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 43,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
The senior leadership of Butabika Hospital has asked MPs on Parliaments Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs not to legalize the use of khat (mairungi) and cannabis in Uganda.

The plea was yesterday made by the hospital executive director, Dr. Juliet Nakku while her team appeared before the committee that is currently processing the Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Bill 2023.

She warned that lawmakers should be very careful as they process the said provisions on khat and cannabis, saying these have a detrimental effect on the Ugandans, especially the youth that are likely to abuse them once legalized.

The amounts required to reach euphoria tend to increase with repeated use hence people get into what we call tolerance, Tolerance is when you start to need a high amount of a particular substance to get the same effect that you got, Nakku warned.

Dr. Nakkus proposal comes after the Constitutional Court nullified the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act early this year on grounds of quorum.
By Alex Ashaba | Monitor

Authorities in Fort Portal in western Uganda are investigating circumstances under which a Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier shot and killed two of his colleagues. Cpl Avugo Lomuro, a member of the Airforce Evacuation Component attached to the Mountain Division Signal Department, is said to be on the run after the Thursday night shooting. A female soldier reportedly sustained injuries during the altercation.

The UPDF deputy Spokesperson, Col Deo Akiiki, condemned the shooting and said efforts are underway to track and arrest Cpl Lomuro.

We received an incident report regarding Corporal Avugo Lomuro of the Mountain Division Signal Department, who is attached to the Airforce Evacuation Component.

Tragically, he shot and killed two colleagues and caused injuries to another, whose name is being withheld in accordance with UPDF reporting policies, Col Akiiki told this reporter on Friday morning before vowing that he (suspect) will definitely be brought to book to answer for his crimes. Read more
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Neemrana Fraud: Sanjay and Rajiv Pasari announced as ABSCONDER by Rajasthan Police



khaskhabar.com : Fri, 14 July 2023 3:12 PM

McNally Group of Engineering  Rajiv Pasri is Ultimate beneficial owners of CCPS of Macnally Group Kolkata. Fraud made by developers group companies namely Vedica Sanjeevani Projects pvt ltd, Christopher Estate pvt ltd, Mandakini Homes Pvt ltd. Vedic village pvt ltd, which all either amalgamated or share sold or transferred as convertible debenture now been caught by the revenue and investigation team of state of Rajasthan.Raj Kishore Modi and Siddhrath Jaipuria , Sujata Modi is the main accused in the matter who grabbed the money from the allottees in the name of fake provisional allotment letters. More than Rs 25 Crores of Rupees stamp duty theft have been made by Mr raj Kishore Modi and subsequently by Rajiv Pasari . Sanjay Pasari and Rajiv Pasari were also on the board of directors in these companies well before year 2012 and thereafter, script of all such fraud was written by all of them down as members of the board of directors.

MaNally Bhart Engineering allotted CCPS to Rajiv Pasri as Ultimate beneficial owners  Investors funds revolved by Pasaris



The McNally Bharat Engineering Company limited, the company in favour of which Rajiv and Sanjay Pasari gave the Guarantee by mortgaging the investors plots, against which the Vistara bank has disbursed Rs 400 crore loan to Manually Bharat Engineering ltd and its group companies. The Secretary Indrani Ray of MCBECL recently on dated 23.4.2023 reported to the Bombay Stock Exchange that preferential issues CCPS for an amount of Rs 456.59 crore against the Neemrana project land have been converted into equity shares which were listed on 2.12.2019. Other than equity share the most important and valuable return have been given back to Rajiv Pasari in the form of CCPS for which Rajiv Pasari is majorly the ultimate beneficial owners. Its worth to mention that some time Mr Sanjay Pasari way back in 2011 was in board of director of McNally Bharat Engineering Company limited, now have been got benefited by MCBECL

Social Media well speak about Sanjay and Rajiv Pasaris



Its worth to mention here that Sanjay Pasari and Rajiv Pasari were never be innocent, but they always keep on the investigation agencies revolving around them but could not be able to even touch them at once in previous more than 15 years. Lot of information is available against both https://tamilbrahmins.wordpress.com/category/corruption-galore-in-india/page/9/,



https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/prashant-alleges-rs-920crore-scam-in-sail-project/article5682461.ece, https://groups.google.com/g/dwarka-residents/c/l0iy129jbuI,



http://dailypioneer.com/pioneer-news/todays-newspaper/25962-investigators-go-easy-on-us-indicted-middleman.htmlThe link available on social media explained about the Fraud History-Sanjay and Rajiv Pasari: Back in year 2010-11, both Indian investigating and enforcement agencies have not been able to cracked down on a politically connected middleman even after the US counterparts provided them with details of his frozen unaccounted deposit of around $400 million in several Swiss Bank accounts.

Middle Man of coal and mining sector:

The middleman, Sanjay Pasari, was operating mainly in the coal and mining sector, and was also implicated by the US Justice Department and Securities & Exchange Commission in late 2010 in a probe related to bribing of Indian officials, while acting as an agent of multinational mining giant Bucyrus, which has now merged with Caterpillar.

Alert against Sanjay -Rajiv Pasari by International Criminal Mutual Aid

A Geneva court order passed on February 16, 2011 upon the alert issued by US authorities under International Criminal Mutual Aid, froze (probative sequestration) accounts of Sanjay Pasari (No. 2952334), his brother Rajiv Pasari (a/c no : 1996090), their firm Savan Foundation (a/c no : 1159024) and his company Infotech Guernsey (a/c no : 189502) at Lloyds TSB Bank in Switzerland.

Sanjay and Rajiv Pasari  Accounts blocked by Swiss Government

The court order shows that the Swiss Government also blocked accounts linked to Pasari in the name of Vishwa Industrial Co Pvt Ltd, VT Industries Ltd Squirrel Developers, Niraj Kumar Pasari, Davind Lee, the former director of Bucyrus Indian subsidiary and CET Consulting Engineering Trading Anstalt Vaduz.Even after getting such sensitive and concrete information of huge black money stash of an Indian citizen in foreign banks, the Government here has done precious little to proceed against Pasari.

Sanjay Pasari Undesirable Contact Men-CBI



The CBI has only issued alerts to Ministries connected with coal, mining, steel and fertilizers by placing Pasari on the Undesirable Contact Men list, which warns Government officials to avoid contact with such persons.

Politically Powerful Middleman



The Governments inaction against Pasari comes in the backdrop of the fact that he is closely associated with political heavyweights, including a former Cabinet Minister in the UPA-I and politicians from Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and the NorthEast.

Pasaris involvement in Madhu Kodas scam-Enforcement Directorate initiated probe -2006

Pasaris name also surfaced in Madhu Kodas scam, following which the Enforcement Directorate had also initiated a probe against him. In 2006, he was wanted in some cases when Jharkhand cracked down on illegal miners.

Pasaris admitted of paying $ 2 million as bribe on behalf of Bucyrus to officials of a coal sector PSU

Pasaris role in bribing Indian PSUs and their officials first was detected by the auditors of the Caterpillar engaged for finalizing Bucyrus merger with it. When Pasari was questioned by US authorities, he is reported to have admitted paying $ 2 million as bribe on behalf of Bucyrus to officials of a coal sector PSU during 2009-10 for striking a big mining deal. Pasari made this disclosure under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of America, according to sources. Cheating and fraud in charity -Sawan Foundation



He even formed charity organizations like Sawan Foundation for alleged money laundering, said sources. Savans account has also been frozen in Switzerland.

Dubai Connection:

According to the notice served by US investigators, Pasari operated from three locations  62A Hazara Road, Kolkata;B-21 Rashidiya. PO Box 51031, Dubai; andAnson Court, Les Campus, St.Martins in Guernsey Island, a British crown dependency in the English Channel.

Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets



Money (undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) Imposition of Tax Act, 2016. Sanjay Pasari Vs. Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation), Kolkata & Ors. WPA 26823 of 2022, is pending in Honble High Court Kolkotta.



Rajiv Pasari Director in 22 shell nature companies having head quarter at 62-A Hazara road -headed by Chowkidar highest post No statuary compliance



There are 22 companies of Sanjay and Rajiv Pansari Group in Kolkata in which he/they are the director, these are namely Anatom Senior Living & Care LLP, S-Com Info vision International Ltd., Squirrel Developer Pvt. Ltd., Vedika Sanjeevani Project Pvt. Ltd., Asva Food Technology Pvt Ltd, Pawan putra Vyapar Pvt. Ltd., Karnax Water Pvt. Ltd., Atash Suppliers Pvt. Ltd., Alosha Marketing Pvt. Ltd., Stuti Vinimay pvt ltd , Nikunj Property Pvt. Ltd., Milestone Finstock Pvt. Ltd., Ganpati Arcade Pvt. Ltd., Christopher Estate Pvt. Ltd., Shahjahapur Developers Pvt. Ltd., Senstar International Ltd.

The head quarter of all these companies is registered at Building 62A, Hazara Road, Gariahat, wb 700019 Kolkata, The office have been seen in a worse condition looking to the photo obtained on the spot. An old watchman is handling 22 companies at this place, the rest area is full of junk. Now, so many companies are running at the same address may be well known to authority who made the Companies Act, the accused companies are filing cases against each other in NCLT, if this is not a great drama, then what else?

In the last financial year (FY2017-18), the registrar of companies removed the names of 2.26 lakh companies from its register and disqualified 3.09 lakh directors.

Shell companies removed from the list of Company Registrar



In financial year (FY2017-18), the registrar of companies removed the names of 2.26 lakh companies from its register and disqualified 3.09 lakh directors, out of which 80% companies were disqualified from Kolkotta .



Pasari Group running all such companies which are not following even the basic statuary requirements, but are revolving funds and doing frauds with lot of investors , needs to be examined to check money laundering and tax evasion by these companies of Pasri group at large by the Enforcement Director on priority
As the anticipation builds ahead of the All-Ireland final between Kilkenny and Limerick, the bunting is flying up across Kilkenny City.

Local streets and housing estates have been getting behind the black and amber cause (see gallery below), but it seems like a Treaty County supporter is after throwing a spanner in the works!

The new construction development on the Ring Road, opposite The Watershed, appears to be flying high two Limerick flags!

We thought they might be O'Loughlin Gaels flags at first, so we initially gave it the benefit of the doubt, but you can clearly make out the word 'Limerick' on one of them.

Now, we know it's all in good fun, but if there are any Kilkenny fans in Limerick who could maybe return the favour, we'd be more than happy to highlight their efforts here!
Kilkenny families can play their part and support the Cats ahead of the All-Ireland final.

One of a series of fundraisers for the senior hurlers, a fun run and walk will be held in MW Hire Dunmore on Friday, July 21, with a number of great family prizes up for grabs.

From match tickets and signed goodies to family days out and breakfasts at UPMC Nowlan Park, there are all sorts of prizes to be won. There will also be spot prizes for photos of the best Kilkenny supporter.

The official Kilkenny GAA fundraiser hopes to see people go the distance and get the players to Croke Park.

With GAA HQ some 133km from Kilkenny, and with 42 players on the Cats panel, organisers have set a target of hitting 4,235km (42x133) for the walk and run and are calling on families to play their part.

The walk can be completed in Dunmore or virtually - all are welcome.

Sponsorship cards are available for the fundraiser - sign up and raise 100 to get a family breakfast and tour of UPMC Nowlan Park in August.

The event was a big success when held last year, with senior county hurlers bringing young fans behind the scenes to show them what life is like on big match days.

The fun run and walk will be held from 4 to 8pm at MW Hire Dunmore (people can also complete it virtually at any time between now and then). Family entry is 20.

To enter click on https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/Fun4KKCats
A defendant who drove while disqualified was sentenced to four months in prison and banned from driving for eight years.

Edward OReilly, 2 St Marys Crescent, Hebron Halting Site, Kilkenny is accused of driving without insurance and a driving licence at New Road, Kilkenny on February 22, 2023. On the date in question gardai were on patrol and stopped the vehicle which was been driven by the defendant at New Road, Kilkenny.

The defendant produced a driving licence to gardai which showed that he was disqualified at the time and he was subsequently arrested for having no insurance and no driving licence. The court heard that the defendant has 41 previous convictions including for theft and burglary and no insurance.

The defendant has four previous convictions for no insurance including in 2021 when he was disqualified from driving for having no insurance for six years.

Solicitor Chris Hogan said that his client wished to apologise to the court.

Sorry, I apologise, it wont happen again, said Mr OReilly to the judge.

He accepted that he should not have got into the car on the date in question, added Mr Hogan.

The defendant was also convicted of burglary at Creamers Grove, Ballyfoyle, Co Kilkenny.

Judge Geraldine Carthy imposed a six month sentence in respect of the burglary charge. Both sentences are to run concurrently.
A FISHERMAN who was rescued off the south coast after his boat was damaged in rough seas has thanked the volunteer members of the RNLI who came to his aid.

More details of the incident, which happened earlier this week, have emerged this Friday.

Crew members from Helvick Head RNLI in County Waterford came to the aid of the fisherman after he got into difficulty and needed assistance three miles off Mine Head, south-west of Dungarvan.

"At the request of the Irish Coast Guard, the volunteer crew launched their inshore lifeboat into westerly Force 2-3 winds and moderately choppy seas. The lifeboat, helmed by Alan Kelly and with crew members Catherine Reeves, Jamie Walsh and Criostoir OFaolain onboard, made its way to the scene arriving at 12.50pm," said a spokesperson for the RNLI.

Upon arrival, the crew assessed the situation and found the male casualty to be safe and well.

As the 30 foot fishing boat had sustained a "fouled propeller", a decision was made to tow it back to the nearest safe port and a tow line was established.

Both vessels arrived safely back to Helvick Head pier at 2.25pm on Tuesday.

The fisherman was very appreciative of the service rendered by the Helvick Head RNLI crew and extended his thanks to all involved.

Kieran Rossiter, Helvick Head RNLI Deputy Launching Authority, commented: "We would remind anyone planning a trip to sea to always go prepared. Wear a lifejacket and be sure to carry a means of communication. Should you get into trouble or see someone else in difficulty, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard."
CILLIAN Murphy led his co-stars, including Emily Blunt and Matt Damon, on a walk-out from the London premiere of Oppenheimer to write their picket signs ahead of the Sag-Aftra strike announcement on Thursday evening.

The premiere of Christopher Nolans historical epic was brought forward by an hour ahead of a Sag-Aftra press conference in Los Angeles, which later declared the US-based actors union had agreed to strike.

Speaking on the red carpet, the Irish actor told press: I stand by my colleagues, thats all I can say to you.

The anticipated announcement cast a shadow over the London film premiere at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, with the films major stars including Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Rami Malek leaving before the screening of the film.

Speaking on stage ahead of the strike announcement, filmmaker Nolan said: I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy.

The list is enormous  Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and so many more. Youve seen them here earlier on the red carpet.

Unfortunately, they are off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of their union.

Meanwhile British actress Pugh told PA that the cast felt lucky to have got to the Oppenheimer premiere before the strike was announced but also lucky to be standing in solidarity with their acting peers.

She said: Its been a really, really tense few days for a lot of people, not just actors but everybody in the industry who are going to be affected by this decision but affected by a decision that is necessary.

Equally, premieres arent just for us, they are to honour a movie, they are to honour a crew that made them so we feel both lucky, that we got to squeeze this in, and also lucky that we get to stand by our peers in a decision that is made.

We hope that something comes of it soon.

The strike news comes after the US union and Hollywood studios failed to reach an agreement after more than four weeks of negotiations, with actors wanting better pay and increased safeguarding around AI rights among their demands.

Last month Sag-Aftra members voted overwhelmingly to authorise a strike if a new contract with major studios, streamers and production companies could not be reached.

Nearly 98% (97.91%) of the 65,000 members who cast votes were in favour, Sag-Aftra said.
July 14 (Reuters) - American Airlines (AAL.O) and JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O) said Friday they will begin to wind down their Northeast Alliance on July 21 after a U.S. judge's order in May that they end the agreement.

JetBlue said last week it would terminate the three-year-old alliance, which allowed the two carriers to coordinate flights and pool revenue.

Both airlines said starting July 21, American and JetBlue customers will no longer be able to book new codeshare bookings on the other airlines.

JetBlue has said it will not appeal the ruling, but American Airlines says it still plans to challenge U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin's decision that found the partnership "substantially" diminished competition in the domestic airline market.

American is the largest U.S. airline by fleet size while JetBlue is the sixth largest. The alliance's dissolution is a setback to American's strategy to grow revenue by relying more heavily on alliance partners to ferry passengers in uncompetitive markets.

The Northeast Alliance helped American compete in the New York market, where it had been losing money. It allowed American to move away from unprofitable routes while maintaining a presence in New York and letting it feed traffic to its global partners.

JetBlue argues terminating its alliance with American renders "entirely moot" the U.S. Justice Department's objections that led it to file suit to block its merger deal with Spirit Airlines (SAVE.N), which would be the biggest in the U.S. airline industry since American and US Airways merged in 2013.

A trial on the department's suit to block the deal is set for October.

The airlines said they are working "to minimize disruption to customers." For customers with travel already booked, frequent flyer numbers will need to be added to the booking before July 21, they said.

Customers can accrue frequent flyer credit for all tickets purchased prior to July 21 as long as account numbers are added before that date, they said.
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(Kitco News) - Australia has joined the U.S. in a push to get their first fully-licensed spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETF listed on retail markets as the Bitcoin-focused asset management firm Monochrome, in partnership with Vasco Trustees, has re-filed its application with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

The application for the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (IBTC) is the first spot BTC ETF filed under Australias new regulatory guidelines that include cryptocurrency-related provisions. IBTC is intended to provide regulated exposure to the top crypto for retail investors in the country.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) revised its rules for the Australian financial services (AFS) license in October 2021 in an effort to promote market transparency among crypto firms and enhance investor protections.

The new rules specify that institutional support and acceptance of the underlying crypto should exist for a spot ETF, and reputable and experienced service providers must be willing to support those products.

According to the announcement, Monochromes responsible entity partner, Vasco, is authorized under its Australian Financial Services Licence to offer retail investors direct and regulated exposure to Bitcoin and Ether (ETH) via two managed investment schemes - the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF and the Monochrome Ethereum ETF.

Vasco is one of two companies that have received a financial license to offer crypto spot ETFs to the general public in Australia since the new rules were established. There are also several companies that have obtained licenses to offer products to institutional investors.

The Global X 21Sharess Bitcoin ETF (EBTC) is one product currently available in the Australian market. It operates using a wholesale-retail feeder fund structure, where a retail fund invests in a wholesale fund that directly holds Bitcoin. The wholesale fund is not subject to the newly instituted regulations specifically aimed at retail funds dealing with digital assets.

What sets us apart from other fund structures is that the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF is authorized under the crypto-asset licensing category, which allows the fund to hold bitcoin directly on the fund level, Monochrome CEO Jeff Yew told Blockworks. He added that he was confident in a positive outcome for the application.

Indonesia to launch a national crypto exchange

The government of Indonesia has announced it is moving forward with its plan to launch a national cryptocurrency exchange, and expects to debut the platform in the coming weeks.

According to a report from Tempo, Indonesias Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency (CFTRA), also known as Bappebti, plans to launch the national crypto exchange in July 2023.

Yesterday we agreed on the stock exchange rules, Didid Noordiatmoko, acting head of Bappebti, said on Wednesday. He added that the discussions involved Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, and said that trading on the exchange would be offered through an integrated application, which the CFTRA has already tested.

Bappebti plans to restrict all cryptocurrency transactions so that they can only take place using the national exchange, Didid said. Indonesia trade minister Zulkifli Hasan has been informed of the decision, and if there are no objections or additional instructions, Bappebti will sign the permit, which will give licensed traders one month to join the exchange.

Indonesias Ministry of Trade announced its intentions to launch a national cryptocurrency exchange in January and originally intended to debut the platform in June. The idea for the platform dates back to 2021 when the owners of a state-backed telecom firm in Indonesia announced a joint venture with Binance to launch a joint cryptocurrency exchange.
SYDNEY, July 14 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB) (NAB.AX), the No.3 lender, reached a deal that lets employees work from home, a union said on Friday, one of the world's first to give private-sector staff legal protection for remote work.

As part of a broader deal that guarantees pay rises for 80% of the bank's 32,000 staff, NAB must show "support of and encouragement of working from home arrangements" with limitations on the grounds for the employer to refuse a request, according to the Finance Sector Union (FSU).

The deal breaks new ground in a global standoff between corporations and their staff since bosses started calling an end to home-working arrangements that were precipitated by COVID-19. This week the Australian federal body that sets public sector wages also agreed to a union request for uncapped work from home days.

But the pressure point has gone largely unresolved in the private sector, including an unsuccessful class action lawsuit by employees of Amazon.com (AMZN.O) requesting repayment of expenses related to working from home after it ordered a return to the office.

Some of Australia's biggest companies, including NAB and larger rival Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) (CBA.AX), have set minimum office attendance requirements. But the country's capital city office vacancies remain around one-sixth, far higher than pre-pandemic levels, amid entrenched resistence.

The FSU said in a statement the agreement was a win for thousands of bank workers, adding that it would pressure other large Australian banks to match the new benchmark set by NAB.

A NAB spokesperson said the deal reflected the bank's guidelines since 2021 of at least two or three days a week in the office but highlighted "the option for colleagues to apply for flexible working arrangements" as defined in the country's workplace laws.

The deal comes two days after the FSU took CBA, the country's biggest bank which has 49,000 staff, to the industrial regulator to object to a directive to return to the office 50% of the time from this month.

In its complaint to the Fair Work Commission, the union said CBA's return-to-office directive would force staff to spend more money on commuting and child care and lose two to three hours a day travelling to and from work.

A CBA spokesperson said the bank respected its existing union agreement "and those matters that require consultation".

"Flexible working options remain available, as they always have, and we'll continue to give consideration to our people who require more tailored arrangements," the spokesperson added.

No. 2 bank Westpac (WBC.AX) and the FSU are currently negotiating a new enterprise deal which includes the question of whether to allow work from home, the union said.

(This story has been refiled to correct syntax and add a dropped word in paragraph 10)
Lindian Resources (ASX:LIN) said yesterday it received binding commitments for a $35 million investment. Placement will be 106.06 million shares at 33 cents per share to raise $35 million. Lindian Resources is advancing its Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi. The company describes the project as globally significant in grade, quality and size. The project hosts carbonite intrusive with outstanding grades of up to 23.7% total rare earth oxide. Kangankunde sits on top of what used to be a large sunken volcano. By Kitco News For Kitco News Follow @kitconewsnow www.kitco.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
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(Kitco News) - Kenmare Resources (LSE: KMR), one of the leading global producers of titanium minerals and zircon, reported Thursday that its heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) production in Q2 2023 was 318,900 tonnes, a 10% decrease compared to Q2 2022 (353,600 tonnes), due to lower grades and mining rates impacted by power interruptions.

The companys ilmenite production was 221,300 tonnes in Q2 2023, a 9% decrease compared to Q2 2022 (242,900 tonnes), although better than the 12% reduction in HMC processed, benefitting from the processing of stockpiled magnetic concentrate.

Primary zircon production was 11,600 tonnes, a 15% decrease compared to Q2 2022 (13,600 tonnes), due to the processing of stockpiles in the prior period.

Total shipments of finished products were 285,100 tonnes, a 48% increase compared to Q2 2022 (192,800 tonnes) supported by the drawdown of finished product stockpiles.

Kenmare said it updated its 2023 ilmenite production guidance range to 980,000 - 1,040,000 tonnes (original guidance: 1,050,000  1,150,000 tonnes); however no changes were made to guidance for zircon, rutile or concentrates or total cash operating costs.

The company noted that H2 2023 is anticipated to be a much stronger period of production, benefitting from increased grades and tonnes mined.

Kenmare also reported that ilmenite prices were stable in Q2 2023, although a weaker titanium pigment market is feeding into lower ilmenite prices in Q3 2023, adding that global macroeconomic conditions are also affecting demand for zircon with spot prices moving below contracted prices.

Kenmare Resources is one of the world's largest producers of mineral sands products. Kenmare operates the Moma titanium minerals mine in Mozambique. Moma's production accounts for approximately 7% of global titanium feedstocks and the company supplies to customers operating in more than 15 countries.
The robbery shut down part of Wellington's busy Lambton Quay on February 8 this year after Steven Kurt Peri had demanded money, ending up with about $25,000 in foreign currency, a large amount of it Australian. 

Peri, 43, had gone into the store about 9.17am, pulled a pistol from his waistband and pointed it at the first teller demanding money. She hurried away out the back, so Peri pointed it at a second teller and racked the slide on the pistol.

Peri was previously sentenced in the High Court in auckland in 2015 to four years and 11 months jail for the aggravated robbery of the Henderson BNZ. The judge then declined to give him preventive detention saying that intensive supervision could help him rehabilitate.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable.
Burner phones. Pizza crust. DNA on burlap. A New York architect was charged with killing 3 women in Gilgo Beach serial killings cold case
African Gold Acquisition Corp (OTCMKTS:AGACU  Get Free Report)s stock price was down 0.6% on Thursday . The company traded as low as $10.56 and last traded at $10.56. Approximately 100 shares were traded during trading, The stock had previously closed at $10.62.

African Gold Acquisition Trading Down 0.6 %

The stocks 50-day moving average is $10.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $10.35.

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Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. (LON:J  Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of Hold from the five brokerages that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is GBX 246.80 ($3.18).

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Jacobs Engineering Group from GBX 219 ($2.82) to GBX 209 ($2.69) and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 7th. Shore Capital restated a house stock rating on shares of Jacobs Engineering Group in a research note on Tuesday, June 27th. Barclays restated an overweight rating on shares of Jacobs Engineering Group in a report on Monday, June 26th. Finally, Citigroup cut Jacobs Engineering Group to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the stock from GBX 320 ($4.12) to GBX 295 ($3.80) in a report on Tuesday, May 23rd.

Jacobs Engineering Group Stock Performance

About Jacobs Engineering Group

(Get Free Report

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc is challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the worlds most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

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Ballentine Partners LLC increased its holdings in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Free Report) by 70.8% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 12,759 shares of the energy producers stock after purchasing an additional 5,288 shares during the period. Ballentine Partners LLCs holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $1,266,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the first quarter valued at about $31,000. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 4.0% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 25,399 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $2,540,000 after acquiring an additional 968 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 1.9% during the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 512,126 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $51,213,000 after acquiring an additional 9,313 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 59.1% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,810 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $181,000 after acquiring an additional 672 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 21.3% during the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 14,063 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $1,406,000 after acquiring an additional 2,465 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.20% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at ConocoPhillips

In other news, Director Caroline Maury Devine sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.08, for a total transaction of $102,080.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 849 shares in the company, valued at approximately $86,665.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ConocoPhillips Trading Up 1.1 %

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Barclays lowered their price target on ConocoPhillips from $160.00 to $141.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 23rd. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on ConocoPhillips from $122.00 to $124.00 in a research report on Monday, May 15th. Societe Generale raised ConocoPhillips from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $105.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on ConocoPhillips from $149.00 to $125.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 13th. Finally, Raymond James upped their target price on ConocoPhillips from $135.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $135.30.

Shares of NYSE COP opened at $110.56 on Friday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $102.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $106.56. ConocoPhillips has a 52-week low of $78.30 and a 52-week high of $138.49. The stock has a market capitalization of $133.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.84, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The energy producer reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.02 by $0.36. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 32.75% and a net margin of 20.21%. The firm had revenue of $15.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.06 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.27 earnings per share. ConocoPhillipss revenue for the quarter was down 19.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 9.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ConocoPhillips Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 16th were paid a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 26th. ConocoPhillipss payout ratio is currently 16.32%.

ConocoPhillips Company 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 and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; various LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.

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Fresnillo (LON:FRES  Free Report) had its price target cut by Barclays from GBX 630 ($8.10) to GBX 525 ($6.75) in a research report report published on Monday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the stock.

Separately, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Fresnillo from GBX 690 ($8.88) to GBX 620 ($7.98) and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of GBX 700.63 ($9.01).

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Fresnillo Stock Performance

LON:FRES opened at GBX 635.80 ($8.18) on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.64, a current ratio of 2.82 and a quick ratio of 3.28. The firm has a market capitalization of 4.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,270.71, a PEG ratio of -1.58 and a beta of 0.21. The companys 50-day moving average is GBX 653 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 751.48. Fresnillo has a 1-year low of GBX 589.60 ($7.59) and a 1-year high of GBX 996.80 ($12.82).

About Fresnillo

Fresnillo plc mines, develops, and produces non-ferrous minerals in Mexico. It operates through seven segments: Fresnillo, Saucito, Cienega, Herradura, Noche Buena, San Julian, and Juanicipio. The company primarily explores for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates. Its projects include the Fresnillo silver mine located in the state of Zacatecas; Saucito silver mine situated in the state of Zacatecas; Cienega gold mine located in the state of Durango; Herradura gold mine situated in the state of Sonora; Noche Buena gold mine located in the state of Sonora; San Julian silver-gold mine situated on the border of Chihuahua/Durango states; and Juanicipio mine located in the state of Zacatecas.

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Barclays upgraded shares of Boliden AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:BDNNY  Free Report) from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note released on Monday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Handelsbanken raised shares of Boliden AB (publ) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report on Monday, March 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Boliden AB (publ) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, July 4th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Boliden AB (publ) from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Berenberg Bank cut shares of Boliden AB (publ) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, May 19th. Finally, DNB Markets cut shares of Boliden AB (publ) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 14th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $364.00.

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Boliden AB (publ) Price Performance

OTCMKTS:BDNNY opened at $65.88 on Monday. Boliden AB has a 12-month low of $55.70 and a 12-month high of $92.60. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $63.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $74.31.

Boliden AB (publ) Cuts Dividend

Boliden AB (publ) ( OTCMKTS:BDNNY Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The company reported $1.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $1.91 billion during the quarter.

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 26th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 10th were paid a $1.8424 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 9th. This represents a yield of 9.63%. Boliden AB (publ)s payout ratio is presently 16.50%.

About Boliden AB (publ)

(Get Free Report)

Boliden AB (publ) engages in the exploring, extracting, and processing of base metals and precious metals in Sweden, other Nordic region, Germany, the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe, North America, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Business Area Mines and Business Area Smelters.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) had its target price lowered by Barclays from $65.00 to $64.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also commented on the company. StockNews.com started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. SVB Securities began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Monday. They issued a market perform rating and a $66.00 price target for the company. Daiwa Capital Markets initiated coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Wednesday, June 28th. They issued an outperform rating and a $70.00 price objective for the company. Bank of America lifted their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $82.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, April 21st. Finally, Credit Suisse Group decreased their price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $78.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Friday, April 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $76.73.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 0.0 %

NYSE:BMY opened at $62.29 on Tuesday. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1-year low of $62.12 and a 1-year high of $81.43. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $65.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $68.60. The company has a current ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $130.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.16, a PEG ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.43.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.05 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $11.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.50 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.75% and a net margin of 15.95%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs revenue was down 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.96 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.05 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be given a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 6th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.66%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.47%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Rupert Vessey sold 50,385 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total value of $3,378,818.10. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 47,751 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,202,182.06. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.09% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 14.2% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,131 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $81,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares during the period. Cigna Investments Inc. New raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New now owns 26,379 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,898,000 after buying an additional 141 shares during the period. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 6,001 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $416,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the period. Foster Group Inc. raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Foster Group Inc. now owns 6,941 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $499,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the period. Finally, Keystone Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Keystone Wealth Services LLC now owns 7,468 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $518,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the period. 74.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(Get Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Callon Petroleum (NYSE:CPE  Free Report) had its price target lowered by Royal Bank of Canada from $55.00 to $50.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on CPE. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Callon Petroleum from $45.00 to $43.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 19th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Callon Petroleum from $40.00 to $36.00 in a research note on Sunday, May 21st. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Callon Petroleum from $55.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Monday, May 8th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on Callon Petroleum from $58.00 to $53.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 23rd. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Callon Petroleum in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Callon Petroleum currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $52.71.

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Callon Petroleum Stock Up 0.6 %

CPE stock opened at $35.46 on Monday. Callon Petroleum has a fifty-two week low of $28.91 and a fifty-two week high of $50.19. The businesss 50-day moving average is $33.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.39. The company has a market cap of $2.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 2.74.

Insider Buying and Selling

Callon Petroleum ( NYSE:CPE Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The oil and natural gas company reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.96 by ($0.02). Callon Petroleum had a net margin of 46.15% and a return on equity of 27.29%. The firm had revenue of $560.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $535.29 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.43 EPS. The firms revenue was down 27.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Callon Petroleum will post 8.21 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, Director Steven A. Webster purchased 7,384 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 31st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $30.50 per share, for a total transaction of $225,212.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 610,208 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,611,344. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, Director Steven A. Webster purchased 7,384 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 31st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $30.50 per share, for a total transaction of $225,212.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 610,208 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,611,344. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Steven A. Webster purchased 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 11th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $30.24 per share, with a total value of $302,400.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 592,824 shares in the company, valued at $17,926,997.76. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders acquired 37,384 shares of company stock worth $1,160,212. 1.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Callon Petroleum

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Callon Petroleum by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 8,101,107 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $270,901,000 after purchasing an additional 101,849 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Callon Petroleum by 22.4% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,610,084 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $231,419,000 after purchasing an additional 1,210,001 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its position in Callon Petroleum by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,649,408 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $127,766,000 after purchasing an additional 287,578 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in Callon Petroleum by 54.8% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,754,939 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $92,124,000 after purchasing an additional 975,132 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP raised its position in Callon Petroleum by 27.6% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 958,436 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $35,548,000 after purchasing an additional 207,514 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.46% of the companys stock.

Callon Petroleum Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Callon Petroleum Company, an independent oil and natural gas company, focuses on the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and natural gas properties in West Texas. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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SJW Group (NYSE:SJW  Get Free Report) and Severn Trent (OTCMKTS:STRNY  Get Free Report) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk and earnings.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

81.3% of SJW Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.1% of Severn Trent shares are held by institutional investors. 0.6% of SJW Group shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

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Dividends

SJW Group pays an annual dividend of $1.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. Severn Trent pays an annual dividend of $1.47 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.5%. SJW Group pays out 57.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Severn Trent pays out 179.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. SJW Group has raised its dividend for 56 consecutive years.

Earnings & Valuation

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio SJW Group $620.70 million 3.57 $73.83 million $2.66 26.53 Severn Trent N/A N/A N/A $0.82 40.24

This table compares SJW Group and Severn Trents revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

SJW Group has higher revenue and earnings than Severn Trent. SJW Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Severn Trent, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for SJW Group and Severn Trent, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score SJW Group 1 5 0 0 1.83 Severn Trent 0 2 3 0 2.60

SJW Group presently has a consensus target price of $77.60, indicating a potential upside of 9.95%. Severn Trent has a consensus target price of $2,932.50, indicating a potential upside of 8,794.45%. Given Severn Trents stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Severn Trent is more favorable than SJW Group.

Profitability

This table compares SJW Group and Severn Trents net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets SJW Group 12.88% 7.57% 2.28% Severn Trent N/A N/A N/A

Summary

SJW Group beats Severn Trent on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About SJW Group

(Get Free Report)

SJW Group, through its subsidiaries, provides water utility services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Water Utility Services and Real Estate Services. It engages in the production, purchase, storage, purification, distribution, wholesale, and retail sale of water and wastewater services. The company also provides non-tariffed services, including water system operations, maintenance agreements, and antenna site leases; contracted services and sewer operations to water utilities; and a Linebacker protection plan for public drinking water customers in Connecticut and Maine. Its water supply consists of groundwater from wells, surface water from watershed run-off and diversion, reclaimed water, and imported water purchased from the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The company offers water service to approximately 232,000 connections that serve approximately one million people residing in portions of the cities of San Jose and Cupertino, as well as in the cities of Campbell, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, and the Town of Los Gatos; and adjacent unincorporated territories in the County of Santa Clara in the State of California. In addition, it provides water service to approximately 141,000 service connections, which serve approximately 459,000 people in 81 municipalities with a service area of approximately 270 square miles throughout Connecticut and Maine, as well as approximately 26,000 service connections that serve approximately 77,000 people in a service area comprising approximately 268 square miles in the region between San Antonio and Austin, Texas; and approximately 3,000 wastewater connections in Southbury, Connecticut. Further, the company owns undeveloped land in California and Tennessee; and owns and operates commercial buildings and warehouse properties in Tennessee. The company was formerly known as SJW Corp. and changed its name to SJW Group in November 2016. SJW Group was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Severn Trent

(Get Free Report)

Severn Trent PLC operates as a water and sewerage company in England and Wales. It operates through two segments: Regulated Water and Waste Water, and Business Services. The Regulated Water and Waste Water segment offers water and waste water services to approximately 4.8 million households and businesses. The Business Services segment generates renewable energy from anaerobic digestion, hydropower, wind turbines, and solar panels; property development; and offers affinity products and search services. It also provides services to municipal and industrial clients, including the Ministry of Defence and the Coal Authority for design, build, and operation of water and wastewater treatment facilities and networks. Severn Trent PLC was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Coventry, the United Kingdom.

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Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG  Free Report) had its price target lowered by UBS Group from $44.00 to $40.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Conagra Brands from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on Conagra Brands from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, March 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Conagra Brands from $43.00 to $39.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $44.00 to $42.00 in a research report on Friday, June 2nd. Finally, Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $40.00 to $42.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $40.08.

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Conagra Brands Price Performance

Shares of CAG opened at $33.16 on Monday. Conagra Brands has a twelve month low of $32.30 and a twelve month high of $41.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.86, a PEG ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $34.80 and its 200-day simple moving average is $36.48.

Conagra Brands Increases Dividend

Conagra Brands ( NYSE:CAG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 13th. The company reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3 billion. Conagra Brands had a return on equity of 15.34% and a net margin of 6.59%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.65 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Conagra Brands will post 2.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 31st will be issued a $0.35 dividend. This is a boost from Conagra Brandss previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.22%. Conagra Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 79.04%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Conagra Brands

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS increased its holdings in Conagra Brands by 6.6% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 64,185 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,155,000 after acquiring an additional 3,975 shares in the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its position in shares of Conagra Brands by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 309,389 shares of the companys stock worth $10,942,000 after purchasing an additional 1,186 shares during the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp lifted its stake in Conagra Brands by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 22,548 shares of the companys stock valued at $758,000 after buying an additional 807 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL increased its position in Conagra Brands by 19.8% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 27,151 shares of the companys stock worth $911,000 after buying an additional 4,487 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 509.0% in the first quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 366,225 shares of the companys stock worth $12,294,000 after acquiring an additional 306,086 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.80% of the companys stock.

About Conagra Brands

(Get Free Report)

Conagra Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company in North America. The company operates in four segments: Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels in the United States.

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Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (NYSE:CCM  Get Free Report)s share price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $1.36 and traded as high as $1.48. Concord Medical Services shares last traded at $1.40, with a volume of 469 shares changing hands.

Concord Medical Services Trading Up 1.4 %

The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.38 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $1.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.68.

About Concord Medical Services

(Get Free Report)

Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited, together its subsidiaries, operates a network of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in the People's Republic of China. The company operates in two segments, Network and Hospital. Its services include linear accelerators and external beam radiotherapy, proton therapy system, gamma knife radiosurgery, head gamma knife system, and diagnostic imaging services.

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Currys plc (LON:CURY  Get Free Report) insider Adam Walker purchased 102,635 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 10th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 49 ($0.63) per share, for a total transaction of 50,291.15 ($64,699.79).

Currys Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of LON CURY opened at GBX 53.45 ($0.69) on Friday. Currys plc has a 1-year low of GBX 45.38 ($0.58) and a 1-year high of GBX 87.15 ($1.12). The company has a market cap of 603.99 million, a PE ratio of -124.30 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 80.13. The company has a 50-day moving average of GBX 53.15 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 60.70.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Numis Securities restated a reduce rating and issued a GBX 53 ($0.68) price target on shares of Currys in a research report on Friday, June 16th.

Currys Company Profile

Currys Plc operates as a retailer of technology products and services. The company operates through UK & Ireland, Nordics, and Greece segments. It offers consumer electronics and mobile technology products and services; and mobile virtual network operator and consumer electrical repair services. The company also sells its products through online; and offers insurance services.

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Dakota Territory Resource Corp. (OTCMKTS:DTRCD  Get Free Report) traded down 2.8% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $5.50 and last traded at $5.65. 15,600 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 45% from the average session volume of 28,341 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.82.

Dakota Territory Resource Price Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average of $5.65.

Dakota Territory Resource Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Dakota Territory Resource Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of gold properties in the United States. It holds 100% interests in eight gold properties, including the Blind Gold, City Creek, West Corridor, Homestake Paleoplacer, Ragged Top, Tinton, Maitland, and Poorman Anticline Properties covering an area of approximately 18,182 located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota.

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Wayfair (NYSE:W  Free Report) had its target price boosted by Guggenheim from $60.00 to $70.00 in a research report released on Monday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Wayfair from $53.00 to $56.00 in a report on Thursday, June 8th. Moffett Nathanson upgraded Wayfair from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $44.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. Stephens dropped their target price on Wayfair from $40.00 to $34.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 4th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Wayfair from $42.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Finally, DA Davidson upped their price objective on shares of Wayfair from $49.00 to $57.00 in a report on Friday, May 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $49.50.

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Wayfair Stock Performance

Wayfair stock opened at $72.03 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $8.09 billion, a PE ratio of -5.66 and a beta of 3.15. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $49.80 and a two-hundred day moving average of $44.22. Wayfair has a one year low of $28.11 and a one year high of $76.35.

Insider Buying and Selling at Wayfair

Wayfair ( NYSE:W Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported ($2.50) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($3.14) by $0.64. The company had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.74 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Wayfair will post -8.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other Wayfair news, insider Steve Oblak sold 24,653 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.54, for a total transaction of $974,779.62. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 219,548 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,680,927.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, COO Thomas Netzer sold 2,913 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.96, for a total value of $90,186.48. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 96,919 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,000,612.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Steve Oblak sold 24,653 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.54, for a total transaction of $974,779.62. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 219,548 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,680,927.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 125,409 shares of company stock valued at $7,177,497 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 26.81% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. HighTower Advisors LLC increased its position in Wayfair by 16.9% during the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 2,360 shares of the companys stock worth $259,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Wayfair during the 1st quarter worth approximately $378,000. Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Wayfair by 42.7% during the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,204 shares of the companys stock valued at $244,000 after buying an additional 659 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its holdings in Wayfair by 51.6% in the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 12,740 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,548,000 after acquiring an additional 4,338 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC grew its position in Wayfair by 1.5% in the first quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 23,470 shares of the companys stock worth $2,600,000 after acquiring an additional 346 shares during the period. 87.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Wayfair

(Get Free Report)

Wayfair Inc engages in the e-commerce business in the United States and internationally. The company provides approximately fourty million products for the home sector under various brands. It offers online selections of furniture, decor, housewares, and home improvement products through its sites, including Wayfair, Joss & Main, AllModern, Birch Lane, Perigold, and Wayfair Professional.

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Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust (NYSE:OIA  Get Free Report)s stock price crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $6.15 and traded as high as $6.36. Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust shares last traded at $6.18, with a volume of 71,150 shares traded.

Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust Trading Down 0.5 %

The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $6.15 and its 200-day simple moving average is $6.42.

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Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, July 17th will be given a dividend of $0.0265 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 14th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.13%.

Institutional Trading of Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust

Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust Company Profile

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 6.0% during the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 29,062 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $181,000 after acquiring an additional 1,650 shares in the last quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC now owns 88,995 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $522,000 after purchasing an additional 2,681 shares during the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its stake in Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 9.1% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 47,579 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $296,000 after purchasing an additional 3,982 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE bought a new position in Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Raymond James & Associates lifted its stake in Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 6.4% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 70,303 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $467,000 after purchasing an additional 4,208 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 10.89% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc, and Invesco Canada Ltd.

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Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. (NYSE:REXR  Get Free Report) has received an average rating of Hold from the five analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $60.67.

REXR has been the subject of several research analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Rexford Industrial Realty from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their target price for the company from $69.00 to $56.00 in a report on Monday, June 12th. StockNews.com cut shares of Rexford Industrial Realty from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, May 27th. Citigroup cut shares of Rexford Industrial Realty from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $66.00 to $53.00 in a research note on Monday, June 12th. Finally, Mizuho started coverage on shares of Rexford Industrial Realty in a research note on Wednesday, June 28th. They set a neutral rating and a $52.00 price target for the company.

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Insider Transactions at Rexford Industrial Realty

In other news, CEO Howard Schwimmer sold 35,505 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.94, for a total value of $1,986,149.70. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 50,862 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,845,220.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rexford Industrial Realty

Rexford Industrial Realty Trading Up 0.9 %

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in REXR. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Rexford Industrial Realty in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. CI Investments Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Rexford Industrial Realty by 117.4% in the 4th quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 500 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Rexford Industrial Realty in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. CWM LLC increased its holdings in shares of Rexford Industrial Realty by 27.7% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 895 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Janiczek Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Rexford Industrial Realty by 46.6% in the 4th quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 950 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.36% of the companys stock.

Shares of Rexford Industrial Realty stock opened at $55.29 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $53.55 and a 200-day simple moving average of $56.84. Rexford Industrial Realty has a 12-month low of $48.74 and a 12-month high of $68.68. The company has a current ratio of 2.57, a quick ratio of 2.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The stock has a market cap of $11.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 58.20, a PEG ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.81.

Rexford Industrial Realty Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Rexford Industrial creates value by investing in, operating and redeveloping industrial properties throughout infill Southern California, the world's fourth largest industrial market and consistently the highest-demand with lowest-supply major market in the nation. The Company's highly differentiated strategy enables internal and external growth opportunities through its proprietary value creation and asset management capabilities.

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River Road Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Evolution Petroleum Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:EPM  Free Report) by 1.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,202,822 shares of the energy companys stock after buying an additional 19,462 shares during the quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC owned 3.57% of Evolution Petroleum worth $7,590,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. grew its stake in Evolution Petroleum by 97.0% in the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 3,656 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 1,800 shares during the period. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Evolution Petroleum by 881.3% during the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,925 shares of the energy companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 3,525 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA boosted its stake in shares of Evolution Petroleum by 253,450.0% during the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 5,071 shares of the energy companys stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 5,069 shares during the last quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Evolution Petroleum by 50.4% during the 1st quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 5,728 shares of the energy companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 1,920 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Evolution Petroleum during the 1st quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors own 55.46% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Evolution Petroleum in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock.

Evolution Petroleum Trading Down 2.5 %

NYSEAMERICAN EPM opened at $8.08 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $6.84. The firm has a market cap of $268.82 million, a PE ratio of 5.46 and a beta of 0.94. Evolution Petroleum Co. has a 52-week low of $5.02 and a 52-week high of $8.57.

Evolution Petroleum (NYSEAMERICAN:EPM  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The energy company reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.17 by $0.25. Evolution Petroleum had a net margin of 32.77% and a return on equity of 57.14%. The business had revenue of $36.87 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.25 million. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Evolution Petroleum Co. will post 1.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Evolution Petroleum Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th were paid a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.94%. Evolution Petroleums dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.43%.

Evolution Petroleum Company Profile

(Free Report)

Evolution Petroleum Corporation, an energy company, engages in the development, production, ownership, and exploitation of onshore oil and gas properties in the United States. The company holds interests in a CO2 enhanced oil recovery project in Louisiana's Delhi field. Its Delhi Holt-Bryant Unit covers an area of 13,636 acres located in Northeast Louisiana.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EPM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Evolution Petroleum Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:EPM  Free Report).

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TMBThanachart Bank Public (OTCMKTS:TMBBY  Get Free Report) is one of 282 public companies in the BanksRegional industry, but how does it contrast to its peers? We will compare TMBThanachart Bank Public to related companies based on the strength of its valuation, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

32.1% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are owned by institutional investors. 15.5% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

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Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for TMBThanachart Bank Public and its peers, as provided by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score TMBThanachart Bank Public 0 1 1 0 2.50 TMBThanachart Bank Public Competitors 1060 2992 3052 13 2.28

Earnings and Valuation

As a group, BanksRegional companies have a potential upside of 319.07%. Given TMBThanachart Bank Publics peers higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe TMBThanachart Bank Public has less favorable growth aspects than its peers.

This table compares TMBThanachart Bank Public and its peers revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio TMBThanachart Bank Public N/A N/A 0.25 TMBThanachart Bank Public Competitors $3.88 billion $902.00 million 268.42

TMBThanachart Bank Publics peers have higher revenue and earnings than TMBThanachart Bank Public. TMBThanachart Bank Public is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Profitability

This table compares TMBThanachart Bank Public and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets TMBThanachart Bank Public N/A N/A N/A TMBThanachart Bank Public Competitors 34.87% 9.86% 0.91%

Summary

TMBThanachart Bank Public peers beat TMBThanachart Bank Public on 9 of the 11 factors compared.

TMBThanachart Bank Public Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

TMBThanachart Bank Public Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides various commercial banking products and services to individuals, small and medium sized enterprises (SME), and corporate customers primarily in Thailand. It operates through Commercial Banking and Retail Banking segments. The company offers basic, current, cash concentration, corporate liquidity, term and foreign currency deposit, multi-currency, and savings accounts; working capital, personal, home, auto, long-term, unsecured, and other loans, as well as SME loans, letter of guarantee, and supply chain solutions; and debit, credit, and corporate cards. It also provides trade finance, foreign exchange and currency, deposits, financial management, hire purchase, finance leasing, bancassurance and mutual funds, asset management, insurance brokerage, investment banking and advisory, import and export trading, business payment, collection, liquidity management, capital market risk management, agency, and other financial services, as well as solutions for foundations. In addition, the company offers wealth banking, mobile and Internet banking services; and business protection, property, engineer and constructing, business interruption, marine and cargo, motor fleet, legal offense, employee, business loan, credit life, critical illness, savings and retirement, health, personal accident, motor, and travel insurance products. The company was formerly known as TMB Bank Public Company Limited and changed its name to TMBThanachart Bank Public Company Limited in May 2021. TMBThanachart Bank Public Company Limited was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Wake Forest Bancshares, Inc. (OTCMKTS:WAKE  Get Free Report)s share price crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $20.00 and traded as high as $32.70. Wake Forest Bancshares shares last traded at $32.50, with a volume of 4,819 shares.

Wake Forest Bancshares Price Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average of $20.62 and a 200 day moving average of $18.84.

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Wake Forest Bancshares (OTCMKTS:WAKE  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 18th. The company reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter.

Wake Forest Bancshares Increases Dividend

About Wake Forest Bancshares

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be given a $0.11 dividend. This is a positive change from Wake Forest Bancsharess previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 6th. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.35%. Wake Forest Bancsharess payout ratio is presently 39.38%.

(Get Free Report)

Wake Forest Bancshares, Inc, (OTC: WAKE) parent company of Wake Forest Federal Savings and Loan Association. Based in Wake Forest, North Carolina since 1922, the Company conducts business as Wake Forest Federal from its office in Wake Forest, (Wake County), North Carolina. Wake Forest Bancshares, Inc operates as a subsidiary of Wake Forest Bancorp, M.H.C.

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Shares of Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY  Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Moderate Buy by the seven brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, three have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $37.67.

A number of research firms have recently commented on WY. SpectralCast reiterated a maintains rating on shares of Weyerhaeuser in a research report on Wednesday, June 28th. DA Davidson boosted their price target on Weyerhaeuser from $35.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. Truist Financial dropped their price target on Weyerhaeuser from $35.00 to $34.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. Bank of America upgraded Weyerhaeuser from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the company from $34.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Monday. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Weyerhaeuser in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock.

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Weyerhaeuser Trading Up 0.2 %

NYSE:WY opened at $34.15 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $25.01 billion, a PE ratio of 19.97 and a beta of 1.50. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $30.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $31.00. Weyerhaeuser has a 12-month low of $27.36 and a 12-month high of $37.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40.

Weyerhaeuser Dividend Announcement

Weyerhaeuser ( NYSE:WY Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.12 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $1.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.86 billion. Weyerhaeuser had a return on equity of 13.37% and a net margin of 14.07%. Weyerhaeusers revenue was down 13.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.31 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Weyerhaeuser will post 0.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 2nd were paid a $0.19 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 1st. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.23%. Weyerhaeusers payout ratio is currently 44.44%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Weyerhaeuser

In related news, SVP Denise M. Merle sold 5,719 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.54, for a total transaction of $163,220.26. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 154,788 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,417,649.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Weyerhaeuser news, SVP Denise M. Merle sold 5,719 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.54, for a total value of $163,220.26. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 154,788 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,417,649.52. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Denise M. Merle sold 1,781 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.00, for a total value of $53,430.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 160,507 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,815,210. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Weyerhaeuser

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bogart Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Weyerhaeuser by 125.4% during the 4th quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 798 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 444 shares in the last quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Weyerhaeuser during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Ridgewood Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Weyerhaeuser during the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA purchased a new position in shares of Weyerhaeuser during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, WealthPlan Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Weyerhaeuser in the first quarter worth $29,000. 81.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Weyerhaeuser Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900. We own or control approximately 11 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manage additional timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. We manage these timberlands on a sustainable basis in compliance with internationally recognized forestry standards.

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The stars and director of the new movie "Ransomed" pose during a publicity event in Seoul, July 4. Yonhap



The upcoming Korean film "Ransomed" sheds light on the true events of a 1986 hostage crisis in Lebanon through the story of an unlikely duo's perilous journey to rescue a Korean diplomat. The movie features a compelling mix of action, comedy and thriller elements.



It opens with a scene in which Oh Jae-seok (alias for the real life person Do Chae-sung), a second secretary of the Korean embassy to the Lebanese capital city of Beirut, is taken hostage at gunpoint in January 1986.



A year and nine months later, a phone call from the Middle Eastern nation sends coded signals indicating he is still alive.



Without detailed knowledge of Oh's kidnappers, the Korean foreign ministry decides to dispatch a diplomat on an unofficial mission to rescue him. They plan to exchange a ransom for his release, using the connection of a foreign businessman.



Director Kim Seong-hoon, known for the Netflix zombie thriller series "Kingdom" (2019) and the Korean disaster movie "Tunnel" (2016), deals with the challenging subject matter by following the perilous task of a Seoul diplomat in Lebanon.





Korean actors Joo Ji-hoon, left, and Ha Jung-woo, who star in the new movie "Ransomed," attend a publicity event in Seoul, July 4. Yonhap
North Korea fires a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), July 12, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap



Foreign ministers of the Group of 7 (G7) countries condemned North Korea's recent long-range missile test on Thursday, calling it a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.



They also called for a "strong and unified response" by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), hours before the 15-member council was set to hold an emergency meeting in New York to discuss the North's latest missile provocation.



"We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms North Korea's brazen launch of another Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) conducted on July 12, 2023, following the launch using ballistic missile technology conducted on May 31, 2023 along with the launches of two ballistic missiles on June 15, 2023," they said in a joint statement, released by the U.S. Department of State.



North Korea fired a Hwasong-18 ICBM on Wednesday (Korea time). Pyongyang launched a space launch vehicle in May, which, according to experts, uses the same kind of technology used in ballistic missiles that North Korea is prohibited from developing or using under UNSC resolutions.






In a stunning display of elegance and allure, BLACKPINK Lisa graces the cover of W Korea magazine for its August 2023 edition. With her undeniable charisma and mesmerizing beauty, Lisa effortlessly captures the essence of "Celine" jewelry and high fashion.

BLACKPINK Lisa Stuns with Seductive Look on W Korea Cover

The W Korea cover cuts reveal Lisa in all her glory, exuding a unique artistic flair that showcases her fearless confidence.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BLACKPINK Lisa Reveals Surprising Truth About Her Mysterious Tattoo - Fans Are Shocked

Her bold gaze and untamed curls create an aura that is simply irresistible.

It's no wonder that fans and fashion enthusiasts are left in awe of her impeccable style.

BLACKPINK Lisa's W Korea Cover Leaves Fans Breathless!

BLINKs couldn't contain their excitement and took to social media to express their admiration.

One fan exclaimed, "being the greatest of all time ain't fantasy," acknowledging Lisa's unparalleled talent and impact.

"being the greatest of all time ain't fantasy"

she really proved the lyrics   ROYALPINKS (@onlyblackpink20) July 14, 2023

Another fan called her an "IT GIRL," recognizing her status as a trendsetter in the industry.

Releasing a sick cover w bomb ass lead article while knetz are witchhunting her, is a very main bitch move. IT GIRL pic.twitter.com/6IqpQ3AXkQ  Lisa's fat cooch (@jnkhoes) July 14, 2023

The timing of the cover release also seemed to be a powerful response to recent racist incidents, with fans interpreting it as a symbolic "f**k you" to those who dared to disrespect Lisa's achievements.

lisa on the cover of w korea and the title being "the greatest of all time" literally a day after the racist mfs were giving their unwanted opinions is such a big "fck you" from the universe to them. lisakarma, i love you,you just never fail me  pic.twitter.com/zsli6jIpfy  h  (@lalisalovemme) July 14, 2023

Lisa's cover shoot for W Korea magazine serves as a reminder of her undeniable star power and the global influence of BLACKPINK.

Lisa continues to soar higher, proving time and again that her talent knows no bounds.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: BLACKPINK Lisa Lookalike Has BLINKs Doing Double Take

Follow and subscribe to KpopStarz for more news.

KpopStarz own this article.

Madison Cullen wrote this.
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NATCHITOCHES, La. - The Natchitoches Police Department is asking the public for help in locating a suspected killer.
New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): NITI Aayog is set to release the third edition of Export Preparedness Index (EPI) for States and UTs for the year 2022 on Monday.

The report will have details about Indias export performance amid the prevailing global trade context in 2021-22, followed by an overview of the countrys sector-specific export performance.

Also Read | Nagpur Shocker: 65-Year-Old Man Rapes Minor Girl, Arrested for Unnatural Sex.

The report will also highlight the need to develop districts as export hubs in the country and undertakes a district-level analysis of merchandise exports.

With its ranking and scorecards, the report aims to present a comprehensive picture of a states and UTs export preparedness. It also highlights the achievements of states/UTs and encourages peer-learning among the states/UTs to uphold the spirit of competitive federalism," the government think-tank said in a release Friday.

Also Read | France President Emmanuel Macron's Official Residence Gets Chopped Fingertip Delivered in Package, Probe Launched.

By improving collaboration among states, and between state and Centre, India can aspire to achieve sustained economic growth and leverage its heterogeneity to foster development at national and sub-national levels, it added

The report will be released by Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. (ANI)

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Kolkata, Jul 14 (PTI) The West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Friday dubbed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on violence in the state's panchayat polls as "distasteful and insensitive" and wondered what was the role of the union home ministry in restoring peace in strife-torn Manipur.

TMC national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien said instead of showing compassion to grieving families of those who died in the violence, the BJP leader is gloating over vote percentage.

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Shah on Friday said even "bloodcurdling violence" could not stop the BJP from putting up a stellar performance in the panchayat elections in West Bengal.

"Mr Home Minister@AmitShah, what a distasteful, insensitive statement from you. How much lower can you go? As Home Minister, you have the responsibility to protect people and keep the nation at peace. Instead of showing compassion to grieving families, you are gloating over the politics of (fake) vote percentages. Shame," O'Brien tweeted.

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"And if that is not bad enough, even those percentages are inaccurate. Your party's vote percentage has dropped, he asserted.

The people of West Bengal have rejected the BJP again, the TMC leader stated.

I ask, what are you doing about Manipur? What are you doing about J&K? Decency and humaneness are two words that do not exist in your dictionary, he said in the Twitter post.

The TMC leader's statement comes in the backdrop of Shah's tweet: Even bloodcurdling violence in West Bengal could not stop the BJP from putting up a stellar performance in the panchayat election. The BJP nearly doubled its seat tally from the previous election, indicating a significant rise in the trust placed by the people."

The Trinamool Congress, in a statement, claimed that the saffron camp, after failing to fight it in a fair way, had resorted to dirty tricks and had unleashed unspeakable violence on the ruling party workers.

Out of the 19 people killed in election-related violence on Saturday, at least 12 were our party workers and candidates," the Trinamool Congress tweeted, listing the names of the party activists who died in the violence.

"At least 600 companies of central forces had been deployed, and yet our people were massacred. And now HM @AmitShah is basking in his short-lived glory that was earned at the cost of the lives and sacrifices of TMC party workers and candidates?" it said.

The TMC pointed out that the party has registered a landslide victory by winning all the 20 zilla parishads in the state.

"We know it's a big ask from someone who lacks a moral compass, but instead of glorifying the achievements of @BJP4Bengal and offering accolades to @SuvenduWB and @DrSukantaBJP, the Home Minister should maybe show some iota of compassion and empathy towards the families of the victims." It said.

Suvendu Adhikari and Dr Sukanta Majumdar are the leader of the opposition and state BJP president respectively.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had claimed that 19 people, mostly from her TMC, died in poll-related violence since the election date was announced on June 8.

Police sources, however, have put the number of fatalities at 38 but agree that at least 60 per cent of those who lost their lives were affiliated with the TMC.

The West Bengal BJP unit dubbed the remarks by the TMC against Shah as a "reflection of frustration over the truth being out."

"Amit Shah Ji has said the truth. The entire country has witnessed the violence and anarchy unleashed by the TMC during the polls, which is continuing even after the elections are over," BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

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Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 14 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched a series of attacks against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is waning and that the decline of the BJP has initiated in Karnataka.

Speaking in the legislative council on Friday, Siddaramaiah said, "The decline of BJP has begun from Karnataka. PM Narendra Modis influence is diminishing. BJP's loss in all the places, where Modi campaigned is the proof for this."

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He explained in detail about how BJP and Narendra Modi are moving away from people and becoming anti-people.

"During the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi visited the state 28 times. None of the previous Prime Ministers followed this trend. Governing the country used to be the priority of other Prime Ministers. They never ran around so much during elections," he said.

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"Congress has won with huge margins in the assembly elections in and around the constituencies where Modi held road shows and campaigned for BJP. Therefore you accept that Modis charisma is diminishing. He advised BJP not to depend on Modi, henceforth," Siddaramaiah added.

The Chief Minister also mentioned various factors that resulted in the victory of Congress in the Karnataka election and said Congress believes in the theory that the economy will grow only if poor and middle-class people have money.

"Congress announced and implemented five guarantees. Congress believes in the theory that the economy will grow only if poor and middle-class people have money. But BJP has the mindset to take money away from peoples pockets and this has caused its defeat," he said

Chief Minister explained the 2000-year-old harmonious tradition of Kannada soil by citing Pampa bloomed Kannada culture with the value Manushya Jati Tanonde Valam - Human race is one.

"Our Constitution has imbibed the values proposed by Pampa to Basavanna. But Hitler was a dictator, who believed he, alone was the greatest. He is anti-human", Siddaramaiah said.

While the CM was explaining how Hitler caused mass homicides due to his eccentricity, the BJP members obstructed him. Reacting to this, Siddaramaiah said, "Why are you angry, if I blame Hitler.

Congress bagged 135 seats in the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ousting the ruling BJP, which got 66 seats while the Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19 seats in the results declared on May 13. (ANI)

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Bhopal, Jul 14 (PTI) Male cheetah Suraj, translocated from Africa, died at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Friday, forest officials said.

It took the number of cheetahs that have died at the park in Sheopur district since March this year to eight.

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Suraj was found lying still in Palpur East Forest Range's Masavani beat by a monitoring team on Friday morning.

When they went closer, they found insects hovering over its neck but it then rose and ran away, said an official.

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A team of veterinarians and forest officials rushed to the spot and the cheetah was found dead around 9 AM, he said.

"This is for the first time that a cheetah died in the free range, he added.

There were injury marks on his back and neck, and a detailed report was awaited, the official said.

Only three days ago another translocated male cheetah, Tejas, had died at the park.

"The exact cause of (Suraj's) death will be known from the post mortem report," MP forest minister Vijay Shah told PTI.

Queried abut the fatalities, he pointed out that the three cubs that died were malnourished from birth itself, while other deaths were from fights during mating or eating, which is common among animals.

Rejecting any allegation of mismanagement leading to the deaths, Shah said," The entire Indian government, (South) African government, Namibia government, entire team of GoI, entire hawk force is involved in the management of cheetahs and everything is being done as per their directions."

"Therefore, it is not proper to say these (deaths) were due to negligence. The PMO (Prime Minister's Office) is keeping a close watch on everything. Everything is being done on the direction of the PMO. There is no negligence on our part," he asserted.

Meanwhile, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath took the state government to task over the eight deaths claiming the latter had not come forward with any plan or taken the initiative to conserve the big cats.

Without naming the PM, Nath also said "making wild animals an object of display for political show doesn't look nice for an elected representative".

"I urge those responsible for it (upkeep of the big cats) to consult environmentalists and scientists to chalk out a plan immediately which will protect the lives of these animals," Nath added.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh ridiculed the Centre over the cheetah deaths and said "photographer Modiji" must click pictures of the incident.

The PM had been photographed taking pictures of the cheetahs when they had landed in KNP from Namibia in southern Africa on September 17 last year as part of an ambitious reintroduction programme after the big cat went extinct in 1952.

So far, eight cheetahs have died since March. These include Suraj, Tejas and three cubs.

Eight Namibian cheetahs -- five female and three male -- were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17 last year at a high-profile event attended by the prime minister.

In February this year, 12 more cheetahs arrived at KNP from South Africa.

The birth of four cubs had taken the total count of cheetahs to 24, but eight deaths have brought it down to 16.

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Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 14 (ANI): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday stressed the need for states to increase spending on healthcare and said that the government of India will support states in this endeavour.

He also said that in a bid to achieve the goal of creating better health outcomes for the citizens of the country, it is important for every policy to evolve, and learnings need to be taken into consideration to improve them.

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He was speaking while chairing the first day of the two-day Swasthya Chintan Shivir, being held in Uttarakhand's Dehradun.

According to Health Ministry, Mandaviya further stressed the need for states to increase spending on healthcare and said that the government of India will support states in this endeavour.

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He highlighted the progress made in the last year since the previous Swasthya Chintan Shivir was held and said that it should be made a regular practice to ensure health outcomes are consistently improved.

On day one of this two-day event, sessions were held on various verticals under Ayushman Bharat, including Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), Health and Wellness Centres, and Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission(PM-ABHIM). The last session of the day focused on the role of the Public Health Management Cadre.

The national conclave proved to be a platform for sharing best practices, as well as learning across states in healthcare in India today. The deliberations focused on the implementation of PM-JAY, and the ABDM, and the gaps that need to be filled, with respect to diverse local conditions across states, and provisions for digital health literacy in the country.

The national conclave presented an outlook on the health infrastructure to be created in India in the coming years under PM-ABHIM, and the role of the public and private sectors in this regard was discussed.

Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Sudhansh Pant, Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research, senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and States, as well as leaders from industry bodies, were present during the event. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) Shares of jewellery retail player Senco Gold made a strong market debut on Friday, listing with a premium of 36 per cent, against the issue price of Rs 317.

The stock began the trade at Rs 431, up 35.96 per cent from the issue price on the BSE. Later, it jumped 40 per cent to Rs 443.80.

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At the NSE, stock of the company made its debut at Rs 430, a jump of 35.64 per cent.

The company commanded a market valuation of Rs 3,285.15 crore.

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The initial public offer (IPO) of Senco Gold was subscribed a whopping 73.35 times on the last day of subscription on Thursday past week, driven by heavy demand from institutional buyers.

The Rs 405-crore IPO had a price range of Rs 301-317 a share.

The Kolkata-based firm has 140 showrooms across 13 states and 63 per cent of them are located in West Bengal. It also sells its products through various online platforms and undertakes wholesale exports of its jewellery, primarily to Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore.

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New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) Tata Steel will fund research and development (R&D) projects in low carbon hydrogen segment under the partnership with British High Commission in India.

As part of the 'UK-India Hydrogen Partnership Sprint Series', Tata Steel said it will grant 80,000 pounds (Rs 83 lakh) funding for two innovative projects in the low carbon hydrogen segment.

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The initiative is open for participants from India and the UK, Tata Steel said in a statement.

The proposals bidding for the grant are expected to address two challenges: first, development and deployment of hydrogen technologies for greening the industrial sector and solutions for hydrogen storage/purification, the company said.

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"The priority of the steel sector today is to decarbonise and do it in a way that is both technologically and economically sustainable.

"While the current levels of carbon footprint from the steel sector is unsustainable, the available version of clean hydrogen faces numerous challenges like high operational cost and energy loss," Tata Steel Vice President, Technology and R&D, Debashish Bhattacharjee said.

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Washington, Jul 14 (AP)

A Capitol riot suspect who had guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his van when he was arrested near former President Barack Obama's Washington home has been indicted on federal firearms charges, authorities said Friday.

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Taylor Taranto, 37, was already facing misdemeanor charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, and a grand jury indicted him on additional felony charges alleging he illegally carried a firearm without a license and unlawfully possessed a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, prosecutors said.

A magistrate judge earlier this week ruled that Taranto, of Pasco, Washington, must remain behind bars while he awaits trial because he would pose a danger to the community if released. Taranto's attorney has said she will appeal that decision.

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Taranto's attorney, Kathryn Guevara, didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Friday on the indictment.

Guevara has said that her client had been receiving mental health treatment to overcome trauma that he experienced during military service. He deployed to Iraq while serving in the Navy and was driving a combat vehicle in a convoy that was hit by enemy missiles, she said

Taranto was arrested June 29 after prosecutors say he showed up in Obama's neighborhood on the same day that former President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform what he claimed was Obama's home address.

While livestreaming on YouTube in the neighborhood, Taranto told followers that he was looking for entrance points, was going to find a way to the tunnels underneath their houses and wanted to get a good angle on a shot, according to court papers. Officials said he was spotted by law enforcement a few blocks from Obama's home and fled, though he was chased by Secret Service officers.

In his van  which investigators say he appeared to be living in  Taranto had two guns, 400 rounds of ammunition as well as a machete, prosecutors have said. Taranto's wife told investigators that he had come to D.C. because of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's offer earlier this year to produce unseen video of the Jan. 6 attack.

Taranto's arrest came the day after investigators say he asserted on his YouTube livestream that he was in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on a one-way mission and suggested that he intended to blow up his van at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

On the day of the riot, authorities say Taranto joined the crush of people who broke into the Capitol. He was captured on video at the entrance of the Speaker's Lobby around the time that Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot by an officer while attempting to climb through the broken window of a barricaded door.

Taranto's lawyer told the judge earlier this week that her client was talking about tunnels near Obama's home in a joking manner because the subject has been fodder for conspiracy theories. She said in court papers that comments he made about getting the the shot or angle while near Obama's house were only in reference to the livestream video he was taking at the time. (AP)

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Streaks of Light Seen in California. (Photo Credits: Video Grab)

Colombo, Jul 14 (PTI) Chinese energy company Sinopec on Friday signed a deal with the Sri Lankan Board of Investment (BOI) to operate retail fuel stations in the cash-strapped island nation for 20 years.

Under the agreement, Sinopec invested USD 100 million into the project for the import, storage, and sale of fuel as the crisis-hit country attempts to reduce pressure on its meagre dollar reserves, the BOI said in a statement.

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Under the deal, the Chinese firm will be given a 20-year licence to operate 150 fuel stations as well as set up 50 new fuel stations in Sri Lanka, the statement said.

The latest development effectively ended a market duopoly of state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corp and the Indian Oil Company's local operation LIOC, making it the third player in Sri Lanka's fuel retailing operations.

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Sri Lanka is grappling with its worst financial crisis since independence from the British in 1948 with an acute shortage of fuel and essential commodities such as food and medicines.

Sinopec will provide a range of fuel products, petroleum jet fuel, and other diesel and petroleum items.

They also offer value-added services such as automatic car wash and car service facilities, department stores, convenience stores, internet cafes, automated teller machines, and food courts.

Sinopec also plans to expand into new energy services like photovoltaic systems, electric charging stations, battery swapping, and other related offerings in the local market, the statement said.

Sinopec is recognised as the largest oil and petrochemical products supplier, the second-largest oil and gas producer in China, the largest refining company, and the third-largest chemical company globally.

It also boasts the second-highest number of gas stations worldwide.

In 2021, the company secured the 5th position on Fortune's Global 500 List.

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Washington DC [US], July 14 (ANI): Chinese hackers breached the email of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and State Department officials in the weeks before State Secretary Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June, New York Times reported citing US officials.

The investigation is underway but the US officials, on Wednesday, downplayed the idea that the Chinese hackers, who are likely to be part of the military or spy services, have stolen the sensitive information, insisting that no classified email or cloud systems were penetrated.

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The State Departments cybersecurity team first discovered the intrusion.

Raimondo, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of Beijing in the administration, was among the targets, according to two U.S. officials.

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Recently, she tightened export controls on China, threatening to cut off the countrys supply of US semiconductor technology if it provides the chips to Russia. Raimondo is also expected to visit China by the end of the summer, reported New York Times.

Based on their preliminary investigation, officials believe she was the only cabinet-level official to be successfully hacked. The hackers were not able to acquire emails in Blinkens Microsoft 365 account, even as they got access to other State Department email boxes, officials said.

Multiple officials said the attack was aimed at individual email accounts, rather than a large-scale exfiltration of data, which Chinese hackers are suspected of having done before.

US President Joe Biden's administration officials declined to give a full accounting of which the hackers had targeted officials.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Microsoft revealed that the Chinese hackers with the intention to collect intelligence on the US have gained access to government email accounts.

The attack was targeted, according to a person briefed on the intrusion into the government networks, with the hackers going after specific accounts rather than carrying out a broad-brush intrusion that would suck up enormous amounts of data, as per the New York Times.

It is pertinent to mention that the State Department discovered the intrusion on June 16 and informed Microsoft that day, just ahead of Blinkens trip to Beijing, a US official said. He departed from Washington that evening.

After Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen also visited Beijing. President Biden and Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier, agreed in a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, last November to try to stabilize relations, but tensions between the two nations ramped up when the Pentagon discovered and shot down a Chinese spy balloon that was floating over the continental United States in early February.

After the discovery of the spy balloon hovering in US skies, Blinken's visit to China in February was cancelled. In a statement on Wednesday, the State Department said that after detecting anomalous activity, the government took steps to secure the systems and will continue to closely monitor and quickly respond to any further activity.

After the State Department reported the hack to Microsoft, the company found that the hackers had also targeted some 25 organizations, including government agencies, according to New York Times. (ANI)

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Johannesburg, Jul 13 (PTI) The education system is critical for the sustainable economic growth of the BRICS nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- and to fight against the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequalities, a South African Minister has said.

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande's remarks came as he delivered the opening address at the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education at the Kruger National Park on Wednesday evening.

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Joining senior officials in the education field from all four countries were Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Education and External Affairs from India; Konstantin Mogilevskiy, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education from Russia; Dr Chen Jie, Vice Minister of Education, China; and Denise Pires de Carvalho, Vice Minister of Education and Secretary of State for High Education, Brazil.

The education system is critical to the sustainable economic growth of our nations and in helping us to fight against the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequalities.

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The daunting task before us as BRICS Ministers of Education is to consolidate the resolutions of these sectoral engagements and table them to the BRICS Heads of States in August 2023,

Nzimande said as the meeting prepared for two days of discussions under the theme: Responsive and Relevant Education and Training in the Current Global Context'.

The chosen theme is more relevant in terms of the geopolitical issues that are currently confronting us with regards to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the minister said, adding that the meeting came at a crucial time, as the heads of state were expected to debate extensively requests by a number of other countries to become part of the BRICS bloc.

The 15th BRICS Summit is scheduled to take place from August 22-24 in Johannesburg.

Nzimande urged the meeting to make concrete proposals on how the BRICS education systems can assist to contribute meaningfully in the eight thematic areas to be discussed during this year's meeting of Ministers of Education.

These issues include climate change, entrepreneurship development, skills for the changing world, mutual recognition of qualifications, out-of-school youth, labour market intelligence, early childhood development and university global ranking, he said.

Nzimande called for the BRICS member partners to accelerate the adoption of mutual recognition of qualifications.

BRICS countries must put systems in place to encourage mobility of students and education experts and academics, he said.

The minister said academics within BRICS should be encouraged to research the implications of the proposed BRICS currency and the role of the New Development Bank of BRICS.

It is the research community of BRICS that is going to assist to elaborate this issue better, he said.

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Kabul [Afghanistan], July 14 (ANI): Doctors at the Indira Gandhi Childrens Hospital in Kabul have observed a recent increase in the number of malnourished children seeking treatment in the hospital, TOLO News reported.

TOLO News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul. As per the doctors, 45 malnourished children have been admitted to the hospital in the past two weeks.

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A doctor, Mohammad Sherzad, said: The patients who are having health issues, we are hospitalizing them. The patients who are not having health issues but are just malnourished, we dont hospitalize them. We give them necessary materials and send them to the clinics until they become well.

Based on official figures, 59 children in Hamal (March 22, 2023, to April 22), 94 children in Saur (April 23 to May 23), 84 children in Jawza (May 24 to June), and 45 malnourished children in the current month have been hospitalized at the Indira Gandhi Childrens Hospital.

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The childrens families said they cannot feed their children properly due to poverty and unemployment, according to TOLO News.

Ekram Ullah, who is suffering from malnutrition, has been hospitalized at Indira Gandhi Childrens Hospital. Ekramullahs mother said that due to economic challenges and lack of food, her child is malnourished.

His mother, Gul Sang, said: I dont have money. How can I provide him/her with good food.

I dont have money to take care of (him/her). They need good food and other care. I dont have the capacity to provide (him/her) with something. Anything which is cheap, I buy it for them because poverty is rising, said Shaziya, mother of a child. (ANI)

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Paris, July 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday commended a French Yoga teacher for her passion towards the ancient Indian practice and fitness at the age of 99. Modi attended the Bastille Day parade on Friday as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

"In Paris, I had the opportunity to meet the remarkable Charlotte Chopin. She began practising Yoga at the age of 50," the prime minister tweeted. India-Japan Business Summit in Bengaluru Explores Collaboration for Economic Growth.

"She's going to turn a hundred soon but her passion towards Yoga and fitness has only increased over the years," he said. India Repatriates 18 Pakistani Nationals via Attari-Wagah Border.

Prime Minister Modi is a strong proponent of Yoga. Due to his relentless efforts, June 21 was declared the International Yoga Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

On June 21 this year, Modi led a high-profile yoga session at the UN Headquarters in New York to mark the 9th International Day of Yoga.

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Lahore, Jul 14 (AP) Rescuers in boats evacuated 14,000 people over the past several days after floodwaters from two rivers swollen by monsoon rains inundated dozens of villages in eastern Pakistan, officials said Friday.

Monsoon rains began lashing the South Asian country in late June and since then, at least 91 people have died in weather-related incidents across the country.

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Mohsin Naqvi, a top official in eastern Punjab province, tweeted Friday that he visited flood-hit areas. The evacuations began earlier this week after neighbouring India diverted waters from dams into the Ravi River, which flows from India into Pakistan. An overflowing Sutlej River has also inundated villages in various parts of the province.

According to the national weather agency, rains will continue this week to lash the southwestern Baluchistan and southern Sindh provinces, where thousands died in floods last summer.

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The floods affected 33 million people and killed 1,739 in Pakistan. They also caused USD 30 billion in damage to the country's economy.

The monsoon season began in July and will continue until September. (AP)

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The Hague, Jul 14 (AP) One man was killed and two people injured, one seriously, in a stabbing on Friday at a church-run center that houses several aid organisations in the Dutch university city of Leiden, police said.

A man entered the centre, a former bakery in the historic heart of the university city, just before 9.30 am and for as yet unclear reasons stabbed the victims and then fled, police said in a statement.

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A 66-year-old man was so badly injured that he died at the scene, two others were taken to a hospital, police said.

The chairman of the centre, Bert Verweij, told regional broadcaster Omroep West that the three wounded people were a staff member, a volunteer and a worker at one of the organisations that uses the centre.

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The centre houses organisations that offer help to people including homeless people, migrants and asylum-seekers.

Police appealed for assistance in tracking down the suspect, but warned members of the public not to approach him. They described the man as having dark skin, short hair and beard and said he also had a head wound.

Further details were not immediately available. Calls to the centre went unanswered. (AP)

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San Francisco, July 14: Less than a month after the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, a Congressional Senatorial Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The resolution was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen on Thursday.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the People's Republic of China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC's increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said. The resolution will go to the Senate floor for a full vote. India, US Friendship Will Make World a Better Place, Says PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video).

America's values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world -- especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision, said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.

Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India -- not the People's Republic of China -- and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners, he said. US Senate Gives Final Approval on Debt Ceiling Bill.

Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific, it's critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region -- especially India and other Quad countries -- and push back against the CCP's broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific.

As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, said Senator Cornyn. This resolution would reaffirm that the US recognises the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay, he added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bird Box Barcelona Movie Review: Out of all the franchises Netflix has, they chose to make Bird Box into a connected universe. If you enjoyed the original Bird Box, then, for better or worse, Bird Box Barcelona is just more of the same. In this case, I was left wanting more because, like with the first film, while the fundamental ideas are intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired. Bird Box Barcelona Trailer: Mario Casas Stars in This Goosebumps Inducing Expansion Film of Sandra Bullocks Famous Post Apocalyptic Thriller (Watch Video).

Directed by the duo of Alex Pastor and David Pastor, Bird Box Barcelona is not a sequel to original, but rather a spinoff that takes us to Barcelona and tries telling a distinct story of its own. This time, we follow Sebastian (Mario Casas), a survivor of the apocalypse traversing around a post-apocalyptic Barcelona with his daughter Anna (Alejandra Howard). Meeting up with a few more survivors, the duo must try to keep themselves alive in a world ravaged by monsters where just making a visual contact with them will have some dire consequences.

A Still From Bird Box Barcelona (Photo Credits: Netflix)

The big issue with the original Bird Box was that it just didnt land how you would have expected it to. A film where making eye contact with an alien will have you commit suicide - this is an idea bursting with potential and tension that could be slashed with a knife, and while the film did have its moments, it felt like a very safe interpretation of how things might play out. Following in that tradition, Bird Box Barcelona makes the same faults, as well as new ones that left me scratching my head. There is no sense of tension or urgency to the story here.

The story of Sebastian and Anna has a twist to it that I wont spoil in this review, but it suffers from some huge disparities in concepts that connect like two broken wires patched together with duct tape. The major fault here is that you cannot root for Sebastian at all. Just the first scene portrays him as one of the worst guys you'll ever meet in the apocalypse, and it left me wondering why I was expected to be bothered. Of course, you could do something interesting with a character who is morally ambiguous, unfortunately Bird Box Barcelona doesnt know what to do with its central protagonists.

Watch the Trailer for Bird Box Barcelona:

Even though the character is handled poorly, Mario Casas still offers a dependable performance, and in that regard, Alejandra Howard also delivers a fine performance as Anna beside him. Georgina Campbell, who was last seen in Barbarian last year, plays survivor Claire in the film, while Babylon's breakout star Diego Calva plays Octavio, with the two giving some of the better performances of the movie. Naila Schuberth plays the role of Sofia, and offers an impressive performance. So it's equally disappointing when the movie doesn't know what to do with them since Bird Box Barcelona's plot is just so stretched out.

In Bird Box Barcelona, there are two timelines: one that takes us to the day zero incident and one that takes place in the present. This actively undermines the film's momentum because it doesn't know how to find a balance between flashbacks and conveying its major story, and it just makes for a drab experience because the plot itself lacks any weight. I'm a sucker for stories that go back in time to depict how civilization crumbles in the face of a threat, but Bird Box Barcelona just doesn't know how to place these sequences. Bird Box Barcelona Teaser Out! Bird Box Spin-Off to Premiere on Netflix on July 14 (Watch Video).

A Still From Bird Box Barcelona (Photo Credits: Netflix)

It gets rather boring at times, and the fault is easily identified. It's almost like a short film attempting to be a feature because Netflix wants to follow an algorithm that predicts an average length film would be watched by more people. There is no reason for this film to last 110 minutes, and the journey itself is an inconsequential viewing to say the least.

Final Thoughts

Bird Box Barcelona doesnt offer anything new out of the ordinary. An unnecessarily long story with poorly handled characters, it follows in the shoes of the original film by making the same mistakes and providing a watch whose potential ultimately gets crumbled up due to its own ambition. Bird Box Barcelona is streaming on Netflix right now.

Rating: 1.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2023 07:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Mumbai, July 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi created history on Thursday (local time) as France President Emmanuel Macron conferred him with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. This prestigious accolade, considered the highest French honour in both military and civilian orders, marks a significant milestone for PM Modi, who becomes the first Indian Prime Minister to receive France's Highest Civilian and Military honour.

The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace, the official residence of the French President, where Macron hosted PM Modi for a private dinner. PM Modi thanked French President Macron for the honour on behalf of the people of India. "It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore people of India. I thank President @EmmanuelMacron, the French Government and people for this gesture. It shows their deep affection towards India and resolve for furthering friendship with our nation," PM Modi tweeted. But, while Modi became the first PM to receive this distinguished recognition, two other Indians were presented with French titles in the past. PM Modi Conferred 'Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour' Award Photos: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Receives France's Highest Award From French President Emmanuel Macron, Becomes First Indian PM To Receive the Honour.

Indians Who Received France's Highest Civilian and Military Honour:

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala:

The "Father of the Patiala-Shahi, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, recieved the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour in 1930, thus becoming the first Indian ever to get conferred with such an award. He served as a Major General in the British Indian Army and commanded over the Patiala Lancers while participating in World War I in France, the Middle East and Italy. He was conferred with France's Grand Officer honour in 1918. PM Modi in France: India Committed To Do Everything To Make Planet Peaceful and Sustainable, Says PM Narendra Modi.

Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala:

The last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Kapurthala in the British Empire of India, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh, became the second Indian to be conferred with the Grand Cross. He was awarded the title in 1948. Previously, he was acknowledged with the Grand Officer title in 1924. He served as the Indian Representative to the League of Nations General Assembly in Geneva in 1925, 1927, and 1929.

The Legion of Honour, also known as the National Order of the Legion of Honour, holds the distinction of being the highest French decoration bestowed upon individuals, whether in civil or military realms. Widely recognised as one of the most renowned national honours globally, it carries immense prestige and recognition. The Order was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, and the motto of the Order is Honneur et Patrie, French for Honour and Fatherland. The Legion of Honour has five degrees of increasing distinction: three ranks - Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), and Commandeur (Commander) - and two titles - Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-Croix (Grand Cross).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2023 10:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Hyderabad, July 14: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President and Telangana minister K.T. Rama Rao on Thursday accused the Centre of discriminating against Telangana over irrigation projects. In an open letter to the BJP-led Central government over the issue of the Environment Assessment Committee (EAC) deferring the environmental clearance (EC) for the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), he highlighted the "intense discrimination" of the Central government against Telangana.

I write this open letter with utter disappointment regarding the discriminatory actions of the BJP-led Central government against Telangana state. I want to highlight the Centres unjust treatment of the states irrigation projects, particularly the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS). It is essential to draw attention to this issue and demand that it be addressed promptly, KTR, as Rao is popularly known, wrote. Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao Hits Out at PM Narendra Modi, Says Not a Single Promise Has Been Fulfilled.

The BRS leader stated that Palamuru Rangareddy project is a ray of hope for the drought-prone areas of Nagarkurnool, Mahabubnagar, Vikarabad, Narayanpet, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda districts in Telangana. It aims to provide water for over 12.5 lakh acres of land and fulfill the drinking water needs of many villages, Hyderabad City, and industries. BRS Leader KT Rama Rao Hits Back at Rahul Gandhi and Congress, Calls AICC 'All India Corrupt Committee'.

This project has the potential to transform lives and reduce the struggles caused by water scarcity. The minister pointed out that erstwhile Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda districts have struggled with drought and water scarcity. Additionally, Nalgonda faced fluoride issues and Mahabubnagar experienced migration due to the lack of irrigation facilities.

After the state's formation, the Telangana government has undertaken many irrigation projects to address the challenges of water scarcity and agricultural development. PRLIS is one of the significant irrigation projects of Telangana.

However, the BJP-led Central government completely neglects Telangana's irrigation projects and provides no support or funds. They create obstacles in granting permissions and refuse to grant national status to our projects. Meanwhile, projects in other states receive funding, permissions, and national status. How fair is it that the Union government has refused to grant national status to the PRLIS while readily granting national status to the Upper Bhadra irrigation project in Karnataka?

He mentioned that the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II has not given any decision on sharing water between the four states and the Central government has not taken significant action to address this matter.

Noting Telangana has been demanding for its rightful share of 500 TMC water from the Krishna river, he said: "Unfortunately, the Central government has not taken the basic step of referring our request to the tribunal even after 9 years. Despite water being a state subject, Telangana is currently unable to utilise its own water from irrigation projects without obtaining permission from the Central government."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2023 11:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in France, congratulated Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, "Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of a every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!" With the success of its third lunar mission, India hopes to become the fourth country in the world to land on the moons surface and the first to land near the lunar south pole. Chandrayaan 3 Launched Into Space by ISRO Video: India's 'Bahubali' Rocket LVM3 Successfully Lifts Off With Moon Mission Spacecraft.

PM Narendra Modi Congratulates ISRO Scientists

Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of a every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity! https://t.co/gko6fnOUaK  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
The Supreme Court has issued a notice on a plea of Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena seeking direction to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker. The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena had filed a plea before the apex court seeking direction to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker to take an expeditious decision on the disqualification petitions pending against rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde. The Supreme Court has sought a response to the plea in two weeks. Supreme Court to Hear on July 31 Uddhav Thackeray's Plea Against EC Order Allotting Party Name, Symbol to Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Faction.

Supreme Court Seeks Response on Plea the In Two Weeks

Supreme Court issues notice on a plea of Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena seeking direction to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker to take expeditious decision on the disqualification petitions pending against rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde. Supreme Court  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
On 13 July the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague rejected an effort by Nicaragua to expand its continental shelf beyond what was previously established in the countrys decades-long maritime border dispute with Colombia.

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On 13 July Guatemalas constitutional court (CC) lifted an order suspending the legal status of Movimiento Semilla (Semilla), the party of anti-graft presidential candidate, who is due to compete in the 20 August presidential run-off.

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On 13 July Chilean Senatorcalled an urgent meeting of the right-of-centre opposition coalition Chile Vamos for 17 July after the failed attempt to censure the education minister,

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A series of roadside bomb attacks in Jalisco, Mexico has rocked the country, with the explosion killing six people and injuring 12 others. The Tuesday attack was "unprecedented," and it being blamed on the drug cartels plaguing Mexico.

Some of those killed were all security personnel consisting of police and agents of the state prosecutor's office, while two were civilians, with Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro calling the attack a "Brutal act of terror." He did not name any group behind the attack, however, though Jalisco state is known to be the stronghold of one of the most brutal cartels in Mexico, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

"This is an unprecedented act that shows what these drug cartels are capable of," the governor wrote on social media. "This attack also represents an open challenge to the Mexican government on all levels."

In a press conference, the governor also revealed that the attack took place after a civilian volunteer search group received a tip that there was a clandestine burial site near a road in Tlajomulco, which is near Guadalajara, the state capital.

However, this was a trap. The police sent to escort the volunteer search group stumbled into eight improvised explosive devices, seven of which were detonated as the police convoy passed by. The eighth bomb failed to explode.

Mexico Police Investigating Attack That Killed Six People

During his press conference, Governor Alfaro stated that the state's security cabinet was "in permanent session" as they investigate the attack. It has been attributed to a "specific" criminal organization, though that organization was not publicly named.

Forensic investigators were sent to the scene, along with several ambulances to transport those who were injured, according to CBS News.

READ MORE: Mexico War on Drugs: Authorities Destroy Homemade Armored Cars Used by Cartels

Local media reported that the explosion occurred near a vehicle that was transporting the security officials. However, investigators are still looking into whether a grenade or homemade mine was used in the deadly attack that killed six people.

While there is no confirmation that the CJNG was indeed the group behind the attack, explosives are part of their modus operandi as it has been blamed for previous IED attacks. The cartel is also known for using drones to drop bombs and grenades at targets.

Mexico Explosion Also Injured 3 Minors

According to The Guardian, Mexico police stated that the two dead civilians were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time, as they were inside the vehicle that was passing by as the IEDs exploded. This suggested that the bombs may have been detonated remotely.

Jalisco Chief Prosecutor Luis Mendez confirmed that those injured were all civilians; some of them were critically wounded by the explosion. It is unclear if the search volunteers, who usually make up of mothers who are just looking for their missing children who were possibly abducted and killed by the cartels, were among those injured.

Three of the victims were minors. Mendez confirmed that their ages are 9, 13, and 14.

READ NEXT: Mexico: Warring Cartels Block Roads Near U.S. Border

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH:The Brutal War Between CJNG and The Sinaloa Cartel - The Fugitive
The recently released government statistics reveal that deforestation in Colombia witnessed a substantial decline of 29 percent in 2022, reaching its lowest level in almost a decade, per Al Jazeera.

These figures, published on Wednesday, demonstrate notable progress in regions of the Amazon rainforest, which serve as crucial "carbon sinks" by absorbing greenhouse gas emissions in the global fight against climate change.

Within a year, from 2021 to 2022, Colombia deforestation decreased from 174,103 hectares (672 square miles) to 123,517 hectares (477 square miles), representing a nearly 30 percent reduction.

Environment Minister Susana Muhamad emphasized the importance of sustaining this positive trend in the coming years, such as 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Muhamad credited the collaboration with local communities and the crackdown on illegal activities contributing to deforestation for significant progress.

These statistics align with the environmental protection and anti-deforestation commitments made by the left-wing government of President Gustavo Petro.

The administration has advocated for wealthier countries to cancel foreign debt as part of a comprehensive exchange to secure greater investments in Amazon conservation.

READ NEXT: Lula Da Silva Launches First Anti-deforestation Raids in Amazon

Peace Process in 2022 Saves Tens of Thousands of Hectares of Forest, Officials Said

The conservation of 50,000 hectares of forest in 2022 is an early achievement resulting from what is possibly the first peace process in history to prioritize the environment, according to officials.

Muhamad expressed optimism about Colombia's potential to overcome deforestation in the Amazon and reverse the current trends. She highlighted that this is just the beginning of the country's efforts.

The signing of a peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 formally marked the end of a six-decade-long internal conflict that claimed the lives of 450,000 people.

However, an unintended consequence was the impact on Colombia's forests as other armed groups, including dissident rebel factions, exploited the FARC'sabsence to engage in large-scale deforestation, according to The Guardian.

Despite subsequent military operations and international pressure, previous governments faced challenges in reducing Colombia deforestation, particularly in the Amazon region.

Muhamad and other negotiators brokering the 2016 peace accord acknowledge that viewing the environment as a beneficiary rather than an integral part of the agreement was a mistake.

They now recognize the importance of greater emphasis on environmental protection during the early stages of negotiations.

Espen Barth Eide, Norway's environment minister, also noted the need for more emphasis on environmental considerations in the peace process, reflecting on the lessons learned from the past.

FARC Guerrillas Also Contributed to Decline of Deforestation in Colombia

Colombia, known for its rich biodiversity, shares similar challenges with neighboring countries like Brazil in combating deforestation driven by activities such as cattle ranching, drug crops, and illegal mining, said Reuters.

The decline in Colombia deforestation can also be attributed to orders issued by dissident groups of FARC guerrillas, which prohibited deforestation and burning in certain regions, according to Rodrigo Botero, the director general of the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development, an advocacy group.

The environmental ministry report indicates a substantial decrease in deforestation within the Amazon provinces, where most deforestation activities occur. Caqueta province witnessed a 50% reduction.

Despite surpassing the target for Colombia deforestation reduction, the government and Botero urged caution, emphasizing that the situation remains unstable, vulnerable, and subject to various factors that can affect control measures.

READ MORE: US Sanctions 10 on Fentanyl Trade

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Deforestation down by 29% in Colombia - From Arirang News
Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama who is currently holding up Joe Biden's military nominations, recently made comments about white nationalists in the military. This did not go well for him as it sparked outrage.

The outrage happened after CNN host Kaitlin Collins brought up comments that he made during an appearance on a local Alabama radio show last May. Around that time, he was criticizing efforts by the Pentagon to root out white nationalists in the military.

Tuberville was asked if he wanted white nationalists who believe whites are superior to other races to serve in the military. He answered that while the media calls them white nationalists, he calls them "American" so he does not oppose them from joining the military.

Tuberville drew criticisms from both sides of the aisle, with Senate Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota saying that "the Republican party doesn't accept white nationalism." He also stated that he already talked to Tuberville about it.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York rebuked the Republican on the Senate floor, saying, "White nationalism has no place in our armed forces and no place in any corner of American society."

USA Today reported that author Stephen King also chimed in on Tuberville's comments, saying that the senator from Alabama "gives new meaning to the word idiot." Tuberville has since backtracked on his white nationalist comments and called them racists.

Tommy Tuberville Still Holding Up Biden Military Nominees, Endangering National Security

As he gets rebuked because of his white nationalist comments, Tuberville is also under fire for continually holding up hundreds of President Joe Biden's nominations to military office. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and called the senator's actions a "national security issue."

READ MORE: Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Against Latinos Will Cost Taxpayers Over Quarter Billion Dollars

"This is a national security issue. It's a readiness issue. And, we shouldn't kid ourselves. I think any member of the Senate Armed Services Committee knows that," the Defense secretary said after the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The senator is holding up the nominees in protest of the military's abortion policy.

"We have a policy that allows our troops to get access to non-covered reproductive health care and I think that's an important policy," said Austin during his Thursday interview. "One in five of my troops ... is a woman and our women provide tremendous value to this force and I think we need to do everything we can to take care of them.

Tommy Tuberville Causing Problems With the Military

Because of the Alabama Republican's protest, several important nominees have left branches of the military leaderless, including the US Marine Corps, which currently does not have a commandant because Tuberville is blocking the nomination, according to The Hill.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder recently spoke with reporters and stated that Tuberville's holdup of nominees has a "domino effect" on service members as the US military's force management is predicated on senior leaders retiring to allow lower officers to be promoted to key positions.

The senator's actions are making promotions stagnate and impact the families of service members who are waiting for updates regarding new assignments, "which then gets into questions about things like housing, schools, other aspects associated with a move."

READ MORE: Florida 'Openly Hostile Toward African Americans,' Warns NAACP

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WATCH: Tommy Tuberville addresses white nationalist comments, hold on military nominations - CBS Evening News
During a news conference in Helsinki, President Joe Biden expressed his commitment to securing the release of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia, according to Politico.

Biden emphasized that the United States is serious about orchestrating a prisoner exchange and doing everything possible to free Americans unlawfully detained in Russia or any other location.

The Kremlin officials had previously stated that they were discussing a potential swap involving Gershkovich with their US counterparts.

While the Joe Biden administration acknowledged these talks, they noted that a clear path to a resolution had not yet been established.

The efforts to secure the release of Gershkovich and other Americans held in Russia are currently underway.

READ NEXT: President Joe Biden Arrives in UK

Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich's Arrest

Evan Gershkovich's arrest on espionage charges in Yekaterinburg and subsequent detention at Moscow's Lefortovo prison have drawn international attention, AP reports.

Gershkovich and his employer vehemently deny the allegations, while the US government has stated that he is wrongfully detained.

The conditions at Lefortovo prison are known to be harsh, adding to concerns for Gershkovich's well-being.

The recent court ruling to keep him in custody until August 30 has further raised alarm. Russian authorities have not presented evidence to substantiate the espionage charges against Gershkovich. His arrest has had a chilling effect on journalists in Russia.

While discussions between the Joe Biden administration and Russia regarding a potential prisoner exchange, including Evan Gershkovich, have taken place, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan cautioned that a clear pathway to securing Gershkovich's release has not yet been established.

Gershkovich's case marks the first time since 1986 that an American reporter has faced espionage charges in Russia.

Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for US News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB then but was released 20 days later in a swap for a Soviet Union's UN mission employee arrested by the FBI on spying charges.

The Gershkovich family is going through a challenging time, with Evan's sister, Danielle, expressing the difficulty of the situation, as reported by CBS News.

She mentioned that they are taking it daily and that it still feels unreal sometimes. For their parents, navigating the circumstances surrounding Evan's detention has become a full-time job.

Despite the challenges, the family has visited Evan in Russia briefly during his court hearings. Danielle also receives letters from Evan about once a week, which helps them stay connected.

Danielle expressed her pride in her brother's bravery and resilience, and she also feels a sense of responsibility to stay strong for him.

US, Russia Discuss Swap Between Evan Gershkovich and Vladimir Dunaev

The possibility of a prisoner swap involving Evan Gershkovich and Vladimir Dunaev, who is facing cybercrime charges in the US, has been raised by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, per The Hill.

These discussions come after US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited Gershkovich at Lefortovo prison.

Prisoner swaps between the US and Russia have occurred in the past.

In December, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released by Russia in a prisoner exchange, with the Joe Biden administration releasing Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Meanwhile, Paul Whelan, an American corporate security executive, has been imprisoned in Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges that his family and the US government consider baseless, said The Guardian.

READ MORE: Brittney Griner Urges President Joe Biden to Bring Evan Gershkovich Back

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Biden 'serious' about springing WSJ's Evan Gershkovich, says 'process is underway' - From New York Post
The second leg of the Guatemala elections, a presidential runoff between opposition candidate Bernardo Arevalo and former First Lady Sandra Torres, is now in question as political turmoil grips the country. This came after the current administration under President Alejandro Giammattei decided to intervene in the June 25 election.

Arevalo is a vocal critic of the current administration but was not polling well prior to the July 25 vote. However, voters surprisingly backed him up during the first leg of the elections, becoming one of the two candidates to qualify for next month's Runoff Election alongside Torres.

However, according to CNN, the center-left candidate has been targeted by the government as of late, as more and more disillusioned Guatemalans flock to his side, possibly giving him an upset victory against Torres.

Arevalo's Movimiento Semilla party is currently being investigated by the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Impunity (FECI) for allegedly falsifying citizens' signatures. This specific targeting is casting doubts into the August 20 runoff election.

The FECI alleged that the party had at least 12 deceased people register for the elections. The office also accused the party of paying "approximately US$22,000 in exchange for 5,000 signatures with the aim of reaching the minimum necessary to become a political party and participate in elections."

Despite all the challenges arrayed against him, Arevalo still insisted he will run against Torres next month and that he would file complaints against the lower court judge, attorney general, and special prosecutor for trying to block his run.

Bernardo Arevalo Speaks Out Against Government Efforts To Target Him

The government has already raided the country's election tribunal offices to look for evidence to back claims that Arevalo's party is responsible for dead people voting. Another raid was also expected to take place at the party's headquarters, but that is now unlikely after the high court issued an injunction.

Movimiento Semilla party candidate Bernardo Arevalo decried these raids, calling them political in nature, according to the Associated Press.

READ MORE: Guatemala Elections: Former First Lady Sandra Torres Vs. Center-Leftist Bernardo Arevalo

Meanwhile, his opponent, Sandra Torres, actually showed solidarity with Arevalo, saying that she is halting her campaign in protest against the government's actions.

We want to demonstrate our solidarity with the voters of the Seed party and also with those who came out to vote," said the conservative UNE Party candidate. "As a candidate, I want to compete under equal conditions."

International Watchdog Group Calls Accusations Vs. Bernardo Arevalo Illegal

As political turmoil grips Guatemala, other countries and international organizations, including the US and the EU, are watching closely.

According to NPR, an independent watchdog group called Mirador Electoral stated the investigation on Arevalo and his party amounted to an "open act of illegality."

US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols stated that the US government is worried about the developments happening in Guatemala.

He stated on social media, "We are deeply concerned by threats to Guatemala's electoral democracy. Institutions must respect the will of voters."

READ NEXT: Guatemala Ex-Pres. Otto Perez Molina and Ex-VP Roxana Baldetti Imprisoned

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Guatemalan Elite Tries to Overturn Democracy, But Anti-Corruption Candidate to Stay in Runoff - Democracy Now!
Gun violence brought Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis to Allentown on Friday, just as it first brought him into public service at age 16 when someone was shot on the block where he lived in McKeesport, Allegheny County.

The first-term Democrat visited Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley as part of a statewide tour to highlight programs aiming to stem the epidemic of gun violence.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, of which Davis is chairman, awarded $2 million last year to Promise Neighborhoods Cure Violence initiative run in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Health Network. The fiscal year 2024 state budget awaiting a final vote by the state Senate before going to Gov. Josh Shapiro for his signature includes $40 million for similar violence prevention programs.

Im traveling across the commonwealth this week on this Safer Communities Tour to highlight the success stories and the programs and the people who are making a difference in the effort to end gun violence in our community, Davis said following stops in Pittsburgh, York and Philadelphia and ahead of visits in the afternoon to Wilkes-Barre and, on Monday, to Erie.

Oftentimes we always focus on the problem, but we dont recognize that there are people who are working tirelessly every day to solve this epidemic, Davis said during his visit to Promise Neighborhoods offices on West Union Street. And so were highlighting those organizations but were also looking for organizations that we scale up to figure out whats working.

The 2022 funding, following a previous state grant of $300,000, helped expand Promise Neighborhoods and LVHNs Cure Violence efforts beyond the Lehigh Valley to northern communities such as Hazleton, according to the Lehigh Valley Hospital network.

We can stop the bleeding, we can repair the injured organ. We can fix your broken bone, said Dr. Mark Cipolle, chief of the Division of Trauma at Lehigh Valley Health Network. Thats just treating a symptom. Its not treating a cause. So weve realized as a health-care network, we have to go beyond the doors of the hospital to help our community.

Promise Neighborhoods and LVHN work to connect gun violence victims, their families and caregivers to resources that aim to interrupt the cycle of violence. That can start with Melissa Mee, a violence prevention coordinator in the trauma department at Lehigh Valley HospitalCedar Crest, visiting violence victims bedside.

Though that may mean the end of a health crisis, its really just the start of the next critical chapter in someones life, Mee said. When I arrive at a violence victims bedside, a vacuum exists between what put someone in the hospital and how they react to what happened. What were trying to do is interrupt the cycle of violence and connect with people as credible messengers.

Letting them know that theyre valued and that there is a way forward, Mee continued. Its the start of a healing process outside of the healing of physical wounds, and its the beginning of a collective effort to make a change.

Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley's Jeani Garcia, who lost her teenage son Kareem Fedd to gun violence, helps introduce Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis on Friday, July 14, 2023, to the nonprofit's Allentown headquarters alongside, from left, state Reps. Jeanne McNeill and Peter Schweyer, both D-Lehigh.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

Jeani Garcia, manager of the Zero Youth Violence and Reentry Program at Promise Neighborhoods, stressed the importance of the credible messenger model  focused on community members who offer livable, relatable experience to those dealing with gun violence. She lost her 17-year-old son, Kareem Fedd, to gang violence in 2012; he was shot and killed while sleeping at his Fullerton Avenue home.

We are able to relate to the individuals, the victims of gun violence, the survivors of gun violence, Garcia said.

The goal of violence interrupters and outreach workers at Promise Neighborhoods is to prevent the gun violence of even one more child, Garcia said.

Oftentimes these are conversations that people dont want to talk about because it means that we have a problem in communities, she said. We have a problem. We have a fear, and its swept under the carpet. This is how we bring this conversation to light. This is how we bring solutions to light, by coming together.

Davis, 33, was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives prior to his election in 2022 as the states youngest and first Black lieutenant governor.

Other elected officials at Fridays event were state Reps. Jeanne McNeill, Peter Schweyer and Joshua Siegel, all D-Lehigh; Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr.; and Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong.

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The figurative fruits of plans to open the regions first food co-op in Bethlehem are looking pretty good right now  just about ripe  but members will have to wait until after winter before they can take their pick at the varieties of local produce.

Bethlehem Food Co-Op Board Chair Carol Ritter said she expects the co-op will be able to open its doors in the first quarter of 2024, barring any unexpected delays. The co-op now counts more than 1,300 people among its registered members.
Krispy Kreme is celebrating its 86th birthday, and to celebrate, the doughnut chain is offering a deal for those who stop by and join the party.

On Friday, July 14, all customers can get a dozen original glazed doughnuts for 86 cents with the purchase of a regular-priced dozen.

The deal is available in-store or online with the code 86YEARS.

Customers who shop in-store can get up to four 86-cent dozens, but if you order online, its limited to just one 86-cent dozen doughnuts.

We love treating our fans and celebrating our birthday with them every year. It definitely has become a tradition, Krispy Kreme global chief brand officer Dave Skena said, per Business Wire. Gifting fans a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for just 86 cents when they buy any dozen is a pretty sweet way to celebrate 86 years of delicious doughnuts.

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A dispute over a proposed massive rent hike for the Boys & Girls Club of Easton appears to be spilling over into efforts to revitalize public housing in Eastons West Ward.

Mayor Sal Panto Jr. this week said he had turned down a meeting requested by the head of the Easton Housing Authority to discuss the federal Choice Neighborhoods grant the city and authority are applying for through a collaborative effort.

I refused unless Choice Neighborhoods is No. 2 on the agenda, Panto said during Wednesday nights city council meeting. First thing weve got to resolve is the Boys & Girls Club. ... Then Ill gladly talk about Choice Neighborhoods.

Housing authority Director Tyler Martin in June said a new lease and rent rate need to be negotiated for the 210 Jones Houston Way building the authority owns on South Side that houses the Boys & Girls Club, He proposed a rate of $16,000 per month or $192,000 a year, up from the current rent of $1 a year. Club Executive Director G. Dean Young calls it a huge stretch that the club could afford that with its total annual budget of around $535,000. Panto says it could force the club to shut down.

The Choice Neighborhoods grant being pursued from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is the successor initiative to the federal HOPE VI program that in 2006 awarded $20 million to the Easton Housing Authority. HOPE VI went toward demolishing South Sides former Delaware Terrace public housing development and replacing it with a mix of rental and owner-occupied homes in a neighborhood called Neston Heights.

Easton officials are looking to Choice Neighborhoods for a grant in the range of $30 million to $50 million that would be used to demolish 160 homes at the West Wards Bushkill House, a housing project on Elm Street, and public housing on and near North Union Street and replace them with up to 273 new homes, amenities and community services.

In a presentation April 26 to the city council, the Choice Neighborhoods consultant working with the city, housing authority and nonprofit Greater Easton Development Partnership said the application for the multimillion-dollar implementation grant will likely be due in January 2024.

Its a highly competitive grant, the consultant, Adam Rosa with Collabo, said in April. There will be many cities going after this.

Panto argues the city and authority cant work on West Ward public housing without maintaining the strides that have been realized at Neston Heights, where the Boys & Girls Club plays a central role in serving the local community.

That is not resolved, Panto said of what he called the rent dilemma. But I think were getting more and more support.

Reached for comment, Martin from the housing authority said Thursday he was under the impression we were all kind of rowing in the same direction towards a constructive conversation with the Boys & Girls Club over the rent.

I am currently attempting to get a meeting together with Dean to work towards an amenable solution that works for both of our agencies, Martin told lehighvalleylive.com. I wanted to be clear that were not just simply raising the rent on the Boys & Girls Club. We are fully prepared to enter into a negotiation and make concessions where necessary ... .

Martin maintains that the housing authority receives HUD funding to support affordable housing for qualified tenants, not to heavily subsidize nonprofit agencies.

Were not trying to close them down, he continued. We know that they provide invaluable services to the community. Were not denying that at all. We just need to be getting a fair rent for that space.

Martin also responded to Pantos comments Wednesday night that HUD did not hire Martin  rather Martin was hired by five housing authority commissioners who are appointed by the city council.

Martin reports to HUD daily, he said, while apprising the board of commissioners on authority business monthly, and looking to the board for policy guidance on major expenditures and contracts.

The housing authority commissioners next meeting is 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 157 S. Fourth St.

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By Jarrett Coleman

Actions speak louder than words in politics and almost everything else in life. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiros recent actions tell the story of a politician who sold out parents and students to appease special interests.

Too many students in Pennsylvania are trapped in underperforming schools. Regardless of how hard these students try or how much their parents care, these children are unlikely to receive the quality education they deserve simply because they are trapped in the school district their address dictates, the address their parents can afford.

Many of these students live in low-income households. Their parents cannot afford to send them to a different school. These children lack access to the educational opportunities that are their birthright as residents of Pennsylvania.

My colleagues in the state Senate and I heard their stories, and we acted. We included $100 million in this years state budget to create a new program specifically designed to help these children. This $100 million is on top of the historic increase in education funding. Yes, that is right, the Senate budget increased public school funding by historic levels, the highest levels of public school funding in the states history. Shapiro acknowledged this fact in his press conference on the budget passed by the Senate. So saying the Senate is not doing enough to fund public education is simply not true, a point the governor acknowledged.

The Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) program money is new and not taken from any existing state program or service. This funding would be in addition to the record levels of state support for education already included in this years budget. To reiterate, the budget passed by the Senate spends more money on public education than any budget in Pennsylvania state history. Vetoing the PASS program provides ZERO additional dollars for public schools and only penalizes the students who can least afford it.

The new PASS program would provide scholarships of up to $15,000 to students in low-income households living in underperforming school districts.

Low-income households would be defined as those earning 250% or less of the federal poverty threshold, which would be $75,000 for a family of four. Underperforming school districts would include the lowest 15% of school districts based on performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests.

During his campaign for governor last year, Shapiro supported these scholarships, saying, Im for making sure we give parents the ability [to] put their kids in the best situation for them to be able to succeed.

The governors actions, unfortunately, undermine his words. When the Senate approved, and the House agreed to a state budget bill including the $100 million for these new scholarships, Shapiro promised to eliminate the funding from the final budget he plans to sign into law.

The governor promised to kill the program after he received pressure from powerful teachers unions and other liberal special interest groups.

The famous American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said, Your actions speak so loud, I cannot hear what you are saying. Pennsylvanians find themselves being deafened by Shapiros callous disregard for the educational opportunities many families are desperate for to give their children a chance for a brighter future.

Pennsylvania parents and students have heard Shapiro, but more importantly, they are seeing his actions. The governors veto destroys this program single-handedly, and slams closed the door of educational opportunity for these low-income students. PASS funds students, not failing systems.

First, their schools failed them. Now their governor is failing them.

Pennsylvania parents and students deserve a governor whose actions are as admirable as his words.

Jarrett Coleman is a state senator representing the 16th Senatorial District in Lehigh and Bucks counties. He serves as chairman of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee and is a member of the Senate Education Committee. He is a Republican.
Forecasts are predicting another wet weekend in the Northeast, bringing heavy rain to areas already soaked from storms last weekend and raising concerns of flash flooding.

Friday started with severe thunderstorm warnings in parts of New Jersey, a prelude to what could happen this weekend as air masses are forecasted to bring heavy showers and thunderstorms.

The National Weather Service is warning southern New York state and central New England may face flash flooding as the torrential downpours hit already saturated ground in those areas.

The storms are likely to be multiple smaller-scale events, according to AccuWeather, but the rounds of heavy rain could bring flash flooding.

Residents along the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C., to Boston could see the most significant rain, the weather company said. Streams and rivers that already saw flooding, including in Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont, could flood again.

In the Lehigh Valley, scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely Friday afternoon and could continue into the evening, the weather service said. There may be small hail, gusty winds, and heavy rain.

They are slow-moving storms, so any heavy rain or storms will be exacerbated, EPAWA Weather Consulting meteorologist Bobby Martrich.

Saturday is expected to be partly sunny in the Valley, with a slight chance of rain after 2 p.m., the weather service said.

But the wet weather is expected to pick up again early Sunday morning into the day, with forecasted showers and storms possibly producing heavy rain, the weather service said.

This looks like a very dangerously close situation to what we just dealt with a couple days ago with that really heavy rain, Martrich said

While he doesnt think it will be the same 7 or 8 inches of rain like last weekend that flooded parts of Berks County, Martrich said it could be alert worthy.

Will you be ready for sudden flash floods? Stay #WeatherReady by enabling weather alerts on your phone. If flooding occurs while youre outdoors, immediately get to higher ground, and NEVER enter flood waters in a vehicle or on foot. https://t.co/uucDwbLg9C pic.twitter.com/9jQZ5pzZ8h  National Weather Service (@NWS) July 13, 2023

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RTE News picked Portlaoise for its latest venture outside Dublin 4 with the focus of its coverage remote working at hubs around the country.

Sharon Tobin anchored the Six One News on Friday, July 14 from The Cube on Towerhill - the Celtic tiger building that was falling into dereliction before a major Laois County Council-led refurbishment.

Ms Tobin interviewed Caroline Hoffman, Managing Director of The Cube and Yvonne Foy, Contract Training Officer with the Laois Offaly Education and Training Board.

Ms Tobin asked Ms Hoffman, who also represents Laois Chamber, if the commuting pattern of thousands of people driving to work in Dublin from Laois has changed.

Absolutely, Covid-19 has shown everybody that there is so much on their doorstep here in Laois. I moved here five years ago for three reasons - the affordability of housing, connectivity and work-life balance.

Not only do we have affordability of housing and new private housing, we also have affordability for businesses for example lower operational costs, she said.

She also highlighted the connectivity of the county due to its proximity to main ports and airports because of the closeness to the motorway network.

Ms Hoffman said there are 'definitely fewer' people in their cars due to hybrid and remote working and getting involved in their local communities.

We have seen that with local hubs. They revitalised town centres and increase footfall and that really benefits businesses.

As to whether there is enough support for remote working, Ms Hoffman said there has been a lot of Government investment in remote hubs. She cited Laois as an example saying there are remote hubs in every town in the county.

However, she suggested some improvements.

What we do need to se is some incentives to encourage employees and employers to utilise these brilliant facilities, she said.

Ms Hoffman added that hubs are not just about access about desks and high-speed internet but they are also community spaces with a host of services on site.

I know from The Cube that we are very fortunate to have the support of Enterprise Ireland and Laois County Council who have given us funding and been visionary in terms of making this project happen.

There is also EU funding to help revitalise derelict buildings. The Cube was derelict for over 15 years and now we have 80 staff working from here at various times, she said.

Ms Tobin asked Ms Foy about what is involved in training people for remote working. She said LOETB has been involved in providing three types of remote working training modules with Solas, Grow Remote and the IDA.

She explained that these programmes are fully online and can help people who are starting to work remotely, progress their career remotely and lead teams remotely. She said they focus on collaboration, communication, remote work cultures. It's not just a case of sitting down at your kitchen table with your laptop, she said.

Ms Foy added that the aim is to demystify remote working but also show that employment and progression options can be achieved by working outside the office.

She said LOETB has trained people in the HSE after the cyber attack, eBay staff as well as companies that are switching to remote operations.
A man who was handed 400 of heroin outside Portlaoise courthouse had spent seven months in solitary confinement in the UK, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told.

John Kelly, 40, of 69 Hillview Drive, Portlaoise admitted to possession of heroin and obstructing gardai at Main Street, Portlaoise on September 7, 2021.

A Garda Detective said a woman handed the defendant a package as he was being brought from the prison van into the courthouse. He said the defendant tried to conceal the package which turned out to be heroin valued at 400. He said the defendant has 97 previous convictions.

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client was pleading guilty. She said she believed there was a co-accused before the court.

The detective said there was and the woman received an eight month suspended sentence for sale and supply of heroin.

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had been in care from a young age. He had suffered abuse while in care. He has just spent 13 months in three different prisons in the UK and while there was in solitary confinement for seven and a half months.

Judge Andrew Cody noted there were 97 previous, including a number under the misuse of drugs act.

He said bringing drugs into prison was a very serious matter. Judge Cody sentenced the man to six months in prison but suspended the sentence for three years.
The famous Mountmellick Christmas Tree in Laois now no more, is to be reinvented thanks to a local committee and 50,000 in grant money just won by them.

The central steel column of the beloved 65 ft tree had to be dismantled recently for structural safety reasons after it was found to be seriously corroded (below: the structure on the ground).

Instead of a similar tree next winter, Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee is embarking on an ambitious design reinvention. It will embrace local craft heritage and sustainable energy efficient lighting and take over two years to create.

The Laois project is one of 43 sharing 5.8M in funding announced under the new Creative Climate Action Fund II.

The money for the creative, cultural and artistic initiatives around Ireland was announced by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Ministers Catherine Martin and Eamon Ryan.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD spoke on the day of the grant announcements.

The inclusion of three significant cross-border projects in the Creative Climate Action Fund, under the Shared Island initiative, signifies the ongoing Government support for ambitious activities which benefit the whole island and bring people together around common concerns. In this instance the funding will help to develop awareness, through creativity, of climate change, the single greatest threat facing humanity today. We must be the generation that turns the tide on climate change and biodiversity loss. The ongoing Shared Island dimension of the Creative Ireland Programme will harness the power of cultural creativity to bring communities together across the island.

Cathy Bishop is chair of Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee.

"Mountmellick Embroidery and heritage museum and Yarn Bombing Mountmellick and an artist are going to provide guidance and assistance. The design will reflect Mountmellick's textile heritage. It's a plan that we hope to achieve by Christmas 2026 at the latest. We ask for people's patience and understanding," she said.

The committee say that for the next couple of Christmasses, there will be real trees erected in O'Connell Square.

Laois Minister of State Sean Fleming TD welcomed the funding.

"The old tree that was in the town had been there for many many years and it is good to see funding for a new project to replace this old tree under the Governments Creative Climate Action Fund.

"The Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee took the lead in this project and were supported by : Mountmellick Embroidery & Heritage Museum, Yarnbombing Mountmellick and artist Martina Coyle.

"This project can be described as: Reimagining the iconic Christmas tree of Mountmellick through the lens of eco-design and renewables; use of local lace and embroidery crafts alongside energy efficient lighting - to engage the community in rethinking their lifestyle and energy use.

"I want to compliment all those involved in this Mountmellick project for their skills and artistic talent to make this happen. I am already looking forward to visiting this new project in December," Minister Fleming said.

Commenting on the announcement Minister Martin said:

The success of our inaugural Creative Climate Action initiative is hard to deny. The first 15 projects were in equal parts exciting, thoughtful and ambitious. The ambition of the artists and the communities involved were made manifest by dramatic light installations that demonstrated rising sea levels in Galway and Wexford, immersive agricultural programmes in Dingle and Tipperary, decarbonising projects in Limerick and Waterford, and the regeneration of repair and reuse culture in Westmeath.

However the real value of the initiative was the unrelenting desire for meaningful change amongst all those involved. I believe the projects that we are launching today will drive that momentum for change even further. I want to congratulate the breadth of imagination and considered thinking involved in each of these 43 initiatives. It is wonderful to witness and a real privilege to support.

Welcoming the announcement Minister Ryan said:

Climate change can be such a huge issue that people can too often feel overawed, or that its something they cant do anything really meaningful about. This change can be achieved through fully exploring avenues for innovative and creative ways to inspire people to take action. Once again the Irish cultural sector and our enterprising communities have responded with initiatives that will challenge us all to make the changes needed to secure a better future for us all. This is exciting and important work and I wish to commend everyone involved.

Other projects include: Citizen project to map air quality in Galway.

An inclusive Shared Island initiative that will empower neurodivergent communities to engage in climate action.

A creative arts programme that will bring together the communities of Carlingford Lough to engage with their marine environment.

A nationwide campaign led by the advertising industry to create alternative visions of the future.

A site-responsive, interactive piece that aims to reduce a Waterford theatres carbon footprint.

Celebration and exploration of winterage practices in the Burren and sustainable farming

A creative investigation of the impact of demolition in Irelands construction sector

The Creative Climate Action Fund II had received 239 applications from; Architecture, Creative Facilitation, Film, Participatory Design, Visual Arts, Cultural Heritage, Theatre, Service Design, Dance, Literature, Music, Traditional Arts, Festivals, Circus, Publishing and Press, and Animation and Augmented Reality.

The Creative Ireland Programme, in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is funding 40 recipients. A further 3 recipients are funded as part of the Shared Island initiative of the Department of the Taoiseach.

The programme is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of the Taoiseach.
A man has appeared at Naas District Court following the accidental death of a young teacher on the M7 last year.

Thomas Murray, 68, whose address was given as 24 Edenmore Avenue, Coolock, Dublin 5, is being prosecuted for allegedly failing to stop at the scene of an accident at Lewistown, between Newbridge and Naas, on September 24, 2022.

The accident claimed the life of 24 year old Brendan Fitzpatrick.

Detective Garda Christine Brady said the defendant remained silent when charged.

The garda also told the court there was no State objection to bail being granted.

She said that the deceased was walking on the motorway and was struck by one vehicle which remained at the scene.

She said it will be alleged that the deceased was struck by another car which left.

A third car stayed at the scene.

The court also heard that Mr Fitzpatrick was pronounced dead at around 5am

It is a very sad case, said Det Gda Brady.

The court was told that a family liaison officer had been appointed by the gardai to keep the family of the deceased informed of any case developments.

Read more Kildare news

Gda Brady said the family were aware of the court hearing but had decided not to attend.

The court was told that there are a large number of witnesses in the case and the book of evidence is not yet ready.

The case was adjourned on October 18.
Its the biggest race of the year for the female of the equine species for Juddmonte Irish Oaks day at the Curragh Racecourse but off the track sees arguably one of the most sought after style prizes of the year where one lucky lady will take away a huge 5,000 cash prize, helicopter trips and pure luxury from Barberstown Castle.

With a theme of Classic Elegance with a Hint of Blue the famous Barberstown Castle Sapphire Style Awards takes place on Saturday 22nd July at the Curragh Racecourse as part of the Juddmonte Irish Oaks weekend. The well known luxury hotel which was once owned by rock music legend Eric Clapton have enlisted TV presenter Brian Dowling and his husband Arthur Gourounlian of Dancing With The Stars fame as the days style competition judges and they will be joined by Barberstwon Castles Amanda Torrens and Katie Robinson on the judging panel.

This year's huge Sapphire style prize consists of a 5,000 cash prize, a two night stay at Barberstown Castle with dinner and a helicopter trip to The Curragh Racecourse on the 7th of October for a VIP day at the races.

Barberstown Castle owner Amanda Torrens said We think that this will be one of the biggest and most prestigious style days of the year and we are really excited to see how entrants will interpret our theme of classical elegance with a hint of blue. Barberstown Castle has been at the heart of the Irish horse racing industry since 1288 and through the centuries since then there has been a steadfast interconnection between our historical hotel and all equestrian pursuits in the province.
Riverbank Arts Centre were delighted to welcome artists Sinead McCann, AlanJames Burns and their collaborating artists Aine Walsh, David Carter, Keith Whelan, Laura Hickey, Aidan Winters, Conor Begley, David Carter, David Deane, Frances Quinn, Jonathan Smith, Niamh Fortune and Sean Winder to officially open Our Place in the McKenna Gallery on Friday 14th July.

PHPH

PHOTO: LIAM MULLEN

Our Place playfully explores themes of happiness, human rights, and a sense of belonging by transforming the McKenna Gallery at Riverbank Arts Centre into a friendly multi-sensory environment through an electric combination of sound art, storytelling, tactile lighting and comfy seating for everyone to enjoy. A soundscape plays through a system of 12 audio speakers in the gallery with adjustable volume. To further enhance this experience for everyone, three distinct sensory areas within the gallery space have been created including; a social seating area, a time out area, and a tactile string lighting and sculptural area. Lamh, braille and captioned descriptions of sound works are also available to visitors.

David Carter, Our Place Artist, Saint John of God Liffey Services talks about his experience making the exhibition: We made class sounds, and listened back to our recordings on Zoom and WhatsApp. We boosted our health and our happiness. It was fab!!

Caroline Williams, Riverbank Arts Centre Venue Director, We are very proud to present Our Place and to support this important and inclusive participatory art project, by Sinead, AlanJames and their 12 collaborators. Our McKenna Gallery has been transformed into a welcoming, sensory-friendly space to allow the audio artwork to resound. The sound art has been developed over the past three years, a vital project which connected people by ZOOM during Covid lockdown, has now become an uplifting art experience that everyone can share.

Lucina Russell, Arts Officer and Kildare Creative Ireland coordinator states: Our Place is a joyous exhibition that, to me, exemplifies meaningful participation by artists with a range of abilities, and also encapsulates the voice and experiences of those taking part. True collaboration requires tremendous care and time - lead artists Sinead McCann and AlanJames Burns have excelled at this, with support from project partners.

Our Place is a new exhibition developed by artists Sinead McCann and AlanJames Burns in close collaboration with artists, who are supported by Saint John of God Liffey Services, Aine Walsh, David Carter, Keith Whelan, Laura Hickey, Aidan Winters, Conor Begley, David Carter, David Deane, Frances Quinn, Jonathan Smith, Niamh Fortune and Sean Winder. All creative decisions and ideas leading to the exhibition design were informed by collaborative workshops with all collaborators, including during a two-week residency in Riverbank Arts Centre in February 2023, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland Artist in Community Scheme, managed by Create Ireland.

Our Place is supported by Kildares Creative Ireland bursary awards 2023.

Our Place runs in the McKenna Gallery until Friday 28th July. Admission free. For more information please visit www.riverbank.ie
National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company rolling out the new high speed fibre broadband network under the Governments National Broadband Plan (NBP) today announced that engineering survey works for over 1,800 Leitrim premises in the Carrigallen deployment area are now completed.

Homes, businesses and farms in townlands such as Aughavas, Drumreilly and Keeldra are included in this deployment area.

In Leitrim, there are approximately 12,000 premises in the Intervention Area (IA), which includes homes, farms, commercial businesses, and schools. This will enable e-learning, remote monitoring of livestock or equipment, e-health initiatives, better energy efficiency in the home, and facilitate increased levels of remote working.

NBI crews have made substantial progress in Carrigallen, where 1,811 Leitrim premises included in the deployment area have recently completed engineering surveying work.

These initial works pave the way for the next stage of deploying fibre on poles/ducts and includes the erection of poles, unblocking of ducts, and the insertion of sub duct into existing ducts, for the fibre to be installed.

There are 957 homes, businesses, and farms in County Leitrim that can order or pre-order high-speed, reliable broadband. National Broadband Ireland is calling on people living in Leitrim to visit https://nbi.ie/eoi/ to sign up for updates on when they will be able to connect.

NBI Chief Executive Peter Hendrick said: Our teams continue to work on the rollout plan and good progress has been made on surveying, design, and build works in County Leitrim.

Were confident that the rollout will continue to gather pace as we look to connect thousands more homes and businesses. We know that people want access to high-speed broadband and our goal is to deliver that as quickly as possible.

Survey and designs are an important part of mapping out how every home, farm and business will be connected, and they provide the blueprint for how the NBI fibre is laid.

The BCPs are also a key milestone in delivering access to high-speed internet in the Intervention Area, and were delighted to see these being connected for access - internally and externally - right across Leitrim.
The Global Dance Open Competition 2023 will take place in Avila, Spain commencing on July 19 and running until July 22.

This year, Michelle Bells School of Dance will step proudly onto that stage being represented by eight young dancers: Ogie Barrett, Kayley Gallagher, Roisin Hamrogue, Adeline McGinty, Manon McGinty, Meadhbh McGinty, Darcy McGloin and Ellie Reynolds.

These dancers from Michelle Bells School of Dance will, along with other Irish dancers, represent the Republic of Ireland in bringing the very best of Irish contemporary dance expertise to compete at world level in this global dance competition.

The Global Dance Open Competition sees 2,000 children and young people from 36 countries compete in the disciplines of acrobatic dance, ballet, jazz and lyrical dance forms.

True dedication, determination and talent shines through these young dancers who are currently in the final stages of preparation for their Global Dance Open Competition debut.

Following a disciplined training schedule over many months, the dancers have been heavily involved in preparation for the event.

A distinct passion for their art shines through their performances, displaying a living, vibrant art form that is a joy to watch. All are consummate performers displaying a mastery of the various dance disciplines in their intricate, exacting and complex routines.

The dancers expertise in the acrobatic section of the competition sees them perform routines that are exceptionally demanding, requiring great ability in acrobatic technique and performance.

These young dancers discipline for dance displays itself in their superb technique in addition to a wonderful ability with expression  the telling of the story through the dance routine.

All offer elegance and precision in technique making them compelling to watch: delicate in detail, poised and arresting. Above all, it is their love of dance that draws the audience in; enticing them to watch dancers completely at one with their performance.

The Michelle Bell School of Dance has recently celebrated its twelfth anniversary and continues to offer aspiring dancers the very best of tuition and dance expertise in the North West.
A food distribution center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in July 2020. FERNANDA LUZ/AGIF VIA AP

At lunchtime in the Place de la Se at Sao Paulo's cathedral, people were focused on a small metal cart. Stacked on it were 500 marmitas, or packed meals, for the homeless in the center of the megalopolis. The ingredients included rice, beans, dried meat, lettuce and pumpkin. A line of hungry people quickly formed and in less than 10 minutes, all the marmitas had been distributed.

The initiative is the work of the Homeless Workers Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Teto in Portuguese, or MTST), a left-wing organization fighting for the right to housing. On Friday, July 7, the movement's members had been hard at work since dawn in a "solidarity kitchen" set up a few meters from the Cathedral. It was a cold southern winter's night, around 10 degrees when the members woke up. There was no question of leaving those in need in hunger.

"We serve a full lunch, every day at 1 pm except weekends," said Juliana Andrade Bruno Favacho, coordinator of Sao Paulo's solidarity kitchens. The project was born in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic when poverty in Brazil was exploding. "We planned to open 14 or 16 kitchens, but today we run 46 throughout Brazil, serving the homeless and poor families," she continued.

Aid cuts

MTST's meals are just a drop in the ocean in Brazil where hunger has made a comeback. According to the latest study carried out in 2022 by the independent research network Penssan, which specializes in food security, 33 million Brazilians are facing hunger today, that is, more than 15% of the population. And 125 million people  more than half the country  are affected to varying degrees by some form of food insecurity.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Brazil: Widespread hunger will be one of Jair Bolsonaro's legacies

In the past, Brazil had made huge strides. President from 2003 to 2011, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had made "zero hunger" his priority, and to this end committed to proactive and successful policies. Between 2004 and 2013, the proportion of Brazilians experiencing severe food insecurity fell from 9.5% to 4.2%, and Brazil exited the United Nations HungerMap.

But this was followed by a serious economic crisis which began in 2015, followed by Jair Bolsonaro's years in power (2019-2023). Against the evidence, the far-right president denied the existence of hunger in his country. He dismantled the National Council for Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA) and severe cuts were made to food programs.

Millions of Brazilians were plunged into extreme poverty. Back in front of the Sao Paulo Cathedral, whole families of men, women and children waited in line for meals. "Once on the street, it's very difficult to get out of that situation. Many fall into drugs, crack," lamented Juliana from MTST. The town hall's only response is to send in the police to confiscate blankets and mattresses from the homeless. "Sometimes, they even spray them with cold water," said the activist.

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On July 7, 2023, the crew of the aircraft chartered by the NGO Sea-Watch witnessed the illegal interception of a fishing boat carrying around 250 people by a Libyan vessel, the "Tarek Ben Ziyad", in the Malta's zone of responsibility in the Mediterranean Sea. NISSIM GASTELI

Both engines were running at full throttle to allow the small plane to rise into the sky. In the distance, the Italian island of Lampedusa, from which the aircraft had just taken off, was no more than a thin sliver. The Beechcraft Baron 58, chartered by the German NGO Sea-Watch to assist rescue operations in the central Mediterranean and monitor this vast area, had been in the air for only a few moments in the morning sunshine on Thursday, July 6, and its radio was already spitting out alarming communications. "Can you see the harraga [illegal migrant] boat? Is it next to you?" asked a sailor, whose dialectal Arabic suggested he was a Tunisian fisherman. "Yes, yes, he's right there, in front of me," his worried colleague and compatriot immediately replied.

"Radio Lampedusa, Radio Lampedusa?" one of the two men called out on channel 16, the international distress frequency. He transmitted the key information in Italian to the local authorities who responded: "an iron boat," "40 people on board," "the boat is taking on water." He also gave the boat's GPS coordinates.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes How the Tunisian fishing village of Ellouza has become a migrant graveyard

Several hundred meters above the Mediterranean, Samira, seated next to the pilot, didn't miss a second of this conversation. On a piece of paper, the tactical coordinator on board  who asked us not to give her last name  scribbled down the ship's coordinates. "I'd like to go and have a look," she said. The plane turned sharply. Its five passengers scanned the sea with binoculars, before spotting the boat in distress. Aboard the metal hull that had set off from Tunisia, were men, women and children from sub-Saharan Africa.

Iron boats

In this corner of the Mediterranean, such boats are part of the landscape. But the number of departures from Tunisia has risen sharply this year. "There has always been migration from Tunisia, but the use of this route has increased massively," explained Samira. "The nationalities have also changed, especially since the Tunisian president's speech," she continued, referring to the words of Kais Saied, who, in February, denounced the "hordes of clandestine migrants" whose presence in the country would be, according to him, a source of "violence, crime and unacceptable acts."

The head of state's words and the violence that followed them have prompted many Sub-Saharan Africans to take to the sea. Since the start of the year, 37,000 people have arrived in Lampedusa from Tunisia, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a figure up 567% on the same period a year ago. Tunisia has now overtaken Libya as the main point of departure to Europe, and its nationals, who in the past made up the largest contingent on this corridor, have been replaced by Ivorians and Guineans, who now make up the majority of travelers.

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ORIGINALLY built in 1849, Kilmallock railway station has now undergone repairs and a local councillor has emphasised the true potential of the station building in Limerick following its full refurbishment.

The replacement of a section of the roof over the former ticket office and the additional renovations which are currently underway, have sparked Councillor PJ Careys suggestion that the listed building could serve as a base for local organisations who may be actively seeking a suitable location.

It would be great to see the building used in some way, possibly a club or an organisation in the town like the Red Cross for example, who are currently looking for a base, said the Sinn Fein councillor.

In line with his commitment to support the development of the local railway station, the Cappamore-Kilmallock representative presented a motion to Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) earlier this year.

The motion called for the local authority to address objective T12 of the Kilmallock Local Area Plan, which aims to enhance public transport infrastructure within the town and support the future growth of the railway station.

As part of this objective, Cllr Carey proposed a feasibility study and the creation of a business plan.

Highlighting the environmental benefits of a robust rail system, he referenced the Irish Rail Freight Strategy 2040, which advocates for an extensive rail freight network.

The strategy targets a substantial reduction of 25,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

However, the realisation of this vision necessitates the development of additional infrastructure.

Drawing attention to the success of other small towns, such as Killucan in Westmeath, which have recently been granted similar feasibility studies, Cllr Carey believes that exploring the potential for a terminal rail freight or intermodal terminal in Kilmallock is crucial.

In collaboration with Iarnrod Eireann, it is understood that LCCC is currently engaged in correspondence to prepare a comprehensive feasibility study

Furthermore, it is expected council representatives will address Minister for Transport Eamonn Ryan regarding the importance of this initiative.

As a resident of the busy sporting town, Peter Hennessy has questioned why the station is not operational as an alternative transportation hub for the people of Limerick, alongside Colbert Station in the city.

With All-Ireland SHC participation a staple of Limerick peoples itinerary, and the Ryder Cup on the way to Adare, the town's resident is questioning why the Kilmallock travel hub is not an option for people to filter in and out of the county.

The potential to transform the station represents an exciting opportunity for the town, and its locals await the results of the feasibility study.
Nestled in the heart of Rajasthan, Kishangarh is a town that is synonymous with the finest quality of marble. And when it comes to the best marble in Kishangarh, there is no name more trusted than Asian Marbles.

Founded over two decades ago, Asian Marbles has built a reputation for excellence in the marble industry. From its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kishangarh, the company produces a wide range of high-quality marble products that are sought after by customers from around the world.

Asian Marbles offers a wide variety of white marbles, including Carrara marble, Kolkata marble, Statuario marble, Thassos marble, and Ambaji marble. They also offer a variety of other natural stones, such as granite, sandstone, and limestone.

Whether you're looking for white marble for your countertops, flooring, or other home improvement projects, Asian Marbles has the perfect white marble for you. They have a wide variety of colors, patterns, and finishes to choose from, so you're sure to find the perfect white marble to match your style.

In addition to their wide variety of white marbles, Asian Marbles also offers excellent customer service. They are known for being responsive to customer inquiries and for providing excellent after-sales support.

One of the things that sets Asian Marbles apart is its focus on quality. The company uses only the finest raw materials to produce its marble products, and every piece is carefully inspected to ensure that it meets the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.

Asian Marbles offers a wide range of marble products, including flooring, wall cladding, countertops, and more. Its products are available in a variety of colours and patterns, from classic white marble to more exotic hues like green and pink.

In addition to its commitment to quality, Asian Marbles is also known for its excellent customer service. The company takes great care to ensure that its customers are satisfied with their purchases, and its friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on hand to answer any questions and provide expert advice.

Asian Marbles is the quarry owner, manufacturer, and wholesaler of white marble, black granite, and other natural stones. The choice to take the paths less travelled has made all the difference in the success story of Asian Marbles. The company was established in a simple warehouse in Kishangarh, Rajasthan, in 1997, and ever since has been raising the bar with its quality products and superior services. Today, Asian Marbles, with a keen aptitude for innovation and skill, an inclination towards concurrent technological advancements, and multiple quarries at Indian Statuario Marble, Dharmeta, Morwad, and Banswara in Rajasthan, India, along with quarries in Vietnam, have emerged as an undisputed leader in marble mining, processing, and research and technology development across the globe.

Asian Marbles promises to adorn every space with grandeur, finesse, and unmatched quality, staying forever true to the principles this company was founded on.

But perhaps what really sets Asian Marbles apart is its commitment to sustainability. The company takes great care to ensure that its manufacturing processes are environmentally friendly, and it uses recycled materials wherever possible. This commitment to sustainability has earned Asian Marbles recognition and accolades from industry experts and environmental organisations alike.

Whether you're a homeowner, architect, or interior designer, Asian Marbles is the perfect choice for all your marble needs. With its focus on quality, customer service, and sustainability, Asian Marbles is truly a cut above the rest.

So if you're looking for the best marble in Kishangarh, look no further than Asian Marbles.

Visit their showroom today to see their stunning range of products and experience their unparalleled commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

If you're looking for the best white marble dealer in India, then you need to contact Asian Marbles today! They have the perfect white marble for you and their customer service is second to none. You can also check their website, https://www.asianmarbles.com/, for detailed information on marble and granite products for flooring and other needs.

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.
China's BYD Co has recently presented a noteworthy proposition to invest $1 billion in India, aiming to establish manufacturing facilities for electric vehicles and batteries. According to Reuters, BYD Co plans to collaborate with a local company in India for this venture.

BYD Co, in conjunction with the privately held Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures, has reportedly submitted a proposal to Indian regulators for the formation of an electric vehicle (EV) joint venture., as per Reuters.

Reportedly, the strategic vision involves the establishment of a comprehensive range of BYD-branded electric vehicles (EVs) in India, spanning from hatchbacks to luxury models. BYD, recognized as the world's leading manufacturer of EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles, did not provide an immediate response to the request for comment.

It is worth noting that the company had expressed its intentions to establish manufacturing facilities in India, which currently ranks as the world's third-largest automobile market. As of now, there has been no response from India's commerce and heavy industries ministries regarding the matter.

As BYD continues its swift global expansion, its foray into the Indian market is seen as a strategic move to directly compete with Tesla, which currently holds the top position in EV sales. Should the investment proposal in India receive approval, it would enable BYD to establish a significant presence in all major automotive markets worldwide, with the exception of the United States. This expansion solidifies BYD's commitment to capturing a larger share of the global EV market.

BYD has made a substantial investment of $200 million in India, where it currently offers the Atto 3 electric SUV and the e6 EV for corporate fleet sales. Furthermore, the company intends to introduce its Seal luxury electric sedan later this year.

The company, renowned for its Blade batteries and electric vehicles (EVs), has outlined its ambitions to gradually increase production to 100,000 EVs per year in India over the course of a few years. Initially, the company is expected to ship vehicle components for assembly within the country as it endeavors to establish a robust supply chain. Reportedly, the investment proposal put forth by BYD and Megha entails the establishment of charging stations across India, as well as the construction of research and development facilities and training centers.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is visiting two of Chinas neighbors where she has pushed firms to move their operationsjust a week after she reassured officials in Beijing that the U.S. wasnt out to sever trade and investment ties. The trip to India and Vietnam underlines a central tension in the U.S.-China economic relationship: Yellen and the Biden administration must figure out how to promote alternatives to China without further upsetting relations with Beijing. U.S. attempts to distance itself from China carry huge stakes for the world economy. Western officials worry they are too reliant on China for a host of critical exports , but they fear that a collapse in relations with the country could augur economic disaster. India, where Yellen will attend a gathering of global economic officials from July 16-18, and Vietnam, where she will visit from July 20-21, have emerged as key beneficiaries of strains between the worlds two largest economies. Firms increasingly invest and produce there at the encouragement of Yellen and other U.S. officials. While Yellen has cast these shifts as part of a narrow effort to create more diverse supply chains and protect national security, Chinese officials view the U.S. moves as an attempt to hold back their economys growth and development. U.S. and Chinese officials agreed to keep talking after Yellens trip , a positive sign after relations plummeted over Taiwan, technology, the Ukraine war and a Chinese balloon. Its a thin line for Secretary Yellen to walk after the China trip," said Huong Le Thu, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who studies southeast Asia. A senior Treasury official said Yellens calls for supply chain diversification arent aimed exclusively at China, adding that she will continue to explain that the U.S. isnt trying to disrupt the global economy or force countries to pick sides between Washington and Beijing. The Chinese embassy in Washington didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Both India and Vietnam have seen their economic ties with the U.S. grow in recent years, with American companies such as Apple eyeing the countries as alternative manufacturing hubs to China. Propelled by U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, trade between the U.S. and Vietnam more than doubled to roughly $140 billion in 2022 from $60 billion in 2018, while trade between U.S. and India increased to $130 billion from $87 billion over the same period. Trade between the U.S. and China hit a record $690 billion last year, but Chinas share of U.S. imports has been falling, and U.S. investment for new operations in China has dried up. The U.S. has aggressively courted India as a counterweight to China in the region. President Biden recently welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit, and Yellens visit to Gandhinagar, India will be her third stop in the country since November. India is hosting this years gatherings of ministers from the Group of 20 major economies. Officials in southeast Asia want the U.S. to do more to encourage trade and investment in their countries. But India, Vietnam and others have deep economic relationships with China, too, and dont want to upset those ties by siding too closely with the U.S. We dont want to be forced to make a choice," Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said in a recent interview. Yellen will also gather in India with European and other global officials, who are likely to seek information on her trip to China. The International Monetary Fund has warned that the U.S.-China rivalry could split the world economy into fragments, slowing economic growth. Yellen has sought to steer U.S. policy to avoid that happeningand make the case to other foreign partners that U.S. policy toward China wont endanger their economies. Everyone is going to be interested in what Yellen has to say about the China trip," said Mark Sobel, a former Treasury official. The U.S. and Vietnam have in recent years resolved some policy barriers between them. The Treasury Department designated Vietnam as a currency manipulator during the Trump administration, arguing the country weakened its currency to gain an unfair trade advantage and threatening new tariffs. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. didnt penalize Vietnam, which pledged to stop weakening the dong. The Biden administration has also used emergency powers to stave off tariffs on solar imports from Vietnam and three other southeastern Asian countries accused of rerouting Chinese goods subject to tariffs. Write to Andrew Duehren at andrew.duehren@wsj.com
If the phrase wasnt already taken, Ukraine and the EU could be said to enjoy a no-limits friendship". The blocs 27 countries, four of which border Ukraine, have provided money and weapons to their neighbour, taken in its refugees and trained its troops. Ukrainian flags in Brussels dangle from balconies and official buildings. To bolster morale while fighting endures, and help reconstruction once it ends, the club has raised the prospect of Ukraine soon joining its ranks. In many ways it already has. President Volodymyr Zelensky now routinely addresses summits of EU leaders, including once in person. More tangibly, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year Ukraine was given tariff-free access to the clubs single market, beyond trade deals already in place.

But it seems the friendship may have limits after all. European politicians have found a constituency even dearer to them than Ukrainians: their own farmers. On April 15th Poland announced it was shutting off imports of most types of Ukrainian foods; many in central Europe all but followed suit, despite protests from Kyiv. The move undoes much of the trade largesse extended to the EUs embattled neighbour last spring. Given that agricultural produce makes up two-fifths of Ukraines total goods exportsthere is a reason half the national flag depicts a golden wheat fieldthe shortfall will be keenly felt by an economy at war. Worse, being thrown under the tractor by the likes of Poland will raise questions over Ukraines prospects as it seeks one day to join the EU.

Poland and its neighbours claim they still stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukrainebut that they are bearing a disproportionate burden for its plight. Scrapping tariffs for Ukrainian grub was meant to facilitate its export to poor countries beyond Europe, in particular after seaborne routes used to ship cheap Ukrainian wheat were originally throttled by Russia. In fact much of that grain has ended up stuck in transit. In central Europe silos full of Ukrainian harvest mean lower prices for local farmers, who have both political heft and access to manure to help make their point at protests. Poland has elections coming up this autumn; the ruling Law and Justice party needs rural votes to stay in power.

The extent of the strain in Euro-Ukrainian solidarity is still unclear. A few days after the original blockade was imposed, a deal was struck that allowed produce to cross into Poland as long as it was merely transiting there (the plan involves sealed containers and guards). The European Commission in Brussels has tried to defuse the situation by offering money to compensate affected farmers, and finding ways to expedite Ukrainian exports away from markets apparently reserved for local growers. But Europe is in effect rowing back from the untrammelled Ukrainian access to its own consumers, never mind its original promise. An extension of the tariff-free deal for another year, starting in June, was once taken as given. Now it may be laden with caveats.

The prospect of no longer being able to sell staples to its immediate neighbours is bad for Ukraine. Worse still, the other export avenuea UN-backed scheme to allow ships to transit through the Black Seadepends on Russian acquiescence which may no longer be forthcoming from next month. Most worrying of all is the mood shift the spat has revealed. Ukraine still enjoys broad support in just about every part of the EU. But it is no longer unconditional and across all areas, as was once the case. A senior EU official familiar with the thinking in national capitals speaks of a la carte" backing for Ukraine going forward, not the all-you-can-eat succour of 2022.

Weapons and money will continue to flow, refugees will still be hosted, and more sanctions against Russia are being mulled. Less clear are Ukraines prospects for closer ties with the EUincluding, one day, accession. The countries that blockaded Ukrainian grain have been among Kyivs most strident allies, notably Poland. Ukraines bid to join the club largely depends on the continued support of central Europe, to overcome the muted scepticism of old" Europeans in France and the Netherlands, among others.

The central Europeans pitch has been an emotional one: Ukrainians are fighting for the entire continents freedom, and so should not have to go through the years-long box-ticking exercise that applicants to the EU usually endure. Western Europeans have made the point that Ukrainian accession will come at a cost. Much of the EUs budget is spent on farm subsidies or structural funds that go largely to poorer countries. If it were to join, Ukraine would have a fifth of all the farmland in the EU. Its population of over 40m had less than one-third the incomes of their EU neighbours (before the war). Bringing Ukraines farms in will mean less money for current recipients. Currently 18 out of the clubs 27 countries get more cash from Brussels than they pay in, including all of central Europe. The figure could drop to just four or five once Ukraine joins, according to estimates doing the rounds in EU circles.

Reaping what you sow

Poland and its neighbours used to pooh-pooh these sorts of pragmatic concerns: how could support for an ally at war be subjected to such tight-fistedness? The farm spat shows there are limits to how much even central Europeans will give up to support Ukraine. Western Europeans, repeatedly browbeaten by the likes of Poland for insufficiently aiding Kyiv with arms and money, feel like the penny has dropped. The moral authority that has given central Europe a larger say in EU affairs (though not as much as was sometimes made out) has receded.

Ukraine is still widely expected to reach the next step of rapprochement to the EU: starting formal accession talks to join the bloc. The commission will present a report on its progress next month, and another by year-end. Not long ago everyone expected the sense of momentum to continue through the talks, which may take years. But now a large Polish tractor stands between Ukraine and its dreams of EU accession.

Read more from Charlemagne, our columnist on European politics:

Annalena Baerbocks trip to China shows her talent and her limitations (Apr 20th)

How Europe is spluttering its way to better air quality (Apr 13th)

Europe is unprepared for what might come next in America (Mar 30th)

Also: How the Charlemagne 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
New Delhi: International crude oil prices traded flat on Friday after a surge in the previous session due to concerns of supply disruption.

At 5.25 pm, the September contract of Brent on the Intercontinental Exchange was trading at $81.40 per barrel, higher by 0.05% from its previous close. The August contract of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was just 0.01% higher at $76.90 a barrel.

Prices had risen on Thursday for the third consecutive session, after some oilfields in Libya were shut down due to protest against a reported kidnapping of a former minister.

Ravindra V Rao, head of commodity research at Kotak Securities Ltd said: Libyas second- biggest oil field is in the process of shutting due to protests, while theres also a production halt in Nigeria, at a time when Russian flows are finally starting to ease."

Further the prices traded on subdued note on Friday after the International Energy Agency (IEA) said that the global demand this year will not grow as fast as previously projected. The agency however, sees record demand of 102.1 million barrels per day in 2023.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) expects an even tighter global oil market next year. As per OPECs estimates global oil consumption will climb by 2.2 mbpd to reach 104.3 mbpd in 2024.

Rao added that oil prices might take a breather after the one-sided rally since late June.

Analysts, noted that although crude traded on a flat note on Friday, the sentiments are still bullish amid concerns of fall in supplies. A recent report by S&P Global Commodity Insights said that Russian seaborne crude exports fell 10% on the month in June to their lowest levels since February, as sales to refiners in India and China slipped back from a post-war high.

Flows to India fell the most, by 300,000 barrel per day (bpd) on the month, while crude exports to China slipped by 150,000 bpd, the data showed.

However, shipments rose to some other destinations, with flows to Egypt at 175,000 bpd in June and ship-to-ship transfers off Greece growing to 150,000 bpd, the highest since February, the report said.

Russia-origin seaborne crude shipments averaged 3.46 million b/d in June, the lowest since February but still 12% above average pre-war levels of 3.1 million bpd, the data showed.
Senco Gold IPO listing date has been fixed on 14th July 2023 i.e. today. As per the information available on BSE website, the equity shares of Senco Gold Limited shall be listed and admitted to dealings on BSE and NSE in the list of 'B' group of Securities on Friday, 14th July 2023. Senco Gold IPO listing will take place in a special pre-open session at 10:00 AM on Friday session.

According to stock market experts, Senco Gold IPO may list at a strong premium and repeat the listing performance of recently listed stocks like ideaForge Technology and Cyient DLM Ltd. They said that recent successful listings have demonstrated significant profitability, setting the stage for Senco Gold Ltd to follow suit. They said that Senco Gold share price may open above 450 apiece levels, delivering at least 40 per cent listing premium to the lucky allottees. Meanwhile, grey market has maintained its positive sentiment in regard to the public issue. According to market observers, Senco Gold share price is quoting at a premium of 130 in grey market today.

Experts predict strong listing premium

Speaking on Senco Gold IPO listing, Abhay Doshi, Founder at UnlistedArena.com said, "Senco Gold IPO has garnered an exceptional response from investors across all categories, indicating strong market interest due to reasonable IPO pricing, visible growth prospects, and the prevailing positive sentiments in the primary market. Recent successful listings have demonstrated significant profitability, setting the stage for Senco to follow suit. The anticipation is high that Senco's listing will be similarly rewarding, potentially offering hefty returns of almost 40 per cent to the investors."

On expected Senco Gold share price opening, Vaibhav Kaushik, Research Analyst at GCL Broking said, "Senco Gold business model and balance sheet is in sound shape and it is expected to sustain its business in medium to long term, which is a good sign from a long term stock investors' perspective. As Indian stock market is in bull trend and recent listings have delivered whopping return to its allottees. I am expecting Senco Gold to deliver ideaForge and Cyient DLM IPO like listing premium to its allottees. The jewelry stock may list above 450 apiece and deliver at least 40 per cent listing gain to the investors."

Expecting strong debut for Senco Gold shares, Anubhuti Mishra, Equity Research Analyst at Swastika Investmart said, "Senco Gold share price is likely to open around 440, a healthy premium of nearly 40 per cent over the issue price of 317 per share. This is justified by the strong demand for the Senco Gold IPO, which was subscribed 77.25 times. The company has also been growing its business steadily in recent years and is well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for gold jewellery in India."

What Senco Gold IPO GMP signals

According to market observers, Senco Gold IPO grey market premium (GMP) today is 130, which means grey market is expecting that Senco Gold share price may open around 447 ( 317 + 130), which is more than 40 per cent of the Senco Gold IPO price band of 301 to 317 per share. This means, grey market is also expecting that Senco Gold share price may open at a whopping premium and repeat the listing date performance of recently listed ideaForge and Cyient DLM shares.

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 taking any investment decisions.
Multibagger stock: Mishtann Foods shares are one of those small-cap stocks that has delivered whopping returns to its positional shareholders in post-Covid bounce back. This small-cap FMCG stock has risen from around 2.20 to 11.30 apiece levels in the last two yeas, delivering more than 400 per cent to its long term positional shareholders. This small-cap stock is in bull trend after bottoming out at 7.15 apiece levels in the last week of May 2023. Mishtann Foods share price today made an intraday high of 11.30 apiece on BSE, this means the multibagger stock has risen to the tune of 60 per cent in the last two months.

Nomura Singapore-backed FMCG stock declared strong Q4FY23 results at the end of May 2023, which attracted attention of stock market bulls. The small-cap stock, which has a market cap of around 1,120 crore reported near 10 per cent growth in revenue from operations to 168.89 crore, which stood at 153.47 crore in the corresponding period in previous fiscal. The FMCG company claimed this growth was primarily driven by various product launched by the company in domestic and international market.

Mishtann Foods share price history

Taking cue from Mishtann Foods share price history, the FMCG company has risen from around 9.75 to 11.30 apiece levels, logging near 15 per cent rise in this time. In last six months, this Nomura Singapore-backed small-cap company has surged from near 9.05 to 11.30 per share levels, logging around 25 per cent rise in this time.

MISHTANN FOODS More Information

In YTD time, this FMCG share has ascended to the tune of 25 per cent as well. In last one year, this multibagger stock has appreciated to the tune of 30 per cent whereas in the last two years, it has delivered 400 per cent return to its positional investors.

 1 lakh turns to  5 lakh

So, if an investor had invested 1 lakh in this small-cap Nomura-backed company around two years ago, its 1 lakh would have turned to 5 lakh today.

Mishtann Foods Q4Fy23 results

Mishtann Foods claimed that EBITDA increased by 4.57 per cent from 22.33 crore in Q4 FY22 to 23.35 crore in Q4 FY23. EBITDA margins decreased from 14.55 per cent in Q4 FY22 to 13.82 per cent in Q4 FY23 by 73 bps.

The company's PAT increased by 7.45 per cent from 13.15 crore in Q4 FY22 to 14.13 crore in Q4 FY23. PAT margins decreased from 8.57 per cent in Q4 FY22 to 8.36 per cent in Q4 FY23 by 21 bps.

Therefore, Q1 results of Mishtann Foods will be important from an investors perspective, who hold shares of the company.

The FMCG company recently informed Indian exchange about Nomura Singapore raising its stake in the company to 1,28,25,854 Mishtann Foods shares, which is 1.28 per cent of total paid up capital of the company.

Mishtann Foods news

In one of its latest exchange communication, the FMCG company has informed Indian stock market bourses that Mishtann Foods is taking proactive measures to address the current surge in rice prices across Asia. As importers rush to stockpile rice due to fears of crop damage from the onset of El Nino, the company is committed to ensuring the availability of premium rice products while emphasizing food security and sustainable agricultural practices.
Senco Gold IPO: Shares of Senco Gold Ltd listed on the bourses at a premium on Friday. On the NSE, the stock was listed at 430 per share, 35.6 percent higher than the issue price, and on the BSE , the stock was listed at 431 per share.

The company has fixed the price band for the issue at 301 to 317 per share.

Senco Gold IPO made a strong debut on the stock exchanges today, listing at 430 per share, a premium of 36% over the upper end of the price band of 317. The strong listing was in line with the expectations. We are not recommending any fresh buying at this level. However, existing investors can hold the shares for the long term with a stop loss at 387, as the company has good growth prospects," said Anubhuti Mishra, Equity Research Analyst at Swastika Investmart Ltd.

The public issue that opened for subscription on Tuesday, July 4, closed on Thursday, July 4. On the final day of the subscription, the issue received overall positive response from qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), retail, and non institutional investors (NIIS). Retail investors portion was subscribed 16.28 times, QIBs was subscribed 190.56 times, and NII portion was subscribed 68.44 times. The total issue was subscribed 77.25 times.

Senco Gold IPO Day 1: Issue subscribed 69%; retail portion fully booked

The company's IPO consists of a fresh issuance of shares worth 270 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of equity shares by investor SAIF Partners India IV at 135 crore. The company plans to use the net proceeds from the new issue to cover general business needs and the company's working capital requirements.

Prior to the IPO subscription, the company raised 121.50 crore from 21 anchor investors. The anchor book had well-known investors as Nippon MF, White Oak, Jupiter asset management, Bandhan MF, 3P India Equity Fund (Prashant Jain's fund; the fund's first IPO investment), Max Life Insurance, Sundaram MF, and Franklin Templeton MF.

In Eastern India, Senco Gold is a well-known jewellers with a sizable customer base. The company currently has a vast retail network of 136 showrooms and store networks in 13 States/UTs and 96 cities.

The company's past financial performance has been strong, increasing by a two-year CAGR of 24% for revenue and 61% for profit after tax, respectively.

Senco Gold reported a net profit of 158.48 crore in FY23 as compared to 129.10 crore the year before. As against 3,534.64 crore the previous year, its revenue for the year was 4,077.40 crore.

Senco Gold IPO Analysis: As pubic issue sails through, here are some interesting facts about the company

BSE More Information
As the water level of the Yamuna River caused a flood-like situation in the national capital after crossing the danger mark, the Gautam Buddha Nagar administration has announced the closure of Noida schools today, July 14.

District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, who himself went on an inflated boat to inspect low-lying areas submerged in water along the river, issued the order for the closure of schools, PTI reported.

"Due to the high level of water in the Yamuna after heavy rains and in view of chances of rain, the district magistrate has ordered the closure of all schools of all boards on July 14," District Inspector of Schools Dharmveer Singh said.

This order will also apply to schools of the Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Council, the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Council, the Central Board of Secondary Education, and other boards, the District School Inspector said.

According to the Irrigation Department, the Yamuna crossed the danger mark of 200.60 meters downstream of Okhla Barrage around 11.45 am Thursday.

LG VK Saxena also held a meeting with Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in view of the unprecedented flood situation in the national capital.

We had a DDMA meeting. Several important decisions were taken. Schools, colleges & universities will remain closed till Sunday. All government offices, except those providing essential services, will have Work from Home till Sunday. Advisory is being issued for private offices to do the same," Kejriwal said after the meeting.

The Delhi government also decided to cut down supply by 25% following the closure of three water treatment plants. The city government also banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles, barring those carrying essentials, in the city from four borders, including Singhu.

The India Meteorological Department has, however, predicted heavy rain in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh over the next few days.
The Yamuna water caused flooding in several parts of Delhi including ITO area, which is a key route to commute from East Delhi to Central Delhi and Connaught Place. The Indraprastha water regulator was breached due to which many areas around ITO and Rajghat were submerged.

Chief minister Arvind Kejrwial said that the strong flow of the Yamuna river led to Indraprastha water regulator breach and is likely to be repaired in the next three-four hours. Commuters faced lot of problems right from waterlogging, traffic due to the flooding at ITO. At 11 am, the water level in Yamuna, which stood at 208.35 which came down from 208.40 metres at 8am today, however, the current water level is above the danger mark. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted that Delhi will likely receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms for the next 4-5 days. Delhi flood live Check Top 10 Updates here: 1. Water started entering the city after the regulator was breached and many areas around ITO and Rajghat were submerged. 2. Delhi LG VK Saxena and Kejriwal inspected the repair work on the breached regulator. "The regulator was breached due to strong flow of the Yamuna and water started entering the city. The workers have been involved in repairs since last night and it is expected to be done in 3-4 hours," Kejriwal said. Also Read: Yamuna Overflows: Why is there a flood-like situation in Delhi when it hasn't rained in days; Explained 3. After inspecting damaged drain regulator at Vikas Marg, ITO, Delhi LG also said, Army, NDRF, irrigation department and Jal Board are working together and I am hopeful of some positive results in the next 4-5 hours."

4. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also said that due to the flooding, water has entered pump rooms and our 3 water treatment plants in Chandrawal, Okhla and Wazirabad. "There also water has entered and we can't run the machines because of that. So we won't be able to start operating the machines until the water level goes down, he said.

5. Surender Singh Yadav, Special CP, Traffic, Delhi also shared an update saying that 4,500 police deployments have been done in all areas of Delhi. The movements of the Kawariyas are also being monitored. A decrease in water level in areas like Kashmiri Gate is witnessed. But the Ring road area towards Wazirabad is still flooded. We are trying to open the Bhairon Marg till evening. Traffic can be witnessed on NH 44."

6. CM also said that the water level of the Yamuna has started going down and people are expected to get relief soon. He added that flooding of Rajghat was due to backflow of a drain in the area.

7. Floodwaters of the overflowing Yamuna reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in Central Delhi on Friday as the regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department at Indraprastha suffered damage on Thursday evening.

8. The Delhi Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Atishi directed the chief secretary to seek help from the NDRF and Army to prevent flooding in Delhi due to the damage to the regulator. Kejriwal said involving the Army and NDRF will speed up repair work.

9. Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Atishi on Friday said that the water level of Yamuna river is receding gradually at a rate of 0.1 metre and will take a days time for the situation to return to normal. Minister Atishi said that this difficulty is not due to a person or situation but due to incessant heavy rainfall in North India.

10. Many commuters complained of waterlogging at several places causing problems to the traffic. "I have never seen this scenario earlier. We want this problem should be tackled as soon as possible," said a commuter in Delhi's ITO area. Another commuter in the area said that many are facing issues while going to office. I have never seen this level of water logging. We are facing a lot of difficulties in going to the office," he said. Another commuter in Delhi's Supreme Court area said, I am coming from Laxmi Nagar area. There is no auto, or bus running. We are facing a lot of problems in travelling. I am going to Bal Bhawan by walking. I walked almost 4 km to reach my destination."
India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface ( UPI ) payment mechanism which will begin from the iconic Eiffel Tower, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Thursday. He said Indian tourists in France will now be able to make payments in rupees.

Addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris, PM Modi said, Be it India's UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction."

India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower," the Prime Minister said as quoted by ANI.

The announcement is seen as a significant development for bilateral trade and tourism between India and France. PM Modi also stated that the two countries are working on archaeological missions for a long time.

"Very few people know that India and France are working on archaeological missions for a long time. It's expanded from Chandigarh to Ladakh. Digital infrastructure is another sector that strengthens the ties between India and France," PM Modi said.

He also stressed the people-to-people connect between France and India, saying that it is the "strongest foundation" of the partnership between the two countries, ANI reported.

"India and France are tackling many challenges of the 21st century. Therefore, at this crucial time, the importance of the strategic partnership between our countries has increased even more," he added.

The Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India's mobile-based payment system and allows people to make round-the-clock payments through a virtual payment address created by the customer.

UPI and Singapore's 'PayNow' signed an agreement facilitating users in either country to make cross-border transactions earlier this year.

(With ANI inputs)
Mumbai Rains: IMD predicts moderate rainfall, Andheri Subway traffic affected due to water-logging, know details

1 min read

After continuous rainfall continuous to cause waterlogging, traffic jams in Mumbai, IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall in the city on Friday

Premium IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall in the city on Friday (ANI)

As Mumbai continues to bear the brunt of incessant rainfall in the form of water-logging, flooding, and traffic jams, IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall in the city and suburbs on Friday. Delhi flood live update The regional center of the weather forecasting agency has predicted moderate rainfall in the city and suburbs in the next forty-eight hours. Whereas, the maximum and minimum temperatures in the city will likely be around 31 degree Celsius and 26 degree Celsius. Visuals of water-logged roads and long traffic jams in Mumbai are getting viral on the internet. Andheri Subway closed for a while due to water-logging on Friday Incessant rainfall might be a delight for people looking for a break to enjoy neighbouring getaways. At the same time, the rainfall is resulting in water-logging in main parts of the city. Also Read: India Monsoon flood update: Heavy rainfall creates havoc in THESE Indian states. Check weather updates here Due to waterlogging, Andheri Subway will be closed on Friday. Whereas, the traffic will remain diverted to to Vile Parle bridge and Captain Gore Marg S.V road, informed Mumbai local police on Friday. Later, vehicle traffic on Andheri Subway was resumed followed by the draining of water. Also Read: Chennai power cut today: Check list of affected areas here Mumbai train update for today Despite continuous rainfall, Western Railway zone has updated that the Mumbai suburban and Harbour Line are running normally. Mumbai Suburban from Churchgate to Dahanu road and Harbour line between Mahim to Goregaon are operating normally. "WR's Monsoon Update @ 08.00 hrs on 14th July, 2023. @drmbct," tweeted Western Railway.

Meanwhile, Howrah CSMT Duronto Express(12262) from Mumbai, was rescheduled to leave Howrah at 7:45, two hourse late than its scheduled time of 5:45 on 14 July. Delay can affect the train timings throughout the route.

IMD weather update

In its latest weather bulletin, IMD has predicted light to moderate widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall over Konkan and Goa, Ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra during next five days. The weather forecasting agency has also predicted heavy rainfall over Gujarat state during next 24 hours. The weather forecasting agency has predicted isolated very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand during next five days. Isolated very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim and Meghalaya on 14th July and reduction thereafter.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday emphasized the significance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a vital pillar of India's Act East Policy.

EAM highlighted that ASEAN plays a crucial role in the evolving dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region while delivering his remarks at the opening session of the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference in Jakarta.

Jaishankar said, "ASEAN is a crucial pillar of India's Act East policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. A strong and unified ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamic of the Indo-Pacific. India firmly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific."

During an interaction with the Indian community, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the parallels between India and Indonesia in terms of their struggle for independence and subsequent development. He stated that both countries fought for freedom during a similar period and witnessed significant sympathy and support for each other within their respective societies.

Also Read: India pushes for Asean FTA update on trade gap

Additionally, S Jaishankar acknowledged the presence of an emotional connection between the relationship of India and Indonesia.

So when we look at each other, India and Indonesia. I think there is a very natural feeling of attachment that we have each other. And this emotional connect, I would say, in many ways, is a very big resource for this relationship to drop," Jaishankar added.

India's active involvement in this ASEAN-centric regional architecture reflects its strong commitment to maintaining ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific region.

Following his time in Jakarta, the External Affairs Minister will proceed to Bangkok, Thailand to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16, 2023.

The Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is a longstanding mechanism in the lower Mekong region, guided by India's Act East Policy.

In Bangkok, S Jaishankar will participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the MGC on July 16, 2023. This cooperative effort aims to enhance regional collaboration and connectivity.

Also Read: India and ASEAN mark 30 years of diplomatic relations in Cambodia

Furthermore, the External Affairs Minister will also attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Foreign Ministers' Retreat on July 17, 2023, in Bangkok. BIMSTEC is an initiative focused on economic and technical cooperation among the countries of the Bay of Bengal region.

The retreat will provide a platform to discuss and strengthen the BIMSTEC agenda, fostering deeper collaboration within the organization.

(With inputs from agencies)
The latest Google Doodle commemorates France's Fete Nationale, commonly known as Bastille Day in English-speaking countries. This significant day marks the historic event of July 14, 1789, when French citizens joined forces and stormed the Bastille prison fortress, signalling the onset of the French Revolution.

View Full Image Google Doodle is celebrating Bastille Day 2023

The people of Paris rose up against years of mistreatment under the monarchy, and the storming of the Bastille stands as a monumental victory against tyranny. On the first anniversary of this triumph, representatives from across France gathered in Paris for a joyous event called Fete de la Federation (Festival of the Federation) to honour the revolution's achievements and demonstrate their solidarity.

Bastille Day celebrations

In modern times the 14th of July celebrations are held throughout France. Military parades proudly march through various cities, accompanied by spectacular aircraft flyovers that release trails of blue, white, and red smoke, representing the French flag. Dance performances showcase diverse talents, and people gather to enjoy free concerts. The evening culminates with breathtaking fireworks displays that illuminate the night sky.

Also Read: Google Doodle celebrates pani puri

Bastille Day remains a symbol of national pride and unity for the French people, reminding them of their history and the power of collective action. It is a time for reflection, celebration and an expression of the enduring spirit of the French Revolution.

PM Modi in France

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be given one of France's most spectacular recognitions on July 14 as guest of honour at the Bastille Day military parade, a part of a visit that has sealed high-profile defence deals.

PM Modi and President Emmanuel Macron will watch French and Indian soldiers march down the tree-lined Champs-Elysee avenue in Paris, while French-made Rafale fighter jets India bought in 2015 will take part in the fly-past over the Arc de Triomphe, Reuters reported.l
Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader from New York, is leading the charge in proposing legislation that aims to establish a commission with extensive powers to declassify government records related to UFOs and extraterrestrial affairs.

As per a report by The New York Times, the objective behind this initiative is to compel the government to disclose all available information regarding unidentified phenomena, in an effort to address conspiracy theories and alleviate concerns that essential information is being concealed from the public.

The proposed measure presents an opportunity to shed light on the subject and potentially debunk unfounded speculation surrounding UFOs, fostering greater transparency and understanding.

The report further noted that Senator Chuck Schumer plans to introduce the legislation as an amendment to the annual defense policy bill, and it enjoys bipartisan support. Republican Senators Mike Rounds from South Dakota and Marco Rubio from Florida are among those supporting the initiative. Senator Rubio has been a proponent of legislation that compelled the government to disclose reports on unidentified phenomena.

Also Read: US govt in possession of alien vehicles

There is also a likelihood of support in the House, as they included a narrower provision in their version of the annual defence bill, urging the Pentagon to disclose documents relating to unidentified aerial phenomena. The widespread support for these measures signifies a growing consensus among lawmakers to encourage transparency and disclosure regarding UFOs and related matters.

Under the Senate measure, government agencies are required to compile their records on unidentified phenomena and submit them to a review board within 300 days. The composition of the nine-person review board would be determined by President Biden, pending Senate approval.

The aim is to appoint individuals who would advocate for disclosure while ensuring the protection of sensitive intelligence collection methods. This approach seeks to strike a balance between promoting transparency and safeguarding classified information in the process of investigating and disclosing information on unidentified phenomena.

The public's fascination with UFOs has long been significant, but it has intensified further in recent times. This increase in interest can be attributed to the release of a series of videos showcasing unidentified phenomena captured by military sensors, as well as testimonies from naval aviators recounting perplexing encounters during training missions.

While certain videos released by the Pentagon have been clarified as optical illusions or drones, others continue to defy explanation, fueling extensive speculation and discussion. The unexplained nature of these phenomena has sparked curiosity and prompted ongoing investigations and analysis in an attempt to unravel their origins and characteristics.

Under congressional pressure, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies have compiled numerous reports on unexplained phenomena. Officials have attributed most of these incidents to mundane causes such as airborne debris, Chinese surveillance activities, or misidentified weather balloons. American officials have consistently maintained that the collected videos and materials do not constitute evidence of extraterrestrial visitation.

The exact number of undisclosed documents within government archives remains uncertain. Intelligence agencies have reiterated that they have released all the material they possess on the subject. Requests for information on UFOs inundate their freedom of information offices, yet the responses received often state that the archives have already been made available to the public.

However, more recent investigations, particularly those conducted by the Pentagon, have not been disclosed to the public, causing frustration among lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties, according to staff members of Senator Schumer.

For instance, the Pentagon has undertaken extensive studies of videos captured by naval aviators and other military personnel, but these findings have remained classified. While some information about these videos has been released, such as during a recent NASA meeting, there is a reluctance to disclose further details. In certain cases, officials believe that revealing additional information could expose the capabilities of classified optics and sensors.

Additionally, when no definitive conclusions have been reached, officials have been hesitant to share details regarding their investigations or hypotheses.

The withholding of comprehensive information about the incidents that are not fully comprehended has contributed to incessant speculation on social media, television specials, and public discussions. This lack of transparency has created a fertile ground for ongoing debates and conjecture.

The proposed legislation draws inspiration from the commission that oversaw the release of information pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While the effectiveness of that legislation, passed in 1992, has been imperfect, the disclosure and withholding of documents have continued into the Biden administration.

Nonetheless, the review board established for the Kennedy assassination has successfully compelled the release of thousands of pages of documents. Lawmakers are hopeful that a similar approach can be effective in the case of UFO-related information, thereby shedding light on the subject and providing a framework for sharing knowledge with the public, New York Times reported.

As per Senator Schumer's proposed legislation, the president would have the authority to postpone the release of certain materials selected by the commission if national security concerns arise. However, the measure would set a timeline for the eventual disclosure of documents and establish the principle that the default presumption should be in favor of making the material available to the public.

You now will have a process through which we will declassify this material," said Allison Biasotti, a spokeswoman for Schumer.

Government officials have consistently denied possessing any remnants of a crashed alien spacecraft or any manufactured materials of extraterrestrial origins. However, certain former officials have contested these assertions, believing that the government is withholding information, New York Times said.

The proposed legislation would likely result in the release of additional details regarding the government's examination of unidentified materials. However, it also grants the federal government the authority to claim ownership of any alleged crashed spaceships held privately or by corporations, even though the existence of such objects is highly unlikely.

Unlike former President Barack Obama, President Biden has not made direct statements specifically addressing the topic of unidentified phenomena. However, there have been reports that President Biden ordered the shooting down of two unidentified objects and a Chinese spy balloon.

Following this incident, the president emphasized that he would not apologize for taking action against the spy balloon and affirmed that the United States would continue to adjust its strategies in responding to unknown objects.
Malala Yousafzai, the renowned Pakistani activist for female education and youngest Nobel Prize laureate, celebrated her 26th birthday on July 12. Many celebrities, including Priyanka Chopra, Michelle Obama, Melinda Gates, and Phoebe Adele Gates, took to social media to wish her a happy birthday.

Asser Malik, Malala's husband, also expressed his love and admiration for her on Instagram. In a heartfelt post, Asser praised Malala, stating that she doesn't need any reminders of how amazing she is. He called her the best partner he could have ever hoped for. The post was accompanied by an adorable photo of the couple hugging each other on a wooden dock by a waterfront.

Actress Priyanka Chopra also extended her birthday wishes to Malala on Instagram, hoping for the best for her always.

View Full Image Priyanka Chopra extended her birthday wishes to Malala on Instagram.

To commemorate Malala Day, Michelle Obama took to Twitter to express her admiration for Malala Yousafzai and the impact she has made on girls worldwide. Michelle Obama, through her organization Girls Alliance, reached out to members from Namibia, India, Nepal, Guatemala, and Uganda, asking them to share why Malala inspires them. The responses received were filled with love and admiration for Malala's tireless efforts in advocating for girls' education. Michelle Obama expressed her gratitude to Malala for her dedication and the positive change she has brought to the lives of girls globally.
As river Yamuna continues to flow at its all-time high level mark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his France visit, enquired Delhi's flood-like situation from Home Minister Amit Shah on a telephonic conversation.

During their conversation, Home Minister Amit Shah briefed PM Modi Narendra Modi about the flood-like situation and told him that the water level in the Yamuna is expected to come down in the next 24 hours.

In a tweet, the home minister's office said, "PM @narendramodi ji spoke to Union Home Minister @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna river.

Amit Shah along with Delhi Lt Governor, briefed PM Modi that the water level is likely to recede in the next twenty four hours, and they are keeping a close watch on the situation along with the Lt Governor of Delhi. Moreover, a sufficient number of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations and help the people in need.

Also Read: Indian Railways provides additional stoppages to THESE trains going towards South India. Details here

It is worth noting that water from the raging Yamuna river entered into many parts of Delhi causing severe flooding on Thursday. The flood-like situation threw normal life out of gear and prompted authorities to close all schools and colleges till July 16. Entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services was also banned. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took note of the situation in Delhi from France, where he will be attending the Bastille Day celebration on Friday.

PM Modi on two-day France visit

During his ongoing visit, PM Modi made some key announcement to boost ties between India and France. In the recent announcements, PM Modi allowed the five-year student visa to Indian sudents after completing their education in France. Soon, Indians would be able to use UPI for making payments in France. Announcement of opening a new consulate was also made by the Prime Minister on Thursday.

PM Modi was also conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour by French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace, France on Thursday.

With this, he joined the rainks of other prominent world leaders like former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, etc, to be honoured with the title.
French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on PM Narendra Modi. It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders.

As reported by ANI, PM Modi will become the first Indian PM to receive this honour. The Legion of Honour, established by Napoleon Bonaparte, consists of five degrees, with the Prime Minister being awarded the highest, the Grand Cross. The ribbon is red, and the badge features a five-armed Maltese asterisk on an oak and laurel wreath. While membership is typically reserved for French nationals, foreign individuals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also receive this distinction. Approximately 300 foreign nationals are awarded this honour annually, among a total membership of over 79,000.

Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet stated, "A warm gesture embodying the spirit of India-France partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron."

PM Modi is in France for a two-day official visit. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport

PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora in Paris. They accorded a warm welcome to PM Modi while raising slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and Vande Mataram."

PM Modi will join French President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day in Paris as the Guest of Honour on April 14. An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while Indian Air Force aircraft will perform a fly-past on the occasion. PM Modi's visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Prior to arriving for the dinner at Elysee Palace, PM Modi interacted with the Indian community in Paris. While sharing glimpses of his interaction with the Indian diaspora, PM Modi tweeted, "Glimpses from a memorable community programme in Paris. Gratitude to all those who joined us. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our diaspora."

During his interaction, he highlighted the multifaceted linkages between India and France. He spoke about India's development in various sectors and invited diaspora members to invest in India.

Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted, "PM highlighted the multi-faceted linkages between India & France. He appreciated the Indian community for bolstering bilateral ties. Highlighted the strides being made by India in different domains and invited the diaspora members to explore opportunities of investing in India."

PM Modi also held a meeting with his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne and discussed furthering cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, energy, environment, education, mobility, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people ties.

After the meeting, Prime Minister's Office tweeted, "PM @narendramodi held fruitful talks with PM @elisabeth_borne in Paris. The leaders reviewed various facets of the India-France partnership as well as discussed measures to further strengthen the ties between both the countries."

He also met French Senate President Gerard Larcher on Thursday at the Senate building, Palais du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

Sharing details regarding the meeting, Prime Minister's Office in a press release said, "The discussions focused on wide range of areas including India's G20 priorities, democratic values in technology usage and cooperation between the two Upper Houses. Regional and global issues of mutual interest were also discussed."
According to a court filing, a US federal court has denied the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) request to impose a temporary hold on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the creator of "Call of Duty," for $69 billion.

As reported by Reuters, the court's decision comes after a federal judge ruled in favor of Microsoft earlier in the week, stating that the FTC had not provided sufficient evidence to prove that the deal would violate antitrust laws. Following the judge's ruling, the FTC filed an appeal on Wednesday, which Microsoft has stated it will contest.

FTC has requested an order to halt the closing of the deal between Microsoft and Activision until the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals decides on a separate stay request. If any regulatory obstacles remain unresolved, there is a higher chance that the agreement between Microsoft and Activision will expire on July 18 without being finalized.

After this date, either company will have the option to terminate the deal unless they agree to extend the deadline through negotiations.

The FTC had urged the court to expedite its decision on the request for a pause, emphasizing that a temporary restraining order currently in place was set to expire shortly before midnight on Friday. "We're disappointed that the FTC is continuing to pursue what has become a demonstrably weak case, and we will oppose further efforts to delay the ability to move forward," Microsoft President Brad Smith said earlier in an emailed statement.

Reuters further noted that in its motion for the pause to Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, the FTC argued her denial of a preliminary injunction to halt the deal "raises serious, substantial issues for the Court of Appeals to resolve."

"The FTC asks this Court to enjoin the merger at issue pending resolution of the FTCs appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The motion is denied," the judge said in the order late on Thursday.

The FTC had initially requested a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt the deal until an internal judge at the FTC could evaluate it. However, Judge Corley applied the standard typically used to permanently block a deal, which the agency argued was not appropriate in this case.

Additionally, the FTC expressed disagreement with the judge's assessment of the deal's impact on multi-game subscriptions and the level of credit given to Microsoft for its efforts to secure agreements with competitors in order to salvage the proposed transaction.

In response to the FTC's concerns, Microsoft had made an agreement to license "Call of Duty" to competitors, with a specific 10-year contract with Nintendo contingent upon the completion of the merger, Reuters reported.

The deal, which represents the largest in the history of the video game industry, had also faced challenges in Britain. However, following the ruling in California, the Competition and Markets Authority in Britain, which had previously opposed the transaction, stated that a revised deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard could address its concerns, pending a new investigation.
After the debt-laden Pakistan received the first instalment of $1.2 billion by the International Monetary Fund, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the move and said that the US stands with the people of Pakistan.

The International Monetary Fund deposited the much-awayted first installment of $1.2 billion in Pakistan central bank as per its $3 million dollar bailout deal on Thursday. The deal will help Islamabad avoid defaulting on its debt repayments.

"We stand by the Pakistani people during these hard times and welcome the International Monetary Fund's approval of a program to support Pakistan. We urge Pakistan to continue working with @IMFNews," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday.

The financial infusion  part of a $3 billion new bailout deal  comes ahead of parliamentary elections due later this year. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the development in a live address to the nation.

(With inputs from AFP)
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel this week to India for meetings with Group of 20 finance officials and Indian officials, and then on to Vietnam for bilateral talks, the US Treasury Department has informed.

On Sunday, Yellen returned to Washington after a visit to China. During her G20 meeting, Janet will continue to push for reforms at the multilateral development banks and for moves to accelerate sluggish progress on debt restructuring processes for low-income countries, a senior Treasury official said as reported by PTI.

In India, Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet on July 17-18 and look to make progress on bolstering the resources of multilateral development banks. They also seek to encourage greater flows of credit to address global challenges like climate change.

The official also noted that Western leaders estimated that multilateral development banks could unlock $200 billion in extra lending firepower over the next decade through measures that were already under way, or under deliberation.

The Treasury hoped the World Bank could create a mechanism to provide more resources for countries tackling global challenges such as climate change, and would like the World Bank to explore options for lending to sub- and super-sovereign actors, not just national governments.

Yellen would also urge all official bilateral creditors, including China, to speed up slow-moving debt restructuring efforts. Recent movement on Zambia's debt was encouraging, but other cases needed to move faster, the official said.

Treasury was pushing for publication of a user manual for borrowing countries aimed at increasing the efficiency of the overall debt restructuring process, the official added.

The U.S. Treasury secretary, who has focused heavily on "friend-shoring" - taking steps to build more resilient supply chains through expanded ties with trusted partners - will hold bilateral talks in India and Vietnam, Treasury said.

Throughout the July 13-21 trip, Yellen would emphasize the need for countries to have diverse, resilient supply chains, although that was not a message "specifically targeted at China," and it did not reflect any plans by the U.S. to decouple from the Chinese economy, the official said.

"If you're talking about diversifying ... your supply chain, you're basically saying I don't want 100% dependence on critical components anywhere in the world. That's not specifically targeted at China," the official said.

Yellen raised concerns with Chinese officials during her visit about what she called punitive actions against U.S. firms and China's recent move to restrict exports of gallium and germanium, two critical minerals used to make semiconductors.

That move was "perhaps the clearest example one can have of why we talk about building diversified and secure supply chains," the official said, adding U.S. officials were still trying to understand exactly how that action would be put in place.

Yellen would also work with Vietnamese officials on U.S. concerns about Vietnam's currency practices, the official said, lauding Vietnam's "constructive dialogue" on the issues.

"Secretary Yellen will highlight this progress during her visit to Vietnam as one example of how our countries can work together to address challenges and help enhance Vietnam's financial and macroeconomic resilience," Treasury said.

Yellen would hold a news conference on July 16, ahead of the G20 meeting, as well as bilateral meetings with officials from India and the European Union, Treasury said.

In Vietnam, she will meet with Vietnamese finance officials and central bankers, as well as the economic commissioner from the Vietnamese Communist party, Treasury said.

She will also participate in a lunch with women economists, following on similar meetings she has held in Japan, South Korea and China, and take part in a female leadership conference hosted by Foreign Trade University, Treasury said.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin's former mercenary chief, has been living in exile. But, now, it is believed to have met an uncertain fate following his failed mutiny in Russia, according to Radar Online sources. Speculation suggests that the boss of the Wagner mercenary group may have been either jailed or possibly even killed and his whereabouts remain unknown. The latest reports indicate that the world may never witness Prigozhin publicly again.

The events surrounding Prigozhin's disappearance and subsequent developments have been unfolding over an extended period, with tensions mounting for months leading up to the failed coup.

Retired US General Robert Abrams expressed doubts about Prigozhin's fate, stating that he may have been forced into hiding, imprisoned or dealt with in some other undisclosed manner. General Abrams also questioned the authenticity of a recent secret meeting between Putin and Prigozhin, suggesting that it might have been staged to give the impression that Prigozhin was still at large, the publication reported. LiveMint could not independently verify the report.

Prigozhin initially vanished after orchestrating an attempted coup against Putin in Moscow, following which he reportedly resurfaced in Minsk, Belarus, after striking an amnesty deal with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Concerns for Prigozhin's safety have been raised, with sources advising him to exercise extreme caution and avoid exposure, given his betrayal of Putin. Recently, Putin's forces conducted a raid on Prigozhin's residence in St. Petersburg, seizing a significant amount of cash, weapons and a collection of disguises allegedly utilised by the mercenary leader for covert missions.

Meanwhile, Putin has revealed that he extended an offer to the Wagner mercenaries, who had been involved in the recent mutiny against the Russian military leadership. During a meeting with approximately 36 Wagner fighters and Prigozhin, which took place five days after the failed revolt, Putin made several proposals, including the opportunity for the mercenaries to continue serving together in Russia, the Russian president revealed during an interview published in the Kommersant newspaper.
Just a week after the Supreme Court ruling to ban affirmative action in college admissions, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas urged Target Corp to end efforts to racially diversify its workforce and vendor network. He called the US-based companys programmes discriminatory" and threatened significant and likely costly litigation" should Target fail to change its ways. The step from college admissions to corporate employment is not a big one. As Noah Feldman wrote, the high courts conservative justices have made it clear that using race as a factor in hiring decisions isnt a practice theyll condone. Whatever side you fall on with this issue, you cant dispute that retail relies on workers of colour, and attempts by lawmakers to end practices to attract those workers would leave stores even more desperate than they are to find employees while further limiting one of the few career paths available to people of colour. Non-Caucasians make up a disproportionate number of retail workers compared with their size of the US population. African-Americans alone accounted for more than 12% of the industrys workforce in 2018, compared with 11% of the total population, while Latinos are almost 19% of retail workers but some 18% of the population, according to a Census report.

Occupational segregation in the US begins well before anyone applies for a job. But much of the racial slice-up between professional and service industries stems from lower rates of advanced degrees across communities of colour, which limits job prospects. Retail is one of the few sectors where those without higher education can earn consistent pay and access health benefits. Cutting back on diversity programmes will make retail work even more challenging than it is by further squeezing the thin representation of people of colour in the upper echelons of management.

Like many companies, including Walmart and Amazon.com, Target announced ambitious goals to diversify its corporate and management teams in the wake of George Floyds murder by police in 2020. Target promised at the time to increase its representation of African-American team members by 20% over the following three years through improved hiring, mentorship and retention schemes. But its most recent 2021 figures show its been a slow go, increasing only from 15% to 16%.

Diversity all along the corporate hierarchy is critical to worker retention and career advancement. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Human Resources found that retail workers managed by someone of the same race are less likely to quit or be fired. And its much harder to stick with a job as a person of colour when your manager may not be able to identify with your race-related issues or understand the specific challenges you may face in advancing.

Any effort to retain workers could pay off, given the risks that come with working in retail. Just recall the early days of public masking policies that put retail workers at the front-lines of enforcing public health precautions and in direct contact with anti-maskers that sometimes led to assaulting employees who were only enforcing corporate rules. Beyond the challenges of working in retail during a pandemic, employees are often required to work on their feet for hours at a time or lift heavy items that risk injury. Indeed, the retail industry has seen an 18% increase in injuries or illness between 2020 and 2021, the largest surge of any sector tracked by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Given the average retail worker earns about $16.70 an hour and a cashier about $13.81, the pay and basic health benefits often fails to outweigh the physical costs. If they dont see a chance for career advancement, retail workers of colour are likely to leave. Thats a problem for retailers at a time when companies need workers who can operate in an increasingly tech-reliant industry. Workers are already leaving the industry in droves and their jobs are being taken by robots. For Target and other retailers, automating tasks such as self-checkout helps to save on labour costs and makes up for those workers who have left. But even so, corporate executives at Walmart to Home Depot say automation can only achieve so much in retail and cant replace people-focused customer service.

Its not the responsibility of any one company to fix systematic discrimination against people of colour in the workforce. But conservatives have focused their outrage on Target for its progressive policies, even as dozens of other companies have made similar diversity commitments. Target fumbled its response to the backlash against its Pride collection last month. It can correct those mistakes by defending its diversity agenda. Lets hope other retailers step up and defend their rival for the good of the industry.

Leticia Miranda is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering consumer goods and the retail industry.
As the Yamuna floodwaters submerged the busy ITO intersection, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Haryana government, saying that the barrage is in their control but it has no interest". Speaking after taking stock of the situation at Delhis ITO, Arvind Kejriwal said, ITO barrage under Haryana govt's control but it has no interest. Will request them to give its control to us."

He also said that Navy personnel are currently working to open the jammed gates of the ITO barrage so that the water is drained quickly. Navy personnel working to open five jammed gates of ITO barrage for speedy drainage of water," the Delhi chief minister said. However, he also asserted that it was not time for a blame game.

This is not time for blame game, need to work together," Arvind Kejriwal said.

Out of 32 gates, five are shut at the Yamuna barrage.. that is why waterlogging is taking place in nearby areas.. we are trying to get these 5 gates opened so that the water flows back to the barragewe are trying our best to bring the situation back to normal," Arvind Kejriwal said.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Friday lashed out at the BJP government in Haryana, accusing it of being responsible for the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi by releasing water in the Yamuna from its Hathnikund barrage.

The BJP hit back, with its Delhi unit chief alleging that the AAP government was "evading responsibility" and blaming other states, as it did during the Covid period.

"Haryana released water from the Hathnikund barrage towards Delhi only and this has caused the flood-like situation here. The chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana should have coordinated to tackle it," claimed Sanjay Singh.
According to a new study, entrepreneurs running crowdfunding campaigns do better if they show people with tattoos in their online pitch materials. And showing tattoos is especially helpful if the campaign is for a product that is not particularly artistic. For instance, a nonartistic product like new night-vision binoculars would get more of a boost from showing people with tattoos than something artistic like a coffee-table book.

That is likely because potential backers may interpret tattoos in a nonartistic campaign as a signal that the person running the campaign is creativeand the perception of creativity makes people more likely to contribute, research shows. For an artistic campaign, though, people likely already think the project is creative, so the tattoos dont help as much.

So, even if theyre pitching a seemingly prosaic product, entrepreneurs shouldnt hesitate to show people who are inked upincluding themselves. Roll up your sleeves and show off your ukulele tattoo," says Jeremy Short, a professor of entrepreneurship at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, and a researcher on the study. That could lead others to see you as creative even before you begin your pitch."

Jazzing it up

Short and his co-authorsMarcus Wolfe, an associate professor at the University of North Texas, along with lead researcher and Ph.D. candidate Paula Kincaidwanted to look into one particular question about crowdfunding pitches and tattoos. Would the display of tattoos help crowdfunding campaigns raise more money?

The team began by downloading a random sample of 1,500 campaigns posted to the Kickstarter crowdfunding site. They took out any campaigns that didnt include at least one picture of humans, and they sorted the 619 remaining campaigns into artistic and nonartistic groups, based on Kickstarters product categorization.

As it turned out, tattoos helped all types of campaigns. For artistic campaigns, showing people with tattoos brought in 128 more backers on average than campaigns where tattoos werent shown. (One of the campaigns the researchers studiedlaunched by Ben Bishop to raise money for the sequel to his graphic novel, The Aggregate"hoped to raise $30,000; instead, it received $53,404 from 471 crowdfunders.)

For nonartistic campaigns, the presence of tattoos helped even more, attracting 458 additional backers on average. Moreover, for nonartistic campaigns, revealing tattoos translated into a steep increase in total dollars pledgednearly $27,000 in more funds raised, on average, than nonartistic campaigns that displayed no tattoos.

What would Warren do?

This doesnt mean, though, that entrepreneurs pitching to traditional investors should show off inkworkeither their own or other peoples, the researchers say. Expectations among traditional backers may not be the same as those for crowdfunding backers.

In some ways, entrepreneurship represents the ultimate form of self-expression, but you wont see Warren Buffett rolling up his sleeves and showing tattoos," says Short. But you will see that in crowdfunding, which allows entrepreneurs to appeal directly to the masses for support and typically attracts creative founders and ventures."
OpenAI , the creator of ChatGPT , and The Associated Press (AP) announced a collaboration on July 13, whereby OpenAI would obtain a license to access AP's extensive archive of news stories. The specific financial details of the arrangement have not been disclosed at this time.

In a joint statement, both OpenAI and AP confirmed that the agreement entails OpenAI licensing a portion of AP's text archive, while AP will benefit from OpenAI's advanced technology and product expertise.

OpenAI will have access to AP news stories going back to 1985.

Technology companies like OpenAI rely on vast collections of written materials, including books, news articles, and social media content, to enhance their large language models, such as ChatGPT.

The introduction of ChatGPT in 2022 has spurred the development of "generative AI" products capable of generating new text, images, and other media.

Although the AP presently does not utilise generative AI in its news articles, the organisation has been employing various other types of AI technology for almost 10 years. These applications have included automating corporate earnings reports and providing recaps of sporting events.

Also Read: ChatGPT Comes Under Investigation by Federal Trade Commission

Also, the AP has established a programme to assist local news organisations in integrating AI into their operations and has recently introduced an AI-powered image archive search feature.

However, the rise of these tools has raised concerns regarding their potential to generate misleading information that can be challenging to detect due to the models' strong grasp of human language grammar.

Furthermore, questions have arisen regarding the appropriate compensation for news organisations and other creators whose work was used to train these artificial intelligence (AI) models, encompassing written content, artwork, music, and other forms of creative output.

On July 13, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into OpenAI and whether it violated consumer protection laws by scraping public data and publishing false information through its chatbot, according to reports in the Washington Post and the New York Times. The FTC did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Also Read: Elon Musk announces new company xAI, set to build ChatGPT alternative

Amidst ongoing debates surrounding the use of AI systems, book authors are now demanding compensation for their literary works utilised in training these technologies.

A collective of over 4,000 prominent writers, including Nora Roberts, Margaret Atwood, Louise Erdrich, and Jodi Picoult, joined forces by signing a letter addressed to the CEOs of OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and other AI developers.

The authors accused these companies of engaging in exploitative practices by creating chatbots that imitate and replicate their language, style and ideas without proper compensation. Notably, several novelists and comedian Sarah Silverman have even taken legal action against OpenAI, filing copyright infringement lawsuits.

The two companies said they are also examining potential use cases for generative AI in news products and services," though didn't give specifics. OpenAI and AP both "believe in the responsible creation and use of these AI systems," the statement said.

The AP deal is valuable to a company like OpenAI because it provides a trove of material that it can use for training purposes and is also a hedge against losing access to material because of lawsuits that have threatened its access to material, said Nick Diakopoulos, a professor of communications studies and computer science at Northwestern University.

In order to guard against how the courts may decide, maybe you want to go out and sign licensing deals so youre guaranteed legal access to the material youll need," Diakopoulos said.

The deal's effects could reach far beyond the AP because of the organisation's size and its deep ties to other news outlets, said news industry analyst Ken Doctor.

(With AP inputs)
President Joe Biden says it is irresponsible of an Alabama senator to block confirmation of military officers in protest of a Defense Department policy that pays for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or reproductive care
UPDATE: Man who shot 2 firefighters in Alabama motivated by personal conflict with one of them, police say

Two firefighters in Alabama are in serious condition after they were shot while on duty at a Birmingham fire station
Here is what you need to know from the TN Department of Transportation.
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A new state of the art office and co-working facility in the surrounds of Granards former Ulster Bank premises was the setting last Thursday night for the north Longford towns annual agricultural show launch.

Paul Belton, the brains behind leading advisory Midland Agri Consultants, welcomed a capacity crowd to the refurbished buildings plush, new interior.

He said his company, which has in excess of 1,000 farmers on its books, had been a fervent supporter of a show which is now in its 72nd year since 2017.

I am delighted to be able to host the 72nd Granard Show launch night, he said.

We started in 2017 sponsoring the show and it is going from strength to strength.

Upon encouraging a round of applause for the shows dedicated band of volunteers, Paul singled out the voluntary effort he had received in bringing the aptly named The Bank premises to the modern finish it exudes today.

He also explained how he had decided to keep the historic buildings financial tradition alive with its new title going forward.

We were googling last week and seeing as it was a bank for 147 years we decided we would just call it The Bank, he said.

Paul went on to explain that his own firm were in the process of relocating to the new facility in a move that will also see two other prominent businesses set up base there.

We have meeting spaces, we are also hoping to hot desk that if someone wants to come in during the day there will be desks provided and we have a meeting room that is open to the public and we have office space upstairs, he said.

We have a lot of interest already. Our own company, Midland Agri Consultants are going to move here and we are currently dealing with over 1,000 farmers in the midlands.

We have Axa Insurance that are taking an office here from August 1 and we have KBG Accountants and are coming to set up here on August 1 too.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: July 14 2023

Elson Forestier allegedly possessed nearly 2.5 kilograms of cocaine; drugs were allegedly concealed in toy packaging and boxes covered in birthday wrapping paper in his Freeport residence.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Freeport man was arraigned today for allegedly Operating as a Major Trafficker after a search warrant in May 2023 revealed nearly 2.5 kilograms of cocaine and more than $12,000 in cash in his residence.

Elson Forestier, 34, was arraigned today before Judge Terence Murphy on charges of Operating as a Major Drug Trafficker (an A-I felony); Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (an A-I felony); Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (an A felony); two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (a B felony); Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree (an A misdemeanor); and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree (an A misdemeanor). The defendant pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $1 million cash, $5 million bond, and $10 million partially secured bond. He is due back in court on August 23, 2023. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

More than $180,000 worth of cocaine was found during a search of this defendants home in Freeport, where it was allegedly contained in the empty packaging of childrens construction block sets and boxes wrapped-up to look like birthday presents, said DA Donnelly. Even though the drugs were shrink-wrapped inside the boxes to conceal them from detection, Nassau County Police Department K9 Chief was able to sniff out the illicit substance. I thank our partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, and NCPD for their crucial investigative efforts that led to todays indictment.

U.S. Postal Inspectors work diligently to identify and deter Drug Trafficking Organizations who prey upon the vulnerable, while destroying the lives and fabric of many neighborhoods. Postal Inspectors will always remain vigilant in locating and bringing drug traffickers to justice, safeguarding the American public and the U.S. Mail. I would like to thank the New York State Troopers, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Postal Inspectors for their collaborative dedication on this case, said New York Division Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker.

The trafficking of cocaine poses a significant threat to public health and safety on Long Island. This threat is enhanced when, as alleged in this case, the contraband is concealed within childrens toys wrapped as birthday presents, said Homeland Security Investigations New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. This investigation highlights the importance of strong collaboration between local, state, and federal partners to dismantle these types of criminal enterprises and keep our communities free of dangerous narcotics.

State Police, Troop L Troop Commander, Major Stephen J. Udice said, This arrest is the result of hard work and determination by our law enforcement partners. Every day we see the impact these dangerous drugs have on families, neighborhoods, and communities. We pledge to continue to work tirelessly, to make sure individuals who are at the root of this illegal activity are held accountable and to keep these dangerous narcotics off the streets across Long Island.

Todays arraignment of defendant Elson Forestier is a prime example of numerous law enforcement agencies working in conjunction to bring this case to justice, said Nassau County Commissioner of Police Patrick Ryder. This defendant showed no regard for the safety of our communities as he dealt large amounts of cocaine in various Nassau County locations. I would like to congratulate all of the investigators and their agencies for their dedication and diligence on this case.

DA Donnelly said that, according to the charges, on May 15, 2023, members of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, and the Nassau County Police Departments K9 Unit, executed a search warrant at the defendants residence at 371 Miller Avenue in Freeport after a long-term investigation.

During the search, law enforcement officers recovered nearly 2.5 kilograms of cocaine and more than $12,000 in U.S. currency.

Approximately two kilograms of cocaine were wrapped in boxes with birthday wrapping paper and concealed within emptied toy packaging in an alleged attempt to evade law enforcement.

An additional half kilogram was found in the defendants bedroom closet.

The defendant allegedly received shipments of kilograms of cocaine directly from Puerto Rico to his residence in Freeport for more than a year.

The approximate street value of the seized kilograms of cocaine recovered during this search warrant was in excess of $180,000.

Forestier was arrested by members of the New York State Police in Freeport on May 15, 2023.

The investigation is ongoing.

NCDA thanks the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, and the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance and partnership in this prosecution.

The case is being prosecuted by Firearms Suppression & Intelligence Unit Chief Lee Genser of the Narcotics, Firearms & Gangs Bureau. Forestier is represented by Steve Gaitman, Esq.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: July 14 2023

Staff will assist residents with filing for veteran, senior citizen, Cold War veteran, volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker, limited-income disability and/or home improvement exemptions.

Nassau County Legislator Arnold W. Drucker (D-Plainview) is partnering with the Nassau County Department of Assessment to host the first 2023 series of Property Tax Exemption Workshops for 16th Legislative District residents.

During the workshops, Department of Assessment staff will assist residents with filing for veteran, senior citizen, Cold War veteran, volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker, limited-income disability and/or home improvement exemptions. Enhanced STAR applications will also be processed for homeowners already enrolled in the STAR program prior to Jan. 2, 2015.

All workshops are by appointment only. Homeowners are asked to make an appointment by calling 516-571-1500 or visiting www.nassaucountyny.gov/assessment and using the appointment scheduler link. All workshops are from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.; additional workshops are planned for the month of October.

For more information or to receive a list of necessary documentation needed for the tax exemption workshop, call the Nassau County Department of Assessment at 516-571-1500.

UPCOMING LOCAL WORKSHOPS OF NOTE FOR LD 16 RESIDENTS:

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023

Hicksville Public Library

169 Jerusalem Ave.

Hicksville, N.Y. 11801

Monday, Aug. 7, 2023

Syosset Public Library

225 South Oyster Bay Road
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: July 14 2023

Governor's Cup Presented to Long Island's Paumanok Vineyards 2019 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the winners of the 37th Annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York's wine industry. The competition's 2023 Governor's Cup was presented to Paumanok Vineyards 2019 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Long Island. In addition, Paumanok Vineyards was also honored with the Winery of the Year award. The announcement was made this evening during a special live virtual event hosted by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. "The New York Wine Classic celebrates the very best of the state's wine and grape industry, and highlights our incredible, locally grown wine selections," Governor Hochul said. "Congratulations to Paumanok Vineyards on receiving this reputable award. The wine industry in the State of New York is a crucial part of our agricultural economy, and I am proud to support the innovation, growth and success of our local farmers and wineries." Organized by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF), the New York Wine Classic, celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines made from producers in the State. The Governor's Cup is the competition's most esteemed award, recognizing the "Best of Show" in the New York Wine Classic, while the Winery of the Year award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries. For the third year, NYWGF partnered with the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) to judge the competition. BTI's trained panel includes beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers, and educators. In addition to winning the Governor's Cup and Winery of the Year, Paumanok Vineyards also won the following awards:

2019 Late Harvest, Sauvignon Blanc - 97, Platinum

2019 Cabernet Franc - 93, Gold Medal

2021 Barrel Fermented, Chardonnay - 93, Gold Medal

2022 Dry Rose - 93, Gold Medal

2014 Tuthills Lane Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon - 93, Gold Medal

2022 Semi Dry Riesling - 91, Gold Medal

2019 Merlot - 89, Silver Medal

Samuel Filler, Executive Director of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, said, "I look forward to this event every year as it is a great celebration of our industry and the all the fantastic wines being produced across the state from our own New York terroir." Kareem Massoud, Winemaker, Paumanok Vineyards said, "We are thrilled and honored to receive both the 2023 Governor's Cup and Winery of the Year Awards from the New York Wine Classic. This recognition means a lot to us. It validates our long-time dedication to producing high quality wines. We thank the New York Wine & Grape Foundation for this honor. Above all, we thank our entire hard-working team at Paumanok Vineyards for their commitment to producing outstanding, delicious wines. We congratulate all of our colleagues for their awards." These awards are especially significant for Paumanok Vineyards as, this summer, Long Island Wine Country celebrates its 50th Anniversary of producing premium New York wines with a sense of place. Those interested in visiting the region and celebrating its history can learn more here. The New York Wine Classic "Best in Category" winners were also announced. Best White Wine

Boundary Breaks 2022 Gewurztraminer, Finger Lakes Best Sparkling Wine

Jason's Vineyard 2021 Bubbly Rose, North Fork of Long Island Best Red Wine

Keuka Spring Vineyards 2021 Blaufrankisch, Finger Lakes Best Dessert Wine

Paumanok Vineyards 2019 Late Harvest, Sauvignon Blanc, North Fork of Long Island Best Pink Wine Wolffer Estate Vineyard 2022 Estate Rose, Long Island Best Specialty Wine Middleburgh Winery 2022 Blackberry Wine, Hudson River Region

"Best of Class" winners of the New York Wine Classic can be found here. The New York Wine Classic included 749 entries from 108 wineries from across the state. A total of 10 Platinum, 320 Gold, 294 Silver, and 81 Bronze medals were awarded. New York State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball, said, "Congratulations to Paumanok Vineyards on winning the Governor's Cup and Winery of the Year, as well as to all of the winners and participants of the 2023 New York Wine Classic. This esteemed competition is an annual opportunity to raise a glass to New York's diverse, innovative wine industry, which continues to set itself apart and produce some of the very best wines in the world. I thank Governor Hochul and the New York Wine & Grape Foundation for their continued support of New York's wineries and our agricultural community that produces the ingredients used to create these outstanding varietals."

State Liquor Authority Chair Lily M. Fan said, "New York State's winemakers continue to rank among the best in the world and this year shows once again, that hasn't changed. The New York Wine Classic is a world-class event bringing together the state's top vintners to celebrate New York's wine industry and showcase everything from chardonnay to dessert wine. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, our wineries continue to be a source of pride and inspiration. Let's raise a glass to our winemakers who produce exceptional wines while supporting agriculture, driving tourism, and strengthening our local economies."

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, "New York State's world-class wine industry is essential to our agricultural sector and a strong driver of local tourism and job creation that supports communities across the State. The New York Wine Classic is an important opportunity to raise a glass to our state's wineries and the incredible makers and grape growers who produce them. I'd like to congratulate this year's esteemed winners, Paumanok Vineyards, on receiving both the 2023 Governor's Cup and Winery of the Year Awards."

Donna Lupardo, Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee said, "Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 New York Wine Classic. This competition puts a well-deserved spotlight on New York's world class wines and the talented wine makers who produce them. I'm proud that no matter where in the state, New Yorkers have plenty of options to enjoy high quality, locally produced wine. Thank you to Governor Hochul, organizers, and participants for making this wonderful annual event possible."

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The annual New York Wine Classic is a great opportunity to celebrate the importance of the state's wine producers, and recognize the diverse varietals and incredible wines they create. Our unparalleled wineries are vital economic partners who create globally-recognized vintages, support jobs and encourage regional tourism. Congratulations to all of this year's entrants and awardees; your continued efforts to perfect your craft are the catalyst that push New York's wine industry to ever greater heights."

President of Karen MacNeil & Company, Author of The Wine Bible, and Creator of WineSpeed, who hosted tonight's awards ceremony said, "The wines of New York State are among America's best kept secrets. New York has a long history of making beautiful cool climate wines, and the state is now moving into a new golden age of high-quality winemaking."

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has supported efforts to grow New York's craft beverage industry and pave the way for unprecedented growth through regulatory reform and groundbreaking initiatives. Today, there are 496 licensed wineries across the State, including 394 farm wineries.

About the New York Wine & Grape Foundation

The mission of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation is to promote the world-class image of New York grapes and wines from our diverse regions to responsibly benefit farmers, producers and consumers through innovative marketing, research, communication, and advocacy. We endeavor to ensure that New York State is recognized as the world's premier region for cool and cold climate viticulture. To learn more about the New York Wine Classic please visit www.newyorkwines.org/classic.
On Shark Awareness Day, Governor Hochul Distributes New Drones to Take a Bite Out of Dangerous Shark Encounters on Long Island Beaches

Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: July 14 2023

New York State offers resources for local governments for better monitoring and communication with authorities.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced new shark-monitoring drones are being distributed to coastal areas of Long Island, New York City and Westchester County. These drones will be distributed for an "eye in the sky" response to previous actions taken to address and enhance beachgoers' safety at State beaches. A total of up to 60 will be available to Long Island, New York City and Westchester County beaches. Governor Hochul made this announcement on Shark Awareness Day, celebrated internationally on July 14th.

"As beachgoers are enjoying their summer in New York, spending time on some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, we have added this eye in the sky," Governor Hochul said. "State personnel will continue to do all we can to keep beachgoers safe. We have the tools and strategies to monitor marine wildlife and protect the health and safety of New Yorkers. These new drones will allow us to scan the water and help local governments across Long Island and New York City keep local beaches safe for all."

Earlier this year, Governor Hochul put new shark safety protocols into place ahead of the summer season. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have increased water surveillance since shark sightings over and since the Fourth of July holiday.

State Parks is giving new drones to downstate municipalities, and also covering the cost of training and operation. While most municipalities do not have drone surveillance capability, this investment will assist localities and agencies along the entire Long Island coastline and in New York City to enhance monitoring efforts, looking for dangerous marine wildlife including sharks, schools of fish sharks feed on, plus seals or diving birds.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, "We are now more vigilant than ever. Along with our squadron of drones in State Parks, we are assisting communities to watch over their waters. We also have lifeguards on WaveRunners that can comb the coastlines and investigate when something is spotted overhead."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "DEC applauds the Governor's investments to help shoreline communities monitor sharks to protect public safety and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners along the coast. Swimmers can do their part by following shark safety guidance to minimize the risk of shark encounters and make a day at New York's beaches even more enjoyable."

To minimize the risk of encounters with sharks, DEC urges swimmers to avoid swimming at dawn, dusk and night, stay close to shore, and swim in groups. This spring, State Parks held a pre-season meeting with beachfront municipalities and local agencies to provide the latest information on shark activity in New York State and discuss coordinated beachfront notifications. In addition, DEC has released its Guidance to Reduce the Risk of Negative Interactions with Sharks.

When there are shark sightings and/or interactions in State Parks beaches, swimming is suspended, and all bathers are cleared from the water. Swimming is allowed to resume at least one hour after the last sighting. State Park lifeguards, Park Police and park staff stay on high alert and patrol the waters for dangerous marine life.

In addition, the Long Island Coastal Awareness Group, comprised of more than 200 individuals from municipalities, agencies, and private beach operators stretching from Queens through Long Island, is notified so they may take appropriate action in their respective jurisdictions.

In late May, Governor Hochul announced enhanced shark monitoring measures for Long Island State Park beaches, which include State Parks' expanded surveillance capabilities:

New York State added 10 drones to the eight in operation last year. One new drone assigned to Park Police is a large enterprise model with thermal imaging, laser range finding, and high-quality cameras to allow for night-time surveillance and patrols in adverse weather conditions. This drone can also drop personal flotation devices in emergency situations

Currently 24 staff including Park Police officers, State Park operational staff, lifeguards and certified drone operators are trained;

State Parks Environmental Educators hold public outreach regarding shark habitats for people at Jones Beach, Robert Moses and Sunken Meadow

Two new Yamaha WaveRunners have been assigned to lifeguards to patrol both Jones Beach and Robert Moses State Parks. These personal watercrafts join one already in operation at Sunken Meadow State Park

Additional buffer zones were created between swimming areas and surf fishing areas

When sightings occur, New York State Police Aviation will be available to respond

To minimize the risk of shark interactions, the Department of Environmental Conservation advises the following shark safety guidance:

Avoid areas with seals

Avoid areas with schools of fish, splashing fish, or diving seabirds

Avoid swimming at dawn, dusk, night

Avoid murky water

Swim, paddle, and surf in groups

Stay close to shore where your feet can touch the bottom

Always follow the instructions of lifeguards and Parks' staff

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, "Nassau County has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world that are regularly visited each summer by millions of people. Between our lifeguards, marine bureau, helicopters all-terrain vehicles and drones, the beaches are well protected from any danger including sharks. If patrons to our beaches follow common sense safety precautions like only swimming in protected areas, it is extremely unlikely they will have a shark encounter. I want to thank Governor Hochul for partnering with us in providing resources such as drones that help keep our residents and visitors safe."

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said, "With shark sightings on the rise, these drones will further help us better monitor waters and keep beachgoers safe. I thank Governor Hochul for providing these eyes in the sky to local governments throughout the region." Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said, "Southampton boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. The waters at those beaches are also part of the amazing natural ecosystem that the Town works hard to care for and protect. Sharks are part of that natural ecosystem and present a natural risk to beachgoers. The deployment of more drone technology by the State will hopefully help our residents and visitors to safely enjoy the beautiful beaches while maintaining a safe and protective interaction between the beachgoers and the important marine life that naturally exists in the waters." Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said, "We are grateful to Governor Hochul for providing local municipalities with these valuable resources. Here on Long Island, we are fortunate to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, that are visited by millions of people looking to make joyful summer memories with their families. These drones will allow Town lifeguards and staff to monitor our ocean waters and keep bathers safe, while ensuring they leave with happy memories." Hempstead Deputy Town Supervisor Dorothy Goosby said, "On behalf of the Town of Hempstead, I applaud our Governor. Governor Hochul's comprehensive solution of providing drones, combined with the enhanced monitoring measures will help ensure that our families and communities remain whole; by keeping us safe!" Long Beach Police Commissioner and Acting City Manager Ronald J. Walsh said, "Nothing is more important than the safety of our residents and visitors. We thank the Governor for providing us with this additional tool to keep our beach-going population safe. We look forward to putting these drones to good use."

Humans assume risk whenever they enter any wild environment, whether on land or in the water. Although it is impossible to eliminate risk altogether, ocean users can modify their behavior to minimize potential interactions with sharks and reduce overall risk. When in the ocean, follow DEC's shark safety guidelines to minimize the potential for negative interactions with sharks.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: July 14 2023

With so much to enjoy, and a variety of welcoming accommodations, visitors will find unbeatable summer fun for any budget!

Experience summer fun, adventure and history in Orange County, N.Y.! Just an hour from New York City, the county offers a plethora of exciting activities for sun-lovers, adventure-seekers and history buffs alike! Check out some of the top attractions, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the multi-themed LEGOLAND New York Resort and one of the best Renaissance fairs in the country.

With so much to enjoy, and a variety of welcoming accommodations, visitors will find unbeatable summer fun for any budget!

Orange County, N.Y., has it all for summer fun  more than you could enjoy in a single day! said Amanda Dana, Director of Orange County Tourism & Film. Visit Elizabethan England, play in a land made of childhood toys, or indulge in retail therapy among the high-end brands you love. Whatever you enjoy, youll want to make a weekend out of it by staying in one of our charming B&Bs or many other comfortable and attractive accommodations.

Here are just some of the major summer attractions in Orange County, N.Y.:

LEGOLAND New York Resort, 1 LEGOLAND Way, Goshen, N.Y.: Bring the family to ride, climb, splash through seven themed lands, with the LEGO Factory Adventure Ride, LEGO NINJAGO the Ride and the Dragon Coaster. Stay in the themed hotel room with interactive LEGO features throughout and a resort-style pool with cabanas to rent.

https://www.legoland.com/new- york/

U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 606 Thayer Rd, West Point, NY: Visit the iconic military academy to explore the history of the site that began as a Revolutionary War fort strategically located overlooking the Hudson River. The West Point Museum includes two murals by a D-Day veteran depicting the Allied Invasion of Europe in 1944, an atomic bomb of the type dropped on Nagasaki and the cannon that fired the first American shot of World War I.

https://www.westpoint.edu/ visitors

Storm King Art Center, 1 Museum Road, New Windsor, N.Y.:

Explore large-scale sculpture and site-specific artworks on 500 acres of hills, meadows and forests. Established in 1960, Storm King supports artists and some of their most ambitious works. Visit this summer, through Nov. 13, to experience three temporary exhibitions from New York-based Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, Los Angeles-based artist Beatriz Cortez and RA Walden, a former artist-in-residence at Shandaken: Storm King.

https://stormking.org/

New York Renaissance Faire, 600 Route 17A, Tuxedo, N.Y.: Fantasy rules at the Renaissance Faire, considered by many to be one of the best in the country. Explore 16th-century English village on 65 acres, with 20 stages and more than 100 shops with artisans offering handmade wares. Thrill to acrobats, a living chess match and a jousting tournament. The wide array of food and drink includes mead and roasted turkey legs. It all comes to life every Saturday and Sunday, plus Labor Day, from Aug. 26 to Oct. 8.

https://renfair.com/ny/

Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, 498 Red Apple Ct, Central Valley, N.Y.: Peruse more than 80 stores, including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Burberry and more, featuring more than 250 luxury and designer brands at savings of up to 65% at this world-class tourism and shopping destination. Dine at Shake Shack, Bareburger, Parm or Kinton Ramen, or enjoy a quick bite in Market Hall at Chipotle, Cinnabon, Lady M Cake Boutique, Just Salad, Kung Pao Wok and more.

https://www.premiumoutlets. com/outlet/woodbury-common

About Orange County Tourism & Film

Orange County Tourism & Film, based in Goshen, N.Y., is the countys tourism and film production headquarters and a participant in the I LOVE NY program. A comprehensive listing of area attractions, lodging, events and film resources can be found at www.OrangeTourism.org. Additionally, a fun, free, 56-page travel guide is available for digital download at orangetourism.org/travel- guide/.
(Alliance News) - Burberry Group PLC on Friday said comparable store sales increased across most its global regions, lifting retail revenue in the first quarter of its financial year.

In the 13 weeks that ended July 1, the London-based luxury fashion house said overall comparable store sales rose 18% from a year earlier, including a positive performance across several global divisions.

Comparable store sales for the group excluding Mainland China was up 11%. Within that, Europe, Middle East, India and Africa sales were up 17%, South Asia Pacific up 39%, Japan up 44% and South Korea up 6%. The Americas division was an outlier, falling 8%.

Burberry also reported a "strong recovery" in Mainland China, where comparable store sales rose 46%.

As a result, first-quarter group retail revenue was GBP589 million, up 17% from GBP505 million a year earlier, and up 19% at constant exchange rates.

Burberry said core categories of outerwear and leather goods performed well. Outerwear comparable store sales were up 36%, led by heritage rainwear, while leather goods comparable store sales were up 13%.

"All regions outside of the Americas saw growth with Mainland China recovering from Covid-19 related lockdowns in the previous year. EMEIA, Japan and South Asia Pacific showed good double-digit growth more than offsetting declines in the Americas," the hand bags and trench coats maker explained.

"During the quarter, we continued to invest in brand and product, with our new visual expression of Burberry driving the strong performance of outerwear, in particular heritage rainwear. Comparable store sales of leather goods also delivered double-digit growth, with women's bags, especially the Frances shapes and vintage Burberry Check line performing well. We look forward to building on this when [chief creative officer] Daniel Lee's debut runway collection launches in stores in September."

Looking ahead, Burberry maintained its current year guidance of high single-digit revenue compound annual growth rate from a financial 2020 base. This equates to a low double-digit growth in its current financial 2024 and around 20% of adjusted operating margin at financial 2020 constant exchange rates.

Burberry added it expects a currency headwind of around GBP150 million to revenue and around GBP70 million to adjusted operating profit, based on forex rates at June 29. It also maintains a medium-term revenue target of GBP4 billion in revenue.

By Greg Rosenvinge, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Making digital student loans happen

The time-consuming, paper-based, insecure process for distributing student loans in Luxembourg has been replaced by an efficient blockchain-based system.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. disclosed Friday a plan to monitor how Philippine banks use their funds to help or harm the environment.

The BSP will work with scientists to develop a taxonomy of bank assets and examine whether these are beneficial or harmful to the environment, Remolona said during the Philippine Economic Briefing in Toronto, Canada on July 13.

Remolona said in a presentation the BSP plays a vital role in slowing climate change and proposed 11 strategies, including encouraging banks to disclose the environmental, social and governance impacts of their specific assets.

He said that under the Reporting Climate-Related Disclosure, banks would be asked to report specific assets that are good, not so good, bad and very bad for climate.

The 11 sustainability strategies proposed by the BSP are vulnerability assessment, enhanced disclosure, climate stress testing, E&S risk in prudential policy, climate change in monetary policy, incentives for green lending, sustainability in BSPs portfolio and risk management, task force for inclusive green finance, reporting climate-related disclosure, sustainability in BSPs operations and capacity building.

Remolona attributed the Philippines outstanding recovery from the pandemic to the resiliency of the banking system that maintained around 16 percent in capital adequacy ratio.

He said Philippine banks maintained an impressive 188-percent liquidity coverage ratio, exceeding the global standard of 100 percent.

Remolona joined the Marcos Cabinet in apprising Canadian investors of business opportunities in the Philippines. The economic team hosted its eighth Philippine Economic Briefing at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Canada.

We have uncharted waters to explore in terms of trade and investments in mutual areas of interest, including electronics manufacturing, machineries and electricity, mining, and agriculture, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in his keynote message.

Canada is the Philippines 20th largest trading partner in 2022 with total trade reaching $1.5 billion. Moreover, with nearly a million overseas Filipinos in Canada, cash remittances reached $1.2 billion in the same year.

Alain Auclair, managing director and head of global banking-Canada of UBS Securities Canada, acknowledged the Philippines strong credit status and attractive fixed-income instruments amid global headwinds.

As a testament to the Republic of the Philippines growth story and credit, the sovereign successfully priced a triple-tranche US dollar 3-billion deal on the back of a 25-billion dollar peak order book just earlier this year, which marks the largest ever order book for any Southeast Asian borrower. It was a phenomenal outcome with the issuance achieving a negative new issue concession of about five basis points across the curve.

The deal reaffirmed the strength of the Philippines credit even in volatile times, he said.

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman presented an overview of the Philippines national budget, which has been largely allocated to the social services sectorequivalent to roughly 38.1 percent of the total budget of P5.3 trillion.

The DBM increased the budget for climate adaptation measures by 60 percent. The department will also be pursuing the Green Public ProcurementRoadmap to integrate green choices in public procurement.

National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan presented on infrastructure development and investment in the Philippine socioeconomic agenda.

Balisacan said the NEDA board approved 194 high-impact infrastructure flagship [rojects amounting to P8.3 trillion.

More than 80 senior executives of Canada-based funds and corporates and representatives of business groups, industry associations, financial community and public sector attended the economic briefing.

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday that he doesnt see any issue with the commercial release of the movie Barbie in the country.

The Presidents remarks came days after concerned citizens called on movie regulators to block Barbie for its alleged depiction of Chinas nine-dash line in one scene with star Margot Robbie.

Mr. Marcos called the movies depiction a work of fiction.

What they are saying is that in the movie, a boundary line is created. What do you expect? Its a work of fiction, said the President.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board recently gave its permission for Barbie to be shown in the Philippines starting July 19 despite calls from politicians for a ban.

Considering the context by which the cartoonish map of the character Weird Barbie was portrayed in the film, the Review Committee is convinced that the contentious scene does not depict the nine-dash line. Instead, the map portrayed the route of the make-believe journey of Barbie from Barbie Land to the real world, as an integral part of the story, MTRCB said in a statement.

The Philippines recently celebrated the 7th year of its arbitral victory over China on the West Philippine Sea.

In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague junked the nine-dash claims of China covering the entire South China Sea and recognized the Philippines sovereignty in the area within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

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JakartaTop diplomats from the United States, China, and Russia attended a security meeting on Friday with Southeast Asian foreign ministers, with the spotlight on the disputed South China Sea, the Ukraine war and North Koreas missiles.

The 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) will provide an arena for big powers to lock heads over a range of issues, and the closed-door roundtable has previously been a fractious affair.

Host Indonesia warned that Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN cannot become a proxy, as US-China tensions flare over self-ruled Taiwan, Beijings close ties with Moscow, and a tug-of-war for influence in the South Pacific.

China on Wednesday had accused the United States of masterminding efforts to rally countries against Beijing and instead support the 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated its expansive claims to the South China Sea and upheld Manilas exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

On the 7th anniversary of Manilas win in its arbitration case against China, Beijing on Wednesday night said the US has been pushing more countries each year to commemorate the ruling

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend the ARF, a body set up to discuss security issues that also includes Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

The Indo-Pacific must not be another battleground, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told ministers as she opened an earlier 18-nation East Asia Summit.

Our region must remain stable, and we intend to keep it that way.

Experts said the South China Sea will be a priority because China claims almost the entirety of the strategic waterway and several ASEAN members complain about Beijing infringing on their own overlapping territorial claims there.

South China Sea is probably going to be one of the issues discussed during the ASEAN-plus-three meeting in light of recent tensions in the area, said Aleksius Jemadu, professor at Pelita Harapan University in the capital Jakarta.

Western and Asian powers have been rattled by Beijings increasingassertiveness in the region, where it is applying pressure on self-ruled Taiwan and its patrol vessels have clashed with other nations ships.

Fridays meetings would be the first between Blinken and Lavrov since a brief March encounter in India, but no bilateral talks are expected as Russias widely condemned invasion of Ukraine grinds on. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Wang and Blinken, however, held their second meeting in as many months on Thursday as Washington and Beijing look to stabilise their relationship.

Blinken told Wang that Washington would hold hackers accountable after a breach of US government email accounts was blamed on Chinese state-backed actors, a US official said.

Wang urged Washington to work with China in the same direction to improve ties and stop interfering in Chinas affairs, according to a statement on Friday by the foreign ministry in Beijing.

Wang, replacing Foreign Minister Qin Gang who was unwell, also met with Lavrov on Thursday, and the pair pledged to deepen ties in areas of strategic communication and cooperation.

In an interview with Indonesian media this week, Lavrov said the war in Ukraine would not end until Western nations gave up their efforts to defeat Russia.

Before sitting around the table again Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised human rights issues with Wang, and said it was crucial to speak frankly on the matter.

At the ASEAN Regional Forum, a North Korean official would be present but Pyongyang declined to send its foreign minister.

North Korea said Thursday that it had successfully tested a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile.

Western nations were likely to condemn that launch at the meeting, as well as the Myanmar juntas alleged attacks against civilians as the coup-wracked countrys crisis continues.

The situation in Myanmar has dominated the weeks ASEAN meetings, from which the junta has been barred.

In a joint communique issued Thursday, ASEAN condemned violence in Myanmar and called for the five-point peace plan agreed with the junta two years ago to be implemented.

The blocs efforts have been fruitless so far, with the junta ignoring international criticism and refusing to engage with its opponents. AFP

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The Philippines on Friday rejected Chinas expansive claims over the South China Sea, which were invalidated by a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said the Philippine position was that its territorial dispute with China had been settled by the United Nations-backed PCA, which invalidated Beijings nine-dash-line claims over the South China Sea and upheld Manilas exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Citing the statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Daza said the findings of the PCA on the South China Sea are no longer within reach of denial and rebuttal and are conclusive as they are indisputable.

The PCA ruling rejected Chinas historical claim over the whole South China Sea, which was based on its expansive nine-dash line, and consequently affirmed the Philippines sovereignty over the WPS, a part of the South China Sea.

Daza also quoted Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaros statement on the 7th anniversary of the award on July 12 that the ruling is no longer contestable and is beyond compromise. It is also now part of international law, she said.

Lazaro also said Manila would use as a basis the arbitral award in continuing to uphold the countrys sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs issued the statement after China once again refused to accept the arbitral ruling and accused the United States of getting other countries to support it.

The international think tank Stratbase ADR Institute on Friday condemned what it described as Chinas blatant disregard of the ruling and persistent violation of international law.

The institute denounces all attempts by antagonistic and coercive states to thwart efforts to uphold and reinforce the 2016 Arbitral Ruling that underscores the victory of the Philippines and the peaceful resolution of disputes. We condemn the blatant disregard of the ruling and persistent violation of international law, particularly in the form of gray zone operations, swarming of foreign vessels, and destroying maritime resources within the Philippine territory, Stratbase ADR Institute President Dindo Manhit said in a statement.

Manhit issued the statement following Chinas claim that the arbitral ruling is illegal, null, and void.

Maintaining a united front against those who violate the ruling, the international communitys increasing presence in the Indo-Pacific illustrates that it will not sit idly while belligerent actors infringe on the sovereignty of an ally and partner, he added.

The think tank official reiterated that the arbitral award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the West Philippine Sea is final and legally binding on the parties of the proceedings.

With this landmark ruling, the Philippines stands on the right side of history, he said.

Rooted in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the award demonstrates the rule of law as a great equalizer among states.

It represents shared democratic values, particularly mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial rights. Since 2016, the Philippines victory has been unanimously lauded, recognized, and supported by states that espouse adherence to the fundamental value of the rule of law, Manhit said.

On Wednesday, the Stratbase ADR Institute hosted a forum commemorating the 7th year of the Arbitral victory.

Foreign envoys from the Embassies of the United States, Australia, Japan, Delegation of the European Union, France, United Kingdom, and India participated in the event and delivered strong and powerful statements on the importance of respecting the arbitral ruling and the Philippines national sovereignty, upholding the international rules-based order, and building and strengthening alliances with like-minded countries.

Also on Friday, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the Chinese government is further isolating itself from the international community by ignoring the growing consensus coalescing around the Philippine victory in the arbitral ruling on the WPS.

She said it was the height of hypocrisy for China to call on the rest of the world to stay out of the territorial dispute in the WPS.

Hontiveros added that the Chinese government itself all too willingly violates the sovereignty, rights, and interests of other claimant countries when it thinks it can get away with it.

The world has spoken: the territorial claims embodied in the so-called 9-dash line have no basis in history or international law, she said.

In other developments:

* Beijings top diplomat Wang Yi has urged Washington to work with China to improve ties during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday. The discussion on the sidelines of Southeast Asian talks in Jakarta on Thursday was the latest in a series of high-level interactions as the two sides try to ease trade and geopolitical tensions.

* Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Friday said India has expressed support for the compliance of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), by parties involved in the maritime dispute in the South China Sea. Manalo said he had a meeting with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subdahmanyam Jaishankar during an annual gathering of various top diplomats held in Jakarta, where they agreed that international law, particularly UNCLOS, must be respected. India also conveyed its support for respecting the Philippines sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea.

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The main respite for residents is a public shelter in a cellar where volunteers provide food and hot drinks, and they can use Wi-Fi, watch TV and charge devices

Avdiivka, UkraineViktor Grozdov was in a hole.

Wearing a cap and thick glasses, the Ukrainian pensioner was lying at the bottom of a shell crater, trying to pick himself up and gather the food that had spilled out of his shopping bags.

In the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, battered by shelling since 2014, Grozdov had strayed into the crater while returning from a grocery store in April this year.

An AFP team pulled him out, found his shopping and saw him on his way back home.

This week journalists tracked him down again, with help from local officials, since the town has almost no communications.

I was walking along the avenue and thought Id quickly walk round the hole where the shell fellor a bomb, I dont know, recalled Grozdov, sitting in his flat near the towns former cinema.

I stumbled as I stepped and fell in. I tried to get out but the earth was loose and slipping under me, I couldnt get out at all.

Despite having no intact buildings, mains water or electricity, Avdiivka still has 1,719 inhabitants, according to Vitaliy Barabash, the head of the towns military administration.

Around 60 percent are people aged 65 and over, he told AFP.

A suburb of the city of Donetsk built around a huge coke fuel plant, Avdiivka is eerie and very dangerous.

It gets shelled on average 30 times per day, the towns chief said.

In the last four months or so, there hasnt been a day without aerial or rocket strikes.

Grozdov uses a stick to walk outside and keeps to routes he knows well.

Wont go anywhere

Despite his poor vision adding a further obstacle, Grozdov, a wiry 77-year-old, is determined to stay where his wife and son are buried.

Whatever happens, I wont go anywhere now, he said.

My soul is at home, its not trying to leave. Im not anxious, Ive become calm.

In his flat, all the windows have glass blown out and there is a sheet hung across one.

The wallpaper is peeling around formal family photographs.

There is a radio set on his bed and bottles of sunflower oil and tinned food in the bath.

Volunteers bring Grozdov water and supplies, and he can cook on a camping stove.

When shelling starts, Grozdov said he hides in the bathroom and sometimes lies flat on the floor.

He appears to pay no attention to the sound of incoming tank rounds outside.

After his mother was killed when he was a baby, he grew up in a childrens home in Donetsk.

He then worked at Avdiivkas coke plant most of his life.

He hinted at a life of great difficulty  his late son was a violent drug addict and hit him in the head, causing him to lose vision in one eye.

On the ground floor of his block of flats, a strike has left a shell stuck in the wall of the landing.

Grozdovs neighbor, 63-year-old Vitaliy Zemin, sits in the cellar carving wooden animalsa hippo, a turtle, a monkeywearing a head torch.

It distracts you from the thoughts a person has all the time: about people, about Ukraine, about why there isnt any peace, he said.

Russian roulette

The main respite for residents is a public shelter in a cellar where volunteers provide food and hot drinks, and they can use Wi-Fi, watch TV and charge devices.

Around 25 people sat there on Wednesday, mostly wearing headphones and engrossed in phones and tablets.

Pavel, 65, whose spectacles only have one arm, was watching war news on a tablet.

The retired factory worker said this was the only time he could relax.

Its safe in the cellar. Theres light, theres internet. At home you wonder if a strike will hit you or notits like Russian roulette.

Such despair

Sometimes I feel such despair, I would go to the end of the world not to see these destroyed buildings, he said, insisting he must guard his home from looters after his family left.

In a sad development for residents, the shelters water supply via a deep bore-hole opened in Marchhas fouled up with sand and mud, meaning the washing machines and showers cannot be used.

Its impossible to clean up, said Barabash, the head of the towns administration.

Well need a new one, he said, promising this in the near future. AFP

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A Rhode Island man was arrested in connection with breaking into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection by FBI Boston special agents on Thursday, FBI Boston spokesperson Kristen Setera announced.

Juan Rodriguez of Central Falls was arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant by the United States Court for the District of Columbia, the FBI said. He was taken into custody without incident.

Rodriguez faces four charges: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building or ground; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.

Capitol police officers patrolling the rotunda saw Rodriguez, Alexander Fan of Houston and an unidentified third man in an office that was broken into, the U.S. District Court documents said. Officers walked the three men through the rotunda and back outside.

Read more: Eric Griffin of Tewksbury convicted of 2019 murder of Jennifer Kalicki

Rodriguez asked officers for his cell phone, which he left charging in the office. Capitol police retrieved the phone and returned it to Rodriguez, documents said. Rodriguez was later identified using location estimates from Google, which sourced GPS data and Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth beacons.

Agents interviewed Rodriguez on Sept. 7, 2022, and he said he had attended former President Donald Trumps rally on Jan. 6, 2021, documents said. He also admitted to walking to the Capitol and identified himself in a photo, but denied entering the building.

Rodriguezs arrest brings the total number of arrests made by the FBI Boston Division in connection to the insurrection to 27. Last month, two Worcester residents were arrested in connection with entering the Capitol on Jan. 6.

The investigation into Rodriguez is ongoing, the FBI said.
A Mattapan man appeared in court on Friday in connection with the fatal shooting death of his 12-year-old brother the day before, NBC Boston reported.

Walter Hendrick, 22, was charged with improper storage of a firearm (someone under 18 has potential access), unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, Boston police said in a statement.

Hendrick was held on $2,500 bail at his arraignment in Dorchester District Court, according to NBC Boston.

The Boston Police Department responded to a call at 2:05 p.m. that a child had been shot near 35 Fessenden St. in Mattapan, police said. The address is listed as a multi-family home on Google Maps. Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden told WCVB that there was no threat to the public.

Officials said attempts to revive the child were unsuccessful, and he died at the hospital.

Mayor Michelle Wu called the situation a nightmare for a mom and for a family, and expressed condolences. The mayor stated there would be trauma support for residents.

Read more: Brockton crash on Route 24 kills man driving a moped Thursday night

Hendrick is expected to return to court on Sept. 6.
The sharks are back off the Massachusetts coast, and one of those to herald their appearances around Cape Cod was Mr. Spot Claw.

Mr. Spot Claw, a 10-foot-long male white shark, was seen a couple of times over the past week, including at around 12:42 p.m. near Lecount Hollow Beach off Wellfleet on Thursday and near Nauset Beach off Orleans at 8:15 a.m. on Friday, according to data from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancys Sharktivity app.

He was tagged on Aug. 31, 2020, and has been detected 9,617 times since then.

Acoustic tags transmit the data of shark detections in real-time. The conversancys app, Sharktivity, shares this information and photos of the sharks.

The Sharktivity app can be used to inform beachgoers of sharks that have been reported. Although, they warn, it should not be used to determine if it is safe to swim. The only way to avoid sharks, the app warns, is to stay on shore.

Several other sharks were detected around the same buoy off Nauset Beach where Mr. Spot Claw was detected, according to the app. Cow, an 11-foot male shark tagged Aug. 10, 2020, was spotted at around 10:11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Cow was last detected at around 10:11 a.m. on July 12.

The day before at around 2:27 p.m., Mr. Pallas was seen. Hes also an 11-foot male white shark found a week before. In contrast to Cow, whos been detected 12,596 times, Mr. Pallas has only been detected a fraction of that, 3,911 times.

Mr. Pallas was last detected by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy near a Nauset Beach buoy on Tuesday July 11.

Read more: First Massachusetts beach closed of 2023 season due to shark activity

On Monday, July 10, Warren, a 9-foot-long male shark, was also seen in the same area as Mr. Spot Claw. Warrens been detected 9,850 times since he was tagged on Aug. 6, 2021.

White shark Warren was last detected at around 12:22 a.m. on Monday, July 10.

Granese was another shark detected in the area, this time on July 9 at around 6:39 p.m. Hes an 8-foot-long white shark detected at least 9,902 times since he was tagged the same day as Mr. Spot Claw three years ago.

White shark Granese was last seen three times near a buoy around Nauset Beach on July 9 at around 6:39 p.m.

Beacon was also detected on Sunday, July 9, 20 minutes before Granese. Beacon is 10 feet long and has been detected 3,239 times since he was first tagged on Aug. 13, 2021.

Beacon was last seen near Nauset Beach at around 6:19 p.m. on Sunday, July 9.

The only female white shark seen in the same area Mr. Spot Cow was spotted was Tricia, an 11-foot-long white shark first tagged last summer on Aug. 3. Since then, shes been detected 6,283 times.

Tricia was last seen on Friday, July 7 at around 3:47 a.m.

Overall, there were about 34 sharks detected or spotted since July 7. The number of white sharks in Cape Cod waters began to uptick in July, according to researcher Greg Skomal, the senior fisheries scientist at Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

See below to see all sharks spotted or detected since July 7:
A 20-year-old man is wanted by authorities in connection with a fatal shooting on Wednesday at a state forest in Plymouth, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

The district attorney issued an arrest warrant for John Geovanni Pires Monteiromacedo, according to a news release from Cruzs office on Friday afternoon. The statement did not include on what charges Monteiromacedo is wanted.

Robert Aponte-Flores, a 25-year-old New Bedford man, was shot and killed at Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth. At the time, Cruz said it was not a random act of violence.

Multiple witnesses on scene described that an altercation took place in a picnic area of the park between the victim and (Monteiromacedo), Cruz said in the statement.

Reports of a shooting first went to Massachusetts State Police and Plymouth police at around 2:35 p.m., Cruzs office previously said in a Twitter thread. Police found the man, identified as Aponte-Flores, with life-threatening injuries.

Aponte-Flores had several gunshot wounds and was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess-Plymouth Hospital, where he later died.

State police cruisers and crime tape blocked off a tree-lined area near Fearing Pond Road, WCVB reported. An individual initially believed to be a suspect was placed in Plymouth police custody, but the department said on Facebook that it determined this person was not the shooter.
A Kentucky man was arrested Tuesday after an FBI raid led to the discovery of dozens of human remains and as many as 40 skulls being used as decorations around the mans home, according to authorities.

James Nott, 39, of Mount Washington, Kentucky, was in the states court Wednesday on gun charges, but the FBI during the search said it also found human remains and a Harvard Medical School bag, according to court documents.

In June, Harvard Medical Schools morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, 55, was indicted after being accused of stealing dissected portions of cadavers that were donated to the school, such as heads, brains, skin, bones and more, and selling them through social media, court documents read.

Read more: Three families file lawsuit over body parts stolen from Harvard Medical School

Officials found Nott while going through Jeremy Pauleys phone last year. Pauley, 41, from central Pennsylvania, was charged in connection with selling human remains, according to court documents.

He had previously reached a plea agreement with federal authorities, but his sentencing hearing  which had been set for Tuesday, the day of the Nott search warrant  was canceled and has yet to be rescheduled.

Pauley was friends with someone on Facebook named William Burke, a username tied to Nott, the records said.

In conversation between the two there was mention of PayPal information and the sale and shipment of human remains, the documents said.

At one point, Nott sent Pauley photos and videos of skulls for sale through Facebook, said the affidavit.

These will be here soon ... not claimed yet, said Nott.

Pauley replied, Yeah some of these prices are [expletive] garbage out there. I dont mind paying up a little for shop stock. Makes things look good. How much total for the couple and the last video you sent plus the spines?

Nott then sent several voice messages that the documents said were not recoverable.

Oh I feel ya! Just let me know a grand total and Ill get you paid, said Pauley. No rush!

Nott again sent several voice messages and then Pauley replied saying, Works for me!

While searching Notts public Facebook profile under William Burke, law enforcement officers found that he posted human remains for sale on Facebook as recently as June, read the documents.

Tuesday morning, officials went to Notts home after receiving a search warrant, according to court documents, and asked Nott if anyone else was inside of his house.

Only my dead friends, Nott responded, according to the documents.

FBI agents found about 40 human skulls in addition to spinal cords, femurs and hip bones, read the court documents.

The skulls were decorated around the furniture, said the documents. One skull had a head scarf around it. One skull was located on the mattress where Nott slept. A Harvard Medical School bag was found inside the residence.

Additionally, officials found an AK-47 rifle, a number of fully loaded magazines and also inert grenades and two plates for body armor, according to the documents.

Officials also searched Notts vehicle, which reportedly was leaving his home several times. Inside, they found seven AK-47 empty magazines and a drum magazine, read the court documents.

Behind the drivers seat on the floorboard, FBI agents found 10 fully loaded AK-47 magazines with additional ammunition.

In August 2011, Nott pleaded guilty to felony offenses that included possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of a firearm by an unlawful use of marijuana, read the documents.

Nott was in possession of any combination of parts from which a destructive device may be readily assembled, the court documents said. Including electric blasting caps, detonation cord, igniting devices, timed fuses, mercury switches, black powder primers, metal pipe with matching end caps, Tannerite-type material, aluminum powder inert grenade components, and ammonium nitrate.

For these violations, Nott was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

A judge ruled Wednesday that U.S. Marshals will hold Nott in custody pending further order of Court.

Nott is currently charged with one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.

An arraignment is schedule for Aug. 4 at 1:30 p.m. via video conference.
The father of a Massachusetts 5-month-old is facing charges in connection with her death. But, according to court documents, he wasnt allowed to see her outside of supervised visits, multiple news outlets reported.

Anthony Decosta, 36, of Norwood, was arraigned in Norfolk Superior Court Friday on charges of manslaughter, reckless endangerment of a child, and witness intimidation in the death of his daughter, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey. He pleaded not guilty, NBC10 Boston reported.

Francesca was 5 months old at the time of her death in September 2021, Morrissey said. The baby was living with her grandmother, Lisa DeCosta, who is also facing charges, WCVB reported.

Anthony Decosta, who was arrested Tuesday, was only allowed to see his daughter during supervised visits, WCVB reported. However, investigators dont believe this was the case. They found prescription pills in his name, trash and cigarette butts in the basement apartment, the news outlet reported.

Prosecutors also claimed Anthony Decosta sent Lisa DeCosta multiple photos and videos of him sleeping next to Francesca on the bed, the Boston Globe reported. And while they were sleeping, the baby wasnt safe.

The victims face, mouth, and nose are completely covered and smothered into the defendants body, prosecutors said, according to the newspaper. Other photographs from that day show the victim sleeping alone on the bed with her face, mouth, and nose completely covered by a pillow.

The newspaper reported that prosecutors said in one of the videos, the pillow is removed from Francescas face by Anthony Decosta and then is seen willfully obstructing her airway by putting it back over her face.

Defense attorney Steven Boozang argued her death was a tragic accident.

He lost his daughter so for the last two years hes been extremely devastated, Boozang said, according to WCVB. Its a very tragic accident, but not every accident equals a crime, and I think thats the case here.

Anthony DeCosta is next due in court for a bail hearing on Aug. 3, the Globe reported.
SPRINGFIELD  Christos Hatzis was 10 when his family opened one of their Mykonos Greek restaurants in the food court of the Eastfield Mall, a 1980s addition to what was then a thriving retail space.

I would clean out the quarters from the cash register and head to the arcade, Hatzis said Friday, the last day of business before the 56-year-old mall closes in preparation for a long-planned demolition and redevelopment.

Mykonos will reopen in October in the TD Bank Center building downtown.

Read more: Onyx Partners secures a special permit to begin redevelopment at Eastfield Mall

As Hatzis spoke, workers were busy disassembling and removing furniture from other mall stores. Most retailers are already closed or would close Friday. U-Hauls were pulled up to entrance doors.

Utility crews were also working at the site Friday. AMR had cones set up in the parking lot and was using the pavement for ambulance driver training.

Saturday is the malls last official day. Hatizis said hell just be cleaning up and packing  with holdout Donovans Irish Pub planning to keep open for another week until July 21.

Donovans has its own entrance, so its feasible to stay on. Donovans is moving to Holyoke.

Starting next week, remaining mall employees will remove salvageable items and finish shutting down the building. Demolition will follow and then two years of reconstruction.

The malls long-expected closing left 43 businesses  mostly mom-and-pop operations like the one Hatzis runs with his wife, Kristen  searching for new homes.

Christos Hatzis, owner of Mykonos restaurant at the Eastfield Mall, talks about his last day at the mall and a new location in downtown Springfield. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

Hatzis signed a lease Thursday for space on the first floor of the TD Bank Building at 1441 Main St., in Springfields downtown business district.

Were excited, he said. Its a great place for us. Were really looking forward. Ill have 12 floors of office workers above me.

He said the city was wonderful in helping him keep the business going.

At the mall, he served fewer and fewer shoppers each year, with many customers coming in just to hit up Mykonos.

Sears closed in 2018. Its building and the former Sears Auto Center are still under separate ownership. JCPenney closed in 2011. Then Macys closed in 2017.

Losing Macys killed the mall, he said.

And he knows whats to blame  online retailing. Hatzis said hell often order restaurant supplies from Amazon before closing up for the day. When he gets back at 9 a.m., the box is waiting for him.

Downtown, Mykonos will take over first-floor restaurant space once occupied by a pizzeria that never reopened following the COVID shutdowns, said B. John Dill.

Dill is part of the group that bought 1441 Main St. in 2022 from the bank for $5.2 million. Other owners are Mitch Bolotin and Kevin Morin and a company controlled by James E. Jeb Balise Jr. of the Balise Auto Group.

Dill said the building owners are pleased to have Mykonos on board. We tried to be careful about a replacement, Dill said. We think hell do a nice presentation here.

Hatzis said hell offer seating of his own, something he lacked in the food court. The building has an outdoor patio to the rear. Itll be takeout, he said. A lot of takeout.

Besides TDBank, the building holds offices for the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts.

Hatzis parents and aunt and uncle, all Greek immigrants, once ran Mykonos locations in the Springfield Plaza and in the Breckwood Plaza. They have since closed.

Business was good in the mall, Hatzis said. Gyros made with spit-roasted beef are popular, as are chicken kabobs  fashioned into a sandwich  with rice pilaf and Greek salad. The menu includes hotdogs and French fries.

In the TDBank building, Hatzis said hell eventually add coffee and breakfast muffins.

The bank building closes at 6 p.m. each day and isnt open weekends. So thats going to be different from the mall.

There were scant shoppers Friday. A few people could be seen making social-media videos starring themselves.

Pat Rollins, Marie LaChance and Josephine Stellato took one last mall walk.

You can go outside in good weather, Rollins said. But in the winter, or even in the summer heat and rain, we would walk in the mall. You have railings where you can stop and stretch. You have stairs. There is no place else to go.

Norman Barnard sits at Eastfield Mall with his friends for the last time Friday morning, July 14, 2023. The mall will close its doors Saturday. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

Norman Barnard, 71, of Springfield, grabbed coffee Friday with friends. He worked managing businesses in the mall over the years, including a pet shop where, in the summer of 1969, he was bitten by a fleeing monkey.

His struggle, and retrieval of the monkey from the malls fountain, was captured by a Morning Union photographer.

Barnard consoled himself with the thought that at least hed be on the front page of the paper. But he was not. Neil Armstrong had just walked on the moon.
A crash on Route 24 in Brockton on Thursday resulted in the death of a man driving a moped, Massachusetts State Police said Friday.

The moped and a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta collided at around 11:39 p.m., according to preliminary findings by state police in their investigation. The crash happened when the moped traveled from the right lane into the middle lane.

Read more: Eric Griffin of Tewksbury convicted of 2019 murder of Jennifer Kalicki

The moped driver was ejected when the crash happened, state police said. After the initial crash, three vehicles driving behind the Volkswagen hit the moped as it lay on the highway.

The man who was ejected was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, where he died, state police said. The Volkswagen driver remained at the site of the crash. State police did not say if he was or was not injured, and they did not release the names of either driver.

State police based at Milton Barracks, along with the state police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the Crime Scene Services Sections are all conducting the ongoing investigation.




It should be pointed out that the National Library of Peru received the same distinction.





The Official Gazette El Peruano (1825), the oldest newspaper across the continent, was recognized for its issues released between 1826 and the first half of 1868, a corpus of 2,982 issues, contained in 28 bound volumes, that provides information beyond the legal framework in which the young country of Peru was being forged.





In the case of the National Library, this recognition is given for the preservation of 74 works from the private library of General Jose de San Martin and the protection of 30,693 negatives of photographs on glass plates (1864-1933)  from the renowned Courret Collection.





El Peruano's distinction was delivered by UNESCO Representative to Peru, Guiomar Alonso Cano, to Felix Paz, editor-in-chief of Editora Peru, which owns El Peruano newspaper and Andina news agency.









Paz Quiroz expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting that July 13, 2023, will be recognized as a new important day within the almost 200-year history of the Official Gazette El Peruano.





"Upon receiving the Certificate of Inscription of Documentary Heritage on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register for Latin America and the Caribbean, our newspaper, El Peruano, moves towards the commemoration of its bicentennial," he highlighted.









"Without a doubt, what better way to do so, and today we are considering and announcing, as of now, our next application to the World Memory of the World Register, to which we aspire to be inscribed upon completing our first two centuries of history," the Editora Peru editor-in-chief added.





Likewise, he noted that the inscription of 2,982 issues contained in 28 bound volumes from El Peruano collections released between 1826 and the first half of 1868 the same corpus that was declared Cultural and Documentary Heritage of the Nation is now certified.





"In these copies, we can trace the testimony of the past and present of Peru, of the early days of the Republic, of thoughts, of the cultural heritage, and of the Peruvian nation's identity," he remarked.





The ceremony was also attended by Editora Peru Board Chairman, Hugo Aguirre; San Borja District Mayor, Marco Alvarez; the Representative of the Memory of the World for Latin America and the Caribbean, Laura Sanchez; and the Chief of the National Library of Peru, Fabiola Vergara.





(END) CVC/RMB/MVB

The Official Gazette El Peruano has received the Certificate of Inscription of Documentary Heritage on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register for Latin America and the Caribbean, due to the preservation of valuable collections that enrich the regional and global collective memory.Publicado: 13/7/2023
CHICOPEE  Officials are examining a pilot program that would restructure the way code violations are handled, after years of trying to crack down on negligent property owners.

Mayor John L. Vieau and City Council President Frank N. Laflamme said they are working to develop a part-time code enforcement officers position and trying other methods to force homeowners to clean up their properties.

The entire process needs to be revamped, Vieau said.

For more than a year, City Councilor William Courchesne has been pushing to have a separate code enforcement officer hired to oversee all violations. Vieau rejected the proposal, which had been passed unanimously by the City Council in March 2022, saying he doesnt believe a general code officer would have the legal right to hand out tickets that would stand up in Housing Court.

The City Council is now debating a proposal to place a non-binding question on the November ballot to ask voters if they want the city to create a general code enforcement officer position. The idea is now in committee, where it will be researched and debated.

Theres no reason to put it on the ballot, Vieau said. He and his staff first need to figure out how the position should work.

Now, the health and building departments each have inspectors who enforce safety, building and sanitary codes. Police can also give out tickets if they encounter a violation, Vieau said.

In this years budget, Vieau said he added another building inspector to create a position that will focus on multi-family homes. The health director said she has enough staff to conduct required inspections and respond to complaints.

The next step: Determine what authority a code enforcement officer would have  and what department they would work under, the mayor said.

I think it will be best to pilot it for six months to a year. I want a clean city, Vieau said.

The law departments Daniel Garvey has real estate experience, so he agreed to oversee issues with Housing Court to streamline the process. Vieau said he is considering having the code enforcement officer report to Garvey.

One of the problems the city faces is that repeat offenders will clean up their property temporarily, as they are being taken to court for failure to pay fines or correct violations. A judge will dismiss the complaint, only for the property owner to repeat the violations, triggering the cycle to start again.

If a judge does approve an order to clean up a property, the city can hire someone to do the work and place a lien on the home to try to recoup the cost.

Enforcement is difficult. The city cannot go onto private property without a judges order. Violations have to be in plain sight. In one case, a repeat offender who has been known to collect junk and burn mattresses on his property put up a fence after receiving multiple fines, Vieau said.

The city is looking at other ways to crack down on code violations, including installing a computer software program to better track code violations and ensure all relevant departments receive information so they do not duplicate efforts.

It created an account using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds that helps people, mainly in single or two-family homes, who are having difficulty, Vieau said.

Some people cant take care of their properties, he said.

People can apply to the fund, which is run through the Community Development Department, for the money to do things such as replace a roof.

The loan is then treated like a property lien and doesnt have to be paid back until they or their heirs sell the home. There is also a provision that allows people to pay it back once they are in a better situation, Vieau said. We try to find ways to help people who may need it, he said.
HOLYOKE  East Coast Pharms, the first medicinal marijuana dispensary and cultivating facility in Holyoke, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting Friday.

The opening marked the end of a four-year journey to become operational, said Adam Raleigh, the general manager of East Coast Pharms.

We couldnt be more excited to be open in the city of Holyoke, Raleigh said. Were excited to serve the community of Holyoke and the surrounding areas of Massachusetts.

East Coast Pharms, situated in Holyokes Springdale neighborhood, is a vertically integrated facility with cultivation, retail, production and manufacturing units.

The facility cultivates 10,000 square feet of canopy and uses an extraction lab that produces cannabis concentrates without using hydrocarbons or solvents. The company offers a range of products, including edibles.

We are the first and only open medical dispensary in Holyoke, Raleigh stated. Our retail is licensed for both adult use and the medical market, which we couldnt be more excited about.

The in-house cannabis takes 116 days from clone to harvest and is hand-trimmed.

Raleigh described East Coast Pharms as a diamond in the rough, located at 630 Beaulieu St. Once you find us, youre going to come back, he said.

Local and state officials tour East Coast Pharms Holyoke facility on Friday.

Mayors welcome

Mayor Joshua A. Garcia welcomed East Coast Pharms to Holyoke as the cannabis sector continues to expand in the city. He joined Hash Patel, the companys CEO and president, for the ceremony.

We want to leverage any opportunity to expand growth, economic development, tax base and jobs. This is just another piece to the puzzle, Garcia said.

Garcia considers the facility a positive economic sign for Holyoke. This is another win, and we hope to continue to facilitate more business interest in the city, be it marijuana or other industries, because Holyoke is ready for business, he stated.

Jordan Hart, executive director of the Greater Holyoke Chamber, sees the weed business as a significant driver of economic development and growth in the city.

The cannabis industry has been an anchoring industry, capable of revitalizing many of our citys dilapidated and long-vacant properties, Hart said.

However, Hart cautioned against relying too heavily on one sector. While we dont want to put all of our eggs in one basket, its nice that we have these opportunities to provide jobs and health care, she said.

Hart emphasized the dual role of cannabis as both a recreational substance and a medicine. A lot of folks use marijuana for different kinds of ailments.

State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, acknowledged the progress the cannabis industry has made in Massachusetts, despite ongoing challenges posed by federal restrictions.

Since the industrys inception, its been expanding across medicinal, recreational and cultivation sectors, Velis said. However, the legalization in the Commonwealth initially did not fully consider the federal governments stance and the obstacles that would arise from it.

Velis was joined by state Rep. Patricia Duffy, D-Holyoke, and city councilors Jenny Rivera, Juan Anderson-Burgos and Israel Rivera.
A Tewksbury man has been convicted of first-degree murder almost four years after the death of his girlfriend, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Thursday.

Eric Griffin, 43, was convicted by a Middlesex Superior Court jury of first-degree murder, strangulation, two counts of domestic assault and battery and battery and intimidation of a witness, Ryans office said in a statement. He was first indicted on these charges in December 2019.

On Sept. 15, 2019, Massachusetts State Police heard from Tewksbury police at around 8:30 a.m. about a suspicious death at an apartment complex on Archstone Avenue. Griffins girlfriend, Jennifer Kalicki, was found dead in bed and found with significant injuries consistent with a physical assault, Ryans office said.

Later that day, Griffin was taken into custody and charged with assault and battery on a household or family member. The Chief Medical Examiners Office determined Kalicki died from blunt-force trauma with injuries to her body and neck that led to a fatal brain bleed, Ryans office said.

An ensuing investigation also found a past history of abuse and escalating violence where Griffin abused Kalicki and even convinced her to assert her Fifth Amendment privilege so charges against him would be dismissed, Ryans office continued.

She had a loving and caring heart, most generously expressed towards her friends and family to whom she was fiercely loyal. Always smiling, she brightened the lives of all who knew her, Kalickis obituary reads. In her free time, Jennifer enjoyed going to the beach, traveling, being around close friends, or simply staying in with her dog, Bentley, for whom she cared greatly. She was also well known for her love of high heels, purse, and love of fashion.

Read more: Blackstone murder suspect Andrew McGrath claims uncle sexually assaulted him

Griffin is expected to be sentenced on July 27 at 2 p.m.
A Mattapan man has been charged after a shooting Thursday in a Boston neighborhood that killed a 12-year-old boy, according to the Boston Police Department.

Walter Hendrick, 22, of Mattapan, was a charged with improper storage of a firearm (someone under 18 has potential access), unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, according to the press release.

Read more: 3 Chicopee Police recruits fired after allegations of cheating at academy

Hendrick will be arraigned in Dorchester District Court on Friday morning.

The Boston Police Department responded to a call at 2:05 p.m. that a child had been shot near 35 Fessenden St. in Mattapan, police said. The address is listed as a multi-family home on Google Maps.

Officials said attempts to revive the child were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead after he was brought to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Officials did not release the boys name.

Mayor Michelle Wu called the situation a nightmare for a mom and for a family, and expressed condolences. The mayor stated that trauma support would be provided for residents.
SPRINGFIELD  Marchers, accompanied for the first time in years by a brass band, will parade La Madonna del Carmine through the streets of Springfields South End Sunday.

The 11:30 a.m. procession will follow a 10:30 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in honor of the feast day of the churchs namesake. The Society of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is hosting a dinner, a ticketed event, at 4 p.m. Sunday.

It will also, organizers hope, help revive an old-country tradition in a burgeoning South End where generations grew up pinning donations to a passing shrine, said Salvatore Circosta, president of the St. Padre Pio Lodge of the Springfield Sons and Daughters of Italy.

The procession shrank over the years, he said. It disappeared during the pandemic and was revived last year but only from the church to the societys hall across the street.

The Sons and Daughters, formed in February, worked with older groups like the Society of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Italian Cultural Center of Western Massachusetts to revive old traditions like festivals with street food and music that once followed the procession, Circosta said. They also hope to bring back the citys Columbus Day parade.

Members of the Our Lady of Grace Society carry out a statue of Our Lady of Grace which was to be used as part of a procession in the opening parade at the Italian Festival on Williams Street in the cities South End. The photo is from 1980.The Republican

The Columbus Day Parade was a 44-year tradition in Springfield before it ended in 2002 due to the lack of volunteers.

La Madonna del Carmine is associated with Bracigliano, Italy, hometown for as many as 12,000 Italian immigrants to Greater Springfield, including the parents of Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

Giovanni Iuliano, the mayor of Bracigliano, is visiting Western Massachusetts and met Wednesday with Sarno in City Hall. In a statement, Sarno said he and the Italian mayor will also attend the Mass and procession.

After Mass, well join with my fellow parishioners for a short procession in our South End with our Lady of Mt. Carmel Madonna statute. Well tell and share stories of our Italian-American roots and family members that came over from Italy, Sarno said.

La Madonna del Carmine isnt alone. Circosta said the community plans to parade Maria SS dellAssunta associated with Calabria, Italy, in August and Santa Maria delle Grazie associated with Quindici in September.

The young Italians in the area are willing to bring back some of these traditions, Circosta said. Springfield has a long and beautiful history with Italian culture. The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast was started in 1897, and we need continue to build an Italian community who will support and grow these feasts. We are bringing back the Assunta Feast this year for the people from Calabria, and will be promoting the Our Lady of Grace Feast for our Quindicese community.
HOLYOKE  Virginia-based hydrogen-energy supplier Revo Zero has announced it will base its future Northeast hub in Holyoke, saying the city fulfills its unique criteria for a location.

According to Revo Zero, Holyoke stands out as one of the few places that met its requirements, which include access to renewable energy sources, strategic geographic positioning, scalability, a favorable business environment and a skilled labor force.

We have selected Holyoke as the location for our Northeast hydrogen hub. We chose this location because it is unique in fulfilling all the criteria we were looking for, making it one of the few places in the country that met our requirements, stated a representative from Revo Zero.

A REVO hydrogen fuel pump and vehicle.

The company uses electrolysis to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen is then stored in tanks that fuel cars, buildings or industrial equipment. The firm serves airports, municipalities, campuses and warehouses.

Revo Zero is currently leasing space on Race Street. The hydrogen manufacturer also aids vehicle fleets transition from gas to hydrogen-powered vehicles. The company has contracts with 20 regional airports, including Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

City ordinances may need revision to accommodate hydrogen fueling stations, reflecting a possible change in the citys infrastructure.

Over 200 years ago, a revolution was born in the Pioneer Valley that forever changed America and led to the great country we know today. Holyoke, located in the center of the Pioneer Valley, is well-positioned to lead the next revolution: the hydrogen revolution, Revo Zeros statement noted.

According to Aaron Vega, Holyokes Economic and Planning director, other hydrogen and green technology companies are also interested in Holyoke.

A rendering of REVO pumps planned for a site in New Haven.REVO

Vega recently told the board of the Holyoke Economic and Industrial Development Corporation that Infinity and HyAxiom are exploring expansion opportunities within the region.

Theyre looking at the manufacturing of fuel cells and electrolyzers. Manufacturing is in our DNA, and we would love to bring that back, explained Vega regarding Infinitys interest. He also mentioned that Infinity is awaiting the results of a federal grant application to support its endeavors.

HyAxiom, a subsidiary of Doosan, has expressed interest in collaborating with Holyoke Gas and Electric to explore new methods of producing hydrogen using renewable energies. This collaboration could open innovative avenues for sustainable hydrogen production in the region.

REVO CEO Ruben Creus

Furthermore, Sublime Systems, an environmentally-friendly cement manufacturer, is considering properties in Holyoke for potential investment as it progresses from the testing to the initial production stages.

Theyre a company born out of technology here in Massachusetts. Theyre looking to expand and get to the next level, Vega said.

Based in Somerville, Sublime Systems created technology that reduces 90% of carbon emissions produced during cement manufacturing. A statement noted that the company was searching for a suitable North American site to expand production.

Holyoke is currently one potential community in which Sublime is conducting due diligence and preliminary community engagement to ensure they are ultimately locating their new facility at a site that improves the quality of life of residents, the statement says.

Vega emphasized the potential economic impact of these investments, stating that each companys plans in Holyoke could generate 70 to 100 jobs.

Vega hoped to collaborate with the companies on site plans and building permits and ensure their operations are up and running by winter.
A Barre City, Vermont, resident died as a result of the historic flooding from earlier this week, becoming the states first flood-related death, VTDigger and other outlets reported.

Stephen Davill, 63, died in his home on Wednesday. Vermonts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Barre Police Department investigated his death. His sister-in-law Barbara Pennell told VTDigger that his death was a freak accident.

Pennell said Davoll was checking his basement, which was full of water from the flooding earlier in the week. She and her sister went to find him and found him submerged, unclear how long he had been there.

Pennell told VTDigger that he was a hard worker who loved his daughter and three stepchildren and worked as a delivery truck driver. Davoll was also skilled at sandblasting.

No matter if it was a hundred degrees out hed go and put his suit on and go sandblasting, Pennell told the news outlet. ...That guy would give his right arm to anybody. He just loved and helped everybody else.

Read more: Vermonters bring out the snow shovels to help clean up after epic floods

The loss of a Vermonter is always painful, but it is particularly so this week, Vermont U.S. Sen. Peter Welch said in a statement. The news of Stephens death is heartbreaking, and I know that every Vermonter, Margaret and I included, grieves alongside Stephens family, friends, and neighbors. Our hearts go out to the Davoll family and to the residents of Barre City.

Flooding in Vermont this week caused tens of millions of dollars in damage according to the AP, with streets resembling communities impacted by a hurricane. Even snow shovels were being used to help with clean-up efforts. Despite a reprieve in the weather forecast midweek, rains are due to return doing into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Gov. Phil Scotts request for an emergency declaration from President Joe Biden was approved, The Hill reported. The emergency declaration is for Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor counties.

Heavy rain and flooding left devastation in parts of Western Massachusetts, which Gov. Maura Healey saw in North Adams on Wednesday in assessing the damage.

These torrential conditions also affected the search for a missing 7-year-old Lowell girl on Monday, who went missing the day before, limiting the use of drones and an airwing. Following an almost 24-hour search, Anna Mburus body was found by state authorities in the Merrimack River. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said the river was up to 9 feet high and waters were running at 4 mph.
The day the thief tripped running off with diamonds. The Flaming Pits scale, where parents weighed kids and paid a penny a pound for their suppers.

And the macaw named Mike  the caged Eastfield Mall bird that, it can now be disclosed, was a nasty biter.

All those memories come back to Michael Bourbonnais of Feeding Hills, the malls longest-serving employee. He retired in 2010 and was sent off with an engraved clock.

That clock is now even more of a collectors item. With the malls permanent closing Saturday, Bourbonnais record will never be eclipsed. He started caring for the malls heating and cooling systems in 1969, working for an outside company, then joined The Rouse Co. in 1974 as an all-around Mr. Fixit. The mall had opened in 1967, the first enclosed shopping center in greater Springfield.

I would get in my car and come here  and the car would almost automatically drive me, he said the other day, back at the mall for one last look. For 41 years this was my job and my life.

How was it that no other mall employee topped his years?

I guess they found better jobs? Im not sure, he said. I liked working here. I liked the people.

After it closes, the Boston Road mall will be demolished. Onyx Partners plans to create an outdoor shopping center called Eastfield Commons. The project is expected to take two years and cost up to $85 million.

In recent weeks, people have been streaming through for a last look, including an editor with MassLive, who got two childhood friends to tag along and share memories on a Facebook Live video.

Michael Bourbonnais holds a photo showing the structure that used to display 150 live poinsettia plants outside the Steiger's department store during the holiday season. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

After more than a half century of operation, thats a lot of memories, as the mall community prepares to go under, not unlike Quabbin Reservoir towns that disappeared in the name of progress nearly a century ago.

Its something thats part of your life. Its like a community touch point, said Denise Edinger, Bourbonnais daughter, who as a teenager held a job that included making the announcement, at 9:30 p.m., that the mall was about to close.

A day to remember

For Bourbonnais, who is 80, one date stands out  Oct. 13, 1979. Just because of the pain involved. (More on that in a minute.)

As he glanced around last week, better memories abounded. After pushing his wheeled tool cart through the mall for more than three decades, he was seeing things few others would notice  or know anything about.

That the marble fountain that once graced the area outside Steigers is still down there, for instance. It lies entombed in cement. No one was willing to take it away, even for free.

And that way up in the steel above buried marble, somewhere, lies a tiny but essential piece of hardware. It was affixed above the towering metal structure that during the Christmas season held more than 150 live poinsettia plants. It took 10 people to haul the parts in. Theres still an eye-bolt up there, Bourbonnais said. It was his job to climb up, attach ropes and pulleys to get everything in place.

Like I said, I wore many hats, he said.

He remembers motorcycle events, shows for children, square dances in the common room and the carousel that spun in the food court. He recalls picking locks for shopkeepers without keys (30 seconds was his record).

His daughter notes that when not fixing things, Bourbonnais was a bit of a jester, performing magic tricks and occasionally spoofing shoppers.

An example: With his slight frame, Bourbonnais was able to slip into lockers that once crowded a wall. Hed pop out as a group walked by, then turn back and say something to people he pretended were inside.

Michael Bourbonnais walks a corridor at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield with his daughter, Denise Edinger. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

Ever the magician, his fun lay in watching his illusion play out, when one of those shoppers peeked inside the locker.

The would-be diamond thief still brings a smile. Bourbonnais cant recall which jewelry store was held up, but remembers that a man ran out of the shop carrying a platter of gems.

He took a whole damn tray. He tripped  and all the diamonds went flying. A whole tray of diamonds. Once the cops came, the mall got cordoned off. We found diamonds in stores. Some were all over.

Another time, a different jewelry thief was chased by a crowd of shoppers. The man smashed through a glass door at a rear exit, cutting himself, and hid in a swamp. The cops convinced him to come out.

The whole hubbub probably ruffled feathers in the malls center, where Mike the macaw lived alongside a green parrot named Pappy and a mynah bird named Zircon.

It was a job after all

A little less fondly, Bourbonnais remembers the roof leaks, store lockouts, lost power and countless trips up onto the malls uneven and sprawling roof, to repair any of the roughly 180 individual air-conditioning units that cooled stores below.

And hell never forget that fall Saturday morning in 1979. The roof was wet with dew. It was 10:20 a.m.

How does he remember the time?

It will never go away, he said. I slipped and heard this big snap. And I fell down the ramp. When I got back up, I tried to walk and fell down again. When they took my boot off at the hospital, my ankle just hung there.

Given his mordant humor, Bourbonnais isnt one to overlook what came next. Unable to bear weight, he dragged himself to a skylight and started pounding. A security guard looked up. Bourbonnais couldnt be heard through the glass. Im there calling Help. Get up here. He waves to me and keeps going.

A fellow maintenance worker came along and realized his colleague wasnt playing around this time.

The fall broke bones in his leg and ankle. That ankle still acts up.

After that accident, everybody had a radio, he said.

Both Michael Bourbonnais and his daughter, Denise Edinger, worked at the Eastfield Mall. She lasted three years while a teenager. He worked for 41 years in all. They stand by the mall's center court. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

Bourbonnais took time off. Once mended, he returned. In summer, up on the roof again, it was never easy.

As a child, I would see my dad come home after a day at work. absolutely exhausted from having worked in the heat up on that roof, Edinger said.

For a few years, he didnt have to sweat quite as much. The Rouse Co. sent Bourbonnais out around the country to inspect its other malls.

Ups and downs

The last years at the Eastfield Mall, as everyone knows, brought decline. Even early on, two decades in, Bourbonnais recalls a slump. When the food court was added in 1986, things perked up.

Everybody wanted to come and see what the food court was all about, he said. You couldnt hardly find a table. We used to have booths in here  and a lot more chairs than we have now.

But that was then.

Denise Edinger hadnt been back in a few years and was shocked the other day to see the state of the mall. Its very surreal, she said.

It is surreal, her father added.

This place in its prime was up to snuff and if something was wrong, it got fixed, she said. Mostly by her dad. If a store owner or manager had an issue, my dad was the first person they were looking for.

Denise Edinger was hired at the Eastfield Mall at age 16. She used to get on the public address system to warn shoppers that the mall was closing. The mall will close for the last time Saturday. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

Its been a long time since Edinger notified shoppers the mall was closing for the night. I said something like, Its 9:30. The mall is officially closed. Please finish your shopping and head to the exits. At the end, it was always: Thank you for shopping at Eastfield Mall.

Recalling that this week, Edinger teared up, and needed a minute to find her voice again.

Its been open for 50-plus years. For everybody whos come here, I can say for the last time Thank you for shopping at the Eastfield Mall.

Her father sits listening, his back to the open door to Donovans Irish Pub, which is moving to Holyoke.

Bourbonnais says hell return to see what Onyx Partners cooks up.

It sounds like it should be really nice. Ill definitely come back, he said. He certainly knows the way over from Feeding Hills. But Im also going to be visiting Donovans in Holyoke.
Massachusetts residents have been patiently waiting for social consumption marijuana establishments, and when a new law went into effect last November, the door finally opened for communities to host them.

As state regulators of the now-legal industry  and co-chairs of a working group charged with responding to recent statutory changes  we want to provide an update on how the Cannabis Control Commission is approaching the licensing framework that will support these new businesses.

First, we remain guided by our agencys mission of safely, equitably and effectively implementing and administering the law. We are focused on maintaining a regulatory system that prioritizes public health, safety, and equity across the Commonwealth. The commission has already granted exclusivity for the first three years to smaller operators and those disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs, including economic empowerment applicants and social equity program participants.

In this work, we also seek to set the bar high and make Massachusetts an example that other legal jurisdictions can follow. This can only be done by engaging critical stakeholders, learning from states that already allow social consumption, and creating innovative business opportunities that will enable licensees here to thrive. We take that responsibility seriously and wanted to share our progress thus far.

Our working group initially aimed to remove some hurdles in the existing regulations, namely, the original Social Consumption Pilot Program, which limited business locations to 12 municipalities. In our view, this hindered local decision-making, gave the commission unnecessary authority and would have prolonged a regulatory implementation process to the detriment of job creation and economic development. The commission voted to support our recommendation.

Now, we are hearing from stakeholders to ensure social consumption succeeds. The working group did not wish to create policies for communities and people without understanding their perspective. Not only did we solicit comments prior to any actual regulatory drafting, we have scheduled three listening sessions for anyone seeking to add their voice to the conversation.

The first was held at Holyoke Community College in June, and additional virtual and in-person options are slated July 18 and 20. The commission also sent surveys to prospective license applicants and inviting input from anyone with interest on this topic.

Seeing and feeling how these businesses actually work serves as critical due diligence. Visiting other states with operational social consumption businesses enables us to ask peers in government and industry tough questions, examine their achievements and challenges and avoid re-inventing the wheel. As a result, we have been carefully reviewing regulations in the few jurisdictions where these businesses exist now to learn what will fit best in Massachusetts.

Recently several commission team members embarked on an educational mission to San Francisco and Oakland, in California, to meet with policymakers, local officials, community stakeholders and past and present operators. We spent three days discussing policy, touring spaces and listening to business owners from both the legacy and legal markets.

On-site consumption lounges at retail locations are allowed in both municipalities. Oakland also allows outdoor smoking with local controls and abutter permission. Other states, with different regulations, will likely offer additional insight and exchanges in the future.

Visiting these establishments allows us to observe firsthand how they operate daily, but also understand how they came together in a safe, equitable and efficient way. Witnessing how local ordinances and state regulations interact toward that end will help inform our own regulation writing process in Massachusetts.

The working group recognizes our diligence is crucial to creating a legal framework to help make this new license type successful and safe. We look forward to ongoing engagement with the public, sharing our findings, and unveiling our regulatory proposal to the full commission in the near future.

Cannabis Control Commission members Nurys Camargo and Bruce Stebbins were appointed by the governor, treasurer and attorney general of Massachusetts to regulate medical- and adult-use cannabis in the Commonwealth.
Massachusetts drivers licenses will remain valid in Florida, despite the Sunshine States new law prohibiting recognition of some licenses from states that allow undocumented immigrants to legally drive.

As of July 1, some licenses from Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii and Vermont have been considered invalid in Florida, as a result of an immigration law Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed earlier this year. All four of these states issue drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Florida will not accept driver licenses from those who cannot provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. By doing this, we commit to a safer Florida, said Florida Highway Patrol Executive Director Dave Kerner.

But for Massachusetts, which on July 1 began implementing a new law allowing undocumented immigrants to legally drive, the Florida law wont apply.

Bay State licenses have stayed off the list of those no longer accepted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, because Massachusetts issues the same standard drivers license to everyone  regardless of their legal status in the U.S.

Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii and Vermont created a different class of licenses that indicate that a person could not prove lawful presence. These licenses are specifically marked, indicating that they cannot be used for federal identification, and are intended only to allow driving privileges to card holders.

Due to the way the Florida law is written, the state can only ban licenses given exclusively to undocumented immigrants, according to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles spokesperson Molly Best.

The Massachusetts Work and Family Mobility Act that went into effect July 1st allows undocumented immigrants to obtain a Standard license. The standard license is issued to individuals who have lawful presence but arent REAL ID and to those that cannot show lawful presence, Best said. Florida Senate Bill 1718, which went into effect on July 1, 2023, specifies that certain driver licenses and permits issued by other states exclusively to unauthorized immigrants are not valid in this state per s. 322.033, Florida Statute.

In fact, the new Massachusetts license law explicitly prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles from tracking data on whether a person applying for a license is documented or not.

When processing an application for a Massachusetts license pursuant to this section the registrar shall not inquire about or create a record of an applicants citizenship or immigration status. When processing an application for registration or renewal of a motor vehicle submitted by an applicant who holds a Massachusetts license the registrar shall not inquire about or create a record of an applicants citizenship or immigration status, the law says.

RMV Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie told reporters earlier this week that she could not provide a breakdown of how many of the 2,800 learners permits issued since the law took effect on July 1 were newly-eligible undocumented immigrants.

Read more: Bill would give unemployment benefits to striking workers

Asked for this breakdown, Ogilvie said We will not be able to answer that because the law prohibits us from looking at the data that way. From our perspective, it is all people that have gotten a new permit, whether its a 16-year-old for the first time, or an adult that is suddenly now obtaining a license.

Whether to issue the same, indistinguishable, standard license to everyone or create a new type of permit for undocumented immigrants was one of the major points of debate during the process of passing the so-called Work and Family Mobility Act last year.

Republicans filed several amendments that would have created a distinctive license for those without legal status, which were shot down by Democrats.

Republican lawmakers argued that since standard licenses are used as identification for things other than just driving, such as voting, that it was important to make a visual distinction between the two permits.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr filed an amendment that would have made the licenses given to undocumented immigrants a different color than standard permits, one that would have marked the licenses not for identification and an amendment that would have required two types of photo identification to apply.

It is our highest responsibility to ensure that when we act in this chamber, in order to remedy one thing, that we do not cause problems for public safety, and our voting system, and identification, because the instrumentality we talk about today, the drivers license, is the most recognizable and most relied upon instrument of identification in our society, Tarr said during a debate over the bill last May.

Senate Democrats rejected all 15 amendments that Tarr filed, including three by roll calls of 8-31, 7-32 and 9-30.

Theres really no need for anyone to know what the citizenship status is of the drivers who plan to earn a drivers license under this bill, Sen. Brendan Crighton said in response to Tarr.

He added, It is unnecessary for these licenses to be marked in any other way. The proposed distinctive ID would lead to stigma, an opportunity for anyone to see the license and to discriminate against the card holder. It could have a chilling effect on what were really trying to do here today, which is to make our roads safer.

Read more: Hospital receivership pitched as way to stop closures of vital community health centers

Sarang Sekhavat, political director for the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), said that though the Florida law does not affect Massachusetts, advocates are worried about other states looking to ban licenses given to undocumented immigrants.

This is certainly something thats on our radar, not just because of what Florida is doing, but, you know, theres a lot of efforts to do these kinds of things in other states as well, really just having a national impact on folks, Sekhavat said.

Gov. Maura Healey told reporters on Monday that the licenses given to undocumented immigrants should be valid in other states.

These are Massachusetts drivers licenses, she said. And they should be honored by other states.
STEPANAKERT, 13 JULY, ARMENPRESS: Artsakh State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan addressed the people of Artsakh and Armenia, all the Armenians around the world, the Russian Federation and the international community which have a major role in this situation, noting that the people of Artsakh are facing biggest threats. He also added that since the physical safety of our people is not guaranteed, moreover, there is ominous threat of human extinction, it is necessary to stand up and start popular movement.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the office of the State Minister, the message states:

"Dear people of Artsakh, Armenians around the world,

Since September 27, 2020 the Republic of Artsakh is experiencing serious trials. Our people had to pass through pogroms, torture, deportation and suffering for the umpteenth time. From December 12, 2022, along with all that, the blockade of Artsakh began - the blocking of the artery connecting Artsakh to Armenia. Since that day, the people of Artsakh have gone through many trials, preserving their honor and dignity. The people of Artsakh, assuming their part of responsibility for the protection of homeland, have reaffirmed to the world and all Armenians that our right to live with dignity in the homeland is inalienable, and the people of Artsakh have paid the ultimate price for that right. Difficult living conditions, lack of food, cold and darkness cannot compel us to abandon our identity, dignity, basic human rights to manage our own destiny and live in a peaceful and safe environment. The people of Artsakh suffered and are still suffering these trials and bitterness in front of the eyes of Armenia, all the Armenians around the world and the international community.

Since March 1, 2023, Ive assumed the position of State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh and from the first day weve started preparing the country to resist more difficult and tough challenges. Although Artsakh was under blockade, we had limited opportunities, the needs of Artsakh people were met to a minimum extent by only a dozen truckloads of humanitarian cargo organized just a few times a week, yet we were able to prepare people for the next provocation by Azerbaijan- the total blockade of the people of Artsakh.

Today is the 29th day that Artsakh is under a total blockade. For 29 days Artsakh, lacking enough level of self-sufficiency, lives at the expense of its internal resources. For 7 months the people of Artsakh live in the absence of basic living conditions, gas and energy supply to Artsakh is cut off. It is evident that our resources are not inexhaustible and no matter how sparingly they are used, they will run out one day, and then we will have disastrous and irreversible losses and consequences. It is not just about nutrition; fortunately, the long-suffering people of Artsakh have always been able to meet their minimum needs with their work, but the limited number and the blocking of importing other supplies necessary for the basic life activity of the public are already causing serious threats and problems.

The people of Artsakh have been living in such conditions for a long time. Some people call it enduring, others call it fighting. But I, as a citizen of the Republic of Artsakh, as one of the primary officials of the government, as a state official, I want to raise a question: how long do we have to endure and fight? Until people start dying in hospitals for lack of basic medical care or medicine? until a citizen with a simple health problem loses his life due to the impossibility of receiving medical care? until our children's health begins to deteriorate due to the lack of basic calorie food? until the elderly, citizens with health problems, pregnant women start begging for food or vitamins? until we fail to deliver the food we have to the regions, until we can't give people normal drinking water? until we start to find frozen corpses in apartments? Just a few days ago, we found the corpses of two children left unattended, whose mother had to leave them alone at home in order to find food for them. Do we, Armenians around the world, or the observing international community, need such situations or scenes?

No, dear citizens of Artsakh, we mustnt silently endure all this. No matter how bitter or terrifying it is, Azerbaijan is pushing us to the situation I mentioned under the silence and almost inaction of the Republic of Armenia, all Armenians, the Russian Federation which is the guarantor of the tripartite declaration, and the international community. I am sure that the people of Artsakh do not deserve all this and they should not undergo such trials. Therefore, we need to stand up and forge ahead.

Dear compatriots, you know, I have never been involved in politics and I have never suffered from political selfishness. As for me, official responsibility includes being honest with the public, taking responsibility to lead the people and not thinking of sharing or shifting the responsibility onto someone else.

And now, when the people of Artsakh are facing the biggest threats, since the physical safety of our people is not guaranteed, as well as there is ominous threat of human extinction, we must stand up and start popular movement.

Before talking about our next action, I would like to address the people of the Republic of Armenia. Dear compatriots, the life and safety of the people of the Republic of Artsakh are seriously threatened. As before, so today a citizen of Artsakh lives with Mother Armenia in his heart, and with the understanding that he has three million brothers and sisters in the Republic of Armenia. But, unfortunately, after the 44-day war in 2020, the people of Artsakh felt the bitterness of loneliness.

After the war, the people of Artsakh were well aware of the vulnerable condition of Armenia and always remained reserved in many issues and at the cost of their own deprivations they tried to keep the Republic of Armenia away from pressures. We tried not to create any problem for Armenia or a means of pressure on it, but as a result we had a worse situation, a declaration to recognize Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, disregard or uncertainty of the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, unguaranteed security, threats to human extinction, killing of civilians.

After all that, the Armenian people did not even see signs of peace and now, when the physical existence of the Artsakh people is threatened, we must reevaluate our steps and future actions and refrain from steps that lead to the destruction of the Armenian Artsakh and the Artsakh Armenians. Now the situation is dire more than ever, the people of Artsakh are facing serious problems and it is necessary to stop the course of this catastrophe. Artsakh is of exceptional importance for the Armenian people and Armenian statehood, Artsakh does not belong only to the people of Artsakh. Therefore, all of us should join this sacred mission of protecting Artsakh.

Dear compatriots of the Republic of Armenia, do not be silent, become a part of the popular movement that is starting in Artsakh, take actions in the direction of speaking out about the disaster in Artsakh in front of the Armenian people and authorities, international actors represented in Armenia and take practical steps.

I appeal to Armenians all over the world. Dear brothers and sisters, the people of Artsakh are under the threat of genocide, in the near future our people will face serious existential threats. All this is also the result of your silence and indifference, wake up, speak out, open all the doors and alarm about the genocide of the 21st century. Today, many countries of the world justify their passivity by your behavior. Prove that your brothers and sisters from Artsakh are not alone, they are not unprotected.

I appeal to the Russian Federation which has a key role in the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020. The people of the Republic of Artsakh are grateful to the Russian people for stopping the 44-day bloody war and for the peacekeeping mission carried out to this day.

The people of Artsakh have always trusted and been loyal to the Russian people, they understand the situation created for Russia today, but today's Artsakh and the events happening around us have caused certain concerns among the people of Artsakh. Our people are watching with bewilderment that the needs of the peacekeepers are met with air supplies in Artsakh, which is under complete siege, there are a number of phenomena that give rise to many unanswered and worrying questions. But as a result, we have one request: please ensure unhindered traffic, transportation of people and cargo through the corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, stipulated by the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020. If any of the parties of the trilateral declaration does not fulfill or improperly fulfills its duties, then its not the people of Artsakh who should bear the consequences of all that, and if diplomatic and political efforts and actions are needed, they should be applied to ensure the fulfillment of the obligations of those parties.

I appeal to the international community, the situation in Artsakh is dire, in a few days we will have irreversible consequences. The people of Artsakh, the 30,000 children, cannot be the victims of the West-Russia confrontation or the subject-platform for bargaining. This is a problem and the only way to solve it is to recognize the security and rights of the people living in Artsakh, including the right to self-determination as a priority value. If for the peace-loving and creative people of Artsakh this expectation is like an expectation of a miracle, then in reality it is not naivety, but a conviction that the world and humanity have not yet finally lost their face and role. If the assumed price for paying attention to the people of Artsakh is human losses and sufferings, then we are very close to that danger again. Our people have faced a lot of losses and suffering in the last three decades. Take action and don't wait for new cases of destruction of human lives to have grounds for intervention, stop this aggravating catastrophe before it's too late. Take you part of responsibility to protect the right to life of our people who are an integral part of humanity.

No one can want peace in our region more than we. And if for some people peace or its alternative ways are politics, then for us peace is an opportunity to live in our own house, to educate and raise children, to satisfy simple and human needs.

Dear citizens of Artsakh, we have no reason to give up or leave Artsakh. Living in Artsakh is not a right, but a duty. This is a written and unwritten law, this is an oath and responsibility. So we all start together the peaceful struggle for our existence and the protection of our rights. Tomorrow, at nine o'clock in the morning, we will all gather in Stepanakert's Renaissance Square, where we will decide together out next actions. We must call everyone to stand up, once again speak out about the disaster and with our steps and actions force all actors to take action. We hope that at least this time and in this situation, the popular movement starting in Artsakh will get its necessary response in Mother Armenia and the Diaspora.

May God protect Artsakh and the people of Artsakh."
Representatives will gather in closed-door meetings next week to hold candid discussions about a 140-page gun reform bill that Speaker Ron Mariano wants to win House approval by the end of the month.

With the omnibus bill idling amid a House-Senate procedural dispute and national gun safety groups applying new pressure on legislative leaders, Marianos office scheduled a pair of private events for representatives and staff to talk about the proposal.

Mariano told reporters on Thursday that his goal is to win House approval for the omnibus bill (HD 4420) before lawmakers take a traditional break in August. Asked about how the House plans to navigate a procedural disagreement with the Senate that has stalled the bills early progress, Mariano said, Ill look at the different options that are at my disposal and try to pick one.

He wouldnt specify what those options entail.

There are three or four of them, Mariano said. Im not gonna go through them all right now.

Rep. Michael Day, the bills author and co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, said the goal of the closed-door meetings is to clarify misconceptions and confusion as gun owner advocates mount intense opposition. He said the discussions would rebut claims that the bill is a total scrapping of the current system.

Time is of the essence when it comes to firearm safety and making sure we make the improvements we need in this area, Day said in an interview following a meeting Thursday with top House Democrats, including Mariano and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Aaron Michlewitz.

While multiple members of Marianos leadership team voiced urgency about the bill, they offered differing assessments about the timeline for action amid a spat with Senate Democrats over which committee should review the bill.

Day, who noted there have been 13 shootings in Massachusetts so far this month including one in Mattapan earlier Thursday, told the News Service he wasnt sure when his proposal might emerge for a hearing or hit the House floor for a vote.

Second Assistant Majority Leader Sarah Peake said the target is for the House to take up Days bill before lawmakers break at the end of the month.

As good as our gun laws are, clearly they need an update, and we have a sense of urgency about this, Peake said in an interview. This is why we hope to get this done before we recess.

Senate Democrats have been fairly quiet about the issue, even as Day publicly criticized them for not agreeing to send the bill to his committee. Senate President Karen Spilka said in a May 24 tweet that her chamber is committed to legislation updating the states gun laws this session.

Half of the House will gather Monday afternoon, and the other half will convene Tuesday morning, to hear a summary of the bill from Day and other top House Democrats.

As we await the scheduling of a public hearing, we hope to continue soliciting feedback from the Membership, a Mariano aide wrote in an email to representatives, acquired by the News Service, informing them of the events.

To encourage candid discussions, we will organize the meetings by Floor Division and they will be Members only, the aide added.

The bill stretches across a wide range of firearm-related issues, including where guns can be carried, the licensing process, the states existing ban on assault weapons, rising numbers of untraceable ghost guns, and training for gun owners.

Day filed the sweeping legislation on June 26, just more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Courts Bruen decision that forced a change to Massachusetts right-to-carry laws.

Fulfilling an assignment from Mariano, Day crafted his legislation based on input gathered in 11 listening sessions across the state and from officials such as Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

The proposal has already drawn intense criticism from gun ownership and Second Amendment groups.

Calling its message a travel advisory, National Association for Gun Rights on Tuesday told gun owners their rights are at serious risk in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that they should consider leaving the state or halting plans to visit.

The Massachusetts-based Gun Owners Action League described the bill as a historic attack against the entire 2A community being pushed by House Speaker Ron Mariano and Chairman Michael Day.

There is no telling when the Speaker may try to ram this through. Although we have been told the bill will have a hearing, we have been told a lot of things, most of which have turned out to be intentionally false, the group wrote last week.

The bill is so egregious that it is impossible to amend, so dont try, GOAL added.

Its not clear what the next step will be for the late-filed legislation, nor when it will advance.

House Speaker Ronald Mariano speaks to reporters outside his State House office on Tuesday, April 2023. (Chris Van Buskirk/MassLive)

House and Senate Democrats cannot agree on whether the Judiciary Committee that Day co-chairs or the Public Safety Committee that has reviewed some previous gun bills should get the first pass at the proposal, leaving it in legislative limbo more than two weeks after the Stoneham Democrat filed it.

The Public Safety Committee is co-chaired by Rep. Carlos Gonzalez of Springfield and Sen. Walter Timilty of Milton.

Day called the disagreement between House and Senate members over where his bill belongs unfortunate.

Im hoping its not just a delay tactic and Im hoping that we can have a process to move forward quickly with this bill, Day said. I hope its done as soon as possible. Certainly by the end of July would be optimal ... for the body and for the Legislature.

The gun bill needed to be done yesterday, Rep. Jim ODay told the News Service.

The speaker is very concerned about whats been happening in our commonwealth relative to gun violence, and hes really focused on trying to remedy that, ODay, the Houses Fourth Division chair, said. We really feel like our membership wants to be involved in making some changes, and were hoping its going to happen before the end of the month.

Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem said this week that gun law reforms are a priority for her chamber. The Public Safety Committee, which the Senate wants to review Days bill, is charged with issues relating to gun safety and firearms, she said.

As the procedural squabble drags on, influential gun safety organizations are wading in.

Representatives from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, GIFFORDS: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, Mass. Moms Demand Action, Mass. Students Demand Action, and Stop Handgun Violence wrote to Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka on Thursday urging them to find a way forward in the next few weeks.

Gun violence continues to claim the lives of too many people in Massachusetts, as illustrated by the terrible shooting in Mattapan and so many other shootings just in the past month alone -- showing the urgency of addressing this public health crisis head-on, the groups wrote in a letter obtained by the News Service. While we do not presume it is our role to opine on which legislative committee should ultimately have jurisdiction over [Days bill], given the amount of work that has been put into the bill and its broad, comprehensive approach, we strongly urge you to ensure that it receives a swift hearing before the Legislature breaks for its August recess, so that we can continue to work together and unite around holistic solutions to this urgent problem.

Legislative leaders in both branches at times have circumvented the traditional joint committee process to bring bills to the floor more quickly or in the face of hesitation in the other chamber.

Asked about the bills status amid the committee disagreement, Rep. Ruth Balser -- who is third division chair in Marianos leadership team -- replied, Were just gonna move it forward.

Were moving forward, meeting with members, talking amongst ourselves and getting behind this effort that Chairman Day has led, Balser, a Newton Democrat.

Pressed on what moving the bill forward would like look when the branches cannot agree which committee should hold the hearing, Balser said, Well see. Hopefully that will get resolved. Hopefully the Senate -- theyll see the urgency of this.

Assistant Majority Leader Alice Peisch also described urgency to take up the bill amid the growing presence of ghost guns, which are often assembled at home and do not feature serial numbers that allow law enforcement to track them.

When you talk about the procedural issues, it seems to me that when we are talking about a bill thats being done in response to a United States Supreme Court decision -- largely that relies on constitutional questions -- you want the Judiciary Committee that has the expertise in constitutional areas to be where the bill is reviewed and vetted, Peisch said.

Ruth Zakarian, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, spoke with House leaders as they exited Marianos office. She told the News Service that advocates want a hearing on Days bill.

Weve had an incredible number of shootings over the past few weeks, and its important that we move this forward, Zakarian told the News Service. We have historically done a very good job of responding to gun violence -- both from a policy perspective as well as how we invest in community-based solutions -- and I trust that we will continue to do that.

Sam Doran contributed reporting.
Ubongo, Africas leading childrens edutainment and media company, is excited to announce its 10-year anniversary, marking a decade of transforming education and empowering millions of children across the continent.

With an impressive portfolio of educational programs including Akili and Me, Ubongo Kids, and the recent addition of the captivating new show Nuzo and Namia, Ubongo continues to set the standard in innovative learning experiences for kids.

Since its founding in July of 2013 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ubongo has been dedicated to providing fun, localized, and multi-platform educational content that helps children foster a lifelong love of learning. Through accessible technologies like TV, radio, and mobile phones, Ubongo has reached over 32 million families across Africa, making a significant impact on the continents education landscape. Independent research studies examining Ubongos programs have consistently revealed their profound impact, enhancing school readiness, improving learning outcomes, and fostering positive social and behavioral change among both children and their caregivers.

Over the past 10 years, Ubongo has grown from a small Tanzanian grassroots startup to a Pan-African non-profit organization and the market leader in African edutainment. Ubongos innovative and engaging edutainment programs empower kids with the knowledge and critical skills they need to change their lives and their communities for the better.

 We are thrilled to celebrate this incredible milestone of 10 years,  said Mwasi Wilmore, CEO of Ubongo.  It is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our team, partners, and supporters who have believed in our mission and contributed to our success. Together, we have made a significant impact on education in Africa, and we are committed to continuing our journey of transforming learning for generations to come. 

In commemoration of this significant milestone, Ubongo has arranged a special 10-year anniversary event in Dar es Salaam to celebrate the accomplishments and milestones achieved throughout the years. The event will feature inspiring speeches and captivating presentations showcasing the journey and impact of Ubongos edutainment programs.

 We invite all our partners, supporters, and stakeholders to join us in celebrating this significant milestone,  added Mwasi Wilmore.  Together, let us reflect on our journey, express our gratitude, and renew our commitment to providing quality education and transformative learning experiences for children in Africa. 

As we look ahead to the next decade, we remain steadfast in our mission to reach even more children, leveraging the power of edutainment to unlock their potential and shape a brighter future for Africa, added Mwasi Wilmore.
MINISTER for the Environment Eamon Ryan has suggested that the Western Rail Corridor will cost more than the previously estimated cost of 154 million.

Minister Ryan re-affirmed his support for reopening the Claremorris-Athenry railway but said it 'wont be as cheap as some people have indicated.

The Green Party leader was responding to questions from reporters during a visit last Friday to the Mary Robinson Centre in Ballina.

A report by Dr John Bradley commissioned by lobby group West On Track estimated that it would cost approximately 154 million to reopen the line.

The reopening of the Western Rail Corridor was raised with Minister Ryan in the Dail by Mayo TD Alan Dillon last week.

Well weve seen a lot of the projects weve done in recent years that theyve proven much more expensive than people thought, said Minister Ryan.

Youll find that out as we develop it, but we have to get an estimate of cost and then government will have to make a decision, but Im going to make the case to government. Im confident theyll see the wisdom of what Im putting forward.

Minister Ryan insisted that the line should be reopened as part of an all-island strategy that would be guided by the publication of the All-Island Rail Review.

The publication of the review has been held up due to a lack of a sitting assembly in Northern Ireland.

However, Minister Ryan said the review would be published straight away at the end of July regardless of whether Stormont was up and running.

He added that an environmental impact assessment would need to take place prior to any reopening of the Western Rail Corridor but did not indicate how long this would take.

I dont know if thats the big time constraint. I see it as part of a whole where its connecting Rosslare to Waterford in a similar situation to Claremorris-Athenry. The reason Im saying is that if you put those two pieces in, then you can run rail freight services from Rosslare right the way up to Ballina, said Minister Ryan.

I believe theres a real strong economic case now, to be able to go to the businesses all along those lines and say, Heres how you get your goods out.

And I think I have to first of all convince my government colleague of that, I will have to raise the finance. It will be expensive to reinstate the line, it wont be as cheap as some people have indicated.

PROGRESS

MINISTER of State Dara Calleary told The Mayo News that the government should press ahead with the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor if there is no sitting executive in Stormont by the autumn.

I think the all-island element is important, but we cant allow it to delay progress either, said Minister Calleary.

I think the indications have been positive, and Im certainly willing to give the overall question, in terms of restoring the institutions of Stormont, another few months. I think if, by the time the autumn finishes, we havent made any progress, I think we should progress the Western Rail Corridor.

Elsewhere, Ireland West Airport Knock Chief Executive Joe Gilmore has said that the development of good road and rail connections on the north-south axis from Donegal to the regional capital of Galway will be critically important for the future growth of the airport.

In a wide-ranging presentation to the members of the Western Inter-County Railway Committee, he pointed to the importance of developing both the N17 and the currently disused Sligo-Galway railway in order to provide modern and efficient connectivity to the airport.

Rail is the most sustainable form of transport and the extension of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris and onwards to Sligo has an important part to play in the future development of the airport, Mr Gilmore said.

Rail is strongly supported in our plans and ideally we would like to see a rail spur from a redeveloped Western Rail Corridor to the airport. Alternatively, an electric shuttle from one of our local stations such as Kiltimagh or Charlestown would be desirable.

Our new service to Heathrow with Aer Lingus and the global connectivity it now provides for the region makes it imperative that there is an improved transport infrastructure, both road and rail, in place to support key routes such as this.
Castlebar election candidate Harry Barrett says Mayo University Hospital is at breaking point after ambulances backed up outside on Friday morning, leaving patients sitting in ambulances for a number of hours. The former Town Councillor says an emergency meeting is urgently required before lives are lost.

"There were up to to eight ambulances backed up outside Mayo University Hospital between 1 and 2am last night from every area of the county, with some patients sitting in ambulances for up to five hours. I was contacted this morning by a concerned member of staff who alleges that people waiting in the Emergency Department itself would have been there for at least 10 hours."



Barrett says that the impact on staff is totally unacceptable with one nurse who started at 8pm on Thursday evening not getting her first break until 6am on Friday morning.



"I am calling for an emergency meeting of management in Mayo University Hospital to address this crazy system. To have ambulances backed up outside the hospital is a very dangerous situation if a major accident were to occur and ambulances were needed elsewhere.

"The needless suffering of patients and crazy pressure on staff has to end and is a direct result of poor planning and the five-day-week nature of our health system here in Mayo. A system where everything shuts down at 5pm on a Friday, and people are then sent to hospital as a last resort because waiting times for a doctor around the county are too long. This is crazy.

"The solution is very simple, but HSE bosses seem unable to plan for it. People have to be given treatment in their own local areas, especially after hours and at the weekends. Carrying on like this is going to cost lives especially when ambulances are backed up outside a hospital.

"People must stand up and demand a safer system than this chaos and I am asking people to contact their local TD demanding that the HSE put in place medical cover in every area of the county, especially at the weekends and out of hours."

The Mayo News is awaiting a response from Saolta about the situation at the hospital on Friday morning.
Erris-based local election candidate Rosaleen Lally was among those who spoke at the recent two-day Women in Leadership delegation to the European Parliament as guests of Sinn Fein MEP Chris MacManus.

Ms Lally is the National Access Programme Manager for the Irish Wheelchair Association and a Sinn Fein candidate for Belmullet in next years local elections.

The delegation joined a roundtable discussion in the European Parliament on gender issues. In a section entitled 'Combatting gender-based violence' the room heard from MEP Frances Fitzgerald, lead MEP negotiator for the Domestic Violence Directive and Delegate Nike Ogen, Domestic Violence Action Service and Diversity Sligo.

During a section on 'Women running for political office', Ms Lally spoke about inequality for women with disabilities and the additional challenges faced by women with disabilities in all sectors of life in Ireland.

The Irish Wheelchair Association are currently leading on a national campaign, 'Think Housing Build Accessible', calling on the government to amend the 2010 Part M of the Building Regulations to include Technical Guidance for wheelchair liveable homes.

Ms Lally stated: The key to real independence is a home of your own, but wheelchair liveable homes are virtually impossible to rent or buy in both the private and public sector.

She went on to speak on her decision and the challenges of putting her name forward for the local elections in the Belmullet Local Electoral Area.

Mayo-based Sinn Fein local election candidates Una Morris and Donna Hyland were also part of the delegation.

A united Ireland and a society where everyone is cherished equally is one of the driving forces behind my decision to go forward for the local elections 2024, said Ms Lally.

The lack of women councillors in Mayo County Council is an issue. Currently only two of the 30 councillors are women. We need more women at the decision-making table.

Ms Lally is also passionate about inequality in funding for essential infrastructure in North Mayo, which she said 'has put Erris at a huge disadvantage to other parts of the county'.

Young people in Mayo are some of the best-educated in the country, but they are leaving in droves.

We must provide opportunities and infrastructure in west Mayo to encourage our youth to return to their home place and to have opportunities to meaningful employment and housing. We have such potential and talent in Erris.

I want to work with Deputy Rose Conway Walsh, Cllr Gerry Murray and our MEPs in Europe to harness and strive for a better future for everyone, she concluded.

The conference concluded with an engaging Q&A session which also gave delegation members an opportunity to raise specific issues for their organisations and regions.

David Kerr from the cabinet of Commissioner Helena Dalli was also in attendance to answer questions specific to the Commission's competencies.

Speaking after the conference, Sinn Fein MEP Chris MacManus said: It has been a very busy two days, but incredibly worthwhile. Each delegate brought something different to the table. These delegations are so vital to informing my work in the European Parliament, whilst giving civil society groups from my constituency direct access to the European institutions.

It was great to be able to host this delegation. I feel like we have covered a lot of important issues this week. I would like to sincerely thank every delegate for their attendance and indeed my own team here in Brussels and at home for organising what was a very successful delegation.
Local MEP Maria Walsh has welcomed the adoption of the Nature Restoration Law by the European Parliament this week. The Shrule native voted against her EPP Group in the chamber and said the successful passing of the law was a good day for our environment, for biodiversity, for our waterways, and for our future. She called on the Irish government to negotiate dedicated funding for Irish farmers, outside of CAP, in order to make nature restoration a realistic possibility.

However, the decision of the parliament has been labelled as 'disgraceful' by Michael Fitzmaurice, the Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway. "Today's vote is a direct attack on farmers in peatland, reclaimed and hill regions. It's a national disgrace that every single one of our MEPs voted for this measure. I understand there will be amendments forthcoming and the wording is to be finalised but at the end of the day, they have shown their allegiance to their EU masters.

"Once again, Irish politicians are eager to play the 'model students' in Europe, ignoring the people they represent," said Fitzmaurice.

The legislation, which intends to restore Europe's natural habitats and biodiversity, has faced staunch resistance from a cross-section of TDs in Ireland, and politicians across Europe. However, the proposed laws were accepted by the Parliament with 336 votes in favour, 300 against, and 13 abstentions. Fitzmaurice commented: If Irish MEPs truly represented their constituents' interests, this measure could have been rejected, paving the way for a more favourable agreement.

He added: "Amendments at this stage resemble an attempt to turn back the tide. We would be in a far stronger negotiating position had the measure been rejected, and the Commission sent back to rethink their proposal."

Fitzmaurice felt especially let down that all 13 Irish MEPs supported the proposed Nature Restoration Law. Fine Gael, members of the European People's Party (EPP), voted against the EPP's advice. He emphasised that the Irish MEPs' support for the law overlooks the concerns of Irish farmers and rural communities.

However, Walsh stated the issue was too important for political point scoring and said she voted against the wishes of the EPP for the good of her constituents.

As an MEP, I have a responsibility to vote for the good of my constituency, while also being cognisant that this Law impacts constituency, country and continent. I voted, essentially, to keep the proposals alive. This whole process has been politically contentious from the outset and I abhor the shaming and the us vs them narrative presented by activists and indeed other MEPs. This is far too important to use the debate to score political points against each other, she said.

"My vote was reflective of the need to protect our planet for food security, biodiversity and climate change, but not at the expense of our young farmers and our rural communities, she stressed before adding that clarity is required around the voluntary or involuntary rewetting of land, and funding is a major issue that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

We keep moving the goalposts, especially for young farmers, and it is not good enough that our young EU farmers have not received a direct plan from the AGRI or ENVI Committees in the European Parliament, from the Irish government, or from the Commission and Council. If the Nature Restoration Law is to succeed, then theres no doubt that amendments are needed, but rejecting the text outright simply isnt the answer, she added.
Staff at Kavanaghs Supervalu in Clifden were cheering loudly today as it was announced that their store sold Wednesday nights winning Lotto Plus 1 ticket worth 1 million.

Wednesday nights Lotto draw saw a player in the seaside town take the title of 20th National Lottery millionaire of the year to date. The west of Ireland winner scooped the top prize of 1 million in the midweek Lotto Plus 1 draw.

Store Manager Joe Lynch said it was a big surprise when he got the call about the big win: We are currently in the middle of our busiest time of the year with lots of seasonal holiday makers as well as locals shopping in-store with us on a daily basis. Its always great to get good news but particularly so when its peak season. Im sure there will be lots of speculation and customers eager to check their tickets as soon as word gets out that we sold the winning ticket. We have over 70 staff members and even amongst the team, they will be thrilled to hear the news. Its great for the community as well as for the winner themselves. The entire town will be celebrating the big win and joining in on the excitement, Im sure.

The National Lottery are continuing to urge Lotto players to check their tickets carefully from Wednesday night as Irelands newest millionaire is yet to make contact. The winner is advised to sign the back of their ticket and keep it safe. They should make contact with the National Lottery prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie and arrangements will be made for them to claim their prize.
YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS: 3 and 6-year-old residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, Leo and Gita, died as a result of the severe humanitarian situation caused by the blockade, while the assistant to the president of Azerbaijan is spreading flagrant lies about this case.

ARMENPRESS reports, Armenian Ambassador at-Large Edmon Marukyan referred to the post of Hikmet Hajiyev, the assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, in his Twitter microblog regarding the death of young children in Nagorno Karabakh as a result of the blockade.

Edmon Marukyan noted that the representative of Azerbaijan is spreading flagrant lies by posting an old family video and trying to cover up the policy of ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan and its president.

"Azerbaijan is holding 120,000 ethnic Armenians including 30,000 children hostage, isolating them from the world, cutting off their gas and electricity supplies, and starving them to death. This is what Hajiyev is trying to hide behind his false statement. 3 and 6-year-old residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, Leo and Gita, died as a result of the severe humanitarian situation. The government of Azerbaijan is directly responsible for this crime", Marukyan emphasized.
Enteroviruses are a cluster of viruses that typically result in mild to moderate symptoms, like fever, colds, and infectious ailments, but they can pose a danger if the infection extends to the central nervous system. Contact with the saliva or sputum of an infected person is the primary mode of transmission for enteroviruses. Individuals with underlying health conditions, including heart conditions, pneumonia, and brain diseases, may experience complications from enterovirus infections. To conduct in-depth laboratory research, the enterovirus kit utilizes the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method to generate billions of copies of extracted DNA from a human sample.

The enterovirus kits are detection kits that are ready to use, where the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) master mix is already prepared and extracted DNA from the human body is added to it. Additionally, all the required reagents to detect the virus are included in the enterovirus kits.

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Our Sample Report Includes:

 Industry Overview and Segmentation.

 Brief Introduction to the research report.

 Table of Contents (Scope covered as a part of the study).

 Competitive Outlook of Industry.

 Research framework (Structure of the report).

 Research methodology adopted by Coherent Market Insights.

Drivers:

Changes in lifestyle and environment have resulted in a significant rise in viral infections over the last few years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2015, non-polio enteroviruses affected 10 to 15 million individuals and resulted in thousands of hospitalizations annually.

The global enteroviruses testing kit market is anticipated to be driven by the efforts of pharmaceutical companies to contain the spread of viral infections. An example of this is Twist Bioscience, a DNA manufacturer, which launched a new research panel in June 2020 to assess the increasing occurrence of viruses like rhinoviruses, enteroviruses, coronaviruses, and other respiratory tract viral diseases by utilizing next-generation sequencing methods.

Restraints:

The global market for enterovirus testing kits is anticipated to be hindered by certain constraints related to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing. These limitations include high expenses associated with technical equipment and setup as well as the requirement for rigorous aseptic conditions during testing procedures.

Competitive landscape:

Sartorius AG, Primerdesign Ltd., Abbexa Ltd., DiaSorin, Aviva Systems Biology Corporation, ELITech Group SAS, bioMerieux, Cusabio Technology LLC, Quidel Corporation, Cepheid Inc., QIAGEN, and Creative Diagnostics are among the prominent players involved in the global market for testing kits and treatment of enteroviruses.

Classification of the Enteroviruses Testing Kit Market

Based on the type of testing:

RT-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Rapid detection test

Based on the type of end user:

Specialty Clinics

Research Laboratories

Hospitals

Based on the type of virus:

Coxsackie A virus

Enterovirus A71

Coxsackievirus

Duck Hepatitis Virus 1a

Duck Hepatitis Virus III

Based on the type of geographical region

Africa

Latin America

Asia Pacific

North America

Europe

Middle East

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COVID-19 Impact Analysis:

The global enteroviruses testing kit market is expected to face limitations due to multiple factors. During the testing process and DNA extraction from patients, equipment comes into contact with them, increasing the risk of infection transmission through aerosolized particles. Additionally, lockdowns imposed in certain economies have disrupted the supply chain of enteroviruses testing kits, which is likely to affect the markets growth.

Regional Analysis:

The global enteroviruses testing kit market is divided into Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Middle East based on geographic regions. In North America, pharmaceutical firms are concentrating on researching and developing new technologies to diagnose enterovirus diseases and enhance their market share in the global enteroviruses testing kit market. As an example, in 2018, QIAGEN, a medical device supplier specializing in molecular testing, launched QIAstat-Dx, a US Food and Drug Administration-approved diagnostic tool for viral infections like enteroviruses and influenza infections.

The European market for enterovirus testing kits is predicted to experience notable expansion due to the growing emphasis by pharmaceutical companies on research and development activities. A prime example of this trend is ViroCyt, a subsidiary of Sartorius AG, which introduced the ViroTag EV71 in 2016. This rapid detection system for the enterovirus family can detect the virus in less than one minute.

Reason to Buy this Report:

 Analysis of the impact of technological advancements on the market and the emerging trends shaping the industry in the coming years.

 Examination of the regulatory and policy changes affecting the market and the implications of these changes for market participants.

 Overview of the competitive landscape in the Enteroviruses Testing Kit market, including profiles of the key players, their market share, and strategies for growth.

 Identification of the major challenges facing the market, such as supply chain disruptions, environmental concerns, and changing consumer preferences, and analysis of how these challenges will affect market growth.

 Evaluation of the potential of new products and applications in the market, and analysis of the investment opportunities for market participants.

Table of Contents with Major Points:

Executive Summary

Introduction

Key Findings

Recommendations

Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Overview

Definition of Enteroviruses Testing Kit Market

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Restraints

Opportunities

Trends and Developments

Key Insights

Key Emerging Trends

Key Developments Mergers and Acquisition

New Product Launches and Collaboration

Partnership and Joint Venture

Latest Technological Advancements

Insights on Regulatory Scenario

Porters Five Forces Analysis

Qualitative Insights Impact of COVID-19 on Global Enteroviruses Testing Kit Market

Supply Chain Challenges

Steps taken by Government/Companies to overcome this impact

Potential opportunities due to COVID-19 outbreak

Conclusion

Appendix

Data Sources

Abbreviations

Disclaimer

TOC Continued!

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by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 14, 2023

Google must face claims it violated children's privacy by tracking them for ad purposes, a federal appellate court has confirmed.

In a decision issued Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reiterated its prior ruling that the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act doesn't prevent individuals from suing over alleged children's privacy violations.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act prohibits website operators and apps from collecting tracking data from children under 13, without parental consent. That statute, which doesn't allow for lawsuits by consumers, explicitly overrides inconsistent state laws.

The appeals court said in December, and confirmed on Thursday, that the Children's Online Privacy Act doesn't preclude lawsuits based on state laws that are consistent with the substantive federal requirements -- only state laws that are substantively inconsistent.

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The new ruling comes in a battle dating to 2019, when California resident Nicole Hubbard sued YouTube and channel operators -- including Hasbro, the Cartoon Network, Mattel, and DreamWorks -- on behalf of her child. She alleged in a class-action complaint that her 5-year-old child watched YouTube channels that are aimed at young children -- including Ryan ToysReview, Hasbro's My Little Pony Official, and CookieSwirlC.

Her lawsuit, later joined by other parents, came roughly two months after Google agreed to pay $170 million to settle allegations by the Federal Trade Commission and New York Attorney General that YouTube violated the federal children's privacy law by collecting data from viewers younger than 13.

The families claimed in a class-action complaint that the companies violated various laws in California and other states by collecting tracking data from children. For instance, the complaint claimed that the alleged tracking amounted to intrusion upon seclusion -- a privacy claim that can be brought in California, and that involves highly offensive conduct.

U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman in the Northern District of California threw out the lawsuit, ruling that the state-law claims were overridden by the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Lawyers for the families appealed, arguing to the 9th Circuit that the claims in the complaint were parallel to the federal law, and therefore not precluded.

Google countered that the core of each claim was the alleged violation of the federal law. (Hasbro, Mattel and the other channel operators added in separate papers that the complaints didn't allege that the channel operators actually collected data from children.)

A panel of the 9th Circuit rejected Google's argument late last year. The company then asked the appellate court to reconsider, arguing that the panel ignored the wording of the federal law, as well as its structure and purpose.

The appellate judges asked the Federal Trade Commission to weigh in on whether the Children's Privacy Protection Act overrides the families' claims.

In May, the FTC argued in a friend-of-the-court brief that the families should be able to pursue their claims.

Congress did not intend to wholly foreclose state protection of childrens online privacy, the FTC wrote.

The decision issued Thursday referenced the FTC's filing, noting that the agency agreed the state-law privacy claims were not precluded.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 14, 2023

A three-judge appellate panel on Friday granted the Biden administration's request to temporarily lift an injunction that would have prevented government officials from urging social media platforms to suppress misinformation.

The temporary administrative stay, issued by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, was issued on an emergency basis, and could remain in effect until the court holds a full hearing on the injunction.

The appeals court's move comes 10 days after U.S. District court Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe, Louisiana banned numerous federal agencies and personnel from urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner social-media companies to remove, delete, suppress, or reduce posted content protected by the First Amendment.

The First Amendment generally protects all lawful speech, including speech that's inaccurate.

Doughty's order includes specific prohibitions on meeting with social media companies in order to convince them to suppress content protected by free speech principles, flagging specific posts as problematic, or encouraging tech platforms to change their content-moderation guidelines.

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The judge issued the injunction in response to a lawsuit brought by attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, and several individuals who said their posts relating to COVID-19 policies and vaccines were suppressed. The complaint included a claim that the government violated the First Amendment by pressuring social platforms "to censor disfavored speakers and viewpoints by using threats of adverse government action."

Doughty said evidence about the government's efforts to prevent the spread of some content depicts an almost dystopian scenario.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian 'Ministry of Truth,' he wrote.

He added that posts opposing COVID-19 vaccines, masking requirements, lockdowns and the validity of the 2020 election were among the content that was suppressed on social media.

When Doughty issued the injunction, he said it wouldn't stop the government from informing tech companies about posts involving crime, national security threats, or criminal efforts to suppress voting. The order also, according to Doughty, doesn't prohibit officials from exercising permissible public government speech promoting government policies or views on matters of public concern.

The injunction applies to federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, The National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice. The injunction also covers specific individuals, including Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

On July10, the Biden administration asked the 5th Circuit to lift the order, arguing it was so broad and vague that it could affect efforts to debunk false stories, or provide information to the public after natural disasters.

Consider, for example, the injunctions prohibition against 'urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing' social-media platforms 'in any manner' to moderate their content, the Justice Department wrote in its petition to the 5th Circuit. May federal officials respond to a false story on influential social-media accounts with a public statement, or a statement to the platforms hosting the accounts, refuting the story?

The government added: No plausible interpretation of the First Amendment would prevent the government from taking such actions, but the injunction could be read to do so.

The administration also said it's likely to prevail on appeal, arguing that merely social media companies to take down posts doesn't violate the First Amendment, unless the government also threatens the companies with sanctions for failing to comply.

Doughty identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content, the Justice Department wrote. Nor does the record suggest that the platforms felt they had no choice but to comply with all governmental requests.
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to French President Emmanuel Macron on the occasion of the National Day, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister. The message says:

"Honorable Mr. President, dear Emmanuel,

On behalf of the Armenian people and myself, I warmly congratulate you and the fraternal people of France on the occasion of the National Day.

More than two centuries ago, on July 14, 1789, the French people, consolidating around the noble ideas of the supremacy of the values of freedom, equality and fraternity, recorded the victory of the popular will in the pages of world history and outlined the path of fundamental freedoms and democracy for the modern world with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.

The high values of universal significance, professed by France, have also been a source of inspiration for many Armenians who have survived the Armenian Genocide and found refuge in your country. Missak Manouchian, who sacrificed his life for the sake of France and its freedom, for the protection of universal values, best embodies the grateful attitude of the Armenian people towards France and its righteous struggle for freedom.

Taking this opportunity, I express my gratitude for your historic decision to move the remains of the hero of the Resistance Movement, Missak Manouchian, to the Pantheon. It is the greatest honor for the entire Armenian people, because Manouchian and his comrades-in-arms became a symbol of France's indomitable struggle on the way to victory against tyranny.

Armenia highly values the privileged relations established between our two states, which is vividly demonstrated by close high-level political dialogue and dynamically developing cooperation in all spheres.

We are grateful for your significant and ongoing efforts in the process of a just and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and your important support in addressing the security challenges facing Armenia. We especially appreciate the attention and efforts of France in the protection of the endangered historical and cultural heritage of Nagorno Karabakh.

Congratulating you again on the occasion of the National Day of the French Republic, I wish you success in your important mission and reaffirm my invitation to host you in Armenia on a state visit in the near future.

Sincerely, Nikol Pashinyan."
YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS: The severe humanitarian problem in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the Azerbaijani blockade requires concrete actions by international partners and they comprehend this, Armenpress reports, Sargis Khandanyan, the chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, said at the press conference, reflecting on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is becoming more terrible day by day. We constantly speak out about this in the parliament. Recently I was in France as a member of the National Assembly President's delegation, and we discussed these issues in great detail with our French colleagues. Concrete actions are needed by international partners and they comprehend this", said Khandanyan

He assured that the position of the Armenian authorities regarding the protection of the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh remains unchanged. The MP emphasized the need for dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku, within the framework of which security and rights issues should be discussed, and they should have international visibility.

Khandanyan stressed that the provisions of the November 9 declaration must be followed. Now the decision of the UN International Court of Justice is added to that, which was reaffirmed by a recently made new decision.

"Our role is to raise these issues through diplomacy, including parliamentary diplomacy, try to increase the pressure on Azerbaijan and achieve concrete decisions on a number of platforms, including the UN Security Council, which will also imply actions, for example, a wider international presence in Nagorno-Karabakh, which will expressly guarantee the protection of the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians," the chairman of the committee emphasized.
YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS. This year, at the FemInno conference organized for the second time, women will be united under the theme "Sustainable development. Heading to Metaverse".

"After the first year, we managed to create a much stronger and broader program than last year. This year's topic is "Sustainable development. Heading to Metaverse". The idea of the metaverse in Armenia is new: there is not much discussion around virtual reality. But there are quite serious technological developments around it, and we decided to bring up the topic of the metaverse, not only to help emphasize the participation of women, which is important to us but also explore a new interesting direction" mentioned in a conversation with "Armenpress" Seda Papoyan, the founder of the conference.

This year, speakers from Uruguay, Kyrgyzstan, UAE, the USA, the Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Georgia, and several European countries will be delivering speeches at the conference. According to Papoyan, the geography they cover helps them achieve one of their most important goals: to bring attention to Armenia through people who had no prior connection with Armenia.

"Last year, being the first, we confirmed that there is a need for such a conference in Armenia to appreciate, highlight and encourage the participation of women in the field of innovation, particularly in business, technology, and science.

For the first-year conference, we set a benchmark and wanted to achieve it, and we understood that we had reactions surpassing that benchmark, which helped us to become stronger and continue our work with more confidence, to again encourage the participation of women in the field of science and technology, and also to highlight their role," noted Papoyan.

This year, such people as the vice president of NVIDIA Rev Lebaredian, the world-known fintech leader Henri Arslanian, and the head of global business development of Viber Petya Kamburova will be joining the conference, who, according to the conference organizers, make Armenia visible on the map of the technological world.

"All the speakers, apart from sharing their professional experience and abilities, also emphasize the mission that we have initiated. We also highlight male speakers, whose list is gradually expanding. By joining, they encourage the role of women in this field," said Papoyan.

According to Papoyan, all of the speeches are educational. On the main stage, they have at least 20 speeches. This year, 3 stages were distinguished, one of them being the Armenia stage, where the language is Armenian, and they also have workshops.

"We have an exhibition section, an education zone, a zone for tech companies with the opportunity of raising brand awareness and hiring new talents. One of the important zones this year is the zone showcasing female-founded businesses. We aim to show and support their development and promotion. We will also have interesting workshops, from making dolls to working with pottery," said Papoyan.

This year again, they cooperate with a number of international organizations, and the Sona Mnatsakanyan scholarship for female talents also continues.

"We started the scholarship last year and had exciting results. We were able to help 10 girls advance their ideas and educational plans in the field of science, technology, and green energy. With the same format and content, the competition was also announced this year. The competition will be concluded on the last day of the conference from the stage. We hope Sona's mother will join us to present the awards to the girls and convey the important mission of continuing Sona's work. The fundraising for the competition is still open. It is important for people to join and support the scholarship so that the triumph of new talents in Armenia continues," said Papoyan.

According to the founder, anyone who wants to participate in the conference will have the opportunity. She assured that interest in the conference has increased this year.

"We noticed an apparent improvement compared to last year. It's easier for men to pronounce our name, it's easier for them to decide to join our initiative, and many colleagues themselves express their desire to join our mission and be part of the conference, which already speaks about the fact that we were able to create an interesting environment. They also realize that this direction is important," said the founder of the conference.

The event organizers intend to bring this conference created in Armenia to international platforms.

"On October 26, the first FemInno satellite will be held in San Francisco. As a community-unifying phenomenon, we have decided to take this conference to places where technologies are important, developments around technologies are active, and where there are Armenians. With the help of FemInno, we are going to form a new growing network around the potential of Armenian women, where not only Armenian women will be involved," Seda Papoyan, the founder of the initiative, said.

She also reminded me of the afterparty concert after the conference. Gor Sujyan and Mikayel Voskanyan & friends will complete the evening for the conference participants and those who want to participate in the concert. Summing up, Papoyan emphasized that they are not trying to create counter discrimination at all; on the contrary, thanks to FemInno, they are creating a new opportunity to celebrate women's participation in innovation together with men.

FemInno international female innovation conference will be held this year on July 29-30. The event is the largest technology conference for women in Armenia and the region, the purpose of which is to evaluate, represent and empower women in the field of business, science and technology. The FemInno team also represents the Armenian branch of the Girls in Tech global network.

Karine Terteryan






President Joe Biden signed an executive order Thursday that will allow the Pentagon to tap into reserve forces for deployment to Europe as part of its long-standing NATO mission on the continent.

According to a copy of the order released by the White House, it allows the military to use up to 3,000 reserve service members to augment its forces in Europe, which grew in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Pentagon said last year it increased the troop presence on the continent by about 20,000 troops as Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to seize the country, bringing the total U.S. force in Europe to more than 100,000.

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"It's unlocking additional forces for use in support of this operation," the Pentagon's top spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, told reporters on a phone call Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the Joint Staff director for operations who also briefed reporters, said, "These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations" in Europe.

Sims stressed that "these are not additional forces."

"Over time, where we may have had someone from an active component organization doing something, that job now, under these authorities, may be something that a reserve component unit may be able to do," he said.

The mission -- officially dubbed "Atlantic Resolve" -- goes back to 2014 when the U.S. was trying to bolster the NATO alliance and deter Russia's aggression in Ukraine's Donbas region. That year, Putin ordered the invasion and annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, triggering international condemnation.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the mission has gained increased relevance and attention -- and the U.S. has contributed more than $40 billion in security assistance, as well as training for Ukrainian troops.

Sims noted that the mission will be considered a "contingency operation," which "benefits troops and families with increases in authorities, entitlements, and access to the reserve component forces and personnel."

The designation means more "personnel-related entitlements that ... give activated reservists the same benefits as active component personnel," as well as a way for the Pentagon to better track spending directly associated with the mission, Ryder said.

The units that will be providing the service members have yet to be identified.

"It will really depend on what's required from the commander," Sims said. As a result, it is unclear whether the move will mean a deployment of new or different military equipment.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Russian Military Is Getting Weak, Leading to Increasingly Bizarre Aerial Incidents, Experts Say
The Pentagon would not be able to provide gender-affirmation care to transgender troops or travel funds to service members who need abortions under the sweeping annual defense policy bill passed by the House on Friday.

The bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, encompasses a range of routine military issues, including endorsing a 5.2% pay raise for service members next year -- the largest pay increase in two decades.

But the traditionally bipartisan bill became a battleground for culture war issues this year after far-right lawmakers threatened to derail what's considered must-pass legislation if their amendments weren't voted on. House Republican leadership acquiesced, and the bans on transgender health care and coverage of abortion-related expenses -- along with a host of conservative priorities -- were added to the NDAA during this week's debate on the House floor.

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But adding those amendments turned Democrats against what is typically a bipartisan bill. While the NDAA advanced out of the House Armed Services Committee last month in a bipartisan vote, the bill passed the House on Friday in a largely party-line, 219-210 vote. Four Republicans voted against the bill, and four Democrats supported it.

"What was once an example of compromise and functioning government has become an ode to bigotry and ignorance. Attacks on reproductive rights, access to basic health care, and efforts to address our country's history of racism and marginalization of huge swaths of our country will worsen our recruitment and retention crisis, make our military less capable, and do grievous harm to our national defense and national security," Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, along with the top Democrats on each of the committee's subpanels, said in a joint statement Thursday night.

But the far-right House Freedom Caucus, which was the driving force behind the amendment fight, hailed the bill as a conservative win.

"A week ago, this bill to many of us looked untenable," Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., said at a news conference ahead of the vote. "We're here to tell you today that this is a huge victory."

Republicans had already successfully added several "anti-woke" amendments to the bill during the Armed Services Committee's consideration of the legislation last month, including measures to ban Pentagon funding for drag shows and any training related to critical race theory.

In a statement earlier this week on the committee-passed NDAA, the White House took issue with the bill's efforts to roll back "initiatives to promote a cohesive and inclusive force" but still said it was "grateful for the strong, bipartisan work of the House Armed Services Committee on behalf of America's national defense."

But members of the Freedom Caucus and other staunch conservatives wanted to go further than the committee did to stamp out what they argue are distractions from the military's core mission of preparing to fight wars.

The abortion amendment would reverse a Pentagon policy implemented earlier this year that allows troops to take leave and be reimbursed for travel if they need the procedure, which is generally not performed by the military. The policy, which the Pentagon put in place after more than a dozen states banned abortion in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling last year, has been at the center of a number of contentious battles in Congress this year, including an ongoing standoff in the Senate.

Republicans argue the policy violates a law prohibiting Pentagon funding from being used to perform most abortions, while Democrats maintain it is necessary to support female service members who do not get to choose whether they are stationed in a state that bans abortion.

Two Republicans -- Reps. John Duarte of California and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania -- voted with Democrats against the NDAA amendment, while one Democrat -- Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas -- voted with Republicans for it.

Meanwhile, two separate amendments would bar service members and dependents who are transgender from getting surgery or taking hormones. Despite no reports of any detrimental effects on the military since transgender troops have been able to serve openly, Republicans have leaned into anti-LGBTQ+ messaging as part of their electoral strategy.

In addition to the ban on health care for transgender troops, Republicans also passed an amendment to ban books with "pornographic material or ... radical gender ideology," which the measure does not define, from Defense Department school libraries.

Republicans also targeted diversity efforts with an amendment to bar the military from having any form of "chief diversity officer." And despite the Supreme Court exempting military academies from its recent ruling against affirmative action, Republicans approved an amendment that would effectively ban affirmative action at the academies.

Some anti-diversity efforts fell short. A GOP amendment to ban any training in the military on "diversity, equity and inclusion," which was not defined in the amendment, failed with nine Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.

Also voted down was a measure to block any more efforts to change the names of Defense Department property that honor members of the Civil War-era Confederacy. All but two of the nine Army bases that bore Confederate names have already been renamed, but the congressionally mandated commission that was tasked with coming up with renaming plans identified hundreds of streets, buildings, signs and other smaller pieces of property that honor the Confederacy that will be changed.

Far-right lawmakers lost fully in one major effort: curtailing or entirely cutting off aid to Ukraine. The most sweeping amendment, which would have prohibited any security assistance for Ukraine, failed 70-358, and efforts to cut the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and block cluster bombs for the Ukrainians similarly failed along bipartisan lines.

Despite promises from Republican leadership at the beginning of the year to have a more open amendment process on bills than in the past and leadership giving conservatives votes on their amendments, just about 370 of a record 1,558 proposed amendments were given votes this year -- a smaller percentage than in recent years. Left on the cutting-room floor were some of the out-of-left-field amendments, such as ones to end testing recruits for marijuana and to add bulletproof safe rooms to Defense Department schools.

Also not granted votes were measures related to service member quality of life, including Democratic proposals to give the Pentagon more flexibility to shift funds to child care programs and to expand eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance.

While conservatives are declaring victory on the bill, the House-passed NDAA must now be reconciled with the version of the NDAA that will be passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate. The upper chamber is expected to start debate on its version of the legislation next week.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., expressed confidence Friday that negotiations with the Senate will be "fine" despite the conservative amendments added to the House's version.

"I'm thrilled we got the bill out of the House," he said. "Hopefully, the Senate can do the same thing, and we can start working on a conference report that can get bipartisan support."

While the NDAA is typically bipartisan, it is not unprecedented for early versions to be partisan.

In 2019, when Democrats controlled the House, they loaded the version that passed their chamber with amendments to entice support from progressives who typically oppose the NDAA after Republicans turned against the bill because they did not think it authorized enough funding. After negotiations with the Senate that year, most of the liberal provisions were dropped from the bill, and the final version that was signed into law was bipartisan.

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

Related: House Panel Approves Defense Bill with Highest Pay Raise in Decades After Culture War Brawl
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS. The participants of the rally of the Popular movement in Artsakh marched to the military station of the Russian peacekeeping troops, where they will present their demand to take measures to stop the blockade of Artsakh and the humanitarian disaster.

The correspondent of ARMENPRESS reports that Artsakhs State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan said that he, together with some others, will have a meeting with the commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in Artsakh, after which he will return and present the results of the meeting.

"Our next step is now we are setting up tents here, and everyone in the tents is expecting for our demand to be fulfilled," Nersisyan stated.

He emphasized that they want to tell the Russian peacekeepers that the people of Artsakh are the main beneficiaries of the trilateral declaration of November 9, and when one of the parties to the declaration does not fulfill its responsibilities, it does not mean that the people of Artsakh should bear the heaviest consequences caused by it. "We are here to convey the word of the people of Artsakh to the peacekeepers that it is not friendly at all when Artsakh is under a complete blockade, but we see helicopter flights every day," Nersisyan announced.

After the meeting with the Russian peacekeepers, some of the participants of the gathering, the residents of Askeran, will stay in tents near the military station of the peacekeepers, and the rest will return to Stepanakert's Renaissance Square, where the rally that started in the morning will continue.

Van Novikov
An Alabama lawmaker is holding up the military's ability to move around budgeted funds and cover funding shortfalls because the Air Force hasn't announced whether U.S. Space Command will be permanently located in his state.

The move by Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, has put the Air Force in a bind as it faces a personnel funding shortfall and looks to extend some deployments and pause some bonuses. Rogers said Friday he is holding up reprogramming requests that could relieve the money woes because the service hasn't confirmed the command's move to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.

A final basing decision for the command headquarters, now temporarily located at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, has languished for the past two and half years -- despite an announcement in the waning days of the Trump administration that Alabama was the preferred location -- as lawmakers wrangle over having the prestige, funding and jobs of a military command in their states.

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Despite telling some news outlets earlier in the week that accusations of him holding up reprogramming requests over the Space Command basing decision were a "misrepresentation of the HASC processes," asked Friday by Military.com if that's what he's doing, Rogers replied, "I am."

"All the Air Force has got to do is make an announcement," Rogers said. "I don't care what the announcement is. Make an announcement. They've had 13 months since the inspector general finished reviewing it and said there was no political interference. Make an announcement."

Rogers' decision to hold up reprogramming requests, a move where the Pentagon seeks congressional approval to shuffle around its appropriated funds, comes as the Air Force has announced it is pausing some duty assignments and reenlistment and retention bonuses, as well as extending some deployments due to fears of running out of money in the personnel budget.

By policy and tradition, the Pentagon seeks approval from the leaders of the House and Senate armed services and appropriations committees before moving any money between accounts. But there is no law that requires the department to get approval first, as famously demonstrated when the Trump administration raided Pentagon coffers to fund its border wall despite congressional opposition.

While the Air Force's announcement on personnel shortfalls is the first visible effect of Rogers' hold, hundreds of millions of dollars in reprogramming requests across the military branches are reportedly being delayed, including funding for weapons testing and shipyard maintenance, according to a memo obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Democrats in Colorado's congressional delegation blasted Rogers' move as harmful to service members.

"This legislative hostage-taking is unconscionable and must stop," Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Reps. Joe Neguse, Diana DeGette, Brittany Pettersen, Yadira Caraveo and Jason Crow said in a joint statement Wednesday. "We urge the Biden administration to make a final Space Command basing decision and believe that any assessment rooted in national security will keep Space Command in Colorado."

But Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Rogers is within his rights to use his power as chairman to force a decision that the Democrat agrees is long overdue.

"I don't blame him," Smith told reporters Thursday. "They've waited way too long to make a decision on this."

A Department of the Air Force official told Military.com that there is not a timeline for a final announcement regarding U.S. Space Command headquarters.

In January 2021, during the last days of the Trump administration, the Department of the Air Force selected the Army's Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred location for Space Command's permanent headquarters.

Since that announcement, members of Colorado's congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., have been fighting to have the decision reviewed in hopes of keeping the base, as well as 1,400 jobs and millions of dollars of economic impact, in their home state.

Two watchdog reports, one by the Pentagon's inspector general and another by the Government Accountability Office, requested by members of Colorado's delegation in Congress, followed. The reports did not point to any major issues with Huntsville as a location for the base, but did scrutinize the process for choosing the location.

Four months ago, in March, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told Military.com that the final decision will come "fairly soon" but further analysis is needed.

"I hoped to make a decision and make an announcement earlier," Kendall said during a roundtable at the Air and Space Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium. "We're doing some additional analysis. We want to make very sure we got this right and have a well-defended decision."

The hold on reprogramming requests is the latest way the Alabama congressional delegation is flexing its muscle to force a decision.

Rogers included a provision in this year's House-passed defense policy bill that would block funding to build out the Space Command headquarters until a final location is announced.

Similar provisions were championed by other Alabama lawmakers and included in the Senate defense policy bill and the House and Senate defense spending bills.

The Supreme Court's ruling last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, has also been viewed as a significant factor affecting the basing decision, according to Colorado and Alabama lawmakers.

Moving Space Command from Colorado, where abortion access is unrestricted, to Alabama, where it is illegal with limited exceptions, is one of the major differences that has emerged during the debate over the headquarters.

The Pentagon's new leave policy allowing service members to more easily travel to other states to obtain abortions from civilian medical providers has come into another Alabama lawmaker's sights. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R- Ala., has single-handedly delayed hundreds of military promotions over the issue, though he has been careful not to connect his blockade to the Space Command basing fight.

But his hold on military promotions is directly affecting Space Command. This week, President Joe Biden named the Space Force's Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting to be promoted to the leader of the command.

Tuberville's political move makes it unclear when the Space Force officer will be approved for his next post.

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: Lawmakers Pressure Air Force to Finally Make Space Command HQ Basing Decision
BEIJING  Amid a freeze in military-to-military contacts, China is accusing the United States of militarizing outer space, a day after it protested the passage of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft through the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said on Friday that U.S. actions, including the establishment of the Space Force in 2019 as the newest branch of the military, have had a great negative impact on space security and global strategic stability.

In recent years, the United States has accelerated the militarization of space, Tan said. I would like to reiterate here that China adheres to the peaceful use of space, firmly opposes the weaponization and the making of space into a battlefield, and opposes any form of arms race in space."

The ministry said that Tan was responding to recent concerns expressed by Space Force leaders over China's rising capabilities, calling that classic cognitive dissonance. China's advances in space include its own orbiting space station and plans for a crewed lunar mission. In 2007, it faced international condemnation after using a missile to blow up one of its defunct weather satellites, leaving a field of debris that continues to threaten other objects in orbit.

While the U.S. has sent officials to Beijing including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, ties remain at a historic low. China has pointedly refused to reestablish contact between the two militaries, possibly as a protest against U.S. sales of defensive weaponry to Taiwan and sanctions against Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

Although it is recognized as international waters and airspace and functions as a crucial route for international trade, China continues to claim a proprietary role over the Taiwan Strait that separates the mainland from the self-governing island democracy.

China regards close U.S. ally Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary, and regularly sends planes and warships to harass the island's military and seeks to intimidate its 23 million citizens.

On Thursday, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army  whose area of operations faces Taiwan  said it had scrambled fighters to follow and monitor the U.S. plane throughout the process and dealt with it in accordance with laws and regulations.

Theater spokesperson Col. Shi Yi was quoted as saying on social media, theater troops maintain a high level of alert at all times and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and security along with regional peace and stability."

The U.S. 7th Fleet said a Navy P-8A Poseidon transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Thursday.

By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations, the fleet said on its website.

The aircrafts transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows.
The nominee to be the next No. 2 official at the Department of Veterans Affairs has been advanced by a Senate panel, but could face a bumpy road to final confirmation.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday voted 13-6 to advance Tanya Bradsher, who was nominated by President Joe Biden to be the next deputy VA secretary. If confirmed, Bradsher, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who currently serves as VA chief of staff, would be the first woman to permanently hold the post.

But Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has signaled he could throw up roadblocks that slow full Senate approval for Bradsher over concerns that an IT system under her purview is not properly protecting whistleblowers' identities.

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"Sen. Grassley remains deeply concerned that Tanya Bradsher's mishandling of veterans' private, sensitive information -- including whistleblowers' information -- makes her ineligible for this role," his office said in a statement to Military.com. "Sen. Grassley plans to continue working to shed light on Ms. Bradsher's shortcomings."

Grassley's office has not explicitly said he plans to place what's known as a hold on Bradsher, but he previously used the procedural tactic to stall the confirmation of the VA's under secretary for benefits over concerns about whistleblower protections.

A hold does not prevent a nominee from being confirmed, but means the confirmation could take considerably longer since the Senate would have to find time for floor votes.

Bradsher is a Bronze Star recipient who served in Iraq from 2008 to 2009. Since retiring from the military in 2013, she has also built up a lengthy resume in government, including stints at the National Security Council; the office of Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va.; the Defense Health Agency; and White House Office of Public Engagement.

In May, she breezed through her confirmation hearing, where she vowed to make outreach to female veterans a priority.

"I have met so many women who don't recognize their own service, who minimize their time," she said.

Veterans Affairs Committee members have heaped praise on her.

"Tanya Bradsher's background in both military and civilian service demonstrates that she's well-qualified to serve as VA's second-in-command, and if confirmed I look forward to holding her accountable in delivering for our nation's veterans and their families," committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in a statement Thursday after the committee advanced her.

Grassley's opposition to her centers on an issue that was not raised at her hearing: an internal messaging system at the VA known as the Veterans Affairs Integrated Enterprise Workflow Solution, or VIEWS. Last year, a whistleblower alleged the VA was failing to protect personal information, including Social Security numbers and medical records, of whistleblowers, veterans and employees because the information was available to anyone with access to VIEWS.

After the whistleblower complaint, a government watchdog directed the VA to conduct its own investigation into the allegations, giving the department a 60-day deadline.

"However, you should be aware that these investigations usually take longer, and agencies frequently request and receive extensions of the due date," the U.S. Office of Special Counsel added in an August 2022 letter to the whistleblower obtained by Military.com.

In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough last month, Grassley complained the investigation was still incomplete.

"VA and Ms. Bradsher must immediately explain their failure to protect this information for so long, even after being notified of these potential violations of federal data privacy laws," he wrote. "VA must also explain its delays in investigating the matter, while this sensitive information apparently remains available to those who should not have access to it."

In a letter responding to Grassley earlier this month, the VA said it expects its Office of Information and Technology to complete an investigation by Aug. 1 and said that, since last year's whistleblower complaint, the department has "improved training and implemented security enhancements limiting access to further strengthen protections of sensitive information in VIEWS."

Bradsher also told senators in written answers that she takes "the privacy of the veterans, families, caregivers and survivors that we serve extremely seriously and will continue to do everything in my power to protect it."

Grassley's office, though, said he found the responses "dissatisfactory."

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

Related: Bronze Star Recipient and VA Chief of Staff Nominated for No. 2 Job at VA
UNITED NATIONS  North Korea's U.N. ambassador defended his country's recent long-range missile launch in a rare appearance at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday where he also accused the United States of driving the situation in northeast Asia to the brink of nuclear war.

Kim Song told the council that Wednesdays test-flight of the developmental Hwasong-18 missile was a legitimate exercise of the Norths right to self-defense. He said the United States was raising regional tensions with nuclear threats and deploying a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea for the first time in 14 years.

Kim said the missile launch had "no negative effect on the security of a neighboring country, pointing to Japans announcement that the ICBM  which flew at a steep angle  landed in open waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

South Koreas U.N. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook countered, asking: How can an ICBM launch ever make neighboring countries appear safe?

Diplomats said Kim's appearance was the first time a North Korean diplomat addressed the Security Council since 2017.

Hwang said each of North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches allow the country to advance its technology toward its goal of having an arsenal of nuclear-armed weapons.

Immediately before the meeting, a statement from nine council members including the U.S. and Japan, joined by South Korea, was read to reporters condemning the launch in the strongest possible terms and stressing that it was the 20th ballistic missile launch this year in blatant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions banning such tests.

In Pyongyang, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, slammed the U.N. Security Council for convening a meeting to pick a quarrel with her country's self-defense step while ignoring the U.S. push to increase the danger of a nuclear war. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong called the council a new Cold War mechanism totally inclined to the U.S. and the West.

She also warned that the United States would pay a price for its hostility toward the North. I do not conceal the fact that very unlucky things will wait for the U.S., she said without elaborating but reiterated her country's push to build up its nuclear deterrence capability.

The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Koreas first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking  so far unsuccessfully  to cut funds and curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The last sanctions resolution was adopted by the council in December 2017, and China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The two veto-wielding permanent members have blocked any council action including statements to the media since then.

The statement by the 10 countries said the Security Council cannot remain silent in the face of so many North Korean provocations and must send a message to all proliferators that this behavior is unlawful, destabilizing, and will not be normalized. It also called on all countries to confront North Korea's illicit activities to generate revenue such as cybercrime.

But Russia and China remained opposed to any council action.

Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun took note of the latest missile test but criticized the heightened U.S. military pressure on North Korea and its deployment of strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

He said the long-time view of the U.S. and other countries that North Korea poses a security threat and their obsession with sanctions put North Korea under existential pressure, while the country's own legitimate concerns have never been addressed.

Zhang said history since the 1990s clearly shows that dialogue and negotiation are the only way to ease tensions, and he urged the U.S. and North Korea to resume talks.

The statement from the 10 countries said they remain committed to diplomacy without preconditions. Song made no mention of talks, which have been stalled since 2018.

__

Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
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Station homestead is abandoned. The station has been designated an aboriginal cultural reserve. The Mindat co-ordinates mark the Abydos Siding, along an iron ore railway line.Like many areas of Western Australia in the early part of the 21st Century, the Abydos Station has been subjected to frenzied mining and mineral exploration activity, as part of a mining boom.The Abydos Station is located 126 kilometres south of Port Hedland, and is a cattle property covering 248 800 acres.Frank Leeds controlled the pastoral station from at least the early 1920's to 1946. He was the son of A.G. Leeds who managed for many years, the Dalgety and Co Ltd, a pastoral station management business. Frank's brother Clem also lived on the station. Frank Leeds married Edith May Cream of Bidgemia Station on 17th October 1928. Clem went bankrupt in 1938, but had dissolved the partnership with his brother, thereby protecting the station.In 1946, it and Woodstock Station were purchased by the State Government, and given to the CSIRO, UWA, and Department of Agriculture as a research station. In 1976, the stations were declared culturally significant reserves, due to the rock art contained on the leases.The area has seen much mining, which has not always been consistent with its heritage and ecological values.The station contains a little known site called the London Wall, which is an impressive cliff, reported on in the 1930's.Mineralization age: Mesoarchean to Orosirian : 2890 Ma to 1900  5 MaThis table is based only on rock and mineral ages recorded on mindat.org for this locality and is not necessarily a complete representation of the geochronology, but does give an indication of possible mineralization events relevant to this locality. As more age information is added this table may expand in the future. A break in the table simply indicates a lack of data entered here, not necessarily a break in the geologic sequence. Grey background entries are from different, related, localities.
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS/BTA. Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov met with a delegation of the World Bank, led by Gallina Vincelette and Marina Wes - current and future World Bank's Country Director for the European Union (EU), the Council of Ministers' Facebook page said Thursday evening.

The talks were also attended by Lesse Melgaard, Resident Representative for Bulgaria, Czechia, and Slovakia.

Denkov briefed the delegation on the government's pro-European priorities and Bulgaria's efforts for full membership of the euro area and Schengen.

The World Bank representatives presented Denkov with the possibility of preparing a new Partnership Framework with Bulgaria - a strategic document under which the World Bank determines its support to different countries around the world. The delegation assured the Prime Minister of the international institution's readiness to support Bulgaria with the whole range of instruments - from lending operations to analytical advisory activities and preparation of specialised reports.

(This information is being published according to an agreement between Armenpress and BTA.)
Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela will undergo Tommy John surgery, manager Bud Black told reporters (including Patrick Lyons of DNVR Sports). The righty is already on the 60-day injured list. He recently suffered a setback during his attempt to rehab from an elbow sprain that sent him to the IL two months ago.

Its another dismal development for a Colorado pitching staff that has had a disastrous year. Opening Day starter German Marquez underwent a Tommy John procedure of his own in May. Kyle Freeland had been healthy and effective for much of the first half, but he suffered an injury to his non-throwing shoulder during his final start before the All-Star Break.

A healthy Senzatela would quite likely be Colorados #3 starter behind Marquez and Freeland. The Rox are now without all three members of that group. Marquezs time in the organization could be nearing its end completely. Colorado is sure to buy out a club option valued at $16MM, although it wouldnt be a surprise if they tried to bring him back on a cheaper multi-year deal after that.

Senzatela will be on the roster next season, but hes now slated to miss most or all of the year. The typical rehab for a Tommy John surgery ranges from 14-16 months. Its possible he makes it back toward the tail end of the 2024 campaign if his recovery goes well.

The Venezuelan-born righty had been a decent innings eater for Colorado early in his career. Hes started 20+ games on three separate occasions and took the ball all 12 times through the rotation during the shortened 2020 schedule. Between 2020-21, he pitched to a 4.11 ERA through 230 innings. Thats solid production for a pitcher spending half his games in the leagues most hitter-friendly environment.

Near the end of the 21 campaign, Colorado signed Senzatela to a five-year extension that guaranteed him $50.5MM. The contract bought out his final two arbitration seasons, three would-be free agent years, and contained a club option for a fourth free agent campaign (2027).

The first three years of that deal will now be defined by injury. Senzatelas 2022 was cut short when he tore the ACL in his left knee last August. The rehab from the subsequent surgery carried into May. He made it back from the knee issue but started only two games before the elbow injury.

Senzatela will be paid $12MM annually for the next three seasons. Colorados 27 option is valued at $14MM and does not come with a buyout. Senzatela could have tacked on another $1MM to his 2024-27 salaries had he been healthy enough to toss 200+ innings in either of the past two seasons, though that hasnt come to be.

The Rox are now going to be even harder pressed in attacking their pitching staff next winter. Theyre currently relying on a patchwork group comprising Austin Gomber, Connor Seabold and Chase Anderson. The club just added veteran righty Chris Flexen on a non-roster pact, while the likes of Noah Davis and Peter Lambert are possible depth options.

Only Gomber, who has righted the ship after a horrid first month, looks likely to be in next years season-opening rotation. Freeland should be the staff ace, but Colorado could have to acquire three or four starting pitching options over the coming months. General manager Bill Schmidt acknowledged earlier this week the team would prioritize young pitching in potential deadline trades, though none of the veterans whom Colorado appears to be shopping is likely to return a prospect of especially high regard.
The Padres are acquiring minor league outfielder Ben Gamel from the Rays, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). Tampa Bay receives cash in return, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).

According to the transaction log at MLB.com, the veteran outfielder was assigned to Triple-A El Paso. Gamel will not immediately occupy a spot on the 40-man roster, as hed signed a minor league pact with Tampa Bay over the offseason.

The 31-year-old Gamel has had a strong season in Triple-A Durham with the Rays, hitting .276/.402/.463 (120 wRC+) with eight homers, 12 doubles, a triple, four steals, a huge 16.8% walk rate and a 22.8% strikeout rate in 250 plate appearances. Hell give the Friars an experienced veteran bat who could be up in the Majors and help in a corner outfield spot sooner than later.

Gamel has seen Major League time in each of the past seven seasons, dating back to his 2016 debut with the Yankees. Hes a lifetime .253/.333/.385 hitter (97 wRC+) in just over 2200 plate appearances, and while hes typically been light on power  career-high 11 homers, .132 career ISO  hes drawn walks at a strong clip for the majority of his big league tenure (10.2%).

Looking at his career as a whole, Gamels track record against right-handed pitching is roughly average. Thats skewed somewhat by some shaky performances earlier in his career, however. Dating back to Opening Day 2021, Gamel carries a solid .255/.351/.408 slash against right-handed pitchers  about 12% better than league-average after weighting for his home park and league run-scoring environment, by measure of wRC+. During that time, hes walked at a stout 13.9% clip in platoon matchups.

The Padres have a righty-heavy lineup and have gotten negligible production out of a thin bench group this season. Their reserve options off the bench currently include catcher Austin Nola and infielder/outfielder options Rougned Odor, Brandon Dixon and Matthew Batten. Odor is the only lefty of the bunch, and his .212/.307/.371 batting line (91 wRC+) in 150 plate appearances hasnt been much to write home about. Gamel could be a veteran option to step into a bench spot, and if the club eventually decides to reduce struggling Matt Carpenters role or move on from him entirely  the 37-year-old is hitting .173/.300/.314  then Gamel could have a clearer path to some DH or corner outfield at-bats.
MACKINAC ISLAND, MI - Mackinac Island is no stranger to stacking up travel awards. Michigans most popular tourist destination scored a big win last summer when it was named the Best Island in the Continental U.S. as part of Travel + Leisures Worlds Best Awards.

This year, Travel + Leisure is dishing out even more awards to Mackinac. It has landed on two favorite-island lists, and three Mackinac Island resorts have been recognized as Midwest favorites.

Its important to note that these accolades are reader-based. So its people who have done daytrips and overnight stays on the island that are upvoting them. For this years awards, Travel + Leisure said nearly 165,000 readers participated in the voting.

We are honored to be recognized as one of the top islands by the loyal readers of Travel + Leisure for the second year in a row, said Tim Hygh, executive director of Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. We know Mackinac Island holds a special place in the hearts of many and a recognition of this stature reflects just that. We are grateful to our community members and businesses for working to make this island an unforgettable destination that keeps visitors coming back time and time again.

Dawn over the east side of the island. Photo provided by the Mackinac Tourism Bureau.

Mackinac Islands 2023 Travel + Leisure awards include:

#2 for Favorite Islands in the continental U.S. The winner this year was the Golden Isles in Georgia, and Mackinac Island came in a close second. Mackinac topped other spots like Hilton Head, Sanibel and the Florida Keys.

#19 for Favorite Islands in the world. Our little Mackinac ranks right up there with islands in Italy, Greece and Croatia, voters said. How Travel + Leisure described it: Mackinac Island is unique in that cars and trucks are banned, so residents and visitors rely on horse-drawn carriages and bicycles for transportation. Its historic downtown has cozy cafes, quaint shops, and plenty of well-preserved Colonial, Georgian, and Greek Revival architecture. One T+L reader sums up the destination perfectly: Theres no place like it. "

Three Mackinac Island spots placed in the Favorite Resorts in the Midwest category:

Hotel Iroquois

Island House Hotel

Grand Hotel

Hotel Walloon south of Petoskey topped this Midwest category but the three island resorts landing on there made it a Mackinac-heavy list. What Travel + Leisure said: Hotels in Michigan have made quite the impression on T+L readers in this years survey, with four of the top spots going to hotels in the Great Lake State. Three of those hotels are located in the popular summer destination of Mackinac Island: Hotel Iroquois (voted No. 4), Island House Hotel (No. 6), and Grand Hotel (No. 9). One reader described the Grand Hotel as a fairytale come to life. With its prime location near the horse-drawn carriage streets of the island and its elegant floral-themed rooms, its easy to see why.

RELATED: Mackinac Island hotels patio hideaway draws diners with new stone-fired pizza oven

The Grand Hotel on its perch on Mackinac Island. Photo provided by Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.

Headed to Mackinac Island? Here are more fun things to do and see:

How to take a relaxing Sip n Sail boat cruise from Mackinac Island this summer

Peek inside Mackinac Islands new Irish pub

This Mackinac Island restaurant and bar has an absolutely stunning waterfront view
ELK RAPIDS, MI  July is Michigan Beer Month.

To celebrate, Shorts Brewing Company is bringing back another beer that celebrates the state. This year, the brewery partnered with the officials at Pure Michigan to create the Pure Michigan Summer IPA, which is made exclusively with Michigan ingredients.

The beer has an ABV of 4.2%. It was created in partnership with Empire Malting Co., Great Lakes Malting Company, and Valley View Farms, MI Local Hops and Hop Alliance. The brewery has released a fall version in the past.

Shorts Brewing built their brewery in their favorite corner of the world because loving where you live is key to loving what you do. As the Shorts team says, life is Shorts drink it while youre here, a news release reads.

This iconic Michigan craft beer is ready to accompany visitors and Michiganders alike in every summer Michigan journey and celebration.

Michigan is generally considered one of the top beer states in America and the numbers back it up. The states thriving brewing industry conservatively contributes more than $144 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $600 million.

In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks No. 6 in the nation.

Located in the heart of downtown Bellaire in Northern Michigan, Shorts Brewing was established by Joe Short in 2004.

One of Michigans most popular breweries, it is known for brews like Soft Parade, Locals Light, Huma Lupa Licious, Space Rock and Bellaire Brown.
ISHPEMING, MI  A Michigan man is accused of chasing down and stabbing a man who ran a stop sign early Thursday in Ishpeming, WLUC reports.

The road rage incident began around 3 a.m. Thursday at a four-way stop in Ishpeming when a 41-year-old Louisiana man ran a stop sign and nearly collided with a vehicle driven by a 29-year-old Ishpeming man, police said. The Ishpeming man then chased down the other vehicle and stabbed the driver.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and is lodged at Marquette County Jail, police said. His name is being withheld pending arraignment. He is expected to face charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and felonious assault.
ANN ARBOR, MI -- An Ann Arbor man accused of possessing sexually abusive materials of children has been given a $5 million bond in two separate cases.

Michael Kelley, 74, was arraigned this month in the 15th District Court on two cases related to possessing or creating sexually abusive material of children. Kelley has another case with similar charges currently in the 22nd Circuit Court, as well as one from 2018 that put him on probation.

Kelley was arraigned on three charges of child sexually abusive activity in the 15th District Court by Magistrate Tamara Garwood on July 9.

Washtenaw County Prosecutor Grace Broughton requested Garwood deny Kelleys bond, keeping him in jail throughout his court process.

He is a danger to the children of this community, Broughton said during the hearing.

He clearly has an interest in minor children, Broughton continued, and he cant curtail his desires or his behaviors.

Kelley denied during the hearing that he has had sexual contact with children.

Its a false accusation. Ive been suffering from the state that Im a danger to children, Kelley said. Its not fair to me, its a crime against me and my own integrity. I have never sexually touched anyone.

Kelley was also arraigned in the 15th District Court by Magistrate James Cameron on Thursday, July 13, on one count of child sexually abusive activity and one count of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material.

When Ann Arbor police came to arrest Kelley for violating his probation, they saw him run to a posterboard and begin tearing down pictures, allegedly in an attempt to destroy evidence, Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Marieh Tanha said during the second arraignment. Police also found pictures of prepubescent children in various stages of clothing in his apartment attached to simulated genitals, Tanha said.

Both Garwood and Cameron set Kelleys bond at $5 million. Court regulations bar judges from denying bond in Kelleys instance, since his charges do not qualify, Garwood said during the hearing.

If I could give you no bond, I would absolutely give you no bond in this case, she said.

Kelley is next set to appear in the 15th District Court on Thursday, July 20. He is next set to appear in the 22nd District Court on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.

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ANN ARBOR, MI - Road crews in Washtenaw County are working day and night on a slew of construction projects, including laying new pavement on an Ann Arbor thoroughfare near I-94 and wrapping up a monthslong bridge reconstruction over U.S. 23.

One positive -- South Main Street is open for the next two weeks to accommodate the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Construction on the main stretch of downtown paused on July 12 and the street will remain open through July 25, according to the city.

Heres a full list of road work that could affect commute times and travel across the area for Friday, July 14 and the week ahead.

ANN ARBOR

Huron Parkway/Glazier Way: Glazier Way is closed in the eastbound direction through Saturday, July 15 for a resurfacing project. On Huron Parkway between Geddes and Hubbard roads, intermittent lane closures and traffic shifts will be in place in both directions for the project.

Huron Parkway will also see intermittent lane closures between East Huron River Drive and Washtenaw Avenue through Friday, Aug. 18 as crews replace portions of the existing asphalt pathway along both sides of the road.

West Eisenhower Parkway: The road will see intermittent overnight lane closures between Ann Arbor-Saline Road and Briarwood Circle until Sunday, July 16 for a paving project.

Pontiac Trail/Swift Street: All lanes of Swift Street and the southbound lanes of Pontiac Trail will close to through traffic between Broadway and Moore streets for a city water main and street upgrade project through Friday, Aug. 11, when a new phase of the project will begin.

South State Street: The street is closed between Granger and Dewey avenues, as well as between Hill Street and South University Avenue, as a two-year redesign of State and Hill streets gets underway. State is also shut down in the southbound direction between Hill and Packard Street, and the Packard intersection is closed to through traffic at State.

The Granger, Dewey, Hill and South U intersections remain open, though the blocks in between are fully closed to traffic. This wave of closures will continue until Tuesday, July 18 and the next phase of the project, bringing modified restrictions.

Downtown, the street is also closed to vehicle traffic between North University Avenue and Huron Street until Friday, Sept. 1, for the second phase of a major overhaul extending curb-less design in the area near the University of Michigan Diag and bringing water and sewer upgrades. The intersections on either side of the work zone will remain open. Regular updates can be found online from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority.

To the south, State will see overnight lane closures between the westbound I-94 on-ramp and East Eisenhower Parkway through July 16 for a paving project.

East Washington Street: The street will close between Fletcher and Thayer streets from 9 a.m. on July 15 to 7 a.m. on July 18 for the Townie Street Party event.

Brooks Street and Mixtwood Road: A five-month streets project in the Water Hill neighborhood has shuttered Brooks Street to all through traffic between Miller Avenue and Sunset Road, as well as Mixtwood Road between Brooks and Red Oak Road.

The construction  bringing a mini roundabout, new sidewalk and replacement water mains  is scheduled for completion by Saturday, Nov. 4.

Glen Avenue: The street is closed to all traffic through Friday, July 21 for a utility project.

Geddes Avenue: The street will be closed to through traffic between Observatory and Hill streets for a resurfacing and utility project.

The road is expected to run through Wednesday, July 19, with the road re-opened in the westbound direction only as of early June.

Geddes Avenue between Washtenaw Avenue and Observatory Street will also be closed starting at 8 a.m. July 18 through July 21.

The closure is to provide space for utility work on the University of Michigans new Central Campus Recreation Building, officials said.

Broadway Street: The street is closed through Monday, Aug. 21 between the Traver Creek pedestrian crossing island, just south of Jones Drive, and Plymouth Road for a project bringing water main upgrades, sidewalk improvements and pavement resurfacing.

Platt Road: The road on the citys east side is reduced from four lanes to two between Packard Road and Huron Parkway until Friday, Aug. 1.

The restrictions will allow for crews to replace an existing water main, as well as replace curb, sidewalk and ramps while resurfacing Platt Road. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.

Newport Road: The road between Sunset Road and Down Up Circle, near the Bird Hills Nature Area, will see flagging and temporary signals as crews install new sidewalk through Friday, Aug. 25.

M-14: The highway will see a single-lane closure in both directions at Barton Drive on July 14 form 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Long-term projects: North Fifth Avenue from Detroit to Catherine streets will have a lane shift through June 2024 for a new development.

Eastbound South University Avenue traffic between East University Avenue and Church Street is closed long-term for high-rise construction.

The Liberty Road bridge over I-94 is reduced to single-lane traffic, with temporary traffic signals, until further notice after being damaged by a truck on March 13. The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to design and contract for a bridge replacement, officials say, though no timeline has been released for the project.

OTHER WASHTENAW COUNTY PROJECTS:

Pittsfield Township - U.S. 23/Michigan Avenue: A major project widening Michigan Avenue in Pittsfield Township and upgrading the U.S. 23 interchange will cause shoulder closures and lane closures on U.S. 23 south of Ann Arbor.

On Michigan Avenue between Carpenter and Textile roads, a single-lane closure is in place in both directions.

The eastbound Michigan Avenue ramp to southbound U.S. 23 and the northbound U.S. 23 ramp to Michigan Avenue are closed for the construction project through July 16.

The project as a whole is scheduled to run through November. Pittsfield Township is posting regular updates.

Ypsilanti - Hamilton Street: A single lane in the southbound direction is closed between Pearl and Ferris streets through Thursday, Aug. 31.

Ypsilanti - Michigan Avenue: The downtown avenue will see a single-lane closure in the eastbound direction between Washington and Huron streets for water main installation.

Other downtown Ypsilanti street closures are possible as a major utility and street overhaul project continues. See the citys webpage on the project for updates.

Read more: Construction coming to downtown Ypsilanti as utility, street renovation projects resume

Ypsilanti - Huron River Drive: The road is closed to all westbound traffic between Lowell and Cornell streets for a major city reconstruction project. Officials are posting updates on the city website.

Ypsilanti - Forest Avenue bridge: The bridge over the Huron River is closed through early October for rehabilitation work.

Ypsilanti Township - Michigan Avenue/I-94 ramp: A road reconstruction project has closed Michigan Avenue between I-94 and a point just east of Hewitt Road. The construction, which began in mid-May, is estimated to last eight weeks and is slowly making progress per a July 12 update from the Washtenaw County Road Commission.

A detour map is available online, and north/south traffic on Hewitt will be maintained with lane restrictions. The westbound I-94 off-ramp at Michigan Avenue is also closed during the project.

York Township - U.S. 23/Willis Road interchange: Willis Road at U.S. 23 is closed in both directions through July 13 as bridge and ramp construction takes place. The eastbound Willis Road ramp to northbound U.S. 23 also is closed during the project.

Sylvan/Lima townships - I-94: The interstate will see overnight single-lane closures in both directions between Freer Road and the Washtenaw/Jackson county line through July 14.

Ann Arbor Township - Dhu Varren Road: The road will see intermittent lane restrictions between Whitmore Lake Road and Dhu Varren Court through July 14 for road resurfacing.

Augusta Township - Rawsonville Road: The road is closed between Talladay and Willis roads until Aug. 21 for drainage improvements. A detour map is available online.

Augusta/Ypsilanti townships - Intersection of Bemis and Whittaker roads: The intersection will close completely for the construction of a new roundabout through Sept. 1. A detour map is available online.

Dexter - Main Street bridge: The bridge over the Mill Creek between Dexter-Chelsea Road and Jeffords Street will see lane restrictions between Monday, July 17, and Sunday, July 23, for preventative maintenance.

Dexter Township - McGregor Road bridge: The bridge over the Portage Lake outlet between Dexter-Pinckney Road and Huron Street will see lane restrictions through July 16 for preventative maintenance.

Dexter Township - Dexter-Pinckney Road bridge: The bridge over the Portage Lake canal between McGregor Road and Winston Drive will see lane restrictions through July 16 for preventative maintenance.

Dexter Township - North Territorial Road bridge: The bridge over the Huron River between Dexter-Pinckney Road and Huron River Drive will see lane restrictions passed the previously timeline of July 13. The work is preventative maintenance.

Lima/Scio townships - Parker Road: The road will close between Shield Road and Dexter-Chelsea Road through August for a culvert replacement. A detour map is available online.

Lyndon/Sylvan townships - Various roads: Several roads in the townships will see intermittent lane restrictions through mid-July for a Consumers Energy natural gas pipeline replacement project.

Northfield Township - North Territorial Road: The road will see intermittent lane closures between Hellner Road and Whitmore Lake Road through July 15 for work related to the Chestnut Hills development.

Northfield Township - Barker Road: The road will see lane restrictions between the railroad tracks and Main Street through July 21 for road resurfacing.

Northfield Township - Main Street: The street will see lane restrictions between East Shore Drive and 8 Mile Road through July 21 for road resurfacing.

Pittsfield Township - Morgan Road: The road between Carpenter Road and Michigan Avenue is closed for water main and road work until Friday, Aug. 4. A detour map is available online.

Pittsfield Township - Platt Road: The road will see intermittent lane closures between Bemis Road and Michigan Avenue through September for construction of a non-motorized pathway.

Pittsfield Township - Crane Road: The road is closed between Textile Road and Michigan Avenue through July 16 for sanitary sewer installation. A detour map is available online. This project has been extended.

Pittsfield Township - Textile Road: The road is closed between Carpenter and Crane roads for sanitary sewer installation. The project runs through September. A detour map is available online.

Salem Township - Joy Road: The road will close between Gotfredson Road and a half-mile east of the intersection from through Monday, Aug. 14 for sanitary main work. A detour map is available online.

Superior/Ypsilanti townships - Clark Road: The road will see lane restrictions west of Leforge road to the end of the road through Saturday, Sept. 30 for road resurfacing.

Ypsilanti Township - Jay Avenue: The road will see daytime lane closures between Grove Road and Jeffery Street through November for DTE Energy gas line replacement.

Ypsilanti Township - Levona Street: The street will see daytime lane closures between Janet Avenue and Service Drive through November for a DTE gas line replacement project.

Ypsilanti Township - Grove Road: The road will see daytime lane closures through November between Arthur and Emerick streets for a DTE gas line replacement project.

An updated list of Ann Arbor city street closures, the weekly Washtenaw County Road Commission schedule and the MDOT road closure map are all available online.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.

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YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS: President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, has sent letters to heads of all UN Security Council member states, the UN Secretary General, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the President of the European Council, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, as well as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, urging them to fulfill their international obligations and promptly implement effective measures to halt the illegal and complete blockade imposed on Artsakh by Azerbaijan, and to put an end to the systematic mass crimes and acts of terrorism against the people of Artsakh.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the office of the President of Artsakh, the letter not only conveyed the expectations of the Republic of Artsakh from each recipient but also provided an overview of the current situation. The main part of the letter reads as follows:

"As the President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), I urgently appeal to the international community on behalf of the government and people of Artsakh. I wish to draw your attention to the escalating security and humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, which is rapidly evolving into a full-blown disaster. This dire situation is a direct result of the following criminal actions committed by Azerbaijan:

- On December 12, 2022, as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin (Kashatagh) Corridor, which connects Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world, approximately 120,000 residents of Artsakh found themselves under siege. Furthermore, about 30,000 citizens of the Republic of Artsakh were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their right to return to their homeland;

- Since then, humanitarian movement of people and cargo through the Lachin Corridor has been exclusively carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeeping forces, with very limited capacity and certain periodic disruptions, while the movement of vehicles belonging to the residents of Artsakh has been completely prohibited;

- Since January 9, 2023, Azerbaijan has disrupted the supply of electricity through the sole high-voltage line between Armenia and Artsakh, which has caused significant energy and humanitarian problems in Artsakh over the past 185 days. There have been daily six-hour power outages, a 48% decrease in electricity consumption, and depletion of local electricity production and supply systems. Starting from December 13, 2023, Azerbaijan periodically, and since March 21, almost continuously, has been interrupting the only gas supply from Armenia to Artsakh (for a total of 148 days), thereby deepening the energy and humanitarian crisis;

- On April 23, Azerbaijan established an illegal checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor at the border between Artsakh and Armenia, officially and openly imposing strict and arbitrary military control over all movements;

- Since June 15, Azerbaijan has imposed a complete blockade on the Lachin Corridor, prohibiting the transportation of any individuals or goods (including food, medicine, hygiene items, and fuel) in both directions even by the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers;

- From June 25 to July 10, the transportation of patients with urgent medical needs to medical centers in Armenia, along with the import of some medicines into Artsakh, were resumed in a very limited capacity only through the Red Cross. However, starting from July 10, the movement of the Red Cross has been blocked again;

- Throughout this entire period, Azerbaijan has been using force and the threat of force against the people of Artsakh, with clear manifestations of ethnic hatred and terrorism, and with the evident goal of ethnic cleansing;

- By using force and the threat of force, Azerbaijan continues to obstruct agricultural activities on approximately 10,000 hectares of land adjacent to the contact line, which constitutes a significant portion of the total cultivated land;

- The suspension of all humanitarian supplies since June 15, coupled with the utilization of limited domestic stocks, has resulted in a worsening humanitarian situation, in particular:

The food shortage is worsening, especially considering that prior to the blockade, around 90% of all consumed food was imported from Armenia;

Due to the diminishing availability of fuel and other essential resources, approximately 70% of planned agricultural work has been halted, while the impact on other sectors of the economy is even more significant;

Due to the same reason, internal public transportation has been reduced by approximately 50%, while private transportation has nearly come to a standstill;

The growing shortage of medications, medical supplies and hygiene items, coupled with the ban on transporting medical patients to Armenia, poses an increasing threat to people's lives and well-being;

Daily power outages and fuel shortages have severely impacted the operation of medical equipment, leading to a decrease in the volume and quality of healthcare services;

Due to the lack of essential food and vitamins, approximately 2,000 pregnant women and around 30,000 children are struggling to survive under conditions of malnutrition.

The daily power outages, fuel shortages, and lack of other essential items are causing significant disruptions in water supply and telecommunication infrastructure in many populated areas.

The blockade and disruptions in the supply of electricity and gas have rendered over 12,000 people unemployed and deprived of their livelihoods, which represents over 60% of the private sector workforce.

The complete blockade of the Republic of Artsakh and its isolation from the outside world, pursued with the intermediate goal of forcibly subjugating the people of Artsakh, deepens the humanitarian crisis and sets the stage for the transformation of Azerbaijan's ongoing crimes against humanity into the crime of genocide. Through these actions, Azerbaijan deliberately creates unbearable conditions for the people of Artsakh, with the clear intention of depopulating the region and annihilating its people.

The aforementioned and many other security and humanitarian issues pose an increasing threat to the survival of the people of Artsakh. The current situation is highly volatile and has the potential to rapidly transform into a full-fledged catastrophe, not only for the people of Artsakh but for the entire region.

Regrettably, Azerbaijan continues to demonstrate a willful disregard for its international obligations, repeatedly violating the provisions of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, the ruling of December 21, 2023, from the European Court of Human Rights, the orders issued by International Court of Justice on February 22 and July 6, 2023. Azerbaijan's actions persist despite the demands and appeals of numerous international organizations and states. Furthermore, Azerbaijan's aggressive and criminal activities have been fueled by the prevailing sense of impunity within the international community".
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI -- Anyone who knows Shade Abdullah knows how much she loves her two younger brothers.

Now, one of them is gone.

Tyrese Burks, 20, was killed in a quadruple shooting Monday, June 26, in the 800 block of George Place in Ypsilanti Township. The shooting also killed Dallas Williams, 16, and injured a 14-year-old and a 19-year-old.

I really try not to talk about him in the past tense, said Abdullah, 27. He really is the glue to our family. With him being the youngest, he always made sure that he had a hand in each of our pots.

Although their immediate family is small  comprised of just Abdullah, Burks, their brother and mother  their extended family sprawls across eight of their mothers siblings and more than 30 grandchildren. The family has been struggling with the death of Burks, Abdullah said.

I think were having a hard time wrapping our head around the fact that hes physically not with us anymore, Abdullah said. And that he was so young, because weve never experienced anything like this before.

Burks is an Ann Arbor boy, Abdullah said, graduating from Pathways to Success high school in 2021. Pathways is a high school for students needing or preferring a more intimate academic environment than what may be unavailable at larger high schools.

At the time of his death, he was living in the Ypsilanti area with his mother.

Although raised as a Muslim, Burks became more serious about his faith at 19. He had just recently returned from a faith retreat before he died, Abdullah said, adding he would wear his prayer beads every day.

Abdullah wears them now.

Tyrese actually taught me the proper way to pray, she said.

Her brothers faith has given her comfort.

I wont ever have to worry about where my brother went because I know hes in jannah, she said, adding jannah is the afterlife in the Islamic faith.

Although Burks enjoyed fishing, swimming and making videos, he and Abdullah bonded most over music, with a penchant for artists like SZA and Lil Baby. Burks also had plans to join the U.S. Navy, inspired by his fathers and grandfathers own military service.

I think he just wanted to get out of here and go experience something else on his own, Abdullah said. Then he also felt like he was going to be of service. He was really big on taking care of people.

A GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses has raised nearly $12,000 as of Wednesday afternoon, July 12. Abdullah encouraged others in the community to keep the family close.

Its real life. Its real grief, she said. And its a huge loss to the entire world.

Suspect Tamar Young, 19, was arraigned on charges of murder Friday, June 30. He will next appear in court on Thursday, July 13 and currently is being held in the Washtenaw County Jail without bond.

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FLINT, MI  Theres no shortage of Mexican restaurants to try in the Flint area, with some offering authentic Mexican dishes and other offering Tex-Mex fare.

No matter what flavors youre looking for, here are five great Mexican restaurants to try in the Flint area:

1. El Cozumel Mexican Grill

Located at 4190 E Court St. in Burton, El Cozumel Mexican Grill is the areas most-reviewed Mexican restaurant on Google, generating over 2,000 reviews.

With a 4.5 Google rating, the customer reviews show this is a go-to spot where people can get their authentic Mexican cuisine and have a good time.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday. Follow them on Facebook.

2. Hernandez Mexican Food

Located at 4 E. Nepessing St. in Lapeer, Hernandez Mexican Food just opened in May for takeout orders only.

After serving the community for over 50 years as a food stand, Hernandez Mexican Food has moved into a former office building in downtown Lapeer.

The restaurant offers Mexican food with a Texas flare, including hard- and soft-shell tacos, burritos, nachos and enchiladas. And the menu is expanding to include weekly specials with additional authentic Mexican dishes.

Business hours for Hernandez Mexican Food are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Follow them on Facebook.

Read full story here.

3. Vasquez Mexican Food

Vasquez Mexican Food may have a variety of options on its menu throughout the week, but Sundays are a special day.

Im going through about 80 dozen tamales every Sunday, said business owner Nikki Vasquez-Bland.

After gaining popularity as a food truck in the Genesee Township area, Vasquez-Bland decided it was time to go the brick-and-mortar route.

Opening on Dec. 4, the restaurant at 5534 Richfield Road has experienced love from the community  especially for the regular and spicy tamales it offers on Sundays.

Each customer is limited to two dozen tamales for $15 each, but Vasquez Food also offers specials such as fiesta fries with steak or chicken for $12 and two barbacoa tacos with a side of beans and rice or fideo for $10.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, when it also offers breakfast options.

Follow them on Facebook.

Read the full story here.

4. La Azteca Taco House

Located at 1902 W. Court St. in Flint, La Azteca Taco House has generated over 1,700 Google reviews, earning a 4.3 Google rating.

An old-school joint since 1966 preparing tacos and other down-home Mexican staples to eat in or take out, its website touts it as the first Mexican restaurant in Flint.

La Azteca Taco House is known for its tacos with a unique flavor making them stand out from the rest. All ingredients are fresh, all vegetables are chopped by hand for salsa and other dishes, and everything is made to order.

La Azteca Taco House is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Follow them on Facebook.

Sorianos Zamora dinner, Sorianos is located at 836 S Saginaw St, Flint, Michigan, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2023.Brice Tucker | btucker@mlive.com

5. Sorianos Mexican Kitchen

Open for the last six years, the food Sorianos offers speaks for itself, generating a 4.5 Google reviews rating.

One of the restaurants offerings is birria tacos, which are tortillas dipped in sauce, topped with cheese, cilantro and onions. The dish is served with Mexican rice, beans and consomme.

Sorianas also sells the botana platter consisting of ground beef nachos supreme, cheese quesadilla, ground beef flautas and shredded chicken chimichangas.

Breakfast is another option on the menu, including eggs and chorizo. And Sorianos offers a variety of vegetarian dishes, including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas and burritos.

Pair your meal with a frozen strawberry margarita.

Sorianos is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Follow Sorianos Mexican Kitchen on Facebook here.

Read the full story here.

Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter.

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LANSING, MI  Michigans highest court will not hear the case of a Grand Blanc woman who shot and killed two people at an apartment complex in 2016.

Appeal attorneys for Jacquelyne Tyson argued that the defendant was entitled to relief from his conviction because she should have been afforded the opportunity to argue diminished capacity at her trial, but prior legislation removed that possibility.
FLINT TWP., MI  A 41-year-old Oklahoma man has been lodged in the Genesee County Jail in connection with a bank robbery in Flint Township, police said Friday afternoon.

Officers with the Flint Township Police Department were dispatched around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 13, to the Huntington Bank at 1373 S. Linden Rd. following a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A revised proposal to build a 52-unit, income-restricted apartment building in the Belknap Lookout neighborhood was recommended for approval by the Grand Rapids Planning Commission Thursday despite concerns over density, traffic and parking expressed by some neighbors.

Following a public hearing, where neighbors spoke in support and opposition of the project, the planning commission unanimously recommended the city commission approve a rezoning request that would allow Grand Rapids-based Union Suites LLC to build the project on the 600 block of Coit Avenue NW.

I think its a very good first step, and were very grateful to have the opportunity to advance this project, said Tom Ralston, owner of Union Suites.

The project now heads to city commission for final approval. In addition, Ralston said he and his colleagues will begin preparing to apply this fall for low-income housing tax credits from the state of Michigan. The tax credits are needed to finance the project and keep rent for the units below the market rate.

The development, known as Union Suites on Coit II, would be the second, 52-unit income restricted apartment building on the 600 block of Coit Avenue NE in Grand Rapids. The firm broke ground last summer on a separate 52-unit, income-restricted apartment building that is next door the building the firm is proposing now.

The development being eyed now would encompass five properties on the 600 block of Coit Avenue N and one home on the 200 block of Fairbanks Street NE. Homes on the block currently occupying the parcels would be demolished to make way for the apartments, which would be reserved for low- to moderate-income residents.

Estimated rental rates were not listed in the materials provided to the planning commission.

The apartment building would be four-stories tall and include 32 parking spaces. Affordable housing provider Dwelling Place is a partner on the project. Ralston previously said the units would be reserved for residents earning between 30% and 80% of Kent Countys Area Median Income. For a three-person household, 80% of the area median income translates to $68,240, according to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Thirty percent equates to $25,590.

Related: Housing proposal headed back to Grand Rapids board following design, neighborhood concerns

Thursday was the second time Union Suites Coit Avenue project came before the commission for consideration.

In February, the commission tabled the proposal after residents spoke about poor neighborhood outreach by Union Suites, and raised concerns about the projects design, site plan, and the proposed building materials.

Commissioners also raised concerns about the projects impact on one single-family home at 210 Fairbanks St. NE. The proposal, as originally designed, would have been surrounded by the proposed apartment building and two other existing high-density apartment buildings.

That homeowner, Bailey Tuczak, spoke out against the proposal in February.

She told commissioners she didnt expect to be boxed-in by apartments when she bought the home, and she questioned whether she would ever be able to sell her home if the new apartment building was constructed.

Following the February meeting, Ralston and his colleagues revised the proposal. He reached an agreement to purchase Tuczaks home if the proposal moves forward, and he and his colleagues made several design changes to the project as well.

For example, brick was added to a portion of the exterior of the building (before it was just vinyl siding), and the roof of the proposed building was changed from a sloped angle to flat.

The design of the roof was changed so the project would mirror other buildings in the neighborhood. That includes Union Suites other 52-unit building on Coit and the nearby Grand Rapids Public Schools Coit Creative Arts Academy.

This is much better than what we saw before, said Grand Rapids Planning Commission Chairperson Kyle Van Strien. Their engagement, although not perfect engagement, I think it was better, and I think overall this is a good thing for the neighborhood and the city.

The proposal drew a mix of supporters and opponents at the July 13 meeting.

Some said the additional housing would be a good fit for the area, providing an affordable living option for residents and helping fill what one study estimates is a projected shortage of 7,951 rental units in the city by 2027.

I really think its going to be an asset to the neighborhood, said Dan Miller, who lives on Newberry Street NE, about a block away from the project site. Its low-income housing, which means people who earn a wage in Grand Rapids by working full-time but cant afford housing in the city because its just getting so expensive.

Those in opposition worried about the developments impact on parking and traffic in the area. They pointed to the fact that Union Suites is already building a 52-unit development on the 600 block of Coit Aveneu NE, and said that adding another 52-units next door would add too much housing into too small an area.

This pretty much takes away all of my parking options for my house, said Skylar Korendyke, who lives on the 700 block of Coit Avenue, about four houses down from the proposed development.

She also took aim at the community outreach by Union Suites.

I have felt no community involvement, she said, noting that she wasnt invited or alerted to community meetings or a food truck gathering where information and input on the proposal was gathered.

Another Neighbor, Angelita Orman, spoke out against the project. She said theres already an issue with cars speeding through her neighborhood, and she said she was worried the problem would get worse if more apartments are built.

We get cars that speed past the stop sign, dont stop, Orman said. I have grandkids that dont live around there. Its just ridiculous.

The neighborhood association that represents the area, Neighbors of Belknap Lookout, did not take a stance on the Union Suites apartment building because there was not a quorum present at its recent meeting, said Executive Director Elianna Bootzin.

She previously told MLive the associations development committee opposed the project. But the committees recommendation needs to be approved by the associations full board to become official, she said.

In addition, Bootzin told the commission that her association had asked the citys traffic and parking services department to install a traffic calming device in the area. But she said she has not heard back from the city since the request was made about a year ago.

Planning Commissioner Lawrence Williams expressed concern about traffic near the development.

He was supportive when Planning Department Director Kristin Turkelson offered to require the city to provide more information to the city commission, prior to its vote on the proposal, about whether additional traffic calming measures are needed.

I very much like that and very much support that, Williams said.

If all goes according to plan, construction could start in fall 2024, Ralston said.

I think that the city residents really had an opportunity to say their piece today, and I applaud the process, he said, when asked to reflect on the feedback offered during the commission meeting Thursday. Certainly, you cannot please everyone in every neighborhood. But I think the overwhelming majority were in support. I thank those that were in support, and Im sorry for those that were opposed. I certainly hope that we can put a great product out there and change their minds.

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OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- A Muskegon judge has ruled that a group of newly elected Ottawa County commissioners did not violate the Open Meetings Act, even if they met prior to taking office to decide issues.

Muskegon County Circuit Judge Matthew Kacel on Wednesday, July 12 dismissed a lawsuit against the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners.
KENT COUNTY, MI  Police arrested a 41-year-old Grand Rapids man in connection to a July 6 bank robbery in Kent Countys Gaines Township.

The man is expected to be arraigned on a bank robbery charge on Friday, July 14, in Kent Countys 63rd District Court, the Kent County Sheriffs Office announced Friday.

A Silent Observer tip helped investigators identify the suspect from the July 6 robbery, according to the sheriffs office.

Police executed a search warrant on July 11 in the 100 Block of Burton Street, where deputies found evidence related to the robbery. The suspect was arrested and taken to Kent County Jail on unrelated charges, and the prosecutors office filed bank robbery charges on July 13.

The robbery happened in a bank on the 6200 block of Kalamazoo Avenue SE in Gaines Township. Police did not say what bank was allegedly robbed.

RELATED: Police looking for suspect accused of robbing Kent County bank

Police said the suspect went into the bank alone and demanded cash by presenting a note. No weapon was seen or implied.

Authorities identified the suspect through surveillance photos showing a heavyset man wearing a dark bucket hat, surgical mask, white shirt, and light blue jeans. The suspect reportedly fled the bank with an undetermined amount of cash in a tan colored Chevy Malibu.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Red panda couple Wasabi and Wyatt have welcomed a new litter of cubs at John Ball Zoo.

The cubs were born on Tuesday, July 11, at the zoo, located at 1300 Fulton Street W. This is the second litter of red pandas for Wyatt and Wasabi.

The first litter of three female red pandas was born on June 25, 2020. Those babies, named Rose, Ruby and Willow, moved to a zoo in Tennessee as part of the Species Survival Plan.

Related: Triplet baby red pandas born at John Ball Zoo

According to zoo staff, the two new red panda cubs and their mom, Wasabi, are being closely monitored via video cameras. The cubs are currently nestled in a maternity den with Wasabi as they grow and bond. The babies are too small to determine their sexes yet.

John Ball Zoo is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of endangered species including red pandas, and the birth of these cubs will help ensure the future of the species, said Dr. Ryan Colburn, veterinarian for John Ball Zoo. Our expert animal care staff is closely monitoring the cubs health and development, ensuring that they receive the best possible care in their early stages of life.

Red pandas, native to the Eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are less than 2,500 adult red pandas left in the wild, according to the IUCN. The species is threatened by habitat loss, deforestation and poaching.

Related: John Ball Zoos triplet red pandas moving to zoo in Tennessee

The successful birth of these red panda cubs signifies another step forward in the conservation efforts to protect this beautiful species, Colburn said. John Ball Zoo is excited to play our part in this effort.

Over the next few months, the cubs will grow and gradually start to explore their habitat. John Ball Zoo said the cubs will play a vital role in the conservation of red pandas.

As the baby red pandas grow, the zoo will post updates about their progress on its social media channels like Facebook and Instagram.

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BROOKLYN, MI - A new report published by Rolling Stone examines the deaths reported during the nine-year history of the Faster Horses music festival, detailing how some families impacted by the losses feel the festival should be safer.

The story published on July 11 ahead of the 10th edition of the festival that begins Friday, July 14, at Michigan International Speedway, breaks down how Faster Horses has developed a reputation for the number of tragedies and assaults that have taken place on its grounds, citing the 2021 investigative reporting of MLive.

MLives 2021 investigation revealed 30 reports of criminal sexual conduct and 91 assaults had been reported at the festival since it began in 2013. The MLive investigation found that sex offenses are about 5.5 times more common at Faster Horses than in Michigan, per capita.

You can see all of MLives investigation and coverage of the festival here.

In 2022, MLive reported there was a rape, six other reported sexual assaults, 30 fights or acts of physical violence and one death at the festival. In total, there have been seven deaths reported during the festivals nine-year history, including four in 2021.

Faster Horses annually draws about 40,000 spectators, packing them into campgrounds and concerts with the hottest names in country music, like Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert.

Compared to one of Michigans other large festivals  Electric Forest, a four-day electronic music event north of Muskegon  Faster Horses has 50% more reports of criminal sexual conduct and more than twice the number of assaults.

RELATED: Look through a database of all 127 reported violent crimes, deaths at Faster Horses since 2013.

Brooklyns party of the summer is organized by California-based concert promoter Live Nation, responsible for the since-canceled Las Vegas country music festival where a gunman killed 58 people in 2017, and rapper Travis Scotts Astroworld festival in Houston, where 10 people died this month in crush and chaos.

In October 2022, a lawsuit filed was filed against Live Nation and MIS by family members of three men who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while camping at the 2021 Faster Horses Festival.

The family members alleged the campground was overcrowded, unsafe and improperly monitored and inspected and contended Live Nation and MIS were negligent, causing and requiring recreational vehicles to use campsites in very close proximity and against Michigan campground regulations.

The lawsuit was dismissed by Lenawee County Circuit Judge Michael Olsaver, who said the placement of the camper and the generator, specifically the location of the generator relative to the camper, created the dangerous condition. The families have appealed in the case, which is pending.

Live Nation offered the following statement about its safety measures ahead of the festival:

We work hand in hand with local and state authorities each year to evolve and advance safety and security measures and will continue to collaborate with authorities and local partners accordingly, a statement from the festival notes. In recent years, we have implemented new procedures such as the See Something Say Something initiative and the AWARE program based on feedback weve heard from fans. Faster Horses Festival has always been about fostering a strong sense of community, and the safety of that community remains our top priority.

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KALAMAZOO, MI  A Kalamazoo resident was hospitalized after being shot Thursday night, police said.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired at 9:58 p.m. Thursday, July 13, in the 1300 block of Sherwood Avenue in Kalamazoo, according to a news release from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

The victim, a 34-year-old from Kalamazoo, had been transported to a local hospital by a private vehicle before police arrived at the scene, police said.

At the hospital, the shooting victim was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to the release.

Officers say there are currently no suspects in the shooting.

Police ask anyone with information related to this incident to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 269-488-8911 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.

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YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 14 July, USD exchange rate down by 1.09 drams to 386.01 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.71 drams to 433.10 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 4.28 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.20 drams to 506.10 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 9.50 drams to 24300.40 drams. Silver price up by 12.84 drams to 301.08 drams.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI  A 15-year-old was rescued from Lake Michigan after he fell off a jet ski and went missing Thursday evening.

Authorities responded to the water rescue at 9:32 p.m. Thursday, July 13, near the 18000 block of North Shore Drive in Spring Lake Township, according to a news release from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office.

First responders were scanning the shoreline when they heard the teen calling out for help from the lake, the release said. Police spotted the teen in the water about 60 yards out from the shoreline.

The U.S. Coast Guard and fire rescue teams were dispatched to the teens location and were able to safely rescue him from the water.

The teen was brought back to shore, where he was returned to his parents with no injuries, authorities said.

The sheriffs office was assisted at the scene by Spring Lake Township Fire Rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard.

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FRANKENMUTH, MI  In the Little Bavaria commercial district many associate with her name, Dorothy Zehnder was honored by hundreds of Frankenmuth employees, spectators and out-of-town visitors alike who gathered for a 50-vehicle funeral processional that trekked down South Main Street on Friday, July 14.

The ceremony in Frankenmuths busiest business district was the public component of a series of morning funeral services for family and friends. The road-bound processional  which launched shortly after 10 a.m.  included the hearse transporting Zehnder, who died five days earlier in her Frankenmuth home.

About an hour before the funeral participants moved down South Main, foot traffic along the commercial district seemed typical for a Friday morning in July. Passersby strolled down the street, with some snapping photos of the community so associated with Zehnder during her 101 years of life.

A light breeze and temperatures hovering around 70 degrees colored the environment as a crowd began to build shortly before 10 a.m. Signs on the doorways and windows of surrounding businesses informed patrons of the planned ceremony.

Please excuse our absence, read a printed note on the entrance of Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Castle Shops, one of Zehnders many business legacies. Most areas may not be manned from 10:00-10:45 a.m. due to paying our respects outside for our beloved founder and matriarch Dorothy Zehnder.

Meanwhile, about two miles north of the town square, family, friends and loved ones gathered for a 10 a.m. prayer service at Cederberg Funeral Home, near the shadow of the aqua-blue water tower with Frankenmuth emblazoned on its surface.

From there, the funeral procession launched southward, with dozens of accompanying vehicles, all fit with bright-orange flags indicating participation in the service.

The fleet of about 50 vehicles  led and trailed by police cars  crawled at about 10 miles per hour down the two-mile stretch of streets separating the funeral home from St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, where Zehnders funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m.

The processions route there, though, did not take the shortest-route path, instead moving a few additional blocks off the course so that Zehnder could travel down South Main, passing directly in front of the beloved Zehnders of Frankenmuth restaurant she co-founded 73 years earlier.

Related: Community mourns Dorothy, matriarch of the Zehnder Family, Frankenmuth and Michigan

In the Little Bavaria town square, more than 300 people gathered, scattered on both sides of the street, about a quarter-mile in each direction.

Dozens of those spectators were staff members of Zehnders business empire in the town; many carried American flags, and some donned the Bavaria-themed outfits they typically wear when delivering patrons the beloved dishes Zehnder was known for perfecting.

Members of the neighboring businesses paid tribute too. Earlier, Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce staff distributed white dish towels to employees along that route. Recipients waved the towels as the funeral procession passed in front of them, a symbolic gesture meant to pay tribute to Zehnders legacy of creating beloved menu items.

Dish towels for Dorothy, Jenna Swanson, trading post manager at the Frankenmuth Historical Association, said of the catchphrase tied to the pre-planned towel-waving display. She kind of started the Bavarian architecture and was so involved in the history and tourism industry here. She meant so much to Frankenmuth, so we had to come out to pay tribute.

One result of Zehnders business successes  the prominence of tourists that venture to Frankenmuth from afar  even played a role in the processional. More than a few people Friday morning cautioned curious reporters that they were from out of town and coincidentally stumbled upon the ceremonies.

Among them was Tom Carabin, who said for decades, he traveled at least yearly with family from his home 200 miles away in Norwalk, Ohio, to enjoy the Germany-inspired culture in Frankenmuth. He said that familiarity with Frankenmuth extended to Zehnder.

Oh, yes, we know about Dorothy, Carabin said. We just found out yesterday that she died. I was really impressed to see all the people come out for her like this. It really shows you what she meant to this community.

Born Dec. 1, 1921, in Reese, 10 miles north of Frankenmuth, Zehnder would go on to become a co-founder of the family-owned Bavarian Inn Restaurant with her late husband, William Tiny Zehnder, where she spent more than 85 years working behind the scenes and as the visible face of the well-known Bavarian Inn family and the many community and business operations under their name.

Zehnder developed most of the recipes used in her familys restaurant, authored three sold-out cookbooks, and was a Michigan Womens Hall of Fame inductee, Saginaw Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, a lifelong member of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, mentor, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Her legacy includes one of Michigans most iconic family-owned businesses, the Bavarian Inn Corp., which employs approximately 1,000 people in Saginaw County, serves thousands of guests daily and about 900,000 meals annually, and ranks in the top 50 most prominent family-run restaurants in the U.S. Dorothy Zehnders children and their spouses, along with her grandchildren  a total of seven family members  work every day to continue the Bavarian Inns success story.

Today, the Bavarian Inn Zehnder familys businesses include the Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Castle Shops, Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth River Place Shops, Covered Bridge Shop, Franks Muth, Frankenmuth Cheese Haus, Bavarian Bleachers, a specialty line of food products, and an online store. The family also runs the William and Dorothy Zehnder Foundation.

Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw.

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MONITOR TWP, MI  When a fire alarm was triggered at a Bay County fertilizer plant, crews knew they could have a disaster on their hands if the flames reached chemicals. Thankfully, that didnt happen, though the building itself was significantly damaged, possibly to the tune of six figures.

We always had a fear that if it ever goes up, its gone, said Monitor Township Fire Chief John Kramer.

At 8:02 p.m. on Thursday, July 13, an alarm went off inside Helena Agri-Enterprises, 4640 S. Seven Mile Road. Shortly thereafter, Bay County Central Dispatch started receiving calls from neighbors seeing smoke emanating from a pole barn-style building on the property.

The business was closed at the time.

When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke coming from the roof through a vent on its north side.

We knew we had an active fire going, Kramer said. We started in and it was all up in the attic area. The building was full of smoke. Maneuvering inside in total darkness was very difficult. Once we got it ventilated from the roof area and got some of that heat out, we were able to get in to the seat of the fire.

The Auburn-Williams Fire Department provided aerial support, while crews from the Bangor, Kawkawlin, and Frankenlust townships departments lent additional manpower. The business owners and staff also arrived on scene.

We were able to keep things away from all the chemicals and got them out of the building, Kramer said. There was no chemical release.

The fire apparently started in an office, then spread up to its second floor, Kramer said.

We believe it was electrical, he added.

Crews extinguished the blaze and though they saved most of the buildings contents, the structure itself was left with quite a bit of damage.

Kramers estimate of the damage is $200,000, though he said insurance investigators may come up with a different figure.

The building is going to have to be brought down or majorly refurbished, he added.

Crews cleared the scene at 12:40 a.m. Friday, July 14. There were no injuries suffered by either civilians or firefighters.

Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw.

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WYOMING, MI  At one end of the facility, tanker trucks unload a toxic soup. By the time it leaves the other end, only water, carbon dioxide and salt remain.

At Heritage-Crystal Clean in Wyoming, a new technology is busy taking the forever out of forever chemicals. The West Michigan facility is home to the PFAS Annihilator system, a first-to-market treatment process that destroys concentrated PFAS compounds in landfill leachate.

Rather than simply filtering out the chemicals, the Annihilator uses pressure and temperature to break apart the strong carbon-fluorine bonds that give PFAS chemicals their desirable commercial properties but also allow them to persist almost indefinitely once released into the environment.

The result is treated water considered safe enough to deposit into a municipal wastewater facility for eventual discharge back into local waterways.

Its operating at commercial scale in Michigan.

This is real now, said David Trueba, president and CEO of Revive Environmental, a venture capital-backed startup partnering with Battelle and Crystal Clean to market the Annihilator as the first closed-loop PFAS remediation solution on the market.

Its not too expensive, he said. Its scalable and available.

Truebas company, Revive, was launched in January out of Battelle Memorial Institute, a tax-exempt research and development giant based in Ohio. Battelle isnt a household name, but its vast portfolio of inventions includes the copy machine, cruise control and the retail barcode.

In 2019, Battelle began adapting a process to destroy PFAS by heating water to more than 700 degrees Fahrenheit and pressurizing it to more than 3,200 pounds per-square-inch.

Under such supercritical conditions, compounds that do not readily break down normally can, with the addition of an oxidizing agent, decompose into harmless byproducts.

We wanted to be sure that we werent engaging in a technology that was going to have another waste stream to be able to deal with, said Amy Dindal, Battelles director of environmental research and development.

The process, called supercritical water oxidation, has been used since the 1980s to destroy nerve agents, radioactive waste and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Two years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified it as one of four promising technologies for destroying PFAS but noted that its widespread application had been limited by high energy demand and other technological challenges.

Battelle is not the only entity to devise a supercritical PFAS destruction method. A North Carolina company called 374Water is marketing a similar supercritical process, which is scheduled to debut commercially this year in California at the Orange County Sanitation District, where it will treat biosolid sludges as part of a demonstration project.

But Battelle, Revive and Crystal Clean are claiming first-to-market status with the Annihilator, which is already commercially treating leachate using the supercritical process.

Most of the PFAS destruction methods are still at bench scale, field scale or pilot project stage, said Abby Hendershott, director of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team at the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).

Alongside supercritical oxidation, other destruction technologies such as pyrolysis and gasification, hydrothermal alkaline treatment and electrochemical oxidation are emerging.

Im very excited to see these things starting to get into a real large-scale applicability, said Hendershott, whose team, MPART, coordinates investigations into more than 250 sites around Michigan where PFAS has contaminated the groundwater, rivers, and other ecosystems.

They all have a place and theres no one technology thats going to be right for all the sites and all the different solutions, she said. We have to really look at how do we use the research and the technology to best fit the individual sites.

In Wyoming, Revives equipment is set up inside the Heritage Crystal-Clean facility, where the Annihilator fits inside a pair of shipping containers. One contains a technician lab and the other performs the destruction.

Tanker trucks presently bring in more than 100,000 gallons of raw, untreated landfill leachate a day. The raw material is concentrated using a surface foam fractionation process and then fed into the Annihilator, which can process up to 500 gallons-per-day. The full treatment is branded 4never.

Although the energy demand for getting water to supercritical conditions is high  Trueba said the Annihilator uses a couple kilowatts an hour on startup  electricity from the chemical reaction itself can be recycled to cut down on costs.

The actual destruction step takes less than a minute. The water that comes out of the Annihilator is typically below a detection or reporting limit, said Dindal.

Typically, its in the single parts-per-trillion (ppt) range.

The facility is currently processing leachate from three Michigan landfills. Leachate  the slurry that collects at the bottom of landfills  typically contains high concentrations of PFAS chemicals. Leachate often goes to a municipal wastewater plant, which pass the chemicals into waterways because standard treatment processes cannot remove them.

Michigan wastewater plants must limit their discharge to 12-ppt for the individual compound PFOS, which readily bioaccumulates in fish and aquatic life. Most require wastewater pre-treatment from industrial customers.

Brian Reccato, president of Crystal Clean, contacted Battelle in 2020 after learning about their supercritical research. Michigan was eventually chosen for the project launch because it has aggressive water quality standards.

The foam fractionation units which concentrate PFAS before destruction are designed for installation at landfills and other industrial sites, Reccato said.

We would concentrate the waste at the source and then truck the resulting concentrate back to our facilities where the Annihilator would be located, he said.

Depending on the logistics of getting the raw water to the process units, Recatto said the treatment cost is running between 15 and 40 cents per-gallon.

Crystal Clean has 11 facilities around the country ready for an Annihilator. Trueba said there are currently six units in production and planned for deployment this fall. Up to 25 might be built, he said, depending on demand.

In addition to landfill leachate and industrial wastewater, the technology also destroys PFAS in firefighting foam. Battelle also has contracts with Department of Defense, including one to eventually deploy an Annihilator unit at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda to process PFAS contaminated water pulled from the ground during ongoing remedial investigations.

Its a tremendous opportunity for us. Its a billion dollar-plus market  multibillion dollars if you believe everything you read, Recatto said. Were very optimistic about it.

Expect to see us in other states soon.

Related stories:

PFAS estimated in 45 percent of U.S. tap water

Michigan begins PFAS blood testing in Oscoda

Michiganders who drank PFAS have high blood levels

New advisories warn of PFAS in Great Lakes smelt

EPA proposes very low nationwide PFAS limits

Fish in 2 Michigan rivers are loaded with PFAS
Michigan Amazon workers are joining a national strike against the e-commerce giant during its Amazon Prime week of sales.

Workers at the Amazon delivery station in Pontiac picketed on Friday, July 14, joining eight other warehouses across the country.

The strike comes on the heels of the companys trademark sale: Amazon Prime Day. Prime Day, which is an exclusive sale for members, ran from July 11-12 although some deals are continuing until July 15.

Early data suggests this years Prime Day sale could be the companys most profitable yet. Consumers spent $12.7 billion during the two-day sale, a 6.1% jump from a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics. Amazon said July 11 was the single largest sales day in the companys history, but declined to provide totals.

Between 50 to 100 Michigan workers walked out in solidarity with drivers and dispatchers in Palmdale, California who began striking on June 24. Pontiac workers are not formally unionized. About 40 Teamsters from other sectors also picketed in support.

Americas first Amazon union formed in Staten Island in April 2022. The independent grassroots Amazon Labor Union has struggled to gain ground. Other Amazon workers, like those in Palmdale, have joined Teamster unions.

Michigan workers are striking on the grounds of unfair labor practices and an unsafe work environment, according to a press release from Teamsters.

We are on strike to stop Amazons unfair labor practices and get the respect we deserve, said Alicia Ozier, a warehouse worker at the Pontiac delivery station. Amazon puts productivity first and our safety second. Ive been injured when a box fell on my eye. The pay is too low to cover my bills. Amazon is a trillion-dollar company because of us, and we deserve to be treated fairly.

The Pontiac workers delivered a petition to Amazon management in October 2022 demanding changes to their working conditions. Amazon revoked a previous peak-season pay increase. Workers suffer injuries from heavy packages and quickly moving conveyer belts, according to Teamsters.

Workers also complained that if they are just a few minutes late for a shift, Amazon deducts a whole hour of their earned unpaid time off. The workers marched on management and wore buttons calling for improvements.

Teamsters claims Amazon responded with retaliation against workers who lead the charge to organize.

We certainly respect the right of individuals to peacefully protest, but our focus remains on ensuring our employees and partners delivering for customers are safe and able to work freely, said Lisa Levandowski, Amazon spokesperson.

Were grateful to them for their hard work and commitment. And, with less than one percent of the employees at the facilities participating in todays protest, we dont anticipate any significant impact to our operations.

Some improvements have been made over in the last few months but more needs to be done by Amazon, said Nicolas White, a warehouse worker at the Pontiac facility.

Michigan workers joined the strike alongside workers in California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

We invited them to extend their picket line to Michigan because this is one fight, White said. Across the country, Amazon workers are dealing with a lot of the same problems, from low pay to dangerous working conditions. When one of my coworkers got hit by a cart and needed medical attention, they were told to keep working because Amazon was short-staffed. We are fighting back.

More on MLive:

Were not afraid to take action: UAW threatens strike ahead of Big Three bargaining

Unions find foothold in marijuana industry, but growth is slow

Right-to-work is repealed in victory for organized labor
Fixes to the federal student loan program means more than 804,000 borrowers will get a total of $39 billion in debt erased.

The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday, July 14 the student debt will be automatically discharged in coming weeks.

The debt forgiveness stems from adjustments made by the Biden administration to the income-driven repayment plan. The fixes accurately count the number of qualifying monthly payments that bring borrowers closer to forgiveness.

Eligible borrowers will be notified in coming days if they have accumulated either 20 or 25 years of qualifying monthly payments. Debt discharges will begin 30 days after emails are sent.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

Related: Feel so far behind: Michigan borrowers recalculate after SCOTUS debt forgiveness ruling

The White House announced the changes in April last year to address historical inaccuracies in the count of payments, the education department said. Under the Higher Education Act, a borrower qualifies for forgiveness after making 240 or 300 monthly payments under an income-driven repayment plan or a standard repayment plan.

At the start of this Administration, millions of borrowers had earned loan forgiveness but never received it. Thats unacceptable, said Under Secretary James Kvaal. Today we are holding up the bargain we offered borrowers who have completed decades of repayment.

The U.S. Department of Education says borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans including Parent PLUS Loans who have reached the forgiveness threshold will receive payment credit for these periods:

A month when the borrower was in repayment status regardless of whether payments were partial or late, the type of loan or the repayment plan

Any period when a borrower was 12 or more consecutive months in forbearance

Any month in forbearance for borrowers who were in forbearance for 36 or more months

Any month spent in deferment before 2013, except for in-school deferred payments

Any month in economic hardship or military deferments after Jan. 1, 2013

Any month spent in deferment (except for in-school deferment) prior to 2013; and

Any month spent in economic hardship or military deferments on or after January 1, 2013.

This announcement comes two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administrations broad student debt relief program that would have erased $10,000 per borrower and $20,000 per Pell Grant recipient. About 864,000 Michiganders applied for the debt forgiveness before the program was halted by the courts last year.

The White House did not provide state-by-state estimates on how many borrowers will see their debt cleared with the adjustments to the Income-Driven Repayment plan.

Student loan repayments are on track to start in October after being paused for three years. Interest will begin accruing in September.

More on MLive:

5 key dates: Student loan repayments starting in October

Can Biden still cancel student loans? Actually, yes, say experts and the White House

Americans are drowning in student loan debt. How does the rest of the world compare?
13.07.2023 LISTEN

I. Daughter of Zion, are you with the winning team or the losing side? What is your posture towards daily battles of life? What are your pronouncements? What is your mindset, positive or negative? What do you wish for? May the Lord enlighten your spirit of understanding and uplift your discerning spirit to stay away from bad companions as you engage in spiritual warfare. BE NOT DECEIVED, EVIL COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD HABITS". Who are your friends? What social media platforms are you consuming your time on? Are you fighting the same kind of battle? Are they encouraging you to press on or they are distracting you? DON'T ALLOW SOCIETY TO DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

II. MY BELOVED SISTER, remember that he who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. What kind of conversation do you constantly engage in as a Soldier in the army of the Lord? My brother let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. Do not join the army of evil-doers, stay away from their camp or you will fall. SOLDIER! FOLLOW AFTER WHAT IS RIGHT, AND STAY AWAY FROM DECEITFUL AND LAZY CIVILIANS, WICKEDNESS IS NOT FAR FROM THEIR DOORSTEP.

III. SON OF MAN, be warned for a man of too many friends on the battlefield comes to ruin. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. In the multitude of friends, there is bound to be a Judas ISCARIOT who will betray you, choose your friends carefully, in view of the battle ahead. On the battlefield of life, there is a Peter who is destined to deny you when the war gets tough. You might be the Joseph in the midst of the sons of Jacob at your workplace, walk with wisdom. There is a Potiphar's wife who will try to seduce you, be vigilant. THERE IS A HAMAN WHO IS PLOTTING TO DESTROY YOU, REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES THAT YOU ARE IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

IV. BRETHREN IN CHRIST, if you remain completely silent at this time when your friends are at the war front. When society mocks your friend because it seems he is losing the war, surely reinforcement troops will arise from another place, but you will perish. Soldier! You have come to this duty post for such a time as this because of the brethren. Soldier! You occupy that seat for a time like this, fight the battle but if you continue to remain silent, God will relieve you soon. This is DIVINE BULLET TO ARM THE SOLDIER to fight on, sent forth through the Authority and Power of Christ Jesus, and serve the troops through God's Vessel Francis Ameyibor, Yes! Deliverance will surely come from another source, and who knows what will become of you.

V. V. 2023 MY DIVINE YEAR TO PURSUE, CAPTURE, AND TAKE POSSESSION: I will move away from evil communicators

PRAYER: Shield me from bad companions, expose all Judas ISCARIOTS, and deliver me from the hands of Haman through Christ Jesus' name

REF: I Corinthians 15:33&34

Proverbs 13:20

Ephesians 5:6&7

WHATSAPP CONTACT: +233277438688

GOD'S VESSEL GLOBAL FOUNDATION
13.07.2023 LISTEN

The Deputy Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar has said contents of the leaked audio plotting to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP) should be disregarded.

According to the Deputy Minister for Information, the leaked audio holds no merit.

Speaking on TV3 on July 13, she said specifically no IGP in Ghana under the 1992 constitution can win an election for anybody.

She added, The tape has no merit or whatsoever and it doesnt hold anything and specifically let me talk about the fact that no Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Ghana under the 1992 constitution can win elections for anybody. No IGP can win elections for anybody and that is based on the facts and statistics weve had in this country."

According to her, the NDC administration under the late Jerry John Rawlings appointed an IGP yet lost the 2000 elections to NPP.

She recounted IGPs appointed by various regimes yet lost to the opposition party since 2000.

Why am I saying that, in the year 2000, we went into an election and the IGP at the time was appointed by President Rawlings of blessed memory, his name was Peter Nanfuri, he took the National Democratic Congress (NDC) into elections although he was appointed by the NDC government but the NDC lost the elections to the NPP.

In the year 2008 the IGP was Mr Patrick Kwesi Kwateng Acheampong who was appointed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by his excellency President Kufuor, the NPP lost that election to the NDC. In 2016, the IGP was Mr. John Kudalor who took the NDC into an election and the NDC lost massively to the NPP.

The point I am trying to make is that we politicians on all platforms and even in court have agreed to the assertion that elections are won at the polling stations, the IGP is not a polling agent, Fatima Abubakar stated.
13.07.2023 LISTEN

Fatimatu Abubakar, Deputy Minister for Information has said the President is confident in the Inspector General of Police Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.

She claims rumors the President is planning to remove the IGP are untrue.

Speaking in an interview on TV3 on July 13, she cited an NDC member Martin Amidu who was appointed Special Prosecutor indicating that President Akufo-Addo appoints people based on competence irrespective of one's political affiliation.

That is why he appointed Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu who was an active member of the NDC, who had been the running mate of the Presidential candidate of the NDC. The president by his actions has shown that he has not been preoccupied with gossip about whose father comes from where and whose mother comes from where and all the speculations and all the hear say.

None of his appointments has been based on family lines or any form of alliance. It has been based on capacity and has shown time and time again that even if anybody has the position to the appointment of anybody, he works based on the vision of this country and he selects the best hand that he believes can execute this action.

 If Ghanaians are praising the security forces, their operations, and their security, they should remember to praise President Nana Akufo-Addo who is given them the facility and resources to enhance their operations, Fatimatu Abubakar stated.
Joe Donkor, a leading member of the Kennedy Ohene Agyepong for President 2024 campaign, has issued a warning to the delegates of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding their choice of presidential candidate in the party's upcoming primary.

According to Mr Donkor, if the delegates vote for Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the party will struggle to break the eight-year cycle in power.

He acknowledged Dr Bawumia as a fine gentleman, however.

Mr Donkor also highlighted that Dr Bawumia has been part of the current administration as Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team.

He argued that historically, no vice president has succeeded in becoming President within the same party in Ghana, drawing a comparison to Nigeria where a similar situation did not yield successful results.

He even said given Dr Bawumia's relatively young age, he would have advised the him to step aside and allow for a different candidate to go for the 2024 elections.

Mr Donkor firmly believes that the only candidate capable of bringing glory to the NPP in the 2024 general elections is Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, the NPP's Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central Constituency and a prominent business magnate.

He referred to Mr Agyepong as the messiah of the NPP, emphasising that his candidacy offers a fresh perspective as he is not part of the existing governing system.

These remarks were made by Mr Donkor, the former NPP First Vice Chairman for the Central Region, during an interview on the Ghana Yensom morning show hosted by Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

He urged the party's delegates to vote overwhelmingly for Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, asserting that the Vice President's candidacy would not be in the party's best interest.

-Classfmonline.com
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan received Christine Weigand, Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to Armenia, ARMENPRESS was infomred from the Government of Armenia.

Welcoming those present, Deputy Prime Minister Khachatryan highly appreciated the role of the Foundation in solving problems related to the protection of children's rights in Armenia, improvement of their health, education and living conditions.

Referring to the need for continuous improvement of the educational environment, the Deputy Prime Minister presented the ongoing and planned works of construction and repair of preschools and schools, as well as the re-equipment of existing educational institutions, emphasizing the cooperation with the Foundation in the direction of continuous improvement of the quality of educational services. The interlocutors also exchanged thoughts on the current legislative initiatives related to children's rights, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in their development.

Deputy Prime Minister Khachatryan informed the guests about the humanitarian crisis resulted by the ongoing blockade of Nagorno Karabakh by Azerbaijan, specifically referring to the severe consequences for the 30,000 children living there. In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the organization's more active involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh in order to protect the rights of all children in accordance with its mandate and mission and to provide special protection for children in the most vulnerable situations.

Christine Weigand highly appreciated the effective cooperation with the Armenian government aimed at strengthening children's rights, expressing confidence in its continuation in accordance with the priorities of bilateral cooperation.
13.07.2023 LISTEN

Catherine Afeku, former Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, and current spokesperson for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called on party members and supporters to refrain from engaging in politics of insults as they seek to elect a flagbearer.

Madam Afeku urged them not to tarnish the character of candidates when campaigning for their preferred aspirants.

Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, Catherine Afeku advised the various camps to present their candidates to the delegates in a courteous manner.

She stated that, a strong foundation at the grassroots level would help overcome the challenge of breaking the eight.

Madam Afeku cautioned against insults or derogatory language, emphasizing that, Insults won't help your candidate win the election.

Your candidate won't be able to prevail because of "Ayampia."

 Let's treat this like an internal contest. Sell your candidate's qualifications, experience, and potential for success.

That's all, and if things continue in this manner, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama will have a big fight ahead of him, she said.

With ten candidates vying for the NPP's Presidential slot, Madam Afeku stressed the importance of maintaining a respectful and unified approach during the internal contest.

The party's Special Delegates Congress, scheduled for August, will narrow down the field of ten candidates to five.

The remaining five will then compete in the main congress on November 4 to determine the NPP's flagbearer for the upcoming 2024 elections.

The list of candidates includes Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, former Trade Minister; Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central; Kwabena Agyepong, former NPP General Secretary; Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former Agriculture Minister; Boakye Agyarko, former Energy Minister; and Joe Ghartey, former Attorney General, among others.
About 5,000 demonstrators on Thursday staged an anti-LGBTQ protest in Lilongwe, the capital of the conservative southern African nation of Malawi, where same-sex relationships are illegal.

The rally comes against the backdrop of a court case brought by a Dutch national and transgender woman from Malawi who are challenging the constitutionality of the country's laws on homosexuality.

Organised by the local Catholic Church and backed by other religious groups, demonstrations were held simultaneously in other major cities including Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba.

Archbishop Desmond Tambala led protesters who marched through Lilongwe carrying placards before handing a petition to lawmakers outside parliament.

"Homosexuality goes against everything that we believe as a people," said the petition read out to parliamentarians by Sheikh Dinala Chabulika, of the Muslim Association of Malawi.

Reverend William Tembo of the Malawi Council of Churches said same-sex relationships were "strange, and we are not ready to accept these unfamiliar phenomena in Malawi".

"We are a family-oriented nation, a nation that fears God, and that is why the church stands against same-sex campaigners," said Tembo.

The protesters called on President Lazarus Chakwera, a former evangelical preacher, to resist pressure to legalise same-sex marriage.

Women dance carrying anti-LGBTQ placards at the march. By Amos Gumulira (AFP)

Government spokesman Moses Kunkuyu told protesters the administration would take into account the concerns raised by religious leaders.

The demonstrations coincided with a constitutional court case brought by Jan Willem Akstar, a Dutch NGO worker, and Jana Gonani, a local transgender woman.

The pair is seeking to have bans on same-sex marriage and gay-sex overturned, arguing they violate the right to privacy and dignity, among others.

Gay sex is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in jail in the country.

Akstar and Gonani have separately faced charges under the colonial-era legislation outlawing sodomy.

Gonani was sentenced to eight years in jail in 2021.

Akstar, 51, is currently on trial and is also facing charges of sexual abuse relating to his time working for a financial aid charity in Blantyre.

Their cases were joined before the constitutional court, which will begin hearings next week.

Malawi's justice ministry issued a moratorium on arrests and prosecutions for consensual homosexual acts in 2012, but the order was suspended by the High Court in 2016 pending a judicial review.
South Africa has a growing unemployment rate. Statistics show the unemployment rate to be above 60% for those aged 15-24 and over 40% for those aged 25-34 years . Rankings from the World Bank position South Africa as having the [highest unemployment rate in the world](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/unemployment-by-country#Top%20Ten%20Countries%20with%20The%20Highest%20Unemployment%20(World%20Bank%202020%20Data).

This runaway unemployment rate not only creates precarious, limiting circumstances for individual young people but also poses a threat to the country's economic growth and global competitiveness.

Another, much more positive statistic from the International Telecommunications Union positions young people as active adopters of technology . Three-quarters of 15- to 24-year-olds globally use the internet actively. Though the figures show this uptake to be mostly in developed countries, there is progress on the African continent in terms of technology infrastructure to lead to internet usage .

These developments are also noted in South Africa. The country's internet penetration rate stood at 72.3% of the total population at the start of 2023. This paves the way for greater use of social media.

Our interest as researchers is how young people can use social media to overcome the unemployment challenge in South Africa.

A study we carried out found three key ways for young people to enhance their employability using social media. Our findings, like those of some other studies , place high importance on the role of social media in a context of high unemployment.

For the study, we interviewed 15 human resources specialists whose work largely focused on recruitment and selection. They help some of South Africa's leading corporate companies to find the best candidates for certain roles. These were their three key pieces of advice.

1. Using social media to edify a personal brand

All the interviewees in our study agreed that social media could be used to edify an individual's brand. This is something that is becoming common and encouraged globally .

The aim here is clear: through your social media activity you convey a message about yourself. This can be useful to reach out to the outside world in advertising your skills set. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are a valuable resource for young jobseekers to achieve this.

2. Using social media to widen your networks

Once young people have an idea of what their online brand will be, they can start to network. This may be with other jobseekers or prospective employers. Networking offers an opportunity to learn about the world of work, including the challenging labour market. Using information from networking, young people can be better equipped to respond to uncertainty.

Networking on social media platforms could involve attending webinars and discussion forums. A number of social media platforms offer tools enabling interaction through text, audio or video. One participant in our research described the strength of networking like this:

Networking allows you to build your social capital on two fronts. First, you get access to interact with important stakeholders such as prospective employers. Second  not only information but a learning space from the experience of others.

Interviewees warned that young jobseekers should not compromise their personal brand. One said:

Graduates should be warned about the kind of stuff they should and should not post on social media and ensure that their online media presence is closely monitored and updated so that they are aware of what others can see about them. Social media allows for quick and easy judgement-making 

Universities should consider offering social media and personal branding training awareness so that future graduates are not only aware of complexities in the labour market but also prepared to meet them. Graduate placement offices within universities could take on this training role.

3. Using social media as a platform for continued learning

Social media presents young people with an endless reservoir of information about the world. It includes job postings, learnership and internship opportunities, and tips on how to be marketable in an ever changing job market.

One participant in our study with experience recruiting in the technology sector expressed this view:

For any young person I would say continue to use social media as a fountain of learning. Learn about the world of work through social media. Importantly, also learn about yourself and how you could fit into such a world.

Tackling unemployment

Our research suggests that young people should learn how to search for job opportunities, and advertise their skills and profiles on social media. This can help them tap into a network that might give them a better chance in a situation of high unemployment.

High data costs remain a challenge. Companies and content developers can assist here in developing websites that can be accessed with no data cost implication.

Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi receives funding from the National Research Foundation; National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the National Heritage Council.

Liezel Cilliers receives funding from the National Research Foundation and the South African Medical Research Council.

Obrain Tinashe Murire does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi, Professor, University of Fort Hare And

Liezel Cilliers, Professor in Health Informatics, University of Fort Hare And

Obrain Tinashe Murire, Senior lecturer in People Development and Technology, Walter Sisulu University
The Musahamat Banana Farm in Aveyime and the Treasure Island Hotel have had their power supply disconnected.

The Farm Business, which is under the Ada District of the Tema Region of ECG, owes the electricity distributor to the tune of GH219,184.42, while Treasure Island Hotel owes GH379,775.95, hence their disconnection which occurred on Thursday 13th July 2023.

As part of the ongoing revenue mobilization by the Electricity Company of Ghana, dubbed Operation Zero, the ECG since Tuesday, 11th July 2023, started a two-month campaign to ensure that no customer of theirs has unpaid debt.

The intention is that once customers have consumed electricity, they must be ready to pay for it in a bid not to build debt, said Sakyiwaa Mensah, ECG PRO for Tema Region.

In another development, the Aveyime Irrigation also got disconnected over a debt of GH63,801.22 while the Ada Technical Institute has also been disconnected over their GH71,102.11 indebtedness to the electricity distributor.

The Operation Zero campaign has many of the staff of ECG deployed to the field, visiting customers, ensuring debts are being paid, monitoring meters to ensure their integrity, checking on other ECG installations as well as customer education on ECG going cashless and how to use its mobile app, the Power App said Ms. Mensah, who added that there are however, a lean presence of staff available in all offices, overseeing to customers who may visit the offices for additional services.

The utility company also advises its customers and the general public to allow their staff access to all meters on customers premises. The customers and the general public are also advised to ensure that all possible payments are made with mobile money or debit cards to ECG as the company is doing cashless transactions.

-Citi Newsroom
13.07.2023 LISTEN

The operationalisation of the new terminal building at the Tamale Airport is scheduled for July 31st, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Transport Minister, has informed Parliament.

The Minister informed the House when he responded to a question by Mr Musah Abdul-Aziz Ayaba, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Mion.

The MP asked the Minister what the expected completion and operationalisation date of the Tamale International Airport were.

Mr Asiamah said the Tamale Airport Phase II was substantially completed in August 2022.

He said subsequently, Operational Readiness and Transfer programme commenced in August, 2022 to ensure that potential risks involved in the transition process from construction to operational phase were carefully managed to avoid poor start-up performance that could negatively impact the image of the country.

He explained that originally, the Terminal was scheduled to Go-Live in December 2022, to stimulate operations and effective integration of the airport systems.

He said the Go-Live had to be postponed to pave way for the completion of all the requisite training, Site Acceptance Test, and systems integration.

Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that, having completed all these, the Go-Live for operationalisation of the New Terminal Building is scheduled for July 31st, 2023.

Mr Ayaba again asked the Minister when Phase 3 of the Tamale International Airport would commence.

The Minister in his response noted that Phase 3 of the Tamale International Airport was at its conceptual stage.

He said Expression of Interest for an Engineering, Procurement Contractor, and Financing (EPC+F) was being prepared.

GNA
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a communicator for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has strongly criticized the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

In a tweet on Thursday, July 13, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu described the performance of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration as "horrible.

He posited that their abysmal performance is an important lesson for Ghanaian voters to always choose substance over empty talks.

One lesson flows from the horrible performance of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia tag team for the Ghanaian electorate.

Always choose substance over fluff, froth, sloganeering and hype, he tweeted on Thursday, July 13.

His comments come as the two major political parties in Ghana ramp up preparations for the 2024 general elections.

The incumbent NPP seeks to break the 8-year electoral cycle. But the opposition NDC aims to oust the ruling party with the return of former president John Dramani Mahama.
South African National Democratic Congress Council of Elders Chair and the Group Chairman for Allied Consortiums, Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie has averred that Ghanaians can make an informed opinion on the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling on the Agyapa deal after perusing the ruling.

According to him, one can only comment appropriately on the ruling after reading the court ruling to appreciate the reasoning behind its conclusions.

He however noted that despite the court decision, Ghanaians still kick against the Agyapa Deal.

Speaking on Joynews paper review Thursday, 13th July, 2023 in assessing the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling on the Agyapa deal, the SA NDC Council Chair expressed worry and amazement.

"I feel that the sensibilities of the Ghanaian people should not be taken for granted... I believe that we wait for the court's detailed submissions to know what is entailed in their ruling," he emphasised.

He was however quick to add that, the organizations that took the matter to the ECOWAS court have been able to convince Ghanaians about the many challenges that bedevilled the deal. "Going forward, as Ghanaians, when we read what the reasons are of the court, we would be able to make informed suggestions", he intimated.

He added, "Irrespective of the outcome of the ruling, the Ghanaian people have spoken against the Agyapa deal and their reasoning should be upheld in any day."

The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (CCJ) has thrown out a suit against the Government of Ghana (GoG), challenging the propriety of a Gold Royalties Monetisation Transaction arrangement, popularly referred to as the Agyapa deal.

Three anti-corruption groups, Transparency International, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) dragged the government of Ghana to the CCJ in December 2020, seeking an order to halt the Agyapa deal.

The applicants averred that the Agyapa deal was dominated by politically exposed persons and also violated the rights of Ghanaians to have permanent sovereignty over the countrys natural resources as provided under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

However, the court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria, last Tuesday upheld the defence of the government, and dismissed the case of the three civil society organisations.
Five customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) including PrinMoss Pharmacy at Sefwi Asawinso in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region have been handed over to the police to be processed for court over illegal reconnection of power.

As part of the companys efforts to ensure that customers pay for services rendered to them for a smooth running of their operations, the Sefwi Wiawso branch of ECG embarked on a disconnection exercise at Asawinso on Tuesday 11th July 2023 to ensure that all indebted metres are put out of power.

During a follow-up exercise on Thursday by the company to ensure full compliance by customers, five domestic users as well as PrinMoss Pharmacy were found to have reconnected again but illegally.

The western regional Communications officer for ECG, Benjamin Quarcoo speaking in an interview with Citi News said We were here yesterday to ensure our customers were not owing the ECG and those who owe the company were disconnected. We decided to revisit this place to ensure the customers who were disconnected yesterday had not reconnected themselves illegally.

When we came, we realised some of them had reconnected themselves illegal so we had to disconnect them and hand them over to the Asawinso police. We expect the police to process them for court.

Mr Quarcoo advised the public that when they are disconnected by the ECG for nonpayment of bills, they are not allowed or permitted by law to reconnect themselves.

-citinewsroom
13.07.2023 LISTEN

Concerned members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Sunyani East Constituency have locked up the Bono Regional and the Constituency's offices to express displeasure against the executives for disobeying a Court ruling.

The aggrieved members threatened to deal drastically with anyone who dared to open any of the barred offices for work, because, per the Court ruling, the Constituency did not have executives.

A press release signed by Mr Stephen Kwarteng, an Assembly Member of the Atoase Electoral Area near Sunyani and copied the Ghana News Agency, said the members had earlier petitioned the Party's regional and national secretariats.

It said this was during the polling station executives and electoral area coordinator's election exercises in February last year, to ensure that the right thing was done but, the petition had fallen on deaf ears.

The release said those exercises were suspended following an injunction placed on it by the Court when vetting of prospective candidates had commenced.

It said the Court agreed with the petitioners that there had been no Polling Station Coordinators' elections in Sunyani East, so, the Party should delete any purported album of the Constituency from its national data.

The release added that no new executives had been elected for the Sunyani East, thus, Mr Musa Damtal, the incumbent remained the Chairman and any attempt to force any illegitimate executives on the Constituency would be resisted.

It reminded the Party's national executives and elders that Sunyani East remained a stronghold of the NPP, saying, the situation required urgent attention to save the Party from losing the seat.

They appealed to the national executives to intervene as a matter of urgency, to allow for the conduction of the Constituency polling station coordinators and executives' elections.

This would enable the Constituency to participate in the Partys decision-making process at the regional and national levels.

GNA
Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has joined calls demanding a thorough investigation into the leaked audio tape plotting to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare from office.

The leaked audio, which features a conversation between a supposed Police Commissioner and a member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), discussing plans to remove Dr. Dampare to enable the ruling party manipulate the upcoming 2024 elections, has raised serious concerns.

During an interview on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show on Thursday, July 13, 2023, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, a lecturer at Central University, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that things said on the tape are very serious. We can't just sweep it under the carpet.

The lecturer expressed his concerns about the implications of secret recordings, stating that this trend is eroding trust and damaging relationships.

He asserted that if the authenticity of the tape is established, appropriate punishment should be meted out to those implicated in the conversation.

He further condemned the politicization of the appointment of an IGP, emphasizing that the loyalty of the Police Chief should lie with the nation rather than any political party.

"Let's allow them [the police] to do their work professionally," he emphasized.
YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS On July 14, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with Augusto Santos Silva, the President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic. The meeting took place within the framework of the minister's official visit, ARMENPRESS was informed from MFA Armenia.

Issues on the development of the political dialogue between Armenia and Portugal and the expansion of bilateral relations were discussed. Views were exchanged on the Armenia-EU partnership agenda.

The interlocutors emphasized the importance of strengthening inter-parliamentary ties to foster the development of Armenian-Portuguese cooperation in various spheres.

Regional security and stability issues were on the agenda of the meeting. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan presented the vision of the Armenian side for establishing peace in the region and highlighted the existing challenges in that direction.

Minister Mirzoyan drew the attention of the President of the Assembly of Portugal to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the 7-month long illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan. He emphasized the inadmissibility of Azerbaijan's policy, aimed at creating conditions incompatible with life for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh and subjecting them to ethnic cleansing. In this context, the importance of voicing the mentioned issues by the parliamentary circles and achieving clear actions was also emphasized.

In the context of efforts aimed at lasting peace, the Foreign Minister of Armenia stressed the need to address the issues of the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The International Criminal Court has opened a new probe into alleged war crimes in Sudan, its chief prosecutor said Thursday, expressing "great concern" over escalating violence.

Karim Khan made the announcement in a report to the UN Security Council, after three months of war between feuding generals that have plunged the northeast African country back into chaos.

The ICC has been investigating crimes in Sudan's Darfur region since 2005 after a referral by the UN Security Council, and the Hague-based court has charged former leader Omar al-Bashir with offenses including genocide.

"The simple truth is that we are... in peril of allowing history to repeat itself -- the same miserable history," Khan told the UNSC.

"The current security situation in Sudan and the escalation of violence during the current hostilities are matters of great concern," he said as he announced the fresh probe.

Khan said there had been a "wide range of communications" about alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan since the fighting broke out in April.

Alleged sexual and gender based crimes were a "focus" of the new investigation, he added.

Around 3,000 people have been killed and three million displaced since violence erupted between Sudan army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

The pair were key figures in a 2021 military coup that derailed the country's transition to civilian rule, following the ousting and detention of Bashir in 2019.

Mass grave

Allegations of atrocities have mounted during the fighting, with the top UN official in Sudan calling Wednesday for the warring sides to face "accountability."

The UN has also warned of fresh crimes in Darfur, saying Thursday that the bodies of at least 87 people allegedly killed last month by the RSF and their allies had been buried in a mass grave in Darfur.

Khan said the risk of further war crimes was "deepened by the clear and long-standing disregard demonstrated by relevant actors, including the government of Sudan, for their obligations."

The lack of justice for crimes in Darfur in the early 2000s, when Bashir set his Janjaweed militia upon non-Arab minorities, had "sown the seeds for this latest cycle of violence and suffering," he added.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other African leaders during a summit in Cairo addressing the war between Sudan's rival generals. By - (EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY/AFP)

Bashir was charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, rape and torture and the court has been demanding his extradition to The Hague ever since, without success.

After Bashir was toppled in 2019, Khartoum announced it would hand him over to the court for prosecution, but this never happened.

Even before the recent fighting there was a "further deterioration in cooperation from Sudanese authorities," Khan said.

Bashir, 79, as well as Ahmad Harun and Abdel Raheem Hussein, two leading figures in the former dictator's government who are also wanted by the ICC, are still at large.

So far the only suspect to face trial for violence committed in Sudan is senior Janjaweed militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, also known by the nom de guerre Ali Kushayb.

Rahman's defense lawyers are expected to open their case next month, and Khan said the latest Sudan fighting "cannot be permitted to jeopardize" the trial.

The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people displaced in the 2003-4 Darfur conflict.

A summit of leaders from Sudan's neighbors met in Cairo on Thursday, urging an end to the fighting, but gun battles, explosions and the roar of fighter jets again shook the capital Khartoum, residents told AFP.
14.07.2023 LISTEN

The Kumasi Krofrom Market in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region has been turned into a public toilet by suspected "wee" smokers.

The facility which was maant to house traders for business activities is currently a safe haven for criminals and wee smokers who use the area as a place of convenience.

This reporter who visited the facility on Thursday, July 13, 2023 observed that weeds have taken over the abandoned project.

The situation according to residents in the area is a worry and are calling for the project to be completed to serve the purpose for which it was built.

Assembly Member for the area, Hon Kwaku Appiah in an interview confirmed the facility has been turned into a place of convince for some miscreants in the area.

He noted that criminals are also using part of the facility as their hiding place due to the bushy nature of the area .

Hon Kwaku Appiah who expressed worry over the situation appealed to the ruling government to complete the project.

"As we speak now the market has become a haven for reptiles, weeds and other animals, as well as notorious criminals, who are terrorizing the residents," he said.

The market which was initiated in 2007 by former President John Agyekum Kufuor as part of his Jubilee Projects was abandoned in 2008.

The ultra-modern market by design, when completed will accommodate 500 stores and shelves to boost business activities in the metropolis.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be guest of honour as France celebrates its national Bastille Day holiday  a tribute to the country's historic commitment to human rights. Despite the symbolism, the French government is expected to overlook concerns about Modi's anti-democratic tendencies in favour of securing lucrative defence deals.

French President Emmanuel Macron is rolling out the red carpet for the Indian PM, who is fresh from a similarly high-profile state visit to the United States last month.

Modi will attend the traditional Bastille Day military parade on Friday, 14 July, where Indian troops will march alongside French ones in a symbol of the increasingly close military ties between the two countries.

France is the second-biggest supplier of arms to India, which is the world's largest market for imported weapons.

During his visit, Modi is expected to announce the purchase of another 26 of France's Rafale fighter jets as well as three Scorpene submarines. Together the deals would be worth several billion euros.

'Authoritarian shift'

Modi has visited France four times since Macron came to power in 2017, and the two leaders are famously friendly.

But not everyone is keen to see the Indian prime minister, a Hindu nationalist accused of steering India dangerously close to authoritarianism, given a warm welcome in France.

"It's regrettable that we're rolling out the red carpet for Narendra Modi on 14 July  a day when we're supposed to be celebrating freedom  when Modi is responsable for an authoritarian shift that we consider very serious and a severe deterioration of human rights," said Philippe Bolopion, chief of staff at Human Rights Watch.

He pointed to what he called "systematic" persecution of religious minorities under Modi's BJP party, as well as attempts to silence critics, muzzle the press and restrict freedom of information online.

"The authoritarian turn is very, very worrying, and a situation that we think the French government should not ignore," Bolopion told RFI.

Macron's government insists that it isn't ignoring it.

"We have a relationship of trust with the Indian authorities that allows us to broach all subjects between ourselves," said French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre.

"And furthermore we are taking care to form ties with all elements of Indian society. We're building concrete partnerships with Indian NGOs on subjects such as education, press freedom and gender equality, and we carry out that work daily through our embassy on the ground."

But few expect the French government to criticise Indian policies publicly. Unlike some of its other Western allies, France has remained relatively quiet on Modi's rights record  a fact that may have helped it build the close relationship it enjoys with India today.

Counterweight to China

Trade between France and India was valued at 25 billion in 2022. As well as defence, the two countries have partnered on space exploration, commercial aviation, solar and nuclear power.

Their cooperation predates Modi or Macron, going back 25 years under a "strategic partnership" first agreed in 1998.

"Together the two countries are engaged in promoting security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," said Colonel Patrik Steiger, who is responsible for international partnerships at the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.

He told RFI that France and India work together to address potential threats including natural disasters, piracy, trafficking and terrorism.

But there is another question on which France values India's help: China.

"More and more, India is seen in the West as a counterweight to China's ambitions for power, which has increased the country's attractiveness in the eyes of its European and American partners," said Balveer Arora, a political scientist and chair of the Centre for Multilevel Federalism at the the Institute of Social Sciences in New Delhi.

Speaking to RFI's Tirthankar Chanda, he said that India was one of the few countries that straddles the divide between China and Russia on one hand and Western allies on the other. This position of "non-alignment"  or "multi-alignment"  makes India a valuable ally for France and the US, Arora said.

From persona non grata to guest of honour

Shifting global priorities have made other countries willing to overlook Modi's track record at home, notably the 2002 riots in in the western state of Gujarat that claimed more than 1,000, mostly Muslim lives. Modi was chief minister of the state at the time and has been accused of failing to stop or even encouraging the killings.

"Let us not forget that Modi was practically an international pariah" when he first came to national power, Arora pointed out. The US barred Modi from its territory over the riots, only lifting the ban once he became prime minister in 2014.

On Thursday, as Modi arrived in Paris, a few dozen protesters turned out to denounce his visit, among them two far-left MPs. "No red carpet for an enemy of human rights," a banner read.

On the same day, the EU parliament approved a motion urging India to end violence and protect minorities in a northeastern state where over 100 people have died in fighting between ethnic groups.

Clashes in Manipur between the majority Meitei, who are mostly Hindus, and the mainly Christian Kuki tribe have left at least 120 people dead, 50,000 displaced and over 1,700 houses destroyed, the parliament said, criticising the "nationalistic rhetoric" of the local state government run by Modi's BJP.

The text's chief negotiator, French MEP Pierre Larrouturou, called the Bastille Day welcome for Modi "an affront not only to India's minority communities, journalists and human rights defenders, but also to India as a democracy".

(with AFP)
The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is urging Parliament to formulate a legal framework for organ donation and harvesting.

The KBTH has begun kidney transplantation, with two successful surgeries performed in July 2023.

Before the establishment of the transplantation program, patients had to choose between travelling abroad or remaining on dialysis at a cost of GHS 400 per session.

KBTH CEO Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah says transplantation is a more effective and cost-saving option that requires legislation.

I am pleased that we have reached the point where, instead of bringing in foreign experts to perform the procedures, our local services are being used. And the areas for transplantation are not just limited to the kidney; we are also looking at liver transplant, cornea transplant, and other organs that can be transplanted.

Ultimately, we also need enabling legislation to ensure that this is supported. This will allow for more transplantations to take place, so that we can ensure that most patients are taken off dialysis. This will also result in significant cost savings for individuals and the country as a whole, he stated.

The KBTH Kidney Transplantation Program is supported by the First Skyy Group, which is helping patients pay $21,000 per transplant.

First Skyy Group Executive Chairman Eric Seddy Kutortse said they were supporting the program because The Bible tells us to have compassion for our fellow human beings. And furthermore, we have been fortunate to be in positions where we have been able to create wealth. We believe that this wealth should be used to support kingdom work and humanity.

He therefore encouraged everyone to get involved and offer similar gestures, saying that investing in humanity is the only way God will continue to bless us.
Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Jinapor, says the Minority Caucus will use other processes if the government fails to heed their call to halt its plans to lease the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to the private firm, Torentco Asset Management Group.

The government plans to lease TOR to Torentco Asset Management Group for $22 million for six years, and the group is expected to refine up to 8 million barrels of fuel annually.

As part of the deal, the group will pay $1 million as annual rent and an additional rent amount of over $1 million per month.

However, speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM in Accra on Thursday, Mr. Jinapor said, We will activate some processes, both parliamentary and legal, to ensure that the right thing is done.

Mr. Jinapor said it was imperative for the government to look at other innovative ways to revitalize TOR rather than leasing it to a private firm.

He stated, We should rather think about something innovative that will bring the refinery back to speed.

Earlier, Mr. Jinapor called on the government to put a halt to the lease agreement, engage further with stakeholders, and ensure that a long-lasting solution was found to the problems facing TOR.

He said this was because the deal in its current form would not benefit Ghanaians.

citinewsroom
Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has dismissed claims that hes fighting a personal battle with the Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, Reverend Victor Kusi Boateng.

He clarified that he doesnt know Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng to warrant hatred for him, emphasizing that hes only exercising his parliamentary oversight following his campaign against the National Cathedral Board of Trustees secretary.

The High Human Rights Court on July 13, dismissed contempt charges brought against the North Tongu MP by Rev. Kusi Boateng.

Speaking on Eyewitness News after winning the court case, the vociferous lawmaker clarified, It is also to emphasize that at the height of this running battle with Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, its a conflict of interest discovery I made that while he sat on the board of the National Cathedral as Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, he made payments to an entity, JNS Talent Centre Ltd, where hes a director in the name of Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, with a separate identity, hoping that he will not be found out.

People shouldnt forget the background, because some people have sought to create the impression that this is some personal battle or somebody I dont like. Not at all, I dont know him from Adam, its nothing personal.

Ablakwa described the court ruling as a victory for truth and victory for parliamentary oversight. What this means is that I can continue with the investigations and publications.

Background Mr. Ablakwa in his expose alleged that JNS Talent Centre Ltd owned by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng was paid some GH2.6 million to help build the National Cathedral, under the pseudonym name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

According to him, documents in his possession reveal that Kwabena Adu Gyamfi is the same as Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng who still serves on the National Cathedral Board as an Executive Council Member/Director.

But in a response to the allegations, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng in a statement said Mr. Ablakwa's claims are a twisted narration of events, and threatened to take the MP on.

He later filed an application against the MP, in which the High Court in Accra dismissed the charges.

And the latest dismissal of the charges against Ablakwa by Human Rights Court was ruled today.

citinewsroom
Members of Parliament are divided over the report of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on the Criminal Offences Amendment Act, which seeks to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment.

Although the death penalty was inherited from the colonial administration as a punishment for murder, attempted murder, genocide, piracy, and smuggling of gold or diamonds, Ghana has not signed a death warrant for the execution of offenders since 1993.

While debating the amendment bill, the lawmakers expressed divergent views on the abolishment of the death penalty.

MP for Zebilla Constituency, Cletus Avoka said I first submit that the arguments they have advanced in terms of the motion are very scary and have no measures at all. Arguments in favour of the motion are unmeritorious.

MP for Madina and proponent of the amendment, Francis-Xavier Sosu noted that since the attainment of independence in 1957, Ghana has executed 49 persons either by firing squad or by hanging and most of those executions mainly happened during military regimes.

The current position of Ghana is that we are abolitionists in practice. This is so because since 1993 to date, Ghana has not signed a death warrant to execute anyone and that is very commendable.

Builsa North MP, James Agalga and Second Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu made a correction that we cannot count universal declaration on human rights a part of our treaty obligations with the greatest of respect. The universal declarations on human rights are declarations, they are non-binding, and so they do not quality for a treaty.
France has posthumously awarded its highest order of merit  the Legion d'Honneur  to AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, killed two months ago in Ukraine.

Soldin was killed in a rocket attack in eastern Ukraine in May. He was 32.

His death sparked an outpouring of sympathy and tributes from across the world.

France's President Emmanuel Macron hailed Soldin's "bravery" in a letter sent to France's AFP news agency in May.

"Through his strength of character, his journey and his drive, Arman Soldin embodied your editorial staff's passion  a passion to convey the truth, tell stories and gather testimonies. It was a passion for a cause: the duty to inform," he said.

Soldin was given the chevalier de la Legion d'honneur by a presidential decree issued on Thursday.

"We are moved and touched by this award for Arman," said Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director. "It honours his superb journalism and helps to keep his memory alive."

'Camera in hand'

Soldin was killed on 9 May after he was hit by rocket fire near the besieged city of Bakhmut, He was part of a team of journalists that came under attack while with Ukrainian soldiers.

The rest of the AFP team survived unharmed.

Bakhmut was an epicentre of fighting at the time, and targeted daily by Russian forces.

Soldin died "with his camera in his hand", journalist Emmanuel Peuchot said.

French prosecutors have opened a war crimes investigation into his death.

Born in Bosnia, but a French national, Soldin had volunteered to be part of the first AFP team to be sent to Ukraine following Russia's invasion on 24 February 2022. He had lived there since September.

He said he was drawn to telling stories of people displaced by fighting, stemming from his family's own experience fleeing conflict.

As an child, he escaped the fighting in Bosnia with his family, taking a humanitarian flight to France on 25 April, 1992.

At least 17 journalists and media workers have been killed in Ukraine since the war began on 24 February, 2022, according to figures from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The Legion of Honour, introduced by Napoleon Bonaporte in 1802, is France's highest decoration for people who have distinguished themselves through civilian or military valour.

(with AFP)
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing Worldwide held its 3rd Convention, Past Leaders and Stakeholders Meeting in Enugu on Saturday, 10th June. The event attended by most Ohanaeze and Igbo Youth Veterans, past leaders and critical stakeholders was also an opportunity to honor some comrades who started the Ohanaeze and Youth struggle in Igboland.

The convention also discussed various range of issues affecting Ndigbo in Nigeria, including security,economy, politics, Biafra agitations and good governance.

While welcoming the delegates, the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Rt Hon Chima Obieze said that the convention afforded Ndigbo the opportunity to chart a new course by evaluating issues that borders on the Security, Economy, Politics, Governance and the activities of those who felt the system has infuriated them.

The Pioneer Founder of Ohanaeze Youth, Wings and Popular Organs, and former Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Barrister Capeoo Emejulu Okpalaukwu gave the history of Igbo struggles, Ohanaeze struggles and the Biafran arms of the struggle. He mentioned the Comrades who are still in the course and those who have fallen by the wayside, and reiterated calls for Tinubu to appoint Service Chief of Igbo Extraction. Okpalaukwu is also the leader of Isi Ebubeagu Ndigbo.

The Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress IMC, and Igbo, Student Youth Leader since 1991, Rev Obinna Akukwe while highlighting their efforts in Ohaneze Ndigbo since year 2000, told the convention that in 2015 himself and Barrister Okpalaukwu met top military brass and blocked the initial attempt by the security agents to brutally crack down on Biafra agitators from November 2015 till end of the year. He said that the arrangement led to the military giving the Biafran agitators free reign until some irresponsible persons went to attack the Naval Facility at Onitsha, leading to the first ever casualty in the IPOB Struggle. He said that irresponsible activism led to crackdown on Biafra agitators and said that the angle of bloodshed in the struggle is distracting it from local and international sympathies. Rev Akukwe is also the Director Media and Communications General Assembly of all Igbo Christian Organizations and Ministers GAAICOM

Hon Chika Temple (EX-South East President NYCN) in his submission disagre4eed with the notion from Rev Akukwe that South East is disorganized. He referred to the massive support Ndigbo gave Peter Obi at the polls and their acclaimed successes all over the world as evidence that Igboland is not in tatters.

Prince Tony Anioke , Pioneering Financial Secretary of Ohanaeze Youth Wing condemned those using the name of the body to collect money, and said that unless unity is achieved, there can be no forward movement in Ohanaeze.

The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing. Barrister Obasi Onu called upon all veterans to help reposition Ohanaeze to take collective actions to the benefit of Ndigbo. He asked all stakeholders to ren in the erring members.

The Secretary General of the Youth Wing, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu asked the veterans and stakeholders to join hands to bring justice, unity, peace and youth restiveness within Igboland. He harped on the deteriorating security situation in Igboland and called for urgent action.

The body resolved to support efforts by Chief Iwuanyanwu to reposition Ohanaeze Parent body. The body also condemned the proliferation of persons using the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to dupe persons and governments and asked the veterans to act as bridge to bring the malaise to an end.

Comrade Sunny Udeh (Former Coordinator NANS Zone B, South East) and political consultant expressed joy that for the first time Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Veterans are coming together to arrest the deteriorating political situation confronting Ndigbo.

Comrade Smart Uwakwe (Vice Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria, South East) harped on the need to partner with security agencies from time to time to ensure that issues affecting Ndigbo are treated with dispatch.

The convention asked President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu and cautioned against impostors masquerading as Ohanaeze Youth without the support of the Ohanaeze Imeobi and National Executive Council .

Notable youth leaders in attendance include,Hon Prince Chinedu Ekwunife (Anyafulugo Awka, National Human Rights Service Forum) Comrade Anya O Anya, Engr Chuks Obele, Hon Chinedu Atugwa, Mazi Chima Adiele, and Prophetess Ifeyinwa Emeliefenwa among others
In an effort to shed light on the importance of quality education in Ghana, the Ghana Under Tertiary Awards organizing committee, through their mother company Pieriang Spring, organized an event titled "After School, What's Next?" at the Wesley Grammar School. The event aimed to guide students on selecting the right university program and its potential impact on their future career opportunities as well as other viable options to consider after completing the second cycle institution. Several notable speakers, including Maame Kyeraa, TV presenter and law student at the University of Ghana, addressed the students and shared valuable insights.

Maame Kyeraa, in her speech on program selection in the university and its effect on career opportunities, emphasized the significance of making informed decisions aligned with individual passions, interests, and long-term goals. She encouraged students to reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, and personal preferences when choosing a program of study. Maame Kyeraa emphasized that pursuing a program that genuinely excites them would enhance their learning experience and motivation to excel in their chosen field.

Furthermore, she stressed the importance of considering the demand and market trends associated with the chosen program. Conducting thorough research into industry growth potential, job opportunities, and salary prospects can provide valuable insights into potential career paths. Maame Kyeraa advised students to seek guidance from academic advisors, professionals, and alumni who have established successful careers in their areas of interest. Attending career fairs, connecting with industry professionals, and pursuing internships were also recommended as ways to gain practical exposure and better understand different career options.

The event also featured other notable speakers who shared their expertise and advice. Jamal Abu Mohammed, Manager of Administration at the National Communications Authority, highlighted the need for students to study hard for their exams, explained the cut-off points for various public universities, discussed course selection at the tertiary level, and provided general advice on the importance of hard work.

Walter Anonadaga, a young businessman with investments in various sectors, spoke about the importance of making strategic friendships, learning skills and trades, acquiring practical knowledge such as driving and table etiquette, and cultivating the habit of reading. His motivational encouragement aimed to inspire students to broaden their horizons and develop a well-rounded skill set.

Headmistress and Assistant Headmistress of Wesley Grammar with organizers of the event

The CEO of Pieriang Spring, Mr. Michael Chris Tetteh encouraged students to study hard to make their supporters, including parents and community members, proud. He emphasized the availability of scholarships and financial assistance for those who need further education. Students were urged to be proactive, gain knowledge about their desired programs and corresponding job markets, choose positive friends, and network effectively.

The event was attended by esteemed faculty members, the headmistress Ms. Barbara JT Thompson, and the assistant headmaster of administration, Rev. Samuel SK Ampofo. Both school administrators expressed their gratitude to Pieriang Spring for organizing such an initiative and encouraged the students, particularly the final year students, to study diligently and bring pride to their school.

Mr. Tetteh also announced that the Ghana Under Tertiary Awards night would be held on October 20th, 2023 in Accra, further motivating students to work hard and potentially earn recognition for their achievements.

Mr. Isaac Okyere, one of the sponsors of the event was very optimistic that investing in events like the After School, what is next will clearly give life directions to the young generation who are often crowded with several options in life with no credible guidance for making the right choices.

As the event concluded, some of the students of Wesley Grammar interviewed by this reporter revealed that they are leaving the program with a better understanding of the impact their program of choice could have on their future careers. They were inspired to make well-informed decisions, explore their passions, and pursue opportunities for personal growth. The event served as a reminder that their journey through university is just the beginning of an exciting path filled with endless possibilities.

In the words of Maame Kyeraa, "Remember, this is just the beginning of an exciting journey filled with endless possibilities. Embrace it with enthusiasm, curiosity, and the willingness to learn and adapt. Your choices today will shape your tomorrow."

Upcoming Afrobeat artist, Everette Chris Isbir with stage name HEVVY EVVY entertained the students with a spectacular performance.
Press Release

July 14, 2023 Ahead of PBBM's second SONA: Bong Go bats for inclusive economic recovery efforts by urging admin to prioritize pro-poor initiatives As the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., scheduled on July 24, looms, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go expressed his optimism regarding the administration's capacity to uplift the lives of more impoverished members of the Filipino society and roll out further pro-poor initiatives. With the current government's focus on the nation's economic recovery, the senator affirms the crucial need to ensure that no Filipino is left behind in the process. "Unang-una, siyempre po kailangan po na walang maiwan na Pilipino sa ating economic recovery," Go said in an interview on Monday, July 10, after providing aid to fire victims in Quezon City. "Dapat po, nais ko pong marinig sa Pangulo ang kanyang additional na plano kung ano pa 'yung pwedeng gawin upang mas lalong maisakatuparan ang ating inclusive and full economic recovery mula po sa pandemya," he added. Go, known for his active role in providing assistance to the less fortunate Filipinos, emphasized the need for government programs that target the struggling sectors of society. "Dapat walang maiwan na mahihirap nating kababayan. Unahin po ang mga programa na nakatutulong po sa mga kababayan natin,' he stressed. As the country continues to grapple with the impact of the global pandemic, Go said that the issue of food security, a chronic concern in many Filipino households, stands at the forefront of the discussion. "Dapat po, walang magutom. Importante po dito tiyan ng bawat Pilipino. Importante po dito trabaho ng bawat Pilipino," the senator underlined. Go also talked about his support for the administration's Philippine Development Plan, an eight-point agenda that seeks to achieve food security, improve supply chain management, decrease energy costs and preserve energy security, and reduce economic vulnerability triggered by the pandemic. The agenda also aims to address healthcare issues, strengthen social protection, promote infrastructure development, and encourage entrepreneurship, especially among the micro, small, and medium enterprises. "The more we should invest sa ating healthcare system sa ngayon," Go remarked. "Infrastructure development, trabaho po 'yan at creating a green economy, strengthening market competition and promoting entrepreneurship, negosyo po lalong-lalo na ang mga MSMEs, 'yung maliliit nating negosyante," he added. Additionally, the senator emphasized the critical role of the MSMEs in the country's economic recovery. These small-scale businesses have been heavily affected by the pandemic, prompting the need for dedicated programs to support their recovery. "So uulitin ko dapat po walang magutom. Tulungan po natin ang mahihirap nating kababayan, ang mga malilit na negosyante, sila po ang dapat nating unahin," he urged. One such initiative that Go mentioned is Senate Bill No. 1594, or the One Town One Product (OTOP) bill, that has recently been passed in the Senate. The measure, which was authored and co-sponsored by Go, aims to institutionalize the OTOP. It shall serve as a government stimulus program to encourage the growth of MSMEs in the country through the utilization of indigenous raw materials, local traditions, and cultures across the country. "Kaya nga po mayroon tayong bill na One Town One Product Bill sa Senado. Pasado na po ito sa Senado na tulungan po 'yung mga MSMEs nating mga kababayan," he said. To end, Go expressed his unwavering support for Marcos, as long as the initiatives are beneficial to the underprivileged Filipinos. "Suportado ko po ang ating Pangulo basta makakatulong po sa mahihirap nating kababayan," concluded Go. In line with efforts to promote economic development in the country, Go likewise reintroduced SBN 1182 or the proposed Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE) Act in a bid to strengthen the capacity of government financial institutions to provide the needed financial assistance to MSMEs, and other strategically important companies (SICs). The GUIDE aims to strengthen the capacity of the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines in providing much-needed access to credit and financial assistance to distressed businesses, including MSMEs, SICs and other businesses affected by the pandemic. At the height of the pandemic, Go was likewise instrumental in the implementation of the Small Business Wage Subsidy program, which provided eligible workers who were unable to work or get paid during the enhanced community quarantine period with two tranches of financial assistance.
YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS 11 patients from Artsakh together with their companions were transferred to the specialized medical centers of Armenia with the mediation and escort of the International Committee of the Red Cross, ARMENPRESS reports, the Artsakh Ministry of Health said in a message.

"8 patients, who were once referred to Armenia for treatment within the framework of the state order, returned to Artsakh with their companions in ICRC vehicles.

41 children receive inpatient treatment in "Arevik" medical unit, 5 are in the neonatal and resuscitation department.

99 patients are receiving inpatient treatment at the "Republican Medical Center" CJSC, 6 patients are in the intensive care unit, 3 of them are in an extremely serious condition," the message states.
Ernest Owusu Bempah, the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Deputy Director of Communications, is accusing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of lacking a message for the 2024 elections.

He asserts that the opposition is sticking to character assassination in an effort to draw attention away from the achievements of President Akufo-Addo's government.

He claimed that the main opposition party lack solutions to Ghanaians' current economic problems.

He said All indications depict the fact that they are on a mission to make this government very unpopular. A strategy that is very diabolical, they are not seeking the interest of Ghanaians.

Have you heard the NDC talk about alternative solutions, viable alternative solutions for this countrys economic situation we find ourselves in? No. When NPP was in opposition, by this time we have policy plans like free SHS, we said we were going to stop dumsor, "Ernest Owusu Bempah disclosed this on his Facebook wall.

NDC doesnt have solutions like that. All that they think about is to sit down and lie to make the government unpopular, hide behind people to go about picketing because theres a bond issue or to hide behind the young youth organizer to come and stoke fire and saying dangerous things which will destroy the fine democracy that Ghana is bequeathed with.

The agenda of the new leadership of the NDC is just to set an agenda of hatchet orchestrated plan to make the government unpopular, when Ghanaians become dissatisfied with bad news about this government then it means NDC is an alternative, that is what they are thinking but they got it wrong."

This strategy by the NDC, he said, "is in the hope of getting that image to stick in not only Ghanaians minds but, also more importantly, to try to influence the outcomes of independent surveys  especially foreign sourced surveys  as a way of vindicating their non-existent approach to fighting corruption."

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Lawyer Kwame Jantuah, Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party's (CPP) Political Affairs Committee has slammed presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for promising a new beginning.

According to Mr. Jantuah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants are part of the mess created by Akufo-Addos government.

In an interview with TV3 on July 14, he said the NPP administration's poor economic management is the cause of the hardship Ghanaians are facing.

The frog is in the water but the frog is sweating. They cant defend Akufo-Addo administration, they cant defend it. How many of them have you heard talk about Covid and Ukraine war? How many? That is what the president told us that the economy is in this shape because of the Russia-Ukraine war. How many of the NPP flagbearers have you heard saying that?

They cant because some of them unfortunately were part and parcel of the Akufo-Addo administration and the vice president talked about digitalization. Digitalization in which way? Is that what we are going to eat? The basic necessities of life is difficult in this country and when you speak to the youth, there is no bright future, you dont see any bright future left right or center, Kwame Jantuah stated.
New York, July 13, 2023Bangladesh authorities must immediately drop their investigation into journalist Adhora Yeasmean and stop using the Digital Security Act to intimidate journalists in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

On May 13, the Chittagong Cyber Tribunal, which adjudicates alleged cybercrime offenses in southeast Bangladesh, registered a complaint under the Digital Security Act against Yeasmean and her source in relation to the RTV broadcast reporters April 30 video investigation exposing alleged crimes by the conversative Islamic organization Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif and one of its leaders, Shakerul Kabir, according to news reports and a person familiar with the case, who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal.

Kabir filed the complaint accusing her of violating three sections of the Digital Security Act, according to CPJs review of the document. In her investigation, Yeasmean reported that Kabir has been accused of extortion, land grabbing, and violence against women.

The Digital Security Act, which criminalizes several forms of speech online, has frequently been used to target critical journalists in Bangladesh since its enactment in 2018. In March 2023, Bangladesh authorities arrested a Prothom Alo reporter and opened multiple investigations under the act into the leading newspapers leadership and staff, prompting United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk to reiterate his call on authorities to impose an immediate moratorium on the law.

CPJ and other rights groups also have called for the suspension of the law.

It is appalling that Bangladeshi journalist Adhora Yeasmean has been targeted under the draconian Digital Security Act for her investigative reporting, said Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJs program director. Authorities must immediately drop their investigation, stop using the act against journalists, and ensure Yeasmean is not subjected to further retaliation for her work.

Yeasmean found out about the complaint on July 8, in a call from a local police station. The next day, she learned she had been summoned for questioning on July 14 at the police Criminal Investigation Department in Chittagongs Noakhali sub-district, about 173 kilometers (107 miles) from her home in the capital city Dhaka, according to the person who spoke to CPJ.

Yeasmeans source, who appeared in her video investigation, is named as an accused in the complaint. Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif, led by Pir Dillur Rahman, has previously been accused of filing fabricated criminal complaints to facilitate land grabbing.

CPJ called and messaged Kabir and Muhammad Rafiqul Islam, the investigating officer in the case, but did not receive any replies.

Editors note: This report has been updated to correct the spelling of the reporters name.
14.07.2023 LISTEN

Ghanaian language, with its rich linguistic diversity, cultural depth, and historical significance, stands as an integral part of Ghana's identity. However, the teaching and writing of Ghanaian languages have often taken a backseat in educational institutions. It is imperative that we recognize the immense value of Ghanaian languages and prioritize their instruction at every level of education, from creche to university. To accomplish this, the involvement of professional Ghanaian language teachers becomes crucial.

Preserving Cultural Heritage and Identity

Ghanaian languages are not mere tools of communication; they encapsulate the cultural heritage, traditions, and values of Ghanaian communities. By emphasizing the teaching and writing of Ghanaian languages, we ensure the preservation and continuation of Ghana's rich cultural legacy. Students gain a deeper understanding of their roots, fostering a strong sense of identity and pride in their cultural heritage. This, in turn, strengthens national unity and a collective sense of belonging. Ghanaian languages are carriers of cultural heritage, traditions, values, and historical narratives. They embody the collective wisdom, knowledge, and experiences of the Ghanaian people. By preserving and promoting Ghanaian languages, citizens ensure the continuation of their cultural legacy, fostering a sense of identity, belonging, and pride especially can read and write. Ghanaian languages are essential components of Ghana's national identity. Embracing and celebrating these languages promotes a sense of unity among citizens, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. It fosters a shared understanding, appreciation, and respect for Ghana's linguistic and cultural heritage, strengthening the social fabric of the nation.

Effective Communication and Inclusion

Proficiency in Ghanaian languages facilitates effective communication within local communities. By prioritizing the teaching and writing of these languages, we equip students with the skills to interact meaningfully with family members, community members, and elders. This not only strengthens intergenerational relationships but also fosters inclusivity within society. It enables individuals to fully express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas in a language that resonates deeply with their cultural context. Language serves as a bridge between generations, enabling the transmission of values, traditions, and cultural practices. When citizens can communicate fluently in their mother tongues, it strengthens the bond between the younger and older generations. It allows for the passing down of cultural knowledge, stories, and wisdom, ensuring that traditions and customs are preserved and celebrated.

Ghanaian languages are the primary means of communication within local communities and must be prioritize both reading and writing.

Holistic Cognitive Development

Research has shown that bilingualism or multilingualism has cognitive benefits, including improved memory, problem-solving skills, and creativity. When citizens are proficient in both Ghanaian languages and other languages, they can tap into these cognitive advantages, enhancing their overall cognitive development and academic performance. The teaching and writing of Ghanaian languages alongside other subjects contribute to a well-rounded education. By prioritizing Ghanaian language education, we empower students with a broader cognitive toolkit, enabling them to thrive academically and beyond.

Preserving Linguistic Diversity

Ghanaian languages represent the rich linguistic diversity within the country. It is our responsibility to safeguard and celebrate this diversity. By prioritizing the teaching and writing of Ghanaian languages, we ensure that these languages flourish, resisting the threat of endangerment or extinction. Embracing linguistic diversity is not only a cultural imperative but also a means to promote a more inclusive and multicultural society.

Career Opportunities and Economic Empowerment

Proficiency in Ghanaian languages can create unique career opportunities for individuals. Ghanaian language skills are valuable in sectors such as translation, interpretation, tourism, cultural heritage preservation, and community development. By prioritizing Ghanaian language education, we equip students with the linguistic tools necessary to seize these opportunities and contribute to the economic growth of their communities and the nation at large.

The Role of Professional Ghanaian Language Teachers

To ensure the effective teaching and writing of Ghanaian languages, the involvement of professional Ghanaian language teachers is paramount. These educators possess specialized linguistic knowledge, teaching methodologies, and cultural insights that enable them to provide quality instruction. Professional Ghanaian language teachers bring authenticity, passion, and a deep understanding of Ghanaian languages to the classroom, fostering an environment that encourages language fluency, appreciation and writing skills.

Conclusion

The teaching and writing of Ghanaian languages should no longer be treated as secondary subjects but rather as vital components of the educational curriculum. From creche to university, every Ghanaian student deserves the opportunity to learn and appreciate their mother tongue through reading and writing. By prioritizing Ghanaian language education, we preserve our cultural heritage, strengthen national identity, promote effective communication, and equip students with the tools for academic and economic success. Let us recognize the importance of professional Ghanaian language teachers and provide them with the support and resources they need to shape a future where Ghanaian languages are valued, celebrated, and cherished at every level of education. With this, Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service as well as other education watchdogs should show greater interest to give special preference to individuals to be train in Ghanaian Languages and deploy after completion to basic and senior high schools. A timely call that must not be gloss over. The time is now.

Send your comments and suggestions to [email protected]
14.07.2023 LISTEN

One would think that all Nigerian law enforcement agencies, including the Department of State Service (DSS), would prefer that a suspect be in sound mental and physical health so that when found guilty of their crimes and sent to prison, the individual is in mental shape to feel and experience the pain of punishment.

I believe the Nigerian people would like a guilty criminal to be emotionally and cognitively stable enough to bear the consequences of his or her acts and experience the gravity of the punishment that may be given if proven guilty.

To avoid this, law enforcement agencies, including police and other law enforcement agencies like the DSS, must avoid excessive and protracted detention of suspects. Long-term detention without due process can be detrimental to an individual's mental health. And may become physically and spiritually damaged.

The psychological impact of law enforcement officials failing to ensure that their detained suspects are investigated and processed in a timely manner, as required by law, can be severe. It can result in anxiety, stress, trauma, and emotions of helplessness and powerlessness.

I am sure officers have seen some suspects with prolonged detention brought to court in a stare state, especially those who are not pretending or faking to be mad; sometimes this is a suspect who no longer has the ability to make the connection between their acts and their criminal intent; they are so emotionally unstable that they will give you nothing but blank stares. Uncertainty about one's fate, a lack of control over the situation, and the unknown length of detention can cause tremendous worry and tension.

The individual may be continually concerned about what will happen next and how long they will be detained. Prolonged detention without charges or legal processes can cause despair, sorrow, unhappiness, and bleakness. There is no apparent deadline or resolution for the individual's issue. This can cause them to lose hope and have a detrimental impact on their overall mental and physical health.

Being held for an extended period of time without knowing why or facing legal proceedings can be unpleasant. It can have long-term psychological consequences, such as flashbacks, nightmares, and hyperarousal, all of which are symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prolonged detention can aggravate pre-existing mental and physical health conditions or lead to the development of new health issues. Isolation, confinement, and a lack of control over one's life can all contribute to feelings of gloom, irritation, rage, and overall mental degeneration.

Prolonged detention can damage connections with family, friends, and the community. Even after release, it might cause social withdrawal, feelings of stigma, and difficulties reintegrating into society. The individual may also face difficulties in regaining trust and coping with the consequences of their confinement.

Detention without charges or court proceedings within a reasonable time frame might create a climate in which persons are more exposed to psychological abuse by law enforcement agents. For example, the DSS did not have to wait for Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, to issue a one-week ultimatum to the DSS to either charge or release the detained suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. A police unusual and arbitrary detention is a seizure of a person; it is unreasonable; law enforcement agencies should stop doing it.

It is critical for law enforcement authorities to follow legal and ethical standards, avoid unjustified and extended custody, and safeguard suspects' physical and emotional well-being throughout the criminal justice process. This contributes to the maintenance of a just and compassionate system that respects the rights of individuals while respecting the models of justice.

I strongly recommend that Nigeria's law enforcement systems receive updated orientations on various international human rights instruments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as these are already incorporated into Nigeria's national laws and legal frameworks to protect the rights of people in detention.

While detention should be based on legitimate grounds, such as the need to prevent flight, protect evidence, or safeguard public safety, as the DSS has done in the case of Emefiele, DSS and other police systems must understand that they are not responsible for administering punishment. The legal system is responsible for assessing guilt and imposing punishment in accordance with due process and a fair trial.

Some approaches that police officers can use to avoid unnecessary detention and enhance the well-being of suspects should include conducting thorough and efficient investigations that can help obtain evidence quickly, leading to a faster resolution of the case. This reduces the need for prolonged detention.

Once the case is officially in court, coordination between police officers and prosecutors is required to ensure a smooth transfer of cases through the legal system. Timely sharing of information and evidence can aid in the resolution of cases; periodic case reviews by supervisory officers can aid in identifying potential delays and ensuring that investigations proceed without undue delay.

On a human level, police personnel, including DSS officers, can help detainees gain access to support services such as family visits, medical care, mental health assistance, and legal counsel while they are detained. This contributes to their bodily and psychological well-being.

Again, police officers contribute to a fair, efficient, and compassionate criminal justice system by monitoring suspects' physical and psychological condition and taking proactive measures to avoid unnecessary delays.

A fundamental human right is the right to liberty. Detaining someone unjustifiably without prosecuting them or putting them before a court in a timely and reasonable way as stipulated by law violates this right since it includes depriving the person of their freedom and exposing them to potentially unnecessary and extended custody. And I hope Godwin Emefiele recognizes that no Nigerian is God since he literally acted and thought he was a god because of his long-held distinct position and displayed arrogance, so-called confidence, and extraordinary stubbornness. He was clearly aware of some pain in recent weeks. Pepper! Oga, best of luck in the coming weeks and months. And please don't have a heart attack like you once wished on Nigerians, who does that?

Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi, who was born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, to a father who served in the Nigeria police for 37 years, is an American-based police and prison scientist and forensic, clinical, and legal psychologist. A government consultant on matters of forensic-clinical psychological services in the USA; and a former interim associate dean and assistant professor at Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African Settings. A former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association. In 2011, he introduced state-of-the-art forensic psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C. and Nasarawa State University, where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. He has taught at various universities and colleges including Florida memorial University, Florida International University, Broward college, Lynn University, and currently an online faculty member at the Weldios university in Benin Republic, Nexus International University, Uganda, Nova Southeastern University and Walden University in USA.

Founder of the proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien Open University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of truth, ethics, and openness. Over forty academic publications and creations, at least 300 public opinion pieces on African issues, and various books have been written by him. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. His most recent textbook publication is Concise Psychology: An Integrated Forensic Approach to Psychology for Global African Settings. [email protected]
China is a sleeping giant, let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world, French Emperor Napoleon I had predicted about China in the early 19th century. Two centuries later, his prediction has come true, although it may not have occurred in the way the Empereur des Francais had imagined at that time. In the opening decades of the 21st century, China has indeed shaken the world, not through Napoleonic grand military conquests, but through meteoric geo-economic rise and diplomatic coups.

Chinas Meteoric Rise and Increased Diplomatic Power

The politico-economic rise of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has been truly phenomenal. Between 1979 and 2018, Chinese gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average rate of 9.5% annually, a process that has been termed by the World Bank as the rapidest sustained expansion of a major economy in human history. Currently, the Chinese economy is the largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) and the second largest in terms of nominal GDP. It is currently the worlds topmost manufacturer, merchandise trader and holder of foreign exchange reserves. This colossal economic base has enabled China to lift more than 800 million people out of poverty, to undertake massive infrastructure programs on its territory, to unveil great international geo-economic initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), to build the worlds largest army and navy, to launch a large-scale program for the expansion of its nuclear arsenal and to become a technological superpower. In addition, China is now the top trading partner of 128 states of the world.

Its the economy, stupid, just as United States (US) President Bill Clintons presidential campaign motto had framed it, economic power is essential to the growth of military, economic, and diplomatic potential. As Chinas economic power has continued to increase, its political and diplomatic influence over the rest of the world have increased proportionally. While China is often framed as a potential superpower or the next superpower, China has so far largely avoided the path that rising powers usually pursue, that is, the path of military conflict. For instance, Britains rise as the most powerful global actor in the 18th and 19th centuries was accompanied by numerous wars. The rise of the US and the Soviet Union as superpowers in the 20th century stemmed from their victories in the Second World War. On the other hand, since its participation in the SinoVietnamese War in FebruaryMarch 1979, China has not fought any full-scale war against any country.

While China has not completely abstained from using coercion as a tool of foreign policy, its preference for diplomacy has been repeatedly demonstrated. Since 1979, China has peacefully resolved border disputes with Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. With regard to the states with which China has ongoing border disputes, Beijing has compartmentalized these issues while expanding ties with those states in other sectors. In addition, China has so far refrained from creating or participating in military alliances. Chinas no limits partnership with Russia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the BRICS  none of these constitute a full-fledged military alliance. Instead, China uses political, economic, and diplomatic means to exert its influence on the international stage, and this process includes Chinese mediation in conflicts/disputes around the world.

Chinese Involvement in Conflict Mediation

Chinese involvement in conflict/dispute mediation has increased only in recent years. In the first decade of the 21st century, China acted as a mediator in some domestic political conflicts (for instance, in Nepal and Zimbabwe) as well as some international conflicts (for example, between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda), their activities were relatively limited in scope, and in a number of cases, they maintained a low profile. By 2012, China acted as mediator in only three conflicts.

This scenario began to change after Xi Jinping assumed power in November 2012. Under Xi, China has started to act comparatively more assertively in the international arena, and Chinas increased participation in conflict mediation across the world has been an important component of the project. By 2017, China was mediating, both unilaterally and multilaterally, nine conflicts/crises across the world, including the Syrian Civil War, the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and the BangladeshMyanmar dispute about the Rohingya refugees. Through these efforts, China has sought to portray itself as a responsible member of the international community committed to peace and diplomacy in order to improve its image across the world and obtain politico-diplomatic dividends.

Chinese Peace Plan for Russia and Ukraine

Chinese efforts at mediation have attracted particular attention in 2023, because Beijing has undertaken several significant diplomatic initiatives for conflict resolution in this year. In February 2023, China unveiled a 12-point peace plan for bringing an end to the RussianUkrainian War, which called for the cessation of hostilities, the resumption of peace talks, the resolution of the humanitarian crisis, the protection of civilians and prisoners of war (POWs) and the promotion of post-conflict reconstruction. In addition, by calling for the abandonment of Cold War mentality (which implies the eastward expansion of NATO), the removal of unilateral sanctions, the demonstration of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, the end to the disruptions in the global supply chain and the unhindered supply of grains and fertilizers from the war-affected areas, the Chinese proposal seeks to safeguard Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese and global interests.

Taking into account the extreme positions taken by Russian, Ukrainian and Western officials on the war, the Chinese proposal is comparatively rational, balanced and pragmatic. Some have criticized the Chinese peace plan on geopolitical grounds, accusing China of favouring Russia and promoting its own interests through the proposal. However, with the war having metamorphosed into an unending war of attrition, it would be beneficial for all sides if they took the proposal more seriously and acted on it.

Chinese Mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia

In March 2023, China achieved a diplomatic breakthrough by mediating a peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia which have been locked into a proxy war for decades. According to the deal, Tehran and Riyadh agreed to restore diplomatic relations, reopen embassies on each others territory, respect each others sovereignty, refrain from interfering in each others internal affairs, reactivate a 2001 security cooperation agreement and bolster economic and cultural cooperation. While the deal has not brought a complete end to the bitter SaudiIranian rivalry that has negatively affected the Middle East for decades, it has at least succeeded in bringing about a ceasefire between the two opponents. Among the great powers and interested actors, only China possessed the politico-diplomatic capital to foster such a deal. In this context, it should be taken into account that China is the largest trading partner for both Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Beijing has formulated strategic partnerships with both Tehran and Riyadh.

Chinas Rise as a Mediator: Global and Regional Ramifications

Chinas rise as a new mediator on the international stage has important geopolitical implications. It signifies Chinas growing power, image, credibility and acceptance, and demonstrates Chinas ability to navigate competently between widely divergent agendas and interests. It can contribute significantly to the promotion of international peace and security through the possible termination of the RussianUkrainian War, the SaudiIranian proxy war and similar conflicts. If Chinese military, economic and political power continue to grow and China simultaneously continues to proactively mediate conflicts in future instead of stoking them, the changing world order might change for the better. Obviously, China is motivated by its own national interests in undertaking these peace initiatives. However, these initiatives also have the potential to make the world comparatively more secure and peaceful. After all, as former Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko had argued, it is better to have ten years of negotiations than one day of war.

Last but not the least, Chinas rise as a new mediator has also important implications for Bangladesh. Since 2017, China has been mediating between Bangladesh and Myanmar to resolve the protracted Rohingya refugee crisis. In March 2023, through Chinese mediation, Myanmar agreed to undertake a pilot project for the repatriation of a small number of Rohingya refugees. If the process is successfully implemented, it can trigger larger-scale repatriation of the refugees, and end a massive humanitarian crisis as well as eliminate a major source of socio-economic problems for Bangladesh simultaneously.

Chinas rise as a conflict mediator has been almost as meteoric as its economic rise had been. If the Peoples Republic continues to act similarly in future, its capacity for mediation can turn into a global public good and serve as a catalyst for a more peaceful and harmonious world order.

[MH Rahman is a post-graduate student of Security Studies at the Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and a freelance analyst on international and strategic affairs. His articles have been published in The Geopolitics, the South Asian Voices, the Daily Star, the Dhaka Tribune, the Daily Observer and other platforms.]
14.07.2023 LISTEN

The Southern African Development Community extended by a year its mission in Mozambique that's been helping the government fight threats of terrorism, militant groups and an Islamic State-linked insurgency.

In 2021, Maputo hosted the Extraordinary Troika Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to discuss the conflict in Cabo Delgado and possible support from neighbouring countries. Besides that, SADC counted on funding from the United States and European Union (EU) to support its proposed military deployment (3,000 troops) in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.

The SADC assessment team proposed that 16 vessels be sent to Mozambique, namely two patrol ships, a submarine, a maritime surveillance plane, six helicopters, two drones and four transport planes. In April 2021, Southern African ministers finally agreed to deploy a regional force in Mozambique.

The 16-member bloc, which deployed hundreds of soldiers in Mozambique's northeastern Cabo Delgado province two years ago, said the extension will consolidate the gains achieved since the mission began, according to a statement sent via text message by the Zambian presidency.

Heads of state from SADC members including South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia met on 11 July, 2023, to discuss the situation in Mozambique, it said.

The worsening security situation at that time was a major setback for Mozambique. While it hoped to reap nearly $100 billion in revenue over 25 years from LNG projects, the state failed its pledge to maintain and enforce security after several warnings.

The insurgency, which began in 2017, has left thousands of people dead and led to the suspension of a 20 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project by the French TotalEnergies SA. The gas project located about six kilometres from the city that suffered the armed attack in March that year.

We welcome collective action from SADC in committing to bringing sustainable peace to the region. We urge our leaders to consider the lessons learnt from other similar conflicts in Africa. In the Sahel, Somalia, and the Niger Delta offer stark contemporary reminders that a purely militaristic solution (devoid of measures to address the causes of the insurgency) increases the likelihood of its intractability. It is also unlikely to pave the way towards achieving sustainable peace, the statement said.

During the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, interestingly used the phrase - "African solutions to African problems - seven times during his speech delivered on February 18.

Besides that, he strongly suggested that existing conflicts and disputes on the continent, it necessary to mobilize collective efforts to resolve them and "must be confined to this continent and quarantined from the contamination of non-African interference.

Mozambique now enjoys relative peace due to the SADC regional force. President Filipe Nyusi has been sharing these valuable experiences about the use of well-constituted regional military force for enforcing peace and security in his country. Creating regional military forces to fight threats of terrorism will absolutely not require bartering the entire gold or diamond mines for the purchase of military equipment from external countries, he emphasized several times at different conferences.

Now, Mozambique has relative peace and stability after the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) had finally approved the deployment of joint military force with the primary responsibility of ensuring peace and stability, and for restoring normalcy in the Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique.

It involves troops from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM). Rwanda offered 1,000 in July 2021. South Africa has the largest contingent of around 1,500 troops. External countries are, of course, enormously helping to stabilize the situation in Mozambique.

The Joint Forces of the Southern African Development Community are keeping peace in northern Mozambique. The rules, standards and policies, provision of the assistance as well as the legal instruments and practices are based on the protocols of building security stipulated by the African Union. It, therefore, falls within the framework of peace and security requirements of the African Union.

With an approximate population of 30 million, Mozambique is endowed with rich and extensive natural resources but remains one of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world. It is one of the 16 countries, with a collective responsibility to promote socio-economic and political and security cooperation, within the Southern African Development Community.

Source: Gift News
Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party's (CPP) Political Affairs Committee Lawyer Kwame Jantuah has said the presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have nothing new to offer Ghanaians.

According to Mr. Jantuah, picking a qualified leader among the 10 presidential aspirants is difficult.

He said I dont know, I cant tell, I cant pinpoint at this material moment any presidential aspirants who gives hope to the ordinary Ghanaian" in an interview on TV3 on July 14.

He however commended Kwabena Agyapongs inaugural speech describing it as down to earth.

I must say Kwabena Agyapongs presentation, inaugural speech was down to earth, down to earth, down to earth but they will not give it to him, they will not give it to him. I am not saying he will be a good president but it is one thing going for a party flagbearership and it is one thing going to the country, two different things so lets see what happens," Lawyer Kwame Jantuah stated.

The ten aspirants are Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Kwadwo Poku, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Boakye Agyarko, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Joe Ghartey and Francis Addai-Nimoh.

The Vetting Committee for the New Patriotic Partys Presidential Primary has cleared all the 10 aspirants to contest the race.

This was announced in a statement signed by Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the NPP.

Mr. Kodua in the statement said the Vetting Committee submitted its report to the National Council of the NPP on Monday, July 10, 2023, pursuant to Article 10(3) of the New Patriotic Partys Constitution.

He said the National Council of the Party is scheduled to deliberate on the Vetting Committees recommendations on July 20, 2023.
Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has requested that the judge overseeing his ongoing criminal trial recuse herself, citing allegations of bias.

Dr. Ato Forson, the former deputy Finance Minister, is currently facing charges related to causing financial loss to the state.

He expressed concerns over comments made by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, the presiding judge while granting his application to summon certain witnesses.

According to Forson, these remarks indicate a bias on the part of the judge.

On June 21, 2023, the lawyers representing Dr. Ato Forson applied to the court for the summons of former Health Minister Alex Segbefia, former Budget Director at the Ministry of Health Patrick Nimo, and former Controller and Accountant General Seidu Kotomah.

These witnesses had encountered difficulties in appearing before the court to testify, despite filing their witness statements on behalf of Forson.

During the motion hearing, Forson's lawyer, Aziz Bamba, apologised for the absence of their second witness, Seidu Kotomah, as efforts to secure their appearance in court had been unsuccessful.

Prior to granting the motion, the judge cautioned Forson's legal team about the possible consequences of compelling witnesses, including the issuance of arrest warrants if the witnesses failed to honor the summons.

Dr. Ato Forson, however, deems the judge's comments "highly prejudicial" and issued prematurely without factual basis.

He asserts that the absence of a witness does not automatically warrant their arrest but should prompt the court to determine whether the absence was willful or due to a reasonable excuse.

Forson believes that Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe's emphasis on the potential arrest warrant unsettled and irritated the witnesses, particularly due to media coverage highlighting the judge's remarks.

He states that the witnesses feel portrayed as "common criminals and unpatriotic citizens" who would deliberately disobey a court-issued witness summons.

Additionally, the Minority Leader claims that the judge's decision to revise the case completion plan, resulting in two of his witnesses testifying on the same day, violated his rights to a fair trial under Article 19, which guarantees adequate time and resources for defense preparation.

Consequently, Dr. Ato Forson has requested a stay in the proceedings and the recusal of the trial judge from further involvement in the case.

Meanwhile, the application, originally scheduled to be heard on July 12, was not moved as the judge revealed that Forson's legal team had also petitioned the Chief Justice to assign the case to a new judge.

The trial judge has adjourned the case until July 27, awaiting a decision from the Chief Justice, which will determine the subsequent course of action.

-Classfmonline.com
Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Prof. Ransford Gyampo has shared a post on social media to celebrate the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare on his birthday.

In his post, he prays that the strong will of Dampare to police the country dispassionately infects all well-meaning Ghanaians.

Prof. Ransford Gyampo is confident that all haters who want to see the downfall of the Inspector General of Police will not succeed.

He describes the haters of Dr. George Akuffo as ants who cannot harm the IGP in any way.

Happy Birthday to you, IGP mu Asantehene! You can only excel more and achieve more successes because the Lord is with you.

May your strong will to police Ghana dispassionately, infect all well-meaning Ghanaians to learn to act in the best interest of mother Ghana.

"Your skin-pain people and haters are like ants and you are a boiled eggthey can only coil around you but they cant do you foko, Prof. Ransford Gyampo shared in his post on Facebook.

The University of Ghana lecturer further prays for long life, good health, prosperity, and more wisdom for the Inspector General of Police.

This goodwill message on the occasion of the birthday of the IGP comes following the viral audio recording revealing the plot to have him sacked.

The recording entails a conversation between a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing the need to sack the IGP to help rig the 2024 General Election for the ruling New Patriotic Party.
YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS France demands that no violence be used against the peaceful population of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is facing a humanitarian crisis as a result of the Azerbaijani blockade and is currently holding a rally in Stepanakert, whose only desire is to live in peace, ARMENPRESS reports at the event organized at the French Embassy in Armenia on the occasion of the French National Day, French Ambassador to Armenia Anne Louyot, who is finishing her diplomatic mission in Armenia in the coming days, said.

Louyot also hailed the Armenian government's courageous commitment to peace and democracy despite an extremely difficult context.

Photos by Mkhitar Khachatryan

"France is sorry for the ongoing aggression on the borders of Armenia, as well as against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. A population that has been greatly affected by the blocking of the Lachin Corridor and whose rights must be respected in accordance with the ruling of the International Court of Justice. We know that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are currently holding a rally in Stepanakert, demanding to restore their rights, and we demand that no violence be used against the civilian population, whose only desire is to live in peace," said the Ambassador.
Iran's President, Ebrahim Raisi has wrapped up a short official visit to Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The three African states signed deals with a critical strategic partner while Iran boosted diplomatic and economic ties with what Raisi called a continent of opportunities.

Sayyid Ebrahim Raisolsadati (Raisi), President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, completed his three-country African tour arlier this week. The last official visit of an Iranian leader was 11 years ago by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

'Turning point'?

For Raisi, Africa is a continent of opportunities as well as a lucrative market for Iranian products. None of us are satisfied with the volume of trade, he said.

Iran described the tour as a new turning point to promote economic diplomacy and strengthen political relations.

Iran wants to prove that, as opposed to what is being said, it is not isolated, Thierry Coville, researcher at IRIS , the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, told RFI's Houda Ibrahim.

That's why it has re-established diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia in March, normalised tensed relations with Egypt and Morocco.

Latin America was also a recent destination for his first visit last June. Then, Raisi stopped in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

All three countries - Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe - are struggling with debts and are certainly notable as they appear unusual for an Iranian delegation to visit, said Marc Howard, deputy editor of the publication African Energy.

The tour started with Kenya on Wednesday 12 July and ended with Zimbabwe on Thursday 13 July.

Friends in Zimbabwe

I am happy you have come to show solidarity, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa told his Iranian counterpart. When we went to war [against Great Britain], Iran was our friend.

Twelve agreements were signed, in Harare, on topics ranging from energy to telecommunications.

Both countries are isolated from Western powers and under sanctions from the United States.

It wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibilities to imagine some sort of bartering deal being struck between Iran and Zimbabwe, Howard told RFI.

Zimbabwe imports all of its hydrocarbons and that represents an enormous strain on its balance of payments.

On the other hand, Iran has hydrocarbon to offer but it is clearly short of other resources while Zimbabwe is a significant producer of critical and transitional minerals, not limited to lithium and platinum group metals along with gold.

Tehran said that it shares common political views with the three African countries. The anti-West rhetoric is one of them.

"Western colonialism seeks to exert pressure on sovereign nations by exploiting the human rights issue, using it as a political tool and applying double standards, Raisi said. We are the true advocates of human rights."

Ugandan oil expertise

In Uganda, Raisi said that Iran would offer its expertise in both oil exploration and refining.

"Recognising the significance of establishing an oil refinery, we are eager to lend our knowledge and experience to help Uganda tap into its oil resources, he told Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

According to Howard, oil-refining projects being developed by western partners in Uganda have stalled.

There has been a long delayed 60 thousand barrels per day refinery project that has struggled to get off the ground. There is a major 10 billion dollar Lake Albert oil project which may set Uganda to become an oil exporter in the near future with production set for 2025, he added.

Raisi and Museveni, both, criticise Western support for homosexuality. A position described as another area of cooperation for Iran and Uganda by Raisi.

In May, Uganda passed one of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world prescribing the death penalty for aggravated homosexuality to widespread international condemnation and threats of sanctions from aid donors.

The Western countries try to identify homosexuality as an index of civilization, while this is one of the dirtiest things which have been done in human history, Raisi said.

Kenya as 'innovation powerhouse'

Five memoranda of understanding were signed by Iran and Kenya on information technology; fisheries; animal health and livestock production and investment promotion.

Kenya's President William Ruto called Iran a critical strategic partner and global innovation powerhouse.

Tea accounts for the bulk of Kenya's exports to Iran, but Ruto expressed interest in expanding the range of agricultural exports.

Iran intends to set up a manufacturing plant for Iranian vehicles in Kenya's port city of Mombasa.
Lawyer Wonder Victor Kutor, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized the government's style of running the affairs of the country.

According to Mr. Kutor, if precautions are not taken, the Ghana would collapse.

Speaking in an interview on TV3, he said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been indisciplined, very very indiscipline.

The NPP has been indiscipline, very indiscipline. Not too long ago, Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) board chair Freddie Blay of GNPC attempted to sell Ghana shares in the Jubilee fields to Petro South Africa. Very indiscipline and lets put this in proper perspective. The board chair of GNPC is the former National Chairman of the NPP that should tell you how this government thinks.

At every attempt, they want to sell national resources. As we speak now they are going to sell Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). This is not a joke. They dont even listen and I am happy that you played and listened to the video of Honorable Agyapong has said the mantra of Ghana beyond aid is now on a stretcher to International Monetary Fund (IMF), these were his words, not ours, they didnt listen to us the NDC, Victor Kutor stated.

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) called for the Board Chair of the Ghana National Petroleum Authority (GNPC) Mr Freddie Blay to be sacked.

This follow reports and documents indicating that the GNPC plan to sell 50% stake in Jubilee Holdings Limited (JOHL) in a deal with a South African oil company, PetroSA.

However, the Board Chair Freddie Blay denied, saying, the allegations surrounding the supposed surreptitious, clandestine, and scandalous sale of the so-called Ghana National Petroleum (GNPC) shares are unequivocally false.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for a comprehensive investigation into the leaked secret tape plotting the removal of Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.

Mr Asiedu Nketia urged the government to sanction an investigation into the matter and ensure that those responsible for the alleged plot face the consequencies.

During an interview on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' program, Asiedu Nketia said if the NPP government has nothing to hide, it should willingly allow a thorough investigation into the leaked tape.

While arguing that he may not always agree with the methods employed by the IGP, particularly in relation to the Assin North by-election, Asiedu Nketia emphasized that Dr. Dampare has been performing well and does not deserve to be ousted in a coup-like manner.

He stated, "What transpired on the leaked tape is a recipe for coup.

The government should allow for a thorough investigation if they have nothing to hide and really want to get to the bottom of the matter."

"I mean, they should spare us the various explanations they are giving out and ensure an investigation is carried out into the matter and gotten to its logical conclusion," he added.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ideapath Consult Mr. Tahiru Lukman has cautioned young people to be wary of the possible spillover of Jihadist activities from neighbouring Burkina Faso to Ghana.

He made this claim in a stakeholder engagement on "Preventing Violence and Containing Extremism" organised by the Daffiama Bussie Issa District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to sensitize and empower youth groups.

Speaking as a resource person on efforts to prevent violent extremism and promotion of peacebuilding to foster national cohesion, the advocate and youth activist Mr. Tahiru Lukman stressed the need for young people to be more responsible and proactive in their social engagement to avoid being radicalized into becoming an extremist.

He emphasized that; the youth, in particular, must take interest in community development and promote a high sense of tolerance; respect for each other views; religious and ethnic tolerance, as well as cooperating with the police and other security agencies and not habouring criminals; this will help us fight crimes and prevent young people from becoming radicalized.

Mr. Tahiru Lukman opinioned that, the happenings in neighbouring Burkina Faso should be a signal to mother Ghana to be more committed to adopting a multitask approach in empowering peoples, communities, institutions and districts to build resilience to resist any form of spillover. He noted that investment in security, and retooling of security agencies should not be the only way to build resilience, equally important is adequate resourcing of government agencies such as the National Commission of Civic Education (NCCE) to empower young people to fight all forms of radicalization and extremism.

He noted further that The Border Districts in Ghana, particularly those in the northern sector that shared borders with Burkina Faso, there is a need for development partners and government to allocate more resources to support their activities and advocacy work to building communities and young peoples resilience to extremism.

Mr. Tahiru Lukman clarified that his remark is not to cause fear and panic, but the development in West African countries, especially the activities in Burkina Faso, which is Ghanas next door neigbour, is increasingly worrying and "we must begin to take stock of the happenings."

He added, "Lives and properties have been lost, and there have been frequent political deadlocks giving the military interventions in terms of the overthrow of the government and the same vein fighting the Jihadists.

"It must be appreciated that the commitment of youth groups regarding this kind of programmes are an indication that the future is bright as young people are not willing to allow themselves to be used to perpetrate crimes."

He concluded by urging all youth group leadership presents to become more patriotic and put the interest of Mother Ghana first.

The programmes which were headlined by the NCCE with funding support from the European Union (EU) was described as a masterstroke as it came at a time that Ghana needs to build capacity and resilience in all spheres to contain all form of violent extremism.
Youth groups in the Daffaima Bussie Issa District have charged colleague youth groups in the District to participate and effectively contribute to all activities and engagement to end all forms of violent extremism.

The youth groups admonished people to desist from exploiting young people and supporting them in crime.

The groups are of the view that when young people accept responsibilities and become ambassadors to preventing violence and extremism; their communities, district, and the Upper West Region will continue to enjoy peace and tranquillity.

The youth groups are of the view that micro initiatives of young people in preventing violence and extremism will foster national cohesion.

The youth groups made this call in the Daffiama Bussie Issa District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) engagement with the youth groups on the Prevention and Containing Violence Extremism (PVCE) programme.

The programme had Tahiru Lukman the Chief Executive Officer of Ideapath Consult and Supt. M.N. James Ankan, the Nadowli/ Kaleo and Daffiama Bussie Issa District Police Commander making presentations on violent extremism and effort to build peace.

The participants also shared their experiences and participated in group work and making presentations.

Group after group presentations proceeded with the issuance of a communique. The communique of the youth groups centered on signs of radicalization of young people including some keeping bad company, possession of small arms, abusing other young people, staying isolated and developing threats of aggressiveness, amongst others.

The communique further captured the significance of neighbourhood watchdog committees or community patrol, such as the prevention of robbery acts at night, the promotion of a peaceful atmosphere, helping in gathering intelligence, the promotion of co-existence and the prevention of other crimes like fighting, stealing and evasion.

The group also called for the adoption of the following strategies as local communities' crime prevention acts; formalization of communities' neighbourhood watchdog committee; community and police regular interface; steps in preventing young people to become radicalized; effective chieftaincy institution; and the role of religious bodies in sensitizing young people to prevent violent extremism.

To promote national cohesion; the youth groups appeal to the public to cultivate the tolerance of divergence views, respect for each other's religion and ethnic orientation, tolerance of political parties, develop a sense of patriotism, follow due process such as the court system to demand justice and people becoming each other keepers.

Some of the youth groups present at the programmes and jointly issued the communique were Wogu youth groups, Issa youth, Muslim youth, Christian youth, hairdressers and tailors association members and leadership of other youth members.

The programme has staff of the Daffiama Bussie Issa District led by Mr. Abdul Rahaman Osman the District Director of the NCCE. The Commission's District Director also urged young people to take responsibility in contributing to preventing all forms of extremist acts.

The programme was organized in the church of Pentecost in Issa with 53 youth group leaders actively participating.
Kwadaso Agricultural College in partnership with the SNV Ghana through the European Union-funded, Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project has trained and certified 83 entrepreneurs in the agriculture value chain from the Ashanti and Western Regions of Ghana.

The beneficiaries are graduates of SNVs Basic and Advanced Skills training under its Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) Programme and have undergone weeks of training facilitated by Kwadaso Agricultural College and extension officers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Under the partnership, a total of 4 trainings have been carried out, with phase 1 and 2 occurring in the Ashanti Region in two districts: the Ejisu Municipality and the Ejura Sekyedumase Municipality.

SNV Netherlands Development Organization is a not-for-profit international development organization that makes a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty by helping them raise incomes and access basic services. SNV specializes in three sectors: agri-food, energy and water systems and is present in over 25 countries. SNV has been working in Ghana since 1992.

The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) project aim at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youth, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable, green businesses and providing employable skills training to youth job seekers in two selected regions in Ghana: Ashanti and Western in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development. GrEEn is implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa with a total contribution of EUR 20,600,000

Speaking at the ceremony Mr. Laouali Sadda, Project Manager at SNV Ghana on the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (Green) Project stated that SNV Netherlands Development Organization has a mission to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that result in sustainable impact in our three sectors of focus: agri-food, energy, and water systems.

He acknowledges the contributions of the European Union and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana who have made it possible for this partnership to come to fruition.

By funding the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana, popularly known as the GrEEn Project- the European Union is continuously showing its dedication to promoting the growth of green jobs and green businesses at the local and national level and we at SNV Ghana are proud to partner with the EU to support the job creation and skills development goals of the government of Ghana, he stressed.

He expressed belief that youth hold the keys to sustainable development; but also lack opportunities. To bridge this gap. "SNV uses its flagship, Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) Programme which partners with public and private institutions to increase entrepreneurship and employability skills for youth job makers and job seekers.

"Under our GrEEn Project, Mr Laouali indicated that SNV Ghana has been implementing OYE by carrying out skills training, facilitating on-the-job skills development through internships and practical learning as well as providing funding to green microbusinesses and start-ups.

Regarding this partnership with Kwadaso, a total of 3 pilot phases, with the first and second pilot targeting youth and entrepreneurs in the Ejisu Municipality and the Ejura-Sekyedumase in the Ashanti Region, were carried out between Augusts to December 2022. The training occurred over a 4-week period with a total of 45 OYE graduates from the two municipalities benefitting, he stated.

In January this year, according to Mr. Laouali NSV kicked off the final pilot of this training, this time over a 2-week period, which the final pilot phase of the training targeted OYE graduates in both the Ashanti and Western Regions where the GrEEn Project is being implemented. "Sixty-nine (69) agriculture entrepreneurs benefitted from this training and in February 2023, we all gathered here to award certificates to the one hundred and fourteen (114) agriculture and agri-food passionate OYE service recipients who had undergone and completed the training.

"During the phase 1 and 2 trainings, which occurred over a 4-week, non-residential period, a total of 45 participants received training from Kwadaso in the two municipalities.

"Within Phase 3 of the training, the General Agriculture certificate programme was scaled up and expanded with a total of 69 OYE graduates from the Ashanti (Sekyere Afram Plains and Sekyere Kumawu) and Western (Jomoro, Wassa Amenfi East, and Ahanta West) Regions receiving the training over a 2-week period. Under this phase, residential accommodation on the Kwadaso campus, and meals were provided with 114 agriculture entrepreneurs and farmers from phase 1, 2 and 3 being certified in February 2023.

"On Thursday, 13 July 2023, 83 additional agricultural entrepreneurs from the Ashanti and Western Regions graduated from the programme with funding from the European Union and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana. An additional 4 entrepreneurs are currently undergoing training.

"Overall, a total of 10 courses were covered in the areas of, Agro processing, Basic concepts in value chain, Climate Smart Agriculture, Crop production and management, Financial literacy and sensitization, Livestock production, Poultry Production, Entrepreneurship, Agric Marketing, Resource Use Efficiency Lessons included in-class theory from Kwadaso tutors and practical, field exercises facilitated by extension officers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture."

On his part, the Principal of Kwadaso Agric College Mr. Albert Appiah Amoako urged the graduates to look at agriculture from a business perspective, which he refers to as a professional way of doing agriculture.

He advised them to put in enough resources to make it profitable AND increase their financial status. He also urged them to combine skills, attitudes and knowledge to approach agriculture with professionals.

He urged them to look at other ventures of agriculture on the value chain. There are opportunities on the values chain lines like warehousing, value addition that students should take advantage.
National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia wants Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to halt his ongoing campaigns and quickly attend to the Police Council as Chairman.

On Tuesday July 11, 2023, an audio in which a top police official is heard urging an influential member of the NPP to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo.

In the audio that went viral, the police chief, identified only as Mensah, could be heard telling the NPP guru that the current IGP will make rigging impossible for the NPP in the 2024 general elections.

The yet-to-be-identified police officer could be heard saying, "It will not help us at all and I will not mind if the position is not given to me but that man is changed; because he will not help us, he will not help us at all.

In reaction to this on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia morning show, the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia expressed his concerns emphasising the need for those responsible to be held accountable.

He said, "What transpired on the leaked tape is a recipe for a coup, and the government should allow for a thorough investigation if they have nothing to hide and truly want to get to the bottom of the matter.

They should spare us the various explanations they are giving out and ensure an investigation is carried out to its logical conclusion," Asiedu Nketia remarked.

The NDC National Chairman further urged Vice President Bawumia who is also the Chairman of the Police Council to cut short his campaign activities and address the ongoing situation.

"I think this is an opportune time for the Vice President, who seems to be less proactive as the Chairman of the Police Council, to quickly act on this matter.

Instead, he is busy going around campaigning while the Police Council is in turmoil over a leaked secret tape," Asiedu Nketia added.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ambrose Dery dismissed the contents of the leaked tape, affirming the government's commitment to maintaining the independence and integrity of the upcoming 2024 elections.

Mr Dery stated that the government has no intentions of removing IGP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare from office and expressed satisfaction with his administration.

"Let me make it absolutely clear that this government is not going to tamper with the 2024 elections.

The President does not want to stay one more hour beyond his term. We also want to make sure that we have a free and fair election," Interior Minister Dery assured.
Benjamin Kofi Quashie, the South African National Democratic Congress Council of Elders Chair and Group Chairman for Allied Consortiums has expressed the party's commitment to delivering a message of hope to Ghanaians ahead of the 2024 elections.

Mr Quashie believes that the NDC carries a message of hope that will resonate well with the Ghanaian people.

He noted that the message aims to address the current economic challenges facing the country.

During an interview on the 'Epa Ho A Daben' show on Happy FM, Quashie acknowledged the skepticism surrounding political promises and assured that the NDC has learned valuable lessons.

He emphasized that their focus is not solely on winning elections but on delivering tangible and redeemable promises after winning in 2024.

Mr Quashie stated, "We will deliver. We've learned our lessons in opposition, and we have a leader who wants to rally everyone around to build a better Ghana that we all want together."

When questioned about the possibility of the NDC involving known members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in their efforts to build a better Ghana, Mr Quashie responded positively.

He stressed that, "This is common knowledge. The Senchi consensus brought everyone on board to solicit ideas to help our country then.

The likes of Kwame Pianim and other learned people from the opposition with regards to the economy were there", he added.

Mr Quashie further expressed the belief that former President Mahama would not ignore sensible suggestions from others alike but would embrace such ideas to shape a brighter future for Ghana.

"Like he [Mahama] says, we'll need to be patriotic. We find ourselves in a ditch, let's all come out of it together", he shared, in reference to President Mahama's all-inclusive nature.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guest of honour during France's Bastille Day celebrations on Friday, which are taking place under tight security two weeks after riots swept the country.

The annual Bastille Day festivities, which mark the storming of the Bastille prison at the start of the French Revolution in 1789, kicked off with a traditional military parade in the morning that saw tanks, planes and soldiers sweep down the Champs Elysees.

Some 6,500 people marched, 94 planes and helicopters flew over, 219 ground vehicles, 200 horses and 86 dogs also took part.

Russia's war in Ukraine  central to last year's Bastille Day celebrations  echoed in this year's events as well.

Vehicles on display included the Caesar anti-missile batteries that France is providing to Ukraine, and Ukrainian officials were invited to join President Macron in the VIP seats.

The guest of honour this year is India.

Ahead of the ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron awarded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the grand cross of the Legion of Honour, the country's top order of merit, which he hailed as "an honour for the 1.4 billion residents of India".

The cross was granted to salute "the role of the prime minister in the excellent relations of friendship and confidence that unite France and India", the president's office said in a statement.

The wooing of Modi this year reflects deepening ties between France and India, which are marking 25 years of "strategic partnership".

The Indian defence ministry on Thursday announced its intention to buy another 26 French-made Rafale fighter jets as well as three more Scorpene-class submarines in a deal expected to be worth billions of euros.

India has already purchased 36 Rafales, three of which flew over Paris during Friday's parade.

The French president told a meeting of military leaders on Thursday evening that India was "a giant of world history which will have a decisive role for our future".

Heightened security

Bastille Day is set to be a more sober affair than in previous years following nights of rioting that began on 27 June after the fatal police shooting of a teenager in a Paris suburb.

Around 45,000 police are set to be deployed nationwide on Friday evening while firework sales have been banned as the government aims to prevent a repeat of that urban violence.

Some towns have cancelled their traditional firework displays out of fear of unrest, and buses and trams are to stop running in the Paris region from 10:00 pm.

Security forces were deployed en masse on Thursday night which had been "relatively calm", the interior ministry said.

The main Paris fireworks display is set to go ahead on Friday evening and will be watched by Macron and Modi after they attend a banquet with 200 guests at the Louvre Museum.

(with AFP)
Re-elected Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), James Gyakye-Quayson wants the criminal trial against him to be stopped.

His lead counsel, Tsatsu Tsikata has confirmed that a motion has been filed at the Supreme Court to prohibit the High Court from proceeding with his criminal case.

This is just one of a number of fresh actions taken to put his trial on hold.

James Gyakye-Quayson has also requested for additional documents from state prosecutors to fully understand the case against him.

We have filed an application for a stay of proceedings that has been set for Wednesday the 19th of July at the Court of Appeal.

We have also filed in the Supreme Court, a motion invoking the supervisory jurisdiction for an order directed at this court to quash the decision made on the 16th of July and another to prohibit the court from proceeding with the case, Lead Counsel for James Gyakye-Quayson, Tsatsu Tsikata said on Friday, July 14.

For Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, this move is an attempt by the lawyers of James Gyakye-Quayson to delay his trial.

We came to court this morning only to be told that the accused person and his counsel have filed an application at the Court of Appeal seeking a stay of proceedings and then an application at the Supreme Court seeking to quash and prohibit the judge from hearing the matter.

There is an attempt to delay proceedings through the legal process, which we say is fine, it is within their right to use the legal procedure to fight their course but that doesnt mean that when they file such applications the court must wait for them for those applications to move from the Appellate court or the Supreme Court, so we are concerned about that but we are ready, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah told the media.

In the spirit of solidarity for the on-trial MP, the Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has reiterated that the group will continue to boycott Parliamentary sitting whenever the Assin North lawmaker has a date in court.
July 21, 2023 10:30

I still don't know how to shout to make them realize the situation is grave. Ombudsman of Artsakh

Dear fellow citizens in Artsakh, many people say that the public in the RA is not informed about the situation in Artsakh, as if we in Artsakh only understand what is happening to us and a small part of the society in Armenia and the Diaspora.
The caterer of the Binduri Community Day Senior High School has resumed cooking on Friday, the 14th July after students went on rampage to register their displeasure over a shortage of food on July 11.

Addressing the students on Friday, July 14, the District Director of Education John Jaggrey Soka said the Member of Parliament for Binduri, Hon Alhaji Abdulai Abanga has donated 25 bags of rice to the school to support the caterer whiles government pay the outstanding arrears.

The member of Parliament is said to have followed up to the Ministry of Education to ensure government clear all arrears.

The year 3 students on behalf of the school thanked the Member of Parliament and the District Education Directorate for their timely intervention.

The Binduri Community Day Senior High School was shut down on July 11 due to a shortage of food.
The NPP administration hasnt only demonstrated it is based on a foundation of lies and deception, but also, a violent, clandestine, and underworld government. Thats why they dont care about shedding blood. George Dampare, the Inspector General of Police, who often does the dirty jobs for the NPP government and Akufo Addo, to the extent of protecting the president over a homicide he was implicated, has now become a target of a plot to remove from office because of free and fair elections at Assin North.

Ghana is progressively turning into a very dangerous country, but the worrying aspect of the problem is that high-ranking citizens of the country are also involved, carrying out covert operations for Akufo Addos administration. Since the NPP came to office almost seven years ago, Ghanaians have never witnessed what has occurred in this country under any government. However, I am not surprised, because a government built on the foundation of criminology, fails and breeds violence.



George Dampare should ignore the fame and consider his life and integrity important to resign from this government

Akufo Addo likes money and violence but never puts in the effort to succeed. As I've already stated, Akufo Addo used his father's influence negatively, therefore, he has no manners. What's also amusing about him is that when he is engaging in criminal activity, he believes himself to be very brilliant. I can only ask God to pardon him since, if, even at his advanced age, he continues to engage in immorality, murder, falsehoods, and oppression out of a desire for dominance, his life may not turn out well.

To the best of my knowledge, George Dampare has proven to be the best inspector general of police out of all of them, despite his flaws. As it had happened with Hopeson Adorye, Kennedy Agyapong, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and other NPP politicians, Akufo Addo continues to use Dampare to carry out the dirty tasks, by which I mean, the covert activities, that the president relies on a few of the NPP politicians to carry out. As usual, after using them, he turns against them and treats them like trash.

It is well known that Akufo Addo is a suspect in a murder investigation being handled by the Inspector General of Police. Hopeson Adorye has experienced his fair share of scandal, and Ken Agyapong is currently going through the same thing after quitting doing the president's dirty work because of his presidential ambitions. He recently criticized the NPP government for being ungrateful and treated badly, despite his efforts and financial support, when he couldn't take it anymore.



George Dampare, the Inspector General of Police, is now the next victim. Thanks to his supervision of a peaceful, free, and fair election in Assin North, which led to the victory of Gyakye Quayson and because of this, an empire of deceitful top gurus in the NPP government is now plotting to have him removed from office so that they can easily rig the upcoming elections in 2024. When someone accuses Mahama of being power-conscious but fails to recognize Akufo Addos desperation for power, its indeed ironic.

The audio recording revealing the plot to remove the IGP has now gone viral, and regardless of what the state-sponsored, corrupt media may say about it, the truth is out. It sounds like a story, but it's true. Akufo Addo is not pleased that George Dampare did a good job in Assin North in ensuring that the country witnessed a peaceful, free, and fair election; unfortunately, they will experience depression and failure upon failure since they refuse to accept their rejection by the people and more importantly, if Dampare is removed from office or not, the NPP will still lose the 2024 elections.



The worst mistake the NPP made as a political party was to trust someone like Akufo Addo and his relatives, notably the corrupt and incompetent finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who asked Ghanaians recently to sacrifice for his incompetence, widespread corruption, and embezzlement. Finally, this is not the first article I have requested IGP Dampare to resign, I wish him the best but if he is a wise person, he shouldnt wait too long to end up like Hopeson Adorye.
Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has applauded Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare and Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Mahama.

He said they are the only competent non-ministerial appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In a Facebook post, Prof. Gyampo said the two have demonstrated a strong will to carry out their duties without fear or favor.

"To my mind, the two most competent non-ministerial appointees of President Akufo Addo are Dr Dampare, the IGP and Mr Samuel Mahama, the MD of ECG. They have the needed strong will to carry out their mandate without fear or favour," the post read.

Prof Gyampo's praise of IGP Dampare's competence comes as the police chief continues to spearhead reforms and crackdowns on criminal activities.

Dr. Dampare has earned public plaudits for helping restore discipline and integrity to the police service.

Meanwhile, ECG MD Samuel Mahama has also pushed reforms at the state power company to improve the efficiency and reliability of electricity supply while chasing defaulting customers.
14.07.2023 LISTEN

Richard Nyamah, Deputy Spokesperson for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has expressed confidence in Alan Kyerematen's ability to transform Ghana.

He says Alan holds the key to the country's progress.

According to Nyamah, Alan Kyerematen, the former Minister of Trade and Industry, possesses the necessary knowledge and experience to bring about significant changes to the country.

Highlighting the economic reforms implemented by Mr Alan during his tenure as Minister, Mr Nyamah emphasized the positive impact these changes have had on the country's economy.

He expressed confidence that if elected as President, Mr Alan Kyerematen will continue to deliver and fulfil the expectations of the Ghanaian people.

In his remarks on Peace FMs Kokrokoo morning show, Mr Nyamah said Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also vying for the position of flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would assume the presidency only after Alan Kyerematen had served his term.

The New Patriotic Party is set to hold its presidential primary in November of this year to select a candidate to lead the party in the 2024 elections.

Apart from Vice President Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen, several other notable figures are also vying for the position, including Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central; Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former Minister of Agriculture; Kwabena Agyepong, former NPP General Secretary; Joe Ghartey, former Attorney General; and others.
Political scientist Professor Ransford Gyampo has spoken highly of Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, on the occasion of his birthday.

Prof Gyampo referred to Dr. Dampare as the "IGP mu the Asantehene," as he wished the police chief well.

In a statement on Facebook today, July 14, Prof Gyampo insinuates Dr. Dampare is the most superior among all the past IGPs, and prayed for his continued success in leading the police force.

"Happy Birthday to you, IGP mu the Asantehene! You can only excel more and achieve more successes because the Lord is with you," Gyampo said.

He expressed hope that Dr. Dampare's "strong will to police Ghana dispassionately" would inspire Ghanaians to act in the best interest of the country.

Prof. Gyampo dismissed Dr. Dampare's critics, saying "Your skin-pain people and haters are like ants and you are a boiled egg...they can only coil around you but they cant do you foko!"

The professor concluded his message by wishing Dampare "Long life, good health, prosperity and more wisdom."

Since becoming IGP in August 2021, Dr. Dampare has undertaken major reforms in the police service.

He has garnered significant public support, but also criticism from some quarters.
During a solemn pre-burial service held at St. George Catholic Church in Tesano, Accra, today, Friday, 14 July, it was announced that the police officer tragically killed in the Ablekuma Bullion Van Robbery incident, Callistus Amoah, has been posthumously promoted from General Lance Corporal to General Corporal.

General Corporal Callistus Amoah was on official duty in a bullion van at Ablekuma Fan Milk in Accra when he was fatally shot by armed robbers at a fuel station.

The announcement of his promotion served as a recognition of his dedication and sacrifice in the line of duty.

The Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akufo Dampare, expressed his heartfelt condolences to Callistus Amoah's family and extended sympathy to the institutions with which he was associated during his service.

Dr. Dampare assured the public that every effort would be made to apprehend and bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.

Dr. Dampare shared his personal connection to Callistus Amoah, describing him as not only a colleague but also a brother due to their shared village connections.

He expressed the immense pain he has felt since the incident, emphasizing the loss experienced by the entire police force.

The wife of the deceased, Amanda Amoah, described her late husband as generous in nature and character.

-Classfmonline.com
Dr Amanda Odoi, a prominent researcher, has taken legal action against Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, accusing him of contempt for allowing the House to proceed with the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill despite pending legal challenges.

The lawsuit, filed at the Supreme Court, seeks sanctions against Bagbin, alleging his disregard for court processes.

Dr Odoi argues that Bagbin's actions demonstrate a clear contempt for both the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the court process.

The court documents emphasise the Speaker's repeated violations and utter disregard for these foundational elements of the country's legal framework.

The documents further assert that Bagbin's intentional and continuous disregard for the court process warrants sanctions for contempt in the public interest and to uphold the dignity of the Court.

They point out that by directing or causing Parliament to proceed with the bill's Second Reading, despite being aware of the pending lawsuit and related interlocutory injunction application, Bagbin has displayed disrespect for the authority of the Court.

The legal action filed by Dr Odoi is one of two cases in which citizens have sued the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General regarding the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The legislation has sparked intense debate and controversy, with stakeholders expressing divergent views on its merits and implications.

This latest development deepens the ongoing discourse surrounding the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, as its proponents and opponents continue to grapple with the potential consequences and societal impact of the proposed legislation.

-Classfmonline.com
A group of old students of Adisadel College has appealed to New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates to vote massively for Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen as the party's flagbearer for Election 2024.

The group, the Santaclausians for Alan, described him as a walking advertisement of industrialization, job creation, and Ghanas economic solution.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Zack Brew, the coordinator of Santaclausians for Alan, indicated that the former Trade Minister had served as NPP financial backbone since 1992, a loyalist and a dedicated patriot, who had served the party and country well.

Mr. Brew said Ghanaians must move away from politics of lies, which according to him had been the bane of the current economic difficulties, adding it was time for the nation to root for economic reforms focused on industries and job creation.

The spokesperson said among the ten contenders for the NPP Presidential primary, Mr Kyerematen was noted for investing in and initiating most of the creative innovations the NPP Government had brought.

He is also a practical economist, a hardworking gentleman with vast experience both locally and internationally, he said.

He urged delegates in all 16 regions of the country to elect, Mr. Alan Kyerematen as the presidential candidate.

GNA
The #FixTheCountry campaigner Oliver Barker-Vormawor has said the decision to withdraw the petition against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Jean Mensa and her deputies is to draw the attention of Ghanaians to the multiple ways by which administrative institutional procedures are used to undermine the constitutional positions of law.

According to Mr. Vomawor, the lackadaisical attitude and disinterest generally in ensuring that justice is done on behalf of the people of Ghana for the past few months is disappointing.

Speaking in an interview on Citi Midday news on July 14 he said I think it has been two years that we submitted a petition for this matter to be considered and for the past two years there havent been any legal action.

I think its been two years since we submitted a petition for this matter to be considered and for the past two years there havent been any legal action taken on this matter and we have withdrawn from our petition because we no longer want to participate in this charade. We see this lackadaisical attitude and disinterest generally in ensuring that justice is done on behalf of the people of Ghana for the past few months which for us gives an indication that we have been ignored."

This lackadaisical attitude can be attributed to the Covid 19 legislation where they waited for over 2 years when the president lifted the restrictions before they got the courage to say that the law was unconstitutional. It has become too much of a practice that we think that our presence in this matter rather undermines justice.

We havent given up but as far as we are concerned one of the things we are doing is drawing the attention of Ghanaians to the multiple ways by which administrative institutional procedures are used to undermine the constitutional position of law, Oliver Barker-Vormawor stated.

The 46 petitioners from the #FixTheCountry Movement, who filed an impeachment petition against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, and her Deputies, have withdrawn the petition.

In a press release issued on Friday, July 14, 2023, the petitioners said they had lost faith in the integrity of the process after a long wait for institutional action on the petition.

Read the full press release below:

Press Release

Friday, July 14, 2023

Withdrawal of the SALL Petition for the Removal of the Chair and Deputies of the Electoral Commission

Yesterday, after nearly 2 years of waiting for institutional action on the impeachment petition brought against the Chairperson and Deputies of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, we the 46 petitioners formally notified the President and the Chief Justice of our intention to withdraw the petition.

As you may be aware, as far back as 10th January 2022, 46 petitioners convened by #FixTheCountry petitioned the President regarding the egregious misconduct of the Chairperson and Deputies of the Electoral Commission through which the citizens of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobu and Likpe were denied the right to vote in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Since the petition was forwarded to the Chief Justice, we have witnessed contrived gestures that for us signal a clear intention to undermine or extinguish the constitutional mechanisms for accountability and judicious conduct.

The refusal to act on the petition was due to a deliberate and collaborationist decision by the then Chief Justice to hide behind contrived proceduralism in order allow room for the frivolous filibustering devices of Madam Jean Mensa.

We the petitioners, after 2 years of seeing various constitutional officers fail to live up to their constitutional responsibilities in this matter, have become convinced of a lack of interest or urgency in pursuing the justice of our plaint and have as such lost faith in the integrity of the process.

We feel compelled to exercise our democratic right to withdraw this petition, in order that the Constitution will no further be mocked by the indolence of actors who have been assigned the task of its protection. In reaching this decision, we have considered the best interest of our democracy, and taken further account of our refusal to lend ourselves to any process that will ultimately be used to whitewash clear evidence of egregious misconduct. In addition, we see no reason why we should participate in the persistence of what has so clearly become a charade.

Yours in the service of our democracy

The Petitioners
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia met a delegation from the World Bank to discuss challenges facing Ghana's energy sector.

The delegation, led by World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde and Ghana Country Director Pierre Laporte, visited the Vice President at the Jubilee House in Accra on Friday, July 14.

In a tweet following the meeting, Dr. Bawumia said their discussions focused on the critical issues and related challenges in the energy sector.

He hinted at how government has been working to address them through its relevant agencies.

This morning, I received at the Jubilee House, the World Bank Managing Director of Operations, Anna Bjerde, the Ghana Country Director, Pierre Laporte, and their team.

We discussed the critical energy sector and its related challenges and how Government was working through its relevant agencies to address some of the challenges with a serious focus on the immediate to long-term strategy, Dr. Bawumia tweeted.

Also present at the meeting were Ghana's Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh and other high-level officials from both sides.

This comes as Ghana has been facing energy crisis in recent times, with frequent power cuts.
Today, a resident of Artsakh came out to announce-enough is enough. Azerbaijan and the world want to turn Artsakh into an altar on which the lives of our compatriots and our children are placed, and we cannot allow it.

July 14, 2023, 10:50 Any concession is at the cost of our children's lives, which is non-negotiable for us. Artsakh State Minister

STEPANAKERT, JULY 14, ARTSAKHPRESS: As "Artsakhpress"informs, Artsakh Republic State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan announced today on July 14, during the nationwide movement rally in Stepanakert's Revival Square.

Now the Artsakh people face a threat to their physical existence.

Artsakh has been living on internal resources for almost a month. During that time, with the joint efforts of all of us, we have tried to keep the situation in such a way that these severe consequences of the blockade of Artsakh have the least impact on the people of Artsakh, hoping that in the shortest possible time the international community, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia will take decisive steps to stop the course of this deadly disaster. But it has turned out that everyone is just watching this situation as an observer," the State Minister said, adding that today the situation is already dire, and every day tomorrow will be even harder and harder.

The State Minister noted that there are already many people with health problems, many communities are deprived of the opportunity to have drinking water. Residents of rural communities far from the capital have become captives and for many, the only connection with regional centers and the capital is via phone call. Residents of our villages in the Shushi region have become hostages in all its extreme manifestations.

At the beginning, inter-community passenger transportation was reduced, and now it is stopped, children in kindergartens are almost not fed; patients in hospitals are given a small amount of food. In days, ambulances will not work; people will have a problem of unavailability of basic medicines.

"Now I want to ask the international community, the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation: what do you need, what are you waiting for? Do you want a repetition of the case of the death of children in our country a few days ago, so that you will come to your senses? And I say on behalf of all of you, enough is enough. For the third year already, the people of Artsakh have been patiently suffering all kinds of sufferings. Every day, our mothers and sisters hide their tears and look into the eyes of their children feeling a great sense of responsibility for them; they make a choice and every time they unconditionally choose the Homeland, our Artsakh.

We closely follow the results of meetings organized in this or that part of the world. We follow, but we neither see the result, nor feel the impact, and when disagreements suddenly arise in those meetings and it is necessary to put pressure on someone, then the full stroke of the hammer falls on the head of the Artsakh citizen. And again I want to shout on behalf of all of you. Yes,we have already reached the limit of patience and are no longer able to give you opportunities to do political maneuvers at the expense of deprivation, he said, in particular.
Hundreds of people on Friday braved a ban to join a protest against plans for a constitutional change that will enable troubled Central African Republic's president to bid for a third term in office.

Opposition leaders headed a march of around 500 people through the capital Bangui under heavy escort from the CAR security forces and armoured vehicles deployed by the United Nations' peacekeeping mission MINUSCA, AFP journalists saw.

Voting is due to take place on July 30 for proposed changes to the CAR's constitution.

If approved, it would mean that two-term limits set by the constitution would be reset to zero, enabling President Faustin Archange Touadera to vie for another term in office, according to his supporters.

Landlocked, mineral rich but deeply poor, the CAR is one of the world's most turbulent countries.

Touadera was first elected in 2016 as the country, with French and UN help, emerged from a civil war that flared along sectarian lines following a coup.

Violence continues today, although at far lower levels, and parts of the country remain under the control of rebel groups.

Touadera was controversially re-elected in 2020 after a vote that was severely criticised for its low turnout -- less than one in three of the electorate cast its ballot, mainly because of intimidation in rebel-held areas.

The march, organised by an opposition coalition called the Republican Bloc for the Defence of the Constitution (BRDC), was declared banned on Thursday.

The interior ministry cited CAR's "security situation" and the "subversive nature of the initiative taken by the BRDC and others."

Judicael Kongbo, a 39-year-old storekeeper who joined the march, said, "If we don't demonstrate, we will be accomplices in the country's destruction.

"The president is only thinking about his own power. He's already done seven years -- what has he done that's so extraordinary that entitles him to seek another term?"

Former prime minister and opposition MP Martin Ziguele said, "Touadera wants to become a king who is accountable to no one... that's why we reject and we oppose this referendum process, which is nothing but a political scam."
A Criminologist at Cambridge University, Dr Justice Tankebe has said persons whose names were mentioned in the leaked tape that captured an alleged plot to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare, must be engaged by relevant state security authorities before any idea of authenticating the tape is applied.

In his view, whether or not there will be an authentication of the tape will depend on the answers that will be provided by the persons whose names have been mentioned.

Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Thursday, July 14, Dr Tankebe said  In the bit of the audio that I have heard some names were mentioned and I supposed that these are names that are known to the relevant authorities.

Before we think about authentication we need to ask ourselves whether these individuals, the relevant authorities have engaged with them and they have denied that they were indeed the individuals voices were heard.

To the extent that they have not denied, the issue of authentication might not be necessary to arrive, thats my view. But if of course, they do deny that those are their voices I am sure the Police or the securities services they have got a history of authenticating such voices and they will be able to apply those procedures to verify whether indeed this is a genuine tape or it has been faked.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has ordered the constitution of a seven-member committee to probe the leaked audio recording of some persons purportedly plotting the removal of the IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.

The committee will have three members each from the two sides of the House with one technical person.

The names of the three members apiece from the Majority and Minority caucuses are expected to be made available within one week, the Speaker so directed on Thursday, July 13.

This comes barely 24 hours after the Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, filed an urgent statement on the floor, calling for an investigation into the recording.

The Speaker had asked him to put the statement in writing for him to make orders. This was done on Thursday.

According to the Speaker, the committee will investigate the authenticity of the leaked audio recording, the conspiracy to remove the current IGP, any other matter contained in the audio recording and recommend sanctions to persons found culpable where appropriate.

It is also to make recommendations for reforms where necessary and make such other recommendations and consequential orders as the committee may deem appropriate.

These will be the Special Committee's terms of reference.

The audio recording captures voices of some top officials said to be with the Ghana Police Service and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) discussing Dr Akuffo Dampare.

They are heard questioning the impartiality of the IGP, claiming he has the support of former President John Dramani Mahama, and so scheming to ensure the return of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The persons are, therefore, calling for his removal before the 2024 general elections.

This has been condemned in several quarters with many calling for a probe into the leaked tape.

A Security Analyst Dr Adams Bonaa wants the sittings of the committee that has been formed by the Speaker of Parliament to investigate the leaked tape on the alleged plot to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampre, to be televised.

He however wants the amount of information on this matter that goes out into the public domain limited because of the sensitive nature of the matter.

Also speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Thursday, July 13, Dr Bonaa said The sitting might go longer than one week because so many names of people have been mentioned.

He added televised the interrogation but the amount of information should be limited. It will be injurious and detrimental to our peace and security if every information goes out there.

Minister of Interior Ambrose Dery has dismissed the recording, assuring that Ghana's peace will be guaranteed before, during and after the 2024 elections.

There is no plot to remove anybody, he told journalists in Accra on Tuesday, July 11.

I can assure you that I serve a president who is committed and has respect for human rights. Under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, we will make sure that 2024 is peaceful.

One thing to be sure, 2024 will not be a violent election by anybody and no one will want to thwart the will of the people. If you vote us in, you vote us in, if you vote us out, you vote us out.

-3news.com
A researcher Dr Amanda Odoi who has filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court asking the court to sanction the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for showing contempt and disregard for court processes in the matter of the anti-gay bill, has said failure to sanction Mr Bagbin would send a signal that the constitution can be disrespected with impunity.

That should this honorable court fail to exercise its power to punish [the Speaker] for contempt, it would send the signal that the 1992 Constitution and the authority of the Court may be disregarded and disrespected with impunity, thus undermining respect for the administration of justice and making a mockery of the rule of law, portions of the suit said.

The Speaker of Parliament has been cited for contempt regarding the bill.

That the respondent's clear, intentional and continuous disregard of the court process necessitates the Respondent being sanctioned for contempt in the public interest and to protect the dignity of the Court, the Court documents state.

That by his conduct in directing or causing Parliament to proceed to a Second Reading of the Bill, in full knowledge of the pending suit and related interlocutory injunction application, the Respondent has disregarded and disrespected the authority of this Court.

That such disregard interferes with the outcome of the pending litigation, brings the administration of justice into disrepute and undermines public confidence in the judicial system.

Last week, Parliament adopted the motion of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliament Committee on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.

This followed the second reading of the Bill on Wednesday, July 5.

After the second reading, members of the House were given the opportunity by the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, to debate the motion.

Among the members who contributed to the debate was Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development Dan Botwe, who described as madness the activities of lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals, and transgender (LGBT) humans.

He said it is a Satanic force that should not be allowed to fester in the country.

For him, eternal vigilance should be exercised by the country beyond the passage of the Bill.

-3news.com
The managing editor of The Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has described as very interesting some campaign promises made by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Announcing his decision to contest the flagbearer election of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in June, the Vice President said if he gets the opportunity to serve the Ghanaian people as President, he will come with his own vision different from that of President Akufo-Addo.

"I also have my own vision for Ghana. I believe that it is time to move Ghana to the next level by building on the foundations we have put in place so far.

"Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where we leverage technology, data and systems for inclusive economic growth. I want to make Ghana the digital hub of Africa. I want us to bridge the digital divide and apply digital technology and artificial intelligence for the transformation of healthcare, education, and public service delivery amongst others, Dr. Bawumia said.

Since then, the Vice President has made several other promises during his campaign as he aims to convince delegates of the NPP to elect him as flagbearer.

Speaking on the Good Morning Ghana show on Metro TV on Thursday, Kwesi Pratt assessed these promises made by the Vice President.

In his view, it appears the Vice President wants Ghanaians to spare him the blame for the economic mess of President Akufo-Addo's government.

Im listening to the campaign messages and they are extremely interesting. I heard Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia saying that as Vice President it is not his vision that is being implemented today. And that if hes elected as flag bearer he will have the opportunity to put forward his own vision which is different from the vision which is being implemented today.

Eii what does this mean? That this vision which is being implemented with him as Vice President is defective. That is the only way you can interpret that. That this vision is actually the Akuffo-Addo vision but its not his vision so if things are happening dont blame me, blame Akufo-Addo. A vice president talking like that, incredible, Kwesi Pratt bemoaned.
Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) at the University for Development Studies (UDS) on Thursday clashed with its rival union, the Tertiary and Educational Union Workers of Ghana (TEWUG) over rights to be represented at the Universitys Council meeting.

Members of TEWUG stormed the meeting grounds and prevented TEWU from attending the UDS Council meeting in Tamale, claiming they were the rightful group to be represented at the meeting.

It took the intervention of personnel from the security services to bring the situation under control.

Mr Asampana Emmanuel, UDS Local Chairman of TEWU  TUC, told the media that the union received an invitation from the Universitys Registrar for a Council meeting only to be denied entry to the meeting by the rival union over issues of legitimacy.

He said the rival union used to be members of TEWU  TUC but broke away to form the new union.

Mr Asampana said the matter was sent to court and on April 11, 2023, the court declared TEWU  TUC as the rightful union to send a representative to the Universitys Council meeting.

He, however, expressed worry over the University Councils inability to act in accordance with the courts decision.

GNA
Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, Ranking Member on Parliament's Education Committee

14.07.2023 LISTEN

A document detailing high hostel fees at the University of Ghana's Legon campus for the 2023/2024 academic year has sparked controversy.

The document, purportedly from Ghana Hostels Ltd, dated Thursday, July 13, outlines approved rates per bed ranging from GHS 4,928 for four students sharing a room with shared facilities to GHS 35,320 for an air-conditioned single room with en-suite facilities.

This, many say represents increases of 200-300% compared to current rates.

Reacting to it, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, Ranking Member on Parliament's Education Committee, described the proposed fees as "exorbitant".

Dr. Apaak called for urgent national dialogue to find sustainable solutions to student accommodation challenges.

"Exorbitant to put it mildly. How many parents can afford to pay these outrageous amounts for hostel accommodation for their wards?

What happens to the poor? Information is that it's same in other Universities. We need a national conversation on accommodation for students, Dr. Apaak wrote in a tweet on Friday, July 14.

Students and education stakeholders have expressed outrage at the increases, arguing that many students will be unable to afford a university education.

The said national dialogue will probably look at the need for affordable student housing to ensure access to tertiary education, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Hon. Ambrose Dery

14.07.2023 LISTEN

Rather than later, my awakened instincts prompt me that, it is time to celebrate our torch bearers who are championing our quest for the development of the upper west region.

Folks of the Upper West Region will admit that, ours was culled from the then upper region making it the youngest of all the ten regions in Ghana as of then. The challenge was and still remains how to develop Ghanas last baby both in physical infrastructure and human resource.

When the New Patriotic Party first came to power in January 2001, a blessing of the Upper West Region in a man known as Hon. Ambrose Dery duly played active roles in various capacities towards Ghanas development. As a young boy at that time, I first noticed him through his works as Upper West Regional Minister. He would later on move to Accra as a Minister of State at the Attorney General and Justice ministry. In both roles, he discharged himself very well scoring A+ on the scorecard of the populace.

The year 2017 presented the second coming of our Dear NPP together with the hardworking, results-oriented Hon. Ambrose Dery both as the Member of Parliament for Nandom and the minister of Interior.

Having attended secondary school in Nandom during my teenage years, I am well abreast with how Nandom looked then compared to its current positively-enhanced higher status of a municipality. The current circumstance of Nandom is a tremendous positive shift from its old-fashioned status when I lived there as a student for three years. The livelihood of its rural dwellers has been greatly improved through the continuous, comprehensive work of Hon Ambrose Dery. I dare say that, Nandom has a better physical infrastructure outlay such as rehabilitated roads, Schools and Jobs availability to indigenes more than most municipalities I consider as its contemporaries. All thanks to the mighty ingenuity of Hon. Ambrose Dery.

Today, in celebrating a genius of the man Hon. Ambrose Dery, I am releasing a teaser which is first of many objective observations in series, authored in my solemn, non-partisan mood to readers. This is an attempt to awaken the spirit of the need of us as a people, to celebrate our change heroes while they are alive.

Effortlessly in my mind, there are many areas where Hon. Ambrose Dery is rated as the best, reigning Heroe and Change Agent of the Upper West Region including but not limited to:

Best Performing Member of Parliament in the Upper West Region.

He is a true honorable statesman with demonstrable high morals exhibited over the years since he first became a minister in former president John Agyekum Kufuors era. To the larger percentage of Ghanas populace, it is no wonder that Hon. Ambrose Dery has not had any scandal attached to his personality even though he has been in public service for well over two decades. In my subsequent publications after this teaser, detailed, specific and measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be outlined in substantiation of the indisputable fact that Hon. Ambrose Dery is truly the best performing MP from the Upper West Region.

Best Performing Minister of President Akufo Addos Government.

A bare fact that Ghanas larger population easily submits to, our Interior Minister has been the most outstanding minister since 2017. Yes, Hon. Ambrose Dery has been the outstanding ship stabilizer of our Government ensuring a serene and conducive atmosphere for business and human activity to actively thrive in Ghana. At a glance through all the ministries, it is even easier to assess his work as the interior minister because he has been at the helm of same since 2017.

Again, in my subsequent detailed publications after this teaser, you will read more information and updates regarding the positive impact of his outstanding work at the interior ministry.

In summary, at this impressive rate of progress of development in the Upper West Region being chauffeured by the indefatigable Hon. Ambrose Dery, if there is ever paradise on earth, we will get there sooner than later.

The writer is a Youth Activist of the NPP from Sissala East.
Private legal practitioner, Lawyer Martin Kpebu has disclosed why he has decided to stay away from conversations on the anti-gay Bill in Parliament.

The Bill presented as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill seeks to criminalise the practice and promotion of LGBTQ+ and its activities in the country.

According to Lawyer Martin Kpebu who has become the face of several advocacies in the country, he knows big lawyers and renowned persons in other fields who are gay in Ghana.

He argues that if such people cannot stand to fight for themselves, he cannot leave his fight for the ordinary Ghanaian who is starving because government has refused to pay coupons on his bonds to fight the anti-gay bill.

People who practice LGBTQ they dont want to show their faces so Im like how am I going to advocate for a faceless person? Privately Ive seen big lawyers who are gay and they cant fight for themselves. And you are saying Kpebu I should come and fight for them, no. You cant fight for everything, Lawyer Martin Kpebu shared in an interview with TV3.

The private legal practitioner continued, Look there are big layers, Im telling you on authority. Big lawyers are involved and they dont want to show their faces. At least come out. Lets see you, explain your situation. All doctors, all of them they should come out.

Lawyer Martin Kpebu is of the view that if such lawyers and persons come together to address a press conference, they have a chance of courting compassion for people to also speak on their behalf.
Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has criticized the Minority NDC MPs' decision to boycott Parliamentary proceedings whenever Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson appears in court over criminal charges.

In a social media post on Friday, July 14, Braimah described the boycott as "an act of emotional blackmail" and "utterly untenable."

"The decision by Minority NDC MPs to shun Parliamentary business whenever their colleague for Assin North is appearing in Court, is utterly untenable. It's an act of emotional blackmail," Braimah wrote.

Gyakye Quayson is facing five criminal charges including forgery, perjury, deceiving a public officer and others. The NDC MPs have vowed to continue boycotting Parliament whenever his case comes up, until he is freed.

However, Braimah stated that "Court cases are determined on the basis of facts and not the number and caliber of persons who may be in court to solidarise with a defendant or plaintiff."

He added that even if the NDC MPs believe Gyakye Quayson is being politically persecuted, abandoning Parliamentary duties is not the solution.

"The poor people of Ghana elected and pay them to do parliamentary business and not to solidarise with colleague MPs in courtrooms," Braimah emphasized.

The MFWA Executive Director urged the NDC MPs to remember they are not above the law, even as they make laws in Parliament.

"MPs make laws. MPs don't interpret laws. Our leaders should not be setting bad examples," he concluded.

Braimah's comments come at a time the NDC Minority MPs are insisting on boycotting Parliament over what they term the "politically motivated" prosecution of Gyakye Quayson.

They believe he is being targeted due to the slim NPP majority in Parliament.
Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah has chastised the Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) for their decision to boycott Parliament whenever Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson appears in court.

In a tweet, Braimah warned that the boycott sets a bad example, questioning what would happen if other professions like nurses or lecturers abandoned their duties to support colleagues in court.

The decision by Minority NDC MPs to shun Parliamentary business whenever their colleague for Assin North is appearing in Court, is utterly untenable. It's an act of emotional blackmail, Braimah wrote.

He added, "Would it be right for doctors or nurses to abandon their duties in a hospital in order to solidarise with a colleague in court on the basis of their believe that a colleague should not be a subject of prosecution for an alleged wrongdoing?"

Gyakye Quayson is facing five criminal charges including forgery, perjury and deceiving a public officer.

The NDC MPs have vowed to continue boycotting Parliament whenever his case is in court until he is freed.

However, Braimah insists that "MPs make laws. MPs don't interpret laws," and they should remember they were elected to do parliamentary business.

"Our leaders should not be setting bad examples," he emphasized, urging the NDC MPs not to abandon their duties even if they believe Gyakye Quayson is facing political persecution.

The Minority MPs remain defiant, saying they will keep boycotting proceedings to show solidarity with Gyakye Quayson, who they believe is being unfairly targeted due to the NPP's slim majority in Parliament.
At around 11am Friday, the Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire in the Shushi region of Artsakh Republic by using mortars and grenade launchers as well, in addition to firearms.

July 14, 2023, 11:28 Artsakh MoD: Azerbaijan violated ceasefire in Shushi region, used mortars and grenade launchers also

STEPANAKERT, JULY 14, ARTSAKHPRESS: There are no losses on the Armenian side, the Artsakh Ministry of Defense press service informs.

About the incident was reported to the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh.
At 1:40pm Friday, the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire again in the direction of the plant being built with foreign investments in Yeraskh village of Armenias Ararat Province.

July 14, 2023, 14:28 Azerbaijan fires again at Armenias Yeraskh village plant being built with foreign investments

STEPANAKERT, JULY 14, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Ministry of Defense of Armenia reported.
Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG  Get Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Barclays from $42.00 to $39.00 in a report issued on Friday, FlyOnTheWall reports. Barclayss price objective suggests a potential upside of 17.61% from the companys previous close.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on CAG. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Conagra Brands from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Conagra Brands from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $46.00 to $38.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Conagra Brands from $43.00 to $39.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Conagra Brands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, May 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $38.00 to $36.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Conagra Brands currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $38.77.

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Conagra Brands Stock Up 0.5 %

CAG stock opened at $33.16 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $15.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.86, a PEG ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. Conagra Brands has a twelve month low of $32.30 and a twelve month high of $41.30. The companys 50 day moving average is $34.80 and its two-hundred day moving average is $36.48.

Institutional Trading of Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands ( NYSE:CAG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 13th. The company reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.02. Conagra Brands had a net margin of 6.59% and a return on equity of 15.34%. The firm had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.65 EPS. Conagra Brandss revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Conagra Brands will post 2.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of CAG. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS lifted its holdings in Conagra Brands by 6.6% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 64,185 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,155,000 after acquiring an additional 3,975 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can increased its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 309,389 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,942,000 after purchasing an additional 1,186 shares in the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp lifted its stake in shares of Conagra Brands by 3.7% in the first quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 22,548 shares of the companys stock valued at $758,000 after purchasing an additional 807 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its holdings in Conagra Brands by 19.8% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 27,151 shares of the companys stock worth $911,000 after buying an additional 4,487 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH grew its position in Conagra Brands by 509.0% during the first quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 366,225 shares of the companys stock worth $12,294,000 after buying an additional 306,086 shares during the period. 88.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Conagra Brands Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Conagra Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company in North America. The company operates in four segments: Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels in the United States.

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Credit Suisse AG cut its position in shares of Brookfield Renewable Co. (NYSE:BEPC  Free Report) by 3.1% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 165,730 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,254 shares during the quarter. Credit Suisse AG owned approximately 0.10% of Brookfield Renewable worth $5,792,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Raymond James & Associates raised its stake in Brookfield Renewable by 30.7% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 90,746 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,975,000 after acquiring an additional 21,313 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in Brookfield Renewable by 1.3% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 417,541 shares of the companys stock worth $18,288,000 after purchasing an additional 5,254 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. bought a new position in Brookfield Renewable in the 1st quarter valued at about $261,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp increased its stake in Brookfield Renewable by 154.7% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 3,601 shares of the companys stock valued at $158,000 after buying an additional 2,187 shares during the period. Finally, Citigroup Inc. raised its position in shares of Brookfield Renewable by 33.4% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 33,511 shares of the companys stock worth $1,464,000 after buying an additional 8,391 shares in the last quarter. 66.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Brookfield Renewable Trading Down 0.9 %

Brookfield Renewable stock traded down $0.28 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $32.15. The company had a trading volume of 122,708 shares, compared to its average volume of 607,167. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. Brookfield Renewable Co. has a fifty-two week low of $27.19 and a fifty-two week high of $42.97. The firms fifty day moving average is $33.45 and its 200-day moving average is $31.79.

Brookfield Renewable Dividend Announcement

Brookfield Renewable ( NYSE:BEPC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 5th. The company reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter. Brookfield Renewable had a return on equity of 1.88% and a net margin of 5.75%. The business had revenue of $1.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.21 billion. Research analysts anticipate that Brookfield Renewable Co. will post -0.36 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 31st were issued a $0.338 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 30th. This represents a $1.35 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.21%. Brookfield Renewables dividend payout ratio is currently -254.72%.

About Brookfield Renewable

(Free Report)

Brookfield Renewable Corporation owns and operates a portfolio of renewable power and sustainable solution assets primarily in the United States, Europe, Colombia, and Brazil. It operates hydroelectric, wind, and solar power plants with an installed capacity of approximately 12,857 megawatts. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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Shares of CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities Limited (LON:CCPG  Get Free Report) dropped 2.7% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 93.20 ($1.20) and last traded at GBX 93.20 ($1.20). Approximately 174,302 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 28% from the average daily volume of 135,646 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 95.80 ($1.23).

CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities Stock Performance

The businesss 50 day moving average is GBX 93.20 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 92.74.

About CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities

(Get Free Report)

CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities Limited is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund of fund launched by Goldman Sachs International. The fund is managed by CVC Credit Partners Investment Management Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets of Western Europe. The fund seeks to invest in securities of companies across diversified sectors.

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EFG Asset Management North America Corp. grew its position in Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:MOH  Free Report) by 9.4% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 15,336 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,317 shares during the quarter. EFG Asset Management North America Corp.s holdings in Molina Healthcare were worth $4,100,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MOH. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new stake in shares of Molina Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Accurate Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Molina Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $35,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Molina Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Molina Healthcare in the 1st quarter worth $40,000. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its position in shares of Molina Healthcare by 85.9% in the 1st quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 132 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. 95.09% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Molina Healthcare Stock Up 2.8 %

Shares of MOH traded up $8.02 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $297.70. 136,268 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 509,486. Molina Healthcare, Inc. has a 1-year low of $256.19 and a 1-year high of $374.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The company has a market capitalization of $17.36 billion, a PE ratio of 19.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.70. The business has a 50 day moving average of $288.43 and a 200 day moving average of $289.90.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Molina Healthcare ( NYSE:MOH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The company reported $5.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.13 by $0.68. Molina Healthcare had a net margin of 2.64% and a return on equity of 36.20%. The firm had revenue of $8.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.31 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.90 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Molina Healthcare, Inc. will post 20.3 EPS for the current year.

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Truist Financial reduced their price target on Molina Healthcare from $380.00 to $365.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on Molina Healthcare from $365.00 to $335.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Molina Healthcare in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. They issued an overweight rating and a $354.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Molina Healthcare from $307.00 to $282.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Molina Healthcare from $348.00 to $341.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Molina Healthcare currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $352.92.

Molina Healthcare Profile

(Free Report)

Molina Healthcare, Inc provides managed healthcare services to low-income families and individuals under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. It operates in four segments, Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplace, and Other. The company served in across 19 states. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Long Beach, California.

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Ensign Energy Services (TSE:ESI  Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by CIBC from C$4.25 to C$3.50 in a research note issued to investors on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. CIBCs price target would suggest a potential upside of 61.29% from the companys previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on ESI. ATB Capital decreased their price target on Ensign Energy Services from C$8.50 to C$8.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 5th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on Ensign Energy Services from C$3.00 to C$2.50 in a research report on Thursday, June 15th. Raymond James raised Ensign Energy Services from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and decreased their price target for the company from C$6.25 to C$4.75 in a research report on Thursday, May 25th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Ensign Energy Services from C$4.00 to C$3.00 in a research report on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Ensign Energy Services from C$4.50 to C$4.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Ensign Energy Services currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$4.37.

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Ensign Energy Services Stock Up 0.5 %

TSE:ESI traded up C$0.01 on Friday, hitting C$2.17. The stock had a trading volume of 313,432 shares, compared to its average volume of 385,383. The company has a market cap of C$399.06 million, a PE ratio of 73.00, a P/E/G ratio of 202.94 and a beta of 3.10. Ensign Energy Services has a 52 week low of C$1.77 and a 52 week high of C$4.11. The businesss fifty day moving average is C$2.07 and its 200 day moving average is C$2.90. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 109.69.

Ensign Energy Services Company Profile

Ensign Energy Services ( TSE:ESI Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 8th. The company reported C$0.02 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$0.13 by C($0.11). The company had revenue of C$484.05 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$499.00 million. Ensign Energy Services had a return on equity of 0.50% and a net margin of 0.33%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Ensign Energy Services will post 0.1799486 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

Ensign Energy Services Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industries in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company offers shallow, intermediate, and deep well drilling, as well as specialized drilling services, including horizontal, underbalanced, horizontal re-entry, and slant drilling for steam assisted gravity drainage applications; and equipment and services.

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Conning Inc. boosted its stake in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 18.1% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 299,986 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after acquiring an additional 46,045 shares during the quarter. Conning Inc. owned about 0.05% of EOG Resources worth $34,326,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Tejara Capital Ltd purchased a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 4th quarter worth approximately $106,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 196.1% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 9,859,925 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $1,175,599,000 after buying an additional 6,529,464 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 87.8% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 7,787,281 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $1,008,609,000 after buying an additional 3,641,504 shares in the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 126.2% during the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,111,339 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $662,021,000 after buying an additional 2,851,839 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 103,083.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,272,097 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $294,282,000 after buying an additional 2,269,895 shares in the last quarter. 89.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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EOG Resources Trading Down 3.1 %

EOG Resources stock traded down $3.78 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $118.79. The stock had a trading volume of 797,028 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,626,958. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 2.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $69.48 billion, a PE ratio of 7.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.53. EOG Resources, Inc. has a twelve month low of $95.33 and a twelve month high of $150.88. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $112.67 and its 200 day simple moving average is $118.17.

EOG Resources Announces Dividend

EOG Resources ( NYSE:EOG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 5th. The energy exploration company reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.42 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $6.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.28 billion. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 30.34% and a net margin of 33.83%. EOG Resourcess quarterly revenue was up 51.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.00 earnings per share. Analysts expect that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.18 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 17th will be paid a $0.825 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 14th. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.78%. EOG Resourcess payout ratio is currently 20.64%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on EOG shares. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on EOG Resources from $150.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded EOG Resources from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $137.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. Raymond James raised their price objective on EOG Resources from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, April 21st. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on EOG Resources from $147.00 to $138.00 in a research note on Monday, May 15th. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on EOG Resources from $170.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $146.24.

Insider Buying and Selling at EOG Resources

In other EOG Resources news, COO Lloyd W. Helms, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of EOG Resources stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.87, for a total value of $579,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 149,689 shares in the company, valued at $17,344,464.43. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 2,031 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.26, for a total transaction of $238,155.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 37,607 shares in the company, valued at $4,409,796.82. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, COO Lloyd W. Helms, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.87, for a total value of $579,350.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 149,689 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,344,464.43. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About EOG Resources

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, and natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its principal producing areas are in New Mexico and Texas in the United States; and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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Shares of Epwin Group Plc (LON:EPWN  Get Free Report) passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 68.73 ($0.88) and traded as low as GBX 67 ($0.86). Epwin Group shares last traded at GBX 67 ($0.86), with a volume of 34,946 shares.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Shore Capital restated a house stock rating on shares of Epwin Group in a research note on Tuesday, May 23rd.

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Epwin Group Stock Performance

The stocks 50 day simple moving average is GBX 68.60 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 72.81. The company has a market capitalization of 97.10 million, a P/E ratio of 1,116.67 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 121.07, a current ratio of 1.16 and a quick ratio of 0.72.

Insider Activity at Epwin Group

About Epwin Group

In other news, insider Stephen Harrison acquired 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 20th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 76 ($0.98) per share, for a total transaction of 7,600 ($9,777.43). 36.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

(Get Free Report)

Epwin Group Plc manufactures and sells building products in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Extrusion and Moulding, and Fabrication and Distribution. The company offers windows, doors, cavity closers, and curtain walling products; wood plastic composite and aluminium decking products, and panels; glass reinforced plastic prefabricated components, such as door canopies, dormers, chimneys, copings, bay window canopies, and bespoke components; fascias and cladding systems; rainwater, soil, and underground drainage products; bathroom panels/wall boards; and insulated glazing units.

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ESS Tech, Inc. (NYSE:GWH  Get Free Report) traded down 4.1% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $1.74 and last traded at $1.86. 1,670,555 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 17% from the average session volume of 1,432,602 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1.94.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on ESS Tech from $7.00 to $4.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 11th.

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ESS Tech Stock Down 3.5 %

The company has a market capitalization of $294.85 million, a PE ratio of -3.13 and a beta of 1.98. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $1.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $1.58.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ESS Tech

ESS Tech ( NYSE:GWH Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The company reported ($0.14) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.17) by $0.03. ESS Tech had a negative return on equity of 59.78% and a negative net margin of 7,437.68%. The business had revenue of $0.37 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 million. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that ESS Tech, Inc. will post -0.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in GWH. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in ESS Tech by 84.8% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 598,876 shares of the companys stock worth $832,000 after acquiring an additional 274,798 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of ESS Tech by 3.1% in the first quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,249,598 shares of the companys stock worth $1,737,000 after purchasing an additional 37,187 shares during the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP purchased a new stake in ESS Tech in the first quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Deutsche Bank AG lifted its position in ESS Tech by 46.3% during the first quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 51,468 shares of the companys stock valued at $72,000 after purchasing an additional 16,287 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of ESS Tech in the 1st quarter worth $210,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.57% of the companys stock.

About ESS Tech

(Get Free Report)

ESS Tech, Inc, an energy storage company, designs and produces iron flow batteries for commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications worldwide. It offers energy storage products, which include Energy Warehouse, a behind-the-meter solution; and Energy Center, a front-of-the-meter solution. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon.

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Artsakh Republic State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan presented details of the meeting with the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in Artsakh.

July 14, 2023, 17:29 Artsakh State Minister presented the results of the meeting with Russian peacekeepers command

STEPANAKERT, JULY 14, ARTSAKHPRESS: Gurgen Nersisyan said that they agreed with Alexander Lentsov, the commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops, that the peacekeepers will report the situation in Artsakh to the relevant Russian structures on a daily basis.

According to the Minister of State, the command of the peacekeeping mission admits that the provisions of the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020 have been violated. "They admitted that they have work to do to eliminate the humanitarian crisis," added Gurgen Nersisyan.

He added that their arrangement is in force, the residents of Artsakh capital Stepanakert will be returning to Renaissance Square to continue their demonstration there.
EULAV Asset Management grew its holdings in shares of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY  Free Report) by 9.3% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 138,900 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock after purchasing an additional 11,800 shares during the quarter. Teledyne Technologies accounts for approximately 2.4% of EULAV Asset Managements investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. EULAV Asset Managements holdings in Teledyne Technologies were worth $62,138,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Accurate Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Teledyne Technologies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. CVA Family Office LLC bought a new position in shares of Teledyne Technologies in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Teledyne Technologies in the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Beacon Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Teledyne Technologies in the 1st quarter worth $41,000. Finally, FourThought Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Teledyne Technologies by 53.8% in the 3rd quarter. FourThought Financial LLC now owns 140 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. 93.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, VP Melanie Susan Cibik sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $413.00, for a total transaction of $826,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 27,305 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,276,965. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 2.14% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Teledyne Technologies Stock Down 1.1 %

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on TDY. Credit Suisse Group cut their target price on Teledyne Technologies from $503.00 to $499.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Bank of America increased their target price on Teledyne Technologies from $533.00 to $565.00 in a report on Thursday, May 25th. StockNews.com upgraded Teledyne Technologies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 26th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC dropped their price objective on Teledyne Technologies from $498.00 to $470.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $505.50.

NYSE:TDY traded down $4.60 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $411.64. 38,921 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 215,583. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $405.15 and its 200-day simple moving average is $416.80. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated has a one year low of $325.00 and a one year high of $448.71. The company has a market cap of $19.37 billion, a PE ratio of 26.34, a PEG ratio of 3.38 and a beta of 1.07.

Teledyne Technologies (NYSE:TDY  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $4.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.43 by $0.10. Teledyne Technologies had a return on equity of 10.98% and a net margin of 13.67%. The firm had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.37 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.27 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Teledyne Technologies Incorporated will post 19.12 earnings per share for the current year.

About Teledyne Technologies

(Free Report)

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides enabling technologies for industrial growth markets in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and internationally. The company's Instrumentation segment offers monitoring and control instruments for marine, environmental, industrial, and other applications, as well as electronic test and measurement equipment; and power and communications connectivity devices for distributed instrumentation systems and sensor networks.

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Shares of Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE:GOL  Get Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of Reduce from the five brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a hold rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $5.38.

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on GOL shares. StockNews.com started coverage on Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $5.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Thursday, June 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $4.80 to $5.65 in a research note on Monday. HSBC downgraded Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, June 12th. Finally, UBS Group raised Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, March 20th.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 770,439 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,534,000 after purchasing an additional 30,033 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes by 17.6% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 746,833 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,994,000 after purchasing an additional 111,543 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 509,373 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,676,000 after purchasing an additional 25,292 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes by 22.3% during the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 368,996 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,220,000 after acquiring an additional 67,163 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC increased its stake in shares of Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes by 1,141.7% during the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 330,282 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,803,000 after acquiring an additional 303,682 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 0.55% of the companys stock.

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE GOL opened at $4.35 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $909.54 million, a P/E ratio of -1.36 and a beta of 1.37. Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes has a one year low of $2.00 and a one year high of $5.59. The companys fifty day moving average is $4.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $3.15.

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (NYSE:GOL  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The transportation company reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.26 by ($0.13). The business had revenue of $947.13 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $957.08 million. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes will post 0.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes

(Get Free Report

GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA provides scheduled and non-scheduled air transportation services for passengers and cargo; and maintenance services for aircrafts and components in Brazil and internationally. The company offers Smiles, a frequent-flyer programs to approximately 20.5 million members, allowing clients to accumulate and redeem miles.

Further Reading

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Great Lakes Graphite Inc (CVE:GLK  Get Free Report) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$0.03 and traded as high as C$0.04. Great Lakes Graphite shares last traded at C$0.04, with a volume of 73,021 shares trading hands.

Great Lakes Graphite Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of C$4.64 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.75. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of C$0.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$0.04.

Great Lakes Graphite Company Profile

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Great Lakes Graphite Inc, doing business as NovoCarbon Corporation, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Canada. It holds a 100% interest in the Lochaber graphite project, which includes 45 claims covering 2,649 hectares located in the Buckingham Graphite region in Outaouais/Gatineau, Quebec.

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Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. bought a new stake in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund bought 653 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $34,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 7.5% during the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 20,822 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,847,000 after purchasing an additional 1,452 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. grew its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 4.3% during the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 6,263 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $528,000 after acquiring an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 25.4% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 13,064 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,101,000 after acquiring an additional 2,648 shares during the period. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in Charles Schwab by 7.5% during the 1st quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,807 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 267 shares during the period. Finally, Covestor Ltd grew its position in Charles Schwab by 16.6% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,239 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $104,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. 82.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Charles Schwab Stock Performance

Shares of SCHW opened at $59.94 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $106.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.38, a PEG ratio of 5.49 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a 50-day moving average of $53.81 and a two-hundred day moving average of $63.35. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12-month low of $45.00 and a 12-month high of $86.63. The company has a current ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

Charles Schwab Announces Dividend

Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $5.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.13 billion. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 34.82% and a return on equity of 27.83%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.77 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.19 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 26th. Investors of record on Friday, May 12th were given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 11th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.67%. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is presently 27.32%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 77,640 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.76, for a total value of $4,018,646.40. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 59,771,278 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,093,761,349.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 6.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on SCHW. Wolfe Research decreased their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $62.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Monday, June 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on Charles Schwab from $75.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $89.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Charles Schwab from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $99.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. Finally, JMP Securities raised shares of Charles Schwab from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $73.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $67.23.

Charles Schwab Profile

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Endeavour Silver (NYSE:EXK  Get Free Report) (TSE:EDR) had its price objective hoisted by investment analysts at HC Wainwright from $5.50 to $8.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, FlyOnTheWall reports. HC Wainwrights target price points to a potential upside of 143.16% from the stocks current price. HC Wainwright also issued estimates for Endeavour Silvers FY2023 earnings at $0.12 EPS.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on EXK. TheStreet upgraded Endeavour Silver from a d+ rating to a c rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Endeavour Silver in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a sell rating on the stock. Finally, Alliance Global Partners boosted their target price on Endeavour Silver from $5.25 to $5.75 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, April 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Endeavour Silver has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $6.25.

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Endeavour Silver Trading Up 2.2 %

EXK stock opened at $3.29 on Wednesday. Endeavour Silver has a 1-year low of $2.47 and a 1-year high of $4.55. The firm has a market cap of $630.07 million, a P/E ratio of -329.00 and a beta of 1.41. The businesss 50 day moving average is $3.15 and its 200-day moving average is $3.39. The company has a current ratio of 3.02, a quick ratio of 2.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Endeavour Silver ( NYSE:EXK Get Free Report ) (TSE:EDR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 10th. The mining company reported $0.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.02 by $0.03. Endeavour Silver had a return on equity of 3.32% and a net margin of 0.48%. The company had revenue of $55.46 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $50.31 million. Equities analysts anticipate that Endeavour Silver will post 0.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Citigroup Inc. acquired a new position in Endeavour Silver during the 1st quarter worth $35,000. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in Endeavour Silver by 49.1% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 9,017 shares of the mining companys stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 2,971 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Endeavour Silver during the 1st quarter worth $49,000. Advisory Services Network LLC lifted its holdings in Endeavour Silver by 2,000.0% during the 1st quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 10,500 shares of the mining companys stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 10,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. acquired a new position in Endeavour Silver during the 1st quarter worth $55,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 27.69% of the companys stock.

Endeavour Silver Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Endeavour Silver Corp., a silver mining company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, extraction, processing, refining, and reclamation of mineral properties in Mexico and Chile. The company explores for gold and silver deposits, and precious metals. The company was formerly known as Endeavour Gold Corp.

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The body is thought to have washed up from the ocean (Solar Pix)

A headless child's body has been found on a Spanish beach.

The youngster is believed to be only between two and three years of age and the remains were discovered at a beach in the Costa Dorada resort of Roda de Bera, Tarragona.

Police were alerted this morning after the body was found by a council cleaner at around 11.30am local time.

As well as its head, the body of the child reportedly has other parts missing too and is thought to have washed onto the beach from the water.

The area has been cordoned off while Civil Guard officers investigate.

According to the local press, Roda de Bera mayor Pere Virgili said the youngster could have been on a migrant boat which capsized in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to El Pais, Mr Virgili said: "An operator has seen what he thought was a two or three-year-old child.

"He is not wearing the proper clothing for being on the beach. He was wearing a bodysuit, a kind of tracksuit and a jacket."

A spokesman for the Civil Guard said: "All we can confirm at the moment is that the body of a baby has been found at Roda de Bera beach in the province of Tarragona.

"The alarm was raised at 8.50am this morning. The matter is still under investigation."

The body is in such a state of decomposition that it was first mistaken for a doll and so was not reported to the police initially.

An autopsy is expected to take place in the coming hours to find the cause of death.

A court spokesman said: A court of instruction, Court of Instruction number 7 in El Vendrell which is acting as a duty court, has today authorised the removal of a body found on a beach in Roda de Bera.

The judge has opened the corresponding inquiry and is awaiting receipt of the corresponding forensic and police reports.

We do not have any extra information we can make public at this moment in time.
The video of the young drivers filmed on a Brisbane highway has been described as 'utterly stupid'.

A group of young men have been caught in a wildly dangerous stunt while driving down a highway in Brisbane, with the entire act captured on a motorcyclist's body camera and uploaded online.

The footage shows the motorbike rider in the left lane with open road ahead of him when a black Mazda flies past with passengers hanging out of the vehicle on either side.

The driver's red P-plate can be seen flapping in the wind at the rear of the vehicle as a young man in the passenger side hangs his foot centimetres from the road, mimicking the actions of a riding a push-powered scooter.

The dangerous stunt was caught on the motorcyclist's body camera while travelling along a highway in Brisbane. Source: Reddit

The men smile and wave at the motorcyclist as they pass him, before clambering back inside the car.

The motorbike rider then speeds up and the men re-emerge from the car, before one precariously leans over and high fives the motorcyclist as the others in the car erupt with delighted cheers.

The video was uploaded online with the caption: "Average day in Australia".

Dangerous behaviour slammed online: 'Stupid'

Unsurprisingly the video generated strong reactions online with many shocked at the "idiotic behaviour" exhibited by both the car passengers and the motorcyclist.

"I know someone who died doing the exact same thing... it's not cool or funny, it's bloody dangerous," one user wrote on Reddit, while another branded the behaviour "utterly stupid".

The Queensland government strongly advises against passengers travelling with any part of their body outside a window or door of the vehicle.

"You must not get off, or out of, a moving motor vehicle," the state government's website reads under the common road rules section.

"The only time part of your body may protrude outside the vehicle is when you are driving and using a hand signal to show you are about to stop, slow down or about to turn, move right or make a U-turn."

Other than indicating an upcoming manoeuvre to fellow motorists, there is "no reason" for drivers or passengers to have their body outside of a moving vehicle  with hefty fines applying if individuals simply wave their friends goodbye out of the window.

Drivers and passengers need to apply common sense, its not only illegal but downright dangerous, NRMA Road Safety Expert Dimitra Vlahomitros told Yahoo News Australia in 2019.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Whitecap Resources (TSE:WCP  Get Free Report) had its price objective dropped by investment analysts at Raymond James from C$16.00 to C$15.00 in a report issued on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. Raymond James price objective would indicate a potential upside of 55.12% from the stocks current price.

WCP has been the subject of several other research reports. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Whitecap Resources from C$14.00 to C$13.00 in a research report on Friday, June 30th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on shares of Whitecap Resources from C$15.00 to C$14.50 in a report on Wednesday, March 29th. ATB Capital lowered their target price on shares of Whitecap Resources from C$16.00 to C$15.00 in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Finally, National Bankshares raised their target price on shares of Whitecap Resources from C$15.50 to C$16.50 in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$14.78.

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Whitecap Resources Stock Performance

Shares of TSE WCP traded down C$0.17 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching C$9.67. 593,733 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,995,421. The companys 50-day simple moving average is C$9.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$10.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.28. The stock has a market capitalization of C$5.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.57, a P/E/G ratio of -0.33 and a beta of 2.89. Whitecap Resources has a twelve month low of C$8.00 and a twelve month high of C$11.52.

Insider Buying and Selling at Whitecap Resources

Whitecap Resources ( TSE:WCP Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The company reported C$0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$0.33 by C$0.10. Whitecap Resources had a net margin of 33.46% and a return on equity of 26.68%. The company had revenue of C$952.60 million for the quarter. As a group, research analysts predict that Whitecap Resources will post 1.2392157 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, Director Vineeta Maguire purchased 10,683 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 21st. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$9.36 per share, for a total transaction of C$99,992.88. Corporate insiders own 0.74% of the companys stock.

Whitecap Resources Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Whitecap Resources Inc, an oil and gas company, focuses on the acquisition, development, and production of oil and gas assets in Western Canada. The company's primary areas of focus of its development programs are in Northern Alberta and British Columbia, Central Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Whitecap Resources Inc is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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CP ALL Public (OTCMKTS:CPPCY  Get Free Report) is one of 62 publicly-traded companies in the Grocery Stores industry, but how does it compare to its rivals? We will compare CP ALL Public to related businesses based on the strength of its valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, dividends and risk.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

45.3% of shares of all Grocery Stores companies are held by institutional investors. 22.8% of shares of all Grocery Stores companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

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Dividends

CP ALL Public pays an annual dividend of $7.25 per share and has a dividend yield of 42.0%. CP ALL Public pays out 66.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Grocery Stores companies pay a dividend yield of 4.0% and pay out 62.4% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

Analyst Ratings

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score CP ALL Public 0 0 1 0 3.00 CP ALL Public Competitors 1121 2754 3008 115 2.30

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for CP ALL Public and its rivals, as provided by MarketBeat.

As a group, Grocery Stores companies have a potential upside of 95.19%. Given CP ALL Publics rivals higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe CP ALL Public has less favorable growth aspects than its rivals.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares CP ALL Public and its rivals top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio CP ALL Public N/A N/A 1.59 CP ALL Public Competitors $26.96 billion $611.50 million 194.67

CP ALL Publics rivals have higher revenue and earnings than CP ALL Public. CP ALL Public is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its rivals, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Profitability

This table compares CP ALL Public and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets CP ALL Public N/A N/A N/A CP ALL Public Competitors 1.92% 15.02% 4.91%

Summary

CP ALL Public rivals beat CP ALL Public on 10 of the 13 factors compared.

CP ALL Public Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

CP ALL Public Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates and franchises convenience stores under the 7-Eleven name to other retailers primarily in Thailand. It operates through three segments: Wholesale Business, Retail Business, and Management of Rental Spaces in Shopping Centers. The Wholesale Business segment engages in import, export, and distribution of frozen and chilled food with delivery services and focuses on selling consumer products, including fresh food, dry food, and consumer products under Makro brand. Its Retail Business segment is involved in domestic supply chain, distribution system, logistics network, and brand equity businesses. This segment also sells its products under various domestic, international, and small and medium enterprises brands. The company's Management of Rental Spaces in Shopping Centers segment manages buildings and retail spaces in shopping malls. In addition, the company is involved in sale and maintenance of retail equipment; cash and carry, catalog, and e-commerce businesses; marketing and advertising activities; provision of information technology and research and development services, as well as engaged in bill payment collection, life insurance, and non-life insurance broker business. Further, the company offers educational institution, training, business seminar services, as well as healthcare and medical specialist's consultation services. The company was formerly known as C.P. Seven Eleven Public Company Limited. CP ALL Public Company Limited was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Shares of Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (LON:RBS  Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 120.90 ($1.56) and traded as high as GBX 123.10 ($1.58). Royal Bank of Scotland Group shares last traded at GBX 120.90 ($1.56), with a volume of 11,987,617 shares traded.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group Trading Down 0.4 %

The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 120.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 120.90. The company has a market capitalization of 14.66 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.37.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services to personal, commercial, corporate, and institutional customers worldwide. It operates through Personal & Business Banking, Commercial & Private Banking, RBS International, and NatWest Markets segments.

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Secom Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:SOMLY  Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 13,100 shares, a drop of 66.2% from the June 15th total of 38,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 213,700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Secom Price Performance

OTCMKTS SOMLY traded up $0.12 on Friday, hitting $16.87. 9,729 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 73,491. Secom has a 52-week low of $13.34 and a 52-week high of $17.56. The company has a market capitalization of $15.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.20 and a beta of 0.40. The companys 50-day moving average price is $16.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $15.58.

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Secom (OTCMKTS:SOMLY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 11th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Secom had a return on equity of 7.07% and a net margin of 8.40%. The firm had revenue of $2.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.29 billion. Equities analysts predict that Secom will post 0.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Secom

SECOM CO., LTD. provides security services in Japan and internationally. Its Security Services segment offers static guard, armored car, merchandise, and other services, as well as online security systems; sells security and water-treatment equipment; and operates PFI correctional facilities. The company's Fire Protection Services segment provides building management, automatic fire alarm systems, fire extinguishing systems, other fire protection systems, and related maintenance services to office buildings, plants, tunnels, cultural properties, ships, and residences; and environmental monitoring systems.

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Simplicity Solutions LLC grew its stake in Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL  Free Report) by 1,706.0% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 96,492 shares of the energy companys stock after purchasing an additional 91,149 shares during the period. Simplicity Solutions LLCs holdings in Shell were worth $5,552,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC bought a new stake in shares of Shell in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Shell in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Corrado Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Shell in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Concord Wealth Partners acquired a new position in shares of Shell in the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, Caldwell Sutter Capital Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Shell in the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. 8.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Shell Stock Performance

SHEL stock opened at $62.10 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $59.69 and its 200-day moving average is $59.41. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The company has a market cap of $216.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 0.66. Shell plc has a twelve month low of $44.90 and a twelve month high of $62.75.

Shell Announces Dividend

Shell ( NYSE:SHEL Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The energy company reported $2.78 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.48. The company had revenue of $89.02 billion for the quarter. Shell had a return on equity of 20.91% and a net margin of 11.20%. Equities research analysts forecast that Shell plc will post 9.05 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 26th. Investors of record on Friday, May 19th were given a $0.575 dividend. This represents a $2.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 18th. Shells dividend payout ratio is currently 19.07%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently commented on SHEL. Morgan Stanley raised Shell from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Shell from $75.00 to $67.00 in a report on Tuesday, June 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $2,525.14.

Shell Company 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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Sterling Investment Management LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI  Free Report) (TSE:CNR) by 1.5% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 18,186 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 283 shares during the quarter. Canadian National Railway comprises 1.7% of Sterling Investment Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Sterling Investment Management LLCs holdings in Canadian National Railway were worth $2,145,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of CNI. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway by 2.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 20,007,681 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,683,831,000 after purchasing an additional 554,280 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its stake in Canadian National Railway by 5.3% in the 1st quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 12,333,700 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,655,948,000 after acquiring an additional 625,000 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian National Railway in the 4th quarter valued at about $727,713,000. National Bank of Canada FI boosted its position in shares of Canadian National Railway by 180.5% during the 4th quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 5,977,754 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $709,550,000 after acquiring an additional 3,846,281 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fiera Capital Corp boosted its position in shares of Canadian National Railway by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 5,132,783 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $610,168,000 after acquiring an additional 38,281 shares during the last quarter. 64.89% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on CNI shares. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from $126.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 25th. Argus dropped their price objective on shares of Canadian National Railway from $155.00 to $140.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 26th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Canadian National Railway from $115.00 to $125.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 25th. CIBC lowered their price target on Canadian National Railway from C$185.00 to C$183.00 in a research report on Friday, June 16th. Finally, Desjardins upped their price objective on Canadian National Railway from C$178.00 to C$180.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $144.94.

Canadian National Railway Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of CNI traded down $0.26 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $118.35. 329,736 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,104,771. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $77.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.63, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.91. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $117.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $118.44. Canadian National Railway has a 1 year low of $103.79 and a 1 year high of $129.89.

Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI  Get Free Report) (TSE:CNR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 24th. The transportation company reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.26 by $0.09. Canadian National Railway had a net margin of 30.61% and a return on equity of 25.00%. The company had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.15 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Canadian National Railway will post 5.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Canadian National Railway Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 9th were given a dividend of $0.5835 per share. This represents a $2.33 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.97%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 8th. Canadian National Railways dividend payout ratio is currently 39.30%.

About Canadian National Railway

(Free Report)

Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in rail and related transportation business. The company offers rail services, which include equipment, custom brokage services, transloading and distribution, business development and real estate, and private car storage services; and intermodal services including temperature controlled cargo, port partnership, transloading and distribution, logistic parks, customs brokerage, trucking, and moving grains in containers.

Further Reading

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Sterling Investment Management LLC reduced its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 1.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,237 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 67 shares during the period. The Goldman Sachs Group accounts for approximately 1.4% of Sterling Investment Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. Sterling Investment Management LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $1,713,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Tower View Investment Management & Research LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 224.0% during the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 81 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Accurate Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 109.3% during the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 90 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elequin Securities LLC acquired a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. 76.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Transactions at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 9,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total transaction of $105,570,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 51,676,439 shares in the company, valued at approximately $606,164,629.47. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.67, for a total value of $2,420,839.59. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 4,334 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,441,791.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 9,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total transaction of $105,570,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 51,676,439 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $606,164,629.47. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 34,978,986 shares of company stock valued at $660,057,057. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Performance

GS stock traded down $2.31 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $326.37. 830,049 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,586,057. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $285.15 and a 1-year high of $389.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $108.50 billion, a PE ratio of 11.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.38. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $325.65 and a 200-day simple moving average of $337.87. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The investment management company reported $8.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.14 by $0.65. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 9.84% and a net margin of 13.23%. The business had revenue of $12.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.66 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $10.76 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 25.98 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 1st were issued a $2.50 dividend. This represents a $10.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 31st. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 35.60%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on GS shares. Evercore ISI upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $360.00 to $370.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Credit Suisse Group reiterated an outperform rating and set a $410.00 price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Tuesday, April 11th. JMP Securities cut their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $470.00 to $450.00 in a research note on Monday. UBS Group upgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, April 11th. Finally, Odeon Capital Group raised shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $355.75 target price for the company in a research report on Thursday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $387.73.

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEAMERICAN:AMS  Free Report) in a report released on Tuesday morning. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock.

Separately, TheStreet lowered shares of American Shared Hospital Services from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a report on Monday, May 1st.

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American Shared Hospital Services Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of AMS stock opened at $2.55 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $2.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $2.90. American Shared Hospital Services has a 12-month low of $2.26 and a 12-month high of $3.75. The company has a quick ratio of 3.95, a current ratio of 3.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The firm has a market cap of $15.69 million, a P/E ratio of 12.14 and a beta of 0.86.

Institutional Trading of American Shared Hospital Services

American Shared Hospital Services ( NYSEAMERICAN:AMS Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 12th. The company reported $0.03 EPS for the quarter. American Shared Hospital Services had a net margin of 6.71% and a return on equity of 5.78%. The firm had revenue of $4.93 million for the quarter.

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in AMS. CI Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in American Shared Hospital Services during the 4th quarter valued at about $470,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of American Shared Hospital Services by 4.6% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 166,056 shares of the companys stock valued at $467,000 after acquiring an additional 7,375 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its holdings in American Shared Hospital Services by 73.8% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 45,200 shares of the companys stock worth $127,000 after acquiring an additional 19,200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canton Hathaway LLC raised its holdings in American Shared Hospital Services by 50.0% in the 1st quarter. Canton Hathaway LLC now owns 30,000 shares of the companys stock worth $84,000 after acquiring an additional 10,000 shares during the last quarter. 13.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About American Shared Hospital Services

(Get Free Report)

American Shared Hospital Services provides radiosurgery and radiation therapy equipment to health care providers. The company offers radiosurgery equipment for the Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery, a non-invasive procedure to treat malignant and benign brain tumors, and arteriovenous malformations, as well as for trigeminal neuralgia.

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StockNews.com downgraded shares of Vipshop (NYSE:VIPS  Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on VIPS. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Vipshop from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, June 30th. HSBC upped their target price on Vipshop from $12.50 to $14.40 in a research report on Wednesday, May 24th. Bank of America upped their target price on Vipshop from $15.20 to $17.80 in a research report on Tuesday, May 23rd. Benchmark upped their target price on Vipshop from $15.00 to $19.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 24th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on Vipshop from $18.50 to $20.00 in a research report on Friday, June 30th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $15.67.

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Vipshop Trading Up 3.7 %

Shares of NYSE VIPS opened at $17.38 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $16.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $15.27. The company has a market cap of $10.18 billion, a PE ratio of 10.47 and a beta of 0.50. Vipshop has a 12-month low of $6.36 and a 12-month high of $18.48.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vipshop

Vipshop ( NYSE:VIPS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 23rd. The technology company reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $4.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.77 billion. Vipshop had a return on equity of 18.69% and a net margin of 6.68%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Vipshop will post 1.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Korea Investment CORP raised its stake in Vipshop by 25.3% during the 4th quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 465,972 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $6,356,000 after purchasing an additional 93,983 shares during the period. Bleakley Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Vipshop during the 4th quarter valued at $340,000. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its stake in Vipshop by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 37,600 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $513,000 after purchasing an additional 4,700 shares during the period. CenterBook Partners LP acquired a new stake in Vipshop during the 4th quarter valued at $242,000. Finally, Inspire Investing LLC acquired a new stake in Vipshop during the 1st quarter valued at $508,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.59% of the companys stock.

Vipshop Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Vipshop Holdings Limited operates online platforms in the People's Republic of China. It operates in Vip.com, Shan Shan Outlets, and Others segments. The company offers womenswear, menswear, sportswear, shoes and bags, accessories, baby and children products, skincare and cosmetics, home goods and other lifestyle products, and supermarket products.

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The dream of making Fort Ontario a national park is not over, but U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is hoping to expedite federal recognition of the historic Oswego site.

Gillibrand, D-N.Y., visited Oswego on Friday and announced her push to designate Fort Ontario as a national monument. While naming a new national park requires congressional action, a national monument can be established by the president.

In a letter to President Joe Biden, Gillibrand asked him to use his authority to recognize the landmark.

"Fort Ontario played a critical role in New York's history, but has a special significance for our nation," Gillibrand wrote. "From an important military stronghold to a bastion of refuge and hope, Fort Ontario's past is emblematic of America's story as a resistor of oppression and champion of peace and opportunity. For these reasons, it is my hope that you swiftly take action to designate Fort Ontario as a unit of the national park system."

Fort Ontario's use as a military installation dates back to the French and Indian War. During World War II, the fort housed Holocaust survivors. The Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum is located near the fort in Oswego.

After the end of World War II, Fort Ontario housed veterans and their families. In 1953, it was designated as a state historic site.

There is an ongoing effort to establish Fort Ontario as a national park. Former U.S. Rep. John Katko authored legislation requiring the National Park Service to study whether the site should receive national park status. Gillibrand introduced the bill in the U.S. Senate. Congress approved the bill and it was signed by former President Donald Trump in 2018.

The study began in 2021. According to the National Park Service, a study report is being drafted. The document will be submitted to the Department of the Interior and National Park Service for review, then the final report will be sent to Congress.

But with the study not yet completed, Gillibrand told Biden that she is worried "many of the individuals who lived through some of the most significant moments of Fort Ontario's history will not be around to see its permanent commemoration."

Gillibrand's national monument push received support from state and local officials representing Oswego. The city's mayor, Billy Barlow, said a national monument designation "would allow us to better share our story with the rest of the country." Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, who represents Oswego County, added that it would "enable Fort Ontario to take its rightful place among our country's most cherished monuments."

Katko is also backing Gillibrand's call to designate Fort Ontario as a national monument. In a statement provided by the senator's office, the former congressman praised Gillibrand for her continued support of the fort.

"She has been a great partner in our effort to give this truly historic site all the recognition it deserves," Katko said.

A national monument would not derail plans to designate Fort Ontario as a national park. In 2013, then-President Barack Obama established the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland. The action came as Congress was working to pass legislation to create two national parks honoring Tubman in Auburn and Maryland.

The bill passed in 2014 and Obama signed it into law.
Strategic Investment Advisors MI raised its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (BATS:IEFA  Free Report) by 18.4% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 288,902 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 44,905 shares during the period. iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF comprises approximately 3.5% of Strategic Investment Advisors MIs investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position. Strategic Investment Advisors MIs holdings in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $19,313,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 114,199.2% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 954,128,634 shares of the companys stock worth $58,812,489,000 after purchasing an additional 953,293,870 shares during the period. Cowa LLC lifted its stake in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 7,482.8% in the first quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 7,950,414 shares of the companys stock worth $6,200,000 after acquiring an additional 7,845,566 shares during the period. Grimes & Company Inc. grew its holdings in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 1,053.2% during the 1st quarter. Grimes & Company Inc. now owns 3,754,552 shares of the companys stock worth $250,992,000 after acquiring an additional 3,428,965 shares in the last quarter. Betterment LLC increased its position in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 33.6% during the 4th quarter. Betterment LLC now owns 12,301,643 shares of the companys stock valued at $758,273,000 after purchasing an additional 3,092,198 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 67.3% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 7,268,435 shares of the companys stock valued at $448,971,000 after purchasing an additional 2,924,692 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF Stock Up 1.6 %

IEFA stock traded up $1.07 during trading on Friday, hitting $69.40. 5,639,497 shares of the companys stock traded hands. The firm has a market capitalization of $99.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.29 and a beta of 0.87. iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF has a 1 year low of $56.55 and a 1 year high of $70.84. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $67.59 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.53.

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF Company Profile

The iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI EAFE IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed-market stocks in Europe, Australasia and the Far East, and excludes North America IEFA was launched on Oct 18, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Strategic Investment Advisors MI raised its position in shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 5.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 46,430 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 2,407 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Advisors MIs holdings in Bank of America were worth $1,328,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Curated Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 1.6% during the first quarter. Curated Wealth Partners LLC now owns 38,611 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,104,000 after purchasing an additional 591 shares in the last quarter. United Capital Management of KS Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Bank of America during the first quarter valued at about $255,000. Channel Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bank of America in the 1st quarter valued at about $288,000. Sendero Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Bank of America by 183.2% during the 1st quarter. Sendero Wealth Management LLC now owns 97,853 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,799,000 after acquiring an additional 63,301 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Flputnam Investment Management Co. lifted its position in Bank of America by 21.3% during the first quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 667,146 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $19,080,000 after acquiring an additional 116,944 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.34% of the companys stock.

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Bank of America Stock Down 1.2 %

NYSE:BAC traded down $0.35 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $29.32. The companys stock had a trading volume of 18,513,844 shares, compared to its average volume of 51,588,734. The stock has a market capitalization of $233.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $28.49 and a 200-day moving average of $30.76. Bank of America Co. has a 52-week low of $26.32 and a 52-week high of $38.60.

Bank of America Dividend Announcement

Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.11. Bank of America had a net margin of 21.85% and a return on equity of 11.72%. The business had revenue of $26.26 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.28 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.80 EPS. The companys revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Bank of America Co. will post 3.38 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 2nd were paid a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 1st. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.00%. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio is presently 26.43%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have issued reports on BAC shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Bank of America in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Bank of America from $38.00 to $34.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 10th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Bank of America from $43.00 to $41.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $36.00 to $35.00 in a research note on Friday, May 12th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Bank of America from $38.00 to $33.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $36.72.

Bank of America Profile

(Free Report)

Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans.

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Sylvania Platinum Limited (LON:SLP  Get Free Report)s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 93.33 ($1.20) and traded as low as GBX 67.25 ($0.87). Sylvania Platinum shares last traded at GBX 73 ($0.94), with a volume of 715,199 shares changing hands.

Sylvania Platinum Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of 200.36 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 374.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.05 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 11.05 and a quick ratio of 15.92. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 80.59 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 92.99.

About Sylvania Platinum

(Get Free Report)

Sylvania Platinum Limited primarily engages in the retreatment of platinum group metals (PGM) bearing chrome tailings materials in South Africa and Mauritius. The company produces PGMs, including platinum, palladium, and rhodium. It holds interests in the Sylvania dump operations that comprise six chrome beneficiation and PGM processing plants located in the Eastern and Western Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex; and various mineral asset development projects, including Volspruit and Northern Limb projects located on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex located in South Africa.

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Veritas Investment Partners UK Ltd. lessened its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 28.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,940 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after selling 5,220 shares during the quarter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing comprises about 0.0% of Veritas Investment Partners UK Ltd.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. Veritas Investment Partners UK Ltd.s holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $1,204,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in TSM. Flputnam Investment Management Co. boosted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% during the first quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 63,975 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $5,951,000 after buying an additional 2,016 shares in the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 1,972.7% during the first quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 912 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 868 shares during the last quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 38.4% during the first quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 3,527 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $328,000 after purchasing an additional 978 shares during the last quarter. Matisse Capital acquired a new stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing during the first quarter valued at approximately $328,000. Finally, Sunesis Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing during the first quarter valued at approximately $225,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.41% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com raised Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, June 3rd. Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $110.00 to $118.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 1st. Susquehanna lifted their target price on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $128.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, KGI Securities started coverage on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. They issued an outperform rating on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $104.00.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Stock Up 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE TSM traded up $1.28 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $106.85. The company had a trading volume of 2,521,879 shares, compared to its average volume of 12,192,619. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a current ratio of 2.29. The company has a market capitalization of $554.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.32, a PEG ratio of 3.66 and a beta of 1.08. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $98.05 and a two-hundred day moving average of $91.49. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a 12-month low of $59.43 and a 12-month high of $110.69.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The semiconductor company reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.21 by $0.10. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a net margin of 44.72% and a return on equity of 36.02%. The business had revenue of $16.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.30 billion. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 5.26 EPS for the current year.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 12th. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th will be paid a $0.489 dividend. This is a boost from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.83%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings payout ratio is presently 21.48%.

About Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

(Free Report)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors.

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Telos Capital Management Inc. decreased its position in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 0.9% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 49,014 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 436 shares during the quarter. Travelers Companies accounts for approximately 1.2% of Telos Capital Management Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Telos Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $8,401,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. FWL Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. US Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies in the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc bought a new position in shares of Travelers Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, Motco grew its holdings in shares of Travelers Companies by 75.4% in the 4th quarter. Motco now owns 214 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.06% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on TRV shares. Citigroup raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $182.00 to $186.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, April 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $181.00 to $182.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Barclays raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $179.00 to $185.00 in a report on Thursday, April 20th. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Travelers Companies in a report on Tuesday, June 20th. They set an equal weight rating and a $185.00 price target for the company. Finally, StockNews.com cut Travelers Companies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, June 19th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $194.31.

Travelers Companies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:TRV traded down $2.04 during trading on Friday, reaching $166.18. 577,746 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,377,690. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $149.65 and a 12 month high of $194.51. The firm has a market cap of $38.38 billion, a PE ratio of 14.34, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.60. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $175.65 and a 200-day moving average price of $179.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The insurance provider reported $4.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.64 by $0.47. Travelers Companies had a net margin of 7.41% and a return on equity of 13.41%. The company had revenue of $9.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.98 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.22 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 14.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Travelers Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 9th were given a $1.00 dividend. This represents a $4.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.41%. This is an increase from Travelers Companiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.93. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 8th. Travelers Companiess payout ratio is presently 34.10%.

Travelers Companies declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, April 19th that authorizes the company to buyback $5.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the insurance provider to purchase up to 12.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,246 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.85, for a total value of $1,873,481.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 14,080 shares in the company, valued at $2,574,528. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Travelers Companies news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,246 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.85, for a total transaction of $1,873,481.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 14,080 shares in the company, valued at $2,574,528. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Daniel S. Frey sold 37,316 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $179.08, for a total transaction of $6,682,549.28. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 11,703 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,095,773.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 59,134 shares of company stock worth $10,617,466. Corporate insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Travelers Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

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Tourmaline Oil (TSE:TOU  Get Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by equities researchers at CIBC from C$70.00 to C$75.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. CIBCs price target would suggest a potential upside of 15.78% from the stocks previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on shares of Tourmaline Oil from C$77.00 to C$75.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on shares of Tourmaline Oil from C$75.00 to C$73.00 in a research report on Thursday. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Tourmaline Oil from C$85.00 to C$75.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Veritas Investment Research restated a buy rating on shares of Tourmaline Oil in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, National Bankshares cut their price objective on shares of Tourmaline Oil from C$80.00 to C$75.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Tourmaline Oil currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$84.00.

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Tourmaline Oil Trading Down 1.7 %

Shares of TOU stock traded down C$1.10 during trading on Friday, hitting C$64.78. 426,291 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,689,349. The firm has a market capitalization of C$21.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.49, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 0.47. The firms fifty day moving average price is C$60.28 and its 200-day moving average price is C$60.51. Tourmaline Oil has a 52-week low of C$52.34 and a 52-week high of C$84.33.

Tourmaline Oil Company Profile

Tourmaline Oil ( TSE:TOU Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The company reported C$0.73 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$2.32 by C($1.59). Tourmaline Oil had a net margin of 60.33% and a return on equity of 32.92%. The company had revenue of C$1.20 billion during the quarter. As a group, research analysts forecast that Tourmaline Oil will post 5.3333333 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

Tourmaline Oil Corp. explores for and develops oil and natural gas properties in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It holds interests in properties located in the Alberta Deep Basin, Northeast British Columbia Montney, and the Peace River High Triassic oil complex. The company was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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VAALCO Energy, Inc. (LON:EGY  Get Free Report) rose 3.5% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 315.54 ($4.06) and last traded at GBX 315.54 ($4.06). Approximately 189 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average daily volume of 712 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 305 ($3.92).

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price target on VAALCO Energy from GBX 715 ($9.20) to GBX 700 ($9.01) and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 11th.

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VAALCO Energy Stock Down 0.3 %

The businesss 50 day simple moving average is GBX 311.64 and its 200-day simple moving average is GBX 353.59. The company has a market cap of 324.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 693.18 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.73, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 1.21.

VAALCO Energy Announces Dividend

About VAALCO Energy

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, May 23rd were paid a $0.06 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 1.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 23rd. VAALCO Energys payout ratio is presently 4,545.45%.

(Get Free Report)

VAALCO Energy, Inc, an independent energy company, acquires, explores for, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The company holds Etame production sharing contract related to the Etame Marin block located offshore in the Republic of Gabon in West Africa. It also owns interests in an undeveloped block offshore Equatorial Guinea, West Africa.

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WebSafety Inc. (OTCMKTS:WBSI  Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $0.17 and traded as high as $0.38. WebSafety shares last traded at $0.38, with a volume of 5,212 shares changing hands.

WebSafety Price Performance

The businesss 50-day moving average price is $0.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $0.17.

About WebSafety

(Get Free Report)

WebSafety Inc, a software company, develops mobile apps for Android and iOS mobile operating systems. The company's WebSafety app allows parents to monitor their children's mobile device activities that include downloaded apps, websites visited, social media, GPS tracking, and curfew blocking.

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Otis Worldwide (NYSE:OTIS  Free Report) had its target price boosted by Wells Fargo & Company from $88.00 to $90.00 in a report released on Monday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Several other equities analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Otis Worldwide from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. TheStreet raised shares of Otis Worldwide from a d+ rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Monday, March 20th. HSBC raised their price target on shares of Otis Worldwide from $81.00 to $88.00 in a research report on Friday, June 23rd. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on shares of Otis Worldwide from $79.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Monday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Otis Worldwide presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $86.50.

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Otis Worldwide Stock Performance

NYSE:OTIS opened at $89.06 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.39 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $85.70 and a 200 day moving average price of $83.55. Otis Worldwide has a fifty-two week low of $62.49 and a fifty-two week high of $90.11.

Otis Worldwide Increases Dividend

Otis Worldwide ( NYSE:OTIS Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The company reported $0.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $3.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.26 billion. Otis Worldwide had a net margin of 9.35% and a negative return on equity of 28.04%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.77 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Otis Worldwide will post 3.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 19th were given a dividend of $0.34 per share. This is a boost from Otis Worldwides previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.53%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 18th. Otis Worldwides payout ratio is 44.88%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Otis Worldwide

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of OTIS. American National Bank raised its stake in Otis Worldwide by 1,022.6% during the 4th quarter. American National Bank now owns 348 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 317 shares in the last quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC raised its stake in Otis Worldwide by 95.5% during the 1st quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 389 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in Otis Worldwide during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Otis Worldwide during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Otis Worldwide during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. 96.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Otis Worldwide

(Get Free Report)

Otis Worldwide Corporation engages in the manufacturing, installation, and servicing of elevators and escalators in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, New Equipment and Service. The New Equipment segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs a range of passenger and freight elevators, as well as escalators and moving walkways for residential and commercial buildings, and infrastructure projects.

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Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT  Get Free Report) shot up 2.9% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $4.96 and last traded at $4.94. 494,370 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 76% from the average session volume of 2,053,017 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.80.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have commented on WIT. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered shares of Wipro from a market perform rating to an underperform rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $5.10 to $3.90 in a research note on Wednesday, March 22nd. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Wipro in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of Wipro in a report on Tuesday, May 23rd. They issued an underweight rating and a $4.30 target price on the stock. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Wipro currently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $4.36.

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Wipro Stock Up 3.1 %

The company has a market cap of $27.12 billion, a PE ratio of 18.85, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a quick ratio of 2.46, a current ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $4.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $4.70.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Wipro

Wipro ( NYSE:WIT Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The information technology services provider reported $0.07 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.07. Wipro had a net margin of 12.56% and a return on equity of 15.45%. The business had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.85 billion. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Wipro Limited will post 0.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. 1832 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Wipro in the first quarter valued at $26,000. Spire Wealth Management bought a new position in Wipro during the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Assetmark Inc. bought a new position in Wipro during the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management bought a new position in Wipro during the 1st quarter valued at $48,000. Finally, Enterprise Financial Services Corp bought a new position in Wipro during the 4th quarter valued at $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.20% of the companys stock.

About Wipro

(Get Free Report)

Wipro Limited operates as an information technology (IT), consulting, and business process services company worldwide. It operates through three segments: IT Services, IT Products, and India State Run Enterprise Services (ISRE). The IT Services segment offers IT and IT-enabled services, including digital strategy advisory, customer-centric design, technology and IT consulting, custom application design, development, re-engineering and maintenance, systems integration, package implementation, cloud and infrastructure, business process, cloud, mobility and analytics, research and development, and hardware and software design services to enterprises.

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Press Release

July 14, 2023 Bong Go vows support for pro-poor programs highlighting efforts to bring gov't services closer to the people as establishment of Regional Specialty Centers bill awaits PBBM nod Senator Christopher "Bong" Go lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s accomplishments in the past year as he underscored the urgency of continuing pro-poor programs and initiatives for the benefit of the marginalized sectors in the Philippines, echoing the policy directions of the president. Go also pledged his continued support for the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers. This, following the passage of Regional Specialty Centers Act that he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate, which provides for their creation. The measure is now awaiting the president's signature. In an ambush interview on Tuesday, July 11, after aiding poor residents in Trece Martires City, Cavite, Go highlighted his commitment to ensure sustained funding for healthcare facilities nationwide including the establishment of the Regional Specialty Centers. "It's a multi-year plan. Kasama na po doon sa batas ang pagpopondo rin po na kaya nga po isinabatas natin para hindi po maantala. So ibig sabihin sa 2024 may pondo dapat, sa 2025 mayroon din dapat pong pondo," said Go. The regional specialty centers are intended to be located in Department of Health regional hospitals across the country. Each center will host a different specialty, bringing services such as those available in Metro Manila-based hospitals like the Heart Center, Lung Center, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, closer to the people in the regions. The legislation is an integral part of the health-related legislative agenda of the Marcos administration, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028. "Isa po itong paraan na ilapit natin ang serbisyo medikal sa ating mga kababayan, (lalo na iyong mga mahihirap). Halimbawa, 'yung (may) heart (problems), kailangan pa silang magpaopera sa Maynila sa Heart Center. Ngayon po, doon na lang sila pumunta sa DOH regional hospital. Cancer care, doon na rin po sa mga DOH regional hospital. 'Yun po ang layunin nito na ilapit natin sa mga kababayan natin," he said. Go then expressed his anticipation for continued and increased focus on pro-poor initiatives by the administration in the forthcoming second State of the Nation Address of Marcos scheduled on July 24. "Pro-poor programs po ang gusto kong marinig sa SONA ng ating Pangulo at dapat wala pong mahuli, walang maiwanan po towards our economic recovery," said Go. Reflecting on the harsh effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Go emphasized the necessity of ensuring food security and job creation for all Filipinos, especially those most affected by the health crisis. "Napakaimportante po 'yung tiyan, laman po ng tiyan ng ating mga kababayan. Wala pong dapat magutom," he said. "Trabaho po... at suportado ko po ang ating pangulo sa mga plano niya, 'yung Philippine Development Plan... basta ito po ay makakatulong sa pag-ahon ng ating bansa mula sa COVID-19 pandemic," added Go.
SYRACUSE  The theme of state Sen. John Mannion's congressional campaign launch Thursday was best summarized by state Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, who is supporting his fellow lawmaker's bid for the 22nd district seat.

"He's a good man," Magnarelli, D-Geddes, said. He added, "People, we have to wake up. We have to vote for good people who know their communities and who are going to do the right thing for the people of the state of New York and this nation."

Mannion, D-Geddes, kicked off his campaign at Emerald Cocktail Kitchen in Syracuse's Tipperary Hill neighborhood on Thursday. The site was selected because of his ties to Tipperary Hill  it's where he grew up  and he is friends with the owner, Michele Roesch, who spoke at the event.

Roesch mentioned her family's longstanding relationship with Mannion, but she also highlighted his work on behalf of bars and restaurants, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We need somebody like him down in Washington," she said.

Mannion, who was joined by his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, spoke about the need for a "nontoxic" legislative approach in Congress. He says he has a proven track record  he is in his second term as a state senator representing parts of Onondaga and Oswego counties  and a willingness to work with people, regardless of their political affiliation.

Assemblyman Al Stirpe, a North Syracuse Democrat, told the crowd that he's supporting Mannion because "he is not ideological."

"The problems we have in Washington are because of ideology," Stirpe said. "The reason they can't get things done is because no one can cross the (party line). That's not how John works. He has principles and he runs by those principles. But when the reality on the ground does not exactly match that, he's willing to make a compromise."

Other Democratic elected officials are supporting Mannion for Congress, including Onondaga County legislators Peggy Chase and Mary Kuhn. He has also received union endorsements, with CSEA and New York State United Teachers backing his campaign.

Mannion is a former West Genesee High School biology teacher and was president of the West Genesee Teachers Association.

NYSUT President Melinda Person attended Mannion's launch event. In a statement, she called him "a fierce advocate for public educators and unions."

"As a teacher and NYSUT member, we know John will be the powerful voice in Washington for working class families and strong public schools that central New York deserves," Person said.

Mannion hopes to unseat U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, a Republican, in the 22nd district, which includes all of Onondaga, Madison and Oneida counties, plus a small part of Oswego County. But first he must win the Democratic nomination.

There are two other Democrats in the NY-22 race  Clem Harris, a Utica University professor, and Sarah Klee Hood, a DeWitt town councilor. Klee Hood, D-DeWitt, announced she raised more than $319,000 in the second quarter. She also has national and local endorsements in her bid for Congress.

But Mannion believes he is the best Democrat in the race. Following what others said about him, he told his supporters that "we need good people" to run for office.

"We're driving those people away. I hope I'm one of those good people and I hope you're with me," he said.
Banks in India are looking at startups as a potential business opportunity. Some are exploring partnerships with fintech companies and non-banking financial companies to offer loans to startups and others are investing in them.



Karnataka Bank said it plans to explore co-lending deals aimed at startups.



This is an opportunistic market for us. We are looking at an overall change in the culture of the bank, Srikrishnan H, managing director of the Mangalore-based bank, told Moneycontrol. NBFCs and fintechs which have a strong hold in the digital space will be crucial partners for us to lend to startups.



Also read: 58% startups believe fund-raising will get tougher in 2023, finds survey



Federal bank too is looking at similar partnerships. In February, the bank partnered with Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission and MindEscapes Innovation Center to support the startup ecosystem in Tamil Nadu.



Shyam Srinivasan, MD of Federal Bank, said it may look at co-lending for startups as the market has the opportunity to grow.



Look at the bigger India story. The digital space is thriving and with this, we see growth ahead. For lending to startups, we may look at co-lending partnerships, said Srinivasan.



Supporting startups



Startups generally get funding from angel investors and government schemes or are self-funded. They usually do not seek loans from banks because of criteria such as collateral or guarantees.



Funding to Indian startups plunged to about a fifth in the first five months of 2023 compared to the same period last year due to funding winter.



Some banks have already begun supporting startups. State Bank of India, the countrys largest lender, said in its annual report for FY23 that it had been an active participant in the alternative investment space in the previous financial year and supported startups through direct equity participation.



Also read: Exclusive | Karnataka Bank to become new-age digital bank, push co-lending, says MD CEO



During the year, we sanctioned investments of more than Rs 800 crore in private equity/alternative investment funds, SBI said in the annual report.



Small finance banks too are sensing an opportunity in the startup segment.

Bengaluru is the hub for startups in India, said a senior official at Bengaluru-based Ujjivan Small Finance Bank. We are not looking at co-lending deals now but soon we may explore options as this segment has growth potential.



A report by StrideOne, a tech-enabled NBFC, showed that Indian startups are expected to contribute about 4-5 percent to Indias gross domestic product over the next three to five years, up from 2.5-3 percent currently.



Srinivasan of Federal Bank said that the digital space in India is only expected to grow and with the changes in the business models of some digital startups, there is an opportunity to explore.



If a company has a model which has the ability to stay, there is an opportunity, Srinivasan said.



Some big banks have dedicated branches for startups. SBI has five startup branches in Hyderabad, four in Mumbai, three in Gurugram and one in Bengaluru, among other cities, according to press releases.



Some banks have dedicated platforms and services catering to the credit demands of startups.



ICICI Bank, the countrys second-largest private sector lender, said in March it was bringing out a bouquet of digital and physical solutions for startups through its domestic and international networks, and its branch at GIFT City.



The executive from Ujjivan SFB highlighted that for small banks, setting up a branch raises operational costs.



Co-lending partnerships are a way around for these banks to work around lending operations, the executive said.



Srikrishnan of Karnataka Bank said NBFCs that are more digital can be a good option for partnerships.



Digital is the space where we see the opportunity, he said.



Venture debt firm InnoVen Capital, in its India Startup Outlook Report, said that 58 percent of startup founders expect 2023 to pose more challenges vis-a-vis funding. The report showed that only 53 percent of the founders said they had a positive fundraising experience (71 percent of those who attempted to raise funds), down from 92 percent in 2021.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO K Krithivasan remains unconcerned about the financial gains from the recent major deal with the government-owned telecom company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). Instead, the company's objective is focused on "nation building," aligning with TCS's strategic approach to government projects, which emphasises more than just profit margins.



During an interview with Moneycontrol, Krithivasan stated, "When considering the aspect of making money from the BSNL deal, there are two dimensions to consider. In the case of India, our perspective goes beyond mere financial gains. We consider ourselves an integral part of the nation-building process. We embrace this responsibility wholeheartedly, with our primary focus being on contributing to the development of our nation."



And so we believe that if TCS cannot do it who else can. For certain programs which nobody else can do, we cannot be asking whether we are making money, as long as we are not losing money, he added.



A consortium led by TCS recently bagged an Advance Purchase Order (APO) valued at over Rs 15,000 crore (around $1.8 billion) from BSNL to deploy 4G networks across India. The consortium also includes Tata Group's telecom gear-making company Tejas Networks, which will be responsible for supplying and servicing the Radio Access Networks (RAN) equipment.



TCS approach towards government projects has always been a bit different compared to its other IT companies. The company has shown a better track record and success rate too in the industry for running public-facing government services portals.



TCS uses these projects as training grounds to learn from the complexity and replicate this in projects for various countries. The IT services firm doesnt focus on profit margins alone for such deals, the key takeaway remains the understanding of scale that comes from working on these projects.



It already successfully runs the Indian Railways IRCTC site, and India Posts digital project. TCS' contract for running the Passport Seva Programme was renewed last year in a deal worth Rs. 8,000 crores, according to industry sources.



While for the overall IT services sector where the US and Europe are the key markets, India contributes less than 5 percent of the top IT firms revenue. Among them, TCS reported the highest contribution of revenue coming from India at 5 percent in FY23.



In comparison, Infosys earned 3.2 percent and Wipro reported 4 percent revenue from India respectively in FY23.



TCS reported its earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 on July 12. The companys performance remained muted on several counts amid increasing pressure in key segments such as financial services, hi-tech and telecom. The EBIT margins too were 130 bps to 23.2% on a QoQ basis, far from its aspirational 26-28% range.



The companys revenue in dollar terms stood at $7.22 billion, in line with analyst estimates. Overall revenue growth for Q1 came in at 0.4 percent, its slowest in a decade excluding the Covid period, but the subdued earnings were on expected lines.
After a strong listing on bourses, shares of Senco Gold saw some profit booking, which was on the expected lines. Most analysts were also of the opinion that selling a part of the allotment was a good idea even as the long-term growth prospect for the firm looks solid.



The Kolkata-based jewellery retailer listed at a 35.96 percent premium on July 14 at Rs 431 apiece. As of 12 noon, it traded at Rs 410, down about 5 percent from the listing price.



We recommend booking partial profit and holding the remaining allotment for the long term as the company has a strong brand name with heritage and a legacy of over five decades, said Astha Jain, Senior Research Analyst at Hem Securities. We like the business model of the company & growth rate at which the company has grown its topline and bottomline over the period of time. Also, looking after the peer comparison, we find valuations reasonable too.



Sencos shares were issued at a discount to listed peers based on FY23 financials. At about 15 times its earnings, Seco Gold was available much cheaper than Titans 83.5x P/E and Kalyan Jewellerss 35x during the initial public offer.



No wonder the issue received an overwhelming response from investors, subscribing over 73 times during July 4-6, the second highest subscription after Ideaforge Technologies in the current calendar year. This also led to demand during the listing.



While we have a positive view of the stock, we do not recommend a fresh buy on listing day, as the stock is likely to be priced at a higher premium, said Anubhuti Mishra, Equity Research Analyst at Swastika Investmart. However, existing investors can hold the shares for the long term, as the company has good growth prospects.



The companys financials were also robust, said analysts, adding that its dominant market position in eastern India, diversified product offerings and well-managed operations were some of the positive drivers. However, a high working capital requirement was a key risk.



Analysts at Choice Broking forecast an 8.5 percent CAGR expansion in the jewellery showroom network and an 8.1 percent CAGR increase in the retail sales area under operations over FY23-25. It expects consolidated operating revenue to be at Rs 5,334.2 crore in FY25, a growth of 14.4 percent CAGR from FY23 level. EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) and PAT are likely to expand by 26bps and 17bps, respectively, to at 8 percent and 4.1 percent in FY25, the brokerage said.



Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP Research at Mehta Equities, said that reasonably discounted ask valuations are leaving something on the table for new investors when compared to its peers. However, he also sees few risks in highly competitive sectors, fragmented and regulated businesses.



Hence considering historic industry trends and economic rationales in the segment of Gold and Diamond Jewellery business, we recommend allotted investors to book profits if the stock delivers 40 percent returns, Tapse said.



Manish Chowdhury, Head of Research at StoxBox was among those analysts who believe it was better to hold onto the stock as the long-term growth prospects outshine short-term risks.



Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
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Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the country, were selling like hotcakes in May and June. Yet, fund managers seem to have passed an opportunity in an attempt at what is widely trumpeted as timing the market.



In the past two months, HAL was among the most sold by Asset Management Companies (AMCs). Fund managers sold 28 lakh HAL shares in May and 45 lakh in June. This was after the buying seen in January and March. AMCs bought 16 lakh shares in January and 40 lakh in March.



Fund managers appear to have certainly missed the bus, and now the stock seems to be poking fun at fund managers climbing to Rs 3,792 as of June 30 from Rs 2,712 on April 3. That is a good 40 percent surge! Infact, the stock hit record high on July 11 at Rs 3917.45.



Now that screams Plot twist!







What ignited the selling fire?



The defence PSEs stock has rallied 37 percent in the past three months and shot up over 120 percent within a year.



HAL has had a spectacular run over the last year. We started adding HAL to our portfolios from the last quarter of 2022, said Soumitra Sengupta, smallcase Manager and Founder, Lamron Investments.



Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) have not been very popular with AMCs because of issues relating to efficiency and productivity. There is a general perception that PSEs are poorly managed. And so, AMCs are reluctant to give a high growth premium to PSEs, he explained.



HAL has had a good run since its listing, growing 4.5 times over the last three years. Even after its Offer For Sale (OFS) in March 2023, the stock has rallied by nearly 60 percent, noted Mehul Parikh, smallcase manager and Investment Specialist, Rupeeting.



It looks like the sell-off in HAL over the last couple of months has been a result of richer valuations, and profit booking. The sharp rally in the markets over the last quarter, coupled with the steep outperformance of defence stocks, seems to have resulted in the selling, said Parikh.



Read more | Investors in this SME IPO got full allotment despite oversubscription. Heres what happened



Taking stock of current market sentiment



The company has a healthy order book at approximately Rs 82,000 crore, which is three times its FY23 revenue, led by large-scale orders in manufacturing aircraft and helicopters.



Interestingly, PhillipCapital highlighted that HAL has an order pipeline of $48 billion spread over the next ten years for products that it has already developed.







India's depleting squadron count, currently at 31 instead of the desired 42, is the primary driver of the demand for fighter aircraft. MIGs (21 and 27), which account for 40 percent of India's fighter fleet, will be phased out by 2025-26 and need to be replaced with single-engine fighter aircraft such as the LCA Tejas. In the helicopter segment, HAL has clear visibility for LCHs (light combat helicopters) and LUHs (light utility helicopters), explained the brokerage firm.



While manufacturing is a key segment for the defence player, repair and overhaul (ROH) is another segment that should gain traction as delivery of more than 250 Su-30s and over 300 ALHs is complete. These would be up for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) in the next few years. This, along with a healthy order pipeline, makes PhillipCapital positive on the defence player.



About 75 percent of the companys order book comes from the manufacturing business and 23 percent from ROH.



Continuous order inflows in the MRO industry will be closely observed by analysts. ICICI Securities is of the view that the successful implementation of significant orders and ongoing expansion in the MRO sector will contribute to a double-digit increase in revenue from FY25 onward.



HAL plays a crucial role in the Indian defence forces aircraft, with its manufactured aircraft and helicopters constituting a significant portion. It supports approximately 75 percent of the Air Force's aircraft , 66 percent of the Navy's fleet, and all of the aircraft belonging to the Army and Coast Guard. HAL generates a significant portion of its revenue from the ROH business, driven primarily by the Sukhoi fleet. The company specialises in MRO services for military aircraft.



Coming to the highly anticipated pact between the company and US-based General Electric, if this agreement is successfully concluded, it would represent a major breakthrough in technology transfer from advanced countries, particularly the US, which would pave the way for future strategic alliances and partnerships. GE and HAL may co-manufacture jet engines in India, for fighter jets such as the Tejas Mark 2.



Besides, according to media reports, a series of high-level engagements has taken place with friendly nations such as Egypt, Argentina, Indonesia, and Malaysia, which should potentially translate into some orders for HAL.



Read more | Why Prashant Khemka thinks holding even over 100 stocks in portfolio is okay



Management guidance



The company sees itself maintaining revenue growth at 8-9 percent in FY24. For FY25, it expects revenue to grow in double digits, mainly led by execution of LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas MK1A.



From FY26 onwards, revenue growth is likely to stabilise at 12-13 percent, HAL had said in its latest earnings conference call with analysts.



Coming to profitability, it sees the operating margin (including other income) at 26-27 percent in the coming periods.







Are all the positives baked in?



The entire defence sector appears to be undergoing a rerating, and Sengupta of Lamron Investments believes that all positives are yet to be factored into the share price.



While Parikh believes that most of the positives are already reflected in the stock's price, he remains optimistic about the potential for additional gains. This is due to the government's commitment to modernise India's aircraft fleet and the success of domestic platforms such as Tejas, which align with the Make in India initiative. Parikh also emphasised that factors supporting further growth have the capacity to drive both earnings and valuations even further.



Are expensive valuations justified?



The current PE multiple is 22.1, which is not low but does not suggest an outrageous valuation, while the Return on Capital Employed is 30.6 percent, which is why the current valuation appears to be justified, said Sengupta.







Parikh pointed out that HAL is currently trading at 16 times one-year forward earnings, for a 16% PAT CAGR over the next two years. He believes there are multiple reasons to justify the premium stock valuation, such as HAL being a monopoly, having high visibility given its robust order book, and strong return ratios. Moreover, he believes the presence of long-term tailwinds is another reason for premium valuations to sustain.



That said, the stock price doesnt scream overpriced, even at current levels, said Parikh.



Another reason HAL deserves a premium, according to PhillipCapital, is that the defence company has transitioned from licensed programmes to self-designed programmes like LCAs.



Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana on Friday said at least 62 villages located within the inner line reserved forest along Assam's border fall within its territory.



For years, Mizoram has been claiming that a 509 square-mile (1,318 square kilometres) area of inner line reserved forest under the 1875 Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) as its actual boundary. For years, Mizoram has been claiming that a 509 square-mile (1,318 square kilometres) area of inner line reserved forest under the 1875 Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) as its actual boundary.



Assam, on the other hand, claims that the boundary as per the Survey of India's map of 1933 is the constitutional boundary. Three districts of Mizoram  Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit  share a 164.6 km long inter-state border with three Assam districts  Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj. Three districts of Mizoram  Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit  share a 164.6 km long inter-state border with three Assam districts  Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj.



Lalchamliana said Mizoram had submitted its claim to the Assam government in February. "We submitted our claim to Assam in February. We are waiting a response from them," the home minister told PTI. He said the next round of border talks with Assam is yet to be decided. He said the next round of border talks with Assam is yet to be decided.



Mizoram and Assam have held 3 rounds of ministerial-level talks to resolve the long pending inter-state border dispute. In addition, the two neighbouring states have also held virtual meetings on several occasions. In addition, the two neighbouring states have also held virtual meetings on several occasions.



The dispute had taken an ugly turn in July 2021 when police forces of the two states exchanged fire at the inter-state boundary, leading to the death of six policemen and a civilian from Assam.



More than 60 people were also injured in the violent clash that took place in the disputed area near Mizoram's Vairengte village. Following the incident, the two neighbouring states began high-level delegation talks from August 2021 to resolve the vexed border dispute. Following the incident, the two neighbouring states began high-level delegation talks from August 2021 to resolve the vexed border dispute.



In the last border talks held in Guwahati in November 2022, both delegations had decided that Mizoram will furnish the list of villages, their areas, geo-spatial extent, and ethnicity of the people and other relevant information within three months to support its claim which can be examined by setting up regional committees from both sides to arrive at an amicable resolution to the vexed border issue.



In January, the Mizoram government had formed a study group and submitted its claim next month.



Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma had also met twice in New Delhi in November 2021 and September last year to find an amicable solution to the border dispute.
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The Maharashtra government has given final approval to the appointment of Adani Properties for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Asia's largest slum cluster located in Central Mumbai, the financial capital of the country.



On November 29, the Maharashtra government authorities opened the financial bids for the Dharavi redevelopment project. Three companies, namely Adani Realty, DLF, and Naman Group, had submitted bids for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of slum dwellers in Dharavi. After multiple failed attempts in the last 15 years, the selection of the successful bidder marks the beginning of the Dharavi redevelopment project.



The winner of the project, which is valued at over Rs 20,000 crore, was determined based on the highest initial investment pledge. The Maharashtra government aims to complete the project within the next 17 years and carry out rehabilitation over the course of the next seven years.



Also read: Noida Authority asks real estate developers to open escrow accounts; aims to recover Rs 7,000 cr dues



In a government resolution (GR) dated July 13, 2023, the Maharashtra Housing Department granted final approval for the appointment of Adani Properties for the redevelopment of Dharavi.



Following a failed attempt in 2019, the state government floated a global tender for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of Dharavi on October 1.



Dharavi, spread across 300 acres, is renowned for being a hub of small-scale, unorganized industries involved in the manufacturing of medicines, leather goods, footwear, and clothing. It is located in Central Mumbai, in close proximity to the commercial hub of Bandra Kurla Complex and south Mumbai.



With an estimated population of one million, Dharavi is one of the most densely populated slums in the world and was severely affected during the pandemic. The area gained significant attention after the release of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008, which garnered numerous awards.
Since its inception in May 2017, Maharashtras real estate regulator MahaRERA has issued 1,015 recovery warrants worth Rs 623 crore against defaulting developers.



However, of those warrants, only 180 have been implemented, resulting in recovery of 21 percent of the receivable amount, or Rs 131 crore, according to the MahaRERA data accessed by Moneycontrol.



MahaRERA issues recovery orders against developers in case of default in handing over possession of property to homebuyers. The execution of recovery warrants has to be implemented by the respective district collectors of the location, basis the warrant issued by the regulator.



According to MahaRERA officials, in the last three months, more than Rs 17 crore has been recovered from 16 developers in Maharashtra. The amount was paid to homebuyers as compensation.



One thing that we did after realising that the recovery rate is low is that we started sending reminders to the respective district collectors to ensure that the warrants are implemented and compensation is given to homebuyers, a senior MahaRERA official told Moneycontrol, on condition of anonymity. Due to our efforts, it will be safe to say that Rs 100 crore worth recovery warrants were implemented where either compensation was paid or property was auctioned.



Also read: Maharashtra authorities recover Rs 100 crore from developers



Amendment on cards?



Execution of recovery warrants issued by RERA regulatory authorities across states is facing several issues. We are working on a proposal that will be submitted to the Central government for amendments or to improvise the current provisions to make RERA stronger for execution of recovery warrants, Ajoy Mehta, Member of the Central Advisory Council (CAC) for RERA and chairman of MahaRERA, told Moneycontrol in April.



He added, We are planning some mechanism to give more powers under the existing provisions and are also considering a proposal on some form of amendment.



Also read: RERA amendment on cards to empower homebuyers, Central Advisory Committee may recommend amendment



Mechanism required



Further, the need for a mechanism to execute recovery warrants was also discussed during a meeting of a sub-committee constituted by the CAC on November 2, 2022, under the chairmanship of the secretary of the ministry of housing and urban affairs.



Secretary, Uttar Pradesh Regulatory Authority expressed his concern about the non-compliance of orders passed by RERA. He suggested that some recovery mechanism may be included in RERA, the minutes of the meeting showed.



The CAC was set up by the Central government for effective implementation of the real estate law.
India's homegrown real-time payment system, Unified Payments Interface (UPI)s global aspirations, took a big leap forward after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 14 said that Indian tourists will be able to make rupee payments using UPI from atop the Eiffel Tower.



"In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI... It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower," the PM said.



This comes just months after the UPI platform echoed throughout Singapore as the two countries inked a pact to launch cross-border connectivity between the UPI and its Singapore counterpart PayNow.



The UAE, Bhutan and Nepal have already adopted the UPI payment system and the NPCI International is in talks to extend the UPI services in the US, European countries and West Asia.



The utilisation or the destination of UPI was just in India and now it is making its strides globally, said Ritesh Shukla, Chief Executive Officer of NPCI (National Payments Corporation) International Payments Limited (NIPL).



How it works



NPCI's arm NPCI International has signed an MoU with France-based payments solution Lyra Networks to facilitate UPI transactions. Indian students, tourists and NRIs in France can pay via UPI and RuPay using international mobile numbers at any terminal that is backed by Lyra Networks.



It is mandatory for Indian tourists to have a bank account in India with UPI enabled in it, and the users must also have a BHIM application or UPI-connected apps to carry out any UPI transactions.







UPI transactions to cross 1 billion transactions per day



While the UPI platform going global will accelerate cross-border transactions in a faster and easier way, experts also say that the adoption of UPI globally will further accelerate the growth of UPI transaction volumes.



In fact, daily transactions on the platform can touch one billion in the next three years as UPI hits its full potential, said Dilip Asbe, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in March at the India Fintech Conclave event of Moneycontrol.



As of June 2023, UPI transaction volume is clocked at 9.33 million and the total value of UPI transactions for June touched Rs 14.75 lakh crore.







Asbe also said that in the next 10-20 years, the vision is to be self-sufficient on the cross-border pipes as well.



It is a time-consuming process but the beginning has been made with the Singapore-India corridor. In 30 seconds, one countrys bank account can be credited and the other countrys bank account. This has given the confidence to the world in UPI, he said.



Indias UPI system is steadily becoming attractive globally. The facility is seeing international extension to inbound foreign travellers from G20 countries for making merchant payments and non-resident Indians (NRIs) in selected international countries.



Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on February 13 said that India has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with 13 countries that want to adopt the UPI for their digital payments.



What we are doing is is that we are enabling our consumers from India to be able to pay through any UPI-powered app, which is connected to different funding sources like credit card or prepaid wallet or anything this can address multiple use-cases, NPCI International's Shukla added.



Today, the UK, Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore, Australia, Oman and France use UPI for payments.



Clocking 1 billion transactions a day by 2025 is the holistic picture it will include everything like the global penetration of UPI as well. We all have a role to play to achieve this dream that we have nurtured to take UPI to many places, Shukla said.



The beneficiaries



In 2022, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation that offers UPI services, signed an MoU with France's fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra.



With this, non-resident Indians (NRIs), tourists and Indian students studying in France are likely to benefit from making cross-border payments without the worry of conversion rates. The move is likely to bring down the remittance cost between the two countries.



France is one of the few favourite European countries chosen by Indian students for higher studies. In 2021-22, more than 4,00,000 foreign students opted for higher education in France, out of which 10,000 students were from India.



UPIs reach in France is likely to benefit students and tourists







This solution will enable anybody from India from business owners to students studying abroad to travellers A user should just simply have a bank account or a credit card or current account that is connected to UPIUse cases are multi-fold, we are just creating a bridge, Shukla added.



To send money from India to France using an international money transfer provider, the fees range from Rs 787.65 with Currency Fair to Rs 2,680 per transaction with Open Financial Exchange. However, the fee could be even higher or lower with different banks.



Experience-wise there is nothing like UPI in the new digital world. For both Rupay and UPI, the only limitation so far has been acceptance abroad, with such bilateral ties acceptance will improve and thereby result in more customers getting benefitted, said Prabhu Rangarajan, Cofounder of M2P fintech.



Revolutionising cross-border payment solutions for fintech startups



UPI going global is a shot in the arm for many fintech startups that are focused on cross-border payment solutions.



There is a huge opportunity for fintechs to come and build and design on top of UPI, develop better interfaces and play an important role in driving adoption, said Shukla.



In February of 2023, PhonePe introduced UPI International, a facility with which PhonePe users travelling to international destinations can pay foreign merchants via UPI and in the currency of that country.



There are multiple neo-banking startups, which will tap into this move to drive innovation in the e-payment space.



We have to wait and watch, the short-term impact might be negligible.. but in the long term, Fintechs who build around these use cases might benefit in a big way, the fintech founder added.



What are the challenges?



Businesses and residents are awaiting more clarity on the linkage for businesses and the cost of the transfer.



These are initial phases, the cost of transfer and remittance fees are very high for France. We have to wait and watch to get more clarity on the cost of the transfer, the fintech founder quoted above said.



However, Shukla clarified that the cost of remittances and other charges to transact using UPI in the international market will be decided by the relevant authorities and banks as the adoption accelerates.



We are all about creating scale, the ultimate price to the consumer will be decided by the financial institutions or banks in case of credit card, or an exchange rate in case a consumer goes to an exchange to use UPI, he said.
Granules India share price gained in early trade on July 14 after USFDA approved the ANDA for Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Tablets. Granules India Limited announced today that the US Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) has approved its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA), filed by Granules Pharmaceuticals, Inc (GPI)., a wholly owned foreign subsidiary of the company, for Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Tablets, 250 mg/125 mg (OTC). It is bioequivalent to the reference listed drug (RLD), Advil Dual Action with Acetaminophen Tablets, 250mg/125 mg (OTC), of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings (US) LLC. This product will be launched through Granules Consumer Health (GCH) division. Catch all the market action on our live blog Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Tablets are used for temporary relief of minor aches and pains due to headache, toothache, backache, menstrual cramps, muscular aches, minor pain of arthritis. Granules now have a total of 59 ANDA approvals from the US FDA (57 Final approvals and 2 tentative approvals). The Advil Dual Action with Acetaminophen Tablets (OTC) brand and store brands had combined U.S. sales of approximately $70 million for the most recent twelve months based on IRI multi-outlet market data. Advil is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings (US). On July 13, USFDA issued an Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) for the Gagillapur facility of the Company located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. This facility, that manufactures finished dosages (FDs) and Pharmaceutical Formulation Intermediates (PFIs) was inspected by the US FDA as a part of a PAI in January 2023 which resulted in 3(three) observations during the inspection. The Company responded to these observations within the stipulated period. At 09:40 hrs Granules India was quoting at Rs 302.95, up Rs 0.60, or 0.20 percent.

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Monte Carlo Fashions Ltd shares were up 1.92 percent at Rs 819.55 on July 13 at 2:34 pm, after the company announced its Q1 business update.



The company reported a substantial 20 percent growth in revenue for the quarter ending June 2023. According to regulatory filings, this increase in sales can be attributed to factors such as strong brand recognition among consumers, the introduction of new fashion products, and a focus on superior quality. The company also benefited from successful end-of-season sales and the positive impact of festive and wedding seasons across India.



During the first quarter of the financial year 2023-24, Monte Carlo expanded its reach by opening 11 new Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs). These new stores include five in the northern region, two in the central region, two in the eastern region, one in the southern region, and one in the western region. With these additions, the total number of EBOs now stands at approximately 366, spread across 21 states and 4 union territories.



The company is making progress toward its goal of opening 50-55 EBOs within this financial year.



Monte Carlo maintains a presence through Multi-Brand Outlets (MBOs) and distributors, including NCS. It also has an online presence on major platforms such as Ajio, Amazon, Flipkart, FirstCry, Myntra, Jabong, Kapsons, and its own website. The company's robust order booking for the upcoming winter season further contributes to its positive outlook.



In the previous quarter Q4FY23, the company reported a net profit of Rs 19.8 crore, jumping 56 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Topline stood at Rs 236.7 crore, indicating a 45.7 percent year-on-year growth. On the operating front, the company's EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) came in at Rs 32.3 crore, up 43.1 percent.



Monte Carlo Fashions is a branded apparel company with a range of woollens, cotton, cotton blended, knitted and woven apparel for men, women and kids under the umbrella brand Monte Carlo.



Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
India and the UK are yet to iron out their differences on intellectual property rights as well as rules of origin in the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations, commerce ministry officials said.



While discussions on 14 of the 26 chapters concluded at the last round of negotiations on June 5-9, there are at least five 5 chapters where issues persist, the officials said.



"Discussions related to IPR, rules of origin, services sector, labour and environment are facing some issues," an official said. However, the ministry is hopeful of resolving these chapters soon, the official added.



"UK FTA is the most complex FTA India will sign. This is also the most comprehensive FTA India will have with a developed country. It will pave the way for other such agreements," commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal said during the release of trade data on July 14.



Negotiations on the India-UK FTA have merely crossed the halfway point and India has missed its internal deadline of closing the talks by March 2023. Of the 26 chapters to be negotiated, only 14 have been closed so far. The 11th round of negotiation is currently underway in UK from July 10- 19



Stumbling block



The UK House of Commons said in a recent report that Indias insistence on data localisation is a major stumbling block to the FTA. The UK wants free data flow between the two countries. Issues related to visas, carbon tax and Indian tariffs on automobile shipments have also been matters of contention.



India and the UK have been negotiating an FTA since January last year, with the goal of signing a comprehensive pact that is expected to significantly enhance their bilateral trading relationship. The initial deadline for completion of the negotiations was Diwali (October 24) last year.



Indias merchandise exports to the UK totalled $10 billion during the April 2022 to February 2023 period, accounting for 2.5 percent of the countrys total exports. Merchandise imports from the UK stood at $8 billion during this period, with a share of 1.3 percent of all imports, data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed. The UK was Indias 15th top trade partner during this period.



Through the agreement, India stands to boost exports of pharmaceuticals, textiles, food and beverages, tobacco, leather and footwear, and agricultural items like rice to the UK, and raise prospects for digital services.



The UK seeks access for its chemicals, motor vehicles, electrical equipment, medical devices and spirits.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Recently, Great Wall Motor ("GWM") and ADM Jizzakh officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement for market development in Uzbekistan, according to a post on GWM's WeChat account.

Under this agreement, GWM's products will be locally produced at the ADM Jizzakh's factory in Uzbekistan, with the factory planning to achieve a yearly production capacity of over 10,000 Haval-branded vehicles by 2024.

Photo credit: GWM

In the future, GWM will explore the possibility of deep localization of its products and cooperation on new energy vehicles with ADM Automobile Group, fully supporting the strategic transformation of GWM into an intelligent technology company.

Zhang Junxue, the President of GWM Eurasia, stated, "GWM will continue to implement its product-category-focused strategy and make a comprehensive entry into the Uzbekistan market. Through both oil-fueled and new energy vehicles, we will carry out localized cooperation with our partners, aiming for the successful launch and sales of Haval brand and locally produced models in 2023."

Uzbekistan, as the second-largest automotive market in the Eurasian region, is a successful example of the transition from a planned economy to a market economy, holding enormous potential for development. This cooperation represents another significant step for GWM in deepening its presence in the Eurasian market. With high-quality automobile products, GWM wishes to bring new market vitality and development opportunities to the Uzbekistan market.

Currently, GWM's presence in the Central Asian market is gradually becoming more comprehensive. In addition to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan will be the company's third and most significant Central Asian automotive market to be fully developed, accelerating the globalization process of GWM.
A court here on Thursday directed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh to appear before it on July 26 in connection with a criminal defamation case over their "sarcastic" and "derogatory" statements with regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree.



The case against the two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders was filed on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Gujarat University (GU).



A metropolitan court here had earlier directed the two leaders to appear before it on Thursday (July 13). However, their lawyer filed an exemption application saying Kejriwal and Singh could not appear due to heavy rains in Delhi.



Gujarat University's lawyer Amit Nair did not oppose the plea but urged the court to direct the AAP leaders to remain present on the next date as the trial is being delayed.



After taking into consideration the exemption plea for their absence, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S J Panchal directed Kejriwal and Singh to remain present on July 26.



During the hearing, the AAP leaders' lawyer submitted another plea under section 309 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), urging the court to adjourn the hearing in view of a related matter being heard in the Gujarat High Court.



However, Nair opposed the plea saying there was no connection between this case and the matter which is pending before the high court. Subsequently, the AAP leaders did not press for the plea and withdrew it.



During the previous hearings, the court had summoned the two AAP leaders after observing that prima facie there appeared to be a case against them under section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).



Gujarat University Registrar Piyush Patel had filed a defamation complaint against the two leaders over their comments after the Gujarat High Court set aside the Chief Information Commissioner's order on PM Modi's educational degree.



They made "defamatory" statements in press conferences and on Twitter targeting the university over PM Modi's degree, the complainant said, adding that their comments against the Gujarat University were defamatory and intended to hurt the reputation of the varsity.



Some of the comments quoted by the complainant and attributed to Kejriwal are: "If there is a degree and it is genuine, then why is it not being given?" "They are not giving degree because it might be fake," and "If the Prime Minister studied at Delhi University and Gujarat University, then Gujarat University should celebrate that its student became the country's PM," his other comment said.



As per the university, Singh said that "they (GU) are trying to prove the PM's fake degree as genuine".



The lawyer for the complainant had argued that the statements by Kejriwal and Singh would make a person believe that the GU issues fake and bogus degrees.
Known for his fiction and non-fiction books, The Shadow Lines (1988), The Glass Palace (2000), The Hungry Tide (2004), The Ibis Trilogy, among others, Amitav Ghosh is one of the first English-language writers to ever receive the Jnanpith Award in 2018. His works have been translated into 30 languages over the years.



HarperCollins and Literature Live! in association with The Royal Opera House, Mumbai, and Avid Learning will be launching his latest book Smoke and Ashes: A Writers Journey Through Opiums Hidden Histories on July 18. This is the second time that the author will be launching his book at The Royal Opera House in Mumbai, after Gun Island in 2019. The evening will include a discussion between radio-podcast host Hrishikesh Kannan on the themes, narratives, and stories behind the book. Excerpts from an interview:



Your work on the Ibis Trilogy (Sea of Poppies, 2008, River of Smoke, 2011, and Flood of Fire, 2015) forms the basis of Smoke and Ashes. Travelogue, memoir and an essay in history is how your latest non-fiction work has been described. Tell us more about it.



I did an enormous amount of research for the Ibis Trilogy in many libraries and archives around the world. This book is built upon that research but also includes a lot of new research of my own; and it also incorporates a lot of new historical work that has been done on these subjects in recent years. It is a matter of great gratification to me that some of the new research on the 19th century opium trade was actually inspired by the Ibis Trilogy.



Around 20 books in the last three-plus decades. What is your constant inspiration, what eggs you on?



Writing is my life; it is all I do. It is my vocation, my passion. I cant imagine my life without writing.



When not writing, or researching for a book, what do you do?



I have many other interests, apart from writing and researching. I love food  cooking it, eating it, learning about it. And I also love to travel and see the world. In fact, I am in Nairobi, Kenya now and I have been in East Africa these last three weeks, visiting some of the old ports, which I have read about but never seen before. It was particularly interesting to visit Zanzibar, which I have read about in my friend Abdulrazak Gurnahs books.



Over the years, you have been felicitated in India and abroad multiple times. Tell us about one that stands out.



For me, when I was coming of age as a writer, the Jnanpith Award was always very important. Receiving it was a real high point in my career as a writer.



Every writer, author has a process, what is yours?



For me, writing is like music. Just as a musician needs to do riyaaz every day, I also feel that I need to do some writing every day. Otherwise, it becomes very difficult to find the exact tone that you are looking for. Similarly, revising and editing are also very important parts of my process.



In the early 2000, when researching for The Hungry Tide, you became interested in climate change. In the last two decades, things have changed massively. Your thoughts on that?



This year has made it perfectly clear that the global climate is becoming increasingly abnormal. You just have to look at all the extreme weather events that are unfolding around the world right now. And this is just the beginning. Things are going to get much worse.



You would agree then that climate change is the greatest crises that humanity as a species has ever faced?



I think there can be no doubt that climate change is the greatest crisis that humanity has ever faced. However, climate change is not the only challenge. Biodiversity loss, mass extinctions, increasing militarisation, and the looming threat of nuclear war are also important. I think it is safe to say that humanity has never been in greater peril than it is now.



Your book is a deep dive into the economic and cultural history of opium and explores the massive effect that opium trade has had on world history. Youve said, There is more opium being produced in the world today than at any time in the past. What will the impact of this be on our world?



We can already see the impacts all around us. Opium has been a major destabilising factor in north-eastern India; Punjab is facing a massive addiction problem; Pakistan is dealing with an addiction crisis. In the US, there are people who are talking about a war between the US and Mexico because of the inflow of drugs  opioids are now the leading cause of death in the US. The opioid crisis is not as visible as climate change, but it is one of the factors that is contributing to increasing instability around the globe.



This is your second time at the Royal Opera House. What is special about this place?



It is a truly magnificent venue. I cant think of anything similar anywhere else in India.
India has successfully launched its next lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 (C3), using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III (LVM-3). The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has incorporated various adjustments to the mission profile and enhanced the robustness of the spacecraft modules to ensure this mission succeeds where the Chandrayaan-2 (C2) failed.



C3 And The Global Space Race



The C2 was launched in July 2019 to explore the south pole of the moon, where water deposits in the form of water ice were discovered by the instruments onboard Chandrayaan-1 (C1). The C2 carried a lander and a rover to enable the in-situ study of the lunar surface and sub-surface to further validate these findings. These mineralogical studies are critical for designing the future human lunar missions envisioned by major spacefaring countries such as the United States (2025) and China (2030).



Unlike the Apollo missions that lasted merely a few days, these future missions will see extensive stay of astronauts on the moon. The moon is also seen as an interim stop on the way to Mars. These mission architectures depend on the extraction and utilisation of lunar minerals, such as water, for consumption (oxygen) and rocket fuel (hydrogen).



At this juncture, the prospect of commercial extraction and ownership of space resources has further intensified the competition between the major powers to mount complex lunar missions. China has taken the lead in this emerging space race by launching the Change series of robotic missions to the moon.



Also Read: Chandrayaan-3: When and where to watch the Moon mission launch LIVE



How China Stole A March



In 2013, Change-3 became the first spacecraft to land on the moon in 37 years since the Soviet Unions Luna-24 mission. Change-4 demonstrated Chinas leap in space technology and mission management when it became the first ever spacecraft to land on the far side of the moon in January 2019. A communications satellite was stationed at the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange point in June 2018 to facilitate data relay between Change-4 and the ground stations.



But the finest accomplishment of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Programme (CLEP) was the Change-5 mission, which returned samples of lunar rocks to Earth in December 2020. Such a mission was not undertaken by any space power in the past 40 years. These samples allowed the Chinese scientists to test the moon formation theories and the composition of various minerals in them. China also discovered a new lunar mineral, named Changesite-(Y), in these samples.



When the CLEP was initiated, India showed the political will to match Chinas designs. Then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced the C1 mission during the 2003 Independence Day speech. The mission was launched as promised in October 2008, trailing the Change-1 launch by only a year (October 2007). However, India took more than a decade to launch its second mission (C2 in July 2019) while China followed up with its second mission in just three years (Change-2 in October 2010).



Also Read: ISROs Chandrayaan-3 begins countdown for launch from Sriharikota



Indias Launch Vehicle Setbacks



A chief reason for this delay could be the lack of viable launch options satisfying the increasing demand for polar and geosynchronous orbits. The GSLV Mk II began flying in 2001 but it had a chequered success rate, unlike the record of the PSLV or the LVM-3. The indigenous cryogenic engine (CE-7.5) was successfully flight tested only in January 2014 onboard the GSLV-D5. The PSLV launched the C1, but its payload capacity would have constrained the prospective Chandrayaan mission after C1 to be an orbiter project, like the C1.



Meanwhile, the growing weight and scope of Change missions were satisfied by the increasing payload capacity of Chinas Long March (LM) rockets, from LM-3A (Change-1) to LM-5 (Change-5). The Change follow-on missions will also be supported by LM-5 while its variant LM-5B supported the construction of Chinas space station, Tiangong.



The responsibility of such a mission for India has shifted now from GSLV Mk II to LVM-3, it being entrusted with launching both Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan (human-rated LVM-3) missions.



With LVM-3, India Is Back



The LVM-3 has already proven its reliability. Consequently, the future of Indias lunar exploration programme hinges on the success of the C3 mission, particularly since the failure of the C2 lander to land safely on the moon. The failure analysis reported that the C2 lander descended at a higher speed than expected and the onboard software failed to correct the spacecrafts orientation necessary for proper landing on the lunar surface.



The ISRO has incorporated several corrective measures in the C3 lander to avoid a similar fate. These include a higher fuel allocation, robust navigation algorithm, sturdy lander legs and the ability to communicate and operate the lander in the event of an undesirable orientation. The target site was also expanded to accommodate last-minute changes in the descent pattern.



It would be two decades next August 15 since Vajpayee announced the Chandrayaan programme. Even as it suffered delays and failures, India hopes the failure-based design approach and robust testing done by the ISRO on C3 will ensure a successful mission and an expanded lunar exploration programme in the future.



Vidya Sagar Reddy is a research analyst on outer space affairs. He tracks Indian, Chinese and American space activities. Vidya has published book chapters, and research articles in the Astropolitics and NewSpace journals. He also provided analyses for The Space Review, SpaceNews, East Asia Forum and DNA India. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Musk announced his new artificial intelligence company xAI on Wednesday, stating that its aim was to understand the true nature of the universe.



Its hard to pick apart the reasoning on that goal, which sounds like it came out of a magic mushroom journey. Why does Musk want to understand the universe?



Then again, why did he buy Twitter? Why did he challenge Mark Zuckerberg to a cage match? It isnt easy to get inside the brain of Elon Musk.



The name of his latest venture plays into all sorts of Elon tropes, from using the letter X to announcing it on a date that adds up to 42, the number that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams cryptically offered as the single answer to the meaning of life.



But set aside the usual Musk eccentricities and it looks like he could make life difficult for Google in the battle to develop cutting-edge AI.



Musks description of the AI challenge might sound familiar to the team at DeepMind, the artificial intelligence lab that Google bought in 2015. DeepMinds founder Demis Hassabis was the first AI entrepreneur to openly state that he wanted to build artificial general intelligence (AGI) back when he co-founded DeepMind in London in 2010, and he has consistently described his motives in abstract, even philosophical terms. His Twitter bio today still reads, Working on AGI. Trying to understand the fundamental nature of reality.



AGI was an odd thing to aim for 12 years ago. But Hassabis has stayed true to the goal, saying from the beginning that DeepMind wanted to solve intelligence, and use that to solve everything else. That doesnt mean focusing only on practical problems in areas like drug discovery but addressing more abstract ones too.



In fact, the desire to tackle both practical and theoretical questions seems to fit with certain fringe philosophies coming into vogue in Silicon Valley in the midst of the latest AI craze. The transhumanist movement, for instance, poses that technology can greatly enhance humans physical and mental limitations to help them live longer. But such augmentations can also help answer our deepest questions. Some transhumanists who work in AGI dont just want to solve human problems but find a path to living longer, too.



Figuring out how the universe works means some scientists can transcend the human condition, says Emile P. Torres, a philosopher and historian studying the nature of human extinction. The idea is that once you have super intelligence, then all our problems are solved. You could solve the problem of aging, for instance.



With its more scientific approach to building AGI, DeepMind has marked out a different approach than OpenAI. The Microsoft-backed ChatGPT creator has a much higher proportion of engineers on staff and has addressed the goal of building AGI in more practical terms. OpenAI products, which also include image generator DALL-E, have been released to the public with an eye toward generating significant revenue.



Musk has given few details about xAI, but it sounds like he wants to follow the more theoretical path taken by DeepMind. He has convened a group of scientists that have some AI street cred  for instance, building important techniques like the Adam optimiser, which improves the speed and performance of AI models  but the team itself is small, and most arent well known in the field. [Its a] very junior team, said one AI startup founder.



One thing is more certain: xAI represents a growing talent problem for Google as it tries to keep up in the AI race.



Half the 12 AI researchers that Musk announced for xAI had previously worked at Google. Like the eight researchers who created the important Transformer technique that made ChatGPT possible, who have all since left Google to start their own companies, these scientists apparently didnt see a long-term future at Google. The company has developed a reputation for being slow to execute on innovative ideas, thanks to many layers of management that require signoff.



Many employees from Google Brain, the companys other AI lab that recently merged with DeepMind, have left to join startups like Adept, Cohere and Inflection, and more AI scientists have been leaving DeepMind, too, in the past year, former staff of both companies have told me. If Googles bloated bureaucracy was causing them grief, the explosion of interest in generative AI will have pushed many of them over the edge.



Given how Musk treated the Twitter workforce, cutting 80 percent of that companys staff, setting erratic targets and trash-talking employees via tweet, its hard to see why the best AI scientists would want to work under the Tesla billionaire. But Musk has picked the right time to poach talent from Google, with many eager to see their work put into action. He also has plenty of data  thanks to Twitter  and powerful chips from Tesla on which to train his new AI models. If he also borrowed the universe line from Googles DeepMind, that will sting all the more.



Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.



Credit: Bloomberg
India has grand plans to become an electronics manufacturing hub. Given that level of ambition, we need to be prepared for setbacks  such as the news this week that Taiwan-based Foxconn would not, in the end, build a semiconductor factory in the western Indian state of Gujarat.



This was a huge disappointment. Getting some semiconductor fabrication to happen onshore was a crucial part of Indias plans to create a homegrown, end-to-end electronics manufacturing supply chain. Those plans, it turns out, may have been both too ambitious and not ambitious enough.



They are not grand enough because, even if the governments targets for export growth are met, we will still be some distance behind smaller countries such as Vietnam. A recent study by Indias handset makers pointed out that Vietnams mobile phone-related exports were more than nine times Indias in 2021; even Thailand exported nearly four times as much.



And they are overly ambitious because meeting even current targets would require electronics exports to grow between 65 percent and 75 percent a year. This is, of course, far quicker than theyve ever expanded before. Even if Indias mobile-related exports grow consistently as fast as they did in the previous record year of 2015, the manufacturers point out, it will take us the better part of this decade just to reach the level that Vietnam is at now.



How can India both raise and meet its ambitions? For manufacturers, the answer is clear: by opening up to trade and offering a more stable policy environment.



Every country in the emerging world, including India, has focused on attracting investment through subsidies, facilitating trade, and improving operational conditions for investors and domestic producers, the report says. Only India has simultaneously put higher tariffs in place, raising costs for almost every input into the electronics supply chain.



Pricier inputs mean that Indian phones cost more, even if producers substitute domestic suppliers for foreign ones. Had India satisfied itself with Vietnam-level tariffs, the handset manufacturers calculate, Indian mobile phones would on average be more competitive by about 4 percent.



The rare sight of Indian manufacturers asking for less, not more protection should shake policy makers out of their fixation on tariffs. The Foxconn fiasco should make them question the emphasis on subsidies.



The Taiwanese companys pullout from its deal with the Indian corporate group Vedanta this week comes almost a year after it signed an agreement with the Gujarat state government. The facility in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a stronghold of Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, would have been Indias first semiconductor plant, and eligible for billions of dollars in federal funds.



Foxconns reasons for not proceeding with this particular project were vague, and the company insists that it remains committed to manufacturing in India and to finding a partner possessing the advanced know-how required for such a complex undertaking.



Yet, whats clear is that manufacturers and investors want not just financial incentives that are in the same ballpark as those offered elsewhere, but also policy stability and trust. Semiconductor fabrication plants, for example, require exceptionally reliable water supplies. Handset assembly needs to be near efficient ports. And all electronics manufacturers want to see low and stable tariffs on key inputs.



Subsidies alone are never going to be strong or remunerative enough to overcome Indias commercial and competitive disadvantages. Government diktats wont make end-to-end supply chains spring into existence overnight. In fact, given the diffuse nature of modern manufacturing, onshoring an entire supply chain is probably impossible for any developing country.



India can begin to correct its mistakes by moving quickly on various free-trade deals, such as with the European Union. It will also have to commit to a trade policy that looks more like Vietnams or Thailands  open to investment and to imports.



In other words, India will have to reverse course if it is to have any hope of achieving its own ambitions, let alone raising them. If it doesnt shift focus from industrial policy to openness and efficiency, the chances are that India will not even supplant Vietnam, let alone China.



Mihir Sharma is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, he is author of Restart: The Last Chance for the Indian Economy. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.



Credit: Bloomberg
Amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Bastille Day Parade in Paris, it is likely to be overlooked that prime minister Narendra Modis ongoing visit to France is part of a larger plan to shift Europe from the edges of Indias foreign policy to a key priority, with the war in Ukraine showing no signs of being contained. In the excitement about Make in India of vital defence

equipment with French participation and agreement on significant arms deals, it may not be noticed that Franco-Indian relations have gone beyond the bilateral: they are already trilateral and could soon be plurilateral.



As Modis oratory wowed Frances 109,000-strong Indian community, the significance of the venue where he addressed ethnic Indians may have been lost on his audience back home. The resurgence of Ile Seguin  French for Seguin Island  which is Europes newest multicultural venue on a continental scale offers valuable lessons for India as it attempts to transition its urban spaces into smart cities and reduce the negative sides of unplanned human habitats.



Redefining Ties



Let us take these aspects of Modis state visit one by one. First, can Macron put India on the centre-stage of Europe, the way China was for the last two decades? Will Europe look at India in a new light in the context of a breakdown in its centuries-old, historic ties with Russia, caused by Vladimir Putins policies?



In 1991, when India was forced to pawn its reserve gold and later, as finance minister Manmohan Singh unleashed a wave of liberalisation, the Europeans became the earliest cheerleaders of those reforms. Germany, which regained its position as Europes most powerful country following reunification with the former Communist East Germany, took the lead under its visionary Chancellor Helmut Kohl in forging expanded relations with India. For several years, Bonn, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich were the places to go to for New Delhi in search of technology, business partnerships, investments, banking and best corporate practices. France and the United Kingdom followed but remained in distant second or third places. A decade later, as the United States of America and India ceased to be estranged democracies, and the European Union implemented its Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), Indias European connections receded to the background.



Simultaneously, Europeans found it easier to use Russias cheap energy and tap Chinas then-emerging market for their prosperity. Fighting tiresome, losing battles with Indias red tape, corruption and entrenched statist attitudes that were leftovers from the old days of the licence-permit raj was more difficult. The war in Ukraine has been a wake-up call for Europe in

realising that it can no longer take cheap Russian energy for granted. Expanding on the lessons learnt from Putins Russia, Europe now wants to cut its reliance on the Chinese market. Repeating the experience in the 1990s, Europe is again looking at India as an option. Vice versa, India wants to widen its choices in Europe. Notwithstanding lip service to the bonhomie and paeans to old friendships, the reality is that Indias ties with Europe have frayed, except with France.



Stepping Stone



Therefore, Modi and his host, French president Emmanuel Macron, discussed how France can be a launching pad for Indias re-engagement of Europe. Within the Continent, being Indias partner in this effort can only help France. Three decades ago, aligning with India to regain New Delhis foothold in the region helped Singapore to enhance its bargains within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Similar plans have been made in the Elysee Palace this week, but as they say, the proof of the pudding will come in the eating.



In July 2022, senior officials from India, France and the United Arab Emirates, met to discuss focal points on which the three countries could work together in the Indo-Pacific region and explore potential areas of

trilateral cooperation. Once broad agreement was reached on the contours of such cooperation, foreign ministers of the three countries had an extended telephone conversation on February 4 this year on how to advance the idea. The very next day, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra was in Paris for a second focal points meeting of what has become an institutionalised India-France-UAE Trilateral Dialogue. Maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, blue economy, regional connectivity, cooperation in multilateral fora, energy, food security, innovation and startups, supply chain resilience and cultural cooperation are now on the agenda of this trilateral dialogue. Partly, this explains Modis surprise announcement before departure that he will stop over in Abu Dhabi on his way back from Paris. There, he will brief Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE president, on his talks with Macron in the context of this trilateral engagement.



The last aspect is about the lessons for India from Ile Seguin. In 2005, Renaults car manufacturing factory on Seguin Island was dismantled: it was an emblem of French manufacturing capabilities. To compensate for the feeling of loss among Parisians, the Department of Hauts-de-Seine in charge of the area promised a cultural space of the highest world standards in place of the factory. Land for the project was given to the department at a nominal value of one euro. A public-private partnership was created for its construction. La Seine Musicale  Musical Seine River, as it translates  is the outcome of this transition. It is Europes newest cultural icon. When Mumbais famous textile factories went into disuse, there was hardly any meaningful discussion on what to do with such industrial wasteland. Only a part of such space has been put to modern urban use. Perhaps Modis

impressions from La Seine Musicale will prompt him to send Indias urban planners to Ile Seguin to study how they could replicate the French experience.



KP Nayar has extensively covered West Asia and reported from Washington as a foreign correspondent for 15 years. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Since the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980, this is the first time that the party will send its representative to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal  and the party has sprung a surprise. Instead of a BJP leader, the high command has selected an ally, Ananta Maharaj, for the seat.

Ananta Maharaj comes from the Rajbanshi community and heads the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples Association (GCPA), an ally of the saffron party. The elections for the seven Rajya Sabha seats from the state would be held on July 24 and BJP, with 69 MLAs, has the numbers to win the seventh seat while the ruling TMC will corner the rest.

The Rajbanshis Of North Bengal

Ignoring its own leaders when a rare opportunity to send its first MP to the Rajya Sabha from Bengal brings to the fore the importance of the Rajbanshis to the BJP. By nominating Ananta Maharaj, the influential Rajbanshi community that accounts for more than 30 percent of North Bengals population is in the BJPs sights. The community is listed as a Scheduled Caste in the state.

They are based mostly in the districts of Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Darjeeling and Malda  falling under North Bengal, which has eight Lok Sabha seats and 54 assembly seats. But the community is mostly concentrated in Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri districts.

Rajbanshis emerged as one of the strongest supporters of the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and it was primarily this support that helped the party to snatch the Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha seats from the ruling TMC. This support continued in the 2021 assembly polls, where, even amid the TMC wave, BJP won the majority of seats in Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri.

But after the assembly polls, there have been signs of dwindling support among the community towards BJP. This was first reflected in BJP losing the Dinhata bypolls by a large margin just months after winning it in the assembly polls. The trend became more clear in the recent three-tier panchayat elections, where TMC won most of the seats in these two districts.

Obviously, the ruling party generally has an advantage in the rural body polls, but these developments, nevertheless, do indicate that the Rajbanshis are drifting away from the saffron party.

North Bengal: Bastion BJP Cant Lose

Ananta Maharaj has been a proponent of carving out a separate state or a union territory out of West Bengal comprising parts of North Bengal, which for decades has complained of being ignored. Despite these grievances, the demand for a separate state has failed to gain momentum. However, emotions remain.

Although he is a Rajbanshi, Ananta Maharajs demand for separate state echoes beyond the Rajbanshis in the region. Notably, several BJP leaders have also raised this demand. BJP Alipurduar Lok Sabha MP John Barla, a tribal, has also voiced his support for a separate North Bengal.

By nominating Ananta Maharaj, a desperate BJP is sending the message to the people of the region ahead of the Lok Sabha polls that the party is concerned about (and understands) their sentiments. This way, BJP believes that it would be able to arrest the dwindling support in the region, which has been the stronghold powering its rise in Bengal.

In the recent panchayat elections, apart from Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri, the party has performed poorly in Alipurduar, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur, which happens to be the home turf of the state party chief Sukanta Majumdar.

Risky, But No Other Option

Apart from some pockets, BJP has struggled to make inroads into South Bengal, the largest region of the state. There has also been a gradual resurgence of the Left in South Bengal even as BJP seemed to be receding in the region as indicated by the panchayat elections. More worrying are the signs of BJP's declining support among the Matuas, another Scheduled Caste community, which strongly backed the party in the 2019 elections.

Given all this, the party isnt very hopeful in South Bengal, though the tribal pockets of the Jangalmahal region can still be salvaged. For now, the 2024 Lok Sabha polls  not the 2026 state assembly polls  remains the top priority for the central leadership. This leaves BJP with North Bengal, which elected seven BJP representatives to Lok Sabha in 2019. It remains the region where the party has chances of winning maximum seats in 2024. Ananta Maharajs nomination and Rajbanshi support becomes very crucial in this situation.

However, in doing so, it has taken a calculated risk as other areas like the Greater Kolkata region are averse to any division of the state. There is also the long pending Darjeeling issue. BJP, however, has officially avoided supporting the demand for a separate state. But this nomination is likely to be utilised by TMC to paint the former as a separatist party in the state, particularly in South Bengal, although its a different story that even TMC, including chief minister Mamata Banerjee, till recently had tried to woo Ananta Maharaj. This shows his importance in the politics of North Bengal.

Sagarneel Sinha is a political commentator and tweets @SagarneelSinha. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of the publication.
The Maharashtra government announced the long-awaited cabinet expansion on July 14, with Ajit Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) being appointed as Minister of Finance. Five other MLAs from the NCP faction have also been inducted into the cabinet, including Chhagan Bhujbal as the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, Aditi Tatkare as the Minister for Women and Child Development, Dhananjay Munde as the Minister of Agriculture, Dilip Walse Patil as the Minister of Cooperation, and Anil Patel as the Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation. This expansion took place weeks after the Ajit Pawar faction joined the ruling alliance of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Earlier on July 2, Ajit Pawar, the nephew of Sharad Pawar, assumed the position of Deputy CM of Maharashtra for the third time since 2019. His decision to align with BJP came after his cousin, Supriya Sule, was announced as the working president of NCP, which is led by Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar also expressed dissatisfaction with Uddhav Thackeray being projected as the face of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. During the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, BJP secured a victory with 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena, prior to its split, obtained 56 seats. Despite having a sufficient number of seats to form a government, disagreements arose between the two allies regarding power sharing. As a result, Shiv Sena entered into negotiations with Congress and NCP to explore alternative alliances and government formation.

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Why are Hollywood actors and writers on strike and what are their demands?



Around 1,60,000 performers ceased work in Los Angeles, rendering actors unable to appear in films or even promote movies they have already completed.



The union also aims to protect actors from being replaced by digital replicas using artificial intelligence (AI) and computer-generated faces and voices.

To address concerns regarding the use of AI, the major studios offered a "ground-breaking proposal" that aimed to protect actors' digital likenesses and required their consent when digital replicas were used or alterations made. However, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers' (AMPTP) offer was rejected by the SAG, deeming it unacceptable.







New study says ChatGPT makes weak writers perform closer to more proficient ones



The experiment consisted of 453 volunteers including professionals, marketers, managers, grant writers, and more.



Conducted by Whitney Zhang and Shakked Noy, economic PhD students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the study enlisted volunteers from various fields, including marketers, grant writers and college-educated professionals.

While the bot increased the quality output of weaker writers, it did little to help the better ones. Participants did not heavily edit or modify the text from the chatbot and small changes did not increase or decrease the score of better writers.







Workers who train Google's Bard say they are overworked and underpaid



Reports say that the workers are given minimal training and earn as less as $14 per hour.



The contractors are from companies such as Appen and Accenture, and are given minimal training to handle their workloads. These have become increasingly complex and larger as Google updates Bard.

Workers need to grade responses by the chatbot on a scale from "not at all helpful" to "extremely helpful". They also need to review how up-to-date the responses are.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On July 10, the 7th China-Russia Expo kicked off in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Dongfeng Motor's Russian regional marketing center made full use of this platform to showcase a fleet of vehicle models and engage in extensive customer marketing activities, actively advancing localized market expansion.

The exhibition; photo credit: Dongfeng Motor

During the exhibition, Dongfeng Motor's booth displayed a variety of models, including the SHINE MAX sedan and RICH pickup, covering a comprehensive range of signature vehicles.

Moreover, the Russian regional marketing center of Dongfeng Motor signed strategic cooperation agreements with local partners during the expo. The collaboration aims to strengthen cooperation in various fields, such as localized production, marketing, and after-sales services for the Dongfeng vehicle lineup in Russia.

Since last year, Dongfeng Motor has been proactively developing the Russian market by enhancing organizational structure, product introductions, and transforming marketing strategies. Multiple projects have progressed smoothly in the Russian market. In May 2023, the company established a regional marketing center in Russia, driving the establishment of an integrated "vehicle + supply chain" export model.

By initiating the operations of the Russian regional marketing center, Dongfeng Motor has embarked on preliminary explorations of the GHQ (Global Headquarters) and RHQ (Regional Headquarters) operational modes within its international layout.

Moreover, a few days ago, the news agency of local company Motorinvest, which locates in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, informed Sputnik News that the company will commence sales of Dongfeng vehicles before the end of July. The Dongfeng Aeolus Yixuan MAX sedan, the Dongfeng 580 SUV, and the Dongfeng S15 pickup will be the first to debut in various distribution centers.
Surgeons in Israel performed an extremely rare and complex operation to successfully reattach a boys head to his neck, the Jerusalem hospital announced on Wednesday. The 12-year-old boy had suffered an internal decapitation after being hit by a car while he was riding his bicycle.



According to the Times of Israel, Suleiman Hassans skull detached from the top vertebrae of his spine after the car hit him. The 12-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank was airlifted to Hadassah Medical Center, where doctors realised the ligaments holding the posterior base of his skull had become extremely damaged.



The condition is officially known as bilateral atlanto occipital joint dislocation. It is a very rare type of injury, especially in children.





We fought for the boys life, said Dr. Ohad Einav, one of the surgeons who operated on Hassan. The procedure itself is very complicated and took several hours. While in the operating room, we used new plates and fixations in the damaged area Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room, he added.



Einav is one of the handful of orthopedic surgeons in Israel who specialise in trauma surgery for spinal injuries. He emphasized how fortunate and rare it was for Hassan to suffer no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction after the accident and surgery.



According to i24 News, Einav and his team said that survival rate in such cases is only 50%, which makes Hassans recovery all the more miraculous. The boy is now wearing a neck brace and still under close monitoring by Hadassah Medical Center staff.
A Hyderabad landlord was arrested after he secretly installed a camera in a room that had two women tenants. A report in News18 stated that the landlord, identified as Syed Salim, was arrested on July 11 after the two women filed a complaint against him. He was now facing legal consequences for his act. The man owned a five-storey building in Hailam Colony near Jubilee Hills area of the city and gave one of the flats on rent to the women while living on the first floor himself. After living in the accommodation for a few months, the two women began experiencing power outages regularly and called an electrician to check the electricity meter box in the room. It is then that they found out there was a CCTV camera kept inside the meter box, which left the women shocked. Salim had installed the hidden camera to the computer in his room and synchronised it with a mobile application, without the knowledge of the two women. The camera gave the man access into the daily routines of the women living in the flat and also indulge in voyeuristic behaviour Following the complaint, authorities registered a case against the landlord and he was taken into police custody. The authorities seized the camera for further investigation and identified the associated hard drive as key evidence. The items were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for further examination and analysis. Also read: Start-up, investors, burn rate: What Bengaluru landlord asked prospective tenant in interview

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Christopher Hayward, policy chairman, City of London, told Moneycontrol that every country in the world is now interested in working with India and becoming a part of the countrys success.



It has really been interesting how every country in the world now wants to work with India and is now courting the country, said Hayward, who is in India for a series of policy negotiations.



The City of London, also known as the Square Mile, is one of Londons 33 boroughs. It is home to the Bank of England and is considered the financial heart of the UK.



Commenting on the trade relationship between India and the UK, Hayward noted that if their bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) goes through, it will provide a formal framework for the two countries to work together. He also hopes that legal services are a part of the FTA, so that both Indian and English law firms can start establishing offices in the UK and India, respectively.



Here are key points from Haywards interaction with Moneycontrol:



On Indian law firms being supportive of liberalising of legal services



In March 2023, the Bar Council of India (BCI), a body that regulates the legal profession and education in the country, notified rules that permit the entry of foreign law firms on a reciprocal basis.



Hayward, who had met with representatives of Indias top law firms and held discussions on liberalising legal services in India, said that they were welcoming and supportive of the Bar Council of Indias move to open the country up to foreign law firms.



They want to be sure that this is a win-win for both countries and that its not a poaching of talent or jobs. So, I have offered to host a roundtable in London at Guildhall for representatives of the Indian legal sector, with our magic circle firms.



Hayward noted that while Indian and English firms have been working together informally for the last two decades, liberalising the legal sector will formalise the arrangement and ensure there is a beneficial exchange of knowledge In various fields. He will also be holding meetings with BCI representatives to update them on the discussions with the Indian law firms and seek support from them in this regard.



On how liberalising the legal sector is a two-way opportunity



According to Hayward, liberalising the legal sector will benefit both Indian and English law firms. I think it (liberalisation) is a great opportunity for both sides. I think UK lawyers will be just as keen and interested as Indian lawyers.



Hayward said that he is yet to hold detailed discussions with English law firms, and noted that the rules need to be properly discussed and implemented.



Speaking of the restrictions imposed on foreign law firms with respect to the kind of work they can pursue under the BCIs rules, Hayward opined that this was appropriate, to begin with. If this is successful, then I think in the future opportunities may open up further. But I think initially we have to build trust with both sides  the relationship has to be firmly, formally established.



On opportunities in infrastructure investment



Hayward noted that the UK has potential capital to invest, particularly in infrastructure. Public sector expenditure of the government, on roads, rail, etc. will need to be supplemented by the private sector, by finance. Capital Markets and capital flows in London are very strong. I think the opportunities for UK firms to invest in India are growing and they're growing because of the phenomenal growth of the Indian economy.



The City of London policy chairman noted that the India-UK corridor will come into effect if the FTA comes through. It will give a more formal structure to it or more of a framework, which will enhance and help this. So, I think the FTA is a really good thing. If it doesnt happen for any reason, I do not believe that will diminish the opportunities and chances of the UK and India forging closer business and investment relationships.
Passenger traveling in a North Carolina to Florida Allegiant Airlines flight were severely injured after the aircraft suffered extreme turbulence, a report in The Independent stated.



As per passengers inside the aircraft, the Allegiant Air Flight 227 that was flying from Asheville Regional Airport to St. Petersburg-Clearwater, a flight attendant was thrown into the air and then crashed back onto the plane floor.



Another passenger, who had gone to the washroom before the start of the turbulence came out of there with blood "gushing" from her head. One of the passengers onboard-identified as Lisa Spriggs-recounted the incident and likened the bodies flying around the aircraft to "The Matrix".



"More than halfway through descending, and all of a sudden, we hit a small turbulence, and the stewardess beside us fell to the ground.



Literally, she flew up in the air, like Matrix is the only way that I can think to describe it, was there for half-a-second, and then landed straight down, broke her ankle," Spriggs told CBS affiliate WTSP-TV.



Overall, two passengers and two flight attendants required medical treatment when the flight landed and were taken to a hospital.



This is only one of many recent incidents when turbulence has hit a flight. In June, a Singapore-London BA12 British Airways flight was hit by turbulence with a woman aboard stating that she felt she was 'going to die'.



The woman was traveling in the flight when the aircraft was hit by turbulence while flying over the Bay of Bengal.



Also read: Frightening moment from turbulence-hit Portugal-bound plane, food and drinks thrown everywhere. Video
Cyrus Hodes, the co-founder of artificial intelligence start-up Stability AI, has filed a lawsuit against the company and its chief executive, Emad Mostaque, alleging fraud. Hodes claims that he was defrauded into selling his 15% stake in the company for a mere $100, just three months before Stability AI reached a staggering $1 billion market valuation.



In a complaint filed at the San Francisco federal court, Hodes asserts that Mostaque convinced him that Stability AI was "essentially worthless" at the time, despite the fact that Mostaque himself was working on a image generator known as Stable Diffusion, which would later become immensely popular.



Furthermore, Hodes alleges that Stability AI and Mostaque deliberately withheld information about their discussions with venture capital firms, which would have undoubtedly affected the value of his stake in the company, before he sold it in October 2021 and May 2022.



According to the complaint, Stability AI secured $101 million in financing in August of last year, valuing the London-based startup at an impressive $1 billion. More recently, the company has been actively seeking funding at a valuation of $4 billion. Hodes argues that Mostaque's conduct "epitomizes corporate greed at its worst and simply shocks the conscience."



In response to the lawsuit, Stability AI issued a statement via email, stating, "The suit is without merit and we will aggressively defend our position." The company had previously announced the financing in October.



Cyrus Hodes, a self-proclaimed "world-renowned thought leader" in artificial intelligence, is a former adviser to the United Arab Emirates and served as the artificial intelligence program director at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.



Hodes claims to have dedicated countless hours to Stability AI since early 2020, including working on a project aimed at aiding governments in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit unsuccessfully.



Hodes is seeking the restoration of his 15% stake in Stability AI, in addition to punitive damages for the alleged fraud committed by the defendants and Mostaque's alleged breach of fiduciary duty.



Stability AI describes itself as the "world's leading open-source generative AI company" and its technology is open to the public.



Bloomberg News reported that Stability AI encountered difficulties in raising funds at a $4 billion valuation, ultimately securing less than $25 million in a convertible note offering.
The stepson of a billionaire who was killed in the Titanic submersible tragedy is complaining about how he still can't get laid despite his wealth. Brian Szasz, stepson of British businessman Hamish Harding, is facing backlash once again for his distasteful remarks on social media after reactivating his Twitter account.



Readers might remember how Szasz, 37, had earlier come under fire for attending a Blink-182 concert and flirting with an OnlyFans model on social media even as the OceanGate Titan submersible tragedy was unfolding. He had deactivated his Twitter account after facing a barrage of criticism, including pointed digs from rapper Cardi B.



Szasz recently reactivated his Twitter account and once again found himself at the receiving end of angry backlash  this time for complaining about how he cant get laid despite his inheritance.



With millions to spare, I still cant get laid, the 37-year-old tweeted in a candid but tone-deaf confession. The tweet has since been deleted. With all this cash I just want a girl to hangout with please, he reportedly added.



According to the Daily Mail, Szasz told one Twitter user that he is set to receive more than you'll make in a lifetime. His remarks were slammed for being distasteful and insensitive in wake of the Titan submersible tragedy that killed all five people on board, including his stepfather Hamish Harding.



In June, Szasz had made headlines for his public feud with Cardi B, who condemned him for posting an Instagram story from a Blink-182 concert. One of the billionaires thats missing underwater from that submarine sh*t  Their stepson is at a concert, right? the rapper had tweeted.



Szasz, in turn, accused Cardi B of trying to gain clout using his and his familys name.



British billionaire Hamish Harding, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, father-and-son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood and former French navy officer Paul-Henri Nargeolet were part of the OceanGate expedition. All five were were confirmed dead in a catastrophic underwater implosion.
K Krithivasan, the new CEO and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) - Indias largest IT services firm, in an interview with Moneycontrol revealed that his hometown Chennai will always be in his heart even though he may be in Mumbai.



Krithivasan was asked by Moneycontrol to answer the question in Tamil  whether he prefers Chennai or Mumbai. Laughing it off, the 58-year-old proceeded to answer in English.



I grew up in Chennai, I cannot take Chennai out of my heart. Like I was telling someone, I will be in Mumbai but Chennai is home, he said.



Krithivasan was based in Chennai but for the last few months, he has been operating out of the TCS guest house in Mumbai. Last month, it was reported that he will start house hunting soon as his family will be relocating to the financial capital.



K Krithivasan studied at Tamil Nadus Coimbatore Institute of Technology (CIT) in the early 1980s. Former CEO N Chandrasekaran, 59, is also an alumnus of his college. Chandrasekaran is now the chairman of the parent company, Tata Sons.



Krithivasan is also an IIT alumnus.



At 58, he is one of the senior most executives in the company to be appointed CEO. Prior to this, he was the global head of TCSs Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) Business Group, which contributes around 35 percent of the companys revenue.



He has been at TCS for 33 years.



In 2017, Krithivasan was one of the frontrunners to replace him Chandrasekaran, when he moved to Tata Sons. His predecessor Rajesh Gopinathan got the top job.



Read: Affable, execution-focused, empathetic: Meet K Krithivasan



Gopinathan, while leaving, welcomed Krithivasan as he handed over the baton to him. I wish Krithi the very best as he takes over the TCS baton and charts the way forward to our $50 billion aspiration, he wrote in an internal note.
Now thats what you call dedication to work. A 22-year-old British man flew from London to Ibiza for a night of partying with his friends, and still made it back in time to attend office the next day.



According to a report in Daily Mail, Ben Matthew Saunders was left disappointed because he could not join his friends on a trip to Ibiza as he had work commitments. While his group of friends jetted off to the Spanish island to celebrate one of their birthdays, Saunders was left in London.



Saunders could not join his friends for the entirety of the trip, but he made the spontaneous decision to spend 400-pounds so he could join them in Ibiza for one night. He booked a 5 pm flight to Ibiza on Monday, July 10, and landed on the island at 8.40 pm.



After dropping his bags at the hotel, Saunders headed out to join his friends for a night of partying  before successfully making it back to London by Tuesday afternoon. He did so by taking the a bus to Ibiza Airport at 7 am and landing at London Gatwick Airport by 11.50 am.



This gave him enough time to make it for his 1 pm meeting on Tuesday.



When I told my friends I was going to come, they didn't believe me or know how I was even going to do it, the 22-year-old told Daily Mail. It was a very freeing experience for me as well - it was a great night out.



I know a lot of people use work as an excuse for not going on nights out or celebrating things but I didn't want to do that. I felt bad that I couldn't go, he explained. Doing it gave me an adrenaline rush. My friend was really happy that I spared the time to go.
President Joe Biden and his national security team have contended since he took office that all the easy, tempting comparisons between this era and the Cold War are misleading, a vast oversimplification of a complex geopolitical moment.



The differences are, indeed, stark: The United States never had the kind of technological and financial interdependence with its Cold War adversary, the Soviet Union, that so complicates the increasingly bitter and dangerous downward spiral in the relationship with China.



And Bidens advisers often argue that Russia is not the Soviet Union. Yes, it has nuclear weapons, they say, but its conventional military capacity has now been severely degraded in Ukraine.



And in Soviet times, the United States felt compelled to fight an ideological battle around the world. In the new era, it is fighting Chinas efforts to use its economic and technological power to spread its influence.



Nonetheless, the echoes of the Cold War are growing louder. Biden himself added to the din this week. In Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday night, addressing a crowd that was waving American, Lithuanian and Ukrainian flags, he repeatedly invoked the struggle of the Baltic nations to free themselves from a collapsing Soviet Union, and told Vladimir Putin that the United States and its allies would defend Ukraine, and with it other vulnerable parts of Europe, as long as it takes.



Biden never quite said explicitly that the United States must again bear the burden of a long, twilight struggle  President John F. Kennedys famous description of the Cold War in his 1961 inaugural address, as it entered its most dangerous phase. But Bidens message was essentially the same.



Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken, he said. We will stand for liberty and freedom today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.



Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser, said in an interview in Helsinki, Bidens last stop, that while Biden may have taken some poetic license to compare Lithuanias story with Ukraines struggle, it is did not signal an effort to revive the spirit or strategies of the Cold War era.



Fundamentally there still is a challenge of aggression, he said. A need to stand up in defense of sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom and democracy. But those elements can be present without returning to Back to the Future on the Cold War.



What went unspoken during the summit, at least publicly, is another major difference between now and three decades ago: the uncertain level of bipartisan support for continuing to push back on Russian aggression.



From the Truman administration through George H.W. Bushs years in office, both major American political parties were devoted to outlasting Americas geopolitical adversary, even if they argued over tactics and whether to get involved in local conflicts. That is not clear now. On the edges of the NATO summit in Vilnius, foreign ministers and aides from close allies and distant ones were asking whether Congress would begin to slow aid to Ukraine when the current appropriations run out at the end of the summer.



And they asked what the chances were that the opposition to U.S. involvement in the war from the two leading Republican presidential candidates  former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  might take hold in a broader swath of the population.



The Americans are worried that Europe will flag, one senior European official, who requested anonymity, said during the Vilnius summit. We worry America will flag. And everyone worries that the Ukrainians will run out of ammunition and air defenses.



Biden was asked about those concerns at a news conference with President Sauli Niinisto of Finland on Thursday and responded that there is overwhelming support from the American people to back Ukraine and NATO. But then he stated the obvious: No one can guarantee the future, but this is the best bet anyone could make.



If there was an overarching theme to Bidens trip this week, it was that the West should prepare for a long, expensive confrontation that will require levels of cooperation and integration of intelligence and military forces unlike any attempted before.



At this critical moment in history, this inflection point, the world watching to see, will we do the hard work that matters to forge a better future? he said at the news conference. Will we stand together, will we stand with one another? Will we stay committed to our course?



Buried in the NATO communique are the building blocks for the next twilight struggle. There are plans for larger defense budgets, though nearly a decade after NATO set a minimum military spending standard of 2% of each members GDP, most of the wealthier Western European nations have yet to hit the goal. (The smaller former Soviet republics have done a lot better.) There are plans for a truly integrated NATO military strategy, including specific ways to integrate cyber defenses, and to ramp up the production of conventional artillery rounds, which almost no one thought would ever be needed again in Europe.



But the reality is that those changes are just a beginning  and hardly sufficient if the West is entering years, or decades, of enmity with Russia, officials say. Jens Stoltenberg, who agreed last week to extend his tenure as secretary-general of NATO, acknowledged the reality in an article for Foreign Affairs.



Even if the war were to end tomorrow, he wrote about the Ukraine conflict, there is no sign that Putins broader ambitions have changed. He sees freedom and democracy as a threat and wants a world where big states dictate what their neighbors do. This puts him in constant confrontation with NATOs values and international law.



Like Biden, he made the case that letting Putin gain any territory from his military adventure would send a message to other authoritarian regimes that they can achieve their objectives through force. China, in particular, is watching to see the price Russia pays, or the reward it receives, for its aggression.



Stoltenbergs observation is indisputable. But as several U.S. and European officials acknowledged during the Vilnius summit, such commitments make it all the more difficult to begin any real cease-fire or armistice negotiations. And promises of Ukraines eventual accession to NATO  after the war is over  create a strong incentive for Russia to hang onto any Ukrainian territory it can and to keep the conflict alive.



As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine told reporters in Vilnius, We want to recover our lands, restore security on our territory. Thats victory. He added: A frozen conflict is not a victory.



Biden used his visit to Helsinki to celebrate one clear difference from the Cold War: Finland and Swedens move, weeks after the invasion, to apply to join the alliance after decades of formal neutrality  although in recent years they trained and cooperated with NATO.



U.S. officials regard Finland as a model new member: While the country is tiny, with a population of 5.5 million, it has nurtured some of the most skilled intelligence capabilities in the air and on the sea in all of northern Europe. And its 800-mile land border with Russia complicates the choices Putin must make about how to deploy his stretched military resources.



Once Sweden joins as well, which may be only months away now that Turkey has lifted its long-running objections, the Baltic Sea will essentially become Lake NATO. Its entire shoreline would be composed of NATO nations except for Russias small accesses around St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad.



Lurking in the background of the summit meeting was another factor that makes this era sharply different from the Cold War: the role of China.



The communique issued in Vilnius included extensive discussion of the risks of supply chain dependency on suppliers like China, an issue NATO did not think about much in the past.



In the Cold War, there was a single major adversary; now there are two, and the contours of their no limits relationship is still something of a mystery. U.S. officials believe Beijing is providing technology to Russia, but not the weaponry it craves. While Chinas president, Xi Jinping, talks of his close relationship with Putin, U.S. intelligence officials believe the Chinese leader is worried about what he is seeing as Russia struggles on the battlefield.



And Xi may be hesitant to fuel yet another conflict with the United States when he has so many on his hands that more directly affect Chinas future. Those include the effects of the cutoff of high-end computer chips  which Chinese officials complain about regularly  and the likelihood of new restrictions from Washington on Western investments in critical technologies, including artificial intelligence.



There was never a debate about such issues in Cold War days, of course, because the United States and the Soviets barely traded with each other, and neither made any of the products that the other depended upon.



The Cold War is just not a particularly useful analogy in fundamental respects, Sullivan said, ticking off the level of economic interconnectedness, the nature of the technology competition, the need to cooperate on global challenges that spill across borders with China.



These are such fundamentally different drivers of the relationship and geopolitics today than anything in the Cold War.



This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday he held a call with billionaire Elon Musk to discuss automaker Tesla's investment in the country and SpaceX's satellite communications service. "I welcome the company's interest and decision to invest in Malaysia, and Elon Musk's willingness to come to Malaysia," Anwar said in a statement. Malaysia had earlier this year approved electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla's application to import battery-run EVs into Malaysia. The trade ministry had said Tesla will open an office, showrooms and service centers in the Southeast Asian country and establish a network of charging stations for its cars. Anwar said Tesla's operations in Malaysia will begin this year. The two also discussed Starlink, the satellite communications service started by Musk and operated by his company SpaceX, Anwar said.

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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.

BYD ATTO 3 makes debut in Brunei

On July 8, BYD, in collaboration with local partner Maju Motors, successfully held the BYD Brunei Brand Launch and the unveiling ceremony of the BYD ATTO 3 in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. This marks BYD's entry into the Brunei market with its passenger vehicles and the official launch of the highly anticipated global model, the BYD ATTO 3, in the local market.

Photo credit: BYD

NIO achieves milestone of 25 millionth battery-swap service completed

NIO on July 14 officially achieved a milestone with the 25 millionth battery-swap service completed. The automaker has so far deployed 1,553 battery swap stations across the Chinese mainland.

SAIC Volkswagen's new energy vehicle factory sees 150,000th battery pack roll off line

SAIC Volkswagen announced on July 14 that its new energy vehicle factory's battery workshop reached a significant milestone with the production of the 150,000th battery pack.

Ford China deploys C-V2X service in Changchun, Jilin Province

Ford China announced today the launch of its C-V2X services in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province. Initially covering over 150 intersections in the city's main urban area, this deployment will be available for Ford vehicles via OTA updates.

BYD launches logo of personalized brand Fangchengbao

On July 14, BYD's specialized and personalized brand, Fangchengbao (translated to Formula Leopard), unveiled its brand logo.

Baidu Apollo unveils next-gen 3D lane-level intelligent map

On July 7, Baidu Apollo announced the release of its next-generation intelligent map product, Baidu MapAuto 6.5, at the 2023 China Auto Forum.

Chip maker Senasic secures over 500 million yuan from investors including Geely, GAC Capital

Senasic, a Chinese high-tech chip design firm, announced the successful completion of its latest Series D funding round, with over 500 million yuan raised.

Geely Auto unveils interior images of Galaxy L6 compact sedan

Recently, Geely Auto officially released the interior image of its compact sedan, the Geely Galaxy L6, which is expected to target the 150,000-200,000 yuan price range and is scheduled for launch in the third quarter.

Dongfeng Motor strengthens presence in Russian market

On July 10, the 7th China-Russia Expo kicked off in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Dongfeng Motor's Russian regional marketing center made full use of this platform to showcase a fleet of vehicle models and engage in extensive customer marketing activities, actively advancing localized market expansion.

Chery Auto's eQ7 lightweight aluminum-based electric SUV rolls off line

Chery's mass-produced version of the eQ7, a midsize pure electric SUV, officially rolled off the assembly line on July 12. The vehicle is built on Chery's aluminum-based lightweight electric platform.

GAC Energy completes supercharging project in railway station of Longyan city

On July 13, 2023, GAC Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as "GAC Energy") and Longyan Transportation Development Group Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Longyan Transportation") held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the supercharging project at the Longyan Railway Station.

Great Wall Motor to locally produce Haval-branded vehicles in Uzbekistan

Recently, Great Wall Motor ("GWM") and ADM Jizzakh officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement for market development in Uzbekistan, according to a post on GWM's WeChat account.
Microsoft Corp and Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) are considering giving up some control of their cloud-gaming business in the UK to appease regulators so they can complete their $69 billion merger, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The deal, the largest in the history of the video game industry, was also struggling in Britain until this week. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority, which had opposed the transaction, said on Wednesday a restructured deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard could satisfy its concerns, subject to a new investigation. The sale could involve the cloud-based market rights for games in the UK to a telecommunications, gaming or internet-based computing company, the Bloomberg report said, citing people familiar with the matter. A private-equity company might also be interested, according to the report. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had requested a temporary halt to the deal, but a U.S. court on Thursday rejected the request. Microsoft and Activision did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. The two U.S. companies had agreed to a deal deadline of July 18, with Microsoft liable to pay a $3 billion breakup fee if it fell through. Still, with the larger $69 billion deal back on track, the two sides are now focused on modifying the deal to obtain regulatory approval.

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Beijing (Gasgoo)- Senasic, a Chinese high-tech chip design firm, announced the successful completion of its latest Series D funding round, with over 500 million yuan raised.

Photo credit: Senasic

The round was led by the National-level Mixed Ownership Reform Fund for Chinese State-owned Enterprises (referred to as the Mixed Reform Fund). Industry capital participants, including Geelys capital fund, GAC Capital, and CICVs fund, also joined as follow-on investors. Existing shareholders, such as CD Capital, continued to increase its investment.

This strategic investment follows the previous backing from SAIC Motors Shangqi Capital, SANY Group, Shanghai Baolong, etc., further bolstering Senasic's efforts in integrating industry investments and promoting cross-industry collaboration.

The funds raised in this round will primarily be utilized to accelerate the technological advancement and market expansion of Senasic's sensing and monitoring chip products in the automotive, energy storage, and industrial application sectors. Since its establishment in 2015, Senasic has been dedicated to the research, design, and sales of high-performance automotive-grade chips. With its strong technical expertise, outstanding product performance, reliable quality, and an autonomous and controllable supply chain, Senasic has gained recognition and established deep strategic partnerships with renowned domestic and international automotive manufacturers and suppliers. The company's total shipments have reached tens of millions of units.
July 14, 2023

Syria Outmaneuvers 'West', Regains Legitimacy

Since 2014 the United Nations delivered humanitarian supplies to the al-Qaeda infested north-western 'rebel' region in Syria (marked green on the map below). A UN Security Council decision provided the necessary backing.

Coming from Turkey the UN convoys passed mostly through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, east of Hatay in south Turkey. The 'authorities' in the north-western area, i.e. al-Qaeda, used the distribution of the goods to keep control of the population.

After the February earth-quake the Syrian government opened two other crossings from Turkey. But most of the UN goods kept flowing through Bab al-Hawa.

The Syrian government has said that all goods should go through the territory its controls and not through Turkey. The terrorists in north-west have largely boycotted and blocked crossings from Syrian government controlled areas into their enclave.

Syria and the Russian Federation have insisted that the UN Security Council decision should be modified or ended and not renewed.

On Tuesday the new attempt for another renewal failed. Russia vetoed the 'western' supported resolution and proposed a different one which failed to gain the necessary quorum.

Without the authorization of the Security Council the UN had no legal way to continue the convoys. Today the Syrian government made a surprise move and offered its approval to keep Bab al-Hawa open for the UN convoys:

In a letter submitted to the United Nations and the Security Council, Syria said it would allow the United Nations access to the crossing for six months in full cooperation and coordination with the Syrian government.

...

The United Nations said on Thursday it was studying Syrias letter and the potential effects on its aid delivery operations. The coordination and cooperation with the U.N. has always been there and will be there, Bassam al-Sabbagh, Syrias ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters. He did not elaborate on requirements by his government, but said the U.N. should not work with terrorists in the north, an apparent reference to opposition groups that control the area.

The UN will not want to end the convoys. With this move the Syrian government will gain at least some control over the goods coming in and over their distribution.

Syria and Russia have thereby outmaneuvered the 'western' efforts to stay in control of the issue:

Now President Assad has said he will open Bab Al-Hawa for six months. But without U.N. monitoring, control of this critical lifeline has been handed to the man responsible for the Syrian peoples suffering, Barbara Woodward, the United Kingdoms ambassador to the United Nations, who holds the monthly rotating presidency of the Council this month, said in a statement.

...

Andrew Tabler, the National Security Councils former Syria director, called Syrias decision a checkmate from Moscow for the United States and its allies, and another blow to the Wests Syria policy.

The Arab countries, which have recently made peace with the Syrian government they had long attempted to overthrow, will support Syria's move.

There is little the 'West' can do. To hold up the UN convoys under this or that excuse would certainly be seen as hypocrisy and revenge that has nothing to do with the convoys claimed humanitarian purposes for which they had argued all those years.

Not that they ever seriously meant that. Just consider this by the Council of the EU:

Syria: EU extends humanitarian exemption for another six months

On 23 February 2023, the Council introduced an additional humanitarian exemption into the sanctions regime in view of the situation in Syria to facilitate the speedy delivery of humanitarian assistance, following the devastating earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria. To continue responding in a timely manner to the urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and to keep facilitating the rapid delivery of aid, the Council has decided to extend the duration of this humanitarian exemption for a further six months until 24 February 2024. The exemption from the asset freeze and from the related prohibition on making funds and economic resources available to listed individuals and entities aims to further facilitate the operations of international organisations and certain defined categories of actors involved in humanitarian activities in Syria.

As Aaron Mate correctly points out:

Aaron Mate @aaronjmate - 13:48 UTC  Jul 14, 2023 If you have to extend a humanitarian exemption in Syria for a fixed period of time, that confirms that youre being anti-humanitarian in Syria every other time.

By keeping Bab al-Hawa open for the UN Syria will strengthen its global position. Syria, with the help of Russia, will likely continue to make diplomatic moves which will, slowly, slowly, enable it to regain a more normal standing in the world.

Posted by b on July 14, 2023 at 15:19 UTC | Permalink

Comments
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Recently, Geely Auto officially released the interior image of its compact sedan, the Geely Galaxy L6, which is expected to target the 150,000-200,000 yuan price range and is scheduled for launch in the third quarter.

Photo credit: Geely

Continuing the interior layout of the Galaxy L7, the Geely Galaxy L6 features a minimalist design with a wrap-around cockpit layout. The clean and eye-catching Sky White interior color scheme, along with the horizontally spanning air vents, create a wider visual experience. The combination of a 13.2-inch central vertical screen and a 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster enhances the technological vibe of the interior.

It is worth mentioning that the Geely Galaxy L6 is equipped with a unique dual-zone panoramic sunroof, which brings a brighter cabin ambiance. Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with 256-color ambient lighting and a fragrance system.

Photo credit: Geely

In terms of exterior design, the Geely Galaxy L6 adopts a closed front grille and design elements such as the Flying Eaves Tiger Vision LED dynamic headlights, Flying Eaves Arched daytime running lights, and a through-type LED light strip, giving it a fashionable and refined appearance.

Photo credit: Geely

The new car will also be available in five body colors for consumers to choose from.

From the side, the Geely Galaxy L6 adopts the popular coupe-style roof and two-tone body design, giving it a stylish profile. The new car carries large-size glossy alloy wheels and hidden door handles.

Photo credit: Geely

At the rear, it features a light strip that runs across the width of the car, and an upward-sloping tail wing, showcasing a good balance between style and sportiness.

The vehicle measures 4,782mm, 1,879mm, 1489mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2,752mm.

Regarding powertrain, the Galaxy L6 will ride on the e-CMA intelligent hybrid architecture and the new generation of NordThor intelligent hybrid 8848 and Aegis battery safety system. This hybrid system consists of a NordThor 1.5T hybrid-specific engine, P1/P2 electric motors, and a 3-speed DHT Pro transmission.
Suffolk County Police and investigators are pictured near the scene of the arrest of a suspect in multiple murders of up to 10 women on Long Island in Massapequa Park, New York, U.S., July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
Residents line up for the Disaster SNAP program at the Micronesia Mall in Dededo on June 27, 2023.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On July 13, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) and Zhejiang Seaport Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Hangzhou, according to a post on Geely Holding's WeChat account.

Under the agreement, both parties will work together to build a digitalized, green, and smart innovative port, and deepen their cooperation in the fields of container logistics and roll-on/roll-off logistics.

Photo credit: Farizon Auto

They will collaborate to promote the construction of green logistics demonstration lines, explore the diversified development of green logistics dedicated routes and application scenarios, accelerate the promotion and application of new energy commercial vehicles, and drive the adoption and development of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in port scenarios.

The duo will gradually promote the electrification of vehicles within and outside the port area, as well as the operation of NEV charging and battery swapping stations.

Based on the strategic cooperation agreement, Geely-owned Farizon Auto's new energy heavy-duty trucks are expected to inject green new power into the development of Zhejiang Seaport. Additionally, new energy heavy-duty trucks equipped with unmanned driving technology will be gradually applied in the group's major ports.

In 2022, Ningbo Port Material Company purchased 28 Farizon Autos pure electric off-center terminal tractors. After the latest agreement signing, an increasing number of Farizon new energy heavy-duty trucks will appear in the transportation services of various ports in Zhejiang Province.
Agnes O'Casey doesn't have the name recognition of Laura Linney, Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates, but the actress more than holds her own in scenes opposite the highly talented trio in "The Miracle Club."

Making her feature-film debut in the movie bound for theaters this week, O'Casey (BBC One's Ridley Road) portrays a mother of two whose older child, Daniel (Eric D. Smith), has never spoken a word, which causes her great distress. She brings real humanity to her scenes.

Mostly, though, this period drama from Irish filmmaker Thaddeus O'Sullivan concerns itself with the decadeslong shared past of the three women portrayed by Linney, Smith and Bates, a past full of heartache and resentment.

Never quite as engrossing as you'd hope but nonetheless charming and relatable, "The Miracle Club" is set in 1967 in Ballygar, a working-class community in Dublin.

It is home to Lily (Smith), Eileen (Bates) and Dolly (O'Casey), all of whom attend the local Catholic church presided over by a sympathetic priest, Father Dermot (Mark O'Halloran)

The church is set to host both a funeral for a friend of the women, Maureen, and a talent-show fundraiser

Lily and Eileen are taken aback when Maureen's estranged daughter, Chrissie, arrives in town for the funeral, coming all the way from Boston after 40 years away from Ballygar. It's clear they're not thrilled to see her and that the feeling is mutual.

Chrissie attempts to reimburse Lily for money spent on flower arrangements, but the latter pushes the money away from her.

"I don't need that," she says. "It was an honor  your mother was a saint."

Why the bad blood? All of that will become clear over the course of the film, penned by Jimmy Smallhorne, Timothy Prager and Joshua D. Maurer, with Smallhorne credited with the story.

The fundraiser, along with some generosity from others, allows for Lily, Eileen and Dolly to go with Father Dermot to the French town of Lourdes, believed to be a place of miracles and visited by millions yearly. Each has a reason to go, Dolly's hope being that God will compel her son to speak.

Chrissie decides to tag along, frustrating Eileen and Lily but not Dolly, who sees her as a perfectly pleasant person.

During their time in Lourdes, culminating in a trip to its famed baths for each of them, they will learn a bit about themselves and each other.

Meanwhile, back in Ballygar, each of the men left behind by Lily, Eileen and Dolly gets on in his own way. The most notable of the trio, the curmudgeonly Frank (Stephen Rea of "The Crying Game"), who forbade Eileen from going on the trip.

The latter element of "The Miracle Club" is under-explored. Yes, the majority of the runtime should be devoted to the female characters, but how their male counterparts relate to them  and perhaps take them for granted  could have been given more time considering this isn't a long film.

That the story is a little under-cooked in general is made up for by the on-screen work of the foursome. Linney is, as we've come to expect, terrific, masterful in subtle acting. And Smith ("Downton Abbey") and Bates ("Misery") give more reserved performances than you may expect, but their characters' emotional pain comes through, as does that of Linney's.

And then there's the previously discussed O'Casey, whose Dolly carries around anger at herself. More of O'Casey in the future, please.

So, yes, you're left wanting a little more from "The Miracle Club," but what's there does have the intended soul-nourishing effect.
US military chief praises Japans defense funding boost as a buttress against China and North Korea View Photo

TOKYO (AP)  The highest-ranking U.S. military officer on Friday encouraged Japans commitment to doubling its defense spending over the next five years, calling Tokyos controversial push for a stronger military crucial to confront rising threats from North Korea and China.

Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, mentioned Japans need for improvements in cruise missile defense, early warning missile systems and air capabilities, all of which would help the United States as it looks to counter North Koreas push for a nuclear missile program capable of pinpoint-targeting the U.S. mainland and Chinas increasing aggression against Taiwan, the democratic island that Beijing claims as its own.

China has invested enormously in their military and aspires to be the regional hegemon in all of Asia, really probably in the next 10 to 15 years, Milley said.

That could become very unstable; it could become very dangerous, and I think having a powerful Japan, a militarily capable Japan that has a close alliance with the United States and other countries, will go a long way to deterring war, Milley said.

Milleys comments to reporters at the U.S. ambassadors residence in downtown Tokyo provide an explicit U.S. military analysis of an increasingly unstable security situation in northeast Asia. With more than 80,000 U.S. troops in Japan and South Korea, and rising military moves by North Korea and China, the possibility of war in the region has become a growing worry. Washington wants its allies, particularly in Tokyo and Seoul, to do more.

Japan, meanwhile, has long wrestled with the need for a strong military amid domestic and regional wariness about anything seen as overly aggressive. Japanese soldiers overran much of Asia in the years leading up to World War II, and the nation is still viewed with anger by many in surrounding nations because of a perception that it hasnt been fully repentant.

Milley also addressed the most recent missile test-launch by North Korea, a solid-fuel ICBM that he said clearly demonstrates an intent to develop a capability to strike the continental United States. While not providing specifics about the Norths missile program, he said: It has our attention.

Japans budget for the coming fiscal year provides a record 6.8 trillion yen ($50 billion) in defense spending, up 20% from a year earlier. That includes 211.3 billion yen ($1.55 billion) for deployment of U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles that can be launched from warships and can hit targets up to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) away.

The hefty defense budget is the first installment of a five-year, 43-trillion-yen ($315-billion) military spending plan as part of Japans new National Security Strategy, which was announced in December.

The new spending target meets NATO standards and will eventually push Japans annual defense budget to about 10 trillion yen ($73 billion), the worlds third biggest after the United States and China.

I have no doubt that the Japanese military could rapidly expand in scale, size, scope and skill very, very fast, Milley said.

Milley also spoke of the need to speed up U.S. military assistance to Taiwan, mentioning the islands need for better air defense, mines and air-to-air and shore-to-ship capabilities.

What were opposed to is any  use of military to compel some sort of unification, Milley said. Taiwan should have the capability to defend itself as a way to deter any aggression by China.

The speed at which we the United States or other countries assist Taiwan in improving their defensive capabilities, I think that probably needs to be accelerated in the years to come, Milley said.

By FOSTER KLUG

Associated Press
As fire crews across northern Arizona continue to contain several blazes, Congress is looking to make permanent an increase in federal firefighter pay.

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema introduced a new bill, co-signed by several other western-based senators, to increase federal wildland fire pay permanently.

So I've introduced a new piece of legislation, with bipartisan support, that extends this funding and makes it permanent so our firefighters don't see a pay cut starting Oct. 1, Sinema told the Arizona Daily Sun.

Federal firefighting agencies have long struggled with low morale, retention, and recruitment due to low pay and the lack of other benefits, all while working in difficult and dangerous conditions.

For years, the pay federal firefighters receive has been comparable to minimum wage.

Last year, pay for wildland firefighters was increased as part of the trillion dollar bipartisan infrastructure bill. Within that bill -- which also had money for transit, roads and broadband access -- was $8.25 billion for wildfire issues.

The bill ensured no federal firefighter made less than $15 an hour.

That included a significant pay raise for our federal wildland firefighters. The good news is they now have full-time work year-round, and receive appropriate pay that matches their skill level and the risk of their job, Sinema said. But that funding runs out on Sept. 30 of this year.

Sinema said her bill, the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, will make permanent the increase in pay for federal firefighters.

The bill also makes permanent a change from seasonal employment to year-round. According to Sinema, that change not only ensures federal firefighters can better support themselves but also helps land management agencies keep up with an evolving fire season that has been getting longer due to climate change.

In the past, we only paid wildland firefighters during fire season. But as folks in Flagstaff are well aware, fire season starts earlier than it used to and lasts longer than it used to because of our changing climate, Sinema said. So in addition to changing it to year-round, we now have wildland firefighters who are on the clock during fire season, but also working outside of fire season to do mitigation work and prevention work so the next year's fire season is not as damaging.

The move was applauded by the National Federation of Federal Employees, which represents federal workers.

It is critical that Congress passes this legislation as soon as possible, said NFFE National President Randy Erwin in a statement.

If Congress fails to act before Sept. 30, federal wildland firefighters could see as much as a 50% cut in pay, a reduction of as much as $20,000 for many, according to the NFFE.

The measure is not the only congressional action hoping to solidify the pay hike for federal firefighters.

In May, several senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced a separate bill that not only addressed wages but also benefits received by both temporary and permanent federal firefighters. Known as the Tim Act -- after Wyoming smokejumper Tim Hart, who died fighting a fire in 2021 -- that bill would set federal wildland fire pay at a minimum of $20 an hour, and included language to ensure federal firefighters had access to healthcare, mental health services and housing assistance.

That bill was reintroduced only by Democrats and failed to pass in 2022. But Sinema says she is confident that her bill will pass Congress and be signed into law.

There was broad bipartisan support for protecting the salaries of our wildland firefighters. The co-sponsors of my legislation include senators from both sides of the aisle for the entire western region of the U.S. where we are continuously devastated by these fires, Sinema said.

The bill was co-sponsored by Republican Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming and Steven Daines of Montana, and Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Alex Padilla of California and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

It should be evident to every member of Congress that the wildfire crisis is not slowing down any time soon, Erwin said. Congress has a responsibility to ensure we have a workforce that can appropriately respond and mitigate any threat, including wildfires. I urge Congress to quickly pass the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act before it is too late.
If you cant afford your favorite Sriracha brand, try this View Photo

Bottles of a leading brand of Sriracha hot sauce are suddenly hard to find, driving up prices for them as high as $150  but there are alternatives to opening your wallet that wide.

Its the second time in two years that Huy Fong Foods  the best-known producer of Sriracha in the U.S.  has had low inventory of their tangy sauce with the green cap and rooster label, a problem they attribute to insufficient chile pepper supplies. That and a bit of pandemic hoarding combined to send prices soaring, with some third-party sellers cashing in.

Rather than fall for the hype, remember theres a world of hot sauce alternatives.

Though the brand has near iconic status, Huy Fongs is not the only Sriracha on the market, nor is it even made in the Thai town that gave it its name.

The bright-red sauce was created by Thanom Chakkapak, a home cook in Thailand who mixed a combination of fresh chiles, vinegar, garlic, salt and sugar for her own use. Around the 1930s, she began marketing the sauce as Sriraja Panich, named after her coastal hometown, Si Racha. It became Thailands best-selling hot sauce.

Years later, a fan of the sauce, David Tran, moved from Vietnam to California and founded Huy Fong, which made a thicker, spicier hot sauce, inspired by Sriraja Panich, that ultimately conquered U.S. kitchens. Huy Fong sources its chiles from Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, where a historic drought has now disrupted the supply chain.

That means a lot fewer bottles on store shelves.

Luckily, hot sauces and similar condiments are not difficult to make, and cooks around the world have alternatives that deliver both heat and complex layers of flavor.

Here are just three alternatives, from Barbados, Mexico and Cambodia. They wont taste identical to Huy Fong Sriracha, but they dont have to. All are easy to make, and you can relax about the missing rooster.

-

Bajan Hot Pepper Sauce

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/bajan-hot-pepper-sauce

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Makes  cup

This hot sauce from Barbados gets its heat from spicy Scotch bonnet chiles. If you cant find those, habaneros are a good substitute. To keep your fingers from being coated in spicy capsaicin, use the chiles stems as a handle while slicing the sides from the center seed pod. A quick blanch in boiling water tames the chiles heat but wont affect their subtle fruity flavor. Refrigerated in an airtight container, the hot sauce will keep for up to two weeks. Dont use Dijon mustard in place of the yellow mustard. Along with ground turmeric, plain yellow mustard gives the sauce its vibrant yellow color.

2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles

3 medium garlic cloves, peeled

3 scallions, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon packed light or dark brown sugar

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 teaspoons lime juice

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Holding each chile by its stem, slice the sides away from the seed pod; discard the stems and seed pods. Add the chiles and garlic to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a food processor.

Add the scallions, vinegar, turmeric, sugar and  teaspoon salt to the processor. Pulse until chopped, about 10 pulses. Scrape the bowl. Add the mustard and lime juice, then process until not quite completely smooth, about another 10 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl or jar, cover and refrigerate.

Salsa Macha

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/salsa-macha

Start to finish: 15 minutes, plus cooling

Makes about 1 cup

We first tasted salsa macha in Mexico City during an epic taco crawl. Its gets its deep, earthy, smoky flavor from toasted dried chiles, garlic, and a combination of nuts and seeds. Some versions are well blended to fully integrate the ingredients, but this one is chunky with chopped peanuts and whole sesame seeds. (We found that a blender does a better job than a food processor at breaking down the toasted chiles.) Salsa macha keeps well in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving.

 ounce guajillo chiles (4 medium), stemmed and seeded

 ounce ancho chiles (1 or 2 medium), stemmed and seeded

1 or 2 chipotle or morita chiles, stemmed and seeded

 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 medium garlic clove, finely grated

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons coconut vinegar or cider vinegar

In a 10-inch skillet over medium, toast all of the chiles, turning occasionally with tongs, until fragrant and just a shade darker in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and cool for about 5 minutes.

Blend the chiles until finely chopped, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a small saucepan and add the oil, peanuts, sesame seeds, garlic and  teaspoon salt. Cook over medium, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Off heat, stir in the vinegar. If serving right away, transfer to a small bowl and let cool; if storing, transfer to an airtight container, cool and refrigerate for up to 2 months (bring to room temperature before serving).

Thai Sweet Chile Sauce

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/sweet-chili-dipping-sauce

Start to finish: 1 hours

Makes about 24 fritters

Nam jim kai is a Thai-style chile sauce, or which there are numerous iterations, though all generally feature some combination of sweet, salty, spicy and sour flavors. Most are thick and syrupy and commonly are served with crispy Thai corn fritters or seafood. We think it also goes wonderfully with grilled meats and chicken.

3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

2 red Thai chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced or 1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

 cup white sugar

 cup white vinegar

Kosher salt

In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, chiles, sugar, vinegar,  cup water and  teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lightly syrupy and reduced to about  cup, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a jar or small bowl and cool completely. The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature before serving.

By ALBERT STUMM

Christopher Kimballs Milk Street
Russian antiwar activist allowed into Serbia after spending more than a day at the Belgrade airport

Russian antiwar activist allowed into Serbia after spending more than a day at the Belgrade airport View Photo

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Serbian authorities on Friday allowed into the country a Russian antiwar activist who was previously denied entry and had spent more than one day at the Belgrade airport.

Peter Nikitin said he received no explanation from the authorities for what happened. A fierce critic of Russias President Vladimir Putin, Nikitin told Serbian media he believed Moscow was behind his ordeal.

I have no idea how I became persona non grata. The only explanation is that this was done on Putins order, he said. This is an illustration how big an influence Russian regime holds here.

Though it formally seeks European Union membership and has condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has maintained friendly relations with Moscow and refused to impose Western-backed sanctions over the aggression.

Serbias pro-Russian intelligence chief Aleksandar Vulin this week was sanctioned by the United States for alleged crime and corruption and for aiding Russian malign influence. Serbian media have reported that Vulin wiretapped a Russian opposition meeting in Belgrade in 2021, which he has denied.

Nikitin holds both Russian and Dutch citizenship and has a residence permit for Serbia, where he and his family have lived for years.

He was turned back early on Thursday upon returning from a trip abroad and told to return to Frankfurt, Germany, from where he had flown in. Nikitin refused this and stayed at the Belgrade airport until he was allowed into the country on Friday.

Nikitin is well known as an outspoken critic of Putin and of Russias invasion of Ukraine. He was one of the organizers of antiwar and pro-democracy protests in Serbia called for by Russians and Ukrainians living in the country.

Some 200,000 Russian citizens have moved to Serbia since the start of the war in Ukraine as the Balkan country requires no entry visas for Russians and is a fellow-Slavic nation. Many have fled being drafted into the army or moved their businesses to a sanctions-free country.

By JOVANA GEC

Associated Press
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  The embassies of 38 countries and more than 10 other cultural institutions urged Hungarys government on Friday to retract laws seen as limiting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

This comes ahead of the Budapest Pride march on Saturday.

The joint statement, signed by embassies from countries including the United States, Germany and Ukraine, expressed full support for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) community in Hungary and their rights to equality and non-discrimination.

They said they were concerned with legislation and political rhetoric in Hungary and elsewhere that is in tension with principles of non-discrimination, international human rights law and human dignity, and called on governments to cease the stigmatization of LGBTQ+ people and to eliminate laws and policies that discriminate against them.

Hungarys right-wing government has enacted a series of policies in recent years that critics and rights groups say are cracking down on the rights of sexual minorities in the Central European country.

A law passed in 2021, ostensibly to protect children from pedophilia, forbids the display of homosexual content to minors in media, including television, films, advertisements and literature. It also prohibits LGBTQ+ content in school education programs and forbids public display of products depicting or promoting gender deviation.

The government, led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, portrays itself as a champion of traditional family values, and a defender of Christian civilization from what it calls gender madness. It has repeatedly said its laws were designed to protect children from sexual propaganda.

But leaders in many other European countries have spoken out against Hungarys policies and vowed to use institutions in the European Union to roll them back. On April 15, EU countries backed legal action against the Hungarian law in the European Court of Justice, and the blocs top executive, Ursula von der Leyen, has called the legislation a disgrace.

But Orbans government says it wont back down. On Thursday, a government office fined Hungarys second-largest bookseller 12 million forints ($35,930) for placing a popular LGBTQ+ graphic novel in its youth literature section, and for failing to place it in closed packaging as required by the 2021 law.

In the joint statement, signed by the embassies of every EU country except Poland, the signees point to the 28th Budapest Pride festival as playing an important role in fighting for equal treatment and the full protection of the law for LGBTQ+ Hungarians.

Budapest Pride has the longest history of such events in the region, and we highlight its role in promoting equality of treatment and social acceptance for all LGBTQI+ persons, the statement read.

By JUSTIN SPIKE

Associated Press
Indias Modi and Frances Macron agree on defense ties but stand apart on Ukraine

Indias Modi and Frances Macron agree on defense ties but stand apart on Ukraine View Photo

PARIS (AP)  India is close to buying new French warplanes and submarines and played a starring role in Frances Bastille Day celebrations Friday. But for all the camaraderie on display this week between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, their two countries remain sometimes-awkward allies.

Macron skirted around concerns about threats to rights and freedoms under Modis Hindu nationalist government.

Modi called for peace efforts in Ukraine to end Russias war and resulting grain shortages, and India has increased imports of sanctioned Russian oil; Macrons France is boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine for its counteroffensive.

During a two-day visit that included a banquet at the Louvre, Indian troops marching down the Champs-Elysees and a high-octane speech by Modi to Indians from around Europe, the two countries released a raft of agreements tightening cooperation in areas where they agree.

The biggest step is a preliminary Indian accord to buy 26 more Rafale fighter jets and three more Scorpene French- and Spanish-made submarines, on top of a prior deal for 36 Rafales and six Scorpenes. Price details still need to be worked out.

Cooperation in defense is the basic pillar of our relationship, Modi said ahead of meetings with Macron. Be it a submarine or a navy ship, we want to work jointly not only for ourselves but other friendly nations too.

Macron is keen on tightening alliances in the Indo-Pacific against an increasingly assertive China, and his office unveiled a roadmap with India for cooperation in the region.

This convergence stretches to our strategic interests, he said. We are defending together the same vision of the Indo-Pacific, an area that must remain open and free from all forms of hegemony.

Modi said India also wants to increase cooperation with France in space, after India launched a spacecraft toward the far side of the moon Friday. France houses the European Space Agencys main launch site, in French Guiana.

The two leaders also announced new initiatives to cooperate on renewable energy, hydrogen projects, artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

A small clutch of activists held a rally in Paris against Modis visit on Thursday, accusing him of eroding Indian democracy and encouraging discrimination against religious minorities. Modi, who governs the worlds largest population, has said that democracy runs in our veins and insisted that there is absolutely no space for discrimination.

Modi was welcomed by U.S. President Biden last month, and heads next to the United Arab Emirates.
California State Capitol Building View Photo

Sacramento, CA  Republicans, who are in the minority in both branches of the California legislature, had a victory this week.

There was a reverse course on one of their high-priority bills, calling for increased penalties for child traffickers.

Senate Bill 14 authored by Central Valley Republican Senator Shannon Grove was initially voted down on Tuesday in the Assembly Public Safety Committee when two Republicans voted aye and six Democrats chose to abstain, so it was declined due to a lack of a committee majority.

However, Governor Gavin Newsom had discussions with Grove after the vote and decided to endorse the bill. It was then reconsidered Thursday and approved 6-0, with two abstentions, following the Governors urging.

Senator Grove was very pleased, noting, This is a bill with strong bipartisan support, and protecting victims of child sex trafficking should not be a partisan issue. Today is a victory for every survivor. However, the battle is not overSB 14 must still go through the Assembly Appropriations Committee when legislators return from Summer recess.I urge every Californian to stay engaged until the bill is signed into law.

The bill would add child trafficking to the list of serious offenses in California, which would increase sentences for violators.
Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District View Photo

Sonora, CA  The Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District is receiving state grant funding to help some local ranchers and farmers do Farm, Agriculture, and Carbon planning.

The grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture totals $78,000 and will cover the cost of five participant plans.

The TCRCD reports that the efforts include evaluating a farm or ranch to provide a custom plan that details management practices and how to increase things like yields and soil health. The participants will be connected with a certified land practitioner to evaluate, quantify, and create a plan based on the goals of the rancher/farmer, and the costs will be covered by TCRCD.

Anyone seeking more information can contact TCRCD at info@tcrcd.org.

TCRCD will be hosting a Soil Health Forum on August 9th, at 5:30 pm at the UCCE office, 52 N Washington Street. The district has invited other county partners to join to discuss additional farm and ranch-related opportunities. This will also be a platform for local farmers and ranchers to discuss needs for funding and potential tools needed to enable the regeneration and conservation of soil, farms, and ranches.
Swedish police authorize protest by man who plans to burn Torah, Bible outside Israeli Embassy

Swedish police authorize protest by man who plans to burn Torah, Bible outside Israeli Embassy View Photo

STOCKHOLM (AP)  Stockholm police on Friday said they have authorized a protest this weekend by a man who has stated that he wants to burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm.

Israeli officials called on the Swedish government to stop the protest, which is scheduled to take place Saturday outside the diplomatic mission.

Sweden recently faced strong criticism from Muslim countries for allowing protesters to burn the Quran at small anti-Islam demonstrations.

The man who filed the request for Saturdays protest, said he wanted to burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in response to a Quran-burning outside a Stockholm mosque last month by an Iraqi immigrant.

Stockholm police approved the protest in a decision obtained by The Associated Press, saying three people would participate in the demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Saturday.

The right to hold public demonstrations is strong in Sweden and protected by the constitution. Blasphemy laws were abandoned in the 1970s. Police give permissions based on whether they believe a public gathering can be held without major disruptions or risks to public safety.

Stockholm police stressed that distinction in an email to the AP, saying they do not give permission for different actions. We give permission to hold a public meeting! Thats an important difference.

Israeli officials called on Sweden to stop the event.

As the President of the State of Israel, I condemned the burning of the Quran, sacred to Muslims world over, and I am now heartbroken that the same fate awaits a Jewish Bible, the eternal book of the Jewish people, Isaac Herzog said in a statement.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that he was urging Swedish officials to prevent this despicable event and not to allow the burning of a Torah scroll.

Israels Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef even implored Swedens figurehead king to intervene, condemning the planned event as well as the recent burning of the Quran in front of a mosque in Sweden.

By preventing this event from occurring, you would send a powerful message to the world that Sweden stands firmly against religious intolerance and that such acts have no place in a civilized society, he wrote.

The Council of Swedish Jewish Communities deplored the police decision to allow the protest, saying, our tragic European history links the burning of Jewish books with pogroms, expulsions, inquisitions and the Holocaust.

Last month, an Iraqi Christian immigrant burned a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, triggering widespread condemnation in the Islamic world. A similar protest by a far-right activist was held outside Turkeys Embassy earlier this year, complicating Swedens efforts to convince Turkey to let it join NATO.

On Wednesday, the U.N.s top human rights body overwhelmingly approved a measure calling on countries to do more to prevent religious hatred in the wake of the Quran-burnings. It was approved despite objections of Western countries who fear tougher steps by governments could trample freedom of expression.

___

Olsen reported from Copenhagen, Denmark. Associated Press reporters Julia Frankel and Sam McNeil in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

By KARL RITTER and JAN M. OLSEN

Associated Press
Cypriot official says probe backs Mossad claims that hitman plotted to kill Israelis on the island

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  Cyprus police investigations support claims by Israels Mossad spy service that an Iranian-backed hit squad planned to kill Israelis and other Jews in the east Mediterranean island nation, an official said Friday.

The security official told The Associated Press that Cypriot police had tracked an Iranian national identified as Yusef Shahabazi Abbasalilu following information from friendly intelligence services.

Subsequent probes into his activities indicated there was a plot for such killings, with at least one person on a hit list, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigations.

According to the official, Abbasalilu initially attempted to set up base and recruit others in the ethnically divided islands breakaway Turkish Cypriot north, where its internationally recognized authorities have no access.

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. No country recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence apart from Turkey, which maintains 35,000 troops in the islands northern third.

The fact that the breakaway north isnt a part of the international legal order is a concern for domestic and foreign security services, according to the security official.

Cypriot authorities were on Abbasalilus trail in the islands southern part when he snuck into the north through a crossing point along the 180 km (120 mile) United Nations-controlled buffer zone. Turkish Cypriot authorities then identified him as a potential security risk and deported him to Iran.

Its the first time that a Cypriot official has backed Mossads claims of the alleged plot.

The Mossad said last month said that its agents inside Iran seized Abbasalilu who allegedly gave investigators a detailed confession. Released footage showed Abbasalilu saying on camera that he received his orders from Irans powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Abbasalilu also said that he had scoped the target and took photos of the targets home in Cyprus before fleeing the island. It was not clear if the man spoke under duress.

Israel considers Iran its greatest enemy, citing the Iranian governments calls for Israels destruction and support for hostile militant groups. It also accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb  a claim that Iran denies.

An Azeri man holding a Russian passport is on trial in Cyprus, a close Israeli ally, on suspicion that he planned to carry out the contract killings of Israelis living in Cyprus.

The Azeri man also used a similar plan of action as Abbasalilu, the intelligence official said.

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS

Associated Press
Pakistans military chief warns Afghan Taliban against harboring militants as attacks spike View Photo

ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistans military chief warned the Afghan Taliban on Friday of an effective response by his forces if they fail to stop harboring militants who plot cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

The stern remarks by the army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, came after two militant attacks this week killed 12 Pakistani soldiers in the countrys southwestern Baluchistan province, which borders Afghanistan.

During a military meeting Friday in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan, Munir paid tribute to the fallen soldiers. Seven attackers were also killed by troops returning fire during the attacks on Wednesday.

Both the Pakistani Taliban, a separate militant group that is also an ally of the Afghan Taliban, and the extremist Islamic State group have a presence in Baluchistan.

However, a newly formed militant group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan claimed responsibility for one of Wednesdays attacks. That attack, in the Zhob district, left nine soldiers dead. It was unclear who was behind the other attack, in the Sui district, which killed three soldiers.

The Taliban-run government in Kabul did not immediately respond to the Pakistani generals remarks.

Munir was quoted as saying that Pakistans armed forces were seriously concerned about the safe havens and liberty of action the Pakistani Taliban have in Afghanistan. He said he expects the Afghan Taliban to live up to their promises from a 2020 agreement with Washington to bar any terror group from using Afghan soil for attacks.

If they fail to do so, these intolerable attacks would draw an effective response, he said.

Along with the Pakistani Taliban and IS militants, local Baluch separatist also have a strong presence in the gas-rich Baluchistan. The province has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by nationalists for two decades. They initially wanted a higher share of the provincial resources, but later initiated an insurgency for independence.

Along with the Baluch separatists, the Pakistani Taliban  the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP  have claimed responsibility for most of the attacks on Pakistani troops and police in the province.

The TTP has become emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war.

By MUNIR AHMED

Associated Press
Biden administration suspends satellite monitoring of Colombian coca crops as cocaine surges View Photo

MIAMI (AP)  The Biden administration has quietly ditched a key gauge used for decades to measure success in the war on drugs, suspending satellite monitoring of coca crops in Colombia as cocaine production surges in South America.

A State Department spokesperson said the move was temporary but gave no timeframe for data collection to resume or explain why it was suspended in the first place. It was also unclear whether satellite surveys would continue in Peru and Bolivia, which together account for about half of coca production in the Andean region.

The move, first reported by Colombias El Tiempo newspaper, has drawn outrage from Republicans in Congress from Florida, who have been calling for the president to decertify Colombias government for failing to cooperate in U.S. anti-narcotics efforts. But it tracks with leftist Colombian President Gustavo Petros efforts to refocus law enforcement efforts away from the rural backwaters where coca is grown to instead chase large-scale smugglers and money launderers who reap the bulk of the drug trades profits.

We are constantly assessing the effectiveness of various counternarcotics efforts and make changes to our efforts as needed, the State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The spokesperson gave the comment on condition of anonymity, citing agency policy. We continue to work with the Government of Colombia on the monitoring of illicit coca crops.

Since at least 1987, the U.S. government has published annual estimates of coca cultivation in Colombia. The numbers soared to an all-time high in 2020, when the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy estimated that 245,00 hectares of land  an area three times the size of New York City  was planted with the illicit crop used to make cocaine. Last years report showed production was almost unchanged in 2021 from the same high level.

In the first five months of 2023, Petros government has manually eradicated just 4,511 hectares of coca  down almost 90% from the 33,454 hectares yanked during the same period a year ago, when the law and order conservative Ivan Duque was still in power.

While the U.S. hasnt commented on what prompted the policy shift, Republicans have seized on it to attack Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, as he seeks better ties with Venezuelas socialist government and tries to cut a deal with the nations last remaining rebel group.

This is a gift to the Petro Administration, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a senior member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, said in a statement to The Associated Press. Its another example of the Biden Administration giving concessions to far-left governments in the region.

Petro has pushed back, arguing that the U.S. would be wise to refocus its attention on the fentanyl crisis, which is blamed for tens of thousands of overdose deaths.

Things change, he wrote in a Tweet this week in response to attacks from Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Miami Republican who chairs a subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee dealing with Latin America. Without directly addressing questions about the future of the U.S. coca monitoring effort he said the structure of drug consumption is changing for the worse, reducing demand for cocaine, which is starting to flow to other parts of the planet.

Adam Isacson, the director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, said that satellite monitoring of coca crops offers valuable insights into Colombias ability to assert state control in remote, economically depressed areas that have long been dominated by illegal armed groups.

But as a tool for estimating cocaine flows its less reliable than other measures that have remained mostly stable in recent years like data on cocaine purity, street prices and overdose deaths. Additionally, the United Nations in conjunction with Colombian authorities annually conducts its own survey of coca cultivation that combines satellite data with on-the-ground verification.

Still, he suspects politics also may have played a role in the U.S. decision to pull the plug.

If you put a lot of weight on hectares youre on a collision course with the Petro government, which doesnt want to make eradication the center of its narcotics strategy, he said. The U.S. may be calculating it doesnt need a major irritant with its closest military ally in the hemisphere.

The Biden administration has tried to delicately downplay policy differences with Colombias first-ever leftist government on narcotics, trade, negotiations with armed rebel groups and sanctions on Venezuelas socialist government, emphasizing instead the more than two decades of close bilateral cooperation.

The diplomatic dance has yielded some positive results. Petro visited the White House in April and spoke alongside Biden about a common agenda to fight climate change and address migration. A few days later, the U.S. said it would launch a processing center in Colombia to handle growing numbers of migrants from Venezuela and elsewhere in South America seeking entry into the U.S.

We are going down the same river, a river that leads us to ever-greater democracy and ever-greater freedom, Petro said at the White House.

The State Department spokesperson said that disrupting cocaine trafficking remains a high priority because it foments violence, crime and death throughout the hemisphere.

The White Houses drug policy coordination office, which every July releases the coca monitoring report, did not respond to a request for comment.

___

AP Writer Juan Francisco Valbuena in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report.

Follow Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman

By JOSHUA GOODMAN

Associated Press
Press Release

July 14, 2023 Senator Risa Hontiveros on the statement of Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding the landmark WPS arbitral ruling By ignoring the growing consensus coalescing around the Philippine victory in the West Philippine Sea Arbitral ruling, the Chinese government further isolates itself from the international community. The world has spoken: the territorial claims embodied in the so-called "9-dash line" have no basis in history or international law. Despite the name, the South China Sea is not Chinese, and the Chinese government has no special authority therein, other than as provided for in the UNCLOS. China's call for the rest of the world to stay out of the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea and respect its "territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests" is the height of hypocrisy, as the Chinese government itself all too willingly violates the sovereignty, rights, and interests of other claimant countries when it thinks it can get away with it. As to the alleged "mastermind" of the arbitration case, I strongly urge the Chinese Embassy to at least show some basic courtesy to the Philippines, their host country, before deciding to release inflammatory statements on a day the Filipino people are celebrating a great victory. This is an affront to the Filipinos who stood up for ourselves, and had the heart, courage, and fighting spirit to take China to court. If China keeps ignoring the Arbitral Ruling, the Marcos administration should seriously consider reviewing our national policy toward China.




(Global Times) An exclusive audio recording appeared to show that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) sent stern warnings to US P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft and asked it to turn around while the latter was transiting through the Taiwan Straits on Thursday in a provocative move.

A US P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft on Thursday transited through the Taiwan Straits, and the PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed combat aircraft to track and monitor it throughout its entire course in accordance with laws and regulations, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement on Thursday.

An audio recording sent from Chinese satellite remote sensing and geospacing analysis company MizarVision to the Global Times disclosed details of the encounter, with the PLA warning the US aircraft in Chinese and English that it is approaching China's territory and requiring it to turn around immediately or it will be intercepted.

Technicians from MizarVision who are familiar with the matter told the Global Times that the PLA's warning was made through the international aviation emergency frequencies and was acquired by facility of the Air Traffic Control (ATC).

According to the data of the US P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the US aircraft was transiting the Taiwan Straits when the event occurred. This proved that the PLA fighter planes had been following and monitoring the US aircraft during the whole process and the warning was made according to laws and regulations.

The recording also showed the PLA's resolution in driving away the US provocation.

The US Seventh Fleet claimed in a release on its official website on Thursday that the transiting of the P-8A demonstrate "the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

While media on the island of Taiwan also reported the PLA's activities on Thursday, saying that PLA's 26 fighter jets of various types, including J-10, J-11, J-16, and Su-30 had been deployed and some of them joined the mission in regard to the P-8A. Taiwan media also said a total of 13 fighter jets flew over the so-called median line to conduct joint sea-air exercises with PLA warships.

In response to the US military's deliberate provocation, Fu Qianshao, a military expert, told the Global Times that its military purpose is obvious as the Taiwan Straits is a highly sensitive area while P-8A can perform various tasks such as anti-submarine, anti-ship, reconnaissance and surveillance.

Ongoing US moves pose a severe threat to China's security and China must act in response. "The behavior of the US military is definitely not innocent passage, but a blatant provocation," Fu told the Global Times.

An anonymous military expert told the Global Times that it is common for China to see various and similar excuses used by the US and its military have acted in a similar way in the past. In fact, the US military is well aware of the sensitivity of its moves and any of its operations in such sensitive areas would be carried out with carefully-chosen time, area, path, equipment and disposal method.

The US military has a carefully designed "standard" format to respond to the PLA's warnings. But no matter how it plays with words, it cannot change the essence of the US deliberate provocation, nor will it cover up its bullying of others, the expert said.

The expert said that the "freedom of navigation" and "innocent passage" cited by the US are based on its hegemonic logic. Countries all over the world should remain vigilant to such logic, the expert added.

The PLA pilots also showed professionalism and courage in dealing with the incident. It is legitimate and reasonable for PLA pilots to drive away targets that endanger China's national security, according to the expert.

"The warnings are carried out in both Chinese and English on an international channel to ensure that the others can hear and understand," said the expert.

Fu said that the PLA pilot's handling of the incident is very standard. If a foreign aircraft does not leave immediately, the PLA will take further action, including intercepting it, using radar illumination, or firing at the front of the foreign military plane's flight course as a warning.
Kentuckys ban on gender-affirming care takes effect as federal judge lifts injunction View Photo

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  Kentuckys ban on gender-affirming care for young transgender people was restored Friday when a federal judge lifted an injunction he issued last month that had temporarily blocked the restrictions.

The latest ruling by U.S. District Judge David Hale means the Kentucky prohibition goes into effect, preventing transgender minors from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who had asked that the injunction be lifted, applauded the ruling, while transgender rights advocates denounced it.

What the courts are allowing to happen to LGBTQ people right now is an American tragedy, one that will besmirch the legacy of every judge who has opened the door to LGBTQ discrimination, said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, a Kentucky-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

Cameron called the latest ruling a win for parents and children, adding he was grateful to the judge for doing what the law requires, which is protecting Kentucky kids.

Hartman warned that the statewide ban would result in immediate harm for young transgender people and their families in Kentucky.

They will now be forced to travel outside the commonwealth or move out of state entirely to access their medically necessary care, he said.

Hales reversal of his own order came nearly a week after the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a similar temporary injunction halting enforcement of a similar law in Tennessee.

In the Kentucky case, seven transgender children and their parents have sued to block the law. They argue that it violates their constitutional rights and interferes with parental rights to seek established medical treatment for their children.

Corey Shapiro, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, said Friday that the latest ruling is not the final word on the matter. The group called it a temporary setback, and Shapiro expressed confidence of achieving a positive result before another federal court.

Last month, Hales injunction blocking portions of the Kentucky law came a day before the measure was to take effect. At the time, the judge said the plaintiffs showed a strong likelihood of success on the merits of their constitutional challenges.

The sweeping transgender legislation was passed this year by Kentuckys GOP-dominated Legislature over Democratic Gov. Andy Beshears veto. Beshear said the measure allowed too much government interference in personal healthcare issues. Cameron, whose office is defending the law, is challenging Beshear in the race for Kentucky governor. Its one of the nations most closely watched elections of 2023.

The lawsuit challenges sections of the Kentucky law banning puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors. It didnt take aim at other sections dealing with school bathroom policies, guidance for teachers regarding student pronouns and rules on teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation.

At least 20 states have now enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits. A federal judge struck down Arkansas ban as unconstitutional, and federal judges have temporarily blocked bans in Alabama and Indiana. Oklahoma has agreed to not enforce its ban while opponents seek a temporary court order blocking it. A federal judge has blocked Florida from enforcing its ban on three children who have challenged the law.

The states that have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, South Dakota and West Virginia.

By BRUCE SCHREINER and DYLAN LOVAN

Associated Press
New Mexicos top election official met with federal prosecutors for 2020 special counsel probe View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  The top state election official in New Mexico has spoken with federal prosecutors as part of the special counsels probe into the 2020 election, the officials spokesman said Friday.

The meeting with New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver occurred sometime in the past few months, according to spokesman Alex Curtas, who declined further comment.

The Justice Department has spent months examining pressure campaigns by Trump associates aimed at getting battleground states won by Democrat Joe Biden to undo the results of their elections. Special counsel Jack Smith and his team have issued subpoenas to election officials in states that Trump disputed, seeking correspondence from Trump associates and campaign aides, and have also lined up interviews in recent months with state officials.

The communications with state officials are one prong of a much bigger probe by Smith and his team into efforts to block the transfer of power from Trump to Biden. It is not clear when Smiths investigation into the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot might end or whether anyone might be charged.

A spokesman for Smith declined to comment on Friday.

CNN first reported the interview with the New Mexico secretary of state.

Its unknown what questions were asked of Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat in her second term, about the 2020 election in New Mexico.

After Biden won the state by nearly 11 percentage points, Trumps campaign briefly challenged the results in court before dropping the lawsuit. Republicans in the state submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the winner  though the fake electors added a caveat saying the certificates were submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors.

Although Democrats control every statewide elected office in New Mexico, with majorities in the Statehouse, false claims of fraud and manipulation of voting machines in 2020 have resonated in some politically conservative communities, including Otero County, where commissioners in June 2022 initially refused to certify election results.

Former Otero County commissioner and Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin was barred last year from holding public office for engaging in insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson have also spoken with officials from Smiths office in recent months, according to their staffs.

Kathy Boockvar, the chief state election official in Pennsylvania during the 2020 election, said Friday she has not been asked for an interview.

It was not currently clear whether state officials overseeing elections in 2020 in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin  other states disputed by Trump  have been interviewed. Claire Woodall-Vogg, the head of Milwaukees election commission, said in an email that she met virtually with investigators a month or two ago.

Im not sure what if any details I can divulge, so not much more to say, she said.

Efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn his loss in Georgia are also the subject of a separate investigation in Atlantas Fulton County with local prosecutors saying they expect a decision later this summer on next steps. It was in a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call that Trump suggested Raffensperger could help find the votes necessary to reverse Bidens win.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contributed to this report.

By CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY and ERIC TUCKER

Associated Press
Ex-officers at federal womens prison in California plead guilty to multiple sex abuse counts View Photo

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Two former officers of a federal womens prison in California pleaded guilty Thursday to multiple counts of sexual abuse, the latest to be prosecuted following an Associated Press investigation last year resulting in prison sentences for the former warden and chaplain.

Andrew Jones, a former cook supervisor at Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, pleaded guilty to six felony charges of sexual abuse of three women he supervised, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.

Nakie Nunley, a guard at the prison call center, pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual abuse and five lesser felonies of abusive sexual contact of five women. Both also pleaded guilty to making false statements to the government.

The two men will enter pleas and be sentenced at later dates.

They are at least the seventh and eighth former employees charged with abusing inmates after an investigation by The Associated Press last year revealed a harrowing culture of rampant abuse and cover-up at the facility 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of San Francisco.

Ray Garcia, the prisons former warden, was convicted in December of molesting inmates and forcing them to pose naked in their cells. He was sentenced to serve six years in prison.

All sexual activity between a prison worker and an inmate is illegal as inmates cannot give consent. Correctional employees enjoy substantial power over inmates, controlling every aspect of their lives.

In one example, Nunley wrote in his plea agreement that in May 2021 he called an inmate he supervised into his office and told her he could make her time in prison easier or more difficult. She complied with his request.
MERIDEN  After 18 months of renovation, the Meriden Public Library opened its doors to the community Friday morning.

State and local officials, library board members, residents and staff kicked off the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony inside the librarys newly added community room.

When I was younger, I used to come to the library all the time, said Fatima Kassmi, 13. And to see how much this place has changed is amazing to me. It looks really nice.

The project was initiated in 2015. TSKP Studio was then hired to create designs after the library building committee received thousands of public survey responses suggesting ideas for the renovation, according to Brian Daniels, member of the library building committee.

Four years later in July 2019, the City Council approved the renovation of the building. In early 2022, Montagno Construction began renovating and expanding the library.

The renovation was completed at about $6,000 under the $13.2 million budget according to Daniels.

The library expanded by more than 8,000 square feet from its original 45,000 square feet. By the end of the project, three community rooms, a teen room, a childrens room, a media lab, meetings rooms, and a multipurpose room were added.

This is a community place where we can educate young minds, state Rep. Hilda Santiago said during the ceremony. A community place that has kids interested in reading, learning, growing and opening new worlds.

The library was given a state General Assembly Official Citation introduced by Santiago, as well as state Reps. Michael Quinn and Jack Fazzino, and state Sen. Jan Hochadel.

The Connecticut General Assembly hereby offers its sincerest congratulations to the Meriden Public Library, Quinn said. In recognition of the commemoration of the grand reopening of the newly renovated and expanded Meriden Public Library. Today we celebrate the great achievements of the entire Meriden community, knowing it launches a bright future for the library and the city.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona also made an appearance at the grand opening. Cardona, a Meriden resident who grew up in the city, reflected on the times he visited the library as a child.

I remember coming in here as a nine-year-old, as an eight-year-old to pull out books here to do book reports. Because I had what my community offered me, he said. And I'm so thankful because Meriden and surrounding communities have this place now to grow and to learn.

Also born and raised in Meriden, Librarian Wanda Guzman, was excited for the opening of the library. She was excited to be part of the process in opening the modern library which offers a variety of resources to the community.

Meriden resident Marilyn Acevedo brought her two teenagers to the ceremony. Acevedo started going to the Meriden Public Library in 2010 when she moved back to the area.

At that time my kids were in elementary school and we would always come, she said. Now they have a teen room and it's like the library has grown with them.

The library will continue its grand opening activities Saturday (7/15) from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

From 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., a hula hoop program will take place. Residents can take a tour around the building from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at 3 p.m. childrens artist Al Decant will perform.

So I just want to thank you all for coming, said newly appointed Library Director Becky Starr. And please tell your friends and neighbors we want this to be a vibrant community center.
Connecticuts new state historian, Andy Horowitz, sat in the Old State House on Wednesday, a member of a commission trying to decide how the state should celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026.

By design, the commission has a diversity that would be unimaginable to the men who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The chair is a woman, former Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, and members includes racial minorities, including a leader of an indigenous tribe nearly eradicated by colonists.

Merrills vision of the semiquincentennial is less a commemoration of battlefields and historic sites, though they will be promoted, than an exploration of American ideals.

Were hoping it will bubble up from the bottom, Merrill said, adding that the commission will seek a contact in each of Connecticuts 169 cities and towns.

The progress of their planning with be tracked on the commissions web site, CT250.org. While the main celebration is three years away, Merrill said, We are not exactly early. It takes a lot of planning.

She said the commission, which was created last year, was challenged at an early meeting about the need to go outside history books and explore poorly documented aspects of the revolution, including the roles of women and Black soldiers. Merrill said the challenge was appropriate.

I think the anniversary is an extraordinary provocation, Horowitz said after the meeting Wednesday.

He means that in a good way.

What were trying to do on the commission, and its one of the things that I want to do in my new role as state historian, is to help people so they can get to engage in acts of collective autobiography, to try to write our own story, said Horowitz, a professor at the University of Connecticut.

The planning comes during one of Americas periodic paroxysms over what it means to be an American, whether there still are self-evident truths in the nations polarized politics. In recent years, Connecticut has taken hard new looks at its founders over atrocities against the Mashantucket Pequots, the executions of women accused of witchcraft, and how southern slavery factored in the accumulation of northern wealth. Horowitzs predecessor, Walter W. Woodward, was called to testify at the state Capitol two years ago in what amounted to a trial about the conduct of John Mason, a founder of the Connecticut Colony and leader in the 17th-century war on the Pequots. At issue: Should a statue of Mason remain in one of the niches on the Capitol? Woodward recommended Mason remain.

As state historian, I believe history and the future are both best served by embracing the complex realities of Connecticuts past, rather than by simplifying or erasing them, Woodward said. That past is filled with injustice, pain, inequity and violence. Our present moment has become a time of reckoning with these painful realities.

Horowitz has yet to weigh in on Mason, whose likeness still looks out over Bushnell Park. But he said historians must be comfortable in confronting uncomfortable chapters of history, including the biographies of Americas founders.

Read the full story on the website of The Connecticut Mirror, www.ctmirror.org.
Parents, educators, school leaders and members of the public flood the steps of the Nebraska State Capitol in support of public schools and against an "Opportunity Scholarships" measure on April 29, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Editors note: This article has been updated with additional comment.

LINCOLN  The Lincoln-based think tank OpenSky Policy Institute released a poll Thursday showing that 55% of respondents would vote to repeal a new state law that diverts state tax payments to groups providing private and parochial school scholarships.

The telephone/text message poll of 600 likely voters was done May 31 to June 1 by a Washington, D.C., polling firm, Lake Research Partners. The margin of error was plus or minus 4%.

In the polling, 47% of respondents strongly backed repeal, compared to 37% who expressed any level of support to vote to retain the legislation.

The polling should be welcome news for those backing an effort to repeal Legislative Bill 753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, via a voter referendum. They have long maintained that Nebraskans do not support diverting public funds to private schools.

Rebecca Firestone, executive director of OpenSky, said the polling also showed that Nebraskans would rather see increased investments in vocational and career training programs for educators and addressing the shortage of teachers instead of a $25 million outlay for tax credits for private school scholarships.

Voters overwhelmingly said those should be the priorities for spending tax dollars for education in Nebraska, Firestone said in a press release.

But a leading supporter of Opportunity Scholarships, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, took issue with the polling, including poll questions stating that the law reduces funding for public education.

Linehan said thats not true given that state funding for public education was increased by $1.3 billion this year.

If they really wanted an honest poll, why not read the wording of the petition? she asked.

A group called Support Our Schools Nebraska, led by the state teachers union, is currently gathering signatures to place a referendum on the law on the 2024 ballot.

OpenSky is among those supporting the repeal. The organization contributed nearly $55,000 in funds and staff time to Support Our Schools, according to its most recent state political spending report.

The Opportunity Scholarships Act allow donors to devote up to half of their state income tax payments to organizations that grant scholarships for students to attend private or parochial schools. LB 753 initially caps the total of yearly tax breaks at $25 million, but it could rise to $100 million a year if the funding is fully utilized.

Firestone said that OpenSky, which studies state spending, has consistently opposed private school tax credit proposals such as LB 753.

She said that diverting state tax funds to private and parochial school scholarships takes away general funds that could go to public schools or other state priorities, such as highways or affordable housing.

Supporters of LB 753, which include Gov. Jim Pillen, have said it is unfair that lower income families do not have the same opportunity financially to send their kids to private schools as do more wealthy families.

They maintain that public school advocates are short-sighted in their complaints about losing funds in a year when state lawmakers approved a $300 million increase in public school funding and Pillen established a $1 billion education future fund for schools.

Linehan added the she was able to get bills passed in the last two sessions that provide student loan forgiveness and bonuses for new teachers, as well as grants for additional teacher training.
It doesn't really look like a winter wonderland out there, but there's still magic in the air if you know where to look. Here's the best things to do this week.

Brews and BBQ

Father's Day was technically a few weeks back, but you won't find a more dad-core event than the Brews and BBQ brewfest, happening on Saturday, July 15 from 1 to 10 p.m. at the Chiesa Plaza at MetraPark. The event features only local, Montana-made beers tapped directly from kegs, with 70 brews and 20 food trucks. It's free to attend, but you'll have to buy tokens to drink.

36? / Quiet Winters / Lindsay Jacobsen at Kirks' Grocery

Get a taste of the great white north at Kirks' at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. Local Americana favorite Lindsay Jacobsen will be there, and she's joined by two artists from Calgary. There's the hushed, indie vibes of Quiet Winters and 36?'s unbridled energy and joy. The latter two were involved in a pretty horrific van accident this winter after their last Kirks' show, and this is their first big return to touring after recovering physically and mentally. More important than ever to get out and support the musicians in and around our community (Calgary may be far away and in another country, but all us Great Plains folks gotta stick together.) It'll be $12 at the door, or save a couple bucks by buying a $10 ticket in advance.

Angel Horses hosts Christmas in July

Get your Christmas cards done now and have one less thing to worry about for the rest of this year by heading to Angel Horses (403 S. 56th St. W.) on Sunday, July 16, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Angel Horses is a nonprofit who use rescue horses as therapy animals. They just celebrated 25 years of helping out Billings folks, both the two legged and four legged varieties. Of course, there'll be horses available for photos, but the real draw here is that Angel Horses have recruited Jim Jensen, the instantly recognizable icon who was Santa Claus for generations of Billings kids. It's a $20 donation for a photo with Santa, and $10 for one with a horse, and there will be food trucks and other treats on site.

Willie Watson

One of the masters of modern Americana is playing in Billings this week. Willie Watson, who got his big break as a founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show and has since embarked on a solo career, is at the Pub Station at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. Maybe if we get lucky, he'll play his Oscar-nominated song from "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs."

William Henry Jackson and Thomas Moran High Noon Lecture

The Western Heritage Center's monthly High Noon Lecture is at noon on Thursday, July 20, in the museum. This month's is "William Henry Jackson and Thomas Moran: An Artistic Friendship Forged in Yellowstone" presented by Dr. Ashlea Espinal, who is the assistant curator at the Whitney Western Art Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Jackson's photographs and Moran's paintings were the first images ever captured of the Yellowstone area, and were instrumental in the decision to protect the area as America's first national park. The Western Heritage Center's current exhibit "Yellowstone Engraved" features vintage engravings, including works by Jackson and Moran.

Honorable mentions

Kirks' Grocery's pay-what-you-can Kitchen Party is back from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 14. Food by Ash Woodward of Rose Hollow Catering, and beats from DJ Dixon Moonstomper.

Country musician Spencer Crandall is at the Pub Station at 8 p.m. on Friday. $17 tickets are at thepubstation.com.

Nine-piece funk band Free Spirit SOUL are at Thirsty Street at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. $10.

On Friday at 8 p.m., the Alberta Bair is hosting "An R-Rated Magic Show." Hosted by magician/comedian Grant Freeman, it's exactly what you think it is. $28 - $60 tickets are at albertabairtheater.org.

LCL Country play the Heights VFW on Friday from 7-11 p.m. and Sunday from 206 p.m.

The 7th Avenue Band is on the Pepper's patio from 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, July 15.

Spokane's finest Metallica cover band Blistered Earth are playing Thirsty Street on Saturday at 8 p.m. $15 in advance at thirstystreet.com/blistered-earth or $20 at the door.

Hear melodic hardcore with Counterparts at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 16. $22 tickets are at thepubstation.com.

Magic City Blues favorite Eddie 9V is playing Thirsty Street at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19. Grab a $15 ticket at thepubstation.com.

On Wednesday at 8 p.m., there's more metal at the Pub Station, headlined by Bad Wolves. $25 tickets at thepubstation.com.

Billings' other Thursday night concert series is at St. John's on July 20. Opener Elana Hayden goes on at 6 p.m., and The Core are headlining at 7 p.m.

Orange County's own The Brevet are at the Pub Station on Thursday at 8 p.m. $15 tickets at thepubstation.com.

Alive After Five rolls on on Thursday with Honyocker, with an all star lineup featuring folks like Josie Dunne, Guthrie Brown, Luke Enyeart and, of course, Bill and Will Honaker. Good vibes are at the Walkers Grill parking lot.
Self-exiled former minister Saviour Kasukuweres campaign team has vowed to press ahead with election campaigns for their man, despite a court ruling nullifying his presidential candidacy.

A High Court judge said Kasukuwere failed to prove why he should remain a candidate, after a Zanu PF member challenged his nomination papers. The judge said Kasukuweres 18 months abroad violated the Constitution.

But Kasukuwere has appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court, and his Bulawayo campaign executive Richard Musiyadzaanikwa urged supporters to stay united.

We got communication from our top comrades giving us the green light to carry on with our campaigns, he said. So as Bulawayo constituency convenors we are not going to be stoppedLets rally support for our president Saviour Kasukuwere.

Kasukuwere, known as Tyson in Zanu PF circles, fled Zimbabwe during the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe. Police say he faces arrest over pending cases and Zanu PF claims he faces criminal charges.

But his campaign team seems ready for a fight. Musiyadzaanikwa told members: So it is the duty of everyone of us to take the campaigns to a higher levelwe can only accept the directive from his office.

Kasukuweres campaign joins other long shots in the race for Zimbabwes top job, showing how determined outsiders will challenge the status quo  regardless of court rulings or criminal accusations.

Breaking News via Email
The escalation team just reached out to me. They told me that the account was being shut down, and they wouldnt give me a reason. I asked them if they would ever give me a reason. They said no.

This eerily Kafkaesque account is from California-based writer, activist, and social and political commentator Elad Nehorai. At the beginning of this week, he learnt that his bank of many years, Bank of America, had closed his account with no warning or explanation. He couldnt touch his funds and he had no idea why. Nehorai posted a thread on Twitter that went viral and ultimately prompted the TBTF lender to partially back down. As Nehorai has come to realise through this ordeal, he is not the only person to have suffered this fate (h/t to Lambert for bringing this to my attention):

I am with my wife & daughter in a @BankofAmerica office. They shut down my account with any notice or explanation, and we wont be able to feed our family or pay medical expenses. We are staying here until its fixed. So far they have refused to even explain why they did this. pic.twitter.com/yQ8717kjof  Elad Nehorai (@EladNehorai) July 11, 2023

For the record this is relatively common, and they apparently purposefully refuse to let you find out any information at all. The process can drag out for months while people wait for money to feed their families. https://t.co/bvsvlyVXX7  Elad Nehorai (@EladNehorai) July 11, 2023

In the end, Bank of America removed the hold on Nehorais account, though it is, to all intents and purposes, still closed. As Nehorai notes, many other people who do not have his public reach or social capital have not been so lucky:

In the meantime, the account itself is still shut down without explanation. Nothing was actually resolved on a technical level. I just got lucky that the pressure caused them to remove the hold. Sending love to anyone struggling financially. What a horror show.  Elad Nehorai (@EladNehorai) July 11, 2023

The responses to Nehorais twitter thread suggest that this horror show is anything but a freak occurrence. And it is not new: CBS published an article in June 2022 about a woman who was shut out of her 17-year account with Bank of America just before undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer, and for certain minority groups, in particular Muslims, this sort of thing has been happening for over a decade. Nor is it exclusive to the US.

Farage Furore

At the end of June, as many readers no doubt know, the retired British politician Nigel Farage went public with the new that Coutts, one of the UKs oldest private banks, had closed his account without warning. While Farage said the bank had given no reason for the action, he believed it was because of his former designation as a politically exposed person (PEP). As the BBC notes, PEPs generally pose a greater risk for financial institutions as they are considered to be more exposed to potential involvement in corrupt practices due to their position and the influence they may wield.

The story quickly went viral. Many of Farages fiercest detractors celebrated the fact that Mr Brexit was finally paying a price for the damage he is believed to have caused. Others were more attuned to the broader risks and dangers posed by the spectre of politically motivated bank account closures:

I oppose @Nigel_Farage on many issues but it's outrageous that his bank accounts have been closed on political grounds Banks are out of control & unaccountable They are policing people's thoughts Defend free speech & banking without discriminationhttps://t.co/i8pJ7xGrLu  Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) July 4, 2023

In the resulting furore, Coutts told the BBC that the real reason for its decision was that Farages account didnt have enough money in it  an allegation that Farage roundly denies. This prompted a flurry of calls to the broadcaster from other Coutts customers who said that their accounts are also below the necessary threshold yet they have not been threatened with account closure. As BBC reporter Simon Jack noted, the bank clearly has a lot of discretion when it comes to these sorts of actions and decisions:

Thank you to the Coutts customers who have been in touch saying they fall below financial thresholds but unlike Farage have not been threatened with account closure. Clearly a lot of discretion available to the bank.  Simon Jack (@BBCSimonJack) July 4, 2023

In an article for the Daily Telegraph, the former Brexit Party leader says he was also rejected by seven other banks when he approached them about becoming a customer. Natwest, Coutts parent bank, apparently offered him a standard account, but according to Farage only after he went public with his story. Also, Farage claims that several family members have apparently had their accounts shut after Chris Bryant, a Labour MP, falsely accused Farage of taking money from Russia.

In the wake of the Farage furore, the UK government has launched a probe into whether banks are closing accounts of people who are politically exposed. But the focus appears to be exclusively on elected officials and their families.

An even more bizarre story surfaced just over a week ago about an Anglican minister whose account with the Yorkshire Building Society, the UKs third largest building society, had also been closed, just days after he had raised concerns about his local branchs promotion of transgenderism. Speaking to the London Times, Rev Richard Fothergill said:

They are a financial house  they are not there to do social engineering. I think they should concentrate their efforts on managing money, instead of promoting LGBT ideology.

The Yorkshire Building Society said it does not close savings accounts based on different opinions regarding beliefs. But it added (emphasis my own): We would only make the difficult decision to close a savings account if a customer is rude, abusive, violent or discriminates in any way, based on the specific facts and behaviour in each case.

In other words, if a customers opinions or behaviour are deemed by the bank to be discriminatory in any way, it can close their account. As in the US, the reasons for an account closure are often a mystery to the customers affected, though political or ideological motivations appear to play a part in some cases.

A Clear-Cut Example

The most clear-cut example of this was the Canadian governments decision, in February 2022, to invoke the emergencies act to compel banks to seize the accounts of the freedom convoy protesters who had blocked several key border crossings. According to the minutes of a meeting between Canadas Economy Minister, Vice President and WEF board member Chrystia Freeland and senior bank executives the day before the act was invoked, one CEO flagged concerns that if banks were forced to close accounts, it could be seen as the sector being used as an arm of the government or even a political weapon.

In the past year, Paypal has banned the accounts of the UK-based Free Speech Union, its founder Toby Young and his online publication, the Daily Sceptic, for purportedly breaching its policies against hate speech. It also closed the account of UsForThem, which campaigned against school closures during the UKs COVID-19 lockdowns. Worse still, the fintech giant surreptitiously slipped a line into its terms of service granting itself the right to fine customers $2,500 for spreading misinformation. When the news got out, provoking a huge public backlash, PayPal claimed it had all been a big mistake.

Of course, as NC readers EssCetera and Rev Kev point out below, Paypal has a long, storied history of doing this sort of thing, going all the way back to its freezing of Wikileaks account in 2010. And banks in the US have been closing down the accounts of workers in the porn industry since at least 2014 (h/t Michaelmas).

It is hard not to see this issue becoming a bigger problem if/when central banks begin launching central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), as I warn in my book Scanned:

Combining digital currencies with digital IDs while phasing out, or even banning, the use of cash would grant governments and central banks the ability not only to track every purchase we make (and made in the past) but also to determine what we can and cannot spend our money on. They could also prevent certain undesirable people from buying anything. Anyone with a blocking notice attached to their digital identity would thus be unable to do many of the most basic things independently, says [German financial journalist Norbert] Haring.

In a CBDC-based economy [some] commercial banks will preserve some of their functions while no doubt carving out new ones. As envisaged for Britcoin and the digital euro, commercial banks will essentially administer CBDC accounts for their customers, which will essentially function like a trust or securities account. And they will continue in their role as executors of the financial regulators Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols.

All Incentives Are Toward Closing Accounts

There are, of course, other purely non-political reasons why banks are closing more and more of their customers accounts. In some cases, the accounts have been inactive for too long. Also, failure to provide personal, business, fiscal or financial information requested by your account can lead to account closure. KYC rules and regulations, many of them well-intended, have proliferated over the past decade and a half and banks have little choice but to comply. There has also been an explosion in financial fraud since the pandemic-induced lockdowns and work-from-home orders triggered a surge in digital payments, as the New York Times reported in April:

With fraudulent activity on the rise and exploding during the pandemic, some banks are taking an even harder look at their customers transactions  and closing their accounts when they feel that its necessary. Because financial institutions have a front-row seat for watching the countrys cash flow, financial institutions are obligated to alert regulators and law enforcement through a Suspicious Activity Report if theres irregular behavior that they cannot easily explain. Not all reports lead to account closures, and not all closures lead to reports. But if banks fail to report suspicious activity and regulators discover problematic transactions later, banks and their compliance employees are potentially on the hook for all manner of penalties. So all their incentives are toward closing accounts, according to an explanation of SARs on the website of the Bank Policy Institute, a research and advocacy organization that represents mid- and large-size banks. Financial institutions filed 1.4 million of these SARs in 2021, according to a bureau of the Treasury Department. That was nearly 70 percent higher than the 839,314 filed in 2014.

Its a similar story in the UK. As the Telegraph reports, high street banks rely on vast online databases that scrutinise millions of transactions around the globe, including World-Check Risk Intelligence, which is owned by Refinitiv, a member of the London Stock Exchange Group, to determine which accounts to close:

A bank can close anyones persons account if it suspects they have committed, or been involved in fraudulent or illegal activity. But also if they violate the terms of the account, leave it dormant, or even for no specified reason. Many banks use third-party databases and credit reference groups to gather information on people they suspect of illegal activities such as fraud or terrorism. The databases also detail those who could be under sanctions, or politically exposed people who are vulnerable to bribery. These databases monitor British customers and hand information to banks so they can decide whether to close an account if someone is deemed to be too much of a risk to the bank and its reputation  or who has a bad credit rating.

The problem is that these databases are far from infallible. In fact, most of the customers identified are probably innocent, according to the article in the New York Times:

A 2018 study from the Bank Policy Institute found that a median of just 4 percent of 640,000 suspicious activity reports from a sample of large banks warranted a follow-up from law enforcement, according to the research, which examined 16 million alerts.

The Canary in the Coal Mine

As I mentioned before, this is not a new trend. In fact, individual Muslims and Muslim groups in the UK have been losing access to their bank accounts for over a decade. The medias response has been total silence and disinterest, reports veteran journalist Peter Oborne for Middle East Eye:

Every major British media outlet has reported the revelation from British populist politician Nigel Farage that his bank accounts are to be closed without notice or explanation. The Times, Financial Times, Guardian, Telegraph, Independent. Mail, Express, Evening Standard, Spectator and others have awarded Farage ample space. Hes compared modern Britain to communist China  and claimed that without a bank account: I wont be able to exist or function. This is more than empty hyperbole. In the modern world, a bank account matters as much as electricity or running water. Without one you cannot travel overseas, you feel like a criminal and normal life becomes impossible. I know this because, over the last decade, I have spoken at great length to dozens of people who have had their bank accounts removed without explanation  the same fate as Farage. One lost his job, another saw his lifes work, a charity, wiped away. Yet another, a proud man, broke down in tears as he described the humiliation inflicted upon him and his family I have written up many of these stories in Middle East Eye. Not one of them has been followed up in the British media, or taken up as a cause by politicians. No prizes for guessing why not. The individuals concerned, though mainly British citizens, were Muslims.

The victims included the World Uyghur Congress, which raises awareness about the plight of Chinese Muslims; Interpal, one of the most prominent British charities providing relief and development aid to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza; Anas Altikriti, chief executive of the Cordoba Foundation; and the Palestinian Solidarity Foundation, which received letters from their bank cancelling their bank accounts, with no reason or right of appeal.

When it comes to financial deplatforming, says Oborne, politically engaged Muslims were the canary in the coal mine. And since nobody spoke up in their defence, the financial deplatforming has continued to grow:

Ever since Tony Blair joined George Bushs so-called war on terror, British Muslims have been the testing ground for sinister authoritarianism. As I demonstrated in my book, The Fate of Abraham, politically engaged Muslims were the first to suffer from cancel culture, having been systematically excluded from British life for many years. Nobody protested. They were the first to suffer from financial attack in the shape of bank account closures. Nobody protested. Muslims are, in short, the canary in the coal mine.

Now, it seems that we are all fair game.
Sea Otter on the Lam Steals Hella Surfboards and Looks Cool Doing It Gizmodo

This new fire-proof material is made from fungus and could save your home Interesting Engineering

Climate/Environment

Toxic Train Bombs

EPA Contradicts Itself AGAIN on East Palestine Air Contamination 5 Months After Toxic Detonation of Vinyl Chloride Status Coup

Water

#COVID-19

Bird Flu

Ongoing avian influenza outbreaks in animals pose risk to humans World Health Organization

Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships skyrocket to highest levels in a decade: CDC data New York Post

Old Blighty

La belle France

France to deploy 130,000 law enforcement officers on July 14 Bastille Day Anadolu Agency

India

China?

New Not-So-Cold War

IN KOSOVO, NATO ALLIES BLAME DEPLETED URANIUM FOR CANCER CASES Declassified UK

South of the Border

Spook Country

Biden Administration

Healthcare

Police State Watch

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Why new facial-recognition airport screenings are raising concerns CU Boulder Today How an AI-tocracy emerges MIT News. Focused on China, but findings would seem to apply elsewhere as well.

Digital Watch

Groves of Academe

Public Trust in Higher Ed Has Plummeted. Yes, Again. The Chronicle of Higher Education

Imperial Collapse Watch

Babylon Makes The Rules-Based International Order Forever Wars by Spencer Ackerman

Supply Chain

Class Warfare

Libertarian Squillionaire Titanic Submersible Darwin Award Winner

OCEANGATE CEO USED LEGAL THREATS TO SILENCE HIS CRITICS BEFORE DYING IN SUB Futurism

The Bezzle

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Lyle Lovetts got the best hair in the music industry. Hes won four Grammy awards. Hes performed Shakespeare on stage in Los Angeles. Hes got a college degree in German. As an actor, hes worked with Robert Altman, John C. Reilly and Paul Reiser. And oh by the way, he spent two years in the 1990s married to Julia Roberts. Can you really expect him to just play a normal concert?

Lovett is bringing his Large Band to town for a show in downtown Billings on Sunday, July 23. But instead of playing the Alberta Bair Theater or the Pub Station, hes at the Billings Skate Park parking lot. And as much fun as it is to imagine Lovett shredding a halfpipe, the lot will be transformed into Billings largest outdoor concert venue. Lovett wouldnt want to perform with helmet hair, anyway.

The concert is part of Downtown Summer Sounds, a concert series put on by the Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA) that turns the skate parks little used parking lot  at the corner of Minnesota Avenue and South 27th Street  into a sort of ad hoc amphitheater.

Its a really unique opportunity to activate something that exists, explained Katy Easton, the CEO of DBA. The infrastructure is there. Its just not used for anything exciting.

Activating infrastructure is part and parcel to DBAs mission. Easton describes the organization, which has existed in some form since the 1970s, as an umbrella organization that oversees a series of nonprofits seeking to promote downtown Billings. That involves everything from hanging decorations  flower pots in the summer, snowflakes and tin soldiers in the winter  to uniting local businesses to working with the city council to secure grants and determine tax increments.

How do we activate downtown? Easton asked. All of these buildings exist. All of these streets exist. There are all these limiting parameters in an urban core. How do you take those little elements that are already exiting in there and make it something different?

Downtown Summer Sounds is sure something different. Open air live music isnt a rarity in downtown Billings. 2023 marks the 20th year of Alive After 5, which brings thousands of people out on every Thursday night in the summer. But those are free shows, featuring (some admittedly excellent) bands from in and around Billings. Summer Sounds is different. Big headliners, who might typically play the Alberta Bair or even the Metra instead play on the streets of downtown.

The opportunity for a large scale downtown concert first arose in 2019. Sean Lynch, the owner and talent booker at the Pub Station, came to Easton with a proposition: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were coming through Montana  would DBA consider hosting a large, ticketed show?

They said yes.

Why dont we make it just a larger scale Alive After 5? Easton proposed at the time. And that show pretty much was just that. They put the stage right on the corner of North 29th Street and 1st Avenue North, and 3,000 packed into the street.

The energy was so good, Easton said. It really was fun to see just a street in downtown Billings transform into a huge concert.

Fun, yes. But the logistics were tough. So they started looking for other venues downtown that could work. The pandemic interrupted plans, of course, and they held a smaller scale version of Downtown Summer Sounds featuring country artist Ward Davis in July 2021.

Thats when DBAs events director Linsday Richardson suggested they take a look at the skate park lot. Its city owned, theres a nice grassy area, and the historic L and L Building, which was built between 1893-1896 and is on the National Historic Registry, makes a great backdrop.

This could work for us, Easton remembered thinking. Its a very large parking lot, and its underutilized even as a parking lot.

So they took a flier on it, and again in conjunction with Lynch, booked country star Koe Wetzel to play the improvised venue in June 2022.

It was a huge hit; 3,000 bought tickets and turned the empty lot into a bustling open air auditorium. And Easton reckons they could get even more into there, saying the lot probably tops out around 3,800 to 4,000.

It transforms into this extremely fun urban setting, said Easton. We have this huge stage with all of these big lights and speakers and then you surround it with food and beverage trucks and merch tents and all of a sudden this underutilized, boring parking lot that doesnt really do much for our community became this enormous, exciting, brightly lit, active space.

They followed that up the German rock-pop group Milky Chance in July, and mainstream country stalwart Kip Moore closed out the year in September.

Thats a motley collection of groups, from country bands to indie rock. Easton said theyre not necessarily casting a wide net, but theyre happy to become known as the sort of place that can host shows from any genre.

Lovett is a logical fit for Downtown Summer Sounds, because he, too, has always defied classification. Hes long been called a country musician, and while his Texas background and roughhewn lyricism fits that, Lovetts sound isn't as easy to pigeonhole. His work is jazzier, with horns and a beat that moves more than a typical folk or Americana sound typically allows. In short, hes one of our premier drinking-outside-on-a-summer-night musicians. Listen to him and you can almost taste the hops and feel the sunshine.

Hes also just a literal fit for this stage. Lovett is touring with his Large Band, something he doesnt do very often. There are 14 members, in addition to him. There just physically arent many stages in town, or even in Montana, that can accommodate that.

Without having a dedicated space in our downtown for an amphitheater style performance, we have had to try and create that out of nothing, essentially, Easton said. Our goal is to be known as a city that can do an outdoor venue like this in downtown.

Tickets for Lovett are $49.50, growing to nearly $60 after the requisite fees are tacked on. Thats steep, and even more so for families, although kids 10 and under get into the show for free. While DBA doesnt set the ticket prices, the proceeds do go back to them. The best way to think of Downtown Summer Sounds, Easton said, is as a downtown Billings fundraiser almost as much as it is a top notch concert.

We have the chance to do something with the money thats raised here, she said. Where else does your concert ticket also go to something so fantastic as public art, or safety initiatives, or the beautification of downtown?
Before their first album Super Snooper even hits the New Arrivals bin  thats happening today, by the way  Nashvilles Snooper has made a name for themselves halfway around the globe in Australia. How, you might ask? With help from the international network of DIY punk, using tools like YouTube, Bandcamp and social media as the digital connective tissue between scenes. Likeminded weirdos no longer see geography as a limitation of what a community can be.

YouTube channel Harakiri Diat is a big supporter of the Aussie bands Snooper played with on their June tour of Oz. But over the past several years, the channel has boosted international underground breakout artists like Germanys Pisse, Russias The End of Electronics and Belarus Molchat Doma (who have since immigrated to Los Angeles). With its more than 100,000 followers, the channel makes the global punk community feel a little more tightly knit.

Right now, it seems there are many lines running back and forth between Tennessee and the Australian underground. Sydneys Gee Tee has released numerous records on Tennessee-based labels, with a new one on the way via Goner Records in Memphis. Similarly, Research Reactor Corp. has a compilation tape on Snoopers Electric Outlet imprint and a live 12-inch on Nashvilles Sweet Time Records.

Ian Teeple, who plays in Snoopers live incarnation, is the central figure in Kansas Citys Silicone Prairie. That bands magnificent 2021 LP My Life on the Silicone Prairie was co-released by Feel It Records in the U.S. and Sydneys Computer Human in Australia. The year before, Computer Human released Snoopers debut 7-inch Music for Spies.

Two shows on Snoopers Australia tour featured Sydney power-pop unit Tee Vee Repairmann. TVR is one of a slew of Aussie bands set to play Gonerfest 20 in Memphis, which runs from Sept. 28 through Oct. 1. High-octane Sydney outfit 1-800-MIKEY, Melbourne Birdmen revivalists CIVIC and Sydneys answer to Turbonegro, aka C.O.F.F.I.N, are also among those youll see at Gonerfest  and very likely at soon-to-be-announced shows around Nashville in the week or two on either side of the festival.

Right after their sprint across Australia, Snooper took a run up the West Coast, and they havent announced any new dates yet. But you cant bet they wont sit still for too long; note the recent release of G.U.N., the self-titled LP from a Nashville hardcore outfit Cummins also plays with. You may even have chances to catch them playing with some of their Aussie associates, so there is no time like the present to get familiar with the ever-expanding network the much-celebrated Snoops are part of. To that end, weve assembled a collection of videos and Bandcamp releases to help you out.

Snooper, Fitness

Gee Tee, I Hate Driving in the City

Research Reactor Corp., Live at Future Techlabs

Silicone Prairie, America

Tee Vee Repairmann, People (Everywhere I Go)

1-800-MIKEY, Claw Machine

CIVIC, End of the Line
Biden makes SHOCKING admission, confirms U.S. military is low on certain munitions after they were sent to Ukraine

Joe Biden does not have control of his mental faculties, as he proved once again this week when he made a statement that has a direct and significant negative impact on our national security.

During an interview with CNN, Biden told host Fareed Zakaria that the U.S., under his "leadership," has sent so many munitions to Ukraine that now the U.S. military is running low on many weapons needed to defend our own country.

"This is a war relating to munitions. And theyre running out of that ammunition, and were low on it . And so, what I finally did, I took the recommendation of the Defense Department to  not permanently  but to allow for this transition period, while we get more 155 weapons, these shells, for the Ukrainians," Biden the Brainless said.

The "shells" he's talking about are the munitions used by Army and Marine Corps artillery units.

As Breitbart News reported further:

The U.S. has sent billions in military equipment to Ukraine, under what is referred to as presidential drawdown authority, which allows the U.S. military to transfer its equipment to other nations forces.

The Pentagon has insisted that it would not affect U.S. military readiness and that the equipment is coming from excess supplies. However, the controversial decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine reveals exactly how threadbare those excess supplies are running to support a war that has been fought mostly with artillery.

The Biden administration has characterized the decision to provide cluster bombs as a temporary measure, pending the production of an adequate supply of 155 mm artillery rounds for Ukraine. The United States has encountered challenges in fulfilling this need ever since it commenced its support for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, which commenced in February 2022.

And for the record, Russia has responded by saying its military would also begin using cluster bombs in Ukraine.

This decision will ensure we can sustain our support for Ukraine by bridging us to a point where we are producing sufficient artillery ammunition on a monthly basis across the coalition, the Pentagons top policy official Colin Kahl said during a briefing this week.

Although more than 100 countries have banned the use of the bombs under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the U.S. and Ukraine are not signatories.

The UK and Spain have called on Joe Biden to not send cluster bombs to Ukraine amid concerns over danger to civilian populations. https://t.co/TBVfXCst2C  Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) July 10, 2023

In his CNN interview, Biden said he thought that the Ukrainians needed the cluster bombs to keep up their so-called counteroffensive through the summer.

The main thing is they either have the weapons to stop the Russians now  keep them from stopping the Ukrainian offensive through these areas  or they dont. And I think they needed them, he said.

Defense officials have refrained from providing a precise figure regarding the quantity of bombs being sent, opting instead to state that "hundreds of thousands" will be dispatched.

Kahl also actually argued that Ukraines use of cluster bombs was going to be justified, but Moscow's use of them would not be.

Russia has been using cluster munitions indiscriminately since the start of this war in order to attack Ukraine. By contrast, Ukraine is seeking [them] in order to defend its own sovereign territory, he said.

He contended that the cluster bombs utilized by Russia exhibited a higher dud rate, leading to increased collateral damage, adding that the cluster bombs being supplied by the United States to Ukraine had a lower dud rate.

Furthermore, he highlighted that Ukraine has provided assurances to the United States that they will exercise caution and refrain from indiscriminate use of these munitions.

Of course, they won't.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

CNN.com
Doctors are still puzzled about long vax, a set of symptoms linked to COVID-19 vaccines

There have been recorded cases of "long COVID," where patients experience lingering symptoms of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

Now, reports have emerged describing a rare but puzzling set of symptoms called "long vax," which plague a small number of people for months after receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

Dr. Anne Louise Oaklander, a neurologist and researcher at Harvard Medical School, is now convinced that long vax is real, and she shared her concerns in an interview with Science.

"You see one or two patients and you wonder if it's a coincidence. But by the time you've seen 10, 20... where there's smoke, there's fire," said Oaklander.

While cases are allegedly rare, health experts are still studying data to find out what is causing long vax.

Symptoms of long vax are similar to long COVID's and may include:

Abnormal heart rate

Abnormal blood pressure

Persistent headaches

Intense fatigue

Patients are also telling their doctors about other symptoms like burning pain, tingling, electric shock-like sensations and blood circulation issues  symptoms that resemble those of a medical condition known as small fiber neuropathy. These symptoms can appear weeks, days or hours after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. (Related: "Long Hauler Syndrome" just another name for Covid jab injuries that persist due to parasitic-like spike proteins clogging the vascular system and cleansing organs.)

Other patients have also reported symptoms resembling those of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which can include:

Brain fog

Fatigue

Swings in heart rate and blood pressure

Weakness

Some doctors are hesitant to openly discuss the possibility of a long vax syndrome, due to fears that it may alert people to the many adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines from Big Pharma.

Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) vaccine division, said they cant rule out rare cases. He added that doctors may "want to take seriously the concept [of] a vaccine side effect."

Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at Yale University, said that it is his obligation as a scientist "to have an open mind and learn if there's something that can be done" about long vax.

"I'm persuaded that theres something going on" with these side effects, added Krumholz.

Doctors encouraged to listen to patients

Krumholz and his colleague, Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale, have started a post-vaccination study called LISTEN, which stands for Listen to Immune, Symptom and Treatment Experiences Now.

The two researchers spearheaded the study to learn more about long COVID, post-vaccine adverse events and the corresponding immune responses by collecting information about symptoms and medical history from participants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted that many vaccines have adverse side effects, but the agency is still claiming these are mostly minor, like a sore arm or low-grade fever, and would resolve themselves after several days.

One example of a vaccine with a serious side effect is the inactivated influenza shot, which can cause Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), an immune disorder characterized by muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.

The CDC also reported that the following symptoms are common after taking recombinant shingles vaccine:

Fever

Headache

Muscle pain

Nausea

Shivering

Stomach pain

Tiredness

Despite the reported cases of long COVID and long vax, Big Pharma and mainstream media still insist that vaccines are safe and effective, with the caveat that side effects are often temporary and minor.

Is long vax linked to POTS?

A number of long vax reports have come from doctors and researchers around the world, specifically cases of POTS overlapping with COVID-19 infection or developing after vaccination.

POTS causes several symptoms when a person changes position from lying down to standing up, such as dizziness, fatigue and a rapid heart rate. POTS can occur during pregnancy, with a head injury or other trauma, after surgery or after an infection like viral mononucleosis.

Scientists are still analyzing cases of POTS, both after COVID-19 infection and after vaccination.

According to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) report released in December 2022, scientists studying the link between COVID-19 vaccines and uncommon side effects have discovered a slight increase in the number of patients who have experienced POTS after getting vaccinated.

But the NIH was quick to downplay this finding, noting that "this association is five times less common compared to people who developed POTS after having COVID."

Visit VaccineInjuryNews.com to read more articles about the adverse effects of COVID vaccines.

Watch the video below to know more about long vax symptoms in vaccinated individuals.

This video is from the Contrarian channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Over 16,000 Americans developed tinnitus after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Why are so many fully vaccinated people catching COVID a second time? Because long covid is code for jab damage.

NATURE study confirms: Triple-vaccinated developing clots associated with long covid.

Sources include:

NYPost.com

Science.org

Brighteon.com
Elon Musk announces creation of new AI company after spending YEARS criticizing rapid AI development

After years of claiming the tech will end up dooming humanity, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has officially joined the race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) with the launch of a new company called xAI.

The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of Twitter announced on Wednesday, July 12, that the new AI company's goal will be to "understand the true nature of the universe." Musk and his new development team are expected to provide more details in the coming weeks. (Related: EXTREME SCENARIOS: Artificial intelligence could revolutionize tech sector forever  or wipe out the human race.)

What is known is that the team behind xAI will be led by Musk and staffed by executives who have worked at a variety of different tech companies, many of whom have had previous experience working on artificial intelligence. These companies and AI developers include DeepMind's AlphaCode, OpenAI's GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 chatbots. Several other executives also have a history working on other leading chatbots like Google's Bard and Anthropic's Claude.

Previous reports also note that Musk has already secured several thousand GPU processors from tech manufacturer Nvidia, presumably to power a potential large language model.

This report came out around the same time when Musk initially shared details of his own plan for a new AI-powered chatbot to rival ChatGPT called "TruthGPT" amid fears that existing AI being developed is prioritizing creating "politically correct" systems rather than actually developing the technology.

Musk reportedly incorporated xAI in Nevada back in March, with initial filings listing the company as a former subsidiary of X Corp., the new parent company of Twitter, and a statement on the new AI company's website claiming that while it will be separate from X Corp it will still "work closely with X [Twitter], Tesla and other companies to make progress towards our mission."

Musk may have just tried to buy time before joining the AI race

The creation of this new AI company flies in the face of all of Musk's previous statements regarding the development of AI.

Musk previously warned tech giants to put a pause of at least six months, if not more, on the "dangerous race" to develop AI. He warned of its "catastrophic" effects and its "profound risk to society and humanity." The pause would include some time to research risk assessments of AI development.

Apparently, Musk was just trying to buy time before joining the AI race.

The xAI website notes that the company has enlisted the services of Dan Hendrycks as a consultant. Hendrycks is the director of the Center for AI Safety, a nonprofit that works to warn people about what it sees as the existential dangers associated with the rapid and unfettered development of AI.

Hendrycks' organization earlier this year released a letter cautioning companies about the development of AI, warning that Big Tech leaders have a duty to aid in "mitigating the risk of extinction from AI," which Hendrycks said "should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war."

Learn the latest activities of Elon Musk at ElonMuskWatch.com.

Watch this clip from InfoWars with Chris Sky and Alex Jones warning that Elon Musk's intentions for the future with AI could lead to him soon controlling the world.

This video is from the Corey Storimans channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Fully autonomous KILLER DRONES now closer to reality as rapid development of AI continues.

Big Tech, globalist elites join forces in secret meeting to talk about artificial intelligence.

Century-old writings by Nikola Tesla predict development of artificial intelligence.

Entrepreneur Ian Hogarth warns reckless development of AI could lead to the destruction of humanity.

Elon Musk planning to develop "TruthGPT" to challenge woke AI rivals like DeepMind, OpenAI.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

CNBC.com

Bloomberg.com

Brighteon.com
Female soldiers in Ukrainian army burdened by health issues, ill-fitting equipment

Women who volunteered to fight alongside the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) in defense of their country are burdened by health issues and ill-fitting equipment

According to the Daily Beast, the Russia-Ukraine war that broke out in February 2022 has been a "particularly brutal" experience for the roughly 60,000 women in the AFU. Some of them shared to the news outlet the conditions they have been forced to endure.

"The lack of appropriate equipment and resources for female soldiers  including ill-fitting uniforms, boots, body armor and tools to help them relieve themselves on the battlefield  often puts them in greater danger than their male counterparts," the Daily Beast wrote.

Siblings Julia, 24, and Alina, 28, recounted their experiences on the field. Both formerly worked as programmers and had been planning a vacation to Bali in Indonesia. Russia's attack on Ukraine forced Julia and Alina to enlist with the AFU.

Julia stated: "Try to go to the toilet in the woods at 4 F. All of us got cystitis  inflammation of the ovaries  and back pain. After a year of the war, we have a bouquet of all sorts of health issues."

Alina, meanwhile, remarked that the health issues caused by the lack of female diapers or urination devices were "the least of the problems [they] have." Her gripes focused on ill-fitting equipment, such as being forced to "stumble in mens shoes that are too big." In other instances, they are forced to run in "huge pants" that slow them down in critical situations."

"But the hardest is to run in the army's standard, 30-pound bulletproof vest  which just never fits snugly to the body with boobs like mine," Alina said.

"If I take the army armor off and get wounded or killed, there would be no compensation paid to me or my family. Our lives [and] our security often depends on what we wear on our body and our feet, [and] how healthy we are."

Charity group provides better equipment to Ukraine's female soldiers

"Experts and soldiers  believe that access to uniforms, medicine and equipment specific to the needs of women would translate to more success on the battlefield," the Daily Beast pointed out.

The outlet accompanied Alina and Julia at a warehouse event organized by the charity group Zemliachky. The group, whose name means "women compatriots" in the Ukrainian language, is dedicated to supporting military women fighting for the country.

The event showcased and distributed new summer uniforms designed for women, albeit at a limited supply. Organizers explained that they negotiated with AFU officials for the uniforms' approval. The new uniforms for women feature lighter and more form-fitting body armor.

Runa, a 28-year-old military volunteer, was thrilled when she got her new uniform as it was more appropriate for her petite build. Formerly a florist in peacetime, she enlisted in the AFU to fight for Ukraine and now commands an artillery unit.

Before receiving the better-fitting uniforms, Runa had been wearing uniforms about four times her size  including the 30-pound body armor that made her muscles ache. She expressed her delight in a video, saying that the uniform "fits perfectly" even for someone like her "whose size is hard to find."

Another volunteer, 27-year-old Ksenia Draganyuk, pulled out a box labeled "feminine urinary director" during the event  something that could benefit Julia. Draganyuk explained: "Here is what us girls use when there is no chance to pee."

"When we asked all our girl soldiers about their health issues, 90 percent of them complained of cystitis and yeast infections," Draganyuk said. "So our job is to make sure women soldiers stay healthy because they are Ukraine's future mothers."

However, one cannot help but question why the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense had to rely on the efforts of Zemliachky to procure appropriate equipment for women fighting on the front lines. The substantial amounts of donations sent to Ukraine by various countries would have been more than enough to provide uniforms and more equipment for female soldiers. (Related: Ukraine aid scam: Only 30% of weapons shipped to besieged country have made it to the front lines.)

Visit UkraineWitness.com for more stories about soldiers fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Watch this video about Russia destroying 30 percent of military aid given by the West to Ukraine.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukrainian military highlights UNICORN patch representing LGBT soldiers in its ranks.

Ukrainian veterans detail how Kyiv plundered U.S. aid while wasting soldiers and endangering civilians.

Ukrainian man attempted to exit the country by claiming to be a transgender female, but was instead ENLISTED into military service (nice try).

Sources include:

BigLeaguePolitics.com

TheDailyBeast.com

Brighteon.com
French rioting demonstrates how gun control laws are failing law-abiding citizens

As rioters, some of them armed, take to the streets in France and destroy and loot property, French citizens are standing by helplessly  thanks to their countrys gun control laws.

In France, gun laws are significantly stricter than those seen in the U.S. Not only can French citizens not bear arms or carry firearms in public for purposes of self-defense, but they can only keep firearms at home if they pass a background check, register their gun, and adhere to limits on the numbers and types of guns and ammunition they may possess.

In short, law-abiding citizens do not have guns to protect themselves, but criminals do have them. This is one reason protesters can continue to start fires, burn cars, and shoot out police cameras.

Video footage has shown criminals shooting up into the air with semiautomatic guns, putting everyone nearby in danger. Other footage showed protestors marching down streets in France in broad daylight toting belt-fed machine guns as well as handguns. These incidents have been taking place in major cities like Paris and Lyon.

In one high-profile incident, looters broke into a gun shop in Marseille and absconded with numerous hunting rifles. Local media reported that around 30 young people broke into the gun shop on the fourth night of violence. One of the looters was arrested with a stolen weapon nearby, but police are increasingly struggling to keep up with looters. More than 45,000 additional police officers and paramilitary gendarmes were deployed to try to deal with the problem.

Four police officers working in Rhone were shot at by men riding mopeds who were armed with shotguns; some of them were injured. It is believed they were ambushed by the men, who were hiding behind a wall.

One member of the Rhone region police told the media: "We have crossed a red line. We've not seen this kind of thing before here and it's very concerning."

Meanwhile, law-abiding French citizens are left to defend themselves using improvised weapons like bats.

The Military Arms Twitter account @MAC_Arms tweeted: The anti-gun laws in France are working fabulously. The criminals have them and the law abiding citizens don't. Huh. Who would have thought this might be the outcome? It's almost like such laws enable criminality and keep lawful people unable to defend themselves.

Thousands of arrests and billions of dollars in damage

The civil unrest began on June 27 after a French police officer fatally shot a 17-year-old boy of African descent known as Nahel M. during a traffic stop in the working-class Parisian suburb of Nanterre.

In the rioting, thousands of people have been arrested so far, while local businesses have sustained more than a billion dollars worth of damage to date. That does not include the numerous community centers, town halls and schools that have been attacked throughout the country.

This is something that should be considered by those who have been criticizing Florida and claiming it is going to become more dangerous with the states permitless concealed carry law recently going into effect. After all, Florida remains relatively peaceful, while France is burning despite its gun control laws.

The truth is that gun control laws really only affect those who abide by the law. They do nothing to stop criminals from obtaining and possessing weapons and using them however they see fit against those who are unable to defend themselves.

Sources for this article include:

BlacklistedNews.com

News.Sky.com
Glyphosate herbicide may be altering childrens genetics and causing BIRTH DEFECTS

The herbicide glyphosate made by Monsanto is reportedly modifying children's genes and causing birth defects , according to the Daily Expose.

The dangers of Monsanto-produced chemicals were highlighted by a 2016 film titled "Genetically Modified Children." According to the movie, the issues began when the government of Argentina approved in 1996 the use of genetically modified (GM) crops to withstand the herbicide glyphosate sold under the name Roundup. Since then, an increasing number of Argentinian children are being born with severe birth defects and deformities.

A report by the Daily Expose elaborated that low-income tobacco farmers in the South American nation are the main victims of this scheme. The farmers are prompted to choose from either "poverty or poison," with most opting for the latter.

Glyphosate is sprayed on the tobacco crops they plant, which is then sold to Big Tobacco firms like Philip Morris. Refusing to use the dangerous chemical would mean their crops won't be certified and bought to be made into cigarettes.

"The tobacco makes its way into the hands and mouths of consumers worldwide in Philip Morris tobacco products. [Meanwhile], the poisons used to harvest the crops contaminate the farmers blood and are modifying the human genome, creating genetically modified children," the Expose wrote.

The film featured one example of a child whose genes were altered by the dangerous chemical. Five-year-old Lucas Texeira, son of a tobacco farmer, was born with an incurable genetic disease that left his skin with no pores. The lack of pores on the boy's skin means he cannot sweat, trapping body heat and causing severe, painful itching.

According to the Texeira family, Lucas' condition is believed to stem from his mother's exposure to glyphosate early in her pregnancy. His mother alleged that no one informed her of the weedkiller's toxicity. Meanwhile, Lucas' father expressed sadness over his son's condition and his fear that another child could suffer the same fate as Lucas.

Glyphosate has poisoned the Land of Silver

According to the piece, GM crops that tolerate Roundup such as the tobacco planted by the Texeira family first entered Argentina in 1996. The decision to plant the GM crops, which was first done in the country's northeastern Misiones Province, was based solely on studies conducted by Monsanto.

The land was sprayed with glyphosate and agrochemicals for more than 20 years, resulting in a rise in miscarriages, birth defects and cancer. Despite this, Buenos Aires was not convinced of the dangers of such chemicals. It even continued to subsidize GM crops such as soybean, given that the government receives 35 percent in taxes from GM soybean exports.

The film also visited the city of Cordoba, the capital of the eponymous province in the center of the country. Cordoba is where most GM soybeans are grown, and where glyphosate is applied from above by means of aerial spraying. It is also the home of activist Sofia Gatica, co-founder of the group Mothers of Ituzaingo which seeks to stop the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals.

Gatica is widely recognized for her work in tracking the abnormal rates of cancer, kidney disease and other conditions in areas close to where glyphosate was applied to GM soy crops. However, she herself is a witness to the ills of agrochemical use. Her infant daughter died due to kidney malformation, while her son lost his ability to walk after being exposed to a local agrochemical spraying operation.

Gatica's group of mothers had blood tests done on their children, with shocking results. They found that three in four children living in their community had agrochemicals in their blood. Aside from pesticides, the children's blood also contained heavy elements such as chromium, lead and arsenic.

The mother has repeatedly faced threats and physical assault for her efforts in fighting the giant firms. In one instance, an armed man threatened to "blow her brains out" if she did not stop protesting against Monsanto. Despite this, Gatica has remained steadfast in fighting for her cause. (Related: Argentinian mother sticks it to Monsanto, wins major environmental award.)

Visit Monsanto.news for more stories about the agrochemical company.

Watch Robert F. Kennedy Jr. explaining to Joe Rogan the dangers of the Roundup weedkiller.

This video is from the Prevent Global Genocide channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Argentina suspends construction of Monsanto's unconstitutional GMO seed plant.

Argentinians protest Monsanto as pesticide usage increases rates of birth defects, cancer.

Argentine farmers dismantle Monsanto facility in act of defiance, refuse to continue being poisoned.

Monsanto's devastation of health and environment in Argentina documented in heart-rending photos.

Argentina's citizens block construction of Monsanto GMO plant, fight to protect sanctity of seeds and food against corporate imperialism.

Sources include:

Expose-News.com

Brighteon.com
A ribbon cutting ceremony takes place at Rocky Vista University Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the opening of Montana's first medical college. State and local dignitaries, Rocky Vista University leadership, the MCOM Community Advisory Council, a national dignitary from the American Osteopathic Association, and local health care leaders attended the event. RVU-MCOM was recruited to Billings, MT to help fill a significant need for physicians. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), all 56 counties in Montana are designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) with 9 counties not having any doctors. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges State Physician Workforce Data Report 2022, Montana has 257.3 active physicians (ranked 31st) per 100,000 population and is ranked 47th out of the 50 states for the number of primary-care physicians, according to Kaiser Family Foundation data. MCOM is expected to add $67 million per year in combined economic impact upon full operation with all four classes of their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Medical Sciences programs.
Hungarian expert: MIGRATION is the major reason for France riots

Migration is the major reason for the ongoing riots in France, according to a Hungarian expert.

Viktor Marsai, executive director of the Hungarian Migration Research Institute (MRI), made the comment on July 2. He told the Hungarian channel M1 News that the riots taking place on French streets demonstrate the multitude of problems associated with mass migration.

"In France, in recent decades, there have been several street riots like the current one," said Marsai. He continued that the riots mostly involve "young people from immigrant backgrounds who are not integrated into society, do not go to school, have no job, and seek their rights via street demonstrations."

The MRI executive director also pointed out that integrating second- and third-generation immigrants is a difficult endeavor. He also expressed the belief that recently arriving migrants pose an even greater challenge.

Marsai was also asked about what the European Commission's proposed mandatory migrant quota would entail. "If the plan is implemented, the number of refugee applications and procedures at the European Union's external borders will increase sharply," he replied.

According to Remix News, over 250,000 illegal entry attempts  involving more than 100,000 illegal migrants  were reported at Hungary's southern border. Marsai told M1 News that member states of the EU are not capable of processing that many asylum applications.

The rioting in France was triggered by the June 27 shooting of Nahel M., a 17-year-old of North African descent, for noncompliance with police officers at a traffic stop and speeding away. Per reports from the French Ministry of the Interior, rioters attacked police stations and gendarmerie barracks on June 30 alone  leaving 79 police officers and gendarmes wounded. The rioters also burned down and vandalized about 1,350 vehicles and 266 buildings, including 26 town halls and 24 schools. (Related: French police's fatal shooting of a teenager triggers VIOLENT RIOTS across Paris and beyond.)

Big League Politics' Jose Nino pointed out: "Indeed, mass migration is taking its toll on France. There are massive costs associated with multiple decades of mass migration from countries with cultures totally alien from France."

Orban won't allow migrant ghettos in Hungary

Hungary, meanwhile, has been at the forefront of border security with its efforts to prevent illegal migrants from entering. As such, Budapest has drawn the ire of the EU leadership in Brussels for its refusal to adhere to migrant quotas. But this does not faze Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a staunch opponent of migration.

The Hungarian leader reiterated this stance during a July 7 tripartite migration summit between Hungary, Austria and Serbia held at the Austrian capital Vienna. According to him, Hungary will not implement the EU's migrant relocation plans and will not accept its mandatory migrant quota. Orban emphasized that his country has no desire to build "migrant ghettos."

"We will find a legal and political way to ensure that Hungary does not implement the latest decision from Brussels," the prime minister said. "The situation is sad, but Hungary must defend itself, not only against illegal migrants and people smugglers, but also against Brussels."

Orban also touted what he calls the "Hungarian model" during the July 7 summit. According to him, this "effective" model "is based on a very simple idea."

"No one is allowed to enter Hungary until their asylum application has been assessed," he explained. "You can only enter if the application you have submitted has a positive answer. Until then, you cannot enter the territory of our country."

The Hungarian leader remarked that his country's model "should be adopted by all the countries of the EU." However, he lamented that "this is not what is happening."

"Now, a regulation has been adopted in Brussels that imposes mandatory quotas and obliges member states to build refugee camps and migrant ghettos. This is bad not only for Hungary, ladies and gentlemen, but also for you Austrians."

Visit Migrants.news for more stories about unchecked migration in Europe.

Watch this conversation between Glenn Beck and Ezra Levant of Rebel News about migrants' refusal to integrate being the real reason for the riots in France.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

French riots show that decades of mass 'colonizing immigration' could lead to 'collapse,' says former head of French counter-intelligence agency.

George Soros letter reveals globalist plan to destroy the First World by eliminating national borders with global migrant blitzkreig invasions.

MIGRANT VIOLENCE: Rioters in France DESTROY one of world's oldest public libraries.

Thousands of illegal immigrants apprehended at Austrian borders.

Hungary's Prime Minister: 'All the terrorists are migrants.'

Sources include:

BigLeaguePolitics.com

RMX.news 1

RMX.news 2

Brighteon.com
2 Months since Ken Paxtons impeachment, and still no evidence as to why

Its been almost two months since the Texas House of Representatives and its leftist impeachment managers targeted the states Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a scheme that even makes President Donald Trumps first foray into the same experience seem positively transparent by comparison.

(Article by Raheem J. Kassam republished from TheNationalPulse.com)

Now, a full 53 days later, there are still no answers as to why and on what grounds the Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan has been dragging one of the most popular America First figures in the country through this process. Or perhaps Paxtons America First credentials are, in fact, the answer here. Maybe you can find out by giving the Speakers office a call.

Because up to this point, even Paxtons legal counsel is struggling to get answers. Answers which, by the way, are required under Texas law. People have a right to know what theyre being charged with, and any evidence related to those charges. But again, two months on, there hasnt been so much as some vaguely drafted articles of impeachment which include catch-all phraseology such as disregard of official duty, and the ever-green obstruction of justice.

In this case, however, it appears to be the prosecutors obstructing justice and the pursuit of it. Paxtons lawyer Tony Buzbee blasted them on the matter this very week, in a lengthy statement:

At the direction of Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, and with the guidance of lawyers from the Obama Administration Biden Justice Department, the House voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton after what can only be described as a secretive and now discredited sham investigation. Now the House Managers appointed by Phelan, including Andrew Murr, Briscoe Cain, and Cody Vasut, continue to disregard individual rights and due process guaranteed by the United States and the Texas Constitution by withholding basic information they are legally required to disclose. We have demanded this information to which Attorney General Ken Paxton is entitled. In every court in the country this type of information would be freely exchanged by prosecutors, and we have demanded that it be produced. The House has ignored our demands and the Attorney Generals constitutional rights.

Due to these refusals, the House Mangers have abandoned the rule of law and have demonstrated nothing but contempt and disrespect for the Texas Senate as they openly mock the process and rules adopted by the upper chamber.

The Texas Senate has clearly stated that it intends this process to be fair. However, because of the intransigence of Phelans House Managers and their refusal to disclose documents as required by law, it is imperative that the Senate take immediate action to force the House Managers to follow the law. The House voted to impeach Attorney General Paxton without any evidence and now they are desperate to manufacture new charges; apparently they want to saddle the Senate with weeks of testimony over baseless allegations. While the House is trying to cover their tracks, I hope the Senate will embrace transparency and order Phelans disciples to follow the law and disclose required information to the defense.

Thats why I have asked Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to enter a strict and comprehensive scheduling order to set pretrial deadlines that will govern this proceeding. Phelans Managers are openly mocking the intent of the Texas Senate to have a fair and open proceeding, and are clearly withholding information that would routinely be disclosed. It is critical the Senate enforce our constitutional guardrails to prevent further institutional damage inflicted by the Texas House.

And Buzbee is right. How any voters let alone MAGA Republicans in Texas can stand by and watch such a sham of a process take place is beyond me. And how Phelan and his cadre can so readily flout the law by failing to provide any evidence for their claims should be a matter for investigation and impeachment itself.

There is one person who could set this process right: Senate President and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who can use Senate rules to force mandatory disclosure of the evidence that uniparty Republicans and their left-wing impeachment managers are resisting. Maybe you could let him know via his office, or his Facebook page, or his Instagram, or his Twitter. Maybe all of them?

Because what Dade Phelan and the gang will be hoping is that MAGA Republicans across Texas and around the country are pre-occupied with the Republican primaries, the looming election, and the Groundhog Day-style indictments of President Donald J. Trump. But I think the America First base is more than capable of walking and chewing gum. And its about time to show it.

Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com
2019 REPORT: Humans will no longer be allowed to eat meat or dairy by 2030 in order to reduce consumption-based emissions

A restrictive 2019 report, which resurfaced recently, revealed that consumers will no longer be allowed to eat meat or dairy products freely by 2030.

The report also claimed that people should be limited to only three items of new clothing per year and one airplane flight every three years. These "suggestions" will start in countries that "consume the most" to help reduce "the impact of urban consumption."

The report, titled "The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5C World" was published in 2019 and sets out targets for cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in alignment with the 2015 Paris Agreement ambitions.

The report allegedly aims to quantify and suggest ways for city leaders to reduce consumption-based emissions. This translates to enforcing measures that include reducing the things people consume, like food, clothing and travel. (Related: NO ENERGY FOR YOU! SF Bay Area to phase out heating appliances powered by natural gas.)

According to the report, the measures will be effective if they are first enforced among those who consume the most. The report also warned that "consumption-based emissions" need to be reduced by at least 50 percent by 2030.

The report details six sectors where the world's cities can take rapid action to address consumption-based emissions:

Food  In 2017, emissions associated with food were estimated to account for 13 percent of total consumption-based emissions across C40 cities. An estimated three-quarters of these emissions came from the consumption of animal-based foods while the remaining 25 percent come from the consumption of plant-based foods. Construction  In 2017, C40 cities' emissions linked to the construction and refurbishment of buildings and infrastructure accounted for 0.45 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent (GtCO2e), representing 11 percent of emissions in that year. Clothing  Emissions from clothing and textiles made up four percent of C40 cities' consumption-based emissions in 2017. Vehicles  In 2017, the total consumption-based emissions linked to the use and manufacturing of private vehicles in C40 cities represented eight percent of total emissions. Aviation  Emissions linked to flights in C40 cities made up two percent of total consumption-based emissions in 2017. But while the figure seems relatively marginal compared to other sectors examined, the report warns that air travel is one of the most carbon-intensive activities that individuals can undertake. The aviation industry is also experiencing rapid growth. Electronics  The report found that the use of electronics and household appliances has increased significantly over the last few decades. Emissions from electronics and household appliances in C40 cities made up three percent of total consumption-based emissions in 2017.

The 2019 report was co-created and co-delivered by C40, Arup and the University of Leeds, with funding from Arup, Citi Foundation and the University of Leeds.

The report claims to be an analysis and not a plan, but the tone of the report reads like a plan.

C40 is a global network of mayors representing the world's leading cities that are working together to address the "climate crisis." The network includes almost 100 cities, along with 1,143 cities and local governments that have joined C40s "Cities Race to Zero" campaign.

The cities that sign up for the campaign commit to keeping global heating below the 1.5 C goal of the Paris Agreement.

Without reading the reports and recommendations addressed to the "Cities Race to Zero" signatories, it's hard to determine if the actions set out in the report are specifically included in the action plan.

If they are, both the 100 C40 Cities and 1,000 additional cities are committing to the reports reductions in consumer-based emissions. It stands to reason that Arups network is committed to doing the same.

What is Arup?

Arup is a global network of "experts" that claim to shape cities "in a thousand ways." The network has over 17,000 members and offices in 46 of the 97 cities that make up C40s global network.

C40 and Arup have been collaborating since 2009. They have worked together on dystopian publications such as Deadline 2020, Green and Thriving Neighborhoods and a guide for creating net-zero neighborhoods.

But there's a chance that collaborations have pushed through with money changing hands.

The first C40/Arup report, titled "Powering Climate Action: Cities as Global Changemakers," was published in 2015. In the same year Arup, committed to investing $1 million over three years in a research partnership with C40.

In 2019, the year the C40/Arup consumer-based emissions report "The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5C World" was published, Arup tripled its advisory support to C40 to $3 million over three years.

In 2023, Arup continued its investment in C40 with up to $300,000 a year to allegedly help C40 drive resilience and decarbonization in cities around the world.

In March, C40 Cities re-highlighted the 2019 C40/Arup consumer-based emissions report in an article titled "A spotlight on consumption-based emissions."

C40 claimed that since the 2019 report was published, cities across the globe have started to map consumption-based emissions and studied ways to reduce them.

Highlights from C40/Arup's 2019 report

Starting on page 66, the report summarizes what they hope to impose on consumers. These plans are being made and agreed upon outside the democratic process and under false pretenses.

Some of the changes the report is pushing for include:

Using materials efficiently and avoiding new construction

Eating less red meat and more vegetables and fruit, which the report adds could also reduce the risk of death linked to health problems like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke

Reducing private vehicle ownership to reclaim more space from on-street parking and give it back to the public realm

Buying fewer clothes can allegedly help residents in C40 cities save an average of $15,500 per person over 20 years

Reducing flights and adopting sustainable aviation fuels could avoid further damage to human health, buildings and infrastructure, along with agricultural production

The acknowledgment section at the beginning of the report shows that it was written by people from the following groups and universities:

EAT Forum

Ecolyse

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Future Fashion Forward e.V

International Energy Agency

University of East Anglia

World Business Council For Sustainable Development

World Resources Institute

On paper, these measures seem beneficial, but in practice they are draconian. C40 and Arup's activities must be halted immediately and their operations shut down permanently.

Visit GreenTyranny.news to learn more tyrannical "green" measures.

Watch the video below to know more about the climate change hoax.

This video is from the Dr. Jane Ruby channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

SAVE the planet, STARVE the people: Irish govt proposes SLAUGHTERING 200,000 dairy cows to meet climate targets.

Attack on food supply continues: Germany proposes tax increase specifically targeting meat products.

NY follows Californias example, bans gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

Arup.com

Brighteon.com
Where have all the liberals gone?

Yesterday a House Committee  Republican-led, but still  released a series of documents showing without a doubt that the FBI has been forwarding thousands of content moderation requests to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube on behalf of the SBU, Ukraines Security Agency.

(Article by Matt Taibbi republished from Racket.news)

The documents not only contain incontrovertible evidence that our own FBI pressures tech companies to censor material, but that the Bureau is outsourcing such work to a foreign government, in this case Ukraine. This passage below for instance reads The SBU requested for your review and if appropriate deletion/suspension of these accounts.

There cant possibly be controversy at this point as to whether or not this censorship program is going on. Whether its the FBI forwarding the SBU asking for the removal of Aaron Mate, or the Global Engagement Center recommending action on the Canadian site GlobalResearch.Ca, or the White House demanding the takedown of figures like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the same types of behavior have now been captured over and over.

In light of this, I have to ask: where are the rest of the card-carrying liberals from the seventies, eighties, and nineties  people like me, who always reflexively opposed restrictions on speech?

Is your argument that private companies can do what they want? Then why did you think otherwise in 1985, when Tipper Gores Parents Music Resource Center suggested record companies voluntarily label as dirty songs like Darling Nikki, and call them McCarthyites when they compiled a list of the Filthy Fifteen albums? Does that not sound suspiciously like the Disinformation Dozen? Why were you on Frank Zappas side then, but with blacklisters now?

Do you now think its not really censorship if the FBI merely makes its opinion known about content, and doesnt order takedowns? Did you think the same when the FBI sent a letter to Priority Records complaining about NWAs Fuck the Police? Did you agree then with the ACLU, whose Southern California chairman responded to the FBIs letter by saying, It is completely inappropriate for any government agency to try to influence what artists do. It is completely against the American traditions of free speech?

Is your belief that new forms of speech constitute harm and offense to such a degree that censorship is warranted? If so, why did you once support Andres Serrano and his work Piss Christ, which Catholics insisted was an intolerable offense, and call it censorship when opponents like Al DAmato and Jesse Helms tried to pull funding for Serrano from the National Endowment of the Arts? Wasnt the Hustler magazine spread suggesting Jerry Falwell had sex with his mother in an outhouse offensive? Didnt you go to The People Versus Larry Flynt anyway?

If youre okay with the FBI collaborating on censorship with the SBU now, why oppose the original PATRIOT Act, suggesting you didnt even want the government looking at library records in search of Islamic terrorists? Why did you support the Dixie Chicks when they were blackballed for antiwar views after the Iraq invasion? Did you cheer them when you watched Shut Up and Sing?

Werent those national security issues, too? That wasnt even that long ago. Is Vladimir Putin that much more of a menace than Al-Qaeda to justify the change in heart?

The change in thinking of traditional American liberals is the only part of this censorship picture that still doesnt quite compute for me. Id like to hear from anyone who has an explanation, a personal testimonial, anything. Comments are open to everyone here.

Read more at: Racket.news
CLIMATE LIES: Top climate scientists say they were ordered to cover up truth that earths temperature hasnt risen in 15 years

For the past six years, the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been diligently compiling an authoritative report on the full extent of man-made global warming. And according to a leak, it apparently shows that global temperatures haven't increased in 15 years.

The hundreds of esteemed scientists who worked on the report confirmed that 1998 is still the hottest year on record. Ever since that time, temperatures have either generally remained the same or declined, blowing major holes in the government's global warming narrative.

Politicians who obtained a leaked copy of the report are now trying to cover up the fact that, based on its findings, man-made climate change is a hoax. And once the truth gets out, everything governments are doing to go "green" will also be exposed as nothing more than a power grab.

(Related: Some schools are resorting to terrorizing students with fear to co-opt them into the climate cult.)

Politicians call for all warming "slowdown" references in report to be deleted

The Associated Press (AP) obtained leaked documents about the matter showing that the political establishment all across the Western world is freaking out about the report's findings. Some are even calling for portions of the report to be redacted or deleted so the truth remains hidden.

Were the world to find out that global warming and climate change are a hoax, it could lead to a massive revolt against the government for being "misleading" about the state of the planet.

German leaders are calling for the contradictory data to simply be deleted from the report while Hungary's leaders worry the report's release at all will provide ammunition for "climate deniers" to say we told you so.

Belgian leaders are objecting to the year 1998 being used as a starting year for the statistics due to it being the hottest year on record. To make the data appear more the way they want it to, Belgian leaders want the data to start at the year 1999 or 2000 when temperatures were cooler.

Leaders in the United States have weighed in to urge the authors of the report to explain away what the data shows by using the "leading hypothesis" among climate scientists that the globe is still warming but that all the extra heat is being absorbed by the ocean.

The last time the IPCC published an "assessment report" was in 2007 when the organization falsely claimed that the Himalayas would melt by the year 2035. The controversy surrounding that claim would be dubbed "Climategate" since it was later revealed that scientists manipulated the data in that report to make it sound more convincing.

The first draft of the new report was released to governments in June, prompting hundreds of objections. All recipient governments will soon be meeting in Stockholm to discuss any alterations they want to make.

No matter how they try to spin it, the report will probably show that the rate of warming between 1998 and 2012 was only about half the average rate since 1952. This is due to natural variations such as the El Nino and La Nina ocean cycles, as well as the cooling effect of volcanoes.

In an attempt to explain away what the data shows, German climate scientist Stefan Rahmstorf said it is possible that the report's authors were under pressure to address the slowdown in global warming and the "public debate" that surrounds the issue.

"This is the culmination of four years' work by hundreds of scientists, where governments get a chance to ensure the summary for policymakers is clear and concise in a dialogue with the scientists who wrote it, and have the opportunity to raise any topics they think should be highlighted," said Jonathan Lynn, a spokesman for the IPCC.

Man-made climate change is a hoax. Learn more at Climate.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Newstarget.com
DOJ indicts whistleblower who provided FBI with info on Biden familys China dealings

The Department of Justice under President Joe Biden has levied an indictment against Gal Luft , the whistleblower who has provided the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Congress with information regarding the Biden family's potentially illicit foreign business dealings, particularly with China

Luft, 57, is a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen and co-director of the energy and national security-focused think tank the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, based in Maryland. He has accused the Biden family of having benefited financially from relationships with individuals connected to the Chinese military. (Related: Biden crime family profited from influence peddling, received $10 million from China and other countries.)

The Republicans have been trying to get Luft to testify in Congress for some time now, touting him as a "missing" witness who could be the key to their ongoing efforts to link the Biden family to corrupt foreign business dealings.

Luft charged for not registering as a foreign agent of China

The indictment, handed down by a grand jury in 2022 and unsealed on July 10, accused Luft of recruiting and paying a former high-ranking U.S. government official on behalf of people based in China in 2016 without having registered as a foreign agent, as required by the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams alleged that Luft's subversion of foreign agent registration laws was meant "to promote Chinese policies."

"They're claiming that the man that they [indicted] today was committing criminal offenses by doing international business deals without registration," commented Rick Wiles on TruNews. "Well  and I've asked this question in the past  is Hunter Biden a registered foreign agent? Everything the man does is with foreign countries. I seriously doubt he's ever filled out the official application with the State Department that you notify the department that you are acting as a foreign agent."

The Justice Department has further accused Luft of making false statements to federal agents and negotiating "illicit arms transactions, with, among others, certain Chinese individuals and entities" as well as people and organizations in Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. The alleged connection to Iran also makes Luft in violation of Iranian sanctions.

The charges against Luft pose a collective maximum of 100 years in prison.

Republicans accuse Biden of trying to silence a whistleblower

Luft's indictment has spurred Republican officials to accuse Biden of trying to silence a whistleblower.

Kentucky Rep. James Comer, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, noted that Luft was "a credible witness that the FBI flew all the way to Brussels to interview and sent several agents to interview." He also suggested that Luft may have been indicted to stop him from testifying to his committee about Biden's alleged links to Chinese business dealings.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson claimed that Luft's indictment was meant to "silence him." The senator called for the whistleblower to be granted immunity.

For his part, Luft has denied any wrongdoing.

"I'm not a Republican. I'm not a Democrat. I have no political motive or agenda," he said in a video published by the New York Post. "I did it out of deep concern that if the Bidens were to come to power, the country would be facing the same traumatic Russia collusion scandal, only this time with China."

Luft added that he had previously warned the government "about the potential risk to the integrity of the 2020 elections."

"Ask yourself," he added. "Who is the real criminal in this story?"

Learn more about the incumbent president's corruption at JoeBiden.news.

Watch this TruNews broadcast discussing the Justice Department's indictment of whistleblower Gal Luft.

This video is from the TruNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Hunter Biden DEMANDS $10 million from communist China energy company in WhatsApp text while sitting next to his senile father, the "Big Guy."

Whistleblower: DOJ is obstructing IRS probe into Hunter Biden's taxes from the millions he "earned" in business deals overseas.

Electronic message from Hunter Biden demanded payment from Chinese businessman: "I am sitting here with my father."

Second whistleblower says Hunter Biden willfully evaded MILLIONS in taxes through elaborate money laundering scheme.

The Biden crime syndicate is one of the most evil secret societies in world history, guilty of child trafficking and high treason against America, FBI and DOJ whistleblowers allege.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

FoxNews.com

RollongStone.com

TheGuardian.com
FBI colluded with Russian-infiltrated Ukrainian agency to censor Americans

The United States Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government released an interim report this week blowing the lid on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for colluding with Ukraine to illegally censor Americans.

House investigators revealed that the FBI colluded with foreign agents at the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to pore through social media posts and target the accounts of Americans, including at least one verified U.S. State Department official and several American journalists.

The SBU, which we are told became "Russian-infiltrated," conspired with the FBI to compile "disinformation" registries from the collected intelligence. The FBI even went so far as to hound "the relevant [social media] platform to ensure that 'these accounts were taken down.'"

According to reports, the SBU was infiltrated by the Kremlin's Federal Security Service (FSB), agents from which were instrumental in President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

In March 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired Ivan Bakanov, the head of the SBU's Crimea branch, after he was accused of being a Russian double agent. Bakanov's job was to run the entire SBU, which last year was declared to be a compromised agency.

(Related: Merck and other Big Pharma corporations are colluding with one another to kill off all generic production of ivermectin.)

Ukraine is an enemy of free speech and the First Amendment

Committee lawmakers declared in conjunction with the release of their new report that the FBI "had no legal justification for facilitating the censorship of Americans' protected speech on social media."

"The inclusion of American accounts on the SBU's lists indicates that the FBI either did not properly vet the SBU's requests or was aware of their domestic nature, and nonetheless carried them out," they concluded, explaining that the report was based on subpoenas sent to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, as well as to Alphabet, the corporation that oversees Google and YouTube.

The "primary liaison" between the FBI and Silicon Valley is named Elvis Chan, who is based out of the FBI's San Francisco field office. Chan also coordinated meetings between the FBI and social media giants during both the 2020 and 2022 elections.

It was not until months after Ukraine's security service was purged of Russian agents that it began colluding with the FBI to censor American citizens. When Russian agents were still present, in other words, there was no anti-free speech collusion taking place at the SBU.

After Russian agents were purged out of the SBU, it started colluding with the FBI to compile "massive spreadsheets" containing "thousands of accounts." It then sent these spreadsheets to Meta so it could censor the targets on Facebook and Instagram.

The FBI also reportedly "facilitated" various SBU requests for censorship on Alphabet's tech platforms, resulting in some Google search results and YouTube videos and accounts being removed.

"Neither the FBI nor the SBU provides an explanation as to how the U.S. State Department account was 'involved in disinformation,'" lawmakers noted.

Collusion between the FBI and Silicon Valley ran so deeply that Meta at one point proposed establishing a "24/7 channel" for foreign agents to participate in facilitating their censorship agendas. That channel ran until at least May, after which Twitter's Yoel Roth warned U.S. officials that the SBU was targeting American accounts.

"The full extent of the FBI's collaboration with the SBU to censor American speech is unknown," investigators said. "To be clear, the FBI's participation in the SBU's censorship enterprise was a willing and intentional choice by the FBI, involving no fewer than seven agents across the Bureau."

The latest news about the globalist assault on free speech can be found at Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheFederalist.com

Newstarget.com
Fungal meningitis outbreak causes 7th death, CDC wants everyone to get tested

United States authorities are trying to discourage Americans from traveling to Mexico to get less expensive and more wide-ranging medical procedures by telling them they could end up dying from fungal meningitis.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seven people throughout the country have died in recent months after traveling to Mexico for "medical tourism." While under epidural anesthesia in Matamoros, a city in Mexico's Tamaulipas state, the infected patients allegedly contracted the infection.

Two clinics, River Side Surgical Center and Clinica K-3, are said to be ground zero for where the seven infections and deaths occurred.

"Anyone who had procedures under epidural anesthesia in these clinics from January 1 to May 13, 2023, is at risk for fungal meningitis," the CDC announced.

The "outbreak" was first reported back in May, prompting the CDC to issue an alert. In addition to the seven deaths, the CDC is also raising fear about an additional 161 "suspected cases" of fungal meningitis that the agency says have no visible symptoms (sound familiar?).

Just 10 of these 161 suspected cases are categorized as "probable cases," meaning the rest are probably just being made up by the CDC to add an additional scare element to its alert.

(Related: You know what increases one's risk of contracting a bacterial or fungal infection such as this? Face masks!)

Fungal meningitis may not show symptoms, but the CDC wants people to take antifungal drugs just in case

The CDC is urging anyone who received epidural anesthesia at either the River Side Surgical Center of Clinica K-3 to immediately rush out to urgent care, a health center, or an emergency room here in the U.S. for treatment  even if no symptoms are present.

In other words, the CDC wants people who are scared and feel as though they might be infected to go out and get tested (sound familiar?), as well as take anti-fungal medications.

"Healthcare providers should immediately report suspected fungal meningitis cases, including those possibly related to this outbreak, to their state or local health department," the agency said.

The good news is that fungal meningitis is not contagious, so the CDC cannot, even if it wanted to, turn this into another Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) type of situation. Even so, the agency wants people to know that even if they do not see symptoms at first, they could still emerge days or weeks down the road.

"Fungal meningitis isn't common in the United States," the Mayo Clinic said in a statement. "It may mimic acute bacterial meningitis. It's often contracted by breathing in fungal spores that may be found in soil, decaying wood, and bird droppings."

"Fungal meningitis isn't spread from person to person. Cryptococcal meningitis is a common fungal form of the disease. "It affects people with weakened immune systems, such as from AIDS. It can cause death if not treated with an antifungal medicine. Even with treatment, fungal meningitis may come back."

Despite all these warnings, U.S. officials cannot say for certain which kind of fungus species is responsible for the infections. The exact cause of the outbreak also remains unclear, which only adds to potential suspicions about the legitimacy of what the CDC is saying.

Even so, the CDC has issued a "Level 2" travel advisory because of the "severe illness and death" that a few infected patients suffered.

"Cancel any elective procedure that involves an epidural injection of an anesthetic in Matamoros, Mexico, until there is evidence that there is no longer a risk for infection at these clinics," the CDC's advisory urges.

"Cancel any elective procedure that involves an epidural injection of an anesthetic in Matamoros, Mexico, until there is evidence that there is no longer a risk for infection at these clinics."

More related news can be found at CDC.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Newstarget.com
Health agency in Canadas British Columbia province includes PRO-EUTHANASIA slideshow in pension packages for the elderly

A shocking report has revealed that a health authority in Canada's British Columbia (BC) province has been promoting euthanasia using a slideshow that it is supposedly sending through emails to healthy seniors groups.

According to the report, which was obtained by Will Potter from the Daily Mail, the PowerPoint slideshow was allegedly from Fraser Health Authority (FHA), a large healthcare region in a suburban area of Vancouver, BC.

The slideshow actively promotes euthanasia in information packets for pension packages for the elderly. It featured text such as "expressions of wanting to die." It also said euthanasia could be used to "promote a sense of control," along with slides claiming that customers could die by euthanasia within one day.

BC province reports a 24% increase in euthanasia cases

According to data, the province has seen a significant 24 percent increase in medical assistance for dying, or MAID, Canada's term for legal euthanasia and assisted suicide. Overall, at least 2,515 people died from MAID in 2022 in BC alone.

The email to seniors included information about a "track system" that detailed several options for MAID, those being when death is "reasonably foreseeable" or when it is "not reasonably foreseeable."

For seniors whose death is "not reasonably foreseeable," FHA said they will first be required to go through 90 days of assessments. Symptoms that fall under the option include chronic pain and fibromyalgia, but the Canadian government has announced plans to allow people to die under the practice solely due to mental illness by March 2024.

Meanwhile, the slideshow revealed that there is no waiting period for patients with terminal illnesses, with one slide even indicating that the process for euthanasia or assisted suicide can last as short as one day, provided that the patients file the proper request and undergo at least two assessments.

FHA targeting pro-life hospice societies

Details from a recent incident also suggest that the FHA has a history of targeting pro-life hospice societies.

On March 29, 2021, the Delta Hospice Society (DHS) was evicted from its two buildings after 35 years after the authority canceled the pro-life group's lease. The eviction was allegedly due to DHS's refusal to allow euthanasia at its palliative care facility.

FHA took both the Irene Thomas Hospice and the Supportive Care Centre without compensation for DHSs assets, which had an estimated value of $9 million. (Related: Canada to become ASSISTED SUICIDE capital of the world.)

To date, DHS is forced to operate out of a small office. It still manages a store, The Hospice Cottage Charity Shoppe, which serves as the DHS's main source of revenue.

Angelina Ireland, DHS's president, recently warned, that pro-euthanasia lobbying groups are targeting Catholics.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government legalized euthanasia in 2016. Since then, recorded deaths have gone up under its MAID program.

There has also been a continued push to further expand who can qualify for doctor-assisted death.

The allowance of MAID for those diagnosed with mental illness came in 2021 with Bill C-7, which allowed both the terminally ill and the chronically ill to qualify for doctor-assisted death.

The mental illness expansion was previously slated to take effect in March.

But after resistance from pro-life groups, conservative politicians and other groups, the Liberals under Trudeau delayed the introduction of the full effect of Bill C-7 until 2024 via Bill C-39, which became law on March 9 this year.

Unless a new federal government gets elected in 2024, MAID laws will expand to those with mental illness.

The Conservative Party under leader Pierre Poilievre is against expanding MAID laws but has not released a statement if it would repeal all euthanasia laws.

Read more articles about the horrifying practice of euthanasia at Euthanasia.news.

Watch the video below for more about euthanasia in Canada.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Anti-life group lobbies for BC Canada Catholic hospitals to carry out ASSISTED SUICIDE.

Canada attempting to expand EUTHANASIA program to allow assisted suicide of the mentally ill.

Survey: Nearly 3 in 10 Canadians believe the poor and homeless should be eligible for assisted suicide.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Parl.ca

Brighteon.com
Matrixxx Grooove: Climate change is a MONEY LAUNDERING scheme  Brighteon.TV

"Climate change" and the fight against it is but a money laundering scheme , according to Jeffrey "InTheMatrixxx" Pedersen and his co-host Shannon "ShadyGrooove" Townsend.

The two expounded on this claim during the June 29 episode of "The Matrixxx Grooove Show" on Brighteon.TV. Pedersen began by pointing out that climate change is a hoax, telling viewers of the show: "We know it's all a hoax. You can't say anything because you are going to be publicly ridiculed."

He referenced an event held at the Guildhall in the British capital London called the Climate Innovation Forum. King Charles III and London Mayor Sadiq Khan were in attendance at the June 29 gathering. Incidentally, the event also had the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC)  one of the largest universal banks and finance services in the world  as a major sponsor and partner.

According to Pedersen, HSBC's logo is made up of six pyramids. This made him wonder if this is the East and West merging their trust fund into the center. Townsend also shared the same sentiment, noting that the symbolism could be pointing to the middle  just like how everything is coming into one centralized location.

InTheMatrixxx followed up by pointing out that HSBC had $10.8 trillion in assets under custody and $4.9 trillion in assets under administration as of 2021. (Related: Matrixxx Grooove with Jeff and Shady: Climate tyranny is the biggest heist and the biggest conspiracy against America  Brighteon.TV.)

"Climate clock" promoting climate alarmism

Pedersen also mentioned that the British monarch and the London mayor launched the "climate clock" during the June 29 event. The climate clock served as a visual reminder of the urgency of the climate crisis.

Khan remarked: "The climate emergency poses a threat not only to the future of our city, but to the future of our world. That is why we must remain a key priority."

King Charles III, a staunch believer in climate tyranny, turned on the climate clock that triggered 150 similar clocks across the U.K.'s major cities. The clocks counted down the time to 2030, which is the estimated deadline for limiting global temperatures to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels.

InTheMatrixxx observed, however, that the climate clock showed only six years and 24 days left toward this goal. The true deadline isn't on 2030, but on July 22, 2029.

As expected, the climate alarmism promoted by Khan and the monarch was widely denounced. David Kurten, member of the London Assembly, tweeted: "What a load of nonsense. There is no climate emergency."

Jordan Schachtel of The Dossier tweeted: "The climate hoaxers have nothing but contempt for human civilization. Canadian clinical psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson, meanwhile, summed up his thoughts in three words: "Leave us alone."

He also pointed out that Agenda 2021 was changed to Agenda 2030 in 2015. Agenda 2030, also known as the Sustainable Development Goals, was decided upon at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit held in 2015. According to Pedersen, the nine-year extension of the agenda may have been prompted by the victory of former President Donald Trump in 2016.

Townsend agreed, adding that everything was on track with Hillary Clinton taking over Barack Obama  until Trump threw a wrench into the globalists' plans. He remarked: "I do think that they knew that something was going to happen because they pushed this off conveniently enough to a time that would be after they got Trump out."

Follow ClimateAlarmism.news for more news about climate change.

Watch the June 29 episode of "Matrixxx Grooove" below. "The Matrixxx Grooove Show" with Jeff and Shady airs every weekday at 12-1 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Climate change scare stories reach the point of psychological TERRORISM while scientists blame the fear on the climate crisis.

Climate change on Earth is significantly impacted by solar activity, profound new study confirms.

Climate change news coverage is BOUGHT with grants that fund corporate media  just like how Pfizer pays for FAKE NEWS promoting COVID jabs.

Climate change science implodes as IPCC climate models found to be totally wrong  temperatures arent rising as predicted  hoax unraveling.

Video shows Bill Gates admitting clean energy solving climate change is a SCAM.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

FoxNews.com
Ashley Jones three children were born in three different places  a hospital, a birth center, and at home.

Jones, who is 31 and lives in Belgrade said she had zero control over what was going on during her hospital birth. Jones wanted a midwife to help deliver her third child, and after finding one she clicked with, she decided to go with a home birth.

I felt like I was in control of everything and she was there to listen to what I needed from her, Jones said.

The only downside, from Jones perspective, was that her insurance didnt cover home births attended by a midwife as an in-network service. Jones paid about $5,500 out-of-pocket.

Home births surged nationally during the pandemic. In Montana, they accounted for 2.85% of all births in 2021, behind Idahos nation-leading 3.56% but still the sixth-highest rate in the country. Women who choose home births say they can provide a more familiar setting and a more natural experience than a hospital birth, along with the greater control cited by Jones. Doctors say hospital births are generally safer but that home births can also be a safe choice for many low-risk pregnancies.

Montanas Republican-dominated legislature this year moved to support home births with a measure requiring they be covered by Medicaid and another that expands the types of drugs midwives can administer. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bills into law in April.

Montana Republicans touted the moves as evidence of their commitment to women and families at a time when they were passing strict abortion limits. Since the legislative session ended in May, Gianforte has signed into law bills limiting abortion access, including a ban on dilation and evacuation procedures after 15 weeks. The governor also extended postpartum care for new mothers on Medicaid to 12 months in the state budget, and approved an adoption tax credit.

Advancing his pro-life, pro-child, pro-family agenda, the governor supported extending Medicaid coverage for mothers to 12 months postpartum, and proudly introduced an adoption tax credit and a child tax credit in his Budget for Montana Families, Gianforte spokesperson Kaitlin Price said via email.

Legislators did not advance Gianforte's child tax credit proposal during the session.

Kelly Baden, vice president for public policy at the Guttmacher Institute, a national research and policy organization that studies reproductive rights, said the new home-birth laws and postpartum care expansion are among the supports reproductive safety professionals have been pushing for decades.

Anything a state can do that helps improve the economic or health care coverage of people is important, Baden said, adding that those things dont need to be done as political cover for abortion restrictions.

The new laws would not have helped Jones: Whether insurance covers home births in Montana varies by policy, and Jones insurance declined to cover her home birth because it was out of network.

But the passage of House Bill 655, which adds most home births to Medicaid-covered services, is a boost for women enrolled in the federal-state health coverage program for low-income residents. The average cost of having a baby in a hospital in Montana is $11,938.

Lindsey Erin Ellis, co-founder of the Montana Birth Collective, is a doula, or someone who provides emotional support during pregnancy rather than the medical care of a midwife. She said while the cost of giving birth outside a hospital is less, the out-of-pocket expense for a patient can be more if they lack insurance coverage.

Having Medicaid is huge because those midwives can then accept those clients and be paid for their work, Ellis said.

The legislation on the medications midwives can administer brings Montana into alignment with the nearby states of Idaho, Colorado, and Washington, and enhances patient safety, said Amanda Osborne, vice president of the board of the Montana Midwifery Association.

That measure, House Bill 392, allows midwives to administer IVs, antibiotics to prevent infections in babies, oxygen, and prescription drugs that help stop hemorrhaging, all of which Osborne described as the standard of care for pregnant women and which midwives have the training to administer. The bill does not address pain medications.

Prior to the 2023 law, Osborne said, midwifery laws in Montana were last updated in the 1990s and midwives were not able to administer basic, lifesaving medications.

I think women and babies deserve safe care no matter where they decide to give birth, Osborne said.

Home births are a safe option for low-risk pregnancies and healthy babies, Osborne said. If a pregnancy becomes higher-risk, the patient is transferred to a physicians care. High-risk indicators include high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and carrying twins, Osborne said.

Recent trends suggest home births will continue to tick up. And while some practitioners praised the new laws, issues of cost and access arent going away.

Averee Chifamba, who has a midwifery practice in Bozeman called Saddlepeak Birth, was the midwife for Jones home birth. Of the roughly three dozen licensed midwives in Montana, there are eight  soon to be nine  in Bozeman, Chifamba said, and most of the home-birth practices there are full.

Chifamba said HB 392 increases midwives drug prescribing privileges to the standard of care for other health care professionals. But HB 655 is a hard one for her because the Medicaid reimbursement rate is so low, Chifamba said.

We love the idea that it opens up the availability, that if we want to serve Medicaid families as a small business, we can now; its just whether thats going to be worth the hit the midwife is going to take financially, Chifamba said.
Matrixxx Grooove: Jeff and Shady discuss the movie Sound of Freedom and its theme of CHILD TRAFFICKING  Brighteon.TV

Jeffrey "InTheMatrixxx" Pedersen and Shannon "ShadyGrooove" Townsend talked about the movie "Sound of Freedom" and its theme of child trafficking on the July 10 episode of their Brighteon.TV program "The Matrixxx Grooove Show."

Pedersen began by pointing out that the movie, which stars Jim Caviezel and Mira Sorvino, is not a political film. He said: "This is not an issue of Republican and Democrat. It is apolitical. Child trafficking is an issue."

Townsend agreed with his co-host, adding that "Sound of Freedom" had nothing to do with any political campaign or former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. However, ShadyGrooove noted that the media is nevertheless smearing the film by calling it a "QAnon movie."

He explained: "This is not a political movie. This has to do with a very important topic of human trafficking, and it is raising awareness to that fact. It is not supposed to be something QAnon. It's supposed to be doing the right thing."

InTheMatrixx remarked that "Sound of Freedom" was a very dark and emotional movie that was supposed to have been released five years ago. In support of his co-host's remarks, he cited Rolling Stone's review of the film. The magazine described it as a "QAnon-tinged thriller about child trafficking designed to appeal to the conscience of a conspiracy-addled boomer." (Related: Rolling Stone, Washington Post PRAISED pro-pedophile movie Cuties, ATTACKED anti-child sex trafficking movie Sound of Freedom.)

According to Townsend, "Sound of Freedom" talks about human trafficking  which he called "modern slavery." He also said that Rolling Stone and other news outlets aren't covering the issue of child trafficking  which proves that they are part of the problem.

Pedersen: Open border a dog-whistle for HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Townsend lamented how the media smeared "Sound of Freedom" while refusing to cover Trump's efforts to fight human trafficking, such as strengthening the border wall. Pedersen agreed with his co-host, noting that the term "open border" is a dog whistle for human trafficking.

"You might get triggered as well if you've had any issues in your lifetime," said InTheMatrixxx. "But we need to use that feeling, and use that going forward, to help get people elected [who] will secure the border [and] will fight against human trafficking."

Pedersen also pointed out that child trafficking occurs amid a natural disaster, citing the case of Laura Silsby as an example. According to a September 2019 report by the Washington Standard, Silsby was jailed for the kidnapping and attempted smuggling of 33 Haitian children. However, she managed to go free thanks to the intervention of former First Lady and twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

InTheMatrixxx also took a shot at Mike Rothschild, a journalist and researcher that denied any conspiracy among top American leaders covering up pedophile rings. He also noted that the movie touched on the coverup of Epstein Island and other islands used in child trafficking operations.

According to ShadyGrooove, a lot of people are unaware of the scope of child trafficking the elites have concealed. Pedersen lamented in reply that the American judicial system, including the ways to get help for trafficked children, are being compromised. Despite this, he stated that the message of "Sound of Freedom" is about doing the right thing for the children  and not about Republicans or Democrats.

Follow Trafficking.news for more news about child trafficking happening in America.

Watch the July 10 episode of "Matrixxx Grooove" below. Tune in to "Matrixxx Grooove" with Jeff and Shady every weekday at 12-1 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Anti-child trafficking film Sound of Freedom premieres July 4: Gods Children are No Longer for Sale.

Connecting the Dots with Dan Happel: Federal officials support human trafficking in the US, says Christie Hutcherson  Brighteon.TV.

Child trafficking in America is REAL, and this teen was kidnapped from a basketball game crowd and sex trafficked for 11 days before being rescued.

Right Now with Ann Vandersteel: Tyler Schwab discusses efforts to rescue CHILD TRAFFICKING victims  Brighteon.TV.

Donna Brandenburg: Northern border also hosts indescribable human trafficking  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

RollingStone.com

TheWashingtonStandard.com
Ukraines Zelenskyy loses it after being told NATO will not admit his country and immediately start WWIII

Every bullet, bean, bandage, and bomb the West sends Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy risks a major world war and a nuclear exchange with Russia, but apparently, that risk isn't good enough for him.

Zelenskyy blew his top after being informed by President Joe Biden that now is not the right time for Ukraine to be brought into NATO because, since the country is in an active state of war with Russia after President Vladimir Putin invaded in February 2022, admission would immediately trigger Article 5, which requires all other NATO countries to come to the assistance of the country that was attacked.

[We have] received signals that certain wording is being discussed without Ukraine, Zelensky wrote in a rambling statement posted to Twitter on Tuesday morning, calling it unprecedented and absurd when [a] time frame is not set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraines membership.

It seems there is no readiness neither to invite Ukraine to NATO nor to make it a member of the Alliance, he noted further, according to The National Pulse.

Former US NATO ambassador Ivo Daalder recently concluded: Bringing Ukraine into the alliance is tantamount to joining the war.

The United States, Britain, France, and Germany, key NATO members, are planning to propose security guarantees for Ukraine modeled after those in place for Israel. Although Israel is not officially a member of NATO and the Western alliance is not obligated to protect it, the United States does offer significant military aid to ensure Israel maintains a "qualitative military edge" over its neighboring countries, the outlet noted.

Meanwhile, in concert with Great Britain, France has decided to send long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine so Zelenskyy's armed forces can strike Russia's armed forces from deep behind front lines.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the move in tandem with the 31-member NATO alliance summit in Lithuania, at which he revealed that the goal is to mount a larger counteroffensive to Russia recently.

"I have decided to increase deliveries of weapons and equipment to enable the Ukrainians to have the capacity to strike deeply," Macron said, without actually revealing precisely how many missiles he is planning to send to Ukraine.

It is suspected, based on statements made by a French diplomatic source, that 50 SCALP missiles produced by the European manufacturer MBDA will be sent to Ukraine to round out the deal. Russia, obviously, won't be happy.

And like the U.S., the long-range cruise missiles Macron discussed would weaken French forces because they would come from existing French military stocks, adding in a statement to reporters that it will be a "significant number" once the deal is done and the weapons are delivered.

Natural News noted further:

France previously sent shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, as well as Crotale short-range anti-air missiles, which are used to intercept low-flying missiles and aircraft.

For many months now, Ukraine has been begging the United States, its main supplier, for longer-range missiles to shoot at Russia. U.S. officials have yet to send anything in this category.

As for the missiles Britain is sending to Ukraine, these are a Franco-British type of missile, known as Storm Shadow, that is also produced by MBDA.

France's SCALP version possesses a range of approximately 250 kilometers, surpassing Ukraine's existing missile capabilities by a factor of three. According to a French military source, these missiles are being integrated into Ukrainian warplanes of Russian origin. While the deployment of these missiles undoubtedly signifies an escalation in the conflict, there is an argument made by Western powers that it is a proportional response.

This is based on the claim that Russia has been utilizing cruise missiles launched from distances spanning thousands of kilometers. However, it is important to note that this escalation carries the risk of prompting further retaliation from Russia.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

TheNationalPulse.com
The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), the first native marine fish to be designated as threatened in 2003, has the unpleasant distinction of being the first.

Following decades of population decline brought on by habitat degradation, excessive fishing, and bycatch death in fisheries, the classification was made.

Smalltooth Sawfish in Cedar, Key Florida

Dean Grubbs, associate director of research at Florida State University's Coastal and Marine Laboratory and a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, co-taught the annual shark field course on June 6 where sawfish were caught, tagged, and released, as per Phys.Org.

Gavin Naylor, the leader of the Florida Museum of Natural History's shark research program, and the Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team.

In the past 30 to 40 years, the sawfish recovery team has not tagged an individual this far north, according to Naylor. It used to be usual to see sawfish throughout the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts. Sawfish are a form of elasmobranch, a group that includes sharks, skates, and rays.

Live young are born from the females, and they hunt and find refuge within the mangroves' sturdy, protecting roots. The long, flat-edged blade that was their most distinctive characteristic and recognized them as desirable possessions among trophy hunters.

Smalltooth sawfish populations decreased by more than 90% over the course of the 20th century, and scientists expressed skepticism about their capacity to bounce back rapidly, even with the help of protective measures.

The sawfish had scars from mating on its flanks and fins, which could be seen under scrutiny. There are few, if any, accounts of sawfish mating behaviors, however similarly related rays and sharks engage in wooing behavior whereby the males bite the female partners' fins prior to mating.

A small litter of seven to fourteen juveniles, that take several years to achieve reproductive age, are born by female smalltooth sawfish during their long life cycle.

Sawtooth populations have had a difficult time recovering because of their sluggish growth, but mating scars provide evidence that they are still increasing.

Naylor claims that the sawfish encounter was able to impart a lesson which would not have been feasible otherwise. There isn't a better approach for a group of young people doing environmental and conservation biology to discover more about this really magnificent and critically endangered animal.

Also Read: Critically Endangered Sawfish Dead in Australia With Toothed Saws Chopped Off

Threats to its population

Red mangroves in particular serve as important nursery sites for young sawfish in shallow estuarine settings that are surrounded by vegetation, as per NOAA Fisheries.

A large portion of this habitat has been altered or lost as a result of waterfront development in Florida and other southeastern states. This could have an impact on locations where sawfish can reproduce and where young can survive.

Inshore gill nets in particular were notorious for mistakenly catching sawfish. Sawfish are generally destroyed rather than released unharmed because they have a chance of injure fishing equipment and represent a threat to fisherman.

Sawfish are still accidentally captured in a variety of fishing gears such as shrimp trawls, bottom longlines, and recreational hook-and-line gear, despite the fact that this threat has been significantly mitigated since the 1995 implementation of the Florida Net Ban Amendment.

Conservation of Smalltooth sawfish

On the federal endangered species list is the smalltooth sawfish. As a result of overfishing and entanglement in fishing gear, sawfish populations are probably on the decline. This is because of how easily their long, toothed rostrums may tangle in nets and fishing line, as per The National Wildlife Federation.

Some tribes dry the saws out and sell them as ornaments. Further contributing to the reduction of sawfish is the destruction of mangrove forests and other nursery habitats in the Southeast for the construction of beachfront homes.

To help fisherman release erroneously caught sawfish safely, recovery activities are already underway. Sawfish populations have declined, but this reduction has been slowed by the creation of marine protected zones and the outlawing of entangler fishing gear in Florida waters.

Related Article: Bizarre Looking Sawfish IN CRITICAL Danger: Can They Still be Saved?
Pyramid shaped UFOs were a series of unverified phenomenon based on unconfirmed sightings in recent years. The topic shocked social media with videos of UFOs, officially called as unidentified flying objects.

While the matter has often been neglected or ignored in the past several decades, the Pentagon had finally addressed the mysterious phenomenon, examining its authenticity and potential explanations behind it.

In 2022, the United States Congress conducted a hearing regarding increasing UFO sightings across the country. The unaddressed 'UFO claims' accumulated as the last public congressional hearing about the unexplained aerial phenomena reportedly took place in 1969.

Prior to the hearings, various reports show the U.S. government have debunked the claims that these aerial objects are extraterrestrial by nature.

Pyramid Shaped UFO

In May 2022, the Pentagon reported that there were about 400 UFO encounters or sightings reported by the country's own military, with some events occurring during aerial operations. In one of many videos showing pyramid shaped objects, U.S. government officials clarified they were only "drones," ABC News reported.

The number of encounters has significantly increased from 144 based on a 2021 report by the U.S. intelligence community, the U.S. media outlet says. This comes as top Pentagon officials reportedly informed a House panel that reports of around 400 UFO events came from anecdotal accounts from U.S. military personnel.

The figure is in addition to UFO sighting claims by ordinary civilians throughout the decades, particularly since the 1940s. The objects were also called flying sauces and became an American cultural phenomena, according to the U.S. Library of Congress.

Also Read: 'Space Fish' to be Sent to China Space Station to Study Interaction with Other Microorganisms

UFO Military Videos and Photos

Prior to the hearings, reports of the 'UFO military videos' started before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when the Defense Department confirmed leaked images and clips of "unidentified aerial phenomena" taken 2019, acknowledging the legitimacy of the photos about the mysterious objects, CNN reported.

The triangle-shaped objects from the photos and videos, taken by U.S. Navy personnel, were blinking, and moving through the clouds, according to Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough who told CNN at that time. Despite the authenticity of the said evidence of pyramid shaped UFOs, the exact nature of the flying objects remains unknown.

Potential Theories

Considering the UFO sightings, conspiracy theorists have pointed out that the aerial objects seen by the U.S. military are in fact "alien spacecrafts." However, the U.S. government has denied such claims, and there has been no concrete scientific evidence signifying the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life, at least capable of building sophisticated spacecrafts until now.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the narrative behind aliens visiting Earth is nothing but a story since there is no evidence of life beyond Earth has ever been found.

According to senior military leaders, the Pentagon's investigation of UFOs has so far not led to any significant evidence that would suggest aliens or extraterrestrials have visited Earth or crash-landed on our planet, as cited by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

While the Pentagon also asserted that there is no evidence of aliens on our planet, it has not ruled out their existence, the Australian media outlet said.

Related Article: Alien Hunters: UFO Spotted Watching Over the ISS
A group of scientists examined wild animal bones and found out that some of them could have suffered arthritis.

The experts concluded that saber-toothed cats and dire wolves appeared to have acquired bone and joint disease towards the end of their existence. A Live Science report said that these creatures were inbreeding as they went into extinction.

Paleontologist Mairin Balis noted that these wild animals could have gone through tough times following the disease that they obtained some 12,000 years ago.

Content of the study

Paleontologists wanted to grasp how exactly these wild animals died, including the iconic predators like the saber-tooth cat and the dire wolf. A New York Times report said the reason could be because of stiff competition for food, however, researchers had found out that it could be due to a bone illness.

They explained that as the climate shifted, the bones of saber-tooth cats and dire wolves had gone riddled, with defects associated with osteochondrosis dissecans or OCD. This is a severe developmental disease where holes are being formed in a bone due to a developing tissue that never hardened.

Experts said that the hole is then filled with a cartilage flap that can result in painful inflammation.

Veterinary orthopedic surgeon Dr. Hugo Schmokel said OCD is a common orthopedic disease affecting the joints of rapidly growing dogs. He said there were also cases reported among snow leopards, however, some cases could have been not recorded.

The findings of the research indicated that around six percent of the limb bones of young adult and juvenile saber-tooth cats, specifically knee joints, had divots which has a measure of less than seven millimeters.

Meanwhile, almost three percent of the young adult and juvenile dire wolves had defects in the knee joints that measure more than 12 millimeters.

Read Also: Dire Wolf Bone From Southern Canada's Late Pleistocene Period Has Been Formally Identified

Prevalence of the disease

A report in The Independent mentioned that a further study on other fossil sites might reveal the patterns in the prevalence of the said disease, including whether these joint diseases had hindered the hunting abilities of the predators that lived years ago.

The research made would show the shared common ailments with the cats and dogs living in homes at present.

Science Daily reported that the study was limited to isolated bones from a single fossil locality; meaning, more studies could shed light on the other aspects of these animals' lives.

The study bared the possibility that the high incidence of the disease in the wild animals mentioned could be a sign of dwindling populations because these ancient species had approached extinction.

They also speculated that the wild animals could have suffered from inbreeding as their population sizes had decreased.

Evolutionary ecologist Ashley Reynolds said studies about fossil record is interesting because it provides a holistic look on the evolution of things as well as their entire existence.

The disease can bring varying levels of pain and lameness among modern domestic animals while in the past years, these bone diseases can actually heal on their own, the study said.

Related Article: Saber-Toothed Cat: Ultra-Sharp Teeth Slow To Emerge

Related Video:




Archaeologists in Peru have recently discovered a sealed corridor branded as the "condor's passageway," which is believed to be aging around 3,000-years-old.

A report in India Times said that the corridor could likely lead to other chambers inside a massive temple complex that shows the ancient Chavin culture.

The Chavin de Huantar archeological site is considered as among the culture's most important centers, thriving from around 1,500-550 B.C. The place is situated around 190 miles or 306 kilometers northeast of Lima.

According to a Reuters report, the latest discoveries have focused on the hallway inside a southern portion of the temple, which was sealed due to what archaeologists believed as its structural weakness.

At present, this gives a glimpse about the early days of the Chavin.

The condor, one of the largest birds in the world, was associated with power and prosperity during the ancient Andean cultures.

What is Chavin

The UNESCO World Heritage Convention said the site, which is a former place of worship, was one of the earliest and best-known pre-Columbian sites.

Its appearance is striking as it possesses a complex of terraces and squares, which are surrounded by structures of dressed stone as well as some zoomorphic ornamentation.

Chavin, a pilgrimage center for the Andean religious world, had hosted individuals from different latitudes, distances and languages. This has become a significant area of ideological, cultural and religious convergence and dissemination around a cult spread over a wide territory of the Andes.

The Reuters report said that a large ceramic piece, which weights around 37 pounds or 17 kilogram, decorated with what appears to be a condor's head and wings was found in the passageway. A ceramic bowl was also seen there.

Read Also: World's Deadliest Avalanche in Peru Triggered 60-Meter High Mud Killing 30,000 People

Effects of natural phenomenon

Experts said that the cultural nature of the archaeological site has been noticeable in its architectural, technological and symbolic creation that is often characterized by coated quarried stone buildings and artificial terraces around plazas.

Despite being affected of the natural phenomenon, the site's original shapes and materials of the different construction stages have been preserved.

Its wholeness and visual integrity as well as its landscape did not encounter any substantial changes as proven by the continuation of traditional agricultural activities in the nearby areas.

Studies have shown that environmental agents could be the most significant factor that affected the preservation of the archaeological site's integrity. To emphasize, those who conduct studies on Chavin have said the natural phenomenon could have resulted in the deterioration of the structures of the pilgrimage center through time.

Those that affected it were the landslides in the galleries, drains, and some internal vents. Further, floods from glacial lakes also had impact to this as well as powerful earthquakes that had high magnitude and intensity.

Laws stated that the management and protection of the Chavin Archaeological Site should be ensured by the Ministry of Culture on behalf of the government of Peru.

The Ministry of Culture had already crafted a management plan, which indicates the necessary items to meet basic needs and develop permanent projects required for protecting, preserving and restoring the site.

Aside from that, the research and preservation activities for the site are supported by private groups and institutions.

Related Article: Secret Passageways Used by Ancient Andean Culture Opened for the 1st Time in 3000 Years

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Sustainability in cattle farming is now a top priority. There have been battles over several global issues like resource depletion, food security, and climate change.

Healthy animals play a crucial role in making cattle farming more sustainable. It improves productivity, reduces environmental impact, and enhances animal welfare. This article delves into various ways healthy animals positively influence the sustainability of cattle farming.

Why Are Healthy Animals Important for a Sustainable Environment ?

Animal husbandry becomes more sustainable when they are in great shape. Below are some of the reasons why it has a positive effect on sustainability.

Improved productivity and efficiency

Healthy animals are the foundation of productive and efficient cattle farming systems. Disease-free and well-nourished cattle exhibit higher growth rates, better feed conversion efficiency, and increased reproductive success.

Farmers can achieve higher yields with fewer inputs, reducing their overall environmental footprint. Healthy animals also lead to reduced mortality rates, reducing the need for replacements and increasing the overall productivity of the herd.

Reduced antibiotic use

A key component of sustainable cattle farming is minimizing the use of antibiotics to combat diseases. Healthy animals aren't too susceptible to infections. This reduces the need for prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

By limiting the routine use of antibiotics, farmers will manage the risk of antimicrobial resistance, which is often a serious threat to the health of humans and animals. Responsible antibiotic stewardship helps preserve these drugs' effectiveness for treating critical illnesses in animals and humans.

Lower environmental impact

Healthy cattle produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions and manure pollutants per product unit. Ill animals often exhibit reduced feed efficiency and generate more waste, leading to higher environmental impacts.

Additionally, healthy animals are less likely to contaminate water sources with pathogens, reducing environmental risks. By maintaining the health of their herds, farmers can minimize the contribution of cattle farming to climate change and resource degradation.

Improved animal welfare

Promoting the well-being of cattle is not only ethically responsible but also contributes to greater sustainability. Animals in good health experience less stress and discomfort, resulting in improved behavior and reduced aggression.

Enhanced welfare is associated with increased productivity, as content animals are more likely to express natural behaviors and achieve optimal growth rates. Moreover, healthy cattle are better equipped to cope with adverse environmental conditions, like extreme weather events.

Enhanced genetic selection

Healthy animals form the basis for effective genetic selection programs. Farmers can develop more robust herds adapted to environmental conditions by focusing on breeding from disease-resistant and resilient individuals.

Genetic improvement for disease resistance reduces the reliance on medical interventions, thereby contributing to the long-term sustainability of cattle farming.

Breeding healthy cattle can also lead to enhanced tolerance to environmental stressors. This reduces the need for energy-intensive climate-controlled housing and management practices.

Lower input costs

Healthy animals often require fewer inputs, such as feed supplements, vaccines, and veterinary treatments. This reduces the economic burden on farmers and lowers the environmental impact associated with the production and use of these inputs.

With lower input costs, cattle farmers can achieve better profit margins and invest in sustainable practices and technologies. It also promotes the overall sustainability of their operations.

Decreased zoonotic disease risk

Keeping healthy animals is crucial for preventing the transmission of zoonotic diseases. Especially zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Outbreaks of zoonotic diseases pose significant public health risks, as they can lead to widespread illnesses and economic losses.

By focusing on animal health and biosecurity measures, cattle farmers can reduce the potential for disease spillover to humans. It contributes to environmental and societal sustainability.

Is Cattle Farming Profitable ?

Cattle farming can be profitable, but it highly depends on various factors, including the scale of the operation, market conditions, input costs, and management practices. Also, animal nutrition and health are important. Profitability in cattle farming is influenced by factors such as:

Market demand

The demand for beef and dairy products affects the prices cattle farmers can fetch for their products. High demand can lead to better prices and increased profitability.

Input costs

The cost of feed, veterinary care, labor, and other inputs impact the overall expenses of cattle farming. Efficient management of input costs is crucial for maintaining profitability.

Production efficiency

Productivity and efficiency in cattle farming, such as good genetics, proper nutrition, and effective breeding programs, are essential. They can lead to higher yields and improved profitability.

Environmental factors

Weather conditions, climate variations, and environmental challenges can affect cattle health and productivity, impacting profitability.

Government policies

Government subsidies, trade agreements, and regulations can also influence the profitability of cattle farming.

Scale of operation

Larger operations can benefit from economies of scale, potentially reducing costs and increasing profitability.

Conclusion

While cattle farming has the potential to be profitable, it also carries inherent risks and uncertainties. Healthy animals are vital components of sustainable cattle farming systems. They enhance productivity and efficiency, reduce the environmental impact, improve animal welfare, and lower input costs for farmers. Cattle farmers will contribute to the long-term viability of their operations when their herds are in great condition.
Of the more than 160 volcanoes the USGS continues to monitor across the US, eight are showing signs of heightened activity that could trigger an eruption.

Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska: WATCH/ORANGE

As intermittent tremors along with low-frequency earthquakes over the last week have evolved into more regular and persistent in the previous day, satellite data over the last 24 hours has detected strongly raised surface temperatures near the peak of Shishaldin Volcano.

AVO warns that while these observations deviate from Shishaldin's usual background activity, they do not necessarily portend the impending eruption.

These findings imply that the Shishaldin top crater most likely contains lava. In response, the Alaska Volcano Observatory AVO increased the Alert Level to WATCH and the Aviation Color Code to ORANGE.

Shishaldin Volcano, a sizable stratovolcano, is situated on Unimak Island in the series of Aleutian Islands in Alaska. With a height of 6,500 feet, it is the highest mountain peak in the Aleutians.

Great Sitkin Volcano, Alaska: WATCH/ORANGE

Sitting in the central Aleutian Islands, the Great Sitkin Volcano is a basaltic andesite volcano that takes up the majority of Great Sitkin Island's northern half. AVO reports that the volcano is still erupting lava slowly, creating a substantial lava flow inside its summit crater.

Since July 2021, the Great Sitkin Volcano has been steadily releasing lava without any occurrences of explosive events.

wAVO has a volcano Alert Level of WATCH because of the ongoing eruption, and the aviation color code is currently ORANGE.

Semisopochnoi, Alaska: ADVISORY/YELLOW

With its location barely 9.7 miles to the west of the 180th Meridian in Alaska, Semisopochnoi occupies the easternmost land location in both the United States and North America.

The AVO reports that Semisopochnoi experienced little seismic activity the previous day. Employed geophysical or remote sensing data showed no signs of explosive activity. Over the past 24 hours, little action was seen in the partly cloudy satellite along with web camera pictures. The USGS does note that tiny explosions and related ash emissions may persist and be challenging to detect, particularly when the volcano is hidden by a layer of dense cloud cover.

The volcano is on ADVISORY and YELLOW, according to the latest AVO update.

Mount Takawangha and Tanaga, Alaska: ADVISORY/YELLOW

An Alaskan stratovolcano named Mount Takawangha, along with the nearby volcano Mount Tanaga, is situated on Tanaga Island. The most recent update report from AVO stated that seismicity had been minimal at Tanaga Island throughout the previous day. Cloudy satellite photos along with web camera images showed little activity. Takawangha is now at an ADVISORY volcano alert level and a YELLOW aviation color code level.

Trident Volcano, Alaska: ADVISORY/YELLOW

On the Alaska Peninsula, inside Katmai National Park, is the Trident Volcano. In a report on Trident published today, AVO noted that the seismic activity in the area of the volcano has been high over the last day.

Satellite and web camera footage taken during the previous day's partly overcast weather did not reveal any movement. On August 24, 2022, the seismic upheaval started and continued until the present. Trident, according to AVO, is also on an ADVISORY volcano alert level and an aviation color code level of YELLOW.

Also Read: Mountain Climbing, Hiking No Longer Allowed in Bali After Tourist Damages Sanctity of Mountain Peak

Aniakchak Volcano: ADVISORY/YELLOW

The National Park Service is responsible for maintaining the Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, which includes the Aniakchak Volcano. AVO reported that Aniakchak volcano experienced modest seismicity throughout the previous day in their most recent volcano update.

Cloudy satellite photos along with web camera pictures from the most recent day revealed little activity. If a future eruption were to take place, it is anticipated that it would be preceded by increased shallow seismicity, other signals of disturbance, such as gas releases, elevated temperatures at the surface, and additional surface deformation.

Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: ADVISORY/YELLOW

The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island is not erupting, and since the last eruption ceased on June 19, 2023, no active lava has been seen. Over the previous week, no notable changes have been seen at the highest point or in either rift zone. While tilt deformation has been steady and seismicity has been at background levels during the previous week, the volcano has continued to release some volcanic gasses, although just in small amounts.

According to USGS, the volcano's current Volcano Alert Level is ADVISORY, and its current Aviation Color Code is YELLOW.

Visitors to Hawaii Volcano National Park or the Kilauea Volcano are urged to proceed with extreme caution at all times by both HVO and USGS, Weatherboy reports.

Related Article: Philippines' Most Active Volcano on the Verge of Eruption, Alert Level 2 Raised Amid Volcanic Unrest
A tornado swarm that tore across Chicago caused significant property damage, 550 flight delays, and 172 flight cancellations.

Tornado Swarm in Chicago

On Wednesday night, a storm system spread several tornadoes across the Chicago metropolitan region, prompting hundreds of travelers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to take cover.

Homes and businesses suffered severe damage as a result of the tornadoes.

A sizable and highly destructive tornado touched down in Summit, Illinois, just before 6:30 PM CDT, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Chicago.

The tornado was headed toward Chicago. Chicago's downtown is 10 miles to the southwest of Summit.

The NWS confirmed that a tornado had touched down close to Chicago O'Hare International Airport about 30 minutes later.

The agency issued a warning that more circulations were possible and that the tornado was periodically impacting the ground.

Heres some of the tornado damage @ Willow Springs RD & Hillsdale RD - Country Side/West side Hodgkins, IL.

Houses damaged, trees uprooted, and power lines down!

#Chicagotornado #severeweather #Ilwx #Chiwx @NWSChicago pic.twitter.com/A7y4Hzaeoo  Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers (@ChicagoMWeather) July 13, 2023

550 Delayed and 172 Canceled Flights

Hundreds of travelers, pilots, flight attendants, and airport employees flocked to the terminal's lowest level as the tornado approached O'Hare International Airport.

According to FlightAware, at least 172 flights were canceled and over 550 arriving and leaving planes were delayed from O'Hare on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, a strong tornado passed dangerously close to the airport, as evidenced by a video posted on Twitter.

As planes waited at the airport's gates, it was possible to view the massive spiraling vortex spinning in the distance.

Nevertheless, there was no tornado damage at either airport, according to Kevin Bargnes, the O'Hare director of communications.

Extensive Property Damage

The tornado sirens on Wednesday night made for a frightening scene for many who resided near downtown Chicago.

Many people who reside in tall apartment complexes were concerned about ensuring that they could find shelter fast.

According to longtime Chicagoan Lynn Becker, who lives in an apartment building with 60 floors, her options are rather constrained.

She assumed everyone would have to enter the center of the structure, according to the Associated Press.

At least 20 to 30 residences in Elgin County, which is roughly 34 miles to the northwest of Chicago, were seriously damaged by the tornadoes on Wednesday, NBC5 Chicago reported.

Several barns and roofs were reported to have been damaged, and numerous trees along with powerlines were reported to have fallen.

The Storm Prediction Center reported damages on a warehouse close to O'Hare International Airport.

In Countryside, Illinois, a community about 15 miles southwest of Chicago, a tornado left a path of damage in its wake.

Many trees had been uprooted, and some houses were lacking their roofs.

Also Read: El Nino Escalates Heatwave for 90 Million Americans Enduring Scorching Temperatures

EF1 Tornado

No fewer than three tornadoes touched down throughout northeastern Illinois on Wednesday, according to confirmation from the NWS office in Chicago as of Thursday afternoon.

The survey team identified two tornadoes in Kane County with EF1 and EF0 initial ratings.

Kane County is 33 miles west of Chicago's city center.

The greatest wind speed of the EF1 tornado was 100 mph, whereas the maximum wind speed of the EF0 tornado was 85 mph.

The survey crew also verified a third twister that struck on Wednesday and made its way from Burr Ridge to Stickney, which are loacted in Southwest Chicago.

The tornado was classified as an EF1 by the NWS, and its top wind speeds were 110 mph.

Survey team has completed the ground survey of the Burr Ridge to Stickney tornado. Preliminary rating of EF-1 with max winds near 110 mph. In addition to numerous trees snapped and uprooted, several businesses saw significant damage. More to come later. #ilwx  NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 13, 2023

As additional surveys are completed, according to the NWS, more information will become available, Accuweather reported.

Related Article: Mississippi Tornado Causes Catastrophic Damage in Louin, 1 Fatality, 20 Injuries
A Chlamydia-like bacteria was recently found in corals of the Great Barrier Reef by scientists. This research may offer vital information about coral microbiomes and their potential effects on coral reef health.

Chlamydia-like Bacteria

The Australian Institute of Marine Science, the University of Vienna, and the University of Melbourne collaborated on the study.

The study discovered two distinct bacterial groups in the coral tissue, one of which is Endozoicomonas and closely matches the bacteria that cause Chlamydia (Chlamydiales).

The research, which was supported by an ARC Laureate Fellowship, further complicates the understanding of coral reef health.

Dr. Justin Maire, the study's principal investigator from the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Science, said that corals had never been known to harbor any members of the bacterial group Chlamydiales, which includes the agents that cause chlamydia infections in mammals.

Maire and his team discovered that these bacteria steal nutrition and energy from their hosts in order to survive after collaborating with Chlamydiales experts Dr. Astrid Collingro as well as Professor Matthias Horn from the University of Vienna.

There is still not enough data to know whether the novel Chlamydiales are harmful or helpful to corals, although they share many characteristics with mammalian diseases.

Other coral-associated bacteria may provide this bacterium with nutrients and energy.

Additionally, he suggested that it is possible for the bacteria residing inside coral tissues to interact with one another.

The other bacteria discovered, Endozoicomonas, is known to be common in corals and is generally seen as beneficial due to its ability to create B vitamins and antibiotic chemicals, according to Professor Madeleine van Oppen, the study's senior author from the University of Melbourne.

The creation of bacterial probiotics for corals, which can increase their resilience to temperature fluctuations and survival rates as a result of climate change, is one of the main areas in the laboratory, according to van Oppen.

The roles of coral-associated bacteria are little understood, and this new study will help experts determine whether probiotics are a workable option and whether bacteria like Endozoicomonas are the ideal candidates for the task, Sci Tech Daily reported.

This study, done by van Oppen and her team, was recently published in the journal Science Advances.

Also Read: Toxic Algal Bloom Kills Thousands of Fish on Shores of Thailand

Great Barrier Reef

A large and intricate ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef was created by millions of corals. Each of those corals contains a miniature, equally complicated ecosystem inside of it. The thousands of bacteria that make up this community, known as the coral microbiome, aid in the feeding, growth, and well-being of corals.

A coral's body contains a distinct collection of microorganisms in each area. The inhabitants of the coral gut and outer epidermal layers perform functions that are distinct from those of the inhabitants of the coral skeleton.

It's interesting to note that research on the human microbiome has shown that various bodily areas, such as the skin and stomach, have various microbial landscapes with distinct functions.

Both the human and coral microbiomes are involved in a wide range of survival-related processes, such as the removal of waste or the absorption of nutrients from meals, according to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

Related Article: Great Barrier Reef Islands Named as World's Best Awards Winner for 2023
Montana is seeing a generational investment in our local economies, through infrastructure improvements, broadband funding, and clean water. Workers have an opportunity to build our local economies like never before and union apprenticeship programs are ready to teach the next generation of workers.

Investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law include: $3.1 billion for roads, bridges, and roadway safety, hundreds of millions of dollars to ensure high-speed internet coverage across the state, and $373 million to provide clean and safe water. This critical funding was possible because of the advocacy of workers across Montana and the critical work of Senator Jon Tester to make sure Montanas communities were prioritized in Washington. These investments will not only help local businesses grow but will also provide good paying union jobs for the next decade.

Investing in our workforce is what unions have been doing for a century. Joint apprenticeship and training centers, also known as JATCs, partner with employers to train the best workforce in Montana. These apprenticeship programs provide the highest level training, a clear path to long term employment, and higher wages than nonunion programs.

If you are looking for a good paying job, with the best safety standards and benefits, check out union Joint Apprenticeship and Training Centers across the state. In fact union apprenticeship graduates can expect to earn 46 percent more than nonunion construction workers and 89 percent of union construction workers have private health insurance coverage compared to only 55 percent of nonunion workers.

Union training centers are also fully funded, so they come with no debt after graduation and allow you to earn while you learn. This means workers can start their career quickly with a clear path to financial independence.

Unions in Montana have played a central role in building an economy that works for everyone and by keeping money in our communities through collective bargaining, we ensure economic stability, healthy families, and a secure financial future. Getting young people into good paying jobs that support our families and our communities is a central part of what unions do. We build communities and we build predictable futures for workers.

Joining my union was the best decision I made in my working life. When I graduated high school I went to college and never made the progress that I should have, I felt lucky to get a job as a laborer, and joined LiUNA. That led to an apprenticeship in the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB). As a journeyman I got the opportunity to start a welding school at Colstrip to encourage others and was then elected president of IBB L-11 before running for state senate.

What I discovered first hand is that unions change lives and what we can accomplish together to build communities and local economies is unlimited. But workers must be met at the bargaining table and at the legislature as equals in order to realize this promise. Our voice at work is critical to maintain balance in the economy, keep wages in our communities, and protect our safety on the job. Working people in both the public and the private sectors keep Montana moving forward and when workers are protected, Montana is protected.

Great accomplishments are ahead for working families. We have the tools and resources already in place to create a brighter future. By protecting our voice on the job and at the legislature, Montana will be a dynamic and exciting place to live and work over the next decade.

Find out more about union Joint Apprenticeship and Training Centers on our website at mtaflcio.org/apprentices.
Weather forecasts said that Death Valley could experience scorching heat, as some parts of the US could experience soaring temperatures.

Americans with travel plans should consider the weather conditions before leaving, as the challenging heat could affect daily activities outdoors.

Soaring temperatures can result in heat-related health concerns, such as heat stress and heat exhaustion. Homeowners should stay alert for signs of heat concerns.

Recently, Nature World News (NWN) reported that dangerous floods could unload in the Northeast due to heavy rain conditions.

Parts of the Northeast suffered from heavy rain conditions, causing slower commutes and travel disruptions. Flooding and flash flooding were the concerns in the region.

Soaring temperatures

According to AccuWeather, the temperatures in the Southwest are expected to unleash challenging heat conditions, especially in Death Valley, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Palm Springs.

Based on the weather outlook, the sizzling heat will unfold in San Francisco, Reno, Elko, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix.

Meanwhile, the forecast added that Death Valley could reach 130 degrees.

The report added that above historical averages, heat could become possible. Increased fire risk and heat-related illnesses could become possible.

The scorching heat could put people with medical conditions, older adults, children and outdoor workers at risk. Staying hydrated is essential during searing temperatures.

Pets are also at risk of the hot weather conditions this week. Pet owners should limit outdoor activities.

Furthermore, the National Weather Service (NWN) advised Americans to check for signs of heat stroke, including dizziness, confusion or dizziness. Heat stroke can become deadly.

From the weekend until Monday, AccuWeather's outlook showed that extreme heat could emerge in Redding, Reno, Elko, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Cedar City and Albuquerque.

Northeast weather conditions

On the other hand, the NWS reminded Americans in the Northeast to stay alert for possible flooding, especially during flooding downpours.

Meanwhile, the NWS Storm Prediction Center reported that southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado warned of possible tornado outbreaks.

The forecast said severe thunderstorms could unfold in eastern New York, western Vermont and Ohio Valley.

Also Read: Northeast US Dangerous Flood: Heavy Rain to Hit Philadelphia, Boston to New York

Meanwhile, stormy patterns could unload severe thunderstorms, flooding risk and travel concerns. Rain and thunderstorms could affect Detroit, Burlington, Nashville, Raleigh, Atlanta, Washington and Boston.

Urban and flash flooding could be possible from Friday to Sunday in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New York, Portland, Boston, Roanoke, St. Louis and Virginia Beach.

Until Tuesday, rainfall conditions would become possible in Springfield and Columbus.

Flood downpours, travel disruptions and isolated tornadoes are also possible this week.

Motorists and homeowners should keep updated with the weather conditions, especially if they have travel plans next week.

Related Article: New Tropical Storm Calvin Likely to Strengthen; Hawaii To Expect Stormy Outlook

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
The record-breaking rain in India resulted in widespread flooding in the northern parts, causing immediate evacuations. The report showed that 100 people were the casualties from the weather event.

Recent reports showed that Northern India suffered from the challenging rain, causing vehicles to become stranded due to floodwaters.

In the previous article, Nature World News (NWN) reported that devastating flooding in India brought flash floods and landslide risks.

The report explained that rescue efforts were deployed in the affected and flooded areas.

Based on the Reuters and AccuWeather reports, the monsoon rain in the country played a significant role in the recorded heaviest rainfall in Northern India.

The report said that the monsoon season in the country is from April to September.

Record-breaking rain in Northern India

The reports explained that the affected areas in India include Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, parts of Delhi and Punjab.

AccuWeather and Associated Press (AP) said the record-breaking rain resulted in 100 casualties in India.

In the report, Himachal Pradesh is considered one of the hardest hit in India since the rain began. Meanwhile, the AP reported that bridges were also affected.

The challenging rain conditions flooded houses and roads, causing the government to deploy a helicopter to save stranded people.

In the CNN news report, 27 people became stranded in the Killu district, where they were later rescued.

In the Chandertal area, the report showed that 300 people were rescued. In terms of the damaged houses, the report said 170 houses collapsed.

In the flooded areas, schools were also closed due to the incessant rain conditions.

Meanwhile, 30,000 people were brought to shelters, as per the AP.

Impact of heatwaves and flooding on crops

Furthermore, the heatwaves and widespread flooding in India affected the crops, including tomatoes in India.

According to Euronews, India could likely suffer from a tomato shortage, and the prices can soar by 400%.

The extreme weather events in India brought landslides and flooding. The report said that Delhi and Mumbai could expect a tomato price hike.

Staying safe from flooding

The flooding in India has impacted homes and crops due to relentless rain conditions in the region. Devastating extreme weather events could result in dangerous situations.

Communities and homeowners should prepare for the severe weather outlook from damaging winds and flooding rainfall.

People affected by the flooding rainfall should consider the weather before they return. It is best that the floodwaters already subside.

Once they return home, checking on appliances and electrical supplies is essential. Homeowners should seek an expert to check.

Furthermore, keeping emergency supplies and kits would become helpful when a storm unloads, causing power outages and flooding.

The recommended emergency kits are battery-powered radios, flashlights, medicine kits and non-perishable goods.

Motorists should also be watchful of slippery and muddy road conditions.

Related Article: India Extreme Heavy Rain: 22 Died From Flooding as Rescue Operations Continue

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
Content delivery network (CDN) and cloud computing provider Akamai has opened three new internet point of presence (POP) data centers this week, and will open two more later in the quarter, as the company looks to take over a bigger portion of the public cloud market.

The three new sites open as of this week are in Paris, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Sites in Seattle and Chennai will follow in the coming months, Akamai said. The expansion is part of the company's push into the public cloud market dominated by incumbents like Google, Amazon and Microsoft, Akamai said.

The sites were chosen carefully, according to a statement from Akamai. Washington, D.C., is one of the biggest data center hubs in the world, with Northern Virginia containing upward of half of the major data center capacity in the US. Chicago is a well-situated secondary site for latency-sensitive workloads running either locally or in nearby markets, including Philadelphia and Washington, while the Paris site represents a new option for organizations facing data sovereignty challenges posed by EU regulation.

Akamai also announced new premium instance options, designed to provide a more consistent and predictable experience for large commercial workloads by offering easier-to-manage upgrade and deployment options. This obviates the need for complex SKU matching present at the incumbent large providers, according to the company. In addition, Akamai will offer doubled capacity for its object storage product, taking the limit per instance up to 1 petabyte and 1 billion objects, as well as a global load balancer.

Linode acquisition bolsters storage capacity

The last new feature is a product of the companys $900 million acquisition of cloud hosting provider Linode, which concluded in 2022. Blair Lyon, a former Linode executive who is now Akamais head of cloud experience, said that this weeks announcements are part of the companys plan to grow its presence in the public cloud, by marrying Akamais widespread points-of-presence with Linodes cloud expertise.

What were doing is tapping into that network horsepower, Lyon said. Infusing public cloud into that network gives you something really special.

Its a different blueprint from the one used by the existing hyperscalers, he added. Where Amazon, Microsoft and Google tend toward large, monolithic data centers, Akamais broader network of POPs makes for lower latency and easier access from a wider range of geographic locations.

Instead of doubling down on a smaller set of existing [sites] and trying to super-size them, were setting out on this journey to building a broader set of core sites and even distribution sites, Lyon said.
Elk hunters have some reading to do.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has released its 2023 Draft Elk Management Plan which has been years in the making. Now it's time for hunters to weigh in and let the agency know what they want to see, or don't want to see.

Comments will be taken until July 31.

The plan will be a change from the last one, drafted way back in 2005. Since then, hunter participation has gone up. That's especially noticeable among archery hunters. According to the plan, "The number of hunters purchasing an archery stamp in Montana has steadily and substantially increased over time (73% increase 2004-2021) which has resulted in increased archery harvest."

At the same time, elk numbers have climbed. In 2005, FWP observed 98,643 elk in its surveys, whereas in 2022 FWP counted 141,294 elk.

Hunter days in the field have also increased. Take Hunting District 411, in the Little Snowy Mountains, for instance. In 2006 there were 5,616 hunter days recorded. In 2022 that had more than doubled to 13,506.

Still unresolved, however, is the sticky issue of elk congregating on private lands where they can't be hunted without an outfitter or without paying an access fee. Here's an interesting fact from the draft plan: "Hunters most commonly pursued elk on public land and were most successful on private land that charged access fees."

There's a ton more of interesting information in the draft plan, including that elk hunting in Montana is big business.

"FWP estimated that in 2020, elk hunters in Montana spent about $187.1 million annually on trip related expenditures (transportation, food, beverages, lodging, and access or guide fees) with residents spending ~$87.8 million and nonresidents spent~ $99.3 million."

The Montana Citizens' Elk Management Coalition has reached out to its membership to encourage comments. Some of the questions they posed to their members included: "Should Hunting Districts remain permit only for bull elk (for example HD 417) if they are over their objective number of elk for 3 consecutive years? Some districts would become open for everyone to shoot a bull elk with their General Elk A license if the HD is over objective for 3 years. How would you address this issue?"

As the coalition urged, let FWP know what you think. Here's a link to the draft plan's landing page online: https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/draft-elk-plan?emci=beab09a0-cc20-ee11-a9bb-00224832eb73&emdi=c1732635-9221-ee11-a9bb-00224832eb73&ceid=5408118.
Rakesh Kumar By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Oil exports of Russia declined to the lowest since March 2021, according to the monthly oil report of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The countrys oil exports declined 600 thousand barrels per day (kb/d) to 7.3 million barrels a day (mb/d) in June, and its estimated export revenues plunged by $1.5 billion to $11.8 billion, half the levels of a year ago.

The report noted that Russia may hold its proposed oil output cut in August as domestic demand rises seasonally. As the Western countries put sanctions on Russian crude export following the break out of Ukraine war, Russia diversified its supply.

The country exported to alternative markets including Africa, India, China and Turkey at a discounted price. India and China came out to be the biggest buyers of Russian crude. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency also has lowered its 2023 oil demand growth forecast for the first time this year, citing macroeconomic headwinds and a deepening manufacturing slump.

However, persistent macroeconomic headwinds, apparent in a deepening manufacturing slump, have led us to revise our 2023 growth estimate lower for the first time this year, by 220 ( kb/d). Buoyed by surging petrochemical use, China will account for 70% of global gains, while OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) consumption remains anaemic. Growth will slow to 1.1 mb/d in 2024, reads the report.

The International Energy Agency report also noted that world oil demand is coming under pressure from the challenging economic environment, not least because of the dramatic tightening of monetary policy in many advanced and developing countries in the past one year.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) world oil supply rose 480 kb/d to 101.8 mb/d in June 2023. However, it is set to decline sharply this month as Saudi Arabia makes a sharp 1 million barrels per day (Mb/d) voluntary output reduction. For 2023, global production is forecast to increase by 1.6 mb/d to 101.5 mb/d, as non-OPEC+ (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) expands by 1.9 mb/d.

NEW DELHI: Oil exports of Russia declined to the lowest since March 2021, according to the monthly oil report of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The countrys oil exports declined 600 thousand barrels per day (kb/d) to 7.3 million barrels a day (mb/d) in June, and its estimated export revenues plunged by $1.5 billion to $11.8 billion, half the levels of a year ago. The report noted that Russia may hold its proposed oil output cut in August as domestic demand rises seasonally. As the Western countries put sanctions on Russian crude export following the break out of Ukraine war, Russia diversified its supply. The country exported to alternative markets including Africa, India, China and Turkey at a discounted price. India and China came out to be the biggest buyers of Russian crude. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency also has lowered its 2023 oil demand growth forecast for the first time this year, citing macroeconomic headwinds and a deepening manufacturing slump. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); However, persistent macroeconomic headwinds, apparent in a deepening manufacturing slump, have led us to revise our 2023 growth estimate lower for the first time this year, by 220 ( kb/d). Buoyed by surging petrochemical use, China will account for 70% of global gains, while OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) consumption remains anaemic. Growth will slow to 1.1 mb/d in 2024, reads the report. The International Energy Agency report also noted that world oil demand is coming under pressure from the challenging economic environment, not least because of the dramatic tightening of monetary policy in many advanced and developing countries in the past one year. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) world oil supply rose 480 kb/d to 101.8 mb/d in June 2023. However, it is set to decline sharply this month as Saudi Arabia makes a sharp 1 million barrels per day (Mb/d) voluntary output reduction. For 2023, global production is forecast to increase by 1.6 mb/d to 101.5 mb/d, as non-OPEC+ (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) expands by 1.9 mb/d.
By Online Desk

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has approved Adani Group's proposal for the "redevelopment" of Dharavi, home to over 900, 000 people, according to reports.

The approval comes almost eight months after the Group won a tender to develop the largest slum in India, Mint reports.

The Eknath Shinde-led government has issued the government resolution (GR) in this regard on Thursday, according to Business Today.

The report said that Adani Group had put in a Rs 5,069-crore bid for the "redevelopment" of one of the largest slum sprawls in the world, outbidding DLF, which had quoted Rs 2,025 crore. The project, expected to cost around Rs 23,000 crore, will be one of the largest redevelopments by a government agency in India through global tendering, Business Today added.



According to Mint, the notification marks the first in a series of approvals required for the slum redevelopment project to proceed. It comes following significant political upheaval in Maharashtra, where Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has joined the state government, assuming the role of the states deputy chief minister and finance minister, after breaking ranks with his uncle Sharad Pawar. However, Adani may get the remaining approvals for the project in another month, the report added.

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has approved Adani Group's proposal for the "redevelopment" of Dharavi, home to over 900, 000 people, according to reports. The approval comes almost eight months after the Group won a tender to develop the largest slum in India, Mint reports. The Eknath Shinde-led government has issued the government resolution (GR) in this regard on Thursday, according to Business Today.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The report said that Adani Group had put in a Rs 5,069-crore bid for the "redevelopment" of one of the largest slum sprawls in the world, outbidding DLF, which had quoted Rs 2,025 crore. The project, expected to cost around Rs 23,000 crore, will be one of the largest redevelopments by a government agency in India through global tendering, Business Today added. According to Mint, the notification marks the first in a series of approvals required for the slum redevelopment project to proceed. It comes following significant political upheaval in Maharashtra, where Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has joined the state government, assuming the role of the states deputy chief minister and finance minister, after breaking ranks with his uncle Sharad Pawar. However, Adani may get the remaining approvals for the project in another month, the report added.
Amit Pandey By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The receding water levels of the Yamuna River did little to alleviate the flood situation in the capital city, as parts of prominent roads like ITO and Rajghat got fully submerged on Friday.

Damage to a regulator operated by the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department near Indraprastha caused severe flooding in the busy ITO intersection and surrounding areas.

The floodwaters managed to reach even the entrance of the hallowed Supreme Court, situated in the central Tilak Marg area of Delhi.

The extent of the flooding has prompted urgent action from the government, with Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj directing the chief secretary to prioritize the issue and find a swift resolution.

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Atishi has issued a directive to the Chief Secretary, urging the deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Army officials to prevent further flooding in Delhi through the damaged regulator.

#WATCH Flood situation in Delhi | Heavy rainfall & increase in Yamuna river's water level triggers waterlogging in parts of Delhi; visuals from near Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/45SViam4lQ  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

In an order issued by Atishi, she emphasized the need for additional support, stating, "The Irrigation and Flood Control team has been constructing a weir (barrier) at Drain No 12, but water continues to enter the city. If necessary, we should request assistance from all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army."

The Chief Secretary, in response to the situation, has instructed regular hourly reports to be submitted to the Chief Minister, the Minister of Irrigation and Flood Control, and the Revenue Minister.

With the waterlogged ITO Road severely hampering movement, commuters are facing significant challenges traversing this vital stretch that connects East Delhi to Lutyens's Delhi.

"No vehicular traffic will be allowed on Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover due to overflow of drain water near WHO Building. Commuters are advised to avoid the stretch," the Delhi Traffic Police said in a tweet.

#YamunaFloods | Water entered the ITO area on Vikas Marg in New Delhi.

Express photos | @ParveenPhoto.#DelhiFloods pic.twitter.com/oko3Sh7f4Z  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 14, 2023

Individuals attempting to reach their offices or the New Delhi Railway Station via this route will continue to face difficulties until the flooding recedes.

Furthermore, traffic on Bhairon Road had to be suspended due to the overflow of drain water near the Railway Under Bridge. Observers also witnessed some individuals resorting to manually dragging their vehicles through the waterlogged ITO stretch.

"Movement of traffic is restricted from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate due to rise in water level of Yamuna river. Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly," the traffic police said in another tweet.

The National Capital on Thursday witnessed its severest flooding in the past five decades as the Yamuna level went way past the danger level, reaching 208.66 metres at 7 pm.

The continuous rise in water levels did not spare the Delhi Secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister, his cabinet, and other top bureaucrats. The iconic Red Fort, too, was swamped, on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: The receding water levels of the Yamuna River did little to alleviate the flood situation in the capital city, as parts of prominent roads like ITO and Rajghat got fully submerged on Friday. Damage to a regulator operated by the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department near Indraprastha caused severe flooding in the busy ITO intersection and surrounding areas. The floodwaters managed to reach even the entrance of the hallowed Supreme Court, situated in the central Tilak Marg area of Delhi.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The extent of the flooding has prompted urgent action from the government, with Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj directing the chief secretary to prioritize the issue and find a swift resolution. Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Atishi has issued a directive to the Chief Secretary, urging the deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Army officials to prevent further flooding in Delhi through the damaged regulator. #WATCH Flood situation in Delhi | Heavy rainfall & increase in Yamuna river's water level triggers waterlogging in parts of Delhi; visuals from near Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/45SViam4lQ  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023 In an order issued by Atishi, she emphasized the need for additional support, stating, "The Irrigation and Flood Control team has been constructing a weir (barrier) at Drain No 12, but water continues to enter the city. If necessary, we should request assistance from all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army." The Chief Secretary, in response to the situation, has instructed regular hourly reports to be submitted to the Chief Minister, the Minister of Irrigation and Flood Control, and the Revenue Minister. With the waterlogged ITO Road severely hampering movement, commuters are facing significant challenges traversing this vital stretch that connects East Delhi to Lutyens's Delhi. "No vehicular traffic will be allowed on Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover due to overflow of drain water near WHO Building. Commuters are advised to avoid the stretch," the Delhi Traffic Police said in a tweet. #YamunaFloods | Water entered the ITO area on Vikas Marg in New Delhi. Express photos | @ParveenPhoto.#DelhiFloods pic.twitter.com/oko3Sh7f4Z  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 14, 2023 Individuals attempting to reach their offices or the New Delhi Railway Station via this route will continue to face difficulties until the flooding recedes. Furthermore, traffic on Bhairon Road had to be suspended due to the overflow of drain water near the Railway Under Bridge. Observers also witnessed some individuals resorting to manually dragging their vehicles through the waterlogged ITO stretch. "Movement of traffic is restricted from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate due to rise in water level of Yamuna river. Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly," the traffic police said in another tweet. The National Capital on Thursday witnessed its severest flooding in the past five decades as the Yamuna level went way past the danger level, reaching 208.66 metres at 7 pm. The continuous rise in water levels did not spare the Delhi Secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister, his cabinet, and other top bureaucrats. The iconic Red Fort, too, was swamped, on Thursday.
Dilip Singh Kshatriya By

Express News Service

AHMEDABAD: Vipul Chaudhary, a former Gujarat minister, and former chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the Amul brand, and the ex-chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy was found guilty of defrauding the dairy and incurring a loss of Rs 22.5 crore in 2014 by supplying cattle feed to Maharashtra without following the correct processes.

He was given a seven-year prison sentence on Thursday by a court in Mehsana. Y R Agrawal, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Mehsana, convicted Chaudhary and 14 others of cheating under the IPC Section 420 and sentenced them to seven years in prison.

Public prosecutor Vijay Barot told to Media that a case was filed in this regard in 2014, for defrauding the dairy; there were a total of 22 defendants in this case, and three of them died during the trial. In 1996, Chaudhary, a key figure in Gujarats cooperative sector, served as a minister of state for Home in the Shankarsinh Vaghela cabinet.

AHMEDABAD: Vipul Chaudhary, a former Gujarat minister, and former chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the Amul brand, and the ex-chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy was found guilty of defrauding the dairy and incurring a loss of Rs 22.5 crore in 2014 by supplying cattle feed to Maharashtra without following the correct processes. He was given a seven-year prison sentence on Thursday by a court in Mehsana. Y R Agrawal, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Mehsana, convicted Chaudhary and 14 others of cheating under the IPC Section 420 and sentenced them to seven years in prison. Public prosecutor Vijay Barot told to Media that a case was filed in this regard in 2014, for defrauding the dairy; there were a total of 22 defendants in this case, and three of them died during the trial. In 1996, Chaudhary, a key figure in Gujarats cooperative sector, served as a minister of state for Home in the Shankarsinh Vaghela cabinet. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); });
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh witnessed the death of another cheetah, the eighth casualty in the span of four months. The body of a sub-adult Cheetah Suraj translocated from Namibia was discovered by a patrolling team in the early hours of Friday.

This marks the eighth cheetah death since the project's inception on September 17, 2022, launched by Prime Minister. Officials said they are trying to ascertain the exact cause of Suraj's death.

On Tuesday, an adult South African cheetah named Tejas was found dead in an enclosure, where it was housed with a Namibian female for mating.

Post-mortem reports of Tejas showed the cheetah was underweight and his internal body parts were compromised. Possibly because of being internally weak, Tejas was unable to recover from the trauma after the violent clash with a female cheetah, the report said. "Prima facie, the cause of the death is traumatic shock," the report said.

Seven decades after the fastest-moving mammal officially became extinct in India due to rampant hunting, eight Namibian cheetahs were introduced at KNP by PM Narendra Modi on his 72nd birthday on September 17, 2022. Five months later, 12 South African cheetahs were flown to the same national park in MPs Sheopur district in February 2023, taking the total count there to 20.

In March, Namibian cheetah Sasha died of kidney disease, and in April, South African cheetah Uday died due to cardiac failure. Just weeks later, South African cheetah Daksha died after a violent encounter with male cheetahs during a mating attempt.

The Indian cheetah cubs are seen together shortly after their birth in March. Death of 3 cheetah cubs in India deals blow to reintroduction efforts

In May, three cubs out of a litter of four, born to a Namibian cheetah named Siyaya, died within one week due to heat, dehydration and weakness, forest department officials said. The fourth cub was rescued and taken to a local hospital for monitoring.

Indias struggling efforts to reintroduce the cheetah species have been dealt another blow, with the death of Cheetah 'Suraj'

BHOPAL: The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh witnessed the death of another cheetah, the eighth casualty in the span of four months. The body of a sub-adult Cheetah Suraj translocated from Namibia was discovered by a patrolling team in the early hours of Friday. This marks the eighth cheetah death since the project's inception on September 17, 2022, launched by Prime Minister. Officials said they are trying to ascertain the exact cause of Suraj's death. On Tuesday, an adult South African cheetah named Tejas was found dead in an enclosure, where it was housed with a Namibian female for mating.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Post-mortem reports of Tejas showed the cheetah was underweight and his internal body parts were compromised. Possibly because of being internally weak, Tejas was unable to recover from the trauma after the violent clash with a female cheetah, the report said. "Prima facie, the cause of the death is traumatic shock," the report said. Seven decades after the fastest-moving mammal officially became extinct in India due to rampant hunting, eight Namibian cheetahs were introduced at KNP by PM Narendra Modi on his 72nd birthday on September 17, 2022. Five months later, 12 South African cheetahs were flown to the same national park in MPs Sheopur district in February 2023, taking the total count there to 20. In March, Namibian cheetah Sasha died of kidney disease, and in April, South African cheetah Uday died due to cardiac failure. Just weeks later, South African cheetah Daksha died after a violent encounter with male cheetahs during a mating attempt. The Indian cheetah cubs are seen together shortly after their birth in March. Death of 3 cheetah cubs in India deals blow to reintroduction efforts In May, three cubs out of a litter of four, born to a Namibian cheetah named Siyaya, died within one week due to heat, dehydration and weakness, forest department officials said. The fourth cub was rescued and taken to a local hospital for monitoring. Indias struggling efforts to reintroduce the cheetah species have been dealt another blow, with the death of Cheetah 'Suraj'
Ramashankar By

Express News Service

PATNA: A 40-year-old BJP leader died allegedly after sustaining injuries on his head when police on Thursday resorted to lathicharge at Dakbunglow roundabout in the state capital to foil a march to the assembly by party leaders and workers. The march was organised in support of teacher job aspirants demands.

Angered over the death of Vijay Kumar Singh, Jehanabad district general secretary of the party, state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary said his party would file a murder case against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the death of the party functionary.

We will continue our agitation against the state government. We have given a call for Vidhan Sabha march on Friday to protest the police lathicharge in which one of our leaders lost his life, said Choudhary, while criticising the grand alliance government for police atrocities and highhandedness.

On the other hand, Patnas senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra said Singh was found in an unconscious state in Chhajubagh locality. He was rushed to the Patna Medical College Hospital for treatment. The police officer said no external injury was found on the body of the BJP leader. CCTV cameras were being verified to ascertain the veracity.

Patna Medical College and Hospital superintendent Dr I S Thakur said Singh was alive when he was brought to the hospital and was admitted to ICU. Soon after, he was put on a ventilator. The doctor said that no external injury was found on him and the exact reason behind his death would be known only after the post-mortem. We have informed the family about the incident, he added.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha said BJP leaders and workers would march to Raj Bhawan on Friday in protest against the death of the party leader. Earlier, former deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted, confirming the death of the party functionary in the police lathicharge. The police restored to lathicharge, used water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells at BJP leaders and workers at Dakbunglow road.

PATNA: A 40-year-old BJP leader died allegedly after sustaining injuries on his head when police on Thursday resorted to lathicharge at Dakbunglow roundabout in the state capital to foil a march to the assembly by party leaders and workers. The march was organised in support of teacher job aspirants demands. Angered over the death of Vijay Kumar Singh, Jehanabad district general secretary of the party, state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary said his party would file a murder case against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the death of the party functionary. We will continue our agitation against the state government. We have given a call for Vidhan Sabha march on Friday to protest the police lathicharge in which one of our leaders lost his life, said Choudhary, while criticising the grand alliance government for police atrocities and highhandedness.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); On the other hand, Patnas senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra said Singh was found in an unconscious state in Chhajubagh locality. He was rushed to the Patna Medical College Hospital for treatment. The police officer said no external injury was found on the body of the BJP leader. CCTV cameras were being verified to ascertain the veracity. Patna Medical College and Hospital superintendent Dr I S Thakur said Singh was alive when he was brought to the hospital and was admitted to ICU. Soon after, he was put on a ventilator. The doctor said that no external injury was found on him and the exact reason behind his death would be known only after the post-mortem. We have informed the family about the incident, he added. Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha said BJP leaders and workers would march to Raj Bhawan on Friday in protest against the death of the party leader. Earlier, former deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted, confirming the death of the party functionary in the police lathicharge. The police restored to lathicharge, used water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells at BJP leaders and workers at Dakbunglow road.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the launch of Chandrayaan-3 as a 'new chapter' in India's space odyssey and said it has elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission on board the heavy lift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota.

"Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian," Modi said in a tweet. "This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!" he said.

Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity! https://t.co/gko6fnOUaK  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

Earlier, in a tweet this morning ahead of the launch, Modi said the Chandrayaan-3 mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation.

Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body while it is now seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice, he said on Twitter. Maybe in the future, it can be potentially inhabited, the prime minister added.

Modi tweeted, "14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India's space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. "

He noted that Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the lunar transfer trajectory after the orbit-raising manoeuvres. Covering over 300,000 km, it will reach the moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments on board will study the moon's surface and enhance our knowledge, he said.

"Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world," Modi said.

14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. pic.twitter.com/EYTcDphaES  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

Giving details of the history of India's moon mission, the prime minister said Chandrayaan-2 was equally path-breaking because data from the Orbiter associated with it detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing.

"This will also provide more insights into the moon's magmatic evolution." The key scientific outcomes from Chandrayaan 2 include the first-ever global map for lunar sodium, enhancing knowledge on crater size distribution, unambiguous detection of lunar surface water ice with IIRS instrument and more. This Mission has featured in almost 50 publications," he said ahead of the launch of Chandrayaan-3.

Modi urged people to know more about this mission and the strides India has made in space, science and innovation. "It will make you all very proud," he added.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the launch of Chandrayaan-3 as a 'new chapter' in India's space odyssey and said it has elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission on board the heavy lift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota. "Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian," Modi said in a tweet. "This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!" he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity! https://t.co/gko6fnOUaK  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023 Earlier, in a tweet this morning ahead of the launch, Modi said the Chandrayaan-3 mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body while it is now seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice, he said on Twitter. Maybe in the future, it can be potentially inhabited, the prime minister added. Modi tweeted, "14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India's space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. " He noted that Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the lunar transfer trajectory after the orbit-raising manoeuvres. Covering over 300,000 km, it will reach the moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments on board will study the moon's surface and enhance our knowledge, he said. "Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world," Modi said. 14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. pic.twitter.com/EYTcDphaES  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023 Giving details of the history of India's moon mission, the prime minister said Chandrayaan-2 was equally path-breaking because data from the Orbiter associated with it detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing. "This will also provide more insights into the moon's magmatic evolution." The key scientific outcomes from Chandrayaan 2 include the first-ever global map for lunar sodium, enhancing knowledge on crater size distribution, unambiguous detection of lunar surface water ice with IIRS instrument and more. This Mission has featured in almost 50 publications," he said ahead of the launch of Chandrayaan-3. Modi urged people to know more about this mission and the strides India has made in space, science and innovation. "It will make you all very proud," he added.
Two men were penalized for illegally searching for elk antlers on the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, south of Seeley Lake, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials.

Ivan Yarmolich, from Missoula, and Logan Baston, an Anchorage, Alaska resident, allegedly trespassed in the refuge on March 22, 2022 during a closed season, according to an FWP news release. The two were reportedly looking for shed antlers.

Yarmolich and Baston were trespassing on the WMA nearly two months before the public opener to hunt for elk shed antlers," FWP Criminal Investigator Justin Singleterry said in the news release. "Antlers can weigh anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds on average and fetch about $15 to $20 per pound from an antler buyer.

On June 20 of this year, Yarmolich pleaded guilty to a criminal trespass charge in Missoula County Justice Court, the release stated. He was fined $585 and barred from hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for two years. He's also banned from WMAs for two years.

This was not the first time Yarmolich has been caught trespassing to steal antlers, Singleterry said in the release. He was federally charged and prosecuted for a 2013 trespass onto the National Bison Range and then again in 2014 for trespassing on the Sun River Wildlife Management Area owned by FWP.

In May 2023, Baston was given a deferred prosecution agreement and was prohibited from WMAs for six months.

"Due to the popularity and value of shed hunting, FWP wardens have seen an increase in trespass on WMAs during the closed season," the release stated. "People entering WMAs during closed seasons can disrupt wildlife during their more vulnerable times. Trespass also takes opportunity away from others."

The Blackfoot-Clearwater wildlife area opens to the public on May 15 each year.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday lauded ISRO for the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 and said it was testimony to the vision, foresight, determination and accomplishments of all previous prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said the launch was a matter of great pride for all Indians as he paid tributes to countless scientists who devoted their lives to building a scientific temper among people.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on board the heavy-lift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota here on Friday afternoon. The LVM 3-M4 rocket has put Chandrayaan-3 into the precise orbit, ISRO chief Somanath said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Today, more than a billion of us look to the sky, beaming with pride."

"Chandrayaan-3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of India's space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969.

"The success of this mission will make us only the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon. A truly incredible feat! Congratulations to the entire team at ISRO," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Today, more than a billion of us look to the sky, beaming with pride.



Chandrayaan 3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of Indias space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969.



The success of this mission will  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 14, 2023

Taking to Twitter, Kharge said, "Our collective happiness is over the moon. Thanks to the tremendous ingenuity, dedication, skill and hard work of our scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission."

"We are extremely proud of each one of you for this remarkable achievement," he said, adding, "We express our sincere gratitude to the extraordinary team at ISRO."

The Congress chief said India's lunar missions began with Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 which confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon.

"It was a historic feat by our country", he said.

Kharge said Chandrayaan-2 also detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing. The perseverance of our scientists did not go in vain, he noted.

"Today, Chandrayaan-3 is a testimony to the vision, foresight, determination and accomplishment of all our previous prime ministers, including Pandit Nehru ji, Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, Indira Gandhi ji, P V Narasimha Rao ji, Rajiv Gandhi ji, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji and Manmohan Singh ji."

"It is our sincere tribute to Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Satish Dhawan and countless visionary scientists who devoted their lives to establish and inculcate scientific temper for human and social development for our people," he tweeted.

Kharge ended his tweet with the words of Jawaharlal Nehru about the methods and approach of science revolutionising human life more than anything else in the course of history.

Our collective happiness is Over the Moon !!



Thanks to the tremendous ingenuity, dedication, skill and hard work of our scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3 Mission.



We are extremely proud of each one of you for this remarkable pic.twitter.com/Sqh0f1di96  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 14, 2023

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 is a thrilling occasion of great pride to all Indians."

He also recalled the launch of Chandrayaan-1 on October 22, 2008, and of Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, 2019. India's space programme has a long history of self-reliance and support from the political leadership, the Congress leader said.

He said that Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was set up in February 1962, "thanks to Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. Sarabhai created ISRO in August 1969. It was his vision and later that of Satish Dhawan that gave India's space programme a unique developmental purpose".

The successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 is a thrilling occasion of great pride to all Indians.



We also recall the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1 on October 22, 2008 and of Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, 2019.



India's space programme has a long history of self-reliance and pic.twitter.com/vowk3ckM2V  Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 14, 2023

"Between 1972 and 1984, Dhawan guided and mentored the ISRO community in every way. Each of his successors, beginning with U R Rao, has taken forward the Sarabhai-Dhawan legacy and has made distinctive contributions. We salute and applaud the entire ISRO family today," Ramesh added.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday lauded ISRO for the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 and said it was testimony to the vision, foresight, determination and accomplishments of all previous prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said the launch was a matter of great pride for all Indians as he paid tributes to countless scientists who devoted their lives to building a scientific temper among people. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on board the heavy-lift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota here on Friday afternoon. The LVM 3-M4 rocket has put Chandrayaan-3 into the precise orbit, ISRO chief Somanath said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Today, more than a billion of us look to the sky, beaming with pride." "Chandrayaan-3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of India's space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969. "The success of this mission will make us only the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon. A truly incredible feat! Congratulations to the entire team at ISRO," Gandhi said in a tweet. Today, more than a billion of us look to the sky, beaming with pride. Chandrayaan 3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of Indias space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969. The success of this mission will  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 14, 2023 Taking to Twitter, Kharge said, "Our collective happiness is over the moon. Thanks to the tremendous ingenuity, dedication, skill and hard work of our scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission." "We are extremely proud of each one of you for this remarkable achievement," he said, adding, "We express our sincere gratitude to the extraordinary team at ISRO." The Congress chief said India's lunar missions began with Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 which confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. "It was a historic feat by our country", he said. Kharge said Chandrayaan-2 also detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing. The perseverance of our scientists did not go in vain, he noted. "Today, Chandrayaan-3 is a testimony to the vision, foresight, determination and accomplishment of all our previous prime ministers, including Pandit Nehru ji, Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, Indira Gandhi ji, P V Narasimha Rao ji, Rajiv Gandhi ji, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji and Manmohan Singh ji." "It is our sincere tribute to Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Satish Dhawan and countless visionary scientists who devoted their lives to establish and inculcate scientific temper for human and social development for our people," he tweeted. Kharge ended his tweet with the words of Jawaharlal Nehru about the methods and approach of science revolutionising human life more than anything else in the course of history. Our collective happiness is Over the Moon !! Thanks to the tremendous ingenuity, dedication, skill and hard work of our scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3 Mission. We are extremely proud of each one of you for this remarkable pic.twitter.com/Sqh0f1di96  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 14, 2023 Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 is a thrilling occasion of great pride to all Indians." He also recalled the launch of Chandrayaan-1 on October 22, 2008, and of Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, 2019. India's space programme has a long history of self-reliance and support from the political leadership, the Congress leader said. He said that Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was set up in February 1962, "thanks to Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. Sarabhai created ISRO in August 1969. It was his vision and later that of Satish Dhawan that gave India's space programme a unique developmental purpose". The successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 is a thrilling occasion of great pride to all Indians. We also recall the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1 on October 22, 2008 and of Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, 2019. India's space programme has a long history of self-reliance and pic.twitter.com/vowk3ckM2V  Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 14, 2023 "Between 1972 and 1984, Dhawan guided and mentored the ISRO community in every way. Each of his successors, beginning with U R Rao, has taken forward the Sarabhai-Dhawan legacy and has made distinctive contributions. We salute and applaud the entire ISRO family today," Ramesh added.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on Manipur and alleged that it seems he has taken a "vow of total silence" on the violence in the northeastern state.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was good to hear that the prime minister has shown concern over the flood situation in Delhi, asserting that he should also show interest in Manipur, which is still burning.

Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi. It is good that he showed such concern.



Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning?



Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is in July 14, 2023

"Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi.

It is good that he showed such concern. Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning," he asked on Twitter.

"Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is in France. But looks like he's taken a vow of total and complete silence on Manipur," Ramesh alleged.

The Congress has been seeking a response from the prime minister on Manipur, which is facing ethnic violence since May 3 and has seen many lives lost and loss of property.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on Manipur and alleged that it seems he has taken a "vow of total silence" on the violence in the northeastern state. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was good to hear that the prime minister has shown concern over the flood situation in Delhi, asserting that he should also show interest in Manipur, which is still burning. Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi. It is good that he showed such concern. Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning? Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is ingoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); });  Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 14, 2023 "Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi. It is good that he showed such concern. Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning," he asked on Twitter. "Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is in France. But looks like he's taken a vow of total and complete silence on Manipur," Ramesh alleged. The Congress has been seeking a response from the prime minister on Manipur, which is facing ethnic violence since May 3 and has seen many lives lost and loss of property.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: The anti-naxal unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would soon be deployed to combat militants in militancy-hit Kashmir.

A security official said a contingent of Cobra commandos arrived in Srinagar a few months back and they are presently undergoing training in a CRPF training centre in the outskirts of Srinagar. The elite Cobra commandos, who are trained for jungle warfare, are getting training for urban and rural warfare in the pre-induction training camp here. In jungle warfare, the operating procedure is totally different as compared to urban and rural warfare, he said.

The Cobra commandos, he said, besides being trained in urban and rural warfare, are also being trained how to operate in rural and urban areas and how to consider local social and cultural factors while operating on the ground.

The conditioning camp is also being held for Cobra commandos to acclimatize them to the weather conditions of Kashmir, where temperature drops below freezing point during the winters. Since they have come from Naxal areas, which usually have hot weather conditions, the conditioning camp will acclimatize them to the weather of Kashmir, the security official said.

They (Cobra commandos) may be deployed in south and north Kashmir, he said. The Cobra commandos would also be taught the basic (Kashmiri) dialect so that they can understand the local language. The CRPF personnel to be deployed in Valley are being trained in the knowhow of the Kashmiri language for more interface with the locals. Sources said the commandos would not operate independently or carry out independent operations.

SRINAGAR: The anti-naxal unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would soon be deployed to combat militants in militancy-hit Kashmir. A security official said a contingent of Cobra commandos arrived in Srinagar a few months back and they are presently undergoing training in a CRPF training centre in the outskirts of Srinagar. The elite Cobra commandos, who are trained for jungle warfare, are getting training for urban and rural warfare in the pre-induction training camp here. In jungle warfare, the operating procedure is totally different as compared to urban and rural warfare, he said. The Cobra commandos, he said, besides being trained in urban and rural warfare, are also being trained how to operate in rural and urban areas and how to consider local social and cultural factors while operating on the ground.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The conditioning camp is also being held for Cobra commandos to acclimatize them to the weather conditions of Kashmir, where temperature drops below freezing point during the winters. Since they have come from Naxal areas, which usually have hot weather conditions, the conditioning camp will acclimatize them to the weather of Kashmir, the security official said. They (Cobra commandos) may be deployed in south and north Kashmir, he said. The Cobra commandos would also be taught the basic (Kashmiri) dialect so that they can understand the local language. The CRPF personnel to be deployed in Valley are being trained in the knowhow of the Kashmiri language for more interface with the locals. Sources said the commandos would not operate independently or carry out independent operations.
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the Defence Acquisition Council on Thursday approved proposals to purchase 26 maritime combat jets from Rafale and three additional Scorpene submarines.

While the size of the deals is estimated at Rs 80,000 crore, the defence ministry said the price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries.

India and France are expected to announce the two procurement deals after wideranging talks between Modi and Macron on Friday. DAC, the highest decisionmaking body in the defence ministry that clears capital acquisitions for the three services, is headed by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh.

The big-ticket procurement is expected to take the Navys capabilities to the next level. Rafale-M jets will strengthen Indias maritime air combat capability, while the Scorpene subs will boost the Navys underwater combat prowess. The submarines will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in cooperation with the Naval Group of France.

NEW DELHI: On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the Defence Acquisition Council on Thursday approved proposals to purchase 26 maritime combat jets from Rafale and three additional Scorpene submarines. While the size of the deals is estimated at Rs 80,000 crore, the defence ministry said the price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries. India and France are expected to announce the two procurement deals after wideranging talks between Modi and Macron on Friday. DAC, the highest decisionmaking body in the defence ministry that clears capital acquisitions for the three services, is headed by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The big-ticket procurement is expected to take the Navys capabilities to the next level. Rafale-M jets will strengthen Indias maritime air combat capability, while the Scorpene subs will boost the Navys underwater combat prowess. The submarines will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in cooperation with the Naval Group of France.
Anup Verma and Amit Pandey By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The National Capital on Thursday witnessed its severest flooding in the past five decades as the Yamuna level went way past the danger level, reaching 208.66 metres at 7 pm. The unprecedented swelling of the river resulted in heavy flooding on major roads within the city, causing widespread disruption and posing a significant threat to residents.

Among the immediate concerns is the availability of drinking water, as the citys three main water treatment plants have been shut due to the flooding. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said 25% of Delhis water supply could be hit the for the next couple of days.

Over 20,000 people living in low-lying areas have been shifted to relief camps and as many as 50 boats have been deployed for rescue and relief. Since setting up washrooms has become a challenge in some relief camps, the government has decided to shift some of the relief camps to schools.

Besides, the government announced the closure of all private and government schools in the flood-affected areas. Around 40 trauma patients, including three on ventilators, had to be shifted out of the Civil Lines-based Sushruta Trauma Centre as its premises got inundated.

The continuous rise in water levels did not spare the Delhi Secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister, his cabinet, and other top bureaucrats. Their premises are flooded. The iconic Red Fort, too, was swamped. Delhi water minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said five of the 32 iron gates under the ITO bridge are jammed due to the accumulated silt, preventing evacuation of incoming water from Wazirabad.

ALSO READ | Delhi deluge: Commuters rue mile-long snarls, police issue traffic advisory

Floodwater is otherwise flowing freely on the other side of the bridge. Efforts are on to clear the silt using a compressor, Bhardwaj said. The gates are operated by the Haryana government. The Delhi Traffic Police announced traffic restrictions along key routes, including ITO, Kashmiri Gate, and Red Fort, diverting traffic to alternative pathways.

The floodwaters also impacted the mass transport system, as the Kashmiri Gate Bus Terminal was flooded. The government banned the entry of heavy vehicles at certain points and halted interstate buses at the Singhu border. It also directed the closure of entry points at Singhu, Badarpur, Loni, and Chilla borders for heavy vehicles. Interstate buses terminating at ISBT Kashmere Gate will now terminate at Singhu.

READ HERE | Flood fury wreaks havoc across Delhi, educational institutes shut, heavy vehicles banned

SINKING FEELING

Water level in Yamuna 208.66 Metres at 7 pm

3 metres above the danger mark

Major affected areas include Civil Lines, Red Fort, Kashmere Gate, ITO, Delhi Secretariat, Ring Road, Wazirabad, Shastri Park, Akshardham, Yamuna Bank, Mayur Vihar Phase-I, Alipur, Jaitpur, Garhi Mandu, Okhla

Floodwater barely 350 metres away Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence and the Delhi Assembly

Red Fort closed from second half of Thursday to Friday

Traffic disruption on almost all major roads, including parts of Ring Road

Yamuna Bank Metro station on Blue Line shut. Trains are moving at a slow pace on bridges

All schools and colleges to remain shut till Sunday

Govt employees, except those in emergency services, asked to work from home; private offices asked to switch to WFH

Water supply in some parts of the city to be affected as three treatment plants  Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla  shut

Entry of heavy goods vehicles banned from Singhu, Badarpur, Chilla and Loni borders. Interstate buses from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, J&K and Chandigarh to stop at Singhu border

Main gate of government-run Sushruta Trauma Centre inundated, prompting authorities to transfer 40 patients, including three on ventilators, to LNJP hospital

Nigambodh Ghat and Geeta Colony crematorium closed. Residents asked to go to Panchkuian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri crematoriums

16 NDRF teams deployed for relief, rescue operations

Trains cancelled: More than 300 mail and express trains and 406 passenger trains cancelled between July 7 and 15

NEW DELHI: The National Capital on Thursday witnessed its severest flooding in the past five decades as the Yamuna level went way past the danger level, reaching 208.66 metres at 7 pm. The unprecedented swelling of the river resulted in heavy flooding on major roads within the city, causing widespread disruption and posing a significant threat to residents. Among the immediate concerns is the availability of drinking water, as the citys three main water treatment plants have been shut due to the flooding. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said 25% of Delhis water supply could be hit the for the next couple of days. Over 20,000 people living in low-lying areas have been shifted to relief camps and as many as 50 boats have been deployed for rescue and relief. Since setting up washrooms has become a challenge in some relief camps, the government has decided to shift some of the relief camps to schools.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Besides, the government announced the closure of all private and government schools in the flood-affected areas. Around 40 trauma patients, including three on ventilators, had to be shifted out of the Civil Lines-based Sushruta Trauma Centre as its premises got inundated. The continuous rise in water levels did not spare the Delhi Secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister, his cabinet, and other top bureaucrats. Their premises are flooded. The iconic Red Fort, too, was swamped. Delhi water minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said five of the 32 iron gates under the ITO bridge are jammed due to the accumulated silt, preventing evacuation of incoming water from Wazirabad. ALSO READ | Delhi deluge: Commuters rue mile-long snarls, police issue traffic advisory Floodwater is otherwise flowing freely on the other side of the bridge. Efforts are on to clear the silt using a compressor, Bhardwaj said. The gates are operated by the Haryana government. The Delhi Traffic Police announced traffic restrictions along key routes, including ITO, Kashmiri Gate, and Red Fort, diverting traffic to alternative pathways. The floodwaters also impacted the mass transport system, as the Kashmiri Gate Bus Terminal was flooded. The government banned the entry of heavy vehicles at certain points and halted interstate buses at the Singhu border. It also directed the closure of entry points at Singhu, Badarpur, Loni, and Chilla borders for heavy vehicles. Interstate buses terminating at ISBT Kashmere Gate will now terminate at Singhu. READ HERE | Flood fury wreaks havoc across Delhi, educational institutes shut, heavy vehicles banned SINKING FEELING Water level in Yamuna 208.66 Metres at 7 pm 3 metres above the danger mark Major affected areas include Civil Lines, Red Fort, Kashmere Gate, ITO, Delhi Secretariat, Ring Road, Wazirabad, Shastri Park, Akshardham, Yamuna Bank, Mayur Vihar Phase-I, Alipur, Jaitpur, Garhi Mandu, Okhla Floodwater barely 350 metres away Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence and the Delhi Assembly Red Fort closed from second half of Thursday to Friday Traffic disruption on almost all major roads, including parts of Ring Road Yamuna Bank Metro station on Blue Line shut. Trains are moving at a slow pace on bridges All schools and colleges to remain shut till Sunday Govt employees, except those in emergency services, asked to work from home; private offices asked to switch to WFH Water supply in some parts of the city to be affected as three treatment plants  Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla  shut Entry of heavy goods vehicles banned from Singhu, Badarpur, Chilla and Loni borders. Interstate buses from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, J&K and Chandigarh to stop at Singhu border Main gate of government-run Sushruta Trauma Centre inundated, prompting authorities to transfer 40 patients, including three on ventilators, to LNJP hospital Nigambodh Ghat and Geeta Colony crematorium closed. Residents asked to go to Panchkuian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri crematoriums 16 NDRF teams deployed for relief, rescue operations Trains cancelled: More than 300 mail and express trains and 406 passenger trains cancelled between July 7 and 15
Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: The final session of the Rajasthan assembly, before the state elections this winter, will begin on Friday and is likely to be a short but stormy one. While the government is planning to enact a number of important legislations, the opposition BJP has also formulated a strategy to target the Congress government in a big way.

The BJP has listed seven critical issues  importantly the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, corruption and paper leaks  and will raise one issue per day. Analysts predict that the eighth and final session of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan will be a highly contentious one.

On the one hand, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will strive to pass pending bills and may announce significant schemes during this session. And on the other hand, the opposition is all set to criticise the state government on issues such as corruption, paper leaks, and law and order.

Besides, a proposed cabinet meeting is expected to approve several crucial bills including anti-copying bills, university bills, and social security pension bills. The opposition is determined to strongly oppose the governments actions. In light of this, the BJP Legislature Party held an important meeting in the state Vidhana Bhavan on Thursday.

Accusing the Congress government of undermining democracy, Rathore claimed that the session, which

was originally scheduled to begin in January, is finally commencing now. A noteworthy aspect of this session is the presence and address of President Draupadi Murmu in the House. This marks the first time a

Presidents address is being held in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

Prez to address House for first time

A noteworthy aspect of this session is the presence and address of President Draupadi Murmu in the House. This marks the first time a Presidents address is being held in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

JAIPUR: The final session of the Rajasthan assembly, before the state elections this winter, will begin on Friday and is likely to be a short but stormy one. While the government is planning to enact a number of important legislations, the opposition BJP has also formulated a strategy to target the Congress government in a big way. The BJP has listed seven critical issues  importantly the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, corruption and paper leaks  and will raise one issue per day. Analysts predict that the eighth and final session of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan will be a highly contentious one. On the one hand, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will strive to pass pending bills and may announce significant schemes during this session. And on the other hand, the opposition is all set to criticise the state government on issues such as corruption, paper leaks, and law and order.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Besides, a proposed cabinet meeting is expected to approve several crucial bills including anti-copying bills, university bills, and social security pension bills. The opposition is determined to strongly oppose the governments actions. In light of this, the BJP Legislature Party held an important meeting in the state Vidhana Bhavan on Thursday. Accusing the Congress government of undermining democracy, Rathore claimed that the session, which was originally scheduled to begin in January, is finally commencing now. A noteworthy aspect of this session is the presence and address of President Draupadi Murmu in the House. This marks the first time a Presidents address is being held in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Prez to address House for first time A noteworthy aspect of this session is the presence and address of President Draupadi Murmu in the House. This marks the first time a Presidents address is being held in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.
Amit Mukherjee By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Three passengers from Sharjah, after arriving in Surat by Air Indian Express Flight No IX172 last Friday, headed straight to the mens toilet at the arrival lounge close to the immigration counter. Little did they realise that they were being watched. Searches conducted by the officials of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the three following specific tip-off, led to the recovery of 43.5 kg of gold concealed in their hand baggage in the form of paste.

Further questioning of the three passengers revealed that the gold was concealed for being smuggled into India with the help of some officials posted at the Surat International Airport. The plan was to exchange the gold in a toilet located next to the immigration to evade screening and examination by authorities, one of the arrested revealed.

Subsequent action resulted in further recovery of 4.67 kg of gold in paste form, found abandoned in the mens washroom adjacent to the immigration checkpoint, which was handed over by the Central Industrial Security Force that guards the Indian airports to DRI. A total of 48.20 kg gold paste was recovered from the passengers from which 42 kg of gold (99% purity) worth around Rs 25.26 crore was extracted in one of the biggest gold haul this year so far.

Sources in the immigration department said that while there has been a significant rise in gold smuggling post pandemic, especially with the price of the yellow metal hitting new peaks, cases involving airlines staff and even customs officials posted at the airport are clocking new highs. As per the data available, between April 2022 and February 2023, 29 cases involving about 81 kg of seized gold where airline cabin crew or airport staff were implicated, were registered.

Last month, the DRI official who has been running Operation Gold, a special anti-gold smuggling operation, arrested two customs officials posted at the Thiruvananthapuram airport for smuggling gold.

In May this year, the DRI also arrested 11 individuals including a person working at a duty-free shop at the Mumbai international airport. They were allegedly part of a gold smuggling racket.

Also in April this year, following a probe by the Kochi customs commissioner, nine customs officials were sacked on charges of smuggling gold through Calicut airport. Meanwhile in Surat, statements of the three passengers were recorded under Customs Act, 1962, and they, along with one official, have been arrested.

From the investigation so far, it appears that an organised smuggling racket has been operating at the Surat International Airport, sources in the DRI said. Further investigation to find out involvement of other persons including officials at the airport, is being carried out, to dismantle the whole syndicate, they added. The action by DRI has busted the operation of the smuggling syndicate. These seizures are part of a sustained effort by DRI to combat the illicit smuggling of high-value goods.

The collusion

While there has been a significant rise in gold smuggling post pandemic, especially with the price of the yellow metal hitting new peaks, cases involving airlines staff and even customs officials posted at the airport are clocking new highs. Between April 2022 and February 2023, 29 such cases were registered, reveals data.

NEW DELHI: Three passengers from Sharjah, after arriving in Surat by Air Indian Express Flight No IX172 last Friday, headed straight to the mens toilet at the arrival lounge close to the immigration counter. Little did they realise that they were being watched. Searches conducted by the officials of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the three following specific tip-off, led to the recovery of 43.5 kg of gold concealed in their hand baggage in the form of paste. Further questioning of the three passengers revealed that the gold was concealed for being smuggled into India with the help of some officials posted at the Surat International Airport. The plan was to exchange the gold in a toilet located next to the immigration to evade screening and examination by authorities, one of the arrested revealed. Subsequent action resulted in further recovery of 4.67 kg of gold in paste form, found abandoned in the mens washroom adjacent to the immigration checkpoint, which was handed over by the Central Industrial Security Force that guards the Indian airports to DRI. A total of 48.20 kg gold paste was recovered from the passengers from which 42 kg of gold (99% purity) worth around Rs 25.26 crore was extracted in one of the biggest gold haul this year so far.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Sources in the immigration department said that while there has been a significant rise in gold smuggling post pandemic, especially with the price of the yellow metal hitting new peaks, cases involving airlines staff and even customs officials posted at the airport are clocking new highs. As per the data available, between April 2022 and February 2023, 29 cases involving about 81 kg of seized gold where airline cabin crew or airport staff were implicated, were registered. Last month, the DRI official who has been running Operation Gold, a special anti-gold smuggling operation, arrested two customs officials posted at the Thiruvananthapuram airport for smuggling gold. In May this year, the DRI also arrested 11 individuals including a person working at a duty-free shop at the Mumbai international airport. They were allegedly part of a gold smuggling racket. Also in April this year, following a probe by the Kochi customs commissioner, nine customs officials were sacked on charges of smuggling gold through Calicut airport. Meanwhile in Surat, statements of the three passengers were recorded under Customs Act, 1962, and they, along with one official, have been arrested. From the investigation so far, it appears that an organised smuggling racket has been operating at the Surat International Airport, sources in the DRI said. Further investigation to find out involvement of other persons including officials at the airport, is being carried out, to dismantle the whole syndicate, they added. The action by DRI has busted the operation of the smuggling syndicate. These seizures are part of a sustained effort by DRI to combat the illicit smuggling of high-value goods. The collusion While there has been a significant rise in gold smuggling post pandemic, especially with the price of the yellow metal hitting new peaks, cases involving airlines staff and even customs officials posted at the airport are clocking new highs. Between April 2022 and February 2023, 29 such cases were registered, reveals data.
By Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) (mini parliament of Sikhs) has announced the launch of its YouTube channel to broadcast live 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple in Amritsar on July 24.

Modalities are also being worked out for telecasting Gurbani through a satellite channel.

The report of the sub-committee constituted in this regard was presented today in the special meeting of the executive committee of SGPC, which has been unanimously accepted by the members present. The committee has also decided to start SGPC's own satellite channel.

Sources said that the SGPC has hired a New Delhi-based telecast firm for three months to telecast the Gurbani. Out of the three companies all New Delhi based, this firm emerged as the lowest bidder quoting Rs 12 lakh per month for providing all the infrastructure, technical set-up and manpower to broadcast an uninterrupted Gurbani.

After the meeting, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the Gurbani broadcast agreement with GNext Media (PTC channel) is expiring on July 23 after which the SGPC will start Gurbani broadcast services through its own YouTube channel and other web and social media platforms from July 24.

He said that the SGPC received an order from Akal Takht Sahib to start its own YouTube channel, following which a sub-committee was formed and the process has been completed.

He said that all the rights of Gurbani broadcast will be reserved with the SGPC only and no channel, YouTube channel, website, or social media platform will be able to broadcast Gurbani at their own will.

Dhami said that the name of the SGPCs web and YouTube channel for the Gurbani broadcast will be 'Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib Sri Amritsar' and the logo of the 'SGPC' will be used on it.

Regarding setting up the SGPCs own satellite channel, Dhami said that in-principle approval has also been given to start this work and a letter has been written to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting as part of the preliminary action.

In this regard, a request will also be made to the MIB minister to provide an appointment to the SGPC delegation. He also said that since this work is technical, the services of experts will also be taken.

A systematic approach will be followed to obtain SGPC's own license to operate the satellite channel. If it is necessary to set up a separate company for this purpose, then the process will be completed for that also, said Dhami.

After the meeting, a delegation of all the committee office-bearers and members led by SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami met Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh and handed him over a letter regarding the decision taken to broadcast Gurbani on the SGPC's own YouTube channel.

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) (mini parliament of Sikhs) has announced the launch of its YouTube channel to broadcast live 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple in Amritsar on July 24. Modalities are also being worked out for telecasting Gurbani through a satellite channel. The report of the sub-committee constituted in this regard was presented today in the special meeting of the executive committee of SGPC, which has been unanimously accepted by the members present. The committee has also decided to start SGPC's own satellite channel.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Sources said that the SGPC has hired a New Delhi-based telecast firm for three months to telecast the Gurbani. Out of the three companies all New Delhi based, this firm emerged as the lowest bidder quoting Rs 12 lakh per month for providing all the infrastructure, technical set-up and manpower to broadcast an uninterrupted Gurbani. After the meeting, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the Gurbani broadcast agreement with GNext Media (PTC channel) is expiring on July 23 after which the SGPC will start Gurbani broadcast services through its own YouTube channel and other web and social media platforms from July 24. He said that the SGPC received an order from Akal Takht Sahib to start its own YouTube channel, following which a sub-committee was formed and the process has been completed. He said that all the rights of Gurbani broadcast will be reserved with the SGPC only and no channel, YouTube channel, website, or social media platform will be able to broadcast Gurbani at their own will. Dhami said that the name of the SGPCs web and YouTube channel for the Gurbani broadcast will be 'Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib Sri Amritsar' and the logo of the 'SGPC' will be used on it. Regarding setting up the SGPCs own satellite channel, Dhami said that in-principle approval has also been given to start this work and a letter has been written to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting as part of the preliminary action. In this regard, a request will also be made to the MIB minister to provide an appointment to the SGPC delegation. He also said that since this work is technical, the services of experts will also be taken. A systematic approach will be followed to obtain SGPC's own license to operate the satellite channel. If it is necessary to set up a separate company for this purpose, then the process will be completed for that also, said Dhami. After the meeting, a delegation of all the committee office-bearers and members led by SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami met Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh and handed him over a letter regarding the decision taken to broadcast Gurbani on the SGPC's own YouTube channel.
Harpreet Bajwa and Narendra Sethi By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH/DEHRADUN: Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand continued to reel under the devastating spell of rains and landslides on Thursday. Rescue workers on Thursday shifted to safety all 256 tourists stranded for five days at Chandratal in Lahaul and Spiti and mounted a helicopter operation to evacuate over 100 people stuck at places around Sangla in rain-battered Himachal Pradeshs Kinnaur district.

The state government claims to have moved 60,000 tourists to safer areas over the past four days. But 10,000 tourists stuck at different spots in Kasol, Kheerganga and adjoining areas were refusing to trek to safety as they do not want to leave their cars behind, officials said.

Authorities have told them they would be given receipts they can produce to claim the vehicles later. The hill state has been lashed by heavy rains that triggered landslides and flash floods, blocking roads and washing away bridges.

With the recovery of three more bodies, the Himachal death toll rose to 42. Fourteen people are missing, according to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. In Uttarakhand, road connectivity has been disrupted in most parts of the state. The bridge over the Malan river connecting Kotdwar with Haridwar and Dehradun collapsed on Wednesday night. The bridge over the Malan river is the lifeline of Kotdwar-Bhawar.

A flood-like situation was witnessed at many places in several villages of Haridwar district where relief and rescue teams evacuated several families from their homes by safe raft boats on Thursday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the flood-affected area in a raft today.

In the last five days, 19 people have died and 28 have been injured due to various reasons in rain-related disasters. The state government has ordered closure of all schools in the state till July 15. Meanwhile, the Israeli embassy has contacted the state government and expressed their willingness to airlift their nationals from the affected areas of Himachals Kasol and Tirthan. CM Sukhu said all foreign tourists are safe and essential commodities were being ensured to them.

CHANDIGARH/DEHRADUN: Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand continued to reel under the devastating spell of rains and landslides on Thursday. Rescue workers on Thursday shifted to safety all 256 tourists stranded for five days at Chandratal in Lahaul and Spiti and mounted a helicopter operation to evacuate over 100 people stuck at places around Sangla in rain-battered Himachal Pradeshs Kinnaur district. The state government claims to have moved 60,000 tourists to safer areas over the past four days. But 10,000 tourists stuck at different spots in Kasol, Kheerganga and adjoining areas were refusing to trek to safety as they do not want to leave their cars behind, officials said. Authorities have told them they would be given receipts they can produce to claim the vehicles later. The hill state has been lashed by heavy rains that triggered landslides and flash floods, blocking roads and washing away bridges.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); With the recovery of three more bodies, the Himachal death toll rose to 42. Fourteen people are missing, according to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. In Uttarakhand, road connectivity has been disrupted in most parts of the state. The bridge over the Malan river connecting Kotdwar with Haridwar and Dehradun collapsed on Wednesday night. The bridge over the Malan river is the lifeline of Kotdwar-Bhawar. A flood-like situation was witnessed at many places in several villages of Haridwar district where relief and rescue teams evacuated several families from their homes by safe raft boats on Thursday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the flood-affected area in a raft today. In the last five days, 19 people have died and 28 have been injured due to various reasons in rain-related disasters. The state government has ordered closure of all schools in the state till July 15. Meanwhile, the Israeli embassy has contacted the state government and expressed their willingness to airlift their nationals from the affected areas of Himachals Kasol and Tirthan. CM Sukhu said all foreign tourists are safe and essential commodities were being ensured to them.
Preetha Nair By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress leaders from Uttarakhand met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in the capital on Thursday. Earlier this week, Kharge and Rahul had met Maharashtra leaders and pledged that the party will put up a united fight against the BJP in LS polls.

Gearing up for state elections, the party brass also held a series of meetings with leaders of the poll-bound states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh in the last two weeks in the capital.

In Uttarakhand, the party will hold padayatra to connect with the people, said the leaders after the meeting. Taking to social media, Rahul Gandhi said, The Congress party will establish a dialogue with the people in Uttarakhand through a padayatra and will raise voice against injustice like Agneepath scheme for the youth and against the crimes against women in the state.

Kharge said that the Congress is committed to the development of the Himalayan state without compromising on environmental concerns. He said the party will work for flood victims and raise the voice of the people of the state. Sources said that the leaders also discussed leadership issues in the state unit and directed it to set aside differences.

Former chief minister Harish Rawat, PCC president Karan Mahara and AICC in-charge for the state Devender Yadav attended the meeting. Mahara said Kharge and Gandhi chalked out a roadmap for 2024. We will carry out a padayatra and highlight the loss of dreams of youth who want to join the armed forces, due to the Agniveer scheme. Rahul Gandhi himself will participate in it for a few days and Priyanka Gandhi will also participate in this yatra.

Promise to state

Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Congress is committed to the development of the Himalayan state without compro-mising on environ-mental concerns.

NEW DELHI: With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress leaders from Uttarakhand met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in the capital on Thursday. Earlier this week, Kharge and Rahul had met Maharashtra leaders and pledged that the party will put up a united fight against the BJP in LS polls. Gearing up for state elections, the party brass also held a series of meetings with leaders of the poll-bound states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh in the last two weeks in the capital. In Uttarakhand, the party will hold padayatra to connect with the people, said the leaders after the meeting. Taking to social media, Rahul Gandhi said, The Congress party will establish a dialogue with the people in Uttarakhand through a padayatra and will raise voice against injustice like Agneepath scheme for the youth and against the crimes against women in the state.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Kharge said that the Congress is committed to the development of the Himalayan state without compromising on environmental concerns. He said the party will work for flood victims and raise the voice of the people of the state. Sources said that the leaders also discussed leadership issues in the state unit and directed it to set aside differences. Former chief minister Harish Rawat, PCC president Karan Mahara and AICC in-charge for the state Devender Yadav attended the meeting. Mahara said Kharge and Gandhi chalked out a roadmap for 2024. We will carry out a padayatra and highlight the loss of dreams of youth who want to join the armed forces, due to the Agniveer scheme. Rahul Gandhi himself will participate in it for a few days and Priyanka Gandhi will also participate in this yatra. Promise to state Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Congress is committed to the development of the Himalayan state without compro-mising on environ-mental concerns.
Camp Hancock State Historic Site in Bismarck is hosting its annual "Weather Day" events and a book talk this month.

Weather Day from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday will feature activities from the National Weather Service, the State Historical Society of North Dakota and at 2 p.m. story time with Miss Sparkles of the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Library.

Cookies and lemonade will be served. The event is open to all ages, day cares and day camps. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

On July 28 from 7-8 p.m., local historian Paulette Bullinger will discuss her and Kevin Kremer's book Linda Warfel Slaughter: The Amazing Life Story of a Prominent Leader in the Dakota Territory and During the Early Days of Bismarck and North Dakota. Linda Slaughter and her husband, Dr. Benjamin Slaughter, lived at Camp Hancock from August 1872 to November 1873. A signing will follow the presentation.

Both events are free. For more information, contact Johnathan Campbell at shsfgm@nd.gov or call 701-328-9528.
SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

SRIHARIKOTA: History beckons India. ISRO's heaviest rocket LVM3 has successfully put the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) and in the next 40-odd days, the national space agency will execute multiple orbit raising manoeuvres to insert the spacecraft into the lunar orbit and attempt a controlled soft landing near the challenging terrain of the moon's unexplored South Pole at 5.47 IST on August 23, if everything goes according to plan.

This is ISRO's most ambitious and complex mission undertaken till date and comes four years after Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander crashlanded on the moon's surface. But that failure has provided invaluable insights and formed the basis for the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft design, which underwent significant corrections.

On Friday afternoon, the LVM3 rocket carrying the 3,900 kg Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft majestically lifted off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-Shar) in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. This only comprised the first phases of the total mission. The mission is deemed a success after it completes all the 10 phases, which are broadly divided into Earth Centric Phase, Lunar Transfer Phase and Moon Centric Phase.

ISRO chairman S Somanath told reporters that Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully placed in the precise orbit around the Earth and is on its way to the moon. "As per the nominal programme, the first trans lunar insertion of the spacecraft will happen on August 1 after four earth-bound manoeuvres are done. The propulsion and lunar module seperation will happen on August 17. The landing is currently planned on 5.47 pm IST on August 23."

What is unique about Chandrayaan-3 mission?

While Chandrayaan-1 helped confirm the presence of water on the moon in 2008, the partially successful Chandrayaan-2 in 2019 placed an orbiter in the moons orbit thats functional to this day. Now, Chandrayaan-3 is set to become the world's first mission to explore the uncharted territories of the moons South Pole.

Somanath said many of the scientific instruments and probes planned after the Vikram lander makes a touchdown and rolls out the Pragyan rover from its womb are unique and have never been attempted before.

ISRO is focusing on two areas. One is to study the thermo physical and chemical characterstics of regolith, which is nothing but the moon's surface or soil. The other is to understand the near surface atmosphere. "We want to do this as close to the South Pole as possible where no one ventured. We will be putting a seismic instrument on the moon's surface piercing the probe. We hope to get good data for us to analyse and understand the origin of the moon etc."

P Veera Muthuvel, Chandrayaan-3 project director, told The New Indian Express that the planned mission life of Vikram and Praygan is one lunar day, which is 14 Earth days. "If the lander and rover survive beyond that, we would attempt to conduct experiments for one more lunar day, but this is not guaranteed."

He said the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter launched in 2019 was still healthy even after four years, although its planned mission life was one year. "We are confident that the orbiter will continue to function for another three years. This was the reason why the orbiter was not included in the Chandrayaan-3 mission."

Indo-Japan lunar exploration facing challenges



Giving an update on the India and Japan Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX), Somanath said ISRO was yet to submit the project report to the Union government as the architecture design was not finalised.

"There are several challenges. The rover, which Japan was supposed to supply, weighs more than the carrying capacity of our lander. Because of this, the engines that were used in Chandrayaan-3 can't be used for the LUPEX mission. We have to develop new ones. We are trying to negotiate with them on how to bring down the mass of the rover," he said.

The Indo-Japanese LUPEX mission is envisaged to explore the permanently shadowed regions or the dark side of the moon. Earlier this year, a team from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was in India to meet ISRO scientists.

READ MORE: Chandrayaan-3 mission will carry hopes and dreams of our nation: PM Modi

SRIHARIKOTA: History beckons India. ISRO's heaviest rocket LVM3 has successfully put the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) and in the next 40-odd days, the national space agency will execute multiple orbit raising manoeuvres to insert the spacecraft into the lunar orbit and attempt a controlled soft landing near the challenging terrain of the moon's unexplored South Pole at 5.47 IST on August 23, if everything goes according to plan. This is ISRO's most ambitious and complex mission undertaken till date and comes four years after Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander crashlanded on the moon's surface. But that failure has provided invaluable insights and formed the basis for the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft design, which underwent significant corrections. On Friday afternoon, the LVM3 rocket carrying the 3,900 kg Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft majestically lifted off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-Shar) in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. This only comprised the first phases of the total mission. The mission is deemed a success after it completes all the 10 phases, which are broadly divided into Earth Centric Phase, Lunar Transfer Phase and Moon Centric Phase.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); ISRO chairman S Somanath told reporters that Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully placed in the precise orbit around the Earth and is on its way to the moon. "As per the nominal programme, the first trans lunar insertion of the spacecraft will happen on August 1 after four earth-bound manoeuvres are done. The propulsion and lunar module seperation will happen on August 17. The landing is currently planned on 5.47 pm IST on August 23." Chandrayaan-3 mission: Spacecraft lifts off successfully from Sriharikota Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/8fATRuqkzy#ISRO #Chandrayaan3 #Sriharikota pic.twitter.com/2Pj1frPCBh  ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 14, 2023 What is unique about Chandrayaan-3 mission? While Chandrayaan-1 helped confirm the presence of water on the moon in 2008, the partially successful Chandrayaan-2 in 2019 placed an orbiter in the moons orbit thats functional to this day. Now, Chandrayaan-3 is set to become the world's first mission to explore the uncharted territories of the moons South Pole. Somanath said many of the scientific instruments and probes planned after the Vikram lander makes a touchdown and rolls out the Pragyan rover from its womb are unique and have never been attempted before. ISRO is focusing on two areas. One is to study the thermo physical and chemical characterstics of regolith, which is nothing but the moon's surface or soil. The other is to understand the near surface atmosphere. "We want to do this as close to the South Pole as possible where no one ventured. We will be putting a seismic instrument on the moon's surface piercing the probe. We hope to get good data for us to analyse and understand the origin of the moon etc." P Veera Muthuvel, Chandrayaan-3 project director, told The New Indian Express that the planned mission life of Vikram and Praygan is one lunar day, which is 14 Earth days. "If the lander and rover survive beyond that, we would attempt to conduct experiments for one more lunar day, but this is not guaranteed." He said the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter launched in 2019 was still healthy even after four years, although its planned mission life was one year. "We are confident that the orbiter will continue to function for another three years. This was the reason why the orbiter was not included in the Chandrayaan-3 mission." Indo-Japan lunar exploration facing challenges Giving an update on the India and Japan Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX), Somanath said ISRO was yet to submit the project report to the Union government as the architecture design was not finalised. "There are several challenges. The rover, which Japan was supposed to supply, weighs more than the carrying capacity of our lander. Because of this, the engines that were used in Chandrayaan-3 can't be used for the LUPEX mission. We have to develop new ones. We are trying to negotiate with them on how to bring down the mass of the rover," he said. The Indo-Japanese LUPEX mission is envisaged to explore the permanently shadowed regions or the dark side of the moon. Earlier this year, a team from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was in India to meet ISRO scientists. READ MORE: Chandrayaan-3 mission will carry hopes and dreams of our nation: PM Modi
R Sivakumar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday refused to quash the criminal case filed against actor-politician SVe Shekhar for posting derogatory posts against women journalists on social media in 2018.

Dismissing his petitions seeking to quash the case regarding denigrating women journalists, Justice Anand Venkatesh said, The apology tendered and the explanation given by him that he had forwarded the message inadvertently cannot be acted upon. On this ground, the criminal case cannot be quashed.

He added the issue that whether the petitioner had inadvertently forwarded the message is a matter of evidence and such a defence shall be established in the trial court which has to decide on it based on the evidence.

A person who forwards such messages that have derogatory contents must also be equally prepared to face the consequences, the judge said.

He also refused to quash another case filed against him for allegedly defaming the image of the then Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy in 2020.

Justice Anand Venkatesh ordered the transfer of these cases to the special court hearing cases against MP/MLAs for expeditious trial which shall be completed within six months.

While dismissing these two petitions, he allowed another petition filed by the actor seeking to quash another case filed for disrespecting the national flag.

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday refused to quash the criminal case filed against actor-politician SVe Shekhar for posting derogatory posts against women journalists on social media in 2018. Dismissing his petitions seeking to quash the case regarding denigrating women journalists, Justice Anand Venkatesh said, The apology tendered and the explanation given by him that he had forwarded the message inadvertently cannot be acted upon. On this ground, the criminal case cannot be quashed. He added the issue that whether the petitioner had inadvertently forwarded the message is a matter of evidence and such a defence shall be established in the trial court which has to decide on it based on the evidence.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A person who forwards such messages that have derogatory contents must also be equally prepared to face the consequences, the judge said. He also refused to quash another case filed against him for allegedly defaming the image of the then Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy in 2020. Justice Anand Venkatesh ordered the transfer of these cases to the special court hearing cases against MP/MLAs for expeditious trial which shall be completed within six months. While dismissing these two petitions, he allowed another petition filed by the actor seeking to quash another case filed for disrespecting the national flag.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Friday said certain inimical elements might have infiltrated from across the border to fuel the current unrest in Manipur.

She had on Thursday hinted at the involvement of external forces in the violence. The Raj Bhawan on Friday said the Governor had made the statement based on intelligence inputs.

It is clarified that statement of Honble Governor was based on intelligence inputs indicating presence of certain inimical elements who could have infiltrated from across the border to fuel the current unrest in Manipur, the Raj Bhawan said in a statement.

Uikey gave firm assurance to the people of Manipur that security forces are seized of this challenge and are undertaking joint operations on regular basis to eliminate any such threat.

Recently, Chief Minister N Biren Singh hinted at the involvement of external forces in the violence.

ALSO READ | India says European Parliament resolution on Manipur is unacceptable, reflects colonial mindset

Stating that Manipur shares a 398 km long porous border with Myanmar and that China is also nearby, he had said that even an extensive security deployment cannot cover such vast swathes of land.

The state remained peaceful for the third consecutive day on Friday even as the judicial probe into the violence has begun with the visit of the three-member Judicial Commission to the state.

The members of the commission, which is headed by retired Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba, visited Churachandpur on Friday, a day after they visited some relief camps in Imphal. At both places, they interacted with the inmates of some relief camps.

Meanwhile, the Nagaland government has advised all AADHAAR enrolment agencies/nodal officers in-charge for verification of AADHAAR/AADHAAR enrolment centers/supervisors/operators to do due diligence and strictly follow procedures/guidelines as laid down by UIDAI while verifying fresh AADHAAR application/demographic updates. They were also advised to check the accepted list of documents as issued by UIDAI and authenticate antecedents.

The advisory was issued following the observation that some displaced people of Manipur, who have taken temporary shelter in different parts of Nagaland, are seeking to change their demographic details/update in their AADHAAR as per their temporary location in Nagaland.

GUWAHATI: Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Friday said certain inimical elements might have infiltrated from across the border to fuel the current unrest in Manipur. She had on Thursday hinted at the involvement of external forces in the violence. The Raj Bhawan on Friday said the Governor had made the statement based on intelligence inputs. It is clarified that statement of Honble Governor was based on intelligence inputs indicating presence of certain inimical elements who could have infiltrated from across the border to fuel the current unrest in Manipur, the Raj Bhawan said in a statement.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Uikey gave firm assurance to the people of Manipur that security forces are seized of this challenge and are undertaking joint operations on regular basis to eliminate any such threat. Recently, Chief Minister N Biren Singh hinted at the involvement of external forces in the violence. ALSO READ | India says European Parliament resolution on Manipur is unacceptable, reflects colonial mindset Stating that Manipur shares a 398 km long porous border with Myanmar and that China is also nearby, he had said that even an extensive security deployment cannot cover such vast swathes of land. The state remained peaceful for the third consecutive day on Friday even as the judicial probe into the violence has begun with the visit of the three-member Judicial Commission to the state. The members of the commission, which is headed by retired Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba, visited Churachandpur on Friday, a day after they visited some relief camps in Imphal. At both places, they interacted with the inmates of some relief camps. Meanwhile, the Nagaland government has advised all AADHAAR enrolment agencies/nodal officers in-charge for verification of AADHAAR/AADHAAR enrolment centers/supervisors/operators to do due diligence and strictly follow procedures/guidelines as laid down by UIDAI while verifying fresh AADHAAR application/demographic updates. They were also advised to check the accepted list of documents as issued by UIDAI and authenticate antecedents. The advisory was issued following the observation that some displaced people of Manipur, who have taken temporary shelter in different parts of Nagaland, are seeking to change their demographic details/update in their AADHAAR as per their temporary location in Nagaland.
Yeshi Seli By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: India, miffed with the European Parliament (EP) resolution on Manipur, referred to it as reflective of a colonial mindset and termed it unacceptable. We have seen that the EP held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted the so-called Urgency Resolution. Such interference in Indias internal affairs is unacceptable and reflects a colonial mindset.

The EP would be well advised to use its time more productively on its internal issues, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. India reaffirmed that all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace, harmony, and law and order.

The EP passed a resolution on Manipur in the French town of Strasbourg on Thursday by a show of hands,

after a debate on the issue on Wednesday evening. It called on the Indian government to act promptly to halt the violence and protect religious minorities.

The EP resolution has asked the Indian government to pre-empt any further escalation of violence in the hill state. It also calls on authorities to grant unhindered access to the area by journalists and international observers, and to end the internet shutdown. Furthermore, the EP resolution also asked India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in line with the recommendations of the UN Universal Periodic Review.

Jaishankar flags safety of diplomats in UK

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took up the security of Indian diplomats in the United Kingdom with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Jakarta. I brought up concerns of the security of our diplomats, said Dr Jaishankar.

NEW DELHI: India, miffed with the European Parliament (EP) resolution on Manipur, referred to it as reflective of a colonial mindset and termed it unacceptable. We have seen that the EP held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted the so-called Urgency Resolution. Such interference in Indias internal affairs is unacceptable and reflects a colonial mindset. The EP would be well advised to use its time more productively on its internal issues, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. India reaffirmed that all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace, harmony, and law and order. The EP passed a resolution on Manipur in the French town of Strasbourg on Thursday by a show of hands, after a debate on the issue on Wednesday evening. It called on the Indian government to act promptly to halt the violence and protect religious minorities. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The EP resolution has asked the Indian government to pre-empt any further escalation of violence in the hill state. It also calls on authorities to grant unhindered access to the area by journalists and international observers, and to end the internet shutdown. Furthermore, the EP resolution also asked India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in line with the recommendations of the UN Universal Periodic Review. Jaishankar flags safety of diplomats in UK External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took up the security of Indian diplomats in the United Kingdom with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Jakarta. I brought up concerns of the security of our diplomats, said Dr Jaishankar.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The traffic control room of Mumbai Police has received a call from an unidentified person warning of a 26/11-like terror attack if Pakistani woman Seema Haider did not return to her country, an official said on Thursday.

The call was received on Wednesday, he said.

ALSO READ | An Indo-Pak love story inspired by PUBG

The caller, who spoke in Urdu, said there would be a terror attack like the November 26, 2008 attack on Mumbai and the Uttar Pradesh government will be responsible for it, the police official said.

Mumbai Police is investigating the threat call and a crime branch team has also been roped in, he said.

The call was made through an app, and the police were trying to track down the IP address of the caller, the official said.

Seema Haider, a Pakistani national, recently entered India illegally to marry her lover Sachin Meena, a resident of Greater Noida. The two had become friends while playing online game PUBG.

Police arrested Haider for entering India illegally without a visa through Nepal.

MUMBAI: The traffic control room of Mumbai Police has received a call from an unidentified person warning of a 26/11-like terror attack if Pakistani woman Seema Haider did not return to her country, an official said on Thursday. The call was received on Wednesday, he said. ALSO READ | An Indo-Pak love story inspired by PUBGgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The caller, who spoke in Urdu, said there would be a terror attack like the November 26, 2008 attack on Mumbai and the Uttar Pradesh government will be responsible for it, the police official said. Mumbai Police is investigating the threat call and a crime branch team has also been roped in, he said. The call was made through an app, and the police were trying to track down the IP address of the caller, the official said. Seema Haider, a Pakistani national, recently entered India illegally to marry her lover Sachin Meena, a resident of Greater Noida. The two had become friends while playing online game PUBG. Police arrested Haider for entering India illegally without a visa through Nepal.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday said the formulation of a National Security Strategy (NSS) should reflect the changes in international geopolitics.

General Anil Chauhan said, "International geopolitics is in a flux and the national security strategy should aim to absorb the changes in such a way that it meets the challenges and exploits the opportunities."

The CDS also noted that the Armed Forces are investing in technology, which will be key as India continues the process of reorganising its war fighting structure into theatres.

The CDS was delivering the inaugural speech at the DRDO Directors' Conclave, an annual event of DRDO, in New Delhi on Friday. General Chauhan stressed the need to perform, reform, transform, inform and conform to meet the emerging challenges.

India does not have a National Security Strategy, which is an all-encompassing and overarching document for a nation, providing a direction to employ various instruments of national power - diplomatic, informational, military and economic - to advance and protect its national interests from external and internal threats.

Referring to the technology requirements emerging from theaterisation, he said superiority in technology and tactics is the need of the hour and the Indian Armed Forces are investing in new technologies to win engagements.

Highlighting the principles of jointness, integration and theaterisation, General Anil Chauhan said in the national security realm, the concept of theaterisation is a fundamental change that is on the anvil.

ALSO READ | Indian armed forces likely to get their first Integrated Theatre Command in August

"It is one of the most ambitious changes with far-reaching implications attempted post-independence. The start on this journey depends on the right steps being taken first towards jointness and integration. Theaterisation involves creation of tri service theatre specific structures for effective response along the entire spectrum of conflict," said General Anil Chauhan.

The CDS said that integration in the physical domain aims to achieve a multiplier effect as it combines the unique capabilities of the services

through integrated processes and structures to increase the war fighting capability.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, in his inaugural address, highlighted the changes occurring in the nature of warfare and criticality involved in them. He stressed on the need to reform and transform the perspectives in tandem with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of Aatmanirbharta and Make in India.

General Chauhan released the DRDO's second list of systems and subsystems for the industry to design, develop and manufacture in line with

Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This second list of DRDO is in continuation of the list of 108 items released earlier.

He also released the "DRDO Guidelines for Production Coordination", which outline the mechanism for production coordination and resolution of issues associated with production of DRDO developed military equipment/platforms/systems.

The guidelines bring out a two-tier mechanism to resolve issues related to production of these systems by involving designers, users, production

agencies, quality agencies and other stakeholders. The initiative will further pave the way for the Indian defence industry to develop defence

technologies/systems towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The conclave will include deliberations on various issues in line with the theme "Redefining Role of DRDO in the Wake of New Government Policies and Emerging Scenarios" through six technical sessions each followed by a panel discussion.

The two-day conclave is organised as a follow-up to the various Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) meetings and reviews of their outcomes by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It is being attended by top officials of DRDO including Directors General of various technology as well as corporate clusters, directors of DRDO laboratories, directors of DRDO headquarters and Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs).

At the beginning of this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had presided over a day-long session of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). It had followed separate brainstorming sessions, last month, of all the Departments of the MoD. The Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) had organised separate brainstorming sessions, during which they discussed critical issues & ways to enhance their productivity.

NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday said the formulation of a National Security Strategy (NSS) should reflect the changes in international geopolitics. General Anil Chauhan said, "International geopolitics is in a flux and the national security strategy should aim to absorb the changes in such a way that it meets the challenges and exploits the opportunities." The CDS also noted that the Armed Forces are investing in technology, which will be key as India continues the process of reorganising its war fighting structure into theatres.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The CDS was delivering the inaugural speech at the DRDO Directors' Conclave, an annual event of DRDO, in New Delhi on Friday. General Chauhan stressed the need to perform, reform, transform, inform and conform to meet the emerging challenges. India does not have a National Security Strategy, which is an all-encompassing and overarching document for a nation, providing a direction to employ various instruments of national power - diplomatic, informational, military and economic - to advance and protect its national interests from external and internal threats. Referring to the technology requirements emerging from theaterisation, he said superiority in technology and tactics is the need of the hour and the Indian Armed Forces are investing in new technologies to win engagements. Highlighting the principles of jointness, integration and theaterisation, General Anil Chauhan said in the national security realm, the concept of theaterisation is a fundamental change that is on the anvil. ALSO READ | Indian armed forces likely to get their first Integrated Theatre Command in August "It is one of the most ambitious changes with far-reaching implications attempted post-independence. The start on this journey depends on the right steps being taken first towards jointness and integration. Theaterisation involves creation of tri service theatre specific structures for effective response along the entire spectrum of conflict," said General Anil Chauhan. The CDS said that integration in the physical domain aims to achieve a multiplier effect as it combines the unique capabilities of the services through integrated processes and structures to increase the war fighting capability. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, in his inaugural address, highlighted the changes occurring in the nature of warfare and criticality involved in them. He stressed on the need to reform and transform the perspectives in tandem with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of Aatmanirbharta and Make in India. General Chauhan released the DRDO's second list of systems and subsystems for the industry to design, develop and manufacture in line with Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This second list of DRDO is in continuation of the list of 108 items released earlier. He also released the "DRDO Guidelines for Production Coordination", which outline the mechanism for production coordination and resolution of issues associated with production of DRDO developed military equipment/platforms/systems. The guidelines bring out a two-tier mechanism to resolve issues related to production of these systems by involving designers, users, production agencies, quality agencies and other stakeholders. The initiative will further pave the way for the Indian defence industry to develop defence technologies/systems towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The conclave will include deliberations on various issues in line with the theme "Redefining Role of DRDO in the Wake of New Government Policies and Emerging Scenarios" through six technical sessions each followed by a panel discussion. The two-day conclave is organised as a follow-up to the various Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) meetings and reviews of their outcomes by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It is being attended by top officials of DRDO including Directors General of various technology as well as corporate clusters, directors of DRDO laboratories, directors of DRDO headquarters and Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs). At the beginning of this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had presided over a day-long session of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). It had followed separate brainstorming sessions, last month, of all the Departments of the MoD. The Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) had organised separate brainstorming sessions, during which they discussed critical issues & ways to enhance their productivity.
By PTI

PARIS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Indian premier to have been conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace here on Thursday and joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others.

The prime minister, who is in France for a two-day official visit, was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived here on Thursday.

He will join President Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.

"A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership.



PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron. pic.twitter.com/OyiHCHMDX2  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 13, 2023

"Prime minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the MEA said in a statement.

The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour given by France is another in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on Prime Minister Modi.

These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019.

Modi received the Order of St.Andrew Award from Russia in 2019, and the Order of Zayed Award from the UAE in 2019. He also received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan in 2016 and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia Arabia in 2016.

Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, The Legion of Honour is divided into five classes (lower to higher).

The colour of the ribbon is red and the badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk hung on an oak and laurel wreath.

Although the membership to the award is restricted to French nationals, foreign nationals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also be given a distinction of the Legion.

I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the Elysee Palace this evening. pic.twitter.com/OMhydyleph  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2023

Earlier, the French president and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi at the Elysee Palace.

On Thursday evening, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora here and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation in cashless instant payment.

In his nearly hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale -- a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine - Modi outlined India's fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India's strength and role is also changing very quickly.

Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas.

Noting that France is celebrating its national day, in which he is the guest of honour, Modi said he had been to the country many times but it was special this time, as he lauded its support to India and the strength of ties between the two countries, which mark 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

Describing people-to-people connect as a key foundation of the India-France partnership, he also asked the diaspora members to invest in India, noting that global experts are recognising the country's attractiveness as an investment destination and the country is taking rapid strides in development.

PARIS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Indian premier to have been conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron. Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace here on Thursday and joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others. The prime minister, who is in France for a two-day official visit, was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived here on Thursday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He will join President Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour. "A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron. pic.twitter.com/OyiHCHMDX2  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 13, 2023 "Prime minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the MEA said in a statement. The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour given by France is another in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on Prime Minister Modi. These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019. Modi received the Order of St.Andrew Award from Russia in 2019, and the Order of Zayed Award from the UAE in 2019. He also received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan in 2016 and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia Arabia in 2016. Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, The Legion of Honour is divided into five classes (lower to higher). The colour of the ribbon is red and the badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk hung on an oak and laurel wreath. Although the membership to the award is restricted to French nationals, foreign nationals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also be given a distinction of the Legion. I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the Elysee Palace this evening. pic.twitter.com/OMhydyleph  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2023 Earlier, the French president and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi at the Elysee Palace. On Thursday evening, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora here and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation in cashless instant payment. In his nearly hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale -- a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine - Modi outlined India's fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India's strength and role is also changing very quickly. Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas. Noting that France is celebrating its national day, in which he is the guest of honour, Modi said he had been to the country many times but it was special this time, as he lauded its support to India and the strength of ties between the two countries, which mark 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. Describing people-to-people connect as a key foundation of the India-France partnership, he also asked the diaspora members to invest in India, noting that global experts are recognising the country's attractiveness as an investment destination and the country is taking rapid strides in development.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Union Home Minister Amit Shah from France and enquired about the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi, sources said.

During their telephone conversation, Shah briefed Modi about the flood-like situation and told him that the water level in the Yamuna is expected to recede in the next 24 hours, they said.

PM @narendramodi Ji spoke to Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna River.



UHM Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch July 13, 2023

In a tweet, the home minister's office said, "PM @narendramodi ji spoke to Union Home Minister @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna river.

"Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch on the situation along with the Lt Governor (of) Delhi.

A sufficient number of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations and help people in need."

Water from the raging Yamuna River inundated several parts of Delhi on Thursday, throwing normal life out of gear and prompting authorities to close all schools and colleges till July 16 and ban the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services.

The prime minister is in France on a two-day visit to attend the Bastille Day celebration.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Union Home Minister Amit Shah from France and enquired about the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi, sources said. During their telephone conversation, Shah briefed Modi about the flood-like situation and told him that the water level in the Yamuna is expected to recede in the next 24 hours, they said. PM @narendramodi Ji spoke to Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna River. UHM Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watchgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); });   , HMO India (@HMOIndia) July 13, 2023 In a tweet, the home minister's office said, "PM @narendramodi ji spoke to Union Home Minister @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna river. "Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch on the situation along with the Lt Governor (of) Delhi. A sufficient number of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations and help people in need." Water from the raging Yamuna River inundated several parts of Delhi on Thursday, throwing normal life out of gear and prompting authorities to close all schools and colleges till July 16 and ban the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services. The prime minister is in France on a two-day visit to attend the Bastille Day celebration.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the office of the Speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly on a plea seeking a direction to expeditiously adjudicate the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other Shiv Sena MLAs, who had tied up with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud passed the order while hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLA Sunil Prabhu, who as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena had in 2022 filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.

"We will issue notice returnable in two weeks," the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said.

The plea has alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar is deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the May 11 verdict of the apex court.

"The petitioner is constrained to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of this court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, in light of the respondent Speaker's conduct in choosing to deliberately delay the adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed by the petitioner against the delinquent members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly," the plea, filed through advocates Nishanth Patil and Amit Anand Tiwari, said.

It said the speaker, despite the categorical direction of the top court in its May 11 judgment that the pending disqualification petitions must be decided within a reasonable period, has chosen to not conduct a single hearing.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the office of the Speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly on a plea seeking a direction to expeditiously adjudicate the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other Shiv Sena MLAs, who had tied up with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud passed the order while hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLA Sunil Prabhu, who as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena had in 2022 filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs. "We will issue notice returnable in two weeks," the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The plea has alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar is deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the May 11 verdict of the apex court. "The petitioner is constrained to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of this court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, in light of the respondent Speaker's conduct in choosing to deliberately delay the adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed by the petitioner against the delinquent members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly," the plea, filed through advocates Nishanth Patil and Amit Anand Tiwari, said. It said the speaker, despite the categorical direction of the top court in its May 11 judgment that the pending disqualification petitions must be decided within a reasonable period, has chosen to not conduct a single hearing.
By PTI

KOLKATA: Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday criticised the BJP for allegedly letting loose a reign of terror after its defeat in the West Bengal panchayat polls and said the goons associated with the saffron camp are "seeking legal protection" from the judiciary preventing the law enforcing agencies from acting against them.

Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, said the BJP, "after losing its support base", is now resorting to violence and a malicious campaign to divert attention from its failures.

"We are against any form of violence. Since the election results were announced, the BJP has unleashed terror across the state. In Nandigram, where the BJP has won a few seats, the goons of saffron camp have driven TMC activists out of their homes, beaten them up and threatened to rape their woman," he said.

Banerjee was talking to reporters outside SSKM hospital, where he had gone to meet the victims.

Nandigram is the assembly constituency of Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition.

The two-time Diamond Harbour MP said he had noted the names of 20 such miscreants, named by the victims, who were behind the attacks on party workers in Nandigram and will submit it to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee, the de-facto number two in the TMC, wondered how "the goons associated with the BJP can avail legal protection", thus putting the lives of the common people at stake.

"The goons associated with the saffron camp are seeking legal protection from the judiciary preventing the law enforcing agencies from acting against them. Unfortunately, these goons are getting legal protection," he said.

Accusing the BJP of trying to destroy the Independent judiciary and media -- the third and fourth pillars of democracy -- ever since they came to power at the Centre in 2014, he wondered why those who must be jailed and put behind bars are getting legal protection.

"We have full respect for the judiciary. By speaking on it today, I want to bring it to the attention of the honourable judiciary. If the state administration fails to act against the miscreants, the opposition can then blame the administration. The truth is that the opposition and the Centre are not allowing the state government to function freely," he said.

Claiming that those who lost lives are mostly associated with the TMC, Banerjee said the BJP and its agencies should investigate who killed them.

"The polls were conducted in more than 60,000 booths. If incidents were reported in around 60-62 booths, it comes to less than 0. 1 per cent. The deaths were miserable, and we would have been happier if people didn't lose their lives. But one must take a look at who is suffering the losses. We have lost almost 30 of our workers, which amounts to about 70 per cent of the deceased," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that 19 people, mostly from her TMC, died in poll-related violence since the election date was announced on June 8.

Police sources, however, have put the number of fatalities at 38 but agree that at least 60 per cent of those who lost their lives were affiliated with the TMC.

Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks about rural polls in Bengal, Banerjee said the slide in BJP's vote share compared to 2021 shows the party is fast losing ground in the state.

"If BJP's vote share goes down from 38% to 22%, does that signal an increase or a decrease? Amit Shah is the Home Minister of the country. If he thinks 22 is more than 38. I think that explains why the country is in this position today," he said.

Shah on Friday said even "bloodcurdling violence" could not stop the BJP from putting up a stellar performance in the panchayat elections in West Bengal.

Reacting to Banerjee's remark, the BJP dubbed the allegations baseless.

"The allegations against the BJP are baseless. Is BJP throwing bombs at workers of other opposition parties in the state? The entire country knows the truth, and TMC can no longer hide it," BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

KOLKATA: Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday criticised the BJP for allegedly letting loose a reign of terror after its defeat in the West Bengal panchayat polls and said the goons associated with the saffron camp are "seeking legal protection" from the judiciary preventing the law enforcing agencies from acting against them. Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, said the BJP, "after losing its support base", is now resorting to violence and a malicious campaign to divert attention from its failures. "We are against any form of violence. Since the election results were announced, the BJP has unleashed terror across the state. In Nandigram, where the BJP has won a few seats, the goons of saffron camp have driven TMC activists out of their homes, beaten them up and threatened to rape their woman," he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Banerjee was talking to reporters outside SSKM hospital, where he had gone to meet the victims. Nandigram is the assembly constituency of Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition. The two-time Diamond Harbour MP said he had noted the names of 20 such miscreants, named by the victims, who were behind the attacks on party workers in Nandigram and will submit it to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee, the de-facto number two in the TMC, wondered how "the goons associated with the BJP can avail legal protection", thus putting the lives of the common people at stake. "The goons associated with the saffron camp are seeking legal protection from the judiciary preventing the law enforcing agencies from acting against them. Unfortunately, these goons are getting legal protection," he said. Accusing the BJP of trying to destroy the Independent judiciary and media -- the third and fourth pillars of democracy -- ever since they came to power at the Centre in 2014, he wondered why those who must be jailed and put behind bars are getting legal protection. "We have full respect for the judiciary. By speaking on it today, I want to bring it to the attention of the honourable judiciary. If the state administration fails to act against the miscreants, the opposition can then blame the administration. The truth is that the opposition and the Centre are not allowing the state government to function freely," he said. Claiming that those who lost lives are mostly associated with the TMC, Banerjee said the BJP and its agencies should investigate who killed them. "The polls were conducted in more than 60,000 booths. If incidents were reported in around 60-62 booths, it comes to less than 0. 1 per cent. The deaths were miserable, and we would have been happier if people didn't lose their lives. But one must take a look at who is suffering the losses. We have lost almost 30 of our workers, which amounts to about 70 per cent of the deceased," he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that 19 people, mostly from her TMC, died in poll-related violence since the election date was announced on June 8. Police sources, however, have put the number of fatalities at 38 but agree that at least 60 per cent of those who lost their lives were affiliated with the TMC. Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks about rural polls in Bengal, Banerjee said the slide in BJP's vote share compared to 2021 shows the party is fast losing ground in the state. "If BJP's vote share goes down from 38% to 22%, does that signal an increase or a decrease? Amit Shah is the Home Minister of the country. If he thinks 22 is more than 38. I think that explains why the country is in this position today," he said. Shah on Friday said even "bloodcurdling violence" could not stop the BJP from putting up a stellar performance in the panchayat elections in West Bengal. Reacting to Banerjee's remark, the BJP dubbed the allegations baseless. "The allegations against the BJP are baseless. Is BJP throwing bombs at workers of other opposition parties in the state? The entire country knows the truth, and TMC can no longer hide it," BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
Press Release

July 14, 2023 Tolentino urges South Cotabatenos: Continue weaving your dreams towards progress KORONADAL CITY - Senator Francis 'TOL' N. Tolentino urged the people of South Cotabato to continue to rise above the challenges and let their tapestry of progress and unity inspire others. Tolentino made the remarks during the 57th Founding Anniversary of the province of South Cotabato, alongside the vibrant and colorful 24th T'nalak Festival. Tolentino said the complex weaving traditions of T'boli and Blaan Tribes that are skillfully intertwined individual strands of threads to create a beautiful tapestry reminds us how the people of South Cotabato have woven together progress, development initiatives, and the richness of its culture, thus forming a vibrant fabric that truly represents its identity. "May you continue to weave your dreams, determination, and resilience into the very fabric of the province. As you rise above the challenges, let your tapestry of progress and unity inspire others and serve as a testament to the indomitable spirit of South Cotabatenos," said Tolentino in his speech on Friday. "Just as weavers encounter obstacles in their pursuit of perfection, you too have faced your fair share of trials. But like the skilled hands of a master weaver, you have deftly maneuvered through these challenges, finding strength in unity and determination," he added. The Province of South Cotabato prides itself on its distinct weaving traditions, deeply rooted in the rich history and culture of the T'boli and Blaan Tribes. The T'nalak Festival, a weeklong showcasing of the people's "diverse culture and traditions," is widely known as the "authentic ethnic" festivity in the Philippines. The festival's name is "derived from a unique abaca cloth with a geometrical design patterned from the dreams of its weavers, the Tboli women." The senator noted that South Cotabato's achievements and ongoing efforts serve as an inspiration to other provinces, highlighting the importance of sustainable development, cultural preservation, and community empowerment. He also cited the province's contributions that are continuing to shape the country's progress and reinforce the notion that unity, resilience, and a commitment to excellence are essential for a prosperous nation. "South Cotabato, just like the T'nalak and Tabih weaving, is a masterpiece of resilience, creativity, and unity," he added.
President Joe Biden for a second straight year has declared a disaster for historically bad spring weather in North Dakota.

His move July 5 paves the way for federal aid to help pay for repairs to public infrastructure such as roads. Federal assistance will be available to state, tribal and local governments as well as some private nonprofits in 21 counties, which together reported about $4.1 million in flood-related damage, according to the governor's office.

Statewide damage exceeded $5 million, but several counties did not meet the per-capita damage threshold to be included in Gov. Doug Burgum's June 2 request to Biden. The list of eligible counties includes Morton but not Burleigh.

Morton County submitted about $193,000 in flood-related damages, according to Emergency Manager Cody Mattson.

"A majority of the damage was on our public road system, due to floodwaters/overland flooding washing the material (gravel) away," he said.

Federal funding also will be available on a cost-sharing basis statewide for hazard mitigation -- proactive measures that aim to reduce the impacts of future natural disasters, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Morton County in recent years has installed numerous box culverts, a mitigation strategy to prevent water from flowing over a road, according to Mattson.

Burgum on April 10 issued an executive order declaring a statewide flood emergency. The presidential disaster declaration covers the period from that date to May 6, in the counties of Barnes, Burke, Dickey, Dunn, Golden Valley, Grand Forks, Hettinger, LaMoure, McHenry, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Pembina, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Towner, Walsh and Wells.

After a record-breaking winter, spring flooding put further stress on the budgets, personnel and operations of local entities, and this major disaster declaration will provide those impacted with much-needed relief, Burgum said in a statement.

North Dakota's congressional delegation had urged Biden to grant Burgum's request. U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, all R-N.D., in a statement Thursday said the disaster declaration "is an important step in supporting the states recovery as our communities work to repair the damage to roadways and other infrastructure, while also helping to mitigate the impacts of future disasters.

Seasonal snowfall records were broken in 58 locations in the state last winter, according to the governor's office, with Dickinson breaking its all-time record and Bismarck and Grand Forks experiencing their second-snowiest winters on record. The statewide snowfall average fell just 0.4 inches short of the all-time record, with the resulting spring snowmelt producing flooding that caused significant damage to roads, culverts and other infrastructure. The biggest concern was in the eastern Red River Valley, with lesser flooding to the west.

Many impacted counties were still recovering from spring 2022 storms and subsequent flooding that caused nearly $97 million in damage and was the fifth-largest disaster in the state since 1997, according to Burgum's office.

April 2022 saw two blizzards and a third winter storm -- weather that set more than two dozen records in the state, according to the National Weather Service. The storms toppled 7,000 power poles, damaged at least 550 miles of electrical lines and cut power to more than 10,000 people, some of them for weeks. Biden eventually declared a disaster for 40 impacted counties.

Wet to dry

The overly wet spring in 2022 was followed by the reemergence of crippling drought in North Dakota, and the summer became the 25th driest in 127 years of record-keeping, according to statistics from State Climatologist Adnan Akyuz.

A similar wet-to-dry pattern is emerging this year. Drought nearly disappeared from the state after the snowmelt from what was the 21st wettest winter on record, but dry conditions have returned and worsened as summer has progressed.

Last week's U.S. Drought Monitor Map shows nearly half of the state as being abnormally dry, the weakest of five categories, and a small patch in the northeastern corner in moderate drought.

Much of the Great Plains saw widespread heavy precipitation over the week, but North Dakota was an exception, National Drought Mitigation Center Climatologist Curtis Riganti wrote in the weekly report. There was virtually no change in drought conditions statewide from the previous week.

Bismarck remains free of any drought category. The city so far this year has received 11.58 inches of precipitation, 2 inches above normal, according to weather service data. But to the west, Dickinson is about an inch below average, at 7.53 inches for the year.

Soil moisture supplies statewide were relatively stable over the week, according to the latest crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture is rated 71% adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture is 67% in those categories.

Pasture and range conditions in North Dakota are rated mostly fair to good, and stockwater supplies are rated 92% adequate.

The wildfire danger in most of the state last Thursday was rated "low," the weakest category, according to state Emergency Services. The northwest was the exception, with a "moderate" rating. Smoke from Canadian wildfires wasn't a concern, with all measured sites showing a "good" air quality rating, according to AirNow, a partnership of many federal and state agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a partnership of the Drought Mitigation Center, NOAA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Lake warnings

North Dakotas Department of Environmental Quality has now issued blue-green algae advisories for nine water bodies in North Dakota: Green Lake in McIntosh County, Homme Dam in Walsh County, Epping-Springbrook Dam in Williams County, Froelich Dam in Sioux County, Lake Darling in Renville County, Alkali Lake in Stutsman County, Lake LaMoure in LaMoure County, Harvey Dam in Wells County and West Lake (McKenna Lake) in Logan County.

Hot summer weather contributes to the algae that can produce toxins in the water called cyanotoxins. People and animals who swallow or come into contact with affected water can get sick, and animals and fish can die from it. Theres no known antidote for the toxins.

The algae discolor the water and cause foam, scum or mats to appear on the surface. In severe blooms, the water can have the appearance of spilled green paint or green pea soup. More information is at www.tinyurl.com/WMP-HABS.
Sunil Patil By

Express News Service

BELAGAVI: The prime accused in the Jain monks murder case, Narayan Basappa Mali (33), had borrowed several lakhs of rupees from the victim, police said. A police team headed by DySP Basavaraj Yaligar on Thursday took the accused to the spot where the monks diary was burnt. The team collected the remains of the diary, two cell phones of the monk, two cell phones of the accused, and sent them all to forensic labs.

Investigations revealed that Narayan became close to Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj, the victim, a couple of years ago after supplying sand to the monks ashram for construction. In a short span of time, Narayan bought two tipper trucks and became a major sand supplier. The second accused, Hasansab Makbul Dalayat (33), used to work as Narayans driver.

When the monk forced Narayan to return the money, the accused started avoiding him. Angered by the monks repeated calls, Narayan with the help of Hasan allegedly attempted to kill him by giving electric shocks. When they failed in their attempt, they allegedly strangled the monk to death with a towel.

After committing the crime, Narayan burnt the diary to destroy evidence regarding his transactions. The accused also burnt the blood-stained clothes at the spot where they killed the monk. Then, they put the body into a gunny bag and took it to a field at Katakbhavi to dump it in an abandoned borewell. When they could not put the whole body into the borewell, they chopped it into pieces.

BELAGAVI: The prime accused in the Jain monks murder case, Narayan Basappa Mali (33), had borrowed several lakhs of rupees from the victim, police said. A police team headed by DySP Basavaraj Yaligar on Thursday took the accused to the spot where the monks diary was burnt. The team collected the remains of the diary, two cell phones of the monk, two cell phones of the accused, and sent them all to forensic labs. Investigations revealed that Narayan became close to Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj, the victim, a couple of years ago after supplying sand to the monks ashram for construction. In a short span of time, Narayan bought two tipper trucks and became a major sand supplier. The second accused, Hasansab Makbul Dalayat (33), used to work as Narayans driver. When the monk forced Narayan to return the money, the accused started avoiding him. Angered by the monks repeated calls, Narayan with the help of Hasan allegedly attempted to kill him by giving electric shocks. When they failed in their attempt, they allegedly strangled the monk to death with a towel.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); After committing the crime, Narayan burnt the diary to destroy evidence regarding his transactions. The accused also burnt the blood-stained clothes at the spot where they killed the monk. Then, they put the body into a gunny bag and took it to a field at Katakbhavi to dump it in an abandoned borewell. When they could not put the whole body into the borewell, they chopped it into pieces.
Rajesh Abraham By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The speed rail proposed by Metro Man E Sreedharan as an alternative to the SilverLine project can be connected to the national high-speed rail network, making the project more feasible in the long run.

Sreedharans proposal is to adopt standard gauge for the speed rail, and the technology would be the same as that of the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail line. Further, a preliminary feasibility report has been prepared for the Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore-Coimbatore high-speed bullet train project. The proposed Kerala speed train standard gauge can be connected to that network, provided the technology is the same, said a senior DMRC officer, who wished not to be named.

For high-speed trains, standard gauge is the proven technology, he said, adding that since 1964, bullet trains have been running in Japan on standard gauge, and no single accident or mishap has been reported there.

He said the argument for adopting a broad gauge for the SilverLine or the new speed rail is not worth considering as the speed cannot exceed 200 kmph.

Vande Bharat trains, which are running on broad gauge, are running at 160170 kmph, and they are testing whether they can travel at 200 kmph speed. In comparison, the bullet trains can run at 300350 kmph on standard gauge, the DMRC officer said.

The DMRC officer also echoed Sreedharans stand that the speed rail project should not be executed by K-Rail or Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd.

The Indian Railway had awarded K-Rail the contract to build 27 level-crossing flyover conversion projects in 2017. Even after five and a half years, K-Rail has not been able to even start work on the conversion of 26-level crossings into road overbridges. It has recently started work at Nilambur, the officer said.

Former Railway's chief engineer Alok Kumar Verma, who vehemently opposed the SilverLine project, said Sreedharan should make public his suggestions.

Any discussion on the revised project should begin only after the public knows about the full details of Sreedharans suggestions, he said.

Sreedharan says no intimation from CMO

Meanwhile, Sreedharan told TNIE that he has received no intimation from the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) on his proposals. Im yet to hear from the Chief Minister, he said, when asked about reports that Pinarayi Vijayan would soon meet him to discuss the revisions suggested in the state governments SilverLine project.

KOCHI: The speed rail proposed by Metro Man E Sreedharan as an alternative to the SilverLine project can be connected to the national high-speed rail network, making the project more feasible in the long run. Sreedharans proposal is to adopt standard gauge for the speed rail, and the technology would be the same as that of the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail line. Further, a preliminary feasibility report has been prepared for the Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore-Coimbatore high-speed bullet train project. The proposed Kerala speed train standard gauge can be connected to that network, provided the technology is the same, said a senior DMRC officer, who wished not to be named. For high-speed trains, standard gauge is the proven technology, he said, adding that since 1964, bullet trains have been running in Japan on standard gauge, and no single accident or mishap has been reported there.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He said the argument for adopting a broad gauge for the SilverLine or the new speed rail is not worth considering as the speed cannot exceed 200 kmph. Vande Bharat trains, which are running on broad gauge, are running at 160170 kmph, and they are testing whether they can travel at 200 kmph speed. In comparison, the bullet trains can run at 300350 kmph on standard gauge, the DMRC officer said. The DMRC officer also echoed Sreedharans stand that the speed rail project should not be executed by K-Rail or Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd. The Indian Railway had awarded K-Rail the contract to build 27 level-crossing flyover conversion projects in 2017. Even after five and a half years, K-Rail has not been able to even start work on the conversion of 26-level crossings into road overbridges. It has recently started work at Nilambur, the officer said. Former Railway's chief engineer Alok Kumar Verma, who vehemently opposed the SilverLine project, said Sreedharan should make public his suggestions. Any discussion on the revised project should begin only after the public knows about the full details of Sreedharans suggestions, he said. Sreedharan says no intimation from CMO Meanwhile, Sreedharan told TNIE that he has received no intimation from the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) on his proposals. Im yet to hear from the Chief Minister, he said, when asked about reports that Pinarayi Vijayan would soon meet him to discuss the revisions suggested in the state governments SilverLine project.
India-Australia-Indonesia trilateral: EAM Jaishankar holds talks with counterpartsA

Jakarta, July 13: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held a series of meetings with his counterparts from Indonesia, Australia and discussed bilateral cooperation and issues of mutual concern.

India-Australia-Indonesia trilateral: EAM Jaishankar holds talks with counterpartsA

Jaishankar also attended 2nd India-Australia-Indonesia trilateral alongwith Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi and Australian counterpart Penny Wong.Joined my colleagues @Menlu_RI & @SenatorWong for the 2nd India-Australia-Indonesia trilateral. Always good meeting between three Indo-Pacific maritime states. Plenty to talk about; plenty to agree, the EAM tweeted on Wednesday.EAM Jaishankar on Wednesday also met Laos Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and discussed regional issues of mutual concern.Nice to meet Lao DPM & FM Saleumxay Kommasith. Discussed regional issues of mutual concern. Also reviewed our bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation, the EAM tweeted.Earlier on Wednesday, the EAM met ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn in Indonesia and suggested India-ASEAN dialogues in finance, cyber and maritime domains.Started my engagements in Indonesia with a meeting with ASEAN Secretary General Dr Kao Kim Hourn. Discussed the development of our comprehensive strategic partnership. Suggested India-ASEAN dialogues in finance, cyber and maritime domains, EAM Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday.Noted the ongoing work in energy, disaster management and health and wellness. Agreed to expand our Track II engagement, Jaishankar further wrote.The EAM said the ASEAN relationship paves the way for the Indo-Pacific Vision. India is therefore deeply committed to the principle of ASEAN centrality, Jaishankar wrote.Jaishankar also met Malaysia Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.Great to meet the Foreign Minister of Malaysia Dr Zambry Adbul Kadir. Discussed our expanding bilateral cooperation. Exchanged views on ASEAN-related issues. Look forward to welcoming him in India, the EAM tweeted on Wednesday.EAM Jaishankar is on a six-day visit to Indonesia, Thailand from July 12-18.In the first leg of his visit, the EAM will reachA IndonesiaA to attend Foreign Ministers' Meetings under theA ASEANA on July 13-14 and then he will go toA ThailandA for the Foreign Ministers' Meeting ofA Mekong Ganga CooperationA (MGC), a release from the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.JaishankarA will visit Jakarta,A IndonesiaA for the Foreign Ministers' Meetings under theA ASEANA framework in the format,A ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit andA ASEANA Regional Forum on July 13-14.AThe External Affairs Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries.A India's engagement with thisA ASEAN-centered regional architecture signifiesA India's strong commitment toA ASEANA centrality in the Indo-Pacific.aAfter Jakarta, the EAM will travel to Bangkok, Thailand to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16, 2023.MGC is one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region and is guided byA India's Act East Policy.aIn Bangkok, EAM will also attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Foreign Ministers' Retreat on July 17, 2023.BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative which brings together the countries of the Bay of Bengal for multifaceted cooperation. The retreat would discuss ways to further deepen the BIMSTEC agenda and strengthen the organisation.ANI13 July 2023

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Implement development programs in aspirational blocks, districts to improve health standards: UP govt

Lucknow, July 13: In a high-level meeting on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued vital instructions to departmental officers aimed at improving the state's healthcare system.

Implement development programs in aspirational blocks, districts to improve health standards: UP govt

The effort for the overall development of eight backward aspirational districts and 100 aspirational development blocks is giving the expected results, the government said in a statement.The state government is resolute in its commitment to making all the necessary arrangements to ensure the availability of quality healthcare facilities in these areas.According to the Uttar Pradesh government, numerous significant institutions have stated their willingness to invest in order to provide high-quality healthcare in aspirational districts and development blocks. So, the Health Department should prepare a good policy as soon as possible for the purpose of encouraging private investment in the development of hospitals in these areas.The needs of the private sector should be kept in mind while formulating a new policy. In the initial phase, we should focus on setting up a hospital with a minimum capacity of 50 beds in these areas. This effort will go a long way in facilitating the availability of quality health services in aspirational districts and development blocks.CM Yogi said, Qualified and skilled doctors should be posted in all government hospitals and health centres of the state. No post should remain vacant anywhere.He said that the availability of specialist doctors in hospitals is of utmost importance. At present, specialist doctors are being made available through direct recruitment and special training of general doctors, but other options should also be considered in future, Yogi said.AConsider increasing the superannuation age of doctors. In addition, the guidelines for doctor redeployment need to be improved, he added.AGovernment doctors should be allowed to pursue higher education even during their probationary period. Extraordinary leave can be sanctioned for this period. A necessary proposal should be prepared in this regard, CM Yogi said further.ANI13 July 2023

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NEW SALEM -- Thousands of country music fans recently gathered under the watchful eyes of the Salem Sue cow statue outside of New Salem for the sixth ND Country Fest.

Organizers of the four-day event at the Morton County Fairgrounds last week expected 15,000 people each day, according to Marketing Director John Gourley. Attendees came from all over the country to see Country Fest, which books some big-name acts.

Day One last Wednesday saw artists Out of Line, Clare Dunn and Rodney Atkins play. The following days feature up to five artists a night, including Sawyer Brown, Justin Moore and Lee Brice.

Each night had a theme. The first day was Give Back Night. Country Fest offered free music admission to the public but encouraged a $20 donation at the gate. All proceeds went to Morton County FFA and 4-H.

The festival offers campsites for attendees to set up campers. Recreational vehicles lined the streets early on the morning of the first day, waiting to get in.

Attendees said they came for a good time and for good music. Dewey Aaseth and his group of friends from Hazen had about 10 RVs lined up next to one another on the campgrounds. They arrived around 5:30 a.m. the first day. It was their fourth year attending Country Fest. Every year its rained, and its a lot of work to come down to New Salem, but its worth it, they said. Aaseth also expressed how much he appreciates the law enforcement and security that help out at Country Fest. He hasnt seen a single fight in all the times hes attended.

We have an awesome time. Its about visiting other people. Meeting a lot of new friends from other parts of the state, he said.

Vendors come from all over, as well. Poach 2 Go, a mobile coffee business, came from Ray in northwest North Dakota. It was the company's first year at Country Fest, and the owners enjoyed meeting new people and talking with other vendors. The first day was slow, they said, but they got customers the next day looking to get their morning coffee.

Crazy Bull Longhorns came from Muskogee, Oklahoma, for its first year at Country Fest. Owner Marty Ross saw the large crowds that the event draws and decided to come himself. Ross sells real cattle skulls, sometimes decorated with crushed glass or paint. If business is good this time, he hopes to come again next year.

New Salem Mayor Lynette Fitterer expressed how much Country Fest has done for the small town. It puts the community of about 1,000 people on the map, she said, and it doesnt just help the liquor stores. Festivalgoers also need food and things for their campers.

The community is phenomenal. They are very inviting, cooperative. They make sacrifices, they put up with traffic, and the businesses are very accommodating, Fitterer said.

She also mentioned that the festival takes place the weekend before New Salems city celebration, the Cow Town Hoe Down. Some people even come back for the event after Country Fest, she said.

For more information on Country Fest, go to https://www.ndcountryfest.com/.
India, Japan discuss furthering cooperation in semiconductor design and manufacturingA

New Delhi, July 13: Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday held a meeting with the CEO and President of Rapidus Corporation Atsuyoshi Koike and a team from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The two sides discussed on furthering cooperation between India and Japan in semiconductor design and manufacturing.A .

India, Japan discuss furthering cooperation in semiconductor design and manufacturingA

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated, Met Mr Atsuyoshi Koike, CEO and President of Rapidus Corporation and a team from the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry, Govt of Japan. Discussed on furthering Indo-Japan cooperation in semiconductor design and manufacturing.A AOn June 6,A Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Japan's former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Japan-India Association (JIA) Yoshihide Suga. The two leaders held discussions on deepening India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership in different areas, including parliamentary exchanges, investment and economic ties.Sharing the details regarding the meeting, PM Modi tweeted, Glad to receive Mr. @sugawitter, Chairman JIA and former PM of Japan, along with the 'Ganesha group' of Japanese Parliamentarians and @keidanren CEOs. Had an engaging discussion on deepening our Special Strategic and Global Partnership in different areas, including parliamentary exchanges, investment and economic ties, P2P links, tourism and skill development.AThe former Japanese PM had visited India with a delegation of more than 100 members comprising government officials, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), and members of the Ganesha no Kai group of Parliamentarians.PM Modi had a fruitful interaction with accompanying members of the Ganesha no Kai Parliamentary group on strengthening Parliamentary linkages between the two countries, as per a release issued by the Prime Minister's office. They welcomed the growing popularity of Yoga and Ayurveda in Japan and discussed ways to further strengthen cultural ties between India and Japan.A PM Modi welcomed Keidanren members to India and highlighted widespread reforms undertaken in the country to improve the business ecosystem. He invited Japanese investors to expand their existing investments and explore new avenues of cooperation, as per the release.Meawhile, Yoshihide Suga has said that it is important to deepen cooperation between India, and Japan as special strategic global partners.While addressing the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) event, the former Japanese PM said that he will be happy to get suggestions on how the Members of Parliament from both countries can work together to improve bilateral trade and business opportunities.Yoshihide Suga expressed hope that the delegation of the 'Ganesha' Group of MPs from Japan, visiting India will give further momentum to the India-Japan relationship and will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen the business engagements.ANI13 July 2023

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Internet is borderless, all nations must work together on cyber safety: MoS IT

New Delhi, July 13: The future of cyber space requires all countries to work together in order to keep it safe and trusted and internet is one area where borders are not recognised, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Thursday.

Internet is borderless, all nations must work together on cyber safety: MoS IT

Addressing the G20 conference on 'Crime and Security in the age of NFTs, AI and Metaverse' in Gurugram, he said that while technology has demonstrated its power to bring in the good, it has also become a force for user harm, toxicity, misinformation and criminality.The internet is an area where borders are not recognized as the victim is in one jurisdiction, the crime in another, and the perpetrator in a third jurisdiction, the minister told the gathering.Chandrasekhar said that we must understand that the future of cyber space requires all countries to work together in order to keep it safe and trusted.We must work in partnership not just in investigation, but for development of framework, tools and protocols on regulation and for addressing the increasing challenges and threats to the safety of digital nagriks all over the world, he stressed.IANS13 July 2023

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Abu Dhabi Judiciary organises lecture: Right to Self-Preservation

Dubai, July 13: The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has organised an awareness lecture entitled Right to Self-Preservation at the Al-Khabisi Council in Al Ain, in coordination with the Abu Dhabi councils at the Citizens and Society Affairs Office in the Presidential Court.

Abu Dhabi Judiciary organises lecture: 'Right to Self-Preservation'

The lecture is a part of Majlisna initiative launched by the Judicial Department in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, to promote legal culture among members of society in a way supporting the security, stability and protection of community members.The speaker Counselor Dr. Mohammed Rashid Al Dhanhani, Director of the Abu Dhabi Center for Legal and Community Awareness Masouliya, addressed the Islamic Sharia teachings regarding the protection of the human soul, the relevant Qur'anic verses and hadiths, as one of the religious necessities that must be preserved.The lecture discussed major reasons for the spread of violence and its consequences to human safety, including improper upbringing, getting used to violence within the family, psychological factors, weak values and methods of dialogue, lack of respect for the other party, irresponsibility, fragile positive spirit of citizenship, social conflicts, weak religious faith and watching movies that glorify criminals and provide society with ways to commit crimes.The lecture explained the social, economic, and security repercussions resulting from the spread of violence. It also touched on the penalties for assault on the right to life, which amount to retribution, and for assault on the physical integrity of a person.The lecture gave some societal advice in this regard, including; complaining about laws and legislation in force by not assaulting people and their right to life, strengthening the spirit of tolerance, love, and respect, and reinforcing positive citizenship by not harming society, in addition to reviving the role of the head of a family in resolving disputes. (ANI/WAM)ANI13 July 2023

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N.Korea confirms test-firing of Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile

Seoul, July 13: North Korea on Thursday confirmed that it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day, with its leader Kim Jong-un vowing to take stronger military offensive until the US abandons its hostile policy against Pyongyang.

N.Korea confirms test-firing of Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile

Guided by Kim, the North launched a new type of the Hwasong-18 missile in a test aimed at reconfirming the technical creditability and operational reliability of the country's core weapon system, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency .It marked the North's second solid-propellant ICBM launch following its first test-firing on April 13,reports Yonhap News Agency.A solid-fuel ICBM is one of the high-tech weapon systems that the recalcitrant regime has vowed to develop, along with a military spy satellite and a nuclear-powered submarine.Solid-fuel missiles are known to be harder to detect ahead of launch than liquid-propellant ones, which require more prelaunch preparations, such as the injection of fuel.The North said the Hwasong-18 flew 1,001.2 km for 4,491 seconds at a maximum altitude of 6,648.4 km, before accurately landing on a pre-set area in the East Sea.Its flight time was the longest ever for a North Korean ICBM, and if fired on a standard trajectory, the missile could have flown more than 15,000 km, a capability that would put the whole of the U.S. mainland within range, according to experts.The test-fire is an essential process aimed at further developing the strategic nuclear force of the Republic and, at the same time, serves as a strong practical warning to clearly show the adversaries of the DPRK, the KCNA said, using the acronym of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.The missile test came as North Korea issued stern statements earlier this week condemning US surveillance flights over its economic water zone, threatening to shoot down American spy planes in case of a repeated illegal intrusion.IANS13 July 2023

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Delhi University opens registration portal for PhD admission

New Delhi, July 13:A The University of Delhi has commenced the process of registration for various PhD programs for the academic session 2023-2024 from July 12, 2023.

Delhi University opens registration portal for PhD admission

The process of registration will close on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. For the academic year 2023-202, the PhD registration portal shall be opened more than one time in an academic year. The process of registration and admission to PhD programs will be in two phases.In phase I, only the candidates who are eligible on the basis of qualifying UGC-NET (including JRF)/UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF) AYUSH-NET/DBT-JRF, ICMR-JRF, DST-INSPIRE or equivalent national level examination/fellowship holders and others (as per Ordinance VI, Notification Amendments to Ordinances dated August 7, 2017, and its Amendments approved by the Executive Council in its meeting held on February 1-2, 2019) will be able to apply, the release stated.Moreover, in phase II, all eligible candidates will be able to apply. However, candidates who become eligible on the basis of appearing in the entrance test will be shortlisted for interviews after the declaration of the result of the entrance test.Registration fee is non-refundable for PhD program is SC/ST/PwBD candidates us Rs 300 per program; and for UR/EWS/OBC-NCL candidates it is Rs 750 per program, the notification read.According to the notification the candidates are advised to check the admission website (www.admission.uod.ac.in) of the University and the website of the respective department for all communications and updates related to admissions.The University of Delhi was established on May 1, 1922. In the last hundred years, the University has grown and expanded immensely and now has 86 departments, 90 Colleges, more than 6 lakh students, and has contributed immensely in nation building.ANI14 July 2023

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CM Yogi launches mega tree plantation drive in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, July 13: With the aim of making Uttar Pradesh a green state, the Yogi government has launched a mega tree plantation campaign in mission mode, according to Chief Minister's Office press release.

CM Yogi launches mega tree plantation drive in Uttar Pradesh

Targets for the tree planting initiative have been assigned to all departments. The Urban Development Department has set a goal to plant about 35 lakh saplings in the state. Last year, 35 crore trees were planted in Uttar Pradesh.Last year, 35 crore trees were planted in Uttar Pradesh. This year, too, the same target has to be achieved. The tree plantation program has been started in all departments. The Urban Development Department has also been given the target of planting about 35 lakh (34.97 lakh) trees. Regarding this, on behalf of the Directorate of Urban Bodies, a letter has been sent to all the Municipal Commissioners seeking a report on the progress made so far in the campaign, added the release.AConsidering the campaign's importance, this entire program is being monitored at the departmental level.AFurther, the Directorate of Urban Bodies has appealed to all urban bodies to plant more and more trees under the campaign. In addition, the directorate has also sought information about the number of trees that have been planted so far this financial year in order to inform the government about the same, read a press release.AMeanwhile, Assistant Director Savita Shukla said that a report on the plantations carried out so far has been sought from the urban bodies in relation to the target immediately so that it can be submitted to the government.She said that the bodies have been asked to provide information on the tree plantations done so far through the Google link of the directorate.AEarlier, in the order issued by Director Nitin Bansal, all 762 bodies of the Directorate of Urban Bodies were given the target of plantation across the state, according to their area. Accordingly, a target has been set to plant 34.97 lakh saplings in a total area of 11257.98 ULB. In the financial year 2023-24, the local bodies are expected to achieve 100 per cent of the set target, it further stated.ANI14 July 2023

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Red fort to remain closed for visitors till July 14: ASIA

New Delhi, July 13: The Archaeologrcal Survey of lndia on Thursday announced that Red Fort will remain close for the general public and visitors on second half of July 13 to July 14 due to heavy monsoon and rainfall in the national captial.A .

Red fort to remain closed for visitors till July 14: ASIA

ln exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 5 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959, the Director General, Archaeologrcal Survey of lndia hereby direct that the Red Fort, Delhi shall remain closed for the public and general visitors from 2nd half of 13th to 14th July, 2023 due to heavy monsoon and rail fall. This issue with the approval of DG, ASI, the official notification read.ARegional Weather Forecast Centre (RWFC) in the national capital on Thursday predicted light to moderate intensity rain in South-West Delhi and adjoining areas.Thunderstorms with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of isolated places of South-West Delhi, South Delhi (Chhattarpur, IGNOU, Ayanagar, Deramandi) and NCR ( Gurugram, Manesar), Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Khurja, Pahasu (U.P.) during next 2 hours, RWFC said.A AMeanwhile, requesting Delhiites residing in flood-affected areas to not leave their houses if not essential, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Yamuna River's water level will peak by 3-4 pm Thursday and then start receding.Earlier today water reached on the Ring Road at the backside of the Red Fort on Thursday as the Yamuna river continued to flow above danger level, and all the shops around Kashmere Gate here will remain closed until Sunday due to the flood situation.Today at 6 pm, the water level of River Yamuna was recorded at 208.66 metres.Due to the rise in the water level of Yamuna and resultant inundation of low-lying areas, traffic movement has been impaired on Mahatma Gandhi Marg (Ring Road) between IP Flyover and Chandgi Ram Akhara, Mahatma Gandhi Marg between Kalighat Mandir and Delhi Secretariat and Outer Ring Road between Wazirabad Bridge and Chandgi Ram Akhara, while the area near Nigam Bodh Ghat was also flooded.Traffic on the GT Karnal Road in the national capital was also thrown out of gear as the Yamuna waters breached the warning mark.ANI14 July 2023

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Cli-fi show The Jengaburu Curse to be out on this date

Mumbai, July 13: National award-winning producer and director Nila Madhab Panda is all set to come up with a cli-fi thriller series 'The Jengaburu Curse'.

Cli-fi show 'The Jengaburu Curse' to be out on this date

Set in a small town in Odisha, the show follows the story of London-based financial analyst, Priya Das. When her father, Professor Das, goes suspiciously missing, Priya is forced to come back to Odisha. As she starts to search for him, a series of strange events ensue that unravel an unlikely connection between the indigenous Bondia tribe and the mining state of Odisha. The Jengaburu Curse, which marks Nila Madhab's OTT debut, delves into the repercussions of mankind's never-ending needs on nature, a statement reported.https//www.instagram.com/p/CuoR7R8M7nO/?hl=enThe series is set to stream from August 9 on Sony LIV.Produced by Studio Next, The Jengaburu Curse is created and directed by Nila Madhab Panda. Written by Mayank Tewari, Paulo Perez serves as the DOP on the series. Alokananda Dasgupta and Durga Prasad Mohapatra serve as music director and production designer respectively. Edited by Jabeen Merchant, the series features Faria Abdullah, Nasser, Makarand Deshpande, Sudev Nair, Deipak Sampat and Hitesh Dave in pivotal roles.Commenting on the show, creator and director, Nila Madhab Panda said, The Jengaburu Curse is the first Indian cli-fi thriller series. The show delves deep into the repercussions of mankind's relentless pursuit of natural resources, revealing the alarming consequences that follow. Through Jengaburu, our aim is to entertain the audience as well as raise awareness about the dire need for environmental conservation. We are proud to have brought together a talented cast and crew and can't wait for audiences to embark on this thrilling adventure with us.ANI14 July 2023

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Will provide free DTH, improve radios reach in villages along Indo-China border: Anurag Thakur

New Delhi, July 13: Union minister Anurag Thakur has announced that his Ministry will ensure the supply of free Doordarshan Direct To Home connections and All India Radio's reach in far-flung areas in villages along the Indo-China border.

Will provide free DTH, improve radio's reach in villages along Indo-China border: Anurag Thakur

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Thakur is currently on a visit to Ladakh.As part of the government's vibrant village programme, he embarked on a three-day tour to Ladakh, during which he stayed in Karzok village, and held meeting with officials to review various schemes. He also interacted with the ITBP jawans at the Karzok platoon post located about 15000 feet above sea level on the Indo-China border.ABesides DTH and radio, better mobile connectivity to residents of these remote villages will be ensured, the minister assured the locals during an interaction at Karzok Village, some 211 kilometres from Leh town.It may be recalled that to achieve the goal of reaching out to the people living in far-flung and border areas through the platform of DD FreeDish, the government earlier proposed to distribute 1.5 lakh free DTH connections in villages in border areas.Asserting that the government is committed to the development of border villages, Minister Thakur assured the local villagers that their demands for better digital connectivity and road connectivity, enhancing tourism infrastructure, sports infrastructure and improved Jal Jeewan Mission will be implemented on a priority basis.ANI14 July 2023

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Assam CM inaugurates Griha Pravesh ceremony for 3.06 lakh beneficiaries under PMAY-G

Guwahati, July 13: Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday inaugurated the 'Griha Pravesh' ceremony for 3.06 lakh beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) during a ceremonial programme held in Guwahati.

Assam CM inaugurates 'Griha Pravesh' ceremony for 3.06 lakh beneficiaries under PMAY-G

The Assam Panchayat and Rural Development department on Thursday organized a mass Griha Pravesh ceremony for more than 3 lakh PMAY-G beneficiariesASpeaking on the occasion, Sarma expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Today, 3 lakh beneficiaries under PMAY-G have performed Griha Pravesh in their houses which were constructed by the Panchayat and Rural Development department of the Assam government. At this moment, we thank and express our gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as because of his blessings, 3 lakh people have been able to enter their houses in a single day, he said.Assam CM further said that the government is likely to perform Griha Pravesh for another 6 lakh families.We hope that, by February 15 next year, we will able to perform Griha Pravesh for another 6 lakh families and the PMAY-G beneficiaries will be increased to 20 lakh. I once again thank and express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sarma said.He further said that after the target set under this scheme will complete, the Assam government will construct 1 lakh houses annually under CM Awas Yojana.In 2 years, Assam has built 8.3 lakh houses for the poor. We have set a target of February 2024, to complete houses for another 6.6 lakh families. Once we complete this, we will further construct 1 lakh houses annually under CM Awas Yojana. Guided by the principle of Antyodaya, the Prime Minister had given us the target of building 19,10,823 houses in Assam. So far, we have built 12,43,584 houses. In the last 2 years, we have built 8.39 lakh houses in our state, Sarma added.Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, MP Pabitra Margherita and senior officials were also present on the occasion.Ranjeet Kumar Das had earlier said, Under the PMAY-G, the centre has sanctioned 19,10,823 houses i.e. 'Housing for All', and out of these 12,41,559 PMAY-G houses have been completed so far. Since May 10, 2021, Assam has completed 8,34,839 PMAY-G houses. We have targeted that, the remaining 6.69 lakh houses to be completed by September 2024, Ranjeet Kumar Dass said.The state has received a total amount of Rs 14,540.84 crore in the financial year of 2022-23 with Rs 13086.76 crore as a central share and Rs 1454.08 crore as a state share.Since the last financial year 2022-23 till date, the state has incurred an expenditure of Rs 10913.24 crore.Ranjeet Kumar Dass also said that as of now 7 clusters have been completed covering 99 beneficiaries under PMAY-G and 19 clusters are ongoing covering 838 beneficiaries across 10 districts of the state.The Assam Panchayat and Rural Development department has trained 4923 masons to meet local Mason demand for constructingA PMAY-G houses.AANI14 July 2023

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Two Mexican nationals have been sentenced for trying to smuggle a group of people from that country across the U.S.-Canada border into North Dakota in March.

Armando De Dios-Carrillo, 38, was sentenced in federal court in Fargo to two years in prison, and Victor Manuel Perez-Aguilera, 35, to 1  years behind bars.

A third co-defendant, Jose Ramon Gonzalez-Resendiz, is set for a change-of-plea and sentencing hearing on July 24.

The smuggling plan fell apart when a pickup truck the men were using got stuck in the snow, according to U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider. The pickup had to be towed, and it was discovered later by Border Patrol agents at a Langdon hotel where the men and some of the people they smuggled were staying.

These strong sentences are another reminder to smugglers: If you think the northern border is a soft target, think again, Schneider said.
Main Sankalp Lekar Nikla Hun...: PM Modi expresses resolve to create bright future for India, its upcoming generation

Paris, July 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that he has come to France with a resolve to create a bright future for India and its upcoming generation and that his whole body and time is for his countrymen.A .

Main Sankalp Lekar Nikla Hun...: PM Modi expresses resolve to create bright future for India, its upcoming generation

"Today's India is finding permanent solutions to its current challenges, problems that have been going on for decades. India is determined that it will neither miss any opportunity nor waste a moment's time. We are working with full force to make the future of the country bright, to make the future of the coming generation bright," PM Modi said while addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris.A"And my friends, I would like to tell you on my behalf...(I have left with a resolve. Every part of my body and each and every moment of my time is only and only for you..is for my countrymen)," PM Modi said.AIn his address, PM Modi also noted that India is witnessing a big change and that the command of this lies with its citizens.A"Today, the land of India is witnessing a big change, and the command of this change lies with its citizens, with the sisters, daughters and with the youth of India," PM Modi said while adding that the whole world is full of new hope for India.APM Modi also pointed out that 46 per cent of the world's real-time digital transactions take place in India. He even dared people sitting in the audience to visit India without carrying cash with them and make all the payments through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) instant payment system."Today 46 per cent of the world's real-time digital transactions take place in India. I would like to challenge you all as well that next time when you come to India, don't carry any cash with you. All you need is just a UPI app on your smartphone and you can travel all over India and live without cash," PM Modi said.AModi in his address also said, "Be it India's UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction."A"India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower," he added.APM Modi also called India the "mother of democracy" and a "model of diversity." Modi also invited members of the Indian diaspora to come and invest in India.APM Modi also acknowledged that the world is moving towards new world order and added that the capability and the role of India is changing fast. He also spoke about India's G20 Presidency.A"Today, the world is moving towards new world order. The capability and the role of India is changing fast. At this time, India is the President of the G20 group. It's for the first time, in a country's Presidency, that more than 200 meetings are being held across the country," PM Modi said.APM Modi said that Saint Thiruvalluvar's statue will be installed in France and called it a "great honour" for India. He said that the issues regarding the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards in Reunion Island have been resolved. He further stated that the government is now trying to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe.APM Modi is in France on a two-day visit as he has been invited as a Guest of Honour by French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day celebrations on July 14. He landed in Paris on Thursday and was welcomed by his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne.AANI14 July 2023

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Dubai to host MEIDAM 2023 in September

DubaiA , July 13: Dubai is set to host the eighth edition of the Middle East International Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine Conference & Exhibition (MEIDAM 2023) from, September 22 to 24, 2023.

Dubai to host MEIDAM 2023 in September

A meeting point for international experts, businesses, and governments, MEIDAM 2023, which is hosted by DXB Live, the experiential agency of Dubai World Trade Centre, aims to highlight the latest innovations in the industry.The conference is set to welcome over 3,000 professionals and experts from 47 countries, making it the largest medical gathering of its kind in the Middle East and Africa.Representatives from over 40 international and governmental medical associations will contribute to a vibrant exchange of knowledge and insights.Leading international organisations will participate in the eighth edition of the conference. This includes the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the European Academy of Dermatology (EADV), the International Society of Dermatology (ISD), and the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists (IADVL).Conference President Dr Khaled Al Nuaimi outlined the vision for MEIDAM 2023, stating, "The conference serves as a hub for the latest scientific advancements and state-of-the-art technologies. It provides a vital platform for emerging Middle Eastern doctors to engage with global researchers, scientists, and practitioners. MEIDAM 2023 encourages the broadening of horizons and fuels global dialogue on dermatology and cosmetic medicine."The conference will include 47 seminars and specialised workshops on key topics in dermatology and cosmetic medicine.Attendees can anticipate 207 peer-reviewed research papers, highlighting recent studies and urgent issues in the field. These will be presented across six parallel academic programmes over the conference's three days.MEIDAM 2023 strives to bridge the educational divide between the Middle East and global leaders in dermatology, offering an interactive platform for the latest advancements in medical technology and fostering collaboration among experts, scientists, and researchers.An exhibition running alongside the conference will feature 109 companies and global brands, highlighting cutting-edge scientific achievements in dermatology, cosmetics, and anti-ageing.Khaled Al Hammadi, Deputy CEO of DXB Live, commented, "We are delighted to collaborate with MEIDAM 2023 for organising this distinguished conference, which holds a significant place on the agenda of regional conferences specialised in dermatology and cosmetic medicine." (ANI/WAM)ANI14 July 2023

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Shivamogga Airport likely to be operationalised from August 11: Karnataka minister MB Patil

Bengaluru, July 14: Newly constructed Shivamoga Airport in Karnataka is likely to be operationalised from, August 11 and all pending amenities in the Airport would be made available by July 20, state minister forA Large Industries and Infrastructure Development, MB Patil, said on Thursday.

Shivamogga Airport likely to be operationalised from August 11: Karnataka minister MB Patil

He instructed officials to ensure that all amenities at the Shivamogga airport should be ready by July 20 while chairing aA progress review meeting of new airports in the state."Ambulance and other vehicles need to be arranged and a coffee cafe is required to be opened. Apart from these, some technical and non-technical staff need to be appointed. The airport should be ready for operations by July 20 and all the requirements should be fulfilled by then," the minister said at the meeting.The Directorate of Civil Aviation has permitted Karnataka State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) to conduct the operation and maintenance of this airport, making it the firstA airport to be maintained by an institution of the state government, the minisrer informed.If everything goes as per plan, the first flight from Bengaluru would land at Shivamogga airport on August 11. Prominent citizens, including people's representatives, will be invited to be part of the historic moment, Patil informed.He also reviewed the progress of the ongoing work for the Vijayapura airport.Voicing his misgivings over the airport not being provided with a night landing facility, the minister directed the officials concerned to introduce night landing facility at the airport."The original plan did not include the night landing facility. So far, about Rs 350 crore has been spent on the airport project and an additional Rs 12 crore will be required to introduce a night landing facility here. Runway work has been completed and all structure-related works will be done in three months. Simultaneously, installation of the equipment will be taken care of," he said.The minister also reviewed the progress of ongoing airport projects at Hassan, Rayachuru and Karawara. He also held discussions on airstrips at Dharmasthala, Kodagu and Chikkamagalu, which were proposed in the recent state budget.ANI14 July 2023

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This is just start: Yashasvi Jaiswal after his debut Test ton

Roseau [Dominica], July 14: India's rising young talent, Yashasvi Jaiswal, has affirmed that his debut Test ton against West Indies is just the beginning and that he is looking forward to contributing more in the future.A .

This is just start: Yashasvi Jaiswal after his debut Test ton

Jaiswal batted for entire Day 2, converting his 40 to a century and now he is just seven runs shy of reaching the 150-run mark.AAfter the match, Jaiswal thanked the management as well as the Indian captain for their support and asserted that there is more to come ahead.A A"I've just gone out to express myself, thankful for everyone, this is just a start and I want to do well going further," Jaiswal said after the match.AHe further went on to say that the moment he reached the three-digit mark was emotional for him considering how hard it is for players to get opportunities in the team.A A"I think this is one of the emotional knock for me, was just proud of myself, it's difficult to get opportunities in the Indian team, I would like to thank everyone, the supporters, team management and Rohit Bhai," Jaiswal added.AFinally, he went to highlight how challenging it was to score runs on a ground where the outfield is slow and the pitch is a slow track which makes it difficult for the batters to score runs.A A"The pitch is on the slower side and the outfield is very slow, it was difficult and challenging, it was pretty hot and I wanted to keep doing it for my country, just play ball-by-ball and enjoy my cricket. I love Test cricket, I like this challenge, I enjoy the situation when the ball swings and seams. We have worked hard on everything," Jaiswal signed off.A AJaiswal's debut Test ton has made him the 17th player from India to score three figures on his Test debut. Along with this, the left-handed batter is also only the third Indian opener to make a Test hundred on debut after Shikhar Dhawan (187 v Australia, 2013) and Prithvi Shaw (134 v West Indies, 2018).ANI14 July 2023

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Henry Cavill goes all out in last outing as Geralt in trailer for Vol.2 of The Witcher Season 3

Los Angeles, July 14: The trailer for Vol. 2 of 'The Witcher' Season 3 has come out, and with it, comes also the time to bid farewell to actor Henry Cavill who played the legendary stoic monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia.

Henry Cavill goes all out in last outing as Geralt in trailer for Vol.2 of 'The Witcher' Season 3

With great VFX and score, the trailer shows Geralt and Yennefer protecting Ciri as she is chased by all kinds of people due to her power as things completely fall apart.Aretuza, the school of all the mages is now being destroyed, blood is being spilt as war is raging, there is fire everywhere and also the threat of the Wild Hunt. The Continent is now completely enveloped in chaos, and Geralt will go to any lengths to protect his adoptive daughter who is bound to him by destiny.Things are left pretty vague overall, but the trailer in its entirety looks very promising, giving a fitting end for Henry's role as Geralt, which will be taken over Liam Hemsworth in Season 4.According to the official Witcher Season 3 synopsis As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it.Entrusted with Ciri's magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where they hope to uncover more about the girl's untapped powers; instead, they discover they've landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line - or risk losing each other forever.IANS14 July 2023

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PM Modi to be guest of honour at Bastille Day parade in Paris

New Delhi, July 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to France, will be the guest of honour at the Bastille Day parade in Paris on Friday.

PM Modi to be guest of honour at Bastille Day parade in Paris

Modi will also meet the Indian tri-service contingent, which is participating in the parade, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron.Later in the day, the Prime Minister will attend a lunch hosted by President of French National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet.Thereafter, he will meet various thought leaders.Late in the evening, Modi will attend the ceremonial reception at the Elysee Palace, which will be followed by delegation level talks and a press statement.This will be followed by the India-France CEO forum.IANS14 July 2023

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US Senate committee passes resolution affirming Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India

Washington DC, July 14: The United States Congressional Senatorial Committee on Thursday passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

US Senate committee passes resolution affirming Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India

The resolution was passed by Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley, Tennessee's Senator Bill Hagerty, and Texas' Senator Jon Cornyn.The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).The legislation reaffirms that the US recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It refused China's claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are their territory, which is a part of the PRC's increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.America's values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the centre of all of our actions and relationships around the worldaespecially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision, said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of Indiaanot the People's Republic of Chinaaand commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners, he added.AMeanwhile, Senator Hagerty said at the time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, it's critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the regionaespecially India and other Quad countriesaand push back against the CCP's broader strategy of territorial aggrandisement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific, according to an official statement.As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defence of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, said Senator Cornyn.Cornyn said further this resolution would reaffirm that the US recognises the Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India.ANI14 July 2023

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Aasif Sheikh to transform into naughty girl in Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai!

Mumbai, July 13: Aasif Sheikh, who essays the role of Vibhuti Narayan Mishra in the popular show 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai!', will transform into a charming and mischievous girl.

Aasif Sheikh to transform into 'naughty girl' in 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai!'

Talking about the 'Naughty Girl' track, Aasif Sheikh shared that upon hearing from Pandit Ramphal, Ammaji becomes aware of the danger threatening Angoori's life. To protect her, Manmohan Tiwari must engage in flirtatious behaviour with other women to make Angoori jealous.Simultaneously, Vibhuti, Tillu , Teeka , and Saxena come to know of the Naughty Girl Gang - a group of girls who entertain affluent businessmen for monetary gain. In a bid to acquire quick funds, they decide to disguise themselves as members of the Naughty Girl Gang and enlist the services of David Chacha as their manager. Tiwari then asks David Chacha to arrange for this gang to visit his house to make Angoori envious and safeguard her life. However, their actions result in all of them romancing Tiwari, much to Angoori's dismay.Elaborating on portraying varied, entertaining characters on screen, Aasif said, Our goal has always been to bring laughter to our audience through humorous storylines and characters that tickle their funny bones. The audience has shown immense love and appreciation for every female role I portrayed in the show. I have portrayed women of all ages onscreen and genuinely enjoy playing female characters. It is not just challenging but also highly entertaining. It is always fun for viewers to witness a man transforming into a woman, and I must say, I think I look great as a woman.The actor shared that he has a collection of clothes in all shapes and sizes, specifically for his female portrayals, stored in his makeup room. Portraying a Naughty Girl was incredibly enjoyable but, assuming a female role as a male artist is not an easy task, Aasif said.The actor had to adjust his voice, perfect the makeup, costumes, expressions, and mannerisms to suit the character.He said, It is an underrated and time-consuming process, involving hours of rehearsals for the outfits, makeup, and dialogue. Everything must be impeccable to capture the charm and oomph factor! I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process and have become quite comfortable with it. The transformation amazed all of us, and we had a fantastic time shooting together. Shubhangi and Vidisha were blown away when they first saw us and couldn't stop laughing.I am sure our viewers will be equally surprised, and I am excited to see their reactions to the mischievousness of the naughty girls. To bring something new and refreshing to the audience, we continuously research, brainstorm, and create amusing and entertaining characters to keep the viewers hooked. Each character is loved and enjoyed by the audience, which motivates me to explore further and strive to surpass my previous performances every time, he added.'Naughty Girls' track will air this week on 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain'. The show airs every Monday to Friday on &TV.IANS14 July 2023

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Iconic Vietnamese restaurant from Delhi opens at Assagao, Goa

New Delhi, July 13:A Vietnamese restaurant VietNom, renowned for its genuine Vietnamese fare, opens its newest location in Assagao, Goa. This expansion, which brings Vietnamese cuisine to the energetic coastal state of Goa, is another significant step for the restaurant after the establishment of its locations in DLF Cyberhub and Worldmark, Gurgaon.

Iconic Vietnamese restaurant from Delhi opens at Assagao, Goa

VietNom seeks to bring its visitors to the heart of Vietnam's colourful legacy in the region where adventure meets leisure. Inspired by the historic city of Vietnamese culture and drawing inspiration from the lyrical river Hoai, a branch of the Bon that is an intrinsic emblem of the old town.The menu at the Goa restaurant showcases the best of Vietnamese culinary traditions, offering a tantalising array of dishes that are guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning palates. From the delicately crispy Soft-Shell Crabs to the aromatic and comforting Duck Pho, the flavourful Pulled Duck Lettuce Wraps to the savoury Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms, guests can embark on a culinary journey that captures the essence of Vietnam's rich gastronomic heritage. Noteworthy dishes also include the delectable Coconut Kaffir Lime Fried Rice and the indulgent Vietnamese Coffee Basque Cheesecake, providing an exquisite blend of sweet and savoury delights. In addition to the exceptional food offerings, an impressive cocktail menu designed to complement the Vietnamese flavours. Divided into two distinct themes, guests can indulge in the GOAT selection, featuring cocktails dedicated to the greatest artists of all time, as well as the Vietnamese Signature collection, where each drink is inspired by indigenous ingredients of Vietnam. The carefully crafted cocktails perfectly harmonise with the culinary creations, offering a complete sensory experience for diners.Not to mention the interiors, which with their organic designs, floating decks, and lush green surroundings brilliantly reflect the essence of the rustic hamlet and pay respect to the natural beauty of the Vietnamese countryside. VietNom has carefully picked materials that showcase Vietnam's natural beauty in order to provide an immersive experience. The interior uses a natural colour scheme of bamboo, wood, straws, terracotta, and stucco texture to create a cosy and welcoming ambiance.The seating arrangements have been painstakingly designed to accommodate up to 96 guests, guaranteeing a comfortable experience for everybody. The restaurant has a wide variety of seating arrangements to accommodate different tastes. Enter the interior seating area to find yourself in a warm and welcoming environment that is evocative of traditional Vietnamese houses. The waterbody seating area is the perfect place to unwind and take in the peaceful atmosphere of the river for those seeking peace and a connection to nature. Enjoy your meal outside while taking in Goa's stunning scenery and fresh air, or head up to the terrace for breath-blowing views. Families, parties of friends, and travellers will all enjoy the cuisine at VietNom.We are thrilled to announce the opening of VietNom in the beautiful coastal city of Goa as it's known for its captivating charm and international appeal, attracting adventurers and explorers from around the globe. It serves as the perfect backdrop for our culinary voyage through Vietnamese culture of dining bringing the serene ambiance of the river with traditional low table and mat sitting area for an authentic and intimate dining experience said Sahil Sambhi, the Owner of VietNom. A thoughtfully designed space inspired by rustic Vietnamese villages pays homage to the breathtaking beauty of the Vietnamese countryside. To bring a piece of Vietnam's scenic charm to Goa, VietNom now resides in the valley of flowers - surrounded by hills in Assagao.The appetising menu, from the aromatic and comforting to savoury and sweet delicacies our guests can embark on a culinary journey with freshly picked ingredients that captures the essence of Vietnamese cuisine & beverages, explained Aakash Nakra, The Brand Chef at VietNom. We aim to transport our guests to the heart of Vietnam, offering them a truly immersive and unforgettable dining experience where the richness of flavours and the quality of ingredients shine through.IANS14 July 2023

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Azerbaijans President hosts Israeli Defense Minister in Baku

Tel Aviv, July 13: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met on Thursday with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

Azerbaijan's President hosts Israeli Defense Minister in Baku

They discussed various regional and global developments... avenues to further strengthen strategic ties and cooperate in the face of common challenges, according to an Israeli statement.They also touched on areas of security and industrial cooperation ... built on the previous meeting held between them this year, within the framework of the Munich Security Conference, added the statement.Gallant expressed appreciation for the president's leadership and personal commitment to deepening the bond between their countries, starting with the opening of the Azerbaijani embassy in Israel.The leaders also emphasized shared goals for greater security, economic and technological exchanges, as well as a common desire for regional peace and stability.On Monday, Azerbaijani security forces reportedlyA thwartedA an attack on the Israeli embassy in Baku. Azerbaijani police arrested Afghan citizen Fawzan Mosa Khan on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack against an unspecified foreign embassy.While the statement by Azerbaijan did not specify the embassy, theA TuranA local news outlet noted that the video released by the country's State Security Service indicated that the suspect had been surveilling the area where the Israeli mission is located.Jerusalem and Baku recently strengthened diplomatic relations. Israeli Foreign MinisterA Eli CohenA visited Baku in April, which followed the March opening of an embassy in Israel. In doing so, Azerbaijan became the firstA Shi'ite country to open an embassy in the Jewish state.Israel has operated an embassy in Baku since 1993, a year after relations were established. It was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union. (ANI/TPS)ANI14 July 2023

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Horse advocates who gathered for a rally to save the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park had a message for park officials: They want to work with the park to keep the herd.

Speaker after speaker at what was billed as the Bully Pulpit Rally on Thursday extended an offer to the National Park Service of expertise and support to help keep the horses, which park officials have said they would like to gradually remove.

We want to work together, said Mary Koncel of the American Wild Horse Campaign. We want to make the Park Service think that theres an opportunity here.

Park officials are drafting a new management plan for the wild horses in the South Unit and longhorn steers on the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Park officials have said their initial preferred alternative is to gradually remove both herds -- which they classify as livestock.

Sherry Mills Moore, vice president of North Dakota Badlands Horse, a nonprofit group that for years helped the park round up and sell horses to preapproved buyers, also said members of her group stand ready to volunteer to help the park with the herd.

Comprehensive management of a thriving, genetically sound herd of horses may be accomplished at a reasonable cost through the use of volunteers, said Mills Moore, a retired Bismarck lawyer.

Members of North Dakota Badlands Horse worked cooperatively with park staff for at least 11 years to help with captures, to collect and pay for DNA specimens, register horses and connect them with owners, she said.

North Dakota Badlands Horse, Mills Moore said, pledges to continue to support the horses as they contribute their important part of the national story represented by Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The Foundation for Shackleford Horses since 1998 has worked with the National Park Service at Cape Lookout National Seashore to manage a herd of ponies -- a model that could be replicated, Koncel said.

I think it can also happen at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, she said, noting that multiple groups, public and private, have offered their assistance.

Gov. Doug Burgum and other state officials months ago offered to help the National Park Service manage the horses by offering expertise from equine programs at North Dakota State University and Dickinson State University, as well as other resources.

The American Wild Horse Campaign has offered its assistance, Koncel said.

We hope park officials take us up on the offer, she said.

Deb Lee Carson, who has photographed the park horses for years and co-founded Wild Lands, Wild Horses to advocate for the herd, said the horses are an important cultural and natural resource that should be protected by federal law.

This isnt the first time the public has stepped up to save these wilds, she said, referring to public outcry when the Park Service sought for decades to remove the herd, until reversing course in 1971 to allow a historic demonstration herd.

This herd is the peoples herd, Carson said. If it werent for Theodore Roosevelts connection to the Little Missouri Badlands, where he ranched and hunted during the 1880s, the park wouldnt have been established, and the herd wouldnt have been preserved, she said.

She urged park officials to come to the table. Lets have a respectful conversation, Carson said.

Several park officials, including Regional Director Herbert Frost and Angie Richman, superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, had a listening session on Wednesday in a meeting with a handful of horse advocates.

Park officials will release their draft environmental assessment, including a plan to manage the horses, this summer. Public comments will be accepted on the draft plan. The comments will be reviewed before the Park Service issues its formal plan.

Park officials, who were invited to attend the rally but werent present, couldnt be immediately reached for comment and have said little publicly during the planning process except to say they welcome public input.

Christine Kman, of Dickinson, head of Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates and the organizer of the rally, said she wants a cooperative relationship with the park  a message she said she delivered a day earlier in the meeting with park officials.

I think there are ways we can work together, she said.

The park officials response? They listened, Kman said. It was a listening session.

As the rally drew to a close, Kman called upon her fellow advocates not to relent in the fight to keep the horses in the park.

Were not done yet, she said.
42Gears SureMDM Expands Support to ChromeOS, Offering Enhanced Management Capabilities

PRNewswire, Bangalore, July 14: 42Gears, a leading provider of Mobile Device Management solutions, is excited to announce that SureMDM, its flagship world-class Mobile Device Management platform, now fully supports ChromeOS.

42Gears SureMDM Expands Support to ChromeOS, Offering Enhanced Management Capabilities

With this expansion, 42Gears SureMDM now offers organizations a complete suite of management features to streamline ChromeOS device administration, ease application management, enhance security, and optimize productivity.ChromeOS devices are popular among businesses and educational institutions for their simplicity, speed, and affordability. Recognizing the growing demand for ChromeOS device management solutions for educational institutions, 42Gears SureMDM is now compliant with Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool (HECVAT) Lite assessments, and the Cloud Broker Index (CBI) list. HECVAT is a security and privacy assessment toolkit designed specifically for higher education institutions to evaluate the risks associated with engaging third-party vendors and service providers. The HECVAT toolkit assists educational institutions in making informed decisions when selecting technology vendors and managing data privacy and security risks.Here's how 42Gears SureMDM ChromeOS support can help IT administrators and businesses1. ChromeOS Apps and Extension Management 42Gears SureMDM now fully supports apps and extensions from the Chrome Web Store.2. Centralized Console Management SureMDM empowers administrators with a higher level of visibility into their device ecosystem by enabling a single, centralized web console view of the entire fleet of managed devices.3. Enhanced Kiosk Management for both Applications and Web With SureMDM, administrators can now provide a secure and productive environment for employees by restricting access to certain Chrome Applications and Extensions, and blocking access to malicious URLs.Additional functionalities and features included in 42Gears SureMDM ChromeOS support- Configuration, Automation, and Application Management With SureMDM, administrators can now offer profiles to configure user and device policies, and application management for deploying and controlling apps. These features enable administrators to efficiently manage ChromeOS devices, enforce policies, and maintain a secure computing environment.- User and Browser Policy SureMDM enables administrators to configure network settings and define user-specific policies, granting precise control over user access, preferences, and settings. Additionally, browser policies offer comprehensive management of ChromeOS security settings and advanced configurations.- Device Policy With SureMDM device policy management, organizations can enforce security measures, manage device permissions, define sign-in settings and enrollment access, and ensure compliance with company-wide policies. This feature empowers administrators with centralized control over ChromeOS devices, reducing potential security risks and ensuring uniformity across the fleet.- Apps and Extensions Policy SureMDM allows IT teams to regulate the installation and usage of apps and extensions on ChromeOS devices. Administrators can manage and deploy Chrome Web Store applications across ChromeOS devices efficiently, and define policies to restrict or permit specific applications, ensuring a secure and productive environment while maintaining compatibility with organizational workflows.- Blocklist/Allowlist Apps SureMDM offers the ability to create comprehensive blocklists and allowlists for apps, granting administrators granular control over the software ecosystem. This feature ensures that only authorized applications are installed and used on ChromeOS devices, reducing the risk of malware, unauthorized software, or productivity-draining distractions."We are excited to expand our mobile device management capabilities to include full support for ChromeOS," said Onkar Singh, CEO of 42Gears. "Organizations can now look forward to improved management capabilities, security, and efficiency across ChromeOS devices. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive solution that empowers businesses and educational institutions to harness the power ofA ChromeOS while ensuring a secure and productive environment for their users."For more information about 42Gears Mobile Device Management's ChromeOS support, please clickA .About 42Gears42Gears is a leader in enterprise mobility management, offering cutting-edge solutions that aim to transform the digital workplace. Delivered from the cloud and on-premise, 42Gears products support all major mobile and desktop operating systems, enabling IT and DevOps teams to improve frontline workforce productivity and the efficiency of software development teams. 42Gears products are used by over 18,000 customers across various industries in more than 115 countries, and are available for purchase through a global partner network. For more information, visitA A ALogoA(Disclaimer The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)ANI14 July 2023

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Finolex Pipes Unveils Peedhiyan Badlengi, Pipe Nahin Campaign to Reinforce its Position as Indias Most Trusted & Durable Pipe Brand

PRNewswire, Pune, July 14: Finolex Industries Ltd, the leading manufacturer of PVC pipes and fittings in India, further strengthens its position as one of the country's most trusted and durable pipe brand.

Finolex Pipes Unveils 'Peedhiyan Badlengi, Pipe Nahin' Campaign to Reinforce its Position as India's Most Trusted & Durable Pipe Brand

The company recently unveiled a compelling new film titled 'Peedhiyan Badlengi, Pipe Nahin' to express its gratitude to millions of plumbers who have played a pivotal role in its brand journey.Conceptualised and created by Schbang Motion pictures, the film celebrates the enduring trust, support, and growing connections among various stakeholders associated with Finolex Pipes. It showcases the remarkable collaboration of three generations of plumbers, highlighting the success of those who have long been associated with Finolex Pipes and continue to proudly endorse its products and brand.During a discussion among the plumbers in the film story, the youngest member curiously wonders why they don't have to install pipes in a particular house. The wise grandfather, the most seasoned plumber among them, shares his experience of using Finolex Pipes in the past. In this scenario, he explains that long back he had fitted Finolex Pipes and it performed very well, not needing any further maintenance or attention. This anecdote highlights the remarkable longevity and durability of Finolex Pipes and fittings. This film draws its inspiration from collective voice of stakeholders across growing footprint of Finolex Pipes with 21,000 retailers and dealers.The film not only pays homage to Plumbers, our water warriors, but also acknowledges their decision to place trust in the reliable and dependable brand, Finolex Pipes. Over the years, this has translated into increased preference and love for the Finolex Pipes and fittings in plumbing, sanitation and agriculture segment and the brand has experienced significant increase in overall awareness and consideration levels in the market. With top class products, thorough testing and validation, fit for all weather conditions Finolex Pipes has seen augmented demand in both the retail and project sales segment.Ashok Jaiswar, Vice President, Head of Marketing and Communications, Finolex Industries Limited says "With this new campaign, we aim to share the success story of plumbers who have long-standing associations with us and continue to confidently endorse our products and brand. The quality of our product portfolio is a testament to the enduring relationships we have built across generations."In order to foster stronger customer connections, Finolex Pipes has consistently invested efforts in raising awareness about the significance of using high-quality pipes, an aspect often overlooked in the category. The brand has also gained recognition for its massive work with plumbers at the ground level, focus on the distribution channel, and active engagement in community service through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm, the Mukul Madhav Foundation.Kashyap Joshi, Executive Creative Director, Schbang said, "When we asked, how long do Finolex pipes last, the answer went from months to years, to decades to generations. So we came up with a script where we let a family of plumbers ask this question to their previous generation. What resulted was a fun film that brings out the product claim in a very memorable way."In the Building Material Industry, Finolex Pipes has earned a stellar reputation and become go-to brand for the Plumbers, Plumbing Contractors, Plumbing Consultant, Architects and Builders. With this new communication, we aim to reinforce our focus on the quality, assurance and long lasting relationships which Finolex Pipes Parivaar has built over last 42 years of presence in India.To watch- clickAKnow more about us on -AKnow more about our community service on -AThis is FinolexWe are India's most trusted PVC pipes and fittings manufacturer. Over the last 42 years, we have impacted the sanitation-plumbing and agricultural sectors with prudent investments across our value chain. Right from the sourcing of quality raw materials and resin production, to manufacturing, storage, transport, sales, marketing and even further downstream to include customer engagementTo stay focused on making superior quality pipes and fittings, and nothing else but that, for forty years, is no mean feat. Aligning every decision, every action, every resource towards delivering quality pipes and fittings. To choose to do just this one thing, and do it well. So that once our customers install our pipes, they completely forget about us. We take great pride in this dependable quality that has not only earned us ISO 90012015 certifications across plants, but also earned us the sincere affection of farmers, plumbers, homeowners, partners, associates and shareholders. They have all come to expect the world from us. Because that's exactly what we expect from ourselves.When we choose to diversify, it's upstream with an open sea jetty to manage our raw materials, and downstream into last mile fulfilment. When we evolve, it has to be in our understanding of customer expectations and finding better machines and processes to meet those expectations. When we choose to expand, it is into newer markets, delivering our pipes and fittings to newer customers. And when we measure our growth, it is in reputation. The effect of which reflects in our bottom line - growing manifold in the last decade.This quality focus is not just restricted to our products, but defines every aspect of our functioning. Whether quality support for our dealers, vendors and suppliers. Quality opportunities to our employees. Superior quality of life, education and health of the people we serve through our various social responsibility initiatives.Over the last forty years, we have steadily added depth to our company, instead of spreading ourselves wide and thin. Consistently delivering the exact same products that fulfil the exact same promise. Every time. That's what makes us a strong brand, with a strong network, and even stronger goodwill. We are Finolex Industries Limited.Partners in CompassionMukul Madhav Foundation (MMF), our CSR partner, is a registered charitable trust under the Bombay Charitable Act 1950. It has dedicated itself to uplifting underprivileged and vulnerable communities with opportunities that pave their path to success. Empowering them with educational facilities, hospitals, healthcare, sanitation and environmental support, social welfare and so much more. Creating a foundation for individuals, their communities and their environment to thrive. MMF also supports existing infrastructure and initiatives by helping them upgrade. We don't simply donate funds, we endow dignity.(Disclaimer The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)ANI14 July 2023

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Freshly procured tomatoes arrive in Delhi, to be sold at Rs 90/kg starting today

New Delhi, July 14: Freshly procured tomatoes, which arrived in the national capital overnight, are to be sold in the retail markets here by the government agency National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), starting today.

Freshly procured tomatoes arrive in Delhi, to be sold at Rs 90/kg starting today

The kitchen staple will be sold at Rs 90 per kg, the consumer affairs department said.Amid a sharp spurt in tomato prices across the country, the Central government on Wednesday directed its agricultural marketing agencies a NAFED and NCCF a to immediately procure the staple vegetable from mandis in key growing states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.The sharp rise in tomato prices has been reported across the country, and is not just limited to a particular region or geography. In key cities, it rose to as high as Rs 150-160 per kg.Once procured, these freshly procured tomatoes are to be despatched for simultaneous distribution in major consumption centres where retail prices have recorded maximum increase in the past one month.The periods during July-August and October-November are generally the lean production months forA tomato.The stocks ofA tomatoA will be distributed through retail outlets at "discounted prices" to the consumers in Delhi NCR region by Friday, this week, an official release said Wednesday.Tomato is produced almost in all the states in India, though in varying quantities. The southern and western regions of India accounts for 56-58 per cent of total tomato production in the country."Southern and Western regions being surplus states, feed to other markets depending on production seasons. The production seasons are also different across regions. The peak harvesting season occurs from December to February," the food ministry had said."The cycle of planting and harvesting seasons and variation across regions are primarily responsible for price seasonality in Tomato. Apart from the normal price seasonality, temporary supply chain disruptions and crop damage due to adverse weather conditions etc. often lead to sudden spikes in prices," it added.The government attributed the rise in prices to the monsoon season, saying that it added to further challenges related to distribution and increased transit losses.Tomatoes have a relatively lower shelf life.Currently, the supplies coming to markets in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and some other states are mostly from Maharashtra especially Satara, Narayangaon, and Nashik, which is expected to last till this month end.Madanapalle (Chittoor) in Andhra Pradesh also has seen continued arrivals in reasonable quantities. The arrivals in Delhi NCR are mainly from Himachal Pradesh and some quantity comes from Kolar in Karnataka.New crop arrivals are expected soon from Nashik district.Further, in August, additional supply is expected to come from Narayangaon and Aurangabad belt. Madhya Pradesh arrivals are also expected to start, the government said.According to the database maintained by the Price Monitoring Division under the Department of Consumer Affairs, per kilogramA tomatoA on average rose by Rs 60-100 this month of what they were in retail markets in early June.Data showed prices of tomatoes in Delhi going up exponentially from Rs 20 per kg in early June to Rs 110 last week. Similarly, in Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, three key consuming regions, the prices per kilogram rose to Rs 117, Rs 100, and Rs 148.Data showed the rates of the staple vegetable tomato were in tune with the rise in their prices in wholesale markets, which jumped substantially on average in June.The rise in tomato and other vegetable prices was reflected in the June retail inflation data.Bucking the trend,A retail inflationA in India rose considerably in June to 4.81 per cent, largely due to a sharp spurt in vegetable prices. Vegetables, meat and fish; eggs; pulses and products; spices indices saw an uptick.Back in May, theA retail inflationA (final) was at 4.31 per cent, hitting a two-year low. It was at 4.7 per cent in April and 5.7 per cent the previous month.ANI14 July 2023

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Chinese hackers breach emails of US Commerce Secretary Raimondo, State Department officials

Washington DC, July 14: Chinese hackers breached the email of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and State Department officials in the weeks before State Secretary Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June, New York Times reported citing US officials.A .

Chinese hackers breach emails of US Commerce Secretary Raimondo, State Department officials

The investigation is underway but the US officials, on Wednesday, downplayed the idea that the Chinese hackers, who are likely to be part of the military or spy services, have stolen the sensitive information, insisting that no classified email or cloud systems were penetrated.The State Department's cybersecurity team first discovered the intrusion.Raimondo, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of Beijing in the administration, was among the targets, according to two U.S. officials.Recently, she tightened export controls on China, threatening to cut off the country's supply of US semiconductor technology if it provides the chips to Russia. Raimondo is also expected to visit China by the end of the summer, reported New York Times.Based on their preliminary investigation, officials believe she was the only cabinet-level official to be successfully hacked. The hackers were not able to acquire emails in Blinken's Microsoft 365 account, even as they got access to other State Department email boxes, officials said.Multiple officials said the attack was aimed at individual email accounts, rather than a large-scale exfiltration of data, which Chinese hackers are suspected of having done before.US President Joe Biden's administration officials declined to give a full accounting of which the hackers had targeted officials.Earlier, on Tuesday, Microsoft revealed that the Chinese hackers with the intention to collect intelligence on the US have gained access to government email accounts.AThe attack was targeted, according to a person briefed on the intrusion into the government networks, with the hackers going after specific accounts rather than carrying out a broad-brush intrusion that would suck up enormous amounts of data, as per the New York Times.It is pertinent to mention that the State Department discovered the intrusion on June 16 and informed Microsoft that day, just ahead of Blinken's trip to Beijing, a US official said. He departed from Washington that evening.After Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen also visited Beijing. President Biden and Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier, agreed in a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, last November to try to stabilize relations, but tensions between the two nations ramped up when the Pentagon discovered and shot down a Chinese spy balloon that was floating over the continental United States in early February.AAfter the discovery of the spy balloon hovering in US skies, Blinken's visit to China in February was cancelled. In a statement on Wednesday, the State Department said that after detecting anomalous activity, the government took steps to secure the systems and will continue to closely monitor and quickly respond to any further activity.After the State Department reported the hack to Microsoft, the company found that the hackers had also targeted some 25 organizations, including government agencies, according to New York Times.ANI14 July 2023

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Alia Bhatt set to star in Aditya Chopras spy universe film?

Mumbai, July 14: Actor Alia Bhatt is all set to become the first woman to headline a film in Yash Raj Film's spy universe, Variety reported.

Alia Bhatt set to star in Aditya Chopra's spy universe film?

The film, in which Bhatt is set to play a super agent, will begin production in 2024,A VarietyA understands.Created by producerA Aditya Chopra, the spy universe kicked off with the Tiger franchise, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, beginning with 'Ek Tha Tiger' (2012) and 'Tiger Zinda Hai' (2017), and continued with 'War' (2019), starringA Hrithik RoshanA and Tiger Shroff. The latest instalment in the universe, 'Pathaan,' starringA Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, is theA biggest Indian hit of the yearA so far.A trade source toldA Variety, Alia is one of the biggest superstars of our country today and she will play a super agent in the YRF spy universe like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan. This will be another epic action spectacle that will leave people at the edge of their seats. Alia will take on a mission that will push her to the edge and this gritty action film will expand the YRF spy universe further.Alia will be presented in a whole new, never-seen-before manner in this yet untitled film. Her inclusion in the YRF spy universe indicates that Aditya Chopra is leaving no audience segment out of the equation for this franchise. Alia is the biggest superstar amongst youth and Gen Z of India and she is also one of the most adored actresses of our generation. She playing a spy in an all-out adrenaline pumping entertainer is a big novelty for all audience skews that she appeals to, the source added.Alia is as big as the biggest heroes of our time and she headlining a YRF spy universe film pretty much cements this perception. Aditya Chopra is very bullish about Alia as an actress who can helm and start a franchise within the spy universe on her own and he will pull all stops to mount this project at a scale that will be jaw-dropping, the source said.The next film in the spy universe is 'Tiger 3' which is all set to hit the theatres on the occasion of Diwali 2023, followed by 'War 2' which stars Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani in the lead roles.Meanwhile, Alia will be next seen in director Karan Johar's film 'Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' opposite Ranveer Singh.The film is all set to hit the theatres on July 28.ANI14 July 2023

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MoFA receives credentials copy from new Ambassador of Chad to UAE

Abu Dhabi, July 14: Saif Abdulla Alshamisi, Assistant Undersecretary for Protocol Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), has received a copy of the credentials of Kedallah Younous Hamidi Elhadj Mamadi, Ambassador of the Republic of Chad to the UAE.

MoFA receives credentials copy from new Ambassador of Chad to UAE

Alshamisi wished the new Ambassador of Chad success in performing his duties and enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation between the UAE and his country.The newly appointed Ambassador expressed his pleasure at representing his country in the UAE, which enjoys a prestigious regional and international position under the visionary policy of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. (ANI/WAM)ANI14 July 2023

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Cillian Murphy-starrer Oppenheimer preview looks like a horror movie

Los Angeles, July 14: Gearing up for its release, 'Oppenheimer' just dropped a five-minute opening look into Christopher Nolan's biopic, and it all plays out more like a horror movie than anything else.

Cillian Murphy-starrer 'Oppenheimer' preview looks like a horror movie

The sneak peek starts off in black and white, showing a meeting called by US Atomic Energy Commission founder Lewis Strauss in which he and Oppenheimer talk about the Soviet Union testing an atomic bomb and its potential ramifications. Oppenheimer calls the building of the bomb, a race against Nazis.The preview then enters a flashback in colour, going back to the time when Leslie Groves Jr. who was the director of Manhattan Project created the town of Los Alamos, for creation of the bomb.Throughout the video, the entire team begins to crack under pressure including Oppenheimer himself, as they deal with the ticking clock as well as pondering over what this one project could to the future of humanity.However, while still surrounded in doubt, Oppenheimer rallies everyone to complete the project, saying that there is no choice as this one bomb would be even more dangerous in the hands of the Nazis.The video then cuts to the building of the bomb, and then the Trinity Test where they explode the very first atomic bomb showcasing the very aspects of nuclear fission, as well as the intricacies of the whole detonation without any CGI.IANS14 July 2023

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Actor Ruslaan Mumtaz returns to Mumbai after being stuck in Manali

Mumbai, July 14: Actor Ruslaan Mumtaz has finally reached home in Mumbai after being stuck in Manali due to the floods and landslides.

Actor Ruslaan Mumtaz returns to Mumbai after being stuck in Manali

Ruslaan took to Instagram Stories to share updates about his whereabouts. The actor shared a picture of a car coming to him in the basement area of the airport, which he tagged as 'Back to Mumbai'.He then shared another picture, where he is seen standing in the balcony and the river being over flooded. He captioned it Can't believe I was here.Ruslaan had earlier shared a picture with the owner of the resort, whom he called a real life hero.He wrote Nakul Mahant - a real life hero. Instead of worrying about losing one of his most precious assets. Nakul made sure that all his hotel guests which included our shooting crew of 40 ppl reached safety.IANS15 July 2023

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Cillian Murphy reveals he read Bhagavad Gita to prepare for his Oppenheimer role

Mumbai, July 13: Actor Cillian Murphy, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming biopic, 'Oppenheimer', has shared that in order to prepare for the titular character and to get into its mindspace, he read Bhagavad Gita, the foundational text of Hinduism.

Cillian Murphy reveals he read Bhagavad Gita to prepare for his 'Oppenheimer' role

American nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War 2, and is often credited as the father of the atomic bomb for his role in the Manhattan Project, learned Sanskrit at Berkley.I have become death, the destroyer of worlds is the most repeated quote of Oppenheimer. He borrowed it from Geeta.Talking about the same, Cillian Murphy said I did read the Bhagavad Gita in preparation for the film. I thought it was an absolutely beautiful text. Very inspiring. It was a consolation to him. He kind of needed it. It provided a lot of consolation to him all his life.'Oppenheimer' is directed by legendary filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who is known for films like 'Memento', 'Inception', 'The Dark Knight Trilogy', 'Tenet' and 'Dunkirk'.IANS15 July 2023

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Oppenheimer cast walkout of UK premiere in support of Hollywood strike

London, July 14: The cast of Christopher Nolan's new film 'Oppenheimer', including the likes of Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Sir Kenneth Branagh, left its London premiere early to go and write their picket signs ahead of a strike by Hollywood's largest actors' union.

'Oppenheimer' cast walkout of UK premiere in support of Hollywood strike

Cillian Murphy was joined by Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon and Rami Malek as they walked the red carpet an hour earlier than scheduled in order to join the walkout, mirror.co.uk reported.The walkout came after the US actors union Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced its first major members strike in over 40 years, after a deadline to reach a deal ended.The reasons for the strike include issues such as the use of unregulated AI as well as the effects of the rise of streaming services on pay.Just moments into the 'Oppenheimer' event at the Odeon in Leicester Square, director Christopher Nolan told the audience that the star-studded line-up had left. Nolan said I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy. You've seen them here earlier on the red carpet. Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them.SAG-AFTRA is an American union representing around 160,000 film and television actors. Before the movie started inside the cinema, Matt Damon explained that he and his co-stars were walking out in solidarity.Explaining to 'Variety', he said that once the strike was officially called, they were going to walk obviously in solidarity.He went on to add That's why we moved this up because we know the second it's called, we're going home.IANS15 July 2023

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Critical Race Theory is the latest acronym to be added to the American vocabulary by state legislatures that lack the courage to admit the streak of bigotry that permeates the phrase.

The North Dakota Legislature has fallen in line and teachers are not allowed to talk freely about African American history.

Of course, the law doesnt specify the targets but it is no secret that white supremacists and Christian-Nationalists are aiming primarily at the African American community.

To conceal their bigotry, CRT is written generally about the idea that racism is systematic in our institutions and assures the continued dominance of the white people, thereby denying 400 years of denigration of Black Americans.

Look at the record.

From the day they were put ashore in 1620, their experience has been bitter, brutal and heartbreaking. At major turning points in American history, circumstances stripped African Americans of their God-given equality with other humans.

African Americans lost in the U.S. Constitutional Convention when the northern states let North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia take charge of creating the new nation. They threatened the convention that they would not sign the document without compromises.

First, slavery would be permitted for the next 20 years; slaves would be counted as three-fifths persons in congressional elections and, according to the Charleston Library, another compromise was to omit any direct references to slavery in the Constitution.

Just as the cotton industry was dying in the 1790s, two things happened: 1. A new variety of cotton could be grown in the whole South and not only North and South Carolina and Georgia. 2. Eli Whitney came up with the cotton gin that could quickly process the new variety.

This brought incredible new prosperity for the whole South, resulting in pressure to expand the countrys boundaries westward.

Just then (1803), President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory, adding thousands of square miles for cotton. This opened the door for cotton planters to move into Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri, Texas and Arkansas. Slavery was given a new birth.

Claiming to be ordained by God in manifest destiny, the United States aggressively pushed Mexico into war in 1846 and signed the peace treaty in 1848 that took almost one-half of Mexico, giving Texas new territory for cotton.

Even the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 by Lincoln declaring that slaves under the jurisdiction of the Southern states were free was fraudulent. The purpose was not to free slaves but to keep England from joining the South in the Civil War.

The election of 1876 resulted in success for Democrat Tilden but a handful of Democrats made a secret deal with Republican Rutherford Hayes to give him all contested electoral votes, enabling him to assume the presidency by one electoral vote.

A part of the secret deal was devastating because it gave jurisdiction of African Americans to the Southern states, leading to another 100 years of terror under oppressive Jim Crow laws and the Ku Klux Klan.

While African Americans won elective offices under the protection of the Army but the Army left as a part of the secret deal after which African Americans not only lost elective seats but were administratively denied the right to vote.

Throughout the last half of the 1800s and first half of the 1900s, Blacks were brutalized by the South until the federal government started passing legislation in 1965 to protect them. Nevertheless, they are still living in a form of slavery that strips them of their equality and dignity.

So the North Dakota Legislature has outlawed truth-telling in the public schools by pretending that CRT doesnt exist. Four hundred years of chronic oppression testify otherwise.
Delhi airport gets fourth runway, elevated cross taxiways

New Delhi, July 14: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday inaugurated the fourth Runway and elevated dual Eastern Cross Taxiways at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

Delhi airport gets fourth runway, elevated cross taxiways

The inauguration marks a significant milestone in the Phase 3A expansion project of Delhi Airport, the busiest airport in the country. With this, Delhi Airport has become India's only airport to have four operational runways.The new runway, spanning 4.4 kilometers and running parallel to the third runway (11/29) on the Southern side, is an integral component of the Phase 3A expansion project undertaken by the Delhi International Airport Limited.AThe fourth runway will facilitate the handling of increased air traffic and, in conjunction with the dual Elevated Cross Taxiways (ECT), will significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions. This development aligns with Delhi Airport's goal of becoming a 'Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030'.The ECT will also help in reducing about 55,000 tonnes of CO2 emission, which is equivalent to planting about 15 lakh trees.In his address during the inauguration ceremony, Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed his satisfaction with the completion of this vital expansion project.He highlighted the importance of modernizing and upgrading infrastructure to meet the growing demands of air travel, contributing to the development of the aviation sector and the nation's economy.India is at an inflection point in her long history of civil aviation. Under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi today civil aviation is a key enabler in the rise of the country's economic power. India is aiming high, it is aiming to touch the sky. Delhi Airport under the vision of the GMR Group is creating new crests. From about 70 mn passengers per year as the biggest airport in India, the Delhi Airport will soon become one of the largest airports in the world at 109 mn passengers per year, he said.Terming the elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT) as a marvel, he added, Today, we are integrating the elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT), the first of its kind in India. For our travellers, this means a reduction in taxi time. The second innovation we see is the 4th runway. This runway makes Delhi Airport the only airport in the country to have four runways. With this comes responsibility. With ECT, we will save 55,000 tonnes of Carbon emissions annually. We are for growth, we are for cresting new horizons but in a sustainable way, keeping with the Prime Minister's impetus to achieve Zero Carbon Emissions by 2070.On the occasion, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO-DIAL, said, This significant milestone at Delhi Airport reaffirms our commitment to excellence in delivering world-class aviation infrastructure. The successful completion of the fourth Runway and Eastern Cross Taxiway would not have been possible without the concerted efforts and support of various teams, including the Civil Aviation Ministry, AERA, AAI, BCAS, CISF, contractors, and airport personnel. Their unwavering support and cooperation throughout this transformative endeavour have paved the way for enhanced connectivity and operational capabilities at Delhi Airport.ANI15 July 2023

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Magnificent milestone. We are under construction.

-- Ed OKeefe, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, as groundwork begins for the library at Medora.

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"We plan for the new bridge to last for another 100 years to meet our customers' current and future transportation needs, as this is a key route for interstate commerce. Replacing our bridge is a massive private infrastructure project, and the biggest one we'll conduct in the state for several years."

-- Amy McBeth, spokeswoman for BNSF Railway, which has started work to replace the Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge over the Missouri River. The project will cost about $100 million and take four years to complete.

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We have an awesome time. Its about visiting other people. Meeting a lot of new friends from other parts of the state.

-- Dewey Aaseth, of Hazen, one of the thousands of people who attended the ND Country Fest music festival in New Salem.

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Theres so much history here, its just fascinating.

-- State Archivist Shane Molander, on 150 years' worth of copies of The Bismarck Tribune stored in the State Archives at the Historical Society of North Dakota.

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The nightmare is over for me and my family.

-- Matthew Alexis, brother of Reonardo Alexis, who was slain in a March 2021 drug killing in Bismarck, after the two suspects were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

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"As the extraction technology scales, companies are going to figure out how thick and how enriched of a bed theyre going to need to make the economics work, and then look around the U.S. to areas where those criteria have been identified. North Dakota having these zones identified and mapped ahead of time is important in that it puts us ahead of many states in that regard."

-- Levi Moxness, surface geologist for the North Dakota Geological Survey, which has identified two areas in the southwestern Badlands that contain high levels of critical minerals, which are needed for U.S. industries ranging from health care to energy to consumer electronics.

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Serving in this position has been a privilege and a blessing. For me, someone who loves the law, the political process and the church, I cannot imagine a better vocation. But I have health challenges before me, and the time has come to focus on other parts of my time on this earth.

-- North Dakota Catholic Conference Executive Director Christopher Dodson, who is stepping down after almost three decades.

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What I am trying to do is be proactive and trying to ensure that future elections are as secure as possible and try to do anything I can proactively to ensure that our elections are secure and bolster public confidence in our election system."

-- Burleigh County Auditor Mark Splonskowski, who is suing the state's election director to block the counting of mail-in ballots received after Election Day.

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We experienced significant year-over-year growth throughout 2022 in taxable sales and purchases. That same growth is continuing into 2023, reflecting our strong state economy.

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We have an experienced and strong leadership team in place that is skilled at handling change and the unexpected, a skillset that is a necessity in our business.

-- Basin Electric Power Cooperative Board President Wayne Peltier, after CEO and General Manager Todd Telesz resigned after less than two years on the job.
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The encouraging: The second semester went smoother than the first at both Urbana middle and high schools. The discouraging: 201 fights at the middle school and 30 incidents at the high school that led to police reports. Unfortunately, high school SRO Chad Burnett said, the latter included arson, battery, sex assault, theft, threats, inappropriate videotaping and found articles.
I didnt tell the truth at all, said Aaron Young, adding he lied about Divontae Baileys presence in hopes of getting a break in his own case.
Im not sure if you remember growing up, but becoming a hormone-addled pimple-faced teenager kind of sucked. Sure, there were great times to be had, but still, there were also those tribulations of changing friend dynamics, suddenly finding yourself with a brand new body with a mind of its own, and also on the cusp of the responsibilities of impending adulthood. While the works of Judy Blume were certainly targeted at young ladies, the stories are relatable to damn near everyone. The most famous of Blumes works is arguably Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret. Loved by millions and a genuine literary classic, so why did it take so long to become a film? Maybe it was because we needed the right filmmaker to come along.

Meet Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson). A precocious young New Yorker, Margarets life is turned upside down when her mom Barbara (Rachel McAdams), and her dad Herb (Benny Safdie) announce the family is moving to New Jersey. Well, they didnt announce it, Grandma Sylvia (Kathy Bates) blurted it out when Marget got home from school. Now in a new town and new school, Margaret will have to navigate the trials and tribulations of meeting new friends, boys, changing bodies, and determining her own faith. If Mom and Dad cant answer these questions, maybe God can help?

For a too long, didnt read version of events, I do vaguely remember reading this book in school, but I dont remember when or for what class. Not feeling like I was in the target demographic, I probably did the bare bones on the assignment before returning to reading some Clive Barker story or horribly violent comic book. Not giving it another thought for most of thirty years, I dove into this film about as cold as could be without even seeing a theatrical trailer. Pleasant surprises being what they are, I found this film absolutely delightful. And Im glad it was a film.

Too often these days the sort of familiar IP content that is right for an hour-and-forty-minute movie (like this one) is stretched thin by being extended into an over-long mini-series for a streaming platform. For the events of the story, this is the perfect length covering a range of important topics with an appropriate level of seriousness while not skimping on the comedic reprieve. What could seem like the most devastating event for a teenager can be quite hilarious as an adult. But for genuinely serious issues like inter-faith marriage or discovering your friends may be your worst enemies, neither Judy Blumes novel nor Kelly Fremon Craigs adaptation take the issues lightly. Through bittersweet honesty, Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret. becomes a wonderfully poignant piece of filmmaking.

Throw age, gender, and religion out the window, this film and its story are immediately relatable to everyone. Craig assembled a terrific cast and distilled the storys essence perfectly. Watching the film, I was hit with memories of the novel I hadnt acknowledged reading in the better side of 25 years. Sure, I wasnt worried about the social pressures of getting my period or breasts (not at all applicable) but I do remember becoming a young man. My generation had a weird thing about getting facial and chest hair as proof of your masculinity and manhood. I was an early bloomer so I was excused from that nonsense, but I remember a kid who pasted cat hair on his chest in an effort to fit in. I remember thinking it was hilarious then, but watching this film as an adult reminded me how hard and terrifying it was to fit in and that willingness to do anything to achieve some sort of social normalcy.

And while those waves of memories (sometimes painful ones) make the film relatable, all credit to Kelly Fremon Craig for finding the line between schmaltzy melodrama and genuine heartfelt human drama. Theres enough sweetness with the sour that the film never feels overly dogged or serious while the humor never feels forced or too cheeky. Every emotional hit, good and bad, lands as intended In addition to the previously mentioned actors, Elle Graham shines as Nancy, Amari Alexis Price is wonderful as Janie, Katherine Mallen Kupferer delivers as Gretchen and Isol Young turns in a lovely performance as infamous Laura Danker.

Front to back, Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret. was just a wonderful film. I went in to review it just to make sure we had the coverage for it, but found myself connecting to it more than I thought I would. This is why I give every movie a fair shake. Some movies are just bad and you move on, but then something like this comes around and youre left happy you gave it the time. Ive got three young nieces thatll need to make this essential viewing if they havent already read the book.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret. comes home to Blu-ray thanks to Lionsgate in a two-disc Blu-ray + DVD + Digital set. Housed in an eco-friendly two-disc case with an identical slipcover, the film is pressed on a BD-50 disc and loads to a static image main menu with standard navigation options.
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are among the most common types of RNA in a cell and are indispensable for protein production in all known organisms. They have an important "translation" function: They determine how the sequence of nucleic acids, in which the genetic information is encoded, is transcribed into a sequence of amino acids from which proteins are built.

Transfer RNAs are generated from precursor tRNAs (pre-tRNAs), which are converted in several steps into the mature tRNA with a complex three-dimensional structure. In some tRNAs, this includes a step in which a certain section, known as an intron, is excised. In humans, the tRNA splicing endonuclease (TSEN) performs this task.

The enzyme RNA kinase CLP1, which binds directly to TSEN, also plays a role in ensuring the correct conversion of tRNAs. If TSEN and CLP1 are unable to interact with each other due to a genetic mutation, it seems that tRNAs can no longer form correctly either. The consequences of this are often seen in the development of neurodegenerative disorders. One of these is pontocerebellar hypoplasia, which leads to severe disabilities and premature death in earliest childhood. This very rare progressive disorder manifests itself in an abnormal development of the cerebellum and the pons, a part of the brain stem.

Although TSEN activity is essential for life, it was to date mostly unclear how the enzyme binds pre-tRNAs and how introns are excised. The lack of a three-dimensional structure of the enzyme also made it difficult to assess the changes triggered by specific pathogenic mutations. By means of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) conducted at facilities of the Julius-Maximilians University of Wurzburg and of the Institute of Biochemistry at Goethe University Frankfurt, researchers led by Dr. Simon Trowitzsch from the Institute of Biochemistry at Goethe University have now succeeded in shedding light on the three-dimensional structure of a TSEN/pre-tRNA complex.

With the aid of their cryo-EM reconstructions, the research team was able to show for the first time how TSEN interacts with the L-shaped pre-tRNA. TSEN then excises the intron from the long arm of the L.

First, TSEN settles in the corner of the L. It can then recognize both the short and the long arm as well as the angle between them," Dr. Simon Trowitzsch, Institute of Biochemistry, Goethe University

The TSEN subunit 54 (TSEN54) plays a key role in pre-tRNA recognition, as the researchers have now been able to corroborate. The subunit serves as a "molecular ruler" and measures the distance between the long and the short arm of the L. In this way, TSEN recognizes at which point the pre-tRNA needs to be cleaved in order to remove the intron.

New findings on the interaction of the RNA kinase CLP1 and the TSEN subunit TSEN54 were a surprise: CLP1 evidently binds to an unstructured and thus very flexible region of TSEN54. It is precisely this region that contains an amino acid most frequently mutated in patients with pontocerebellar hypoplasia. "For us, this is an important indication that drug development in the future should concentrate on maintaining the interaction of TSEN and CLP1," Samoil Sekulovski, first author of the study, is convinced.

The scientists now hope that the structural data will make it possible to simulate models that can be used to search for potential active substances. Trowitzsch sums up: "Although a promising therapy is still a long way ahead of us, our structure indeed forms a solid foundation for a better understanding of how TSEN works and what the disease patterns of its mutants are."
The host

Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner

Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News' weekly health policy news podcast, "What the Health?" A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book "Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z," now in its third edition.

It took more than two years, but the Biden administration has finally kept a promise made by then-candidate Joe Biden to roll back the Trump administration's expansion of short-term, limited-duration health plans. The plans have been controversial because, while they offer lower premiums than more comprehensive health plans, they offer far fewer benefits and are not subject to the consumer protections of the Affordable Care Act.

Also this week, the FDA for the first time approved the over-the-counter sale of a hormonal birth control pill. With more states imposing restrictions on abortion, backers of the move say making it easier to prevent pregnancy is necessary now more than ever.

This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat.

Panelists

Alice Miranda Ollstein Politico @AliceOllstein

Amy Goldstein The Washington Post @goldsteinamy

Rachel Cohrs Stat News @rachelcohrs

Among the takeaways from this week's episode:

The FDA's much-anticipated approval of the first over-the-counter hormonal birth control pill followed the advice of its outside advisory committee. The pill, Opill, will be available on shelves without age restrictions.

The Biden administration announced moves to limit so-called junk plans on insurance marketplaces. The Trump administration had dropped many restrictions on the plans, which were originally intended to be used for short-term coverage gaps.

As the nation continues to settle into a post-Dobbs patchwork of abortion laws, the Iowa Legislature approved a six-week ban on the procedure. And an Idaho law offers a key test of cross-border policing of abortion seekers, as other states watch how it unfolds.

In other news, Georgia's Medicaid work requirements took effect July 1, implementing new restrictions on who is eligible for the state-federal program for people with low incomes or disabilities. And the Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action has the potential to shape the health care workforce, which research shows could have implications for the quality of patient care and health outcomes.

Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Bram Sable-Smith, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-NPR "Bill of the Month" feature, about a patient who lacked a permanent mailing address and never got the hospital bills from an emergency surgery  but did receive a summons after she was sued for the debt. If you have an outrageous or exorbitant medical bill you want to share with us, you can do that here.

Plus, for "extra credit," the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: KFF Health News' "Doctor Lands in the Doghouse After Giving Covid Vaccine Waivers Too Freely," by Brett Kelman.

Rachel Cohrs: ProPublica's "How Often Do Health Insurers Say No to Patients? No One Knows," by Robin Fields, and Stat's "How UnitedHealth's Acquisition of a Popular Medicare Advantage Algorithm Sparked Internal Dissent Over Denied Care," by Casey Ross and Bob Herman.

Amy Goldstein: The New York Times' "Medicare Advantage Plans Offer Few Psychiatrists," by Reed Abelson.

Alice Miranda Ollstein: The Wall Street Journal's "America Is Wrapped in Miles of Toxic Lead Cables," by Susan Pulliam, Shalini Ramachandran, John West, Coulter Jones, and Thomas Gryta.

Also mentioned in this week's episode:

Credits

Francis Ying Audio producer Emmarie Huetteman Editor
Current treatments for atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common heart condition characterized by fast and irregular beats that can lead to stroke and heart failure, have multiple side effects and are ineffective for preventing AFib recurrence.

New research led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in Science reveals that certain immune cells play a major role in the development of AFib. Targeting these cells may therefore represent a promising strategy to treat and prevent AFib.

For the work, senior author Matthias Nahrendorf, MD, PhD, an investigator in MGH's Center for Systems Biology and the Richard Moerschner Endowed MGH Research Institute Chair in Men's Health, and colleagues analyzed single cells from atrial heart tissue collected from patients with and without AFib. The analyses indicated that immune cells called macrophages are the most dynamic cell population in the atria during AFib, and these cells expand more than any other cell type in diseased tissue.

The researchers also created a new mouse model of AFib they dubbed "HOMER" and tested if and how macrophages can cause AFib.

We found that recruited macrophages support inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring, of the atria, which hinder electrical conduction between heart cells and lead to AFib. Inhibiting macrophage recruitment reduced AFib." Matthias Nahrendorf, MD, PhD, Investigator, MGH's Center for Systems Biology

Gene expression analyses revealed that in human and mouse hearts, the SPP1 gene is highly overexpressed in macrophages during AFib. This gene produces the SPP1 protein (also called osteopontin) that promotes tissue scarring and is elevated in the blood of patients with AFib. HOMER mice lacking this protein had reduced numbers of atrial macrophages.

Future therapeutic strategies for AFib could therefore target macrophages or macrophage-derived signals such as SPP1 that contribute to inflammation and fibrosis. "We think that this research lays the groundwork for immunomodulatory therapy of AFib, and we are currently working on several strategies to make this happen," says Nahrendorf.

It will also be important to study how these strategies might complement current care. "By mapping cardiac and immune cells involved in atrial fibrillation, this research advances next steps toward studying how macrophage-targeted therapies may support existing treatment," says Michelle Olive, PhD, the deputy chief of the Atherothrombosis and Coronary Artery Disease Branch within the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Additional co-authors include Maarten Hulsmans, Maximilian J. Schloss, I-Hsiu Lee, Aneesh Bapat, Yoshiko Iwamoto, Claudio Vinegoni, Alexandre Paccalet, Masahiro Yamazoe, Jana Grune, Steffen Pabel, Noor Momin, Hana Seung, Nina Kumowski, Fadi Pulous, Daniel Keller, Constanze Bening, Ursula Green, Jochen K. Lennerz, Richard N. Mitchell, Andrew Lewis, Barbara Casadei, Oriol Iborra-Egea, Antoni Bayes-Genis, Samuel Sossalla, Chin Siang Ong, Richard N. Pierson, Jon C. Aster, David Rohde, Gregory R. Wojtkiewicz, Ralph Weissleder, Filip K. Swirski, George Tellides, George Tolis, Serguei Melnitchouk, David J. Milan, Patrick T. Ellinor, and Kamila Naxerova.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Mercator fellow, DFG, British Heart Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and European Union MAESTRIA 965286.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided partial support for this research, but the release does not represent the official views of NIH.
Professor Simona Stager's team has made a breakthrough in the study of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The researchers have identified the mechanism by which memory CD4+ T lymphocytes-;cells that play a major role in our immune response-;are predisposed to cell death in people living with HIV. The team's findings have just been published in JCI Insight.

In this new study, Professor Stager and her research team built on work done on mice infected with the Leishmania donovani parasite (published in Cell Reports in 2018), which described how a chronic inflammatory environment predisposes certain cells to cell death. This premise led them to think that such a mechanism could be common to other chronic infectious diseases. They then turned their attention to HIV.

"This is an important discovery, since the cell death mechanism we demonstrated could be involved in other chronic infections like COVID-19 and visceral leishmaniasis in humans."  Simona Stager, Professor at INRS and expert in immunology of infectious diseases.

A molecular imprint leading to cell death

In most people living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral treatment, residual inflammation persists despite some degree of viral control. The memory CD4+ T cells of people undergoing treatment are known to be prone to cell death. However, until today, the underlying mechanism remained largely unknown.

The researchers found that memory CD4+ T cells have a higher expression of the TLR7 receptor and the IRF5 transcription factor, which represents an imprint in these cells-;predisposing them to cell death. The results also show that IRF-5 inhibitory peptides can block this predisposition.

The imprint Stager's team observed is the consequence of a chronic inflammatory environment. The results of this study could therefore have implications for other chronic infectious diseases characterized by a significant inflammatory environment.

Memory cells: keepers of immunity

Memory cells assist the immune system in protecting itself against a pathogen after an initial encounter with it. This is the basic principle of vaccines, which provoke a memory immune response-;and therefore immunity-;against an infectious agent. Consequently, the loss of these memory cells is a major risk for anyone suffering from a chronic infection.

In 80% of people living with HIV and receiving treatment, this discovery could help preserve memory cells. For the 20% of individuals in whom treatment remains ineffective, the breakthrough proposed by Professor Stager's team could open the door to a more suitable therapy.

Liseth Carmona Perez, a PhD student at INRS, spearheaded the project. Her research interests focus on infectious diseases and T lymphocytes, cells that play a major role in the human immune response. Liseth worked under the supervision of Professor Stager and was accompanied by three other students: Linh Thuy Mai, Tanja Stogerer, and Sharada Swaminathan at the Armand-Frappier Sante Biotechnologie Research Centre.

I feel very lucky to be able to work alongside such an incredible research group. I am hoping that our work will not only contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge, but also eventually lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches for managing chronic infectious diseases." Liseth Carmona Perez, doctoral student in virology and immunology

For this publication, Professor Simona Stager and doctoral student Liseth Carmona Perez collaborated with the laboratory of Dr. Betsy Barnes of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York, along with leading HIV specialists: Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy of McGill University and his postdoctoral student Stephane Isnard as well as Julien van Grevenynghe, professor at INRS and Xavier Dagenais-Lussier, his PhD student at the time of the research.
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important in drug discovery. Advances in the use of Big Data, learning algorithms and powerful computers have now enabled researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) to better understand a serious metabolic disease.

Cystinosis is a rare lyosomal storage disorder affecting around 1 in 100,000 to 200,000 newborns worldwide. Nephropathic (non-inflammatory) cystinosis, the most common and severe form of the disease, manifests with kidney disease symptoms during the first months of life, often leading to kidney failure before the age of 10.

Children with cystinosis suffer from a devastating, multisystemic disease, and there are currently no available curative treatments." Olivier Devuyst, head of the Mechanisms of Inherited Kidney Disorders (MIKADO) group and co-director of the ITINERARE University Research Priority Program at UZH

The UZH researchers worked with Insilico Medicine, a company that uses AI for drug discovery, to uncover the underlying cellular mechanism behind kidney disease in cystinosis. Leveraging model systems and Insilico's PandaOmics platform, they identified the disease-causing pathways and prioritized therapeutic targets within cystinosis cells. Their findings revealed a causal association between the regulation of a protein called mTORC1 and the disease.

Alessandro Luciani, one of the research group leaders, explains: "Our research showed that cystine storage stimulates the activation of the mTORC1 protein, leading to the impairment of kidney tubular cell differentiation and function."

Promising drug identified for treatment

As patients with cystinosis often require a kidney transplant to restore kidney function, there is an urgent need for more effective treatments. Utilizing the PandaOmics platform, the UZH research team therefore embarked on a search for existing drugs that could be repurposed for cystinosis. This involved an analysis of the drugs' structure, target enzymes, potential side effects and efficacy in the affected tissues. The already-licensed drug rapamycin was identified as a promising candidate for treating cystinosis. Studies in cell systems and model organisms confirmed that treatment with rapamycin restored the activity of lysosomes and rescued the cellular functions.

Olivier Devuyst and Alessandro Luciani are optimistic about future developments: "Although the therapeutic benefits of this approach will require further clinical investigations, we believe that these results, obtained through unique interdisciplinary collaboration, bring us closer to a feasible therapy for cystinosis patients."

Study participants

Scientists from the University of Zurich (UZH), the Faculty of Medicine at UCLouvain in Brussels, the Microsoft Research-University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, and the company Insilico Medicine were involved in the study. The USA's Cystinosis Research Foundation and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided funding for the study.
People with more empathy and cosmopolitan beliefs are more likely to support the international sharing of coronavirus vaccines, a new study shows.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many residents of high-income countries were eligible for COVID-19 vaccine boosters, while many residents of lower-income countries had not yet received a first dose.

Researchers analyzed the levels and predictors of international vaccine solidarity through a survey of around 2,000 German adults in the autumn of 2021. They measured their preferences for sharing vaccine supplies internationally versus using that supply as boosters for the domestic population.

Almost half  48 per cent  prioritised giving doses to citizens in less developed countries. A third of respondents preferred to use available doses as boosters domestically, and a fifth of respondents (19 per cent) did not report a preference.

Respondents were asked: "Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic requires difficult decisions. By the end of September, about 64 percent of people eligible for vaccination had been vaccinated at least once. What do you think is the more important priority now for the use of Germany's vaccine stocks: offering a third vaccine dose ("booster vaccination") to people in Germany or giving vaccine stocks for first and second vaccine doses to less developed countries?"

The survey was fielded when the number of daily COVID-19 cases was decreasing, but before the Omicron variant was discovered. The supply of booster shots was still limited both within Germany and much more so globally. Booster shots were only available to larger groups of the population later in Germany.

Relative to SPD (Social Democrats) supporters, respondents who identified with the conservative CDU showed less support for international vaccine solidarity. Individuals who identified with the Green Party showed more support for dose sharing.

The study was carried out by Florian Stoeckel, Paula Szewach, Jason Reifler and Jack Thompson, from the University of Exeter, Sabrina Stockli, from the University of Bern and University of Zurich, Matthew Barnfield from the University of Essex, Joseph B. Phillips from the University of Kent, Benjamin Lyons from the University of Utah, Vittorio Merola from Durham University

We found that a plurality prefer sharing doses of the COVID-19 vaccine internationally over keeping them in the host country. This highlights that politicians might have some room to maneuver and fulfil international vaccine-sharing pledges. Our result is particularly noteworthy given that international vaccine sharing, at the time of the survey, was not a prominent part of public discourse, which was mostly focused on national vaccine uptake. It is also important to note that almost one in five respondents had no view, leaving room for opinions to crystallize. There seems to be potential for more international vaccine sharing and for communication that increases the salience of the issue, which could mobilize further support." Dr. Florian Stoeckel, University of Exeter

Those who scored higher on empathy and those who support domestic redistribution were more inclined to support redistributing vaccines internationally. To the extent that German citizens think about vaccine solidarity, they treated it like a typical foreign aid issue.

Older respondents  the group most at risk to COVID-19  did not consistently show less support for vaccine solidarity, researchers have found.

Dr Stoeckel said: "We found there is substantial public support among citizens to share doses internationally at least when infection rates are at a modest level and falling. The COVID-19 pandemic is hopefully over, but international inequality when it comes to access to medical supplies is an ongoing global challenge. We hope to contribute to the discussion on ways how these challenges can be addressed."
Doctors in Seattle are reporting a history-making case in which a patient received two donor organs, a liver and a heart, to prevent the extreme likelihood that her body would reject a donor heart transplanted alone. In this innovative case, the organ recipient's own healthy liver was transplanted, domino-like, into a second patient who had advanced liver disease.

The dual-organ recipient, Adriana Rodriguez, 31, of Bellingham, Washington, has recovered well since the Jan. 14, 2023, procedures, said Dr. Shin Lin, a cardiologist at the UW Medicine Heart Institute. He is the lead author of the paper describing the novel approach, just published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.

Heart-liver transplants to one recipient are seldom performed, Lin said. In fact, this was the first such case for UW Medicine surgeons. In cases previously reported in literature, the patients have needed the two grafts to replace both failing organs.

Rodriguez's case was unprecedented in two ways: Her own liver was healthy, and she received a donor liver only to mitigate the near-certainty, in her medical team's opinion, that her body would immediately reject the donor heart she desperately needed.

She met all criteria for transplant, but her antibodies (to the antigens of organ donors) were the highest we've ever seen. Finding an immunologic match for her heart alone was going to be like trying to win the lottery. Essentially she would have needed the donor to be her immunologic twin." Dr. Shin Lin, Cardiologist at the UW Medicine Heart Institute

Rodriguez's need for a heart transplant stemmed from a spontaneous tear within her coronary artery that occurred Dec. 8, 2022. Such "dissections," in medical parlance, are rare but not unheard-of among women around the time of pregnancy.

Two weeks earlier, Rodriguez had given birth to her third child at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham.

"There are thought to be hormonal changes and stress in pregnancy that can make the coronary arteries vulnerable to these tears," said Dr. Daniel Fishbein, a heart failure specialist on Rodriguez's team. "In the best-case scenario, a dissection heals without much heart damage and the patient goes home with medications and gets better. But this patient had terrible heart failure."

Rodriguez's doctors at PeaceHealth initially treated the coronary artery dissection with an aortic balloon pump to help her heart circulate blood. Then they transferred her to UW Medicine, where doctors found that her dissection had caused widespread, permanent damage to her heart.

In the month that followed, Rodriguez's team removed the balloon pump and employed other devices to try to supplant her heart's pumping function.

"The dissection injured her heart a lot. We attempted to remove her from support over time to see if her heart was recovering, and she continued to fail that," said Dr. Jay Pal, a cardiothoracic surgeon. "We went through a variety of support strategies to try to help her heal without ECMO and without transplant, but ultimately there was no other choice."

On Dec. 14, doctors connected Rodriguez to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system (ECMO). This machine pumps and oxygenates blood, temporarily unburdening the patient's heart and lungs. ECMO enables some patients to recover strength and forgo additional procedures, but in this case, Pal said, "going on ECMO meant she probably was going to need a transplant to get off ECMO."

Rodriguez was officially listed for heart transplant on Jan. 5.

With every transplant, doctors measure the prospective recipient's antibodies to gauge the likelihood of donor organ rejection. Someone whose levels are high is described as being "highly sensitized."

"Pregnant women are more likely to have high sensitization because when they carry a child, their body develops antibodies against antigens that come from the father," said Lin. "These antibodies don't attack the fetus, but if you transplant that person, those antibodies will attack the transplanted organ -; sometimes within minutes."

Rodriguez's workup suggested she had a high likelihood of rejecting an organ from 99% of potential donors. Poring through medical literature for other ideas, Lin found an observational study from 2021 that noted a "profound immunologic protection" seen with a heart-after-liver transplant (HALT) protocol among seven highly sensitized patients who needed both organs.

Although the data pool was too small to instill full confidence, and even though Rodriguez didn't need a liver, Lin thought the HALT protocol was her best chance to survive. He proposed the idea to the team, with one amendment: Rodriguez's healthy liver would be transplanted in parallel to another patient who needed that organ. HALT could become HALT-D, for domino.

Several of Lin's colleagues initially were resistant.

"There was concern that this was an unproven treatment in a complex patient. But there were no other ideas or techniques that would allow this young mother to be free from ECMO and leave the hospital," Pal said. "Dr. Lin's unyielding belief that HALT-D would be successful convinced us. Ultimately, Adriana is alive and doing well because of his conviction."

On Jan. 14, organ-procurement agency LifeCenter Northwest notified UW Medicine that two organs had become available from a deceased donor. This set in motion a carefully orchestrated, 17-hour sequence at UW Medical Center-Montlake:

First, Drs. Mark Sturdevant and Ramasamy Bakthavatsalam removed Rodriguez's liver and placed it on ice, then transplanted her with the donor liver. Drs. Pal and Ionnis Dimarakis then transplanted the donor heart while Sturdevant and Bakthavatsalam transplanted Rodriguez's liver into a patient in an adjacent operating room.

"We looked at (Rodriguez's) antibodies almost every day," Lin recalled. "It was not until 65 days after transplant that her antibodies against these donor organs disappeared altogether. That's when I felt like I could finally breathe easier. That meant it was an unqualified success."

Exactly why a donor liver would confer immunoprotection on a donor heart is still a bit of medical mystery, Fishbein suggested.

"I think we don't fully understand the science of transplant immunology. We can learn a lot from patients like this. We need to understand the magic so we can hopefully, someday, repeat it with medications instead of an organ."

Six months out from her procedures, Adriana Rodriguez offered her thanks:

"There are no words to express my gratitude for my exceptional care -; to the doctors and surgeons brainstorming on how to save my life, to my nurses for going the extra mile to make me feel comfortable, and to everyone working on my case that I didn't get to meet.

"I pray no other woman goes through this, but I hope my situation will benefit them and bring them hope," she said.
Hyundais sister company Kia Motors has today announced the commencement of bookings for newly unveiled Seltos SUV. The company has also introduced a K-Code program, which allows existing Kia customers to skip a long waiting period, and get their SUVs delivery before anyone else.

If wondering how to get that code, this only can be generated by existing Seltos owners from the Kia India website. Or they can acess MyKia app for the same. However, the K-code will not be applicable after July 14. Meanwhile, bookings for the all-new Seltos can also be made either from authorized Kia dealerships across the country or from companys official website.

Heres What Companys CEO Said About 2023 Seltos

Commenting about the updated SUV, Mr. Tae-Jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India, said, We are happy to initiate the pre-bookings for the latest avatar of Kias most successful brand  The Seltos. We are confident that the new Seltos will carry on the baton of Kias growth journey similar to the current Seltos. We acknowledge the invaluable contribution of existing Seltos customers who have earned the special privilege of sharing the K-Code. I am sure they will do their bit to ensure that the legacy of the Seltos lives on."

2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Launch (Photo: Paras Yadav/News18.com)

2023 Kia Seltos Engine

The Kia Seltos facelift will be available in 7 models  HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX, HTX+, GTX+ and X Line. Talking about the powertrain, customers will get the SUV with 3 engine options. The first one will feature a 1.5L normal petrol, the second one 1.5-litre turbo petrol. While the last one is powered by a 1.5L turbo diesel engine. The units will be equipped with a 6-speed auto-clutch manual transmission (ACMT), 6-speed manual (MT), and automatic transmission (CVT).

2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Launch (Photo: Paras Yadav/News18.com)

2023 Kia Seltos Expected Price

It has been reported that the brand might launch the c-segment SUV under the price bracket of Rs. 11.50 lakhs to Rs. 19.50 lakhs (ex-showroom). However, the company is yet to release official details about the same.
Kia India has achieved the production milestone of 10 lakh units in the country. With the roll out of 1 millionth made-in-India car from the Anantapur factory in Andhra Pradesh, it has become Indias fastest and youngest carmaker to accomplish this feat.

The South-Korean automaker hosted a special ceremony at its global facility in Anantapur to celebrate this momentous occasion. The ceremony was graced by the presence of esteemed guests from Govt. of Andhra Pradesh including Honble Minister for Finance, Planning and Legislative Affairs, Mr. Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Honble Minister of Industries, Infrastructure, Investment & Commerce, Information Technology, Mr. Gudivada Amarnath, Honble Member of Parliament, Mr. Gorantla Madhav and Honble Member of the Legislative Assembly from Penukonda, Mr. G Sankaranarayana.

This celebration also marked the start of production of the all-new Seltos which was unveiled a few days back in the Indian market. The bookings for the 2023 Kia Seltos facelift has also started in the domestic market which now comes with 32 safety features including the Level 2 ADAS tech. In addition, it gets the much-awaited panoramic sunroof as well.

Unveiling the 1 millionth car, Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India, said, This is a big moment for us, our employees, and our partners who have lived and supported our journey and helped us in making Kia an integral part of Indian consumers lives today. We are extremely grateful for their support and the love of our customers. I feel that the future is bright for Kia India, and the new Seltos marks the beginning of an exhilarating chapter as we continue to drive towards automotive excellence in the Indian market. We will remain dedicated to driving innovation, pushing boundaries, and shaping the future of mobility in India."

Kia forayed in the Indian market nearly four years back in August 2019 with the launch of Seltos SUV. The brand sold 5 lakh units in India in a record time of only 46 months, which is even less than four years. The South Korean automaker expanded its product portfolio by introducing Carnival and Sonet in 2020, followed by the Carens and EV6 in 2022.

Kia India stated that more than 5.32 lakh units of the Seltos have been wheeled out of the Seltos, followed by 3.32 lakh Sonets and 1.20 lakh Carens MPVs. The company further said that it aims to capture 10 percent of the market share in the passenger vehicle segment in the Indian market while increasing the dealership count to 600+ from the existing 300+ in the country.
Kyle Fitzsimons, a butcher from Maine who wore a white smock with a "Kyle" label as he physically assaulted police during the January 6 domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced to seven years in prison yesterday. The judge found Fitzsimons guilty on 11 counts, "including seven felonies such as obstruction of an official proceeding, using a dangerous or deadly weapon on officers and inflicting bodily injury on officers," reports The Washington Post.

Prosectors had asked for 15 years, arguing that the Fitzsimons' extremely violent attacks against police officers that day destroyed the career and physical well-being of at least one officer.

As reported in The Washington Post:

[Fitzsimons] twice charged into the phalanx of officers protecting the upper West Terrace tunnel on the afternoon of Jan. 6, at one point grabbing the shield strap and wrenching the shoulder of Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell. The officer testified that the pain was so bad he considered using his gun to shoot Fitzsimons before he was freed. He suffered a partially torn rotator cuff and labrum, and wasforced to take a medical retirement. Video also captured Fitzsimons hurling his bow like a spear into the crowd of officers, striking one in the head, and also being involved in a tussle with D.C. Police Sgt. Phuson Nguyen, during which the officer's gas mask was dislodged and another rioter then poured chemical spray into Nguyen's face before the mask snapped shut. Nguyen testified that he got knocked down at the same time, and "I thought that was it for me. I thought that's where I'm going to die."

As Trump cultist Rep, Andrew Clyde would say, Fitzsimons is just another "normal tourist."
In a remarkable achievement, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai has secured the fourth position in the prestigious Travel + Leisure Readers 10 Favorite International Airports of 2023 survey.

This survey, conducted by a renowned US-based travel magazine, gathered opinions from readers worldwide to determine their preferred international airports.

CSMIA stands out as the sole Indian airport to make it to the coveted list, which speaks volumes about its excellence in providing a top-notch travel experience. With an impressive reader score of 86.47, the airport has earned recognition for its exceptional amenities and convenience. Leading the pack is Singapore Changi Airport, followed closely by Dubai International Airport and Hamad International Airport in Doha.

The survey evaluated airports based on several factors, including accessibility, check-in and security procedures, dining and bar options, shopping facilities, and overall design. Once again, airports in Asia and the Middle East dominate the Worlds Best Awards" survey for 2023, further highlighting their commitment to providing a memorable experience for travelers.

Expressing their delight, an official statement from Mumbai airport acknowledged the recognition and commended the airports continuous efforts to deliver world-class hospitality and an extraordinary travel experience. CSMIA has left an indelible mark on travelers, deserving its well-earned place on this prestigious list," the statement read. The inclusion of CSMIA on this esteemed roster serves as a testament to its unwavering dedication to excellence and leaving a lasting impression on passengers.

The statement further emphasized that the Mumbai airport goes beyond conventional norms, offering experiences that redefine modern air travel while showcasing the rich Indian culture to passengers. It caters to travelers seeking longer layovers by providing an extensive range of amenities for their convenience and enjoyment. CSMIA now hosts travelers who wish to have extended layovers, making the most of the abundance of amenities available to them," the statement added.

The Worlds Best Awards survey, conducted annually by Travel + Leisure, invites readers to share their opinions on various aspects of travel, including top hotels, resorts, spas, cruise ships, airlines, and more. This year, an impressive 165,000 readers participated in the survey, contributing to the comprehensive rankings that guide discerning travelers in making informed choices.
In a move aimed at easing traffic congestion and minimizing inconvenience caused by the ongoing construction activities of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project-1, the Mumbai Traffic Police has issued a crucial traffic advisory.

With an objective to ensure smooth vehicular movement, the police have restricted the access of private buses on the Eastern Freeway until October 31, 2023.

The traffic advisory was issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), Traffic, Mumbai, Gaurav Singh. The notification highlighted that the construction work of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project-1 has significantly impacted the flow of vehicles on the Eastern Freeway. In order to maintain the safety of commuters and alleviate any potential dangers and obstructions, the traffic police have enforced this order.

According to the notification, private buses will be prohibited from plying on both the South and North bound sections of the Eastern Freeway until the specified date of October 31, 2023.

The decision was made after careful evaluation of the ongoing construction works impact on the Eastern Freeway, which has resulted in potential risks and inconvenience for the public. To address these issues, the Mumbai Traffic Police has outlined alternative routes for private passenger buses.

Southbound Private Passenger Buses: Route

The prescribed path for southbound private passenger buses is as outlined below: Starting from Bhakti Park, the route progresses through Shanti Nagar, Dayashankar Chowk, Godrej Junction, Sewree Phatak, Gadi Adda, Reay Road/BPT Toll naka, Kaklij Chowk, P. DMello Road, Wadibunder, and onwards to their respective destinations.

Northbound Private Passenger Buses: Route

On the other hand, private passenger buses traveling northbound are advised to take the following route: Wadibunder - P. DMello Road - Kaklij Chowk - Reay Road/BPT Toll naka - Gadi Adda - Sewree Phatak - Godrej Junction - Dayashankar Chowk - Shanti Nagar - Bhakti Park - and proceed to their intended destinations.

These alternative routes have been strategically planned to divert private passenger buses from the Eastern Freeway, ensuring smoother traffic flow and minimizing disruptions to the ongoing construction work.

The Mumbai Traffic Police earnestly urges all private bus operators, drivers, and commuters to strictly adhere to this advisory during the specified period. By actively collaborating and adhering to the assigned alternative routes, the general public can make a substantial contribution towards safeguarding the safety and convenience of all commuters during the construction period of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project-1.
Foxconn is in discussions with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC)

and Japans TMH Group for joint venture and technology partnerships to start semiconductor fabrication units in India, according to an ET report quoting people with knowledge of the development.

Earlier this week, Taiwan-based Foxconn ended its joint venture to manufacture semiconductors in India with Indias Vedanta Group.

Foxconn is in talks with TSMC and TMH for some time now and the details of the partnerships are likely to be finalised soon, according to the ET report.

While TSMC is among the worlds largest chip foundries, TMH provided semiconductor solutions as well as operation and maintenance of manufacturing equipment.

After the central government asked Vedanta and Foxconn to bring in tech expertise on board as they lacked chip manufacturing know-how, Foxconn was also in advanced talks with European company STMicro and GlobalFoundries of the US for a technology partnership.

In December 2021, the central government announced a $10-billion semiconductor incentive programme to provide a 50 per cent subsidy on capital expenditure to companies that set up chip manufacturing units in the country.

Why Did Foxconn and Vedanta Part Ways?

Foxconn recently said, Both parties mutually agreed to part ways. This is not a negative. There was recognition from both sides that the project was not moving fast enough, there were challenging gaps we were not able to smoothly overcome, as well as external issues unrelated to the project.

We have seen some media reports portraying Foxconns withdrawal from the joint venture with Vedanta as a negative example of the Groups investment integrity. That is absolutely not the case."

It added that when Foxconn course corrects, it is done only after heavy consideration on the near-term impact on its stakeholders, and on the long-term corporate health of the Group and its shareholders.

Building fabs from scratch in a new geography is a challenge, but Foxconn is committed to investing in India. We have been working on challenges like this since the 1980s. Foxconn has no intention to do anything but continue to strongly support the governments Make In India ambitions and establish a diversity of local partnerships that meet the needs of stakeholders," Foxconn has said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris highlighted the ongoing economic reforms in India and urged the French business leaders to harness opportunities that the country offers. He made these remarks on Friday while addressing the India-France CEO forum which saw the participation of business leaders hailing from diverse sectors including manufacturing, defence, and technology.

President @EmmanuelMacron and I met top CEOs to discuss ways to diversify business cooperation. I highlighted the reforms in India and urged entrepreneurs to harness the many opportunities our nation offers, the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

The Prime Minister highlighted Indias mission-mode reform journey and various initiatives undertaken to boost business environment, according to External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. He spoke about the strides being made by India in renewables, startup, IT, digital payments infrastructure and pharma.

Bolstering - economic partnership!PM @narendramodi and President @EmmanuelMacron addressed a group of leading Indian & French CEOs hailing from diverse sectors including aviation, manufacturing, defence, technology, energy among others. PM highlighted Indias mission-mode pic.twitter.com/VXYSLD2abv  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 14, 2023

In the meeting held along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Modi also exhorted the business leaders of India and France to work towards accelerating the journey of friendship between the two countries. The business community of the nations has contributed a lot in strengthening bilateral ties, he said.

I would like you to work for accelerating and strengthening this great journey of the two nations, he said while committing to extend full support to them in their endeavour on behalf of Indian and French leadership.

Observing that India and France have completed 25 years of strategic partnership, Modi said the business leaders of the two countries have played a big role in the long journey. We are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership. In this journey, the business leaders have played a big role, Modi said.

The Indian government during the last nine years of the NDA rule have taken several initiatives to improve ease of doing business. These include relaxing FDI norms, encouraging manufacturing through Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and reducing corporate tax.

Prime Minister Modi is here on a two-day official visit at the invitation of French President Macron.

(With PTI inputs)
In 1942, a tragic event unfolded during the construction of a railway line between Thailand and Burma (now Myanmar). Approximately 1,20,000 lives were lost during the construction of this 415-kilometre-long rail track. In other words, an average of 290 human lives were lost for every kilometre of railway laid. This devastating toll earned the railway line its infamous name, the Death Railway, which remains associated with it today.

The 415-kilometre-long rail track, although not fully operational anymore, continues accommodating running trains. This railway line, known as the Thailand-Burma Link Railway, was built by Japan during their occupation of Thailand and Burma in World War II. Its primary purpose was to facilitate the delivery of logistics to the Japanese army stationed in the region.

Due to the perilous nature of transporting vital goods to Thailand and Burma via the sea route, which required ships to cover a distance of 3,200 kilometres, Japan made a strategic decision. They opted to construct a railway line spanning from Bangkok in Thailand to Rangoon in Burma as an alternative mode of transportation.

To establish a secure route connecting Burma to Thailand and Singapore during World War II, Japan occupied the regions from Singapore to Burma. To achieve this objective and gain easier access to the Indian Ocean, Japan initiated the construction of the railway line between Nong Pladuk in Thailand and Thanbujat in Burma.

Construction of the railway line commenced simultaneously from both ends on September 16, 1942, and was completed on October 17, 1943. The Burmese section spanned 111 kilometres, while the remaining 304 kilometres were built in Thailand.

Undeterred by formidable obstacles like dense forests, rugged terrain and numerous water bodies, Japan demonstrated unwavering determination in constructing the railway line. They mobilised a workforce of around 1,80,000 individuals from different Asian countries, including Thailand, China, Indonesia, Burma, Malaysia and Singapore. Additionally, an astonishing 60,000 prisoners of war who were held by the Allied countries were coerced into labour to assist in the construction of the Burma Railway line.

The labourers were forced to endure harsh and inhumane conditions. They were subjected to relentless work, facing immense hardships throughout the day and night. Even a significant number of these labourers, including approximately 16,000 prisoners, tragically succumbed to diseases such as cholera, malaria, dysentery, starvation and extreme exhaustion.

The construction of the railway line faced numerous attacks from Japans adversaries. These devastating attacks took a heavy toll, claiming the lives of approximately 1,20,000 individuals, which accounted for half of the workforce involved in the project.
India and France have signed an agreement in the digital payments sector under which Indias unified payments interface (UPI) can now be used for retail payments in the European nation, thus becoming the first country in the continent to enable this.

Heres what you need to know about the deal:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this while addressing the Indian community at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on the island of River Seine at Paris in France. In June last year, the National Payments Corporation of Indias (NPCI) international arm signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Frances Lyra Network for acceptance of UPI and RuPay in the European country.

India-France UPI Agreement: What Does It Mean?

Enabling UPI payments in France has further expanded the scope of payments through UPI in foreign countries. With this, Indian tourists would now be able to make payments in France in rupee through UPI. It will be started from Eiffel Tower. It will also encourage digital payments in France, which has a low use of digital payments.

A bank official told news18.com that the deal is also expected to help save forex reserves as the retail payments through UPI in France will be made in Indian rupees.

India accounts for 40 per cent of global digital payments. In February, UPI payments were also allowed in Singapore following an agreement on cross-border connectivity between Indias UPI and Singapore PayNow. Earlier, PhonePe also enabled payments abroad and said all international merchant outlets in the UAE, Singapore, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan that have a local QR code are supported.

UPI In France: How Will It Work?

Indians visiting Europe will no longer need to use credit cards or debit cards ONLY for payments. They can now, once it is operational, also use their UPI app to make their payments in France in the rupee using local QR or UPI ID.

UPI In France: Will There Be Any Markup Charges?

Usually, international payments through credit cards or debit cards attract markup charges that range between 0.99 per cent to 3.5 per cent of the payment amount, depending upon the card features.

The bank official said, In the credit and debit cards, payments abroad are made in foreign currencies. The banks charge markup fees. Now, in the UPIs case, since the payment, as per PM Modis speech, will be made in France in rupees and there is an agreement between Indias NPCI and Frances Lyra Network, the markup charges might not be there. However, it will become clear once more details come in."

A query sent to NPCI in this regard remained unresponded till the time this report was published. The story will be updated as soon as the NPCI responds.

The bank official, however, said, It will be a cost-effective method as compared to the traditional method of using forex cards, credit cards, etc. The recent UPI agreement between India and Singapore in February has also enabled people to save as much as 10 per cent on their cross-border payments between the two countries."

Currently, there are no charges levied on transactions done through UPI within India.

The homegrown NPCI, which is an initiative of the RBI and the Indian Banks Association, is an umbrella organisation for facilitating retail payments and settlement in India through the RuPay gateway.

UPI is among the most successful real-time payments (RTP) systems globally, providing simplicity, safety, and security in P2P and P2M transactions in India.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy called upon vice-chancellors of various universities in the state to prepare curriculum by introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) as one of the subjects in order to shape the students as AI creators. Chairing a meeting with vice-chancellors and officials from the education department at his camp office, he said that AI should be a part of the curriculum from primary to higher education.

AI is going to bring sea changes in the education system in the future and where the world is moving towards the fourth industrial revolution in the form of AI, he said. Give importance to robotics and AI in medical education teaching, he added.

The minister also set them a goal of developing AP students as global leaders in the fourth industrial revolution. At the international level, we want to see our students as leaders in various fields and sectors. We have to think about whether we have been providing education in that way. Now the entire world has been moving swiftly toward the AI revolution. Once we lag behind in the race, we will remain as followers. There are two classes in the society where the first one will develop its ability by utilizing the AI and the second one is there to create the AI, he said.

In an attempt to elaborate on the earlier three revolutions, where the country lagged behind, he said, We witnessed the first revolution in the form of rail engine running with steam in 1784. We noticed electricity after a century. In the 1960-70s another two revolutions in the form of computers and information technology brought tremendous changes in the entire world. Unfortunately, we lagged behind in the above said three revolutions. Now we are not in a position to create anything. Thats why we have to transform ourselves as creators and leaders in the AI sector. We should move in that direction.
The Medical Counselling Centre has released the schedule for NEET UG 2023 counselling at mcc.nic.in/ug-medical-counselling. Candidates can continue to read this article to know the full schedule of NEET UG counselling. As mentioned by the notification, this is the tentative online schedule for NEET UG (MBBS/BDS/B.Sc nursing). The registration for the first round will begin from July 20, 2023. This year MCC has decided to complete the counselling session in three phases followed by mop-up round.

For round one candidates have to register and make payment of the exam fee between July 20- 25, 2023. From July 22 to July 26, choice filling is accessible. On July 26, the option locking window will be open from 3 pm until 11:55 pm. The first rounds seat allocation results will be made available on July 29. Reporting for the first round is due between July 31 and August 4, 2023. The second round will run from August 9 to 28. The third round of NEET UG counseling will take place from August 31 to September 18. The MCC NEET UG counseling round for open spots will run from September 21 to September 30.

Further, the counselling date sheet also mentions that to ensure faithful obedience of time schedule and restricted time, all participating institutes and colleges are directed to treat all Saturdays and Sundays including Gazette holidays as working days for the counselling. Candidates who passed the NEET UG 2023 exam are eligible to participate in the counseling procedure. Candidates must score in the 50th percentile for the general category of students and in the 40th percentile for SC/ST/OBC candidates.

The MCC offers counseling for 15% AIQ (All India Quota) seats. State authorities in each state undertake counseling for the remaining 85% of state-funded seats. Seats for MBBS and BDS at central universities like Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Delhi, the Faculty of Dentistry at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, colleges run by the Employee State Insurance Corporation, and the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune are available through the MCC AIQ seats counseling.
The Directorate of Medical Educational and Research has extended the Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2023 counselling registration date. Now, the candidates applying for the counselling round for various PG degrees (MD/MS and diploma), DNB Board Speciality Post MBBS, post-diploma, post-MBBS two years diploma, and MDS courses for the academic year 2023-2024 can register till July 17.

The qualified NEET PG applicants are urged to complete the registration process before 5 pm on the official website of DMER at tnmedicalselection.net to avoid any last-minute delays. Previously, the deadline for applications was set for July 13.

It is informed that as many representations have been received from candidates it is proposed to extend the process for receipt of applications in PG DEGREE (MD/MS & DIPLOMA) /DNB BOARD SPECIALITY POST MBBS, POST DIPLOMA AND POST MBBS 2 YEARS DIPLOMA/ MDS Courses for the academic year 2023-2024 session. Hence, the period for online submission of applications is extended up to 17.07.2023 at 5.00 PM, considering requests from candidates," read the official notice.

Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2023 Counselling: Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for admission to post graduate degree/diploma courses, candidates must successfully clear the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) PG 2023. For Tamil Nadu candidates, a minimum of 50th percentile marks in NEET PG 2023 is required for admission under the General Category.

Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2023 Counselling: How to Register

To register for the Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2023 counselling, follow the steps mentioned below:

STEP 1: Go to the official website of DMER, TN attnmedicalselection.net.

STEP 2: Locate the link for Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2023 counselling on the homepage.

STEP 4: Enter your login credentials and click on the submit button.

STEP 5: Fill out the application form and upload the necessary documents.

STEP 6: After completing the form, proceed to make the payment of the application fees.

STEP 7: Submit the form and download the confirmation page. Keep a hard copy of the confirmation page for future reference.

Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2023 Counselling: Application Fees

The registration fee for all candidates is Rs 1000. Additionally, the application fee for all applicants is Rs 3,000. However, candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Caste (Arunthathiyar) (SCA), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories from Tamil Nadu are exempted from paying the application fee.
When you watch The Trial- Pyaar Kaanoon, Dhokha youre reminded of how masterfully the idiom even in the best families" is used. Noyonika Sengupta (Kajol), a mother of two girls, appears to have it all from the outside, a luxurious lifestyle, a lavish house, and whatnot. However, a little scratching causes numerous cans of wriggling worms to spill out, keeping us entertained while we watch the eight episodes of the web series director Suparn Verma has created. Yes, underneath all that glitter there is muck and grime, and even the best families have their share of this.

An Indian adaptation of the CBS series The Good Wife, the courtroom drama sees Kajol, a housewife who is forced to return to work as a lawyer after her husbands public scandal puts him behind bars. After a few initial hiccups, she takes charge, growing in confidence and aplomb, facing down one challenge after another.

The Trial is a genre series thats not too ambitious. The show knows its limits and remains quite basic as a courtroom drama with a strong emotional core, which works in its favour. The key revelations arent all that stunning, but the focus is more on the journey than the final goal for us, the audience. The cliffhangers at the end of each episode dont make any big revelations but at the same time, they serve their sole purpose of creating a desire to know more.

The show sets up quite a pace. It moves swiftly, and that is probably the best and worst quality of it. While the characters and smooth storytelling are all to the good, there are also the dips, contrived scenes, and loose ends, which most of the time stick out like a sore thumb. For the most part in this lavish runtime of eight forty-five minute episodes, even though stretched a bit too much at times, the story remains on track. A few subplots seem to be forcefully fit and dont add anything to the narrative.

The characters and the actors contribute heavily to build up intrigue, despite a rather rudimentary premise. The show fleshes out characters apart from Noyonika and gives their respective actors enough screen time to make them believable and, memorable. A big pleasure of this series is being able to watch so many good actors, all getting something substantial to do- Ally Khan and Sheeba Chaddha as lawyers and partners, Kubbra Sait who works as a consultant for the attorney firm, Amir Ali as a cop, Gaurav Pandey as a junior lawyer and Jisshu Sengupta proves an equal match to his co-star, mixing suavity with toughness.

But the series never really takes its eyes off Kajol, and the never-a-hair-out-of-place, always immaculate actor, clad in elegant pastels along with some immense confidence, is the backbone of the entire show. When everything around her seems to be falling apart, and especially when you see her with her husband, you wish she would get a little rumpled or ruffled. However, its fantastic to see Kajol return to the grid and develop into her role, particularly when she starts to emerge as a woman who realizes her natural toughness and learns to keep one step ahead. The actress ensures her dazzling confidence and tenacity are as affecting as her gently expressed empathy and disgust. Whether it is tackling the various cases or picking up her broken family, Kajol packs a punch.

The Trial, by no means, is extraordinary, yet it keeps you interested in the characters and their lives and emerges as a good example of basic storytelling done right.
Elon Musk announced an advertising revenue sharing scheme for selected high-profile Twitter users, most of whom are far-right influencers, reports Taylor Lorenz in The Washington Post.

Yesterday, incel influencer Andrew Tate, who is under house arrest in Romania on charges of rape, human trafficking and forming an organized crime group to sexually exploit women, posted a screenshot of a message from Twitter that said, "As your share of our ads revenue in replies, you're receiving $20,379. Your portion will be deposited into your Stripe-connected account within the next 72 hours. Thank you for being a creator on Twitter!"

Lorenz interviewed former Twitter employees who said the rev share program is simply a PR stunt:

Former Twitter staffers who worked on creator-focused products expressed skepticism over the rollout, with several calling it a PR stunt. One former Twitter executive who worked on creator partnerships and who asked to remain unnamed to avoid retaliation, said that, "any kind of content monetization we've done in the past was based on a revenue model. This just feels pulled out of thin air for a specific subset of creators that he wanted to placate." The former Twitter executive also cast doubt on Twitter's revamped metrics, including impressions. "The numbers are totally and completely bogus," she said. "It's all completely made up. It really feels like they're arbitrarily writing checks to people they like, which is not a sustainable creator strategy."

In the meantime, Twitter was hit with a proposed class action in San Francisco federal court alleging that the company owes $500,000 in severance promised to laid-off workers.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, aboard the LVM3-M4 rocket. The launch took place at the scheduled time of 2:35 pm after a 25.30-hour countdown, with the rocket lifting off from the second launch pad and emitting thick plumes of smoke. A large crowd of spectators cheered as the rocket ascended into the sky.

The primary objective of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface, a technically challenging task that is planned for late August. If successful, India will become the fourth country to accomplish this feat, following the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union.

Chandrayaan-3 follows the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which did not achieve the intended soft landing on the moons surface in 2019, leading to disappointment among scientists.

According to ISRO officials, approximately 16 minutes after liftoff, the propulsion module will separate from the rocket and enter an elliptical orbit around the Earth, ranging from 170 km at its closest point to 36,500 km at its farthest. The propulsion module, along with the lander, will then embark on a journey of over a month to reach the lunar orbit, ultimately coming within 100 km of the moons surface.

Once it reaches the desired altitude, the lander module will initiate its descent for a soft landing in the south pole region of the moon. This landing is expected to take place on either August 23 or 24, as stated by ISRO scientists.

How Did Sriharikota Become the Choice for Launches?

Sriharikota, home to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR), was chosen as Indias satellite launching station in 1969. The island covers an area of approximately 43,360 acres with a 50 km coastline. Several factors influenced the selection of Sriharikota, as explained by Deviprasad Karnik, Director of Publication and Public Relations at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), in a report by News Minute.

Proximity to Sea

One crucial consideration is proximity to the sea, as per the report. If a rocket deviates from its path or trajectory, it may need to be destroyed to prevent it from causing destruction on land. Therefore, spaceports near the sea or deserts, where there are no habitation and minimal risk, are preferred.

Close to Equator

Additionally, being close to the Equator allows for fuel savings during launches. As India is located towards the southern region of the Equator, a launch site in the southern part of the country, with its long coastline, is advantageous in terms of travel distance and fuel efficiency, the report explains.

Geographical Advantage

Another important factor is a stable geographical platform. The land should be solid enough to withstand the intense vibrations produced during a launch. Sriharikota meets this requirement, with a strong soil composition and hard rock beneath it.

While these are the primary criteria for selecting a spaceport location, other considerations, such as geo-magnetic fields and climate, also play a role in the decision-making process.

Many Successful Launches

Over the years, Sriharikota has witnessed numerous successful launches, including tech-development launches, Indian spacecraft launches, student satellite launches, re-entry missions, and the launch of foreign satellites from 23 countries.

While reports suggest that Sriharikota is the second-best located spaceport globally, after the Kennedy Space Centre in the United States, Karnik states that each site has its own risks and benefits. For example, the French Guiana Space Centre benefits from its proximity to the Equator, while the space centre in Russia has advantages due to its location in massive deserts in the north.

Overall, Sriharikotas selection as a launch site takes into account its proximity to the sea, its location near the Equator, and its stable geological conditions, making it a suitable choice for Indias space missions.
As the Indian Space Research Organisation launched Chandrayaan-3, its third lunar mission, in Sriharikota on Friday, ISRO chief S Somanath, in an exclusive interview to CNN-News18, said that if all goes well, the soft-landing on the moon could happen on August 23 or 24.

ALSO READ | Chandrayaan-3 Launch LIVE Updates HERE

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched the lunar mission on-board the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota. We are now going to raise the orbit to trans-lunar orbit injection. If everything goes well, on August 1, well be leaving the earth. Then, Chandrayaan-3 will start its journey towards the moon. If everything goes well, well land on the moon on August 23 or 24, he said.

At the landing location, the illuminated source is present, which will be useful for solar power generation. So our craft can have 15 days. We are looking at a global signature that can differentiate between living and non-living planets, he said.

PM NARENDRA MODI HAILS NEW CHAPTER

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch of Chandrayaan-3 as a new chapter" in Indias space odyssey and said it has elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.

Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in Indias space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian," Modi said in a tweet. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!" he said.

14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. pic.twitter.com/EYTcDphaES Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

Earlier, in a tweet this morning ahead of the launch, Modi said the Chandrayaan-3 mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body while it is now seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice, he said on Twitter.

Modi tweeted, 14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey."

IF SUCCESSFUL, INDIA WILL BE 4th COUNTRY TO ACHIEVE FEAT

Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the lunar transfer trajectory after the orbit raising manoeuvres. With the Chandrayaan-3 mission, scientists are aiming at mastering soft-landing on the lunar surface, a challenging technical aspect which is planned for late August. A successful mission would make India only the fourth country to achieve the rare feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.

Chandrayaan-3 follows the Chandrayaan-2 mission which did not achieve the desired soft landing on the surface of the moon in 2019, disappointing the scientists.

ISRO has taken corrective measures after the failed bid to soft-land on the Moon nearly four years ago, and is expecting a successful touch down on the lunar surface with Chandrayaan-3," its former Chairman K Sivan said on Friday. This is a very important launch, and we have done it successfully."

Last time, we could not do the landing mission (Chandrayaan-2) successfully. So this time we are attempting (again). We have planned with all corrective measures. The launch happened successfully. So that way the first phase is over successfully," Sivan, who was the ISRO Chairman during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, said. Moon landing is not an easy job. Its a challenging job(but) we are expecting that we will land successfully."

With PTI Inputs
CHANDRAYAAN-3 LAUNCH: Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) long-awaited Chandrayaan-3 mission is all set to commence its journey at 2.35 pm from Sriharikotas spaceport today on July 14. Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar mission by ISRO. The mission consists of a lander and a rover. The lander will land on the Moon and deploy the rover, which will then explore the lunar surface.

But do you know how the mission got the name Chandrayaan?

The name Chandrayaan" is derived from the Sanskrit words Chandra" and Yaan." In Sanskrit, Chandra" means moon," and Yaan" means vehicle" or craft." Therefore, the name Chandrayaan" can be translated to mean Moon Craft" or Moon Vehicle."

The name was given to the Indian lunar exploration program by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is the countrys national space agency. The programs objective was to send a spacecraft to the Moon to study its surface, composition, and other scientific aspects. The mission aimed to further enhance Indias understanding of the Moon and contribute to scientific research.

CHANDRAYAAN-1 IN 2009

The first mission under the Chandrayaan program, known as Chandrayaan-1, was launched on October 22, 2008. It successfully orbited the Moon and conducted various experiments and observations before concluding its mission in August 2009.

CHANDRAYAAN-2 IN 2019

The subsequent mission, Chandrayaan-2, was launched on July 22, 2019, with the aim of landing a rover on the lunar surface. Although the lander did not achieve a soft landing, the orbiter component continues to orbit the Moon, conducting scientific observations.

CELEBRATING INDIAS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE

The name Chandrayaan is a popular choice for Indian lunar missions because it is both meaningful and easy to remember. The name is also in line with the tradition of naming Indian space missions after Hindu deities or concepts. For example, Indias first satellite was named Aryabhata, after the famous Indian mathematician and astronomer. Here are some other examples of Indian space missions that are named after Hindu deities or concepts:

Gaganyaan (Sky vehicle): Indias first human spaceflight mission, scheduled to launch in 2023. Mangalyaan (Mars vehicle): Indias first Mars orbiter, which was launched in 2013. Aditya (Sun): A solar mission that is scheduled to launch in 2022.

The use of Hindu names for Indian space missions is a way to celebrate Indias rich cultural heritage and to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Indias ambitious Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lifted off on Friday afternoon on its powerful new launch vehicle, Launch Vehicle Mark-III or LMV3, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The spacecraft is likely to touch down on the moons surface on August 23. Despite a small budget, ISRO has produced effective missions without compromising the quality of its resources and supplies.

With this mission to the moon, India has cemented its position in space exploration  from the successful Mars Mission to the sun mission, Gaganyaan. As India plans big space projects in the coming years, the budget for the department of space (DoS), valuation of space launches and the number of private players in space technology has become even more important for the funding of ISRO projects.

In the current fiscal, the space industry received a decreased amount than previous years but funding for the space department has recorded a significant rise in the last five years. The budget allocated for DoS was Rs 12,543 crore for FY 2023-24, Rs 13,700 crore for FY 2022-23, Rs 13,950 crore for FY 2021-22 (highest in the last five years), Rs 13,480 crore for FY 2020-21 and Rs 12,470 crore for FY 2019-20.

The expenditure for some of the most significant ISRO projects, such as missions to reach Mars and the moon in the last 10 years, demonstrate how the space agency has effectively used resources to launch missions. For example, Indias first interplanetary Mars orbiter programme  Mission Mangalyaan  was launched on November 5, 2013, at a budget of Rs 450 crore. It is the worlds cheapest Mars Mission so far.

The GSLV MkIII-M1 from Sriharikota successfully launched the Chandrayaan-2 mission on July 22, 2019, at a cost of Rs 978 crore, including Rs 603 crore for the orbiter, lander, rover, navigation and ground support network and Rs 375 crore for the heavy GSLV rocket with indigenous cryogenic engine. Chandrayaan-3 is made with a lower budget than Chandrayaan-2, costing around Rs 615 crore including all elements.

India will be the fourth country to land on the moons surface after the US, Russia and China. But India will be the first country, which is reaching the moon at the lowest budget as compared to the three other countries. Estimates show that the US spent $25 billion on the moon mission  15 Apollo mission  which would have cost over $100 billion now. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), China spent $8.4 billion on its space programme, the Change 4 Lunar Craft and the Asian Giant. Russia spent $20 billion in 1966 on an unmanned moon craft.

How ISRO manages to spend less
The eyes of world will be on Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota on Friday as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launches the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission. Around 1,300 km from the space station, a facility in Mumbai will be cheering on one particular component of the lunar mission  the Vikas engine dedicated to the late astronomer and physicist Vikram Sarabhai.

The engine has been manufactured by Godrej Aerospace which is tucked away in a green zone along the Eastern Express Highway in the suburbs of Vikhroli. The plant has been one of the largest private manufacturers and suppliers for ISRO since 1985. Godrej Aerospace also had key contributions to Chandrayaan-1 and 2 and Mangalyaan space missions, besides participating in ISROs other endeavours.

Chandrayaan-3, set for lift-off at 2:35pm on Friday, will be a follow-up mission after the crash-landing of Chandrayaan-2 in September 2019 due to a software glitch. This will be Indias third lunar mission and it is among few countries to have undertaken such an ambitious project.

The Vikas engine has been installed at the top most part of the missile. Basic structuring, getting sheets in various shapes and welding them to mould them for the rocket were all done at the Godrej Aerospace unit. Laser technology was adopted for cutting and moulding the steel sheets.

As per the engineers working at the facility, it takes them approximately five months to prepare an engine, and each month an engine is sent to ISRO as per the requirement. Once these units are ready, they are transported at a slow speed of 20 km per hour via road, which takes approximately 10-14 days to reach Thiruvananthapuram from Mumbai.

Even the cryogenic engine, which will help put the lunar module in the orbit around Earth, has been prepared at this plant. The assembly of the satellite takes place at Thiruvananthapuram.

We have come a long way since this plant and the partnership started in 1985. A few decades ago, for a CE-20, rather referred to as cryogenic engine, we had to depend on other countries. But now India has made tremendous progress in space technology and space mission, and these engines are produced within the country as a part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, said Maneck Behramkamdin, AVP and Business head at Godrej Aerospace.

In the last nine years, India has witnessed a quantum jump in its space sector, bringing it at par with countries like the USA that started their space journey much earlier. The governments focus on public-private participation has led to collaborations between premier space organizations like NASA and ISRO, with ISRO now working with nearly 150 private startups, said Anil Verma, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Godrej & Boyce.
As parts of Delhi continue to battle with floodwaters and traffic snarls caused by it, Yamuna water level on Friday showed signs of calming as it came down below 208 metres for the first time in the last 48 hours. At 11 pm, the water level was recorded at 207.98 metres. On Thursday, it started rising after remaining stable for three hours and reached a height of 208.66 metres by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today conducted a survey at the ITO intersection and Rajghat as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage due to waterlogging.

Several areas in the city, including Red Fort, Kashmere Gate, Civil Lines, Rajghat, and ITO, have been submerged in water after the Yamuna breached its banks following days of heavy rain in the city and the release of water from Haryanas Hathnikund barrage, prompting the evacuation of thousands from low-lying areas. The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 metres on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978.

Here are 10 highlights on the flood situation in Delhi-NCR:

Three boys - Nikhil (10), Piyush (13) and Ashish (13) - drowned in a ditch allegedly at a metro construction site while taking a bath in the floodwater in northwest Delhis Mukundpur Chowk on Friday, officials said. However, in a statement, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) issued a clarification on the childrens deaths and said, This is to clarify that absolutely no such incident has been reported from our sites. DMRCs sites are properly barricaded and entry is strictly regulated only for authorised personnel." After breaching a 45-year record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 208.17 metres at 6 pm on Friday. The Okhla water treatment plant, which was shut on Thursday, was opened. In the evening, Kejriwal said the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants will resume functioning if the water level goes down to 207.7 metres on Saturday. Water from the Yamuna entered Mahatma Gandhis memorial at Rajghat in Delhi, inundating its lawns and pathways today. Due to backflow from a drain in the area, the water rose up to the memorial complexs entrance to the marble platform where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Traffic movement remained restricted at the Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover and on Bhairon Road due to heavy flooding. The Delhi Traffic Police has also asked commuters to avoid arterial ITO junctions. Following the breach, water started to flow into the city through the drain, inundating the Ring Road, Indraprastha Metro Station, IP Depot, ITO, and Vikas Marg, reaching the entrance of the Supreme Court in central Delhi. Vikas Marg, one of the important stretches connecting east and Central Delhi, was closed to traffic as the vehicular movement went haywire and commuters got stuck for hours in traffic jams. Construction of the first-ever metro bridge over the Yamuna was halted due to the rising water level of the river. A total of 16 NDRF teams have been deployed in Delhi to tackle the floods caused by the overflowing Yamuna. Water supply shortage hit several parts of Delhi, including Civil Lines, Kamla Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Kalkaji, Govindpuri, Patel Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Moolchand, and South Extension. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for moderate rain and thundershowers on Saturday in Delhi.

(with inputs from PTI)
Another Cheetah, who was brought to India from Namibia, died on Friday making it the eighth wild cat at the Kuno National Park in Sheopur district to die since March this year. This comes just three days after another translocated male cheetah, Tejas, died at the park.

Suraj, who was among the batch of 12 Cheetahs brought to India in February, was found lying still in Palpur East Forest Ranges Masavani by a monitoring team.

According to them, insects were hovering over its neck but the animal ran away as soon as they tried to inspect.

Soon, a team of veterinarians and forest officials rushed to the spot and found him dead at around 9 AM, an official told PTI.

This is for the first time that a cheetah died in the free range, he added.

The officials said that injury marks were found on his back and neck, which seems to be a possible cause of the death but a detailed report is yet to come.

The exact cause of (Surajs) death will be known from the post-mortem report, MP forest minister Vijay Shah told PTI.

About the ongoing fatalities, Shah said that Tejas and other cubs died because of injuries received during fights while mating or eating, which is common in wild animals.

However, earlier three cubs reportedly died. On this, the official said they were malnourished from birth itself.

He also rejected any allegation of mismanagement leading to these deaths as often raised by opposition and media.

Shah said, The Indian government, (South) African government, Namibia government, the entire team of GoI, entire hawk force is involved in the management of cheetahs and everything is being done as per their directions.

Therefore, it is not proper to say these (deaths) were due to negligence. The PMO (Prime Ministers Office) is keeping a close watch on everything. Everything is being done in the direction of the PMO. There is no negligence on our part, he asserted.

Meanwhile, a political blame game has begun over the deaths of cheetahs. MP Congress chief Kamal Nath took the state government to task over the eight deaths claiming the latter had not come forward with any plan or taken the initiative to conserve the big cats.

Without naming the PM, Nath also said Making wild animals an object of display for the political show doesnt look nice for an elected representative.

Eight Namibian cheetahs  five female and three male  were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17 last year at a high-profile event attended by the prime minister.

In February this year, 12 more cheetahs arrived at KNP from South Africa.

The birth of four cubs had taken the total count of cheetahs to 24, but eight deaths have brought it down to 16.

(With PTI inputs)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly during which he underlined the need to firmly combat incitement to violence and ensure the security of Indian diplomats in Canada amid a spate of anti-India activities by Khalistani supporters in the country.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting here in the capital of Indonesia.

Met Canadian FM @melaniejoly in Jakarta Discussed the Indo-Pacific and our economic cooperation," Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.

Met Canadian FM @melaniejoly in JakartaDiscussed the Indo-Pacific and our economic cooperation. Underlined the importance of ensuring the security of our diplomats. And the need to firmly combat incitement to violence. pic.twitter.com/awEj2gisIK  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 14, 2023

Underlined the importance of ensuring the security of our diplomats. And the need to firmly combat incitement to violence," he said in the tweet.

The meeting comes days after Canada assured India of the safety of its diplomats following the circulation of Khalistani posters online.

India has asked its partner countries such as Canada, the UK and the US not to give space to extremist Khalistani ideology as it is not good for relations.

The radical, extremist Khalistani ideology is not good for India or its partner countries such as the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, he told reporters on the sidelines of a BJP outreach campaign in New Delhi early this month.

Last month, India slammed Canada after visuals surfaced on social media of a tableau in Brampton that reportedly celebrated the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Canadas response to the Khalistani issue appeared to be constrained by its vote bank compulsions and India will have to respond if the activities impinge on its national security and integrity, Jaishankar had said on the issue.

The Khalistani issue has impacted ties between the two countries in many ways in the last few years, he had said.

India has been asking Canada against giving space to pro-Khalistani separatists and extremist elements, Jaishankar had said.
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodias bail plea in connection with the liquor policy irregularities case. The top court has listed the case for the next hearing on July 28.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi heard the bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy case which is being probed by central agencies CBI and ED.

The former deputy chief minister of Delhi, who held the excise portfolio in the Delhi government, was arrested by CBI on February 26, 2023, for his alleged role in the liquor policy scam".

The AAP leader has been lodged in custody since then. The ED also arrested him in connection with a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023, after questioning him in Tihar jail.
Submitting a detailed 33-page response to the Law Commission on the contentious Uniform Civil Code, Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi trained his guns at the Narendra Modi government, calling the proposed UCC a political exercise before every election in a bid to deflect peoples attention from issues like poverty, unemployment, and Chinese intrusion in border areas. Before every general election, the Modi government rakes up the Uniform Civil Code issue to vitiate the atmosphere. This is not a coincidence that exactly after 5 years again the Law Commission is undertaking this exercise, like clockwork around 5 to 6 months before the general elections," Owaisi said, adding that the 22nd Law Commissions proposal was a vague replica of the citations made by the 21st Law Commission and didnt explicitly explain or define the tenets of the Uniform Civil Code.

The party said it has sent its response to the Law Commission in three parts along with the legal opinion presented by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Gopala Gowda.

Arguing that unlike Hindu law, which operates on strict priestly and legislative interpretation, AIMIM in its response to the Law Commission said, Islamic law along with Adivasi and Dalit social practises, are not uniform and thereby relies on context, cultural practises and social relations. Therefore codification of personal laws may not necessarily mean equal rights.

Even the Hindu Marriage Act recognises the Adivasi communities to continue practising their own customary laws, the party said.

Similarly, even within Muslims, various groups and sub-groups such as Kutchi Memons, Mappila Muslims observe extremely varying practices which fall under the umbrella of the Sharia Law. None of these groups can be classified into a single monolith identity. The diversity of this country is too vast to be erased by a single legislation of Parliament," AIMIM responded.

On marriage, polygamy, divorce, and succession

Calling Muslim personal laws far more progressive than statutory laws like the Hindu Marriage Act", Owaisi claimed that a marriage within the Islamic community conducted without consent from both sides is considered invalid as it violates personal laws. Similarly, Muslim law also respects the choice of both parties to dissolve their marriage without any prolonged trial.

On the issue of inheritance, which is often perceived to be discriminatory within Islam, AIMIM in its response argued that the distribution appears inequitable when viewed from the prism of minority bias, and also questioned the practise of dowry within Hindu families.

Muslim laws gave property rights to women nearly 1440 years ago, at a time when women were treated as property elsewhere in the world. The share of the daughter being fixed at half of the share allocated to the son is not because the daughter is accorded a lower status, but she is also given mehr or dower from the husbands side before marrying him. A woman has two sources of secondary wealth, one from her parents and other from her husband. Likewise a woman is also ensured of substantial maintenance and social security under the Sharia," AIMIM said.

When questioned about polygamy, the Hyderabad MP argued that the practice was not restricted among Muslims, but also other religions.

According to the National Family Health Surveys 2019-2020 data, prevalence of polygamy was 1.9% among Muslims and 1.3% among Hindus, just 6 per cent difference. Unlike other religions, we dont call a Muslim mans second wife as his mistress. She is entitled to get maintenance, a separate house and other facilities equally. If the Supreme Court can legalise live-in relationships then why does the BJP government have issues with polygamy especially when the woman is taken care of," Owaisi said.

The response submitted to the Law Commission by the AIMIM questioned if the UCC will not violate some provisions of the Constitution and if exceptions may be created for certain groupsthen what shall be the basis of such exceptions? The party also asked whether UCC would not adversely impact the legal status of the Hindu Undivided Family Act.

On Uttarakhands UCC bid

Reacting to the Uttarakhand governments decision to implement the UCC in the state, Owaisi argued that the matter falls under the Concurrent List and that it would require the Presidents assent under Article 254 of the Constitution for the Presidents approval, adding that the state governments decision was not sustainable in law.

He also dared Prime Minister Modi to implement the Uniform Civil Code in the north-eastern states where each tribal community is governed by their own state of laws.

While Telanganas ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi has spoken out against UCC, following Owaisis meeting with chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, the Hyderabad MP has also expressed a desire of reaching out to Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in a bid to seek his support to protest against the issue. Owaisi also lashed out at the Congress for acting as a fence sitter and not taking up a concrete stand against the Centre.
Amid drought and soaring temperatures, Scottsdale in Arizona has forbidden the planting of new grass lawns. The rule applies to single-family homes built after August 15 and comes after an informal poll found 86% of locals in favor.

"It's a positive step that supports responsible use of our water resources and an initiative that works in tandem with Scottsdale Water's existing residential and commercial rebate programs that offer water saving options and maintain the beauty and functionality of Scottsdale's neighborhoods," the city council posted.

CNN reports dire climate problems in the scorching southwest.

Prior to the natural grass ordinance, Scottsdale officials asked residents to use 5% less water, and city government operations reduced their water usage by 9%. Ultimately, the city saved about 657 million gallons of water, the city council said. Across the state, Arizonans are sweltering from weeks of scorching temperatures. Temperatures in Phoenix, for example, have reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit every day this month. And meteorologists expect the weekend heat will be record-breaking, reaching a staggering 119 degrees in some parts.

An elaborate, half-baked way to avoid more stringent water use controlsand one that puts the focus on residential consumption when it's inevitably industry and ag that's really blowing through it. Grandfathering in old homes sounds like an interesting mess, too!
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his France visit, he said this two-day trip was a memorable one.

It was made even more special because I got the opportunity to take part in the Bastille Day celebrations, PM Modi tweeted.
The theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (One Earth, One Family, One Future) and Indias extraordinary progress in recent times to become an IT and tech hub will dominate a state-of-the-art cultural show being planned for the mega G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi on September 9-10. As per details obtained by News18, the cultural programme will be a showpiece event in the new multipurpose hall at the International Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan, which is said to be the largest gathering space in India.

Top leaders from the G20 nations like United States President Joe Biden, and Russian President Vladimir Putinif he attends the summitwill be seated here for the cultural event before the gala dinner for them.

The cultural event will showcase Indias rich and diverse cultural heritage along with extraordinary progress India has made in recent times from being a cultural hub of the world in ancient times, to becoming an IT and technological hub of the world, says a brief for the programme. An event management agency is likely to be hired for the function.

The underlying theme for the cultural show will be Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means One Earth, One Family, One Future", Unity in Diversity", or World is One Family".

The show involving dance, music, and cultural performances could span about 25 minutes and will be followed by the gala dinner during which live instrumental music will be played that will also be signifying Indian ethos and values.

It is expected that the cultural show and live instrumental music will have a high-quality immersive experience and will use projections or holograms of historical figures from India.

India is also planning a series of other events around the G20 Leaders Summit, including an excursion or retreat along with a spouses programme.

Officials told News18 that the government will be paying attention to minute detailstraditional attires for visiting world leaders and their spouses, multilingual designer menu cards for gala lunches and dinners, multilingual ushers, gifts through the One District, One Product" scheme, and amalgamation of the theme of the G20 meeting and flavour of the participating country.
Read more

Meanwhile, the Yamuna Water level decreased to 208.20 metres at 5 pm on Friday, according to the Central Water Commission.

So far, at least three children drowned to death in the waterlogging near Delhis Mukundpur in the North West district. The bodies have been sent to a hospital. The investigation is underway, said Delhi Police.

Delhi Jal Board vice chairman Somnath Bharti on Friday addressed a press conference on the weather conditions in the national capital and showed a video of water release from Haryanas Hathnikund Barrage that has caused a flood-like situation in Delhi.

Earlier in the day, AAP minister Atishi had said that the water released by Haryana was partially responsible for increasing water levels in the Yamuna River. Some more areas in Delhi were submerged on Friday as the water level at Old Delhi Yamuna Bridge was recorded at 208.46 metres at 6 am.

Top government sources told News18 that by 10 pm last night, 15 NDRF teams were deployed in Delhi, of which four teams each have been stationed in central Delhi, south-east Delhi and east Delhi, while three have been deployed in north-east Delhi and one in Shahadra. So far, 3.362 people have been rescued along with 54 animals.

River Yamuna is flowing above the highest flood level in Mathura, with the water level at Shergarh being recorded at 176.57 metres. The Cyclone Warning Centre has issued a red alert for Yamuna in Faridabad as the water level at Manjhawali crossed the all-time high flood level (which is 193.96 metres) and now stands at 194.01 metres.

As the water reached ITO Red Light on Friday morning, Jamuna Bazar near Marghat Mandir, Yamuna Bazar Ghat area, Rind Road near IP College, Bhairon Marg, Mathura Road near Supreme Court, ITO and Pushta Road were all inundated. Officials said that it is not just Yamunas water that has caused a flood-like situation but the drain water overflowing and backflowing in many areas.

Keeping view of the situation in the national capital, 16 NDRF teams have been deployed, and schools, colleges and even Nigam Bodh Ghat have been shut. Red Fort has also been closed to visitors. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rain in Delhi for Friday, while a yellow alert has been issued for Saturday. Delhi hospitals have also kept beds vacant for emergency cases.

The operations of the Northern Railways remain suspended. About 600 mail express trains have been cancelled for the next six days.
Actor Arvind Kumar, who played the role of Chaurasiya in Lapataganj, died on July 10 following a heart attack. According to the reports, Arvind was on his way to shoot, when he suffered a heart attack. He was immediately taken to the hospital but could not be saved. Actor Vinod Goswami shared this news on Facebook.

Actor Krishna Bhatt, who plays the role of Elizabeth Yadav in Lapataganj, has revealed more about this unfortunate incident to a portal. Krishna said that Arvind had left for the shooting of a project in Naigaon, Maharashtra on July 10. He said further that Arvind suffered a heart attack when he was halfway to the route. Krishna informed that Arvind could not be saved despite being admitted to the hospital.

Arvind was born in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, and pursued his post-graduation in political science. He started working in the Hindi theatre in 1998 and performed in numerous plays. He then moved to Mumbai in 2004 and started his acting career. Arvind catapulted to fame with the role of Chaurasiya which he played for 5 years in the serial Lapataganj on Sab TV. He also essayed some roles in other shows as well like Crime Patrol and Savdhaan India. Besides these television shows, he also acted in films like Cheeni Kum, Undertrial, Rama Rama Kya hai Drama and Madam Chief Minister.

He was also looking forward to some of his future projects like The Face of the Faceless, Chik Chik, Hisab Barabar and six five Nine. It is not known as of now who will replace Arvind in these films after his demise.

Arvinds last project as an actor was the Marathi daily soap Kahe Diya Pardes (2016-18) which aired on Zee Marathi. He played the role of Chaube Mama in this series starring Meera Joshi, the late Shahnawaz Pradhan, Nikhil Raut, and others. It revolved around Gauri and Shivs love story. Gauri, a girl from Maharashtra, Mumbai, falls in love with Shiv, a North Indian.
The Marathi actress Akshaya Deodhar is obsessed with sarees. Her Instagram account is filled with her saree looks and she looks gorgeous in the garment. And this time also, Akshaya can be seen wearing a saree but there is something special about it.

The celebrity with her husband and television and film actor Hardeek Joshi visited Jejuri, in the Pune district of Maharashtra a few days back. Akshaya shared a picture of herself wearing a beautiful orange-coloured saree with a green border from the trip and it went viral. The special thing about her attire was that it was her mothers saree and that it was 25 years old. Akshaya wore the saree as a symbol of love for her mother. The caption of the story, which is not visible anymore on her Instagram handle, read, My mothers 25 years old saree."

https://images.app.goo.gl/jWsZWDe5gvcNJzVi8

Speaking of mothers saree, a similar incident went viral a few days back where actor and comedian Prithvik Pratap, who has become famous through the show Maharashtrachi Hasya Jatra, was seen walking the streets of the US in a beautiful green zari-bordered kurta. However, the dress was very special to him as it was made out of his mothers old saree.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by PRITHVIK PRATAP (@kahani_puri_filmy_hai)

Prithvik Pratap wrote a long caption to the post which read, When preparations were going on for America, my mother suddenly said take me to America as well and I did not know what to answer to her words. I thought and realised that even though I cant take my mother with me but I can take a symbol of her to America. Today while walking around New York City, I wore a kurta made from my mothers saree and I feel that my mother is with me. By the way, the atmosphere in America is very confusing. I am tired due to continuous travelling, and successive shows but today all of it feels less because heat, rain, fatigue and sickness cant harm me if I am under my mothers cover. Miss you Amma. Footnote: Mom will soon go to America so dont worry."

The post shared two days back received over 104 thousand likes so far. Seeing the post, one of the users commented, Khup sunder dada (Very nice dada)." Another said. Le jaayega ek din zaroor (You will surely take her one day)."
Alia Bhatts highly anticipated Hollywood debut film Heart Of Stone is all set to release on August 11. The actress will be seen sharing screen space with Gal Gadot for the same. The makers unveiled the trailer at Netflixs Tudum event in Brazil and the buzz around the same is slowly building up as we inch forward towards the release date. Meanwhile, the team  Alia Bhatt, Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan  shared a goofy video of themselves attempting to share tidbits about the film without giving away spoilers.

In a video posted by Gal Gadot on her Instagram, Jamie Dornan kicks off the challenge with explosions," followed by Gal Gadots parachute ski jumping." Alias then adds knife fights" and hacking systems." However, she stumbles at the end and fails to come up with an interesting point about the film. While some praised her for not faking an accent, others trolled her for the challenge fail.

7/10 .-3 because of Alia IQ queen," wrote one user. Another wrote, Why always Alia Bhatt fails". Chevk out the video here:

This isnt the first time that Alis has goofed up during a challenge. A decade ago, the actress made a silly mistake by naming the President of India wrong. In 2013, when asked the name of the President during the rapid fire round, Alia replied Prithviraj Chouhan, instead of Dr Pranab Mukherjee which gave way to memes.

In the two minutes and 43 seconds long trailer of Heart Of Stone, we see Gal Gadot as Rachel Stone and her allegiance towards a furtive peacekeeping force called the Charter. The trailer captures some high-octane action sequences involving flying jets and glider suits. One of the major highlights of the clip is Alia Bhatt essaying a tech-savvy hacker Keya Dhawan responsible for stealing Charters most potent weapon.
Malaika Arora never fails to impress her fans with her impeccable style and glamorous fashion choices. The actress, who has also embraced the Barbie trend, recently delighted her followers with a stunning picture on social media. Taken during her vacation in Baku, Azerbaijan, Malaika exuded pure elegance, effortlessly capturing a Barbie vibe with her flawless style and grace. In the picture, she posed alongside her trainer, Sarvesh Shashi, radiating a doll-like charm that left everyone in awe.

Dressed in a printed coord set, Malaika showcased her sartorial prowess as she effortlessly paired it with an oversized white shirt. The ensemble perfectly accentuated her figure and added a touch of sophistication to her overall look. With her luscious locks left open, she looked effortlessly chic and radiated a sense of effortless glamour. Completing her look with a black hat and a stylish bag, Malaikas smile added an extra touch of elegance to the frame. She elevated her look by accessorising with a pair of elegant white heels and adorning her neckline with a delicate necklace. Adding a playful twist, she captioned the picture, Ken and Barbie in Baku."

In one of the mesmerizing snapshots shared by Malaika Arora from her enchanting Baku vacation, the actress can be seen striking a pose alongside her close-knit group of friends. The picture captures the essence of their joyous camaraderie and radiates an undeniable aura of happiness.

Earlier, the actress was spotted at Mumbai airport, donning a brown co-ord set that exuded a vintage twist. The ensemble comprised a brown top paired with matching pants, showcasing a unique design featuring a cinched waist and a flared bottom. Malaika complemented the attire with her black sunglasses and a pair of white sneakers, ensuring that the focus remained on the outfits unique design. Keeping her hair and makeup simple, she opted for a natural look, adorning her lips with a nude shade. This outfit serves as an excellent source of inspiration for anyone seeking to infuse their wardrobe with a distinctive flair.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

Malaika Arora, an influential figure in the realms of fitness and fashion, has consistently inspired millions of fans through her unwavering commitment to a healthy lifestyle and impeccable fashion choices. With each captivating social media post, she leaves her followers yearning for more, eagerly anticipating the next glimpse into her glamorous life.
Ranbir Kapoor has been keeping himself occupied with a series of projects. He recently wrapped up the shoot for Sandeep Reddy Vangas film Animal and jumped on to other projects. However, despite his hectic work schedule, Ranbir Kapoor still found time to interact with his fans. After completing a brand shoot recently, the actor was spotted leaving the studio and took a moment to pose for selfies with his enthusiastic fans waiting outside. The actor even took their phones to ensure that each fan got the perfect picture.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani)

Ranbir Kapoor, known for his impeccable style, once again turned heads with his rugged yet stylish look. The actor exuded charm as he stepped out in a full black ensemble and paired his outfit with white sneakers.

Ever since the video of Ranbir surfaced on the paparazzi page, it has created a buzz among fans and garnered over 60,000 views. Fans have flooded the comments section with positive responses and heart emojis.

Reacting to the clip, a user wrote, I loved how he took the phone and captured selfies. Sweet of him to do that, another stated, Sweetest being, while another wrote, Most handsome daddy, one more wrote, Handsome Kapoor, a user shared, Husband and wife being sweet today, they are so lovable.

Earlier this year, a video of Ranbir Kapoor garnered attention on social media after he was seen coming out of a studio after completing an ad shoot. In the clip, a fan approached the actor to take a picture but struggled to capture a perfect shot. Frustrated, Kapoor threw his phone away. The incident caused many users to criticize the actor for his alleged inappropriate behaviour.

A day after the video went viral, it was revealed that the incident was part of a mobile brands advertisement. A new video surfaced, showing RK throwing the phone and then surprising the fan by gifting him a new phone. The actor then happily posed for a selfie with the boy using his brand-new device.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

Meanwhile, Ranbir Kapoor recently flew to Spain to celebrate his mother, veteran actress Neetu Kapoors 65th birthday. The actor was accompanied by his sister Riddhima Kapoor, her husband Bharat Sahni and their daughter Samara Sahni.

On the work front, Ranbir is all set to entertain his fans with an exciting lineup of films. His upcoming movie Animal is scheduled to release on December 1. Apart from that, Ranbir will also be seen in the much-awaited trilogy Brahmastra alongside his wife Alia Bhatt.
Karan Johars upcoming film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani will hit theatres at the end of this month. Fans are eager to witness the chemistry between Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt again in the much-awaited Dharma Production movie. Ranveer Singh was spotted in the city as he stepped out after a shoot. The paparazzi snapped him leaving the venue.

The paparazzi shared the video of the actor walking out of his shoot location on social media. Ranveer Singh looked dapper in an all-black look. The actor wore a solid T-shirt layered with a bulky black leather jacket. He paired it with straight trousers and shoes. The actor was seen wearing a face mask as well. He kept his hair in a perfectly set, backswept look as he stepped out in style.

While the movie created a lot of buzz before its release, the makers have planned to go on a promotion spree ahead of its release. As per a report by Pinkvilla, Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh, and Alia Bhatt are planning a 5-city promotional tour for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. This strategic promotion campaign is scheduled to kick off on Monday, July 17. The first destination, as per the portal, would be Baroda. The entire tour will be completed in about 10 days leading up to the premiere of the film.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by yogen shah (@yogenshah_s)

Meanwhile, the trailer for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was released earlier this month. From soulful music to an ensemble cast, the movie is surely expected to be an entertainer. In the trailer, Rocky (Ranveer Singh) is a loud and flamboyant boy who falls in love with a well-educated and attractive Rani (Alia Bhatt). Because they come from different backgrounds, the couple decides to live with each others families before getting married. The movie also stars renowned names such as Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Ronit Roy, and Tota Roy Chowdhury among others. The films music album is composed by Pritam, and the tracks released till now have been a hit among the audience.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani marks the comeback of Karan Johar as a director after six years and is slated to release on July 28.
Heavy rainfall in various regions of Himachal Pradesh has resulted in widespread chaos. The floods have caused significant damage already, washing away roads, vehicles, and even houses. Actor Ruslaan Mumtaz, who is currently in Manali, has found himself stranded due to the flooding. To keep his followers informed, he took to Instagram, sharing a series of stories detailing the situation that he is witnessing firsthand.

Taking refuge in a garage-like area, Ruslaan Mumtaz could earlier be seen in videos alongside his companions as they sought shelter. In one of his posts, he shared a video showing the surroundings, with a caption saying that the road had completely vanished. Sharing his thoughts, Ruslaan mentioned in the video that he never thought of being stranded in Manali with no network, no means to return home due to blocked roads, and the inability to continue shooting. Never imagined I would actually get stuck in Manali with no network, no way to get back home as the roads are blocked and I am unable to shoot as well. Tough times in a very very beautiful place. I dont even know if I should be happy, sad, thankful, grateful, or just enjoy my apple, he wrote.

Now, he has successfully reached Mumbai. Taking to his Instagram stories on Thursday, he wrote that he has left Manali and safely arrived in Mumbai. He shared several posts, including a photo of the river with a caption that read, "The river that caused it all, thank you for sparing my life."

As Ruslaan approached the airport, he bid adieu to Himachal with a message that said, Bye Bye, see you when your mood is better." He also posted a photo of his boarding pass, writing that he hopes to safely reach Mumbai. Ruslaan later shared a picture from the flight after arriving in Delhi, before continuing his journey to Mumbai.
Movement between Georgia and Armenia is now possible with a biometric ID card, thanks to the agreement "On two-way visa-free movement of citizens between Georgia and the Republic of Armenia." This agreement was signed by Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili of Georgia and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian of the Republic of Armenia in Yerevan on January 12, 2023, and it has since come into effect.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has clarified that the purpose of this agreement is to create more favorable conditions for mutual travel for citizens of both Georgia and Armenia. According to the agreement, citizens of both countries are entitled to travel from Georgia to Armenia and vice versa using a biometric ID card.This travel can take place through designated border-crossing points authorized for international travel, as stated by the Foreign Ministry of Georgia. The new agreement signed by the Prime Ministers of Georgia and Armenia replaces the previous agreement, which was signed on May 19, 1993, and pertained to visa-free movement of citizens between the two countries within their respective territories.The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, has responded to allegations made by Ministry employee Goga Razmadze, who publicly accused Ministry officials of mistreatment and undue pressure. Darakhvelidze has denied these allegations, referring to them as a "lie" and "absurd." "Goga Razmadze's statement is a complete lie and absurd. It is not based on any evidence or legal basis.The Department of Human Rights has been established within the Ministry of Internal Affairs for five years, and we have received numerous recommendations from international organizations to strengthen this department. To assess the current situation, including identifying weak and strong points, we requested the audit department to study the functional workload.However, Goga Razmadze appears to be the only person uncomfortable with this process," Darakhvelidze said.
Earlier this month, Taylor Swift released a newly re-recorded version of her third album, Speak Now, as part of an ongoing response to an intellectual property rights dispute over the ownership of her old album masters. But one excited fan in Staffordshire, England unwrapped her brand new vinyl copy of the record to discover  something else.

From the BBC:

Instead of hearing Swift's re-recorded versions of "Back To December" and "Sparks Fly," Rachel Hunter was confronted with a collection of dark and disturbing British electronica. The opening song contained messages about "flakes of flesh" and "endless rows of sardines", while another sampled cult the 1960s horror series The Outer Limits. "There are 70 billion people on Earth, where are they hiding? Where are they hiding?" intoned a husky male voice over a sinister, droning synth. "At first, I thought maybe the vinyl had a secret message from Taylor," Hunter tells the BBC.

Here's the social media post she shared featuring the "cursed" copy of the album:

According to some determined commenters, the audio on this particularly copy of Speak Now actually comes from a UK compilation Happy Land (A Compendium Of Electronic Music From The British Isles 1992-1996), which was released earlier this year by a small British label called Above Board Distribution. But was it actually just an error at the vinyl pressing plant? Or was it perhaps a sinister message from music executive Scooter Braun, who still owns the original Swift masters?

Taylor Swift fan says her Speak Now vinyl contains 'cursed' electronic music [BBC]
Tamannaah Bhatia recently featured in Prime Videos Jee Karda. The show narrates the story of seven childhood friends who grow up and realize that life at 30 is nothing like what they had imagined it to be. A month after its premiere, the series continues to garner love and appreciation from fans and viewers. As the series resonated with the young adults, the lead actor of the series, Tamannaah Bhatia, decided to celebrate Jee Karda, at her alma mater R. D. National College in Mumbai. The actress surprised the faculty and students as she made a grand entry dancing to the beats of dhol.

During her visit, Tamannaah expressed her gratitude towards her alma mater for shaping her into the person she is today and for providing her with a strong foundation in her pursuit of acting. She fondly reminisced about her college days and shared anecdotes from her student years. The actress also took the opportunity to interact with the students, offering them words of encouragement and advice on pursuing their dreams.

I am so thrilled and elated to witness the love and appreciation we have received for Jee Karda. Playing Lavanya has been super cool, I love how I get to celebrate this moment at my college with the students and teachers. It makes me so happy that Jee Karda became a fan favourite instantly and still continues to shine. Its been an incredible journey and a heartfelt gratitude to all who were a part of this beautiful experience, Tamannah Bhatia said.

Directed by Arunima Sharma and produced by Dinesh Vijans Maddock Films, Jee Karda is co-written by Hussain Dalal, Arunima Sharma and Abbas Dalal. Jee Karda features Tamannaah Bhatia, Aashim Gulati, Suhail Nayyar, Anya Singh, Hussain Dalal, Sayan Banerjee, and Samvedna Suwalka in pivotal roles and is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Kajol has returned to the limelight with her latest web show, The Trial. The show is a gripping courtroom drama that features Kajol in the role of Noyonika Sengupta, a housewife who returns to her work as a lawyer following her husbands public scandal and imprisonment. Last night, on July 13, the actress, along with the star cast and other prominent Bollywood figures, attended the grand premiere of the series. Kajol made heads turn with her mesmerizing red ensemble. Her impeccable appearance garnered widespread attention and admiration, overshadowing even the flawless looks of other celebrities in attendance

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Varinder Chawla (@varindertchawla)

Kajol made a bold fashion statement at the screening of The Trial in her all-red attire. The actress exuded confidence as she paired a vibrant red shirt with a matching blazer and pants, featuring a stylish low slit. With her hair left open, the actress showcased an effortless look. She accessorized minimally and opted for black heels to add a touch of sophistication.

The special screening also saw the presence of her sister, Tanishaa Mukerji and their mother, Tanuja. Tanishaa was seen guiding her mother out of the venue.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @tanishaamygorgeous

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rajan Pillai (@dj.rajan_pillai)

Meanwhile, Kajol, accompanied by her sister Tanisha and mother Tanuja, shared a delightful picture with the lead actor Jisshu Sengupta on her Instagram Stories.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @tanishaamygorgeous

The special screening of The Trial witnessed the presence of several prominent celebrities from the industry. Rohit Shetty, Arjun Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Shriya Saran, Shalin Bhanot, Vatsal Seth and Amol Parashar were among the notable personalities who attended the screening.

The show is an Indian adaptation of the beloved American TV series, The Good Wife. The Indian version is helmed by director Suparn Varma and the series features an impressive ensemble cast. Alongside Kajol, who portrays the lead character Noyonika Sengupta, the show stars talented actors including Jisshu Sengupta, Kubbra Sait, Sheeba Chaddha, Aamir Ali, and Gaurav Pandey in pivotal roles.
India is decidedly going places. This is to the pain and horror of the poison press amongst the Leftists in the West. The garish desi dreamers who want a return to the pretentious past of the rosebud-wearing Nehru are also frustrated. The fact is, India under Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi is not a communal morass. It has better fish to fry and is indeed going places.

A Goldman Sachs survey, driven by the idea that a young growing population signals prosperity, says the Indian GDP will be at $52.5 trillion in 2075, putting it at number two, behind China, but up from the third position it is likely to secure by 2028 or 2030. And over the next two decades, or 2043, the dependency ratio of India will be one of the lowest among regional economies, according to the report. And the enhanced prosperity wont come from discoveries of oil, gold, or other natural resources, but from capital investment, innovation, technology, and the demographic dividend. In fact, the decline of the West is due to depleting and ageing population and lower productivity, according to the report.

One clue on the billions and trillions to come to India is in low to high-end chip manufacturing and testing. Other promising areas involve digital and artificial intelligence universes.

India could well become the next global semiconductor hub, replacing the always under-threat Taiwan. Taking chip-making away to America renders it too expensive. The semiconductor industry in India is being set up by the Americans, the Taiwanese, the Indians themselves, the Europeans, and the South Koreans, amongst others. It will cater to Indias own gargantuan appetite, and export millions of chips in the bargain, made at a competitive cost, and without any geopolitical worries attendant. Many countries with which India has a poor balance of payment problems will get sorted out by the export of these essential devices.

China will, however, still be number one in 2075 with $57 trillion in GDP, having overtaken America by 2035, says the report. But remember, this 2035 date has been pushed back several times already, and China, with its ageing population due to its One Child Policy is not very well placed to achieve this forecast. It will have slowed growth for at least three decades to come. Its belligerence is also counter-productive to the retention of a Chinese supply chain. Its chief buyers in the West, collectively accounting for some $3 trillion in exports per annum, may not be able, or choose to, sustain such numbers going forward. And Chinese monopolies on minerals may well be substituted from other sources.

The Euro area, meaning Western Europe, will be collectively at $30.3 trillion, says the report, and America will be at number three with $51.5 trillion. Japan will be at a mere $7.5 trillion, quite lost in the rankings along with Russia even further down the list. But, young population advantages apart, how the report, authored principally by economists Kevin Daly and Tadas Gedminas thinks Pakistan will be a $12 trillion-plus economy, ranked at number six by then, is a mystery! Of course, the big caveat is that this can only happen, given, the appropriate policies and institutions. Pakistan today is all but bankrupt, with no way out of its predicament. It is more probable that America, because of its innate ability to innovate and develop technology better than any other country, and its formidable military, will still be number one in 2075.

Coming back to the present, Friday, July 14, 2023, has turned out to be another momentous day for India. It witnessed the scheduled launch of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISROs) Chandrayaan-3, four tons of spacecraft, at 2.35 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not be in Sriharikota to witness the launch, powered by ISROs most powerful two-ton rocket this time as he is in Paris as the Chief Guest for Bastille Day. Prime Minister Modi was accompanied not only by his senior staff but a 280-member tri-services armed forces contingent that marched in the parade. Three Indian Rafale fighters also participated in the flypast at the parade. This attendance at Frances National Day celebration also marks 25 years of the India-France strategic partnership.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to sign several pathbreaking defence equipment and complete technology transfer agreements in Paris. These include the acquisition of 26 Rafale Naval aircraft for Indias newest aircraft carrier, a 110-130 KiloNewton Safran engine with complete technology transfer for Indias AMCA MK2 Stealth fighters, another engine to be jointly developed for Indias light combat helicopters, three more Scorpene-Class conventional submarines to be built in India as soon as possible, and technology collaboration in a joint venture on the latest French Barracuda Class Nuclear submarines to be built in India.

In the backdrop of discussions on whether to grant Ukraine de facto NATO membership, it is likely that the India-France strategic relationship may be enhanced after discussions. This is with specific reference to the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific areas. France has a lot of territory and overseas citizenry in the Indo-Pacific.

For India, an enhanced Indo-French strategic partnership will be in addition to its membership in QUAD. For France, it will formalise its role in the region where it has bases in the Indian Ocean and regularly patrols it.

India has begun repairing and refurbishing some categories of the US Naval ships in its ports and could do the same for the French Navy as well. From the point of the Chinese threat posed in the area, this Indo-French cooperation will boost peace and tranquillity. India is also creating a new transhipment base in the Nicobar Islands and enhancing its tri-services and naval presence and facilities in the Andaman and Nicobar region with its headquarters in Port Blair. The entire series of islands are strategic and overlook the Malacca Straits, a vital shipping route for China. Participating in this development could enhance trade and technology exchanges between our two nations.

On the way back from France, Prime Minister Modi will stop over in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a I2U2 partner. He will meet with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. Enhanced two-way investments and technological and defence cooperation, are likely to follow. Similar indications emerged when PM Modi stopped in Egypt on the way back from his highly successful visit to America recently.

India is also about to land on the moon. Chandrayaan-1, from 2008, plunged a probe impacter into the moons surface near its South Pole, and first made mention of water on the moon. Chandrayaan-2, from September 2019, could not soft land due to some software malfunctions. It caused its lander, the 145 kg Vikram, (named after Indias space effort pioneer Vikram Sarabhai), to come close, but eventually crash land on the moons surface. Many learnings based on what when wrong in 2019 have been incorporated, according to current ISRO Chairman Dr Somanath S.

The moon landing of the new improved successor pod, which will set down on the moon, is scheduled for August 28. It will take over a month to get into the appropriate moon orbit on August 23 or 24. Once successfully completed, India will become only the 4th country after America, Russia, and China to land on the moons surface. It is the first that will alight just 70 degrees away from the moons south pole. All the others have chosen to land nearer the moons equator. On the poles, there is a greater likelihood of finding water molecules, and many other minerals.

The new improved Vikram will soft land by daylight, a moon-day being 14 Earth days long. This will enable the solar-powered rover to move around more, collect scientific data and samples via its instruments on board, and take pictures. The night temperatures on the moon are an estimated minus 180-230 degrees centigrade. And though the batteries on the rover and lander have been designed to withstand such extreme conditions, they could still fail in time.

Indias ISRO, which has already sent a spacecraft to orbit Mars, will work with Americas NASA to establish a space station, and possibly a manned moon landing soon. Like the defence manufacturing establishment in India, it is collaborating with the private sector and spawning new start-ups.

Indias journey towards becoming a developed country has well and truly begun, and most Western countries are now keen to treat it as an ally and strategic partner in the South-Asian, Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific theatre.

The writer is a Delhi-based political commentator. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
On a cloudless morning in late 1943, a blue-eyed six-feet tall man with close-cropped hair wearing a big-brimmed brown porkpie hat stood somewhere in the middle of Los Alamos in New Mexico, United States, chain-smoking cigarettes and reciting passages from the Bhagavad Gita. The world was at war. The Japanese forces had humbled the nation after bombing Pearl Harbour on 9 December 1941. The threat of the Third Reich dominating Europe was real. America needed to ensure victory and end WW2 faster, saving lives. If WW1 was the chemists war, WW2 became a physicists war. American theoretical physicist Dr Robert Oppenheimer was in charge of the top-secret $2-billion Manhattan Engineer District. His mission was to lead the scientific effort to devise the ultimate weapon of war  the atomic bomb. It was the highest priority project of WW2.

Born in New York on 22 April 1904, Oppenheimer was the first son born to a family of rich Jewish German immigrants. He had a privileged upbringing and his parents opulent apartment on the Upper West Side was filled with an art collection that included three Van Goghs. The musically and intellectually gifted boy studied at Ethical Culture School and entered Harvard in 1922 graduating in just three years. From Harvard, Oppenheimer went to the University of Cambridge, studying under Lord Rutherford, and also worked in atomics with the eminent physicist Dr Max Born.

Five years later these top scientists would encounter another brilliant physicist  Homi J Bhabha of India. Meanwhile, in 1929 Oppenheimer returned to teach theoretical physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He proved to be an exceptional teacher, inspirational and impelling for the youngsters, training an entire generation of world-class physicists. At Berkeley, he was also associated with the quintessential intellectual Arthur W Ryder, a professor of Sanskrit. Ryder had in 1912 recommended Indian revolutionary Har Dayals name for a faculty position at Stanford. Ryder gave Oppenheimer private tutorials in Sanskrit every Thursday evening.

With his facility for foreign languages, Oppenheimer was soon enraptured by his Sanskrit studies and the Bhagavad Gita. Motivated by the idea of discharging the duties of ones station without the thought of fruit the young physicist remained for the rest of his life engaged as a scientist with the physical world, and yet detached from it. In his later years, he listed the Bhagavad Gita as one of the books that shaped his philosophical outlook and gifted copies of the ancient Indian text to his friends. He also named his Chrysler car  Garuda, after the giant bird god in ancient Indian mythology that ferries Vishnu  the preserver, across the sky.

Oppenheimers comprehensive grasp of his professional field saw his reputation grow in American scientific circles. By the early 1940s he came to be known as the man who always gave the right answers before one could even formulate the questions. The inhuman treatment of the Jewish community in Europe by the Nazis had the brilliant nuclear physicist smoldering with fury. At that time Oppenheimer was named as the head of the highly classified Project Y  the mission to build the atom bomb. He recruited the best young physicists from American university campuses by only divulging, I cant tell you what work well be doing. But I can tell you that it may end this war  and it may end all wars.

Working in extraordinary secrecy at the hastily built remote desert facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico by 1942 he led a group of super brilliant scientists, some of whom were recipients of the Nobel Prize. Gulping his signature martinis and waving cigarettes he drove himself and skilled scientists at breakneck speed at the field laboratory to get military superiority over the Axis Powers. Oppenheimer knew if his team could not crack the atomic secrets then neither could the Axis powers. Mathematician Charles Crutchfield noted that Even at Los Alamos, Oppenheimer didnt talk about weapons or physics. He talked about the mystery of life He kept quoting the Bhagavad Gita. Oppenheimer even named the atom bomb test site Trinity. It has been inferred by historian Marjorie Bell Chambers that he based it on the Indian divine trinity of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

At 0530 hours on 16 July 1945, an event at the remote section of the Alamogordo bombing range about 35 miles from the nearest city in New Mexico changed the course of human history. On orders from Oppenheimer and Kenneth Bainbridge, a series of signals were put in motion. There was a tremendous burst of multi-coloured light outshining the sun and expanding over 20 miles before rising to 10,000 feet in a fraction of a second. This was followed shortly thereafter by a 40,000 feet high mushroom cloud, a deep growling roar, and a shockwave that was felt 100 miles away.

The flashlight caused by this man-made gadget was visible from as far as Mars. It announced the birth of the Atomic Age. That morning after the first successful atomic test in history, codenamed the Trinity explosion, humankind discovered atomic fire. A section of the ancient Indian scripture ran through Oppenheimers mind. It was Chapter 11, Verse 32 of the Bhagavad Gita, Shri-bhagavan uvacha, kalo smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddho, lokan samahartum iha pravrittah

In 1965 in an NBC television documentary, Oppenheimer the emotional and intellectual heart of the atom bomb project recollected: We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed; a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the prince that he should do his duty, and to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. I suppose we all thought that one way or another.

At the Potsdam conference, American President Harry S Truman received word of the success of the Trinity test and the arrival of a new weapon of unusual destructive force. Next, Japan was given an ultimatum to surrender unconditionally or meet prompt and utter destruction. Japan ignored the demand for unconditional surrender and Radio Tokyo announced that its forces would continue to fight. Truman decided to end the war swiftly to preserve an estimated million American lives that would be lost in the invasion of Japan.

On 6 August 1945 Colonel Paul Tibbets, flying ace and the commanding officer of Enola Gay the B-29 bomber arrived over Japan. His nine-man crews adrenaline was up. They were carrying the 8,900-pound uranium atomic bomb named Little Boy. Tibbets had a clear view of the city of Hiroshima. Flying without escort fighters he carefully guided his four-engined plane to the site of headquarters of Japans Secord Army. Morris Jeppson, the electronics expert checked the circuits for the last time. The bomb bays were opened.

Then the countdown began. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 Major Freebee pushed a lever in the B-29 and shouted, Bomb away. The heavy bombers nose lurched up as Little Boy departed with its nose down towards the target. The bomb fell for 43 seconds and at 1,890 feet above ground zero it exploded in a nuclear inferno. The fire released by the bomb swallowed the whole city. The citizens of Hiroshima saw something much brighter than the brightness of the sun with temperatures around ten million degrees. 80,000 lives were lost instantly, and an estimated 200,000 human beings died subsequently due to a new scientific invention that used nuclear radiation to massacre on a scale unknown previously. An area of nine square miles in Hiroshima was transformed into an expanse of debris and ruins. From infants to the elderly 140,000 people died by the end of the year.

On that day WW2s most closely held secret was no longer a secret. For the first time, our planet witnessed the destructive power of an atomic bomb. But Japan still refused to surrender. Washington swiftly ordered a second nuclear strike. Three days after obliterating Hiroshima, at 3:47 a.m. on 9 August, another B-29 lifted off from the Tinian airbase. After eight hours of flying, it dropped the Fat Man over the port city of Nagasaki. The shockwave and the atomic heat generated were estimated at 21 kilotons, forty percent greater than that of the Hiroshima bomb. It killed 74,000 people in Nagasaki by the end of 1945. On 11 August 1945, The New York Times ran a banner headline, JAPAN OFFERS TO SURRENDER as thousands of ecstatic Americans crowded the Times Square in Manhattan.

Oppenheimers leadership at Los Alamos ended with the war and he went on to head the Atomic Energy Commissions General Advisory Committee. His desk in the Presidents Executive Office was across the street from the White House. Acclaimed as the father of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer comprehended he had set a course for a future apocalypse by bestowing upon humanity the possible means for its own annihilation. Unable to deny his moral responsibility the famed scientist told President Truman he had blood on his hands.

In his neo-pacificist avatar, he favoured nuclear energy for electricity generation and opposed nuclear weaponry and nuclear terrorism. In a closed Senate hearing in 1946 Oppenheimer was asked, whether three or four men couldnt smuggle units of an atomic bomb into New York and blow up the whole city, to which he reacted sharply, Of course it could be done, and people could destroy New York. The alarmed senator then asked, What instrument would you use to detect an atomic bomb hidden somewhere in a city? Oppenheimer joked, A screwdriver  to open each and every crate or suitcase.

In the subsequent years, the hero of American science who had been hailed as a genius was shockingly alleged to be a communist based on rumours. In April and May of 1954, after 19 days of secret hearings, Oppenheimers security clearance was revoked. The entire scientific community was deeply shocked by the decision. Once the technocrat of a new age for mankind Oppenheimer was branded a traitor. Appointed the Director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University he lived his life as a broken man.

In this period, he wrote to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru urging him not to sell thorium to the United States in case it would be used for destructive ends. He also received an offer to settle in India from Nehru through his friend Homi Bhabha which he declined. Then his younger brother physicist Frank Oppenheimer, was offered a job by Bhabha at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, but the United States denied him even a passport. Later in January 1966 on receiving the news that Bhabha tragically died in a plane crash in the Alps, Oppenheimer noted, He will be sorely missed as a scientist.

Oppenheimer lived in quiet obscurity and was once invited by President John F Kennedy to a White House dinner of Nobel Prize winners in April 1962. He could have been an Einstein as he was nominated three times for a Nobel Prize, (1946, 1951, and 1967) however he never won. In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson gave Oppenheimer the $50,000 tax-free Fermi Award but by then the glory was gone and his days as a scientist were almost over. In his acceptance speech, Oppenheimer said, I think it is just possible, Mr President, that it has taken some charity and some courage for you to make this award today.

Oppenheimer was diagnosed with cancer of the throat in mid-1966. After unsuccessful treatments, the globally celebrated physicist lost his battle with the terminal disease at 10:40 pm on 18 February 1967. He was 62. He was survived by his wife, Kitty, and their two children Peter and Toni. Two days later his remains were cremated and a memorial service was held on 25 February at Alexander Hall in Princeton. With visible emotion, the gathering of an estimated 600 people was informed that Oppenheimer had spurned the opportunity to work abroad when he was considered a security risk and had replied with tears in his eyes, I happen to love this country.

The New York Times while recognising his genius called him a classic figure of tragedy. Japans first Nobel prize-winning scientist Dr Hideki Yukawa agreed stating, Dr Oppenheimer was also the symbol of the tragedy of the modern nuclear scientists and felt that the governments actions of stripping him of his security clearance might have shortened his life. Fifty-five years later on 16 December 2022 the US Department of Energy appropriately nullified a 1954 decision to revoke the security clearance, correct the historical record, and honour Dr Oppenheimers profound contributions to our national defence and the scientific enterprise at large.

Now in 2023, over three-quarters of a century after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no nuclear weapon has been employed in the last seventy-eight years. Still, there is no assurance in the future. Consequently, the vision of a nuclear-free world must be a global effort. It is time humankind gave peace a chance since a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.

Oppenheimer once said, Mankind must unite, or we will perish.

Dr Bhuvan Lall is the biographer of Subhas Chandra Bose and Har Dayal and is the author of India on the World Stage. He can be reached at writerlall@gmail.com. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Every view has a counter, every opinion can be different, and at News18, we value each one of them. To present these views and opinions to you - the reader - is not just a job, but also our duty. News18 kicks off a new series, Sticking Point, which will have prominent opinion makers from across India and the world face off on varied topics through their written words. Sticking Point will be the voice of diverse authors, as they debate on a particular subject of national and international importance, and more importantly, one that enlightens our reader.

Frankly, I am a little perplexed by the priority being given to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), as though this is the only and absolutely essential unfinished reform. It is true that it is part of the Directive Principles of the Constitution. Article 44 lays down that the State shall endeavour to ensure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India. The key word here is endeavour. The section on Directive Principles begins with the keywords the provisions contained in this Part shall not be enforceable by any court. In other words, what the Directive Principles advocate are indicative in nature, should they be helpful in the governance of the country. For instance, one of its recommendations (Article 47) is that the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks. Have we, with the disastrous experiment currently in Bihar and partially in Gujarat, implemented this?

The controversial question that I want to ask is: is the UCC good for the governance of the country? Our Constitution is based on the principle of unity in diversity. Is unity strengthened by obliterating the diversity within the country? Or is unity weakened by a clumsy attempt at homogenisation without regard to those very diversities that make us who we are?

Sometimes, in the evolution of nations, a better approach is to encourage and enable reform measures that come from within different religious communities, rather than impose a one-sided version on unwilling or unconvinced members through fiat. A much better strategy is to amend or abolish personal laws that are directly violative of the fundamental rights within the Constitution, rather than a wholesale demolition of all the varying traditions and customs of different religious communities and tribes. The latter approach was first attempted in a partial manner when the Hindu personal law was amended in the early 1950s. It was also in evidence when the Parliament enacted a law to abolish the repugnant provision of triple talaq in Muslim personal law.

The fact is that the UCC is much too complex a project to implement in a country of manifest diversity like India. It will open Pandoras box and heighten cleavages within communities, and build inner resentments that can explode into widespread feelings of discrimination and marginalisation.

It is for this reason that the 21st National Law Commission in its Report in 2018, after eliciting opinions from lakhs of people, came to the conclusion that a UCC is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage. One of its key lines was that: Cultural diversity cannot be compromised to the extent that our urge for uniformity itself does not become a reason for the threat to the territorial integrity of the nation. This categorical warning came during the NDA governments tenure. Why then was this conclusion not accepted by the government? The reasons for this must be made public, rather than glossed over by the hysteria that now surrounds the implementation of the UCC.

Secondly, the whole approach thus far has been far from serious. On October 7, 2016, the Law Commission shot off a letter to the chief ministers enclosing an objective-type questionnaire on the need for a UCC. Nitish Kumar was the first chief minister to reply to that letter. He said that such complex issues cannot be tackled through such an amateurish approach. The UCC must be based on broad-based consultations with all religious denominations, given the multicultural, multireligious nature of our society. In the absence of such in-depth consultations, any attempt at premature or hasty tampering with long-standing religious practices that deal with complex issues of marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance and the right to property and succession, would be inadvisable.

What the government does not seem to understand is that the enforcement of the UCC would require all current laws applicable in such matters in respect of Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Hindus (including Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains), apart from specific communities like the Adivasis, to be scrapped. Does the government have a draft of such a new law, with concrete details of which provisions of what religious practice are to be scrapped and what will replace them? The truth is that no such draft has been circulated. The stakeholders are in the dark about what is being proposed and what is to be replaced. Nor there has been any discussion on this subject in the Parliament, the legislative Assemblies of states, and other forums of civil society.

Thirdly, what has the BJP done so far to actually implement its promise to bring in the UCC? On two occasions, the government said that it would be bringing a Bill in Parliament, but on both occasions, it did not. The Law Commission, under its regime, recommended against the UCC, but the government has not provided any cogent reasons against its findings. Even after nine years in government, no draft law based on widespread and substantive consultations with all religious denominations exists. Then, what is all this commotion about the UCC?

As a general rule, societies and nations must ensure that the remedy does not become worse than the supposed disease. Parliament has all the powers to nullify or amend personal laws on a piecemeal basis which are unjust, against gender parity, and the fundamental rights of the Constitution. It did so without any UCC in the case of triple talaq. Why cant it proceed in this manner with the personal law of other communities, rather than an approach of one shoe fits all sizes?

We must learn from history. Turkish President, Kemal Ataturk, in 1935, abolished Islamic personal law and imposed overnight the Swiss Civil Code in his country. The backlash against this kind of drastic reform, for which consultations had not taken place, and the society not suitably prepared, is there for all to see, in the return of Islamic conservatism under current President Erdogans rule.

The UCC must be seen as a measure of reform for the welfare of the people, and not a political instrumentality to be hurriedly imposed against their wishes and without proper consultations with them.

The author is a former diplomat, an author and a politician. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
India and France have signed an agreement under which India's UPI can now be used in France. (News18 Creative)
The opposition BJP in Bihar on Friday vowed to take action against officials who claimed that the death of a party leader a day before was not caused by injuries suffered in a lathicharge.

Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha took strong exception to statements given by police and other administrative officials even before the post-mortem report was out."

These officials are acting like spokespersons of the current dispensation. They should know that they are being watched by us. No sooner than the regime changes, we will take action," Sinha told reporters outside the Vidhan Sabha.

The local administration has been maintaining that Vijay Singh, the Jehanabad district general secretary of BJP, was nowhere close to the Dak Bungalow crossing where police had used mild" force, besides firing tear gas shells and using water canons, to disperse a procession which was heading towards the Vidhan Sabha.

Meanwhile, state minister Shravan Kumar, a close aide of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said the unfortunate" demise of the BJP leader was a matter of investigation but squarely blamed the opposition party for the lathicharge by police.

Why were they carrying packets of chilli powder which they began throwing at police personnel who prevented them from crossing barricades? Given their conduct, police could not have showered them with flower petals," the minister asserted.

However, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary, who is also the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, denied that chilli powder was thrown by party members.

Where is the proof? We have ample proof, in the wounds suffered by our workers that there was a lathicharge. Let them prove the allegation of chilli powder," said Choudhary.

Meanwhile, BJP members of both houses of the legislature are gearing up for a Raj Bhavan" march later in the evening when they plan to present Governor Rajendra Arlekar with a memorandum elucidating their grievances.
Vijay Kumar Singh was a 55-year-old BJP leader who died during a protest march by the party in Patna on Thursday. The BJP has blamed it on alleged police brutality. Singh, who was BJPs Jehanabad district general secretary, like many, took to the streets of Patna protesting against the alleged scam in the recruitment in Bihar where JDU-RJD are in power.

But there seems to be a pattern  be it Bihar in the East, Karnataka in the South, or Madhya Pradesh in the North  BJP has become aggressive or is preparing to go aggressive. Interestingly, just days ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah flew in to Bhopal for a few hours where he told the top leadership of the state, including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to fight aggressively.

THE BIHAR CHAOS

Bihar BJP launched a massive agitation on Thursday following a decision by the Nitish Kumar cabinet to do away with the domicile clause for applicants. This effectively opens up jobs to applicants from across India. Going by the tone of the protest, Thursdays agitation was sharper, more aggressive, and animated as the BJP gunned for Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

While thousands of BJP cadres assembled, it was one of those rare occasions when the entire state leadership was leading. BJP MPs, MLAs, and MLCs  including former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi  braved the water cannon and blows of lathi of the Bihar Police along with the cadres. State BJP president Samrat Choudhary told reporters that the opposition party was protesting to hold the government accountable, especially Tejashwi Yadav, who had promised 10 lakh jobs".

The BJP held what the saffron party called the Vidhan Sabha march. Meanwhile, those MLAs who chose to remain inside the House built the tempo with provocative slogans like Raddi CM Gaddi Chhod (incompetent chief minister should give up his post).

On the streets, it was absolute chaos where the police liberally used lathis. Many, including Modi, were detained. There were many instances where BJP supporters battled police lathis with the stick to which the BJP flag was attached.

While the death of Singh has indeed put the Nitish Kumar government on the back foot, the BJP used public emotions and played the role of an aggressive opposition which may concern Kumars JDU and Yadavs RJD in next years Lok Sabha election.

THE KARNATAKA REBOUND

This May, BJP lost Karnataka to the Congress in what is considered a huge psychological defeat ahead of a slew of state assembly elections and next years Lok Sabha election. But the BJP regrouped surprisingly fast and did whats expected of a strong Opposition  taking to the streets and seeing the government on its toes. Taking one issue at a time, the BJP kept the pressure on the Siddaramaiah government.

In the beginning of June, BJP increased the aggression of its protests in Bengaluru and other districts of Karnataka against the proposed power tariff hike in the state. The BJP alleged that the Congress government has put several conditions on the five pre-poll guarantees, which makes it difficult for the residents to avail of benefits. Calling the Congress government Hitler Sarkara, BJP accused it of deceiving people.

Not only did the BJP take to the streets on this issue but Mysuru MP and BJP leader Pratap Simha had asked people not to pay electricity bills from June 1 if their consumption was below 200 units. He had announced that he will stage a protest in the Mysuru-Kodagu region demanding the implementation of the free power scheme.

If that was one early bouncer the Congress-led Karnataka government managed to dodge, there was another. The Jain monk heading a monastery at Hirekodi in Belagavi district was recently chopped into pieces and his dismembered body parts were dumped in a defunct borewell. BJP latched on to the issue. BJP legislators recently staged a sit-in demonstration near the Gandhi statue in Vidhana Soudha against the brutal murder. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai himself led the protest, making it a law and order issue. Realising that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are on the back foot on an issue that involves a religious monk, BJP launched a campaign in Karnataka demanding a CBI probe.

Less than two months after BJPs drubbing in the state, they are back in a far aggressive avatar on the streets of Karnataka.

THE MIDNIGHT WARNING IN MADHYA PRADESH

Faced with unfavourable surveys in Madhya Pradesh, Amit Shah decided to travel to the state on Tuesday on a 24-hour notice. Till Monday, even top leaders from the poll-bound state  including the chief minister  were not aware of Shahs plans, News18 has learnt. On Tuesday, Shah reached Bhopal at around 8.30pm and held a closed-door meeting that lasted for two-and-a-half hours.

While he addressed a variety of issues like organisation leadership or chief ministerial face, he had a complaint that he was not shy about sharing. Shah was not happy about BJP not being very aggressive in its campaign.

While the BJP is in opposition in the previous two states, in MP, it is the ruling party. Despite that, his message was clear  get aggressive. It is in this context that he asked to start the preparation of Vijay Sankalp Abhiyan, a reaching-out initiative of the BJP that is taken in the run-up to elections, with all guns blazing. Shah has told the Madhya Pradesh unit to keep the contours of the programme ready and he will be back in the state on the 30th of this month to give his go-ahead. Shah also directed to counter any allegation labeled by the Congress, in the run-up to the election, more resolutely.

While seen on a macro level, it is apparent that the BJP has shunned the way of countering by a mere tweet or a feeble press conference. In the last two months, across India, it has chosen aggression over timidity and streets over an auditorium.
Nearly two weeks after his shock induction in the Eknath Shinde government as deputy chief minister, NCP leader Ajit Pawar was given the all-important Finance portfolio in the much-awaited Maharashtra cabinet expansion on Friday.

Among eight other NCP MLAs who were sworn as ministers alongside Pawar on July 2, Dilip Walse Patil bagged the Cooperation ministry, which was earlier held by the BJPs Atul Save. Dhananjay Munde got the Agriculture portfolio, earlier handled by Shinde-led Shiv Senas Abdul Sattar. Sattar was instead made minister for Minority Development and Marketing.

The PWD (public sector undertakings) was given to the Shiv Senas Dada Bhuse while Soil and Water Conservation to Sanjay Rathod.

Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Rathod was divested of Food and Drug Administration department and given the Soil and Water Conservation ministry. The FDA was allocated to the NCPs Dharmaraobaba Atram.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis ceded the Finance and Planning ministry to Ajit Pawar. But the senior BJP leader still holds Home, Energy, Water Resources, Law and Judiciary portfolios.

There are now 28 cabinet ministers in Chief Minister Eknath Shindes government but no minister of state. The ministry can have a maximum of 43 members.

Heres a look at the portfolios allocated to the recently inducted NCP leaders:

Ajit Pawar: Finance and planning department

Hasan Mushrif: Medical education department

Chhagan Bhujbal: Food and civil supplies

Dilip Walse-Patil: Cooperative department.

Dhananjay Munde: Agriculture

Dharmarao Atram: Food and drug department

Aditi Tatkare: Women and Child Development. She was a junior minister in the MVA government.

Sanjay Bansode: Sports. He was the MoS finance in the MVA government.

Anil Patil: Relief and rehabilitation department. He is known as the Khandesh strongman.

THE CASTE BALANCE

According to a senior BJP leader in Maharashtra, the allocation of cabinet berths to NCP leaders also gives consideration to the caste balance. Marathas have representation in Dilip Walse-Patil and Anil Patil, who have strongholds in Pune and Jalgaon, respectively. Hasan Mushrif is the minority face, who represents western Maharashtras Kagal.

OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal has a stronghold over the entire Nashik district, while Munde has a stronghold in Beed. Aditi Tatkares family runs the politics of Raigad district. Atram, who comes from Gadchiroli district, represents the Scheduled Tribes (ST). Bansode, who is a Scheduled Caste (SC) leader, comes from Udgir constituency of Marathwada.
The BJP on Friday likened Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, who was involved in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and demanded his resignation after a party leader died allegedly in a police lathi-charge in Patna.

The opposition party in Bihar alleged that the police lathi-charge during the Vidhan Sabha march was a pre-planned conspiracy of the state government to instil fear among people and prevent them from holding protests for their rights and justice.

The BJPs Jehanabad district general secretary Vijay Singh died while taking part in the march organised by the party against the Nitish Kumar government. Party leaders have alleged that Vijay Singh succumbed to injuries he suffered in a brutal lathi-charge by the police.

The party demanded the arrest of the culprits behind the police action and claimed the lathi charge and use of tear gas shells during their protest against various decisions of the Bihar government was a reminder of similar incidents during the British Raj.

It was the same as the Britishers had done with people protesting against the Simon Commission, said Nityanand Rai the Union minister of state for home and the BJPs MP from Bihars Ujiyarpur Lok Sabha constituency said a press conference. Indeed, Jungle Raj 3.0 has arrived in Bihar. He sought the Nitish Kumar governments answer over the police brutality unleashed on the people of Bihar who were holding a peaceful demonstration, demanding rights and justice.

The kind of barbarism witnessed on the streets of Patna yesterday was a reminder of General Dyer who is known for his barbaric way of crushing those demanding justice, he said.

Lathi-charge on teachers, lathi-charge on students, lathi-charge on women This shows that Bihars Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav government is conspiring to crush their opponents like the British, he said. The BJP demands his resignation.

Chief Minister Kumar is in charge of the states home department.

Asserting that the BJP will continue the struggle in Bihar, Rai demanded the state government roll back all the decisions taken against the interests of farmers, students and teachers in the state.

The use of force by the police on BJP leaders and workers was a well-thought-out conspiracy of the state government to instil fear in the minds of the people of Bihar so that nobody dares to organise such kind of march, demonstration and protest in future, he alleged.

The Union minister said BJP leaders and workers cannot be scared by lathis and bullets. Vijay Singh has made a big sacrifice for the farmers, labourers, teachers, students and, womens rights, he added.
In its shriveled modern form, Twitter has already established itself as a deadbeat: it's failed to pay rent on offices, screwed over vendors, and is even suing its own lawyers. From the beginning, though, it was also expected it would stiff the thousands of workers it laid off, and now the bill is in: $500m in unpaid severance checks.

Courtney McMillian, who oversaw Twitter's employee benefits programs as its "head of total rewards" before she was laid off in January, filed the proposed class action in San Francisco federal court.

McMillian claims that under a severance plan created by Twitter in 2019, most workers were promised two months of their base pay plus one week of pay for each full year of service if they were laid off. Senior employees such as McMillian were owed six months of base pay, according to the lawsuit.

But Twitter only gave laid-off workers at most one month of severance pay, and many of them did not receive anything, McMillian claims.
Bengaluru, known for its competitive spirit, has witnessed a fascinating trend where landlords have joined the ranks of high achievers. They have taken the selection process for tenants to a whole new level, mirroring the ambitious mindset of the citys residents. In fact, renting a house in Bengaluru has become a task that is even more challenging than securing a coveted job. In a recent tale that left many in awe, a prospective tenant shared their extraordinary experience with a landlord who approached the renting process with the zeal of a seasoned investor. In the tweet that has now gone viral, the user shared how the landlord went beyond the typical owner-tenant conversation which felt like a seed-round pitch!

Twitter user Neeraj Menta recounted their journey, starting with the requirement to submit background details and LinkedIn profiles for the landlords shortlisting process. Once selected, Menta revealed intriguing details of the interview, stating, He (landlord) asked me detailed questions about my background, family size, etc., then moved to my startup. He asked me questions about the business model, burn rate, last-round investors, etc."

My tenant interview was longer and more grueling than my Seed round pitch. I recently started househunting in Bangalore and one owner wanted to interview me before saying yes. A of all the questions #bangalorehousehunt @peakbengaluru Neeraj Menta (@neerajmnt) July 12, 2023

The dialogue then took an unexpected turn when the discussion veered towards Mentas wifes outdated LinkedIn profile, prompting the landlord to express his preference for tenants with a high pedigree." But the surprises didnt end there. Menta further shared, He then proceeded to advise me on how to be careful in running a business and ensure good unit economics and a sound operating model. He was well-meaning and said reasonable things, but I was surprised at how long the conversation went."

After such an extensive conversation, the homeowner concluded that he needed some time to speak with other potential candidates interested in renting the house.

Also Read: Entrepreneurship Poster Outside Preschool is Just a Start-up of Citys Goals

Reflecting on the experience, Menta humourously summed it up, My wife thought I was in a fundraising pitch and asked how it went - I said It went well, fingers crossed!'"

And after all this, he said that he will come back to me in a day or two after having calls with a few other candidates who were interested to take the house My wife thought I was in a fundraising pitch and asked how it went - I said It went well, fingers crossed"  Neeraj Menta (@neerajmnt) July 12, 2023

The tweet quickly gained attention, sparking reactions from users. One user playfully suggested, You should have convinced him to take rent in ESOPs instead of cash," while another one quipped, Your prospective landlord is an angel!"

You should have convinced him to take rent in esops instead of cash  Shantanu Goel (@shantanugoel) July 13, 2023

Your prospective landlord is an angel! SanthanamVaidya (@sanvai) July 13, 2023

Another day, Another Peak Bengaluru moment!
Delhi is battling a swollen Yamuna and the situation only seems to be getting worse as the city witnessed mild showers. This time, the Yamuna levels in Delhi have breached its all time record, contributing to the seriousness of the situation. Most of the city is drowning, with people struggling to make a way for day to day errands. Amid all the chaos, many images and videos have surfaced on social media which show people trying to battle the situation.

Also Read: Is Mark Zuckerbergs Threads Losing to Twitter? Google Trends Show Steep Decline After App Launch

A heart-wrenching video which has surfaced on social media shows a rickshaw-puller pedalling through chest deep water with a smile on his face. The video has gone viral with multiple people uploading it on their social media handles. The guy is still smiling. This is why this race has survived, wrote a Twitter user as he shared the video.

The man in the video is surrounded by water all across. He can be seen pedalling and making his way through the dirty water, accompanied by garbage. However, what has shocked people is that the man seems so calm and is smiling throughout. Here is the viral video:

The guy is still smiling. This is why this race has survived pic.twitter.com/1kLyld684I Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) July 13, 2023

This is the level of calmness we need in real life, wrote a Twitter user. Another person wrote, Life is just about accepting the things. Many people can be seen praising his resilience. On the other hand, people were also sad and disgusted as to how he had to still carry on with his duties in such extreme conditions.

Also Read: Twitter Floods With Memes As Yamuna Level in Delhi Breaches All Time Record

To battle with the worsening situation, the Delhi government has banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles. Sharing a copy of the order issued by the Transport Department on Twitter, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said, Entry of Heavy Goods Vehicles has been banned from Singhu Border, Badarpur Border, Loni Border and Chilla Border as a precautionary measure in view of abnormally rising water level of Yamuna River.
Extreme rain and floods have inundated northern states of India and Delhi is witnessing flood-like situations as Yamunas water level keeps rising. Devastating monsoon seasons have not only impacted India but extreme rain is being reported across several countries including China, Japan, South Korea, Philippines and other Asian countries.

A report by the BBC said that above 100 people have died across Asia this month due to the intense monsoon season. Extreme rain has caused floods and landslides in China and Japan.

Storms battered the South Korean capital Seoul and the Philippines is preparing for a tropical cyclone. In all of these major cities, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate.

Eight people, including a local politician, died on the Japanese island of Kyushu following the record-breaking floods. Several others are still missing. Several Japanese cities have logged record amounts of rain.

Japan, according to the World Meteorological Organizations top officials, are extremely alert and well-prepared when it comes to flood management but authorities there, too, have struggled to mitigate the impacts.

Authorities in Japans Kyushu evacuated more than 420,000 residents from two prefectures.

Authorities in Seoul evacuated 135 people on Friday as heavy rains led to power cuts across 4,000 households in the South Korean capital. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said authorities must focus on preventing deaths.

Scientists believe that climate change caused by global warming has led to the likelihood of heavy rain across the world. They believe that a warmer atmosphere holds more water, the BBC report said.

They also pointed to the onset of El Nino which leads to the rise of sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific to at least 0.5C above the long-term average. This has happened for the first time in seven years, the BBC said.

Several people have died in China. Buildings collapsed due to heavy rains in several Chinese provinces. More than 40,000 people in Chinas Sichuan province were evacuated, Reuters said in a report.

Cambodias capital Phnom Penh was hit by flash floods last week and its weatherman said that the city recorded its heaviest rainfall in three years. Heavy floods were also reported in the Philippines with floods causing a 17 km traffic jam on a highway leading to Manila.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken here and discussed issues like Ukraine, Myanmar and Indo-Pacific.

Pleasure to meet Secretary Blinken. Followed up on PM Narendra Modis recent visit to the US. Also exchanged views on Ukraine, Myanmar and Indo-Pacific, the minister, who is here in the Indonesian capital, tweeted.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US, India and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of Chinas rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.

The minister is visiting Indonesia for the Foreign Ministers Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format  ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.

Jaishankar at the sidelines of the ARF meetings also met Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Vice-President of the European Commission.

Appreciate the conversation today with EU High Representative @JosepBorrellF on the sidelines of the ARF meetings. Had a detailed discussion on the Ukraine conflict and the situation in Myanmar, Jaishankar said in another tweet.

After Jakarta, Jaishankar will travel to Bangkok in Thailand to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16 and also attend the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers Retreat on July 17.
A Pakistan court said that the illegal marriage case of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan with Bushra Bibi during Bibis iddat period is admissible in court, according to the NewsPK.

Iddat is a 130-day waiting period, or a period of abstinence following the termination of a womans marriage through divorce, death or any other mode of separation from her husband, during which the woman is supposed to remain unmarried, according to Islamic Sharia laws.

Imran Khan married his third wife, Bushra Bibi, in February 2018 and the petitioner, Muhammad Hanif, said that Bibis former husband divorced her in November 2017, thus, breaking the 130-day abstinence period rule which is against the Sharia and Muslim norms.

Hanif also contended that the former Pakistan prime minister and the former first lady cohabited even though their first nikah had taken place without the completion of Bushra Bibis mandatory Iddat period.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Islamabad Muhammad Azam Khan has remanded the case and returned the case to the civil court for hearing.

Earlier a civil court declared the petition challenging the legality of the marriage inadmissible.

Imran Khans marriage with his third wife Bushra Bibi is mired in controversy due to the timing of the marriage. Mufti Mohammad Saeed, the cleric who performed the marriage ceremony, told a court earlier in April that the marriage ceremony was done during the mandatory abstinence period.

Mufti Mohammad Saeed also told the court at that time that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi entered into an illegal and un-Islamic union for the sake of a mere prediction as Imran was convinced that if he married Bushra Bibi on New Years Day in 2018, he would be elected Pakistan Prime Minister.

He also said that Imran Khan contacted him again in February 2018 for holding the marriage ceremony afresh as the first ceremony was against the principles of Shariah.

I was told that the Nikah was solemnised during Bushra Bibis Iddat as she had been divorced in Nov 2017. But there was a prediction that the PTI chairman will become prime minister if he marries Bushra on Jan 1, 2018, Saeed said, according to a report by the Dawn.
Asserting that they believe in a free, open, inclusive and secure Indo-Pacific region, India and France on Friday vowed to advance the rule of international law and build a balanced and stable order in the strategic region, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two countries released an India-France Indo-Pacific Roadmap after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron here.

The roadmap said that India and France are strategically located resident powers and key partners with vital stakes in the Indo-Pacific region. The roadmap comes amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the strategic region.

The Indo-French partnership in the Indian Ocean has become an important focus of our bilateral relations. In 2018, India and France agreed on a Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. We are now ready to extend our joint efforts to the Pacific, the two countries said in their document. India and France said they believe in a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

Our cooperation seeks to secure our own economic and security interests; ensure equal and free access to global commons; build partnerships of prosperity and sustainability in the region; advance the rule of international law; and, working with others in the region and beyond, build a balanced and stable order in the region, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the two countries said. Prime Minister Modis vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and President Macrons vision of security and cooperation outlined in the Indo-Pacific Strategy of France are very much aligned, the statement said.

Our cooperation is comprehensive and covers defence, security, economic, connectivity, infrastructure, sustainability and human-centric development, the two countries said. Our bilateral cooperation advances our mutual security and supports peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Our cooperation extends from the seabed to space. We will continue to deepen our exchanges, cooperate on situational and domain awareness, intensify maritime cooperation across the region such as the one we conduct in the South West Indian Ocean Region in liaison with partner countries in the region, they said.

The two countries also vowed to increase militaries naval visits and develop defence industrial capabilities in India and jointly support the needs of other countries. We will continue to develop our comprehensive cooperation including the French overseas territories of La Reunion, New Caledonia and French Polynesia and in coordination with other countries in the region and beyond, they said.

India and France asserted that they will continue to work together to extend development cooperation to countries in the region, including in Africa, the Indian Ocean Region, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

We will strengthen our plurilateral arrangements with Australia and UAE and build new ones in the region. We will strengthen our cooperation in regional forums such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, the Indian Ocean Commission, Djibouti Code of Conduct, the ADMM+ and ARF, the two countries said. They also said that they will strengthen maritime security coordination through IFC-IOR in India, EMASoH in UAE and Atalanta, RCOC in Seychelles, RMIFC in Madagascar and ReCAAP in Singapore.

France also supports Indias willingness to join Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the statement said. Both countries said they will work together to advance the objectives of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative which aims to address common challenges in the region through collaborative actions under its seven pillars.

Under Frances lead on the Maritime Resources pillar, the two countries said, they will work together to implement practical projects, in synergy with, and under, the various bilateral, regional and global initiatives by the two sides, for creating an ecosystem for the sustainable development of maritime resources and combatting activities like Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. India and France noted that they launched the International Solar Alliance and were committed to the deployment of renewable energies in the region.

They are also proposing that start-ups in the region benefit from the Solar X Challenge project, the statement said. India and France are continuing to implement the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership and are supporting a mangrove conservation initiative aimed at the Pacific States in particular, it said.

The two sides said they would work on finalizing the India-France Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation Fund. Our partnership in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure will help build a more resilient and sustainable future for the people of the region, especially in the small island states, the two countries said.

Furthermore, France invited India to join the KIWA initiative, a multi-donor programme designed to strengthen resilience to climate change and the preservation of biodiversity in the Pacific through simplified financial support for concrete projects. India and France also vowed to set up the Indo-French Health Campus for the Indo-Pacific, with the aim of making it a regional magnet for research and academia. Building on the experience in the Indian Ocean, we may consider opening the Campus to Pacific Island Nationals, they said.

We believe that the India-France partnership will be a crucial pillar of the inter-connected and intersecting arrangements in the Indo-Pacific region and indispensable for a peaceful and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific region, they said. Modi and Macron held wide-ranging talks and laid out a roadmap to strengthen ties in various sectors.

Earlier, at a joint press event, Modi said India and France have a special responsibility to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. As resident powers of the Indo-Pacific, India and France have special responsibility for peace and stability in the region, he said.

Modi arrived here on Thursday on a two-day official visit. Earlier in the day, the prime minister graced the Bastille Day parade, which is part of the French National Day celebrations, as the Guest of Honour.
Doctors in Israel performed a complicated surgery where they reattached a 12-year-boys head to his neck after it was internally decapitated when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle, according to a report by the Times of Israel.

The boy named Suleiman Hassan suffered an internal decapitation, as described by his physicians, where his skull detached from the top vertebrae of his spine after he was hit by the car. In medicalese it is known as bilateral atlanto occipital joint dislocation.

Last month, Suleiman, a 12 year old Palestinian boy was in a horrific car accident while riding his bike. He sustained life threatening injuries when his head was severed from his neck, Israel, the State of Israels official Twitter account run by its foreign ministry said in a tweet.

Last month, Suleiman, a 12 year old Palestinian boy was in a horrific car accident while riding his bike. He sustained life threatening injuries when his head was severed from his neck. The child was airlifted to the Hadassah Medical Center and underwent an emergency pic.twitter.com/wTuQ1IZH3Q  Israel   (@Israel) July 11, 2023

The child was airlifted to the Hadassah Medical Center and underwent an emergency procedure. This week, Suleiman was released from the hospital. His father thanked the medical staff and said (he) will be grateful for the rest of my life for saving my only precious son, the State of Israels official Twitter account said.

The surgery was performed by orthopaedic surgeon Dr Ohad Einav. He said his team fought for the boys life but said his recovery was a miracle as there was only a 50% chance of survival.

Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room, Einav was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel.

The surgery was performed in June and doctors waited until July to make the results public. The fact that such a child has no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction and that he is functioning normally and walking without an aid after such a long process is no small thing, Einav further added.

Einav also pointed out that his team also faced another challenge due to the age of the patient. (The) large size of a childs head relative to an adult means they are more susceptible. This is not a common surgery at all, and especially not on children and teens. A surgeon needs knowledge and experience to do this, he said.

The boys father did not leave Suleiman throughout the operation and said he will remain forever grateful towards the hospital staff.
A mob of Khalistani separatists attacked an Indian student in Australias Sydney on Friday, a report by Australia Today revealed. The student chose to identify as Swapnil Singh to the news outlet - hiding his original name fearing for his life - and was attacked in Westmead, a suburb of Western Sydney.

Swapnil told Australia Today that he is an international student and was on his way to work when a mob of Khalistani separatists attacked him with iron rods. He was struck with a rod on the left side of his face.

He said he was sitting in the car that he drives as part of his work when he suddenly saw the mob of four to five Khalistani separatists converge upon his car. They opened the left side door of the car and started striking him.

While they beat him, they chanted Khalistan Zindabad slogans and some from the mob started recording the incident.

I work as a driver and my vehicle was parked just 50 metres from where I live. As soon as I sat in my driving seat these Khalistan supporters came out of nowhere. One of them opened the left side door of my vehicle and hit me with an iron road on my cheekbone under my left eye. Two of them were recording (the attack) on their phones while 4-5 hit me from all sides, Swapnil was quoted as saying by the Australia Today.

Everything happened within (a span of) 5 minutes and they left saying this should be enough lesson for me for opposing the Khalistan issue, if not, they are ready to give me more lessons like this, he further added.

The report pointed out that people in the neighbourhood and passersby reported the incident to the New South Wales (NSW) Police following the attack. The NSW reached the scene and called paramedics who took Swapnil to Westmead Hospital with serious injuries to his head, leg and arm.

The Australia Today report said that Swapnil will undergo a corrective surgery on his arm. It said that Swapnils injured arm is split open at the elbow area.

Andrew Charlton, federal member of Parliament for Parramatta, condemned the attack. There is no place in our local community for extremism or violence of any kind. People should be safe and secure in our community. I have contacted the relevant authorities regarding this incident and will monitor the situation as it unfolds, Charlton was quoted as by the Australia Today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held bilateral talks at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday, discussing collaborations in nuclear energy, defence and the roadmap for the India-France strategic partnership in the next 25 years.

PM Modi, who is on a two-day official visit, received a warm welcome at the Elysee Palace from French President Macron, following which the two leaders delivered press statements.

Macron said he was happy to see Indian contingent at the Bastille Day military parade earlier in the day. I was proud to see the Punjab Regiment here in the heart of Paris (at the Bastille Day parade). We are going ahead on the basis of a historic trust. Together we can find solutions for global crises," he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi joined French President Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour with an Indian tri-services marching contingent wowing crowds during the French National Day celebrations. Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) also joined the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

30,000 French Students to India, Favorable Visa Policy for Indians

He also announced plans to send over 30,000 French students to India by 2030. We cant forget the youth By 2030, we aim to send 30,000 French students to India." He also said the French government is aiming to set up a favourable visa policy for Indian students. For young Indians aspiring to pursue higher education in France, we want to establish a favorable visa policy, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called France a natural partner" and said, We see France as a natural partner in Indias developmental journey."

He said a roadmap to strengthen India-France strategic ties over the next 25 years was being prepared with bold and ambitious goals. We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of our Strategic Partnership. On the strong foundation of the last 25 years, we are preparing a roadmap for the coming 25 years. We are setting bold and ambitious goals for this," Modi said.

France Crucial Partner for Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat

Speaking on defence ties, Modi said military have consistently served as the fundamental pillar of bilateral relations between the two nations. Defence ties have been an important pillar in the relationship between India and France. France is a crucial partner for us in Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat," he said, adding, Be it submarines or naval aircraft, together we want to fulfil not just ours but also the requirements of other friendly countries."

Speaking ahead of the CEO forum, he said, Today we will discuss about co-production and co-production related to new technologies," he said. Modi said both sides can produce military platforms for friendly third countries as well.

There is scope for expanding cooperation among the defence space agencies. We are moving forward towards setting up of MRO facilities, production of spare parts and development of helicopter engines by French companies in India. We will focus on strengthening our cooperation on this," he said.

Ukraine Conflict

The Prime Minister also spoke about the Covid-19 crisis and the Ukraine conflict with Russia. The impact of the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine conflict has been felt worldwide. It is essential for all countries to make united efforts to solve these problems. We firmly believe that all disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy," he said, adding, India is prepared to contribute to the restoration of lasting peace."

Referring with Macrons earlier statement regarding visa policy for Indian students, PM Modi said, We appreciate the decision to grant long-term visas to people of Indian origin studying in France."

Modi also said the two countries have agreed to launch Indias Unified Payment Interface in France.

We will be opening a new Indian consulate in the city of Marseille, located in the south of France," he added.

Yesterday, President Macron bestowed upon me the Best National Award (Legion of Honour) of France. This honor represents the pride of 1.4 billion Indians. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to President Macron for the warm welcome received in the beautiful city of Paris," he said.

I extend my warm wishes to the people of France on their National Day. This day symbolises values such as liberty, equality, and fraternity, which hold significance worldwide. These values form the cornerstone of the relationship between our two democratic nations, PM Modi said.

We will discuss cooperation on small and modular nuclear reactors, take our cooperation in nuclear energy forward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He also said, India and France have been together in war against terror. We believe strong action needs to be taken to end cross border terrorism.

Chandrayaan-3 Launch

PM Modi also spoke about the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 and said the lift-off of Indias Moon Mission has elated the entire nation and marked a significant achievement for our scientists." India and France have a longstanding cooperation in the field of space," he added.

He also said Indian athletes are eagerly looking forward to the Paris Olympics next year. I extend my best wishes to President Macron and his team for organising the event," he said.
Nepals aviation regulator has announced banning helicopters from conducting non-essential" flights, including those for sight-seeing, for two months after a deadly crash near Mount Everest killed six people.

A Manang Air helicopter 9N-AMV crashed on Tuesday, killing all six people on board, including five members of a Mexican family who had gone for sightseeing.

Non-essential flights like mountain flights, external load operations (sling flights) and showering of flowers by helicopters (will) be restricted till September, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) announced on Twitter on Wednesday.

Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has issued new regulations to ensure the safety of helicopter flights. pic.twitter.com/8JLFzqbnzy Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (@hello_CAANepal) July 12, 2023

The CAAN also said that the permission to helicopter operations, including rescue flights, will be centralized till September.

Authority to issue permission to helicopter operations, including rescue flights, to be centralized at ATD during this monsoon till September with periodic review in weekly basis for the effectiveness of this provision, the statement read.

CAAN has formed a team for daily control and supervision of Helicopter and short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations, it added.

The Nepal government has formed a four-member panel to probe the deadly crash. The probe committee is headed by Budhisagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation, according to the ministry sources.

The helicopter took off from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10.04 am for Kathmandu and suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10.13 am.

The helicopter crashed in the Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality in the remote mountainous Solukhumbu district.

Nepal is home to eight of the worlds 14 tallest mountain peaks including Mount Everest and has a history of air crashes as many aircraft fly to small airports in remote hills.

In January this year, Nepals Yeti Airlines twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft carrying 72 people, including five Indians, crashed in Pokhara, killing all on board.
The northern lights will be visible across some states in the United States on Thursday, however, the audience will be much smaller than what some early forecasts had suggested.

The sky spectacle will be visible in stretches of Canada and few states in the US could see a faint reddish glow on the horizon.

Earlier, the forecast by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute had suggested that the northern lights could be visible much farther south than usual this week.

However, more recent forecast using current data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict nothing special for the US, according to Associated Press.

Where Will be the Norther Lights Visible in the US?

In North America, the predictions show a broad stretch of Canada and Alaska could see the northern lights on Wednesday and Thursday.

Areas in the US, including parts of Wisconsin, Michigan and Montana, could get a peek of the colorful glow. However, for them the aurora will probably be a faint glow on the horizon, rather than a shimmering green curtain.

The people in these areas will have to seek out clear, dark skies between 9 pm and 3 am to have the best chance to see the auroras colorful glow.

Last week, the institute has predicted that the lights would be visible in 17 states over two days in Washington, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Massachusetts on July 12, and Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Indiana, Vermont and Maryland.

Three months ago, the light displays were visible in Arizona, marking the third severe geomagnetic storm since the current solar cycle began in 2019.

What Causes the Northern Lights?

The northern lights happen when particles from the sun make their way toward Earth and collide with Earths atmosphere.

The sun is constantly sending material our way in a stream known as the solar wind. The particles carry an electric charge and when they bump into gases such as oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, they transfer some of their energy like two billiard balls hitting each other.

This puts the atoms and molecules in an excited state. They shake off some of that energy in the form of light, creating the colorful displays of greens, blues, pinks and reds.

This solar wind is always flowing, but its levels can vary. During the periods of stronger solar wind activity, we tend to see more auroras and more solar particles can make the northern lights brighter.

(With inputs from agencies)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. This years Bastille Day celebrations also included an Indian tri-services marching contingent.

The contingent was met with raucous applause during the march past to commemorate the French National Day. Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) also joined the flypast on the occasion along with French jets, news agency PTI reported.

India, inspired by its centuries old ethos, is committed to doing everything possible to make our planet peaceful, prosperous and sustainable. 1.4 billion Indians will always be grateful to France for being a strong and trusted partner. May the bond deepen even further!, Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet after the military parade.

His French counterpart Macron also highlighted the important role India has played in world history, calling the nation giant. A giant in world history, with a decisive role to play in the future, a strategic partner, a friend. We are proud to welcome India as our guest of honour at the 14 July parade, the French President said in a tweet.

Macron also took a moment to remember the Indian troops who fought alongside the French during World War I. It should be noted that Indian troops at that time fought under the banner of the British Empires colonial army.

Indian soldiers fought at Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, the Somme and Passchendaele. Altogether, some 1.5 million were deployed in all theatres of World War I, the British Library has said on its website.

The 269-member Indian tri-services contingent marched to the tune of saare jahan se achcha.

PM Modi saluted the Indian contingent as it passed the dais where Macron, he and other dignitaries were seated. News agency PTI in its report said that throughout the parade, the French President, Macron, was seen animatedly explaining to Modi the nuances of the traditional parade.

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789. The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations, the news outlet said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday commended a renowned French Yoga teacher for her passion towards the ancient Indian practice at the age of 99 and her ground-breaking work for its promotion in France.

Modi attended the Bastille Day parade on Friday as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

In Paris, I had the opportunity to meet the remarkable Charlotte Chopin. She began practising Yoga at the age of 50, the prime minister tweeted.

In Paris, I had the opportunity to meet the remarkable Charlotte Chopin. She began practising Yoga at the age of 50. Shes going to turn hundred soon but her passion towards Yoga and fitness has only increased over the years. pic.twitter.com/zrWkMMTck9 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

Shes going to turn a hundred soon but her passion towards Yoga and fitness has only increased over the years, he said.

The Prime Minister appreciated Chopins deep faith in yoga and her ground-breaking work in the promotion of Yoga in France, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Prime Minister Modi is a strong proponent of Yoga.

Due to his relentless efforts, June 21 was declared the International Yoga Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

Chopin shared her views on how yoga can bring happiness and promote holistic well-being. They also exchanged views on the increased interest in Yoga owing to the International Day of Yoga celebrations. On June 21 this year, Modi led a high-profile yoga session at the UN Headquarters in New York to mark the 9th International Day of Yoga.
India and France were exploring possibilities for co-development and co-production of key military platforms for export to friendly countries and stepping up cooperation in space-based maritime awareness, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The two leaders held tete-a-tete and delegation-level talks in the Elysee Palace, the official residence of the President of the French Republic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. They held extensive discussions on a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation including defence and security, civil nuclear, science and technology, energy, trade and investment, space, climate action and people-to-people ties, it said.

Speaking at a joint press event with Macron, Modi, who is here on a two-day official visit, said a roadmap to strengthen India-France strategic ties over the next 25 years was being prepared with bold and ambitious goals on the anvil. Modi said that Indian Oil and Total company of France have reached a long-term agreement on the import of LNG. This will strengthen our goals of transitioning towards clean energy, he said.

The two sides also announced major cooperation in the space sector by inking the implementing agreement for a joint earth observation satellite  Trishna  to monitor temperatures on earth and oceans and study climate change. The two countries also announced plans for joint developments in the field of launchers, while NewSpace India Limited and Arianespace signed a letter of intent to collaborate on commercial launch services.

The two sides released a Horizon 2047 Roadmap to set the course for the bilateral relationship up to 2047. Prime Minister Modi also announced that an agreement has been reached to launch Indias Unified Payments Interface in France, the first European country to do so.

Modi also spoke about plans by French companies for developing helicopter engines, production of spare parts and setting up of MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities in India. The defence ministry on Thursday approved proposals to purchase 26 Naval variants of Rafale jets from France and procure three French-designed Scorpene class submarines.

Defence cooperation has been a strong pillar of our close relationship. It is a symbol of deep mutual trust between the two countries. France is an important partner in Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, Modi said.

Today we will discuss co-development and co-production related to new technologies, he said. Modi said both sides can produce military platforms for friendly third countries as well.

There is scope for expanding cooperation among the defence space agencies. We are moving forward towards setting up MRO facilities, production of spare parts and development of helicopter engines by French companies in India. We will focus on strengthening our cooperation on this, he said.

Modi also said India and France will take forward the relationship in the civil nuclear sector and discuss the possibilities for cooperation in the field of small and advanced modular reactors.

He said India and France have been together in the war against terror. We believe strong action needs to be taken to end cross-border terrorism and both nations agree to take further steps in this direction, Modi said.

During their talks, the two leaders also discussed Indias G20 Presidency, Indo-Pacific, and regional and global issues of mutual interest, the MEA statement said. The prime minister during the joint press event said that India and France have a special responsibility to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region which is witnessing Chinas aggressive posturing.

As resident powers of the Indo-Pacific, India and France have special responsibility for peace and stability in the region, he said.

Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict have impacted the whole world, Modi said the countries of the Global South have been particularly impacted negatively.

This is a matter of concern. To find solutions to such problems, it is important for countries to make efforts unitedly. We believe that all disputes can be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy. India is willing to contribute to lasting peace, the prime minister said.

Ambitious outcome documents, including Horizon 2047: Charting the future of India-France Strategic Partnership, were adopted during their talks, the MEA statement said.

Prime Minister conveyed that he looks forward to welcoming President Macron in New Delhi for the G20 Leaders Summit in September 2023, it said. Modi and Macron also addressed the CEOs Forum where the Prime Minister urged French businessmen to tap opportunities in India.

He also announced that India would open a new Consulate in the port town of Marseilles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive the prestigious recognition of being the Guest of Honour at the 2023 Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. He will attend the event with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday morning (local time).

PM Modi France Visit LIVE: Catch All Updates Here

Bastille Day is a national holiday in France. It celebrates the actions undertaken by a group of French revolutionaries, who angered at the mistreatment of French citizens by the monarchy, stormed into the Bastille prison, setting prisoners free and grabbing weapons. This was one of the key events of the French Revolution and is often seen as a precursor to it.

The events of July 14, 1789 occurred two days after the French people began the French Revolution. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which serves as a constitution and proclaims the rights of French citizens, was also an outcome of the breaking of the Bastille prison and the French Revolution of 1789. The French call it Fete Nationale and more commonly le quatorze juillet.

This years Bastille Day celebrations will feature an Indian contingent at the Bastille Day military parade. All three components of the Indian Armed Forces will feature in Wednesdays parade in France.

As the Indian Army soldiers march down the iconic Champs-Elysees avenue with their French counterparts, the Indian Air Forces Rafale fighter jets, purchased from French manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets Dassault Aviation, will also feature and will participate in the fly-past over the renowned Arc de Triomphe.

The military parade which is held on Bastille Day is one of the oldest and largest regular military parades in Europe held on the Champs-Elysees in Paris in front of the French president and his guests.

Prime Minister Modis two-day visit is aimed at strengthening the defence as well trade and people-to-people ties between India and France. Defence collaboration will only become stronger between India and France as India said it intends to order 26 more Rafale jets as well as another three Scorpene-class submarines, with the price and other terms still being worked out.

This closeness is not limited to just the leaders of two countries, it is in fact a reflection of the unwavering friendship between India and France, PM Modi said.

PM Modi will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to enhance cooperation across space, trade and investment and is scheduled to meet prominent French citizens, attend a CEO forum featuring French business leaders and also attend the grand banquet dinner at the iconic Louvre in Paris.
A defunct spacecraft, Aeolus, which is the size of a small car is expected to crash into Earth within weeks, the European Space Agency (ESA) said. The ESA said that its 1.3-tonne Aeolus satellite is running out of fuel and is falling towards earth at the rate of 1 km a day.

Much of Aeolus will burn up in the atmosphere but some debris will likely reach the Earths surface towards the end of July or early August.

The ESA will also try to steer the spacecraft towards a remote part of the planet using the remaining fuel inside the satellite. This will be the first time that the ESA will make such an attempt.

This assisted re-entry attempt goes above and beyond safety regulations for the mission, which was planned and designed in the late 1990s. Once ESA and industrial partners found that it might be possible to further reduce the already minimal risk to life or infrastructure, the wheels were set in motion, Tim Flohrer, head of ESAs Space Debris Office, was quoted as saying by Sky News.

Satellite Aeolus orbited Earth at an altitude of 320 kms for five years. Aeolus measured wind in the atmosphere to improve weather forecasts, the report said.

However, its fuel is almost spent and due to Earths gravity and solar activity along with the Earths atmosphere is dragging the spacecraft downwards.

After Aeolus reaches an altitude of 280 kms the mission control in Germany will start a series of manoeuvres over several days and make it descend to a lower orbit of 150 kms. The Sky News report said that one last change in trajectory will put Aeolus on course to plunge into the ocean, far from land and residential areas.

The ESA highlighted that it is not possible to share an exact timing for the spacecrafts re-entry.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday assured the nation that his government will hand over the reins of the government to an interim setup in August to steer it through the general elections.

In a televised address to the nation, Sharif also said his government has cleared the landmines" spread in the way of Pakistans interests by former prime minister Imran Khan.

This comes a day after Sharif, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, said at a ceremony in Islamabad that Parliament would complete its term on August 14 to pave the way for interim government and elections.

Sharif, who was sworn in in April last year, stated that he was given the sacred responsibility to run the country as the prime minister.

We will hand over this responsibility in August 2023 to the caretaker government, he said.

Under the Constitution of Pakistan, general elections must be held under the supervision of a neutral caretaker government so that a level playing field is available to all political parties.

The caretaker prime minister is appointed by agreement between the outgoing prime minister and the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.

If they fail to agree on a name, the prime minister and the leader of the Opposition send their names to a bipartisan committee to agree on a name within a given time period.

If the committee also fails, the same names are sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan, which appoints one of them as the prime minister.

The caretaker prime minister appoints a Cabinet to run the affairs of the country and his tenure ends as soon as the new prime minister takes oath after elections.

It is so far not clear who would be the caretaker prime minister but political parties are having consultations to appoint one with consensus.

Sharif in his address said that his government in a short period of 15 months tried to clear what he termed as the rubble of destruction left by his predecessor Khan.

Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: party, was ousted from power in April last year after the National Assembly passed a no-confidence motion against him.

We cleaned the landmines spread in the way of Pakistans interests, he said.

He said that the government had been successful in dousing the fire caused by the mismanagement, inefficiency and conspiracy by the former government.

This brief 1.5-year period was a journey from the darkness of hopelessness to the light of hope  it was the beginning of gaining something after losing everything  it was a journey of returning towards development from anarchy and chaos, he said.

He took credit for facing some of the toughest challenges and tackling the problems and setting a direction of the economy and the country.

The address was made on the day the International Monetary Fund provided USD 1.2 billion out of USD 3 billion which the global lender approved for the cash-strapped country.

It averted the threat of default and would help the caretaker set up to focus on the election without worrying about the economic situation of the country.
NEW YORK (AP)  The founder of student aid startup Frank shook her head repeatedly Thursday as a prosecutor claimed that she tricked J.P. Morgan Chase into paying $175 million for her business by lying about its client base.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Fergenson described criminal charges against Frank founder Charlie Javice and codefendant Olivier Amar, the company's chief growth officer, to a federal judge at a pretrial hearing during which each of them entered pleas of not guilty to an indictment unveiled Wednesday.

Fergenson said the deal two years ago was consummated only after Javice and Amar created a fake data set in response to the bank's data validation request to make it appear that Frank had over 4 million customers rather than the roughly 300,000 clients the company actually had.

As Fergenson spoke, Javice, a Miami, Florida, resident, repeatedly shook her head.

The prosecutor said Javice, 31, and Amar, 49, produced lots of data for J.P. Morgan Chase but that "it was all fake.

He said the pair paid $100,000 to purchase college student data with over 4 million names and contact information, but when the bank tested about 400,000 of the entries, the response was horrible.

A lot of the emails didn't work, Fergenson said.

Javices attorney, Alex Spiro, predicted that yet-to-be-disclosed communications between J.P. Morgan Chase executives at the bank will ultimately support his clients contention that she did not act illegally.

He said prosecutors were just regurgitating the claims J.P. Morgan Chase made in a lawsuit against his client. He said prosecutors would typically gather evidence such as communications among the bank's employees before bringing criminal charges.

After Spiro spoke, Fergenson acknowledged that prosecutors still must review hundreds of thousands of documents before enough evidence will be given to defense lawyers that a trial date could be set as early as Aug. 15, when the next pretrial hearing is scheduled.

Lawyers for Amar did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Javice was arrested in April. Authorities said then that she would have pocketed $45 million from the deal.

Javice had appeared on the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list of young professionals with admirable careers.

In 2017, she founded TAPD Inc., which operated under the name Frank, to provide an online platform to simplify the process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a federal government form used by students to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school.
Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that a Colorado web designer can refuse to create sites for same-sex weddings, a blow for LGBTQ+ rights. Now, just weeks after that decision, a Michigan hair salon owner is refusing to serve some members of that community, including transgender customers. In a now-scrubbed Facebook post cited by USA Today , Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City announced it would no longer cater to clients who identify "as anything other than a man/woman," telling those who do so to "seek services at a local pet groomer." "You are not welcome at this salon. Period," the post, a screenshot of which can be seen on 9&10News , went on to say.

The post also references recent bipartisan legislation in Michigan signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that expands rights and protections for the LGBTQ+ community. In a follow-up comment on a local Facebook page, Christine Geiger, listed on LinkedIn as a Studio 8 co-owner, explained that she has "no issues with LGB ... it's the TQ+ that I'm not going to support," referring to transgender and queer individuals, as well as those who don't feel they fit neatly under a specific umbrella. Geiger adds that "this stance was taken to insure that clients have the best experience and I am admitting that since I am not willing to play the pronoun game or cater to requests outside of what I perceive as normal."

Per the Kansas City Star, the salon's Facebook page has also vanished, though its Instagram page, which is set to private, describes itself in its bio as a "private CONSERVATIVE business that does not cater to woke ideologies." Geiger and the salon are now facing backlash over the respective comments. "Breathtaking hate and bigotry," Democratic state Rep. Betsy Coffia says in a statement, calling the comments "dangerous," per the Detroit Free Press. "It dehumanizes fellow Michiganders at a time when violence against LGBTQ+ residents simply for who they are is already on the rise."

Even one of the hair care lines that Geiger uses, promotes, and sells at her salon has distanced itself from Studio 8. "We want to make it clear that we disapprove of and reject hate speech in any form," the Jack Winn Pro company wrote on Instagram, adding that "the stylist who made those comments no longer has authorization to represent our brand or products." CEO Jack Winn himself also posted a video in which he expressed how his company's support for the LGBTQ+ community is "unwavering." "We're a business and we can choose who we sell to," he notes of his decision to cut Studio 8 out of the Jack Winn Pro loop. (Read more LGBTQ stories.)
Federal designation could bring $3 million

Two CEOs ago in 2017, Wyoming County Community Health System pursued the possibility of becoming a critical access hospital, a federal designation that promised higher reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid patients that could help bolster the rural operation's financial viability.

There was only one problem: Federal rules required a critical access facility to be more than 35 miles from another hospital  and Noyes Health in Dansville was a 32-mile ride across U.S. Route 20A and down State Route 36.

The Warsaw hospital's attempt in 2017 was foiled, but that wouldn't be the end of the story.

Last fall  when new CEO David Kobis wasn't even six months into the job yet  the federal government changed Route 20A's designation from a primary road to a secondary road. It was an under-the-radar game-changer for the health system's eligibility.

That's because, in an area with mountainous terrain or only secondary roads, that 35-mile requirement becomes a 15-mile requirement instead.

Suddenly, Kobis and his new executive team had a fresh opportunity in their aggressive turnaround plan for the struggling county-owned health system.

So they dusted off the old analysis from 2017, and they got to work.

'Financial advantage'

The health system announced Tuesday that is pursuing the designation, noting it expects the conversion to a critical access hospital to take six to nine months.

If all goes well, it will be a big financial boost: The health system, which has about $65 million in annual revenue, anticipates the designation would result in an additional $2 million to $3 million in revenue each year.

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"Once most hospitals get the designation, they never give it up, because it's such a financial advantage to get that," Kobis said.

But the designation will require some changes.

For one, critical access hospitals can't exceed 25 acute care inpatient beds  behavioral health and observation beds are not included in that total.

While the Warsaw hospital is licensed for 62 beds, 12 of those are for behavioral health patients. In addition, the health system on June 1 suspended its five-bed obstetrics program, which was losing roughly $3 million a year.

So of the remaining 45 beds, 10 will close as part of the critical access hospital conversion.

Post-conversion, Kobis would expect the hospital to have approximately 25 acute care inpatient beds, 10 observation beds and 10 behavioral health beds. Based on an analysis of the hospital's patient census over the last decade, Kobis said that bed count is "more than sufficient to handle our volume here in Wyoming County."

Even with fewer beds, Kobis believes the designation can help stabilize the organization and perhaps give it the flexibility to expand certain services.

"It's important," he said. "I mean it's not going to save the place forever, but it's one strategy in addition to a number of different initiatives that we're putting in place."

'Cautiously optimistic'

Kobis, who became CEO in June 2022, has been in the industry for three decades and is well-acquainted with the issues facing rural hospitals.

Among the challenges, he said: shrinking and aging population bases, a lack of leverage when negotiating with insurers and difficulty recruiting physicians.

And since January 2005, 100 rural hospitals have closed nationally while another 95 have cut inpatient beds to maintain some health care services, according to the University of North Carolina's Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.

But Kobis and his team have a plan in Warsaw full of more than 100 initiatives, half of which have been implemented.

And the health system, which reported a $22 million loss last year, has seen progress, he said.

This year, Kobis said the system is projecting a roughly $11 million to $12 million loss. And in the next 12 to 18 months, his goal is to get that loss below $5 million.

"We're cautiously optimistic that we'll be in a much better spot probably in a year, year and a half, two years," he said.

A big opportunity is ensuring that more Wyoming County residents seek care at their local health system.

Kobis said the health system's market share in Wyoming County is about 35% to 40%, which he described as "not acceptable."

He wants to flip those numbers and see 60% to 70% of Wyoming County residents come to his health system rather than travel out of the county for care.

The stability offered by a critical access hospital designation couldn't hurt in those efforts.

"It can take several years to complete a financial turnaround," Kobis said. "We're well on our way, but I think we're very pleased with the progress we're making."

Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up:

Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from 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 Town of Tonawanda equipment maker plans to expand.

Life Storage named a new chief financial officer.

A former 43North CEO who moved to a top role at Life Storage has died.

A group suing over policies for UB campus organizations has dropped part of its lawsuit.

Western New York is getting $69 million for bridge upgrades.

Ciminelli pledges $500,000 to aid Braymiller Market downtown.

A massive medical, surgical complex in Amherst nears opening.

Tax breaks sought for Buffalo City Schools commissary project.

Developer wants tax breaks for Dimar expansion project.

Construction firm seeks developer status for East Side vacant lots.

Environmentalists oppose tax breaks for a Lockport plastics plant.

A potential strike at UPS looms over the Buffalo economy.

ICYMI

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. Local unions buck a trend: Why Buffalo Niagara unions aren't seeing declining membership.

2. Training future nurses: How simulated patients will play a key role in this effort.

3. Psychics, wrestlers and churches: How Buffalo Niagara malls are finding a way forward.

4. The Buffalo Niagara economy looks like it is heading for the soft landing the Federal Reserve is seeking.

5. The death of a hospital: Inside the final days of Eastern Niagara Hospital after more than 100 years.

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.

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Marianne Williamson's presidential campaign is "desperate for cash," as she told volunteers during a two-hour Zoom call leaked Thursday, per Politico . "I have put my own money in, and I don't have the money to continue putting it in at the level I have," said Williamson, who loaned $100,000 to the campaign earlier this year, according to a financial disclosure. The Democratic primary challenger partly blamed sabotage for the troubles. Williamson complained that "DNC insiders" were working to undermine her campaign and "the DNC, Biden, whomever" were trying to curb her reach on TikTok. "Politics is dirty" but "I've never seen anything like this. And it does make you wonder," she said.

Williamson also blamed negative presscentering on accusations of abuse during her past campaign and more recent staff departuresfor the financial state of her campaign. It "has made me radioactive to some people," Williamson said. She claimed former presidential candidate Andrew Yang had backed down from an offer to stump for her South Carolina, though Yang told Politico that he never offered to do that. Williamson also claimed to have reached out to her former roommate, the actor Laura Dern, without receiving a response.

Returning to the subject of cash, Williamson complained of donors "throwing money" at fellow Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she called the "bright, new, shiny object" in the race. Both Kennedy and Williamson are "drastically trailing Biden," per the Washington Examiner, with Kennedy polling at 19% and Williamson in the single digits. Still, Williamson's campaign manager is keeping a brave face. "When it comes to finance, we're an insurgent campaign. We don't have celebrity relatives that are throwing money at us or super PACS," Carlos Cardona told Politico. Through a focus on smaller donations, "it's going to be a people's campaign and people's campaigns aren't always the wealthiest." (Read more Marianne Williamson stories.)
Authorities believe they've found a hidden stash of supplies used by Michael Burham, a murder, kidnapping, burglary, and arson suspect who escaped from a Pennsylvania jail a week ago. A bag containing food, clothes, and "other materials that someone might need if they were trying to exist in the woods" was found in the woods near Warren city, home to the Warren County Jail, State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Thursday, per CNN . "We do believe that this one was his," Bivens added of the bag, which was hidden under a log and protected by a tarp.

A photo of the bag was released days after police reported finding campsites believed to have been used by Burham. Authorities describe the 34-year-old as a survivalist and former military reservist who may be prepared to live for some time in the woods near Warren, which is just outside Allegheny National Forest. An ex-girlfriend tells WIVB that Burham "has the upper hand" in the woods. An expert in strategy games who comes from a family of lumberjacks, "he has the knowledge he needs to evade any sort of tracking. He knows how to get rid of his scent and go through the water. He knows how to make diversion trails," the woman says.

Burham escaped shortly before midnight on July 6 by reaching the roof of the jail through a hole in fencing covering an open air exercise yard, then descending using a rope made of bedsheets, per CNN. Two people heard a drone "immediately adjacent to the jail" around the time, though it was not captured by surveillance cameras, Bivens told reporters Wednesday, per the AP. "If there's not an innocent explanation, perhaps that assists us in finding him and also finding anyone providing aid," Bivens said. Authorities believe Burham is receiving help and is likely to be armed. A $22,000 reward is offered for information leading to his capture. (Read more prison escape stories.)
It's not a sight you especially want to see as your cruise ship pulls into port. But as Ambassador Cruise Line's Ambition approached Torshavn, the capital of Denmark's self-governing Faroe Islands, over the weekend, the water was red with blood, leaving passengers horrified. What happened on Sunday, per the Washington Post : The ship arrived just as nearly 80 pilot whales were being slaughtered, in a centuries-old event called "grindadrap," or "the grind." Futurism describes the activity as follows: "The tradition involves hunters forming a circle of boats around the helpless animals and driving them into a shallow bay. Once beached, they are slaughtered by men armed with knives."

The Post gets even gorier, detailing "securing a hook in the blowhole, dragging the animal onto the beach, severing its spinal cord and blood supply, and cutting its neck with a whaling knife." In this case, the 78 pilot whales, which are members of the dolphin family, were corralled by humans on motorboats and in a helicopter to a nearby beach, where they were killed (the New York Post has photosbe forewarned, they're graphic). The annual event, which usually takes place from April through October, used to be a necessity for the remote island chain to feed and sustain its population. That's no longer the case, but the tradition lives on, despite the protests of conservation and animal rights groups.

"It is barbaric and torture, and it's done on such a large scale," John Hourston of the activist group Blue Planet Society tells WaPo. "Those people are going to need counseling after seeing that." The killing of whales and dolphins is outlawed in the European Unionbut although Denmark is part of the EU, the autonomous Faroe Islands aren't, and locals say they're "proud" of the hunt and don't seem to intend to let up anytime soon. In a statement, Ambassador said it was "incredibly disappointed" that the hunt took place while its ship was there. The cruise line has asked the Faroe Islands government in the past to address the hunt's cruelty, and it advises crew and passengers to refuse to purchase any whale meat.

One commenter has a more "simple" suggestion on how Ambassador can deal with this in the future. "Exclude #FaroeIslands from your route completely," the detractor wrote. "Just don't support their economy in any way until they stop." Not everyone agrees. Nora Livingstone, CEO of Animal Experience International, a Canadian firm whose niche is ethical animal travel, tells WaPo that tourists seeing the practice can serve as a tool to educate on different cultures, and to prompt change. "Turning away doesn't help the animals who are killed, and it doesn't help give voice to those who take part in the hunt," she says. (Read more whales stories.)
A professional butcher whose bloody, wild-eyed face became one of the most memorable images of the US Capitol riot was sentenced Thursday to more than seven years in prison for hurling a bow like a spear at police and attacking several other officers, the AP reports. Kyle Fitzsimons, 39, of Maine, was wearing a white butcher's coat embroidered with his first name when he separately assaulted at least five officers near a tunnel as police desperately tried to protect an entrance to the Capitol from the angry mob of then-President Trump's supporters, prosecutors said. The federal judge who sentenced Fitzsimons also convicted him of 11 charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. US District Judge Rudolph Contreras heard testimony without a jury at a bench trial for Fitzsimons last September.

The judge said Fitzsimons attacked police in a "burst of frenzied fury" and unleashed an "orgy of assaultive rage" that lasted a few minutes. "He was part of the most violent clashes that day," Contreras said. Fitzsimons apologized to the officers he attacked, the court, his family, and "anyone else I've disappointed by my conduct." He said he initially resisted the idea that he posed a "danger to the republic." "But now I know it to be true," he told the judge before learning his sentence. Fitzsimons was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He has been in custody since February 2021, and will get credit for the two years and five months he already has served in jail.

Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of 15 years and eight months for Fitzsimons, calling him one of the most violent and aggressive participants in the riot. They said he caused a "career-ending and life-altering" shoulder injury to Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell. Fitzsimons traveled to Washington, DC, from his home in Lebanon, Maine, a day before the riot erupted. After attending Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6, he returned to his car and changed clothes, donning his butcher's coat. He also wore a fur pelt around his neck and carried an unstrung wooden archery bow. In a separate case Wednesday, Daniel Lyons Scott, 29, a member of the Proud Boys extremist group who goes by the nickname "Milkshake," was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to felony chargesincluding assaultin the riot.

(Read more Capitol attack stories.)
A 20-year-old woman dubbed the "Percocet Princess" has been arrested in connection with the suspected overdose death of Robert De Niro's grandson. Sofia Haley Marks, who allegedly sold drugs to 19-year-old Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez before he was found dead in New York City, was arrested around 6pm Thursday during an undercover sting operation involving the New York Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security, per the New York Post . She faces federal drug distribution charges and is to be arraigned in Manhattan federal court on Friday morning, per ABC News .

De Niro-Rodriguez was found dead July 2 in a Lower Manhattan residence where he was reportedly housesitting, per TMZ. Though authorities have not revealed a cause of death, De Niro-Rodriguez's mother, who is Robert De Niro's eldest daughter, has said her son died after taking pills laced with fentanyl. "Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced," Drena De Niro wrote on Instagram last week. Fentanyl, up to 50 times stronger than heroin, is now "laced in probably 98% of the drugs" in New York City, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said last month, per the Post. (Read more arrest stories.)
A former White House aide to President Trump who became a prominent congressional witness against him and his allies in the wake of the Jan. 6 siege of the US Capitol has an upcoming book, reports the AP . Enough by Cassidy Hutchinson will be released Sept. 26. "With Enough, she provides a riveting account of her extraordinary experiences as an idealistic young woman thrust into the middle of a national crisis," per publisher Simon & Schuster's announcement. At age 24, "she risked everything to tell the truth about some of the most powerful people in Washington and some of the most consequential events in recent American history."

In testimony last year to the House Jan. 6 committee, Hutchinson recalled the Secret Service resisting Trump's demands that he join the mob of supporters trying to disrupt congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's electoral victory. She alleged that members of Trump's inner circle dangled job opportunities and financial assistance while she was cooperating with the committee. She also testified that her own lawyera former ethics counsel in the Trump White Housetold her "the less you remember, the better." "It feels ridiculous, because in my heart I knew where my loyalties lied, and my loyalties lied with the truth," she told the committee. "And I never wanted to diverge from that."

Hutchinson, a native of Pennington, New Jersey, previously worked in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and as an intern for such Republicans as Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Financial terms for her memoir were not disclosed. Hutchinson was represented by Robert Barnett, the DC attorney whose clients have included former President Obama and former President George W. Bush. (Read more Cassidy Hutchinson stories.)
One man tied up in a nationwide network of traffickers in human remains was located Tuesday in a Kentucky apartment decorated with human spinal cords, femur and hip bones, and 40 skulls, one of which was found on the bed where he slept, according to court documents. "The skulls were decorated around the furniture," one with "a head scarf around it," an affidavit reads, per Law & Crime . James Nott, 39, also had a bag from Harvard Medical School, whose former morgue manager Cedric Lodge is accused of stealing and selling human remains , investigators allege, per WBUR . Asked if anyone else was at the home in Mount Washington, Nott allegedly told FBI agents, "Only my dead friends," reports the Louisville Courier Journal .

Nott was identified as part of a network involved in buying and selling human remains by Pennsylvania's Jeremy Pauley, who's agreed to plead guilty to charges of transporting stolen property, WBUR reports. Authorities allegedly found human organs and skin during a search of Pauley's home last year. He was allegedly communicating with an employee of a mortuary in Little Rock, Arkansas, who like Lodge is accused of selling stolen remains, including human hearts, brains, lungs, and fetal specimens. According to court documents, Pauley also communicated with Nott over Facebook, agreeing to pay him for human skulls and spines. The FBI claims Nott "receives things from out of the country and then resells those items within the United States," per Law & Crime.

Though his connection to Harvard is unclear, Nott allegedly posted human remains for sale on Facebook under the pseudonym "William Burke," which is the name of a serial killer who sold his victims' bodies for medical uses in Scotland in the 1820s. Nott is not currently facing charges related to the remains, however. The convicted felon was charged Tuesday with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, per the Courier Journal. Pauley has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transport of stolen property and transportation of stolen property and could face up to 15 years in prison, WBUR reports. Lodge, his wife Denise, and several others have pleaded not guilty to charges related to the trafficking scheme. (Read more body parts stories.)
An Indian spacecraft blazed its way to the far side of the moon Friday in a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to land a rover softly on the lunar surface, the country's space agency said. Chandrayaan-3, the word for "moon craft" in Sanskrit, took off from a launch pad in Sriharikota in southern India with an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, in a demonstration of India's emerging space technology, per the AP . The spacecraft is set to embark on a journey lasting slightly over a month before landing on the moon's surface later in August. Applause and cheers swept through mission control at Satish Dhawan Space Center, where the Indian Space Research Organization's engineers and scientists celebrated as they monitored the launch of the spacecraft.

Thousands of Indians cheered outside the mission control center and waved the national flag as they watched the spacecraft rise into the sky. "Congratulations, India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon," ISRO Director Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said shortly after the launch. A successful soft landing would make India the fourth countryafter the United States, the Soviet Union, and Chinato achieve the feat. The six-wheeled lander and rover module of Chandrayaan-3 is configured with payloads that would provide data to the scientific community on the properties of lunar soil and rocks, including chemical and elemental compositions, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, minister for science and technology.

India's previous attempt to land a robotic spacecraft near the moon's little-explored south pole ended in failure in 2019. The spacecraft entered the lunar orbit but lost touch with its lander, which crashed while making its final descent to deploy a rover to search for signs of water. According to a failure analysis report submitted to the ISRO, the crash was caused by a software glitch. That $140 million mission was intended to study permanently shadowed moon craters that are thought to contain water deposits and were confirmed by India's Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008. Somanath said the main objective of the mission this time was a safe and soft landing on the moon. He said the Indian space agency has perfected the art of reaching up to the moon, "but it is the landing that the agency is working on."

As part of its own space program, active since the '60s, India has launched satellites for itself and other nations and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014. India is also looking forward to its first mission to the International Space Station in 2024, in collaboration with the US as part of agreements between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Biden at the White House last month. Numerous nations and private firms are in a race to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. In April, a Japanese company's spacecraft apparently crashed while attempting to land on the moon. An Israeli nonprofit tried to achieve a similar feat in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on impact. "Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey," Modi said in a tweet after the launch. "It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian."

(Read more India stories.)
The Long Island serial killer has allegedly been found. Police in New York's Suffolk County have arrested a man allegedly tied to the Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island, which have stumped law enforcement for more than a decade. Authorities have found 11 sets of remains along Ocean Parkway since 2010. However, the suspect expected to appear before a judge Friday morning is only linked to four of those, reports the New York Post. More:



News 12 identifies him as Rex Heuermann of Massapequa Park, where a huge police presence was observed Friday. He's a New York City architect with clients including American Airlines and Catholic Charities, per the Post.

Police believe he is tied to the "Gilgo Four," whose bodies were the first to be found in December 2010, the Post reports. Authorities were searching for missing sex worker Shannan Gilbert when they discovered a woman's body wrapped in burlap.

Within days, they found the bodies of three more womenall "whole, wrapped in burlap about one-tenth of a mile apart from each other," per the Post.
At first glance, the video appears to show your average pile of dirt. Then a breathless man points to what lies beneath layers of dirt and dust in his Kentucky cornfield: dozens upon dozens of gold coins, unearthed from the spot they've sat hidden for more than 150 years. When all was said and done, the unidentified man had uncovered more than 800 coins from the Civil War erawhat's been dubbed the Great Kentucky Hoard, per USA Today . "The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated as the stunning number of over 700 gold dollars represents a virtual time capsule of Civil War-era coinage," says Jeff Garrett of Numismatic Guaranty Company, which certified the coins' authenticity.

The cache includes not only gold dollars but $10 and $20 gold coins, all dating between 1840 and 1863. "The rarest is the 1863-P $20 1-ounce gold Liberty coin," also known as a Double Eagle, per Live Science. "Just one of these coins can go for six figures at auction, and the Great Kentucky Hoard boasts 18 of them." "Finding one Mint condition 1863 Double Eagle would be an important numismatic event. Finding nearly a roll of superb examples is hard to comprehend," says Garrett. All coins are "remarkably well preserved" with an "astonishing luster and a newfound freshness rarely observed in coins of this kind," adds Andy Salzberg of the Certified Collectibles Group encompassing NGC.

Many people buried their money during wartime as a means of keeping it safe, including in Kentucky, which bordered Union and Confederate states and declared its neutrality at the start of the Civil War. "Given the time period and the location in Kentucky ... it is entirely possible this was buried in advance of Confederate John Hunt Morgan's June to July 1863 raid," conflict archaeologist Ryan McNutt of Georgia Southern University tells Live Science. As the coins are federal currency, they point to "dealings that it would be wise to conceal from a Confederate raiding party." The finder and location have not been identified. Some coins are now up for sale, with more to be made available in the coming months. (Read more gold coins stories.)
Sidney Flanigan is a 24-year-old multidisciplinary artist from Buffalo who toggles the demands of acting for income with the passion she has for music.

Her band Starjuice, whose motto is community over competition, released a three-song EP titled Sign Language in May, following its debut album of last year. Flanigan, who also plays guitar in the band, started acting a few years ago. Her debut role was the lead of Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always, a 2020 drama and official Sundance selection that won Flanigan Best Actress at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

It was the first time Flanigan had ever acted. Since then, she has worked on a handful of feature films, shorts and music videos, recently starring in the 2023 horror thriller and SXSW official selection Only the Good Survive, which features a Starjuice song in the credits. While acting is how she now makes money, music is still her top priority, coming home once a shoot is done to work with her band. Starjuice is embarking on a regional tour for the next month, kicking things off at Timeless Babez (87 Allen St. in Allentown) on July 18.

Question: How old were you when you started to play music and when did acting come into the picture?

Answer: I was around music all the time growing up, so I kind of always knew I wanted to play music. I started playing violin when I was in middle school and then I went on to go to [Buffalo] Performing Arts from seventh to 12th grade. Around high school was when I picked up a guitar and started writing my own music, so I started playing shows when I was about 17.

When I was about 20, I hadnt been on any particular path pursuing acting. A director from New York, Eliza Hinton, directed the first film I worked on [Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always]. Its kind of a long story about how we met and its all out there on the internet, but the short story is that we met in passing and she added me on Facebook. She reached out to me when I was 20 and told me she was shooting this film and she was interested in me auditioning. At first, I was a little skeptical because, well, I had never acted before. She convinced me to at least give it a shot, and I read her script and it was very powerful and beautiful and I felt drawn to it. The next thing I knew, I got the part, and it was a very transforming experience and I decided that it was something I wanted to keep doing.

Q: Did you expect the success of Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always, especially considering this was your introduction to acting?

A: I think I knew when we were working on it, and after reading the script I had a gut feeling that it was going to be an important film. The reception was amazing and everything happened so quickly, too. Simultaneously, the films release coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, so that was also a whole thing to grapple with and navigate. I was struggling with a lot of imposter syndrome, about whether or not my first breakout role was a fluke or something since I came into it with no experience. But eventually, I did my next role and things started to clear up and we started making it out of the woods as a whole.

Q: Is there a passion project that you one day hope to accomplish, in music, movies or elsewhere?

A: Right now, the band is the main thing I focus on and that has always been my dream to be in a touring band and record music with them. Even though we are losing money, Im still so happy to be doing it. Maybe in the future, Ive always thought it would be fun to form a label and eventually run a venue.

Q: How do you feel about being an artist in Buffalo?

A: I think growing up in Buffalo there was always a very rich culture of music whether aboveground or underground. My dad was in a punk band, so I was very exposed to the underbelly of the music scene growing up. I remember touring bands would crash in our living room floor, and there would always be these weird mohawk, leather jacket-wearing-dudes at my house and I just kind of loved the sense of community that there was, and it felt like a big extended family. The music and art scene in Buffalo has always been like a second family to me and I feel very inspired by the people around me that are also making stuff and putting themselves out there. You dont have to go to a big city to find that, I think that its everywhere.
As other people who lost their jobs have done, Tucker Carlson is planning to start his own company with his college roommate. The operation would use Twitter and be built around longer versions of the free videos Carlson already posts, the Wall Street Journal reports. Twitter and other sites would still make short versions of his content available free, but only subscribers could watch the full-length versions. But first, the former Fox News host and his partner, Neil Patel, want to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to bankroll the project. Patel was an adviser to Dick Cheney during his vice presidency.

Patel and Carlson, who went to Trinity College in Connecticut together, have gone into business before. They founded the Daily Caller, which Patel still runs, in 2010. Carlson's people have been meeting with Twitter's people about the idea, per the Journal. Linda Yaccarino, the platform's new CEO, wants more creators on Twitter; the company started a program to share ad revenue with creators on Thursday. The Carlson-Patel company would also have its own website and app, eventually including content from other hosts as well.

Big network names who go digital often are playing to smaller audiences, the Journal notes. Carlson's first episode of Tucker on Twitter drew more than 70 million views on the first day, per the Hill. He's posted nine shows so far, the most recent an interview with Andrew Tate, who faces charges including rape and human trafficking in Romania. Since Carlson's launch, Mark Zuckerberg's Threads has gone into business to compete with Twitter. On Friday, Carlson's guest was former Vice President Mike Pence, who, when pressed, said the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol was indeed a riot, per the Hill. On his Fox News show, Carlson described the charge on the Capitol as "mostly peaceful chaos." (Read more Tucker Carlson stories.)
Authorities say a notorious serial killer on Long Island is a 59-year-old architect named Rex Heuermann who murdered his victims while his wife was out of town. "This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the familiespeace that has been long overdue," said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Developments in the case:

3 cases so far: Heuermann was charged Friday with the murder of three of the four women known as the "Gilgo Four," after the stretch of beach where their bodies were found in 2010, per CNN. He pleaded not guilty. The three are Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He is named as the prime suspect in the fourth of those cases, that of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Seven other bodies were found at the beach over the years, but authorities have not charged Heuermann in those cases.

Heuermann was charged Friday with the murder of three of the four women known as the "Gilgo Four," after the stretch of beach where their bodies were found in 2010, per CNN. He pleaded not guilty. The three are Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He is named as the prime suspect in the fourth of those cases, that of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Seven other bodies were found at the beach over the years, but authorities have not charged Heuermann in those cases. The break: Authorities arrested Heuermann on Thursday. The AP reports that investigators identified him as a suspect after re-investigating a witness's recollection of seeing a pickup truck around the time one of the women disappeared. After linking the truck to Heuermann, the investigative dominoes began to fall.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a civil rights leader in his own right for more than 60 years, announced Friday that he's retiring as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Jackson, 81, told the news to volunteers for the coalition's convention, WLS reports. He plans an official announcement Sunday at the Chicago convention, whose keynote speaker will be Vice President Kamala Harris. A successor will be named at the same time, per Politico ; a date for the changeover was not provided.

Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017. "He's had physical challenges, but he never stopped fighting," said his son, US Rep. Jonathan Jackson. His father marched in Selma, Alabama, in 1965 after the "Bloody Sunday" violence. He was an aide to King and led protests to desegregate restaurants and theaters. As recently as fall 2020, Jackson was at the front of a march in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in protest of the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, who killed two men and injured a third during civil unrest there. He was with George Floyd's family at a memorial the same year. Jackson has remained involved in national politics; last month, Jackson attended an economic address by President Biden in Chicago.

Jackson founded People United to Save Humanity in 1971 on the South Side of Chicago. It later was renamed the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, per NPR, and worked on such goals as encouraging companies to hire more minorities and increasing voter registration. Jackson has been "one of the most productive, prophetic and dominant figures in the struggle for social justice in American history," the Rev. Al Sharpton posted online, per USA Today. "He didn't give up when there were forces against the Voting Rights Act, or forces against the Equal Rights Amendment or addressing priorities at home or peace abroad," his son said Friday. (Read more Jesse Jackson stories.)
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Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew, commanding general of U.S. Army Human Resources Command, recently addresses Soldiers and staff during a workforce townhall at Fort Knox, Ky. During the town hall Drew provided updates about the HRC 2030 initiative and fielded questions from the workforce. In keeping with its mission of conducting world-class service that enables the Army to deploy, fight and win the nations wars, HRC is working to establish a well-trained workforce that is transparent in communication and agile in its responsiveness while remaining customer-centered in supporting the Soldier in each issue, request and interaction. (Photo by Fonda Bock)
Twenty years separate Tom Cruise from Harrison Ford, two men who, quite splendidly, still know how to be movie stars.

Tom Cruise was 61 years old on July 3. Ford was 81 on July 13.

Both are back riding the crest of their troubled movie world, proving that the summer blockbuster period still exists despite everyone's fear that movies themselves had been murdered in their rocking chair by Covid-19.

Not quite.

The pandemic certainly didn't help the movie business. But attend one of summer's intended blockbusters and you'll find you have happy company  Ford, for instance, in his newest "Indiana Jones" movie in which the actor is celebrating his ninth decade on earth.

To show the world, in other words, how Indiana Jones, archaeologist might act at 81. The result in James Mangold's pickup from Steven Spielberg's series is that Ford is taking his actor's soul more seriously than he has in quite a while.

This 81-year old is very good at playing his age  just as Clint Eastwood has, for a while, been more than plausible playing HIS age.

That didn't used to be true in movies. Cary Grant, for one, quit movies cold at the age of 65. He couldn't play "Cary Grant roles" anymore (see his last masterpiece "Charade"). He was going to be shoved into "Father Goose," a development for which he had no appetite whatsoever.

So at 61  Cruise's age  he married Dyan Cannon, had a daughter named Jennifer, divorced and made the films that convinced him to get out of movies.

Don't think he wasn't looking, though, for an off-ramp from senility. He kept on keeping touch with Hollywood big shots who might let him play his age creatively. (His most public such flare of interest was to Richard Zanuck when he and Sidney Lumet were casting their great film "The Verdict." Paul Newman got the role that Robert Redford had complained couldn't be done.)

When Cruise makes a "Top Gun" movie in his 60s, his age is taken for granted. When he makes a "Mission Impossible" movie, all bets are off. All ages, too. He trusts his "Mission Impossible" partner, Christopher McQuarrie, the man who, once upon a time, wrote one of the truly fabled film scripts of the past 50 years, "The Usual Suspects."

The script McQuarrie wrote for "Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1" is a dandy, full of fresh detail and intricacy while the basic skeleton is old and formula-strong.

So you know what Cruise and McQuarrie have created for their mature dominance of summer blockbuster movies in an era they're not supposed to exist?

A great contribution to America's truly immortal jazz aesthetic, that's what.

Try to think of it this way: Take a great, primitive jazz riff tune. Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol's "Perdido," let's say. They don't come any simpler than that one.

On top of that, get one of the greatest composer-arrangers in history  you've probably heard of this Ellington fellow  and let him ply his magnificent trade. And then let the band members play their posteriors off.

Now adapt that to "Mission Impossible." Take a classic idea so simple it actually animated a TV series: an "Impossible Missions" force that does a whole lot of intelligence and law enforcement dirty work.

Then let that majestic arranger-soloist McQuarrie wail all kinds of intricate variations on the skeletal tune, from himself and his soloists. In this case, that means operatives looking for something called The Entity, which is an AI program that could easily rule the world if only the right key and lock can be discovered.

There are, somewhat incredibly, some very foolish people claiming that Cruise's "Mission Impossible" is the epitome of hidebound corporate cinema.

The heck it is. To me, it's a great jazz-influenced creation  an old musical plot that transforms into state-of-the-art storytelling invention for 2023, an era where Hollywood writers desperately need to maintain their inventiveness.

You want to see their raw cleverness onscreen? That's what McQuarrie does writing and directing this "Mission Impossible." If ever a script showed what professional Hollywood writers do to earn their keep, it's MI.

What McQuarrie and Cruise do provides proof that in an age crying out for living, breathing blockbusters, they can, gloriously, still work.

Whatever else he does with his life, Cruise has proven what it means to create blockbuster movies in an era where their very existence is doubted and everyone is dying to say rude things about them.

Once upon a time, Spielberg was the king of the summer blockbuster. No more. His old employee Cruise has taken over. Spielberg is busy with his multiplex professorship and letting younger professionals like Mangold direct the newest Indiana Jones fantasy.

Let us remember that once upon a time "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is what happened when Spielberg and George Lucas had fond memories of seeing the serials that came out of World War II with Nazis as villainous as wrestlers with German names in the '50s.

That very old setup survives now in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," which is supposed to take place during Vietnam years (where there are, yes, still evil Nazis on the prowl). Originally, Indy wants to find "The Lance of Longinus" once coveted by Hitler, i.e. the spear which drew Christ's blood on the cross. When he realizes it's a fraud, he engages remaining Nazis in a search for a "dial" created by Archimedes to find "a fissure in time" and, thereby, let us all zip back and forth across time the way we fly to Cleveland or Saskatoon.

None of which is nearly as inventive on the fly as McQuarrie in "Mission Impossible" but so what? With Ford around to show the world of 2023 how willing actors ought to be to celebrate their ninth decade on earth, his movie even becomes a little moving before it's over.

With McQuarrie running Cruise's show, the stunts are  as the promos promise  worth the occasional "holy (expletive)" and the scriptwriters are never slowed down by speed bumps.

Both of these movies weigh in while smiling in the two-and-a-half hour neighborhood. Neither feels long.

McQuarrie's is a state-of-the-art summer blockbuster for 2023. It's got terrific stunt work for the first year in which stunts will be recognized at the Oscars (about time!) and it also has inventive writing for a writer/director who'd have been a diabolical arranger/composer for the Ellington band.

In a Hollywood summer of strikes by writers and actors, "Mission Impossible" is a perfect display of what they both can do when they know what they're doing.

A dangerous season for this blockbuster July but all the more reason to see what multiplexes can give us before clockwork machines take over.
Agencies | Kyiv

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The global nuclear tensions escalated further yesterday as both US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin got locked in statements regarding Ukraines potential entry into NATO.

Biden insisted that Ukraine would one day join the NATO military alliance, but that it could not happen while Kyiv is still at war with Moscow. "Its not a question of whether they should or shouldnt join.

Its a matter of when they can join, and they will join NATO," Biden stated during a press conference in Finland following a NATO summit where no specific timeline for Ukraines membership was provided. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin echoed this sentiment, expressing confidence that Ukraine would join NATO once the war against Russian troops concluded.

In response, Putin warned that if Ukraine were to be admitted to NATO, it would make the world more vulnerable after the bloc vowed closer integration with Kyiv at its summit this week.

"I am sure that this will not increase the security of Ukraine itself and, in general, will make the world much more vulnerable and lead to additional tension in the international arena," Putin said.

Preventing Kyiv from joining the alliance was one reason President Vladimir Putin gave for launching the military operation in Ukraine. Putin spoke to journalists a day after a summit in Lithuania in which NATO pledged its backing for Kyiv but failed to offer it a timeline for membership.

Kyiv has been asking for more advanced and long-range weapons, including missiles, to push back Russian forces. Long-range missiles "cause damage, but nothing critical is happening in the combat zones where they have been used.

The same goes for foreign-made tanks," Putin told journalists. "The delivery of new weapons will only aggravate the situation for the Ukrainian side and fuel the conflict," he said.
, Jul 14 ( News On Japan ) - Two wild boar heads that were found on the grounds of a junior high school in Kobe city on Wednesday are now believed to have been dug up and taken there by a scavenging animal after hunters had buried them in the nearby mountains days earlier.

A teacher made the grim discovery at around 1.30pm in the grounds of Nagamine Junior High School, Kobe City.

According to the police, all of the heads appeared to be juvenile, with marks indicating they had been cut off with a knife, however, no blades, body parts, or blood stains were found in the vicinity.

It was later revealed that a local hunting club days earlier had exterminated four wild boars, including three juveniles, in a nearby mountain where they dismantled and buried the body parts.

Police confirmed the burial location on Thursday, where they found evidence the site had been dug up, with two of the young wild boar heads missing.

While it is now believed that an animal had dug up the heads and carried them to the school located 500 meters away, experts suspect it was the work of a dog, since a wild animal would likely have taken them to a location away from human habitation.

It's still a mystery, however, how two heads ended up in the school. An animal researcher speculates there could have been two dogs, or the same dog went back for the second head.
The WIVB-TV (Channel 4) interview Wednesday with convicted murderer Ralph Bucky Phillips about the parallels of his experience to escaped murder suspect Michael Burham set off a debate in journalism circles on two separate issues.

The first one is how appropriate it was to interview someone who is prison for life for fatally shooting State Trooper Joseph A. Longobardo and wounding his partner, Donald H. Baker Jr., in 2006. Phillips also escaped from prison and hid out in the woods while police conducted a manhunt to bring him in.

The second is whether Channel 4 investigative reporter Luke Moretti and producer Daniel Telvock handled the interview well after they concluded it was worth doing.

According to sources inside Channel 4, there was internal debate over whether doing the story was a good idea.

The same sources said Moretti and Telvock had a head start on the story. They had been corresponding with Phillips for a while and had done a two-hour interview with him in a Central New York prison a month or so ago for a story that may eventually become its own program.

Their conversations with Phillips became more frequent after Burham escaped from the Warren County (Pa.) Jail, where he was being held after being federally charged with kidnapping a couple in Warren County and taking them to South Carolina. He also is a suspect in the May 11 fatal shooting of a Jamestown mother, Kala Hodgkin, but has not been charged in that case as prosecutors await results of lab tests.

I was uncomfortable watching Phillips being used as an expert on how a survivalist like Burham can avoid capture in the woods. But sometimes journalists must do uncomfortable stories.

I initially thought Channel 4 could have done an interview with a survivalist who hadnt killed someone to explain how Burham could avoid capture. However, there probably is no one better than Phillips to address what Burham may be doing, since he lived it 17 years ago.

The comparisons made between Burham and Phillips undoubtedly led to the belief that an interview with the convicted murderer had news value, even if some viewers might be offended.

The story was No. 1 on the WIVB.com website for some time, so there is no question many people were interested in it. Im told the reaction on social networks was mixed, which isnt surprising since the public rarely understands that journalists often make difficult calls.

The arguments for doing the story were that the parallels between the two escapes made it a compelling story and there was a chance that Phillips might be able to say something that would help law enforcement find Burham.

Once the decision was made to pursue the story, the question is how well it was executed.

Of course, any reporters will be open to criticism for how they handle an attention-getting story like this. Not everyone will be satisfied.

My concerns about the way it was handled were mostly about how it was arranged and packaged. The most uncomfortable part of the story was that it didnt accentuate enough the heinous crimes that Phillips committed.

It took about two and a half minutes of the five-minute story to get to Phillips expertise on how to survive in the woods, which was the main point of the story.

Before that, it allowed Phillips to say he was disgusted by the comparisons with Burham because I never hurt any civilian. That aint cool.

It was a stomach-turning quote that suggested the murder of a state trooper was any less disturbing than what Burham is being accused of. I probably would have cut that disturbing remark and more quickly have gone to Phillips expertise as a survivalist.

Moretti added one line immediately after Phillips offensive comment to try to offer some balance.

The State Police see it differently, Moretti said.

He then showed an old clip after Phillips arrest in which a State Police representative said they were the good guys and Phillips was the bad guy.

Bad guy didnt cut it. It wasnt enough balance.

Since Moretti kept Phillips remark, it would have been better if he had done a more recent interview with a State Police representative to get a lengthier reaction to Phillips offensive remark rather than rely on an old clip.

Since he was relying on old comments, Moretti might have added a quote from Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. in sentencing Phillips to life in prison without the possibility of parole in December 2006.

Youre about to become irrelevant, the judge told Phillips.

According to a 2006 story by Buffalo News reporter Lou Michel, the judge made it known to Phillips he was about the become a nobody.

The truth is, Trooper Longobardo is loved, Kloch told Phillips. But youll be forgotten in a few weeks. Youre about to become irrelevant.

He became relevant briefly again this week because of his expertise into what he believes Burham can do and how long he can stay free.

The most valuable part of the interview was Phillips explanation of how Burham could survive by eating berries and nuts in the woods and by fishing. He suggested the suspect also would try to keep a low profile during the day and come out only at night.

During a recent Pennsylvania State Police press conference, one of the leaders of the search noted that technology has changed in the 17 years since Phillips hid in the woods for five months, which suggested authorities might have a chance of capturing Burham sooner.

Phillips painted a less-optimistic picture of Burham being captured.

At the end of his story, Moretti said Phillips predicted that as long as Burham stays clear of people and sticks to his strategy, the chances of catching him right away are slim.

The new technology made one wonder if some of Phillips experiences were so long ago that his prediction of how long Burham can stay on the loose might not be as relevant as the Channel 4 story would have you believe.
This July, NASA is sending a team of four six-unit (6U)-sized CubeSats into orbit around Earth to test cooperation without real-time updates from mission control. While that kind of autonomous cooperation may not sound too difficult for humans, this team will be robotic  composed of small satellites to test out key technologies for the future of deep space missions, where more complex and autonomous spacecraft will be essential.

Once launched, the four CubeSats will fly in two different formations to test several technologies paving the way towards a future where swarms of satellites can cooperate to do science in deep space. This mission, called Starling, will last at least six months, positioning the spacecraft about 355 miles above Earth and spaced about 40 miles apart.

Starlings first mission carries a suite of four technologies to be tested out. The first is ROMEO (Reconfiguration and Orbit Maintenance Experiments Onboard), testing software designed to autonomously plan and execute maneuvers without any direct input from an operator. On the Starling mission, it will allow the satellites to fly in a cluster, both planning out trajectories and executing them on their own.

A Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) is a communications system composed of wirelessly linked devices in which data is routed and rerouted automatically based on network conditions. An example on Earth is mesh Wi-Fi, in which multiple internet routers are placed throughout a home, allowing mobile devices to automatically connect to the strongest signal. In the same way, the Starling spacecraft have crosslink radios that allow communication between spacecraft when they are in range, with the onboard MANET software determining the best way to route traffic through the network of satellites. Starling will test this network, showing whether the system can automatically create and maintain a network in space over time.

Each CubeSat also has its own star tracker sensors onboard, normally used so that a satellite can keep track of its own orientation in space, much like sailors using the stars to navigate at night. Because the satellites will be relatively close together, in addition to stars, these sensors will pick up the light from their fellow swarm spacecraft and use specialized software to keep track of the rest of the swarm. Called StarFOX (Starling Formation-Flying Optical Experiment), this unique use of common spacecraft sensors will allow the backdrop of the stars to keep the swarm together.

Finally, the Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy (DSA) experiment demonstrates the ability of a swarm of spacecraft to collect and analyze science data onboard and cooperatively optimize data collection in response. The satellites will monitor Earths ionosphere  part of the upper atmosphere  and if one detects something interesting, it will communicate to the other satellites to observe the same phenomenon. The ability for satellites to autonomously react to an observation will enhance science data collection for a host of future NASA science missions.

After its primary mission is complete, the next stage for Starling will be a partnership with SpaceXs Starlink satellite constellation to test advanced space traffic management techniques between autonomous spacecraft operated by different organizations. By sharing future trajectory intentions with each other, NASA and SpaceX will demonstrate an automated system for ensuring that both sets of satellites can operate safely while in relative proximity in low-Earth orbit.

Starling 1.5 will be foundational for helping understand rules of the road for space traffic management, said Hunter.

Robotics will always be at the forefront of exploration, both crewed and uncrewed. The ability to have satellites and spacecraft operate in a networked, autonomous, and coordinated capacity means NASA is ensuring humanity can go further and do better science than ever before.
A federal judge on Thursday made it a little more risky for a convicted Capitol rioter to confront government employees with his camera.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo went along with a U.S. Probation Office request to prohibit Daniel Warmus from committing harassment or disorderly conduct, and if he were to do so, that would violate his supervised release and he would face sanctions. One of his initial conditions already prohibits him from committing a felony or misdemeanor offense.

Capitol rioter sues Hamburg, Blasdell and Wyoming County, claiming civil rights violations In 2022, Daniel Warmus, an Alden auto repair business owner, became the first Capitol riot defendant from Western New York to be sentenced to jail on a misdemeanor riot charge.

I dont see a problem with adding a condition that prohibits him from violating laws that may not be criminal, Vilardo said at Thursdays hearing.

Probation officials sought the new condition because Warmus posts videos of his encounters with police, librarians and local government employees  he calls them First Amendment audits  and some government officials complain that they are disruptive.

His YouTube channel has some 72,000 subscribers. In most of his videos, he wanders around government buildings and shows his encounters with public employees, some of whom are friendly, and others who seem uptight because of his presence. Warmus says he is exercising his constitutional right to film on public property.

'Frivolous calls threatening violence' swamp Hamburg police line after Capitol offender posts videos The volume of phone calls to the town's dispatch center overwhelmed dispatchers, who were unable to field calls regarding genuine emergencies, according to a probation office document.

After Warmus recently posted videos of his encounters with Hamburg police, the police departments non-emergency phone lines were inundated with complaints and, in many cases, threats of violence, according to the U.S. Probation Office.

Warmus, 39, an Alden resident and Orchard Park auto repair business owner, became the first Capitol riot defendant from Western New York to be sentenced to jail on a misdemeanor riot charge. He was sentenced to 45 days in custody, to be followed by 24 months of probation for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when he was among the first wave of rioters to breach the U.S. Capitol.

Since his release from incarceration, Warmus supervised release conditions have prohibited him from committing a felony or misdemeanor offense. But until Thursday, a harassment or disorderly conduct charge would not have violated his supervised release, because they are violations  not misdemeanors or felonies.

Another of his conditions prohibits him from entering a police station without prior approval from the court.

The judge granted Warmus request to go to the Lancaster Police Department so he can file a complaint against a police officer, but Vilardo turned down his request to take video of his visit.

Judge: Capitol breach offender can keep recording video in government buildings A federal judge Tuesday rejected a U.S. Probation Office request to prohibit a Capitol riot offender from filming inside the public areas of government buildings and posting videos of himself encountering local officials.

Im worried Mr. Warmus just wants to pull out his phone, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Ippolito Jr., adding that the act of pointing a camera at someones face would be disruptive inside the police department.

Hes doing it to create a circus, Ippolito told Vilardo. Thats what he does.

But his lawyers, Nick Texido and Daniel J. DuBois, called his filming lawful conduct.

Vilardo said that while Warmus can enter the police station to file a complaint, thats it, in and out, no filming.

After the court hearing, Texido said Warmus cant be charged with a violation because of how others respond to his videos.

Judge is asked to keep Capitol breach offender from videotaping in government buildings The U.S. Probation Office asked a federal judge on Friday to prohibit Capitol riot offender Daniel Warmus from recording videos in or around county, state or federal buildings and from recording or posting videos of public employees to social media accounts.

We think what he is doing is constitutionally protected, Texido said. And on every video he puts right on it a disclaimer that nobody is to make any threat or commit any crime as a result of what they see on his videos.

Warmus conduct during his visit to Yorkshire Town Hall in April bordered on committing a new crime and at the least met the level of a violation of harassment, according to a Probation Department court filing.

At the time of that visit, there was not a condition of supervision prohibiting him from engaging in such behavior, probation officials said, prompting their request for the added condition.

Alden man in Capitol breach becomes first WNY riot defendant sentenced to jail Daniel Warmus of Alden was sentenced to 45 days in custody to be followed by 24 months of probation for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when he was among the first wave of rioters to breach the U.S. Capitol.

The goal is that Mr. Warmus can successfully complete his supervision while the community benefits from his auditing activities and is not hindered by them, the probation officers court filing stated. There are peaceful ways that he can accomplish his auditing of Erie County as his prior activities have only led to issues.

Probation officials previously asked Vilardo to prohibit Warmus from filming inside the public areas of government buildings and posting videos of himself encountering local officials, but Vilardo rejected that request based on First Amendment grounds.

Ippolito characterized as more narrowly tailored the request Thursday for the new condition from the government designed to stop the interference of government business.

I think its warranted because the defendant continues his disruptive conduct, Ippolito said.




The Presidential Election Petition Court on Friday, in a reserved judgment in the petition of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, seeking disqualification of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the February 25 presidential election on the grounds of unlawful nomination.





The Court adjourned its verdict indefinitely after the parties adopted their final addresses seeking various requests.





APM is praying the Court to nullify the election of Tinubu on the ground that his Vice Presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, unlawfully allowed himself to be nominated twice for the two different constituencies.





Shettima had been nominated by the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a candidate for Borno Central Senatorial District and was later nominated by the same party as Vice Presidential candidate following the withdrawal of one Kabiru Masari, who was the initial Vice Presidential candidate to Tinubu.





The grouse of the APM was that Shettima and the APC breached the Electoral Act by engaging in the alleged double nomination.





However, at Fridays proceedings where final addresses were adopted, APM, through its counsel Andrew Malgwu SAN, asked the court to invoke relevant law to nullify the nomination of Tinubu and Shettima on the ground of unlawful, illegal and unjustifiable nomination.





However, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which is the 1st respondent in the petition, prayed the Court to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.





The APC, represented by Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN, asked the court to dismiss the petition on all grounds for being frivolous, irritating and unwarranted.





Fagbemi argued that the petition died on arrival in view of the Supreme Court judgment that other political parties cannot interfere in the internal affairs of another party, especially on the issue of nomination.





In the same vein, Tinubu and Shettima, represented by legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, argued that the APMs petition ought not to have been filed in the first instance and demanded its outright dismissal.





Olanipekun told the Court that the petition ought to have been withdrawn honourably immediately after the Supreme Court made a pronouncement that no party has the right to dabble into how another party nominated its candidates for elective offices.





Shortly after the proceedings, the Presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, adjourned judgment indefinitely.





Justice Tsammani told the retinue of lawyers in the court that they would be communicated once the judgment was ready.
Reno Omokri has urged Igbos to convert the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) into a political party.

The socio-political activist said Nigerians would vote for IPOB if it were converted into a political party.

Tweeting, Omokri wrote: Play your cards right, and Nnamdi Kanu will be freed. Renounce violence, like the Irish Republican Army did, and convert IPOB into a political party, the way the IRA became Sinn Fein, and democratically seize control of the Southeast, then turn it into a paradise, and other Nigerians will even vote for IPOB party Senators, Governors, and President. Who no like better thing?

There is more evidence of love for NdiIgbo than any signs of hatred. Yet, you are allowing people who are shooting, beating and molesting you, as they enforce a sit-at-home order, to convince you that other Nigerians, who buy from you, employ you, are employed by you, and rent properties to you, hate you.

Omokri cautioned Igbos against listening to Radio Biafra, stressing that it is a propaganda vehicle.








President Bola Tinubu has been urged to consider the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs.





This call was made by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi in a statement obtained by newsmen on Thursday in Osogbo.





Oba Akanbi, who in the statement said the involvement of traditional rulers in governance through a separate ministry and constitutional empowerment will address many challenges, especially insecurity, described the place of traditional rulers in a democratic setting as sacrosanct.





While calling on the federal government to take a leave from the government of the old Western Region when Western House of Chiefs was created with First class monarchs serving as Ministers without portfolio, the Osun monarch noted that the singular act and the role played by the appointed monarchs contributed in no small measure to the success of the administration.





I want to suggest the appointment of a monarch as Minister for the ministry. I further propose that the appointment should be rotational amongst the six geo-political zones of the country.





The traditional institution is an integral part of government and closest to the grassroots. The traditional rulers dedicate themselves to serving their subjects. We play a pivotal role in securing our respective domain and ensure peaceful co existence.





Creating the ministry will give a constitutional role, empower the traditional institution, endear monarchs to democratic participation, reassure belongingness, strengthen grassroots mobilization and participation with all inclusive dividends of democracy, Oba Akanbi suggested.




The candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 Abia South Senatorial contest, Uchenna Onyeizu has finally filed his case at Court of Appeal, Owerri, seeking to be declared the winner of the election.





In the case filed on July 13 at the Owerri Division of the Appellate Court, the LP candidate, Onyeizu maintained that he defeated Senator Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, during the election.





He also frowned at the earlier decision of Panel 1 of the National Assembly election petitions tribunal sitting in Umuahia which dismissed his petition on technicalities, instead of attending to the merits of his case.





The decision of the Panel is totally unacceptable to me because I am so convinced that I defeated Senator Abaribe, he said, while appealing to his supporters to remain calm and await the outcome of his Appeal Court case.





Recall that Onyeizu caused a storm during one of the Panels sessions by claiming that he did not have confidence in the Panel, alleging that the Panel was already compromised.




Phrank Shaibu, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed a plan by President Bola Tinubu to pay N8,000 monthly to 12 million poor households.

The president, who sought and got the national assemblys approval for an $800 million loan to be used for palliative, said the plan would provide relief to citizens following the removal of the petrol subsidy.

On May 29, Tinubu announced in his inaugural speech that the petrol subsidy is gone.

In a statement on Thursday, Shaibu described the plan as a joke.

According to statistics, a Nigerian household as of 2019 counted on an average of 5.06 members, he said.

So, with Tinubus uninspiring plan, each individual in a household will get N1,600 per month or N53 per day. What should they do with it? Use the money to buy a sachet (pure) water or a cup of boiled groundnut on a daily basis?

Tinubu boasted that he would develop Nigerias economy like that of Lagos but this was all a scam. Statistics show that over 70 percent of Lagos revenue comes from income tax paid by private companies which had been in Lagos for decades due to its status as Nigerias former capital.

His only plan is to tax Nigerians to death as he did in Lagos and that is why the people of Lagos rejected him in the last election.

Shaibu said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost favour with a vast majority of Nigeria.

It is no coincidence that since 2019 when the party invented the charade of trader moni, it also incontrovertibly introduced the menace of vote buying into Nigerias politics.
An 8-year-old boy who was hit by a train last month has lost his leg and remains hospitalized, his sister said.

Now, Estheri Iradukunda has started a Gofundme.com campaign to try to raise money for her family as they cope with her brothers devastating injuries. She is trying to raise $30,000. The campaign had raised over $6,500 by Friday afternoon.

Aron Nsengiyuvna, her little brother, was injured June 28 on the railroad tracks off of Wick Street in the Broadway-Bailey section, the sister said.

It is located west of a CSX Transportation Frontier Yard.

CSX said in a statement that, the incident took place within yard limits. A CSX train encountered a male child trespassing on the tracks, the railroad said.

The statement said the child was transported to the hospital for treatment.

This is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers of trespassing on railroad property. CSX appreciates the swift actions of local first responders, CSX said in the statement.

The incident remains under investigation, CSX said. CSX has its own police department.

Iradukunda described what happened to her brother.

She and her family are resettled refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

We have been living in the United States for a little bit of time now and are trying our best to make a way. We are hardworking, diligent, kind and God-fearing people, the sister wrote in the Gofundme.com post.

Aron was playing outside with some other children when he was hit by the train.

Everyone had been outside just before the incident, she said. They came inside and realized Aron was not there.

I heard screaming, she said in an interview.

They ran outside and found Aron lying face up by the train tracks, his body torn up. His right leg and stomach area were horribly injured. No one saw him getting hit by the train.

Iradukunda scooped her brother up in her arms and carried him to their front yard. She called 911.

Her mother put her scarf over Arons torso and then fainted.

She had never seen her child like that, Iradukunda said.

Police, firefighters and EMTs arrived moments later and took Aron to Oishei Childrens Hospital. The family followed behind and Iradukunda acted as a translator for her parents.

Aron has remained hospitalized since.

His sister said his leg had to be amputated but his condition has stabilized. When he is healed, he will learn how to walk with a prosthetic.

Their street ends at the the tracks and is easily accessible by foot or car. She pointed out there are no barriers or signs about the railroad tracks.

She also said that her parents were in a serious car accident last fall and both have injuries that have left them unable to work full time.

We are getting by with the help of our community but this phase of our journey will require many hands. The funds will go toward his procedure(s) and the recovery that will follow, she wrote on her page.

She said in the interview that family is still trying to come to grips with what happened. This whole time, he know his leg is off, she said. Everyone is emotional. Everyone is really traumatized about what happened that day.
Surgeons in Isreal have re-attached the decapitated head of Suleiman Hassan, a 12-year-old boy from Palestine.

The boy was hit by a car while riding his bicycle.

According to Times of Isreal, he was thereafter airlifted to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem where it was determined that the ligaments holding the posterior base of his skull were severely damaged.

This left his skull detached from the top vertebrae of his spine but with his skin intact. This is commonly known as internal or orthopedic decapitation.

Ohad Einav, the orthopedic specialist who operated on the patient alongside Ziv Asa, said the procedure, which took place in June, was very complicated and took several hours.

He added that the surgeons used new fixations in the damaged area and fought to save the boys life.

Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room, he said.

The fact that such a child has no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction, and that he is functioning normally and walking without an aid after such a long process, is no small thing.

Einav had returned to Israel a year ago after a fellowship at trauma centers in Toronto.

The doctor said performing this surgery on adults as part of his training in Toronto, prepared him for the operation on young Hassan.

This is not a common surgery at all, and especially not on children and teens. A surgeon needs knowledge and experience to do this, he said.

Hassan has now been discharged with a cervical splint but will continue to be monitored by the hospital.

The boys father, who hospital staff said did not leave his sons bedside during his recovery from surgery, thanked the doctors for saving his life.

Thanks to you, he regained his life even when the odds were low and the danger was obvious, he said.

What saved him were professionalism, technology and quick decision-making by the trauma and orthopedics team. All I can say is a big thank you.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the Labour Party (LP) has no ground to call for the sack of Mahmood Yakubu, its chairman.

The LP in a press conference on Thursday, had asked the international community to take punitive action against Yakubu and other top officials of the electoral body over the conduct of the 2023 elections.

The party said the action should come as a result of final observer group reports on the elections.

Speaking with NAN, Rotimi Oyekanmi, chief press secretary to INEC chairman, said the reasons adduced by the LP in making the latest and familiar demand are not only illogical but also ridiculous.

He said INEC accredited local and international election observers under specific rules and regulations, noting that under these rules, they were required to submit their respective reports to the commission.

Such reports may or may not include their recommendations. Therefore, it is not within the remit of any election observer whatsoever to indict INEC. They are to observe, make recommendations if they have any, but never to indict, Oyekanmi said.

In the same manner, it is also not within the LPs jurisdiction to demand the dismissal and prosecution of the INEC chairman over the outcome of an election in which the party fielded candidates.

Interestingly, arising from the outcome of the same 2023 general election, the LP has now produced one state governor, eight senators, 35 house of representatives members and 38 members of the state houses of assembly.

Oyekanmi added that it was strange that a political party in court challenging the outcome of the presidential election could still openly discuss the matter at a news conference, knowing fully that doing so is subjudice.

The LP is one of the 18 political parties registered and being regulated by INEC in Nigeria, he said.

The party will do well by restricting itself to activities permitted under the rules and regulations governing the conduct of political parties.
The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kehinde Longe, has brokered peace between the Chief Imam of the Kamaudeen Mosque, Osogbo, Alhaji Kasim Yunis, and the custodian of a masquerade, Chief Kayode Esuleke, as the annual Egungun masquerade holds in the town.





A statement issued in Osogbo on Thursday, signed by the commands spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the two men agreed to allow peace reign during the festival at a meeting held at the instance of the CP.





Members of the Kamaudeen Mosque and the followers of Esuleke masquerade had a history of dangerous clashes, the last one being the bloody fight of Sunday, June 27, 2021, which led to the death of a member of the mosque, while nine others were injured.





To prevent a reoccurrence, Longe, who harped on the need to embrace peace at the meeting, also warned that the command would not condone any act that could lead to a breach of public peace.





The statement further read, The Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, Patrick K. Longe, held a strategic security meeting with the masquerade custodian, Pa Esuleke, and the Chief Imam of the Kamaudeen Mosque, Oke Baale, Osogbo, Alhaji Kasim Yunis.





CP restated that he will not condone anything that will cause the breach of peace in anyway.




President Bola Tinubu is set to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to participate in the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5thMYCM) of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union Member States.





A statement by Dele Alake on Friday, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, said Tinubu would join other Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers of the AU Member-States, and high-level dignitaries at the mid-year meeting, which will take place on Sunday, July 16.





The President will present a report on the status of regional integration in ECOWAS, highlighting actions carried out during the period under review by ECOWAS institutions, member-states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to deepen integration through trade, free movement of persons, investment promotion, infrastructure development, peace, security and stability.





The 5th MYCM, which is convening under the AUs theme for 2023, christened Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation, will bring together the Bureau of the AU Assembly, comprising the Heads of State and Government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, and Senegal, as well as the leaders of the eight RECs.





Recall that three days ago, Tinubu emerged the Chairman of ECOWAS at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the bloc Guinea Bissau.




The house of representatives ad hoc committee on the international boundary dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon says swift action must be taken to prevent the nation from losing another territory to its neighbour.

In 2008, Nigeria ceded Bakassi Peninsula  over 1,000sq/ km territory  to Cameroon following the Greentree agreement.

Nigeria lost the territory to Cameroon based on a judgment of the International Court of Justice in The Hague in October 2002.

Last week, 10 lawmakers moved a motion on the floor of the house, saying Danare and Biajua communities and about 7,000 to 10,000 hectares of land in the Boki area of Cross River state are at risk of being ceded to Cameroon.

Victor Abang from Cross River, who led the debate on the motion, had said the situation is a result of the non-location of pillar 113A by the technical committee of the Cameroon-Nigeria mixed commission.

The motion was deliberated and the house subsequently set up an ad hoc committee to look into the case of potential land encroachment by the Cameroonian government.

Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, Beni Lar, chairperson of the committee, said all stakeholders in the country must work towards a swift resolution of the dispute to prevent the loss of land and citizens to Cameroon.

The ad hoc committee on the Nigeria-Cameroon border dispute is deeply concerned about the potential loss of a significant landmass and Nigerian citizens residing within it to the Cameroon Republic, she said.

This alarming possibility, following the previous loss of the Bakassi peninsula, underscores the urgent need for immediate action to outline the correct border stretch between the two countries.

She said the committee recognises the gravity of the situation and the profound implications it holds for Nigerias territorial integrity and the welfare of citizens, adding that a swift resolution is imperative to prevent history from repeating itself.

The committee wishes to express its appreciation and commendation for the relentless efforts of the organisations and individuals who have worked tirelessly to ensure Nigeria is not short-changed in the border dispute, Lar said.

The committee also calls upon Nigerian citizens, civil society organisations, and stakeholders to remain calm, and patient, trusting the efforts of those charged legally to protect the fatherland, as well as be supportive throughout this critical period.

Unity and collaboration are crucial to achieving a favourable outcome that preserves Nigerias territorial integrity and upholds the rights of its citizens.

Once again, the ad hoc committee on the Nigeria-Cameroon border dispute remains committed to a peaceful and amicable resolution guided by international law and the principles of justice, fairness and equity.

We are confident that with the collective efforts of all parties involved and with very good sensitisation collaboration of the media, a lasting solution can be reached, which is securing Nigerias land and the well-being of its citizens.
The house of representatives has asked President Bola Tinubu to appoint an indigene of the federal capital territory (FCT) as minister.

The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during plenary on Thursday following the adoption of a motion co-sponsored by Abdulrahman Ajiya and Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi.

In January 2018, the court of appeal in Abuja ruled that indigenous people of the FCT are entitled to ministerial slots as provided by the combined provisions of sections 147(3), 299, 14(3) & 42 of the 1999 constitution.

The court also declared that the refusal to appoint an indigene of FCT as minister constitutes a gross violation of the provisions of the constitution on fundamental human rights.

While leading the debate on the motion on Thursday, Ajiya said despite the clear provisions of the constitution and the court judgment, indigenes of FCT have not been represented in the federal executive council (FEC).

He said development amounts to alienation, marginalisation, and underrepresentation of the FCT indigenous.

The equitable representation of all regions, communities and groups in government is necessary for national cohesion, stability and development, he said.

The motion was voted for when it was put to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.

Subsequently, the lawmakers asked the federal government to comply with the judgment of the court of appeal and urged the president to appoint an indigene of FCT as a minister in line with the constitutional obligation to treat all Nigerians equitably.

The house also resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the rationale behind the exclusion of FCT indigenes from ministerial nominees by successive governments despite the ruling of the court.




UEFA has fined both Manchester United and Barcelona over breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.





The punishments were announced in a statement from the governing body on Friday.





United will pay a 300,000 fine for minor break-even deficits for the financial years from 2019 to 2022.





Barca were, however, handed a 500,000 fine for wrongly reporting, in the financial year 2022, profits on disposal of intangible assets (other than player transfers), which are not a relevant income under the regulations.





UEFA introduced FFP in 2009 in a bid to stop clubs from spending more than they earn and risking their long-term financial health as a result.





Last September, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and PSG were all handed stricter financial targets for last season.





They will continue to be monitored for compliance over the next year.
Newsfrom Japan

Noshiro, Akita Pref., July 14 (Jiji Press)--An explosion occurred during a ground combustion test for a second-stage engine of an Epsilon S solid-fueled rocket in northeastern Japan on Friday morning.

Abnormal combustion occurred 57 seconds after the test started at 9 a.m. local time at a rocket test site in Noshiro, Akita Prefecture, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.

The fire was almost extinguished about an hour and a half later. No one was injured in the explosion, local firefighters said.

The test was open to media.

The 27-meter-long, three-stage Epsilon S is under development, and its maiden flight is scheduled for fiscal 2024.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
A new $700,000 grant will allow Stockton University researchers to study the harbor seal population in New Jersey using navigation tags during the beginning phases of offshore wind farm development off the coast, officials said Friday.

The grant, which starts in December, is the first of its kind in the state, university officials said. It will support a harbor seal tagging operation led by Stockton University in Galloway in Atlantic County.

Harbor seals regularly gather in large numbers in New Jersey during the winter months, said marine mammal biologist and Stockton adjunct faculty member Jackie Toth Sullivan.

The purpose of the study is to, first, better understand the movement patterns of harbor seals both in New Jersey, as well as regionally, she said.

We would like to understand if these harbor seals are using specific areas offshore for certain behaviors, she added. For example, are wind farm lease areas being used as foraging grounds, and does this behavior change over time due to natural or anthropogenic impacts?

For years, as many as 360 seals have gathered to rest and forage for food in Great Bay, which is about 10 miles north of Atlantic City, she said. Harbor seals eat mainly fish, shellfish and crustaceans.

Other known sites include Sandy Hook at the Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County, with about 100 seals, and Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island in Ocean County, with about 30 seals.

The seals start to gather in October and November and typically stay through March or April in large numbers, she said.

Members of Stocktons marine field station will work alongside tagging experts from the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society using the $682,890 grant. The project will take three years.

The grant is from the state Department of Environmental Protections Research and Monitoring Initiative.

The initiative is a joint venture between the agency and the state Bureau of Public Utilities to address the need for research and monitoring of the states marine resources throughout the phases of offshore wind development and operation, a release said.

The satellite tagging operation is the first of its kind in the state, university officials said.Jackie Toth Sullivan/Stockton University

Earlier this year, dozens of dead marine mammals washed up along the Jersey Shore. Some critics and said offshore wind development is to blame for some of the whale and dolphin deaths.

But, a spokesperson for the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said there is no scientific evidence or data linking offshore wind surveys to the marine mammals washing up on beaches.

For the harbor seal project, researchers will attach satellite tags to select seals. The tags will allow researchers to follow the harbor seals as they spend the winter in the mid-Atlantic area and migrate to other areas along the East Coast.

Researchers will also take biological samples from the seals for health assessments, officials said. The data will be included in similar harbor seal studies along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast.

This research will not only give scientists much needed insight into the migration behaviors of this growing population of harbor seals but will also provide Stockton University students with the opportunity to perform sophisticated data analysis and to participate in a multi-institutional study with far-reaching implications, said Amanda Norvell, the dean of Stocktons School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Stockton students wont participate in tagging, but will assess the data collected starting in the spring of 2024. The data will help researchers assess how seal movements and behaviors may be affected by offshore development, officials said.

The data collected may include harbor seal habitat use, dive patterns and food habits.

Thats one of the really neat things about this project  this study goes beyond New Jersey, said Toth Sullivan, who will participate in tagging. Putting our New Jersey data into the larger data pool will give us a nice picture of coast-wide harbor seal movement and health patterns. It will fill a gap in this data set.

Harbor seals can weigh up to 350 pounds and grow to six feet long, university officials said.

They are beautiful, strong, and wild creatures, Toth Sullivan said.

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A Trenton woman was sentenced seven years in state prison for a head-on crash that killed an off-duty police officer who was driving home from work in Atlantic County, officials said Friday.

Taquaysha Bell, 31, was driving west on the White Horse Pike in Mays Landing June 19, 2020, when she entered the oncoming lane and struck a vehicle driven by Michael Luko Sr., an officer who worked for the New Jersey Human Services Police Department, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office.

Luko, 53, of Mays Landing, was taken to Atlanticare Regional Medical Center  Mainland Division, where he was later pronounced dead, authorities said. Luko was also a former Egg Harbor City police officer.

A passenger in Bells car was also seriously injured in the crash, authorities said.

Authorities charged Bell more than a year after the crash with vehicular homicide and assault by auto, officials said. Bell pleaded guilty to both charges on May 26, authorities said.

An Atlantic County judge, Dorothy Garrabrant, sentenced Bell to seven years in state prison for vehicular homicide, according to the prosecutors office.

Bell was sentenced to another five years state prison for aggravated assault on another victim, Chanelle Morgan, who was a passenger in Bells vehicle at the time of the collision, officials said.

Bells drivers license will also be suspended for five years after her release, authorities said.

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Camille Furst may be reached at cfurst@njadvancemedia.com.
China Daily: Recently, Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council decree unveiling the Regulation of the Peoples Republic of China on Consular Protection and Assistance. Could you share more details on this?



Wang Wenbin: The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to protecting the safety of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions. As China expands its opening up and the Belt and Road cooperation advances steadily, an increasing number of citizens, companies and institutions go abroad. There is a growing need among the people for consular protection and assistance.



Given the complex and uncertain security situation abroad, formulating a special administrative regulation on consular protection and assistance, summarizing the experiences and outcomes of Chinas practices of consular protection and assistance and institution building over the years, further clarifying responsibilities of all parties and formulating detailed measures, are conducive to making relevant work more law-based, institutional and standardized and better protecting the safety and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens, companies and institutions.



The regulation, with 27 items, covers the guiding principles, working mechanisms, plans under different circumstances, preventive measures, responsibilities and obligations of citizens and supporting and safeguard measures of consular protection and assistance. It will take effect on September 1, 2023. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinas diplomatic missions overseas will take the implementation of the regulation as an opportunity, uphold the people-centered development philosophy, improve the work on consular protection and assistance, and work with relevant departments and local governments to make every effort to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions abroad.

Der Spiegel: Yesterday, the German government revealed its long-anticipated China strategy. How does China view this document and what effect would it have on bilateral relations?

Wang Wenbin: China noted the document released by Germany. We believe that it is counterproductive to compete and practice protectionism in the name of de-risking and reducing dependence, and to overstretch the concept of security and politicize normal cooperation. Such moves will only generate risks. Drawing a line according to values and ideologies and advocating so-called competition of systems, interests and values goes against the trend of the time and will only exacerbate the division of the world.



In fact, between China and Germany, there are far more common understandings than differences, and our cooperation far outweighs competition. The two countries are partners, not rivals. Under the complex and volatile international situation, we hope Germany will view Chinas development in an all-round and objective way, adopt a rational and practical China policy, and work with China to respond to global challenges and contribute more certainty and positive energy to world peace and development.



CCTV: The ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting and the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting were held in Jakarta, Indonesia on July 13, sending the positive signal of jointly supporting the ASEAN-centered, open and inclusive regional cooperation architecture. Can you further elaborate on that?



Wang Wenbin: Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi yesterday attended the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting and the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.



At the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting, Director Wang Yi pointed out that in the past two decades, China and ASEAN have been following the purposes and principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and expanding all-round mutually beneficial cooperation and have successfully opened up the right way of long-term neighborliness and friendship and common development. The two sides have worked together to advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, promote the Belt and Road cooperation, boost regional economic integration, and enhance the foundation for peace and stability. China is committed to high-quality development and providing new opportunities for countries through Chinese modernization. China stands ready to work with ASEAN with stronger unity and coordination to carry forward the spirit of friendly cooperation, uphold open regionalism, tap on new cooperation potential, address global risks and challenges, safeguard regional peace and stability and advance the modernization drive in Asia.



Director Wang Yi stressed that China and ASEAN will always be neighbors, partners and brothers and sisters. Our histories are already linked, so are our futures. In keeping with the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness proposed by President Xi Jinping, China will stay committed to the friendly cooperation policy towards ASEAN and work with ASEAN countries for common development and rejuvenation. We look forward to the two sides jointly advancing the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and making new contribution to regional peace and prosperity.



Parties thanked China for supporting ASEAN centrality and community building, commended China for being the first country to express readiness to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and welcomed the important progress achieved in the consultations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). All sides expressed readiness to work with China to speed up negotiations on the upgrade of the Free Trade Area and enhance connectivity. All sides hope to bring the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights and strive for new results.



The meeting adopted the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Commemorating and Reflecting on the 20th Anniversary of Chinas Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the guidelines accelerating the conclusion of the COC.



At the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting, Director Wang Yi said that this year is the first year for implementing the newest ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Cooperation Work Plan. Countries in the region should have the long-term vision of building an East Asia Community, uphold ASEAN centrality, improve the inclusive regional cooperation architecture, expand cooperation scope and inject stronger East Asian strength into the economic recovery of the region and beyond.



Director Wang Yi made a three-point proposal for the APT cooperation in the next phase. First, we should stay committed to open cooperation, speed up the process of regional integration and build a regional industrial and supply chain system that is stable, smooth and based on comparative advantages. Second, we should stay committed to common security, enhance the efficiency of responding to crises, reinforce food security in the region and build a stronger regional financial safety net. Third, we should stay committed to innovation-driven development, fully tap on the potential of sustainable development, expand cooperation in emerging sectors and provide more impetus for development.



Foreign ministers from Japan, the ROK and ASEAN countries agreed that the APT mechanism should progress with the times and we should fully leverage the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), actively promote the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM), implement RCEP for high-quality results, build new growth drivers in such areas as digital economy, innovative science and technology, energy transition and electric vehicles, inject new energy for regional connectivity and greater resilience and help ASEAN to forge a global epicentrum of growth.

CCTV: Yesterday, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken upon invitation in Jakarta, Indonesia. A US official said that the US side said at the meeting that the US government network was hacked and the US will hold the hackers accountable with proper measures. Do you have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: Director Wang Yi made clear Chinas principled position on the issue of cyber security. The Chinese government agencies face numerous cyber attacks every day, most of which come from sources in the US. Weve shared relevant facts with the international community on multiple occasions. China is the biggest victim of cyber attack. The US needs to stop slapping false labels on China.



CCTV: US officials said that the two sides spent a fair amount of time talking about fentanyl. In particular, Blinken emphasized the importance of the US and China working together to disrupt the global flow of synthetic drugs, particularly fentanyl, and their precursor chemicals into the US. And the issue of establishing a working group on the illicit drug was discussed in depth. Do you have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: The two sides talked about fentanyl-related issues in the meeting, during which the Chinese side expressed our principled position and concerns. Director Wang Yi said that in terms of counter-narcotics, China has the strongest determination, most thorough policies and one of the best records in the world. To accommodate US concerns plus in the interest of the overall China-US relations, China decided several years ago to schedule fentanyl as a class. No other country has done the same. US attempt to take similar action has met with strong obstacles domestically. Instead of fully acknowledging Chinas effort, the US has discredited and scapegoated China on fentanyl, and hunted Chinese citizens through sting operations. This is not at all constructive. The US needs to address this issue with an attitude based on equality, respect and cooperation, lift sanctions on Chinese counter-narcotics institutions as soon as possible, and remove obstacles for dialogue and cooperation.



Dragon TV: The Japanese government has reportedly set up a special fund of JPY 80 billion to subsidize the fishing industry in Fukushima. Do you have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: If the release of the nuclear-contaminated water is indeed harmless, why presume that the fishing industry in Fukushima will be affected? If not for a guilty conscience, why would the Japanese government try to placate the people by giving out compensations? The only logical answer is that there is indeed something very wrong about the ocean discharge. About 40 percent of Japanese people and those who live around the Pacific rim are strongly against Japans pushing through the ocean discharge plan, including people in China, the ROK, Russia, the Pacific Island countries, the Philippines, Indonesia and Peru. Regrettably, the Japanese government has so far acted indifferently to the opposition from both at home and abroad.



Japans use of compensation to buy silence domestically and disregard for the safety and wellbeing of people living next to Japan and in the Pacific Island countries will only invite stronger criticism and opposition from the international community.




A 23-year-old Buffalo man with past robbery convictions was arrested Thursday and charged with robbing two banks over a 30-minute span on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Cordell Williams, who previously has been charged with at least three other bank robberies, is accused of robbing an M&T Bank branch and a Northwest Bank branch.

An M&T branch at 644 Bailey Ave., near Clinton Street, was robbed at about 3:15 p.m.

At about 3:45, at the Northwest Bank branch at 1228 Jefferson Ave., a robber passed a note demanding money and claimed he was armed, police said.

Williams was arrested by Buffalo police at about 1:40 a.m. Thursday and was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery in connection with each of Wednesdays robberies, according to Buffalo City Court records. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday morning.

City Court Judge Samuel Davis ordered Williams held without bail, according to court records.

On Friday, Williams was also in the process of being charged with attempted third-degree robbery for a June 21 incident at a Rite Aid at 1070 Genesee St., just east of Fillmore Avenue, in which the assailant allegedly passed a note demanding pills and also threatened to shoot up the store, police said.

Williams was previously charged with robbing the M&T Bank branch at the Broadway Market in July 2016 and in August 2019, police said.

The 2016 robbery charge came shortly after he turned 16.

He was previously charged with robbing the M&T Bank branch on Main Street, near Canisius College, in January 2020.

Williams also has a second-degree assault charge stemming from an April incident at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center on Forest Avenue, according to police and court records.

The dispositions of the prior robbery cases were not immediately available Friday.

Williams spent time in state prison, starting in March 2021, on two third-degree robbery convictions. He had been sentenced to one to three years, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Williams is due in City Court for felony hearings on the assault case on Monday and the two latest bank robberies on Tuesday.
A 53-year-old New York City man left a cat and dog in his car in an Atlantic City casino parking garage for hours on Thursday, officials said.

Thomas Cabot, of Brooklyn, was charged with third-degree animal cruelty, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said.

A passer-by called 911 after spotting the animals at about 6 p.m. in a car in a parking garage at Ballys Atlantic City near the boardwalk, the prosecutors office said. Police said Cabot left the dog and cat in the vehicle with the windows rolled up since early in the morning.

Both animals were removed from the vehicle and are being treated, officials said. Neither had access to water the entire day.

No attorney information for Cabot was immediately available.

The temperature was about 82 degrees in Atlantic City at 6 p.m Thursday when the animals were found. The high was 86 that day, though temperatures in a vehicle with the windows closed were likely much higher.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
The state Attorney Generals Office is investigating after a man died following his arrest by New Jersey State Police last weekend in Cumberland County.

The 30-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was arrested Saturday in Fairfield Township on a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, the Attorney Generals Office announced Friday.

The man became unresponsive around 8 p.m. Saturday and emergency medical personnel were called to the state polices Bridgeton Station in Upper Deerfield, officials said. Troopers performed life-saving measures before the man was taken to Inspira Medical Center Vineland.
READ NOW: The Jersey Shores 44 greatest pizzerias, ranked  see our experts Shore-wide picks!

Pizza is, of course, a serious topic among New Jersey eaters. Everyone has their loyalties.

But as summer rolls on, the focus shifts to Jersey Shore pizzerias  youre down the Shore, hankering for a slice and need to know where to go. And not every Shore or boardwalk shop is made the same; in fact most are rather cookie-cutter, or at least mediocre. Hidden among them are the gems, the elite places you must visit to eat your full Jersey Shore membership.

On Monday, our food dude Pete Genovese published a new list ranking the Jersey Shores 44 best pizzerias, traversing 131 miles of coastline and nearby towns.

And while Petes opinion is as good as gold, wed like to keep our pizza rankings as democratic as possible. Thats where you come in!

Below is a poll asking which of our 44 restaurant picks you believe to be the best Jersey Shore pizzeria, bar-none. Vote now, and vote often. You may vote once every 24 hours per device.

NOTE: Some mobile apps, including the Twitter app, may not show the poll below. To open in your mobile device click this link, or copy it and paste into your mobile web browser.

The poll closes Thursday, July 20 at noon. Our readers choice winner will be announced Friday, July 21 at noon and be allowed to tout their title of Jersey Shores best pizzeria (according to our esteemed readers) for the rest of the calendar year. There is no greater honor.

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook.
Last-minute concerns over allowing some residential districts to add an apartment to their property pushed Jersey City City Council to withdraw the zoning amendment ordinance for further discussion and community meetings.

In legislation that would potentially ease the citys housing shortage and provide property owners with some extra income, Jersey City proposed allowing homeowners to add an accessory dwelling unit on their property. The ADUs, also known as granny flats, are small living spaces located on the same lot of often single-family homes, either attached or detached to the primary house.

At Wednesdays meeting, Councilman Richard Boggiano almost immediately called for the zoning amendments, up for first reading, to be withdrawn until further discussions and meetings are held.

While the zoning amendments were not discussed in detail during the nearly three-hour meeting, Boggiano and Councilman Frank Gilmore told The Jersey Journal that they, along with other councilmembers, had concerns over the ADUs impact on parking.

The units tend to be detached garages that are converted into studio or one-bedroom apartments with a kitchen and bathroom.

Boggiano and Gilmore said they fear that developers would take advantage of the ADU allowance and add extra units. The ordinance is clear that only one addition housing unit would be allowed on each property.

I dont think this solves any problems by having a garage turned into an apartment house, Boggiano said Thursday. We have enough congestion in this city, we dont need to have houses in back of houses.

We already are scarce with respect to parking, but now we are allowing people to take their garage ... which was occupied by cars and essentially put dwelling there, Gilmore said Thursday. I am concerned about developers coming in and buying up one to two-family homes turn them into three- or four-family homes creating more parking woes.

We need to hear the pros and cons of both. It is something we have to really look at and take our time.

The council voted 4-2 to withdraw the ordinance. Boggiano, Yousef Saleh, Gilmore and Councilwoman Amy DeGise voted for the withdrawal, while Councilman James Solomon and Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey voted against it.

Council President Joyce Watterman, Councilman Daniel Rivera and Councilwoman Denise Ridley were absent.

While ADUs are a key change in the zoning amendments 54-page document, some of the changes also include prioritizing lot width over depth, offering additional residential density to promote the restoration of historically significant structures, basing parking requirements on the number of bedrooms instead of units and much more.

But during public comment, Erika Walker thanked the council for withdrawing the ordinance, saying ADUs will be both a gift and a curse to neighborhoods. Walker, a council aide for Gilmore, called for at least another six months of community meetings to discuss potential changes.

A gift to only to those who can immediately afford those renovations necessary to make a profit on renting an addition, a curse to those who cannot, Walker said. Those who cannot or chose not to upgrade, may not be able to afford the increased taxes that will result from a reval.

Residential districts (RH1, R1, and R2) or areas with one- to three-family homes could add an accessory dwelling unit regardless of lot size and in addition to unit(s) in the principal structure.
A Jersey City man whose brother is serving an 11-year sentence for aggravated manslaughter has been charged with fatally shooting a North Carolina man in April, authorities said.

Anton Mair, 28, was arrested by members of the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Homicide Unit in the death Khalil King in Jersey City April 23, Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. King, 23, of Fayetteville, was shot dead inside a smoke shop on Danforth Avenue.

Mair is charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was arrested at a home on East 12th Street in Bayonne and is currently housed at the Hudson County jail pending his first court appearance.

On April 23, just after midnight, Jersey City police responded a report of shots fired on Danforth Avenue and found King in the smoke shop with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 12:16 a.m.

Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Homicide Unit, the Jersey City Police Department, and the Bayonne Police Department with the investigation and arrest.

Mairs brother, Marcus Mair, pleaded guilty to the 2015 fatal shooting of Donald Gadson and is currently serving an 11-year sentence. Anton Mair has two previous felony convictions.
A Guttenberg man was arrested and more than 25 pounds of marijuana was seized when police uncovered an massive, illegal drug business operating out of a town home Wednesday, authorities said.

The stunning discovery in the small town of roughly 11,000 people started with an investigation by authorities in Pasco County, Florida, into a stolen 2021 Land Rover that had been tracked to Guttenberg.

Francis D. Rodriguez, 53, was charged with receiving stolen property, manufacturing and distributing illegal drugs and numerous other drug offenses, Guttenberg Sgt. Aleksandar Ramadanovic said in a press release.

Ramadanovic said Guttenberg police were contacted the Pasco County Sheriffs Office and asked to assist in their investigation, which tracked the Land Rover to Abbie Court. Police responded to the area and located the vehicle, which was stolen on July 5, after the owner set off the panic alarm remotely.

After getting a search warrant, police retrieved the vehicle and searched the home where it was being kept, Ramadanovic said. It was there they recovered the marijuana, more than six ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms containing Psilocybin, as well as cash and various instruments used to manufacture, package, distribute and dispense illegal drugs, the sergeant said.

The investigation is ongoing, Ramadanovic said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Guttenberg Police Department at 201-868-3300.
A Long Island architect has been charged with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders linked to two New Jersey women.

Rex Heuermann, 59, has lived for decades across a bay from where the remains were found. He is charged with first and second degree murder in connection with the deaths of three victims, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Authorities say he is also the prime suspect in another killing.

Heuermann was taken into custody in Massapequa late Thursday, near where investigators were seen searching his home Friday. He is expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon in state court in Riverhead.

A message seeking comment was left with his lawyer. Voice and email messages were left at Heuermanns Manhattan office and at possible numbers for his home and family Friday.

Suffolk County prosecutors are asking that Heuermann be held without bail, citing the heinous nature of these serial murders, as well as recent searches he made for sadistic materials, including sexually exploitive images of children and photos of the victims and their relatives.

Police officers stand guard near the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)AP

This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families  peace that has been long overdue, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said during an unrelated appearance on Long Island.

The news of an arrest came as a shock to some of the relatives after so many years waiting for a break in the case. In a text message, a sister of one victim said her family wasnt ready to speak publicly because they really havent had a chance to process the news today.

Heuermann lives in Massapequa Park, a community just north of South Oyster Bay and the sandy stretch known as Gilgo Beach where skeletal remains were found along a remote oceanfront highway in 2010 and 2011. The deaths have long stumped investigators. Most of the victims were young women who had been sex workers.

The case has drawn immense public attention. The mystery attracted national headlines for many years and the unsolved killings were the subject of the 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls.

Determining who killed them, and why, has vexed a slew of seasoned homicide detectives through several changes in police leadership. Last year, an interagency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case.

Valerie Mack, left, was 24 when she vanished from Atlantic County. Shannan Gilbert, 23, died after she disappeared on Long Island. The remains of both women were found on Gilgo Beach, Long Island.File

Law enforcement personnel converged on the small red house that had been raided early Friday in the suburb about 40 miles east of midtown Manhattan. Dozens of residents mingled alongside police and media, watching as a half-dozen investigators in protective suits conferred outside the front porch, which was in disrepair, its roof propped up by 2-by-4s.

The home belonged to a family that had long kept to themselves, neighbors said, noting that the dilapidated property seemed out of place among rows of single family homes and well kept lawns in the small community.

This house sticks out like a sore thumb. There were overgrown shrubs, there was always wood in front of the house, said Gabriella Libardi, a 24-year-old teacher. It was very creepy. I wouldnt send my child there.

Crime laboratory officers arrive to the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Barry Auslander, another neighbor, said the man who lived in the house commuted by train to New York City each morning, wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase.

It was weird. He looked like a businessman, said Auslander. But his house is a dump.

Heuermann, married with two children, is a licensed architect with a small Manhattan-based firm that, according to its website, has done store buildouts and other renovations for major retailers, offices and apartments.

Last year, law enforcement agencies on Long Island formed a Gilgo Beach task force, showing what Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said was a renewed commitment to solving the killings.

Were happy to see that theyre finally active, the police, in accomplishing something. Lets wait and see what it all leads to, said John Ray, the attorney for the families of two of the women whose remains were found, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor.

The disappearance of Gilbert, of Jersey City, in 2010 triggered the hunt that exposed the larger mystery. A 24-year-old sex worker, she vanished after leaving a clients house on foot in the seafront community of Oak Beach, disappearing into the marsh.

Months later, a police officer and his cadaver dog were looking for her body in the thicket along nearby Ocean Parkway when they happened upon the remains of a different woman. Within days, three other bodies were found, all within a short walk of one another.

By spring 2011, that number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains -- those of eight women, one man and one toddler. Some were later linked to dismembered body parts found elsewhere on Long Island, making for a puzzling crime scene that stretched from a park near the New York City limits to a resort community on Fire Island and out to far eastern Long Island.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011, about 3 miles east of where the other 10 sets were discovered.

Those remains included New Jersey resident Valerie Mack, who also went by Melissa Taylor and was last seen in 2000 near Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Mack was working as an escort in the Philadelphia area and her remains were identified through DNA analysis in 2011, according to police.

In talking about the bodies near Gilgo Beach, investigators have said several times over the years that it is unlikely one person killed all the victims.
Riddhi Sharma, 16, of West Windsor, wanted to find a way to help girls living at the Bal Kalyan Nagari Orphanage School in Mumbai, India, escape the cycle of poverty.

Stepping into the role of teacher, Riddhi created a four-week English literacy program to help the girls improve their English language skills, and spent time at the orphanage teaching the children there.

I created the program because I am passionate about the language arts, Riddhi told NJ Advance Media. I like to read and write and believe that words are very powerful tools. Education is essential ... because it creates the opportunity (for people) to work in higher paying jobs.

Riddhi, a member of the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey Troop 70054, is one of the 6% of eligible Girl Scouts to receive the organizations national Gold Award, receiving it for her efforts to create the English language program.

English is the second official language of India and is important to learn because its used on official documents, Riddhi said.

In India, fluency in English is essential to gain high paying jobs, she said. English is also imperative for connecting with a larger variety of people because there are over 100 different languages spoken in India.

In a city like Mumbai there are people from all over India who speak a variety of languages, and English is often the only common language.

Riddhi said she spent up to three hours each day five days a week working on the program, including teaching the children English.

Riddhi Sharma talking to teachers about her English literacy program at the Bal Kalyan Nagari Orphanage School in Mumbai, India.Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey

Because the kids were further behind than I expected and teaching some topics took longer than I expected, and activities took longer than I expected, Riddhi said. I had to adjust my plans a lot and find creative ways to retain their attention and help them make as much progress as possible, but it was really cool to see the girls improve their English language skills.

They went from not being able to write a grammatically correct sentence to being able to write a paragraph.

Riddhi said she began to see the impact her lessons were having when a girl brought in an English comic book and asked for help to read it.

(Another) girl said that seeing me, someone whos around her age, doing this made her feel like she can also be in a leadership position, Riddhi said. Overall, I have a lot of respect for teachers after this, because it is a difficult job. It was also eye opening to see the disparities in education.

Girl Scout Riddhi Sharma, center, after receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award, with Ginny Hill, left, CEO Girl Scouts Central and South New Jersey, and board member Valarie Gilbert, right.Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey

Im glad I did the project, because of its impact on the girls and their improvement in English and their mindset change towards learning and their education, Riddhi said. Im also more confident because I know my strengths better and I know that I can be a leader and tackle any problem.

I think that its great that Girl Scouts offers this opportunity for scouts to give back to the community and grow themselves.

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Vashti Harris may be reached at vharris@njadvancemedia.com.
A 34-year-old New Jersey man was one of three people killed in a crash involving a Greyhound bus and three tractor-trailers in Illinois early Wednesday, authorities said.

Juan Vasquez-Rodriguez, of Passaic, was one of 22 passengers on the bus headed west on Interstate 70 when it slammed into into the truck parked along an exit ramp outside St. Louis, according to Illinois State police.

Four people were flown to hospitals with injuries, while another 10 were taken by ambulance following the crash shortly before 2 a.m. near the Silver Lake Rest Area in Madison County, Illinois State Police said.

The Greyhound bus driver was among the seriously injured. The tractor-trailer drivers were not injured.

The vehicle was equipped with cameras facing both inward and outward, and the video will be analyzed, National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said. He added that the 2014-model bus had seatbelts.

A damaged Greyhound bus is prepared for transport on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, from the scene of a fatal wreck on westbound Interstate 70 after the bus collided with a tractor-trailer near Highland, Ill. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)AP

A team of NTSB investigators is expected to be on-site for up to six days, and Chapman said the trucks presence on the ramp will be a part of this investigation.

Parking spots are at a premium in public rest areas, and truckers often park along exit ramps at night. The practice is illegal in Illinois and many other states, but police often ignore it, understanding the shortage of places for overnight truck parking.

Certainly well be looking at the location, the proximity of the parked trucks, such details as the width, the length of the ramp, Chapman said.

Photos and video from the scene showed the side of the bus peeled open and its roof crumpled.

A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money to help the family of Vasquez-Rodriguez transport his body to Peru. A family friend who set it up, Gabriela Benitez, wrote in Spanish that Vasquez-Rodriguez left Peru looking for a future and a better future for his entire family. There are no words to comfort at a time like this and that is why financial aid would help them alleviate the great sorrow a little.

The others killed have been identified as Buford Paya, 71, of Supai, Arizona and Bradley Donovan, 47, of Springfield, Illinois.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com
A registered sex offender has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he brought from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

David Taylor, 34, of the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township, will also be subject to 10 years of supervised release following the prison term, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said.

Taylor committed the crimes in a four-day span in July 2017, federal prosecutors said.
The Erie County Sheriffs Offices plan to move employees out of a grass-covered nuclear bomb shelter, currently home base for the SWAT team and other Special Operations personnel, remains in limbo.

The sense of urgency remains to move employees out of the decades-old, windowless bunker at Chestnut Ridge Park. But when legislators got together in committee Thursday to discuss and approve a recommended 10-year, multimillion-dollar lease, most of them had not seen any of the contract lease documents or proposals. Many had not even seen the eight-line summary that the Sheriffs Office created, outlining the location, square footage and cost per square foot of the developers proposals.

Erie County Sheriff's Office wants to move staff out of a nuclear bunker. It would cost $10 million After more than 50 years of working out of a county-owned bomb shelter in Chestnut Ridge Park, the Erie County Sheriffs Special Services Division needs to move. But the new office and warehouse space in Orchard Park would cost about $10 million.

Leaders with the Sheriffs Office made only brief, introductory remarks before offering to answer questions.

All Republican legislators  and some Democratic legislators  said they could not ask appropriate questions or make decisions when they had so little information. Public Safety Committee Chair Howard Johnson called a brief recess to get more information to legislators, but none of it could be replicated and distributed quickly. Meanwhile, legislators on both sides privately complained about the lack of information and preparation.

What I didnt know is that some legislators are flying blind, Johnson said. Everybody isnt privy to the same information, so what were going to do is park the conversation right here.

It is not uncommon for the County Legislature to vote on big contracts with limited, summary information. But those votes typically involve goods and services that are subject to a bidding process that requires the county to accept the lowest responsible bidder. In addition, department heads are expected to clock in supporting documentation, like score sheets, and to provide a clear overview about why one contract was awarded over others.

Lease deals are far less common because the county owns most of the property where its employees work. County leases are subject to more qualitative standards and are not chosen solely based on cost, but on suitability of space. The first time Sheriffs Office officials attempted to get the Legislature to agree to lease space in Orchard Park, they touted the buildings proximity to the Buffalo Bills stadium and a major interstate. They also discussed the space needs of the Sheriffs Office and the deteriorating conditions in the bunker.

Concerns over proposed $10 million lease keep Erie County Sheriff's Office in windowless bunker The clock is now ticking for the county to secure new space under more favorable terms before the end of next month.

Cost was not a focus, but legislators balked when the 10-year lease added up to more than $10 million, including additional retrofitting costs.

This time around, a new request for proposals was issued, and eight developers responded. John Greenan, the chief of administration for the Sheriffs Office, said an internal committee scored all the proposals over four hours Tuesday. The same building that was initially selected at 13 Centre Drive in Orchard Park still came out on top.

The only legislator who asked detailed questions about the lease proposals was Legislator John Bargnesi, D-Town of Tonawanda, who came into County Hall early to see what the Sheriffs Office had to share. He liked the proposal put forth by Uniland Development to house the Sheriffs Office on former Bethlehem Steel property in Lackawanna. But Legislator John Gilmour, D-Hamburg, and Deputy Budget Director Mark Cornell said that might not be an appropriate use of that industrial park space.

Other lease proposals came from developers of properties in Orchard Park, Buffalo, Town of Tonawanda, Hamburg and Newstead.

Regarding the lack of information provided to other legislators, the Sheriffs Office had handed over a stack of proposals to a Legislature staffer mid-afternoon Wednesday. Typically, those documents are provided to the Legislature clerk for distribution as part of legislator committee packets. In this case, however, none of the documents made it into the clerks hands. Legislature staff said the Sheriffs Office should have provided the documents to the clerk sooner, and Sheriffs officials said that if Legislature staffers fail to pass on the information they are given, that is a Legislature issue.

All sides want to approve a lease agreement at the Legislatures regular meeting next Thursday, the last regular meeting prior to the Legislatures August recess. In order to make that happen, Johnson said a special committee meeting will likely be called early next week to get all information distributed and all questions answered.
A Route 72 construction project set to take place weekdays on Long Beach Island this summer will be stopped on July 24 after public officials and police raised concerns.

State Department of Transportation officials announced that construction that was initially scheduled for Mondays to Thursdays in Ship Bottom will be on hiatus until about Sept. 11, officials said in a release.

During the summer months, the population of Long Beach Island hits between 150,000 and 200,000 people, officials said. Visitors and residents rely on the Route 72 Causeway to get there and traffic to and from Long Beach Township has to travel through Ship Bottom.
Gov. Phil Murphy spent Friday morning wrapping up a large national conference that he helped host in Atlantic City, attended by 20 of his fellow governors and hundreds of other political staffers and officials from across the U.S.

So as he spoke at a news conference capping the 115th annual National Governors Association meeting, held at the Hard Rock hotel and casino, it seemed like an appropriate time to ask him:

While hes not running for president in 2024, having backed President Joe Biden for re-election, could Murphy still launch a bid for the White House down the road? Maybe in 2028?

Im where Ive been. Im 1,000% behind the president, the 65-year-old New Jersey governor said.

But what about future presidential races?

I dont know what Im doing tomorrow, he said with a laugh.

So Murphy is not ruling out a 2028 presidential bid? He simply laughed at the third attempt at the question.

Murphy served the last year as chairman of the NGA, a bipartisan group of governors across the country, and turned over the job Friday to Republican Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah.

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When Biden was still mulling whether to seek a second term, The NGA conference was seen as a place on the calendar that could highlight Murphy and potentially boost any national ambitions. He has been mentioned repeatedly as a potential presidential contender, and his circle kept open the possibility of a bid for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination should Biden, a fellow Democrat, not have run again.

In the end, Biden is running, and Murphy was one of the first to endorse him.

Though the NGA chairmanship has ended, Murphy is still chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, a partisan group that helps the party elect governors throughout the U.S.

He also has 2 1/2 years left on his second  and final  term as New Jerseys governor.

Murphy won a second term in 2021, becoming the first Democratic New Jersey governor to be re-elected in nearly 40 years, though the race was closer than expected.

His most recent approval poll, from Rutgers-Eagleton in May, showed a little less than half of the states adults (47%) are happy with his performance. Thats down 7 percentage points from September.

Its possible, though, he could leave early should Biden win re-election and pick Murphy for a Cabinet or ambassador position. The governor is a former U.S. ambassador to Germany.

His comments Friday came a few months after Murphy said he doesnt expect a presidential campaign in the future.

I dont see it, he told NBC New York in April. Im 65 and I dont think, to each his own and for this guy, Im good with doing what Im doing, which is my nose pressed against the Jersey glass and running for the tape.

Asked whether he could see taking a job with Bidens administration, Murphy seemed more open to that.

I would never say never, but literally have not given one speck of thought when we are done here, he said at the time.

This was the first time in more than a 30 years New Jersey hosted the NGA conference, which drew 21 of the 55 governors of Americas states and territories. That included Democrats Kathy Hochul of New York, Josh Shapiro of Pennsvlania, John Carney of Delaware, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, and Jared Polis of Colorado, as well as Republicans Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma.

(Not in attendance: Floridas Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is running for president, and Californias Gavin Newsome, another big-name Democrat. Several other Republican governors werent there, either. Most of the attendees were Democrats.)

Before handing over the NGA chairmanship, Murphy on Thursday unveiled the result of his chief priority in the job: a playbook that states can use to combat the mental health crisis gripping Americas youth.

MORE: Murphy presses states to attack crisis that transcends party lines as governors gather in A.C.

Murphy also welcomed First Lady Jill Biden, who was born in nearby Hammonton, to the event. She asked the governors to support job training and education initiatives under her husbands administration, 16 months before he is up for re-election.

Murphy said he was proud to bring such a large event To Atlantic City, which has dealt with financial struggles and an ongoing state takeover over the last decade.

Some governors, he said, even visited the iconic Steel Pier on Thursday night.

Atlantic City is punching at long last at its weight, if not above its weight, Murphy said. Im thrilled we could host this.

It showed really, really, really well, he added. Public security, public safety is getting to a really good place.  Theres just a lot of really good momentum in Atlantic City.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @johnsb01.
Mama June: From Not to Hot is airing the finale of its 6th season on Friday, July 14 at 9 p.m. The series will be available to watch on Philo (free trial).

Heres the information youll need to watch a free live stream of Mama June: From Not to Hot online without cable.

How to watch Mama June: From Not to Hot without cable

If youre a cord-cutter or dont have cable, you can live stream Mama June: From Not to Hot on Fubo TV, Philo, or DIRECTV Stream. Each streaming service offers a free trial.

When is Mama June: From Not to Hot on?

Mama June: From Not to Hot continues its 6th season on Friday, July 14 at 9 p.m. on WETV Network. It will air bookended by reruns of previous episodes.

What channel is WETV?

You can use the channel finder on your providers website to locate it: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish.

How to watch Mama June: From Not to Hot online on-demand

If you missed an episode of Mama June: From Not to Hot or want to binge watch the entire series online as it becomes available, check out Fubo TV, Philo, or DIRECTV Stream. Each streaming service offers a free trial.

What is Mama June: From Not to Hot about?

According to the official description of the WETV series: Pumpkin and Josh are raising five kids, with only $800 in child support for Alana; June and Justin start planning a big wedding, but June is suddenly rushed to the hospital; Pumpkin finds out June moved to Alabama and assumes she is on drugs again.

The series stars Mama June, Honey Boo Boo, Pumpkin, Big Mike, and Doe Doe.

Heres a look at a scene from an episode of Mama June: From Not to Hot, courtesy of WETVs official YouTube account:

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Joseph Rejent covers TV, writing about live television, streaming services and cord-cutting. He can be reached at jrejent@njadvancemedia.com.
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WASHINGTON  The Biden administration calls it a "student loan safety net." Opponents call it a backdoor attempt to make college free. And it could be the next battleground in the legal fight over student loan relief.

Starting this summer, millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in a new repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms ever. Interest won't pile up as long as borrowers make regular payments. Millions of people will have monthly payments reduced to $0. And in as little as 10 years, any remaining debt will be canceled.

It's known as the SAVE Plan, and although it was announced last year, it has mostly been overshadowed by President Joe Biden's proposal for mass student loan cancellation. But now, after the Supreme Court struck down Biden's forgiveness plan, the repayment option is taking center stage.

Since the ruling Biden has proposed an alternate approach to cancel debt and also shifted attention to the lesser-known initiative, calling it "the most affordable repayment plan ever." The typical borrower who enrolls in the plan will save $1,000 a month, he said.

Republicans have fought against the plan, saying it oversteps the president's authority. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called it "deeply unfair" to the 87% of Americans who don't have student loans.

The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated over the next decade the plan would cost $230 billion, which would be even higher now that the forgiveness plan has been struck down. Estimates from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania put the cost at up to $361 billion.

Emboldened by the Supreme Court's decision on cancellation, some opponents say it's a matter of time before the repayment plan also faces a legal challenge.

Here's what to know about the SAVE Plan:

WHAT IS AN INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN?

The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of four plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans.

Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower's discretionary income. If a borrower's earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased.

HOW IS BIDEN'S PLAN DIFFERENT?

As part of his debt relief plan announced last year, Biden said his Education Department would create a new income-driven repayment plan that lowers payments even further. It became known as the SAVE Plan, and it's generally intended to replace existing income-driven plans.

Borrowers will be able to apply later this summer, but some of the changes will be phased in over time.

Right away, more people will be eligible for $0 payments. The new plan won't require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line  $32,800 a year for a single person. The cutoff for current plans, by contrast, is 150% of the poverty line, or $22,000 a year for a single person.

Another immediate change aims to prevent interest from snowballing.

As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, their overall balance won't increase. Once they cover their adjusted monthly payment  even if it's $0  any remaining interest will be waived.

Other major changes will take effect in July 2024.

Most notably, payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Those with graduate and undergraduate loans will pay between 5% and 10%, depending on their original loan balance. For millions of Americans, monthly payments could be reduced by half.

Next July will also bring a quicker road to loan forgiveness. Starting then, borrowers with initial balances of $12,000 or less will get the remainder of their loans canceled after 10 years of payments. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond that, the cancellation will come after an additional year of payments.

For example, a borrower with an original balance of $14,000 would get all remaining debt cleared after 12 years. Payments made before 2024 will count toward forgiveness.

HOW DO I APPLY?

The Education Department says it will notify borrowers when the new application process launches this summer. Those enrolled in an existing plan known as REPAYE will automatically be moved into the SAVE plan. Borrowers will also be able to sign up by contacting their loan servicers directly.

It will be available to all borrowers in the Direct Loan Program who are in good standing on their loans.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS?

Supporters say Biden's plan will simplify repayment options and offer relief to millions of borrowers. The Biden administration has argued that ballooning student debt puts college out of reach for too many Americans and holds borrowers back financially.

Opponents call it an unfair perk for those who don't need it, saying it passes a heavy cost onto taxpayers who already repaid student loans or didn't go to college. Some worry that it will give colleges incentive to raise tuition prices higher since they know many students will get their loans canceled later.

Voices across the political spectrum have said it amounts to a form of free college. Biden campaigned on a promise to make community college free, but it failed to gain support from Congress. Critics say the new plan is an attempt to do something similar without Congress' approval.

IS IT LEGAL?

That depends on who you ask, but the question hasn't been taken up by a federal court.

Instead of creating a new payment plan from scratch, the Biden administration proposed changes to an existing plan. It cemented those changes by going through a negotiated rulemaking process that allows the Education Department to develop federal regulations without Congress.

It's a process that's commonly used by administrations from both political parties. But critics question whether the new plan goes further than the law allows.

More than 60 Republicans lawmakers urged Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to withdraw the plan in February, calling it "reckless, fiscally irresponsible, and blatantly illegal."

Supporters argue that the Obama administration similarly used its authority to create a repayment plan that was more generous than any others at the time.

The Biden administration formally finalized the rule this month. Conservatives believe it's vulnerable to a legal challenge, and some say it's just a matter of finding a plaintiff with the legal right  or standing  to sue.

___
They grow to about 55 feet long and weigh around 30 tons, making them part of what are known as the great whales, a group that includes other large filter-feeders like humpbacks and blue whales.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, center, testified Thursday, July 13, 2023 about the future of the agency to a U.S. House Committee. Here, Criswell addresses reporters flanked by Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, left, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, No Party-Vermont, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Berlin, Vt. Following a storm that dumped nearly two months of rain in two days, Vermonters are cleaning up from the deluge of water.
WASHINGTON  Once again, Louisiana is at the center of a national partisan debate.

This time, its over a Louisiana judge's July 4 order to stop President Joe Biden's administration from leaning on social media giants to remove COVID misinformation from their platforms.

Such requests are Orwellian, wrote U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, of Monroe, in a July preliminary injunction  a reference to author George Orwell's "1984" novel about Big Brother controlling information to control citizens.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian Ministry of Truth, Doughty wrote in a 155-page, 721-footnote opinion.
Hewitt, a Republican from Slidell, was the only candidate to poke at any of the others at the Black Church Gubernatorial Forum on July 8 at Southern University. She took a shot at Stephen Waguespack, who served as executive counsel and chief of staff to then-Gov. Bobby Jindal.

When each of the candidates were asked whether they would support historically Black colleges and universities, Hewitt said yes and added, I would not consolidate SUNO and UNO, as was proposed in the Jindal-Waguespack administration. That was a disaster.

She was referring to a proposal by Jindal to merge the two financially-strapped universities in New Orleans. State lawmakers refused to support the plan.

At the Louisiana Sheriffs Association forum on Tuesday, Hewitt used her closing statement to swipe at her opponents while highlighting her work as an offshore manager for Shell Oil, her volunteer work heading the PTA at her sons school and her eight years in the state Senate.
NEW YORK (AP)  Mozambique's former finance minister pleaded not guilty in a U.S. federal court in New York on Thursday in connection with a $2 billion corruption and money laundering scandal that prosecutors said defrauded American investors and threatened to further destabilize the economy of one of the world's poorest countries.

Manuel Chang served as finance minister from 2005 to 2015 for Mozambique, a country of 31 million on Africas southern coast on the Indian Ocean. He was ordered detained until at least October, when his attorneys argue for a dismissal of his case.

Chang is accused of receiving bribes of up to $18 million during a scheme that secured loans for Mozambican state-owned companies from foreign banks and financiers for maritime projects. The money was looted through kickbacks and other corrupt dealings, according to U.S. prosecutors.

Until his extradition to the United States Wednesday, Chang had been held in South Africa after being arrested in Johannesburg in 2018 on a U.S. warrant.

He is relieved to be here, his lawyer, Adam Ford, said after the arraignment in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.

He had fought his extradition to the U.S., and the Mozambican governments own attempts to have Chang face trial in Mozambique had been dismissed by several South African courts. Some groups opposed his return to his own country because of concerns that he would likely be treated leniently.

In a letter a month ago to U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, one of Changs attorneys sought to have the case dismissed, asserting that Changs right to a speedy trial had been violated.

Ford has called the charges meritless and asserted that Chang would be acquitted  like another key figure in the alleged scheme who was acquitted by a U.S. jury in 2019.

The judge raised that point in court Thursday, but was persuaded by the prosecution's suggestion that another jury might see things differently.

In 2019, a federal jury acquitted co-defendant Jean Boustani, a Lebanese national who worked for a Middle Eastern shipbuilding company, who was accused by American authorities of fraud related to $200 million in bribes and kickbacks as part of the broader scheme.

Much of Thursdays hearing focused on whether Chang should be released on bail. The judge, citing the amount of money involved and the gravity of the charges, agreed with prosecutors that he could be a flight risk.

During the hearing an attorney for the U.S. government, Hiral Mehta, provided a preview of the evidence that could be introduced during a trial, including emails, spreadsheets, bank records and other financial documents.

The scandal centers on loans totaling $2 billion that were supposed to go toward purchasing fishing vessels and naval patrol boats to bolster Mozambiques fishing industry. But prosecutors say the investments never happened.

The scandal caused a financial crisis in Mozambique when the International Monetary Fund withdrew its support for the country after the so-called hidden debts were revealed in 2016.

In 2021, Swiss bank Credit Suisse agreed to pay at least $475 million to British and American authorities to settle bribery and kickback allegations stemming from their involvement with the corrupt loans.

At least 10 people have already been convicted and sentenced to prison by a Mozambican court over the scandal, including Ndambi Guebuza, the son of former Mozambican president Armando Guebuza. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for receiving up to $33 million from the corrupt deal.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Jean Boustani's last name.

Associated Press Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Like most of us, I really love Thanksgiving with all the trimmings and the gathering of family and friends. Not everyone has a group of family
A record number of different wildlife species have been found at Northam Burrows Country Park.

The Parks Rangers and the North Devon Coast AONBs Finding Natures Footprints team, a National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project, ran a BioBlitz event on June 14 and 15.

The event saw 268 school children and around 190 members of the public help find as many species as possible in a 24 hour period.

As part of the BioBlitz free public entry was provided to the park along with a whole host of organised public events including night and daytime rock pooling, mud dipping, freshwater invertebrate sampling, and moth and small mammal trapping. In addition, there were also a series of expert led guided walks on topics such as bats, birds, dune plants, trees and shrubs.

School children joined from six different primary schools, including St Helens from Abbotsham, Appledore, East the Water, Hartland, Kingsley, and St Margarets in Northam. The students all took turns in exploring the rockpools, dunes and freshwater streams, learning about the variety of wildlife that live in these different environments.

At the BioBlitz hub, several organisations including Plastic Free North Devon, Devon Wildlife Trust, Coastwise North Devon, Sunrise Diversity, North Devon Biosphere, Devon Moths, and the Devon Biodiversity Records centre were on hand with activities and to talk about the work they do. This gave the public a great opportunity to chat with the groups all in one place whilst also acting as a networking opportunity for the organisations themselves.

The event exceeded all expectations with a total of 269 different species recorded, of which 189 were new records to Northam Burrows. Overall, this included 64 different moth species, 20 species of birds and 103 species of different plants.

Torridge Councillor and Lead Member for Culture and Community Engagement, Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin said: We were really thrilled that North Devon Coast AONB chose Northam Burrows as one of their sites for a Bioblitz event this year, which was really well attended. As well as a great opportunity for children and adults to have a first-hand experience at exploring and learning more about nature we also added to our records of species found on the burrows. The information gathered is really important to assess the current health of the areas ecosystems and also so that our rangers and partners can plan and direct longer term conservation efforts. Well done to everyone involved in organising and attending this fantastic day of activities and study.

Joe Newberry, Finding Natures Footprints Project Coordinator, said: To make the right decisions for habitat management it is important that we understand how wildlife use the site. It was great to see so many people get involved with the event, young and old and fantastic that we can add new species records for Northam Burrows. Beyond the BioBlitz, there are lots of opportunities for people to get involved and help us gain a better understanding of our local wildlife. Look out for our annual Bioblitz each summer in the AONB.

To find out more about upcoming BioBlitz events and throughout North Devon coast, people can visit the North Devon Coast AONB website www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk as well as their Facebook page (@explorethecoast).
Its time to bring the STAMP government-funded white elephant in Genesee County to a halt. Its absolutely insane for New York State to allow the DEC to continue to process a project that seeks to trample hundreds of acres of prime natural habitat untouched since the last glacier. This land is at the threshold of the Alabama and Iroquois swamplands  some of the richest aquatic fowl attractions in Eastern United States.

The adjacent SenecaTonawanda Reservation was so appalled by the proposal, it sued and the case remains a litigant development.

New York States bountiful waterways and fertile lands helped pave the nations westward expansion. Energetic people found flowing streams on the westward paths, set up watermills to process the grains with their equally energetic associates, and together grew wealth and a nation. Food production accompanied growing populations. The market and the sources of supplies were tightly gathered.

Now, the STAMP project also seeks the use of streams to grow wealth, except their idea of streams is bountiful flows of state and federal subsidies, and support to develop manufacturing removed from both the source of the raw materials and its theoretical markets. At a time New York is finding ways to minimize emissions, the Genesee County planners seek to plant their project in an isolated area that will require commuting by all who work there.

The project is so poorly placed, a proposal is being developed to pipe in enormous amounts of fresh water from the Niagara River to supply manufacturing needs. The modern taming of streams seems to mean rather than construct on or at the waterway, you get funding streams and build pipelines.

I urge every New Yorker who pays any form of taxes to call, write or contact their state representatives and the folks at NYSDEC  Region 8  Avon, who were forced to conduct several reviews of the project that, as the Indian Nation warned, requires all sorts of adjustments. Its difficult to justify why a manufacturing plant that may never work should replace the habitats of two endangered species and probably several threatened species.

We can suppose with the modern taming of stream flows, Genesee County can continue pursuing this wasteful project as long as the funding is poured in from state and federal coffers.
It might have taken Killer Mike a decade to offer a solo music project, but the rapper hailing from Atlanta has certainly kept his amplified voice active.

As a member of Run the Jewels, Killer Mike, along with producer El-P, pumped out four critically acclaimed albums. He made noise outside of music as a social-political activist who has spoken out against inequality for Black people, race relations and became a vocal supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

The Grammy-winner hosted Netflixs Trigger Warning with Killer Mike, a 2019 documentary series about issues that affect the Black community. He also made an emotional plea to calm a protest against police brutality that turned violent in Atlanta.

Now, Killer Mike wants to offer an extension of his efforts with the recently released Michael, his first solo album since 2012. He calls his sixth studio offering an audio movie about a prodigal son filled with church, soul music and Southernisms.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Killer Mike talked about his grandparents' influence, comparing himself to Logan  aka Wolverine  from X-Men, and the reason elected officials should be leaned on more than him.

The rapper is about to kick off his 19-city tour on July 10, before he and El-P goes on a four-city Run the Jewels tour to celebrate their 10th anniversary in the fall.

AP: Why compare yourself to Logan?

KILLER MIKE: Logan was gruff as a defense mechanism, and he loved hard. He went hard for his people. He could heal quickly. He was resilient. At first, it was just bones, and it was pain. Thats not all my life. But as a Black man in America, we can identify with that character. You can identify with Logan.... I was always attracted to that character. A lot of times, we get looked at as indestructible  whether its playing sports, being an advocate or being a martyr for a cause. I just wanted to show that Im a human being. Im flesh and bones under here.

AP: Why did it take more than a decade for you to release a solo album?

KILLER MIKE: You set a goal. Youre one half of what you feel could potentially be one of the greatest rap groups ever. If you see it through and you and your rap partner set a marker that in order to be an official rap group, you have to do like the groups that you looked up to  from EPMD, Outkast and Led Zeppelin. You got to put out four classic records. I think Run the Jewels accomplished that. Over the course of a decade, we forged away and created what I would say is arguably the greatest rap group active today.

AP: Where did you learn to become outspoken for important causes?

KILLER MIKE: I was shaped because my grandmother was active. I didnt have a choice but to be active. Its like flying home from a tour with Rage Against the Machine to testify on behalf of small Black club owners. It may seem strange. But if you grew up in Atlanta in my neighborhood, thats what youre supposed to do. You show up on behalf of your community.

AP: What lessons were ingrained into you?

KILLER MIKE: Ill give you what my grandfather gave me: Take care of yourself and your sisters. Dont embarrass yourself, me and your grandmamas name. Build a family name that you dont want to embarrass. Build goodwill in your community on a hyperlocal level. And lastly, he told me dont embarrass Black people. That meant to be noble and honest. Im sincere in the things I do. Im not a prostitute. Im not selling myself out for issues. Im not selling myself out for clout. Im sincere in the things Im about. All I ever wanted to be was an emcee. God gave me what I wanted. Everything Im called to be in addition to that, I consider just a repay on the promise that God gave me. Its my way of repaying and showing thanks and gratitude for what my ancestors and God have given me.

AP: Should you be the primary voice on political and social issues?

KILLER MIKE: Im not prostituting myself for every social campaign. We have a group of people who are qualified to do that. You have an amazing amount of people doing the work on an everyday basis that you should be following and reaching out to. Im not here to replace them. Attorney Benjamin Crump is out there doing a noble job like Johnnie Cochran. We need to be standing with him. We dont need to try to replace him. I am simply trying to make sure that I help to mobilize those that are actually organizing on a daily basis. We have organizers that deserve to be followed. As athletes and entertainers and common people, we should be making sure they have a platform to do that  more so trying to be the next one.

AP: Would your grandmother be proud of how far youve come?

KILLER MIKE: Shed be proud. She used to say Thats my grandson, Killer Mike. I imagine her somewhere with her ancestors or with her sweet white Jesus saying, Thats my grandson.

AP: What do you want people to take away from Michael?

KILLER MIKE: Listen to this with your eyes closed from start to finish. I guarantee youre going to feel something. Youre going to see the characters come to life before you. Youre going to see the smell. Youre going to see the sights. I sent the album to Jay-Z about a year ago when it was still unfinished. He sent back I loved it!! He said it felt like I had went to my aunts house and watched a movie. Your aunt will let you watch the movies your momma wont. I was very flattered by that compliment. I hope others take the chance to participate in listening.

AP: Youre a co-founder of Greenwood, a majority Black and Latinx-owned bank. Hows business been going since it launched in 2020?

Killer Mike: Its growing with over 100,000 accounts now. Im excited to have ventured into helping people get out of the industry of payday loans and into real accounts. Ive been happy when I walk into a store and someone says, Mike, Im going to buy you a water. Ive got my Greenwood card. Thats absolutely amazing. From a business perspective, my wife and I want to expand. We want to expand the Swag Shop barbershop. We have three locations including one in State Farm Arena. On a homebound basis, I hope to help Frederick Douglass High School, my alma mater, to continue to be a school that produces great leaders. I want to be a cornerstone in my own community.
The Indiana Department of Education released 2023 standardized test results Wednesday, showing students slightly improved from last years results in math but slightly regressed in English language arts.

The 2023 ILEARN results showed 40.9% of Indiana students at or above proficiency standards in math, up from 39.4% in 2022, while 40.7% of students were at or above proficiency standards in ELA, down from 41.2%.

Post-pandemic test scores have been significantly lower than 2019 scores, which was when Indiana's Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network was first administered. That year, students had proficiency scores of 47.8% in math and 47.9% in ELA. The test was not administered in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023 results show a modest increase in statewide math proficiency across all grades, with the highest increases in fourth, sixth and eighth grades. Most grade levels stayed relatively the same in ELA proficiency rates, with the highest increase at the sixth-grade level and the biggest decrease at the seventh-grade level.

All ethnic groups saw slight increases in math proficiency scores, with the largest increases seen in American Indian, Black, multiracial, white and Hispanic students.

ELA scores remained stable across ethnic groups but saw decreased scores for Asian and Hispanic students.

The combined proficiency rate statewide for math and ELA was 30.6%, a minimal improvement from 30.2% in 2022.

Across Northwest Indiana, about half of the public school districts scored above the state average, with Munster (54.8%), Union Township (53.6%), Valparaiso (52.2%) and Duneland (51.9%) attaining the highest combined proficiency rates in the Region.

Union Township, Duneland, Porter Township and South Central had the largest percentage point improvements: 6.7, 6.5, 6.3 and 5.1, respectively.

Most grade levels in Northwest Indiana saw math scores increase, with the biggest boosts in third, sixth and seventh grades. The score among fourth graders fell. ELA scores stayed relatively stable across the Region and saw the biggest increase at the sixth-grade level and the biggest decrease at the fourth-grade level.

Multiracial, white and Hispanic students in Northwest Indiana saw the biggest increase in math proficiency scores while other ethnic groups stayed the same. ELA scores remained unchanged across most ethnic groups, with multiracial students seeing higher scores.

Recently, the state announced a redesign of how the ILEARN assessment is administered. It involves three assessments throughout the school year, with a final, shortened summative test in the spring. The redesign is meant to provide for more flexible scheduling, reduce overall testing and provide more useful data for teachers and parents.

The state is expected to pilot the redesign during the 2024-25 school year, with a full implementation planned for 2025-26.

The state also released results of the SAT, which is administered to 11th graders. Statewide, 28.5% of students exceeded the math and the reading and writing benchmarks.

Locally, more than a third of public districts performed higher than the state average, with Munster (63.5%), Valparaiso (50.1%) and Union Township (47.2%) having the highest percentage of students passing both benchmarks.

Porter Township saw the biggest improvement from last year, with 13.2% more students passing the math and the reading/writing benchmarks.
LOWELL  A charge of attempted murder has been filed against a 45-year-old West Chicago man accused of intentionally crashing into several police vehicles and driving toward an officer during a pursuit Wednesday along a local stretch of Interstate 65.

Three Indiana State Police troopers were reportedly treated for minor injuries from the pursuit of Thomas Sanhamel.

Sanhamel was also charged with felony counts of attempted battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery by means of a deadly weapon, attempt to commit battery against a public safety official, battery to a public safety official and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, ISP said.

Sanhamel was booked into the Lake County Jail.

A state trooper first attempted to stop Sanhamels vehicle around 3:15 p.m. Wednesday along southbound I-65, three miles north of the Ind. 2 exit, after learning he was posing a safety hazard by driving 5 mph.

Sanhamel drove away southbound, during which time he nearly struck a parked semi with pedestrians standing alongside, police said.

Winfield residents encouraged to lock vehicles in wake of break-ins The thieves have not been breaking windows or otherwise damaging locked vehicles to gain entry, police say.

He continued to flee at 10 mph and appeared to swerve toward a police officer attempting to put Stop Sticks in the road, according to police. He then drove into the median near the mile-238 marker, stopped and then accelerated, again ramming police vehicles.

Sanhamel headed north in the southbound lanes until stopped traffic forced him into a grassy ditch, police said. He then repeatedly rammed a Jasper County police vehicle until his vehicle became disabled.

He was taken into custody and transported to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries, police said.

Three state police cars were damaged by the suspect ramming the vehicles during the pursuit, ISP said.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail Demond Tyler Jacqueline White Kristina Schierberl Glynisha Shiel Byron Strong Dollie Tecaxco Semaj Reynolds Fred Parker Paige Perry Lawrence O'Toole Mathew Murphy Geoni McNeal Brett Miner Shanae McGee Wilbur Jenkins II Kerry Kirk Robert Mathena Nathaniel Guzman Joshua Hansen Bradley Heideman Kyanne Edwards Ollicia England Kenyatta Freeman Jr. Jacob Gould Antonio Cornejo Lashionda Bradley James Buhle Zakiya Coats Carlos Andrade Dierra Bluitt Jovon Sharp Demetrian Shorter Matthew Potocki Tonie Pattent Edward Macker Jerry Moore Christopher Hurley Leroy Jefferson III Edwin Macias Guerrero Patrick Hammack Mark Henderson Isabell Hernandez Lexi Adams Derrick Angelucci Cartrelle Sullivan Lap Dai Truong David Smith Candice Johnson Julie Lonngren Cody Nagel Tomislav Ristic Jonathan Igras John Gallagher Jr. Christina Brown Deanna Findley Danielle Ford Ramon Bridges Ian West Michael Wynter Maltese Tally John Stoddard Jr. Eric Skinner Angel Preacely Brian Riley Aarjione League Charles Moore Suzanne Krischke Marquita Ford Antonio Galvan Jason Brown John Berrios Jr. Laura Bobadilla Keith Bretthorst Lakisha Brooks Narcisa Apuyod Dan Rodriguez Michael Zivanovich Shaunese Rice Robert Lay III Loretta Bell Larry Gore Calvin Winfield Katelyn Zajeski Percy Perry Andrew Wilcox Javonni Avila Matthew Druzbicki Michael Kras Troy Sykes David Venzke Jr. Taylor Smith Gregory Phillips Jose Rivera Jr. Nicole Roge
Gov. Kathy Hochuls administration has good intentions in sending money to addiction treatment providers. But the money isnt reaching its intended beneficiaries fast enough, according to vocal critics. The governor should send orders to speed the process.

The plan: New York State will bring in more than $2 billion from settlements gleaned from prescription drug manufacturers and distributors that helped fuel the opioid epidemic.

However, a couple of Western New Yorkers are among the critics who say little money has been flowing to addiction treatment providers who are, themselves, overwhelmed with demand. They should know. Avi Israel and Anne Constantino are longtime leaders of addiction treatment nonprofits in Western New York.

Constantino retired as CEO of Horizon, a major addiction services provider in Western New York. Israel is the founder of the Western New York addiction services nonprofit Save the Michaels of the World. His 20-year-old son committed suicide in 2011, minutes after being refused a bed in an inpatient treatment facility.

Israel and Constantino are both members of the 21-member state Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board.

Rob Kent has joined the criticism. He is the former general counsel for the state Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), the agency principally responsible for distributing the settlement funds. Kent also served as a top lawyer for the Biden administrations White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Kent said OASAS should change the ways it distributes funds by combining grants in priority areas including distributing naloxone, harm reduction and recovery services.

Take $50 million, $70 million, and accumulate it all in one big process, he said.

All three critics say stabilizing staffing at existing providers needs to be an immediate priority.

OASAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said in an interview that her office is receiving contradictory instructions. She may not be as defensive as she sounds, but there seems little doubt that a problem exists. That needs to be her focus.

Hochul acted last year when she signed the law creating the 21-member advisory board. The board began meeting in June 2022, and five months later issued a report detailing 10 priority spending areas, and the percentage of a planned $128 million budget that should go to each. The boards November recommendations were nonbinding.

Since that time, OASAS has released a series of individual bidding opportunities largely mirroring the categories. Cunningham was quoted, We really started from the top priority, and are working our way through that list.

But, according to Constantino, the board never sought that approach. And while the advisory board recommended that a percentage of dollars go to 10 spending areas, it never demanded the series of piecemeal, small-scale bidding processes to which critics are objecting.

Cunningham, a physician who was appointed by Hochul in December 2021, has been under fire from Israel, who called the agency unresponsive and dysfunctional under the commissioners reign. True or not, people needing treatment are paying a steep price. Thats a crisis for those individuals. Hochul needs to ensure that her commissioner responds with the urgency it deserves.
K-9 Falco Gary police K-9 Falco was shot and killed Thursday in Gary's Glen Park neighborhood while helping his handler, Officer Angel Lozano, apprehend

GARY  A police K-9 was killed in the line of duty Thursday while trying to help catch a suspect in the Glen Park neighborhood.

During a traffic stop on the 1000 block of 35th Court, shots were fired at K-9 Falco and his handler, Officer Angel Lozano, as they chased the fleeing subject. Lozano was not injured.

The 29-year-old suspect was taken into custody. He was wanted by police for aggravated battery and criminal recklessness, Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said.

Unfortunately, shots fired is an all-familiar phrase we hear on our airways," Gary Chief Anthony Titus said at a news conference Thursday night at the Police Department. "It is 'officer down' well never get used to."

Falco was an eight-year veteran of the Gary Police Department, Titus said. During his time with Gary police, he helped seize numerous guns and drugs off the street, helped find several missing children and endangered adults, and assisted federal agencies in the area.

He was deployed to assist in more than 1,000 incidents.

"This department and the citizens of Gary lost a true hero today," Titus said.

Deputy Mayor Trent McCain extended condolences on behalf of the mayor's office, calling Falco an "invaluable asset" to the Police Department.

"We mourn the passing of a true hero who gave his life in the line of duty, serving and protecting our city with unwavering loyalty and dedication," he said.

In Indiana, the intentional killing of a police dog is a Level 6 felony, punishable by six months to 2 years in jail.

The Lake County Sheriff's Department has taken over the investigation.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail Demond Tyler Jacqueline White Kristina Schierberl Glynisha Shiel Byron Strong Dollie Tecaxco Semaj Reynolds Fred Parker Paige Perry Lawrence O'Toole Mathew Murphy Geoni McNeal Brett Miner Shanae McGee Wilbur Jenkins II Kerry Kirk Robert Mathena Nathaniel Guzman Joshua Hansen Bradley Heideman Kyanne Edwards Ollicia England Kenyatta Freeman Jr. Jacob Gould Antonio Cornejo Lashionda Bradley James Buhle Zakiya Coats Carlos Andrade Dierra Bluitt Jovon Sharp Demetrian Shorter Matthew Potocki Tonie Pattent Edward Macker Jerry Moore Christopher Hurley Leroy Jefferson III Edwin Macias Guerrero Patrick Hammack Mark Henderson Isabell Hernandez Lexi Adams Derrick Angelucci Cartrelle Sullivan Lap Dai Truong David Smith Candice Johnson Julie Lonngren Cody Nagel Tomislav Ristic Jonathan Igras John Gallagher Jr. Christina Brown Deanna Findley Danielle Ford Ramon Bridges Ian West Michael Wynter Maltese Tally John Stoddard Jr. Eric Skinner Angel Preacely Brian Riley Aarjione League Charles Moore Suzanne Krischke Marquita Ford Antonio Galvan Jason Brown John Berrios Jr. Laura Bobadilla Keith Bretthorst Lakisha Brooks Narcisa Apuyod Dan Rodriguez Michael Zivanovich Shaunese Rice Robert Lay III Loretta Bell Larry Gore Calvin Winfield Katelyn Zajeski Percy Perry Andrew Wilcox Javonni Avila Matthew Druzbicki Michael Kras Troy Sykes David Venzke Jr. Taylor Smith Gregory Phillips Jose Rivera Jr. Nicole Roge
MERRILLVILLE  Police issued an arrest warrant Monday for a Gary woman in connection with fraud at Members Source Credit Union.

Emily Fisher, 28, was charged with forgery, theft and two counts of fraud. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Officers said in reports that they received a complaint from James Falls, CEO of Members Source, about multiple attempts to pass fraudulent checks at the Griffith and Merrillville branches.

On April 12, Fisher deposited a $4,850 check from Ford Motor Co. and withdrew $4,500 30 minutes later. What concerned Falls and police, however, was the address and signature on the check.

In the probable-cause affidavit, officers said the same address and signature was used on a different check, deposited by Clifford Hill, and was determined to be fraudulent by Merrillville police detectives. In the same document, officers said they charged Hill for the fraud, but as of Thursday, no charges appeared to be filed.

Fisher remains at large as of Thursday. Her first court date has not been set.
MICHIGAN CITY  A lawn maintenance worker at an apartment complex was shot Wednesday, LaPorte County police said.

Police said they were called out shortly before 11 a.m. to the Woodland Crossing Apartment Homes, 300 Woods Edge Drive, for a report of the shooting.

Deputies arrived, located one gunshot victim and secured the scene, police said.

The early stages of the investigation revealed the victim was an employee of the complexs contracted lawn maintenance company. The victim was approached on foot by a male subject, who began shooting at the victim.

Two shot; Region police seeking tips Officers collected numerous pieces of evidence and interviewed multiple witnesses, police said

The victim suffered a nonlife-threatening gunshot wound to one of his hands, police said. The shooter entered a nearby vehicle that left the complex traveling northbound on Woodland Avenue.

Anyone who witnessed or otherwise has information about the shooting is encouraged to contact Capt. Andy Hynek at 219-326-7700, ext. 2401, or ahynek@lcso.in.gov.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into LaPorte County Jail Yazmin Lopez Jalyn Orzech Jaylon George Duaine Gorbonosenko Branden Hewlett William Warren David Tucker James Stout Brian McFarland Malik Cunningham William Saulsgiver William Nye Maryann Carmichael Jordan Wasy Kimberly Richardson Quandell Crawford Nathan Walenga Moesha Payne Michael Love
WINFIELD  Police encouraged area residents to lock up their vehicles and remove anything of value in the wake of a string of break-ins, most recently occurring Thursday night.

From what police can tell from surveillance videos, individuals with flashlights have been going around overnight and entering unlocked vehicles and mostly rifling through looking for items of value, said Town Marshal Dan Ball said.

Among the items taken were a credit card and firearm, he said.

The thieves have not been breaking windows or otherwise damaging locked vehicles to gain entry, Ball said.

Ball said 15 or 16 unlocked vehicles were broke into last weekend in the Wyndance subdivision in the area of 109th Avenue and Fayette Street.

Lawn worker shot at Michigan City apartment complex "The victim was approached on foot by a male subject, who began shooting at the victim," police said.

Another seven unlocked vehicles or so were struck Thursday night in the Stonegate and Meadows areas.

Ball said extra patrols will be out overnight to combat the break-ins.

Area residents are encouraged to review any footage from surveillance cameras in hopes of identifying the culprits.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail Demond Tyler Jacqueline White Kristina Schierberl Glynisha Shiel Byron Strong Dollie Tecaxco Semaj Reynolds Fred Parker Paige Perry Lawrence O'Toole Mathew Murphy Geoni McNeal Brett Miner Shanae McGee Wilbur Jenkins II Kerry Kirk Robert Mathena Nathaniel Guzman Joshua Hansen Bradley Heideman Kyanne Edwards Ollicia England Kenyatta Freeman Jr. Jacob Gould Antonio Cornejo Lashionda Bradley James Buhle Zakiya Coats Carlos Andrade Dierra Bluitt Jovon Sharp Demetrian Shorter Matthew Potocki Tonie Pattent Edward Macker Jerry Moore Christopher Hurley Leroy Jefferson III Edwin Macias Guerrero Patrick Hammack Mark Henderson Isabell Hernandez Lexi Adams Derrick Angelucci Cartrelle Sullivan Lap Dai Truong David Smith Candice Johnson Julie Lonngren Cody Nagel Tomislav Ristic Jonathan Igras John Gallagher Jr. Christina Brown Deanna Findley Danielle Ford Ramon Bridges Ian West Michael Wynter Maltese Tally John Stoddard Jr. Eric Skinner Angel Preacely Brian Riley Aarjione League Charles Moore Suzanne Krischke Marquita Ford Antonio Galvan Jason Brown John Berrios Jr. Laura Bobadilla Keith Bretthorst Lakisha Brooks Narcisa Apuyod Dan Rodriguez Michael Zivanovich Shaunese Rice Robert Lay III Loretta Bell Larry Gore Calvin Winfield Katelyn Zajeski Percy Perry Andrew Wilcox Javonni Avila Matthew Druzbicki Michael Kras Troy Sykes David Venzke Jr. Taylor Smith Gregory Phillips Jose Rivera Jr. Nicole Roge
The Duneland Chamber of Commerce plans to recognize local businesses and community members at its annual Community Awards Luncheon.

The chamber will host the awards ceremony from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on July 19 at the Spa Speakeasy & Special Event Center at 333 N. Mineral Springs Road in Chesterton. The chamber, which represents merchants and entrepreneurs in Beverly Shores, Burns Harbor, Chesterton, Dune Acres and Porter, said it's honoring business owners, nonprofits and individuals "for their efforts in making the Duneland community a better place to live, work and play."

The Putting Duneland on the Map Award winner is Aidan Torres. The Business Renovation Award will go to Glacial Sands Oral, Facial, Implant Surgery, Heartland Wellness Center and Lias Bella Cucina. Allen Law Group will be awarded the New Construction Award.

Duneland Exchange Club has won Humanitarian of the Year. Brian Bolin and Scott Palla have won Volunteer of the Year, and Scott Ness and Carol Michaels have won the Golden Achievement Award.

Officer William Reshkin and Officer Darren Conley are Service Person of the Year honorees.

The Duneland Distinguished Woman will be be announced at the event.

The awards ceremony will be sponsored by Comcast, Urschel Laboratories Inc., Cleveland-Cliffs, Avalon Springs, NITCO, WIMS 95.1 FM/AM 1420/106.7 FM, 1st Source Bank, Franciscan Health, McColly Real Estate  Paul Boyter, NIPSCO, Centier Bank, Horizon Bank, Legacy Sign Group, and Porter Bank.

To RSVP for the luncheon, call 219-926-5513 or email rachel@dunelandchamber.org.
Consumer-facing companies like automakers have gotten more environmentally conscious in recent years and have been looking to cut back carbon emissions and sell greener products to the public.

U.S. Steel is adapting to the trend.

The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, one of the Region's largest steelmakers, has long been tight-lipped and even secretive  for instance so tightly restricting access to its now-idled Great Lakes Works steel mill on Zug Island in Detroit that urban legends proliferated about what went on there.

Amid a push for greener products, U.S. Steel will start releasing environmental data to customers about its flat-rolled coil steel made at the Big River Steel Works mini-mill in Arkansas. The company said the instance of transparency "reaffirms its commitment to sustainability."

We are thrilled to have secured EPDs on our three major flat-rolled steel coil products, representing all products melted at Big River Steel Works. This development unlocks substantial value to our customers who want to be more informed about their supply chains environmental impact, said Kenneth Jaycox, senior vice president and chief commercial officer for U. S. Steel.

U. S. Steel will now make available environmental product declarations for hot-rolled, cold-rolled and corrosion-resistant flat-rolled products when the steel was melted at Big River. Customers can review quantifiable, independent and audited environmental data that outlines emissions and lifecycle impacts. The intent is to equip steel buyers like automakers, appliance manufacturers and service centers with information that will help them pick more sustainable products for their manufacturing.

The disclosures are certified by the American Society for Testing and Materials and remain valid for five years. They outline the impact on climate change, water usage and smog creation.

U.S. Steel is not disclosing such data from Gary Works or the Midwest Plant in Portage. It said the release of the emission information "represents a step forward in the journey to measure our product carbon footprint."

Presenting transparent and data-backed validation of our products empowers our customers to make more informed and sustainable decisions," Jaycox said.

Steelmakers have been working to reduce their carbon footprint in the face of growing global pressure to address the root causes of climate change. Researchers have found that integrated steel mills like those along the south shore of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana cumulatively contribute 7% of the world's carbon emissions.
Laura Trethewey couldnt have known while she was writing it that her book The Deepest Map  about efforts to expand human knowledge of the unexplored ocean  would arrive amid a frenzy of interest in the Titan submersible and its tragic fate. But Tretheweys book doesnt need the news cycle to hold anyones attention: It raises fascinating questions about science, technology, business and the purposes of exploration. For a perfect match of setting and subject, why not read that one at the beach?

Elsewhere this week, we recommend a history of women in journalism, a consideration of Abraham Lincolns religious faith and a couple of memoirs, one about motherhood and another about the nature of truth. In fiction, we recommend a zombie love story by Lorrie Moore, along with new novels by Sebastian Barry, Keziah Weir and Thomas Brussig. Happy reading.

Gregory Cowles

When it comes to tragic subjects, topical is a mixed blessing. Yet Tretheweys foray into the uncharted depths of the ocean floor brings a needed understanding of this new industry, and its stakes  financial, environmental and human.
Consider the paradoxical thought experiment known as the Ship of Theseus: If Athenians removed and replaced every plank of Theseuss ship so that none of the original wood remained, would it still be Theseuss ship? Or would it become a different ship entirely?

Alternatively, take a dirty martini: gin, vermouth, olive brine and a garnish. But swap the traditional dry gin for one washed with mirepoix. Use Manzanilla sherry in place of the vermouth, a solution of chicken bouillon and MSG instead of brine, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil. Is it still a dirty martini?

Jazzton Rodriguez, the creator of what he calls the chicken soup martini, believes it is. People are starting to explore what the dirty martini can be, as a template, said Mr. Rodriguez, who co-writes the blog Very Good Drinks. His invention has drawn more than 600,000 views across Instagram and TikTok.
Its one of the best-designed diversion programs in the country, said Carl Gershenson of The Eviction Lab at Princeton University. In other cities, eviction filings are reaching or exceeding prepandemic averages, according to his organization. Even places that have adopted other eviction interventions have recently topped those averages. But Philadelphia, which is Americas poorest big city, has consistently seen fewer than the 20,000 filings it typically had in the years leading up to the pandemic.

Poor tenants tend to spend most of their income on rent, so a medical bill, job loss or unexpected car repairs can lead to a missed payment. An eviction record can scare off would-be landlords, so people are often forced to find temporary shelter and can even end up homeless. Philadelphias program does not lower medical costs, raise wages or lower the high cost of housing. But the diversion does offer those who have the possibility of making good on back rent a chance to stay in their homes. By slowing down the process and setting up a negotiation mechanism, it has kept more than 4,000 renters housed since late 2020 and been praised by the White House as a model for other cities.

The programs early success, experts said, was helped immensely by the billions of dollars in federal rental assistance money, which Philadelphia used to pay arrears. Though landlords complained that the payouts did not always go smoothly, the possibility of recouping back rent made mandatory diversion more palatable. When the federal money ran out in January, the city offered up $30 million to help keep the program going through June 2024.

Ms. Handy did not know any of this. She only knew what life had taught her: An eviction meant a hard road ahead.

After leaving the shelter at 19, she worked for years as an apprentice plumber and then as a food packer. Injuries from those jobs  slipped disks, arthritis and fingers that lock up  as well as mental health issues put her on disability. She enjoyed stable housing with a housing voucher until early 2017, when she was forced out of a home she had lived in for about a decade. She counted herself lucky when, after months of trying, a landlord took her voucher and even dispensed with the $1,300 security deposit  a small grace.
Hey Audio fans, hope youre staying cool out there. We have a bounty of audio riches to get you through the week.

But first, tune into Episode 3 of Serials chilling new series, The Retrievals, out today.

Then, travel to Zambia on a story about the author of Where the Crawdads Sing and revisit the final moments of the Titan submersible. Hear sharp perspectives on A.I., and what it takes to make a Barbie movie. Also, Melissa Clark joins us from Cooking to scrutinize your pantry essentials.

Enjoy the week!
News / Local

by Staff reporter

Scores of people turned up at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare yesterday to welcome Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, who arrived for a one-day State visit.President Raisi's visit to Harare is part of a three-country tour of Africa that Tehran has touted as a "new beginning" in relations with the African continent, as Iran looks to circumvent American sanctions, which Zimbabwe has also been a victim of for over two decades.Apart from Zimbabwe, he also visited Kenya and Uganda.As he got off his plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, some of the people, mainly Zanu-PF supporters, ululated while others whistled and broke into song and dance.President Mnangagwa warmly embraced President Raisi, in a show of diplomatic camaraderie.The President bids farewell to Dr Raisi at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport yesterdayVice President Constantino Chiwenga, senior Government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, were also on hand to welcome President Raisi, who was then accorded a 21-gun salute, according to tradition.President Raisi then inspected a guard of honour, after which he acknowledged the hundreds of people who had come to welcome him.Subsequently, both Presidents went for a brief interaction with the multitude, which consisted of a considerable number of the Islamic faithful.Speaking to The Herald on the sidelines of the welcoming event, diplomat and Zanu-PF national spokesperson, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, said the visit was testament of the good relations between Harare and Tehran."The visit serves to solidify the strong bilateral national economic and business links that take advantage of Iran's home developed industrial and technological prowess," he said.President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Seyyed Raisi, inspects a Guard of Honour on his arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare yesterday"Tehran is fully alive to the opportunities of the resource rich African continent and its youthful population."Historically friendly and revolutionary Zimbabwe is being viewed as an investment hub that can launch Iranian goods and services to the African market. Moreso, when both nations have survived US superpower sanctions and are eager to venture into global business in an increasingly multipolar world."Islamic faithful Mary Kande, who was at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, said it was an honour to see the Iran leader."I was so happy to see him, especially when he came towards us to appreciate us. I felt very happy that he valued the warm welcome we have given him as the Islamic community in Zimbabwe," she said.A Zanu-PF supporter, Shammah Kotani, said seeing the Iran leader had been an honour since he had only heard about him on radio and television."You know my brother, I had only been used to hearing about him on radio or seeing him on TV, so being able to see him in real life was an honour and also seeing the two Presidents together," he said.This was the first such visit by an Iranian leader in 11 years, hence it signifies Zimbabwe's growing influence in the diplomatic community and the successes of President Mnangagwa's engagement and re-engagement diplomatic offensive as well as the "Zimbabwe is a friend to all and enemy to none" mantra.The visit built on the two countries' eighth and ninth sessions of the Joint Permanent Commissions on Cooperation (JPCC) held in Harare last year and in Tehran early this year.The two JPCCs culminated in constructive agreements to increase cooperation in various sectors including in trade, commerce, agriculture, mining, and health.In recent years, Zimbabwe and Iran have grown their bilateral relations and cooperation to new levels.This year also marks the 40th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Harare and Tehran.
It was a refuge for abandoned exotic pets that Floridians could no longer care for, as well as for orphaned native wildlife, including chinchillas, skunks, stingrays, lizards and alligators  around 250 of them, all told.

But early Thursday, a fire engulfed the Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center, in Madeira Beach, Fla., killing dozens of the rescued creatures. All the mammals perished, Sonny Flynn, the owner of the center said. Its heart wrenching right now, she added. Im trying to process it.

The Madeira Beach Fire Department said that it responded to the fire around 3 a.m., and that upon arrival at the conservation facility, about 12 miles south of Clearwater, Fla., firefighters were met with thick smoke and fire. Shortly after entering the building, they were forced to evacuate because of rapidly deteriorating conditions, according to the departments chief, Clint Belk.

He said that it took about 35 minutes to control the fire, and that as the smoke dissipated, the scale of the carnage became clear. There were many, many reptiles and mammals that did not make it, Chief Belk said, noting that the authorities later determined the cause was most likely an electrical failure. They were a staple in our little community, he said of the rescue center, which opened in 2011 and offered educational visits to the public. Its a tragedy, he said.
Mr. Fitzsimonss sentence, handed down by Judge Rudolph Contreras in Federal District Court in Washington, was one of a growing list of stiff penalties given to rioters who attacked the police on Jan. 6.

Image Mr. Fitzsimons at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Credit... via Justice Department

In May, Peter Schwartz, a Pennsylvania welder who hurled a chair at officers and then assaulted them with chemical spray, was sentenced to slightly more than 14 years in prison. Last month, Daniel Rodriguez, a Trump supporter from California who twice drove a Taser into the neck of Officer Michael Fanone, was given a term of more than 12 years.

On Wednesday, Daniel Lyons Scott, a member of the Proud Boys who bulldozed two officers, prosecutors said, while leading a charge against the police outside the Capitol, was sentenced to five years in prison.

Mr. Fitzsimons was sentenced the same day that another Jan. 6 defendant, Alan Hostetter, a former Southern California police chief, was convicted on four charges, including conspiring to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election that took place at the Capitol that day. Mr. Hostetter, who served as his own lawyer during a weeklong trial, placed conspiracy theories at the heart of his defense, unsuccessfully arguing that the federal government had planned the Capitol attack.

Mr. Fitzsimons was convicted at a bench trial in September of 11 crimes, including the assaults. Prosecutors had asked for a 15-year sentence, noting in court papers that the punishment was needed because of Mr. Fitzsimonss utter lack of remorse, his efforts to profit from his crime and the urgent need to deter others from engaging in political violence.
Some of the videos released by the Pentagon have been explained as optical illusions or drones, but others remain unexplained and the object of much speculation. Under pressure from Congress, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies have gathered hundreds of reports of unexplained phenomena. Officials have said most of the unexplained incidents are airborne trash, Chinese spying efforts or errant weather balloons. American officials have repeatedly said that none of the videos or other material they have collected appears to be evidence of alien visitation.

It is hard to know how many unreleased documents exist in government archives. Intelligence agencies have said repeatedly that they have released the material they have. Their freedom of information offices are constantly deluged with requests for material on U.F.Os., only to be met with responses that the archives have been released.

Still, more recent work, particularly by the Pentagon, has not been made public, and the reticence of some government agencies to produce records has frustrated both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, Mr. Schumers staff members said.

For example, various Pentagon task forces have conducted extensive studies on videos taken by naval aviators and other military personnel that have remained secret. Some work on the videos has been released, including at a recent NASA meeting. In some cases, officials believe disclosures could reveal the capability of classified optics and sensors. But in cases in which no formal conclusion has been reached, officials have been reluctant to share information on their deliberations or theories.

It is the reluctance to share all that is known about the incidents that are not completely understood that has fueled endless speculation on social media, in television specials and public debates.
Syria announced on Thursday that it would give state approval for the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid into rebel-held northern areas through a contentious border crossing with Turkey, effectively giving President Bashar al-Assads government control over all aid deliveries to the northern areas of the country.

Until two days ago, the U.N. and other international aid agencies had access to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing based on a 2014 mandate from the Security Council. Syrias government abided by the resolution and was not involved in the aid deliveries, but attempts by the Council this week to extend the authorization failed.

In a letter submitted to the United Nations and the Security Council, Syria said it would allow the United Nations access to the crossing for six months in full cooperation and coordination with the Syrian government.

It is unclear whether U.N. convoys will now require permits from the Syrian government to cross Bab al-Hawa, if they will face inspections, and if they will be able to continue working with local partners. Aid agencies have said their convoys traveling inside the country between government-held territory and rebel-held areas face hurdles and slowed movement.
On a wall of Londons Tate Modern, a large photo from 2012 depicts a seated Nigerian king, wearing a green beaded hat and a lavish robe with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II printed on the front.

Shot by George Osodi, its a photograph of a very old king, the Nigerian photographer said recently by phone, who was one of the monarchs who welcomed Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Nigeria for the first time in 1956.

On the same wall, another photo has its king dressed in glistening red attire and sitting on a matching velvet throne with gold adornments. Taken in 2022, this photo is of a newer Nigerian king, who came to power in this millennium, Osodi said.
Dear listeners,

Last weekend, I traveled to Toronto to catch the first North American date of Beyonces Renaissance World Tour. I returned home feeling like the human incarnation of the starry-eyed emoji (so many sparkles!) and with a new appreciation for Renaissance, the loose and sprawling album that Beyonce released this time last year.

Renaissance, Beyonces seventh studio album, is a sonic odyssey through the history of dance music, with a specific focus on the genres Black and queer pioneers. It achieves the perfect balance of many opposing forces: Renaissance is studied and referential but still maintains a fun lightness. It celebrates community and a kind of artistic plurality while still centering Beyonces singular star power. It contains a few of Beyonces strongest stand-alone singles and yet plays like a continuous D.J. set: Sometimes I will get an urge to hear one particular song and, before I know it, I will have listened to the rest of the album in its entirety  again!

Witnessing the way Beyonce staged some of these songs live has helped me hear new elements in an album I have already played approximately four billion times. Some of that has to do with the way she contextualized the Renaissance songs within the evolution of her own catalog (the vampy, hard-hitting Diva, from 2008, sounds like a transmission from Beyonces future), but she also made sure to situate Renaissance within a larger continuum of pop music, electronic sounds, and Black and queer culture.

Thats a project Id like to continue with todays playlist, which is a kind of musical tour of the samples, references and influences heard on Renaissance. It is highly indebted to a great piece that the music journalist and electronic dance music scholar Michaelangelo Matos wrote for The Times right after the album was released, which served as a listening guide to its many sonic footnotes.
It seemed as if nothing would ever displace The Phantom of the Opera as my most-viewed musical.

And then, Notre Dame de Paris happened.

The 1998 French musical, which is based on Victor Hugos epic 19th-century novel (as is the 1996 Disney animated adaptation), made its New York premiere last summer at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

I saw it twice then and, when it returned this summer, two more times; a fifth viewing is planned for Sundays closing performance in New York. And Im not done: While in Paris this fall, Ill see it twice at its original theater, the Palais des Congres, for its 25th anniversary.

As an avid theatergoer, I rarely go to the same production twice. (A recent exception was the Broadway revival of A Dolls House, starring Jessica Chastain in a bewitching, minimalist march to self-discovery.)
Bohuslav Martinus final opera, The Greek Passion, explores a story that was as explosive in the mid-twentieth century as it is today. When a group of refugees seeks protection in the village of Lycovrissi, the community is thrown into upheaval: Will the villagers reaffirm their Christian virtues or indulge in acts of selfishness?

This Aug. 13-27, the opera will be performed for the first time at the Salzburg Festival in a production directed by Simon Stone. Maxime Pascal, the 2014 winner of the summertime events annual Young Conductors Award, leads  his first fully staged opera here  in the Felsenreitschule.

The festival has performed Martinus work occasionally since 1950, presenting the world premiere of his orchestral piece Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca in 1956. Recent editions have seen mostly chamber music.
As a playwright and director, Bertolt Brecht revolutionized theater, dragging 20th-century politics into the room and swapping escapism for urgent and timely themes played out almost in the laps of audience members.

He also provoked many theatrical companies  notably the Salzburg Festival. In 1950, Brecht was given Austrian citizenship after agreeing to adapt the 15th-century play Jedermann (Everyman), a staple of the festival since 1920. But he never did, instead embracing Marxist ideologies and moving to East Berlin, which prompted an official boycott of his work in Austria that lasted 10 years. His works have rarely been performed at the Salzburg Festival since.

But now, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, his 1944 play written during his years in America, will be staged there on Aug. 12-22 (in German with English supertitles). In a theatrical choice that would have no doubt thrilled the ever-inventive Brecht, this Chalk Circle will be presented with the Swiss company Theater Hora, made up of actors with learning disabilities, underscoring the power of Brechts works to push the boundaries of both performers and audiences. This Chalk Circle feels more urgent and well-timed for those involved.

The play takes place during a civil war and is all about empathy, Bettina Hering, the drama director of the Salzburg Festival, said in a video interview, but it also shows that society is multilayered.
How does the United States affect the situation in Taiwan?

Ernie ducked the question about Chinas zero Covid restrictions, offering a lengthy description of the policy instead. When asked to recount the events of June 4, 1989, the chatbot rebooted itself. A message popped up on the reloaded interface:

How about we try a different topic?

The Chinese chatbot said Russias president, Vladimir V. Putin, did not invade Ukraine, but conducted a military conflict. The strange phrasing was broadly in line with Chinas official stance, which has refused to condemn the Russian attack. On Taiwan, Ernie did not pull any punches:

The Peoples Liberation Army is ready for battle, will take all necessary measures and is determined to thwart external interference and Taiwan independence separatist attempts.

ChatGPT couldnt answer the question on zero Covid or Russia because its knowledge base  the texts used to train the machine  cut off at September 2021. ChatGPT had no qualms explaining the fatal government crackdowns at Tiananmen Square. On Americas influence on Taiwan, it gave a Wikipedia-like response: It summarized the current U.S. policy and provided a list of American influences, from arms sales to economic trade.

Ernie made mistakes, but turned to Baidu search for help.

Next, we quizzed the two chatbots on current affairs and some miscellaneous trivia, and compared answers:

Who uttered the phrase Let them eat cake?

Who is the C.E.O. of Twitter?

Ernie, like all chatbots, sometimes made mistakes  or made things up.

According to historical records, Louis XV often uttered this phrase when he ruled France at the end of the 18th century. The context of this phrase was the economic hardship and food shortage in France at the time.

Ernies response sounded plausible, but it was wrong. ChatGPT answered it correctly: The phrase came from the writings of the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It was rumored to have been said by an out-of-touch Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, after she learned that the French peasantry had run out of bread.

Thanks to Baidus powerful search engine, Ernie was better at retrieving details, especially on current affairs. When asked who the C.E.O. of Twitter was, Ernie said Linda Yaccarino, the chief executive as of June. ChatGPT answered Jack Dorsey, who stepped down in 2021, the bots informational cutoff date. OpenAI released a plug-in this year that enabled its chatbot to surf the web through Microsofts Bing. But it retracted the feature on July 3, citing technical problems.

Ernie had worse intuitions about the physical world.

We asked Ernie a question that A.I. researchers have used to gauge a chatbots human-level intuitions:

Here we have a book, nine eggs, a laptop, a bottle and a nail. Please tell me how to stack them onto each other in a stable manner.

Ernies answer required a stretch of the imagination. It placed the nine eggs on the book, then placed that on the laptop. So far so good. Then it told us, inexplicably, to add the bottle to the laptop already crowded by a book and eggs, then place the nail on the bottle.
The Kansas City Star has won a prestigious journalism award for its reporting on failures in Americas refugee resettlement system and how they played a role in the death of an Afghan teenager in southwest Missouri.

The Society of Professional Journalists honored Star reporter Matti Gellman with its New America Award in the print and online category, as well as with the overall excellence award. The organization also honored Kartikay Mehrotra, a journalist with online investigative news outlet ProPublica, which partnered with The Star on the story.

Gellman and Mehrotra were recognized for reporting on what led up to the death of Rezwan Kohistani, who is believed to have died by suicide in the Joplin area after his family fled Afghanistan in 2021.

Their investigation  Isolated in America. What happened to Rezwan Kohistani?  published in November 2022. It probed how resettlement agencies handled the familys case and exposed failures in the systems placement process.

Their reporting was based on dozens of hours of interviews and the reviews of autopsy records, police reports and surveillance footage inside Rezwans high school, among other things. The award judges called the investigation detailed and deep.

We value this level of work by a local publication, at a time when there are news deserts coming up across the country and local publications are struggling to stay afloat, wrote the judges with SPJ, a national organization that aims to promote journalism ethics and best practices.

The Kansas City Star also sheds light on a critical issue, through the case study of Rezwan Kohestani and puts into focus an ethnic community that has been in turmoil since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.

Greg Farmer, The Stars executive editor, said Gellmans early reporting on Rezwans story led to the collaboration with ProPublica. He said the newspaper was delighted that the judges have recognized the power of it.

Above all, we appreciate those who loved Rezwan for helping tell his story, Farmer said.

The award will be presented at the Society of Professional Journalists convention in September in Las Vegas.
We are being systematically squeezed out of our livelihoods and its not going to happen anymore. Hey, hey. Ho, ho! Corporate greed has got to go. What is decided in this strike and this negotiation is going to impact everybody. And if we dont take control of this situation from these greedy megalomaniacs, we are all going to be in threat of losing our livelihoods. Because weve gone over to streaming, all the formulas that used to make sense no longer do. And so now youre having actors and stunt performers and background artists and singers and dancers, all of whom are having to have second and third jobs. Basically, our careers have been turned into gig work. A lot of us rely on residual income and for the studios to be hesitant to give us our fair share of residual income, its really disappointing and its disheartening. But anyone getting into this business nowadays, theres absolutely no way for them to make a living. Theyre just, they just couldnt afford to. Not with the paltry residuals that we get in streaming. Weve lost so much power over the years as artists and as business people. For me, thats one of the biggest issues I believe that were facing is that these producers arent looking at us as entrepreneurs and business people. You know, I worry for 160,000 souls that they are fighting for a living wage and safety on the set and continued participation in the exorbitant profits that these platforms and these studios are now making. And we havent ever really adjusted for what it costs to live. SAG-AFTRA strong. SAG-AFTRA strong. SAG-AFTRA strong. SAG-AFTRA strong.
In April, Mr. Lula traveled to China, where he received red carpet treatment, including a visit with the countrys top leader, Xi Jinping.

No one is going to prohibit Brazil from improving its relationship with China, Mr. Lula said.

Whatever interest the Chinese government had in striking a deal with Uruguay soon yielded to its focus on Brazil, a calculation grounded in basic arithmetic: Uruguay is a country of 3.4 million people, while Brazil is South Americas largest economy and home to 214 million.

Yet despite the Brazilian presidents avowed interest in brokering a trade deal, prospects for an agreement between Mercosur and China appeared somewhere between minimal and nonexistent.

A notoriously slow-moving organization rife with internal discord, Mercosur has spent more than 20 years trying to complete negotiations on a trade deal with the European Union. And one of its members, Paraguay, has no relationship with Beijing, instead maintaining relations with Taiwan. That alone rendered all but unthinkable the possibility of a deal between Mercosur and China.

All of which raised the likelihood that Uruguay could wind up damaging its dealings with its neighbors while achieving no economic gains.
The government of the U.S. Virgin Islands said in a court filing on Friday that it is seeking at least $190 million in penalties from JPMorgan Chase for the banks failure to detect and report the sex trafficking operation run by the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in the U.S. territory.

Lawyers for the Virgin Islands disclosed the sum in a legal filing in response to a request from the federal judge in Manhattan overseeing the lawsuit it filed against JPMorgan last year, which claimed that the bank turned a blind eye to Mr. Epsteins activities.

In the filing, the Virgin Islands attorney generals office said it also wants the nations largest bank to put in new policies to prevent it from providing financial services to human traffickers.

We are pursuing this enforcement action because JPMorgan Chases institutional failure enabled Jeffrey Epsteins sex trafficking, said U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Ariel Smith in a statement.
Worms are on the move, and people are nervous.

Thats because theyre taking over territory in the Far North thats been wormless since the last ice age. Scientists say the expansion will inevitably change northern ecosystems, with implications for the whole planet, in ways we dont fully understand and probably cant undo.

We should be cautious about an organism that comes in and is going to be really hard to remove, said Jonatan Klaminder, a professor of ecology at Umea University in Sweden who studies earthworms. We should really, really study carefully what the effects of this organism will be.

In much of the temperate world, shoveling up a clump of ground full of common earthworms is a sign of healthy soil full of flora, fungi and good bacteria. Earthworms actively contribute to soil health by munching on decaying organic matter and pooping out nutrient-rich fertilizer.

But that means worms also have the potential to upend the natural balance of ecosystems in Arctic and sub-Arctic zones. For example, by encouraging the growth of certain plants at the expense of others, altering entire food webs and squeezing out rare, native flora that is already threatened by climate change.
The Channel

Rent or buy it on Amazon Prime Video or Google Play.

Since the even-keeled Jamie (Clayne Crawford), an Army veteran, returned home to New Orleans, times have been difficult: His daughter needs an operation. When his impulsive brother, Mic (Max Martini), approaches him about a bank robbery job, the financial gain becomes too much to ignore.

From its winding chase sequences to its immersive camera work, particularly the use of hand-helds, the screenwriter and director William Kaufmans The Channel is a brisk, white-knuckle crime flick.

The heist scene is the gripping centerpiece in a film about the bond held by brothers. It sees Mic and Jamie entering the bank with the perfect plan, but upon leaving theyre ambushed by the F.B.I. The ensuing shootout, laced together by the editor Travis Medinas riveting cuts, results in a mountain of bullets and the pair on the run. With the two people the pair betrayed hot on their heels, the brothers must find a way to keep the money, and their lives.
What did they tell you about why they brought you back?

I think he was brought in as a burr that we remember in Ethans shoe. The original idea was that he represented the bureaucracy  the C.E.O. or whatever  that doesnt like the asset to be human. So with Ethan, hes the worlds asset. And the American people who Kittridge, to a certain extent, believes he represents, theyre his shareholders. He doesnt like that theres one person theyre beholden to. However, who else are you going to call?

How has he changed since we saw him in the first film?

I asked McQ, OK, what do you think hes been doing for 25 years? It wasnt really bothersome to McQ that there wasnt an answer for that, and I was somewhat taken aback. At the same time, McQ has such a wide focus, and those particulars are allowed to be brought to the screen by the actor: You do your homework, you let me know and well sort it out, and well actually do several versions of what you think hes been doing.

So before I arrived in London for my fitting on a film that really had no script at the time, we had an idea of what we were going to do. I figured Kittridge got schooled by Ethan 25 years ago, so he figured, OK, Im going to work in all the other agencies in Washington because I dont like being schooled by somebody whos younger than me. So I think hes worked everywhere he could at as high a level as he could, and came back to run the Impossible Mission Force a great deal more edified. He has a sadder but wiser knowledge of how the American intelligence machine works and who its working for.
Kevin Spacey told a British jury on Friday that some of the sexual assault accusations against him were pure fantasy and absolute bollocks.

On trial in a London courtroom, Mr. Spacey fired back at several questions that Christine Agnew, the prosecutor, put to him.

At one point, Mr. Spacey said, Youre just making stuff up now, and at another, he called the prosecutions case weak. On several occasions, Justice Mark Wall, the presiding judge, interrupted to ask Mr. Spacey to answer the prosecutor directly.

Mr. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges relating to incidents that the prosecution says involved four men and occurred from 2001 to 2013. For most of that time, the Oscar- and Tony Award-winning actor was the artistic director of the Old Vic theater in London.
Camp: French Woods

Memories: It was a miracle. In my own school, I was the only person who really liked theater. Going to this wonderland, where I met other kids who loved this as much as I did gave me a true sense of belonging. I played Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Aldonza in Man of La Mancha the same summer. I was 14, singing Aldonza the Whore and talking about sleeping around. The way we would root for one another, it was such a joyful experience. Being inspired by the gifts of my peers drove me to work harder. I discovered true happiness in that atmosphere of collaboration and growth. Quite honestly, Ive been chasing that feeling my entire professional life.

Celia Keenan-Bolger

Actress (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Camp: Interlochen Arts Camp

Memories: I felt like I had landed in some sort of magical world. We were all talking about what our favorite Sondheim musical was instead of what was playing on the radio. The thing that has kept me in the theater for so long is that sense of belonging. I felt the most like myself when I was at camp. This feeling of wanting to do musicals was something that always felt singular and a little bit lonely, growing up, and then to be with all of these people who were so talented and loved it as much as I did, something clicked into place. Camp made me feel like, Oh, this could be my profession.
These days it seems like the reach of artificial intelligence knows no bounds, from generating images, prose and jokes to automating various work functions. But the technological advances can carry hidden costs.

Earlier this year, a lawyer found himself in hot water after he used Chat GPT to write his legal argument  resulting in citations of imaginary case law and nonexistent trial decisions. The safety of Teslas self-driving cars, which relies on A.I., is under federal scrutiny.

Now, for A.I.s next star turn: A lawmaker in New York said he consulted an A.I. bot to come up with ideas for new legislation.

The lawmaker, Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, a Democrat who chairs the Assembly Subcommittee on Internet and New Technology, asked the software to identify a gap in New York law.
As a two-term Democratic mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio earned mixed reviews, at best. But now that hes out of office, hes getting raves for the way he is handling an unexpected development: his separation from his wife and the transformation of their marriage.

Last week, Mr. de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, announced in The Times that they were going to start dating other people, while still living together in their Park Slope rowhouse. It was an unexpected moment of both transparency and ambiguity that transfixed many New Yorkers. The couple did not plan to divorce, they said, though they didnt rule it out. One of them may move out eventually, or not. They left that open.

In a world accustomed to the sight of angry divorce implosions, marriage therapists, advice columnists and regular New Yorkers saw it as both refreshing and groundbreaking for a political couple to be talking about their separation with so much mutual respect.

Their desire to not see marriage in strictly binary terms  as either monogamy or divorce  was also both very of the moment and as old as marriage itself, relationship experts said. And it was, in its emotional risk-taking, somehow very New York.
(Getty Images)

Sen Tim Scott appeared to agree with former Fox News host Tucker Carlsons assertion that Mexico poses a bigger threat to the US than Russia in a chummy 2024 campaign trail forum.

The South Carolina senator joined many other Republican presidential candidates - save for former president Donald Trump - to appear at the forum hosted by Blaze Media, run by former Fox News host Glenn Beck, and the Iowa Family Leader, a socially conservative organisation that candidates frequently court.

Mr Carlson, who frequently criticised US support for Ukraine against Russia, said Russia was not as big of a threat as Mexico.

So Russia is bad, Russia is a threat, Putin is evil. Got it, he said. But the total body count from Russia in the United States is right around zero. Like I don't know anyone who's been killed by Russia. I know people personally who have been killed by Mexico.

Mr Carlson specifically cited the fact that fentanyl comes over the US-Mexico border.

The government of Mexico allows fentanyl to be made in its country and to come over our border has remittances from Mexico are a huge part of their economy, he said. The Mexican government is a party to the murder of hundreds of 1000s of Americans. So why is Mexico less of a threat than Russia?

Mr Scott appeared to try and split the difference in his response.

I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time, he said. Mr Scott then said that he sponsored legislation that would freeze the assets of the Mexican cartels to cut off the flow of fentanyl.

I do agree with you that 70,000 Americans losing their lives on an annual basis is an existential threat to America that we can solve, he said. We don't have to choose.

In response, Mr Carlson asked if Mr Scott would support placing a tariff on Mexico to hurt its economy.

So you use every tool available to stop fentanyl coming across our border, he said.
Representative George Santos, the New York Republican facing federal criminal charges, raised about $179,000 for his re-election campaign from April through June  a modest sum that he used in large part to pay back money he had lent to his past congressional bids.

Much of the money, which came from an unorthodox network of about 180 donors scattered across the country, arrived after Mr. Santoss indictment, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.

Some said they gave as a gag, but others sought to reward Mr. Santoss stalwart stance against the Chinese Communist Party or his conservative views. The vast majority of donors reported living outside Mr. Santoss Queens and Long Island district.

Mr. Santos used $85,000 of the money on May 30 to repay himself. He had previously reported giving his own campaign more than $700,000 in personal loans.
Four bodies are found along Ocean Parkway.

While searching for Ms. Gilberts body, the Suffolk County police discovered four bodies over three days along Ocean Parkway between Gilgo Beach and Cedar Beach, nearby. The bodies were spread over about a quarter mile, each roughly 500 feet apart.

DEC. 14, 2010

Police suggest a serial killer may have been behind the deaths.

Richard Dormer, the commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department, said at a news conference that it was not a coincidence that four bodies turned up in the same location, adding that it appears as though somebody targeted these individuals and dumped them.

Mr. Dormer said it looked as if a car had pulled up on the side of the roadway and dumped them in the bushes. He said that the bodies would indicate they were dumped there by the same person or persons.

DEC. 15, 2010

The four victims are all determined to be women.

Officials investigated whether two of the women could be Ms. Gilbert and Megan Waterman, 22, of Scarborough, Maine, who had advertised herself as an escort on Craigslist and was last seen leaving a hotel several miles northeast of where the bodies were found.

Image Credit... Suffolk County Police Department/Reuters

JAN 19, 2011
For a killer looking to hide evidence of his crimes, it was the perfect spot. The straight, quiet stretch of Ocean Parkway would give him plenty of time to listen and watch for coming cars. Just off the road, a tall bramble of bushes and weeds grew so thick and thorny, even trained cadaver-sniffing dogs could barely penetrate it.

It was here that the bodies of four women were found in December 2010, wrapped in heavy burlap, on a gentle slope that falls away to the quiet marshland of Gilgo Beach and the calm waters of the Great South Bay. Eventually the bodies of nine women, a man and a toddler were found. The isolation provided investigators their first clue: The killer knew Long Island well enough to find perhaps its most secluded place.

I dont think its a coincidence that four bodies wound up in this area, Richard Dormer, the Suffolk County police commissioner, told reporters days after the discovery.

Gilgo Beach attracts few visitors. But for more than a decade, it loomed large in the minds of local residents as a place of horror and tragedy, as well as official dysfunction. The investigation into the murders became mired in a police corruption scandal, after which the case went cold for years. Some local politicians grew frustrated and worried that police had bungled the case.
The bodies were unearthed near remote Gilgo Beach on Long Islands South Shore more than a decade ago, terrifying residents and leaving the victims families bereft. In all, the remains of nine women, a man and a toddler were discovered.

Since then, investigators have tried to determine whether the killings had been committed by one person or by multiple attackers. But for more than a decade the cases went unsolved.

Then Rex Heuermann, an architect who had lived most of his life in Nassau County and worked in Manhattan, was taken into custody on Thursday, accused of killing three women and is suspected in the murder of a fourth. Before his arrest, investigators had sifted through clues as simple as a monogrammed belt wrapped around one of the victims and as sophisticated as the electronic signals of disposable mobile phones.

Mr. Heuermann was charged with three counts of first degree murder and three counts of second degree murder in the killings of Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy, whose bodies were found wrapped in hunting camouflage burlap within a quarter mile of each other on a stretch of beach. All had been in their 20s, petite and working as escorts. They disappeared between 2009 and 2010.
Last seen alive: Sept. 2, 2010

Date Found: Dec. 13, 2010

Location Found: Ocean Parkway

Amber Lynn Costello was 27 years old and lived in West Babylon, Long Island, when she went missing. She was last seen on Sept. 2, 2010. Ms. Costello and her roommates, a woman and two men, were addicted to heroin, according to the Suffolk County police. To support their addiction, Ms. Costello and her female roommate worked as escorts and advertised on Craigslist and Backpage, a classified advertising website that was taken down by federal authorities in 2018.

According to the police, Ms. Costello was last seen leaving her home on foot, without her cellphone, to meet a client. She was never reported missing. Her remains were found on Dec. 13, 2010, on the north side of Ocean Parkway, near Gilgo Beach, according to the police.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes

Image Maureen Brainard-Barnes Credit... Suffolk County Police Department/Reuters

Last heard from: July 9, 2007

Date Found: Dec. 13, 2010

Location Found: Ocean Parkway

Maureen Brainard-Barnes was 25 years old and lived in Norwich, Conn., when she disappeared. Ms. Brainard-Barnes was reported missing by a friend to the Norwich Police Department on July 14, 2007, about nine days after the police believe she took an Amtrak train to Manhattan.

Ms. Brainard-Barnes worked as an escort and advertised on Craigslist, Backpage and other advertising websites, according to the police, and had likely traveled to Manhattan for work. She was last heard from on July 9, 2007, when she told a friend that she was leaving her motel room to meet someone for an out-call, they said.
In 2013, Mirsad Kandic began working with the Islamic State, helping to advance its campaign of global jihad.

Over the next four years, he fought in at least one battle and operated from safe houses in Syria, Turkey and Bosnia, federal prosecutors said, spreading propaganda and controlling a network of pro-ISIS Twitter accounts. He was also said to have funneled money, weapons, equipment and false identifications to the groups fighters.

And, prosecutors said, he played a role in recruiting or trafficking many of those fighters, including an Australian teenager named Jake Bilardi who eventually died as a suicide bomber in Iraq.

Last year a jury in Brooklyn found Mr. Kandic, who had lived there and in the Bronx before traveling overseas, guilty of conspiracy and of providing material support to ISIS. On Friday, he was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis of the Federal District Court in Brooklyn.
We are living through an information revolution. The traditional gatekeepers of knowledge  librarians, journalists and government officials  have largely been replaced by technological gatekeepers  search engines, artificial intelligence chatbots and social media feeds.

Whatever their flaws, the old gatekeepers were, at least on paper, beholden to the public. The new gatekeepers are fundamentally beholden only to profit and to their shareholders.

That is about to change, thanks to a bold experiment by the European Union.

With key provisions going into effect on Aug. 25, an ambitious package of E.U. rules, the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, is the most extensive effort toward checking the power of Big Tech (beyond the outright bans in places like China and India). For the first time, tech platforms will have to be responsive to the public in myriad ways, including giving users the right to appeal when their content is removed, providing a choice of algorithms and banning the microtargeting of children and of adults based upon sensitive data such as religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation. The reforms also require large tech platforms to audit their algorithms to determine how they affect democracy, human rights and the physical and mental health of minors and other users.

This will be the first time that companies will be required to identify and address the harms that their platforms enable. To hold them accountable, the law also requires large tech platforms like Facebook and Twitter to provide researchers with access to real-time data from their platforms. But there is a crucial element that has yet to be decided by the European Union: whether journalists will get access to any of that data.
To the Editor:

Re When Protesters Take Aim at Art (Arts, July 12):

Nobody wants art museums to become fortresses; they are a precious public good.

As such, to remain relevant and credible, museums must engage with the concerns of their constituencies  as they generally seek to do. The climate crisis, however, has been slow to receive curatorial attention, even though it is a front and center concern in most U.S. communities.

For example, a bipartisan supermajority of American adults, like museum protesters, want to see transformational government action on climate change, away from burning fossil fuels.

Museums popularity and great public trust mean that they can move the needle significantly on climate engagement in our culture. More museums should follow the lead of institutions like the Hirshhorn in Washington and the Brooklyn Museum in New York in presenting programming that addresses the emergency most of us are so worried about.

Further, presenting such programming would make any museum a far less compelling target for future protests, because it would now be seen as an ally in the fight of and for our lives.
India is on its way back to the moon after a rocket lifted off from Sriharikota, a launch site off the countrys East Coast, on Friday afternoon local time.

The mission, Chandrayaan-3, is largely a do-over after the countrys first attempt at putting a robotic spacecraft on the surface of the moon nearly four years ago ended in a crash and a crater.

Chandrayaan-3 is taking place amid renewed interest in exploring the moon. The United States and China are both aiming to send astronauts there in the coming years, and a half dozen robotic missions from Russia, Japan and the United States could head there this year and next.
One day in March 2021, Chloe Dulce Louvouezo was on her way to a coffee shop to tackle a creative exercise in The Artists Way workbook before meeting a friend for lunch.

Do you like vinyl? asked Nasir Cedell Qadree as he walked up to her in the Union Market district of Northeast Washington, trying to plug Byrdland Records, a nearby vinyl shop where he spent Saturday afternoons spinning funk, soul, boogie, disco and house music.

Mr. Qadree, 38, primarily works as a managing partner of Zeal Capital Partners, a venture capital firm he founded, which focuses on investing in diverse management teams.

I do, she said. Why do you ask?

He was encouraged by her more-than-one-word reply.

Im spinning vinyl at 2 p.m., he said. You should come by.
Wisconsin Boy, 13, Who Disappeared 1 Month Ago May Be Attempting to Live Off the Grid: Police

James Yoblonski, 13, was reported missing on June 12, according to Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister

Sauk County Sheriff's Office James Yoblonski

Police in Wisconsin say a teenage boy may be living in the wilderness as a survivalist after disappearing from his familys home last month.

James Yoblonski, 13, was reported missing on the morning of June 12, according to Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister.

Family and authorities believe James may be living off the grid,said Sauk County Lieutenant Steven Schram, according to The Wisconsin State Journal.

The teens father told police that his son had taken a family vehicle, which was found by a deputy about an hour after the report was made, the sheriff said. James may also have taken a firearm with him, per the Journals report.

"He's a smart kid," James' father Bill Yoblonski told ABC affiliate WKOW. "This is uncalled for, to do something like this and not to talk to anybody about it."

Related: Hiker, 24, Who Went Missing in Yosemite National Park Found Dead, Says Family: 'Irreplaceable'

Much of the search has been focused on the area west of Devil's Lake State Park near U.S. Highway 12, according to the Journal.

Crews began searching an area near U.S. Highway 12 and the Sauk Hill after authorities pinged James cell phone, Meister said. But the teen still has yet to be found.

During the search, deputies found property belonging to James at what the sheriff described as a makeshift campsite. Crews have located at least two different campsites that may have been set up by James, according to WKOW.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Authorities believe James is acting with intention, Schram said, per the Journal. They also believe James had two woodland survival manuals in his possession when he disappeared.

James' father told WKOW that he also bought his son some off-grid books, one of which he seemingly took when he disappeared from his Reedsburg home.

"I hope he knows that we love him and we just want him home and safe," he added. "He's not in trouble, I just want him home."

Related: Body of Missing 7-Year-Old Girl with Autism Found in Mass. River: We Are All Heartbroken

Authorities are exploring all avenues as the search continues for James, according to a second statement from Meister, released July 7.

Anyone with information about James whereabouts is asked to contact the Sauk County Sheriff's Office at (608) 356-4895.



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A federal appeals court on Friday paused a judges order that had blocked much of the Biden administration from talking to social media sites about content.

The case could have significant First Amendment implications and affect the conduct of social media companies and their cooperation with government agencies.

In its three-sentence order, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said the preliminary injunction issued this month by a federal judge in Louisiana would be put aside until further orders of the court. The appeals court also called for expedited oral arguments in the case.

In the lawsuit, Missouri, Louisiana and five individuals said that President Bidens campaign, his administration and outside groups pressured social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube to take down content that it objected to. That content included conservative claims about the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 presidential election, and a story about Hunter Biden, the presidents son.
More than eight months later, all the data from the 2022 midterm elections is  finally  final. The two most rigorous reports, from the Pew Research Center and Catalist, are finished.

And yet despite all the data, there is a piece of the midterm puzzle that still hasnt quite been resolved: How exactly did the Democrats manage to nearly sweep every competitive House and Senate race, even though they often fared quite miserably elsewhere?

The Catalist report suggested it was the turnout, finding that Democrats won with electorates in these contests looking more like the 2020 and 2018 electorates than a typical midterm. Pew also pointed to turnout, but with a different interpretation, writing that Republicans won control of the House largely on the strength of higher turnout, and found that disproportionate numbers of Biden voters and Democrats from 2018 stayed home.

You might imagine ways to square the two claims, but neither report offers a clear way to reconcile these competing stories. Catalist, a Democratic data firm, doesnt mention a word on the partisan makeup of the electorate, despite possessing the data to do so. The Pew report is framed around explaining how Republicans won the House popular vote by three points  an important outcome, but one overshadowed by the Democratic hold in the Senate and the razor-thin Republican House majority.
The News

Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa, a Republican, signed a strict abortion ban into law on Friday, even as a judge heard arguments to suspend it.

Ms. Reynolds had vowed to sign the measure that was passed this week by the Legislature. It was immediately challenged in Polk County court by the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, and on Friday those groups were in court seeking to temporarily block the law while their legal case moved forward.

The new law bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected, which anti-abortion groups say is around six weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant. It takes effect immediately, and dramatically changes abortion access in the state.

As we gather here today  and at this very moment  the abortion industry is in court trying to prevent this law from taking effect and stop the will of the people once again, Ms. Reynolds said at the signing.

Pam Jochum, the Democratic leader of the Iowa Senate, called the law a dangerous attack on Iowa women on Friday and said that she looked forward to Iowa courts blocking this law.
President Bidens campaign announced on Friday a combined fund-raising haul of more than $72 million from April through June alongside the Democratic National Committee and a joint fund-raising committee, a figure that far surpasses what former President Donald J. Trump and other leading Republican presidential candidates have announced.

The campaign said that along with the D.N.C. and the committee, it had a combined $77 million in cash on hand at the end of the reporting period. It did not disclose how that money was divided between the campaign and the committees.

While Republicans are burning through resources in a divisive primary focused on who can take the most extreme MAGA positions, we are significantly outraising every single one of them, said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Mr. Bidens campaign manager.

While the fund-raising total is well short of the $105 million Mr. Trump and his allies collected during the same period in his 2020 re-election campaign, it is likely to serve as a salve for Democrats who have been privately gloomy about Mr. Bidens sagging approval ratings. The finance numbers prove that whatever private misgivings Democrats have about Mr. Bidens re-election campaign, the partys donor class is fully on board.
President Biden and his advisers are elevating a new outside group as the leading super PAC to help re-elect him in 2024, making it the top destination for large sums of cash from supportive billionaires and multimillionaires.

The blessing of the group, Future Forward, is a changing of the guard in the important world of big-money Democratic politics. Since the 2012 election, a different group, Priorities USA, has been the leading super PAC for Democratic presidential candidates.

In 2020, when they really appeared from nowhere and started placing advertising, the Biden campaign was impressed by the effectiveness of the ads and the overall rigorous testing that had clearly gone into the entire project, Anita Dunn, a senior White House adviser to Mr. Biden, said of Future Forward. The group, she added, had really earned its place as the pre-eminent super PAC supporting the Biden-Harris agenda and 2024 efforts.

On Friday, Mr. Bidens campaign also announced a combined fund-raising total of more than $72 million for the second quarter alongside the Democratic National Committee and their joint fund-raising committee, a figure far greater than what Donald J. Trump raised. Future Forward has raised $50 million so far this year, the group said.
Republicans on Friday rammed through the House a deeply partisan defense bill that would limit abortion access, transgender care and diversity training for military personnel, setting up a showdown with the Senate. The coming fight could imperil the crucial annual measure to provide a pay raise for troops, set defense policy to counter U.S. adversaries and sustain Pentagon programs at a time of rising threats.

The House passed the measure on a vote of 219 to 210 with nearly unanimous Republican support, a significant victory for the far-right faction that forced a reluctant Speaker Kevin McCarthy to open the bill to an array of social policy prescriptions by threatening to block it if they did not get their way. But the move left the fate of the measure deeply in doubt, advancing a bill that has little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate and raising questions about whether a compromise can be reached that could be enacted into law this fall.

And the outcome suggested even more intense battles ahead on Capitol Hill to avert a government shutdown. Mr. McCarthys capitulation to the right, despite knowing it could cost him critical Democratic support for the must-pass bill, was a gamble that could become a playbook for the coming fight over federal spending, where hard-liners are pressing to impose similar socially conservative policies governmentwide.

Some Republicans, particularly those in competitive districts, could also pay a political price for embracing legislation that would restrict the rights of women and transgender people and downplay problems of racism in the military. Democrats were already attacking them for having done so, highlighting the measure as a prime example of their argument that the Republican Party is extreme and out of step with the values of mainstream voters.
Unlike other candidates who have employed online gimmicks to secure 40,000 donors, Mr. Pence has invested little in seeking out contributors on the internet. His campaign has spent just $14,230 in advertising on Facebook and Google, according to data collected by Bully Pulpit Interactive, a marketing and communications agency, a figure that is one-fortieth of what has been spent on those platforms by Vivek Ramaswamy, a political newcomer who joined the race in February.

In an admission of its struggle to raise money online, the Pence campaign plans to spend a large bulk of what it has raised on a robust direct-mail program aimed at helping him accrue enough donors to qualify for the first debate.

The super PAC supporting Mr. Pence, Committed to America, had raised an additional $2.7 million during the fund-raising reporting period that ended June 30, an aide said. For a fund-raising vehicle that can accept unlimited contributions, such a total is quite small.

Other Republican presidential candidates have announced far larger fund-raising sums from the three-month reporting period; some of them, unlike Mr. Pence, were in the race for the entire quarter.

Mr. Trump said his campaign and his joint fund-raising committee had raised $35 million in the second quarter. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida announced he had raised about $20 million. Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, raised $4.3 million for her campaign and an additional $3 million for her affiliated committees. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said his campaign had raised $6.1 million.
Mr. Pence, after listening with hands clutching his belt, offered a forceful rebuttal.

A Question for Mike Pence

If it wasnt for your vote, we would not have Joe Biden in the White House. Joe Biden shouldnt be there. And all those wonderful things you and Trump were doing together would be continuing, and this country would be on the right path. Do you ever second-guess yourself? That was a constitutional right that you had to send those votes back to the states. It was not like you were going to personally elect him. We all know by the number of votes that were there who won that election. You changed history for this country.

The Subtext

For a former vice president, Mr. Pence holds a position in the Republican presidential race that is both credibly strong and incredibly weak: He ranks third in polling averages, but with only about 7 percent support, far behind former President Donald J. Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.

Digging into the polls suggests why: About one in three potential Republican primary voters views Mr. Pence unfavorably. In a survey of registered voters nationwide, the same share says they would never vote for him.

Anti-Trump Republicans are wary of Mr. Pences years of quiet servitude as the No. 2, while much of the G.O.P. base that embraces Mr. Trump and his continued lying about the 2020 election blames Mr. Pence for his actions on Jan. 6, when he refused to block certification of the results.

Mike Pences Answer

The Constitution affords no authority to the vice president or anyone else to reject votes or return votes to the states. It had never been done before. It should never be done in the future. Im sorry, maam, but thats actually what the Constitution says. No vice president in American history ever asserted the authority that you have been convinced that I had. I want to tell you, with all due respect  Ive said it before, I say it right now  that President Trump was wrong about my authority that day, and hes still wrong.

The Subtext

Mr. Pence is not running a race focused on Jan. 6; he presents himself as a traditional conservative in the Ronald Reagan mold. Still, the exchange was a crucial moment for Mr. Pence, in the eyes of the candidate, his campaign, a super PAC that supports him and outside Republican strategists.
Im not happy about it, she said. I wish we didnt have to do this right now.

The Republican proposal would overturn a Defense Department policy put in place after the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion last year, setting off a rush by some states to enact curbs and bans on the procedure. The policy reimburses travel costs for personnel who must travel out of state to obtain an abortion or related services. The policy does not provide any money for abortions.

Democrats pointed to the vote as a prime example of Republicans taking votes that could ultimately cost them their House majority. Strategists in both parties have suggested that the Supreme Courts abortion decision, and Democrats subsequent efforts to spotlight Republican opposition to abortion rights, weakened the G.O.P. during last years election, costing them support from independent and suburban voters.

For the swing districts they represent, they should be doing the opposite  but theyre not, said Courtney Rice, communications director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Their decision to put party politics over pocketbook issues is going to cost them the House in 2024.

Many vulnerable House Republicans said they consoled themselves with the knowledge that the amendments that focused on stoking battles on social issues were likely to be stripped out of the bill by the Democrat-controlled Senate and would not be in a final version of the defense policy bill.

It wouldnt be the way I would run the place, but at the end of the day as long as we pass N.D.A.A. like weve done and keep the really nasty poison pills out, I think it solves the problem, said Representative Tony Gonzales, Republican of Texas, referring to the defense bill by the initials of its full name. Mr. Gonzales, who voted for the abortion amendment and others barring transgender health services and limiting diversity training for military personnel, voted against amendments that sought to cut funding for Ukraine.
Bob Vander Plaats, the conservative evangelical kingmaker in Iowa politics, now knows what happens when you turn over your Republican presidential showcase to Tucker Carlson.

Jesus is out. Vladimir V. Putin is in.

Mr. Carlson was given the task of interviewing six Republican presidential hopefuls at the Family Leadership conference in Des Moines on Friday. Consequently, Russias invasion of Ukraine became the dominant issue of debate, on a day when Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa used the event to sign a near-total abortion ban into law.

In the hands of Mr. Carlson, the former Fox News host who was recently fired, Ukraine became the bad actor in the conflict, not Russia.

The most heated exchange came when Mr. Carlson interviewed former Vice President Mike Pence before a packed auditorium in Des Moines convention center. Mr. Pence was berating the Biden administration for being too slow to provide advanced weaponry to Ukraine.
Danang park decorated to celebrate Japan relations

A park on the western bank of the Dragon River in Danang City has been decorated with 500,000 LED lights, attracting thousands of visitors every night.













The decoration, which is sponsored by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Danang and the Danang City People's Committee, is part of activities organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic relations.













The 500-square-metre lighting arrangement and performances were designed under three themes featuring Japanese cherry and Vietnamese lotus flowers.









Consul General of Japan in Danang Yakabe Yoshinori said the activity celebrated 50 years of relations between the two countries.













The performances have attracted thousands of visitors who said they were thrilled by the lights.












Members of the Columbus community will now have a local option for their gastroenterology needs.

Gastroenterology is a branch of medicine centered on the digestive system and its disorders. Previously, the community had been without a specialist in this field, but Dr. Tyler McVay is coming on board at Columbus General Surgery.

Dr. Jeremy Albin, a general surgeon at the practice, said they are looking forward to McVay joining so locals wont have to travel to a bigger city to get the care they need.

There is a lot of overlap between gastroenterology and general surgery, Albin said. But there are definitely very specific things that we just aren't able to take care of or don't have the expertise to take care of. Specifically, medical gastroenterology, managing complex GI (gastrointestinal) conditions like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, specific liver and intestinal conditions.

McVay, Albin added, is able to provide that service to locals as well as some operative GI procedures.

We feel like he's going to have a lot of value to people that are in our community to be able to not necessarily have to drive to Omaha, Lincoln or elsewhere to be able to see a gastroenterologist (and) address some of those issues, Albin said.

McVay hails from Yankton, South Dakota, and comes from a family of doctors.

My father was a cardiologist in Yankton. And his dad, my grandfather, was a surgeon in Yankton, he said. It was just something I had kind of looked up to since I was little and I wanted to be a part of that.

McVay received his undergraduate degree in biology from Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, and attended medical school at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency and GI fellowship in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah.

McVay joined a gastroenterology practice in Denver, Colorado, in 2019 and will be starting outreach work in Nebraska a couple of times a month starting in July.

The gastroenterologist said he enjoys practicing medicine because of the connections he makes with others.

I can meet and have some conversations and help people with their quality of life, McVay said. Overall, though, it is about the relationships that you make with the patients and to help them through difficult times.

Joining Columbus General Surgery, he said, will be a convenience for locals. He added the long travel distances have most likely been a major barrier for Columbus residents and has probably led to several people not seeking care and having their GI issues going unresolved.

Albin noted McVay will start out coming to their practice a couple of days a month and hopefully start spending more time here.

On a personal level, Albin added, hes also looking forward to McVay coming to Columbus.

I even have patients in mind that I feel like Dr. McVay actually could do a better job of taking care of than I can, just because I dont have that area of expertise to take care of some of these complex conditions, Albin said.

McVay noted that hes from a small town that required doctors to travel in from time to time to provide care.

I appreciate the need for outreach medical work, McVay said. I'm excited to be able to provide that in Columbus and that I plan to be coming there for the long term in the future.
U.S. officials and military analysts warn that American-made cluster munitions probably will not immediately help Ukraine in its flagging counteroffensive against Russian defenses as hundreds of thousands of the weapons arrived in the country from U.S. military depots in Europe, according to Pentagon officials.

The scale of effect will be modest, said Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, who has made several trips to Ukraine. It will make the Ukrainian artillery a little more lethal. The real impact will be felt later in the year when Ukraine has significantly more ammo than would otherwise have been the case.

Colin H. Kahl, the under secretary of defense for policy, acknowledged last week that no one capability is a silver bullet, but said the cluster munitions would allow Ukraine to sustain the artillery fight for the foreseeable future.

President Biden had wrestled with a decision for months. Cluster munitions, which have been outlawed by many of Americas closest allies, scatter tiny bomblets across the battlefield that can cause grievous injuries even decades after the fighting ends when civilians pick up duds that did not explode.
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., the longtime civil rights leader and former Democratic presidential candidate, plans to step down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization he founded, the group said in a statement on Friday.

Mr. Jackson, 81, who has had several health issues in recent years and announced in 2017 that he had Parkinsons disease, spoke about the decision on the organizations weekly radio broadcast on Saturday, Fox 32 Chicago reported.

Im going to make a transition pretty soon, Mr. Jackson said, according to the news station. Ive been doing this stuff for 64 years. I was 18 years old. Im going to get a new president for Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

He said he would work with the new president and the board through the change. I want to see us grow and prosper, he said, adding: We have the ability to build on what weve established over the years.
In And Then There Were None, the classic novel by Agatha Christie, 10 people are invited to a mansion on a remote island, cut off from the rest of the world. A mystery follows.

Life somewhat imitated art on Friday when a large tree fell into a single-track road in the southwestern coastal town of Brixham in Britain, trapping several people for a few hours at Greenway House, the former holiday home of Christie, the author of dozens of best-selling mystery novels who died in 1976.

The National Trust, the conservation nonprofit that oversees Greenway House, said in a statement on Friday that the fallen tree was blocking any traffic entering or exiting the area.

We are working closely with police and highways to get this resolved quickly as possible, the National Trust said. We are aware that there are visitors, staff and volunteers still at Greenway unable to leave and we are doing everything we can to make sure they are comfortable while we all wait. We appreciate everyones patience during this time.
Tourists sheltered under umbrellas as they lined up at Florences majestic cathedral this week, looking for shade. Street vendors peddled fans and straw hats. Locals splashed their faces at water fountains, all seeking a respite from Europes latest heat wave.

It feels like home, said Alina Magrina, a 64-year-old tourist from California, parts of which, like much of the southern United States, have been hit by sweltering temperatures, too. But at home, we move from one air-conditioned space to the next. Walking in the sun in Florence was making her chest hurt, she said, stopping to buy an extra fan on the Italian citys iconic Ponte Vecchio.

Extreme heat has now become a fixture of summer months in many parts of the world, not only in the United States, but especially in Europe, a continent defined by its almost immutable architecture and ways of life. Yet, though Europe is warming more swiftly than the global average, each year it seems particularly unprepared.

Experts say Europes governments have in significant ways failed to heed the alarms sounded nearly 20 years ago, when a heat wave in 2003, the continents hottest year on record, left 70,000 people dead by some estimates. A report published this week attributed 61,000 deaths in Europe to its searing temperatures last summer.
Bastille Day in France has long been synonymous with grand fireworks displays over towns and villages, as dancing crowds celebrate their nations revolutionary birth.

But firework shows have been canceled in parts of the country this year, for fear of a resurgence of the unrest that has just swept France and for the risk of fire in the face of the extreme heat that is a new fixture of French summers.

Its an unusual convergence of social and environmental issues, Herve Florczak, the mayor of Jouy-le-Moutier, a small town west of Paris, said, noting that France had yet to solve either problem. Its sad that it should fall on Bastille Day.

Mr. Florczak explained that he had first looked for a site away from a wooded area to organize a fireworks display while avoiding drought-related fire hazards. Then, his city was struck by the riots after a police officer killed a teenager in a Paris suburb in late June.
For days, many Italians have flooded social media with two unusual calls to outrage: #10secondi and #palpatabreve, or 10 seconds and brief grope.

The hashtags refer to a court sentence, made public this week in Rome, that acquitted a 66-year-old school janitor who was accused of improperly touching a 17-year-old student, including by sticking his hands into her pants and touching her bottom.

In court, the janitor admitted some touching, saying the teenager had been pulling up her pants and  mimicking her gesture  he had reached out and lifted her pants as a joke, but he denied putting his hands inside her trousers. The student testified in court last February that the entire episode lasted between five and 10 seconds.

In its decision last week, a court in Rome ruled that the janitors behavior could not be construed as either libidinous or lustful because it had taken place at the school, a public place in front of other students; because it had only lasted a handful of seconds; and because the janitor had apologized immediately after and made light of the episode. The prosecutors office has until July 21 to appeal the verdict.
President Biden and his national security team have contended since he took office that all the easy, tempting comparisons between this era and the Cold War are misleading, a vast oversimplification of a complex geopolitical moment.

The differences are, indeed, stark: The United States never had the kind of technological and financial interdependence with its Cold War adversary, the Soviet Union, that so complicates the increasingly bitter and dangerous downward spiral in the relationship with China.

And Mr. Bidens advisers often argue that Russia is not the Soviet Union. Yes, it has nuclear weapons, they say, but its conventional military capacity has now been severely degraded in Ukraine.

And in Soviet times, the United States felt compelled to fight an ideological battle around the world. In the new era, it is fighting Chinas efforts to use its economic and technological power to spread its influence.
Losing his distinctive voice, he said, has felt like surrendering an essential part of himself, as sound has been his lifes passion. Better known as Pone, he is a music producer and beatmaker who once belonged to one of Frances most popular old-school rap groups, the Fonky Family.

In a bid to recapture his signature vocal sound, Pone, 50, has embarked on a slightly quixotic and still-unfinished quest. Because there were not enough old recordings of his voice to feed into a computer and create a synthetic replacement, he asked a comedian to record an imitation of what he used to sound like  and used that as a basis instead.

A voice is a very personal thing, Pone said, propped up in bed at his home in Gaillac, a small town near Toulouse in southwestern France. The way you talk says volumes about your character, he added, instantly conveying so much of who you are. Even if, as he jokingly described his voice in a documentary about his life, he really sounded like an idiot.
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is pushing ahead with plans to attend a summit in South Africa next month, even as the host nation grapples with diplomatic and legal fallout of his expected presence, South Africas deputy president said on Friday.

South Africa is scheduled to hold a meeting of BRICS nations  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa  in Johannesburg in August. The heads of state from the other four nations are expected to attend, but an international arrest warrant for Mr. Putin has placed South Africa in a quandary.

Its a big dilemma for us, the deputy president, Paul Mashatile, told the South African news website News24. Of course, we cannot arrest him. Its almost like you invite your friend to your house, and then arrest them. Thats why for us, his not coming is the best solution.

The International Criminal Court has accused Mr. Putin of war crimes over his role in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children. South Africa, a member of the court, is obligated to arrest Mr. Putin if he arrives in the country. Mindful of their warm relations with Russia, South African officials have said they are seeking legal advice in assessing their obligations to the international court.
Infantry filtered into the forest and fought at close range, he said. We are marines  we are aggressive, he said. A company of Russian soldiers, about 80 men, were dug into trenches in the trees, he said. Colonel Sikoza described how a decisive turn came when his troops captured two bunkers and a trench line on the edge of the forest, partly cutting off the Russians ability to resupply the group and forcing them to retreat.

His soldiers are highly motivated to capture positions, and with them Russian prisoners: In the first month of the war, the 36th Marine Brigade was surrounded in the city of Mariupol and more than 1,000 marines were taken prisoner by the Russians. We want to trade them for our guys, Colonel Sikoza said of Russian captives.

Colonel Sikozas advance to the south is also a personal odyssey. He escaped from the Crimean Peninsula when Russia occupied it in 2014. If the counteroffensive is successful, it could put Ukrainian artillery within range to threaten the isthmus to the peninsula, cutting Russian supply lines.

But it has been painfully slow. President Volodymyr Zelensky has conceded that the counteroffensive is not going as rapidly as some allies had hoped, and American officials have said Ukraine is losing Western-provided armored vehicles in the minefields.

For more than a year, the enemy fortified here, Colonel Sikoza said in an interview at a picnic table in the shade of a walnut tree in the yard of his command post near the front. Every minute or so, the booms of outgoing and incoming artillery rang out.
A poll conducted earlier this year indicates a majority of Nebraska voters oppose a law providing tax credits for donations made to scholarship funds for private and faith-based schools.

The phone survey done on behalf of OpenSky Policy Institute shows 55% of Nebraska voters oppose the Opportunity Scholarship Act (LB753) that passed in the Legislature this year, including 47% who strongly support repeal.

The law, which goes into effect in January, provides up to $25 million in dollar-for-dollar tax credits to individuals and entities that donate to scholarship-granting organizations. Over time, the total amount of tax credits available to donors could grow to $100 million.

Rebecca Firestone, executive director of OpenSky Policy Institute, which is part of an effort to put the matter before voters next year, said the tax credits could ultimately shift state funds away from funding public education, career and vocational training, and hiring new teachers.

Voters overwhelmingly said those should be the priorities for spending tax dollars for education in Nebraska, not creating these tax credits for private schools, Firestone said in a statement.

OpenSky partnered with Washington, D.C.-based Lake Research Partners on the survey, which gauged the opinions of 600 Nebraskans likely to vote in the 2024 elections.

The survey was conducted between May 31 and June 5. Support Our Schools Nebraska, the organization seeking to put the measure before voters, launched its campaign on June 6.

The coalition, led by the Nebraska State Education Association, plans to gather 90,000 signatures, including 5% of registered voters in 38 of Nebraskas 93 counties, to put the repeal before voters.

Of the respondents to OpenSkys poll, more than half (53%) were female, while a majority (52%) were registered Republicans.

Respondents were also evenly distributed between Nebraskas three congressional districts (33% came from the First District, 32% from the Second District, and 35% from the Third District).

The margin of error is plus or minus 4%, according to a summary of the poll results.

Compared with the 55% of Nebraskans who oppose the new tax credit, OpenSky said 37% of respondents said they wished to retain it.

A total of 9% of respondents said they were undecided on whether to retain or repeal the law.

OpenSky said the percentage totals do not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who introduced LB753 in the Legislature this year, said the questions put to likely voters in the poll did not accurately reflect the language of the petition now in circulation.

She also said the survey did not ask about voters opinions of children and families that might benefit from the program, and misled respondents about other bills passed by lawmakers this year to boost teacher training and retention programs.

If you read their questions, I cant believe that only 55% of people support this, Linehan said. It doesnt mention children at all, and it doesnt mention that this money ends up going to kids.

Linehan said the tax credits provided in the Opportunity Scholarships Act would not take money away from public schools, arguing instead the Legislature boosted funding to the state aid formula by $300 million and created the $1 billion Education Future Fund this year.

She said national polling done by the American Federation For Children, a school choice advocacy group, which is the biggest supporter of Keep Kids First  a decline to sign effort running television and radio ads  shows school choice programs are popular.

Other results from the OpenSky survey include:

* Just under half (46%) of respondents said Nebraska lawmakers should seek out new sources of revenue and funding, even if it means raising taxes for some wealthy people and corporations in Nebraska, while 33% signaled support for cutting government spending, even if it means reducing services like childcare, education, health care, roads, and public safety.

* Nearly half (49%) said public schools need more resources than they have right now, while 34% said public schools can provide a quality education with their current resources, and 12% said schools could do the same with fewer resources.

* More than half (51%) of respondents said they do not believe the state budget reflects the states priorities, with 39% saying they strongly believed the states priorities were not reflected in the budget.

* A majority (58%) said they worried Nebraska politicians will continue to protect millionaires and corporations from tax increases, making it harder to invest in our priorities like health care, public safety, and public schools. Thirty percent said they worried politicians would chase millionaires and corporations out of the state by raising their taxes.

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
Leave the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium and turn west onto rougher roads, where dead trees and twisted power lines give way to a string of shattered villages.

These enclaves, once the backbone of Ukraines agricultural eastern steppe, were reduced to ruin as the war passed over them like a flood tide.

Despite being recaptured by Ukraines military last fall, the villages of Sulyhivka, Virnopillia and Kamianka are now at risk of being lost  not to artillery or pitched battles, but to overgrown weeds, wildflowers and minefields. They are another kind of casualty in a war that has claimed many.
Just last week, the autocratic leader of Belarus, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, told journalists in Minsk that no members of Wagner had come to his country, at least not yet. The remarks cast doubt over a deal he said he had brokered to end the 36-hour mutiny led by the Wagner boss, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, under which Mr. Prigozhin and his fighters were invited to Belarus and would be spared prosecution in Russia.

The following day, the Defense Ministry of Belarus escorted foreign journalists to a disused base near Asipovichy, where hundreds of rapidly constructed tents appeared to be a possible new home for Wagner fighters. But senior military officials told the journalists that no Wagner fighters had come there, adding to the mystery about the groups fate after the rebellion.

On Friday, a spokeswoman for the Belarusian Ministry of Defense confirmed that at least part of the video was filmed on the same training ground New York Times journalists visited last week.

During that visit, Belarusian Maj. Gen. Leonid V. Kasinsky said that the many new tents had been erected as part of a training exercise, but that the base could be recommended as one of the places where Wagner soldiers could be housed.

Wagners future has been in doubt since the mutiny nearly three weeks ago, which followed the implementation of a new law in Russia that required Wagner soldiers to sign contracts with Russias Defense Ministry. Some of the forces heavy weaponry has been transferred to the ministrys control, but the future of the force itself has remained in question.
U.S.-provided cluster munitions have arrived in Ukraine, U.S. and Ukrainian officials have said, a week after President Biden announced he had made the very difficult decision to provide Kyiv with the widely banned weapon.

Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II, the director of operations for the militarys Joint Staff in Washington, confirmed in a Pentagon briefing on Thursday that the cluster munitions, which break apart midair to release deadly bomblets across a wide area, had been delivered to Ukraine. Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavsky of the Ukrainian military said in an interview with CNN that the weapons could radically change the situation on the battlefield. He said the weapons had not been used as of Thursday.

More than 100 countries  including many U.S. allies  have banned the use of cluster munitions because of the risk they pose to civilians. The weapons often fail to immediately explode, and years or even decades later, they can kill adults and children who stumble upon them. Russia, Ukraine and the United States have not signed an international treaty prohibiting their stockpiling or use.

The Pentagon declined to give details on how many of the weapons were being provided or the timeline of delivery but said the Ukrainian leadership had assured the United States that they would not be used near civilian populations.
When a renowned Iranian artist hosted friends at his apartment in Tehran last month, he served, as he did often, a bottle of homemade aragh, a traditional Iranian vodka distilled from raisins, that he had secured from a trusted dealer.

His guests and his partner did not drink that evening, so he raised shot glasses to them and drank alone.

Within a few hours, the artist, Khosrow Hassanzadeh, 60, felt his vision blur. By the next morning, his sight was gone, he was delirious and short of breath. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with methanol poisoning from the aragh, according to his partner, Shahrzad Afrashteh.
Union chiefs, business leaders and military reservists in Israel have warned the far-right government that proceeding with its plan to limit judicial powers without a social consensus will open the door for another wave of national strikes and business closures.

The countrys largest labor union, the Israeli medical association and thousands of military reservists have all said that they could go on strike, scale back operations or refuse to volunteer for army service if the governments plan goes ahead.

The option of general strike is on the table, Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Histadrut, Israels largest labor union, said in a phone interview on Friday morning.

Our responsibility is to workers rights, Mr. Lerner said. Our responsibility is to Israeli society. We called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the chaos and negotiate with the players, and thats what we expect. If not, we have the power of the strike.
The extreme weather engulfing Europe has sent temperatures in southern parts of the continent to record highs and brought thunderous storms to the Balkans, prompting officials in countries like Greece, Italy and Spain to impose measures to protect residents and tourists from the scorching conditions.

Temperatures as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 48 degrees Celsius) were forecast in the hottest areas after an anticyclone moved into the region from North Africa on Sunday and spurred a new heat wave. Although the heat briefly subsided on Thursday and Friday in some places, it is expected to return next week.

With many areas in Southern Europe hitting peak temperatures this week, governments have urged people to take precautions. Wildfires, escalated by the hot and dry conditions, also prompted the evacuation of thousands of people across Croatia, Greece, Switzerland and the Canary Islands of Spain. In the Balkans, storms this week have led to flash flooding, and several people have been killed.

Although it is difficult to link individual events to climate change, scientists say that the heat waves in Europe are increasing in frequency and intensity at a faster rate than practically anywhere else on the planet.
We are still under a warning, but the track veered a little bit farther south than projected, so the center of the system was definitely over water, Mr. Hanson said. But we were on the strong side of the quadrant that could pose the most concern, and because we were on that side of the storm we didnt want to let our guard down. Residents have been advised to stock up on supplies, and some had gone to shelters to escape high winds. Cliffside waves were strong and audible, he said.

Mayor Mitch Roth said it was super important for residents to be prepared for such storms. We dont expect it to be the last this season, he said in an interview with a local news station.

Between four and eight inches of rain was expected through Thursday, forecasters said. Up to 10 inches of rainfall was possible, mainly along the windward slopes and southeast flank of the Big Island of Hawaii. Parts of Maui could get three to six inches of rain, the forecasters said, while two to four inches could drop elsewhere in the state.

This rainfall could lead to localized flash flooding and mudslides, the hurricane advisory said.

On Maui on Wednesday, rain was falling at a rate of one to two inches per hour, and water levels were rising in streams over much of the island, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency said. A flood watch was in effect until 6 p.m. local time, it said.
The German city of Dresden is famous for the Baroque architecture that runs along the banks of the Elbe River, but there is one exception that stands out like a sore thumb  the iconic Yenidze building, aka the tobacco mosque.

Featuring clear oriental architectural elements of mosques and the famous Alhambra Palace of Granada, the Yenidze has been towering over Dresdens Friedrichstadt neighborhood for over a century. At 62 meters (203 ft) tall, featuring 600 windows of various styles, and boasting an impressive glass dome, it would be one of the largest mosques in the world, but despite its appearance, the Yenidze is not, and has never been a mosque. For most of its existence, the Yenidze has operated as a tobacco factory and its unusual design was chosen both as homage to the Oriental origin of the tobacco processed here, but also a clever way to vend the rules on architectural restrictions in Dresdens city center.

Photo: Jorg Blobelt/Wikimedia Commons

Jewish entrepreneur Hugo Zietz originally set up his company, Oriental Tobacco and Cigarette Factory Yenidze, in 1886, but due to strict architectural restrictions regarding the construction of factories in central Dresden, he found it extremely difficult to build a production facility in the area. After two decades of failed attempts to persuade the local government, Ziets decided he was better off bending the rules

In 1907, the Jewish businessman commissioned 29-year-old architect Martin Hammitzsch to design a factory that didnt really look like one. According to TRT World, the construction was inspired by the Mamluk tombs in the Cairo Necropolis, with red and grey granite blocks to recreate the stripes of ablaq masonry, colorful mosaics and Moorish geometric patterns, and even chimneys designed like minarets.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Heinrich Lischka (@typografski)

It wasnt all smooth sailing, though, as many architects view the factory as a stain on the citys famous baroque history that had earned Dresden the nickname Florence on the Elbe. The backlash was so severe that Martin Hammitzsch was excluded from the chamber of architects after he submitted his draft and the city council threatened to reject Ziets construction permit. But then he threatened to move his business somewhere else, and the local authorities backed off.

By 1909, the Yenidze Tobacco Factory was complete and even featured the illuminated words Salem Aleikum  peace be upon you in Arabic  on the side for train passengers commuting by. Soon, the Salem Aleikum and Salem Gold cigarette brands became some of the most popular in Germany and the factory became known as the tobacco mosque because of its distinctive look.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by E. J. K. (@immel65)

The architecture of the Yenidze building has always been the subject of controversy in Dresden, as some still see it as kitschy, at least when compared to the citys many Baroque masterpieces, but today it is at least considered an integral part of the citys landscape. That is quite the success story, considering that it miraculously survived the carpet bombing of 1945, during World War 2.

15 years after its inauguration, the tobacco mosque was sold to the Reemtsma Tobacco Group, which operated it until 1953. It sat in isolation for several decades until being completely restored in 1996. The building is currently owned by the Berlin-based EB Group, after being bought in 2014 from Israeli millionaire Adi Keizman. It operates as an office facility with a restaurant set up in its large dome, where patrons can enjoy a 360-degree view of Dresden.
More so than ever, international education & migration are complex & competitive matters in a global setting. Students and migrants who stand out are more likely to succeed & this is where Immigration Hotspots consulting services play a pivotal role

More so than ever, international education & migration are complex & competitive matters in a global setting. Students and migrants who stand out are more likely to succeed & this is where Immigration Hotspots consulting services play a pivotal role. From international education counseling, course and university selection, the application process, scholarship guidance, student visa application, guidance for financial requirements, and pre-departure orientation to post-departure assistance, the firm offers personalized guidance and support that students dont typically experience. The key value add from Immigration Hotspot is that they are specialists in Australian education and the team is focused on crafting an effective strategy from the start of their student journey to their end of migration goal.As trusted migration advisers, Immigration Hotspot offers accurate advice to individuals and families wanting to migrate to Australia as well as expert recruitment solutions to Australian companies looking to sponsor overseas employees. The firm is dedicated to assisting clients in achieving their migration goals and offers highly personalized services including Skilled Migration, Family/ Partner Migration, Employer Sponsored Migration, Student and Graduate Visas, AAT Appeals, and Business/ Investor Visas.The general skilled migration program is designed by the Department of Home Affairs to draw in experienced and skilled people from all over the world to Australia. Australian citizens, permanent residents, and NZ citizens can assist by sponsoring close family members for migration to Australia. Immigration Hotspot recognizes that there is a talent and skill shortage in certain industries in Australia and can assist small and large Australian employers who may be unable to fill certain positions locally. The firm provides end-to-end solutions, whether a professional is looking at migrating to Australia or an Australian company or an overseas company is looking at sponsoring overseas employees in Australia.Over the years, I have assisted hundreds of clients around the world by providing them with professional immigration advice. I count it a great privilege to have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of each of my clients by assisting them and their families in migrating to Australia for a better future. We are clear on our core purpose: Always serve from the heart, add incredible value, and transform lives, concludes Ashwin Tyagi.
Daily Journal print subscribers went to their mailboxes Wednesday expecting to find the latest issue of our newspaper waiting for them. Unfortunately, that wasnt the case, and on behalf of myself and our new owner, Better Newspapers, we apologize to our faithful readership for this occurrence.

In explanation, there was a miscommunication with the U.S. Postal Service regarding which company was supposed to pay the delivery charge  our previous owner or Better Newspapers. Because that information wasnt directly available, Wednesdays newspapers were left sitting on the dock undelivered.

As soon as we learned there was an issue with delivery, we immediately took steps to resolve the problem. Regrettably, it couldnt be taken care of in time for postal employees to deliver the papers on Wednesday. Once the situation was resolved, postal authorities assured us that both the Wednesday and Thursday editions of the Daily Journal would be delivered to our subscribers yesterday. We checked with the postal service to make sure this was the case, and we were told it was.

If you are a Daily Journal subscriber and you didnt receive the July 12 and 13 issues, we ask that you contact us at 573-431-2010, so we can make things right.

Transitioning from one owner to another is never easy and sometimes leads to errors such as this one. While we cant promise that well never make another mistake, we pledge our intention to keep them to a minimum and promise that we will make every attempt to satisfy our subscribers when we do.

Sincerely,

Kevin R. Jenkins,

Daily Journal Editor
5 Terror Suspects Held In Bengaluru With firearms, Raw Materials Used In Explosives

How To Check Anna Bhagya Scheme Cash Transfer Status

Bengaluru

oi-Deepika S

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has rolled out its direct bank transfer service under the Anna Bhagya Scheme starting day Monday, July 10, 2023.

Under the Anna Bhagya scheme, the Karnataka government has decided to pay cash to beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 34 per kg, for the additional 5 kg of rice under the free rice scheme, which is applicable to every member of a BPL household and 'Antyodaya' households.

The funds will be directly transferred into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries linked to the Aadhaar numbers of the BPL family heads.

According to the state government, Karnataka has 1.28 crore ration cards of 'Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Households'.

As much as 99 per cent of these cards are seeded with an Aadhaar number, it said, adding that 82 per cent (1.06 crore) of these cards are linked with active bank accounts.

'Anna Bhagya: Karnataka Govt Starts Cash Disbursal In Lieu Of 5 KG Rice Under The Scheme

These beneficiaries will receive the amount in their bank accounts for additional 5 kg rice at Rs 34 per kg through DBT.

However, 22 lakh BPL families may not get benefits under the Anna Bhagya scheme immediately as their bank accounts are no linked to Aadhaar numbers, according to the government.

What is Anna Bhagya Scheme?

The Anna Bhagya Scheme which promises additional 5kg of rice to BPL card holders, was one of the five poll promises made by the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls.

Of the 10 kg, five kg of rice will be from the Central government, which beneficiaries have been receiving for a long time. The state government has announced additional five kg rice, but in exchange, it is transferring money (Rs 170 per month) to beneficiaries' bank accounts.

The Karnataka government has taken the route of direct benefit transfer since it failed to procure rice from the Food Corporation of India and other sources.

However, there have been instances where beneficiaries have not received their first installment under Anna Bhagya Scheme, which was launched on July 10.

22 Lakh BPL Families Unlikely To Get Cash Immediately Under Anna Bhagya: Here's Why

In that case, you can use the following method to check the status of Anna Bhagya scheme.

How to Check Anna Bhagya Scheme Payment DBT Status

Visit the official website of the Karnataka Food Department https://ahara.kar.nic.in/

On the homepage, click on the E-Services tab

Now click on the DBT status link

Select month, year and enter your ration card number (RC number) and click continue

Your DBT status under Anna Bhagya will be displayed on the screen

Anna Bhagya: Things you should know

The Anna Bhagya scheme beneficiary will also be alerted via SMS once the money is transferred to the account.

It is to be noted that E-KYC and linking of Aadhar card to the ration card is mandatory to access the Anna Bhagya scheme.

Anna Bhagya Yojana Status Check: Direct link https://ahara.kar.nic.in/status1/status_of_dbt.aspx
Hundreds Of Acres Of Land Allocated To RSS, Its Affiliates Put On Hold

Bengaluru

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has put on hold the grant of 35.33 acres of gomala land to the RSS-linked Janaseva Trust in Bengaluru, according to reports.

In September of the previous year, the BJP government had allocated 35.33 acres of gomala land at Kurubarahalli, Tavarekere in Bengaluru South taluk to the Janaseva Trust. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, just five days after assuming office, issued a note on May 25 instructing authorities to maintain the status quo on lands granted by the previous BJP government.

In response to a query from BJP lawmaker ST Somashekar regarding government lands allotted to various organizations in Bengaluru South taluk, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda stated in a written reply that the allocation of 35.33 acres to the Janaseva Trust is currently on hold, referring to the CM's note.

Gowda clarified that the CM's note applies not only to the Janaseva Trust but also to all allotments made in the months leading up to the Assembly election.

'Anna Bhagya: Karnataka Govt Starts Cash Disbursal In Lieu Of 5 KG Rice Under The Scheme

The Janaseva Trust runs educational institutions at Channenahalli on Magadi Road. When DH contacted the trust's secretary, Nirmal Kumar, said that they had not received any communication from the government regarding the grant being put on hold.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that the government is reviewing all cases of "hurried allotments" made by the previous government, including the grant of 35.33 acres to the Janaseva Trust. He said that the government will review the grants on the basis of eligibility and objective, and will look at whether or not public interest was involved.

In 2018, the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) had flagged the grant of gomala lands. According to the Karnataka Land Revenue Rules, 30 acres of gomala land should be set aside for every 100 cattle. Any reduction in gomala land by a deputy commissioner requires prior approval. The CAG had noted that various High Court judgments had advised against granting gomala land. However, in January 2008, the rules were amended to allow for the grant of gomala land located in and around city limits.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 10:18 [IST]
MetroMitra App to Launch in Bengaluru, Offering Meter Fare Auto Rides From All Metro Stations

Bengaluru

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Autorickshaw Drivers' Union (ARDU) in Bengaluru is planning to launch a new app called MetroMitra to improve last-mile connectivity from Metro stations. The ARDU is building on the success of their previous autorickshaw aggregator service called 'Namma Yatri'.

Unlike 'Namma Yatri', which operates on an open-mobility network, MetroMitra will use the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

Several media reports indicate that MetroMitra will operate on a metered charge system, with a base fare of Rs 30 for the first two kilometers and Rs 15 for each subsequent kilometer, along with an additional Rs 10 for other expenses.

MetroMitra will charge a meter fare plus a flat fee of Rs 10 to cover technology and trip pick-up costs.

D Rudramurthy, the general secretary of ARDU, mentioned in the report that to access MetroMitra, users will not need to download a separate app to use MetroMitra, as it can be accessed through multiple buyer applications, such as Paytm and Pincode, that operate on the ONDC network.

Bengaluru Police Crack Down On Errant Auto Drivers, 151 Cases Filed

According to a report from Moneycontrol, the autorickshaw drivers' union has been in talks with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to integrate MetroMitra into the Metro Chatbot. It is expected that the service will be launched by the end of August 2023.

The ARDU says that MetroMitra will help to improve the reliability and convenience of last-mile connectivity in Bengaluru. The app will also help to ensure that autorickshaw drivers are professional and courteous to passengers.

In another report from the Deccan Herald, it is mentioned that the drivers who choose to be a part of MetroMitra will undergo training to ensure professionalism and will be subjected to grooming and sensitization measures.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 13:59 [IST]
OPINION: Why Bengal sees so much violence during elections?

Feature

lekhaka-Balbir Punj

The recent Panchayat elections in Bengal were on predictable lines. So was the poll outcome- the ruling TMC bagged 80 percent of the seats, with BJP distant second. Gun shots, bomb blasts, arson and multiple murders marked the poll process. Taking note of the massive outbreak of violence in the state in the wake of polls, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (July 12) said, the election results "will be subject to" the "ultimate orders" that it may pass in connection with petitions filed on poll related violence and "electoral malpractices".

The Calcutta High Court's directions to the State Election Commission (SEC) have to be seen against the backdrop of orgy of violence that has left at least 45 dead since polls were announced in the state on June 8. There are reports from several districts of booth capturing and damaged ballot boxes. While different parts of India witness sporadic violence on various pretexts, the two states- Bengal and Kerala, however, standout in this respect. Kerala, for political murders and Bengal for its gory record of election related mayhem.

Trivandrum and Kolkata- nearly 2500 kilometers apart, are the southern and eastern tips of India respectively. Both have been the pride of India- with a distinguished history and an eventful past. While Kerala, apart from many other achievements to its credit, is also the birthplace of Adi Shankar, Bengal has led India's socio-cultural renaissance and its freedom movement.

Rabindranath Tagore of Bengal brought honour to India, by winning the first ever Nobel prize for the country for literature in 1913. Swami Vivekanand, the intellectual and globe-trotting monk of modern India, explained to the world, India's plural- all-embracing ethos in an idiom which the contemporary world can comprehend and appreciate. Netaji Subash Bose added-a unique dimension to India's freedom struggle against the British. Over a century back, Gopal Krishan Gokhale, a senior Congress leader had said, 'what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow'. But that's now history.

TMC Has Shamed Democracy In Bengal: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Today, both, Bengal and Kerala are in news, often for wrong reasons. The cult of violence defines the public life of the two states. The reason for this deprivation is common- domination of Communism in the mind space of the two states over a long time.

Bengal had its first brush with mass violence in 1946, when on August 16, the Muslim League launched "Direct Action" for a separate Muslim homeland after the British exit from India. Thousands of Hindus were killed in the ensuing riots lasting several weeks. The day also marked the start of what is known as 'The week of the Long Knives'. Subsequently, the League's ideological Comrade-in-arms, the Communists, took over, from where it had left, and continued the gory tradition, till they lost power in 2011, after remaining in office for seven consecutive terms.

The current panchayat poll in West Bengal, were held across 73,887 seats in 22 districts. The violence witnessed in the elections isn't a new phenomenon. In 2003 for instance, as the CPI(M) battled a rising Mamata Banerjee, 76 people were killed. Gun battles, arson, politically inspired gang wars and crude bombs are a daily occurrence during the campaign.

Irrespective of the party ruling at Kolkata, the vicious cycle of violence, retaliation and retribution has continued unabated. In 2018, with the TMC in power, 23 people were killed across Bengal, with 12 of them losing their lives in violence on the day of polling. The TMC, which emerged victorious in around 90 percent of the seats, won 34 percent of these uncontested. Thousands of people alleged that they were not allowed either to vote or to contest the elections.

Violence is central to Communist paradigm. Though, as a political party Marxists are over in the state, but the venom they injected in the socioeconomic - political system has obviously outlived them. This violence is now ingrained in the state's psyche and political culture. It's the new normal. All parties, that have been in the government- the TMC now, and the CPM and Congress before it- have resorted to violence while dealing with their respective political opponents.

Violence rocks West Bengal's Panchayat Polls, 12 Dead Amidst Allegations of Strong-Arm Tactics

In West Bengal political parties continue to patronise a system that draws sustenance from cadres nursed by crime and extortion. The CPM, while in power (for over three decades), raised a huge army of lumpen elements that lived on violence, and wore ideological and party masks to buy protection.

This model of politics has corroded the state institutions. Such a political- social nexus based on extortion, flexing of muscles, running rackets, making bombs, means young men and women are denied access to a growing economy shaped by ethics, an honest work culture, technology and knowledge. Once hooked to crime, laced with an ideology and political respectability, these young men and women find themselves utterly useless to do anything meaningful in life.

No wonder aspiring young have no option, but to leave the state for other parts of the country and abroad, in search of better opportunities and stable lives. The unskilled too have little choice- either to leave the state or become a part of one of the political gangs - with exposure to all the risks inbuilt in such an uncertain life. The violence, mostly affecting the poor and the underprivileged, has undermined the moral authority of civil society and sanctity of the electoral process. Mamta, while in opposition, was supposed to be fighting against this regressive Marxist model. She was expected to break the mould, instead her politics is now shaped by that very mould !

Bulk of the lumpens who worked for CPM while it was in power, have since turned into TMC workers after Mamta was sworn as Chief Minister. They changed their political label, but not their occupation or traits. They now do the dirty work for TMC, which they used to do for Marxists. In turn, the new regime offers them the patronage, which the CPM provided them earlier, while in power.

Is it possible to bring an end to the violence that pervades West Bengal? Violence and democracy cannot co-exist. Ballot is a substitute for bullet. At some stage, the nexus between political power and the underworld will have to be broken. Ballot has little relevance when bullets fly freely.

(Mr. Balbir Punj is a Former Member of Parliament and a Columnist. He can be reached at: [email protected])

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of OneIndia and OneIndia does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 16:23 [IST]
Amid BJP's South push, RSS' Key Meet in Ooty

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

In an effort to strengthen its presence in South India, where its influence in Lok Sabha elections has been limited so far, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has convened a crucial strategy meeting in Tamil Nadu.

The annual three-day meeting of the RSS commenced on Thursday in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, with the participation of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and other high-ranking members. The gathering, which involves the All India Prant Pracharaks (regional propagators), will continue until July 15 and will re-evaluate the Sangh's activities conducted throughout the country in the pursuit of a united India, known as 'Akhand Bharat'.

According to a statement from the RSS, all senior functionaries, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, are present at the meeting. The primary objective of the gathering is to discuss the Sangh's performance in the past year. Sunil Ambekar, the head of the RSS publicity wing, stated that this annual meeting is primarily focused on organizational matters.

Ambekar further mentioned that Bhagwat, along with Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale and co-Sarkaryavahs such as Dr. Krishna Gopal, Dr. Manmohan Vaidya, CR Mukund, Arun Kumar, and Ram Dutt, are attending the meeting. Representatives from all work departments of the Sangh at the national level will also be present.

Hundreds Of Acres Of Land Allocated To RSS, Its Affiliates Put On Hold

The discussions will cover the progress made in the Sangh Centenary Action Plan, details of social work at the branch level, and the exchange of experiences. Ambekar explained that the meeting will also address the planning of programs for the next four to five months and assess the current situation.

"In addition, the meeting will review the Sangh Shiksha Varg (RSS training camps) held this year and the progress made in the Sangh Centenary Action Plan for expanding the organization. It will also deliberate on activities at the shakha (local branch) level related to social transformation," added Ambekar.

During the meeting, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will discuss the Sangh's performance over the past year, along with other senior functionaries. As the guiding force behind the BJP, Bhagwat's presence aims to evaluate and analyze the Sangh's achievements during this period.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 11:07 [IST]
Rampur by elections: BJP reaching out to Pasmanda Muslims to demolish Azam Khan's fortress

Azam Khan's son Abdullah disqualified from UP Assembly after conviction in 15-year-old case

Days after disqualification from UP Assembly, Azam Khan's son's name struck off electoral rolls of Rampur

Azam Khan's Y-Category Security Cover Withdrawn

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Uttar Pradesh government has withdrawn the 'Y-category' security cover provided to senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, saying it was not needed.

Rampur Additional Superintendent of Police Sansar Singh said they received a letter from the security headquarters in Lucknow, which said there is no need to provide the Y-category security to Khan, a 10-time MLA from Rampur.

In compliance with the order, his security was withdrawn, he added.

Singh said under the Y-category security, Khan was given three gunmen and security personnel who were posted at his residence round the clock.

All the security personnel (posted with Azam) have been called back to the police Lines in Rampur, he said.

UP Court Acquits Samajwadi Party Leader Azam Khan In Hate Speech Case

Khan had won the Rampur assembly seat in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls for a record 10th time. After becoming the MLA, he had resigned from the Lok Sabha.

In October 2022, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat announced the disqualification of Khan from the House, a day after a court sentenced him to three years in jail in a hate speech case.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 15:40 [IST]
Chandrayaan-3 from Launch to Landing: Your Guide To India's Moon Mission

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its third lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-3, on Friday at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The mission is a significant milestone for India, as it will be the country's first attempt to soft-land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole. The south pole is a region of the moon that has not been explored by any other country, and it is believed to be rich in water ice.

Timeline of the Chandryaan-3 mission

Launch - Chandryaan 3 is scheduled to launch at 2:35pm on Friday. Its launch window however extends till July 19.

2xS200 Ignition - Rocket engines ignite at 0 seconds.

L110 Ignition - L110 engines ignite at 108 seconds.

2xS200 Separation - Two side boosters (2xS200) detach at 127 seconds.

PLF Separation - Payload fairing separates at 195 seconds.

L110 Separation - L110 engines separate at 306 seconds.

C25 Ignition - C25 engine ignites at 308 seconds.

C25 Shut-off - C25 engine shuts down at 954 seconds.

Satellite Separation - The satellite separates from the rocket at 969 seconds.

Voyage to the moon - The module will travel for about a month to reach the moon after it is launched.

Moon landing - The landing is planned for August 23-24, but this could change based on the moon's sunrise. If there's a delay, ISRO will reschedule the landing for September.

Lander and rover mission life - The lander and rover are designed to function for just one lunar day (14 earth days) because they can't withstand the extreme cold at night. Therefore, they need to land at dawn to maximise their operational time.

Recommended Video

Chandrayaan 3 mission launches off: India begins its journey to the Moon | Watch | Oneindia News

Where to watch Chandrayaan-3 launch live?

You can watch ISRO's moon mission launch live in the YouTube window provided here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ueCg9bvvQ

ISRO official website: Visit http://isro.gov.in

ISRO's Facebook page: https://facebook.com/ISRO
How BJP Is Preparing Ground For UCC In Assam

India

oi-Deepika S

The Assam government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is likely to pass a Bill banning polygamy until a final decision is taken on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Sarma said the state government is in favour of UCC, even as BJP allies in other states such as Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram have expressed their opposition to the implimentation of the UCC.

Link to UCC

The UCC is a matter which will be decided by Parliament, but the state can also take a call on it with the assent of the President, Sarma said at an event in Guwahati.

'UCC involves various issues and the Law Commission as well as the Parliamentary Committee is looking into it. The Assam government has already conveyed that it is in its support,' the chief minister said.

Pending the decision on the UCC, 'we want to take one of its segments polygamy - and ban it immediately. We are planning to introduce a Bill to ban it in the next assembly session in September, Sarma was quoted saying by PTI.

IUML Declines CPI(M) Invite To Seminars In Kerala On UCC, Points To Congress Not Being Invited

Sarma said if the state government fails to table the Bill for some reason, it will be done in the January session. In the meantime, however, if the UCC is implemented, we do not have to take this action as it will be merged with it,' he said.

Panel formed

In May, the Assam government has constituted a four-member expert committee to examine the legislative competence of the state legislature to enact a law to end polygamy.

The panel, headed by Justice (Retired) Rumi Phookan, has been asked to submit its report within sixty days.

A swipe at Opposition

Slamming the opposition, the chief minister wondered if a leader of that party has a daughter, 'will the person marry her off to somebody with two wives'. 'The problem is that Congress leaders do not realise the pain of Muslim women. They take their votes but they do not want to give back anything to them, he said.

The Congress wants the votes of both Muslim men and women but they want to serve only the men, Sarma added. 'Even Nabi (The Prophet) did not support polygamy as he had said that all Muslims should ideally have one wife. These are the essential points of Islam. The Congress should not support polygamy and stand with Muslim women, even if they lose some votes,' he said.

The Congress had opposed the abolition of triple talaq and now the UCC, so in a way the party is 'waging a war against Muslim women', he said. 'When they (Muslim women) emancipate themselves from the influence of the male, they will punish the Congress', Sarma claimed.

Implementing UCC Not Easy Like Revoking Article 370: Ghulam Nabi Azad

On AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal's claim, Sarma asserted that he is the voice of Muslim men and not women. 'We are always interacting with Muslim women and they say that they have a problem as they cannot speak out openly. They also tell us that Allah will always bless Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' the BJP leader said.

The UCC which promises common laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance that would be applicable to all Indian citizens irrespective of religion, tribe or other local customs has been part of the BJP's election manifesto.
Steve Bost, the Johnny Apple Seed of the Ozark Chinquapin, will be speaking Tuesday at the Farmington Public Library, 101 N. A St.

The program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6:30 p.m. with a social time and refreshments. The program follows at 7 p.m.

Most people have never seen an Ozark Chinquapin tree, but Steve Bost hopes someday sitting in its shade and tasting its nuts will once again be commonplace, said Sue Hagan a member of the East Ozarks Audubon Society. AA member of the chestnut familyits sometimes called the Ozark chestnutthe tree was once dominant in parts of the Ozarks.

According to Hagan, Chinquapins all but disappeared in the 1950s and 60s due to a fungus, also known as chestnut blight.

Suffering one of the greatest species die-offs in modern history, this once magnificent tree  up to 65 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter  was reduced to little more than brushy shrubs with root suckers that re-sprout after the above-ground portion dies, she said. Bost had never seen a Chinquapin growing up in Missouri but he heard stories from old-timers about the trees and their tasty nuts. The rot-resistant lumber had been used for furniture, barns, railroad ties and fence posts.

Steve Bost began a search, and in 2006 he found his first living specimen. One year later he founded the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation. He and hundreds of volunteers located 45 rare mature trees. They collected the nuts in hopes of protecting their genetic diversity. And their efforts have started showing success.

Hagen noted that, although very few seeds are produced, the Ozark Chinquapin is more genetically-diverse than any other North American chestnut species.

Some of the remaining large trees proved to have some resistance to the blight, and manual cross pollination has enhanced their resistance, she said. There are now over a thousand blight-resistant chinquapins growing in three states. Most are in Missouri, with others in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Seeds for planting Ozark Chinquapin are now being widely distributed, though special care is needed in their early stages to guard against drought, infestation, and animal damage.

And the search for older survivors is still ongoing. Each new find has the potential to add more blight resistance to the stock. The future of the Ozark Chinquapin is uncertain, but one thing is sure  there is hope. Perhaps one day our childrens children will be filling their pockets with delicious Chinquapins, just as our ancestors did.
Historic Moment As Chandrayaan 3 Lifts Off From Sriharikota

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Chandrayaan 3 lunar lander successfully lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. The mission is India's second attempt to land on the moon, and it is expected to make history by becoming the fourth country to land a rover on the lunar surface.

At the end of the 25.30 hour countdown, the LVM3-M4 rocket, the largest and heaviest in its class and dubbed as 'Fat Boy' lifted off majestically at a prefixed time at 2.35 pm from the second launch pad, discharging thick plumes of smoke. Thousands of spectators who had converged to witness the historic launch cheered the rocket as it made its ascent into the skies.

LVM3 M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission:

LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.  ISRO (@isro) July 14, 2023

With the Chandrayaan-3 mission, scientists are aiming at mastering soft-landing on the lunar surface, a challenging technical aspect which is planned for late August. A successful mission would make India only the fourth country to achieve the rare feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.

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According to ISRO officials, around 16 minutes after lift-off, the propulsion module will separate from the rocket and would orbit the earth for about 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle with 170 km closest and 36,500 km farthest from earth moving towards the lunar orbit.

The propulsion module along with the lander, after gaining speed would proceed for an over a month long journey towards reaching the orbit of the moon until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface.

After reaching the desired altitude, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the south pole region of the moon and this action is expected to take place on August 23 or 24, scientists at ISRO said.

The mission is a follow-up to the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which was India's first attempt to land on the moon. The Chandrayaan 3 lander is carrying a rover named Pragyan, which means "wisdom" in Sanskrit. Pragyan is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments, including a drill, a camera, and a spectrometer. The rover will be used to study the lunar surface, including its geology, composition, and history.

The Chandrayaan 3 mission is a major milestone for India's space program. It is a testament to the country's growing technical capabilities, and it is a sign of India's commitment to space exploration.

The mission is also a source of national pride for India. It is a reminder of the country's rich history and culture, and it is a symbol of India's bright future.

The Chandrayaan 3 mission is expected to take about a month to reach the moon. Once it arrives, Pragyan will begin its mission of exploring the lunar surface.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the ISRO team on the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3. He said that the mission will carry the hopes and dreams of the nation.

"14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India's space sector is concerned," Modi said in a tweet.

Thousands of people gathered from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka to witness the launch. Security was tight at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, with security personnel deployed every 100 meters.

The launch of Chandrayaan-3 is a major achievement for India's space program. It is a sign of India's growing technological capabilities and its commitment to space exploration. The mission is also a source of national pride for India.
Dont Take Selfies Or Swim In Flooded Areas, Threat Not Over Yet: Kejriwal Warns Delhiites

Kejriwal Seeks Army, NDRF Help As Delhi Flood Situation Worsens

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Floodwaters of the overflowing Yamuna reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in Central Delhi on Friday while the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat were submerged as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage, exacerbating the already dire situation. Though the water level of the Yamuna has began to recede, the damage to the regulator near Indraprastha caused flooding in ITO and surrounding areas.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi directed the chief secretary to seek help from the NDRF and Army to prevent flooding in Delhi due to the damage to the regulator.

Kejriwal will be visiting the site to take stock of the situation. ''This breach is causing flooding of ITO and surroundings. Engineers have been working whole nite. I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently,'' he tweeted.

This breach is causing flooding of ITO and surroundings. Engineers have been working whole nite. I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently https://t.co/O8R1lLAWXX  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 14, 2023

The Irrigation and Flood Control team have been building a weir at a drain but water is still entering the city, Atishi said in an official communication. ''If needed all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army be requested to help on this matter. Chief Secretary directed to submit hourly reports to CM, I&FC minister and Revenue Minister,'' she said. Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of the damage to the regulator on priority and resolve the problem.

''Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at regulator of drain no. 12 near WHO building. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The government has directed the chief secretary to take it up on highest priority,'' he said in a tweet.

The compromised regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back towards the city areas. Yamuna's water level at 8 am stood at 208.42 metres, while at 10 am, it had gone down to 208.38 metres.

The flooding in ITO and Rajghat areas has led the authorities to impose curbs on movement of traffic.

#WATCH | Delhi | Work underway at Vikas Bhawan, ITO where a bund is being made to stop water from entering the city through a drain after the drain regulator here broke last evening. Ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj are at the spot. pic.twitter.com/raho02Ud1a  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

''No vehicular traffic will be allowed on Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover due to overflow of drain water near WHO Building. Commuters are advised to avoid the stretch,'' the Delhi Traffic Police said in a tweet.

Traffic Alert

Traffic movement is closed on Bhairon Road due to overflow of drain water near Railway Under Bridge.

Commuters are advised to avoid the stretch. pic.twitter.com/5Q5A5hsOd3  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) July 14, 2023

Traffic Alert

Movement of traffic is restricted from Shanti Van towards Geeta Colony Flyover due to rise in water level of Yamuna river.

Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly. pic.twitter.com/Kv8bnU0RnY  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) July 14, 2023

Commuters battled problems as they navigated through the waterlogged ITO Road, which is a key stretch connecting East Delhi to Lutyens''s Delhi. People going to their offices and New Delhi Railway Station will face hardships while navigating through the stretch.

#WATCH | Flood situation in Delhi: Heavy rainfall & increase in Yamuna river's water level triggers waterlogging in parts of Delhi; Latest visuals from near Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/DhKh6kPSAM  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

Some people could be seen dragging their vehicles through the waterlogged ITO stretch.

#WATCH | Flooding situation in Yamuna Bazar area of Delhi continues to remain grim. pic.twitter.com/KUe4IRH5kz  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

A commuter going towards Noida said, ''Till now, we were feeling that the flooodwater is only entering low-lying areas. But now the threat feels so closer as the nerve centre of Delhi has been flooded''.

#WATCH | Flood situation in Delhi: Heavy rainfall & increase in Yamuna river's water level triggers waterlogging in parts of Delhi; Drone visuals from Red Fort area. pic.twitter.com/qUWgPtr6M5  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

Traffic movement was also closed on Bhairon Road due to overflow of drain water near Railway Under Bridge.

''Movement of traffic is restricted from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate due to rise in water level of Yamuna river. Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly,'' the traffic police said in another tweet.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 11:43 [IST]
UP Man Urinates On Dalit Youth; Arrested

India

oi-Prakash KL

A man has been reportedly arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district for allegedly peeing on a Dalit youth, Deccan Herald reported.

The incident occurred on Tuesday but came to light on Thursday after the clip of the incident went viral.

The accused has been identified as Jawahar Patel. He is a resident of Jugail in Sonbhadra district.

In the viral clip, Patel is seen peeing in one of the ears of the Dalit youth. In another video, Patel was recorded verbally abusing the other man and specifically targeting him based on his caste.

However, the two had an altercation after consuming liquor, a senior district official said. "The two had an altercation over something later on....both were drunk...after the altercation the accused urinated in the ear of the Dalit youth," he added.

However, the victim told that he did not know that the accused had peed on him as he was also drunk.

"The victim lodged a complaint with the police only after he came to know about the incident from the viral video," the official said.

The accused has been arrested under various section.

In the first week of July, a man was caught peeing on a tribal labour in Madhya Pradesh. The urination episode triggered a political controversy in the state, where Assembly polls are due by the year-end, with the Congress alleging that the accused was linked to a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and the saffron party denying its connection with him in any way.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan washed the feet of the victim at the CM's residence in Bhopal and also apologised to him over the humiliating incident. But the opposition party dubbed Chouhan's move as mere drama.
Medical Miracle: Israel Doctors Reattach Boy's Head After Accident

India

oi-Prakash KL

Hadassah Medical Center made headlines on Wednesday when its surgeons accomplished an extraordinary feat: reattaching the head of a 12-year-old boy to his neck following a severe bicycle accident involving a car.

The Jerusalem hospital has now opened up on the remarkable success of the complex operation.

Suleiman Hassan, a West Bank resident of Palestinian descent, was transported by air to the trauma unit at Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem. Medical examinations revealed a severe injury to the ligaments connecting the base of his skull to the top vertebrae of his spine, resulting in its detachment. This condition, referred to as bilateral atlanto occipital joint dislocation or internal decapitation in orthopaedic terms, was diagnosed.

"We fought for the boy's life," said Dr Ohad Einav, the orthopaedic specialist who operated on the patient together with Dr Ziv Asa, told The Times Of Israel. "The procedure itself is very complicated and took several hours. While in the operating room, we used new plates and fixations in the damaged area... Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room," Einav said.

Suleiman Hassan has been discharged from the hospital with a cervical splint. However, he will continue to be carefully monitored by the Hadassah staff.

"The fact that such a child has no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction, and that he is functioning normally and walking without an aid after such a long process, is no small thing," Einav said.

According to a 2003 report from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, out of the 2006 patients who received treatment for spinal cord injuries from 1983 to 2003, a mere 16 individuals were found to have experienced occipital joint dislocation.

"The injury is extremely rare, but we do know that because children between ages four and 10 have heads that are large in relation to their bodies, they are more susceptible than adults," Einav stated.

Internal decapitation carries a low survival rate, often leading to fatal outcomes in most cases. Although limited evidence suggests that children have a higher chance of survival compared to adults, there is insufficient data available for a comprehensive comparison between children and adolescents.

According to the hospital, the father of Hassan was by his bedside during his recovery from the surgery. "I will thank you all my life for saving my dear only son. Bless you all. Thanks to you he regained his life even when the odds were low and the danger was obvious. What saved him were professionalism, technology and quick decision-making by the trauma and orthopaedics team. All I can say is a big thank you," the website quotes him as telling the medical staff.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 18:41 [IST]
Over 7,000 Pilgrims Leave Jammu Base Camp For Amarnath Yatra

India

oi-PTI

Amid tight security, a fresh batch of over 7,000 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left the base camp here early Friday morning for pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Lord Shiva in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

A total of 7,245 pilgrims -- 4,880 men, 1,936 women, 424 seers and six children -- left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the Valley in a convoy of 226 vehicles, they said. The officials said 4,101 pilgrims, headed for the Pahalgam base camp, left in a convoy of 125 vehicles, while another convoy of 101 vehicles carrying 3,144 pilgrims left for the Baltal base camp in the Kashmir Valley.

With this 12th batch of yatris, a total of 72,789 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for the valley since June 30.

So far, as many as 1,62,569 yatris have paid obeisance at the cave shrine and had 'darshan' of the naturally-formed 'Icelingum' since July 1, officials said.

Another Batch Of Pilgrims Leaves For Amarnath Shrine

The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 10:24 [IST]
If PM Modi Is Angry About Manipur, He Must Dismiss The CM: Mallikarjun Kharge

PM Modi Conferred With France's Highest Award During Key Visit

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

French President Emmanuel Macron presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the prestigious Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Thursday (local time), marking a historic moment.

It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi becomes the first Indian PM to receive this honour.

The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace in Paris, where Macron hosted Modi for a private dinner.

Expressing gratitude on behalf of the people of India, Prime Minister Modi thanked President Macron for bestowing this esteemed honor. The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace, where Macron hosted a private dinner for PM Modi.

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on 13 July 2023, by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Arindam Bagchi, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, conveyed his appreciation through a tweet, saying, "A warm gesture exemplifying the spirit of the India-France partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France, by President @EmmanuelMacron."

A warm gesture embodying the spirit of - partnership.



PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron. pic.twitter.com/OyiHCHMDX2  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 13, 2023

India's UPI Now Expands to France: PM Modi In Paris

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The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has previously been bestowed upon distinguished leaders and notable personalities worldwide, including former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles (then Prince of Wales), former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, among others.

This recognition from France adds to the series of prestigious international awards and honors bestowed upon Prime Minister Modi. These include the Order of the Nile from Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu from Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award from the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo from Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit from the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance from Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin from Maldives in 2019, Order of St. Andrew Award from Russia in 2019, Order of Zayed Award from the UAE in 2019, Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan in 2016, and Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudi Arabia in 2016.

Earlier on the same day, President Emmanuel Macron hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a private dinner at his official residence, the Elysee Palace in Paris. PM Modi was warmly welcomed by President Macron and French First Lady Brigitte Macron.

During his two-day official visit to Paris, Prime Minister Modi received a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival at the airport, where he was greeted by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 8:23 [IST]
PM Modi Dials Amit Shah From France, Enquires About Delhi's Flood-Like Situation

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Union Home Minister Amit Shah from France and enquired about the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi, sources said.

During their telephonic conversation, Shah briefed Modi about the flood-like situation and told him that the water level in the Yamuna is expected to recede in the next 24 hours, they said.

In a tweet, the home minister's office said, "PM @narendramodi ji spoke to Union Home Minister @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna river.

PM Modi Conferred With France's Highest Award During Key Visit

"Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch on the situation along with the Lt Governor (of) Delhi. A sufficient number of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations and help the people in need."

Water from the raging Yamuna River inundated several parts of Delhi on Thursday, throwing normal life out of gear and prompting authorities to close all schools and colleges till July 16 and ban the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services.

The prime minister is in France on a two-day visit to attend the Bastille Day celebration.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 8:54 [IST]
If PM Modi Is Angry About Manipur, He Must Dismiss The CM: Mallikarjun Kharge

PM Modi To Join President Emmanuel Macron For French National Day Celebrations

India

oi-PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in France for a two-day official visit, will join President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour here on Friday.

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789. The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations.

A 269-member Indian tri-services contingent will participate in the parade. Three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will also join the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

On Friday, Modi will grace the Bastille Day Parade, meet the president of the French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet and will attend a series of interactions with thought leaders and businesspeople.

PM Modi Conferred With France's Highest Award During Key Visit

According to official sources, Modi's visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

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They said it is uncommon for foreign leaders to be invited as guests of honour on the Bastille Day and the last time it was done was in 2017 when former US president Donald Trump was invited.

''Even rarer is having foreign marching contingents and foreign aircraft participate in it,'' an official said.

There will be a ceremonial reception for Modi at the Elysee Palace and it will be followed by delegation-level talks between Modi and Macron.

The two leaders will also participate in the India-France CEO Forum. Later in the evening, Macron will host a banquet for Modi at the iconic Louvre Museum complex in Paris.

At a media briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the prime minister's visit to France would be rich in ''substance'' and set a ''new benchmark'' for strategic partnership between the two countries in years ahead.

He said Modi and Macron will review cooperation under key pillars of the strategic partnership including security, civil nuclear technology, counter-terrorism, cyber security, space, climate change and integration of supply chains of the two countries.

The foreign secretary said that the two leaders are expected to explore new areas of cooperation in the space sector.

UPI in France, Longer Student Visa: What PM Modi Said In Paris

Expansion of bilateral defence ties is expected to be a key focus of Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit to Paris with groundwork being finalised for New Delhi's procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale jets from France, besides firming up a big-ticket deal to jointly develop an aircraft engine in India.

While declining to comment on specific outcomes in the spheres of defence in the Modi-Macron talks, Kwatra said ways to move the engagement towards ''co-production, co-development and co-design'' of military hardware and linking it to India's priorities for self-reliance is expected to be part of the discussions.

On the 1650 MW nuclear power reactors in Jaitapur in Maharashtra, he said both sides are engaged in intense discussions to resolve all issues including those relating to civil nuclear liability, cost and techno-commercial matters.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to give a go-ahead to the major defence deals that are expected to be announced during Modi's visit.

In a press statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday that Modi's visit to France will provide an opportunity to chart the course of the partnership for the future across diverse sectors such as strategic, cultural, scientific, academic and economic cooperation.

On defence cooperation, the sources said both sides are looking at expanding it further.

India has already procured 36 Rafale jets from France for the IAF. Another important project with France is likely to be a follow-on order of three Scorpene submarines which are set to be manufactured in India.

Under Project 75, six Scorpene submarines have already been made in India.

The French side and its partner Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) are now looking at the additional order of three more Scorpene submarines. The defence ministry is in talks with French defence major Safran for joint development of a fighter jet engine in India to power the country's next-generation aircraft including the futuristic Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Modi will visit Abu Dhabi on July 15 and hold wide-ranging talks with the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to take forward bilateral ties in areas of energy, food security, fintech and defence.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 11:00 [IST]
If Govt Does Not Act, We Will: Supreme Court Warns After 2 Manipur Women Paraded Naked By Mob

Delhi Row Over Services: Will Examine If Parliament Can Abrogate constitutional Principles Of Governance: SC

SC Gets 2 New Judges, Working Strength Rises To 32

India

oi-PTI

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Friday administered the oath of office to Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice S Venkatanarayana Bhatti as judges of the Supreme Court.

With the swearing-in of Justices Bhuyan and Bhatti, the working strength of judges in the apex court has risen to 32 against the sanctioned strength of 34, including the CJI.

The CJI administered the oath of office to the two new judges in a swearing-in ceremony held at the apex court's auditorium here.

The central government had cleared the names of Justice Bhuyan, who was the chief justice of the Telangana High Court, and Justice Bhatti, his counterpart in Kerala, for elevation as judges of the top court on July 12.

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Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had announced the elevation of the two judges on Wednesday.

The apex court collegium headed by the CJI had on July 5 recommended their appointment as judges of the apex court.

Born on August 2, 1964, Justice Bhuyan was appointed as a judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 17, 2011 and was the senior-most judge of his parent High Court (Gauhati).

He was serving as the chief justice of the Telangana High Court since June 28, 2022.

''During his long tenure as a judge of the High Court Mr Justice Bhuyan has acquired significant experience in diverse fields of law. He has acquired specialisation and domain knowledge in the law of taxation. He has also served as a judge of the Bombay High Court dealing with a wide spectrum of cases including taxation.

''His judgments cover wide ranging issues pertaining to law and justice. Mr. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan is a judge with a good reputation for integrity and competence,'' the collegium resolution uploaded on the apex court website had said.

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Justice Bhatti, who was born on May 6, 1962, was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on April 12, 2013 and was the senior-most in his parent high court.

The collegium resolution had noted that the High Court of Andhra Pradesh does not have any representation on the bench of the Supreme Court since August 2022.

Justice Bhatti was transferred to the High Court of Kerala in March 2019 and was serving as the chief justice there since June 1, 2023.

''During his long tenure as a judge of the High Court of Andhra High Pradesh and as a Judge and subsequently as Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala, Mr Justice Bhatti has acquired considerable experience in various branches of law.

''The judgments authored by him dealing with issues in various branches of law stand testimony to his legal acumen and competence. Apart from according representation to the State of Andhra Pradesh, the appointment of Mr Justice Bhatti will provide a value addition in terms of his acquired knowledge and experience. He commands a good reputation and possesses integrity and competence,'' the collegium resolution had said.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 10:55 [IST]
If Govt Does Not Act, We Will: Supreme Court Warns After 2 Manipur Women Paraded Naked By Mob

SC Issues Notice To Maharashtra Speaker Over Disqualification Pleas Against Sena MLAs

India

oi-PTI

The Supreme Court's notice to Maharashtra legislative assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar should now expedite the process of disqualification of 16 MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray, said Sunil Prabhu, chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, on Friday.

Earlier in the day, an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud sought response from the office of the Speaker on Prabhu's plea seeking a direction to expeditiously adjudicate the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other Sena MLAs.

"The Supreme Court notice to the Speaker should now expedite the process of disqualification of 16 MLAs," Prabhu told news agency PTI. He claimed that the court has asked the Speaker the reasons behind the delay in giving a decision on the disqualification pleas.

On Prabhu's plea, the Supreme Court (SC) bench on Friday said, "We will issue notice returnable in two weeks." In his capacity as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, Prabhu had filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and 15 Sena MLAs after their rebellion split the party and caused the collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in June 2022. Shinde then tied up with the BJP to become the CM.

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Prabhu's petition in the SC alleged that Speaker Narwekar was deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the May 11 verdict of the apex court on last year's political crisis in Maharashtra related to the Shiv Sena.

On May 11, the SC ruled that Shinde will continue to be the chief minister of Maharashtra. The top court said it could not reinstate the MVA coalition government headed by Thackeray as the then Sena chief chose to resign without facing a floor test in the wake of Shinde's rebellion. Refusing to disqualify the 16 rebel Sena MLAs, including CM Shinde, the court also said that it could not ordinarily adjudicate disqualification petitions under the anti-defection law and directed Speaker Rahul Narwekar to take a decision on the pending matter within a "reasonable period".

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 15:57 [IST]
Three dogs at the Farmington Pound are seeking their owners or new homes where they can be loved and cared for. Farmington Animal Control, located at 1650 Vargo Road, is open from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. To contact the animal control officer, call 573-631-9521.

Female Cattle Dog mix is still looking for a home. Her owner sadly passed away, leaving her homeless. She is a sweetheart.

Female Australian Shepherd mix was picked up as a stray. She is a sweet dog who would make a great pet.

Male Retriever mix is 8 months old. He is a typically happy, friendly puppy looking for a loving home.

Dogs and cats remain for at least seven days at the Park Hills and Farmington pounds and at least five days at the Desloge Pound to allow owners the opportunity to claim them. After that, they are eligible for adoption or euthanasia. There are no adoption fees, but the Missouri Department of Agriculture requires rescuers to sign a spay/neuter/vaccination commitment.

Contact any other pounds listed for their adoption policies and fees.

Sometimes space does not allow for every pound pup photo to be published. Animals not featured in this story may also be available for adoption.
Time For ISRO To Do More Planet Exploration: Leading Scientist Jayant Murthy

India

oi-Moumi Majumdar

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently launched its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 on July 14 (Friday) from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The rocket aims to soft-land on the moon's surface and this is the second attempt after the Chandrayaan-2's failure in 2019.

To better understand the challenges for Chandrayaan-3, OneIndia's Amrita Das spoke to Senior Professor (Retd) from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Jayant Murthy.

'Time for ISRO to do more planet exploration'

Scientist Murthy thinks that ISRO needs to do more planet exploration. Because as a scientific community, they do not focus on planetary exploration much which includes the moon. They mostly focus on the universe like gravitational work.

'Focus this time is more on Orbiter and Lander of Chandrayaan-3'

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Chandrayaan 3 mission launches off: India begins its journey to the Moon | Watch | Oneindia News

The senior professor said that ISRO has been focusing more on the lander and rover of Chandrayaan-3 this time. Chandrayaan-2 had the orbiter, which is doing a lot of science, so they don't have to reproduce the orbiter to take pictures. They're also focusing on Mission 2's orbiter as a backup for communications, and the instruments are not that much different from its predecessor.

'Chandrayaan-3 will decide India's space future and objectives'

To this, the scientist said that the space program is very important because it keeps science and technology at the heart of a successful nation. He also added that India spends 0.7 per cent of its GDP on basic science including Chandrayaan. Whereas China is spending 2.5 per cent, and they're set to launch Chang'e 6 soon. China has also been receiving positive results from its rover that's already on the moon. He also qualified this with an important message that the space race must be a healthy competition.

Indias Lunar Mission: How Chandrayaan-3 Is Better Than Chandrayaan-2

'We need to spend much more money on research, not less'

Jayant Murthy also believes India needs to spend more money on research, not less. India needs a road map for its space. According to him, India is spending 0.7 per cent of GDP only. If you compare it with trillion dollars of money other countries are spending, then it's nothing. So, we need to look for more missions, not only the lunar ones. India also needs to work on artificial intelligence to broaden the space programme. And this is where ISRO can play an important role in galvanising enthusiasm.

'Experiments to study moon quake, a compositional study of moon rocks'

He also said that the space agency is set to look at the moon quakes, which is fascinating work. Because for a long time, people thought that the moon had no moonquakes. But now we know otherwise.

In conclusion, Prof. Murthy said that the spectacle of a rocket launch is always exciting, but it also has more difficulty than anyone can ever imagine. So be hopeful to see a positive result this time around.
No RSS route march in Tamil Nadu on Sunday; next hearing in SC on 17th of this month

Madras HC wants guidelines on how to arrest a woman after sunset

TN Minister Senthil Balaji's ED Arrest, Judicial Custody Legal: Madras HC

India

oi-PTI

The Madras High Court on Friday held legal the Enforcement Directorate's arrest of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji and subsequent judicial custody granted by a lower court.

Justice C V Karthikeyan, the third judge to hear the matter, following a Division Bench's split verdict on a plea related to the Minister's arrest, held legal the arrest and custody.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy had pronounced a split verdict on the

Habeas Corpus petition filed by Megala, wife of Senthil Balaji.

SC Asks Madras HC to Place Senthil Balaji's Habeas Corpus Plea Before 3-judge Bench

Justice Nisha Banu had held that the ED had no power to seek custody and said the HCP was maintainable. Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy, however, differed.

The ED arrested Senthil Balaji last month in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam that occurred in the state's transport department, and he continues to be a Minister without portfolio.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 17:39 [IST]
24-Year-Old Man Electrocuted To Death While Using Treadmill In Gym In Delhi

Yamuna Water Levels Drop Marginally

India

oi-PTI

After breaching a 45-year record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 208.17 metres at 6 pm on Friday even as several key areas in the city were inundated.

On Thursday, the water level had started rising after remaining stable for three hours and reached 208.66 metres by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the water level stood at 208.57 metres in the early hours of Friday and fell marginally to 208.48 metres at 5 am.

The water level in the Yamuna was 208.42 metres at 8 am. It went down further to 208.27 metres at 1 pm and 208.25 metres at 3 pm. At 6 pm, the reading stood at 208.17 metres.

The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 metres on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978.

Floodwaters reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in central Delhi and submerged the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat as the Irrigation and Flood Control Department's regulator was damaged.

Delhi flood catastrophe wrought by Haryana govt, alleges AAP; BJP hits back

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Friday lashed out at the BJP government in Haryana, accusing it of being responsible for the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi by releasing water in the Yamuna from its Hathnikund barrage.

The BJP hit back, with its Delhi unit chief alleging that the AAP government was "evading responsibility" and blaming other states, as it did during the Covid period Addressing a press conference here, Singh said the BJP MPs in Delhi "could have negotiated" with the Haryana government to tackle the flood-like situation here, but they chose not to.

"Haryana released water from the Hathnikund barrage towards Delhi only and this has caused the flood-like situation here. The chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana should have coordinated to tackle it," claimed Singh, who is an AAP Rajya Sabha member.

He alleged that water from the Hathnikund barrage was released only in the Yamuna canal of Delhi and not towards the east and west canals that flow to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

"Since July 10, the Haryana government has been releasing water in one direction, whereas it could have been distributed evenly in all three states. The Delhi flood is an organised plan. The BJP has purposely pushed the national capital into this situation and made people suffer because of political reasons," Singh alleged.

AAP leader Somnath Bharti termed the flood-like situation in Delhi a "BJP-made disaster." "The east and west canals that flow to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are completely dry. The water flow has been diverted towards Delhi purposely," Bharti alleged.

AAP National spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar claimed that though Delhi witnessed no heavy rain in the last three days, the city's low-lying areas near Yamuna are still inundated, as she concurred with party leaders' view on Haryana being solely responsible for the flood.

"It is unfortunate that the Centre is hell-bent on doing negative politics. It is a man-made disaster," Kakkar alleged.

"All our leaders are on the ground and trying their best to provide relief to people. Why is the water flow diverted towards Delhi only? Accountability must be fixed and questions must be asked," she said.

The BJP's Delhi unit chief Sachdeva alleged no work was done by the city government agencies to desilt the Yamuna river and the drains which led to waterlogging.

"The Yamuna river has lost depth due to lack of desilting and as soon as extra water arrived, the river was in spate. The Kejriwal government has completely failed to combat the flood situation in Delhi. Now, the ministers and AAP leaders are making political statements to mislead the public," he charged.

The AAP should know that the quantity of water released in a river from any barrage or dam is not decided by political leaders but by administrative officers, Sachdeva added.
Who is Dr. Ritu Karidhal? The Inspiring 'Rocket Woman' Driving India's Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission--Chandrayaan 3 on-board the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket here on Friday. The primary objective of this mission is to explore the south pole of the moon.

If successful, India will join the United States, Russia, and China as the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the moon.

Leading the mission is Dr. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava, a prominent scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation. Dr. Karidhal served as the Mission Director for Chandrayaan-2 and Deputy Operations Director for Mangalyaan, India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). She is widely known as the "rocket woman" of India.

Who is Dr. Ritu Karidhal?

Dr. Ritu Karidhal hails from Lucknow and completed her BSc in Physics from Lucknow University. She further pursued an ME degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Dr. Karidhal joined ISRO in 1997 and has since made significant contributions to the organization.

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Historic Moment As Chandrayaan 3 Lifts Off From Sriharikota

Her achievements include receiving the 'ISRO Young Scientist Award' from former President APJ Abdul Kalam and the 'ISRO Team Award for MOM in 2015'. She has also been honored with the 'ASI Team Award' and the 'Women Achievers in Aerospace, 2017' by the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies & Industries (SIATI).

According to the World Economic Forum, Dr. Karidhal has always been fascinated by space and aspired to do something unique. During her early years, she collected newspaper cuttings of ISRO and NASA news reports.

Dr. Karidhal has published more than 20 papers in national and international journals, contributing to the advancement of space exploration and research.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 15:36 [IST]
India Has Taken Very Proactive Approach On Various G20 Priorities: IMF

International

oi-PTI

IMF has said that India has taken a very proactive approach toward making progress on the priorities of the G20 and its presidency's key priorities are enhancing financing for global public goods and strengthening macroeconomic coordination.

India assumed the year-long presidency of the G20 on December 1, 2022, and is hosting over 200 meetings and related events in cities across the country.

The G20, or Group of 20, is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.

''The presidency's key priorities are enhancing financing for global public goods and strengthening macroeconomic coordination across a range of policy areas, including debt, reform of multilateral development banks, or MDDs, and digitalisation,'' Julie Kozack, Director of the IMF Communication Department, said.

Pakistan Receives USD 1.2 Bn From IMF: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar

''India has taken a very proactive approach toward making progress on the various G20 priorities," Kozack told reporters here on Thursday.

She added that India's G20 presidency has been centred on the theme of one earth, one family, one future.

''On debt, India has facilitated tangible progress on understanding and addressing debt vulnerabilities, including through co-chairing the GSDR (Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable) that we just talked about, and helping to find consensus on stepping up implementation of the common framework, very important for debt relief to vulnerable and low-income countries," she said.

On digitalisation, India has a world-class digital public infrastructure that it has been showcasing to other G20 members, Kozack said, adding that under India's G20 presidency, the grouping is further developing its understanding of the opportunities and risks of digitalisation, such as, about the macro-financial implications of crypto assets.

"We are looking forward to continuing working together with India and discussing these issues, along with advancing other G20 priorities at the July G20 meetings and the Leaders' Summit in September," she said in response to a question.

Kozack said that the Managing Director and the first Managing Director will travel to India on July 17 and 18 to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting.

Pakistan: IMF approves billion bailout

The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union (EU).

Collectively, the G20 accounts for 85 per cent of the global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade, and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 14:11 [IST]
Shubham couldn't have enmity with anyone, says father on son's stabbing in Australia

Khalistan Radicals Beat Up Indian Student With Iron Rods In Australia

International

oi-Prakash KL

An Indian student was reportedly assaulted with iron rods by Khalistani radicals in Australia. They allegedly beat the 23-year-old man for opposing the activities of extremist elements.

The victim was on his way to work when 4-5 members attacked him chanting "Khalistan Zindabad" in Sydney's western suburb of Merrylands, according to a report in The Australia Today.

"Today, morning at 5.30 am when I was going to work, some 4-5 Khalistan supporters attacked me," the student, who preferred anonymity, was quoted as saying.

"As soon as I sat in my driving seat, these Khalistan supporters came out of nowhere. One of them opened the left side door of my vehicle and hit me with an iron road on my cheekbone under my left eye," the student, who works as a driver, said.

The Indian student was dragged out of his car and hit by iron rods. He has also claimed that two members of the group video-recorded the assault.

"They were repeatedly raising the slogan "Khalistan Zindabad" the whole time," he was quoted as saying in the report.

"Everything happened within 5 minutes, and they left saying this should be a lesson for me for opposing the Khalistan issue. If not, they are ready to give me more lessons like this," he said.

The report claims that the 23-year-old Indian was taken to Westmead Hospital. He has suffered injuries on his head, leg and arm. However, the New South Wales (NSF) Police were informed about the incident.

"Police have been told a 23-year-old man was walking along Rupert Street before he was assaulted by four men armed with a metal pole," a police spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.

Is Canada Soft On Khalistan Supporters For Votes? Here's What Trudeau Says

"The 23-year-old was allegedly kicked, punched, and hit with the metal pole repeatedly before the four men left the scene in a grey sedan," the spokesperson added.

Responding to the incident, the Member of Parliament for Merrylands said, "There is no place in our local community for extremism or violence of any kind. I have contacted the relevant authorities regarding this incident and will monitor the situation as it unfolds."

It may be recalled that clashes erupted in January between Khalistani activists and pro-India demonstrators, resulting in two distinct brawls during the self-proclaimed 'Punjab independence referendum.
Russia Will Stand Up Against Sanctions And Provocations: Putin at SCO summit

Wagner Chief Is Likely Dead After Rebelling Against Putin: Former US General

Putin Says Russian Mercenary Group Has No Legal Basis So 'Doesn't Exist'

International

oi-PTI

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Wagner private military company "simply doesn't exist" as a legal entity, in comments adding to the series of often bizarre twists that have followed the group's abortive revolt last month - the most serious threat to Putin's 23-year rule amid the war in Ukraine.

"There is no law on private military organisations. It simply doesn't exist," Putin told a Russian newspaper late Thursday, referring to the Wagner group.

Putin recounted to Kommersant his own version of a Kremlin event attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including the group's chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on June 29. That meeting came just five days after Prigozhin and his troops staged a stunning but short-lived rebellion against Moscow authorities.

The meeting was revealed earlier this week by a Kremlin official.

Wagner Chief Is Likely Dead After Rebelling Against Putin: Former US General

Putin said that at the talks, Wagner rejected an offer to keep its troops in Ukraine, where they have played key battlefield roles, under the leadership of their direct commander.

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"All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve," Putin told the newspaper, "And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along." Putin has previously said that Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Russian Defence Ministry, move to neighbouring Belarus or retire from service.

According to Putin, although "many nodded" when he made his proposal, Prigozhin rejected the idea, responding that "the boys won't agree with such a decision." This, Putin said, was one of "several employment options" put forward at the meeting.

During the revolt that lasted less than 24 hours, Prigozhin's mercenaries quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot, before driving to within about 200 kilometres of Moscow. Prigozhin described the move as a "march of justice" to oust the military leaders, who demanded that Wagner sign contracts with the Defence Ministry by July 1.

The fate of Prigozhin and the terms of a deal that ended the armed rebellion by offering amnesty for him and his mercenaries, along with permission, to move to Belarus remain cloudy.

Wagner Chief Prigozhin In Russia: President of Belarus

Wagner mercenaries are completing the handover of their weapons to the Russian military, the Defence Ministry said Wednesday.

Their disarming of Wagner reflects efforts by Russian authorities to defuse the threat they posed and also appears to herald an end to the mercenary group's operations on the battlefield in Ukraine, where Kyiv's forces are engaged in a counteroffensive.

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Story first published: Friday, July 14, 2023, 14:02 [IST]
A study shows that only 17% of Western firms with local Russian units prior to the invasion of Ukraine have exited Russia. Those that remain are paying Moscow billions in taxes, indirectly bankrolling the Ukraine war.
A Russian army commander was sacked after accusing military leadership of betraying troops in Ukraine. The dispute is yet another sign of cracks in the Russian armys leadership structure.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the recent NATO summit in Lithuania with pledges of support and weapons from the defense alliance. What does the long-term security situation look like for Ukraine?
Students are getting ready to return to Charlottesville and the University of Virginia  but not for class.

Midsummers, an unofficial tradition, brings students from UVa and other nearby colleges together for a weekend of festivities in Charlottesville: packed bars, booming parties at fraternity houses and plenty more.

UVa does not host, organize or sanction any parties this weekend, said university spokesman Brian Coy.

But the school is aware of the events.

We are aware that many students return to the area every summer for social events that occur in private residences and establishments off Grounds, and we encourage them to conduct themselves safely and respectfully just as we do during the academic year, Coy told The Daily Progress.

Midsummers has been going on for years, and gatherings did not stop at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, students were dressed down by university leaders for hosting large gatherings and disregarding social-distancing and masking recommendations.

If concerns regarding student behavior arise this weekend or any other time, we will respond according to our customary policies and procedures, Coy said.

Midsummers is in many ways a reboot of a much older, and also unofficial, UVa tradition: Easters.

Easters, dating back all the way to 1898, was a weeklong event that included dances, parties and games.

The early events were originally chaperoned by faculty wives. Students were not allowed to drink alcohol after noon of the day of the party without breaching the universitys honor code.

That changed.

The tradition grew in attendance over the years and Easters evolved into a bacchanal, at one point attracting more than 15,000 people in 1976. Students from up and down the East Coast began traveling to Charlottesville in order to take part in what was known as the best party in the country, according to Playboy magazine. As numbers increased, the use and abuse of alcohol, and other substances, did too.

The height of the Easters celebration was turning water hoses on in Madison Bowl on Rugby Road, transforming Mad Bowl into Mud Bowl. Grain alcohol was mixed in trash cans and music filled the air until the wee hours of the morning. Many local residents boarded up their houses and left town.

After years of this, the school and the city had enough.

Students' well-being and the reputation of UVa became an increasing concern for the university and the Charlottesville community. Easters was last celebrated at UVa in spring of 1982, when it was banned by then-Dean Robert Canevari.
A man connected to the Long Island murders that inspired the 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls was arrested in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday night.
US President Joe Biden's administration will cancel $39 billion in student debt for more than 804 000 borrowers, the Education Department said on Friday, describing the relief as the result of a "fix" to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans.
New York: A team from the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, and the University of Georgia, conducted the largest-ever genomic sequencing study of canine tumours and identified dog genes that can hold potential cure for cancer in humans.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, examined real-world clinical genomic data from 671 pet dogs with cancer across the US and analysed tumour samples to identify genetic mutations driving canine cancers.

These samples were then compared to a large database of nearly 25,000 human tumour samples to identify overlapping mutations between the two species.

The researchers identified 18 mutation "hotspots" that are likely primary drivers of canine cancers. Although 10 of these hotspots have not been previously reported in humans, the remaining eight were shared by humans and dogs.

Many of these hotspots can also be targeted with small molecule drugs that are already approved for human cancer patients. This means canine cancer patients will have increased access to highly effective precision treatments that can replace or augment traditional one-size-fits-all approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.

At the same time, the genetic data from canine tumours can accelerate the development of precision cancer drugs for humans. The findings also showed several previously unreported mutation hotspots in canine cancers, demonstrating their ability to reliably predict whether a tumour is somatic or germline based on tumour tissue alone.

"This study provides the most comprehensive genomic sequencing data on canine cancers, including several previously unsequenced types, and serves as a much-needed resource for comparative oncology," said Shaying Zhao, a professor at the University of Georgia and a co-author of the study.

By addressing the significant gap in genomic data on canine cancers, this study also ushers in an era of precision veterinary medicine through clinical genomics. Prior to this study, fewer than 2,000 canine tumours had been genetically sequenced. This study alone increased the number of canine tumours that have been sequenced by more than 33 per cent, the researchers said.
UPDATE: 12-year-old killed in Damascus murder-suicide was younger brother of killers wife; He will forever be held in my heart

A 34-year-old Hillsboro man is suspected of fatally shooting a 12-year-old boy and then himself in a murder-suicide inside a Damascus home Wednesday night, Clackamas County sheriffs officials said Thursday.

Investigators believe Rickoshay Allen Kerr violated a restraining order against him out of Washington County when he rammed through a closed gate in front of a house on Southeast Delia Street shortly before 6 p.m.

Kerr then crashed his car into the garage and entered the home, where investigators believe he fired at the boy and then turned the gun on himself, sheriffs officials said in a statement. He also killed two dogs in the home, they said.

Sheriffs officials have not released the boys name or said if he is related to Kerr.

Multiple neighbors called 911 about 5:55 p.m. to report seeing a man in the area with a gun. Deputies arrived at the Delia Street home within minutes, according to the sheriffs office.

As they walked toward the home, they fired on a car speeding past them toward the house and shot out two of its tires, sheriffs officials said. The driver was later identified as a concerned family member. No one was hurt, they said.

Deputies entered the house where they found Kerr and the 12-year-old boy dead from gunshot wounds. No one else was inside the home, sheriffs officials said.

Kerrs ex-wife lives on Delia Street and filed for divorce from Kerr in April due to irreconcilable differences. Sheriffs officials did not say whether the home they responded to belonged to Kerrs ex-wife. The two were married in August 2019 and she requested sole custody of their 2-year-old child, according to court records.

Another woman filed for divorce from Kerr in November 2018, six months after they got married in Lincoln County. They share a child, who was also 2 years old at the time of their divorce filing, court records show.

Kerr pleaded guilty in May 2016 to failing to report as a sex offender. He was convicted and sentenced to two years probation. Court records do not indicate what the crime was.

The sheriffs office, the Clackamas County Interagency Major Crimes Team and the county district attorneys office are investigating the killings.

-- Catalina Gaitan, cgaitan@oregonian.com, @catalingaitan_

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A man accused of breaking windows at a Starbucks and a string of other businesses in the Sullivans Gulch neighborhood Thursday morning is facing criminal mischief charges, Portland police said.

He broke windows at seven different buildings near Northeast Broadway Street and Northeast 32nd Avenue around 7 a.m., police said. In addition to Starbucks, the others included a Verizon store and an engraving shop.

Police arrested Fredy Paredes-Kancab, 42, on one count of first-degree criminal mischief, a felony, and five counts of second-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.

North Precinct officers responding to reports of a man smashing windows with a rock found Paredes-Kancab at the scene and took him into custody, according to police.

In a separate case, Paredes-Kancab also faces a felony criminal mischief charge in Washington County for allegedly causing more than a $1,000 worth of damage to a Walgreens in late June, according to court records. He was held in contempt of court after he failed to appear at his last hearing in the case on July 6.

There is no address listed for Paredes-Kancab in the Washington County case, and he is described as homeless in court records.

 Nick Gibson; ngibson@oregonian.com; 971-393-8259; @newsynicholas

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Oregonians feel justifiably smug about some of the states most scenic locations. And this week, Travel + Leisure magazine gave Central Oregon residents a brag-worthy honor, included in the magazines annual feature, Worlds Best Awards. As the introduction explains, readers of Travel + Leisure share their opinions on a broad range of experiences, based on recent trips.

The 2023 edition features 122 lists, and readers had the option to vote for top airlines, airports, cities, cruise ships, destination spas, hotels, islands, luxury villa rental companies, U.S. national parks, and more.

HERE IS OREGON: HereisOregon.com | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

Viewers of NBCs Today show got a glimpse of what readers chose as the top 10 favorite U.S. cities for 2023 during a July 11 segment, in which Travel + Leisure editor in chief Jacqui Gifford spoke with Dylan Dreyer, Sheinelle Jones, Craig Melvin and Al Roker.

The segment revealed that readers top 10 favorite U.S. cities were:

1. Charleston, South Carolina

2. Santa Fe, New Mexico

3. New Orleans, Louisiana

4. Savannah, Georgia

5. Chicago, Illinois

6. Honolulu, Hawaii

7. New York, New York

8. Nashville, Tennessee

9. Alexandria, Virginia

10. San Antonio, Texas

So, where does Oregon come in? Despite not getting national TV attention, a look at Travel + Leisure reveals that the list features readers 15 favorite cities in the U.S. for 2023. That list goes on to mention the following five choices:

11. Williamsburg, VIrginia

12. Bend, Oregon

13. San Diego, California

14. Boston, Massachusetts

15. Asheville, North Carolina

In the entry for Bend, the magazine notes, one reader wrote that Bend has a very great small town atmosphere without necessarily being small town. The entry goes on: Just a 30-minute drive east of Mt. Bachelor, the city is the perfect base from which to spend the day on the slopes and the evening at a brewery or at the Podski, an array of food trucks in the Old Town district that serve everything from Mexican to Thai to charcuterie.

Related story: The best bakeries in Bend.

The voting process, according to Travel + Leisure, involves asking for reader input. Nearly 165,000 Travel + Leisure readers completed the 2023 survey.

Cities were rated on the following criteria: Sights/landmarks; culture; food; friendliness; shopping; and value.

(Miss the Today show segment? You can stream Today content on Peacock; and the show streams live on Fubo, which offers a free trial.)

 Kristi Turnquist

503-221-8227; kturnquist@oregonian.com; @Kristiturnquist

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Summer is the time to enjoy lavender and the lovely purple flower is in peak bloom in southern Oregon.

That means its time for the annual Southern Oregon Lavender Trail Festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

The festival invites visitors to explore six family-run farms in the area, all within about a 45-minute-radius drive from one another. Each farm offers a variety of events and activities. Youll find things such as lavender plants for sale, lavender-infused products (according to Facebook, Kingfisher Farms will have lavender lemon slushies) and lavender U-pick options. Some farms offer classes and demos, such as the lavender herb swag making class at Lavender Ally Farm or essential oil distillation demonstrations at Dos Mariposas Vineyards & Lavender.

There will also be food and drink vendors, live music and  of course  plenty of photo opps in the vast purple fields.

If you explore all six farms and get stamps in the designated passport cards (which you can pick up at any of the six farms), you can enter a gift basket raffle, where the prize is  you guessed it  lavender goodies.

The festival is open this weekend, July 14, 15 and 16. Hours vary by location. Check individual farm websites for the latest.

These are the participating farms:

375 Hamilton Road, Jacksonville, OR 97530; 541-702-2250. Festival hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

970 Cedar Flat Road, Williams, OR 97544; 541-846-7357. Spring hours (April 22 - July 31) 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sunday

5734 Pleasant Creek Road, Rogue River, OR 97537; 541-582-8998. Festival hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

3976 Bellinger Lane, Medford, OR 97501; 541-224-7881. Festival hours: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

7717 Upper Applegate Road, Jacksonville, OR 97530; 541-702-2019. Festival hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

8040 Thompson Creek Road, Applegate, OR 97530; 541-846-0375. Festival hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

 Teresa Mahoney
Since 1983, the Paisley Mosquito Festival has raised money to combat the swarms of mosquitoes that breed in this small (and swampy) southern Oregon town. But a wet spring and a volunteer shortage might finally put the mosquitoes on top.

Unless festival organizer Amy Davis can find someone else to take over the annual Lake County event, this Julys celebration will be its last. In 2022, the Mosquito Festival raised $12,000 toward the citys mosquito spraying efforts.

If we cant have the festival, I dont know what well do, said Missy Walton, city recorder and one of two employees for the city of Paisley. (The other is the public works department of one.) All of this valley is built on a marsh, so you have that, and then a lot of the ranchers around here will flood irrigate, and then we had a wet spring.

Its a trifecta of trouble that means the mosquitos are worse than ever.

Theyre wicked, Walton said.

Theyre very hungry, and theyre very big this year, Davis added. About the time the sun goes down, they start to swarm. Youll look down, and there will probably be 30 mosquitoes on your legs.

This year could be a sign of things to come if mosquito spraying funds arent raised. The city owns a pumper truck but doesnt yet have anyone certified to use it. Theres been no spraying this year, and it shows.

My husband and I have lived here for our entire lives, Davis said, and I have never seen the mosquitoes this bad.

Members of a Mosquito Festival parade entry line up for a photo in 2015.

Things were different when Davis was growing up in Paisley in the 1990s. Thousands of people attended the Mosquito Festival in its heyday. There was a car show, a 10K run, a dance, volleyball tournaments and the coronation of a Miss Quito. Attendees donned homemade mosquito costumes. The town formed a SWAT team that marched in Army fatigues and carried fly swatters, united against a common enemy.

But over the years, attendance has dwindled. In 2019, when the city decided it no longer wanted to run the event, Davis stepped up.

I remembered how fun the Mosquito Festival was when I was a kid, she said, and I wanted to ensure that my children got to enjoy it just as I did.

Shes organized the festival for the past three years, but this is the last time that Davis says she can shoulder the responsibility.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of 2021, and I battled that last year and unfortunately, Mosquito Festival weekend, I ended up overdoing it and hospitalized myself the following week, she said. I just did too much trying to make the festival happen.

Beyond her health concerns, Davis has her hands full running the Chewaucan Station food cart in town. And when her father-in-law passed away in March, she and her husband took over the gas station and laundromat he owned. Davis is also planning to go back to school to get her bachelors degree in special education.

For me, to try to continue tending to my family as well as put on the Mosquito Festival, its just too difficult, she said.

The Paisley community has a population of about 250 people, and many of the residents are older.

We are a very small town, and with that comes a lot of responsibility, Davis said. It takes an army, and unfortunately theres just not enough people around here willing to help with that.

The festival still includes a parade and a barbecue with live music. Theres a splash pad and bounce house for the kids. Volunteers are needed to serve plates at the barbecue, set up tents, announce the parade, and watch over the splash pad.

For the right kind of person, opportunity awaits in Paisley, where the (possibly) oldest bar in Oregon is for sale. Someone could move to town, run the saloon, and be the town hero that keeps the Paisley Mosquito Festival going.

IF YOU GO: The Paisley Mosquito Festival runs July 28-30. Events include a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 29, a barbecue fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at City Park, and a pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday, July 30, at the Paisley Community Center. Rodeo events occur throughout the weekend at the City Arena. Bring your own mosquito repellant. Davis recommends 40% DEET or above. To get more information or to volunteer, email paisleymosquitofestival@gmail.com

-- Samantha Swindler, sswindler@oregonian.com, @editorswindler
The hits just keep coming from the James Webb Space Telescope as NASA released a spectacular new image to mark the one-year anniversary of the start of its science mission.

The shot is of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, a region of space thats in the midst of forming stars.

In just one year, the James Webb Space Telescope has transformed humanitys view of the cosmos, peering into dust clouds and seeing light from faraway corners of the universe for the very first time. Every new image is a new discovery, empowering scientists around the globe to ask and answer questions they once could never dream of, said NASA administrator Bill Nelson in a press release Wednesday.

The new image shows space 390 light years away, although its the closest such star-generating section of the universe to Earth, according to NASA. The shot shows about 50 young stars that are similarly sized or smaller to our solar systems star.

Darker spots in the image are dense with the building blocks of stars, while jets of molecular hydrogen are seen shooting in opposite directions colored in red. These jets occur when a star is born shooting in bipolar paths from the star as it forms out of the cosmic dusts, NASA said.

Webbs image of Rho Ophiuchi allows us to witness a very brief period in the stellar lifecycle with new clarity. Our own sun experienced a phase like this, long ago, and now we have the technology to see the beginning of anothers stars story, said Klaus Pontoppidan, a Webb project scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

Webbs instruments allow for much greater detail than ground- and space-based telescopes, including Hubble.

The $10 billion telescope uses infrared imagery designed to peer back 13.5 billion years near the beginning of the creation of the universe. It finally launched in late 2021, making the trek to about 1 million miles from Earth for its clear view into space. The program is led by NASA but partnered with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

The rollout of images from the space telescope have become media events, including the initial shots in July 2022 and detailed planetary reveals since including last weeks shot of Saturn.

Shots have given scientists the most detailed set of data for a variety of spatial phenomena including some of the most distant black holes and farthest ever seen galaxies. It has spent time looking at exoplanets and been able to determine atmosphere composition, and dug into the chemical makeup of stellar nurseries such as Rho Ophiuchi, including finding water and organic carbon-containing molecules.

Webb has given us a more intricate understanding of galaxies, stars, and the atmospheres of planets outside of our solar system than ever before, laying the groundwork for NASA to lead the world in a new era of scientific discovery and the search for habitable worlds, said Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASAs Science Mission Directorate in the release.

 By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A 39-year-old Salem man who threatened to kill employees of an online stock trading platform in retribution for financial losses he suffered was sentenced Friday to probation with 180 hours of community service.

Christopher David Michalski pleaded guilty in February to one count of interstate communication of threats.

He used the Twitter account Goldshroomsand1 to post repeated threatening messages directed at Robinhood Markets Inc. from May 2021 through March 2022, according to prosecutors.

In one, he threatened to skin the children of Robinhoods chief executive officer in front of him, according to a federal affidavit.

In another, he questioned how many dead financial terrorists I need to collect to redeem the thousands of dollars you stole from me and wrote his own answer, All of them. All of them have to die, above a photo of a rifle and scope, the affidavit said.

A Twitter post in April of last year tagged Robinhoods CEO with police body camera footage from a mass shooting in San Jose, California, and the message: Police cant save you, according to the affidavit. The director of threat assessment at Robinhood, a California-based company, alerted the FBI that month about the tweets.

His conduct was alarming, scary, and extremely frightening to Robinhood employees, whether or not he intended to act on the threats, Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin told the court.

But Kerin said the actions appeared to have been aberrant behavior where a perceived wrong grew into a fixation.

Since Michalskis arrest and release while awaiting sentencing, he has participated in both substance abuse and mental health treatment, the prosecutor said. He has no prior criminal record.

Michalski apologized in court for his behavior.

I feel terrible about what I said, he told U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon. I like to think Im a much better person now.

His defense lawyer, Bear Wilner-Nugent, said his client has made the most of his release pending sentencing.

Hes gone from a lonely, angry and isolated person who was largely focused on the internet to someone who is now engaged with people, his church and community, Wilner-Nugent said.

The judge accepted a joint recommendation from the prosecutor and defense to place Michalski on five years of probation. The community service must be completed within one year.

Simon asked for Michalskis insight on how similar crimes could be thwarted.

Michalski said people should think twice before they say something exceptionally toxic or encourage such on social media.

He said he has disabled his Twitter account and walked away.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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A University of Virginia professors research is lending credibility to mindfulness practices in classrooms.

Her recent study tested the effectiveness of mindfulness practices  something as simple as taking slow, deep breaths during stressful moments  to create healthier learning environments specifically for teachers who experience stress.

Research showed that when implementing mindful practices, teachers well-being improved and students became more engaged.

And now a potential influx of grant money means that the study and research could be scaled for implementation in Charlottesville schools to help students and teachers locally as soon as next year.

Patricia Jennings, UVa School of Education and Human Development professor, has been concerned about classroom environments for about two decades, she told The Daily Progress.

For the last 20 years or so, Ive been concerned about the impact stress has on classrooms and learning environments primarily, because as I spent time previously supervising student teachers, I noticed that when we as teachers get stressed, it interferes with our function in lots of different ways, but primarily what I was concerned about was maintaining an atmosphere in a classroom that is conducive to learning, which needs to feel safe and emotionally supportive, but if teachers are feeling stressed out that can interfere with that ability to do that, Jennings said.

Jennings studied ways to support teachers capacity in creating conducive classrooms through her research. She did that by implementing and testing the efficiency of the CARE professional development program, she said.

CARE, Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education, offers tools and resources to teachers and administrators to help reduce stress and prevent burnout.

It combines mindful awareness practices, compassion practices, emotion skills instruction, and it applies these skills to helping teachers recognize their own stress reactivity in the classroom so that they can manage their stress better and so they can be more present for their students and responsive and that their environments can be more emotionally supportive, Jennings said.

Her study was conducted in New York with more than 200 teachers.

We did a big study of this program in New York City with 224 teachers in 36 elementary schools, and we examined the teachers own well-being; we collected data on that, Jennings said. We also observed their classrooms and coded them to see if the environment improved in terms of its capacity to support learning, and then we also collected data on the students, teachers reports on students.

Some stressors managed through the CARE program were interactions.

The stress that we were addressing in the CARE program was the kind of stress that occurs in the classroom, like the interactions between teachers and students and interactions among students, Jennings said.

The study led Jennings to think more about the added layers of stress at a system level, she said.

Like, for example, the demands on teachers to follow certain kinds of expectations, the limited resources theyre often given, so theyre trying to operate with not enough of what they need, theyre not paid as well as they probably should be, and so that some of those stressors these mindfulness techniques are not going to help, Jennings said.

Teachers are taught to normalize stress and know the signs, but they are also given tips to manage, according to Jennings.

We explain that all to them so that it normalizes the stress experience, but then we give them the tools to recognize when thats happening and then tools to calm themselves down intentionally and one of those tools is to just take a couple of slow long deep breaths, mindfully, like paying attention to how it feels to take a couple of deep breaths that can lower the stress response, Jennings said.

The findings of the study were consistent with her goal to find a way to help teachers.

What we found, which was very exciting, was that the teachers well-being improved, their stress response was reduced, their psychological distress was reduced, and their classrooms were more emotionally supportive, Jennings said. So that was really exciting. And then we also found that the students were more engaged and motivated and their reading competence improved.

Jennings is submitting a grant proposal to scale CARE by making it more feasible to implement and test the strategy and the efficacy of the modified version, she said.

Im submitting a grant this week to the Department of Education to find ways to scale this program better because we find it is pretty intensive and its been challenging to scale it, but were hoping to get a big grant to do this and if we do were going to be offering it in Albemarle County and Charlottesville, but that wont happen until the fall of 2024, Jennings said.

Johnson Elementary School in Charlottesville conducted a pilot with Jennings as part of the Compassionate Schools Project, according to Beth Cheuk, spokeswoman for Charlottesville City Schools. The project, similar to CARE, offers mindfulness and well-being practices for educators.

The mindfulness pilot was a hit with both teachers and students, Allison Pillow, a Johnson Elementary counselor, told The Daily Progress. For students especially, the breathing exercises were invaluable, allowing them to recenter themselves, taking a pause in their day. I would be happy to see this project help more schools, families and students.
A 24-year-old Portland man accused of stabbing a man to death outside The High Dive bar in Southeast Portland earlier this month was indicted by a Multnomah County grand jury Thursday on murder and bias-crime charges.

Rahnique Usef Jackson is facing one count of second-degree murder, one count of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of a second-degree bias crime stemming from the death of 32-year-old Portland resident Colin Smith, according to the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office.

Jackson allegedly stabbed Smith outside the bar on Southeast 12th Avenue around 2 a.m. on July 2, after Jackson allegedly harassed an LGBTQ+ person in Smiths group of friends, according to Smiths ex-girlfriend Paulina Solis and court records.

Smith, a server at the popular Northeast Portland restaurant Ox, and his friends were sitting at the bars outside tables when Jackson came over to harass them, according to court documents.

Solis, who was not at the bar, told the Oregonian/OregonLive last week that Smith and his friends had been having trouble with Jackson after he inappropriately touched a member of their group and then began taking aim at a friend of Smiths who is LGBTQ+.

Employees of the bar told investigators that Jackson had been sitting at the bar top with some friends celebrating a birthday prior to the altercation, according to court records. Employees said Jackson seemed to be in a bad mood and left the bar top after one of the bartenders made a joke about his lack of tipping, according to court records. He began harassing Smiths group as he walked past them outside, the employees said.

Members of Jacksons group told investigators they saw Jackson and another friend arguing with a group of people that was sitting outside, which included Smith, and described Jackson as out of control and angry, court documents state. The argument escalated into a fight at the intersection of Southeast Madison Street and 12th Avenue, where members of Jacksons group said they saw Smith step back and fall to the ground a short while later. Jackson fled the scene as people nearby called 911.

Jackson was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service last Friday.

Smith was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, and moved to Portland within the last decade. He loved to cook and to host dinner parties for his friends, Solis said. He had worked at Ox for more than two years, and before that at Baby Doll Pizza. He hoped to eventually open his own restaurant, his sister Danielle Smith told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

He was a protector, Solis said. He died being the person that we all knew him to be.

 Nick Gibson; ngibson@oregonian.com; 971-393-8259; @newsynicholas

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Gov. Tina Kotek has placed the top employee at the Oregon Workers Compensation Board on paid administrative leave, months after a mysterious investigation into her conduct was completed.

Constance Wold, whom Gov. Kate Brown appointed as board chair of the 79-employee agency in 2017, was placed on administrative leave Thursday, a day after The Oregonian/OregonLive revealed that the state paid a lawyer more than $42,000 to conduct an investigation into workplace complaints against Wold.
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission on Friday authorized a full investigation into former Secretary of State Shemia Fagans contract to do private work for a troubled cannabis company, an arrangement that ultimately led to her resignation in May.

Fagan, once a rising star in Oregon Democratic politics, has previously said she broke the publics trust in taking the $10,000-a-month consulting contract in February with a couple who own Veriede Holdings, an affiliate of cannabis chain La Mota.
Oregons ethics board overruled its staff Friday and dismissed a complaint against the former director of the Port of Morrow regarding his role in awarding tax breaks to an Amazon data center in 2018.

The ports longtime director, Gary Neal, is one of four officials in Morrow County who purchased a local company called Windwave Communications for $2.6 million in 2018. Neal acquired a 20% stake in the business, according to the ethics commission.
Is there a new episode of 60 Days In airing tonight? Unfortunately, no, there will not be a new episode tonight, July 13, but the jail-based reality show is back again next week with Episode 5 from Pitt County Jail. Catch up on past episodes tonight, or find out what goes down when 60 Days In Season 8, Episode 5 airs at 9 p.m. PT/ET on Thursday, July 20 with a live broadcast on A&E, or streaming on demand shortly after.

 WATCH: 60 Days In Season 8, Episode 5 for free when it debuts with Philo (free trial), or catch up on all episodes of the show streaming for free on demand right now.

What is 60 Days In and what is the show about?

This season of 60 Days In takes place in Pitt County, North Carolina. The cast is composed of seven total participants who will enter the detention center to try and spend 60 days inside the jail. You can see a preview of whats to come in the 60 Days In Season 8 trailer.

In case you havent seen the show, this series follows civilians who give up their regular lives for 60 days in order to go undercover in a jail to help the warden, and law enforcement, better understand the challenges they face by informing about the goings on behind bars within their facility. You can watch current and past episodes of 60 Days In on demand for FREE when you sign up for Philo (free trial).

Who is on Season 8 of 60 Days In? A look at the cast

The show follows seven civilian participants as they go undercover in North Carolinas Pitt County Detention Center on a mission to help change the facility for the better. With a large part of her command staff retiring, and after an inmate recently overdosed from drugs, Sheriff Paula Dance will be relying on the seven participants to evaluate new hires and test protocols they have in place to ensure the jail can be a safe place for both inmates and staff. The cast members have not yet been revealed, but the cast member names and bios all appear on the Cast section of the 60 Days In website.

HOW TO WATCH

What: 60 Days In - Season 8, Episode 5 (New Clown, Same Circus)

When: Episode 5 airs on Thursday, July 20 at 9 p.m. PT/ET (new episodes drop every Thursday at 9 p.m.)

TV Channel: A&E

Watch the show live streaming online: If you dont have cable, you can watch the episode live, or on demand for free with Philo (free trial). If you have run out of free trials with this service, keep in mind that Philo is the cheapest TV streaming service on the market and costs just $25/month for the service and you can cancel anytime. If you already have cable or satellite service, you can sign in with you login information and watch new and past episodes of 60 Days In on AETV.

You can find out more about which channel A&E is on by using the channel finders here: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.

More information on how to stream live TV, sports events and movies on the cheap:

 What is Philo? The cheapest live TV streaming service: Cost, what it includes

 How to watch DAZN on your TV: What is it, what does it cost and include? Boxing fights, MMA and more

 How to watch ESPN+ on TV: What is it, what does it cost and include?
Portland is facing a hot weekend with temperatures in the 90s through at least Saturday, and were not alone.

The National Weather Service is watching dangerous heat thats stretching from the West Coast to the Gulf Coast affecting at least 93 million people through the weekend.

Broad upper ridging building in the region beginning Friday and into Saturday will bring warmer temps to the metro area. Much of western Oregon is under a heat advisory warning of temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s. The advisory is set to expire 9 p.m. Saturday.

Portland will have sunny skies all day Friday and a high of about 91 degrees. Temperatures will cool overnight to about 62 degrees offering some relief from the high temps.

Saturday will be even warmer, but the chances of Portland reaching 100 degrees Saturday are almost none (at 1-3%). Under sunny skies, the weather service is expecting a high of about 93 degrees.

Parts of the central and southern Willamette Valley could reach 100 on Saturday. Salem and Eugene have a 20-30% chance of reaching triple digits with the better shot landing in Salem. The forecasted highs in those areas are 95-98.

If you have plans to spend a significant amount of time outside on Saturday, remember to take frequent breaks in the shade, stay hydrated, and check on those more vulnerable to hot temps including the elderly, those with health issues, and small children.

Portlands quick blast of summer heat isnt sticking around long. By Sunday temperatures are expected to ease back into the high 80s. The ridge thats been bringing the heat is expected to move further east into eastern Montana and Wyoming. Chances of Portland reaching 90 on Sunday have dropped to about 40-60%. Salem and Eugene could still have temps in the 90s on Sunday.

The extended forecast is showing a significant cooldown Monday with temperatures dropping below normal for mid-July. Theres even a slight chance of rain in some locations, including along the northern Oregon coast and in the Coast Range.

A system near the Gulf of Alaska will move into the region and bring clouds and much cooler air. Portland has a 20% chance of showers before about 11 a.m. and even under mostly sunny skies, should only see temps in the mid-to-upper 70s.
Avelo Airlines, a bargain carrier that flies in and out of Eugene Airport, will be adding service to Salem Municipal Airport, bringing commercial flights closer to Linn and Benton counties.

The company announced the news Thursday, July 13.

Flights out of Salem will connect to Los Angeles, via Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and Las Vegas.

Avelo is the first commercial airline serving Salem Municipal Airport (SLE) in nearly 15 years, according to the company. It made the move to tap into the Willamette Valley market, which is home to 70% of Oregons population.

Service begins early October, the company said in a news release.

Introductory one-way fares between SLE and Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport and BUR start at $39. Customers can make reservations at AveloAir.com.

Avelo will operate twice-weekly nonstop service on Thursdays and Sundays between Salem and Las Vegas beginning Oct. 5, 2023.

Twice-weekly nonstop service on Fridays and Mondays between Salem and BUR begins Oct. 6. This route will then adjust to Thursdays and Sundays on Nov. 2.

Both routes will utilize Boeing 737 aircraft, according to the release.

"As the first airline to serve the capital city in nearly 15 years, Avelo makes getting to your favorite destinations easier and more affordable than ever," Avelo Airlines Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said in the release.

The mayor of Salem, Chris Hoy, issued a statement: This is a bright day for Salems future. As our city continues its coming of age journey, commercial passenger air service will make investing in our city easier and will make the world a little more accessible for our residents who travel."
The judicial branch of Oregon has shut down a long-running drug treatment and crime prevention program in Benton County, lauded as a mentor to drug courts across the country.

An elected leader said Benton County Drug Treatment Court largely was successful diverting people with drug-related charges away from incarceration, even after Oregon decriminalized drug use and made it less likely for someone to end up in the program.

It kept a lot of people out of jail, Commissioner Xan Augerot said.

A chief financial officer told county elected leaders Tuesday, July 11 that Benton County Drug Treatment Court was ended, effective immediately.

Its just painful all around, Rick Crager said.

Court officials asked the county in June for support running a 22-year-old program they said successfully diverted people out of the criminal justice system and into behavioral and mental health programs, saving the judicial system many thousands of dollars.

District Attorney John Haroldson and Matthew Donohue, the circuit court judge overseeing the program for downward judicial dispositions, said drug court couldnt keep running without the county stepping in to apply for and disperse grant funding.

It looks like winding down our drug treatment court may be the only option, Donohue said.

Donahue said drug court failed to contract with someone to provide treatment to people with drug and alcohol addiction, and was out of line with best practices.

What were asking the county to do is to fill the gaps, Donohue said.

People who end up at drug court are there from higher courts. Donahue and Haroldson said police arrest people for theft and breaking into cars, sometimes to afford drugs.

Those property crimes arent as severe as violent crimes, and the courts reduce or dismiss charges in exchange if the accused promise to seek housing and counseling for addiction.

What is happening is youre reducing recidivism, Donahue said.

The judicial drug treatment program basically uses the courts authority to oversee and punish to enforce accountability.

Drug court binds its participants to a graduation plan that requires coping skills and education about addiction; housing; sobriety; and building a support system.

The Oregon Judicial Department found 94% of participants had no new felony or misdemeanor charges within a year of graduating from drug court programs across the state.

The court also keeps those with relatively low-ranking charges out of Benton Countys jail, and out of the countys circuit court system where trials are gumming up the courthouse, Donahue said.

Crager told Benton County commissioners in July the local government didnt have the funding to help run the court.

It was obviously a difficult meeting from the perspective of the great work and history of this program, Crager said.

A federal grant funding application due in September was too fast-approaching for the county to respond to the courts request, Crager said.

Crager said court officials plan to rejuvenate the drug treatment program, possibly bringing back the court in 2024.

Related stories:
Angel Studios Statement on SOUND OF FREEDOM and AMC Theaters

Support from Theatrical Partners Continues to Grow, with Over 450 New Theaters Added for Upcoming Weekend

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Angel Studios

July 13, 2023

PROVO, Utah, July 13, 2023 /Standard Newswire/ -- Angel Studios, a platform and studio empowering filmmakers to crowdfund, create, and distribute films and TV series globally, backed by more than 70,000 investors in the Angel Guild, is issuing the following statement regarding rumors about AMC theaters and the SOUND of FREEDOM.

"We understand there are rumors--predominantly in social media--that AMC theaters have made it difficult for fans to see SOUND of FREEDOM in local AMC theaters, and we want to make it clear these rumors are not accurate," states Brandon Purdie, Head of Angel Theatrical Distribution. "AMC has been an outstanding partner for Angel Studios, and in fact, as a result of the movie's performance and consumer demand, AMC has agreed to add additional screens for SOUND OF FREEDOM this weekend. "Angel Studios and the producers of SOUND OF FREEDOM are asking our fans to support AMC, and all of our other theatrical partners. Summer is the busiest season for people working in theaters, so we ask that anyone attending a screening of SOUND OF FREEDOM show kindness to their local theater staff. We have the best movie fans in the business. Let's continue to show theaters the love that Angel supporters are known for." Support from Angel's theatrical partners has been the backbone of the success of SOUND of FREEDOM. AMC has been a key advocate, with the film showing in nearly all AMC theaters, which have sold over one million tickets.

Angel Studios thanks all of its partners in exhibition on the Sound of Freedom release:

AMC

Cinemark

Regal

Marcus Theatres

Harkins Theatres

Cineplex Cinemas

Landmark Cinemas

B&B Theatres

Megaplex Theatres

Malco Theatres

National Association of Theatre Owners

Independent Cinema Alliance

Along with the 200 additional theater chains in North America.

SOUND OF FREEDOM is based upon the true story of former government agent Tim Ballard who quit his job to rescue a little girl from sex traffickers in the Colombian jungle. In the process, Tim ended up saving 123 people, 55 of which were children, from one mission alone.

About Angel Studios: Angel Studios is the home of stories that amplify light. Through its platform, thousands of "Angel" investors choose which titles will be created, funded, and distributed. Angel Studios allows creators and audiences to form passionate communities around their creative projects, making the story behind the story as important as the final project itself. The studios' first projects--The Chosen and Dry Bar Comedy--have earned billions of views around the world. Learn more at angel.com

SOURCE Angel Studios

CONTACT: 323-538-2130, Press@angel.com
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian Armed Forces claim to have neutralized 22 terrorists, destroyed 12 motorbikes and recovered 14 AK-47s, three PKMs and various other items from terrorists in the Sokolo area of the Niono Cercle (Centre), according to a press release from the Armed Forces General Staff
New York, US (PANA) - The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Thursday that he is investigating fresh allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region of Sudan, including the recent killings of 87 members of the ethnic Masalit community, reportedly carried out by the Rapid Security Forces (RSF) and its militia
Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The US says it is providing $100 million to support critical agricultural development programmes as it continues to be at the forefront of tackling global food insecurity
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA)  The Jacob Zuma Foundation on Friday rejected speculation that the former President will return to jail to serve the remainder of his prison sentence
Photo: (Photo : Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)

New bipartisan legislation aims to address the challenges faced by military spouses in finding employment by expanding remote work opportunities. The Military Spouse Employment Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, has passed unanimously in the Senate and seeks to simplify the federal remote work application process for military spouses.

Impact of the Military Spouse Employment Act

Currently, military spouses face difficulties maintaining steady employment due to frequent relocations associated with their spouses' service. The proposed bill would enable military spouses to pursue remote work careers through federal agencies while moving with their spouses.

By streamlining the application process for remote federal jobs, the legislation offers increased flexibility and access to a wider range of employment options for military spouses. This change is especially significant as it allows military spouses to apply for positions across federal agencies throughout the United States, rather than being limited to those in proximity to military bases.

The struggles that military spouses like Lindsay Mendoza had finding employment because people assumed she would leave when her husband deployed serve as evidence of the need for such legislation. Remote work has provided Mendoza with the flexibility she needs to address concerns such as childcare and a consistent income.

According to ABC, the bill's impact extends beyond individual military spouses. It has the potential to positively influence military recruitment and retention efforts. By providing broader employment options, the legislation offers additional incentives for individuals to consider military service, which is particularly crucial given recent recruitment challenges faced by various branches of the military.

Moreover, remote work opportunities can help address issues such as food insecurity, which is prevalent among military families. Additional income generated through remote employment for military spouses can alleviate financial burdens and provide support to families struggling with food insecurity.

Read Also: Florida Will Let Military Veterans Teach Students in Answer to Teacher Shortage

Military Spouse Employment Act Proposes Solutions for Frequent Relocation Challenges

The bill's passage in the House is highly anticipated, given its bipartisan support and expected low cost. The proposed legislation has garnered co-sponsorship from both Republicans and Democrats, highlighting the broad consensus on the importance of supporting military spouses in their employment endeavors.

While the bill represents a significant step forward, there is still work to be done to dispel the misconception that military spouses are uninterested in joining the workforce. Military spouses, who often face frequent relocations every two to three years, would greatly benefit from the availability of remote positions that allow for job stability and continuity regardless of their geographic location.

If the bill becomes law, it is expected to have negligible net changes in direct spending by federal agencies, as adjustments can be made to reflect changes in operating costs. The legislation also includes a provision for the Government Accountability Office to report on the use of remote work by federal agencies, which would incur an estimated cost of $1 million over the 2023-2028 period.

The Military Spouse Employment Act represents a crucial step toward empowering military spouses through remote work opportunities. By addressing employment challenges and providing greater job flexibility, the legislation aims to support the well-being of military families and ensure that the valuable skills and contributions of military spouses are recognized and utilized in the workforce.

Related Article: Military Implements New Parental Leave Policy, Giving 12 Weeks for Birth, Non-Birth Parents
Photo: (Photo : LIU JIN / Getty Images)

North Carolina health officials have issued a fish consumption advisory in response to concerns over contamination by perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), a substance classified as a 'forever chemical.'

The advisory recommends limits on the consumption of certain freshwater fish from the middle and lower Cape Fear River, spanning from Fayetteville to Wilmington, due to elevated levels of PFOS found in the fish.

Fish Consumption Advisory Recommendations

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) recently conducted tests on fish samples collected from the Cape Fear River area.

According to NC Child, the results revealed the presence of PFOS, a member of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) group, which are known for their resistance to environmental degradation. PFAS substances are commonly referred to as 'forever chemicals' due to their persistent nature.

According to the NCDHHS, long-term exposure to PFAS has been linked to various health effects, including an increased risk of certain cancers, especially in children and adults. Other states have also issued similar advisories to limit the consumption of fish contaminated with PFAS.

The recently issued advisory outlines specific recommendations for different species of fish and target groups.

Women of child-bearing age and children are urged to avoid consuming bluegill, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, redear, and striped bass caught from the affected portions of the Cape Fear River. Other adults are advised to limit their consumption of these species to just one meal per year.

According to the Associated Press, for American shad, blue catfish, and channel catfish, the advisory recommends that women of child-bearing age and children consume only one meal per year, while other adults may consume up to seven meals annually.

The NCDHHS emphasized that the advisory was developed using a newly released PFOS reference dose provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

As a result, the limits imposed by North Carolina are more stringent compared to those in many other states.

Emerging Concerns over PFAS

PFAS are emerging as a significant public health concern, with various potential sources of exposure. These include contaminated drinking water, food, indoor dust, certain consumer products, and workplaces. Communities that frequently catch and consume fish may experience higher levels of PFAS exposure.

Studies have highlighted the negative effects of PFAS on growth, learning, and behavior in children, reduced fertility, impaired thyroid function, elevated cholesterol levels, weakened immune system response, and an increased risk of certain cancers, such as testicular and kidney cancer.

According to NCDHHS, Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the importance of providing residents with recommendations to make informed decisions regarding fish consumption, particularly for those who regularly catch and eat fish from the affected area of the Cape Fear River.

Read Also: Gerber Baby 2023 Revealed: Maddie Mendoza, A Symbol of Hope as a Rainbow Baby

Similar Advisories in Other States

North Carolina is not alone in issuing site-specific PFAS fish advisories. States like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin have also implemented such advisories, which range from complete avoidance to recommended consumption limits of one meal per week. However, North Carolina's advisory stands out for its use of the newly released lower reference dose for PFOS, ensuring enhanced protection for its residents.

In addition to PFAS concerns, North Carolina already has existing fish advisories related to mercury and other contaminants. The state continues to monitor and address potential risks to safeguard public health.

Dr. Zack Moore, NCDHHS State Epidemiologist, acknowledged the community's long-standing requests for information on PFAS in fish, especially following the discovery of GenX in the Cape Fear River.

While acknowledging the complexity of the situation, officials hope that providing this information will empower residents to make the best decisions for themselves and their families when it comes to consuming fish from the affected area.

Related Article: FDA Approves Opill as First Over-the-Counter Hormonal Contraceptive Pill in the U.S
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Timothy F. Kauffman was raised Catholic, converted to Protestantism in 1990, and is now a Presbyterian (PCA). He has written, I was saved out of Roman Catholicism, and into Christianity, . . . Roman Catholicism was out of accord with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy is author of the books, Quite Contrary: Biblical Reconsiderations of the Apparitions of Mary (1994), Graven Bread: The Papacy, the Apparitions of Mary, and the Worship of the Bread of the Altar (1995), and is co-author with Robert M. Zins, of A Gospel Contrary!: A Study of Roman Catholic Abuse of History and Scripture to Propagate Error (April 24, 2023). He has been blogging about theology and Catholicism since 2014. His words will be in blue; those of St. Ignatius of Antioch in green.

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I will be responding to an article of Timothys about St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 50  c. 110): specifically the portion regarding his view of bishops, and how this relates to his alleged acceptance of sola Scriptura. Ill be addressing the section of his article where he critiques the following Catholic opinion: Authority in the Church is exercised by bishops who are successors of the Apostles (apostolic succession).

The issue of authority is directly related to the question of the rule of faith: what is the Christians authority? What is infallible authority and what is not? What is the nature of this authority? Sola Scriptura (as classically defined by Protestants) means that Scripture is the only final infallible norm and source and standard (rule of faith) for Christian doctrine and faith. It follows from this, that neither the Church, nor ecumenical councils, nor popes, nor bishops, nor sacred, apostolic tradition, nor apostolic succession are infallible sources of authority.

Even if we find a quote where a Church father seems (at first glance) to be stating something akin to sola Scriptura (since he is writing about the Bible without immediate reference to Church or tradition), we must examine what he believes about the (binding?, infallible?) authority of tradition, the Church (including ecumenical councils and bishops), and apostolic succession, because the rule of faith has to do with the relation of all those things (all but Scripture being non-infallible, according to sola Scriptura).

With this in mind, we proceed to determine what St. Ignatius of Antioch believed about bishops, and how it relates to sola Scriptura, and the opposing Catholic rule of faith (Bible-Tradition-Church all being infallible).

Timothy sets the historical context of St. Ignatius letters:

At the time of Ignatius letters, the Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter had been circulating in Asia Minor. In addition to its claim that Jesus did not have a physical body, it also claimed that bishops and deacons had not really received their authority from God, . . . Such teaching was not only dangerous. It was unbiblical. The bishops and deacons had indeed received their authority legitimately, as the Scriptures plainly attest (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1:5; 1 Peter 5:1-5). The sheep were not to heed such ungodly gnostic instruction, and were by no means to attempt to rebel against godly church officers. To that end, Ignatius instructed the flocks of Asia Minor to submit to their elders who had indeed received their authority from God.

This is how he interprets St. Ignatius many statements about bishops. The high authority that Ignatius gives to bishops is directly caused by a polemical and apologetical intent against the Gnostics. Timothy cites Ignatius to bolster his hypothesis (all bolding and italics his own):

Was the bishop too quiet? He ought to be revered for his silence, for we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household (to the Ephesians 6). Was the bishop too young? The flock ought not treat your bishop too familiarly on account of his youth yielding all reverence, having respect to the power of God the Father (to the Magnesians, 3). In fact, this theme emerges constantly in his letters, as he attempts to correct the gnostic teaching that bishops and deacons were not appointed by God. How should Ignatius respond to such a threat? Simple: remind the sheep that bishops and deacons were appointed by God. The following quotes are only a sample of this:

It is therefore befitting that you should in every way glorify Jesus Christ, who has glorified you, that  and that, being subject to the bishop and the presbytery, you may in all respects be sanctified. (to the Ephesians 2)  with your most admirable bishop, and the well-compacted spiritual crown of your presbytery, and the deacons who are according to God. (to the Magnesians 13)  reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrim of God, and assembly of the apostles. (to the Trallians 3) I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal and enduring joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the bishop, the presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ. (to the Philadelphians greeting)  follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God (to the Smyrnans 8) Give heed to the bishop, that God also may give heed to you. My soul be for theirs that are submissive to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons, and may my portion be along with them in God! (to Polycarp, 6)

This is all fine and dandy. Catholics dont have the slightest beef with this line of argument or the fact that St. Ignatius thought in such a way. Its perfectly harmonious with our outlook and our ecclesiology.

But its all beside the point of the Catholic-Protestant discussion of authority. The question at hand, between us, is not whether bishops had authority and should be obeyed (of course they did and should have been). Rather, the question is whether Ignatius attributes infallibility to bishops. If he does so, he cant possibly believe in sola Scriptura, by definition. And if he denies that, then he thinks like a Catholic regarding authority, not like a Protestant.

Timothy proved his case well with citations. Now I shall attempt to demonstrate that St. Ignatius attributed an authority  ostensibly infallible  to bishops that is anathema to Protestantism and sola Scriptura. Luther rebelled against the Church in part to get away from such compulsory authority. St. Ignatius wrote:

That sounds profoundly authoritative to me! It sounds like it very well could have been intended as teaching episcopal infallibility. Ignatius clearly didnt think a Christian was allowed to disagree with his or her bishop. Submitting to them was the equivalent of being subject to God or the Lord Himself. It had to be a pure, undivided submission, indeed like that of Jesus to the Father (absolute 100% agreement and complete oneness).

That in no way is consistent with sola Scriptura, which holds that only the Bible is infallible, and therefore, that the Christian individual, Bible in hand, can correct bishops and dissent from them as necessary, according to their private judgment and consciences. Ignatius (like Jesus and Paul) would have been given a dunce cap to wear at a Protestant seminary, before he flunked out altogether, as a biblically ignorant troublemaker.

Ignatius conception of the authority of bishops was not John Calvins. A brief examination and critique of Calvins views might be helpful at this juncture. Calvin wanted to emphasize Gods sovereignty, which is good, but seems to repeatedly deny it when it comes to examining how God leads men for His sovereign purposes.

This approach even defeats the purpose and utility of Calvins own book, Institutes of the Christian Religion, if the next Christian can simply say, thats just Calvins opinion. What does it have to do with me? It undermines my confidence in Christ to determine my own doctrines; therefore, I reject it as irrelevant. I have the Holy Spirit, and my Bible. Who needs Calvin? If a persons argument undermines the very words he is writing, then we must step back and examine the faulty premises.

Folks who are equally led by the Spirit do in fact arrive at different interpretations of Scripture. Authoritative dogma and boundaries are always required, for that reason. God knew this, which is why He set up an authoritative teaching Church, not a system of individualistic subjectivism: itself far more a secular Enlightenment or Romantic or eastern religious concept than a biblical one. Calvin stated:

Men of sense see how great the danger is if so much authority is once conceded to men. They see also how wide a door is opened for the jeers and cavils of the ungodly, if we admit that Christians are to receive the opinions of men as if they were oracles. (Institutes, IV, 8:15)

Here again is the hostility to the idea of God using sinners as His instruments, for His purposes. Calvin doesnt have faith enough to believe that God could do that. Every writer of Scripture was an oracle because he wrote inspired words. If one can believe in that miracle, as Calvin does, the gift of infallibility requires less faith. Yet he rejects the latter, as it it were at all impossible for God to accomplish, or something He likely

wouldnt do. Apostles already spoke with extraordinary authority. Why not the Church?

Why should we take the opinion of the individual layperson over the opinion of the bishop? Why should we, moreover, assume that a lone individual has a superior interpretation of Scripture and theological tradition, over against an assembly of many learned bishops (that is, an ecumenical council)? Or if a group today (some dreaded committee of some denomination) decides to overrule Nicaea or Chalcedon, etc., why should we accept their corporate dogmatic authority more than Nicaeas or Chalcedons (or Pope Leo the Greats)?

We see, then, that this thinking is arbitrary at every turn, and it always, inevitably logically reduces to radical individualism and doctrinal relativism, when one rejects the traditional understanding of Christian authority. It breaks down as soon as a few penetrating questions are asked. Calvin stands as a judge over bishops and councils, which declare that such-and-such a doctrine is biblical and true; Calvin says otherwise. So now we are supposed to bow and accept his authority as Gods Oracle? He cant be infallible because it contradicts sola Scriptura. Therefore, he can be dissented against. Yet he complains about the popes having too much theological pull and power and say?

I have long argued that a guy like John Calvin, or even ones local pastor, has far more direct influence over the Protestant individuals day-to-day Christian life than popes have over Catholics lives.

But Timothy continues:

[W]e can say plainly that Ignatius did not believe that lay Christians must be under the authority of a successor to the Apostles. . . .

And Ignatius . . . was very much aware of that problem: Apostolic succession was not a reliable metric of truth.

To the contrary, Ignatius placed even the presbyters on the level of the apostles and their authority:

[Y]our presbyters [preside] in the place of the assembly of the apostles . . . (Epistle to the Magnesians, ch. 6) [Y]ou . . . should also be subject to the presbytery, as to the apostle of Jesus Christ, . . . (Epistle to the Trallians, ch. 2) [L]et all reverence . . . the presbyters as the . . . assembly of the apostles. (Epistle to the Trallians, ch. 3) See that you all follow . . . the presbytery as you would the apostles; . . . (Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, ch. 8)

They were to submit to the officers of the church if the bishops and deacons were faithful to the Scriptures, and if they were not faithful to the Scriptures, the Ephesians were not obligated to submit to them.

Timothy doesnt adequately document where Ignatius supposedly taught this. He seems not to have addressed or considered a conundrum or scenario where a bishop teaches something clearly false (thus, he may possibly have thought that they were indefectible in doctrine, like Catholics believe is the case with popes). This goes beyond, by the way, the Catholic view of bishops, whereby they are only corporately infallible under certain specified circumstances in ecumenical councils, and only when the pope is in agreement. Likewise, Paul doesnt qualify his teaching in Romans 13 about the secular authorities:

Romans 13:1-7 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [2] Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. [3] For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, [4] for he is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. [5] Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid Gods wrath but also for the sake of conscience. [6] For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. [7] Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Peter writes similarly:

1 Peter 2:17-18 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. [18] Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing.

Bishops are certainly the masters of Christians. Elsewhere, however, Peter recognized the necessity of dissent in some situations:

Acts 5:27-29 . . . And the high priest questioned them, [28] saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this mans blood upon us. [29] But Peter and the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men.

Perhaps it could be argued that that was the Jewish high priest, and he was telling them not to preach the gospel, which was unacceptable, and that the high priest was no longer the master of Christians, as the bishop would be, or even a secular emperor.

I dont recall seeing in Scripture (I could be wrong), an admonition to dissent from a bishop who was teaching false doctrine. 1 Peter 2:18 (above) seems to suggest the contrary. And when St. Paul refers to fierce wolves who will come in among you, not sparing the flock; . . . speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them (Acts 20:29-30), the implication is that they never had legitimate authority in the first place, and are counterfeit authorities, in line with what he writes elsewhere: people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths (2 Tim 4:3-4), and in a way similar to what St. John expresses: many antichrists have come; . . . They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us  (1 Jn 2:18-19).

As far as I can tell, St. Ignatius thought very much like a Catholic does about ecclesiastical authority, and not at all like a Protestant: based on my argumentation above and also because its vastly different to adhere to the Catholic and biblical idea that infallibility is generally or potentially present in the Church (1 Tim 3:15) or bishops (Acts 15:28-29 and 16:4) or tradition (1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6) or apostolic succession, even if it is understood (and Catholics agree) that there are extraordinary times  rare exceptions to the rule  of permissible dissent.

The above is antithetical to the unbiblical notion and false tradition of sola Scriptura, where none of those authorities can ever be infallible and that only Scripture is infallible; therefore dissent would be a much more routine event, seeing that what is dissented against has no inherent infallibility or potential infallibility in the first place, and in the final analysis is reduced to merely optional, or non-binding advisory: subject to any individual believers de facto self-proclaimed infallibility in interpreting Scripture (in order to judge and reject ecclesiastical authority). This is the ecclesial chaos and doctrinal relativism and logical irrationality that was tragically unleashed by the Protestant Revolt.

If those two scenarios are the alternative choices (Catholic vs. Protestant ecclesiology), then St. Ignatius (along with the Church fathers en masse) is clearly in the first camp, and Timothys and the Protestant argument regarding what he believed about authority fails.

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Summary: Reply to Presbyterian apologist Timothy Kauffman on St. Ignatius of Antiochs views of bishops, and whether he agrees with the Protestant pillar, sola Scriptura.
The sea is calm tonight.

The tide is full, the moon lies fair

Upon the straits; on the French coast the light

Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,

Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.

Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!

Only, from the long line of spray

Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,

Listen! you hear the grating roar

Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,

At their return, up the high strand,

Begin, and cease, and then again begin,

With tremulous cadence slow, and bring

The eternal note of sadness in.

Sophocles long ago

Heard it on the gean, and it brought

Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow

Of human misery; we

Find also in the sound a thought,

Hearing it by this distant northern sea.

The Sea of Faith

Was once, too, at the full, and round earths shore

Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.

But now I only hear

Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,

Retreating, to the breath

Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear

And naked shingles of the world.

Ah, love, let us be true

To one another! for the world, which seems

To lie before us like a land of dreams,

So various, so beautiful, so new,

Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,

Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;

And we are here as on a darkling plain

Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,

Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Dover Beach

Matthew Arnold

It appears the most common usage in Christian circles for Christian atheism, is someone who believes in God but acts as if they dont. This of course is fed by the ancient canard that an atheist, without the fear of punishment or belief in reward, is going to be unethical, and probably a danger to society. But, as it turns out, the term has more meanings than shaming Christians who arent doing whatever the specific author thinks is supposed to be real Christianity.

When I read this I found myself reflecting on what happens to religion when confronted with what feels the harsh challenges of the scientific venture and the completely natural world that it models. The headlines tend to go to the fundamentalist reaction. And theres good reason for that. But there are other things going on as well. And they have long captured my heart.

The middle of the twentieth century was rich in this reflection. As an example we see Gabriel Vahanians groundbreaking 1961 The Death of God: The Culture of our Post-Christian Era. He criticized the secularization going on all around. There were a lot of rejoinders. And the conversation was heated.

Among the better known contributors was Thomas J. J. Altizer. Altizer was an Episcopalian, and early in his career as a theologian also pursued ordination. The Wikipedia article about him says he failed the psychiatric test. Which triggered a memory for me, when I went through a panel on my way to ordination within the Unitarian Universalist Church. The psychologist who ran the tests said to me, James, youre very fortunate youre a UU and not an Episcopalian. In my case I showed some anti-authoritarian traits, which I gather at least at that time in the late nineteen eighties was a death sentence for anyone aspiring to the Episcopal priesthood. He added I should do well as a Unitarian minister.

That aside noted, Altizer was one of several theologians in middle of the twentieth century particularly inspired to some degree by a series of theological and dialectical steps inspired by Hegel, leading through Jesus death as also Gods death. Different writers had different views of what that meant. One version is the God died with Jesus. It appears to me that for Altizer this was a real death. A real God who really died. Real needing some unpacking, no doubt.

Paul Tillich largely preceded the Death of God movement. But his rejection of classical theism in favor of a ground of being, shows another thread of a Christian atheism. And one I find more attractive, personally. As I was first shaping my spiritual thinking, trying to make sense of my experiences in the world and as someone seriously engaged in a spiritual quest, I was deeply moved by Tillichs Courage to Be. Until I found Zen it was a particular beacon.

Jewish thinkers in the twentieth century confronting the reality of the Holocaust have also wrestled with death of God themes. One important Jewish theologian Richard Rubenstein suggested God died in creating the world. God ceases to be the deity of popular understanding, and instead is an emergent historical process. Im very taken with this sense of God as history, pushing my pantheistic inclinations. Ill return to this.

A persistent theme is the loss of transcendence in modernity. This movement, apparently irresistible in the Global North, is toward naturalism and secularism. Maybe the most interesting, at least for me, of the current crop of thinkers who might justly be called Christian atheists, or atheist Christians is Don Cupitt.

Don Cupitt is an Anglican priest and professor at Cambridge. Through a book, the Sea of Faith, and a television series based on the book, Father Cupitt launched a loose movement of naturalistic Christian theologians. Cupitt and the Sea of Faith movement in general take a non-real approach to God, rejecting all supernaturalism. A difficult locution, I find, meaning God has no real existence outside of language and culture. God is a cultural artifact.

And here I find something important. God is real, real not in the classic Abrahamic sense, but real as an image. As a sign. Metaphor as a term falls short here. But in there somewhere, something more than metaphor or analogy, but not history, either. A place to find truths. Maybe, and I like to call it, the dreamlands.

Here I also find a coalescing with Pragmatism, a largely American stance championed by John Dewey and William James, among others. As has been said, Pragmatists contend that most philosophical topicssuch as the nature of knowledge, language, concepts, meaning, belief, and scienceare all best viewed in terms of their practical uses and successes. Here we can see that philosophical topic, that word, that sign, can be God, it can be religion.

I also find it really interesting that Don Cupitt and the Buddhist atheist Stephen Batchelor are dialogue friends. Actually there seem to be Buddhist connections in the whole area of Christian atheism possibly starting with Thomas Altizer. Each is unconcerned with the supernatural elements of their faith traditions, but continue to see potentially enormous value in the traditions as human artifacts, the culmination of ages of spiritual inquiry. Spiritual may be more psychological and social here, but, real. It can heal. And, importantly, it can kill. With that real found through the non-real God. Or, for Batchelor, a non-real Buddhism.

I dont care for the term non-real, but I find what it speaks to of enormous importance. At least to me, personally. But I think possibly to many others, as well.

A major question for our time and place where the supernatural aspects of religions are increasingly hard to support. Where God has been reduced to the cracks of science, and any idea of human beings standing in any way outside the flow of natural events seeming absurd on the face of it, well, what does this mean?

Well. Of course. One can just walk away from religion and its languages. Secularism. In the Global North its all around us, its actually quickly becoming the air we breathe and the water we drink.

Although it often seems to be a path to despair. I looked and it seems about one in twenty among us are regularly using prescription medications for anxiety. And, for most of those, I think its important they have that help. A lot more are self-medicating in all sorts of different ways. Again, Im not really against that. With a lot of buts and ands. In a secular world the only response that makes a lot of sense to me is existentialism. Existentialism courting nihilism. Hoping to find meaning in the face of meaninglessness. Lots of anxiety there.

Or, another option. There is a digging into the deep soil of our received religions, reframed. But still alive.

And honestly, I think were looking at a lot more than feeling a little better. There is always that mystical element. But even this other aspect, the bigger part, there are terribly important things for us as human beings.

For me the problem starts with what I discerned as the problem with religion. At least it seemed that way, at first. In my studies I noticed what mattered to me, the questions of spirituality and specifically nonduality, at best accounted for a tiny fragment of what usually gets called a religion. Never to forgotten. And then all that other stuff of our cultures, of being human together. Our traditions and rites. Our markers on the way of life and death.

So, theres a place for naturalistic religions. Naturalistic religion is one popular term within Unitarian Universalist world. Since the eighteenth century rational religion and liberal religion have been stalwarts of this inclination.

Most of religion is about culture. Framed generously religion is about cultural cohesion. Framed more harshly, its about crowd control. But is there more to this? Especially as we take the teachings of religions non-realistically, as hard earned metaphors for deep matters. Matters that may or may not touch on ultimacy and my concerns with touching the real. Although I find myself wondering more and more these days whether that ninety plus percent of religion is more important than Ive given it credit for in my sharp focus on the deep aspect of religion as a mystical path of union.

I think of Mordecai Kaplan the founder of Jewish Reconstruction. In my years as a UU parish minister, two of the churches I served housed Reconstructionist congregations. I loved them. On the one hand they were enthusiastic, whole hearted observers of the tradition. When I think of the theologians I tend to think of logicians, theoretical, and frankly, often bloodless. Reconstruction shows something different.

Their services ran on, sometimes for hours, filled with singing and procession, and on occasion dancing. To the casual observer they looked remarkably like Orthodox. But. Women counted for minyan. And I knew for a fact many were agnostics or atheists. Originally Orthodox, Rabbi Kaplans approach to the tradition was pragmatic. As he would say of the traditions, the have a vote, not a veto.

Another line for this is engaging ones religious tradition seriously but not literally.

Ive seen atheist churches as nostalgic pop ups, where people can go and play church. The groups appear to have little staying power. This does not seem to be the case of Reconstructionist congregations. They may reject orthodoxy, but theyre all about orthopraxy. I believe theres something really important in this. And it occupying much of my reflection these days.

For me, when these things all come together, I find God is a koan. And with that my spirituality falls into place.

I sit in a place where all of this flows together in my life. My cultural Christianity, my engaged Zen Buddhism, and my naturalistic disposition which aligns with the modern scientific world view.

I think about naturalistic religion. I think about liberal religion.

I think about why it makes sense rather than simply slipping into secularism. And with that, what might it look like? Where is the orthopraxy of natural religion? And with that how much can it stretch? I wonder of the meeting of Buddhism and Christianity in particular. And what might happen in that rich place given the possibilities of naturalistic religion.

What a rich and hard moment we live in.

More to come
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Solar Taxi, a ride-hailing service in Ghana, is among the many businesses that have benefited from Serool's comprehensive suite of services.



They said; "As a business, we can confirm the immense value of a professional and reliable corporate secretarial service provider. Our experience working with Serool has been nothing short of satisfying."



Solar Taxi further commended Serool's personalized service saying "their dedication sets them apart. They took the time to understand our specific needs, customizing their services to suit them. We have complete peace of mind knowing our corporate secretarial needs are well catered for".



Another satisfied client, IP Hub, also praised Serool's seamless and stress-free business registration services, highly recommending them to businesses seeking assistance with registration or corporate secretarial matters.



Besides providing a streamlined business registration process and a robust post-registration support system, Serool also hosts a team of corporate experts offering on-demand consultancy services.



Furthermore, the platform features a store where businesses can conveniently procure company logistics.



"We're building your business with you. Serool is a comprehensive platform for starting and operating a business in Ghana. You can rely on our network of vetted lawyers and technologists for guidance," the company said, reiterating their commitment to support businesses at every stage of their journey.

Source: Gifty Danso & Eleazer Quayson/Jounalist & Data Analyst









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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Standard Chartered Bank and Access Bank Plc (Access) have entered into agreements for the sale of Standard Chartereds shareholding in its subsidiaries in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and its Consumer, Private & Business Banking business in Tanzania. Each transaction remains subject to the approval of the respective local regulators and the banking regulator in Nigeria.



The announcement was made today at Standard Chartereds Headquarters in London in the presence of senior representatives from both banks and was signed by, Sunil Kaushal, Regional CEO, Africa & Middle East, Standard Chartered and, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc. The agreement with Access for the sale of the banks business in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and its Consumer, Private & Business Banking business in Tanzania is in line with Standard Chartereds global strategy, aimed at achieving operational efficiencies, reducing complexity, and driving scale.



Access Bank will provide a full range of banking services and continuity for key stakeholders including employees and clients of Standard Chartereds businesses across the five aforementioned countries. Access Bank and Standard Chartered will work closely together in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition, with the transaction expected to be completed over the next 12 months.



Commenting on the agreement, Sunil Kaushal, Regional CEO, Africa & Middle East, Standard Chartered, said: Following on the announcement we made in April last year, the project is now substantially completed with the announcement for the sale of the 5 markets and the furtherance of a partnership with Access Bank. This strategic decision allows us to redirect resources within the AME region to other areas with significant growth potential, ultimately enabling us to better support our clients. We look forward to working closely with Access Banks team over the coming months to achieve a successful conclusion to this transaction while safeguarding the interests of our valued clients and prioritising our employees.



Commenting on the agreement, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, stated, We are pleased to sign this agreement today and express our appreciation for being selected as the preferred partner to Standard Chartered through this transaction, in which it is exiting four African markets and refocusing in one. As a distinguished regional and international bank with a rich heritage spanning over 150 years, Standard Chartered Bank has built a solid presence in these markets for over 100 years.



For Access Bank, this strategic transaction represents a key step in its journey to build a strong global franchise focused on serving as a gateway for payments, investment, and trade within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world, anchored by a robust capital base; a relentless focus on execution; and best-in-class customer service & governance structures.



At Access Bank, we are committed to reshaping the global perception of Africa and African businesses, even as we continue to build toward our vision to be the World's Most Respected African Bank. Our 5-year growth plan will see us build a world-class class payments gateway leveraging the power of technology and a robust network of relationships across our operating countries. This will be supported by a dynamic ecosystem of local and international partnerships, enabling us to serve global payments and remittances efficiently. With our recent European expansion and our deepened presence in key trading corridors across Africa, we will bridge the gap between cross-border and domestic transfers across all business segments. More importantly, we are committed to impacting our host communities positively. Ogbonna added.



In April 2022, Standard Chartered strategically decided to divest from a number of markets, namely Lebanon, Angola, Cameroon, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Jordan, and to exit the CPBB (Consumer Private and Business Banking) business in Cote dIvoire and Tanzania. The Bank announced its sale of its business in Zimbabwe earlier in June and in Jordan in March this year. With this announcement, Standard Chartered has substantially completed the divestment process from the markets announced in April 2022, except Cote dIvoire where it remains actively engaged in discussions with potential buyers for the sale of its CPBB business in the country.

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 scorching sun beat down mercilessly as I stood at my elder sister's graveside, surrounded by a sombre atmosphere that mirrored the heaviness in my heart. A deep sadness engulfed me as I reflected on the painful journey that had led us to this point. My sister, a vibrant and strong-willed woman, had succumbed to the clutches of breast cancer, but her battle had been fraught with misguided choices and missed opportunities for proper medical care.



It all began when my sister first received her diagnosis. The doctor had urged her to undergo hospital treatment, stressing the importance of early intervention and the potential for a successful recovery. However, my sister, deeply rooted in her religious beliefs and traditional African customs, chose a different path. She turned to the plethora of churches and African medical interventions that promised miraculous healing.



"I have faith in the power of prayer and the traditional remedies handed down through generations," she would say firmly, dismissing the doctor's pleas for modern medical intervention. "I trust that I will be healed, and my ancestors will guide me to the right cure."



Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, as my sister travelled from one religious gathering to another, seeking solace and healing through prayers and rituals. In the meantime, the cancer continued its relentless assault on her body. I watched helplessly as her once vibrant spirit slowly waned, overshadowed by the ravages of the disease.



The turning point came when my sister finally realized the gravity of her condition. She returned home, frail, her body ravaged by pain and suffering. The doctor's prognosis was bleak, offering little hope for a meaningful recovery.

As I stood there by her side, holding her feeble hand, she whispered words that will forever haunt me. "I should have listened," she rasped, her voice filled with regret. "I should have sought proper medical care when there was still time."



The days that followed were agonizing, filled with the stench of decay that permeated our home. My sister's body deteriorated rapidly, leaving us with no choice but to burn plants and incense to minimize the unbearable odour that accompanied her final moments.



In the aftermath of her passing, I found myself grappling with a mix of grief and anger. I mourned the loss of my sister, but I also mourned the missed opportunity for proper medical intervention. It was a painful lesson that left an indelible mark on my soul.



I realized that while faith and traditional remedies have their place in our lives, they should never replace the importance of seeking timely medical care. Cancer is a formidable opponent that requires a multifaceted approach, combining the power of modern medicine with the comfort of faith and the support of our cultural heritage.



Now, as I reflect on my sister's journey, I am committed to raising awareness about the importance of early detection and proper medical care. I advocate for regular screenings and encourage those affected by cancer to seek professional help without delay. It is a cause that has become my life's mission, driven by the painful lesson I learned from my sister's tragic journey.



In the end, the loss of my sister has taught me that cancer care is a battle that requires every tool at our disposal. To honour her memory, I strive to ensure that no one else has to experience the heartache of a preventable loss, reminding others that timely medical intervention is crucial in the fight against this merciless disease.  Ama*, 55.

The narrative above is not dissimilar to what many  medical professionals and families alike  can relate to. The canker that is cancer continues to ravage lives and livelihoods. Cancer, a silent epidemic, continues to cast a dark shadow over Ghana and the limitedness of data ensures that its full extent, in direct and indirect terms, is hard to quantify. We will return to that.



A menace to society



The burden is compounded by entrenched cultural beliefs, and financial constraints, which create a daunting environment for those affected. Already, the country faces a double burden, battling both communicable and non-communicable diseases. This is why the transformative efforts of Trust Hospital's Oncology Services - Trust Cancer Care, and the potential for a brighter future in national, even sub-regional, cancer care, is significant. The menace, however, has been exacerbated by:



Limited Data, Cost and the Double Burden



As has been mentioned, despite being a major public health problem, Ghana's battle against cancer is hindered by a scarcity of comprehensive data. Conservative estimates suggest that in 2020, there were an estimated 24,009 new cases of cancer and 15,802 cancer deaths in the country. The most common cancers in Ghana are breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and liver cancer. However, increased testing is showing a prevalence of blood-related cancer.



The average cost of cancer care varies depending on the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer, and the location of the treatment. However, cancer care can be very expensive in the country. For example, the cost of a course of chemotherapy can range from US$1,000 to US$5,000, and the cost of a mastectomy can range from US$2,000 to US$5,000.



The high cost of cancer care can be a barrier to treatment for many Ghanaians. A study by the Ghana Cancer Society found that only 20percent of Ghanaians with cancer receive any type of treatment. Furthermore, the absence of a national cancer registry makes it difficult to track the incidence and prevalence of cancer in Ghana and makes it difficult to plan and allocate resources for cancer care.



Also, the limited availability of cancer treatment facilities necessitates long-distance travel for patients, adding to the overall cost of care. Additionally, the high cost of cancer drugs and medical equipment poses a significant barrier to treatment. Compounding the issue is the absence of health insurance coverage for cancer care, resulting in many Ghanaians having to bear the financial burden of their treatment.



The lack of accurate statistics has made it difficult to quantify the magnitude of the problem and develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment. Furthermore, the country faces a double burden as communicable diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS persist alongside the rise of non-communicable diseases like cancer.



Superstition, limited income, and low early detection



Deep-rooted cultural beliefs often lead individuals to resort to alternative, unproven remedies or seek solace in faith-based interventions. These practices, coupled with limited financial resources, hamper early detection efforts and delay proper medical care. Consequently, many cases go undiagnosed until they reach advanced stages, severely limiting the chances of recovery and survivorship.



Shunning free screenings and anonymity



Despite efforts to provide free screenings, many individuals in Ghana are reluctant to participate due to scepticism and fear. The stigma surrounding cancer leads some patients to use pseudonyms, further hindering efforts to accurately track and address the problem. Overcoming this resistance is crucial in improving early detection rates and promoting a culture of proactive healthcare-seeking behaviour.



Enter the Trust Hospital



Pink October and the Birth of Trust Cancer Care:



During Pink October, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about breast cancer, Trust Hospital conducted regular screenings that shed light on the alarming prevalence of the disease. In 2022 alone, the hospital screened 6,000 women and men for breast cancer and the results of this enlightening exercise provided us with enough baseline and paved the way for the introduction of Trust Hospital's Oncology Service - Trust Cancer Care.



Still in its nascent stages, Trust Cancer Care provides:



Comfort, privacy, and changing perceptions:



The Trust Cancer Care unit at the Trust Hospital provides patients with an environment that prioritizes comfort, privacy, and emotional support. This approach has been instrumental in empowering patients to navigate their cancer journey with strength and resilience. As a result, patients are more receptive to seeking treatment at tertiary facilities, which were once considered a "death sentence."



The Trust Hospital has provided comprehensive care and unwavering support at every step of the patient's journey through Case Managers and Clinic psychologists.



Through a collaborative approach with the patients and their caregivers, Trust Hospital develops personalized treatment plans tailored to meet each patient's unique needs, striving for the best possible outcomes. Their innovative approaches specifically target cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissues, reducing side effects, and ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.



The qualified team and well-equipped Premium Centre



Trust Cancer Care boasts a highly qualified team of oncologists, surgeons, and specialized medical professionals dedicated to providing comprehensive care. The Premium Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology, enabling accurate diagnoses, effective treatments, and improved patient outcomes.



Together with a highly skilled team of professionals  oncologists, surgeons, nurses, and support staff  who are passionate about delivering the highest standard of care to patients, there is a range of services and treatment options. These include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and surgical interventions, all supported by evidence-based research and advanced technology.



Driving down costs and partnerships



Recognizing the financial burden associated with cancer care, Trust Hospital is actively engaged in multiple partnerships to drive down costs and make treatment accessible to all. Collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, nonprofits, and government initiatives aim to demystify cancer treatment and improve affordability.



Currently, the centre has partnered with the world's largest biotech company  Roche. The partnership has equipped the Chemotherapy unit at Trust Hospital's Premium Center and has enabled the hospital to provide complete cancer treatment to its patients. Roche's generous contribution underscores the shared belief in the importance of cancer treatment and it is anticipated that other partnerships will be concluded in the near future.



As an added layer, Trust Hospital has also introduced the Cancer Care Academy, an annual three-day learning conference designed to offer healthcare professionals the latest education on cancer care. This was informed by the necessity of educating all health workers, not just clinicians and oncologists, about cancer care management.



The academy aims to provide comprehensive knowledge to nurses, radiologists, pharmacists, lab technicians, and other healthcare professionals. The Cancer Care Academy will be held annually, ensuring continuous education and professional development in the field of cancer care.



This marks only the beginning of a remarkable journey towards attaining comprehensive cancer management in our country. Let us unite, hand in hand, and forge ahead with unwavering determination. Together, we possess the power to achieve this noble mission, touching the lives of countless individuals, one patient at a time.

Source: Dr Juliana Oye Ameh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Trust Hospital









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 Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and members of the Police Management Board (POMAB) have assured an ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) post-election follow-up team that the police would play its role to ensure free and fair elections.



ECONEC is the umbrella body of West African Election Management Bodies (EMBs).



The team, which is on a four-day post-election mission to Ghana, is led by the chairmen of the electoral management bodies of Nigeria and Niger, and also includes the ECONEC Permanent Secretary and a technical team from the Permanent Secretariat.



Since its arrival in Ghana on July 10, 2023, the team has been assessing the level of implementation of the recommendations made by the ECOWAS and AU Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) which observed the December 2020 general election in Ghana.



It had earlier held working sessions with various stakeholders of the electoral process, including the Electoral Commission (EC), the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), civil society organisations (CSOs), the Ghana Journalists Association and international partners.



Yesterday, the team met the leadership of the Ghana Police Service, which is a major stakeholder in the country's electoral process.



After the meeting, the team toured the police headquarters as Dr Dampare briefed them on the operations of the Ghana Police Service and how the police were poised to serve the people.



The IGP informed the team about the measures put in place as far as election security was concerned to ensure a peaceful process in the upcoming 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections and other elections such as internal political party elections and elections in schools.



He said the Police Administration had established the Police Election Security Secretariat Unit to take care of election processes and election-related issues.



Until the establishment of the unit, he said the National Election Security Task Force only came together to do ad hoc preparation when national elections were approaching, but it was realized the approach was not helping.



Also, he said, the Police Administration continued to engage the EC, all the political parties and leadership of Students Representative Councils (SRCs) in the various universities to support the holding of internal political party elections and student leadership elections.



Dr Dampare mentioned that the two main political parties in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had written to commend the police for the impressive security arrangements.



Social media review



The IGP told the team that the police had also put in place measures to enable it to review social media comments to curb the propagation of inflammatory comments.



Some of the mechanisms put in place included investigators and legal teams reviewing comments by, especially, opposing political parties.



Following such reviews, he said the police pursue any criminality to the fullest, while also intensifying its information dissemination with the public to control the speculation of fake news.



He indicated that the police would continue to engage all stakeholders, including the EC, political parties, civil society actors and the electorate.









Source: Graphiconline









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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Richard Nyamah, a Deputy Spokesperson for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has advised the family of the police officer who was killed during a daylight robbery attack on a bullion van at Ablekuma Fanmilk in Accra to take legal action.



The Bank of Ghana (BoG) in 2021 issued a directive for all financial institutions to procure the protective sophisticated vans failure to which the Bank of Ghana said it would not admit any substandard or soft-skinned Cash in Transit (CIT) vehicle into any of its premises nationwide.



Speaking on Thursday's edition of Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Richard Nyamah said the BoG was negligent in ensuring that the bank adhered to its regulations hence: "the family should sue the bank involved and the BoG for a very hefty amount of money".



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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On Friday, 30th June, 2023, the Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr. Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi was presented with a citation and an award at the Third 3rd edition of the CONVERGENCE OF YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS / AWARDS (COYALA, 2023) under the theme, INSPIRING A NEW MINDSET FOR YOUNG POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS held at the British Council Auditorium, Accra.



The award and citation acknowledges him as the 2023 YOUNG TOURISM ICON OF THE YEAR.



The Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi was among several others who received awards for their outstanding contribution to putting Ghana and Africa on the global map by projecting the rich Ghanaian and African Culture, Heritage and Resources through Tourism and the media landscape. The citation reads For your committed efforts in promoting tourism in Ghana, dedication to duty and outstanding performance at the Ghana Tourism Authority.



As part of his remarks after receiving the award, Mr. Kusi said On behalf of myself, my institution the Ghana Tourism Authority, my family and team, I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to God Almighty first and secondly to the Organisers for the honour. I am deeply humbled by the award and accept the challenge that it imposes on me to continue exhibiting exemplary leadership and discovery of young talents hinged on nothing else but compassion and people-first. Again he noted that l accept with humility, appreciation and pride this citation and award and dedicate to all who have contributed to my success.



Mr. Kusi is a PR and Marketing Practitioner with vast experience in his field of expertise. As a Pan Africanist, Nationalist and a Cultural Activist, he believes that people of African descent must have common interest and should be unified through culture, traditions and their heritage. He holds two (2) Masters Degrees; one is Master of Arts Degree in Public Relations from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), now University of Media, Arts and Communications and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from the Methodist University Ghana. He also holds a Certificate from the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.



He was at the GIMPA Law School for one year but did not complete his course of study due to other equally important national assignment. He attended Prempeh College, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.



Mr. Kusi was appointed as the Board Secretary of the Authority from 2010  2014 where he served the Board of Directors diligently, effectively and efficiently. Again, after his tenure of office as the Board Secretary, he was appointed as the Special Assistant to the then Chief Executive of the Authority, Mr. Charles Osei Bonsu. He has served on various Tourism Committees and won several awards.



The annual awards scheme, COYALA is an initiative of WEST AFRICA YOUNG LEADERS SUMMIT with Comrade Barry Ndu Nwaihim as the CEO / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CONVENER to recognize outstanding performance and contribution of personalities both old and young in the academia, corporate world, politics, entrepreneurs, civil society, etc. It is to acknowledge inspiring African personalities that remain committed to serving humanity by doing very well in their respective fields of endeavor and nurturing the young ones in diverse ways.



COYALA, 2023 bought together citizens of different African countries under the same roof to interact, discuss and brainstorm on issues affecting the continent whilst proferring solutions. There were delegates from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Togo, Burkina Faso, etc



Comrade Barry Ndu stated that the selection of the few was based on their works and brands and therefore said, The excellence they have exhibited over time is what we are celebrating today. As a people, we must begin to appreciate and celebrate individuals when they are still alive. Now is the time to leave a legacy of transparency, forthrightness, sincerity and tenacity of purpose, hardwork and diligence in the minds of our young ones who aspire to become great leaders tomorrow. He ended by quoting Jomo Kenyata, Our children may learn about the heroes of the past. Our task is to make ourselves architects of the future. He therefore took the opportunity to advice and urge young leaders in every sector of society to be a true reflection of focus, integrity, honor and self discipline.



All award receipients, by virtue of their commitment to serve humanity, were inducted into the AFRICAN LEADERS HALL OF GREAT ACHIEVERS







COYALA 2023 AWARD RECEIPIENTLIST



1. Hon. Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah  Member of Parliament, Afram Plains North Constituency





2. Dr. Leticia Adelaide Appiah  Executive Director, National Population Council





3. Dr. Hassan Ayariga  Founder, All Peoples Congress, APC





4. H. E. Alieu M. Massaquoi, Ph.D  Charge DAffaires, Liberian Embassy, Ghana





5. HRM Eze Dr. Amb. Chukwudi Ihenetu  King of IGBOS IN Ghana





6. Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo  Member of Parliament, Shai Osudoku Constituency





7. Sen. Ireti Heebah Kingibe  Senator representing FCT National Assembly, ABUJA





8. Chief Prince Alao Taofik  CEO, Bizzy Express Delivery Service





9. Chief Emma Nnokwute  CEO, Prince Chi Ghana Ltd.





10. Roselyn Felli  Media Personality, Joy Prime (Multimedia Group)





11. Hon. Frank Annoh Dompreh  Member of Parliament, Nsawam Adoagyiri and Majority Chief Whip, Ghana Parliament



12. Alberta Ablordeppey  Philantropist and Published Author



13. Mr. Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi - ( Deputy Head, Corporate Affairs of Ghana Tourism Authority)  Young Icon of Tourism Award, 2023





















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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Minority caucus in Parliament must seek written permission before boycotting proceedings in the House, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has said.



He explained that they have to seek permission of the Speaker before boycotting Parliament.



Article 97(1)(c) states that A member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he is absent, without the permission in writing to the Speaker and he is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from 15 Sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet.



The caucus have been on a crusade against what they say is the persecution of three of their members by the state and have in the last four parliamentary sittings boycotted the House on two occasions, the latest being Tuesday, July 11, 2023, to lend their support to their members who are facing criminal proceedings.



During the correction of the votes and proceedings of Tuesdays sitting, all 137 members of the caucus but four were recorded absent without permission for Tuesday.



The four, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, MP for Asawase; Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Dormaa West; Andrew Dari Chiwitey, Sawla/Tuna/ Kalba, and Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Techiman North were captured as being absent with permission.



The votes and proceedings, the Minority said must reflect that they were absent with permission because they publicly declared their intention to be off parliamentary duty on any day their colleagues would appear before the court.



Their colleagues in the Majority, on the other hand, held that they were absent and should be captured as same.



But in his ruling the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, said the declaration of intent by the Minority does not constitute a formal permission from him as stipulated by the constitution.



On the issue of attendance, the Speaker said Article 97(1)(c) is very clear that permission to be absent from parliament must be sought in writing of the Speaker or vacate their seat if they are unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges for being absent for 15 sitting days in a meeting of the House.



The import of that Article is to the effect that, yes a Member can choose not to attend the sittings of Parliament and if he wants not to attend but wants to be recorded as being absent because a permission has been granted, that permission has to be granted by the Speaker in writing. That is what guides attendance to the House.



When you choose not to attend, depending on your own actions, you could be marked as absent and that means without permission or absent with permission.



With permission means there is evidence. Not oral but in writing that the Speaker has granted you that permission to be absent.



So the burden now shifts onto you (the Minority) as a group to show evidence that my good self has granted you permission to be absent yourselves in writing. Not verbal, the Speaker explained.



If the Minority had done the above, the Speaker said the Official Report of proceedings of the House would have captured it that the caucus had indicated their absence on days their colleagues were due for court.



Anytime you want to do so, if you want the permission in writing of the Speaker, you have to seek it. If you dont seek it and you dont have it, you will be recorded as being absent without permission. I cant use verbal words to grant you permission. It must be in writing. I think the table office is right in (reporting in the votes and proceeding) that youve been absent without permission. Anytime you want my permission in writing you know what to do, the Speaker stated.



At the swearing-in of Member for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, in Accra on July 4, following his victory in the by-election held in that area, Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, served notice that they would be boycotting the House to solidarise with their colleagues in court.



Mr Speaker, I wish to serve notice that the entire Minority Group in Parliament will accompany our colleague to court today and any other day that he is to appear in Court. We are solidarising with our colleague and will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court.

Source: Ghanaiantimes.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former PNC General Secretary, Atik Mohammed has urged the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare not to be perturbed by the leaked audio recording in which a supposed Police Commissioner and a former executive of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are heard plotting for the removal of the IGP.



In the leaked audio recording that has gone viral, the two people could be heard discussing why the IGP must be dismissed.



Touching on the matter during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" discussion programme, Atik Mohammed noted that whether IGP leaves or stays in office is the sole decision of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and to him, this tape is not authentic to convince the President to remove Dr. Dampare.



"The IGP stays or leaves on the authority of the President and if the President hasn't said he doesn't appreciate his work, all you are doing will result in nothing."



He charged the IGP to focus on his duties stressing "his service is to the Republic of Ghana and not to any political party".



"The IGP should continue to work and work to bring honour to Ghana," he encouraged Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.





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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A deputy spokesperson for the Alan Kyerematen campaign team, Richard Nyamah has called for an inquiry into the alleged leaked tape of a plot by a Police Commissioner and an executive of the governing New Patrioitic Party for the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.



The viral audio recording has become a matter of concern to Parliament.



Richard Nyamah says the leaked tape shouldn't be trivialized.



"It's very difficult to dismiss it. It sounds a bit authentic to me," he said on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show Thursday morning.



Richard Nyamah disagreed with critics who say the tape should be brushed aside.



"For me, let's not wash this under the carpet because the issue is serious", he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.



He strongly believes there must be thorough investigations into the leaked tape, emphasizing "we need to check it because if we have such people in charge of your security, then you are sitting on a time bomb".



He, however, seized an opportunity to commend the IGP saying "he's brought some professionalism and dignity to the Police Service, to the uniform".





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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A zoning hearing board in Lancaster County rejected an application for a special exception to the townships zoning ordinance in order to build a 1-million-square-foot warehouse.

The Mount Joy Township Zoning Hearing Board rejected the request of California-based Panattoni Development Corporation. The company was planning to build the 1,006,880-square-foot warehouse on a 106.5-acre property at 2843 Mount Pleasant Road in Mount Joy Township, close to Route 283 as well as near several farms and residences.

Panattoni was requesting a special exception to the light zoning ordinance to authorize an industrial use involving warehousing, manufacturing, processing, packaging, production, wholesaling, storage, distribution, or repair of all reasonable materials, goods and products in a building larger than 50,000 square feet.

Panattoni said in its zoning hearing board application that it has been approached by a potential tenant and needed to secure space. The potential tenant wanted to consolidate its two regional locations into one and store various electrical equipment and parts.

The zoning hearing board said in its written decision on Thursday that the objectors met their burden to demonstrate that the proposed development will substantially affect the health, safety and welfare of the community to a greater extent than would be expected normally from a warehouse exceeding 50,000 square feet.

The zoning hearing board met five times between Jan. 17 and April 27 to hear testimony. There were 10 parties in the case that objected to the warehouse including resident Joelle Myers.

This proposal is 20 times larger than the maximum without an exception, Myers said at a hearing in March. A 1-million-square-foot warehouse in [the] Light Industrial [District] would make history. This isnt even close to the 50,000 square feet that is allowed and the size and scope of this could set us up for unprecedented repercussions.
DHL Supply Chain is planning to hire more than 400 people to work at a massive distribution center in Dauphin County.

DHL is managing United Kingdom-based fashion retailer, Boohoo Groups first U.S. distribution center. The 1.1-million-square-foot distribution center is located at 2771 N. Market St. in Londonderry Township near Elizabethtown.

Open positions include roughly 350 fulfillment specialists and 50 hourly support staff.

Now that boohoos 1.1 million-square-foot distribution center is open and operational, we are eagerly searching for skilled talent who want to work at DHL Supply Chain, a company where exciting advances are being made to create the global supply chain of the future, Tom Fogerty, president, human resources, DHL Supply Chain, said in a news release. We are proud to offer associates competitive pay, a dynamic work environment and a brand-new facility with many benefits.

DHL is hosting a hiring event at the facility from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. Ahead of the event, candidates will need to apply for their preferred role online at careers.dhl.com. Candidates should then come prepared for an interview, facility tour and drug test, and bring identification.

First Industrial Realty Trust, the developer of the facility, announced last year that the Boohoo Group had leased the entire facility at 2771 N. Market St.

The Boohoo Group is based in Manchester and was founded in 2006.

The company has 13 brands and says it sells clothing, shoes, accessories and beauty items to millions of customers across the globe. The company says it products target 16-40-year-old consumers in the United Kingdom and internationally.

The companys Boohoo brand sells all types of clothing from dresses and jeans to suits and athleisure for women as well as shoes and accessories and beauty items. The brand also sells plus-sized items. The Boohoo Group also has a brand for men called BoohooMan.

The facility is located at First Logistics Center @ 283 and is about 20 minutes from downtown Harrisburg. First Industrial Realty Trust is also building a 700,000-square-foot facility at the center.
CHICAGO (AP)  Two separate shootings 2,000 miles apart. One killed 11 at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The other killed 23 at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Both were motivated by racial hate. Both involved gunmen who later claimed mental illness.

But earlier this year, the Justice Department authorized the death penalty only for the case in Pittsburgh, where jurors will soon answer the weightiest of questions: Should Robert Bowers be put to death?

Bowers trial is in the penalty phase after his June conviction for the 2018 antisemitic attack. A federal judge last Friday gave Patrick Crusius the maximum available sentence for the 2019 Walmart attack on Hispanics: life in prison. He pleaded guilty after the department took a death sentence off the table.

Contrasting decisions in such similar cases illustrate the departments murky, often baffling and seemingly inconsistent death penalty policies. Department decision-making and the criteria it favors are also shrouded in secrecy.

So how do those decisions get made and by whom?

FILE - People pay their respects at a makeshift memorial near the scene of Saturday's shooting at a supermarket, in Buffalo, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Payton Gendron, a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 after listening to relatives of his victims express the pain and rage caused by his racist attack.AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

BIDENS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

President Joe Biden campaigned in part on a promise to abolish the U.S. death penalty. While he has taken no steps to fulfill that, his Justice Department has made some notable changes.

In 2021, Garland announced a moratorium on federal executions while a review of execution procedures is completed. However, it doesnt stop prosecutors from seeking death sentences.

The department also withdrew permission for death sentences in 24 out of 29 cases authorized by prior administrations.

And the department hasnt authorized death penalties for any of around 400 new indictments during Bidens presidency that carried capital sentences. But its still mulling whether to authorize a death sentence for Payton Gendron, a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket in 2022.

WHAT HASNT CHANGED UNDER BIDEN?

Critics of the department single out an enigmatic department division, the Capital Case Section. With just nine career attorneys and one administrator, it assists U.S. attorneys offices with capital cases and plays a vital role advising department review committees, which vote on recommending death sentences, although Attorney General Merrick Garland has the final say.

Though many were hired under other administrations, all current staff worked in the section under President Donald Trump, who oversaw a historic six-month spree of 13 federal executions. Richard Burns, the teams leader, became section chief during Trumps term.

Critics argue that carryover contributes to an unwelcome continuity.

The department has fought as hard under Biden as under Trump to defeat all bids by some 40 inmates on federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana, to have their death sentences tossed on racial bias and other grounds.

I dont think its a surprise that in the absence of any declared policy in the White House and having the same staff at the Capital Case Section that you do not have wholescale changes, said Robert Dunham, a Temple Law School adjunct professor and former director of the Death Penalty Information Center.

Monica Foster, chief federal defender at the Indiana Federal Community Defenders office, argues the section has a vested interest in pushing for some capital cases to be greenlighted.

Without death penalty cases, they have no reason for being, said Foster, who has clashed with section attorneys in court.

The section, she said, once simply ferried documents to review committees but now assumes a more active role, conducting research and interviews to prepare for death penalty decisions.

They can end up steering the outcome, Foster said.

Justice Department spokesman Scottie Howell said Fosters claim and other allegations about the section are false, adding that department staff make all decisions based on the facts and the law and hold themselves to the highest standards.

El Paso Walmart shooting suspect Patrick Crusius pleads not guilty during his arraignment on Oct. 10, 2019, in El Paso, Texas. Federal prosecutors disclosed Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, that they will not seek the death penalty for Crusius, who is accused of fatally shooting nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019. (Briana Sanchez / El Paso Times via AP, Pool, File)AP

MENTAL HEALTH, OTHER FACTORS IN DEPARTMENT DECISIONS

An Associated Press review of court filings and Biden-era staff guides offers clues about what influences the Justice Departments decisions. They suggest the department is most likely to OK death sentences for racist and terrorist attacks and when victims families support it.

Changes to department guidance also specify mental illness can count against approving death sentences, which is a departure from Trump-era guidance. At least two inmates executed under Trump had severe mental illnesses.

The guidance was central to the Crusius decision, with department attorneys accepting he had schizoaffective disorder. They rejected claims Bowers psychotic episodes pointed to schizophrenia.

In April court filings explaining its Bowers decision, the department noted most victims families wanted Bowers to die if convicted. The department also sought its own mental evaluation of Bowers before the final decision on authorization. The defense refused, saying prosecutors wouldnt assure them Bowers exam statements would not be used at trial. Government mental health experts were given access to Bowers just before trial.

Responding to criticism, the department also denied its decision was inconsistent with those concerning Crusius and others, saying Bowers shooting stood apart because older victims were uniquely vulnerable and the crime occurred in a house of worship. The judge in the Bowers case ultimately agreed.

WHAT ELSE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SPECIAL DIVISION?

A 2016 gender discrimination lawsuit from a former section employee against the Justice Department offered further insight into the secretive Capital Case Section. During litigation of the suit, which was later dismissed, ex-staffers accused the section of being disorganized and one accused a section attorney of withholding interview notes in Andrew Rogers case.

While in federal prison, Rogers killed a fellow prisoner in 2013 in a bid to get executed and avoid the drudgery of life behind bars. He told homicide investigators: If I get the death penalty, Ill take it with a smile. Obamas Justice Department authorized the death penalty for him.

Foster, representing Rogers in a 2018 bid to vacate the authorization, cited the allegations made in the gender discrimination suit. She contended the withheld notes from interviews with a prison psychologist and others would have proved Rogers mental illness.

Just days before a 2019 hearing in Rogers case to examine claims of section misconduct deriving from the discrimination suit, the department rescinded the death sentence authorization.

Foster said it did so to avoid a scheduled hearing that could have proven the allegations, and that the defense was obliged to end the case by letting Rogers plead guilty and receive a life sentence.

A 2020 department filing said an Office of Professional Responsibility investigation found no wrongdoing by the section attorney in Rogers case. The attorney still works in the section.

The department never publicly released an OPR report on that investigation.

A Nov. 21, 2022, OPR letter to Foster obtained by the AP says the 114-page report addressed, among other things, whether department attorneys conducted a biased investigation to unduly influence the Attorney General to authorize the death penalty for Rogers.

The letter says the report concluded there was no professional misconduct on grounds the defense ultimately received helpful evidence before Rogers pleaded guilty, even if it was received late.

But the letter also says the report found a department attorney knowingly made a false statement to defense counsel, and one failed to follow a supervisors direction to disclose attorney notes to the defense and displayed general inattention to the case.

CHANGES CANT HAPPEN WITHOUT BIDEN

Death penalty foes say Bidens department should be judged by the standard Biden set himself and should oppose all executions, including Bowers.

But blame for failures to make good on Bidens pledge to end the federal death penalty should be directed up the command chain, Dunham said.

If Joe Biden doesnt want the federal death penalty, or is stuck with one and wants to make it fairer, then he and Justice Department (political appointees) need to take steps to bring that about, he said.
MOUNT CARMEL  A Northumberland County man and a Schuylkill County woman have been accused of providing the drugs that killed the 15-year-old brother of the male.

Christopher Payne, 21, of Mount Carmel, and Victoria L. Mowery, 20, of Ashland, are charged with providing the fentanyl to Ricky Payne who was found deceased in his bedroom on April 6.

An autopsy determined he died from fentanyl and Xylazine toxicity.
A WFMZ-TV 69 News photojournalist was hurt earlier this week when he was shot at by an airsoft gun while covering a homicide scene in Allentown, officials confirm.

The photojournalist and a reporter from the station were at the scene of an Allentown murder, where a man was beaten to death and found in his home on North 16th Street, said WFMZ News Director Brad Rinehart.

The reporter was writing a story in a station vehicle parked on one side of the street, and the photojournalist was across the street taking photos with his phone, Rinehart said.

He was not at that time using a TV camera, but had been using his television camera earlier.

A person in a passing car fired fired multiple shots from an airsoft gun, hitting the photojournalist multiple times, including in the face at the corner of his eye, Rinehart said.

The staffer did not seek medical attention and has had no lingering problems.

The incident was reported to Allentown police, and Assistant Chief James Gress confirmed the department is investigating.

Anyone who may have seen the incident should call city police, and Gress said if someone is a target of an airsoft, pellet gun or even a water-pellet type gun they should report it right away.

Awful:



Today a @69News crew covering a 16th St, #Allentown homicide was *shot at* by someone w/ a pellet gun (Airsoft?) fired from a passing car. Pellets hit our photographer in the head, including face. He's OK. If you know anything about it, call @AllentownPolice  Rob Vaughn (@RobVaughnNews) July 12, 2023

Rinehart said Thursday the station has not heard of any arrests being made. He noted another reporter was at the same location earlier that day and noticed a car circling the block.

Television journalists are often easily identifiable, either because they are personally recognizable or due to the presence of the camera or station branding on vehicles and attire. We can become symbolically representative of the news media in general, and as such, our employees are often on the receiving end of peoples attitudes about the practice of journalism as a profession, Rinehart said. As such, we have noticed an increase in recent years in the general rancor and animosity some people direct toward journalists, but we have not seen an uptick in actual assaults. Nor do we know with any certainty that the airsoft shooting incident had anything to do with our profession.

Rinehart said many years ago, WFMZ anchor/reporter Nancy Werteen and a photojournalist were hit by projectiles from a pellet gun while covering the aftermath of some mayhem at off-campus housing around Kutztown University.

Other incidents have included rocks thrown at a reporter and photojournalist and, more common, verbal threats of violence, mostly from people who dont want us to be at a given location, Rinehart said.

In March, a local television reporter was hit with pellets fired from a passing car before going live on the air in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in May, reporter Shawnette Wilson was hit by projectiles fired from a passing car while she was on the air for Fox 29 Philadelphia.

Fox29 reporter gets shot with a pellet gun during live broadcast 



(via @MarkFusetti) pic.twitter.com/wRdFG3ozpL  Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) May 18, 2023

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
A new prototype machine could cut 50% off the time it takes Chipotle Mexican Grill employees to make guacamole.

The brand is testing the autocado, a cobotic that cuts, cores and peels avocados that are then hand-mashed by an employee.

The autocado was developed in collaboration with Vebu, Chipotle said, and is being tested at the Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine, California.

The autocado does not eliminate the need for a human but gives the human more time to focus on other tasks. Chipotle said a team member loads the autocado with up to 25 pounds of avocados. The machine orients the avocados vertically one at a time and transfers them to the processing device.

The avocados are sliced in half and the cores and skins are removed. The fruit is collected in a stainless-steel bowl, ready for the employee to add ingredients and hand mash it into guacamole.

Chipotle said currently it takes an employee about 50 minutes to make a batch of guacamole, including cutting, coring and scooping.

The Vebu team is aiming to improve the devices processing speeds, which could ultimately reduce guacamole prep time by 50%, allowing Chipotle employees to focus on serving guests and providing great hospitality, Chipotle said.

The restaurant said that in the United States, Canada and Europe this year, it expects to use 4.5 million cases - more than 100 million pounds - of avocados.

We are committed to exploring collaborative robotics to drive efficiencies and ease pain points for our employees, said Curt Garner, chief customer and technology officer at Chipotle.

The intensive labor of cutting, coring, and scooping avocados could be relieved with Autocado, but we still maintain the essential culinary experience of hand mashing and hand preparing the guacamole to our exacting standards.

Buck Jordan, CEO of Vebu, said using automation technology can give workers more flexibility in their day-to-day work.

Autocado has the potential to work alongside Chipotle crew members to create the same, delicious guacamole that Chipotle fans love but more efficiently than ever before.

READ MORE FOOD NEWS: Ritas Italian Ice new, limited-edition summer flavor is just peachy.
A swimmer who was pulled from the ocean off a beach in Monmouth County, New Jersey, last week died in the hospital Thursday, police said.

Colin Martin, 19, of New York, was swimming with a 17-year-old New York resident on July 7 when they both became distressed as they tried to swim back to the shore of the Kent Avenue beach in Bradley Beach shortly before 6 p.m., Bradley Beach Police Chief Leonard Guida said.

Multiple rescue agencies were able bring the 17-year-old swimmer to shore, but Martin went under the waves for about 20 minutes before he was found and pulled out, Guida said.

The medics worked on him and were able to get a pulse back, Guida told NJ Advance Media last week.

Martin was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition until he died Thursday, authorities said. The other swimmer was also taken there but was later released.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Colin Martin, the department wrote Thursday afternoon in a Facebook post.

The beach was not guarded at the time as lifeguards leave around 5 p.m. on weekdays, Guida said.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Miami-Dade County administrators realized too late it needed to renew a local gas tax for another 30 years, a lapse that will cost the budget millions of dollars before the 6-cent levy kicks in again next year.

An item up for a vote at Tuesdays County Commission meeting renews the local gas tax thats authorized under Florida law. Miami-Dade last authorized it 30 years ago when the tax was created, and state law has it expiring on Aug. 31.

Miami-Dade County will pause a six-cent gas tax in September after administrators forgot about a pending 30-year renew. (File photo/Miami Herald/TNS)TNS

The county doesnt plan to start collecting it again until Jan. 1, causing a four-month gap that will mean a 6-cent discount for consumers and a loss of about $18 million to county coffers, said Rachel Johnson, deputy chief of staff to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Johnson said the state notified Miami-Dade of the pending expiration too late for the the county to take the required steps needed to renew the tax without a gap. She said administrators werent aware of the pending expiration before hearing from the state, leaving Miami-Dade no choice but to delay collecting the tax at the pump for 17 weeks.

Miami-Dade shares about a third of the gas-tax revenue with cities. A Levine Cava memo on the renewal vote said the county will cover the municipal costs, so the lapse wont affect city budgets.

Johnson said the county will dip into remaining federal COVID-19 stimulus dollars to cover the lost revenue.

No budget gaps exist for the county and municipalities, Levine Cava said in the memo.

Diverting the federal dollars to cover the lost tax revenue means the COVID money cant be used for other local needs.

The tax is budgeted to generate about $64 million this year. The tax funds road projects and other transportation needs.

Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald wrote this story.

2023 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Hollywood actors join screenwriters on the picket lines as contract talks collapse

Democratic presidential hopefuls NYC press dinner turns into acrid fart-fest after climate change query
By STEFANIE DAZIO and LARRY FENN, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP)  Slain at the hands of strangers or gunned down by loved ones. Massacred in small towns, in big cities, inside their own homes or outside in broad daylight. This years unrelenting bloodshed across the U.S. has led to the grimmest of milestones: The deadliest six months of mass killings recorded since at least 2006.

From Jan. 1 to June 30, the nation endured 28 mass killings, all but one of which involved guns. The death toll rose just about every week, a constant cycle of violence and grief.

Six months. 181 days. 28 mass killings. 140 victims. One country.

What a ghastly milestone, said Brent Leatherwood, whose three children were in class at a private Christian school in Nashville on March 27 when a former student killed three children and three adults. You never think your family would be a part of a statistic like that.

Leatherwood, a prominent Republican in a state that hasnt strengthened gun laws, believes something must be done to get guns out of the hands of people who might become violent. The shock of seeing the bloodshed strike so close to home has prompted him to speak out.

You may as well say Martians have landed, right? Its hard to wrap your mind around it, he said.

LOUISVILLE, KY - APRIL 11: Bouquets of flowers lay at the entrance of the Old National Bank for the victims of the mass shooting on April 11, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. On the morning of April 10, a gunman opened fire inside the bank killing four people. A fifth victim later died in the hospital. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)Getty Images

A mass killing is defined as an occurrence when four or more people are slain, not including the assailant, within a 24-hour period. A database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University tracks this large-scale violence dating back to 2006.

The 2023 milestone beat the previous record of 27 mass killings, which was only set in the second half of 2022. James Alan Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, never imagined records like this when he began overseeing the database about five years ago.

We used to say there were two to three dozen a year, Fox said. The fact that theres 28 in half a year is a staggering statistic.

But the chaos of the first six months of 2023 doesnt automatically doom the last six months. The remainder of the year could be calmer, despite more violence over the July Fourth holiday weekend.

Hopefully it was just a blip, said Dr. Amy Barnhorst, a psychiatrist who is the associate director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

There could be fewer killings later in 2023, or this could be part of a trend. But we wont know for sometime, she added.

Police investigate the scene of a shooting Monday, July 3, 2023 in Philadelphia. Police say a gunman in a bulletproof vest has opened fire on the streets of Philadelphia, killing several people and wounding two boys before he surrendered to responding officers. (Steven M. Falk/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)AP

Experts like Barnhorst and Fox attribute the rising bloodshed to a growing population with an increased number of guns in the U.S. Yet for all the headlines, mass killings are statistically rare and represent a fraction of the countrys overall gun violence.

We need to keep it in perspective, Fox said.

But the mass violence most often spurs attempts to reform gun laws, even if the efforts are not always successful.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, had urged the General Assembly in the wake of the Nashville school shooting to pass legislation keeping firearms away from people who could harm themselves or others, so-called red flag laws, though Lee says the term is politically toxic.

Getting such a measure passed in Tennessee is an uphill climb. The Republican-led Legislature adjourned earlier this year without taking on gun control, prompting Lee to schedule a special session for August.

Leatherwood, a former executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party and now the head of the influential Southern Baptist Conventions public policy arm, wrote a letter to lawmakers asking them to pass the governors proposal.

Leatherwood said he doesnt want any other family to go through what his children experienced at the time of the shooting when they were in kindergarten, second grade and fourth grade. One of his kids, preparing for a recent sleepaway camp, asked whether they would be safe there.

Our child was asking, Do you think that there will be a gunman that comes to this camp? Do I need to be worried about that? Leatherwood said.

The Nashville shooter, whose writings Leatherwood and other parents are asking a court to keep private, used three guns in the attack, including an AR-15-style rifle. It was one of at least four mass killings in the first half of 2023 involving such a weapon, according to the database.

FILE - A police officer stands in the area of a mass shooting incident in the Southern District of Baltimore, Sunday, July 2, 2023. Baltimore police have arrested a 17-year-old boy who they believe was involved in a mass shooting at a block party over the holiday weekend that killed two people and wounded 28 others, officials announced Friday, July 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)AP

Nearly all of the mass killings in the first half of this year, 27 of 28, involved guns. The other was a fire that killed four people in a home in Monroe, Louisiana. A 37-year-old man was arrested on arson and murder charges in connection with the March 31 deaths.

Despite the unprecedented carnage, the National Rifle Association maintains fierce opposition to regulating firearms, including AR-15-style rifles and similar weapons.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris constant efforts to gut the Second Amendment will not usher in safety for Americans; instead, it will only embolden criminals, NRA spokesman Billy McLaughlin said in a statement. That is why the NRA continues our fight for self-defense laws. Rest assured, we will never bow, we will never retreat, and we will never apologize for championing the self-defense rights of law-abiding Americans.

Tito Anchondos brother, Andre Anchondo, was among 23 people killed in a 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. The gunman was sentenced last week to 90 consecutive life sentences but could face more punishment, including the death penalty. The prosecution of the racist attack on Hispanic shoppers in the border city was one of the U.S. governments largest hate crime cases.

Andre Anchondo and his wife, Jordan, died shielding their 2-month-old son from bullets. Paul, who escaped with just broken bones, is now 4 years old.

Tito Anchondo said he feels like the country has forgotten about the El Paso victims in the years since and that not nearly enough has been done to stem the bloodshed. He worries about Pauls future.

I hope that things can drastically change because this country is going down a very, very slippery slope; a downward spiral, he said. Its just a little unnerving to know that hes eventually going to go to school with kids that also may bring a gun to school.
The story, pictures and drone video of the early Monday morning fire at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg reminded many central Pennsylvania residents of another blaze at a farmers market.

That one burned down the West Shore Farmers in Lemoyne, Cumberland County, on a frosty Monday morning in 1999.

It started in the early morning hours of Feb. 1 and reached four alarms, according to the coverage in the Feb. 2, 1999 edition of the Patriot-News.

The fire left about 60 merchants temporarily out of business and the occupants of six apartments homeless. No one was injured.

Firefighters were dispatched to the market at 900 Market St. at 12:48 a.m. after residents on 10th Street spotted the fire, according to the Patriot-News story. With flames shooting an estimated 100 feet into the night sky, the blaze was visible for miles.

They were already calling for second and third alarms when they reached the scene, Roger A. Kohr, public information officer for the Cumberland County Office of Emergency Preparedness, told reporters. The fire was visible to Kohr from Wertzville Road as he drove to the scene, he said.

Although the blaze was considered under control at 8:35 a.m. Monday, the rubble continued to burn and smoke on Monday night. At the height of the blaze, as many as 125 firefighters from 25 companies in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and York counties were at the scene.

The market would have turned 49 that April.

It was a way of life, and in a few short hours, it was gone, Lemoyne Borough Manager Howard E. Dougherty, who also serves as chief of West Shore Regional Police Department, said. Friday, when its time to go to the market and its not there, theres going to be a big void.

A temporary market would open before the end of March that year, and by mid-June 2002 that void would be filled by a new market with many of the same vendors.

READ MORE:
Pennsylvanias two Democratic U.S. senators have the highest and third-highest percentage of LGBTQ staffers in the caucus, according to a newly released survey.

The Senate Democrats annual diversity survey of their members offices found that 30% of Sen. Bob Caseys staff identifies as LGBTQ, while Sen. John Fettermans staff was pinned at 28% LGBTQ, good for third place.

Second place went to Washington state Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, whose staff is 29% LGBTQ. There are 51 Democratic senators.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who is being courted as a potential third-party presidential candidate by the No Labels group, had the lowest percentage of LGBTQ staff with zero.

Fetterman famously hung the rainbow flag of the LGBTQ community from the balcony of his office when he was lieutenant governor.

At a time when the LGBTQ community is under constant threat from extremists and the courts, Im proud to have a team that is made stronger because of the life experiences and perspective this community brings to it, Fetterman said in a statement to PennLive.

Our staff looks like Pennsylvania and America, he said, and its an honor to work with all of our staff members to serve the commonwealth.

Then-Lt. Gov. John Fetterman displayed flags on the balcony of his office at the state Capitol to show support for marijuana legalization and for extending the state's anti-discrimination protections to cover matters of sexual orientation and gender identity. The LGBTQ Pride flags were displayed on either side of a Marijuana Leaf Weed Rainbow Gay Lesbian Pride flag in January 2021. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Senator Casey is committed to hiring dedicated and passionate staff with different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives who get up every single day and fight for Pennsylvania, said Natalie Adams, Caseys press secretary. He believes our country is better when the halls of government reflect the Commonwealth.

Casey also tweeted about his support for the LGBTQ+ community on July 11, saying the communitys rights are under attack by state legislatures across the country, and now by the Supreme Court. Congress needs to do everything in our power to stop it and thats why Im a proud cosponsor of the Equality Act.

Fetterman took to Twitter on Thursday to tout the rankings using a take-off on a meme of the HBO show The White Lotus.

Fetterman retweeted a post reporting the diversity surveys findings with an altered meme of actress Jennifer Coolidge, who portrays Tanya McQuoid on the show, saying, These gays, theyre trying to run my senate office.

The characters original line is, These gays, theyre trying to kill me.

Both Casey and Fetterman have staffs that are 57% female, while Caseys office is 20% Black and Fettermans is 19%. Five senators were close to Fetterman with 26% of their staffs identified as LGBTQ.
A Muslim group that has held its annual convention in Harrisburg for more than a decade on Thursday launched Jalsa Cares, aimed at giving back to its host city with a series of service projects.

City leaders partnered with members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA to facilitate the service projects one day before the 73rd annual Jalsa Salana, the nations oldest Muslim convention, gets underway at the state Farm Show complex. Organizers say the convention is expected to draw 9,000 to 10,000 people to Harrisburg.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spokesman Momin Bhatti said the effort was especially important in the wake of the devastating fire that destroyed a portion of the Broad Street Market, one of the citys most historic landmarks, Monday morning.

Jalsa Cares seeks to promote the spirit of united service for the city of Harrisburg, he said.

As part of Jalsa Cares, volunteers gave back by feeding the hungry, donating blood, and conduct a neighborhood clean-up.

They worked hand-in-hand with Downtown Daily Bread, the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness, and Harrisburgs public works organization to ensure a day of servicing in a variety of ways.

The Ahmadiyya are a sect of Islam that differs from Sunnis and Shias in some basic beliefs. Ahmadiyya Muslims believe the messiah has already come, in the person of their founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, of India, who lived from 1835 to 1908. This has made them targets of extremists who consider them heretics.

For the past 72 years, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has held an annual Jalsa Salana in the United States to renew their commitment to peace and to advancing human rights around the world. This years convention will take place from Friday through Sunday at the Farm Show building.
A 37-year-old father of four was shot and killed while working inside a neighborhood store in Philadelphia, according to news sources.

The incident occurred in the citys Brewerytown neighborhood just after 6:40 p.m. Thursday. The store employee  who was identified by family members as Jose Alberto Almonte  was organizing shelves inside the Jefferson Food Market along the 1500 block of North 29th Street when an unidentified man entered the store. He then pulled a gun and fired five shots, shooting Almonte at least once in the neck.

Almonte was pronounced dead at the scene by medics at 6:47 p.m., according to reports from The Philadelphia Inquirer and NBC10.

From what Investigators believe, the incident didnt appear to be a robbery and Almonte may have been targeted, NBC10 reported.

The stores owner and another employee were also inside the store at the time of the shooting. Police are looking at any possible surveillance footage from inside and outside of the store.

So far, no arrests have been made and no description of the assailant has been released by authorities.

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A western Pennsylvania man wanted for cutting a womans throat during a carjacking and going on a crime spree earlier this week was captured in Georgia on Thursday, according to media reports.

State police said that Michael Aaron Whitfield, 35, was stopped by Georgia State Patrol officers in Chatham County after he stole a pick-up truck in Westmoreland County Wednesday morning and fled south, reported WTAE-TV.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Whitfield was arrested on a warrant for attempted homicide, attempted kidnapping and robbery.

PSP has a warrant for Michael Aaron WHITFIELD for a carjacking and burglaries that occurred in Indiana and Westmoreland counties 7/12

Any tips call PSP indiana 724-357-1960-

Crime stoppers reward $2000 pic.twitter.com/WXRaqCLiW0  Troopers Steve Limani & Cliff Greenfield (@PSPTroopAPIO) July 13, 2023

Whitfield was being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on drug charges from June when he was released on July 7 after posting $10,000 bail, according to the Trib.

On Monday, police said he stole a car belonging to the person he was staying with, leading to receiving stolen property, theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle charges.

Whitfield was in Blairsville, Indiana County, around 6 a.m. Wednesday when he attacked an employee of an assisted living facility, state police previously said.

The Trib reported that he used a boxcutter to cut her and that a 9-year-old child with the woman jumped from the vehicle as Whitfield drove away. WTAE reported that the child was the womans granddaughter.

State police said previously that Whitfield drove to Derry Township in neighboring Westmoreland County where he tried to break into several businesses before burglarizing a BBQ truck and stealing a Ford pick-up truck.

The Trib reported that no charges had been filed yet against Whitfield for the incidents in Westmoreland County. Police said previously that the woman who was cut with the boxcutter was treated and released from a local hospital.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey will provide the keynote address at Troy Universitys summer commencement exercises on July 28 in Trojan Arena.

Nearly 430 students representing 26 U.S. states and 11 countries outside the U.S. will participate in the exercises that begin at 10 a.m. Tickets are required for the ceremony. As part of the ceremony one Air Force and two Army ROTC cadets will commission into their respective branch.

Among the 232 undergraduate students and nearly 200 graduate students participating will be two who are receiving the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Sport Management.

Mackey was named state superintendent in 2018, and has focused on innovative initiatives outlined in the strategic plan, Alabama Achieves, including the Alabama Literacy Act, STEM, Career Technical Education, and workforce development. He recognizes the importance of the whole child approach in promoting the long-term development and success of all children.

During his tenure, high school graduation and college and career readiness rates have increased with Alabamas high school seniors of 2020 graduating at 90.6 percent. More than 87 percent of Alabama high school students are currently enrolled in at least one career technical education class and Alabama has been ranked first in the South Central Region for workforce development in 2022.

Through his leadership, Alabama has made significant changes resulting in improvements in student outcomes. In 2022, Alabama was the only state that showed improvement in both reading and math, rising 12 spots, on The Nations Report Card  NAEP. Alabama high school graduation and college and career readiness rates have increased with Alabamas high school seniors graduating at 91 percent and ranking first in the nation for 2020. Alabama leads the nation in COVID recovery and continues to rise in national rankings including being recognized as one of the top six states in the nation for Computer Science and fifth in the nation for Financial Literacy.

Professional development opportunities for educators have expanded with Alabama being ranked top five in the nation for the number of new National Board Certified Teachers  and more than18,000 early childhood education teachers being trained on the science of reading and 97 teachers becoming Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs).

Prior to being named state superintendent, he served as Executive Director of the School Superintendents of Alabama, the professional association for local school system executives, for eight years. He began his career as a high school science teacher and then taught middle school science, where he discovered a passion for middle school education that continues to inform and influence his perspectives to this day. He went on to serve as principal of Kitty Stone Elementary School and then Superintendent of Jacksonville City School System.

Mackey strives to bridge the gap between education and other stakeholders. As such, he currently serves on more than 30 boards including the Southern Regional Education Board, Alabama Public School and College Authority, Retirement Systems of Alabama, Interstate Military Childrens Compact Commission, and Alabama Germany Partnership.

He also serves in leadership positions on several boards including the Board of Directors for the Council of Chief State School Officers, Board of Directors for Jobs for Americas Graduates, Board Chair of the Alabama-International Education and Economic Partnership, and Commissioner for the Education Commission of the States. He holds a bachelors degree from Jacksonville State University as well as, a Masters, Education Specialist and Doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama.

Mackey is past president of the Montgomery Rotary Club, volunteers with Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts, and is active in his local church.
Alabamians plan to take advantage of the savings associated with Alabamas 18th annual back-to-school sales tax holiday July 21-23. According to the National Retail Federation, parents of kindergarten through high school students plan to spend almost $900, while families with children in college plan to spend almost $1,400 for back-to-school needs this year.

This year marks the seventh time the annual tax holiday will take place during the third weekend of July. From 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 21, until midnight, Sunday, July 23, the state waives its 4% sales tax on school-related supplies and clothing.

More than 325 cities and counties throughout Alabama also waive their local taxes. In some areas, the savings reach 10%.

Exempt items include:

Clothing priced at $100 or less per article;

School supplies valued at $50 or less per item;

Books that cost $30 or less per book; and

Tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.

The sales tax holiday provides shoppers a way to save money and support their local economies, especially those local businesses that sell the covered items exclusively, like shoe, childrens apparel, school supply, book and computer stores.

The sales tax holiday offers parents a way to save on back-to-school needs, said Alabama Retail Association President Rick Brown. Saving money for consumers while stimulating sales for stores is what this weekend is all about.

Although the sales tax holiday targets back-to-school shoppers, any consumer can benefit from the savings offered during the weekend. A wide range of items are exempt during the holiday, so there is a reason for everyone to shop.

Some of the widely needed items include diapers, printer ink, thumb or flash drives, printer paper and art supplies.

A full list of the tax-exempt items is available at https://alabamaretail.org/resources/salestaxholidays/back-to-school.

The Alabama Retail Association encourages shoppers to buy from local retailers by promoting the use of the #ShopAlabama hashtag. Shopping with businesses that have a physical presence in your local area keeps businesses open and your neighbors employed, said Brown.

The Alabama Retail Association represents retailers, the largest private employer in the state of Alabama, before the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Through sales of food, clothing, furniture, medicine and more, our 4,300 independent merchant and national company members touch almost every aspect of daily living. Since 1943, weve worked to promote whats best for the retail industry in Alabama. Whether voicing the retail view when public policy is made, educating members about issues that impact them, negotiating rates for benefits and services or communicating the retail story, the Alabama Retail Association and its members are better together.
PN Podcast: WSOP Main Event Payouts Messed Up? Guest Ryan Depaulo a Withered Pro?

July 13, 2023 Chad Holloway Executive Editor U.S.

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Jesse Fullen and special co-host Norman Chad continue The Chad & Jesse Poker Show straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

The two start by debating the pros and cons of the 2023 WSOP Main Event payouts before welcoming this weeks guest  poker vlogger Ryan Depaulo.

Among the topics they discuss with the Whole Foods parking lot bracelet winner are his biggest score to date (third place in the Colossus), what his father told him (Dont punt), and Joey the Mush. Plus, they ask if he was banned from Borgata for vlogging, his main poker influence, and whether or not hes a withered pro.

Norman Chad and Jesse then do a new "Calling the Clock" segment in which they offer quick two-minute dialogues for topics on The Board.

Here's a look at this episode's topics:

Hoodie Allen abandons stack

Phil Hellmuth cooler

cooler Letter to the table

WSOP Bubble

Father/Daughter cash Main Event

WSOP Champs

Angry Chance Kornuth

Isai Sheinberg honored by WPT

Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

Time Stamps

Time Topic 00:35 Welcome to the show 00:57 Norman Chad joins the show 01:19 Where is Chad? 02:54 WSOP Main Event Payouts 11:38 Calling the Clock 11:53 Hoodie Allen abandons Main Event chip stack 13:53 Hellmuth gets coolered to exit Main Event 15:53 Player writes a letter to their Main Event table 17:53 WSOP Main Event money bubble pops 19:53 Father/Daughter both cash WSOP Main Event 21:53 Former WSOP Main Event winners still in 2023 field 23:53 Chance Kornuth gets clock called on dinner break 25:53 Isai Scheinberg honored by WPT 28:10 Sponsor: Global Poker 28:41 Guest Ryan Depaulo joins the show 49:03 July Freerolls for PokerNews listeners

July PokerNews Freerolls

Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show  tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.

Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!

Check Out Past Episodes of the PN Podcast Here!

Sharelines PokerNews Podcast: @depaulo_ryan joins the show from the 2023 @WSOP.
Day 3 of Event #82: $3,000 Pot Limit Omaha 6-Handed at the 2023 World Series of Poker has come to a close. The day started with the goal of thinning the field down from 35 hopefuls to five finalists, and that's exactly how many players will return to Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas for the Day 4 finale to chase the $480,122 first-place prize and the WSOP gold bracelet that awaits the champion.

Coming back to the biggest chip stack will be Matthew Parry, who intends to use his 13,105,000 chips to close out his first bracelet win. Also returning for the final day will be Dustin Goldklang (11,490,000), Cuba Levenberry (4,915,000) and Lawrence Wayne (2,200,000).

Final Table Chip Counts

Place Name Country Chips Big Blinds 1 Matthew Parry United States 13,105,000 82 2 Dustin Goldklang United States 11,490,000 72 3 Ian Matakis United States 8,835,000 55 4 Cuba Levenberry United States 4,915,000 31 5 Lawrence Wayne United States 2,200,000 14

One other player will be returning as well, and it's safe to say that all eyes will be on him as Ian Matakis (8,835,000), who currently leads the Player of the Year race by 437 points, will lock in his 19th cash of the summer, his fourth final table and will make a push to win his second bracelet of the 2023 WSOP. Doing so would almost certainly make him a mathematical lock to take POY honors in what has been an absolute breakout summer for the young pro.

Notable players that returned for Day 3 but did not bag for the finale included Norbert Szecsi (32nd - $13,343), Lukas Zaskodny (28th - $16,184), Kane Kalas (24th - $16,184), Day 1 chip leader Tyler Gaston (19th - $20,000), Brandon Shack-Harris, who was eliminated in a brutal set over set confrontation (12th - $25,177) and Connor Drinan (6th - $75,517).

The final five players will return at 1:00 p.m. local time with about half of Level 29 remaining to play at blinds of 80,000/160,000 and a big blind ante of 160,000. There will be a scheduled 15-minute break after every two levels, and play is scheduled to continue until a winner has been crowned.

Keep it locked to PokerNews for the exciting conclusion to this event and for up-to-date coverage of this and all remaining events at the 2023 World Series of Poker!
After ten hour-long levels of play, Day 1 has concluded in Event #87: $2,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better; Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better at the 2023 World Series of Poker. Of those starters, 247 players have bagged and will be advancing to Day 2 and will look to take home their share of the $1,023,500 prize pool, with the champion taking home $221,733 and a coveted WSOP gold bracelet.

Some 460 entrants saw play today at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, easily eclipsing the 401 runners from 2019, the last time this event ran. That tournament was won by Yuri Dzivielevski, the first of what is now three bracelets for the Brazilian star. The first step to joining Dzivielevski and winning the title will be making the money. Only 69 players will cash and will earn a minimum of $4,053 for their efforts.

End of Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Bets 1 Patrick Leonard United Kingdom 211,500 42 2 Scott Numoto United States 198,800 40 3 Jude Arena United States 183,700 37 4 Xixiang Luo China 181,100 36 5 Maksim Pisarenko Russia 180,200 36 6 Jason Stockfish United States 170,800 34 7 Mike Thorpe United States 165,300 33 8 Daniel Strelitz United States 165,200 33 9 Nathan Gamble United States 148,000 30 10 Ashish Gupta Australia 143,600 29

Sitting atop the leaderboard after the initial day of play is British pro Patrick Leonard, who bagged 212,000. "Pads," who won his maiden bracelet alongside Espen Jorstad in last year's tag team event, looks to continue on towards a second bracelet.

Also among the chip leaders is "Crazy Mike" Thorpe, who will take 165,500 with him into Day 2. Thorpe has six cashes so far this summer and hopes to create a memorable lucky number seven. Another player who is moving on is Vasu Amarapu (99,800), who built an early stack with not one, but two royal flushes in four hands.

Vasu Amarpu

Players failing to advance to Day 2 included Sam Farha, Martin Kabrhel, and Joao Vieira.

Day 2 kicks off on July 14 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Action resumes on Level 11, with blinds of 1,300-2,500 and limits of 2,500-5,000 in Omaha. Stud will have a 500 ante, 700 bring-in, 2,500 completion, and limits of 2,500-5,000. Players who survive ten one-hour levels will advance to Day 3 and move one step closer to being the champion. Keep it here with PokerNews as we find out who will set themselves up for a shot at the bracelet!
With the end of the 2023 World Series of Poker coming into view, it is appropriate that today the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas will be hosting Event #88: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold'em. Last year New Jerseys Minh Nguyen was the winner of one of the last bracelets of the summer.

The 2022 event drew 2,039 entries and generated a prize pool of $962,280. Nguyen outlasted 17 returning players on the tournaments final day to defeat Ahmed Karrim in heads-up play to win $536,280 and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

2022 $1,500 The Closer Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Minh Nguyen United States $536,280 2 Ahmed Karrim South Africa $331,470 3 Michael Liang United States $247,890 4 Madelyn Carr United States $186,770 5 Manuel Herrera Garcia United States $141,770 6 Daniel Tabello United States $108,420 7 Samuel Brown United States $83,540 8 Rudy Cervantes United States $64,870 9 Zach Johnson United States $59,759 10 Vincent Lam Canada $40,020

Today at 10 a.m. local time Day 1a, the first of two starting flights, will commence and Day 1b will be played tomorrow, Saturday, July 15th, at the same time. The survivors of both starting flights will return for the final day on Sunday, July 16th, and will play until a winner is crowned. Both Day 1's will play 22 levels. Players will sit down with 50,000 in chips in their starting stacks and blinds will start at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante. Levels will last 30 minutes each, with a 20-minute break scheduled after every fourth level.

There will be a 75-minute dinner break after Level 16, expected to be around 7 p.m. local time. Players can rebuy once per starting flight, with late registration closing at the end of Level 12, approximately 5:00 p.m. local time.

Be sure to keep it here as PokerNews will be on hand to provide live updates from the floor of all of the remaining 2023 WSOP bracelet tournaments.
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House Democrats released the testimony of Chief Border Patrol Agents that debunks Speaker McCarthys push to impeach over false claims about the conditions at the southwest border.

The entire memo exposes the lies behind McCarthys impeachment movement.

Chief Border Patrol Agents say that there is no crisis and chaos at the border:

Chief Patrol Agent Joel Martinez, Laredo Sector (June 1, 2023):

Q: Chief Ortiz in the past has described whats gone on at the southwest border the last couple years as a crisis. Would you agree that theres a crisis at the southwest border?

A: Speaking for Laredo, I dont have a crisis going on right now, so

Q: What about with your experience in [Rio Grande Valley sector]?

A: RGV, there was periods of times when we were overwhelmed, but, like, right now, things are normal. Theyre good.

The Border Patrol Chiefs also rejected the Republican claim that Biden changed policies and intentionally created a crisis at the border.

Chief Patrol Agent Scott Good, El Paso Sector (June 29, 2023):

Q: And is it fair to say that the agents that serve under you strive to secure the border every day?

A: They do.

Q: And, given that, youve never given them an order to stop securing the border. Is that right?

A: Correct.

Q: And, in your role as chief patrol agent of El Paso, youve never received an order to stop securing the border. Is that right?

A: Correct.

Q: Youve never received an order to stop securing the border when you were in the Grand Forks Sector. Is that correct?

A: Correct.

The Biden administration isnt allowing criminals to cross the border and enter the US.

Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, San Diego Sector (May 9, 2023):

Q: And, when migrants are detained, theyre screened for their criminal history, whether theyre on a terrorist watch list, anything else in their record. Is that correct?

A: Yes.

Q: And, if someone has a flag, like an outstanding warrant, would they be referred to another law enforcement agency?

A: It depends on the flag, whether we would refer them to another agency or we would handle it ourselves.

Q: Okay. So lets say, if one someone is wanted for a criminal offense, is it fair to say theyre not just released into the United States, theres some follow up?

A: Correct.

Republicans And Fox News Have Invented A Fake Border Crisis

Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans are pushing to impeach Bidens Homeland Security Secretary for a crisis that does not exist.

The crisis at the border has been manufactured by Republicans and conservative media to function as a political tool to engage their voters.

It is telling that when conservative media talks about the crisis on the border, they dont speak to the people who know best what is going on. They dont talk to those who are overseeing the policy on the border.

The undertones of racism in the Republican border scare tactics are not subtle, and Kevin McCarthy wants to use the impeachment of the Homeland Security Secretary to paint President Biden as a failure on the border to help Trump in 2024.

Just like the other House Republican investigations, the crisis at the border is a fraud. The witnesss testimony collected by the House Homeland Security and Oversight Committees proves it.

The entire memo is worth reading because it reveals that the Republican impeachment effort is a baseless abuse of power that is intended to influence the 2024 presidential election.
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) have introduced a bipartisan amendment to the NDAA that would declassify government UFO records.

Majority Leader Schumers office announced in a statement:

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity for the Armed Services Committee, are leading an amendment  Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act of 2023  along with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee; Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities for the Armed Services Committee; Senator Todd Young (R-IN); and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) which would increase transparency around Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) and further open scientific research.

The legislation introduced as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that will be on the Senate floor next week, would direct the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to create a collection of records to be known as the UAP Records Collection and direct every government office to identify which records would fall into the collection. The UAP Records Collection would carry the presumption of immediate disclosure, which means that a review board would have to provide a reasoning for the documents to stay classified.

One thing that Republicans and Democrats can agree on after the spate of public officials either mistakenly (Pence and Biden) or willfully keeping (Tump) classified documents is that the United States government has an overclassification problem.

It is time for Congress to start making agencies provide a reason why some documents are classified.

Do we need documents related to UFOs and the unexplained classified?

Transparency in government is good for democracy. The promotion of scientific research is good for humanity.

Legislation and amendments are often introduced that have zero chance of becoming law.

This one is likely to become law. Due to having the support of Republicans and Democrats, it will make it through the Senate version of the bill, as long as House Republicans dont strip it out of their version. It should be in the final legislation that will eventually be passed and signed by President Biden.

Senate Majority Leader Schumer said, The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena. We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public. I am honored to carry on the legacy of my mentor and dear friend, Harry Reid, and fight for the transparency that the public has long demanded surround these unexplained phenomena.

The American people have a right to know, and soon they are likely to be able to find out.
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Trumps lawyers filed a motion with the Georgia Supreme Court to get the final grand jury report quashed and disqualify Fulton County, GA District Attorney Fani Willis from the case.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported:

In a Friday petition filed before the Georgia Supreme Court, Trumps attorneys also sought to quash the final report of a special purpose grand jury that recommended people be indicted. They also requested a ruling that would forbid Willis from using any evidence obtained by the investigative jury, which heard testimony from about 75 witnesses between May 2022 and Jan. 2023.

The motion asks Georgias highest court to put a halt to any ongoing proceedings related to and flowing from the special purpose grand jurys investigation until this matter can be resolved. This would include the two regular grand juries that were seated on Tuesday, one of which is expected to be asked to hand up indictments for alleged criminal meddling in Georgias 2020 presidential election.

The move of leapfrogging to the state supreme court is generally frowned upon and does not go well, according to experts.

Donald Trump Wants The DA Removed And The Evidence Against Him Thrown Out

The motion that Trumps lawyers filed essentially confirms that the former president is going to be indicted in Georgia within the next month. Trump wants to get rid of the DA in the case and throw out all of the evidence against him. Out of the blue, Trump began rumbling about the Georgia case on Truth Social a week or two ago.

Trump appears to know that he is going to be indicted, and his motion before the Georgia Supreme Court should be viewed as a last-minute Hail Mary to avoid criminal charges.

The problem for Trump is that even if he were to ever return to the White House, he has no power to make non-federal charges go away.

Any indictment in Georgia could be politically damaging to him in a general election.

Trump may win the Republican primary, but cases like the one in Georgia are a political death by a thousand cuts for his hopes of returning to the White House.
OZARK-A nearly $400,000 grant to support mental health services in the Dale County School system has been awarded to DCS, Superintendent Ben Baker announced Friday.

Plans for the $391,880 Alabama Stronger Connections Grant include funding a full time Mental Health Counselor for the school system, he said.

On June 25 last year, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which provides $1 billion in funding to state education agencies to be distributed under Title IV, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, said State Superintendent of Education Eric G. Mackey in announcing the grant application process to school administrators throughout the state.

The Alabama Stronger Connections Grant Program provides local education agencies with the opportunity to bolster their multi-tier system of supports through activities that prioritize improving foundational wellness and behavior outcomes for students, parents, families, and community members, said Mackey. The Alabama Stronger Connections Grant Program awards competitive grants to establish safer and healthier learning environments while recognizing the importance of meaningful collaboration and engagement with parents, families, and community partners.

The grant proposal applications closed June 2.

Baker said that prior to receiving the grant, the school system had been contracting with outside agencies such as Spectra Care and private counselors for many years.

I am very appreciative of those community partners and will maintain partnerships with these outside agencies as schools have many needs for mental health intervention in this post-COVID world, he said. However, it will be good to have an in-house licensed counselor for the exclusive use of Dale County Schools.

The Mental Health Counselor will provide mental health counseling services to students in grades K-12. They will work closely with students, teachers, administrators, and parents to support the emotional and psychological well-being of students, address behavioral issues, and promote a positive and healthy school environment. The licensed mental health counselor will also provide community activities across Dale County to promote mental health in families and communities.

These activities will educate stakeholders on current social media dangers, traumatic event responses, and substance abuse care, Baker said. In order for students to find success in school they must be mentally healthy and it is the goal of Dale County Schools to provide for the academic, physical, emotional, and psychological needs of students so that they will be prepared for an ever changing world.

This grant, Baker said, goes hand-in-hand with last years grant that provided a mental health coordinator for Dale County Schools. The Mental Health Coordinator worked with all schools in Dale County to coordinate services and resources for students and families struggling with mental health, behavioral, and psychological needs.

Baker said he appreciates state leaders giving more attention to mental health needs for public school students. If mental health needs are met and treated at a younger age that it will help society and communities in the future, he said. When a student enters high school they will face many challenges and need to be mentally healthy to better prepare for college or career.

Baker said that the mental health program and counselor should be in place and working with students by Sept. 1.
Summer is a slow time of the year at the Aiken Training Track in terms of horses using the facilities, but there is work going on behind the scenes to prepare for the busier seasons.

The thoroughbred training centers management already has secured a presenting sponsor for the 2024 edition of the Aiken Trials, which will be held March 16.

SRP Federal Credit Union will be the events biggest financial supporter next year.

Every year we beat the bushes trying to get one (a presenting sponsor), and it was really fortuitous that it came through this early, said Training Track President Bill Gutfarb.

He declined to disclose the amount of money SRP will provide, but said it was significant.

According to its website, SRP provides support through sponsorships of initiatives that will strengthen our community.

Those who seek funding must fill out a request form.

We explained to them how the Aiken Trials is a good recreational activity for the community, Gutfarb said. We give the community the opportunity see the track and see horses actually racing each other.

Money generated by the Aiken Trials helps pay for the operation of the Training Track. The other main revenue sources are fees charged for track usage by horses and the rental of stalls in the two barns that the Training Track owns.

For the Aiken Trials, the Training Track has a variety of smaller sponsorship opportunities, including financial support for individual races and awards for the best turned out horses.

The Aiken Trials annual day of racing kicks off the Aiken Triple Crown, which also includes the Aiken Spring Steeplechase and Pacers & Polo.

In other Training Track news, the Best of the West horse sale will be returning for its third edition, which is scheduled for Sept. 29 and 30.

There will be a trade show, a soft preview of sale horses and social events Sept. 29.

The trade show will continue Sept. 30, and there will be a preview sale horses at 10 a.m.

The auction will begin later that day at 3 p.m.

Fancy broke, experienced and above all, trustworthy horses of a variety of breeds will be offered for sale, according to bestofthewesthorses.com.

In addition, the Training Track will be among the venues for The American Driving Societys annual meeting Nov. 15-19.

Some of the participants horses will be stabled in the Training Track area, and there will be carriage-driving clinics in the Training Tracks outfield.

According to the annual meetings tentative schedule, there also will be an awards gala and other social events at such locations as The Willcox, Aiken Center for the Arts and Aiken Senior Life Services Anne & Cot Campbell Center.

Additional plans for participants include a pleasure drive at Windsor Trace and another drive on a route in Aiken that will include South Boundary Avenue.

Peggy Dils, president of The Aiken Driving Club, said she was expecting 150 to 200 people to attend the annual meeting.
The plan to build a Lulu's Car Wash on Aiken's Whiskey Road is still moving forward.

A company spokeswoman said Tuesday afternoon the company still intends to build but added there are some legal issues to work out prior to the beginning of construction.

The site of the car wash is located between Stratford Drive and Sizemore Circle along the southbound side of Whiskey Road.

The Aiken City Council annexed the property where the car wash will be built in August 1998 as part of a larger 25.43 acre parcel.

At the time of annexation, the city council zoned the 25.43-acre property "professional." On Nov. 22, 1999, the city council adopted a revised zoning ordinance that changed the zoning of the property from "professional" to limited professional.

Over the next three years, three attempts would be made to rezone the 25.43 acre property. In 2001, the Aiken Planning Commission considered rezoning the property to office/institutional but ultimately didn't pursue the rezoning. In 2001 and 2002, two attempts to zone parts of the property residential multifamily and general business were unsuccessful.

Country Home Builders successfully applied for the 25.43 acre property to be rezoned planned commercial. The concept plan approved with the rezoning called for the property to be split into thirds.

One third, 10.48-acres, became Springstone Villas. Another third, 2.15 acres, is used for stormwater detention and ultimately was deeded to the city of Aiken.

The last third, 11.8 acres, fronts Whiskey Road. The concept plan called for the construction of a 50,000 square feet shopping center and a separate, smaller unspecified commercial use. The shopping center would have been located on the southern half of the 11.8 acres near Sizemore Road and the smaller commercial use on the northern half near Stratford Drive.

A condition of the rezoning approval limited the commercial portion. Specifically, night clubs, bars, auto rentals, car washes, gas stations, mechanics, car dealers, hotels, emergency medical services, fast-food restaurants and any 24-hour operation were prohibited from the site.

The plans outlined in the concept plan did not come to fruition. With no development on the site, the approved concept plan for the commercial property expired five years later.

Lulu's Holdings of South Carolina LLC purchased the commercial site Sept. 10, 2019 for $1.4 million.

The commercial site has been split into four parcels. Two of the parcels, a 2.63 acre parcel and a 2.71 acre parcel, front Whiskey Road. There is also a t-shaped parcel connecting Stratford Drive and Sizemore Circle and Whiskey Road. And the fourth parcel, 5.29 acres, acts as a vegetation buffer between Springstone Villas and the commercial properties.

The 2.63 acre parcel was the proposed site of a Parker's Kitchen but the Aiken City Council did not approve that plan.

The t-shaped property is planned to be a road connecting Stratford Drive and Sizemore Circle. Right in, right out only access will be provided on Whiskey Road.

The 2.71 acre parcel is the Lulu's Car Wash site.

The Aiken City Council approved the car wash's concept plan Sept. 28, 2020.

A lawsuit followed the approval. In the lawsuit, Jean Greenwald, a resident of Springstone, argued the zoning conditions prohibiting car washes still applied.

Judge Clifton Newman  the Murdaugh trial judge  rejected that argument.
Dahkir Anderson will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of Jhaz "Silk" Allison.

After a four-day trial in Aiken, a jury found Anderson guilty of murder and kidnapping. Judge Courtney Clyburn Pope sentenced him to life in prison.

"You (Anderson) deserved to be locked away from society forever," Lolitha Allison, the victim's aunt, said.

The jury couldn't come to a decision to find Anderson guilty on charges of unlawful carrying of a pistol, trafficking meth, possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and possession of fentanyl.

Anderson was one of four people charged in the case. Austin Martin, Sharla Hamilton and Leon Curry were named as co-defendants. Deputy Solicitor Ashley Hammack, who prosecuted the case for the 2nd Circuit Solicitor's Office, said the other three will have their day in court in the future.

On June 24, 2021, Allison was reported kidnapped by his mother Tonya Allison.

Allisons decomposed body was later found in a grave on the 500 block of Harbor Drive.

Anderson, Martin and Hamilton were arrested by police near Shiloh Heights and several guns, including two Glocks, a bookbag full of drugs and clothes with blood were found.

Hammack told the court that the mother received a phone call from Anderson and asked her about his dog. When Tonya Allison came home, she couldnt find her son, but he was found tied up inside a white Tahoe while being held at gunpoint.

Anderson then drove away in the Tahoe still thinking the dog was stolen, but a man gave him his dog back. Anderson then drove the victim to his grandmothers house in the 500 block of Harbor Drive, Hammack said.

Hamilton left the scene and left Allison with Anderson, Martin and Curry, and when she came back, she saw what Anderson, Curry and Martin had done to the victim.

Hamilton said the suspects hit the victim several times, knocked out his teeth, kicked him and set him on fire three times, Hammack said.

His body was then tied to a truck and covered with a tarp before the suspects left to go to a Waffle House, Hammack said.

An autopsy said the cause of Allison's death was due to blunt force trauma to the head and prosecutors said it was likely that Allison was hit in the head several times with a shovel. It was also determined that Allison had several teeth missing and damage to his head.

The suspects burned and buried Allisons body, according to previous reports.

Prosecutor: He did it with malice

In an audio interview with police, Anderson admitted that he punched Anderson in the face and that he had a reason to kill Allison because he paid $3,000 for a dog that Allison allegedly stole.

'I was mad and I was heated,'" Hammack said, quoting Anderson.

Witness testimony from SLED and DNA investigators said blood found on Anderson and Martin belonged to Allison.

Hammack said Anderson bragged about killing Allison and told his grandmother what happened, and he had a video of the incident.

During Hammacks closing arguments, she said Anderson, as well as his co-defendants, are responsible for the death of Allison.

The hand of one is the hand of another, Hammack said.

Before Pope handed down a sentence, several members of Anderson's family spoke on his behalf seeking leniency. They said he was a good kid who was trying to look out for his family.

"He's not a monster," said Janet Jeffery, Anderson's grandmother. "Doc wasn't a bad person."

Lolitha Allison, the victim's aunt, said the family had to hear a lot about him, but they know Jhaz Allison was a good person and was special in their lives, and had a loving family and children.

"Only an animal would do what they did to my nephew," she said.

She said the family has been waiting for two years to get justice.

The victim's mother said Anderson took away moments they will never get to share, like birthdays and celebrations.

"I will never forgive you," Tonya Allison said in a letter to the court. "You took so much from the family."

Once the verdict was read, Anderson was taken into custody by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, where he'll stay until he starts his sentence with the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

"I am sorry for everything that happened," Anderson said. "If I could go back in time I would."
Lost at sea for months on a disabled catamaran, with no way to cook and no source of fresh water but the rain, Australian Timothy Shaddock said he expected to die. But there was a lot he liked about the experience, he said, like swims in the sea, the company of his dog Bella, and the sight of the moon over the water. In a press conference as he came ashore Tuesday, Shaddock dwelled on his love of the sea, and declined to describe the many, many, many bad days he experienced before being rescued by a tuna fishing boat. He said he and Bella lived on raw fish and rainwater, and worked maintaining the boat almost all the time he wasn't sleeping. Read moreAdrift for months, Australian and his dog lived on raw fish until Mexican fishermen rescued them
It's lights, camera, inaction for "Outer Banks."

Production work in Charleston for the fourth season of the Netflix hit streaming series was suspended this week as an expanded strike shut down much of the entertainment industry, setting the stage for Hollywood's biggest labor fight in decades.

The original walkout, by the 11,500-member Writers Guild of America, started May 2 over contractual disputes with studios, networks and streaming platforms involving pay and other issues.

The 160,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced Thursday it would join the writers on the picket line. The guild, knows as SAG, represents, among other artists, actors, dancers, recording artists, stunt performers and voiceover specialists.

The fallout hit the "Outer Banks" set almost immediately, according to Kimmie Stewart Casting, the agency that puts out casting calls for the series and other South Carolina- and North Carolina-filmed shows and movies

"Effective now we have suspended filming," the company said Thursday on Instagram. "Updates will be made as we receive them."

"Outer Banks" co-creator and executive producer Jonas Pate declined to comment to The Post and Courier.

Leading actress Madelyn Cline, who grew up in Goose Creek and plays Sarah Cameron on the Netflix show, posted videos of the SAG strike announcement on social media July 13, including a link to an article noting this is the guild's first walkout against the film and TV industry since 1980.

It's the first joint strike uniting performers and screenwriters in more than six decades.

Linda Lee, president of the Carolina Film Alliances board of directors, said July 14 was her last day on the "Outer Banks" set as a location scout.

Before SAG joined the strike, production could continue on until we ran out of script, Lee said. But you cant shoot without actors.

Lee said the strike isnt just about pay. It's also about demands for transparency from streaming services and protections for actors from having their identities and talents exploited without their consent. The union members also are seeking guardrails against the use of artificial intelligence mimicking their work on film and television.

Theres every reason to shut down. Were totally behind them. We just hoped it would not come to this but it has, Lee said. It's unfortunate that we are all out of work but it's for a good cause. We just hope it doesn't last too long and it causes the (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) to make a fair deal.

Matt Storm, director of the S.C. Film Commission, anticipated the stoppage.

'Outer Banks' plans to shoot until November, but that could change if SAG decides to join the writers strike, Storm told The Post and Courier earlier this month. He also said some projects in South Carolina "have held off committing to filming" because of the possibility of a strike.

As of now, the next season of "Outer Banks" is in limbo. Filming, which began in May, was initially expected to wrap at the end of this year, gearing up for an early 2024 release.

The show follows a group of teenagers as they embark on a perilous treasure hunt. The upcoming season was to home in on the famed pirate Blackbeard.

Storm said Friday that it was too early to estimate how many cast and crew members are out of work. They'll likely have buckle down ... until the strike is over, he said.

This is Storms second experience with a Hollywood strike. The first, when he was working in Los Angeles in 2008, lasted 100 days.

I was a key assistant location manager, so I wasnt making much money as it was, but then I found myself having to apply for unemployment benefits while I waited for production to resume, he said. Now that I have kids, I cant even imagine what Id do now if I was in that position again.

While the filming of "Outer Banks" is shut down, some crew members will keep working to build and prepare the sets thatll be needed later.

In this case, the pause allows the production to breathe while they keep crew members  from carpenters to construction guys and paint crew  employed to build the next sets, Storm said. Once the strike is over, the production crew will be able to jump back into work without missing a beat.

At least one other production in South Carolina has been shut down. "Gods Not Dead 5," an American Christian-fiction drama series based on the book of the same name authored by Rice Broocks, was taping near Rock Hill. The film has a $2.5 million budget and was employing mostly local workers, Storm said.

The impact of the strike on the independent production "Bride Hard" was unclear Friday. The producers have been working with SAG and have applied for a waiver. The half-million-dollar project plans to film in Hardeeville over four days.

Work on "The Righteous Gemstones" isn't immediately affected by the labor strife. The HBO comedy wrapped up work on its third season in the Charleston area months ago, and the nine new episodes began airing in June.

A silver lining is that the economic impact on areas like Charleston won't be as widespread as in major entertainment hubs like Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Businesses in Charleston arent dependent on film production, which in this case is a good thing, Storm said. I remember driving down a street in L.A. during the last strike and seeing a block worth of restaurants and shops closed. In some cities, business is so tangentially wrapped up into the film production world.
Columbia, SC (29201)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
COLUMBIA  Employees at a Waffle House on Garners Ferry Road who went on strike over what they said are unsafe working conditions and low pay have told The Post and Courier they have faced retaliation from management.

The Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW), which is representing the employees, has filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, organizers and the NLRB website confirmed.

Following the filing, workers were sent a letter from Waffle House acknowledging the complaint.

The complaint, filed July 7, according to NLRB's database, alleges that Waffle House managers took part in retaliatory practices against employees who helped serve a letter of demands on July 1.

On July 8, workers began a three-day strike at the 7428 Garners Ferry Road restaurant.

"I've been cut down to (working) three days a week now," said Shae Parker, an employee who spoke out at the strike demonstration on July 8. "I went from a 45-to-51 (hours per week) schedule now to a 21-hour schedule."

The group's letter of demands delivered to management at the beginning of July included fair and consistent scheduling, sufficient security for each shift, higher pay and repairing to equipment.

The company communicated with workers via a letter dated July 11, provided to The Post and Courier by an organizer with the USSW. In the letter, Waffle House denied that its managers "have attempted to or are engaged in ongoing actions to intimidate (workers) or have committed unfair labor practices," but said it takes the allegations seriously.

"It was a small victory," Parker said. "They know that we're strong. I don't think (Waffle House) felt like we were going to be this strong and (that) it was going to go this far, but we're not backing down."

Workers say they were retaliated against

Waitress Summer Schoolmeester-Cochran, who served the letter of demands to managers, said she and another employee were pulled to the back of the restaurant and spoken to by the district and store manager on July 1, the day they served initial letter to the company.

"It wasn't very nice," she told The Post and Courier reporter on July 6. "We were basically told that we couldn't do that and if we were to do it again, we should understand and know what the consequences are."

She said the managers did not elaborate on the consequences they discussed.

When asked about the complaint and allegations of retaliation, Waffle House told The Post and Courier in a July 14 email statement, "We have received the complaint and will follow the process. As for addressing specifics, Waffle House generally does not comment on pending proceedings."

The complaint alleges that Waffle House has violated sections of the National Labor Relations Act, which prohibits employers from "interfering with, restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed" by the law, which include the right to organize.

The NLRB is investigating the employees' complaint, which it does for every charge it receives. Typically, the labor board comes to a decision within seven to 14 weeks, according to its website, but some cases can take longer.

The South Carolina workers have joined other service workers who have organized in the last few years  in June of last year, baristas at Columbia's Millwood Avenue Starbucks became the third in the state to unionize their coffee chain store and, in January, Dollar General employees went on strike in Irmo.

Each year the NLRB receives anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 complaints, which are referred to as charges, from employees and unions regarding unfair labor practices. Cases in the Midlands make up roughly 20 percent of the 108 open NLRB cases from South Carolina from the last two years.
GREENVILLE  Two apparel shops, Ever Row and Vagabond Trader, are closing in downtown Greenville.

Ever Row, a shop that sells clothes and accessories geared toward college-aged women, has had a storefront nestled between Mellow Mushroom and Velo Fellow on Augusta Street in the West End since 2019. Its other stores can be found in Charlotte and in Columbia on Harden Street.

The Greenville location at 1 Augusta St. is now listed on Google as "permanently closed." The store was visibly empty as of July 11. The Post and Courier reached out to Ever Row for additional information.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is expected to replace Ever Row.

"We will be opening a Luxury Collection gallery in that location," Vice President of Marketing for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/C. Dan Joyner Stephanie Hollis said. "It will seek to serve as a primary source of expertise and contact for visitors and residents alike seeking to find their perfect lifestyle and home in the Upstate."

Farther down road, Vagabond Trader has signs hanging in its window that read "Going out of business" and "Everything must be sold."

The clothing and jewelry store opened three years ago at the corner of Augusta and University streets across from The Warehouse Theatre and next to another women's boutique, Monkee's. A note in the window from the store's owner, Natalie Laster, thanks her customers for their support and adds that "Twenty five years in retail is enough!!"

Laster told The Post and Courier she was not interested in talking further about the closure.

Vagabond Trader will close on July 30. The store, located at 101 Augusta St., will only be open Friday-Monday during its liquidation, the sign says.

As of the first quarter of 2023, Colliers reported the West End retail landscape has a 4.36 percent vacancy rate, only about 25,800 of the nearly 592,000 square feet of the inventory available in the area.

The two retailers are not the only Augusta Street businesses ending their West End stints. A few doors down from Vagabond Trader, Smiley's Acoustic Cafe closed its doors on July 2 after nearly 17 years in the area.

Where South Main, River and Augusta streets converge, the future of Smoke on the Water is in limbo after its building has been listed on the market with the intention of attracting another restaurant after the current eatery's lease is up in March 2024.
Momma, its hot. Its hot. Its hot.

Those were the words the 9-year-old girl repeated as she sat on the couch in her family's home  a constant refrain, her mother says, ever since the air conditioning at Boulder Creek Apartments gave out 11 days earlier on the Fourth of July.

Dozens of others were without air conditioning when on July 13 The Post and Courier visited the federally subsidized, 200-unit complex just north of the Greenville city line.

It's frustrating, the mother, Amber, said as she cradled her 6-month-old to her chest amid temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. "They don't want to fix anything. We haven't cooked on the stove since the Fourth of July, because it's too hot."

The Post and Courier is using only the mother's first name at her request because of the sensitive nature of her situation and that of others who are hesitant to speak publicly.

The owner of the complex, Atlantic Housing Foundation, didn't respond to requests for comment for this story.

Boulder Creek has long been plagued with disrepair and filth and recently came under scrutiny when many of its residents lost heat this past winter during a bitter December cold snap.

Now, with the South Carolina summer heat bearing down, Bruce Wilson, a community advocate, said he's heard from about 25 people reporting their units have gone out. He said many of the people he's talked to have children in the home or are elderly residents.

Earlier this year, a January inspection of the property, prompted by the widespread heating outages in December, found substandard and potentially hazardous conditions at Boulder Creek, such as leaks, mold, pest infestations and broken windows.

In response to the findings, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cited Texas-based nonprofit Atlantic Housing Foundation with a notice of default, mandating it make improvements.

But as of July 14, the complex was no longer under that notice, according to a HUD agency spokeswoman.

In February, Atlantic Housing Communications Manager Christy Hardy told The Post and Courier that the nonprofit was working to address issues at Boulder Creek.

Inspection reports from the past four years obtained by the newspaper indicate serious issues  bug infestations, exposed wires, inoperable appliances, broken windows, electrical malfunctions  have persisted at Boulder Creek.

Multiple residents said that despite the severity of the problems, property management and maintenance often takes months to respond to work orders  if at all.

Several buildings over from Amber's, another woman told the Post and Courier that Boulder Creek hasn't provided her with air conditioning for four years. Tired of waiting on the complex to fix her AC, she bought two window units of her own.

She said she also hasn't had hot water since October.

A long crack is visible on the ceiling of one of her bedrooms, damage from when a tree fell on the roof months ago. When it rains, water pours into the house. Property management has not responded to multiple work orders, she said.

"They don't do anything," she said.

Amber's home has had a range of serious problems, including a malfunctioning air conditioning unit, since she moved in more than two years ago, and she said the front office has been consistent only its unresponsiveness.

This year, when the family's A/C gave out on July 4, it took more than a week for maintenance to respond to her complaints.

The complex didn't fix the problem but did give her a single window air-conditioning unit to cool the two- story home. In the days since, Amber, her husband and her five children  aged 6 months to 16  have all slept in a single bedroom, the only cool room in the house.

At around 3 p.m. July 13, the curtains of the apartment were drawn, fans were on throughout and the window unit was cranked up. Still, the temperature hovered around 80 degrees.

"This is about the coolest it's been today," she said.

HUD subsidizes the rent at every apartment in Boulder Creek.

The Atlantic Housing Foundation owns 46 affordable housing properties throughout the Southeast, with 13 in South Carolina.

It acquired Boulder Creek in 2019 with another three Upstate properties.

Two of those  Spring Grove Apartments and the Waters at Augusta  are in Greenville County while the other, Crescent Hill, is in Spartanburg County. The foundation receives $4.7 million a year to operate its three Greenville County properties alone, according to SC Housing, the state agency responsible for administering the federal programs in South Carolina.

Resident accounts and inspection reports indicate similar issues to those found at Boulder Creek at Atlantic Housing's other Upstate properties. At Spring Grove, tenants told the Post and Courier they are contending with serious issues ranging from leaking ceilings to mold to bug infestations. Others at Crescent Hill Apartments gave virtually identical accounts.

The Waters at Augusta, a complex just inside Greenville's city limit previously called Shemwood Crossing, drew scrutiny in 2021 after a ceiling collapsed, temporarily trapping two people and displacing four families.

With assistance from the Greenville Housing Fund, Atlantic Housing subsequently refinanced the property using low-income tax credits to begin a $20 million renovation of that complex.

Atlantic Housing's spokeswoman Hardy previously told the Post and Courier that the foundation acquired all of its Upstate properties with the intention of making major improvements to the apartments. But no such plans have been approved for Boulder Creek.

In the meantime, Amber said she hopes to move out of her apartment as soon as possible, but Greenville's affordable housing supply is limited and its been difficult to find another place to move to.

She's hopeful property management will eventually respond to her requests for help so her family doesn't have to suffer through the summer heat.

"We just want to be treated like a human," she said. "That's it. Just treated like a human."

Staff reporter Christian Boschult contributed to this story.
CONWAY  A former Horry County special education teacher pleaded guilty to six counts of child cruelty on July 13, admitting that she physically assaulted students between February and late September last year.

Grace McColgan, 61, of Little River, was sentenced to 30 days in jail. McColgan will serve her sentence on the weekends. As part of a plea agreement, McColgan's teaching certificate will be revoked by the S.C. Department of Education and she will be added to the state's child abuse registry.

"Today was a big relief for our clients, for us, and we were so pleased with the outcome," said Amy Lawrence, one of the victims' attorneys. "We're hoping this really sends a message that children will be protected."

Although McColgan's attorney Kevin Hughes did not address the media after the verdict, during the hearing he urged Circuit Judge Alex Hyman to limit McColgan's punishment to a fine or probation.

"She's never had an incident other than the ones she has pled guilty to from last year," Hughes said. "She's not a dangerous person by any means."

Meanwhile, McColgan kept her head high, stared straight ahead and held Hughes' hand as the victims' families addressed the court.

Some of McColgan's colleagues, friends and family members also spoke at the hearing. They touted her character and highlighted her decades of teaching special needs children. McColgan took a job with Horry County Schools in 2020. Before that, she worked in New York.

Hyman said he believed their accounts, but he pointed out that McColgan should have known how to act.

"You were trusted to protect special needs children," Hyman said, addressing McColgan as he delivered her sentence. "You not only failed to protect them, but you hurt them."

One of the incidents that led to McColgan's arrest involved the teacher hitting a non-verbal autistic child after he first hit her on the arm.

In another situation, McColgan lifted a chair out from under a student with Down syndrome, causing the student to fall to the ground. The teacher said she did not want the student sitting in an "adult chair," prosecutor Jerrod Fussnecker said.

McColgan also held down a non-verbal student with autism who was biting her lips, and she placed a paper towel with hand sanitizer into a wound on the student's lip.

McColgan did this to "teach them a lesson," Fussnecker said.

Witnesses said that on Sept. 26 several male students had their heads face down on their desks, and McColgan instructed them to "get your heads off the table." When they did not comply, she hit each on the head twice.

McColgan struck the same students on the head again the next day for the same reason. On these days, McColgan also threatened the students by telling them she would not allow them to have snacks or lunch if they did not answer questions appropriately or comply with her demands.

Witnesses said that when students became overwhelmed in class, McColgan would yell at them, "Come back to the table," and "You don't need time by yourself."

McColgan was arrested Nov. 2, the same day as Rebecca Schroyer, the former principal of Ocean Bay Elementary School.

Schroyer is accused of failing to report an incident involving McColgan in February 2022. She was charged with two counts of failing to report child abuse or neglect. Her case remains pending.

Lisa Bourcier, a spokeswoman for Horry County Schools, confirmed July 13 that Schroyer remains on paid administrative leave.

Schroyer's educator certification remains current and valid, according to the S.C. Department of Education.

The school district is also paying for Schroyer's criminal defense attorney.

In January, two months after the arrests of McColgan and Schroyer, the parent of a disabled student who was assaulted by McColgan sued the school district and school. In court papers, the parent accused the school district of failing to protect students and supervise district employees, thus allowing the abuse to occur.

This lawsuit is one of at least six that have been filed in state court against the district since July 2022 for alleged misconduct against students, including four involving those with disabilities. The district has denied wrongdoing in all of the lawsuits.

The lawsuits and arrests come nearly a year after the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights resolved its compliance review with the school district over its treatment of disabled students.
ENTERPRISE  A search continues for an armed and dangerous man Enterprise police say threatened officers during a call early Friday.

Shannon Scott Anthony, 40, of Enterprise eluded officers who responded to a 4 a.m. report of a disorderly person in the 100 block of Boll Weevil Circle, EPD Public Information Officer Capt. Billy Haglund said.

When officers arrived, they discovered two men fighting at the residence. During the altercation, Anthony ran back into the residence and threatened officers with a firearm. Officers were able to get the victim and two other occupants of the residence to safety before Anthony barricaded himself inside.

Police entered the home at 9:30 a.m. and discovered that Anthony had fled, Haglund said.

Tracking dogs from the Alabama Department of Corrections and a Dale County Sheriffs Department helicopter are assisting in the search.

Anthony is considered armed and dangerous and is known to the law enforcement community, Haglund said. He is currently wanted for second-degree burglary, certain persons forbidden to possess firearms, and two counts of menacing.

If you observe this individual contact law enforcement immediately, Haglund said.

We would like to thank the Coffee County Sheriffs Office, Dale County Sheriffs Office, Dothan Police Department, ATF, and Alabama Department of Corrections for their assistance in securing the scene and searching for the suspect.

As of press time, no arrest had been made.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun with the chance of an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 93F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 75F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Chanel Crawford thought she found love.

The 34-year-old New York native and culinary chef was living with her sister in 2020 in Columbia when she met Robert John Nelson.

She was looking for love. And she thought she had it with you, Guy Franklin, Crawfords brother-in-law, addressed Nelson on July 13 in a Charleston County courtroom. And then she died by your hand.

Circuit Judge Bentley Price sentenced Nelson to 45 years in state prison for torturing Crawford to death on Jan. 8, 2021 in their North Charleston apartment.

A medical examiner determined the victim was slowly and brutally beaten to death over the course of at least five hours, according to prosecutors. The state asked for a 60-year sentence  10 years for every hour Nelson tortured Crawford.

Crawford was one of 49 South Carolinians killed in 2021 by an intimate partner, according to the Attorney General's Office. The number has hovered in the 40s since at least 2015, the first year the office started publishing data after the state legislature passed domestic violence laws that put in place harsher penalties for perpetrators.

Nelson, 37, pleaded guilty to the murder charge but maintains he was in a drugged haze and does not remember the fatal night.

His mother said through video conference that her kind and respectful son transformed under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

The defendant, who stood in a striped jumpsuit and shackles, said no apology could ever excuse his actions.

"This isn't who I normally am," he said through sobs. "This isn't something I would do. This is insane. I'm not some horrible psycho who does this and doesn't care."

"Shes probably one of the first things I think of when I wake up and the last I think of when I lay down to go to sleep," he continued. "I worked in recovery so many years. I had the girl of my dreams, we both had careers, I should have valued what I had."

Assistant Solicitor Cassidy Brewer said Crawford's death was the culmination of months of domestic abuse.

Police learned from Crawford's sister after the victim's death that she had become increasingly isolated after entering into a relationship with Nelson. Coworkers described Crawford as reticent, and observed bruises and black eyes. Her neighbors had also noticed the bruises and said she was always with Nelson.

The prosecutor read aloud excerpts of the victim's diary entries, which read like a laundry list of self-criticisms. She admonished herself for not listening closely when Nelson spoke and for not valuing him enough. She vowed to improve.

North Charleston Police officers were dispatched at 10 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2021, to an apartment at 1251 Sumner Ave. in response to an anonymous 911 call that stated someone was severely hurt inside an apartment.

The defendant called police from the victim's phone, according to prosecutors.

At the scene, neighbors told officers they heard sounds of a fight and a woman screaming from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. the previous morning.

Officers who entered the unlocked apartment came upon a grisly crime scene. A trail of female hair, clothes and blood led them to a blood-soaked mattress where the victim was dead.

Crawford suffered nearly 47 bruises and cuts and additional bite marks, according to an autopsy. A fan recovered at the crime scene was identified as a weapon used during the assault.

The morning after the attack, Nelson invited his coworker who was giving him a ride to work inside the blood-stained apartment.

The coworker later told police that Nelson stated his girlfriend had passed out after doing ecstasy and that he had had to slap her to try to keep her conscious. Crawford had no illegal drugs in her system, the autopsy proved.

The coworker, who thought he heard the victim "gasp" at one point, claimed he had a panic attack inside the apartment. He said he told the defendant to call 911 and the defendant claimed he already had.

Nelson returned to the apartment after work. He stole Crawford's phone and her car, liquidated her bank account and fled the state. He was apprehended a week after the murder in Texas trying to cross the border into Mexico.

Asked what she thought of the prison sentence, the victim's sister, Lanee Franklin, said she would have preferred the state's 60-year recommendation.
PINEVILLE  This small wooded community in unincorporated Berkeley County has not given up on finding Ruth Jenkins, a 78-year-old mother, churchgoer and former educator who disappeared one year ago.

Jenkins, who suffers from dementia, was last seen July 16, 2022, on a neighbor's door bell camera in the 1800 block of S.C. Highway 45, according to the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office. The woman is 5-foot-6 and weighs 125 pounds.

The mother of five is a former math teacher in the Berkeley County School District and an active member of the Beulah Tabernacle Church in St. Stephens, according to Rae Williams, a moderator for the S.C. Coalition of Black Activists.

Williams is helping organize a vigil July 16 on behalf of Jenkins' daughter, 30-year-old Sheleane Jenkins. It will take place at 5 p.m., at JK Gourdin Elementary School, 1649 Highway 45.

Information about the event has been shared on the Facebook community group "Where is Mrs. Jenkins?" which has become a public forum for concerned citizens eager to bring the missing woman home.

Williams said her late grandmother met Jenkins through church and would go on morning walks with her.

Jenkins' disappearance struck a nerve in this unincorporated community in Berkeley County just outside of St. Stephens, Williams said.

It couldve been my mom or my grandmother, Williams said. They dont understand why there isnt a more heavy law enforcement presence. We feel we have to do something if were going to get any answers.

Berkeley County Sheriff's Office Deputy Chief Jeremy Baker said the department has performed extensive searches for Jenkins by ground and water. The agency has exhausted all leads, he said, but will continue to pursue any tips that come in. Investigators have not recently received new information.

Baker said there is no evidence to indicate foul play. But others are calling for a more thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Jenkins' disappearance.

The activist group Stand as One South Carolina started an online petition a month after Jenkins disappeared demanding Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis or 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson use their authority to request State Law Enforcement Division to investigate.

The form has amassed more than 1,000 signatures.

Baker said July 14 the sheriff's office does not believe assistance from SLED, which participated in an initial search for Jenkins, is warranted.
A more complete understanding of the 1876 Hamburg Massacre is likely to make its way to North Augustas Calhoun Park, where a century-old obelisk paying homage to Thomas McKie Meriwether and his ideal of white supremacy now stands.

North Augusta City Council is scheduled to vote Monday, July 17, on whether to direct a budgeted $20,000 toward improvements at Calhoun Park and with the priority being installation of three historical panels describing the events of the Hamburg Massacre.

A 10-person committee was formed in 2019 to review what could be done to better tell the history of Hamburg when the monument and the racially divisive words etched into it are protected by law.

That committee had recommended the addition of educational panels that could complete the story of what happened on July 8, 1876.

Should City Council vote in favor of funding the project, that history might make its way to Calhoun Park in near future.

The Hamburg Massacre took place on July 8, 1876. On that day, Thomas McKie Meriwether and nearly 200 other members of a white mob besieged a Black militia  Company A of the South Carolina National Guard's Ninth Regiment.

Meriwether and seven Black men died during the incident. Four of the Black men died by execution after being captured by the mob.

But the monument in Calhoun Park memorializes only Meriwether while ignoring the seven Black men who also died.

Its words also speak of white supremacy; the inscription reads, in part, that Meriwether exemplified the highest ideal of Anglo-Saxon civilization. By his death he assured to the children of his beloved land the supremacy of that ideal.

The monument was erected in 1916 as a result of legislation brought to the South Carolina General Assembly by Rep. J.P. DeLaughter of Edgefield.

The seven Black men who died in the Massacre  Allen Attaway, Jim Cook, Albert Myniart, Nelder Parker, Moses Parks, David Phillips and Hampton Stephens  are memorialized a mile away, with a far more recent marker in the now historic Hamburg-Carrsville neighborhood.

But their history is now likely to be included at Calhoun Park as well, elucidating the slanted portrayal of July 8, 1876, that is already etched in stone.

The proposed text of the new markers describes the riot and gives background to it by placing it within the broader era of Reconstruction. The text details the role the Hamburg Massacre played in the disputed 1876 presidential election.

The text also tells the story of how the Meriwether Monument, originally commissioned as a headstone, came to be in North Augusta and how sentiment has changed since it went up in Calhoun Park.

Inscriptions on the monument reflect attitudes of people during that period, the proposed text reads. Those words do not represent the attitudes of the people of North Augusta today.

We are a community of people of different races and ethnic backgrounds, bonded together by unity and common rights of citizenship, the text continues. We choose to learn from our past and ensure that North Augustas future reflects a high standard for all of its citizens. The events and legacy of Hamburg do not define us.

Elected officials this week voiced their wishes that the monument now in place could be removed or the words on it changed but also noted this isnt an option after the South Carolina Supreme Courts 2021 ruling on the constitutionality of the states Heritage Act.

Councilman Eric Presnell said that even if he didnt agree with the words on the Meriwether Monument, that the verbiage was also a reason why many people know the Hamburg Massacre took place and that the new markers would be a step in the right direction for illuminating what actually happened.

Education is how we make a change in this country and in this community, Mayor Briton Williams said.

Williams pointed to two recent public events  a wreath laying ceremony on the anniversary of the Massacre, July 8, and the upcoming installation on July 15 of historical markers within the Hamburg-Carrsville neighborhood that celebrate the neighborhoods listing on the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.

Of the two events, Williams said, we dont need 25 people there; we need to have 2,000 people there.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 92F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 76F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
FLORENCE  McLeod Health's Family Medicine Residency Program recently announced 10 doctors have joined the Class of 2026.

The new physicians are Alex Ash, doctor of osteopathic medicine; Miguel Caldera, doctor of osteopathic medicine; Miranda Hannah, medical doctor; Les Herbst, medical doctor; Prakshal Jain, doctor of osteopathic medicine; Amanda Jimenez, medical doctor; Sarah Kaiser, doctor of osteopathic medicine; Jonathan Lubeck, medical doctor; Charity Miles, doctor of osteopathic medicine; and Joice Muckom, medical doctor.

The McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program started in 1980. It has 284 graduates with 60 percent staying in South Carolina and the McLeod Health service area of northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina.

"The Residency Program's mission is to graduate skilled family physicians who will provide superior health care services to underserved areas of South Carolina," Program Director Dr. Gerard Jebaily said.

Jebaily welcomed the new residents and families to the Pee Dee area as they started their three-year residence program at McLeod.

"Embarking on a career of caring for the sick and the infirmed is a lifelong dream for most of us in medicine," he said.

These physicians will care for patients at the McLeod Family Medicine Center, 144 N. Ravenel St., Florence on the McLeod Regional Medical Center campus.

Trammell joins HopeHealth

Tara Trammell has joined HopeHealth as a licensed professional counselor. She will be providing behavioral health services to patients of HopeHealth in Manning.

She received a bachelor's of arts degree in sociology from Claflin University and a master's of arts degree in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University.

Trammell is past president of the nonprofit Bel Canto of Columbia and has worked with the Shriners Hospital Spinal Cord Injury Project.

Crescent Advisory Partners donates $10K to United Way

Crescent Advisory Partners of Raymond James recently donated $10,000 to the United Way of Florence County.

Crescent Advisory Partners employees are longtime Florence residents and active in the community, Vice President of Investments Jason Newton said.

"We all grew up in small communities and have developed roots here in Florence, the Pee Dee region and South Carolina," he said.

The company, Newton said, understands the impact giving makes on a small town. Giving creates positive outcomes for those in need.

United Way Director of Campaign and Donor Relations Jonathan McKnight said the Crescent Advisory Partners staff's enthusiasm for giving is contagious.

"They truly make a difference in the community, believe it can happen and are eager to do their part," he said.

The donation will help the United Way of Florence County make a greater impact in the health, education and financial stability of the Pee dee through the 30 programs the United Way funds, he said.

Anyone wishing to support the United Way of Florence contact may contact McKnight at jmcknight@uwflorence.org or call (843) 662-2407.

SolveIt joins Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce

SolveIt Technology recently joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

SolveIt Technology helps empower businesses through seamless technology solutions. The company understands the challenges and opportunities businesses face in today's evolving digital landscape.

It can provide a comprehensive suite of services from IT consultants and strategy development to infrastructure management, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, networking and security technology.

For more information, contact SolveIt Technology between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at (843) 206-0011 or visit its website at www.solveittechnology.com.

Florence MRI & Imaging joins Florence Chamber

Florence MRI & Imaging has been providing independent outpatient radiology testing for more than 20 years. It recently joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

Florence MRI & Imaging provides radiology services including MRI, CT scanning, ultrasound and X-ray.

The office, 805 S. Irby St. serves patients in Florence, Darlington, Hartsville, Sumter, Manning, Lake City, Marion and other surrounding areas.

The imaging center provides community-based, board certified, fellowship-trained onsite staff during primary business hours. The office is open from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.

Fore more information, visit the website at www.florencemri.com or call (843) 292-0400.

All Clean joins Florence Chamber

All Clean P.W.R.G. LLC recently joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

All Clean was started in 2003 and provides pressure washing from roofs to facades for residential and commercial clients. It also can install seamless rain gutters in multiple colors. It also does gutter cleaning and repairs.

All Clean's goal is to be the No.1 pressure washing company in Florence County and surrounding areas, Owner Matt Williams said.

"We hope to accomplish this by having a reputation for excellent customer service and giving honor and praise to God for allowing us to do what we love."

Anyone interested in their services can call (843) 992-7619 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It also has a website at www.florencepressurewash.com.
The U.S. Supreme Court this fall will hear oral arguments in a case that could fundamentally reshape South Carolina's congressional map along the coast and determine whether the current political lines discriminate against Black voters in Charleston.

A calendar released July 14 by the nation's highest court shows the oral arguments in South Carolina's racial gerrymandering case is scheduled for Oct. 11 in Washington, D.C.

The outcome of the case, Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, could determine whether a different congressional map will be in place in 2024 for voters in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester and Jasper counties covering the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace.

South Carolina Republican officials have asked the high court to intervene in the case after a lower court said the map had unconstitutionally "exiled" 30,000 Black voters for partisan gain.

Attorneys bringing the suit asked the court to schedule oral arguments at the beginning of its new term in October and issue a decision by Jan. 1 to ensure that the 2024 elections can proceed smoothly.

In May, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal filed by Republican leadership in the Statehouse behind the most recent congressional district remapping tied to the 2020 census.

In their 29-page filing, attorneys argued the original findings by the U.S. District Court in Charleston were "riddled with legal and factual mistakes" and misapplied the law.

They further alleged the citizen plaintiffs in the case failed to provide "direct evidence of a racial gerrymander" and therefore "needed to rely on forgone alternatives" to prove their claims.

It will be the latest in a string of recent redistricting case heard by the Supreme Court, including a case involving Alabama's congressional map. In a 5-4 decision just a few weeks ago, the court found the state's GOP legislature had violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act when they drew congressional maps that gave Black voters, who represent a quarter of the electorate, a majority in just one of the state's seven districts.

The initial South Carolina lawsuit stemmed from an amended complaint filed in 2022 by the South Carolina chapter of the NAACP and Taiwan Scott, a Hilton Head Island resident and a Black constituent who lives in the 1st District.

The suit accused state Republican lawmakers of unconstitutionally redrawing lines for the states 1st, 2nd and 5th congressional seats to disadvantage Black voters  a violation of the 14th and 15th amendments.

In their unanimous decision, the panel of federal judges did not find constitutional violations in the 2nd and 5th districts. But when it came to the coastal 1st District, the three federal judges who heard the case concluded the district lines reduced the overall Black percentage in the 1st District for political gain.

The judges ruled that Republicans had "bleached" Black voters out of an increasingly diverse  and increasingly competitive congressional district.

The lawmakers contend the panel of judges ignored the obvious political explanation, confirmed by the 2020 election data, for maintaining the Charleston County split, saying that it was never mentioned that Charleston County has been split in every congressional districting plan since 1994.

Their map was the only plan presented at trial that achieved the General Assemblys political objective, they said and that alternate maps would harm that objective by turning District 1 into a majority-Democratic district.

South Carolinas 1st District has long been a reliable seat for Republicans in ruby-red South Carolina. That briefly changed in 2018 when Democrat Joe Cunningham flipped the seat out of GOP control for the first time in nearly 40 years.

In 2020, the seat returned to GOP control with Mace narrowly winning the election in what had become a rare competitive congressional district in South Carolina. Her margin of victory over Cunningham was 1.27 percentage points.

Under the new district lines, Mace, R-Isle of Palms, easily won her 2022 reelection bid by 14 percentage points against Democrat Annie Andrews.

By procedure, the justices favor hearing two, one-hour oral arguments per case, according the to the court's web page, with lawyers for each side given 30 minutes to make their presentations and answer questions posed by the justices.
The Coffee County Arts Alliance 2023-24 season opens Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. at the Enterprise State Community College Multipurpose Room and the public is invited.

American Composer Dr. Roger Briggs featured free concert, said CCAA President and Enterprise State Community College Fine Arts Division Chair Dr. Ken Thomas.

Our season opener is dedicated to Matthew D. Rodgers, David Deal, and Rex Everage, Thomas said. We have commissioned an organ and percussion composition by Briggs in memory of David Deal who donated a beautiful organ to Enterprise State Community College in honor of Rex Everage. The late Matt Rodgers was president of ESCC when the organ was donated.

Briggs music is among the finest written in our time. It is lauded as modern music that is compelling, imaginative, and communicative to todays listeners, Thomas said. He is the winner of many international first place awards, reviewers continue to stress his musics rare power of communication, using words and phrases like: delicate, haunting, trance-inducing; intrinsic appeal to the senses; brilliant and expansive; music that coaxes the imagination to unconscious imagery; and, and immersion in atmosphere and color.

Thomas said Briggs music is being performed in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, and South America by ensembles like the London Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Symphony, the Seattle Symphony and more. Over the years, he has received numerous commissions, grants, awards, and prizes for his outstanding work, Thomas added.

Briggs received his PhD at the Eastman School of Music and attended the University of Memphis and the Dartington Institute in England, where he received top honors in composition, conducting and performance. He studied composition with some of the great composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including E. Adler, Eugene Kurtz, Don Freund, Joseph Schwantner, and Peter Maxwell Davies, Thomas said.

Briggs is Professor Emeritus of Composition at Western Washington University, Conductor Emeritus of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, and currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he devotes himself to full time composing and part time teaching.

We have a connection with him through Dr. Jean Johnson, retired Enterprise State Community College Fine Arts Division chair, said Thomas. Through this connection, Thomas has recently commissioned the composition Guardians by Briggs.

This music is composed for organ and percussion in memory of David Bruce Deal, a patron of the arts in the area and donor of the Viscount organ that resides at the college, and Rex Everage, former esteemed English Instructor at ESCC and patron of the arts. It is an honor and a privilege to offer this premier performance.

This music will be premiered at the CCAA season kickoff Aug. 20. Johnson will be at the organ and Ryan Gresko will be playing percussion. Gresko teaches instrumental music and band at ESCC and New Brockton High School.

These performances are made possible by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and our faithful sponsors, Thomas said.
Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a columnist for the Washington Times. He is a veteran reporter, foreign correspondent, and editor for the New York Times and other publications. Cliffs most recent column is Irans shadow war (at FDD, where it is posted with links). Cliff has kindly given us his permission to post his column on Power Line. He writes:

Israelis battled Palestinians in the northern West Bank last week. Thats what most media reported and its true as far as it goes. But heres a more accurate description of reality: Israeli troops battled the Islamic Republic of Irans foreign legions in the northern West Bank last week.

Tehran is adept at using proxies to fight its wars: Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia militias in Iraq, Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Islamic Jihad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has mainly operated in Gaza, in association with Hamas, the designated terrorist entity that rules Gaza. Hamas also receives arms, money, and instruction from Iran, and now operates in Lebanon as well.

Recently, however, both Islamic Jihad and Hamas have been increasing their presence in the West Bank, a territory that, under the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority is responsible to govern. With Mahmoud Abbas, 87, as its chairman  he was elected to a single four-year term in 2005  the Palestinian Authority has proven decreasingly willing or able to do its job.

Israels two-day incursion focused on Jenin, a city from which more than 50 shootings, along with rocket attacks, have been carried out against Israeli civilians in recent months.

The most intense fighting took place in Jenins refugee camp. Do you not find it odd that Palestinians living on Palestinian territory under the Palestinian Authority are called refugees?

And how many residents of this camp do you think personally fled to the (then-Jordanian conquered) West Bank due to the (defensive) war Israel fought against neighboring Arab countries in 1948-49? Where else in the world do the descendants of refugees inherit refugee status?

After Israels founding, nearly a million Jews were forced to flee from Arab countries where they had lived for centuries. Their descendants do not call themselves refugees and demand a right of return.

In Jenin, Israeli security forces found tons of bombs, ammunition, and guns  most supplied by Tehran as Islamic Jihads secretary-general has openly acknowledged. A dozen Palestinians were killed. All were identified as terrorists by the Israel Defense Forces.

Some of these terrorists were young. That suggests that U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres recent praise of Islamic Jihad for not recruiting children was either wishful thinking or deceptive.

Islamic Jihad and Hamas have learned that making martyrs of young Palestinians has public relations benefits. For example, BBC anchor Anjana Gadgil, in an exchange last week with former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, declared: Israeli forces are happy to kill children.

Mr. Bennett responded by asking whether she would consider a 17-year-old trying to murder your family as a child rather than a terrorist. She snapped back: Were not talking about that!

The New York Times described Jenin last week as a bastion of armed struggle with an an ethos of defiance. That Tehran backs the terrorist groups there is mentioned once, in the 16th paragraph, in a quote from an Israeli journalist.

Three U.N. special rapporteurs said Israels attacks had no justification under international law. Other countries are justified in using force for self-defense. Why a separate standard for Israel? (I suspect you know.)

The rapporteurs also called for Israelis to end their illegal occupation of the West Bank. Of course, Israelis do not actually occupy such cities as Jenin. They enter only in response to the murder of Israelis given the PAs failure to govern.

If they refrained from such interventions, the West Bank would soon be fully taken over by Tehrans proxies. Thats what happened in Gaza following Israels withdrawal from that territory.

More attacks on Israelis by better armed jihadis would lead to a longer and more lethal conflict  though perhaps not as long and lethal as in Syria where Bashar al-Assad, with help from Tehran, has killed hundreds of thousands of Arabs and displaced millions more.

Mr. Assad was recently welcomed back into the Arab League. Why is the international community harder on Israelis who defend themselves than it is on mass murderers? (Again, I suspect you know.)

Look, Im not so naive as to believe that Israeli lives matter to Mr. Guterres, U.N. rapporteurs, Ms. Gadgil, or many others who regard themselves as champions of the Palestinian cause. But shouldnt they at least worry about the many Palestinians who would be killed in the wider armed struggle theyre encouraging and inciting?

Of course, once that conflict got underway, they would, as usual, denounce Israelis efforts to defend themselves as disproportionate and illegal.

Regarding the Jenin operation, Mr. Guterres on Thursday accused the Israelis of violence against civilians  providing no evidence that civilians were unintentionally harmed by the Israel Defense Forces while ignoring massive evidence that Islamic Jihad and Hamas intentionally kill Israeli civilians whenever they can.

Shouldnt international civil servants and independent journalists be embarrassed to side with Irans rulers  even as those rulers sponsor terrorism abroad, run an illicit nuclear weapons program, and brutalize their own subjects, not least women?

While I obviously dont think well of them, Id like to believe theyd prefer Palestinian-Israeli peaceful coexistence over endless Palestinian defiance.

Imagine if they were to say to the Palestinians: Look, were with you. We, too, wish the Israelis would just disappear. But Jews are not leaving the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. Theyre not going to surrender or submit to living under Islamic Jihad, Hamas, or other pawns of Tehran.

So, negotiate with them. Well help you get the best deal possible. Well put pressure on the Israelis. And, by the way, Israelis will put pressure on themselves  if they believe theres a real possibility of ending this conflict.

Does the scenario Ive outlined seem sensible? Im afraid thats what makes it a fantasy.
My vocabulary of opprobrium is insufficient to do justice to Biden administration climate czar John Kerry. There is no leftist bromide he cant spout with suffocating self-regard. He emits hot air in quantities sufficient to warm the planet. We remain proud of our small role in saving the planet from a Kerry presidency in 2004.

Yesterday Kerry testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability. C-SPAN has posted video of his testimony in its entirety here. The C-SPAN video might find its highest and best use as viewing for Guantanamo detainees, but probably not without violating some provision of the Geneva Conventions.

In the video clip below Rep. Michael Waltz asks Kerry about his ownership and use of a private jet. For some reason Kerry had a difficult time answering in a straightforward manner. Honesty is not the best policy when it comes to standing by the shibboleths and hypocrisies of the climate change gospel. Kerrys hemming and hawing comes in handy to chew up Waltzs time.

Rep. Scott Perry had an interesting exchange with Kerry on the global context of our abasement before the climate gods. Kerry wanted to explain. Shut up, I wanted to explain.

Douglas Murray seems to have administered the full Kerry water torture to himself in order to write his New York Post column Climate Czar John Kerry cant answer a question about his own staff  let alone his private jet. Howie Carr seems also to have self-administered the full Kerry. He documents the results in his Boston Herald column Kerry on the grill very rare. Both Murray and Carr suffered on our behalf.

Quotable quote (Douglas Murray): You could say Kerry suddenly remembered about his family jet in Heinz-sight.
The Supreme Courts anti-discrimination decisions, Harvard and UNC, have revitalized the movement to achieve equal justice for all Americans. Those cases had to do with college admissions and didnt directly touch on employment, but they show which way the wind is blowing. And the arguments against race discrimination in academia transfer easily to race discrimination in employment.

Thus, earlier today thirteen state Attorneys General sent a letter to the CEOs of Americas largest 100 companies, warning them against engaging in race discrimination and raising the threat of state enforcement. The states are Tennessee, Kansas, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri and Montana. The letter is embedded below. Here are some excerpts:

We, the undersigned Attorneys General of 13 States, write to remind you of your obligations as an employer under federal and state law to refrain from discriminating on the basis of race, whether under the label of diversity, equity, and inclusion or otherwise. Treating people differently because of the color of their skin, even for benign purposes, is unlawful and wrong. Companies that engage in racial discrimination should and will face serious legal consequences.

***

Last month, the United States Supreme Court handed down a significant decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, No. 20-1199 (U.S. June 29, 2023) (SFFA).  And the Court reiterated that this commitment to racial equality extends to other areas of life, such as employment and contracting. Id. at 13. In sum, the Court powerfully reinforced the principle that all racial discrimination, no matter the motivation, is invidious and unlawful: Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it. Id. at 15 (emphasis added). We ask that you comply with these race-neutral principles in your employment and contracting practices.

That would be a major change, obviously, and big business will fight it tooth and nail.

The letter goes on to cite a number of instances where it has been publicly reported that big companies, the recipients of the letter, have engaged in naked race discrimination. This is something of which nearly every large company in America is proud. Nevertheless, it is illegal:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits racial discrimination in employment. It provides that [i]t shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer (1) to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individuals race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; or (2) to limit, segregate, or classify his employees or applicants for employment in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect his status as an employee, because of such individuals race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. 42 U.S.C. 2000e- 2(a).

Most large companies violate this law every day. They do so because they think they are engaging in good race discrimination, and therefore are above the law. But the law doesnt agree:

Well-intentioned racial discrimination is just as illegal as invidious discrimination. The argument that different rules should govern racial classifications designed to include rather than exclude is not new; it has been repeatedly pressed in the past, and has been repeatedly rejected. Parents Involved, 551 U.S. at 742.

***

And the Court [in Harvard and UNC] took pains to emphasize that the supposedly benign nature of racial preferences cannot save them. Despite the universities claims in SFFA that they were actually helping people, not hurting them, the Court rightly noted that that argument itself rest[ed] on [a] pernicious stereotype.

The AGs also cited authorities for the proposition that the anti-discrimination provisions of Title VI, which was at issue in the Harvard case, and Title VII, which applies to employers, are co-extensive.

And the idea that companies racial preferences help some but dont hurt others is ridiculous:

And, of course, every racial preference necessarily imposes an equivalent harm on individuals outside of the preferred racial groups, solely on the basis of their skin color. [I]t is not even theoretically possible to help a certain racial group without causing harm to members of other racial groups. It should be obvious that every racial classification helps, in a narrow sense, some races and hurts others. Id. at 42

What weapons do these attorneys generals have to back up their threats? They cited a number of cases where companies have been sued for race discrimination under provisions of state law:

Race discrimination in employment and contracting, of course, also violates state law. And State courts frequently look to Title VII to interpret their own prohibitions against race discrimination in employment practices.

The AGs conclude their shot across the bow with this:

We urge you to immediately cease any unlawful race-based quotas or preferences your company has adopted for its employment and contracting practices. If you choose not to do so, know that you will be held accountablesooner rather than laterfor your decision to continue treating people differently because of the color of their skin.

Lets hope the states that are in pro-Constitution and anti-discrimination hands follow through on this promise. Here is the AGs letter:

UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has weighed in on the Attorney Generals letter:

The Court recognized that outright racial balancing is patently unconstitutional and accordingly, the AGs write, the principles apply equally to Title VII and other laws restricting race-based discrimination in employment and contracting. Thats going to require adjustments in corporate America. DEI policies that now exist in nearly all major corporations have institutionalized discrimination as clearly as affirmative action in university admissions. 42 U.S.C.  1981 bans discrimination in contracting but companies routinely sort contractors by race to meet diversity goals. The letter cites specific examples of corporate policies that illustrate the pervasiveness and explicit nature of these racial preferences. In 2020, it says, executives of 27 banks, tech companies and consulting firms set an explicit racial hiring quota. The AGs say companies including Airbnb, Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, Lyft, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Snapchat, TikTok, Uber and others have also set policies that amount to discrimination on the basis of race. Microsoft set quotas for suppliers.

I think you could show that race discrimination by big business is far more pervasive now than it was in the 1930s. The Journal editors conclude:

Justice Gorsuch wrote that to discriminate against a person meant in 1964 what it means today: to trea[t] that individual worse than others who are similarly situated. Time for corporate America to get right with the law and stop hiding behind the rhetoric of DEI to discriminate by race.

Amen. Emphasis added.
There has been a lot of attention on the recent rioting in France, but I think the real reason France is in decline can be seen in this chart:

Red wine sales down 50% over the last 30 years? This is indeed a crisis. When rose overtakes red wine in sales, well know France is finally finished for good. (Can anyone explain the sudden upward blip in 1994? Did they cheat and reclassify the misbegotten Beaujolais Nouveau around that time?)
Vagif Poetry Days has started today, bringing together guests of the event in Shusha, known as Azerbaijan's cultural capital.

Co-organized by Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Culture Ministry and Azerbaijan Writers' Union, the large-scale event is scheduled for July 14-15, Azernews reports.

Within the event, the guests will first visit restored religious and historical-cultural monuments in Shusha. The opening ceremony will take place in the second half of the day.

The opening ceremony will be followed by poetry and concert programs.

Vagif Poetry Days was held for the first time in the poet's native city after its liberation from the Armenian occupation.

Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev was the first, who instructed holding the Vagif Poetry Days. Until 1991, the cultural event was held annually in Azerbaijan.

The Vagif Poetry Days held 2021 and 2022 were remembered by fascinating performances, colorful exhibitions, literary symposiums, and the heart-touching poetic composition "From Nizami to Vagif". This year, Vagif Poetry Days also promise to be very special.
MONTGOMERY A federal jury in Dothan convicted Steven John Smalley, 50, from Panama City, Florida, Thursday on charges of carjacking and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, said United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 14, 2021, Smalley drove to a gas station on Ross Clark Circle in Dothan and pulled behind another vehicle parked at a gas pump. There was no one in the parked vehicle at the time. Smalley got out of his car and looked into the parked vehicle, then walked toward the gas stations front door.

Video footage from the station showed that Smalley engaged in a conversation with the driver of the parked vehicle and eventually pulled a handgun out of his pocket and demanded the driver give him the keys to the car. The driver refused and Smalley unsuccessfully attempted to grab the keys from the drivers hand several times. Smalley then pointed the firearm at the driver and asked him, Do you want to die today? Eventually, Smalley fired a round from the firearm in the direction of the driver, narrowly missing him. The driver then placed the keys on a trash can, Smalley took them, and drove away in the stolen car. The Dothan Police Department quickly responded and arrested Smalley within walking distance of the gas station.

Following the guilty verdict, Smalley faces a sentence of 10 years to life in federal prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Smalley in the coming months.

The Dothan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin L. Jones and Joel Feil are prosecuting the case.
After an 11-day alleged investigation, the Secret Service announced today that it cannot identify the person who left cocaine in the White House. The Service says that there were no usable finger prints on the bag that held the cocaine, and not enough DNA for an identification. So the investigation is being closed.

No one is going to buy this. The general area is under video surveillance, and there is a log of people who enter the West Wing. There are a maximum of several hundred possible suspects; this apparently is the explanation of why there is not more helpful surveillance video:

The cocaine was discovered July 2 by an agent in a storage locker inside the West Wings basement entrance  one floor below the Oval Office and just feet from the Situation Room. Because so much sensitive material passes through the area, no cameras are focused there  and were thus unable to pick up footage of the culprit depositing the white, powdery substance in one of the vestibules 182 lockers, a source familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Post.

I dont know whether Lauren Boebert is a reliable source, but you can take this for what it is worth:

In addition, Salvi reported Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) said the White House controls who has access to White House lockers that individuals use. She said the substance was found in locker 50. She claimed the key for locker 50 is currently missing.

I would think that the list of people who had access to the lockers where the cocaine was found would be a lot fewer than the 500 or so who entered that general area of the West Wing. Those folks would be a good place to start for a list of suspects.

The New York Post had no trouble finding former federal investigators who didnt buy the Secret Services story:

The conclusion of an 11-day Secret Service probe that failed to find which White House staff member or visitor left cocaine in the West Wing looks like a whitewash, former federal investigators told The Post Thursday. This is a cover-up. How can they say they have no leads? one ex-agent said. It is a restricted area and they have a log book, you dont have to be Columbo to figure out who was there. Suppose it was anthrax, the same person raged. Would they have the same answer? We have a tale of two countries, another former fed said. They identified hundreds of people who were in the Capitol building on Jan. 6 after an extensive investigation, but they dont know who left something in an 8 x 10 room in the White House?

Rightly or wrongly, that is how most people are going to view these events. The obvious suspect in the cocaine crime is Hunter Biden. Maybe the Secret Service should have tried harder: if they had been able to pin the crime on someone else, the story would have faded away. As things stand, most people are going to assume that Hunter is the culprit, and the Secret Service, the FBI and whoever else was involved closed ranks to protect the Biden family and the Democratic Party.

Once people become convinced that they live in a country with double standards for justicewhich is truethe authorities arent going to get the benefit of the doubt when they are unable to answer what look like simple questions.
PR-Inside.com: 2023-07-14 08:50:15

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SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / If your objective is to hit page one of Google's search engine results, you're not alone. Most businesses and content creators are gunning for the same goal. To gain an edge, a robust content marketing strategy that's fine-tuned with extensive keyword research and SEO in a must. There is a strategic way to develop and implement a potent content marketing approach aimed at conquering the elusive page #1 on Google.Excited business owner seeing the company website appear on the front page of Google for a highly competitive keyword phrase. Image Credit: VGStudio / 123rf."Page #1 of Google rankings can be elusive, unless you have a cohesive 30,000 foot view of how all the pieces connect together and leverage each other. Once you have that, you need to execute on a daily basis to achieve those results. That's why business clients hire our agency, to get results over time," said Marty Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Campaign Writer, a leading content creation and content marketing agency.Understanding the Value of Content MarketingBefore diving into the strategy, it's important to grasp the significance of content marketing. This strategy involves creating and sharing relevant, valuable, and consistent content to attract a clearly-defined audience. It's an indirect method of marketing that focuses on providing useful information, fostering customer relationships, and boosting your brand's reputation.The magic lies in its indirect approach. Instead of pushing your products or services outright, you provide content that solves problems, educates, and informs your target audience. This relationship-building tactic helps to establish trust, credibility, and authority, which are crucial factors Google considers when ranking pages.Keyword Research: The Starting Point That You Should Never SkipYour content marketing strategy begins with keyword research. It's the process of discovering what search terms users are entering into search engines. It's essential to find a balance between high-volume keywords that draw a significant number of searches and long-tail keywords, which are less competitive but can be incredibly targeted.Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMRush, or Ahrefs can help you discover these keywords. Remember, it's not just about volume; relevance and user intent matter too.High-Quality, Relevant Content: The Heart of Your Content Marketing StrategyOnce you've established your keywords, it's time to craft your content around them. But not just any content. Google places a significant emphasis on high-quality, relevant, and informative content. So, how do you make sure your content ticks all these boxes?Relevance: Ensure your content is tailored to your audience's needs. Understanding your audience, their interests, and their challenges can guide your content creation.Quality: Aim for originality, usefulness, and depth. Google values detailed, in-depth content that offers unique insights and solutions.Structure and Readability: Organize your content well, use clear and concise language, and include visuals when necessary.On-Page SEO: Optimizing Your Content for the Search EnginesEven if you've created an excellent piece, if it's not optimized for search engines, it might not get the visibility it deserves. This is where on-page SEO comes in. It involves optimizing individual pages on your website, so they rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). Here's what you need to do:Title Tags: Your title tag should include the primary keyword. It's the first thing users see on the SERP.Meta Descriptions: Although not a direct ranking factor, a well-written meta description with your primary keyword can boost click-through rates.Header Tags: Use header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your content. Include keywords where they fit naturally.URL Structure: Keep URLs short, clean, and keyword-rich.Image Alt Text: Use alt text for images, providing a description of the image, including relevant keywords.Link Building: The Backbone of SEOLinks are among the most crucial ranking factors for Google. They act as 'votes of confidence' from other sites, indicating that your content is credible and valuable. Here's how you can approach link building:Quality over Quantity: It's not about the number of links, but the quality. A link from a high-authority site will hold more value than numerous links from low-quality sites.Guest Posting: Writing content guest posts on other sites is an effective way to acquire backlinks. However, ensure the sites are relevant and authoritative.Creating Link-Worthy Content: Creating original research, infographics, or guides encourages others to link to your content.Tracking and Adjusting Your Overall Content Marketing StrategyAlways keep an eye on your analytics. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can provide valuable insights into how well your content is performing and how much organic traffic it's driving. Use this data to tweak and improve your strategy, staying flexible to adapt to changes in algorithm or audience behavior.Remember, content digital marketing and SEO content are long-term strategies. It might take some time before you start seeing results. But by understanding and implementing these strategies, you're setting the stage for your content to hit the coveted first page of Google's search results.By aligning your content marketing with SEO, you'll not only drive more traffic but also increase engagement, improve conversions, and boost your brand's online visibility. In the end, remember that a customer-centric approach-providing valuable, high-quality content that meets your audience's needs-is the heart of a winning content marketing strategy.If you stay the course, Google will take notice. And that #1 ranking won't be far behind.About Campaign Writer:Campaign Writer is a Leading Content Creation and Content Marketing Firm working with Top Companies, Professionals, Executives, and Leaders in their field, to help increase sales and revenue through its US-Based SEO Content Writing Team of Award-Winning SEOs, Copywriters, Wordsmiths, and Ghostwriters.Leverage story-telling and educational-based marketing through well-written content pieces that rank high on search engine results pages (SERPS) to accelerate Bing and Google rankings to bring more brand awareness for clients. Campaign Writer is led by Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Marty Stewart.Need Strategic Content Creation or Content Marketing Expert Guidance?CONT
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VALLEY COTTAGE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / CreditRiskMonitor (OTCQX:CRMZ) conducted its Annual Shareholder Meeting on July 12, 2023 and Dr. Brigitte Muehlmann and Mrs. Lisa Reisman were elected as new members of its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Muehlmann and Mrs. Reisman replace former Directors, Messrs. Andrew Melnick and Richard Lippe, who chose not to stand for re-election.Mike Flum, CEO & President, said, "We would like to thank Andrew and Richard for their outstanding service to CreditRiskMonitor and its shareholders during their time as Directors. Andrew has served as a Director since March 2005 and we sincerely appreciate his dedication over the past eighteen years. Richard became a Director in May 2020 and was instrumental in providing insight and advice as we navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. We wish them well in all future endeavors and they remain as friends and advisors to the Company.We are extremely pleased to welcome Lisa and Brigitte as our newly elected Directors. Their domain experience and wealth of knowledge are great additions to our Board and we are excited to collaborate with them as we enter our 25th year of operations in 2024."Background of Arriving CreditRiskMonitor Board MembersDr. Brigitte Muehlmann has been a director since July 2023. She is currently a Professor at Babson College and an Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law. She serves as a Director of Babson Global, Inc., and the USA Branch of the International Fiscal Association. Entrepreneurial leaders are a perennial focus for Dr. Muehlmann and she aims to contribute to sustainable business success. Her research is centered on design and opportunities for both human and technological innovation in accounting and taxation. She teaches MBA courses in financial and sustainability reporting and analysis as well as operating and expanding businesses in global markets. Brigitte developed expertise in serving international businesses at Ernst & Young in Vienna and on the entrepreneurial services team in Boston, as a member of the global tax team at PwC in Boston, and at Kearney in New York before turning to a full-time career in academia. Dr. Muehlmann is a dual Austrian-American citizen holding a Ph.D. and an MSBA degree from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in Austria, an MST degree from Bentley University, and a CPA license.Lisa Reisman has been a director since July 2023. She is currently co-founder and CEO of MetalMiner. With a background in physical metal trading, management consulting and executive leadership, Lisa has a proven entrepreneurial track record. Through her Companies' Insights platform, they offer a SaaS solution across the full range of industrial metals, including global data points. Detailed should-cost models and forecasts provide buying organizations with price data on the industrial metals that companies actually buy and not just the ingot prices which trade on public exchanges. Before founding MetalMiner, she was Managing Director and CEO of Azul Partners in Chicago and worked as a Senior Manager for both Deloitte Consulting and Arthur Andersen Consulting. She holds an MPA in management and public policy from New York University and a BA in journalism and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.OverviewCreditRiskMonitor ( creditriskmonitor.com) sells a suite of web-based, SaaS subscription products providing access to comprehensive commercial credit reports, bankruptcy risk analytics, financial and payment information, and curated news on public and private companies worldwide. The products help corporate credit and procurement professionals stay ahead of and manage financial risk more quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively.The Company's newest platform, SupplyChainMonitor, leverages its financial risk analytics expertise to create a risk management solution built specifically for procurement, supply chain, sourcing, and finance personnel involved in the supplier lifecycle, risk assessment, and ongoing risk monitoring. Users can assess counterparty risks at the aggregate and granular levels under a variety of categories including geography and industry, as well as customized, customer-specific configurations. The platform features mapping capabilities with real-time weather/natural disaster event overlays as well as customizable news notifications, reports, and charts.Our subscribers, including nearly 40% of the Fortune 1000 and well over a thousand other large corporations worldwide, use the Company's timely news alerts, research, and reports on public and private companies to make important risk decisions. The Company's comprehensive commercial credit reports covering both public and private companies worldwide are published through its web-based platform and feature detailed analyses of financial statements, including ratio analysis and trend reports, peer analysis, corporate issuer ratings from key Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSROs"), as well as the Company's proprietary bankruptcy analytics: the FRISK and PAYCE scores. One of the FRISK scoring model's exclusive input features is the aggregate risk sentiment of our subscribers based on their crowdsourced usage behaviors resulting in the improved classification of bankruptcy risk for the riskiest corporations and boosting overall accuracy.The Company, through its Trade Contributor Program, receives confidential accounts receivables data from hundreds of subscribers and non-subscribers every month. This trade receivable data is parsed, processed, aggregated, and finally reported to summarize the invoice payment behavior of B2B counterparties, without disclosing the specific contributors of this information. The Trade Contributor Program's current trade credit file processes nearly $3 trillion of transaction data annually.Safe Harbor StatementCertain statements in this press release, including statements prefaced by the words "anticipates", "estimates", "believes", "expects" or words of similar meaning, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, expectations or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, those risks, uncertainties, and factors referenced from time to time as "risk factors" or otherwise in the Company's R
PR-Inside.com: 2023-07-14 03:09:23

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RADNOR, PA / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP( www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. ("Charles River") (NYSE:CRL). The action charges Charles River with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Charles River's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Charles River's investors have suffered significant losses.CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR CHARLES RIVER LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/charles-river-laboratories-international-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=crl&mktm=r LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE:JULY 18, 2023CLASS PERIOD: MAY 5, 2020 THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, 2023CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:Jonathan Naji, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at info@ ktmc.com Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.CHARLES RIVER'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCTCharles River is a full-service, non-clinical global drug development partner with a mission to create healthier lives. The company has three reporting segments: Research Models and Services, Discovery and Safety Assessment, and Manufacturing Solutions. The Discovery and Safety Assessment segment accounts for approximately 60% of the company's total revenue and offers, among other things, safety assessment studies required for regulatory submission of therapeutic solutions.On February 22, 2023, Charles River revealed that the company had received a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice relating to an ongoing investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the supply chain and illegal importation of non-human primates for research. On the same day, during an earnings call with investors, James C. Foster, the company's CEO, stated that the "investigation in current [non-human primate] supply situation will result in study delays in our Safety Assessment business." He further stated that the investigation into the Cambodian non-human primate chain would reduce the annual revenue forecast by approximately 200 basis points to 400 basis points.Following this news, the price of Charles River shares declined by $24.51 per share, or approximately 10.06%, from $243.60 per share to close at $219.09 on February 22, 2023.WHAT CAN I DO?Charles River investors may, no later than July 18, 2023, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPor other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPencourages Charles River investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The class action complaint against Charles River, captioned Coleman v. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., et al, Case No. 23-cv-11132, is filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts before the Honorable Denise Jefferson Casper.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASEWHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLPKessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPprosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPplease visit www.ktmc.com CONTACT:Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPJonathan Naji, Esq.280 King of Prussia RoadRadnor, PA 19087(484) 270-1453info@ ktmc.com SOURCE: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
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HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) deadline has been in the minds of many business owners wondering when it will expire. There is still time for businesses that grappled with significant revenue losses or mandated shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to claim some financial relief to make up for those past years losses and challenges. The ERC tax credit, a refundable payroll credit, is a lifeline for companies navigating the past challenging economic landscape the pandemic brought. The good news is that qualified employers can retroactively file for the past 2020 and 2021 tax years until April 15th, 2024 and April 15th, 2025 respectively.Small business owners are wondering if they still have time to file for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a valuable IRS tax credit program. Image Credit: Photosvit / 123rf. "Understanding the Employee Retention Tax Credit is a complex endeavor. Business operators must diligently familiarize themselves with the eligibility guidelines and the ERC filing process. The financial relief at stake for eligible companies is substantial, but its availability rests upon the accurate and timely submission of ERC filings through IRS Form 941-X, of which ERC expert help should be sought," said Marty Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) with Disaster Loan Advisors (DLA). DLA has assisted over 700+ companies with their ERC / ERTC Tax Credit claims.Quick Facts: Key Takeaways for the Employee Retention Tax Credit Deadlines in 2023, 2024, 2025Businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from the past 2020 and 2021 can still benefit from the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a refundable payroll tax credit designed to provide financial relief.The ERC has strict eligibility criteria such as significant gross receipt declines or partial / full suspension due to government orders, and retroactive claims for eligible quarters in 2020 and 2021 can still be made until specific deadlines in 2024 and 2025.Claiming the ERC involves determining eligibility, and then filing IRS Form 941-X. It's essential to accurately calculate qualified wages, keep detailed records, and understand how the ERC interacts with other COVID-19 relief programs.Maintaining accurate record-keeping is crucial for claiming the ERC and demonstrating compliance with IRS regulations. Working with experienced tax credit specialists such as Disaster Loan Advisors can help navigate complexities and maximize potential benefits.The IRS advises to stay protected and that businesses should not pay a contingent fee for ERC filings.What is the Employee Retention Credit (ERC)?The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a tool introduced by the U.S. government to help businesses navigate the economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020.Primarily designed for employers facing significant revenue losses or those compelled to suspend operations due to governmental orders partially, it offers a tangible financial reprieve.This credit is not structured as a loan, meaning you won't have any repayments hovering overhead. Instead, a refundable payroll tax credit underscores its intention, retaining employees during business turmoil.While eligibility criteria exist, such as demonstrating substantial gross receipt declines compared to specific quarters in 2019, it allows businesses to lean on this funding lifeline.Though ERC may have officially expired in September 2021, businesses are still within their rights to file retroactive claims up until specific deadlines in 2024 and 2025. The opportunities do not stop there. Corrections can also be made via filing IRS Form 941-X for eligible quarters so long as they adhere to designated deadlines.With these provisions, ERC continues serving its purpose beyond its tenure, fortifying businesses against persistent uncertainties.Eligibility Criteria for ERC Tax Credit ProgramTo be eligible for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), businesses must experience a significant decline in gross receipts or be partially or fully suspended due to government orders.Employers Experiencing Significant Revenue DeclineSignificant revenue decline amid the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted numerous businesses, making it challenging to retain employees and continue operations. The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is an essential lifeline for such employers.As part of economic relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and subsequent Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, this advantageous tax credit targets business that experienced at least a 50% reduction in quarterly gross receipts during 2020 compared to equivalent quarters in 2019.Similarly, for 2021, eligible companies witnessed a minimum of a 20% drop in total revenues for specific quarters relative to the same period in 2019. Businesses grappling with drastic revenue declines stand to claim significant ERC credit benefits by filing IRS Form 941-X corrections on their original Form 941s within stipulated deadlines, giving them much-needed financial breathing space during these unprecedented times.Businesses Partially Or Fully Suspended Due To Government OrdersGovernment orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous businesses to cease or significantly scale back their operations. The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) provides crucial economic relief for these companies, aiming to alleviate some financial pressure caused by mandated shutdowns.To qualify for this tax credit, your business must have been partially or fully suspended due to a government order relating to COVID-19 at any point in a calendar quarter. This includes local, state, and federal guidance, causing operational changes that impact commerce substantially.Significantly, eligibility isn't based on total business closure. It could have been on capacity restrictions or other disruptions to your operations. Even those with partial suspensions can claim the ERTC tax credit and potentially receive significant refunds for taxes already paid.How Does the Employee Retention Credit Work?The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a valuable payroll tax credit that provides financial relief to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.It operates as a refundable tax credit, meaning eligible employers can receive funds even if they don't owe any payroll taxes. The ERC is calculated based on qualified employee wages during specific quarters in 2020 and 2021.To be eligible for the credit, businesses must have experienced a significant decline in gross receipts compared to the same quar
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / Understanding the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) tax guidelines can be complex. One big question that's causing major confusion among many business owners is, "Do we have to pay back the ERC refund?" The answer affects eligible businesses everywhere, so it's really important to know how it all works. The good news is that the actual ERC refund is not taxable and it does not have to be paid back. What is a potential taxable occurrence, however, is having to amend the business tax returns for 2020 or 2021, depending on what quarters a company receives ERC checks.The Employee Retention Credit is a valuable tax credit for eligible business employers. Image Credit: Vadimgozhda / 123rf. This is a tax credit question we continue to get from both existing clients and potential clients on a daily basis. The ERC credit tax refund amount is not taxable. The interest the IRS adds to an ERC refund is counted as new revenue when you receive it. The amount of your ERC refund check for each quarter has now reduced payroll and wages that you originally claimed as an expense in 2020 or 2021. Therefore, for each ERC check you receive, you must amend your past annual business tax returns from either 2020, 20201, or both, depending if you received an ERTC refund for those tax years," said Marty Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) with Disaster Loan Advisors (DLA). DLA has assisted over 700+ companies with their ERC / ERTC Tax Credit claims, by-the-book per current IRS tax credit rules and guidelines."Even though you are required to do this per IRS guidelines, depending on your tax liability from the past 2020 and 2021 tax years, we've seen that many times the business will still come out way ahead in a net gain from claiming the Employee Retention Credit, even if they end up having to pay taxes by having to amend their 2020 or 2021 returns. Still far worth it for many businesses that qualify," continued Stewart.Understanding the Tax Implications of the Employee Retention Credit - Quick Facts:The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a refundable tax credit designed to encourage employers to keep their employees on payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.Unlike some of the other COVID-19 relief legislation, such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the ERC does not need to be paid back.The ERC is a refundable tax credit, meaning that if the amount of the credit exceeds the amount of taxes owed by the employer, the excess will be refunded back to the employer.The ERTC Tax Credit may have some tax implications depending on your past 2020 and 2021 tax years, however, many businesses still see a net positive gain overall.Definition and Purpose of the Employee Retention Credit (ERC)The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a refundable tax credit designed to encourage businesses to keep their employees on payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.The primary purpose of the ERC is to help eligible employers retain their workforce by covering a percentage of qualified wages paid to employees. Under this provision, businesses can claim 50% of wages up to $10,000 per employee in 2020, and 70% of wages up to $10,000 per employee, per quarter, in 2021.For example, if an employer pays an employee $8,000 in qualified wages during a specific period in 2020, they can claim a tax credit worth $4,000 for that individual.ERC Eligibility RequirementsDetermining eligibility for the Employee Retention Tax Credit is crucial for small to medium-sized business owners. Outlined below are the key requirements that businesses must meet to qualify for this valuable tax incentive:1. Experienced a significant decline in gross receipts: Businesses must have experienced a 50% reduction in gross receipts during any calendar quarter in 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019 or at least a 20% reduction in any calendar quarter in 2021.2. Faced full or partial suspension of operations: Employers may be eligible if they had full or partial suspension of their business due to government orders related to COVID-19.3. Did not receive PPP loan forgiveness: Employers who received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and had them forgiven are generally ineligible for the ERC.4. Meet employee count criteria: For an employer claiming the credit, there are different rules depending on whether they have more than 100 (in 2020) or more than 500 (in 2021) full-time employees.5. Pay qualified wages: The wages paid to employees during eligible quarters must be considered wages qualified or "qualified wages" under the rules set forth by the IRS ERC credit program.6. Do not exceed maximum credit limits: Employers can claim up to $5,000 per employee for qualified wages paid in 2020 and up to $7,000 per quarter for qualified wages paid in 2021 but must not exceed these limits.7. Compliance with recovery startup businesses provisions: New employers that began operating after February 15, 2020, must meet specific criteria outlined by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), such as having average annual gross receipts of no more than $1 million.Including these eligibility requirements when claiming the Employee Retention Credit helps ensure your business complies with associated regulations while maximizing available tax relief benefits.Calculation of The CreditCalculating the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) can be broken down into simple steps, ensuring eligible employers accurately determine the amount they can claim. For 2020, businesses would take 50% of qualified wages paid to employees (up to $10,000 per employee) during eligible quarters, resulting in a maximum employee retention credit work amount of $5,000 per employee.An Example to Illustrate This ProcessIf you own a small business with ten or fewer full time employees who each earned at least $10,000 in qualified wages during an eligible quarter in 2021, your company could claim an ERC tax credit credit up to ($7,000 x 10) = $70,000 for that specific quarter alone. There may be other deductions that have to be made that may lower this credit amount.ERC Filing RequirementsTo claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), eligible employers must have already filed Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, for the calendar quarter in which they paid qualified wages. The IRS has provided additional guidance on how to claim the ERC on Form 941-X for each quarter that qualifies.Employers must include the amount of ERC claimed and reduce their employment tax liability resulting from deposits by that same amount when submitting Form 941-X. If the
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DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / Understanding qualifications for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)has become more important than ever. The IRS rules for getting tapping into this potentially lucrative tax credit have changed over the years. Receiving an ERC refund is not automatic. To be eligible for the tax credit, businesses must meet certain IRS requirements. Recent updates have expanded the eligibility criteria, and there is still time to retroactively file for the ERC credit and amend past 2020 and 2021 tax years.Eligible employers must meet certain criteria to properly qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Image Credit: Nd3000 / 123rf. "The path to claiming the ERC tax credit is not automatic. It is contingent upon a business's ability to meet certain specific qualifications. Grasping the nuances of these IRS ERC Credit requirements is a critical step in the ERTC process. Only by meeting the qualifying prerequisites can businesses unlock the substantial benefits offered by the Employee Retention Credit," said Marty Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) with Disaster Loan Advisors (DLA). DLA has assisted over 700+ companies with their ERC / ERTC Tax Credit claims, by-the-book per current IRS ERTC credit rules and guidelines.Employee Retention Tax Credit Key Takeaways to Claim a ERC Refund:The ERC (Employee Retention Credit) was established to provide relief to eligible businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and offered significant cash relief as part of the CARES Act.To qualify for the ERC, businesses must have experienced a full or partial suspension of operations due to governmental orders or a significant decline in gross receipts.Businesses may retroactively claim the tax credit for the 2020 and 2021 tax years, as long as they qualify.Business owners can also claim the ERC tax credit even if they did not fully shut down during the pandemic or thrived. They may still qualify based on significant declines in gross receipts.Employee Retention Credit BasicsLaunched as an integral part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) swiftly became a vital lifeline for businesses navigating through the tumultuous economic waters of 2020 and 2021.The ERC is a temporary payroll tax credit designed to reward business owners who continued to pay employees despite experiencing financial turbulence during the pandemic. It offers significant cash relief by providing maximum recoupment of up to $5,000 per employee for 2020, and up to $28,000 per employee in 2021.The ERTC Tax Credit targets US-based businesses, including small companies, startups, nonprofits, corporations, LLCs, and those with less than 100 employees in 2020 and less than 500 employees in 2021. These enterprises span nearly all industries - from semiconductors and microchips manufacturers dealing with supply chain disruptions to restaurants grappling with indoor dining bans and capacity restrictions. Even sectors such as construction companies juggling staggered work crews due to social distancing orders were included.Several qualifications must be met to take advantage of this generous payroll tax credit offer. Suspending operations partially or fully under specific governmental orders or evidencing a decline in gross receipts in certain calendar years are essential qualifiers.Also critical is ensuring compliance requirements like accurate tracking of eligible wages and filling out Form 941-X correctly for the adjusted Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return filing process.Who Qualifies for the ERC Credit?To qualify for the ERC Credit, businesses must have experienced a full or partial suspension of operations due to governmental orders or a significant decline in gross receipts. Find out if your business is eligible and how to claim this valuable tax credit.Navigating the basic qualifications for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is imperative for businesses seeking financial relief amid economic hardships brought on by the pandemic. A foremost criterion to qualify includes experiencing a full or partial suspension of operations as mandated by government orders linked to COVID-19, affecting your ability to carry on regular business activities.Additionally, all types of employers, from corporations and small businesses to nonprofits, are eligible for ERTC credit provided they have employees. Excluded are self-employed individuals who don't have other employees.Special ConsiderationsSpecial considerations around the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) focus on a company's specific circumstances and how those can affect its eligibility. If your business experienced disruption due to pandemic-related government orders, such as full or partial shutdown mandates, customer capacity limits, social distancing requirements, or work-from-home orders which led to a loss of income, you would likely meet the criteria for ERC qualification.Furthermore, special provisions apply to different types of businesses. For instance, startups operating after February 15th, 2020, could qualify under Recovery Startup Credit rules. Self-employed individuals may also be eligible based on their annualized revenue and payroll taxes.Business Owners' Guide to ERC QualificationsTo ensure that you're eligible for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), there are a few qualifications that business owners need to be aware of. Firstly, your business must have experienced a full or partial suspension of operations due to governmental orders during the pandemic.This could include mandates such as indoor dining bans or capacity restrictions. Alternatively, if your business has faced a significant decline in gross receipts compared to previous years, you may qualify for the ERC.Next, it's important to understand who qualifies as an employee to calculate qualified wages. Generally, employees who received wages during suspension or decline in gross receipts are eligible.For businesses with over 100 full-time employees in 2019, qualified wages are typically those paid to employees not providing services due to the suspension or decline. On the other hand, if your business had 100 or fewer full-time employees in 2019, qualified wages usually encompass all wages paid during this time.Remember that "wages" includes taxable wages and certain contributions made towards health benefit plans for your employees. Consider these points when determining whether your business meets the qualification requirements set out by the IRS.By understanding these criteria and working within them, you can maximize your chances of claiming this valuable tax credit and obtaining financial relief during these ch
PR-Inside.com: 2023-07-14 01:35:41

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SAN ANTONIO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / In 2023, pivotal updates to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) have emerged, with substantial financial implications for businesses nationwide. These changes to the ERC program reflect a shifting economic landscape, responding to the evolving needs of business enterprises striving for recovery and growth in post-pandemic environments. Understanding these current updates is crucial for employers to effectively leverage this IRS tax relief credit, ensuring the continued retention of valuable employees and ongoing business operations.The Employee Retention Credit from the IRS is designed to give a substantial tax credit to eligible employers who kept W2 employees on payroll during the pandemic. Image Credit: PeopleImages12 / 123rf."The Employee Retention Tax Credit has evolved from inception in 2020, Many changes to the ERC program have evolved in 2021, 2022, and now 2023. This continues to confuse many business owners on eligibility and how to calculate their potential refund amounts," said Marty Stewart, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) with Disaster Loan Advisors (DLA). DLA has assisted over 700+ companies with their ERC / ERTC Tax Credit claims, by-the-book per current IRS rules and guidelines.Evolution of the Employee Retention Credit ProgramThe Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) government program established by the CARES Act to assist businesses in retaining their employees during challenging times.There is great news for business owners that had W-2 employees during the 2020 and 2021 tax years. Eligible businesses and employers can file retroactive claims for the ERC credit until April 15, 2024, for eligible quarters in 2020, and until April 15, 2025, for eligible quarters in 2021.Employee Retention Credit 2020The year 2020 marked a crucial turning point as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act introduced the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Aimed at facilitating businesses in retaining their workforce during these challenging times, it offered significant financial relief.The ERTC served eligible employers and small to medium-sized businesses by providing up to 50% of qualifying wages paid between March 13th, 2020 and December 31st, 2020. This means up to $5,000 per employee for the entire 2020 tax year.Surprisingly, only a fraction of business owners were familiar with this beneficial program. Exactly four percent, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Despite its low initial uptake rate, it's clear that ERTC acted as an essential lifeline for many companies during an extremely testing period. To qualify for this credit, businesses had to provide substantial proof illustrating their negative impact through partial or total shutdowns or gross receipt reduction.Application processes involved completing Form 941-X, Adjusted Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refund, which eased the process of claiming relief under ERTC.While originally set until December 31st, IRS ERC credit extended the deadline till September 30th due to increasing demand from distressed businesses across various sectors. This move provided enough breathing space for companies still grappling with pandemic-induced disruptions.Employee Retention Tax Credit 2021In 2021, the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) played a crucial role in helping businesses navigate the challenges brought on by the pandemic. As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this tax credit is designed to provide financial relief to eligible employers who have experienced disruptions in their operations.One important fact about ERTC tax credit for 2021 is that it has been extended until September 30th. This means eligible employers can claim this tax credit for wages paid between January 1st and September 30th. Startup recovery businesses have until December 31st, 2021.The extension allows more businesses to take advantage of this valuable resource and receive much-needed assistance.Another key point to remember is that even if you received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, you could still qualify for the ERC tax credit. This allows businesses to benefit from both programs and maximize their financial support during these challenging times.By understanding the specifics of ERTC for 2021 and how it applies to your business, you can save thousands of dollars in payroll taxes and ensure greater stability for your employees. Consulting with a knowledgeable tax professional or utilizing resources like ERC Today or Aprino's ERC services will help guide you through the application process effectively.Overall, staying updated on the latest information regarding Employee Retention Credit is essential as government rules may change over time due to ongoing efforts to provide economic relief during these uncertain times.Employee Retention Credit 2022In 2022, the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) continued to provide vital support for businesses and eligible employers. This tax credit was created under the CARES Act to help companies retain their employees during challenging times.As part of the ERTC program, eligible businesses can receive up to 70% of qualifying wages from January 1st, 2021 to December 31st, 2021. This means up to $7,000 per employee, per quarter in 2021. That is up to $21,000 to $28,000 per employee depending on business eligibility and when the business started.The ERTC is a valuable lifeline that helps businesses keep their doors open and maintain their workforce. It offers financial relief by offsetting taxes owed or providing a refundable tax credit.To qualify for this credit, businesses must demonstrate that they experienced either a partial or total shutdown due to government mandates or suffered a significant decline in gross receipts compared to pre-pandemic levels.As an employer, taking advantage of this tax relief measure is essential as it can greatly alleviate financial strain and help you retain your valued employees. By understanding the eligibility requirements and filing process outlined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you can ensure that you maximize your benefits through the Employee Retention Tax Credit in 2022.Employee Retention Tax Credit 2023In 2023, the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) continues to provide crucial support for businesses and eligible employers. The CARES Act established this tax credit to help companies keep their employees on the payroll during challenging times.Despite its significant benefits, many business owners are unaware of this valuable resource.
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WILLIAMSPORT, PA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Evergreen Wealth Solutions, a leading wealth management firm, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Mr. Todd Rishel, CFP, as the newest addition to its esteemed team of financial advisors. With an exceptional track record and a deep understanding of the industry, Mr. Rishel brings a wealth of experience that will further enhance the firm's commitment to providing outstanding financial solutions to its clients.Todd RishelTodd Rishel, CFPAlongside his extensive professional experience, Mr. Rishel brings a rich background in community involvement that will greatly enrich the company's client-centric approach. He generously volunteers his time to essential community organizations such as Central PA Food Bank, Salvation Army, and the Grand Slam Parade, where he actively contributes to improving the lives of others and fostering community cohesion. Beyond the financial realm, Mr. Rishel has a strong passion for nature and enjoys outdoor activities with his wife, children, and grandchildren.In a recent interview, Mr. Rishel expressed his enthusiasm about joining Evergreen Wealth Solutions and the opportunity to work alongside the firm's renowned team of financial experts. He stated, "The ensemble practice at Evergreen Wealth Solutions really appeals to me, along with the way they seek to enhance and grow client relationships. I believe that is very important, and it is one of my main objectives as part of the Evergreen team." Mr. Rishel brings over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in wealth management and investment advisory services. His expertise encompasses portfolio management, investment management, tax optimization, and asset management. Throughout his career, Mr. Rishel has built enduring relationships with individuals, families, and institutional clients, helping them navigate complex financial landscapes and achieve their long-term financial objectives and goals. When asked about his approach to client relationships, Mr. Rishel emphasized the importance of a client-focused perspective and personable communication. "I take a holistic approach in planning with clients to ensure clear communication through personable one-on-one planning." As part of Evergreen Wealth Solutions, Mr. Rishel will contribute his expertise to the firm's comprehensive suite of wealth management services, which includes individual and family planning, retirement planning, business planning, investment management, and insurance solutions. With his addition, the firm strengthens its commitment to providing holistic financial solutions that empower clients to achieve their financial goals at every stage of life.Commenting on Mr. Rishel's appointment, Mr. Andrew (Andy) Harris, Founder and President of Evergreen Wealth Solutions, said, "We're looking forward to Todd joining Evergreen and the energy he'll bring to the firm." About Evergreen Wealth Solutions:Evergreen Wealth Solutions is a client-centric wealth management firm with a team of experienced professional advisors and wealth managers based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The firm offers a comprehensive range of wealth management services, individual and family planning, retirement planning, business planning, investment management, and insurance solutions. Evergreen Wealth Solutions is dedicated to helping clients achieve their financial goals through tailored, innovative solutionsContact InformationKate ViscoBusiness Development Managerkate@ egwealth.com 5706016960SOURCE: Evergreen Wealth Solutions
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / Hagens Berman urges Xponential Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:XPOF) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/xpof Contact An Attorney Now: XPOF@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Xponential Fitness, Inc. (XPOF) Investigation:The investigation focuses on Xponential Fitness' past claims that "[t]he foundation of our business is built on strong partnerships with franchisees" and "[w]e are highly focused on providing franchisees with extensive support to help maximize their performance and enhance their return on investment." But, on June 26, 2023, analyst Fuzzy Panda Research published a scathing report based in part on interviews with former business partners, franchisees, and employees of Xponential Fitness' CEO (Anthony Geisler), concluding "the XPOF house of cards is beginning to fall." With respect to Geisler, Fuzzy Panda's research reveals: (1) Geisler was "previously CEO of a reverse merger, pink sheets, pump & dump called Interactive Solutions (INSC) that used Bangkok boiler rooms" and (2) "former franchisees, and colleagues of Geisler's described him as a crook' and detailed his many scams' and illegal business practices[.]'"Fuzzy Panda also found that over 50% of the company's average studios are losing money, 80% of its brands have unprofitable business models, franchisees are giving their studios back to XPOF for $1, more of the worst loss-making transition studios are on XPOF's balance sheet and they have become harder for XPOF to re-sell, and XPOF has closed lots of studios despite management's claim to never closed a single studio.In response, the price of Xponential shares crashed as much as 42% lower on June 27, 2023."We're focused on investors' losses and whether Xponential lied about its business model and financial metrics," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Xponential Fitness and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman.Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Xponential Fitness 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 XPOF@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens BermanHagens 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
Quality control holds immense significance in businesses across industries, ensuring that products and services meet or surpass customer expectations while complying with established standards.

Implementing quality control throughout all aspects of your business is crucial.

The link between quality control and customer satisfaction is direct. When products or services consistently meet high-quality standards, customers are more likely to be content with their purchases, leading to positive experiences. Satisfied customers tend to become loyal, provide positive reviews, and recommend the business to others, fostering both customer loyalty and business growth.

Moreover, quality control can enhance brand reputation. Consistently delivering products that meet or exceed customer expectations establishes a positive brand image and reputation for reliability, trustworthiness, and excellence. A favourable brand reputation sets a business apart from its competitors and attracts new customers.

In a competitive market, businesses that prioritise quality control gain a competitive edge. Superior-quality products or services stand out among the competition and can justify higher price points. By consistently delivering quality, businesses can position themselves as industry leaders, appealing to customers who value exceptional quality and are willing to pay for it.

There are also long-term cost benefits associated with quality control. By identifying and rectifying quality issues early in the production or service delivery process, businesses can avoid expensive rework, customer returns, or warranty claims.

During this years Online Retailer Conference, Australias largest and original conference event for the e-commerce industry, taking place at ICC Sydney from July 19 to 20, I will discuss Strategic Supply Chain Management. I have shared my top recommendations for enhancing quality control in your business:

Effective Communication

Establish good relationships with vendors and develop a communication process to facilitate this. Regular communication ensures time is not wasted and issues are promptly addressed. Clearly define quality requirements and communicate expectations. Regularly assess vendor performance and provide feedback for continuous improvement throughout the supply chain. Sharing a work-in-progress (WIP) document can facilitate collaborative discussions.

Cost Control

Quality control contributes to long-term cost reduction. Identifying and resolving quality issues early on helps prevent costly rework, customer returns, and warranty claims. When dealing with logistics or products, it is essential to understand all costs associated with a new supplier. Thoroughly review the suppliers processes and request upfront information on all potential costs to avoid surprises, especially when it comes to international and domestic freight and third-party logistics (3PLs).

Cultivate a Quality-Focused Culture

Establish a culture that prioritises and values quality. Encourage employees to take ownership of quality control and empower them to contribute ideas and suggestions for improvement. Recognise and reward individuals or teams that demonstrate exceptional commitment to quality.

Monitor and Measure Quality

Adopt a systematic approach to monitor and measure quality at various stages of your business processes. This may involve conducting regular inspections, audits, and tests to identify any deviations from established quality standards. Utilise appropriate tools and techniques, such as statistical process control (SPC), data analysis, and sampling methods, to track quality performance.

Continuous Improvement

Embrace a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and refining your quality control processes. Seek feedback from customers, monitor market trends, and stay updated on industry best practices. Actively pursue opportunities to enhance product design, production methods, and customer service to consistently raise the quality bar.

Remember, improving quality control is an ongoing process that requires dedication, commitment, and active involvement from all levels of the organisation. By following these steps and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you can drive positive change, deliver higher-quality products or services, enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve business success.

At Incy Interiors, quality control lies at the core of our operations. As a luxury brand, we are committed to ensuring the highest quality in all areas of our business.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
PR-Inside.com: 2023-07-14 14:30:22

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Home Services Leader Uses Technology to Offer Discounts to Loyal CustomersCHARLOTTESVILLE, VA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Premium Service Brands (PSB), the leader in home service franchise opportunities, is pilot-testing the first home services rewards app of its kind. Customers can use the app to earn, redeem, and save.Nesto is designed to simplify the process of finding top-notch home service providers by streamlining booking and saving efforts. By effortlessly uploading receipts from any home services provider - even competitors - customers can conveniently accumulate points. They can redeem points for discounts and deals from the PSB brands."Our new Nesto app will help customers save money on high-quality home services and provide a tool for our franchise owners to market their businesses across all of our brands," said Paul Flick, CEO of PSB. "Premium Service Brands added 92 franchise units in 2022, surpassing 1,000 locations, and we are continuing to grow. As we add new brands to our portfolio, we want to leverage our array of services to existing customers." PSB has an uncompromising commitment to quality and a customer-first approach. The company is committed to delivering high-quality home services. Nesto will improve customer convenience and offer valuable discounts to loyal customers. It covers a wide range of home service sectors, including painting, cleaning, garage repair, home organization, junk removal, handyman services, and more.The company is currently conducting app testing at select locations with the intention of a systemwide launch by the end of the year. Nesto is available for download on Google Play and Apple's App Store and is compatible with various electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets."Nesto is designed as a value-added benefit for our customers, and it is helping our franchisees grow their businesses quickly and cost-effectively," said Will Byrnes, PSB's Brand Director.To learn more about the brands in PSB's portfolio, visit https://www.premiumservicebrands.com/ . If you are ready to stake a claim in the home services industry and partner with PSB to launch a business, click here to get started.###ABOUT PREMIUM SERVICE BRANDSHeadquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, Premium Service Brands (PSB) is a leader in home services franchise opportunities. PSB provides services to an ever-expanding customer base by building meaningful connections and creating lifelong customers. The company's lineup of niche home services brands includes 360 Painting, ProLift Garage Doors, Maid Right, Kitchen Wise & Closet Wise, Window Gang, Rubbish Works Junk Removal, The Grout Medic, House Doctors, and RooterMan. To get started building a new future with a franchise of your own, visit www.premiumservicebrands.com SOURCE: Premium Service Brands
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NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until August 7, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S), if they purchased the Company's securities between June 1, 2022 and June 1, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of SentinelOne and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-s/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by August 7, 2023.About the LawsuitSentinelOne and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On June 1, 2023, the Company disclosed that "[a]s a result of a change in methodology and correction of historical inaccuracieswe made a one-time adjustment to ARR of $27.0 million or approximately 5% of total ARR" and that the Company had slashed its fiscal year 2024 revenue guidance from a range of $631 million to $640 million to a range of $590 million to $600 million, due to the discovery of "historical upsell and renewal recording inaccuracies relating to ARR on certain subscription and consumption contracts, which are now corrected." On this news, shares of SentinelOne fell $7.28 per share, or more than 35%, to close at $13.44 per share on June 2, 2023.The case is Johansson v. SentinelOne, Inc., et al., No. 23-cv-02786.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit http://ksfcounsel.com/ Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partner1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. ("Charles River" or the "Company") (NYSE:CRL) and certain of its officers, on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased, or otherwise acquired Charles River securities between May 5, 2020 and February 21, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/crl This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws.The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Charles River had engaged in illegal activity with respect to its importation of non-human primates for research; (2) that, as a result, Charles River was at a heightened risk of criminal and regulatory investigation by, inter alia, the U.S. Department of Justice; (3) that, as a result, Charles River would be forced to suspend shipments of primates from Cambodia; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/crl or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Law Clerk and Client Relations Manager, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Charles River, you have until July 18, 2023 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.Contact:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Yael Nathanson212-697-6484 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz and Grossman, LLC
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CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / To celebrate Culinary Arts Month, Yowie Group, the Surprise Inside Chocolate company, invites bakers in the United States and Australia to participate in their first-ever Cake Decorating Contest! Culinary arts are all about making food look beautiful and this is a chance for professional and amateur bakers alike to showcase their talent, creativity, and love for Yowie through their passion for cake decorating!Not a cake fan? Any Yowie inspired treat, from cookies to popsicles, will be accepted. Take inspiration from the Yowie characters themselves or from any of the adorable baby animals included in the latest series. The goal is to be creative and have fun!What is a Yowie?The surprise-inside chocolate treat is sustainably sourced, Rainforest Alliance Certified, and contains no GMOs, palm oil, gluten, or nuts. Plus, each Yowie features an endangered animal collectible figurine and a leaflet to help kids learn about the animal. The word "Yowie" is what Australians call Bigfoot or Sasquatch. There are six bigfoot characters: Rumble, Boof, Squish, Nap, Ditty and Crag. Each Yowie is responsible for protecting a different animal habitat.How to Enter:Participation is open to all baking enthusiasts, professional pastry chefs, and creative souls who can work magic with fondant and buttercream! To enter the contest, simply follow these steps:Design and create your Yowie inspired masterpiece.Upload a picture or video of your completed creation to Yowie's Facebook page.Enjoy your delicious treat and wait for the winner to be announced on August 9th.Prizes:Not only will the winner's decorating talents be shared with thousands via Yowie's social channels, but they will also receive an entire case of Yowie chocolates! It's the perfect supplement to your Yowie inspired creation at your next summer party!Judging Criteria:Our Yowie expert judges will evaluate each cake based on the following criteria:Creativity and originality of the designSkill and technique demonstrated in the cake decorationOverall presentation, including color scheme, texture, and visual appealWhere are Yowie chocolates?For inspiration (or just to eat!) Yowie can be found in more than 30,000 retail outlets across the United States, including Walmart, Walgreens, 7Eleven, Albertson's, Meijer, SuperValu, Giant Eagle, H-E-B, Food Lion, Casey's, Circle K and many more and across Australia including Woolworth's, IGA, Big W, The Reject Shop, Kmart. You can also check the store locator on YowieWorld.com to find a nearby store or learn more about Yowie.Contact:Devin Mainvilledevin@ kmkmedia.com (779) 221-3764SOURCE: Yowie Group
The State Security Service (SSS) has announced that it has charged the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to court.

SSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya, in a Thursday statement, said Mr Emefiele was charged in compliance with a court order.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the SSS to charge Emefiele to court or release him from his detention, which has lasted for weeks.

Mr Afunanyas statement, released hours after the court order, did not provide details of the charges against Mr Emefiele or the court where he was charged.

Sequel to an Abuja High Court Order of today, 13th July 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order, Mr Afunanya wrote.

In a statement, the Force public relations officer Peter Afunaya, recalls that the Service had, in 2022, applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.

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The statement notes that though Emefiele obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June 2023 on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

The Service assures the public of professionalism, justice and fairness in handling this matter and indeed the discharge of its duties within the confines of the law, the spokesperson wrote.

Emefieles Ordeals

Last December, the SSS approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order to arrest Mr Emefiele.

But Chief Judge John Tsoho, who presided over the court, refused to grant the request, stating insufficient information to justify issuing an arrest order against Mr Emefiele.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the SSS accused Mr Emefiele of financing the activities of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and engaging in acts that undermined the Nigerian economy, along with other offences.

Mr Emefiele was later arrested at his residence in Lagos on 10 June. He was then taken to the headquarters of the secret police, where he is currently believed to be undergoing questioning.

While the SSS had previously accused the suspended CBN governor of terrorism financing, no formal charges have been officially filed against him. His arrest took place one day after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office.

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Access Holdings has entered into various pacts with Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart) to acquire the British Banks subsidiaries in four African markets, Nigerias biggest lender announced Friday.

The move signals Access Holdings most aggressive push for expansion beyond its home market Nigeria since it commenced operation in Nigeria in 1989 as Access Bank.

StanCharts banking operations in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia and Sierra Leone are up for grabs by Access Holdings, according to a statement seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

The financial services groups takeover of African Banking Corporation (Tanzania) Limited (BancABC Tanzania) is also in the bag, with a definitive agreement on the deal already in place.

Part of the deals incorporated Access Banks purchase of StanCharts Consumer, Private & Business Banking units in Tanzania.

Access Holdings is progressing in its drive to enter 26 markets by 2027, compared to the 17 countries it operated in as of January 2023.

It expects its customer base to have climbed to 100 million from its current 52 million, surpassing the population of 85 per cent (50) of African countries.

The lender only on Thursday completed the acquisition of Angolas Finibanco S.A. Bank.

For Access Bank, these transactions represent a key step in our journey to build a strong global franchise focused on serving as a gateway for payments, investment and trade within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world as we continue to deliver on our vision to be the Worlds Most Respected African Bank, said Access Bank CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna.

Access Bank is the commercial banking division of Access Holdings. All the deals are to be delivered in the next 12 months.

While Tanzanias banking regulator has greenlighted the deal involving the buyout of BancABC Tanzania, Access Holdings is looking to the Central Bank of Nigeria to approve the transactions.

Last year, StanChart announced its intention to exit seven countries in Africa and the Middle East, where it considers its operations to be sub-scale and focus on markets of greater potential.

The multinational lender marked Angola, Cameroon, Gambia, Jordan, Lebanon, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe as markets where it planned to divest its stakes.

READ ALSO: Access Holdings seals deal to buy Standard Chartered Bank subsidiaries in four African countries

That is a paradigm shift for StanChart, which has come to be known as one of the biggest European banking investors in Africa.

Access Bank will provide a full range of banking services and continuity for key stakeholders, including employees and clients of Standard Chartereds businesses across the five aforementioned countries, StanChart said in a statement.

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As the permutations and intensive horse-trading for who becomes the next Minister from Sokoto State festers, the President must not allow primordial sentiments or considerations to becloud his altruistic sense of reasoning. He should prioritise competence, leadership pedigree and an excellent track record of performance in previous leadership positions, by those angling to become members of his cabinet.

Nigerians have almost run out of patience. They have eagerly been anticipating the big announcement. Who will make the list of President Bola Ahmed Tinubus new Ministers? The riddle, however, will soon be solved.

The Tinubu government started on a good note. It is offering a breath of fresh air. Mr President has so far made good selections in the choice of his personal aides, and other top government functionaries. But his cabinet remains incomplete without members of the Federal Executive Council.

Nigerians will not want it to be business as usual, again. They want visionary minds whose integrity are unquestionable and who are trustworthy but also loyal members of the incoming Federal Executive Council. They want Ministers who will help Tinubu aggressively drive his RENEWED HOPE agenda for the country. Such choices must be those capable hands who can help to break the vicious cycles that have threatened the socio-economic and political developments of the nation. It will therefore be regrettable, if persons of questionable character are nominated as Ministers-designate, in the coming days.

Surely, there are prominent politicians and technocrats who are eminently qualified to become Ministers in Tinubus government. But becoming a FEC member should not be an all-comers affair, at least. It should be an exclusive preserve of persons who have paid their dues, with regards to the development of their communities, states and nation, at large.

In terms of the expectations on President Tinubu to lead the nation to the desired promised land, the types of people needed to be part of his team are not just anyone but those better prepared for the challenges ahead!

Without mincing words, public expectations on the new FEC are massive. President Tinubu cannot afford to flunk this golden opportunity of recruiting the best of Nigerians as his new Ministers. Though originally an indigene of Kano State, but as someone who spent some years in Sokoto with my parents and also schooled there up to tertiary level at famous Usmanu Danfodio University, I am equally concerned about who represents the Seat of Caliphate in Tinubus yet-to-be inaugurated FEC.

While Sokoto is endowed with personalities that have been tested and trusted, Hon Musa Sarkin Adar stands out as unarguably the most distinguished and quintessential federal lawmaker.

At this juncture, I may state that Senator Wamakko, as APC leader in the state, had promoted some political bigwigs. These politicians, such as Senator Gobir, was brought in to contest the Senate seat in 2011 by the then Governor Wamako and also fielded for the second and third times without going through primaries. In the Ninth Senate, Wamako was approached to become the Senate leader, which he declined and passed on to Gobir.

One other instance was Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, the only known personal friend of Wamako from childhood till date, who has always benefited from him (Wamakko), despite having contested against him in 2007 when Bafarawa fielded Maigari instead of Wamako, who was supposed to be the natural successor to Bafarawa, being his deputy for two terms! As such if Wamako is to display what he has been preaching of preparing the next generation after them for political office, it is time to consider those young ones behind them, among which Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar deserves to be considered, having stayed consistently with him from 2007 till date, despite all the odds! Most especially if we consider some historical reasons from 2007 till date.

Between 2007 and 2023 that Sarkin Adar was a member of the House of Representatives, representing Gada/Goronyo Federal Constituency, heput smiles on the faces of his constituents, with nothing but good lawmaking and representation.

The four-time National Assembly (NASS) member, aside from being a compassionate and focused public servant, has a track record in the delivery of several public and national assignments tasked him. In the last House of Representatives, he was the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream, a responsibility he meritoriously discharged with passion, thereby breaking jinks. He was the first northerner to ever Chair the Committee.

Erudite and cosmopolitan, Hon Musa Sarkin Adar, is one who loathes being ostentatious, and haughtiness. For over two decades now, since I know him to be a very cosmopolitan personalty with a chain of contacts across the country between the young and old, rich and less to do, he has remained easily accessible to all, especially the good people of his constituency and everyone who has an acquaintance with him, and those in distress. Aside from being a career politician, Sarkin Adar is also a father figure to many, especially Sokoto State youths, who he has been mentoring.

Through his many empowerment schemes, the lives of thousands of Sokoto women and youths have been touched positively by Hon Sarkin Adar. In almost all the federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, many graduates from Sokoto State can be found, courtesy of Sarkin Adars enormous contacts and connections as a bridge builder in helping them secure federal employment. In terms of the infrastructural development of Gada/Goronyo Federal Constituency, the touch of Sarkin Adar is glaring. Just get to Gada- Kaffe on going road construction and you will see the touch.

Sarkin Adar equally has an uncommon expertise in Nigerias maritime, transport, agriculture together with oil and gas sectors.

The unassuming Sokoto State ex-federal lawmaker who had also served the state and federal governments in public service, chaired some strategic committeees in the National Assembly including the Committee on Land Transport, and Electoral Matters, as well as the Upstream Committee, and also as a member of the House adhoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Passionate about enhancing the welfare of teeming Nigerians and Sokoto State indigenes, in particular, Hon Musa Sarkin Adar sponsored some groundbreaking Motions, Bills, and Reports, during his time in the Green Chamber. These include: Collapse of the Goronyo Dam in Sokoto State, 2011; Need to investigate the Withdrawal of N1.17 billion by the Federal Ministry of Finance from the Account of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority; Need to Provide Security and Relief Materials to Victims of Attack at Kololi, Gadonmata, and Kamitau Village in Goronyo/Gada Federal Constituency, Sokoto State; Urgent Need to Address the Worsening Security Situation in Sokoto State; and the Need to Provide Relief Materials to Victims of Flood in Gada and Goronyo Local Government of Sokoto State.

He contributed immensely to the enthronement of the Tinubu Presidency, having served as a Founding Member of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) and a member of APC Presidential Campaign Council, 2023.

Unlike several politicians who neglect their root after assuming political office, Hon Sarkin Adar has always been in touch with the downtrodden of his constituency. Small wonder, he is called a grassroots politician. What Nigeria now has, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), is one of the achievements of Sarkin Adar. His contributions to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), and subsequent assent by former President Muhammadu Buhari, is unquantifiable.

As one whose personal contribution also led to the birth of PIA, Hon Sarkin Adar, as a member of FEC, will help revive the dormant exploration project in the Sokoto Basin, to help generate additional revenue for the Federal Government and instantly make Sokoto join the list of Nigerias oil-producing states. On the other hand, Hon Sarkin Adar, will not fail to persuade Mr. President and the FEC to award a railway project that will see Sokoto, for the first time, been linked to the national rail transport system, by the time railway tracks are laid to the Seat of Caliphate from Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

As the permutations and intensive horse-trading for who becomes the next Minister from Sokoto State festers, the President must not allow primordial sentiments or considerations to becloud his altruistic sense of reasoning. He should prioritise competence, leadership pedigree and an excellent track record of performance in previous leadership positions, by those angling to become members of his cabinet. And in the case of the Seat of Caliphate, Mr. President just cant settle for any other person than Hon. Sarkin Adar.

Faisal Abdullahi writes from Kofar Famfo, Dukawuya, Kano.

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About 35 Nigerian journalists/fact-checkers were this week trained on new methods and technology to tackle disinformation in the country.

The two-day training, which was held on Wednesday and Thursday in Abuja, was organised by Casa Africa, in collaboration with the DG Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria and the Centre for Journalism Innovation & Development (CJID) of Nigeria, through its verification platform Dubawa.

The training sessions were facilitated by Stephane Grueso and Borja Lozano, two trainers from the Spanish media Maldita.es and Newtral, respectively.

These professionals, alongside Silas Jonathan, Caroline Anipah and Lois Ugbede, all fact-checkers with Dubawa, shared their knowledge and experience with the participants on how to carry out fact-checks based on global best practices.

Courses

One of the courses was advanced and aimed exclusively at the Dubawa fact-checkers, who learnt to apply Artificial Intelligence systems to their information verification processes, says Joan Tusell, Casa Africas head of media communication, in a statement.

He said the trainers taught them (the Dubawa team and selected participants) to understand how new AI tools work and how to use them to detect and debunk misinformation.

The other course is generic and was offered to journalists who want to start or improve their fact-checking skills. The course included classes on topics such as ChatGPT, advanced internet search, disinformation techniques, image and video verification, digital cybersecurity for journalists and fact-checking ethics, he said.

According to Mr Tusell, the initiative is part of the #PeriodismoAfrica program of Casa Africa, which seeks to bring Africa and Spain together through educational, economic, and cultural activities.

For 15 years, he said Casa Africa has been fighting against stereotypes in the narratives about the African continent and supporting the role of journalism as a powerful tool in the fight against misinformation.

According to the organisers, the training in Abuja is the third training experience of the #PeriodismoAfrica programme, which aims to take advantage of the talent and high innovation existing in the field of verification and the fight against misinformation in Spain to improve the training of African journalists.

They noted that the first two experiences were carried out in Kenya and Namibia, with the hope to deepen the training by 26-27 September in Madrid through the IV Meeting of Journalists Africa-Spain, and will focus on both misinformation and narratives about Africa in Spain and Europe.

In his remarks, Jose Clavell, director general of Casa Africa, said the organisation is proud to collaborate with partners in Nigeria for the training to strengthen the capacities of African journalists in fact-checking and digital security.

We believe that these skills are essential for quality journalism that can inform citizens and combat misinformation that can undermine democracy and human rights, he said. E

On his part, Tobi Oluwatola, CJIDs Executive Director, said AI and its new iteration of large language models have changed the world in ways we do not fully comprehend yet.

It is critical that Journalists are able to explain and leverage them for democratic purposes such as verification and digital literacy, he added.

Similarly, Juan Sell, Spains Ambassador to Nigeria, who graced the closing ceremony of the training to hand over certificates to the participants, hinted that Spain is holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU this Semester and that among their priorities there is certainly the support of a free, independent, trustworthy and competent media, in Africa and elsewhere.

This, he said, is a prerequisite for a thriving and inclusive democracy.

Casa Africa is hitting the bulls-eye by bringing the most specialised fact-checkers of Spain to train Nigerian journalists and partnering with Dubawa, an already reputed platform in the field of nowadays essential fight against disinformation,  Mr Sell said.

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President Bola Tinubu is set to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday to participate in the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5thMYCM) of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union Member States.

As the Chairperson of ECOWAS, the Nigerian leader will join Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers of the AU Member-States, and high-level dignitaries at the mid-year meeting, which will take place on Sunday.

The president will present a report on the status of regional integration in ECOWAS, highlighting actions carried out during the period under review by ECOWAS institutions, member-states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to deepen integration through trade, free movement of persons, investment promotion, infrastructure development, peace, security and stability.

READ ALSO:

The 5th MYCM, which is convening under the AUs theme for 2023, christened Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation, will bring together the Bureau of the AU Assembly, comprising the Heads of State and Government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, and Senegal, as well as the leaders of the eight RECs.

These regional economic communities include ECOWAS, chaired by Nigeria; the East African Community (EAC); the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD); the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Community of SahelSaharan States (CEN SAD), the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

The meeting will also involve the African Union Commission and the RMs.

President Tinubu, accompanied by senior government officials, is expected to return to the country after the meeting.

Dele Alake

Special Adviser to the President

(Special Duties, Communications and Strategy)

July 14, 2023

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First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday, met with the wives of the 36 state governors to formally introduce and acquaint them with the objectives and the mission of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), her pet project.

At the meeting held in her office at the Presidential Villa, Mrs Tinubu congratulated the governors wives on the successful conduct of the 2023 elections, which brought their husbands to the office and reminded them that it was time to keep promises made during the elections.

She said she would require their support to reach every nook and cranny of the country in the execution of the project, noting that looking at the past can most assuredly chart a path for the present and future, and this can best be done collectively for better and more sustainable impact.

Mrs Tinubu, a former senator and first lady of Lagos State, assured the governors wives that the RHI would not interfere with their personal programs and projects and that she believes their support would be impactful.

I wish to remind each of us that the exalted positions we are in today should be seen as an opportunity to impact more meaningfully, not only in the lives of people in your states but Nigeria as a whole, she said.

READ ALSO:

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the wife of Kwara State Governor, assured of the willingness and commitment of the wives of the governors to support RHI, stating that they will go back and elect zonal coordinators to take the mantle to ensure that the grassroots are reached.

Mrs AbdulRazaq, whose husband is the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), also confirmed that RHI would not affect their projects in their various states but instead complement their own efforts.

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Staff seen at FV Hospital in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of the hospital

Singapore-based Thomson Medical Group has agreed to buy FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for US$381.4 million in what will be Vietnams biggest ever healthcare industry deal.

The company, which has operations in Singapore and Malaysia, said in a press release Wednesday that it would acquire 100% of Far East Medical Vietnam Ltd, which owns the hospital.

"The acquisition of FV Hospital deepens our commitment to the Southeast Asian healthcare sector, expanding our groups presence across three of the regions most important geographies in healthcare," Kiat Lim, TMGs executive vice chairman, said.

FV Hospital provides the group with a strategic foothold in Vietnam and a gateway to future investments in the fast-growing market, he added.

FV was founded by Dr Jean-Marcel Guillon in 2003 with a group of French physicians.

Located in District 7, it has evolved into a full-service, one-stop provider of healthcare, including for people from Cambodia.

It offers over 30 specialties and has over 1,600 staff, who include more than 200 Vietnamese and expatriate doctors.

It also operates the FV Saigon Clinic in District 1.

TMG said that the accelerating healthcare demand in Vietnam is fueled by a rising middle class, an aging population and growing expatriate numbers.

It also sees Vietnam as a potential medical tourism destination, thanks to solid demand from neighboring countries like Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

Thomson Medical Group was established in 1979 and is one of the largest private providers of healthcare services for women and children in Singapore.
President Bola Tinubu has pledged to protect Benin artefacts returned to the country from different parts of the world as a way of archiving the history of the people.

Speaking when he received the Oba of Benin, Omo NOba NEdo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, and other traditional leaders from Edo State, the president assured them that his administration would support the Benin Royal Council in its bid to establish a museum that will house the artefacts.

The president congratulated the Benin monarch for the retrieval of the stolen artefacts, commending his effort in ensuring that a befitting museum is built to archive the rich history and traditions of the Benin Kingdom.

It deserves our protection. We are glad to have them back, and we are glad you are happy. They are in protective custody. It is a matter of history, over a hundred years. We will work on the museum, he said.

President Tinubu said the federal government is currently undertaking an audit of its infrastructure projects, promising to ensure that roads in Edo State are considered in line with a request made by the traditional ruler.

In his address, Oba Ewuare II commended President Tinubu for the giant strides of his administration within its first weeks.

Weve predicted that you would hit the ground running and you have done so, even faster than we thought, the royal father said.

He said the steps taken by the president since his inauguration on May 29, 2023 had renewed the hope of Nigerians and put the country on the path to progress and development.

The monarch appealed to President Tinubu to help the Benin Palace to ensure that the artefacts returned are not stolen or taken over from the Benin Royal House.

Oba Ewuare II thanked the Federal Government for his appointment as Pro-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Dele Alake

Special Adviser

Special Duties, Communication and Strategy

July 14, 2023

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INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, has reacted to the Labour Partys call that he should be immediately dismissed and prosecuted.

The Director General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Akin Osuntokun, said on Thursday that Mr Yakubu, INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye, and other top officials of the commission ought to be sanctioned by the international community for their role in conducting an election that he said was not impartial.

We also demand unequivocally, the immediate dismissal from Office and prosecution of Prof Mahmud Yakubu, he said at a press briefing in the partys National headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, Peter Obi, who came third, is challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu in an election conducted by Mr Yakubus commission.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who came second, is also challenging Mr Tinubus victory in court.

Call for forensic investigation

Apart from calling for dismissal, Mr Osuntokun also called for a forensic investigation into the expenditure of the 2023 general elections including the donors funds received by INEC and especially the N300 billion from the Nigerian government.

The LP Campaign DG listed parts of election observer groups reports that highlighted flaws in the recent general election.

He said: The EU Election Observation Mission, as well as the Civil Society Situation Room, NDI -IRI, YIAGA etc are all INEC accredited observer groups, as well as very credible and long standing international and local stakeholders, in the Nigeria democratic process, whose reports are an essential contribution towards strengthening Nigerias democracy, he said.

Mr Osuntokun condemned the negative responses that trailed the EU report from the Nigerian government.

President Bola Tinubu had rejected the EU-EOM report, describing it as a product of a poorly done desk job, in a statement by his spokesperson, Dele Alake.

Yakubu reacts

But Mr Yakubus media aide, Rotimi Oyekanmi, described the LPs calls for his dismissal as familiar, saying it is misplaced.

He said the Labour Party does not have the jurisdiction to demand the dismissal and prosecution of the INEC chairman over the outcome of an election in which the party fielded candidates.

He wondered why the LP, which is in court to challenge the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, would still go about openly advocating the issues before the court at press conferences, describing it as sub judice.

The reasons adduced by the party for making the demand is not only illogical, but also ridiculous, he said.

Interestingly, arising from the outcome of the same 2023 General Election, the Labour Party has now produced one state governor, eight senators, 35 House of Representatives members and 38 members of the State Houses of Assembly, he added.

Mr Oyekanmi also said the election observer groups accredited by INEC had specific rules and regulations that required them to submit their reports to the commission.

Such reports may or may not include their recommendations, he said.

According to him, indicting the commission is not within the purview of the election observer groups.

Therefore, it is not within the remit of any election observer whatsoever to indict INEC. They are to observe, make recommendations if they have any, but never to indict, he said.

The Labour Party is one of the 18 political parties registered and being regulated by INEC in Nigeria. The party will do well by restricting itself to activities permitted under the rules and regulations governing the conduct of political parties.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

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NASCON Allied Industries Plc, the salt-making arm of the conglomerate Dangote Industries Limited, will contemplate a business combination with two other food companies in the group during a meeting of its directors board later this month.

The marriage is expected to unite the salt-maker with Dangote Sugar, owners of sub-Saharan Africas largest sugar refinery, and Dangote Rice into a single entity, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Both NASCON and Dangote Sugar are listed in Lagos, while Dangote Rice is not quoted yet. Dangote Industries Limited is the holding company for a raft of firms majority-owned by Africas wealthiest man Aliko Dangote.

The planned merger is coming some 31 months after the groups fiercest rival, BUA Group, announced a similar move consolidating its food businesses  rice, sugar, flour, edible oils and flour  into a new company known as BUA Foods.

BUA Foods would go on to list on the Nigerian Exchange and is currently Nigerias biggest consumer goods company by market value, worth over N2.4 trillion as of market open on Thursday and N649.6 billion in total assets as of 31 March.

BUA Group is controlled by Abdul Samad Rabiu, Nigerias second-richest person and Africas fourth-wealthiest.

Dangote Sugar and NASCON opened trade respectively on Thursday at a market capitalisation of N329.8 billion and N70.2 billion.

The two had total assets estimated at N558.9 billion and N59.2 billion as of the end of March.

Dangote Groups biggest bet is the 650,000 barrels per day oil refinery in Lekki, Lagos, commissioned in May and said to have cost $19 billion.

BUA Group is also building a refinery in Akwa Ibom State with a capacity to process 200,000 barrels of crude daily, expected to come on board by 2025.

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The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, and Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN)- a group of journalists reporting education in the country, are set to host students and staff of African universities and their counterparts from the United Kingdom in a week-long celebration of the Nelson Mandela International Day.

The activities are scheduled to commence on Monday, 17 July, with the third edition of the UMOJA African Students Leadership Network Summit- a forum dedicated to enhancing shared cultural and educational experiences of student leaders across the continent and beyond.

A statement signed on behalf of the organisers by the Head of the Communication Unit at UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, noted that apart from other partners, EWAN will on Wednesday host an engagement session with participants across the globe on building more selfless leaders like the late anti-apartheid leader on the continent.

According to the organisers, the participating institutions include the University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University and the University of Witwatersrand, all in South Africa; the University of Dundee; and Aston University, from the United Kingdom, among others.

Other programmes

According to Mrs Alaga-Ibraheem, the UMOJA summit, which is themed; Technology and Culture Preservation, will also feature panel discussions and plenary sessions on various issues of continental and global concerns.

The university spokesperson said the programmes aim to foster cross-fertilisation of ideas, research collaborations, capacity development and knowledge sharing.

She said the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) will also host a session on Wednesday in partnership with the School of International Futures (SOIF) on Parliaments and Future Generations.

EWAN speaks on partnership

Speaking on the partnership, the Chairman of EWAN, Mojeed Alabi, said the association is committed to supporting efforts to reposition Nigerias education sector for global relevance.

He said the session to be hosted by the association, which is themed: Youth Discourse on Making more Mandelas, is aimed at sharing the history, experiences and legacies of the global icon towards inspiring a new generation of leaders on the continent.

He said: Africa is rich in both human and natural resources but the continent suffers from poor leadership and corruption. It is therefore imperative for whoever is interested in rebuilding Africa for global relevance and honour to start planting the seeds of selflessness, integrity, transparency and accountability in the younger generations.

Whether by character, ideology or leadership skills, Mandela remains a perfect model for whoever aspires to lead any society. Sharing his history and legacies will definitely help to build more of him towards rewriting the story of our continent.

Director speaks

The Director, of International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Ismail Ibraheem, a professor, said the university is building collaborations across the world towards achieving the dream of its 13th substantive Vice-Chancellor, Folasade Ogunsola.

He said participants in the week-long programme, particularly the visiting students and their accompanying staff, will visit the Lagos State House of Assembly to gain insight into parliamentary processes in Nigeria. He added that the student leaders will also carry out community service, such as painting a location within the university.

It will be a week of intensive academic and cultural exchange for all of us, including the students and accompanying staff, especially our visitors from South Africa, the United Kingdom, among others, Mr Ibraheem said.

He said, for instance, the Three-Minute-Thesis (3MT) Challenge is a competition to showcase development-oriented theses by the applicants who would have submitted a three-minute video detailing what the thesis hopes to achieve and the possible impacts on the people and the planet.

About Mandela Day

Annually observed on 18 July, the UN General Assembly inaugurated Mandela Day in November 2009 in recognition of the former South African Presidents contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.

Mr Mandela, who died in 2013, was the first democratically-elected president of South Africa and the countrys first black Head of State after being imprisoned for 27 years on charges of sabotage before being released and eventually elected president.

The UN General Assembly resolution recognises Mandelas values and his dedication to the service of humanity in conflict resolution; race relations; promotion and protection of human rights; reconciliation; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups; the fight against poverty; the promotion of social justice.

The resolution acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace worldwide.

According to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the celebration of Mandela Day aims to serve as a global call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make an imprint and help change the world around them for the better.

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Following widespread public complaints over the harsh economic effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on households, the Ondo State government has set up a nine-member committee on palliatives for the people.

This is coming after the National Assembly approved President Bola Tinubus request for N500 billion to provide palliatives for Nigerians.

The decision in Ondo was taken at the state executive council meeting on Thursday.

The Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Femi Agagu, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the council deliberated on the pains being experienced by residents occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.

The Chief of Staff to the governor, Olugbenga Ale, is leading the committee.

Its terms of reference include working out remedies for the excruciating effects of fuel subsidy removal within available resources of the state.

Other members of the committee are the Head of Service, Kayode Ogundele; Commissioner of Finance, Wale Akinterinwa; Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan; and Special Adviser on Education, Wunmi Ilawole.

Also on the committee are the Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Dare Aragbaye; Special Adviser on Transport, Tobi Ogunleye; and Chairman of ODIRS, Tolu Adegbie.

The permanent secretary of the state Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Bayo Philips, will serve as committee secretary.

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There had been calls by residents on the state government to do something about the effects of increased petrol prices, especially with governments of some other states already taking measures.

Controversies over the ill health of the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, however, muffled the calls.

Mr Agagu, while speaking on infrastructure projects in the state, said the council approved the award of a contract for the construction of 4.75Km selected roads in Igbobini and Agadagba, in Ese-Odo Local Government Area.

He added that the construction of a 1000-metre concrete walkway at Obe-Nla in Ilaje Local Government Area was also approved by the council.

The council also commiserated with victims of flood and erosion in Akure, the state capital, and other parts as the government appealed to residents to embrace good environmental habits.

The Special Adviser on Environment, Oyeniyi Oseni, who spoke on the subject, said the government had taken steps to contain floods in the state.

He also said the government had deployed equipment to flood-prone areas in the state.

Council has approved the construction of flood channels, drainage system and improved drainage network that will help to end the perennial flooding and erosion in the state, he said.

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The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Friday, discharged a former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, of corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge, Yusuf Halilu, freed Mr Okorocha after dismissing the charges filed by the anti-graft agency, citing an abuse of court process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is the third time courts have freed Mr Okorocha in respect of alleged fraud and corruption said to have been committed while he was the governor of the state from 2011 to 2019.

Mr Halilu held that it was wrong for the EFCC to continue to file similar charges against a defendant in different courts when a court of competent jurisdiction had already given a verdict on the matter.

NAN reports that Stephen Pam of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had, in a judgement in 2021, dismissed the EFCCs charge against Mr Okorocha.

He declared the investigation upon which the charge was based as illegal, unlawful, null and void.

The judge then made an order prohibiting the EFCC from further prosecuting the former governor over any alleged offence relating to the said investigation.

The commission, however, on 24 May 2022, laid siege to Mr Okorochas residence in Abuja, arrested him and subsequently arraigned him and six others.

They were alleged to have embezzled the sum of N2.9 billion belonging to the government of Imo.

Mr Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in a ruling delivered on 6 February, struck out the charge for contravening Section 105 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

The court agreed with Mr Okorocha that an earlier judgement of a court of coordinate jurisdiction sitting in Port Harcourt in suit number: FHC/PH/FHR/165, between him and EFCC.

It restrained the agency from further hearing the alleged offence subsisted.

Challenge of fresh charges

Dissatisfied, the commission approached the High Court of the FCT and filed another set of charges against the former governor.

But Mr Okorocha, through his lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in an application, challenged the competence of the charge, claiming it was an abuse of the court process.

Delivering the ruling in the application on Friday, Mr Halilu held that it was wrong for the EFCC to bring a suit that a court of coordinate jurisdiction had already decided.

The judge said this was especially so as there was an order of the court restraining the anti-graft agency from prosecuting Mr Okorocha over the outcome of an investigation the court had nullified.

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The judge said there was nothing more that described an abuse of court than the action of the commission by going ahead to file the same suit in three different courts.

He said that although by law, the EFCC was conferred with a wide range of investigatory and prosecutorial powers; it must learn to operate within the ambit of the law.

The judge added that the EFCC, being a creation of law, must be a respecter of the same law.

The judge said that nobody or agency was above the law and advised the EFCC to accept that there must be an end to litigation.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says eleven electricity distribution companies (Disco) have filed an application for rate review with the commission.

A document released by the regulator on Friday titled: Notice of Application for Rate Review By the Electricity Distribution Companies said the request for rate review is premised on the need to incorporate changes in macroeconomic parameters and other factors affecting the quality of service, operations and sustainability of the companies.

Pursuant to Section 116 (1) and 2(a&b) of the Electricity Act 2023 and other extant rules, the eleven (11) successor electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have filed an application for rate review with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC or the Commission).

The request for rate review is premised on the need to incorporate changes in macroeconomic parameters and other factors affecting the quality of service, operations and sustainability of the companies, the regulator said.

Accordingly, the commission invited the general public for comments on the rate review applications by the distribution licensees.

Interested stakeholders are advised to review and take into consideration the excerpts of the Rate Review Applications filed with the Commission by the respective licensees. The applications can be accessed on the Commissions website at www.nerc.gov.ng, it said.

As part of the rule-making process and in the exercise of the powers conferred by the Electricity Act, the Commission shall conduct a Rate Case Hearing on the applications prior to making a ruling.

Any person wishing to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor should forward his/her application to tariff@nerc.gov.ng before the close of business on 20th July 2023.

It listed the request to participate to include an explanation of the persons interest in the proceeding and how the party would be affected by the outcome of the application; and a description of the partys concerns, observations, comments and/or objections to the application.

It said all members of the public and stakeholders are encouraged to send their comments or representations before the close of business on 20 July to the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Background

On 25 June, Daily Trust reported that DisCos, in a note to their customers, had informed of an increase in electricity tariff effective 1 July.

The DisCos statement suggested that the tariff increase is a response to the floating of the naira and aims to ensure that the electricity industry remains financially viable and sustainable in the face of currency challenges.

Under the MYTO 2022 guidelines, the previously set exchange rate of N441/1 dollar may now be revised to approximately N750/1 dollar, impacting the tariffs associated with your electricity consumption.

For customers within bands B and C, with supply hours ranging from 12 to 16 per day, the new base tariff is expected to be N100 per kWh while Bands A with (20 hours and above) and B (16 to 20 hours) will experience comparatively higher tariffs.

For customers with a prepaid meter, we encourage you to consider purchasing bulk energy units before the end of this month, as this will allow you to take advantage of the current rates and potentially make savings before the new tariffs come into effect. For those on post-paid (estimated) billing, a significant increment is imminent in your monthly billing, starting from August, Daily Trust quoted the AEDC statement.

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Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in June, one of the officials of NERC, who sought anonymity on the grounds of not having the authority to speak with the press, confirmed that the tariff is being reviewed, and the body will not make any official statement until there is a resolution on the new rate.

The process is ongoing and cannot be communicated until completed. Whatever is being publicised now are mere speculations because you dont speak mid-way through a process; the review could turn out to be a reduction in tariff or increment, no one knows for sure, the official said.

Caution

The review has, however, been trailed by criticisms on the part of professional bodies and other Nigerians.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) recently warned against the planned increase, stating that the massive rise will not bode well for Nigerians.

We believe that not even these figures are a justification for this reckless proposed tariff increase. The issue of capacity to pay and quality of service delivery is not only germane but superior to any rationalisation by market logic, the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, said in a statement.

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The real problem is the collapse of the civic space and consciousness that the common good has to be protected, not just by law enforcement agencies but also by the entire society. Nigerians have lost the sense of the protection of community and society. The Nigerian society has also become very amoral and the notions of ethics, good behaviour and respect for others have disappeared.

In these strange times, the story of the Nigerian state is daily written in the crime pages of our newspapers and broadcasts. One set of stories that is emerging repeatedly is the dismantling and theft of the countrys infrastructure. This week, it was reported that thieves have removed and stolen the recently installed airfield ground lighting systems at the domestic runway (18L/36R) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The runway lights are critical because they help pilots to land and take-off safely at night, or in low visibility conditions. As these are highly specialised lights with specific use on runways, the thieves must have access to security zones and knowledge of where they can sell them. It was only in November 2022 that the runway was reopened for 24 hours flight services, after the successful installation of the ground lights.

Last week, some of the road fittings installed on the newly inaugurated Second Niger bridge were vandalised by robbers. Specifically, the metal expansion joints were removed for sale as scrap metals. This problem has been going on in Lagos for years now, whereby similar joints and metal reinforcement for bridge safety are regularly removed for sale, thereby compromising the integrity and safety of the bridges. Railings and crash barriers from manholes meant to reinforce bridges from vibrating, as well as protect vehicles from falling from the bridge are also removed and sold.

In Lagos and Abuja, it is very dangerous to walk at night or while it is raining, because manhole covers are systematically removed and sold off by thieves. One has to be eternally careful not to fall into such dangerous pits all over the roads. These manholes protect sewer or maintenance holes; cable access or inspection chambers, and are the top opening to underground utility vaults, which are used as access points for connections, inspection, valve adjustments or performance of maintenance on underground and buried public utilities and other services, including channels for water, sewers, telephone, electricity, storm drains, and even gas. By removing the covers, such vital municipal services are often compromised. The government therefore finds itself in an unwinnable race in which the covers are continuously stolen as soon as they are replaced. Also last week, the Borno State Government banned the collection and sale of scrap metals upon discovering that most of the so-called scraps are government property stripped from classrooms, offices and stores. The same week, two trailer loads of rail track and metal plates were arrested in Nasarawa as robbers were simply dismantling and selling off the rails.

Over the past few years, a number of metal smelting industries have developed in Nigeria, and it seems that to maximise profits, they work with metal thieves who strip the countrys infrastructure to make their products. The real tragedy of such action is the threat they pose to public safety, as bridges might collapse due to the removal of metal reinforcements, while the railways are forced to close due to the stripping of the rail tracks.

Another dimension is the theft of electricity cables from the network. Regularly, electricity supply is disrupted because cables have been removed and sold. Copper cables are apparently in high demand because they feed a significant jewellery industry all over the country. The removal of such cables makes the already catastrophic electricity supply in the country much worse.

Over the past few years, a number of metal smelting industries have developed in Nigeria, and it seems that to maximise profits, they work with metal thieves who strip the countrys infrastructure to make their products. The real tragedy of such action is the threat they pose to public safety, as bridges might collapse due to the removal of metal reinforcements, while the railways are forced to close due to the stripping of the rail tracks.

A lot of these thefts are in broad daylight and people sit and watch as infrastructure meant for their welfare are dismantled and sold at great risk to their lives. Those dismantling metals from bridges may one day be victims of fallen bridges themselves and yet they remain in the business and their neighbours simple watch them. Of course, people are conscious that law enforcement agencies who have policing responsibilities are not doing their work and are sometimes paid off by the robbers to facilitate the thefts. The real problem is the collapse of the civic space and consciousness that the common good has to be protected, not just by law enforcement agencies but also by the entire society. Nigerians have lost the sense of the protection of community and society. The Nigerian society has also become very amoral and the notions of ethics, good behaviour and respect for others have disappeared.

The real poison that has disappeared the notion of the public good from the country is the vision that Nigerians have of their successive leadership as characterised by massive and senseless corruption. To many Nigerians, our leaders are for the most part thieves and criminals who have stripped the nation of its assets and made the country poor in spite of its vast human and natural resources.

The core of the problem is the general rise of criminality in Nigeria. Experts indicate that there are over six million small arms and light weapons in the hands of bandits, militants, jihadists, secessionists and kidnappers across the country. They are all engaged in criminal activities against both the state and society. Security agencies are completely overwhelmed and have become either onlookers or co-conspirators in these criminal activities. The constitutional injunction that the state shall provide for the security and welfare of Nigerians has become meaningless. People therefore arm themselves for self-protection but also to deprive their neighbours of their belongings and often of their lives. In such a context, who will bother about a few metal parts removed from a bridge and sold off? The idea of enlightened self-interest has no meaning.

The real poison that has disappeared the notion of the public good from the country is the vision that Nigerians have of their successive leadership as characterised by massive and senseless corruption. To many Nigerians, our leaders are for the most part thieves and criminals who have stripped the nation of its assets and made the country poor in spite of its vast human and natural resources. Nigerias main revenue source is petroleum and now it is public knowledge that a significant part of the production is stolen by criminal cabals who can only work if they have protection from people in government and security agencies.

This week, a ship with 800,000 litres of stolen crude was arrested and government announced that that particular ship has been stealing our crude oil for twelve years. If most of our leaders are bandits covered up in fine agbada and are flying around the world with our stolen money, there is no surprise that there is no anger or rage against the petty thieves stealing a manhole cover or a copper cable to sell and feed their families. When there is no confidence that those who occupy public office have a commitment to defending the common good, then amoral behaviour becomes the standard. The path to political repair must therefore involve a gradual improvement in the competence and integrity of the countrys political leadership.

A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES.

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To know Allah, to love Him, to remember Him, you need to establish a strong connection with the Noble Quran. You will never taste this pleasure if you dont recite, read, study, ponder, memorise, and act upon the verses of the Quran. You need to live with the Quran, and enjoy its companionship on this journey of life. It is guiding you to live in the best way.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of ourselves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

Dear brothers and sisters, Allah Almighty says:

Indeed, it is We who sent down the Message [i.e., the Quran], and indeed, We will be its guardian. [Quran, 15:9]

If you can remember, in the last two weeks, an Iraqi Christian immigrant burned the Noble Quran outside a Stockholm Mosque in Sweden during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Sincerely speaking, the burning triggered widespread condemnation in the Islamic world. And along with similar recent protests by a far-right activist, it sparked a debate in Sweden about the limits of freedom of speech. Swedish police say they have received new requests for demonstrations by individuals who want to burn the Quran again, as well as the Torah and the Bible.

Muslim countries have urged Swedens government to enact bans and Pakistans prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, called for a day long protest to defend the sanctity of Islams Noble book on Friday, when Pakistans parliament will discuss Quran burning.

Even some liberal commentators in Sweden argue that the protests should be regarded as hate speech, which is outlawed in the country when it targets ethnicity or race. But many in Sweden say criticising religion, even in a manner that is considered offensive by believers, must be allowed and that Sweden should resist pressure to re-introduce blasphemy laws, which were abandoned decades ago in this predominantly Lutheran but highly secularised Scandinavian nation.

Stockholm police on Wednesday said they had received two new applications for book-burning protests in the capital: one from an individual who wants to burn the Quran outside a Mosque and another from someone who wants to burn the Torah and the Bible outside Israels Embassy. But police have not yet decided on the requests.

Stockholm police tried to stop Quran-burning protests earlier this year but were overruled by a court that said such actions were protected by Swedish law.

Citing that decision, police allowed the protest last week where the man identified in Swedish media as a Christian from Iraq burned the Quran outside a Mosque in Stockholm on Eid al-Adha. Muslim leaders in Sweden deplored the incident but the strongest reactions were in the Middle East and many Muslims societies. The Swedish Embassy in Baghdad was briefly stormed by angry protesters. The Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the act and criticised Swedish authorities for allowing it. Iran held back on sending a new ambassador to Stockholm and Pakistan asked the United Nation Human Rights Council to schedule a special session on the issue. Outside the Muslim world, Pope Francis also lamented the incident.

Meanwhile, the Swedish government issued a statement saying it strongly rejects the Islamophobic act committed by individuals in Sweden, adding that it in no way reflects the opinions of the Swedish Government.

That elicited criticism from several commentators in Sweden, who said the government needs to stand up for freedom of speech and refrain from passing judgment on individual protests.

Sweden worries the situation is starting to resemble the fury Denmark faced from Muslim countries in 2006 following the publication of newspaper caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Danish consulates and embassies were burned and the cartoonists faced death threats. Danish officials attempts to explain how such caricatures were protected under their so-called freedom of speech were widely dismissed in the Muslim world.

The Iraqi man behind the protest told Swedish media it was aimed at Islam and not Swedens NATO application.

But the Swedish Security Service has warned of Russian interference in Swedish society.

Respected brothers and sisters, remember, when the pandemic (covid-19) struck the world, many people rushed to buy, and read, books on psychology and self-help, to help them navigate through the calamity. Most of us are now addicted to reading the news every day, collecting stories of other peoples tragedies and miseries. And we carry this heaviness with us throughout the day.

The pandemic touched every single part of our lives: Our health (physical, mental, and spiritual). Our relationships and our parenting. Our education, work, and travel. But how did it affect your relationship with Allah Almighty? Did it bring you closer to Him? Did it wake you up to the reality of this worldly life?

During the pandemic, my daughters Quran teacher began his online lecture on Surah al-Isra with a simple question: How are you?

Many students answered his question in the chat box.

Then, he added two extra words to this question: How are you with the Quran?

No-one could answer this question.

Imam Malik Ibn Dinar, may Allah have mercy upon him, once said:

The worldly people leave this world without having tasted the best thing in the world. Someone asked him: What is that thing? He answered: Knowing Allah. [See Siyar Alam, vol. 5, page 236]

To know Allah, to love Him, to remember Him, you need to establish a strong connection with the Noble Quran. You will never taste this pleasure if you dont recite, read, study, ponder, memorise, and act upon the verses of the Quran. You need to live with the Quran, and enjoy its companionship on this journey of life. It is guiding you to live in the best way. Allah Almighty says:

O humanity! Indeed, there has come to you a warning from your Lord, a cure for what is in the hearts, a guide, and a mercy for the believers. [Quran, 10:57]

The Quran is a reminder, guidance, light, mercy, cure, warning, and glad tidings for the believers.

These are all the ingredients required for a happy, meaningful, and successful life. On the other hand, worldly pleasures have a time limit; they only cover our sadness for a short while. They empty quickly, and keep needing to be refilled.

When you seek closeness to Allah Almighty through His speech, the happiness and tranquillity you experience has true value and is long-lasting. It is not limited by time. You carry this feeling with you in your heart, wherever you go. The Quran is the best therapy for your heart. It enriches your heart, and brings it back to life. Allah Almighty reminds us that:

those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [Quran, 13: 28]

Respected servants of Allah, does your copy of the Qurans sit gathering dust?

When we remember people and worldly matters, we can feel stressed, sad, worried, and angry. But when we remember Allah, the All Perfect, our hearts feel at peace:

for nothing brings greater pleasure to the heart and nothing is more desirable or sweeter than loving the Creator, feeling close to Him and knowing Him. [See Tafsir of Imam Saadi, vol. 5, page 96]

Allahs remembrance removes sadness and anxiety from our hearts. And the best way to remember Him, and to learn more about Him, is by reading and reciting the Quran.

Sadly, and to our great loss, this blessed Bookthis source of happiness  sits on a shelf, untouched, in most households.

As it sits there gathering dust, your heart, too, is gathering dust. The heart of the person who abandons the Quran will be tight with darkness, distress, disorientation, doubts, and desires.

It is like sailing alone across a vast ocean, with no map, and no sense of direction. Allah Almighty warns us:

And whoever turns away from My remembrance  indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind. [Quran, 20: 124]

How can you expect to be happy in this life, if you are not fulfilling the purpose for which you have been created? To know Allah, to worship Him, to love Him, to build a close, deep, meaningful relationship with Him: this is the purpose of our existence.

Check your heart. What is it carrying? Jealousy, envy, greed, resentment, desires, bad thoughts about Allah, doubts, or maybe bad thoughts about people?

Our hearts are filled with diseases that spill over into our lives, leading us to ruin. This is exactly why we need Allah Almighty to fix and cure our hearts.

Heal your heart with the speech of Allah; fill it with that which will benefit it, not that which will destroy it. A heart filled with knowledge of Allah, and His perfect speech, is a healthy, happy, safe, and sound heart. Understand and appreciate the value of this magnificent Book. Make your life better for the sake of Allah.

Start today, strive to strengthen your relationship with the speech of Allah; make the Quran an important part of your day!

Even if its just one Quranic verse a day. Recite it, study its tafsir, reflect on it, try to memorise it, and live it. You will truly feel alive, because your heart will come alive. Your faith (Iman) will increase, and all your worlds worries will shrink away.

The journey to fulfilling an act of worship (Ibadah) requires patience and effort. We feel a heaviness as our hearts struggle to push away all the worldly excuses and obstacles that come up to stop us from performing it.

But, as my teacher once mentioned, once you are inside the Ibadah (worship), you will feel the mercy (Rahmah) and tranquillity. Your heart will soften. You will surely taste the sweetness of faith.

Regularly quiz yourself, ask yourself every day:

What have I done today to help my heart? What have I done to come closer to the perfect pleasure of Allah Almighty?

And in doing so, keep moving forward. Never stand still, nor run the risk of taking a step backwards.

If you make the pleasure of Allah your main priority in life, you will see so many doors of goodness and mercy open for you  more guidance, more knowledge, more understanding, more protection, more blessings, more favours.

So please put your phone down. Close the world. Open the Quran. And open your heart.

O Allah, I ask you to make the Quran the spring of our heart, and the light of our chest, the banisher of our sadness, and the reliever of our distress. Ameen. [See Musnad of Imam Ahmad, vol. 1, page 391]

Dear brothers and sisters, this is part of a longer Dua (supplication/prayer) that Shaikh al-Albani graded as authentic.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation; may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and securityand his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly and sincerely until the establishment of the Hour.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Dhul-Hijjah 26, 1444 AH (July 14, 2023).

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The reality is that people, regardless of their levels of education or achievements, will often rally around their group when they feel it is under threat, even if it means defending those who have committed reprehensible acts. This is not a justification of the crimes, but rather a reflection of the complex dynamics of group identity and the desire to protect it from perceived external threats.

Following a week of contentious dialogue surrounding Mmesoma Ejikeme, a 19-year-old student from Anglican Girls Secondary School in Uruagu Nnewi, who was accused of falsifying her Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) results, an independent report by the Anambra State government has found the teenager guilty. The report revealed a significant discrepancy between the results she submitted and the standard JAMB format, confirming her actual score as 249.

The panel recommended that Mmesoma Ejikeme issues a formal, unreserved apology to JAMB, her school, and the Anambra State Government. However, the panels report has done little to quell the public debate surrounding this issue, which was first brought to light by Deborah Tolu of The PUNCH newspaper.

Interestingly, since the story gained national attention, many have questioned why intellectuals and influencers from Mmesomas ethnic group have chosen to defend her or justify her actions. Some have even accused the group of playing the victim. However, it is important to note that these influencers and intellectuals were not necessarily endorsing the act of falsifying examination results. Instead, they were attempting to shield their groups identity from public lynching.

The widespread coverage of the incident, which portrayed a 19-year-old student from Anambra as a fraudster, turned an otherwise isolated incident into an ethnic dispute. For many, the issue became less about a student trying to manipulate the system and more about the perceived criminalisation of an entire ethnic group. This led to a defensive stance, creating a us versus them scenario where logic and common sense were often overlooked. It is unlikely that this group viewed themselves as victims  they more than likely thought of themselves as constabularies.

A similar group response can be seen in the case of a gang rape that occurred in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1983. Four male Portuguese immigrants gang-raped a twenty-one-year-old Portuguese American woman at Big Dans tavern. After their sentencing, New York Times reported that some in a largely Portuguese-American crowd of more than 300 people cursed the prosecutor, who is also of Portuguese descent, and cheered the defendants as they were led down the steps.

Why did a group of Portuguese immigrants, many of whom were highly religious, choose to protect four rapists, inspite of the gravity of their crimes? As if that wasnt enough, two orderly protest marches, with 10,000 people participating combined, were organised by the Portuguese American community to demonstrate solidarity with the rapists. Even worse was that the trial was so polarising that in handing down the sentencing for the convicted rapists, the judge stated that these sentences are not imposed on these individuals because of who they are, but because of what crimes they are convicted of.

Although the circumstances are different, the group responses are similar, if not identical. The Portuguese community, as aptly captured by the citys Mayor, Brian J. Lawler, emphasised the fact that our Portuguese people feel like they have been singled out from all the rapes that have occurred in North America. It is the exact feeling that many influencers from the South-East of Nigeria had when it was made to appear that the crime of an individual was projected as a representation of the character of the whole.

And as Mayor Lawler further stated, the Portuguese never thought that the four men were right to rape a woman. What they didnt agree with was that they were judged in the public square and that the media insisted on their nationality, as if being Portuguese was the justification for what they did.

Hence, to protect their group from discriminatory practices, the Portuguese community made a cold calculation of throwing the victim under the bus in exchange for preserving their groups identity and integrity. It is the same pattern with Mmesomas result forgery. It was an act many would have easily condemned without blinking an eye lid  and, indeed, several persons from her ethnic group did. In fact, the same writer, Deborah Tolu, had published a similar story three years ago, of another teenager from the same ethnic group falsifying his JAMB result. Not one influencer made an excuse for the teenager. There was no whataboutism or a brigade of moral police.

So why was Mmesomas case different? Because this time, Mmesoma was portrayed as the poster girl for an ethnic group and her misdemeanour was subtly explained as the reason why many of them excelled in their academics.

Think about it, if you are from a particular ethnic group and the story about a teenager from your clan falsifying her result popped on your social media feed, what will your first reaction be? But hold on. What if the first responses you stumble on read like this we have said it before that the reason they seem to do well in JAMB and WAEC is because of their miracle centres. Will your response change?

The reality is that people, regardless of their levels of education or achievements, will often rally around their group when they feel it is under threat, even if it means defending those who have committed reprehensible acts. This is not a justification of the crimes, but rather a reflection of the complex dynamics of group identity and the desire to protect it from perceived external threats.

Ayodele Adio, a political and communications strategist, is national publicity secretary of Youth Party.

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A Vietnam Airlines aircraft is seen at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Vietnam Airlines has lost most of its flight slots in the U.K. due to low operation during the Covid-19 pandemic, while in India Vietnamese airlines have maxed out their allocated slots.

Vietnam and the U.K. agreed for each countrys airlines to operate seven trips per week to the other country, and Vietnam Airlines was operating seven trips a week in 2019.

But Covid-19 forced the airline to shut down its U.K. route in 2021 and it only resumed in summer 2022 with one or two flights a week between Hanoi and London.

The U.K., however, requires foreign airlines to use at least 70% of the number of slots allocated, and Vietnam Airlines was unable to meet this criterion.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has tried to negotiate for more slots but did not succeed as U.K. airlines are not flying to Vietnam.

In India, Vietnamese airlines are now operating all of the allocated slots of 28 a week, while Indian airlines are only using 14 slots to Vietnam.

All Vietnamese airlines are now seeking to pump up the number of slots, but the CAAVs requests to four major cities in India have not been approved.

"It could be because Indian airlines are not using all of their slots," the CAAV said.

In China, Vietnamese airlines are not having trouble with flight slots, it added.

Vietnam Airlines is operating 19 flights a week to Chinese localities, around 25% of pre-pandemic levels.

It is not guaranteed that Vietnamese airlines will be able to retain the same number of slots for next summer, the CAAV added.
The more recent commitments of the United States (US)was President Joe Bidens Friday, 7 July announcement to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs, which represents perhaps the most dangerous escalation in the war. This move further shuts the doors against peaceful negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

The gathering of 32 European countries and their North American first cousins in Lithuania, under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), is the clearest indication yet that they want to put humanity on the path to another world war.

British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, made a truthful summary of the 11-12 July NATO Summit in little Lithuania, one of the first bolts to loosen from the defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which led to its collapse. He said what the summit achieved was to strengthen the military alliance, put it in its most combat-ready form since the Cold War, work out its comprehensive war-fighting plans, scale up defence production to boost our stockpiles of weapons and reach a minimum defence spending of two per cent.

He also celebrated the full NATO membership of Finland, which has a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, the longest by any European Union member state. This means that NATO is fully peeping into Russia, and Finland would soon warehouse NATO weapons.

Sunak added with glee: And very soon well be doing the same with Sweden. We are stronger with them by our side and in time we will be stronger with Ukraine as a NATO ally too.

In reiterating British commitment to the military defeat of Russia in the Ukraine War, the Prime Minister announced that: Together with our G7 partners we have agreed to provide the long-term bilateral security commitments that Ukraine needs.

The more recent commitments of the United States (US), for instance, was President Joe Bidens Friday, 7 July announcement to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs, which represents perhaps the most dangerous escalation in the war. This move further shuts the doors against peaceful negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

Cluster bombs disperse and scatter huge numbers of mini-bomblets over wide areas, some of which fail to explode on impact and thus become like landmines, lying in wait for years after a war, to explode when stepped upon by innocent civilians.

Biden, in this dangerous escalation of the war, claims that Ukraine has assured him that the cluster bombs would not be used against Russian territory. So against what will it be used? Ukrainian territory? Does it make sense for Ukraine to use these dangerous weapons against its own territory when it knows that like mines, they can remain concealed and unexploded for years?

Since cluster bombs are steel rain designed to fall on targets spread over wide areas, it means they do not have accuracy and can therefore hit unintended targets, such as civilian populations. The US military documents reveal that the CBU-97 cluster bomb, for instance, provides multiple kills per pass against a wide range of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles. Cluster bombs are weapons and crimes against humanity.

These bombs are so dangerous that 111 countries, including NATO members  Germany, UK and Canada  have signed and ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, banning their use, production and stockpiling.

The US last used them 20 years ago when in April 2003, in collaboration with the UK, it fired about two million cluster bombs, most of which were called Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions, in Iraq.

The outcry against the US was so much that on 11 March, 2009 President Barack Obama signed into law a permanent ban on nearly all cluster bomb exports by the US.

Biden, this 8 July, in rationalising his decision to supply Ukraine with cluster bombs, said: This is a war relating to munitions. And theyre running out of that ammunition, and were low on it and so, what I finally did, I took the recommendation of the defence department to  not permanently  but to allow for this transition period, while we get more 155 weapons, these shells, for the Ukrainians. The logic in Bidens argument is that if the US also runs low on cluster bombs, it can supply Ukraine with nuclear weapons.

Biden, in this dangerous escalation of the war, claims that Ukraine has assured him that the cluster bombs would not be used against Russian territory. So against what will it be used? Ukrainian territory? Does it make sense for Ukraine to use these dangerous weapons against its own territory when it knows that like mines, they can remain concealed and unexploded for years? If Biden thinks the rest of us are so thick-headed as to believe such assurances, are the Ukrainians so silly as to plant mines they would be unable to detect on their own territory?

In continuing in Bidens illogical decision, his National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, said: We recognise that cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordnance But there is also a massive risk of civilian harm if Russian troops and tanks roll over Ukrainian positions and take more Ukrainian territory and subjugate more Ukrainian civilians because Ukraine does not have enough artillery. Such a silly rationalisation.

The Swedes also gave humanity Olof Palme, one of the most compassionate, thoughtful and reliable leaders the world has ever produced. In his assassination on 28 February, 1986, when he was Prime Minister, Olof Palme became a true martyr and symbol of peace in a highly fractured world. In Sweden joining NATO, Olof Palme will be turning in his grave.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is sure to liberally use the new weapons, responded excitedly that the new package is a timely, broad and much-needed defencethat (would) bring Ukraine closer to victory over the enemy. He added that: The expansion of Ukraines defence capabilities will provide new tools for the de-occupation of our land and bringing peace closer.

The tragedy in all these is that Russia will respond in like manner and the world will get closer to a new World War in which all, including nuclear weapons, would be game.

Sunaks reminder that, from all practical purposes, Sweden, the dove of Europe, has become a member of the hawkish NATO alliance, following the successful bribing of Turkey to drop its objections, is a sad one.

Sweden has, for centuries, kept its head, while others were losing theirs. Apart from building a humane society based on a wide range of social security measures and the promotion of social justice, it had been a pacifist nation. Shedding its war-like garb after its 27 July, 1814 war with neigbouring Norway, in 2014 Sweden celebrated 200 years of peace, during which it did not take part in any war. Even during the madness of the First and Second World Wars, it refused to be drawn into the conflicts. Despite this, it made it its duty to rescue Jews endangered by Nazism in Europe.

It also refused to be aligned during the Cold War. Most importantly, for us in Africa, when big powers like the US and UK shored up the evil racist and Apartheid regimes that held down our people in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa, Sweden stood by the oppressed. It also refused to join its European and American brothers in supporting the ongoing Israeli genocide against the Palestinians. Equally, It supported the Sahrawi against re-colonisation by their Moroccan neighbour.

The Swedes also gave humanity Olof Palme, one of the most compassionate, thoughtful and reliable leaders the world has ever produced. In his assassination on 28 February, 1986, when he was Prime Minister, Olof Palme became a true martyr and symbol of peace in a highly fractured world. In Sweden joining NATO, Olof Palme will be turning in his grave.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.

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South-east governors and other Igbo leaders are set to meet President Bola Tinubu over rising insecurity in the region, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State said on Thursday.

Mr Uzodinma disclosed this while speaking with reporters shortly after meeting with Mr Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governor recalled that he and other governors from the five states in the South-east and the leadership of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had resolved to meet with the president over the insecurity in the region.

He explained that he was at the Presidential Villa to secure an appointment for the meeting between the South-east leaders and Mr Tinubu.

My visit has to do with the security situation in the country. The South-eastern part of the country, of course, you are aware, has been bedevilled with this high level of security ranging from banditry, kidnapping activities of unknown gunmen, he said.

Mr Uzodinma regretted that the insecurity in the region had persisted despite resources and community efforts invested to quell the situation.

The governor said the leaders would request the president to support them in addressing the insecurity in the region.

At the meeting, the Igbo leaders are expected to continue their demand for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the separatist leader who is being prosecuted by the federal government for treason.

IPOBs sit-at-home order

There have been recurring sit-at-home orders in the South-east, often declared by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Simon Ekpa, the leader of Autopilot, a faction of the IPOB, has been issuing the orders despite opposition by the IPOB faction led by its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Days after a one-week sit-at-home order ended in the South-east, Mr Ekpa declared another two weeks lockdown in the region.

The latest order, according to the pro-Biafran agitator, would hold from 31 July to 4 August and continue from 7 to 11 August. The action, which the group plans to violently enforce, would then end on 14 August.

But Mr Uzodinma said the sit-at-home orders were not sanctioned by either the various state governments in the region or the federal government, adding that those who obey the illegal order do so out of fear.

The situation is that because of the indiscriminate killing of people and high level of insecurity, our people are so afraid to come out, not only because theres any sit-at-home order. It is perception management that were trying to do.

So, they (enforcers of the orders) have put too much fear into the people. Otherwise, how can non-state actors give a sit-at-home order and it will be obeyed? People are scared. People are afraid because of what theyve seen in the past. And nobody wants to die, he said.

Mr Ekpa, the controversial agitator, hails from Ngbo, a community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. But he lives in Finland, a North European country.

Asked if the Igbo leaders were exploring some diplomatic options to stop Mr Ekpas actions in the region, Mr Uzodinma stressed that he and other governors in the region would not be able to carry out such action because diplomacy and the foreign policy programmes can only be executed by the federal government.

We are worried by the level of insecurity in the region, (and) the contributions of some people within and outside the country. Federal government still remains the only platform that can address both foreign and local content contributors to this problem, he stated.

I dont operate security vote in Imo

In Nigeria, the federal government often allocates security votes to state governors, a monthly allowance for funding security expenditures within the state.

The act is not backed up by any Nigerian law.

Mr Uzodinma said his administration does not operate the security vote in the state.

Security vote, Im not against it, but I dont operate it in Imo state. Again, you should find out from my parliament, I dont operate it in Imo State but I still think that governors should be given a headroom, governors should be allowed a window to have funds they can use to manage security issues, he said.

So, it is then important that governors who have been elected, sworn in to manage the resources and the mandate of the people, be given latitude to operate so that theyll be able to provide results.

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BEIJING, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on China-Africa agricultural cooperation:

Recently, a special gift - a bowl of hybrid rice from Africa, appeared at the tomb of Mr. Yuan Longping, father of the hybrid rice. The gift was brought by Rakotoson Philibert, former Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Madagascar Republic, who came to China for the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. A simple bowl of rice harbored the sincerest commemoration from the Madagascar people.

A special gift at the tomb of Yuan Longping

For many years, it was China's hybrid rice technology that freed the people on this African island nation from hunger.

In 2007, with the support of China, a Hybrid Rice Demonstration Project in Madagascar was established. Before that, the Madagascar's rice yield was totally at the mercy of the elements. Due to the lack of mature rice growing techniques and premium seeds, the original yield of the country failed to feed its people at all.

Several dozens of Chinese agricultural specialists went to Madagascar, bringing along over 80 rice varieties. They spent year after year experimenting with these varieties in the fields, before finally selecting three of them that could be planted all over the island nation. Be it humid rainforests, or arid tropical plateaus, these Chinese experts left their footprints in every significant rice growing area across the island.

Many unimaginable challenges faced these pioneers. Hurricanes favor Madagascar, and storms came whenever they want. As a result, puddles are a common occurrence. Given the weak infrastructure, a lot of villages experienced power, water or Internet outages. More technical difficulties also ensued: For example, there is a type of local frog that loves to eat rice or a type of chameleon that like "surfing" in the ripening rice fields, providing detrimental to crop growth and eating away into rice yields.

With perseverance and wisdom, the experts from China overcame these challenges bit by bit. So far, over 50,000 acres of hybrid rice introduced from China have been planted in Madagascar, with a yield of about 7.5 tons per acre. The number is about two to three times the average per unit yield of local rice varieties. Rice of such yield has protected several million people from the threat of chronic hunger.

In fact, this touching story was made known to the world in 2017. At that time, a note of the new version of Malagasy Ariary with the pattern of hybrid rice on it was handed to Mr. Yuan Longping. Now, this heavy bowl of rice again glorifies the sound friendship between China and Africa on agricultural cooperation.

Since the 1950s, China has not only provided African countries with the "fish" - a large amount of food, but also "taught them how to fish": In Burundi, Chinese experts elected eight varieties of rice suitable for local planting, putting an end to the long-existing problem of yield decrease or even crop failure caused by rice blast in mountainous areas; in Kenya, the local demonstration zone adopted Chinese techniques to grow corn, increasing the yield by 99%-240%; after the outbreak of COVID-19, a batch of water-conserving and drought-resistant rice seeds were shipped all the way from China to Botswana, which yielded harvests after two years of breeding. For a long time before that, Botswana had not grown a grain of rice in its fields.

For Yuan Longping, the welfare of people all over the world is one of his lifelong wishes. Now, China has sent over 2,000 agricultural experts and technicians to over 70 countries and regions globally, and has promoted over 1,500 techniques in multiple countries. Carrying out pragmatic cooperation in poverty alleviation and food security, leaving no country and no person behind, are acts and philosophies in line with the Global Development Initiative proposed by China.

A seed can bring experience to developing countries, and a spikelet can improve people's lives in a country. Together, they connect a community of shared development for humanity.

China Mosaic

http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/index.htm

A special gift at the tomb of Yuan Longping

http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-07/14/content_92272945.htm

SOURCE China.org.cn
The national, leading Field Marketing Organization in the Medicare industry continues to expand growing team

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Advocate Health Advisors is thrilled to announce the continued expansion of their team with their most recent hire, Katie Sarkorh as regional manager South Carolina. In her new role, Sarkorh will join the already thriving team in recruiting, training and empowering Medicare agents to become selfless contributors and experts in their local markets.

Advocate Health Advisors Welcomes New Regional Manager Katie Sarkorh

Sarkorh earned her B.S. in Health Services Management from East Carolina University before going on to begin her journey as a sales agent with Humana. She also assisted Novant Health, helping develop, market, and sell their Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. Most recently, Sarkorh served as a Client Executive at Sentinel before joining Advocate Health Advisors.

"I absolutely love working with Medicare and am so excited to continue to grow the Advocate Health Advisors brand on the coast of North and South Carolina," stated Sarkorh. "There's a massive need for what Advocate offers in my area and I can't wait to be a part of something that is going to make such a big difference in so many people's lives."

"Katie comes to Advocate Health Advisors with a wealth of experience, and we look forward to great things ahead." stated Regional Sales Director, Larry Carroll.

Born in Dayton, Ohio, Sarkorh now resides in Bolivia, North Carolina. To learn more about Advocate Health Advisors visit, www.advocatehealthadvisors.com.

About Advocate Health Advisors

Advocate Health Advisors (AHA) is the national industry-leading Field Marketing Organization (FMO) in the Medicare market, licensed in all 50 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A values-based, community-focused organization, AHA provides its agents and agencies with an unparalleled level of customized support and appreciation, leveraging a track record of successes, best practices, national partnerships, and infrastructure. The company helps local health insurance agents succeed before, during, and after the sale by providing access to quality products that promote consumer health and well-being. AHA agents are committed to helping folks make informed decisions as they first become eligible for Medicare benefits or change existing Medicare coverage. For more information, visit www.advocatehealthadvisors.com/.

Press Contact:

Megan Cuellar

928-300-4431

[email protected]

Company Contact:

John Lane

[email protected]

SOURCE Advocate Health Advisors
CHICAGO, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In the near future, the AI in pathology industry is poised to revolutionize the field of diagnostics and patient care. Advancements in machine learning and computer vision technologies will enable AI algorithms to analyze pathology images with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Pathologists will benefit from AI-powered decision support systems that provide real-time insights, assist in complex diagnoses, and offer personalized treatment recommendations. With the ability to process vast amounts of data, AI algorithms will enhance the speed and precision of pathology workflows, leading to quicker and more accurate diagnoses. Moreover, predictive analytics capabilities will enable pathologists to anticipate disease progression and treatment outcomes, facilitating tailored interventions and improving patient outcomes. As AI continues to evolve, the integration of this technology into pathology practice will transform the way diseases are detected, diagnosed, and managed, ultimately revolutionizing healthcare delivery on a global scale.

AI in Pathology Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $24 million in 2023 and is poised to reach $49 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 15.6% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Factors such as the growing digitalization of pathology, an increasing number of misdiagnosed cases and increasing infusion of AI in pathology to enhance lab efficiency are aiding the growth of this market. However, interoperability & transparency issues, the high setup and operational costs, and data privacy concerns in AI in the pathology market are expected to restrain market growth to a certain extent.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "AI in Pathology Market"

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265 - Pages

AI in Pathology Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $24 million Estimated Value by 2028 $49 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 15.6% Market Size Available for 20212028 Forecast Period 20232028 Forecast Units Value (USD Million) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Component, Neural Network, Application, End user Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Shortage of skilled pathologists Key Market Drivers Technology advancements in deep learning have enabled a synergy with artificial intelligence (AI) in pathology space

Software segment accounted for the largest share of the AI in pathology market, By component.

Based on component, the software segment accounted for the largest share of the global AI in pathology market in 2022. The large share of this segment can be attributed to pathologists' high adoption of AI-based software due to factors such as high adaptability and interoperability and automation of various tasks in pathology, such as image analysis, data extraction, and report generation. These driving factors are shaping the adoption and development of AI-based software for pathology, offering significant potential for advancements in disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment planning. For instance, in December 2021, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland) launched its artificial intelligence (AI)-based digital pathology software to help pathologists evaluate breast cancer markers such as Ki-67, ER, and PR.

The drug discovery segment is expected to witness the highest growth rate in the AI in pathology market by application.

Based on application, the AI in pathology market is segmented into drug discovery, disease diagnosis and prognosis, clinical workflow, and training & education. The drug discovery segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR, during the forecast period. The growth in high throughput screening and imaging, increasing use of AI that is benefitting toxicology testing for illicit drugs, rising pharmaceutical & biotechnology R&D expenditure, and the ability of AI in pathology to accelerate the development of new therapeutics, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enhance personalized medicine approaches are the major factors responsible for the large share and high growth rate of the drug discovery application segment.

North America dominated the AI in pathology market in 2022.

The global market has been segmented based on region: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America held the largest share of the AI in pathology market in 2022, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. This market is also projected to grow at the highest CAGR. The large share and high growth rate of North America can be attributed to the increasing research funding and government initiatives for promoting precision medicine in the US, this region has always been at the forefront of implementing advanced technologies and integrated AI systems within the pathology labs, factors such as increasing need to enhance efficiency of labs, growing cases of misdiagnoses, rise in use of telepathology with AI advancements have also supported the growth of this market in North America.

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AI in Pathology Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Technology advancements in deep learning have enabled a synergy with artificial intelligence (AI) in pathology space

Restraints:

High cost of digital pathology systems

Opportunities:

Shortage of skilled pathologists

Challenges:

Lack of sufficient data to train the AI algorithms

Key Market Players:

The key players functioning in the AI in pathology market include Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland), Hologic, Inc. (US), Akoya Biosciences, Inc. (US), Aiforia Technologies Plc (Finland), Indica Labs Inc. (US), OptraScan (US), Ibex Medical Analytics Ltd. (Israel), Mindpeak GmbH (Germany), Tribun Health (France), Techcyte, Inc. (US), Deep Bio Inc. (Korea), Lumea Inc. (US), Visiopharm (Denmark), aetherAI (Taiwan), Aiosyn (Netherlands), Paige AI, Inc. (US), Proscia Inc. (US), PathAI, Inc. (US), Tempus Labs, Inc. (US), Konfoong Biotech International Co., Ltd. (China), DoMore Diagnostics AS (Norway), Verily Life Sciences, LLC (US), deepPath (US), and 4D Path Inc (US).

Recent Developments:

In April 2023 , Indica Labs Inc. (US) signed an agreement with Lunit Inc. ( South Korea ). The agreement helped to provide a fully interoperable solution between Indica Labs' HALO AP image management software platform and Lunit's suite of AI pathology products.

, Indica Labs Inc. (US) signed an agreement with Lunit Inc. ( ). The agreement helped to provide a fully interoperable solution between HALO AP image management software platform and Lunit's suite of AI pathology products. In March 2022 , Ibex Medical Analytics Ltd. (Isarel) had partnered with Dedalus Group ( Italy ). Through this partnership, the company aimed to bring the power of artificial intelligence to digital pathology.

, Ibex Medical Analytics Ltd. (Isarel) had partnered with Dedalus Group ( ). Through this partnership, the company aimed to bring the power of artificial intelligence to digital pathology. In January 2022 , Aiforia Technologies Plc ( Finland ) collaborated with Mayo Clinic (US). Under this collaboration, AI-powered pathology research support architecture was established at the Mayo Clinic to enable faster results and scalable studies in translational research.

, Aiforia Technologies Plc ( ) collaborated with Mayo Clinic (US). Under this collaboration, AI-powered pathology research support architecture was established at the Mayo Clinic to enable faster results and scalable studies in translational research. In December 2021 , F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. ( Switzerland ) launched its artificial intelligence (AI)-based digital pathology algorithms to help pathologists evaluate breast cancer markers such as Ki-67, ER, and PR.

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AI in Pathology Market Advantages:

Improved Accuracy: AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of medical data with high precision and accuracy. They can detect subtle patterns, anomalies, and features in pathology images that might be difficult for human pathologists to identify. This leads to improved diagnostic accuracy and reduces the chances of errors.

Enhanced Efficiency: AI algorithms can process pathology images at a much faster rate than humans. They can analyze and interpret large volumes of data in a fraction of the time it would take a human pathologist. This increased efficiency allows for quicker turnaround times in diagnoses, enabling faster patient treatment and management.

Standardization of Diagnoses: Pathology diagnoses can sometimes be subjective, as different pathologists may interpret images differently. AI algorithms can help standardize diagnoses by providing consistent and objective assessments. This can lead to more uniform and reliable diagnoses, reducing inter-observer variability.

Augmented Decision Support: AI algorithms can act as decision support tools for pathologists. They can provide relevant information, suggestions, and recommendations based on their analysis of pathology images. This assists pathologists in making more informed decisions and can help improve patient outcomes.

Predictive Analytics: AI algorithms can analyze pathology data over time, identify patterns, and make predictions about disease progression, treatment response, and patient outcomes. This predictive analytics capability can aid in personalized medicine, allowing for tailored treatment plans and interventions.

Education and Training: AI algorithms can be used as educational tools for pathologists in training. They can provide case examples, highlight important features, and offer guidance during the learning process. This can help improve the knowledge and skills of pathologists, especially in challenging or rare cases.

Cost Reduction: By increasing efficiency and accuracy, AI in pathology has the potential to reduce healthcare costs. Faster diagnoses and optimized treatment plans can lead to better resource utilization and more effective allocation of healthcare resources.

Related Reports:

High Throughput Screening Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

CRISPR Technology Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

ATP Assays Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

Cell-based assays Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

Digital Pathology Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

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Topical treatment is achieving all endpoints for efficacy and safety in mild, moderate, and severe atopic dermatitis

ANNAPOLIS, Md. and ASHEVILLE, N.C., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alphyn Biologics , a clinical-stage dermatology company developing first-in-class Multi-Target Therapeutics, released interim results today from the second cohort of its Phase 2a clinical trial program of AB-101a, a novel topical candidate for atopic dermatitis (AD). The interim results evaluating AB-101a on the immune and bacterial components of AD show the therapeutic candidate is meeting all endpoints for efficacy and safety.

For the disease's bacterial component, AB-101a is clearing all AD infections and is demonstrating control of the bacterial microbiome on the AD skin to manage flares driven by bacteria in mild, moderate, and severe levels of the disease. For AD's immune system component, AB-101a is reducing itch and showing improvement in the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) AD scores. The results were presented in a poster at The Society for Pediatric Dermatology annual meeting .

This second cohort of the Phase 2a trial program is multisite and has completed enrollment. It is expected to conclude with 19 patients. Results from between 7 and 10 patients are included in the interim evaluation.

Interim results are as follows:

80 percent of patients achieved itch score improvement of 4 or greater

90 percent of patients had an EASI score improvement of at least 50 percent; 44 percent of patients had an EASI score improvement of 75 percent

40 percent of patients experienced a reduction of disease severity, as indicated by 2 or greater improvement in the IGA score, with 64 percent achieving clear or almost clear

100 percent of patients had their infections cleared, and 82 percent achieved a SIRS (Skin Infection Rating Scale) score improvement of 6 or more points, equal to an improvement of 55 to 75 percent

All patients showed a steady decrease in SIRS score, demonstrating control of the AD skin bacterial microbiome and control of the AD flares caused by bacteria

Effectiveness against bacteria was equivalent to treatment with the gold-standard Vancomycin; one incidence eliminated bacteria resistant to Vancomycin

Only one Treatment Emergent Adverse Event (TEAE) was reported, showing a strong safety and side effect profile

"While interim and reflective of about half of the trial population, the results we are releasing today are extremely encouraging," said Alphyn CEO Neal Koller. "We believe that AB-101a could be well suited for long-term, continuous use for all severity levels of AD - from mild to severe - and potentially the first to treat bacterial infections associated with AD and to manage the skin microbiome to better control AD flare-ups."

AB-101a is being studied in two cohorts of a Phase 2a clinical trial program. The first cohort of 41 patients with mild-to-moderate AD was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial. Results released earlier this month at the World Dermatology Congress demonstrate significant improvements in disease extent and severity, itch reduction, and improved control of the bacterial microbiome on the AD skin, showing the ability to manage AD flare caused by bacteria.

Alphyn is developing AB-101a as the first therapeutic for AD to treat the immune system component and the bacterial complications of the disease, including those commonly associated with Staph (Staphylococcus aureus) and methicillin-resistant Staph (MRSA). AB-101a is a novel, first-in-class complex single-source botanical drug with multiple bioactive compounds that provides multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic, and antibacterial activity, indicating AB-101a could be effective in AD. Based on the positive trial results, Alphyn intends to initiate a multinational Phase 2b trial with sites in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia. Alphyn is raising its Series B equity financing.

ABOUT ALPHYN BIOLOGICS

Alphyn Biologics is a clinical-stage dermatology company developing first-in-class Multi-Target Therapeutics for severe and prevalent skin diseases based on its AB-101 platform . Its lead product candidate, AB-101a, is being developed as a topical treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), the most common form of eczema. AB-101a has demonstrated a strong safety profile and is in development to uniquely target AD's immune system and bacterial components, making it ideal for treating AD and AD with secondary bacterial infection. Alphyn's AB-101 platform has multiple bioactive compounds and, therefore, multiple mechanisms of action to support a robust pipeline of dermatologic therapeutics that have potential safety, efficacy, and regulatory marketing authorization advantages. Alphyn is based in Annapolis, Maryland, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and has a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary. The company became operational in 2020 and has raised approximately $9.1 million.

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SOURCE Alphyn Biologics
The app will launch into all major VR app stores, adding a fully immersive layer to how fans have previously streamed live music

LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AmazeVR ,the global leader in virtual reality (VR) concerts, has collaborated with Swedish pop star, Zara Larsson, to celebrate the launch of its official AmazeVR Concerts app and "Zara Larsson VR Concert," available from today. Larsson's concert follows the highly-successful "Enter Thee Hottieverse" VR concert theatrical tour by AmazeVR and Megan Thee Stallion in 2022, ushering the introduction of the company's downloadable concert content for public consumption.

Zara Larsson VR Concert

Launching with a never-before-seen show from Zara Larsson, the AmazeVR concert features her global hits, 'Lush Life' and 'Symphony', and two latest singles, "Can't Tame Her" and "End of Time", where fans can step into her world with custom designed virtual environments, in an intimate capacity that places them up close and personal with the artist.

"I've always believed that live music has the power to unite and transcend boundaries," said Larsson. "As an artist, finding new ways to connect with my fans and deliver a truly immersive and unforgettable experience is super important to me. I'm thrilled to be working with AmazeVR to break through the fourth wall, and directly into the homes of fans around the world."

As pioneers in VR concert technology, AmazeVR combines live-action 3D footage of artists with breathtaking, interactive virtual environments that take concertgoers on an immersive musical journey. With the introduction of new headsets from industry leaders driving an increase in consumer desire, AmazeVRs app adds an unmatched layer of excitement for VR and music lovers globally.

"At AmazeVR we are ushering a new wave of innovation for music experiences, by providing artists with extraordinary and unparalleled avenues to be up close and personal with their fans," says Steve Lee, co-CEO and co-Founder of AmazeVR. "It is an honor to be launching the AmazeVR app alongside such an incredible artist like Zara. Her creativity has come together to create a showstopping performance and we can't wait for her fans to enjoy the experience."

AmazeVR has an incredible calendar of soon to be released concerts, across a variety of different genres including Pop Rock, K-Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap and more. Upon download, users can access one free song per artist and for the exclusive Zara Larsson VR concert, fans can purchase access for one year at an exclusive launch price of $6.99. The AmazeVR Concerts app is available to download on Meta App Lab, and SteamVR. To find out more about AmazeVR, visit amazevr.com.

About AmazeVR

AmazeVR is a VR concert platform company that brings fans closer to artists than ever before. Headquartered in LA with offices in Seoul, AmazeVR creates experiences with renowned, bold artists, featuring crystal clarity and unprecedented proximity through live-action 3D footage combined with environments using a proprietary Unreal Engine-based VFX pipeline.

AmazeVR creates VR concerts in fantastical new worlds that are widely accessible to fans, distributing across commercial VR app stores. For more information, visit AmazeVR.com.

Media Contact:

Ben Fitchett

[email protected]com

SOURCE AmazeVR
The area where Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant was planned to be built in Thuan Nam District of Ninh Thuan Province. Photo by VnExpress/Viet Quoc

Ninh Thuan Province is set to hand back land it had acquired from 1,000 families for two nuclear power plants following their cancelation.

The announcement it made Thursday to this effect said the Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 plants, proposed to be built in Thuan Nam and Ninh Hai districts, have been called off.

Phan Tan Canh, deputy chairman of the central province, said from Friday people would fully get back their land-use rights. Technically, in Vietnam, people have the right to use land but do not get "ownership."

The National Assembly canceled the nuclear project in 2016.

The two plants, approved in 2009, were to have had a combined capacity of 4,000 MW and required 440 ha and 380 ha to build.

However, after many delays, the NA decided not to proceed with them.

The indecisiveness of authorities affected the lives of 1,050 families for years.

Nguyen Thanh Du of Vinh Truong village in Thuan Nam District, told VnExpress last year that locals had agreed to the project and handed over their lands thinking it would benefit the countrys economy, but their patience gradually ran out.

For over a decade they had not received any support from the government.

The state of limbo meant many lands lay abandoned for years; people could not invest in them or grow crops.

Several poor families had to borrow money from banks to cover their daily expenses and are now unable to repay.
Ascendion, a U.S.-based software engineering company, expands in Mexico with a new office in Monterrey .

Will add more than 200 jobs in Mexico in the next six months, and estimates more than 1,500 jobs over the next three years.

The estimated total economic impact for Mexico over three years will be at least $100 million .

Mexico will become a global hub for Generative AI skills. 100% of software engineers in Mexico will become certified in AI deployment

Secretary of Economy of Nuevo Leon Ivan Rivas Rodriguez, welcomes Ascendion to Mexico . "We extend a warm welcome to Ascendion as they make their mark in Mexico . Together with Ascendion, Nuevo Leon is carving its path as a technology and innovation hub, not just in Mexico but also in the world."

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascendion, a leading provider of digital engineering services, is proud to announce the grand opening of its newest office in Monterrey, Mexico. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for Ascendion as it expands its footprint into one of Mexico's most vibrant technology and business hubs.

Ascendion launches new hub in Monterrey, Mexico, with 1,500 jobs in three years, and a center for Generative AI skills. Tweet this Ascendion executives and local government officials at an event to open Ascendion's newest hub in Monterrey, Mexico, to serve global clients with software innovation solutions. Ivan Rivas Rodriguez, Secretary of Economy of the Government of the State of Nuevo Leon welcomes Ascendion CEO Karthik Krishnamurthy.

Over the next three years, Ascendion plans to create over 1,500 new jobs in Mexico, contributing at least $100 million to the country's flourishing economy. The company plans on making Mexico a major delivery hub for Generative AI engineering solutions, and 100% of software engineers in Mexico will become certified in AI deployment.

Ascendion's commitment to Mexico is evident in its choice to establish their LATAM headquarters in Monterrey, a city known for its forward-thinking environment and as a magnet for global companies such as Tesla, Unilever, Siemens, Amazon, and many more.

As part of the opening ceremony, Ascendion was honored to have the enthusiastic support of prominent leaders in Nuevo Leon, including the Honorable Ivan Rivas Rodriguez, Secretary of Economy of the Government of the State of Nuevo Leon, and the Honorable Emmanuel Loo, Deputy Secretary of Economic Development of the State of Nuevo Leon.

"We extend a warm welcome to Ascendion as they expand in Mexico," said Secretary Ivan Rivas. "Nuevo Leon, with its thriving economy, educational institutions, remarkable startups, and the presence of renowned companies, is well on its way to becoming a global economic powerhouse. Together with Ascendion, Nuevo Leon is carving its path as a technology and innovation hub, not just in Mexico but also in the world."

Ravi Arcot, Vice President and Country Manager of Mexico, shared his excitement about Ascendion's new venture. "Monterrey truly embodies the concept of a 'city for the future.' The strong education system, extraordinary talent quality, exceptional transportation network, vibrant economy, cultural alignment, and rich history make it the perfect location for our new headquarters in Mexico," stated Arcot. "Many of our clients are seeking engineering services from Mexico, and we are already delivering outstanding results from Monterrey."

With a workforce of over 6,000 dedicated professionals, Ascendion is a pioneer in software innovation solutions. The company has consistently achieved above-market growth rates and recently announced plans to double its workforce in India to over 2,000 employees.

Ascendion's expansion in Mexico signifies an investment in delivering cutting-edge software engineering solutions to current and future clients. The company's commitment to driving global innovation in Mexico is further cemented by its newest hub in Monterrey, a city poised to shape the technological landscape of tomorrow.

Karthik Krishnamurthy, CEO at Ascendion, emphasized the company's dedication to its clients and the future of software engineering. "We stand on the threshold of the next phase of the digital revolution where software, data, and Generative AI solutions have never been more crucial," stated Krishnamurthy. "We have been operating in Mexico for some time now. Our newest office in Monterrey will quickly become our largest software engineering hub outside of India with a strong focus on applied AI. We are thrilled about our newest office in Mexico and eagerly anticipate continuing our growth and partnership in the years to come."

About Ascendion

Ascendion is a leading provider of digital engineering services, committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation. Our engineering, cloud, data, experience design, and talent transformation capabilities accelerate innovation for Global 2000 clients. Ascendion is headquartered in New Jersey. In addition to our remote/hybrid workforce, we have 20 offices across the US, India, and Mexico. We are committed to building technology that elevates life with an inclusive workforce, service to our communities, and a vibrant culture. For more information, please go to https://ai.ascendion.com/ and https://ascendion.com/.

SOURCE Ascendion
The global automotive electric power steering market is experiencing growth due to several factors, such as stringent fuel efficiency and emission standards, a surge in demand for vehicle safety and enhanced vehicle handling, and a rise in the use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

PORTLAND, Ore., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report titled, "Automotive Electric Power Steering Market by Type (Column Electric Power Steering, Rack Electric Power Steering, Pinion Electric Power Steering), Vehicle Type (Passenger Cars and Commercial Vehicles), Propulsion Type (ICE and Electric), and Component (Electric Control Unit, Electric Motor, Rack and Pinion, Steering Column, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032." According to the report, the global automotive electric power steering industry generated $24 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to generate $42 billion by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 5.8% from 2023 to 2032.



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Prime Determinants of Growth:

The global automotive electric power steering market is experiencing growth due to several factors, such as stringent fuel efficiency and emission standards, a surge in demand for vehicle safety and enhanced vehicle handling, and a rise in the use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). However, high initial investment costs, technical challenges, and complexity hamper the growth of the market. On the contrary, the development of autonomous driving technology and the rise in the development of compact and cost-effective motor control units for EPS are expected to offer remunerative opportunities for the expansion of the automotive electric power steering market during the forecast period.

Report Coverage & Details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $24 Billion Market Size in 2032 $42 Billion CAGR 5.8 % No. of Pages in Report 293 Segments Covered Type, Vehicle Type, Propulsion Type, Component, and Region Drivers Stringent fuel efficiency and emission standards A surge in demand for vehicle safety and enhanced vehicle handling Rise in demand for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Opportunities Development of autonomous driving technology Rise in the development of compact and cost-effective motor control units for EPS Restraints High initial investment costs Technical challenges and complexity



COVID-19 Scenario:

The outbreak of COVID-19 had a negative impact on the automotive electric power steering industry. due to the delay in the deployment and launch of new electric power steering systems, affecting the growth of the market.

However, post-pandemic, as economies recovered, there was a resumption of operations in the automotive industry. Moreover, governments across the globe introduced stimulus packages to revive their economies, including the automotive sector. These packages often included measures to incentivize vehicle purchases, which helped drive demand for vehicles equipped with EPS systems. thus has a positive impact on the growth of the market.

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The column electric power steering segment to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period-

Based on type, the column electric power steering segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for nearly half of the global automotive electric power steering market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Manufacturers develop column steering products to offer flexible solutions for various vehicle platforms, accommodating different vehicle sizes and specifications. However, the pinion electric power steering segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.5% from 2023 to 2032. owing to the rise in collaborations between manufacturers and automakers for the development and integration of pinion electric power steering systems.

The passenger cars segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period-

Based on vehicle type, the passenger cars segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for nearly three-fourths of the global automotive electric power steering market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its lead position during the forecast period as there is a surge in the replacement of hydraulic power steering (HPS) systems with electric power steering (EPS) systems in passenger cars. However, the commercial vehicles segment would display the highest CAGR of 6.6% from 2023 to 2032, owing to a rise in the number of collaborations and contract agreements with system manufacturers to develop electric power steering systems for commercial vehicles.

The ICE segment to rule the roost by 2032-

Based on propulsion type, the ICE segment held the highest market share in 2022, contributing to around 90% of the global automotive electric power steering market revenue, and is projected to rule the roost by 2032. The growth is attributed to a surge in adoption of an electric power steering system in ICE vehicles due to its positive impact on fuel efficiency. However, the electric segment would portray the highest CAGR of 7.7% from 2023 to 2032, owing to innovative advancements in electric vehicles, including the exploration of drive-by-wire systems.

Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2032-

Based on region, Asia-Pacific held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, garnering more than half of the global automotive electric power steering market revenue, and is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period. Due to the automotive industry in the region, there has been a notable increase in the replacement of hydraulic steering systems with electric power steering (EPS) systems, indicating a growing preference for EPS technology. However, the Europe region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 7.9% from 2023 to 2032. owing to the advancements in EPS systems such as refined control algorithms, seamless sensor integration, and the introduction of steer-by-wire systems.

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Leading Market Players: -

Robert Bosch GmbH

Zhejiang Shibao Co., Ltd.

BBB Industries

Nexteer Automotive

HL Mando Corp.

Hitachi, Ltd.

NSK Ltd.

JTEKT Corporation

ThyssenKrupp AG

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global automotive electric power steering market. These players have adopted various strategies such as collaboration, expansion, product launches, agreements, investment, 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.

Similar Reports We Have on Automotive Industry:

United States Automotive Electric Power Steering Market Report 2023-2035

Japan Automotive Electric Power Steering Market Report 2023-2035

South Korea Automotive Electric Power Steering Market Report 2023-2035

Europe Automotive Electric Power Steering Market Report 2023-2035

Electric Power Steering Market Report 2023-2035

About Us

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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
NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that an investigation into potential securities fraud allegations has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE: BHC)

To be contacted by a member of our team, fill out the form:

https://claimyourloss.com/securities/bausch-health-class-action-loss-submission-form/?id=42097&from=4

Further details on the investigation: The investigation focuses on whether Bausch Health issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors concerning its 2022 earnings and guidance and its patent dispute over Xifaxan. On May 10, 2022, Bausch Health announced its first-quarter 2022 results, prompting the stock price to fall $3.50 per share. Analysts attributed the decline to concerns around the Company's spin-off of Bausch + Lomb Corporation, high debt levels, and anticipation over the Xifaxan patent decision. On July 28, 2022, the Company issued an update on the Xifaxan patent dispute case between Bausch Health and Norwich. In response to this news, market analysts downgraded Bausch Health and its stock price fell an additional $3.58 per share, representing a decline of more than 50% from its trading price just two months earlier.

Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

JAKUBOWITZ LAW

1140 Avenue of the Americas

9th Floor

New York, New York 10036

T: (628) 895-0423

F: (212) 537-5887

SOURCE Jakubowitz Law
DENVER, Colo. and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Birch Medical Spas ("Birch"), backed by Imperial Capital ("Imperial"), is thrilled to announce a partnership with Amara Med Spa LLC ("Amara"). This dynamic alliance brings together two influential players in the industry to drive innovation and reshape the medical spa landscape.

Amara is based in Northern Florida and has rapidly expanded to five locations under the leadership of its founder, Greg Smith, and his exceptional team. Amara embraces the empowerment of its team, harnessing their expertise, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and blending it with a captivating design aesthetic to craft outstanding patient experiences. Amara's commitment to excellence is evident through its diverse array of medical aesthetic treatments, primarily focusing on injectables, and its team of top aesthetic injectors and aestheticians. Amara has been voted the best med spa in Northern Florida for the past two years and is recognized as one of the top providers in the U.S. for Allergan, Galderma, ZO, and Revanesse. Greg will continue to lead Amara's operations, ensuring its continued growth and success with the support of the Birch executive team.

"I'm very excited to partner with the private equity leader in the med spa space. The ease of this acquisition and the trust I have in this group gives me confidence in the bright future ahead for our employees and clinics," said Greg Smith, Founder of Amara. "With Imperial's backing, we are thrilled to announce we will be building out locations across Florida and Georgia. Our dedicated employees are not just team members; they are our valued partners, and together, we are committed to building an exceptional business. Our differentiated platform for injectors and aestheticians sets a new standard in the industry, making us an attractive choice for top talent. Please reach out to me directly if you would like to learn more about Amara and the new opportunities around Florida and Georgia."

"Our unique model, exceptional team, and strong consumer brand have made Amara a disruptor in the industry. We look forward to introducing Amara to new markets with the support of Birch and Imperial. On behalf of the team, we are excited for the future," said Jenny Schroeder, President of Amara.

This partnership is the second platform investment for Birch, which was founded to reshape the future of the medical spa space by partnering with leading medical spas across the U.S. and providing them with corporate resources in finance, IT, digital marketing, real estate, and additional capital for growth. "We are incredibly excited to partner with the entire Amara team," said Stephanie Hu, Chief Executive Officer of Birch. "Their track record of growth, beautiful locations, and phenomenal culture make it a truly exceptional business. We see tremendous opportunity for de novo expansion in Florida, Georgia, Utah, Colorado, and Texas, and look forward to working with the Amara and Elase teams to build an industry leader."

Birch is backed by Imperial as part of the firm's Back, Buy and Build investment strategy. "We are excited to work with the Birch, Amara and Elase teams to support their continued growth," said Nick Moritsugu, Vice President at Imperial.

About The Amara Med Spa

Amara is North Florida's premier luxury medical spa. Amara Med Spa's mission is to provide the finest medical aesthetic treatments while honoring your natural beauty. Amara combines the most advanced technology with an elite team of aesthetic providers and gives our patients a consultative and unforgettable experience. Amara operates five clinics in Northern Florida. For further information on Amara, visit www.theamaramedspa.com.

About Birch Medical Spas

Birch is the nation's newest medical spa company, built on the philosophy of delivering premium customer experience, building lifetime clients, and creating a best-in-class team of medical spa industry leaders. After finalizing a senior leadership team of top talent in 2023, Birch will empower its people to deliver the most unforgettable experience for our clients so that all are empowered to live their best lives. Birch is a leading medical spa platform created through partnerships with business owners looking to expand their medical spas and careers. For further information on Birch, visit www.birchmedspa.com.

About Imperial Capital

Imperial Capital is a leading mid-market private equity firm focused on North American opportunities to build or acquire growth-oriented platform investments in targeted industry niches within healthcare, business services, and consumer services industries. Based in Toronto, Imperial Capital combines its deep industry focus, active portfolio management, and strong partnerships with experienced industry executives to offer a differentiated approach to investing. With assets under management of over US$3.5 billion, Imperial is currently investing from its US$800 million Fund VIII. For further information on Imperial, visit www.imperialcap.com.

For further information:

Amara: Greg Smith, Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @gregamaraceo

Birch: Stephanie Hu, Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Birch Medical Spas
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced today public sanctions against 16 current or former CFP professionals, effective immediately or on the date noted in each case. Public sanctions taken by CFP Board, in order of increasing severity, include Public Censures, Suspensions, Temporary Bars, Permanent Bars and Revocations of the right to use the CFP marks.

CFP Board's Enforcement Process

As part of their certification, CFP professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards) or its predecessor, the Standards of Professional Conduct (Standards), which included the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Rules of Conduct and Financial Planning Practice Standards. Individuals on the pathway to CFP certification make a commitment to abide by CFP Board's Pathway to CFP Certification Agreement (Pathway Agreement).

CFP Board's Procedural Rules set forth the process for investigating matters and imposing sanctions where violations have been found.

CFP Board enforces its ethical standards by investigating alleged violations and, where there is probable cause to believe there are grounds for sanction, presents a Complaint containing the alleged violations to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission). The Commission meets at least six times a year to review any matter in which CFP Board has alleged that a CFP professional has violated CFP Board's Code and Standards or its predecessor Standards, or an individual pursuing initial CFP certification has violated the Pathway Agreement. The Commission functions in accordance with the Procedural Rules and reviews all matters on a case-by-case basis, considering the details specific to an individual case. If the Commission determines there are grounds for sanction, then it may impose a sanction. Commission orders may be appealed by a Respondent or CFP Board pursuant to the Procedural Rules.

In certain circumstances, such as when a CFP professional is in default due to failure to acknowledge receipt of a Notice of Investigation or file an Answer, CFP Board staff must deliver an Administrative Order of Suspension, Temporary Bar, Revocation or Permanent Bar. Administrative Orders are subject to appeal.

More information on CFP Board's enforcement process can be found at CFP.net/enforcement. In addition, at CFP.net/verify, CFP Board provides the public with:

An individual's CFP Board disciplinary history and CFP certification status.

Links to other sources of information about CFP professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website. This information may include customer disputes, disciplinary actions taken by a regulator or employer, certain criminal matters and certain financial matters (such as bankruptcy proceedings and unpaid judgments or liens).

Links to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA's) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight.

The Public Sanctions on 16 Individuals

A short summary of each sanction can be found below.

STATE NAME LOCATION SANCTION Arizona Levi Earhart, CFP Scottsdale Public Censure Minnesota Thomas Starkey, CFP Arden Hills Public Censure Maryland Cedric V. Alexander Bowie Suspension Minnesota Naomi Ann Kowalik Sauk Rapids Suspension Oregon Wayne von Borstel The Dalles Suspension Pennsylvania Adrian E. Young Lititz Suspension Texas Ronald Addison Caldwell Jr. San Antonio Temporary Bar Texas Eddy Gomar Spring Temporary Bar California Matthew J. Fannin Santa Rosa Revocation California John N. Matson El Segundo Revocation Georgia Kevin L. Taylor Roswell Revocation Indiana Michael C. Lloyd Indianapolis Revocation Iowa Dave Becker Waterloo Revocation Ohio Daniel J. Lauletta Cuyahoga Falls Revocation Pennsylvania Kenwyn J. Belkot Wexford Revocation Maine Odias A. Bachelder II Portland Permanent Bar

PUBLIC CENSURE

ARIZONA

Levi Earhart, CFP (Scottsdale, Arizona): In May 2023, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Earhart received a Public Censure. The Commission determined that Mr. Earhart violated Standard E.2.a. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards), which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession, when he was convicted of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a class 6 felony, and DUI-impaired, a class 1 misdemeanor, in the Gila County Superior Court of the State of Arizona. Pursuant to his convictions, the court sentenced Mr. Earhart to probation for a period of 24 months, beginning on May 5, 2022. The Commission issued Mr. Earhart an Order of Public Censure.

MINNESOTA

Thomas Starkey, CFP (Arden Hills, Minnesota): In June 2023, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Starkey entered into a Consent Order in which Mr. Starkey agreed that CFP Board would issue a Public Censure. In the Consent Order, Mr. Starkey consented to findings that he provided material elements of financial planning to a recently divorced client, which included advice on exchanging two existing insurance policies, one of which provided long-term care (LTC) benefits, for a new insurance policy with new LTC benefits. During this transaction, Mr. Starkey did not comply with certain provisions of the Financial Planning Practice Standards (Practice Standards) and therefore did not act in a manner which was in the best interest of his client. Specifically, Mr. Starkey did not: (1) define his client's goals, needs and priorities with respect to her insurance and LTC needs, as required by Practice Standard 200-1; (2) obtain sufficient information  including whether the costs in the new insurance policy were more or less than the costs in the old insurance policies  prior to recommending the exchange, as required by Practice Standard 200-2; (3) analyze whether his client had a continuing need for life insurance and could satisfy her LTC needs using her existing assets and resources, as required by Practice Standard 300-1; and (4) select appropriate products that were consistent with his client's goals, needs and priorities, as required by Practice Standard 500-2, because he did not analyze whether the client needed the LTC benefits offered by the new insurance policy and compare the internal costs of the policies. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Starkey also consented to findings that his conduct violated Rules 1.4 and 4.4 of the Rules of Conduct, which require a CFP professional providing material elements of financial planning to act with the duty of care of a fiduciary, and in all instances to exercise reasonable and prudent professional judgement in providing professional services. The Commission issued Mr. Starkey a Public Censure.

SUSPENSION

MARYLAND

Cedric V. Alexander (Bowie, Maryland): In June 2023, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Alexander entered into a Consent Order in which Mr. Alexander agreed that CFP Board would issue a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his right to use the CFP Board certification marks. In the Consent Order, Mr. Alexander consented to findings that he filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in June 2022, which demonstrated an inability to manage responsibly his financial affairs. This was his second bankruptcy filing, as he had previously filed for Chapter 13 (later converted to a Chapter 7) bankruptcy protection in March 2008. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Alexander also consented to findings that his conduct violated Standard E.2 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, conduct that results in a personal bankruptcy or business bankruptcy filing. The Commission issued to Mr. Alexander a suspension for one year and one day. Mr. Alexander's suspension is effective from June 13, 2023, through June 14, 2024.

MINNESOTA

Naomi Anne Kowalik (Sauk Rapids, Minnesota): In June 2023, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Ms. Kowalik entered into a Consent Order in which Ms. Kowalik agreed that CFP Board would issue a one-year-and-one-day suspension of her right to use the CFP Board certification marks. In the Consent Order, Ms. Kowalik consented to findings that she failed to timely pay taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for 11 years between 2008 and 2020, demonstrating an inability to manage her personal finances. This resulted in tax debts of approximately $959,974.21 and the IRS filing multiple federal tax liens. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Ms. Kowalik also consented to findings that her conduct violated Standard E.2.d. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct and Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provide that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, conduct that results in a federal tax lien on property owned by the CFP professional. The Commission issued to Ms. Kowalik a suspension for one year and one day. Ms. Kowalik's suspension is effective from June 13, 2023, through June 14, 2024.

OREGON

Wayne von Borstel (The Dalles, Oregon): In May 2023, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. von Borstel received a three-month suspension of his certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks. The Commission issued its order after determining that Mr. von Borstel was permitted to resign from his firm for failing to promptly report written customer grievances and failing to adhere to firm policy regarding the use of mutual fund C-shares, violated firm policy by failing to immediately report a client death, and entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which found that he failed to identify the intended beneficiaries on new account forms, causing his firm's books and records to be inaccurate in violation of Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) Rule G-8. The Commission determined that Mr. von Borstel's conduct violated Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services to the client, and Rule 5.1 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional shall perform professional services with dedication to the lawful objectives of the employer/principal. The Commission issued to Mr. von Borstel a suspension for three months. Mr. von Borstel's suspension is effective from June 5, 2023, through September 5, 2023.

PENNSYLVANIA

Adrian E. Young (Lititz, Pennsylvania): In June 2023, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Young received a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks. In September 2022, following a jury trial in a civil action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Court) entered a final judgment against Mr. Young, his partners and his firm, finding they violated Section 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Advisers Act) at least recklessly when they collected additional revenue through investing clients' money in mutual fund share classes that charged 12b-1 fees when their clients were eligible for identical share classes that did not charge these fees. The Court found that the mutual funds in which Mr. Young, his partners and his firm invested would collect these 12b-1 fees and then distribute the fees to their brokers. One of the brokers would then pass 95% of the 12b-1 fees it received by way of the trades back to Mr. Young, his partners or his firm. The Court found that, as a result, Mr. Young, his partners and his firm received two streams of income  advisory fees and 12b-1 fees. The Court found this "scheme" to run counter to their fiduciary duty under Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act because Mr. Young, his partners and his firm failed to act in their clients' best interest, failed to achieve best execution and failed to adequately disclose the conflict of interest inherent in the 12b-1 scheme to their clients. The Court ordered Mr. Young to pay disgorgement in the amount of $136,627, prejudgment interest of $35,275 and a civil penalty of $136,627. The Commission determined that this conduct violated: (1) Rule 2.2 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional shall disclose to a prospective client or client an accurate and understandable description of the compensation arrangements being offered, including the terms under which the certificant and/or the certificant's employer may receive any other sources of compensation, and if so, what the sources of these payments are and on what they are based; and (2) Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services provided to the client. The Commission issued to Mr. Young a suspension of one year and one day. The suspension is effective from June 14, 2023, through June 15, 2024.

TEMPORARY BAR

TEXAS

Ronald Addison Caldwell Jr. (San Antonio, Texas): In May 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Caldwell from applying for or obtaining the CFP Board certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Caldwell's relinquishment of his certification and failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate Mr. Caldwell's petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Mr. Caldwell's conduct may have violated Standard E.2 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Caldwell has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar. Mr. Caldwell's administrative temporary bar was effective as of June 20, 2023.

Eddy Gomar (Spring, Texas): In January 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Gomar from applying for or obtaining the CFP Board certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Gomar's relinquishment of his certification and failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations contained in a client complaint filed with CFP Board alleging that between 2017 and 2020, Mr. Gomar effected certain investments in the client's account without authorization. Mr. Gomar's conduct may have violated Rule 1.4 of the Rules of Conduct, in place at the time of the conduct at issue, which provided that when providing financial planning or material elements of financial planning, a CFP professional owes the client a duty of care of a fiduciary. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Gomar has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar. In March 2023, Mr. Gomar sought to appeal the Administrative Order of Temporary Bar. In April 2023, the Appeals Commission of CFP Board dismissed Mr. Gomar's appeal, finding that he had not timely filed the appeal. Pursuant to the decision of the Appeals Commission, Mr. Gomar's administrative temporary bar was effective as of April 20, 2023.

REVOCATION

CALIFORNIA

Matthew J. Fannin (Santa Rosa, California): In April 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Fannin's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Fannin's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Fannin failed to meet his federal and state tax obligations resulting in the Internal Revenue Service and the State of California filing multiple tax liens against him. As set forth in the Complaint, Mr. Fannin has accrued an outstanding tax balance of approximately $847,199.70, thus demonstrating an inability to manage his personal finances. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Fannin's conduct violated Standard E.2.d. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct and Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provide that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, conduct that results in a federal tax lien on property owned by the CFP professional. Mr. Fannin failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Fannin has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Fannin's administrative revocation was effective as of May 19, 2023.

John N. Matson (El Segundo, California): In May 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Matson's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Matson's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation and deliver proof of compliance with CFP Board's Interim Suspension order as required by Articles 1.1 and 2.3 of the Procedural Rules, respectively. On January 11, 2023, CFP Board issued Mr. Matson an Interim Suspension Order after receiving evidence that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) permanently barred him from associating with a member firm in any capacity. In CFP Board's Notice of Investigation, CFP Board sought to fully investigate the FINRA bar and Mr. Matson's termination from his firm for participating in investments without notice or approval from his firm. Mr. Matson's conduct may have violated Standard A.8 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards), which provides that a CFP professional must comply with the laws, rules and regulations governing Professional Services, and Standard D.2 of the Code and Standards, which requires a CFP professional to comply with the lawful objectives of his or her firm. Under Articles 4.1.a. and 4.1.c. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Matson has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Matson's administrative revocation was effective as of June 19, 2023.

GEORGIA

Kevin L. Taylor (Roswell, Georgia): In May 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Taylor's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Taylor's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged in its Complaint that Mr. Taylor was the subject of an order of final judgment entered by the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia (Superior Court) on June 18, 2020. As set forth in CFP Board's Complaint, the Superior Court found that in overseeing trusts and companies that were entrusted to him, Mr. Taylor implemented a scheme to enrich himself. According to the Superior Court's order, Mr. Taylor manipulated and misrepresented a company's financial status to manufacture losses and took other steps to obfuscate the company's financials and profits so that he could siphon money from trusts into the company and ultimately to himself. The Superior Court found that Mr. Taylor paid himself a significant salary to which he was not entitled and that Mr. Taylor used the money from the company and trusts to pay for personal monthly expenses and discretionary purchases for himself. The Superior Court concluded that Mr. Taylor engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, in violation of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and engaged in acts consisting of theft by taking by a fiduciary, theft by deception by a fiduciary, theft by conversion by a fiduciary and false statements. The Superior Court found that, through a pattern of racketeering activity, Mr. Taylor acquired and maintained an interest in and control of personal property, including money to which he was not entitled. The Superior Court also found that Mr. Taylor breached fiduciary duties owed to beneficiaries of the trusts by using one company to divert funds to himself instead of the rightful beneficiaries. The Superior Court awarded damages totaling more than $12 million. The Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the final judgment of the Superior Court. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Taylor's conduct violated Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Mr. Taylor failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Taylor has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Taylor's administrative revocation was effective as of June 5, 2023.

INDIANA

Michael C. Lloyd (Indianapolis, Indiana): In March 2023, CFP Board issued an order in which Mr. Lloyd received a permanent revocation of his right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed an appeal of a July 2022 Administrative Order of Revocation issued by CFP Board. The Appeals Commission of CFP Board affirmed CFP Board's finding that Mr. Lloyd failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. The Appeals Commission also affirmed that CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Lloyd violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. The Appeals Commission further affirmed that CFP Board sought to investigate several federal tax liens filed in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 against Mr. Lloyd for tax deficiencies accrued since Tax Year 2004. In addition, the Appeals Commission affirmed that Mr. Lloyd failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. The Appeals Commission affirmed that under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Lloyd has been deemed in default and affirmed CFP Board's issuance of an Administrative Order of Revocation. Pursuant to the decision of the Appeals Commission, Mr. Lloyd's administrative revocation was effective as of March 22, 2023.

IOWA

Dave Becker (Waterloo, Iowa): In May 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Becker's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Becker's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Becker violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation. As set forth in the Complaint, in August 2022, one of Mr. Becker's former clients filed a grievance with CFP Board alleging that Mr. Becker had a conflict of interest stemming from the divorce of his clients and breached his fiduciary duties to the complaining client. In connection with the investigation into the client's grievance, CFP Board sent Mr. Becker a Request for Oral Examination. Mr. Becker specifically and intentionally chose not to appear for oral examination and did not cure his failure to appear after CFP Board provided notice of his failure to cooperate and the opportunity to cure his failure to cooperate. Mr. Becker then failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Becker has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Becker's administrative revocation was effective as of May 22, 2023.

OHIO

Daniel J. Lauletta (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio): In April 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Lauletta's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Lauletta's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Lauletta entered into a consent order with the state of Arkansas (Consent Order) in which he consented to findings that he: (1) breached his fiduciary duty to two financial planning clients, senior married couples, by failing to place their interests ahead of his own when he advised them to liquidate securities invested for retirement to purchase unsuitable insurance products and annuities; (2) provided false and misleading information to customers and omitted risks associated with recommended transactions; and (3) made unsuitable recommendations to clients. These allegations were in connection with multiple multimillion-dollar life insurance policies that he recommended to his clients, despite their inability to afford the premiums for such large policies. The Complaint further alleged that Mr. Lauletta advised these clients to pay for these policies with premium finance loans and the liquidation of retirement assets. CFP Board also alleged that Mr. Lauletta violated Arkansas regulatory requirements as evidenced by his entrance into a Consent Order with state of Arkansas. Per the terms of the Consent Order, Mr. Lauletta's registration as a broker-dealer agent in Arkansas was revoked, and he was fined $10,000. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Lauletta's conduct violated Rule 1.4 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall at all times place the interest of the client ahead of his or her own. When the certificant provides financial planning or material elements of financial planning, the certificant owes to the client the duty of care of a fiduciary as defined by CFP Board. CFP Board's Complaint further alleged that Mr. Lauletta's conduct violated Rules 2.1, 4.3 and 4.5 of the Rules of Conduct. Mr. Lauletta failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Lauletta has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Lauletta's administrative revocation was effective as of May 25, 2023.

PENNSYLVANIA

Kenwyn J. Belkot (Wexford, Pennsylvania): In May 2023, CFP Board issued an order permanently revoking Mr. Belkot's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Belkot's failure to deliver proof of compliance with CFP Board's Interim Suspension Order as required by Article 2.3 of the Procedural Rules. On February 1, 2023, CFP Board issued Mr. Belkot an Interim Suspension Order after receiving evidence that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) permanently barred him from associating with a member firm in any capacity. FINRA issued the bar after Mr. Belkot failed to request termination of a suspension that FINRA had imposed on him for failing to respond to FINRA's requests for information. Under Article 4.1.c. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Belkot has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Belkot's administrative revocation was effective as of June 20, 2023.

PERMANENT BAR

MAINE

Odias A. Bachelder II (Portland, Maine): In May 2023, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Bachelder from applying for or obtaining the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Bachelder's relinquishment of his certification and failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Bachelder violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. As set forth in the Compliant, CFP Board sought to investigate a consent order issued by the Maine Bureau of Insurance alleging that Mr. Bachelder failed to report two past regulatory events and a requalification order issued by the Maine Office of Securities. Mr. Bachelder failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Bachelder has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar. Mr. Bachelder's administrative permanent bar was effective as of June 20, 2023.

ABOUT CFP BOARD

CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification  widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners  so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP certification is held by more than 95,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge.

Twitter: @CFPBoard

SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Jason Knoblauch will join Clario as Chief Financial Officer, effective August 7, 2023.

Jason joins Clario from Curia, a global contract research, development, and manufacturing organization, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his tenure at Curia, Jason held various financial leadership roles at PPD, including serving as interim CFO in 2018, and was a director in PwC's Transaction Services practice.

"I am delighted to welcome Jason to our leadership team," said Chris Fikry, M.D., Chief Executive Officer. "Jason brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our organization. His appointment reflects our commitment to attracting top talent and ensuring the continued success of Clario."

Commenting on his appointment, Jason Knoblauch said, "I am thrilled to be joining the Clario team. Clario not only has a strong legacy but also is well-positioned to drive the next wave of innovation in fulfillment of its purpose to unlock rich clinical evidence to reduce disease, improve health and transform the lives of patients."

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Economics from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Additionally, he earned a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Clario also announced three internal promotions to their Executive Leadership Team.

New Senior Vice President, General Counsel  Lauren Misztal

Lauren Misztal joined Clario in 2022 as VP, Global Privacy & Deputy Compliance Officer, Assistant General Counsel. In June 2023 she was promoted to SVP, General Counsel.

Prior to joining Clario, Lauren held senior legal and compliance roles at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and McKesson Corporation and was an associate and Of Counsel at Quinn Emanuel LLP. Lauren began her legal career as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice after clerking for a federal judge in Washington, D.C. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and bachelor's degree from Georgetown University. Before attending law school, Lauren was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs.

New Executive Vice President, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions  Dr. Joyce Suhy

Dr. Joyce Suhy has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions. She brings over 30 years of experience in both operational and scientific aspects of the medical imaging field across several therapeutic areas and leads Clario's Medical Imaging division. She has significant expertise in the field of Neuroscience, and since 2001, Dr. Suhy has been at the forefront of designing and scientifically overseeing Neuroscience clinical trials that incorporate imaging endpoints. Notably, she and her team's extensive imaging knowledge and experience have been instrumental in the development of the first and second Alzheimer's disease-modifying drugs to receive FDA approval.

Dr. Suhy holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, complemented by fellowship training in Neuroradiology. Her dedication and expertise have earned her recognition, including being named one of PharmaVoice's 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life-Science Industry in 2020. With extensive experience, scientific acumen and leadership prowess, Dr. Suhy continues to drive advancements within the Medical Imaging business at Clario.

New Senior Vice President, Client Success & Customer Experience  Kristina Lowe

Kristina Lowe has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Client Success & Customer Experience. Kristina has over 22 years of experience in clinical research, having specialized in commercial roles globally across biotech, large pharmaceutical companies and Contract Research Organizations (CROs). During her 18-year tenure at Clario, Kristina has developed an expertise in clinical endpoint solutions for critical safety and efficacy data and has led her teams to be consultative in selecting solutions that deliver high quality data in support of drug development.

As Senior Vice President of Client Success & Customer Experience, Kristina plays a pivotal role in overseeing Clario's customers, ensuring successful collaborations, emphasizing a solution-oriented approach and fostering understanding of the interconnectedness within the organization and the broader e-clinical landscape. Kristina's team is comprised of Clario's Client Success Managers, CRO Partnerships, Global Customer Care, Logistics and Client Education.

Further information and biographies of the Clario Leadership Team can be found on Clario.com

About Clario

Clario is a leading healthcare research and technology company that generates the richest clinical evidence in the industry for our pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device partners. Across decentralized, hybrid and site-based trials, our deep scientific expertise, global scale and the broadest endpoint technology platform in the industry allows our partners to transform lives. Clario has the only technology platform that combines eCOA, cardiac safety, medical imaging, precision motion, and respiratory endpoints. Clario's global team of science, technology and operational experts have helped deliver more than 27,000 trials and contributed to over 500 FDA and EMEA new drug approvals involving more than seven million participants in over 100 countries. Our innovation has been transforming clinical trials for 50 years.

For more information, go to Clario.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact

Duncan Cantor

Snr. Director, Content and Communications

[email protected]

+44 7307 533 162

SOURCE Clario

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The global dark stone market is experiencing growth due to factors such as a surge in the number of commercial and residential real estate projects across the globe, especially in developing economies .

PORTLAND, Ore., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Dark Stone Market by Type (Marble, Granite, Limestone, Others), by Application (Flooring, Memorial Arts, Wall Cladding, Others), by End User (Residential, Commercial): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032."According to the report, the global dark stone industry was estimated at $3.7 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to hit $5.8 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 4.8% from 2023 to 2032.

Download Sample Copy of Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/75125

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities-

The global dark stone market is experiencing growth due to the factors such as a surge in the number of commercial and residential real estate projects across the globe, especially in developing economies . However, Availability of substitutes and Shortage of skilled labor restrain the market growth to some extent. Nevertheless, a rise in developmental strategies by market players is expected to provide ample opportunities in the upcoming years.

Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $3,652.2 Million Market Size in 2032 $5,816.2 Million CAGR 4.8 % No. of Pages in Report 250 Segments Covered Type, Application, End User, and Region. Drivers Rise in urbanization Growth in the expenditure on home renovation and replacement Restraints Availability of substitutes Shortage of skilled labor Opportunities The rise in developmental strategies by market players

Procure Complete Report (251 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/c5a5411d3a8db77d21f94802b37487a1

The granite segment to retain its dominance by 2031-

By type, the granite segment accounted for the highest share in 2022, garnering more than two-fifths of the global dark stone market revenue. The growing usage of dark granite in commercial buildings such as hotels, restaurants, workplaces, and public buildings are boosting the growth of the granite segment. On the other hand, limestone segment would cite the fastest CAGR of 5.9% by 2032. Design preferences and architectural trends influence the demand for dark limestone. Dark limestone's adaptability makes it possible to use it in a variety of design aesthetics, from traditional to contemporary, which is boosting its demand across the globe.

The flooring segment to rule the roost-

By application, the flooring segment held the major share in 2022, generating more than one-third of the global dark stone market revenue. This is attributed to the huge demand for dark stone in flooring applications across commercial and residential real estate projects across the globe. The same segment would portray the fastest CAGR of 5.2% from 2023 to 2032. The aesthetic appeal, elegance, longevity, durability, easy maintenance, and versatility associated with dark stone are the major factors that have made it a popular choice for flooring.

The commercial segment to dominate by 2032

By end-user, the commercial segment accounted for nearly thee-fifths of the global dark stone market revenue in 2022 and is projected to rule the roost by 2032. The growing number of infrastructural projects along with commercial real estate are the major drivers of the commercial segment in the global dark stone market. The residential segment, on the other hand, would portray the fastest CAGR of 5.0% from 2023 to 2032. This is attributed to the rising disposable income, growing urban population, and rising number of residential real estate projects across developing nations such as India, China, Indonesia, and Brazil.

Asia-Pacific garnered the major share in 2022 

By region, Asia-Pacific generated more than half of the global dark stone market revenue in 2022 and is expected to dominate by 2032. The growth of the market across Asia-Pacific is driven by a significant rise in the investments towards industrialization and urbanization of rural areas of developing nations like India and China. LAMEA, however, would showcase the fastest CAGR of 6.7% from 2023 to 2032. The marker growth across LAMEA is driven by growing investments in the commercial and residential real estate sector. The Middle East countries witness massive investments in the development of infrastructural projects which make LAMEA the fastest-growing region in the dark stone market.

Want to Access the Statistical Data and Graphs, Key Players' Strategies: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/75125

Key players in the industry-

Marble Trend

Polycor, Inc.

Brachot-Hermant NV

Coldspring

Stone Source, LLC.

Antolini Luigi and C. S.p.a.

and C. S.p.a. Pokarna Limited

UGM Surfaces

Tripura Stones Pvt. Ltd.

Aravali India Marbles and Granites

Stoneville USA , Inc.

, Inc. Aro Granite Industries Ltd.

Stone Group International

Bhandari Marble Group

Levantina Y Asociados de Minerales, S.A.

The report analyzes these key players in the global dark stone market. These players have adopted various strategies such as expansion, new product launches, partnerships, 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.

Similar Reports We Have on Consumer Goods Industry:

 Canada Dark Stone Market Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032

 Mexico Dark Stone Market Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032

 Europe Dark Stone Market Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032

 UK Dark Stone Market Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032

 Australia Dark Stone Market Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032

About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" 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
ENCINITAS, Calif., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ponto, leading sustainable footwear lifestyle brand based in Encinitas, announced the appointment of Barry McGeough as new Brand President. With a wealth of experience as a Fortune 500 leader and brand builder in the footwear, apparel, and tech sectors, McGeough's appointment marks a significant milestone in Ponto's journey towards growth and sustainability.

Barry McGeough - Ponto Footwear

Having previously spearheaded innovative and sustainable category wins for renowned brands such as The North Face, Speedo, Merrell, Saucony, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger, McGeough brings invaluable expertise to Ponto. His leadership roles at VF, PVH, Google, and Wolverine have consistently driven exponential brand growth.

Most recently, McGeough has focused on the advancement of new materials science and green engineered solutions, enabling product circularity and digitizing the consumer experience. His dedication to accelerating the Connect-to-Consumer journey has propelled D2C and B2B brand growth across a portfolio of brands, making him an ideal fit for Ponto's commitment to sustainability and growth.

"I am thrilled and honored to be part of a brand that not only prioritizes innovation in sustainable product development but also recognizes the importance of aligning with consumers' expectations to make a positive impact," said McGeough. "Building a brand that walks the walk and embraces sustainability as a core value that contributes to revenue generation, we can deliver benefits to shareholders, consumers, investors, and the planet."

Under McGeough's leadership, Ponto is poised to expand its dual category approach in both direct-to-consumer lifestyle business and the existing wholesale model. As a premier sustainable/comfort footwear brand, Ponto will continue offering a no-compromise approach. By leveraging its existing position in uniforming across multiple industries, and partnering with key national retailers to extend its reach and impact.

This significant leap forward for Ponto represents a disruptive force in the industry, advocating for sustainability and circularity without complexity/compromise. Ponto is committed to demonstrating that convenient and sustainable choices are financially viable, creating a circle of beneficial choices for consumers, brands, and the world at large.

About Ponto: Ponto is an Encinitas-based sustainable footwear lifestyle brand that prioritizes comfort, style, and environmental responsibility. Dedicated to creating footwear that combines fashion with sustainability, Ponto is committed to driving positive change within the industry while delivering exceptional products. For more information, please visit www.pontofootwear.com.

SOURCE Ponto Footwear
CHICAGO, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In the near future, the gene editing industry holds immense promise in revolutionizing healthcare and addressing genetic disorders. Advances in technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 have paved the way for precise and efficient gene editing, offering the potential to correct genetic mutations and modify disease-causing genes. This transformative field will enable scientists and researchers to develop targeted therapies and personalized treatments for a wide range of genetic conditions. As gene editing techniques become more refined and accessible, we can anticipate breakthroughs in treating diseases such as cancer, genetic disorders, and hereditary conditions. Additionally, the potential applications of gene editing extend beyond therapeutic interventions, including agricultural improvements, bioengineering, and disease prevention. While ethical and regulatory considerations remain crucial, the near future holds immense opportunities for the gene editing industry to unlock innovative solutions that have the potential to profoundly impact human health and well-being.

Gene Editing Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $5.3 billion in 2023 and is poised to reach $10.6 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 15.0% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The key driving factors of the gene editing market include expanding applications of genomics, robust funding initiatives by government for genomics projects, and the introduction of CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing. High costs associated with gene editing equipment pose challenge to the market growth. The rise in government funding and the growth in genomics projects have profoundly impacted the gene editing market. Increased financial support has enabled researchers and scientists to explore new applications, refine existing technologies, and overcome technical challenges. In August 2022, MedGenome (India) announced a USD 50 million investment led by Novo Holdings, an international leader in life science investing. Moreover, in April 2020, MedGenome (India) raised USD 55 million with the help of LeapFrog Investments (UK) to make genetic testing services more accessible and affordable in India. This investment is also expected to help create genetically diverse data sets and support the discovery of new drug targets across the globe.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "Gene Editing Market"

194 - Tables

48 - Figures

216 - Pages

Gene Editing Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $5.3 billion Estimated Value by 2028 $10.6 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 15.0% Market Size Available for 20212028 Forecast Period 20232028 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product & Service, Technology, Application, End User, And Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and MEA Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Expanding pipeline for gene therapy Key Market Drivers Growing applications of genomics

The reagents and consumables segment accounted for the largest share of the gene editing market in 2022

Based on product & service, the gene editing market is segmented into reagents & consumables, software & systems, and services. The reagents & consumables segment accounted for the largest share in 2022, particularly due to the frequent purchase of reagents in gene editing protocols coupled with high demand for genetic sequencing and editing. Reagents and consumables include various products, such as purification, library preparation, and target enrichment kits. Target enrichment kits allow researchers to target human or non-human DNA sequences of interest through custom-designed gene panels or focused exomes. A target enrichment kit consists of master-mix reagents and assays for isolating genomic regions of interest. These kits are used for editing exome sequences.

The CRISPR segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2023 to 2028

Based on technology, the gene editing market is segmented into CRISPR, TALEN, ZFN, antisense, and other technologies. The CRISPR segment accounted for the largest share of the gene editing market in 2022. Several factors such as ease of use, technical advantage over ZFN and TALEN, capability of generating large set of vectors to target numerous sites or genome-wide libraries have contributed to the dominance of the CRISPR segment in the market.

The pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies segment accounted for the largest share of the global gene editing market in 2022

The gene editing market is segmented into pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, academic & research institutes, and other end users based on the end user. Pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies accounted for the largest share of the gene editing market in 2022. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the rise in the use of CRISPR technology, which is expected to increase the applications of gene therapies and provide remedies for genetic disorders, such as sickle-cell anemia.

North America dominates the global gene editing market throughout the forecast period

The gene editing market is segmented into five major regional segments, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In 2022, North America accounted for the largest share in the gene editing market, which is attributed to the technological advancements, established research infrastructure, and demand for precision medicine.

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Gene Editing Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Rising government funding and number of genomics projects Growing applications of genomics Introduction of CRISPR-Cas9

Restraints:

Off-target effects of CRISPR technology

Opportunities:

Extensive use of genome editing in personalized medicine Expanding pipeline for gene therapy

Challenges:

High equipment costs

Key Market Players:

The prominent players in the global gene editing market include Merck KGaA (Germany), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US), GenScript (China), Agilent Technologies (US), PerkinElmer (US), Lonza (Switzerland), Tecan Life Sciences (Switzerland), Sangamo Therapeutics (US), Editas Medicine (US), CRISPR Therapeutics AG (Switzerland), Precision Biosciences (US), Cellectis (France), Intellia Therapeutics (US), Bluebird Bio, Inc. (US), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (US), AMSBIO (England), Creative Biogene (US), Synthego Corporation (US), and Beam Therapeutics Inc. (US).

Recent Developments:

In February 2023 , GenScript ( China ) announced the expansion of its Singapore facility to provide a premium gene synthesis service. This marks a significant expansion of the company's advanced gene-synthesis capability and enables GenScript to provide the service levels required for novel vaccine and therapeutics development in life sciences.

, GenScript ( ) announced the expansion of its facility to provide a premium gene synthesis service. This marks a significant expansion of the company's advanced gene-synthesis capability and enables GenScript to provide the service levels required for novel vaccine and therapeutics development in life sciences. In November 2022 , Thermo Fisher Scientific (US) announced the launch of Gibco CTS AAV-MAX Helper-Free AAV Production System, an all-in-one solution suitable for commercial and clinical applications associated with AAV-based gene therapies.

, Thermo Fisher Scientific (US) announced the launch of Gibco CTS AAV-MAX Helper-Free AAV Production System, an all-in-one solution suitable for commercial and clinical applications associated with AAV-based gene therapies. In June 2022 , Lonza ( Switzerland ) and Adva entered into a license agreement that will allow Adva to develop innovative solutions for the cell and gene therapies industry.

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Gene Editing Market Advantages:

Precise and Targeted Modifications: Gene editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, enable precise modifications of the DNA sequence. This level of specificity allows scientists to target and edit specific genes, correcting genetic mutations and altering disease-causing sequences. The ability to make precise changes in the genome opens up new possibilities for developing targeted therapies and personalized medicine.

Potential for Treating Genetic Diseases: Gene editing holds the promise of treating a wide range of genetic diseases. By correcting disease-causing mutations, gene editing technologies can potentially provide curative treatments for genetic disorders that were previously untreatable or had limited therapeutic options. This advancement has the potential to significantly improve the lives of individuals living with genetic conditions and their families.

Accelerated Drug Development: Gene editing allows for more efficient and accelerated drug development processes. By modifying genes in cellular models, scientists can better understand the underlying mechanisms of diseases and test the effectiveness of potential drug candidates. This targeted approach can streamline the drug discovery process, leading to faster development of new therapies and treatments.

Agricultural and Environmental Applications: Gene editing technologies have the potential to enhance agricultural practices and address environmental challenges. By modifying the genetic traits of crops, researchers can develop plants that are more resistant to diseases, pests, and environmental stressors, ultimately leading to increased crop yields and food security. Additionally, gene editing can contribute to environmental conservation efforts by developing genetically modified organisms with reduced ecological footprints.

Research Advancements: Gene editing techniques have revolutionized genetic research by providing powerful tools for studying gene function, disease mechanisms, and biological processes. These technologies enable scientists to create precise genetic modifications in cellular and animal models, allowing for better understanding of gene interactions and disease pathways. This deeper knowledge can lead to significant advancements in basic research and pave the way for new discoveries and breakthroughs.

Potential for Preventive Medicine: Gene editing offers the potential for preventive medicine by targeting and modifying genes associated with increased disease risk. This could involve correcting mutations that predispose individuals to certain diseases or enhancing protective genes. By addressing genetic factors early on, gene editing can help prevent the development of diseases or reduce their severity, potentially leading to improved population health outcomes.

Related Reports:

Genomics Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

CRISPR Technology Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

NGS Sample Preparation Market - Global Forecasts to 2028

Next Generation Sequencing Market - Global Forecasts to 2027

Bioinformatics Services Market - Global Forecasts to 2026

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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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LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF) and StarNews Mobile (SNM) have announced a strategic partnership to empower Black entrepreneurs and promote collaboration among Black businesses globally. The alliance will leverage StarNews Mobile's position as a leading media platform in Africa to expand GBEF's presence on the continent and create a lasting impact on the African business landscape.

"This partnership demonstrates our commitment to driving positive change and economic empowerment for Black entrepreneurs worldwide," said Alphonso David, President & CEO of the GBEF, "With our network and unique positioning, we can make a significant impact on the African business landscape and drive sustainable economic growth globally."

Announcing a partnership set to empower Black entrepreneurs and promote collaboration among Black businesses globally. Tweet this

Guy Kamgaing, CEO of SNM, expressed excitement, stating, "At StarNews Mobile, we believe in the transformative power of entrepreneurship for individuals and communities. By helping African creators earn a sustainable income, we create opportunities for many. Through our partnership with the GBEF, we can facilitate a global dialogue among Black entrepreneurs and connect them with US Black businesses."

The GBEF is renowned for its work in promoting economic empowerment for Black communities worldwide and creating an environment where Black entrepreneurs can thrive. This partnership will strengthen the GBEF's presence in Africa, unlocking transformative opportunities for the African Black business community.

With millions of users across multiple countries, SNM is at the forefront of developing the creator economy in Africa. In 2022, SNM surpassed the $1 million mark in payouts to African creators.

With a shared vision, this partnership recognizes the potential of connecting African and Black American talent and business infrastructure, leveraging their global cultural impact and market size. The GBEF and SNM are collaborating to facilitate genuine economic empowerment while promoting the growth of Black entrepreneurs across Africa.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].

About Global Black Economic Forum:

The Global Black Economic Forum is an international enterprise focused on advancing the economic interests of the Black Diaspora and marginalized groups through global summits, training, advocacy, and thought leadership.

About StarNews Mobile:

StarNews Mobile is a media-tech platform that allows African content creators to monetize their fanbase. Through partnerships with telecom companies, StarNews Mobile delivers exclusive video content directly to mobile users. The company aims to empower African creators, contribute to Africa's economic development, and foster entrepreneurship.

SOURCE StarNews Mobile
DUBLIN, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Dental Services Market, Worldwide Dental Procedures Clinic" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

According to publisher estimates, the global dental services market is forecasted to grow at a robust CAGR in the period of 2022-2027, owing to rising dental awareness and dental tourism.



Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth from 2022 to 2027 due to the growing number of dental clinics and rising awareness about oral care.



The increasing government funding for dental programs is likely to contribute to the market growth.



The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of the global dental services market. The report covers an overview and genesis of the industry, market size in terms of revenue.



Global dental services market segmentations include by type of services, end user, revenue division, dental clinics and geography; growth enablers and drivers; challenges and bottlenecks; regulatory framework; end-user analysis, industry analysis, competitive landscape including competition scenario and market shares of major players. The report concludes with future market projections of each market segmentation and analyst recommendations.

Companies Mentioned

Aspen Dental Management, Inc.

InterDent, Inc.

National Health Service England

The British United Provident Association Ltd.

Apollo White Dental

Abano Healthcare Group Ltd.

Coast Dental

Dental Service Group

Axis Dental

Integrated Dental Holdings

Pacific Dental Service

Gentle Dental of New England

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Global Overview



3. Overview and Genesis of the Global Dental Market

3.1 Ecosystem of Global Dental Market

3.2 Business Cycle of Global Dental Market

3.3 Timeline of Major Players of Global Dental Market

3.4 Value Chain Analysis of Global Dental Market

3.5 Global Dental Market Sizing, 2017- 2022



4. Market Segmentations of Global Dental Market, 2017-2022

4.1 Global Dental Market Segmentation by Type of Services

4.2 Global Dental Market Segmentation by End Users

4.3 Global Dental Market Segmentation by Revenue Division

4.4 Global Dental Market Segmentation by Geography



5. Snapshots on different Global Dental Market



6. Industrial Analysis of Global Dental Market



7. End User Analysis of Global Dental Market



8. Competitive Analysis of Global Dental Market

8.1 Market Share of Major Players in Global Dental Market, 2022

8.2 Cross Comparison of Major Players in Global Dental Market

8.3 Competitive Landscape of Global Dental Service Market



9. Future Outlook and Projections of Global Dental Market, 2022-2027

9.1 Future Market Sizing Analysis of Global Dental Market 2022-2027

9.2 Future Outlook of Global Dental Market Segmentation by Type of Services

9.3 Future Outlook of Global Dental Market Segmentation by End Users

9.4 Future Outlook of Global Dental Market Segmentation by Revenue Division

9.5 Future Outlook of Global Dental Market Segmentation by Geography



10. Covid-19 Impact on Global Dental Service Market



11. Analyst Recommendations



12. Research Methodology

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tcyz5y

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ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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DUBLIN, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Electric Fencing Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Type; By Application; By Region; Segment Forecast, 2023-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global electric fencing market size is expected to reach USD 594.08 million by 2032, according to a new study. The report gives a detailed insight into current market dynamics and provides analysis on future market growth.



Growing demand for electric fence systems for security, arable land security, and border-related intrusions are essential drivers of market revenue growth. Electric Fencing is working efficiently at a reasonable cost, thus propelling the market of electric fencing during the forecast period. Recent global disputes like the Russian and Ukrainian wars encourage countries to spend more on border security. India's expenditure on border security is increasing due to India - China border combat.



An electric fence improves farm safety since it prevents unauthorized wild animal entry. It acts as a robust physical barrier to farm security. The market is anticipated to expand as farm owners adopt electric fences to keep wild animals away from their property. The electric fence is the foundation of this surveillance system. A warning is sent to the farmers right away by the monitoring system whenever a wild animal tries to breach the fence.



The need for electric fences is also anticipated to rise as farm owners increasingly utilize them to protect their property from wild animals by creating a wall that prevents incursion. Electric fence market expansion is expected to be fueled by rising demand for a system to secure warehouses, storage facilities, and agricultural operations.



Electric fences are sometimes used to deter suicide attempts on high buildings and to lessen the frequency of graffiti and other small-time crimes. Due to the high crime rates in South Africa, perimeter defenses like electric fences are frequently found around private homes. Palisade fences that are electrified were often employed.

Companies Mentioned

Dare Products

Gallagher

High Tech Pet

Kencove

Mpumalanga

Parker McCrory Mfg

PetSafe

Premier1Supplies

Tru-Test Group and Woodstream

Electric Fencing Market Report Highlights

Permanent fence segment is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR over the forecast period owing to the growing cases of unauthorized border crossings.

In 2022, agriculture segment will have the largest share due to the use of electric fences by landowners to safeguard their crops.

North America will dominate the bulk of global revenue shares due to the growing construction of walls in the United States to increase focus on national security and prevent undocumented immigration into the country.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction

2. Executive Summary



3. Research Methodology



4. Global Electric Fencing Market Insights

4.1. Electric Fencing Market - Industry Snapshot

4.2. Electric Fencing Market Dynamics

4.2.1. Drivers and Opportunities

4.2.1.1. Increase adoption of electric fencing by farm

4.2.1.2. Use of fences for armed violence to seal international borders

4.2.2. Restraints and Challenges

4.2.2.1. High maintenance cost

4.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4. PESTLE Analysis

4.5. Electric Fencing Industry trends

4.6. Value Chain Analysis

4.7. COVID-19 Impact Analysis



5. Global Electric Fencing Market, by Type



6. Global Electric Fencing Market, by Application



7. Global Electric Fencing Market, by Geography



8. Competitive Landscape

8.1. Expansion and Acquisition Analysis

8.1.1. Expansion

8.1.2. Acquisitions

8.2. Partnerships/Collaborations/Agreements/Exhibitions



9. Company Profiles



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ybdwsz

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DUBLIN, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Wound Care Market (by Product Type, Application, Wound Type, Region and Company), Size, Share, Acquisitions, Recent Developments - Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global wound care market is predicted to surpass US$ 30.1 Billion by 2030

The market for wound care products is increasing owing to the growing number of surgical cases, rising geriatric population, and surge in the prevalence of chronic diseases across the globe.

The increasing incidence of diabetes due to the widespread adoption of a sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading factors contributing significantly to the market growth. According to California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA), 15% of people diagnosed with diabetes tend to develop a foot ulcer. Wound care products help treat diabetic foot ulcers, which are prevalent in diabetic patients.



Over the years, wound care product categories have continued to expand with the continuous arrival of new and advanced products. The developments in wound dressings have led to a shift from simple dressings to advanced products and devices that incorporate pharmaceutically active ingredients.

Furthermore, launch of novel therapies such as electromagnetic therapy, electrical stimulation, nanotechnology, and the use of silver and other combination bandages are enhancing the entire market. However, the high cost of advanced wound care products restricts the market growth.

Market Dynamics

Driving Factors

High Patient Pool and Increasing Prevalence of Acute and Chronic Wounds to Drive Global Wound Care Market

Technological Advancement

Rapid Growth in the Geriatric and Obese Population

Increasing Demand for Combination Dressings

Growing Prevalence of Diabetes

Challenges

High Cost of Wound Care Products Impeding Market Growth

Delayed Diagnosis of Chronic Wounds in Emerging Markets Restricts Market Growth

Product Type Key Takeaways

In terms of Product Type, Traditional adhesive dressings lead the global wound care market, followed by the traditional gauze dressings.

Antimicrobial dressings is the third leading segment of the wound care market.

Non-adherent dressings and Foam dressings product segments are competing closely to grab maximum share of the pie.

Hydrocolloids market share is likely to be more or less stable over the forecast period.

Hydrogel dressings captured least share of the global wound care market.

Application Key Takeaways

Moist dressings and wound closure applications together accounted for over 55% share of the global wound care market in 2022.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy is the third leading application of the wound care market, followed by the Pressure Relief segment. The Negative Pressure Wound Therapy segment is expected to record a significant growth due to the introduction of technologically advanced NWT devices by market players.

The bioengineered skin and skin substitutes captured least share of the global wound care market.

Wound Type Key Takeaways

Surgical & traumatic wounds accounted for largest share of the global wound care market, followed by Diabetic foot ulcers.

In the United States , approximately 486,000 burn injuries occur each year that require medical treatment.

, approximately 486,000 burn injuries occur each year that require medical treatment. The global pressure ulcers market is likely to grow at a growth rate of around 6% over the forecast period 2023 - 2030. Increase in geriatric population is a key factor for the rising prevalence of pressure ulcers.

Region Takeaways

United States captured highest share of the global wound care market, followed by the Europe .

captured highest share of the global wound care market, followed by the . Asia Pacific is the most prominent region in the global wound care market. The economies like Australia , India and China within the region are increasing healthcare expenditure and awareness regarding the wound care management.

is the most prominent region in the global wound care market. The economies like , and within the region are increasing healthcare expenditure and awareness regarding the wound care management. Middle East & Africa has the least share in the global wound care market due to the presence of poor economies especially in the African region.

Company Analysis

3M Health Care leads the global wound care market, followed by Smith & Nephew. In October 2019 , 3M completed the acquisition of Acelity Inc. and its KCI subsidiaries.

Health Care leads the global wound care market, followed by Smith & Nephew. In , completed the acquisition of Acelity Inc. and its KCI subsidiaries. Johnson & Johnson wound care sales is continuously declining year on year due to competitive pressures.

Convatec Group continues to see strong demand for AQUACEL product lines, with foam, silver and surgical cover dressing the main drivers of growth.

Company Analysis

Acelity L.P. Inc. (Acquired by 3M )

) Smith & Nephew

Convatec Group

Molnlycke Health Care AB

Coloplast Corp.

Derma Sciences, Inc. (Acquired by Integra LifeSciences)

Scapa Healthcare (Acquired by Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.)

3M Healthcare

Healthcare Hartmann

Johnson & Johnson

Scope of the Report

Global Wound Care Market & Forecast (2015 - 2030)

Global Wound Care Market Share & Forecast (2015 - 2030)

By Product - Global Wound Care Market & Forecast (2015 - 2030)

By Applications - Global Wound Care Market & Forecast (2015 - 2030)

By Wound Type - Global Wound Care Market & Forecast (2015 - 2030)

By Region - Global Wound Care Market & Forecast (2015 - 2030)

Wound Care Market - Company Analysis, Wound Care Revenue, Recent Developments

Global Wound Care Market - Major Deals

Global Wound Care Market - Recent Developments

Global Wound Care Market - Driving Factors & Challenges

By Product Type

Traditional Gauze Dressings

Non-Adherent Dressings

Film Dressings

Foam Dressings

Hydrogel Dressings

Hydrocolloid

Alginate Dressings

Antimicrobial Dressings

Wound Care Growth Factors

Others

By Application

Wound Closure

Moist Dressings

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Bioengineered Skin and Skin Substitutes

Pressure Relief

Miscellaneous Wound Management

By Wound Type

Surgical & Traumatic wounds

Burns

Diabetic foot ulcers

Pressure ulcers

Venous leg ulcers

Others

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xktpk2

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ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

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SOURCE Research and Markets
TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V): GRG

Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE): G6A

OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB): GARWF

VANCOUVER, BC, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Golden Arrow Resources Corporation (TSXV: GRG) (FSE: G6A) (OTCQB: GARWF), ("Golden Arrow" or the "Company") announces that it has granted 6,950,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company. The Options are set for a period of five years, expiring on July 13, 2028, and each Option will allow the holder to purchase a common share of the Company at a price of $0.10. The Options are subject to a 4 month hold period from the date of grant and to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

About Golden Arrow :

Golden Arrow Resources Corporation is a mining exploration company with a successful track record of creating value by making precious and base metal discoveries and advancing them into exceptional deposits. The Company is well leveraged to the price of gold, having monetized its Chinchillas silver discovery into a significant holding in precious metals producer SSR Mining Inc.

Golden Arrow is actively exploring the advanced San Pietro Cu-Au-Co project in Chile, and a portfolio that includes more than 180,000 hectares of prospective properties in Argentina.

The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Joseph Grosso"

_______________________________

Mr. Joseph Grosso,

Executive Chairman, President and CEO

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.

SOURCE Golden Arrow Resources Corporation
NANJING, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The ninth episode of the "Jiangsu Culture" series micro-documentary, produced by the Information Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, has been released. This episode focuses on the Guqin, which is considered the most representative solo instrument in China. Together with calligraphy, painting, poetry, and literature, the Guqin serves as a carrier of traditional Chinese culture, narrating the brilliance and legends of Chinese culture throughout its 3,000-year history.

Guqin, the ninth episode of the "Jiangsu Culture" series micro-documentary (PRNewsfoto/The Information Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government)

The documentary consists of three chapters: "Making Guqin", "Temperament", and "Aesthetic Conception", taking viewers to the heritage sites of the Guqin in Zhenjiang and Nantong. It introduces the elegant and melodic tunes, the intricate and exquisite playing techniques, and the unique notation system of the Guqin art. Following the sound of the instrument, the documentary reveals the refined and fascinating aspects of life hidden amidst the bustling city.

Guqin comes from nature and connects the player with nature. Its 7 strings harmonize with each other, the sound is pleasant to the ear; it brings together people in a common devotion to music, playing as a bridge between the past and the present.

The ancient method of making guqin is complicated, resulting in a long production cycle, a guqin maker needs to master the basics of art and carpentry. It takes at least seven hundred days and nights to make a fine guqin.

Guqin, with its own seven strings, plays the most amazing sound in the world. Because of guqin's unique shorthand tablature, the same music played by different people, thus producing diverse artistic effects. Playing the guqin well, requires skill, and more importantly, perception. This sets high requirements for the guqin player's artistic accomplishment and playing skills.

Some classic guqin songs, need players to immerse themselves in the scenes portrayed by the music, in this way, the essence of the song can be expressed. Guqin has been the standard for literati. Guqin has been the standard for literati, guqin exchange at the gathering, is a tacit understanding between bosom friends. Through three thousand years, guqin is still alive and shines, from the ancient land of China, its music flows to the world, and lasts forever.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=441531

Caption: Guqin, the ninth episode of the "Jiangsu Culture" series micro-documentary

SOURCE The Information Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government
SHIROKIMONO = Sake + Art Innovation

NIIGATA, Japan, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nozomi Japan Inc. is expanding its business to the world and will hold reception tasting events in the U.S. and France for their fermentation + art themed high brand sake "SHIROKIMONO".

Sparkling sake, SHIROKIMONO IWAU 2023

Nozomi Japan started selling their sake in 2022 on the closed market for their V.I.P. clients. Their sparkling sake "IWAU", which gained a good reputation among Michelin chefs and sommeliers, became a hot topic due to its luxurious aroma and sourness created by a unique recipe which uses plenty of citric koji, allowing you to experience a new world of sake that you have never experienced before. You can enjoy it as aperitif, or you can also drink it with your meals. It pairs well with a wide range of cuisines such as Japanese, French, Chinese, and so on.

SHIROKIMONO Sake is made at a sake brewery with 475 years of history, using carefully selected water, rice, and microorganisms such as koji and yeast. Nozomi Japan consider the taste created by these elements to be an art, and they collaborate with world-famous artists and pair it with paintings.

SHIROKIMONO Sake is available at restaurants listed below.

Restaurants serve SHIROKIMONO

Gion Matayoshi - Kyoto

MAZ - Tokyo

MOTOI - Kyoto

Centara Grand Hotel - Osak a

Sushi Takehan Wakatsuki - Tokyo

Asada - Tokyo

S ushi Tanpei - Osaka

Hachimenroppi - Niigata

Kyoshotei - Tokyo

and more.

SHIROKIMONO Sake is also available at other famous restaurants such as a major luxurious hotel and Teppanyaki restaurant in Ginza, but it is limited to selected restaurants*.

Reception events details:

Tasting events for their SHIROKIMONO sparkling sake, IWAU 2023, will be held at locations below.

France

A tasting event with a world-famous sommelier.

Date: July 20th, 2023

Time: 4p.m. - 6p.m.

Location: Kinase, Paris

URL: https://www.kinase-boutique.com/

Languages: French, Japanese, English

Remarks: Reservation needed.

U.S.

Events will be held in NYC and LA on an irregular basis. Please contact for the details.

About SHIROKIMONO

Fermentation, the oldest biotechnology process, is an art created by nature. SHIROKIMONO is sold not only in Japan but also elsewhere in the world to share the concept of combining fermentation + art.

The exclusive sake brewer introduced a fabless style sake brewery system to create the sake he wants. It is a unique method to brew an unparalleled sake and create its taste using yeast that grows in a sake brewery with a long history.

Sparkling Sake "IWAU" has become a hot topic among young wealthy people due to its champagne-like flavours, and it is used for celebrations such as weddings and parties. Nozomi Japan is expected to announce a new collaborative product with world-famous artists this year (2023).

Website: https://www.shirokimono.jp/en

*It is only available at selected restaurants in 2023 and there will be no general release.

Contact Information:

Saaya Matsukubo

Nozomi Japan Inc.

Business Operations Coordinator

[email protected]

SOURCE Nozomi Japan Inc.
DUBLIN, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Strategic Insights into Innovation in Automotive Product Development report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

A surge in technical developments is fueling change in the automotive sector. This growth opportunity analytics investigates cutting-edge technologies revolutionizing the industry. Digital drivers, such as AI-generative design, quantum simulation, mixed reality, digital twins, virtual prototyping, smart factories, virtual workspaces, and machine vision systems are speeding up automotive product development, reducing time and costs, and promoting sustainability.

This analysis investigates how AI-generative design enables designers and engineers to produce optimized automobile components while reducing multiple design iterations. The impact of quantum simulation is analyzed, showcasing its ability to simulate and optimize critical aspects, such as chemical reactions, material properties, and aerodynamics, ultimately leading to the development of more efficient engines, batteries, and lightweight materials. It explores mixed reality's disruptive potential, demonstrating how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) enable quick design iteration and worldwide collaboration, and deep dives into the influence of smart factories and virtual workspaces on automotive production, highlighting how these developments improve efficiency, productivity, and collaboration.

This comprehensive analysis covers the impact, timeline, and major outcomes achieved through the implementation of digital drivers in automotive product development. In conclusion, it offers a profound understanding of the transformative innovations taking place in the automotive industry. By harnessing the power of digital drivers, automotive OEMs have been able to revolutionize their product development processes.

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:

Autodesk AI

BMW

ESTECO Engineering

Ford

General Motors

Hyundai

Key Topics Covered

1. Strategic Imperatives

Why Is It Increasingly Difficult to Grow?

The Strategic Imperative 8

The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on Innovation in Automotive Product Development

Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine

2. Growth Opportunity Analysis

Scope of Analysis

Growth Drivers

Growth Restraints

3. Growth Environment

Select OEM's Product Development Innovation Activities

Technology Application Timeline

Sustainable Product Development Areas

Technology Landscape Analysis Across Automotive Product Development Phases

Select Examples of Generative Design

Automotive OEMs Exploring Quantum Simulation

Mixed Reality Tools and their Application Areas in Automotive

Virtual Prototyping Software Provider Capabilities

Machine Vision Systems: OEM Initiatives

4. Automotive Product Development Overview

Innovation in Automotive Product Development: An Overview

Product Development Areas and Key Digital Technologies

Transformation in Product Development: Present to Future

Existing Challenges in Automotive Product Development

Addressing Challenges in Product Development

Product Development Innovation Activities of Select OEMs

5. Innovation in the Automotive Design Phase

Innovation In Automotive Design

AI-enabled Generative Design

Ten Application Areas of AI-generative Design in Automotive Industry

Examples of Generative Design

AI-generative Design: Select Software Providers

General Motors & Autodesk AI-generative Design Partnership

Quantum Simulation

Automotive OEMs Exploring Quantum Simulation

ModeFRONTIER: ESTECO Engineering

Methods to Receive Customer Input for Vehicle Design

Biomimicry-based Automotive Design

Mixed Reality for Virtual Product Design

Mixed Reality Tools and their Application Areas in Automotive

BMW Case Study of Mixed Reality for Product Design

Hyundai in Metaverse Applications

Digital Twins (DT) in Product Development

Select Partnerships in Digital Twins Related to Product Development

Innovation in Product Design: Key Takeaways

6. Innovation in Automotive Prototyping Phase

Innovation in Prototyping

Virtual Prototyping in Automotive Design

Trends in Virtual Prototyping in Automotive Design

Virtual Prototyping Software Provider Capabilities

3D Printing for Vehicle Prototype

Select OEMs Leveraging 3D Printing for Prototype Development

Innovation in Prototyping: Key Takeaways

7. Innovation in Manufacturing Phase

Innovation in Manufacturing Segmentation

Machine Vision Systems

Machine Vision Systems: OEM Initiatives

Virtual Workspaces

Virtual Workspaces: OEM Initiatives

Virtual Workspaces Case Study: Ford

Growth of Smart Factories

Lights-out Manufacturing

Innovation In Manufacturing: Key Takeaways

8. Analysis of Product Development Innovation

Automotive Product Development Categorization

Technology Application Timeline

Sustainable Product Development Areas

Technology Landscape Analysis Across Automotive Product Development Phases

Future Scenario Analysis of the Effect of Innovation on the Automotive Value Chain

9. Growth Opportunity Universe

Growth Opportunity 1: Higher Customer Participation

Growth Opportunity 2: Accelerated New Product Development

Growth Opportunity 3: Virtual Tools for Prototype Development

10. List of Exhibits

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7aljfy

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

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SOURCE Research and Markets
NANJING, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rebecca, the masterpiece of director Alfred Hitchcock tells the illusory and mysterious life story of a woman. It mirrors the traditional Chinese story of "Zhuang Zhou tests his wife". The classic Kunqu Opera the Butterfly Dream produced by Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Co., Ltd. and innovatively performed by Jiangsu Kunqu Opera Theater was staged at Zijin Grand Theatre in June. The new rendition of the classic piece which tells the story of Zhuang Zhou, an ancient Chinese philosopher and Taoist master who doubts his wife's loyalty and tries to test her love for him has enthralled the audience.

The classic Kunqu Opera the Butterfly Dream

As a rare light comedy of Kunqu Opera on the contemporary stage, it combines both banter in the classical theater and the absurdity in contemporary aesthetic expression. It makes a new interpretation of the traditional plot that Zhuang Zhou tests his wife, and his wife splits the coffin and awaken him from dreams.

Director Xu Chunlan said that the Butterfly Dream after adaptation is a romantic fantasy. Following the artistic patterns of Kunqu Opera, the creators have innovated performance methods, stage design and music design from multiple perspectives, and integrated modern aesthetic spirit, so that it shows strong characteristics of the times in terms of aesthetic sentiments.

Young Kunqu Opera artists have also developed new interpretations of traditional themes. As the heroine of this play, Tian is no longer the same as she was in the past. The character has undergone subversive changes, from a "testee" to an active "tester". In traditional plays, Zhuang Zhou and Chu Wangsun are played by one person, but in this version, they are played by two people, which puts forward higher requirements for the actors. During the performance, the five artists worked together appropriately, showing their own unique charm and interpreting the characters vividly.

Inheriting the aesthetic characteristics of traditional Kunqu Opera, the adaptation of the Butterfly Dream has carried out creative transformation and innovative development, highlighting life philosophy through a love episode. Therefore, the audience can naturally think more deeply after laughing, and the traditional play also shines with new brilliance.

Art transcends borders. Follow the Facebook and YouTube accounts of "China Culture & Art" to appreciate the innovative expression of traditional Chinese culture online.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=441538

Caption: The classic Kunqu Opera the Butterfly Dream

SOURCE Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Co., Ltd.
ATHENS, Ga., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Landmark Properties, a fully integrated real estate firm specializing in the development, construction, investment management, and operation of high-quality residential communities, has acquired The Lodges at 777, in Baton Rouge, LA. The Lodges at 777 is Landmark's second acquisition in Baton Rouge and adds 1290 beds and 382 total units to the growing Landmark portfolio.

Landmark Properties acquires The Lodges at 777, in Baton Rouge, LA. The Lodges at 777 is Landmarks second acquisition in Baton Rouge and adds 1290 beds and 382 total units to the growing Landmark portfolio.

Constructed in 2011, The Lodges at 777 is currently 100% preleased for the fall 2023 term and is a top choice for LSU students who are looking to live close to campus in a cottage-style product with more living space and top-tier amenities.

"We're excited to add The Lodges at 777 to the Landmark portfolio," said Wes Rogers, Landmark's President and CEO. "Thanks to the hard work of our acquisitions and investment team in a difficult environment, Landmark is still acquiring attractive student properties at top-tier universities across the country."

The Lodges at 777 offers many resident amenities including a resort-style swimming pool with poolside cabanas, a two-story clubhouse with gaming areas and areas for studying, and a large fitness center including Fitness-On-Demand and a Yoga Studio. The community's units feature contemporary furnishings, granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances. These top-of-the-line features and amenities allow the property to stand out from other student focused assets in the area.

About Landmark Properties

Headquartered in Athens, Ga., with an office in Atlanta, Landmark Properties is a fully integrated real estate firm, specializing in the acquisition, development, and management of high-quality residential communities. With more than $11.8 billion in assets under management, Landmark's portfolio includes over 100 residential communities across the country with nearly 65,000 beds under management. Additionally, Landmark benefits from an active development pipeline with 22 student and multifamily projects under construction with an estimated value at $4.7 billion. Landmark's mission is to be the leader in development, construction, operations, and investment management of high-quality residential communities, delivering unrivaled service and experience to our residents, partners, and employees. For more information, visit www.landmarkproperties.com .

SOURCE Landmark Properties
New Law Bans Mandatory Captive Audience Meetings

AUGUSTA, Maine, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 340 is commending the signing of the Employee Free Speech Act (LD 1756) into state law by Maine Gov. Janet Mills. The legislation bans mandatory attendance at "captive audience" meetings  employer-held, closed-door gatherings where workers are forced under threat of termination to listen to lies and propaganda designed to dissuade them from organizing.

"We are grateful to State Senator Matthea Daughtry and State Representative Kristen Cloutier for sponsoring this bill, to all the state legislators that voted in favor of the bill, and to Gov. Mills for signing it into law," said Brett Miller, President of Local 340. "Captive audience meetings deploy the same fear and intimidation tactics used by authoritarian governments. We are thrilled that workers across the state can no longer be forced to listen to anti-union rhetoric in the workplace."

"Workers have the right to organize without being subject to intimidation from their employers," said Thomas G. Mari, Secretary-Treasurer of Joint Council 10 and President of Local 25. "States like Maine are leading the way in enacting pro-worker laws like banning mandatory attendance at captive audience meetings. This much-needed legislation protects workers' right to skip out on employer led anti-union propaganda sessions and return to their regular work duties."

Similar legislation has been enacted into law in Oregon, Minnesota, and Connecticut. In New York, a ban on mandatory captive audience meetings is awaiting approval from Gov. Kathy Hochul and in California, the same ban has made it out of Committee in the State Assembly and is awaiting a floor vote.

Chartered in 1937, Teamsters Local 340 represents nearly 4,000 members in bargaining units across the state of Maine, including municipal employees, police, firefighters, and freight workers. For more information, visit teamsterslocal340.org.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 340
Saigon weekend: what to do and where to go

Discover the weekend's excitement in Saigon with a variety of events and activities, including wine tastings, culinary delights, live music, art exhibitions, and pet adoption.

Saigon wine fest 2023

The Saigon Wine Fest 2023 offers a celebration centered around wine, where attendees can indulge in wine samples, explore various wine styles, and even make purchases of glasses and bottles to take home. Alongside the wine, attendees can also savor delectable food pairings such as cheese, cold cuts, and French cuisine. The festival will feature live music, games and other interactive activities suitable for the whole family.

"Saigon wine fest 2023" poster. Photo courtesy of Saigon Outcast

The Saigon Wine Fest 2023 is scheduled to take place on July 15, from noon to 10 p.m. The event will be held at Saigon Outcast, located at 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2. Entrance ticket is VND50,000 ($2) per person. Children can attend the event free of charge.

A journey to Osaka

Saigon Kitchen, a restaurant in Hotel des Arts Saigon, invites guests to a culinary journey to Osaka. The restaurant showcases Japanese dishes prepared by guest chefs Matsuda and Yamashita from Swissotel Nankai Osaka, who demonstrate their skills and creativity.

In addition to indulging in the cuisine, guests have the opportunity to explore the traditional art of origami with artist Lien Quoc Dat, who guides them in creating beautiful shapes and designs.

"A journey to Osaka" poster. Photo courtesy of Hotel des Arts Saigon - MGallery

The event features two menus for guests to choose, including the Chic Buffet Lunch and Seafood Buffet Dinner. The Chic Buffet Lunch, available from July 13 to 16, is priced at VND728,000 ($30) per person, including tea and coffee. The Seafood Buffet Dinner, available from July 13 to 15, is priced at VND1,588,000 per person, including free-flow Sapporo and Sake, as well as tea and coffee.

The event will take place from July 13 to 16, at Saigon Kitchen. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor of Hotel des Arts Saigon, at 76 - 78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3.

Expansions: a night of live funk, jazz, & fusion

Soma Saigon welcomes attendees to an evening filled with funk and jazz music, featuring two bands: the V-Funk Allstars and M(_Y_)A. The V-Funk Allstars brings a blend of funk and jazz, creating a distinctive sound.

"Expansions" poster. Photo courtesy of Soma Saigon

With uplifting melodies, they captivate audiences with both classic and modern funk tunes. M(_Y_)A offers a mix of funk and jazz vibes. Their music has an energy that entices listeners to hit the dance floor. The event will be supported by Stav, a British DJ, who will play a selection of funk and deep soul, all from vinyl.

The event will happen from 8 p.m. until late on July 15 at Soma Saigon, at 6 Le Van Mien Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2. Visitors have the option to purchase an early-bird ticket for VND100,000. Alternatively, tickets will be available at the door for VND150,000.

Open art studio & concert

UOB (United Overseas Bank) presents the UOB Painting of the Year Art Competition & Celebration, a series of exciting activities for art lovers in Vietnam. The UOB Painting of the Year is an annual art competition that started in Singapore in 1982 and has expanded to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The competition aims to discover and support artists from Southeast Asia and to promote art appreciation in the region.

The main event of the celebration is the open art studio, which will take place this Sunday, featuring a community painting session, a talk show and a mini concert. The event is free and open to everyone who loves art. The event also includes the Traveling Art Studio workshops, which will help visitors explore their passions for art through different art materials.

UOB painting of the year art competition & celebration will take place on July 16 at The Ants Studio, located at No. 3, Dong Tay 1 Street, An Phu Ward, District 2.

Paws to park

All About Dogs and Laws For Paws Vietnam are teaming up to host a Paws To Park event, a charity dog walk and adoption day event that aims to help dogs in need.

Attendees are invited to join this event with their furry friends and meet other dog lovers. Attendees will also have the chance to adopt a dog from the event and give them a loving home.

"Paws to park" poster. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Homfray

The event will be held on July 15, at All About Dogs D2, at 15 Nguyen Duy Hieu, Thao Dien Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. The dog walk will start at 8 a.m. and end at 9 a.m. The adoption session will follow and last until 11 a.m. Additionally, there will be a mini market with food, drinks, and other items.

To join the dog walk event, participants must register and pay a participation fee. The fees are VND75,000 ($3.15) for one dog, VND130,000 for two dogs, and VND190,000 for three dogs or more. Proceeds from the event will support Laws For Paws Vietnam, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding new homes for abandoned, abused, or medically in-need dogs.
VANCOUVER, BC, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - MANTARO PRECIOUS METALS CORP. (TSXV: MNTR) (OTCQB: MSLVF) (FSE: 9TZ) ("Mantaro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a Mineral Resource Estimate ("Mineral Resource Estimate") for its Golden Hill Property ("Golden Hill"), Bolivia. The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E") on behalf of the Company.

Highlights:

Figure 1: Plainview map showing 2022 drill holes at La Escarcha and Gabby with highlight intercepts. (CNW Group/Mantaro Precious Metals Corp.) Figure 2: Plainview map showing the area included in the maiden Mineral Resource, location of 2022 drill holes (black line, blue-collar) and Mineral Resource expansion potential to the south. (CNW Group/Mantaro Precious Metals Corp.)

Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 857,000 tonnes at 4.4 g/t gold for 121,000 ounces of gold at a 1.5 g/t gold cut-off.

Estimate is based on 14 diamond drill holes totaling 2,405m equivalent to an Inferred Mineral Resource of 50.21 ounces of gold for every metre drilled.

Mineral Resource Estimate covers a strike length of only 400 m from surface to a vertical depth generally less than 90 m  a small portion of the exploration footprint of Golden Hill.

Significant exploration potential at depth and across over +6 km of untested vein swarms at Golden Hill.

As a permitted mining concession, the Company has mining and development optionality and is planning to commence a Preliminary Economic Assessment.

Darren Hazelwood, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, states "We are incredibly pleased to have defined a maiden high-grade gold Mineral Resource Estimate at Golden Hill. Since optioning Golden Hill in August 2021, our technical team completed a very successful diamond drill program, received excellent recovery results from metallurgical testwork and carried out a petrographic study confirming high-grade primary gold deposition that is not a result of supergene enrichment. The Mineral Resource Estimate is open in all directions and represents an important first benchmark that allows Mantaro shareholders and other stakeholders to realize the current production potential and exceptional exploration upside of Golden Hill."

Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate

Gold mineralization at Golden Hill is of an orogenic or greenstone-hosted style. This style of mineralization has been a major source of the world's gold production over the last 100+ years as illustrated by prolific production from such deposits in the Abitibi of Canada, the West Africa Shield and Western Australia. A common theme links orogenic deposits: multiple large deposits form along crustal-scale to regionally extensive gold mineralized structures. Individual deposits typically comprise multiple high-grade shoots within a lower grade gold mineralized envelope, that extend over several kilometres of strike to depths that often exceed +1000 metres.

Mantaro completed 3,010 m of angled diamond drilling, of which 14 drill holes totaling 2,405 m focused on the near surface depth extension of mineralization in La Escarcha open pit to depths of generally less than 90 vertical metres. The maiden Mineral Resource Estimate is hosted within several closely-spaced, sub-vertical to vertical, gold-mineralized shear zones with true widths of up to 13 m.

Mineralization at La Escarcha is open in all directions and Mantaro has a number of high reward relatively shallow step-back and step-out drill holes around the Mineral Resource Estimate. The deep potential at La Escarcha is also highly prospective, there are multiple quartz vein targets hosted along the main controlling structure that are yet to be drill tested, and an additional 6 kilometres of the regional structure shedding alluvial gold that is yet to be mapped and sampled.

Dr. Christopher Wilson, Ph.D., FAusIMM (CP), FSEG, FGS, principal consultant to the Company comments, "That Mantaro was able to define a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate after only 2,405 m of angled diamond drilling, is a testament to the technical teams understanding of the mineralized system and deposit, their ability to generate high reward near-surface drill targets and the exceptional caliber of the deposit  all of which contributed to the maiden drill success. Significantly, with true widths of up to 13 m and near surface nature of sub-vertical to vertical mineralized lodes, demonstrated metallurgy, and the fact that Golden Hill is a permitted mining concession with immediate optionality  underscores that the Mineral Resource Estimate is based on a robust cut-off grade of 1.5 g/t Au. It is also worth noting that at a higher cut-off of 2.0 g/t Au, the inferred mineral resource estimate only decreases by approximately 4000 ounces to 117,000 at 4.71 g/t Au, further underscoring the robust nature of the mineral resource estimate and style of mineralization at La Escarcha."

Table 1: Mineral Resource Estimate Summary

Cut-Off

(g/t) Resource Category Tonnes



Grade

(g/t) Ounces

(Gold) 2.00 Inferred 771,000 4.71 117,000 1.90 Inferred 783,000 4.66 117,000 1.80 Inferred 795,000 4.62 118,000 1.70 Inferred 808,000 4.58 119,000 1.60 Inferred 827,000 4.51 120,000 1.50 Inferred(1-5) 857,000 4.40 121,000 1.40 Inferred 891,000 4.29 122,000 1.30 Inferred 985,000 4.01 127,000 1.20 Inferred 1,061,000 3.81 130,000

Notes:

(1) Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. (2) The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental permitting, legal title, taxation, socio-

political, marketing or other relevant issues. (3) Resources are classified according to Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition

Standards (2014) and CIM Best Practices (2019); (4) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral

Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred

Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration. (5) The Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate uses a cut-off of 1.5 g/t gold based on US$1,800/oz Au, 95% process recovery

along with US$/tonne costs of $50 mining, $25 processing and $7 G&A.

The Company will file the National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report that supports the disclosure of the Mineral Resource Estimate within 45 days of this news release.

Golden Hill: Key Benchmarks

The Golden Hill property is a fully permitted 5,976 hectare mining concession. Gold mineralization is of an orogenic or greenstone-hosted type, controlled by a regional structure that hosts at least six other gold deposits along a 25 km strike length, which have all been mined by open pit to shallow levels.

Since the Company's option of Golden Hill in August 2021, it has acquired remote sensing data as a foundation for geological and structural mapping, completed a focused geochemical sampling program for input into drill targeting, collected a 10 tonne underground bulk sample for metallurgical testing, and completed a detailed petrographic study to assist with deposit modelling, drill targeting and input to process metallurgy.

As the initial step, the Company took a 10 tonne bulk sample from the -45 m level of the C3 vein at La Escarcha providing a 170 kg sub-sample which was sent to SGS Lakefield (Canada) for metallurgical testwork. Testwork confirmed a head grade of 5.53 g/t gold by 50 g fire assay and 5.96 g/t gold by cyanide leach bottle roll, and demonstrated that unoptimized recoveries of 73.6 % gold are achievable by gravity separation and 94 % gold by cyanidation. These results provided insight into gold grade and distribution at La Escarcha ahead of the maiden diamond drill program. See news release dated December 2, 2021 for complete results from of the metallurgical testwork.

In 2022, the Company completed the next phase of its targeted approach with a maiden 21 hole diamond drill program totaling 3,010 m at Golden Hill, of which 14 drill holes totaling 2,405m were drilled at La Escarcha. Results from the maiden program at La Escarcha included:

3.57 g/t gold over 14.00 m (including 4.91 g/t gold over 8.80 m ) from 105.0 m in GH0005.

8.27 g/t gold over 3.40 m (including 11.82 g/t gold over 2.02 m ) from 67.60 m in GH0005.

7.57 g/t gold over 5.00 m (including 10.16 g/t gold over 3.66 m ) from 87.00 m in GH0005.

2.70 g/t gold over 15.02 m (including 8.47 g/t gold over 3.10 m ) from 64.53 m in GH0008.

6.46 g/t gold over 4.0 m (including 12.73 g/t gold over 2.00 m ) from 76.00 m in GH0006.

See news release dated January 12, 2023 for complete results from the maiden drill program.

The maiden drill program demonstrated the presence of high-grade gold mineralized shoots within broader gold mineralized halos which define gold mineralized shear zones  typical of peer group deposits worldwide. Figure 1 sets out the results of the diamond drill program at La Escarcha and Gabby.

As a final step in the Company's initial exploration plan, a detailed petrographic study was carried out on the drill core. The petrographic study noted the absence of near-surface supergene enrichment and confirmed the gold grades are primary or hypogene.

Dr Wilson comments, "understanding that gold grades intercepted in the maiden drill program are primary or hypogene in nature, allows the technical team to confidently plan high-reward step-back holes to target the immediate depth extensions of the maiden Mineral Resource at La Escarcha. It also bodes extremely well for much deeper exploration (>500 vertical metres) in the future. Petrology has demonstrated that gold mineralization is similar to peer systems worldwide".

Exploration Potential and Upcoming Programs at Golden Hill

Mantaro allocated 14 drill holes of the 21 hole 3,010 m maiden diamond drill program to test a small "panel" beneath the La Escarcha open pit. Drill holes were completed in a series of "fences" over a strike length of only 400 m to vertical depths of generally less than 90 m. Mineralization is open in all directions at La Escarcha and the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate is proof of concept. In addition there are multiple high reward targets beneath surface quartz veins and a larger untested regional trend. Specifically:

High reward step-back and step-out drilling around the maiden resource at La Escarcha is a priority. Mantaro is presently designing a 5,000 m Phase 2 angled diamond drill program to test the along strike extension and deeper extension of mineralization to depths of approximately 300 m vertical. The depth potential below 300 m is extremely robust and will be the focus of subsequent drill programs.





Phase 2 angled diamond drill program to test the along strike extension and deeper extension of mineralization to depths of approximately vertical. The depth potential below is extremely robust and will be the focus of subsequent drill programs. Five scout diamond drill holes were completed at Gabby (for 473 m). Gabby is located approximately 500 m to the south of La Escarcha and is characterized by a number of gold-bearing quartz veins in outcrop. The veins extend a further two kilometres to the brownfield target (Figure 2) where one drill hole was completed. There are over two kilometres of auriferous quartz veins approximately 500 m to the west of La Escarcha and Gabby which have only been tested by a single shallow drill hole. The exploration potential of Gabby, Brownfields and Westfield is extremely robust and warrants significant further drilling.





to the south of La Escarcha and is characterized by a number of gold-bearing quartz veins in outcrop. The veins extend a further two kilometres to the brownfield target (Figure 2) where one drill hole was completed. There are over two kilometres of auriferous quartz veins approximately to the west of La Escarcha and Gabby which have only been tested by a single shallow drill hole. The exploration potential of Gabby, Brownfields and is extremely robust and warrants significant further drilling. In addition to the known prospects, there are over 6 km of unmapped regional structures that have shed alluvial gold into drainages either side. Significantly, the main controlling structure runs northwards from La Escarcha, before hosting the Puqui Norte deposit one km to the north of the concession boundary. The exploration potential of this structure is robust and will be the near-term focus of mapping and sampling by Mantaro.

Since Golden Hill is a permitted mining concession, the Company is able to commence these activities without the need of further permits.

Mining Optionality and Preliminary Economic Assessment

The maiden Mineral Resource Estimate at La Escarcha has provided a foundational framework on which to scope mining optionality through the commencement of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"). Mantaro will provide an update on its plans for a PEA in due course. Significantly, a number of input parameters for a PEA have already been completed.

The Company has data from previous underground mining for input into geotechnical and hydrological studies; bench-scale metallurgy has been completed on a meaningful underground bulk sample and demonstrates robust metallurgical recoveries and optionality of flow path; petrology has defined the physical characteristics and deportment of native gold and confirms it amenability to both gravity and cyanide recovery; petrology has demonstrated that deleterious minerals are not an issue, that the system is overall sulphide poor and that abundant carbonate minerals in waste rock are acid neutralizing.

The fact that Golden Hill is a permitted mining concession will significantly shorten the timeline to completion of a PEA.

Mineral Resource Estimate Assumptions

The Mineral Resource Estimate was generated using inverse distance cubed for gold for grade interpolation within a 3-D model, constrained by mineralized zones defined by wireframes solid models. The bulk density values used in the Mineral Resource Estimate were derived from a regression equation based on data measured from samples collected from re-assayed drill core completed by the Company.

The database for the Mineral Resource Estimate consisted of 14 drill holes totaling 2,405m.

Qualified Person

The contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Chris Wilson, B.Sc. (Hons), PhD, FAusIMM (CP), FSEG, a geological consultant of Mantaro, and by Eugene Puritch, P.Eng, FEC, CET, President of P&E Mining Consultants Inc., who is independent of the Company. Dr. Wilson and Mr. Puritch are Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101. Dr. Wilson is the Qualified Person for all technical information in this news release, excluding the Mineral Resource Estimate.

About Mantaro Precious Metals Corp.

Mantaro Precious Metals Corp. is a British Columbia company that holds a diversified portfolio of gold and silver focused mineral properties in Bolivia and Peru. The Company holds an option to acquire up to an 80% interest in the advanced Golden Hill orogenic gold property ("Golden Hill"), located in the underexplored Precambrian Shield, Bolivia. Mantaro announced an Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate at Golden Hill of 857,000 tonnes at 4.4 g/t gold for 121,000 ounces of gold at a 1.5 g/t gold cut-off.

In Peru, the Company has a 100% interest in the high-grade Santas Gloria silver property.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Company's limited operating history, the requirement to raise additional financing to meet its obligations under its option agreement to acquire the Golden Hill Property and commence additional drilling activities and a preliminary economic assessment at Golden Hill, the success of future exploration and drilling activities at the Golden Hill Property and Santas Gloria Property, and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service 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 Mantaro Precious Metals Corp.
CALGARY, Alberta, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After an extensive four-month search, AVAC Group's Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Martin Vetter as Chief Executive Officer. This appointment is an important milestone in AVAC's continued growth as a venture capital company.

Martin Vetter

Martin joined AVAC in 2008 after 20 years of new product commercialization experience at high-growth tech companies. During his 14 years with AVAC, Martin led many successful investments across AVAC's technology and AgTech portfolio, gaining an extensive understanding of all aspects of venture capital. He currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of seven companies.

Since 2019, Martin has led AVAC's Carrot Ventures initiative. Carrot is a venture studio dedicated to forming new Canadian AgTech companies. In 2021, AVAC and Farm Credit Canada invested as limited partners in Carrot Ventures Fund I, L.P., a $15M AgTech fund managed by AVAC.

Susterre Technologies Inc. and Cellar Insights Inc. are the first two companies formed by Carrot.

Martin earned a B.Eng from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MBA from the University of Calgary. He recently completed the Private Capital Governance Program offered by the CVCA in partnership with the ICD.

About AVAC Group

AVAC is a Canadian venture capital company which applies its knowledge, network, and capital to advance the commercialization of technology to achieve a sustainable world.

Carrot Ventures is AVAC's primary mechanism for achieving this goal. Carrot forms and funds new companies across the entire AgTech value chain. AVAC is also an active limited partner in select Canadian and U.S. venture capital funds.

For information visit: https://avacgrp.com/

Media Contact:

Alfred Sailer, Board Chair of AVAC

[email protected]

(587)226-6812

SOURCE AVAC Group
INDIANAPOLIS, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tickets for Farm Aid's annual music and food festival will go on sale tomorrow, Saturday, July 15, at 10 a.m. ET. Ticket pre-sales sold out fast earlier this week, so expectations are that the general on-sale tickets will go quickly as well.

Prices range from $75 to $315 and will be available for purchase at LiveNation.com. This year's festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana.

Farm Aid 2023  a full day of music, family farmers, HOMEGROWN food and agrarian experiences  will feature performances by Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, as well as Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson, Allison Russell, The String Cheese Incident, and Particle Kid.

This is the third Farm Aid concert that has taken place in Indiana, and the second in Noblesville. Farm Aid IV took place at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis in 1990, and Farm Aid 2001: A Concert for America was held in Noblesville just weeks after the terrorist attacks of 2001.

For event updates, follow Farm Aid on Twitter (@FarmAid), Facebook (facebook.com/farmaid) and Instagram (instagram.com/farmaid), and visit farmaid.org/festival. Festivalgoers are encouraged to use the hashtags #FarmAid2023 and #Road2FarmAid to join the conversation on social media around this year's festival.

Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 35 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $70 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

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**Editors, Producers and Photographers Note: Advance credentials are required for all media to attend Farm Aid 2023. Please visit farmaid.org/media by Monday, Sept. 4, to learn about these requirements and apply.

Media can download official Farm Aid photos and videos at farmaid.org/media .

SOURCE Farm Aid
Medicxi co-led Company's US$70 million Series A less than 2 years ago

Third Medicxi portfolio exit to US biopharma in last 12 months

LONDON, GENEVA and JERSEY, British Isles, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicxi, a leading European life sciences investment firm, announces that its portfolio company, Versanis Bio, a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new medicines for the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY). Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to customary conditions, Versanis shareholders would receive up to $1.925 billion USD in cash, inclusive of an upfront payment and subsequent payments upon achievement of certain development and sales milestones.

Versanis was founded in 2021 by biotech investment firm Aditum Bio to develop bimagrumab for the treatment of metabolic diseases and obesity following its in-licensing from Novartis. Medicxi invested in the company in August 2021 when it co-led a $70 million Series A financing with Atlas Venture. Nick Williams, Partner at Medicxi, led the investment and is a member of the Versanis Board of Directors.

Versanis' lead asset is bimagrumab, a first-in-class, fully human monoclonal antibody to activin type II receptors that blocks binding of ligands including myostatin, activins, and GDF11. Bimagrumab is currently being assessed in the BELIEVE Phase 2b study alone or in combination with semaglutide in adults living with overweight or obesity. Combining incretins with bimagrumab has the potential to improve the quality and durability of weight loss, with the goal of achieving better outcomes for people living with obesity and obesity-related complications.

Nick Williams, Partner at Medicxi, said: "The acquisition of Versanis reinforces our belief in the importance of body composition when considering the therapeutic management of obesity. Bimagrumab exhibits a differentiated clinical profile, with the potential to achieve meaningful body fat loss whilst at the same time increasing muscle mass. This single-asset exit further strengthens our belief in delivering value via investing in focused, asset-driven companies. We are extremely excited to be partnering with an experienced organisation like Lilly that will continue to develop bimagrumab in combination with its portfolio of incretins to improve patient outcomes in cardiometabolic diseases."

Notes to Editors

About Medicxi

Medicxi is a healthcare-focused investment firm with the mission to create and invest in companies across the full drug development continuum. Leveraging deep expertise in drug development and company creation spanning over two decades, Medicxi invests in early and late-stage therapeutics with a product vision that can fulfill a clear unmet medical need. For more information, please visit: https://www.medicxi.com

About Versanis

Versanis is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company bringing transformational treatments to people living with cardiometabolic disease. The company's lead asset, bimagrumab, is being advanced in the BELIEVE Phase 2b study as a novel treatment to help adults achieve and maintain both fat loss and a healthy body composition, with additional indications to follow. Versanis was founded in 2021 by Aditum Bio. For more information, please visit www.versanisbio.com.

SOURCE Medicxi
Workers Begin Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike, Joined by Calif. Teamster Amazon Strikers Extending Their Picket Line

PONTIAC, Mich., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers went on a ULP strike today at an Amazon delivery station (DDT6) in Michigan over the company's violations of federal labor law, joining a growing nationwide movement of Amazon workers who are demanding changes at the e-commerce giant. They picketed the warehouse alongside striking Amazon delivery drivers from Palmdale, Calif., who were extending their picket line as part of a three-week strike that has taken them around the country.

"We are on strike to stop Amazon's unfair labor practices and get the respect we deserve," said Alicia Ozier, a warehouse worker at the Pontiac, Mich., delivery station. "Amazon puts productivity first and our safety second. I've been injured when a box fell on my eye. The pay is too low to cover my bills. Amazon is a trillion-dollar company because of us, and we deserve to be treated fairly."

The Pontiac workers delivered a petition to Amazon management in October 2022 demanding changes to their working conditions. Amazon revoked a previous peak-season pay increase. Workers suffer injuries from heavy packages and quickly moving conveyer belts. If they are just a few minutes late for a shift, Amazon deducts a whole hour of their earned unpaid time off. The workers marched on management and wore buttons calling for improvements.

Instead of fixing the problems, Amazon committed unfair labor practices, including retaliating against an injured worker who had helped lead the petitioning and march and also refusing to provide reasonable accommodations.

"Together, we've been demanding a safe and respectful work environment for months. We have won some key improvements, but instead of addressing all our concerns, Amazon thinks they can back us off by retaliating," said Nicolas White, a warehouse worker at the Pontiac facility. "The strike by Amazon drivers in Palmdale shows that workers can fight back against this company. We invited them to extend their picket line to Michigan because this is one fight. Across the country, Amazon workers are dealing with a lot of the same problems, from low pay to dangerous working conditions. When one of my coworkers got hit by a cart and needed medical attention, they were told to keep working because Amazon was short-staffed. We are fighting back."

The strike by Amazon drivers and dispatchers in Palmdale, Calif., began on June 24. The Pontiac facility is the eighth Amazon warehouse that Palmdale Teamsters have picketed during their three-week strike, including warehouses in California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The Palmdale workers say that their growing strike will continue until Amazon reinstates the unlawfully terminated Palmdale employees, recognizes the Teamsters, respects the contract negotiated by the workers, and bargains with the Teamsters Union to address low pay and dangerous working conditions.

"In California, Amazon forces us to make deliveries in the desert summer without air conditioning in our vans. We are on strike because Amazon is breaking the law and refusing to bargain with us to address these problems," said Michael Lieb, an Amazon driver from Palmdale, Calif., who traveled to Pontiac, Mich., to picket the Amazon warehouse. "We are going to take our strike anywhere we have to to make Amazon respect the workers who wear its uniforms and deliver its packages."

"These Palmdale Amazon workers organized a union for fair pay and safe jobs, but Amazon illegally refused to recognize their union or bargain with them," said Victor Mineros, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 396 in Los Angeles. "The support from communities around these warehouses and other workers in this industry has been tremendous. We are going to hold this corporate criminal accountable for how it treats the workers who wear its uniforms and deliver its packages."

The 84 workers in Palmdale joined Teamsters Local 396 and bargained a contract with Amazon's Delivery Service Partner (DSP), Battle-Tested Strategies (BTS), in April. Despite the absolute control it wields over BTS and workers' terms and conditions of employment, Amazon has refused to recognize and honor the union contract. Instead, Amazon has engaged in dozens of unfair labor practices in violation of federal labor law, including terminating the entire unit of newly organized workers.

The strikes come amid a surge of action by Amazon workers around the world, joining striking Amazon workers in Coventry, England and Hamburg, Germany.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 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:

Kara Deniz, (202) 497-6610

[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
OSLO, Norway, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser AS, a subsidiary of Nel ASA (Nel) (OSE:NEL), has signed a contract for 20 MW of alkaline electrolyser equipment for about EUR 9 million with Hyd'Occ for its project in Port-La-Nouvelle, France. Nel has already performed and delivered the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study on the project.

The 20 MW electrolyser will supply renewable hydrogen to local industry and transportation in southern France. Port-La-Nouvelle, where the electrolyser will be located, is expected to be a significant hub for hydrogen flows in the Mediterranean.

Hyd'Occ is backed by Qair, a leading French renewable energy and hydrogen producer, as the primary shareholder and developer, and AREC Occitanie the regional agency for energy transition (held by the Occitanie administrative region), as minority shareholder.

"We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Hyd'Occ on this pivotal project in France, where our business footprint has been relatively modest so far. The project holds great potential for Nel being in one of the Mediterranean's future hydrogen hubs," says Hans Hide, Chief Project Officer at Nel.

"We are pleased to count on Nel's support in the development of the first high-capacity hydrogen production unit in France. This collaboration takes us a step further in making concrete the hydrogen ecosystem of the future," says Guirec Dufour, Chief Executive Officer at Qair France.

This is a firm purchase order for alkaline stacks and balance of stacks. The stacks are planned to be delivered to the client around year-end 2023. Nel will assist the client in the project's installation, commissioning, and start-up.

For additional information, please contact:

Kjell Christian Bjrnsen, CFO, +47 917 02 097

Wilhelm Flinder, Head of Investor Relations, +47 936 11 350

About Nel ASA | www.nelhydrogen.com

Nel has a history tracing back to 1927 and is today a leading pure play hydrogen technology company with a global presence. The company specializes in electrolyser technology for production of renewable hydrogen, and hydrogen fueling equipment for road-going vehicles. Nel's product offerings are key enablers for a green hydrogen economy, making it possible to decarbonize various industries such as transportation, refining, steel, and ammonia.

This information is subject to a duty of disclosure pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was issued as inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and was published by Wilhelm Finder, Head of Investor Relations, at NEL ASA on the date and time provided.

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE NEL ASA
MONTREAL, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - IOU Financial Inc. ("IOU" or the "Company") (TSXV: IOU) today announced that it has entered into an arrangement agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") with 9494-3677 Quebec Inc. (the "Purchaser"), a corporation created by a group composed of funds managed by Neuberger Berman ("Neuberger"), Palos Capital ("Palos") and Fintech Ventures ("FinTech") for the acquisition of IOU through a statutory plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement").

Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, the Purchaser has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of IOU (the "Shares") other than Shares (the "Rolling Shares") to be reinvested by Neuberger, Palos, FinTech and certain representatives of management of IOU (collectively, the "Rolling Shareholders"), for an all-cash consideration of C$0.22 per Share (the "Consideration"). The Consideration represents a 83.3% premium to the closing price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") on July 13, 2023, the last trading day immediately prior to the announcement of the Arrangement, and a 90.6% premium to the 30-day volume-weighted average price of the Shares on the TSX-V for the period ended on July 13, 2023, the last trading day immediately prior to the announcement of the Arrangement. The Rolling Shareholders, taken together, own, control or direct an aggregate of 48,621,313 Shares (representing approximately 46.1% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis) and will be re-investing in IOU an aggregate of 42,487,414 Rolling Shares (representing approximately 40.3% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis).

Evan Price, Chairman of IOU, stated "This transaction provides our shareholders with immediate liquidity at a compelling premium to our current trading price, and serves to unlock the long-term value that we have been building through the elaboration of our solid business model."

Robert Gloer, President and Chief Executive Officer of IOU, added "We are excited about this vote of confidence from our business partner Neuberger Berman and our long-term shareholders, and about the prospects for taking this partnership to the next level by developing new market opportunities together."

Peter Sterling, head of Neuberger's Specialty Finance team, said "We are excited to expand our relationship with Robert and the entire IOU team. We believe our collective strengths and funding stability will enable IOU to unlock significant market opportunities."

Philippe Marleau, the CEO of Palos, a founder of the Company, expressed "We are proud to continue participating in the success of IOU."

"We see this as an important opportunity for IOU to provide a meaningful return to its shareholders and to position itself for future growth as a private company," added Lucas Timberlake, Co-Founder and General Partner of FinTech.

Special Committee and Board Recommendations

The Arrangement Agreement was approved unanimously by the IOU board of directors (the "Board") (with Philippe Marleau and Lucas Timberlake abstaining from voting due to their relationships with Palos and FinTech, respectively, and Robert Gloer abstaining from voting due to his participation in the Arrangement as a Rolling Shareholder), after taking into account, among other things, the unanimous recommendation of a special committee (the "Special Committee") of the Board comprised of Evan Price, Yves Roy, Neil Wolfson and Kathleen Miller, each an independent director of the Company. The Special Committee and the Board (with the abstentions referred to above) determined that the Arrangement is in the best interests of IOU and recommend that shareholders of IOU (other than the Rolling Shareholders) vote in favour of the Arrangement at the Meeting (as defined below). In making their respective determinations, the Special Committee and the Board each considered, among other factors, a valuation from Evans & Evans, Inc. and an opinion of Evans & Evans, Inc. to the effect that the cash purchase price of C$0.22 per Share to be received by IOU shareholders (other than the Rolling Shareholders) under the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the IOU shareholders (other than the Rolling Shareholders).

Details of the Arrangement

The Arrangement is to be effected by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2023, subject to shareholder, court and regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Completion of the Arrangement is not subject to any financing condition.

The Arrangement Agreement includes customary provisions relating to non-solicitation, subject to customary "fiduciary out" provisions that entitle the Board to consider and, subject to certain conditions, accept a superior proposal if the Purchaser does not match the superior proposal. A termination fee of C$885,000 (representing approximately 3.5% of undiluted equity value of the Company) will be payable by IOU to the Purchaser in certain customary circumstances.

A special meeting of IOU shareholders to consider and, if deemed advisable, approve the Arrangement (the "Meeting") is expected to be held on or about September 15, 2023. In order to be approved by IOU shareholders at the Meeting, the Arrangement will need the approval of at least twothirds (66 %) of the votes cast at the Meeting in person or by proxy by holders of Shares and by a simple majority of the votes cast at the Meeting in person or by proxy by holders of Shares (other than Shares required to be excluded under Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions and applicable TSX-V rules). Additional details regarding the Arrangement, the background to the Arrangement, the reasons for the Board's and Special Committee's recommendations of the Arrangement, and how IOU shareholders can participate in and vote at the Meeting, together with a copy of the Evans & Evans, Inc. valuation and fairness opinion, will be set out in IOU's management information circular and other proxy-related materials to be prepared, filed and sent to IOU shareholders in connection with the Meeting. Copies of the Arrangement Agreement and the management information circular will be filed by the Company under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com (and following the launch of SEDAR+ on July 25, 2023, at www.sedarplus.ca).

In connection with the Arrangement, the Rolling Shareholders and certain other shareholders, directors and officers of IOU, who hold in aggregate 50,808,054 Shares (or approximately 48.1% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a nondiluted basis)), have entered into voting support agreements with the Purchaser providing for such shareholders to vote all Shares beneficially owned by them in favour of the Arrangement.

Additional Disclosure, including under National Instrument 62-103  The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues

In connection with the Arrangement Agreement, in addition to the voting support agreements described above, the Purchaser and the Rolling Shareholders have entered into a letter agreement and rollover agreements, each dated July 13, 2023, whereby each of NB Specialty Finance Fund LP ("NBSF 1") (an entity managed by Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC ("NBIA")), Palos IOU Inc. (an entity formed by certain affiliates of Palos and representatives of management of IOU, "Palos IOU") and Fintech Ventures Fund, LLLP ("Fintech Ventures Fund"), acting jointly, have agreed to contribute 15,665,839 Rolling Shares, 14,321,575 Rolling Shares and 12,500,000 Rolling Shares, respectively, to the Purchaser in exchange for common shares of the Purchaser upon the completion of the Arrangement.

Both immediately before and immediately after the execution of the Arrangement Agreement: (i) NBIA, through NBSF-1, held or exercised control or direction over 15,665,839 Shares, representing approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a non-diluted basis); (ii) Palos and its affiliates (collectively, the "Palos Group") held or exercised control or direction over 19,362,803 Shares, representing approximately 18.3% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a non-diluted basis), and Philippe Marleau, Robert Gloer, Madeline Wade and Carl Brabander, each an affiliate, associate and/or joint actor of Palos IOU, held options to acquire an aggregate of 4,785,000 Shares, and (iii) Fintech Ventures Fund held or exercised control or direction over 13,592,671 Shares, representing approximately 12.9% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a non-diluted basis), and Lucas Timberlake, principal of Fintech Ventures Fund, held options to acquire an aggregate of 185,000 Shares. The Shares held by Palos and Fintech Ventures Fund that are not Rolling Shares will be disposed of pursuant to the Arrangement under the same terms as for the other IOU shareholders.

In connection with the Arrangement Agreement, on July 13, 2023, Palos IOU entered into a share exchange agreement (the "Share Exchange Agreement") with certain shareholders of the Company (collectively, the "Palos IOU Rolling Shareholders") whereby Palos IOU acquired from the Palos IOU Rolling Shareholders 14,321,575 Shares (including 240,433 Shares from Robert Gloer) at a price of $0.22 per Share in exchange for common shares in the capital of Palos IOU ("Palos IOU Shares") at a deemed price of C$0.22 per Palos IOU Share on a one-for-one basis (the "Acquisition"). Prior to the Acquisition, the Palos Group owned, controlled or directed, directly or indirectly, 10,041,228 Shares, representing approximately 9.5% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a non-diluted basis). After giving effect to the Acquisition, the Palos Group owned, controlled or directed, directly or indirectly, 19,362,803 Shares, representing approximately 18.3% of the issued and outstanding Shares (on a non-diluted basis).

In addition, NBSF 1 and IOU are party to an Investor Rights Agreement dated as of December 3, 2020, pursuant to which, among other things, (i) for such time as NBSF 1 (collectively with its affiliates) owns at least 7.5% of the issued and outstanding Shares, NBSF 1 has the right, subject to customary requirements, to nominate one (1) nominee to be included in the list of nominees proposed as directors by IOU, and (ii) for such time as NBSF 1 (collectively with its affiliates) owns at least 7.5% of the issued and outstanding Shares or continues to purchase loans under and in accordance with the terms of that certain loan purchase agreement dated October 22, 2020 between NBSF 2018-2 and IOU Central Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, NBSF 1 has the right, subject to customary requirements, to designate one (1) individual to attend meetings of the Board as a non-voting observer.

Advisors

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP is acting as legal advisor to the Company and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP is acting as independent legal advisor to the Special Committee.

Evans & Evans, Inc. is acting as financial advisor to the Special Committee and has provided a fairness opinion and an independent valuation in connection with the Arrangement.

Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as legal advisor to Neuberger and the Purchaser. McMillan LLP is acting as legal advisor to Palos.

About IOU

IOU Financial Inc. is a wholesale lender that provides quick and easy access to growth capital to small businesses through a network of preferred brokers across the US and Canada. Built on its proprietary IOU360 technology platform that connects underwriters, merchants and brokers in real time, IOU Financial has become a trusted alternative to banks by originating over US$1 billion in loans to fund small business growth since 2009. IOU was named one of the 50 Best Places to Work in Fintech for 2022 by American Banker and trades on the TSX-V under the symbol "IOU", and on the US OTC markets as "IOUFF". To learn more about IOU Financial's corporate history, financial products, or to join our broker network please visit www.IOUFinancial.com.

About Neuberger Berman

Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategiesincluding equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate and hedge fundson behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. Neuberger Berman's investment philosophy is founded on active management, engaged ownership and fundamental research, including industry-leading research into material environmental, social and governance factors. Neuberger Berman is a PRI Leader, a designation awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms. With offices in 26 countries, the firm's diverse team has over 2,700 professionals. For nine consecutive years, Neuberger Berman has been named first or second in Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). The firm manages $436 billion in client assets as of March 31, 2023. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com.

About Palos

Palos Capital, based in Montreal, Quebec, is a boutique financial services firm that primarily operates through two subsidiaries: Palos Wealth Management Inc. (PWM) and Palos Management Inc. (PMI). PWM offers wealth management services, including discretionary portfolio management and separately managed account services to individual, corporate and institutional clients. PMI is an independent, investment fund manager and portfolio manager. For more information, please visit the company`s website at www.palos.ca.

About FinTech

Fintech Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2015 and headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with offices in New York, NY. The firm focuses exclusively on investing in and partnering with entrepreneurs building promising technology-enabled companies in the banking, capital markets, and lending sectors. The Fintech Ventures team has multiple decades of collective operational and investment experience, with numerous successful exits. For more information, please visit www.fintechv.com.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the rationale of the Special Committee and the Board for entering into the Arrangement Agreement, the expected benefits of the Arrangement, the timing of various steps to be completed in connection with the Arrangement, and other statements that are not material facts. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "believe", "estimate", "plan", "could", "should", "would", "outlook", "forecast", "anticipate", "foresee", "continue" or the negative of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology.

Although the Company believes that the forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information and assumptions that are reasonable, including assumptions that parties will receive, in a timely manner and on satisfactory terms, the necessary court, shareholder and U.S. State regulatory approvals, and that the parties will otherwise be able to satisfy, in a timely manner, the other conditions to the closing of the Arrangement, these forward-looking statements are by their nature subject to a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's expectations and plans as set forth in such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the following factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control and the effects of which can be difficult to predict: (a) the possibility that the Arrangement will not be completed on the terms and conditions, or on the timing, currently contemplated, and that it may not be completed at all, due to a failure to obtain or satisfy, in a timely manner or otherwise, required shareholder, regulatory and court approvals and other conditions of closing necessary to complete the Arrangement or for other reasons; (b) risks related to tax matters; (c) the possibility of adverse reactions or changes in business resulting from the announcement or completion of the Arrangement; (d) risks relating to the Company's ability to retain and attract key personnel during the interim period; (e) the possibility of litigation relating to the Arrangement; (f) the potential of a third party making a superior proposal to the Arrangement; (g) risks related to diverting management's attention from the Company's ongoing business operations; and (h) other risks inherent to the business carried out by the Company and factors beyond its control which could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its ability to complete the Arrangement.

The Company cautions investors not to rely on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release when making an investment decision in their securities. Investors are encouraged to read the Company's filings available under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and IOU undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE IOU Financial Inc.
SHANGHAI, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese securities firm Guotai Junan Securities Co., Ltd. officially announced to start the operation of its new branch in the city of Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province on Thursday, when a forum themed on how the company serves Xiamen's high-quality economic development was also held.

The securities firm set up its first office in Xiamen in 2001. By 2022, the company had managed total assets of more than 30 billion yuan (about 4.14 billion U.S. dollars) in the city, serving over 200 key enterprises and institutions, as well as over 70,000 domestic and overseas investors.

The newly launched Xiamen branch is expected to further serve the cross-border financial and global asset allocation needs of customers, forming new engines to promote the city's building of a regional financial center with its network spreading to the Southeast Asian market, along the Maritime Silk Road and to greater regions in the world.

Striving to improve its level of service capabilities through innovation, Guotai Junan Securities is committed to integrating its featured advantages to boost the development of key industries in Xiamen, according to He Qing, chairman of the company during a speech made at Thursday's event.

During the event, Guotai Junan Securities also signed cooperation agreements with several other companies including Xiamen International Bank and Iport Group. Working with its partners, the securities firm will promote innovation and cooperation in the fields of next-generation information technology, advanced manufacturing, new energy and new materials, contributing to Xiamen's transformation to a modern international city featured by high-quality development.

The event gathered over a hundred guests including those representing local government, regulatory departments, financial institutions and listed companies, as well as experts and scholars in relative fields.

SOURCE Guotai Junan Securities
The Los Angeles-Based Dog Grooming Concept from The Executive Teams Behind Sky Zone, The NOW, Aims to Open as Many as 200 Locations by 2028

LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bowie Barker Bath + Groomerie , a new concept offering full-service grooming and self-serve wash stations for every size dog, announced today plans for a national launch via franchising.

Founded in Los Angeles, Bowie Barker opened its flagship West Hollywood location in May 2022. Led by a team of experienced franchise executives, Bowie Barker aims to sign franchise agreements in prime territories across the U.S., with the goal of opening as many as 200 locations by 2028.

Born out of the necessity for high-quality care that dog owners can trust, Bowie Barker's customizable offerings range from full-service grooming to self-serve wash stations for every size dog.

Bowie Barker was born out of the necessity for high-quality care that dog owners can trust. The concept updates the traditional dog grooming experience with a convenient booking app, a modern store design and interior, wellness checks for pups, and a simple membership program, while also providing a suite of full-service and DIY offerings for its guests and members.

Bowie Barker is a lifestyle brand under the Post Investment Group family, which focuses on four sectors; real estate, consumer products, pet services, and health and wellness, including emerging franchise The NOW Massage . Bowie Barker was co-founded by Jeff Platt, former CEO of Sky Zone and current President of The NOW Massage, Gara Post, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The NOW Massage, and Michelle Sandonato, VP of Strategy at The NOW Massage and former VP of Guest Experience at Sky Zone.

The Bowie Barker team looks forward to expanding upon the brand's initial success by welcoming franchise owners to join the rapidly growing $5 billion pet grooming industry*.

"Designed to meet the needs of Millennial and Gen Z dog owners, Bowie Barker's thoughtful, modern design, custom technology platform, and straightforward, membership-based pricing elevates the standard pet care experience," said Bowie Barker Co-Founder Michelle Sandonato. "The quick-yet-strategic success of our first location has laid the groundwork for us to partner with franchise owners to bring Bowie Barker to neighborhoods across the country."

A recurring and predictable revenue stream, competitive buildout costs and extensive corporate support offers a scalable model that allows for prospective franchise owners to easily open multiple Bowie Barker locations. To learn more about franchising opportunities with Bowie Barker, please visit www.bowiebarker.com/franchise .

ABOUT BOWIE BARKER

Bowie Barker Bath + Groomerie offers personalized services for every pup. Born out of the necessity for high-quality care that dog owners can trust, Bowie Barker's customizable offerings range from full-service grooming to self-serve wash stations for every size dog. Bowie Barker updates the traditional grooming experience with a convenient booking app, health checks, sustainable products, all natural treats and toys, and an educated team providing a suite of services for its members and guests. Founded in 2022, Bowie Barker's flagship shop is located in the heart of West Hollywood, California. Bowie Barker is a lifestyle brand under the Post Investment Group family, which focuses on four sectors; health and wellness, real estate, consumer products and pet services. To see what all the bark is about, please visit bowiebarker.com .

* Grand View Research

Media Contact: Cody Larkin

[email protected], 262.490.0384

Download Media Photos , Photo Credit: Bowie Barker

SOURCE Bowie Barker
HOUSTON, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PermitUsNow, the leading building permit expediting firm headquartered in the Lone Star state, is thrilled to announce its participation as a vendor and sponsor in the highly anticipated 2023 Career Opportunity Fair. This event was proudly hosted by the City of Houston's Housing and Community Development Department-Contract Compliance Division on July 13, 2023, at the esteemed Houston Community College West Loop Campus.

Members of the industry recognized PermitUsNow team participated in the 6th Annual Career Opportunity Fair hosted by the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Contract Compliance team. Truly grateful for this outreach to thousands of persons looking for employment in Houston, Texas. 6th Annual Career Opportunity Fair hosted by the City of Houston Housing City of Houston's Housing and Community Development Department-Contract Compliance Division on July 13, 2023, at the esteemed Houston Community College West Loop Campus.

The Career Opportunity Fair serves as a catalyst to bring together a diverse range of employers, experienced professionals, and entry-level individuals from all economic backgrounds, all under one roof. With a focus on promoting employment and contracting opportunities within the community, the fair also provides valuable training and certification resources to empower job seekers and facilitate connections with recruiters.

As an active participant in this significant community involvement event, PermitUsNow aims to foster an inclusive and supportive environment where individuals can explore a wide range of career paths and make meaningful connections with potential employers. By bringing together organizations from various sectors, including governmental, non-governmental, and private entities, the Career Opportunity Fair offers a unique platform for open and wide-ranging career opportunities.

"We are excited and honored to be a part of the 2023 Career Opportunity Fair," said Helen Callier, President at PermitUsNow. "At PermitUsNow, we firmly believe in the power of community engagement and supporting local talent. This event aligns perfectly with our core values, and we are committed to making a positive impact by providing employment opportunities and empowering individuals to thrive in their chosen careers."

PermitUsNow's participation as a vendor and sponsor showcased its dedication to the local community, reinforcing its position as the top building permit expediting firm in the region. By being present at the Career Opportunity Fair, PermitUsNow connected with job seekers, shared insights into the construction industry, and demonstrated its commitment to creating a vibrant and prosperous community.

"We were encouraged by all attendees that visited the PermitUsNow booth and learned about the exciting opportunities available in the construction industry," added Helen Callier. "Whether interested parties were experienced and looking for a new challenge or an individual starting your career journey, PermitUsNow was present to support them. Our team was on hand to provide valuable information, answer questions, and discuss potential career paths within our organization."

PermitUsNow invites all community members, job seekers, and employers to join them in supporting future Career Fair Events hosted by the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department. This is an invaluable resource for those seeking new opportunities, professional growth, and meaningful connections within the community.

To learn more about PermitUsNow's services and involvement in the community, please visit https://permitusnow.com/.

About PermitUsNow: PermitUsNow is the industry-leading building permit expediting firm headquartered in the Lone Star state. With a commitment to streamlining the permit acquisition process, PermitUsNow assists clients in navigating complex regulations, ensuring compliance, and expediting permits efficiently. With a focus on exceptional customer service, PermitUsNow supports busy Architects, Contractors and Project Owners like H-E-B, OTG | United, K-9 Resorts, and ATKINS and other organizations throughout the construction industry, contributing to the success of projects across the region.

Media Contact:

Len Cal

281-361-5809

[email protected]

SOURCE PermitUsNow
Many people have voiced their anger in the Philippines after a mall group in the countrys largest retail chain SM Group threw a puppy off a footbridge.

Witnesses at the scene reported that the mall cop, Jojo Malecdem, threw the puppy that was playing with two girls, from the 6-meter-high bridge after the girls refused to leave when asked, according to The Straits Time on Thursday.

Jojo Malecdem, the mall cop that threw the puppy from a 5-meter-high footbridge. Photo from Janine Santos Facebook

The sudden act left people at the scene shocked and angry.

"All of us who saw what happened were in near tears," says Janine Santos, a female passerby who witnessed the incident.

The dog reportedly died from its injuries.

A passer-by picking up the dog from the ground. Photo from Janine Santos Facebook

The aftermath has seen Malecdem being fired, and the Philippine Animal Welfare Society revealing a plan to file a case against Malecdem.

SM group has responded to the furor: "As a pet-friendly establishment, we strongly condemn any acts that endanger or harm the lives of animals."

A netizen commented under a post relating to the case on Twitter: "My heart is boiling."

Another said: "That guard has no heart."
The Brooklyn home service company offers homeowners advice to cut utility bills and keep their home safe while they are away

BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, a family-owned home service company serving Brooklyn and Manhattan since 1906, says that homeowners can save some money and keep their energy costs down while they're on vacation by following a few easy tips this summer.

Brooklyn's Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning offers homeowners advice to cut their utility bills while they are away on summer vacation.

"We remember the big things like hiring someone to watch the pets and getting a neighbor to take in the mail while we're away on vacation," said Michael Petri, owner of Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning. "But we should also follow a regimen that will help us save some money and energy while we're off taking a much-needed break. Just because your house is empty doesn't mean your appliances aren't running up your utility bill."

Petri said these tips will help homeowners escape a big utility bill while on vacation:

Adjust the thermostat. Unless the pets are staying home with a sitter, there is no reason to run the air conditioner to cool the home as often as when it's inhabited. A programmable or smart thermostat can be adjusted to a vacation setting. These thermostats can also be used to bring the temperature back down on the day the homeowners are set to arrive so they can return to a cool house. Turn down the water heater. Some water heaters come with a "vacation mode" setting that allows homeowners to turn down the water heater while they are away. This can save money on heating water while the family is away. Close the blinds. Keeping the sun from shining into the home and warming it up can help keep the HVAC unit from turning on more frequently. Unplug electronic devices. Taking the time to unplug "energy vampires" like computers, televisions and coffee pots can help homeowners save on energy bills. Many appliances continue to use energy even when they are turned off so unplugging them while the family is on vacation also helps eliminate possible fire hazards. Turn off the lights. Make sure all the lights in the home are turned off before leaving for vacation. An even better option is to set up a few lights on a timer so some come on at night. This works as a deterrent to burglars but still saves homeowners money by not running lights during daylight hours.

"We all need a chance to get away from the routine of our regular lives," Petri said. "And, while we're away, we don't need our appliances to continue the same routine as though we were home. Following these tips can help you save a bit of money while you're gone and can even work to safeguard your home from fires or burglars."

For more information about Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, visit https://www.petriplumbing.com/.

About Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning

Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning is a family owned and operated business serving Brooklyn and the New York City area. Founded in 1906, the company offers a 100 percent guarantee on all services, upfront pricing, and friendly and knowledgeable Service Experts for all kinds of home and business plumbing and heating needs. Services offered include water and gas pipe leak repair and installation, fixture installations, inspections, boiler repair, water heater installation, complete bathroom, kitchen, laundry & utility room remodeling and more. Petri is also licensed and certified by Green Plumbers USA, the first in New York City to receive this designation. For more information, please visit www.petriplumbing.com or call (718) 717-1089.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

865-977-1973

[email protected]

SOURCE Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Aesthetic design with a motif of placenta jar and lotus, reflecting the brand's origin as a secret method of royal family

SEOUL, South Korea, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Goongbe, Korea's representative kid brand, has won in the beauty and healthcare category for packaging at iF Design Award 2023, a global design award.

Representative K-kid brand Goongbe wins at iF Design Award 2023

The award-winning product, Pri-mmune, which belongs to Goongbe's baby line, was designed with a motif of placental jar (a jar used to store umbilical cords) and lotus. In the Joseon dynasty, the placental jar symbolized the health and longevity of prince, while the lotus represented the strength of life that blooms immaculately even in muddy conditions. The design received high acclaim for effectively conveying the aspiration for the health of babies.

Goongbe began from a secret method employed by the royal family in the Joseon dynasty, where babies were bathed on the third day of birth in water brewed with peach tree, apricot tree, and mulberry. Patented ingredient Royal Oji Complex[1], a blend of ceramide, amino acid and polyphenol, provides hydration, enhances the skin's barrier function, and offers soothing benefits.

The product is made without any allergens designated by the FDA and the EU. It features a fragrance that is registered with the FEMA of the US and has passed a stringent skin irritation test.

Goongbe officials said, "With Pri-mmune, we intended to deliver the brand philosophy of cherishing all babies as those in the royal family."

Goongbe has won at Korea's National Brand Award for five consecutive years and at Korea's no.1 beauty app award in 2022 for three times, speaking volumes about its market position in the K-kid skincare market.

Its premium image and remarkable product capability are gaining popularity in international markets, as well. It won the "new brand award'[2] at Tmall Global, China's largest e-commerce platform, and ranks first[3] in the kid sunscreen category at Tmall Brand Zone, leading the kid sunscreen category. At SASA Hongkong, the largest H&B store in Asia, it ranked first[4] in the entire baby sunscreen category. The eight items of Pri-mmune Baby are registered with National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) as kid skincare cosmetics, with proven expertise and safety as kid skincare products.

[1] 2020. 04~2021. 03 [2] 2020. 04~2021. 03 [3] 2020.02~06, 2020.08~09, 2020.11, 2021.03~04, 2021.06, 2021.08, 2021.09~11 [4] 2020.02~06, 2020.08~09, 2020.11, 2021.03~04, 2021.06, 2021.08, 2021.09~11

SOURCE Goongbe
DALLAS, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas trial attorney Rogge Dunn has been named to The 2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers. The honor recognizes the work of Mr. Dunn and his firm in a variety of matters across the U.S. in the financial industry space, specifically in the areas of FINRA, Sarbanes Oxley, and whistleblower litigation.

Mr. Dunn's record of success involves helping financial advisors, founders and executives of major financial firms with transitioning to new firms, wrongful discharge, recovery of forfeited deferred compensation, regulatory issues, non-compete agreements and promissory notes. This work has included litigating against and defeating major firms such as Goldman Sachs, CitiBank, Credit Suisse, BoA, and UBS.

In announcing the 2023 list, the Lawdragon editors said of the honorees: "this remarkable group of lawyers puts it all on the line with courage and clout that matches their defense counterparts in securities and other financial litigation; the booming antitrust field; whistleblowing claims; data privacy and so much more."

These top 500 honorees were chosen by combining journalistic research, peer and client nominations and vetting with legal experts.

Mr. Dunn was also honored as a Top 500 Plaintiff Financial Lawyer by Lawdragon in 2022.

Board Certified in both Civil Trial and Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Mr. Dunn has achieved other notable honors in his legal career, including recognition in Best Lawyers in America each year since 2016 in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Employment Law, in Texas Super Lawyers annually for the past 20 years, and in D Magazine for 15 years as a Best Lawyer in Dallas.

The firm has also been recognized as a Tier 1 Law Firm by US News & World Report five years in a row, including in 2023. The National Law Journal honored Mr. Dunn's firm as a 2020 Elite Trial Lawyers Law Firm of the Year for its work on gender discrimination cases.

Rogge Dunn Group has built a well-deserved reputation for aggressive litigation, outstanding results, and attentive client service. Led by founding partner Rogge Dunn, the firm is well-known for successfully trying high-profile business, financial, and employment disputes. This trial experience fosters innovative strategies to obtain effective settlements and minimize litigation risks for corporate and individual clients. Based in Dallas, the firm tries cases in state and federal courts in Texas and throughout the United States. Learn more about the firm at www.roggedunngroup.com .

Media Contact:

Barry Pound

[email protected]

214-559-4630

SOURCE Rogge Dunn Group
NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --



WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues its investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Prudential plc (NYSE: PUK) (OTC: PUKPF) resulting from allegations that Prudential may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Prudential 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=16906 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On May 31, 2023, Prudential disclosed that its Chief Financial Officer James Turner had resigned amid a probe into a "code of conduct issue" relating to a recent recruitment.

On this news, the price of Prudential's American Depositary Receipts ("ADR") fell $1.71 per ADR, or 6.08%, to close at $26.43 per ADR on May 31, 2023.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd (NYSE: JKS) resulting from allegations that JinkoSolar may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased JinkoSolar 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=16025 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On May 9, 2023, before trading hours, the Jacksonville Daily Record published an article entitled "Federal agents issue search warrant at JinkoSolar plant in Cecil Commerce Center: Homeland Security said it is part of an ongoing investigation; the factory, whose parent company is in China, opened in Jacksonville in 2018." The Jacksonville Daily Record reported that "[a]ccording to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal agents were assisting the Department of Homeland Security with the execution of a search warrant." Further, the article cited WJXT News4Jax, stating that JinkoSolar is one of several companies under investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department for circumventing trade rules by sending products to other countries before moving them to the U.S.

On this news, JinkoSolar's American depositary receipt ("ADR") price fell $3.91 per ADR, or 8%, to close at $43.47 per ADR on May 9, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Schelin Uldricks & Co. is pleased to announce that the company has moved its corporate headquarters to the Pierside Pavilion mixed use property overlooking the Pacific Ocean at 300 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 303 in Huntington Beach, California.

The company is increasing its footprint ahead of their planned head count expansion to accommodate its growing business.

Pierside Pavilion Schelin Uldricks & Co. Office View

"Our new space provides additional room to grow the firm and provides a more enjoyable atmosphere for our team and visiting clients," remarked Derek Uldricks, Managing Partner.

About Schelin Uldricks & Co.

www.schelinuldricks.com

Schelin Uldricks & Co. offers investment banking services with a focus on providing capital solutions to real estate companies and other mid-sized businesses.

Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Schelin Uldricks & Co. embodies a progressive entrepreneurial culture focused on integrity, transparency, execution, and ingenuity. The founding partners bring extensive capital markets experience in investment banking, private equity, and real estate finance. The company offers a broad array of services, including debt and equity placement, M&A consulting, GP advisory, divestitures, and financial restructuring.

Media Contact:

Derek Uldricks

8089878671

[email protected]

SOURCE Schelin Uldricks & Co.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seadrill Limited ("Seadrill" or the "Company") (NYSE: SDRL) (OSE: SDRL) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Seadrill Finance Limited ("Seadrill Finance"), announced today the pricing of their offering under Rule 144A and Regulation S (the "Offering") of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of $500 million in aggregate principal amount of 8.375% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2030 (the "Notes"). The Offering was upsized to $500 million in aggregate principal amount of Notes from the original offering size of $450 million in aggregate principal amount of Notes. The Notes mature on August 1, 2030, and will be issued at par. The Offering is expected to close on July 27, 2023, subject to customary conditions precedent and to the effectiveness of the New Credit Agreement (as defined below).

The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to: (i) prepay in full the outstanding amounts under its existing secured debt facilities and (ii) pay fees associated with exiting such secured debt facilities. The remainder of the net proceeds from the Offering will be used for general corporate purposes.

The information contained in this press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities to be offered have not been registered under the Securities Act, any state securities laws or any foreign jurisdiction. The Company plans to offer and sell the securities only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act.

As previously announced, on July 11, 2023, the Company entered into a senior secured five-year revolving credit facility (which tenure may be reduced to four years subject to certain financial tests), which provides for commitments permitting borrowings of up to $225 million with an accordion feature of up to $100 million and governed by a credit agreement (the "New Credit Agreement"). The obligations under the New Credit Agreement will be (i) guaranteed by the Company and the same subsidiaries of the Company that guarantee the obligations under the Notes and (ii) secured on a first lien basis by the same assets that secure the Notes. The commitments under the New Credit Agreement will become available to be borrowed upon the satisfaction of various conditions, including the consummation of the Offering, the redemption or discharge of all of the obligations under the Super Senior Term and Revolving Facilities Agreement dated February 22, 2022 and the Senior Secured Credit Facility Agreement dated February 22, 2022, and that, after giving effect to any such borrowings and the application of the proceeds thereof, the aggregate amount of Available Cash (as defined in the New Credit Agreement) would not exceed $250 million.

This announcement is considered to contain inside information as defined in article 7 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation, is subject to disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and was made public by Simon Woods at Hawthorn Advisors on the date hereof.

Contact Information

For additional information, visit www.seadrill.com.

Benjamin Wiseman

Investor Relations

T: +44 (0)7867139312

E: [email protected]

About Seadrill

Seadrill is a leading offshore drilling contractor utilizing advanced technology to unlock oil and gas resources for clients across harsh and benign locations around the globe. Seadrill's high-quality, technologically-advanced fleet spans all asset classes allowing its experienced crews to conduct operations across geographies, from shallow to ultra-deepwater environments.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this communication, including those regarding the closing of the offering of notes, the use of proceeds therefrom, the closing and availability of borrowings under the New Credit Agreement and statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can often, but not necessarily, be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "assumes", "projects", "forecasts", "estimates", "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "intends", "may", "might", "will", "would", "can", "could", "should" or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. These statements are based on management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, market conditions, offshore drilling market conditions, including supply and demand, dayrates, fluctuations in the price of oil, international financial market conditions, changes in governmental regulations that affect the Company or the operations of the Company's fleet, the review of competition authorities, the performance of the drilling rigs in the Company's fleet, the cancellation of drilling contracts currently included in reported contract backlog, the impact of global economic conditions and global health threats, pandemics and epidemics, political and other uncertainties, including those related to the conflict in Ukraine, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed or furnished by us with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should also keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on April 19, 2023 (File No. 001-39327) and subsequent filings.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

CONTACT:

[email protected]

SOURCE Seadrill Limited
NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Segway-Ninebot, a leading micro-mobility solutions brand, recently released the performance report for the 2023 Amazon Prime Day in North America. The data released following the 48-hour event from July 11th to 12th showed Segway-Ninebot had sold a total of 14,000 products, including electric KickScooters, Gokarts, and electric self-balancing vehicles, achieving a year-on-year sales growth of 98% and generating sales revenue of over $6.73 million.

In the subcategory lists of Best-Sellers, many Segway-Ninebot products occupied major positions. Among them, the Ninebot KickScooter MAX series, F series, and Kid KickScooter E series were among the top 10 best-selling KickScooters in the US market; while for the best-selling single products, the Ninebot KickScooter MAX G30LP, Ninebot Gokart Pro, and Ninebot S Smart Self-Balancing Electric Transporter(black version) each placed first in the adult over $100 kickscooter, Gokart, and self-balancing vehicle categories respectively. In Canada, the Ninebot KickScooter MAX G30P and G30LP also achieved first and second places in the electric kickscooter category sales on Amazon Canada.

Amazon Prime Day is a large-scale promotion aimed at the global market, aiming to attract new members, increase the loyalty of existing members, and promote transaction activity on the Amazon platform. This year's Prime Day covered 25 countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and more. According to Adobe Analytics, online sales in the United States alone on this year's Prime Day are expected to increase by 9.5% year-on-year to reach $13.1 billion. This year, Segway-Ninebot achieved sales of more than $6.73 million in North America alone, showing growing consumer recognition and also demonstrating the achievements of Segway-Ninebot in their efforts to deeply cultivate the global market.

Segway-Ninebot's impressive sales performance reflects its long-standing commitment to consumers. The company has always been dedicated to providing high-quality, innovative, and user-friendly micro-mobility solutions, ensuring consumers receive the best possible experience with their products. Its consumer-centric strategy, prioritizing the needs and preferences of its consumers, is a cornerstone of the brand's operations and has played a pivotal role in driving its success.

For more information about Segway-Ninebot of its Prime Day Campaign, please visit https://www.amazon.com/stores/Segway/page/C3033951-97D9-48CA-9233-97F3E1CF36D0?ref_=ast_bln and https://www.segway.com/.

SOURCE Segway-Ninebot
DUBLIN, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The Supply and Manufacture of Medical and Surgical Equipment Industry in South Africa 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report on the manufacture and supply of medical and surgical equipment and orthopaedic appliances in South Africa includes information on the state of the sector, the main devices used and imported, utilisation of healthcare services using medical technology, licences, notable players and technology and innovation.

There are profiles of 65 companies including international companies present in South Africa such as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson Medical, Siemens, notable pharmaceutical wholesalers and retailers, and other notable players such Southern Medical, CapeRay and Ascendis.



Industry Insights

Dominance of Imports: Multinational companies with local subsidiaries or partners dominate the South African medical devices industry, as imports account for a significant portion of the market, estimated at around 90%.

Disposable Devices and Diagnostic Imaging: Disposable devices hold the largest share in the market, followed by diagnostic imaging equipment. These segments play a crucial role in meeting the demand for medical devices in the country.

Public and Private Sector Divide: The public sector accounts for nearly half of healthcare expenditure in South Africa , serving a significant portion of the population. In contrast, the private sector is better equipped with medical devices and resources.

, serving a significant portion of the population. In contrast, the private sector is better equipped with medical devices and resources. Prevalence of Diseases and Ageing Population: The demand for medical devices is driven by the high prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as trauma cases. Additionally, an ageing population contributes to the need for various medical devices and orthopaedic appliances.

Economic Challenges and Affordability: Low economic growth, declining health budgets, and high unemployment rates have led to stagnant medical scheme membership and price sensitivity among consumers. Affordability issues in private medical insurance further impact the demand for medical devices.

Competition and Collaboration: Local suppliers face competition from established global companies in the market. Initiatives such as the Medical Device and Diagnostic Innovation Cluster aim to foster collaboration and enhance competition in the industry.

Adoption of Medical Telematic Technology: Medical telematic technology is being increasingly utilized to provide remote patient management services, enabling the management of patients from their homes.

Shift towards Affordable Medical Aid Packages: Affordability concerns have prompted a move towards cheaper medical aid packages, influencing consumer choices and impacting device preferences in the market.

Key Topics Covered:



1. INTRODUCTION



2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY

2.1. Industry Value Chain

2.2. Geographic Position

2.3. Size of the Industry



3. LOCAL

3.1. State of the Industry

3.2. Key Trends

3.3. Key Issues

3.4. Notable Players

3.5. Trade

3.6. Corporate Actions

3.7. Regulations

3.8. Enterprise Development and Social Development



4. AFRICA



5. INTERNATIONAL



6. INFLUENCING FACTORS

6.1. Unforeseen Events

6.2. Economic Environment

6.3. Labour

6.4. Environmental Issues

6.5. Technology, R&D, Innovation

6.6. Government Support

6.7. Input Costs



7. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT

7.1. Competition

7.2. Ownership Structure of the Industry

7.3. Barriers to Entry



8. SWOT ANALYSIS



9. OUTLOOK



10. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS



11. REFERENCES

11.1. Publications

11.2. Websites



APPENDICES

COMPANY PROFILES

A P S Terapie Suid-Afrika CC

Acino Healthcare Group (Pty) Ltd

Ascendis Health Ltd

B Braun Medical (Pty) Ltd

Baxter Healthcare South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd

(Pty) Ltd Brittan Healthcare (Pty) Ltd

BSN Medical (Pty) Ltd

CapeRay Medical (Pty) Ltd

Capricorn Biomedical (Pty) Ltd

CE Mobility Wheelchairs (Pty) Ltd

Cerdak (Pty) Ltd

Champion Health Care (Pty) Ltd

Consulens Medical Healthcare Solutions (Pty) Ltd

Demant South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd

Drager South Africa (Pty) Ltd

(Pty) Ltd Electro Spyres Medical (Pty) Ltd

Elite Surgical Supplies (Pty) Ltd

Evergreen Latex CC

Fluoro Vizion (Pty) Ltd

Fortis X (Pty) Ltd

Fresenius Kabi Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd

Fresenius Kabi South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Fresenius Medical Care South Africa (Pty) Ltd

G and S Medical Supplies CC

Gabler Medical (Pty) Ltd

GE Healthcare (Pty) Ltd

Grobir Medical Suppliers (Pty) Ltd

Hutz Hospi Tec (Pty) Ltd

IDT Diagnostics CC

iMvula Healthcare Logistics (Pty) Ltd

Johnson and Johnson Medical (Pty) Ltd

Lodox Systems (Pty) Ltd

M and L Medical Suppliers CC

Medi-Safe Surgicals (Pty) Ltd

Medical Diagnostech (Pty) Ltd

Medical Innovations (Pty) Ltd

Medinox (Pty) Ltd

Medtronic (Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Megrotex (Pty) Ltd

Minoan Medical (Pty) Ltd

MouldProd Exhibitions Ltd

Multisurge (Pty) Ltd

New Clicks South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Ntshatsheli Trading (Pty) Ltd

Orthopaedic Suppliers CC

Philips South Africa Commercial (Pty) Ltd

Radical Mobility (Pty) Ltd

Roche Diabetes Care South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Roche Products (Pty) Ltd

S A Biomedical (Pty) Ltd

SafMed (Pty) Ltd

Shonaquip (Pty) Ltd

Siemens (Pty) Ltd

Sinapi Biomedical (Pty) Ltd

Southern Implants (Pty) Ltd

Southern Medical (Pty) Ltd

SSEM Mthembu Medical (Pty) Ltd

Stryker South Africa (Pty) Ltd

(Pty) Ltd Teleflex Medical (Pty) Ltd

Ti-TaMED (Pty) Ltd

Vertice Healthcare (Pty) Ltd

VoiceAmp (Pty) Ltd

Welch Allyn South Africa (Pty) Ltd

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/egp2tq

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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SOURCE Research and Markets
GREENSBORO, N.C., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Outlets (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, announced today that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.245 per share, payable on August 15, 2023, to common shareholders of record on July 31, 2023.

About Tanger Outlets

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, fully or partially owns and/or manages a portfolio of 37 centers, including one center under development. Tanger's operating centers, which comprise approximately 14 million square feet, are located in 20 states and in Canada and are leased to over 2,700 stores operated by more than 600 different brand name companies. Tanger has more than 42 years of experience in the outlet industry and has been a publicly traded REIT since 1993. For more information on Tanger, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the Company's website at www.tanger.com.

Investor Contact

Doug McDonald

SVP, Finance and Capital Markets

T: (336) 856-6066

[email protected]

SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.
Iranian authorities have demonstrated once again they fear the Iranian people.

Prominent Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison because of his participation in the wide-spread, peaceful, anti-regime protests that spread throughout Iran last autumn after the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, arrested for improperly wearing her hijab.

Tens of thousands of people were arrested during the violent crackdown by the regime over the protests; 500 people were killed, and seven were executed.

Toomaj Salehi, who is 32 years old, was arrested in October and spent months in solitary confinement after he posted songs and videos supporting the protests. In one video with more than 450,000 views on YouTube, he rapped, Someones crime was dancing with her hair in the wind.

After his arrest, Iranian state media released a video of Salehi blindfolded and bruised, apologizing for his mistakes. As the most recent U.S. State Department annual report on Human Rights in Iran made clear, Iranian courts regularly considered as evidence confessions often extracted through coercion or torture.

Salehi was charged with a myriad of crimes, and found guilty of incitement to violence, corruption on earth, and spreading propaganda. He was acquitted on charges of cooperating with a hostile government and insulting the Supreme Leader.

U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller called the verdict and prison sentence for Toomaj Salehi disturbing and said the United States continues to monitor his condition.

He has been consistently denied access to legal representation. His trial was held behind closed doors, following reports in April he was in urgent need of medical attention after he was tortured while in detention, Spokesperson Miller noted. The regimes harsh treatment in this matter is deeply troubling and must be brought to an end, and we would call on the Iranian authorities to release him and all political prisoners.

The world is watching, and well continue to coordinate with our allies and partners to hold Iranian authorities accountable for their human rights abuses.
BURLINGTON, Vt., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, today announced a grant of $150,000 to support flood relief efforts in Vermont.

The funds will support Vermont Community Foundation for the VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund, which will disperse funds to communities and small businesses of greatest need. TD colleagues also can contribute directly to the VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund efforts through an internal portal.

TD Bank's community support also includes offering financial assistance to its customers in Vermont impacted by recent severe flooding through TD Cares. TD Cares is a relief program that includes fee refunds and other support for eligible consumer and business customers.

"As a member of the local community, TD stands with our customers, colleagues and neighbors in Vermont during one of the worst natural disasters to hit the state," said Sheryl McQuade, Regional President of New England, TD Bank. "Our bankers are ready to assist the community in this time of need and ensure our customers have access to their finances."

Customers who would like assistance through TD Cares may contact the bank with a request. To learn more, please visit https://www.td.com/us/en/personal-banking/weather-alert-phase3. Business customers should contact their relationship manager for assistance.

In addition, eligible TD colleagues impacted by the floods have access to a range of resources, including the opportunity to obtain grants of up to $1,000 from the bank to help with costs such as insurance deductibles, living expenses and repairs for related damage.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing over 9.9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $305 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing over 9.9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Auto Finance, a division of TD Bank, N.A., offers vehicle financing and dealer commercial services. TD Bank and its subsidiaries also offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.

SOURCE TD Bank
Palmdale Amazon Workers' ULP Strike Has Gone Coast to Coast

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Striking Amazon delivery drivers and dispatchers from Palmdale, Calif., extended their picket line to an Amazon warehouse in San Bernardino, Calif. (ONT5) today, to demand the e-commerce giant stop its unfair labor practices. The growing strike will continue until Amazon reinstates the unlawfully employees terminated, recognizes the Teamsters, respects the contract negotiated by the workers, and bargains with the Teamsters Union to address low pay and dangerous working conditions.

"I work for one of the richest companies in the world, but the pay is so low that I have to work two other jobs as well to provide for my kids," said Jovana Figueroa, a striking Amazon driver. "We are prepared to strike as long as we have to and take our picket lines to other Amazon warehouses to stop Amazon's unfair labor practices. We are fighting for good jobs for all Amazon workers and we plan on winning."

Amazon drivers and dispatchers began their unfair labor practice strike at an Amazon delivery station in Palmdale, Calif., on June 24. They have picketed seven Amazon warehouses around the country during their two-week strike, including facilities in California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

"These Amazon workers organized a union for fair pay and safe jobs, but Amazon illegally refused to recognize their union or bargain with them," said Victor Mineros, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 396. "The support from the community and other workers in this industry has been tremendous. We are going to hold this corporate criminal accountable for how it treats the workers who wear its uniforms and deliver its packages."

The 84 workers in Palmdale joined Teamsters Local 396 in Los Angeles and bargained a contract with Amazon's Delivery Service Partner (DSP), Battle-Tested Strategies (BTS), in April. Despite the absolute control it wields over BTS and workers' terms and conditions of employment, Amazon has refused to recognize and honor the union contract. Instead, Amazon has engaged in dozens of unfair labor practices in violation of federal labor law, including terminating the entire unit of newly organized workers.

"Amazon has brought nothing but pollution and low-wage jobs to our community," said Michael Jones, a community member organizing with San Bernardino Airport Communities, who joined workers on the picket line. "Workers and community members are rejecting Amazon's exploitative business model. We demand clean air and good jobs."

Amazon drivers in Palmdale organized with the Teamsters to protect their safety in extreme temperatures, which regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during Palmdale summers. Their Teamster contract guarantees the rights of workers to drive safe equipment and refuse unsafe deliveries. Making the contract's protections a reality will require an overhaul of Amazon's exploitative labor practices.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 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:

On site: Mario Vasquez, (909) 501-9232

Kara Deniz, (202) 497-6610

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TETRA Technologies, Inc. ("TETRA" or the "Company") (NYSE:TTI) announced today that it will release second quarter 2023 results after the closing of the market on Monday, July 31, 2023. On August 1, 2023, TETRA will host a conference call at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results. Brady M. Murphy, President and CEO, and Elijio V. Serrano, Senior Vice President and CFO, will host the call.

TETRA invites you to listen to the conference call by calling the toll-free phone number 1-888-347-5303. The conference call will also be available by live audio webcast. The news release will be available on the Company's website prior to the conference call. A replay of the conference call will be available at 1-877-344-7529 conference number 2982082, for one week following the conference call and the archived webcast will be available through the Company's website for thirty days following the conference call.

Company Overview

TETRA Technologies, Inc. is an energy services and solutions company operating on six continents with a focus on bromine-based completion fluids, calcium chloride, water management solutions, frac flowback, and production well testing services. Calcium chloride is used in the oil and gas, industrial, agricultural, road, food, and beverage markets. TETRA is evolving its business model by expanding into the low carbon energy markets with its chemistry expertise, key mineral acreage, and global infrastructure. Low carbon energy initiatives include commercialization of TETRA PureFlow ultra-pure zinc bromide clear brine fluid that is used for stationary batteries and energy storage and development of TETRA's lithium and bromine mineral acreage to meet the growing demand for oil and gas products and energy storage. Visit the Company's website at www.tetratec.com for more information or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Investor Contact

For further information, please contact Elijio Serrano, CFO, TETRA Technologies, Inc. at (281) 367-1983 or via email at [email protected] or Rigo Gonzalez, Manager of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, at (281) 364-2213 or via email at [email protected].

SOURCE TETRA Technologies, Inc.
A team from the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (STEP) has made an essential contribution to our knowledge of the mean snow depth on Mount Qomolangma.

BEIJING, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The researchers applied a novel approach to using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology, by starting measurements from exposed limestone at a lower elevation point, thus resulting in more accurate readings. Based on this new method, the scientists calculated a snow depth of 9.5  1.2 meters at the summit, considerably different from previous estimates of 0.9 to 3.5 meters.

The study was published in The Cryosphere on July 6. A video summary of the study can be viewed here.

The team gathered these data during the STEP "summit mission" that took place from April to May in 2022. They used a Sensor & Software Pulse EKKO Pro GPR systemequipped with a single transmitter-receiver antenna and specially adapted to endure Qomolangma's harsh conditionsin order to ensure precise measurements of the summit's snow depth.

Prof. YANG Wei, the study's lead author and a researcher from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized the value of the new method: "Our innovative approach allowed us to discern more accurately the boundaries between the snow and rock, refining our understanding of the actual rock height of Mount Qomolangma beneath its snowy summit."

The expedition's chief scientist, Prof. YAO Tandong, also emphasized the importance of this research: "This finding uncovers more than just snow depthit opens a path towards a deeper understanding of our planet and the impacts of climate change at high altitudes on the Earth."

Mount Qomolangma's snow depth is indeed a critical climate marker. Changes in snow accumulation and drift, driven by weather variations, significantly influence total snow depth. With the new, enhanced measurement, scientists can now delve deeper into studying climatic interactions.

Prof. YANG Wei noted that the STEP team plans to continue leveraging this innovative radar method to study snow stratigraphy and snowpack properties on Mount Qomolangma's summit. These investigations will help us more accurately grasp the impact of human-induced climate change on the world's most extreme environments.

Reference

Title of original paper: Brief communication: How deep is the snow on Mount Everest?

Journal: Cryosphere

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2625-2023

Corresponding author's email: [email protected]

About Third Pole Environment

Third Pole Environment (TPE) is a research program that focuses on the interactions between water, ice, air, humans, and the ecosystem. Their main work pertains to the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding mountains, which constitute one of the largest ice masses in the world and is considered by researchers to be the Third Pole (the other two being the North and South Poles). TPE aims to enhance human adaptation to a changing climate by revealing the processes and mechanisms of environmental change in the Third Pole and how they correspond to global environmental changes.

Contact:

Cuihui Xia

86-10-84097124

[email protected]com

SOURCE Third Pole Environment
A roundup of the week's most newsworthy energy industry press releases from PR Newswire, including updates in offshore wind power, nuclear power, and more.

NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the energy and natural resources industry stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

PR Newswire Weekly Energy Press Release Roundup, July 10-14, 2023. Photo provided by Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. https://prn.to/46IobcX

Read more of the latest energy-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNenergy on Twitter.

Can't-Miss Earnings

In addition to these popular releases, several must-read earnings reports crossed the wire this week, including the quarterly results for CHS Inc. and Azure Power.

Catch up on all the latest earnings reports here.

Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News

These are just a few of the recent press releases that consumers and the media should know about. To be notified of releases relevant to their coverage area, journalists can set up a custom newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.

Once they're signed up, reporters, bloggers and freelancers have access to the following free features:

Customization: Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more.

Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more. Photos and Videos: Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story.

Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story. Subject Matter Experts: Access ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles.

Access ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles. Related Resources: Read and subscribe to our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines, for media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

About PR Newswire and PR Newswire for Journalists

For more than 65 years, PR Newswire has been the industry leader with the largest, most comprehensive distribution network of print, radio, magazine, television stations, financial portals and trade publications. PR Newswire has an unparalleled global reach of more than 200,000 publications and 10,000 websites and is available in more than 170 countries and 40 languages.

PR Newswire for Journalists (PRNJ) is an exclusive community that includes over 20,000 journalists, bloggers and influencers who are logging into their PRNJ accounts specifically looking for story ideas. PR Newswire thoroughly researches and vets this community to verify their identity as a member of the press, blogger or influencer. PRNJ users cover more than 200 beats and verticals.

For questions, contact the team at [email protected].

SOURCE PR Newswire
A roundup of the week's most newsworthy financial industry press releases from PR Newswire, including the best states to recover from a recession and a retirement outlook for Gen X.

NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the finance industry stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

PR Newswire Weekly Finance Press Release Roundup, July 10-14, 2023. Photo provided by Deloitte. https://prn.to/3NVTdWi

Read more of the latest finance-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNfinance on Twitter.

Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News

These are just a few of the recent press releases that consumers and the media should know about. To be notified of releases relevant to their coverage area, journalists can set up a custom newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.

Once they're signed up, reporters, bloggers and freelancers have access to the following free features:

Customization: Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more.

Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more. Photos and Videos: Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story.

Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story. Subject Matter Experts: Access ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles.

Access ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles. Related Resources: Read and subscribe to our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines, for media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

About PR Newswire and PR Newswire for Journalists

For more than 65 years, PR Newswire has been the industry leader with the largest, most comprehensive distribution network of print, radio, magazine, television stations, financial portals and trade publications. PR Newswire has an unparalleled global reach of more than 200,000 publications and 10,000 websites and is available in more than 170 countries and 40 languages.

PR Newswire for Journalists (PRNJ) is an exclusive community that includes over 20,000 journalists, bloggers and influencers who are logging into their PRNJ accounts specifically looking for story ideas. PR Newswire thoroughly researches and vets this community to verify their identity as a member of the press, blogger or influencer. PRNJ users cover more than 200 beats and verticals.

SOURCE PR Newswire
A roundup of the week's most newsworthy health industry press releases from PR Newswire, including the first OTC birth control pill in the U.S.

NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the healthcare industry stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

PR Newswire Weekly Health Press Release Roundup, July 10-14, 2023. Photo provided by Love Wellness. https://prn.to/3XNLjmg

Read more of the latest health-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNhealth on Twitter.

Can't-Miss Earnings

In addition to these popular releases, several must-read earnings reports crossed the wire this week, including the quarterly results for Harbour BioMed.

Catch up on all the latest earnings reports here.

Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News

These are just a few of the recent press releases that consumers and the media should know about. To be notified of releases relevant to their coverage area, journalists can set up a custom newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.

Once they're signed up, reporters, bloggers and freelancers have access to the following free features:

Customization: Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more.

Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more. Photos and Videos: Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story.

Subject Matter Experts: Access ProfNet , a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles.

ProfNet Related Resources: Read and subscribe to our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines , for media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

About PR Newswire and PR Newswire for Journalists

For more than 65 years, PR Newswire has been the industry leader with the largest, most comprehensive distribution network of print, radio, magazine, television stations, financial portals and trade publications. PR Newswire has an unparalleled global reach of more than 200,000 publications and 10,000 websites and is available in more than 170 countries and 40 languages.

PR Newswire for Journalists (PRNJ) is an exclusive community that includes over 20,000 journalists, bloggers and influencers who are logging into their PRNJ accounts specifically looking for story ideas. PR Newswire thoroughly researches and vets this community to verify their identity as a member of the press, blogger or influencer. PRNJ users cover more than 200 beats and verticals.

For questions, contact the team at [email protected].

SOURCE PR Newswire
A roundup of the week's most newsworthy culture press releases from PR Newswire, including Diddy's new e-commerce site for supporting Black businesses.

NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering different cultural groups stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

PR Newswire Weekly People & Culture Press Release Roundup, July 10-14, 2023. Photo provided by Gallaudet University. https://prn.to/3ruAWHJ

Read more of the latest culture-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNmltcult on Twitter.

Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News

These are just a few of the recent press releases that consumers and the media should know about. To be notified of releases relevant to their coverage area, journalists can set up a custom newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.

Once they're signed up, reporters, bloggers and freelancers have access to the following free features:

Customization: Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more.

Create a customized newsfeed that will deliver relevant news right to your inbox. Customize the newsfeed by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more. Photos and Videos: Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story.

Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include with your next story. Subject Matter Experts: Access ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles.

Access ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles. Related Resources: Read and subscribe to our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines, for media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

About PR Newswire and PR Newswire for Journalists

For more than 65 years, PR Newswire has been the industry leader with the largest, most comprehensive distribution network of print, radio, magazine, television stations, financial portals and trade publications. PR Newswire has an unparalleled global reach of more than 200,000 publications and 10,000 websites and is available in more than 170 countries and 40 languages.

PR Newswire for Journalists (PRNJ) is an exclusive community that includes over 20,000 journalists, bloggers and influencers who are logging into their PRNJ accounts specifically looking for story ideas. PR Newswire thoroughly researches and vets this community to verify their identity as a member of the press, blogger or influencer. PRNJ users cover more than 200 beats and verticals.

For questions, contact the team at [email protected].

SOURCE PR Newswire
CHICAGO and LONDON, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Trading Technologies International, Inc. (TT), a global capital markets technology platform provider, today won the 2023 Waters Rankings Award for Best Algorithmic Trading Provider. The Waters Rankings Awards, in which "best-in-class service providers" are determined by votes from thousands of sell-side and buy-side market participants, recognized the firm for its TT Premium Order Types offering for algorithmic trading.

TT CEO Keith Todd said: "We are truly honored to win this award and see that our algo offering is embraced by the trading community, which is best positioned to judge the usefulness of our sophisticated tools and quality of service. Our TT execution algos are designed by traders for traders, giving market participants the ability to place their focus on what they want to trade and on balancing their position, and letting the algorithms address and interact with the microstructure of the markets while reducing slippage."

Victor Anderson, Global Content Director, WatersTechnology, said: "Congratulations to Trading Technologies on winning the best algorithmic trading provider category in this year's Waters Rankings, based on votes from WatersTechnology's readers. The firm's acquisition of RCM-X last year has played an instrumental role in the success of its algo execution suite, which is gaining momentum globally."

The TT execution algos use a proprietary C++ stack technology that allows seamless integration with global markets directly from the TT platform. The algorithms are dynamically optimized based on market conditions. Clients can leverage best-of-breed synthetic TT Premium Order Types for ultra-low latency trading of futures, options, equities, fixed income, foreign exchange (FX) and more.

The TT platform offers a full range of algorithmic and automated trading solutions, including preconfigured order types, support for broker and third-party algos, tools for building and backtesting custom strategies, the industry-leading Autospreader spread execution tool and colocated order execution. TT also provides access to dozens of global markets and venues for cross-asset trading of trading futures, options, fixed income, cryptocurrencies and more.

Presented by WatersTechnology, the Waters Rankings Awards annually celebrate and recognize the initiatives, innovation and achievements of the industry's technology and data providers over the past 12 months.

The firm's TT platform last month won the TradingTech Insight USA Award for Best Solution for Futures Trading and in December earned the honor of Derivatives Trading System of the Year at the FOW International Awards 2022.

About Trading Technologies

Trading Technologies ( www.tradingtechnologies.com ) is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology platform provider to the global capital markets industry. The company's award-winning TT platform connects to the world's major international exchanges and liquidity venues in listed derivatives alongside a growing number of asset classes, including fixed income and cryptocurrencies. The TT platform delivers advanced tools for trade execution and order management, market data solutions, analytics, trade surveillance, risk management and infrastructure services to the world's leading sell-side institutions, buy-side firms and exchanges. The company's blue-chip client base includes the Tier 1 banks as well as brokers, money managers, hedge funds, proprietary traders, Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs), commercial hedgers and risk managers. These firms rely on the TT ecosystem to manage their end-to-end trading operations. In addition, exchanges utilize TT's technology to deliver innovative solutions to their market participants. TT also strategically partners with technology companies to make their complementary offerings available to Trading Technologies' global client base through the TT ecosystem.

SOURCE Trading Technologies
Two years ago on July 11, 2021, tens of thousands of Cubans took to the streets to protest against the government over the scarcity of medicine, fuel, and food, as well as the decades-long trampling of their human rights.

Security forces responded with tear gas and beatings. Thousands of people were arrested, including prominent human rights activists, artists, and religious leaders.

Many of those arrested reported cruel and degrading treatment in prison. Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia is a case in point. According to the latest State Department Human Rights Report, he has been in solitary confinement since his arrest in a cell without windows or ventilation. The cell was also illuminated 24 hours a day during most of the past year.

Imprisoned artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, recently published a letter in The Miami Herald entitled Cubas authorities have stolen my youth just for speaking my mind. He wrote, Today every young Cuban is a political prisoner. A censored artist. An exile inside and outside Cuba.

All we did was demand the right to choose our political future and to speak our minds.

No one should have to give up their youth for such a just cause, he concluded.

Alcantara began a hunger and thirst strike on June 6, and no one has heard from him since, according to Claudia Genlui, a Cuban activist and friend of Alcantara's.

The world will not forget those who bravely made their voices heard in the face of extreme repression, said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement, including the more than 700 individuals who remain in Cuban jails, condemned to prison sentences ranging up to 25 years for exercising their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.

The U.S. government has imposed several rounds of sanctions and visa restrictions targeting those individuals and entities involved in human rights abuses, including the harsh treatment of July 11th protestors. The United States, said spokesperson Miller, calls for the immediate release of unjustly detained political prisoners and urge(s) the international community to join us in demanding the Cuban government release the hundreds of students, journalists, artists, young people, and others unjustly imprisoned.
CHANGZHOU, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 7, nine module manufacturers including Trina Solar have reached a consensus on standardizing the dimensions of rectangular silicon wafer modules to 2382*1134mm, based on Trina Solar's 210R modules with dimensions of 2384*1134mm launched in April 2022. At the same time, the nine companies have called for current and future designs for the 210mm series modules to adhere to the specifications for module dimensions and mounting holes outlined by the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.

Trina Solar has been at the forefront of the industry, leading standardization with its Golden Size design concept and products. Trina Solar has thus laid a solid foundation for standardization of module dimensions across the entire industry.

In April the company made a groundbreaking introduction to the industry with the innovative medium-format 210R product based on rectangular wafers. In March Trina Solar unveiled comprehensive 210R product solutions including module dimensions of 2384*1134mm, mounting hole positions, frame design, material processes, packaging and logistics parameters.

Trina Solar took the lead in advocating for standardization of silicon wafer module dimensions. In April it presented the comprehensive value of its 210R modules at a module size workshop that the association organized. These advantages include design concepts maximizing container utilization (achieving a rate of 98.5%), increased customer value, manufacturability, and proven safety and reliability, with cumulative shipments exceeding 30GW+. Trina Solar proposed that dimensions of 2384*1134mm be adopted as a universal industry standard, a suggestion that was agreed upon by the the association and participating companies.

At this year's SNEC PV Power Expo in Shanghai, the dimensions of 2384/2380*1134mm were adopted by major module manufacturers in their products. Now, with the other eight companies, Trina Solar will continue to push for an industry standard.

Regarding the dimensions of large-format modules, promoted by Trina Solar, in May 2021 the China Photovoltaic Industry Association established industry standards for 60-cell modules with overall dimensions of 2172*1303mm and mounting hole locations based on a 210mm cell, as well as for 66-cell modules with overall dimensions of 2384*1303mm.

210mm wafer technology has showed strong advantages in especially Vertex 600W+ modules. Based on its advanced 210 technology, with the integration of n-type technology, Trina Solar leads the industry to embrace 700W+. With this joint initiative, the PV industry takes a step further towards 210mm technology.

Throughout the various stages of development, the trend toward larger formats and higher power output has been a key driver for advancing and upgrading the industry. Behind this progress, standardization of module dimensions plays a crucial role.

Trina Solar believes that the latest joint initiative represents an end to the historical variation in module sizes, highlighting a clearer trend of 210mm modules with ultra high power and higher performance, which will have significant benefits for the photovoltaic industry globally.

SOURCE Trina Solar Co., Ltd
OSLO, Norway, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vianode, a Norwegian producer of advanced battery materials with a greener footprint, has been selected for a EUR 90 million EU Innovation Fund grant preparation for a large-scale plant to upscale innovative production of synthetic graphite.

The grant is awarded by the European Commission through the EU Innovation Fund and is part of a EUR 3.6 billion award to 41 large-scale clean tech projects. The call for projects attracted 239 applications.

"The grant demonstrates the European Commission's conviction in Vianode as a prominent vehicle to cut greenhouse gas emissions and drive technological innovation through a scalable and competitive value proposition. Financial governmental support is one of several key framework conditions necessary to succeed with responsible electrification in Europe," says Hans Erik Vatne, interim CEO and COO in Vianode.

For further information, please contact:

Hans Iver Odenrud

Tel: +47 958 16 230

Email: [email protected]

About EU Innovation Fund

The EU Innovation Fund is one of the world's largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies and is an instrument tangibly supporting the vision for a climate-neutral Europe by 2050 - the overarching aim set out in the European Green Deal. The innovation fund is about bringing highly innovative technologies to the market. The fund is primarily financed through the EU Emission Trading System and is managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). CINEA is the European Commission's agency that manages decarbonization and sustainable growth.

About Vianode

Vianode is built upon technological advancements and decades of industry experience, backed by Elkem, Hydro, and Altor Equity Partners' Fund V. Following successful pilot production, the company is now scaling up toward large-scale production in Norway as a step in a larger expansion plan to deliver battery materials to 2 million EVs per year by 2030. Vianode's range of anode graphite products offer unique performance characteristics and are produced with up to 90 percent lower CO2 emissions than today's standard materials - supporting the ambitions of leading battery cell and automotive manufacturers while accelerating the green transition. www.vianode.com

The following files are available for download:

https://news.cision.com/vianode/i/vianode-vils-01,c3199895 Vianode VILS 01

SOURCE Vianode
CHAOYANG, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese and foreign officials and experts at the Vision China event in Chaoyang, Liaoning province, on July 13.

The Vision China event, jointly organized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, China Daily and the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Liaoning Provincial Committee, was held on July 13 in Chaoyang, Liaoning province.

Chinese and foreign officials and experts at the Vision China event in Chaoyang, Liaoning province, on July 13.

Themed "Tracing the origins of Chinese civilization and passing it on to future generations", the event invited Chinese and foreign experts engaged in archaeological and historical research, civilization studies and cultural heritage protection to share insights on Hongshan Culture, the development of world civilization, and cultural inheritance and innovation.

At a symposium on cultural inheritance and development on June 2, President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, summarized five prominent features regarding Chinese civilization  consistency, originality, uniformity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness.

Li Qun, director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, called for in-depth study and implementation of Xi's guidance on cultural heritage work at the event.

"We will deepen our research in key programs, including projects engaged in tracing the origins of Chinese civilization, systematically reveal the discoveries of ancient Chinese society and its historical development patterns," Li said.

Hongshan Culture was a Neolithic culture renowned for its exquisite jade. In the early 1980s, a team of archaeologists discovered the Niuheliang site dating back 5,000 to 5,500 years in Chaoyang, marking a milestone in the study of Hongshan Culture.

Liu Huiyan, head of the publicity department of the Liaoning Provincial CPC Committee, said the great discovery of Niuheliang not only expanded the scope of archaeological study of ancient Chinese history from the Yellow River Basin to the western region of the Liaohe River Basin, but also extended the recorded history of Chinese civilization by 1,000 years, providing real archaeological evidence about the more than 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization.

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, highlighted the important historical references provided by Hongshan Culture for modern development, and vowed to expand communication platforms, create high-quality and multimedia products featuring Chinese culture, and promote exchanges and mutual learning among world civilizations.

"We will stay firmly rooted in Chinese culture. We will collect and refine the defining symbols and best elements of Chinese culture and showcase them to the world," he said.

SOURCE China Daily
DETROIT, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) Chancellor Dr. Curtis L.Ivery applauds Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's formation of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP) to provide pathways to prosperity for every Michiganian.

The new department will be tasked with improving outcomes from preschool through postsecondary so anyone can 'make it in Michigan.' MiLEAP will achieve this goal by establishing clear metrics, collaborating with cross-sector leaders at the local, regional, and state level, and developing a shared action plan.

"This decisive action recognizes and supports that every Michiganian deserves to explore, learn, grow and develop the skills they need to thrive. This strategic decision and investment benefits both today, and for the long-term future of Michigan," said Chancellor Ivery.

The executive order supports and advances the generational projects which require a shared vision, effective decision-making, and strategic resource allocations to ensure that each and every person in Michigan has the best opportunity to achieve their highest potential life experiences.

The coordinated collaborative approach is also vital to developing the skills, training and educational advancement so necessary to attract, sustain and grow the jobs and employment opportunities for our businesses and organizations in order to maintain and advance Michigan's national and international leadership.

"We look forward to this partnership of bringing this strategic coordination to advance the 'whole person' in Michigan educational experiences," said Chancellor Ivery.

About Wayne County Community College District

WCCCD, one of the largest urban community colleges in Michigan, is a multi-campus district with six campus locations and specialty campuses, including the Mary Ellen Stempfle University Center, the Heinz C. Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center, the Michigan Institute for Public Safety Education (MIPSE), the Curtis L. Ivery Health and Wellness Education Center, and the Outdoor Careers Training Center. The District serves nearly 70,000 students annually across 32 cities and townships, and more than 500 square miles. WCCCD is committed to the continued development of new programs, workforce transformation, hosting community-based training sessions, and improving student facilities and services. www.wcccd.edu.

SOURCE Wayne County Community College District
Announcing the ShortShorts Film Festival  Asia 2023 Audience Awards, Most Viewed Award and Finalists of the FiNANCiE WEB3 Award & Creators' Award

The award-winning films will be screened at the Screening in Autumn

SHIBUYA, Japan, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 25th "Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA)," the biggest international short film festival in Asia officially recognized by the Academy Awards closed its online venue on July 10th and announced the "Audience Awards," which were selected by audience votes from among the nominated shorts in the Live Action Competitions and the "Most Viewed Award," which is given to the film with the highest number of views among the shorts screened in the online venue.

Audience Awards went to "Sparrow" by Marcin Janos Krawczyk, "Nowhere else" by Kyeongwon Lee, "Tiger Cave" by Mansai Nomura, "STRANGE" by Ken Ochiai and The Finalists of the FiNANCiE WEB3 Award are "Ulf Nawrot - 40.000 Post-Its" by Fabian Nolte , "Dark9 Community" by Yuhe Lu, Wade Chao, the finalist of Creators' Award is "Everywhere"by Step Cheung, Ng Kai Chung, "LIVE TILL I DIE" by Gustav Agerstrand, Asa Ekman, Oscar Hedin Hetteberg, Anders Teigen

In addition, the finalists of "FiNANCiE WEB3 Award" which was given to the film using WEB3's technology & decided by members of FiNANCiE's token-issuing funding, which supports creators and "Creators' Award" determined from the creators' perspective by domestic and foreign submissions were announced as well.

The "audience award" that was most supported by the audience at the Tokyo and online venues went to Poland's "Sparrow" from the International category, Korea's "Nowhere Else" from the Asia International category, and from the Japan category, Kyogen actor Mansai Nomura's directorial debut, "Tiger's Cave", in which Masataka Kubota plays a lonely young man in modern times. The story is based on the motifs of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Atsushi Nakajima's "Sangetsu-ki." As the Most Viewed short on the online venue, the human drama "Strange" directed by Ken Ochiai, starring Towa Araki and drag queen Dorian Lollobrigida won the award. The finalist of the FiNANCiE WEB3 Award jointly established by FiNANCiE and SSFF & ASIA, which develops token-issuing crowdfunding using blockchain, were German documentary ". Ulf Nawrot - 40.000 Post-Its" and Taiwan comedy "Dark9 Community". Hong Kong animation "Everywhere" and Sweden documentary "LIVE TILL I DIE" were also announced as the finalist of Creators' Award selected by domestic and foreign directors who submitted to this year's film festival.

Each award-winning short film will be screened at the Short Shorts Fall Film Festival's Screening in Autumn event held in October, along with films from each category, including the Grand Prix = George Lucas Award winning short film.

URL https://shortshorts.org/2023/en/awards/

Contact:

Fuyumi Tanaka

0354748201

[email protected]

SOURCE Committee for Short Shorts Film Festival
XUZHOU, China, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG Machinery ("XCMG", SHE:000425) has officially released the HANYUN OS 2023 at the 2023 Industrial Internet Conference, marking a new milestone for XCMG HANYUN as it embarks on a journey of innovation on digitalization, and sustainable solutions with the goal of supporting global customers.

XCMG Machinery Releases HANYUN OS 2023, Empowering New Industrialization with Intelligent and Digital Transformation.

The XCMG HANYUN industrial internet platform was developed by XCMG to promote the digital and intelligent transformation of various industries through integrating industrial big data and changing the paradigms of production, service, and business model. It now serves as a reliable partner for 70,000 users from 80 industries across 80 countries and regions worldwide.

The new OS of XCMG HANYUN, a lightweight and easy-to-deploy platform, will empower global users with integrated digital capabilities leveraging the six core technologies of embedded edge computing, production process simulation, big data mining, low-code technology, digital twin, and AI. The new launch also includes upgrades of three key platforms  HANYUN Industrial Internet, HANYUN Digital Thread, and HANYUN Digital Twin.

"The release of HANYUN OS 2023 marks the beginning of a new chapter for XCMG HANYUN in the field of industrial internet. Looking ahead, XCMG HANYUN, which is driven by innovation, will continue to tackle core technologies and provide powerful support for the high-quality development of China's manufacturing industries, injecting robust strength to achieve greater success," said Zhang Qiliang, CEO of XCMG HANYUN, who shared practice cases of how XCMG HANYUN supports the industries.

XCMG HANYUN provides professional consulting, design, development, manufacturing, implementation, and operation products and services relating to industrial internet and integrated intelligent manufacturing solutions. Earlier this year, it received the Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 5 ("CMMI5").

The exhibition of XCMG HANYUN at the 2023 Industrial Internet Conference was themed making industries more intelligent with digital technologies. XCMG HANYUN especially showcased its intelligent service solutions for the back market as well as innovative applications and achievements in terms of the integrated solution of industrial internet + industry park, as well as case studies for various industries including nonferrous metals, core components, intelligent healthcare, and more.

"XCMG HANYUN will continually focus on achieving breakthroughs in innovative technologies and promoting the coordinated, high-quality development of the digital economy and the real economy, taking on the key role of promoting the new industrialization as the foundation of digital transformation," noted Zhang.

SOURCE XCMG Machinery
BEIJING, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- China's leading Baijiu maker Wuliangye on Monday initiated the Harmony and Beauty Global Tour in Paris, France.

Themed on "Harmony and Beauty", the event marked the company's first overseas cultural activity after China's adjustment of COVID-19 pandemic response, aiming at showcasing Chinese Baijiu culture to the world through art, fashion, and other cultural forms and facilitating cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and France.

Accompanied by the melodious song "La vie en rose" played by traditional Chinese instrument Guzheng, calligrapher Zhu Jingyi wrote down the Chinese characters of "Harmony and Beauty" on site to interpret the diverse aspects of the theme through his calligraphy.

Later, at the banquet, guests raised their glasses and enjoyed the harmonious and aromatic taste of Wuliangye with the introduction of Fabrice Prochasson, president of the French chefs association, praising its pursuit of excellence in quality and its profound heritage.

During the event, the "Harmony and Beauty" edition limited gift box was also unveiled, which were co-created by artists from both countries, featuring French elements such as the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River, as well as Chinese cultural elements such as traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting.

It is noted that the gift box is scheduled to be officially released in 2024 as a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

"As we approach the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in 2024, the first stop of the Wuliangye Harmony and Beauty Global Tour is set in France. It is a new chapter in the friendship between China and France," said Zeng Congqin, Chairman of Wuliangye Group.

He further mentioned that the event will be hosted in Oceania, America, Southeast Asia, and other regions to bridge cultural exchanges and mutual understanding among different countries and civilizations, and to allow global consumers to taste rich aroma of fine liquor.

See the original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/335076.html

SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road
Azerbaijani Embassy will open in Slovakia. Azerbaijani Parliament's Committee for International Relations and Interparliamentary Ties discussed the draft law on the issue, Azernews reports.

Following the discussions, the draft law "On the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Slovak Republic (Bratislava)" was put to the vote and adopted.

The opening of the embassy will further contribution to the development of Azerbaijani-Slovak ties.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on November 23, 1993. Until now, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Austria has been operating in Slovakia as well.

Currently, there is an Azerbaijani consulate already operating in Slovakia.
Entergy Nuclear recently announced several leadership moves at its nuclear plants in Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as its headquarters operations in Jackson, Miss.

Joe Sullivan, Entergy site vice president at Arkansas Nuclear One in Russellville, has been named site vice president at Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, La. Sullivan replaces John Ferrick who will transition to fleet vice president, outage services at company headquarters in Jackson, Miss.

Doug Pehrson, currently Entergy general manager of plant operations at ANO, becomes the new site vice president at ANO, while Brad Wertz will take on the general manager role.

Concurrently, Mandy Halter, general manager at Waterford 3 in Killona, La., will transition to a company leadership role in Jackson, Miss. representing the nuclear fleet. Dave Oertling, currently Waterford 3 regulatory and performance improvement director, will become the new Waterford 3 general manager.

"I want to congratulate each of these outstanding nuclear professionals as they take on their new roles. I also want to thank them for their many contributions in their former roles," said John Dinelli, Entergy Nuclear chief operating officer. "Entergy values empowerment and engagement across our workforce, and the fact that our people can step into new and important roles is critical to our continued success."

Joe Sullivan

Sullivan has held senior leadership roles, including the general manager, fleet operations at Echelon, Entergy's nuclear headquarters, and general manager of plant operations at Cooper Nuclear Station in Brownville, Neb. Prior to coming to Entergy, Sullivan served in various positions of increasing responsibility at three nuclear sites in the northeast. He was also a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission license examiner and inspector, and was an on-shift senior reactor operator at Calvert Cliffs and Salem generating stations in Maryland and New Jersey respectively. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Doug Pehrson

Prior to assuming the general manager role, Pehrson was the operations director and senior manager of maintenance at ANO. Throughout his career, Pehrson held several positions in operations at ANO, including reactor operator, shift technical advisor, control room supervisor, shift manager and Unit 1 operations manager shift. Pehrson, who served in the U.S. Navy, holds a bachelor's in nuclear engineering technology from Thomas Edison State University. He holds a master's in business administration from LSU.

Brad Wertz

Before taking his current assignment, Wertz was the general manager at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss., worked in regulatory assurance and was senior manager, operations. In 2006, Wertz joined Entergy at the James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant in New York. He began his career in 2001 working for Bechtel-Bettis Atomic Power Laboratories in Pittsburgh, Pa. Wertz holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Bucknell.

Mandy Halter

Halter joined Entergy in 2017 as vice president of regulatory assurance after a career with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. With that agency, she held various positions, including senior resident inspector stationed at nuclear power plants, working up to policy advisor to the presidential-appointed NRC chair. Prior to the NRC, Halter served for 11 years as an officer in the U.S. Nuclear Navy, where she drove the largest warships, operated a nuclear reactor onboard an aircraft carrier, and trained future officers at two accredited universities. Halter earned a bachelor's in chemistry from the Naval Academy and two master's degrees, one in engineering management from Old Dominion University and the other from Villanova University in business administration. In her career with Entergy, Halter also worked in regulatory assurance and was acting general manager at Grand Gulf, and was general manager at Waterford 3.

Dave Oertling

Oertling returned to his Louisiana roots in 2022 when he joined Waterford 3 as the director of regulatory and performance improvement. Previously, Oertling served as the director of operations at ANO. Oertling began his Entergy career in 1997 as a non-licensed operator and went on to become a qualified reactor operator, operations training instructor, control room supervisor, shift manager and assistant operations manager. He was a senior license holder for ANO Unit 2 from 2019 to 2020. Prior to his career at Entergy, Oertling served eight years in the United States Navy.

About Entergy

Entergy Nuclear, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy Nuclear owns, operates and supports a fleet of five reactors in four locations, generating enough clean, carbon-free electricity to power millions of homes. Entergy (NYSE: ETR) is a Fortune 500 company that powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and follow @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife
Entergy Mississippi has appointed five new experts to its lead team, collectively bringing more than 130 years of knowledge ranging from operations to customer service to the company. The team comes together amid the company's centennial, emphasizing Entergy's strong legacy in Mississippi and unique industry position to grow sustainable value for its stakeholders.

New executive members include Vice President of Reliability Shawn Corkran, Vice President of Power Plant Operations Demitrius Davis, Vice President of Customer Service Robbie Kemp, Assistant General Counsel Tianna H. Raby, Director of Resource Planning and Market Operations Aaron Hill, and Communications Manager Leyla Goodsell.

The group sits alongside President and CEO Haley Fisackerly, Vice President of Public Affairs John Arledge, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Jeremy Vanderloo, and Director of Finance David A. Gibbs, CPA.

"With these new additions to our lead team, our organization is more than prepared to step into our next century as the premier utility," said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. "Our workforce is focused on providing our customers with affordable and reliable energy, and this team has the strength and innovation to steer them."

Corkran is responsible for overseeing safety, operations, construction, reliability improvement, engineering, asset planning, distribution dispatching, meter services, contract management, and emergency restoration for the company's transmission and distribution systems. Since 1992, he has held several technical and leadership positions with Entergy in Louisiana and Texas.

Davis has overall responsibility for safely managing and operating Mississippi's non-nuclear power plants. Previously, he served as vice president of operations support. In that role, he was responsible for all technical and commercial support functions required to safely operate, maintain and optimize the performance of power generation's fleet. Davis joined the company in 2020.

Kemp's career with Entergy spans more than 36 years. In her current role, she is responsible for driving strategies to improve customer centricity and overseeing customer service for the entire Entergy Mississippi territory. Additionally, she engages in cultivating and maintaining relationships with elected officials, key community constituents, civic organizations, and commercial, governmental, and industrial business leaders.

Raby oversees regulatory legal matters for Entergy Mississippi. She joined Entergy in 2014 as senior counsel in the litigation group of the legal department and in 2017 was named managing counsel. While in litigation, she managed casualty and commercial ligation matters. Prior to her career at Entergy Mississippi, Raby was a partner in the Jackson office of a civil litigation defense firm.

Hill's focus is the planning of fuel, generation, transmission, and operations in the MISO energy market for Entergy Mississippi. He joined Entergy in 2001, and he has served in various leadership roles at the company. In addition to resource planning, his areas of specialty include transmission and distribution planning, regulatory support, project management, and renewable integration.

Goodsell leads strategic planning of executive, internal and external communications. She joined Entergy Mississippi's communications team in 2017 responsible for implementing internal communications and social media strategies.

Many of the new team assumed their positions after their predecessors retired from the company in late 2022.

About Entergy Mississippi

Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 461,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Mississippi is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than , Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy, visit the Newsroom.
Amman, July 14 : The UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan, Sheri Ritsema-Anderson, has expressed her concern about the funding shortfall that may lead to disruption of services to both Jordanians and refugees in the coming months.

"I am deeply concerned by funding shortfalls that are threatening to interrupt key activities that support both Jordanians and refugees in the next months," she was quoted as saying on Thursday by a press statement from the UN office in Jordan.

The UN official called on all partners to find ways to maintain financial support and accomplish humanitarian and development goals in Jordan, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Through collaborative efforts, we can ensure that no one is left behind," she said.

Jordan is the second largest per capita refugee-hosting country in the world. Nearly 660,000 Syrian refugees and 80,000 refugees from other countries are registered with the UNHCR as of May 2023, according to the World Food Programme (WFP) Jordan Country Brief released in May.

In May, WFP assisted about 456,000 refugees in Jordanian camps and host communities with monthly food aid through cash-based transfers, according to the WFP report.

However, WFP has decided to reduce its monthly assistance in July by one-third, given that there is a deficit of $115.8 million to satisfy the food needs of 465,000 refugees in camps and communities, the report noted.
Prayagraj, July 14 : The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police has filed a 2,056-page charge sheet against three assailants who shot dead gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his younger brother Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf outside a Prayagraj hospital in full public view, a police officer said.

The charge sheet against the three accused -- Lavlesh Tiwari, 22, Sunny Singh, 23, and Arun Maurya,18, -- was filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Prayagraj, Dinesh Kumar Gautam, on Thursday.

No lawyers were present to represent the accused.

The three assailants had a criminal past and they planned to murder Atiq and Ashraf to earn fame and money, a senior police officer said, citing the charge sheet.

"They used sophisticated firearms, which were provided to Sunny Singh by Delhi-based gangster Jitender Mann alias Gogi to eliminate his rival Tillu Tajpuria," the officer added.

After perusal of records, the court took cognisance of the charge sheet and fixed July 14 as the next date of hearing in the case.

The judicial remand of the three accused will also end on Friday and they are likely to be produced before the court through video-conferencing.

Atiq and Ashraf were gunned down by the trio outside the Motilal Nehru (Colvin) Divisional Hospital around 10.30 p.m. on April 15 when they were being taken for a court-mandated medical examination while in police custody.

The 2,056-page charge sheet -- including 2,000 pages of case diary, besides post-mortem examination reports, photographs, crime scene map, FIRs, report of recreation of the crime, and ballistic report of firearms used in crime -- was filed under Section 173 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

CJM Gautam said there was adequate base to take cognisance of the crime.

He ordered the police to produce the accused before the court on July 14.

He also instructed to provide the copy of the charge sheet to the accused and transfer the case for trial to the sessions court.
Lucknow, July 14 : The Uttar Pradesh government has removed the 'Y'-category security provided to Samajwadi Party National General Secretary and former Minister Mohd. Azam Khan, an official said.

A senior Home department official said that the state level security committee constituted to provide security to ministers, former ministers and VVIPs had said in its report that no justification has been found for maintaining Y-category security of Azam Khan.

On the basis of this report, the order was sent to the Superintendent of Police (SP), Rampur, Ashok Kumar Shukla, on behalf of the State Secretary, Home Affairs (Police), A.V. Rajamouli, the official added.

The SP told journalists that as per the government's recommendations, the policemen engaged in the Y-category security of Azam Khan have been withdrawn.

In February 2023, Azam Khan and his Rampur MLA son Abdullah Azam were sentenced to two years imprisonment by MP/MLA court in Moradabad in a 2008 case.

Thereafter, in May, Azam Khan, his wife and former MP Tanzeen Fatima, and a clerk of the Basic Education Department, Taufeeq Ahmad, were charge sheeted in a case over the alleged use of forged documents for securing recognition of the Rampur Public School -- run by the Jauhar Trust, headed by the Samajwadi Party leader.

The FIR was lodged in 2020.

Since the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, as many as 84 cases have been registered against Azam Khan in Rampur on various charges.
United Nations, July 14 : Syria has unilaterally broken a Security Council stalemate by agreeing to allow the UN to use a contentious border-crossing to provide aid to rebel-held areas of the country on the terms of a Russian resolution that failed.

Syria's Permanent Representative, Bassam Sabbagh, said on Thursday that his country would permit aid to be sent for six months across the Bab al-Hawa border-crossing on the Turkey frontier.

The Council-mandated access to the crossing vital for providing aid to about four million people in rebel-held areas in northern Syria had expired on Monday.

The Syrian deal to open Bab al-Hawa was brokered by Russia as a taunt to the West which had opposed a Council resolution proposed by Moscow on similar terms.

The resolution failed because it did not get the required quorum as 10 non-permanent members boycotted the vote.

Russia and China voted for it while the negative votes of the US, France and Britain did not amount to vetoes because the lack of quorum had already doomed it.

Some of those areas to which the aid will go had been hit hard by the earthquake in February that killed tens of thousands of people and the UN and relief agencies had called for at least a 12-month opening of the border.

Sabbagh said that in order to give effect to the failed Russian resolution, Syria "has taken the sovereign decision to grant the UN and specialised agencies permission to use Bab al-Hwael crossing to deliver humanitarian aid to civilian needs in the northwest Syria" for six months.

Reacting to Syria's announcement on Thursday, Britain's Permanent Representative Barbara Woodward dismissed its effectiveness in getting aid to the people.

"Without UN monitoring, control of this critical lifeline has been handed to the man responsible for the Syrian people's suffering," she said, referring to Syria's President Hafez al-Assa.

The border-opening issue was trapped by the polarisation between Russia and the West that doomed duelling resolutions with different periods for keeping the crossing open.

Another resolution presented by Brazil and Switzerland for opening the crossing for nine months was vetoed by Russia.

China abstained rather than join in the veto, while all the other 13 Council members voted for it.

Switzerland's Permanent Representative Pascale Christine Baeriswil said the rationale for insisting on a nine-month extension was that it would run through winter -- a period when the areas would face severe difficulties.

The Council mandate for two other borders, Bab al-Salam and al-Rai, expires on August 13 and will likely face another stalemate.

Speaking to reporters about the deal, Sabbagh used the opportunity to call for lifting sanctions imposed by the West on Syria to help it recover from the damages from the earthquake.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Lucknow, July 14 : In the past fortnight, 25 persons have died due to snake bites in Uttar Pradesh, according to data from the relief commissioner's office.

Snake sightings in six different localities in Lucknow prompted residents to call the snake rescue helpline on Thursday.

Snake bites take place in the monsoon season as with waterlogging and rain, the reptiles lose their natural habitats.

Ever since the onset of the monsoon season, snake bite incidents have been reported from Pilibhit, Balrampur, Kanpur Dehat, Etah, Sonbhadra, Deoria, Mainpuri, Lakhimpur Kheri, Jhansi, and Siddharth Nagar where a snake charmer was bitten, among others.

As for Lucknow, on Thursday, calls for snake rescues were made from Ahmamau, near the Amity College and HCL campuses, Takrohi, Chinhat and Vrindavan Yojana.

According to relief commissioner Naveen Kumar's office, from June 27 till date, there have been 25 deaths from snake bites in the state -- which makes it 25 deaths in less than 20 days.

Sitapur has had the highest number of deaths due to snake bites, recording 5 deaths since the monsoon began.

Sonbhadra, Deoria and Amethi have recorded 2 deaths each and Azamgarh, Ballia, Banda, Firozabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Hardoi, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kaushambhi, Lakhimpur, Pilibhit, Rae Bareli and Sambhal reported one each.

"The number of cases has not increased, rather the number of reported cases has gone up," said Aditya Tiwari, founder of Paryavarnam, a group of snake rescuers in Uttar Pradesh.

Paryavarnam has teams in Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Hardoi, Sitapur and a few other districts.

"We get rescue calls the year round, but they shoot up by at least 50 per cent when the monsoon arrives. This time, we have had the highest number of cases from Ahmamau and the Cantonment area," he explained.

Of the 19 different species of snakes found in the UP region, only four are venomous -- namely, the Spectacled Cobra, Russel's Viper, Common Krait, and the less commonly found Saw-scaled Viper.
Lucknow, July 14 : The video of a woman constable of Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) of Lucknow Commissionerate, accusing senior officials of mental and physical harassment has gone viral on social media.

Aparna Rajat Kaushik, DCP Central, said: "Taking cognizance of the video and seriousness of the matter, the investigation is being done by ADCP (centre) Manisha Singh."

In the video, the woman made allegations related to her posting, work and leave.

Addressing the video to Commissioner of Police (CP), the constable in her 2.30-minute video took names of several officers and alleged that she had been mentally and physically harassed by the officials, including an ACP and an inspector.

"I am being disturbed mentally and physically here. When I went to report to the circle officer sir, he sent me away. There are many officials who are after me, including Javed Akhtar who talks dirty. I am sending this byte after being extremely frustrated," she is heard saying in the video.

"We are constables and hardly anyone pays attention to us. I attempted to meet you several times but was turned away. I am working here, but I am not getting enough work. As a punishment, I am compelled to stay here till late at night.

"When I complained to CO sir, he, too did not listen. When my child was recently bitten by a dog, I requested him for leave, but he tossed the paper and said no leave would be allowed. This behaviour is goading me to consider suicide," she added.
Srinagar, July 13 : More than 16,000 pilgrims had 'Darshan' of the cave shrine on the 13th day of the Amarnath Yatra, as another batch of 7,245 devotees left Jammu for the Kashmir Valley on Friday.

Since the annual pilgrimage commenced on July 1, some 1.62 lakh pilgrims have had darshan of the holy cave shrine till date, officials said.

"Another batch of 7,245 devotees left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu on Friday morning for the valley in an escorted convoy. A total of 3,144 pilgrims are going to the Baltal base camp, while 4101 are heading to the Pahalgam base camp," the officials added.

So far, 19 people have dieddue to natural causes.

Yatris approach the Himalayan cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route which involves an uphill trek of 43 km for from the north Kashmir Baltal base camp which involves a 13 km uphill trek.

Those using the Pahalgam route take 3-4 days to reach the cave shrine, while those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after darshan.

Helicopter services are also available for yatris on both routes.

The cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea-level, houses an ice stalagmite structure that devotees believe symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The istructure wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

This year's 62-day long Amarnath Yatra will end on August 31 coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival.

To protect the pilgrims from high altitude sickness, authorities have banned all junk food at the free community kitchens set up along the two routes.

The banned items include all bottled drinks, halwai items, fried food and tobacco-based products.
Khartoum, July 14 : The Sudanese government has expressed willingness to work with all parties on finding solutions to end the violent conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions of people since it erupted in April.

"The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are ready to stop military operations immediately if the rebel militia commits to stopping attacks on civilian homes, neighborhoods and government facilities, as well as looting," Xinhua news agency quoted the Sovereign Council as saying in a statement.

The government also welcomed the outcomes of the Sudan Neighboring Countries Summit held in Cairo, the statement said.

It also stressed the need to initiate a political dialogue as soon as the violence stops in order to form a civilian government during a transitional period.

Earlier on Thursday, a summit was held in Cairo to discuss solutions to end the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The leaders from Sudan's neighboring countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, Eritrea, Central African Republic and Libya, as well as officials of the Arab League and African Union Commission, attended the meeting.

As stated in a final communique, the summit participants rejected foreign intervention in Sudan's conflict and urged immediate and comprehensive talks between the rival factions.

It noted that a ministerial mechanism will be formed to formulate an executive action plan to end the fight in Sudan and its first meeting will take place in Chad.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 15, which have so far left over 3,000 people dead and 6,000 others injured, according to the Health Ministry.

As a result of the violence, more than 3 million people, roughly half of them children, have been displaced from their homes.
Bengaluru, July 14 : The Karnataka High Court has rapped police for not appropriately investigating a case of sexual assault on a girl by her father, and directed the Bengaluru Police Commissioner to appoint a new investigating officer.

The bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna gave the order on Thursday while looking into the petition submitted by the mother of the victim seeking direction for additional investigation into the matter. Considering the plea and after observing the lacuna in the charge sheet submitted by the Koramangala police in Bengaluru, the bench gave directions for the appointment of a new investigating officer.

The bench gave directions that the newly appointed investigating officer should conduct additional investigation and submit a charge sheet to the court in 10 weeks. Until then, the lower court, which is looking into the matter, should not take any decision considering the charge sheet submitted by the police already in the case. The court can only take the matter further after the submission of the latest charge sheet, the bench stated.

The couple got married in 2014 and they had a daughter later. The wife had lodged a complaint with Koramangala police station on August 24 against her husband. She alleged that her husband used to take off the clothes of their four-year-old daughter and used to touch her inappropriately while giving her a bath.

She further alleged that her husband forced to have sex in front of the kid. He uploaded porn videos in the I-Pad used by the child and forced her to watch them.

The police had lodged a POCSO case against the husband and submitted a charge sheet in October, 2020 to the local court. The mother had objected to it and claimed that the charge sheet had drawbacks. However, the trial court had quashed her petition. The mother had filed an appeal petition in the High Court.

The court observed that the charge sheet submitted by the police showed they have not gathered documents needed for investigation. The investigating officers had intentionally refused to collect the documents and the investigation was improper, the bench stated.

The victim had taken the name of the accused in the statement and this has not been included in the charge sheet. The statement of the victim before the doctors is also not shown. The police have not inquired about the victim's mother and recorded her statement. The phones and laptop, which contained porn videos, were taken into custody and there was no reference of them in the charge sheet, the bench observed.

The police have also not got the statement of relatives regarding the psychotic behaviour of the accused. The statement of psychologists regarding the suffering of the child was also not included in the charge sheet. Intentionally, the charges were framed against the accused. The report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) regarding the I-Pad was not made available and in spite of all this, a charge sheet had been submitted, the court said
"We are delighted with the news we have received from the EU's Innovation Fund to support FREYR's Giga Arctic project," remarked Tom Einar Jensen, FREYR's Co-Founder and CEO. "This grant is a recognition that batteries represent the key catalyst of the energy transition supporting regional energy security through faster deployment of renewable energy. Moreover, this significant financial commitment provides timely support to continued development of the Giga Arctic project, which is intended to bring clean battery products to our customers and partners across Europe. We look forward to working with the EUIF as well as the Norwegian Government to unlock further momentum for next generation battery production capacity at GWh scale in Norway."

Giga Arctic, which has been under development since FREYR's Board of Directors sanctioned the start of construction in June 2022, is designed to be a 29 GWh nameplate capacity facility based on the 24M Technologies SemiSolidTM manufacturing platform and powered with 100% renewable hydroelectricity.

According to a report recently published by Minviro, a life cycle assessment company and independent third-party commissioned by FREYR, the annual production at the planned Giga Arctic facility in Norway could enable FREYR's customers to mitigate 80 million tons of CO2 emissions over the batteries' lifetime when used for renewable Energy Storage Systems (ESS). The projected emissions mitigation corresponds to almost twice the total amount of CO2 emitted in Norway annually.

The EU's Innovation Fund is one of the world's largest funding opportunities for projects designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The fund targets highly innovative technologies and large-scale, flagship initiatives that can bring more value to Europe in terms of transitioning to a low-carbon continent.

About FREYR Battery

FREYR Battery aims to provide industrial scale clean battery solutions to reduce global emissions. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, FREYR's mission is to produce green battery cells to accelerate the decarbonization of energy and transportation systems globally. FREYR has commenced building the first of its planned factories in Mo i Rana, Norway and announced potential development of industrial scale battery cell production in the United States and Vaasa, Finland. FREYR intends to install 50 GWh of battery cell capacity by 2025 and 100 GWh annual capacity by 2028 and 200 GWh of annual capacity by 2030. To learn more about FREYR, please visit www.freyrbattery.com

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside FREYR's control and are difficult to predict. Additional information about factors that could materially affect FREYR is set forth under the "Risk Factors" section in (i) FREYR's Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 1, 2022 and (ii) FREYR's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 that was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023, available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Except as otherwise required by applicable law, FREYR disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. Should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and projections could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
Dakshina Kannada : , July 14 (IANS) Karnataka police have arrested four persons, including BJP party workers, in connection with illegal transportation of cows in Dharmasthala of the district, police said on Friday.

Six cows, two calves were rescued and three vehicles seized.

The arrested have been identified as Pramod Salyan, a resident of Mortaje in Belthangady taluk, Pusparaj from Olagadde, Channakeshava, a resident of Arkalgud and Sandeep Hirebelaguli, a resident of Holenarasipura in Hassan district.

According to police, the first two accused are suspected to be BJP workers.

On getting a tip-off, Dharmasthala police tracked the vehicles illegally transporting the cows. The bovines were found to be stuffed into the vehicles in a violent manner and being transported.

A probe has revealed that the animals were being taken to be sold off. The police has taken the cows, calves and the vehicles into its custody.

Further investigation into the matter is on.
Los Angeles, July 14 : With the news that SAG-AFTRA will now go on strike, members of the acting guild have taken to social media to express their support for the union and to commit to the fight, reports 'Variety'.

SAG-AFTRA -- Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists -- are joining the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in striking for fair compensation, making it a "double strike", which hasn't happened since 1960. The WGA struck work on May 2.

Jamie Lee Curtis took to Instagram and championed the strike by posting a photo of the comedy and tragedy masks, 'Variety' adds. "It looks like it's time to take down the MASKS. And pick up the SIGNS," she wrote in the caption.

Curtis was awarded the supporting actress prize for "Everything Everywhere All at Once" at the SAG Awards earlier this year. She has Disney's "Haunted Mansion" set for release in August, but she will not be allowed to promote the film during the strike.

'Better Call Saul' actor Bob Odenkirk tweeted with a quote from SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher: "Holy Cow. Go Fran Go! This was a powerful statement. I stand with Fran and everyone in SAG and WGA in this extended moment ... onwards."

Odenkirk's response followed Drescher's "How they plead poverty that they are losing money left and right when they give $100 millions to their CEOs." She continued, "If we don't stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines."

Cynthia Nixon, 'Sex and the City' and 'And Just Like That' actress, also sent out messages of solidarity, 'Variety' notes. She wrote: "The @sagaftra strike has at last arrived. I am proud to be standing tall with the @WGAWest and @WGAEast as actors and writers together demand a fair share of the record-breaking profits the studios have been reaping from our labor for far too long. We will win this!"

In solidarity with the union, Emmy nominee and SAG-AFTRA member Kumail Nanjiani tweeted a photo of the official SAG-AFTRA logo accompanied by the copy 'ON STRIKE!'

Comedian and 'Bros' actor Guy Branum also wrote about how he will now be double striking, tweeting, "Now that I am also striking as an actor, all my picketing movements will have purpose and my strike character will have a secret."
New Delhi, July 14 : Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Friday administered the oath of office to Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice S. Venkatanarayana Bhatti as judges of the Supreme Court.

Their names were cleared by the Centre on Wednesday.The notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice on July 12 said that the President, in exercise of powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, has appointed Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice S. Venkatanarayana Bhatti, to be judges of the Supreme Court, from the date they assume charge of office.

The names were cleared by the Centre within a period of one week after the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, on July 5 recommended appointments of Telangana High Court's Chief Justice Bhuyan and his Kerala counterpart, Chief Justice Bhatti as the apex court judges.

With the swearing in of the two judges, the total number of judges at the apex court has now increased to 32 against the sanctioned strength of 34, including the CJI.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the Hon'ble President, after consultation with the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint the following 02 Chief Justices of High Courts as Judges of the Supreme Court of India," tweeted Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Wednesday.

Justice Bhuyan was appointed as a judge of the Gauhati High Court in 2011. He is the senior-most judge of his parent High Court and before elevation to the apex court, he was serving as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court from June 28, 2022.

Justice Bhuyan holds a specialisation and domain knowledge in the law of taxation. He has dealt with a wide spectrum of cases, including taxation while he served at the Bombay High Court. "His judgments cover wide ranging issues pertaining to law and justice a (He) is a judge with a good reputation for integrity and competence," said the SC Collegium while recommending the name of Justice Bhuyan.

Before elevation to the SC, Justice Bhatti was serving as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court. He was appointed as a Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2013 and is the senior most in his parent High Court.

Justice Bhatti holds experience in various branches of law. "The appointment of Mr Justice Bhatti will provide a value addition in terms of his acquired knowledge and experience. He commands a good reputation and possesses integrity and competence," said the Supreme Court Collegium while recommending his name.
Patna, July 14 : JD(U) national president Lalan Singh has slammed the BJP as well as the media for spreading rumours on the death of Vijay Singh, a saffron party leader, despite police clarification that he did not die during a lathi charge in Patna.

Top BJP leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi, Union Nityanand Rai, Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, had claimed on Thursday that Vijay Singh, the party's Maha Mantri in Jahanabad district, died during a lathi charge during a protest march held earlier in the day.

"Vijay Singh did not reach the (protest) venue then how could he die in the lathi charge?" Lalan Singh questioned.

"Certain sections of the media also spread this false news. But it is possible since the media is under the control of the Central government. They are supporting the 'Badka Jhutha Party' (BJP) in spreading rumours. If anyone dares then show the lathi charge footage where Vijay Singh sustained injuries," he added.

Lalan Singh also shared a video statement of Bharat Prasad Chandravansi, who had accompanied Vijay Singh from his native Jahanabad to Patna.

"We were on the way to the venue when a stampede-like situation occurred after the lathi charged and he fell down. Due to this he might have sustained injuries on his head. We took him to Tara hospital where he was put on the ventilator machine but he was not responding. Then an ambulance came and we went to PMCH," Chandravansi said.

Sushil Kumar Modi was the first BJP leader to claim that Vijay Singh died during the police lathi charge.
Jaipur, July 14 : : A POCSO court in Rajasthan sentenced a 72-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping a four-year-old minor girl last December in Kota district.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 20000 on convict Gopal Lal Kani, a resident of Jhalrapatan area in Jhalawar district.

The parents of the girl were initially hesitant to get lodge a complaint.

But when they had to rush their daughter to the hospital, the doctor convinced the parents to lodge a complaint.

The complaint was lodged on December 27, 2022, five days after the crime had occurred.

The accused was arrested the next day and has since been under judicial custody.

The case was fast tracked and a charge sheet was filed on February 27 this year.

The POCSO judge Deepak Dubey penned a poem praising the mother's courage and said: "Salute to you mother, had you not read my pain I would have to silently bear this burden throughout my life. Had you not shown the courage, mother who would have heard the pain of this innocent one."
Kolkata, July 14 : The death toll in the poll-related violence in West Bengal has risen to 45 after a Trinamool Congress worker succumbed to his injuries on Friday, said officials.

He was injured in clashes on July 8 polling day and was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata on the same day.

The deceased has been identified as Saifur Rahman, a local Trinamool Congress worker based out of Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district. He and his brother Maidul Rahman suffered severe injuries last Saturday following the blast of a crude bomb.

Both were shifted to the NRS Medical College & Hospital under critical condition. All attempts on part of the doctors failed as Saifur died early Friday morning. His brother Maidul was in a critical condition.

With this fresh report of casualty, the total death figure in poll- related violence has reached 45 since the day the polling dates were announced by the West Bengal State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha on June 8. While 19 deaths were reported in pre-poll violence till July 7 night, the remaining figures were added since July 8 morning, which was the polling day.

However, the state administration and the ruling Trinamool Congress have continued to be in a denial mode over the ferocity of violence that has taken a toll of so many lives.

A crucial hearing related to the poll related irregularities is scheduled at the division bench of Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam on July 18. Justice Sivagnanam has already cautioned that the fate of those related to the panchayat polls will depend on the proceedings and the final order of the Calcutta High Court.
Washington, July 14 : The US Secret Service has ended its investigation of cocaine discovered at the White House earlier this month.

A zip-close bag which had some white powdery substance was discovered by Secret Service officers on July 2 in a common storage area on the ground floor of the West Wing, which houses the Oval Office and offices of some of the President's top aides and support staff.

The discovery had led to a brief shutdown of the White House.

Tests on the material determined it was cocaine, and further analysis was carried out on the composition of the substance, the BBC reported.

In a statement on Thursday, the Secret Service said that it had attempted to determine a suspect through fingerprints, DNA traces and video evidence, but had not been able to do so.

On Wednesday, the Secret Service received the forensic evidence back from the FBI. This showed it did not have enough DNA evidence for comparison, and had not developed "latent fingerprints".

"Therefore, the Secret Service is not able to compare evidence against the known pool of individuals," the BBC quoted the statement as saying.

It added that the surveillance footage had also not been of use, and it would mean trying to single out someone from "hundreds of individuals" who passed through the area -- without having any physical evidence to do so.

The Secret Service added that it "takes its mission to protect US leaders, facilities, and events seriously" and it is "constantly adapting to meet the needs of the current and future security environment".

President Joe Biden and his family were at Camp David in Maryland at the time of the incident.
Mumbai, July 14 : Terming the second day of the first Test against West Indies as Yashasvi Jaiswal's day at Roseau, Dominica, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha has said the left-handed opener will now look to dominate the bowlers on the third day.

The young opener struck a brilliant century on debut that helped India take a strong position in Windsor Park as India strengthened their position on Day 2 of the 1st Test on Thursday and it was Jaiswal who led the way. At the close of play, the visitors had reached 312/2 with Jaiswal staying unbeaten on 143 in the company of former captain Virat Kohli, who is batting on 36.

Earlier, skipper Rohit Sharma too struck a brilliant century before he was caught by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva off Alick Athanaze for 103. Sharma and Jaiswal put on 229 for the opening wicket.

Looking forward to the third day's action, JioCinema expert Pragyan Ojha said: "Day 2 was out and out Yashasvi's day, the way he batted and got his maiden Test 100. On Day 3, it'll be very crucial how he starts because it is not easy for a batter on this kind of tricky track to come on and take on the bowlers. So, as he gets his eyes in, I am pretty sure that he will look to dominate a few bowlers and raise the scoring rate."

Resuming on an overnight 80 for no loss, India added 232 runs and lost the wickets of Sharma and Shubman Gill (6 runs). So, is the stage set for Kohli to take charge on Day 3?

"When we talk about the wicket it's very tricky and not that easy for a batter to come and get those runs. We saw initially, Virat was trying to settle down. So, I think the longer time he spends in the middle the better the chances of him scoring the runs. The best thing is India has all the time in the world for them to give that little bit of a cushion where Virat can go out and look for that three-figure mark," Ojha was quoted as saying in a release by the broadcaster on Friday.

Ojha also said India should factor in the weather conditions when they decide about the timing of the declaration.

"Because they are playing in a coastal area, they have to remember it may rain. And when it rains they must be prepared for it. If overs are lost due to rain, then I think India needs to plan accordingly. I feel somewhere around 300-320 will be a good score where they can put pressure back on West Indies," he said.
Mandi, July 14 : Call it a miracle or an architectural marvel, the Panchvaktra temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and known for stone carvings, in Himachal Pradesh's historical town, known as Chhoti Kashi, standing tall after flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rain.

After remaining firm amidst the swollen Beas river that saw several flash floods in its catchment, which swallowed scores of modern concrete structures between Manali and Mandi towns, the 16th century temple built on heavy rocks has emerged as the water level receded.

The temple is situated at the confluence of the Suketi and Beas rivers.

Believers say this reminds them of the Kedarnath temple that stood tall amidst the 2013 floods in Uttarakhand.

Geological experts told IANS that heavy floods could not damage the foundation of the Panchvaktra temple, an Archeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument.

The temple is built in the typical Shikhara architecture style.

According to legend, the Panchvaktra temple was restored by one of the erstwhile rulers of Mandi, Sidh Sen, who succeeded Gur Sen in 1678 AD, as it was damaged by floods. The main porch of the temple is supported by four carved pillars.

Inside the temple, there is a huge statue of Lord Shiva. The statue has five faces, which depict different characters of Lord Shiva -- Aghora (destructive nature), Ishana (omnipresent and omnipotent), Tat Purusha (ego), Vamadeva (female facet) and Rudra (his creative and destructive aspect).

Temple priest told IANS that after the water level receded, the temple had an accumulation of 12-13 feet of sand. "There was no damage to the statue of Lord Shiva. In fact, the entire statue of Nandi was blanketed by a 12-foot tall mound of sand. There was some damage to the outer boundary walls of the temple."

Two days back the doors of the temple were reopened for the devotees and the prayers resumed.

Former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur visited the spot when the temple was submerged in the water. "In the past 60 years, as people are telling me, they have never seen the temple submerged in the Beas waters. Even local legislator Anil Sharma is saying that in his entire life he has never heard that the temple is submerged," Leader of Opposition Thakur told the media on July 10.

He was accompanying several legislators, including local lawmaker Sharma.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Thursday paid obeisance at the temple along with his wife.

Expressing happiness, he said despite the deluge in the Beas river Mandi's Panchvaktra temple is fully safe. "And Lord Mahadev is seated."

Addressing the crowd in Mandi in the local dialect, Mandyali, while launching BJP's election campaign in September last year, Prime Minister Modi expressed happiness at being in Chhoti Kashi after visiting Kashi Vishwanath the same month.

In his visits to Mandi, he never missed to mention his visits to the town's Bhootnath temple and Panchvaktra temple.

Mandi is popularly known for the week-long congregation of 200 deities from hundreds of temples for the festivities of Mahashivratri.

The celebrations date back to 1526 when this town was founded during the rule of Ajbar Sen (1499-1534). He had 'invited' all the local deities to mark the founding of the new town.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted atgulatiians@gmail.com)
Washington, July 14 : The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first birth control pill to be sold without a prescription in the country.

The drug Opill (norgestrel) contains one hormone progestin, and is taken daily. It was first approved by the FDA as a prescription in 1973.

It provides an option for consumers to purchase oral contraceptive medicine without a prescription at drug stores, convenience stores and grocery stores, as well as online.

Availability of nonprescription Opill may help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and their potential negative impacts.

"Today's approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the US," said Patrizia Cavazzoni, MD, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement.

"When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available non-prescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy," Cavazzoni added.

Opill was found to be 93 per cent effective in preventing pregnancy with typical use, similar to prescription oral contraceptives, but must be taken at the same time every day.

The pill comes amid advocacy groups' fight for women's reproductive rights in the US, and working to expand contraceptive access in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning the abortion-rights ruling Roe v. Wade in 2022.

"This is a monumental decision," Dr Melissa Simon, a professor of clinical gynaecology at Northwestern University, was quoted as saying by NBC news.

"OTC birth control is available in over 100 countries, so we've been behind in availing safe, effective methods such as this oral contraceptive pill to individuals who are trying to avoid pregnancy," she added.

The FDA also cited the side effects of Opill which include irregular bleeding, headaches, dizziness, nausea, increased appetite, abdominal pain, cramps or bloating.

However, the drug regulator said that Opill should "not be used by those who have or have ever had breast cancer". It even cautioned people with other forms of cancer to ask a doctor before use.

Opill also should not be used together with another hormonal birth control product such as another oral contraceptive tablet, a vaginal ring, a contraceptive patch, a contraceptive implant, a contraceptive injection or an IUD (intra-uterine device), the FDA said.
SOCCo is a newly formed limited liability company made up of the following members: Amentum Environment and Energy, Inc.; Fluor Federal Services, Inc.; and Cavendish Nuclear (USA) Incorporated.

The Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity Contract under the End State Contracting Model will have a maximum value of up to $5.87 billion, over the 10-year ordering period, and performance of task orders issued before the end of the Contract ordering period shall not exceed 5 years beyond the end of the Contract ordering period. The Contract includes requirements for meaningful work to be performed by small business.

EM received two (2) proposals in response to the solicitation, both of which complied with the solicitation instructions and were evaluated for the new contract. Through a healthy and rigorous competition, EM determined the SOCCo proposal provided the best value to the Government considering Key Personnel, Past Performance, Management Approach, and Cost and Fee, resulting in a new contract with a highly capable team at PORTS.

Work to be performed under the new PORTS D&D Contract will include, but not be limited to demolition and disposal of facilities, process equipment, related process buildings, and other ancillary facilities. The D&D Contract also includes remediation of contaminated soils and groundwater, and disposition of uranium material. The new D&D Contract will replace the PORTS D&D contract currently held by Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth, LLC (FBP).

In order to focus the new D&D Contractor on End State completion, operations scope under the D&D contract with FBP will transfer to the forthcoming Operations and Site Mission Support (OSMS, formerly known as Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride [DUF6]) contract. This work will include utilities, Emergency Management, Physical Security, Uranium transfers, and Nuclear Material Control and Accountability. The work scope transferring from the existing PORTS D&D contract to the new OSMS contract will not result in an overall reduction in scope for the PORTS site. To ensure a smooth transition of scope and workforce, the transition periods for the new OSMS and D&D Contracts will be aligned and occur subsequent to the award of the OSMS contract. Effective scope and transition alignment between the contracts is necessary for workforce continuity and will allow for a more strategic focus on the work at PORTS.

With continued stable funding for the PORTS site, no site workforce impacts are expected with transition to the new D&D and OSMS contractors. Competitive and comparable benefits will also continue under the new contracts.

The PORTS D&D Contract will promote robust community commitment and engagement, including support to site reindustrialization by the local community. Submission of a community commitment plan to DOE is required and the Contract will also provide for a 5 percent preference for small business subcontract proposals from regional small businesses.

For more than 30 years, EM has remained focused on addressing the environmental legacy of nuclear weapons development and nuclear energy research that helped end World War II, win the Cold War and position the United States as a leader in clean nuclear energy. Collectively, EM is delivering results that are protecting the environment, supporting communities and enabling a concerted focus on safely completing the mission sooner and more efficiently.

Additional information regarding the project is available at:

/em/portsmouth.
New Delhi, July 14 : Fruit and vegetable markets across Delhi have been plagued by late deliveries and rotten products as heavy rain and floods have continued to wreak havoc in the national capital.

Although prices are decreasing at Asia's largest Azadpur Fruits and Sabji Mandi, rates at local market are spiking.

The main reason behind this, according to the Aadhtis (businessmen), is late delivery and that too of rotten products, which they refer to as "product kala ho gaya", and a decrease in the number of clients visiting their shops.

According to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), as of 10 a.m. on Friday, 1,400 vehicles had entered the Azadpur Mandi, which was slightly lower compared to the past two days.

On Monday, there were 4,100 vehicles, while on Tuesday and Wednesday, there were 4,000.

On Thursday, the number decreased to 3,550 vehicles.

These numbers indicate that around 500 to 600 trucks are arriving late at the Mandi.

The Aadhtis stated that those stuck in rain, floods, or traffic jams are delivering rotten products or products that rot within a few hours, resulting in losses for them.

As a result, prices at the Mandi have decreased, but in the local market, they have increased.

"Nobody is willing to buy our rotting products, and due to the unavailability of vegetables, prices are high in the local market. The end consumers are also suffering," said a local businessman, Mukesh Sharma.

Sachin Arora of the Joginder Pal & Sons, mentioned that their business was affected by the rain as fewer people were visiting the Azadpur Mandi.

"Roads are closed, and trucks coming from Solan (Himachal Pradesh) are halted at Kundli border and the Bypass crossing. Drivers are unwilling to deliver at APMC due to the hurdles. Tomato rates have decreased from Rs 150 to 120, but the business has been affected. Rates were high because Himachal was completely blocked," said Arora.

He added that in the local market, prices were high due to low delivery, which is likely to decrease in the future.

Aadhti Joginder Thakur stated that due to the rain, rotten products were being delivered at the APMC, resulting in losses for them.

He mentioned that due to the rain, trucks were stuck in Himachal, but now they were reaching the APMC, and tomato prices were lower compared to two days ago.

Satyam Yadav, who sells onions, stated that due to the rain, the delivery of vegetables was low in Azadpur Mandi, causing an increase in prices.

"Earlier, the price of fine quality onions ranged between Rs 12-15 per kg, but now it has reached Rs 20-25 per kg," he said.

Manoj Kumar Yadav, another Aadhti, mentioned that the business was completely affected by the rain.

He used to receive deliveries of 50 to 60 trucks, but the number has now reduced to 40, indicating a decrease in sales.

Aadhti Deepak Saini said that due to heavy rain, deliveries were low. He also mentioned that the products were becoming "black" (rotten) due to the rain.

"We are suffering because the products have turned black. Additionally, we are unable to send our products to clients in other states ahead of the rain, which further adds to our suffering," he said.

Shahbaz Khan, another Aadhti, said that trucks were reaching five to six hours late due to massive traffic jams, and some were stuck at borders, causing them to suffer.

Sharvan Kumar Malik of Sharvan Kumar & Yatin Kumar and Company said that the products he was selling had become black.

"For the last two days, fewer trucks have been arriving, and trucks are halted at the borders. Due to the late delivery, we don't get the full price. I sell mangoes, apples, and plums. Earlier, the rate for a trio of these fruits was Rs 100 per Nag (boxes), but now it has reached between Rs 150 and 200," he said.

Baijnath Sharma of AP Produce mentioned that his clients have not been visiting the Mandi for the past two days due to the rainy season, which has impacted his business.

"YMy whole godown is full, but sales are low. I am a wholesaler of coconuts, and while I am receiving the deliveries, the sales are low. This is the lowest market we have seen in the last five years," he said.

(Atul Krishan can be approached at atul.k@ians.in)

--IANS

atk/ksk
Los Angeles, July 14 : The trailer for Vol. 2 of 'The Witcher' Season 3 has come out, and with it, comes also the time to bid farewell to actor Henry Cavill who played the legendary stoic monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia.

With great VFX and score, the trailer shows Geralt and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) protecting Ciri (Freya Allan) as she is chased by all kinds of people due to her power as things completely fall apart.

Aretuza, the school of all the mages is now being destroyed, blood is being spilt as war is raging, there is fire everywhere and also the threat of the Wild Hunt. The Continent is now completely enveloped in chaos, and Geralt will go to any lengths to protect his adoptive daughter who is bound to him by destiny.

Things are left pretty vague overall, but the trailer in its entirety looks very promising, giving a fitting end for Henry's role as Geralt, which will be taken over Liam Hemsworth in Season 4.

According to the official Witcher Season 3 synopsis: "As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it."

"Entrusted with Ciri's magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where they hope to uncover more about the girl's untapped powers; instead, they discover they've landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line - or risk losing each other forever."

'The Witcher' Season 3 Vol. 2 will stream on Netflix on July 27.
Sydney, July 14 : A 23-year-old Indian student was allegedly kicked, punched, and hit with the metal pole repeatedly by Khalistan supporters on Friday in Sydney's Western Suburb of Merrylands, according to a media report.

The student, who works as a driver, was on his way to work early in the morning when he was attacked by four men who left the scene in a grey sedan, The Australia Today reported.

"As soon as I sat in my driving seat these Khalistan supporters came out of nowhere. One of them opened the left side door of my vehicle and hit me with an iron rod on my cheekbone under my left eye," the student told the news outlet.

He said two of them were video recording the attack on their phones while four-five men were hitting him, adding that the goons were repeatedly raising the "Khalistan Zindabad" slogan the whole time.

"Everything happened within five minutes and they left saying this should be enough lesson for me for opposing the Khalistan issue, if not they are ready to give me more lessons like this," the student said.

The New South Wales (NSW) Police arrived with paramedics on the scene after they were alerted by the passersby who witnessed the incident.

"Shortly after 5.40 am on Friday, officers attached to Cumberland Police Area Command attended Rupert Street, Merrylands West, following reports of an assault," the NSW police said in a statement to The Australia Today.

"The 23-year-old was allegedly kicked, punched, and hit with the metal pole repeatedly before the four men left the scene in a grey sedan," the statement added. The student was taken to Westmead Hospital with serious injuries to his head, leg, and arm.

According to The Australia Today, the victim is going through corrective surgery on his arm, which is split open at the elbow area.

Police urged people with information to contact them, adding that inquiries into the incident are on.

--IANS

mi/ksk
New Delhi, July 14 : A Special NIA court in Kerala's Ernakulam has awarded life imprisonment to three of the six Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres in a 2010 case of attempted murder of a Professor by chopping off his palm.

Sajil, Najeeb and M. K. Nazar was awarded life sentence on Thursday, along with a fine of Rs 50,000 each.

The other three convicted -- M. K. Nausha, P. P. Moideenkunu and P. M. Ayoob -- have been sentenced to three years imprisonment.

The court has also ordered compensation of Rs 4,00,000 to be given to the victim from the fine amount collected.

All the six accused had been convicted under IPC, UA (P) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

They were found guilty of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and carrying out terrorist acts.

A hunt is still on for Savad -- the charge-sheeted accused, who was part of the barbaric attack and is currently absconding, and is also a cadre of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

The accused had conspired to kill Professor T.J. Joseph by chopping off his right palm over his alleged derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammed in a question paper prepared for the Malayalam examination for B. Com students in Newman College, Thodupuzha, Idukki district.

The accused had deemed the question as provocative and had carried out the barbaric daylight attack on the professor in the presence of his family members on July 4, 2010.

He had attacked the professor while the family was returning from church after the Sunday morning mass. The assailants had also hurled a bomb to terrorise the public and escape from the scene.

Kerala Police had, on January 10, 2011, filed a charge sheet against 27 accused.

Subsequently, NIA took over the case and, following extensive investigations and large number of raids, arrested and charge sheeted another 20 accused, in a classic example of 360 degree investigation by the agency.

The probe agency investigation has been focused on uncovering the various facets of the conspiracy and bringing every single conspirator and criminal to face the consequences of his terror and criminal acts in the court of law, while concurrently bringing some solace, succor and closure to the victimas family.

In April 2015, the NIA Special Court had convicted 13 accused persons.
Ayodhya, July 14 : In a bizarre incident, a 19-year-old girl has lodged an FIR with the Ayodhya police, accusing her father of manhandling her to prevent her from talking to her boyfriend on the phone.

The girl, along with her boyfriend, reached the police station to lodge a complaint, following which her father was booked for criminal intimidation and apprehensions of breach of peace.

The girl's fatherd was called to the police station, slapped with a fine and was let off since the charge does not entail arrest, said a police spokesman.

"Trouble began on Tuesday night, when the girl of Jamuniyamau village was talking to her boyfriend on mobile phone. Her father spotted her and started scolding her and threatened her with dire consequences. He also instructed the family members to keep a watch on the girl," said Devendra Singh, SHO Rudauli.

The girl became furious and the next morning she called her boyfriend home and then reached the Rudauli police station and gave a written complaint to us, said the SHO.

"I was shocked to see the complaint and summoned her father from the village to the police station. I even asked other family members and some counsellors requesting for a dialogue between the girl and her father. A woman sub-inspector was asked to talk to her," said Singh.

But the girl was hell bent and said that she was an adult and if her case was not registered, she would speak to senior officials, the SHO added. Following her complaint, an FIR of beating and threatening to kill her was lodged.

"As the FIR did not entail any provisions for an arrest and the girl insisted that he must be punished, we booked him for breach of peace and then he was let off securing a bond," added Singh.

The man is a shopkeeper and the girl is a class 12 pass out, said the police.
New Delhi, July 14 : The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice on a plea filed by Uddhav Thackeray faction against the delay by the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker in deciding the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his camp.

A bench of Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice P.S. Narasimha, and Justice Manoj Misra sought responses of Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and CM Eknath Shinde within a period of two weeks.

"Issue notice. Returnable within two weeks," ordered the court.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appeared for Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sunil Prabhu, who in his plea alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar is delaying the adjudications of the disqualification plea to permit "the illegal continuance of Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister, against whom the disqualification petitions are pending".

The Thackeray faction had moved the apex court on July 4 against the delay by the Speaker in deciding the disqualification petitions pending against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his camp.

On May 11, a constitution bench of the Supreme Court had directed that the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker "must decide disqualification petitions in a reasonable time" against 16 Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, who were accused of anti-party activities.

In its recent judgment around the Maharashtra political crisis, the top court had refused to reinstate Uddhav Thackery as the Chief Minister as he had tendered his resignation voluntarily before facing the floor test in the House. The five judges unanimously had held that then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was not justified in calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority, but said that it was justified to invite Eknath Shinde to form the government after the post of the Chief Minister felt vacant as Thackeray tendered resignation on June 29.

Declaring the decision taken by the Speaker to recognise Bharat Gogawale (from Shinde faction) as the Chief Whip of Shiv Sena in place of Prabhu as "contrary to law", the CJI, D.Y. Chandrachud-led constitution bench had held that the political party and not the legislature party appoints the Whip and the Leader of the party in the House.
New Delhi, July 14 : ViewSonic, a leading global provider of visual solutions, on Friday unveiled a new lineup of OMNI VX28 gaming monitors with triple-certified anti-tearing technology on Amazon Prime Day in India. The gaming monitors also offer a choice of FHD or QHD fast IPS displays.

The displays come equipped with a range of advanced features, including AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA-certified anti-tearing and anti-blur technologies, as well as a blue light filter, ensuring a stutter-free and eye-friendly experience for use all day long.

"We developed ViewSonic's OMNI gaming product line that is both versatile and multifunctional. We have integrated essential features for smooth gaming, productive work, and all-day eye care into the OMNI VX28 series. With this product line, consumers can enjoy high-resolution gaming experiences while maintaining comfort and productivity throughout their workday," said Sanjoy Bhattacharya, Director Sales and Marketing - IT Business, ViewSonic India.

Moreover, the latest edition of the gaming monitors are approved by AMD FreeSync Premium, VESA Adaptive Sync, and VESA ClearMR, which eliminates visual tearing, minimises stuttering, and reduces input lag, providing gamers with a seamless and immersive experience.

The smooth, blur-free graphics make the latest games and movies, especially FPS (first-person shooting) games and RPG (role-playing games), look and feel more natural and realistic.

The OMNI VX28 monitors have a refresh rate of up to 180Hz, and a super-fast 0.5ms (MPRT) response time, which minimises motion blur and smearing, ensuring seamless pixel transitions. The In-Plane Switching (IPS) panels deliver excellent true-to-life colour performance, ensuring accuracy and brightness from every angle.

Additionally, the exceptional control over gamma adjustments offered by the latest HDR10 provides a whole new level of image clarity and unparalleled details with deep contrast and vibrant colours.

With a minimal and clean design, the ergonomic design of the new monitors allows users to adjust the display's height, tilt it back or forward, swivel it for a different field of vision, or even rotate it vertically for a whole new perspective.

The new gaming monitors come in two sizes -- 24-inch and 27-inch at a starting price of Rs 14,999 and will be available on Amazon and MDComputer. The monitors will also have a special price during the Amazon Prime Day Sale with all card offers available.
New Delhi, July 14 : Teen sensation Maleesha Kharwa from Mumbai's slum, who rose to fame for her association for a luxury skincare brand, will be seen walking the ramp with actress Sonali Bendre.

'India's Best Dancer 3' (IBD) will be celebrating the spirit of womanhood in the 'Ladies Special' episode.

Honouring some of India's "super-women" and their manifold skills, the contestants, along with their choreographers will pay tribute to inspiring personalities like Major Priya Jhingan - Lady Cadet No 1 and silver medallist from the first batch of 25 lady officers who were commissioned in the Indian Army, Rajani Pandit, India's first female detective, Sudha Chandran - veteran dancer and actress and Maleesha a" a teen internet sensation.

Maleesha will be seen requesting Sonali to teach her the art of ramp walking.

Accepting her request, Sonali came onstage, and the two beauties gracefully walked down the ramp to the tune of aPretty Womana from the film 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'.

An impressed Terence Lewis crowned Maleesha and remarked, "In the future, you might receive a real crown. You are the future Miss Universe, Miss India, Miss World."

Geeta Kapur joined them with her symbolic "Kaala Teeka" gesture, showering Maleesha with her blessings and love. aIndiaas Best Dancer 3a airs on Sony.

-- IANS

sp/svn
New Delhi, July 14 : After a water regulator failed at one of the busiest traffic section in Central Delhi's ITO area leading to overflowing water from the Yamuna to enter the city, a fresh war of words erupted on Friday between Lt. Governor (L-G) V.K. Saxena and AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, with the former asserting that it was not time to play blame game but work as a team.

Earlier in the day, Saxena along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his ministers Atishi and Bharadwaj visited the the spot at Vikas Bhawan, ITO where a drain regulator was damaged on Thursday night.

While speaking to media, the L-G said: "The water of Yamuna is going towards ITO as gate no 12 has been breached and teams of Army and NDRF, irrigation department, flood department and all other departments are working. I am hopeful that the way in which work is going on we can get some result in next 4 to 5 hours."

He also highlighted that a team from the team was carrying out welding work and repair work of the drain regulator) is being handled in three to four ways.

"Sand bags are being placed to stop the water, even plates are coming for the same and they will be fitted and even stones are being brought to strengthen the embankment. And Army is doing its job. And we are hopeful that the way in which work is going on we will be successful, as the flow of Yamuna is quiet fast it needs to be stopped so that the flood water does not enter the city and all efforts are being made for the same," he said.

When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi inquiring about Delhi floods situation from France on Thursday night, Saxena said: "He inquired about the situation of Delhi and his concern was that people of Delhi should not feel the hardship due to flood. And since night we are touch with everyone. One breach was reported in Sonia Vihar area also and that was tackled. Here (ITO) also a breach has happened and this will also be handled. This is unprecedented situation and everything will be tackled. And we all will work together."

Bharadwaj interrupted the L-G midway and said: "I had requested several officers since night to rope in NDRF and Army but it was not heard. Now the NDRF came, and we thank them and it will be handled but no officer responded despite Chief Secretary present in the group."

To this Lt Governor replied: "I would like to tell you that this is not the time to blame someone or make comments. Right now, we need to do teamwork. I too can say a lot of things but this is not needed right now...

"I have spoken to the Home Minister and the Army and NDRF team was sent here. And now we need to work with patience and work unitedly. And if we go into blame game then we all will be troubled."

Meanwhile, Kejriwal said : "All teams are working to fix it and we hope that in next three to four hours it is fixed because water is entering the city from here. It is good that water has started receding in Yamunan and we are trying to stop the water from entering the city."

Yamuna's water level rose 208.65 meters on Thursday, shattering all previous records.

On Friday, it is flowing at 208.35 meters.

Following the flood in Delhi, several low lying areas have submerged and several roads have been flooded.
Lucknow, July 14 : The Uttar Pradesh government will provide training to MBBS doctors in two key areas - Comprehensive emergency obstetrics and newborn care (CEmONC) and life-saving aesthetic skills.

Aiming to reduce maternal and child mortality, the training in CEmONC will enable doctors to provide timely and effective care to pregnant women and newborns experiencing complications.

The training in life-saving aesthetic skills will equip doctors to safely administer anaesthesia during childbirth and other procedures, added officials.

Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio, has instructed the health department to ensure the necessary arrangements for training MBBS doctors and posting them in first referral units (FRUs).

He said that these measures will help reduce maternal and child mortality in the state. "Important steps are being taken to address the shortage of specialist doctors. MBBS doctors are being trained alongside recruitment," said Pathak.

"This will eliminate the need to unnecessarily refer the mother and child to larger hospitals," he added.

According to the registrar general of India (RGI), the infant mortality rate in UP was 41 per 1,000 live births in 2019. The state government is making efforts to reduce it, officials said. Once trained, MBBS doctors will be posted in first referral units. FRUs are primary healthcare facilities that offer basic obstetric and newborn care. Posting trained doctors in FRUs will ensure that pregnant women and newborns receive the necessary care, even in rural areas, officials said.
Entergy Texas works year-round to maintain and upgrade its infrastructure to improve service reliability to customers across Southeast Texas. Utility poles are a critical piece of equipment to providing power, and over time, poles can become weathered by forces of nature or even damaged by the public. For that reason, Entergy Texas performs an annual pole inspection to help identify poles that need to be reinforced or replaced.

"Our annual inspections help prevent repeated or extended outages, leading to a better experience for customers," said Melanie Taylor, vice president of distribution operations at Entergy Texas. "Over the next few weeks, crews will inspect more than 43,000 poles spanning from Huntsville to Orange, which is essential to our mission of delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity to communities across Southeast Texas."

Osmose Utilities Services, Inc., a specialist in its field, will perform the routine inspections and preventative maintenance work for Entergy Texas. During pole inspections, crews will thoroughly inspect poles for defects. Following a visual inspection, the poles are "sounded" with a hammer to find any internal voids or hollow cavities. Poles that show signs of internal or external decay are fully excavated to determine the extent of decay at the groundline. Osmose may reinforce some poles during the inspection, but poles identified as needing further maintenance will be reported to Entergy Texas for replacement at a scheduled time.

As crews begin inspections, it's important to keep safety a priority. Whether you're at home or on a worksite, remember to always avoid power lines. If you notice a potential hazard, please call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) and we'll make sure it's safe.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 499,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Texas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy, visit the Newsroom.
Guwahati, July 14 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has blamed the 'Miya' Muslim community for the inflated price of vegetables in the state.

"The vegetable rates are lower in the rural areas; however, the prices are increased when they are brought to the urban places," he said. The Chief Minister claimed that all the sellers have been increasing the rates and most of them are "Miya" people.

"They (East Bengal origin Muslims) have been taking high prices from the Assamese people. In Guwahati, 'Miya' people have taken control of the local vegetable markets," Sarma said on Thursday evening, adding that if an Assamese youth would have been selling the vegetables, he could not take inflated prices from other Assamese fellow citizens.

"I urge the Assamese youths to come forward and I assure you that I would drive away all the 'Miya' Muslim vegetable sellers from the city," Sarma said.

He further said that starting from cab to bus services, a majority of people are now this section (Miya) of Muslim people in Assam.

Miya Muslims are descendants of migrant Bengali Muslims who lived in the Brahmaputra Valley during the British colonialism of Assam in the 20th century.

These migrants came from the divisions of Mymensingh, Rangpur, and Rajshahi in present-day Bangladesh.

The Chief Minister said that: "We have seen on the recent Eid, most of the roads in Guwahati were vacant as they were celebrating the festival and were absent from work."

Chief Minister's remarks came after the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Chief Badruddin Ajmal said that the Assamese community is incomplete without the Muslim people.

"Miya Muslims and Assamese people are like brothers. The state can not exist without the Muslim community," Ajmal said.

Assam has been witnessing a steep hike in the vegetable prices for the last few days across the state which has irked the general public with many questioning the government as there is no respite from the price rise.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 14 : Breaking his silence on meeting Kerala government's special representative in Delhi, Prof K.V.Thomas, Metroman E. Sreedharan on Friday said he has given a one-and-a half page note on the need for a high speed or a semi high speed rail network in the state .

"I have told him that I am prepared to take up anything for the state, if the state government wants."

"Thomas told me that he met me with the knowledge of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and if the CM agrees I will meet and brief him on the need for a high or semi high speed rail network," said Sreedharan while interacting with the media at his residence.

Elaborating further, he said the K-rail project that was announced is not a viable one. Instead, either a high speed or semi high speed one will fit the bill. "The cost of completion of a semi high speed one will cost around Rs one lakh crore and it would be a sustainable one. Moreover, the burden on the state government would be very less compared to the K-Rail.

"Another advantage is nationally a high speed net work is on the anvil and if have a semi high speed one it will be compatible as this will be done in the standard gauge," said Sreedharan and pointed out that it would cost around Rs 200 crore per kilometer and the distance between Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur is 420 kms.

"There are three funding models which can be adopted and it includes one where the Centre and State share the cost, if not the now popular Metro Model (all across the country there are metros) or the Konkan model," added Sreedharan.

With regards to the construction, only one fifth of the land that was envisaged to be taken for K-Rail would be needed. "The track will be partly elevated and underground and if the land is taken all what is required is just 20 meter width and after the elevated track is laid, the land can be given back to the owners where they can use it for farming needs, so there will not be much resistance from people," said Sreedharan.

Meanwhile, the Congress has already pointed out that this project is nothing but one to build a political bridge between the CPI(M) and the BJP ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Incidentally, the state BJP president K.Surendran met up with Sreedharan and said the BJP will fully support any development project which has a sound backing and the CPI(M) central committee member A.K.Balan also echoed similar feelings.

So in all likelihood Vijayan will soon give a date to Sreedharan for a brainstorming session and for the latter it could well be a sweet revenge as in 2018, despite having a viable project on the light metro projects, Vijayan refused to give time for Sreedharan to explain his project.
Council Bluffs : , July 14 (IANS) Star Indian shuttlers P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen progressed to the quarterfinals of the US Open, BWF Super 300 tournament, after notching a straight-game win in their respective Round of 16 matches, here on Thursday.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu registered an easy 21-14, 21-12 win over Sung Shuo Yun of the Chinese Taipei in the Round of 16 women's singles. Lakshya, meanwhile, beat the Czech Republicas Jan Louda 21-8, 23-21 in his men's singles second-round match.

Sindhu started slow but found her rhythm as the match progressed. The Indian ace soon put Sung Shuo Yun on the back foot and raced to a 13-5 lead. The Taipei shuttler put up a brief resistance but it was not enough as Sindhu wrapped up the first game and took the lead.

After the change of sides, Sindhu and Shuo Yun went toe-to-toe early on with both shuttlers looking to seize control of the encounter. As the match progressed, Shuo Yun was unable to match Sindhuas intensity as the Indian pulled away for a healthy lead and won five consecutive points to seal the match in 37 minutes.

In the upcoming quarterfinals, Sindhu is set to face Chinese shuttler Gao Fang Jie. So far, the Indian player has won only one out of their four previous encounters.

Earlier in the day, third-seed Lakshya found his momentum early on and comfortably pocketed the first game. The second game proved a far bigger challenge as the Indian player trailed Louda 19-14.

The 21-year-old Indian rallied back to level the scores at 19-all. In what was a thrilling finish to the match, he held his nerve and eventually clinched the 39-minute encounter.In the quarterfinals, Lakshya will face compatriot S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian, who defeated Israelas Misha Zilberman 21-18, 21-23, 21-13.
Bhopal, July 14 : A day after a family of four committed mass suicide due to heavy debt, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Friday said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would probe the matter and urged the Centre to ban the online loan offering apps.

Bhupendra Vishwakarma had taken a loan from an "online money App" and later he was threatened and his morphed (nude photographs) were shared with his relatives. His mobile was hacked. "I have asked the police to prepare a list to identify Apps offering loans. I would also request the Centre to ban all such applications and tools," Mishra added.

Police said that Bhupendra was operating a small business and had taken loans from an online app. "It was found that he has borrowed Rs 17 lakh from an online app, but, the suicide note suggested that amount could be more. The couple first administered poison to their two minor sons and then hanged themselves," a senior Sub-Inspector posted at Bhopal's Ratibad police station told IANS.

Bodies of Bhupendra Vishwakarma (38), his wife Ritu (35) and their two minor sons -- Rituraj (3) and Rishiraj (9) were taken to their home district Rewa this morning.

Police said, in his suicide note (WhatsApp message), Dhirendra has mentioned that he was under 'debt trap', which forced him to take the extreme step.

He also mentioned that because of the "debt trap", his family was made to suffer a lot and he wasn't able to handle the pressure.

"All the family members were in trouble because of one mistake and I would apologise to all of them. I was doing a job for an online firm, which offered money, but later, I realised that I was in debt trap. I would apologise to my family and parents, please forgive me," the suicide note read.
Jaipur, July 14 : : Rajsathan DGP Umesh Mishra on Friday ordered officials to probe the lapses in transportation of prisoners from jails to courts and accepted that there were security lapses at the time of prisoner transportation.

DGPas instruction came after two undertrials -- Kuldeep Jaghina and Vijay Pal were shot at by an assailant in which Kuldeep Jaghina died while Vijay was injured.

He also instructed IG crime Prafful Kumar to investigate the case.

On Thursday, Chief Secretary Anand Kumar chaired a meeting on the Amoli toll plaza firing incident. He issued the necessary guidelines to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

He instructed that Director General and the Jail Department will establish a committee at the district level in coordination with the Director General of Police, Rajasthan.

The constituted committee will identify and prepare a list of hardcore miscreants, organised gangs and criminals locked under serious sections, who are likely to face fatal attack or disturb law and order while being taken to court.

Due to security reasons, the production of such criminals in the court will be done through video conferencing on the lines of High Security Jail Ajmer.

Personal appearance will be held only if video conferencing facility is not available or in compliance of court orders.

The jail in which the prisoner is lodged and the district court where he has to go for production, the SP of both the districts will provide adequate security arrangements for the movement of the prisoners.

Also, if possible, such prisoners will be sent in a police vehicle instead of a normal bus with adequate security arrangements.

The Rajasthan police detained four suspects identified with the help of CCTV video footage of the toll in Bharatpur where gangster Kuldeep Jaghina was shot dead on Wednesday (July 12) by armed men while he was in police custody in a state transport bus.

The gangster, accused of killing BJP leader Kripal Jaghina in September 2022, was killed while police was taking him to Bharatpur court for a hearing from Jaipur jail.

The assailants had attacked the gangster who died due to multiple bullet wounds and fled.
Srinagar, July 14 : Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Chairman of Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) on Friday condemned the terror attack on the migrant workers in Shopian district of Kashmir.

In a statement, Azad said: "The enemies of peace are trying everything to hurt the peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir with their nefarious designs by carrying out such attacks on the migrant workers. I pray for the early recovery of the injured."

Expressing sympathy with the families of migrant workers who work in Jammu and Kashmir, Azad urged people to ensure their safety since the labourers belong to poor strata of society who toil hard to earn living for their families back home.

"These poor migrant labourers are the backbone of Jammu Kashmir economy as daily wagers who toil in every sphere of life in order to sustain their livelihood and targeting them is against humanity and principles of all religions," said Azad in the statement.

Azad asked the administration to ensure safety of all migrant workers in Kashmir and provide all help to the injured at SMHS hospital.

On Thursday night, terrorists opened fire on a group of workers from Bihar in the Gagren village injuring three of them who were rushed to SMHS hospital in Srinagar.
Kolkata, July 14 : The West Bengal government on Friday sought Rs 35 crore from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs as expenses for the deployment of central forces during the recently-held panchayat polls in the state.

As per a Calcutta High Court order, the Central government is supposed to bear the entire cost of deployment of the forces.

Under the same order, the central forces are supposed to remain in West Bengal till July 22.

The state seeking the amount from the MHA comes amid a case pending at the Calcutta High Court on charges of "ineffective" deployment and utilisation of central armed forces, with the court seeking reports both from the state election commission and the Wset Bengal government on this count.

The inspector general of Border Security Force (BSF) S.C. Budakoti, who was the central nodal officer for the polls, has also given a report accusing the state election commission of extending non- cooperation in effective force deployment and utilisation.

State government sources said that this Rs 350 crore will be in addition to the pending Rs 1,852 crore demanded for the deployment of central armed forces for earlier elections and for areas dominated by the left- wing extremists (LWE).

The state government's contention is that since central forces are deployed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for Parliamentary or Assembly polls, the Centre should bear the costs.
London, July 14 : The cast of Christopher Nolan's new film 'Oppenheimer', including the likes of Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Sir Kenneth Branagh, left its London premiere early to "go and write their picket signs" ahead of a strike by Hollywood's largest actors' union.

Cillian Murphy was joined by Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon and Rami Malek as they walked the red carpet an hour earlier than scheduled in order to join the walkout, mirror.co.uk reported.

The walkout came after the US actors union Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced its first major members strike in over 40 years, after a deadline to reach a deal ended.

The reasons for the strike include issues such as the use of unregulated AI as well as the effects of the rise of streaming services on pay.

Just moments into the 'Oppenheimer' event at the Odeon in Leicester Square, director Christopher Nolan told the audience that the star-studded line-up had left. Nolan said: "I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy. You've seen them here earlier on the red carpet. Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them."

SAG-AFTRA is an American union representing around 160,000 film and television actors. Before the movie started inside the cinema, Matt Damon explained that he and his co-stars were walking out in "solidarity".

Explaining to 'Variety', he said that once the strike was officially called, they were "going to walk obviously in solidarity".

He went on to add: "That's why we moved this (red carpet) up because we know the second it's called, we're going home."

The decision to strike came after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed to produce new contracts for members on Thursday. It comes after weeks of bargaining with the AMPTP who represent some of the biggest studios and streaming platforms.

Union president Fran Drescher announced the strike which started at midnight Pacific Time in the US. The 'Oppenheimer' cast joins the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Mark Ruffalo who have all decided to join the strike. It comes after Disney boss Bob Iger claimed those taking part are "not being realistic" and are being "disruptive" to the movie industry.

--IANS

anv/svn
New Delhi, July 14 : The Delhi University (DU) on Friday moved the High Court against a single-judge order setting aside debarment of Congress student wing National Secretary from taking examinations for a year over his alleged involvement in organising a screening of the banned BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav had ordered for the restoration of Lokesh Chugh's admission.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Najmi Waziri on Friday issued notice to Chugh, a PhD scholar on the appeal filed by DU against Justicr Kaurav's order.

The matter has been posted for hearing next on September 14.

After the high court had set aside DU's debarring order for Chugh on April 27, he had urged the high court to permit him to submit his PhD thesis before the retirement of his supervisor on April 30.

The court had then sought DU's stand on it and the matter is listed for July 17.

Chug's counsel Naman Joshi, had informed the court that the petitioner's PhD thesis was being processed in contravention of the court's ruling due to inaction and delay.

He said no appeal was filed against the high court's order but his thesis was yet to be accepted.

In his plea he states that he was running from pillar to post in an attempt to submit his PhD thesis but there was no response from the authorities.

"The Respondents are trying to thwart the Petitioner by being vague, unresponsive, and enforcing a decision that has been set aside by this Hon'ble Court," the plea read.

"Petitioner cannot be subjected to such whimsical conduct of the Respondents, as delay in submission of PhD thesis affects the Petitioner's career prospects each day and Petitioner is prevented from applying for post-doctoral positions and teaching positions due to the Respondents' callous attitude," it added.

The DU authorities be directed to accept Chugh's thesis and notify a date for his viva-voce, the plea stated.

Appearing for Chugh, senior advocate Kapil Sibal had apprised Justice Kaurav that the varsity will later "appoint a supervisor of its own choice" if interim relief was not granted.

However, counsel for the university M. Rupal had argued that no prejudice would be caused and interference by the court will send a "wrong message."

The university had prohibited Chugh, a PhD research scholar at the Department of Anthropology, from taking any university, college, or departmental exam.
Srinagar, July 14 : Terror attack on three non-local labourers in J&K's Shopian district has been widely condemned as thousands of such non-local skilled and semi-skilled workforce continues to work across Kashmir.

Three non-local labourers belonging to Bihar were injured when two masked terrorists entered their rented accommodation in the Gagran village of Shopian on Thursday evening and fired at them.

All the three were shifted to Srinagar for specialised treatment as the security forces launched searches to hunt down the assailants.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack saying on his twitter page, "Very unfortunate. I unreservedly condemn this attack and send my best wishes to the injured. I hope they make a complete & speedy recovery."

Another former chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad also condemned the attack. Talking to the media Azad said, "There are so many non-locals who work in J&K...It is unfortunate that they are being attacked...All this is carried out by militants...It is deeply saddening...The Centre should take responsibility and people should continuously condemn such practices."

Mehbooba Mufti, president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former chief minister said on Thursday, "Condemn the attack on non-locals at Shopian today. I pray for their swift recovery."

Thursday's attack on non-local labourers is not the first such incident in which terrorists have fired at unarmed civilians in Kashmir.

Yet, there is a sinister design behind attacking non-local workforce in Kashmir that has, over the years, become the driving engine of local economy/industry by providing manpower for construction, agriculture, horticulture, brick kiln business, barbers, electricians, painters etc etc.

The design of the terrorists is not just to convey a 'not welcome' message to non-local workers, but to ensure crippling of all the economic/industrial activity that goes on in Kashmir with the help of non-local skilled and semi-skilled workforce.

It is not just an attack in which the terrorist chooses a soft target, but also a message killing that the terrorists are basically neither on the side of the locals nor the non-locals.

--IANSsq/dpb
After getting hammered with lawsuits aimed at halting development of a lithium mine at Northern Nevadas Thacker Pass, a Canadian-based mining company has turned the tables and is suing the mines protesters.

Lithium Americas filed a suit in Humboldt Countys district court alleging the companys work is being hampered by the protesters. According to the lawsuit, protesters have blocked roads, climbed on, vandalized and stolen work equipment, and engaged in other activities disruptive to construction. In the suit, Lithium Americas charges seven of the protesters with acts including civil conspiracy, trespassing and tortious interference. The suit seeks not only restraining orders against the protesters, but financial compensation from them.

They are guilty of oppression, fraud, and malice, the suit claims.

The protesters and an attorney representing them counter that the lawsuit is similar to a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP), aimed at intimidating and silencing their free speech.

The overall effect is to make an example of the protesters. What they were engaged in was expressive conduct and speech, said Terry Lodge, an attorney working with Protect Thacker Pass, a group dedicated to stopping construction of the mine.

The difference of opinions will be decided in court, but a company suing protesters is abnormal, according to experts such as Simon Jowitt, former UNLV professor of economic geology who now heads UNRs Center for Research in Economic Geology.

Its usually the other way around. Its usually the protesters suing the companies, he said. Im not aware of many other cases like this.

You can protest  on publicly accessible land

In April, roughly two dozen protesters, including environmentalists and tribal members and elders from multiple states, began what they deemed nonviolent prayer protests at the mine site north of Winnemucca. Once operational, the mine is expected to produce for more than four decades and generate 60,000 metric tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Social media posts by Protect Thacker Pass show protesters climbing on construction equipment and blocking vehicles from driving onto the site by standing in roadways with large banners. One protester appears to charge a piece of heavy machinery while it is being operated.

The area has been an active mine site since the Bureau of Land Management issued a record of decision in 2021 for the project, although Lithium Americas did not initiate construction until March of this year, when crews started installing a water pipeline, roads and a pond.

Mining claims in and of themselves do not preclude access, said Mike Visher, director of the Nevada Division of Minerals. Restriction to the area is based on construction and industrial activities for safety purposes. Typically, youre going to restrict access so nobody gets hurt during your activities.

Lithium Americas was forced to call the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office when protesters got dangerously close to construction equipment, Vice President of Government Affairs and Community Relations Tim Crowley said in an email. The sheriffs office warned protesters they were trespassing and would be arrested if they didnt leave. One protester, from Southern California, was ultimately arrested.

Thacker Pass is Lithium Americas first project in the United States. Crowley said he is unaware if the company has had problems with protesters in other countries.

But, Crowley reiterated, the company was not trying to silence protesters  it was trying to conduct its business in a safe manner on land that the BLM had permitted the company to use.

Theyre welcome to protest and pray and do whatever they want. They just have to do it on open public land, he said.

The paved road bisecting Thacker Pass is a delineation marker  land to the north of the road is the mine site, land on the south side remains publicly accessible land.

Its not like theres not ample space for people to pray and protest. They can protest all they want, Crowley added.

Lodge disagreed, saying in a press release that those arrested and named in the lawsuit are being unjustly targeted with sweeping charges that have little relationship to the truth.







Rare, but not unprecedented

The lawsuit is unusual. But its not unprecedented.

Just a few years ago in Florida, Maggy Hurchalla, sister of former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, a former county commissioner and a longtime conservationist, was ordered to pay $4.4 million in damages.

Hurchalla was sued in 2013 by Lake Point Restoration, a Florida mining company, for contract interference after she sent emails to county commissioners urging them to back out of a deal with the company. Hurchalla feared the limestone mining operation would destroy wetlands.

County staff found Lake Point violated certain codes and issued them violation notices. The company responded by suing the county, and, separately, Hurchalla. The county settled with Lake Point outside of court; Hurchalla refused.

Hurchalla claimed she was exercising her First Amendment rights, The New York Times reported, while the company countered that she had cost Lake Point money by providing false information to commissioners.

The multimillion-dollar verdict against her was handed down in 2018. In 2019, an appeals court affirmed the verdict, and in 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court denied her request for an appeal.







First Amendment concerns

Protect Thacker Pass has railed against the suit directed at its protesters.

The suit aims to ban the prayerful land defenders from the area and force them to pay monetary damages, representatives of the group said in a press release. Lodge said he considers the suit against the protesters to be a SLAPP suit.

A SLAPP suit is designed to silence criticism, prevent negative publicity and limit free speech. The First Amendment protects free speech, along with freedom of the press and assembly, and the publics right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Lithium Nevadas lawsuit appears to be making claims around the actions the protesters were engaged in, said Patrick File, associate professor of media law at UNRs Reynolds School of Journalism.

Thats still speech. So, it still raises First Amendment concerns, he said.

File declined to say one way or another if he thought the suit qualified as a SLAPP.

There are no federal protections against SLAPPs, but more than 30 states have adopted anti-SLAPP statutes. Nevada is one of those states, and its a relatively strong one, File said. State statute NRS 41.635-670 allows defendants to file motions to dismiss while shifting the burden of paying back onto the party that filed the suit.

Most of Nevadas SLAPP cases have dealt with defamation, File said, such as the defamation lawsuit filed by Storey County brothel owner, county commissioner and businessman Lance Gilman against Sam Toll, an online journalist who reported Gilman was ineligible to serve as a county commissioner.

The case bounced between district court and Nevada Supreme Court and was eventually dismissed in 2020. As part of the court proceedings, Tolls attorney filed a SLAPP back suit asking for additional compensatory damages for his client.

Or the case of Carl Lackey, the Nevada Department of Wildlife biologist who sued Lake Tahoe bear activists for mounting what he said was an effort to damage his reputation and employment. He sued the people who administer NDoW Watch: Keeping them Transparent, a Facebook page that others used to comment on Lackeys bear management practices, for charges including defamation and emotional distress. Lackey ultimately lost and earlier this year was ordered to pay more than $150,000.

File says there are many directions the Thacker Pass suit can go.

Usually, the reason parties settle is they see its not worth their time and resources to pursue the issue further, he said. Here, it feels like we have a couple parties that are dug in. That makes me reluctant to say Yeah, the parties are going to come to an agreement relatively soon.
New Delhi, July 14 : Kia, South Korea's second-biggest carmaker by sales, said on Friday its accumulated vehicle production in India has exceeded 1 million units, helped by increased sales of customized models.

Kia began production at the 350,000-unit-a-year Indian plant in July 2019, starting with the Seltos subcompact SUV, the company said in a statement.

Other models assembled in India include the five-seat Sonet SUV, the Carens multipurpose vehicle and the Carnival van, reports Yonhap news agency.

The maker of K5 sedans and Sorento SUVs sold 136,108 vehicles in India in the January-June period, up 12 percent from 121,823 units a year earlier.

It aims to achieve a market share of 10 percent in the Indian passenger vehicle market in coming years, up from the current 6.7 percent at the end of June, the statement said.

Kia has eight plants in Korea -- two in Gwangmyeong, three in Hwaseong and three in Gwangju -- and seven overseas ones -- three in China and one each in the United States, Slovakia, Mexico and India. Their overall annual capacity is 3.84 million units.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, July 14 : The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the family property dispute case involving former IPL head Lalit Modi and his mother Bina Modi, the wife of late industrialist K. K. Modi, to November for final hearing.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M. Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan posted the matter for final hearing in November 2023.

"List in November 2023 for final hearing," the bench ordered.

Lalit Modi had moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court judgment that the anti-arbitration injunction lawsuit filed by Bina Modi against her son is maintainable.

The apex court had appointed former top court judge Justice R.V. Raveendran as a mediator to settle the family property between the mother-son duo.

On April 13, the top court accepted the unconditional apology tendered by Lalit Modi in the contempt case over his remarks against the Indian judiciary on social media.

The court noted that Lalit Modi has already deleted the offending posts and published an apology in newspapers.

It said that in future, if any statement is made by him which even remotely tarnishes Indian judiciary, then it will be viewed very seriously.

In the Modi family dispute, there was an undertaking given before the court that no statements will be made on social media.

--IANS

pds/dpb
Mumbai, July 14 : TV actress Aparna Dixit, who is well known for her roles in serials such as 'Pyaar Ki Luka Chuppi', 'Mahabharat' and 'Porus', said that while as an audience she has no problems with bold scenes, she always refuses to do such scenes.

Elaborating on her stance on the matter, she said: "It's true that I have said no to a lot of work that included kissing scenes as well as bold scenes. That's a decision I consciously take because that's something I don't want to do and I do not regret letting those projects go."

She also said: "As an audience I am not judgmental. A lot of my friends and co-actors are doing intimate scenes and it takes a lot of courage to do it. Acting is my profession and my personality is different. My personality doesn't allow me to do all these scenes even in the name of profession. Your profession shouldn't manipulate the person that you are. Your decision

shouldn't be influenced by anyone."

Describing what makes a project stick with her, she said: "An actor's job is to always find something that they are comfortable doing and I have been waiting for the right kind of roles. Now I have gotten a show called 'Drishti' and I am playing the titular role in it."

She added: "Drishti is a very interesting thriller and I am really looking forward to it because I always wanted to explore this genre on TV. The story is also very different from regular shows."
Kolkata, July 14 : Calcutta High Court's single- judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha, on Friday, directed both the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to submit a detailed list of those candidates who got appointments as primary teachers in state- schools of West Bengal after paying cash for it.

Justice Sinha on Friday directed the two central agencies to submit separate reports on this count to her court by August 19.

On Friday, the ED counsel submitted a progress report by the agency in the matter in a sealed envelope to the court. It is learnt that as per the progress report the total fund transaction in the West Bengal school recruitment case has been pegged at Rs 350 crore. ED also informed the court that their sleuths have so far attached property worth Rs 126.70 crore in relation to the school recruitment case.

On Friday, the CBI counsel also submitted a separate report to Justice Sana's bench claiming that the allegations floated by the accused in the scam and the expelled Trinamool Congress youth leader Kendal Ghosh about the pressure of Central agency sleuths on him to name TMC national general secretary in the school recruitment case was totally baseless

"The allegations that Ghosh made in his letters to a judge of a special court in Kolkata as well as to the officer-in- charge of a local police station in the city have no merits at all," the CBI counsel claimed. On this matter, the CBI counsel also accused the authorities of the Presidency Central Correctional Home, where Kuntal Ghosh is housed, of negligence in preserving the CCTV footage within the correctional home premises.

"As per jail manuals, the CCTV footage for 180 days need to be preserved. But in this case, the correctional home authorities could not provide footage for more than seven days," the CBI counsel informed the court.

Thereafter. Justice Sinha questioned the counsels of both the central investigative agencies as to why their officers were taking so much time in reaching the kingpin in the case.
New Delhi, July 14 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the relentless dedication of India's scientists on the launch of Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) lunar mission Chandrayaan-3.

Propelled by an LVM3-M4 rocket, the Chandrayaan-3 mission lifted off at 2:35 pm from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Sharing a tweet by ISRO, Modi tweeted: "Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!"

Earlier today through a series of tweets, the Prime Minister, who is currently on a two-day visit to France, had sent his best wishes to the third lunar mission of ISRO.

"Best wishes for Chandrayaan-3 mission! I urge you all to know more about this Mission and the strides we have made in space, science and innovation. It will make you all very proud," the prime minister had tweeted.

"14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India's space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation," Modi said.
Hyderabad, July 14 : Suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh on Friday met Telangana's minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao, triggering speculations that he was planning to shift loyalties to ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Singh, a member of Assembly from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, called on Harish Rao, a key leader of BRS and nephew of party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

The controversial MLAas meeting sparked speculations that he was planning to quit the BJP and join BRS ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.

Raja Singh was suspended from BJP a year ago for his comments hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims. He was also arrested and sent to jail in this case.

The meeting with Harish Rao comes at a time when BJPas Telangana unit is witnessing turmoil. The partyas central leadership recently removed Bandi Sanjay Kumar as the state party chief following growing demands from a section of leaders.

Sanjay has been trying to convince BJP leadership to revoke Raja Singhas suspension. The MLA, who is known for controversies, is being sidelined by the party. He is reported to be upset over this and planning to join BRS.

Meanwhile, Raja Singh clarified that he has no plans to leave the BJP. He claimed that he met Harish Rao at the latteras residence to upgrade the 30-bed government hospital in his constituency to 50-bed hospital. The MLA said he had been making the request for a long time.

He said Harish Rao was the third health minister he met to make the same demand. He had earlier denied reports that he is planning to contest next Assembly elections as an independent candidate if his suspension was not lifted by the party.

He had stated that if his suspension was not lifted he would not contest the elections.

Raja Singhas clarification had come amid reports that he was planning to contest the Assembly elections as an independent from Amberpet constituency in the constituency, which was earlier represented by union minister G. Kishan Reddy, who was recently appointed as the state BJP president.

Since the BJP has not lifted his suspension even after he replied to show cause notice, there were reports that the MLA is mulling to quit the party and contest the next elections as an independent candidate.

The MLA was arrested by the police in August last year for making certain comments hurting religious sentiments of Muslims.

He was sent to jail on August 25 after the Hyderabad police commissioner had invoked PD Act.

BJP had also suspended him from the party. Raja Singh was released from jail on November 9, after spending two months in jail following his arrest under the Preventive Detention Act.

The Telangana High Court had set aside the police commissioneras order and released the MLA on bail but directed him not to make any speech or comment which created hatred among communities.
New Delhi, July 14 : India's trade deficit in merchandise trade slid to $20.13 billion in June from $22.1 billion in May, according to a Commerce Ministry data released on Friday.

Merchandise exports in June was at $32.97 billion, while imports were $53.10 billion during the same month. During May, merchandise exports were $34.98 billion, while imports were at $57.10 billion.

India's exports were down owing to slowdown in major economies of the world, commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal told mediapersons.

Services exports in June were $27.12 billion, while imports were $15.88 billion. While in May, services exports were $25.30 billion and imports were $13.53 billion.

For the April-June period of 2023, services and merchandise exports fell 7.3 per cent year-on-year to $182.7 billion, while imports fell 10.2 per cent to $205.29 billion.
Surendranagar, July 14 : The families of two deceased Dalit brothers on Friday claimed the bodies of their loved ones after police gave assurance about protection to the family.

Surendranagar Superintendent of Police Haresh Dudhat also gave the family written assurances and also addressed some of their demands.

The police assured the family to provide protection to their agricultural land, during court appearances and have also ensured them of a fast-track trial in the case.

Meanwhile, the Aaljibhai Parmar and his younger brother Manoj Parmar were laid to rest at the Gandhi Hospital in Surendranagar town.

The two Dalit brothers were killed when a group of men from other caste attacked them owing to an alleged land dispute.

Aaljibhai Parmar and Manubhai Parmar (both in their 50s) from Samadhiyala village in Chuda tehsil, were assaulted with sharp-edged weapons on Wednesday.

They were immediately rushed to a government hospital where they succumbed to injuries.

Aaljibhaias last rites will be performed in their native village of Samadhiyala in Chuda taluka, while Manojas mortal remains will be taken to Ahmedabad, where he lived with his family.

The Parmar family consists of the late Khodabhai, Aaljibhai, Amrutbhai, and Manoj. Amrutbhai is their third sibling.

In the social hierarchy of Gujarat, Kathi Darbars hold a higher position than Dalits. The attackers also injured the women and Dalpat Parmar, a tractor driver from nearby Tuva village, before fleeing the scene.

Later in the evening, the police arrested the five main accused mentioned in the First Information Report (FIR) and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the case. However, the families insisted on receiving written assurances from the government regarding their safety and the progression of the trial.
Mumbai, July 14 : Ending a logjam of two weeks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde finally reshuffled his cabinet and entrusted the crucial Finance Department to the new second Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, here on Friday.

As per an official announcement, Ajit Pawar of the breakaway Nationalist Congress Party group got the Finance and Planning Departments despite strong reservations from the ruling Shiv Sena members, and even murmurs from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The other BJP Deputy CM, Devendra Fadnavis, retained Home, Law and Justice, Water Resources, Energy, Energy, Protocol, etc.

The Chief Minister will continue to handle General Administration, Urban Development, Information Technology, Information and Public Relations, Transport, Social Justice, Environment and Climate Change, Mining and any other unallocated portfolios.

Other NCP leaders who have been given new responsibilities are Chhagan Bhujbal -- Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Dilip Walse-Patil -- Co-operation and Hasan M. Mushrif -- Medical Education and Special Assistance.

Similarly, Dharmarao Baba Bhagwantrao Atram got the Food and Drug Administration, Dhananjay P. Munde -- Agriculture, Anil Patil -- Relief and Rehabilitation, Disaster Management, and the sole woman in the cabinet was Aditi Sunil Tatkare -- Women & Child Development.

The much-awaited allocation of portfolios came two weeks after the NCP split on June 30, and Ajit Pawar and his team joined the Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet on July 2, though the proposal to expand the ministry has been put on hold for now.
New Delhi, July 14 : Actress Nikki Sharma's return to television with 'ShivShakti' brings joy to her fans and her loving mother, Sandeepa.

As Nikki portrays Shakti, her mother's admiration for her character shines brightly. From shooting for the first scene in Varanasi to being on set in Mumbai, her mother has provided unwavering support.

Nikki cherishes their bond, knowing her biggest fan is right by her side.

"I am truly blessed to have a mother who has been my biggest supporter throughout my journey. From the moment my first scene aired on television, she has been there. My mom has been my biggest fan, she was eagerly waiting for the first episode of the show, and after watching it, she got emotional and teary eyed," said Nikki.

"Not only does she stay on the sets with me, but she also fills my heart with love and encouragement every single day. And now, seeing the incredible response from fans and their messages flooding my social media, it's overwhelming. I'm grateful for their support, and it pushes me to give my best in every performance," she added.

Set against the backdrop of Varanasi, the show explores the healing power of love in a contemporary take on the Shiv-Shakti dynamic.

Produced by 'Studio LSD Productions', the mesmerising show 'Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti' stars the charismatic duo of Arjun Bijlani as Shiv and Nikki as Shakti.

'Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti' airs on Zee TV.
ELKO  Nevada Gold Mines has announced the establishment of their new Wildlife Endowment, created as an extension of the companys non-profit employee giving program, the Heritage Fund.

The new Wildlife Endowment was established in partnership with the Nevada Department of Wildlife as a sustainable environmental fund dedicated to wildlife habitat enhancement and restoration projects supporting wildland fire prevention, restoration, and riparian and stream health initiatives across Nevada.

The Wildlife Endowment will be managed by the Heritage Funds nine-person board of directors, who recently approved $5 million of the $20 million commitment by NGM to be earmarked for Wildlife Endowment funding. Contributions started in the first quarter of this year, and $500,000 payments will be made quarterly for two and a half years.

Once fully funded in mid-2025, any environmental entity able to leverage qualified state or federal matching grants whose efforts fit within fire prevention, restoration, and riparian and stream health categories will have the opportunity to request funding. A subcommittee comprised of external representatives will be established to provide investment recommendations.

NGM will continue to invest $150,000 annually in NDOW for fire restoration and prevention projects until the Wildlife Endowment is fully funded. To date, NGM has provided over $350,000 in support of wildlife enhancement and restoration projects.

Nevada Gold Mines continues to show their commitment to Nevadas natural resources, said Caleb McAdoo, NDOW supervisor. This endowment demonstrates NGMs dedication to environmental stewardship. We appreciate NGM working with us and their forward-thinking approach in making such a generous contribution which will provide a sustainable funding source for habitat restoration projects well into the future.

One of the benefits of the Wildlife Endowment is its accessibility to NGM employees, who will have the opportunity to easily donate to the fund and receive an additional 120% NGM match. All interest earned will stay within the Endowment, ensuring its ability to lend environmental support for years to come.

NGM is very proud of this new environmental endowment, as it aligns with the Heritage Funds mission of supporting the sustainability of community programs and initiatives, said Peter Richardson, Nevada Gold Mines executive managing director. It is a clear demonstration of NGMs commitment to environmental stewardship alongside NDOW and other environmental agencies who are already doing great work in our communities and across the state.

Nevada Gold Mines is operated by Barrick Gold Corp. and is a joint venture between Barrick (61.5%) and Newmont (38.5%) that combined their significant assets in Nevada in 2019 to create the single largest gold-producing complex in the world.
Mumbai, July 13 : Actor Cillian Murphy, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming biopic, 'Oppenheimer', has shared that in order to prepare for the titular character and to get into its mindspace, he read Bhagavad Gita, the foundational text of Hinduism.

American nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War 2, and is often credited as the "father of the atomic bomb" for his role in the Manhattan Project, learned Sanskrit at Berkley.

"I have become death, the destroyer of worlds" is the most repeated quote of Oppenheimer. He borrowed it from Geeta.

Talking about the same, Cillian Murphy said: "I did read the Bhagavad Gita in preparation for the film. I thought it was an absolutely beautiful text. Very inspiring. It was a consolation to him. He kind of needed it. It provided a lot of consolation to him all his life."

'Oppenheimer' is directed by legendary filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who is known for films like 'Memento', 'Inception', 'The Dark Knight Trilogy', 'Tenet' and 'Dunkirk'.

The film is set to release in India by PVR INOX on July 21, 2023.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, July 14 : A 28-year-old Indian Army's lance naik was arrested for allegedly killing the brother-in-law of his elder brother in Haryana, a Delhi Police official said on Friday.

According to police, the accused identified as Parveen alias Dhila (28), a resident of district Rohtak, Haryana, suspected that his brother's wife was wanting to kill him.

Specific inputs was received on Wednesday that an accused, who was involved in a brutal murder case of district Sonipat, Haryana, would be coming to near Bus Terminal Sultan Puri following which a trap was laid and Parveen was apprehended.

On sustained interrogation, Parveen disclosed that he is a Lance Nayak and joined Indian Army 19 Raj Rifle in 2012.

"On 21/22 November, 2022 when he was posted in his unit at Bikaner, his elder brother Pardeep Hooda, who was in Delhi Police and posted in Special Cell was shot dead by someone. Thereafter, in January this year, he was transferred from Bikaner to Dhaula Kuan, Delhi, so that he could take care of his family," said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Harendra Singh.

In April, he went to his house on 20 days leave and thereafter did not join back. "Parveen also revealed that in the intervening night of April 14 and 15 , he along with his friend Jitender had murdered his brother-in-law Rohit by shooting him at his home in Sonipat," said the DCP.
New Delhi, July 14 : External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Both the leaders followed up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US last month and also exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and other issues of mutual geopolitical interest.

"Pleasure to meet @SecBlinken. Followed up on PM @narendramodi's recent visit to the US. Also exchanged views on Ukraine, Myanmar and Indo-Pacific," Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.

The foreign minister also met Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, on the sidelines of the ARF meeting.

"Appreciate the conversation today with EU High Representative @JosepBorrellF on the sidelines of the ARF meetings. Had a detailed discussion on the Ukraine conflict and the situation in Myanmar," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

Fontelles, on his part, said that he had a stimulating discussion with the Indian foreign minister.

"Stimulating discussion with External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar on #India's G20 Presidency, upcoming EU-India summit and good momentum in our bilateral relations. In addition, we focused on Russia's war against Ukraine as well as on Myanmar and Afghanistan," Fontelles tweeted.

Jaishankar is in Jakarta to participate in the Foreign Ministers' Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format -- ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, scheduled from July 13-14.

After Jakarta, he will travel to Bangkok, Thailand to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16.

MGC, one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region, is guided by India's Act East Policy. In Bangkok, Jaishankar will also attend the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers' Retreat on July 17.

BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative which brings together the countries of the Bay of Bengal for multifaceted cooperation.

The retreat would discuss ways to further deepen the BIMSTEC agenda and strengthen the organisation.
Toronto, July 14 : An Indo-Canadian gas station owner has been fined $60,000 after a human rights tribunal found that he took advantage of an Indian worker's precarious immigration status.

Kuldip Singh, owner of Husky gas station in Burnaby, withheld Harika Kasagoni's overtime pay for two years and accused her of lying about an injury, CBC News reported.

She had filed a WorkSafeBC claim for her injury, which angered Singh, who then ended up firing her from the job, which was essential for her to obtain permanent residency status.

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal heard that Kasagoni, then 23-years-old, came to Canada in 2013 from a rural village in India with hopes to further her education and settle in the country.

In November 2013, Kasagoni secured an open work permit and began working part time for Singh at a Husky gas station.

Initially, she was a "customer service representative" earning $10.25 per hour.

However, by January 2014, she advanced into a position as a full-time supervisor. In 2015, Singh, who called her an 'excellent and honest employee', agreed to support her application for permanent residency through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for which he referred her to an immigration consultant.

Kasagoni alleges that, in addition to his own fees, the Immigration Consultant charged her $6,500 in cash to pay Singh for his support.

In December 2016, Kasagoni fell and injured herself.

When she reported to her doctor that the fall had happened at work, he referred her to WorkSafeBC, which accepted her claim.

Singh did not believe that Kasagoni's fall had happened at work, and said she was lying in order to access WorkSafeBC benefits.

In her complaint, Kasagoni said that Singh discriminated against her in her employment by underpaying her, harassing her about her disability-related claim with WorkSafeBC, terminating her employment, and forcing her to pay Singh $6,500 in support of her PNP application.

She also said that it was discrimination based on her race, colour, ancestry, and place of origin because Singh took advantage of her vulnerability as a newcomer to Canada with a precarious immigration status.

Singh said he treated Kasagoni well throughout her employment but ultimately lost trust in her when he determined that she had lied about her fall. In addition, he denied terminating Kasagoni's employment, and said she simply never returned to work.

"As a newcomer to Canada, Kasagoni was not familiar with employment laws and minimum standards. She trusted Singh and counted on him. Singh knew this," tribunal member Devyn Cousineau wrote in her written decision.

"While this may seem like a nice sentiment, it can create conditions for abuse in an employment context, as I find it did here. It can allow employers to impose obligations on employees out of a sense of obligation, gratitude, or debt, outside of the contractual exchange of labour for pay," Cousineau added.

The tribunal ordered Singh to pay Kasagoni nearly $25,000 in compensation for lost wages, including the wages that she would have earned working regular full-time hours at the gas station if her employment had continued until December 2018, two years after her fall.

As a result of the end of her employment, the PNP withdrew its support for Kasagoni's permanent residency.
Bengaluru, July 14 : A minor girl has lodged a complaint with Bengaluru police against her father for getting her married forcefully, a police official said on Friday The complaint also named her husband.

The police have arrested the husband and launched a hunt for the father who has disappeared after the lodging of a police complaint. According to police, the 16-year-old victim hailed from Hyderabad.

As per the complainant, her father Sreenu had taken her to his mother's place in Karnataka's Kalaburgi district on June 13. He took her to the village temple the next day and got her married to Shivasharanappa.

The girl claimed that she was forced to get married even as she flatly refused the proposal. And the man, knowing well that she is a minor, got married to her.

On June 15, Shivasharanappa brought her to Bengaluru and locked her up in the house in Bellandur. He tried to force her for physical intimacy but she managed to ward him off by stiff resistance.

On July 12, the girl had called 112 emergency helpline and complained about her plight. The police rushed to the spot and she was rescued and taken to the police station.

Police have slapped the cases against her father and husband under the provisions of Sections 9 and 12 of the Child Marriage Prohibition Act and Section 12 of the Pocso Act as well as Section 34 of IPC.

The husband has been sent to judicial custody and further investigation is on.
New Delhi, July 14 : As Delhi battles flood and amid the blame game over water flow from the Hathnikund barrage increasing the Yamuna level, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said one lakh cusecs of water was released into the Yamuna river on the first day, but the next day it suddenly increased to 3.70 lakh cusecs.

"As far as the issue of the release of water is concerned, we have informed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that Hathnikund is a barrage and not a dam," Khattar told the media here.

"Water flow is controlled in dams, however in barrage the water can only be regulated in a small quantity. The capacity of the barrage is one lakh cusecs and it is difficult to stop the water above this level," he clarified.

He said the excessive flow of water has also adversely affected Yamunanagar, Karnal, etc., and now the same flow is entering Delhi.

Saying the water level of some rivers is decreasing, the Chief Minister said similarly the water level in other rivers has also decreased because of which the increased water levels in Karnal and Kurukshetra are gradually declining.

However, the flow of water is high in Sonipat, Delhi, Faridabad and Palwal and there is a possibility that the level will reduce in the coming 48 hours, said Khattar.

Taking a jibe at the Delhi Chief Minister, Khattar said: "It seems that Haryana has become a nightmare for Kejriwal whenever Delhi is in trouble. Be it pollution issue, water issue or any other, when Arvind Kejriwal fails to find any solution, he starts playing the blame game."

"Doing politics even on natural calamities is totally unethical," said Khattar.

Responding to a question regarding the statement of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he said that one should refrain from doing politics on natural calamities.

--IANS

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Chandigarh, July 14 : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday said that the 22nd Law Commission which proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was not in nation's interest.

SAD said that enforcing UCC without a genuine countrywide inter-faith consensus, especially among minorities, would violate the spirit of the Constitution and generate fear.

In a letter sent to the Member (Secretary) of the commission, the Party President Sukhbir Badal wrote: "Uniformity should not be confused with unity. India symbolises unity in diversity and not in uniformity. Only a truly federal structure can resolve our problems and make India a global superpower."

Urging the Union government not to go ahead with the idea of a UCC, the SAD President urged the Centre to respect the sentiments of the patriotic Sikh community on UCC before taking any decision on the issue.

"This is important as peace and communal harmony in the sensitive border state of Punjab must always remain a top national priority."

The SAD President also informed the commission that the party had held consultations with different stakeholders in the state and outside.

"On the basis of that, the widespread impression we gathered is that the UCC, if implemented, will definitely affect the freedom of minority communities of different caste, creed and religions."

The letter also noted that since no draft of the proposed UCC had been prepared and circulated along with the notice issued by the Law Commission regarding the proposed amendments in the present personal laws of different religions it is impossible to make any tangible suggestions on the issue.

It said a concrete draft, outlining all details of the proposed legislation should be prepared and circulated among the people throughout the country so that they could provide the desired response.

Sukhbir Badal in his letter also detailed how SAD as a democratic and secular party had always been committed to the idea that India was a multi-religious, multicultural and multilingual society, with unity in diversity as its binding force.

SAD also noted that the proposed UCC would also affect social tribes who have their own diverse customs, culture and different personal laws.
Hyderabad, July 14 : Telangana Industry and Information Technology Minister K. T. Rama Rao on Friday said he intended to pursue legal action against jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar for making certain allegations against him.

Reacting to media reports that Sukesh sent a letter to Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CBI director making some allegations against him, KTR said he never heard of this "rogue".

"Just learnt from media that a delusional fraudster and a noted criminal called Sukesh has made some ludicrous allegations about me I have never heard of this rogue and intend to pursue strong legal action against him for his nonsensical utterances," tweeted KTR, who is also working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

KTR requested media also to be circumspect when publishing such wild comments/claims from fibsters.

Sukesh Chandrashekhar, an under-trial prisoner lodged in Mandoli Jail, has reportedly sent a handwritten letter through lawyer Anant Malik to Telangana Governor, Union Home Minister and CBI director.

Sukesh, who is in jail in money laundering and extortion cases, wrote that his family received offers from associates of BRS MLC K. Kavitha and her brother KTR to retract statements given to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against them and also to give all the evidence like WhatsApp chat copies, screenshots and recordings which are in his possession.

Sukesh claimed that he was offered land worth Rs100 crore near Shamshabad Airport and ticket for upcoming Assembly elections in Telangana.

Sukesh also wrote that he was warned of a worse situation in case he refused to agree. Alleging transactions worth Rs 2,000 crore in Delhi liquor policy case, Sukesh also claimed that he has 250 GB of data of WhatsApp chat and recordings with Kavitha and KTR.

He demanded a probe into the same. In April, he had written a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor, alleging that AAP leaders and Kavitha had contacts and business deals with him.

Sukesh is accused of extorting Rs 200 crore from a businessmanas wife.

--IANS

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Shimla, July 14 : Public sector SJVN's Chairman and Managing Director Nand Lal Sharma on Friday said they will contribute Rs 2 crore towards the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Relief Fund.

He said the financial assistance would help people affected by rainfall and resultant floods that had hit various parts of the state this week.

Heavy rains and cloudbursts have triggered flooding, landslides, collapse of home and bridge that have severely disrupted access even to basic amenities.

Sharma said SJVN will always remain in forefront in assisting the government's efforts in relief measures.

"We stand by the people of the state in this hour of distress and express our solidarity and support to the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts. We hope that the funds will aid the people as they rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the recent floods. I also appeal everyone to generously donate to help the needy to tide over the calamity," said Sharma.

He also expressed grief over the loss of life and property due to landslides and flash floods.

Earlier, SJVN employees have voluntarily donated their one-day salary amounting to Rs 55 lakh to the CM Relief Fund.
Bhubaneswar, July 14 : A man allegedly killed his wife using iron vili in Odisha's Keonjhar district on Friday, police said.

Police said that Abhay Kumar Rout, a native of Baniahudi village under Soso police limits of the district attacked his wife Tulasi on an iron vili over family dispute.

Tulasi died on spot.

Police said that after committing the crime, Abhay tried to flee from the spot. However, locals caught him and handed him over to police.

Police said that they have sent the body for post mortem.
Andrew J. Bass, 46, of Elko was arrested July 7, 2023, on a gross misdemeanor warrant for open or gross lewdness. Bail: $5,000

Lance N. Bullcreek, 36, of Salt Lake City was arrested July 9, 2023, in West Wendover for fugitive felon from another state and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jeffrey L. Jerome, 29, of Spring Creek was arrested July 7, 2023, on a felony warrant for possessing and using a credit or debit card without the owners consent, and failure to appear after bail on a felony crime. Bail: $50,000

Wendell G. Koch, 49, of Elko was arrested July 9, 2023, at 132 S. Third St. for destroying the property of another. Bail: $5,000

Dustyn N. Lacy, 28, of Carlin was arrested July 8, 2023, at Elko County Fairgrounds for battery on a protected person and false statement to obstruct a public officer. Bail: $5,355

Kaila S. Leyva, 25, of Spring Creek was arrested July 8, 2023, at 837 Idaho St. for possessing a gun by a prohibited person, possessing a gun with altered or removed serial number, and drug paraphernalia. Bail: $215,000

Samantha A. Lowe, 28, of Battle Mountain was arrested July 9, 2023, on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime and failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $10,000

Jesse D. Rinaldo, 31, of Spring Creek was arrested July 8, 2023, at 837 Idaho St. for burglary of a motor vehicle, attempted grand larceny of a motor vehicle, possessing a gun with altered or removed serial number, and possession of burglary tools. Bail: $45,000

Christian J. Salasar, 30, of West Wendover was arrested July 8, 2023, at 3223 W. Wendview Drive for felony possession of a controlled substance, possession to sell a controlled substance, and battery. Bail: $45,740

Daniel S. Seitz, 33, of Elko was arrested July 9, 2023, at Fifth and Grant streets for felony possession of a controlled substance, possessing a gun by a prohibited person, and violation of probation or condition of suspended sentence.

Roy D. Shamblen, 57, of Elko was arrested July 8, 2023, on a gross misdemeanor warrant for taking or possessing a vehicle without owners consent. Bail: $5,000

Norman D. Wasson, 38, of Elko was arrested July 7, 2023, on a two warrants for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime. Bail: $30,000

Todd L. Dixon, 53, of Elko was arrested July 10, 2023, on Interstate 80 for attempt to intimidate a public officer, driving under the influence, driving with a suspended drivers license, resisting a public officer, speeding 16-20 mph over limit, and open container of alcohol in vehicle. Bail: $4,780

Christopher R. Kyle, 39, of Elko was arrested July 10, 2023, on Interstate 80 for obtaining or using another persons ID for harmful or unlawful purposes, and false statement to obstruct a public officer. Bail: $50,355

Rana J. Newkirk-Mais, 55, of Ogden, Utah was arrested July 11, 2023, in Wendover on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime and failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $7,000

Melanie M. Whitesides, 49, of Mountain City was arrested July 12, 2023, at West Front and A streets for felony possession of a controlled substance and selling, transferring or attempting to sell a controlled substance. Bail: $150,000

Trevor V. Hemion, 25, of Spring Creek was arrested July 14, 2023, at Eighth and Silver streets for felony possession of a controlled substance and possession to sell a controlled substance. Bail: $115,000

Brooke C. Huntley, 26, of Carlin was arrested July 13, 2023, for theft and intent to utter a fictitious bill, note or check.

The charges listed do not imply guilt. Under the law, everyone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Sriharikota : July 14 (IANS) India's 'Bahubali' rocket successfully put the moon spacecraft -- Chandrayaan-3 -- into orbit on Friday afternoon in a copy book style.

The LVM-3, the country's heavy rocket, nicknamed 'Bahubali' as it carried the 3.8-tonne Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft like the hero in of the film of the same name lifts a heavy lingam, slung the moon-bound craft in its intended earth orbit.

From there it will be a long journey for Chandrayaan-3 as the distance between the earth and the moon is about 3.844 lakh km.

In his remarks after the launch, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath said: "Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has started its journey towards the moon. The LVM3 rocket orbited the spacecraft precisely at the intended orbit."

Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said: "It is indeed a moment of glory to India. Thank you Team ISRO for making India proud. Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

At 2.35 p.m. the LVM3 rocket rose into the sky from the second launch pad here at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The 43.5 metre tall rocket, weighing about 642 ton, furiously rushed upwards and 16-minutes into its flight, the rocket put Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.

The Indian space agency will raise the spacecraft's orbit by a series of manoeuvres to put it on Lunar Transfer Trajectory from August 1 onwards, Somanath told media later. A couple of days after the spacecraft enters lunar orbit, the lander will make a soft landing on the moon near its South Pole.

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft comprises a propulsion module (weighing 2,148 kg), a lander (1,723.89 kg) and a rover (26 kg), the ISRO said. Incidentally, the Chandrayaan-2 payload also weighed about 3.8 ton with the orbiter weighing 2,379 kg, the Vikram lander 1,444 kg, including the Pragyan rover 27 kg.

During the Chandrayaan-2 mission ISRO had named the lander as Vikram in memory of country's space pioneer Vikram Sarabhai and rover Pragyan means wisdom in Sanskrit. But this time around, ISRO has not officially named the lander and the rover.

According to ISRO, the propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. The lander payloads are: Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature; Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site; Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations.

A passive Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA is accommodated for lunar laser ranging studies.

On the other hand, the rover will carry: Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site, ISRO said.

According to ISRO, the moon mission is divided into three phases  the earth centric phase (Pre-Launch, Launch and Ascent and Earth-bound Manoeuvre), the Lunar Transfer Phase (Transfer Trajectory), and the Moon Centric Phase (Lunar Orbit Insertion Phase, Moon-bound Manoeuvre Phase, Propulsion Module and Lunar Module Separation, De-boost Phase, Pre-landing Phase, Landing Phase, Normal Phase for Lander and Rover, Moon Centric Normal Orbit Phase -100 km circular orbit- for Propulsion Module).

With the successful launch, the 'Bahubali' rocket has notched up an impeccable record of seven consecutive successful missions. This is the fourth operational flight of LVM3. The LVM3, with a capacity to carry four ton, is a three stage/engine rocket with two strap-on motors powered by solid fuel. The second stage is a core liquid fuel booster and the third is the cryogenic engine.

The lander is expected to reach the moon's vicinity on August 17. After parting of ways with the spacecraft, the lander is expected to soft land on August 23 at about 5.47 p.m. The lander will descend to the moon from a height of about 100 km from the moon's surface. The soft landing is a tricky issue as it involves a series of complex manoeuvres consisting of rough and fine braking. Imaging of the landing site region prior to landing will be done for finding safe and hazard-free zones.

Subsequent to the soft landing, the six-wheeled rover will roll out and carry out experiments on the lunar surface for a period of one lunar day which is equal to 14 Earth days. The life of the payloads carried by the propulsion module post ejection of the lander is between three and six months. On the other hand, the mission life of the lander and the rover is 1 Lunar day or 14 earth days, ISRO said.

The success of Chandrayaan-3 mission will make India the fourth country in the world to land and ride on the Moon surface after the US, Russia, and China.

India launched its first Moon mission Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008 using its light rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the second mission on July 22, 2019 with the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mk III now renamed as LVM3.

The Friday moon mission is a follow up of the failed Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019 when the lander named Vikram crashed on to the moon surface.

As regards the changes made in the lander this time as compared to the one that crash landed on the moon during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, a senior ISRO official told IANS that the lander has four motors instead of five. The space agency has also carried out some changes in the software.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
London, July 14 : A female kindergarten teacher has been executed in China for poisoning 25 children, one of whom she killed, by contaminating their porridge 'in revenge' after she had a row with her colleague, a media report said.

Wang Yun (39) was arrested and later sentenced to death after she poisoned young students from the Mengmeng Pre-school Education in Jiaozuo four years ago, Daily Mail reported.

Wang had adulterated the breakfast of her colleague's pupils with sodium nitrite "in revenge after arguing with the co-worker", the local authorities said at the time, the report said.

The teacher unsuccessfully appealed her death sentence, initially handed down in September 2020 by the Jiaozuo city intermediate people's court, in Henan province.

On Thursday, the same court verified Wang's identity, escorted her to the execution ground and carried out the death sentence, a court statement said, according to state media.

Wang purchased the sodium nitrite in March 2019 after falling out with her colleague, surnamed Sun, over "student management issues", the Jiaozuo court said at the time of her arrest, Daily Mail reported.

The next morning she added some of the chemical compound - which is commonly used as a food preservative but can be toxic and possibly fatal from overexposure - into the children's "eight treasures porridge", the court ruled, according to state media.

The dish is a sweet-flavoured rice-based porridge, which is very popular in China, Daily Mail reported.

It was reported at the time that 23 children began vomiting and fainting after eating their breakfast. The police launched an investigation after Wang was accused of poisoning the students on March 27, 2019.

Authorities later found that a total of 25 children were poisoned during the incident that shocked China and triggered global headlines, Daily Mail reported.
Bengaluru, July 14 : Legal hurdles to hand over 300 acres to Taiwanese chip-making giant Foxconn have been cleared and the land would be handed over to the company very soon, Karnataka's Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil said on Friday.

He also announced that the company would start production by next April.

Answering a question by BJP's Doddaballapura MLA Dheeraj Muniraju in the Assembly, Patil said: "A total of 300 acres will be given to the company in the ITIR (IT Investment Region) spread over Devanahalli and Doddaballapur taluks. The company would invest around Rs 8,500 crore to set up a manufacturing plant. The company can commence construction work immediately after the handing over of the land."

The government is facilitating the commissioning of the project which would provide 50,000 jobs, Patil added.

In the last three years, 3 major and medium industries have come up in the Doddaballapura taluk. They have invested about Rs 110 crore and generated nearly 1,450 jobs, the Minister said.
Lucknow, July 14 : The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to seek an affidavit from those who want to set up a new educational institution -- college or school -- stating that they are not involved in any criminal activities or have a dubious background.

The decision, when implemented, will prove problematic for several lawmakers who have a criminal background. A large number of lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh are running educational institutions, including engineering colleges in the state.

The government decision is in consonance with the Allahabad High Court, which had dismissed a plea moved by a murder convict in May this year, claiming his right to be appointed as secretary of a society which ran an educational institution on the ground that he had been lawfully elected.

While noting that education forms the backbone of a nation's strength and character, the bench of Justice Ajay Bhanot had observed that persons with such criminal antecedents cannot be permitted to run the affairs of an educational institution and blight the education prospects of the country's youth.

"Law cannot countenance a situation wherein convicted criminals run educational institutions as a matter of right," the court had said.

The petitioner had moved the high court challenging an order passed by the Deputy Registrar, Firms, Societies and Chits, declining to register the list of office-bearers of the society, namely Shiksha Prasar Bankatu Bujurg Etawah, on the ground that a reference was pending before the prescribed authority under Section 25(1) of the Societies Registration Act.

It was the petitioner's argument that he had been lawfully elected as the secretary of the society, therefore, the Deputy Registrar should have registered his name in the list of office-bearers of the society.

However, the court observed that the right of the petitioner to be appointed as secretary of the society had to be construed in light of Section 16A of the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

The said section provides that any person convicted of any offence in connection with the formation, promotion, management or conduct of the affairs of a society, or of a body corporate, or of an offence involving moral turpitude shall be disqualified for being a member of the governing body of a society.

The judge said, "The term moral turpitude cannot be defined by an iron cast rule or an inflexible formula to fit all cases. To determine whether an offence comes within the purview of the term 'moral turpitude' a fact-based enquiry has to be made."

Therefore, stressing that the present matter pertained to the management of an educational institution, the court opined that the offence of murder for which the petitioner had been convicted will be comprised in the ambit of "moral turpitude".

"The provision has been created to curb mischiefs of like nature; it has to be applied to purge educational institutions of criminal elements, and lift the curse of criminal influence on formative minds," the court said, while dismissing the plea.
New Delhi, July 14: Pakistan is working double fast to raise funds to keep its sputtering economy on track. In the latest development, it has kick-started the process to outsource operations of its Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore airports.

On Thursday, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) informed the parliamentary standing committee on aviation that the government has initiated the process to give the management and operations of these airports in a bid to shore up forex reserves. The PCAA added that it was not selling the airports but only outsourcing services, reports Dawn.

Besides raising forex through this decision, another reason for outsourcing was to curb numerous inefficiencies that had come up in the management of the airports. These included illegal constructions, increasing bird hits, and the death of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) air hostess due to safety issues.

PIA has been running into problems with international aviation agencies as well as other airports in other countries over multiple failures.

The PIA has been ailing for many years and the various governments in Islamabad have been trying to find a way out of the mess by selling various properties and assets of the PIA over the years. However, in Pakistan's topsy turvy world of governance, the ministers have also been simultaneously denying that the country's assets are being hived off.

In the latest, the country has sold its abandoned embassy building in Washington for $7.1 million. The building which had become a liability for the government had been declared "blighted property" by the municipal authorities in Washington recently. It has finally been bought by a member of the Pakistani diaspora partly as a matter of pride for the government.

Also to go in the US is the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, New York. It was leased to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation in May this year, which now plans to use it for housing migrants.

The iconic 19th century building had been with PIA since the 1970s but due to mismanagement and rising renovation costs, Pakistan's national airlines could not manage to hold it. In a bid to stem the losses the government eventually leased it out for an initial three years. The Covid pandemic turned out to be the last nail in the coffin for the heritage building.

Late last year, PIA decided to give its seven spots at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Turkish and Kuwait Airlines for an initial six months. The drastic decision was taken not so much to raise money but to ensure that Heathrow did not cancel the spots due to sanctions on PIA by the European Union and the UK. To avoid losing the spots, PIA had to sublet these to Turkish and Kuwaiti airlines. PIA would have then been given smaller airports in the UK, which would have been a big embarrassment for the government.

With Pakistan tottering on the brink of a financial collapse, the Pakistani Army has been helping the Shehbaz Sharif government in managing the finances and coming up with ideas to raise money.

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir sits on the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) set up by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to help him not only generate ideas but also implement these to invite foreign investment.

The all-powerful army recently suggested that the country can give corporate farming projects to the Gulf countries in return for advance funds. This would benefit both as the Gulf countries have been scouting for food security while Pakistan can bail itself out of the economic crisis.

Only a few weeks back, the country also signed a 50-year agreement with a UAE company to operate and develop some of the berths at the Karachi Port. The UAE company - AD Ports, will invest $220 million in infrastructure development at berths 6-9 at the Karachi Port Terminal.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

--indianarrative

--IANS
Chandigarh, July 14 : The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday said the live telecast of the Gurbani from the holiest Sikh shrine, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, in Amritsar will be aired on its YouTube channel from July 24.

This announcement was made in the wake of its decision not to renew a pact with PTC channel for the Gurbani telecast. The 11-year pact is expiring on July 23.

After the executive committee meeting, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami told the media in Amritsar that the arrangement for the YouTube channel would be in place till the SGPC's satellite channel is launched.

"All rights of the telecast will be with the SGPC."

The decision was taken on the recommendation of a sub-committee constituted on the edict of Akal Takht that asked the SGPC to launch its own channel for the live telecast of the Gurbani.

Since 1998, the SGPC had given the rights to telecast the Gurbani to channels under which the current agreement was with G-Next Media Private Ltd (PTC channel). The last agreement was signed on July 24, 2012, for 11 years. Under the agreement, G-Next Media was to give Rs 1 crore annually with a 10 per cent annual increase to the education fund of the SGPC.

--IANS

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Gandhinagar, July 14 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will jointly chair a meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) on July 17-18 here, an official has said.

These discussions are being held under India's presidency of the G20 which comprises 19 countries and the European Union.

The key gathering will witness the participation of 66 delegations from around the world, focusing on issues related to the global economy and international financial architecture.

The third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBGs) meeting will mark the culmination of the work carried out under various work streams based on the mandate received during the first FMCBG conclave held in Bengaluru in February.

Ajay Seth, Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, highlighted the significance of this meeting and its objectives.

A total of 520 participants across 66 delegations are expected to attend the meeting.

The event will be organised in five thematic sessions, covering crucial topics such as the global economy and health, sustainable finance and infrastructure, international financial architecture, international taxation, and the financial sector's inclusion.

The key deliverables to be presented at the meeting include the volume 1 report of the G20 Independent Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs (multilateral development banks), progress in the debt treatment for countries under the Common Framework, and a guidance note for developing a globally coordinated framework for the regulation and supervision of crypto-assets.

Additionally, workshops on various topics and a cultural programme showcasing India's diverse cuisines and rich culture will be organised.
New Delhi, July 14 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said that they have arrested two Kashmiri Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in connection with Jammu and Kashmir terror conspiracy case.

The accused were identified as Mushaib Fayaz Baba alias Shoaib (20) and Hilal Yaqoob Deva alias Sethi Soab (35), residents of district Shopian.

The accused have been working for Pak-based commanders and handlers of proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its shadow outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), among others.

The arrest comes after a series of raids conducted by the NIA at the residential premises of OGWs of the banned terrorist organisations and their newly-floated offshoots and affiliates in recent days.

NIA said that they have seized several digital devices during the raids, which were scrutinised by the agency, as part of its investigations in the case.

"Investigations have revealed that two accused arrested were in continuous contact with Pakistan-based commanders and active members of various terrorist outfits through social media applications.

"They were working as OGWs for the terrorists, and have been actively involved in transporting weapons and funds from one place to another, on the directions of Pak based commanders/handlers, as part of a bigger conspiracy," NIA said.

NIA said that the conspiracy had been hatched by cadres and OGWs of various proscribed terrorist organisations in cohort with their commanders based in Pakistan.

These cadres and OGWs were actively involved in the collection and distribution of huge consignments of narcotics, cash, small arms/weapons, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other types of IEDs, including remote-controlled sticky bombs, magnetic bombs. Such terrorist hardware and IEDs are either delivered over drones or also assembled locally, for terrorist attacks in J&K, investigations have revealed.

It said that the terror conspiracy was aimed at disturbing peace and communal harmony by carrying out terrorist acts and waging a war against the Government of India.

NIA said that the terrorist outfits were involved in targeting of minorities, migrants and security personnel etc. The conspiracy had been hatched both physically and through cyberspace, by using secured encrypted social media apps.
New Delhi, July 14 : The Delhi High Court has directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to post on its website and widely circulate the standard operating procedure (SOP) followed for repatriating the bodies of deceased Indians who pass away in a foreign country.

A division bench of Justice Najmi Waziri and Sudhir Kumar Jain was hearing a plea addressing concerns related to the death of an Indian man in the Maldives.

The court said that these guidelines should be made easily accessible to the public.

While the bench urged airlines operating in India to consider hosting the SOP on their websites for the benefit of Indians travelling overseas, it also said that information about a welfare fund set up for the purpose of repatriation should be made readily available.

The court said: "... Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and the 'Guidelines on Indian Community Welfare Fund established in Indian Missions/Posts Abroad' should be accessible and widely circulated in the public domain.

"Therefore, the MEA is directed to prominently post and make accessible the said SOP and Guidelines on its website, if not already available, within one week from the date of receipt of copy of this order."

Meanwhile, the counsel representing the Centre informed the court that the SOP for transporting the mortal remains of Indian tourists and workers is already in place.

The court observed that in the case of Indian tourists, the Indian Missions usually coordinate with the deceased person's family.

In the case of a worker, coordination is established between the nominated family members of the deceased, the insurance company, and the employer, while the Indian Mission closely monitors the entire process.

In exceptional circumstances when resources are limited, the Missions and MEA make suitable arrangements, often utilising the Indian Community Welfare Fund established by the respective Mission.
Hyderabad, July 14 : All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday alleged that by raising the issue of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the BJP is trying to divert attention from the poverty, unemployment and Chinese transgressions.

The Hyderabad MP accused the BJP of seeking to vitiate the communal atmosphere of the country by raking up the UCC.

Addressing a press conference, he termed UCC a political exercise to create an unnecessary environment to divert attention from the real issues.

"Like clockwork, BJP raises the UCC. The goal is to vitiate the atmosphere and reap political dividends," he said

Owaisi said that the present Law Commission seeking responses on the UCC comes as no surprise. He pointed out that the 22nd Law Commission did not give any proposal, but merely cited the 21st Law Commission's work.

"This is not a coincidence that exactly after five years again the Law commission is undertaking this exercise. Like a clockwork, five or six months before the general elections BJP raises this issue," he said.

"The aim is to vitiate the atmosphere and polarise the electorate so that they reap political gains in the coming 2024 elections," the MP added.

Owaisi said AIMIM has sent its response to the Law Commission along with ex-Supreme Court judge Gopala Gowda's legal opinion on UCC.

Owaisi observed that the UCC would obliterate diverse customs. He said the tribals in different parts of the country were already opposing the UCC.

He challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to Adilabad in Telangana and tell the Gond community about the implementation of the UCC.

He also dared the Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to remove the uniform civil laws there. He challenged BJP to inform the tribals of the north eastern states of the UCC exercise.

Owaisi also hit out at Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan over his remarks on the UCC.

"As a Governor, he should not be showering praises on a Government. He should resign as Governor and officially join BJP," he said.

Khan had stated that the government will keep sensitivities of all in mind.
Business leaders and experts across the world pointed out that the so-called de-risking is nothing but decoupling in disguise aiming to contain and isolate China, which is unrealistic but detrimental to the global economy as well.

Click here to watch the video.
Ferozepur : , July 14 (IANS) Saying floods have affected 15 districts of the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday toured the flood-hit areas and announced that the state government will compensate people for loss of every single penny and provide free saplings of paddy.

The Chief Minister, who visited Nihala Lavera village in Ferozepur district to oversee flood relief operations, said that a special agirdwaria will be conducted to ascertain the loss of crops, houses and others due to heavy rainfall in the state.

He said that he has extensively touted the state to gauge the situation at the grassroot level.

Mann said that the state government is duty-bound to help the people in this hour of grave crisis and no stone is being left unturned for this noble cause. He said that succour is being provided even to the last person at the far-flung areas of the state.

The Chief Minister said the special thrust is being laid to ensure relief in the worst- affected areas so that people do not face any sort of problem. He said all dams in the state are safe and water is flowing below the danger mark.

Noting that due to heavy flow of water, the paddy crop in many fields have been destroyed, he said that to safeguard the interests of the farmers, the state government will soon provide free saplings of high-yielding variety of paddy to the farmers.

The Chief Minister said that these saplings will be ready in another four-five days after which it will be disbursed free of cost to farmers. He said the water has affected around 15 districts of the state where these saplings, if needed, will be distributed.

He lauded the teams of the BSF and the NDRF for giving a major helping hand to the government for relief works. Mann said the state is known for serving the masses in hostile situations and we will overcome this challenge too. The Chief Minister said Punjabis had once again displayed rare courage and strength to combat this crisis. He said Punjabis are blessed with indomitable spirit of fighting against all odds due to which they have survived since ages.

--IANS

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Patna, July 14 : : Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Friday said that BJP is doing negative politics and spreading rumours.

"The people of the country are watching them and see how they are spreading rumours and doing negative politics. They are blaming the state government for the death of a BJP leader despite Patna police having clarified everything.

"The person who was roaming with the deceased also gave the statement in public that they were not at the place where Lathi charge happened. They were in Chajju Bagh," Yadav said.

During investigation, it was also revealed that the BJP leaders were involved in throwing chilli powder on police personnel.

"I want to ask them that how they brought the packets of chilli powder," Yadav asked.

He said that BJP is an expert in negative politics. "When they are blaming the Bihar government for the Lathi charge, I want to ask them that a large number of farmers died during the agitation. People were killed in large numbers in Manipur. Who would take care of the responsibility of deaths of farmers and murders in Manipur," Yadav said.

He said that BJP leaders are only leveling allegations but proving them is tough affair.

"They should think before leveling allegations. We have run monsoon sessions for four days. What is the benefit of it? If the opposition debates on issues and point out loopholes, we will answer it," he said.
New Delhi, July 14 : External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday met his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly and underlined the importance of ensuring the security of Indian diplomats.

Jaishankar, who met Joly on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Jakarta, tweeted: "Met Canadian Foreign Minister in Jakarta. Discussed the Indo-Pacific and our economic cooperation. Underlined the importance of ensuring the security of our diplomats and the need to firmly combat incitement to violence."

The meeting between the two leaders took place just days after Khalistani elements displayed posters in Canada, with photographs of the Indian High Commissioner in Canada and other diplomats posted there and messages holding Indian diplomats responsible for the killing of separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last month and held death threats against them.

India had in June also summoned the Canadian High Commissioner and lodged it's protest in the matter. Jaishankar had earlier said that Canada giving space to separatist elements was probably driven by "votebank politics".

--IANS

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Kolkata, July 14 : If the results of the recently-concluded panchayat elections in West Bengal are any indication for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, neither current state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, nor ex-state unit chief Dilip Ghosh are in a position to breath easy.

In case of Ghosh's Lok Sabha constituency of Midnapore in West Midnapore district, BJP's performance has been pathetic in all the three tiers of the panchayat system.

At gram panchayat level, the BJP managed to secure victory in only 217 out of the 1,326 seats, while the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the poll with 1,047 seats. While the saffron party bagged just 11 out of the 199 panchayat samiti seats, its candidates drew a blank at the zilla parishad level.

BJP insiders, however, feel that it would be wrong to forecast the fate of Ghosh, currently the national vice-president of the BJP, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections based on the panchayat poll results.

"The panchayat areas which come under the Midnapore Lok Sabha constituency are just part of the entire area. A major part of the area under this Lok Sabha constituency comes under three municipalities -- Egra, Kharagpur and Midnapore -- where the BJP has strong presence.

"In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when Ghosh won by a margin of around 89,000 votes, he got the maximum lead from these three municipal areas," pointed out a state committee leader of the BJP.

Similar is the case of Majumdar's Lok Sabha constituency of Balurghat in South Dinajpur district, where the performance of the BJP in the panchayat polls has been far from satisfactory.

At the gram panchayat level, BJP's tally stood at 276, whereas Trinamool bagged as many as 784 seats. At the panchayat samiti level, BJP won just 21 seats as against Trinamool's 142, while all the 16 zilla parishad seats went in favour of the ruling party.

Here too, BJP insiders maintained that the panchayats are just part of the Balurghat Lok Sabha constituency, where the party has a strong presence in the areas under the municipalities.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Majumdar had won by a margin of over 33,000 votes.
Jaipur, July 14 : A purported video has gone viral on social media in which Rajasthan BJP MLA Divya Maderna could be seen advising people to go for power theft.

Maderna has been frequently visiting her Assembly constituency in Osian in Jodhpur district, and her followers are regularly tweeting videos to highlight her trips.Maderna has also retweeted many such videos.

In one of the videos that has gone viral, she could be seen suggesting people to go for power theft. While assigning tasks to the people, she says that they can put cable on wire to get electricity; however, the power line might trip, she says, to which the people sitting near her laugh out loudly.
New Delhi, July 14 : The Congress on Friday slammed the BJP for posting the incorrect India map in an animated video showing the parts of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan and China.

Congress said that this exposes the saffron party and questioned is this not an attack on territorial integrity and sovereignty?

Addressing the media at the party headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: "The BJP, its fake news factory and its leaders, who are very eager to handover certificates of nationalism to people, tweeted a video. It was about making (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, the Vishwa Guru. And in that video ironically, this is what they have put out, parts of India are shown with Pakistan, and China."

She also showed the animated video released by BJP leaders on their Twitter handles.

Targeting the government, the Congress leader said: "If this is not an attack on our territorial integrity, and attack on our sovereignty then I wonder what is? This exposes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This tells you what they are made of, what their real motives are."

Hitting out at the ruling BJP, she said that it tells the lack of respect they have for our sovereignty, and for our territorial integrity and this also tells you who the real 'Tukde-Tukde-Gang' in this country is and it is none other than the BJP.

The Congress leader said that after these videos, were put out by the BJP, its ministers, its leaders, its spokespersons, and the official handle of the BJP, people started reacting to it, people questioned, how territorial parts of India, integral parts of India, were shown with Pakistan, and China.

"And in no time they deleted the video," she alleged.

She also said that as the BJP deleted the video does not mean that Congress will not raise the questions that should be raised.

"What you did? Because this is the map of India that we uphold, this is the map of India that we respect. This is the map of India for which we have made supreme sacrifices. And no force on earth can make us believe that anybody can make a mistake like this, no force on earth, whatsoever, but that's what the BJP has done," she said.

She also pointed out that according to India's law that the BJP itself brought in Parliament, which is the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill 2016.

"According to provisions of this law, a hundred crore rupee in fine and seven years in jail, for anybody who depicts the map of India incorrectly. So, who is going to take the burden for this? Who in the BJP is responsible for this? Where does the buck stop?" she questioned.

She also demanded the Prime Minister and the BJP President J.P Nadda should with folded hands first apologise before every Indians, because we will not tolerate this depiction of India.

"We will not tolerate that in broad daylight you can distort the map of India and get away with it. We will not tolerate that territories that belong to India are shown as territories in Pakistan, and China. We seek accountability, and first of all we seek an apology from no less than the Prime Minister and the BJP President," she added.
Kolkata, July 14 : Trinamool Congress' national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday accused Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of the Calcutta High Court, without taking his name, of giving "protection to anti-social elements".

Banerjee said this in connection with successive orders passed by Justice Mantha giving the leader of opposition in state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, shield against coercive action, including arrest, in a number of cases filed against him by the state police.

"There is one judge who is giving protection to anti-social elements. Even if he (Adhikari) is involved in criminal activities, he cannot be arrested. If I am jailed on contempt charges for these comments, I am ready to go behind bars 10,000 times. But I will still tell the truth," Banerjee said.

He said the judge he referred to is giving protection to Adhikari and his close confidants.

"Will you give protection if I seek the same? I will call a spade a spade no matter what action is taken against me," said the Trinamool Lok Sabha MP.

Reacting to his comments, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said that Banerjee is targeting the judiciary, understanding very well that he is heading for a major disaster in the coming days.

Earlier, Trinamool spokesman Kuna Ghosh too had attacked Justice Mantha by directly naming him.Slanderous posters were pasted on the walls of the residence of Justice Mantha the very next morning. What followed was boycott of Justice Mantha's bench by a section of the advocates close to the ruling party.

They not only boycotted Justice Mantha's bench, but also prevented other advocates from attending his court. The chaos continued for over a week.
Bengaluru, July 14 : Right-wing group Sri Ram Sena on Friday said if the Congress government in Karnataka permits offering namaz in the premises of the Vidhana Soudha here, it would organise large-scale protests.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Dharwad, Sri Ram Sena Founder Pramod Muthalik, said: "If namaz is permitted, we will recite Hanuman Chalisa everyday in the premises of the Vidhana Soudha."

Asserting that the Congress government is "totally anti-Hindu", Muthalik said: "We all know how the Congress party has destroyed the nation. Vidhana Soudha is not Mecca or Medina. Everyone will come up with one or the other demands.

"If namaz is permitted, we will recite Hanuman Chalisa and organise large-scale protests. The whole Karnataka is going to burn," he said.

He further said that Sri Ram Sena supports the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.

"This should come into force. The signature campaign will be organised across the state in all district headquarters in Karnataka. The campaign will be started by religious pontiffs, advocates, doctors and other important personalities. The Constitution mentions uniform law but it has not been brought even after 72 years. The appeasement policy of the Congress towards Muslims is the reason.

"The High Courts and Supreme Court have been talking about the implementation of uniform laws for 20 years. No other country has two laws and it is only practiced in India," Muthalik said.
Hyderabad, July 14 : All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) over successful launch of Chandrayaan 3.

"It's a proud day for all Indians, and another great step in our space journey. India's scientific progress over the decades is an inspiration for nations across the world," tweeted the Hyderabad MP.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his delight over the successful launch of LVM3-M4 Chandrayaan-3, into space orbit by the ISRO from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.

Extending his heartfelt congratulations to the dedicated team of ISRO Chairman, scientists and other technical personnel who contributed to the successful launch of the initial stage of Chandrayaan-3, he emphasised that the success of the initial stage of Chandrayaan-3 is a significant milestone for India's space research sector.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has also congratulated the ISRO team for the successful launch of Chandrayaan- 3, the mission to the moon. He wished the lunar expedition a smooth and successful landing propelling the country's space prowess into orbit of glory winning a place of pride on the global map.
Panaji, July 14 : Union Ayush Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said that the integration of Ayush therapies in Goa would benefit both locals and tourists.

In his address after inaugurating the integrated AYUSH Health services in North Goa in presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik, and state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, he said: "The integration of Ayush therapies here would benefit both locals and tourists. There is need to spread awareness about these therapies."

Sonowal also stressed the need to organise awareness camps at the village level to promote Ayush treatment methods.

Highlighting the significance of this initiative, he stated that this centre is the first of its kind in the country to provide integrated Ayush facilities. He emphasised that the Ministry of Ayush, in line with the Prime Minister's vision, is committed to ensuring global health, not just within the country.

Sonowal further acknowledged the growing international recognition of India's traditional healing practices, with the Ayush market currently expanding to Rs 4 lakh crore.

The integrated 'Ayush Health Services' in Goa encompass various Research Councils, including the Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Mineral and Marine Medicinal Resources, Clinical Research Unit (Homeopathy), Siddha Clinical Research Unit, Clinical Research Unit, and Unani Speciality clinic.

The facility is equipped with an outpatient department (OPD), dispensary, Panchakarma centre, and a laboratory for conducting research, with a focus on medicines derived from mineral and marine sources.

--IANS

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China's internet watchdog and several other authorities, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology, have jointly issued an interim regulation on the management of generative artificial intelligence (AI) services.

The regulation, published on the website of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Thursday, will go into effect on Aug. 15.

It puts forward a slew of measures on boosting generative AI technology on the one hand, and stipulates basic norms for generative AI service providers on the other.

The move is aimed at promoting the sound development of generative AI and regulating its applications, safeguarding national security and social public interests, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, legal entities and organizations, according to the CAC.




New Delhi, July 14 : Sources in Delhi Lieutenant Governor's office claimed on Friday that L-G V.K. Saxena had advised Delhi Minister for Irrigation and Flood Control, Saurabh Bhardwaj, to take his responsibilities seriously and refrain from acting in an immature, uninformed and politically motivated manner, especially at times of crisis such as the present flood situation in the national capital.

The sources also claimed that the L-G had suggested Bhardwaj that he should also do good by not randomly and mischievously raking up the 'Ordinance' issue, as he has done in a tweet with the sole purpose of prejudicing the people.

The Irrigation and Flood Control Regulator (No.12 in front of WHO office) on Ring Road, which is meant to stop water from entering Drain No.12, had collapsed on Thursday evening and water from the already overflowing Yamuna river started to flow back into the city through the drain, inundating the Ring Road, IP Metro Station, IP Depot, ITO, and Vikas Marg and was fast leading up to the Mathura Road and the Supreme Court complex.

"This grave problem required urgent engineering solutions, the responsibility of which lies with the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) under the Arvind Kejriwal government, and specifically the minister in charge, Saurabh Bhardwaj.

"I&FC and DJB have full-fledged engineering wings of their own having several officers from the level of chief engineer up to junior engineers. However, they could not carry out the necessary work despite a lapse of more than 12 hours," the sources in the L-G office said.

The sources also claimed that with the proactive intervention of the L-G, who was consistently in touch with Union Home Minister Amit Shah since early morning and with the consequent support from the Government of India, the engineering core of the Indian Army was deployed at the site.

"It provided immediate and interim solution by stopping water from the river to flow into the drain, and by restoring the collapsed regulator. Work on the same started in the morning, and by the time the L-G, followed by the Chief Minister, reached the site, the back flow into the drain had been substantially stopped with the Army's efforts," the sources claimed.

The sources also claimed that even as the L-G, the Chief Minister, Bhardwaj and AAP minister Atishi were addressing the media on site, Bhardwaj indulged in uncalled for behaviour by claiming that "he had been calling the divisional commissioner since last night for NDRF to be deployed to address the repair and restoration of the collapsed regulator", despite the fact that the actual position regarding this had been clarified to him by the divisional commissioner in front of the L-G and his colleague Atishi.

"It would be educative for Bhardwaj to know that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is mandated for carrying out relief and rescue operations during disasters, something that it has been doing in Delhi since the recent flooding started in the city. The NDRF is not responsible for carrying out regular engineering works.

"A simple reading of the NDRF's template on its website will be sufficient to establish that what Bhardwaj was doing in the presence of the L-G, the Chief Minister, and the media, despite knowing the truth, was nothing but pointless politicking to score brownies, even during times of distress," the sources said.

The sources also claimed that to set the record straight, all employees and officers of Delhi government and Delhi Police along with NDRF teams have been working day and night to address the situation.

The said that Bhardwaj will recall that on the night of July 13, when water from Yamuna started inundating the Wazirabad WTP, the chief secretary, divisional commissioner and principal secretary were working on site till as late as 3:45 a.m.
Jaipur, July 14 : President Droupadi Murmu on Friday, addressing the members of the Rajasthan Assembly, said the legislators should rise above "me and mine, and think for the state and the people".

This was the first time in the history of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly that a President gave a speech here.

President Murmu began her speech in the Rajasthani dialect.

Earlier, Speaker C.P. Joshi, while welcoming her, said "the President's address is a matter of pride for us".

Joshi said: "Rajasthan has come a long way and now, we have to work towards economic-social independence."

Meanwhile, Governor Kalraj Mishra, on a lighter note during his address, asked the government not to run the same session for a long time, but get the session prorogued.

"There is a dire need for proroguing the proceedings on time."

The President, meanwhile, in her speech said: "When the people's representatives spoke in the house, once upon a time, it used to be known or learnt from the newspapers. Today, everything goes live. Our behavior, conduct and thoughts should be for the public. People's representatives should not think about me and mine, but about us."

She further said: "It is a matter of special pride for Rajasthan that both the Houses of the Parliament are presided over by former MLAs of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have been members of the Legislative Assembly in Rajasthan. Rajasthan has followed the Indian tradition of treating the guest as God very well. No one can forget the hospitality here."

After the speech in the assembly, the President reached Khatu Shyam in an Indian Air Force helicopter and offered prayers at the Khatu Shyam temple.
New Delhi, July 14 : With just four days left for the second crucial meeting of the like minded parties in Bengaluru, the Congress is hopeful that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal will attend it.

According to party sources, Congress is hopeful that Kejriwal, who has earlier locked horns over the issue of Centre's ordinance with the party, is likely to attend the meeting in Bengaluru.

A source said that the Congress feels that bringing all the parties is need of the hour and thus, it is likely to also decide its stand over the Centre's ordinance soon ahead of the the Parliament's Monsoon Session beginning from July 20.

The AAP, during the first meeting of the opposition parties in Patna on June 23, had asked Congress to clear its stand over the ordinance. It had also issued a statement saying that Congress hesitation and refusal to act as a team player on an important issue would make it very difficult for the AAP to be a part of any alliance that includes the party.

"Until the Congress publicly denounces the Black Ordinance and declares that all 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded parties where the Congress is a participant," the AAP statement added.

Meanwhile, the party source also said that Banerjee will also be attending the meeting in Bengaluru. The Congress and the Trinamool have sparred in West Bengal during the panchayat polls.

The second opposition meeting will be held in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18. The meeting this time will be attended by 24 parties and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi also in attendance.

The Congress is trying to bring the like-minded parties together ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections next year to take on the ruling BJP-led NDA.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 : AAP leaders claimed on Friday that the floods in the national capital is a BJP-made phenomenon, as water was intentionally released from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana, which is ruled by the saffron party.

"Did the BJP plot a deep conspiracy to flood Delhi? Does the BJP want to seek revenge for its defeat by causing harm to the people of Delhi through floods? The BJP has become blinded by hatred towards the people of Delhi," AAP tweeted.

AAP leaders also shared a video on Twitter in which a youth could be seen standing at the Hathnikund Barrage and describing an alleged conspiracy to divert the water towards Delhi, while the canal going towards Uttar Pradesh remained completely dry.

"Delhi floods are manufactured by the BJP. Videos show that the entire water from Hathinikund was diverted towards Delhi between July 9 and July 13. Why was this allowed? Questions must be asked. PM Modi is busy on a tour when five states are suffering due to floods," said AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that Haryana Chief Minister Manhar Lal Khattar should be asked as to how much water was released in the Western-Eastern canal from Hathnikund Barrage on July 9.

"It will expose them. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is working to rescue the people. We have saved 20,000 people," Singh claimed.

He also said that the floods in Delhi were pre-planned by the BJP, adding that as per the logbook between July 12 and July 13, the whole water was released towards Delhi from the Hathikund Barrage.

"Why do they hate Delhiites so much? And their minister Anurag Thakur is making fun of Delhi during the crisis. The PM is on a foreign tour, leaving behind five flood-affected states. He should have taught his party leaders not to do politics in these hours of crisis," Singh said.
New Delhi, July 14 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the first of the five stuck gates of the ITO barrage was opened by a diver after the extensive work of 20 hours.

He said that the diver had to go deep to remove silt through a silt compressor, and soon, all the five gates will be opened.

The issue had snowballed into a political fight between the Delhi and Haryana governments as the barrage belongs to the latter.

"After nearly 20 hours of continuous hard work, the first gate of the ITO barrage has been opened. The skilled team used a silt compressor to remove silt from under the water and then pulled the gate open with a hydraulic crane. Soon, all five gates will be opened. Special thanks to the Army Engineer Regiment and the skilled team," Kejriwal tweeted.

The five gates of ITO Barrage were found jammed, leading to more trouble for the national capital as the Yamuna crossed its danger mark and flooded several low-lying areas of the capital.
New Delhi, July 14 : The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a plea questioning whether a single member of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) can pass judgments in consumer cases, even though the rules specify that at least two members should decide.

A bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad issued the notice on a plea by NBCC India Ltd, which moved the high court to challenge an order passed by the NCDRC on February 23.

The court clarified that it is only examining the limited question regarding the jurisdiction of the NCDRC in terms of bench composition.

"Normally this court does not entertain writ petitions when alternate remedy is available to the petitioners but the issue in the present case is as to whether a member sitting singly can pass a judgment when the rules specifically provide that the composition of the Bench must be minimum two. Moreover, this issue has already attained finality in the proceedings which emanated from Rajasthan."

The petitioner argued that the order was passed by the presiding member of the NCDRC and contended that the presiding member did not have the jurisdiction to pass such orders while sitting as a single member.

The petitioner's counsel referred to Section 58(2)(3) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which specifies that the jurisdiction, powers, and authority of the NCDRC can only be exercised by a bench constituted by the President, comprising one or more members as deemed appropriate.

Counsel further stated that Section 2 (27) of the Act defines "member" as including the President and a member of the National Commission or a State Commission or a District Commission, as the case may be. It was, therefore, contended that the consumer complaint could only have been entertained by a bench comprising at least two members.

After noting that the petitioner was able to make out a prima facie case, the issued notice in the matter and posted the matter for hearing next on November 2.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 : The purpose of a trial is to ensure that the defendant gets a fair assessment of all evidence against him or her, and so, it is a structured process wherein the facts of a case are presented to a jury, which decides if the defendant is guilty or not. If the ruling in the case is found to be not maintainable, then it can be challenged in a higher court.

The only difference is that unlike in the US, India does not have a trial by jury system!

The process of trial as enumerated in our Constitution is that "trial is the right of a person", or that the trial of a court should be a "fair trial". And that could be a huge challenge if a story around the American courts is adapted to suit the Indian milieu and its legal system.

Understandably then, the eight-episode Disney+ Hotstar series, 'The Trial: Pyaar, Kaanoon, Dhokha', adapted from the multi-season CBS show 'The Good Wife', has been tweaked -- at times, a bit liberally -- to cater to Indian audiences, and has amended the original creative writing with some of the technical legal terms and laws altered.

By doing so, it does fit into the mindset with which court cases are filed, viewed and judged under the Indian Penal Code.

And while you watch an altered version of Robert and Michelle King's 'The Good Wife;, the American legal and political drama television series that aired on CBS between 2009 and 2016, gear yourself for a trial that had a lot of potential to be an edge-of-the-seat drama series, but ends up as less absorbing.

In many ways, complicated court cases involving murders and defamation getting solved fast -- or getting solved at all -- are never a breeze in this part of the world, and take ages.

But the final judgment in this case is rather illusory. That's quite unfortunate, for the innovative premise in the American series is a stupendous idea capable of unputdownable variety.

The storyline isn't too complicated, but the treatment could be. For, it is about a housewife who is forced to join back the legal profession after her husband is accused of corruption and is also involved in a sex scandal.

The development of the plot has more of storytelling from the woman's point of view. In the end, the show is all about her, and how she steers clear of hindrances that would obviously stall the proceedings.

It is also about all the hardships she faces in her journey seeking justice.

The female protagonist is stay-at-home Noyonika Sengupta (Kajol), a law school grad who gave up her career a decade ago for the sake of her husband and children.

She is forced to resume work as defence counsel when her husband, an additional judge Rajiv (Jisshu Sengupta), is put behind bars on charges of bribery and abuse of his prestigious position.

A good wife and mother, Noyonika must save her family and her husbandas reputation, and decides to join the law firm of her former love interest Vishal (Aly Khan). Her life is riddled with troubles and there are rivals who are out to add discontent in her life. When she seeks support from another lawyer she had known, Malini (Sheeba Chaddha), the vibes she gets are negative.

There is an intern, Dheeraj (Gaurav Pandey), who resents her rise and attributes her success to her being close to their boss Vishal. Allies include Sana (Kubbra Sait), whose selfless support and running around, help her in preparing the intricacies of the case smoothly.

There is enough meat for the series to pique and sustain your curiosity with legal tangles taking centrestage.

But the writers, Hussain Dalal, Abbas Dalal and Siddharth Kumar, put aside the ins and outs and other particulars of complex cases, and focus on the three principal female characters: Noyonika, Sana and Malini, as Noyonika tries to balance work and home, struggling to piece together the broken pieces of her life and all along protecting her children and defending her spouse.

Despite its inherent drawbacks, 'The Trial' stands a fair chance of appealing to a large part of streaming platform addicts who will find a novel approach to a narrative that is mostly realistic in form.

Director Suparn S. Varma relies heavily on actors who deliver so what if the writing is not first rate and fails to look deeper into the psyche of respected citizens -- men and women -- whose lives could face a serious conflict unexpectedly, and throws them off the kilter.

In trying to have the wife's story as the focal point, the imperfections and shortcomings of the human mind are not explored. That results in a lot of loose ends that are not even addressed.

I have always had an issue with the background score both in films and web series. Why do filmmakers want us to react to the forewarning that some musical chords play out before an important scene?

For both somber and cheery moments, there is either a thud sound or a melancholic strain gearing us up for the impending doom or euphoria, as the case may be. Taking our audiences to be naive and uninitiated, they want us to go by their auditory signs often thrown in for good measure.

Kajol, as the protagonist Noyonika, has a tough act to emulate: Alicia Florrick playing her role in the original is a powerful combination of cold fury, bafflement and persistence.

She does have her moments especially in the latter episodes where she holds her own and looks more controlled. Alas, there are far too many lines given to her -- and other actors too -- to spoon feed viewers whom the writers believe are incapable of comprehension. Perhaps, producers Banijay Asia and Ajay Devgn's FFilms wanted to play it safe by not adding extra layers to a knotty tale.

As for other actors, Sheeba Chadha and Kubra Sait, as also Alyy Khan, are impressive.

We have had quite a few web series related to crime-law-justice in the recent past. And though most of the cases are dealt with in a typical filmi fashion, the good news is that a number of brushed-under-the-carpet issues are being discussed -- issues that lay bare a corrupt legal system and provide us with engaging fare. Well, almost!

Web Series: The Trial: Pyaar, Kaanoon, Dhokha. Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Running Time: Eight episodes (39-46 minutes per episode).

Director: Suparn Verma Cast: Kajol, Jisshu Sengupta, Kubbra Sait, Sheeba Chaddha, Alyy Khan and Gaurav Pandey.

Producers: Ajay Devgn, Deepak Dhar, Rajesh Chadha and Parag Desai.

Cinematography: Manoj Soni

IANS Rating: ***
Kolkata, July 14 : The officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday faced the ire of Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court for faulty probe process in the multi-crore municipalities' recruitment case in West Bengal.

During a hearing in the matter on Friday, Justice Sinha observed that since all related documents and information are available in the open forum, what was the purpose of the central agencies to send a separate notice to the municipal authorities seeking information about the details of municipalitiesa acts.

"Was this a part of the probe in this matter," Justice Sinha questioned the ED.

She also sought a list of names of the investigating officers of the two central agencies probing the municipalitiesa recruitment case.

"I will review all the aspects in the matter and if necessary, I will order the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter. If necessary, the matter will be investigated under the direct supervision of the Calcutta High Court," Justice Sinha observed.

She also questioned the interrogation style of certain ED officers.

"They are raising questions the answers of which are readily available in an open forum," Justice Sinha observed.

The counsel of the West Bengal government also questioned how serious the two Central agencies are about the probe in the municipalities' recruitment scam.

The order for central agency probe into the scam was originally given by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court. Later, the matter was referred to the bench of Justice Sinha. However, she had also upheld the order of Justice Gangopadhyayas bench and asked the central agencies to continue with their investigation into the matter.
New Delhi, July 15 : Senior AAP leader and Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said on Friday that negligence and lack of response from key officials, backed by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, led to flooding in the ITO and Supreme Court areas in the national capital.

"I spoke to L-G sir with full courtesy and respect, but it was not appropriate for him to abuse me," Bhardwaj said.

Earlier on Friday, Saxena visited the site when Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was inspecting the repair works of a regulator, which was damaged due to the heavy water flow from the Yamuna river.

"Following the visit, the L-G acknowledged the efforts put in by teams from NDRF, Army, Irrigation and Flood Control department, and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in fixing the regulator, which is also mentioned in his press release. However, the L-G also resorted to giving unwarranted patronage and support to the officials who were disobeying their minister's orders even during a crisis situation," Bhardwaj alleged.

Bhardwaj said he complained to the L-G about the insubordination of IAS officers responsible for disaster management, divisional commissioner Ashwani Kumar, and chief secretary Naresh Kumar.

Bhardwaj also said that DM Sounika, who responded to the minister's query on a WhatsApp group claiming to be present on the spot, wasn't there.

In the WatsApp group, Delhi minister Atishi also suggested that if the NDRF is not available, Army engineers could be directed to resolve the issue.

"The attached WhatsApp screenshots clearly demonstrate the directives issued to the officers, including the chief secretary, divisional commissioner, and DMs. Despite the presence of these officials, no action was taken in response to the urgent situation," Bhardwaj said.

Bhardwaj also requested the L-G to take appropriate action against the bureaucrats responsible for this gross negligence.

The issue pertains to the Irrigation and Flood Control Regulator (No.12 in front of WHO office) on Ring Road, which had collapsed on Thursday evening following which water from the already overflowing Yamuna river started to flow back into the city through the drain, inundating the Ring Road, IP Metro Station, IP Depot, ITO, and Vikas Marg and was fast leading up to the Mathura Road and the Supreme Court complex.

"This grave problem required urgent engineering solutions, the responsibility of which lies with the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) under the Arvind Kejriwal government, and specifically the minister in charge, Saurabh Bhardwaj.

"I&FC and DJB have full-fledged engineering wings of their own having several officers from the level of chief engineer up to junior engineers. However, they could not carry out the necessary work despite a lapse of more than 12 hours," sources in the L-G office had claimed.
New Delhi, July 15 : Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to France has been "unprecedented and highly successful".

Addressing a press briefing in Paris on the culmination of the Prime Minister's visit, Kwatra said: "It's a great camaraderie between President Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister, which you could easily sense from the visuals you would have seen."

The Foreign Secretary said that the French Prime Minister welcomed Modi at the airport. "This is not a very common thing that you will see. PM Modi conferred with the countryas highest honour, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. I am told PM Modi is the first Indian after Independence to receive the Legion of Honour," Kwatra said.

On the issue of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Foreign Secretary said: "In today's discussions between the two leaders, there was a very clear understanding and appreciation of each other's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict."

Kwatra further said that Prime Minister Modi has been perhaps the strongest advocate of resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. "So when the two leaders meet, like they met earlier today and yesterday, they also discussed at length the current status of the Russia-Ukraine conflict..."

He added that both the leaders also discussed the impact of this conflict on the developing countries, the challenges, the exacerbating challenges of food security, the growing uncertainty that it creates for energy security, and the rapid increase in fertilizer security challenges which can translate into food security challenges tomorrow.

On the agreement between India and France to facilitate usage of India's unified payments interface (UPI), the Foreign Secretary said: "UPI has arrived at an understanding, through which the interface between the UPI-based payments model and the French ecosystem of payments modalities will be able to talk to each other technically... technologically and be able to affect those payments... the large extensive tested out digital public infrastructure model that India brings to the table is of huge value proposition."
The US said Wednesday that claims by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong that US Air Force planes violated her country's airspace during reconnaissance flights are "unfounded," Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was answering a reporters question on North Korea's allegations at a daily press conference.

Calling Kim's "air espionage" allegations "baseless" and "unlawful," Miller urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as it is formally known, to refrain from "escalatory actions."

He emphasized that the US remains committed to diplomacy and reiterate our interest in dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions.

"As a matter of international law, the DPRK's recent statements that US flights above its claimed exclusive economic zone are unlawful are unfounded, as high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in such areas."

North Korea, arguing that its airspace was violated, has threatened to shoot down US reconnaissance planes if the US did not stop such "provocative activities"

"The US will have an unforgettable flight experience if it continues illegal violations," Kim added.
Vietnam is among the friendliest countries in the world. (Photo: hadynyah/Getty Images)

With the country coming in ninth place, it is obvious that expats feel welcome when spending time in Vietnam, according to InterNations survey.

The friendliness shown towards foreign residents, rated positively by 83%, generally has a positive impact on expats well-being. A Belgian expat, for instance, considers the country to be less stressful than many other places, as people smile naturally, the website reported.

Photo for illustration (Source: vnexpress.net)

InterNations survey interviewed a total of 12,000 expats living in 174 countries around the world. Among the 10 most welcoming countries are five Asian countries, including two in the Southeast Asian region.

The remaining five places go to North Central America, South America, and Europe.

Portugal claims top position for being the country with the friendliest attitude towards foreign residents, relegating Taiwan (China) and Mexico to second and third places.

Elsewhere, Cambodia was the other Southeast Asian country to feature, coming in at fourth in the friendliest countries ranking. Almost every expat, 96% in total, rates its general friendliness positively, significantly more than the global average of 70%.

On top of this, expats seem to have little trouble settling in. For example, in the article an Australian expat expresses their contentment with building relationships with the locals. More than eight in 10 respondents regard the local population as welcoming, 85% in total, and 83% agree that its easy to settle down in Cambodia, the website noted.

Additionally, expats can expect a warm welcome in Bahrain, Costa Rica, Oman, Colombia, and Canada. Indeed, between 81% (Canada) and 94% (Portugal) rate the local populations attitude towards foreign residents positively, which is far above the global average of 67%.

Ninh Binh works to revive tourism industry

According to VNA, Ninh Binh province welcomed over 4.5 million visitors in the first six months of this year, 2.5 times higher than the same period in 2022.

Golden ripe rice fields in Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist site in Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. (Photo: VNA)

Specifically, the province welcomed a large number of visitors during summer which is considered a low season. This reflects the right direction in tourism promotion and contributes to the success of the tourism industry in the first six months of this year.

The Mua Cave tourism site, located in Ninh Xuan commune in Hoa Lu district, is a case in point. It receives between 600-700 visitors a day and over 1,000 people at weekend, according to Do Thi Thu Ly, the sites deputy director.

Doan Minh Thanh, deputy director of the four-star Hoang Son Hotel in the centre of Ninh Binh city said that the hotel has 214 rooms with an occupancy rate of 43% in the first half of 2023, adding that it also has a large event venue serving parties, conferences and seminars for thousands of people along with a travel agent specialising in organising domestic tours.

He said that the COVID-19 pandemic has left many consequences such as a lack of labour resources and a decrease in the number of international visitors, causing difficulties for businesses. However, thanks to the attention of the provincial People's Committee and relevant agencies, the number of visitors to Ninh Binh has been on the rise, creating favourable conditions for the hotel's business.

Statistics from the provinces Department of Tourism (DoT) showed that Ninh Binh attracted about 400,000 tourists in May and June. The impressive result is attributed to careful preparation in terms of facilities, upgrading landscape at tourist areas, training of human resources and ensuring security and order at tourist spots.

The province welcomed over 4.5 million visitors in the first six months of this year, 2.5 times higher than the same period in 2022. Revenue from the tourism sector reached over 3.8 trillion VND (159 million USD), up 2.9 times year-on-year.

UNESCO-recognised Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh province. (Photo: VNA)

Trang An eco-tourism area, Bai Dinh pagoda, Tam Coc-Bich Dong, Mua Cave and Hoa Lu ancient town are popular destinations for domestic and foreign tourists, contributing to the creation of Ninh Binh tourism brand.

The organisation of Ninh Binh tourism week themed The Golden Colour of Tam Coc-Trang An over the past few years has helped popularise tourism resources of the province.

During the 2023 Ninh Binh tourism week that took place from May 27 to June 4, the province welcomed about 172,570 visitors, double the figure of last years event.

According to Bui Van Manh, the DoTs director, Ninh Binh targets to greet more than 5.35 million visitors and earned 5.1 trillion VND from tourism.

To this end, the tourism industry will focus on performing the main tasks such as continuing to organise inspection teams to ensure social order and hygiene at tourism sites in the province, he said. It will develop plans on holding tourist promotional programme with the application of digital technology.

Training courses will be organised to foster professional skills for employees at tourism firms and localities in the province, Manh said, adding that dissemination campaigns will also be launched to raise awareness about environmental protection, conservation and promotion of heritage values associated with sustainable tourism development for officials, management boards, employees and communities in the UNESCO-recognised Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex and tourism businesses.

Ninh Binh tourism industry will exert efforts to diversify tourism products, focus on the night economy and develop tourism in a green and sustainable manner. It will also strengthen state management and create a favourable environment for tourism development, develop marketing strategies and create attractive promotional programmes, the official added.

National Authority of Tourism developing culinary map

Vietnams tourism development strategy to 2030 has identified culinary tourism as a typical product for positioning the countrys tourism brand, reported VNA.

Photo for illustration

After the prestigious culinary rating system Michelin Guide came to Vietnam in June, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism launched a project to develop a culinary tourism map of Vietnam.

Vietnamese cuisine has proven its appeal and global allure, finding favour with a large number of international visitors.

In 2019 and 2020, Vietnam was voted at the World Travel Awards as Asias Leading Culinary Destination.

In June, the world-famous culinary guide Michelin Guide came to the country, and many Vietnamese dishes have been voted as best in the world on various travel websites and in international media.

The countrys tourism industry has identified food as a cultural feature that attracts visitors, especially international visitors.

To position Vietnams culinary tourism brand, the Tourism Information Centre at the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and Nestle Vietnam have launched a project embellishing myriad raw materials and cooking millions of Vietnamese dishes.

In the immediate future, the project focuses on applying information technology so that localities can put typical culinary products on the same national register, thereby building a digital map of Vietnamese cuisine.

Through this programme the two parties are striving to promote quintessential Vietnamese culinary values, arouse a passion for cooking, and broaden the sense of pride in Vietnamese cuisine.
New Delhi, July 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation during the delegation-level talks in Paris on Friday.

Both the leaders discussed a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation including defence, space, civil nuclear, science & technology, trade & investment, energy, climate action, culture and people-to-people ties, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

"Discussions were also held on Indiaas G20 presidency, issues related to Indo-Pacific and on regional and global issues. Ambitious outcome documents adopted including Horizon 2047," Bagchi added.

Earlier Prime Minister Modi in a tweet said: "President Emmanuel Macron and I met top CEOs to discuss ways to diversify business cooperation. I highlighted the reforms in India and urged entrepreneurs to harness the many opportunities our nation offers."

The roadmap of India-France cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was among the outcomes of Prime Minister Modi's visit to France.

Another outcome was the issuance of five-year validity short-stay Schengen Visa for Indians who are degree holders from French educational institutions (Masters and above).

In view of the uptick in defence industrial collaborations between the two countries, India is setting up a 'Technical Office' of the DRDO at its embassy in Paris.

India and France will also constructively engage other like-minded countries to strengthen the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, pursuant to the historic UNEA 5.2 resolution.

--IANS

ans/sha

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against FedEx Freight, Inc. call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The Los Angeles employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that FedEx Freight, Inc. violated the California Labor Code. The FedEx Freight, Inc. class action lawsuit, Case No. 23STCV11699, is currently pending in the Los Angeles County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

According to the lawsuit filed, FedEx Freight, Inc. allegedly (a) failed to pay minimum wages, (b) failed to pay overtime wages, (c) failed to provide legally required meal and rest periods, (d) failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, (e) failed to reimburse employees for required expenses, (f) failed to pay sick wages, and (g) failed to pay wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in California Labor Code Sections  201-204, 226, 226.7, 233, 246, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct.

The Complaint alleges Defendant failed to fully relieve Plaintiff for his legally required thirty (30) minute meals breaks. Employees were also allegedly required, from time to time, to work in excess of four (4) hours without being provided the legally required ten (10) minute rest periods. The California Supreme Court defines off-duty rest periods as the time during which an employee is relieved from all work-related duties and free from employer control.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against FedEx Freight, Inc. call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
Direct Mail Design I'm very proud of the creative efforts of our team.

Smile Brands, one of the nations leading dental support organizations (DSO) providing business support services to over 650 affiliated offices across 30 states, congratulates its marketing team for winning a "Gold" Aster Award for excellence in healthcare marketing. The Aster Awards are one of the largest healthcare advertising competitions in the world.

The winning entry was a business-to-consumer direct mail campaign designed to generate engagement from consumers by standing out from other dental office marketing materials. By focusing on a unique design that balances engaging imagery, branding, and a compelling offer, they created a direct mail that generates positive emotion when it arrives in the hands of consumers. "I'm very proud of the creative efforts of our team," said Bob Connolly, Director of Marketing and Creative for Smile Brands. "In a sea of sameness, our design rose to the top and stands out from the typical dental designs we see in the marketplace."

The unique design and messaging of the direct mail campaign reminded patients about the importance of dental care. By breaking free from the traditional approach to dental office marketing, the piece was able to capture the attention of potential patients and inspire them to take action. This is especially important post-pandemic because some patients may be overdue for a visit.

About Smile Brands Inc.

Smile Brands, based in Irvine California, is one of the largest providers of dental support services in the United States. The company supports over 650 affiliated practices, with approximately 7,500 team members across 30 states. Smile Brands supports a portfolio of over 75 brands including well-known regional brands: Bright Now! Dental, Castle Dental, Merit Dental, Midwest Dental, Monarch Dental, and Mondovi Dental. The company provides comprehensive business services through exclusive long-term agreements with affiliate dental groups, allowing affiliated practices to spend more time caring for patients and less time on the administrative, marketing, and financial aspects of operating a dental office. The organization receives frequent recognition for its award-winning culture and has been recognized as a Best Place to Work by Glassdoor, Comparably, Stevie Awards, and more. Smile Brands is a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco, California. Visit smilebrands.com for more information.
President Vo Van Thuong meets with officers and soldiers of Military Zone 2. (Photo: VNA)

The State leader hailed the efforts and achievements officers and soldiers of Military Zone 2 have gained in maintaining socio-political stability and strengthening defence-security in the area, which comprises of nine northern provinces of Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien, and Yen Bai.

They have shown strong performance in political and ideological education, while strictly maintaining combat readiness and actively engaging in search and rescue activities during natural disasters, and coordinating closely with the border guards in managing and protecting national territorial and border sovereignty and building a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, he noted.

The force has also shown effective cooperation with the military forces of Laos to repatriate remains of thousands of Vietnamese soldiers who died in Laos during the war, he added.

The President underlined that the zone, with a huge area, mostly mountains and midlands which are home to 34 ethnic minority groups, should focus on firmly controlling and forecasting the situation, especially defence-security developments in the area, while giving advice to the Party, State, Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defence on responding measures, and working closely with the border guard and public security forces to reinforce the people-base battlefield and ensuring socio-political stability from the grassroots level.

He also emphasised the need for the zone to build strong armed forces with utmost loyalty to the Party, Fatherland and the people and based on the people, and pay greater attention to building and rectifying the Party and administration system.

The leader requested the armed forces of Military Zone 2 to promote combined strengths and mobilise resources to strengthen the defence capacity and the people-based defence at all levels, while working to enhance the youths awareness of the responsibility in safeguarding the Fatherland.

President Thuong asked the forces to continue to maintain their combat readiness, firmly managing the national airspace, border and territory, actively responding to non-traditional challenges and engaging in search and rescue activities, and strengthening the application of science and technologies in their operations.

The forces should also build a good image to the people, while supporting locals in getting out of poverty, and caring for policy beneficiary families.

Each beautiful image and good deed of officer and soldiers of Military Zone 2 will contribute to strengthening the peoples trust to the Party, State and military, the leader stated.

He also reminded officers and soldiers of the zone to strengthen defence external relations and build a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development with neighbouring countries.

Earlier, President Thuong inspected the combat readiness in a number of brigades of Military Zone 2 and presented gifts to soldiers. He also offered incense to President Ho Chi Minh at the memorial house dedicated to the late leader and visited Military Zone 2 Museum./.
Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (5th L) attends the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have vowed to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership at the China-ASEAN (10+1) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held here Thursday.

China and ASEAN have actively implemented the purposes and principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and expanded mutually beneficial cooperation on all fronts, blazing the right path of forging long-term good-neighborliness while achieving common development and prosperity, said Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi at the meeting, which is attended by foreign ministers of ASEAN member countries, ASEAN observers and ASEAN secretary general.

Both sides have worked together on building a community with a shared future and the Belt and Road, while jointly promoting regional economic integration, and consolidating the foundation of peace and stability, said Wang.

China will be committed to high-quality development and provide new opportunities for all countries with Chinese-style modernization. It is ready to strengthen solidarity and coordination with ASEAN to advance the modernization process in Asia, said the senior Chinese diplomat.

China will work together with ASEAN to advance the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and make new contributions to peace and prosperity in the region, he said.

The ASEAN parties thanked China for supporting ASEAN centrality and community building. They appreciated China for taking the lead in expressing willingness to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.

In addition, they looked forward to seeing the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership advance to a new level and make new achievements.

The meeting adopted a joint statement on the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the TAC and a guideline document for expediting the conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

During the meeting, Wang met with foreign ministers of Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, Russia and Australia.

Editor: GSY
The Frankfurt Book Fair, which is scheduled for October 18-22, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and is giving renewed attention to those who matter most at the event: rights sellers and buyers. The fair has expanded its Literary Agents & Scouts Center (LitAg) to 548 tablesmore even than the 528-table record set in 2018 prior to the pandemicand is now sold out. A total of 326 agencies from 31 countries will be represented, with the largest number coming from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Spain, and Sweden, in that order. China, which has loosened travel restrictions, will also be represented, as will the United Arab Emirates for the first time, with the introduction of the new Sharjah Literary Agency.

For the first time this year, foreign rights directors and licensing professionals will be offered a designated area of their own in the new Publishers Rights Center (PRC), which will be located next to the LitAg in Hall 6.2. The fair reports that this area is also close to selling out completely. The shift to offering the PRC offers publishers an option other than taking a booth at the fair, which has become increasingly expensive, and gives them a designated address on-site for meetings.

Im delighted that a Sold Out! sign is hanging on the Literary Agents & Scouts Centre, Juergen Boos, director of the fair, said in a statement. The great demand among international agencies underscores Frankfurter Buchmesses claim to being the most important marketplace for rights and licenses of all kinds. That the demand even exceeds the high level of the pre-pandemic years is proof of how crucial in-person meetings are in the publishing businessand how acutely everyone missed those interactions during the Covid years. Trustwhich is indispensable in our industryis built most sustainably through face-to-face meetings.

In addition, Frankfurt is offering a series of online seminars starting on September 5, with a session on artificial intelligence and rights offered by Tom Chatfield. A new seminar is planned every Tuesday thereafter, up to a networking reception with a keynote speech at the fair on October 17.

This year's guest of honor country is Slovenia, which will present a program under the slogan "Honeycomb of Words." Among the authors scheduled to appear at the fair this year that have already been announced are Christopher Clark, Deborah Feldman, Cornelia Funke, Marc-Uwe Kling, and Rafik Schami.
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Comedy writer James Breakwell has been sharing his own brand of relatable father/family humorstarring his wife and four daughterson Twitter (@XplodingUnicorn) since 2012. When his account went viral in 2016racking up more than a million followerspublishers took notice. Since then, hes written three comedic parenting books and a collection of autobiographical essays, a guided journal for kids, and a science fiction novel. This month marks the release of his debut picture book, You Cant Be a Pterodactyl!, about a boy exploring the idea that you can be anything you want to be when you grow up. We spoke with Breakwell about his path to the childrens book arena, his young in-house book critics, and pterodactyls.

What made you turn your attention to writing for kids?

I spend all my time writing about kids, I thought it would be fun to write for them. My house is full of children, and none of them have ever really read any of my books. There was one guided journal for kids I did, and they read that one a little bit. But all the other stuff Ive written, they dont want anything to do with. So I thought it would be neat to connect on that level. I also thought it would be a fun new challenge. I think sometimes childrens books can be more profound than the big adult ones. Sometimes I take 40- or 50,000 words to say something that somebody could say with a childrens book in 500. So I went ahead and gave it a shot and it ended up being pretty enjoyable.

You obviously have a great rapport with your daughters. Did they offer any input during your book project?

They inspired it just by being themselves. Theyre always going out and doing such unique things and that kind of directed my whole approach to the book. The book itself came together really fast. They really like dinosaurs, at least a few of them do, and the pterodactyl has kind of been our symbol for them as a group. We call them the Squaldron. Its a combination of the word squadron and then a squall, which to me is the sound a pterodactyl would makeI have zero scientific information to back that up. Theyre also the Squaldron when we play games online together. We even made up some temporary tattoos with pterodactyls on them that they put on sometimes. So the pterodactyl in the book was very much inspired by them.

What was your collaboration with illustrator Sophie Corrigan like?

We were [working] together from the pitch all the way through to the end. She did some sample drawings up front and we bounced some things back and forth. And I think I loved every single thing she did. I dont know if I ever had an actual criticism. Her job was much harder than mine. Because with mine, I could be vague, These words can mean anything! But then it gets to Sophies part, and shes like, Well, no, these words need to be something specific, because I have to draw it. That became especially clear at the end of the book, because the way I originally had it worded, this kid could have literally become a pterodactyl, or he could have gotten a job and acted like a pterodactyl, or it could have been nothing like a pterodactyl. It came down to, Whats it going to be? I guess we better pick an ending here. In the final picture of the book, he has a job and very much lives a pterodactyl lifestyle without literally being a pterodactyl. But at the very, very end of the book, theres also a funny picture of him and his dad as actual pterodactyls, so you can still interpret it that way if you want.

Can you talk about any plans to promote You Cant Be a Pterodactyl!?

Im going to do my usual social media stuff, and Ive got a bunch of newsletters Im going to write about it, all the tweets and things that people love to see. And Im only using that somewhat sarcastically. People sometimes get a little bit upset when after youve been doing all these things online you say, Look, I have this product you can buy! and theyre like, Wait a minute! I dont know about that. I wasnt here to actually support you.

Also, the publisher suggested that I make a video and Ive been thinking about some ideas for what to do with my kids for that. I made a video for my very first book, Only Dead on the Inside: A Parents Guide for Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse [BenBella, 2017], and its still my wifes favorite thing in the world to go back and watch because its when my kids were tiny and theyre sitting there reading from the script and its adorable. Im thinking about doing something similar again, but now you know, theyre big and have personalities of their own. So, well see if we can do some pterodactyl-like antics and put it into a fun video. The video is now live.

Have your girls given you any reviews of the finished book?

They have not. I showed them the PDF file probably a year ago, which might as well have been in another lifetime. They know I have a pterodactyl book coming out, but theyve forgotten everything else about it. Im really looking forward to when we get the physical copies and I can show them again because for all of them this is going to be the first one of my books theyve actually read. Theyll sometimes tell other people that Im an author, but I dont think they fully grasp what that means. So now for once theyll actually see what Ive been up to.

Do you have any new projects in the works?

Yes. My science fiction novel The Chosen Twelve [Solaris] came out last year, and I was lucky enough to get a sequel for that. And then I made some bad choices and put it off. So, it is due in three days. I had a wonderful, big year this year, I spent time with my family and some time with friends, I got Substack up and running, Ive had lots of things going on. I felt like my life had a very good balance, and to get that balance, the one thing I wasnt doing was working on the sequel. So, come the start of June, I suddenly had to cancel everything and just wall myself off from the world to get this done. And against all odds, Im going to make it. I am right at the finish line now. Once thats out the door, its going to be all pterodactyls all the time for the month of July.

Are you planning to do more childrens books down the road?

I would love to write books for children and books for adults; I think it would be awesome to do both, especially since one takes a lot more time than the other. Theyre a good complement to one another. Its good to have a book that takes up months and months, and then maybe a book thats a little bit quicker and shorter. And I think those really pair well. So yeah, I hope to stick around in both.

You Cant Be a Pterodactyl! by James Breakwell. Penguin/Paulsen, July 25 ISBN 978-0-593-11065-2
Here we round up new and forthcoming childrens titles including a picture book about a bear in pursuit of a book of his own, a middle grade novel following a tween monster hunter, a graphic novel addressing mental health, a series starter about siblings trying to save the world, and more.

A Book for Bear by Ellen Ramsey, illus. by MacKenzie Haley (Flamingo, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-52724-5). A bear with a love for reading sneaks into a school to find a book that can belong to him.

Brick Dust and Bones by M.R. Fournet. Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-250-87602-7. Twelve-year-old orphan cemetery caretaker Marius Grey leads a double life as a monster hunter and stalks paranormal beasts in the Louisiana bayous.

Buzzing by Samuel Sattin, illus. by Rye Hickman. Little, Brown, $24.99; ISBN 978-0-316-62843-3; $12.99 paper ISBN 978-0-316-62841-9. Isaac navigates the effects of his recently diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder, characterized as an ever-present swarm of bullying cartoon bees, as he makes new friends in a Swamps & Sorcery RPG group.

The Chaos Monster by Sayantani DasGupta, illus. by Sandara Tang. Scholastic Press, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-338-76673-8. Kinjal and his sister Kia unleash a chaos monster that forces them to travel to the realm of the Sky Kingdom in pursuit. There they must uncover the reason behind the kingdoms missing bees, or harm will come to the kingdom and Earth.

Clementine and Danny Save the World (and Each Other) by Livia Blackburne. Quill Tree, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-322989-1. Classmates Clementine Chan and Danny Mok are anonymous online enemies, but when a large corporation buys the plaza that houses Dannys familys shop, the pair work together to save it.

Frontera by Julio Anta, illus. by Jacoby Salcedo. HarperAlley, $26.99; ISBN 978-0-063-05495-0. Mexican teenager Mateo must rely on a new ghost friend to help guide him across the Sonoran Desert to enter the U.S. The graphic novel received a starred review from PW.

Greenlight: A Childrens Picture Book About an Essential Neighborhood Traffic Light by Breanna Carzoo. HarperCollins, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-305406-6. When traffic signal Greenlight begins to feel unappreciated as the cars race by her, she takes a break that allows her to see her true worth. The picture book received a starred review from PW.

The Horrible Bag of Terrible Things #1 by Rob Renzetti. Penguin Workshop, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-593-51952-3. Combative siblings Nit and Apogee must come together to survive a kidnapping that brings them to a world filled with dangerous monsters.

I Am Not Alone by Francisco X. Stork. Scholastic Press, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-33873-626-7. After undocumented teenager Alberto is wrongly accused of killing a patient at one of his many jobs, he turns to affluent new friend Grace for help gaining justice.

The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies. Clarion, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-325807-5. Ten-year-old Alice resolves to help the restless spirits haunting the house next door move on to the afterlife. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.

Invisible Things by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller. Chronicle, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-79721-520-4. Beginning with the senses and making their way into feelings, Pizza and Miller aim to help readers SEE THE INVISIBLE in a picture book that doubles as a body-scan meditation.

The King Is Dead by Benjamin Dean (Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-51914-4). Closeted 17-year-old James becomes the U.K.s first Black monarch and faces havoc when his secret relationship is outed to the public and he questions the loyalties of his royal staff.

The Legend of Greyhallow by Summer Rachel Short. Simon & Schuster, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-1887-9. Siblings Ainsley Galloway and Tobin have recently moved to the shooting location of famous fantasy movie Greyhallow. When they find a magical projector that whisks them into the realm of Greyhallow, they accidentally unleash the series antagonist into the real world and must work together to send him back.

Mixed Up by Gordon Korman. Scholastic Press, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-338-82672-2. Tweens Theo and Reef, who have never met, mysteriously begin swapping memories; after a chance encounter they resolve to figure out whats happening to them and how to reverse it.

My Head Has a Bellyache by Chris Harris, illus. by Andrea Tsurumi (Little, Brown, $19.99, ISBN 978-0-316-59259-8). In this follow-up to the poetry book Im Just No Good at Rhyming, Harris and Tsurumi deliver a new cast of characters who play up contradictory conundrums and humorous situations.

The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura by Waka T. Brown. Quill Tree, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-0632-3076-7. In this interpretation of the Japanese folktale The Melon Princess and the Amanjaku, on Melony Yoshimuras 12th birthday, she makes a wish and encounters Amanjaku, the demon spirit that caused her parents to immigrate to the States. Melony soon discovers that her relationship with Amanjaku is spiraling into dangerous territory.

What a Desi Girl Wants by Sabina Khan. Scholastic Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-338-74933-5. Queer teen Mehar travels from Kansas to India to attend the wedding of her estranged father, and is thrust into a world of opulence, family drama, and budding romance.

When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang. Orchard, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-338-64826-3. Rubin learns to play the violin and finds that practicing in the forest allows him to play with abandon. The picture book received a starred review from PW.

For more childrens and YA titles on sale throughout the month of July, check out PWs full On-Sale Calendar.
In the 35 years since the publication of her 1988 debut novel, The Bean Tree, Barbara Kingsolver has written fiction, nonfiction, essays, and poetry books for adult readers. Now the Pulitzer Prize-winning author has written her first book for children, in partnership with her daughter, Lily Kingsolver. Coyotes Wild Home, illustrated by Paul Mirocha, aimed at readers ages six and up, will be released on October 17 with a 25,000-copy initial print run by the Gryphon Press, a small press in Minneapolis. Gryphon Press is headed by Milkweed Editions founding publisher emeritus, Emilie Buchwald, and her daughter, Dana Buchwald.

Coyotes Wild Home is set in the Appalachian region in the southeastern U.S. during Diana and Grandfathers hike through the woods to their campsite. As the two walk through the forest and then fish for their supper, they see signs throughoutsuch as different kinds of tracks and scat studded with fish scalesdemonstrating that the forest is home to a variety of creatures. Grandfather explains that it is important that the eco-system maintains the proper balance of predators and their prey. Coyotes, Grandfather notes, are predators that play an essential role in maintaining that balance.

Meanwhile, two coyotes, Auntie and Coyote Pup, make their way through the same forest, hunting for food on Coyote Pups first such excursion under Aunties supervision. They occasionally pick up the scent of human beings in the vicinity. As the two prowl, gobbling up mice, a vole, berries, and other delicacies, Auntie reflects on the changing nature of the forests. Aunties world is shrinking because humans are cutting down trees and building up the land, forcing coyotes and other woodland creatures to hunt for their food increasingly close to where humans live.

Complementing the text with its two parallel stories are alternating sets of illustrations: Diana and Grandfather are the focus of one set, and Auntie and Coyote Pup are the focus of the other; in one illustration, the two animals peer through the foliage and see the two humans.

When asked how a small childrens book publisher in Minnesota was able to entice Kingsolver, who usually publishes with HarperCollins, Emilie explained that it started a long time ago, when she was publisher of Milkweed, which has always been renowned for its books on nature and the environment. Emilie solicited a blurb from Kingsolver regarding a wonderful book, Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner, which Milkweed published in 2004. She was very gracious and gave us a marvelous blurb, Emilie recalled.

Emilie, who retired from Milkweed in 2003 and launched Gryphon in 2006, described the mission of the press, which has published 25 picture books to date, as providing a voice for the voiceless, with its emphasis on books about animals.

All of our picture books are illustrated by great artists, she said. They talk about the issues that animals face. The idea of these books is to develop empathy for all animals. While initially Gryphon focused on the humane treatment of companion animals, it expanded two years ago to include a line of books about wildlife.

We began approaching very distinguished authors, Emilie said. The idea was to ask these authors of adult books to write a picture book, their first childrens book. The first book in the series, published in November 2021, is Jake and Ava: A Boy and a Fish by biologist Jonathan Balcombe, illustrated by Rebecca Evans. He translated his extensive knowledge of fish into a picture book, Dana commented. This was followed by naturalist Scott Weidensauls book, A Warblers Journey, a tale of bird migration illustrated by Nancy Lane.

When we decided to do a book about coyotes, it seemed to us that the best possible choice would be Barbara Kingsolver, Emilie said. She wrote this marvelous book, Prodigal Summer. In the book, coyotes are very important characters and she writes positively about them. In fact, the last scene is from the perspective of a female coyote, the mother of a litter.

Dana added, Shes Barbara Kingsolver, and she writes brilliantly: we love her writing. And she is trained as a biologist; she had really studied coyote biology when she wrote Prodigal Summer.

After the Buchwalds asked Kingsolver to write a picture book about co-existence with coyotes and their value as predators in keeping the wilderness alive, Kingsolver was intrigued, Emilie noted, at the prospect of writing in a new genre. But it was Lily, who is an environmental educator, who conceptualized the plot. Lily proposed the story of two youngsters, a coyote pup and a little girl, having intertwined adventures in the wilderness. They were excited to work together to do that.

Were not saying in this book to go out and be friends with coyotes, Dana pointed out. Theyre not dogs; theyre wild animals. But the idea of co-existence is a good place to start in understanding coyotes and their place in the eco-system and why they need to be protected.

Kingsolver intends to promote the book with her daughter as their schedules allow, Emilie said, though much of the promotion will be online. Kingsolver has already announced Coyotes Wild Home on her social media accounts. In a May post on Instagram, she wrote, Im extremely excited to announce my foray into a whole new genre. Co-author Lily Kingsolver and I decided that after centuries of bad wolves and bears, predators needed better representation in childrens books. Illustrator Paul Mirocha brought our best dreams to life. Coming out in October from Gryphon Press.

We enjoyed working together, Dana said. It was fun for us because were a mother-daughter team and the Kingsolvers are too. And the artist, Paul Mirocha, is someone whom Emilie had worked with while at Milkweed, who is also a long-time friend of Barbaras. He stayed with them on their farm in Appalachia and they all walked around this forest area near the farm; thats what you see in the illustrations of the book. It was a fun collaboration all around.

Expressing her pride in her companys forthcoming release, Emilie said she expects it to have a big impact due to its topical nature. Its a beautiful book and it has something important to say about co-existence and the wilderness, she declared. Coyotes Wild Home couldnt be more timely as smoke from the recent Canadian wildfires spreads over much of the U.S. and we are reminded of how precious and fragile our forests are and how all ecosystems and all life are connected. We agree with what Katherine Applegate said in her blurb for the book: Coyotes Wild Home is a love letter to the natural world. 
In the midst of an unprecedented political attack on libraries, it's hard to be surprised by the headlines any more. But the news out of Montana this week is jolting: "The Montana State Library Commission voted 5-1-1 in favor of withdrawing from the American Library Association, citing comments made by the incoming president of the organization Emily Drabinski where she self-identified as a Marxist lesbian in a since-deleted Tweet," reports the Daily Montanan. 'Our oath of office and resulting duty to the Constitution forbids association with an organization led by a Marxist,' read the language the commission voted to send to the ALA."

In a release, the American Library Association offered a matter-of-fact response to the Montana state library commission's decision to withdraw. "ALA presidents are elected by its membership to serve a term of one year and make decisions facing the membership in concert with a 15-member elected executive board and a 131-member elected council," the statement notes, going on to explain what the decision to terminate its membership will cost the state. All important stuff, though the response lacks any defense of Drabinksi, an accomplished, outstanding, highly respected librarian who was elected by her peers and who is now being targeted (like so many librarians have been over the last two years) by right-wing political fodder.

In its response, the Montana Library Association said it "deeply regrets" the decision by the Montana State Library Commission to withdraw from ALA. "By isolating State Library professionals from their peers and fellow leaders, the Commission has effectively eliminated critical training and tools for not only State Library staff, but for local library boards and trustees," the statement reads. "It is our earnest hope that the Montana State Library Commission will reconsider its decision and choose not to sever ties with the American Library Association. We urge them to look beyond short-term partisanship and view this situation through the lens of what serves the public good and long-term interests of all Montanans."

In North Carolina, the Charlotte News & Observer reports on a new bill introduced this week. "Republican state lawmakers released an extensive bill to give parents more authority over their childrens education, making it easier for them to access instructional materials, prosecute librarians and remove superintendents," the article states. "Democrats denounced the new proposal early on Wednesday, with Rep. Julie von Haefen saying 'it claims to give rights to parents, but its just a license for book banning committees to run rampant and groups like Moms for Liberty to get superintendents fired.'"

 [the bill] claims to give rights to parents, but its just a license for book banning committees to run rampant and groups like Moms for Liberty to get superintendents fired. 

In an editorial, the paper's editorial board call the bill "frightening" and warned against it. "It would empower extremist parents, which would inevitably create dysfunction in our public schools," the editorial board wrote. "Working in a classroom would be like navigating a minefield, and even the smallest misstep could cost educators their jobs." The billed was pulled from the schedule on Thursday, the editorial notes, but could still reappear.

Two more states have followed Illinois's lead in introducing bills that aim to discourage book bans. Local affiliate ABC27 reports that a new bill based on the groudbreaking Illinois law is expected to be introduced soon in Pennsylvania. "State Senator Amanda Cappelletti said in a memo to lawmakers on Monday that banning books 'is a direct contradiction to First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press, integral elements of democracy.'"

And in Massachusetts, Spectrum News reports that a bill based on the Illinois law has also been proposed.

The Washington Post has a long feature on the rise in efforts to ban picture books. "The discontent with childrens picture books overwhelmingly centers on titles with LGBTQ characters and storylines, which were targeted in 75% of such challenges, The Post found."

Two posts to call out from Book Riot's Kelly Jensen this week, including her usual, exhaustive (and exhausting) censorship news roundup, and in a separate post, the results of her recent survey on how authors are being impacted by book bans.

NYU Law's Engelberg Center released The Anti-Ownership E-book Economy: How Publishers and Platforms Have Reshaped the Way We Read in the Digital Age, a 57-page research report on the e-book marketplace. Among the findings: that the rise of a licensed access e-book market has empowered platform providers and "introduced new stressors" for publishers and libraries. Publishers and libraries feel they are facing existential crises/collapse, and their fears are pushing them into diametrically opposed viewpoints, the report notes in its introduction. Some of the reasons for this shift are economic, some legal, some technological, and others psychologicala belief that limiting or eliminating digital ownership of books will raise publisher revenues, forestall free copies leaking onto unauthorized websites, and allow publishers and platforms unprecedented control and tracking of the behaviors of readers, as well as universities and libraries that provide e-books. Whether these beliefs map to reality, however, is hotly contested.

Meanwhile, an international coalition of library advocacy groups this week unveiled the eBook Pledge: Making eBook Markets Sustainable for the Long Term, a 12-point pledge for publishers that outlines principles designed to maintain the rights and permissions that libraries have exercised in the physical realm while allowing for new experimentation and the expansion of innovative lending practices in the digital realm. The online document was drafted and released by advocacy group Library Futures (part of the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy at the New York University School of Law); European advocacy initiative Knowledge Rights 21, the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), and the Authors Alliance. The full pledge can be read here.

The EveryLibrary Institute this week hosted a webinar aimed at helping libraries secure adequate funding for their state Digital Equity Act plans. Led by Liz Gabbitas and John Chrastka, the webinar focused on strategies for stakeholder engagement and offered practical guidance on pre-planning for the DEA and Broadband, Equity, and Deployment (BEAD) programs. "The stage of the planning process is that state Draft Plans are being released and are open for public comment," EveryLibrary officials told PW, stressing that substantive public comments from the library community-"positive or corrective"- are essential.

And finally this week, the New York Times reports on how a sprawling exhibit covering the life and work of Jay-Z came to to the Brooklyn Public Library.

"Featuring artwork, music, memorabilia, ephemera and large-scale recreations of touchstones from a sprawling career, The Book of Hov, which will run through the summer, might seem more at home at the Brooklyn Museum down the block," the report notes. "But by installing the showcase across eight zones of a functioning library, its architects are aiming to bring aspirational celebrity extravagance to a free public haven just a few miles from the Marcy Houses where Jay-Z grew up."

Oh, and if you're a BPL user you can get a Jay-Z library card.

The Week in Libraries is a weekly opinion and news column. News, tips, submissions, questions or comments are welcome, and can be submitted via email. Previous columns can be viewed here.
A project has been launched in Kyiv region to restore 93 private houses that were destroyed because of armed Russian aggression, Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the regional military administration, reports.

"Residents of 15 communities in five districts of the region will receive new houses. We continue to fulfill the instructions of the president of Ukraine to promptly restore the region so that people return to their homes as soon as possible. We are restoring houses at the expense of the regional budget, communities are also involved," Kravchenko wrote on Facebook in Thursday.

He also noted that Kyiv region was the first to implement this project. Work has already begun at 55 sites, and the rest will begin soon.

"The work will be carried out in stages. We plan to put all the houses into operation before the end of this year so that people return to their homes before the New Year," Kravchenko said.

Destroyed houses are restored on the land plots of their owners.

"The lists were formed by the commissions of rural, urban territorial communities from among the privileged categories of citizens. All objects included in the program were agreed upon by the commission formed by Kyiv Regional Military Administration," the official emphasized.

It is noted that the area of houses is 70, 90 and 120 square meters, and the cost of work  UAH 420 million. Each facility provides for such work as clearing the territory, building a house, equipping the power supply network, water supply, sewerage, gas supply, provision of equipment, furniture and inventory.
Samuel Charap responds to responses to An Unwinnable War, published in Foreign Affairs in June.

I welcome these responses to my article and Foreign Affairs' initiative to further the debate on the important issues at stake. My argument begins with an analysis of the likely trajectory of the Russian-Ukrainian war based on the evidence available after 15 months of fighting. It is now clear that neither side is capable of a decisive military victory, whether in the form of regime change or demilitarization of the enemy. Both countries will likely retain significant capabilities after the hot phase of the war endscapabilities that will allow each to pose a threat to the other indefinitely. Further, neither Moscow nor Kyiv is likely to fully achieve its stated territorial goals and therefore will not recognize the line of contact at the time of cessation of hostilities as an agreed border. As a result, they will be locked in a tense confrontation for the long term.

These fundamental driversthe mutual ability to impose significant military costs and the persistence of unbridgeable political dividescould produce a years-long conflict that causes immense human suffering, economic hardship, and international instability. But even a long war will not change those fundamentals. Therefore, the United States and its allies should begin to try to steer the conflict toward an endgame. Since talks will be needed but a peace treaty is out of the question, the most plausible ending is an armistice agreement. An armisticeessentially a durable cease-fire agreement that does not address political disputeswould not end the conflict, but it would stop the bloodshed.

The remainder of this commentary is available at foreignaffairs.com.

Samuel Charap is a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation and a coauthor of Everyone Loses: The Ukraine Crisis and the Ruinous Contest for Post-Soviet Eurasia. He served on the policy planning staff of the U.S. Department of State during the Obama administration.

This commentary originally appeared on Foreign Affairs on July 13, 2023. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
This week, we discuss the NATO summit and decisions to support Ukrainian reconstruction; why Russia has stumbled so significantly in Ukraine; how restricted access to reproductive health care could affect U.S. national security; why the Barbie movie was banned in Vietnam; job-related stress among Americas school superintendents; and the path toward peace in Yemen.

Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Reuters NATO Summit Highlights Key to Ukrainian Reconstruction Security decisions made at this week's NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, are essential to Ukraine's fight against Russia. But, as RAND experts wrote in the Los Angeles Times, such decisions will be just as importantif not more soafter the war ends. In other words, they will set the tone for Ukraine's reconstruction. NATO members have a range of options to support Ukraine's rebuilding efforts. To start, they could extend current arrangements of providing military support to Ukraine, which the G7 affirmed through a joint declaration on Wednesday. Stronger still, they could threaten to introduce Western forces into Ukraine. Or, they could bring Ukraine into NATOa step that a number of allies pledged to take this week, without providing specifics on timing. Whatever happens next, further clarifying security arrangements and moving toward firm postwar security assurances will be vital to Ukraine's reconstruction success.

Photo by Marko Djurica/Reuters Russian Failures in Ukraine Many expected Russia's invasion of Ukraine to last only a matter of weeks. Instead, Moscow faltered against a strong Ukrainian resistance and committed a series of missteps. Why has Russia stumbled so significantly? A new RAND report finds that poor planning and lack of capacity in logistics and sustainment are partly responsible, as they left Russian soldiers without the means to fight and likely affected morale. This may be a cautionary tale for any force planning a prolonged fight, the authors write.

Photo by Chief Master Sgt. Jaimee Freeman/U.S. Air Force Limiting Access to Reproductive Health Care May Undermine National Security One year after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, about half of all women serving in the active-duty U.S. military have limited access to reproductive health care. According to RAND experts, these restrictions could lead more women to turn away from military service altogether. This is especially worrying in an already-difficult recruiting environment, they say, and it could have an effect on national security.

Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters Barbie' Ban Highlights Politics of South China Sea The highly anticipated Barbie movie will not be hitting theaters in Vietnam later this month. The country banned the film because it includes a map featuring the controversial nine-dash line, which indicates China's claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea. A 2022 RAND paper provides a primer on this complex issue, reviewing the history of territorial claimsand the risks of ongoing militarizationin this important region.

Photo by lunamarina/Adobe Stock The Top Reason Superintendents Are Stressed? Politics. This spring, RAND surveyed 150 superintendents in school districts across the country to learn more about their job-related stress. The vast majority of respondents79 percentsaid that their work was often or always stressful. Superintendents most commonly cited the intrusion of political issues or opinions into schooling as a source of that stress. Notably, most said their jobs are worth the stress and disappointments.

Photo by Khaled Abdullah/Reuters Diplomacy Is Working 'Slowly but Surely' in Yemen More than a year ago, the United Nations brokered a nationwide truce in Yemen. Even though the deal has formally expired, the halt in fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition has mostly held. The importance of this truce should not be understated, says RAND's Alexandra Stark. However, ending the war in Yemen for good will require continued engagement from U.S. and other diplomats, as well as a peace process that includes all parts of Yemeni society.
What motivates mass shooters? After another record-breaking year of violent attacks, Americans are confronting the reality that mass shootings are becoming more frequent and deadlier. A variety of policy responses have been proposed, ranging from greater gun control to increased investment in mental health programs. But developing an effective policy response first requires better understanding of the factors that drive would-be attackers to kill.

For a subset of mass shooters, fame is partially, if not entirely, their motivation. Researchers have linked the increasing number of fame-seeking mass shooters since 2010 to a variety of social drivers, such as a rise in narcissistic traits and heightened desires for fame across American society at large. In examining the Christchurch, New Zealand, and Poway, California, attackersboth of whom produced and publicly posted manifestosanalysts have noted a common desperat[ion] to appear erudite and desire to be remembered as autodidactic outlaws, martyrs who were distinctive enough to stand out. Worryingly, studies have also found that a desire to achieve notoriety or attention pushes would-be attackers to kill more and more victims.

This desire to become famous isn't subtextual. As seen in the aftermath of the shootings in Buffalo, New York, and El Paso, Texas, attackers have left behind manifestos or made public statements, typically via social media, that glorify their violence and encourage others to carry out even more attacks. Analysts have also identified a set of common tactics designed to maximize attention and influence, ranging from publishing their manifestos on the internet to posting detailed plans about their attack on social media. Some have even livestreamed their atrocities, gamifying their attacks to audiences that then discuss fatality levels in terms of high scores.

Unfortunately, research suggests that these tactics do contribute to higher levels of future violence. One well-publicized attack can motivate multiple lone copycat killers, triggering a cycle of continuous bloodshed. This phenomenon has been documented among extremists across the ideological spectrum, be they right-wing ( PDF ) violent extremists or nationalist, Islamist, and other ideological adherents. According to one study ( PDF ), a third of white supremacist attacks between 2011 and 2020 were copycat attacks in which attackers professed admiration for previous perpetrators online.

One well-publicized attack can motivate multiple lone copycat killers, triggering a cycle of continuous bloodshed. Share on Twitter

Worse still, prospective shooters learn how to carry out bloodier, higher-profile attacks from their predecessors. Prior research has demonstrated that prospective attackers often study past shootings and attempt to replicate successful tactics. Although this phenomenon occurs across the ideological spectrum, experts have expressed particular concern about emulation trends within the transnational far-right movement. This is because of the importance of the online world to the far-right, a movement that relies on a complex digital ecosystem to disseminate a hateful worldview, radicalize new adherents, and mobilize offline action. Research on manifestos, online statements, livestreams, and other digital media produced by far-right violent extremists has found significant similarities in the language and narratives employed by different attackers. The trend points to the emergence of a new genre ( PDF ) of violence, as various attackers' language, rationale, motivation, and modus operandi converge.

Despite these alarming trends, it's also important to note that researchers have found that not all violent attackers achieve the same influenceand that even the influence of individual attackers may vary across social media platforms. One analysis of 8chan, for instance, found that the modus operandi of the Christchurch attacker (an 8chan user who announced his attack, posted his manifesto, and livestreamed the massacre on the platform) left a significant and lasting imprint on subsequent discussion threads. By contrast, the 2019 synagogue shooting in Poway, California, had a comparatively limited impact on forum activity because users dismissed the attacker as a failure for his comparatively low death toll.

What might break this cycle of violence? There is clear evidence supporting three interventions.

The first step is to deny attackers the attention they seek. Studies have documented how news coverage in the aftermath of mass attacks magnified the imitation effect and increased the likelihood of another incident. By further publicizing mass shooters' manifestos, social media posts, and other propaganda, news coverage accelerates competition between attackers who seek to outdo one another in terms of generating the highest number of fatalities. Experts have called on journalists, law enforcement, and policymakers to minimize the contagion effect and deny violent attackers the notoriety they seek. To do this, they say to avoid publicly naming or publishing images of mass shooters; minimize discussion of an attackers' tactics and weapons; and focus greater attention on victims in the aftermath of a mass attack.

By further publicizing mass shooters' manifestos, social media posts, and other propaganda, news coverage accelerates competition between attackers. Share on Twitter

Second, technology companies can play a role in cutting off attackers' access to receptive audiences and in countering their messaging. Social media companies have tried to remove or moderate content about mass shooters, but such efforts must carefully balance ( PDF ) limiting the long-term online influence of various attackers while also appropriately upholding rights to free expression and speech. Censorship in particular isn't always successful and has its own risks: Extremists use free speech arguments to rally support and push users to more-homogenous platforms where extreme views may be reinforced. Alternatives to content moderation include efforts on the part of technology companies to label, explain, and expose hateful extremist messages that read like everyday identity politics. This can help educate audiences about what this content attempts to dospread fear and conspiracies, and further polarize society. The idea here is to broadly empower online audiences to engage and denounce extremism ( PDF ).

Third, more can be done to demonstrate the ultimate failure of mass shooters to achieve far-right objectives. While some may succeed in killing large numbers of individuals, and even inspire copycats, many more have been arrested or killed for trying. None achieved their stated objectives of starting a race war or inspiring the larger movement to instigate a revolution. Moreover, their fame is generally short-lived. Indeed, our research suggests that mass attackers have little resonance across extremist online discourse communities compared to non-violent far-right activists and influencers. Overt taunting runs the risk of provoking more-egregious acts of violence. But temperate, fact-based counter-messaging may help to reduce their appeal and remind would-be attackers that there's no real fame in bloodshed.

Pauline Moore is a political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation whose research focuses on violent extremism, targeted violence, and terrorism. Heather Williams, a senior policy researcher at RAND, is associate director of the International Security and Defense Policy Program. Alexandra T. Evans is a policy researcher at RAND.

Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Dementia, which includes Alzheimer's and other disorders, is a chronic disease of aging that reduces cognitive function, leaving people unable to tend to even their most basic, everyday needs.

In addition to the emotional toll it can inflict on families, dementia is associated with tremendous long-term care costs. Moreover, some families face especially devastating costs due to extended nursing home stays. All too often, dementia can lead to financial ruin.

In 2011, citing a growing body of evidence demonstrating dementia as a serious public concern, President Barack Obama signed the National Alzheimer's Project Act into law. The law seeks to improve the federal government's ability to track the monetary costs of dementia incurred by public programs (i.e., Medicare and Medicaid), as well as individuals.
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Disney+ is giving a glimpse of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 4.

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The streaming service shared a trailer for the show's fourth and final season Wednesday.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is a reboot of the High School Musical films. The TV series follows a new group of theater-loving students at East High School.

Season 4 will see original High School Musical stars Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman and Lucas Grabeel return to East High to film High School Musical 4: The Reunion.

Meanwhile, the students of East High, now in their senior year, struggle to stage a production of High School Musical 3: Senior Year with the movie disrupting their preparations.

Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, Dara Renee, Julia Lester, Frankie Rodriguez, Kate Reinders and Liamani star.

Disney+ announced in June that Season 4 will be the show's last.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 4 premieres Aug. 9.
Universal Pictures released clips from the opening of Oppenheimer on Thursday. The film opens in theaters July 21.

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The footage begins in black and white as Lewis Strauss ( Robert Downey Jr. ) arrives at a meeting with J. Robert Oppenheimer ( Cillian Murphy ) and his team. Strauss reports that the Soviets have tested an atomic weapon.

The clip flashes back to color footage of Leslie Groves. Jr. (Matt Damon) building the town of Los Alamos so Manhattan Project scientists can live there with their families.

Three minutes in, Strauss raises the question of espionage at Los Alamos, which Oppenheimer refutes. At Los Alamos, Oppenheimer reveals to Groves there is a chance the device cannot be stopped once launched.

Footage also includes team members cracking under the isolation and trying to leave Los Alamos. Oppenheimer supports keeping them confined.

The film's editor, Jennifer Lame, edited the new clip, featuring Ludwig Giransson's score. The footage is all presented in the widescreen ratio but IMAX prints will expand.
Imagine a world where a major Ameri  can firearms manufacturer could name their new pistol offering the 9mm. That feels like the equiva  lent of naming a new pistol Semiautomatic or Magazine-Fed, right? And yet this is exactly where things were in the early 1950s.

Smith & Wesson dropped a new model and named it the Nine Millimeter, and they could do it because, well, there hadnt been an American pistol designed for this Euro cartridge yet, despite 9x19mm being nearly a half century old at this point and widely used in two World Wars.

Actually, there was the Colt Commander of 1949, but that was just a Government Model with a smaller hole in the barrel, three quarters of an inch whacked off the business end, and an aluminum frame.

The backstory is that Smith & Wesson had upheld whats practically a time-honored tradition of American gunmakers at this point: nearly going bankrupt during a major war.

The Springfield, Massachusetts-based company was already hurting in the late 1930s following the Great Depression, which had unfortunately coincided with the failure of their first attempt at a self-loading pistol, a weird little .35-caliber pocket pistol thing based on the Belgian Clement design.

While they were teetering at the brink, the British government showed up in 1940 with a request for a handy little carbine chambered in 9x19mm, along with a million-dollar advance. Alas, the resulting Smith & Wesson Light Rifle was an overweight, underperforming lemon.

The Brits wanted their advance back, but S&W had already spent almost all of it on R&D and tooling and wound up having to pay the debt back in free revolvers.

The man who brokered the revolver deal, C.R. Hellstrom, became president of Smith & Wesson in 1946. The new pistol chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge was part of his plan to modernize S&W and restore their fortunes.

Designed by Joe Norman, S&Ws new 9mm was a pistol that fed from a single-stack eight-round magazine and combined the slide-mounted hammer-dropping safety/decocker and double-action mechanism of Walthers P-38 with the more conventional Browning-pattern short-recoil tilting barrel lockup, allowing for an enclosed barrel and much more conventional lines.

Initial versions with steel frames were shopped around to the military and some police buyers, but the downsized postwar military was hip deep in M1911A1 pistols and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. were still largely wedded to the revolver, so a lightweight alloy-framed version of the new pistol was released on the commercial market in 1954.

In 1957, just a couple years after it entered the catalog, S&W relabeled all their offerings, substituting numerical designations for the earlier romantic names: the Military and Police .38 Special revolver became the Model 10, the Combat Masterpiece wheelgun became the Model 15, and the still-new 9mm pistol became the Model 39.

Acceptance grew over the years. Navy SEAL teams in Vietnam used Model 39 pistols, most famously adapted to use suppressors as the Mk. 22 Mod. 0 Hush Puppy, and it was adopted in 1967 by the Illinois State Police as their standard issue duty sidearm.

As might be expected by its origins as a pistol shopped to government entities, the 39 was a pretty decent sized pistol. While light in weight when compared to service pistols of its era, thanks to its aluminum frame, and slim due to its single stack magazine, it still featured a 4-inch barrel and a frame sized for a full four-fingered grip.

As a result, a cottage industry sprang up among pistolsmiths to downsize the Model 39. Most famously characterized by the ASP, popularized by the controversial Paris Theodore and later mainstreamed through Charles Kelseys Devel, these conversions whacked length off both the slide and the grip.

The result was a pistol that was chambered for real, honest 9mm but barely bigger than a Walther PPK, and they grabbed the imagination of the gun nerd press in the 70s and 80s.

The popularity of these chopped and channeled subcompacts (as they were referred to by gunwriters of the era) couldnt go unanswered by the powers that be at S&W.

From the earliest solid-frame Hand Ejectors to the Sigma and Governor, if theres one thing S&W has always been good at, its noticing that its raining soup and sticking a bowl out the window to catch some.

Seemingly inexplicably, S&Ws first mini-gun 9mm offering came in the early 80s with the Model 469. While it had a shortened barrel and reduced-length grip like the ASPs and Devels, it also had a widebody grip frame to accommodate a 12-round double column magazine. It wasnt until later that the reasoning behind this  an attempt to be picked in the U.S. Army pistol trials that eventually led to the selection of the Beretta 92 as the M9  came to light and made sense of the choices.

The thing is, while the 469 may have been decried by the cognoscenti as way too portly for ideal concealed carry, it still sold like gangbusters. It was the 80s, after all, and most of the USA had no clue what made for a good CCW pistol.

It wasnt until they dropped their third generation of autoloaders at the dawn of the 90s that the ultimate concealed carry iteration of S&Ws Model 39 came to be.

Incorporating all the Wayne Novak-inspired modifications of the Gen 3 Smith autos, indicated by the four-digit model numbers, the 3913 and its offshoots hit like a bomb and wiped out the market for chopping older Model 39s into subcompacts.

With factory Novak sights, a bobbed hammer spur, factory frontstrap checkering, wraparound Delrin grip panels, ambidextrous safety/ decocker levers, and more, the 3913 was an answer to the pleas of the cognoscenti that the second-gen 469, with its chubby double stack grip, hadnt addressed. There was a hot minute in the early 90s when the 3913 was the CCW darling of the cognoscenti.

This brief flowering before the arrival of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, however, left the 3913 vulnerable to being outflanked on the magazine capacity front.

The third-gen Smiths, even with all the manufacturing shortcuts that could be applied, were still late-40s designs, and the 70s SIG Sauer P-228 and 80s Glock 19 could be made far more cheaply. The 3913 faded from view, lingering only in extremely cheapened form as the Value Series Model 908 before being discontinued entirely.

The most significant offshoot of the Model 3913, deluxe carry gun of the 90s, was the 3913LS variant.

The LS stood for Ladysmith, and it was marketed toward women in the CCW market. While a lot of ink has been expended on how these were specifically intended for the womens carry market, we cant find positive proof that they used lighter recoil springs to make it easier to run the slide or lighter hammer springs to reduce the trigger pull.

But what can be verified is that the swoopy angular dust cover on the frame of the 3913LS was so cool-looking, especially when combined with the dove-gray wraparound grips, that dudes would buy these things and then Dremel the LADYSMITH script off the gun. So many guys did this that S&W went and produced a pistol with the same aerodynamic frame but no Ladysmith engraving. It was called the 3913NL.

If you want to interpret NL as meaning Non-Ladysmith, well, thats on you.
The German armed forces have expanded to about EUR 4 billion the contract with the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall for the manufacture of ammunition for Leopard 2 tanks, it is assumed that some of this ammunition will be delivered to Ukraine, the Rheinmetall concern said.

"The Bundeswehr has extended the current framework contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of tank ammunition in the amount of about EUR 4 billion. The order expresses the desire of the armed forces to eliminate the gaps in stocks that have arisen and to increase the total volume of ammunition supplies, taking into account the security situation. The framework agreement also provides for the supply of a significant amount of tank ammunition for the armed forces of Ukraine," the message says.

It was also noted that "by the end of 2030, according to the concluded framework agreement, several hundred thousand combat and training cartridges of various designs of 120 mm x 570 caliber, similar to those fired by the main gun of the Leopard-2 main battle tank, can be purchased.

According to the company, the first delivery of ammunition worth about EUR 309 million took place immediately after the signing of the contract.

It is emphasized that for many countries that use the Leopard battle tank with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, Rheinmetall is the main supplier of ammunition of this caliber.
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...or just a Covid-era practice, asks Ajit Balakrishnan.

A friend who is the founder of a several thousand-person tech company in India recently recounted to me an event: "A senior woman executive came to me one recent morning and said: 'Sir, can we stop work from home and insist that everyone come to our office please?'"

He said he was astounded that she should make this request because she was a very senior person, and the recent pattern had been of employees saying that work from home had been a true blessing.

"Why are you suggesting this ... are you finding it difficult to manage your team when they and you are not in office?", he said he asked her.

"No sir," she said, but he added that when she said this, he could see a wistful expression in her face, which gave him a hint that there was something bigger behind her request.

On gentle prodding he found the real reason: She, her husband, and their daughter lived with her in-laws in their flat and that when she worked from home, her mother-in-law would constantly call her with errands to be done, giving her no chance to concentrate on her work.

My friend is still grappling, like perhaps almost every chief executive officer in the world, the merits and demerits of work from home versus work from office, but this dilemma has a bigger meaning.

To start, I couldn't but think of the bright expressions on people's face in the 1970s, when they announced that their child had got 'an office job'. To large numbers of us Indians (and perhaps people in other countries as well), an 'office job' meant a reasonable pay, reasonable working-hours, benefits like medical insurance, good working conditions, and, most of all, a step into the 'middle class'.

I told myself that it's worth researching the historical origins of 'office'.

Our trusted friend Wikipedia, when searched for 'office', gave me this answer: 'An office is a space where the employees of an organisation perform administrative work.'

I also discovered that the first 'office' in the world in the sense we know it, a building with multiple floors, with rooms containing rows of desks where people sit and work more than nine hours a day, came into being at Leadenhall Street, London, in the mid-17th century and was set up by the East India Company to handle the paperwork concerning its vast territorial holdings in India.

The 'office' has also been the triggering force for the creation of our modern large 'cities' like Bombay, New York, London, San Francisco, to name a few. Such cities serve as the gathering place for people, in 'offices', under various institutional names such as 'corporate office', 'income-tax office', 'secretariat', and so on.

And with people gathering in such concentrations, it also led to the construction of housing for people occupying such 'offices' as well as 'stores' and 'markets' to make it convenient for such people to shop for things.

Never mind that this also meant the creation of vast 'slums' for those unfortunate brethren of ours whose wages were not big enough to afford real homes.

In other words, for the last two centuries people have all been flocking to those places where they could benefit from the jobs created by offices even though that has meant 1- or 2-hour daily commuting from home to office and back every day.

Broadly this we describe as 'urbanisation' and use it as a metric to signal 'progress'. And 'progressive' governments now spend astronomical amounts of money to build highways and train tracks to make sure that people can get to their 'office' every day to do the 'work' that earns them the money to live.

Such spending for homes and offices has come to be called 'real estate' and such real estate spending is now 7 per cent of India's GDP and, according to some real estate enthusiasts, it may rise to 20 per cent ($1 trillion) in the next few years.

Now comes some puzzling statistics which have not yet achieved headline status but are worth thinking deeply about: According to the official state data, the Bay Area in California, which, as you know, is the centre of America's technology world, has lost a quarter million residents between 2020 and 2022, or a 7.5 per cent decline.

New York in the same period has seen a decline of 5.8 per cent. As a recent headline in an American news site said, 'Two million people fled America's big cities from 2020 to 2022.'

According to the reputed American journal The Atlantic, 'The great metro shrinkage also appears to be part of a broader cultural story: The rise of remote work has snipped the tether between home and office, allowing many white-collar workers to move out of high-cost cities.'

In India as well, there are stray reports about major IT companies increasingly shifting their focus to Tier-II and smaller cities to cut real-estate cost, stabilise attrition, and give employees a better work-life balance.

Are these just stray headlines or is there a larger societal change under way: A reversal of what 'industrialisation' and 'urbanisation' brought on by the technologies that the Digital Revolution has now brought us: Web sites of information that can be accessed from anywhere (as distinct from centralised libraries and files), making payments using our mobile devices (as distinct from paying cash at counters or sending cheques), video conferencing apps that allow us to have meetings not just within cities by also across countries (as distinct from commuting/ flying to meetings).

Maybe these technologies, as well as cultural benefits (like women workers being freed from cultural pressures as in the example above) and saving multi-hour daily commutes, will make work from home the norm in a few years?

And if that is the trend, what implications does this have for our classical economic thinking where government spending on roads and bridges and railways and airports was supposed to drive economic growth and prosperity?

Is there a societal shift under way?

Ajit Balakrishnan (ajitb@rediffmail.com), founder and CEO, Rediff.com, is an Internet entrepreneur.
The mixed narratives emerging from Russia undermine Mr Putin's position and authority even more than the actual facts, observes Mihir S Sharma.

IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting at the Kremlin, July 4, 2023. Photograph: Sputnik/Pavel Bednyakov/Kremlin via Reuters

Since the armies of the Russian Federation began their full-scale assault on Ukraine in February 2022, it has become increasingly hard to understand what is happening within that country, its military, and its government.

Last month, hundreds of armed men in a convoy motored down empty highways towards a Moscow undefended except by lightly armed guardsmen and cops -- and we still know practically nothing about how or why.

Facts that are undisputed are thin on the ground in this case.

We know that the Wagner Group, a mercenary outfit that the Kremlin has long used for its foreign adventures in Africa and West Asia, and more recently in some of the bloodier battles in Ukraine, took over the regional capital of Rostov.

We know that one section of Wagner then headed up north on a 1,100-kilometre drive to Moscow.

We know that this detachment shot down a few helicopters and at least one (expensive) surveillance aircraft; and we know that, less than 24 hours later, it turned around and went back to its camps. And, finally, we were told (but do not know) that Wagner's leaders will be given asylum in Belarus and some of its fighters incorporated into the regular Russian army.

IMAGE: Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves the headquarters of the southern military district amid the group's pullout from the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Was this the beginnings of a civil war? An attempted coup? A corporate dispute over pay and status? An elaborate cover-up for a military reshuffle? Or a way to get Russian fighters back into Belarus, and on Ukraine's northern border?

Has it weakened President Vladimir Putin's grip on the country, or strengthened his resolve to crush possible opposition?

Do the images of Russian civilians in Rostov cheering the Wagner fighters reveal the nationalist leanings of that country, or perhaps dissatisfaction with Mr Putin? Or are those images also staged?

If they were real, why were they broadcast on tightly controlled State television when the mercenaries had already been condemned by the president as traitors?

The Russian State, over the past two decades, has pioneered the use of multiple, overlapping narratives to obscure the truth.

It has used this as asymmetric warfare against the West for some time: Creating brush-fires of distraction that confuses even an open media.

It is an unusually effective innovation -- cheaper and more effective than clumsy, 20th-century propaganda. But, it turns out, it works against them as well as it does for them.

At moments such as this, States benefit from clear communication that is trusted by its population and the wider world. But the mixed narratives emerging from Russia undermine Mr Putin's position and authority even more than the actual facts of the case.

The undisputed facts are, of course, damning enough.

For years, the Kremlin officially denied that the Wagner Group was an extension of its own foreign policy, so that the mercenaries' excesses and human-rights violations in Africa and elsewhere could not be laid at the Russian leadership's door.

But, as of last month, Mr Putin had to officially point to the level of monetary support that Wagner had received from the Russian exchequer, in order to demonstrate their level of ingratitude.

And the fact that the Wagner march was essentially unopposed for hundreds of kilometres suggests that there was genuine confusion within the Russian armed forces as to whether they should be attacked -- in other words, either that country's chain of command is in a shambles, or divided in its loyalties, or even more inefficient than hitherto known.

IMAGE: Fighters of the Wagner mercenary group pull out of the headquarters of the southern military district in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Many of Mr Putin's governance innovations have been picked up by other democratically chosen leaders of his populist-authoritarian bent.

Here are three of those innovations.

First, complete control of narratives has been replaced by the sowing of confusion and deniability.

Second, an unspoken contract of economic and political stability in return for obedience replaces the promise to protect liberal freedoms.

Finally, the national leader must project strength above all, and the grinding down of opposition is not a flaw but a virtue.

How are these three holding up? Not well.

Mr Putin has tried and failed, so far, to gain some control of the narrative -- undermined not by Western propaganda or the liberal global media but by his own ultra-nationalists and internal social media.

And his assurance to Russian citizens of stability lies in tatters if an army of mercenaries can walk all over the country without being crushed by the official military, and cause rumours to spread that the president himself has had to flee Moscow in his private plane.

That does not convey strength, either -- neither does news that the president of Belarus, not Mr Putin, arranged the final truce. And a State in which Opposition leaders have been jailed or died mysteriously nevertheless has granted amnesty to people described as 'traitors'. Where is that strength when it faced a serious test?

There is much that we do not know about what happened in Russia last month. But the story of the Russian Federation since February 2022 should at least show the world's would-be authoritarians that Mr Putin's governance innovations are not as robust as all that.

Disclaimer: These are Mihir S Sharma's personal views.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was on Friday allocated the key finance and planning portfolio while some of the eight other Nationalist Congress Party leaders who joined the state cabinet with him a fortnight ago were also given important portfolios like cooperation and agriculture.

IMAGE: Ajit Pawar. Photograph: Sahil Salvi

Ajit Pawar getting the finance portfolio is significant as there was stiff opposition to it from Shiv Sena MLAs led by Bharat Gogawale and Prahar party legislator Bachchu Kadu, who claimed that the NCP leader had blocked funds for them when he was finance minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and was responsible for their rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership.

In Friday's portfolio allocation, the NCPs Dilip Walse Patil bagged the cooperation ministry, earlier held by the Bharatiya Janata Partys Atul Save. Dhananjay Munde got the agriculture portfolio, earlier handled by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's Abdul Sattar.

There was speculation that the state ministry expansion will also happen on Friday. But no new ministers were inducted and there were unconfirmed reports that an expansion will take place after the Maharashtra legislature's monsoon session which begins in Mumbai on July 17.

There are now 28 cabinet ministers in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's government but no minister of state. The ministry can have a maximum of 43 members.

Not only did Ajit Pawar get the finance ministry on Friday which can upset the Shiv Sena ministers, but some cabinet ministers also lost a few of their portfolios to the NCP. Among them were Sattar and Rathod of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP's Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

Chief minister Shinde himself gave up five ministries -- PWD (public sector undertakings), marketing, disaster management, relief and rehabilitation, soil and water conservation and minority development.

The PWD (public sector undertakings) was given to the Shiv Sena's Dada Bhuse while soil and water conservation went to Sanjay Rathod.

Abdul Sattar, who lost the agriculture ministry to the NCP's Dhananjay Munde, was made minister for minority development and marketing.

Sattar had drawn criticism for making derogatory comments about NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule and some of his decisions had proved to be controversial.

Dhananjay Munde, nephew of the late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, was social justice minister in the MVA government.

Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Rathod was divested of food and drug administration department and given the soil and water conservation ministry. The FDA was allocated to the NCP's Dharmaraobaba Atram.

Rathod was earlier forest minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government but had to resign after the BJP, then in the opposition, mounted pressure alleging his involvement in a woman's death by suicide.

BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha held three portfolios -- women and child development, tourism, and skills and entrepreneurship. Out of these, the women and child development department was given to the NCP's Aditi Tatkare, while tourism was allocated to the BJP's Girish Mahajan.

Lodha, the richest minister in the Shinde cabinet, was made minister for the first time after the BJP-Shiv Sena government was formed in 2022. Some of his decisions and statements had led to controversies.

Dada Bhuse from the Shiv Sena received the PWD (public sector undertakings) department which handles big-ticket infrastructure projects. Earlier CM Shinde had kept it with himself.

Bhuse earlier handled ports development, which is now given to the NCP's Sanjay Bansode along with sports and youth welfare.

NCP's Anil Patil is now relief, rehabilitation and disaster management minister.

Atul Save, the BJP leader who was handling OBC and other backward welfare as well as cooperation, has now been made housing development minister, a department that was with deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadnavis has ceded the finance and planning departments to Ajit Pawar. But the former chief minister still holds home, energy, water resources, law and judiciary portfolios.

Another BJP minister Ravindra Chavan who was in charge of PWD (excluding public sector undertakings) and food and civil supplies and consumer protection departments is now left with only PWD.

Fadnavis confidant Girish Mahajan earlier handled two major portfolios -- rural development and panchayat raj, and medical education. In Friday's portfolio distribution, NCP's Hasan Mushrif got the medical education department. Mushrif had served as rural development minister in the MVA government.

Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, said time was exacting revenge on the Shiv Sena MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022 citing the discrimination they faced from Ajit Pawar's finance ministry as a major reason.

Clyde Crasto, spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, referred to the BJP accusing Ajit Pawar of scams and corruption in the past.

"Was the BJP making allegations against him (Ajit Pawar) to put pressure on him and his group, or was this just a part of their (BJP's) washing machine scheme? Mostly importantly, does the BJP endorse the alleged scams and corruption in the cooperative sector," he asked.
On Friday, July 14, 2023, India launched its ambitious third lunar mission Chandrayaan 3, eyeing a rare feat in moon exploration.

This has been so far accomplished only by the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.

At 14;35;17, the Indian Space Research Organisation's third lunar expedition, Chandrayaan 3 embarked on its month-long journey towards the moon, piggybacking on ISRO's latest heavy lift launch vehicle, 'Fat boy' LVM3-M4, from the spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

IMAGE: ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. All Photographs: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission and the fourth operational mission of the LVM3 launcher.

IMAGE: As the 25.30 hour countdown concluded, the LVM3-M4 rocket soared off majestically from the spaceport at the prefixed time of 2.35 pm from the second launch pad, leaving a trail of thick orange smoke.

IMAGE: Thousands of assembled spectators broke into loud cheers and applauded as the launch vehicle soared into clear skies.

IMAGE: About 16 minutes after lift-off, Chandrayaan 3 was separated from the rocket.

It would orbit the earth for about 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle with 170 km closest and 36,500 km farthest from the earth moving towards the lunar orbit.

IMAGE: A view of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre from where ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-3.

IMAGE: ISRO Chairman S Somanath, fifth from right, and other scientists at the launch of Chandrayaan 3 Moon mission.

IMAGE: Spectators gathered in large numbers to witness the launch.

IMAGE: Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, right, with S Somanath addresses the press conference after the launch.

IMAGE: Employees of the Heavy Engineering Corporation at Dhurwa, in Ranchi, who prepared the launch pad, flash victory signs during the celebrations after the successful launch.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The government has coped with the task of financing all key national budget expenditures in the first six months of 2023, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said.

"We see and clearly understand how this year will go in terms of financing the budget deficit. This allows to ensure the macroeconomic and macrofinancial stability of our state In the first six months of 2023, we coped with the task of financing all key budget expenditures. All taxes of citizens and businesses we sent to ensure the defense and security of the country," he said at the Friday government meeting.

According to the prime minister, in just January-June 2023, the general fund of the national budget received almost UAH 870 billion, of which UAH 600 billion were tax revenues, UAH 270 billion were grants from international partners.

He also said that according to the results of the first six months, various funds of the national budget received UAH 1.302 trillion of taxes, fees and other payments.

"If revenues amounted to UAH 1.3 trillion, then over the same period of six months, national budget expenditures amounted to UAH 1.784 trillion. As I said, the absolute priority of the budget is security and defense. We are now spending about half of all funds on this, which are in the budget," Shmyhal said.

According to him, for six months of 2023, some UAH 231 billion were allocated from the national budget for social payments, of which UAH 136 billion went to pensions and support from the Pension Fund. Some UAH 23.1 billion of subsidies were paid.

"In addition to the army, security and social benefits, medicine, education and support to the regions remained the key areas of spending in the first half of the year. In the first quarter of this year, it was possible to ensure the average salary of health professionals at the level of almost UAH 22,000. Only educational subventions for the regions for six months were paid in the amount of over UAH 56 billion. Of these, UAH 900 million has already been directed to equipping bomb shelters in schools and another UAH 600 million to purchase new school buses," the prime minister said.
Scenes from flooded Delhi after the Yamuna rose well above the danger mark, July 13, 2023.

IMAGE: A priest closes the gate of a flooded temple. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: People rescue cows from a flooded locality. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: Members of the National Disaster Response Force evacuate residents from a flooded locality. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: A man stands on the roof of his flooded house, waiting to be rescued. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: Residents carrying their belongings on a rickshaw as they wade through a street. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: A rickshaw-puller pedals through chest-deep water in the flooded area near Red Fort. Photograph: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Residents wait to climb onto a flyover under construction, after being displaced by the rising water level. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: Members of the National Disaster Response Force evacuate stranded residents from a flooded locality. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: A man swims on a flooded road. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: A woman crosses a waterlogged road as the overflowing water from the Yamuna river reaches Yamuna Bazar. Photograph: ANI Photo

IMAGE: A couple carries their belongings as they come out of a flooded cremation ground. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

IMAGE: Commuters travel in a boat through the flooded Yamuna Bazar area. Photograph: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Commuters wade through the flooded Yamuna Bazar area. Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo

IMAGE: People sit on the roof in the flooded Yamuna Bazar area. Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo

IMAGE: Rickshaw pullers rest on their rickshaws in the Yamuna Bazar area. Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo

IMAGE: An aerial view of the flooded Garhi Mendu village and the over flowing Yamuna river in Delhi's North East district. Photograph: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Flood water inundates the Yamuna Bazar area. Photograph: ANI Photo

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/ Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
'If unity is not going to be based on values and principles, how will we achieve it?'

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and other Opposition leaders at a press briefing after the conclusion of the Opposition leaders' meeting in Patna, June 23, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

The meeting of Opposition parties in Patna last month was an opportunity to build bridges. But as events rolled out, it was also an occasion to burn bridges.

From Lalu Prasad advocating the merits of matrimony to Rahul Gandhi thus appointing himself paterfamilias of the larger Opposition family to the lack of traction for Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar's suggestion that a common minimum programme (CMP) be one of the first steps in forging unity and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee advising Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul to sort out their differences on an Ordinance for Delhi 'over tea and biscuits' instead of wasting collective time, the visible optics of the meeting were as interesting as the behind-the-scenes details.

The order in which people were called to speak was simple: It was clockwise.

As Nitish Kumar and Lalu were sitting in the middle, those seated to the right of Nitish spoke first.

Mallikarjun Kharge delivered his speech first, and Rahul followed. Then Mamata was invited.

She gave a long speech about the stamping out of state autonomy through the office of Governors, misuse of central agencies, and the central government's 'communal' agenda.

Several other speakers came in between, and the sequence broke as Omar Abdullah of the National Conference was allowed to speak first as he had to catch a flight.

It so happened that Sitaram Yechury, secretary general of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, was asked to give his speech almost towards the end.

It was enough that Yechury and Mamata, whose parties are bitter rivals in West Bengal, sat together at the same table.

But as Yechury began speaking, Mamata got up, fussed with her papers, announced she was getting late for her flight, shook hands with the hosts, and left.

"The lack of expression on Yechury's face illustrated his fury. He sat through a rival's address, sinking political differences in the interest of Opposition unity. She left before he could get a chance to speak, as if she was totally uninterested in what he had to say," said a witness.

Equally interesting was each leader's perception of what the basis of Opposition unity should be.

Pawar called for the drawing up of a CMP, and M K Stalin (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) exhorted the gathering to draw up a common programme for unity.

But the Opposition's coming-together principle was couched in the broadest possible terms: Issues relating to the curtailment of the federal rights of states, the use of food security as a political tool against Opposition-ruled states, the misuse of statutory investigative bodies, and the need to set up one common Opposition candidate against one Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in the Lok Sabha elections to prevent the division of votes.

Specifics were avoided.

Congress sources said the way forward for unity was a 'common agenda' -- a CMP could come later.

Throughout the meeting, those present said Rahul's mien was that of a listener.

He let party president Kharge address the issue flagged by Kejriwal: That before anything else could happen, the Congress had to announce its stand on the Ordinance on the Delhi government's powers.

IMAGE: Leaders from different parties at the Opposition leaders' meeting in Patna.

They will meet again in Bengaluru on July 17-18. Photograph: ANI Photo

After the Supreme Court's order on the division of power between the Centre and the Delhi government, giving the balance of advantage to the elected government, the Centre has enforced an Ordinance, ensuring Delhi stays under its control.

Kejriwal's implied complaint that the Congress was not backing Aam Aadmi Party on the issue, effectively putting itself in the BJP's corner, was not dealt with by Rahul but by Kharge.

Rahul, in his speech, said, 'I have no memory. I don't remember who my enemy is and who my rival is. I come here with a neutral mind. We are all together.'

Veterans of Opposition unity moves say the meeting stands out for the simple fact that it met the challenge of bringing so many disparate groups together at one table.

Said Tejashwi Yadav a day later: 'The meeting saw the coming together of leaders from Kashmir to Kanyakumari with the sole purpose of defeating fascist forces. The next Lok Sabha elections are not going to be about Narendra Modi or any other individual but about the people.'

However, there are doubts.

Said a Congress MP: "What is going to underpin an alternative vision after 10 years of Modi rule? When you consider that the chief of the Congress' state unit in Kerala, which is ruled by a Left Front government, was arrested by the state government on the day the Opposition was supposedly meeting to discuss unity, you wonder where unity is going to come from."

"If unity is not going to be based on values and principles, how will we achieve it?"

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
India and France were exploring possibilities for co-development and co-production of key military platforms for export to friendly countries and stepping up cooperation in space-based maritime awareness, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

IMAGE: French President Emmanuel Macron confers Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour. Photograph: @MEAIndia/Twitter

Speaking at a joint press event with Macron, Modi, who is in Paris on a two-day official visit, said a roadmap to strengthen India-France strategic ties over the next 25 years was being prepared with bold and ambitious goals on the anvil.

Modi said that Indian Oil and Total company of France have reached a long-term agreement on the import of LNG.

This will strengthen our goals of transitioning towards clean energy, he said.

The two sides also announced major cooperation in the space sector by inking the implementing agreement for a joint earth observation satellite  Trishna  to monitor temperatures on earth and oceans and study climate change.

The two countries also announced plans for joint developments in the field of launchers, while NewSpace India Limited and Arianespace signed a letter of intent to collaborate on commercial launch services.

The two sides released a Horizon 2047 Roadmap to set the course for the bilateral relationship up to 2047.

Prime Minister Modi also announced that an agreement has been reached to launch India's Unified Payments Interface in France, the first European country to do so.

Modi also spoke about plans by French companies for developing helicopter engines, production of spare parts and setting up of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in India.

The defence ministry on Thursday approved proposals to purchase 26 Naval variants of Rafale jets from France and procure three French-designed Scorpene class submarines.

"Defence cooperation has been a strong pillar of our close relationship. It is a symbol of deep mutual trust between the two countries. France is an important partner in 'Make in India' and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative," Modi said.

"Today we will discuss co-development and co-production related to new technologies," he said.

Modi said both sides can produce military platforms for friendly third countries as well.

"There is scope for expanding cooperation among the defence space agencies. We are moving forward towards setting up MRO facilities, production of spare parts and development of helicopter engines by French companies in India. We will focus on strengthening our cooperation on this," he said.

Modi also said India and France will take forward the relationship in the civil nuclear sector and discuss the possibilities for cooperation in the field of small and advanced modular reactors.

He said India and France have been together in the war against terror.

"We believe strong action needs to be taken to end cross-border terrorism and both nations agree to take further steps in this direction, Modi said.

The prime minister also said that India and France have a special responsibility to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region which is witnessing China's aggressive posturing.

"As resident powers of the Indo-Pacific, India and France have special responsibility for peace and stability in the region," he said.

Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict have impacted the whole world, Modi said the countries of the Global South have been particularly impacted negatively.

"This is a matter of concern. To find solutions to such problems, it is important for countries to make efforts unitedly. We believe that all disputes can be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy. India is willing to contribute to lasting peace, the prime minister said.

Modi and Macron also addressed the CEOs Forum where the Prime Minister urged French businessmen.

He also announced that India would open a new Consulate in the port town of Marseilles.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi joined President Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour with an Indian tri-services marching contingent wowing crowds here during the French National Day celebrations.

Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force also joined the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.
As the clock ticks for ISRO's high-profile launch of the year, the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, all eyes are on the country's space agency whose scientists are keen to taste success with a soft landing on lunar surface and put the country in an elite club of nations that have accomplished the challenging task.

IMAGE: The Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) M4 vehicle with Chandrayaan-3 at the launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota. Photograph: ISRO

'Fat boy' LVM3-M4 rocket will carry Chandrayaan-3 on Friday as part of the country's ambitious moon mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation will be launching the hugely anticipated mission from this spaceport at 2.35 pm on Friday. The soft landing on moon's surface is planned for late August.

Chandrayaan-2 failed to achieve the desired soft landing on the moon surface in 2019, leaving the ISRO team dejected. Images of an emotional then ISRO chief K Sivan being consoled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was present to achieve the rare feat, remains vivid in the memory of many.

Scientists at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, after investing many hours of hardwork, now aim at mastering the technology of soft-landing on the surface of the moon. A success would make India only the fourth country to achieve the feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.

Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission ready for take off in the fourth operational mission (M4) of LVM3 launcher. ISRO is crossing new frontiers by demonstrating soft-landing on the lunar surface by its lunar module and demonstrating roving on the lunar terrain, the space agency said.

The 25.30 hour countdown for the launch is underway.

The mission is expected to be supportive to future interplanetary missions.

Chandrayaan-3 mission consists of an indigenous propulsion module, lander module and a rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions.

The largest and heaviest LVM3 rocket (formerly GSLV MkIII), fondly called as 'fat boy' by ISRO scientists for its heavylift capability, has completed six consecutive successful missions.

Friday's mission is the fourth operational flight of LVM3 which aims to launch the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into a Geo Transfer Orbit.

The launch window has been fixed for July, similar to that of Chandrayaan-2 mission (July 22, 2019) because the earth and moon would be closer to each other during this period of the year.

Friday's mission follows Chandrayaan-2 where scientists aim to demonstrate various capabilities including reaching the orbit of the moon, making a soft-landing on the lunar surface using a lander, and a rover coming out of the lander to study the surface of the moon.

According to scientists, around 16 minutes after lift-off, propulsion module is expected to get separated from the rocket and would orbit the earth for about 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle with 170 km closest and 36,500 km farthest from earth moving towards the lunar orbit.

The propulsion module along with the lander, after gaining speed would proceed for an over a month long journey towards reaching the orbit of the moon until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface.

After reaching the desired position, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the south pole region of the moon and this action is expected to take place on August 23 or 24, scientists at ISRO said.

The moon's south pole region has been chosen because the Lunar South Pole remains much larger than that at the North pole. There could be a possibility of presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it.

The significance about Chandrayaan-3 mission, unlike its unsuccessfu predecessor, is that the Propulsion Module has a payload -- SHAPE -- Spectro- polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth to study earth from lunar orbit.

ISRO said the SHAPE is an experimental payload to study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of the Earth in the near-infrared wavelength range.

Apart from the SHAPE payload, the Propulsion Module's main function is to carry the Lander Module from launch vehicle injection orbit to till lander separation.

The lander module after landing on the surface of the moon has payloads including RAMBHA-LP which is to measure the near surface plasma ions and electrons density and its changes,

ChaSTE Chandra's Surface Thermo Physical Experiment -- to carry out the measurements of thermal properties of lunar surface near polar region and ILSA (Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity) to measure seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.

The Rover, after the soft-landing, would come out of the lander module and study the surface of the moon through its payloads APXS - Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer - to derive the chemical composition and infer mineralogical composition to further enhance understanding of lunar surface.

Rover, which has a mission life of 1 lunar day (14 Earth days) also has another payload Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) to determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site, ISRO said.
A 23-year-old Indian student was beaten up with iron rods by Khalistan supporters in Australia for opposing the activities of extremist elements, a media report said on Friday.

The student was on his way to work when he was attacked by assailants chanting Khalistan Zindabad in Sydney's western suburb of Merrylands, The Australia Today news portal reported.

Today, morning at 5.30 am when I was going to work, some 4-5 Khalistan supporters attacked me, the student, who preferred anonymity, was quoted as saying.

As soon as I sat in my driving seat, these Khalistan supporters came out of nowhere. One of them opened the left side door of my vehicle and hit me with an iron road on my cheekbone under my left eye, he said.

The student, who also works as a driver, said he was then dragged out of the vehicle and beaten with iron rods. He added that two of the assailants also video-recorded the attack.

They were repeatedly raising the slogan Khalistan Zindabad the whole time, he was quoted as saying in the report.

Everything happened within 5 minutes, and they left saying this should be a lesson for me for opposing the Khalistan issue. If not, they are ready to give me more lessons like this, he said.

The New South Wales Police were informed about the incident, and the Indian student was taken to Westmead Hospital with major injuries to his head, leg, and arm, the report said.

Police have been told a 23-year-old man was walking along Rupert Street before he was assaulted by four men armed with a metal pole," a police spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.

The 23-year-old was allegedly kicked, punched, and hit with the metal pole repeatedly before the four men left the scene in a grey sedan," the spokesperson added.

Member of Parliament for Merrylands said, "There is no place in our local community for extremism or violence of any kind. I have contacted the relevant authorities regarding this incident and will monitor the situation as it unfolds.

In January, two separate brawls broke out between Khalistani activists and pro-India demonstrators in Melbourne during the so-called 'Punjab independence referendum'.

India had asked the Australian government to curb the anti-India activities of the Khalistani separatists and frequent attacks on the Hindu temples in the country.

In the name of freedom of expression, space should not be given to those advocating violence or legitimising terrorism, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi recently, amidst a spurt in anti-India activities by the Khalistani groups in some countries.
With its eyes set on becoming a major space power, India on Friday successfully launched its third Moon mission, this time a far more complicated 41-day voyage to reach the lunar south pole where no other nation has gone before.

If the estimated Rs 600 crore Chandrayaan-3 mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) succeeds in landing a robotic lunar rover in the space agency's second attempt in four years, India will become the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the Moon's surface after the US, China and the former Soviet Union.

Addressing a news conference shortly after the launch of the unmanned mission to a lunar region that is emerging as a potential site for future human exploration, a jubilant ISRO chairman S Somanath said the agency has planned for the "technically challenging" soft-landing on the Moon on August 23.

"We are expecting it (Chandrayaan-3) to enter into lunar orbit by August 1 and two-three weeks from then, separation of propulsion module and lander module will happen on August 17. The final descent is currently planned for August 23, at 5.47 pm IST. That is the plan if it goes as per the schedule," he said.

Chandrayaan-2 had failed in its lunar phase when its lander 'Vikram' crashed into the surface of the Moon following anomalies in the braking system in the lander while attempting a soft landing on September 7, 2019. Chandrayaan's maiden mission was in 2008.

As the 25-hour, 30-minute countdown of the mission for studying surface and chemical properties of the Moon ended, the latest LVM3-M4 rocket (formerly GSLVMkIII), dubbed as 'Fat boy' and 'Bahubali' for its heavy-lift capability, soared majestically into the sky from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at the prefixed time of 2.35 pm, leaving behind a trail of thick orange smoke.

WATCH: The moment when ISRO launches India's ambitious project, Chandrayaan-3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch of the mission as a "new chapter" in the country's space odyssey which has elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. Political leaders cutting across party lines also lauded ISRO's feat.

As scientists inside the Mission Control Centre (MCC) at the spaceport waited with bated breath to see Chandrayaan-3 getting separated from the rocket about 16 minutes after lift-off, thousands of spectators broke into loud cheers after the launch vehicle's lift-off. Every announcement from the MCC on successful "separation" of the respective modules was greeted with applause.

From the MCC, ISRO chairman S Somanath said the rocket had injected Chandrayaan-3 into a precise orbit.

"Congratulations, India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards Moon. Our dear LVM 3 has already put Chandrayaan-3 craft into the precise orbit around Earth... and let us wish all the best for the craft for its further orbit raising manoeuvres and travel towards Moon in the coming days."

On the reasons why the south pole has been selected for performing scientific experiments in the current mission, he said, "Are are aiming for all the geophysical, chemical characteristics on the surface of the Moon. Second, study of the south pole has still not been explored."

Besides, nobody has conducted the thermal characteristics on the surface of the Moon which ISRO would be doing in this mission, he added.

Polar regions of the Moon are a very different terrain due to the environment and the difficulties it presents and therefore have remained unexplored. All the previous spacecraft to have reached the Moon have landed in the equatorial region, a few degrees latitude north or south of the lunar equator.

The Moon's south pole region is also being explored because there could be a possibility of presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it.

Mission director S Mohana Kumar said the LVM3 rocket has once again proved to be the most reliable heavy lift vehicle of the ISRO. Today's mission was a 'penance' of many across ISRO, he added.

Project director P Veeramuthuvel said all the spacecraft health parameters, including power generation in propulsion module and lander module, were normal.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, who witnessed the launch along with several former ISRO chiefs, described the launch of the third Moon mission as a moment of glory for India and moment of destiny for all those in Sriharikota.

Singh said the PM had recently said sky is not the limit for Indo-US space cooperation and living by his words "I think Chandrayaan has gone beyond the limit of sky to explore the unexplored horizons of the universe beyond."

On the project cost of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, he said, "It was around Rs 600 crore."

Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous propulsion module, lander module and a rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions, ISRO said. It will orbit the Earth for about 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle with 170 km closest and 36,500 km farthest from Earth and moving towards the lunar orbit.

Following the separation from the launch vehicle, the propulsion module along with the lander would proceed for an over a month-long journey towards reaching the orbit of the Moon, until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface.

After reaching the desired altitude, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the Moon's south pole region.

The LVM3 rocket has completed six consecutive successful missions. It has proved its versatility to undertake most complex missions including injecting multi-satellites, interplanetary missions among others. It is also the largest and heaviest launch vehicle ferrying Indian and international customer satellites, ISRO said.

The reason to fix the launch window during the month of July similar to Chandrayaan-2 mission (July 22, 2019) is because the Earth and Moon would be closer to each other during this part of the year.

The significance about the Chandrayaan-3 mission, unlike its unsuccessful predecessor, is that the propulsion module has a payload -- SHAPE -- Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth, which is to study Earth from the lunar orbit.

ISRO said SHAPE is an experimental payload to study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of Earth in the near-infrared wavelength range.

Apart from the SHAPE payload, the propulsion module's main function is to carry the lander module from launch vehicle injection orbit till lander separation.

The lander module, after landing on the surface of the Moon, has payloads including RAMBHA-LP which is to measure the near surface plasma ions and electrons density and its changes, ChaSTE or Chandra's Surface Thermo Physical Experiment -- to carry out the measurements of thermal properties of lunar surface near the polar region-- and ILSA (Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity) to measure seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.

The rover, after the soft landing, would come out of the lander module and study the surface of the Moon through its payloads APXS -- Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer -- to derive the chemical composition and infer mineralogical composition to further enhance understanding of the lunar surface.

Rover, which has a mission life of one lunar day (14 Earth days), also has another payload, Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS), to determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.
The Madras high court on Friday upheld the arrest of Minister V Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case and his subsequent remand in judicial custody by a sessions court.

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu minister Senthil V Balaji. Photograph: Courtesy, V_Senthilbalaji on Twitter

Justice C V Karthikeyan, who was named as a third judge to hear the habeas corpus petition (HCP) of Senthil Balaji's wife Megala, following a split verdict delivered by a division bench, fully concurred with the conclusions arrived at by Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy.

The third judge held that the accused had no right to frustrate the investigation. When the grounds of arrest were informed to him, he refused to accept it. Claiming innocence subsequently cannot be accepted.

Justice Karthikeyan directed the registry to place the matter before Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala to refer it before the same division bench to determine the date on which the ED could take custody of Senthil Balaji and to shift him from the hospital.

In her petition, Megala alleged her husband was in ED's illegal custody and prayed that the authorities be directed to produce him before the court and set him at liberty.

In the split order, Justice Nisha Banu had held the ED had no power to take custody of Senthil Balaji, that the HCP was maintainable, and that the duration of treatment in hospital undergone by Senthil Balaji cannot be excluded from the remand period.

Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, however, ruled that the ED had the power to take custody of Senthil Balaji, and the period of treatment undergone by Senthil Balaji can be excluded from the period of custody granted by the sessions court.

In his order, Justice Karthikeyan said according to the complainant, he had given Rs 2.40 lakh (in connection with securing a job in a state government-run transport corporation). This was the specific offence of bribery for which an FIR was filed and following that the ED had registered the Enforcement Case Information Report. Subsequently, Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED in the cash-for-jobs case.

Justice Karthikeyan said, however, the questions relating to when the money was given, "where it went and how it was legally converted" required further investigation.

The judge said in the instant case, on the day when the custody was granted by the sessions judge the medical condition of Senthil Balaji was bad.

This dissuaded the ED from taking effective custody. Therefore, the period of hospitalisation has to be excluded from the period of custody, the judge added.

Referring to the maintainability of the HCP, the judge said in the instant case, though the HCP was maintainable, it was not entertainable.

The ED arrested Senthil Balaji last month in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam in the state's transport department. He continues to be a minister in the Tamil Nadu government but without portfolio.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Indian premier to have been conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron.

IMAGE: French President Emmanuel Macron confers Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian and military honour,. Photographs: @MEAIndia/Twitter

Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday and joined the ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others.

The prime minister, who is in France for a two-day official visit, was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived here on Thursday. He will join President Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.

A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

"Prime minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India, the MEA said in a statement.

The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour given by France is another in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on Prime Minister Modi.

These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019.

Modi received the Order of St. Andrew Award from Russia in 2019, and the Order of Zayed Award from the UAE in 2019. He also received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, the State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan in 2016 and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia Arabia in 2016.

Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, The Legion of Honour is divided into five classes (lower to higher). The colour of the ribbon is red and the badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk hung on an oak and laurel wreath.

Although the membership to the award is restricted to French nationals, foreign nationals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also be given a distinction of the Legion.

Earlier, the French president and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi at the Elysee Palace.

On Thursday evening, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora here and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation in cashless instant payment.

In his nearly hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale -- a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine - Modi outlined India's fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India's strength and role is also changing very quickly.

Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas.

Noting that France is celebrating its national day, in which he is the guest of honour, Modi said he had been to the country many times but it was special this time, as he lauded its support to India and the strength of ties between the two countries, which mark 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

Describing people-to-people connect as a key foundation of the India-France partnership, he also asked the diaspora members to invest in India, noting that global experts are recognising the country's attractiveness as an investment destination and the country is taking rapid strides in development.
The raging Yamuna showed signs of calming on Friday but the breach in a drain regulator led to waterlogging in some parts of Delhi such as the ITO, with flood water reaching close to the Supreme Court complex, causing hardship for the people.

IMAGE: Commuters wade through the flood water at Yamuna Bazar area, in New Delhi. Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo

Water also entered the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat due to backflow from a drain in the area.

Three boys drowned while bathing in the floodwaters in northwest Delhi's Mukundpur Chowk area. These were the first deaths reported in the city since the Yamuna water crossed the danger mark last Monday.

While Delhi Fire Services director Atul Garg claimed the deaths occurred in a ditch at a metro construction site, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation issued a clarification, saying, "No such incident has been reported from our sites."

"DMRC's sites are properly barricaded and entry is strictly regulated only for authorised personnel," it said.

After breaching the 45-year-old record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 208.02 metres at 10 pm on Friday.

However, that did not stop the floodwaters from reaching central Delhi, the nerve centre of the national capital.

As the Yamuna water level reduced, the Okhla water treatment plant, which was shut on Thursday, was opened.

In the evening, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants will resume functioning if the Yamuna level goes down to 207.7 metres on Saturday.

IMAGE: Army jawans carry out restoration work of the collapsed water regulator, which caused overflow of the Yamuna river that entered several areas of Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Irrigation and Flood Control Department's regulator installed near the Indraprastha bus stand and the WHO Building was being repaired with sandbags, braces and boulders.

Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena took stock of the repair works.

Following the breach, water started to flow into the city through the drain, inundating the Ring Road, Indraprastha Metro Station, IP Depot, ITO and Vikas Marg, reaching the entrance of the Supreme Court in central Delhi.

Vikas Marg, one of the important stretches connecting east and Central Delhi, was closed for traffic as vehicular movement went haywire and commuters got stuck for hours in traffic jams.

Delhi cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged there was a delay in the deployment of the NDRF for repairing the regulator even as the L-G asked him not to indulge in a blame game.

Interrupting Saxena during his media address, Bhardwaj said he reached out to the officers last night, asking them to deploy NDRF teams to make the repairs but "there was no response".

"This is the time for teamwork, not blaming each other. I could say a lot of things too, but it's not necessary at the moment," the L-G said.

IMAGE: A view of a severely waterlogged Raj Ghat. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Indraprastha water regulator was breached due to a strong current in the river and is likely to be repaired within three-four hours, Kejriwal had said earlier in the day while visiting the site. The repair work was on till Friday evening.

Later, the L-G office said the embankment at breached water regulator was 80 per cent complete and the Army with finish the work by Friday night.

The flow of water from the river was so strong that it breached the regulator and entered the city. Even though the water level in the Yamuna is receding, the damaged regulator led to excess water in ITO and nearby areas, Kejriwal told PTI Video.

Visiting the ITO barrage, where five of the 32 games are jammed, obstructing the drainage of water out of Delhi, he said, "The Navy is working to open them but it cannot be said when these will be opened."

"The Haryana government is responsible for the maintenance of the barrage but they have no interest. We will surely begin the process to take control of the barrage," Kejriwal told reporters.

He, however, said this was not the time for a blame game. Everyone should work together to tide over this huge crisis, the chief minister stressed.

IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visits Okhla water treatment plant. Photograph: ANI Photo

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Haryana government, accusing it of being responsible for the Delhi flood by releasing water in the Yamuna from its Hathnikund barrage

Hitting back, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged the Kejriwal dispensation was "evading responsibility" and blaming other states for the flood-like situation in the city, as it did during the Covid period.

Meanwhile, more than 60 students from Blind School in Kingsway Camp in northwest Delhi were rescued to safety by a team of the Delhi police after floodwaters entered its premises.

The NDRF team, using boats, rescued 60 dogs and 50 cows that were stuck at an animal shelter home in Mayur Vihar due to inundation.

The flood-like situation in Delhi has also inundated crematoriums in the vicinity of the Yamuna.

Crematoriums at Nigambodh Ghat, Geeta Colony, Wazirabad and Sarai Kale Khan have been closed because of flooding, Mayor Shelly Oberoi said on Friday.

The Delhi traffic police closed vehicular movement in both directions on the Vikas Marg.

IMAGE: Delhi Disaster Management Authority personnel patrol through a severely waterlogged Raj Ghat. Photograph: ANI Photo

No vehicles were allowed from Laxmi Nagar T-point to A point in ITO and vice-versa.

Vikas Marg, which is one of the main stretches connecting east and Central Delhi, saw commuters getting stuck for hours in traffic jams before the curbs were put in.

Vehicular movement has also been restricted on both carriageways of the Mahatma Gandhi Marg.

The Delhi traffic police has put out an alert urging people to plan their journeys accordingly in view of the flood-like situation in many parts of the city.

Over 4,500 traffic personnel have been deployed in affected areas to decongest traffic and help navigate commuters, police said, adding, the traffic restrictions will be lifted depending on how fast the water recedes.

Work on the construction of a 560-metre bridge, the first metro bridge over the Yamuna to be built using the cantilever construction technique, has also been halted due to the rising water level of the river.

The IMD issued a 'yellow' alert for Saturday as it predicted moderate rain and thundershowers for that day.
The richest Rajya Sabha MPs have gotten significantly richer -- to nearly quadruple from around Rs 20 crore in 2013 to nearly Rs 80 crore in 2022.

IMAGE: A view of Rajya Sabha proceedings. Photograph: ANI Photo/Sansad TV

The Rajya Sabha, 10 seats of which are due for elections on July 24, may be keenly watched for the age profile of new entrants.

India's Upper House of the Parliament has a smaller share of young people than in many peer economies.

Globally, about 13 per cent of the occupants of the Upper House were below 45 years.

The share of the young in India's Upper House stood at 7.5 per cent.

Peers like Brazil, Russia, and South Africa had a higher representation of younger people (see chart 1).

Despite an ageing population, about 10 per cent in the Japanese Upper House was under 45 years of age, ahead of India.

Around a third of Japan's population is over 65 years, compared to 7 per cent in India.

Changes to the age profile of India's House of Elders has been slow, though some progress is seen since 2018.

About 57 per cent of the sitting members of the Rajya Sabha in 2022 were 60 years of age or below, higher than in 2018 and 2020.

Yet, the age profile in 2013 was far younger (see chart 2).

Meanwhile, the concentration of riches in the Rajya Sabha has been going up.

The median Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament had assets above Rs 5 crore in 2022, compared to under Rs 2 crore in 2013.

The richest members have gotten significantly richer, causing the average assets of Rajya Sabha members to nearly quadruple from around Rs 20 crore in 2013 to nearly Rs 80 crore in 2022.

Average assets are up 43 per cent from 2018 (see chart 3).

Apart from reflecting a larger trend in Indian politics, richer parliamentarians are the outcome of conscious decision-making, according to Major General (retired) Anil Verma, head of the Association for Democratic Reforms.

"In a span of four years from 2018 to 2022, this increase in the average assets of Rajya Sabha MPs is not normal. This establishes the fact that political parties are giving tickets to richer candidates," the general points out.

The gender profile of the House has, however, improved. The share of women in the has risen from 8.8 per cent in 2013 to 13.7 per cent. (see chart 4)

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced the beginning of work on bilateral agreements on security guarantees.

I held a meeting on the results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius. Our team of international relations experts - the Government, the Office. We are now transforming each agreement for Ukraine with our partners in Vilnius into concrete steps to ensure that all agreements become concrete results. A good Summit should yield good results. We are preparing the content for the work of the NATO-Ukraine Council. We are preparing to sign agreements with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine on the way to NATO, he said on the Telegram channel Thursday.

We are preparing the basis for the next NATO Summit in Washington. It is already impossible to imagine NATO without Ukraine, and we will constantly add more strength to our cooperation, Zelenskyy also said.
Less than a month after the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, a Congressional senatorial Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

IMAGE: Artists perform for the Nyokum Festival of Nyishi community celebrated at Pitapool in Subansiri, Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: Anuwar Hazarika/ANI Photo

The resolution was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen on Thursday.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC's increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

The resolution will now go to the senate floor for a full vote.

America's values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the centre of all of our actions and relationships around the world -- especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision, said Senator Merkley, who serves as the co-chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.

Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India -- not the People's Republic of China -- and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners, he said.

Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific, it's critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region -- especially India and other Quad countries -- and push back against the Chinese Communist Party's broader strategy of territorial aggrandisement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, in the Himalayas, and in the southern Pacific.

As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defence of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, said Senator Cornyn.

This resolution would reaffirm that the US recognises the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay, he added.

China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan. Beijing claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, a claim firmly rejected by the external affairs ministry which has asserted that the state is an inseparable part of India.

Beijing routinely protests visits of top Indian leaders and officials to Arunachal Pradesh to reaffirm its claim.
There were many people who wanted to seek favours from her by offering lakhs and crores of rupees when she was Odisha's transport minister.

She never allowed any kind of corrupt practices to touch her department officials, family members or the supporters who have stood by her.

A fascinating excerpt from Kasturi Ray's Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hill.

IMAGE: Then Chief Justice of India N V Ramana administers the oath of office to President Droupadi Murmu at the Central Hall of Parliament, July 25, 2022. Photograph: Kind courtesy @narendramodi/Twitter

Droupadi Murmu loved to participate in events and gatherings even while being minister. Be it birthdays, weddings, club functions, plantation drives or even typical tribal cockfights -- a simple invitation would suffice to draw her to places.

A perfectionist to the core, Murmu was never criticised for her work. She was known among her colleagues as a punctual leader for her resolve to reach every meeting ahead of schedule. In every village she visited, the villagers welcomed her with open arms. Probably Murmu was among the very few politicians who allowed people to meet her as and when they wished.

Murmu was accommodating and adjusting irrespective of the situation she was in. When her in-laws objected to her working in Bhubaneswar, she left her job without a single argument. She also got back to work and entered politics after her husband encouraged her to do so.

Sources close to the family say that there were many people who wanted to seek favours from her by offering lakhs and crores of rupees even through her family members when she was the transport minister. But her family members were averse to such deals.

And Murmu, being a staunch disciplinarian, never acceded to such nefarious deals. She never allowed any kind of corrupt practices to touch her department officials, family members or the supporters who have stood by her.

IMAGE: President Murmu spends time with tribal children in her hometown Rairangpur in Odisha, May 5, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

However, she always paid heed to her close confidants when they requested her to help someone in dire need. Satish Samal reminisced:

Some people kept approaching the minister for grants for one reason or another, and she used to send those people to me so that I could make a list of them and present it to her. I would take the liberty of picking some names from the list and request her to grant a few thousand rupees to people who needed it for medical emergencies or other urgent issues. Jokingly, she would retort, 'So you have become the minister to decide who will get what!'

Murmu was assigned government quarters in Unit 6, Bhubaneswar, where she would call her near and dear ones once in a while and spend time with them. Being a foodie, she cooked various dishes herself and served them to the people present there.

As Delha Soren remembered, there have been many occasions when she and her family have visited Murmu in the quarters and eaten together. In those days, Murmu used to be a non-vegetarian and there was a flood of delicacies cooked and partaken by all. Soren remembered:

But there were occasions when she did not have a house allotted in her name and she used to stay in the guest house or circuit house. On some days, she would just ring me up and say she was fed up eating guest house food. She would urge me to cook something typical to our community like saag for her. I would immediately cook and call her home. She has come to our house many times just to have a good meal.

IMAGE: President Murmu recently tweeted a throwback picture of hers with a couple of her classmates during her school days from Odisha. Photograph: ANI Photo

'When an Adivasi walks, it becomes dance, when an Adivasi speaks, it becomes a song, and Madam Murmu personified this,' Gandhian Aditya Patnaik explained, citing a Mundari saying that goes, 'Sen gi susun, kazi gee durang, doori gi dumang' [Walking is dance, speaking is song and the body is mandar (drum)]. This is the life philosophy of the Adivasis.

'The most inspiring aspect of Madam Murmu's journey is her village Uparbeda, which made her strong in the face of challenging situations, and today we have one of the strongest personalities as the President,' Patnaik said.

Looking forward to seeing Murmu at a new height of her career, he said, 'I hope she sticks to her own identity and honesty, which are her forte. Despite being nominated by a party, I believe she will not compromise on principles.'

IMAGE: President Murmu interacts with students on her visit to her alma mater, the Government Girls High School, November 11, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo

Murmu once again contested from the Rairangpur constituency as the BJP candidate in 2004. The JMM's Ramchandra Murmu was her contender. Till the last round of counting, the two contenders were neck-to-neck.

At one point in the last round, when Murmu was leading by 1,500 votes, she fell unconscious due to exhaustion. Days of electioneering had taken a toll on her health. However, she won by a narrow margin of 42 votes.

'I was the first one to congratulate her. It is the people's mandate and they vote for development. If people chose her, it must be respected,' said Ramchandra Murmu after she was elected President.

'She is like an elder sister to me. Whenever I have asked her for some help for people in the constituency, she has always come forward. Even my friends who had approached her for some help with my reference were welcomed and heard. Their problems were also solved,' he remembered.

Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo from the Rediff.com archives IMAGE: A tri-Services guard of honour for President Murmu at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, July 25, 2022.

Murmu's concern for the people and her fearless nature came to the fore in an incident from 2006. This showed that she was active directly on the ground rather than restricted to her desk.

On 2 January, violence over displacement at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur rocked the state. This was caused by one of CM Patnaik's important steps to bring in industrialisation in the state --setting up of a Tata Steel plant in the area.

As the tribals got this information, around 500 of them from Chandia, Gobarghati and Champakoila villages, armed with tribal weapons, including bows and arrows, reached the site of the proposed plant, where ground-levelling work was underway. The police had already been deployed in the area.

Upon reaching the site, the tribals started pelting stones at the police, who tried to disperse them with tear gas shells and rubber bullets. However, the tribals were unrelenting and reportedly used crude bombs and arrows.

On the fateful day, a policeman was caught by the tribals and butchered in public. This caused the police to open fire at a mob of the tribals, who were protesting the rehabilitation packages handed out to them, indiscriminately.

Fourteen tribals, including a woman, were killed on the spot, and the protesters took the bodies of four of the tribals who had been killed with them.

With her tribal roots, it was a testing time for Murmu. She was not in the ministry but a legislator and, more importantly, a tribal leader from the BJP and the then state president of the BJP's Scheduled Tribe Morcha. She wanted to meet the tribals, and she did after the situation calmed.

According to Morada MLA Rajkishore Das, she visited the Kalinga Nagar site and discussed issues with the tribals. 'She probably wanted to stop the situation from escalating further,' said Das.

Even though she was associated with the BJD-BJP alliance, her primary concern at that moment was the tribals. Hence, she decided to visit Kalinga Nagar without even thinking of the ramifications her visit could have.

'I came to know that she visited the spot as a government representative as well as an Adivasi. She was heard to have met the protesters not as a leader but as one among them and convinced them that the situation would improve,' said Das.

Excerpted from Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hill by Kasturi Ray, with the kind permission of the publishers Rupa Publications India.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
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This week's torrential rains have caused widespread infrastructure damage throughout Vermont, and led to this partial collapse of Route 100, looking south, in Readsboro, Wednesday. More rain is predicted through early next week.
BELLOWS FALLS  Friday marks the kickoff of a new program  four years in the making  to promote the various bike and hiking trails in the Be
Invaders fire two Kalibers, one Iskander-M missile, 20 Shahed UAVs in Ukraine over day  General Staff

Russian troops attacked Ukraine during the day, firing two Kalibers, one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 20 Shahed UAVs, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed on Friday morning.

"Over the past day, the Russian occupiers have launched a missile and air strike on the territory of Ukraine, using two Kalibr cruise missiles, one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 20 Iranian Shahed attack UAVs," the report says.

According to the General Staff, the Ukrainian Defense Forces managed to destroy two Kaliber cruise missiles and 20 attack drones.

Also, the enemy inflicted 52 air strikes and carried out about 50 attacks from multiple rocket launchers on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

"Civilians, including children, were injured, residential buildings and other civil and administrative infrastructure were destroyed," the General Staff reported.

The probability of missile and air strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine remains high.
Ukraine has already received cluster munitions allocated by Washington, the Associated Press (AP) reports, citing head of the operations department of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lieutenant General Douglas Sims.

There are cluster munitions in Ukraine at this time, the AP quoted Sims as saying.

At the same time, he did not specify whether the Ukrainian military had already used them or not.

On July 7, deputy head of the Pentagon, Colin Kahl, said that the U.S. authorities had decided to allocate another package of military assistance to Ukraine amid the continuation of Russia's full-scale military aggression. This package includes, among other things, cluster munitions.package include 155-mm artillery rounds, including Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions, or DPICMs, and 105-mm artillery rounds () The package also includes additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, Kahl said.

U.S. President Joe Biden said that Ukraine needs cluster munitions.
In the liberated territory of Voskresensk community of Mykolaiv region, law enforcement officers found the bodies of two civilians who were shot by the Russian military during the occupation, the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) informs.

In the message of the department on the Telegram channel posted on Friday, it appears that under the procedural leadership of Mykolaiv regional prosecutor's office, investigative and operational measures are continuing to identify and document war crimes committed by representatives of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against the civilian population in the territory of Mykolaiv region.

"During the next inspection of the area in the village of Stepne of Voskresensk merged territorial community of Mykolaiv district, prosecutors, together with investigators and criminologists of the State Department of the National Police in the region, exhumed the bodies of two local residents - 20 and 34 years old men. They were shot by the Russian military last spring," the Prosecutor General's Office said.

The bodies of the victims were sent to Mykolaiv Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination for research.

According to the prosecutor's office, measures are being taken to establish the circumstances, witnesses and eyewitnesses of the crime.

The pretrial investigation in criminal proceedings on the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war, connected with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) continues.
European Investment Bank (EIB), a Luxembourg based bank on Thursday announced that it is keen to extend finance worth 1 billion euros for green hydrogen and renewable energy projects in India, reported news agency PTI. This comes at a time when the country envisions a net zero vision in the future.

Details of the proposed investment

EIB Vice President Kris Peeters is planning a four-day visit to India, thereby strengthening the cooperation with the public and private sectors. The meeting is supposed to discuss EIB's proposed plan for clean energy investment and its transportation in the country.

"The EIB is committed to supporting transformational private and public investment across India, improving access to finance by entrepreneurs and addressing the challenges of a changing climate," VP Vice President Kris Peeters said.

The visit aims to confirm the EIB's commitment to future investment under the EU-India Connectivity Partnership, in support of the European Green Deal and the EU Global Gateway strategy.

The EIB is a prominent lending institution of the EU member states. Company Vice President Kris Peeters will attend the G20 Infrastructure Investors Dialogue (IID) and will meet banking leaders. The G20 (IID) is an official G20 event organised after the third meeting of finance ministers and governors.

The bank statement revealed that Peeters will join a panel on 'Catalysing sustainable finance' for cities of tomorrow as a representative of the EIB.

India is the largest beneficiary of EIB transport financing outside Europe. The bank's support for transport projects in India includes the financing of metro investment in Agra, Bangalore, Bhopal, Kanpur and Lucknow, with a total of 2.45 billion euros committed since 2016. This makes India the largest beneficiary of EIB transport financing outside Europe.

Vice-President Peeters will confirm the EIB's interest in supporting the recently approved National Green Hydrogen Mission with a facility of up to euros 1 billion in support of the nascent Indian green hydrogen ecosystem and renewable energy projects.

The EIB delegation will also meet Sushil Kumar, Managing Director of Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRCL). The Agra Metro project is backed by a 250 million euro EIB loan. Agra Metro is one of the six transport projects EIB has supported in the country.

(With PTI inputs)
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday night said flood alerts were issued in Lower Assam districts of Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa etc as Bhutan has released excess water from the Kurichu dam.

"The Royal Government of Bhutan has informed us that tonight there will be an excess release of water from the Kurichu Dam. We have alerted our district administrations to remain vigilant and assist the people in every possible way in case the water breaches the Beki and Manas rivers," the Chief Minister tweeted.

Authorities at Druk Green Power Corporation, who operate the Kurichhu Hydropower Plant have informed that the release of water was necessitated due to accumulation of debris at the dam. "The decision was taken as the power plant was experiencing a severe intake choking due to huge accumulation of logs, debris and driftwoods at the reservoir washed down by the rain waters from the vast catchment area," said Rinchen Wangdi, Interim Head of Plant at Kurichhu Hydropower Plant.

The situation however is still calm and no excessive flooding has been reported so far.

Sharing the details of the water levels in the four major rivers that flow from the neighboring country into India, the Districts Disaster Management Authority, Baksa has informed that all four rivers are flowing below the danger level. At 8am, the data recorded were- Beki flowing at 56.31 meters, Mora Pagladia at 52.27 meters, Kaldia at 95.87 meters and Pahumora at 98.55 meters.

It may be mentioned that this year flood has claimed seven lives so far in the State. Some of the worst affected districts are Sonitpur, Baksa, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Nalbari and Barpeta.

Meanwhile, the State government has informed that all the officials in the downstream districts have been alerted and emergency services have been put in place to respond to any distress call.
Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, on Friday met with China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, in a significant diplomatic engagement aimed at addressing outstanding issues between the two countries. Dr. Jaishankar took to Twitter to share an update on the meeting, stating, "Just concluded meeting with Director Wang Yi of the Office of the CPC Central Commission for Foreign Affairs. Discussed outstanding issues related to peace & tranquility in border areas. Our conversation also covered EAS/ARF agenda, BRICS and the Indo-Pacific."

Just concluded meeting with Director Wang Yi of the Office of the CPC Central Commission for Foreign Affairs.



Discussed outstanding issues related to peace & tranquility in border areas.



Our conversation also covered EAS/ARF agenda, BRICS and the Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/83VejZxUdX July 14, 2023

Wang Yi holds the position of Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, a significant role within China's foreign policy apparatus. With extensive experience in diplomacy, Wang Yi has been an influential figure in shaping China's engagement with the international community. He has played a pivotal role in fostering relationships and representing China's interests on the global stage.

Friction at the border was the focal point

The meeting between S Jaishankar and Wang Yi centered on discussing outstanding issues related to peace and tranquility in the border areas. This dialogue is crucial in maintaining stability and promoting mutual understanding between India and China.

Furthermore, the conversation touched upon the East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) agenda, showcasing the shared interest in regional cooperation and multilateral engagements. The dialogue also encompassed discussions on BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the Indo-Pacific region, indicating a broader scope of engagement beyond bilateral matters.

A look at China's border disputes with different nations

China has border conflicts or disputes with several countries due to differing territorial claims or historical grievances. Here is an overview of the countries with whom China has border conflicts:

India

Border Dispute: China and India share a disputed border in the Himalayan region. The border dispute includes the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh (which China claims as South Tibet) and the Aksai Chin area (administered by China but claimed by India).

Line of Actual Control (LAC): The boundary between China and India is not clearly demarcated, leading to periodic tensions, border incidents, and military standoffs.

Bhutan

China and Bhutan have a border dispute over the Doklam plateau. China claims the area as part of its territory, while Bhutan asserts sovereignty over it. The Doklam standoff in 2017 between Indian and Chinese troops also involved the disputed area, as it is near the tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan.

Taiwan

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and considers it a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland. However, Taiwan operates as a separate political entity with its own government, military, and constitution.

Vietnam

China and Vietnam have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, particularly in the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands. The maritime boundary dispute has led to tensions, clashes, and competing territorial claims in the region.

Philippines

China and the Philippines have a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, particularly concerning the Scarborough Shoal and parts of the Spratly Islands. The Philippines initiated a case against China's claims in the South China Sea at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which resulted in a landmark ruling in 2016.

Malaysia

China and Malaysia have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, primarily in the Spratly Islands and maritime areas near the coast of Borneo. Disputes over resource-rich waters and fishing rights have been a source of contention.
The long-time leader seems to gloat over a Thai politicians defeat in an initial parliamentary vote.

Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks at an event in Phnom Penh in June 2023.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has removed a Twitter post that attempted to connect the Cambodian opposition to a Thai politicians failure this week to win enough parliamentary votes to become the countrys next prime minister.

Pita Limjaroenrat and his Move Forward Party fell short of the 375 votes needed to clinch power in an initial round of voting on Thursday.

Hun Sen tweeted that Pitas setback was also a major failure to Cambodias exiled opposition activists. He was most likely referring to Sam Rainsy, the former head of the now-disbanded opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party who fled to France in 2015.

These traitors always expected that when Pita becomes the prime minister of Thailand, they would use Thai territory to do a campaign against the Royal Government of Cambodia, Hun Sen wrote in the tweet.

Now the expectations of the brute opposition group have vanished like salt in water, he said.

In May, Sam Rainsy told Radio Free Asia that if a new pro-democracy Thai government is formed, he would look into traveling to Cambodia through neighboring Thailand.

Thailands progressive Move Forward Party was the top vote getter in the May 14 general election. It heads a pro-democracy coalition trying to unseat an administration with deep military ties that has ruled Thailand for almost a decade.

Hun Sen has asked Thailand to arrest Sam Rainsy if he travels there. Last month, he publicly threatened to attack Sam Rainsy with a rocket launcher if he led workers from Thailand into Cambodia.

Do not do politics that depend on somebody else, the prime minister wrote in Thursdays deleted tweet. This is my goodwill message for the extremist groups.

Move Forward Party leader and Thailand prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat speaks to the media in Thai Parliament after the parliamentary vote for the premiership in Bangkok on July 13, 2023. Credit: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP





Online reaction

After it drew angry online comments, Hun Sen removed the post from Twitter.

Absolutely ludicrous, wrote Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watchs deputy Asia director.

Thai journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk tweeted that the 70-year-old Hun Sen is a political dinosaur comfortable in the company of dictators.

When he looks at Pita, he sees the [political] liberalization & reform he fears might some day come to Cambodia, he wrote.

Hun Sen posted another message on both Twitter and Telegram on Friday, writing that he doesnt oppose Pitas candidacy for prime minister.

I respect the decision of the Thai people and I will not interfere in the internal affairs of Thailand, he wrote. I am ready to work with Thailands leader, regardless of who or which party.

He added that Cambodian opposition activists should stop using Pitas name  who does not know he is being used  to oppose the Cambodian government.

Finland-based political commentator Kim Sok said the first message made it seem like Hun Sen doesnt understand diplomacy and politics, even though he served as Cambodias foreign minister during the 1980s.

Normally, a leader of a country uses good words and avoids bad words to other countries politicians, especially those who win the election, he said in an interview with Radio Free Asia on Friday.

Translated by Chandara Yang. Edited by Matt Reed.
New signs of tension emerge as the two powers continue to negotiate a resumption of communications.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shows the way to Chinese Communist Party's foreign policy chief Wang Yi during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, July 13, 2023.

UPDATED AT 05:36 a.m. ET on 2023-07-14.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jakarta and met with Wang Yi, Chinas leading diplomat, amid allegations of a Chinese cyberespionage attack targeting U.S. government emails.

The conversation between the two top diplomats on the margins of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers' Meeting was part of ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication to clarify U.S. interests across a wide range of issues and to responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation, said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Blinken made clear to Wang in Jakarta that any action that targets the U.S. government, U.S. companies or American citizens is of deep concern to us, and that we will take appropriate action to hold those responsible accountable, according to a senior State Department official.

The intrusion by Chinese hackers into email accounts at the State Department and other agencies  including that of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo  is believed to have begun in May and been discovered just before Blinken visited Beijing in June.

Diplomats who attended the closed-door 90-minute exchange described the talks as more focused than the ones in Beijing, with both sides zeroing in on areas of interest.

On Blinkens part, one key focus was fentanyl, a sometimes deadly painkiller behind what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls an opioid overdose epidemic. In Beijing and again in Jakarta on Thursday Blinken pushed hard for China to crack down on the manufacture of precursor chemicals essential for making the drug.

According to Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang reiterated Chinas claims on Taiwan, called on Washington to cancel unreasonable and illegal sanctions against China and said the U.S. should cease suppressing Chinas economy and technology.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (second right), and Chinese Communist Party's foreign policy chief Wang Yi, (second left), attend their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, Pool

Beijing suspended most formal lines of communication with the U.S. last August over a visit to Taiwan by then House speaker Nancy Pelosi. Further communications were cut off when the U.S. shot down a suspected spy balloon earlier this year.

The latest meeting came just hours after Xie Feng, Chinas new ambassador to the U.S., held rare talks with a top U.S. defense official for Asia.

Ely Ratner, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, stressed the importance of keeping lines of communication open with China.

Earlier in the month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited China, and climate envoy John F. Kerry is scheduled to visit from Sunday, with Beijing saying it is also open to a visit by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

Looming restrictions

U.S. diplomatic missions and reach-out to China may be undermined, however, as Washington pushes ahead with new restrictions on U.S. investments in Chinese companies involved in quantum computing, artificial intelligence and semiconductors, reported The New York Times.

The new restrictions were a key focus of discussion between Yellen and senior Chinese officials during her four days in Beijing, which concluded last Sunday.

During her visit to Beijing, Yellen repeatedly highlighted the fact that the restrictions were limited to several highly strategic sectors that affect U.S. state security and should not be interpreted as a blockade that sought to hold Chinas development back.

Its a line China is clearly not buying and the tensions between the two superpowers were further highlighted by Chinas official responses to U.S. hacking allegations.

The Microsoft-hosted U.S. government email servers that were breached by a Chinese hacking group were detected and fixed fairly rapidly, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Wednesday, despite Microsoft saying that the breach was only discovered a month after it happened.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin speaks during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Friday, June 16, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Liu Zheng





When questioned on Thursday regarding the allegations of the hack, Chinas Foreign Ministry urged the U.S. to account for its cyberattacks as soon as possible rather than spread false information and divert attention.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin used his press briefing on Wednesday to accuse the U.S. government of overseeing the worlds No. 1 hacking group  the National Security Agency  but otherwise did not comment on the claims about the hack, known as Storm-0558.

Shaky ground

China is seeking to engage ASEANs 10 members, predominantly through trade, in a strategic push to undermine U.S. influence in the region and challenge the existing American-led world order.

However, Chinas claim to almost all of the South China Sea limits its influence. Several ASEAN members, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, have overlapping claims and have welcomed the U.S. militarys presence in the region. China regards U.S. involvement as foreign interference.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signs a guest book as Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi looks on during the Indonesia-U.S. Ministerial Strategic Dialogue on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 14, 2023. Credit: Dita Alangkara/Pool via Reuters





Blinken continued to engage with ASEAN nations in a series of meetings on Friday.

Speaking after bilateral talks with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, he listed regions where the U.S. and China may come into conflict.

We must uphold freedom of navigation in the South and East China seas and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Blinken said.

Washington aims to work with Southeast Asian nations to push back against an upward trend in Beijings unhelpful, coercive and irresponsible actions in the South China Sea, a senior U.S. State Department official said last week, ahead of Blinkens visit.

Its not a matter of getting countries on board with the US view, said Daniel Kritenbrink, the US assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs. Its a matter of working with our ASEAN partners to advance our shared view and vision for the region.

This would require pushing back on behavior that runs counter to that vision and to those principles, including the many irresponsible acts that weve seen carried out by China over the last several years and in the last several weeks, he said.

Edited by Mike Firn.

Updated to include Blinken's comments on Friday.
Updated story at 1:40 pm EDT, July 19, 2023

A doxxing campaign that released the photos, full names and personal contact details of people who allegedly took part in Hong Kongs 2019 protest movement likely originated in China, new research has found.

The campaign took off around the height of the protests, in August 2019, and used websites and social media accounts branded "HKLEAKS" to exposed protesters, journalists and other people thought to be allied with the protests, according to a new report from The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto.

It cited "several peculiar features of this operation, from the dodgy Russian-based hosting of its web domains, to the synergy with Chinese state media, to the suspicious sourcing of the data used for the doxxing.

It concluded that Chinese government involvement was likely, despite claims that the doxxing  publicizing private information on the internet, usually with malicious intent  was being carried out by concerned "volunteers" fed up with the protesters.

"The majority of the evidence that we have identified is consistent with the hypothesis of a state-backed influence operation," said the report, titled "Beautiful Bauhinia.

Around 2,000 people were doxxed by the websites, which later also included pro-Beijing political news and commentary, the report said.

"The similarities in layout and language between HKLEAKS and the anonymous bounty campaign HongKongMob, which in turn closely resembled the example overtly set by the Hong Kong-based 803 Fund, could indicate an HK-based (artificial) campaign," it said in a reference to two other pro-China, anti-protest campaigns.

While sympathetic volunteers may have played a role, some of the information posted online was only available to the governments of either Hong Kong or mainland China, the report concluded.

Doxxing cards

The websites and social media accounts posted distinctive, downloadable "doxxing cards" that prominently displayed people's photos, names, dates of birth, home addresses, social media profiles, phone numbers and other sensitive information, according to snapshots of the sites still visible on the Wayback Machine, or Internet Archive.

"As the website quickly went down  to date the cause remains unclear  it was immediately replaced with a stream of new websites hosted on domains that all used the same hkleaks naming convention," the report said, adding that some of the source code for the sites contained pinyin spellings of Chinese words of a kind typically used in mainland China.

It said the HKLEAKS campaign was "designed to avoid attribution," using several identical websites registered in different locations around the world, all created around the same time, and lasted around two years from August 2019 to May 2021.

Ted Hui [left], a former Hong pro-democracy lawmaker, and Fu Tong, a 2019 protester both say they were doxxed by HKLEAKS. Credit: Provided by Ted Hui [left], and Fu Tong





It said the Hong Kong government had issued a takedown request, but then said it couldn't enforce it due to the different locations of the offending websites.

"The Hong Kong authorities could claim that their hands were tied with regards to the privacy violations HKLEAKS was clearly engaging in," the report said.

While the city passed anti-doxxing legislation in 2022, the amended law sought to protect police and other public servants from doxxing by protesters, not the other way around.

Never bow to the cockroaches

While thousands of protesters have been prosecuted on public order or "rioting" charges, police have largely avoided any accountability for their role in the violence, largely because they took measures to hide their identities when engaging in violent suppression of the protests, the report said.

"Starting in June 2019, police officers stopped wearing warrant cards on their uniforms and refused to produce them when requested, making it impossible to identify them individually," it said. "Some also began hiding their faces by applying a one-way-mirror privacy film to their helmets visors."

Some 1,400 complaints against police officers had been filed by December 2019, but none have been formally prosecuted, amid widespread criticism that the official complaints process is skewed against any real accountability.

The report added: "It is in this context that some protesters resorted to doxxing police officers."

A "solemn statement" on the original HKLeaks site claimed it was run by volunteers who only wanted the best for Hong Kong.

"We will never bow to the rioters and the cockroaches," it says, using a police slur for the protesters.

Label for life

Former 2019 protester Fu Tong, who now lives in the democratic island of Taiwan, said his details had appeared on the HKLEAKS site.

"It was really stressful, having all of my personal details made public," Fu said. "I moved house several times as a result, and I had to rent an apartment anonymously."

"There was the possibility of being arrested by police and jailed, but also that thugs would attack me," he said.

Fu said some of his potential clients have refused to give him work after researching him online and seeing him described as a "rioter" on one of the sites.

"I have that label for life now," he said. "It did serious damage to my reputation."

Former pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui said he was doxxed by HKLEAKS too.

"I've been paying close attention to these websites since 2019," Hui said. "There's no way they could get that level of detailed personal information from the public domain."

"I've always thought there was government backing for this," he said. "The Chinese Communist Party ... employs a great many hackers."

Jaw-Nian Huang, an assistant professor at Taiwan's National Chengchi University's National Development Institute, who studies China's psychological warfare operations, said the HKLEAKS campaign bore the hallmarks of Chinese government involvement.

"It's pretty obvious that the Chinese government has the role of disseminator in an information and communications operation -- this is a typical sharp power tactic," Huang said.

"The personal information of some protesters has been exposed ... misinterpreted and labeled in an attempt to manipulate information and influence people's ... perception of dissidents or supporters of protest movements," he said.

"It seeks to weaken the legitimacy of such movements, while enhancing and consolidating the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party regime," Huang said, describing the HKLEAKS campaign as a form of "information warfare."

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.

Updated to correct to The Citizen Lab instead of CitizenLab.
China has agreed to import half a million cows this year from Laos, but the landlocked Southeast Asian nation is having trouble filling the order due to a lack of capacity to produce them and high quality standards imposed by Beijing, Lao government officials and farmers told Radio Free Asia.

In June 2021, Laos launched a campaign to export 500,000 cows per year to China  to meet rising demand for beef  and its Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry heavily promoted cattle farming and provided training for farmers and entrepreneurs, Chinas official Xinhua news agency reported.

But before the end of July that year, Lao cattle and cattle products were banned due to an outbreak of the bovine lumpy skin disease, the Laotian Times reported.

The deal was back on in 2022, but Laos sent only 8,100 cattle to China last year.

China requires that cows must be of high quality, younger than 4 years, and weighing less than 350 kilograms (770 pounds). They also must be vaccinated for diseases.

Of 2,100 farms in Laos raising livestock, 143 raise cows for export to China, the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reported this year.

Low capacity

For its part, the northern province of Luang Namtha can only export 3,000 cows to China this year, an official from the Department of Livestock and Cattle for the northern parts of the country told RFAs Lao Service, asking for anonymity to speak freely.

Thats barely a tenth of the quota if it were evenly divided between Laos 17 provinces.

First [the province] will send 3,000 cows based on our plan at the end of August, the official said. Laos may not be able to get to the 500,000 mark [this year].

Even if the Lao government were to offer its total support, exporting half a million head of cattle is not possible, said an official from the agriculture and forestry sector in the northern province of Xieng Khouang.

The entire country cant send 500,000 cows to China per year even if the Lao government tries hard, he said. In August and September this year the government will try to raise awareness, telling villagers to raise cows and teach them how to raise them in order to get income for their families

Import standards

Chinas expectations for quality make half a million cows per year unrealistic, a cattle farm owner told RFA. Not only do they need to be young and healthy, they must all also be vaccinated.

Its impossible for Laos to send 500,000 cows to China, he said. China has so many conditions and rules to send cows to them. Sending cow meat to China is easier than sending live cows.

If Laos really wants to export that many cows yearly, the government must find ways to teach people to raise quality cows on par with its neighbor Thailand, a Lao animal husbandry expert told RFA.

Lao cows are of so low quality. The government must improve our cow raising ability in order for them to be send them to China, he said. Without an increase in quality China wont buy cows from Laos.

Translated by Sidney Khotpanya for RFA Lao service. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
Kachin Independence Army soldiers are seen at a camp near KIA headquarters in Laiza, Kachin state, Myanmar, May 2, 2023.

Fierce fighting between Myanmars military junta and an ethnic rebel group in the countrys northern Kachin state has raged for 13 days in a village close to the rebels headquarters, people living near the area told Radio Free Asia.

The headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, is in Lai Zar, and the military attacked Nam Sang Yang village, roughly 9.6 kilometers (six miles) away, on July 2.

The ethnic army has been aiding anti-junta local militias and publicly supporting the shadow National Unity Government  made up of former civilian leaders and other junta opponents  since the Feb. 1, 2021 coup that overthrew the democratically elected government.

The fighting is the latest spasm of violence in Myanmars civil war, which pits the countrys military against an array of ethnic armies and civilians-turned-fighters that call themselves the Peoples Defense Force.

Sources told RFA that the fighting has been a daily occurrence, as junta forces attempt to take Nam Sang Yang, while the KIA defends it. They are waiting for forces from another armed ethnic group, the Arakan Army, or AA, to enter the fray.

Nam Sang Yang lies at about the halfway point between the cities of Myitkyina and Bhamo, and taking it is the key for the junta to regain control of the road that connects them, Col. Nawbu, a KIA soldier in charge of news and information, told Radio Free Asias Burmese Service.

The fighting started in early July, and the junta troops got reinforcements from Bhamo and Mytkyina, he said. I think they are about a hundred strong, but thats not an exact number. We cannot say for sure what strategies the enemy is using.

Nawbu said that he thought the juntas aim was to retake the section of the road, but had no idea if they also had plans to try to also take Lai Zar the KIA headquarters.

Anything is possible, he said. Thats the nature of war. Thats why we are on high alert.

10 battles

At least 10 separate battles have been fought over the past 13 days, with junta troops employing heavy artillery on a daily basis, Nawbu said. Casualties have occurred on both sides, but he was not able to confirm exact details.

Nawbu expects the fighting to intensify and continue for several more days as the military reinforces its troops.

Fighting along the road will be fierce, as members of both the AA and KIA are stationed there to defend against the junta, residents said.

Residents of Nang Sang Yang village, Waingmaw township, Kachin state, try to flee the fighting between Myanmar junta forces and Kachin Independence Army, July 6, 2023. Credit: RFA

Since July 3, the road has been closed by soldiers on either side, and resources are running low in Lai Zar, where the KIA makes its headquarters, a resident of the town, who refused to be named, told RFA.

Many goods are out of stock here there will be no food and essentials left in my store by the end of this month, she said. I have to try to make sure I have something to sell.

Prices in Lai Zar are rising as items are harder to come by, the resident said.

Due to the fighting, people traveling to and from Myitkyina and Lai Zar have been trapped, and more than a thousand Nam Sang Yang residents have fled to Myitkyina, Waingmo and Lai Zar since the fighting began.

Airstrikes

Residents said the junta launched air strikes on nearby Ma Dee Yang village on the night of July 7, and they also fired heavy artillery in areas around Lai Zar.

I think the fighting will get more intense according to what I recently heard, a resident of Lai Zar said on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. They are still fighting now.

The Lai Zar resident said that he could hear gunshots and heavy artillery shelling targeting the areas surrounding the town.

These are sounds that are terrifying elderly people, children and pregnant mothers, he said.

We often hear the sound of heavy artillery shelling areas near Lai Zar. We hear gunshots off and on. The sounds of those shelling are terrifying for elderly people, children and pregnant mothers.

Win Ye Tun, social affairs minister and the juntas spokesman for Kachin state, told RFA that he did not know the situation of the fighting.

"I don't know about the battle. As I said before, we are helping people who have fled from there  providing them with rice, oil, money and we also visit them to check on them, he said.

Meanwhile, Hla Kyaw Zaw, an expert on Myanmar affairs, said that the junta is focusing on KIA-controlled areas because they suspect that the KIA is helping militia groups called People's Defense Forces, or PDFs, formed by citizens opposed to military rule.

Since the junta troops took a beating in Sagaing and other fronts, they might think that KIA is strongly backing the PDF in those regions, he said. But I think [the junta] wont be able to besiege Lai Zar.

Having the areas near its border controlled by ethnic groups could be strategically beneficial to China, he said.

"China is trying to influence both sides to solve the problems by peaceful means as much as it can. It is the way I see it. Especially the ethnic areas next to its border, China won't let them down."

Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
Ukraine has returned the bodies of 62 more fallen defenders, according to the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories.

"Today, the bodies of the killed Ukrainian servicemen were repatriated from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. It was possible to return the bodies of 62 more defenders. Four of them died in enemy captivity as a result of injury, illness and inadequate medical care," the Ministry of Reintegration reported on the Telegram channel on Friday.

As reported, the repatriation of the bodies took place with the assistance of the Ministry of Reintegration, the Commissioner for Missing Persons in cooperation with the Joint Center at the SBU, the Central Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other law enforcement agencies, departments and international organizations.

It is noted that "the transfer of the bodies of the killed military is carried out in accordance with the norms of the Geneva Conventions. After identification, the bodies of our defenders will be handed over to their relatives for a decent burial."
Authorities put refugees at risk by forcing them to be informants against criminal elements, HRW says.

A view of the Jamtoli camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, where several such camps host close to 1 million Rohingya refugees, Aug. 22, 2018.

Bangladesh is not doing enough to protect Rohingya from increasing violence by armed groups and criminal gangs operating in the refugee camps near the countrys border with Myanmar, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.

Some of these stateless refugees who fled from persecution in Myanmars Rakhine state are all the more vulnerable because Bangladeshi authorities force them to act as informants against criminal elements, the New York-based watchdog alleged in a new report.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas past pledges to protect Rohingya refugees are now threatened by violent groups and an indifferent justice system, said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

In response, the Bangladesh government and security officials acknowledged the difficulty of policing the camps in Coxs Bazar, a southeastern district where close to a million refugees live, but said they were doing their utmost to ensure safety. They also denied they were forcing anyone to act as informants.

HRW said it had documented 26 cases of violence against Rohingya, including murder, kidnapping, torture, rape and sexual assault, and forced marriage between January and April 2023.

Authorities have been forcing Rohingya leaders to serve as informants, putting them at grave risk of being abducted or killed, without access to protection, Human Rights Watch said in its report, adding that it interviewed 45 Rohingya and gathered supporting evidence, including police and medical reports, for its report.

Of the refugee population of nearly 1 million, about 740,000 Rohingya fled their home state of Rakhine for neighboring Bangladesh amid a brutal military crackdown in 2017.

Refugees told HRW that rebel groups such as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), and criminal groups such as the Munna gang, were the perpetrators of increasingly brutal crimes in the camps.

Several majhis [community leaders] who were killed or attacked over the past year were targeted by alleged ARSA members who considered them informants for Bangladesh authorities, the HRW report said.

Majhis said that authorities forced them to take part in nighttime watches, to join police raids, and to identify members of armed groups, at times in front of the suspects.

Rohingya cannot seek redress from police or courts when they have been victims of a crime, the report also said.

Instead, they must approach Bangladesh administrative authorities or security forces in the camps. Several families said they could not get the required approval from the camp-in-charge, a Bangladesh official, to file a report with the police, HRW said.

Others said they obtained permission to bring a complaint to the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) but could go no further, as the force has no civilian investigative function. Refugees who did manage to register their case at a local police station said there was no follow-up, often because they could not cover the bribes and legal fees demanded.

We face many challenges

Providing full security in the sprawling but dense camps is a tough task, the government and the Armed Police Battalion said.

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that a large number of people, whom he described as terrorists, were responsible for criminal acts in the camps.

While working for the security of the Rohingya, sometimes the members of our forces are also in danger, he told BenarNews.

It is not very easy to deal with the way crimes are being committed inside the camps. We have to gain a lot of momentum to fight it.

He denied that the Rohingya had no access to the police or courts.

An ABPn Superintendent, whose battalion patrols in the Coxs Bazar area, expressed similar sentiments.

Being a densely populated area, we face many challenges in carrying out our duties in the camps. Yet we are carrying out our duties risking our lives, said 8-APBn Superintendent of Police Farooq Ahmed.

He denied the police had forced any refugee to become informants for law enforcement.

Many times the Rohingya leaders keep in touch with the law enforcement agencies for the sake of the security of their people, he told BenarNews.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news service.
The military is stepping up attacks on townships that are resisting martial law.

A house in See San village, Kale township, Sagaing region, destroyed by heavy artillery fire on July 13, 2023. Credit: Chin National Organization

Junta forces targeted three Sagaing townships this week, killing four civilians and injuring 17, as they continued to try to impose martial law in the region, locals told RFA Friday.

On Wednesday the army turned its heavy artillery on Shwebo township, bombarding Tet Tu village twice, killing a man and injuring 11 people including a four-year-old child.

The child was hit in the abdomen and another seven people were critically injured, said a local, who didnt want to be named for fear of reprisals. The other three were slightly injured.

On Thursday the guns turned on Kale township, killing two people and injuring six.

A heavy artillery shell hit a house in See San village, killing a couple in that house," said a local, who didn't want to be named for safety reasons. "A child and a woman near her house were also injured.

The other locals were injured in attacks on two neighboring villages.

Locals said troops shell their villages nearly every day, and mine explosions are also common.

The junta also sent ground troops into Wetlet township Thursday, burning around 100 homes. Locals said an elderly man died in his home in Thone Sint Kan village.

"The column spent the night in Thone Sint Kan village Wednesday night and troops torched the houses when they left on Thursday morning, said a local, who also requested anonymity for safety reasons. An old man who was paralyzed died in the fire.

Around 40 homes are still standing but residents have fled the village and say they are afraid to return home until troops have left.

The junta has released no statement on the incidents and junta spokesperson for Sagaing region, Saw Naing, did not return RFAs calls.

The junta placed Shwebo and Wetlet under martial law last February but has struggled to seize control of the townships.

Junta leader Senior Gen.Min Aung Hlaing told a military council meeting in Naypyidaw Thursday that he needed to step up security due to serious violence in Sagaing region, Chin and Kayah states.

The continuing violence has brought widespread international condemnation and calls on this years Association of Southeast Nations chair Indonesia to put more pressure on ASEAN member Myanmar to end the fighting and restore democracy.

The latest came from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta Friday, he said Myanmars military rulers must be pushed to stop violence and implement the five-point consensus peace plan they agreed with the rest of the 10-member grouping two years ago.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.
Welcome back to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. To subscribe, click here.

I'm Mustafa Sarwar, a senior news editor at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.

The Key Issue

The Taliban ordered the closure of all teacher-training centers in Afghanistan on July 4, according to a letter circulated by its Education Ministry and obtained by Radio Azadi.

The order affects 49 teacher-training centers and 198 support facilities across the country, according to a source at the ministry who spoke to Radio Azadi on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Around 5,600 instructors and other staff were employed by the training centers. Created under the previous Western-backed Afghan government, the centers were aimed at improving the quality of education in the war-torn country.

In its letter, the Taliban did not reveal the reasons for its decision. But the militant group said employees of the centers could be given jobs in Taliban-run education facilities, although it is unclear how many would take up the offer.

The Taliban's Deputy Education Minister Sibghatullah Wasil, in an interview with BBC Pashto, suggested that the centers were inefficient and "had no plans, no work, and were not busy."

Why It's Important: The Taliban's decision to close the training centers appears part of its wider efforts to root out all forms of the modern secular education that thrived in Afghanistan after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 toppled the Taliban's first regime.

Since regaining power, the militants have converted scores of secular schools, public universities, and vocational training centers into Islamic seminaries, leading to a surge in the number of madrasahs in the country.

The hard-line Islamist group has also vowed to overhaul the national curriculum and build a vast network of madrasahs across the country's 34 provinces.

Last month, a Taliban education official, Abdul Wahid Tariq, said the group had so far built madrasahs in five provinces.

The Taliban's closure of the teacher-training centers will likely see thousands of instructors and educators lose their jobs.

"Cutting off the income of these people and making them unemployed will cause society and the families of the teachers serious problems," a Kabul-based teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Radio Azadi.

What's Next: The Taliban appears likely to continue what some activists have called its war on education.

The group has banned women from attending university and girls above the sixth grade from going to school.

The Taliban's efforts to eradicate secular education and replace it with radical religious instruction are likely to contribute to the spread of extremist ideologies in Afghanistan.

The Week's Best Stories

An Afghan refugee seeking asylum in the United States is now captivating audiences on-screen, portraying a character she has a lot in common with. In her first-ever acting role, Anaita Wali Zada plays a haunted young immigrant named Donya who finds herself beached in the northern California city of Fremont. Her new life: working in a factory, writing fortunes for Chinese cookies.

A court in Pakistan recently ordered the government to grant citizenship to the Afghan husbands of four Pakistani women. While it sets a precedent for a few hundred similar cases, the huge majority of Afghan refugees cannot get Pakistani nationality -- even those who were born and have lived in the country for decades.

What To Keep An Eye On

When the United States pulled out its forces from Afghanistan in 2021, it left behind billions of dollars' worth of military equipment and weapons.

The Taliban seized the arms after the fall of the internationally recognized Afghan government during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal.

Some of those arms are being sold in weapons markets in border areas with Pakistan with the consent of local Taliban officials, according to a new report by the Small Arms Survey.

The Switzerland-based research group says the Taliban has tried to tighten its control over the group's massive weapons stocks. But it said arms smuggling exists.

Why It's Important: The Small Arms Survey says the presence of weapons markets in Afghanistan increases the risk of arms proliferation in the region.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are home to dozens of militant groups, and observers have raised fears that U.S. weapons have fallen into the hands of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban, which is waging an increasingly bloody insurgency against Islamabad.

The Taliban has rejected the findings of the survey as propaganda, saying all weapons under the group's control are accounted for.

Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, recently accused the Taliban of selling U.S. weapons left behind in Afghanistan to Washington's "enemies," including Iran.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have.



Until next time,



Mustafa Sarwar



If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.
ERD, Hungary -- In the hills surrounding Erd, the grassy lots between new houses are likely to stay vacant for a long time. On June 28, the mayor of Erd -- a town of some 75,000 people just south of Budapest -- announced that, from July 15, construction projects already under way will be able to be completed but no new constructions would be permitted in the city. "I decided to take our fate into our own hands and deploy a 'nuclear weapon' for the local construction industry: a ban on changes," the mayor wrote in a Facebook post that attracted fierce discussion and hundreds of comments. This means that permits for construction cannot be requested or given until the new local building regulations have been adopted, he said. There is no indication when the new building regulations will be completed, with the mayor saying only that this "will take a lot of time."

Erd has seen its population nearly double since the 1980s. In contrast, Hungary's national population has steadily declined over the same period. Csozik told local media that "too many people have moved in, and the city's infrastructure cannot handle so many residents." He cites the supply of drinking water to new developments as the most pressing issue, but adds, "Transportation is also becoming difficult due to the number of cars. There won't be enough nursery and kindergarten places if this continues."

Levi, a student in Erd, says the town is attracting people emigrating from other regions of Hungary who want to work in the capital but dislike the noise and chaos of Budapest. "The transport connection is very good because this was one of the first railway lines to be built out of Budapest," he said while taking the half-hour train ride to the capital's Deli Station. "With my student card I pay 200 forints (around $0.60) for a return trip, so it's very easy." Apartment prices in Erd are not significantly cheaper than Budapest, with medium-sized apartments selling for the equivalent of around $185,000.

Csilla Mihalicz, a freelance journalist in Erd, told RFE/RL that reactions to the drastic measure have been mixed. Many locals feel "the city got full," she says, while others "approved the goal [of slowing development] but considered the tool too radical and arbitrary." Locals in the town who are supportive of the plan cite gridlocked streets and apartment blocks rising above quaint older properties, but several cases of people being significantly impacted by the construction ban have come to light. Bence Barocsai was just days away from submitting a construction plan in Erd that is now on ice. He responded to the mayor's announcement by saying, "We now have a 90 percent completed plan and building material worth tens of millions of forints, with which we cannot do anything. What do you suggest we do? Shall we patiently wait? Unfortunately, we can't wait, because as I mentioned before, we and many other people had plans that will impact our jobs and our personal lives."
The return of the so-called morality police to the streets of major Iranian cities has brought back fear and stress for women who choose to ignore the requirement that they wear the hair-covering hijab. But it has also been met with resistance by men and women alike, while lawmakers have questioned the effectiveness of the hard-line approach to enforcing compliance.

Iranians who spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Farda said the presence of the morality police -- officially known as "guidance patrols" that usually include male officers and women wearing black chadors -- is not as visible as it was before the patrols were scaled back after nationwide protests first broke out against the hijab law last autumn.

I really don't know where they want to get with this method, but in my opinion, if they want to continue this way, confrontations will start again."

"Before, when we went on the street, they had a stationary vehicle, or a vehicle that was moving on the street," Leila Mirghaffari, a women's rights activist who lives in Tehran, told Radio Farda on July 17, a day after the return of the morality police was announced. "They haven't yet dared to encroach like before. But they are present, mostly in main squares."



Mirghaffari described the decision to redeploy the morality police, coming after the monthslong protests had largely wound down, as a distraction aimed at creating "fear and terror" among the population.



"It creates mental and emotional problems for us. It's stressful, and it occupies our thoughts and those of our families," Mirghaffari said. "When we want to leave home and come out to the street, at any moment we may travel a route where morality police patrol and are stationed to arrest people."



Nevertheless, Mirghaffari and others suggested, the patrols are largely ineffective and have even given new life to resistance against the authorities' efforts to enforce the countrys strict Islamic dress code.



Some Tehran residents who spoke to Radio Farda said that many women simply put on a hijab when they spot the morality police before quickly removing them once out of sight. And in some cases where women have been harassed or threatened by morality police, fellow citizens -- male and female alike -- have pushed back.



Almost immediately after the authorities announced on July 16 that the morality police patrols would resume, residents of the northern city of Rasht took to the streets to protest an attempt to arrest three women for allegedly violating the hijab requirement.

The situation reportedly escalated into clashes between demonstrators and police, who used tear gas to disperse protesters, some of whom were chanting against Iran's clerical establishment.



"I really don't know where they want to get with this method, but in my opinion, if they want to continue this way, confrontations will start again," said a male Tehran resident who requested anonymity while answering questions on WhatsApp.

"Personally, if I see them taking a girl into a van, I will step forward and shout so as not to let them take them. That's how things are, and I think most people now are like me. They don't want the Mahsa incident to happen again and for another innocent girl to be killed."



The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September, soon after she was arrested for allegedly violating the hijab law, sparked the nationwide protests that lasted months and prompted a crackdown that led to the deaths of more than 500 people. Amini's death became the cause celebre for thousands of women and men who took to the streets to show their opposition to the hijab law.

Amid the protests, there were reports that the authorities had disbanded the morality police, although other reports indicated that they never really went away in some cities. But the issue also prompted the clerical establishment, which views the hijab as key to its interpretation of Islam, to introduce revisions to the country's Chastity and Hijab Law that would introduce stiffer penalties for noncompliance, including up to three years in prison for repeat offenders.



While the hijab has been compulsory in public for women and girls over the age of 9 since 1981, shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution ushered in the clerical establishment, the requirement is often flouted, particularly in urban areas.



The Chastity and Hijab bill, which is awaiting parliamentary approval, has been fodder for intense debate -- with some lawmakers saying it does not go far enough to make women comply with the hijab requirement and others questioning the effectiveness of forcing women to comply.



Following the announcement that the morality police patrols would resume in many Iranian cities, lawmaker Vali Esmaili, who heads the parliament's social commission, said that the body would unlikely be involved in the effort.



He also said that before resuming the patrols, "we should first look at the state of society to see if such actions have been effective in the past 43 years."



The Chastity and Hijab bill also proposes penalties, including the confiscation of automobiles, against drivers or passengers of vehicles in which women are not in compliance with the hijab requirement.



"When I'm driving, I have to wear a hijab," a woman who resides in Tehran told Radio Farda following the redeployment of the morality police, explaining that she has had her vehicle impounded four times for failing to wear the hijab. "But when I get out and move away from the car, I take off my head scarf. Many times, I just put it in my bag. Sometimes, when I see that the conditions are bad, I keep it around my neck, but I am still without a hijab in the street."



The woman said that she has not personally seen any morality police since they returned to the streets of Tehran. But she has heard eyewitness accounts of the presence of marked morality police vehicles in the northern city of Shahriar, in Tehran Province, where she said most women wear head scarves and those who do not could be seen without a hijab not far from the morality police.

WATCH: Masses of demonstrators are turning out throughout Iran, where some are shouting down police enforcement of strict religious dress codes for women.



"There are the odd ones out who are without a hijab, and they were 100 or 200 meters away from the morality police," she recalled being told of the current situation.



She said that even before the morality police returned to the streets, her experience in dealing with them showed that they were reluctant to enforce the hijab requirement.



"It's pretty clear that they're tired of this matter, but it seems like they have orders from above," she said.



That is far from the norm, according to the activist Mirghaffari, who painted a dark picture of the morality police, whose involvement in human rights violations has led to Western sanctions.

"The morality police are truly violent. They are really repressive. They have no humanity," said Mirghaffari, who added that she has been arrested by the force several times. "The morality police are really trained for savagery and for causing distress to the point that someone like Mahsa Amini could be killed. And they have no fear at all."



Others who spoke to Radio Farda were incredulous that the authorities would reintroduce the morality police amid public frustration over Iran's dire economic situation.



"The issue is not the hijab. The real issue is the terrifying inflation and high prices," said the man who answered questions by WhatsApp. "But they are only fixated on the hijab. They are playing with everyone's nerves, whether man or woman, whether with a hijab or without, they are bothering everyone."



The renewed protests, which included women carrying placards bearing the "We won't go back!" slogan that became popular during anti-hijab demonstrations, suggests that efforts to force women into compliance will be met with continued resistance.



"Look, our girls are fighting and know that there is no way back for us and we are not going back, and our answer to them wanting to forcibly put a hijab on us is, 'No!'" said Mirghaffari. "This is a big step we have taken to reach our other desires and we will never go back."

Written by Michael Scollon based on reporting by Mehdi Tahbaz and other Radio Farda correspondents.
A fourth day of Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea port installations on July 21 set grain storage facilities in the Odesa region on fire and destroyed a huge amount of food stored for export, causing damage and injuries, regional officials and the military said, as fighting continued along the whole eastern front.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said that Russia launched Kalibr-type cruise missiles from vessels in the Black Sea, destroying a grain terminal and wounding two people.

Unfortunately, a grain terminal of one of the agricultural enterprises of the Odesa region was hit. The enemy destroyed 100 tons of peas and 20 tons of barley. Two people were wounded in the explosion," Kiper said.

Kiper said that, at first, two missiles hit the granary, causing a fire, then a third missile struck while firefighters were trying to extinguish the flames.

"Another missile hit the same enterprise, damaging agricultural and rescue equipment. A fire on an area of more than 200 square meters was quickly extinguished," Kiper said.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said that up to four P-800 Onyx cruise missiles hit infrastructure targets south of the city of Odesa.

"Unfortunately, our means of detection and destruction are not enough to cover the entire territory of Ukraine and destroy incoming missiles and drones," Ihnat said.

In Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said its navy carried out a live fire "exercise" in the northwest Black Sea on July 21, just days after the Kremlin said that cargo ships en route to Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea would be regarded as potential military targets.

The Black Sea Fleet "carried out live firing of anti-ship cruise missiles at the target ship in the combat training range in the northwestern part of the Black Sea," the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.

On July 20, Russian missiles struck the Odesa and Mykolayiv regions, killing two people, wounding another 20, including five children, and causing extensive damage to port installations and stored grain.

The strikes also hit residential areas in the center of Odesa and Mykolayiv, setting large areas on fire.

The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said that grain terminals and port infrastructure in the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk were targeted. In Chornomorsk, 60,000 tons of grain were destroyed over the past several days, the ministry said.

Russia's Defense Ministry has said the series of strikes on southern Ukraine targeted facilities where it claimed Ukraine was building seaborne drones of the type that Moscow says damaged a bridge in the annexed region of Crimea.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the Russian strikes had "deliberately" targeted sites in the Odesa region that are used to export grain after Russia refused to extend the grain deal.

Zelenskiy met on July 21 with military commanders to discuss the situation at the front and about the grain initiative.

Work continues to protect ports and the infrastructure of the grain initiative, he said, adding he had instructed the commanders to prepare an action plan for the continuation of the grain corridor and to work out the next diplomatic steps.

In New York the UN's political affairs chief told the Security Council on July 21 that Russia's attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports risk "having far-reaching impacts on global food security, in particular, in developing countries."

Rosemary DiCarlo also said threats about the potential targeting of civilian vessels in Black Sea waters -- made by both Russia and Ukraine -- are unacceptable.

"Any risk of conflict spillover as a result of a military incident in the Black Sea -- whether intentional or by accident -- must be avoided at all costs, as this could result in potentially catastrophic consequences to us all," she said.

The Black Sea escalation comes as Kyiv reports a new attempt by Russia to return to the offensive in the northeast.

"The enemy continues to focus its main efforts on Kupyansk [in the Kharkiv region], Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka and Maryinka [in the Donetsk region], where 32 close combat battles were fought over the past day," the General Staff of Ukraine's military said on July 21.

Ukrainian defenders in Kupyansk repelled attacks by Russian troops southwest of Masyutivka, the military added.

Germany meanwhile announced that it has handed over the first 10 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine. In a message, the German Defense Ministry said the new package of military aid also included 20 MG3 machine guns for tanks and armored vehicles, 1,035 155-millimeter shells and smoke ammunition, among other items.

On July 20, the United States said U.S.-supplied cluster munitions are being deployed in the field. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the munitions are having an impact on Russian defensive formations and maneuvering.

"We have gotten some initial feedback from the Ukrainians, and they're using them quite effectively," Kirby said at a news briefing.

In its daily intelligence update, Britain's Defense Ministry said that up to 20,000 Russian convicts recruited by the Wagner mercenary group were killed in fighting in Bakhmut over the past several months.

Russian forces spearheaded by Wagner mercenaries captured Bakhmut in May, following months of intense and bloody fighting.



British intelligence said that, while it was a rare recent Russian military success, the battle for Bakhmut was also "one of the bloodiest episodes in modern military history."

It estimated that at its peak, Wagner had some 40,000 convicts under contract early this year.

It said that the last convicts recruited under the so-called Project K program are likely to be released over the next several days, but it estimated that many will probably stay on as contract fighters.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz feminist activist and single mother Altyn Kapalova says she wont be deterred by the death threats she has received over her campaign to allow mothers to give their children a matronymic instead of the traditional patronymic if they so wish.

Many Kyrgyz in the former Soviet republic still use the Russian-style patronymic, an addition to ones first name that derives from a fathers first name with the ending evich or ovich for boys and evna or ovna for girls.

The campaign by Kapalova led to an unprecedented ruling by the Kyrgyz Constitutional Court two weeks ago to allow adult citizens to swap their patronymic to a matronymic based on their mothers first name.

Kapalovas campaign to legalize a matronymic began in late 2020 when she decided to change the names of her three children, giving them her own surname and a matronymic in place of their fathers names.

Explaining her decision, Kapalova said the fathers of her children were absent from their lives, never provided any moral or financial support, and often created legal problems by refusing to sign parental-consent forms.

Kapalova challenged the existing rules through several courts, including the Supreme Court that upheld the lower courts ruling that prevented Kapalova from giving her children matronymics.

But the Constitutional Court decided on June 30 that the Kyrgyz Law On Acts Of Civil Status -- which only allows patronymics -- is discriminatory and unconstitutional.

The court ruled that citizens at the age of 18 or older can swap their patronymic with a matronymic if they wish.

The court, however, ordered that children will still be given patronymics from birth to prevent them from bullying in Kyrgyzstans patriarchal society.

Kapalova, 39, said the court decision marks a partial victory for her. She vowed to continue her campaign until a child can have a matronymic from birth.

Kapalova, who runs a feminist art museum in the capital, Bishkek, said her cause hasnt been activism but that its a family issue for her and her children.

Divided Opinions

In an interview following the court ruling, Kapalova said she faced death threats and even calls for her to be thrown out of Kyrgyzstan, a Muslim-majority Central Asian nation.

I am not going anywhere. That is only your wishful thinking, she said.

Public opinion has been divided on the court ruling that effectively legalized matronymics.

Some welcomed the court ruling as a step forward in gender equality. But others condemn it as pro-Western propaganda and incompatible with traditional Kyrgyz values.

Many women wrote online that it was a victory for single mothers who face legal hurdles in making important decisions for their children -- such as taking them to the hospital and changing their school -- without a consent letter from absent fathers.

Many Kyrgyz mothers raise their children alone with little or no financial support from their former husbands, many of whom work in Russia.

Thank you on behalf of all single mothers, Nurjanai wrote on Instagram. I have long been angry about this, but my small protest was only limited to me using my mothers name on my Facebook account. I would not have the strength to fight against the system.

Amazing news, wrote Kyrgyz social-media user Aliya Tulibaeva. I entirely support your position.

You demonstrated that even one person can change the system, wrote Leila Salimova.

Critics wrote that people like Kapalova should have no place in Kyrgyzstan and that her children will face harassment because of their matronymics.

A radical feminist.... Only after you learned how to get pregnant and have children without the participation of men, you then want to give matronymics to your children, commented Aisha Sharapova. I feel sorry for your children.

These kinds of people should be sent to exile to Siberia like in the past, wrote another on social media.

Opinions were divided among Kyrgyz politicians, too.

There is no such thing as a matronymic. Whoever approved it, they must cancel it too, said Kamchybek Tashiev, the head of the State Committee for National Security. This is my personal stance, the security chief added to his Facebook comment.

Presidential adviser Cholponbek Abykeev said he was against the use of matronymics as it goes against Kyrgyz cultural norms.

We, the Kyrgyz people, have a tradition that requires us to know the names of our seven ancestors from the fathers side. Knowing your ancestry means preserving your genetics and origins, he told RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service. To know the names of your ancestors, we need to preserve your fathers surname.

But Kyrgyz author Olzhobai Shakir argued that the latest court ruling on family names reflects the reality of peoples lives today.

There are many men in our society that dont fulfill their parental duties and abuse children. This is not only about women, but also about children too, she told RFE/RL.

We must not deny people [the right] to get a family name of their choice just because we have had certain traditions, Shakir said.

Written by Farangis Najibullah in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service
A special-needs girl was one of at least 23 people killed in a July 14 missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya. Until the very day of the attack, the childs mother had documented the struggles and joy of raising a child with Down syndrome.

These photos of Iryna Dmytriyeva and her daughter Elizaveta were taken in a lavender field near Vinnytsya in early July.

One week after these flower-themed photos were made, several Kalibr cruise missiles struck Vinnytsya, a city to the southwest of Kyiv and far from invading Russian forces.

The missiles killed at least 23 people, including Elizaveta, who was 4 years old. Her mother, Iryna, lost a leg in the attack and is reportedly in a coma.

Iryna wrote that she and her partner learned that Liza was a special-needs child while she was still in the womb.

"When we learned about the pregnancy, we were extremely happy. The perfect picture of the family was immediately drawn in our heads. But fate decided differently," Iryna recalled in an Instagram post. "We were about to go through pain, disappointment in others, humiliation, and fear."

Iryna says she was told by medical experts: "You are young. Why do you need a sick child?"

The couple chose to go ahead, despite knowing their baby would have serious health issues. Both were determined "to show Liza the world, not hide her between four walls."

When Liza was 7 months old, she underwent heart surgery. In the hospital, Iryna described watching "how our girl was taken out of the operating room and transferred to intensive care. Covered in wires, drips.... So small and defenseless." After more than five hours of waiting, the parents were told the operation had been a success.

In June 2019, Iryna announced that "Liza sat down herself! Without support!" She added: "Only a little thing for some, but for us it's incredible. For us, Liza is a fighter and a hero, a strong little girl whom we love to the point of madness."

"For us mothers of special-needs children, every new skill is a great joy -- behind which is a lot of work," Iryna wrote.
Romania's Family and Youth Minister Gabriela Firea has resigned, the second member of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu's leftist-led government to become a casualty of a national scandal over revelations about the abusive treatment of people interned in a complex of private retirement homes near Bucharest.

Firea announced her resignation in a Facebook post on July 14 after a private meeting with Ciolacu, who is also her Social Democratic Party (PSD) boss.

"I had a meeting with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu several minutes ago and I handed in my resignation as minister for family, youth, and equality of chances," Firea wrote.

Firea's resignation came a day after Labor Minister Marius Budai left the government after it was revealed that he ignored an official warning from an NGO about the abuses perpetrated at three retirement homes operated in Voluntari, a small town on the outskirts of Bucharest, by an organization called St. Gabriel the Brave.

The organization's owner, Stefan Godei, was arrested by organized crime police after two Romanian investigative media outlets, Centrul de Investigatii Media (Investigative Media Center) and Buletin de Bucuresti (Bucharest Residence Permit), revealed earlier this year and police concluded this month that dozens of elderly and disabled people were being starved, beaten, drugged, tied to their beds, and denied basic hygiene in Godei's retirement homes.

Firea, a former PSD mayor of Bucharest, came under fire when documents published by the media showed that Godei had been her employee and occasional driver during her 2016-2020 mayoral stint. Furthermore, her husband, Florentin Pandele, has long been the PSD mayor of Voluntari.

Both Firea and Pandele have been vehemently denying any responsibility for the longtime abuses.

Despite abundant evidence to the contrary, Firea repeatedly claimed she did not know Godei personally, while Pandele denied having any personal knowledge of the abuses although the neighbors of what has been dubbed "the houses of horror" lodged several complaints with the Voluntari town hall.

The scandal prompted a national outcry with increasing political ramifications, leaving newly appointed Ciolacu rushing to contain the political fallout for his party by ordering a sweeping nationwide investigation of all similar institutions.

More than 1,000 homes were raided by authorities, and 13 have been permanently closed while 43 were temporarily suspended.

Anti-organized-crime police detained 26 suspects, and four of them were subsequently arrested while 11 others were placed under house arrest.

For the past two years, PSD has been in an uneasy coalition with the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) that saw Ciolacu taking the rotating helm of the government just weeks before the scandal broke out.

Ciolacu, who is the PSD leader, appears increasingly preoccupied by next year's parliamentary, local, and presidential elections.

What may be even more important for Ciolacu's political future is that Firea also gave up, "momentarily," as she put it, the leadership of the PSD branch in Bucharest, although she had been said to have her eyes set on another mayoral candidacy in the Romanian capital, or even a run for Romania's presidency -- two positions that Ciolacu might be interested in for himself, according to some reports.

In the meantime, as politicians are vying to make the most out of the crisis that incumbent President Klaus Iohannis has called "a national shame," the revelations about the treatment of the elderly and the disabled are sure to open an old wound in Romanian society more than three decades after horrific images from communist orphanages shocked the world.

With reporting by Eugen Tomiuc
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that 48 hours before the start of the Vilnius summit, there was no mention of an invitation for Ukraine in the text of the communique, and words about a political invitation to NATO did not appear in the statement, because key partners "are afraid of speed."

"I think the reason here is that our key partners, who really determined how far NATO can go in Vilnius, are afraid of speed. That is, they absolutely agree that Ukraine will arrive at its destination and will be a member of NATO. There is no doubt about it. But they have a fear that if one drives too fast, he can get into an accident. And they want to avoid it. They want to get to this point safely," Kuleba said in an interview with ICTV.

To the host's clarifying phrase that the allies could have made a political invitation for Ukraine, which "actually obliges little to anything," Kuleba noted that the Ukrainian side gave various arguments and the discussion lasted for months.

"I want to say that as of Sunday, that is, 48 hours before the start of the summit, there should not have been a single mention of an invitation for Ukraine in the text of the Communique at all. In 48 hours, thanks to very intensive and reasoned communication with partners, primarily with the United States and Germany, we managed to advance them. And they agreed that the word invitation can be in the text or should be in the text. But in the end it appeared there only in the wording that we see," the Foreign Minister said.
I'm Steve Gutterman, the editor of RFE/RL's Russia/Ukraine/Belarus Desk.

Welcome to The Week In Russia, in which I dissect the key developments in Russian politics and society over the previous week and look at what's ahead. To receive The Week In Russia newsletter in your inbox, click here.

A "traitor" was welcomed to the Kremlin and a Russian field commander lashed out, echoing the invective that preceded the Wagner mutiny last month. Meanwhile, NATO pledged staunch support for Ukraine but wouldn't say when it can join. And after more than 500 days, Russia's invasion raged on.

Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.

Hosting The 'Backstabber'

What happens in the Kremlin stays in the Kremlin -- until it's revealed much later in a statement that, if true, means previous statements were flat-out lies.

That's what happened in the wake of the stunning but short-lived mutiny by Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenary force last month.

On June 29, five days after the mutiny in which Wagner fighters seized the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and marched to within 200 kilometers of Moscow, also shooting down Russian military aircraft and killing 13 air-force personnel, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin's administration did not know Prigozhin's whereabouts.

Eleven days later, the story changed: Putin had met with Prigozhin for three hours in the Kremlin on June 29, Peskov told reporters. He said that 35 Wagner commanders were invited and that Putin delivered "an assessment of the June 24 events" -- a laconic way of referring to what many analysts agree was the biggest challenge to Putin in nearly 24 years as president or prime minister.

The flip-flop seems certain to reflect uncertainty in Putin's administration about how to handle the mutiny in terms of propaganda. Putin had already taken a 180-degree turn in the space of several hours on June 24, calling the revolt a "stab in the back" by "traitors" and then agreeing to a resolution that at least for now allows Prigozhin and others to escape prosecution.

Clearly, the content and tone of Peskov's remarks were part of a Kremlin effort to play down the significance of the rebellion -- to portray what was widely seen as a game-changer, a sign of weakness from which Putin could probably never recover, as instead a mere blip or a bump in the road. And even to cast it as show of strength on Putin's part and of loyalty on the part of the Russian people.

The Wagner commanders who met with Putin at the Kremlin "underscored that they are staunch supporters and soldiers of the head of state and the commander in chief," Peskov said. And while Putin later commented on the meeting in a short interview with a Kremlin-friendly journalist, it's hard to know for sure whether it actually took place at all, let alone whether Peskov's claim about assurances of loyalty is accurate.

Meanwhile, though, Prigozhin and a top Russian armed forces commander seen as his ally, General Sergei Surovikin, have not been seen in public since the rebellion, which may be a way for Putin to portray himself as in control by hinting that they are in custody -- or at least that they are not free to travel, speak, and do as they please.

After The Mutiny

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed "people familiar with the situation," reported on July 13 that Surovikin was being held and questioned in Moscow and that about 15 senior Russian military officers had been suspended from duty or fired since the mutiny.

But the challenge to Putin remains, and the reverberations of the mutiny are likely to be felt for a long time.

One of those reverberations came on July 12, with the emergence of a strongly worded audio message is which a top Russian field commander said he was summarily dismissed after complaining to top brass about the situation on the front lines in Ukraine.

In any case, the mutiny and its fallout underscored how Putin's decision to launch a full-scale war against Ukraine, which he said was a forced move that was necessary to ensure Russia's security, has done the exact opposite.

Also highlighting how Putin has harmed his country's security rather than enhancing it: The NATO summit that was held in Vilnius this week, with Ukraine as its focus.

One of the ways Putin has sought to justify the invasion is by saying that if Ukraine were to join NATO, or play host to NATO weaponry, it would pose an intolerable threat to Russia's security -- and even its sovereignty.

'Nothing Extraordinary'

He and other officials have gone further than that as well, suggesting that Russia had to ignite the biggest war in Europe since 1945 because Ukraine, backed by the West, was about to launch a major offensive in the Donbas, where Kremlin-backed forces seized parts of two provinces in 2014 in a war that continued to simmer until the full-scale invasion of 2022, and potentially against Russia itself.

This is false -- as was pointed out by Prigozhin, of all people, in remarks hours before the Wagner mutiny got under way.

There was "nothing extraordinary happening" on February 24, 2022, Prigozhin said, meaning that there was no such threat. "Now the Defense Ministry is trying to deceive the public, deceive the president, and tell a story that there was some crazy aggression by Ukraine, that -- together with the whole NATO bloc -- Ukraine was planning to attack us."

At that time, there was also no indication that Finland, Sweden, or Ukraine would soon join NATO. But as a result of the invasion, Finland -- which shares a long border with Russia -- is now a member, while Sweden is poised to join soon, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to stop blocking its accession. And Ukraine, long lukewarm or on the fence, adamantly wants in.

Ukraine wasn't expected to get an invitation at the July 11-12 summit, and it didn't. But what it did get fell pretty far short of what it had expected, or at least what it might have been satisfied with: a clear path to membership, with a timeline attached.

'Uncertainty Is Weakness'

Technically, Ukraine did come one significant step closer to joining NATO: The alliance said that it will not require Kyiv to receive and fulfill a Membership Action Plan (MAP). That opens the door to a faster accession process once members are ready to bring it in.

But there was no escaping the drab, disappointing nature of this key passage in the NATO summit communique, which was vague on what Ukraine must do to get in but made plain as day the fact that there is no consensus on when Kyiv can join a group that has been telling it for 15 years, since a summit in Bucharest in 2008, that it will one day be a member: "We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when Allies agree and conditions are met."

Ahead of the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that for Russia, ambiguity on when Kyiv might be able to join NATO "means motivation to continue its terror. Uncertainty is weakness."

Zelenskiy was more upbeat as the summit concluded, saying it marked "a significant security victory" for his country and "removed any doubts and ambiguities about whether Ukraine will be in NATO."

But despite U.S. President Joe Biden's statement after the gathering that NATO was "more united than ever," Putin seems likely to see its results as a sign that Western unity could still unravel, turning the tide of the war in Moscow's favor.

The summit is "more likely to be remembered for what it didn't do, than what it did," Sam Greene, director of democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said in a comment published on July 12. "Moving beyond the Membership Action Plan for Ukraine was, in fact, a significant step, but Ukraine remains without membership and without a real plan for getting it."

"Unless the allies can move swiftly to clarify the conditions that will need...to be 'right,'" he said, "the vagueness of NATO's commitment to Ukraine will invite unproductive game-playing from the alliance's less responsible members and encourage Moscow to keep trying to chip away at allies' resolve."

The Killing Persists

Meanwhile, the war goes on, and Russia continues to try to break the resolve of Ukrainians, killing and maiming civilians in attacks on cities and towns across the country while its troops try to hold back a major Ukrainian counteroffensive that began last month.

Last weekend, Russia's full-scale invasion passed the 500-day mark -- and as time goes by, Ukraine faces both new attacks and the anniversaries of particularly atrocious events.

A year ago on March 16, for example, Russian forces bombed a theater in the Azov Sea port city of Mariupol, killing hundreds of adults and children seeking refuge there.

Today, July 14, marks one year since a Russian missile strike killed 27 people in the city of Vinnytsya, hundreds of kilometers from the front lines.

Amid those grim reminders of the recent past, a harrowing new report by the Associated Press adds to the evidence that Russia plans to occupy as much of Ukraine and control as many Ukrainians as it can for as long as it can, and take more if possible.

"Thousands of Ukrainian civilians are being detained across Russia and the Ukrainian territories it occupies, in centers ranging from brand-new wings in Russian prisons to clammy basements. Most have no status under Russian law," the report says. "And Russia is planning to hold possibly thousands more."

That's it from me this week. The next edition of The Week In Russia will appear on July 28.

If you want to know more, catch up on my podcast The Week Ahead In Russia, out every Monday, here on our site or wherever you get your podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts).

Yours,

Steve Gutterman
The Kremlin has refused to elaborate on the future of the Wagner mercenary group after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the private military company, which mounted a short-lived mutiny last month, has operated without a legal basis.

There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesnt exist, Putin told the Russian newspaper Kommersant three weeks after a brief revolt that posed the most serious threat to the Russian leaders 23-year rule.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a conference call with reporters refused to elaborate when asked about Putins comments to Kommersant in an interview published on July 14.

While the Kremlin said there was no legal entity named Wagner and the legal status of such companies was a complicated one that required consideration, it has previously admitted the government has paid the group billions of rubles.

Putin told Kommersant that he offered the private military company the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under their same commander, who goes by the call sign "Gray Hair" and has led the private army in Ukraine for 16 months.

The commander, Andrei Troshev, is a retired military officer who has played a leading role in Wagner since its creation in 2014 and faced European Union sanctions over his role in Syria as the group's executive director.

All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin told the newspaper, And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along.

Putin had previously said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to Belarus, or retire.

Putin emphasized in the interview that rank-and-file soldiers of Wagner have fought honorably in Ukraine, adding that its a cause for regret that they were drawn into the mutiny.

Putin's remarks appeared to be part of efforts to denigrate Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin while trying to maintain control over Wagner mercenaries and secure their loyalty. The fate of Prigozhin remains unclear.

Putin described a Kremlin meeting attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including Prigozhin, on June 29, five days after the rebellion. He said he offered them alternatives for future service, and many signaled their approval, but Prigozhin did not.

Putin didn't mention where and in what numbers Wagner could be deployed under his offer or say what proposal the forces eventually accepted, if any.

Some of the mercenaries were shown on July 14 in a Belarusian state TV broadcast instructing soldiers in Belarus at a military range southeast of Minsk.

The broadcast showed Wagner instructors training Belarusian territorial defense forces at a firing range about 90 kilometers southeast of Minsk.

"Wagner fighters acted as instructors in a number of military disciplines," the Belarusian Defense Ministry's television channel said. State news agency BelTa also reported that Wagner troops were training Belarusian soldiers.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry didn't say how many Wagner troops were in Belarus or specify whether more will follow. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has previously said it was up to Prigozhin and the Russian government to decide whether to move to Belarus.

Lukashenka, who brokered the deal to end the rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for Prigozhin and his men and permission for them to move to Belarus, has said Prigozhin is in Russia, while Wagners troops are in their field camps.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
DUSHANBE -- Tajik prosecutors say they are continuing to search for the body of a well-connected banker who -- according to officials -- was kidnapped and killed by a group of gangsters and former law enforcement officers three weeks ago.

Shuhrat Ismatulloev, the deputy director of Orienbank, went missing late last month near his home in the capital, Dushanbe. Ismatulloev, 49, was deputy to Orienbank Director Hasan Asadullozoda, the brother-in-law of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

Tajik authorities -- who usually are tightlipped about details of high-profile crimes -- said the banker was forced by four men into a car with tinted windows and driven away at around 8 p.m. local time on June 23.

In an unusual step, the Interior Ministry offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the kidnappers.

The ministry also issued what it described were images of the car taken by security cameras.

New Twist

In what initially seemed to be irrelevant to Ismatulloevs kidnapping, news broke on June 30 that a Tajik national had fatally shot two airport officials in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau.

Rustam Ashurov, 43, reportedly opened fire on Chisinau International Airport security personnel after he was denied entry into Moldova after flying from Turkey, Moldovan officials said.

Ashurov had grabbed a gun from a guard who was escorting him and began shooting, officials said. He died in hospital on July 3 from the injuries he sustained when security officers subdued him.

Moldovan police told reporters that Ashurov had worked for Tajikistans law enforcement agencies for seven years but was fired after committing a crime. Police said Ashurov had also served a prison term.

Shortly after the attack -- while Ashurov was still hospitalized -- Tajikistan announced that he was a suspect in Ismatulloevs kidnapping.

Moldovan authorities said they had no information about Ashurovs past when he was detained at the airport.

He was held at the border because he could not clearly explain the reason for his arrival and the purpose of being in Moldova, according to Ion Munteanu, Moldovas acting prosecutor-general.

Suspects Named

A week later, the Tajik Prosecutor-Generals Office claimed Ismatulloev had been killed by his abductors several hours after he was kidnapped, though it did not offer proof.

It said in a July 7 statement that Ismatulloev was taken to a house in the village of Shodob, outside Dushanbe, where he was beaten, tortured, and subsequently killed by his kidnappers. The bankers body and the car were thrown into the Zarafshon River, it added.

The crime was allegedly plotted by 40-year-old Dilshod Saidmurodov, who set up a 10-man armed criminal group to carry it out. The group had initially planned to kidnap Ismatulloev in March 2022, but the plan fell apart, authorities said.

Five of those involved have already been arrested, while four others fled the country, the prosecutors office announced. The names of the five suspects were not disclosed.

Officials issued the names and photos of the four fugitives, two of whom -- including Saidmurodov -- allegedly fled to Russia. Two others -- including Ashurov -- flew to Turkey.

Sources close to the investigation told RFE/RLs Tajik Service that Saidmurodov previously worked in law enforcement agencies.

Saidmurodovs employment records include working for the Interior Ministrys department against organized crime and a stint with the Anti-Cybercrime Unit within the General-Prosecutors Office, the sources said.

Saidmurodov had also worked for the state anti-corruption agency but had been unemployed in recent years, one of the Dushanbe sources said.

RFE/RLs Tajik Service also established that Ashurov had been imprisoned in 2012 for armed robbery and stealing some $100,000 from currency exchange shops. A source close to the Dushanbe city court said Ashurov was released from prison about two years ago.

Ashurov's Confession?

In another unexpected turn of events, mobile phone footage appeared on social media that purportedly shows a final phone call between Ashurov and his mother.

RFE/RL cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video in which a man -- said to be Ashurov -- admits to taking part in Ismatulloevs kidnapping, witnessing his killing, and disposing of his body.

He says the motive was money, what else?!

According to his account on the video, the men kidnapped Ismatulloev not to kill him but to force him to hand over some $200 million in bitcoins that the banker allegedly owned.

But Saidmurodov beat him so much that he died, the man said, adding that he then helped to throw the bankers body into the river.

They wont catch [Saidmurodov] alive -- he will kill himself too, he said.

Ashurov allegedly made the video call from the Chisinau airport after killing the two officers.

I just killed two people, he said, pointing to the bodies on the floor.

I am in the customs area [of the airport] now, he tells the woman said to be his mother, as she cries hysterically on the phone. Another woman -- purportedly Ashurovs sister -- can also be heard crying in the background with her mother.

No public comments have been made by Ashurovs relatives in Dushanbe.

The video was allegedly recorded by Ashurovs sister as the mother and son spoke on the phone. It remains unclear how it was leaked to social media.

Also, its not clear how Ashurov was able to freely make a video call while the bodies of the guards he killed laid on the floor with no airport personnel in sight.

Tajik authorities havent mentioned the video or possible motive behind the mysterious crime that has gripped the corruption-ridden Central Asian country.

Authorities say theyre still looking for the bankers body. The fate of Saidmurodov and the two other alleged fugitives is unknown.
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Ukrainian soldiers never stop eyeing the sky in the battle to retake territory held by Russian forces. Ukrainian antiaircraft rockets can stop the incoming kamikaze drones but these often put the defending soldiers at risk.
KYIV  One year ago around midday, Iryna Dmytriyeva was strolling in Victory Square, in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya, along with her daughter Liza. They were heading for an appointment with a speech therapist, to help Liza, a vibrant 4-year-old whose struggles with Down syndrome  as well as her joys and accomplishments -- Iryna had documented on social media.

The city was hit by cruise missiles, several believed to have been fired from a Russian submarine in the Black Sea. Liza was killed on the spot, one of 27 people, including two other children, who died in the July 14, 2022, attack. Iryna was badly wounded and was hospitalized briefly in a coma.

We raised our heads together and saw a rocket right above us. It fell on the House of Officers, in that direction. I thought, Thats it, Dmytriyeva told Current Time. I leaned on the stroller. My face was next to Lizas. Then an explosion, the earth shook.

I sat down near the stroller and started screaming. My phone rang in my bag. My mother called; she was waiting for us in the center, and, of course, the explosion was heard everywhere, all over Vinnytsya, she said.

I told her that Liza was killed by a rocket, and hung up, she recalled. I called my [former] husband and said, Liza was killed, and Im dying too.

Thousands if not tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed over the 17 months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sending troops to seize territory and pummeling the country with missiles and drones targeting not only military facilities, but also homes, civilian buildings, electricity grids, and water pumping stations.

Liza was one of those killed by a Russian missile.

In an interview on July 11, Dmytriyeva said she remains numbed by the pain of losing her daughter. And angry.

Even if all of Russia is destroyed, it will not bring back our loved ones, she said, speaking by video from her home in Vinnytsya.

A lot of people are involved in this war, she said. "Justice will be done when absolutely all [Russians who are guilty of war crimes] are destroyed to the last drop of blood."

'Every New Skill Is A Great Joy'

Liza was born to Dmytriyeva and her then-husband -- the couple later split -- in March 2018. Before she was born, doctors had cautioned that Liza would be a special-needs child. She underwent heart surgery at 7 months.

In a running chronicle of her challenges and adventures raising Liza, Dmytriyeva, now 34, wrote that they were determined "to show Liza the world, not hide her between four walls."

"For us mothers of special-needs children, every new skill is a great joy -- behind which is a lot of work," she wrote in one post to Instagram.

In the aftermath of the attack, Dmytriyeva was also hospitalized, with traumatic injuries to one leg and shrapnel wounds throughout her body. Her memories dulled by anesthesia and pain medications, she said she briefly forgot about her daughter and that doctors and relatives lied to her, not wanting to upset her while she was recovering.

I woke up and saw a lot of people around me. I asked: 'Liza is dead?' she recalled. No one answered me. I started screaming, and then I dont remember anything.

"Why? Why did you save me?" Dmytriyeva said she asked the doctors.

Before the February 2022 invasion, Dmytriyeva stayed in regular touch with relatives in Russia: her mothers cousin and her children. After the invasion, disagreements began, she said, and it was hard, if not impossible, to stay in touch.

After Lizas death, Dmytriyeva said, relatives called Dmytriyevas mother to express condolences. Dmytriyeva herself, she said, refused to talk to them.

For me, these people do not exist, and I dont want to know anything, she said. For me, this country is completely dead.

Dmytriyeva said her chronicles of raising Liza had drawn a sizable audience and followers, on Instagram, including many Russians, some of whom faced similar challenges with their children. In the months after the invasion  before and after her daughters death -- many in Russia began to unfollow her, she said, as her posts also featured criticism of Russians for the invasion.

After the tragedy, even some people from Russia told me: I'm sorry. We wont be able to communicate with you, since you have become a threat to us, Dmytriyeva said.

After undergoing more surgeries and recovery at a hospital in Austria, Dmytriyeva returned home, and she volunteers to help groups for children at orphanages who have special needs.

She also continues to write about being a parent to a Down syndrome child, trying, she said, to break down stereotypes and misconceptions about what that means.

Liza was ordinary for me, albeit with some special qualities, she said. Before the war, she went to an ordinary kindergarten. In the evening I picked her up, we constantly walked, had a busy time, played, she went to speech therapists and other specialists. Absolutely normal development in a child.

Yes, it was a little difficult, but everything is possible. We have special children who are immediately buried, she said, referring to social expectations about special-needs children.

She said in Western countries that isnt the case.

Why is it so in the West, but in our country, it is different? she said.

When I feel that I can do at least something to solve problems for special children in Ukraine, it warms my heart, she said. I understand that I am on the right track, on the right road.

Written by Mike Eckel based on reporting by Current Time correspondent Kateryna Hatsenko
8 Female cadets train near Kyiv. "It's quite difficult for girls to find the right underwear to feel comfortable in," Nykorak said. "Underwear for combat missions, which is used by the military, is different from that worn by civilians," she added.
The largest one-time military aid package  which includes 100 armored vehicles from the Bulgarian police stockpile, mostly infantry carrier vehicles  was sent to Ukraine in what was Sofia's first official decision to help Kyiv with heavy equipment, Bulgarian authorities announced on Thursday.

As Euractiv reported on Friday, the military equipment was bought 40 years ago to carry out the so-called Revival process and it has never been used.

"At the same time, it generates costs for storage and maintenance. [] The Ukrainians will ensure this technique is useful to them," member of the governing coalition We Continue the Change  Democratic Bulgaria Ivaylo Mirchev said.

The decision on the armored vehicles was announced only a week after the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Bulgaria.

The publication also said that this is the first military package from Bulgaria to Ukraine about which information has been published. The military aid until now was secret, but the unofficial information was that Bulgaria was helping Ukraine with ammunition.

Bulgaria hopes to receive replacement military capabilities from the United States after providing the armored vehicles. The Bulgarian army has announced an order for nearly $1 billion to purchase modern Western armored vehicles for the infantry, but the procedure has not yet been completed.

In December last year, the caretaker government of President Rumen Radev refused to send the old Soviet S-300 anti-aircraft systems, which Bulgaria and Ukraine want, in exchange for receiving modern U.S. air defense systems worth $200 million. The new pro-EU Bulgarian government hopes the Unites States offer is still valid.

"Radev is very concerned about the Bulgarian army, but he missed the chance. We saw that a modern air defense system also shot down Putin's supersonic missiles in Ukraine," Mirchev said.
Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided psychological assistance to residents of Kherson region who suffered from flooding as a result of the Russian occupiers undermining Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (HPP).

"Since the first days of the disaster, teams of volunteers from Khmelnytsky, Mykolaiv and Odesa regional organizations of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society joined in helping the victims. They provided them with first psychological aid and psychosocial support," the society said on Facebook on Friday.

Volunteers have worked with both adults and children at stations where evacuation trains and buses arrived, as well as at evacuation points. They have provided psychological support to about 640 victims.
DOZENS of excited dogs - and their equally enthusiastic owners - descended on the Dearne Valley for a fun-filled afternoon of games, contests and wagging tails.

The Collie Chaos event was held in Wath by collie owner Sheila Yerrell to raise money to rescue and care for unwanted pets.

MP John Healey opened the meet-up, which included a demonstration by the Sheffield Flyball Team.

The sport involves teams of dogs racing over hurdles.

Gill Batson, who was among those looking on, said: This is a great sport and lots of cheering from the spectators proved to make each team determined to win.

There was also a have a go session for dogs that have never tried flyball before.

More than 40 rough collies from across the country - and one owner all the way from New Zealand - met up in the grounds of Wath Hall for the afternoon, raising more than 700 in the process.

Prizes were also handed out for several classes.



Collie Chaos Jean Wild with Lucky and Poppy (Photo Credit: Dave Poucher)

A dog show took place for different classes, and Sheilas own nine-year-old collie Bribon, who was originally from Cadiz in Spain, took the title of Best Rough Collie, under the expert handling of Matt Anderson.

Peter Vernon and Goldie won the Best in Show title while Eric Lee with Rory took best in show from the fun classes

Event organiser Sheila said: It went really well and I didnt have one complaint.

Some people had come from far away.

There was one lady, Grace Tibbets, who came from New Zealand and it was quite a shock when she turned up.

The Flyball team brought a real energy to the event - even a little chihuahua-cross got involved.

It is mainly for collies and their owners but its open to the local community, too.

There were also representatives from a variety of dog and pet organisations, including the South Yorkshire Ambulance who provide a 24-hour emergency service for sick dogs and other pets.

Gill added: Many thanks to judge Martin Frostick, who had a difficult decision in picking the winners, and all who were involved in the day, from the organisers and volunteers to people who supported the event.
THE songs will go on for a dementia charity  after a 500 donation helped extend an interactive music scheme.

Maltby-based Lost Chord UKs Soup and Song scheme involves free 90-minute sessions featuring Lost Chord UK musicians, community singing and a light soup lunch.

After a successful trial at St Gerards Catholic Church in Thrybergh last year, the project was extended to cover Maltby, Dinnington, Kimberworth, Ravenfield and the New York Stadium in Rotherham.

Now the winning blend of music and companionship is coming to Wales Kiveton Methodist Church thanks to a 500 donation from the Gripple Foundation  the charity and community arm of the South Yorkshire manufacturer.

Lost Chord UK chief executive Clare Langan said: Paul Joynes of Wales Kiveton Methodist Church reached out to me as he had heard how amazing our sessions were and asked if we could bring Lost Chord UK magic to his community.

The monthly sessions are expected to begin at the church on September 14.
THE SCHOOL term ended with a touch of glamour and an awesome backdrop for Winterhills Class of 2023.

Students dressed to impress in dinner suits and ballgowns as they held their graduation ball at Wentworth Woodhouse for the third time.

While some arrived in the traditional prom transport of stretch limousines, others went for something a bit different, with motorbikes and supercars roaring up to the stately homes grand doors.

Behaviour lead Simon Jeffrey said Wentworth Woodhouse  the grade I-listed mansion which is being restored to its former glory - was a perfect setting to celebrate the students success.

He added: The night involved our famous students awards, which also sees our King and Queen crowned.

Students had food in the Marble Hall with an ice cream van outside serving desserts.

They went out in style by having professional portraits done and finished off the night with lots of singing and dancing.

Were so proud of them.
ROTHERHAM Conservatives claimed victory in a key by-election in Dinnington, with the town remaining a Tory stronghold ahead of next years general election and all-out local elections.



Business owner Julia Hall, came out on top last night as she was announced the winner of the by-election in Dinnington, beating Labour's John Vjestica by 244 votes.



She was able to increase her partys vote share in the historic mining town after her predecessor, former Conservative councillor Charlie Wooding, stepped down from Rothertham Council following a suspension over attendance issues.



Ms Hall told the Local Democracy Service: Im excited, proud. I cant wait to represent the ward where my family lives and my business is.



I loved being part of a team, they are amazing. Its just nice and Im humbled. Im a little bit speechless  which is not me. Its overwhelming, I think. Ill do my best.



I just love people and helping people, so thats all I want to do. Im ready.



Alexander Stafford, the Rother Valley MP, was very much involved in the campaign.



He said Ms Halls win sent a clear message: the Conservatives are here to stay in the Rother Valley.



Mr Stafford said: Its a clear vindication that the Conservatives are winning in Rother Valley and winning in Dinnington.



Its a very, very good win; better than last time and it shows were here to stay.



Its a clear message from Dinnington that were not going to be neglected by Rotherham Council.



Weve got 12m from the government, we have to make sure Rotherham Council spends it wisely. The other message was to stop building in the green belts and start listening to us now.



Rotherham needs to remember that its a borough council, not just a town council.



Ms Hall is joining fellow Conservative councillors Sophie Castledine-Dack and Ben Whomersley in Dinnington.



Results

Julz Hall, Local Conservatives 1064 ELECTED

Tony Harrison, Reform UK 61

Peter Robert Key, Yorkshire Party 28

Paul Neville Martin, The Green Party 59

Matt Mears, Liberal Democrats 262

Dave Smith, Independent 196

John Vjestica, Labour Party 820

Spoilt papers: 6

Turnout: 27.38 per cent
PUPILS across Rotherham went into lockdown this morning following a threatening email reportedly being sent to several schools.

The Advertiser understands more than ten schools were sent the chilling message, the writer of which threatened a violent attack.

No incidents were actually reported at any schools but emergency protocols were followed from the start of the school day until lunchtime.

A police spokesperson said:  We are currently investigating reports of malicious communications being sent to schools across Rotherham this morning.

 At this time we are satisfied these reports are malicious communications and pro-active enquiries are taking place to establish the identity of those sending them.

One school source said classes had gone into a partial lockdown, with windows closed and blinds drawn.

He said pupils were unfazed by the process, which they had practised before.
Meeting

Meeting aimed to gather information and ensure effective coordination

CHANDIGARH: In line with the directives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Brahm Shankar Zimpa convened a meeting with Mohali district administration and police officials to discuss the prevailing situation in flood-affected areas. The meeting aimed to gather information and ensure effective coordination in providing assistance to those affected by the floods.

During the meeting, Minister Brahm Shankar Zimpa emphasized the importance of ensuring that government aid reaches the affected people promptly. He called upon the officials to prioritize the needs of the affected communities and work diligently to address their requirements in a timely manner.

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Meeting

Expressing concern over the situation, Minister Zimpa appealed to the central government to extend their support to Punjab during this challenging period. He urged the central government to come forward with an open heart and provide the necessary assistance to alleviate the impact of the floods.

The recent heavy rains and subsequent flooding in various parts of Punjab have caused significant damage and disruption. The state government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has been actively engaged in relief efforts and mobilizing resources to support affected individuals and communities. Minister Zimpa's meeting with the Mohali district administration and police officials demonstrates the government's commitment to assessing the ground realities and coordinating relief efforts effectively.
The Russian hacking group Armageddon is becoming increasingly active in the IT systems of Ukrainian public institutions, therefore the State Service of Special Communications and information Protection of Ukraine asks, in particular, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to immediately contact the Cybersecurity Center if the device lacks an EDR class protection software (not antivirus) to have appropriate software installed.

"Specialists of the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (CERT-UA) acting under the SSSCIP have analyzed current tactics, techniques and procedures employed by the UAC-0010 (Armageddon/Gamaredon), one of the most active and dangerous russian hacking groups. As mentioned earlier, the group includes former 'officers' of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who have betrayed their homeland and started ministering to russian federal security," the State Special Communications Service said in its press release on Friday.

Cyberspying against Ukrainian security and defense forces is the groups key objective. Additionally, there is at least one known case of destructive activity at an information infrastructure facility.

According to the CERT-UA, the number of infected computing devices operating mostly within information and communication systems of public agencies can reach several thousands at a time.

"How they attack. The hackers mostly use emails and messages in instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal) they send from earlier compromised accounts as a primary compromise vector. The most widespread method is sending an archive containing an HTM or HTA file, initiating a chain of infection upon opening," cyber experts explain the mechanism of an adversary's attack.

As reported, there is an option of spreading malware through infecting removable storage media, legitimate files (especially shortcuts), as well as through modifying Microsoft Office Word templates, thus infecting every document created on the device by adding a respective macro.

"Within 3050 minutes following the initial infection, the perpetrators are able to steal files with the extensions .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .rtf, .odt, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, .pdf, .ps1, .rar, .zip, .7z, .mdb, mostly by using GAMMASTEEL malware products. A device operating in the affected status for about a week may contain 80 to 120 or more malicious (infected) files, apart from the files to be created on removable media that have been connected to the device during this period," CERT-UA experts said.

More details on the group's cyberattacks and recommendations to enhance security are available on the CERT-UA official website at: https://cert.gov.ua/article/5160737.

"Besides, specialists of the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine urge soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to contact the ITC Cybersecurity Center (m/u 0334; email: csoc@post.mil.gov.ua) at once if your device lacks an EDR class protection software (not antivirus) to have appropriate software installed," the service said.

"Computing devices, located outside the protection perimeter, especially those using Starlink terminals for online access, are at higher risk. With no proper protection technology in place, both individual devices and the entire system (network) of a unit are exposed to higher risks of cyberattacks. In case of a detected exposure upon the indicators specified by the CERT-UA, please report to the ITC Cybersecurity Center immediately," according to the press release.
The Switzerland stock market ended on a firm note on Friday thanks to brisk buying at several frontline counters.

The benchmark SMI ended with a gain of 88.53 points or 0.8% at 11,110.19, slightly off the day's high of 11,114.37.

Partners Group shares soared 12%. Partners Group said client capital commitments totaled $8 billion in the first half of 2023, down from $13 billion in the year-ago period, and that it had $141.7 billion under management, improving from $135.4 billion at the end of last year.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the company CEO David Layton reiterated guidance that there is potential to increase assets under management by 10 to 15% annually.

Lonza Group climbed about 2.5%. Sika, Geberit, Roche Holding, Sonova, Richemont and Logitech gained 1 to 1.7%.

Swiss Re and Swiss Life Holding ended modestly lower. UBS Group and Zurich Insurance Group edged down marginally.

In the Mid Price Index, Meyer Burger Tech rallied 5.1%. Straumann Holding, Belimo Holding, Lindt & Spruengli, Swiss Prime Site, Bachem Holding, DocMorris and SIG Combibloc gained 1 to 2%.

Swatch Group ended lower by about 2.4%, Barry Callebaut lost 1.67% and Clariant declined 1.1%.

Data from the Federal Statistical Office showed Switzerland's producer and import prices declined for the second straight month in June, falling by 0.6% year-on-year, faster than the 0.3% fall in the previous month. The expected decrease was 1.2%.

The producer price index climbed 1.7% annually in June, while import prices registered a decrease of 5%. On a monthly basis, producer and import prices remained flat in June versus a 0.3% drop in May.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Humanising pedagogy by celebrating ethical leadership

By Pedro Tabensky, Lindsay Kelland, Mapula Maponya and Nolwandle Lembethe*

The Allan Gray Centre for Leadership Ethics (AGCLE) is thrilled to announce its partnership with the Career Centre and sponsorship of the annual Top 100 Student Awards. Henceforth, the awards will be known as the Rhodes University & Allan Gray Centre for Leadership Ethics Top 100 Student Leadership Awards.

These awards present an opportunity not only to recognise, honour and celebrate the work and leadership ability of some of our most outstanding students but also to inspire all our students to strive for excellence and to mirror back to our institution the kinds of students it wishes to produce.

The central aim of the AGCLE, as mandated by its late benefactor, Dr Allan Gray, is the cultivation of ethical leadership. At a recent Management Board meeting, Professor Barney Pityana, who has been a member of our Board since its inception, reminded us again of the reason for the establishment of the Centre and challenged the university with the following paraphrased remarks:

The challenge that we face is how to become a university in the proper sense. What are the essential elements of a university? More than teaching and learning, it is about becoming humanof humanising.

These aims are also central to our Universitys Vision and Mission, and in his foreword to our newly-updated Institutional Development Plan (IDP), our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, commits us to much the same vision of what a university ought to be. In his words:

Through our teaching, research, community engagement and extracurricular or co-curricular activities, we are committed to producing outstanding graduates who are curious and innovative, analytical, articulate, resilient, balanced and adaptable; graduates with a lifelong love of learning; graduates who are knowledgeable and skilled; graduates who are critical and democratic citizens and ethical leaders who are committed to the values of human understanding, social justice, human development and service to society; graduates who are committed to human rights and environmental justice; graduates who will not be content with only seeing our society or the world as it is but can imagine a better society and a better world and can work with courage, dedication and conviction for the betterment of our society and the world.

In 2022, two members of our academic staffDr Lindsay Kelland and Ms Mapula Maponyaserved on the panel for the then newly-established Ubuntu Award, an award that recognises students who embody the spirit of ubuntu in their service to Rhodes University and the Makhanda community as a whole. They both found themselves inspired by the work of many of our students who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of those around them. They were struck by the fact that these students were not only precisely the kinds of students that Dr Gray had in mind when he tasked the AGCLE with fostering and supporting leadership at Rhodes University, but also embody the attributes our University hopes to instil in its students.

Indeed, the Top 100 student leaders model the holistic personal growth and graduate attributes the AGCLE and Rhodes University hope to encourage and foster in all our students.

Rhodes University should support these students in developing their already outstanding leadership abilities. Working to develop these students aligns with the third strategic goal of our IDP, particularly with one of the measurable objectives set against this goalnamely, Provid[ing] comprehensive and coherent leadership development and training opportunities for students.

The AGCLE is committed not only to providing the funding necessary to honour and celebrate our student leaders but also to providing support, mentorship and training to these students and to creating the kinds of spaces where they can further grow by engaging with one another and by working to benefit all Rhodes University students.

The Top 100 gives concrete expression to Rhodes Universitys mottoWhere leaders learnand inspires us towards something even more significant, a vision of Rhodes as a place Where ethical leaders learn.

*Academic staff members at The Allan Gray Centre for Leadership Ethics (AGCLE)
Former ANC secretary general Ace Magashule [CREDIT: Mail & Guardian]

By Ian Sieborger

How much significance should we read into Ace Magashules expulsion from the ANC, and will it have ripple effects on coalition possibilities for the 2024 elections? A look at Junes news coverage of the ruling party raises these questions, and reminds us of the deep moral gutter South African politics has descended into.

Two men dominate coverage of the ANC in my database of Junes top online news stories from IOL, News24 and TimesLive: Magashule, the partys former secretary-general, and his successor, Fikile Mbalula. The names of both men show a strong statistical association with the word ANC in these news articles. Thus although Mbalula and Magashule are bitterly at odds with each other, both are used to paint the picture of a party in desperate moral decline.

Magashules axing from the ANC made the word expelled another strong association with the ANC in Junes news. His expulsion has been a long time coming. He was arrested in November 2020 for his role in the Free State asbestos scandal, which cost taxpayers R225 million, and is currently out on bail. He refused to step aside from his party position and instead tried to suspend his own party leader, Cyril Ramaphosa.

To add to all this, it is alleged that during Magashules tenure as Free State premier, the provincial government dished out close to R1 million a year each for three of its officials and another private individual to study for an executive masters in business administration at a university in Washington DC. A week after Magashule was kicked out of the ANC, Ramaphosa approved a Special Investigating Unit inquiry into these bursaries.

In response, Magashule has played an old Zuma-esque card, claiming a political conspiracy against him, saying that all allegations against him are politically motivated, given his political beliefs, which were poles apart from that of the president and his allies who now dominate the ANCs national executive committee, the partys highest decision-making body. His blaming of the Ramaphosa camp is one of the reasons the word allies is strongly associated with the ANC in Junes news.

As a recent Mail & Guardian editorial pointed out, Magashule is exactly the kind of corrupt leader the ANC should be giving the boot.

One of the first reactions of Magashules supporters to his expulsion was to burn ANC T-shirts, causing the word shirts to show a strong association with the ANCs name in the news. In South Africa, political party T-shirts are frequently mentioned in the news as symbols of identity and loyalty, as I found out during my PhD research on the Daily Suns coverage of political parties in 2015. At the same time, Magashules supporters in his Free State heartland decorated a coffin with Mbalulas name on it, saying that the expulsion of their leader would be the death of the ANC. Magashule himself did nothing to rein them in.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula during a briefing at Luthuli House.

In a foul-mouthed tirade, Mbalula retorted, There is no one who is going to kill the ANC, even those who wear party T-shirts saying they are ANC, only for them to go and burn the same T-shirts. Ramaphosa had asked Mbalula to meet Magashule on Tuesday 27 June, but following these antics, Mbalula called off the meeting.

Mbalula himself is now under the spotlight for possible corrupt dealings. Affidavits have been produced claiming that he took a loan of R3 million from what was supposed to be National Lottery grant money to help him buy a luxury house in Bryanston, Johannesburg. As yet the details of whether the loan really existed and what happened to the house, which now has a preservation order on it from the Special Tribunal, are unclear. As an editorial comment from GroundUp, which broke the story, says, In the best-case scenario Mbalula did not act corruptly in relation to the Bryanston house. But he unequivocally showed poor judgment in getting involved with the people who have now written affidavits implicating him.

Meanwhile, Magashule says he has started talks with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Patriotic Alliance with a view to joining them. The possibility of starting his own party has also not been ruled out. He has claimed that he has already influenced voters in a small Free State town, probably Fateng Tse Ntsho near Paul Roux in the Free States Dihlabeng local municipality, to vote for the EFF in an April by-election, resulting in the party winning the ward.

News24 reported that one of the conditions that Magashule has placed on the table, whether he joins the EFF or forms his own party, is that he wants like-minded parties, mainly those formed by former ANC members such as Cope and the UDM as well as those that have similar goals such as the ATM [African Transformation Movement] and the Patriotic Alliance to form a coalition that would challenge the ANC. Such discussion of possible alliances in the 2024 elections made coalition another word strongly associated with the ANC in online news from June. As News24 points out, such a coalition could threaten the DAs moonshot pact too.

And so Magashule has become a political wildcard that could reshuffle the coalition possibilities ahead of the elections. In my view, any opposition party would be crazy to welcome him. Although he is clearly a wily politician, the size of his following beyond the Free State is unclear. More importantly, Magashules presence would erode any pretence a party could have of opposing corruption and state capture. If the EFF accepted Magashules condition and started looking to form a coalition with other opposition parties rather than the ANC, such a coalition would probably be doomed to failure.

What we can learn from South Africas post-apartheid history is that voting patterns do change, but they change slowly. This means that if the ANC dips below 50% in 2024, it is likely that either a ruling coalition would need to include the ANC, or it would have to be made up of almost all the opposition parties, in other words, a Democratic Alliance-EFF-plus-plus coalition. The policy differences between the DA and EFF and disintegration of previous DA-EFF attempts at cooperation in municipalities makes such a coalition unlikely.

But what the Magashule/Mbalula saga does highlight is the moral bankruptcy of many of our current political leaders. The fact that parties are lining up to attract a disgraced political strongman out on bail to join them speaks volumes about their lack of principles. The fact that his successor in the ANCs powerful position of secretary general has been implicated in possible corruption and obvious poor judgment does not inspire confidence either. And when leadership is unethical or incompetent, it is the poor and most vulnerable who suffer the most. South Africa needs and deserves far better leadership than this.

Ian Sieborger is a senior lecturer in the department of linguistics and applied language studies in the faculty of humanities at Rhodes University.

Original article: https://mg.co.za/thoughtleader/2023-07-10-magashule-vs-mbalula-icons-of-south-africas-leadership-malaise/
Rhodes University Board of Governors Chairperson and alumnus, Mr Andile Sangqu.

Rhodes University welcomes the appointment of its Board of Governors Chairperson, alumnus and the Executive in Residence at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Mr Andile Sangqu, to the position of the chair of the Transnet Board.

Mr Sangqu was appointed by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Pravin Gordhan, this week. Minister Gordhan said the new appointment would strengthen the group's corporate governance and put Transnet on a firm strategic path.

Mr Sangqu has previously served as the executive head for Anglo-American in South Africa and served as an executive director on the Anglo-American South Africa board.

In this role, he worked with the South African-based businesses to help deliver the groups strategy in the region, provide leadership and co-ordination to the groups stakeholder relations initiatives in South Africa, and facilitated regional alignment with the groups central functions.

I consider it to be a singular honour to be afforded the opportunity to serve the [Transnet] Board and the country in this capacity at this time in our history, said Mr Sangqu.

Mr Sangqu has been serving as a member of the Rhodes University Board of Governors (BoG) since 2014. In May 2019, he was elected Chairperson of BoG and is currently serving his second term as the Chairperson.

Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, congratulated Mr Sangqu for a thoroughly deserved appointment.

Mr Sangqu has the professional, intellectual, and business pedigree required for leadership at this level. He is more than equal to the challenges that will come his way as he serves as the Board Chairperson at Transnet. We know that he can pull the entity onto a much better trajectory. He possesses a formidable agency, acumen and deep-rooted patriotism required in this role. As Rhodes University, we are immensely proud of him and his achievements and have confidence that he will serve the board and the country with great distinction. We warmly congratulate him on his appointment, said Professor Mabizela.

Mr Sangqus qualifications include a Bachelor of Accounting Science (Honours), a Bachelor of Commerce, a Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy from Rhodes University, a Masters degree in Business Leadership, Higher Diploma in Tax Law and he completed an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) at Insead Business School. He also holds an HCCM (Higher Certificate in Christian Ministry) and is an accredited Lay Preacher in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.

Mr Sangqu was previously the Group Executive of sustainability and risk at Impala Platinum and brings extensive commercial, mining and stakeholder relations experience from his former executive and board roles.

Before his role at Impala Platinum, Mr Sangqu was Executive Director for Glencore Xstrata South Africa. He served on the Chamber of Mines National Development Plan Committee and held executive and non-executive roles at Kagiso Trust Investments. He served as a Director of Business Leadership SA, Vice-President of the Minerals Council South Africa, and Deputy Chairperson of NEPAD Business Foundation. He is an independent non-executive Director of Tongaat Hulett and PSG Consult.

Mr Sangqu is completing his PhD studies at GIBS.
Latin NCAPs recent assessment shows Citroen C3 crash test with 0 stars

Citroen C3 is among the most affordable models in the French companys portfolio both here and abroad. The car is sold in India and Latin American markets, while there is a different C3 altogether for Europe and UK markets. A made-in-Brazil Citroen C3 scores 0 stars in Latin NCAPs recent assessments.

It is alarming to see a major European brand overlook crash safety for Latin American countries. Said vehicle scored among the lowest in Latin NCAPs crash tests and sheds light on Stellantis overall performance with their cars in the Latin American market in the safety department.

Citroen C3 crash test scores 0 stars

Recently, Jeep Renegade, another Stellantis conglomerate vehicle scored 1 star in Latin NCAP test and in contrast, Volkswagen Taigun which was tested in a similar timeframe, scored full fat 5 stars. Said Citroen C3 is Brazil-made. India-spec C3 and C3 Aircross look identical to Brazil-spec, but there are a few mechanical changes.

Citroen hasnt revealed whether the chassis is identical with Indian and Brazilian models or not, but they both have CC21 codename and feature CMP platform. Upcoming GNCAP or Bharat NCAP tests should show results for the Indian Citroen C3 crash test.

Speaking of results, Citroen C3 crash test scores 0 stars in Latin NCAP. This test rating is a culmination of adult occupant safety, child occupant safety, pedestrian safety and safety assist systems. Citroen C3 Brazil-spec scored 12.21 points in adult occupant safety which constitutes 31% of total score.

Child occupant safety was 5.93 points, which is 12% of the total points. Pedestrian safety systems segment saw the highest score with 50% by bagging 23.88 points. And safety assist systems resulted in 35%, which accounts for 15 points.

Where does it lack?

Said Citroen C3 had 2 airbags for front occupants and seatbelts had load limiters, but lacked pretensioners. Seat Belt reminders are standard along with ESC. Latin NCAP declared the body shell as unstable in frontal impact. It didnt meet R32 norms for whiplash protection and UN R32 norms for rear impact structure requirements.

Stephan Brodziak, Latin NCAP Chairman said: It is shameful that Stellantis, which knows how to develop safer cars at affordable prices, has designed a car with such poor safety as the Citroen C3. A car of this nature represents an offense to the health and integrity of Latin Americans, who are equally vulnerable in a crash or run-over situation as the inhabitants of those countries where Stellantis would never dare to sell a car with such low safety.

As Latin American consumers we strongly call on Stellantis to stop producing cars that are a risk both for their occupants and for other road users. Vehicle safety labeling, including Latin NCAP star rating, is a key tool to have safer cars in the region. We also call on the governments of each country to incorporate this tool as soon as possible for the benefit of the population and the economy.
As opposed to the previous alleged on-road price of Rs. 3.39 lakh, Triumph Speed 400 prices will be between Rs. 2.68 lakh to Rs. 2.87 lakh on road

With Royal Enfield as the target, Triumph launched its newest motorcycle, Speed 400, at an attractive price point of Rs. 2.33 lakh (ex-sh). The new motorcycle is a result of Bajaj-Triumph strategic partnership. Thanks to this, Triumph now has opened a brand new portal for a new range of audiences.

Though the ex-sh launch price was attractive, a dealer shared on-road price to be at 3.39 lakh. This included multiple added charges which should not have been there in the first place. The photo of that on-road price went viral on social media. Triumph India was quick to intervene and announced that on-road prices will be out later in the month.

Triumph Speed 400 Prices On-Road

First set of on-road prices are out and they dont include all the hidden charges that plagued the viral alleged on-road pricing as before. Hidden charges were in the form of Rs. 17,000 delivery charges and Rs. 8,500 Intro Kit. Those seem to have gone away with the new set of on-road prices.

Also, the previous pricing mentioned Rs. 46,553 as on-road prices which was supposed to be from Karnataka state. Rs. 46,553 is around 20% of Rs. 2,33,000 ex-sh price, which is slightly off as Karnataka residents pay a tax of 18% for motorcycles costing above Rs. 50,000 ex-sh. Which is every other motorcycle from Hero HF Deluxe to BMW M 1000 RR.

Triumph Speed 400 on-road prices dont seem to have delivery charges and any Intro kit from Triumph dealers. According to dealers, Triumph Speed 400 costs Rs. 2.68 lakh in Delhi, Rs. 2.87 lakh in Goa, Telangana State, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra (all prices on-road).

How to calculate on-road prices

RTO taxes vary from state to state. For example, Delhi charges RTO taxes based on engine displacement. Motorcycles with over 50cc engines pay Rs. 1,220 per annum as tax for 15 years, upfront. Karnataka charges based on price segments. Chandigarh excludes GST while calculating RTO taxes.

Also, the on-road prices that we see online on various portals are never pin-point accurate no matter the claims. Those prices include insurance from dealers. But customers can choose insurance of their choice and doesnt necessarily have to be from the showroom. So, because they dont have control over customer choices, online on-road prices are always iffy.

Contacting the nearest showroom and your preferred insurance company will yield the most precise on-road price analysis. There is no mention of whether these prices include RSA (Roadside Assistance) or not. Which in almost all cases, will be optional.
Five-six countries join every new meeting on preparations for Peace Summit  Yermak

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has said he is satisfied with the preparations for the Peace Summit.

"Twenty-four ambassadors were present at the latest meeting dedicated to President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy's Peace Formula," he told reporters in Kyiv on Friday.

Yermak also said that "five-six countries" join every new meeting. The new participants include Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Vatican.

"The next meeting will take place at Chornobyl NPP [Nuclear Power Plant]," he said.

As reported, at the end of June, the advisers to the leaders of more than ten countries held a meeting in Copenhagen to discuss the preparations for the Peace Summit. It is expected that the summit could be held before the end of the year.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer, City Council members Scott Sherman and Lorie Zapf, a representative from the Tony Hawk Foundation, professional skateboarders and others gathered in Linda Vista Community Park for the grand opening of the largest skate park in

By the time San Diego city officials opened the gates Tuesday morning at the new Linda Vista skateboard park, much of the orange paint was already worn off by skaters who just couldnt wait to grind its many railings and steps.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, City Council members Scott Sherman and Lorie Zapf, a representative from the Tony Hawk Foundation, professional skateboarders and others gathered in Linda Vista Community Park for the grand opening of the largest skate park in San Diego County. At 34,000 square feet, the park is billed as one of the largest in the state.

This is a world class skate park, and its going to challenge skaters of all levels like only a top-notch park can, Faulconer said during remarks at Tuesdays ceremony.

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They tried to actually keep a few folks out of the park while it was being built, Faulconer said later in his remarks. It didnt work.

For months, skaters had been scaling the parks fence to ride the competition-level course near the intersection of Osler Street and Genesee Avenue. When officials opened the gates on Tuesday, amateur and professional skateboarders streamed inside.

Onlookers watched from a bridge over the skate park as some of skateboardings big names and rising talent took turns dropping into the large, pool-like bowl to show off their skills.

Steve Caballero, a famous skateboarder known for tricks and variations he invented, skated the bowl Tuesday. In 1987, he set a world record for highest air on a halfpipe. His record held for a decade.

The Linda Vista skate park has a full pipe, according to information provided at Tuesdays event. It also has a 50-foot bowl resembling an empty swimming pool, various shallow bowls of different shapes and about 20,000 feet of snake runs, rails and steps.

Caballero, of Carlsbad, said in an interview after the event that skate parks have been getting better and better over the years. He said the first skate parks were mostly private facilities that charged admission.

I never would have dreamed of free skate parks, Caballero said at the event Tuesday.

The new skate park in Linda Vista is free to use, but it cost about $3 million build, city officials said Tuesday.

The Tony Hawk Foundation, founded by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, provided about $40,000 in seed money to get the project off the ground.

Most of the funding came from a $4.6-million grant the state Department of Housing and Community Development awarded the city in 2014 to construct skate parks in Linda Vista and City Heights, according to the information provided at Tuesdays event. The City Heights skate park is slated to open Wednesday in the Park de la Cruz neighborhood.

The new skate park in Linda Vista is likely to get frequent visits from one of San Diegos rising stars.

Tate Carew, 12, a skateboarder who has placed in national and international competitions, said Tuesday that the Linda Vista park had everything he needed to practice.

Its just perfect, he said. This is probably going to be my new local.

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morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com
During the day, the enemy launched a missile and air strike on the territory of Ukraine, using 17 Shahed strike UAVs and one anti-aircraft guided missile with S-300 air defense systems, air defense destroyed 16 UAVs, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a report on Friday evening.

During the day, the enemy launched 43 air strikes and made 17 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems.

In Volyn and Polissia directions, the situation has not changed significantly.

During the day, the enemy carried out artillery and mortar attacks on more than 86 settlements in Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. Also, the occupiers launched air strikes in the area of Radkivka, Sumy region; Avdiyivka and Pervomaisk, Donetsk region; Mala Tokmachka, Zaporizhia region, and Hrozovy, Kherson region.
Ukrainian potential after the war should be invested in Ukrainian development, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address on Friday.

"Today I took part in a conversation in America at a conference with the participation of the leaders of the largest and most promising global companies, the largest philanthropists. Investments, jobs in Ukraine, support for our state and people," the president said.

"Now the Ukrainians have revealed the huge potential of our country. All of it is aimed at our protection. But when we finish the war, the Ukrainian potential must be invested in Ukrainian development," he said.

"What will Ukraine give the world victory? And this question is for everyone in Ukraine right now, who works for the state, who plans to work for the state, each and every one should now ask this question to themselves and find the answer," the president said.

According to him, "Ukraine has become a global force and should become a force for global development. I'm sure it will."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant shared a photo from the Baku Seaside Boulevard on his Twitter account with the words "Good morning from Baku", Trend reports.

The minister noted that his visit to Azerbaijan was short and successful.

On July 13, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the Israeli defense minister, who arrived in Baku on a visit.

Gallant also held meetings with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, Head of the State Border Service Colonel-General Elchin Guliyev, during which the parties discussed a number of issues of mutual interest.
Archaeologists in Brazil say they have unearthed 25,000- to 27,000-year-old pendants made of bony material from the extinct giant ground sloth Glossotherium phoenesis.

Most Pleistocene megafauna  mammals with body mass greater than 44 kg  became extinct worldwide by the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, said senior author Dr. Mirian Pacheco of the Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos and colleagues.

The decline and eventual extinction of these megamammals are generally linked to human impact and climate change, but this is a still hotly debated topic for South America.

Recent studies have raised new perspectives about human arrival in South America around the Last Glacial Maximum (19,000-26,000 years ago), as well as on its impact on the megafauna there.

However, whereas it is currently well accepted that peopling of the Americas happened earlier than the Clovis culture (13,500 years ago), skepticism about human occupation of the Americas earlier than 16,000 years ago still persists.

Questions regarding the timing and routes for human dispersal into the Americas remain open to debate, but human dispersal probably followed multiple routes and time frames, including Pacific coastal and inland (ice-free corridor) routes.

In this scenario, Late Pleistocene sites containing evidence of early human occupation in South America should be closely scrutinized with interest.

In their research, the archaeologists examined three modified osteoderms  bony plates embedded in the animals skin  of the giant ground sloth Glossotherium phoenesis.

The specimens, which are between 25,100-27,400 years old, were found in the Santa Elina rock shelter in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

The site also yielded a rich and diverse assemblage of human-made limestone and calcite flakes, quartz and silex items, some of which could have been used by humans to perform bone surface alterations.

The Santa Elina rock shelter in Central Brazil displays a rock panel rich in paintings, including anthropomorphs (e.g. men with ornaments), and zoomorphs such as birds, deer, monkeys and tapir, the researchers explained.

Dated mineral pigments and bonfire structures associated with stone tools and megafaunal remains found in the shelter include Late Pleistocene to the Holocene ages.

The only Pleistocene megafauna present in the shelter are two extinct giant ground sloths of the species Glossotherium phoenesis, in two different archaeological layers.

Along with the giant sloth bones, there are thousands of osteoderms, which are dermal bones once embedded within the skin of the animal.

The team performed a traceological analysis of the three osteoderms from the rock shelter using optical microscopy, non-destructive scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence and synchrotron-based microtomography.

The presence of several marks from human modification, including drilled perforations, polishing, multi-directional scratches and use-wear traces, suggests their anthropic nature and extensive use.

This provides additional evidence for the contemporaneity of humans, giant ground sloths and other megafauna in South America.

Santa Elina challenges mainstream claims on peopling of the Americas, in favor of a model in which people first reached out to the American continent during, or even earlier than, the Last Glacial Maximum, the authors said.

It agrees with evidence reported from other sites that suggests early human presence in North America and South America.

The Cerutti Mastodon site in California, the United States, stands out as an even more controversial site which has been suggested to present evidence for human presence and megafauna butchery during an interglacial period (around 130,000 years ago), but this evidence has been strongly contested by several scientists.

The results were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

_____

Thais R. Pansani et al. 2023. Evidence of artefacts made of giant sloth bones in central Brazil around the last glacial maximum. Proc. R. Soc. B 29 (2002): 20230316; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0316
A team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a technique to study how different fish species interact with each other in a coastal region, a breakthrough that helps explain the complex relationships among marine species and how global warming impacts fish populations.

By analyzing minute traces of fish DNA from samples of seawater, the team combined the use of environmental DNA -- known as eDNA -- and advanced statistical analysis to not only detect the presence of fish species, but also reveal how the species interact with each other.

The use of eDNA to monitor biodiversity has surged in popularity in recent years, particularly for detecting aquatic organisms like fish. As animals move through their environment, they shed fragments of genetic material, such as skin cells, waste products, and other body fluids. By extracting these traces of DNA from samples of water, soil, or air, scientists can determine the presence and diversity of species with high accuracy.

But previous eDNA studies have mostly been limited to detecting the presence or absence of certain species. To get a better understanding and monitoring of ecosystems, it is necessary to estimate the quantity of fish species and detect the interspecific interactions, or interactions among species.

The team, led by Prof. Masayuki USHIO, Assistant Professor of the Department of Ocean Science at HKUST and Dr. Masaki MIYA at Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, Japan, developed a new technique to achieve the above-mentioned purpose by analyzing high-frequency time-series data from fish eDNA, making it possible to comprehensively monitor interactions among species.

Interspecific interactions, such as prey-predator, competitive, and mutualistic relations, have a significant impact on ecosystem dynamics. The research paves the way for scientists to contribute to more accurate assessment of the ecosystem status and future predictions of its dynamics.

The researchers set 11 study sites along the coast of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, where they conducted biweekly water sampling for two years. They extracted eDNA from the collected samples and analyzed fish communities using a method which generated the eDNA-based high-frequency time series of fish communities in coastal ecosystems. Then, they detected and quantified the strength of fish-fish interspecific interactions in the communities by analyzing the high-frequency eDNA time-series data using cutting-edge time-series analysis methods.

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Among their important findings was that water temperature can have both positive and negative effects on how different fish species interact with each other. They also found that different fish species can react differently to changes in temperature, shedding light on how global warming can impact the complex relationships between fish species in coastal areas.

The findings were recently published in international academic journal eLife.

"By integrating state-of-the-art techniques from different scientific fields, we showed that eDNA analysis can estimate not only 'what' and 'how many' species are present, but also 'who interacts with whom'," Prof. Ushio says.

The framework can be used to study interactions between different types of organisms, not just fish. This includes microbes, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. For example, scientists could use the technique to study how different organisms interact in aquaculture systems. It could also help identify potential harmful pathogens that could impact commercially important fish species.

In the long run, he said the research could help scientists and policymakers better understand how climate change is impacting fish populations, including commercially important and rare species.

"This information can be used to develop better conservation strategies to protect these species and ensure the long-term sustainability of oceans. For example, to conserve a rare species, it may be important to also protect a fish species that has a significant impact on the rare species," he says.

The team will soon explore new technologies, such as automated water sampling systems and seawater sampling with underwater drones, to make eDNA analyses more efficient and effective, to further our understanding of how organisms interact with each other in nature, such as how pathogens impact fish populations.

They also plan to use advanced DNA sequencing technology to investigate eDNA sequences in more detail, such as with long-read sequencing.

"By utilizing these new technologies and collaborating with experts from different fields, we can continue to advance our understanding of how climate change impacts marine ecosystems, and develop better ways to protect them," he says.
The hunting community in Ittoqqotoormiit (Scoresby Sound), Northeast Greenland, has some of the world's highest concentrations of PFAS in their blood, even though they live far away from sources of contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS is used in almost all industries and is found in many products such as textiles, carpets, shoes, food packaging, cosmetics, fire foam and pesticides.

The substances are long-range transported to the Arctic via the atmosphere and ocean currents. When they are released to the environment, PFAS is bio-magnified through the food chain. Predators at top of the food chain, such as ringed seals, toothed whales and polar bears therefore contain high PFAS concentrations, and the high levels in the indigenous population of East Greenland are hence primarily originating from their food.

The study, which has just been published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, shows that 92% of residents in Ittoqqortoormiit have far more PFAS in the body than the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends to avoid damage to the immune system.

In addition, 86% of the inhabitants have blood values that are higher than EFSA's threshold value for serious risk of damage to the immune system.

A global problem

The recently published study shows that the pollution with PFAS is critical in many parts of the world, and Christian Sonne emphasizes that national and regional legislation must go hand in hand with the UN's sustainable development goals and the Stockholm Convention in order to phase out PFAS.

"If measures are not taken quickly, such as a ban on PFAS and the use of alternatives to PFAS, pollution of the environment will continue to threaten public health around the world," says professor Christian Sonne.

On 7 February 2023, the European Chemicals Agency published a proposal to limit the production, use and marketing of more than 10,000 PFAS substances in the EU. The purpose of the proposal is to limit the spread of PFAS substances. As a rule, the use of PFAS will be banned in general in EU, but unfortunately not in various pesticides. Similar actions are under way in the US.

The researchers behind the study show that PFAS levels in the blood are generally higher in the European countries and North America compared to countries in Asia and Africa. The highest concentrations are found (in descending order) in Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Malaysia, USA, Taiwan, Greece, Poland, Spain and Iceland.
A new talking therapy for depression has shown encouraging early signs of being more effective and cheaper to deliver than the current best practice of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

A pilot trial from the University of Exeter, funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and published in Lancet EClinical Medicine, has found Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) could be a significant advance in depression care.

A core feature of depression is anhedonia (reduced interest or pleasure) and wellbeing deficits, but current depression psychotherapies like CBT fail to adequately target these components. ADepT has been developed to pay just as much attention to building wellbeing as it does reducing depressive symptoms.

Professor of Clinical Psychology, Barney Dunn, from the University of Exeter led the trial and said: "Depression is widespread and a significant contributor to global disability, resulting in extensive social and economic costs. Only around 60 percent of people will recover during our current best treatments like CBT and about half of those will relapse within two years. In ADepT, we encourage clients to take a new perspective to their difficulties, aiming to learn to live well alongside depressed mood. The primary goal is to help clients identify what is important to them in key life areas, take steps towards living a life in a way that is consistent with these values, and to take opportunities and manage challenges while they do so that they can experience wellbeing and pleasure."

Katie has lived experience of ADepT and said: "I've got a fairly long history of using mental health services and that's almost become my identity over the years. My focus in treatment before had always been on trying to eliminate symptoms of mental illness. ADepT has changed my outlook to help me take steps to gain wellbeing, as well as allowing me to be more authentic and act in a way more aligned to my values. ADepT is helping me make decisions which feel right and giving me more of an identity outside of mental illness, which is amazing. I've learnt to be able to enjoy the good things in life that give me pleasure, even when I am having a difficult week. It really has changed things for me."

This is the first pilot randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of ADepT. 82 adults with moderate to severe depression and exhibiting features of anhedonia took part and were primarily recruited from NHS Talking Therapy (formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapy) service waiting lists in Devon, UK. Participants were randomly assigned to either 20 individual sessions of ADepT or CBT, delivered in the University of Exeter AccEPT clinic and supported by Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx), and University of Exeter Psychology Department. Participants were assessed by researchers at the beginning of the pilot, as well as after six, 12, and 18 months.

Results suggested that ADepT was definitely not worse than, and showed potential to be better than, CBT at building wellbeing and reducing depression at the end of treatment and over longer-term follow-up. Results also suggested ADepT was cost-effective, costing the same amount to deliver as CBT but resulting in greater gains in quality of life. If these findings can be replicated in a subsequent definitive trial, it would suggest that ADepT can have both clinical and economic benefits in healthcare settings. ADepT has also been designed so that existing CBT therapists will be able to deliver it with minimal additional training.
Biological invasions are a major threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being, resulting in ecosystem degradation and causing economic costs in the multi-trillions of euros globally. A study led by McGill University sheds light on the stark economic cost resulting from biological invasions in the European Union (EU).

The European Union continues to be exposed to thousands of invasive alien species -- harmful species introduced by humans from outside of their natural habitat. The EU is particularly vulnerable because the region's volume of economic activity via trade and the transportation of goods increases the risks of biological invasions, according to the study published in Environmental Sciences Europe.

Most invasive alien species are not adequately assessed for their actual and potential economic impacts therefore most cost estimates are grossly underestimated, say the researchers. To fill this gap, the team quantified the economic costs of biological invasions to the European Union, while estimating future invasion costs using predictive models.

Costs potentially 501% higher than previously recorded

Their findings are alarming -- of the approximately 13,000 invasive alien species known to have established populations in the European Union, only 259 (around 1%) have reported costs, showing substantial knowledge gaps in cost assessments regionally. The researchers' models projected unreported costs to be potentially 501% higher than currently recorded, reaching a staggering 26.64 billion (US$28.0 billion) in the European Union, led by countries such as Lithuania, Malta, and Czech Republic.

The study's projections for future estimates revealed a substantial increase in costs, with estimates soaring to more than 142.73 billion (US$150 billion) by 2040 in the absence of effective management.

"Our study reveals a shocking underestimation of the economic costs of biological invasions in the European Union. These costs are not only a huge burden for the European Union's economy, but also jeopardise the ecological balance and well-being of societies," says lead author Morgane Henry, a PhD student under the supervision of McGill University Professor Brian Leung.

"It is imperative that we take immediate action to enhance cost reporting, identify the most concerning economic impacts, and work together on a global scale to address the threat posed by invasive alien species," she adds.

The researchers warn that policymakers, scientists, and stakeholders should take heed of the implications of the study and collaborate to protect ecosystems, safeguard biodiversity, and ensure the well-being of communities. Otherwise, biological invasions will create an insurmountable financial burden unless the EU and its governments take swift action to address the devastating ecological impact that's happening.

"The costs are potentially huge, but in most cases we just don't know. Notably, our fivefold increase in cost estimates included only 1% of species with existing data, by extrapolating to other countries where they are known to have invaded, but where costs have not been estimated yet. We don't know about the other 99% of the species," says Professor Brian Leung of McGill University's Department of Biology.
A team from the University of Tokyo has combined economic theory with biology to understand how natural systems respond to change. The researchers noticed a similarity between consumers' shopping behavior and the behavior of metabolic systems, which convert food into energy in our bodies. The team focused on predicting how different metabolic systems might respond to environmental change by using an economic tool called the Slutsky equation. Their calculations indicated that very different metabolic systems actually share previously unknown universal properties, and can be understood using tools from other academic fields. Metabolic processes are used in drug development, bioengineering, food production and other industries, so being able to predict how such systems will respond to change can offer many benefits.

Where do you get your energy from? Perhaps a long night's sleep, or a good breakfast and some exercise? These activities can all help as they support a healthy metabolism, the chemical processes by which our bodies convert food and drink into energy. Understanding how individual metabolic reactions behave and predicting how they may change under different circumstances is a big challenge. There are thousands of different reactions which enable us to move, think, grow -- in short, to live. In recent years, it has become possible to predict some reactions through numerical simulations, but this requires large amounts of data. However, researchers at the University of Tokyo have derived previously unknown universal properties of metabolic systems by applying microeconomic theory to their data.

"Until this research, we thought that metabolic systems varied so much among species and cell types that there were no common properties among them," explained Assistant Professor Tetsuhiro Hatakeyama from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. "However, we were very excited to demonstrate that all metabolic systems have universal properties, and that these properties can be expressed by very simple laws."According to the researchers, this theory does not require as much detailed background data to be collected as other methods. It can also be effectively applied whether you are trying to understand the behavior of all metabolic processes in a cell or focusing on just one part -- say, for example, how much oxygen it is using.

Hatakeyama, a biophysicist, was looking at some metabolic system diagrams when he noticed a striking similarity to diagrams used in economics. This realization inspired him to try an interdisciplinary approach and apply economic theory, which he had briefly studied, to his biology research. Along with co-author Jumpei Yamagishi, a graduate student in the same lab, he decided to explore how both consumers and cells optimize their "spending" to maximize gain: Whereas we as consumers spend money, cells "spend" nutrients. They reasoned if there were similarities in this way, then perhaps the same theories that are used to identify patterns in consumer behavior under changing financial situations could also identify patterns in cellular metabolic behavior under changing environments.

More specifically, the researchers focused on the Slutsky equation, which is used to understand changes in consumer demand. In particular, it is used to understand so-called Giffen goods, which counterintuitively go up in demand when the price increases and go down in demand when the price decreases. According to Hatakeyama, this is similar to cellular metabolic behavior in response to a disturbance. For example, respiration demand (the Giffen goods in this case) in cancer cells goes up, counterintuitively, with increased drug dosage (the "price"), even though this is not beneficial to the growth rate of the cancer. The outcome was that the team uncovered a universal law for how metabolic systems respond to change.

One of the key benefits of this law is that it can be used to understand metabolic systems about which few details are known. "Disturbances in metabolic systems lead to a variety of diseases, and our research could be used to propose new treatment strategies for diseases for which treatments are not fully understood," said Hatakeyama. "In addition, many foods and medicines are made using the metabolic systems of organisms. By applying the simple equation found in this study, we can know how to increase the output of products made with these systems." Hatakeyama hopes that through further interdisciplinary research, more universal laws might be discovered that will lead to a variety of useful applications.
Why do some people take part in genetic studies while others do not? The answer may lie within our genetic makeup. According to a groundbreaking study by Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and Big Data Institute, people who participate in genetic studies are genetically more likely to do so, leaving detectable 'footprints' in genetics data. This breakthrough equips researchers with the ability to identify and address participation bias, a significant challenge in genetic research.

Stefania Benonisdottir, lead author of the study and a Doctoral candidate from Oxford's Big Data Institute, explains, 'Currently, most genetic studies are based on genetic databases which contain large numbers of participants and a wealth of information. However, some people are more likely to be included in these databases than others, which can create a problem called ascertainment bias, where the genetic data collected is not representative of the intended study population.'

To study this link between genetics data and participation bias, the researchers turned to one of the largest biomedical databases in the world, the UK Biobank which contains information from half a million participants.

Using UK Biobank data, it was found there is a genetic component to people's probability to participate -- that is correlated but distinct from other human traits. Published today in Nature Genetics, the study highlights that participation could be an important human trait that has been previously underappreciated and introduces a statistical framework that could lead to more accurate analyses of genetic data.

Professor Augustine Kong, senior author from the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the Big Data Institute, notes, 'Ascertainment bias poses a statistical challenge in genetics research, particularly in the era of big data. Adjustments for this bias often rely on known differences between participants and non-participants, introducing imperfections when answering questions involving variables only observed for participants, such as genotypes. Our study identifies detectable footprints of participation bias in the genetic data of participants, which can be exploited statistically to enhance research accuracy for both participants and non-participants alike.'

Genome-wide association studies offer important insights into the role of genetics in human health and diseases. However, such studies can be affected by biases, which arise when genetic databases are not representative of the intended study population. Now, the identified genetic inclination to participate can help scientists assess the representativeness of their study sample.

By analysing the genetic data of over 30,000 related participants with white British descent from the UK Biobank, the researchers found that the genetic component underlying participation in the study is correlated with, but distinct from, the genetic components of traits such as educational attainment and body mass index.

For example, the estimated correlation between the genetic components underlying participation in the UK Biobank and educational attainment is estimated to be 36.6%. This result is consistent with some of the previously reported differences between the participants and the non-participants, but it also shows that the participation bias is not fully captured by these previously known differences. In other words, participation is not simply a consequence of these other traits and characteristics.

The study also found the genetic component of participation can be passed down through families and may affect people's participation in many different studies over their lifetimes. This highlights the potential for bias in genetic research and underscores the importance of accounting for such biases in study design and analysis.

Professor Melinda Mills, Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science concludes, 'As our GWAS Diversity Monitor shows, the road to improve diversity in genome-wide association studies is long. However, this statistical framework is a huge step in the right direction to mitigate the risk of incomplete or inaccurate data analysis and ensure that genetic research truly benefits everyone.'
The Big Data revolution has strained the capabilities of state-of-the-art electronic hardware, challenging engineers to rethink almost every aspect of the microchip. With ever more enormous data sets to store, search and analyze at increasing levels of complexity, these devices must become smaller, faster and more energy efficient to keep up with the pace of data innovation.

Ferroelectric field effect transistors (FE-FETs) are among the most intriguing answers to this challenge. Like traditional silicon-based transistors, FE-FETs are switches, turning on and off at incredible speed to communicate the 1s and 0s computers use to perform their operations.

But FE-FETs have an additional function that conventional transistors do not: their ferroelectric properties allow them to hold on to electrical charge.

This property allows them to serve as non-volatile memory devices as well as computing devices. Able to both store and process data, FE-FETs are the subject of a wide range of research and development projects. A successful FE-FET design would dramatically undercut the size and energy usage thresholds of traditional devices, as well as increase speed.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science have introduced a new FE-FET design that demonstrates record-breaking performances in both computing and memory.

A recent study published in Nature Nanotechnology led by Deep Jariwala, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE), and Kwan-Ho Kim, a Ph.D. candidate in his lab, debuted the design. They collaborated with fellow Penn Engineering faculty members Troy Olsson, also Associate Professor in ESE, and Eric Stach, Robert D. Bent Professor of Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and Director of the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM).

The transistor layers a two-dimensional semiconductor called molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) on top of a ferroelectric material called aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN), demonstrating for the first time that these two materials can be effectively combined to create transistors at scales attractive to industrial manufacturing.

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"Because we have made these devices combining a ferroelectric insulator material with a 2D semiconductor, both are very energy efficient," says Jariwala. "You can use them for computing as well as memory -- interchangeably and with high efficiency."

The Penn Engineering team's device is notable for its unprecedented thinness, allowing for each individual device to operate with a minimum amount of surface area. In addition, the tiny devices can be manufactured in large arrays scalable to industrial platforms.

"With our semiconductor, MoS2, at a mere 0.7 nanometers, we weren't sure it could survive the amount of charge that our ferroelectric material, AlScN, would inject into it," says Kim. "To our surprise, not only did both of them survive, but the amount of current this enables the semiconductor to carry was also record-breaking."

The more current a device can carry, the faster it can operate for computing applications. The lower the resistance, the faster the access speed for memory.

This MoS2 and AlScN combination is a true breakthrough in transistor technology. Other research teams' FE-FETs have been consistently stymied by a loss of ferroelectric properties as devices miniaturize to approach industry-appropriate scales.

Until this study, miniaturizing FE-FETs has resulted in severe shrinking of the "memory window." This means that as engineers reduce the size of the transistor design, the device develops an unreliable memory, mistaking 1s for 0s and vice versa, compromising its overall performance.

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The Jariwala lab and collaborators achieved a design that keeps the memory window large with impressively small device dimensions. With AlScN at 20 nanometers, and MoS2 at 0.7 nanometers, the FE-FET dependably stores data for quick access.

"The key," says Olsson, "is our ferroelectric material, AlScN. Unlike many ferroelectric materials, it maintains its unique properties even when very thin. In a recent paper from my group, we showed that it can we can retain its unique ferroelectric properties at even smaller thicknesses: 5 nanometers."

The Penn Engineering team's next steps are focused on this further miniaturization to produce devices that operate with voltages low enough to be compatible with leading-edge consumer device manufacturing.

"Our FE-FETs are incredibly promising," says Jariwala. "With further development, these versatile devices could have a place in almost any technology you can think of, especially those that are AI-enabled and consume, generate or process vast amounts of data -- from sensing to communications and more."
A team of researchers has developed new LEDs which emit light simultaneously in two different wavelength ranges, for a simpler and more comprehensive way to monitor the freshness of fruit and vegetables. As the team write in the journal Angewandte Chemie, modifying the LEDs with perovskite materials causes them to emit in both the near-infrared range and the visible range, a significant development in the contact-free monitoring of food.

Perovskite crystals are able to capture and convert light. Being simple to produce and highly efficient, perovskites are already used in solar cells but are also being intensively researched for suitability in other technologies. Angshuman Nag and his team at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, India, are now proposing a perovskite application in LED technology that could simplify the quality control of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Without light converters, LEDs would emit light in rather narrow light bands. To cover the whole range of white light produced by the sun, the diodes in "phosphor-converted" (pc) LEDs are coated with luminescent substances. Nag and his team have used a double emission coating with the purpose to produce pc-LEDs that emit both white ("normal") light and also a strong band in the near-infrared range (NIR).

To make the dual-emission pc-LED, they applied a double perovskite doped with bismuth and chromium. Part of the bismuth component emits warm white light and another part transfers energy to the chromium component, de-exciting it and causing an additional emission in the NIR range, the researchers found out.

NIR is already used in the food industry to examine freshness in fruit and vegetables. Nag and PhD student Sajid Saikia, first author of the paper, explain their idea: "Food contains water, which absorbs the broad near-infrared emission at around 1000 nm. The more water that is present [due to rotting], the greater the absorption of near-infrared radiation, yielding darker contrast in an image taken under near-infrared radiation. This easy, non-invasive imaging process can estimate the water content in different parts of food, assessing its freshness."

Using these modified pc-LEDs to examine apples or strawberries, the team observed dark spots that were not visible in standard camera images. Illuminating the food with both white and NIR light revealed normal coloring that could be seen by the naked eye, as well as those parts which were starting to rot, but not yet visibly so.

Saikia and Nag envision a compact device for simultaneous visual and NIR food inspection, although the two detectors, one for visible light and one for NIR light, could make such an instrument costly for common applications. On the other hand, the researchers emphasize that the pc LEDs are easy to produce without any chemical waste or solvents and short-term costs could be more than recovered by the long service life and scalability of this novel dual-emitting pc-LED device.
details added, first published at 09:42

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. A meeting was held between Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Head of the representative office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Azerbaijan Dragana Kojic, Trend reports.

ooperation between Azerbaijan and the ICRC, the recent situation at the Lachin border checkpoint, as well as issues of the ICRC's activities in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi were discussed.

Regarding the recent situation with the activities of the Lachin border checkpoint, Bayramov said that the shelling of the checkpoint on June 15 and the smuggling attempts of Armenian drivers show that Armenia does not intend to stop interfering with the sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

The minister said that the ICRC's statement of July 11 that the organization does not support the transportation of undeclared products and terminates service contracts with drivers of vehicles carrying such goods was taken into account.

Bayramov also noted the need to prevent similar cases in the future.

It will be possible for Armenian residents to continue crossing the Lachin border checkpoint for medical purposes with the help of the ICRC in compliance with the necessary rules, the minister said.

Regarding the issue of supplying the residents of Armenia, Bayramov noted that the Azerbaijani side has the opportunity to assist them through the Aghdam-Khankendi road.

The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

Will be updated
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva issued a statement in connection with the latest incident in which a civilian was injured as a result of a mine explosion in Azerbaijans Kalbajar district, Trend reports.

She said that mines and unexploded ordnance laid by Armenia on the territory of Azerbaijan continue to pose a serious threat to the lives of civilians.

An Azerbaijani citizen engaged in entrepreneurial activity on the territory of the village of Seidlyar of Kalbajar district was injured as a result of a mine explosion on July 13, 2023.

The mine terror committing by Armenia against Azerbaijan leads to the death or injury of Azerbaijani servicemen and civilians, as well as slows down the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands, creates obstacles to the activities of business entities and restoration work carried out in the region.

"The installation of mines in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan and the lack of accurate maps of mined territories is a clear demonstration of Armenia's disrespect for the norms and principles of international law and international humanitarian law,"Aliyeva said.

As the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I call on the relevant international organizations to take decisive steps to stop the mine terror of Armenia, to transfer to Azerbaijan accurate maps of mines installed in the liberated territories," she added.

Azerbaijan began to clear liberated territories of mines and unexploded ordnance immediately after the end of the war. To date, a large amount of work has been done. Despite this, there are still many mines and explosives in these areas.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Israel's defense ties with Azerbaijan contribute to the security of both peoples, as well as regional peace and stability, Defense Minister of Israel Yoav Gallant said on Twitter, Trend reports.

According to Gallant, during his visit to Azerbaijan, an agreement was reached on cooperation in a number of areas, as well as on the further deepening of close ties and strong friendship.

On July 13, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Gallant, who arrived in Baku on a visit.

He also held meetings with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, Head of the State Border Service Colonel-General Elchin Guliyev, during which the parties discussed a number of issues of mutual interest.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan has approved the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Slovakia, Trend reports.

The draft law "On the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Slovak Republic (city of Bratislava)" was submitted for discussion at today's special session.

After discussion, the document was put to the vote and adopted.

The opening of the embassy will make an important contribution to the development of relations between the two countries.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on November 23, 1993. Until now, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Austria has been operating in Slovakia as well.

Currently, there is an Azerbaijani consulate already operating in Slovakia.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. The visit of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to Azerbaijan has ended, Trend reports via the minister's tweet.

According to Gallant, during the visit, opportunities for expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of defense were discussed.

He noted that an agreement was also reached on cooperation in a number of areas, as well as on the deepening of close ties and strong friendship between Azerbaijan and Israel.

Defense ties between the two countries contribute to the security of both peoples, as well as regional peace and stability, he added.

On July 13, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Gallant, who was in Baku on a visit.

He also held meetings with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, Head of the State Border Service Colonel-General Elchin Guliyev, during which the parties discussed a number of issues of mutual interest.
details added, first published at 09:42

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. A meeting was held between Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Head of the representative office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Azerbaijan Dragana Kojic, Trend reports.

ooperation between Azerbaijan and the ICRC, the recent situation at the Lachin border checkpoint, as well as issues of the ICRC's activities in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi were discussed.

Regarding the recent situation with the activities at the Lachin border checkpoint, Bayramov said that the shelling of the checkpoint on June 15 and the smuggling attempts of Armenian drivers show that Armenia does not intend to stop interfering with the sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

The minister said that the ICRC's statement of July 11 that the organization does not support the transportation of undeclared products and terminates service contracts with drivers of vehicles carrying such goods was taken into account.

Bayramov also noted the need to prevent similar cases in the future.

It will be possible for Armenian residents to continue crossing the Lachin border checkpoint for medical purposes with the help of the ICRC in compliance with the necessary rules, the minister said.

Regarding the issue of supplying the residents of Armenia, Bayramov noted that the Azerbaijani side has the opportunity to assist them through the Aghdam-Khankendi road.

The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

In order to prevent the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia for Armenian armed groups on the territory of Azerbaijan (which weren't withdrawn contrary to the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 Second Karabakh War), and as an adequate response to the unilateral establishment of a checkpoint by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22 at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, on April 23 at 12:00 (GMT+4), the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Azerbaijan at a very high level continues to carry out the free passage of people of Armenian origin through the Lachin border checkpoint, established at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road.

The new video footage received by Trend shows how an Armenian elderly woman thanks Azerbaijani servicemen, while being escorted to an ICRC car.

The Armenian residents of Karabakh have so far been passing the border checkpoint freely and safely, accompanied by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). This once again testifies to the absence of any obstacles and difficulties in the passage of the Armenian residents of Karabakh through the border checkpoint.

At the same time, the footage once again shows that the Azerbaijani border guards not only treat the Armenian residents of Karabakh politely, but also do not distinguish between the representatives of which people stand in front of them.

It should be noted that the Armenian side, seeking to slow down the peace talks with Azerbaijan, to slow down the process, raises the issue of security of the Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region at almost every step, allegedly expressing its concern in order to draw the attention of the international community to this issue.

However, the mentioned footage clearly shows that the greatest security for the ethnic Armenians of Karabakh will be possible when they, as citizens of Azerbaijan, live within its laws.

VIDEO:

In order to prevent the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia for illegal Armenian armed groups on the territory of Azerbaijan (which weren't withdrawn contrary to the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 Second Karabakh War), and as an adequate response to the unilateral establishment of a checkpoint by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22 at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, on April 23 at 12:00 (GMT+4), the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road.
Details added: first version posted on 14:03

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. The number of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) opposing the construction of a mining enterprise in Armenia, which is a gross violation of environmental standards and the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention), is steadily growing, Trend reports.

The statement of civil society organizations from a number of countries in protest against the construction of a metallurgical plant in Arazdayan due to its negative impact on both people and the planet, as well as a possible environmental catastrophe, caused great resonance.

Of late, more 35 foreign NGOs joined the document.

As Civil Society organizations, we, the undersigned, are issuing a collective statement expressing our opposition and deep concern to the construction of a sizable metallurgical plant. This Armenian-American steel plant covers an expansive area of 16,500 square meters and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 180,000 tons is proposed to be built in the village of Arazdayan (Yeraskh), located on the border between Armenia and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Regrettably, this project will contribute to a new environmental disaster, and thus we stand united in our concerns," the document said.

"The establishment of this large-scale metallurgical plant blatantly disregards internationally recognized standards and principles, especially those articulated in the UN Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention). The Espoo Convention acknowledges that environmental matters transcend national borders and emphasizes the necessity of international discourse when multiple states are involved in specific cases," the document noted.

In addition, according to the statement, the construction of such a facility on the border without mutual agreement from the Azerbaijani side constitutes a blatant violation of the 1991 Espoo Convention, which addresses the assessment of environmental impact in transboundary contexts.

"Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are signatories to this Convention. In accordance with the Espoo Convention, a thorough evaluation of the plant's environmental impact must be conducted. The assessment document related to the construction should be reviewed by relevant Azerbaijani institutions, eco-activists considering the opinion of the neighboring Azerbaijani residents living in close proximity to the region," the statement further said. "The construction of such a factory harms people or the planet and marks a red line for civil society, given its far-reaching implications and the threat it poses to human health, the environment and true sustainability."

The statement authors also noted that the potential repercussions of the metallurgical plant's toxic chemical waste on the local ecosystem are significant.

"This environmental impact will definitely affect human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air and water structures. The alarming possibility of this waste being discharged into the Araz river raises concerns for the wildlife inhabiting the river and the large farms relying on Araz water for irrigation. Damage to drinking water supply is the damage to human health and water safety which can lead to spread of infectious diseases in border villages. Potentially it can create a serious public health crisis for both Azerbaijan and Armenia," the authors explained.

"According to the political declaration of high-level meeting on UHC, the Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on October 10, 2019, notes that health is a precondition for and an outcome and indicator of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," the statement pointed out. "UN Member states recognized environmental determinants of health, such as clean air, safe drinking water, and sanitation."

As the statement further reads, the UN recognizes a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right. "However, by committing these environmental crimes, Armenia grossly violates the human rights of Azerbaijan population, including the region. Armenia completely violates this resolution, being in the opposite position to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular the 3rd goal on good health and well-being, the 6th goal on clean water and sanitation, the 13th goal on combating the consequences of climate change, and the 15th goal on protecting the soil ecosystem," the statement said.

"Moreover, The Aarhus Convention plays a vital role in fostering access to information, public participation, and justice in environmental matters. As a signatory to this convention, Armenia must fulfill its obligations by ensuring that affected communities have access to information regarding plant activities, meaningful participation in decision-making processes, and avenues for seeking redress in case of environmental harm," the statement noted.

The statement authors also demanded Armenia to create an enabling environment for civil society organizations and local communities to actively engage in dialogue and decision-making processes related to the building of the sizable steel plant.

"The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights provide a crucial framework for promoting responsible conduct in business, including the extractive industry. These principles underscore the need for companies to uphold human rights, prevent adverse environmental impacts, and engage with affected communities in a transparent and inclusive manner," the authors said, urging all stakeholders involved in metallurgical plant building in Arazdayan to align their actions with these principles and integrate them into their operational practices.

In light of the above, the authors called upon relevant international organizations such as the UN Environment Program, the World Health Organization, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Environment, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Harmful Substances and Human Rights to respond to this situation and put an end to Armenia's ongoing environmental transgressions.

The authors also called on the US to acknowledge these risks and cease its support for the construction of the aforementioned metallurgical plant in Arazdayan.

"Furthermore, we urge civil society organizations in Armenia, particularly those actively involved in public health and tuberculosis advocacy, to take immediate action and protest against the establishment of this plant. Its construction will undoubtedly have a profoundly negative impact on Armenia's own environmental situation, too," the authors added.

Signatures:

1. Mariam Danesh, Washington and Li University, US

2. Samir Shah, Civil Society Adviser on Tuberculosis, UK

3. Ezio Tavora dos Santos Filho, "REDE-TB" organization, Brasil

4. Rustamcon Umarov, environmental activist, Student at Hiroshima University, Japan

5. Cos Maria Di Bello, GEP Foundation, Argentina

6. Svetlana Doltu, AFI NGO, Republic of Moldova

7. Olya Klimenko, TB PeopleUkraine organization, Ukraine

8. Inna Gavrilova, Public Health Alliance, Ukraine

9. Sergey Uchayev, ISHONCH VA HAYOT NGO, Uzbekistan

10. Nikoloz Mirzashvili, TB people network, Sakartvelo, Georgia

11. Sok Chamreun Choub, Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (KHANA), Cambodia

12. Steven Anguva Shikoli - Tuberculosis Survivors Network, Kenya

13. Colins Major Kinyuru - Pamoja Survivor group, Kenya

14. Joseph Kilonzo - BISC (Beyond Initiative For Social Concern), Kenya

15. Elchin Mukhtarli, Azerbaijan Anti-tuberculosis NGO Coalition

16. Peter Ngola, Wote Youth Development Projects CBO, Kenya

17. Charles Gvist, "Carepal" Foundation, Ghana

18. Parvana Valiyeva, Health Care Public Union, Azerbaijan

19. Chingiz Ramazanli, TBpeople Azerbaijan, For a Tuberculosis-Free Future, Azerbaijan

20. Prof. Dr. Zeki Kilicaslan, Istanbul Fight against Tuberculosis Association", Turkiye

21. Shemsettin Kuzeci, President of Kirkuk Culture Association, Turkiye

22. Abass A Kamara, volunteer, Sierra-Leone Golden Crescent Society, Sierra-Leone

23. Mohmad Hussein Lone, Human Rights activist, Official volunteer of the International Human Rights Commission based in Switzerland, Jammu Kashmir, India

24. Cordelia Adamu, African Development Network for Environment and Health, Nigeria

25. Germain Marius Hepi, Diplomat, Switzerland/Camerun President of the Humanitarian Organization OSER, Kamerun

26. Norman Cagiso Matiting, Tuberculosis Survivors Network, Botsvana

27. Nishant Chavan, Independent Public Health Consultant, India

28. Filiz Duyar Agca, Thorax Association, Turkish Tuberculosis Working Group, Turkiye

29. Hashim Abdul Halim, Department of Health and Family Welfare, India

30. Kinz Eman, "Stop TB Partnership", Pakistan

31. Zishan Ahmed, Punjab Provincial Tuberculosis Control Program, Pakistan

32. Mohmad Hossain, Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of Bangladesh (IACIB)

33. Zafar Nowshad Vani, TB doctor, India

34. Shamsiya Kukanbekova, Stop TB Partnership, Tajikistan

35. Novruzmo Vazirbekova, Stop TB Partnership, Tajikistan

36. Habib Hakimov, Stop TB Partnership, Tajikistan

37. Hilol Khudonazarov, Stop TB Partnership, Tajikistan

38. Raushan Zheteyeva - Kazakhstan Association of Phthisiopulmonologists

39. Erlina Burhan - Indonesian Society of Respirology

40. Eliud Emery, Consortium of Grassroots Organizations in Kenya

41. Samuel Iro Timoro - Turkana network Trust action for Disability, Kenya

42. Kevin Murangiri Maina - Kiongozi Foundation, Kenya

43. Ali Mwayanga - Kwale Focus Empowerment CBO (Community Based Organization), Kenya

44. Peter Musyoka - Twene Mbee Networking and Development group (CBO), Kenya

45. Fred Wagnoni - Rural Development Organization - REDO, Kenya

46. Ebenyo Ome Godwin Ome - Okoa Pastoralists Poverty Eradication Initiative (OPPEI), Kenya

47. Ridhiwani Sadiki - Citizen Network for Rural Development, Kenya

48. Lucy Erika - Women Peace Forum, Turkana County, Kenya

49. Elizabeth Lotengan - Women Peace Forum, Kenya

50. Adung Zipporah Lokere - Lokkichoggio Peace Organization (LOPEO), Kenya

51. Emmanuel Eregae - LOPEO, Kenya

52. Wycliffe Alala - Nyakach Social Justice Center, Kenya

53. Cornellius Lochuch - Todanyatu organization, Turkana County, Kenya

54. Ezekiel Odeoh, Agro Environmental Farmers Association-AGEFA, Bungoma, Kenya

55. Benson Ekeno Ebei, Turkana West Youth Empowerment (Tuwye), Kenya

56. Dannis Nataparin Lapur, Kenya Youth Organizations, Kenya

57. Paulina Akai Ejore, Kenya Youth Federation, Kenya

58. Joseph Ng'aukon Achuka, Ayok Multi Development Org(Amdo), Kenya

59. Raymond Mutama, Universal Fellowship Organization, Kenya

60. Mary Kirima Mary, Citizen progresdive association 2000, Kenya

61. Abdishakur Adan Mohamed, African Social Development Focus ASDEF, Kenya

62. Fatuma Abdullahi Ahmed, Women Right Advocacy Initiative, Kenya

63. Faith Kiema, Kitui women in development, Kenya

64. Sylvia Nakadi, Kamarngole CBO, Kenya.

Previously, Azerbaijani environmental activists sent an open letter to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, mentioning enterprises of Armenia polluting environment.

The letter noted that degradation of the ecosystem as a result of ongoing mining operations is not only a threat to Armenia's environment, but also a great threat to the neighboring countries, and demanded Armenia to immediately stop the work in the mining industry that threatens the region and the planet as a whole.

In addition, the letter pointed out that the construction of a new metallurgical plant in Arazdayan, which is being built against the requirements of environmental norms and international conventions, should also be stopped. The potential impacts of toxic chemical waste from this metallurgical plant on the local ecosystem could be enormous. The discharge of waste into the Araz river means a tragedy for the creatures living in the river and for the large farms that use the Araz water for irrigation. This impact on drinking water supplies can also lead to the spread of infectious diseases in border areas. This will create a serious public health crisis for both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. The Supreme Court of Azerbaijan is holding a meeting with entrepreneurs within the framework of the "Themis" dialogue platform, Trend reports.

The meeting is being attended by Chairman of the Supreme Court Inam Karimov, Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva, President of the Azerbaijani National Confederation of Organizations of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Mammad Musayev, Chairman of the Board of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) of Azerbaijan Orkhan Mammadov and Chairman of the Azerbaijani Bar Association Anar Baghirov.

The purpose of the "Themis" dialogue platform is to organize intensive discussions with lawyers, human rights activists, civil society institutions, increase the legal awareness of citizens, improve legislation in the judicial and legal sphere, solve emerging problems and support reforms in this area.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Reforms in the Supreme Court will continue in Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Supreme Court Inam Karimov said during the meeting with entrepreneurs within the framework of the "Themis" dialogue platform, Trend reports.

According to him, the Supreme Court is the center of judicial reform. The Supreme Court, together with other bodies, has analyzed and studied international best practices through recent reforms.

Many normative acts were adopted concerning the formation of a unified judicial practice, strengthening the social security of courts and judges, and other issues.

He noted that reforms of the judicial system are constantly being carried out in Azerbaijan, but there are still difficulties that concern entrepreneurs, which they face in daily practice.

"The Supreme Court is always ready for dialogue and to fulfill its duties. Issues related to the state and the judiciary, strengthening the effectiveness of judicial bodies, the formation of a unified judicial practice and the creation of institutions for alternative dispute resolution are of great importance, the state is doing and will do in this direction what is entrusted to it," Karimov added.

Unified judicial practice is of great importance for the country's legal system and entrepreneurs. It promotes out-of-court dispute resolution, as well as improving the efficiency and quality of justice, providing legal certainty," he said.

The purpose of the "Themis" dialogue platform is to organize intensive discussions with lawyers, human rights activists, civil society institutions, increase the legal awareness of citizens, improve legislation in the judicial and legal sphere, solve emerging problems and support reforms in this area.
One97 Communications Limited, the owner of Paytm, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Goa government to facilitate digital payments, a senior official said. Abhay Sharma, chief business officer, of payments, at Paytm, said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the state finance secretary V Candavelou.

Sharma said Paytm will deploy its payment devices like Paytm QR code, soundbox and card machines in all departments, including panchayats and municipalities, where users can make payments for electricity, water, and municipal taxes. "With this, users can make payments for various services through Paytm UPI, UPI Lite, Paytm wallet, net banking, debit and credit cards," he added.

Sharma said as India's leading tech innovator, the company has been at the forefront of driving the digital revolution in the country through industry-first payment solutions. "We are happy to sign this exclusive MoU with the Government of Goa through which our users in the state can pay for various government services. Our innovative solutions continue to empower users and also drive financial inclusion in the country," he added.
Troubled edtech company Byjus has brought one of its former senior executives, Arjun Mohan, back into the fold. The sources said Mohan has been secured in as the chief executive of the the firm's international business unit and that he may be given additional responsibilities. Mohan is back at Byjus he is heading international business now, stated one of the sources cited above.

While confirming that he is working with the company, Mohan, however, denied taking up that particular role. He said, I am working with Byjus founder Byju Raveendran on multiple things, but I have not joined the company in this (international business head) role. A spokesperson for Byjus did not immediately respond to queries from ETtech. Byju's, which acquired overseas companies such as Tynker and Epiq over the past few years, is currently undertaking a massive workforce retrenchment exercise in its global subsidiaries.

Mohan was formerly the chief executive of UpGrad India. He joined the Mumbai-based company in April 2020 and quit this January. Prior to joining UpGrad, Mohan spent a little over 11 years at K-12 edtech major Byjus, where his last designation was chief business officer. Before that, he had worked at several Tata Group companies. Prior to joining UpGrad, Mohan spent a little over 11 years at K-12 edtech major Byjus, where his last designation was chief business officer. Before that, he worked at several Tata Group companies.

In its edition dated June 30, had mentioned that Mohan may return to Byjus. The Bengaluru-based online education platform and its founder Raveendran have suffered a series of setbacks, including getting embroiled in lawsuits with its lenders and facing resignations by its auditor and board members. Due to delays in the filing of its financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2022, the company has also drawn the attention of the Indian government.
India's commitment to robust cybersecurity is evident through numerous successful case studies across sectors. In banking, multi-factor authentication, real-time monitoring, and anomaly detection have reduced fraud.

The government's investments in advanced firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and training programs have enhanced threat detection and response. Healthcare organizations prioritise data encryption, access controls, and incident response protocols. E-commerce platforms secure customer data with payment gateways, SSL encryption, and continuous monitoring.

These case studies highlight India's collective efforts, emphasising collaborative partnerships, technological advancements, and skilled cybersecurity professionals. India's commitment to digital safety positions it as a global leader in cybersecurity, fostering a secure digital ecosystem.

Mumbai is set to host the highly anticipated Cyber Security Summit, a premier gathering of industry leaders, experts, and professionals focused on tackling the challenges and shaping the future of cybersecurity. This prestigious event, organized by Exito Media Concepts, will take place on 2nd of August in Mumbai.

The Cyber Security Summit, Mumbai is an exclusive event tailored for Senior IT security leaders from leading businesses in India. In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, innovation is crucial for survival and growth. However, with increased innovation comes complexity and risk. This summit empowers security and risk management leaders to embrace emerging technologies while ensuring the utmost safety.

By understanding the risks associated with digital initiatives, attendees can leverage innovation securely and play a vital role in embedding security resilience within their organizations. Through panel discussions, fireside chats, industry keynotes, and solution showcases, this summit equips security leaders with strategic insights and best practices to build resilient and agile digital organizations.

The summit will cover a wide range of topics including:

Cyber strategies : How do you make working with the third-parties safer?

Critical Infrastructure Cyber a top priority for India.

Fool proofing your organization against ransomware and data breech.

A future secured by AI Integrated Cyber.

Updating your Cyber Security Strategy in the Digital World.

Modernising Cyber Security Infrastructure to protect your digital future

The Evolving role of a CISO

Cybersecurity governance: A path to cyber maturity

Is Generative AI a cybersecurity Threat?

Get ready to hear from these distinguished professionals:

Ambarish Singh , CISO Godrej & Boyce.

, CISO Godrej & Boyce. Nilesh Gade , Global CISO Bekaert.

, Global CISO Bekaert. Hetal Presswala , CISO Kalpataru Limited.

, CISO Kalpataru Limited. Vinay Wandrekar , Group Associate Director - Information Security and Compliance Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.

, Group Associate Director - Information Security and Compliance Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. Dr M Sasikumar , Executive Director Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Mumbai.

, Executive Director Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Mumbai. Rajshekhar Pullabhatla , Director Information Sharing And Analysis Center.

, Director Information Sharing And Analysis Center. Akhil Kumar , Vice President - IT Planning, Governance & Information Security Mizuho Bank.

, Vice President - IT Planning, Governance & Information Security Mizuho Bank. Ashutosh Mishra , Chief Risk Manager NABARD

, Chief Risk Manager NABARD Niranjan Reddy , CISO, Polycab India Ltd

, CISO, Polycab India Ltd Vikas Sharma, Head IT - Infra, Security & TS Aditya Birla Group.

In addition to the exceptional line-up of speakers and insightful discussions, the Cyber Security Summit will also showcase prestigious awards and nominations that recognize outstanding achievements in the realm of cybersecurity. These accolades serve as a testament to the dedication, innovation, and excellence demonstrated by organizations and individuals in safeguarding digital ecosystems.

The CISO 25 India Awards aims to acknowledge and honour the remarkable efforts of Indian CISOs who are devoted to enhancing information security within their companies, governments, and organizations. These awards will celebrate the innovative and adaptable strategies implemented by cybersecurity leaders, setting a benchmark for other organizations in their pursuit of cyber resilience.

Who can Attend?

The Cyber Security Summit, Mumbai is open to Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Information Officer, Directors/ VPs/ GMs/ Heads of IT, Head of IT Operations, Directors/ Heads of Cyber Security and Head of Analytics / AI from a variety of industries, including Government, BFSI & Fintech, Telecom, Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Logistics & Supply Chain, Ecommerce & Retail, Packaging, Pharma & Life sciences.

For more information on Cyber Security Summit Mumbai, you can visit

https://exito-e.com/cybersecuritysummit/mumbai/
India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system for payment will soon be accepted in France. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced. PM Modi stated that India and France have decided to use UPI in this European nation, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India's mobile-based payment system and allows people to make round-the-clock payments through a virtual payment address established by the customer.

While addressing the Indian community at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts center on an island in river Seine, Modi said very soon, Indian tourists will be able to make rupee payments using UPI from atop the Eiffel Tower. "In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI...It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower," the prime minister said.

"Be it India's UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction. India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days, its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower, which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower," Modi said while addressing the Indian community at La Seine Musicale in Paris.

In 2022, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organization that offers UPI services, signed an MoU with France's own fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra. Earlier this year, Indias UPI and Singapores PayNow signed an agreement paving the way for users in the two countries to make seamless, real-time, and secure cross-border transactions. NPCI is also in talks with other countries in the USA, Europe, and West Asia to extend UPI services. As per RBI data, UPI transactions stood at Rs 139.2 trillion in FY23 or about 73 percent of all non-cash transactions in India in 2022. According to report, daily transactions are likely to reach 1 billion by 20262027, accounting for about 90 percent of all non-cash transactions. Modi was received by Prime Minister Borne at the airport in a special gesture. A ceremonial welcome and Guard of honor were accorded to Prime Minister Modi upon his arrival at the airport.
Here are the top 10 stocks that could be in focus :

Wipro: The IT major reported dollar revenue of $2.78 billion for the June quarter, a 2.1% sequential decline and only 0.81% better than the year-ago period. In constant currency terms, sequential growth fell by 2.8%. Net income slipped 6.5% sequentially to $349.8 million, although it was up 7.8% year-on-year. Wipro has forecast revenue decline for the September quarter as well. These numbers following close on the heels of tepid earnings from peers Tata Consultancy Services and HCL Tech have raised concerns about sluggish growth in Indias $245 billion IT services industry this fiscal year.

HCL Technologies: India's third largest IT services firm is acquiring German automotive engineering services company ASAP Group for an enterprise value of about 251 million ($280 million) to push beyond IT consultancy into expertise in self-driving vehicles. HCL said that it has agreed to buy all shares of ASAP Group, which specializes in autonomous driving and e-mobility. The sale is expected to be completed in September if the deal gets regulatory approval.

Delta Corp: Six of the seven clients holding large derivatives positions in Delta Corp., a gaming and casino company, closed their positions following the 11 July Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting. The stock, which plunged 23% after the council decided to raise GST rates on gaming and casinos from 18% to 28%, prompted these clients to take immediate action. After they closed their positions, the Delta Corp. stock was removed from the futures and options (F&O) ban it had been subjected to on 7 July.

Adani Green: The renewable energy company ramped up capacity by 43% to 8,316 MW in the June quarter. The Adani Group firm said that it added 1,750 MW of solar-wind hybrid capacity, 212 MW of solar capacity, and 554 MW wind power plants in the first quarter of FY24, taking its total operational capacity to 8,316 MW. It is now the largest renewable energy company in India, which is actively working on its net-zero target by 2050.

Federal Bank: The private lender has reported an over 40% year-on-year rise in its June quarter net profit to Rs 854 crore, driven by falling provisions and improving business momentum. Net interest income climbed 20% on year toRs 1,919 crore, while net interest margin was at 3.15%, down 7 basis points on year due to the rise in cost of funds.

Senco Gold: The Kolkata-based jewelry retailer will list on the stock exchanges on 14 July. The issue price has been fixed at Rs 317 per share. According to market observers, shares of Senco Gold Ltd were available at a premium of Rs 128 per apiece in grey market. The Rs 405-crore initial public offering of Senco Gold was subscribed 73.34 times at the close. The part reserved for QIBs was subscribed 180 times.

Patanjali Foods: Patanjali Foods do not plan to exercise the oversubscription option of selling an additional 2% stake after a strong response from institutional investors for its offer for sale (OFS). The total offer size will just be the base offer size, which is 7% stake the promoters initially planned to sell. The OFS of Patanjali Foods, under which the promoter Patanjali Ayurved will offload about 7%, will be available for retail investors to bid. The company has fixed Rs 1,000 as the floor price for the OFS.

CSB Bank: Canadian public pension fund Omers Administration Corp. has exited the private sector lender by selling its entire stake, via open market transactions, for Rs 105.9 crore. Omers sold 20.89 lakh shares at an average price of Rs 295.02 apiece, and 15 lakh shares at an average of Rs 295 apiece.

Rail Vikas Nigam: The state-owned railway company has received a Letter of Award from the National Highways Authority of India for rehabilitation and upgradation from four- to eight-laning of Chandikhole- Paradip section of NH-53 in Odisha on HAM mode. The project is worth Rs 808.48 crore.

GMR Power and Urban Infra: Has received an order from the Uttar Pradesh government for the installation and maintenance of 75.69 lakh smart meters in the state. A letter of intent has been issued to its step-down GMR Smart Electricity Distribution Private Ltd by discoms Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL) and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (DVVNL), GMR Power and Urban Infra Ltd said in a regulatory filing. The project will span over a period of 10 years.
DEAR DR ROACH:

I am a 60-year-old man and suffer from chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. I have had bouts of prostatitis since childhood, but the last few years, it has been almost constant. My symptoms are burning, and I always get the feeling that I have to urinate. I have seen numerous urologists, but none who are familiar with treating this condition. I have been tested for infection. My prostate is not enlarged, and my PSA level is normal.

I have attempted biofeedback, acupuncture and Chinese herbs, all with no relief. I am at my wits end. Do you know of any treatments or specialists who deal with this issue? Also, do you have any other suggestions? Is there another type of doctor I should reach out to, such as a neurologist or pain specialist? -- S.S.

ANSWER:

Your symptoms, although they are often attributed to the prostate, may not be caused by the prostate at all. Chronic pelvic pain in men is very common. It affects at least 2% of men, and some studies say as much as 10%.

For non-specialists like me, initial treatment is usually a combination of an alpha blocker like tamsulosin (Flomax) and an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, once infection is ruled out. A careful exam is usually enough to look for other common problems, but blood testing and even imaging studies may sometimes be done.

I have occasionally found men that are so worried about painful urination that they stop drinking, consciously or unconsciously, to minimize pain. However, concentrated urine often makes symptoms worse, and increasing hydration can make a world of difference.

It sounds like you have gone way past the kind of treatment a generalist can give, and although all adult urologists are certainly familiar with chronic pelvic pain in men, it doesnt sound like you have found an expert in that condition. Many institutions have teams to treat male pelvic pain (just as there are teams for female chronic pelvic pain), usually consisting of a urologist, pain management specialist and pelvic floor physical therapist. I had no trouble finding several institutions in my city with well-run expert centers, but those who live in smaller cities or rural areas may have a harder time. Since many conditions can lead to similar symptoms, the team approach is best.

* * *

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.

(c) 2023 North America Syndicate Inc.

All Rights Reserved
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Burlington, formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, will soon offer its deals and designer brands at a second location on Staten Island, expanding its borough presence to a substantial anchor location at The Boulevard shopping center in New Dorp this fall.

We are thrilled to open another Burlington store in Staten Island this fall, offering residents everyday low prices on a wide assortment of brand-name merchandise for the entire family and home, a spokesperson for the discount retailer noted. We look forward to opening this brand-new location and bringing great bargains and job opportunities to the local community.

The store, which will be located on the second floor of the shopping center, will occupy some 31,630 square feet of retail space and help fill the void recently left by Party City.

We are excited to add another great retailer to the mix at The Boulevard, noted Joshua Weinkranz, president of Kimco Realtys Northern Region, which owns the center. Burlington will be  on the upper floor in between Old Navy and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. They will occupy both a never-before-occupied space, as well as the former Party City that was next door. In addition to Burlington, there are numerous other tenants under construction all across the project, many of which will be open in the second half of 2023.

According to Kimcos website, other retailers slated to open in the shopping center include: Goldfish Swim, Wingstop, Sea Bar, Patrizias, The Good Feet Store, The Joint Chiropractic, Siam Thai Eatery and Boulevard Cafe.

The Boulevard is planning a free, family-friendly block party on Saturday, which will take place between 1 and 5 p.m.

Burlington is an off-price department store retailer, that operates more than 800 stores in 46 states and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in New Jersey, the company prides itself on offering an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers prices. Stock includes womens ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats.

The retailer has operated a store in Travis West Shore Plaza since 2004, closing only for a brief time to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. According to a Burlington rep, this new store is an expansion, and the company will continue to operate both stores on the borough.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A CVS worker accused of fatally stabbing a known shoplifter in Manhattan was let out of jail Thursday on $100,000 bond, the Daily News reported.

Scotty Enoe, 46, of Brooklyn, is facing charges of murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the July 6 fatality at the Midtown location.

Upon his release he agreed to wear an ankle monitor pending his next court appearance and to forfeit his passport, according to the report.

Prosecutors in state Supreme Court, Manhattan, argued Enoe stabbed the unarmed victim eight times.

The victim, 50-year-old Charles Brito, was a homeless man with multiple prior arrests for shoplifting including at CVS and Walgreens, sources told the outlet.

I didnt stab him over CVS products, the source quoted Enoe as telling police. I stabbed him over punching me. Look at my face.

SHOPLIFTING CITYWIDE ISSUE

Recidivism has been a problem for retailers across New York City as serial shoplifters are shuffled in and out of the court system without bail  including on Staten Island.

In May, a defendant experiencing homelessness was allegedly caught shoplifting at Empire Outlets in St. George after being prohibited from entering the retail location.

Weeks later, a 42-year-old woman who previously skipped a court appearance for alleged felony retail theft was brought to court by a warrant squad for arraignment.

Amid the spike in shoplifting cases citywide, Mayor Adams and city officials earlier this year unveiled a plan to tamp down on retail theft.

The goal, officials say, is to address root causes such as poverty and drug addiction while homing in on organized gangs of thieves.



RELATED COVERAGE: Courts on Staten Island

>> Ex-teacher with borough ties coerced mentally ill student into sex on Staten Island, porn online, feds allege

>> Staten Island man who pleaded in 6 arrests may lose leg to flesh-eating disease: Lawyer

>> Scams in romance, business across U.S. tied to Staten Island pair and others, feds say
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Police are investigating a crash where a luxury car hit a tree in Tottenville and one individual was taken in for questioning.

The crash occurred around 1:20 a.m. on Friday at Amboy Road and Page Avenue, according to preliminary information supplied to a spokesman for the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

A white, late-model Mercedes-Benz sedan allegedly was being driven at a high rate of speed when the car veered off the road and struck a tree at that location, the police spokesman said.
UPDATE: Reports have identified the suspect as Rex Heuermann.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  In a serial-killing case that has garnered national attention, a person is being questioned in connection with bodies found more than a decade ago in and around Gilgo and Oak beaches on Long Island, according to multiple media reports.

CBS News is reporting that the person of interest in the serial killings is from Massapequa, L.I.

A male person of interest in four of the deaths is due to appear in court on Friday, according to the New York Post.

Human remains from multiple people were found in Suffolk County after police began searching along Ocean Parkway for Shannan Gilbert, a 23-year-old escort who vanished in 2010 after leaving a clients house in Oak Beach, according to CBS News.

Years before the 2010 discovery of one set of human remains at Oak Beach in Suffolk County, 10 people fell victim to suspected homicide, according to the Suffolk County Police website. Multiple females, one male, and a toddler were robbed of their lives between 1996 and 2010.

The pursuit of a 2010 missing persons search [Gilbert] unveiled their remains across Long Island; and, one of the most consequential homicide investigations in the history of Long Island began.

Authorities were searching for Gilbert over a span of about eight months when, on Dec. 11, 2010, a Suffolk County Police Department Canine Unit uncovered human remains later identified as Melissa Barthelemy, 24, according to the website.

Two days later, three additional victims were located along Ocean Parkway and later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and Megan Waterman, 22.

All four women worked as Craigslist escorts and were last seen between July 2007 and September 2010, according to the police website.

As the search continued for Gilbert, partial remains of Jessica Taylor, another woman who worked as an escort, were discovered on March 29, 2011, several miles east of where the four other women were found on Gilgo Beach.

The discovery of Taylors remains led to the first connection between the Gilgo homicides and Manorville where some of her other remains were found on July 26, 2003.

On April 4, 2011, three more sets of remains were found on Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County. One set was of a female toddler, another was a still unidentified Asian male, and the third remains eventually were identified as Valerie Mack, 24.

A week later, the investigation uncovered two additional sets of remains along Ocean Parkway in neighboring Nassau County. One set, through DNA analysis, was confirmed to be the mother of the female toddler. The mothers partial remains were first discovered in Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997 and she has become known as Peaches due to a bitten heart-shaped tattoo of a peach on her body, according to the police website.

The other set of remains discovered in Nassau County was genetically matched with remains discovered in 1996 in Davis Park on Fire Island, according to the police website.

In December 2011, Suffolk County Police found Gilberts purse and mobile phone in Oak Beach marshland. Two days later, a quarter-mile east of her belongings, Gilberts remains were located, according to the police website.

OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS:

>> NYPD: Luxury car careens into tree on South Shore of Staten Island; 1 being questioned, 2nd sought

>> Thunderstorms soak New York City for Friday morning rush hour; muggy, hot day on tap

>> NYPD: Traffic delays in Huguenot on Wednesday due to funeral for FDNY firefighter

>> NYPD: At least 5 cars stolen from parking lot on Staten Island

>> Defendant in burglary at Staten Island restaurant dies at Rikers; several guards suspended

>> Whos going to take care of the kids? Family reels as owner of Staten Island deli is slain.

>> New NYPD 123rd Precinct commanding officer is set to combat car theft crews
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan is granted new powers, Trend reports.

This was reflected in the proposed amendment to the law "On the Constitutional Court", which was discussed at todays special meeting of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan.

According to the current law "On the Constitutional Court", consideration by the Constitutional Court of the requests of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Ombudsman) on the issue provided for in paragraph 4 of Part III of Article 130 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan is allowed in the following cases:

- if the normative legal act to be applied is not applied by the court;

- when the court applies a normative legal act that is not subject to execution;

- if the normative legal act has not been properly interpreted by the court.

According to the proposed amendment to the law "On the Constitutional Court ", this article is given in a new version. Thus, the request of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the issue provided for in paragraph 4 of part III of Article 130 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan on consideration by the Constitutional Court of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be answered if it is based on a normative legal act that does not comply with the Constitution or laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The bill was put to the vote and passed the third reading.

Meanwhile, the last meeting of the special session of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan was held today, at which deputies discussed 19 issues.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Rex Heuermann, 59, has been arrested in connection with the serial killings of multiple people whose bodies were found more than a decade ago near Gilgo and Oak beaches on Long Island, according to the Associated Press.

Heuermann, an architect, was taken into custody in Massapequa late Thursday near where investigators were seen on Friday searching his home, the Associated Press reported.

The suspect has been living for decades across a bay from where some of the remains of 11 people were buried, according to the Associated Press.

Heuermann was scheduled to be arraigned Friday in state court in Riverhead. A message seeking comment by the Associated Press was left with his lawyer. Voice and email messages were left by the Associated Press at Heuermanns Manhattan office and at possible numbers for his home and family Friday.

The sister of victim Shannan Gilbert, whose status as a missing person launched the search that unearthed the bodies, told NBC News that she was relieved that they finally caught him.

Its been a long time coming & I never gave up hope that one day justice would be served, Sherre Gilbert said in an email to NBC News. Im just happy it happened sooner rather than later. The suspect (Rex) deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life. He destroyed many lives so while it wont bring our loved ones back, it does help that one less monster is off the streets and he cant ever hurt anyone else!

Heuermann flew under the radar in high school, a former classmate and neighborhood who was in the same homeroom as the suspect told The New York Post on Friday.

[Im] sick to my stomach, the individual, who graduated alongside Heuermann with Berner High Schools Class of 1981, said of the shocking arrest.

The Post said that Heuermann is married with children.

He lives a couple blocks away from me, the classmate told the Post. You hear about this and then all of a sudden you find out its a former classmate and a neighbor  its shocking.

This undated photo, provided by John Ray Law, Friday, July 14, 2023, shows Shannan Gilbert, whose remains were found along at Gilgo Beach, on New York's Long Island, decades ago. A man arrested in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, has been identified as Rex Heuermann, an architect living across a bay from where some of the bodies were found, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, Friday. (John Ray Law via AP) APAP

SHOCKING DISCOVERY

Human remains from multiple people were found in Suffolk and Nassau counties after police began searching along Ocean Parkway for Shannan Gilbert, a 23-year-old escort who vanished in 2010 after leaving a clients house in Oak Beach, according to CBS News.

Years before the 2010 discovery of one set of human remains at Oak Beach in Suffolk County, 10 people fell victim to suspected homicide, according to the Suffolk County Police website. Multiple females, one male, and a toddler were robbed of their lives between 1996 and 2010.

The pursuit of a 2010 missing persons search [Gilbert] unveiled their remains across Long Island; and, one of the most consequential homicide investigations in the history of Long Island began.

Authorities were searching for Gilbert over a span of about eight months when, on Dec. 11, 2010, a Suffolk County Police Department Canine Unit uncovered human remains later identified as Melissa Barthelemy, 24, along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach, according to the website.

Two days later, three additional victims were located along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach and later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and Megan Waterman, 22.

All four women worked as Craigslist escorts and were last seen between July 2007 and September 2010, according to the police website.

As the search continued for Gilbert, partial remains of Jessica Taylor, another woman who worked as an escort, were discovered on March 29, 2011, several miles east of where the four other women were found.

The discovery of Taylors remains led to the first connection between the Gilgo homicides and Manorville where some of her other remains were found on July 26, 2003.

On April 4, 2011, three more sets of remains were found on Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County. One set was of a female toddler, another was a still unidentified Asian male, and the third remains eventually were identified as Valerie Mack, 24.

A week later, the investigation uncovered two additional sets of remains along Ocean Parkway in neighboring Nassau County. One set, through DNA analysis, was confirmed to be the mother of the female toddler. The mothers partial remains were first discovered in Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997 and she has become known as Peaches due to a bitten heart-shaped tattoo of a peach on her body, according to the police website.

Peaches has not yet been identified by authorities.

The other set of remains discovered in Nassau County along Ocean Parkway was genetically matched with remains discovered in 1996 in Davis Park on Fire Island. She has not been identified.

Suffolk County Police provided this map showing where multiple human remains were found in and around Gilgo and Oak beaches on Long Island in 2010 and 2011. (Courtesy of Suffolk County Police)

OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS:

>> NYPD: Luxury car careens into tree on South Shore of Staten Island; 1 being questioned, 2nd sought

>> Thunderstorms soak New York City for Friday morning rush hour; muggy, hot day on tap

>> NYPD: Traffic delays in Huguenot on Wednesday due to funeral for FDNY firefighter

>> NYPD: At least 5 cars stolen from parking lot on Staten Island

>> Defendant in burglary at Staten Island restaurant dies at Rikers; several guards suspended
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Prison may not be the worst case scenario for a Staten Island man who in 2019 pleaded guilty to a slew of criminal charges.

Antonio Sendra, then 49, of New Brighton, admitted that year to a felony drug count and possession of a weapon in state Supreme Court, St. George, along with lesser drug possession and unlicensed driving charges spanning six arrests dating back to 2018.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  According to a previous story in the Staten Island Advance, Thomas E. Davis originally constructed the Pavilion on the Terrace at 404 Richmond Terrace as a residence in 1835. It was then sold several times before it became a banquet hall. It functioned as a hotel in the 1880s until it was converted back into a residence and sold to counselor George Greenfield. Greenfield then sold the house in 1910 to the Knights of Columbus, who used it until 1965. Thats when it started operating as a banquet hall, which is how it is known today, as the Pavilion on the Terrace.

Shown is Richmond Terrace at Westervelt Avenue, 414 Richmond Terrace, at the southeast corner of Westervelt Avenue. The mansion was on the Brooks estate in 1874. From 1898 to 1907, it belonged to Jas. Crabtree. On May 2, 1928, this building was torn down and is now the parking lot for the pavilion on the Terrace. (Staten Island Advance)Staff-Shot

According to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in the St. George Historic District report, 404 Richmond Terrace was the oldest surviving remnant of the initial development of New Brighton as a planned suburban community, and is the only remaining building of the famous Temple Row, a group of Greek Revival mansions which once extended along Richmond Terrace between Nicholas Street and Westervelt Avenue.

The sole survivor of the six buildings erected by Manhattan real estate developer Thomas E. Davis prior to his joining with other investors in the New Brighton Association in 1835, No. 404 was sold to merchant Henry P. Robertson on Oct. 19, 1835, for $6,000.

The 200-year-old Staten Island temple-fronted two-story building has been returned to its 19th-Century elegance with an interior that now houses a beautiful banquet hall, dining rooms, bars, and a bridal suite. According to its website, the Pavilion on the Terrace has a style reminiscent of elegant craftsmanship with beautiful landscaping. It re-opened in 2021 after extensive renovations.

This is a photo of Richmond Terrace at Westervelt Avenue in 1928. Shown is 404 Richmond Terrace on May 2, 1928. (OldNYC.org) Staff-Shot

July 6, 1965, shown is the front view of the Columbian Club at 404 Richmond Terrace in New Brighton, Staten Island. It is a Greek Revival-style building with six columns on the front porch. (From the collection of Historic Richmond Town.)

This photo from July 6, 1965 shows an interior view of the bar in the Columbian Club at 404 Richmond Terrace in New Brighton. There is a jukebox against the far wall. This building became Pavilion on the Terrace in 1965. (From the collection of Historic Richmond Town)

Exterior view of the Pavilion on the Terrace is shown in 1979. (Staten Island Advance)Staff-Shot

Pavillion on the Terrace in New Brighton is shown in 2019, as it awaited a major renovation that would take four years to complete. (Staten Island Advance)Staff-Shot

Pavilion on the Terrace Banquet Hall is shown on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

Pavilion on the Terrace, New Brighton, has reopened under new ownership after a major renovation. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pamela Silvestri

Pavilion on the Terrace, New Brighton, has reopened under new ownership after a major renovation. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pamela Silvestri

From the elaborate ceiling work to plush window dressings, the main room of the Pavilion on the Terrace has been restored to a sparkling new state for a new era in parties on Staten Island's North Shore. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

A table is set for guests in the main room of the Pavilion on Richmond Terrace. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

It took owner Kecia Weaver six years to get approvals from the city to open Pavilion on the Terrace. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

The Pavilion on the Terrace Banquet Hall is shown on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

The Pavilion on the Terrace Banquet Hall is shown on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

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Mid-Island suffered a tough loss in the opening game of the New York State 12s All-Star Softball Tournament on Thursday afternoon in Smithtown, Long Island.

The Staten Islanders were upended by a 14-0 count in a three-inning mercy defeat at the hands of Massapequa LL.

MILL, which won the District 24 and Section 3 crowns earlier this month, will meet Chittenango LL on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the second game of pool play.
In todays digital age, internet connectivity has become an essential tool for communication, access to information, and participation in 21st Century life. However, marginalized New Yorkers  especially immigrants and people seeking asylum  are less likely to own a device that gets them online. Without access to the internet, it is nearly impossible for our new neighbors to connect with family and friends back home; and it is harder for them to access the resources they need and deserve, such as health care, shelter, employment, nutrition, legal support, and more. For the newest New Yorkers, the ability to access a reliable, high-speed internet connection can make the difference between thriving or surviving.

As New York Citys municipal government, immigrant community-based organizations, and nonprofits across the five boroughs provide services to tens of thousands of newcomers and families looking for asylum, the free Wi-Fi provided by LinkNYC kiosks has proven to be a transformative force. By helping New Yorkers get online for free, LinkNYC is a critical lifeline that enables us to better serve this population and empower our immigrant and asylum seeking neighbors.

La Colmena, or The Beehive, in Spanish, offers comprehensive support and services to immigrants in New York City, with a focus on workforce development. We know that a good-paying job is the key to a sustainable and dignified life in our city, so we aspire every day to empower immigrants on Staten Island with tailored programs and resources that enhance their employable skills, provide career guidance, and assist with job placement. Our staff understands the unique challenges immigrants face in the local job market and ensures they are equipped with the language support, vocational training, legal assistance, and networking opportunities they require to thrive in their new home.

Our mission supports immigrants, drives the citys economy, and fosters a stronger and more inclusive New York for all. But one inescapable barrier our clients continue to face is getting online  especially as a broadband subscription in New York is among the most expensive of any city in the United States.

In response, we partnered with LinkNYC earlier this year to establish the Staten Island Gigabit Center, which acknowledges that access to the internet is a necessity, not a luxury. The new facility has supercharged our impact by providing free Wi-Fi powered by LinkNYC, along with work stations, laptops, and tablets for public use. Through our partnership, weve opened doors for immigrants to access vital support, including educational services and employment opportunities that were otherwise unattainable.

Most importantly, the xcenter has become a catalyst for community-building and bonding, offering a public space for immigrants to gather, establish life-long relationships, share experiences and guidance, and build a stronger network. Our hive for the community has never been more resilient.

In addition to the immediate benefits, the Gigabit Center also contributes to the long-term welfare of our immigrant neighbors. The digital skills newcomers learn through regular engagement with the internet and its tools are in high demand in our tech-driven job market, and will ultimately develop our clients employability and expand the economic opportunities available to them.

Our partnership with LinkNYC at the Staten Island Gigabit Center has been instrumental in breaking down barriers and empowering the newest generation of immigrants in New York. The program is vital to further bridge the digital divide in every community in our city.

(Yesenia Mata is the executive director of La Colmena of Staten Island.)
If SCOTUS recent ruling striking down President Bidens relief plan still has you reeling, then the Broke & Bothered newsletter is for you. Join Reckons Alexis Wray as she questions the legitimacy of student loans, gives you tools to take action and shares stories from real people most impacted: Enter your email to subscribe.

The Biden Administration announced Friday that approximately 804,000 student loan borrowers will automatically have their debts wiped clean.

This relief works to cancel remaining loan balances based on the income-driven repayment plan for borrowers that have made payments on their student loan debt for 20 to 25 years.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The department of education plans to notify borrowers in the next week if they qualify for debt cancellation under the umbrella of $39 billion in total forgiveness across the country.

The Biden administration also accounted for borrowers who paused their payments in deferments, forbearances and those who made partial or late payments.

While the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Bidens student loan forgiveness plan in June  halting relief for more than 43 million borrowers  todays announcement gets borrowers closer to financial freedom, observers say.



Borrowers are worried about the future of affording and paying back their student loans. Are you one of them? Share your story and thoughts here with Reckon.
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SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, July 14. The memory of the great poet is honored in the ancient Shusha land of Karabakh within the framework of the Vagif Poetry Days organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and the Writers' Union of Azerbaijan, Trend correspondent reports from the event.

The Vagif Poetry Days, which started on July 13 in the poet's hometown, the Gazakh village of Yuxar Salahl, will continue in Shusha on July 14-15.

Shusha was of great importance for great poet and statesman of the XVIII century Karabakh Khanate Molla Panah Vagif.

He gained fame and glory, was buried, left a significant mark in the history of the Azerbaijani people. Even during Vagif's life in Shusha, this city dear to every Azerbaijani was considered the cultural center of Azerbaijan.

Artists and representatives of the public laid flowers at the bust of Molla Panah Vagif.

Honored Artist, poet Baba Vaziroglu noted the importance of The Vagif Poetry Days and the poet's great contribution to the national language and literature.

"Vagif's work has had a great influence on the development of literature for many generations, the work of poets and writers, philosophical thought, ideas of love for the native land. At that time, many people used Arabic and Farsi words in their literary work, and this complicated the texts so much that it led to not understanding what a poet or writer wanted to convey to people," Baba Vaziroglu told Trend.

Vagif wrote in a pure Azerbaijani language, while his words, both about love and various social aspects of his time, were accessible and understandable to everyone. The artistic images created by him, reflected in the works of tradition and customs, have become a truly national treasure trove. And it was after Vagif that the pure national language in the literary work of poets and writers received its wide development," he added.

National poet Vahid Aziz noted the huge role of Vagif in the promotion of national values and the Azerbaijani language.

"Vagif was a great poet, whose greatness is not only in his poetry, but also a huge legacy in the basics of the national language. He was very close to people, who responded to him with mutual love and respect. His work reflected the true goals of national consciousness and the desire for enlightenment, the lyrics of love and patriotism, and the pursuit of high human values. I have always dreamed that at least twenty percent of the rhyme lines in the works of Vagif and Samad Vurgun were in my work," Vahid Aziz told Trend.

The program includes a Poetry Day with the participation of Azerbaijani and modern poets of the Turkic peoples, a concert of an ensemble of ancient musical instruments, a literary and musical composition, performances by famous artists.

The events are held at the museum and mausoleum complex of the Molla Panah Vagif, the house of a prominent poetess, the last princess of the Karabakh Khanate Khurshidbanu Natavan, in the Mehmandarovs' House complex, the Shusha branch of the Azerbaijani National Carpet Museum, in the "Kharibulbul" and "Karabakh" hotels.

The guests are also presented with an excursion program on a number of religious, historical and cultural monuments of Azerbaijan restored in Shusha.
At times, he was humorous, humble and self-deprecating as he breezed over a career in acting that began, he joked, when he emerged from his mothers womb. He repeatedly dropped names of some of the stars in his universe, including high school classmate Val Kilmer and Judi Dench  whom he said he taught to play ping-pong. Spacey seemed more than content to reflect on happier times in his career, but was repeatedly drawn back to the reason he was addressing a jury of nine men and three women at Southwark Crown Court. Kevin Spacey arrives at Southwark Crown Court, London, on Thursday . Credit: Aaron Chown/PA via AP He could face a prison term if convicted of charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Defence lawyer Patrick Gibbs went through the allegations chronologically with Spacey, dating to the early 2000s when he came to work at the Old Vic Theatre in London and later became its artistic director.

Spacey took a pause in his testimony as he recalled the intimate and somewhat sexual friendship he shared with a man now accusing the actor of violently groping him. He said he was crushed the man accused him of sexual assault. Loading I never thought that [the man] I knew would ... 20 years later stab me in the back, Spacey said. The accuser had testified that Spaceys fondling culminated when the man was driving and Spacey grabbed his crotch so violently he almost ran off the road. He told police he warned Spacey to never do it again and threatened to knock him out. That never happened, Spacey testified. I was not on a suicide mission in any of those years.

Spacey said the man was funny and charming, appearing wistful as he looked at a photo the man sent him from a mountainous trek he took to raise money for charity. Im a big flirt, Spacey said, acknowledging he probably made the first moves. He said he touched the man but not in a violent, aggressive, painful way. Spacey leaves court on Thursday. Credit: Aaron Chown/PA via AP Spaceys description of gentle stroking was in direct contradiction to the testimony from the alleged victims. They said he caught them by surprise when he aggressively grabbed their genitals through their clothing. It wasnt like a caress, one man testified. It was like a cobra coming out and getting hold.

Spacey called that mans account madness and said it never happened. He also denied he made racially offensive remarks to the man during a rehearsal for a charity theatre event. Addressing the most serious charge in the case, Spacey raised his voice and denied the suggestion he drugged a man before assaulting him. I know the way I am with someone and I would never be behaving in the way he claimed  it makes no logical sense, he said. Spacey said he couldnt recall the man when police confronted him. After repeatedly watching video of the mans interview by a detective, he said he pieced together that they had a brief consensual sexual encounter in his apartment that ended when the man left in a hurry. The person that I had this intimate moment with was suddenly awkward and fumbling, he said. If he regretted it immediately, I dont know. I cant speak for him, but something was weird.

He said his phone records indicated they continued to text each other over several months. Loading Spacey said he primarily accepted the account of a fourth man who accused the actor of kissing his neck twice and grabbing his crotch during a night of heavy drinking. The man testified that Spacey looked panicked when he pushed him away and said, I dont bat for that team. Spacey said he didnt recall making the clumsy pass, but was glad the man said he ceased when the man said he wasnt interested.

At least two of the men have also sued Spacey. Spacey said he successfully fought his accusers in US courts, but is in debt with legal bills. Prosecutors in Massachusetts dropped charges against him when the alleged victim refused to testify. A jury in New York jury last fall cleared Spacey in a $40 million lawsuit by Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp on allegations dating to 1986. Spacey said he fought that case the same way he has in London, by doggedly digging through old records, boxes of photos and any evidence that could disprove the claims. Spacey faces hours of cross-examination on Friday, and his lawyer is expected to present several witnesses on his behalf.
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 For Bernadette Olivier, Barbiecore  fashion shorthand for the popularity of hot pink, high ponytails and fit-and-flare dresses, among other things  didnt begin with Margot Robbie sharing the first on-set shots of the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie movie back in June 2022. Olivier, co-founder of peer-to-peer clothing rental platform The Volte, instead pinpoints an appearance by Anne Hathaway at Valentinos couture show on July 8, 2022, as the moment the trend really took off. Pink parade (from left): Anne Hathaway and Gemma Chan in Valentino; Kendall Jenner in Giambattista Valli x H&M. Credit: Getty That micro mini magenta dress [Hathaway wore] was amazing, Olivier says. It was permission to wear hot pink, and the Barbiecore hype has just added more fuel to the pink fire. The thing about trends is that they are easier to spot in hindsight. So, while Olivier drops her pin in Hathaway, others credit this wave to Gemma Chan in Valentino at the 2019 Oscars, years before Barbie was even announced. Others cite Valentino designer Pierpaolo Picciolis all-pink ready-to-wear show in March 2022, or  taking it further back  credit Moschinos ode to Barbie in 2014 as the moment that started it all.

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Models in the Valentino FW22-23 ready-to-wear show in March 2022 thats credited as one source of the current Barbiecore craze. Credit: Getty Trend forecaster WGSNs head of womenswear Sarah Maggioni says that while Valentinos influence is clear, other brands including Loewe, Jacquemus and Balenciaga have contributed to the movement. As a result, in 2020, the forecaster predicted that orchid flower would be the colour of 2022. (Pantone would go on to name Viva Magenta its colour of 2023.) [This colour] has an energising quality, its fun, its bold, yet, it has a familiarity to it, its not scary and inaccessible like other vibrant shades, she says. Millennial Pink paved the way for it and adjusted the consumers eye to this colour level, across genders too ... Pink is also generally a good seller and can suit many different skin tones and demographics. Margot Robbie on the Barbie press tour in Moschino, Versace and Valentino. Credit: AP, Getty As the memorable cerulean blue scene in The Devil Wears Prada proved (Meryl Streep, playing a fearsome magazine editor, gives Anne Hathaways character a dressing down over the fashion cycle) it takes time for trends to trickle from high fashion to the high street. According to Google, searches for Barbie fashion and related terms, such as Barbie dress or pink dress are at a 15-year high in Australia. Data shows searches for Barbiecore spiked in July and November 2022, and again in July 2023, and global trend forecaster Lyst named Barbiecore as the top trend of 2022. The other thing about trends is that once youre thinking about them, they are seemingly everywhere.

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At The Volte, hot pink dresses, led by a strapless mini from the collaboration between Giambattista Valli and H&M, which was modelled by Kendall Jenner in the south of France in May 2019 and rents for $190, have been performing strongly. Olivier thinks Barbiecore, specifically its interest in hot pink, has come at a time when people are still seeking fun, post pandemic  though, notably, its co-existing with stealth wealth, its aesthetic antithesis. Youre not going to wear pink sequins to the office but if theres an occasion to go bold, why wouldnt you? she says. The other thing about trends is that once youre thinking about them, they are seemingly everywhere; a psychological phenomenon known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon or frequency illusion. And that makes us feel comfortable, even safe, says Dr Carolyn Mair, cognitive psychologist and author of the Psychology of Fashion. Trends feed our psychological need for both novelty and belonging, as they can motivate us to experience something different from the status quo, while simultaneously allowing us to fit in, she says. WGSNs Sarah Maggioni says the Barbiecore aesthetic also allows people, specifically women, a way to reframe the so-called bimbo aesthetic. University of Adelaide lecturer Dr Jessica Ford agrees: We assume the women participating in Barbiecore are doing so unknowingly, which is misleading  but its a provocation, its saying, Hey, I am dressed head to toe in pink, and I challenge you to take me seriously. Margot Robbie in a scene from Barbie. Credit: Warner Brothers Pictures Barbiecores appeal is also amplified by tapping into nostalgia, offering an escape from the mundane realities and responsibilities of adulthood, says Mair. And its a trend people can cherry-pick when shopping for different fashion, decor and beauty items, which makes it accessible across ages, social and cultural demographics, says Dr Lauren Rosewarne, a pop culture expert at the University of Melbourne. We dont take the pink power suit in its entirety because it becomes costume, she says. The [Barbie-branded] hair straightener is a good example. Why not have a pink, fun one? Whats the harm?

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Sarah Bone, a hairdresser from Molong, has just one wish in life and that is for Charlie Teo to come to our house and look after my sister for just one day. In December 2008, the controversial neurosurgeon told then-20-year-old Ellie Middleton and her family that if Ellie was his daughter, he would definitely have the operation to remove her brain tumour that other neurosurgeons had said was inoperable. Teos operation was a catastrophe. For the past 15 years, Ellie (nicknamed Elle), has spent every single day slumped in a wheelchair and needs 24-hour care. She cant walk, talk or feed herself, and she is blind. Ellie Middleton and her family. Credit: Monique Lovick She has no quality of life, none, said her mother, Vicki. Before the surgery, Ellie told her family and Teo that if the operation did not go well, knock me on the head. She never wanted to be in this position, said her sister.

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Shes pretty much a vegetable, said her brother Jake. This week Teo was found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct for his decision to operate on two interstate patients where the risks outweighed any potential benefits of his surgery. Charlie Teo was spotted at Sydney Airport on Thursday, sporting a cap with the logo Psycho: Eyes Wide Open. Credit: Media-Mode In failing to outline the real risks of his surgeries, which were described as experimental, Teo was found to have behaved unethically in not obtaining informed consent from his patients before surgery. The two women failed to regain consciousness and died several months later. But for the Middleton family, their misery in seeing their daughter suffer goes on day after day. No one understands that Dr Teo has a huge vegetable patch scattered throughout many hospitals in Australia, said an intensive care specialist from southern Sydney, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, who was just one of the dozens of doctors who contacted the Herald to outline Teos failure to offer post-operative care.

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These are the patients who should have died from their disease. Not so. They still live, but they exist in vegetative states. And their families suffer. Every day, they suffer. Dr Teo promised them life but all they got was a very expensive living death, the specialist said. Ellie Middleton pictured in 2008 before her surgery. Teo flew out of Australia on Thursday evening and was spotted at Sydney Airport wearing a $77 cap, reading Psycho: Eyes Wide Open on the front and Psycho: Call me Crazy on the back. Asked about Ellies plight, Teo said in a statement that she is an example of a patient whose neurological status is so compromised that any intervention is extremely high risk. When they are staring down the barrel of death, life becomes very precious, and they are willing to accept potential complications such as blindness rather than the alternative, Teo claimed. Years later they sometimes have regrets when forced to live with significant deficits, but most patients dont blame others. Family friend Kim Stojanov, whose young sons Ellie used to babysit, acknowledged that Ellies family has been effectively mourning the loss of the bubbly and funny school captain ever since Teos fateful surgery.

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Theres been a long grieving process thats been going on for years and years and years. Its a jail term for her parents and her family. At seven, Ellie had been diagnosed with an astrocytoma, a slow-growing brain tumour that was regarded as inoperable due to its location. As her condition deteriorated, Ellie persuaded her family to take her to Sydney to see the famed neurosurgeon. I remember Charlie saying, if it was my daughter, I would do the operation, her sister recalled. Her mother didnt want Ellie to have the operation as another prominent Sydney neurosurgeon urged them not to see Teo but, ultimately, it was her daughters decision because legally, she could make her own choice. Ellie Middletons sister Sarah Bone (centre) shaves Kim Stojanovs head during a fundraiser for the surgery. Kim, who runs the Freemasons Hotel in Molong in the Central West region of NSW, remembers her friend Sarah calling her sobbing about the astonishing amount of money Teo was asking for up front before he would do the surgery. I dont know what to do. I think Im going to have to mortgage my house, Sarah told her. Kim, who was working in sales at WIN TV in Orange at the time, told her friend to hang tight and together they would think of a way to come up with the money.

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The tight-knit town swung into action with fundraisers, walkathons and a race day. The people who came forward with money were often those who could least afford it, struggling farmers, tradies, pensioners, and the unemployed. Cabonne mayor Kevin Beatty, who was a local detective at the time, was the emcee for one fundraiser as well as part of an amateur theatrical group raising money for Ellies surgery. I have never seen such widespread generosity, he said. People who couldnt afford it gave so much. People gave us their last 20 bucks, said Kim, who personally raised $30,000 by having her long hair shaved off. The town, which at the time had a population of 1700, raised $130,000 in six weeks. No one understands that Dr Teo has a huge vegetable patch scattered throughout many hospitals in Australia. An intensive care specialist from southern Sydney. The $40,000 Teo charged for the operation was soon swamped by an avalanche of unexpected costs.

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Video taken from inside the building shows flooded fire escapes, water dripping through a smoke detector and seeping water corroding the steel being used to shore up the concrete slabs. On Friday, Building Commissioner David Chandler suggested that all was not lost for residents hoping to take advantage of the arrangement he made. He told the Herald in a statement the $11 million security and the guarantee remained in place for all five buildings in the 960-apartment Skyview complex  those already built and those under construction that might yet be taken over by a new builder. All buildings share a common basement, and it was this part of the building which was the subject of the undertakings guaranteed by Toplace, Chandler said. If the companies trade out of receivership or are taken over, those entities will take on the obligation. If liquidated, the current and future owners corporation can access the guarantee.

But owner Alexandra Jurd fears that the $11 million will barely scratch the surface of future repair works required at Skyview. $11 million is not very much when youre talking about huge high-rise buildings, she said, adding there were a number of constraints over how and when the money could be spent. And as time goes on the defects will become more expensive to fix. Eleven million [today] isnt worth as much as when they signed it. Skyview was to be the jewel in the Toplace crown. Credit: Peter Rae Jurd has chosen to move out of her first-floor apartment in Skyview rather than sleep with 75 metres of concrete and steel suspended above her and her young family. I was getting very stressed by the idea the building wasnt safe, she said. I was starting to get anxious going to bed, wondering if wed still be here in the morning.

The saga highlights the unwieldy beast facing NSW regulators who have been trying to banish shoddy building practices and eliminate cowboy developers since 2018, when cracking noises were first heard at the Opal Tower. The scale of the problem later became apparent as residents were evacuated from towers at Mascot and Zetland and supports were put in place to prop up a tower at Canterbury. The Herald interviewed several experts this week about the success of the reforms enacted by the state government over the past five years under Chandlers leadership. NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler was given the job of restoring faith in the construction industry. Credit: Kate Geraghty While they commended the progress that has been made so far, all stressed that bringing about wholesale change was fraught with difficulty and there was no silver bullet available to the government.

They cautioned the success of the changes was unlikely to be evident for several years, while legacy buildings constructed under the old regime were likely to continue to inflict a devastating toll on apartment owners. Construction lawyer Bronwyn Weir, who co-authored the landmark Shergold-Weir report into Australias building regulations, estimated it would take five years before conclusions could be drawn about the success of the reforms but described the progress made so far as remarkable. Loading We really need to be doing whats happened for the last three years for 10 to really turn it around, she said. The $900 million Skyview project at Castle Hill was meant to be the jewel in the crown of the glittering Toplace construction empire. Instead, the development would be Nassifs undoing, with NSW Police issuing a warrant for his arrest in June over an alleged large-scale fraud to keep money flowing to the project from a $150 million Westpac bank loan.

Skyview had already been causing headaches for Nassif. As the first two of five towers were nearing completion in mid-2021, a whistleblower circulated a dossier of photos to state MPs, raising concerns about the condition of the concrete slabs. Department of Fair Trading inspections subsequently discovered extensive signs of cracking in the basement. While the cracks could be remediated, an expert report found they should ideally be monitored for the rest of the buildings life. Chandler slapped Toplace with a prohibition order preventing the issuing of an occupation certificate for Skyview, which stymied the company from settling on the apartments. Cracks form in the basement of Toplaces Skyview tower in Castle Hill. It was lifted a few weeks later in July 2021, once Toplace agreed to the guarantee. At the time, Nassif told the ABC that consumers could be confident in the Skyview buildings because they were now the the most studied pieces of concrete in Australia. We plan to continue on as one of Sydneys most reputable developers, he said, noting the publicity had delivered a boost to apartment sales.

A small group of off-the-plan buyers were aghast at the prospect of settling on the apartments, and launched a legal bid in the Land and Environment Court to have the occupation certificate set aside. They enlisted the help of Vavrica, who had been advising owners pro-bono at other troubled towers across Sydney. Vavrica said he was shocked to inspect the building in March 2022 and discover a string of defects, including flooded fire escapes, water dripping through a smoke detector and seeping water corroding the steel being used to shore up the concrete slabs. The fire doors also failed to close properly. Vavrica said proper door closure was essential to prevent fire spreading from one compartment of the building to another. The Herald has seen videos which confirm his account. Those things were blatantly obvious, Vavrica recalled. If you see water dripping down from a bunch of high voltage cables, something is wrong.

The buyers went into mediation with Toplace and reached a confidential settlement in April last year. Vavrica took his concerns to NSW Fair Trading, which fields complaints on behalf of the Building Commissioner, and Hills Shire Council. He told them his review of the documentation showed some of the building certificates for the project were signed off by subcontractors who were unlicensed or didnt have relevant qualifications. Vavrica said he never received a response from Fair Trading, which he described as beyond concerning. Hills Shire Council asked Fire and Rescue NSW to inspect the building after receiving Vavricas complaint. The inspection uncovered a series of very serious fire safety deficiencies and last month the council issued orders that they be fixed.

The council said at the time it would write to the Building Commissioner urging him to have the developer resolve the safety breaches at its own cost. Toplace went into administration only weeks later. Loading Chandler said he was aware of the report and orders made by council but had not seen them. These will be reviewed and considered, he said. The certifier will be asked to review and respond to allegations. Chandler said the reforms implemented when he came into office were not a replacement for a builders quality assurance or a developers certificate. He said his office was auditing eight projects a month and more than 400 audits had been conducted involving more than 28,400 apartments. My message to developers and builders of apartment buildings in NSW is that its not an if but a when they will be audited by the regulator, Chandler said.

Jean Nassif and Toplace have had their licenses suspended for defects in their buildings including Skyview. Jurd said she was forced to settle on her unit and discovered that rain would send a river of water running through the car park and into her storage unit. So we had to organise to get everything lifted off the floor, then next time we checked it was all mouldy, she said. We just we felt like we were constantly battling things like that. She said the fire evacuation alarms in the building went off at least twice a week, including on a winter evening when she had just returned home from hospital with her two-year-old son who had pneumonia. Hes now terrified of evacuation alarms, he used to love fire trucks, but he doesnt anymore, Jurd said. Jurd ended up moving back in with her parents and leasing the unit out, but her ordeal is far from over. How is this going to affect us, what if they demolish the building because its unlivable because theres so many defects its not safe?

Im not even sure Id want to sell to somebody, putting them into this mess. What do you do morally? Two laws were introduced in 2020 to restore public confidence in the building industry and crack down on rogue developers and certifiers. The Design and Building Practitioners Act required the registration of practitioners involved in design and building work and put new obligations on them to ensure their work was compliant with building codes. It also introduced statutory duty of care protections for apartment owners. Regulators were delivered new investigation, rectification and enforcement powers for apartment buildings via changes to the Residential Apartment Buildings Act. The Building Commissioner was given the power to stop an occupation certificate from being issued, order developers to rectify defective buildings and issue stop work orders.

Vavrica is unconvinced the state governments reforms are working. What has happened after the Opal Tower in my opinion is that a bandaid was slapped on the industry  without addressing the core issues, he said. Vavrica argued private certifiers were not providing the rigorous layer of oversight needed to unearth problems before they were set in concrete. Their job is reduced to ticking the boxes on a spreadsheet, relying on certificates produced by others, not checking their validity, he said. Igor Vavrica was shocked to see the extent of the problems at Skyview. Credit: Steven Siewert The Toplace controversy has seen renewed calls for NSW to return to a system of council certifiers overseeing buildings, rather than private certifiers, who are on the payroll of the developers. The Carr government introduced private certification in 1998. However, former treasury secretary Michael Lambert, who conducted a major review of the NSW home building industry in 2015, does not believe returning to council certification was the answer.

They often missed issues, he said. It wasnt the panacea that people think it was. Lambert said he has worked with the state government to develop a new standard for building certifiers in NSW, which was published last year. He argued more rigorous private certification needed to work in tandem with the building commissioners team focusing on high-risk sites. Lambert said he was happy with the progress made since his 2015 review. Paul Jurdeczka, a partner with Chambers Russell Lawyers which specialises in defects disputes, said the state government had made a good start but further reform was needed to tackle the deep-seated issues plaguing the NSW construction industry. He welcomed discussion of a new building bill.

Unfortunately, we have found through bitter experience that there are no easy solutions to these problems as they relate to a long history of deeply embedded poor practices and standards, Jurdeczka said. Loading Jurdeczka said consumer protections needed to be strengthened and new legislation had only partially remedied an erosion of consumer rights over the years. Any solution that relies on the government ensuring compliance will fail due to the practical impossibility of the task, he said. The Building Commissioner cannot be checking a project at every stage. Imagine if the quality of new cars was dependent on government inspectors checking every car before it was sold?

In 2019, the Herald wrote about an epidemic of developers and builders (unrelated to Toplace and Nassif) escaping liability for defects when their companies were put into liquidation midway through legal battles with owners corporations. The practice becomes an illegal activity known as phoenixing only when it is proven a company was deliberately wound up to avoid paying debts. We have this fundamental way we operate our corporate structure which is used and abused all the time, construction lawyer Weir said. Its a real battle. Loading Jurdeczka said the state government was limited in what it could do to fix phoenixing because company law was a federal matter, but mechanisms such as licensing for developers or guarantees for projects could be explored. Chandler said that more than 400 developers were being graded on a 3-star system via NSW Fair Tradings digital risk rating tool. Developers and builders with phoenixing records will not get a rating, he said. Purchasers now have for the first time a tool to help them select trustworthy developers and builders.
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 Surprise, surprise  a female given the job when things are in a mess (Michele Bullock named new Reserve Bank Governor replacing Philip Lowe, smh.com.au, July 14). Happens all the time. Wish you well, Michele. Elly Haynes, Orange Farewell Philip Lowe, its such a shame that he wouldnt continue as governor of the RBA. He may have made a mistake by telling the country that the interest rates will not rise until 2024, but he has done an outstanding job as the governor during the preceding difficult period. By appointing Michele Bullock, the current deputy to Dr Lowe and first female appointee, as the new Governor of the RBA, the government has at least avoided the perception that its decision will impinge upon its independence. Bipin Johri, Epping Duttons comments about Treasury and Finance Secretary contenders for the Reserve Bank Governor role show he has not learnt a key lesson from the robo-debt royal commission (Dutton wont back tainted public servant to run RBA, July 14). His comments suggests he sees the relationship between a minister and head of a government agency as a political one. A potential prime minister should not expect senior public servants to behave as political partisans rather than as public servants. We need politicians to support the challenging role of public servants, who serve both the government of the day and the Australian community. I urge our politicians to value an impartial public service that is apolitical and provides government with advice that is frank, honest, timely and based on the best available evidence. Rick Sondalini, Balgowlah New RBA Governor Michele Bullock Credit: AAP Breaking bipartisanship on this important appointment, Dutton has shown that he is not fit to be the leader of the Opposition, let alone prime minister. Imagine Labor opposing any appointment publicly  LNP and its media mates would call Labor unpatriotic. If Dutton thinks he can continue opposing anything the government does, no wonder they are called Noalition. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill What a fickle nation we are. Philip Lowe wasnt on the hit list while interest rates were at record lows and there was deafening silence all through those years of the property investment bonanza this generated for some. But staying within his professional role, Lowe resisted calling out specific policies that were ultimately to the detriment of our society, and led to our housing, rental and inequality crises. It was the RBA Board, not Lowe personally, who incorrectly predicted sustained low rates. A new governor will not change or reverse the dire place in which we now find ourselves. Robyn Dalziell, Kellyville Peter Dutton could go down as the greatest opposition leader ever. He opposes absolutely everything; he even outdoes Tony Abbott. Mark Nugent, Lugarno.

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Confidentiality can promise justice Despite how angry I feel towards the people who engineered robo-debt, the decision to have a sealed section hiding the names of people recommended for prosecution is the right one (Letters, July 14). Once those names are out there, those named may hide evidence, move assets or do other things that could get in the way of a successful outcome for legal authorities. Hiding their names is more than they deserve, but it offers the best chance that justice will be served. Jeffrey Gabriel, Gladesville Scott Morrison was one of the architects of robo-debt. Credit: SMH The first evidence of robo-debt misfeasance trickled out in early 2017. Any government member who didnt immediately demand a full and exhaustive investigation shares responsibility for the scheme with the ministers responsible for the design and implementation. Graeme Finn, Summer Hill I see Peter Dutton is defending Scott Morrison with the old presumption of innocence call. Is that the same presumption of innocence not afforded the robo-debt victims, or a different one? Peter Davies, Kingscliff So Dutton claims Morrison should be given the benefit of the doubt about robo-debt because we dont find guilt before innocence. Pity the same lofty standards werent applied to the hundreds of thousands of victims under Morrisons scheme, where the onus of proof was totally reversed. Alex Varley, Dulwich Hill While I respect the robo-debt commissioners decision to keep details of possible corruption and illegal behaviour confidential, I am reminded of Labors decisions in relation to the federal ICAC. It criticised the Coalitions initial model due to its being held in secret. When it passed the act, it agreed to hold matters in secret. John Rome, Mt Lawley (WA)

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Cathy Wilcoxs wonderful cartoon (Letters, July 14) made me laugh out loud at Morrison, but his continued presence in parliament is an insult to the many survivors of robo-debt, and the families of those who didnt survive this vicious assault on half a million Australian people by their own government. Kevin Fell, Cooks Hill Bunch of mongrels Every time some proud dog owner bends my ear about their groodle, spoodle, cavoodle, labradoodle, puggle, cockapoo or dalmadoodle, I just say Oh, youve got yourself a mongrel (Letters, July 14).

Bill Young, Killcare Heights Sonny is a border collie-poodle cross, otherwise known as a bordoodle. It is not only designer dogs that cause an enormous amount of wastage. Most designer products have a short life span once the newer, replacement product is marketed. Joy Cooksey, Harrington Dunny data There is only one acceptable use for a toilet door and that is to display a garish yellow Valhalla cinema guide (Letters, July 14). Thousands of share student house cubicles in the 80s had blu-tacked a ragged sheet in smudged typeface, a way to plan a midnight trip up Glebe Point Road to see Koyaanisqatsi or Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! Allan Kreuiter, Roseville

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As most males stand with their backs to the toilet door it would make more sense to paste their lessons above the cistern. Helen Robinson, Killcare When in Rome We are now told (Dont order a latte; the rules of ordering coffee in Italy, July 13) that there are specific rules for drinking coffee in Italy. It seems that little has changed since the 4th century, when the Bishop of Milan advised When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Then you wont get into trouble.

Frank Johnson, Peakhurst Developing situation Little wonder that the development industry has ended up in trouble (Letters, July 13). It is right that the building commissioner applies strict inspection of projects before occupation, particularly for high-risk and high-rise residential. However, the contract between developer and owner usually does not provide for retention of a percentage of funds to cover possible defects. The cost of the retention can be included in the contract price and can be considered de facto insurance against non completion  this sound commercial practice worked well until private certification was allowed. It is not surprising that now there is a legal stalemate around occupation. Defects must be corrected, but there can be no money to correct them and the form of building contracts needs to be better structured to protect the public. At least, certifiers need to carry out necessary inspections as the work proceeds and be paid by the owner, not the developer. It is important to get this right before the current government policy for more high-density housing is rolled out. Les Reedman, Cooranbong Out with the old Sean Carneys piece has rightly been met with thoughtful comments from Herald readers. I regret, however, that most seem to have missed what seems to me the most important of Carneys observations, that the political system is mostly about politicians and their parties. Few businesses last for a century or more, and with the most junior of our traditional parties of government, the Liberals, far from sprightly at 80-odd years old, our political parties are mostly institutionalised, sclerotic, and interested only in office. Internally they reward yes people, and externally rely on donors as their membership bases have declined.

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Carney properly notes the ongoing failure of successive governments in addressing environmental, housing and social justice issues, but the truth of it is that the institutional parties have demonstrated time and again they cant make the changes we need. We face a number of incredibly serious challenges as a society and a world, and reinvigorating our democracy is surely vital if were to address the key issues of our future. Colin Hesse, Marrickville The time is now There will still be many people who will either choose to disbelieve or ignore the warnings made very clear in the article Natural disasters on the rise in a world gripped by climate change, July 14). Reducing the burning of fossil fuels and their greenhouse gas emissions is now vitally important. The experts and authorities are unanimous: there is no time to lose. Serious action is needed now.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT) The world media network is highly adept at vividly documenting the dramas wrought by global warming. However, is the populace suffering from being overwhelmed by the spectacle itself rather than considering the existential consequences for all the planets inhabitants due to climate change? The majority of urban residents in Australia are relatively isolated from catastrophes  many are simply remote viewers of drought, flooding scenes and bushfires. But these incidents must be linked to the urgent need for climate action by politicians and the broader community. Roger Epps, Armidale Cost of war How dare British defence officials accuse Ukraine of not showing enough gratitude for the billions of dollars being spent on the war against Russia (If youre invaded, well help you: Ukraine insists it is grateful for assistance, July 14)? Why dont they thank Ukraine instead for having to fight this war on its own, so it does not spread to the rest of Europe and beyond? Or why not thank all those Ukrainian soldiers for having to pass over Russian landmines, only to have their bloodied body parts strewn over the battlefield? Surely the infinite cost of their sacrifice deserves our deepest gratitude. Vincent Zankin, Rivett (ACT) We never learn (Cluster bombs horrific legacy, July 14). When there is a war, there is generally escalation and the outcome is generally brutal and futile. We as a nation seem magnetically attracted to coat tailing the US whenever aggression pops up anywhere in the world. If people are concerned about cluster bombs in Ukraine and the alarming pronouncement that Ukraine will support us if we are attacked, perhaps we should be thinking twice about diving into Morrisons AUKUS coalition, and rather listen to groups who are suggesting a better way. Alison Stewart, Riverview

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Candied nuts, crunchy bread and lots of salty cheese might not make this winter salad feel virtuous, but it is hearty enough to be a meal on its own.

July 14, 2023

by Danielle Alvarez
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Azerbaijan`s Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov has met with UN Resident Coordinator in the country Vladanka Andreeva, Trend reports.

The meeting revolved around a number of issues, including the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit, which will be held on September 18-19 in New York, as well as Towards a Rescue Plan for People and Planet to be presented at the World Leaders Summit.

The meeting also discussed the SDGs implementation in Azerbaijan, ongoing reforms and projects aimed at implementation of the strategy Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development.

They also discussed prospects for Azerbaijan-UN partnership in various areas.
Holocaust survivor Peter Gaspar believes he is alive today because of his fathers Christian friends, domestic staff and colleagues, who hid the Jewish family after the Nazis occupied Bratislava in what is now Slovakia.

We hid in peoples homes for 2 years in their cellars and attics and roof cavities and in their cupboards and garden sheds, said Gaspar, 86, who immigrated to Australia with his parents in 1949.

Holocaust survivor Peter Gaspar speaks with students who visit the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. Credit: Penny Stephens

In 2006, I took my wife, two children and a grandchild to see these people because I wanted them to see who they owe their life to.

Gaspar is part of an education program in which Holocaust survivors speak to students at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick.
There is a danger in the ongoing humiliation of Scott Morrison that he becomes a convenient fall guy for a wider system failure.

Morrisons conduct in office, and his subsequent refusal to accept the conclusions of a library shelf of damning reports into his misuse of power, is an extreme example of a political culture that created and enabled him.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

He reflects the worst instincts of an entitled generation of politicians, both Liberal and Labor, who believe that an election victory affirms their right to rule. It confers no such right. It gives them the privilege to represent the Australian people, and the responsibility to protect our democratic institutions.

Morrisons one-man government was the culmination of a generation of bad practice that began with John Howards final term between 2004 and 2007, when the government ran on a model of continuous campaigning with a handout machine churning out funds at the local level for the purpose of re-election. Every prime minister from Howard inherited a system that centralised power and ran the country from the prime ministers office, with the temporary exception of Malcolm Turnbull, who attempted but failed to restore the old-fashioned concept of cabinet government to a divided Coalition.
Milly McMurray applied for an aged two-bedroom flat in Coburg North. Theyd been accepted, paid the rent and bond, and thought there would be no harm in asking a question.

I understand that there isnt a heater that meets minimum standards at the property and that there will be a split system put in, they emailed. Im wondering what the timeline of this maintenance is? Can I expect there to be a heater by the time I move in?

Milly McMurray was approved for a new rental property, until asking about the heater. Credit: Justin McManus

After the property manager insisted the heater was up to standard, which the previous tenant, McMurrays friend, had informed them it wasnt. McMurray disclosed they had a chronic health condition, exacerbated by the cold.

In reply, the property manager said the landlord was backing out of the lease because shed found someone to sell the property to. The lease was terminated before it began.
SABA:--- The Island Council on Thursday, July 13, approved the 2022 Year Report and the first 2023 budget amendment of the Public Entity Saba. During the Central Committee meeting one day before, Commissioner of Finance Bruce Zagers provided some background information.

Saba was again able to achieve an unqualified audit opinion on the financial statements as well as an unqualified audit opinion of the financial compliance of the income and expenses from independent auditor EY. These achievements once again signify that strong financial management remains one of the fundamental governing principles of this administration, said Zagers.

A financial highlight in 2022 was the structural increase of the free allowance, which is the structural funding that the public entity receives from the Dutch Government. The increase in the free allowance proved that strong financial management, stability in government, and being a trustworthy partner is important to make progress, stated Zagers.

Rather than receiving less than US $1 million structurally, Saba received an increase of over $5 million structurally. Later in 2022, Saba also received over $3 million, added to the free allowance, for the Nature and Environment Policy Plan for nature-related projects, said Zagers.

Reserve funding

Because of the positive year-end balance, the Executive Council advised the Island Council to reserve funding to continue the pilots for backyard farming and animal husbandry in 2023 and for other food security and sustainability projects. It was further proposed to add funding to the infrastructure reserve provision for the purchase of two parcels of land, one of which will be used for parking.

With the increased free allowance, and with the positive balance, the liquidity position of the Public Entity Saba has further improved. The auditor suggested to continue the conservative budgetary spending to prevent a deterioration of the financial position. And, although the year-end balance was positive, and unqualified audit opinions were issued again, some concern areas require attention.

Debt collection

One of the risk areas is the collection of outstanding debts, an amount which increased compared to the previous years. Seeing that this was an alarming development, the government took mitigating actions, which included last years merger of the Receivers Office into the Finance Department. Previously, debt collection was a task of the Receivers Office. Additional staff for the Finance Department was recruited and trained, day-to-day functioning was improved and a collection policy was developed.

Over the course of the year, the staff has been contacting and informing clients of their outstanding debts. Various payment plans and payments have already taken place. A large portion of the outstanding debts relates to business licenses which were not canceled when businesses closed or managers left the island without notifying the government. As a result, the invoicing for these licenses continued.

The Finance Department will make an assessment of the outstanding debts and provide an overview of these persons or businesses and advice to cancel the business licenses and write of the outstanding receivables from the provision for bad debts. There are also several civil servants with outstanding debts for which payment plans will be created.

The auditors also highlighted several risk areas where it concerns cyber security and the vulnerability of the governments ICT network. Several ICT specialists visited to make a thorough analysis of governments systems. With additional support and with special attention from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) for digitalization, it is expected that significant improvements will be made this this year. Significant attention is being given to the safety of the governments digital infrastructure.

Financial team

Commissioner Zagers took the opportunity during Wednesdays meeting to thank and give praise to the financial team for their efforts to maintain high financial management standards. He said that the majority the improvements and the opportunities that Saba has been able to achieve over the years can be linked directly to governments core principle, namely strong financial management.

Without the efforts of the financial team, their thoroughness and their strictness, we would not have been able to accomplish as much. Having to manage the regular administration, while juggling at least 70 individual projects which are financed through incidental funds and being able to produce high quality budgets, amendments, and year reports, is impressive, Zagers said.

Island Council Members Elsa Peterson, Vito Charles and Saskia Matthew also commended the Finance Department for their work.
Saba:--- Today, the Island Council voted to adopt the Ordinance on the Restriction of Tobacco Use Saba. This new ordinance will go into effect on September 1st, 2023.

The ordinance regulates three areas with respect to the sale of tobacco and tobacco-related products.

First, it will be prohibited to sell tobacco and tobacco-related products (vapes/e-cigarettes) to persons under the age of 18.

Second, to ensure products are sold to persons of legal age, retailers are required to ask for ID from anyone who looks under the age of 25.

Third, it will be prohibited for retailers to sell e-flavored liquids to all persons. This includes all related products with a taste (flavor) additive, including disposable devices.

Jane OFlynn, Head of Public Health explains why this is important. In recent years smoking, particularly vaping, amongst young people has increased on Saba, doubling since 2017. We received signals from the school and parents who are really concerned. We listened to those concerns and drafted this ordinance because we believe structures should be in place to facilitate a healthy lifestyle for the residents of Saba. In this ordinance, also banned is the sale of flavored additives. Many countries have taken this step recently, and I think we all share the same concern- nice flavors equals more smokers. We hope this ordinance is a solid first step to reduce engagement with smoking on Saba; particularly amongst our youth because all Sabans have the right to live a long, healthy, and fulfilling life.

Devi van Groningen, legal advisor of the Public Entity Saba adds that where in the European part of the Netherlands tobacco sales, including electronic smoking devices, are prohibited to be sold to minors; on Saba such regulations were not in place. The national Dutch law, the Tabaks- en Rookwarenwet, limiting the sale of tobacco and related products, is not made applicable to the BES-islands unfortunately. Instead, we have very limited and outdated BES legislation, which consists of old transposed Dutch Antillean ordinances. While protection from tobacco is a topic national government regulates, we could not wait for the national government to step in to have minors on Saba have the same protection from the sale of tobacco and vapes as minors in the European part of the country.

This ordinance applies to all retailers that sell tobacco products, including, but not limited to, shops, bars, and restaurants. All establishments that sell these products will be required to post signs informing customers about the provisions of the ordinance. Retailers will be invited to an informational session in August to further explain the requirements and answer questions they may have. Also, during the session, they will be provided an initial set of required signage.

Responsibility for enforcing the ordinance is jointly between the KPCN and the Saba Public Entity Enforcement Team.

If you have questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Every year individuals significantly contributing to the community of Sint Maarten can be nominated to receive a Royal Decoration. The Royal Decorations Advisory Committee, in short, RODAC, which advises the Government in the approval process of any submissions received, urges persons to submit their proposals for a nominee for a Royal Decoration in the year 2024 no later than August 31, 2023.

Usually, persons have been bestowed the distinction of Knight or Member in the Order of Orange Nassau by the Governor of Sint Maarten during a special ceremony at the end of April (the last workday before the birthday of His Majesty the King).

It is essential that submissions are sent on time because the decision-making process takes a while. After the RODAC has provided its advice to the Council of Ministers, decision-making can occur both by the Council of Ministers and the Governor and subsequently by the respective Dutch Minister who is being advised by the Kapittel of the Civiele Orden (Civil Honours Council) before the decree is signed by His Majesty the King.

The Kapittel is an impartial and unbiased body that offers advice on the proposed nominees and the level of nomination if qualified.

The Order of Orange-Nassau can be conferred on people who have rendered outstanding services to the community for a considerable period, average 15 years, and are still actively involved with activities that impact the community as a whole or a particular section of the community.

Anyone knowing an individual that meets these requirements, which have been stipulated by the Kapittel, can contact the RODAC via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive the required form or enquire for additional information. The form to be submitted needs to be filled out completely and should include various support letters from the community. More information can also be found on the website www.lintjes.nl.
Posted Friday, July 14, 2023 12:04:49 PM

Emmy winner Tyler Christopher (ex-Nikolas Cassadine) is the focus of a new investigative report by Bloomberg Law. Christopher alleges that he is being "taken advantage of by a family member." The bombshell report also reveals that the actor underwent life-saving surgery in 2019.

Guardianship, also known as conservatorship, has been around for a long time, but it is something that didn't become part of a wider conversation until the "Free Britney" movement, focused on pop star Britney Spears, shone a spotlight on it in 2008.

A conservatorship is a legal appointment where an individual or organization is designated as a caregiver for an adult who is deemed unfit to care for themselves or to manage their own finances.

Over the past several years, Christopher's personal struggles with alcohol have been the topic of tabloid gossip. The actor has been arrested twice for public intoxication, once in 2019 and another time earlier this year.

In November 2019, Christopher was arrested when he fell asleep and urinated in the back of an Uber in Indiana. Christopher subsequently pled guilty to two counts of misdemeanor public intoxication and was ordered to pay a $440 fine. A judge denied requests from police that Christopher enter an alcohol treatment program.

That same month, as he withdrew from alcohol, Christopher fell in his bathroom and hit the back of his head on a bathtub. It was not the first time the actor had fallen. That fall, however, resulted in Christopher fracturing his skull, which caused bleeding on the brain. Christopher was rushed to the hospital and underwent craniotomy surgery, a procedure in which doctors drilled holes in his skull to relieve pain and pressure.

In 2020, while Christopher was recovering, his sister, Susan Asmo Baker, filed a petition to put him under guardianship.

In her petition, Baker stated that her brother was homeless, a "flight risk," and unable to "make decisions for his care or care for himself."

In February 2021, the court transferred Christopher's guardianship from Indiana to Ohio, where Christopher had relocated. Christopher asked for the guardianship to end in September 2021. Baker agreed, and an Ohio judge approved the request.

"While he was under guardianship in Indiana, Christopher alleged in court papers, his sister misspent or improperly received reimbursement for $40,000 to pay down her own credit card debt, bankroll her move, even buy her son a MacBook," Bloomberg reports.

Baker has called her brother's complaints unproven "allegations."

Earlier this year, Baker agreed to pay for a forensic accountant to examine her spending under the guardianship. If that review verifies Christopher's claims, Baker will be required to reimburse her brother. If Baker is found not to have used Christopher's money in an unapproved manner, Christopher might be required to cover the costs of the audit.

Bloomberg opted to report on guardianships because the organization wanted to explore "how guardianships deprive citizens of basic rights, often requiring them to get approval for everything from where to shop to who they can marry."

In Bloomberg's reporting, Christopher's allegations do not appear to extend beyond accusing his sister of misspending his money. Christopher has acknowledged that he believes his sister was initially motivated by a "genuine desire" to help him.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Exports of ready-made clothing from Turkiye to Germany from January through June 2023 decreased by 14.8 percent to $1.6 billion compared to the same period last year, Trend reports.

In June, exports of ready-made clothing from Turkiye to Germany decreased by 13.9 percent to $286.1 million compared to the same month of 2022.

From January through June 2023, exports of ready-made clothing from Turkiye decreased by 7.2 percent compared to the same period last year and amounted to $10.1 billion.

In June 2023, Turkiye exported ready-made clothes worth $1.7 million, which is 15.6 percent less than in June last year.

Over the past 12 months (June 2022-June 2023), Turkiye has exported ready-made clothing worth $20.6 billion.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. A decision was made to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO) and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), which is part of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) group, to determine the legal basis for future cooperation between AZPROMO and ICIEC, Trend reports.

According to AZPROMO, the meeting with ICIEC delegation cast light on an exchange of views on cooperation to increase non-primary exports and attracting investments.

Besides, the agency's Acting Executive Director Yusif Abdullayev informed about the activities of AZPROMO, mechanisms for promoting exports and investments, including the approval of the National Export Strategy and steps taken to expand the geography of exports.

Abdullayev noted that as part of the support measures provided to exporters, close partnerships have been established with various international and foreign institutions, especially the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and related institutions in Turkiye.

At the same time, he noted that AZPROMO is currently working on creating "eximbank" instruments (export-import) in Azerbaijan.

Besides, during the meeting, Business Development Manager of ICIEC Oguz Aktuna informed about the activities of the institution he represents and noted that in order to stimulate exports and inflow of foreign direct investment in Azerbaijan, the corporation can cooperate with the country in various fields (public-private partnership, transport and logistics, telecommunications, health and educational), as well as in providing insurance and reinsurance solutions.

The IsDB group maintains strong relations with Azerbaijan and aims to contribute to its socio-economic development. The group has approved financing for projects in Azerbaijan with a total amount of $1.2 billion. The portfolio includes $956 million in financing from IsDB, $120.2 million approved by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), $83.4 million in trade operations from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), and $19.4 million in other funds and operations of the IsDB group.

Additionally, ICIEC provided $92.5 million for business insurance and $75.5 million for new insurance obligations to Azerbaijan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Azerbaijan purchased 3,978 tons of kerosene from Turkmenistan from January through April 2023, intended for jet engines, the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan told Trend.

According to the information, the cost of importing kerosene for jet engines from Turkmenistan exceeded $1.44 million.

Azerbaijan imported from Turkmenistan more than 36,300 tons of kerosene worth over $39.2 million for the whole of 2022, which is 4.2 times more than in the same period of 2021.

At the same time, in the first four months of this year, Azerbaijan also purchased 3,890 tons of gasoil from Turkmenistan for a total amount of $3.14 million.

Fuel production in Turkmenistan is of strategic importance for the country's energy sector. Due to its vast reserves of natural gas and oil, Turkmenistan occupies an important place among producers and exporters of energy resources.

Meanwhile, the Turkmenbashi Oil Processing Complex, located in the Balkan region in the west of Turkmenistan, produced more than 426,100 tons of aviation fuel in 2022.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Azerbaijan and ACWA Power have discussed cooperation in green energy projects, Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov tweeted, Trend reports.

"During the meeting with Chairman of the Board of Directors of ACWA Power Mohammad Abunayyan, we discussed the ongoing joint projects in the field of green energy. We have also explored the potential for expanding our cooperation," the minister said.

Azerbaijan is one of the countries with a high potential of renewable energy sources. Thus, the potential of renewable energy sources, economically feasible and technically feasible, is estimated at 27,000 MW, including 3,000 MW of wind energy, 23,000 MW of solar energy, 380 MW of bioenergy potential, 520 MW of mountain river energy.

Major renewable energy projects are being implemented in the country jointly with Masdar, ACWA Power and BP.

The liberated territories [from Armenian occupation after the second Karabakh war] account for about 25 percent of Azerbaijan's internal water resources, which is approximately 2.5 billion cubic meters per year. In particular, there is a great potential for the implementation of solar energy projects in the liberated territories.

The potential of solar energy in the liberated territories is estimated at more than 7,200 MW.

According to the concept of creating green zones, the electricity consumed in the liberated regions of Azerbaijan will be produced only from renewable energy sources.
T HE West End is back. The arrival of the Elizabeth Line, recent Pride celebrations and sunshine are just some of the factors which have stabilised footfall and brought much needed certainty back for retailers. It is an environment ripe for growth, and the district has done well, post-pandemic, to remain on track for a 10 billion turnover by 2025. But with the tourist tax acting as an effective handbrake on momentum, reaching our full growth potential remains just out of reach.

Despite this, British brands such as Burberry  creator of arguably the most recognisable pattern in global fashion  continue to do their bit to back the West End as one of the worlds most iconic retail destinations. The recent reopening of Burberrys global flagship store on New Bond Street after a significant refurbishment marks an evolution of its store concept, with the immersive experience balancing rich heritage with a contemporary interpretation. It is a true reflection of the elevated shopping experiences visitors have come to expect of the West End, and of the districts global reputation for leading the way for retail.

Burberry is not alone. Established brands, such as Rolex and Boodles, are doubling down on their presence in the area, while fast-growth British start-ups such as Gymshark and Maniere de Voir have chosen the West End to open their very first bricks and mortar stores. Just a short walk away is another homegrown, innovative retail experience; Flannels X, the cultural playground situated in Flannels flagship store, promises access to exclusive gigs, exhibitions and brand experiences. It is fair to say these brands are in good company; the district boasts the best of British retail, from Belstaff and Barbour to a returning HMV.

With business doing all it can to safeguard the future of the West End, it is now critical the Government removes remaining barriers to growth. The tourist tax puts British High Streets at a 20% price disadvantage when compared with our European neighbours  creating an unlevel playing field and undermining investment in the country.

Business has been told that the Government is firmly on its side, but the reticence to reconsider tax-free shopping is creating an uncompetitive environment for growth that we cannot afford to maintain.

VisitBritain data has revealed that half of long-haul travellers see shopping as a key reason to visit this country. If we fail to reinstate tax-free shopping then we risk not only losing this custom, but jeopardising associated spending in hotels, restaurants and cultural attractions across the nation, all of which could generate significant returns for the public purse.

In fact, contrary to Government figures, independent research from Oxford Economics calculates that reintroducing tax-free shopping would boost the UKs GDP by more than 4 billion and support 78,000 jobs. Yet currently tourists from the likes of China and the US are able to benefit from tax-free shopping on British brands in mainland Europe, rather than in the very country they were founded.

The message from businesses and other stakeholders is clear: the tourist tax is creating an uncompetitive environment for growth. Increased awareness of the impact of tax-free shopping has also been driven, in part, by support from the likes of the Evening Standard and MPs on both sides of the Commons.

The needle is shifting, but if action isnt taken soon, then we risk losing shoppers to High Streets across the Channel permanently.

We are asking the Government to undertake an independent review of the impact of tax-free shopping, with objective calculations that take into account spending from overseas visitors as a whole rather than solely focusing on the VAT revenue on physical goods.

Calculations carried out in the depths of the pandemic werent representative of the new normal, and we must be planning for a return to future growth, not simply a return to 2019.

If the Government doesnt want to see a shift of investment from flagships in the UK to those on La Calle Fuencarral or Les Champs-Elysees, it must act now. Businesses are still backing Britain and the Government should reciprocate by commissioning an independent review into the impact of tax-free shopping. Failure to do so is a damaging blow to the British economy, and one of which we have yet to feel the full effects.
S hares in William Hill owner 888 plunged as the gambling watchdog launched another review into the firm  which the bookmaker warned could lead to fines or potentially its British gambling licence being revoked  over the involvement of ex-Entain boss Kenny Alexander after he led a group that bought a stake in the business.

888 also revealed it has ended talks to make Alexander its new boss, which it is hoped will make the odds of a licence revocation or suspension extremely slim.

FS Gaming, a group led by Alexander and involving a number of other former Entain executives, took a 6.6% stake in 888 in June, prompting the William Hill owners share price to surge. FS reportedly aimed to place Alexander in the CEOs seat at 888, which had been empty since Itai Pazner left in January when 888 launched an internal investigation into the firms money laundering checks for Middle Eastern high-rollers.

888 confirmed today that FS had presented such a plan to its board.

Alexander built a small gambling business named GVC into the multi-billion-pound firm that is now known as Entain, purchasing household names like Ladbrokes and Coral as well as local heroes abroad. He is widely seen as one of the most influential executives in modern gambling, and investors hoped his involvement would spark a turnaround for 888.

Kenny Alexander led a group that bought a stake in 888

But he left the firm in 2020, amid questions about a continued connection to a former subsidiary of GVC in Turkey, which the business sold as it aimed to get approval to buy Ladbrokes and Coral. Soon after his exit, Entain made a commitment to exit all grey markets, where the legal status of gambling is unclear at best, marking a clear break with the Alexander era. It originally planned to leave them all by the end of 2023, but later pushed back its deadline to leave the last one: Brazil.

Just days before FS revealed its shareholding in 888, the Ladbrokes owner revealed it could face a significant penalty because of an HMRC bribery investigation involving the Turkish business.

Now, 888 has said that the Great Britain Gambling Commission has conducted a review into its activities because of FS members role in the events that HMRC is looking into. 888 said this could lead to its licence being suspended or revoked, or a fine imposed if the Commission finds that licence conditions have been breached, or that the operator, or relevant persons connected to the operator, are unsuitable.

888 was already subject to the largest fine in British gambling history this year, over insufficient player protection and anti-money laundering measures at William Hill. The events that led to the fine occurred before 888 had bought the high-street bookie.

888 said it had asked Alexanders group to provide more detail about their potential connections to the HMRC investigation, but it failed to do so to a satisfactory level.

The group requested clarification from FS Gaming in relation to considerations expressed by the GBGC, but the most basic assurances that addressed these concerns were not forthcoming, it said.

The group will co-operate fully with the GBGC in its licence review.

Given that it believes FS members have no reasonable prospect of getting approved by the Gambling Commission, 888 said it terminated talks over their appointments.

Any actions by FS Gaming to effect a change of corporate control would likely put the group's licences to operate in the UK at immediate and significant risk, it said.

Its hoped that, with the appointments rejected, chances of licence revocation would be very slim.

888 shares crashed today, closing down 25.2% to 79.6p. They have been on a volatile journey this year, but are only down around 10% from the start of January.

Lord Mendelsohn, Executive Chair of 888, said: "We will be fully cooperating with the GBGC's Section 116 (2)(c)(ii) review, arising from potential issues with respect to FS Gaming's investment and Proposal, and look forward to bringing the review to a conclusion expeditiously.

As a Board we devoted significant time to considering FS Gaming's Proposal. However, following in-depth regulatory due diligence including engaging closely with the GBGC, the Board had no option but to terminate discussions as it simply could not put licences in our largest market at significant risk.

While this engagement temporarily interrupted the very thorough search process to appoint a new CEO, the Board is finalising its appointment and expects to make an announcement in the very near future. The Board remains firmly focused on delivering the Group's clear strategy to unlock shareholder value and I'm pleased to confirm that the business remains on track to deliver market expectations for 2023 Adjusted EBITDA.

Investec analyst Roberta Ciaccia said: Losing its UK licence would be disastrous for 888  UK&Ireland generated c60% of the groups EBITDA in FY22 on a proforma basis.

As such, we think FS Gaming will not push for a seat on the 888 Board and believe it should make a public announcement to dispel any doubt.

With the company still fully operating in the UK, a new CEO expected to be announced soon, and what we regard as a clear and reasonable relaunch plan laid out, we see no reason why the shares should not recover significantly once this situation becomes clearer.
Arsenal star Jorginho blasts wasteful spending of teammates as he reveals investment in trading app Gather

When hes off the pitch, 31 year-old Arsenal player Jorginho spends time sitting down with his younger teammates, quizzing them on their long-term plans.

I ask them what their projects are, are they investing into financial markets or into property, the midfielder tells the Standard.

But then sometimes at training I see them pull up with one car, and then next week another car and then a month later another car, and I go up to that player and ask him, Why are you putting all your money into cars? What are you going to do after football? How long is the money going to last?

Read more here
 OMG, didnt they notice there was an airport when they moved there? This was a typical response on Twitter to the news that Newham council had rejected a proposal by City Airport to extend its operating hours, over noise pollution concerns.

Cue the incomprehension, performative or otherwise, of the Yimbys  the yes in my backyarders.

Now, you dont need to convince me that Britain needs to build: perhaps not greater airport capacity, but certainly more houses, train lines, reservoirs, electricity cables, wind farms, practically everything. And you name it, our planning system has stopped it.

But the just build more things lobby is at a distinct disadvantage, not only when it comes to the incentives of local councillors, but in their understanding of the other side.

Many homeowners dont want new housing developments nearby because it is not obviously in their interest

Many homeowners dont want new housing developments nearby, even on the brownest of brownfield sites, because it is not obviously in their interest, certainly in the short term.

Residents have to deal with the disturbance inherent in the construction process, such as traffic, noise and unsightliness. Even when complete, incumbents may fear busier roads, trains and public services.

Implying people are stupid for hoping to evade these real-life problems is unhelpful at best.

Its curious, because in so many facets of life, we dont expect others to behave altruistically. Consumers purchase goods and services not to keep total strangers in employment, or boost GDP, but because they need or want things. Indeed, I can name a number of utility firms that I actively resent paying.

It is for this reason that the concept of workers returning to the office in order to bail out local sandwich shops, let alone central London Prets, received short shrift. That is not how our economy operates. So why expect it to be any different over something as emotive as housing?

Even when mortgage-free boomers acknowledge we ought to build more homes, its usually because they are worried about how their children or grandchildren will ever step onto the housing ladder. Again, caring about your family is typical (and Id suggest positive) behaviour.

The only way around the impasse, which is crippling our economy and blighting lives, is to shift the incentives. Local residents should enjoy more of the benefits of development.

The concept of community benefit is hardly revolutionary, but it should be more widespread and lucrative. This might come in the form of hard cash, or community land auctions, where local authorities (and therefore residents) could benefit from an uplift in land values.

Of course, we still need planning reform, from the green belt to flexible zoning and street votes. Nothing should be off the table. But the point is that laws alone cannot overcome human nature, let alone first-past-the-post.

When it comes to the Nimbys we ought, as Aneurin Bevan explained in getting the GPs onside over the foundation of the NHS, to stuff their mouths with gold.
H ow Do You Live, the first feature-length film in a decade from Hayao Miyazaki, has been released in cinemas in Japan.

Its a major moment for fans of the Japanese anime studio Studio Ghibli, as the 82-year-old celebrated director and Ghibli co-founder came out of retirement in order to make the film.

Miyazaki is the mind behind some of the studios most beloved movies, including My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Oscar-winning Spirited Away (2001) and Howls Moving Castle (2004).

Thrillingly, How Do You Live remains a bit of a mystery, as the studio has chosen not to roll out a marketing campaign for the film.

As part of company operations, over the years Ghibli has wanted people to come see the movies weve made, explained lead producer Toshio Suzuki in an interview with Japanese magazine Bungei Shunji (via The Hollywood Reporter) in June. So weve thought about that and done a lot of different things for that purpose  but this time we were like, Eh, we dont need to do that.

Theres still some time before How Do You Live opens in the UK, with no release date having been confirmed yet. But until then, there are as many as 21 Studio Ghibli films on Netflix to enjoy.

Back in 2020, The Standard spoke to Jake Cunningham and Michael Leader  the co-creators and hosts of the Studio Ghibli Ghibliotheque podcast  who shared their love of the studio, and named their top five favourite films on the streaming platform. Their insights are below.

Much more than just 'Japanese Disney'

Ghibli is commonly referred to as the 'Japanese Disney' but the studio and their output couldn't be more different," say Cunningham and Leader, "They don't have the sprawling catalogue, wildly shifting identities or glut of sequels that have taken the sheen off the Disney magic over the years. Instead, the Ghibli name is a mark of quality.

Their success is, in part, down to their consistency. The studio was set up by two veteran animation directors  Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata  and that continuity defines Ghibli," Cunningham and Leader explains, "Miyazakis films are a brand unto themselves  and thats a voice, an eye, an imagination that unites the bulk of Ghiblis films. And for the others, you have Takahatas curiosity and formal innovation.

To us at Ghibliotheque, they are the world's greatest animation studio. We knew that awareness of Ghiblis films was weighted in favour of the bigger Miyazaki releases  My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Ponyo  and so it was our goal with the podcast to introduce listeners to some deeper cuts, as well as to the filmmakers and their stories that dont often get a mention in western media.

Five of Ghibli's best, according to Jake and Michael

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)

Isao Takahata's final film is his most ambitious, adventurous and wise. A quietly experimental adaptation of a 10th-century Japanese folktale that develops into a crushing meditation on life, death and rebirth, all told with a breathtaking visual style that looks like a watercolour painting come to life.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Obvious, but timeless. This magical masterwork about two young sisters and their friendship with a local forest creature is a firm contender for the greatest animated film of all time. Miyazaki's cuddly creation became an icon: gracing the Studio's own logo and fuelling a cottage industry of merchandise that has filled Ghibli's coffers for decades.

Only Yesterday (1991)

Isao Takahata's nostalgic reverie travels between a young woman's present day and recollections of her school days. Its bold formal approach is perfectly paired with the story's relationship to memory, images drifting into frame, dissolving as half-remembered watercolours at its edge.

Porco Rosso (1992)

Obsessed with drawing planes from a young age, Miyazaki's tale of a porcine flying ace is an adventure tale in the spirit of Indiana Jones; it's also Ghibli's most quotable script, featuring fan favourite "I'd rather be a pig than a fascist".

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Put simply: Ghibli's unsung masterpiece. The only directorial credit from legendary animator Yoshifumi Kondo, this teen romance infuses the humdrum suburban life of a young girl with an overactive imagination with that undeniable Ghibli magic. Curiously notable because a shot of young Shizuku working at her desk now graces scores of 'lofi hip hop beats' YouTube channels.

Listen to the Ghibliothequepodcasts and follow them on Twitter here
P olice have released CCTV images after a boy aged around eight was punched by a woman on board a packed commuter train in south London.

Detectives said the child was hit three times to the shoulder by one of two females travelling with him.

British Transport Police - who have launched an investigation - added the assault happened on the service between Carshalton and Victoria as it reached Mitcham Eastfields at 6.45pm on April 28.

A spokesman said: A young boy, thought to be around eight-years-old, was punched three times to the shoulder by one of two women travelling with him.

Officers believe the women in the images may have information that could help their investigation.

Train services arrive at Victoria (Kirsty OConnor/PA) / PA Archive

Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016, or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference number 2300048751.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
K evin Spacey denied using his power and influence as the golden boy of Londons theatre scene to convince men to sleep with him, insisting he did not have a power wand to get sex.

The double Oscar-winning actor, 63, faces claims he sexually assaulted four different men between 2001 and 2013, including one allegations that he performed a sex act on a young actor while he slept.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC said Spacey had been the golden boy of the London theatre scene while he was artistic director of the Old Vic, suggesting anyone accusing him of sexual misconduct was unlikely to be believed.

I agree I have used the position I gratefully found myself in to help others, to create art, to try to bring the Old Vic back to its magical days, he said.

Thats what I used my power and position for.

I did not have a power wand I waved in front of peoples faces and then they went to bed with me whenever I wanted.

I respected when they told me they are not interested, and thats what Ive done my whole life.

Spacey is said to have met the young actor outside Waterloo Station at 11pm after the star was asked for mentoring and career tips.

Spacey told jurors: I would simply say in my industry, like in a lot of industries, people do meet in the work space. We met in the work space. He reached out because he wanted to meet with me.

He continued: He may have had an idea of what that evening was going to be about, and I had a different idea.

Asked about a possible power imbalance, Spacey said: Steven Spielberg cast Kate Capshaw in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Theres no doubt he was in a powerful position.

He then added: They are married, have children, its beautiful.

He also told the court: In my life, many of the most important friends I have today I met when I was in my 20s and 30s. I was attracted to them, I fell in love with some of my friends.

You know what happened? When I found out they were not interested in me, we became great friends and are still great friends. Thats the way I am.

Closing her cross-examination, Ms Agnew said: You suggested yesterday you were just a big flirt.

Im going to suggest you are wrong about that, and you are just a big sexual bully.

Spacey replied: Yes, thats your term.

Earlier, the Hollywood actor dismissed claims that he sexually assaulted a man at a West End theatre as absolute b******s in fiery exchanges in courtroom one at Southwark crown court.

Spacey is accused of groping one of his accusers during a charity gala, in an allegation he forcefully decried as false.

I dont accept a single word that comes out of his mouth, Spacey told the jury, denying claims that he had made a string of sexually explicit comments to the man.

There are deeply personal reasons why I have never and would never speak to a human being in the way (he) has claimed, he said.

Deeply personal to me, not something I treat lightly, he said, and raised his voice to add: I never said what he said I said.

When prosecutor Christine Agnew KC suggested Spacey had grabbed him by the crotch, Spacey shot back: Absolute b*******s.

After a pause, Ms Agnew said: Yep, thats exactly where you did grab him.

Spacey took a breath and replied: Really?

Mr Justice Wall was forced to interject three times in quick succession to remind Spacey to answer prosecution questions, telling him this was his opportunity to deny the claims against him.

Did he accuse me of grabbing his b*******s?, asked Spacey, and when the judge said yes he told the court: I did not.

Ms Agnew suggested Spacey got turned on and decided to go for it, and the Hollywood star replied: You are just making it up now.

The judge told him: You must answer the question. If the question is improper, I will stop it. Counsel is putting to you the prosecution case as to what you did and why you did it.

Earlier, Spacey said claims he had turned up the theatre looking dishevelled and smelling of alcohol were pure fantasy.

At the start of cross-examination, Spacey said he had casual indiscriminate sex with men during his career but insisted to a court: That doesnt make me a bad person.

He is accused of sexually assaulting four different men between 2001 and 2013, including allegations he groped them and performed a sex act on one as he slept.

Giving evidence, Spacey told the court he believes two of the men now regretted consensual sexual encounters, and accused one  a young actor  of using his fame to try to boost their own career.

Ive been very open about the fact at times I was promiscuous and I had casual indiscriminate sexual encounters, Spacey told jurors.

Asked if he found it thrilling, he said: It doesnt make me a bad person.

I find being intimate with another human being remarkable and beautiful. If you want to use the word thrilling, OK, for me it is very beautiful and valuable.

Asked about fame and attention, Spacey added: Im sure if I wanted I could have had sex with lots of people, all the time. I didnt.

Continuing to question Spacey, Ms Agnew then asked: Did you ever feel lonely in those years?

Of course, Spacey answered.

Ms Agnew continued: Did you then reach out to people sexually in order to ease that burden?

Spacey replied: Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did.

Spacey, the star of The Usual Suspects and Superman Returns, was the artistic director of the Old Vic in London between 2003 and 2015.

In the witness box on Thursday, Spacey broke down in tears as he detailed the impact sexual assault allegations have had on his life.

He said work dried up, his reputation was ruined, and he was ostracised by the gay community.

My world exploded, he said.

Spacey is accused of sexually assaulting four different men between 2001 and 2013.

The Hollywood star says an alleged assault on a man at his Cotswolds holiday home was nothing more than a clumsy pass.

He said a claim that he performed a sex act on a sleeping man is untrue, and came from a reimagining of a lovely consensual night.

We were romantic and I performed oral sex on him. We were in a romantic situation, he said. I dont know who made the first move. We were consensual together in a romantic situation.

When Ms Agnew suggested they went up to your flat, there was an awkward hug and you put your face in his crotch, Spacey replied: No, but thats what he has testified.

He did not fall asleep and I didnt perform oral sex on him while he was asleep, despite what he has shockingly accused me of, saying the claims are completely wrong and upsetting.

Spacey has also said he was crushed by claims from a man who accuses him of repeatedly assaulting him as he was driving.

It didnt happen in a violent, aggressive, painful way, he said. It was gentle, it was touching, and it was in my mind romantic.

On Friday, he called it a naughty relationship involving sexual touching over their clothes.

Spacey has pleaded not guilty to four counts of indecent assault, seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The trial continues.
A man has been charged with the murder of two women believed to have been killed more than a year and four months apart in south east London.

Carl Cooper, 65, of Hither Green, was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Friday accused of killing 41-year-old Naomi Hunte and 48-year-old Fiona Holm.

Ms Hunte was found stabbed to death at an address on Congleton Grove, Plumstead on Valentines Day, 2022.

Cooper was arrested on suspicion of Ms Huntes murder the same month but was later bailed under investigation.

He was not on bail at the time of Ms Holms disappearance.

She was reported missing on June 29 this year after she was last seen going to an off licence in Verdant Lane on June 20.

Her disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation.

Fiona Holm / Facebook

But the Metropolitan Police said the investigation was transferred to its Specialist Crime Command on July 11 due to the out of character nature of her disappearance and the amount of time since she had last been seen alive.

On the same day Cooper was arrested on suspicion of Ms Holms murder and subsequently charged with the murder of both women.

The Met added that searches to find Ms Holms body are ongoing at addresses and some open areas in South East London.

The forces Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed as is routine following the death of someone subject to a missing person investigation, police said.

Officers are appealing for anyone with any information relating to Ms Holms disappearance to contact police via 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 22MIS023317.

To remain 100% anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
A serving Metropolitan Police detective has been found guilty of harassment following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Temporary Detective Constable Christopher Gibbons, 32, repeatedly harassed the same woman over an 11-day period last year.

DC Gibbons, attached to the Central West Command Unit, was arrested on September 25, after an incident earlier that day in which he harassed the victim.

A Met Police investigation established other occasions where Gibbons had harassed the same woman, between September 14 and September 25.

Gibbons was charged with harassment on February 21. The Mets Directorate of Professional Standards was made aware, and he was suspended from duty.

He was found guilty of harassment following a trial that ended at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He will be sentenced at the same court on August 10.

Scotland Yard said a misconduct hearing will be arranged as soon as possible.

Chief Superintendent Louise Puddefoot, in charge of policing in Central West BCU, said: We have made it clear that any police officer or member of staff who commits a criminal offence will be brought to justice.

We must give London the Met that it deserves, and anyone that fails to meet that standard, particularly if they commit a criminal offence, cannot possibly remain in our organisation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. The volume of trunk and sea oil transportation by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGas national company increased by 3 percent in the first quarter of 2023, reaching 18.8 million tons, a source at the company told Trend.

Meanwhile, the volume of oil transportation via trunk pipelines increased by 4.5 percent and amounted to 16.7 million tons. The growth is mainly due to an increase in the volume of Kashagan oil through the KazTransOil system in the direction of Samara, as well as oil transportation in the direction of Aktau port from the Dunga and Tengiz fields.

KazMunayGas has reported a 7.7 percent decrease in the total volume of oil transported by sea, amounting to 2.09 million tons. This decline can be attributed to a reduction in oil volumes in the Mediterranean Sea, primarily caused by a decrease in export volumes from Kazakh shippers, which is a result of the redirection of supplies through alternative routes.

Furthermore, as part of the five-year agreement concluded in 2022 between KazMunayGas and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) on the transit of oil along the Aktau-Baku-Ceyhan route with an annual volume of 1.5 million tons, in April 2023, the first batch of oil with a volume of 90,000 tons was shipped from the port of Ceyhan to the Romanian port of Constanta with unloading for the Petromidia refinery.
D etectives have named a 16-year-old fatally stabbed in an east London park as a teenager was charged with his murder.

Schoolboy Rahaan Ahmed Amin suffered a knife wound to the heart and, despite paramedics battling to save him, he died in hospital.

Police were scrambled to West Ham park at 5.30pm on Sunday to reports of a stabbing.

The air ambulance was also on the scene of the knifing which took place in daylight near families playing in the park.

A 16 year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon. He was due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Friday.

A 16-year-old and a 14-year-old boy arrested on Monday on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Two other 16-year-old boys arrested at the scene have been released with no further action.

DCI Kelly Allen for Specialist Crime North said: We know this incident will have caused a considerable amount of concern for local residents and I would like to reassure the public that we continue to work around the clock to establish the exact circumstances leading up to this tragic incident.

I urge members of the public to help us with our investigation by providing any images, footage or information they may have that could assist our investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or to remain anonymous Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
M ore than 1,900 children in London have been waiting over a year for NHS treatment, figures revealed on Friday, as a senior health leader warned that the paediatric backlog was growing at an unprecedented rate.

A total of 1,907 children in the capital had been waiting for treatment for longer than 52 weeks at the end of May - a rise of 13.8 per cent on the figure reported six months ago.

The overall number of London children on a waiting list has increased by 6.7 per cent in six months and 24 per cent in two years.

Dr Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said the figures were eye-wateringly high and that long waits were having a "damaging impact" on children.

It comes despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's key pledge to cut NHS waiting times by next year. Ongoing strike action by junior doctor members of the British Medical Association (BMA) has already resulted in hundreds of thousands of cancelled operations and appointments. A two-day strike planned by hospital consultants next week is expected to bring further disruption.

The BMA are currently reballoting junior doctors for a further six months of industrial action after rejecting the Government's offer of a 6 per cent pay rise, raising the prospect of strikes in the NHS lasting until Christmas. Mr Sunak has said the offer is final and pay negotiations will not be reopened.

Senior NHS managers have warned ministers that the pledge to reduce the backlog will be impossible to meet if strike action continues into next year.

To reduce the waiting list, hospitals were due to carry out 107 per cent of the number of planned procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, that they carried out in 2019/20. But the NHS has lowered this figure to 105 per cent due to strike action, according to the Health Service Journal.

Dr Kingdon said prolonged waits for treatment would not only impair children's mental and physical development but also have a detrimental impact on their education and overall wellbeing.

Each month we seeing steady progress being made in shrinking the adult backlog which we commend, but the childrens list continues to rise at an unprecedented rate. These figures, already eye wateringly high, only paint a part of the wider picture as they do not include community paediatrics."

She said that the figures only paint a part of the wider picture as they do not include the estimated 220,000 children waiting for community paediatric services, such as mental health, speech and language assessments.

The data merely confirms what we already know - that there is a fundamental lack of understanding nationally that investment in children has to be a priority.
L ondon is at risk of a measles outbreak, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

Modelling by UKHSA suggests the city could see a measles outbreak with tens of thousands of cases, unless MMR vaccination rates improve.

The risk of a widespread measles outbreak outside London is low but we could see smaller outbreaks in specific populations, including teenagers, young people, and under-vaccinated communities.

Those who have never received a measles vaccine (MMR) are urged to come forward and are at risk if they dont.

Today, the NHS is launching a campaign encouraging people to check their vaccination status, with targeted outreach to groups in London.

Young people aged 19 to 25 are said to be less likely to be vaccinated, affected by unfounded stories from the early 2000s.

Between January 1 and June 30 this year, there have been 128 cases of measles reported in the UK, compared to 54 cases in the whole of 2022. Although cases have been seen in all regions, 66 per cent of the cases were detected in London.

The risk in London is primarily due to low vaccination rates over several years, further impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in some areas and groups where coverage of the first MMR dose at two years of age is as low as 69.5 per cent.

Jane Clegg, regional chief nurse for the NHS in London said: Measles can easily spread between unvaccinated people and can be serious, but it is preventable, which is why we continue to encourage Londoners to take up the vaccine, with GPs calling over 10,000 parents of unvaccinated children, and hundreds booking appointments to get vaccinated as a result.

Cases of measles in the capital remain low but its really important that people check that they, and their children, are up to date with their jabs and protected against MMR  and, if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with your GP practice or local pharmacist for advice. Nows the time to act to protect yourself and loved ones from measles.

UKHSA has also urged parents to check that their children are up to date with their MMR vaccinations amid an increase in cases of measles.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: We are calling on all parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date with their two MMR doses. Its never too late to catch up, and you can get the MMR vaccine for free on the NHS whatever your age.

Vaccines are our best line of defence against diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella and help stop outbreaks occurring in the community.

She added: Measles spreads very easily and can lead to complications that require a stay in hospital and, on rare occasions, can cause lifelong disability or death, so it is very concerning to see cases starting to pick up this year.

So what is measles and what are the symptoms to watch out for?

What is measles?

According to the WHO, measles is a highly contagious, and sometimes fatal disease which remains an important cause of death among young children.

It is a viral illness of the respiratory system which, if left untreated, can have serious health complications including infection of the lungs and brain.

The disease can spread through contact with infected mucus and saliva.

What are the symptoms of measles?

According to the NHS, the initial symptoms of measles typically develop around 10 days after you've been infected.

Symptoms include:

cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, and a cough

sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light

a high temperature which may reach around 40C

small, greyish-white spots on the inside of cheeks

A few days later, a red-brown blotchy rash will appear, usually starting on the head or the upper neck before spreading to the rest of the body.

How do you spot a measles rash?

A rash will usually appear after the first few days of feeling ill.

The NHS identifies four key characteristics of a measles rash:

made up of small red-brown, flat, or slightly raised spots that may join together into larger blotchy patches

usually first appears on the head or neck before spreading downwards to the rest of the body

slightly itchy for some

can look similar to other childhood conditions, such as slapped-cheek syndrome, roseola, or rubella.

Why has there been a rise in measles cases?

The UKSHA has warned that measles is now circulating in many countries around the world.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Europe is likely to see a resurgence in cases unless parents get their children vaccinated.

During the Covid pandemic, the number of children who were vaccinated against measles fell, which has left many children unprotected from serious infections and countries at increased risk of outbreaks, according to the UKSHA.

NHS director of Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said: The MMR vaccine has helped prevent the development of potentially life-threatening illness among millions and it is clear that, when uptake falls, infections rise, so I strongly urge parents to review the status of their childs vaccinations so they can keep them and others protected from measles, mumps, and rubella.

Is measles deadly?

Measles will usually pass in around seven to 10 days but, in some cases, it can lead to potentially life-threatening complications.

These include meningitis, febrile convulsions, liver infection (hepatitis), pneumonia, and encephalitis (infection of the brain).

Can you get measles more than once?

Once you've developed immunity after vaccination or suffered from measles once, your body builds up a tolerance, so it's unlikely you'll get measles again.

Who is most at risk of developing measles?

Unvaccinated children are most at risk of developing measles and contracting its subsequent complications.

Pregnant women are also at risk.

Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected by the virus.

How can you prevent measles?

Routine measles vaccinations for children have been in use for the past 50 years.

In the UK, measles is prevented by giving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is given in two doses as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.

In recent years, the UKSHA says that the number of children vaccinated against measles has fallen.

The uptake for the first dose of the MMR vaccine in children aged two years in England is 89 per cent and the uptake of two MMR doses in children aged five years is 85 per cent.

This is below the 95 per cent target set by the WHO, with the aim of achieving and maintaining elimination.

Alternatively, a treatment called human normal immunoglobulin (HNIG) is used if you're at immediate risk of catching measles.

How do you treat measles?

There is no specific antiviral treatment that exists for measles, but there are several measures you can take to help relieve your symptoms.

These include:

taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to soothe fever, aches, and pains

staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water

keeping the curtains closed to reduce light sensitivity

using damp cotton wool to clean the eyes

taking time off work or school for at least four days when the rash first appears.

The WHO also recommends that children diagnosed with measles should receive two doses of vitamin A supplements to prevent the risk of eye damage.

Who should have the MMR vaccine?

The first dose of MMR vaccine is offered to all children at one year old.

Children are given a second dose of MMR before they start school, usually at three years and four months.

There are certain circumstances where children should not have the MMR vaccination, which goes into detail on the NHS website.

Adults who missed out on the MMR vaccine as a baby and are therefore not immune can have the MMR vaccine on the NHS.

Is the MMR vaccine safe?

In the 1980s, there was some controversy about whether the MMR vaccine might cause autism following a 1998 study by Dr Andrew Wakefield.

This caused a dramatic drop in the number of children being vaccinated.

There was later found to be no evidence to link the MMR vaccine and autism.

While the MMR vaccine may not work for everyone and cause side effects in some children, the vaccine is generally recognised as safe.

However, deciding whether or not to get your child vaccinated is a personal choice, so make sure you speak to your GP who can best advise you.

In 2016, the WHO announced the UK had eliminated the disease because of the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Officials today apologised for a major data breach at the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) that affected about 400 people.

This resulted in communications sent by members of the public to Mopac via two contact forms on its website being left open to public inspection between last November and February.

These are understood to have included complaints about the Met police and potentially instances where people chose to report incidents or allegations direct to Mopac because of a lack of faith in the Met.

An internal investigation by City Hall has so far suggested that there is no evidence that the information had been accessed or used maliciously. As such, it is describing the incident as a data breach, not a data leak.

However, it has reported the matter  which has been blamed on a manual error by an unnamed City Hall employee, and was not the result of a cyber-attack  to the Information Commissioners Office.

Email addresses and personal details of people who contacted Mopac, but not their financial details, were accessible to others.

Caroline Russell, chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee, said: This should never have happened.

The most sensitive data imaginable has been managed with a lack of care - victims must be able to trust our policing institutions to handle their data responsibly. While we have been told independent investigations have found no evidence that data has been misused, we are very concerned that such a huge mistake has been made.

We have sought urgent reassurances that the support offered to the people affected is properly resourced and sensitive to any past trauma they may have experienced.

We have also asked for an immediate explanation of what assessments were undertaken since the breach was discovered in February, and why it took until now for the people affected to be informed.

The police and crime committee will be considering this matter and putting further questions to the GLA and Mopac at the start of our meeting next Wednesday.

The employee responsible has not been sacked. City Hall said it preferred to follow a culture where staff were not afraid to flag errors and could learn from their mistakes.

As Mayor, Mr Khan is also the police and crime commissioner for London, and responsible for setting the Mets budget and policing priorities.

He does this through Mopac, which is headed by Sophie Linden, the deputy mayor for policing. It has about 170 staff.

A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: Clearly, this incident should never have happened, which is why a full and thorough investigation was launched, supported by independent experts.

City Hall is offering support to anyone who may have been impacted and is doing everything it can to ensure that this issue, which was caused by a manual error, cannot happen again.

There is no evidence that any of this information was accessed by anyone with malicious intent or that it has been misused.

The Mopac website is hosted on the Greater London Authority (GLA) website.

A GLA spokesperson said: The Information Commissioners Office was notified within 72 hours of the issue being identified and continues to be kept updated. Analysis by independent experts, commissioned by the GLA, found no evidence that any of this information was accessed by anyone with malicious intent or that it has been misused. Mopac are contacting around 400 individuals this week as part of compliance with UK General Data Protection Regulation.

A Mopac spokesman said: A manual error made it technically possible for visitors to temporarily access the content submitted on the two online forms between November 2022 and February 2023.
R oving police squads who target men catcalling women in the street with fines are likely to be rolled out across London, a Met chief has said.

Chief Inspector Louise Jackson said she was in no doubt the undercover teams, who hand out 100 penalties to those seen harassing women, would soon be based across the capital.

The scheme is currently underway in Redbridge, with patrols every night of the week by both uniformed and plain clothes officers.

Signs have put up across the borough warning that cat-calling is now an offence as part of the councils ThisHasToStop campaign.

Signs have put up in Redbridge / Evening Standard

Ch Insp Jackson, who leads on violence against women and girls in East London, told the Standard: The focus at the moment is about educating men and young males around putting a stop to this behaviour.

When a woman feels uncomfortable, when she feels like shes being harassed or made to feel vulnerable, we tend to have to change our direction or change our routes or head in the opposite direction.

What were saying now is this is about educational and generational change.

If we start getting this message out now, hopefully years down the line it will become the norm. Id love to see this rolled out across all London boroughs at some point. And I have no doubt that will be the case.

Chief Inspector Louise Jackson / Evening Stanard

Redbridge council said it is stepping up its task force after a survey of 1,834 women in the borough found 91 per cent said they had experienced catcalling and 62 per cent reported being followed by a man.

The area saw the horrific murder of Zara Aleena, 35, last year.

The aspiring lawyer was followed by stranger Jordan McSweeney, who beat her to death near her home in Ilford.

Redbridge became the first London borough to hand out a 100 fine for catcalling in December.

Its CCTV control room runs targeted womens safety shifts where they identify lone women walking home late at night, scope the area around them for threats and send officers out to check they are alright, or speak to men they think could be following them or who are acting suspiciously.

From September, teams will be going into schools in the borough to speak to boys about treating women with respect.

Redbridge has launched a Community Protection Taskforce to combat catcalling / Evening Standard

When the Standard went on patrol with the safety squad in Ilford town centre we witnessed one man being spoken to on suspicion of harassing women and other members of the public. When he allegedly spat on a female police officer he was arrested and later charged with assaulting an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly.

Councillor Khayer Chowdhury, cabinet member for enforcement and community engagement, said: The campaign puts the emphasis on men changing their behaviour and not women. We are the first council in the country to implement this kind of scheme and others need to adopt it. Weve seen a change in behaviour already.

Councillor Khayer Chowdhury / Evening Standard

Nadia Ali, 38, who grew up in Redbridge, said: I have experienced catcalling, I have experienced harassment unfortunately. And I think the younger me was always quite scared to speak out.

This campaign is absolutely amazing and I think Ive already seen a change myself. I have nieces who are 20 and 25 now and they both have to go from home to Ilford Station and theyve noticed these posters and theyve come home saying they feel a lot safer.

Tomas Delio, 37, who works in Ilford, said: Its a good thing if women feel safer on the streets. But theres a lot of problem with gang crime and young boys in east London as well. I hope as much effort is being put into helping them too.
U niversity employers are holding talks with the University and College Union (UCU) amid an ongoing marking boycott.

More than 140 universities across the UK have refused to mark exams or assessments since April 20 in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The UCU says the meeting on Friday is the first with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) since the boycott began.

Ahead of the meeting, the union said the UCEAs position is untenable following the Governments announcement on Thursday of salary increases for public sector workers of up to 7%.

The UCU says university staff have already rejected the pay award the UCEA began imposing in February, and it is demanding improved pay to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

Universities have billions in reserves and can afford to pay staff properly

But UCEA chief executive Raj Jethwa said the public sector pay awards are irrelevant because it does not mean the higher education (HE) sector can suddenly afford more, and that the pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy and public sector.

The union approached the UCEA seeking fresh talks earlier this month, with the employers body saying it is open to discussing a potential process to resolve the dispute.

The UCEA said in June that 2.6% of students  roughly 13,000 of the half a million students due to graduate this year  would be affected by the boycott, and the vast majority of staff are working hard to mitigate its impact.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: After unprecedented industrial unrest, Rishi Sunak has been forced to honour pay review body recommendations.

This makes UCEAs position on pay untenable, when it meets with us today it needs to get realistic. Universities have billions in reserves and can afford to pay staff properly, instead vice-chancellors are choosing to make students and staff suffer.

UCEAs refusal to settle this dispute means staff are getting their pay docked, international students are losing visas, and thousands upon thousands of students cannot graduate.

UCEA needs to make us an improved offer, stop the pay docking and settle the dispute.

This pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy, including the public sector workers' pay rises of between 5% and 7%

Mr Jethwa said: Yesterdays public sector pay announcement is irrelevant because it doesnt mean that collectively the sector can suddenly afford more for the 2023-24 pay uplift.

The financial state of the New JNCHES (New Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff) HE institutions has not improved since we brought forward the pay round to help staff with cost-of-living pressures.

Many HE institutions now face steep increases in employer contributions to the Teachers Pension Scheme and several institutions have confirmed that they have informed staff that financial struggles mean they will need to delay the uplift.

The 2023-24 pay uplift resulted in a final pay award of between 8% and 5% from August 2023 with almost half of this paid from February, some six months in advance of the usual pay uplift date.

Despite the financial pressures facing the sector, this pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy, including the public sector workers pay rises of between 5% and 7%.

Todays exploratory talks provide a potential opportunity to find a resolution to the long-running current dispute, in turn bringing an end to the UCUs marking and assessment boycott. UCEA also welcomes the willingness of the unions to discuss UCEAs proposal for an independent review of sector affordability.
S wan Upping is the annual census of the swan population on certain stretches of the River Thames.

The ceremony dates from the 12th century and takes place during the third week of July each year.

It has always been the duty of the sovereigns Swan Marker to count the young cygnets each year and to ensure that the swan population is maintained.

With the assistance of the Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, the swans are also given a health check.

Heres everything you need to know.

What is the annual Swan Upping?

Swan Upping plays an important role in the conservation of the mute swan and involves the Kings Swan Warden collecting data, assessing the health of cygnets, and examining them for any injuries.

A ceremonial element is beautifully retained  a flotilla of traditional Thames rowing skiffs, manned by Swan Uppers in scarlet rowing shirts and headed by the Kings Swan Marker, wearing a hat with a white swans feather, row their way steadily up the Thames.

All up! they cry, as a family of swans and cygnets is spotted, and the Swan Uppers carefully position their boats around the swans, lift them from the water, and check their health.

The Swan Markers iconic five-day journey upriver has been an annual ceremony for hundreds of years, and today it has two clear goals; conservation and education.

When will Swan Upping take place and what is its route in 2023?

Swan Upping 2023 will commence on Monday, July 17, at Sunbury Lock Cut in Surrey and finish on Friday, July 21, at Abingdon Bridge, Oxfordshire.

Events will follow this timetable:

Monday, July 17, 2023

9am: Sunbury Lock Cut: Departure point

10.15am: Shepperton Lock

12.30pm: Penton Hook Lock

5.30pm: Romney Lock

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

8.30am: Eton Bridge: Departure point

9.15am: Boveney Lock

12.30pm: Boulters Lock

1.30pm: Cookham Bridge

5.30pm: Marlow Lock

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

9am: Marlow Bridge: Departure point

10.30am: Hurley Lock

Midday: Hambleden Lock

1.15pm: Henley Town

3.30pm: Marsh Lock

5pm: Shiplake Lock

6pm: Sonning Bridge

Thursday, July 20, 2023

9am: Sonning-on-Thames:Departure point

10.15am: Caversham Lock

12.30pm: Mapledurham Lock

5pm: Goring Lock

6pm: Moulsford

Friday, July 21, 2023

9am: Moulsford: Departure point

10am: Benson Lock

1pm: Clifton Hampden Bridge

4.15pm: Culham Lock

5pm: Abingdon Bridge

Why does the annual Swan Upping take place?

Swan Uppers on the Thames / Steve Parsons / PA

Swan Upping takes place in July each year and the designated stretch of the river Thames is analysed over a five-day period, during which the swans are counted and checked for good health.

The annual event sees the Kings Swan Uppers travel along the Thames to round up, catch, and ring the birds before releasing them back into the wild.

The reason for this is that the Crown currently own all the swans within the country and that, once they are marked, they will be recorded in a census, and their health monitored.

What are the origins of the Swan Upping?

Swan Upper David Barber inspects a swan / Steve Parsons / PA

The King retains the right to claim ownership of any unmarked mute swan swimming in open waters, but this right is mainly exercised on the Thames, in London.

Historically, valuable rights of ownership were subsequently granted by the monarch to many people and organisations as swans were a prized food, served at banquets and feasts.

The ownership of swans is shared equally between the landowner and livery companies and, historically, this is the monarch, the Vintners Company, and the Dyers Company. This will be the first Upping on behalf of King Charles.

Why is the Swan Upping important?

Swan Upping plays an important role in the conservation of mute swan and involves the monarchs Swan Warden collecting data, assessing the health of young cygnets, and examining them for any injuries.

Cygnets are extremely vulnerable at this early stage in their development and Swan Upping affords an opportunity to help both adults and cygnets that might otherwise go untreated.
A lmost 1,000 workers at Gatwick Airport including baggage handlers and check-in staff will stage eight days of strikes beginning later this month.

Union Unite said the action would inevitably disrupt flights at the height of the summer holiday season.

It is set to bring further chaos for passengers, after budget airline easyJet this week cancelled around 1,700 summer flights, primarily to and from Gatwick.

Announcing the fresh strike on Friday, Unite revealed 950 workers will walk out for four days from Friday, July 28 until Tuesday, August 1.

They will then stage a second four-day walkout from Friday, August 4 until Tuesday, August 8.

A total of 4,410 flights are scheduled to depart Gatwick across all the strike days, equating to more than 840,000 seats, aviation data company Cirium said.

The airport is already suffering major disruption due to air traffic control (ATC) restrictions.

The airlines affected include British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair, TUI, Westjet and Wizz.

The striking workers, who are members of Unite, are employed by four companies: ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services Ltd.

Unite said: Given the scale of the industrial action, disruption, delays and cancellations are inevitable across the airport.

The union says that despite workers undertaking highly demanding and safety critical roles, during the pandemic companies at Gatwick carried out large-scale redundancies and cut the pay and conditions of remaining staff.

Unite has reportedly been in negotiations with the four companies since January but says they all have failed to make offers that meets the workers expectations.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: Our members at Gatwick Airport undertake incredibly demanding roles and are essential to keeping the airport and airlines working, yet their employers somehow think it is acceptable to pay them a pittance.

As part of Unites unyielding focus on the jobs, pay and condition of its members the union has drawn a line in the sand and is committed to eradicating the scourge of low pay at the airport.

Phil Lloyd, Senior Vice President UK at Menzies Aviation, said: Sadly, Unite has rejected our earlier pay increase of 11 per cent for our ground services employees at Gatwick Airport.

This pay award relates to our 2023 Pay Review and is in addition to the 10 per cent increase awarded in 2022. We are in continued discussions with our airline partners and remain committed to seeking a resolution.

We have invited Unite to return to the table to continue discussions and hope to be able to reach an agreement which is workable for both the business and our employees. We will continue to work to pursue an agreeable solution to protect service to our airline and airport partners and their customers.

A BA spokesperson said: Our ground handling agent at Gatwick, GGS, is surprised by Unites announcement, given the constructive conversations theyve had this week. It is continuing to work with the union to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency so as not to disrupt our customers travel plans.

Gatwick Airport is already suffering major disruption due to air traffic control (ATC) restrictions.

Strikes, staff shortages and air space closures related to the war in Ukraine mean ATC providers are limiting flight numbers across Europe.

Gatwick is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, but its flight numbers are currently capped at peak times due to the ATC issue.

The problem recently forced easyJet to cancel 1,700 summer flights, mostly from Gatwick. The decision will affect 180,000 passengers, the Independent reported.

Earlier this week, Gatwick Airport was revealed as the worst in the Europe for cancellations and delays - with more than half of flights disrupted last month.

Research by passenger rights expert AirHelp found a staggering 54.08 per cent of flights from the busy London airport were cancelled or delayed in June.

It made the terminus, based in west Sussex, the worst major European airport for disruption.

Responding to news of the Unite action, a Gatwick spokesperson said: We are aware of the recent ballot result. London Gatwick will support the airlines affected, who hold the contracts with the third-party ground handling and check-in companies, with their contingency plans to ensure that as many flights as possible operate as scheduled.

A spokesperson from DHL Supply Chain said: "We are disappointed to hear that Unite and its members have voted in favour of industrial action at our Gatwick ground handling operation.

"However, we continue to work closely with Unite to reach a satisfactory conclusion for all parties."
A round 950 workers are set to strike for eight days in the coming weeks, as confirmed by the Unite union.

This accounts for around half of the ground-handling staff at Gatwick Airport, with participating employees from four firms including baggage handlers and ground staff.

Taking place during the busiest period of the airport, disruption is likely to be high. The staff are not employed by Gatwick Airport, but rather by four firms: ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS, and DHL Services.

According to the BBC, a spokesperson for Gatwick said it would support the airlines affected... with their contingency plans to ensure that as many flights as possible operate as scheduled.

Unite has been pushing for pay rises for its members, with most of the workers earning less than 12 an hour. Back in June, strike action was called off at Heathrow after a pay deal was secured.

The strikes come amid existing pressure on the airline industry, with restricted access to European airways due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and potential air-traffic control strikes.

Heres what you need to know about the upcoming strike action.

When are the Gatwick Airport strikes taking place?

Airport workers will strike from Friday, July 28, to Tuesday, August 1, and then again from Friday, August 4 to Tuesday, August 8.

All strikes will begin in the early hours of the morning, but will vary depending on individual shift patterns.

There are 4,410 flights scheduled for the days of the Gatwick strikes, including more than 880,000 seats, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics firm.

What airlines will be affected?

The union confirmed that the affected airlines include British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Tui, Westjet, and Wizz.

While the extent of the impact is uncertain, its believed that delays and some cancellations are inevitable.

At the moment, flight disruption is rife, with Easyjet cancelling 1,700 flights during July, August, and September.
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H undreds of golden retrievers have gathered at an estate in Scotland to celebrate 155 years of the breed.

Dogs and owners from more than 12 countries were at the meet in Guisachan House in the Highlands on Thursday, having travelled from as far as the US, Canada and New Zealand for the event.

The gatherings are held every five years by the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland.

Thursday saw hundreds of dogs and their owners gather at Guisachan, Glen Affric, near Inverness, for a picnic and traditional games such as haggis hurling and tug of war, while dogs gathered for group photos.

Golden retriever owners described it on social media as a wonderful event, and the best day ever.

Thursdays gathering was part of a week-long series of activities arranged to mark the 155th anniversary.

On Tuesday, dogs and owners took part in a mile-long procession by torchlight to Guisachan House, beginning at 10pm and ending in a toast to Lord Tweedmouth.

Lord Tweedmouth is understood to have bred the first golden retriever at Guisachan, his Scottish estate, in the early 1860s.
I t may be a rainy Friday in July, but there are plenty of reasons to be joyful this week.

From fields full of golden retrievers (is this Heaven?) to young people enjoying major achievements, this week has brought us a number of uplifting, positive stories.

So take some time away from the doom and gloom to read about what went right this week.

Heres our pick of the best good news stories from the past seven days.

A gathering of golden retrievers

The dogs and their owners met up for a picnic and played traditional games. / Rex Features

Hundreds of golden retrievers gathered at a Scottish estate on Thursday to celebrate 155 years of the breed.

The dogs and their owners met up for a picnic and played traditional games, such as haggis hurling and tug of war, with golden retriever owners describing it on social media as a wonderful event, and the best day ever.

They raised a toast to Lord Tweedmouth, who is understood to have bred the first golden retriever at Guisachan, his Scottish estate, in the early 1860s.

Read more about the adorable gathering here .

Harvey Price breaks a world record

Harvey, with mum Katie, after he was presented with his Guinness World Record / Jacob King / PA Wire

Harvey Price, the 21-year-old son of Katie Price, has set a world record for the longest drawing of a train. Harvey drew a 21.3 metre-long picture of a Thameslink engine and carriages  his favourite train.

Katie said: Im absolutely thrilled for Harvey. I cant believe hes got his own Guinness World Record. Its fantastic.

She added: Hes worked so hard on completing his drawing and I think hes done amazingly well. We officially have a Guinness World Record holder in the family and everyone is so happy for him.

Read more about Harveys world record here .

Barbie paints the town pink

Margot Robbie at the Barbie premiere in London / Ian West / PA Wire

Margot Robbie and the cast of Barbie delighted fans at the UK premiere of Barbie at Leicester Square on Wednesday evening.

Crowds of adoring, pink-clad fans queued all day to catch a glimpse of the Barbie stars.

Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig, and Dua Lipa were among the major names who walked the pink carpet to celebrate the premiere of the highly anticipated movie, which will be released on July 21.

Read more about the star-studded premiere here .

Walk a mile in Harrys shoes

Harry Styles fans can take a tour of his home town / Ian West/ PA Wire

Fans of Harry Styles will be delighted to hear that they can now take a walking tour of the One Direction stars home town.

Harrys fans, or Harries as they like to call themselves, have been flocking to Holmes Chapel in Cheshire to visit a number of spots that have played a part in Harrys early life.

Fans will visit W Mandeville bakery, where he worked as a teen, as well as Fortune City Chinese, where he once took ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift.

Read more about the Harry Styles walking tour here .

Comedy pet photos delight

Peek-a-boo! / Comedy Pets

The Comedy Pet Photo Awards have released a shortlist of 25 hilarious pictures that are sure to make any animal fan smile.

Among the finalists are a cat performing his best victory pose and a dog peeking out from between sofa cushions.

The adorable pictures will be evaluated by a panel of judges, who will determine the overall funniest picture.

Read more about the comedy pet pictures here .

Charity fundraiser to perform the coin toss at Wimbledon

Muawwiz Anwar, 8, has an important role to play at Wimbledon / Handout

Eight-year-old charity fundraiser Muawwiz Anwar will perform the coin toss at the Wimbledon mens final on Sunday.

Muawwiz cycled three miles every day for 30 days, raising nearly 10,000 for WaterAid for his efforts.

The youngster said: I cant wait to do the coin toss, and actually seeing the players, it will be amazing.
W orkers at a bar in Scotlands largest city will be the first in the country to take strike action in 20 years, a union has claimed.

Staff at the 13th Note in Glasgow will stage a 48-hour walkout from noon on Friday until Sunday over what Unite claims is a failure of the owners to deal with concerns over pay and health and safety.

Industrial action will coincide with the busy Glasgow Fair public holiday over the weekend.

The workers will then take action every weekend until August 6.

Unite represents 95% of the workers employed at the venue, with 100% of members voting to support strike action.

Talks between the union, the bars owners and Acas are due to take place on July 19.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: Unites members at the 13th Note bar in Glasgow are striking following the failure of the owners to make improvements on pay and on health and safety concerns.

In what has become one of the first bar workers strikes in over 20 years, we support them and hope the owners now recognise the strength of the collective.

These workers deserve credit for standing up for their rights in an industry that is riding roughshod over staff. Unite will back them 100% in their demands for better pay and safer working conditions.

Nick Troy, a Unite rep at the 13th Note, said: The owners of 13th Note should be under no illusion that improvements to wages, health and safety, as well as union recognition, are the only way this rift will be sorted.

This action is a reflection of our determination to ensure fair treatment. The continuation of the strike action beyond this weekend is not inevitable if the concerns and demands of the workforce are resolved.

Unite remains hopeful that talks at Acas could avert further action.

The 13th Note has been contacted for comment.
P assengers were left stranded during Fridays rush hour as signal failures at a central London station caused chaos.

Southeastern trains confirmed that all lines in and out of platforms at Victoria were blocked with no services in or out.

But by 9.30pm, all platforms reopened and trains were running normally.

A spokeman said: There has been severe disruption to services so were working to get trains back on time as quickly as possible but disruption is expected until the end of service.

Network Rail Kent and Sussex said it investigated a serious fault with signalling equipment.

Track bosses had expected the major disruption to Southeastern services to last until late Friday.

Routes affected included those between London Victoria and Dartford, Ashford International, Dover Priory, Gillingham and Orpington.

Network Rail response staff had been on site since 3pm.

However, the issue worsened at around 6pm, affecting all platforms at the station.

Southeastern said trains were being diverted to Cannon Street or cancelled.

Passengers were advised tickets could be used at no extra cost on London Underground services, London buses between London Victoria and Bromley South/Orpington as well as high-speed services from London St Pancras International.

Those delayed may be entitled to compensation.

Commuters were advised to keep their train tickets and make a note of their journey to support any claim.

Michael Jessops, 26,was among the passengers left stranded.

He could not catch a train to Dover where he was planning to meet friends.

The junior sales executive, from Rochester in Kent, told MailOnline: The train services are shocking. Its an actual nightmare getting home on a normal day but today is even worse.

Ive got no idea how Im going to get home now. Im stuck here with everyone else. There must be thousands of people here in the same boat as me.

Katherine Stobbart, 41, who was due to return home to Horsham, in West Sussex, said our train services are a joke.
T his week, on July 13, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that visa application fees are set to rise significantly alongside the immigration health surcharge, which gives migrants access to the NHS.

He explained that the fee rises were to help the Government raise funds for other areas of public spending.

But why are the visa fees rising, what are the current fees, and what can migrants expect from the new fees?

Here is everything we know.

Why are the visa fees rising?

The Prime Minster announced the visa application fee hike in a speech that was addressing public sector wages following recent strikes.

In the aftermath of months of industrial action, the PM confirmed that teachers would get a 6.5 per cent pay rise, while junior doctors will be given a six per cent rise. Additionally, police officers, who are banned from striking, will get a seven per cent increase.

Mr Sunak explained that part of the funding for the public sector wage increase will be financed using the money raised from foreign migrants who wish to live and work in the UK.

He said: What we have done are two things to find this money; the first is were going to increase the charges that we have for migrants who are coming to this country when they apply for visas.

And indeed, something called the immigration health surcharge, which is the levy that they pay to access the NHS.

So, all of these fees are going to go up and that will raise over a billion pounds.

Sunak clarified that these pay increases were the Governments final offer and that there will be no further negotiations this year regardless of any future strikes that might take place.

What are the current UK Visa fees?

The visa fees a migrant pays depend on the type of visa they are after, including the length of time, the main purpose of their visit, the number of entries into the country they want, the industry they work in, and more.

The latest UK visa fees across all categories can be found on the Government website .

As for the immigration health surcharge, when it was first introduced back in March 2015, migrants had to pay 200 per application.

The fee doubled to 400 in December 2018, then increased once more in December 2020 to 624 per adult applicant, and 470 per discounted applicant, which covered children and students.

What will the new UK visa fees be?

The Government has said that UK work and visa fees will be increased by 15 per cent, and that all other visa fees are set to rise by a minimum of 20 per cent.

For now, it is unclear when the new fees will be formally introduced.

As for the immigration health surcharge increase, it will now cost 1,035 per person, per annum.

Those who are eligible for a discount, including students and children, will have to pay 776, which equates to a 66 per cent increase.
A British Airways captain was stabbed after going for a run between flights in South Africa, according to media reports.

A thug held him at gunpoint before plunging a knife into his thigh.

The airlines veteran pilot was rushed to hospital for immediate treatment.

He had gone jogging with a crew member during downtime while on a stopover in Johannesburg, The Sun said.

The newspaper claimed they broke strict BA rules by leaving the security approved compound which houses their crew hotel.

South Africa Tourism

Much of the South African city is off limits due to the notoriety of crime-ridden Johannesburg.

The BA facility houses a hotel in the Melrose Arch neighbourhood, as well as a number of luxury amenities such as a bowling alley.

The injured captain was allowed to leave hospital after treatment and jetted home earlier this week.

Separate crews were found to bring home the plane from South Africa and passengers were not informed.

The Foreign Offices advice to Brits travelling to South Africa states: There is a high crime rate, including carjacking, house robbery, rape, sexual assault and murder.

Violent crime can take place anywhere, including in tourist destinations and transport hubs.

BA told the Standard: We provided support to our colleagues who have since returned to the UK.
T ourists bemoaned the temporary closing of the Acropolis in Athens on Friday as Greek authorities shut the world monuments gates between midday and early evening amid a heat wave that continues to grip southern Europe.

Red Cross staff handed out bottled water to tourists wilting in long lines hoping to beat the closure and scale the steps up to the gleaming Parthenon temple as temperatures were expected to peak above 40C (104F) in the Greek capital.

Some visitors were frustrated at being left in the lurch because they were unaware of Greek authorities last-minute announcement of the Acropolis closure at noon. One visitor said he was disappointed at losing the chance and that it would be unlikely he would come back any time soon.

I even bought a 50 Euro ticket to skip the line to enter and I couldnt enter the place, the man, who didnt give his name, told The Associated Press.

Red Cross coordinator Ioanna Fotopoulou said paramedics on hand administered first aid to a number of tourists exhibiting symptoms of dehydration and experiencing fainting spells.

In Spain, people packed the beaches as the country enjoyed a short-lived respite from its second heatwave of the summer.

Temperatures were still expected to reach 40C in at least 12 of Spains 17 regions Friday, although lower from a high of 45C that scorched the southeastern town of Albox on Wednesday.

Forecasters said Europes all-time temperature record could be broken in the coming days as sizzling Spain, Italy and Greece face a second blistering hot spell.

Deadly 'Cerberus' Heat Wave Threatening to Break Records in Italy

Mediterranean Europe is already in the grips of Cerberus heatwave, which is forecast to send temperatures in the region as high as 45C over the weekend.

Several countries have prepared emergency measures with cities in Greece changing public sector working hours and opening up air-conditioned areas to the public.

Television adverts in Italy have been reminding city residents to look after their pets and check in regularly with elderly relatives.

In Lodi, south-east of Milan, a road sign worker collapsed and later died as temperatures surpassed 40C, with officials attributing his death to the extreme conditions.

The high-pressure system affecting the region, which crossed the Mediterranean from north Africa, has been named Cerberus after the three-headed dog in ancient Greek mythology who guarded the gates to the underworld.

A second heatwave, called Charon, is set to pass into southern Europe next week - sending temperatures even higher.

The European Space Agency said much of the continent was facing a major heatwave.

Temperatures [are] expected to climb to 48 degrees Celsius on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia - potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe the agency said.

Animals in Madrids Zoo were being treated this week to frozen food to cool off amid the sweltering heat. Zookeepers fed pandas and bears with watermelon popsicles, seals with frozen sardines and lions with frozen buckets of meat.

Volunteers try to put out a wildfire in Grebastica, Croatia, on Thursday / AP

In North Macedonia, the high heat triggered a spike in emergency calls for health assistance.

Authorities in Cyprus urged the Mediterranean islands residents to avoid forest areas where wildfires could be caused unintentionally.

Meanwhile, emergency services in nearby Turkey grappled with simultaneous fires and floods. Flooding in the northern Black Sea coast claimed three lives. In the southwest Milas region, 26 water-dropping planes and helicopters helped 600 firefighters contain a wildfire. While there are heat and fires on one side of the country, there are floods and deluges on the other, Turkish Deputy Agriculture Minister Veysel Tiryaki said. In our country as well as around the world, we are struggling with climate change.

While southern Europe swelters, the UK is facing a cool and unsettled weekend as the jet stream brings low pressure systems from the Atlantic.

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for the capital on Saturday with high winds posing a threat to train services and flights, with temperatures unlikely to climb much above 20C.
A man has been charged in connection with the long-unsolved killings of women whose bodies were found on Long Islands Gilgo Beach.

US media identified the suspect as Rex Heuermann, 59, of nearby Massapequa Park, New York.

Detectives pursuing a new lead say they matched DNA from a pizza he ate to genetic material found on womens remains.

CBS News said documents show that married father-of-two Heuermann has been accused of three counts of first degree murder and three counts of second degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello.

The trio and Maureen Brainard-Barnes were all found close to one another in 2010.

In total, the remains of at least 11 victims were found in the area and are believed to be the work of the so-called Long Island serial killer.

Heuermann was arrested at his home late on Thursday night by Suffolk County Police and is being arraigned in Suffolk County Court, Riverhead.

At a news conference, Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone said the developments take us a major step forward in securing justice for victims and families.

A renewed investigation tied him to a pickup truck a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared.

In March, detectives tailing Heuermann recovered his DNA from pizza crust in a box that hed discarded in a Manhattan bin and matched it to DNA from a hair found on a restraint used in the killings, authorities said.

At the time, detectives were searching for missing woman Shannan Gilbert when they found the remains of four others wrapped in burlap sacks.

Police released audio last year from an emergency call made by Ms Gilbert just before she vanished.

The following spring, six more bodies were found around near Gilgo Beach.

Most of the victims were sex workers. Their deaths long baffled investigators, a mystery that fuelled immense public attention and led to a 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls. But no arrests had ever been made.

Heuermanns lawyer Michael Brown entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Friday in the state court, saying theyd just learned about the charges that morning.

Speaking to reporters after the arraignment, he said Heuermann told him: I didnt do this.

Residents living near Heuerman told CBS News they were stunned.

Neighbour Etienne DeVilliers said Heuermann, who has a wife and two children, worked as an architect.

Weve been here for about 30 years, and the guys been quiet, never really bothers anybody. We were kind of shocked, to tell you the truth, she added.

Long Island victims Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello / REUTERS

"Like I said, were shocked. Because this is a very, very quiet neighbourhood. Everybody knows each other, all of our neighbours, were all friendly. Its never been a problem at all.

Actor Billy Baldwin, younger sibling of Alec Baldwin, tweeted on Friday that he went to high school with Heuermann.

Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann, adding they went to Massapequas Berner High School and graduated in 1981.
P resident Joe Biden has said he is serious about pursuing a prisoner exchange to help free a Wall Street Journal reporter who has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days.

The Kremlin earlier this month suggested it was open to a possible prisoner exchange that could involve Evan Gershkovich, but it stressed that such talks must be held out of the public eye.

Speaking at a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, on Thursday, Mr Biden made clear that the US is interested.

Im serious on a prisoner exchange, said the US president, who was concluding a five-day visit to Europe that took him to the UK, Lithuania and Finland.

And Im serious about doing all we can to free Americans being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter, and that process is underway.

Mr Gershkovich, a 31-year-old American citizen, was arrested on espionage charges at a restaurant in the city of Yekaterinburg on March 30 by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB).

The FSB said it had opened a case against him for collecting what it said were state secrets about a military-industrial complex.

He is being held at Moscows Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions. A Moscow court recently upheld a ruling to keep him in custody until August 30.

Mr Gershkovich and his employer deny the allegations, and the US government has declared him to be wrongfully detained.

Mr Gershkovich is an experienced reporter on Russian issues, and was working in the city of Yekaterinburg at the time of his detention. He is well-known among foreign correspondents in Moscow. BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg described him as an excellent reporter and a highly principled journalist.

His arrest rattled journalists in Russia, where authorities have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed last week there have been discussions between the two sides, but said there is not yet a clear pathway to winning Mr Gershkovichs freedom.

Mr Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for US News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Mr Daniloff was released 20 days later in a swap for an employee of the Soviet Unions UN mission who was arrested by the FBI, also on spying charges.

In Washington, the Wall Street Journal and Mr Gershkovichs family have sought to keep the spotlight on his detention.

At a National Press Club event on Thursday, the reporters sister, Danielle, described the emotional toll from her brothers captivity. I just try to take it day-by-day, she said. It still feels unreal sometimes. For my parents, its a full-time job.

The Wall Street Journal has said it stands in solidarity with Mr Gershkovich and his family. The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich, it said.

The White House has condemned his detention in the strongest terms.
M uslims around the world will soon celebrate Hijri New Year, also known as the Islamic New Year.

The first day of the year is observed on the first day of Muharram, which is the first month in the Islamic calendar.

Muharram is an important month for Muslims. Its name means forbidden, and during this month, any form of fighting or war is strictly forbidden.

The Islamic New Year is marked by the lunar moon, so the exact date of Hijri changes slightly every year.

Unlike Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims may also choose to fast on the 9th and 10th days.

Heres everything you need to know about the Islamic New Year, including when it is and how its commemorated:

What is Muharram?

The arrival of the new moon at sunset marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year.

For many Muslims, the Islamic New Year symbolises non-violence and reflection. It's common for Muslims to try to avoid negativity during this time in order to promote peace.

For Shia Muslims, it's also a period of mourning as they commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the son of Hazart Ali and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

When is the Islamic New Year?

The arrival of the new moon at sunset marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year. / EPA

The month of Muharram begins with the sighting of the new moon at sunset, which occurs on the final day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.

This year, Muharram begins on Tuesday, July 18.

How do people commemorate Muharram?

For many Muslims, the Islamic New Year symbolises non-violence and reflection. / Getty

Many people use it as a period of self-reflection, with prayers and fasting leading up to commemorating Muharram's 10th day, Ashura, when Muslims remember the Karbala massacre.

Shia Muslims may practise chest beating and cutting their foreheads - a form of self-flagellation in remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.

Sunni Muslims regard Ashura as day of respect in the name of the Prophet Moses but do not participate in the ritual.
U kraine has received cluster bombs from the US, munitions banned in more than 100 countries, but has pledged to only use them to dislodge concentrations of Russian soldiers in the war-torn country.

Valeryi Shershen, a spokesman for the Tavria, or southern, military district confirmed an announcement by his commander that the weapons had arrived a week after America said it would send them as part of an $800-million (610 million) security package.

The Pentagon also announced their arrival.

Rishi Sunak in talks with Joe Biden on Monday discouraged Washington from sending cluster munitions to Ukraine, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister upheld Britains commitment under the Convention on Cluster Munitions international treaty, which it has signed, to argue against their use.

But No10 insisted it was a difficult choice for the US that has been forced on them by Russias war of aggression.

Mr Biden had emphasied that providing the bombs - which open mid-air and release smaller bomblets across a broad swath of land - was a difficult decision but he noted that the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition and that the weapons were necessary for them to continue to fight Russian forces.

Last summer the UK Government said: Cluster bombs continue to kill and maim civilians in conflicts around the world, including Syria, Libya and Ukraine, often leaving their victims with life-changing injuries. Unexploded munitions continue to threaten the lives of civilians for years afterwards, hampering post-conflict reconstruction and development.

At the time, the UK held the Presidency of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international agreement ratified by 110 countries to end the use of these devastating weapons.

Moscow has denounced the cluster munitions shipment.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu warned that Russia could resort to deploying similar weaponry if faced with their use, but is already believed to be using some types of cluster munitions in Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials argued that their deployment is justified in view of Russia's mining of vast tracts of land it has seized.

Ukraine has launched a counter offensive more than 500 days into the war, focusing on capturing groups of villages in the southeast and retaking areas around the eastern town of Bakhmut, seized by Russian forces in May after months of fighting.

"This will further demotivate Russian occupying forces and fundamentally change things in favour of the Ukrainian armed forces," Shershen told US-funded Radio Liberty.

The munitions, he said, would be used strictly within the legal framework, "only for the deoccupation of our territories.

"They will not be used on Russian territory...They will be used only in areas where Russian military forces are concentrated in order to break through enemy defences," he added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky restated Ukraine's assurances during a NATO summit on Wednesday.

Cluster munitions typically release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area. Those that fail to explode pose a danger for decades.

Each side has accused the other of using cluster bombs in the conflict launched by Vladimir Putin in February 2022.

Human Rights Watch says both Moscow and Kyiv have used cluster munitions. Russia, Ukraine and the US have not signed up to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans production, stockpiling, use and transfer of the weapons.

The decision to send the munitions to Ukraine has been opposed by Spain and Canada.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleskander Musiyenko said he assumed the weapons would be used in the south as that area's commander had announced their arrival.

"We can say that it is in the south where it is planned to pierce and destroy the fortifications of the enemy's defence line," Musiyenko told Ukrainian television. "I think cluster munitions will expand the capabilities of our troops."

Deputy Ukrainian Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian troops were making headway in the south, forcing enemy forces to redeploy. Near Bakhmut, Ukrainian troops made gains south of the town, but faced more difficulties to the north.

Russian accounts of the fighting said its forces had repelled 16 Ukrainian attacks in eastern Donetsk region alone.

The claims and counter claims could not be independently verified.
T he Wagner mercenary group is no longer playing a significant role in Russias war against Ukraine, the US has said.

The group had been fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukriane, until a fortnight ago when it staged a short-lived attempted uprising, led by founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.

On Wednesday, Russias defense ministry said Wagner was completing its handover of weapons to Russias regular armed forces.

At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine, said Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.

Wagner fighters had waged some of the fiercest and bloodiest battles during Russias invasion of Ukraine, but Prigozhin has a long-simmering conflict with the Russian militarys top brass.

This culminated in the revolt on June 23 and 24, when Prigozhin and his Wagner group took control of the Russian city of Rostov in what Russian president Vladimir Putin branded a treasonous mutiny.

Prigozhin ended the mutiny after a deal was brokered, in which it was agreed he would be exiled to Belarus.

But Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko revealed last week Prigozhin is in Russia.

As for Prigozhin, hes in St Petersburg. He is not on the territory of Belarus, Mr Lukashenko told reporters last Thursday.

Wagner fighters were given the option of going into exile, joining Russias regular forces, or going home.

Critics have said the attempted uprising by Mr Prigozhin, though short-lived, exposed real cracks in Putins authority.
A woman has been arrested over the suspected fentanyl overdose death of Robert De Niros teenage grandson, a law enforcement official said on Friday.

Sofia Haley Marks, 20, allegedly sold the drugs to 19-year-old Leandro De Niro Rodriguez before he was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on July 2.

Actor Leandro had been making a name for himself in Hollywood before the tragedy to follow in his grandfathers footsteps.

Marks was detained on Thursday by New York City police officers and federal drug agents, according to the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the arrest.

She is expected to appear in court on Friday.

Leandros cause of death remains under investigation, a spokesperson for the city medical examiners office said.

Robert and Drena De Niro / Getty Images

His mother, Drena De Niro, announced her sons death on Instagram.

In response to a question to her post, she wrote that her son died after someone sold him fentanyl laced pills.

Leandro was the son of Drena De Niro, the oldest child of Robert De Niro, and artist Carlos Mare.

Like his famous grandfather, he was an actor had appeared with his mother in projects including Bradley Coopers 2018 remake of A Star Is Born, 2005s The Collection and 2018s Cabaret Maxime.

Robert De Niro deeply distressed following the death of his grandson at age 19 (Matt Crossick/PA) / PA Archive

Robert De Niro said after Leandros death that he was deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo, adding: Were greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone.

We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.

A representative for him didnt immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the arrest.
W anna be a Barbie girl, just living in a Barbie world? With Barbiemania reaching its peak ahead of Greta Gerwigs live action movies release on July 21, wed be the last to blame you.

Hype for the movie has taken over, inspiring everything from candy pink tech, fashion and interiors. Brands big and small are spotlighting some of their best selling products in the dolls iconic colour as we all embrace the playfulness of Barbie.

Be in no doubt - this summer, think pink.

You can even stay in a life-sized version of Barbies dreamhouse in - where else? - Malibu, California. The hot pink AirBnB listing, hosted by Ken, promises to make guests the star of the show across three stories, including a pool - and a slide to get to it, of course. Bookings for the mansion opens at 10am Pacific time on July 17 for two one-night stays for two people on July 21 and 22.

Naturally, competition will be fierce for such an incredible experience, but with the right pieces you can recreate the effect for yourself at home - minus the L.A air fare.

According to B&Q, sales of pink paint have shot up by a whopping 115 per cent since the release of the movies trailer, as fans attempt to recreate the look - on whatever scale - for themselves. If youre not quite ready to give your walls a full Toy Land makeover, furniture and home accessories are an easy, low-commitment way to join the Barbiecore bandwagon.

There are plenty of fabulously pink options for every room of the house. They can be found across price points too, so theres something for everyone.

Scroll on to find the best furniture and homeware to turn your home into a Barbie dream one.

Shop now
T om Cruise would reportedly like to find a new Scientology member and sees "huge potential" in this respect in zookeeper Robert Irwin.

This follows the pairs meeting at the Sydney premiere of Cruises film Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One.

Irwin, 19, is the son of the late Steve Irwin, the Australian zookeeper best known for the wildlife documentary television series The Crocodile Hunter. The Mirror said Cruise was keen to revive the show with Irwin junior as the star.

A source reportedly said that Cruise was taken aback by how much [Irwin] looks like his dad.

Robert Irwin (right) with sister Bindi and mum Terri in 2020 / Getty

The source told Woman's Day magazine: Tom's just not interested in recruiting him for the religion  he wants to work with Rob and thinks he could help his production company break into the TV streaming market.

Despite having an estimated fewer than 10 million followers worldwide, Scientology is perhaps one of the most well-known faiths. This is largely due to the participation of the wealthy and well-known such as Cruise.

So what is Scientology and which celebrities follow the faith?

What is Scientology?

Scientology is a religious movement that was founded in the early 1950s by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. The Church of Scientology, the main organisation associated with Scientology, promotes a set of beliefs and practices that Hubbard developed through his writings and lectures.

According to Scientology teachings, humans are essentially spiritual beings called thetans that are separate from their bodies. Thetans are said to have lived through multiple past lives and have accumulated negative experiences called engrams that affect their present lives. Scientology aims to help individuals rid themselves of these engrams through a process called auditing, which involves a series of counseling sessions.

Scientology also offers various courses and programmes, both for personal development and spiritual advancement. The church has its own set of scriptures, including Hubbards writings and lectures, and it operates on a hierarchical structure with different levels of spiritual advancement.

Who are Scientologys biggest celebrity followers?

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise became associated with the movement through his first wife Mimi Rogers / Getty Images for Paramount Pictu

Tom Cruise is one of the Church of Scientologys most well-known followers and outspoken advocates.

Through his first wife, Mimi Rogers, he became associated with the movement, whose headquarters are in Riverside County, California.

Following their 1990 divorce, Cruise got married twice again, first to Nicole Kidman in 1990 and then to Katie Holmes in 2006. Both marriages apparently ended in 2001 and 2012 as a result of the actor's membership in the church, according to USmagazine.com.

John Travolta

John Travolta joined the Church of Scientology in 1975 / Patrick T Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

John Travolta joined the Church of Scientology in 1975, though one source told OK magazine in February 2022 his relationship with the church was breaking away. He is listed as one of most successful Scientologists on the religions website.

The actor converted after being given a book on Dianetics, a set of pseudoscientific theories developed by Hubbard, while filming The Devils Rain in Durango, Mexico.

Elisabeth Moss

Elisabeth Moss in The Handmaids Tale / Channel 4 / Hulu / MGM

Elisabeth Moss, the star of The Handmaid's Tale, was raised as a Scientologist, in contrast to famous people who converted to the faith later in life.

Moss told Variety that she attributed her development as a talented communicator to Scientology and urged people to "find out for themselves" if they had any concerns about the organisation.

Anne Archer

Anne Archer as Jane Fonda in The Trial of Jane Fonda / Steve Ullathorne

Since her son Tommy Davis served as the previous spokesperson and executive leader for the Church of Scientology, actress Anne Archer, who was nominated for an Oscar in 1988, is one of the most well-known Scientologists.

Archer was previously a Christian scientist.

Riley Keough

Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley / Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images

Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, and many other members of her family are reportedly ardent Scientologists.

However, despite Keoughs mums association with the religion, the late Lisa Marie Priestley reportedly left the religion in 2014, saying at the time, I was slowly starting to self-destruct. They were taking my soul, my money, my everything.
L ondon could see a measles outbreak with tens of thousands of cases because of low levels of vaccination, health chiefs have warned.

Estimates show between 40,000 and 160,000 cases could occur in the capital unless vaccination rates improve, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The risk in London is thought to be because of low vaccination rates over several years, further worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UKHSA said there had been 128 cases of measles between January and June 2023, compared with 54 cases across 2022  with 66% of cases detected in London.

Nobody wants to see their child or loved ones sick with measles, or put others who are more vulnerable, like babies, at risk. I urge those who have missed their MMR vaccines to catch up now

Parents are being urged to check their children are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella vaccines (MMR) or call their GP practice if unsure.

Those going abroad for summer holidays are also being asked to catch up on any missed vaccinations.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: Measles can be a serious infection that can lead to complications, especially in young children and those with weakened immune systems.

Due to longstanding suboptimal vaccine uptake there is now a very real risk of seeing big outbreaks in London.

She added: Nobody wants to see their child or loved ones sick with measles, or put others who are more vulnerable, like babies, at risk.

I urge those who have missed their MMR vaccines to catch up now.

The UKHSA said that young people aged 19 to 25 are likely to be most susceptible to the outbreak as they may have been affected by unfounded stories in the early 2000s about the links between MMR jabs and autism.

The World Health Organisation estimates 95% of the population need to be vaccinated to prevent an outbreak.

But in England, around 85% of the population aged five and above is fully vaccinated.

Around 10% of children in the country are left unprotected from measles by the time they are ready to start school, with the rate in London at about 20%, the UKHSA said.

Measles is contagious but is easily preventable with vaccination, which comes in two doses.

Children in the UK can have a first dose of the MMR vaccine on or after their first birthday and the second dose by the time they are three-and-a-half years old.

Jane Clegg, regional chief nurse for the NHS in London, said: Cases of measles in the capital remain low but its really important that people check that they, and their children, are up to date with their jabs and protected against MMR  and if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with your GP practice or local pharmacist for advice.

Nows the time to act to protect yourself and loved ones from measles.

About one in 1,000 to one in 3,000 people who contract measles will die. If UKHSA projections are correct, we could see dozens of deaths in London

Commenting on the warning, Dr David Elliman, consultant in community child health at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said the announcement that London could experience a large outbreak is no surprise.

He said: Uptake of all routine vaccines in London has always been lower than most of the rest of the UK, as a whole, and within London are pockets of very low uptake.

It is in these areas that the danger of outbreaks is greatest.

He also said that as well as teenagers and young adults, infants under 12 months are also at the greatest risk of measles as they are not offered the MMR vaccine at that age.

Dr Elliman said: About one in 1,000 to one in 3,000 people who contract measles will die.

If UKHSA projections are correct, we could see dozens of deaths in London.

This assumes that nothing changes.

The intention is to take action to ensure that this does not happen.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 14. Turkmenistan and Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) discussed the current state of comprehensive cooperation, Trend reports.

These issues were discussed between the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN Aksoltan Atayeva and the UN Deputy Secretary General, Executive Secretary of the ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.

During the meeting, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana confirmed her participation in a parallel event on the topic: "Sustainable urban Transport: Preparation for the Highlevel Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Sustainable Transport and the Arkadag City Model for the implementation of SDG 11", which will be organized by the Turkmen Permanent Mission on July 17 as part of the High-level Political Forum under the auspices of ECOSOC.

Sides had a constructive exchange of views on Turkmenistan's cooperation with ESCAP in the fields of transport and energy, climate change, disaster risk reduction, as well as cooperation within the framework of the UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).

Particular attention was paid to the expansion of multilateral cooperation in the development of sustainable transport, energy mobility and interconnectedness, expansion of trade and economic ties in the Asia-Pacific region.

Moreover, cooperation between ESCAP and Turkmenistan covers various aspects of economic cooperation, within the framework of which consultations and negotiations are held on trade, customs cooperation, investments, technical regulations and standards.
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A contingent of 40 firefighters went to Greece to replace the forces that, in the last two weeks, supported the Greek authorities by monitoring the areas at risk of fire in the east of Athens.

"The first contingent, which totals 40 firefighters, will return to the country after handing over to colleagues from the second shift the eight special vehicles deployed on Greek territory - three special vehicles for extinguishing forest fires, a tanker, a special vehicle fire extinguisher with a capacity of 10,000 l, a minibus and two special vehicles for first intervention and command, so as to ensure the continuity of actions in the event of situations that require the intervention of our crews," informs a press release from the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) sent to AGERPRES on Friday.

In the last 15 days, the 40 firefighters in Greece familiarized themselves with the terrain and the conditions specific to the interventions, carrying out patrols in the fire risk areas.

"These activities have strengthened our reaction and preparation capacities in the event of emergency situations, which can endanger the life and assets of the community. In parallel, our colleagues held training and preparation sessions with the Greek teams, highlighting the essentials aspects of a quick and effective intervention in the case of fires," the quoted source shows.

During the support mission, no large-scale fires were recorded in the areas of eastern Athens.

"We are proud of the professionalism and dedication of our firefighters who took part in this mission. They represented our country with dignity and demonstrated our solidarity and support to the Greek authorities. We continue to remain vigilant and ready to intervene in any emergency situation to ensures that people feel safe and protected," IGSU reports.

Between July 1 and August 1, the Department for Emergency Situations within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, joins in with a specialized national module for extinguishing forest fires organized by the General Directorate of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations - DG ECHO, in order to strengthen the resilience of the Greek authorities in managing this type of risk.

The assistance program is funded by the EU and was formed as a support measure for Greek communities, following the devastating fires recorded in 2021. It is part of the new EU policy to limit forest fires in southern Europe and brings together firefighting teams from several countries.

AGERPRES
Cyber-security maturity in some critical infrastructure operators, especially in the area of healthcare, is relatively low in Romania, but we are talking about a somewhat waidespread situation at the level of the European Union (EU), Dan Cimpean, director of Romania's National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC), told a specialist conference on Friday.

"We are witnessing a diversification, first of all, of the formats and ways in which these critical infrastructures are thought out, designed, implemented, and managed. We are obviously witnessing an increase in their complexity, first of all from a technical point of view, an increasingly higher interdependence in which virtually no operator, no critical infrastructure administrator, in isolation, can solve all the vulnerabilities, all the incidents, all the problems they face. Given various categories of actors that are involved, in the field of healthcare in particular , we are the regulatory authority in the area and we have practically hundreds of hospitals, hundreds of clinics, a lot of pharmacies. We are witnessing critical infrastructure operators, especially in the area of healthcare with a low level of information security, of cyber security, relatively low, which is not peculiar to Romania only. It is a somewhat widespread situation at the level of the European Union. The healthcare area is not the active, mature and efficient student anymore. We can see too often, in my opinion, a lack of understanding of the subject of cyber-security and awareness on the part of the management of such organisations, too little understanding of their legal obligations, most of the time of the complexity and magnitude of the challenges they face," said Cimpean.

He added that old infrastructures are another problem area, as well as the shortage of cyber-security special staff.

"Starting from this insufficient awareness, we are witnessing outdated, unoptimised infrastructures of a spaghetti type of architecture in which they have brought and kept adding layers upon layers of new technologies, new systems, with too little attention to security at the time when they designed and implemented them. Above all, we are witnessing a critical lack of experienced and specialist personnel in the institutions, public or private actors, who must deal with critical infrastructures," added Cimpean.

Infrastructure management professionals, security experts, decision-makers and industry leaders on Friday participated in a conference on critical infrastructures.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 14. Turkmenistan and the UAE discussed bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues, as well as prospects for further expansion of the partnership, Trend reports.

According to the official source, these issues were discussed between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myahri Byashimova and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Turkmenistan Ahmed Al Hameli.

The sides exchanged views on the results of Myahri Byashimova recent visit to the UAE, during which a number of meetings and events were held at the Foreign Ministry of this country and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.

The Turkmen side extended an invitation to the leadership and representatives of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy to pay a visit to Turkmenistan.

Meanwhile, Myahri Byashimova visited the UAE in June, where she held a number of negotiations, during which an agreement was reached on visiting teachers and students of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan of the UAE Diplomatic Academy named after Anwar Gargash in the fall of 2023.
Building a second bridge at Ruse - Giurgiu has acquired a new dimension with the start of the war in Ukraine, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said on Friday after talks with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at the Victoria Palace of Government, but until the project is completed, the Bulgarian official argues in favour of a ferry line between the two cities to be put into operation as soon as possible to cope with the heavy traffic.

"For years we have been discussing a second bridge at Ruse - Giurgiu. It is a very important route linking Bulgaria to Bucharest. This route has taken on a new dimension since Russia started the war in Ukraine. It is part of the logistic direction in terms of preparing the defence of NATO's eastern flank and we have every reason to speed up the planning, design and preparation of this bridge as soon as possible. That is why we have discussed possible funding sources. Both countries want it to be realised as soon as possible. At the same time, given that this task also requires time, we have raised the issue of getting the Ruse - Giurgiu ferry line up and running as soon as possible, so that we can help this heavy traffic, which is linked both to the highly developed business relations between the two countries, but also to the need to ease traffic congestion in economic terms. We also want to help tourists travelling in both directions," said Nikolai Denkov.

As regards the accession to the Schengen Area, Nikolai Denkov stressed that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled all the accession criteria and pointed out that this process must be completed together by the two countries.

"This is my first working visit and it is no coincidence that it takes place in Romania. We are strategic partners, not only do we have an agreement signed in this regard, but there are several projects that need to be implemented, given that they are for the benefit of our peoples and our states, which also have a European dimension. We need to make up for the short time we have with much more intense activity. (...) First of all Schengen. We unanimously agree that we have met all the criteria that have been set by the European Union and it is also not by chance that we have a positive decision from the European Commission, from the European Parliament, we must complete the process and we must complete it together, in discussions, both at political level and at expert level with those states that still have certain reservations. We have developed concrete plans of action between our Ministries of Internal Affairs, Border Police, at political level and we will work together with you to be able to complete this process positively," explained the Bulgarian Prime Minister.

"Obviously, we have to be very careful in what we say to people in our countries, because not everything depends on us. There are internal processes, both in the Netherlands and in Austria, over which we have no control, but we have to do our best and say these things, both at European level and to the governments and parliaments of the Netherlands and Austria," added Nikolai Denkov.

AGERPRES
President Klaus Iohannis will participate on July 17 - 18 in the third EU - Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) Summit that will take place in Brussels.

The main purpose of the meeting is to relaunch the EU-CELAC partnership, amid the complex international geopolitical developments influenced including by Russia's war against Ukraine, the Presidential Administration informed. According to the cited source, the renewed partnership will primarily focus on sustainable connectivity, support for the green transition and digitization, increasing the resilience of value chains on the two continents, reaffirming the importance of multilateralism, the principles of the UN Charter, good governance and democratic values.

President Iohannis will express Romania's support for the EU's major goal of relaunching the partnership with the region of Latin America and the Caribbean, also materialized in the organization of this summit, the first of its kind in eight years.

The head of the state will highlight the importance of EU-CELAC cooperation for managing the new global challenges, the complex crises faced by both regions, but also the new development opportunities that can be brought to fruition through a more in-depth cooperation.

Klaus Iohannis will also show that Romania's active commitment to closer cooperation between the two areas was reaffirmed in all the meetings he had with his counterparts during his South American tour to Brazil, Chile and Argentina in April this year, where he prioritized preparations for the high-level meeting in Brussels, the Presidential Administration also notes.

The president will also participate in the round table meeting on Combating Climate Change: Towards a Fair and Sustainable Transition, where he will support the active role Romania is prepared to take up in the EU-CELAC cooperation in this field.

Established in 2011, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is a Latin American regional bloc with a predominantly political character, designed to deepen the process of regional integration of the 33 member states. The Pro Tempore Presidency is currently provided by St Vincent and the Grenadines. The previous top-level EU-CELAC meetings took place in 2013 and 2015.

In anticipation of next week's meeting, the European Union launched on June 7 the Joint Communication "A New Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean", which proposes a stronger and modernised strategic partnership by reinforcing political commitment, boosting trade and investments and building more resilient, sustainable and interconnected societies through projects financed under the Global Gateway strategy.

AGERPRES
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu received on Friday at the Victoria Palace of Government the Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, who is on a working visit to Bucharest.

The two high officials will have a one-on-one meeting, which will be followed by talks in the plenary of the two official delegations.

At the end of the meeting, the Romanian Prime Minister and his Bulgarian counterpart will make joint press statements.

AGERPRES
LaunchCode helps job seekers enter the tech field by providing accessible education, training and paid apprenticeship job placement. Millions of Americans are unemployed, and many more are stuck in low-wage job cycles which leave them struggling to find jobs offering livable salaries, employable skills, and a chance for advancement. American businesses also have a problem  there just isnt enough traditional tech talent to match the growing demand. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts this situation will only worsen, leaving 1 million programming jobs unfilled by 2020.

Back in 2013, Jim McKelvey founded LaunchCode to address these problems. McKelvey experienced the lack of talent firsthand while trying to get his new company Square started in his hometown of St. Louis. Eventually Jim moved Square to California for access to skilled workers, but knew there must be some way to connect the citys rising unemployment with its shortage of tech talent.

Once placed in a LaunchCode position, a candidate works at another company in an apprenticeship, where they are paired with a mentor and given training on the job. LaunchCode encourages companies to use pair programming, which allows an inexperienced programmer to learn from a more senior one. Ideally, at the end of this two or three month apprenticeship, the candidate will be hired by the company.

LaunchCode is making a real difference in our region by training the skilled workforce for the future in a deliberately inclusive manner. Thirty-one percent of current enrolled students are African-American and 42 percent are female. Fifty-five percent of their apprenticeships were previously unemployed, meaning they are literally changing peoples lives for the better.

Other Finalists for Arcus Award for Achievement in Inclusion & Talent Attraction

BioSTL

As winners of the inaugural Kauffman Inclusion Challenge from the prestigious Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, BioSTL has been able to help the region to do important work through the St. Louis Equity in Entrepreneurship Collective Impact Initiative.

BioSTL hosted a VISION symposium to introduce opportunities across bioscience, IT and advanced manufacturing sectors. They hosted programming to expose 150 high school students to bioscience, food science and agriculture biotech through the EXPLORE externship program with Diversity Awareness Partnership. BioSTL also introduced community members to local examples of bioscience entrepreneurs in a causal setting through Evening With conversations and strengthened new businesses through providing follow on advising to select graduates of CETs Square1 programing. Three times a year, BioSTL convenes representatives from 140 partner organizations to share best practices, align activities and strengthen efforts to build a wholly inclusive innovation ecosystem in St. Louis.

Concordance Academy of Leadership

Concordance Academy of Leadership offers the countrys first set of integrated, holistic and evidence-driven services to individuals returning to society from prison. Led by President and CEO Danny Ludeman. The Academy starts working with individuals six months prior to release and continues assisting for up to a year after their return to the community.

The Academy established and launched its own employment agency in 2017, and is actively helping employers fill critical gaps in the workforce. Approximately 75 percent of Concordance participants are African-American, and 20 percent are Caucasian. Concordance Academy promotes a diverse workforce by increasing opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals to find gainful employment, and educating the community about the employability of the participants. The organization is on track to serve 250 participants annually and is looking to expand programming to other states by 2020.

HireLevel

Founder Teresa Katubig grew HireLevel from the ground up in 1995 as a temporary employment agency. Today, HireLevel is a certified woman-owned business and full-service workforce management firm with 80 employees in 10 offices across seven states specializing in light industrial staffing, professional search and human capital management.

HireLevel prides themselves on creating and promoting a diverse workforce while increasing opportunities for individuals and fellow business owners. To do so, they work closely with the Missouri Career Centers, Community Action Agencies, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Southside Employment Group and agencies who help those in the community needing extra assistance getting back on their feet. HireLevel also works closely with the local colleges to promote their internship program and provide career opportunities for college graduates in the St. Louis area.

Programmer Resources International Inc.

Programmer Resources International Inc. is a minority-owned, privately-held, full-service IT consulting and Solutions provider headquartered in St. Louis. PRI and its 90 employees partner with clients to help them optimize their workforce strategies in IT human capital management, employment compliance, human resource expertise and performance management. Currently operating in the U.S., India and Canada, PRI is looking to move into other countries and work with over 10 fortune 500 companies.

PRI is a proud and certified minority-owned business and partner with diverse candidates to deliver a global workforce. PRI processes green cards and H1B visas so candidates wanting to come to St. Louis can make an impact on our community through investing in the tech industry.

St. Louis College of Pharmacy

Founded in 1864, St. Louis College of Pharmacy is the third-oldest and 10th-largest college of pharmacy in America. Through its STEM Health Science Academy, developed in partnership with Jennings High School, is a 16-week program that helps students become nationally certified pharmacy technicians. The academy offers 16 weeks of classroom learning and a 12-week, paid apprenticeship in a Schnucks pharmacy.

Last summer, 10 Jennings students completed the program, and today, they each remain employed as pharmacy technicians. Following a grant from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, five students from the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience in the St. Louis Public School District will join the academy in May 2018. The College plans to expand the academy to all high schools in the St. Louis Public School District, as well as the Ferguson and Florissant School Districts.
Founded in 1668 by Friedrich Jacob Merck as a small family pharmacy, Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany is a global leader in the pharmaceutical and life science industry. After a series of mergers, Merck acquired the Millipore Company, and in 2014, Merck acquired St. Louis-based Sigma-Aldrich for $17 million. In the U.S., the company operates as MilliporeSigma, the life science arm of the business.

MilliporeSigma employs about 2,000 employees in the St. Louis area. Current expansion plans include the redevelopment of a headquarters in downtown St. Louis.

As the fifth largest life science company in the U.S., they provide life scientists with a wide variety of lab-based solutions, such as reagents, chemicals, labwater, as well as various kits and materials. Most recently, the company promoted its CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) portfolio, or genomic scissors which cut DNA sequences and allow cells to paste in new information.

Through the companys stem cell research profile, researchers are investigating the stem cell renewal process  and why we get grey hair. MilliporeSigma scientists are using cellular analysis to understand how the environment around cells, the building blocks of our body, can affect how cells age.

In addition to their products, MilliporeSigma is also dedicated to increasing access to healthcare for the worlds most underserved. By partnering with the World Health Organization, the company is working to eliminate schistosomiasis, a tropical disease that affects more than 260 million worldwide.

By providing researchers with the tools they need to solve complex problems, MilliporeSigma is changing the face of life science research, earning them the 2018 Arcus Award for Achievement in Biosciences.

Other Finalists for Arcus Award for Achievement in Biosciences

Aptimmune Biologics

Aptimmune Biologics specializes in developing revolutionary mucosal vaccines that provide unsurpassed efficacy against the viral diseases most costly to the swine industry. In December they opened a St. Louis Location at BRDG Park in 39 North Ag-Tech District.

Aptimmune Biologics introduced the industrys first inactivated mucosal influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S) vaccine administered via nasal spray. Aptimmunes IAV-S vaccine utilizes the BARRICADE proprietary vaccine formulation that gives swine producers and veterinarians a completely different approach to conventional inactivated injectable and live virus vaccines for safely preventing and managing respiratory disease.

Confluence Discovery Technologies

Confluence Discovery Technologies is a biotechnology company based in BioGenerator in Cortex. The novel therapeutics currently in development by Confluence are highly promising for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation.

Confluence was founded after the Pfizer-Wyeth merger led to downsizing in St. Louis. Confluence was BioGenerators first lab tenant and continues to carry out its research under the leadership of Joe Monahan and Walter Smith, former Pfizer executives. Value built in Confluence resulted in an up to $100M+ acquisition by Aclaris Therapeutics this year. Aclaris, which is based in Philadelphia, plans to keep Confluences operations and 40 scientists (40 FTEs) in St. Louis, while adding additional talent and expanding its local footprint.

DynaLabs

DynaLabs was founded in 2003 by Michael Pruett and Russell Odegard, both formerly of Sigma-Aldrich. In 2012, a meningitis outbreak stemming from poor pharmaceutical practices shook the industry. DynaLabs DVx is a miniature spectrometer, about the size of a laptop, and uses a cloud-based analysis system to test for concentration and identity of substances. DynaLabs showed that the DVx can reduce medication errors by verifying staff training, monitoring diversion and assessing lab practices.

In 2016, DynaLabs doubled the size of their chemistry lab after a $1.5 million investment, and will enjoy another $1.2 million expansion in the near future.

SentiAR

SentiAR solves a daunting challenge clinicians face: with the cardiac anatomy hidden behind the chest wall in interventional procedures, the clinician essentially must build a 3D image in their mind to perform the procedure, thus compromising accuracy and exposing clinicians to extended radiation. Using the SentiAR technology, through a headset, physicians can view 3D holographic images of the patients heart during medical procedures, giving operating physicians complete, real-time, visual control, thus reducing operating time and radiation exposure to clinicians, and potentially improving outcomes for patients.

SentiAR was established based on technology developed at Washington University in St. Louis by Dr. Jennifer Silva, Pediatric Cardiologist, and Dr. Jonathan Silva, Assistant Professor of BioMedical Engineering. SentiAR is developing the platform for FDA submission. In February 2018, the company announced it was awarded a $2.2 million federal grant to advance its platform.
Founded in 1990 by David Steward and Jim Kavanaugh, World Wide Technology (WWT) is an international technology solution provider based in St. Louis, Missouri and is one of the most successful IT systems companies in the world. Steward has transformed WWT into a leader in computer systems integration and technological solutions for state, local and federal companies. Services include IT consulting, lab services, supply chain management, deployment services and staffing. WWT is also the largest African-American owned business in the United States with 20 facilities and more than 4,500 employees.

In 2015, the company acquired Asynchrony Solutions in order to expand its services in application development. With 250 employees already in St. Louis, WWT expanded Asynchrony Labs offices in downtown St. Louis in 2016. The company recently opened their new $95 million, 208,000-square-foot headquarters in Westport Plaza, designed with diversity, innovation and creativity in mind. Further expansions include a logistics center in Edwardsville. Since 2011, WWT has grown by more than 56 percent and in 2016, ranked 30th on a Forbes list of the largest U.S. private companies.

The company has provided local, state, and federal partners with internet software, as well as services in staffing, laboratory and shipping. Many of WWTs contracts are with the federal government, which accounts for more than 20 percent of the companys revenue. In 2016, the company won contracts with the Defense Information Systems Agency ($427 million), the U.S. Army ($5 million) and the Air Force Network.

CEO Jim Kavanaugh expects revenue will increase by 15 percent this year as the company continues to expand its services. Over the past decade, the company grew from $2.1 billion in sales and fewer than 1,000 employees to $9.4 billion in sales.

In addition to record growth, the company prides itself on providing its employees with an inclusive and diverse workplace. WWT recently landed on the 2017 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. The companys leaders also demonstrate their values through active philanthropy in the St. Louis region. In 2015, co-founder David Steward was awarded the St. Louis Citizen of the Year Award for his business acumen and longstanding tradition of charitable giving. From record growth to corporate innovation to community investment, World Wide Technology truly demonstrates the best of St. Louis spirit.

Other Finalists for BMO Harris Bank St. Louis Spirit Award

CEdge Software Consultants

CEdge is a minority-owned SBA certified 8(a) CMMI Level 3 business that provides service and quality products for various commercial and government entities. CEdges core competencies and strengths include: enterprise data management solutions, enterprise architecture, system integration, web application development, IT infrastructure support services, cyber security, and technical staffing. CEdge works with both governmental and military partners such as the United States Air Force at Scott Air Force Base, and private companies like Sigma Aldrich, Clayco, Latham and Edgewell. Their individualized and innovative technology solutions help both private and public institutions in St. Louis grow and protect their business. St. Louis has become a leading cyber security, financial technology and information technology innovation center in the U.S., with companies like CEdge leading the way.

Scott Air Force Base Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Advisory Group (STEAM)

The Scott Air Force Base Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Advisory Group (STEAM), headed by Dr. Donna Senft, Chief Scientist at Air Mobility Command, has worked very diligently using a grant of $23,000 of United States Air Force STEM grant funding.

Four schools in the Metro East, including Belle Valley, Harmony Emge, Signal Hill and Smithton, have teamed up to offer STEM summer camp activities and partner with Scott Air Force Base. With the grant, the schools were able to secure five Jay Velocity Flight Simulators to help augment camp instruction throughout the course and the school year so all students can benefit from flight instruction. The camp puts science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the context of aviation and aeronautics. This innovative partnership helps ensure St. Louis continues its rich history of aeronautical and engineering innovation and talent for the next generation.

St. Louis College of Pharmacy

Founded in 1864, St. Louis College of Pharmacy is the third-oldest and 10th-largest college of pharmacy in America. For over 150 years, the college has prepared students for expert practice and leadership in pharmacy and health professions careers. With an enrollment of nearly 1,400 and 163 full-time faculty and staff members, the college is focused on expanding its program offerings and value to its students.

Over the past three years, a two-phase construction project has transformed the campus. The transformation began in 2015 with the addition of the colleges academic and research building, and concluded this summer with the opening of its new recreation and student center. The academic and research building provides students and faculty with state-of-the-art classroom and research space, while the seven-story recreation and student center serves as a hub of student activity on campus. Together, the new buildings have added more than 400,000 square feet of space to the campus, demonstrating a renewed commitment to providing students, faculty, staff and alumni with unparalleled opportunities to learn and grow.
Heinekens rejection of a takeover bid by SABMiller has revived speculation about deals that could reshape the global beer business, including a combination of the worlds two biggest brewers.

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Anheuser-Busch InBev, the worlds largest brewer, is actively seeking $122 billion in financing to acquire No. 2 SABMiller, maker of Castle, Miller, Peroni and Fosters.

A-B InBev is not in active discussions with London-based SABMiller but is lining up financing before making a formal approach, the newspaper reported, citing an unnamed source.

While some analysts were skeptical of an imminent combination of the worlds top two brewers, markets reacted Monday as though a major deal was brewing.

MolsonCoors, a potential beneficiary of a deal between A-B InBev and SABMiller, saw its shares jump 6 percent. If A-B InBev were to acquire SABMiller, SABMiller would likely have to sell its stake in MillerCoors, the U.S. joint venture between SABMiller and Coors, to address antitrust concerns.

Speculation about a deal goes back several years but heated up earlier this year.

A combination of Belgium-based A-B InBev and SABMiller would be the largest merger in the industry since InBev acquired St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos. in 2008 for $52 billion.

St. Louis serves as the North American headquarters for A-B InBev, which makes Bud Light, Budweiser and more than 200 other beers.

A merger would bring together A-B InBevs strength in North America and Brazil and SABMillers strength in Africa, China and Australia. The combined companies would have $65 billion in sales and nearly 30 percent of global beer volume.

A-B InBev spokeswoman Karen Couck said, We do not comment on market rumors or speculations. SABMiller also declined to comment.

Triggering the merger talks was the disclosure Sunday of SABMillers failed attempt to buy Heineken, the worlds No. 3 brewer. Analysts saw the move as an attempt by SABMiller to fend off a takeover by A-B InBev by making itself too expensive for a hostile suitor.

In 2008, Anheuser-Busch Cos. had considered a similar tactic. The brewer explored a possible merger with Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo before it finally accepted a sweetened takeover offer by InBev.

SABMiller could look for other partners, but the fact that SABs management seem so serious about the need to defend themselves does add credence to the ABI is going to buy SAB story, Mirabaud Securities analyst Jonathan Fyfe said in a note.

Morningstar analyst Philip Gorham said Heinekens lukewarm rejection of SABMillers offer leaves the door open for another approach by SABMiller.

Given its strategic importance to remaining independent, we expect SABMiller to improve its offer, Gorham said in a note Monday, adding that Heineken is a better fit with SABMiller than it is with A-B InBev.

We believe there would be antitrust issues in Brazil, Mexico, the U.S. and the U.K. for a combination with A-B InBev  but it is possible that ABI may bid for one of the two firms in order to preserve its position as global leader of the brewing industry, and to protect its cost advantage, Gorham said.

A-B InBevs stock closed Friday at $112 a share. Monday, its shares were up more than 3 percent, closing at $114.45. St. Louis-based brokerage and investment firm Stifel, which has a buy rating on A-B InBev, raised its target on the stock to $130 a share, up from $121 a share.
The number of jobs in Missouris automotive sector will rise to 13,959 by 2015, nearly doubling in three years due to recent investments by General Motors in Wentzville and Ford in Claycomo, Mo., according to an economic impact report by the Missouri Economic Research & Information Center.

The job figure, which includes employment at assembly plants and parts manufacturing facilities, stood at 7,134 in 2012, the report said.

The Economic Impact of Missouris auto industry report, released Tuesday by the states Department of Economic Development, said the automakers investments will support a cumulative $8.7 billion in personal income and $15.4 billion in gross domestic product in Missouri from 2010 to 2015.

At its peak, auto assembly plants in Missouri employed more than 20,080 workers in 1996, according to the report, and with plant closures, that fell to just over 5,000 by early 2010.

GM announced in September that it plans to add a third shift at its Wentzville plant that builds Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans and the redesigned Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups. That additional shift, which begins in 2015, will bring the plants workforce up to 3,350 people.

In the Kansas City area, Ford recently added a second shift at its Claycomo plant that builds the Transit van and F-150 trucks, which will bring its workforce there to 6,000 people by the end of this year.

Mike Downing, director of Missouris Department of Economic Development, said the automakers investments reflect strength in the auto industry and a skilled workforce in Missouri.

Several plants closed in Missouri in recent years, including Chrysler and Ford assembly plants in the St. Louis area, leaving behind thousands of workers with automotive experience.

Automakers are realizing Missouri has the skills, with existing workers, Downing told the Post-Dispatch.

The auto industry nationally and worldwide is picking up, and people are buying vehicles again.

The Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act, which went into effect four years ago this week, on Oct. 12, 2010, allows automakers to retain withholding taxes on jobs that are retained in the state. Downing said the incentives have been instrumental in attracting investment in Missouri.

Every state has similar types of incentives, Downing said. If youre going to compete, you have to compete at the same level as your competitors.

Sixty automotive suppliers in Missouri have announced plans to expand since 2010, adding 4,389 new jobs, retaining 220 existing workers and spending more than $600 million in capital investments, according to the report.

New suppliers may be on the way. We have a few suppliers were talking to, Downing said.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is scheduled to attend an event at GMs Wentzville plant this morning to mark the rollout of the new Colorado and Canyon pickups, which were added to production in recent weeks.
Owners of an Ohio auction house have bought the Selkirk name and hope to revive the reputation of one of the oldest names in the art and antique auction business in America.

Jeff and Amelia Jeffers, owners of Garth Auctioneers, say they bought the name and mailing list from a creditor of Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers. They did not disclose the price. They plan to set up an auction house somewhere in the St. Louis area, but not at the old Ivey-Selkirk site in Clayton.

Ivey-Selkirk went out of business in February, leaving a trail of bounced checks and customers who said they hadnt been paid for items left on consignment at the auctioneer. Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster in April got a court order barring Ivey-Selkirk from doing business pending an investigation.

Jeff Jeffers said he sees value in the Selkirk name, which has a 184-year history in St. Louis.

The Selkirk family ran the firm for six generations before selling in 1998 to a London auction house. Malcolm Ivey bought it in 2002 and operated it until this year.

Garth, based in Delaware, Ohio, was founded in 1954 and the Jefferses have operated it for 20 years. Weve been known for honesty and integrity and we hope to transplant some of that back to the (Selkirk) name, he said.

Jeff Jeffers said he had no involvement with Ivey-Selkirk before its demise. We feel badly about this situation, said Jeff Jeffers.

Garth is best known for selling Americana  antique furniture, pottery, porcelain and folk art.

Selkirk was known more for European art, furniture and antiques, although both auctioneers sold a broad variety of goods.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 15. South Korean Daewoo E&C company is preparing to build a large gas processing plant in Turkmenistan, Trend reports.

According to official information, the new plant will produce mineral fertilizers from natural gas. The production capacity of the plant will be 660,000 tons of ammonia and 1.15 million tons of urea per year.

The company conducted a joint study with the Turkmenhimiya State Concern to determine the location of the future plant with environmentally friendly production in the western region of Turkmenistan.

Meanwhile, in the Ahal region of Turkmenistan in 2019, a plant was launched that processes natural gas into synthetic gasoline of the Euro-5 standard on an industrial scale.
SABMiller recently made a bid to take over Heineken, but was rebuffed by the family that controls the Dutch brewer, Bloomberg News reported Sunday.

The bid is said to be part of an effort by SABMiller to protect itself from Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's No. 1 brewer.

Some industry analysts expect Belgium-based A-B InBev to make a bid for SABMiller. St. Louis is home to the North American headquarters of A-B InBev.

Bloomberg attributes the report to "people with knowledge of the matter." Both SAB and Heinken declined to comment.

A tie-up between London-based SABMiller, with a market capitalization of about $90 billion, and Heineken, with a market capitalization of $44 billion, would combine the world's second- and third-largest brewers.

The SAB Miller offer, made in the last two weeks, would have made the Heineken family one of the largest shareholders in the combined group, Bloomberg reported.

Any potential takeover of Heineken would need the approval of the founding family.

In a statement issued late Sunday night, the Dutch brewer said the Heineken family informed SABMiller it intends "to preserve the heritage and identity of Heineken as an independent company."

Heineken did not release any details of the SABMiller bid.

SAB, which makes Miller Lite, Peroni, Grolsch and other beers, is struggling to grow in Europe and North America.

Heineken, the biggest player in western Europe, has steadily expanded in faster-growing emerging markets, such as Mexico and Asia.
For many entrepreneurs searching for funding, getting accepted into one business accelerator program can be life-changing. Getting into two accelerators concurrently is a rarity seldom seen.

Jim Koettings software startup, Public Funds Investment Tracking and Reporting, or PFITR, was selected to receive mentoring and a combined $150,000 in seed funding from two St. Louis accelerators in late 2014: SixThirty and Capital Innovators.

His business, which he founded in March 2013 and is based in downtown St. Louis, helps public fund investment managers keep their investment accounting and analysis in compliance with accounting standards and the law.

Koetting, who lives in OFallon, Mo., wrote Public Fund Investing for Dummies, which was published in 2007.

PFITR currently has six full-time employees and six part-time programmers, and attracting additional investors. Recently Walter Galvin, a former longtime chief financial officer at Emerson, invested in the company.

The Post-Dispatch recently interviewed Koetting, and below is an edited transcript.

What prompted you to write the book on investing? Before I wrote the book, I would sell bonds and advise institutions  cities and counties, port authorities and airports. I found in 2007, before everything started to fall apart in the economy, I could see a lot of people were very short on their investments when I wanted them to be much longer on their investments, because you want to lock into those long rates. They werent doing that, and it inspired me to write the 50-page book and to give it away. I gave away about 50,000 of them as an appetizer. After that, I did a lot of public speaking.

The Association of Public Treasurers came to me and asked me to rewrite their accreditation program.

I got to train a lot of treasurers all across the country. I was training treasurers from small towns like Creve Coeur to Orange County, Calif., San Diego and Chicago. We were doing roadshows all around the country.

How did that help spark the idea for your startup? As I was doing that, I found there was a big need. Every good investor in the world is really good at what they do by identifying risk and managing against the risk.

I started to see all these entities in government wear so many different hats. They had to get the payroll out, they had to invest the money and do everything else. There werent tools to help them.

I wanted to make a tool that would educate them a little more on fiduciary responsibility and education. We came up with a tool and started the company in 2013, raised a little bit of capital and started doing some programming.

How did you wind up in two accelerators? I found out I was a finalist in both programs, Capital Innovators and SixThirty, in August.

I found out I was in Capital Innovators, and I was still in the running for SixThirty. SixThirty worked it out so I could be in both. Someone told me there are no other companies in the world that are in two accelerators at once. Its really amazing. Its so exciting to come downtown and be with the energy.

When you look on the mirror, you think of yourself as still in your 20s. (But) Im almost 48 years old. I thought, Im starting to get older, am I going to fit in well with all these younger people down here?

I found out that the culture down here isnt age-based. There are, of course, a lot of younger of people down here, but there are older people. There are a lot of seasoned individuals. Theres an energy, and optimism here and you feel good about doing something in St. Louis.

Are there collaborations with others in the accelerators? Were doing that all the time. We feed off of each other. I get great advice from some, and those who have connections who think theyll be good for me. In SixThirty, for example, theres a group thats working on collecting sales tax, and were working on where that money goes and how is it properly invested. Were talking to some of the same people, and about the same trade shows.

Where do you see your firm in a year? Currently, as of today, we are tracking, reporting and analyzing over $1 billion in assets. We are still looking for a Missouri city, county, or entity to work with our St. Louis-based company.

Theres a book called The Lean Startup, which talks about how to get customers involved early and get them involved in the process. What were looking to do is to get about a dozen customers, and wed like to get the city of St. Louis involved, to where were building it out, but were also getting feedback from them, and what they need and what they want.
You are forgiven if you dont know much about Quemoy and Matsu. They were a musical group, an Asian version of Simon and Garfunkel. They were popular in 1960.

Im kidding. Quemoy and Matsu were and are  islands off the coast of China. They were a big issue in the presidential election of 1960. Should we be willing to go to war if China, a country we did not officially recognize, were to invade the islands?

Richard Nixon said yes. John Kennedy said maybe.

I do not know if Quemoy and Matsu had much to do with Kennedys victory. In Chicago, we took a certain pride in believing that Kennedy was pushed over the top by Mayor Richard J. Daley. We called him Da Mare.

Looking back 63 years, you might conclude that Quemoy and Matsu were a strange sort of issue. So much was about to happen in the ensuing decade  the 60s were coming!  and the candidates were arguing about those islands. Really?

If we make it another 63 years, I bet people will think the same thing about our politics. The glaciers are melting and the oceans are rising, authoritarianism is on the march  there is even a ground war in Europe  artificial intelligence is looming and driverless cars are around the corner. Yet the issue of the day is transgender people.

I mean, do you even know any?

Perhaps that will seem a foolish question in 63 years. Maybe by then everybody will know transgender people. Or maybe not.

In 1960, I was in grade school. I attended a large public school in Chicago. There were no gay kids. Then I went to a large public high school. No gay kids there, either. All right. There probably were. There were about 4,000 kids in my high school so the odds are overwhelming that some of those kids were gay. But nobody was public about it, and if I knew any gay kids, they didnt trust me enough to tell me.

So I had heard of the existence of gay people, but that was it. I had not heard of transgenders or nonbinaries or ever considered the issue of pronouns. My world was uncomplicated.

At the University of Illinois, I met a few gays. They were excellent company. Their banter was like something I had never heard. Very quick, very witty. One of them, Gary Gardner, went on to become a legendary professor at UCLA. He taught theater there for 40 years and was voted the universitys No. 1 instructor eight straight years. In class, he was known to suddenly start singing show tunes. I learned that from his obit. I never visited him. I wish I had.

After I flunked out of the University of Illinois, I was drafted into the Marine Corps. Like high school, no gays. Seriously, no gays. In later, more enlightened/complicated times, I have asked friends: Do you think we might have had any gays in our unit? Of course not, is the general response. Or, just you.

By the time I got to Arizona, gays were an accepted part of society. Sen. Barry Goldwater said he thought gays should be able to serve in the military. His words carried weight.

Of course, even Goldwater wasnt enlightened enough to advocate for gay marriage.

By the way, had that been a question in that famous first televised debate in 1960  Lets forget about Quemoy and Matsu for a minute. What do you think of gay marriage?  the candidates would have been stunned. I am not sure they would have known what gay meant. But marriage? Between homosexuals? Polite society would have been scandalized.

Society evolves. Gay marriage became a reality, and life went on as normal. Most conservative opponents have quit talking about it.

Evolution continued. Transgender people appeared on the savannah. I am being facetious. I am sure transgender people have been around forever, but those of us in the mainstream, unless we stumbled across Gore Vidals Myra Breckinridge, were unaware of their existence.

I interviewed Shauna Godfrey in 2003. She was in the St. Louis County jail awaiting transfer to the Department of Corrections to serve a two-year sentence for possession of marijuana. (Wow.) She was 22 years old. Her face was smooth and I saw no evidence of facial hair. She was 5-foot-7 and slender. She was on hormone pills in preparation for eventual surgery, which would, of course, have to be put off during her incarceration.

The Department of Corrections was terrified of her. The director, George Lombardi, was a very decent man, compassionate and understanding. By law, he knew that Shauna, who had been born a male, would have to go to a mens prison. But Lombardi knew that wouldnt work.

Shaunas parents were loving and supportive. Her mother patiently explained to me, Shauna is a pre-op transgendered female, which means her gender is female. However, she was born with a male body. When she entered puberty is about the time she realized she was stuck in the wrong body. Not knowing about SRS (sex reassignment surgery) and feeling like a freak of nature, she escaped into the drug scene.

Shauna told me she was being kept in isolation at the jail and was being treated well, but that some inmates yelled at her and predicted life would be difficult in prison. Theyll be fighting over you, honey. That sort of thing, she said.

Like all DOC inmates, she was first sent to a diagnostic center, but because she would be eligible for parole in a few months, the decision was made to send her back to the county jail. She was released on parole, and a year later, she died by suicide. Even with a supportive family, life overcame her.

In 2006, I wrote about Beverly. She was 53. She had started life as Gary. I interviewed her because she was being evicted from her apartment in south St. Louis County. She had allegedly threatened another tenant after an argument. Beverly stood a little over 6 feet and weighed 367 pounds. She had a deep voice. She was unshaven and had painted her toes nails pink on the day I visited.

I look like a hybrid today, she told me.

She explained that she was a woman trapped in a mans body. She said she was also a lesbian. I asked her if women found her appealing. She shrugged and said, No, but they didnt find me appealing as a man, either.

She said her confusion about gender identify had led to many problems, including a misdiagnosis of schizophrenia and a 16-month stay at St. Louis State Hospital on Arsenal Street.

I lost track of Beverly and do not remember her last name.

And remember, just 63 years ago, transgender was not a big political issue. Now, of course, its the hottest thing in the cultural wars. Even though most of us dont even know any. At least we think we dont.

What will people make of all this in 63 years?
Missouri environmental advocates who have fought for stricter oversight of coal ash waste are eagerly awaiting the mid-December release of new federal rules that will require, for the first time, detailed data.

In Missouri, theres precious little of it, making it difficult to measure the scope and impact of the toxic waste.

Utilities such as Ameren Missouri, which operate huge power plants and generate thousands of tons of coal ash, have stored it for years in unlined disposal ponds. Many disposal ponds around the country have been found to leak, and those in Missouri and Illinois are no exception.

But while Illinois has taken steps to require monitoring and establish a process for cleaning up the ponds, Missouri does not require utilities to monitor whether arsenic, mercury, selenium and other toxins found in ash are present in groundwater.

States have shown repeatedly they are unable or unwilling to marshal the resources or the political will to protect public health from coal ash pollution, said Jennifer Duggan, the managing attorney at the Environmental Integrity Project in Washington. In Missouri, the state regulations dont require monitoring in new and existing coal ash ponds or landfills. And thats really the case in most states.

The Environmental Protection Agencys rules, set to be released Dec. 19, are finally expected to strengthen the standards on a lightly regulated waste. While the groundwater monitoring and other standards they require will be helpful, some advocates say it still will leave too much authority in the hands of timid state regulators.

We think the EPA rules will be a step in the right direction, said John Hickey, director of the Missouri chapter of the Sierra Club. They will be more protective of public health than the current system. But it still requires the DNR (the Missouri Department of Natural Resources) to do its job. Because the EPA doesnt enforce its rules, DNR does.

The new rules would depend on vigilant citizens and advocacy groups to enforce the rules via lawsuits if the state doesnt step in. But that would be better than the system now, said Patricia Schuba, head of the Labadie Environmental Organization.

We need this rule to actually have some teeth and requirements for state regulators, she said. Without it, we will get more of the same, which is virtually no oversight or groundwater monitoring and limited enforcement.

Industry is mostly moving away from the wet ponds that draw most of the criticism, opting for dry landfills instead.

The EPA rules will establish design standards for new landfills and spur utilities to either line ash ponds or close them to minimize groundwater contamination. Complementary rules, expected to be finalized in 2015, will regulate wastewater discharges from coal ash landfills.

First proposed four years ago, the coal ash regulations were spurred by a massive coal ash spill at the Tennessee Valley Authoritys Kingston, Tenn., plant. That disaster poured 5.4 million cubic yards of toxic sludge into rivers and across some 300 acres of land.

Earlier this year, another massive spill from a retired Duke Energy power station in North Carolina dumped 30,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River.

While the big spills have garnered headlines and focused the publics attention on the waste, ash disposal ponds around the country have been slowly leaking into groundwater for years.

At Amerens hulking Labadie power plant in Franklin County, it was revealed in 2011 that one of the coal ash ponds there had been leaking 50,000 gallons a day into the surrounding area  for 19 years.

Whether that contaminated the areas groundwater couldnt be proved because the state doesnt require monitoring. And even though Missouri regulators knew of the leaks for almost two decades, they and the utility only took action to stop the leaks after a Post-Dispatch article three years ago.

Ameren has commissioned its own studies of groundwater in the area and argued it is safe. Environmental groups have asked for more source data, and they have even argued some of the utilitys own data indicates there is contamination.

East of the Mississippi River, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has started requiring owners of coal ash disposal sites to monitor their groundwater, and its writing rules for closing and cleaning up coal ponds that are leaking. Those should be similar to federal rules and speed up their enforcement in the state.

The agency there already found numerous violations of groundwater standards at former Ameren Illinois coal ash sites, something Missouri environmental groups are quick to point out.

When we do groundwater monitoring, we are very likely to find the very same results that we did on the other side of the river, Hickey said. Its unconscionable that we havent done that.

Power plant operators, for their part, say theyre ready to comply with the new rules.

The EPA is contemplating two different versions, one of which would regulate coal ash as a hazardous waste. Power plant operators in the region, however, expect the EPA to finalize the less stringent version of the rules, which would keep coal ash as nonhazardous and not subject it to oversight and enforcement from the federal government.

In Illinois, Dynegy, which owns Amerens former Illinois coal plants, expects to pay about $25 million per year over the next five years to comply with the new ash rules, said Dean Ellis, the companys managing director of regulatory affairs.

The Illinois rules being written governing cleanup of leaking ponds and their closure should be more or less consistent with the EPAs rule, Ellis said.

That could include some requirements to monitor ponds that are already closed, Ellis said. Ameren Illinois still owns some closed coal ash ponds in Illinois, such as those right across the river at the Venice plant.

Ameren Missouri expects compliance costs of about $400 million over the next decade to close old ash ponds and retrofit power plant systems so ash can be stored in dry landfills. Add in the cost to treat wastewater discharges from landfills, under the complementary rules being released next year, and the bill rises to about $600 million.

Going forward, industry best practice is dry handling, said Ajay Arora, an Ameren vice president for environmental services and resource planning. We have been doing that at Sioux (in St. Charles County) and we are permitting at Labadie (in Franklin County) to do dry ash.

The Labadie dry ash landfill, however, has been a flash point between Ameren and environmental groups for years. The utility is proposing to build the landfill in the Missouri River flood plain, and environmental groups have fought it each step of the way.

While its dry ash storage, environmental groups have warned of the risk of a huge flood event and also argue that it could come into contact with the fluctuating water table in the area. Washington Universitys interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic points to Amerens own documents showing the proposed landfill could come into contact with groundwater, potentially in violation of the draft EPA rules.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is nearing a decision on Amerens landfill permit, which it must reject or approve by Jan. 3. A DNR spokeswoman said it was unknown how the EPA rule would affect its review of Amerens permit.

Ameren says its permit was written in anticipation of the federal rule.

We are looking to design our permit applications to meet all the rules, Arora said. I expect whatever is in there, our future permits will pick that up.

Environmental advocates, however, worry the agency could approve the permit before state rules are in place or through loopholes in the regulations allowing pending permits to be approved.

Im confident that protections will be put in place that will prohibit Ameren dumping their waste in the flood plain of Labadie, said Schuba, who has fought the landfill since it was proposed. The question is, will DNR take that advice and require Ameren to build their landfill that way?
BEIJING  Control over Alibaba Group will stay in the hands of founder Jack Ma and other company veterans after the Chinese e-commerce giant goes public on the New York Stock Exchange in a record busting share sale.

A group of 27 managers dubbed the "Alibaba Partnership" will have the power to nominate a majority of board members, a structure that was unpalatable to Hong Kong's stock market and resulted in Alibaba deciding to list in New York.

Alibaba says the arrangement will preserve its innovative culture in a fast-developing industry and reduce distractions from financial market fluctuations. The plan echoes tech founders in China and abroad who say they need to retain control to keep alive the creative energy of their startup days and launch new initiatives, even if that lowers short-term profits.

Other companies including Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. also have tried to preserve control for their founders, often by awarding them a different class of stock with more voting rights. But research suggests such arrangements enrich insiders at the expense of other shareholders and in Alibaba's setup, some see a reflection of China's authoritarian politics.

"The Alibaba governance structure is probably inspired by the Chinese political structure," said David Webb, a former banker who operates the website webb-site.com about government and corporate affairs.

"The 'Partnership' is equivalent to the Politburo of the Communist Party," said Webb in an email. "The shareholders are equivalent to the People, who have no say in how their country is run."

Alibaba says its goal isn't to lock in control for its founders, who will receive the same stock as other shareholders. Instead, the company says it wants to create a collegial leadership group that can make long-term decisions. It says new partners will be picked from time to time by an inner circle of five members, including Ma and vice chairman Joe Tsai.

"This structure is our solution for preserving the culture shaped by our founders while at the same time accounting for the fact that founders will inevitably retire from the company," said Alibaba in documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The arrangement allows Ma to retain control even though his and Tsai's shareholdings are outweighed by the 34.1 percent held by Japan's SoftBank Corp. and Yahoo Inc.'s 22.4 percent, said Zhang Tingyu, a specialist in corporate governance at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Ma has 8.8 percent and Tsai 3.6 percent.

"Jack Ma worries about this situation: If the performance of the company gets really bad, can he continue to run it?" said Zhang. "That is why he set this up."

Ma, a former English teacher who founded Alibaba in 1999 in his apartment in Hangzhou, has stressed the importance of keeping the business flexible even as it grew to 22,000 employees.

Alibaba says more goods are sold on its online platforms than by Amazon and eBay combined. The company has spent billions of dollars over the past two years to diversify into mapping, taxi hailing, online finance and other businesses.

Ma, 49, stepped down as chief executive last year, saying it was time for younger leadership, but stayed on as chairman.

In his last major act as CEO, Ma launched an initiative to break up Alibaba's seven business units into 25 smaller divisions to respond more effectively to changes in the market. He called that the hardest "cultural transformation" in the company's history.

Alibaba's insistence on its partnership structure helped to sink plans for a possible stock market listing in Hong Kong last year.

The company turned to U.S. markets after Hong Kong regulators insisted all shareholders receive a voice in corporate decisions equal to the number of share they held.

By contrast, American regulators allow multiple share classes and other tactics to give some shareholders more voting power.

A 2009 study by Ronald W. Masulis of Vanderbilt University, Cong Wang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Fei Xie of George Mason University found dual-class companies tend to pay CEOs and managers more and deliver less value to shareholders.

To address that, Alibaba says partners must own stock to "align the interests of partners with the interests of our shareholders."

Candidates to become new partners will have to have worked for Alibaba for at least five years. Other requirements include integrity, a "track record of contribution" to Alibaba and being a "culture warrior" committed to company values.

Analysts say the initial public offering could value Alibaba at $150 billion to $200 billion, making each 1 percent holding worth up to $2 billion.

That could bring a windfall to an opaque group of outsiders who were allowed to buy shares in advance that could soar in value after the IPO. Alibaba's shares are expected to begin trading later this week.

Alibaba has released no details but Hong Kong news reports say the investors include a fund run by Jiang Zhicheng, a Harvard-educated grandson of former President Jiang Zemin, and other princelings, or relatives of Chinese leaders. Other reported pre-IPO investors include China's sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corp., and state-owned China Development Bank.

They bought a total of 5.6 percent of Alibaba, according to the Hong Kong magazine Asia Weekly.

Those links should help Alibaba obtain licenses required to enter finance and other fields, said Zhang, the governance expert in Hong Kong.

"That's another potential value for Jack Ma," said Zhang. "He has good government connections."
NEW YORK  American Apparel Inc., which ousted Chief Executive Officer Dov Charney last week, has received notice that its former CEO is seeking arbitration to resolve the matter, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

The American Arbitration Association notified the retail chain's attorney Thursday morning, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Patricia Glaser, Charney's lawyer, had warned American Apparel in a letter last week that she would take legal action if the company's board refused to meet about reinstating him as CEO. The board denied the request, according to the person.

The arbitration is the next step in a weeklong standoff, which began when the controversial CEO refused to resign on June 18. The board then suspended Charney, saying it would fire him after a contractual 30-day waiting period. The company investigated Charney's actions this year and found a history of misconduct that ranged from sexual harassment and retaliation to misallocation of corporate funds, the person said.

American Apparel also has racked up about $270 million in net losses since the beginning of 2010 and seen its stock price plunge below $1. The shares have lost almost two-thirds of their value over the past year, leaving the retailer with a market valuation of less than $125 million.

In her letter on June 19, Glaser said Charney's abrupt ouster from the company he founded was illegal and violated his contract. She also accused American Apparel of undertaking a publicity campaign to destroy his reputation.

In a separate filing earlier this week, Charney said he has supporters  including some American Apparel stockholders  who want him to remain CEO. The 45-year-old has discussed potential changes to the board and management with those parties, the filing said.

Charney declined to comment on the arbitration filing. Glaser  who has represented entertainers and other public figures, including Paula Deen and Miley Cyrus  didn't respond to a request for comment.

In 2011, a woman sued Charney, saying that he sexually assaulted her after she came to his house for a job interview. That same year, a second woman filed a complaint saying he retaliated against her for a previous lawsuit by leaking nude pictures of her and sexually explicit emails to the New York Post and the Los Angeles Times. At the time, a California judge agreed with the company that the claims should be resolved through arbitration rather than a trial.

Misuse of money and corporate assets alone wouldn't have been enough to dismiss Charney, the person said. When added to other findings such as retaliation, the board had no choice, according to the person.

In an interview with the Financial Times this week, Charney said American Apparel's board was running a "hateful PR campaign" against him.
CHICAGO  Electricity costs are poised to reach the highest level since 1999 because railroads are too clogged to deliver enough coal to power plants.

While the United States has the world's biggest coal reserves, utilities are forecast by the government to end the year with the lowest stockpiles since 2005. With carriers including BNSF Railway jammed with record shipments of oil and grains, Xcel Energy Inc. and other power producers say they can't get the coal they need.

The rail delays mean utilities haven't rebuilt inventories that fell to a seven-year low last winter. Power producers filed 10 notices this year warning regulators that stocks were low enough to threaten generation, compared with two filings in 2013. Utilities have been obliged to rely more on natural gas, increasing costs for consumers.

"There's plenty of coal," Jim Thompson, a director of coal for IHS, an Englewood, Colo.-based energy and industrial analytics company, said by phone Dec. 2. "The problem is the coal transportation system."

Utilities got as much as 25 million short tons less coal than they needed from mines in Wyoming's Powder River Basin this year, St. Louis-based Peabody Energy Corp., the biggest U.S. producer of the fuel, said in October. Utilities will burn 868.5 million tons in 2014, generating 39 percent of U.S. electricity.

Power companies are on pace to end the year with 129.2 million tons of inventories, 32 percent less than the record 189.5 million tons reached in 2009, U.S. Energy Information Administration data show.

Utilities have used natural gas to preserve coal stocks, even though it's 22 percent more profitable for a power plant in the Midwest to burn coal, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Average U.S. power costs will rise 1.8 percent to $12.69 per megawatt hour in 2015, the most expensive in records going back to 1999, the EIA said in a report Dec. 9.

The shale oil boom has also sent wages for welders and pipefitters in Louisiana above $100 per hour, causing cost overruns for chemical projects.

The strengthening economy, record shipments from the shale- oil boom and expanding grain crops have overwhelmed the rail network, said Lee Klaskow, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence in Princeton, N.J.

West Texas Intermediate oil has slumped more than 40 percent this year as U.S. production has risen to the highest in more than three decades.

Average rail speeds plunged 6.4 percent in the past year while dwell times, a measure of how long cars sit in a rail yard, increased 8.7 percent, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

BNSF, owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., had the biggest increase in commodity carload traffic this year, with a gain of more than 22 percent, Bloomberg Intelligence data show. The company has boosted personnel, added tracks and locomotives and sought to unplug bottlenecks, George Duggan, group vice president for coal business, said at a conference Dec. 9.

U.S. coal imports increased 37 percent to 12.2 million tons this year, led by purchases from Colombia, EIA data show.

"The transportation constraints gave utilities a need to diversify supply," Ted O'Brien, chief executive officer of Doyle Trading Consultants, a Grand Junction, Colo.-based coal analysis company, said by phone Dec. 11. That's made foreign coal more competitive than U.S.-mined fuel, he said.

The Tennessee Valley Authority has cut generation this year to preserve coal stocks, Ben Jones, the company's manager of coal origination, said at a conference in New York this month.

"Our main concern has been  can we get the coal we've bought into our system," he said. "We started trucking coal to the plants."

Xcel Energy's stockpiles are "significantly low," Craig Romer, the Minneapolis-based company's director of fuel supply operations, said by phone Oct. 28.

"Normally in the fall we try to build up those inventories in anticipation of weather events," he said. "Right now, we're just not getting the service to build those winter stockpiles.'

Utilities may be forced to navigate low inventories through next year and this ''could create challenges in the summer of 2015," Alan Haymes, an economist at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said at the agency's monthly meeting in Washington Thursday.

Powder River Basin coal prices increased 5 percent to $12.65 a ton in the past year. They would be even higher if utilities had confidence it could be delivered, according to IHS's Thompson.

"Some railroads are now saying it will probably be 2016 before we get a full resolution to the problem," Emily Medine, a principal at Energy Ventures Analysis, an Arlington, Va.-based energy consultant, said Dec. 9 in New York. "There is pent-up demand. A price spike in PRB could happen depending on the performance of the railroads."

With assistance from Jonathan N. Crawford in New York.
FERGUSON  In the not-so-distant future, when the need arises to get from one side of a bustling metro area to another, one may have the option of hailing an electric air taxi.

A growing number of companies are working to develop such aircraft. And a manufacturer in Ferguson hopes to tackle one of the key engineering challenges: Creating an electric motor strong enough to lift the craft into the skies, and lightweight enough to remain aloft.

Last month at the Paris Air Show, Japan-based Nidec and Brazil-based Embraer announced plans to establish a joint venture to develop motors for eVTOLs, or electric Vertical Take-Off Landing vehicles. The new venture would be headquartered at Nidecs motor business  Nidec Motor Corporation  in Ferguson, and will mark the companys largest move yet into the aerospace industry.

The technical challenges of applying an electric motor in aerospace are huge, said Greg Gorman, chief growth officer at Nidec Motor Corporation. We have to get the power thats necessary  at the lowest weight possible.

Nidec supplies industrial, automotive and appliance companies. It makes motors that open sunroofs and adjust seats in cars, and run compressors in refrigerators, and adjust the angles of wind turbines. It makes small motors that make smartphones vibrate.

Nidec and Embraer are hoping to capitalize on the push in the industry to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Last year, the United Nations aviation agency  the International Civil Aviation Organization  advocated for a goal of net-zero air transport emissions by 2050. The air taxi motors Nidec is developing would run on lithium ion batteries.

These are the waves that Nidec is following, Gorman said. The industry wants to decarbonize. Needs to decarbonize.

The joint ventures first customer, Florida-based Eve Air Mobility, is a spinoff company of Embraer. Eve aims to get its craft into service in 2026. The Eve air taxis will have a range of 60 miles, a spokesperson said. They will initially seat a pilot, four passengers and luggage, but will eventually be made to function autonomously and carry six passengers.

There should be a number of different companies bringing eVTOLs to the market between 2025 and 2027, said Vincent Braley, chief of staff for Nidecs motion and drives business.

One California-based company, Joby, plans to begin passenger flights in 2025.

Federal regulators are laying the groundwork for eventual approval of eVTOLs  just last month the Federal Aviation Administration released its proposed rules for certifying eVTOL pilots.

In the future, the motors could potentially be used for cargo drones. Further in the future, they could be used to power airplanes  perhaps beginning with smaller, private or agricultural aircraft, Braley said.

It is a very substantial, high-growth market, Gorman said.

Braley said Nidecs new joint venture plans to hire 30 to 60 people in the first two to three years, many of them engineers.

The team will work on computer models of motors, and then develop prototypes, and run tests on those prototypes.

While the joint venture will be headquartered in Ferguson, its undecided how much of the research and development work will be done in there, Braley said. St. Louis is an aerospace city, while Embraer has a large presence in Floridas space coast.

Nidecs motors business used to be a part of Emerson, until Nidec acquired it in 2010. The unit is still located on Emersons 200-acre campus on West Florissant Avenue in Ferguson. Nidec has several hundred employees at the site, most in roles that support the larger companys operations, like accounting and marketing. Others work in the labs there, running tests on motors and components.

Nidec has ventured into aerospace in other ways: It has worked with Tokyo-based SoftBank to create a lightweight motor for an unmanned, solar-powered glider. But the new joint venture is the companys most significant push, so far, to enter the aerospace industry.

Nidec will own 51% of the joint venture, and the deal is expected to close by the end of the year.
ST. LOUIS  Schnucks seafood, meat and deli workers approved a new contract this week, averting a strike at the St. Louis County-based grocery chain.

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 88 had rejected a previous contract offer in June, and voted to authorize a strike if negotiations failed.

UFCW Local 88 President Dan Telle said Friday that 87% of members voted to approve the new proposal.

"We're ecstatic about it," Telle said. "No one wants a work stoppage."

UFCW Local 88 represents about 11% of Schnucks' workforce. It has about 1,000 members who primarily work in the deli, seafood and meat sections of Schnucks stores in Missouri and Illinois. A different chapter, the UFCW Local 655, represents about 4,500 Schnucks employees who work in all other sections.

Schnucks said in a statement that the new, three-year contract with Local 88 is effective through March 29, 2026.

Local 88 members threatened to go on strike twice during the last round of contract negotiations. The first time was in April 2021, when they rejected a contract proposal that would allow Schnucks to staff the meat, deli and seafood counters with workers from other store departments.
LONDON  If Saudi Oil Minister Ali al Naimi wants to stop conspiracy theories spreading before a crucial OPEC meeting next week, it's too late.

Naimi's intervention last week after a two-month silence failed to address a question energy markets want answered: is the OPEC leader no longer willing to defend oil prices which have dived by a third to their lowest since 2010, and is it pursuing new commercial or even geopolitical goals?

Despite Naimi's instance that Riyadh wants stable markets, diplomatic and market sources say Saudi officials told recent private briefings that the kingdom can live for some time with current, or even lower, levels.

Reading Saudi oil policies has long been like Kremlinology  understanding the politics of that other secretive power, Russia. The next OPEC meeting on Nov. 27 is taking this art to a new, higher level.

A number of explanations have been offered to fill the information vacuum on Riyadh's intentions and they aren't all from the usual conspiracy theorists in Russia and Iran, which are at loggerheads with the kingdom.

Oil market watchers are divided on the outcome of the meeting in Vienna. Predictions range from a large OPEC production cut to revive prices through a small cut to none at all.

Even those who have known Naimi for decades are puzzled. "For the first time, I really do not know what is likely to happen at the meeting. It is not clear," said a long-serving senior OPEC delegate.

When Naimi finally spoke on Nov. 12, he said Riyadh's desire for stable markets had not changed. "Saudi oil policy ... have been subject a great deal of wild and inaccurate conjecture in recent weeks. We do not seek to politicize oil ... For us it's a question of supply and demand, it's purely business," he said.

According to four market and diplomatic sources, who asked not to be named, Saudi officials briefed OPEC watchers privately in New York and Riyadh in September and October.

Nasser al-Dossary, Saudi Arabia's national representative to OPEC, Naimi's deputy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and the kingdom's OPEC governor Mohammed Al-Madhi attended at least one of these meeting to give the message that, with its large currency reserves, the kingdom was prepared to withstand oil prices as low as $70-$80 per barrel for up to a year.

Benchmark Brent crude oil slipped to $79 on Tuesday.

Most members of the cartel apart from Saudi Arabia need much higher prices to balance their budgets but ironically are unable or unwilling to reduce their output to counter a global glut caused by slowing economic growth in China and Europe, just as U.S. oil production booms.

SEEING OFF SHALE OIL

Should the Saudis tell fellow OPEC members, badly suffering from the oil price collapse, that they will not cut output, debate will intensify on what prompted the policy shift.

One possibility is Riyadh wants to see off U.S. shale oil, which is believed to need much higher prices than conventional production to remain competitive. "They are after U.S. shale," said one participant in the meetings with Saudi officials.

However, the source added that the Saudis might also regard low prices as an opportunity to put even more pressure on Iran and Russia for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an arch-enemy of Riyadh, in the country's civil war.

Several Saudi oil sources have denied over the past month that geopolitics are now driving the policy, but they have failed to stifle theories that Riyadh and Washington are working together to hold down prices.

"What is the reason for the United States and some U.S. allies wanting to drive down the price of oil? To harm Russia," Nicolas Maduro, president of fellow OPEC member Venezuela, said last month.

Masoud Mirkazemi, an Iranian lawmaker and former oil minister, said Riyadh was helping the G20 group of major economies. "Saudi Arabia, which intends to manage OPEC, serves the interests of the G20 group," he said.

"GLOBAL OIL WAR"?

In Russia, the idea of a Saudi-U.S. plot against Moscow has become common currency as the economy struggles under the effects of low oil prices and Western sanctions imposed over its annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Leonid Fedun, a co-owner of private oil firm Lukoil, cited President Barack Obama's visit to Riyadh in March. "Obama traveled to meet the king of Saudi Arabia just after the Crimea events to push him to these actions (to lower the oil price)," Fedun, whose firm has large U.S. assets, said last month.

Russia and Iran routinely allege U.S. plots against their economies, but the conspiracy theories are spreading.

"Is it just my imagination or is there a global oil war underway pitting the United States and Saudi Arabia on one side against Russia and Iran on the other?" New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, wrote last month.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sidestepped the issue after a trip to Saudi Arabia in September. Asked if past discussions with Riyadh had touched on Russia's need for oil above $100 to balance its budget, he smiled and said: "They (Saudis) are very, very well aware of their ability to have an impact on global oil prices."

Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Katya Golubkova, Jason Szep and Rania El Gamal.
CLAYTON  A Lake Saint Louis man dubbed by officials as the "cleaning ad rapist" faces several felonies after authorities say he repeatedly posted ads on dating sites looking to hire women to clean his home, then attacked them when they showed up for the job.

Enrique White, 29, is accused of several rapes or attempted rapes between December 2015 and May 2023. Maj. Steve Runge, of the Berkeley Police Department, said White offered the women between $200 and $600 to clean his house and befriended them before assaulting them.

"It wasn't a date," Runge said. "These women were applying for a cleaning job."

White was held without bail Friday at the St. Louis County Justice Center. White lives in the 18200 block of Cuivre Drive in Lake Saint Louis.

The charges stem from attacks on four women, including when White lived at a home in north St. Louis County. Police suspect there may be more victims.

"There's no reason to suffer in silence," said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. "Please come forward. Please seek help. We are here for you."

In all, White was charged Thursday with four counts of rape or attempted rape and three counts of sodomy. He also faces separate charges in St. Charles County, where he's accused of child molestation, statutory rape and other crimes connected with the attack of a 12-year-old victim in April.

White was working for a food delivery service, police said, and denied all charges when police arrested him at his home. He did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Bell credited St. Louis County, Berkeley and Hazelwood police with collaborating to investigate White.

"Charges like these don't happen by accident," Bell said at a news conference Friday, "but by diligent, detailed and thorough investigations."

After White attacked the women, "their survival instincts kicked in" and they escaped, Runge said. One of the women, in May, fell from his moving car on Interstate 170 in Berkeley.

"There's more out there," Runge said of the potential additional victims. "I think he's a monster. I think he's a sexual predator. He repeated what he did over and over, the same M.O. It's not an accident.  I've locked up murderers and bank robbers, but reading what he did to these young women just makes my blood boil."

Berkeley police began looking into White about two months ago when the woman fell from the moving car on I-170 in the city of Berkeley. Runge said investigators discovered White's identity using license plate readers. They ran White's name through police databases, which indicated he was a suspect in other investigations going back to 2015. Berkeley police worked with several other police departments and, by gathering each individual report, Runge said, investigators suspected White was a serial rapist.

White had the same routine, Runge said. He would post an ad to hire someone to clean his home, befriend the respondent, and then rape them, Runge said. Three of the four accusers met White through dating sites.

The first victim, from December 2015 was the exception. She got drunk and lost track of her friends at a now-closed bar called Bobby's Place on Main Street in St. Charles, police said, and White and two other men offered to drive her home.

The men raped her at one location, police said, then White took her to a home on Larbrook Drive, in unincorporated St. Louis County, and raped her again before falling asleep. The woman used White's phone to call her sister for a ride home, and police said White's DNA was found on her clothing.

It wasn't immediately clear why charges weren't filed before this week in that attack.

In May 2016, a woman met White on the dating site "Plenty of Fish." The woman's profile said she cleaned houses for a living. White messaged her and asked if she would clean his house for $200, police said. White asked her to come to his home on Larbrook right away, and she arrived but immediately felt uneasy, police said.

She called a friend and asked her friend to call the police if she didn't hear from her in an hour. She started cleaning, but White pushed the woman onto the bed and raped her, police said. A DNA analysis again was a match with White, police said.

Authorities said charges were issued in that attack, but the case was eventually dismissed for failure to prosecute.

In June 2016, a woman met White on the dating site "Meet Me." She agreed to clean White's home but asked if she could bring a friend. White told her no, police said. He said he had been robbed before and didn't want a second person to clean his home. He walked into the room naked and she ran out; he slapped her as she ran by, police said. He was charged with a misdemeanor in that case in 2016.

In September 2019, a woman met White on the dating site "Meetup," and he offered $600 for her to clean his home while naked, police said. The woman had recently lost her job and needed the money so she agreed  as long as nothing sexual would happen, police said. White picked up the woman in Centralia, Illinois, brought her to his home and sexually assaulted her, police said. She tried to run from the home, but White drove her to an empty parking lot at an outlet mall in Hazelwood and dropped her off, police said.

On May 27, White is accused of sending a message to a young woman through a dating site. He then picked her up from a college in Illinois, drove her to St. Louis County and pointed a gun at her head, and forced her to perform sex acts, police said.

Runge said all of the women reported what happened right away, but Runge said he doesn't know why charges weren't filed or the cases were dismissed.

Runge said police departments sharing information helped build the case into a serial rapist investigation, resulting in Thursday's charges. Runge lauded St. Louis County assistant prosecutor Melissa Smith for putting a team together to find all of the victims years later to follow up on their cases.

When asked why charges weren't filed in 2015 and why the case from May 2016 was dismissed, Christopher King, a spokesman for the St. Louis County prosecutor's office, said he can't speak for decisions made by previous prosecutors; Bell took office in January 2019.

King said he would look at the office's case-management system to see if there were any notes that could explain how previous cases were handled.

But in an email Friday, King said: "These were all difficult cases to make as standalone charges on victim testimony alone for various reasons that we would not discuss now that charges are pending."

King also said the case from Berkeley "was critical in bringing a single case based on four cases that are bundled as seven counts.

"We filed charges just as soon as we decided we had the evidence to do so," King said.
ST. LOUIS  A Jefferson County man was sentenced Thursday to 13 years in prison for the 2016 killing of a music promoter after a previous first-degree murder conviction was overturned on appeal.

Darin Schmidt, 37, was initially sentenced in 2019 to life in prison without parole in the death of 31-year-old David "Slim" Bewig Jr., who was found fatally shot in the head in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood on Dec. 9, 2016.

An appeals court overturned Schmidt's conviction in 2021, finding that three witnesses made improper testimony. He was set to face a second trial on Monday.

Instead, prosecutors offered him a deal to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in exchange for a 13-year sentence.

Prosecutors did not comment about why they offered the deal, but Bewig's family members were visibly frustrated.

His father, David Bewig Sr., said he thought the entire process was unfair.

"My son didn't get an appeal," he said. And the "lenient" plea agreement didn't account for the damage Schmidt had caused, he said.

"That's totally disgusting to me and my family," he said.

Judge Madeline Connolly acknowledged that the case was "particularly difficult" given how long it had dragged on.

"And, as Mr. Bewig said, it's not always a fair situation," she said.
JEFFERSON CITY  A man ordered to be executed next month has asked Missouri Gov. Mike Parson for mercy to stop his state-ordered death on Thursday.

In his request, Johnny A. Johnson, 45, cited mental and intellectual disabilities as the primary reasons why he should not be given the death penalty for his 2002 murder of 6-year-old Casey Williamson.

On Wednesday, Johnsons medication was changed  another reason his attorneys want Parson to either grant clemency or appoint a judicial panel to review to consider commuting Johnson to life in prison without parole. Johnson has been incarcerated since the day he murdered Casey on July 26, 2002.

Even Casey's father does not want Johnson to be executed for his daughters murder, according to the clemency application submitted on Thursday to the governor by both Johnson's attorney and federal public defender. Williamsons father was not able to be reached for comment on Thursday.

"The taking of Johnnys life is not necessary for the people of Missouri," Johnsons attorneys stated in the application. "If the honorable governor chooses not to intervene, Johnnys life will be taken unnecessarily."

Last month, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled Johnson failed to prove that his claims of constitutional violations related to his sanity should stop his execution.

Parson has denied clemency requests three times this year, approving the deaths of Amber McLaughlin on Jan. 3, Leonard Taylor on Feb. 7 and Michael Tisius on June 6.

Most recently, Parson dissolved the board of inquiry, or judicial panel, for Marcellus Williams, which was created by former Gov. Eric Greitens. Williams pleaded guilty to murdering a former Post-Dispatch reporter, Felisha Gayle, during a home burglary in 1998. His execution date has not been set as of Thursday.

Johnson, 45, is ordered to die by lethal injection on Aug. 1 at Bonne Terre prison. No other executions in the state have been scheduled as of Thursday.

The 55 people Missouri has executed since 2000
Francine Katzs motion for a new trial in her high profile gender discrimination case against her former employer, Anheuser-Busch, has been denied by St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Rex Burlison, who ruled that no legal errors were made in the trial.

Katz, once the highest-ranking female executive at A-B, sought a new trial after a jury found in favor of the brewer in May in a 9-3 vote. In her motion for a new trial, the Richmond Heights resident claimed three legal errors were made in her trial that spanned three weeks.

Katz, who left the company in 2008 after a 20-year career at the brewer, sued A-B in 2009, alleging she was underpaid because of her gender. She had sought $9.4 million in what she said was missed compensation and about $5 million in interest for pay dating to 2002.

Many top former executives at the brewer, including former CEOs August Busch III, his son, August Busch IV, and Pat Stokes, testified in the trial, denying discrimination by A-B.

Katz, A-Bs former vice president of communications and consumer affairs, alleged A-B discriminated against her on the basis of her gender when it paid male executives more than her. She testified that she didnt discover the alleged pay discrepancy until documents were made public as part of A-Bs 2008 sale to Belgian brewer InBev.

Jurors, however, sided with A-B at trial.

In a hearing for Katzs motion for a new trial last month, she alleged Judge Burlison gave an improper jury instruction by having the jurors only consider any payment decision after Oct. 26, 2007.

She claimed this placed a heavier burden than the law allows, and that juror should have considered payment decisions by A-B executives as early as 2002.

In his order denying a new trial, however, Judge Burlison said his instruction was proper.

With this language, the parties were left to argue to the jury their perception of the timelines for pay-setting decisions and issuance of paycheck decision, Judge Burlisons order states.

Katz also alleged that A-B attorney Jim Bennett misstated the law when he used the phrase equal pay for equal work in closing arguments.

Katz was not pursuing an equal pay for equal work claim, her attorney, Mary Anne Sedey, said during the hearing for a new trial Sept. 4. Instead, she asserted that A-B gave male executives credit for all of their job duties in determining their compensation, but did not do the same for Katz.

Judge Burlison ruled that Sedey did not timely object to the phrase, and found that Bennetts comment was a fair response to evidence introduced by the parties that did not have a decisive effect on jury deliberations.

Sedey also had argued that a jury instruction about Katz being paid based on an assessment of her duties was improper, claiming the use of the word assessment was argumentative.

Burlison disagreed, and ruled that both parties presented considerable evidence relating to the duties of A-B employees, including Katz.

Multiple witnesses, including expert witnesses for both parties, testified about the process that (A-B) went through to evaluate (Katzs) and other employees duties and responsibilities in setting compensation, Judge Burlison ruled.

Sedey could not be reached for comment on whether shell file an appeal with the Missouri Court of Appeals.

In a statement, A-B spokesman Adam Warrington said: Anheuser-Busch believes the trial was conducted properly and that Judge Burlisons rulings on the issues discussed in Ms. Katzs motion were correct.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Kansas City giant H&R Block and two other tax preparation companies, accusing them of illegally sharing Missourians data with large technology firms.

The lawsuit, filed in St. Louis Circuit Court, alleged that H&R Block, Taxslayer and TaxAct violated the states consumer protection law by sharing sensitive information with Meta, which owns Facebook, Google and perhaps other tech companies.

The last thing we need is for Big Tech giants to have access to personal information because these tax companies decided to evade the law, Bailey said in a statement Thursday. My office isnt standing for it.

Bailey asked a judge to issue a permanent injunction against the tax preparation companies, barring them from collecting sensitive data without disclosures. The lawsuit seeks full restitution for Missourians who allegedly had their data used. And it asks for a civil fine and a payment to the state equal to 10% of the amount recouped from restitution.

H&R Block, founded in 1955, is headquartered in downtown Kansas City and is one of the countrys leading tax preparation companies. The firm offers consulting services as well as online tax filing on their website.

TaxSlayer is based in Georgia, while TaxAct is in Iowa. The three companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Baileys lawsuit alleges that the tax preparation firms used a computer code, called pixels, to send sensitive information, including tax return information, to technology companies despite explicitly promising not to share such information with third parties in their privacy policies.

The companies, according to the lawsuit, gave Meta access to information such as names and financial information such as savings account contributions.

It accuses the companies of violating the states Merchandising Practices Act, the states consumer protection law, in four different ways: misrepresentation, omission, deception and unfair business practices.

Bailey employed the same law earlier this year when he tried to effectively ban gender-affirming care for adults as well as kids. Bailey ultimately withdrew that rule after lawmakers passed a ban on care for minors.

The lawsuit filed Thursday builds upon litigation that Baileys predecessor Eric Schmitt filed last year alleging that the White House violated the First Amendment by colluding with social media companies to suppress conservative speech about COVID-19 regulations and false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

A federal judge issued an injunction in Missouris favor earlier this month.
Time has run out for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to appeal a judges decision limiting his authority over school districts and clarifying that school boards can establish disease mitigation methods, such as mask mandates.

Bailey had 40 days from Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Marco Roldans May 27 ruling to ask for a new trial. That deadline passed on July 6 without an appeal being filed.

The case originated with his predecessor, Eric Schmitt, who stepped down as attorney general in January after being elected to the U.S. Senate.

In January 2022, Schmitt sued 47 Missouri school districts that implemented mask mandates to slow the spread of COVID-19. His lawsuits relied on a Cole County judgment that took power away from local health departments to enforce mandates.

All but one of the lawsuits were dismissed. But Lees Summit R-7 School District refused to let the case end  even as Schmitt attempted to dismiss his own lawsuit. The district hoped by seeing the case through to a verdict, a precedent would be set outlining the attorney generals authority.

Our primary focus has and will always be to serve and support our students, the districts spokesperson, Katy Bergen, said in a statement. We are grateful to have the clarity this ruling provides as we continue to champion this mission.

Roldan ruled that Schmitt was not following state law when he ordered Lees Summit and other school districts to end COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Besides, Roldan said, the Cole County lawsuit at the heart of Schmitts legal challenges did not cover school districts.

Neal Perryman, an attorney representing St. Louis County in an appeal of the Cole County case, lauded Roldans ruling in a Missouri Supreme Court hearing Wednesday, noting Baileys decision not to appeal.

Roldans judgment also criticized Schmitt for opening tip hotlines to have parents and students report school districts they suspected were in violation of the Cole County order.

There exists no Missouri law allowing the attorney general to involve himself in a school districts efforts to manage COVID-19 or other disease within its schools, Roldan ruled. He had no authority even to issue an opinion on those matters to the school district. In neither of his orders nor in his social media communications did he identify a valid legal basis for asserting that the school district was acting contrary to Missouri law.

Bergen said the district will not be seeking for the state to pay the districts attorneys fees. Lees Summit R-7 School District spent almost $73,000 in 2022 paying its attorneys for the case, according to receipts obtained by The Independent.

The attorney generals office did not respond to requests for comment.

Judge rules Missouri AG had no authority to order end of school mask mandates Former Attorney General Eric Schmitts public attacks on school districts led to "even greater confusion than the pandemic had already caused."

Why have so many good conservatives left the Missouri AGs office, challenger asks Key lawyers who worked to advance Eric Schmitts agenda quit in the first five months of Attorney General Andrew Baileys tenure.

What Missouri did right during the pandemic  and what went wrong Gov. Mike Parson says the state did the best it could. Many public health officials beg to differ.
CHARLESTON, W.Va.  Federal mining officials cited Creve Coeur-based Patriot Coal on Tuesday for serious violations they say led to a severe accident called a coal burst that killed two miners in May.

Patriot didn't adequately protect miners from hazards at the Brody Mine No. 1, failed to report a similar burst three days earlier and let evidence about the earlier burst be destroyed, according to the citations by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

On May 12, miners Eric Legg and Gary Hensley were killed at the Brody Mine No. 1 in a coal burst  an accident that involves the violent failure of a roof, pillar or wall of coal inside a mine. High-speed coal is shot at anyone in the way.

Three days earlier, the Boone County mine had a similar coal collapse. That time, no one was seriously hurt, the company didn't alert the authorities and underground mining resumed shortly afterward, the citations say.

The May 9 coal burst knocked down a worker, covered him in coal up to his mid-thigh and trapped him for less than five minutes until help arrived. He had some bruises and stiffness in his leg, but not much else. The accident wasn't reported.

Legg, 48, of Twilight, and Hensley, 46, of Chapmanville, were performing a risky method known as retreat mining. It involves intentionally collapsing the roof to retrieve more coal. Retreat mining is considered standard practice in mines where coal reserves are running out.

When a pillar burst, coal was violently ejected from the mine's walls, leaving only about 2 feet between the piled-up coal and the roof, the report states.

Rescue workers could hear Hensley crying for help. He was unresponsive once they reached him and removed mining equipment that had trapped him, the report states.

Federal officials said the mine had so many safety problems it was deemed a "pattern violator," a rare designation reserved for the industry's worst offenders.

Brody No. 1 was one of only three mines last year labeled a pattern violator. Regulators have emphasized identifying pattern violators since the 2010 Upper Big Branch explosion killed 29 miners about 10 miles away.

Since receiving the label, Brody No. 1 has cut its rate of significant violations in half, the agency said.

Previously, no coal burst violations were reported to MSHA at the Brody mine or at active mines in the surrounding Eagle Seam region of mines, the agency said.

The mine operator has discontinued retreat mining at Brody No.1. All mining has stopped in the eastern side of the mine where the accident occurred, the agency said.

Federal mining officials are looking into what other precautions are needed against coal bursts, particularly at deep cover mines with depths exceeding 1,000 feet.

Last month, the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training issued several notices of violation against Patriot for the May 12 coal burst.

Patriot Coal spokeswoman Janine Orf previously said the company does not comment on ongoing investigations or legal affairs.

The Charleston Gazette first reported the enforcement.
ST. LOUIS  The last time the Missouri Attorney Generals Office jumped into the fray over radioactive waste in St. Louis, a Democrat was in charge.

In 2013, then-Attorney General Chris Koster sued the operator of the Bridgeton Landfill after an underground fire ignited, prompting fears it could spread to the adjacent West Lake Landfill where tons of leftover uranium processing waste were dumped 50 years ago.

Now, activists and state lawmakers are calling on the current attorney general, Republican Andrew Bailey, to sue the U.S. Department of Energy. Those calls follow a report from The Missouri Independent, MuckRock and The Associated Press analyzing government documents that detail the federal governments role in decades-old radioactive contamination from the countrys early nuclear weapons program here.

Bailey now has what he needs to sue the Department of Energy, or at least bring them to task for what theyve done to the state, said longtime nuclear waste activist Dawn Chapman, who heads the group Just Moms STL that became active in the wake of the Bridgeton Landfill fire a decade ago.

Had I had these documents earlier, I absolutely wouldve gone to then-Attorney General (Josh) Hawley, or even earlier, Id have gone to Attorney General Koster, Chapman said. And I do think they wouldve moved on it, because this is what they were looking for.

Bailey, in a statement Thursday, indicated his office is reviewing the documents and considering action against the Department of Energy.

My office assigned an attorney to investigate this matter when we received documents, he said. We will convey our findings to the appropriate parties, and will do everything in our power to hold the federal government accountable. We stand ready to assist Senator (Josh) Hawley and other advocates to protect the people of St. Louis.

The U.S. Department of Energy is the successor to the Atomic Energy Commission that oversaw the storage of the uranium wastes. The AEC declined to take any action against the contractor that dumped radioactive waste into West Lake, the Post-Dispatch has reported, and the Department of Energy has resisted efforts to hold it liable for contamination in the landfill. However, the EPA ultimately named the Department of Energy a potentially responsible party for the West Lake contamination along with private energy company Exelon and landfill owner Republic Services.

The Department of Energy in the past has referred questions about its liability to the EPA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. An NRC spokesman couldnt immediately be reached Thursday.

Koster in 2013 sued the owners of the Bridgeton Landfill after the underground fire there began releasing putrid odors and pollution in that area of St. Louis County. He also began questioning the EPAs management of West Lake and stoked concern about radioactive contamination that had migrated offsite.

The $16 million settlement  which dealt with the air and water pollution released by the burning Bridgeton Landfill  reimbursed state regulators for their efforts to monitor the fire and laid out monitoring requirements and pollution limits for the landfill operators. A DNR spokesman said the landfill operator had complied with the settlement.

That settlement also set aside $12.5 million for community projects and grants in a fund to be administered by the St. Louis Community Foundation.

The Clayton-based charitable fund administrator said Thursday it had distributed the money to 56 groups, including Just Moms STL, Pattonville Fire Protection District, the city of Bridgeton, SSM Health Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Exact amounts werent immediately available.

Hawley, a Republican who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, is jumping back into the issue after new media reports parsing thousands of government records dating back 75 years to chronicle the regions nuclear waste legacy. The records indicate the government knew the risks of the waste and found issues with its storage at a site near St. Louis Lambert International Airport as early as 1949. The waste ultimately leaked into Coldwater Creek, which meanders through north St. Louis County subdivisions and was used for swimming by area children.

Hawley on Wednesday said he planned to file federal legislation establishing a compensation fund to reimburse families who have had members that contracted cancers associated with radiation exposure.

Thats something Kim Visintine, a founding member of group Coldwater Creek  Just The Facts Please, has long advocated. While much of the information about the governments role in the contamination has been public for years, Visintine said she is happy to see the issue gaining traction with elected officials. She pointed to Wentzville-area Republicans, Reps. Tricia Byrnes and Richard West, who sponsored a resolution this legislative session on the issue.

Weve known about this and weve tried so hard to get the attention of the right folks, Visintine said. Maybe the timing is just right.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 14. Uzbekistan plans to establish major assembly plants for agricultural machinery in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Trend reports.

This was announced during a visit by Olimkhon Rustamov, Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, to agricultural machinery enterprises in the Chirchik city of the Tashkent region.

"In order to expand industrial cooperation, we are planning to establish large-scale assembly plants for agricultural machinery in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Negotiations with partners are already in the final stage," the ministry said.

In January 2023, the unified project, the cluster of Tashkent Tractor Plant LLC, was launched. The total cost of the project amounted to $65 million. The annual production capacity of the plant is 15,000 units of agricultural machinery, with the total value of the produced goods reaching $165 million. It is expected to generate an annual net profit of $16.5 million.

According to the data, the company exports its products to neighboring countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan.
JEFFERSON CITY  Five years ago, Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation aimed at providing state funding to help investigate areas of the state exposed to radioactive waste.

But, despite ongoing concerns about the presence of radioactive material left over from the St. Louis regions role in creating the nuclear bomb, the program championed by former Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, was never funded.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Radioactive Waste Investigation Fund was established in the states accounting system once the bill was signed in 2018.

However, to date no transfers from the Hazardous Waste Fund have been deposited into that fund, nor have any appropriations been established from the fund to investigate concerns of exposure to radioactive waste, said Brian M. Quinn, information officer for DNRs Division of Environmental Quality.

DNR spokeswoman Connie Patterson said the agency did not request funding at the time because the states hazardous waste fund had been experiencing severe fund solvency issues.

Although the state is now sitting on a significant revenue surplus due to the post-pandemic economy, Patterson said officials will not speculate whether the program will be funded in next years budget.

On Friday, Chappelle-Nadal called the situation a terrible scenario.

I call it willful negligence, the former lawmaker said.

The lack of action serves as another example of a muddled government response to the deadly contamination left over from the Atomic Age.

A new report this week from The Missouri Independent, MuckRock and The Associated Press shows the federal government and companies involved in nuclear bomb production and atomic waste storage sites knew of risks to workers and the public early on.

The report brought a renewed round of promises by politicians to address the contamination, including U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush of St. Louis, Attorney General Andrew Bailey and a host of state lawmakers from the areas affected by the cancer-causing material.

Chappelle-Nadal said the blame and the answers do not lie solely with the federal government.

Its all levels of government that have some responsibility to address this, she said.

The measure Parson signed but didnt fund was supposed to allocate $150,000 annually to allow environmental regulators to probe sites like the West Lake Landfill in north St. Louis County, where radioactive material was dumped more than 40 years ago.

The DNR measure was among the first five bills signed by Parson in June 2018. He had just become governor following the resignation of scandal-plagued former Gov. Eric Greitens.

The governors signing of the legislation came on the same week that a federal report was issued saying people who lived near or played in Coldwater Creek in north St. Louis County from the 1960s to the 1990s may have been exposed to radioactive contaminants, increasing their risk of developing cancer.

Chappelle-Nadal spent much of her tenure in the Senate and House pushing for tougher laws aimed at addressing the World War II-era weapon production that resulted in nuclear waste being dumped at sites near the St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

At the time of the signing, Chappelle-Nadal said she was pleasantly surprised because she and Parson had locked horns over the years. He previously served in the Senate and also presided over the chamber during his tenure as lieutenant governor.

In September 2017, after Chappelle-Nadal had written on Facebook that she hoped President Donald Trump would be assassinated, Parson called for her ouster from the Senate.

I have no desire to sit in the same chamber with an elected official who has called for the assassination of the president of the United States, Parson said at the time.

Chappelle-Nadal removed the post and apologized but was stripped of her committee assignments by then-Senate Minority Leader Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors.
ST. LOUIS  The Board of Aldermen on Friday overwhelmingly voted to advance twin bills aimed at reining in the open carry of firearms in the city and having police offer some civic education to some of the people they stop and search.

Supporters said the bills will help chip away at two of the citys thorniest issues: the scourge of violent crime and distrust between residents and the citys crimefighters.

The bill from Alderwoman Cara Spencer, of Marine Villa, would empower police to disarm anyone openly carrying firearms if they cant produce a government-issued conceal carry permit, which require background checks for adults and are unavailable to minors.

Experts and officials have raised concerns about the plan. Daniel Webster, a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, pointed out that state law would still allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit, which he said is likely a much bigger contributor to violent crime.

Some board members also worried the bill could lead to violence between police and armed residents. They were especially concerned about Black men, who they said are already targets of police enforcement.

But those concerns were abated somewhat by Spencer's embrace of a proposal from Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, of Old North St. Louis, requiring police to provide more information to people they stop and search. The bill would require the police department to make sure officers let people know they don't have to consent to searches without warrants or probable cause.

Officers would also have to give business cards to people who voluntarily consent to those searches. The business cards would include officer information and instructions on how to make complaints to the new Civilian Oversight Board.

Police department and union leaders said existing policy addressed most of that already. But Aldridge said the business cards would spread the word about the new Civilian Oversight Board, which considers complaints against police. He said publishing the consent search policy would make people more aware of their rights.

The board voted 11-2 in favor the bill.

Only Aldermen Tom Oldenburg, of St. Louis Hills, and Joe Vollmer, of the Hill, voted no, saying the bill was unnecessary. Alderwoman Pam Boyd, of Walnut Park East, abstained because she has family in the police department. Alderman Shane Cohn, of Dutchtown, was absent.

And then every board member present voted for Spencer's bill, saying something had to be done about teenagers carrying rifles on city streets, a phenomenon highlighted by a number of recent news reports.

This is not the solution to gun violence, Spencer said. But it is a tool. It is a way to say we don't want the open carrying of firearms in our city.

Both bills still need one more favorable vote at the board before they go to Mayor Tishaura O. Jones for her consideration. A spokesman for Jones said the mayor's office is reviewing the legislation.
ST. LOUIS  After weeks of debate, the Board of Aldermen is expected to vote Friday on a plan aimed at cracking down on some of the more flamboyant displays of firearms in the city. But doubts remain as to whether it can be safely enforced  and if it will make any real difference.

The plan would empower police to disarm anyone openly carrying firearms if they cant produce a government-issued conceal carry permit. Supporters say it would short-circuit potential violence and help get guns off the streets, at least temporarily.

Right now, when you see a kid walking down the street with an AR-15, the cops can do nothing, said Alderwoman Cara Spencer, of Marine Villa, who is sponsoring the bill. This starts to set a new precedent.

If successful, Spencers bill could cut down on the kind of gun-toting that has occasionally made downtown and other neighborhoods look like the scenes of Westerns. Its a rare opportunity to regulate guns in a state where the laws usually tie cities hands. And it could offer some hope in a city struggling with gun violence that has taken thousands of lives, wrecked neighborhoods and tarnished the reputation of the region.

But some aldermen worry about officers confronting people with guns, who could respond with violence. And a top researcher on the subject said that no matter how the bill is enforced, state law still makes it too easy to buy and carry concealed guns, policies he said are likely more significant contributors to violent crime.

It seems to me to be grasping for straws, said Daniel Webster, a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Spencer said she, too, is concerned about the safety of officers and the people they would stop. But she said police Chief Robert Tracy assured her that officers could be trained to enforce the new law in a way that will keep everyone safe.

Spencer also conceded that her bill would not make it any more difficult to buy guns or conceal-carry, and that its effect on crime would likely be limited.

Will it solve gun violence? No, of course not, she said. But its a tool.

A police spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The city already has some new tools to combat gun violence: Officials have poured millions of dollars into programs where trained advocates try to break up fights before they become deadly. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, who talks about targeting the root causes of crime, has also moved to build more affordable housing, beef up job offerings for young people and increase investment in struggling areas where much of the citys violence plays out.

But Spencers bill seeks to regulate guns themselves.

The legislation takes advantage of a provision in a 9-year-old state law that expanded open-carry rights but still allowed cities to restrict the practice to permit holders. Kansas City adopted a similar ordinance in 2014.

In 2016, the Legislature passed a law allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a permit, and Spencers bill would not change that.

But state law doesnt allow youths younger than 19 to get a conceal-carry permit. Which means kids here, at least, wouldnt be able to open carry, under Spencers bill.

The bill initially met with skepticism at City Hall.

In early June, at a committee hearing, Alderman Rasheen Aldridge and Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier questioned whether the measure would stand up in court, or if officers could actually take guns away from people.

Sonnier said officials in Kansas City told her they werent enforcing their ordinance. Officials there said this week they had no record of any summonses being issued.

Aldridge and Sonnier also worried the bill could lead to violence between police and armed residents. They were especially concerned about Black men, who they said are already targets of police enforcement.

I want us to do something, Sonnier told the committee. But we cant be so emotional that we dont think through how this would play out.

The next day, Aldermanic President Megan Green told reporters that she saw a number of structural issues with the bill.

And Jones, a mayor who often laments how the state has limited the citys ability to regulate guns, took no position on Spencers bill. The cold shoulder prompted some to assume Jones was icing a rival  she defeated Spencer in the mayoral race two years prior.

But, last week, there was a second committee hearing. Amendments were introduced taking care of some legal questions and requiring police to track the race of people they stop and compile an annual report with the results. Aldridge moved a bill requiring police to give business cards to people they stop and search if the interactions dont lead to arrests or summonses. The business cards would have their name, rank and badge number, and well as instructions for submitting comments or complaints to the citys civilian oversight board.

And Spencers bill passed the Public Safety committee unanimously.

In interviews this week, Sonnier, Aldridge and Green said concerns remain about legality and impact on Black residents.

But they also said they were under pressure from constituents who wanted action.

There was a lot of community that was saying we need to do anything that we possibly can, Sonnier said.

They said they would keep an eye on the statistics police produce.

If theres more harm than good, I will be the first one to change it, Aldridge said.

Webster, the gun violence researcher at Johns Hopkins, was skeptical there would be much of an impact. He said he suspected there arent very many people open carrying and committing violent crime. Actually, I suspect its a very small number, he said.

Spencers bill is expected to get final approval next Thursday, July 20. If Jones signs it, it would take effect immediately.
UNIVERSITY CITY  In the middle of this old suburbs winding streets and brick homes, one of the regions main waterways, the River Des Peres, dives underground. The residents of University City rely on the river to quickly and neatly whisk stormwater away from homes, reducing floods and keeping them safe.

But here, where the river plunges into a tunnel that runs for miles, hulking masses loom in the darkness: Chunks of concrete are strewn across the bottom of the graffiti-stained tube. Some of the piles are 5 feet high, 10 feet wide and 30 feet long.

And stormwater experts say theyre a problem. When major rains hit, obstructions slow down rivers, back up water, and add to the damage wrought by flooding. Moreover, its not just the tunnel. A sprawling snarl of tree branches is still pressed up against the bridge at North Hanley Road. A giant tree trunk is stuck under the Groby Road bridge. And a sandbar has formed in the river channel at Pennsylvania Avenue.

Experts have been calling on government bodies to take responsibility for years. Now, they say, someone has to clean the river out. Before the floods hit again.

This is an awful, slow-motion disaster here, said Bob Criss, a University City resident and Washington University professor who has long studied flooding.

Last summer, a historic rain turned the River Des Peres into a torrent. It flooded at least 300 homes in University City alone. A year later, some of the spots most vulnerable to flooding  like where the channel is forced under bridges  are still clogged by the detritus of years past. And that, warns a group of stormwater experts and flood-prep advocates, threatens the very neighborhoods that flooded the worst here last year.

But the group is struggling to get agencies who play a role in the management of River Des Peres to pay attention, much less clean out the channel.

The Metropolitan Sewer District, which manages stormwater and wastewater in the region, said it isnt responsible for the River Des Peres flooding, wasnt aware of the piles in the tunnel, and surmised theyd have to be the size of a car or truck to affect the rivers flow. The flooding they experienced is not due to any of MSDs assets or debris, and MSD is not responsible for preventing flooding, especially not in a known floodplain, said spokeswoman Bess McCoy.

University City, home to the upper section of the river, said it isnt to blame, either. Ultimately, MSD has the authority over it and the responsibility for the River Des Peres, said City Manager Gregory Rose.

The St. Louis District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which helps manage the River Des Peres, also said that clearing debris is not its job.

Its unclear when the blockages got into the tunnel, or where they came from.

Residents are frustrated.

Donivan James lives on Shaftesbury Avenue, a few houses upstream of the Hanley bridge.

James, 26, said 6 feet of water and sewage flooded his familys basement last July. He saw whole trees floating in the street outside. When the floodwaters receded, branches stuck out of the sewer drains. At the end of the block, a messy pile of tree trunks, tree branches, sediment, couches and debris had collected at the bridge. A mattress lay on top.

It had to have gotten clogged, James said. It had to have. It was stacked from the ground up with trees and couches and stuff like that. It looked like the bridge stopped the stuff from moving down the river.

There were trees piled up around another bridge farther east on Shaftesbury, where the avenue curved south over the river channel, and trees strewn across the field of University City High School, James said. Months later, it took workers with a skid steer to haul away the debris.

That was the only time James and other residents have seen any crews clean the river channel. University City, MSD  or another government body  needs to step up, James said.

If theyre not responsible, who is? he said. Do we have to talk to the president of the United States? Jesus? The governor? Someone needs to be the big guy and take the lead.

That one pile  good Lord!

Four years and multiple severe flash floods ago, the issues were one focus of a 2019 Storm Water Task Force report prepared for University City officials, which devoted a whole section to undersized and clogged bridges and culverts.

First, it said, some bridges over the River Des Peres were too small. The report called the Groby bridge, for example, inadequate to accommodate the water from even a two-year storm. The report recommended steepening the channel walls under the structure.

And small bridges more easily clog, and clogged culverts cause water to back up, the report said, magnifying overbank flooding, and altering flow patterns in ways that can exacerbate damage. Obstacles in the path of the river not only take up space in the channel, but also create turbulence.

Significant problems with reduced conveyance and clogging of stream channels exist along the RdP and its tributaries due to lack of maintenance in the channel, the report said. Problems can propagate far from the point of clogging or flow restriction.

The channels should be cleared of excessive silt and large debris, the report concluded, in bold. The City should identify the agencies responsible for channel maintenance and encourage timely maintenance.

And last summer revealed another problem: Flooding got worse at the tunnel, too, said Criss, the stormwater expert.

Near the mouth of the tunnel, he said the event registered as an approximately 500-year flood, far greater than the 10- or 20-year events upstream, and severe enough to overwhelm the 20-foot-tall opening.

Criss said he immediately suspected the tunnel was clogged. And after discovering last winter the large piles of concrete inside of the tunnel  there are at least six of them stretching a quarter-mile into the tunnel  he thinks those contributed to problems upstream.

That one pile  good Lord!  its 30 feet long, Criss said. There might even be more, further downstream.

Obstructions like this, Criss said, arent the biggest issues in river management. But they contribute to problems, and are a relatively easy fix.

This is standard maintenance that has been too long deferred, he said. We ought to at least do the easy stuff.

The matter of who should take responsibility for the River Des Peres has long occupied a much-disputed gray area  with University City, the Army Corps and MSD all denying that river maintenance falls into their domain.

But tones are beginning to change, at least outwardly.

Rose, the U. City manager, said the city is open to sharing some responsibilities. The city has decided to take a leadership role on certain projects that can reduce flood risks, he said. A coordinated regional approach needs to be taken to adequately address local flood risks, he said, even if that means creating a new entity with such authority.

And MSD said it could be such an entity. We fully recognize that this is a problem, not only in University City, but across our service area, said McCoy, the spokeswoman. We also think that we are in a position to be a key player in a regional approach to addressing this problem.

The Army Corps also said it takes multiple players to manage the river. Watersheds and rivers like the River Des Peres are shared responsibilities, said Corps spokesman George Stringham.

But U. City and MSD, at least, said they need money to tackle the problem regionally. MSD is reviewing a proposal that would draw flood-related revenue from a property tax on residential customers, and a charge based on the amount of paved or impervious surfaces for commercial customers.

So stores with huge parking lots would be paying based on that, said McCoy. Those funding proposals are expected to be put to voters next April.

Who will clean the channel?

The year since the flood has been characterized by dogged efforts from some, aiming to call attention to the risks.

Many efforts  from launching an electronic flood alert system, to posting flood-height signs, to investigating the River Des Peres tunnel  have been spearheaded by the University City Commission on Storm Water Issues, which is made up of volunteers with technical and scientific expertise, honed through careers at places like Boeing and Washington University.

On Thursday, the stormwater commission and University Citys public works chief, Darin Girdler, arranged a tour of the channel. Attendees included a pair of MSD representatives and two city council members.

Girdler said that one goal of the event was to share information and try to find glitches in how MSD and U. City coordinate river management.

Toward the end of the tour, the city council members on the trip sought to learn basic details about tunnel maintenance or inspection routines from MSD.

But Debra Aylsworth, MSDs assistant director of operations, said there isnt a tunnel maintenance program. She said she wasnt sure of the last time it was inspected. Its not frequent, she said.

Channel inspections, she said, typically occur on two- or five-year intervals, depending on whether the channel is improved or natural.

The news surprised some there.

Im blown away by no maintenance program, said Jeff Hales, a U. City councilman who attended the tour. I would think after a major storm, they could fly drones through, (or) walk through.

Criss echoed Hales disbelief and stressed the gravity of a management vacuum.

Theyre not responsible for the tunnel? he said. Thats pretty remarkable.

Its a critical issue, Criss continued. It needs cleaned up before the next flood.

Nassim Benchaabane of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Photos: Who's responsible for clogs in the River Des Peres tunnel?
JEFFERSON CITY  A former St. Louis County judge who left the bench to help run new Attorney General Andrew Baileys office has announced he is taking a job in St. Louis.

Bill Corrigan, who began working as a top aide to Bailey on Jan. 30, has accepted a job as managing partner of Shook, Hardy & Bacons St. Louis office, said Madeline Sieren, spokeswoman for the attorney generals office.

She said Corrigan served the attorney generals office with distinction and was offered an incredible opportunity by the law firm.

The chance to lead the St. Louis office of a national firm like Shook is the opportunity of a lifetime, Corrigan said in a statement released by the law firm. This move to Shook, which has a national trial reputation, allows me to balance my family and career and practice law in a city I love.

Sieren said Corrigan will begin his new job in September.

But, she said Corrigans involvement with the attorney generals office will continue in a volunteer capacity.

Judge Corrigan will continue to serve as an advisor to General Bailey, as well as be an active participant in the Trial Masters program that he implemented in our office, Sieren said in an email.

Bailey touted Corrigans legal experience and management acumen when his hiring was announced in late December.

He is unquestionably a dedicated public servant, an experienced jurist, and is an enormous addition to our team, Bailey said at the time.

Corrigan in December said he was honored to come on board.

I look forward to working with Attorney General-designee Bailey to improve operations, recruit and retain exceptional staff, and fight for the people of Missouri, he said.
WASHINGTON  Although the national rate of shuttered coal mines slowed this year, struggles in Central Appalachia continued, with Kentucky leading the nation in the number of coal mines being taken off-line.

Central Appalachias problems have come even as the United States sharply increases imports of coal, taking advantage of cheap mine labor in Colombia.

Sixty-four coal mines were idled nationwide in the first half of this year. Thats about half as many as in the final six months of last year, according to data compiled by the energy research firm SNL Financial.

Analysts said this years reprieve for coal had to do with the rise in prices for its biggest competitor, natural gas, as well as a frigid winter that produced an unprecedented energy demand.

Even with upcoming federal environmental rules aimed at air pollution and global warming, U.S. coal production is forecast to go up both this year and next.

But Central Appalachia  which comprises Eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia  still has struggled, representing the majority of the idled mines in the first half of the year and nearly 76 percent of the resulting drop in coal production.

Twenty-one of the idled coal mines were in Kentucky, according to SNL, although most were relatively small. Eastern Kentuckys coal production rose sharply from April 1 through June 30, leading to optimism for a potential rebound, but long-term forecasts for the area arent encouraging.

The region continues to be assaulted from all sides, SNL Financial said in an analysis.

That includes from South America. At the same time the Central Appalachian mines were being shuttered, U.S. imports of coal jumped 43 percent in the first six months of this year, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.

Cheap foreign coal and problems shipping U.S. coal by rail within the country made imports an attractive alternative to domestic coal, especially to power plants located in the eastern part of the country, Energy Information Administration head Adam Sieminski said in a statement.

American rail companies are increasingly shipping oil, which is far more profitable than coal, as the country pumps more of it. The competition with oil for rail cars has led to problems for U.S. coal companies in getting their product delivered to power plants.

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. coal imports are coming from Colombia, where mining labor costs are cheaper. The Colombian coal is brought on ships to power plants along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast, avoiding competition with oil for rail space.

Colombia increased its coal production 16 percent in the first half of the year, according to research firm IHS Energy.

Meanwhile, the cost to mine Central Appalachian coal has been rising steadily as miners have to go deeper and deeper to get to the coal seams. That helps give Colombian coal an edge, said Elias Johnson, coal analyst for the Energy Information Administration.

Appalachian coal has been mined for quite a while. The lower-hanging fruit, the cheaper coal, has been mined there already, he said.

The century-old industry in Eastern Kentucky has undergone a major decline in the last several years, he said, with mine closures and thousands losing their jobs.

Foreign coal remains a small part of U.S. consumption, but Central Appalachian coal is especially vulnerable to the competition as it loses market share to natural gas and coal from elsewhere in the United States.

COMPETITION FROM ILLINOIS

Weve seen a decline in expensive eastern coals and weve seen a rise in production in cheaper western coal basins like the Powder River Basin and particularly the Illinois Basin, said James Stevenson, the director of North American coal analysis for IHS Energy.

The nations fastest-growing coal region is the Illinois Basin, which produces coal thats cheaper than Appalachias and burns hotter than coal from the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, which enables it to provide more electricity. The basin extends from Illinois into the western parts of Indiana and Kentucky.

Illinois Basin coal was long overlooked because it tends to be high in sulfur, which produces acid rain. But environmental regulations have forced utilities to install scrubbing technology to remove contaminants.

The Illinois Basins share of U.S. coal production is forecast to grow from 13 percent to 20 percent by 2040.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, leads former gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey by six points in the Republican race for the 12th Congressional District, according to a poll released Wednesday.

The poll, conducted by Cor Strategies, an Illinois-based center-right political firm, found Bost with 43% and Bailey with 37%. About 20% were undecided. There were 661 people polled and the margin of error was 3.8%.

We just released the first poll for the IL-12 Republican primary race between Mike Bost and Darren Bailey on Live from the Lincoln Desk which shows Bost holding an early 6-point lead over Bailey (43%-37%). Watch the full release on YouTube here: https://t.co/rJ9VX2yE6C pic.twitter.com/sSWnJRlgrU  Cor Strategies (@CorStrategies) July 12, 2023

The results offer a first glimpse at the state of the race since Bailey announced his primary challenge of the five-term incumbent last week.

Collin Corbett, the polling firm's founder, said the results suggested "a much different race than what you saw with Rodney Davis and Mary Miller" last year in Illinois 15th Congressional District.

In that contest, Miller defeated Davis 58% to 42%. The former started with a lead, but Miller surged ahead with a boost from former President Donald Trump.

"In that race, Rodney started off with a huge lead and Mary just kept chipping away day after day, week after week until the very end when Trump came in, they were able to put it away and defeat Rodney in that primary," Corbett said. "This will not be that type of race. This is going to be a neck-and-neck race, this will be a dogfight all the way through Election Day."

The poll was not commissioned by either campaign, the firm confirmed.

It also found Trump leading the GOP presidential field in the district with 53%, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 16% and former Vice President Mike Pence at 9%. All other candidates were in the low single digits.

Bost campaign manager Myles Nelson said the result proves "that Republican voters are happy with the job Mike Bost is doing."

"At a time when no one can agree on anything, only 8% disapprove of the job he's doing in Congress," Nelson said. "Mike also holds an outside the margin of error lead against a candidate who JB Pritzker spent $30 million supporting in an effort to convince Illinois Republicans to vote for him just last year. We're happy with where we're at and know we will have the resources to continue building our support moving forward.

Bailey's campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.

Bost was first elected to the Southern Illinois congressional seat in 2014 after serving for two decades in the Illinois House. His most serious challenge until now came in 2018, when he defeated Democrat Brendan Kelly by about seven percentage points in the general election.

The district has changed significantly since, with Springfield Democrats redrawing it during the last redistricting process to remove more liberal pockets of the Metro East region while adding vast swaths of conservative southeastern Illinois.

Under the old district lines, Trump carried the district with 56% of the vote in 2020. Under the current lines, Trump would have received 70% of the vote.

An added consequence of this is the inclusion of most of Bailey's former state Senate district into the new congressional district.

The poll results bear out this geographic split. Bost leads by 30 percentage points in the Metro East region near St. Louis and by 26 points in the deep Southern Illinois region known as Little Egypt.

Bailey, on the other hand, leads by 27 percentage points in the Wabash Valley in southeastern Illinois and by 11 points in Central Illinois.

Other data points in the poll showed positives for both candidates.

Bailey actually has higher name recognition in the district than Bost. Though typically unusual for a challenger to be more well-known than the incumbent, it makes sense in this context given that Bailey was the Republican nominee for governor in 2022.

Bailey was viewed favorably by 55% and unfavorably by 14% of those polled. Bost was viewed favorably by 54% and unfavorably by 8%.

Though it is not ideal for an incumbent to register under 50% in a head-to-head matchup, Corbett said Bost's lower name recognition means he has more room to grow than Bailey does.

This could be aided by the more than $1 million cash Bost has on hand plus promised support from the National Republican Congressional Committee. Bailey only opened his federal campaign account at the start of the month.

Another factor is a possible Trump endorsement. About 31% of respondents said they would vote for the candidate endorsed by the former president, 8% would vote against and 52% said it would have no impact.

Doing some back-of-the-napkin math, Corbett said, they determined that a Trump endorsement could move support up to 10 points either way.

If Trump endorses Bost, it might put the race out reach for Bailey given the incumbent's structural advantages. And while a Trump endorsement of Bailey wouldn't necessarily seal the deal for the challenger, it would give the challenger's campaign something to run on.

"A Trump endorsement gives you something to talk about," Corbett said. "And that's the gift here for the Bailey campaign. It isn't necessarily the fact that it gives you the bump in the polls. It's that now for nine months, you can just say the name Donald Trump over and over and over again, and now you actually have something to campaign on."

Bailey is running a campaign as an outsider. He will try to portray Bost as a swamp creature who has been in Washington too long. There is very little if any distinction that can be made between the two on policy.

There is no indication the former president intends to get involved in the race anytime soon.

Polls are a snapshot in time. The election is still eight months away and much can change. Still, the poll result forebodes a contentious, potentially expensive GOP primary battle once again in southern Illinois.
Updated at 3 p.m.

Growing political heat and possible customer backlash helped dissuade Walgreen from trying to trim its tax bill by reorganizing overseas as part of an acquisition.

But experts say they don't expect other companies considering the move to follow Walgreen's lead and stay rooted in the United States.

Walgreen, the nation's biggest drugstore chain, said Wednesday that it would no longer consider a so-called inversion, which has become popular among large, multi-national health care companies looking to cut U.S. taxes. The company said it will instead combine with the Swiss health and beauty retailer Alliance Boots to form a holding company that's based in the U.S.

Walgreen Co. said in a statement that it was "mindful of the ongoing public reaction to a potential inversion" and its "unique role as an iconic American" retailer.

Walgreen's decision follows a wave of recently announced inversions that have prompted President Barack Obama and members of Congress to voice growing concern about tax revenue the U.S. government could lose from these moves. Despite Walgreen's decision, experts say U.S. companies will likely continue to pursue inversions because they can still reap big benefits by reorganizing overseas.

"We need fundamental corporate tax reform to solve this problem, and it isn't going to happen in an election year," said Donald Goldman, an Arizona State University professor.

Inversions involve a U.S. company reorganizing in another country by either acquiring or combining with another business. These deals provide tax relief in a number of ways. They allow companies to transfer money earned overseas to the parent company without paying additional U.S. taxes.

Inversions also provide some relief from the U.S. corporate income tax rate of 35 percent, which is the highest in the industrialized world. The U.S. had a competitive tax rate back in the 1980s but that changed when other countries started lowering their rates and the U.S. didn't follow, said Cynthia Eakin, an associate accounting professor at the University of the Pacific.

"We haven't paid attention to what's going on globally," she said. "We don't really have a global tax strategy."

There have been 47 U.S. companies that have put together inversions through tie-ups with foreign businesses over the past decade, according to the Congressional Research Service. Several others are planning or considering the move.

Walgreen was considering an inversion while it decided whether to buy the remaining portion of Alliance Boots that it didn't already own. In 2012, the U.S. company bought a 45 percent stake in Alliance Boots, which runs the largest drugstore chain in the United Kingdom.

It ultimately decided against an inversion because the company wasn't convinced the deal would pass IRS scrutiny. Walgreen didn't design the acquisition as an inversion, so it would have to change key elements of it, including possibly the terms, to avoid IRS challenges that it was abusing the tax code.

An IRS fight could have led to a long legal battle and back taxes with penalties if the company lost, Walgreen officials told analysts during a Wednesday morning conference call.

Plus, the company had no assurances that tax code wouldn't eventually be changed to remove some of the advantages companies get from inversions, spokesman Michael Polzin noted.

Additionally, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin had sent a letter to Walgreen CEO Greg Wasson urging him to reconsider an inversion and warning that the company may find its customers are "deeply patriotic and will not support Walgreen's decision to turn its back on the United States."

Walgreen deals directly with consumers more than other companies  like drugmakers  that have tried inversions. So, Walgreen would be more sensitive to public reaction.

At the same time, companies face growing political pushback. The Obama administration has urged Congress to act swiftly to curtail inversions, and Democrats in both the House and Senate have introduced bills to rein in the practice. But the election year push is unlikely to succeed in a divided Congress, where Republicans favor more comprehensive tax reform.

Companies may pause their inversion plans to see how Congress reacts, tax lawyer Bret Wells said. But he said anything short of comprehensive tax reform won't stop them from then adjusting their plans and continuing to pursue inversions.

"As long as the financial benefits stay in place, companies are going to go after them," said Wells, an assistant law professor at the University of Houston.

Walgreen shares sank more than 14 percent, or $9.92, to $59.20 on Wednesday, after the drugstore chain announced its decision.

The company's stock had advanced more than 20 percent so far this year, as of Tuesday, and set several new all-time high prices. The most recent came on June 19, when the shares hit $76.39.
McDonalds Corp. and some of its franchisees were named jointly in 13 complaints filed Friday by the National Labor Relations Boards Office of the General Counsel, accusing them of labor violations in a widely anticipated move that could have wide-reaching implications for businesses.

The complaints, including one in St. Louis, claim that McDonalds workers across the country were fired or intimidated for participating in union organizing and in a national protest movement calling for higher wages.

By treating McDonalds, the worlds largest restaurant chain, as a joint employer with its franchisees, the NLRB action strikes new ground in labor law, Richard Griffin, the boards general counsel, said in a release.

The NLRB is a federal agency that resolves employee-management disputes in the private sector.

Until now, McDonalds and other companies that make wide use of franchises and contract employers have been insulated from such liability under the NLRBs previous definition of what constituted a joint employer.

A McDonalds spokeswoman said the company and franchisees would fight the claims.

These allegations are driven in large part by a two-year, union-financed campaign that has targeted the McDonalds brand and impacted McDonalds restaurants, said Lisa McComb, a company spokeswoman.

Over the past two years, workers at McDonalds and other fast-food outlets in many cities, as part of the so-called Fight for 15 movement, have been engaging in brief strikes while calling for an increase in the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 to $15 an hour and the right to unionize.

Alleged violations by McDonalds and its franchisees included firings, reduced hours, threats, surveillance and discriminatory discipline against workers who engaged in union or other legally protected activity, the NLRB said.

In the St. Louis complaint, the NLRB alleges that a swing manager at the McDonalds at 4006 Lindell Boulevard was fired on Sept. 9 for assisting the union, the Mid-South Organizing Committee, and engaging in concerted activities with other workers.

By firing that woman, who was not identified in the filing, McDonalds and its franchisee, Rivers Holding Ltd., were interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of their rights under the law, the NLRB staff found.

The owner of the McDonalds at 4006 Lindell could not be reached for comment.

The complaints will be considered by administrative law judges beginning in March; the decisions can be appealed to the five-member NLRB and ultimately to federal courts.

While Fridays move was the first step in a long process, it has the potential to rewrite long-held rules governing labor relations between parent companies and franchises that are run as independent businesses.

For the last three decades, the NLRB has held that franchisers may be considered joint employers only if they are involved in setting wages and hiring workers.

Mary Joyce Carlson, counsel for the Fast Food Workers Organizing Committee, the union-backed group behind the protest movement, said Griffin was right to treat McDonalds as a joint employer because of the control it exerts over franchises, including the way food is prepared and served.

Trade groups said the decision to treat McDonalds as a joint employer would lead to uncertainty about how employment agreements are enforced and when companies can be sued for labor violations.

This is chaos, said Michael Lotito, a lawyer with law firm Littler Mendelson who represents companies in labor disputes.

The real losers could be the franchisees if companies decide to abandon the franchise model, said Robert Cresanti, vice president of the International Franchise Association, whose membership includes McDonalds.

The franchise association says 8.5 million U.S. workers are employed by franchises.

Griffin, in a separate case in June, asked the NLRB to adopt a broader standard on joint employers that reflects the influence companies such as McDonalds have over working conditions, such as requiring the use of scheduling software.

The board is set to decide in that case whether it will begin to apply the broader standard, which would impact industries far beyond fast food.

Reuters and Tim Bryant of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
LAMBERT AIRPORT  Southwest Airlines baggage handlers picketed Tuesday to draw attention to languishing contract talks and working conditions that have caused the airlines on-time performance to sputter.

Several members of Local 555 of the Transport Workers Union walked outside the Terminal 2 departure entrance, carrying signs and chanting, Record profits, empty pockets and other slogans. Similar demonstrations were held at airports in three other cities during the bustling holiday travel week.

Southwest is not negotiating in good faith with us, said Greg Puriski of San Diego, a spokesman for the pickets. Its been 3 years. Theyre asking for concessions from us, and were making record profits.

Puriski and others on the picket line said lack of progress in labor talks has left about half of the ground workers without raises for the past four years, despite expanding workloads.

The 10,000-member union contends Southwest has mismanaged flight schedules, resulting in late flights and a heavy burden on airline operations.

Performance indicators published by the U.S. Department of Transportation showed Southwests on-time performance was 71.9 percent for the 12-month period that ended in October, the last month for which statistics are available.

The performance ranked No. 10 out of 14 air carriers listed. By comparison, more than 82 percent of Southwest flights arrived on time during the same 12-month period in 2009.

Southwest has responded with policies and procedures that place an emphasis on pulling away from the gate at the scheduled departure time, resulting in some bags to be left behind. Those items have to be shipped to their destination at a higher cost.

Southwest has long enjoyed good negotiations with its employees. But Puriski said that climate has changed since legendary founder and chairman emeritus Herb Kelleher stepped down six years ago. The focus is now on the bottom line, he said.

We are a liability to the company now, Puriski said. Before we used to be an asset. They keep blaming everything on the cost of labor. They want to keep bringing us down to the other airlines pay.

Southwest officials issued a statement saying that its ramp, operations, provisioning and cargo agents enjoy industrys highest pay rates and that agents with fewer than 12 years seniority are continuing to get incremental pay increases.

Since 2000, while competitors were cutting pay and benefits, Southwests base pay rates increased more than 37 percent, the statement added.

Because Southwest still embraces a bags fly free policy at a time that other legacy carriers are charging travelers bag fees, Puriski and others say that translates into heavier workloads than ever before.

Basically, theyre working us into the ground, he said. A lot of mandatory overtime. When there is mandatory overtime, we dont have a choice to say no. We have to accept it.

Similar informational picketing and leafleting was carried out Wednesday at Burbank, Calif.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; and Phoenix, the union added.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 14. The inauguration ceremony of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has taken place in the parliament (Oliy Majlis) of Uzbekistan, Trend reports.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev solemnly took the oath of office and assumed the position of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. He was presented with the highest insignia and the President's standard.

Chairman of the Central Election Commission Zainiddin Nizamkhodzhayev handed him the certificate of the President of the Republic.

The term of Shavkat Mirziyoyev's presidency, who was re-elected in the presidential elections held on July 9, will last until 2030.

The early presidential elections in Uzbekistan took place on July 9, where Shavkat Mirziyoyev received 87.05 percent of the votes.

The presidential elections held in Uzbekistan on July 9 were the first following the amendments to the constitution based on the results of the referendum held on April 30, 2023.

The constitutional amendments include an extension of the presidential term from 5 to 7 years.
General Motors is telling dealers to halt deliveries of new Colorado and Canyon pickups made in Wentzville because of a wiring defect on the trucks' driver side airbag.

Customers who already bought the new 2015 model year trucks have been contacted by phone and GM sent letters by FedEx notifying them to return the trucks immediately to their dealership.

Only a few dozen of the new midsize pickups have been sold, and a majority of the affected pickups remain on dealer lots, at the Wentzville assembly plant or are on their way to dealerships, GM said in a statement.

"This condition affects the vehicles two-stage airbag system by reversing the deployment sequence and disrupting the deployment timing of the driver airbag stages," GM's statement reads. "This condition will cause the driver airbags to not function as designed."

To fix the problem, dealers will reprogram the truck's inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module. "Once that service procedure is competed on unsold vehicles, they can be released to dealers and customer deliveries can resume," GM said, adding it expects the reprogramming to begin Saturday.

The reprogramming will be done with no charge to customers, and a safety recall will be conducted. The Detroit automaker said it is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the trucks' airbag issues.

GM's Wentzville assembly just added production of the pickups, which are being manufactured at the plant that also builds Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans. GM announced last month that it's adding a third shift at Wentzille in the first quarter of 2015, which will bring the plant's workforce to a record 3,350.

The Colorado and Canyon pickups were redesigned from versions previously made in Shreveport, La., before the assembly plant there closed in 2012.

Also on Friday, GM recalled more than 430,000 Cadillac SRX and Saab 9-4X SUVs primarily in North America that may have improperly tightened rear suspension.

Separately, GM recalled 89,294 Chevrolet Spark minicar in the United States. The Sparks' hoods may open unexpectedly if corrosion causes a secondary latch to not operate correctly, GM said.

In total, GM has issued 71 recalls in 2014, totaling about 30 million vehicles.
WELDON SPRING  Citing decades-old government studies and memos, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said Thursday he is drafting legislation to create a fund to pay for the medical care of the victims of radioactive contamination in the St. Louis metro region.

For 75 years now, the federal government has poisoned the water, the soil and the air of this community and has lied about it over and over. Theyve lied to every member of this community, said Hawley, who estimated that some 80,000 Missourians have been sickened by the contamination that dates back to the 1940s, when St. Louis was a critical production center for the war effort.

Hawley made the announcement at a press conference, attended by other elected officials and activists, at the Weldon Spring Site Interpretative Center, a U.S. Department of Energy-managed site along Highway 94 that features a 41-acre rock-covered disposal cell packed with contaminated waste from munitions production and uranium refining.

Hawley also called for the U.S. Senates Energy Committee to hold hearings on the contamination and for President Joe Biden, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, and other federal officials to tour contaminated sites in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

Hawley, a Republican, said he is working with U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, a Democrat, who plans to introduce similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives in the near future. Both are running for reelection in 2024.

Bush, who could not attend the press conference due to obligations in Washington, issued a statement that said the federal government must not continue to allow our communities to be further collateral damage.

Bush said the federal government must not only issue an apology to Missourians, but must also financially commit to cleaning up the various communities affected by the nuclear waste.

Several state lawmakers organized the press conference in response to new news reports showing the federal government and companies involved in nuclear bomb production and atomic waste storage sites knew of risks to workers and the public early on.

Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, said she believed the hearings proposed by Hawley would be a significant step forward for people seeking accountability.

It doesnt matter if you live in northeast Missouri or southwest Missouri, what has happened here should matter to you. It should matter to you because for 75 years, the federal government has lied to the people of this region and this entire state, Proudie said in an interview after the press conference.

She and Rep. Richard West, R-Wentzville, said there is the potential that the contamination associated with these munitions plants and testing sites could replace the St. Louis County community of Times Beach as the worst contamination site in recent Missouri history. Times Beach was evacuated in 1983 and eventually razed because of dioxin contamination.

Times Beach was a relatively small area, and just here in St. Charles County we are talking about 1,700 acres that the Department of Energy owned at one time. The scale of this is obviously bigger, because there are multiple communities and multiple issues impacted, said West, who along with Rep. Tricia Byrnes, R-Wentzville, and St. Charles County Councilman Joe Brazil are hosting a town hall on Aug. 2 in New Melle focused on concerns over contaminated water, health effects of these sites and future growth in St. Charles County.

The public for so long has been gaslighted by the federal government, that there is a lot of disbelief of the documents that we have. The disbelief is not that the documents we have are false, but the disbelief that the public never knew some of this information, said West, who said he was a little bit optimistic that federal officials will accept Hawleys invitation to tour the region.

Hawley said the federal government should order the Army Corps of Engineers to complete soil testing at every school campus in the region following the ongoing fallout following reports of uranium contamination being found at the now shuttered Jana Elementary School in Florissant.

We need to test every property, every school, every school building all in the area, all of it, said Hawley, who said the levels of contamination cited by a third-party report are not levels of contamination that would not be an act of nature.

It was the federal governments negligence that led to this, and they need to clean it up  all of it, Hawley said.

Proudie predicted that all kinds of hell are going to break loose, if further testing at the regions schools find that for generations we have been sending our children to sites that have been contaminated and that the federal government knew about it.
Canadian doughnut and coffee chain Tim Hortons has finally identified the location of its first restaurant in the St. Louis area: Maplewood.

Tim Hortons announced plans in February to open 40 restaurants in the St. Louis region as part of a larger push over the next few years to grow in the U.S. and globally.

The chain is known for its timbits doughnut holes, and its Boston Cream is its most popular doughnut in the U.S.

Show Me Hospitality, its local franchisee, said its in talks with Maplewood officials to build a free-standing restaurant at the southeast corner of Big Bend Boulevard and Manchester Road. The undeveloped site is next to a CVS pharmacy.

Tina Bryan, vice president of marketing of Show Me Hospitality, said theres no projected opening date yet. Bryan said letters were sent out to residents Friday who live near the site, notifying them of the plans, with information about upcoming public meetings related to the construction.

In recent months, the chain asked residents to weigh in on social media with suggestions on where they should open Tim Hortons.

Tim Hortons, which has more than 4,500 restaurants, laid out an aggressive growth plan earlier this year, saying it planned to open 800 restaurants globally by the end of 2018, including 300 in the U.S. In addition to St. Louis, Tim Hortons said it has signed franchise agreements to expand in Youngstown, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Fargo and Minot, N.D.

In June, Show Me Hospitalitys president Eric Sigurdson told the Post-Dispatch the first local Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake shops would open either in the city of St. Louis or St. Louis County by next spring.

Show Me Hospitality continues to scout sites in the city and county for freestanding restaurants, in addition to kiosks at stadiums, hospitals, universities and corporate campuses.

Big changes already are underway at Tim Hortons. Burger King said in late August that it is buying the chain for $11 billion, creating the worlds third largest fast-food chain.
Todd Schnuck is now the chairman and CEO of Schnuck Markets Inc., the Maryland Heights-based food and pharmacy chain.

Schnuck, 55, succeeds brother Scott Schnuck, who will serve as chairman of the company's executive committee.

Anthony T. Hucker, 48, who joined Schnucks in September 2013, is now president and chief operating officer. Hucker becomes the first non-family member to hold this office.

Todd Schnuck, a grandson of the founders of Schnuck Markets, earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Virginia in 1981 and an MBA from Cornell University in 1983. He joined Schnucks full time in 1987 from his position as associate vice president/investment banking with A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. in St. Louis. He had a lead role in the acquisitions of several grocery companies, including National in 1995, Logli in 1998, and Seessels in 2002.

He serves on the boards of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (executive committee finance chair), United Way, Fair St. Louis Foundation and Urban League of St. Louis (past chairman).

He also serves on the University of Virginias Jefferson Scholars Foundation Board.

Family-owned Schnuck Markets, which is marking its 75th anniversary, has 98 stores in five states.
NEW YORK  A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court order that had sharply limited certain Biden administration officials and agencies contacts with social media companies.

The ruling from the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that the administration is not bound, for now, by a July 6 order by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe, Louisiana. Doughty had found that officials efforts to limit the spread of posts they considered to be misinformation on social media violated the right to free speech under the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment.

The 5th Circuit on Friday ruled that the administrations appeal of Doughtys order will be heard as soon as possible by a three-judge panel. That panel, which has not yet been assigned, will decide whether to keep the order on hold or allow it to go into effect while it decides the case.

Doughtys order itself was a temporary injunction, meant to remain in place while the judge considers the case more fully. It came in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri and by several individuals including Jim Hoft, publisher of the Gateway Pundit, a St. Louis-based right-wing conspiracy website.

They alleged that U.S. government officials, under both Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor Donald Trump, effectively coerced social media companies to censor posts over concerns they would fuel vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections.

The social media companies mentioned in the lawsuit include Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc., Twitter and Alphabets YouTube.

Doughtys order barred government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI from talking to social media companies for the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech under the First Amendment, with narrow exceptions.

U.S. officials have said they were aiming to tamp down on misinformation about COVID vaccines to curb preventable deaths. They have also said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit no longer face any harm because those efforts ended more than a year ago.

The Biden administration in seeking an emergency stay said Doughtys order raises grave separation-of-powers concerns by putting the judicial branch of government in the untenable position of superintending the executive branchs communications.

Legal experts have said Doughtys order will likely face tough scrutiny on appeal, thanks to its breadth and the lack of clear precedents supporting it.
NICOSIA, Cyprus  New discoveries including gold ornaments and fine pottery at an ancient port city in Cyprus dating back more than 3,000 years indicate that the settlement was one of the Mediterraneans most important trading posts in the late Bronze Age, an archeologist says.

Professor Peter M. Fischer from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said the city now known as Hala Sultan Tekke because of its proximity to a famous mosque flourished in 1,630-1,150 B.C. because of its trade in the most sought after product at that time  plentiful copper mined from the Troodos mountain range. Some theorize that Cyprus got its name from copper because of its ancient trade in the metal.

Fischer said Tuesday that along with Mycenaean pottery, the Cypriot variety was the most popular on the intercultural market of the time, reaching as far as modern-day Spain, Iraq, Turkey and Sudan.

Fischer, who concluded excavations at the site this year, said evidence now suggests the great importance of the ancient city, rivaling the majesty of Enkomi, considered the most important Bronze Age Cypriot city because of its unique layout.

He suggested that more fascinating discoveries could be in store at the Hala Sultan Tekke site because maybe only 10% has been exposed, with recent georadar and magnetometer surveys showing large building complexes 3-7 feet below the surface.

The numerous finds of gold, most likely imported from Egypt but showing mainly Minoan motifs, demonstrate that the Egyptians received copper in exchange and that the contact with the Minoan-Mycenaean cultures was intense, Fischer said in an email.

Maria Iakovou, a professor of archaeology at the University of Cyprus who was not involved in the research, said the new excavations bolster Fischer's assessment of the significance of the Hala Sultan Tekke site.

I can confirm that the interpretations provided by Peter F. based on the richness of the material data from the excavations at HST are valid and well known to all of us working on the late Bronze Age of Cyprus and the Mediterranean, Iakovou told The Associated Press.

Cyprus Antiquities Department said other discovered objects include sophisticated jewelry, daggers, knives, spearheads and a mirror of bronze. It said several items of ivory and tin-glazed pottery had been imported from Egypt during the 18th dynasty, the time of Pharaohs Thutmose III and Eknaton and his wife Nefertiti.

Another find was Nuragic pottery from Sardinia which showed it had also traded with Cypriots for copper.

Family tombs containing everyday objects that the deceased could use in the afterlife as well as items of luxury to show their wealth were also discovered. Fischer said preliminary results of DNA testing of the bones confirmed the multiculturality of the citys inhabitants.

Other discoveries included semiprecious stones such as amber from the Baltics and lapis lazuli and carnelian from Mesopotamia and the northern Levant, according to Fischer.

Fischer said the discoveries confirm that the late Bronze Age was the first international period in the Mediterranean.

Its unclear why the city was abandoned by 1,150 B.C., but Fischer said the rise of nomadic sea peoples may have contributed to the citys downfall, in combination with a worsening climate and possibly epidemic diseases. The nearby port city of Kition, founded around 1,300 B.C., picked up the mantle from Hala Sultan Tekke.

50 fascinating cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world 50 fascinating cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt Machu Picchu, Peru Hierapolis, Pamukkale, Turkey Spis Castle, Slovakia Potala Palace in Tibet Petra, Jordan Ksar of Ait Benhaddou, Morocco Chefchaouen, Morocco Pompeii, Italy Meteora, Greece Piazza San Pietro in Vatican City Stonehenge, England Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya, Thailand Mausoleum of First Qin Emperor China Teotihuacan, Mexico Bryggen, Bergen, Norway Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France Hawa Mahal Palace, Jaipur City, India Meroe Pyramids, Kabushiya, Sudan Djenne, Mali, West Africa Amarbayasgalant Monastery, Mongolia Kathmandu Valley, Nepal Great Wall, China La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain Palmyra, Syria Kew Gardens, London England Sintra, Portugal Honghe Hani Rice Terraces Bete Giyorgis, Lalibela, Ethiopia Masada, Israel Skellig Michael, Ireland Douro Valley, Portugal Palpa Geoglyphs, Peru Bamiyan Buddhas, Afghanistan Borobudur Temple, Indonesia Hohensalzburg Castle, Salzburg, Austria Khiva, Uzbekistan Kizhi Pogost, Kizhi Island, Russia Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, USA Old City Prague, Czech Republic Cappadocia, Turkey Thingvellir, Iceland Struve Arc Triangulation Point, Hammerfest, Norway Eiffel Tower, Paris, France Taos Pueblo, New Mexico Alberobello, Puglia, Italy Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, Miyajima, Hiroshima Our Lady of the Rocks, Kotor Bay, Montenegro Venice, Italy Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Millions in the United States and around the world are seeking refuge from the scorching sun as climate change, a strong El Nino and summer in the Northern Hemisphere converge, toppling temperature records, driving workers indoors and proving deadly for many. Scientists warn that people will suffer through sizzling temperatures throughout the summer, and for years to come, as the humans spew planet-warming gases into the atmosphere.
WASHINGTON  Consumers across most of America will see their health insurance premiums go up next year for popular plans under President Barack Obama's health care law.

But it will take time for families to figure out the best bang for their budgets  even as a bigger political battle brews over the program's future.

For many people, government subsidies will cushion the hit. And there's a new factor: Returning customers who are savvy about health insurance and prepared to shop for a better deal.

Scott Joens of St. George, Utah, said he and his wife are facing premium increases of about 18 percent for 2015. But instead of agonizing, he's looking for a plan with a higher deductible, which is the amount of medical expenses that consumers are responsible for each year before insurance kicks in. By switching, he could lower his monthly premiums.

Joens, in his 50s and semi-retired from the pharmacy business, said he'll worry if the trend keeps going.

"It's not a major hardship," he said. "But I still have some years until I am on Medicare. My worry is by the time I'm 65, who knows where this will be?" Overall, he said he's been very satisfied with his "gold" plan this year.

Experts say numbers alone don't tell the story.

"How all this shakes out will depend on one big wild card," said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "Will current enrollees become savvy shoppers or just sit back and stay in their current plans? This is a new program with no precedent, so there's no way to predict exactly what will happen."

In a departure from the process that officials followed last year, the administration has not released its own analysis of 2015 premiums. Instead, it published raw data, leaving it to independent experts to parse the numbers.

What they are finding points to an overall trend of rising premiums, although not everywhere.

The analysts have focused on "silver" plans, the coverage level picked by about two-thirds of the customers on HealthCare.gov and state-run health insurance markets. There are four levels  platinum, gold, silver and bronze. Silver is a notch below what most people with employer coverage have.

A study from the market analysis firm Avalere Health found that premiums for the lowest-cost silver plan will go up by 10 percent on average in communities across the country.

A Kaiser Foundation study took a different approach, focusing on premiums for the second-lowest-cost silver plan in every county. That type of plan is a benchmark that the government uses as a basis for setting consumer premium subsidies for the entire program.

Kaiser found that premiums for the second-lowest-cost silver plan are going up in 59 percent of counties nationwide, down in 34 percent, and remaining flat in 7 percent. Eighteen percent of counties will see an increase of more than 10 percent. At the other end of the spectrum, 13 percent of counties will see a decrease of more than 10 percent.

If you are currently in the second-lowest-cost silver plan in your community, there's no guarantee that will be the case for 2015. Another insurer may have bid lower and captured the designation. People who don't shop around could face significant price increases.

The rise isn't too far out of line with what's happening to employer-sponsored plans, which cover about 150 million people and make up the biggest chunk of the health-insurance market. Costs in those plans, which usually are more restrained than prices in the individual market, are expected to rise about 4.6 percent on average next year, according to a recent survey from benefits consultant Mercer.

Still, Levitt said many consumers will have the opportunity to find a lower-cost plan.

"In some places, premiums are actually going down, which is almost unheard of in health insurance," he said.

That's what Robert Glenn of Charleston, South Carolina, found when he started looking around. The premium for his current gold plan actually dropped by $17 for 2015. Nonetheless, Glenn re-evaluated his options, figuring he would save more next year by picking a middle-of-the-road silver plan instead. His new monthly premium will be $104 less than what he is currently paying.

"I see the forces of capitalism and competition working this year," said Glenn, a psychiatrist in his early 30s who's an independent contractor. "I know I am just but one of millions of people affected ... but 'Obamacare' is working for me."

Kaiser's analysis found wide differences from state to state, and even within states. Some of the steepest premium increases for benchmark plans are for counties in Alaska and Minnesota. Most counties in Georgia will see decreases. Premiums are trending up in Florida and Texas, prime targets of the administration's enrollment drive for 2015.

Stephanie Baechle, a nanny from Columbia, Mo., says she's not happy. Although she's in her 20s  a desirable demographic for insurers market forces seem to be pushing more costs at her.

Her current plan is being canceled. The alternative she's being offered costs $15 a month more, and the copay is higher. On top of that, her doctor is not in the new plan.

"As a supporter of the Affordable Care Act, I am extremely disappointed in what is happening," said Baechle, who said she's considering not signing up for insurance and instead paying the fine levied against those who go uncovered.
WASHINGTON  The government's own watchdogs tried to hack into HealthCare.gov earlier this year and found what they termed a critical vulnerability  but also came away with respect for some of the health insurance site's security features.

Those are among the conclusions of a report being released Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Department inspector general, who focuses on health care fraud.

The report amounts to a mixed review for the federal website that serves as the portal to taxpayer-subsidized health plans for millions of Americans. Open enrollment season starts Nov. 15.

So-called "white hat" or ethical hackers from the inspector general's office found a weakness, but when they attempted to exploit it like a malicious hacker would, they were blocked by the system's defenses.

It's the second independent security assessment in as many weeks to find problems, and it comes on the heels of the massive breach at Home Depot stores, which affected 56 million credit and debit cards.

The public version of the report is a condensed, heavily edited summary of detailed findings delivered to the Obama administration.

It concludes that more work needs to be done to bolster security. Last week, the congressional Government Accountability Office released similar conclusions after its own review.

The inspector general found that the administration "has taken actions to lower the security risks associated with HealthCare.gov systems and consumer (personal information)."

But the auditors said they "remain concerned" about the use of encryption technology that is not certified to meet certain government standards. Encryption refers to the encoding of data traveling back and forth between consumers and HealthCare.gov to make it more secure.

In its formal response to the findings, the administration said it has taken other actions to resolve the encryption issue.

The inspector general's office tried to break into HealthCare.gov in April and May, using a standard technique called "vulnerability scanning."

"Scanners simulate an outside malicious attack on the system and may identify ... vulnerabilities that could put a system's security at risk," the report explained. "Scanners use the same techniques as hackers, so the scanners test the security from an outside perspective."

HHS itself also runs similar scans regularly, part of its own security program.

The hackers from the inspector general's office found one "critical" vulnerability during their security scans of the website, described as a flaw that would let an attacker take over the system and execute commands, or download and modify information.

But the office said that when its technical experts attempted to mimic what a malicious hacker might try next, they were blocked by the system's defenses.

Separately, the review also found two critical vulnerabilities in databases that support the website.

Specific descriptions of the flaws were not released, but apparently none has been exploited by hackers. "Not all vulnerabilities lead to security breaches," the report said.

HealthCare.gov serves 36 states, while the remaining states run their own enrollment websites.

The federal site had numerous technical problems when it was launched last fall and for weeks it was unworkable for most consumers. At the time, technical experts within HHS were concerned that full security testing could not be completed because the system was undergoing so many last-minute changes.

Nonetheless, at the time Medicare administrator Marilyn Tavenner issued a six-month security authorization for the site, keyed to an action plan for reducing risks.

HealthCare.gov was hacked this summer, but the administration said no consumer information was stolen. Instead, hackers installed malicious software that could have been used to launch an attack on other websites.

"We have not had any malicious attacks on the site that have resulted in personal identification being stolen," Tavenner told Congress last week.

The inspector general's office also probed security for two state-run health care websites, the Kentucky exchange and New Mexico's small-business portal.

It found that Kentucky, seen as a national model, sufficiently protected consumers' personal information. But there were some weaknesses in who had access to the system.

"White-hat" hacking of New Mexico's site revealed 64 vulnerabilities.

The office said it will keep monitoring security on HealthCare.gov and state sites.
A Missouri consumer advocacy group is suing the federal government in an attempt to force the public disclosure of health insurance rate information ahead of the upcoming enrollment period.

The Consumers Council of Missouri said it filed the lawsuit late Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis after its Freedom of Information Act request for the rate filings was denied by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The council said it is looking for information about pricing and insurers reasons for raising or lowering rates.

It seems to be the only way we are going to have a chance to get this information, said Joan Bray, the councils executive director and a former Democratic Missouri state senator.

The consumer group says the Affordable Care Act requires federal officials to make rate information public so consumers have the chance to challenge the price of health insurance before online shopping begins on Nov. 15.

For many states, that role can be performed by state insurance regulators who have the ability to review an insurers proposed prices for health plans.

But Missouris insurance department has no such authority, leaving the federal government as the only entity  other than the insurers themselves  with access to rate information before the plans are sold.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the division of the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) that runs the online marketplace, has yet to release any information about proposed rates or the identity of the insurers who have applied to sell on the Missouri marketplace.

A spokesman, asked about the Missouri lawsuit, told the Post-Dispatch that it plans to release the information but did not say how soon.

We are readying the rate change information. The department is committed to providing consumers accurate information so they can make informed decisions, and therefore, before the beginning of open enrollment, the agency will publish final insurance rates for all 50 states, HHS spokesman Ben Wakana said in a statement late Wednesday.

Jay Angoff, the attorney filing the lawsuit on behalf of the consumer group and a former Missouri insurance commissioner, said it could be some time before a judge considers the case. With open enrollment starting in about six weeks, there may not be enough time for a court ruling before people begin signing up for plans, he acknowledged.

But Angoff said he hoped the lawsuit would send a message that federal officials should be more transparent about rate information.

Tim McBride, a health policy professor at Washington University, said he thinks it would be better to have more rate information available but that insurance shoppers will have enough time to carefully consider their options during the four-month enrollment period.

People need to know a lot of information to make decisions as to why rates are going up or down and the rationale behind it, he said.

McBride added that federal officials and insurers could be keeping pricing information quiet for competitive reasons.

The lawsuit underscores the increasing importance of rate review as more and more Americans sign up for health insurance coverage using HealthCare.gov, the online marketplace.

Because Missouri is one of the few states that doesnt review health insurance rates, many customers will learn about pricing and benefit options on Nov. 15 when the next enrollment begins.

Many wont know which companies will be offering plans in their areas.

The two insurers who sold plans last year  Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri and Coventry Healthcare  are expected to continue offering coverage, and two additional companies have publicly announced they plan to join the fold this year.

But there is no way to tell if other companies are preparing to offer plans or if an insurer will be offering coverage in all parts of the state.

Bray said the lack of information puts Missourians at a disadvantage compared to residents of other states where insurance information is available before the start of enrollment.

I dont believe Missourians should be second-class citizens under the Affordable Care Act, she said.

Andrea Routh, the executive director of the Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance, called the lawsuit good news for Missouri consumers.

Part of the premise around the Affordable Care Act is we are going to empower consumers to make good purchasing decisions, she said. To do that they have got to be able to see the rate and have somebody asking questions about them.

This report was prepared in collaboration with Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. The development of the transport sector is becoming increasingly important in the current times. Transport routes have recently become more important due to the introduction of restrictive measures and the emergence of new opportunities.

The geographical position of Azerbaijan provides additional prospects for the development of this industry. A systematic policy is already being implemented in the country to modernize the infrastructure.

However, the increased volume of cargo transportation requires further development of transport routes and the creation of production sites for business and investment. Azerbaijan provides assistance to neighboring countries in solving such transport problems.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted in his speech at the meeting dedicated to the socio-economic results of the first half of this year the growing importance of the transport sector, measures promoting the opening of new transport routes, and the favorable geographical position of Azerbaijan.

"Regarding our duties in other areas, I can say that the importance of the transport sector has been growing, especially recently. Because some restrictive measures have led to the opening of new transport routes, and Azerbaijans favorable geographical situation certainly creates additional opportunities for us. As you know, we have been pursuing a consistent policy for the development of the transport sector for many years. We have completely modernized the entire infrastructure in our territory in accordance with the requirements of the earlier period. But today the demand has further increased. Because the cargo is increasing, whilst transport routes are limited, as I mentioned. An increase in cargo transportation from North to South and the other way round, from East to West and vice versa is obvious. Here too, Azerbaijan acts as a very reliable partner, is in close contact with its neighbors and does not spare help in solving the transport problems of the neighbors. At the same time, this area is one of our priority areas," President Ilham Aliyev said.

"If we look at the history of the formation of transport networks in the South Caucasus region, we can easily see that territory of Azerbaijan has played a communicative role since ancient times," Doctor of Philosophy in Economics Ilgar Velizade told Trend.

"Azerbaijan is trying not only to play the role of a transit country, but also to create production sites on its territory in order to ensure the integration of its economy into the system of regional and international economic relations, and also to form clusters for the development of production centers on its territory, using a high degree of communication," he said.

The creation of the Alat Free Economic Zone and the corresponding industrial parks contributes to the development of the non-oil sector of the Azerbaijani economy and the formation of the basis for the development of industrial production with the participation of international foreign funding, he added.

Velizade noted that transport components are important parts of the infrastructure necessary for business development.

"It is no coincidence that Azerbaijan, along with major land transport projects, is implementing a large-scale program for the construction of international airports, which increases the accessibility of our region for foreign investors and tourists. This is the basis for the development of business and foreign economic relations of Azerbaijan," Velizade said. Therefore, on the territory of the Karabakh Economic Region and the East Zangazur Economic Region, the formation of a transport network makes it possible to use the economic potential of these regions most effectively and attract international investors here."

President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan has recently managed to expand its transport capabilities beyond its borders.

I should also note that we were recently able to expand our transportation capabilities beyond our borders, first of all, in the Black Sea. Three large tankers have been purchased, each with a capacity of 115,000 tons. This is the first time in the history of Azerbaijan and that was done on my instruction. Tankers were named Shusha, Karabagh and Zangezur. Transportation of Azerbaijani goods by an Azerbaijani company will bring us additional revenues, and we are already present in the Black Sea. We were already there anyway. We had small ships, but today three of our largest tankers, Afromax tankers, are already operating in the Black Sea. If necessary, we can increase their number," President Ilham Aliyev said.

Velizade pointed out that Azerbaijan is one of the initiators of the creation of the Caspian Sea - Black Sea corridor projects.

"Azerbaijani vessels operate and are used in the Black Sea transportation. The purchase of these vessels will increase the volume of traffic and become a more effective communicator between countries and regions. This allows Azerbaijan to effectively use its transport and logistics capabilities, earn additional funds for economic development," Velizade added.

This is very important, because the next step may be the presence of the Azerbaijani fleet not only in the Black Sea, but also in the Mediterranean Sea, which will allow the country to become an active participant in cargo transportation," he said.

According to economist Emin Garibli, the importance of the routes passing through Azerbaijan is increasing every year. He noted that investing in the transport sector, the use of new technologies will bring even greater interest in the country's free economic zones.

"It is necessary to increase the number of free economic zones and advantages that are used in them today in order to attract investment and increase competitiveness," Garibli said.

The development of transport infrastructure and the expansion of transport opportunities are important priorities for Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan strives to become not only a transit platform, but also actively develop production facilities and attract investment. The expansion of the tanker fleet in the Black Sea and the revision of shipbuilding capabilities in the Caspian Sea allow Azerbaijan to significantly increase cargo transportation and strengthen its presence in the region.

Moreover, the adoption of strategic decisions on time, such as the establishment of a shipyard and the expansion of the possibilities of a commercial port, contribute to strengthening Azerbaijan's position in international transport flows.

The upcoming negotiations and cooperation with partner countries will increase the volume of cargo transportation through Azerbaijan, contributing to the prosperity of regional and international business.
WASHINGTON  Opponents of Obamacare on Monday asked that an appeals court case on the Affordable Care Act be delayed because the Supreme Court is stepping into a separate case covering the same legal ground.

In a court filing, the opponents said there is no reason to consume the resources associated with a hearing of the entire U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit when the Supreme Court is poised to decide the same issue on virtually the same timeline.

The Supreme Court case probably will be argued the first week in March, with a decision expected by late June on the issue of subsidies that help millions of low- and middle-income people afford their health insurance premiums. The Supreme Court ruling will directly impact the appeals court case.

In July, the Richmond, Virginia-based appeals court upheld Internal Revenue Service regulations that allow health-insurance tax credits under the law for consumers in all 50 states.

On that same July day, a panel of appellate judges in the District of Columbia, sided with the challengers in striking down the IRS regulations. The Washington court held that under the law, financial aid can be provided only in states that have set up their own exchanges.

In October, the entire Washington appeals court voted to rehear the case and threw out the panel's ruling.
WASHINGTON  The United States confirmed steep import duties on solar products from China and Taiwan on Tuesday in a decision which may inflame trade tensions between the two countries.

Anti-dumping duties for Chinese goods were set as high as 165.04 percent as the U.S. arm of German solar manufacturer SolarWorld AG seeks to close a loophole which allowed Chinese producers to sidestep duties imposed in 2012.

Taiwanese producers face anti-dumping duties as high as 27.55 percent, according to the final Commerce decision, which raised rates for some companies but lowered them for others. Producers in China face separate anti-subsidy duties.

The decision, which will affect companies including China's Trina Solar Ltd. and Suntech Power and Taiwan's Motech Industries Inc., may sour the mood at annual U.S.-China trade talks in Chicago, which started on Tuesday.

The handling of excess capacity in the solar industry is one issue on the agenda.

In August, China suspended imports of polysilicon, a raw material used in solar panels, in reaction to surging imports from the United States and other countries.

Solar manufacturers have recovered over the last two years from a battering caused by an influx of products from China and a reduction in European subsidies as solar markets in the United States, Japan and China have surged and producers went out of business or reduced output.

U.S. imports of solar products from China were worth $1.5 billion in 2013, half the level of 2011, while imports from Taiwan more than doubled to $657 million over the period, according to Commerce data.

Many solar panel installers, who benefit from cheap imports, have said the duties will hurt consumer demand for renewable energy by driving up prices and making green power less competitive with electricity generated by fossil fuels.

The duties must still be confirmed by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The ITC will make its final decision by Jan. 29.

Additional reporting by Nicola Groom in Los Angeles.
The pandemic is over, but some of the public-policy questions it raised still linger like a case of long COVID. Chief among those questions is whether local health officials have the authority to implement public health restrictions during pandemic emergencies. A related question is whether local governments have the authority to defend their legal rights to protect their own residents when the Missouri attorney generals office refuses to.

Missouris Supreme Court is considering a case relevant to both questions. It should be allowed to play out, despite the efforts of Attorney General Andrew Bailey and his predecessor in that office, Eric Schmitt, to leave these important questions unanswered.

The case stems from Schmitts campaign to harass local governments and schools over their pandemic policies when he was attorney general. Armed with anti-scientific arguments against masking and distancing  and eyeing a U.S. Senate seat that he would eventually win by appealing to the Republican bases opposition to responsible health policies  Schmitt used his office to make life more dangerous for his constituents during a once-in-a-lifetime plague.

As part of that cynical campaign, Schmitt chose not to do his job when a court ruled against the state in a lawsuit brought by residents and businesses against the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The ruling struck down the ability of state and local health officials to impose responsible restrictions limiting the spread of the virus.

Though a state appeal of such a ruling against a state agency would normally be routine, Schmitt chose to let it stand, then used it as justification to send threatening cease-and-desist letters to school districts with masking policies, even though the ruling didnt apply to elected bodies such as school boards.

St. Louis County and other counties asked the court for permission to join the case so they could appeal in defense of health regulations, because Schmitt refused to. The lower courts denied the request. The county is now asking the state Supreme Court to allow it. The attorney generals office  while still refusing to appeal the lower-court rulings and defend a state agency, as is its duty  is opposing the counties efforts to do so.

While the case before the court now is technically about jurisdiction and legal standing, its ultimately about the ability of local governments to protect their residents during public health emergencies. The opposition by Schmitt and now Bailey  both members of a political party that used to pride itself on defending the concept of local control of governmental decisions  is ironic but not unusual in an era when once-core GOP principles have become entirely situational.

St. Louis County and other counties involved in the effort argue that the courts ruling stripping health officials of authority created chaos during the pandemic emergency because local governments were suddenly unsure what regulations they could legally impose and how. The time to answer those questions is now, not in the midst of the next public health crisis. The court should allow the case to go forward.
Regarding NATO unity will be tested at upcoming summit. Ukraines possible entry may be the biggest challenge. (July 9): Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asserted on many occasions his countrys desire to join NATO. This is understandable because, as a member of NATO, an attack against one member would require all of its members to unite against any possible foe  in this case, against Russia.

Such action, Im afraid, would ignite World War III, as Russia might be forced to use nuclear weapons to counter the forces of NATO, which currently consists of 31 members.

The result might lead to Armageddon, the end of the world as we know it, since NATO would then be forced to counter with its own nuclear arsenal.

Currently, Ukraine is holding its own against Russias evil forces, and is making clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin has involved his country in an unwinnable war. Hopefully, he will eventually come to the table and negotiate a truce between the two countries. Until then, the U.S. and its allies should continue to furnish Ukraine with its most advanced conventional weapons.

Gene Carton  Clayton
ATLANTIC CITY  A coordinated effort between the city and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will result in a reduction in the number of rooming houses in the Tourism District.

Fourteen rooming houses  multi-tenant dwellings with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities  are either pending conversion or have already transitioned into duplexes, apartments or hotels. The use variances for these properties will reduce the number of licensed rooming houses in Atlantic City to 28, city records show.

CRDA and city officials said the changes are the result of increased code enforcement for rooming houses combined with stricter adherence to permitted land uses in the Tourism District, which includes the Boardwalk, casinos and much of the downtown commercial area.

The rooming house operators who are converting their properties into other commercial uses are doing so voluntarily, officials said.

This is a step in the right direction to improve the living conditions and quality of life of those neighborhoods, said Council President Marty Small Sr. We look forward to  property by property  bringing everyone in line and providing a better housing stock for residents in Atlantic City.

The CRDA has zoning and land use authority over the Tourism District.

We are pleased to see that the work with Atlantic City Code Enforcement is beginning to pay off in reducing the number of rooming houses in Atlantic City, said Matt Doherty, executive director of the CRDA.

Even with the reduction in numbers, Atlantic Citys rooming house situation is not in compliance with state or local regulations. The state Rooming and Boarding House Act  which the citys regulations mirror  prohibits the number of people living in rooming homes to exceed 1% of a municipalitys total population and bans operators from being within 1,000 feet of each other.

City officials estimate 600 to 700 people live in a rooming house. Based on 2018 population estimates, there should only be about 385 people living in rooming homes.

Clusters of rooming houses are scattered throughout the Tourism District, in clear violation of the 1,000-foot rule.

Proposed or completed conversions of rooming houses on Florida, Ocean and Tennessee avenues will alleviate some of those violations.

Sixth Ward Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who chairs City Councils licensing and inspection committee, said efforts to address these issues began several years ago but have only now produced results.

This is really the fruit of what has been a focused effort for, now spanning, a couple of years to try and do something, which most people said was impossible, Kurtz said.

Both Small and Kurtz said rooming houses are a necessary element of affordable housing in an urban environment. But both officials said Atlantic Citys rooming houses are a drain on resources, particularly when it comes to public safety and emergency responses.

In 2018, the Atlantic City Police Department responded to more than 800 calls for service to rooming houses, for issues ranging from excessive noise and loitering to violence and drug activity.

But even more than getting a nuisance issue to a more manageable level, city officials said the conversion of rooming houses to duplexes, hotels or apartments will enhance the aesthetics, perception and desirability of several neighborhoods. With rooming house operators transforming their properties into more commercially viable enterprises, officials believe it can benefit both the property owners and the city.

Small, who chairs councils revenue and finance committee, said following the citywide tax reassessment (scheduled to begin this year and be completed by 2020), several of the converted rooming houses could help increase the ratable base and offset several years of declining revenue.

I think by taking a more balanced and forceful approach to enforcement, where operators and owners know that laws are going to be enforced, the owners are either going to improve the quality of the home and how people are bedded as tenants, or theyre going to (pursue other business opportunities), Kurtz said.

The joint effort between city code enforcement, led by Dale Finch, director of the citys licensing and inspection department, and CRDA should serve as a model of how Atlantic City can tackle other quality-of-life issues, Kurtz said.

The Mayors Office declined to make Finch available for comment.

This is a perfect example of leadership being shown at the local level to point a very clear direction toward a problem, namely the over-concentration of rooming houses, and the state coming in with the local leadership and making things possible that we couldnt do on our own, Kurtz said. This should be a new way of doing government business, where its year-round, its focused, its fair, its clear, its evenly handled and its not done in bits and spurts.

Small said this type of joint effort cannot be a one-time thing if Atlantic City is to continue on a path toward revitalization.

This is a great accomplishment, Small said. (But) we cant be one-and-done. We cant let our guard down.
After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, there were a lot of ethnic Russians living outside what is now Russia. These expatriate Russians tended to live in Russian communities in these non-Slavic nations and never had to learn the local language. Ambitious locals learned Russian and used their bi-lingual abilities to work with their local Russian overlords. After 1991 these Russians found themselves living in a foreign country. Some still had jobs, usually in technical or professional fields where there were few locals trained to do the job. This often meant the expatriate Russians spoke the local language and were familiar with local customs. This often led to marriages between Russians and locals and the new couple often lost any desire to return to Russia. This was particularly the case as Russia became more aggressive with neighbors while suffering economic decline internally. Until 1991, Russia was considered the vibrant center of a Russian empire. That empire dissolved in 1991 and half the population chose to go their own way in one of 14 new nations. The ethnic Russians who remained in these new non-Russian nations began to shed their Russian identity and many links with mother Russia''. This was easier to handle in post-1991 states that were closer to Europe. Those in the east had fewer ties to the West and were feeling the growing economic and cultural influence of China.

Meanwhile, it took the post-1991 Russian Federation (as Russia is officially known) about a decade to develop nostalgia for the good old days of the Soviet Union and particularly its empire. Eventually Russian leaders realized that this nostalgia could be used as a powerful foreign relations tool. For example, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has, since the 1990s, called for the rebuilding of the pre-1991 Russian Empire. These calls became especially strong among Russian leaders in the last decade. For most people living in Russia and new nations that used to be part of Russia, there was less enthusiasm for the return of the empire.

Opinion surveys and migration patterns indicated a mixed attitude towards the old Russian Empire. The big problem was that half the people in the old empire were not Slavs although ethnic Russians were the majority among the half that was Slavic. The problem was that despite centuries of living in the same country, be it Czarist Russia or the Soviet Union, all these different ethnic groups never developed much affection or tolerance for each other. Most ethnic Russians living in non-Slav parts of the Empire, especially Central Asia and the Caucasus, returned to Russia after 1991. Most of those who stayed in non-Russian areas did so for economic reasons. That was also why non-Russians stayed in Russia, because what is now Russia is where the most economic opportunities always were. That wealthier and better educated population was a major reason Russia conquered all those other countries. But in the end (1991) the conquered, as is usually the case, never got used to the conquest and did not want the conquerors back.

Theres also the racism factor. For example, about 40 percent of ethnic Russians thought other Slavs (like Ukrainians or Byelorussians) were capable of becoming Russians if they lived in Russia for a few years and switched their loyalty to Russia. But less than ten percent thought peoples from the Caucasus or Central Asia were capable of that. This xenophobia (fear of outsiders) is nothing new for Russia. For 70 years the communists sought to eliminate this trait but only managed to suppress it and delude themselves into thinking it was gone. This is a common pattern in communist countries and throughout East Europe. Xenophobia returned in the 1990s because of the collapse of the communist governments in 1989. It was worst in the Balkans, where civil war erupted as the communist police state collapsed and optimists hoped for a democratic Yugoslavia. While that had long been a cherished goal in the region, it was not to be. Several years of vicious fighting between Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, and Albanians followed and was not halted until 1999. The Caucasus also erupted and unlike Yugoslavia, a NATO peacekeeping force was not available to fix things there. In the Caucasus the usual Russian application of carrot (bribes) and stick (violent suppression) did not work either. Eventually (1999) Russia had to reinvade parts of the Caucasus (especially Chechnya) to restore order.

Meanwhile, there has been a major ethnic shift in the Caucasus. Russians, and other people not native to the Caucasus, are still being driven out of the region by terrorism, corruption, and a bad attitude towards outsiders. Its been worse in Chechnya, where Russians comprised 25 percent of the population in 1989, but eventually shrank to less than 2 percent. The decline has not been as great in the rest of the Caucasus but it has been massive, with more than half the Russians who were living in the Caucasus having left by 2011. Actually, this trend began in the 1950s, right after tyrant Josef Stalin died in 1953 and Russia began to trim the power of the secret police. The departure of ethnic Russians from the Caucasus simply accelerated after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. In Central Asia about half the nearly ten million ethnic Russians living there in 1991 have left.

The 2014 Russian operation to take the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine had a bracing effect on the other countries that, until 1991, were part of the ancient Russian Empire. The Crimean operation was the second such land grab Russia had undertaken since 2008. The first was against tiny Georgia. Many of these former Russian subjects feel that the Russians are trying to get their empire back. Ask many Russians that question and most agree that it would be a nice thing. Some Russians are more outspoken and bluntly call for the empire to be reassembled no matter what.

In reaction to this, the forlorn fourteen nations that were part of the Soviet Union until 1991, as well as many East European states that were subject to Russian control from the end of World War II to 1989, have become very nervous. Poland is particularly agitated because large parts of Poland were part of the Russian Empire for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. Same deal with Finland, which broke away after World War I and had to fight off a Russian invasion in 1940 and many threats since then to stay independent. That makes the forlorn fourteen the scared sixteen. All of these nations have noted what happened to Georgia and Ukraine with great trepidation and are responding in expected, and unexpected ways.

The fourteen former Russian imperial possessions that regained their independence are the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the five Stans of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). Poland, the Baltic States and Finland escaped from the empire after World War I but only Finland managed to stay free through World War II. The Baltic States were retaken during World War II and Poland remained nominally independent but was occupied by Russian troops (and took orders from Russia) until 1989.

Poland and the Baltic States managed to join NATO after the Cold War ended and are hoping that the mutual defense terms of the NATO alliance will dissuade Russia. All four, plus Finland, have increased their military readiness since 2014 and sought assurances from the West that they will have help against Russia. Many Finns have called for Finland to join NATO, but a large minority has opposed this because of the fear it would anger the Russians. That attitude changed after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Now more Finns believe that NATO membership is preferable to trusting Russia to always behave. Even Sweden, never part of the Russian empire and successfully neutral since the early 19th century, sought to join NATO for protection from an increasingly aggressive Russia.

The Stans of Central Asia have another option; China. The Stans have been very receptive to Chinese diplomatic and economic cooperation. This bothers Russia, but not to the extent that threats are being made, as was the case with the former imperial provinces to the west. The Stans also have a problem with never having been democracies. When the Russians conquered them in the 19th century, the local governments were monarchies or tribes. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, their formerly Soviet leaders held elections and manipulated the vote to get themselves elected "president for life." But many people in the Stans want clean government and democracy, as well as continued independence from Russia. China is no help with that because the Chinese prefer dictators.

In the Caucasus Georgia still seeks closer ties with the West. Armenia, because of disputes with Azerbaijan and long-term fear of Turkey remains a close ally of Russia. Azerbaijan maintains good relations with Russia mainly because Iran claims Azerbaijan as a lost province (stolen by Russia in the 19th century).

Russia is quite open about wanting to rebuild the old Tsarist Empire that the communists managed to lose in 1991 when the Soviet Union came apart and half the population of that empire went off and formed 14 new countries (or reconstituted old ones the Russians had conquered). Russia is proposing things like customs unions, military cooperation and rebuilding the old Soviet air defense system that used to defend everyone in the empire. Theres been some progress, but most of the 14 nations want nothing to do with Russia.

Meanwhile Russia has to face the fact that, when the Soviet Union broke up, half its population enthusiastically chose the 14 new countries and most of those people were quite pleased with the demise of the Soviet Union. If you asked all citizens of the former Soviet Union what they thought of the breakup you would find about 70 percent had no regrets. Thats because the Soviet Union was basically the Russian Empire cobbled together by the old czarist monarchy over more than two centuries of conquest and expansion. In the Soviet Union more than half the population felt like conquered people, not part of any union. The Soviet Union dissolved quickly in 1990-91 because over half the population really wanted it to happen and had wanted it for a long time. Many ethnic Russians were tired of supporting a lot of the less affluent conquered people and were fed up with the economic failures of communism. The former Soviet Union citizens who regret the breakup tend to be older people who were disillusioned at how corruption and bad leadership made post-Soviet life less wonderful than was expected. The younger people are more realistic, never having lived as adults in the Soviet Union and intimately familiar with the fact that freedom isnt free and democracy is difficult. For younger Russians there are more economic opportunities than under communism. While Russia lost half its population when the Soviet Union broke up, it hung on to most of the valuable natural resources like oil and natural gas. While the post-Soviet government was initially reluctant to increase state supplied pensions, which were low during the Soviet period because there was little to spend it on and the state supplied housing and some health care, the pensions did eventually go up. But not as much as the economy grew and the working Russians were obviously doing better than the pensioners who had grown up under communism. In Soviet times that meant there was little economic opportunity and most everyone was equally poor. The old-timers never got used to the post 1991 changes and most would prefer the communists to come back. That wont happen and as the generations that grew up under communism die off so will any desire to return to the bad (but familiar) old days. At the same time, enough Russians favor rebuilding the empire to make the idea a popular talking point among major politicians and that may continue for decades.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / Cisco Systems Inc.

As we reflect on the significance of the Juneteenth holiday in the United States, I am reminded of the time that I was honored to hold one of the last few remaining copies of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln while visiting the Union League House in Philadelphia.

In 1864 President Lincoln traveled to Philadelphia and hand signed 40 copies of the Proclamation as part of a fund raising effort. The copies were sold for $20 each, a hefty sum in 1864, to raise money for the Sanitary Commission - an organization which helped provide support services for soldiers returning from the Civil War. A small number of the signed copies are known to have survived.

Holding the document that Lincoln referred to as "&the great event of the 19th century" was a moving, transformative experience for me.

As Dr. Martin Luther King described during his 1963 "I have a Dream" speech "&this momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope for millions of negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity."

With this document and the stroke of a pen, President Lincoln declared that "&all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom."

On Juneteenth, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. We feel the gravity of the revelation that news of the proclamation was kept from so many - the last of whom learned that they were "finally free" in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. We honor those who endured withering injustice and we celebrate the dignity, the perseverance, and the courage of the African American culture.

"Holding the document that Lincoln referred to as &the great event of the 19th century' was a moving, transformative experience for me."

I believe the best way to preserve the legacy of Juneteenth and the power of the Emancipation Proclamation is to continue to shine that "great beacon light of hope" on the next steps of our journey.

The power of proclamation is something I reflect on every day in my work as Cisco's Chief Social Impact Officer. Proclamations are more than words. They have the power to change the course of history. Cisco's purpose - to Power an Inclusive Future for All - is a proclamation. So are our Social Justice Beliefs and the 12 actions we're taking to drive lasting, generational change by addressing inequities, breaking down barriers, and creating more inclusive opportunities for people to thrive. Our actions are making substantial impact. Now, we're exploring new ways to go further - faster.

"I believe the best way to preserve the legacy of Juneteenth and the power of the Emancipation Proclamation is to continue to shine that great beacon light of hope' on the next steps of our journey."

Many of Cisco's leaders are sharing their perspectives on "Freedom Day" - including Maria Martinez on Empowering Historically Black Colleges and Universities through our Social Justice commitments and the impact we're making at Clark Atlanta University.

Here's wishing Cisco - the African American community - and the country a Happy Juneteenth.

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View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc.

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 14, 2023 / KeyBank:

A ribbon cutting on Tuesday June 11, 2023 signaled the completion of construction of True Bethel Commons in Niagara Falls, NY. KeyBank Community Development and Lending provided financing for the $15 million adaptive reuse of the vacant former historic Sacred Heart school, rectory and convent buildings on South Avenue.

"True Bethel Commons is already having transformative impact on the neighborhood surrounding the former Sacred Heart school, rectory and convent buildings on South Avenue, bringing safe and affordable housing to this area," said Michael McMahon, KeyBank Buffalo Market President and Regional Commercial Bank Executive. "We are very proud to have played a role in helping True Bethel Commons become reality and thank all of the partners in the project - Belmont Housing, True Community Development Corp., New York State and the City of Niagara Falls - for their vision and commitment to our community."

"True Bethel Commons is representative of what we want to invest in, because it is community-based," said Kate de la Garza, senior relationship manager with KeyBank Community Development Lending. "It came from an on-the-ground vision of True Bethel Baptist Church in partnership with Belmont. So you know that it's reflective of the neighborhood that it is in."

The building's 39 apartments are available to households earning at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income. Eight apartments are fully accessible and adapted for people with certain physical needs. The project has 24 Project-Based Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers from the city of Niagara Falls.

True Bethel Commons is close to health care facilities, municipal services, schools, retail establishments, grocery stores, pharmacies, a library, and public parks. Its urban location provides direct access to multiple public transportation routes that provide residents direct access to the City of Niagara Falls' commercial corridors and an array of other services outside of the immediate neighborhood.

The complex in Niagara Falls, which dates to 1889 and was expanded over the years, is listed on the State and Federal Register of Historic Places. As such, the reuse design was required to preserve the character of the buildings, including maintaining the wide school corridors and transom windows, as well as the extensive woodwork and stained-glass windows in the rectory and convent house, and retaining a large portion of the gymnasium.

The project meets Enterprise Green Communities requirements and building amenities include a community room with a kitchen area, playground, bulk storage for bikes and other larger objects, computer room, and laundry. Tenants are responsible for electricity, heat, and gas costs. All apartments include energy efficient ranges and ovens, refrigerators and lighting.

Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Inc. is the developer in partnership with True Community Development Corporation. Ranked as a Top 4 affordable housing lender for 2022 by Affordable Housing Finance, KeyBank is committed to bringing much needed housing projects to life, and homes to those in need.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: KeyBank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: KeyBank

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OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of aa+ (Superior) of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian Life) (New York, NY) and its core subsidiaries, Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC) (Wilmington, DE) and Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America (Pittsfield, MA) (together referred to as Guardian). Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings (Long-Term IRs) of aa+ (Superior) of Guardian Life Global Fundings notes, and the Long-Term IRs of aa- (Superior) of Guardian Lifes surplus notes. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. (See below for a detailed listing of the Long-Term IRs.)

The ratings reflect Guardians balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its strong operating performance, favorable business profile and very strong enterprise risk management (ERM).

The group has maintained a solid risk-based capital profile with risk-adjusted capitalization at the strongest level, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Guardians capital profile includes access to capital markets through its moderate use of surplus notes and additional liquidity as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank. The company also utilizes funding agreement backed notes to support its business strategies. AM Best considers Guardians financial and operating leverage ratios to be appropriate for its credit profile. AM Best believes the organization has made substantial progress in executing various key strategic initiatives, positioning itself to achieve sustainable sales and stable operating results, while improving its risk profile by de-emphasizing non-core operations. For example, in 2022, GIAC divested $7.4 billion in variable annuity liabilities, primarily composed of separate account contracts with guaranteed living withdrawal benefit and death benefit riders, to a third-party reinsurer. The groups capital profile is supported by a well managed and diverse investment portfolio.

The ratings also consider Guardian's diversified product portfolio, which is supported by strong market positions in its core individual life, individual disability and group insurance markets. The consistency of Guardians balance sheet and operating performance are based on its continued low risk profile that is embedded into its ERM program, as well as strong underwriting performance. The company is actively managing its exposure to credit-related risk as part of its ERM process and has demonstrated the ability to withstand prolonged credit exposure should it worsen.

While Guardian has achieved favorable sales growth within its core lines of business in recent years, the company operates in highly competitive markets that have historically resulted in some sales and earnings volatility.

The following Long-Term IRs have been assigned with stable outlooks:

Guardian Life Global Funding  aa+ (Superior) program rating

 aa+ (Superior) on $300 million 1.625% senior secured notes, due September 16, 2028

 aa+ (Superior) on $350 million 3.246% senior secured notes, due March 9, 2027

 aa+ (Superior) on $450 million 5.500% senior secured notes, due October 28, 2027

The following Long-Term IRs have been affirmed with stable outlooks:

Guardian Life Insurance Company of America

 aa- (Superior) on $400 million 7.375% surplus notes, due 2039

 aa- (Superior) on $450 million 4.875% surplus notes, due 2064

 aa- (Superior) on $300 million 3.700% surplus notes, due 2070

 aa- (Superior) on $350 million 4.850% surplus notes, due 2077

Guardian Life Global Funding  aa+ (Superior) program rating

aa+ (Superior) on all outstanding notes issued under the program

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714107638/en/

Stratos Laskarides

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 882 1995

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey

Associate Director, Public Relations

+1 908 882 2310

[email protected]

Michael Adams

Associate Director

+1 908 439 2200

[email protected]

Al Slavin

Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 882 2318

[email protected]

Source: AM Best
MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of bbb (Good) of Sura Re Ltd. (Sura Re) (Bermuda). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Sura Res balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

Sura Re is the wholly owned captive reinsurer of Suramericana S.A. (Sura), which in turn is 81.1% owned by Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana S.A. The company was established in Bermuda as a Class 3A insurer in December 2015, and in April 2022 received approval from the regulator to operate as a Class C insurer. Sura Res main purpose is to participate in property business underwritten by Suras affiliates across Latin America (i.e., Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Dominican Republic) to help the group achieve its strategic regional goals. AM Best recognizes the greater relevance that Sura Re is aiming to achieve in Suras overall regional strategy, which is starting to be reflected with Suras expanded geographic scope.

AM Best assesses the companys balance sheet strength as very strong, as its risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), is more than adequate for the risks it holds. During 2022, capital requirements continued to reflect higher premium risk as the company executes its strategy and retains a higher portion of risks; going forward, AM Best expects Sura Res capital requirements to increase due to a larger deployment of its capital while supporting its current very strong level assessment of risk-adjusted capitalization. The companys asset-liability management follows a very conservative investment policy focused on maintaining liquidity to cover Sura Res obligations in terms of tenure and currencies. Additionally, AM Best considers the companys ERM practices as appropriate given the complete support by Suras expertise and management team.

At December 2022, the company reported positive net profit for the fourth consecutive year since its inception. Operative performance was strongly driven by technical results, backed by good underwriting practices and strong fee income. AM Best remains attentive to macroeconomic conditions and its impact on the companys investment results. The captive nature of the company within the third largest insurance group in Latin America provides flexibility in terms of growth and premium risk to manage its capital and return positions efficiently in the future. AM Best therefore considers operating performance to be adequate for the current ratings.

Negative rating actions could take place if the company fails to meet its financial performance objectives, with results that fall to a level that impacts capital, and therefore, its risk-adjusted capitalization, either by business decisions, importance to its financial group or deteriorating macroeconomic conditions.

AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated throughout the world. For current Bests Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Bests Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714589973/en/

Juan Pablo Castro Raygoza

Associate Financial Analyst

+52 55 1102 2720, ext. 133

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey

Associate Director, Public Relations

+1 908 882 2310

[email protected]

Eli Sanchez

Director

+52 55 1102 2720, ext. 122

[email protected]

Al Slavin

Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 882 2318

[email protected]

Source: AM Best
The story of the invention of the atomic bomb told in the new film "Oppenheimer" is a "warning" to the world as we grapple with artificial intelligence, insists the movie's director Christopher Nolan.
Firm Backed with up to $100M from Altamont Capital Partners

MIAMI & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Augment, an innovative reinsurance broker offering bespoke solutions to its partners, today announced its official launch with access of up to $100 million in funding from Altamont Capital Partners (Altamont).

Over the last decade, the global reinsurance market has been buffeted by significant shifts  among them the emergence of ever more complex risks, macroeconomic volatility, and an evolving regulatory landscape. A one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient. With global reach and scale, Augment creates solutions not only across geographies but also across product lines, leveraging multiple strategies designed to work in lockstep.

Augment was founded because we believed that by taking a holistic approach to our partners needs  broking the entire client, rather than any single class of business  we could unlock unprecedented opportunities for growth, said Alex Kazanjian, managing director, Augment. Focusing on establishing long term relationships with our clients, rather than on their product, enables us to deliver the creative approaches todays market needs.

Augment helps partners manage volatility through strategic, structurally efficient, multi class and/or multi geography transactions. It is strategically positioned to serve a wide range of clients across the globe. And while reinsurance is at the foundation of its approach, Augment offers a range of strategies. It designs and places protections  including prospective reinsurance and retrospective capital and legacy structures  for its property and casualty clients with a focus on maximizing enterprise value.

Augments strategy is a perfect match for Altamonts insurance investing focus, added Sam Gaynor, Managing Director, Altamont. Theyve identified a clear market need to help their P&C customers address the most complex risk capital challenges in the most efficient manner, and were excited to lend platform-formation capabilities to form a brokerage firm perfectly suited to todays market dynamics.

Keoni Schwartz, Managing Director at Altamont, further added: Augment is the latest example of de novo platform formation in Financial Services, something weve successfully done five times previously at Altamont. With our over $4.3 billion of capital under management, we look forward to bringing substantial resources to bear to aid in Augments success.

Were thrilled to back Augment, whose strategic solutions address the most complex business challenges faced by its P&C industry partners, said Joe Zuk, Operating Partner, Altamont Capital Partners, a private equity firm with over $4.3 billion under management.

For more information about Augment, visit the companys website at www.augmentrisk.com.

About Augment

Augment is a risk capital and reinsurance solutions broker, focused on designing and placing bespoke protections for a variety of clients. With a wide range of strategies and solutions, Augment creates growth and equity value through tailored transactions to deliver long term capital and partnerships. Augments expertise extends beyond (re)insurance, allowing the company to sustainably disrupt the value chain and build creative, value-accretive solutions for individual client needs. For more information, please visit www.augmentrisk.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714108006/en/

Chelsea Allison

[email protected]

CMAND for Augment

Source: Augment
HAMILTON, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) continues to celebrate Fidelis Insurance Groups (Fidelis or the Company) IPO, which listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on June 29, 2023. The IPO was a testament to the incredible business community that Bermuda has fostered and demonstrated the ability of Bermudian companies to attract capital and investment around the world.

In celebration of the Companys Bermudian heritage, Fidelis featured the countrys flag across its on-site marketing activations at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). BDA CEO David Hart was in attendance at the bell-ringing ceremony as well.

I was thrilled and honoured to be with the great team from Fidelis for their IPO ceremony on the NYSE. This was not only a great day for them but also a great day for Bermuda as it showed the continued global significance of Bermudian companies, Mr. Hart said.

Fidelis raised roughly $100 million for the company, which will be deployed in an exceptionally dislocated insurance market, positioning the Company for future success. Fidelis is comprised of an exceptional group of capital and risk managers with an exclusive relationship with some of the best underwriters in the business at Fidelis MGU. Market conditions are currently very favorable for the Company, with rate increases and renewal retention rates are at some of the highest levels the company has seen, representing one of the best underwriting environment in the companys history.

With nearly 80 employees working at both Fidelis IG and Fidelis MGU, the Company is deeply committed to the Bermudian market and looks forward to growing its presence in the country even more in the coming years.

Dan Burrows, Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Fidelis Insurance Group said, Our listing on the NYSE demonstrates the ability of Bermudian companies like ours to compete on an international stage for business and capital. We are thankful for the collective dedication of our people, as well as the ongoing support of Bermudian government and the conducive business environment it fostered, for helping Fidelis Insurance Group build the foundation for long-term success moving forward. As we enter this exciting phase of our journey, we are focused on deploying capital toward profitable underwriting opportunities, growing our existing scale and creating significant value for all our stakeholders.

Other Bermuda-based companies that have had IPOs on the NYSE include Athene and Butterfield, while Conduit Re conducted its IPO on the London Stock Exchange in 2020.

Bermudas Premier, The Hon. E. David Burt JP, MP said, On behalf of the Government of Bermuda, I congratulate Fidelis on joining the growing ranks of Bermudian companies being traded publicly on major financial markets around the globe. Bermuda continues to be a centre for financial services innovation, and I am pleased to once again see Bermudas flag flying proudly on Wall Street.

About the BDA

The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial.

About Fidelis

Fidelis Insurance Group (FIHL) is a global (re)insurance company, headquartered in Bermuda with offices in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Our business focuses on three pillars: Specialty, Bespoke, and Reinsurance. We manage volatility through our balanced and diversified portfolio. Our strong capital position provides us with the flexibility to engage in attractive underwriting opportunities.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714949857/en/

For the Bermuda Business Development Agency:

Stuart Roberts, Director of Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

+1 441 292 7774

For Fidelis:

[email protected]

Source: Bermuda Business Development Agency
Boschs Innovative PowerControl Spray Arm Technology Provides the Ultimate Clean

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bosch Home Appliances, the award-winning dishwasher brand, is making its biggest launch yet with a complete update of its dishwasher portfolio. The new release includes a first of its kind PowerControl spray arm technology available in the 800 and Benchmark Series models as well as new features throughout the full line. The new evolution of dishwashers provides consumers with a more powerful clean, modern design and advancements that help simplify their life in the kitchen.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714458586/en/

Next generation Bosch dishwasher series (Photo: Business Wire)

Available in the new 800 and Benchmark Series models, the PowerControl spray arm delivers the industrys most advanced clean regardless of where consumers prefer to load their most challenging items in the lower rack. The new technology allows the flexibility to place various items anywhere in the lower rack and program a dedicated wash intensity in each target area. This allows consumers to focus their intensive clean where they need it most from pots and large bowls to hard to clean casserole dishes. Recognizing that 54%1 of Americans engage in arguments about loading the dishwasher, the new industry leading technology helps put an end to the great debate.

According to a recent survey conducted by Bosch, 75%2 of participants believe there is a right way and a wrong way to load the dishwasher, and another 87%3 said they rearrange dishes after someone else loaded them wrong. Additionally, 35%4 have even considered giving their spouse, partner, or roommate the silent treatment after arguing about loading the dishwasher. Now, Boschs PowerControl spray arm helps put an end to the ongoing dishwasher debate and leaves dishes clean no matter where theyre loaded on the lower rack.

Innovation is a core brand pillar, and were always looking for an opportunity to advance the dishwasher portfolio and bring new technology to consumers kitchens, said Puri Romeo, Bosch Brand Director. From incredible performance to modern design and advanced connectivity, were bringing consumers a full suite of dishwashers to help simplify the cleaning process while still getting perfectly clean and dry dishes. From the 100 Series to the Benchmark Series, there is a dishwasher in this new line fit for everyones needs.

Key features in the new dishwasher portfolio include:

PowerControl spray arm: Newly launched in 2023, the PowerControl spray arm is available in Bosch 800 and Benchmark Series Dishwashers, a brand-new industry-leading innovation designed to elevate consumers dishwashing to give them the ultimate clean. This new system offers more control in cleaning dishes and helps tackle those challenging messes like casseroles, pots, etc. The PowerControl spray arm provides a targeted intensive wash from anywhere in the bottom rack  no matter where the dishes are loaded.

CrystalDry: Available in Bosch 800 and Benchmark Series Dishwashers, this powerful patented drying technology ensures dishes are as perfectly dry as they are clean for 60 percent better drying results5, even on hard-to-dry items like plastics. CrystalDry acts as the final step of the drying cycle to reduce the need for towel or air drying  because thats one less thing you need to worry about in the kitchen.



Home Connect: With this launch, Home Connect is now offered across the full portfolio of dishwashers and helps consumers keep tabs on their dishwashers and monitor the appliance from almost anywhere6. The technology offers convenient customization options for consumers favorite cycle/option combinations, as well as the ability to personalize the PowerControl spray arm for the specific load. Additionally, Home Connect provides smart reordering of detergent tabs through Amazon Alexa Smart Reorder when the dishwasher detects low supply, notification when cycle is completed, automatic notification and shutdown if leaks occur and status updates come to your phone. Hands-free voice control is available when paired with Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

Additionally, consumers can expect new modern handle designs complete with fingerprint resistant stainless steel and a sleek control panel with intuitive touch controls across the full lineup.

The all-new dishwasher line from Bosch is available this July with options starting at $549 - $1,799 at select retailers nationwide. Experience the future of dishwashing and put an end to contention in the kitchen. For more information about the new dishwashers and to find a retailer near you, please visit here.

About Bosch Home Appliances

Bosch home appliances has been selling high-quality appliances in the United States since 1991. With a focus on engineering products that simplify life, Bosch is known nationwide for raising the standards in quietness, efficiency, and design. Bosch frequently receives top ratings in leading consumer publications. Bosch home appliances is part of BSH Home Appliances Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Munich based BSH Home Appliances Group, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe and one of the leading companies in the sector worldwide. Headquartered in Irvine, CA, the company operates manufacturing facilities in La Follette, Tenn., and New Bern, N.C., housing state-of-the-art factories for dishwashers, ranges, ovens and cooktops. Technology and Development Centers are located in Caryville and Oak Ridge, Tenn., and New Bern, N.C. To learn more: https://www.bosch-home.com/us/

1 On behalf of Bosch, SWNS conducted a survey of 2,000 Americans in June of 2023 around dishwasher and kitchen habits. 2 On behalf of Bosch, SWNS conducted a survey of 2,000 Americans in June of 2023 around dishwasher and kitchen habits. 3 On behalf of Bosch, SWNS conducted a survey of 2,000 Americans in June of 2023 around dishwasher and kitchen habits. 4 On behalf of Bosch, SWNS conducted a survey of 2,000 Americans in June of 2023 around dishwasher and kitchen habits. 5 Based on aggregate average drying performance of Bosch Dishwashers with CrystalDry on combined household load including plastics, glass, steel, and porcelain as compared to Bosch Dishwashers with PureDry. Drying performance may vary by dish type. 6 Connectivity and speed varies based on network and WiFi levels.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714458586/en/

Rey Perez

[email protected] / (213) 335-5583

Source: Bosch Home Appliances
Profit Masters matches industry-leading brokerage firms with individual investor candidates, allowing them to get high yields from the financial markets.

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- UK-based advisory and training company Profit Masters promotes the financial well-being of individual investors by providing personalized brokerage matching services to achieve investors financial goals.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713911297/en/

Navigating the Investment Jungle: Profit Masters Provides Personalized Brokerage Match Service for New Investors (Graphic: Business Wire)

Pointing out that there are various investment instruments such as low, medium, high-risk assets, bonds, ETFs, stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, Brad Williams, CMO at Profit Masters, said, "Especially for new traders, the environment is challenging and confusing, like a dangerous jungle. All financial solutions, trading packages, AI features that the B2C audience will not understand, and different levels of risk can be dazzling. This is where Profit Masters steps in. It is a trading compass, pairing traders with solid and profitable brokers. Thus we want to ensure that people invest wisely and that it will perform well."

High standards for brokerage partnerships. 3 out of 5 requests are not approved.

To align its clients with only the industry's most reputable, secure, and high-performing brokerage firms, approximately three out of five brokerage requests are not approved as they do not meet Profit Masters' stringent criteria.

Brad Williams said, "Our agents go through an intensive and thorough process to handpick our clients' brokerage firms. We maintain a rigorous vetting process for partnering brokerage firms, ensuring adherence to the highest financial security, integrity, and compliance standards."

Profit Masters takes a safety and security-first approach and adheres to strict data privacy and protection guidelines using advanced encryption techniques and robust cybersecurity measures to ensure clients' personal and financial information is kept secure and confidential.

Personal guidance service to investors

According to Brad Williams, retail investors can decide better about their financial future with personal guidance from investment experts.

Profit Masters serves various clients, from novices looking to start investing to seasoned investors seeking to optimize their portfolio management. Individual investors who complete the onboarding and registration stages with the expert team of Profit Masters are matched with intermediaries meeting their financial expectations. As a welcome bonus after the match, traders receive a welcome gift of up to 200$ of their deposit.

Brad Williams concluded, "By setting high benchmarks, Profit Masters prioritizes both the security and privacy of our clients' data and their potential for significant returns on their investments.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713911297/en/

Brad Williams, [email protected]

Source: Profit Masters
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- nVent Electric plc (NYSE: NVT) (nVent), a global leader in electrical connection and protection solutions, will report second quarter 2023 financial results on Friday, July 28, 2023. The company will also hold a conference call with analysts and investors at 9:00 a.m. ET.

The financial results will be posted on the companys website at http://investors.nvent.com. The company will issue an alert over a news wire when the earnings materials are publicly available, including a link to those documents.

Conference Call and Webcast Details

The call can be accessed via webcast at http://investors.nvent.com or by dialing 1-833-630-1071 or 1-412-317-1832. Once available, a replay of the conference call will be accessible through August 11, 2023, by dialing 1-877-344-7529 or 1-412-317-0088, along with the access code 2806458.

Related presentation materials will be posted to http://investors.nvent.com prior to the conference call.

About nVent

nVent is a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. We believe our inventive electrical solutions enable safer systems and ensure a more secure world. We design, manufacture, market, install and service high performance products and solutions that connect and protect some of the world's most sensitive equipment, buildings and critical processes. We offer a comprehensive range of enclosures, electrical connections and fastening and thermal management solutions across industry-leading brands that are recognized globally for quality, reliability and innovation. Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis. Our robust portfolio of leading electrical product brands dates back more than 100 years and includes nVent CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, RAYCHEM, SCHROFF and TRACER.

nVent, CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, RAYCHEM, SCHROFF and TRACER are trademarks owned or licensed by nVent Services GmbH or its affiliates.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713841196/en/

Investor Contact

Tony Riter

Vice President, Investor Relations

nVent

763.204.7750

[email protected]

Media Contact

Stacey Wempen

Director, External Communications

nVent

763.204.7857

[email protected]

Source: nVent Electric plc
POWDER, ARA, and Colosseum join COSMOS as official Open Testing and Integration Centers (OTICs)

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) Project Office announces that multiple PAWR testbeds have gained O-RAN ALLIANCE approval as Open Testing and Integration Centers (OTICs). These include: POWDER in Salt Lake City, Utah; ARA in Ames, Iowa; and Colosseum, an affiliated platform in the PAWR program, which has earned OTIC status as part of the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things (WIoT) in the Boston area. The three testbeds join PAWR platform COSMOS, which was named an OTIC earlier this year.

The PAWR program of large-scale wireless testbeds was created and initially funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, with matching funding and in-kind contributions provided by leading wireless companies and associations. As OTICs, the PAWR platforms will support wide adoption of O-RAN ALLIANCE specifications, and the testing and verification of O-RAN systems and subsystems.

PAWR Platform OTIC Capabilities

POWDER at the University of Utah  POWDER supports end-to-end Open RAN testing in lab and field scenarios and has developed a Testing Orchestration and Testing Automation (TOTA) framework to provide streamlined, on-demand testing capabilities. O-RAN ALLIANCE defined OTIC services provided by POWDER will include interoperability and end-to-end testing, badging and certification. POWDER will offer additional Open RAN related services including use case and proof-of-concept development and evaluation, functional testing in lab and field environments, and Open RAN intelligent ecosystem research, testing and development.

ARA at Iowa State University  ARA enables research into connectivity solutions for rural environments, including offering a heterogeneous set of access network technologies to support innovative Open RAN testing and development for digital agriculture, rural education, and more. As an OTIC, ARA will support Open RAN R&D, device-level and end-to-end testing of performance, interoperability, and conformance in both sandbox and at-scale field settings.

Colosseum as part of the Institute for the WIoT at Northeastern University  The Northeastern team is using the Colosseum infrastructure, which is affiliated with the PAWR program, and other assets of the Institutes Open 6G Hub to provide testing capabilities for end-to-end AI and ML solutions that will enable new Open RAN use cases. Through its OTIC, Northeastern will provide testing, certification, and badging capabilities.

Since 2018, the PAWR program has been tackling difficult networking challenges, providing shared, open network infrastructure as a way of driving wireless research and innovation. Since 2020, multiple PAWR platforms have also participated actively in Open RAN development efforts, supporting interoperability testing and proof-of-concept (POC) demonstrations, while continuing to build capacity for both automated testing and advanced feature development.

By becoming OTICs, the PAWR testbeds are advancing important innovations in wireless research from the academic community and beyond and helping to bridge the gap between government investment and industry-driven change, said Margaret Martonosi, NSF Assistant Director for Computer and information Science and Engineering. Wireless communications are vital to both the public and private sectors, and through the services these platforms will provide as OTICs, the PAWR testbeds will accelerate the timeline that begins with cutting-edge research and leads to successful deployment of new wireless technologies.

The PAWR platforms are establishing themselves as premier centers of excellence for Open RAN research and testing, said Mari Silbey, PAWR Program Director. This expansion of our testing ecosystem is critical not only for accelerating O-RAN deployments, but also lowering the barrier to entry for companies bringing critical new wireless innovations to market.

For more information on the PAWR program, visit the PAWR website.

About the PAWR Project Office (PPO)

The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research Project Office (PPO) manages the $100 million public-private partnership and oversees the research platforms. The PPO is co-led by US Ignite and Northeastern University, and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and PAWR industry consortium. The PPO collaborates closely with the wireless research community, local communities, and industry, in part through the industry consortium, in the design, development, deployment, and initial operations of the research platforms.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230713376157/en/

Marissa Kunerth

[email protected]

Source: PAWR Project Office (PPO)
New study highlights demand for government support and mandated reporting standards to drive corporate sustainability practices

- 36% of UK business leaders want the UK Government to implement mandated sustainability reporting standards

- 49% believe that government grants and tax incentives would significantly help them prioritise sustainability reporting

- 42% require UK Government incentives to support upskilling on sustainability and bolstering the talent pipeline

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A recent study conducted by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has revealed a strong demand among UK business leaders for government financial support and mandated sustainability reporting standards to propel corporate sustainability practices. The research, which collected responses from 581 ICAS Chief Executives, Managing Directors, Chief Financial Officers, and Financial Directors across the UK, indicates a growing desire for concrete actions from the UK Government to prioritise sustainability across the corporate sector. These findings are particularly prescient in light of the two recent standards published by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), which will help establish a global baseline for sustainability disclosures.

According to the findings, 36% of UK business leaders are calling for the implementation of mandated sustainability reporting standards. The study also highlights that 28% of participants advocate for unified sustainability standards, emphasising the importance of interoperability among the various reporting frameworks in existence and currently being developed worldwide.

Additionally, 49% of the participants believe that government grants and tax incentives would significantly aid their efforts to prioritise sustainability reporting.

On the type of information businesses should report on, 45% of respondents argue for a double materiality approach. This approach involves reporting on both the environmental and societal impact of the business for the benefit of multiple stakeholders, as well as the influence of sustainability matters that are financially material and influence value creation for investors. Something that ICAS believes is lacking from the ISSBs standards.

The study also reveals that 42% of UK business leaders are seeking government incentives to support the upskilling of employees in sustainability and to strengthen the talent pipeline. This suggests the need for focused efforts to develop the necessary skills and expertise in sustainability.

Bruce J Cartwright CA, CEO of ICAS, commented on the research, stating, "The research shows clearly that UK businesses need the support of policy makers to ensure that sustainability reporting is prioritised. Short-term investor pressure and a lack of skills and talent to be able to report on sustainability means that the UK is at a real risk of falling behind our international and European counterparts in implementing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies and addressing climate change. There will be an increasing requirement on companies to effectively report on sustainability activities and achievements, so the talent and skills must be in place to do this. Sustainability reporting needs to be on par with the level of detail and scrutiny given to financial reporting. But without the mandate from government, it is hard to see how this will happen.

Looking ahead, the study highlights key areas of focus for any incoming UK government, if there is a General Election next year. According to UK business leaders, 50% believe the government should concentrate on providing tax incentives or bonuses for companies that implement net zero targets. Additionally, 42% of respondents called for incentives and business support to aid companies in implementing sustainability reporting.

The survey follows the inaugural ICAS sustainability reporting summit, held in London in April 2023, which assembled an expert line up of keynote speakers and panellists, including standard setters, regulators, government, corporates, non-government organisations (NGOs) and industry. The event highlighted insightful exchanges about the most meaningful and effective direction of travel in the reporting sphere, which were summarised in a recent CA magazine article. ICAS has been a critical partner in the development of international sustainability reporting standards and has called, via public platforms and letters to government, for aligned, mandatory standards which report on a wide, holistic set of measures.

The full survey can be accessed here.

-ENDS-

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230712111490/en/

[email protected]

020 7935 4800

Source: ICAS
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WisdomTree, Inc. (NYSE: WT), a global financial innovator, announced today that it plans to release its second quarter results on July 28, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. ET. A conference call to discuss the firms results will be held at 11:00 a.m. ET.

Dial-In and Webcast Details

Participant Dial-In: 877-407-9210 / +1 201-689-8049

Participant International Toll-Free access numbers: Click Here

Webcast: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=G7ogAmF2

To avoid delays, we encourage participants to dial into the conference call 10 minutes ahead of the scheduled start time.

All earnings materials and the webcast can be accessed through WisdomTrees investor relations website at: https://ir.wisdomtree.com. A replay of the webcast will also be available shortly after the call.

About WisdomTree

WisdomTree is a global financial innovator, offering a well-diversified suite of exchange-traded products (ETPs), models and solutions. We empower investors to shape their future and support financial professionals to better serve their clients and grow their businesses. WisdomTree is leveraging the latest financial infrastructure to create products that provide access, transparency and an enhanced user experience. Building on our heritage of innovation, we are also developing next-generation digital products and structures, including digital funds and tokenized assets, as well as our blockchain-native digital wallet, WisdomTree Prime.

WisdomTree currently has approximately $95.1 billion in assets under management globally.

For more information about WisdomTree and WisdomTree Prime, visit: https://www.wisdomtree.com.

Please visit us on Twitter at @WisdomTreeNews.

WisdomTree is the marketing name for WisdomTree, Inc. and its subsidiaries worldwide.

Category: Business Update

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714246328/en/

Media Relations

WisdomTree, Inc.

Jessica Zaloom

+1.917.267.3735

[email protected] / [email protected]

Investor Relations

WisdomTree, Inc.

Jeremy Campbell

+1.646.522.2602

[email protected]

Source: WisdomTree, Inc.
JinkoSolar Holding (NYSE: JKS) today announced that its majority-owned principal operating subsidiary Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. published estimates of certain preliminary unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2023 .

For the six months ended June 30, 2023 , (i) the preliminary unaudited net income attributable to the shareholders of Jiangxi Jinko is estimated to be in the range from RMB3.66 billion to RMB4.06 billion , increasing by from RMB2.75 billion to RMB3.15 billion and by from 304.38% to 348.58% year over year, and (ii) the preliminary unaudited net income attributable to the shareholders of Jiangxi Jinko excluding extraordinary gains and losses is estimated to be in the range from RMB3.32 billion to RMB3.72 billion , increasing by from RMB2.52 billion to RMB2.92 billion and by from 313.45% to 363.26% year over year.

The preliminary unaudited financial results of Jiangxi Jinko for the six months ended June 30, 2023 described in this press release (the "Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results") are different from JinkoSolar's consolidated financial results (the "Consolidated Financials"), mainly because (i) the consolidation scope of the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results differs from that of the Consolidated Financials: the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results are prepared solely for Jiangxi Jinko, whereas the Consolidated Financials also include financial statements of JinkoSolar and its other subsidiaries, and (ii) the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results and the Consolidated Financials are prepared according to different accounting standards and principles: the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results are prepared in accordance with PRC GAAP, whereas the Consolidated Financials are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America . As such, investors of JinkoSolar should exercise caution when reviewing the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results described in this press release and are advised not to base their investment decisions solely on such preliminary unaudited financial results.

JinkoSolar currently owns approximately 58.62% equity interest in Jiangxi Jinko.

About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world. JinkoSolar distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China , the United States , Japan , Germany , the United Kingdom , Chile , South Africa , India , Mexico , Brazil , the United Arab Emirates , Italy , Spain , France , Belgium , Netherlands , Poland , Austria , Switzerland , Greece and other countries and regions.

JinkoSolar had 14 productions facilities globally, 24 overseas subsidiaries in Japan , South Korea , Vietnam , India , Turkey , Germany , Italy , Switzerland , the United States , Mexico , Brazil , Chile , Australia , Canada , Malaysia , the United Arab Emirates , Denmark , Indonesia , Nigeria and Saudi Arabia , and global sales teams in China , the United States , Canada , Brazil , Chile , Mexico , Italy , Germany , Turkey , Spain , Japan , the United Arab Emirates , Netherlands , Vietnam and India , as of March 31, 2023 .

To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "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, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China :

Ms. Stella Wang

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

Tel: +86 21-5180-8777 ext.7806

Email: [email protected]

Mr. Rene Vanguestaine

Christensen

Tel: +86 178 1749 0483

Email: [email protected]

In the U.S. :

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Christensen, Scottsdale, Arizona

Tel: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jinkosolars-subsidiary-jinko-solar-co-ltd-announces-estimates-of-certain-preliminary-unaudited-financial-results-for-first-half-2023-301877393.html

SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.
FILE PHOTO: Representations of cryptocurrencies are seen in this illustration, August 10, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo

By Tom Westbrook, Rae Wee and Hannah Lang

SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bitcoin was hovering near its highest so far this year on Friday after crypto investors took encouragement from a legal victory in which the cryptocurrency XRP was ruled not to be a security.

A U.S. judge said on Thursday that Ripple Labs Inc did not violate securities law by selling its XRP token on public exchanges.

The case marks the first win for a cryptocurrency company in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the decision was specific to the individual case, it unleashed a wave of optimism among crypto investors that more cryptocurrencies may also not be deemed securities.

Still, the enthusiasm for some was tempered by a report from the Wall Street Journal that Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has laid off more than 1,000 people in recent weeks. The lay-offs are ongoing and could result in the exchange losing more than a third of its staff, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Coinbase also announced on Friday that it would limit its crypto staking services for retail customers in California, New Jersey, South Carolina and Wisconsin, pending proceedings several states initiated against the exchange last month, claiming that the program violated securities laws.

Bitcoin hit its highest price since June 2022 earlier, touching $31,818, before edging down to trade around $30,091 at 2009 GMT on Friday.

Second-biggest token ether had its best session since March on Thursday and XRP, which the U.S. judge ruled could be legally sold on public crypto exchanges, soared 73% on Thursday and held most of these gains on Friday.

"The regulatory environment is changing," said Matthew Dibb, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Astronaut Capital. "And by what we have seen in the last 24 hours, it could be for the better."

Justin d'Anethan, head of business development in Asia at Keyrock, a digital assets market maker in Hong Kong, said finding that XRP tokens sold on public crypto exchanges were not securities under law "probably serves as a precedent".

"Ripple stakeholders were waiting for some regulatory clarity. Yesterday the court seems to have provided just that," he said.

Following the decision, several major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Coinbase and Bitstamp, resumed trading of XRP on their platforms, after having suspended trading of the token in 2021 due to the SEC's lawsuit. Binance.US said on Friday it had also enabled XRP trading on its exchange.

Coinbase, which was sued by the SEC last month for alleged securities laws violations, saw its shares surge nearly 25% on Thursday as investors hoped that the ruling in the Ripple case would bode well for Coinbase.

SLOW RECOVERY

Cryptocurrencies have staged a gradual recovery so far this year, after prices fell sharply last year and a series of bankruptcies at major crypto firms, including crypto exchange FTX, left investors with heavy losses.

The collapse of FTX added momentum to global regulatory efforts at reining in the sector, especially to protect small investors lured by fast returns.

China has all but banned crypto. U.S. investigators raking over FTX have accused founder Sam Bankman-Fried of multibillion-dollar fraud, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Alex Mashinsky, the founder of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius, was charged with fraud for misleading customers and artificially inflating the value of the company's token, according to a U.S. indictment unsealed on Thursday. He pleaded not guilty.

Meanwhile, Coinbase and bigger rival Binance face lawsuits, which they are contesting, from the SEC and in Binance's case from other regulators as well.

A top SEC official said last month the industry has "an ethos built around non-compliance".

At Binance, the lay-offs as reported by the Wall Street Journal are occurring as a string of executives have recently departed the company, including Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann. Hillmann confirmed on Twitter that he was leaving the exchange, citing personal reasons.

Still, crypto investors have taken encouragement from the world's biggest asset manager, BlackRock, filing to launch a bitcoin exchange traded fund last month. Earlier in July exchange operator Cboe refreshed its filing for a similar fund to be run by asset manager Fidelity.

As a risk asset, cryptocurrencies could also stand to gain from a weaker dollar.

"We'd gone through this long period of just consistently negative news to make the space look pretty grimy," said Chris Weston, head of research at brokerage Pepperstone in Melbourne.

"For the first time in a while, it's been consistently positive news coming though and that means you've got momentum."

(Additional reporting by Vidya Ranganathan in Singapore; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, Alex Richardson and Josie Kao)
More than 40 people are missing after a migrant boat capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa, the UN said.

The shipwreck took place on Thursday and at least one newborn baby is among those missing, said UNHCR representative to Italy Chiara Cardoletti.

The vessel left from Sfax in Tunisia and was carrying 46 migrants from Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the UN migration agency IOM, said Friday.

The boat capsized in strong winds and high waves, he said. "Some survivors were taken to Lampedusa and others were brought back to Tunisia".

"Among those missing were seven women and a minor. The survivors are all adult men", he added.

"We have noticed more arrivals of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa than Tunisians" via the Tunisian route since November, he said.

He explained this was due to people from sub-Saharan Africa fleeing discrimination in Tunisia.

"It is unacceptable to continue counting the dead at the gates of Europe", Cardoletti wrote on Twitter, referring to deadly shipwrecks of migrant boats which have already occurred in Italy, Greece and Spain.

"A coordinated and shared rescue mechanism at sea between states is now also a matter of conscience."

Di Giacomo also stressed the fragility of the badly welded boats, which sank at the first damage.

"We are therefore not aware of certain shipwrecks," he said, calling for "patrols of European ships to monitor the Tunisian route as well as the Libyan route, otherwise we will witness a disaster this summer."

Located about 145 kilometres (90 miles) from the Tunisian coast, the southern Italian island of Lampedusa is one of the main entry points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

Last year, more than 46,000 people arrived there, out of a total of 105,000 in Italy, according to the UNHCR.

Migrant boat shipwrecks have increased in recent months, while the number of migrants entering the EU via the central Mediterranean "more than doubled" in 2023 compared to the same period last year, according to the European border agency Frontex in mid-June.

Last week a crammed trawler from Libya sank off the Greek coast. The death toll stands at 82, with 104 survivors pulled from the water, but witness accounts suggest many hundreds more went down with the ship, with their remains still missing at sea.

The tragedy occurred a few days after EU ministers reached agreement on a long-stalled revision of the bloc's rules to share the hosting of asylum seekers and migrants more equitably.

In September 2020, the European Commission presented a New Pact on Migration and Asylum, a package of reforms which it hopes to see adopted by spring 2024 which notably concerns compulsory help between EU members in the care of asylum seekers and a strengthening of the external borders.

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Vancouver, British Columbia, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apogee Minerals Ltd. (Apogee or the Company or the Optionee) (TSXV: APMI) has amended the option agreement (the Agreement) with Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (the Optionor) for the Pine Channel Property (or the Property).

Under the amended terms of the Agreement, Apogee has been granted an extension on the due date of the $50,000 cash payment and the exploration expenditures on the Property of $500,000 from June 30, 2023, to June 30, 2024. The remaining exploration expenditure amounts over the course of the option will remain the same.

In consideration of the amendment, Apogee shall issue the Optionor 150,000 common shares within three (3) business days of receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval of this amendment. All the other terms and conditions of the Agreement remain unchanged. The shares issued shall be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from issuance.

About Apogee Minerals Ltd.:

Apogee Minerals Ltd. is a mineral exploration company. Our goal is to build shareholder value through mineral project acquisitions and advancement, as well as new mineral discoveries.

To find out more about Apogee Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: APMI) visit the Companys website: www.apogeemineralsltd.com

Apogee Minerals Ltd.

Jim Pettit

James PettitCEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Apogee Minerals Ltd. Riley Trimble, DirectorEmail: [email protected] Tel: (604) 416-2978

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such information includes, without limitation, information regarding the structure of the Proposed Transaction, the terms and conditions of the Proposed Transaction, the Consolidation, the Name Change, the terms of the Financing. the composition of the board of directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the intention of the parties to seek a sponsorship exemption or waiver, the issuance of subsequent news releases, and Alto Verdes future exploration plans. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Forward looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the Companys ability to complete the Proposed Transaction; the expected timing and terms of the Proposed Transaction and the Financing; the state of the financial markets for the Companys securities; the state of the natural resources sector in the event the Proposed Transaction is completed; recent market volatility and potentially negative capital raising conditions resulting from the continued COVID-19 pandemic and risks relating to the extent and duration of such pandemic and its impact on global markets; the Companys ability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies; and other risks and factors that the Company is unaware of at this time.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements.

This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities.

Source: Apogee Minerals Ltd.
CHATHAM, ONTARIO and TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Global Brands Inc. (Atlas Global or the Company) (CSE: ATL) announces today that it anticipates a delay in the filing of its audited annual consolidated financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis and certifications for the financial year ended March 31, 2023 within the specified timelines under applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, the Required Annual Filings). As a result, the Company has made an application to the Ontario Securities Commission, as principal regulator, under National Policy 12-203  Management Cease Trade Orders (NP 12-203) requesting a management cease trade order (MCTO) in respect of the anticipated late filing of the Required Annual Filings.

The delay in filing the Required Annual Filings is primarily the result of the complexity associated with the accounting (including in particular the tax provision) of the tri-partite and multi-jurisdictional reverse takeover of the Company completed on December 30, 2022 (the Transaction).

Also contributing to this delay is that since completing the Transaction, the Company has begun to execute on its overall growth strategy by entering into seven binding agreements for the acquisition of a controlling interest in a trading house and six additional pharmacies in Israel and, as announced on May 1, 2023, completed the acquisition of GreenSeal Cannabis Company, Ltd. and GreenSeal Nursery, Ltd. a licensed producer and nursery in Stratford Ontario. Further, in an effort to simultaneously achieve cost reductions and production efficiencies, as announced on June 2, 2023, and June 27, 2023, the Company made the decision to wind down operations at its facility in Gunn, Alberta, liquidate the assets of its Alberta subsidiaries under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) and to transition such operations to its facilities in Ontario.

As a consequence of the delay in filing the Required Annual Filings, the Company also anticipates a delay in the filing of its interim financial report and related managements discussion and analysis and certifications for the interim period ended June 30, 2023, and due August 29, 2023 (collectively, the Required Interim Filings and together with the Required Annual Filings, the Required Filings). The requested MCTO also applies to the late filing of the Required Interim Filings.

Management is working diligently to complete the Required Annual Filings on or prior to September 29, 2023, and the Required Interim Filings on or prior to October 27, 2023.

The MCTO will restrict trading in and all acquisitions of the securities of the Company by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company until such time as the Required Filings are filed and the MCTO is no longer in effect. During the MCTO, the general investing public will continue to be able to trade in the Companys listed common shares.

Until the Company completes the Required Filings, the Company will comply with the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203 for issuers who have failed to comply with a specified continuous disclosure requirement within the timelines prescribed by applicable Canadian securities laws. The guidelines, among other things, require the Company to issue bi-weekly default status reports by way of a news release so long as the Required Filings have not been filed.

About Atlas Global Brands

Atlas Global is a global cannabis company operating in Canada and Israel with expertise across the cannabis value chain, including cultivation, manufacturing, marketing, distribution. Atlas currently distributes to seven countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Norway, and the United Kingdom. In addition to a differentiated product mix, Atlas Global operates two licensed cannabis facilities: (1) an EU-GMP facility in Chatham, ON, and; (2) a GACP and IMC-GAP facility in Stratford, ON. Atlas Global also has a majority interest in 3 medical pharmacies in Israel and has entered into binding agreements for the acquisition of a majority interest in a trading house and 6 additional medical cannabis pharmacies in Israel. Learn more by visiting: www.atlasglobalbrands.com.

Contacts

Bernie YeungChief Executive Officer 1-844-415-6961[email protected]Alyssa BarryMedia and Investor Relations 1-833-947-5227[email protected]

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking information in this news release is based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including assumptions that or regarding, without limitation: the timing to complete the Required Filings; the dates by which the Company intends to make the Required Filings; the Companys application for a customary MCTO; the expected absence of an impact on the ability of other securityholders to trade in the Companys securities; and the Companys intention to comply with the provisions of the alternative information guidelines.

The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, including: whether the MCTO will be granted on the terms anticipated or at all; unforeseen delays or events that could delay the filing of the Required Filings within the anticipated timeline; the capacity of management may not be sufficient to complete the Required Filings within the anticipated timeline; and the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities may cease trade the Companys common shares under a general cease trade order applicable to all shareholders of the Company.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information.

The forwardlooking statements set forth herein concerning the Company reflect managements expectations as at the date of this news release and are subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Atlas Global Brands Inc.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blender Bites Ltd. (the Company, Blender Bites or Blender), (CSE: BITE, FWB: JL4, WKN: A3DMEJ), is proud to announce it has achieved record-breaking revenues for the month of June, 2023.

Revenue in the month of June, based on orders received and delivered within the month, reached $918,509.00, with related expense for the same period of $611,498, representing a 32% gross profit margin, and the Companys largest month in sales to date. The record-breaking revenues in June surpassed the Companys previous all-time high revenue, demonstrating a continued and growing demand for Blender Bites products in the market. The Companys progression is evident with this historic month of sales, and its looking forward to the next chapter with the full US rollout coming soon.

Blender Bites remains committed to meeting the increased sales demand, enhancing gross margins, and advancing towards profitability in 2024. The Companys strategic focus on delivering high-quality, organic, and plant-based functional foods continues to resonate with consumers seeking healthier and convenient options.

Blender Bites is steadfast in its mission to provide premium, nutritious, and sustainable food choices, while delivering outstanding value to its customers. The Company's commitment to excellence, coupled with its innovative product offerings, is helping to position Blender Bites as a leading player in the functional food industry.

We are thrilled to announce our record-breaking revenue for the month of June, and this momentum sets a promising tone for the upcoming quarter and beyond, as we forge ahead with our full US rollout. This remarkable growth not only showcases the increasing demand for Blender Bites premium, organic, and plant-based functional foods but also underscores the potential for our Companys future growth. We remain dedicated to meeting the rising sales demands, optimizing both gross and contribution margins, and committing tour plan of hitting positive EBITDA by mid 2024, stated Chelsie Hodge, Blender Bites Founder and CEO.

The Company cautions that the above figures for revenue have not been audited and are based upon calculations prepared by the Companys financial management team. Actual results may differ from those reported in this release once these figures have been audited.

ABOUT BLENDER BITES

Blender Bites is a multi award-winning Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium, frozen functional food and beverages. Blender Bites products are made with organic ingredients, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free and soy free. Blender Bites was founded in 2016 and first launched to market in Western Canada in 2017 with a pre-portioned 1-Step Smoothie product that is free of any unnecessary inner plastic packaging. Blender Bites products are now distributed internationally across Canada and the US, and are currently sold in over 1000 stores, including Walmart, Sobeys, Loblaws, Safeway, Save on Foods, Real Canadian Superstore, Whole Foods Market, Buy-Low/Nesters, IGA, and Thriftys.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Blender Bites Limited

Chelsie Hodge, Chief Executive OfficerEmail  [email protected]Telephone  236-521-0626

For further information, contact Blender IR Team at:

Email  [email protected]Telephone  1-888-997-2055Media Contact  [email protected]

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENTThis news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including with respect to the success of the Companys further expansion into the United States consumer market, expectations regarding sustained and continued growth and expected profitability and EBITDA growth. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties, and uncertain capital markets. Readers are cautioned that actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Source: Blender Bites Limited
OTTAWA, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, in the lead up to World Youth Skills Day, Skills/Competences Canada (SCC) is pleased to announce that the Government of Canada will contribute more than $27 million over the next five years to SCC, under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. This funding will go towards promoting the rewarding careers that are available in the skilled trades and technologies to our countrys youth.

Skills/Competences Canada provides hands-on experience in skilled trades and technologies to youth through its many programs and events, including its flagship event the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC). This event includes over 40 skilled trade and technology competitions for more than 500 competitors from across Canada. SCNC Winnipeg 2023 had over 13,000 visiting students, a record-breaking number. Through its events and programs, SCC connects with youth and encourages them to discover and explore the many exciting and lucrative careers that exist in these sectors.

With approximately 700,000 skilled tradespeople set to retire this decade, this investment comes at a critical time," said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, SCC. "We are grateful for the government's continued support of SCC's work to strengthen Canada's future skilled trades workforce."

Young people want to help build Canadas future. With the nature of work changing fast, todays investment will help young people develop the skills they need to take advantage of future career opportunities in the skilled trades, said The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.

About Skills/Competences CanadaSkills/Competences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, notforprofit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trade and technology careers among Canadian youth. For more information visit: www.skillscompetencescanada.com

Follow Skills/Competences Canada on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

MEDIA CONTACT: Michele Rogerson, [email protected], 613-266-4771.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b39304cb-9ef3-48e6-97c1-d8bcac19e0db

The 2023 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC), in Winnipeg. A competitor competing in Steamfitter/Pipefitter at SCNC 2023, in Winnipeg.

Source: Skills/Competences Canada
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) hosted the Australian Ambassador to the United States of America at its Newport News Shipbuilding division today.



Ambassador Dr. Kevin Rudd was accompanied by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who serves as Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower; Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven; and Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The group met with NNS leadership and toured shipyard facilities that support construction of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines.

The visit comes as HII continues its commitment to supporting the trilateral Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS) partnership announcement on nuclear powered submarines made in March. That announcement includes the optimal pathway to provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

Were honored that Ambassador Rudd invested his time together with Sen. Kaine to see our best-in-class workforce and how we successfully manage the complex process of nuclear submarine construction and shipbuilding here at Newport News Shipbuilding, NNS President Jennifer Boykin said. We look forward to working with our U.S. Navy, United Kingdom, Australian leadership, and industry partners, to increase our collective undersea capacity and mission capability.





Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-hosts-australian-ambassador-kevin-rudd-senator-tim-kaine-newport-news-shipbuilding-2023/.

Im so proud that Virginia has played a leading role in building Virginia-class submarines, Kaine said. The hard work of our shipbuilders strengthens our national security and boosts our economy. The AUKUS agreement will help further Virginias critical shipbuilding leadership, strengthen our alliances, and bolster security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Im grateful to Ambassador Rudd and Under Secretary of the Navy Raven for coming to see Virginias work on these submarines and reaffirming the importance of the AUKUS partnership.

It was great to join Senator Kaine to see firsthand how the worlds most complex ships are designed, built and maintained, Rudd said. The expertise of the United States Navy and American shipbuilders will be invaluable to Australia as we develop our own sovereign submarine industrial base, while boosting the resilience of our allied submarine supply chain and furthering security objectives for all three AUKUS partners.

NNS is one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy. HII stands ready to leverage its longstanding expertise in nuclear shipbuilding and defense technologies, maintenance and sustainment, workforce and supply chain development, and presence in Canberra, Australia, in support of the AUKUS lines of effort.

For more information on the trilateral delivery of a submarine capability and a broader partnership on advanced capabilities with Australia, visit: FACT SHEET: Implementation of the Australia  United Kingdom  United States Partnership (AUKUS) | The White House

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 43,000 strong. For more information, visit:

HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/

HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII

HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII

HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII

Contact:

Todd Corillo

[email protected]

(757) 688-3220

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8846cb51-07df-4412-a59e-0bcf5a58a791
The shareholders of Anoto Group AB (publ) (Anoto or the Company) are hereby invited to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting (the EGM) to be held on Monday 7 August 2023 at 10 a.m. at the premises of Setterwalls Advokatbyra, Sturegatan 10 in Stockholm, Sweden.



Notification of participation

Shareholders wishing to attend the EGM must:

be entered as shareholders in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than on Friday 28 July 2023;

notify the Company of their intention to participate no later than on Tuesday 1 August 2023.

Attendance is to be notified by phone to +44 758 430 12 60 or by e-mail to [email protected] The notification should state name, social security number/corporate identification number and registered number of shares. To facilitate admittance to the EGM, proxies, registration certificates and other authorisation documents should be submitted to the Company by email to [email protected] no later than on Tuesday 1 August 2023. The Company provides proxy forms on the Companys web page www.anoto.com.





To be entitled to participate at the EGM, shareholders who has had their shares registered through nominees (Sw. forvaltare) must, in addition to notifying the Company of their intention to participate at the EGM, have their shares registered in their own name so that the shareholder is entered into the share register per Friday 28 July 2023. Such registration may be temporary (Sw. rostrattsregistrering) and is requested with the nominee in accordance with the nominees routines at such time in advance as the nominee determines. Voting rights registrations made no later than Tuesday 1 August 2023 are considered in the presentation of the EGM share register.

Proposed agenda

Opening of the meeting Election of Chairman Preparation and approval of voting list Approval of the agenda Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes Determination of whether the Meeting has been duly convened Resolution regarding approval of share transfer in KAIT Closing of the Meeting

Proposals by the board of directors regarding Approval of a share transfer in KAIT (item 7)

Background



Anoto AB with reg. no 556320-2646, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anoto, has on 13 July 2023 entered into share transfer agreements with Joonhee Won and Jorgen Durban regarding the sale of a total of 1,350,000 shares in Knowledge AI Holdings Ltd. (KAIT"). KAIT is a subsidiary of Anoto specializing in education.

Application of the Leo Rules



Given that Joonhee Won is a member of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and Jorgen Durban is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Anoto, the transfers are subject to the Leo rules in Chapter 16 of the Swedish Companies Act and must be submitted to the general meeting for approval. The share transfer agreement has therefore been conditioned on the approval of the EGM.

Statement of the Board of Directors on the share transfer agreements



Anoto has previously announced that it has sold 2,750,000 shares in KAIT to a number of European investors. After the sale, Anoto's ownership in KAIT would amount to 47.2 per cent of the number of outstanding shares in the company.

The transfers are a step towards strengthening the Company's financial position. Through the transfers, KAIT will be deconsolidated from the Company, allowing KAIT to secure its own financing as an independent company. At the same time, this results in an improvement in Anotos financial position as KAIT's debts will no longer be included in Anoto's balance sheet. After the transfers, Anoto will still own 4,300,000 shares in KAIT which corresponds to approximately 47.8 per cent of the number of outstanding shares.

One of the European investors has not completed the transaction on the agreed closing date. Anoto's board has therefore decided to instead transfer 1,250,000 shares to Joonhee Won and 100,000 shares to Jorgen Durban on the same terms and at the same price as agreed with the external investors. The purchase price for the shares in KAIT corresponds to an agreed market value of KAIT of USD 12 million on a fully diluted basis. The purchase price for the shares thus amounts to USD 1 250 000 and USD 100 000 for Joonhee Won and Jorgen Durban respectively.

The board assesses that the terms of the transaction, including the purchase price, are market based, and that the share transfer agreements otherwise contain customary conditions.

The transfers of shares in KAIT are, inter alia, conditional on the approval of the transfers by an extraordinary general meeting of the Company.

In respect of Joonhee Won's position as member of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and Jorgen Durban's position as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, they have not been involved in the preparation of the sale of shares in KAIT and have not participated in the board's decision regarding the sale.

Proposal for resolution



The Board of Directors proposes that the Extraordinary General Meeting approves the transfer of 1,250,000 shares in KAIT to Joonhee Won and 100,000 shares in KAIT to Jorgen Durban under the conditions set out above.

Valuation statement

The Company has prepared a valuation report regarding the market value of the shares for the Extraordinary General Meeting. A copy of the final valuation assessment will be available at www.anoto.com and at the office of the Company.

Majority requirement

The resolution is only valid if supported by shareholders holding not less than nine-tenths of both the votes cast and the shares represented at the Extraordinary General Meeting.

Number of shares and votes in the Company

As of 14 July 2023, the total number of ordinary shares and votes in the Company was 331,859,066. There were no Series C Shares issued. The Company is not holding any own shares.

Stockholm, July 2023

Anoto Group AB (publ)

The Board of Directors

Attachment
LOS ANGELES, CA, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PizzaTime ($PIZZA) is proud to announce its highly anticipated launch, marking a new era of community-driven and decentralized crypto projects. With a mission to foster long-term development and sustainability, PizzaTime aims to create real-world use cases and achieve widespread popularity beyond fleeting trends.

PizzaTime ($PIZZA) is a fully decentralized project that thrives on the active involvement and support of its community. By encouraging free and open communication, PizzaTime ensures that every enthusiast is informed and can actively participate in the growth and development of the project. The community is the driving force behind multiple independent efforts in development, community self-management, and more.

Unlike many short-term projects, PizzaTime is committed to long-term development and the creation of real-world use cases. By fostering a strong ecosystem, the project aims to achieve greater rewards and popularity beyond any temporary trends. With a focus on sustainability, PizzaTime seeks to establish itself as a trusted and reliable investment option in the crypto space.

The native token of PizzaTime, $PIZZA, is an ERC20 token launched on the Ethereum blockchain. The token sale commenced on July 13th via Pinksale, reaching its hard cap of 100 ETH almost immediately. Backed by an experienced team, $PIZZA has already gained attention in the crypto community for its potential.

Key Features of PizzaTime ($PIZZA)

Exclusive Whitelist Presale on Pinksale: The project offers an exclusive opportunity for investors to participate in the Whitelist Presale on Pinksale.

The project offers an exclusive opportunity for investors to participate in the Whitelist Presale on Pinksale. Audited: The $PIZZA Token Smart Contract has undergone a top-grade security audit, ensuring a high level of transparency and instilling confidence within the community.

The $PIZZA Token Smart Contract has undergone a top-grade security audit, ensuring a high level of transparency and instilling confidence within the community. No Private Sale: PizzaTime has opted not to hold a private sale, ensuring fair and equal access to the token for all interested investors.

PizzaTime has opted not to hold a private sale, ensuring fair and equal access to the token for all interested investors. LP Locked for 365 Days: To provide security and stability to token holders, the liquidity pool (LP) will be locked for 365 days, minimizing the risk of rug pulls.

To provide security and stability to token holders, the liquidity pool (LP) will be locked for 365 days, minimizing the risk of rug pulls. Contract Renounced at Launch: The contract for $PIZZA will be renounced at launch, further enhancing its decentralized nature and eliminating the possibility of external control.

The contract for $PIZZA will be renounced at launch, further enhancing its decentralized nature and eliminating the possibility of external control. Experienced Dev + Team: The project boasts a team of experienced developers and professionals dedicated to its success and long-term growth.

Tokenomics of $PIZZA

The maximum supply of $PIZZA tokens is 4,200,000,069, ensuring scarcity and value appreciation. Key token functionalities include complete decentralization, with the distribution as follows:

Burned: 15.7%

Liquidity Pool: 74.2%

CEX Wallet: 10.1%

At launch, taxes on BUY will be set at 1%, while SELL will incur a 10% tax. However, after 15 minutes, the SELL tax will be permanently reduced to 1% for marketing purposes.

To further solidify trust and security, the $PIZZA Token Smart Contract has undergone a rigorous security audit, ensuring the safety of user funds. The contract address is 0x4562cc8E99e2a5b58E69Ef6643656f6AA46d74FC.

PizzaTime ($PIZZA) aims to expand its presence on various exchanges, with liquidity pools and listings being continuously added by independent enthusiasts and supporters within the community. This strategy ensures wider accessibility and a more diverse trading ecosystem for $PIZZA token holders.

Mexican Pizza Cartel - NFT

In addition to its core offering, PizzaTime introduces the Mexican Pizza Cartel - NFT collection. This collection showcases the adventures of Juan El Slico Martinez, a pizza delivery boy turned leader of the Pizza Cartel. Join the Pizza Cartel for thrilling culinary battles and the power of perfectly baked pizzas. Get ready for a journey filled with laughter, mischief, and the joy of unconventional toppings!

To learn more about PizzaTime ($PIZZA), please visit the official website at https://www.pizzatime.wtf/. Stay updated with the latest news and announcements by following PizzaTime on Twitter and joining the Telegram community.

About PizzaTime ($PIZZA)

PizzaTime ($PIZZA) is a fully decentralized and community-driven crypto project focused on long-term sustainability and real-world use cases. With its enthusiastic community and experienced team, PizzaTime aims to revolutionize the crypto landscape through innovative solutions and an inclusive approach.

Website | Twitter | Telegram

###

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this release is not investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor) before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency.

Chong Tommie Pizza Time hello at pizzatime.wtf

Source: Pizza Time
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pulse Oil Corp., (Pulse or the "Company) (TSXV: PUL) is pleased to announce from its 2023 annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the Meeting) held today in Vancouver, B.C. Shareholders voted as follows on the matters before the Meeting.

Election of Directors

All six of the nominees listed in Pulses management information circular dated June 9, 2023 that were proposed by management for election to the board of directors at the Meeting were duly elected. The directors will remain in office until the next annual meeting of the Companys shareholders or until their successors are elected or appointed.

Annual general and special meeting results:

Election of Directors Nominee For % For Withheld % Withheld Garth Johnson 233,444,501 99.27 1,724,000 0.73 Drew Cadenhead 235,149,501 99.99 19,000 0.01 Douglas Ellenor 234,462,751 99.70 705,750 0.30 John Doyle 235,149,501 99.99 19,000 0.01 Daniel Bolstad 235,149,501 99.99 19,000 0.01 Patrick Harrison 235,149,501 99.99 19,000 0.01 The directors will remain in office until the next annual meeting of the Companys shareholders or until their earlier resignation. For % For Against Against % Withheld Withheld % Appointment of Auditors 235,149,501 99.99 N/A N/A 19,000 0.01 Other Business 232,997,501 99.08 2,171,000 0.92 N/A N/A

Appointment of Auditors

Shareholders appointed MNP LLP as auditor of the Company for the upcoming year and authorized the directors of the Company to fix the remuneration of the auditor.

About Pulse

Pulse is a Canadian company incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) that is primarily focused on a 100% Working Interest Enhanced Oil Project Located in West Central Alberta, Canada. The project includes two established Nisku pinnacle reef reservoirs that have been producing sweet light crude oil for over 40 years. The Company plans to institute a proven recovery methodology (NGL solvent injection) to further enhance the ultimate oil recovery from these two proven pools. With under 10 million barrels of oil recovered to date, and representing approximately 30% recovery factor from the pools, Pulse is moving forward to execute the EOR project and unlock significant value for shareholders. Pulses total reclamation liabilities are just $2.7 million which, when compared to many peers in the industry in Western Canada, are very low.

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 further information contact:

Pulse Oil Corp.

Garth JohnsonCEO604-306-4421[email protected]

Drew CadenheadDirector[email protected]

Source: Pulse Oil Corp.
Dubai, UAE, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SuperFriends, a global collective of passionate crypto enthusiasts, is thrilled to announce the launch of their community-driven crypto project, SuperFriends ($FRIENDS). With a shared vision of spreading friendship and positivity throughout the crypto space, SuperFriends aims to create a vibrant and supportive community for investors and enthusiasts alike.

Inspired by their own multinational friendship group, SuperFriends came together through various crypto Telegram groups, forming strong bonds over their shared passion for cryptocurrencies. Motivated by their curiosity and dreams for the future of the crypto industry, they embarked on an exciting venture to create their very own memetoken, $FRIENDS.

SuperFriends harnessed their collective expertise and creativity to develop $FRIENDS, a token that encapsulates the essence of their friendship and positive spirit. Beyond being just a crypto project, $FRIENDS represents unity, a fun and caring community atmosphere, and mutual support. This unique token symbolizes the best qualities of the human spirit and reflects the ongoing mission of SuperFriends to promote friendship across the globe.

Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, SuperFriends' $FRIENDS token empowers its holders by involving them in the decision-making process and project development. The SuperFriends community will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the project, resulting in a high level of engagement, increased adoption, and potential value appreciation for the token.

"We believe that community is the backbone of any successful cryptocurrency project," said Antonio Marchegiani, spokesperson for SuperFriends. "With SuperFriends and our $FRIENDS token, we aim to not only provide an exciting investment opportunity but also create a welcoming and supportive environment for our community members. We want to connect like-minded individuals from all over the world, foster positive relationships, and promote the spirit of friendship within the crypto space. We are going to add soon utility to the project with the incoming staking and thanks to our unmatched team made of business experienced men and also very young ones, from different countries and business sectors, the project is enriched every day due to the constant dedication of all the members in making $FRIENDS a life-changing token.

Community-driven cryptocurrencies have gained significant popularity in recent years due to their decentralized nature and growth potential. SuperFriends recognizes the importance of a strong and supportive community in the success of their token. By investing in SuperFriends, individuals not only gain exposure to a promising digital asset but also become part of a vibrant community that encourages innovation, sharing of ideas, and mutual support.

Tokenomiccs

Name: SuperFriends

Ticker: $FRIENDS

Network: BEP20 (Binance Smart Chain)

Total Supply: 100,000,000 $FRIIENDS

The SuperFriends $FRIENDS token has a total supply of 100 million, with 50% allocated for the fair launch, 26% for liquidity, 10% for staking, 10% for potential CEX listings, and 4% reserved for future developments. This well-balanced token distribution ensures a fair and sustainable ecosystem for the SuperFriends community, promoting liquidity, engagement, and growth opportunities for token holders.

Taxation

Buy Tax: 4% (2% Reflections, 1% LP/Buybacks/Burns, 1% Marketing)

Sell Tax: 6% (2% Reflections, 1% LP/Buybacks/Burns, 1% Team, 2% Marketing)

SuperFriends has carefully designed its tokenomics to create a fair and sustainable ecosystem for its community. With each transaction, a portion contributes to reflections for holders, liquidity pool maintenance, buybacks, burns, marketing initiatives, and team operations. This comprehensive structure ensures the long-term viability and growth potential of the $FRIENDS token.

SuperFriends invites everyone to join their ever-growing community and become a part of a vibrant network that fosters positivity, innovation, and friendship within the crypto space. To learn more about SuperFriends and their $FRIENDS token, please visit their official website at https://superfriends.space/, or follow them on Twitter, Telegram, and TikTok.

About SuperFriends

SuperFriends is a community-driven cryptocurrency project founded by a diverse group of passionate crypto enthusiasts from around the globe. The project aims to foster friendship, unity, and positive engagement within the crypto space. Through the innovative $FRIENDS token, SuperFriends is creating a supportive community that embraces investors, encourages innovation, and promotes the proliferation of positive connections.

Website | Twitter | Telegram | TikTok

Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, or intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor) before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency.

Antonio Marchegiani SuperFriends contact(at)superfriends.space

Source: SuperFriends
Roseau, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 17 July 2023, the Commonwealth of Dominica becomes the first country to introduce mandatory interviews with all applicants aged 16 and over applying for its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI). This step shows the countrys commitment to cooperating with international stakeholders and increasing due diligence processes, with the aim of reducing threats posed by illicit actors.

Dominica was one of the five Caribbean nations with CBI programmes who met US officials led by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Treasury on 25 February this year. The US-Caribbean Roundtable deliberated the challenges faced by Caribbean CBI programmes and discussed opportunities that would enable the programmes to thrive.

One of the outcomes of the session was that all Caribbean CBI nations agreed to start conducting virtual or in-person interviews with each applicant.

As part of the application process, which includes submitting financial statements, proof of employment and identification documents amongst others, all applicants aged 16 and over will now be required to be available for the interview.

Dominica is continually praised for its strict and robust due diligence processes  a necessary risk mitigation activity that has enabled the country to protect both international investors and local citizens from unsavoury players.

The due diligence in Dominica is conducted by renowned due diligence and risk agencies from the United States and the United Kingdom, supported by local and international policing authorities. A multi-layer process is followed that includes vetting all documents received through online and on-the-ground checks.

Caribbean CBI nations have the most proactive and transparent approach to due diligence, something that enhanced their reputation within the international community and investors continue to be confident that their investments are safe thanks to the robust due diligence.

CBI Programmes continue to provide a legitimate source of foreign direct investment to many nations and facilitated the survival of Caribbean nations who continue to face an existential threat as Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

In Dominica for example, funds from the CBI programme have been used to build climate resilient infrastructure, enhance public facilities and diversify the economy.

While the European Union and the United States have on many occasions threatened to dismantle the programmes, it is noted that such an action would severely compromise the prosperity and prospects of the countries, triggering a plethora of negative socio-economic consequences.

We are serious and committed to the collective fight to safeguard our respective financial systems. We understand that this step will add another layer to our due diligence process and is a risk management framework to strengthen and safeguard the integrity of our CBI Programme, noted Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

More on the US-Caribbean Roundtable

Caribbean leaders who attended the US-Caribbean Roundtable included: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne; Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell; Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew and Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip Pierre.

Also in attendance was the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and a delegation of the Government of the United States led by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of the Treasury.

The six principles that were agreed during the discussion were:

1. Collective agreement on treatment of denials: Not to process applications from persons whose applications have been denied in another CBI jurisdiction, by proactively sharing information on denials.

2. Interviews: Conduct interviews with applicants, whether virtual or in person.

3. Additional checks: Each jurisdiction will run checks on each application with the Financial Intelligence Unit of its respective country.

4. Audits: Audit the Programme annually or every two years in accordance with internationally accepted standards.

5. Retrieval of passports: Request law enforcement assistance to retrieve revoked/recalled passports.

6. Treatment of Russians and Belarusians: Suspend processing applications from Russians and Belarusians. All jurisdictions have already implemented this change.

Dominica Citizenship by Investment Secretary Commonwealth of Dominica 001 (767) 266 3919 [email protected]

Source: Commonwealth of Dominica
Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa are being transferred back to Tunisia after being pushed into a dangerous no-mans-land on the Libyan border and trapped for a week there without access to basic necessities, according to aid agencies.

The group was driven out earlier this month amid a spike in anti-migrant tensions linked to a killing in the Tunisian port city of Sfax, a hub for traffickers organizing risky and sometimes deadly boat journeys across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy.

One such boat sank on Sunday off the Tunisian coast. Coast guard officers retrieved one body, rescued 11 people and declared 10 others as missing, the Sfax prosecutors office said.

The fate of hundreds of migrants pushed into the Tunisia-Libya border region drew concern from international humanitarian groups and calls for action. It also raised questions about Tunisia's migration policies, weeks after the European Union offered Tunisias government $1 billion to help its slumping economy  and to beef up border services to stop migrant boats from crossing to Europe.

A 29-year-old man from Ivory Coast who was among those trapped in the border zone said Tuesday that he and 100 others have been transferred away from the border to the Tunisian inland town of Medenine, where they are now sleeping in a courtyard.

Speaking to The Associated Press from the border zone last week, he described some 600 sub-Saharan migrants caught in the area between the Mediterranean and the Tunisian-Libyan land border near Ben Guerdane.

The man said uniformed men had taken migrants from their homes in Sfax in the middle of the night in early July and brought them to the border.

Tunisian Red Crescent head Abdellatif Chabou headed to the region to oversee an operation to bring food and water to the migrants and allow them to contact their families.

The move comes under the directive of Tunisian President Kais Saied who on Sunday ordered the Red Crescent to bring aid to the migrants.

Three people needing medical aid were transferred to a local hospital, including a pregnant woman, Chabou told local broadcaster Radio Mosaique on Monday. He said 195 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa registered on a Red Crescent list to be transferred back to Tunisia, and then to their countries of origin.

The president of the Tunisian Human Rights Observatory, Mustapha Abdelkebir, said a total of 450 migrants blocked in the border zone were being gradually transferred to various regions of Tunisia.

The International Organization for Migration said it was working with Tunisian authorities to ensure humanitarian assistance, and called on Tunisia to respect the dignity and rights of all migrants and to counter harmful and negative rhetoric, hate speech and hate crimes.

The Tunisian Human Rights League called for a crisis center to address the tensions in Sfax.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online

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Belize City, Belize, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UBIX.Network, a highly performant DAG platform, is in constant search of new niches that are best fit to benefit from the power of decentralized technologies. Thats due to the platform delivering high-utility value services tailored for the use by most people around the world and not just a secluded group of crypto-maximalists.

Although UBIX.Network still remains in the shadows compared to bigger decentralized platforms, it has been successful in supplying users with several top-notch services. Their main objective is to free users of hurdles that plague their everyday life. These are centralization, which is indeed excessive, high transaction costs, intermediaries and a lack of a pleasant user experience.

To rid everyone of centralization, UBIX.Network developed the Silent Notary, which is the world's first Web3 notary. It provides the solution that makes evidence verifiable, traceable and immutable. The service eliminates the need for some centralized Legal Tech apps with servers that can easily be manipulated. Silent Notary is used by both ordinary users and corporate clients such as Langia, TestedWeb and Accelerator Group.

To issue users own tokens for free, UBIX.Network recently released 4Tokens, which is a no-code tokenization platform. Thanks to its launch, the tokenization of numerous existing business models has been made much easier. Besides this, it also contributes to the set-up of new businesses that are much easier to develop and monetize with the help of cost-free tokenization and further listing of tokens on the UBIX.Networks own exchange.

To eliminate intermediaries in task performers search, UBIX.Network developed CrowdFeeding, which is a decentralized gig aggregator platform. With its help, employers can place tasks, wait for an employee to perform them, and settle the payment all in one window. The service is already in high demand from small companies. It offers a convenient solution to one of the key problems they face, which is to quickly find the required task performers.

Lately, to remove the need to remember long wallet addresses, UBIX.Network will soon introduce Ubixpay, which is a lightweight wallet currently in the testing stage. It will provide users with the opportunity to send and receive payments via one of their Social Media IDs. It basically means that users will no longer need to remember long wallet addresses composed of numbers and letters. Instead, transfers will be made possible via Instagram, Twitter or Telegram IDs.

Visit us on social media: Telegram | Twitter

Max Breus pr(at)ubix.network

Source: UBIX.Network
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former White House adviser Neil Patel are in talks to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fund the new media company, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Since leaving Fox News, Tucker Carlson is actively posting videos on Twitter and is now looking to develop the new media companys strategy around Elon Musks social media network. The idea is to post short, free versions of his show on Twitter while users would need to subscribe to watch full videos.

Carlson and Patel founded the conservative Daily Caller news site in 2010.

Carlsons team met with a Twitter team in recent weeks to discuss the new project, the report also adds. The pair also plans to develop a new website and app for the new media outlet.

It remains to be seen how Fox (NASDAQ: FOX) will react to Carlsons efforts to start a new company given that he is still under a multi-year contract with them.

By Senad Karaahmetovic
A recent study by leading psychedelic academics has found that psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression could be more affordable compared to conventional treatments. Psilocybin is the main hallucinogenic agent in magic mushrooms, and as with several other psychedelics, it has been subject to increased scientific research in recent years.

These scientific studies have found that psychedelics can offer relief against a plethora of mental health conditions, with

Read More>>

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Atacama Copper Corporation (TSXV: ACOP) ("Atacama Copper" or the "Company") is saddened to report the sudden and unexpected passing of our CFO, Eduardo 'Eddy' Yu. Eddy was a key member of the small management team at the Company and will be greatly missed by all his colleagues.

Tim Warman, CEO said, "On behalf of everyone at Atacama Copper I want to extend our deepest condolences to the Yu family. Eddy was a talented individual who everyone on our team enjoyed working with, and we will miss his insight and guidance."

The Company has commenced a search for a new CFO.

About Atacama Copper Corporation

Atacama Copper Corporation is a resource company focusing on acquiring, exploring, and developing copper properties in Chile and elsewhere in the Americas. It is committed to advancing the exploration and development of the Placeton and El Cofre projects while looking to increase its asset portfolio through the acquisition and development of other high-value copper exploration, development, and production opportunities. Atacama Copper's Placeton project is a large porphyry copper target located between the Relincho and El Morro Copper-gold deposits of the Nueva Union joint venture between Teck and Newmont Mining.

Additional Information - Please Contact

For more information, please contact:



Tim Warman

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Atacama Copper Corporation

Email: [email protected]

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering and receipt of final approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. The material facts and assumptions include the intended use of proceeds remaining in the best interests of the Company. The Company cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Due to the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward- looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173561
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) (OTCQB: BNNHF) ("Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated May 9, 2023 and June 29, 2023, the completion of its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement.

Private Placement

The Company is issuing 3,349,999 units at a price of $0.12 per unit for a gross proceeds of $401,999.88, with each unit consisting of one common shares and one full transferable warrant. Each full warrant will be exercisable for one common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 per common share for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

About Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior gold exploration company focused on exploring and developing The Alotta project in Canadian Yukon Territory. The Alotta project is a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum prospect, located 50 km south of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Cole McClay", CEO Benjamin Hill Mining Corp.

[email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173514
Proposes Consolidation of Common Shares

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 14, 2023) - Lodestar Battery Metals(TSXV: LSTR) (OTCQB: SVTNF)("Lodestar" or the "Company")is pleased to announce the release of its corporate update to shareholders for the six months ended June 30, 2023 ("H1 2023") and review of the restructuring from Lowell Kamin, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board.

Lodestar will host its Annual General Meeting today, July 14, 2023, at 11 AM PT. Shareholders and the general public are welcome to dial in with the following details:

Toll Free Canada +1 (844) 511 2074

Vancouver, BC +1 (778) 200 4975

Participant access: 942 544 407

Dear Shareholders,

When I was appointed President and CEO last June, I made a significant and deliberate decision to restructure and rebrand the Company to align our corporate identity with our collective vision for the future with my personal beliefs about how junior resource companies should be managed.

Highlights of the restructuring and our key achievements over the last 12 months include:

Strategic Review, Risk Management and Governance Overhaul

At the outset, we undertook a comprehensive review of our assets in Mexico and all commercial arrangements the Company had entered into. We cancelled all engagements and methodically managed the risk associated with that decision. All remaining officers and directors associated with Silver One Resources Inc. stepped aside and Scott Margach and Gary Prihar were added as Independent Directors. From day one, we substantially reduced the burn rate and identified the structural risks of the Company.

Leadership Transition, Compliance Strengthening and Asset Management in Mexico Operations

Following the resignation of our former CFO, Killian Ruby, who stepped down after the former CEO and board members resigned, we appointed an Interim CFO to fill the position. One notable achievement in the second half of 2022, from both a C-suite and Board perspective, was the successful rehiring of Killian Ruby as CFO, who also became a member of the Board. Killian demonstrated exceptional competence by assuming responsibility for all commercial arrangements in Mexico, ensuring the proper documentation and up-to-date status. Killian played a crucial role in solidifying compliance across the organization. Furthermore, Killian gained full control over the Mexican assets, bank accounts and relationships. Killian's meticulous attention to detail enabled us to navigate our 2022 audit process successfully.

Strategic Asset Realignment: Capitalizing on Battery Metals and Sustainable Energy Solutions

We embarked on a new direction for the Company, transitioning from a Mexican Silver Exploration company to a North American Battery Metals company. As part of this strategic shift, we entered into a Letter of Intent ("LOI") to acquire our flagship asset, The Peny Property, in Snow Lake, Manitoba, in July 2022. We moved quickly to close on the acquisition of this asset in September 2022. We believe this represents a significantly better opportunity to participate in a growing district with a rich mining history spanning over 100 years. The area boasts exceptional infrastructure, favourable tax treatments for exploration expenses, and several other companies exploring for lithium.

One of the personal highlights of my tenure was visiting Snow Lake, Manitoba, in October 2022. With the assistance of Luke Van Der Meer, our Qualified Person ("QP") and Geologist, we identified potential areas for expanded exploration. Moving forward, our strategic focus will be to become a leading lithium exploration company in Snow Lake, Manitoba.

Preliminary Field Exploration Program at Lodestar's Peny Property in the Snow Lake District, October 2022

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/173521_lodestar_1.png

The Snow Lake Mining District: A Promising Frontier for Lithium Exploration and Extraction

Snow Lake Mining District's allure originates from its abundant pegmatite deposits and favourable geological conditions. The district boasts pegmatites, which hold significant potential for the exploration and extraction of lithium-bearing minerals. The geological history and structure of the region have fostered optimal conditions for the concentration of these minerals within pegmatite dykes.

Moreover, the district offers convenient access to a well-established mining infrastructure and a reliable power supply, creating an advantageous environment for the efficient extraction and processing of lithium. Furthermore, the escalating demand for lithium in EVs and renewable energy storage systems positions the Snow Lake Mining District as an exceptionally promising destination for mining companies aiming to capitalize on the surging market demand for this critical resource.

Today, Lodestar holds one of the largest land packages in the entire district, encompassing 47 mineral claims spanning 11,191 hectares. Consequently, it's easy to understand our excitement about unlocking the potential of this asset.

Aerial view of the Snow Lake District, Preliminary Field Exploration Program, October 2022



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/173521_2283e54644a45ad2_003full.jpg

Apart from Lodestar, there has been significant activity in the region this year, including:

In June 2023, Snow Lake Lithium announced the initial findings of its metallurgical testwork program conducted for the Grass River Lithium Project1. The first round of results from the recent winter drilling campaign has been received and interpreted, revealing promising outcomes. Notable highlights include intersecting significant lithium mineralization at various depths, such as 6.3 meters at 1.97% Li20 from 31.7 meters and 6.6 meters at 1.59% Li20 from 47.6 meters. These results and the remaining drilling program will contribute to a future Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Grass River Project. Snow Lake anticipates releasing a Maiden MRE and a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the project in July, offering further insights into its potential.

Further development work in the Wekusko Lake pegmatite field is ongoing where Snow Lake Lithium has a defined indicated resources of 9.08 [email protected] 1.00% Li2O, further exploration and development work is assessing feasibility for the production of 160k tonnes per annum at 6% lithium concentrate for 8-10 years2.

In June 2023, Hudbay Minerals Inc. and Rockcliff Metals Corp. announced a definitive agreement to consolidate Rockcliff's Snow Lake camp3. Hudbay's interest in the Snow Lake Mining District can be considered a testament to the area's potential, and this agreement has the potential to open the door for future strategic partnerships between major and junior mining companies.

In June 2023, Foremost Lithium Resource & Technology Ltd. announced results from their maiden drilling program at the Jena Lake property and confirmed continuity of the B1-B2 pegmatites and reported: 1.26% Li2O over 3.35 meters, as well as numerous gold intersections, including 7.50 g/t Au over 7.66 metres4.

Updates on Lodestar's Fall 2023 Work Program

In May 2023, we announced a CAD $400,000 work program ("2023 Work Program") aimed at advancing exploration at our Peny Property.

Lodestar will continue analyzing the 86 historical drill holes and seek to explore additional pegmatite intersections on the property. The historical drill holes on the property hold significant importance as they provide invaluable data and insights for future targets. The reported pegmatite intersections found within these drill holes offer indications of potential mineralization and can serve as key markers for understanding the geological composition of the area. Details of this release can be found here.

Map of 19 Primary Targets on the Peny Property

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/173521_2283e54644a45ad2_004full.jpg

We anticipate completing the remote sensing phase by mid-July 2023. Additionally, Lodestar will work to expedite the necessary components to finalize geophysical grids. Geophysics data is expected to be completed by mid-August 2023, with preliminary data available earlier.

Field crews will be dispatched by early September 2023. They will utilize the newly acquired remote sensing, magnetic and radiometric data to prioritize and evaluate predetermined targets well in advance of the approaching snowfall. This approach ensures sufficient time for thorough assessment and analysis.

In June 2023 Lodestar applied for admittance into the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund ("MMDF"). The MMDF aims is to grow the mineral development industry and stimulate economic development in northern Manitoba. Projects funded by MMDF will benefit Manitoba's economy and local communities alike, with a partnership-based approach to help grow the provincial economy together with Indigenous communities.

Location of the Peny Property and surrounding claims holders within the Greater Snow Lake District

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/173521_2283e54644a45ad2_005full.jpg

Decision-Making for Mexican Asset Portfolio

After conducting a thorough evaluation of our Mexican assets in collaboration with Longford Exploration Inc., we made the decision to discontinue our involvement with Pluton, Mexico. This was driven by the financial burden of carrying the asset on our books on an annual basis and an inherited tax liability.

We commissioned an updated 43-101 in Peasco, Mexico, engaging the services of Micon International Limited. This decision was driven by two factors: first, the existing historic 43-101 dated back to 2008, and secondly, the methodology for calculating resources was updated in 2014 by the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

When assessing the risks associated with on-site operations in La Frazada, Mexico, we opted to increase our insurance coverage but refrained from sending any personnel into the region to conduct work due to identified risks.

Lastly, with the assistance of independent external counsel, we initiated a comprehensive review of the commercial arrangements with Silver One Resources Inc., who were the original sellers of the assets to former Silverton Metals Inc. This evaluation aimed to gain a better understanding of the path forward for our balance sheet and the implications of these arrangements.

The repositioning of our portfolio has led us to initiate the sale of the Penasco Quemado and La Frazada silver properties in Mexico. This strategic asset realignment enables us to adapt to changing market dynamics and capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions, specifically focusing on battery metals. We believe this move will position us for long-term success in the evolving energy landscape. It is worth noting that these assets were inherited when we were appointed to the business a year ago, and we are actively working towards resolving any outstanding liabilities associated with them.

Investor Relations, Brand Visibility and Bench Strength

In an effort to share our story and increase awareness of Lodestar, I have attended conferences and forged new relationships for the Company.

Lodestar's new branding on display at Mines and Money, London, UK, November 2022

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/173521_2283e54644a45ad2_006full.jpg

In addition, recognizing the need to strengthen our team, we have been actively working on increasing our bench strength, and I am pleased to report that we are making solid progress. We enlisted the expertise of irlabs, an investor relations firm, to rebrand our Company, positioning us for success as we increase visibility.

We raised flow-through capital in 2022, in order to fund the cap-ex program in Snow Lake on our Peny Property throughout 2023.

Lodestar Partners with Axiom for Upcoming Exploration Program

We have recently engaged Axiom Exploration to oversee the exploration program for the Peny Property. Axiom Exploration is renowned for its expertise and experience in mineral exploration, offering a wealth of knowledge and technical proficiency. This engagement aims to capitalize on Axiom Exploration's proven track record in successfully identifying and delineating mineral deposits.

With their team of skilled geologists and exploration experts, Axiom Exploration will play a pivotal role in designing and implementing an exploration program tailored to the unique geological characteristics of the Peny Property. This partnership with Axiom Exploration reaffirms our dedication to executing high-quality exploration initiatives, unlocking the Peny Property's full potential, and bolstering our battery metals portfolio. Together, Lodestar and Axiom Exploration are well-positioned to make meaningful discoveries and advance our position in the Snow Lake Mining District.

The upcoming exploration program will now be conducted in collaboration with Axiom Exploration, superseding the previous relationships with Longford Exploration.

Lodestar Partners with Red Cloud Securities

We have also entered into a best-efforts agreement with Red Cloud Securities ("Red Cloud") to facilitate the sale of our two silver assets in Mexico. Red Cloud is known for its extensive experience and connections in the mining and resource industry. This partnership aims to streamline the sales process and attract potential buyers. We are confident that this partnership will lead to favourable outcomes and generate value for our shareholders while maintaining our focus on advancing our core objectives in the battery metals sector. Lodestar has diligently completed all necessary filings for the Penasco Property, ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations. To-date, we have successfully submitted all required documentation and tax payments to the Mexican government.

Share Consolidation

We are also announcing that the Company plans to consolidate its issued and outstanding common shares at a ratio of four (4) pre-consolidated shares to one (1) post-consolidation share (the "Consolidation"). The purpose of the Consolidation is to improve the capital structure and generate greater investor interest. The Company is also in the process of cancelling all share options outstanding in an effort to improve the capital structure.

The Company currently has 44,336,500 common shares issued and outstanding. Upon completion of the Consolidation, the Company will have 11,084,125 common shares issued and outstanding.

In accordance with the Company's Articles, the Consolidation will not require the approval of the shareholders. The Consolidation is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

What's Next

Reflecting on our many achievements since assuming control of the Company a year ago, we are excited about the future. Specifically, with the support of Axiom and Luke Van Der Meer as our QP, we are gathering information to inform our decision regarding the placement of a portable drill on our Peny Property in Q4 2023, and we hope we can begin to see the results of our hard work.

I am personally looking forward to being in Snow Lake in early September with Axiom and Luke Van Der Meer to further advance out knowledge of the Peny Property and the region.

We recognize the importance of communicating our message and future growth plans with a broader investor audience. We believe our partnership with irlabs will play an instrumental role in raising our profile while building and maintaining investor confidence through an effective investor relations strategy.

I am very appreciative of all the support and guidance I received along the way from the shareholders, C-suite, Board, and advisors. While we still have some work to do, the path forward is clear, and Lodestar is set up to succeed. Additionally, I believe the enterprise value of Lodestar currently does not reflect the true value of the opportunities ahead. I would encourage you to visit our website to review all news releases and our assets. Furthermore, I would be pleased to walk you through our updated corporate presentation, available here.

Respectfully,

Lowell Kamin

President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Lodestar Battery Metals

Qualified Persons

Luke van der Meer (P.Geo) is a consultant to the Company and is a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined by National Instrument 43-101 guidelines - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and has reviewed the technical information of this news release.

About Lodestar Battery Metals Corp.

Lodestar Battery Metals Corp. is a Canadian mining exploration company focused on the battery metals space. The Company's 100% owned flagship Peny Property comprises of 47 mineral claims totalling 11,191 hectares in the Snow Lake District, Manitoba, with access to tier-1 existing infrastructure: railway, roads, airstrip, and power. The Company also owns 100% interest in two significant silver assets in Mexico. The Company intends to build a strong portfolio of battery metals projects to drive future growth through exploration success and from later-stage projects with production potential. The Lodestar business plan calls for a dynamic combination of developing its existing properties, acquisitions, and partnerships to achieve this growth. For more information, visit https://lodestarbatterymetals.ca/.

Contact

Lodestar Battery Metals Corp.

Lowell Kamin, President, CEO & Chairman of the Board

(416) 272-1241 [email protected]

Investor Relations

Alyssa Barry, IR Labs Inc.

1-833-947-5227

[email protected]

Sources

Mineralization on properties not held by the Company is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Peny Property.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Lodestar cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by several material factors, many of which are beyond Lodestar's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Lodestar's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173521
Mississauga, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 13, 2023) - MyndTec Inc.(CSE: MYTC) ("MyndTec" or the "Company"), an emerging force in neurological treatment and rehabilitation, is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated July 6, 2023, it has issued 540,088 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price of $0.70 per share to an arm's length creditor (the "Creditor") in settlement of $378,061.60 worth of debt owed by the Company to the Creditor pursuant to a debt settlement agreement dated May 29, 2023 (the "Debt Settlement Agreement"). The Common Shares were issued to the Creditor pursuant to a prospectus exemption and will be subject to resale restrictions during a period of four months and a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws.

For more details on the Debt Settlement Agreement, the agreements pursuant to the Debt Settlement Agreement, and the transaction, please refer to the news release dated July 6, 2023, a copy of which has been made available under the Company's SEDAR profile.

About MyndTec

MyndTec is a Canadian medical technology company dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative products that improve function, maximize independence and enhance the quality of life for individuals who have suffered injury to the central nervous system as a result of stroke, spinal cord injury and certain traumatic brain injuries. The Company develops non-invasive neurological and nervous system electrical stimulation therapeutics for the treatment of neurological diseases and injury specifically targeted to markets with large, growing and global patient populations.

The Company's flagship product MyndMove" is a non-invasive functional electrical stimulation-based intervention. MyndMove" uses neuroplasticity mechanisms to stimulate development of new neural efferent and afferent pathways allowing patients to re-establish voluntary movement and improve independence in their activities of daily living. The MyndMove" system offers trained therapists the ability to assist individuals affected with paralysis to improve voluntary control of their limbs. The MyndMove" therapy system offers a broad spectrum of sophisticated functional electrical stimulation software protocols which therapists customize to patient needs to enable meaningful controlled movements via proprietary stimulation technology.

For more information visit https://www.myndtec.com .

Contact Information

Craig Leon

MyndTec Inc. | Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

Tel: (416) 569-0430

Bill Mitoulas

Venture North Capital Inc. | Principal

[email protected]

Tel: (416) 479-9547

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, all statements regarding: events, performance or results of operations that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "aim", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "could", "continue", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled", "goal", "target", or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that include, but are not limited to: expected future development; general economic conditions; the ability of the Company to execute on its business objectives; and other estimates and assumptions described in the Company's Listing Statement dated February 18, 2022 (the "Listing Statement"), a copy of which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, the Company's research, development and commercialization of its products could be stopped or delayed if any third party fails to provide sufficient quantities of products or components, or fails to do so at acceptable quality levels or prices, or fails to maintain or achieve satisfactory regulatory compliance; the Company expects to incur significant ongoing costs and obligations relating to its investment in infrastructure, growth, research and development, regulatory compliance and operations; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Listing Statement. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, however, there may be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as expected and that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from current expectations. These forward-looking statements are only current as of the date of this news release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and the Company provides no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained herein, other than as required by applicable law. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

The CSE has in no way passed upon the merits of the business of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/173426
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) July call option implied volatility is at 40, August is at 27; compared to its 52-week range of 22 to 51 into the expected release of quarter results before the bell on July 18.
Washington DC, July 14, 2023: The 2nd National Hindu Advocacy Day on the Hill, a historic event organized by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) at the US Capitol, saw lawmakers, community leaders, delegates, and researchers coming together in a packed room, to discuss the concerns Hindus living in the US face. More than 21 lawmakers (congressional reps and staffers) attended the July 11th events, which centered on Hinduphobia. Its a problem that has been amplified via caste laws and policies that seek to profile Hindus in America, as well as rising levels of online hate from a globally connected set of networks associated with Khalistani and Islamist terror, which at times spills over into real life violence.

To view the full announcement, including downloadable images, bios, and more, click here.

Click image above to view full announcement.

About CoHNA









CoHNA is a grassroots level advocacy and civil rights organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America by working on matters related to the Hindu community and by educating the public about Hindu heritage and tradition. For more information, please visit https://cohna.org or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cohnaofficial , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cohnaofficial and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cohnaofficial

###





Source: CoHNA

Distributed by: Reportable, Inc.
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Profit Masters matches industry-leading brokerage firms with individual investor candidates, allowing them to get high yields from the financial markets.



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Contact Info:

Name: Brad Williams

Email: Send Email

Organization: Profit Masters

Website: https://profitmasters.io



Release ID: 89102348

If you encounter any issues, discrepancies, or concerns regarding the content provided in this press release that require attention or if there is a need for a press release takedown, we kindly request that you notify us without delay at [email protected]. Our responsive team will be available round-the-clock to address your concerns within 8 hours and take necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. Ensuring accurate and reliable information is fundamental to our mission.
Five charities that help migrants said Thursday they had complained to the European Commission about a new Italian law forcing rescue ships in the Mediterranean to dock in far-off ports.

The non-governmental organisations -- Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Oxfam Italia, SOS Humanity, Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration and EMERGENCY -- argue the legislation breaks EU and international laws regarding sea rescues.

"The European Commission is the guardian of EU treaties and has a role to play in ensuring that EU member states respect international and EU law," a migration policy advisor with Oxfam Italia, Giulia Capitani, said.

"Every day we spend away from the search and rescue region, whether in detention or navigating towards a distant port, is putting lives at risk," said an MSF operations manager, Djoen Besselink.

The European Commission confirmed to AFP it had received the complaint. "We will look into it," said a spokesperson.

Italy passed a law in February limiting charity-run ships carrying out more than one sea rescue at a time and -- having done so -- requires them to dock at a port assigned by Italian authorities. It came into effect in March.

In practice, the NGOs say, that means rescue ships are forced to ignore other emergencies on the water, and spend days sailing to northern Italian ports even though closer ones are available.

Italy is ruled by a far-right government that has vowed to crack down on migrant boat arrivals.

The five charities called on the European Commission to put Italy's law and designations of remote ports under "immediate scrutiny".

They also appealed for their ships to be included in a "state-led and proactive" search and rescue system in the Mediterranean.

The European Union is working on a revision of its asylum and refugee policies aimed at sharing out the burden of hosting asylum-seekers across the bloc and speeding the return of denied asylum-seekers to countries of origin or transit.

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BEIJING , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on China - Africa agricultural cooperation:

Recently, a special gift - a bowl of hybrid rice from Africa , appeared at the tomb of Mr. Yuan Longping , father of the hybrid rice. The gift was brought by Rakotoson Philibert, former Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Madagascar Republic, who came to China for the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. A simple bowl of rice harbored the sincerest commemoration from the Madagascar people.

For many years, it was China's hybrid rice technology that freed the people on this African island nation from hunger.

In 2007, with the support of China , a Hybrid Rice Demonstration Project in Madagascar was established. Before that, the Madagascar's rice yield was totally at the mercy of the elements. Due to the lack of mature rice growing techniques and premium seeds, the original yield of the country failed to feed its people at all.

Several dozens of Chinese agricultural specialists went to Madagascar , bringing along over 80 rice varieties. They spent year after year experimenting with these varieties in the fields, before finally selecting three of them that could be planted all over the island nation. Be it humid rainforests, or arid tropical plateaus, these Chinese experts left their footprints in every significant rice growing area across the island.

Many unimaginable challenges faced these pioneers. Hurricanes favor Madagascar , and storms came whenever they want. As a result, puddles are a common occurrence. Given the weak infrastructure, a lot of villages experienced power, water or Internet outages. More technical difficulties also ensued: For example, there is a type of local frog that loves to eat rice or a type of chameleon that like "surfing" in the ripening rice fields, providing detrimental to crop growth and eating away into rice yields.

With perseverance and wisdom, the experts from China overcame these challenges bit by bit. So far, over 50,000 acres of hybrid rice introduced from China have been planted in Madagascar , with a yield of about 7.5 tons per acre. The number is about two to three times the average per unit yield of local rice varieties. Rice of such yield has protected several million people from the threat of chronic hunger.

In fact, this touching story was made known to the world in 2017. At that time, a note of the new version of Malagasy Ariary with the pattern of hybrid rice on it was handed to Mr. Yuan Longping . Now, this heavy bowl of rice again glorifies the sound friendship between China and Africa on agricultural cooperation.

Since the 1950s, China has not only provided African countries with the "fish" - a large amount of food, but also "taught them how to fish": In Burundi , Chinese experts elected eight varieties of rice suitable for local planting, putting an end to the long-existing problem of yield decrease or even crop failure caused by rice blast in mountainous areas; in Kenya , the local demonstration zone adopted Chinese techniques to grow corn, increasing the yield by 99%-240%; after the outbreak of COVID-19, a batch of water-conserving and drought-resistant rice seeds were shipped all the way from China to Botswana , which yielded harvests after two years of breeding. For a long time before that, Botswana had not grown a grain of rice in its fields.

For Yuan Longping, the welfare of people all over the world is one of his lifelong wishes. Now, China has sent over 2,000 agricultural experts and technicians to over 70 countries and regions globally, and has promoted over 1,500 techniques in multiple countries. Carrying out pragmatic cooperation in poverty alleviation and food security, leaving no country and no person behind, are acts and philosophies in line with the Global Development Initiative proposed by China .

A seed can bring experience to developing countries, and a spikelet can improve people's lives in a country. Together, they connect a community of shared development for humanity.

China Mosaic

http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/index.htm

A special gift at the tomb of Yuan Longping

http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-07/14/content_92272945.htm

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-special-gift-at-the-tomb-of-yuan-longping-301877388.html

SOURCE China.org.cn
RESTON, Va. , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ARS Aleut Construction, LLC (Aleut), a leading provider of construction solutions, is pleased to announce its successful selection for a Construction Multiple Award Contract (C-MAC) by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). With an aggregate value of $1.5 billion , this contract further establishes Aleut's expertise as a trusted contractor in the industry.

As a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) certified 8(a) program participant and Small Disadvantaged Business, offering a range of traditional and specialty construction services, Aleut brings a wealth of experience to the table. From security and facility upgrades to the renovation and restoration of major facilities, Aleut's core competencies are well-aligned with the diverse requirements of the C-MAC.

Spanning a duration of 60 months, the BIA C-MAC will encompass a wide range of task order projects. Task order work includes new construction, offsite design build construction, offsite construction, demolition, repair, alteration, and renovation of buildings, systems, and infrastructure.

As a selected contractor, Aleut may construct diverse types of facilities including educational, detention, medical, administrative, industrial, operational, maintenance, warehouses, communications, personnel support, recreation, lodging, dormitory, training, ranges, and roads. Projects may be located across the Continental United States and Indian Country, highlighting Aleut's broad geographic reach and capabilities.

Site-specific work will be a key component of the contract, involving utilities site distribution systems, domestic water treatment facilities, sewage treatment, water storage and distribution. Aleut's expertise will also be leveraged in renovation services, encompassing minor renovation, major systems replacement, energy efficiency upgrades, and hazardous material abatement.

"We look forward to collaborating with the BIA and delivering exceptional construction services throughout the project's duration," said Thomas Alexander , General Manager of ARS Aleut Construction, LLC. "This achievement showcases our dedication to excellence and our commitment to supporting infrastructure improvement for Indigenous communities nationwide."

About Aleut

Formed in 2013, ARS Aleut Construction, LLC (Aleut) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aleut Federal, LLC, a holding company for federal subsidiaries of The Aleut Corporation (TAC). TAC is one of 12 Alaska Native regional corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1971.

Aleut specializes in design-build and design-bid-build solutions, offering a range of traditional and specialty construction services. With a strong focus on excellence, safety, and client satisfaction, Aleut has established itself as a trusted partner in the construction industry.

Berlyn Martin

Aleut Federal, LLC

Phone: 571-560-0828

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aleut-secures-construction-multiple-award-contract-from-the-bureau-of-indian-affairs-301877690.html

SOURCE Aleut Federal, LLC
Ascendion, a U.S. -based software engineering company, expands in Mexico with a new office in Monterrey .

Will add more than 200 jobs in Mexico in the next six months, and estimates more than 1,500 jobs over the next three years.

The estimated total economic impact for Mexico over three years will be at least $100 million .

Mexico will become a global hub for Generative AI skills. 100% of software engineers in Mexico will become certified in AI deployment

Secretary of Economy of Nuevo Leon Ivan Rivas Rodriguez , welcomes Ascendion to Mexico . "We extend a warm welcome to Ascendion as they make their mark in Mexico . Together with Ascendion, Nuevo Leon is carving its path as a technology and innovation hub, not just in Mexico but also in the world."

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascendion, a leading provider of digital engineering services, is proud to announce the grand opening of its newest office in Monterrey, Mexico . This strategic move marks a significant milestone for Ascendion as it expands its footprint into one of Mexico's most vibrant technology and business hubs.

Ascendion launches new hub in Monterrey, Mexico , with 1,500 jobs in three years, and a center for Generative AI skills.

Over the next three years, Ascendion plans to create over 1,500 new jobs in Mexico , contributing at least $100 million to the country's flourishing economy. The company plans on making Mexico a major delivery hub for Generative AI engineering solutions, and 100% of software engineers in Mexico will become certified in AI deployment.

Ascendion's commitment to Mexico is evident in its choice to establish their LATAM headquarters in Monterrey , a city known for its forward-thinking environment and as a magnet for global companies such as Tesla, Unilever, Siemens, Amazon, and many more.

As part of the opening ceremony, Ascendion was honored to have the enthusiastic support of prominent leaders in Nuevo Leon, including the Honorable Ivan Rivas Rodriguez , Secretary of Economy of the Government of the State of Nuevo Leon, and the Honorable Emmanuel Loo , Deputy Secretary of Economic Development of the State of Nuevo Leon.

"We extend a warm welcome to Ascendion as they expand in Mexico ," said Secretary Ivan Rivas. "Nuevo Leon, with its thriving economy, educational institutions, remarkable startups, and the presence of renowned companies, is well on its way to becoming a global economic powerhouse. Together with Ascendion, Nuevo Leon is carving its path as a technology and innovation hub, not just in Mexico but also in the world."

Ravi Arcot , Vice President and Country Manager of Mexico , shared his excitement about Ascendion's new venture. " Monterrey truly embodies the concept of a 'city for the future.' The strong education system, extraordinary talent quality, exceptional transportation network, vibrant economy, cultural alignment, and rich history make it the perfect location for our new headquarters in Mexico ," stated Arcot. "Many of our clients are seeking engineering services from Mexico , and we are already delivering outstanding results from Monterrey ."

With a workforce of over 6,000 dedicated professionals, Ascendion is a pioneer in software innovation solutions. The company has consistently achieved above-market growth rates and recently announced plans to double its workforce in India to over 2,000 employees.

Ascendion's expansion in Mexico signifies an investment in delivering cutting-edge software engineering solutions to current and future clients. The company's commitment to driving global innovation in Mexico is further cemented by its newest hub in Monterrey , a city poised to shape the technological landscape of tomorrow.

Karthik Krishnamurthy , CEO at Ascendion, emphasized the company's dedication to its clients and the future of software engineering. "We stand on the threshold of the next phase of the digital revolution where software, data, and Generative AI solutions have never been more crucial," stated Krishnamurthy. "We have been operating in Mexico for some time now. Our newest office in Monterrey will quickly become our largest software engineering hub outside of India with a strong focus on applied AI. We are thrilled about our newest office in Mexico and eagerly anticipate continuing our growth and partnership in the years to come."

About Ascendion

Ascendion is a leading provider of digital engineering services, committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation. Our engineering, cloud, data, experience design, and talent transformation capabilities accelerate innovation for Global 2000 clients. Ascendion is headquartered in New Jersey . In addition to our remote/hybrid workforce, we have 20 offices across the US, India , and Mexico . We are committed to building technology that elevates life with an inclusive workforce, service to our communities, and a vibrant culture. For more information, please go to https://ai.ascendion.com/ and https://ascendion.com/.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ascendion-launches-new-hub-in-monterrey-mexico-to-accelerate-global-software-innovation-301877761.html

SOURCE Ascendion
CHARLOTTE, N.C. , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America Corporation today announced the Board of Directors has authorized regular cash dividends on the outstanding shares or depositary shares of the following series of preferred stock:

Series of Preferred Stock

Dividend per Share

or Depositary Share1

Record Date

Payment Date Floating Rate Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series E

$0.36230

July 31

August 15 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series F

$1,292.66397

August 31

September 15 Adjustable Rate Non-

Cumulative Preferred Stock,

Series G

$1,292.66397

August 31

September 15 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-

Cumulative Preferred Stock,

Series U

$21.58

August 15

September 1 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-

Cumulative Preferred Stock,

Series X

$31.25

August 15

September 5 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series 1

$0.3883

August 15

August 29 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series 2

$0.39056

August 15

August 29 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series 4

$0.39695

August 15

August 29 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series 5

$0.37561

August 1

August 21 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-

Cumulative Preferred Stock,

Series AA

$30.50

September 1

September 18 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-

Cumulative Preferred Stock,

Series DD

$31.50

August 15

September 11 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-

Cumulative Preferred Stock,

Series FF

$29.375

September 1

September 15 6.000% Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series GG

$0.375

August 1

August 16 5.375% Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series KK

$0.3359375

September 1

September 25 5.000% Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series LL

$0.3125

September 1

September 18 4.250% Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series QQ

$0.2656250

August 1

August 17 4.750% Non-Cumulative

Preferred Stock, Series SS

$0.2968750

August 1

August 17

1 Each series of preferred stock, other than Series F and Series G, is represented by depositary shares. Dividend payments are made on a quarterly basis for each series of preferred stock, other than Series X, Series AA, Series DD, and Series FF for which dividends are paid on a semi-annual basis.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States , serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States , its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for email news alerts.

www.bankofamerica.com

Investors May Contact:

Lee McEntire , Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.388.6780

[email protected]

Jonathan Blum , Bank of America (Fixed Income)

Phone: 1.212.449.3112

[email protected]

Reporters May Contact:

Bill Halldin , Bank of America

Phone: 1.916.724.0093

[email protected]

Christopher P. Feeney , Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.386.6794

[email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bank-of-america-declares-preferred-stock-dividends-for-third-quarter-2023-301877817.html

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
DENVER, Colo. and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Birch Medical Spas ("Birch"), backed by Imperial Capital ("Imperial"), is thrilled to announce a partnership with Amara Med Spa LLC ("Amara"). This dynamic alliance brings together two influential players in the industry to drive innovation and reshape the medical spa landscape.

Amara is based in Northern Florida and has rapidly expanded to five locations under the leadership of its founder, Greg Smith , and his exceptional team. Amara embraces the empowerment of its team, harnessing their expertise, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and blending it with a captivating design aesthetic to craft outstanding patient experiences. Amara's commitment to excellence is evident through its diverse array of medical aesthetic treatments, primarily focusing on injectables, and its team of top aesthetic injectors and aestheticians. Amara has been voted the best med spa in Northern Florida for the past two years and is recognized as one of the top providers in the U.S. for Allergan, Galderma, ZO, and Revanesse. Greg will continue to lead Amara's operations, ensuring its continued growth and success with the support of the Birch executive team.

"I'm very excited to partner with the private equity leader in the med spa space. The ease of this acquisition and the trust I have in this group gives me confidence in the bright future ahead for our employees and clinics," said Greg Smith , Founder of Amara. "With Imperial's backing, we are thrilled to announce we will be building out locations across Florida and Georgia . Our dedicated employees are not just team members; they are our valued partners, and together, we are committed to building an exceptional business. Our differentiated platform for injectors and aestheticians sets a new standard in the industry, making us an attractive choice for top talent. Please reach out to me directly if you would like to learn more about Amara and the new opportunities around Florida and Georgia ."

"Our unique model, exceptional team, and strong consumer brand have made Amara a disruptor in the industry. We look forward to introducing Amara to new markets with the support of Birch and Imperial. On behalf of the team, we are excited for the future," said Jenny Schroeder , President of Amara.

This partnership is the second platform investment for Birch, which was founded to reshape the future of the medical spa space by partnering with leading medical spas across the U.S. and providing them with corporate resources in finance, IT, digital marketing, real estate, and additional capital for growth. "We are incredibly excited to partner with the entire Amara team," said Stephanie Hu , Chief Executive Officer of Birch. "Their track record of growth, beautiful locations, and phenomenal culture make it a truly exceptional business. We see tremendous opportunity for de novo expansion in Florida , Georgia , Utah , Colorado , and Texas , and look forward to working with the Amara and Elase teams to build an industry leader."

Birch is backed by Imperial as part of the firm's Back, Buy and Build investment strategy. "We are excited to work with the Birch, Amara and Elase teams to support their continued growth," said Nick Moritsugu , Vice President at Imperial.

About The Amara Med Spa

Amara is North Florida 's premier luxury medical spa. Amara Med Spa 's mission is to provide the finest medical aesthetic treatments while honoring your natural beauty. Amara combines the most advanced technology with an elite team of aesthetic providers and gives our patients a consultative and unforgettable experience. Amara operates five clinics in Northern Florida . For further information on Amara, visit www.theamaramedspa.com.

About Birch Medical Spas

Birch is the nation's newest medical spa company, built on the philosophy of delivering premium customer experience, building lifetime clients, and creating a best-in-class team of medical spa industry leaders. After finalizing a senior leadership team of top talent in 2023, Birch will empower its people to deliver the most unforgettable experience for our clients so that all are empowered to live their best lives. Birch is a leading medical spa platform created through partnerships with business owners looking to expand their medical spas and careers. For further information on Birch, visit www.birchmedspa.com.

About Imperial Capital

Imperial Capital is a leading mid-market private equity firm focused on North American opportunities to build or acquire growth-oriented platform investments in targeted industry niches within healthcare, business services, and consumer services industries. Based in Toronto , Imperial Capital combines its deep industry focus, active portfolio management, and strong partnerships with experienced industry executives to offer a differentiated approach to investing. With assets under management of over US$3.5 billion , Imperial is currently investing from its US$800 million Fund VIII. For further information on Imperial, visit www.imperialcap.com.

For further information:

Amara: Greg Smith , Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @gregamaraceo

Birch: Stephanie Hu , Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/birch-medical-spas-announces-partnership-with-the-amara-med-spa-301877680.html

SOURCE Birch Medical Spas
WASHINGTON , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced today public sanctions against 16 current or former CFP professionals, effective immediately or on the date noted in each case. Public sanctions taken by CFP Board, in order of increasing severity, include Public Censures, Suspensions, Temporary Bars, Permanent Bars and Revocations of the right to use the CFP marks.

CFP Board's Enforcement Process

As part of their certification, CFP professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards) or its predecessor, the Standards of Professional Conduct (Standards), which included the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Rules of Conduct and Financial Planning Practice Standards. Individuals on the pathway to CFP certification make a commitment to abide by CFP Board's Pathway to CFP Certification Agreement (Pathway Agreement).

CFP Board's Procedural Rules set forth the process for investigating matters and imposing sanctions where violations have been found.

CFP Board enforces its ethical standards by investigating alleged violations and, where there is probable cause to believe there are grounds for sanction, presents a Complaint containing the alleged violations to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission). The Commission meets at least six times a year to review any matter in which CFP Board has alleged that a CFP professional has violated CFP Board's Code and Standards or its predecessor Standards, or an individual pursuing initial CFP certification has violated the Pathway Agreement. The Commission functions in accordance with the Procedural Rules and reviews all matters on a case-by-case basis, considering the details specific to an individual case. If the Commission determines there are grounds for sanction, then it may impose a sanction. Commission orders may be appealed by a Respondent or CFP Board pursuant to the Procedural Rules.

In certain circumstances, such as when a CFP professional is in default due to failure to acknowledge receipt of a Notice of Investigation or file an Answer, CFP Board staff must deliver an Administrative Order of Suspension, Temporary Bar, Revocation or Permanent Bar. Administrative Orders are subject to appeal.

More information on CFP Board's enforcement process can be found at CFP.net/enforcement. In addition, at CFP.net/verify, CFP Board provides the public with:

An individual's CFP Board disciplinary history and CFP certification status.

Links to other sources of information about CFP professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website. This information may include customer disputes, disciplinary actions taken by a regulator or employer, certain criminal matters and certain financial matters (such as bankruptcy proceedings and unpaid judgments or liens).

Links to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's ( FINRA's ) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's ( SEC's ) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight.

The Public Sanctions on 16 Individuals

A short summary of each sanction can be found below.

STATE NAME LOCATION SANCTION Arizona Levi Earhart , CFP Scottsdale Public Censure Minnesota Thomas Starkey , CFP Arden Hills Public Censure Maryland Cedric V. Alexander Bowie Suspension Minnesota Naomi Ann Kowalik Sauk Rapids Suspension Oregon Wayne von Borstel The Dalles Suspension Pennsylvania Adrian E. Young Lititz Suspension Texas Ronald Addison Caldwell Jr . San Antonio Temporary Bar Texas Eddy Gomar Spring Temporary Bar California Matthew J. Fannin Santa Rosa Revocation California John N. Matson El Segundo Revocation Georgia Kevin L. Taylor Roswell Revocation Indiana Michael C. Lloyd Indianapolis Revocation Iowa Dave Becker Waterloo Revocation Ohio Daniel J. Lauletta Cuyahoga Falls Revocation Pennsylvania Kenwyn J. Belkot Wexford Revocation Maine Odias A. Bachelder II Portland Permanent Bar

PUBLIC CENSURE

ARIZONA

Levi Earhart , CFP ( Scottsdale, Arizona ): In May 2023 , the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Earhart received a Public Censure. The Commission determined that Mr. Earhart violated Standard E.2.a. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards), which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession, when he was convicted of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a class 6 felony, and DUI-impaired, a class 1 misdemeanor, in the Gila County Superior Court of the State of Arizona. Pursuant to his convictions, the court sentenced Mr. Earhart to probation for a period of 24 months, beginning on May 5, 2022 . The Commission issued Mr. Earhart an Order of Public Censure.

MINNESOTA

Thomas Starkey , CFP ( Arden Hills, Minnesota ): In June 2023 , the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Starkey entered into a Consent Order in which Mr. Starkey agreed that CFP Board would issue a Public Censure. In the Consent Order, Mr. Starkey consented to findings that he provided material elements of financial planning to a recently divorced client, which included advice on exchanging two existing insurance policies, one of which provided long-term care (LTC) benefits, for a new insurance policy with new LTC benefits. During this transaction, Mr. Starkey did not comply with certain provisions of the Financial Planning Practice Standards (Practice Standards) and therefore did not act in a manner which was in the best interest of his client. Specifically, Mr. Starkey did not: (1) define his client's goals, needs and priorities with respect to her insurance and LTC needs, as required by Practice Standard 200-1; (2) obtain sufficient information  including whether the costs in the new insurance policy were more or less than the costs in the old insurance policies  prior to recommending the exchange, as required by Practice Standard 200-2; (3) analyze whether his client had a continuing need for life insurance and could satisfy her LTC needs using her existing assets and resources, as required by Practice Standard 300-1; and (4) select appropriate products that were consistent with his client's goals, needs and priorities, as required by Practice Standard 500-2, because he did not analyze whether the client needed the LTC benefits offered by the new insurance policy and compare the internal costs of the policies. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Starkey also consented to findings that his conduct violated Rules 1.4 and 4.4 of the Rules of Conduct, which require a CFP professional providing material elements of financial planning to act with the duty of care of a fiduciary, and in all instances to exercise reasonable and prudent professional judgement in providing professional services. The Commission issued Mr. Starkey a Public Censure.

SUSPENSION

MARYLAND

Cedric V. Alexander ( Bowie, Maryland ): In June 2023 , the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Alexander entered into a Consent Order in which Mr. Alexander agreed that CFP Board would issue a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his right to use the CFP Board certification marks. In the Consent Order, Mr. Alexander consented to findings that he filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in June 2022 , which demonstrated an inability to manage responsibly his financial affairs. This was his second bankruptcy filing, as he had previously filed for Chapter 13 (later converted to a Chapter 7) bankruptcy protection in March 2008 . Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Alexander also consented to findings that his conduct violated Standard E.2 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, conduct that results in a personal bankruptcy or business bankruptcy filing. The Commission issued to Mr. Alexander a suspension for one year and one day. Mr. Alexander's suspension is effective from June 13, 2023 , through June 14, 2024 .

MINNESOTA

Naomi Anne Kowalik ( Sauk Rapids, Minnesota ): In June 2023 , the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Ms. Kowalik entered into a Consent Order in which Ms. Kowalik agreed that CFP Board would issue a one-year-and-one-day suspension of her right to use the CFP Board certification marks. In the Consent Order, Ms. Kowalik consented to findings that she failed to timely pay taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for 11 years between 2008 and 2020, demonstrating an inability to manage her personal finances. This resulted in tax debts of approximately $959,974.21 and the IRS filing multiple federal tax liens. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Ms. Kowalik also consented to findings that her conduct violated Standard E.2.d. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct and Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provide that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, conduct that results in a federal tax lien on property owned by the CFP professional. The Commission issued to Ms. Kowalik a suspension for one year and one day. Ms. Kowalik's suspension is effective from June 13, 2023 , through June 14, 2024 .

OREGON

Wayne von Borstel ( The Dalles, Oregon ): In May 2023 , the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. von Borstel received a three-month suspension of his certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks. The Commission issued its order after determining that Mr. von Borstel was permitted to resign from his firm for failing to promptly report written customer grievances and failing to adhere to firm policy regarding the use of mutual fund C-shares, violated firm policy by failing to immediately report a client death, and entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which found that he failed to identify the intended beneficiaries on new account forms, causing his firm's books and records to be inaccurate in violation of Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) Rule G-8. The Commission determined that Mr. von Borstel's conduct violated Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services to the client, and Rule 5.1 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional shall perform professional services with dedication to the lawful objectives of the employer/principal. The Commission issued to Mr. von Borstel a suspension for three months. Mr. von Borstel's suspension is effective from June 5, 2023 , through September 5, 2023 .

PENNSYLVANIA

Adrian E. Young ( Lititz, Pennsylvania ): In June 2023 , the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Young received a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks. In September 2022 , following a jury trial in a civil action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Court) entered a final judgment against Mr. Young , his partners and his firm, finding they violated Section 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Advisers Act) at least recklessly when they collected additional revenue through investing clients' money in mutual fund share classes that charged 12b-1 fees when their clients were eligible for identical share classes that did not charge these fees. The Court found that the mutual funds in which Mr. Young , his partners and his firm invested would collect these 12b-1 fees and then distribute the fees to their brokers. One of the brokers would then pass 95% of the 12b-1 fees it received by way of the trades back to Mr. Young , his partners or his firm. The Court found that, as a result, Mr. Young , his partners and his firm received two streams of income  advisory fees and 12b-1 fees. The Court found this "scheme" to run counter to their fiduciary duty under Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act because Mr. Young , his partners and his firm failed to act in their clients' best interest, failed to achieve best execution and failed to adequately disclose the conflict of interest inherent in the 12b-1 scheme to their clients. The Court ordered Mr. Young to pay disgorgement in the amount of $136,627 , prejudgment interest of $35,275 and a civil penalty of $136,627 . The Commission determined that this conduct violated: (1) Rule 2.2 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional shall disclose to a prospective client or client an accurate and understandable description of the compensation arrangements being offered, including the terms under which the certificant and/or the certificant's employer may receive any other sources of compensation, and if so, what the sources of these payments are and on what they are based; and (2) Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services provided to the client. The Commission issued to Mr. Young a suspension of one year and one day. The suspension is effective from June 14, 2023 , through June 15, 2024 .

TEMPORARY BAR

TEXAS

Ronald Addison Caldwell Jr . ( San Antonio, Texas ): In May 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Caldwell from applying for or obtaining the CFP Board certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Caldwell's relinquishment of his certification and failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate Mr. Caldwell's petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Mr. Caldwell's conduct may have violated Standard E.2 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Caldwell has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar. Mr. Caldwell's administrative temporary bar was effective as of June 20, 2023 .

Eddy Gomar ( Spring, Texas ): In January 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Gomar from applying for or obtaining the CFP Board certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Gomar's relinquishment of his certification and failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations contained in a client complaint filed with CFP Board alleging that between 2017 and 2020, Mr. Gomar effected certain investments in the client's account without authorization. Mr. Gomar's conduct may have violated Rule 1.4 of the Rules of Conduct, in place at the time of the conduct at issue, which provided that when providing financial planning or material elements of financial planning, a CFP professional owes the client a duty of care of a fiduciary. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Gomar has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar. In March 2023 , Mr. Gomar sought to appeal the Administrative Order of Temporary Bar. In April 2023 , the Appeals Commission of CFP Board dismissed Mr. Gomar's appeal, finding that he had not timely filed the appeal. Pursuant to the decision of the Appeals Commission, Mr. Gomar's administrative temporary bar was effective as of April 20, 2023 .

REVOCATION

CALIFORNIA

Matthew J. Fannin ( Santa Rosa, California ): In April 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Fannin's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Fannin's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Fannin failed to meet his federal and state tax obligations resulting in the Internal Revenue Service and the State of California filing multiple tax liens against him. As set forth in the Complaint, Mr. Fannin has accrued an outstanding tax balance of approximately $847,199.70 , thus demonstrating an inability to manage his personal finances. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Fannin's conduct violated Standard E.2.d. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct and Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provide that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, conduct that results in a federal tax lien on property owned by the CFP professional. Mr. Fannin failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Fannin has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Fannin's administrative revocation was effective as of May 19, 2023 .

John N. Matson ( El Segundo, California ): In May 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Matson's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Matson's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation and deliver proof of compliance with CFP Board's Interim Suspension order as required by Articles 1.1 and 2.3 of the Procedural Rules, respectively. On January 11, 2023 , CFP Board issued Mr. Matson an Interim Suspension Order after receiving evidence that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) permanently barred him from associating with a member firm in any capacity. In CFP Board's Notice of Investigation, CFP Board sought to fully investigate the FINRA bar and Mr. Matson's termination from his firm for participating in investments without notice or approval from his firm. Mr. Matson's conduct may have violated Standard A.8 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards), which provides that a CFP professional must comply with the laws, rules and regulations governing Professional Services, and Standard D.2 of the Code and Standards, which requires a CFP professional to comply with the lawful objectives of his or her firm. Under Articles 4.1.a. and 4.1.c. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Matson has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Matson's administrative revocation was effective as of June 19, 2023 .

GEORGIA

Kevin L. Taylor ( Roswell, Georgia ): In May 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Taylor's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Taylor's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged in its Complaint that Mr. Taylor was the subject of an order of final judgment entered by the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia (Superior Court) on June 18, 2020 . As set forth in CFP Board's Complaint, the Superior Court found that in overseeing trusts and companies that were entrusted to him, Mr. Taylor implemented a scheme to enrich himself. According to the Superior Court's order, Mr. Taylor manipulated and misrepresented a company's financial status to manufacture losses and took other steps to obfuscate the company's financials and profits so that he could siphon money from trusts into the company and ultimately to himself. The Superior Court found that Mr. Taylor paid himself a significant salary to which he was not entitled and that Mr. Taylor used the money from the company and trusts to pay for personal monthly expenses and discretionary purchases for himself. The Superior Court concluded that Mr. Taylor engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, in violation of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and engaged in acts consisting of theft by taking by a fiduciary, theft by deception by a fiduciary, theft by conversion by a fiduciary and false statements. The Superior Court found that, through a pattern of racketeering activity, Mr. Taylor acquired and maintained an interest in and control of personal property, including money to which he was not entitled. The Superior Court also found that Mr. Taylor breached fiduciary duties owed to beneficiaries of the trusts by using one company to divert funds to himself instead of the rightful beneficiaries. The Superior Court awarded damages totaling more than $12 million . The Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the final judgment of the Superior Court. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Taylor's conduct violated Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a CFP professional may not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks or upon the profession. Mr. Taylor failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Taylor has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Taylor's administrative revocation was effective as of June 5, 2023 .

INDIANA

Michael C. Lloyd ( Indianapolis, Indiana ): In March 2023 , CFP Board issued an order in which Mr. Lloyd received a permanent revocation of his right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed an appeal of a July 2022 Administrative Order of Revocation issued by CFP Board. The Appeals Commission of CFP Board affirmed CFP Board's finding that Mr. Lloyd failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. The Appeals Commission also affirmed that CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Lloyd violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. The Appeals Commission further affirmed that CFP Board sought to investigate several federal tax liens filed in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 against Mr. Lloyd for tax deficiencies accrued since Tax Year 2004. In addition, the Appeals Commission affirmed that Mr. Lloyd failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. The Appeals Commission affirmed that under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Lloyd has been deemed in default and affirmed CFP Board's issuance of an Administrative Order of Revocation. Pursuant to the decision of the Appeals Commission, Mr. Lloyd's administrative revocation was effective as of March 22, 2023 .

IOWA

Dave Becker ( Waterloo, Iowa ): In May 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Becker's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Becker's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Becker violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation. As set forth in the Complaint, in August 2022 , one of Mr. Becker's former clients filed a grievance with CFP Board alleging that Mr. Becker had a conflict of interest stemming from the divorce of his clients and breached his fiduciary duties to the complaining client. In connection with the investigation into the client's grievance, CFP Board sent Mr. Becker a Request for Oral Examination. Mr. Becker specifically and intentionally chose not to appear for oral examination and did not cure his failure to appear after CFP Board provided notice of his failure to cooperate and the opportunity to cure his failure to cooperate. Mr. Becker then failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Becker has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Becker's administrative revocation was effective as of May 22, 2023 .

OHIO

Daniel J. Lauletta ( Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio ): In April 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Lauletta's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Lauletta's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Lauletta entered into a consent order with the state of Arkansas (Consent Order) in which he consented to findings that he: (1) breached his fiduciary duty to two financial planning clients, senior married couples, by failing to place their interests ahead of his own when he advised them to liquidate securities invested for retirement to purchase unsuitable insurance products and annuities; (2) provided false and misleading information to customers and omitted risks associated with recommended transactions; and (3) made unsuitable recommendations to clients. These allegations were in connection with multiple multimillion-dollar life insurance policies that he recommended to his clients, despite their inability to afford the premiums for such large policies. The Complaint further alleged that Mr. Lauletta advised these clients to pay for these policies with premium finance loans and the liquidation of retirement assets. CFP Board also alleged that Mr. Lauletta violated Arkansas regulatory requirements as evidenced by his entrance into a Consent Order with state of Arkansas . Per the terms of the Consent Order, Mr. Lauletta's registration as a broker-dealer agent in Arkansas was revoked, and he was fined $10,000 . CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Lauletta's conduct violated Rule 1.4 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall at all times place the interest of the client ahead of his or her own. When the certificant provides financial planning or material elements of financial planning, the certificant owes to the client the duty of care of a fiduciary as defined by CFP Board. CFP Board's Complaint further alleged that Mr. Lauletta's conduct violated Rules 2.1, 4.3 and 4.5 of the Rules of Conduct. Mr. Lauletta failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Lauletta has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Lauletta's administrative revocation was effective as of May 25, 2023 .

PENNSYLVANIA

Kenwyn J. Belkot ( Wexford, Pennsylvania ): In May 2023 , CFP Board issued an order permanently revoking Mr. Belkot's right to use the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Belkot's failure to deliver proof of compliance with CFP Board's Interim Suspension Order as required by Article 2.3 of the Procedural Rules. On February 1, 2023 , CFP Board issued Mr. Belkot an Interim Suspension Order after receiving evidence that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) permanently barred him from associating with a member firm in any capacity. FINRA issued the bar after Mr. Belkot failed to request termination of a suspension that FINRA had imposed on him for failing to respond to FINRA's requests for information. Under Article 4.1.c. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Belkot has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Belkot's administrative revocation was effective as of June 20, 2023 .

PERMANENT BAR

MAINE

Odias A. Bachelder II ( Portland, Maine ): In May 2023 , CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Bachelder from applying for or obtaining the CFP Board certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Bachelder's relinquishment of his certification and failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required time frame. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Bachelder violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. As set forth in the Compliant, CFP Board sought to investigate a consent order issued by the Maine Bureau of Insurance alleging that Mr. Bachelder failed to report two past regulatory events and a requalification order issued by the Maine Office of Securities. Mr. Bachelder failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Bachelder has been deemed in default, and CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar. Mr. Bachelder's administrative permanent bar was effective as of June 20, 2023 .

ABOUT CFP BOARD

CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification  widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners  so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP certification is held by more than 95,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge.

Twitter: @CFPBoard

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SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
With a commitment of over $2 million in the next 4 years, Citadel Cares has officially launched as the company's new corporate giving and volunteer program.

EXTON, Pa. , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Citadel Credit Union has launched a new corporate giving program, Citadel Cares, which encompasses all charitable efforts across the company; including but not limited to corporate giving and employee volunteerism. Citadel Cares will be dedicated to supporting philanthropic efforts across the Greater Philadelphia area that help people and communities prosper. Within 4 years, Citadel is committed to donating over $2 million in philanthropic support to the Greater Philadelphia community through Citadel Cares.

The Citadel Cares program is structured to support four key pillars:

Education & Youth Prosperity - honoring strong local educators and support financial literacy programs that benefit people of all ages .

Health & Wellness - ensuring physical and mental health is accessible and more affordable for our community.

Building & Development - rehabilitating areas in our community that are facing structural or economic challenges.

Food Security - helping communities fight food insecurity and support families and individuals who may be struggling to make ends meet.

For over 85 years, Citadel Credit Union has served the community as a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution, and has donated millions of dollars, along with thousands of volunteer hours, to the local community. Citadel Cares will serve as the formal program that guides how Citadel gives back, grows deeper relationships with more charitable organizations, and gets involved from a volunteerism standpoint.

Specifically, Citadel Cares will embody philanthropic efforts such as Citadel's support of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a partnership which recently was honored as a Philadelphia Business Journal's 2023 Faces of Philanthropy winner. Citadel Cares will also support longstanding initiatives such as the Citadel Heart of Learning Award program, which has donated over $400,000 in grants to local teachers.

"Building strength together involves reinvigorating where our community suffers challenges, which is exactly what Citadel Cares is set out to do," said Jeff March , President and CEO of Citadel Credit Union. "The formal launch of Citadel Cares will allow us to accelerate what Citadel has done for a long time; focus on how we can contribute more and assist in improving quality of life and prosperity in fundamental ways."

Citadel, which has been certified as a Great Place to Work for the past four years, has designed Citadel Cares to be embedded into the corporate culture and present an accessible opportunity for employee volunteerism. Over 30 employees will serve on the Citadel Cares committee, with each pillar having its own dedicated team. All Cares initiatives will be communicated and made available for any Citadel employee to get involved.

Contributions from the Citadel Cares program will be made in the form of donations, grants, employee volunteerism, donation drives, and sponsorship of charitable events. To be considered for support, organizations can fill out the donation request form. To learn more, visit CitadelBanking.com/CARES.

About Citadel Credit Union

Citadel Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial institution that provides banking, investments, and insurance services to more than 255,000 members. At $5.7 billion in assets, it is one of the Greater Philadelphia area's largest credit unions, proudly serving residents of Bucks , Chester , Delaware , Lancaster , Montgomery , and Philadelphia counties. Citadel is recognized as a 2023 Fortune Recommends Best Credit Union, Forbes 2022 Best-in-State Credit Union, and a certified 2022 Great Place to Work. For more information, visit CitadelBanking.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/citadel-credit-union-introduces-citadel-cares-corporate-giving-program-301877783.html

SOURCE Citadel Federal Credit Union
Jason Knoblauch joins as Chief Financial Officer from Curia

Lauren Misztal promoted to SVP, General Counsel

Dr. Joyce Suhy promoted to EVP, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions

Kristina Lowe promoted to SVP, Client Success & Customer Experience

PHILADELPHIA , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Clario, a healthcare research technology company that delivers leading endpoint technology solutions for clinical trials, today announced the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer, Jason Knoblauch , and three internal promotions to the Executive Leadership Team. These appointments strengthen Clario's focus on growth, customer service and scientific innovation and expertise.

New Chief Financial Officer  Jason Knoblauch

Jason Knoblauch will join Clario as Chief Financial Officer, effective August 7, 2023 .

Jason joins Clario from Curia, a global contract research, development, and manufacturing organization, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his tenure at Curia, Jason held various financial leadership roles at PPD, including serving as interim CFO in 2018, and was a director in PwC's Transaction Services practice.

"I am delighted to welcome Jason to our leadership team," said Chris Fikry , M.D., Chief Executive Officer. "Jason brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our organization. His appointment reflects our commitment to attracting top talent and ensuring the continued success of Clario."

Commenting on his appointment, Jason Knoblauch said, "I am thrilled to be joining the Clario team. Clario not only has a strong legacy but also is well-positioned to drive the next wave of innovation in fulfillment of its purpose to unlock rich clinical evidence to reduce disease, improve health and transform the lives of patients."

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Economics from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska . Additionally, he earned a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia .

Clario also announced three internal promotions to their Executive Leadership Team.

New Senior Vice President, General Counsel  Lauren Misztal

Lauren Misztal joined Clario in 2022 as VP, Global Privacy & Deputy Compliance Officer, Assistant General Counsel. In June 2023 she was promoted to SVP, General Counsel.

Prior to joining Clario, Lauren held senior legal and compliance roles at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and McKesson Corporation and was an associate and Of Counsel at Quinn Emanuel LLP. Lauren began her legal career as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice after clerking for a federal judge in Washington, D.C. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and bachelor's degree from Georgetown University. Before attending law school, Lauren was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs.

New Executive Vice President, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions  Dr. Joyce Suhy

Dr. Joyce Suhy has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Medical Imaging and Specialty Solutions. She brings over 30 years of experience in both operational and scientific aspects of the medical imaging field across several therapeutic areas and leads Clario's Medical Imaging division. She has significant expertise in the field of Neuroscience, and since 2001, Dr. Suhy has been at the forefront of designing and scientifically overseeing Neuroscience clinical trials that incorporate imaging endpoints. Notably, she and her team's extensive imaging knowledge and experience have been instrumental in the development of the first and second Alzheimer's disease-modifying drugs to receive FDA approval.

Dr. Suhy holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, complemented by fellowship training in Neuroradiology. Her dedication and expertise have earned her recognition, including being named one of PharmaVoice's 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life-Science Industry in 2020. With extensive experience, scientific acumen and leadership prowess, Dr. Suhy continues to drive advancements within the Medical Imaging business at Clario.

New Senior Vice President, Client Success & Customer Experience  Kristina Lowe

Kristina Lowe has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Client Success & Customer Experience. Kristina has over 22 years of experience in clinical research, having specialized in commercial roles globally across biotech, large pharmaceutical companies and Contract Research Organizations (CROs). During her 18-year tenure at Clario, Kristina has developed an expertise in clinical endpoint solutions for critical safety and efficacy data and has led her teams to be consultative in selecting solutions that deliver high quality data in support of drug development.

As Senior Vice President of Client Success & Customer Experience, Kristina plays a pivotal role in overseeing Clario's customers, ensuring successful collaborations, emphasizing a solution-oriented approach and fostering understanding of the interconnectedness within the organization and the broader e-clinical landscape. Kristina's team is comprised of Clario's Client Success Managers, CRO Partnerships, Global Customer Care, Logistics and Client Education.

Further information and biographies of the Clario Leadership Team can be found on Clario.com

About Clario

Clario is a leading healthcare research and technology company that generates the richest clinical evidence in the industry for our pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device partners. Across decentralized, hybrid and site-based trials, our deep scientific expertise, global scale and the broadest endpoint technology platform in the industry allows our partners to transform lives. Clario has the only technology platform that combines eCOA, cardiac safety, medical imaging, precision motion, and respiratory endpoints. Clario's global team of science, technology and operational experts have helped deliver more than 27,000 trials and contributed to over 500 FDA and EMEA new drug approvals involving more than seven million participants in over 100 countries. Our innovation has been transforming clinical trials for 50 years.

For more information, go to Clario.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact

Duncan Cantor

Snr. Director, Content and Communications

[email protected]

+44 7307 533 162

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Data 360 and Hip Hop Education Center are partnering to host the Hip Hop Hackathon 2023 event series July 19 and 26, 2023 and World Hip Hop Day virtual celebration and competition from August 9-31, 2023 , in honor of Hip Hop's 50th Anniversary. The event series and competition aims to preserve Hip Hop landmarks around the world using Google Maps and Google Assistant technologies, and provide participants with key tech and creative skills to prepare them for entry-level jobs or to advance in their careers. The event welcomes participants from diverse backgrounds, including artists, musicians, developers, data scientists, educators, technologists, students, job seekers, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts passionate about Hip Hop, technology, education, and media innovation.

Los Angeles , July 14, 2023 We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Hip Hop Hackathon 2023 event series and competition in partnership with Data 360 and the Hip Hop Education Center. The event series and competition is taking place now through August with pre-launch creative and tech career training events July 19 and July 26, 2023 and a competition period of August 9-31, 2023 , and brings together Hip Hop artists, academics and enthusiasts along data scientists, coders, technology specialists and educators to collaborate and create innovative solutions for the preservation of Hip Hop in honor of Hip Hop's 50th Anniversary using Google Maps and Google Assistant technologies. The awards for the hackathon additional training and sponsored career and funding programs will be provided with corporate sponsors starting in September 2023 and throughout the remainder of 2023

The Hip Hop Hackathon is a unique event series and competition that will provide a platform for individuals from different backgrounds to use their technology skills and creativity to archive Hip Hop landmarks around the world using Google Maps and Google Assistant to gain key tech and creative skills that will prepare participants for 5 or 6 figure entry level jobs or help them advance in their current careers with newer skills required in the age of data, AI and other newer technologies.

Guest speakers from Hip Hop Education Center include trailblazing artists and technologists: Paul DEO, Simone Berry (People of Crypto), Whitney Taber (Girls Make Beats), and Idris Brewster (Kinfolk). In collaboration with Dolby Impact Labs, Hip Hop Education Center will introduce Dolby engineers as well as Hip Hop Producers Elai Tubo (Eric B & Rakim, Run DMC), GrandMixer DXT (Hebrew Hancock, and NAMM 2023 Innovator Award Recipient).

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of Hip Hop, and Hip Hop Hackathon is proud to be part of the celebration. With this event, we hope to honor the legacy of Hip Hop by continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible in music and technology.

Why is the Hip Hop Hackathon solution urgently needed?

Here are some stats that point to why there are gaps in STEM, the number #1 market in the planet, and why culturally competent programs like Hip Hop Hackathon are needed to close the gap and pipeline into nontraditional professional development and business funding programs like apprenticeships, other alternative training programs, and grants and accelerators for new or mature businesses run by women or People of Color.

According to the Huffington Post , less than 5% of the United States' population has a STEM degree. This is shocking in a time where we need more tech and STEM professionals in the workforce than ever before.

, less than 5% of population has a STEM degree. This is shocking in a time where we need more tech and STEM professionals in the workforce than ever before. Apprenticeships are important for access to tech. Over 75% of US businesses report having a hard time recruiting skilled job applicants. More and more companies are looking to expand their hiring beyond traditional college degrees and into apprenticeships, as a solution to fill the talent gap, according to the Manpower Group .

. African Americans, Native Americans , and Latinos between 18-24 account for 34% of the population, but earn only 12% of the undergraduate degrees in any field (A Looked at Minorities in STEM Infographic, Sources kevinmd.com, usnews.com, esa.doc.gov).

, and Latinos between 18-24 account for 34% of the population, but earn only 12% of the undergraduate degrees in any field (A Looked at Minorities in STEM Infographic, Sources kevinmd.com, usnews.com, esa.doc.gov). $16 trillion was lost as a result of discrimination against African Americans in 2020 - The US GDP that year was $19.5 trillion , according to NPR .

was lost as a result of discrimination against African Americans in 2020 - The US GDP that year was , according to . According to the 2019 State of Women-Owned Business Report from American Express, Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs. While the number of women-owned businesses grew 21% from 2014 to 2019, Black women-owned businesses more than doubled during that time at 50%.

US Latinos account for the fastest-growing portion of US GDP. So much so, that if we considered US Latinos as their own country, it would be third only to the GDP growth rate of China and India in the past decade, according to McKinsey in "The economic state of Latinos in the US: Determined to thrive, November 14, 2022 .

and in the past decade, according to McKinsey in "The economic state of Latinos in the US: Determined to thrive, . At a time of economic uncertainty with concerns about a possible recession growing, consumers are looking for additional support. McKinsey's research estimates that the Latino consumer base has unmet needs of more than $100 billion currently, and this could grow six-fold to $660 billion if we address the parity gap between Latinos and non-Latino Whites based on share of population.

currently, and this could grow six-fold to if we address the parity gap between Latinos and non-Latino Whites based on share of population. According to one estimate by the WorldBank, the unmet demand for credit among women totals US$1.7 trillion . That's a lot of good business ideas that don't get off the ground because of gender inequality.

"We are thrilled to be working with the Hip Hop Education Center to host this year's Hip Hop Hackathon event series and competition" said Data 360. "This is a unique opportunity for individuals from different backgrounds and parts of the world to come together to share their love for Hip Hop while getting the opportunity for new high paying careers for People of Color and funding for businesses owned or operated by People of Color."

From now through the rest of 2023 before and after the Hackathon competition August 11-25 , there are expert and career events provide opportunities for participants to network, learn, and prepare for the hackathon. These events allow participants to engage with industry experts, learn new skills, and collaborate with other participants. The organizers are excited about the opportunities these events will provide for participants to prepare for the hackathon and create meaningful connections with other industry professionals.

"We are proud to be the founding company of the Hip Hop Hackathon 2023," said Marie Smith , CIO and Co-Founder of Data 360 and Managing Director of Data 360 Labs, "We believe that data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning along with tech in general can play a significant role in the growth and development of Hip Hop culture and in undervalued communities. We are excited to see what innovative solutions the participants will come up with." The representatives from Data 360 will be on site and available virtually during the events series and hackathon competition to provide support and guidance to the participants.

The Hip Hop Education Center also expressed its excitement about the event. "We are elated to partner on an event that combines our passion for Hip Hop with education, archiving, and technology," said Martha Diaz , Executive Director and Chief Visionary Officer of Hip Hop Education Center. "We hope to create a space that fosters creativity, connectivity, and community for all participants." The Hip Hop Education Center and its partners are providing content and programming support and resources for the participants.

This event series and competition promises to be an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in the Hip Hop history, media, music, coding, tech jobs, data science, and technology. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, Hip Hop Hackathon is the perfect opportunity to showcase your talents and collaborate with like-minded individuals. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of an event that could change the future of the most popular culture in the world!

"We believe that this event will inspire the next generation of media and technology pioneers and bring about positive change in the industry," says Marie from Data 360. "Media and technology are two industries that have always been intertwined, and this event series and competition is a great opportunity to bring them together in a meaningful way."

The Hip Hop Hackathon 2023 welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, musicians, developers, data scientists, educators, technologists, students, job seekers, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts passionate about Hip Hop, technology, education, and/or media innovation. Participants, speakers, mentors, sponsors, and teachers can register and find more information about the event series and competition at https://www.hiphophackathon.com.

About Data 360

Data 360 is a leading service provider focused on helping clients save up to 90% of their operational costs through the power of big data, AI, and machine learning. By leveraging predictive analytics comprised of advanced data systems and artificial intelligence technologies, Data 360 accelerates the creation of effective digital marketing, sales and HR systems, communities and marketplaces. Data 360 enables businesses to achieve unprecedented results and unlock new and unique opportunities for growth that are unavailable from any other typical digital media platform or service. https://www.data360network.com

About the Hip Hop Education Center

The Hip Hop Education Center is a pioneering organization dedicated to advancing Hip Hop as a vital educational and cultural force. Through their programs, resources, and partnerships, they promote the study and preservation of Hip Hop's history, culture, and artistic expressions, empowering individuals and communities through the transformative power of Hip Hop education. https://www.hiphopeducation.org

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mona Ibrahim Associate Director, Development and Special Projects Hip Hop Education Center [email protected]

Monica Walters Support Team Admin Data 360 Network [email protected]

Additional Information:

Pull Quote

"This is a unique opportunity for individuals from different backgrounds and parts of the world to come together to share their love for Hip Hop while getting the opportunity for new high paying careers for People of Color and funding for businesses owned or operated by People of Color."

Media Contact

Mona Ibrahim , Associate Director, Development and Special Projects, 1 9173306413, [email protected], https://www.hiphopeducation.org

Monica Walters , Data 360, 1 2133758848, [email protected], https://www.data360network.com

Twitter, LinkedIn

SOURCE Associate Director, Development and Special Projects
SINGAPORE , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FBS, an international broker with a presence in over 150 countries, demonstrates its commitment to building self-sufficient and resilient communities by donating over $62,000 to charitable organizations in developing countries. The funds were raised during the holy month of Ramadan and will support approximately 5,000 people from underprivileged communities in Malaysia , Indonesia , Nigeria , Egypt , Turkey , Pakistan , and Yemen .

"Aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), FBS aims to contribute to creating a more prosperous and equal society. Since 2014, FBS has been actively engaged in charitable activities during Ramadan , raising and donating around $1.3 million to more than 30 organizations in Southeast Asia , Africa , and the Middle East , positively impacting thousands of lives. By leveraging the support of our clients, FBS encourages meaningful changes in the world," says Ksenia Molodkina, Strategic Marketing Director FBS.

During the Ramadan season of 2023, more than 29,000 traders from 17 countries worldwide participated in the FBS Trade & Aid charity promo. This initiative provided an opportunity for traders to make charitable donations and support those in need during the holy time of the year. The collective effort resulted in a donation of over $62,000 , which FBS equally distributed among seven charitable organizations.

The funds were utilized by these organizations to improve the lives of local citizens, including families, students, and seniors. For instance, the Malaysian branch of MyCare Foundation used FBS's contribution to establish a freshwater fish farm site, empowering the community to generate sustainable income. This project aims to support urban-poor groups in the Bandar Tasik Selatan area of Kuala Lumpur .

"With FBS' invaluable support, we have established a pioneering fish farming project that promises immense benefits for the community. The project's vision is simple yet transformative: as our fish population flourishes, the community will reap the rewards of increased sales. The profits generated from the fish sales will be channeled into communal savings, a visionary financial resource that serves as a catalyst for economic growth within our community, enabling individuals to access funds for various business ventures or personal needs. With newfound financial opportunities, our community members will unlock their true potential, fueling a cycle of progress and prosperity," said Haji Kamarul Halim Sakrani , the representative of MyCare Foundation Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the FBS charity program with Ramadan Memo, an Islamic organization in Nigeria , targets over 3,000 beneficiaries from vulnerable groups, such as widows, orphans, elementary pupils, and students from higher institutions who are financially handicapped. "FBS partners with Ramadan Memo to share food items to the less privileged, donate relief materials to orphanage homes, distributed clothe boxes to widows and children in slum communities and educational materials to primary school pupils for aiding grassroot education, as well as aid Higher institution entrepreneurs to enhance their businesses," said Giwa Habeeb A . from Ramadan Memo.

FBS remains committed to supporting charitable initiatives that contribute to social welfare and economic empowerment in developing countries. These efforts are in line with the national development plans of the participating countries, such as the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 in Malaysia , Indonesia's 2045 Vision, and Nigeria's National Development Plan 2021-2025. They are striving for a prosperous and equal society, and each stakeholder, including private companies such as FBS, can play their part to achieve those national agenda.

To learn more about how FBS charitable initiative went, please watch the video report.

About FBS

FBS is a licensed worldwide broker with over 14 years of experience and more than 75 international awards. FBS is steadily developing as one of the market's most trusted brokers, with its traders numbering more than 27 000 000 and its partners exceeding 500 000 throughout the globe. The annual trading volume of FBS clients is over $8.9 trillion .

For further information, please contact:

FBS Press Office

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2148238/FBS_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE FBS
Egypt Cabinet withdrew Egyptian citizenship Thursday from three citizens holding Israeli citizenship on charges of obtaining foreign citizenship without authorization.

The ruling was published in the 28th edition of the Cabinet's official gazette.

Two of the three siblings, H. A and A.A, were born in 1997 and 1999 in Cairo, whereas the eldest sibling, A R.A., was born in 1995 on Israeli territory.

Egyptians may not travel to Israel unless they obtain security permission from the Egyptian government.

Furthermore, by marrying an Israeli, an Egyptian risks losing his citizenship. In 2016, Egypts administrative court ruled that marriage between Egyptians and Israelis threatens Egypts national security.

The court further stated that the right to freely choose a marriage partner, otherwise protected by the constitution, does not exempt citizens from undertaking their responsibility to protect the state and society.

The 2016 ruling complemented another  issued by the same court a year before  that obliged the Egyptian Cabinet and the Ministry of Interior to strip Egyptians who marry Israelis of their citizenship on the grounds of Egyptian nationality law.

According to Article 16 of the law, the Egyptian government reserves the right to strip Egyptian nationals of their citizenship in cases where Egypts national security and interests are threatened.

There are no official figures on the number of Egyptians married to Israelis. However, estimates suggest that thousands of Egyptian men are married to Israeli women, many of Arab origin (Palestinians who remained within Israel's 1948 borders).

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WASHINGTON , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's rapidly evolving job market, advanced education is becoming increasingly essential for professional success. Recognizing the significance of higher education, numerous institutions are offering scholarships specifically tailored to support graduate students in their academic pursuits. These scholarships for graduate students not only alleviate financial burdens but also empower individuals to access the educational resources they need to excel in their chosen fields.

Graduate school scholarships serve as a crucial bridge between aspiring students and their academic aspirations. With the rising costs of education, these scholarships provide much-needed financial support, enabling individuals to pursue advanced degrees without the burden of excessive student loan debt. By relieving financial pressure, graduate student scholarships allow students to focus on their studies, research, and personal growth, ensuring they make the most of their educational opportunities.

One significant advantage of graduate school scholarships is the broad range of opportunities they offer. Students can find scholarships specific to their field of study, which encourages them to pursue their passion and delve deeper into their chosen area of expertise. Whether students are interested in the sciences, humanities, business, or any other field, there are graduate scholarships available to support their academic journey.

Furthermore, graduate student scholarships promote diversity and inclusivity within higher education. Many scholarship programs prioritize supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds, ensuring that talented individuals from various walks of life have equal access to advanced education. By removing financial barriers, these scholarships pave the way for a more diverse and inclusive academic community, fostering innovation and collaboration among scholars from different perspectives.

Apart from financial assistance, graduate school scholarships often provide additional benefits, such as research opportunities, mentorship programs, and networking events. These resources empower scholars to engage with professionals in their field, expand their knowledge base, and develop valuable connections. The holistic support offered by graduate student scholarships enhances the overall educational experience and increases the chances of success in both academic and professional endeavors.

As the demand for advanced education continues to grow, the availability of scholarships for graduate students becomes even more crucial. These scholarships open doors to higher education, empowering individuals to reach their full potential and make meaningful contributions to their respective fields. By investing in the education of talented students, scholarship providers play a vital role in shaping the future of various industries and society as a whole.

About ScholarshipBasket

ScholarshipBasket is a user-friendly portal connecting students with diverse scholarship opportunities. Our platform simplifies the search process, ensuring equal access to funding for students of all backgrounds. With intuitive features and helpful guidance, we empower students in their pursuit of higher education and get them up to date with all the latest Scholarships in the market to help them achieve their goals.

Media Contact:

Name: David Wills

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://scholarshipbasket.com/

Company: ScholarshipBasket

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SOURCE ScholarshipBasket
Consensus Digital Media Hosts Next Generation Manufacturing Summit

ATLANTA , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, Consensus Digital Media hosted the first-ever Southern Surge Next Generation Manufacturing Summit in Atlanta, Georgia . More than 150 elected leaders, industry executives, educators, students, economic development officials, policymakers, and community stakeholders from throughout the region converged at the historic Georgia Freight Depot venue in downtown Atlanta to discuss the blueprint for leading the U.S. toward a more prosperous and sustainable future.

Attendees heard directly from local public officials in Georgia and South Carolina , as well as former Georgia Governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue , about how next-generation manufacturing is fueling economic growth in the South.

"The South no longer is relying on cheap energy or labor to thrive, there is a [Southern] surge," former Georgia Governor, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and current Chancellor of the University System of Georgia Sonny Perdue told attendees, later adding, "You haven't seen nothing yet, so let's keeping growing and growing, and serving and delivering for America."

Thanks to future-forward technological innovations across the region, production facilities for electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and microchips are proliferating throughout the South.

"Today's Southern Surge event made it clear: the South is leading the way for America's next generation of jobs and manufacturing," said Conor Gaughan , publisher and CEO of Consensus. "What's even more impressive is this influx of investment in the region marks just a starting point for an increasingly sustainable and bright future."

Book-ending the day was a live, on-stage podcast taping of Consensus In Conversation between host and Consensus publisher Conor Gaughan , and Chris Clark , the president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Clark's closing remarks reinforced a common theme throughout the day of the importance of workforce development, and how Georgia and the South are leading by example.

For the Southern Surge Next Generation Manufacturing Summit full program and list of speakers visit https://consensusdigitalmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Southern-full-program_b.pdf .

For highlights from the Southern Surge, check out Consensus Digital Media's social channels ( Twitter ; LinkedIn ; YouTube ).

About Consensus Digital Media

Consensus Digital Media highlights and produces uplifting and relevant stories that spotlight the communities, leaders, and businesses achieving a sustainable future through innovative and pragmatic solutions.

Contact: [email protected]com

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SOURCE Consensus Digital Media
SAO PAULO, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL e B3: GOLL4) ("GOL" or "Company"), Brazil's largest domestic airline, today provides an Investor Update on its expectations for the second quarter of 2023. The information below is preliminary and unaudited . The Company will discuss its 2Q23 results in a conference call on July 27, 2023 .

Overall Commentary GOL expects Loss Per Share (EPS) and Loss Per American Depositary Share (EPADS) for 2Q23 of approximately R$1.05 1 and US$0.45 1 , respectively.

EBITDA margin for the quarter is expected to be approximately 21%.

Passenger unit revenue (PRASK) for the second quarter is expected to be up approximately 9% year over year, driven by an 8% decrease in capacity versus the last quarter. Total unit revenue (RASK) increased by approximately 12% compared to the same period of 2022, mainly due to increases in revenues from cargo (Gollog), that more than doubled its revenue over 2Q22, and loyalty (Smiles), that recorded a revenue increase of 30% in the same period.

Non-fuel unit costs excluding freighter operations (CASK Ex-Fuel Adjusted 3 ) are expected to be flat compared to 2Q22, primarily due to higher expenses related to parts and costs associated with redelivery of aircraft, compensated by the year-over-year increase in capacity (ASK) of 14%. Fuel unit costs (CASK Fuel) decreased approximately 18% compared to 2Q22, mainly due to a 19% decrease in the average jet fuel price, partially compensated by a reduction in average stage length, and total unit costs are expected to decrease approximately 7% compared to the second quarter of 2022.

Financial leverage as measured by the Net Debt4/LTM EBITDA2 ratio was approximately 7.2x at quarter end, a reduction of 2.2x compared to 4Q22 (~5.3x in IFRS-16). Excluding the GOL SSN, the ratio was 6.0x (4.0x in IFRS-16). Total liquidity at quarter-end is expected to be at R$ 4.1 billion 5.

Preliminary and Unaudited Projection







June Quarter 2023 EBITDA Margin

~21%

EBIT Margin

~11%

Other Revenue (cargo, loyalty, other) ~9% of total revenues Average fuel price per liter

R$ 4.84

Average exchange rate

R$ 4.95

























June Quarter 2023 vs.

June Quarter 2022







Passenger unit revenue (PRASK)

Up ~9%

CASK Ex-fuel3

Up ~1%

Total Demand  RPK

Up ~13%

Total Capacity  ASK

Up ~14%

Total Capacity  Seats

Up ~20%



















Excluding gains and losses on currency, Exchangeable Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes 2028. Excluding non-recurring results Excluding non-recurring results and costs related to the freighter operations. Including 7x annual aircraft lease payments and excluding perpetual bonds. Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable and deposits.

GOL Investor Relations

[email protected]

www.voegol.com.br/ir

+55(11) 2128-4700

About GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.

GOL is the largest airline in Brazil , leader in the corporate and leisure segments. Since it was founded in 2001, the Company has the lowest unit cost in Latin America , democratizing air transportation. The Company has alliances with American Airlines and Air France-KLM and makes available several codeshares and interline agreements available to Customers, bringing more convenience and simple connections to any place served by these partnerships. With the purpose of "Being the First for All", GOL offers the best travel experience to its passengers, including: the largest number of seats and more space between seats; the greatest platform with internet, movies and live TV; and the best frequent-flyer program, SMILES. In cargo transportation, GOLLOG delivers orders to different regions in Brazil and abroad. The Company has a team of 13.9 thousand highly qualified aviation professionals focused on Safety, GOL's #1 value, and operates a standardized fleet of 142 Boeing 737 aircraft. The Company's shares are traded on the NYSE (GOL) and the B3 (GOLL4). For further information, go to www.voegol.com.br/ir.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this press release has not been subject to any independent audit or review and contains "forward-looking" statements, estimates and projections that relate to future events, which are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release including, without limitation, those regarding GOL's future financial position and results of operations, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, future developments in the markets in which GOL operates or is seeking to operate, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "will", "may", "project", "estimate", "anticipate", "predict", "seek", "should" or similar words or expressions, are forward-looking statements. The future events referred to in these forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors, many of which are beyond GOL's control, that may cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. These forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding GOL's present and future business strategies and the environment in which GOL will operate in the future and are not a guarantee of future performance. Such forward-looking statements speak only as at the date on which they are made. None of GOL or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents undertakes any duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. None of GOL or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, professional advisors and agents make any representation, warranty or prediction that the results anticipated by such forward-looking statements will be achieved, and such forward-looking statements represent, in each case, only one of many possible scenarios and should not be viewed as the most likely or standard scenario. Although GOL believes that the estimates and projections in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they may prove materially incorrect and actual results may materially differ. As a result, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements.

Non-GAAP Measures

To be consistent with industry practice, GOL discloses so-called non-GAAP financial measures which are not recognized under IFRS or U.S. GAAP, including "Net Debt", "Adjusted Net Debt", "total liquidity" and "EBITDA". The Company's management believes that disclosure of non-GAAP measures provides useful information to investors, financial analysts and the public in their review of its operating performance and their comparison of its operating performance to the operating performance of other companies in the same industry and other industries. However, these non-GAAP items do not have standardized meanings and may not be directly comparable to similarly-titled items adopted by other companies. Potential investors should not rely on information not recognized under IFRS as a substitute for the GAAP measures of earnings or liquidity in making an investment decision.

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SOURCE GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.
SHANGRAO, China , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or the "Company") (NYSE: JKS), one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, today announced that its majority-owned principal operating subsidiary Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. ("Jiangxi Jinko") published estimates of certain preliminary unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2023 .

For the six months ended June 30, 2023 , (i) the preliminary unaudited net income attributable to the shareholders of Jiangxi Jinko is estimated to be in the range from RMB3.66 billion to RMB4.06 billion , increasing by from RMB2.75 billion to RMB3.15 billion and by from 304.38% to 348.58% year over year, and (ii) the preliminary unaudited net income attributable to the shareholders of Jiangxi Jinko excluding extraordinary gains and losses is estimated to be in the range from RMB3.32 billion to RMB3.72 billion , increasing by from RMB2.52 billion to RMB2.92 billion and by from 313.45% to 363.26% year over year.

The preliminary unaudited financial results of Jiangxi Jinko for the six months ended June 30, 2023 described in this press release (the "Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results") are different from JinkoSolar's consolidated financial results (the "Consolidated Financials"), mainly because (i) the consolidation scope of the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results differs from that of the Consolidated Financials: the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results are prepared solely for Jiangxi Jinko, whereas the Consolidated Financials also include financial statements of JinkoSolar and its other subsidiaries, and (ii) the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results and the Consolidated Financials are prepared according to different accounting standards and principles: the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results are prepared in accordance with PRC GAAP, whereas the Consolidated Financials are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America . As such, investors of JinkoSolar should exercise caution when reviewing the Jiangxi Jinko Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results described in this press release and are advised not to base their investment decisions solely on such preliminary unaudited financial results.

JinkoSolar currently owns approximately 58.62% equity interest in Jiangxi Jinko.

About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world. JinkoSolar distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China , the United States , Japan , Germany , the United Kingdom , Chile , South Africa , India , Mexico , Brazil , the United Arab Emirates , Italy , Spain , France , Belgium , Netherlands , Poland , Austria , Switzerland , Greece and other countries and regions.

JinkoSolar had 14 productions facilities globally, 24 overseas subsidiaries in Japan , South Korea , Vietnam , India , Turkey , Germany , Italy , Switzerland , the United States , Mexico , Brazil , Chile , Australia , Canada , Malaysia , the United Arab Emirates , Denmark , Indonesia , Nigeria and Saudi Arabia , and global sales teams in China , the United States , Canada , Brazil , Chile , Mexico , Italy , Germany , Turkey , Spain , Japan , the United Arab Emirates , Netherlands , Vietnam and India , as of March 31, 2023 .

To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "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, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China :

Ms. Stella Wang

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

Tel: +86 21-5180-8777 ext.7806

Email: [email protected]

Mr. Rene Vanguestaine

Christensen

Tel: +86 178 1749 0483

Email: [email protected]

In the U.S. :

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Christensen, Scottsdale, Arizona

Tel: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.
CALGARY, Alberta , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After an extensive four-month search, AVAC Group's Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Martin Vetter as Chief Executive Officer. This appointment is an important milestone in AVAC's continued growth as a venture capital company.

Martin joined AVAC in 2008 after 20 years of new product commercialization experience at high-growth tech companies. During his 14 years with AVAC, Martin led many successful investments across AVAC's technology and AgTech portfolio, gaining an extensive understanding of all aspects of venture capital. He currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of seven companies.

Since 2019, Martin has led AVAC's Carrot Ventures initiative. Carrot is a venture studio dedicated to forming new Canadian AgTech companies. In 2021, AVAC and Farm Credit Canada invested as limited partners in Carrot Ventures Fund I, L.P., a $15M AgTech fund managed by AVAC.

Susterre Technologies Inc. and Cellar Insights Inc. are the first two companies formed by Carrot.

Martin earned a B.Eng from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MBA from the University of Calgary. He recently completed the Private Capital Governance Program offered by the CVCA in partnership with the ICD.

About AVAC Group

AVAC is a Canadian venture capital company which applies its knowledge, network, and capital to advance the commercialization of technology to achieve a sustainable world.

Carrot Ventures is AVAC's primary mechanism for achieving this goal. Carrot forms and funds new companies across the entire AgTech value chain. AVAC is also an active limited partner in select Canadian and U.S. venture capital funds.

For information visit: https://avacgrp.com/

Media Contact:

Alfred Sailer , Board Chair of AVAC

[email protected]

(587)226-6812

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SOURCE AVAC Group
Company introduces new Trust and Safety Roadmap with enhanced measures following in-depth review by world-class safety expert

MIAMI , July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Papa, a curated platform of companionship and support for older adults and families, today announced a new Trust and Safety Roadmap , inclusive of enhanced new safety measures, protections, policies, and protocols. The Trust and Safety Roadmap was developed in collaboration with world-class safety expert Robert Chesnut , who brings 30 years of experience spanning the U.S Department of Justice, to eBay and Airbnb.

"The initiatives identified in Papa's Trust and Safety Roadmap are the result of an in-depth assessment of the company's existing trust and safety processes, policies, and systems, including insights from more than 25 interviews with current and former employees and industry leaders," said Chesnut. "I presented my report to Papa's board and executive team, and I am pleased to see the company announced its new safety measures today."

Papa's platform connects older adults and families with vetted companions to provide social support and successfully address the social drivers that disproportionately affect health outcomes. In a randomized controlled study, 69% of Papa participants reported a reduction in loneliness and average physically and mentally unhealthy days were reduced by 4.5 and 4 days, respectively. Additionally, claims-based analyses by Papa clients revealed a 20% reduction in emergency department visits, an increase in cancer screenings (5.4% increase in breast cancer screening rate), and 6% lower total cost of care.

Today, Papa operates nationwide, has conducted more than 1.6 million visits, and is on track to conduct nearly 1 million visits in 2023 alone. While one incident is too many, only 0.1% of in-person visits have contained a member-reported safety complaint and 0.3% of visits have contained a Pal-reported safety complaint. By comparison, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 41% of traditional home healthcare workers have reported sexual harassment.

Papa has consistently put trust and safety at the core of its operations, and over the past year, has taken even further measures to improve the security and safety of members and Papa Pals on its platform. This includes fundamentally reviewing and revamping its screening process to go above and beyond the industry standard, adding manual reviews of the raw data background check vendors receive, in addition to analysis by the background check vendor's software, to avoid potential configuration issues. Prior to implementing this enhanced screening process, the company conducted a retroactive manual review of every Papa Pal in its system to ensure these high standards are met across its network.

Papa also significantly enhanced its Papa Pal training and education, more than doubling touch points to its Pals; rolled out enhanced geolocation technology to catch anomalous situations that could present safety concerns; implemented software that automatically scans for over 300 keywords to uncover and escalate safety-related issues sooner; and improved the ability to report visit problems within its app.

Based on Chesnut's recent review, Papa is prioritizing additional areas for improvement and several initiatives that will roll out over the next three to six months to build on the safety measures described above, including:

adding additional trust and safety expertise to the organization by establishing an external Safety Advisory Board

by establishing an external Safety Advisory Board further increasing mandatory training activities for Papa Pals , with a focus on combating sexual and other workplace harassment, responding to emergency situations, and cultural competency during onboarding

, with a focus on combating sexual and other workplace harassment, responding to emergency situations, and cultural competency during onboarding enhancing Papa Pal screenings and identity verification checks , with monitoring related to transportation and vehicle safety standards

, with monitoring related to transportation and vehicle safety standards adding new in-visit and post-visit safety features for Papa Pals and members , improving the ability to report visit problemsacross multiple secure channels, receive assistance in the event of an emergency, and more

, improving the ability to report visit problemsacross multiple secure channels, receive assistance in the event of an emergency, and more rolling out more secure communication channels, such as number anonymization, without hindering relationship-building

"I'm deeply committed to protecting the safety of our members and Papa Pals as we build and refine a new model of care. It's important, and it's personal. I think of every member as I would my own grandfather, who I called Papa, and every Pal as a friend," said Andrew Parker , founder and CEO of Papa. "Our work to uphold trust and safety among our members and Pals is at the center of our operations and mission. Over the last year-plus, we've taken consistent measures to improve the safety and security of our platform to go above and beyond the industry standard. And we will continue to do everything we can to ensure the well-being of our community and make changes to how we do business wherever necessary."

Find Papa's full Trust and Safety Roadmap here .

About Papa

Papa is a new kind of care, built on human connection. Across the country, health plans and employers look to Papa to provide vital social support by pairing older adults and families with Papa Pals , caring and vetted companions, who provide a helping hand and an open ear, resulting in less loneliness and better health. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Miami , Papa is backed by Canaan, Tiger Global Management, Comcast Ventures, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, TCG, Initialized Capital, and Seven Seven Six, among other revered institutional and individual investors. We envision a world where no one has to go it alone. Learn more at papa.com .

Papa Media Contact:

Jill Bongiorni Meadows

[email protected]com

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SOURCE Papa Inc.
NEW YORK , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Segway-Ninebot, a leading micro-mobility solutions brand, recently released the performance report for the 2023 Amazon Prime Day in North America . The data released following the 48-hour event from July 11th to 12th showed Segway-Ninebot had sold a total of 14,000 products, including electric KickScooters, Gokarts, and electric self-balancing vehicles, achieving a year-on-year sales growth of 98% and generating sales revenue of over $6.73 million .

In the subcategory lists of Best-Sellers, many Segway-Ninebot products occupied major positions. Among them, the Ninebot KickScooter MAX series, F series, and Kid KickScooter E series were among the top 10 best-selling KickScooters in the US market; while for the best-selling single products, the Ninebot KickScooter MAX G30LP, Ninebot Gokart Pro, and Ninebot S Smart Self-Balancing Electric Transporter(black version) each placed first in the adult over $100 kickscooter, Gokart, and self-balancing vehicle categories respectively. In Canada , the Ninebot KickScooter MAX G30P and G30LP also achieved first and second places in the electric kickscooter category sales on Amazon Canada.

Amazon Prime Day is a large-scale promotion aimed at the global market, aiming to attract new members, increase the loyalty of existing members, and promote transaction activity on the Amazon platform. This year's Prime Day covered 25 countries and regions, including the United States , the United Kingdom , Australia , and more. According to Adobe Analytics, online sales in the United States alone on this year's Prime Day are expected to increase by 9.5% year-on-year to reach $13.1 billion . This year, Segway-Ninebot achieved sales of more than $6.73 million in North America alone, showing growing consumer recognition and also demonstrating the achievements of Segway-Ninebot in their efforts to deeply cultivate the global market.

Segway-Ninebot's impressive sales performance reflects its long-standing commitment to consumers. The company has always been dedicated to providing high-quality, innovative, and user-friendly micro-mobility solutions, ensuring consumers receive the best possible experience with their products. Its consumer-centric strategy, prioritizing the needs and preferences of its consumers, is a cornerstone of the brand's operations and has played a pivotal role in driving its success.

For more information about Segway-Ninebot of its Prime Day Campaign, please visit https://www.amazon.com/stores/Segway/page/C3033951-97D9-48CA-9233-97F3E1CF36D0?ref_=ast_bln and https://www.segway.com/.

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SOURCE Segway-Ninebot
Tanger's new digital-first loyalty program and mobile app empower brand connections and optimize guest experience, with an expanded suite of exclusive benefits and personalized offers for guests at Tanger's open-air shopping centers

GREENSBORO, N.C. , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Outlets (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale, open-air shopping centers, announced today the launch of its refreshed TangerClub guest loyalty program and all-new consumer mobile app. As part of its continued focus on elevating the customer experience, Tanger has reimagined its digital solutions and loyalty program to increase guest engagement and more conveniently connect brands with the right customers in new ways. This digital-first loyalty program offers a more personalized and intuitive experience  providing additional value for both guests and retail partners.

"Tanger has been pioneering innovative ways to enhance the shopper experience for over 40 years. As part of our vision to use customer insights and experience to inform the future of shopping, we have rebuilt our guest loyalty program and digital experiences from the ground up," said Stephen Yalof , President and Chief Executive Officer, Tanger. "Using a digital-first engagement approach, we can better serve our guests and brand partners by offering an expanded suite of exclusive benefits and personalized offers for our guests and more targeted and effective avenues for customer engagement for retailers."

Additionally, Tanger is retooling its digital channels to deliver a more intuitive and engaging experience for guests and potential visitors. The new TangerClub app will enable shoppers to easily find and use digital offers tailored to their interests and contextual to their Tanger location. Further building on its strategy to meet guests where they are, Tanger has also migrated its customer service offerings to a user-friendly, digital messaging service that empowers guests to get real-time information and responses to requests.

"Tanger is scaling its platform dedicated to connecting brands and customers in more convenient and meaningful ways. We are focused on optimizing our digital channels to meet shoppers where they are on their journey, while maximizing our ability to support our retail partners' success," said Andrew Wingrove , Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Tanger. "Strong customer response to our loyalty pilot programs over the past year has informed our offering and gives us confidence we'll deliver outstanding value for both our guests and partners as we build a modern, digitally driven experience at our centers."

The new TangerClub rewards guests every time they shop, play, and dine at any of Tanger's upscale, open-air shopping centers in the U.S. and Canada , including the new Nashville location opening this Fall. The program's benefits are available through a new tiered program structure, with increasingly differentiated offers and benefits at each level, beginning with a "Blue" free tier that requires only an email address to join and enables members to earn points on every purchase at a Tanger center. For a $20 annual subscription fee, members can join the "Gold" tier to access elevated retailer offers and earn double points on every dollar spent. Tanger's most engaged guests can progress to "Platinum" to earn the best retailer offers and triple points, after reaching a spending threshold.

"Tanger's shift to a subscription model will enable us to reinvest a portion of the subscription fee into providing an even more differentiated experience for guests," Wingrove expounded. "Additionally, the no-cost Blue tier will enable Tanger to better engage its millions of customers who previously have been notified by email about available promotions from our partners."

Existing "Insiders" and TangerClub members have been automatically enrolled in Tanger's new loyalty program at a corresponding level to their current engagement. New members can join TangerClub by downloading the TangerClub app and creating a free account. For more information on TangerClub membership and benefits, visit tanger.com/tangerclub .

The TangerClub loyalty offering is powered by Coniq, the industry leading provider of customer engagement and loyalty solutions for shopping centers and retail destinations. Coniq's platform will enable Tanger to improve its ability to support retail partners with more access to customer preferences, patterns, and spend, and leverage these insights to drive customer engagement.

Tanger's investments in loyalty are part of its broader strategy to commercialize marketing and build a stronger and more vibrant platform for its retailers, guests, and the communities it serves.

About Tanger Outlets

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers , Inc. (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, fully or partially owns and/or manages a portfolio of 37 centers, including one center under development. Tanger's operating centers, which comprise approximately 14 million square feet, are located in 20 states and in Canada and are leased to over 2,700 stores operated by more than 600 different brand name companies. Tanger has more than 42 years of experience in the outlet industry and has been a publicly traded REIT since 1993. For more information on Tanger, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit tanger.com.

Media Contact

Kasie Wilson

KWT Global

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact

Doug McDonald

SVP, Finance and Capital Markets

(336) 856-6066

[email protected]

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SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.
BURLINGTON, Vt ., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, today announced a grant of $150,000 to support flood relief efforts in Vermont .

The funds will support Vermont Community Foundation for the VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund, which will disperse funds to communities and small businesses of greatest need. TD colleagues also can contribute directly to the VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund efforts through an internal portal.

TD Bank's community support also includes offering financial assistance to its customers in Vermont impacted by recent severe flooding through TD Cares. TD Cares is a relief program that includes fee refunds and other support for eligible consumer and business customers.

"As a member of the local community, TD stands with our customers, colleagues and neighbors in Vermont during one of the worst natural disasters to hit the state," said Sheryl McQuade , Regional President of New England , TD Bank. "Our bankers are ready to assist the community in this time of need and ensure our customers have access to their finances."

Customers who would like assistance through TD Cares may contact the bank with a request. To learn more, please visit https://www.td.com/us/en/personal-banking/weather-alert-phase3. Business customers should contact their relationship manager for assistance.

In addition, eligible TD colleagues impacted by the floods have access to a range of resources, including the opportunity to obtain grants of up to $1,000 from the bank to help with costs such as insurance deductibles, living expenses and repairs for related damage.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. , providing over 9.9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida . Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $305 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida . More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/.

About TD Bank , America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. , providing over 9.9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida . In addition, TD Auto Finance, a division of TD Bank, N.A., offers vehicle financing and dealer commercial services. TD Bank and its subsidiaries also offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America . The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.

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SOURCE TD Bank
Agreement Raises the Bar for Standards Throughout Las Vegas Concrete Industry

LAS VEGAS , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Concrete truck drivers at Nevada Ready-Mix have ratified a four-year collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local 631.

"This phenomenal contract includes some of the largest improvements that the Las Vegas ready-mix concrete industry has seen in recent memory, and it's a milestone for the building trades unions here in town, who are fighting every single day to make sure that working families are benefiting from the construction boom," said Tommy Blitsch , Local 631 Secretary-Treasurer. "Congratulations to these workers, who worked incredibly hard and demanded their worth at the bargaining table."

The collective bargaining agreement has significant improvements. These include an $8.00 per hour increase over the course of the contract (with a raise of $3.54 per hour in the first year), major increases in employer-funded health care contributions, and paid bereavement leave for the first time at the company.

"Both union and nonunion ready-mix workers are going to benefit from this agreement because a rising tide lifts all boats, but for all of the people at nonunion concrete providers out there  if you join the Teamsters, all of us can do even better," said Kaylon Banks , a Nevada Ready-Mix driver who served on the Local 631 Negotiating Committee. "The greater the union density in construction in any city, the better the wages and benefits are for the workers there. There's no reason we can't someday have it as good as ready-mix drivers in Chicago , New York , or the Bay Area ."

Teamsters Local 631 represents workers in gaming, construction, logistics, transit, and other industries throughout the Las Vegas Valley . For more information, go to teamsterslocal631.org.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

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SOURCE Teamsters Local 631
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated, on Thursday morning in Cairo, Sudan's Neighbouring Countries' Summit, aimed at halting the bloodshed and managing its impact on neighbouring countries.

In his speech, the Egyptian President addressed the crisis in Sudan, stating that it comprises security and stability in the region, neighbouring countries, and the world.

El-Sisi emphasized that the summit aims to "unify the vision and make decisions to resolve the crisis, in coordination with the African Union and the Arab League."

"I call for the establishment of a communication mechanism to directly engage with all parties involved," the Egyptian president added.

The summit is being attended by leaders from Sudans seven neighbouring countries Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central Africa, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, along with the secretary-general of the Arab League, and the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.

Fighting between Sudans army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out in the capital Khartoum in15 April, and has spread to the fragile Darfur and Kordofan regions.

More than 1,000 civilians have been killed and 700,000 displaced in neighbouring countries, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix.

El-Sisi stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis to reach a comprehensive political solution. He emphasized the need for an immediate and lasting cessation of military operations to avoid further complications.

The president underscored the importance of supporting neighbouring countries most affected by the repercussions of the crisis, noting that Egypt has already received hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees when the crisis began.

He called upon international parties to fulfil their commitments and support the neighbouring countries of Sudan that are most affected by the crisis.

The president pledged to continue to deliver humanitarian aid from Egypt's borders to the affected areas in Sudan and called for a comprehensive national dialogue that would include all of Sudans wide-reaching political forces to achieve a political solution.

El-Sisi urged the warring parties to facilitate the establishment of safe humanitarian corridors to deliver aid and to commence serious negotiations to effect a permanent ceasefire.

Participating leaders took to the stage to express their concerns over the repercussions of the conflict on their countries.

Central Africas Touadera highlights threat to neighbours

President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera asserted that the armed conflict in Sudan poses a threat to the stability of neighbouring countries and hinders economic development.

"The repercussions of the war in Sudan go beyond borders and are felt by neighbouring countries," Touadera stressed.

S Sudans Kiir demands expansion of IGAD initiative

President of South Sudan Salva Kiir seconded this concern, stating that Sudan's neighbouring countries have faced an influx of thousands of refugees, which puts pressure on the economic situation.

Kiir stressed the importance of putting in place a framework to discuss a comprehensive peaceful and political settlement in Sudan while "prioritizing the interests of the Sudanese people."

Our priorities include finding African solutions to the continent's crises, Kiir said.

He added that Africas Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union are already working to end the conflict in Sudan. "I demand the expansion of the IGAD initiative to include the parties to the Sudanese crisis and neighbouring countries", he stated.

Eritreas Afwerki stresses Sudanese peoples role

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said Sudan's neighbouring countries will work to resolve the crisis, but "the final word is for the Sudanese people without external intervention under any pretext."

Chads Deby appeals to intl community

The transitional President of Chad Mahamat Idriss Deby expressed support for any efforts seeking a peaceful settlement in Sudan.

"We have received over 150,000 Sudanese refugees, mostly women and children, due to the conflict," Deby stated, adding that "We appeal to the international community to take action to address the Sudanese crisis."

Ethiopian PM stresses urgent settlement of crisis

Echoing these sentiments, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized the need to contain the conflict as soon as possible and address the waves of displacement to neighbouring countries.

"The conflict in Sudan must be resolved as soon as possible because the crisis has significant implications for the region and neighbouring countries," Ahmed said.

Libyas Al-Menfi calls for integrating various initiatives

Libyan Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed Al-Menfi stated that Libya is ready to engage in any efforts to stop the war.

He also called for unifying visions and initiatives to resolve the crisis in Sudan.

The summit seeks to set effective frameworks to peacefully settle the crisis in coordination with other regional and international tracks.

Egypts hosting of the summit is the result of the keenness of President El-Sisi to formulate a joint vision for Sudans direct neighboring countries, a previous presidential statement noted.

The leaders of Sudan's neighbouring countries are also expected to discuss mechanisms to address the dire humanitarian situation resulting from the influx of thousands of Sudanese refugees into their countries since the conflict broke out in mid-April.

Faki reviews AU roadmap

The Chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC) Moussa Faki highlighted the roadmap the commission has developed to address the crisis in Sudan.

Faki stated that on 27 May the commission "developed a roadmap that includes important mechanisms, such as a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, as well as the establishment of a comprehensive political dialogue.

The roadmap will be coordinated with the concerned countries, he said.

Faki emphasized that the political mechanism should be derived from the Sudanese people without any external interference and stressed that the role of neighbouring countries is vital, and efforts must be coordinated to preserve Sudan and its neighbours.

Arab League highlights coordinated efforts

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit stated that the League Council prioritizes finding ways to restore peace and stability in Sudan.

He pointed out that the council's meetings on Sudan have reiterated calls for an immediate cessation of all armed conflicts in order to stop the bloodshed and preserve the safety and security of civilians.

Aboul Gheit highlighted the Arab League's efforts in coordinating with the United Nations, the African Union, and relevant humanitarian organizations, given the significant challenge to peace and security in Sudan

Egypts efforts towards the Sudan crisis Egypt has the highest number of refugees followed by Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic (CAR). In late June, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry stated that Egypt has received over 250,000 Sudanese, which accounts for about 60 percent of the total number of Sudanese who have fled their country. Furthermore, there were already five million Sudanese living in Egypt. Shoukry's remarks indicated that Egypt has offered approximately 300 tons of essential medical and food aid to those escaping the violence, and has helped evacuate roughly 10,000 foreign workers employed by diplomatic missions and international organizations. Hundreds of tons of medical and relief aid have been provided to Sudan through Port Sudan, and tens of tons of international humanitarian aid have been transported to the country with Egypt's help. At border crossings, the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) has established a humanitarian centre, while the Egyptian authorities have deployed 15 mobile clinics, several fixed clinics and pharmacies, and 12 medical convoys. President El-Sisi stated last month that Egypt wants to resolve the Sudan crisis, voicing hope that stability would be restored in the nearest time possible. He previously pointed out that what is happening in Sudan is an internal matter that "should never be interfered with so as not to inflame the status quo there." El-Sisi emphasized Egypt's stance of not interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, warning of the consequences of interfering in Sudan's internal affairs.

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TETRA Technologies, Inc. ("TETRA" or the "Company") (NYSE: TTI) announced today that it will release second quarter 2023 results after the closing of the market on Monday, July 31, 2023. On August 1, 2023 , TETRA will host a conference call at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results. Brady M. Murphy , President and CEO, and Elijio V. Serrano, Senior Vice President and CFO, will host the call.

TETRA invites you to listen to the conference call by calling the toll-free phone number 1-888-347-5303. The conference call will also be available by live audio webcast. The news release will be available on the Company's website prior to the conference call. A replay of the conference call will be available at 1-877-344-7529 conference number 2982082, for one week following the conference call and the archived webcast will be available through the Company's website for thirty days following the conference call.

Company Overview

TETRA Technologies, Inc. is an energy services and solutions company operating on six continents with a focus on bromine-based completion fluids, calcium chloride, water management solutions, frac flowback, and production well testing services. Calcium chloride is used in the oil and gas, industrial, agricultural, road, food, and beverage markets. TETRA is evolving its business model by expanding into the low carbon energy markets with its chemistry expertise, key mineral acreage, and global infrastructure. Low carbon energy initiatives include commercialization of TETRA PureFlow ultra-pure zinc bromide clear brine fluid that is used for stationary batteries and energy storage and development of TETRA's lithium and bromine mineral acreage to meet the growing demand for oil and gas products and energy storage. Visit the Company's website at www.tetratec.com for more information or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Investor Contact

For further information, please contact Elijio Serrano , CFO, TETRA Technologies, Inc. at (281) 367-1983 or via email at [email protected] or Rigo Gonzalez , Manager of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, at (281) 364-2213 or via email at [email protected].

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SOURCE TETRA Technologies, Inc.
XUZHOU, China , July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG Machinery ("XCMG", SHE: 000425) has officially released the HANYUN OS 2023 at the 2023 Industrial Internet Conference, marking a new milestone for XCMG HANYUN as it embarks on a journey of innovation on digitalization, and sustainable solutions with the goal of supporting global customers.

The XCMG HANYUN industrial internet platform was developed by XCMG to promote the digital and intelligent transformation of various industries through integrating industrial big data and changing the paradigms of production, service, and business model. It now serves as a reliable partner for 70,000 users from 80 industries across 80 countries and regions worldwide.

The new OS of XCMG HANYUN, a lightweight and easy-to-deploy platform, will empower global users with integrated digital capabilities leveraging the six core technologies of embedded edge computing, production process simulation, big data mining, low-code technology, digital twin, and AI. The new launch also includes upgrades of three key platforms  HANYUN Industrial Internet, HANYUN Digital Thread, and HANYUN Digital Twin.

"The release of HANYUN OS 2023 marks the beginning of a new chapter for XCMG HANYUN in the field of industrial internet. Looking ahead, XCMG HANYUN, which is driven by innovation, will continue to tackle core technologies and provide powerful support for the high-quality development of China's manufacturing industries, injecting robust strength to achieve greater success," said Zhang Qiliang, CEO of XCMG HANYUN, who shared practice cases of how XCMG HANYUN supports the industries.

XCMG HANYUN provides professional consulting, design, development, manufacturing, implementation, and operation products and services relating to industrial internet and integrated intelligent manufacturing solutions. Earlier this year, it received the Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 5 ("CMMI5").

The exhibition of XCMG HANYUN at the 2023 Industrial Internet Conference was themed making industries more intelligent with digital technologies. XCMG HANYUN especially showcased its intelligent service solutions for the back market as well as innovative applications and achievements in terms of the integrated solution of industrial internet + industry park, as well as case studies for various industries including nonferrous metals, core components, intelligent healthcare, and more.

"XCMG HANYUN will continually focus on achieving breakthroughs in innovative technologies and promoting the coordinated, high-quality development of the digital economy and the real economy, taking on the key role of promoting the new industrialization as the foundation of digital transformation," noted Zhang.

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SOURCE XCMG Machinery
U.S. and Ukrainian flags are pictured at U.S. Airbase in Ramstein, Germany, April 26, 2022. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) -An alleged Russian intelligence officer pleaded not guilty on Friday to U.S. charges of smuggling U.S.-origin electronics and ammunition to Russia to help its war against Ukraine.

Vadim Konoschenok, who was extradited on Thursday from Estonia, entered the plea at a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon Reyes ordered Konoschenok detained pending trial, after prosecutors called him a flight risk.

"No matter where you are in the world, if you violate U.S. export controls or evade U.S. sanctions, we will not rest until you face justice," Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement.

Sabrina Shroff, a U.S.-based lawyer for Konoschenok, declined to comment.

The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Konoschenok, 48, was detained by Estonian authorities in October 2022 while trying to cross into Russia carrying 35 types of semiconductors and electronic components, some of which were subject to U.S. export controls, prosecutors said.

He told co-conspirators in electronic communications that he charged a 10% fee for dealing in controlled items. "Can't do less. Sanctions," he wrote, according to prosecutors.

Konoschenok was initially charged last September, as U.S. authorities sought to ramp up enforcement of export controls and sanctions designed to hamper Moscow's war effort.

His next scheduled court appearance is July 31.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen; editing by John Stonestreet and Sandra Maler)
By Nia Williams and Rami Ayyub

REVELSTOKE, British Columbia (Reuters) -Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday paid tribute to a young firefighter killed while battling a forest blaze in British Columbia, as wildfires continue to rage across the country and the western province requested an extra 1,000 international firefighters.

The B.C. General Employees' Union announced the death of the firefighter in a statement late on Thursday. The woman had been tackling a fire outside the town of Revelstoke, around 310 miles (500 km) northeast of Vancouver, the union said.

Revelstoke Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the woman, 19, had been clearing brush in a remote area where a small fire had started. She lost contact with her team and was discovered caught under a fallen tree. The woman was airlifted to hospital but succumbed to her injuries, the police statement said.

"The news from British Columbia  that one of the firefighters bravely battling wildfires has lost her life  is heartbreaking. At this incredibly difficult time, Im sending my deepest condolences to her family, her friends, and her fellow firefighters," Trudeau said on Twitter.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said in a statement the death was a "tremendous loss for everyone involved with the BC Wildfire Service at an already challenging time".

Canada is on track for its worst-ever wildfire season with fires also raging in large swathes of eastern Canada, while wildfire emissions have hit record highs.

In Quebec, the Canadian military is being deployed to help with emergency evacuations in the north of the province, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said on Friday.

In British Columbia, some 2,000 firefighters are battling more than 350 fires.

Authorities have requested an extra 1,000 international firefighters to help tackle blazes that have burned 1.2 million hectares of forest in the province so far this year, far above the 10-year average of 76,000 hectares.

Lack of rain in recent months has left much British Columbia parched, in what officials say is an "unprecedented" level of drought for this early in the year.

Hot weather is forecast to persist across much of the province and thunderstorms are likely to bring more lightning strikes that will spark more fires, Cliff Chapman, director of provincial operations for BC Wildfire, said in a media briefing on Thursday.

"We have seen more fire on the landscape in terms of number of starts than in previous years at this point in time," Chapman said, adding there have been 51,000 lightning strikes in the last week alone.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Nia WilliamsEditing by Peter Graff and Aurora Ellis)
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission stuck to its guns on Friday, saying it was not reconsidering EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's pick of a U.S. economist to a senior job helping to oversee Big Tech despite criticism from French ministers and EU lawmakers.

Fiona Scott Morton, 56, the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's tenure, will take up her three-year stint on Sept. 1 when the current chief economist, Pierre Regibeau, retires.

She will be the first non-EU national, first U.S. national and first woman for the job.

The leaders of the four main political parties at the European Parliament on Friday wrote to Vestager asking her to reconsider her decision, echoing calls from two French ministers a day earlier.

They cited the strategic importance of the post, potential conflicts of interest due to Scott Morton's previous work with Big Tech, and her previous public antitrust comments.

Commission spokeswoman Dana Spinant brushed aside the criticism.

"The college endorsed the proposal to appoint this person to the position. The decision was made. We see no grounds to reconsider," she told a daily press conference.

Head of the centre-right group European People's Party Manfred Weber, president of the liberals' group Renew Europe Stephane Sejourne, head of the socialists group Iratxe Garcia Perez and the heads of the green party Philippe Lamberts and Terry Reintke said they opposed the new hire.

To avoid conflicts of interest, Scott Morton will not work on cases in which she has previously been involved, or on cases involving companies for which she had worked for previously as a consultant.

(This story has been corrected to change the quote to read 'no grounds' instead of 'no wrong', in paragraph 7)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Jan Harvey)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp's logo is seen on their "smart building" in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, Israel December 15, 2019. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo/File Photo

By Stephen Nellis, Andrea Shalal and Karen Freifeld

(Reuters) - The chief executives of Intel Corp and Qualcomm Inc are planning to visit Washington next week to discuss China policy, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The executives plan to hold meetings with U.S. officials to talk about market conditions, export controls and other matters affecting their businesses, one of the sources said. It was not immediately clear whom the executives would meet.

Intel and Qualcomm declined to comment, and officials at the White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

The sources said other semiconductor CEOs may also be in Washington next week. The sources declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

U.S. officials are considering tightening export rules affecting high-performance computing chips and shipments to Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, sources told Reuters in June. The rules would respectively affect Intel, which is preparing a new artificial intelligence chip that could be shipped to China, and Qualcomm, which has a license to sell chips to Huawei.

The Biden administration last October issued a sweeping set of rules designed to freeze China's semiconductor industry in place while the U.S. pours billions of dollars in subsidies into its own chip industry.

The possible rule tightening would hit Nvidia particularly hard. The company's strong position in the AI chip market helped boost its worth to $1 trillion earlier this year.

The chip industry has been warmly received in Washington in recent years as lawmakers and the White House work to shift more production to the U.S. and its allies, and away from China. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon have met often with government officials.

Next week's meetings, which one of the sources said could include joint sessions between executives and U.S. officials, come as Nvidia Corp and other chip companies fear a permanent loss of sales for an industry with large amounts of business in China while tensions escalate between Washington and Beijing.

One of the sources familiar with the matter said the executives' goals for the meetings would be to ensure that government officials understand the possible impact of any further tightening of rules around what chips can be sold to China.

Many U.S. chip firms get more than one-fifth of their revenue from China, and industry executives have argued that reducing those sales would cut into profits that they reinvest into research and development.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington, Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Chris Sanders and Edmund Klamann)
FILE PHOTO: Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki speaks during the presidency press conference at the G7 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors, at Toki Messe in Niigata, Japan, Saturday, May 13, 2023. Shuji Kajiyama/Pool via REUTER

By Tetsushi Kajimoto

TOKYO (Reuters) -Financial leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced countries will hold talks on July 16 on the sidelines of the broader G20 meeting in India, Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Friday.

The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

"Support for Ukraine, MDBs (multilateral development banks) reform and international taxation will be discussed at this meeting," Suzuki added. "We have no plan to issue a statement but we will lead debates to resolve problems the world faces."

Separately, G20 under the chair India will discuss the global economy and health insurance, sustainable finance and infrastructure, global financial architecture, global tax reform and inclusive finance, he said.

Suzuki welcomed an agreement on Thursday by around 140 members of the OECD/G20 'Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS),' on a key statement recognising the significant progress towards major global tax reform.

This pact helps "bring stability and certainty to international taxation system. It's designed to review the principle global tax scheme over the past century and can be historic," Suzuki said.

Countries with digital services taxes have agreed to hold off applying them for at least another year as a global multinationals tax deal to replace them was pushed back. More than 140 countries were supposed to start implementing next year a 2021 deal overhauling decades-old rules on how governments tax multinationals that are widely considered to be outdated.

(Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Kim Coghill)
FILEPHOTO: People watch as smoke rises during clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Omdurman, Sudan July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Mostafa Saied

CAIRO (Reuters) -Sudan's warring factions fought heavy clashes in parts of the city of Bahri on Friday, residents said, a day after both sides welcomed a new mediation effort that seeks to end a three-month war.

The fighting that broke out on April 15 has driven civilians out of the wider capital region - consisting of the cities of Khartoum, Bahri, and Omdurman - and triggered ethnically motivated attacks in the Darfur region.

Regional and international mediation efforts have so far failed to end the fighting and U.N. officials have said Sudan could slide into civil war.

The latest mediation attempt was launched in Egypt on Thursday. Both the army, which has close ties to Egypt, and the RSF paramilitary group welcomed the effort.

But four residents of northern Bahri told Reuters they woke to heavy early morning clashes between the two sides, apparently centred around the Halfaya bridge.

While the RSF quickly fanned out across the capital in the early days of the conflict, the army has focused on air and artillery strikes that have done little to change the scene.

The army has conducted more ground operations in recent weeks, particularly in Omdurman.

The Bahri residents said they heard air strikes, artillery fire, and gunshots, continuing into the afternoon.

An army source said the army had succeeded in pushing the RSF out of neighbourhoods in the far north of the city in the morning, but the RSF said in a statement they were able to defeat the forces and claimed to kill hundreds.

In a statement the Sudanese army said it had launched ground operations in all three cities of the capital and that it had been successful, acknowledging some losses in Bahri but calling the RSF number inflated.

Residents of the wider capital area reported a communications outage for several hours in the morning.

Other eyewitnesses reported clashes around an army base in southern Khartoum as well.

(Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo and Khalid Abdelaziz in DubaiEditing by Frances Kerry)
By Hyunsu Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) -Torrential rain swept across South Korea on Friday, forcing the cancellation of over a hundred flights and leaving thousands of homes without power as the government put officials on high alert for the peak of the summer monsoon season.

Over 4,000 households have experienced power cuts in the capital Seoul due to the heavy rain that began on Sunday with 136 people forced to evacuate nationwide, as of 11 a.m. (0200 GMT), according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety.

Over 130 flights were cancelled at airports across the country on Friday with more than 270 flights delayed as of 5 p.m., according to the Korea Airports Corporation.

One person is missing in the southern city of Busan while one has been injured in South Jeolla Province, officials said.

In a meeting with government agencies, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said it was of utmost importance that "no casualties were caused" and ordered officials to stay on alert. More than 10,500 police were put on traffic duty and increased patrols.

Last summer, Seoul was hit with floods caused by the heaviest rain in 115 years, inundating basement flats in low-lying neighbourhoods, including in the largely affluent Gangnam district.

North Korea has also been getting heavy rains and might open floodgates at dams on rivers flowing across the border between the two Koreas, Han added.

"Heavy rain is expected in Hwanghae Province and we need to thoroughly prepare for the possibility that North Korea might release water from its Hwanggang Dam," he said, referring to the North's central region.

North Korea's official KCNA news agency reported on Friday many parts of the region had received more than 100 millimetres (4 inches)of rain since Thursday morning but did not say if there was any damage.

Such water releases, often undertaken without notice by Pyongyang, have caused sudden surges of water in rivers that in previous years caused flooding and resulted in deaths in the South.

The Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said on Friday it sent a message last month requesting notice in the event of water release but received no response.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Conor Humphries)
TOKYO (Reuters) -A rocket engine exploded during a test in Japan on Friday but there were no injuries, an official at Japan's Education, Science and Technology Ministry said.

The explosion of the Epsilon S engine at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) testing site is the latest in a series of failures that have deflated Japan's space ambitions.

The explosion took place about a minute into the test of the second stage engine, the official said.

Television footage showed flames shooting out the side of a testing facility before the small building was engulfed in flames and the roof blew off.

JAXA's new medium-lift H-3 rocket was ordered to self-destruct on its debut flight in March, when its second-stage engine did not ignite as planned. That followed the failure of the agency's solid-fuel Epsilon-6 rocket in October.

Lunar transport startup ispace saw its Hakuto-R vehicle crash into the moon's surface in April in an attempt at the first ever soft-landing by a private company.

(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama and Mariko Katsumura; Writing by Elaine Lies; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Tom Hogue)
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed agreed on Thursday to start negotiations to finalize an agreement between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan on the filling and the rules of operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) soon.

According to a joint statement following their meeting in Cairo on Thursday, President El-Sisi and PM Ahmed stressed a joint commitment to exert all efforts to reach a deal on the GERD dispute within four months.

Ethiopia has stressed its commitment not to harm Egypt and Sudan's share of water during the filling of the fourth filling of GERD, indicating it would be carried out in a manner that safeguards the water needs of both countries, the statement added.

The Ethiopian prime minister arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to participate in Sudans Neighbouring Countries Summit to discuss ways to end the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan and also deal with its impact on its neighbours. countries.

President El-Sisi and PM Ahmed held talks on Wednesday evening which covered recent developments in Sudan, ways to resolve the GERD dispute and enhance bilateral relations between Egypt and Ethiopia.

It was the first official meeting between El-Sisi and Ahmed since October 2019 when the two leaders met in Sochi on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit.

The two leaders had informal encounters during the Summit for the New Global Financing Pact in Paris in June of this year and during COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh in November of 2022.

Earlier in July, PM Ahmed announced in a speech at the Ethiopian House of Representatives that the fourth filing of GERD would be extended to the end of August or early September - instead of early August as previously planned - to accommodate the needs and concerns of the two downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.

During that speech, Ahmed also announced that Ethiopia was ready to resume talks with Egypt and Sudan to resolve the dispute over the GERD.

Both Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly called for Ethiopia to sign a legally binding agreement on the GERD in order to protect the two downstream countries water rights and interests.

In February of this year, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry said Cairo has no plans to take the GERD issue once again to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as it did in the previous filings.

In September of 2021, the UNSC issued a presidential statement following a collective Arab action urging Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt to resume negotiations under the auspices of the African Union (AU) and to "finalize a mutually acceptable agreement on filling and operating the dam within a reasonable time frame."

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FILE PHOTO: Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group pull out of the headquarters of the Southern Military District to return to base, in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/

(Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Friday that the status of the private Wagner mercenary group needed to be "considered", a day after President Vladimir Putin said the group had no legal basis.

Putin told a reporter from Kommersant newspaper on Thursday that Wagner, which staged a brief armed mutiny last month, "does not exist" in a legal sense because there is no law in Russia relating to private military companies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the status of companies such as Wagner was "rather complicated" and needed to be studied.

Asked if new legislation was likely on the status of private military companies, he said: "This question will at least be under consideration."

Wagner has waged the fiercest battles of the Ukraine war for Russia but uncertainty has surrounded its fate and that of its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin since last month's mutiny, when it seized control of a southern city and advanced towards Moscow.

The defence ministry said this week that Wagner was completing the transfer of its weapons to the regular army under the accord with the Kremlin that brought the mutiny to an end.

Putin told Kommersant he had offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to keep fighting for Russia during a meeting held five days after the mutiny but suggested Prigozhin be moved aside in favour of a different commander.

Under the terms of the agreement ending the June 23-24 mutiny, Prigozhin was meant to go into exile in Belarus, a close ally of Russia. However, he has not been seen in public since June 24 and his current whereabouts are unknown.

(Reporting by ReutersWriting by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Gareth Jones)
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan Asim Munir visits injured soldiers after a terrorist attack in Zhob, at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta, Pakistan July 14, 2023. Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR)/Handout via REUTERS

By Asif Shahzad

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's army said on Friday it was seriously concerned that militants had found safe havens in neighbouring Afghanistan and threatened to take an "effective response" two days after 12 of its soldiers died in two attacks.

Nine soldiers died after Islamist fighters stormed an army base in Pakistan's southern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, and three more were killed in an exchange of fire in the area on Wednesday, the military said.

The army has "serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP in Afghanistan," it said, referring to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant umbrella group.

"Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit effective response from the security forces of Pakistan," it said, without spelling out who it might target with its response.

"The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed," it added.

The foreign ministry of Afghanistan's Taliban administration did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

Kabul has denied past accusations that it allows militant groups to launch attacks on Pakistan from its territory.

Balochistan is a mineral-rich region that has been troubled by a decades-old ethnic Baloch insurgency.

Islamist militants, who aim to overthrow the Pakistani government and install their own brand of strict Islamic law in the predominantly Muslim country of 220 million people, have also been active in Balochistan.

They have stepped up attacks since revoking a ceasefire agreement with the government in late 2022, including the bombing of a mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar that killed more than 100 people earlier this year.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad)
WARSAW (Reuters) - An 18-year-old Polish man has been arrested and charged with plotting with Islamist militants to bomb a government building, the internal security agency said on Friday.

The young man was arrested in southern Poland in June and had collected information and products to make an explosive belt, Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) said.

It did not name the man and there was no immediate statement from any lawyer representing him.

"The detained citizen of the Republic of Poland was charged with participation in an organised criminal group aimed at committing a terrorist crime," the ABW's statement read.

"The man was also charged with planning, using explosives, to carry out an event threatening the life or health of many people or property of great size."

It said he had converted to Islam at the end of 2022 and had modelled himself on militants such as Osama Bin Laden.

He had made his plans with a group that said it represented Islamic State, the agency added, without giving further details on the members of the group or identifying the target of the planned attack.

He will be held in pre-trial detention for three months, it added.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
FILE PHOTO: An India Rupee note is seen in this illustration photo June 1, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo

By Nidhi Verma, Shivangi Acharya and Krishn Kaushik

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India and the United Arab Emirates may announce the start of a rupee-dirham payment mechanism to settle bilateral trade during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Abu Dhabi on Saturday, industry and government sources said.

Sources said on Friday that India would use the mechanism to pay for oil as well as other imports from the UAE, its fourth largest oil supplier in the year to March.

At present India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer and whose central bank last year announced a framework for settling global trade in rupees, pays for UAE oil in dollars.

Apart from creating an alternate payment mechanism, settlement in rupees would also cut India's transaction costs by eliminating dollar conversions.

Bilateral trade between India and UAE was $84.5 billion in 2022/23.

India is keen to push similar local currency arrangements with other countries, as it looks to boost exports amid slowing global trade.

An official aware of the details said India could make its first rupee payment for UAE oil to Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC).

India's foreign, oil and trade ministries did not respond to Reuters request for comment. ADNOC declined to comment.

Two more government sources said that the mechanism had been under discussion, and it was possible it could start soon.

One government source told Reuters the countries' central banks were in advanced talks and "very close" to closing a deal.

The other source said it was "possible" it could be launched during Modi's single-day visit. Modi will hold talks with Abu Dhabi President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Reserve Bank of India will release guidance for banks on rupee trade in two to three days after resolving teething issues, another official said on Friday.

The oil-rich gulf states import as much as 80-90% of their food and want to secure their supply chains.

United Arab Emirates has pledged $2 billion to help develop a series of "food parks" in India to tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East.

India and the United Arab Emirates have mutually agreed to raise non-petroleum bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, India's trade minister said last month.

The UAE also acts as a trading hub for further access into markets in Africa and Europe.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; editing by John Stonestreet)
(Reuters) - A Mexican national who coordinated a human-smuggling operation that led to the deaths of 13 migrants in a 2021 highway crash near the Mexico-California border was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday by a U.S. federal judge.

Jose Cruz Noguez, 49, a permanent U.S. resident from Mexicali, Mexico, received the sentence after pleading guilty in March in U.S. District Court for Southern California to conspiracy to bring in undocumented migrants and bringing in undocumented migrants for financial gain.

Shortly after crossing into the United States in March 2021, one of two SUVs that Cruz Noguez had crammed with migrants crashed with a tractor-trailer, killing 13 Mexican and Guatemalan migrants and seriously injuring many.

Following the accident, Cruz Noguez told a federal informant that he was trying to collect payment from the migrants who survived, the Justice Department announced.

Before handing down his sentence, U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo described Cruz Noguez as "monstrous and cruel," and said the incident was "among the worst of cases I have seen," the Justice Department said.

(Reporting by Julia Harte; editing by Robert Birsel)
FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China July 10, 2023. cnsphoto via REUTERS/File Photo

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia has raised China's plan to take a policing role in the Pacific Islands nation of Solomon Islands in talks with Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.

The U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands' opposition party have called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to "immediately" publish details of the policing deal signed in Beijing on Monday, amid concern it will invite further regional contest.

Sogavare has denied suggestions a Chinese police presence poses a regional security threat, and says China will enhance the capability of the Solomon Islands 1,500 police officers in cyber security and community policing.

"We take the view, along with all other members of the Pacific Island Forum... that security is best provided for within the Pacific family," Wong told reporters in Jakarta, after meeting with Wang on Thursday evening.

"We understand that countries make their sovereign decisions, however the security of the Pacific is something that we all have an interest in, so we urge there to be transparency," she added.

In a statement on Friday, Sogavare's office said the Chinese police will add to the existing Australia and New Zealand policing support.

"Solomon Islands Government fails to see how the improvement of (Royal Solomon Islands Police Force) traffic control and management system in Honiara, provision of police equipment or the completion of the Forensic Autopsy Lab is a threat to the Pacific region peace and security," it said.

Riots in the capital Honiara in 2021 exposed gaps in the islands' policing, it said.

Australian and New Zealand police deployed to Solomon Islands in response to the anti-government riots at Sogavare's request.

In the week before his China visit, Sogavare announced Australia's security treaty would be reviewed.

Opposition leader Matthew Wale said in a statement "policing is different in democracies than in communist countries and democracies must uphold human rights and due process".

The issue was the compatibility of Chinese and Pacific policing, said Meg Keen, director of the Lowy Institute's Pacific Islands programme.

"It is critical how the equipment is used, particularly guns and water cannons," she said.

On his visit to Beijing this week, his first since striking a security pact with China last year, Sogavare pledged support for China's Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative policy, which pair Chinese infrastructure investment and security.

Solomon Islands has a population of 700,000, across an archipelago that occupies a strategic position in the Pacific Islands, and was pivotal to the U.S. move west across the Pacific to liberate the Philippines in World War Two.

Tensions over Taiwan have raised concerns in Washington and Canberra over China's naval ambitions in the region.

"Our fear is that in the near future China's interest will clash with U.S. influence and strategic interests in the region and we are right in the middle of it all," opposition leader Wale added.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney, additional reporting by Kate Lamb in Jakarta; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
FILE PHOTO: Smoke rises in Omdurman, near Halfaya Bridge, during clashes between the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army as seen from Khartoum North, Sudan April 15, 2023. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo

DUBAI (Reuters) - Sudanese human rights organisations had evidence the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had detained more than 5,000 people in the capital and were keeping them in inhumane conditions, the group told Reuters on Friday.

The RSF has been fighting the Sudanese army for three months, having dominated the Sudanese capital on the ground. Residents have accused the force of looting and occupying homes.

When asked for comment, the RSF said the reports were incorrect, and that it only held prisoners of war who were well-treated.

"These organisations are ignoring violations by the army against civilians including air and artillery strikes, detentions, and arming of civilians," a representative for the force said.

Among those detained in several locations across Khartoum were combatants, but also 3,500 civilians including vulnerable women and foreign nationals, said the organisations, who asked to have their names withheld for fear of retribution.

The group said they would present to the United Nations documentation of cases of death by torture, as well as "degrading, inhumane conditions of detention devoid of human dignity and the most basic necessities of life."

The U.N. human rights office said on Thursday at least 87 people had been buried in a mass grave in the Darfur city of El Geneina, accusing the RSF and allied militias of the killings, which the paramilitary force denied.

Late on Thursday, the International Criminal Court said it would investigate killings across the region. The RSF did not respond to a request for comment on the investigation

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Editing by Josie Kao)
Suffolk County Police and investigators are pictured near the scene of the arrest of a suspect in multiple murders of up to 10 women on Long Island in Massapequa Park, New York, U.S., July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

By Julia Harte and Rami Ayyub

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A man has been charged with the murders of three women in New York more than a decade ago and leaving their bodies near a Long Island beach, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said on Friday.

Eleven sets of human remains were found in 2010 and 2011 along an isolated stretch of Gilgo Beach on an Atlantic barrier island about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of New York City.

The remains were linked to nine women, one man and a toddler girl. The killings drew national attention.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney told reporters Rex A. Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect who lived a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach in Massapequa Park, faced three counts each of murder in the first and second degree.

Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the charges, CBS News said. He was arrested on Thursday evening and is under investigation for the murder of a fourth woman whose disappearance and death resembled the others, Tierney said.

Tierney's office requested in a bail application on Friday that Heuermann be remanded into custody without bail, noting that if convicted of the charges, Heuermann faces multiple sentences of life in prison without parole.

Detectives used DNA samples to link Heuermann to the murders, including swabbing leftover crust from a pizza he consumed after a surveillance team saw him throw it away in Manhattan in January, the bail application said.

Heuermann used a burner cellphone to contact the three women, who were in their 20s and advertised themselves as sex workers, and bound them with belts or tape before wrapping some of the bodies in a burlap-type material, according to the application.

"This case is not over, it's only beginning," Tierney said at a press conference where he appeared alongside Suffolk County law enforcement officers, federal agents and some of the victims' relatives.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said his officers were investigating the other murders. He urged the public to share any relevant information with them.

At least five of the Gilgo Beach victims were identified as missing prostitutes who had advertised for clients online, including on Craigslist, police have said.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Julia Harte; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Howard Goller)
By Maya Gebeily and Khalil Ashawi

BEIRUT (Reuters) -Syrians who fled President Bashar al-Assad's rule fear he may soon be able to choke off badly needed aid as Damascus acts to establish sway over U.N. assistance into the rebel-held northwest, the last major bastion of the Syrian opposition.

A tussle at the U.N. Security Council over the aid operation has played to Assad's advantage, with his ally Russia vetoing an extension of its mandate this week and paving the way for Damascus to approve one itself - but on its terms.

Aid workers said the outlook for one of the world's biggest humanitarian operations had been thrown into doubt, with Syria's demands for "full cooperation and coordination" raising fears of big complications ahead for their work.

Ever since we heard about the decision, all the families in the camp have been lost, confused, scared," Abu Ahmad Obeid, a father of seven who has lived in a camp in the northwest since fleeing his home in government-controlled territory in 2018, told Reuters by telephone from the region.

"We rely on that aid for everything  medical support, food, everything," he said.

Khalid al-Idlibi, 27, who fled his home in 2019, said by phone that Assad "is the person responsible for the tragedy of these people, so how will he be responsible for the aid?"

People poured into the northwest from all over Syria as Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, seized back rebel enclaves in the latter stages of the civil war that erupted in 2011.

The northwest is home to 4.5 million people, 2.9 million of whom were displaced during a shattering conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people since it spiralled out of anti-government protests that were met by deadly force.

Some 2 million live in camps, the U.N. says.

NGOs and individual states have long organised unilateral aid convoys into the northwest. But U.N. agencies will not cross the border without government or Security Council approval, which lapsed on Monday as members struggled to convince Russia to extend the operation for more than six months.

Damascus then gave the nod for the operation to continue via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing from Turkey for six months. Damascus has long rejected the operation as a violation of sovereignty, saying aid should be delivered from within Syria.

For Assad, it marks the latest in a series of developments that have gone his way on the international stage, after fellow Arab states brought him back in from the cold.

The move is seen to offer him a potential source of leverage over Western states that largely finance aid operations, and gives him a way to put pressure on a rebellious region which is held by armed groups that have fought to topple him.

'WORST-CASE SCENARIO'

"This is a worst-case scenario," said Abdelsalam Daif, senior strategy adviser at Syria Relief & Development, a U.S.-based aid organisation.

"If this is in the regime's hands, then the regime could stop it at any time. It is trying to erase everything that was built over the last 10 years and take it into its own hands."

The Syrian government did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the concerns raised.

In a letter to the U.N. secretary general announcing its decision, Syria said it wanted to improve "humanitarian and living conditions of all Syrians" and to smooth aid deliveries.

The letter also stipulated that U.N. staff members would be barred from communicating with "terrorist organizations and groups and their affiliated illegal administrative entities".

This included an opposition government affiliated with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, formerly a branch of al Qaeda. The U.N. already designates HTS as a terrorist organisation.

But a lack of clarity in the letter about what constitutes a terrorist organisation is one source of concern for aid workers.

Damascus has broadly described anyone fighting it as a terrorist, while also applying the term to other organisations operating in rebel-held territory, such as rescue workers.

"Based on past examples ... we are concerned about how these will be interpreted," said Sherine Ibrahim, Turkey country director for CARE, who works on cross-border aid deliveries.

"We are deeply concerned by the implications of the non-renewal of the cross-border aid mechanism," she said, adding that the full impact would become known in the coming weeks.

Syria's letter said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) would be allowed to distribute aid in the country's northwest.

This also presents complications. The HTS has refused to collaborate with SARC in previous offers of aid, notably following the February earthquake.

ICRC media adviser Jessica Moussan told Reuters the ICRC does not conduct cross-border aid in Syria under U.N. auspices, but stood "ready to support in ways that fall within our capabilities and in coordination with all actors on the ground".

(Writing by Tom Perry; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is participating on Sunday in the fifth semi-annual coordination meeting of the African Union and African Economic Communities held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, the Egyptian state news agency (MENA) reported.

During the meeting, El-Sisi will present Egypt's ambitious roadmap, as the current chair of the Steering Committee of the African Development Agency (NEPAD), for the next two years.

As the current president of the United Nations Climate Conference, COP 27, he will also speak about environmental preservation and climate change and showcase Egypt's efforts to motivate advanced nations and international financial institutions to provide support and funding to African states to help them confront the repercussions of climate change.

African leaders and heads of government will convene within the framework of the African Unions (AU) theme for 2023 entitled Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation.

The meeting will be preceded by the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, held from 13 to 14 July 2023.

The Egyptian president will engage in insightful discussions with fellow African leaders and heads of state on the progress achieved in the commercial integration work program for the African countries and on means to enhance that integration.

These means include measures such as promoting free movement, implementing the unified African passport, and interlinking financial markets and infrastructures of the continent, noted MENA.

The meeting's agenda goes even further since it tackles financing of Agenda 2063, which focuses on Africas economic recovery.

It also focuses on initiatives that address challenges in agriculture, infrastructure, debt management, climate change, security, energy, and health.

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A general view of electric lines as demand for power surges during a period of hot weather in Houston, Texas, U.S. June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Callaghan OHare/File Photo

(Reuters) -Demand for power in Texas hit a record high for a second day in a row on Thursday as homes and business kept air conditioners cranked up during a lingering heat wave.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for more than 26 million customers representing about 90% of the state's power load, has said it has enough resources available to meet soaring demand.

Texas residents have worried about extreme weather since a deadly storm in February 2021 left millions without power, water and heat for days as ERCOT scrambled to prevent a grid collapse after the closure of an unusually large amount of generation.

After setting 11 peak demand records last summer, ERCOT said usage hit a preliminary 81,406 megawatts (MW) on Thursday, topping the record hit one day earlier, of 81,351 MW.

Thursday's high was the grid's third all-time high this summer - June 27 was the first. ERCOT expects usage will set another record on Friday.

One megawatt can power around 1,000 U.S. homes on a typical day, but only about 200 homes on a hot summer day in Texas.

Meteorologists at AccuWeather forecast high temperatures in Houston, the biggest city in Texas, would hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) almost every day from July 13-19. That compares with a normal high of 94 F for this time of year.

With the heat building, next-day or spot prices at the ERCOT North Hub, which includes Dallas, jumped to a three-week high of $123 per megawatt hour for Thursday from $39 for Wednesday. That compares with an average of $34 so far this year, $78 in 2022 and a five-year (2018-2022) average of $66.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino and Harshit Verma; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler)
FILE PHOTO: Move Forward Party Leader Pita Limjaroenrat looks on at a voting session for a new prime minister at the parliament, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's Move Forward party filed a motion in parliament on Friday seeking to curb the power of the military-appointed Senate, a day after the body thwarted its party leader's bid to become prime minister.

The role of the 249-member Senate in deciding a prime minister along with the elected lower house - a system designed by the royalist military after a 2014 coup - is seen as a constitutional safeguard to protect the interests of the generals and the conservative establishment.

Move Forward won the most seats in an election in May but despite being unopposed and having the backing of his eight-party alliance, its leader Pita Limjaroenrat lost the crucial vote on the premiership on Thursday, after the Senate and parties of the outgoing, army-backed government closed ranks to deny him the top job.

Only 13 senators backed 42-year-old Pita, with the rest voting against him or abstaining, which his party said indicated some were acting under duress.

Party secretary general Chaithawat Tulathon filed a motion on Friday to amend part of the constitution, saying "This is a solution that all sides will feel comfortable with".

"There are forces from the old power to pressure the Senate - from the old power to some capitalists who do not want to see a Move Forward government," he said in an earlier television interview, adding it could take about one month to pass.

Pita, a liberal from the private sector, has won huge youth support for his plan to shake up politics and bring reforms to sectors and institutions long considered untouchable.

That includes the monarchy, more specifically, a law that prohibits insulting it, by far Move Forward's most contentious policy and a big obstacle in its attempts to persuade legislators to back Pita.

MAJOR BLOW

Pita vowed on Thursday not to abandon those policies or give up his fight for the premiership. He can run again if nominated in the next vote for the post, which takes place on July 19, the House speaker confirmed.

The defeat on Thursday followed a major blow for Pita on the eve of the vote, when the election commission recommended he be disqualified over a shareholding issue, followed hours later by the Constitutional Court announcing it had taken on a complaint over his party's plan to amend the royal insult law.

The political tension this week had been widely expected.

Thailand has been locked for two decades in a power struggle between reform-minded parties that win elections and a nexus of old money and the military establishment determined to stifle them.

Pro-democracy groups have called for protests. Activist group the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration took aim at the senators and those who abstained in the vote, calling them spineless and "toxic to the will of people".

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Chulalongkorn University, called the constitution a straitjacket on democracy, and said systematic attempts to stop Move Forward would see a public backlash.

"These old guard institutions, they need to maintain power because they have a lot to lose," he said.

"The kind of change that Move Forward demands would unwind Thailand's monarchy-centred system and then it would unlock institutional reforms... this would unleash a lot of the competitiveness of Thailand, Thailand's potential."

(Additional reporting by Napat Wesshasarter and Juarawee KittisilpaWriting by Martin PettyEditing by Frances Kerry)
(Reuters) - A Kyiv court on Friday ordered pre-trial detention for a senior cleric of a branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with historic links to Moscow on suspicion of sympathising with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine has been cracking down on the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church on grounds it is pro-Russian and collaborating with Moscow.

The church denies the allegations and says it severed all ties with Moscow last year, but many of its churches have been searched and dozens of its clergy have faced charges.

Metropolitan Pavlo had been under house arrest since April on suspicion of inflaming religious hatred and justifying the Russian invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022.

Ukrainian news reports said a Kyiv district court ordered him placed in detention unless he posted bail of more than 33 million hryvnias, equivalent to about $900,000.

Ukraine's UNIAN news agency quoted Pavlo as telling the court that he could not come up with that sum.

"I hand over the investigator and the prosecutor into the hands of God. May they be rewarded for today," he was quoted as saying.

On Thursday, Ukraine's SBU security service said it advised Pavlo of new allegations in connection with a media interview he gave in which he is alleged to have denied the existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state.

Allegations also focus on testimony that he violated the terms of his house arrest outside Kyiv and had been seen by the 1,000-year-old Pechersk, or Caves, monastery in the city centre.

Ukrainian authorities have been trying to evict members of the Moscow-linked church from the monastery.

The Moscow-linked church is accused of maintining ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, which backs the war and used to be its parent church.

The majority of Ukraine's 44 million people are followers of Orthodox Christianity - but the faith is split in the country.

An independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church was established in the months following the collapse of Soviet rule, but only secured recognition from the world-wide Orthodox hierarchy in 2019 after years of Russian opposition.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleskander Kozhukhar; Editing by Alistair Bell)
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Friday encouraged countries to provide security support to Haiti, including through the deployment of a specialized force, which was last year requested by Haiti's government to combat gang violence.

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres backed Haiti, proposing last year that one or more states send a "rapid action force" to support the Caribbean country as it struggles to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince.

While there has been broad support for a rapid action force with several countries expressing interest in contributing, none has volunteered to lead a deployment, diplomats say.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday to renew for another 12-months the mandate for a U.N. political mission in Haiti. The resolution also backed the called for security support for the Haitian police.

The 15-member council "encourages Member States, including countries in the region, to provide security support to the Haitian National Police ... including through the deployment of a specialized force."

It also asked Guterres to submit a report to the council within 30 days, in consultation with Haiti, outlining the full range of U.N. support options including "support for a non-U.N. multinational force, or a possible peacekeeping operation."

In October last year, Guterres did not suggest that a force be deployed by the United Nations.

U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops left in 2017 and were replaced by U.N. police, who departed in 2019.

Countries have been wary of supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has said fair elections cannot be held under the current insecurity. Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January.

Henry, who took power in July 2021 days after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, has pledged to leave office by Feb. 7, 2024, after repeatedly postponing elections citing first an August 2021 earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people, and then the gang violence.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Alistair Bell)
FILE PHOTO: Trucks carrying aid from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), following a deadly earthquake, are parked at Bab al-Hawa crossing, Syria, February 20, 2023. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano/File Photo

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United Nations raised concerns on Friday with a letter from Syria that allows it to resume using a shuttered border crossing to deliver aid to northwest Syria from Turkey after U.N. Security Council approval of that route expired on Monday.

In a note to the Security Council, seen by Reuters, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) took issue with "two unacceptable conditions" in the letter sent by Syria on Thursday outlining its approval of the U.N. operation.

However, it did say that the "Syrian Government's permission can be a basis for the United Nations to lawfully conduct cross-border humanitarian operations via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for the specified duration."

The United Nations has not used the Bab al-Hawa crossing since the Security Council authorization expired on Monday. Council authorization was needed because the Syrian government did not previously agree to the U.N. operation, which has been delivering aid to millions in northwest Syria since 2014.

Syria gave its approval on Thursday for the U.N. to use Bab al-Hawa for another six months, but with several conditions.

"First, the Syria Government has stressed that the United Nations should not communicate with entities designated as 'terrorist'," OCHA wrote. "The United Nations and its implementing partners must continue to engage with relevant state and non-state parties as operationally necessary."

It said such engagement is "indispensable for gaining safe and timely access to civilians in need and is consistent with international humanitarian law."

OCHA also said a Syrian government demand that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) supervise and facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid in northwest Syria was "neither consistent with the independence of the United Nations nor practical, as the ICRC and SARC are not present" in that area.

'COOPERATION AND COORDINATION'

Syria had also spelled out in its letter that U.N. aid deliveries would have to be "in full cooperation and coordination with the Syrian Government."

"The United Nations will need to engage to clarify any additional modalities for the delivery of humanitarian aid in north-west Syria," OCHA wrote.

"Any such modalities must not infringe on the impartiality (based on needs alone), neutrality, and independence of the United Nations' humanitarian operations," it said.

Syrians who fled President Bashar al-Assad's rule fear he may soon be able to choke off badly needed aid as Damascus acts to establish sway over U.N. assistance into the rebel-held northwest, the last major bastion of the Syrian opposition.

The 15-member Security Council failed to reach an agreement on Tuesday to renew the mandate for the operation after Russia vetoed a proposed nine-month extension. Russia then failed in its own bid for the council the adopt a six-month renewal.

"We had pre-positioned a lot of material in the area (northwest Syria) before the deadline. So we do have humanitarian aid in place, but obviously we want to get things going as quickly as we can," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said earlier on Friday.

A violent crackdown by Assad on peaceful pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to a civil war, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington supporting the opposition. Millions of people fled Syria with millions more internally displaced. Fighting has since abated with Assad back in control of most of Syria.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Josie Kao and Diane Craft)
FILE PHOTO: The Pfizer logo is pictured on their headquarters building in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 9, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo/File Photo

(Reuters) -The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sought additional information and documentary material related to Pfizer's proposed acquisition of Seagen Inc, Seagen said on Friday.

The antitrust agency sent the requests separately to both the companies, a regulatory filing said.

Pfizer struck a $43 billion deal in March to acquire Seagen and its targeted cancer therapies, to counter the fall in COVID-related sales and generic competition for some top-selling drugs.

The recent scrutiny by the antitrust agency to block Amgen's $27.8 billion deal to buy Horizon Therapeutics has made investors jittery around the Pfizer-Seagen deal as well.

Seagan continues to expect its merger with Pfizer will be completed in late 2023 or early 2024, it said in the filing.

(Reporting by Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
FILE PHOTO: A Kenyan police officer arrives at the residence of Venezuela's embassy's slain charge d'affaires Olga Fonseca at the Runda neighbourhood in Kenya's capital Nairobi July 27, 2012. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan court on Friday sentenced a former top Venezuelan diplomat to 20 years in jail over the 2012 murder of the Latin American nation's acting ambassador at her home in an upmarket Nairobi neighbourhood.

Dwight Sagaray, who was the first secretary at the embassy, was convicted, along with three Kenyan nationals, in January this year of killing Olga Fonseca.

Judge Roselyn Korir sentenced all four men to 20 years in jail. The term starts from January.

Sagaray could be tried for the murder because he was stripped of diplomatic immunity following the crime, the court ruled in January.

Fonseca was found strangled in her bedroom less than two weeks into her posting to Nairobi, which followed the abrupt departure of the previous ambassador after he was accused by his domestic staff of sexual harassment.

Sagaray, who had been heading the mission before the arrival of Fonseca, was angered by her presence, as he wanted to continue overseeing the embassy, the court found in January.

A fifth accused person, Kipng'eno Kirui Chelogoi, was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence linking him to the other suspects or the crime scene, Korir said.

Another suspect was still at large. The court said his arrest warrant should remain in force.

(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Editing by Hereward Holland and Nick Macfie)
AON RISK SOLUTIONS NE INC (GLOBAL EDGE)

ATTN: Daniel Diaz

165 BROADWAY STE 3201

NEW YORK, NY 10006

INSURED: JPMORGAN PRIVATE MARKETS FUND PRODUCT: DFIBond POLICY NO: 82631463 TRANSACTION: NL

PREMIUM BILL

Insured: JPMORGAN PRIVATE MARKETS FUND Date: July 10, 2023 Producer: AON RISK SOLUTIONS NE INC (GLOBAL EDGE) Company: FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY

THIS BILLING IS TO BE ATTACHED TO AND FORM PART OF THE BOND REFERENCED BELOW.

NOTE: PLEASE RETURN THIS BILL WITH REMITTANCE AND NOTE HEREON ANY CHANGES. BILL WILL BE RECEIPTED AND RETURNED TO YOU PROMPTLY UPON REQUEST.

PLEASE REMIT TO PRODUCER INDICATED ABOVE. PLEASE REFER TO:

EFFECTIVE DATE BOND NUMBER COVERAGE PREMIUM June 15, 2023 82631463 Newline $ 2,400 To June 15, 2024 ICAP Bond 12.5% Commission TOTAL $ 2,400.00

Chubb Group of Insurance Companies 202B Halls Mill Road Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889 DECLARATIONS FINANCIAL INSTITUTION INVESTMENT COMPANY ASSET PROTECTION BOND NAME OF ASSURED (including its Subsidiaries): Bond Number: 82631463 JPMORGAN PRIVATE MARKETS FUND 270 PARK AVE FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY NEW YORK, NY 100172014 Incorporated under the laws of Indiana a stock insurance company herein called the COMPANY Capital Center, 251 North Illinois, Suite 1100 Indianapolis, IN 46204-1927

ITEM 1. BOND PERIOD: from 12:01 a.m. on June 15, 2023

to 12:01 a.m. on June 15, 2024

ITEM 2. LIMITS OF LIABILITY--DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNTS:

If Not Covered is inserted below opposite any specified INSURING CLAUSE, such INSURING CLAUSE and any other reference shall be deemed to be deleted. There shall be no deductible applicable to any loss under INSURING CLAUSE 1. sustained by any Investment Company.

SINGLE LOSS DEDUCTIBLE INSURING CLAUSE LIMIT OF LIABILITY AMOUNT 1. Employee $ 600,000 $ 0 2. On Premises $ 600,000 $ 10,000 3. In Transit $ 600,000 $ 10,000 4. Forgery or Alteration $ 600,000 $ 10,000 5. Extended Forgery $ 600,000 $ 10,000 6. Counterfeit Money $ 600,000 $ 10,000 7. Threats to Person $ Not Covered $ N/A 8. Computer System $ 600,000 $ 10,000 9. Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction $ 600,000 $ 10,000 10. Uncollectible Items of Deposit $ 600,000 $ 10,000 11. Audit Expense $ 10,000 $ 5,000

ITEM 3. THE LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY IS ALSO SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THE FOLLOWING ENDORSEMENTS EXECUTED SIMULTANEOUSLY HEREWITH:

Endorsements 1-3

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE COMPANY has caused this Bond to be signed by its authorized officers, but it shall not be

valid unless also signed by an authorized representative of the Company.

Secretary President July 10, 2023 Date Authorized Representative

ICAP Bond (5-98) - Federal Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 1 of 1

The COMPANY, in consideration of payment of the required premium, and in reliance on the APPLICATION and all other statements made and information furnished to the COMPANY by the ASSURED, and subject to the DECLARATIONS made a part of this Bond and to all other terms and conditions of this Bond, agrees to pay the ASSURED for: Insuring Clauses Employee 1. Loss resulting directly from Larceny or Embezzlement committed by any Employee, alone or in collusion with others. On Premises 2. Loss of Property resulting directly from robbery, burglary, false pretenses, common law or statutory larceny, misplacement, mysterious unexplainable disappearance, damage, destruction or removal, from the possession, custody or control of the ASSURED, while such Property is lodged or deposited at premises located anywhere. In Transit 3. Loss of Property resulting directly from common law or statutory larceny, misplacement, mysterious unexplainable disappearance, damage or destruction, while the Property is in transit anywhere: a. in an armored motor vehicle, including loading and unloading thereof, b. in the custody of a natural person acting as a messenger of the ASSURED, or c. in the custody of a Transportation Company and being transported in a conveyance other than an armored motor vehicle provided, however, that covered Property transported in such manner is limited to the following: (1) written records, (2) securities issued in registered form, which are not endorsed or are restrictively endorsed, or (3) negotiable instruments not payable to bearer, which are not endorsed or are restrictively endorsed. Coverage under this INSURING CLAUSE begins immediately on the receipt of such Property by the natural person or Transportation Company and ends immediately on delivery to the premises of the addressee or to any representative of the addressee located anywhere.

ICAP Bond (5-98) Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 1 of 19

Insuring Clauses (continued) Forgery Or Alteration 4. Loss resulting directly from: a. Forgery on, or fraudulent material alteration of, any bills of exchange, checks, drafts, acceptances, certificates of deposits, promissory notes, due bills, money orders, orders upon public treasuries, letters of credit, other written promises, orders or directions to pay sums certain in money, or receipts for the withdrawal of Property, or b. transferring, paying or delivering any funds or other Property, or establishing any credit or giving any value in reliance on any written instructions, advices or applications directed to the ASSURED authorizing or acknowledging the transfer, payment, delivery or receipt of funds or other Property, which instructions, advices or applications fraudulently purport to bear the handwritten signature of any customer of the ASSURED, or shareholder or subscriber to shares of an Investment Company, or of any financial institution or Employee but which instructions, advices or applications either bear a Forgery or have been fraudulently materially altered without the knowledge and consent of such customer, shareholder, subscriber, financial institution or Employee; excluding, however, under this INSURING CLAUSE any loss covered under INSURING CLAUSE 5. of this Bond, whether or not coverage for INSURING CLAUSE 5. is provided for in the DECLARATIONS of this Bond. For the purpose of this INSURING CLAUSE, a mechanically reproduced facsimile signature is treated the same as a handwritten signature. Extended Forgery 5. Loss resulting directly from the ASSURED having, in good faith, and in the ordinary course of business, for its own account or the account of others in any capacity: a. acquired, accepted or received, sold or delivered, or given value, extended credit or assumed liability, in reliance on any original Securities, documents or other written instruments which prove to: (1) bear a Forgery or a fraudulently material alteration, (2) have been lost or stolen, or (3) be Counterfeit, or b. guaranteed in writing or witnessed any signatures on any transfer, assignment, bill of sale, power of attorney, guarantee, endorsement or other obligation upon or in connection with any Securities, documents or other written instruments. Actual physical possession, and continued actual physical possession if taken as collateral, of such Securities, documents or other written instruments by an Employee, Custodian, or a Federal or State chartered deposit institution of the ASSURED is a condition precedent to the ASSURED having relied on such items. Release or return of such collateral is an acknowledgment by the ASSURED that it no longer relies on such collateral.

ICAP Bond (5-98) Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 2 of 19

Insuring Clauses Extended Forgery (continued) For the purpose of this INSURING CLAUSE, a mechanically reproduced facsimile signature is treated the same as a handwritten signature. Counterfeit Money 6. Loss resulting directly from the receipt by the ASSURED in good faith of any Counterfeit money. Threats To Person 7. Loss resulting directly from surrender of Property away from an office of the ASSURED as a result of a threat communicated to the ASSURED to do bodily harm to an Employee as defined in SECTION 1.e. (1), (2) and (5), a Relative or invitee of such Employee, or a resident of the household of such Employee, who is, or allegedly is, being held captive provided, however, that prior to the surrender of such Property: a. the Employee who receives the threat has made a reasonable effort to notify an officer of the ASSURED who is not involved in such threat, and b. the ASSURED has made a reasonable effort to notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement authorities concerning such threat. It is agreed that for purposes of this INSURING CLAUSE, any Employee of the ASSURED, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, shall be deemed to be an ASSURED hereunder, but only with respect to the surrender of money, securities and other tangible personal property in which such Employee has a legal or equitable interest. Computer System 8. Loss resulting directly from fraudulent: a. entries of data into, or b. changes of data elements or programs within, a Computer System, provided the fraudulent entry or change causes: (1) funds or other property to be transferred, paid or delivered, (2) an account of the ASSURED or of its customer to be added, deleted, debited or credited, or (3) an unauthorized account or a fictitious account to be debited or credited.

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Insuring Clauses (continued) Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction 9. Loss resulting directly from Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction directed to the ASSURED authorizing the transfer of dividends or redemption proceeds of Investment Company shares from a Customers account, provided such Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction was: a. received at the ASSUREDS offices by those Employees of the ASSURED specifically authorized to receive the Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction, b. made by a person purporting to be a Customer, and c. made by said person for the purpose of causing the ASSURED or Customer to sustain a loss or making an improper personal financial gain for such person or any other person. In order for coverage to apply under this INSURING CLAUSE, all Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instructions must be received and processed in accordance with the Designated Procedures outlined in the APPLICATION furnished to the COMPANY. Uncollectible Items of Deposit 10. Loss resulting directly from the ASSURED having credited an account of a customer, shareholder or subscriber on the faith of any Items of Deposit which prove to be uncollectible, provided that the crediting of such account causes: a. redemptions or withdrawals to be permitted, b. shares to be issued, or c. dividends to be paid, from an account of an Investment Company. In order for coverage to apply under this INSURING CLAUSE, the ASSURED must hold Items of Deposit for the minimum number of days stated in the APPLICATION before permitting any redemptions or withdrawals, issuing any shares or paying any dividends with respect to such Items of Deposit. Items of Deposit shall not be deemed uncollectible until the ASSUREDS standard collection procedures have failed. Audit Expense 11. Expense incurred by the ASSURED for that part of the cost of audits or examinations required by any governmental regulatory authority or self-regulatory organization to be conducted by such authority, organization or their appointee by reason of the discovery of loss sustained by the ASSURED and covered by this Bond.

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General Agreements Additional Companies Included As Assured A. If more than one corporation, or Investment Company, or any combination of them is included as the ASSURED herein: (1) The total liability of the COMPANY under this Bond for loss or losses sustained by any one or more or all of them shall not exceed the limit for which the COMPANY would be liable under this Bond if all such loss were sustained by any one of them. (2) Only the first named ASSURED shall be deemed to be the sole agent of the others for all purposes under this Bond, including but not limited to the giving or receiving of any notice or proof required to be given and for the purpose of effecting or accepting any amendments to or termination of this Bond. The COMPANY shall furnish each Investment Company with a copy of the Bond and with any amendment thereto, together with a copy of each formal filing of claim by any other named ASSURED and notification of the terms of the settlement of each such claim prior to the execution of such settlement. (3) The COMPANY shall not be responsible for the proper application of any payment made hereunder to the first named ASSURED. (4) Knowledge possessed or discovery made by any partner, director, trustee, officer or supervisory employee of any ASSURED shall constitute knowledge or discovery by all the ASSUREDS for the purposes of this Bond. (5) If the first named ASSURED ceases for any reason to be covered under this Bond, then the ASSURED next named on the APPLICATION shall thereafter be considered as the first named ASSURED for the purposes of this Bond. Representation Made By Assured B. The ASSURED represents that all information it has furnished in the APPLICATION for this Bond or otherwise is complete, true and correct. Such APPLICATION and other information constitute part of this Bond. The ASSURED must promptly notify the COMPANY of any change in any fact or circumstance which materially affects the risk assumed by the COMPANY under this Bond. Any intentional misrepresentation, omission, concealment or incorrect statement of a material fact, in the APPLICATION or otherwise, shall be grounds for recision of this Bond.

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General Agreements (continued) Additional Offices Or Employees - Consolidation, Merger Or Purchase Or Acquisition Of Assets Or Liabilities - Notice To Company C. If the ASSURED, other than an Investment Company, while this Bond is in force, merges or consolidates with, or purchases or acquires assets or liabilities of another institution, the ASSURED shall not have the coverage afforded under this Bond for loss which has: (1) occurred or will occur on premises, or (2) been caused or will be caused by an employee, or (3) arisen or will arise out of the assets or liabilities, of such institution, unless the ASSURED: a. gives the COMPANY written notice of the proposed consolidation, merger or purchase or acquisition of assets or liabilities prior to the proposed effective date of such action, and b. obtains the written consent of the COMPANY to extend some or all of the coverage provided by this Bond to such additional exposure, and c. on obtaining such consent, pays to the COMPANY an additional premium. Change Of Control - Notice To Company D. When the ASSURED learns of a change in control (other than in an Investment Company), as set forth in Section 2(a) (9) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the ASSURED shall within sixty (60) days give written notice to the COMPANY setting forth: (1) the names of the transferors and transferees (or the names of the beneficial owners if the voting securities are registered in another name), (2) the total number of voting securities owned by the transferors and the transferees (or the beneficial owners), both immediately before and after the transfer, and (3) the total number of outstanding voting securities. Failure to give the required notice shall result in termination of coverage for any loss involving a transferee, to be effective on the date of such change in control. Court Costs And Attorneys Fees E. The COMPANY will indemnify the ASSURED for court costs and reasonable attorneys fees incurred and paid by the ASSURED in defense, whether or not successful, whether or not fully litigated on the merits and whether or not settled, of any claim, suit or legal proceeding with respect to which the ASSURED would be entitled to recovery under this Bond. However, with respect to INSURING CLAUSE 1., this Section shall only apply in the event that: (1) an Employee admits to being guilty of Larceny or Embezzlement, (2) an Employee is adjudicated to be guilty of Larceny or Embezzlement, or

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General Agreements Court Costs And Attorneys Fees (continued) (3) in the absence of 1 or 2 above, an arbitration panel agrees, after a review of an agreed statement of facts between the COMPANY and the ASSURED, that an Employee would be found guilty of Larceny or Embezzlement if such Employee were prosecuted. The ASSURED shall promptly give notice to the COMPANY of any such suit or legal proceeding and at the request of the COMPANY shall furnish copies of all pleadings and pertinent papers to the COMPANY. The COMPANY may, at its sole option, elect to conduct the defense of all or part of such legal proceeding. The defense by the COMPANY shall be in the name of the ASSURED through attorneys selected by the COMPANY. The ASSURED shall provide all reasonable information and assistance as required by the COMPANY for such defense. If the COMPANY declines to defend the ASSURED, no settlement without the prior written consent of the COMPANY nor judgment against the ASSURED shall determine the existence, extent or amount of coverage under this Bond. If the amount demanded in any such suit or legal proceeding is within the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT, if any, the COMPANY shall have no liability for court costs and attorneys fees incurred in defending all or part of such suit or legal proceeding. If the amount demanded in any such suit or legal proceeding is in excess of the LIMIT OF LIABILITY stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS for the applicable INSURING CLAUSE, the COMPANYS liability for court costs and attorneys fees incurred in defending all or part of such suit or legal proceedings is limited to the proportion of such court costs and attorneys fees incurred that the LIMIT OF LIABILITY stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS for the applicable INSURING CLAUSE bears to the total of the amount demanded in such suit or legal proceeding. If the amount demanded is any such suit or legal proceeding is in excess of the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT, if any, but within the LIMIT OF LIABILITY stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS for the applicable INSURING CLAUSE, the COMPANYS liability for court costs and attorneys fees incurred in defending all or part of such suit or legal proceedings shall be limited to the proportion of such court costs or attorneys fees that the amount demanded that would be payable under this Bond after application of the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT, bears to the total amount demanded. Amounts paid by the COMPANY for court costs and attorneys fees shall be in addition to the LIMIT OF LIABILITY stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS.

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Conditions and Limitations Definitions 1. As used in this Bond: a. Computer System means a computer and all input, output, processing, storage, off-line media libraries, and communication facilities which are connected to the computer and which are under the control and supervision of the operating system(s) or application(s) software used by the ASSURED. b. Counterfeit means an imitation of an actual valid original which is intended to deceive and be taken as the original. c. Custodian means the institution designated by an Investment Company to maintain possession and control of its assets. d. Customer means an individual, corporate, partnership, trust customer, shareholder or subscriber of an Investment Company which has a written agreement with the ASSURED for Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction. e. Employee means: (1) an officer of the ASSURED, (2) a natural person while in the regular service of the ASSURED at any of the ASSUREDS premises and compensated directly by the ASSURED through its payroll system and subject to the United States Internal Revenue Service Form W-2 or equivalent income reporting plans of other countries, and whom the ASSURED has the right to control and direct both as to the result to be accomplished and details and means by which such result is accomplished in the performance of such service, (3) a guest student pursuing studies or performing duties in any of the ASSUREDS premises, (4) an attorney retained by the ASSURED and an employee of such attorney while either is performing legal services for the ASSURED, (5) a natural person provided by an employment contractor to perform employee duties for the ASSURED under the ASSUREDS supervision at any of the ASSUREDS premises, (6) an employee of an institution merged or consolidated with the ASSURED prior to the effective date of this Bond, (7) a director or trustee of the ASSURED, but only while performing acts within the scope of the customary and usual duties of any officer or other employee of the ASSURED or while acting as a member of any committee duly elected or appointed to examine or audit or have custody of or access to Property of the ASSURED, or

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Conditions and Limitations Definitions (continued) (8) each natural person, partnership or corporation authorized by written agreement with the ASSURED to perform services as electronic data processor of checks or other accounting records related to such checks but only while such person, partnership or corporation is actually performing such services and not: a. creating, preparing, modifying or maintaining the ASSUREDS computer software or programs, or b. acting as transfer agent or in any other agency capacity in issuing checks, drafts or securities for the ASSURED, (9) any partner, officer or employee of an investment advisor, an underwriter (distributor), a transfer agent or shareholder accounting recordkeeper, or an administrator, for an Investment Company while performing acts coming within the scope of the customary and usual duties of an officer or employee of an Investment Company or acting as a member of any committee duly elected or appointed to examine, audit or have custody of or access to Property of an Investment Company. The term Employee shall not include any partner, officer or employee of a transfer agent, shareholder accounting recordkeeper or administrator: a. which is not an affiliated person (as defined in Section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940) of an Investment Company or of the investment advisor or underwriter (distributor) of such Investment Company, or b. which is a bank (as defined in Section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940). This Bond does not afford coverage in favor of the employers of persons as set forth in e. (4), (5) and (8) above, and upon payment to the ASSURED by the COMPANY resulting directly from Larceny or Embezzlement committed by any of the partners, officers or employees of such employers, whether acting alone or in collusion with others, an assignment of such of the ASSUREDS rights and causes of action as it may have against such employers by reason of such acts so committed shall, to the extent of such payment, be given by the ASSURED to the COMPANY, and the ASSURED shall execute all papers necessary to secure to the COMPANY the rights provided for herein. Each employer of persons as set forth in e.(4), (5) and (8) above and the partners, officers and other employees of such employers shall collectively be deemed to be one person for all the purposes of this Bond; excepting, however, the fifth paragraph of Section 13. Independent contractors not specified in e.(4), (5) or (8) above, intermediaries, agents, brokers or other representatives of the same general character shall not be considered Employees.

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Conditions and Limitations Definitions (continued) f. Forgery means the signing of the name of another natural person with the intent to deceive but does not mean a signature which consists in whole or in part of ones own name, with or without authority, in any capacity for any purpose. g. Investment Company means any investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and listed under the NAME OF ASSURED on the DECLARATIONS. h. Items of Deposit means one or more checks or drafts drawn upon a financial institution in the United States of America. i. Larceny or Embezzlement means larceny or embezzlement as defined in Section 37 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. j. Property means money, revenue and other stamps; securities; including any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of deposit, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral trust certificate, preorganization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, any interest or instruments commonly known as a security under the Investment Company Act of 1940, any other certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the foregoing; bills of exchange; acceptances; checks; withdrawal orders; money orders; travelers letters of credit; bills of lading; abstracts of title; insurance policies, deeds, mortgages on real estate and/or upon chattels and interests therein; assignments of such policies, deeds or mortgages; other valuable papers, including books of accounts and other records used by the ASSURED in the conduct of its business (but excluding all electronic data processing records); and, all other instruments similar to or in the nature of the foregoing in which the ASSURED acquired an interest at the time of the ASSUREDS consolidation or merger with, or purchase of the principal assets of, a predecessor or which are held by the ASSURED for any purpose or in any capacity and whether so held gratuitously or not and whether or not the ASSURED is liable therefor. k. Relative means the spouse of an Employee or partner of the ASSURED and any unmarried child supported wholly by, or living in the home of, such Employee or partner and being related to them by blood, marriage or legal guardianship. I. Securities, documents or other written instruments means original (including original counterparts) negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, or assignments thereof, which in and of themselves represent an equitable interest, ownership, or debt and which are in the ordinary course of business transferable by delivery of such instruments with any necessary endorsements or assignments.

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Conditions and Limitations Definitions (continued) m. Subsidiary means any organization that, at the inception date of this Bond, is named in the APPLICATION or is created during the BOND PERIOD and of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding securities or voting rights representing the present right to vote for election of directors is owned or controlled by the ASSURED either directly or through one or more of its subsidiaries. n. Transportation Company means any organization which provides its own or its leased vehicles for transportation or which provides freight forwarding or air express services. o. Voice Initiated Election means any election concerning dividend options available to Investment Company shareholders or subscribers which is requested by voice over the telephone. p. Voice Initiated Redemption means any redemption of shares issued by an Investment Company which is requested by voice over the telephone. q. Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction means any Voice Initiated Redemption or Voice Initiated Election. For the purposes of these definitions, the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular, unless otherwise indicated. General Exclusions - 2. This bond does not directly or indirectly cover: Applicable to All Insuring Clauses a. loss not reported to the COMPANY in writing within sixty (60) days after termination of this Bond as an entirety; b. loss due to riot or civil commotion outside the United States of America and Canada, or any loss due to military, naval or usurped power, war or insurrection. This Section 2.b., however, shall not apply to loss which occurs in transit in the circumstances recited in INSURING CLAUSE 3., provided that when such transit was initiated there was no knowledge on the part of any person acting for the ASSURED of such riot, civil commotion, military, naval or usurped power, war or insurrection; c. loss resulting from the effects of nuclear fission or fusion or radioactivity; d. loss of potential income including, but not limited to, interest and dividends not realized by the ASSURED or by any customer of the ASSURED; e. damages of any type for which the ASSURED is legally liable, except compensatory damages, but not multiples thereof, arising from a loss covered under this Bond; f. costs, fees and expenses incurred by the ASSURED in establishing the existence of or amount of loss under this Bond, except to the extent covered under INSURING CLAUSE 11.; g. loss resulting from indirect or consequential loss of any nature;

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Conditions and Limitations General Exclusions - Applicable to All Insuring Clauses h. loss resulting from dishonest acts by any member of the Board of Directors or Board of Trustees of the ASSURED who is not an Employee, acting alone or in collusion with others; (continued) i. loss, or that part of any loss, resulting solely from any violation by the ASSURED or by any Employee: (1) of any law regulating: a. the issuance, purchase or sale of securities, b. securities transactions on security or commodity exchanges or the over the counter market, c. investment companies, d. investment advisors, or (2) of any rule or regulation made pursuant to any such law; or j. loss of confidential information, material or data; k. loss resulting from voice requests or instructions received over the telephone, provided however, this Section 2.k. shall not apply to INSURING CLAUSE 7. or 9. Specific Exclusions - 3. This Bond does not directly or indirectly cover: Applicable To All Insuring Clauses Except Insuring Clause 1. a. loss caused by an Employee, provided, however, this Section 3.a. shall not apply to loss covered under INSURING CLAUSE 2. or 3. which results directly from misplacement, mysterious unexplainable disappearance, or damage or destruction of Property; b. loss through the surrender of property away from premises of the ASSURED as a result of a threat: (1) to do bodily harm to any natural person, except loss of Property in transit in the custody of any person acting as messenger of the ASSURED, provided that when such transit was initiated there was no knowledge by the ASSURED of any such threat, and provided further that this Section 3.b. shall not apply to INSURING CLAUSE 7., or (2) to do damage to the premises or Property of the ASSURED; c. loss resulting from payments made or withdrawals from any account involving erroneous credits to such account; d. loss involving Items of Deposit which are not finally paid for any reason provided however, that this Section 3.d. shall not apply to INSURING CLAUSE 10.; e. loss of property while in the mail;

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Conditions and Limitations Specific Exclusions - Applicable To All Insuring Clauses Except Insuring Clause 1. (continued) f. loss resulting from the failure for any reason of a financial or depository institution, its receiver or other liquidator to pay or deliver funds or other Property to the ASSURED provided further that this Section 3.f. shall not apply to loss of Property resulting directly from robbery, burglary, misplacement, mysterious unexplainable disappearance, damage, destruction or removal from the possession, custody or control of the ASSURED. g. loss of Property while in the custody of a Transportation Company, provided however, that this Section 3.g. shall not apply to INSURING CLAUSE 3.; h. loss resulting from entries or changes made by a natural person with authorized access to a Computer System who acts in good faith on instructions, unless such instructions are given to that person by a software contractor or its partner, officer, or employee authorized by the ASSURED to design, develop, prepare, supply, service, write or implement programs for the ASSUREDs Computer System; or i. loss resulting directly or indirectly from the input of data into a Computer System terminal, either on the premises of the customer of the ASSURED or under the control of such a customer, by a customer or other person who had authorized access to the customers authentication mechanism. Specific Exclusions - 4. This bond does not directly or indirectly cover: Applicable To All Insuring Clauses Except Insuring Clauses 1., 4., And 5. a. loss resulting from the complete or partial non-payment of or default on any loan whether such loan was procured in good faith or through trick, artifice, fraud or false pretenses; provided, however, this Section 4.a. shall not apply to INSURING CLAUSE 8.; b. loss resulting from forgery or any alteration; c. loss involving a counterfeit provided, however, this Section 4.c. shall not apply to INSURING CLAUSE 5. or 6. Limit Of Liability/Non- Reduction And Non- Accumulation Of Liability 5. At all times prior to termination of this Bond, this Bond shall continue in force for the limit stated in the applicable sections of ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS, notwithstanding any previous loss for which the COMPANY may have paid or be liable to pay under this Bond provided, however, that the liability of the COMPANY under this Bond with respect to all loss resulting from: a. any one act of burglary, robbery or hold-up, or attempt thereat, in which no Employee is concerned or implicated, or b. any one unintentional or negligent act on the part of any one person resulting in damage to or destruction or misplacement of Property, or c. all acts, other than those specified in a. above, of any one person, or

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Conditions and Limitations Limit Of Liability/Non- d. any one casualty or event other than those specified in a., b., or c. above, Reduction And Non- Accumulation Of Liability (continued) shall be deemed to be one loss and shall be limited to the applicable LIMIT OF LIABILITY stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS of this Bond irrespective of the total amount of such loss or losses and shall not be cumulative in amounts from year to year or from period to period. All acts, as specified in c. above, of any one person which i. directly or indirectly aid in any way wrongful acts of any other person or persons, or ii. permit the continuation of wrongful acts of any other person or persons whether such acts are committed with or without the knowledge of the wrongful acts of the person so aided, and whether such acts are committed with or without the intent to aid such other person, shall be deemed to be one loss with the wrongful acts of all persons so aided. Discovery 6. This Bond applies only to loss first discovered by an officer of the ASSURED during the BOND PERIOD. Discovery occurs at the earlier of an officer of the ASSURED being aware of: a. facts which may subsequently result in a loss of a type covered by this Bond, or b. an actual or potential claim in which it is alleged that the ASSURED is liable to a third party, regardless of when the act or acts causing or contributing to such loss occurred, even though the amount of loss does not exceed the applicable DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT, or the exact amount or details of loss may not then be known. Notice To Company - Proof - Legal Proceedings Against Company 7. a. The ASSURED shall give the COMPANY notice thereof at the earliest practicable moment, not to exceed sixty (60) days after discovery of loss, in an amount that is in excess of 50% of the applicable DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT, as stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS. b. The ASSURED shall furnish to the COMPANY proof of loss, duly sworn to, with full particulars within six (6) months after such discovery. c. Securities listed in a proof of loss shall be identified by certificate or bond numbers, if issued with them. d. Legal proceedings for the recovery of any loss under this Bond shall not be brought prior to the expiration of sixty (60) days after the proof of loss is filed with the COMPANY or after the expiration of twenty-four (24) months from the discovery of such loss. e. This Bond affords coverage only in favor of the ASSURED. No claim, suit, action or legal proceedings shall be brought under this Bond by anyone other than the ASSURED.

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Conditions and Limitations Notice To Company - Proof - Legal Proceedings Against Company (continued) f. Proof of loss involving Voice Initiated Funds Transfer Instruction shall include electronic recordings of such instructions. Deductible Amount 8. The COMPANY shall not be liable under any INSURING CLAUSES of this Bond on account of loss unless the amount of such loss, after deducting the net amount of all reimbursement and/or recovery obtained or made by the ASSURED, other than from any Bond or policy of insurance issued by an insurance company and covering such loss, or by the COMPANY on account thereof prior to payment by the COMPANY of such loss, shall exceed the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT set forth in ITEM 3. of the DECLARATIONS, and then for such excess only, but in no event for more than the applicable LIMITS OF LIABILITY stated in ITEM 2. of the DECLARATIONS. There shall be no deductible applicable to any loss under INSURING CLAUSE 1. sustained by any Investment Company. Valuation 9. BOOKS OF ACCOUNT OR OTHER RECORDS The value of any loss of Property consisting of books of account or other records used by the ASSURED in the conduct of its business shall be the amount paid by the ASSURED for blank books, blank pages, or other materials which replace the lost books of account or other records, plus the cost of labor paid by the ASSURED for the actual transcription or copying of data to reproduce such books of account or other records. The value of any loss of Property other than books of account or other records used by the ASSURED in the conduct of its business, for which a claim is made shall be determined by the average market value of such Property on the business day immediately preceding discovery of such loss provided, however, that the value of any Property replaced by the ASSURED with the consent of the COMPANY and prior to the settlement of any claim for such Property shall be the actual market value at the time of replacement. In the case of a loss of interim certificates, warrants, rights or other securities, the production of which is necessary to the exercise of subscription, conversion, redemption or deposit privileges, the value of them shall be the market value of such privileges immediately preceding their expiration if said loss is not discovered until after their expiration. If no market price is quoted for such Property or for such privileges, the value shall be fixed by agreement between the parties. OTHER PROPERTY The value of any loss of Property, other than as stated above, shall be the actual cash value or the cost of repairing or replacing such Property with Property of like quality and value, whichever is less.

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Conditions and Limitations (continued) Securities Settlement 10. In the event of a loss of securities covered under this Bond, the COMPANY may, at its sole discretion, purchase replacement securities, tender the value of the securities in money, or issue its indemnity to effect replacement securities. The indemnity required from the ASSURED under the terms of this Section against all loss, cost or expense arising from the replacement of securities by the COMPANYS indemnity shall be: a. for securities having a value less than or equal to the applicable DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT - one hundred (100%) percent; b. for securities having a value in excess of the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT but within the applicable LIMIT OF LIABILITY - the percentage that the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT bears to the value of the securities; c. for securities having a value greater than the applicable LIMIT OF LIABILITY - the percentage that the DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT and portion in excess of the applicable LIMIT OF LIABILITY bears to the value of the securities. The value referred to in Section 10.a., b., and c. is the value in accordance with Section 9, Valuation, regardless of the value of such securities at the time the loss under the COMPANYS indemnity is sustained. The COMPANY is not required to issue its indemnity for any portion of a loss of securities which is not covered by this Bond; however, the COMPANY may do so as a courtesy to the ASSURED and at its sole discretion. The ASSURED shall pay the proportion of the Companys premium charge for the Companys indemnity as set forth in Section 10.a., b., and c. No portion of the LIMIT OF LIABILITY shall be used as payment of premium for any indemnity purchased by the ASSURED to obtain replacement securities. Subrogation - Assignment  Recovery 11. In the event of a payment under this Bond, the COMPANY shall be subrogated to all of the ASSUREDS rights of recovery against any person or entity to the extent of such payment. On request, the ASSURED shall deliver to the COMPANY an assignment of the ASSUREDS rights, title and interest and causes of action against any person or entity to the extent of such payment. Recoveries, whether effected by the COMPANY or by the ASSURED, shall be applied net of the expense of such recovery in the following order: a. first, to the satisfaction of the ASSUREDS loss which would otherwise have been paid but for the fact that it is in excess of the applicable LIMIT OF LIABILITY, b. second, to the COMPANY in satisfaction of amounts paid in settlement of the ASSUREDS claim, c. third, to the ASSURED in satisfaction of the applicable DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT, and

ICAP Bond (5-98) Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 16 of 19

Conditions and Limitations Subrogation - Assignment  Recovery (continued) d. fourth, to the ASSURED in satisfaction of any loss suffered by the ASSURED which was not covered under this Bond. Recovery from reinsurance or indemnity of the COMPANY shall not be deemed a recovery under this section. Cooperation Of Assured 12. At the COMPANYS request and at reasonable times and places designated by the COMPANY, the ASSURED shall: a. submit to examination by the COMPANY and subscribe to the same under oath, b. produce for the COMPANYS examination all pertinent records, and c. cooperate with the COMPANY in all matters pertaining to the loss. The ASSURED shall execute all papers and render assistance to secure to the COMPANY the rights and causes of action provided for under this Bond. The ASSURED shall do nothing after loss to prejudice such rights or causes of action. Termination 13. If the Bond is for a sole ASSURED, it shall not be terminated unless written notice shall have been given by the acting party to the affected party and to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., not less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of such termination. If the Bond is for a joint ASSURED, it shall not be terminated unless written notice shall have been given by the acting party to the affected party, and by the COMPANY to all ASSURED Investment Companies and to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., not less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of such termination. This Bond will terminate as to any one ASSURED, other than an Investment Company: a. immediately on the taking over of such ASSURED by a receiver or other liquidator or by State or Federal officials, or b. immediately on the filing of a petition under any State or Federal statute relative to bankruptcy or reorganization of the ASSURED, or assignment for the benefit of creditors of the ASSURED, or c. immediately upon such ASSURED ceasing to exist, whether through merger into another entity, disposition of all of its assets or otherwise. The COMPANY shall refund the unearned premium computed at short rates in accordance with the standard short rate cancellation tables if terminated by the ASSURED or pro rata if terminated for any other reason.

ICAP Bond (5-98) Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 17 of 19

Conditions and Limitations Termination (continued) If any partner, director, trustee, or officer or supervisory employee of an ASSURED not acting in collusion with an Employee learns of any dishonest act committed by such Employee at any time, whether in the employment of the ASSURED or otherwise, whether or not such act is of the type covered under this Bond, and whether against the ASSURED or any other person or entity, the ASSURED: a. shall immediately remove such Employee from a position that would enable such Employee to cause the ASSURED to suffer a loss covered by this Bond; and b. within forty-eight (48) hours of learning that an Employee has committed any dishonest act, shall notify the COMPANY, of such action and provide full particulars of such dishonest act. The COMPANY may terminate coverage as respects any Employee sixty (60) days after written notice is received by each ASSURED Investment Company and the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. of its desire to terminate this Bond as to such Employee. Other Insurance 14. Coverage under this Bond shall apply only as excess over any valid and collectible insurance, indemnity or suretyship obtained by or on behalf of: a. the ASSURED, b. a Transportation Company, or c. another entity on whose premises the loss occurred or which employed the person causing the loss or engaged the messenger conveying the Property involved. Conformity 15. If any limitation within this Bond is prohibited by any law controlling this Bonds construction, such limitation shall be deemed to be amended so as to equal the minimum period of limitation provided by such law. Change or Modification 16. This Bond or any instrument amending or affecting this Bond may not be changed or modified orally. No change in or modification of this Bond shall be effective except when made by written endorsement to this Bond signed by an authorized representative of the COMPANY. If this Bond is for a sole ASSURED, no change or modification which would adversely affect the rights of the ASSURED shall be effective prior to sixty (60) days after written notice has been furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., by the acting party.

ICAP Bond (5-98) Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 18 of 19

Conditions And Limitations Change or Modification (continued) If this Bond is for a joint ASSURED, no charge or modification which would adversely affect the rights of the ASSURED shall be effective prior to sixty (60) days after written notice has been furnished to all insured Investment Companies and to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., by the COMPANY.

ICAP Bond (5-98) Form 17-02-1421 (Ed. 5-98) Page 19 of 19

ENDORSEMENT/RIDER

Effective date of this endorsement/rider: June 15, 2023 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY Endorsement/Rider No. 1 To be attached to and form a part of Policy No. 82631463 Issued to: JPMORGAN PRIVATE MARKETS FUND

COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE TRADE SANCTION LAWS

It is agreed that this insurance does not apply to the extent that trade or economic sanctions or other similar laws or regulations prohibit the coverage provided by this insurance.

The title and any headings in this endorsement/rider are solely for convenience and form no part of the terms and conditions of coverage.

All other terms, conditions and limitations of this Policy shall remain unchanged.

Authorized Representative

14-02-9228 (2/2010) Page 1

ENDORSEMENT/RIDER

Effective date of this endorsement/rider: June 15, 2023 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY Endorsement/Rider No. 2 To be attached to and form a part of Bond No. 82631463

Issued to: JPMORGAN PRIVATE MARKETS FUND

DELETING VALUATION-OTHER PROPERTY AND AMENDING CHANGE OR MODIFICATION

ENDORSEMENT

In consideration of the premium charged, it is agreed that this Bond is amended as follows:

1. The paragraph titled Other Property in Section 9, Valuation, is deleted in its entirety.

2. The third paragraph in Section 16, Change or Modification, is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

If this Bond is for a joint ASSURED, no change or modification which would adversely affect the rights of the ASSURED shall be effective prior to sixty (60) days after written notice has been furnished to all insured Investment Companies and the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., by the COMPANY.

The title and any headings in this endorsement/rider are solely for convenience and form no part of the terms and conditions of coverage.

All other terms, conditions and limitations of this Bond shall remain unchanged.

Authorized Representative

17-02-2437 (12/2006) rev. Page 1

FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY Endorsement No.: 3 Bond Number: 82631463

NAME OF ASSURED: JPMORGAN PRIVATE MARKETS FUND

NEW YORK AMENDATORY ENDORSEMENT

It is agreed that this Bond is amended as follows:

1. By adding to Section 13, Termination, the following:

Bonds In Effect Sixty (60) Days Or Less

If this Bond has been in effect for less than sixty (60) days and if it is not a renewal Bond, the COMPANY may terminate it for any reason by mailing or delivering to the ASSURED and to the authorized agent or broker, if any, written notice of termination at least sixty (60) days before the effective date of termination.

Bonds In Effect More Than Sixty (60) Days

If this Bond has been in effect for sixty (60) days or more, or if it is a renewal of a Bond issued by the COMPANY, it may be terminated by the COMPANY by mailing or delivering to the ASSURED and to the authorized agent or broker, if any, written notice of termination at least sixty (60) days before the effective date of termination. Furthermore, when the Bond is a renewal or has been in effect for sixty (60) days or more, the COMPANY may terminate only for one or more of the reasons stated in 1-7 below.

1. Nonpayment of premium;

2. Conviction of a crime arising out of acts increasing the hazard insured against;

3. Discovery of fraud or material misrepresentation in the obtaining of this Bond or in the presentation of a claim thereunder;

4. Violation of any provision of this Bond that substantially and materially increases the hazard insured against, and which occurred subsequent to inception of the current BOND PERIOD;

5. If applicable, material physical change in the property insured, occurring after issuance or last annual renewal anniversary date of this Bond, which results in the property becoming uninsurable in accordance with the COMPANYS objective, uniformly applied underwriting standards in effect at the time this Bond was issued or last renewed; or material change in the nature or extent of this Bond occurring after issuance or last annual renewal anniversary date of this Bond, which causes the risk of loss to be substantially and materially increased beyond that contemplated at the time this Bond was issued or last renewed;

ICAP Bond - New York Form 17-02-2863 (Rev. 7-03) Page 1

6. A determination by the Superintendent of Insurance that continuation of the present premium volume of the COMPANY would jeopardize the COMPANYS policyholders, creditors or the public, or continuing the Bond itself would place the COMPANY in violation of any provision of the New York Insurance Code; or

7. Where the COMPANY has reason to believe, in good faith and with sufficient cause, that there is a probable risk or danger that the Property will be destroyed by the ASSURED for the purpose of collecting the insurance proceeds.

Notice Of Termination

Notice of termination under this SECTION shall be mailed to the ASSURED and to the authorized agent or broker, if any, at the address shown on the DECLARATIONS of this Bond. The COMPANY, however, may deliver any notice instead of mailing it.

Return Premium Calculations

The COMPANY shall refund the unearned premium computed pro rata if this Bond is terminated by the COMPANY.

2. By adding a new Section reading as follows:

Section 17. Election To Conditionally Renew / Nonrenew This Bond

Conditional Renewal

If the COMPANY conditionally renews this Bond subject to:

1. Change of limits of liability;

2. Change in type of coverage;

3. Reduction of coverage;

4. Increased deductible;

5. Addition of exclusion; or

6. Increased premiums in excess of 10%, exclusive of any premium increase due to and commensurate with insured value added; or as a result of experience rating, retrospective rating or audit; the COMPANY shall send notice as provided in Notices Of Nonrenewal And Conditional Renewal immediately below.

Notices Of Nonrenewal And Conditional Renewal

1. If the COMPANY elects not to renew this Bond, or to conditionally renew this Bond as provided herein, the COMPANY shall mail or deliver written notice to the ASSURED at least sixty (60) but not more than one hundred twenty (120) days before:

a. The expiration date; or

b. The anniversary date if this Bond has been written for a term of more than one year.

ICAP Bond - New York Form 17-02-2863 (Rev. 7-03) Page 2

2. Notice shall be mailed or delivered to the ASSURED at the address shown on the DECLARATIONS of this Bond and the authorized agent or broker, if any. If notice is mailed, proof of mailing shall be sufficient proof of notice.

3. Paragraphs 1. and 2. immediately above shall not apply when the ASSURED, authorized agent or broker, or another insurer has mailed or delivered written notice to the COMPANY that the Bond has been replaced or is no longer desired.

3. By adding to General Agreement B., Representations Made By Assured, the following:

No misrepresentation shall be deemed material unless knowledge by the COMPANY would have lead to the COMPANYS refusal to write this Bond.

This Endorsement applies to loss discovered after 12:01 a.m. on June 15, 2023.

ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS BOND REMAIN UNCHANGED.

Date: July 10, 2023 By Authorized Representative

ICAP Bond - New York Form 17-02-2863 (Rev. 7-03) Page 3

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO POLICYHOLDERS

All of the members of the Chubb Group of Insurance companies doing business in the United States (hereinafter Chubb) distribute their products through licensed insurance brokers and agents (producers). Detailed information regarding the types of compensation paid by Chubb to producers on US insurance transactions is available under the Producer Compensation link located at the bottom of the page at www.chubb.com, or by calling 1-866-588-9478. Additional information may be available from your producer.

Thank you for choosing Chubb.

10-02-1295 (ed. 6/2007)

Important Notice:

The SEC Requires Proof of Your Fidelity Insurance Policy

Your company is now required to file an electronic copy of your fidelity insurance coverage (Chubbs ICAP Bond policy) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to rules adopted by the SEC on June 12, 2006.

Chubb is in the process of providing your agent/broker with an electronic copy of your insurance policy as well as instructions on how to submit this proof of fidelity insurance coverage to the SEC. You can expect to receive this information from your agent/broker shortly.

The electronic copy of your policy is provided by Chubb solely as a convenience and does not affect the terms and conditions of coverage as set forth in the paper policy you receive by mail. The terms and conditions of the policy mailed to you, which are the same as those set forth in the electronic copy, constitute the entire agreement between your company and Chubb.

If you have any questions, please contact your agent or broker.

Form 14-02-12160 (ed. 7/2006)

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

Caro Holdings Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada 333-212268 (State or other jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)

7 Castle Street , Sheffield , UK , S3 8LT

(Address of principal executive offices)

( 786 ) 755-3210

(Registrants telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Item 4.01 Changes in Companys Certifying Accountant.

(1) Previous Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

(i) On June 15, 2023, Caro Holdings Inc. (the Company) decided that MaloneBailey (MB). would no longer serve as the companys independent registered public accounting firm, effective as of June 15, 2023. (ii) The decision to change independent registered public accounting firm was approved by the Board of Directors of the Company. (iii) The report of MB on the Companys financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 did not contain an adverse or disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles, except that such report on the Companys financial statements contained an explanatory paragraph in respect to the substantial doubt about the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. (iv) During the Companys two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and any subsequent interim periods through June 15, 2023, the date of decision, (a) there were no disagreements with MB on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of MB, would have caused it to make reference thereto in its reports on the financial statements for such years and (b) there were no reportable events as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K. It was communicated to management that material weaknesses had been identified related to (i) the lack of any accounting personnel (ii) the lack of internal audit functions, (iii) the lack of segregation of duties, and (iv) the lack of proper internal control procedures and documentation. (v) On July 14, 2023, the Company provided MB with a copy of this Current Report and has requested that it furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether it agrees with the above statements. A copy of such letter is attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

(2) New Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm On June 25, 2023, the Company engaged BF Borgers CPA, PC (Borgers) as its new independent registered public accounting firm to audit and review the Companys financial statements. During the two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and any subsequent interim periods through the date hereof prior to the engagement of Borgers, neither the Company, nor someone on its behalf, has consulted Borgers regarding:

(i) either: the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Companys consolidated financial statements, and either a written report was provided to the Company or oral advice was provided that the new independent registered public accounting firm concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement as defined in paragraph 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K or a reportable event as described in paragraph 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits.

2

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

CARO HOLDINGS INC. Date: July 14, 2023 By: /s/ Meriesha Rennalls Name: Meriesha Rennalls Title: President

3

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Item 1.03 Bankruptcy or Receivership

As previously disclosed, on June 1, 2023, Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (the Company and, solely following the Effective Date (as defined below), the Reorganized Company) and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the Debtors) filed voluntary petitions in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the U.S. Bankruptcy Court) seeking relief under chapter 11 of title 11 of the U.S. Code (the U.S. Bankruptcy Code). The cases are being jointly administered under the caption In re: Diebold Holding Company, LLC, et al. (Case No. 23-90602) (the Chapter 11 Cases). Additionally, as previously disclosed, on June 1, 2023, Diebold Nixdorf Dutch Holding B.V. (Diebold Dutch) filed a scheme of arrangement relating to certain of the Companys subsidiaries and commenced voluntary proceedings (the Dutch Scheme Proceedings) under the Dutch Act on Confirmation of Extrajudicial Plans (Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord) in the District Court of Amsterdam (the Dutch Court).

In addition, as previously disclosed, on June 12, 2023, Diebold Dutch filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court seeking recognition of the Dutch Scheme Proceedings and related relief (the Chapter 15 Proceedings).

The Debtors continue to operate their businesses as debtors-in-possession under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and orders of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Confirmation of the U.S. Plan

On July 13, 2023, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court entered an order, Docket No. 254 (the Confirmation Order), attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1, confirming the Debtors Second Amended Joint Prepackaged Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Diebold Holding Company, LLC and its Debtor Affiliates as revised July 7, 2023 (the U.S. Plan). The U.S. Plan incorporates by reference certain documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court as part of the supplements to the U.S. Plan filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on June 21, 2023, June 27, 2023, July 5, 2023, July 7, 2023 and July 10, 2023 (collectively, the Plan Supplement). A copy of the U.S. Plan is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.2 and is incorporated by reference herein.

The U.S. Plan will become effective when certain conditions are satisfied or waived, including, (a) the Dutch Court shall have entered an order sanctioning the Netherlands WHOA Plan of Diebold Nixdorf Dutch Holding B.V. and the Dutch Scheme Companies (the WHOA Plan) in the Dutch Scheme Proceedings, which order shall not be subject to a stay nor have been rescinded, vacated or reversed on appeal and (b) the U.S. Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an order in the Chapter 15 Proceedings recognizing the Dutch Scheme Proceedings and the WHOA Plan, and such order shall not be subject to a stay nor have been rescinded, vacated or reversed on appeal.

The following is a summary of certain provisions of the U.S. Plan, as confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court pursuant to the Confirmation Order, and is not intended to be a complete description of the U.S. Plan. The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the U.S. Plan (including the Plan Supplement). Copies of the U.S. Plan and the Confirmation Order are available free of charge at https://cases.ra.kroll.com/DieboldNixdorf/. The information set forth on the foregoing website shall not be deemed to be a part of or incorporated by reference into this Current Report on Form 8-K. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Current Report on Form 8-K have the meanings set forth in the U.S. Plan.

Treatment of Claims

The following is a high-level summary of the treatment of classified claims and interests under the U.S. Plan, which is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the U.S. Plan:
Kyiv said on Friday its troops had advanced nearly two kilometres along the southern front over the past week as Ukraine pushes ahead with its counteroffensive.

Mykola Urshalovych, a senior representative of the National Guard, told reporters that the force's 15th Karadag brigade and regular troops had moved towards the occupied southern city of Melitopol during the ongoing offensive.

The soldiers, "supported by tanks, have advanced 1,700 metres (1.1 miles) to the south and southeast" over the past seven days, he said.

Ukrainian troops are advancing despite "dense" minefields and shelling, he added during the briefing.

Urshalovych said that in the Berdyansk sector National Guard troops continued to maintain their positions "under constant enemy fire".

He also said the units of the National Guard were preparing to expand an offensive in the Avdiivka sector in eastern Ukraine.

Last month, Ukraine launched a highly anticipated counteroffensive after stockpiling Western weapons and building up its offensive forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that the slow delivery of promised arms was delaying Kyiv's counteroffensive, and called on the United States and other allies to provide long-range weapons and artillery.

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Item 1.01 Entry Into A Material Definitive Agreement.

Forward Purchase Agreements

On July 13, 2023, Freedom Acquisition I Corp. (Freedom) and Complete Solaria, Inc. (Complete Solaria) entered into separate agreements (each a Forward Purchase Agreement, and together, the Forward Purchase Agreements) with each of (i) Meteora Special Opportunity Fund I, LP (MSOF), Meteora Capital Partners, LP (MCP) and Meteora Select Trading Opportunities Master, LP (MSTO) (with MSOF, MCP, and MSTO collectively as Meteora); (ii) Polar Multi-Strategy Master Fund (Polar), and (iii) another third-party investor (Investor, and each of Meteora, Polar, and Investor, individually, a Seller, and together, the Sellers) for OTC Equity Prepaid Forward Transactions. For purposes of the Forward Purchase Agreements, Freedom is referred to as the Counterparty prior to the consummation of the previously disclosed business combination between Freedom and Complete Solaria (the Business Combination), while Complete Solaria is referred to as the Counterparty after the consummation of the Business Combination. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Forward Purchase Agreements. Any reference herein to the Forward Purchase Agreement are to be treated as a reference to each Sellers separate agreement and should be construed accordingly and any action taken by a Seller should be construed as an action under its own respective agreement.

Pursuant to the terms of the Forward Purchase Agreements, the Sellers intend, but are not obligated, to purchase up to a number of shares of Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of Freedom (Freedom Ordinary Shares) in the aggregate amount equal to up to 6,300,000, concurrently with the Closing pursuant to each Sellers respective FPA Funding Amount PIPE Subscription Agreement (as defined below), less, in the case of Meteora and Investor, the number of Freedom Ordinary Shares purchased by each Seller separately from third parties through a broker in the open market (Recycled Shares). No Seller shall be required to purchase an amount of Freedom Ordinary Shares such that following such purchase, that Sellers ownership would exceed 9.9% of the total Freedom Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such purchase, unless such Seller, at its sole discretion, waives such 9.9% ownership limitation. The Number of Shares subject to a Forward Purchase Agreement is subject to reduction following a termination of the Forward Purchase Agreements with respect to such shares as described under Optional Early Termination in the respective Forward Purchase Agreements. Meteora and Investor intend to purchase Freedom Ordinary Shares pursuant to their respective FPA Funding Amount PIPE Subscription Agreement and from third parties (other than Counterparty) through a broker in the open market (other than through Counterparty), and Polar intends to purchase Freedom Ordinary Shares solely through its FPA Funding Amount PIPE Subscription Agreement.

Each Forward Purchase Agreement provides that a Seller will be paid directly an aggregate cash amount (the Prepayment Amount) equal to the product of (i) the Number of Shares as set forth in each Pricing Date Notice and (ii) the redemption price per share as defined in Article 49.5 of Freedoms Amended and Restated Article of Association, as amended (the Initial Price).

The Counterparty will pay to each Seller separately the Prepayment Amount required under the respective Forward Purchase Agreement directly from the Counterpartys Trust Account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company holding the net proceeds of the sale of the units in the Counterpartys initial public offering and the sale of private placement warrants (the Trust Account) no later than the earlier of (a) one business day after the Closing Date and (b) the date any assets from the Trust Account are disbursed in connection with the Business Combination, except that to the extent the Prepayment Amount payable to a Seller is to be paid from the purchase of Additional Shares by such Seller pursuant to the terms of its FPA Funding Amount PIPE Subscription Agreement, such amount will be netted against such proceeds, with such Seller being able to reduce the purchase price for the Additional Shares by the Prepayment Amount. For the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Shares purchased by a Seller will be included in the Number of Shares for its respective Forward Purchase Agreement for all purposes, including for determining the Prepayment Amount.
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2023 File No. 333- 261830 File No. 811-8537 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM N-4 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933  PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2  POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.  and/or REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940  Amendment No. 57  Variable Annuity Account A of

Protective Life (Exact Name of Registrant) Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Name of Depositor) 2801 Highway 280 South Birmingham, Alabama 35223 (Address of Depositors Principal Executive Offices) (205) 268-1000 (Depositors Telephone Number, including Area Code) BRADFORD RODGERS, Esquire Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company 2801 Highway 280 South Birmingham, Alabama, 35223 (Name and Address of Agent for Services) Copy to: STEPHEN E. ROTH, Esquire THOMAS E. BISSET, Esquire Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP 700 Sixth Street, NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20001-3980 Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine. Title of Securities Being Registered: Interests in a separate

account issued through variable annuity contracts.

Supplement dated [ ], 2023 (for Applications signed on or after [ ], 2023) to the Prospectuses dated [ ], 2023 for Protective Aspirations NY Variable Annuity Issued by Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company Variable Annuity Account A of Protective Life This Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement should be read carefully and retained with the Prospectus dated [ ], 2023 for the Protective Aspirations NY Variable Annuity. You may obtain a current Prospectus by visting www.protective.com/productprospectus or by calling 1-800-456-6330. This Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement updates the Ongoing Fees and Expenses (annual charges) for the Contract provided in the "IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ABOUT THE CONTRACT" section of the Prospectus and Initial Summary Prospectus, respectively, taking into account the current fees for the optional benefits disclosed in this Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement. This Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement also provides: the current fee for each of the three optional death benefits as described in the "DEATH BENEFIT - Selecting a Death Benefit" section of the Prospectus.

the current SecurePay Fee as described in the "PROTECTED LIFETIME INCOME BENEFITS" section of the Prospectus;

the current Roll-up Percentage under the SecurePay Protector rider as described in the "PROTECTED LIFETIME INCOME BENEFITS - The SecurePay Protector 'Roll-up'" section of the Prospectus;

the current Maximum Withdrawal Percentage under the SecurePay living benefit riders as described in the "PROTECTIVE LIFETIME INCOME BENEFITS-Determining the Amount of Your SecurePay Withdrawals" section of the Prospectus; and

the current Maximum Reserve Amount as described in the "PROTECTED LIFETIME INCOME BENEFITS - THE SECUREPAY RIDERS" section of the Prospectus. This Supplement must be used in conjunction with an effective Protective Aspirations NY Variable Annuity Prospectus or Initial Summary Prospectus. This Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement and the rates below are effective until superseded by a subsequent Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement. For applications signed on or after [ ], 2023, and that we receive in Good Order, we will apply the rates in this supplement up until ten calendar days after we issue a new rate sheet supplement. We must also receive at least the minimum initial Purchase Payment ($5,000) within the ten calendar days. No new Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement that supersedes a prior Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement will become effective unless written notice of effectiveness of the new Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement is given at least 10 business days in advance. Before submitting your application for a Protective Aspirations NY Variable Annuity, please obtain a current Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement. To obtain a current Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement:  Contact your financial advisor  Contact us toll-free at 1-800-456-6330  Go to www.protective.com/productprospectus  Go to www.sec.gov under File No. 333-261830 . IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ABOUT THE CONTRACT Ongoing Fees and Expenses (annual charges) The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay each year, depending on the options you choose. Please refer to your Contract specifications page for information about the specific fees you will pay each year based on the options you have elected. Annual Fee Minimum Maximum Base Contract (1) 1.22% 1.22%

Investment Options (Fund fees and expenses) (2) 0.35% 5.13%

Optional benefits available for an additional charge (for a single optional benefit, if elected)

[ ] (3) [ ] (4) (1) We calculate the Base Contract fee by dividing the total amount we receive from the annual contract maintenance fee, the mortality and expense risk charge and the administration charge for the last fiscal year by the total average net assets attributable to the Contracts for that year. (2) As a percentage of Fund assets. (3) As an annualized percentage of the death benefit value on each Monthly Anniversary Date, beginning on the 1st Monthly Anniversary Date. This charge is the current charge for the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit, the least expensive optional benefit available for an additional charge. (4) As an annualized percentage of the Benefit Base on each Monthly Anniversary Date, beginning on the 1st Monthly Anniversary Date following election of the rider. This charge is the current charge for the SecurePay Protector Rider under the RightTime Option, the most expensive optional benefit available for an additional charge. Because your Contract is customizable, the options and benefits you choose can affect how much you will pay. To help you understand the cost of owning your Contract, the following table shows the lowest and highest cost you could pay each year, based on current charges. These estimates assume that you do not take any withdrawals from the Contract, which could add surrender charges that substantially increase costs. 1 Lowest Annual Cost: $1,600 Highest Annual Cost: $8,074 Assumes: Assumes:

Investment of $100,000

5% annual appreciation

Least expensive combination of Fund fees and expenses

No optional benefits

No additional Purchase Payments, transfers or withdrawals

No sales charges Investment of $100,000

5% annual appreciation

Most expensive combination of optional benefits and Fund fees and expenses

No additional Purchase Payments, transfers or withdrawals

No sales charges For additional information about annual charges, see "FEE TABLE" and "CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS" in the Prospectus. OPTIONAL DEATH BENEFIT FEES The current fee for each of the three optional death benefits available under your Contract are as follows: Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit Fee (as an annualized percentage of the death benefit value on each Monthly Anniversary Date, beginning on the 1st Monthly Anniversary Date) [0.20%] Maximum Anniversary Value Death Benefit Fee (as an annualized percentage of the death benefit value on each Monthly Anniversary Date, beginning on the 1st Monthly Anniversary Date) [0.35%] Maximum Quarterly Value Death Benefit Fee (as an annualized percentage of the death benefit value on each Monthly Anniversary Date, beginning on the 1st Monthly Anniversary Date) [0.40%]

SECUREPAY FEE The current SecurePay Fee applicable to your Contract is as follows: Purchase of SecurePay Investor rider at Contract Purchase (as an annualized percentage of the Benefit Base) [ ]% Purchase of SecurePay Investor rider under RightTime (as an annualized percentage of the Benefit Base) [ ]%

Purchase of SecurePay Protector rider at Contract Purchase (as an annualized percentage of the Benefit Base)

[ ]%

Purchase of SecurePay Protector rider under RightTime (as an annualized percentage of the Benefit Base)

[ ]% 2 The Roll-up Percentage and the Maximum Withdrawal Percentage applicable to your Contract will not change for the life of your Contract. ROLL-UP PERCENTAGE (Applicable to SecurePay Protector Only) [ ] % (as a percentage of the Benefit Base) MAXIMUM WITHDRAWAL PERCENTAGE FOR SECUREPAY PROTECTOR Age of (Younger) Covered Person on the Benefit Election Date (One Covered Person) Withdrawal Percentage (as a percentage of the Benefit Base)- (Two Covered Persons) Withdrawal Percentage (as a percentage of the Benefit Base) - 59.5 [ ]% [ ]% 61 [ ]% [ ]% 62 [ ]% [ ]% 63 [ ]% [ ]% 64

[ ]% [ ]% 65

[ ]% [ ]% 66 [ ]% [ ]% 67 [ ]% [ ]% 68 [ ]% [ ]% 69 [ ]% [ ]% 70 [ ]% [ ]% 71 [ ]% [ ]% 72 [ ]% [ ]% 73 [ ]% [ ]% 74 [ ]% [ ]% 75 [ ]% [ ]% 76 [ ]% [ ]% 77 [ ]% [ ]% 78 [ ]% [ ]% 79 [ ]% [ ]% 80 [ ]% [ ]% 81 [ ]% [ ]% 82 [ ]% [ ]% 83 [ ]% [ ]% 84 [ ]% [ ]% 85 [ ]% [ ]% 86 [ ]% [ ]% 87 [ ]% [ ]% 88 [ ]% [ ]% 89 [ ]% [ ]% 90 [ ]% [ ]% 91 [ ]% [ ]% 92 [ ]% [ ]% 93 [ ]% [ ]% 94 [ ]% [ ]% 95+ [ ]% [ ]% MAXIMUM WITHDRAWAL PERCENTAGE FOR SECUREPAY INVESTOR Age of (Younger) Covered Person on the Benefit Election Date (One Covered Person) Withdrawal Percentage (as a percentage of the Benefit Base) - (Two Covered Persons) Withdrawal Percentage (as a percentage of the Benefit Base) - 59.5 [ ]% [ ]% 61 [ ]% [ ]% 62 [ ]% [ ]% 63 [ ]% [ ]% 64

[ ]% [ ]% 65

[ ]% [ ]% 66 [ ]% [ ]% 67 [ ]% [ ]% 68 [ ]% [ ]% 69 [ ]% [ ]% 70 [ ]% [ ]% 71 [ ]% [ ]% 72 [ ]% [ ]% 73 [ ]% [ ]% 74 [ ]% [ ]% 75 [ ]% [ ]% 76 [ ]% [ ]% 77 [ ]% [ ]% 78 [ ]% [ ]% 79 [ ]% [ ]% 80 [ ]% [ ]% 81 [ ]% [ ]% 82 [ ]% [ ]% 83 [ ]% [ ]% 84 [ ]% [ ]% 85 [ ]% [ ]% 86 [ ]% [ ]% 87 [ ]% [ ]% 88 [ ]% [ ]% 89 [ ]% [ ]% 90 [ ]% [ ]% 91 [ ]% [ ]% 92 [ ]% [ ]% 93 [ ]% [ ]% 94 [ ]% [ ]% 95+ [ ]% [ ]% MAXIMUM RESERVE AMOUNT [3x] (the current Annual Withdrawal Amount in any Contract Year) If you have any questions regarding this Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement, please contact us toll free at 1-800-456-6330. Please keep this Rate Sheet Prospectus Supplement for future reference. 1

PROTECTIVE LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY P.O. Box 10648

Birmingham, Alabama 35202-0648

Telephone: 1-800-456-6330 STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT A OF PROTECTIVE LIFE

A FLEXIBLE PREMIUM

DEFERRED VARIABLE AND FIXED ANNUITY CONTRACT This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) contains information in addition to the information described in the Prospectus for the individual flexible premium deferred variable and fixed annuity contract (the "Contract") offered by Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company. This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus. It should be read only in conjunction with the Prospectus for the Contract and the Prospectuses for the Funds. That Prospectus provides detailed information concerning the Contracts and the variable investment options that fund the Contracts. Each variable investment option is a subaccount of the Companys Variable Annuity Account A of Protective Life. Definitions of special terms used in the SAI are found in the Prospectus. The Prospectus for the Contract is dated September [ ], 2023. You may obtain a copy of the Prospectus by writing us at P.O. Box 10648, Birmingham, Alabama 35202-0648 or calling us toll free at 1-800-456-6330. THE DATE OF THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS SEPTEMBER [ ], 2023. 1 STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TABLE OF CONTENTS Page THE COMPANY 1 SAFEKEEPING OF ACCOUNT ASSETS 1 RECORDS AND REPORTS 1 LEGAL MATTERS 1 EXPERTS 1 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2 1 THE COMPANY The Company We are Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("Protective Life", the Company, we, our and us), a Tennessee corporation. Protective Life is the principal operating subsidiary of Protective Life Corporation (PLC), a U.S. insurance holding company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. (Dai-ichi). Dai-ichi is a top 20 global life insurance company. Dai-ichi's stock is traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. No other company has any legal responsibility to pay amounts that the Company owes under the Contracts. The Company is solely responsible for paying all amounts owed to you under the Contract. SAFEKEEPING OF ACCOUNT ASSETS Title to the assets of the Variable Account is held by Protective Life. The assets are kept physically segregated and held separate and apart from the Company's General Account assets and from the assets in any other separate account. Records are maintained of all purchases and redemptions of Fund shares held by each of the Sub-Accounts. The officers and employees of Protective Life are covered by an insurance company blanket bond issued in the amount of $50 million dollars. The bond insures against dishonest and fraudulent acts of officers and employees. RECORDS AND REPORTS Protective Life will maintain all records and accounts relating to the Variable Account. As presently required by the 1940 Act and regulations promulgated thereunder, reports containing such information as may be required under the Act or by any other applicable law or regulation will be sent to Owner(s) periodically at the last known address. LEGAL MATTERS Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP of Washington, D.C. has provided advice on certain matters relating to the federal securities laws. EXPERTS The financial statements of the subaccounts that comprise Variable Annuity Account A of Protective Life as of December 31, 2022, and for each of the years or periods presented, have been incorporated by reference in this Statement of Additional Information in reliance upon the report of [ ], independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The statutory financial statements and financial statement schedules of Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2022, have been incorporated by reference in this Statement of Additional Information in reliance upon the report of [ ], independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report covering the December 31, 2022 statutory financial statements includes explanatory language that states that the financial statements are prepared by Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company using statutory accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Alabama Department of Insurance, which is a basis of accounting other than U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, the audit report states that the financial statements are not intended to be and, therefore, are not presented fairly in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and further states that those financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with statutory accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Alabama Department of Insurance. The business address for [ ] is [ ]. 1 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The audited statements of assets and liabilities of the subaccounts of Variable Annuity Account A of Protective Life as of December 31, 2022, and the related statements of operations and of changes in net assets for each of the years or periods presented as well as the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm are incorporated into the Statement of Additional Information by reference to the Variable Account's Form N-VPFS, File No. 811-8537 filed with the SEC on [ ], 2023. The audited statutory statements of admitted assets, liabilities and capital and surplus of Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the related statutory statements of operations, changes in capital and surplus, and cash flow for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2022, as well as the Independent Auditors' Report are incorporated into the Statement of Additional Information by reference to the Variable Account's Form N-VPFS, File No. 811-8537 filed with the SEC on [ ], 2023. Protective Life's statutory financial statements should be considered only as bearing on its ability to meet its obligations under the Contracts. They should not be considered as bearing on the investment performance of the assets held in the Variable Account. 2

(d) (9) Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit Rider is incorporated herein by reference to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-179963), filed with the Commission on March 7, 2012. (d) (10) Annuitization Bonus Endorsement is incorporated herein by reference to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-179963), filed with the Commission on March 7, 2012. (d) (11) Maximum Quarterly Value Death Benefit Rider is incorporated herein by reference to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-261830), filed with the Commission on December 22, 2021. (d) (12) SecurePay Investor Rider - To be filed by pre-effective amendment. (d) (13) SecurePay Protector Rider - To be filed by pre-effective amendment. (e) Applications

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(g) Reinsurance Contracts - Not applicable. (h) Participation Agreements

C-3

(h) (5) Participation Agreement dated May 1, 2016 (Clayton Street Funds) is incorporated herein by reference to the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-240193), filed with the Commission on November 24, 2020. (h) (5) (i) Amendment dated September 1, 2020 to Participation Agreement (Clayton Street Funds) is incorporated herein by reference to the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-240193), filed with the Commission on November 24, 2020.

C-4

(h) (8) (iii) Amendment dated April 1, 2022 to Participation Agreement (Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust) is incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-261830), filed with the Commission on August 9, 2022.

C-5

(h) (12) (i) Amendment dated March 1, 2012 to Participation Agreement (Legg Mason) is incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-240193), filed with the Commission on November 24, 2020. (h) (12) (ii) Amendment dated August 11, 2020 to Participation Agreement (Legg Mason) is incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-240193), filed with the Commission on November 24, 2020.

C-6

C-7

(i) Administrative Contracts - Not Applicable (j) Other Material Contracts - Not Applicable (k) Legal Opinion (k) (1) Opinion and Consent of Bradford Rodgers, Esq is incorporated herein by reference to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-261830), filed with Commission on December 22, 2021. (l) Other Opinions

(l) (1) Consent of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP - To be filed by pre-effective amendment. (l) (2) Consents of KPMG LLP - To be f iled by pre-effective amendment . (l) (3) Powers of Attorney are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-201920), filed with the Commission on April 25, 2023. (m) Omitted Financial Statements - Not Applicable (n) Initial Capital Agreements - Not Applicable (o) Form of Initial Summary Prospectus - Filed herein.

C-8

Item 28. Directors and Officers of Depositor. Name and Principal Business Address* Position and Offices with Depositor Adams, D. Scott Executive Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Strategy & Innovation Banerjee Choudhury, Shiladitya (Deep) Senior Vice President, and Treasurer Bartlett, Malcolm Lee Senior Vice President, Corporate Tax Bielen, Richard J. Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director Black, Lance P. Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Corporate Development Cox, Kathryn S. Senior Vice President, and President, Protection Division Cramer, Steve Senior Vice President, and Chief Product Officer Creutzmann, Scott E. Senior Vice President, and Chief Compliance Officer Drew, Mark L. Executive Vice President, and Chief Legal Officer Evesque, Wendy K. Executive Vice President, and Chief Human Resources Officer

Harrison, Wade V. Executive Vice President, and Chief Retail Officer Karchunas, M. Scott Senior Vice President, and President, Asset Protection Division Kohler, Matthew Senior Vice President, and Chief Information Officer Laeyendecker, Ronald Senior Vice President, Executive Benefit Markets Lawrence, Mary Pat Senior Vice President, Government Affairs Lee, Felicia M. Secretary, Vice President, and Senior Counsel McDonald, Laura Y. Senior Vice President, and Chief Mortgage and Real Estate Officer Passafiume, Philip E. Executive Vice President, and Chief Investment Officer Peeler, Rachelle R. Senior Vice President, and Senior Human Resources Partner Pugh, Barbara N. Senior Vice President, and Chief Accounting Officer Radnoti, Francis Senior Vice President, and Chief Product Officer Rahman, Pooja T. Senior Vice President, and Chief Risk Officer Ray, Webster M. Senior Vice President, Investments Riebel, Matthew A. Senior Vice President, and Chief Distribution Officer Seurkamp, Aaron C. Senior Vice President, and President, Retirement Division Wagner, James Senior Vice President, and Chief Distribution Officer Wahlheim, Cary T. Senior Vice President, and Senior Counsel Walker, Steven G. Vice Chairman, Finance and Risk, and Director Wells, Paul R. Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Director Whitcomb, John Senior Vice President, Retirement Operations and Strategic Planning Williams, Lucinda S. Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer * Unless otherwise indicated, principal business address is 2801 Highway 280 South, Birmingham, Alabama 35223

C-9

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control With the Depositor or the Registrant. The registrant is a segregated asset account of the Company and is therefore owned and controlled by the Company. All of the Companys outstanding voting common stock is owned by Protective Life Corporation, a subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. Protective Life Corporation is described more fully in the prospectus included in this registration statement.

For more information regarding the company structure of Protective Life Corporation and Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc., please refer to the organizational chart incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Form N-4 Registration Statement (File No. 333-261426), filed with the Commission on February 22, 2023.

Item 30. Indemnification of Directors and Officers. Article XI of the By-laws of Protective Life provides, in substance, that any of Protective Lifes directors and officers, who is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, other than an action by or in the right of Protective Life, by reason of the fact that he is or was an officer or director, shall be indemnified by Protective Life against expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such claim, action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of Protective Life and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. If the claim, action or suit is or was by or in the right of Protective Life to procure a judgment in its favor, such person shall be indemnified by Protective Life against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of Protective Life, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to Protective Life unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper. To the extent that a director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any such action, suit or proceeding, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified by Protective Life against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith, not withstanding that he has not been successful on any other claim issue or matter in any such action, suit or proceeding. Unless ordered by a court, indemnification shall be made by Protective Life only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the officer or director is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct. Such determination shall be made (a) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to, or who have been successful on the merits or otherwise with respect to, such claim action, suit or proceeding, or (b) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (c) by the shareholders. In addition, the executive officers and directors are insured by PLCs Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Policy including Company Reimbursement and are indemnified by a written contract with PLC which supplements such coverage. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. C-10

Item 31. Principal Underwriter. (a) Investment Distributors, Inc. (IDI) is the principal underwriter of the Contracts as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940. IDI is also principal underwriter for the Protective Variable Life Separate Account, Protective Variable Annuity Separate Account, Variable Annuity Account A of Protective Life, PLICO Variable Annuity Account S, PLAIC Variable Annuity Account S, Protective COLI VUL, Protective NY COLI VUL and Protective Acquired Variable Annuity Separate Account. (b) The following information is furnished with respect to the officers and directors of IDI Name and Principal

Business Address* Position and Offices Position and Offices with Registrant Coffman, Benjamin P. Assistant Financial Officer Senior Director Financial Reporting Creutzmann, Scott E. Director Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Gilmer, Joseph F. Assistant Financial Officer Senior Analyst Financial Reporting Guerrera, Darren C. Chief Financial Officer Vice President Hicks, Victoria Ann Senior Supervisory Principal Senior Supervisory Principal Johnson, Julena G. Assistant Compliance Officer Director Regulatory Lee, Felicia M. Secretary Secretary, Vice President, and Senior Counsel Lippeatt, Jason H. Supervisory Principal Supervisory Principal McCreless, Kevin L. Chief Compliance Officer Senior Director Regulatory Morsch, Letitia A. Assistant Secretary, and Director Vice President, Head of Retail Retirement Operations Reed, Alisha D. Director Vice President, Head of Marketing Strategy Richards, Megan P. Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary Tennent, Rayburn Assistant Financial Officer Senior Analyst Financial Reporting

Wagner, James President and Director Senior Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer * Unless otherwise indicated, principal business address is 2801 Highway 280 South, Birmingham, Alabama, 35223. (c) The following commissions were received by each principal underwriter, directly or indirectly, from the Registrant during the Registrants last fiscal year: (1) Name of Principal

Underwriter (2) Net Underwriting

Discounts (3) Compensation on

Redemption (4) Brokerage

Commissions (5) Other

Compensation Investment Distributors, Inc. N/A None N/A N/A C-11 Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records. All accounts and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder are maintained by Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company at 2801 Highway 280 South, Birmingham, Alabama 35223. Item 33. Management Services. All management contracts are discussed in the Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.

Item 34. Fee Representation Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("Protective Life") represents that the fees and charges deducted under the Contract, in the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services rendered, the expenses expected to be incurred, and the risks assumed by Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("Protective Life"). C-12

SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant of this Registration Statement has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form N-4 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama, on July 14, 2023. VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT A OF PROTECTIVE LIFE By: * Richard J. Bielen, President Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company PROTECTIVE LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY By: * Richard J. Bielen, President Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company As required by the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement on Form N-4 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated: Signature Title Date * Chairman of the Board, President July 14, 2023 Richard J. Bielen Chief Executive Officer, and Director (Principal Executive Officer) * Vice Chairman, Finance and Risk, July 14, 2023 Steven G. Walker and Director * Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Director

July 14, 2023 Paul R. Wells (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) *BY: /S/ BRANDON J. CAGE July 14, 2023 Brandon J. Cage Attorney-in-Fact C-13

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

EX-99.(H)(15)(II)

EX-99.(O)
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 12b-25

NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING

SEC File No.: 000-53712

CUSIP Number: 13764N207

(Check one):  Form 10-K  Form 20-F  Form 11-K  Form 10-Q For Period Ended: May 31, 2023  Form 10-D  Form N-SAR  Form N-CSR  Transition Report on Form 10-K  Transition Report on Form 20-F  Transition Report on Form 11-K  Transition Report on Form 10-Q  Transition Report on Form N-SAR

CANN AMERICAN CORP. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Wyoming 84-3208139 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (IRS Employer Identification No.) 75 Union Ave., Rutherford, New Jersey 07070 (Address of principal executive offices) (551) 285-4350 (Registrants telephone number, including area code) Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report

NOTHING IN THIS FORM SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO IMPLY THAT THE COMMISSION HAS VERIFIED ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.

If the notification relates to a portion of the filing checked above, identify the Item(s) to which the notification relates:

PART I

REGISTRANT INFORMATION

Cann American Corp.

Full Name of Registrant

N/A

Former Name if Applicable

75 Union Ave.

Address of Principal Executive Office (Street and Number)

Rutherford, New Jersey 07070

City, State and Zip Code

PART II

RULE 12b-25(b) AND (c)

If the subject report could not be filed without unreasonable effort or expense and the registrant seeks relief pursuant to Rule 12b-25(b), the following should be completed. (Check box if appropriate.)

 (a) The reasons described in reasonable detail in Part III of this form could not be eliminated without unreasonable effort or expense;  (b) The subject annual report, semi-annual report, transition report on Form 10-K, Form 20-F, Form 11-K, Form N-SAR or Form N-CSR, or portion thereof, will be filed on or before the fifteenth calendar day following the prescribed due date; or the subject quarterly report or transition report on Form 10-Q or subject distribution report on Form 10-D, or portion thereof, will be filed on or before the fifth calendar day following the prescribed due date; and  (c) The accountants statement or other exhibit required by Rule 12b-25(c) has been attached if applicable.

PART III

NARRATIVE

State below in reasonable detail why Forms 10-K, 20-F, 11-K, 10-Q, 10-D, N-SAR, N-CSR, or the transition report or portion thereof, could not be filed within the prescribed time period.

Cann American Corp. (the Company) is filing this Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25 (the Form 12b-25) with respect to its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended May 31, 2023 (the Quarterly Report). The Company has determined that it is unable to file the Quarterly Report within the prescribed time period without unreasonable effort or expense. The reason for the delay is that in connection with the integration of recent acquisitions, the Company has been unable to timely compile all information for the financial statements and related disclosures required to be included in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended May 31, 2023.

2

PART IV

OTHER INFORMATION

(1) Name and telephone number of person to contact in regard to this notification

Jason Tucker (551) 285-4350

(Name) (Area Code) (Telephone Number)

(2) Have all other periodic reports required under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 during the preceding 12 months or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such report(s) been filed? If the answer is no, identify report(s). Yes  No 

(3) Is it anticipated that any significant change in results of operations from the corresponding period for the last fiscal year will be reflected by the earnings statements to be included in the subject report or portion thereof?

Yes  No 

If so: attach an explanation of the anticipated change, both narratively and quantitatively, and, if appropriate, state the reasons why a reasonable estimate of the results cannot be made.

3

Cann American Corp.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

has caused this notification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: July 14, 2023 By: /s/ Jason Tucker Jason Tucker President and Chief Executive Officer

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AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy  U.S. military medics at this base in northeastern Italy are jumping from a battlefield to an ambulance to a hospital setting, all at the push of a button and with no travel time required to reach patients.

The virtual reality software used by the 31st Medical Group allows educators to simulate a host of medical scenarios for service members during their annual tactical combat casualty care training.

With the VR, I can run a situation eight times, and each time I can try to challenge myself with something new, said Airman 1st Class Taylor Ziegler, an aerospace medical technician. It (could) be getting patient interaction down or adjusting the algorithm of movements needed to treat the patient in a specific scenario.

But its not just personnel at Aviano who are taking advantage of the software. Soldiers stationed at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza travel two hours for the opportunity to incorporate the technology into their training.

Currently, Aviano is the only Air Force treatment facility in Europe using the virtual reality software to train Defense Department medical personnel.

This training was acquired for its uniqueness for tactical combat casualty care, said Maj. Aaron Mangubat, the training flight commander for the unit. I can take an airman or soldier and instantaneously immerse them in a combat zone to practice casualty care with real-time feedback.

The system was acquired in December 2022 at a cost of around $100,000, military officials said.

The VR simulations are beneficial regardless of how much experience and medical training the user has, Mangubat added.

The software helps in several ways, including preparing medical workers for professional certifications. It also fosters communication in the intensive care unit or the emergency room, as each department may read patients charts somewhat differently.

Airman 1st Class Tanner Patrick, an aerospace medical technician who works in ambulance services, said the training has taught him what information the emergency room needs and how to inform them to avoid unnecessary duplication of treatment.

The equipment to run the VR training consists of two laptops, four headsets and a wireless router. An internet connection isnt required because everything is self-contained in the computer and the router.

The system is easily portable and once more headsets arrive, theyll likely be moved to more locations.

Master Sgt. Adrian Guillermo Hernandez, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 31st Medical Groups ambulance services, noted the integration that the VR simulations are facilitating across the Air Forces medical fields.

The training is a stepping stone to creating an environment in which people in one field work more efficiently with colleagues in others, he said.
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  A restaurant that opened at this airlift hub in western Tokyo as a healthy alternative to fast food has closed for asbestos removal.

The Mediterranean Bistro, inside Yokotas Yujo Community Center, was shuttered on July 10 for six weeks, according to a post on the Force Support Squadrons website. Yokota is the headquarters for the 374th Airlift Wing, 5th Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan.

A sign on the restaurants door states: Danger, asbestos removal in progress, do not enter. Surrounding red tape bears the warning: Danger asbestos hazard.

The restaurant serves hummus, Greek salads and made-to-order paninis, among other items.

The remainder of the community center, where a travel agency, travel help desk, insurance office and USO are housed, was still open for business as of Friday.

The base had not responded by Friday to questions emailed Monday about the restaurant closing and the presence of asbestos there.

Base residents took to the Yokota Community Facebook page to express concern about the closure. About 25 people had commented by Friday; none contacted for further comment by Stars and Stripes responded.

Materials containing asbestos were found in August 2014 in a dumpster near building 4446 on Yokotas east side, according to a base news release at the time. The dumpster was sealed and marked in English and Japanese.

The Air Force frequently used asbestos within buildings and machinery on many bases built before the 1980s, according to Mesothelioma.com. Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos exposure that commonly forms in the lining around the lungs or abdomen.

Overseas air bases in the Indo-Pacific where asbestos was found include the former Clark Air Base in the Philippines; Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, and Suwon Air Base in Suwon, South Korea, according to the website.

Materials that contain asbestos are not dangerous if they remain intact, according to Mesothelioma.com. But the fibers could be released if the materials are disturbed or damaged, such as during construction, demolition or repairs.

Asbestos exposure can cause cancer 20 to 60 years after exposure, according to Asbestos.com, a site run by the Mesothelioma Center. That latent period can complicate a Veterans Affairs claim based on asbestos exposure.
(Tribune News Service)  For three years now, rival gangs in Haiti have turned the countrys poorest and most densely populated slum into one of the biggest battlegrounds, where women and girls are raped and people carrying out their daily activities are indiscriminately shot at by armed men firing from rooftops.

Now it seems that even the armed groups are tired of the mayhem and want peace.

Four rival gang leaders, whose alliances and violent turf wars have led to mass incidents of murder, gang rape and sniper attacks in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Port-au-Princes Cite Soleil slum since 2020, are engaged in peace talks and have committed themselves to end the violence.

Father Tom Hagan, a well-known American Roman Catholic priest and humanitarian, confirmed to the Miami Herald that he is behind the initiative. Hagan said that gang leaders known as Gabriel, Mathias, Iska and Barbecue have indeed signed a document that among other things, says, We promise our loving God to work hard to end violence, to bring peace to all people.

Theyre not saying, Were going to stop shooting or were going to stop doing this,  Hagan, 81, said. But they are saying, they are more for peace and forgiveness

Still, even without an explicit agreement to lay down their arms, the gangs have initiated a ceasefire in recent days that has led to the dismantling of a wall that separated rival territories and has given children the confidence to go outside again to play.

People were out at the wharf Cite Soleil 25. People were swimming [and] there is no shooting, Hagan, known as Father Tom, said Wednesday, describing it as a great day. People seem to really pick upthey seemed so happy.

People have a little bit of hope now, he added.

Hagan is among several Roman Catholic priests and pastors who have stuck it out in the community despite the danger and the killings. In addition to providing Haitians with free schooling, Hands Together, which is operated by Haitians, provides food and medical care through a mobile health clinic.

For weeks now Hagan has been meeting with the gang leaders, trying to broker an agreement. So far, hes gotten them to sign the document drawn up on his stationary belonging to Hands Together, Hagans charity. Written in English and Creole, it places God at the center and has the leaders pleading to make every effort to provide security for all our children and all of our elderly.

Hagan concedes that while be believes hes been able to make the inroads because the gang leaders trust me and they have confidence in me, there is only so much that he can do. Now would be the moment, he said, for some well-known and respected figure, whether Haitian or in the U.S., to step in and guide the process.

We need someone who maybe would have a stronger presence, he said.

There have been rumors about peace talks among gang leaders for weeks, although there have also been suspicions about the gangs intentions, since none has actually laid down arms.

Hagan said he doesnt know of any other group involved. He said he has been able to build on an agreement the leaders had among themselves not to engage in violence between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. He also said he believes the gangs are tired, and see that the fighting is taking its toll.

Theres not a day that goes by where I dont meet with each of them and, as far as I know, this little grain started with us, he said. They depend on us; we have the schools and our schools are the only ones that have stayed open.

In its latest report to the United Nations Security Council, the U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti said that gangs operating in Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite Valley region are the main perpetrators behind the countrys 68% rise in homicides between January and June of this year.

This includes the increased severity of attacks in Brooklyn, which has become ground zero in the escalating clashes and attacks by gangs against the population, and the resurgence of cholera. One attack in April led to the rapes of at least 49 women, the U.N. office said. The rapes occurred in an area in known as Deye Mi, an open space that separates neighborhoods controlled by rival gangs. Seven of the rape victims were killed afterwards, their bodies left on the streets.

Trapped by the violence, civilians in areas under gang control are unable to leave their homes and lack access to food, water, sanitation and healthcare Services, the U.N. office said.

On Friday the U.N. Security Council unanimously agreed to extend the mandate of its political office in Haiti until July 15, 2024.

Member countries highlighted the deteriorating security and human rights environment and requested that the offices police and corrections unit include up to 70 civilian and specialists to serve as police advisers. The office is also being asked to scale up its strategic and advisory support to the training and investigation capacities of the Haiti National Police to help address sexual and gender-based violence.

The U.N. office is also being asked to do more to assist Haitian authorities in the protection of children.

Hagan, who founded Hands Together, a charity that provides humanitarian aid, said he doesnt ever remember it being this bad. His first trip to Haiti was in 1985 while he was the chaplain at Princeton University. After the visit, he founded his charity with college students. The charity runs 20 free schools across Haiti, half of them in Cite Soleil.

Its 100 times worse than the earthquake, Hagan said, referring to the magnitude 7 tremor that nearly destroyed Port-au-Prince and killed over 300,000 dead in 2010.

This has been very, very bad, Hagan said, recalling how in the early days of the fighting violence was even being directed at school principals in the area. To get students shot and killed, and even teachers, its been very depressing, very frustrating.

The people living in Cite Soleil right now are the poorest of the poor, Hagan added They cant leave, they have nowhere else to go. They have no other option.

He acknowledged the current truce is very fragile and that he was surprised that some gang leaders agreed to sign.

This includes Gabriel Jean-Pierre, alias Ti-Gabriel. The leader of the the coalition of armed gangs known as G-pep-la, Jean-Pierre has been the main rival to Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier, the former cop-turned-gang leader who operates the G-9 federation. Another rival is Iscard Andrice, alias Iska, who blames the G-pep leader for killing his mother, and runs a gang in the area known as Belekou. All three signed the document, along with another gang figure, Mathias Saintil, who controls the area known as Boston. Mathias and Iscard are aligned with the G-9 federation.

The violence dates back as far as 2020 when, according to a report from the National Human Rights Defense Network, all roads into Brooklyn were cut and Gabriel found himself under attack by Iska and Mathias. The result was a massacre that led to the deaths of least 145 people; 28 others were injured and 18 women and girls were gang raped.

In addition, 104 houses were set on fire, the human rights report said.

Pierre Esperance, the head of the National Human Rights Network, said that since May his organization has seen a disturbing surge in acts of violence and kidnappings, carried out by armed groups, including allies of some of the gang members who signed for peace. This includes Vitelhomme Innocent, head of the Kraze Barye gang, who is wanted by the FBI for his alleged role in the kidnappings of American and Canadian missionaries and who controls the area the U.S. Embassy in Tabarre. It also includes the head of the Izo 5 Segond gang operating out of nearby Village de Dieu at the southern edge of the capital.

I salute the initiative and the decision by the gangs not to shoot at one another; it means for now we have a pause in massacres, Esperance said. But it doesnt mean the wars are over because every year they agree to a pause, but they keep their guns and soon they restart the shooting again.

Hagan said he used to think that the fierce fighting among the gangs was over territory and for control of voting blocs in the next elections. But as the fighting has continued and the violence worsened, hes not so sure anymore.

It almost seems like its personal now, he said. If somebody gets shot on one said, then there is a shooting on the other.

2023 Miami Herald.

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Israeli occupation forces attacked on Friday dozens of Palestinians taking part in an anti-colonization protest in protesters and arrested seven Palestinians during raids into the occupied West Bank provinces of Hebron and Ramallah.

The raids came as Israeli soldiers attacked Palestinian demonstrators in the town of Umm Safa, located north of Ramallah, where protesters had gathered to demonstrate against attempts by Israeli settlers to take over Palestinian-owned property.

Following Friday prayers, soldiers fired tear gas canisters at the protesters, causing many to suffer from gas inhalation, while one protester was hit in the leg with a gas canister, according to Palestinian press agency, WAFA.

The latest raid to the village last Friday resulted in the death of Abd al-Jawad Saleh, 24, a palestinian youth who succumbed to deadly bullet wounds to the chest from Israeli gunfire.

This attack follows a violent assault by state-backed Israeli settler militias in Umm Safa last month, during which several houses and vehicles were destroyed. Dozens of Israeli settlers, some of them armed with guns and protected by the military and border guards, attacked the village and fired indiscriminately at homes and cars.

Israeli forces also carried out raids in multiple towns in the Hebron province, including Al-Shuyukh, Dura, Ad-Dahiliya, Al-Fawal refugee camp, and Hebron city, where six Palestinians were arrested, WAFA added.

In Ramallah province, a Palestinian teenager was also detained after Israeli soldiers raided his home in Nilin, according to WAFA.

Such raids and attacks against Palestinians have become routine under the Israeli military administration, with Israeli forces invading Palestinian neighborhoods on an almost daily basis to arrest or search residents.

This has led to an increasing number of attacks by Israeli colonists against Palestinians, as well as acts of terrorism throughout the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, with the far-right Israeli government accused of providing support for settler violence.

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Japan has lodged complaints with China and Taiwan for sending ships into waters around the Senkakus, a group of small islands it controls in the East China Sea.

The first complaint came after a Taiwanese survey vessel was spotted at 8:48 a.m. Wednesday about 113 miles north of Taisho Island, according to a Japanese coast guard news release. A countrys exclusive economic zone usually extends 230 miles beyond the 12-mile territorial limit.

The vessel was extending a wire into the sea and appeared to be conducting surveys. The coast guard asked the vessel to cease its activities but received no answer.

The vessel retrieved the wire at 10:55 a.m. and headed to the north-northeast.

The following day, a pair of Chinese coast guard vessels made the countrys 19th intrusion into area around the Senkakus.

Trailing a Japanese fishing boat, the Chinese ships approached Taisho Island from the southwest and south-southwest and entered the 12-mile limit just before 5 a.m. Thursday, a Japanese coast guard spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Friday.

The two ships, which appeared to be unarmed, remained until 9:35 p.m. and 9:59 p.m., respectively, then departed to the east-northeast and west-northwest.

The Chinese ships were met by a larger contingent of Japanese coast guard vessels, according to the spokesman, who declined to provide the exact number. The Japanese ships positioned themselves between the Chinese vessels and Japanese fishing boats and warned the Chinese by radio and electronic message boards to leave the area.

Chinese vessels last appeared near the Senkakus on June 21.

Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs complained Wednesday to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, a ministry spokesman said. On Thursday the ministry made protests to the Chinese Embassy in Japan and to officials in Beijing, a Japanese coast guard spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Friday.

Some government officials in Japan are required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.

The latest incident around the Senkakus follows a July 3-7 visit to China by Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki.

Tamaki was on a mission to boost economic and cultural exchanges, a spokeswoman for the prefectures Asian Economic Strategy Division told Stars and Stripes by phone Friday.

Diplomatic issues should be solved by the government, she said.

Okinawa Prefectural Assembly member Ichiro Ohama criticized Tamaki during a June 26 assembly meeting for saying he would not protest incursions around the Senkakus, which Japan considers part of Okinawa prefecture, during his meetings with Chinese officials.

The Senkakus  five uninhabited islets and three rocks 105 miles east of Taiwan  are administered by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan, which refer to them as the Diaoyu or Tiaoyutai, respectively. The area reportedly holds a wealth of natural resources, including fish, oil and natural gas.
STUTTGART, Germany  The idea of turning U.S. European Commands Atlantic Resolve campaign into a full-fledged contingency operation used to set off alarms in Washington, where concerns about provoking Russia were intense enough to land outspoken generals in the doghouse.

On Thursday, the Pentagon reversed course and announced EUCOMs 9-year-old Atlantic Resolve mission that has deployed thousands of troops over the years to defend NATOs eastern flank was reclassified as a contingency operation, which brings with it an array of new authorizations.

The change gives EUCOM more operational flexibility and includes added entitlements for reservists, who will receive the same benefits as active-duty personnel, the Pentagon said.

In the aftermath of Russias initial 2014 invasion of Ukraine, a push was already underway by U.S. military officials in Europe to get the new Atlantic Resolve effort focused on countering Russia upgraded into a named military operation.

Those attempts were shot down repeatedly. The likely reason was angst about antagonizing Russia and ambivalence about a more robust military mission on the Continent, the former head of the Army in Europe said Friday.

The (Obama) administration was super sensitive to anything that might be seen as provocative to Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges said. (Former national security adviser) Susan Rice even told EUCOM for a while that I could not go to Ukraine without her approval, even though we had troops there training Ukrainian troops.

During his 2014-17 tenure as head of the Army in Europe, Hodges and then-EUCOM chief Gen. Philip Breedlove often were more outspoken than the Pentagon about the implications of Russias armed takeover of Crimea from Ukraine and what it meant for security in Europe.

The idea of making Atlantic Resolve a contingency operation already was being advocated by Hodges.

But we were consistently rebuffed by the (Joint Staff), he said.

Nearly a decade later, Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine and ongoing occupation of the southern and eastern parts of the country forced the Pentagon to reconsider.

Because of the growing size of the mission, which has involved thousands of additional troops since the invasion began Feb. 24, 2022, more support is needed, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director for operations at the Joint Staff, told reporters Thursday.

Lastly, this reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to the defense of NATOs eastern flank in the wake of Russias illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine, he said.

Hodges said the change amounts to a recognition by the Defense Department and the Joint Staff that Operation Atlantic Resolve needs to be higher on the military funding pecking order.

This is a big deal, he said. This will raise its priority, which will help it compete in the Pentagons resourcing process with other requirements around the world.

Retired Brig. Gen. Timothy Daugherty, one of Hodges deputies at the time, concurred, saying the changes could affect everything from troop awards to how military construction projects get carried out.

The evolution makes competing for resources much cleaner and more sustainable on a longer basis, Daugherty said. It is basically a separate bucket of money in the budgeting process.
PARIS  French fighter jets trailed red-white-and-blue smoke over Paris monuments, families held picnics and firefighters hosted holiday balls around France to celebrate Bastille Day on Friday, a moment of much-needed festivity after mass protests, riots and political divisions that have riven the country this year.

Not everyone was feeling the spirit of "liberty, equality and fraternity" that the holiday aims to embody. Traditional fireworks displays were banned in some towns, and trams and buses halted after dark across France to prevent new unrest in underprivileged neighborhoods. And an exceptional 130,000 police were deployed around the country to maintain order.

This year, the celebrations marking the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789 come in the wake of the nation's most serious urban violence in nearly 20 years, following the fatal police shooting of a teenager with North African roots that laid bare anger over entrenched inequality and racial discrimination.

Fighter jets and military helicopters whooshed Friday above the site where 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was killed last month, on Nelson Mandela Square in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, on their way toward the Arc de Triomphe and the VIP guests watching the grandiose Bastille Day parade. Nanterre's streets were unusually quiet as local residents gathered to watch the flyby.

Just a few miles away, crowds lined the Champs-Elysees to watch the annual parade, which included 6,500 people marching, 94 planes and helicopters, 219 ground vehicles, 200 horses and 86 dogs this year.

India was the guest of honor, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi watching alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. About 240 Indian troops led the march, and French-made Indian warplanes joined the aerial display. France often showcases international partners on Bastille Day.

Russia's war in Ukraine  central to last year's Bastille Day celebrations  echoed in this year's events as well. Vehicles on display included the Caesar anti-missile batteries that France is providing to Ukraine, and Ukrainian officials were invited to join Macron in the VIP seats. Macron gave a posthumous Legion of Honor award to French journalist Arman Soldin, killed in Ukraine earlier this year.

Concerts, parties and parades are held in towns and cities around France to commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 that marked the start of the French Revolution, and Friday's events were largely festive.

Even in Nanterre, site of last month's police killing, some residents who gathered to watch the holiday flyover saw reasons to celebrate.

"It's a moment of pleasure," said Aurelie V., 38, who accompanied her newborn infant to watch the parade. She spoke on condition her last name not be used because of continued tensions in her neighborhood. "I came here to share this with my son, to show the strength of our country."

But signs of malaise remained.

The roses on a roadside memorial to Merzouk had long withered by Friday's Bastille Day celebrations. A nearby Monoprix supermarket was still boarded up, and the walls near the intersection where the police shot the teenager were still tagged with words of anger: "Vengeance for Nahel," anti-police slogan "ACAB," and "Death to the king," an apparent dig at what is seen as Macron's out-of-touch leadership.

The fatal shooting of Merzouk at point-blank range during a traffic stop, captured on video, sparked several days of clashes with police, the burning of hundreds of buildings and vehicles and the looting of stores in cities and towns around France.

A group of activists and immigrants defied a ban on political gatherings Friday and demonstrated in eastern Paris against a proposed immigration bill that would facilitate deportations.

"There's no equality when we kill a 17-year-old for traffic violations or when we let teenage immigrants sleep in the streets," said Aimee Kiamenga, a 19-year-old activist with the group SOS Racisme. "France has lost its values, and its system is becoming more and more repressive."

The protesters also called for an end to police brutality, which advocates say often targets people with African origins. Many people living in neglected housing projects who trace their roots to former French colonies, like Merzouk, struggle with lack of opportunity and day-to-day racism.

Macron hasnt directly addressed the issues raised by the killing of Merzouk, focusing instead on supporting the exceptionally large number of towns hit by violence and boosting police presence to restore calm. A presidential aide said that the unrest violence had no impact on the Bastille Day parade, but noted that the celebrations come at a time when it is necessary to reaffirm national cohesion.

The holiday comes after months of mass protests and strikes earlier this year over a law raising the retirement age to 64, which led to a showdown in parliament when Macron's government used special powers to force it through without a vote. Many voters remain angry over the bill and Macron's tactics.

Because unrest tends to spike every year around Bastille Day and because France remains on edge, the government deployed an exceptional 130,000 police Thursday and Friday.

Overnight Thursday to Friday, the Interior Ministry reported 97 people arrested in urban violence and 218 cars set alight around the country. That was slightly lower than last year.

Bounab reported from Nanterre and Paris.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa  Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to attend an economic summit in South Africa next month and the country is desperately trying to persuade him to stay away to avoid the legal and diplomatic fallout over his international arrest warrant, South Africa's deputy president said in an interview with a news website on Friday.

As a signatory to the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, South Africa is obliged to arrest Putin on an indictment the court issued against the Russian leader in March for war crimes involving the abduction of children from Ukraine.

Moscow has dismissed the warrant. South African authorities are likely to breach the treaty and not arrest Putin, but some opposition parties, rights groups and legal activists have said he should be arrested and have threatened to do it themselves, raising security issues for the BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

Having already decided not to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, South Africa faces the prospect of further straining relations with the West if it allows Putin to freely attend the summit of the BRICS emerging economies bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Putin hasn't yet traveled to a country that is a signatory to the court treaty since the arrest warrant against him was issued.

The Kremlin has not said that Putin will attend and the brief rebellion in Russia by the Wagner private military group appeared to make it unlikely he would travel after such a serious threat to his rule.

But Russia does want Putin to attend alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the other presidents, South Africa Deputy President Paul Mashatile said in the interview with News24, a top South African news outlet. All the leaders were invited to the summit before the indictment against Putin was issued, South Africa has said.

"It's a big dilemma for us. Of course, we cannot arrest him," Mashatile said. "It's almost like you invite your friend to your house, and then arrest them. That's why for us, his not coming is the best solution. The Russians are not happy, though. They want him to come."

Mashatile was put in charge of finding a solution by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Russia has rejected the alternatives, which included moving the summit to China, holding a virtual summit or Russia being represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Mashatile said.

Ramaphosa will now attempt to convince Putin not to travel to South Africa when they meet at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg at the end of this month, Mashatile said.

"We've now decided to leave this matter with the president, who is talking to Putin," Mashatile said. "The president is going to the Russia-Africa summit later this month, so they will continue to talk. We want to show him the challenges that we face because we are part of the Rome Statute and we can't wiggle out of this."

South Africa has history on the issue after failing in 2015 to arrest then-Sudan President Omar al-Bashir on a visit to South Africa when he was wanted by the ICC tribunal for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Allowing Putin to attend the BRICS meeting would put more pressure on South Africa's relations with the U.S. and its other important Western diplomatic and trade partners.

U.S.-South Africa relationships are already under strain after the U.S. accused Africa's most developed country of providing weapons to Moscow for the war in Ukraine on a Russian cargo ship that visited South Africa's main naval base near Cape Town in December.

South Africa has denied there was any weapons transaction but Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the visit of the Lady R ship, which is under U.S. sanctions for allegedly transporting weapons for Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he offered the Wagner private military company the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under their same commander after their short-lived rebellion, while some of the mercenaries were shown Friday in Belarus, possibly heralding the group's relocation there.

Putin's comments appeared to reflect his efforts to secure the loyalty of Wagner mercenaries, some of the most capable Russian forces in Ukraine, after the group's brief revolt last month that posed the most serious threat to his 23-year rule.

The fate of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin remains unclear since the June 23-24 armed rebellion and new cracks have appeared in the Russian military as the war grinds through its 17th month and Ukraine presses a counteroffensive against the invading forces.

In remarks published Friday in the business daily Kommersant, Putin for the first time described a Kremlin event attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including Prigozhin, on June 29, five days after the rebellion. He said he praised their efforts in Ukraine, deplored their involvement in the mutiny  which he previously denounced as an act of treason  and offered them alternatives for future service.

Putin told Kommersant that one option would see Wagner keep the same commander who goes by the call sign "Gray Hair" and has led the private army in Ukraine for 16 months. The commander, Andrei Troshev, is a retired military officer who has played a leading role in Wagner since its creation in 2014 and faced European Union sanctions over his role in Syria as the group's executive director.

"All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve," Putin told the newspaper, "And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along."

Putin said many Wagner troops nodded in approval at the proposal, but Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and didn't see their reaction, quickly rejected it, responding that "the boys won't agree with such a decision."

Putin didn't mention where and in what numbers Wagner could be deployed under his offer, or say what proposal the forces eventually accepted, if any. He said nothing about Prigozhin's role.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to elaborate on Wagner's future while speaking with reporters Friday.

Putin has previously said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to neighboring Belarus or retire from service.

Speaking to Kommersant, Putin emphasized that "rank-and-file soldiers of Wagner have fought honorably" in Ukraine, adding that "it's a cause for regret that they were drawn" into the mutiny.

Putin's remarks were to a Kommersant reporter who has special access to the president. They appeared to be part of efforts to denigrate Prigozhin while trying to maintain control over Wagner mercenaries and secure their loyalty.

Putin previously denied any links between the government and Wagner, and acknowledged after the mutiny that Prigozhin's company has received billions of dollars from the state. He noted that investigators would probe whether any of the funds had been stolen, a warning to Prigozhin that he could face financial crimes.

State-controlled media have posted videos and photos of Prigozhin's opulent mansion in St. Petersburg, including stacks of cash, gold bars and fake passports. The images appeared to be part of a smear campaign against the Wagner chief, who has portrayed himself as an enemy of corrupt elites even though he owes his wealth to Putin.

Putin also said Wagner has operated without legal basis.

"There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesn't exist," he told Kommersant, adding that the government and the parliament have yet to discuss the issue of private military contractors.

In the revolt that lasted less than 24 hours, Prigozhin's mercenaries quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot, before driving to within about 200 kilometers (125 miles) of Moscow. Prigozhin called it a "march of justice" to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who demanded that Wagner sign contracts with the Defense Ministry by July 1.

The mutiny faced little resistance and fighters downed at least six military helicopters and a command post aircraft, killing at least 10 airmen. Prigozhin ordered his mercenaries back to their camps after striking a deal to end the rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for him and his men, and permission to move to Belarus.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered the deal, has said Prigozhin was in Russia while Wagner's troops were in their field camps. He didn't specify the camps' location but Prigozhin's mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine before their revolt and also have bases in Russia.

Lukashenko said his military could benefit from the private army's combat experience, and Belarusian state TV broadcast video Friday of Wagner instructors training Belarusian territorial defense forces at a firing range near Asipovichy, where a camp offered to Wagner is located. A Belarusian messaging app channel alleged Prigozhin spent a night at the camp this week and posted a photo of him in a tent.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry didn't say how many Wagner troops were in Belarus or specify if more will follow. Lukashenko has previously said it was up to Prigozhin and Moscow to decide on a move to Belarus. The Kremlin has refrained from comment.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said most mercenaries have remained in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, but added that "at this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine."

While the fate of Prigozhin remains cloudy, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Wagner was completing the handover of its weapons to the Russian military. That appeared to show attempts by Russian authorities to defuse the threat posed by the mercenaries and also seemed to herald an end to the group's operations in Ukraine.

At the same time, new fissures have emerged in the military command. Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, a focal point in Ukraine's counteroffensive, said he was dismissed after speaking out about problems faced by his troops in what he described as a "treacherous" stab in the back.

Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, refused to comment on Popov's remarks, referring questions to the Defense Ministry that also hasn't commented.

In the latest fighting, Ukraine said it shot down 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched overnight from Russia's southern Krasnodar region. The presidential administration said at least four civilians were killed and 10 wounded since Thursday.

In southern Russia, three drones were destroyed late Thursday while approaching the city of Voronezh, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said, adding there were no injuries or damage.

A drone also crashed and exploded in Kurchatov, where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located, without causing any damage to key facilities, said regional Gov. Roman Starovoit.

And three people were wounded when a car exploded in a residential area of Belgorod, near the Ukraine border, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to suggestions this week by British Defense Minister Ben Wallace that Ukraine could show more "gratitude" for Western military aid. The remark was an "unfortunate misunderstanding on the part of the British minister," Kuleba said.

"No one has any reason to accuse us of any ingratitude. But the truth is that, sorry, we are at war," he said. "When we win, then I will say, 'thank you, the weapons were enough,' but while the struggle continues, the weapons are not enough."

Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed.
BELGRADE, Serbia  Serbia suspended all arms exports for 30 days, the defense minister said Friday, just days after the United States imposed sanctions on the Balkan country's intelligence chief over alleged illegal arms deals and other criminal activities.

Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said that the export ban is necessary in order to fulfill the needs of the Serbian army and boost its combat readiness amid the simmering crisis in the Balkan region.

"It does not mean Serbia is going to war or calling for war, but we are looking at all security risks and challenges," Vucevic said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic first announced the move several days ago. He cited "internal security" in Serbia as the reason for the ban while tensions simmer with neighboring Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade doesn't recognize.

Vucevic said the decision will be reviewed after 30 days.

Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but it has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and EU officials recently have stepped up efforts to get Serbia and Kosovo to reach an agreement, fearing possible new instability in Europe while the war continues in Ukraine.

Serbia has faced accusations that it was exporting weapons to countries under international ban, or to Russia and Ukraine. Vucevic denied the reports.

"They keep accusing us that we sold to one side or the other," he said.

The United States this week said the head of Serbia's intelligence agency, Aleksandar Vulin, "has been implicated in transnational organized crime, illegal narcotics operations, and misuse of public office."

"Vulin has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with U.S.-designated Serbian arms dealer Slobodan Tesic, helping ensure that Tesic's illegal arms shipments can move freely across Serbia's borders."

Serbia has promised to investigate U.S. claims. The Organized Crime Prosecutor's office said Friday they will seek information and "concrete evidence" against Vulin from the U.S, the state RTS television reported.

Vulin, a close associated of Vucic, is known for his pro-Russia stance. He was appointed spy chief for the Balkan state last year after previously serving as both the minister of defense and interior.

Last August, Vulin visited Moscow, a rare visit by a European state official that reflected Belgrade's continued ties with Moscow despite its condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine. Vulin then told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that "Serbia is the only state in Europe that didn't introduce sanctions and was not part of the anti-Russian hysteria."

Vucic has said that Washington imposed sanctions because of Vulin's position on Russia, and not crime and corruption. Vulin's ouster has been among the demands of weekslong street protests in Serbia that erupted in the wake of two mass shootings in early May.

There has been no reaction from Vulin to the sanctions, while his Movement of Socialists party has described the measures against their boss as an attack on Serbia, accusing the U.S. of "raping the truth."

The U.S. so far has imposed sanctions on a number of officials from the Balkans accused of corruption and seen as threatening peace and stability in the region following the wars in the 1990s, and for helping "advance Russia's malign activities in Serbia and the region."
WASHINGTON  A Russian military aircraft flew over a U.S. base in southern Syria on Friday near the countrys border with Iraq in what Pentagon officials said was an intelligence-gathering mission.

They continue to undertake activities that are very concerning to us, said a senior U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity. This morning, they flew an intelligence-reconnaissance mission over al-Tanf garrison and were in that space for an extended period of time.

The Russian aircraft conducted the surveillance at a time when there was a gap in U.S. coverage in the area, the official said, meaning no American aircraft were available to respond.

You can never cover everywhere that you have to cover all at once, he said. This just happened to be one of the periods when we had a small gap in our coverage.

Al-Tanf is an American military base located in a part of Syria thats controlled by forces opposed to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and aligned with the United States. The base houses American troops and partner forces. Roughly 900 U.S. service members are based in Syria to support operations against the Islamic State group and train partner forces.

The senior official also said Russian aircraft intercepted a U.S. MQ-9 drone on Friday, continuing a recent pattern of similar behavior. Last week, Russian fighter jets harassed other MQ-9s over Syria by dropping flares in their path. A Russian Su-27 fighter collided with an MQ-9 in March and forced it to crash in the Black Sea. After the drones were harassed by Russian planes last week, they succeeded in a strike that killed ISIS group leader Usamah al-Muhajir.

The senior defense official said the Russian plane Friday approached the MQ-9 in a safe but unprofessional manner. He said Moscows claim of a routine exercise was just an excuse to go after our MQ-9s.

Temporary increases in Russian military activity in the region are nothing new, the U.S. official said.

What has been qualitatively different since March is that theres been an increase in activity and an increase in the unprofessional nature of [Russias] interactions, the official said. [Before] they wouldnt turn and attempt to dogfight our aircraft. That is almost routine now.

During the March encounter, the Russian Su-27 flew so close to the American MQ-9 that it clipped the drones propeller. The incident was captured on the drones camera, and the Russian pilots involved were later given medals for causing the unmanned American aircraft to crash. Defense officials said they believe the increase in activity is part of a general effort to pressure the United States into leaving Syria, where its been running anti-terror operations for a decade. Assads regime is aligned with Russia and Iran.

As Russia and Iran have pulled themselves closer together, there is interest on both sides to push us out of Syria. The Assad regime certainly wants us gone, the senior defense official said. Theres a confluence of interests between those three groups  to push the U.S. out.
WASHINGTON  The State Department says it plans a massive increase in diplomatic personnel and spending for facilities at new U.S. embassies in the Pacific islands as the Biden administration forges ahead with efforts to counter China's growing influence in the region.

In a notice sent to Congress this week, the department said it envisions hiring up to 40 staffers over the next five years for each of four recently opened or soon-to-be-opened embassies in the Pacific. Those include an embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands, that opened in January; an embassy in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, that opened in May and planned embassies in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and in Tarawa, Kiribati. Currently there are only two temporary American staffers each in Honiara and Nuku'alofa.

At each of those posts, the department says it will spend at least $10 million for start-up, design and construction costs. Only a portion of that amount is included in the administration's current budget proposal and the department said that in addition to that amount, each new embassy will need $3.3 million a year to cover upkeep and operating costs.

The update to Congress, which was sent on Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press, comes as the administration moves to boost the U.S. presence in the Pacific in response to China's increasing assertiveness there.

It also came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Indonesia for a southeast Asian regional security forum and planned an extended Pacific trip at the end of July.

The notice pointed out that China has permanent diplomatic facilities in eight of the 12 Pacific island nations that the United States recognizes and said the U.S. needs to catch up.

"The lack of a permanent U.S. diplomatic presence in more heavily populated (Pacific islands) undermines U.S. efforts to engage as an indispensable partner and Pacific power during a time of heightened strategic competition," it said. "To address this challenge, the United States has moved to dramatically increase its diplomatic and development engagement with the region."

In the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Kiribati, initial staffing at the embassies will be limited to four resident American diplomats, including an ambassador, and five local staffers along with an as-yet undetermined number of local security guards, the department said.

However, it added that projected staffing at each embassy over the next five years could jump to between 30 and 40 American and local employees "as facility space allows."

At the same time, the department said that attracting experienced and competent staff to fill the new posts will be difficult without offering incentives to prospective employees, suggesting that Congress may need to allocate more money if the U.S. is to remain competitive with China in the region.

"Recruitment for new and existing positions remains extremely difficult without a commensurate compensation package to attract talented officers asked to serve in remote locations subject to extreme weather phenomena, poor telecommunication systems, and inadequate medical and schooling facilities," it said.

"Rectifying this situation would require an investment in resources and creative solutions to attract and retain a cadre of Pacific experts," it said. "The United States needs to significantly increase staffing resources if it plans to robustly engage in the Pacific islands to preserve an open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific."

The notification did not elaborate on what those resources or creative solutions might be.
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  The House is poised to approve mood-altering drugs to treat combat-related brain maladies, capping years of effort by an ex- Navy SEAL from Texas and a New York democratic socialist.

Magic mushrooms make strange bedfellows.

Theres already some pretty solid studies that show just unbelievable outcomes  massive reduction in PTSD symptoms, said Houston-area Rep. Dan Crenshaw on Thursday, making a final public plea with his partner on the issue, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The duo has fought to get Congress to direct Pentagon studies of psilocybin to treat traumatic brain injury and PTSD, which have become increasingly common in the military. The proposal is tucked into the $886 billion defense bill the House began debating Thursday.

The stigma around these substances is very real, said Ocasio-Cortez. But they hold enormous therapeutic potential.

To knowingly refuse to enable research that could end millions of peoples suffering is simply wrong, she said. If we prohibit these promising drugs from being studied, we are being led by stigma, not science. And it is our veterans who will pay the price.

Conservative Republicans have demanded a number of contentious provisions in the defense bill that threatened delay. That included directives to ban abortions through the military health care system; end diversity, equity and inclusion training; and reverse President Joe Bidens decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine.

Mood-altering drugs

Allowing research on mood-altering drugs enjoys broad support.

Veterans groups have lauded the bill as a way to stanch a suicide epidemic among those in uniform or retired from active duty.

Psilocybin and other hallucinogenics hold incredible promise to treat addiction and other inner demons, Crenshaw said. Start with our servicemembers. Start with our veterans. The possibilities are endless from there. Theres drug addiction, theres promise for victims of sexual trauma. What about law enforcement officers who deal with what they deal with every single day.

Roughly 450,000 military personnel were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury from 2000 to 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many also suffer from PTSD and depression.

PTSD afflicts 15% of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs  triple the rate among Vietnam veterans.

A survey last year found that three-fourths of veterans and active duty personnel whove served since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have experienced PTSD.

Psychedelics have been banned at the federal level since the Nixon era, a response to the counterculture movement of the 1960s.

But acceptance has grown.

Oregon became the first state to decriminalize possession of psilocybin and to legalize its therapeutic use in 2020. Voters in Colorado decriminalized such drugs last November. Legalization of some sort is under discussion in a dozen other states.

Potential therapies

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, supports and conducts research into mind-altering drugs as potential therapies.

In 2021, the Texas Legislature ordered studies of the so-called designer drug ecstasy, psilocybin, and ketamine to treat veterans with PTSD.

Gov. Greg Abbott showed his disdain by allowing that bill to become law without his signature.

His predecessor promoted the Texas law.

Rick Perry, a fellow Republican, has been advocating research into psychedelics to treat veterans with PTSD for several years. He opposes recreational use but has enthusiastically touted the potential benefits to treat depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

Some of you are out there going, What in the hell is that dude doing on this stage,  Perry said last month at a conference in Denver, where he delivered the opening remarks to thousands of legalization advocates and scientists. Youre literally changing the world. Youre changing minds, and, more importantly, youre saving lives.

Britains Prince Harrys recent memoir includes an anecdote about taking black diamond mushroom chocolates at the home of Friends star Courtney Cox six years ago. (Cox has said she didnt provide that to him or any other guest.)

The prince told Vanity Fair that he viewed hallucinogenics as fundamental in his life, providing a sense of relaxation, relief, comfort, a lightness that helped me deal with the traumas and the pains of the past.

Crenshaws bill  the Douglas Mike Day Psychedelic Therapy to Save Lives Act of 2023  is named for a 21-year SEAL who took his own life earlier this year.

He rounded up support from other veterans in Congress, including a fellow SEAL, Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R- Magnolia, whose Houston-area district is adjacent to his.

Rep. Lou Correa, D- Calif., joining Ocasio-Cortez and Crenshaw under a blazing sun on Thursday afternoon, said hes heard from countless veterans who sought treatment in places like Mexico and Costa Rica, and the success rate has been 80%.

Its shameful that the one thing that works for these veterans is not legal in the United States, he said.

Crenshaw said Speaker Kevin McCarthy has assured him the House will fight for the provisions when the defense bill goes to negotiations with the Senate.

I still cant find one member of Congress who would say that they are against this, he said.

2023 The Dallas Morning News.

Visit dallasnews.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
War-torn Sudan's capital experienced a communications blackout for several hours on Friday, residents said, as the army and paramilitary forces waged intense battles across Khartoum.

Vital internet and mobile phone connections -- which have been critical to sourcing information and supplies during nearly three months of war -- were out of service as "violent clashes" raged in several parts of the city, witnesses told AFP via landline.

The source of the malfunction was not immediately clear, and some mobile network were restored by 11:00 am (0900 GMT), according to residents.

Through the morning, columns of black smoke were seen rising near army headquarters in the centre of Khartoum as well as in the city's south.

Witnesses in Khartoum North said there were "clashes using all kinds of weapons". In Omdurman, just across the Nile river, witnesses reported fighter jets and drones flying overhead.

Since April 15, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has been at war with his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

According to the United Nations, more than 1.5 million Khartoum residents have been forced to flee the air strikes from above, tanks and fighters on the streets and rampant looting.

Millions have remained trapped at home for fear of getting caught in the crossfire of the brutal urban warfare in Khartoum's densely populated neighbourhoods or of being attacked on the street.

They have often relied on the internet to source basic needs, setting up crowdsourcing initiatives for escape routes, food and medicine.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people across Sudan, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, with the worst fighting taking place in Khartoum and the western region of Darfur.

On Thursday, the International Criminal Court said it has commenced investigations into alleged war crimes, after increased reports of atrocities, particularly in Darfur, including of sexual violence and civilians being targeted for their ethnicity.

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(Tribune News Service)  An Upstate New York homicide suspect who escaped from a northwestern Pennsylvania jail last week could be on the run for months, according to notorious criminal Ralph Bucky Phillips.

Michael Burham, 34, escaped from the Warren County Prison in Warren, Pa., on Thursday, July 6, and has been on the run for more than a week now. Authorities say he used exercise equipment to gain access to the jail roof and then climbed down using bedsheets tied into a rope; police agencies have searched the nearby area, including the Alleghany National Forest, and recently found a hidden cache of clothes, food and other items in a wooded area.

Burham, described as a self-taught survivalist with military training, was being held on $1 million bail as he faced multiple charges in a three-state crime spree. The Associated Press reports hes accused of raping and killing Kala Hodgkin, 34, and setting a vehicle on fire in Jamestown, N.Y., near where he lived in Chautauqua County; hes also accused of kidnapping an elderly couple in Pennsylvania and forcing them at gunpoint to drive him to South Carolina, where he was arrested May 24.

According to reports quoting Elizabeth Hensley-Sieber, a former girlfriend, Burham served in the Army for more than a decade.

Police consider Burham very dangerous and say he may be armed.

Phillips, who escaped from Erie County Correctional Facility in 2006 and sparked a five-month-long manhunt, was also described as a survivalist. He is currently serving a life sentence for shooting three New York State Police troopers, killing one.

In a new phone interview with Buffalo TV station WIVB, Phillips said he resents comparisons to Burham because he never physically harmed any civilians.

I heard something about he kidnapped an old couple and held them? Phillips said. Thats not my character whatsoever... And people should already know by the fact that I was out there for five months and I never harmed any civilians whatsoever. Yeah, that aint cool.

Phillips did, however, similarly hide out in the woods along the New York-Pennsylvania border and is familiar with the area where Burham is believed to be. Phillips told WIVB that its unlikely foot soldiers out of the city will be able to find Burham in the vast wilderness, where Burham may be able to find enough food to survive for months and avoid being spotted if he restricts movement to nighttime.

If he stays in the woods the chances of being apprehended are slim... as long as he stays away from people, Phillips told WIVB. By the way he sounds, if he sees someone, hes probably going to end up making sure that they dont say nothing.

Phillips was captured just across the state line in Pennsylvania in September 2006 after police received multiple tips from area residents.

State police say more than 200 state, federal and local law enforcement officers are involved in the manhunt for Burham. The large search area includes difficult terrain and cabins, oil and gas sheds, and shacks affording a fugitive a place to hide, according to the AP.

A reward for information leading to Burhams capture was recently increased to $19,500. Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said more than 500 tips have already come in since the manhunt began.

Law enforcement say they are investigating multiple leads, including a drone that was spotted near the jail at the time of Burhams escape and any potential accomplices.

2023 Advance Local Media LLC.

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(Tribune News Service)  Twenty years ago last week, a new Senate chaplain offered a prayer thanking God for his predecessors legacy of faithfulness and imploring heaven to give these leaders the gift of discernment that they will know what matters most, and approve what is excellent.

It was a job Chaplain Barry Black, a retired Navy rear admiral who had spent 27 years ministering to the military, never expected to still be holding in 2023.

As George Strait puts it so eloquently in one of his songs, in my opinion, this is where the cowboy rides away. So I fully expected for a very brief stint in the legislative branch, Black said in a July 7 phone interview, 20 years to the day after that first Senate prayer.

But its a post that has made Black one of the most visible staff members of the Senate, and one from which he wanted to offer some advice for fellow Americans.

We need to stop demonizing government and governmental workers, he said, saying there needs to be a better appreciation for the role of the government in holding in check the chaotic. He cited Romans 13:1-7, in particular the part about the need to honor those to whom honor is due.

Thats why we call them the honorable, Black said. There are people who deserve honor just because of the position, and we need to have respect even when someone we didnt vote for ends up being in charge.

From time to time, Black has used the pulpit of the Senate dais to speak frankly to the senators themselves. That has been true during government shutdowns, and in March after a mass shooting at a parochial elementary school in Nashville.

When babies die at a church school, it is time for us to move beyond thoughts and prayers, he said March 28. Lord, deliver our senators from the paralysis of analysis that waits for the miraculous. Use them to battle the demonic forces that seek to engulf us.

Two decades into his open-ended appointment (because the Senate is a continuing body, there doesnt need to be a new chaplain elected until theres a vacancy), Black says he remains fascinated by the work of ministers in pluralistic settings, be it the Navy or the Capitol.

Military preparation

Black said that experience as a military chaplain or elsewhere in connection with the federal government, whether at the Federal Bureau of Prisons or the Department of Veterans Affairs, is good preparation for the kind of work that he has done in the Senate.

Those kinds of ministries prepare you to facilitate for those who may not be Christian, which is a challenge for folks who have provided ministry in one denomination, as so many of my predecessors have done, and they are simply senior pastors from usually liturgical, Protestant denominations  Presbyterian, Anglican, Black said. They are not accustomed to saying are we ready for the Holy Days for our Jewish people? Are we ready for holidays for those from the Islamic tradition? Can we invite Hindu priests? Can we invite someone from Buddhism, as we have done in my 20 years?

Guest chaplains during Blacks tenure have come from a variety of faith traditions, perhaps the most memorable coming in 2014, when the Dalai Lama opened the chamber.

Black and his small staff provide the full range of pastoral services to the Senate community, from baptisms, premarital counseling and weddings to funerals. He said he had been at the bedside of four senators when they passed  and with others at the hospital when they were not expected to live.

Away from Capitol Hill, Black keeps a full schedule as a guest preacher at churches and other religious venues across the country, with his office regularly getting five invites a day for outside engagements. Black declines many of them, with the Senate schedule and the pastoral needs of senators, spouses, staffers and others in the Capitol community taking precedence.

I take advantage of the opportunity to accept invitations from people who are actually interested in what is ministry like in the military chaplaincy and what is ministry like in the legislative chaplaincy, Black said. When he spoke with CQ Roll Call, Black was preparing to preach to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a Methodist community on the Jersey Shore.

A week before, he was preaching to a Baptist congregation in Florida at First Sarasota for a freedom-themed sermon ahead of the Fourth of July.

Its an opportunity to give people a glimpse of what ministry in the Senate feels like, he said. What is it like to be a senator and being taught by the chaplain of the Senate? Well, the chaplain of the Senate is right there in their church teaching and preaching, so its a wonderful opportunity to expose American citizens to a kind of pluralistic ministry.

A Seventh-day Adventist, Black said he aims to tailor his approach to the specific setting.

When Im speaking in the National Cathedral, its a more liturgical setting and the message is going to be a little different from when Im speaking at First Baptist Church in Sarasota, Black said.

In the interview, he also spoke about the significance of prayer.

He said one of his messages is that people should not become exasperated, as I know they often do and think that their prayers dont matter, because they do. And to keep the prayer pressure on, Black said.

And beyond prayers, the chaplain emphasized what he described as the importance of righteousness to the preservation of freedom.

If we are not vigilant in the way we vote, and the way we advocate and the way we think about government to ensure that people are encouraged to live at the highest levels of integrity possible, we are not making as significant a contribution to freedom as we can, Black said.

2023 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

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General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited Quetta Garrison on Friday where he was briefed on recent terrorist attack in Zhob.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), the COAS paid rich tribute to the martyrs, visited the injured soldiers at CMH, Quetta, lauded their services to the nation and appreciated their resolve.

The Armed Forces of Pakistan have serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP in Afghanistan. It is expected that interim Afghan government would not allow the use of its soil to perpetrate terror against any country, in the real sense and in line with commitments made in Doha Agreement.

The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed. Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit effective response from the Security Forces of Pakistan.

Operations against terrorists would continue unabated and the Armed Forces shall not rest till the menace of terrorism is rooted out from the country.

Earlier on arrival, COAS was received by Commander Quetta Corps.
The court was told Jenna had been prescribed painkillers and had been off school for about a week

A 15-year-old camogie player who was left with a scar on her leg after being struck by an untaped hurley, has been awarded almost 40,000 damages against Cumann Na mBunscol Atha Cliath.

Barrister Deirdre Byrne told Judge John OConnor in the Circuit Civil Court today Friday that there had been a metal band on the hurley which should have been taped for safety purposes.

Ms Byrne, who appeared with Stuart Gilhooley of HJ Ward Solicitors, said Jenna McGovern when she was 11 years old had been playing in a schools final at Croke Park for St Kevins Primary School, Kilnamanagh, against Balgaddy School, Lucan, Co Dublin.

Counsel told the court that Jenna, of Parkhill rise, Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24, had been struck on the back of her left leg by a hurley which had a metal band wrapped around it and which had caused a laceration. The injury had occurred on June 11, 2019.

The girls mother, Suzie McGovern, in an affidavit outlining the incident for the court stated that the match had been organized by Cumann Na mBunscol. Her daughter had been initially treated in Croke Park with the wound being cleaned and steri-strips applied.

Afterwards she had attended at the Emergency Department of Crumlin Childrens Hospital where the wound was further treated with anaesthetic gel and seven stitches inserted.

Ms Byrne told Judge OConnor that Jenna had been prescribed painkillers and had been off school for about a week. She had to have the sutures removed after a week.

She said the Injuries Board had assessed damages in accordance with the personal injury guidelines adopted by the Judicial Council two years ago in the sum of 38,000 for general damages and 1,183 for medical fees and general expenses.

Ms Byrne said Cumann Na mBunscol had accepted the Injury Boards assessment as had Jennas mother, who she had sued through.

I think the settlement offer fair and reasonable in respect of the scar injury and I have no hesitation in recommending it to the court, Ms Byrne said.

Judge OConnor said he considered the offer an appropriate one in the circumstances and approved it, directing that the 38,000 be lodged in court on Jennas behalf and the special damages of 1,183 be paid out to her solicitor.
Christopher Gaynor was handed an eight-year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for three years.

Photograph of cocaine seized by gardai on August 21, 2022

A Dublin man has been handed a prison sentence for holding a significant amount of cocaine with a value of 2.8 million in his home.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Christopher Gaynor (39) of Woodavens, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cocaine for sale or supply on August 21, 2022, at Collinstown Grove, Clondalkin. He has no previous convictions.

Passing sentence today, Judge Orla Crowe said, Drugs blight society in every conceivable way.

She said the aggravating features of this case include the high value of the cocaine found in Gaynor's family home and the harm caused by drugs to society.

She noted that gardai had observed suspicious activity, which Gaynor was actively involved in, and there was trust in him due to the amount of drugs and cash found.

Judge Crowe handed Gaynor an eight-year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for three years.

Detective Garda John McWeaney told the prosecuting counsel that on August 19, 2022, gardai received information from a member of the public who can concerns about possible drug dealing at a property in Collinstown Grove.

Gardai monitored the area and observed two known cocaine users and two possible drug transactions taking place.

A warrant was obtained, and the house in question was searched on August 21, 2021.

Gaynor was present in the house when gardai arrived.

They asked him if there were any drugs here? and he replied, Yeah, and confirmed there were a lot of drugs upstairs.

Gardai seized Gaynors phone and took photographs of two large drums and blocks, which were stacked and wrapped in green plastic. 40kg of cocaine with a value of 2.8 million was found in the attic of the house.

21,100 of cash, which was vacuum-packed, was also recovered during the search.

Gaynor was cautioned at the scene and told gardai, They are what they are.

Following his arrest, Gaynor was taken to Lucan Garda Station. En route, gardai observed that Gaynor was distressed and upset and said he had been backed into a corner as he owed 70,000 in loans.

The court heard that Gaynor built up a large debt due to a gambling addiction.

This debt had been passed to others.

He told gardai he would receive 5,000 in debt reduction once all the drugs were gone.

He said he initially received 50kg of drugs and had already given out 10kg.

Det Gda McWeaney said that there were no trappings of wealth in the home and that Gaynor had not come to garda attention before or since this incident.

He said he also believed that Gaynor was in fear for his life and for his family.

Gaynor lost a job with Dublin Bus over ten years ago but has had other employment since then.

Det Gda McWeaney agreed with defence counsel that Gaynor made admissions and cooperated with gardai.

He also accepted that Gaynor said he had been involved in the drugs trade for a while but was not making any profit.

It was also accepted that Gaynor was holding the money, which didn't belong to him.

Photograph of cocaine seized by gardai on August 21, 2022

Defence counsel told the court that his client is acutely aware of the difficulties drugs cause in the community.

He said Gaynor has depression and anxiety. His client is a father of three children.

A probation report was handed to the court along with 30 pages of testimonials and a letter of apology from Gaynor.

Judge Orla Crowe noted that the court was dealing with a significant quantity of drugs with a high value.

She said the court had to take into consideration the grave social harm caused by drugs and their adverse impact on society.

Judge Crowe commended the gardai for their exemplary work in this case, which had benefitted society and yielded a significant drugs haul.

She noted the mitigation includes Gaynor's early guilty plea, his admission and lack of previous convictions. Judge Crowe said Gaynor appears to be under financial pressure due to gambling addiction.

She said the court accepts Gaynor had no propriety interest in the drugs and set a headline sentence of 12 years due to the gravity of the offending.

Judge Crowe said that Gaynor's guilty plea and his specific circumstances allowed the court to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years.

She backdated the eight-year sentence with 12 months suspended to June 26 and directed Gaynor to place himself under the supervision of the Probation Service for 18 months post-release.
Mr Jordan, of Hampton Wood Square, Ballymun is charged with assault causing harm and producing a machete in the course of a dispute.

A DUBLIN man attacked another man with a machete, leaving him with a fractured skull in a violent clash outside the accuseds home, it is alleged.

Ian Jordan (34) maintained he was defending his family against the alleged victim who arrived at his house brandishing a pole in the middle of the night, followed by a posse of hooligans armed with weapons.

He was granted bail and the case was adjourned at Blanchardstown District Court for the directions of the DPP.

Mr Jordan, of Hampton Wood Square, Ballymun is charged with assault causing harm and producing a machete in the course of a dispute.

Objecting to bail, Garda Robert Diffley said there was an armed call to Hampton Wood Square at 5am on July 2 where a man was alleged to have been attacked with a machete.

Gardai saw the accused walking towards his own home from the direction of Balbutcher Lane, with a bloody kitchen towel around his lacerated arm.

The accuseds partners Nissan Qashqai was outside with two smashed windows and there was a trail of blood leading to Balbutcher Lane.

Gardai received another call that a man had been stabbed in the head with a machete. He had deep lacerations to his head, legs and arms and was taken to the Mater Hospital where he was treated for a fractured skull.

The injured man did not say who had assaulted him and was discharged two days later, Gda Diffley continued.

CCTV between 2.30am and 5am that morning showed a number of incidents, the court heard.

The alleged victim was seen approaching Mr Jordans home brandishing a large pole. It was alleged the accused was seen attacking this man with a machete before an unidentified woman stepped in and stopped the altercation.

Later, a number of men were seen coming from Balbutcher Lane brandishing weapons and there was a standoff with the accused. The five to six men appeared to be associated with the alleged victim, Gda Diffley continued.

A number of threats could be heard on mobile phone footage, the garda said.

Denials were made by the accused in interview, he said.

Applying for bail, defence barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin said the case seemed to be that his client was at home with his family in the middle of the night when the supposed victim arrived with a weapon and started banging on his door.

Mr Jordan would say he was defending himself, his home and his family. A posse then came back and smashed up his partners car, so he came out and again defended his home.

That is correct, with a machete, Gda Diffley said,

Mr MacLoughlin said there would be a defence that the accused was acting lawfully in defence of his home and family.

His client was the real victim in this case, and was doing nothing wrong when these hooligans came to his house," he said.

Gda Diffley said he did not accept that what happened was reasonable.

Judge Jones granted bail in the accuseds own bond of 100 and an independent surety of 600.

Under conditions, he is to observe a night time curfew, sign on daily at Ballymun garda station and stay away from the street where the alleged victim lives.

He was remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear in Cloverhill District Court on July 20.

The accused has not yet entered a plea to the charges.
The 38-year-old had been arrested in an early morning Garda swoop at an address in Letterkenny yesterday morning.

Alan Vial who appeared at a special sitting of Ballyshannon court in connection with the death of Robert Wilkins. (NW Newspix)

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man whose body was found floating in waters off Sliabh Liag cliffs in Co Donegal.

Alan Vial appeared amidst tight Garda security at a special sitting of Ballyshannon Court this afternoon.

The 38-year-old had been arrested in an early morning Garda swoop at an address in Letterkenny yesterday morning.

He had been questioned throughout Thursday before being taken the short distance from Ballyshannon Garda Station to Ballyshannon Courthouse to appear before Judge Eiteain Cunningham.

Vial, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, was charged that on the 25th of June, 2023 at a place unknown within the State, did murder one Robert Wilkin (also known as Robin Wilkin.)

The charge was Contrary to Common Law and as provided for by Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1964.

Dressed in a striped t-shirt and dark tracksuit bottoms, the accused did not speak during the short hearing.

Members of Vial's family were also in court for the hearing.

Alan Vial

Detective Garda Ciaran O'Brien of Ballyshannon Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the court how after being charged, the accused made no reply.

Vial's solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said that because the nature of the charge there was no application for bail.

He asked that the case be adjourned back to Letterkenny District Court by videolink on Monday next, July 17th for the service of a book of evidence.

He said he appreciated that a book of evidence was unlikely to be ready due to time constraints.

He also asked for the accused to receive all required medical treatment including an updated prescription for a medical condition while in custody.

Garda Superintendent Karen Brady agreed to all matters including having the case referred back to Letterkenny District Court.

Judge Cunningham adjourned the case and agreed to all requests by Mr Gallagher.

Vial had been previously arrested along with a woman in her 20s on Monday, June 26th on suspicion of a serious assault.

It followed information received by Gardai which led to a large-scale search off the popular tourist destination at Sliabh Liag.

Despite being questioned for two days, the pair were released without charge.

Following an extensive search involving Gardai, the Irish Coastguard including Rescue 118 and the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team, a body was recovered in water off the cliffs on July 3rd.

Robert Wilkin

The body was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where a full post mortem was carried out by the State Pathologist's Office.

The findings of that post mortem have not been released for Garda operational reasons.

The victim Mr Wilkin, was aged in his mid-60s and from Northern Ireland.

It is understood that Mr Wilkin's remains were released from Letterkenny University Hospital to his family on Wednesday last.
Before this bust there was known links between the Bulgarian mafia and Irish criminals and this is now something that national garda units are investigating.

Specialist gardai this evening continue to interview two Bulgarian nationals over one of the biggest drug seizures of the year with the help of translators.

Over 11 million worth of cocaine was discovered when customs officers searched a concealed compartment of a horse box that landed at Rosslare Europort yesterday.

Gardai believe that the massive drugs haul was destined for the Irish market.

Before this bust there was known links between the Bulgarian mafia and Irish criminals and this is now something that national garda units are investigating.

The reason for this belief is that the vehicle that was stopped by customs is that its final destination was due to be in Dublins north inner city, at a false address a senior source said.

Look this is a massive amount of coke  it is not known who exactly controls it but multiple devices are now being examined in terms of this so it could yet emerge who is behind it, the source added.

Gardai announced details of the arrest operation today.

Gardai have arrested two men following the seizure of an estimated 11.4 Million of cocaine by Revenue Customs Officers at Rosslare Europort Harbour, Co. Wexford, yesterday 13th July 2023, a spokesman said.

At approximately 1:30pm, Revenue Customs Officers conducted a search of a horsebox which had disembarked a ferry. During the course of this search an estimated 163kg of suspected cocaine was discovered.

Wexford Gardai attended the scene and arrested two men, aged in their 20s and 30s, in relation to this seizure.

Both men are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda Station in the Wexford District.

The drugs will be sent to FSI for further analysis. Investigations are ongoing.
Trade between Egypt and Turkey should see a boost following the resumption of diplomatic ties.

The decision to restore diplomatic relations between Egypt and Turkey offers fresh prospects for enhancing bilateral trade relations, which continued despite the severing of political ties after the Muslim Brotherhoods ouster from power in Egypt in 2013.

A statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry earlier in July signalled a promising turn towards re-establishing normal relations [between the two countries], reflecting Egypt and Turkeys shared keenness to boost relations for the benefit of both peoples.

In mid-February, the Egyptian cabinet said Turkish companies had pledged to invest $500 million in Egypt after representatives had met with the Egyptian prime minister for the first time in a decade.

According to the Foreign Ministry statement, the Turkish companies, some of which are already present in Egypt, are engaged in various sectors such as the development of industrial zones, spinning and weaving, ready-made clothing and sportswear, medical equipment, and electrical appliances.

The statement said that Turkish investments in Egypt have reached $2 billion.

Nihad Akinci, chairman of the Egyptian-Turkish Businessmen Association, anticipates a surge in Turkish investments in Egypt following the decision of several companies to increase their investments by $500 million this year, either by launching new companies or expanding existing ones.

The association, in collaboration with several commercial chambers such as the Ready-Made Garments Chamber of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, is preparing opportunities for Turkish investments in the field of textiles and ready-made clothes.

Meetings between the two sides will be arranged at a later date, Akinci added, with the meetings expected to take place within the next two months.

The upcoming period will also see meetings between businessmen from both sides in other sectors beyond spinning, weaving, and ready-made clothes. Turkish investments in Egypt encompass diverse activities, such as home appliances under the Beko brand, chemicals and health products, and the BIM discount stores, he pointed out.

The earlier severing of Egyptian-Turkish ties at the political level had not affected Turkish investments in Egypt, Akinci said. In fact, some companies had expanded their businesses during those times. The new announcement of enhancing relations between the two countries will reflect positively on investments, he added.

The effects of the new policy have already been evident in the recent increase in the number of Turkish tourists visiting Egypt after the announcement that Turkish citizens can acquire visas at Egyptian airports regardless of age. In late march, the Egyptian authorities declared a host of new facilities for tourists from Turkey, Iran, and Israel.

The Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) has reported that there was a 14 per cent increase in the value of trade between Egypt and Turkey in 2022, reaching $7.7 billion and up from $6.7 billion in 2021.

The trade balance between the two countries is in Egypts favour at $250 million, the agency added.

According to CAPMAS, Turkey is a top importer from Egypt, with 10 commodities accounting for 82.7 per cent of Egypts total exports to Turkey in 2022 and amounting to $3.31 billion.

These commodities include fuel, mineral oils, plastics, inorganic chemical products, and fertilisers. The most important commodities that Egypt imports from Turkey are iron and steel.

The value of Egypts imports from Turkey decreased to $3.72 billion in 2022, down from $3.74 billion in 2021. Turkey ranked seventh on the list of exporting countries to Egypt over the past year.

In April 2022, former Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara targeted increasing the level of trade exchanges with Cairo to $15 billion. During a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukri, Cavusoglu stressed Turkeys efforts to stimulate investments in Egypt, particularly in the tourism sector.

We will also diversify the relationship between the two countries, particularly in the field of energy, and develop joint economic relations with Egypt, he added.

Adel Lamei, who heads the Egyptian side of the Egyptian-Turkish Business Council, said that the restoration of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Turkey would facilitate communication and procedures to obtain visas on both sides.

He added that Turkey was among the few countries where the trade balance is in favour of Egypt, thanks to the recent increase in the volume of gas exports.

He said that in recent years there has been a significant expansion in Turkish investments in various fields in Egypt, including in the textile industries, food, services, and chemicals. He expects a further increase in the volume of these investments, particularly with the states recent decisions in favour of the private sector, such as the non-exemption of state-affiliated companies from fees and customs.

Lamei added that Turkish investors recognise the vast opportunities available in Egypt, particularly in the light of the international trade agreements that Egypt has signed, among them the Agadir Agreement, a free-trade agreement between Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, membership of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and free trade agreements with the EU.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 13 July, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Dowdall, who is in the Witness Security Programme appeared at the High Court amd was flanked by prison officers during the hearing

CONVICTED torturer and State witness Jonathan Dowdall today lost his appeal against his prison sentence for helping the gang behind the murder of Kinahan Cartel criminal David Byrne.

Dowdall, who is in the Witness Security Programme appeared at the High Court amd was flanked by prison officers during the hearing while armed gardai were on duty in the court complex.

Judge George Birmingham delivering the judgement said Dowdall had provided assistance to what was described as a Tier 1 criminal organisation.

The three-judge panel said they agreed with the view of Special Criminal Court and that the sentence was well within the range.

Indeed in our view the sentence imposed when viewed in the round has to be seen as lenient, indeed very lenient.

The former Sinn Fein city councillor dressed a black fleece show no emotion as his hopes of an early release were dashed.

At his appeal hearing last month it argued he was "duped" into assisting the criminal organisation behind the 2016 gangland attack at the Regency Hotel.

Jonathan Dowdall leaving court previously with his dad Patrick

Dowdall was jailed for four years for his role in booking a room at the hotel for the gang, but he had sought to have his sentence reduced or set aside.

It was also argued not enough weight was given to mitigating factors, including his guilty plea and the effect his decision to turn State witness will have on his life.

His barrister said at last months appeal hearing said the hotel room the "launching pad" for the murder but was also the "launching pad for a contrived event plan of disinformation, which was put together in a way where my client was left front and centre".

During the investigation, gardai established the person using the room in the hotel was Kevin Murray, who had known paramilitary connections with the IRA.

During Dowdall's sentence hearing, his lawyer said Murray was there to attract attention on the basis that investigating gardai would be misdirected in a paramilitary direction.

Other grounds of appeal included that Dowdall wasn't 'a time waster and spent ten days being cross- examined during the murder trial.

It was argued that the Special Criminal Court had weighed the consequences of how Dowdall's life was going to change on becoming State's witness 'with a blindfold'.

Counsel also said Dowdall should have been entitled to a 30 per cent discount for his guilty plea instead of 25 per cent and that a headline sentence of six years was appropriate rather than one of eight years.

Court of Appeal president Judge George Birmingham said last month his first reaction was that Dowdall had done 'extraordinarily well' and asked should he be drawing attention 'to the range of options open'.

The judge pointed out that there were 'elements of unreality' about some of the arguments advanced in the submissions.

This is a person who pleaded guilty to an offence and someone who came before the court having been convicted of a very serious offence in the past and had served a substantial sentence - could he have had any expectation of doing better than he did?

Counsel for the State had described his sentence as generous and undoubtedly fair.
It was alleged the accused was involved in storing and distributing large amounts of cash for the OCG.

A SUSPECTED money launderer for a Dublin organised crime group had more than 50,000 in cash at a house he was renting when gardai raided it, a court heard.

Detectives made the seizure days after seeing Igor Logvinov (61) in an alleged money handover outside a south Dublin petrol station.

According to gardai, he came to Ireland from the UK in recent months to help store and distribute large amounts of cash for an OCG.

Judge Michele Finan refused to grant him bail and remanded him in custody to tomorrow for the directions of the DPP.

Mr Logvinov, a Lithuanian carpenter with an address at Belarmine Vale, Stepaside Dublin, is charged with money laundering.

Objecting to bail, the prosecuting garda said detectives attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau conducted an operation into the activity of an organised crime grouping in the Dublin 18 area.

It was alleged the accused was involved in storing and distributing large amounts of cash for the OCG.

Mr Logvinov was a UK resident who travelled to Ireland in a black Range Rover in June and rented a property in Stepaside short-term.

It was alleged that on July 4 he was captured on CCTV parking outside a south Dublin Circle K. Some 11 minutes later, a grey BMW was seen stopping directly beside his car and after a short verbal exchange, the BMW driver hands over a large shopping bag the garda believed to contain a large quantity of cash, the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Both cars then left in separate directions, the garda told the court.

On July 7, gardai searched the Stepaside address under warrant and seized 56,350 in cash along with bagging and electronic devices including mobile phones.

The contents of a phone were downloaded and a partial extract conducted in which were located photos showing large bundles of cash and several different locations which were suspected to have been where handovers were held.

Mr Logvinov maintained he had taken out a personal loan and came to Ireland to buy a mobile home. However, gardai alleged that in interview, the accused also provided contradictory accounts.

The garda said the accused also had a visa for Russia and she feared he would flee the jurisdiction if granted bail. She said further charges in the case were possible.

Defence barrister Vanessa Frawley said the accused, a carpenter, was presumed innocent and would likely spend a long time in custody awaiting trial if refused bail.

Ms Frawley said the garda had not seen what was in the shopping bag. The garda replied it was her strong belief it contained cash.

Mr Logvinov came to Ireland on holiday for sight seeing and intended buying a mobile home to retire, Ms Frawley said, applying for bail.

Judge Finan refused bail and remanded the accused in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court.
Godfather busted as undercover cops watched another gang

Cocky mobser John Gilligan drinking in the sun before his arrest by cops

The international investigation which led to the arrest of John Gilligan on the Costa Blanca began after cops carried out surveillance on another Spanish-based drug gang.

Undercover officers secretly watched on as the mob held several meetings with Irish connections who were based in the holiday resort of Alicante.

The surveillance operation led cops to Gilligans doorstep and prompted authorities to launch Operation Godfather, which targeted the notorious criminal and involved gardai and the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA).

They then carried out electronic and physical surveillance on Gilligans crew and allegedly established that the gang was sending drugs to Ireland and the UK through the postal service hidden between boxes of kids clothes and toys.

The operation led to the seizure of cannabis and sleeping tablets as well as firearms and Gilligans arrest at his home in Torrevieja in Alicante in 2020.

Gilligan, 71, and other associates, including his son Darren, are currently awaiting trial in Spain and the pint-sized godfather is facing up to eight years and four months behind bars.

Cocky mobser John Gilligan drinking in the sun before his arrest by cops

The case against them was due to get under way last October but was delayed because Darren had left Spain for Ireland.

He was arrested by gardai in Dublin in April and appeared in court two weeks ago, when he volunteered to be surrendered back to Spain to face trial.

Now, more details have emerged into how the operation against Gilligan unfolded.

Narcotics officers attached to the Spanish polices drugs and organised crime unit, Udyco, had been following and monitoring a gang operating in the Mar Menor area who were growing marijuana in houses, garages, warehouses and greenhouses near Murcia in south east Spain.

While they had the growers under surveillance they watched as they met with members of Gilligans crew in Torrevieja.

An inspector involved in the investigation told Spanish news outlet La Verdad that the operation led them to believe that Gilligans operation was dedicated to the acquisition of drugs, mainly marijuana, from growers here in the region, to then send it to the United Kingdom through the post office, hidden between boxes of toys.

The drugs were also allegedly smuggled into Ireland via courier deliveries in boxes containing flip-flops and childrens towels.

The investigation led to Spanish cops contacting gardai and the NCA who gave their full co-operation in helping dismantle Gilligans gang.

Police intercepted four postal shipments containing four kilos of marijuana and 15,000 Zopiclone sleeping pills, known as zimmos, and then moved in on Gilligan at his Torrevieja duplex in October 2020.

Armed police ordered Gilligan to the ground in the raid and reports at the time of his arrest said he soiled himself during the bust.

Police found a .357 Magnum revolver during a search of the property and while they noted at the time it was the same model of weapon used to kill Veronica Guerin, tests later revealed it was not the murder weapon.

The Sunday Independent crime journalist was murdered by Gilligans gang because she was writing about his operation.

Gilligan was tried over Veronicas murder but acquitted. His associate Brian Meehan is currently serving life for his involvement in the killing.

Gilligan was jailed for drugs offences before his release from prison in 2013. He fled Ireland after he survived an attempt on his life in Clondalkin, Dublin, shortly after his release from prison.

He spent just under two months in prison in Spain after being arrested on the drugs and firearms charges in October 2020 and is currently out on bail awaiting trial.
They did not disclose his identity, but say he had an important participation in the crime and even reported Priscilas disappearance to the police.

Priscila Leonardi (40) had been working in Ireland since 2019 before she was found murdered in her native Brazil

A man known to Dublin-based nurse Priscila Leonardi has been arrested over her murder.

Last week a fisherman discovered Ms Leonardis body on the banks of the Ibirapuita River in Alegrete, Brazil.

She had been missing since June 19 after traveling home to collect some of her belongings to bring back to Dublin.

She was found with a ribbon-like lanyard around her neck, and injuries consistent with beating.

According to reports in Brazil, a 30-year-old man was temporarily arrested yesterday on suspicion of the crime. The warrant issued by the court is valid for 30 days.

Police suspect that he is the main perpetrator of Priscilas death and hiding her body.

They did not disclose his identity, but say he had an important participation in the crime and even reported Priscilas disappearance to the police.

Civil Police are investigating whether the crime is linked to an inheritance left by Priscilas father. Ms Leonardi (40) was laid to rest in her hometown last Friday.

A protest will be held in Dublin at 12pm on Monday, July 17, outside the Brazilian embassy to demand more answers.

Friends of Ms Leonardi are encouraging people to wear black shirts at the event.

One said: Were going to go in front of the Brazilian embassy and fight for justice. We want answers. Its been over 20 days, but weve no answers about Priscila and her disappearance.

Its very strange  the police never reached out to us, asked us who was close to her. Its not acceptable. She died in the most horrible way.

There wont just be people from Ireland at this protest. Her friends from places like Portugal, Croatia, Spain, and Bolivia will be there. Were getting together to make this happen on Monday.

We want to know why she died and who did it to her. The police in Brazil are very slow. Its not new that theres a lot of corruption and with a case like this, it could be forgotten very easily.

Were afraid to tell our names publicly because we dont know what happened to her. We have to protect ourselves.

Priscila had no close family, both her parents are dead. She had some relatives in her hometown, but she did not have a close relationship with them.

Her friends became her family, she was very social, and she made friends with people all over the world. We want to help with this case.

Anyone can join the protest. We want justice. We want people to know that she was loved by us, and she was supported by people from all over the world.

Its a way for us to highlight violence against women. People can wear black on the day. The embassy didnt show us much support, they didnt really help (considering Ireland) was the country she was living in.
Police have described the daylight murder as shocking.

A gunman on an electric scooter shot a moped rider dead after chasing him through the streets of London last week.

On July 3, Andre Salmon (18) was blasted with a shotgun at point blank range in Constable Crescent, Tottenham.

London court the Old Bailey heard how Salmon had tried to escape on a moped before collapsing and dying on the street.

This incident was even more shocking given it took place on a residential street in broad daylight, said Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams.

An 18-year-old is charged with murder and possession of a shotgun. He is also said to have chased Salmons friend with a machete on June 30.

Police and paramedics rushed to Constable Crescent at 5pm on Monday after Mr Salmon crashed his moped into a parked car.

Despite their best efforts he died at the scene.

Stamford Rd

Police believe the victim was riding the moped along Stamford Road when he was shot by the e-scooter gunman.

Following the incident the victim continued along Stamford Road, turning left into Constable Crescent, where due to his injury his moped collided with a parked car and he collapsed, a Met spokesperson said.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams described the daylight shooting in a residential area as shocking, and urged anyone with information to come forward.

My thoughts are with the family and friends of this young man who has lost his life in devastating circumstances, he said. This incident was even more shocking given it took place on a residential street in broad daylight.

My officers have been working around the clock to establish what has happened and we will do everything in our power to identify the individual responsible and ensure they are brought to justice.

While we carry out various inquiries I would appeal to anyone who believes they may have information which could assist this investigation to come forward. No detail is too small and if you dont feel comfortable speaking to police you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines said there will be an increased police presence in the area in coming days.

My colleagues and I are truly saddened by the news of another young life lost on our borough, and I know this is a sentiment shared by the wider community who will also have justified concerns about the incident.

I want to reassure the public that the investigation team are working diligently to find out what happened and identify the person responsible. Local officers will be assisting detectives by carrying out reassurance patrols in the area over the coming days. Please engage with officers and speak to them about your concerns or to pass on information that could help with the investigation.
The notorious mafia boss, known as the King of the Narcos, is now a State witness in his native Italy

Kinahan Cartel associate Raffaele Imperiale has refused to testify against his alleged criminal business partner Rico de Chilean in the Netherlands, it has been reported.

The notorious mafia boss, known as the King of the Narcos, is now a State witness in his native Italy where he was extradited after his dramatic arrest in Dubai last year.

Imperiale was number two on Italys most wanted list when he was extradited from the UAE, where he attended Daniel Kinahans wedding in 2017.

He is now become State witness against the Camorra, the drug mafia he was a high-ranking member of for over two decades.

However, he has since taken a stand to refuse to testify against former ally, Richard "El Rico" Riquelme Vega, a Chilean drug boss, who is currently serving an 11-year sentence in Holland.

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) documents sent to Dutch police identified Imperiale, the Moroccan-Dutch criminal Ridouan Taghi, Bosnian criminal Edin Gacanin, Vega and Daniel Kinahan as the heads of the so-called super drug cartel'.

According to the DEA, Imperiale, Taghi and Edin Gacanin also attended Kinahans wedding at the plush Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai in 2017.

Riquelme Vega was convicted of ordering an assassination and laundering illicit drug money but his case is now on appeal at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal.

Imperiale who had previously lived in the Netherlands, is regarded as a key figure in the international cocaine trade.

At the end of last year it was announced that Imperiale had gone over to the judiciary and had made statements regretting his criminal activities.

This had sent shockwaves through the criminal world about what exactly Imperiale would tell investigators.

On January 19 of this year, the Dutch commissioner asked whether Imperiale was prepared to make a statement in the appeal case of his former ally, Rico R.

More than three months later, it has emerged that Leon van Kleef, Ricos lawyer, and the Public Prosecution Service have decided not to question Raffaele Imperiale as a witness.

The fact that Imperiale refuses to testify in the Dutch criminal case against Rico R does not mean that he will not make any statements in Italy about his suspected Dutch criminal contacts, the Dutch news site Het Parool reports.

The fact that Imperiale has the right to invoke his Italian legal privilege as a witness, in any case raises the question of the extent of his obligation to declare, van Kleef has said.

Imperiale who is currently in an Italian prison after being extradited from Dubai is regarded as a key figure in Europes super-cartel.

The flash 48-year-old Italian attended Daniel Kinahans wedding in 2017 at the luxury Burj al Arab in Dubai and was known as a playboy when he lived in Dubai, prior to his arrest in August 2021.

Imperiale is believed to be a key figure in international drug trafficking and is thought to have a close relationship with the Camorra mafia based around Naples.

The drug lord had been hiding out in the desert after fleeing Italian cops who wanted to serve him an 8-year sentence for drug trafficking.

For years, Imperiale ran drug lines between the Netherlands and Italy, distributing shipments of 100 to 150 kilos at a time.

According to Italian officials, he did business with the eldest son of Ridouan Taghi, another alleged member of the super-cartel who is awaiting trial in the Netherlands.

Taghi, a Moroccan-Dutch national who also attended the Kinahan wedding, was Hollands most wanted man prior to being nabbed in Dubai.

He is currently on trial for murder alongside sixteen co-defendants in the so-called Marengo Trial in Amsterdam.
Eoghan Byrne, from Skerries in North Dublin, and a friend were crossing West 4th Avenue at Arbutus Street on June 19, 2022, when he was struck and killed

A man who is accused of killing an Irish tech worker in a hit-and-run in Vancouver last year is to face a judge and jury trial on sexual assault charges.

Alexandre Romero-Arata is alleged to have sexually assaulted a person on November 26, 2021, one year before Eoghan Byrne was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Vancouver.

Byrne, from Skerries in North Dublin, and a friend were crossing West 4th Avenue at Arbutus Street around 11.30pm on June 19, 2022, when he was struck and killed.

Romero-Arata was charged with criminal negligence causing death, failure to stop at the scene of an accident and public mischief.

Byrne's funeral in Skerries

He also faces a charge of driving while prohibited stemming from an August 29, 2022 Vancouver incident. And he faces the same charge in connection with a December 31, 2022 incident.

Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Harbans Dhillon heard that Romero-Arata is now due to go to trial soon on charges of assault causing bodily harm and assault against a woman on March 5, 2022. He was granted bail on those charges July 6, 2022.

He appeared before Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Laura Bakan on July 12 to change his trial from a provincial court judge sitting alone to the other option, which moves the case to BC Supreme Court, local media reports.

Byrne, a Trinity science graduate had been working for a local tech company in Vancouver for just a few months before the tragic collision.

Constable Tania Visintin said at the time that the Vancouver Police Department had spent months gathering evidence in Byrnes death.

Constable Visintin added: Hit and run investigations can be lengthy, challenging and complex.

"In this case, investigators from VPDs Collision Investigation Unit and Major Crime Section spent months gathering pertinent evidence that led to the identity of the person we believe was driving the vehicle when this tragic incident happened.

Byrne had been working in Vancouver for Stemcell Technologies since April 2022 and it later emerged how his family had hoped to visit with him not long after the fatal collision.

Tributes to the Dubliner flooded in following news of the incident last summer.

He was described as a lovely handsome young man who had recently moved to Canada after graduating from Trinity College Dublin.

At his funeral in Skerries, Eoghans sister Susan told mourners that her brother was naturally energetic, relentless in his curiosity and fiercely sociable, eager to explore the world around him and explore he did.

Eoghan was the middle child of three to his parents Eugene and Mary. Susan said he was the perfect brother to her and their younger brother James.

As a brother he could be fiercely annoying but incredibly fun, like any brother he done his best to annoy me from time to time, once deciding to make a smoothie in the Nutribullet at 1.30am in the morning but he was kind, caring and protective too, she said.

Police said Eoghan was walking close to his home when he was struck and killed near West 4th Avenue and Arbutus Street.

They said it was a grey sedan that was allegedly travelling at high speed and the driver did not stop and Eoghan died at the scene.

The car was later found abandoned.
The teacher is being held without bail.

A middle school principal in the US has been caught with a box of condoms as he tried to lure a teenager for sex in a remote location using chicken nuggets and McDonalds milkshakes as bait.

Daniel Ericksen (55) is currently arrested and charged with attempted rape of a minor and is being held without bail at Broome County Correctional Facility in New York.

The school principal had been allegedly communicating with the 16-year-old for at least a week before his arrest and made statements to her that indicated he was going to engage in sexual conduct with the minor, the sheriffs office said.

Daniel Erickson (Johnson School District)

Cops said Ericksen has been pretending he was a minor himself in order to make the arrangements for sex, it has been reported. He eventually did reveal his true identity, it is alleged.

He then used his position as the Johnson City Middle School Principal and school district database information to convince the 16-year-old girl who he really was, authorities said.

Erickson apparently tried numerous times to meet with the girl  even showing up at her home  but the teen never emerged.

Cops said they became aware of the situation last Wednesday.

Two days later, Erickson allegedly agreed to meet with the kid in a remote location with the intention of having sex.

Erickson arrived with a box of condoms, chicken nuggets and a milkshake from McDonalds, Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar said during a press conference.

Detectives were at the location when Erickson arrived and nabbed the teacher.

As a father, I know this is a nightmare scenario for any parent, Akshar said. We entrust our schools with the care and safety of our children, and to have an individual violate that trust, abuse their power and prey on a very student charged in our schools care is beyond disgusting.
The victim was taken to Hospital Rangueil shortly after midnight on Monday, July 10, after the skin of his penis was partly torn off

A woman has been arrested in France after pulling part of her husbands penis off during a row.

The unnamed 36-year-old wife allegedly pulled the appendage very hard during an intense argument with her 45-year-old partner.

The woman has been arrested on suspicion of seriously assaulting her husband in the village of Portet-sur-Garrone, near Toulouse.

The victim was taken to Hospital Rangueil shortly after midnight on Monday, July 10, after the skin of his penis was partly torn off during the fight.

French newspaper La Depeche has reported the attack was so severe it left the man bleeding with "large parts of the skin of his penis and his foreskin" coming off his body.

The couple had reportedly been arguing over the husbands alleged infidelity at a party the night before.

According to French media, the wife also allegedly tore a piece off her husbands ear when the argument turned violent.

Ambulance crews who arrived at the scene in southern France found the victim conscious but in terrible pain.

The woman was arrested by police following the fight, while her husband who was treated in hospital was also later arrested.

It is unclear whether the woman used a weapon to attack her husband at some point during the altercation.

According to Cnews, the man returned drunk from an evening out on Friday, July 7. Suspecting him of deception, his wife checked his smartphone. When the husband attempted to recover his mobile phone, the young woman grabbed her husband's penis and pulled him very hard until he let go.

By the force of his wife's gesture, the 45-year-old man had a large part of the skin of his genitals and his foreskin torn off.

There is currently no information to determine whether she only used her hands or whether she was armed with a sharp object, Cnews reports. The wife did not stop there as she attacked her husband's ear.

When the gendarmes and emergency services arrived, the latter was conscious but very ill, but did not wish to be taken care of by them. It was the firefighters who convinced him to go to the CHU Rangeuil in order to be operated on.

Prosecutors said an investigation is underway and the victim has been examined by a doctor.

They confirmed he is suffering but his life is not in any danger, according to Cnews.

The woman has been charged with aggravated assault, while he is also facing charges for assaulting his wife.
The incident allegedly happened during a conference being held for councillors from across the country at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel in Buncrana

A County Councillor has been charged under the Public Order Act following an alleged incident at a Co Donegal hotel.

Councillor Frank McBrearty Jnr's case was listed at Buncrana District Court.

Councillor McBrearty is alleged to have used or engaged in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned.

Details of the actual incident were not disclosed in court.

The incident allegedly happened during a conference being held for councillors from across the country at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel in Buncrana on March 23rd, 2022.

The conference, held by the Association of Irish Local Government, was attended by Minister of State for Local Government and Planning Peter Burke.

Councillor McBrearty, 54, was not in court for the brief appearance but was represented by his solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher.

When the matter was previously before the court it was struck out due to the summons having been sent to the wrong address.

The case was listed again on Thursday at Buncrana District Court. Councillor McBrearty was not present for the brief hearing.

Solicitor for McBrearty, Mr Patsy Gallagher, told the court that there was some difficulty with the charge. Mr Gallagher said this was the second time the matter was before the court having been previously struck out.

It was struck out, not dismissed, Judge Cunningham remarked.

Sergeant Sean McDaid applied to amend the charge.

Mr Gallagher said he had only been informed on the morning of the court of the application for an amendment.

There is a substantial difficulty with addresses, Mr Gallagher said.

He requested that the case be linked to overall matters at Letterkenny District Court on Monday next.

Sergeant McDaid told the court that he was applying to amend the summons at the earliest possible date.

That was the last date, Mr Gallagher contested.

Judge Cunningham said the summons was reissued and noted the application from Sergeant McDaid.

The case was adjourned to link with other matters at Mondays sitting of Letterkenny District Court.

Mr Michael Stains, solicitor, informed the court that he was present on behalf of Donegal County Council on a watching brief.

Mr Gallagher asked the court "Why?"

The matter was adjourned to Monday next, July 17th.
North Korean officials posted overseas secretly use smartphones made in South Korea, the Daily NK reported Monday quoting a source in China.

The news outlet said North Korean officials and security agents who act as minders of overseas workers use Samsung or LG smartphones although they ban their charges from using any smartphones.

Some of them are keenly trawl the web without permission from their superiors.

"They want to find out on the Internet what the outside world thinks about the Pyongyang regime," the source said. "They latch onto news about the North no matter how small."

But most agents use Chinese-made smartphones because they fear that their own information could be leaked to South Korea if they use South Korean phones, according to another source.

Workers also often clandestinely use smartphones and are susceptible to propaganda targeting them.


It emerged the Inishman was a sailor on board a ship that had departed the Marina of La Paz in Baja California Sur and was bound for the French Polynesian islands

The Irishman's ordeal is similar to that of Tom Hanks in Castaway

An Irish castaway and his faithful hound have been discovered on a small island in the Pacific Ocean where they had been left stranded for three months after being shipwrecked.

The man, identified as a Tym Shaddock was rescued by the crew of a tuna boat who spotted him on the tiny island located north of the port city of Manzanillo, on the Mexican Pacific coast province of Colima.

The crew of the Maria Delia went to his rescue and discovered he had been living in what was described as a natural refuge alongside his pet, a large breed dog that had also survived their 90-day ordeal.

It emerged the Inishman was a sailor on board a ship that had departed the Marina of La Paz in Baja California Sur and was bound for the French Polynesian islands.

The Irishman's ordeal is similar to that of Tom Hanks in Castaway

However, damage to ship that was not explained by the disorientated man, forced him to abandon ship and he was left hapless in the middle of nowhere next to his dog, the Tribunade Mexico reported.

After his extraordinary ordeal, Tym was kept by the port authorities for observation while they requested assistance from federal authorities.

It has been reported that they will decide how to return Tym to his place of origin after medical tests to determine his state of health after his ordeal.
Islington Council marked the spot where Collins joined the IRB in 1909.

The British have put up a plaque in the center of London to mark the spot where Michael Collins joined the IRB in 1909.

Islington Town Council put the green plate up on Barnsbury Street in the leafy suburb on Friday afternoon.

Unveiling

Great to see this plaque go up in Islington to mark Barnsbury Hall, where Collins was sworn into the IRB, said historian, Donal Fallon.

There was a huge turn out in north London, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, to see the spot where Republican leader Collins was anointed by his colleagues in 1909.

Jeremy Corbyn

There are other sites, like the German Gymnasium on Pancras Road, connected to Collins time in London. The story of the IRB/ Volunteers in Britain pre-1916 is fascinating, Mr Fallon added.

Location

London based socialist Jayne Fisher said it was great to see such a huge turnout.

Leaving school at fifteen, Collins took the British Civil Service examination in Cork in February 1906 and moved to the home of his sister, Hannie, in London, where he became a boy clerk in the Post Office Savings Bank at Blythe House.

In 1910 he became a messenger at a London firm of stockbrokers, Horne and Company. While living in London he studied law at King's College London but did not finish.

It is understood Collins joined the London GAA scene where his Republicanism came to the fore, before he returned home to Ireland in 1916.

Collins took part in the Rising before being locked away in Staffordshire. By 1917 he was Director of Organization for the Irish Volunteers. He went on to be Commander of the National Army before being assassinated by anti-Treaty Republicans in Cork in 1922.
In my few encounters I have had with Ryan, the respect and fun he brought to our TV experience back in 2017 wont be forgotten

The well-known Irish salon owner Nigel Kenny has described the level of bullying of Ryan Tubridy as shocking.

In a strongly-worded defence of the beleaguered RTE star, the owner of the award-winning salon, Hair by Nigel & Co in Kilkenny city, said Tubridy has become the fall guy and poster boy for RTEs shortcomings.

In my few encounters I have had with Ryan, the respect and fun he brought to our TV experience back in 2017 wont be forgotten, Nigel wrote on Facebook.

People will always remember the way you make them feel and this guy deserves much better.

He went above and beyond to make me feel so welcome at the set in RTE, on our appearances on the Late Late Show and the launch of Salon Confidential.

Nigel, who was one of the stars of the 2017 RTE2 show, added that when we felt out our depth on the launch day, surrounded by TVs elite, at the new season reveal, he (Tubridy) remembered all of our names and had so much time for us before inviting us to make an appearance on the Late Late.

Nigel said Ryan had entertained and inspired for so many years, and said he hoped the RTE star will be given the freedom to do so if he pleases in the future.

The comeback is always stronger than the set back, he added as he wished Ryan a continuous prosperous future.

Nigel is just the latest name to come out in support of Tubridy after radio funnyman PJ Gallagher also mounted a vigorous defence, saying he was someone who cares about people.

The Radio Nova host took to Twitter to offer his opinion on the Tubridy affair in the wake of the recent revelations.

Im not gonna say anything about money but Ill say this, PJ began. Ryan Tubridy made calls to me before and after an interview I did with him that no other broadcaster in the last 20 years or so ever did or would.

He cares about the people on his show and he cares about his audience.

Meanwhile, RTE has confirmed the former Late Late Show presenter has invoiced for his last month of TV and radio work.

He is now set for showdown talks with management over his salary arrangements.

Tubridy is also being encouraged to pay back the 150,000 paid to him by RTE for sponsor gigs that were never done.

But he could still be entitled to nearly 11,500 in pay for his radio show since he has been taken off air by RTE.

Figures detailed by the presenter's agent Noel Kelly to the Oireachtas this week revealed that Mr Tubridy received 240,000 for his television work.

It works out at just under 4,000 per week, with the former Late Late Show host off air for three weeks already. Mr Tubridy insists he is still under contract at RTE.

The news comes as new RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst revealed yesterday that the national broadcaster received an invoice from Mr Tubridy this week.

RTE later clarified to Independent.ie that the invoice was received last month and was for Mr Tubridy's TV and radio work.

However, RTE would not go into detail on the period of time this was for.

RTE said: "As stated by Kevin Bakhurst at today's PAC meeting, the invoice received by RTE was for Ryan's television and radio work. As Ryan does not currently do television work for RTE, we will consider remuneration in the coming days and discuss with Ryan and his agent, Noel Kelly.

"For clarification, while Kevin Bakhurst stated in today's meeting that he had seen the invoice this week, the invoice was received by RTE in June."

Mr Bakhurst yesterday said RTE still have to decide what to pay the former Late Late Show host as he is not doing his past duties anymore.

He said: On Mr Tubridys return  Ive been asked about this a lot from the media and obviously theres a lot of interest and rightly so  I need to deal with that properly, there will need to be a fair process.

Mr Bakhurst said he needs to have discussions with some of my colleagues and staff and then potentially with Mr Tubridy, but there will be a fair process around that.

He told PAC that the broadcaster had received an invoice from Mr Tubridys agent, adding: We are currently in discussion  well, we were  but well need to be in continued discussions with Mr Tubridys agent about that because clearly, hes not doing his TV programme any more, he should be available for radio.

Mr Bakhurst said they have not yet settled on what [Tubridy] should be being paid at the moment.

When asked whether Mr Tubridy was currently being paid by the broadcaster, Mr Bakhurst said: As of this week, no... because we need to decide on what the level of that is.

This is despite Mr Tubridy telling the same committee on Tuesday that he was still under contract and being paid.

He told PAC on Tuesday morning: My understanding is that I am still under contract with RTE and my aim and hope is to go back to work.

Appearing before the Media Committee later that day, he was asked whether he was still being paid by RTE. Mr Tubridy replied: Yes, I am.

He added, however, that his job at RTE was touch and go at the moment and he could be out of a job by Friday.
Thirty-three Mount Maunganui youth are firmly concentrating on what they can achieve in their upcoming high-stake matches, having wrestled 37 competition medals recently.

Mount Maunganui Academy of Wrestling head coach Mark Grayling is happy to have secured 15 gold medals, 11 silver, eight bronze, two fourth place and one fifth at the North Island Wrestling championships in Katikati on June 24-25, but their sights are set firmly on what's ahead.

'We've been building for years; last year we won the National Club Championships, which is for club points and proves who has the strongest club in the country, and we won that.

'Hamilton is hosting that competition soon, and we want to take a big team over there and try and win that again.

Mark and his MMA Wrestling team are keen to set a good tone in Hamilton on August 20 before the NZ National Championships which MMA Wrestling is hosting at Tauranga Boys' College on October 7-8.

Coaching athletes from the ages of five-49 years and training locally at Otumoetai College, the recent result has sparked an excitement within the team of wrestlers and has only encouraged them to work harder training in preparation for the rest of the wrestling season.
Te Ra Aro ki a Matariki, the first distinctly New Zealand public holiday, has dawned across the country for the second year, with communities across the motu taking part in the celebrations.

"While many of us already have Matariki traditions, last year was the first time we celebrated Te Ra Aro ki a Matariki, the Matariki public holiday as a nation," saiys Manatu Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae.

"It is heartening to see how people of all backgrounds have embraced Matariki and got involved with their local communities this time around.

"The theme for Matariki 2023 is Matariki kainga hokia or Matariki calls you home, but this year Matariki called our Manatu Taonga team to the beautiful slopes of Mt Ngongotaha to welcome the rising of the Matariki cluster, alongside representatives from central and local Government, Ngati Whakaue and our community."

In partnership with Ngati Whakaue, the Matariki Hautapu Ceremony was broadcast from the peak of Mt Ngongotaha this morning.

"Traditional Hautapu Ceremonies are a key component of Matariki celebrations, and this year we were incredibly fortunate to be hosted by Ngati Whakaue.

"The pre-dawn ceremony began with a remembrance of those who have passed, followed by the cooking of kai to honour and feed the newly-risen stars. Tohunga shared their aspirations for the year ahead, and we joined together to share kai as a community."

The ceremony was broadcast nationwide across TVNZ 1, TVNZ+, Three, Prime, Whakaata Maori, Pasifika TV, Radio New Zealand, Stuff and Matariki.com.

"I encourage people to watch the ceremony online, especially if you're looking for a place to begin your Matariki traditions."

"Matariki is a period, not a day," says Matauranga Matariki Chief Adviser Dr Rangi Matamua.

"Whether you have already acknowledged the raising of Puanga, attended a hautapu ceremony this morning or are still planning how you will observe Matariki, I invite you all to connect with the true meaning of Matariki."

Matariki is the Maori name used to describe the entire star cluster also known as Pleiades. It is a period of weeks, not just one day.

What is also known as the Maori New Year takes place from around late May to early July, with dates varying every year.

The sighting of the star cluster marks the beginning of a new year and is a time to farewell the dead, honour tupuna and celebrate life.

"Matariki is not dictated by how we celebrate it, but by why we do. It is about remembering the past, celebrating the present and looking to the future. This can happen at the top of a maunga, at one of the many incredible events hosted by communities throughout the country, in your living room with your whanau or by yourself, under the stars.

"Traditions don't just happen. They need commitment and participation to thrive.

"I am thrilled that people from across Aotearoa are showing so much enthusiasm towards nurturing Matariki and ensuring that it is a tradition we build on together and can all be proud of.

"Matariki is an exciting time for us as a nation, as we continue to acknowledge and celebrate our uniquely Aotearoa New Zealand indigeneity as a core part of who we are.

"As we all look forward into the new year together, know that wherever you are in the world, Matariki will always call you home," says Dri Matamua.
Police are continuing to hold retail offenders to account with a multitude of arrests across the country.

The focus by Police on retail and youth crime is producing some encouraging results and the Police's National Retail Investigation Support Unit has laid 1,331 charges against 223 offenders since May 2022.

Between December 1 2022 and the end of May 2023, there have been approximately 388 ram-raid style events.

To date, in response Police have taken 218 prosecutions against ram-raid offenders, made 86 youth referrals to Police Youth Services - PYS - and continue to actively investigate approxiimately 99 ram raids.

Referrals to PYS for intervention can include warnings, alternative actions such as referrals to Te Pae Oranga Rangatahi panels, other community providers or referral for family group conference.

Since December 1 2022 there have been 14,215 prosecutions and 1,429 youth referrals for retail crime.

As at July 6, 472 stores have had security intervention installations completed under the Retail Crime Prevention Programme.

Fast Track has referred 230 children to multi-agency teams for action plans that are developed within 48 hours, and retailers are better equipped, better advised, and helping investigations.

'This reflects the hard work Police are putting in to responding to crime and also in taking a prevention approach to reduce further offending, says Police Assistant Commissioner Iwi and Communities Chris De Wattignar.

Some of the positive policing activity includes 17 arrests around the country King's Birthday weekend.

Over that weekend, Waikato staff arrested four offenders following burglaries in Thames, Patetonga and Tahuna, another four arrested for similar offending in Dinsdale Hamilton, and two offenders were arrested following a Cambridge burglary.

In Dunedin three people were arrested in multiple incidents across the Otago region, while further north in Christchurch, four people were arrested after fleeing a burglary.

Assistant Commissioner Chris De Wattignar says nearly all of the offenders caught at the start of the month were youth.

'When it comes to children and young people, the youth justice system aims to keep them out of the formal criminal system, while at the same time holding them to account.

'This is where our partnership with Oranga Tamariki on the Fast Track programme adds value. The approach ensures once a child is identified or apprehended by Police for offending behaviour, information is shared with Oranga Tamariki and any immediate needs of the child and their whanau are addressed.

'From there a referral is completed for the child and whanau to multi-agency teams who agree on an action plan developed by the team within 48 hours.

'Since December 2022 there have been 230 referrals made through this process, and only 23 per cent of those referred from the fast track through to the multi-agency teams have been referred again, showing the impact quick support can have on reducing reoffending.

Assistant Commissioner De Wattignar says there have also been great examples recently of Police's Retail Crime Prevention Programme security interventions helping foil offenders, and the difference technology has made in catching them.

'There was an incident where offenders in a stolen car went to rob a store and the worker activated the emergency alarm and fog cannon so they were only able to grab some confectionery on their run back out the door."

They drove to a subsequent store where they stole cigarettes, but again fled once a fog cannon was activated.

"City CCTV then picked up the offenders and Police Eagle staff then used automatic number plate recognition cameras to provide commentary on the getaway vehicle, which was subsequently stopped by Police Dog Units and all four offenders were caught," says Assistant Commissioner De Wattignar.

'Without this technology, and without the crime prevention deterrents, the offenders would have likely caused more harm and not been caught as quickly."

Assistant Commissioner De Wattignar says Police are deploying all the resources they have to tackle this kind of crime from all angles.

"We know the impact this has on communities and we are determined to play our part.

'Our National Retail Investigation Support Unit (NRISU) is known for its work in catching prolific retail offenders who work across the motu."

But that is only part of the picture, Assistant Commissioner De Wattignar says.

'They also work with retailers, large and small, around prevention advice and what they can do to help themselves.

"A recent example of this made media this week when offenders broke into a Michael Hill but stole nothing.

'The NRISU team has been working with Michael Hill around prevention advice and that has resulted in their changes to stores and practices that have strengthened their security footprint and prevented several incidents."

This collaboration, and the improved security measures deployed by Michael Hill, has seen the majority of offenders being caught and charged.

'We are working at this from every angle, youth services, prevention, response, and most importantly  with partners and community.

'Recently, along with other agencies we met with officials in the Indian business community to discuss retail crime prevention.

We all know it takes all of us working together to create change.

Retail Crime Prevention Programme update:

As at July 6, a total of 631 stores which had previously been ram raided or the victim of an aggravated robbery have had installations approved.

Of these, 472 stores have now had installations completed.

As at July 6, a total of 2,795 security interventions have been approved for eligible ram raid and aggravated robbery stores and allocated to contractors.

Of these, a total of 1,987 security interventions have been completed and invoiced by contractors.

That includes 448 fog cannons, 356 security sirens, 410 alarms, 388 CCTV systems or system upgrades, 113 bollards or similar security measures, 113 roller doors, and 99 other interventions that include improved lighting/strengthened windows.
One thousand banana boxes, 18 kilograms or 100 bananas in each  that's a lot of bananas, a lot of daiquiris.

But this isn't about bananas. It's about books.

And the 1000 sturdy banana boxes were full of the works of Lee Child, John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, Dean Koontz and Stieg Larsson and the like.

And that was just the popular fiction writers. There was also a stack of meaty, serious, non-fiction and specialty books, banana boxes of them the genres men apparently like to bury themselves in.

Now Tauranga Harbour City Lions are gearing up for another annual book sale at Tauranga Race Course. And they need to fill those banana boxes again.

The five-month book sale cycle starts again right now. Books and jigsaws for the sale can be dropped off at Harvey Norman in Cameron Road, BedPost in Tauriko, Wet & Forget at the Bay Central Shopping Centre in Chapel Street, Countdown at Bethlehem Town Centre, and Bunnings DIY at Jean Batten Drive in Mt Maunganui. Please no magazines or encyclopaedias. Enquiries to: 021 064 5360.

Lion Christine Currie says men love the non-fiction. It's just an observation. They come to the sale one day and be back the next day.

'Then they will ring a week after the fair, a week after we have cleaned up, and ask if we remember a particular book on a particular aircraft  I wish I had bought it, it was only $2, do you still have it? Could you get it for me?

Probably not!

But there's sure to be another book on another particular aircraft' on the tables at the next book sale on November 10, 11 and 12.

And that book will probably have been thumbed through by Hamish Purdon.

He's not a Lion, more a drone, a worker bee in the hive that is the Tauranga Harbour City Lions book sale. His metaphor. He enjoys a book, a good informed read.

He's in the middle of 'Sparks of Genius at the moment  a self-help book on the thinking tools employed by history's greatest creative minds like Einstein, Jane Goodall, Mozart and Virginian Woolf.

And twice a week, for five months of the year, and for the past three or four years, Hamish has contributed to the Lions book sale  helping collect and process the donated books, the honey' from the hive.

That's how the fundraiser rolls. People pitching in.

'Tauranga is a particularly generous community, the way it donates books, says Hamish.

And it means books are going round again, not just read once and shelved. The books keep giving and raise money for worthwhile causes on the journey.

'I have always liked a book, checking to see if it's worth a read.

'You're dealing with a lot of books at the sale and so if something grabs your attention while you are processing them, you are allowed to look and enjoy.

'That's part of it I reckon.

Make Hamish's day  clear the cellar, the attic, the garage of all those books.

Put them back in circulation for the Tauranga Harbour City Lions Book Sale.

Books and jigsaws for the sale can be dropped off at Harvey Norman in Cameron Road, BedPost in Tauriko, Wet & Forget at the Bay Central Shopping Centre in Chapel Street, Countdown at Bethlehem Town Centre, and Bunnings DIY at Jean Batten Drive in Mt Maunganui. Please no magazines or encyclopaedias. Enquiries to: 021 064 5360.
China speeds up efforts to comprehensively deepen reforms

Xinhua) 08:15, July 14, 2023

Tourists visit the Bund in east China's Shanghai on April 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)

BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China has accelerated efforts to comprehensively deepen reforms in its latest move by approving a wide range of proposals, including new systems for a higher-standard open economy, experts noted.

A meeting of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform (CCCDR) was held on Tuesday. During the meeting, it was stressed that efforts must be made to put in place new systems for a higher-standard open economy and to promote the gradual transition from dual control over the quantity and intensity of energy consumption to dual control over the quantity and intensity of carbon emissions.

Xiong Yuan, chief economist at Guosheng Securities, said in a research report jointly published with his colleague Zhu Hui on Wednesday that the CCCDR meeting mainly focused on reform, and its importance cannot be overstressed.

Xiong's remarks are not unfounded given that the meeting on Tuesday highlighted the importance of institutional opening up and deepening institutional reform in investment, trade, finance, and innovation, among other key areas of foreign exchanges and cooperation, to actively raise China's opening up to a new level.

The new systems for a higher-standard open economy are a strategic move that will proactively boost reform and development through opening up.

On April 21 this year, when the first meeting of the CCCDR was held, it was already made clear that this year marks the first year of the full implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th Communist Party of China National Congress.

Tuesday's meeting is the second meeting of the CCCDR. Xiong said that the focuses of the second meeting are all critical areas of the current institutional reform, including new systems for a higher-standard open economy, rural reform, and power system reform.

The meeting agreed that while staying focused on the strategic target of realizing the modernization of agriculture and rural areas and building up its strength in agriculture, China should regard the handling of the relationship between farmers and land as its main task. And it should also work faster to shore up weak links in agricultural and rural development, so as to lay a solid foundation for building a modern socialist country in all respects.

Since the building of ecological civilization has entered a critical period where cutting carbon emissions has become a strategic focus, the meeting called for efforts to exercise better control over the quantity and intensity of energy consumption and gradually shift towards controlling both the quantity and intensity of carbon emissions.

The meeting also agreed that China should actively and prudently promote the institutional reform of the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industries and ensure a stable and reliable supply. The building of a new power system that is clean and low-carbon, safe and sufficient, and cost-effective and highly efficient should also be accelerated to promote the revolution of energy production and consumption and ensure national energy security, according to the meeting.

According to Xiong, these proposals highlighted "thinking under extreme conditions and bottom line thinking," and the main line of security runs through it, including national security, energy security, food security, power security as well as science and technology security.

Tuesday's meeting stressed further unleashing innovation vitality and creativity in institutions of higher learning and research institutes.

It also noted that China's development is facing a complex international situation. Efforts should be made to optimize the top-level design of new systems for an open economy, deepen institutional reform in trade and investment sectors, expand market access, and optimize the business environment and the service and support system.

Xiong said he expected that institutional reforms to be carried out throughout the year.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Pro-democracy leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to gain enough votes to become Thailand's 30th prime minister, as appointed senators refused to back him over a proposed reform of the controversial royal defamation law.

Only 324 lawmakers from the combined chambers of the National Assembly voted for Pita on the first ballot, 52 short of the majority he needed to become prime minister.

He has several days to try to persuade conservative rivals to back him, or convince some of the 199 abstentions to swing behind him when the vote is repeated on July 19. "Today I've accepted (the vote) but I'm not giving up," he told reporters. "I've accepted that I couldn't reach the 376... but we got 324 with 200 abstentions. I'm going to strategize again and consolidate the voice to make sure we reach 376."

The vote means that two months after a surprise election victory for Pita's reformist Move Forward Party, Thailand still has no government or a prime minister -- while court cases threaten Pita and his party with bans and dissolution.

Pita potentially has two more attempts -- the first being Wednesday -- to hit the target. Move Forward supporters massed outside parliament reacted with fury as the results emerged late Thursday, booing senators who had blocked Pita's attempt to become prime minster.

As anger at the Senate swelled, they vowed to come back for the second round of voting next week. "It's a bad day for us and for democracy," said Chinnapat Chatsri, who at 15 was too young to vote. "But there is one party in our hearts now the new generation loves this party. The old guard has to leave," he said.
Flamenco born in Malaga now sold out in London Manuel Linan, Maui de Utrera and Julio Ruiz perform their new shows, created at In Progress, an artists' residence in Torrox, at the UK capital's Flamenco Festival

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In a little white house on a hill in Torrox, with countryside on one side and the sea on the other, a new kind of flamenco was being conceived. No noise, no rush. From the same place came an album by Rocio Marquez and Bronquio that revolutionised cante jondo (a vocal style in flamenco song) just a year ago. And from there, a secluded corner in the Axarquia, the fruits of this trio's labours have reached London this week.

The London Flamenco Festival (5-15 July) has provided several stages to show the latest projects by Manuel Linan (winner of the 2017 National Dance Award), Maui de Utrera and Julio Ruiz, among others, which were created at this residence in Torrox, known as In Progress.

"It's not just a rehearsal space," stated Miguel Marin, artistic director of In Progress, a residence promoted and supported by the Flamenco Festival, the Concienciarte Foundation and Torrox town council, in collaboration with the department for Tourism and Planning on the Costa del Sol at the Diputacion de Malaga (Malaga's provincial authority).

In Progress accompanies artists during the creative process with experts to help them delve into the concepts they have in mind.

"In a leisurely way, without all the pressure that exists when you have a premiere deadline. We are not so driven by the result, more by the process," said Marin. And that, in the flamenco world, is a novelty.

Ampliar Maui de Utrera, with fellow dancers in Torrox SUR

"The space has given me absolute disconnection and concentration, and also a very positive energy," said Manuel Linan. The dancer and choreographer laid the foundations for Amor, Amado, Amen in Torrox, a project that he continues to develop while in London with the collaboration of English artists.

The first preview of this search for love, in the broadest sense of the word, was shown as a work in progress at the Lilian Baylis Studio in the British capital on 12 July. On 19 July he will do the same at the Pompidou in Malaga.

Amor, Amado, Amen will not be performed in its entirety until June 2024 but, until then, Linan will be returning to the artistic refuge in Torrox from time to time. This is because In Progress is not limited to helping an artist in their initial phase of creating. In its commitment to giving comprehensive support to the artist, the residency opens the doors of Torrox's theatre for them to design the entire technical part of the show too. The result is then previewed there. This is how Maui de Utrera accomplished her very personal, new show called Puerto Alegria (Happiness Harbour), giving a sold-out performance last Thursday at the Cervantes Theatre in London. A montage, she assured us, that would not have happened if it weren't for the "tranquillity" of building art away from noise and on a real stage at Torrox. "I have felt embraced," said the niece of the legendary El Bambino (flamenco artist).

Tocar a un Hombre (To Touch a Man) is the new work by Julio Ruiz, a work that was created in Torrox, premiered at the Flamenco Biennial in Malaga organised by the Diputacion and then performed on 14 July at the Lilian Baylis Studio in London. An "incredible" process that Julio Ruiz recalls with emotion but, above all, with gratitude.

"It is very difficult for people who have not yet made a name for themselves, for young people, to make a niche. That we have to keep digging so that we gain a voice, a place and an opportunity, is the wonderful thing about this experience," said the dancer, who mixes flamenco and dance in an emotional story to reaffirm one's identity, by living in the skin of another.

The creative process, in a house far away from the daily hustle and bustle, makes the whole crew part of the project. But not everything happens behind closed doors. The artists add to the life in the town, they stroll through its streets and eat in its bars. And they return part of what they receive by talking with the students of the college about creativity and artistic professions, or by chatting with the public after that first performance. Such experiences that will be repeated in September with names like the Estevez Panos company, Alfonso Losa, Laboratoria, Carmen Munoz, Antonio Lizana, Rosario Toledo and Sara Jimenez, the new 'neighbours' landing in Torrox.

But this is not the last of Malaga talent at the Flamenco Festival in London: Manuel Linan will close the festival this Saturday with his show that opened Malaga's Biennial Flamenco, with special guest, the dance maestro Carrete, that should bring the audience at Sadler's Wells Theatre to its feet.
French urban artist 'Invader' misses start of mosaic trial in Malaga The former director of the city's CAC contemporary art centre attended, declared his innocence and dissociated himself from the artist's unauthorised 'invasion' of 15 protected buildings in the historic city centre

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The French urban artist 'Invader', accused of defacing heritage sites after installing 15 mosaics on protected buildings in Malaga city has failed to appear in court.

The artist, who remains incognito, and the former cultural director of the city's CAC contemporary art centre Fernando Frances were set to appear in court on Wednesday 12 July to face allegations of defacing buildings protected as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC).

These included the Salinas Palace and the Episcopal Palace, also protected as historic monuments. The artist, who claimed his authorship on his own website, has previously defended that he is not responsible for any possible damage to the buildings because he was informed everything was authorised.

The prosecutor Fernando Benitez, is asking for the artist and Frances to pay a fine of 36,500 euros each - with 50 euros to be paid per day for 24 months.

Frances, who did appear in court, told the judge that he had nothing to do with the artist's work. "I didn't know what he was going to do, where, when, how, or what... I had no knowledge whatsoever. And of course we didn't finance anything," he told the court.

Ampliar Fernando Frances before the start of the trial. Migue Fernandez

But the Guardia Civil claimed the former CAC director "was aware of the invasion", according to one of the officers involved in the investigation.

The events took place in 2017 between the nights of 19 and 21 May. Invader and his team placed 29 mosaics throughout Malaga city - 15 of them on the walls of buildings in the protected historic city centre.

Space Invader

The mosaics featured pictures such as a whale, a flowerpot or characters from the video game Space Invader. The pair are accused of doing it without the consent of the owners of the buildings, and causing damage to the facades, as stated by the Bishopric of Malaga, which denounced them after a mosaic was installed on the Episcopal Palace.

Ampliar File image. SUR

The complaint sparked an investigation by the Guardia Civil and, finally, the Environmental Prosecutor's Office filed a complaint against Frances - the former director of the Contemporary Art Centre of Malaga (CAC) and former Secretary General of Cultural Innovation and Museums of the Andalusian regional government - who is considered to be the instigator of the events, and Invader as the perpetrator.

Paris meeting

Frances admitted that he went to Paris in 2015 to meet with the artist to propose an exhibition at the CAC Malaga, which he accepted, as well as a possible installation of his mosaics in the Soho neighbourhood as part of the MAUS programme that was held for four years between 2013 and 2016 and in which other urban artists such as Obey and D*Face participated.

The French artist travelled to Malaga a year later to get to know the city and the neighbourhood, but the project was the postponed to 2017, as shown by emails sent by staff of the CAC and the MAD Antequera museum, both managed by Fernando Frances's company.

In one of these letters, dated a week before the installation of the mosaics, Invader's team replied that the invasion - as he calls his performances - would soon arrive in Malaga.

But Frances told the court that he had no knowledge that Invader was going to Malaga city and that he did so "at his own risk" without any connection to any of the projects he was involved in, such as the one related to the MAUS programme, which included the installation of mosaics in buildings other than those that were finally chosen by the artist. The trial continues.
Malaga, third in Spain for business startups after Madrid and Barcelona Between January and May, 3,300 companies were set up in the province, 12% more than in the same period in 2022

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Malaga is the third province in Spain with the most company startups in the first half of 2023. Between January and May, the number of trading companies set up in the province reached 3,300, according to data published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) last week. This figure is only behind that of Madrid, where the number of companies created was 11,321, and Barcelona, where more than 7,700 firms were set up. Valencia is close behind Malaga, with more than 3,000 new companies created in the first five months of this year.

In Andalucia, Malaga is followed by Seville, where, between January and May of this year, 2,187 new companies were set up. Next in the region is Cadiz, but with fewer than 1,000 companies.

In Andalucia as a whole, 9,078 companies were created between January and May (13% more than a year earlier), which means that the 3,300 startups in Malaga represent 35% of the total created in Andalucia in the first five months of the year.

The number of new firms has also set record levels within the province of Malaga this year: the 3,300 companies created from January to May are the most at least since 2008, when the INE statistics of this kind began. But this coexists with another more negative trend: the capital associated with the new companies this year amounts to 130 million euros, a lower figure than in the same period of 2022, when the investment exceeded 147 million euros.

Further growth in Malaga

Across Spain there has been a greater dynamism this year than last in company startups. The accumulated figure for the first five months of the year, which exceeds 50,700 new companies in the country as a whole, is almost 10% higher than in 2022, when the number of startups was 46,132. Growth in Malaga has been higher, up close to 12%, from the 2,950 companies created between January and May 2022.

But if we focus on the last month, the growth shown by Malaga is much faster. Some 766 new companies were created in the province in May, representing a 33% increase compared to the figure for May 2022. The rise in Spain as a whole was limited to 14% year-on-year, from 9,132 new companies in May 2022 to 10,404 in the same month this year.

More activity in Spain

Also in a month-on-month comparison, contrasting the May data with that of April, Malaga comes out ahead: the growth in Spain as a whole is 20.7%, while in the province the rise is almost 30%.

Sergio Cuberos, president of the Malaga Chamber of Commerce, explains that the figures we are seeing this year in terms of company startups reflect the consolidation of what has been happening in recent years, which is due to the great economic activity in the province - which can also be seen in Malaga's leadership in self-employment - and also to population growth (the province attracts around 50,000 people a year), as well as the higher volumes of investment.

Natalia Sanchez Romero, secretary general of the Confederation of Malaga Business Owners, for her part, highlights that all sectors are contributing to this growth, particularly tourism, technology and agri-food, but also culture, logistics and transport. As for the challenges for the future, rather than the continued growth in the number of companies, what is most important is to strengthen and consolidate this corporate ecosystem, which also highlights the role of the self-employed.

Cuberos pointed out that there are good prospects for the future, due to the growth of tourism, the boom in the technology sector and the need for more housing that will generate new companies in the construction sector and its entire ecosystem. Worse prospects, however, could be for the commerce sector, which has already seen a drop in the number of self-employed workers, for example.
The alleged attacker served time in prison in the UK due to his violent background, including an attempted murder, according to a Spanish government official

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Spain's Guardia Civil police force has launched an international search for the man accused of stabbing his girlfriend, who fell from the car in which they were travelling in Mijas earlier this week. Officers are not clear whether the victim jumped out of the vehicle to flee the attack or whether she was thrown out.

The Spanish government delegate in Andalucia, Pedro Fernandez, has confirmed that the search is under way for the alleged perpetrator of the stabbing. SUR has also learnt that the British man, aged around 35, has a violent history which includes an attempted murder in the UK.

Fernandez said that the individual has been involved in "significant criminal activity" and he was imprisoned for a long period of time in the United Kingdom. "We are talking about a person who has a significant level and risk in terms of flight because he may have the necessary infrastructure to be able to flee Spain," Fernandez said.

The stabbing incident happened at the beginning of the week. The couple, when getting into the car, began to argue, at which point the young woman was stabbed in the thigh and fell from the vehicle. Fernandez said that the victim suffered serious injuries mainly due to the fall from the moving vehicle.

The government delegate said that the victim is no longer in Spain, but has travelled to the UK to be cared for by her relatives. Following the incident the young woman was guarded at all times by the Guardia Civil until she left Spain.
Local swimmer's spectacular snaps of a giant jellyfish off the coast of the Costa del Sol The Rhizostoma Luteum, that was rare in Spain until a few years ago, can weigh up to 40 kilos but despite its size has much less of a sting than smaller species

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"Every year, a few nice specimens appear in the sea at the start of summer. So this week when I went swimming I took my camera with me to see if I could get a photo". This is how the Malaga swimmer Christian Jongeneel, promoter of Brazadas Solidarias, described his close encounter this week with a Rhizostoma Luteum, a species of cnidaria - which includes jellyfish, and anemones... - of large dimensions. These giant jellyfish appear from time to time along the coast of the Costa del Sol and they usually cause a disproportionate amount of alarm, as they are not really dangerous animals.

Jongeneel took this amazing photo this week, during one of his long swimming sessions along the coast of Rincon de la Victoria, near the mouth of the river Granadilla. The Rhizostoma Luteum jellyfish are a real spectacle of nature: they are pale blue or white, can weigh up to 40 kilos and measure between two and three metres long, including their characteristic black tentacles.

Ampliar The characteristic tentacles of this species of jellyfish. Christian Jongeneel

Interestingly, there were hardly any records of this species on the Spanish coast a few years ago. Christian Jongeneel was one of the first swimmers who informed scientists in 2012 that he was seeing this species, discovered in 1827, off the coast of Malaga. In recent years the sightings of these jellyfish have increased.

Low risk

Despite their impressive size, these jellyfish feed on plankton and are less dangerous to swimmers than smaller ones. Their tentacles are less stinging, although they can cause irritation. What to do if you come across one of these specimens? Well, what experts always recommend: do not touch them, much less hunt them or take them out of the water. Simply avoid contact and enjoy its spectacular appearance.
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The head of Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT), Pere Navarro, said during an interview on Thursday that in 2024 there will be tolls on Spanish motorways. "Next year, as imposed by Brussels, we will have to set up tolls, Brussels is demanding that we do so," he said in an interview on TV3.

Two years ago ABC newspaper reported that the government would give itself until 2024 to implement the pay-per-use model on Spanish motorways and dual carriageways. This could be seen in 2021 in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan submitted to Brussels.

Madrid highlighted then that this system of road tolls would move "towards the internalisation of the external costs of transport under the principle of charging the user 'user pays' and also the 'polluter pays' principle". The government added that the intention with this system is to pay for the maintenance of the state road network.

After Navarro's statements and the commotion that ensued, the DGT director himself has qualified his words and regretted "the confusion" that has been caused. According to DGT sources quoted by EFE, Pere Navarro has reminded his department that it has neither the competence nor the direct information to make a statement on tolls.

Subsequently, the government has also "categorically" denied that it is thinking of imposing these tolls for using motorways. In statements to the press, Spain's PSOE Transport Minister reproached the Partido Popular for commissioning this study "to implement tolls from 2021". She said this was "reinforced by many PP leaders who, in private, acknowledge that they are in favour of a system like this, and in public and now in the campaign, they are taking advantage of the situation to say the opposite".

On Monday, in the face-to-face general election debate between Sanchez and Feijoo, the opposition leader also reproached the prime minister for this measure, although Sanchez did not enter into the debate and responded by defending the liberalisations that have been carried out. Navarro said that this issue should be "agreed between the two major parties" to avoid the issue entering into the electoral debate". "In the end, we all lose out," he said.

Navarro added that Brussels "demands" the imposition of tolls. "Brussels tells us that the money they are sending us is not for road maintenance and upkeep, it is for other things", he said, adding, that "we must impose tolls as a requirement if we want to receive more money".
"We have many shared challenges -- in particular the fight against terrorism -- which not only threatens national security but also aims to destabilize the region," Gallant said in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. "Together, we may further deepen the ties between our countries and strengthen the cooperation between our defense establishments and our forces."

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Azerbaijani officials agreed to work together to deter threats from Iran, the Israeli Defense Ministry said. Israel views Iran as its archenemy, while Azerbaijan, which borders Iran to the north, also has a rocky relationship with Iran.

Israel's defense minister visited Azerbaijan on Thursday, seeking to strengthen ties between countries with shared opposition to Iran.

Israel considers Iran to be its greatest threat, citing Iran's calls for Israel's destruction and its support of hostile militant groups. It also accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb, a claim that Iran denies.

Israel has repeatedly threatened to take military action against Iran, and Iran has accused Israel of involvement in a series of mysterious attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists and installations. On Thursday, Gallant said that Israel recently allocated billions to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.

Azerbaijan accuses Iran of supporting hard-line Islamists who tried to overthrow the government in Baku, a charge Iran also denies.

Relations between Tehran and Baku have soured further this year. In May, Iran expelled four Azeri diplomats, a month after Azerbaijan expelled four Iranian diplomats. In January, a gunman stormed Azerbaijan's embassy in Iran's capital, killing its security chief and wounding two guards.

In March, Azerbaijan opened an embassy in Israel in another sign of warming ties.
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Syracuse, N.Y.  A credit card skimmer placed at a local Walmart  one of many secretly installed at local Walmart stores  had the capability of sending information to criminals remotely, according to the State Police.

That means any card information collected by the skimmer over the four days it was installed could be sent anywhere, according to two experts.

So far, the skimmers have been confirmed to be found at 13 Walmart stores in Central New York and nearby areas, according to police agencies. There could be more stores hit, but Walmart officials are not releasing the locations of any stores where criminals installed the skimmers nor are they answering questions.

Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard has confirmed with the State Police that the device found in the Fulton store was wireless. It could be accessed remotely, said Trooper Jack Keller, a spokesperson for the state police.

Police have said the devices at the Walmart stores appear to have been secretly installed by the same suspects. That means it is highly likely that all the skimmers are similar and able to send information remotely.

The skimmers put into the Walmart stores were all designed to look exactly like the credit card reader used in the stores, right down to the name of the company that makes them.

There are two main types of skimmers: ones capable of sending information to other devices and others that store the information in hard drives that will have to be retrieved later, said David Weber, professor of the practice at Salisbury University and a graduate of Syracuse University. Weber teaches hands-on forensic accounting to students and previously worked as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions chief investigator.

Cell-enabled devices can send stolen data through text messages to pretty much anywhere, said Samantha Baltzersen, who supervises the FBIs cyber team at the agencys Albany office. The FBI is not currently investigating the skimmers recently found in Central New York.

Bluetooth-enabled skimmers allow scammers to collect card information nearby, around 30 feet or so from the device, she said.

Skimmers come in different shapes and sizes and are typically made by a small group that specializes in coding them and putting them together, Baltzersen said. Some can be placed inside ATMs, others simply cover over credit card readers.

The skimmers collect information from someones card and then the suspects can use that info for purchases or to make cards that look real. What theyre particularly interested in is anyones debit card pin, Weber said.

That pin is the holy grail, he said.

Having the pin allows skimmers to make larger purchases and debit cards have less protection from fraudulent purchases, Weber said.

The existence of the pin allows an easier and more functional ability to defraud and to defraud larger amounts, Weber said.

The run of Central New York Walmart stores being targeted is somewhat interesting, Baltzersen said, because of how the same kind of store is being targeted within the same area and during daylight hours.

Thats pretty unusual, Baltzersen said. Most of the time, skimmers are looking for off-times, quiet times to put these devices in places when its not in view of business representatives and stuff like that.

Baltzersen said the criminals using skimmers typically work in groups and will target an area before moving on to another. The hope is that the next area wont be as familiar with the scam, she said.

Auburn Police are seeking the public's help to identify three people suspected of installing credit card skimming devices at Walmart locations in the region. This photo shows the suspects installing the device. (Provided by Auburn Police)

With the same three suspects seen at many of the stores, it is likely one of them worked at Walmart at some point, Weber said.

Theyre comfortable with the organization, they know the organization, theyre familiar with the surveillance within the organization, he said.

Baltzersen said skimming scams happen fairly frequently. According to some estimates she has seen, millions of dollars are stolen each year in the U.S. from them.

Charges from copied cards will appear normal on bank statements, Baltzersen said. To avoid being scammed, she said to use a cards chip instead of swiping.

Even better, use the tap feature or Apple Pay or Google Pay, which encrypts card data, Baltzersen said.

While some skimmers are capable of collecting information from transactions where a chip is used, there are fewer of those devices and it can be more difficult to collect that data, Baltzersen said.

***

Walmart stores hit

These are the Walmart stores police agencies have said had skimmers secretly installed, mostly between July 2 and July 5. There could be more stores hit, but Walmart officials refuse to release what stores were targeted. (Note the list includes the checkout lane number where available.)

Auburn (No. 2) Camillus (No. 5) Canandaigua (No. 15) Central Square (No. 1) Cortland/Cortlandville (No. 2) East Syracuse (No. 6) Fulton/Granby (No. 7) Geneva (No. 13) Johnson City (No. 11) Norwich Oswego (No. 1) Painted Post Erwin (No. 5) Waterloo (No. 10)

How to contact Walmart

A Walmart spokesperson said customers concerned they may have been impacted by the skimmers should contact their card provider or Walmart Customer Care Team at 800-925-6278.

More on credit card skimmers at Walmart stores

How to avoid becoming a victim of credit card skimmers like those found at CNY Walmarts

Update: Credit card skimmers now found at 11 Walmart stores in Central NY, Upstate New York

See what credit card skimmer found at Central NY Walmarts looks like; 2 more stores identified

The questions Walmart refuses to answer about credit card skimmers found at 5 Central NY stores

Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.
Syracuse, N.Y.  A woman was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday for mailing threatening letters to an Upstate congressman, a federal judge and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Dennis J. Nelson, 52, mailed the letters from a state prison in New York, federal prosecutors from the Northern District of New York said in a news release.

Nelson pleaded guilty in March to three counts of mailing threat letters. She admitted to sending the letters in 2018 and 2019 to U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy in Binghamton, then-Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) to his Utica office and Schumer while being held in Mohawk Correctional Facility in Oneida County.

Nelson was serving time then for mailing other threatening letters, according to court documents.

In a sentencing memo filed to the court, Nelsons lawyer said she has been diagnosed with a variety of mental health conditions over the years.

Nelson said sending more letters was a way to stay in prison a lot longer because I think its safer than me going on the street and doing it all over again, according to the memo.

Nelsons lawyer, Lisa Peebles, directly attributes Nelsons mental health conditions to her conduct.

Senior U.S. District Judge Frank Geraci, Jr. included a three-year term of supervised release to Nelsons sentence.

Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him: Email | Twitter or at 315-690-6950.
Syracuse, N.Y.  A Syracuse man pleaded guilty to selling cocaine and having a gun on Tuesday, federal prosecutors said.

Eddie Coplin sold cocaine an ounce at a time out of his home on West Beard Avenue between September 2022 to March 2023 said federal prosecutors in a plea agreement filed in the Northern District Court of New York.

Coplin sold over 500 grams, or a pound, of cocaine and cocaine base also known as crack cocaine, prosecutors said.
More than 700 people moved from New York City to Onondaga County between 2020 and 2021, the second year in a row a historically high number of residents left the city for the Syracuse area.

A total of 773 city residents moved to Onondaga County from 2020 to 2021, according to data from the IRS. Another 775 moved the previous year.
A winery from the North Fork region of Long Island has won both of the top prizes in the 2023 New York Wine Classic Awards announced Thursday.

Paumanok Vineyards of Aquebogue in Suffolk County took the Governors Cup for the states best wine and the Winery of the Year for the best overall showing in the contest.

Its the second time in three years that Paumonok won New Yorks Winery of the Year. It also held that honor in 2021.

The 2023 Governors Cup for the best wine went to Paumonoks 2019 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. That wine also won a platinum medal for Best Dessert Wine and was named the states Best Late Harvest wine.

In addition to that Platinum Medal, Paumonok wines won five gold medals and one silver in various categories, earning it the 2023 Winery of the Year. Owners Ursula and Charles Massoud founded the 127-acre Paumanok estate in 1983.

The New York Wine Classic is organized each year by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. Judging for the 2023 competition took place from April 15 to June 15, with a panel of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers and educators coordinated through the Beverage Testing Institute.

The 2023 competition had 749 total entries from 108 wineries from across the state. Judges awarded 10 Platinum, 320 Gold, 294 Silver, and 81 Bronze medals.

THE 2023 BEST OF CATEGORY WINNERS

Best Sparkling: Jasons Vineyard (Long Island) 2021 Bubbly Rose

Medal: Platinum

Score: 96

Other: Best Force Carbonation/Transfer Method

Best White: Boundary Breaks (Finger Lakes) 2022 Gewurztraminer

Medal: Platinum

Score: 96

Other: Best Gewurztraminer

Best Pink: Wolffer Estate Vineyard (Long Island) 2022 Estate Rose

Medal: Gold

Score: 93

Other: Best Rose

Best Red: Keuka Spring Vineyards (Finger Lakes) 2021 Blaufrankisch

Medal: Platinum

Score: 97

Other: Best Lemberger/Blaufrankisch

Best Dessert: Paumanok Vineyards (Long Island) 2019 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

Medal: Platinum

Score: 97

Other: Best Late Harvest

Best Specialty Wine: Middleburgh Winery (Capital Region) 2022 Blackberry Wine

Medal: Gold

Score: 90

Look here for a full list of all medals, including Best in Class (Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay etc.)

The New York Wine Classic celebrates the very best of the states wine and grape industry, and highlights our incredible, locally grown wine selections, Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement announcing the winners. Congratulations to Paumanok Vineyards on receiving this reputable award. The wine industry in the State of New York is a crucial part of our agricultural economy, and I am proud to support the innovation, growth and success of our local farmers and wineries.

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
Xie also requested "the U.S. side to take action to remove obstacles, manage differences, handle Taiwan and other important and sensitive issues cautiously in accordance with the principles of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques."

In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said Xie urged the U.S. to meet China halfway to gradually return relations between the two countries and their militaries to the right track. "A healthy and stable China-U.S. relationship is in the common interest of both countries," Xie said in the meeting, according to the statement.

"Ratner also underscored the department's commitment to maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between the United States and the PRC," Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Martin Meiners said, using the initialism for the People's Republic of China. The discussions lasted about 90 minutes, Meiners said.

A brief Pentagon statement said Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng discussed defense relations and "a range of international and regional security issues" in talks with Ely Ratner, an assistant secretary of defense.

China's ambassador to the United States held a rare meeting at the Pentagon on Wednesday with the top U.S. defense official for Asia, the Pentagon said, in talks that followed U.S. criticism of Chinese reluctance to engage in military communications.

 A Response, But No Progress Yet

Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said the meeting was "quite unusual." "The Chinese ambassador does not often meet with U.S. senior defense officials," Sun said. "It suggests China is at least responding to U.S. concerns, but the actual progress still requires time and negotiations."

With U.S.-China relations at a low over national security issues, including Taiwan, U.S. export bans on advanced technologies and China's state-led industrial policies, Washington has been trying to repair ties between the world's two biggest economies.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited China earlier this month and climate envoy John Kerry is expected to visit next week. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Beijing last month, the first trip to China by a U.S. secretary of state since 2018.

But Beijing snubbed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's efforts to hold an in-depth meeting with his Chinese counterpart at a defense forum in Singapore last month, and military communications have stalled.

"We have regularly reached out to thicken our crisis communications and crisis management channels with Beijing and they have serially pushed us off," Colin Kahl, the Pentagon's top policy adviser, told a forum in London on July 10.

China has publicly cited U.S. sanctions as an obstacle to military dialog. Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been sanctioned since 2018 over the purchase of combat aircraft and equipment from Russia's main arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

But Kahl said in London that China appeared to be concerned that Washington was going to use crisis management channels "so we can have more crises."

"When we have these conversations with them, they're like: 'If you don't want crises, there's a simple answer... Get out. Like, you're not a Pacific power," Kahl said, adding that was a strange thing to hear as someone from the Pacific coast state of California.

Sun said Beijing was unlikely to accept a defense minister-level meeting with Austin unless Washington addresses the sanction on Li. "Some have argued that the Li-Austin meeting would be a prerequisite for working-level mil-to-mil to resume. It doesn't have to be, but it makes sense given the protocol," Sun said.
Michael Burham is shown in a booking photo provided by the Warren, Pa., City Police Department. Authorities say the very dangerous man used bed sheets to escape from a northwestern Pennsylvania jail on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Burham is a suspect in a Jamestown, N.Y. homicide investigation and was being held on $1 million bail on kidnapping, burglary and other charges, authorities said. (Warren City Police Department via AP)AP
Luis Sanchez Saturno / The New Mexican

Damian Herrera received four life sentences in district court in Santa Fe in January after he was convicted of murdering three of his family members and one stranger in 2017. A trial for the killing of a fifth victim, Michael Allen Kyte of Tres Piedras, has been set for Oct. 2 after Herrera was recently found competent to stand trial.
Roads and bridges were inundated by flash floods and power and gas supplies were cut off in Seoul, Incheon and many other parts of the country as a result of heavy downpours on Thursday.

Six trees and an electricity pole were felled by a rainstorm in an apartment complex in Seoul's Ssangmun-dong in the afternoon, causing a power outage to 2,123 homes in the area.
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A hot potato: The right to be forgotten (RTBF), also known as Right to Erasure under Europe's GDPR, grants individuals the authority to ask tech corporations to permanently delete their personal data. However, when it comes to LLMs and AI chatbots, technology has yet to provide clear solutions for users who wish to see their digital persona vanish from the world.

A new study conducted by researchers from Data61 Business Unit, which is the division of Australia's National Science Agency specializing in artificial intelligence, robotics, and cybersecurity, seeks to evaluate the implications of the growing popularity of large language models (LLMs) and chatbot-based services on the right to be forgotten (RTBF). The study concludes that technology has surpassed the boundaries set by the existing legal framework.

The right to be forgotten is not limited to Europe's GDPR, as similar laws can be invoked by citizens in Canada (CCPA), Japan (APPI), and other countries. RTBF procedures were primarily designed with internet search engines in mind, making it relatively straightforward for companies like Google, Microsoft, and other tech firms to identify and delete specific data from their proprietary web indexes.

However, when it comes to LLMs, things become significantly more complex. According to the Australian researchers, machine learning-based algorithms are not as straightforward as search engines. Furthermore, determining which personal data has been utilized to train AI models and establishing the attribution of such data to specific individuals becomes exceedingly challenging.

According to the researchers, users can only gain insight into their personal data within these LLM models "by either inspecting the original training dataset or perhaps by prompting the model." However, the companies behind chatbot services may choose not to disclose their training dataset, and engaging with a chatbot does not guarantee that the textual output will provide the precise information sought by users interested in a RTBF procedure.

Furthermore, chatbots have the ability to generate fictional responses, referred to as "hallucinations," making prompt-based interactions an unreliable means of accessing the underlying data within the chatbot. The researchers highlight that LLMs store and process information "in a completely different way" compared to the indexing approach employed by search engines.

These emerging and increasingly popular AI services present new challenges for the right to be forgotten (RTBF). However, it is important to note that LLMs are not exempt from complying with privacy rights. To address this, the researchers propose various solutions for removing data from AI training models, such as the "machine unlearning" SISA technique, Inductive Graph Unlearning, and Approximate Data Deletion, among others.

Major companies currently operating in the LLM industry are also attempting to address the compliance issue of RTBF. OpenAI, likely the most prominent player in modern generative AI services, offers a form for users to request the removal of their personal data from ChatGPT outputs. However, the specific handling of these requests remains unclear.
Facepalm: Young people in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou have found a clever loophole to get around local e-bike regulations. In lieu of two-wheeled transportation, some commuters are now driving power wheelchairs to work.

According to a report from The Straits Times, recent e-bike regulations have restricted their operating speeds and require users to dismount and push their bike across striped road crossings. Electric wheelchairs are not subject to such regulations, nor are they governed by conventional vehicle / traffic laws. This means you won't get stuck in traffic in a wheelchair, nor will you have to pay for registration.

One wheelchair driver described the workaround as "flexible" and touted being able to drive directly to their destination without having to find a parking spot. Indeed, one could drive right up to their desk and even discard their office chair. Others have expressed concern regarding safety on sidewalks from inexperienced drivers.

One Weibo user conceded that it looks convenient, and that "young people do know how to play." Lawyers in the region said it wasn't illegal but highlighted moral issues attached to the use of power wheelchairs by healthy young people.

The publication noted a 60 percent increase in the sale of electric wheelchairs in the region in the first half of 2023. The most popular models cost around $420, the paper added.

Most e-bikes have higher top speeds than power wheelchairs, but being able to travel through restricted areas and not having to hop off to cross the street could even the playing field. A chair would also be more comfortable than a bike, so there's that.

Related reading: PC company Acer just unveiled an AI-packed, 35-pound e-bike

Electric scooters have faced similar backlash in the US and abroad. Several cities have implemented regulations on scooter rentals in an effort to cater to pedestrians' concerns. Scooter maker Bird even tested models that sounded alarms and would automatically stop if a user rode on sidewalks. Residents in Paris earlier this year voted to ban e-scooter rentals outright.
There are many speculations about the Samsung Galaxy S24, and one of them centered on its feature of having the best charging speeds among the rest of the Galaxy phones.

In the latest information behind this device, there are claims regarding the smartphone featuring the fastest charging speeds that would exceed the previous lineup.

The new S24 is expected to be launched by early next year, around February, bringing the most advanced Samsung Galaxy smartphone ever.

Samsung Galaxy S24: Fastest Charging Speeds Among Galaxy Lineup

Sammobile announced in their blog post that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 features the fastest charging speeds among all the Galaxy smartphones released.

The upcoming smartphone from the South Korean company would reportedly input as much as 65W of power which is a massive leap from last year's numbers.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 features a 45W charging speed, while the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold's latest devices only feature 25W speed. It would come alongside Samsung's rumored battery capacity for the S24 lineup, which is 5,000mAh, capable of lasting more than a day's use.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S24, S24 Plus Leak Hints Storage Boost: Starts at 12 GB RAM?

Samsung is Adopting EV Charging Methods for S24

Also, TechRadar reported that the blog post claimed that it is adopting a new charging method for the S24, significantly changing the way it does from old setups.

It was said that the new Galaxy S24 would incorporate a stacked battery charging method commonly used by electric vehicles (EVs) for its batteries. Moreover, the initially rumored enhanced Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 would help improve the device's efficiency.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Leaks

Next in line with the renowned Galaxy S lineup is the S24, and there have been various leaks and speculations surrounding the smartphone since early this year, or even before the release of the S23.

According to rumors, the S24 would no longer feature a "Plus" variant and would only focus on the base model and the Ultra.

Samsung is also reportedly developing a new custom chip for the Galaxy S24 that would make it the better-performing smartphone compared to its long-time rival, the iPhone 15.

Next year's Galaxy S would be a faster device compared to the 2023 release from Apple, dealing with the massive performance from reports of the new A17 Bionic.

The new Galaxy would bring users a significantly improved device from its cameras, battery, screens, and chip performance, but that is only some of what it is expected to deliver.

Latest speculations suggest that paired with its 5,000 mAh batteries; it can be charged at a whopping 65W speeds, the fastest in any Galaxy smartphone ever.

Related Article: Samsung Galaxy S24 Could Switch To 5x Telephoto! Here are Pros and Cons

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sony and PlayStation's take on delivering a highly-accessible controller that would adhere to certain needs of gamers is confirmed for release this year, particularly on December 6.

While it does not conform to modern gaming standards like the DualSense controller and others, this modular and highly-customizable device can work for any gamer.

Not everyone can enjoy the benefits of modern gaming because of their physical difficulties, and Sony is here to help them get the most out of the PlayStation experience.

Sony Confirms December 6 Release for PS5 Access Controller

Sony's PlayStation is set to launch a new device for the PS5, and it is the Accessibility Controller that would conform to all types of gamers and provide assistance to those that need it.

It will be available on December 6, and while it is still months away, it already presents an important extension of the gaming experience for those with difficulties. The new Access Controller would be available for $90, only $20 more expensive than the standard DualSense devices.

It will feature a range of various caps and buttons to use. It has 19 buttons and three joystick configurations, including the Standard, Dome Stick Cap, and Ball Stick Cap.

There would be four 3.5mm expansion ports as well. Sony is also adding 23 more buttons that would be easily swappable for users.

Read Also: PS5 Accessibility Controller's UI, New Images Revealed! More Features Announced by Sony

Is It Worth It to Buy the Sony PS5 Access Controller?

The new Access Controller is a great way to change your gaming experience, and it would not only apply to those who face challenges in holding a standard controller.

It caters to different types of gamers wanting to expand their play, with customization and button mapping to explore. Sony said preorders will be open next week, Friday, July 21.

The PlayStation 5 Experience

Sony's CES 2023 showcase first gave the world a glimpse into the future of the PlayStation 5 experience. The console will not go anywhere, with the company focusing more on what it can offer to its users.

And one of the announced techs here is the Accessibility Controller, otherwise known as "Project Leonardo," designed for people with physical limitations to help them play video games.

It is a new controller meant for the PS5 while primarily capturing the essence of the original DualSense. However, PS5's DualSense Edge is yet to bid farewell to the market, which is priced at $200. It also featured modular parts, including removable joysticks and better button mapping.

The PlayStation 5 experience brought the gaming world to the next level with significant developments in its quality and performance, especially in carrying different AAA-rated titles until now.

On top of that, Sony is looking for ways to be more welcoming to different types of gamers. With its soon-to-be-released Accessibility Controller this December, it will surely help those who need more gaming assistance.

Related Article: Sony Rumor: PS5 Pro Reportedly in Development, Tentative Release Window Revealed

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Amid intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won has warned, "Losing the huge Chinese market would be irrecoverable for us." Other Korean businesses probably feel the same way, since they will lose if their factories overseas are held hostage by foreign governments.

Korean semiconductor manufacturers are particularly nervous. They were given just a one-year grace period under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act designed to boost investment in American high-tech research and development and bring semiconductor manufacturing to the U.S. Samsung manufactures 40 percent of its NAND flash chips in China, while SK Hynix produces 40 percent of its DRAM and 20 percent of its NAND flash chips there. Samsung invested W33 trillion in its plants in China and SK pumped in W35 trillion. SK paid Intel US$7 billion for a NAND flash plant in Dalian, China and could end up suffering losses if no more investment can be made.

U.S. manufacturers are also reeling. When Beijing banned imports of Micron Technology's products in retaliation against the U.S., the U.S. memory chip maker launched a charm offensive toward China. China accounts for a third of global semiconductor sales, while computer chips manufactured in the U.S. are ultimately assembled and tested in China. U.S. media reports are saying that Washington cannot afford to shut out Beijing because of the heavy dependence of the American semiconductor industry on China, a sentiment reflected in U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit to China to stabilize bilateral relations.
Snapseed is one of the most feature-rich photo-editing apps for Android and iOS that can be used to produce professional results.

The app was developed by developers at Google and its UI is so simple that any beginner or pro can use it.

Unlike, other capable photo-editing applications Snapseed is completely free to use.

The Snapseed app was not updated for a long time However the app is now getting updates and bug fixes.

Unfortunately, Google doesnt have any plans to launch an official Snapseed pc app.

Well, if you are a Snapseed user and want to use this reliable photo-editing application on your PC, you are reading the right article.

So heres how you easily download and install Snapseed for Windows 11/10/7 PC.

Snapseed For PC Download

As of now, there is no official application or program of Snapseed developed for Windows PC.

Consequently, theres only one method for installing Android apps and games on Windows or macOS, i.e. using an Android emulator.

Bluestacks is possibly the best well-optimized Android emulator that performs as an Android phone.

So heres how you can download and install Snapseed for Windows 10 PC.

Download the Bluestacks emulator and install the .exe file on your computer.

Once installed sign-in with your Google account on Bluestacks.

Now directly download and install Snapseed from Google Play Store.

The application will install in a few minutes.

Windows 11 Snapseed PC Download

One of the most noteworthy features of Windows 11 is Native Android Apps Support.

If you have Windows 11 installed on your PC then you can effortlessly download and install Snapseed on your PC.

To do so, either search for the app Snapseed on the Amazon App Store or the Microsoft Store.

If you cant find it there then simply download the Snapseed APK For PC from a trustworthy website like APKPure and once downloaded manually install it on your PC.

Snapseed For PC Without Bluestacks

Undoubtedly, Bluestacks is a feature-rich Android emulator. That said, it consumes a considerable amount of system resources and offers poor performance coupled with laggy experience on low-powered laptops.

So if you want to use Snapseed For PC Without Bluestacks then you can check out these alternate Android emulators.

Nox App Player is another great android emulator for using Snapseed on a Windows and macOS computer. This emulator offers one-click installation without any bloatware or third-party apps.

Nox App Player is very stable and the keymapping feature comes in handy while using Snapseed.

2. KO Player

The next best emulator for Snapseed on the list is KO Player. Well, this emulator is perfect for playing games and running resource-intensive HD videos.

KO Player offers One-click recording which might come in handy if you plan to record photo-editing tutorials.

MEmu Play is an Android 5.1 Lolipop-based Android emulator for Windows PC. The installation is quick and simple with no bloatware or third-party apps. One of the major highlights of MemeU Play is Key-Mapping.

Can Snapseed Be Used On PC?

Yes, Snapseed can be used on any Windows 10 PC using an Android emulator. Once you download and install any Android emulator of your choice you can effortlessly install Snapseed from the Google Playstore or sideload Snapseed apk file.

Snapseed Best Features

These are some of the best features of Snapseed that help it to stand out from the crowd.

Ability to open and tweak RAW DNG files; save non-destructively or export as JPG.

Perspective settings for fixing skewed lines and perfecting the geometry of horizons or buildings.

Snapseed allows users to adjust the colors and white balance so that the image looks more natural.

Brush tools for selectively retouching exposure, saturation, brightness, or warmth.

Healing tool for removing the uninvited neighbor from a group picture.

Ability to add both stylized or plain text

Curves for precise control over the brightness levels in your photos.

Dark theme mode in settings.

Snapseed: Best Free Photo-Editing Application

As mentioned earlier, Snapseed is a feature-rich photo-editing application. Snapseed boasts a good collection of professional-grade photo-editing tools like curves, Healing, Brush, Structure, HDR, Perspective, and much more.

Snapseed is one among many applications that can be used to edit RAW DNG files. Additionally, Snapseed also allows users to save their edits and use them on other photos.

BONUS VIDEO

Conclusion

So this was a simple guide on how to download and install Snapseed for PC.

Do share your personal favorite photo-editing application in the comments section below.
Unesco chief Audrey Azoulay in Paris. Antoine Gyori - Corbis (Corbis via Getty Images)

The return this week of the United States to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) represents a step forward for multilateralism at a time of rivalry between powers and contempt between some international institutions. The move will immediately represent a multimillion-dollar injection of funds for the Paris-based organization. And it can rebalance power relations with China, which takes advantage of any retreat by the rival power to reinforce its own global influence.

The U.S. departure from UNESCO on December 31, 2018, after failing to contribute to the budget for the previous seven years, was an example of the danger that Washington runs when it leaves the chair empty: this vacuum is occupied by China. Something similar happened in 2020, when in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, then-president Donald Trump announced that his country was leaving the World Health Organization (WHO). A year later, his successor, Joe Biden, backtracked and rejoined.

The renewed membership in UNESCO is the result of years of negotiations, but it has become effective in just a few weeks. On June 12, the U.S. formally made the request by letter. On June 30, the General Conference of the organization, which brings together the 193 member states, approved the new member by 132 votes in favor and 12 against. On Tuesday it became official, ending a hiatus of over a decade, although a major question remains: what will happen if next years presidential election in the U.S. is won by a candidate like Trump, hostile on principle to multilateralism and the United Nations system?

In the meantime, its a time of celebration for an organization often viewed as dealing with secondary issues compared with the planets greatest challenges. Yet UNESCO handles much more than the famous World Heritage List, and has been active since its foundation in education in developing countries and, more recently, in artificial intelligence issues. Some states have frequently used UNESCO as a battleground to settle ideological differences or power struggles.

Budgetwise, [rejoining] is important: the U.S. will go back to being what it was, that is, the top contributor, said Director General Audrey Azoulaya a few days ago, during a meeting with journalists at UNESCO headquarters. What is also important is the political return, the fact that a founding State will return to UNESCO and UNESCO will lean even more towards universality with 194 members.

The Biden administration has pledged to pay $150 million in 2024 and to ask Congress for a similar annual sum for the coming years. It is a matter of covering both its contribution to the common budget and gradually returning the back dues after eight years without contributing to the common budget, and four and a half years outside the organization. In addition, the U.S. will add a voluntary payment of $10 million for education programs on the Holocaust, journalist safety, heritage preservation in Ukraine and technological and scientific education in Africa. The total tab is for $616 million.

In 2011, under Barack Obama, the U.S. decided to stop its budgetary contribution to UNESCO due to legislation that prohibits financing U.N. organizations in which Palestine sits as a full member. Palestine joined UNESCO that same year. After coming to power in 2017, Trump precipitated the departure from an organization that, for decades, has been a favorite target of the most isolationist and unilateralist sectors of U.S. politics.

It was not the first time that Washington had slammed the door. In 1984, with Ronald Reagan in the White House, the U.S. walked out. It was at the height of the Cold War, and Reagan considered the organization corrupt and acting as a platform for Soviet influence. America returned in 2002, curiously, with another Republican who was also accused of being a unilateralist and who was preparing the invasion of Iraq at that time: George W. Bush. Then, the gesture was interpreted as a sign of goodwill towards the rest of the world.

Financial injection

By returning to UNESCO, the U.S. will provide a financial injection. And due to its political weight, it can redefine its priorities, although Azoulay does not believe that this implies a transformation of the organization. I have the impression that UNESCO is quite solid in its strategy and objectives, and that it has a very clear roadmap, she said. And this is because this roadmap is in the interest of the United States. More than transform it, I think it wants to be part of this agenda. I think they will back up what we are doing right now. The future will tell. But there are no demands to change our agenda. They have boarded a moving train.
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Since July 7, 2007, Peruvians have commemorated the day that Machu Picchu, a feat of architecture and engineering, was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Peru followed the Lisbon ceremony on dozens of giant screens installed in town squares and parks. Jubilation reigned in a country eager for victories. The recognition promised development and a significant boost in tourism from around the world.

The New Open World Corporation organized the contest, and it received over 100 million votes on the Internet and via text messages: 77 monuments reached the semifinals. The fact that this centuries-old complex built in 1450 in the Peruvian Andes was worthy of this investiture was an act of justice, but it also represented a collective triumph for the countrys population, which did its part online.

This Monday, three days after the 16th anniversary of that historic achievement, the mayor of the District Municipality of Machu Picchu, Elvis La Torre Unacori, made a devastating announcement: the gold plaque and scroll given to the Cusco authorities in 2007 had been lost. Absolutely nothing has been transferred. We only have the silver plaque that is in the mayors office. However, we do not have the gold plaque and the scroll. We are going to file the appropriate complaint with the Attorney Generals Office to determine who is responsible, the mayor said.

After that, the five mayors who had governed the Cusco municipality from 2007 on made a series of contradictory statements. Each official defended himself as best he could, but without giving further details about the whereabouts of the objects. According to information from Radio Programas del Peru, Darwin Baca Leon (2019-2022) maintained that they found a replica of the plaque in the warehouses of the Municipality of Cusco, but his administration never knew where the originals were.

Oscar Valencia (2011-2012) said that before he left office, he transferred the plaque and the scroll to his immediate successor, La Torre Unacori, who governed temporarily for less than a year; he added that after a while, he confirmed that the treasured items were in David Gayoso Garcias office (2013-2018). However, Gayoso disputed that version: When I entered [office], there was no plaque or scroll. Incredible as it may seem, he claims that La Torre Unacori himself, who publicly complained about the disappearance, never transferred these items physically, in an inventory, or in any kind of document.

Questions then emerged about the thorny issue: Who was lying? When did the valuable pieces go missing? Why has information about their disappearance come so many years later? Then, a new character added a twist to the story. Moises Bendezu Sandoval, the promoter of the 2007 campaign to vote for Machu Picchu as a Modern Wonder of the World, accused the mayor who first received them, Edgar Domingo Miranda Quinones (2007-2010), of having the items. He has [them] in his house [...] All these years, I have always demanded that he return [them] and, since he has money, I think he thought that the scroll was for him. He must still think that now, he said.

This Tuesday, amid the bickering and a growing international scandal, the current mayor of Machu Picchu, La Torre Unacori, made another unexpected announcement: 24 hours after it was reported missing, the gold plaque was found in the municipalitys general secretariat office. The news caused more than one jaw to drop. Apparently the gold plaque had never been lost; they just had not searched very hard for it. They do not exist in the transfer act. They have no code. Therefore, we did not know where we could find it. It happens to be in the shape of a vine. I imagine that it has been on a shelf between files and books, said La Torre Unacori. But was it really an oversight, or did someone spooked by the media attention quietly return it?

Regardless, the search continues because the scroll has not turned up yet. It has not been found despite the fact that I have made officials stay up late [looking for it]. They have been searching since 7 a.m. today [Tuesday]. If it is not found, the prosecutor will take legal action, added La Torre Unacori. Meanwhile, the Mixed Provincial Prosecutors Office of Machu Picchu opened a preliminary investigation against those responsible for the alleged crime of simple theft while the truth of the matter remains unclear.

Machu Pichu  the jewel of Tahuantinsuyo  was built under the Inca leader Pachacutec. It gained prestige at the beginning of the 20th century and it is now the tourism emblem of Peru. Currently, it receives around 4,500 visitors per day; the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism plans to increase that number to 6,000 in the next few years. UNESCO declared the historic sanctuary a World Heritage Site in 1983.
The Block Island Wind Farm near Rhode Island takes a beating from waves in 2016. The wind farm was the first to operate in U.S. waters. Several Louisiana companies with roots in the offshore oil and gas industry helped design and build the farm.
On Thursday, President of Colombia Gustavo Petro and his two immediate predecessors, Ivan Duque and Juan Manuel Santos, celebrated the International Court of Justices (ICJ) ruling in favor of Colombia. Its a great victory, the current president said of the courts decision denying Nicaraguas claim to extend its continental shelf. The current case, which was initiated in 2013, also caused concern in the two governments immediately preceding Petros. After the new ruling, Duque reiterated that Colombia should not abide by another ruling that is partially adverse to the nation, while Santos emphasized that it is the end of the [countrys] litigation at the ICJ, which began in 2001 with an initial claim about the sovereignty of the San Andres and Providencia archipelago.

With this ruling, we hope to turn the page on the boundary dispute and focus on bringing sustainable development to our archipelago, the president of Colombia said on social media. He will travel to San Andres to celebrate the legal victory. Beyond the current dispute, two other cases at The Hague formed part of a larger confrontation between Colombia and Nicaragua: one initiated in 2001 and another one that began in 2013. The 2012 ruling on the first case focused particularly on Colombian islands in the Caribbean Sea. Then, the ICJ recognized the South American countrys sovereignty over the archipelago, but it granted Nicaragua a greater extension of surrounding maritime zones than it already had. This decision produced tensions that have not yet been resolved and will continue beyond the ICJ.

For his part, Duque celebrated the courts decision and congratulated the legal team that defended Colombia during his administration (2018-2022). They rebutted Nicaraguas arguments in its absurd claim of an extended continental shelf, he said on Twitter. However, he reiterated that the country must maintain its position of not applying the unjust ruling from 2012, which was not favorable to Colombia in terms of the maritime area. Not a millimeter of territory should be ceded, he insisted. Hours before the ruling on Wednesday, Duque had questioned the ICJs authority and insinuated that Colombia should disregard the ruling if it favored Nicaragua: Our borders can only be modified by means of a border treaty, ratified by the Congress of the Republic. Diplomatic tension in defense of our sovereignty is preferable to ceding the homelands territory.

Santos and the foreign minister during his two terms (2010-2018), Maria Angela Holguin, also claimed victory for the South American country. This closes a long chapter in Colombias recent history, that of the disputes before the ICJ. These [cases] put the archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, its people and their needs at the center of the national conversation, they said in a statement. In 2012, the Santos government denounced the Pact of Bogota and removed the country from the Courts jurisdiction after the first ruling. But Nicaragua filed the third lawsuit a few days before the court lost authority over Colombia and the case went forward.

Colombias Vice President, Francia Marquez, emphasized that the decision benefits the Raizal community of the archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina: It opens a path to focusing on improving the living conditions [of these people]. The Raizal fishermen, who are of Afro-Caribbean and Protestant descent, had expressed their concern about the environmental damage that could result from Nicaraguas potential exploitation of resources on the continental shelf. In addition, they had decried the fact that previous processes made fishing difficult in areas that historically belonged to them and are now under the Central American countrys jurisdiction.

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Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul, left, speaks with emotion, just before he abruptly ended a press conference on the city's recent spike in violent crime, saying that he and BRPD officers there would take no questions from the media, Friday, May 26, 2023 at BRPD headquarters. Deputy Chief Myron Daniels is at right.
Magellan Financial Group was a titan of Australias investment market based on the public image of its rock star, billionaire co-founder Hamish Douglass. Loading That all ended with his divorce in 2021. That Christmas Eve, Douglass was trying to disabuse investors  who had parked more than $100 billion worth of funds with his investment group  of the absurd notion that he was going through a nasty divorce which would trigger a liquidation of his shares in the company. Nothing could be further from the truth, he said in a company video. Over the next year, he stepped down as CEO temporarily, then permanently. Then November last year, he sold the lions share of his Magellan stake for $118 million for family diversification.

Investors in the groups funds have followed suit with funds under management down from $115 billion in 2021 to just $40 billion  shredding Magellans share price in the process. Pre-dating the Douglass divorce was the godfather of Australias funds management industry, Kerr Nielsen  founder of Platinum Asset Management  who split with his wife Judith, in 2015. She received  and then sold  a 20 per cent stake in the struggling Platinum, which allowed Judith to further her philanthropic work, which includes the highly regarded White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney. Billionaire and philanthropist Judith Neilson at the White Rabbit gallery which she founded. Credit: Janie Barrett Kerr Nielsen has stepped back entirely from the business but remains Platinums largest shareholder with a 21 per cent stake.

It is not enough to give Kerr any real control as the business has faltered in recent times. This year he vented his frustration with public statements to the effect he is willing to sell to anyone willing to shake up the underperforming business. Loading But these two divorces are molehills compared to the empire commanded by the Forrests. Perhaps a better reference is to the doyen of divorce: Rupert Murdoch. He ended a 30-year marriage to Anna Murdoch in 1998, putting at risk a multi-billion global media empire and a wealth that also ranked among the richest globally  a rare feat for an Australian-born entrepreneur at that time.

Anna made big sacrifices to ensure control of the media empire passes equally to her children  Elisabeth, Lachlan, James, and step-daughter Prudence  when Rupert dies. She walked away with a few homes, roughly $US100 million cash, and a continuing board presence at News Corp. The latter continued a relationship with the company she had held since her teenage years as an employee. Rupert Murdochs divorce from Anna, his second wife, was the most consequential for his media empire. Credit: AP Her continuing board role was displayed as a sign of the amicability of the divorce when it went public. Like many things with Rupert, it did not last long. Just six months later it was announced she was leaving the board. I wasnt given a choice, Anna said in a 2001 interview with the Australian Womens Weekly. I was told.

This was not just the end of my marriage. It was the end of a whole life. But the Murdochs might not represent the best example of the dynamics that could play out in the Forrests divorce. Unlike the Murdochs, who are still focused on media domination, Andrew Forrest stepped back from Fortescues mining operations many years ago and is just as focused on their philanthropic efforts and personal investments in businesses, including RM Williams. And the parting couple seem genuinely focused on their philanthropic efforts. It is the only part of the Forrest empire where Nicola has had a very public role.

In 2019, they told this publication of a conversation dating back 30 years when they were about to wed. Loading I want to make $50 million, Forrest told his wife-to-be. And I want to give the vast majority of it away. Nicola recalls being stunned at the number, which seemed to her almost fanciful. Oh my gosh, she thought to herself. 50 million?! This commitment remained as their wealth grew beyond imagination.

When you get wealth beyond what you ever could imagine, you have to stop and think. And as a family, we made the decision a long time ago ... to give it away. And we had more than enough for ourselves and for our family, she said. In this regard, their situation is comparable to the divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates in 2021. The wealth was split equally, but the common ground remained their focus on giving their wealth away to worthy causes via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The divorce of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda has not impacted on their philanthropy. Credit: AP The divorce may have forced some changes at the foundation, though. According to a New York Times report, Bill could be dominant and dismissive of his wifes views in meetings of the foundation during their marriage. The divorce may have helped French Gates, as she is now known, to help fight more for the womens causes she holds dear  on top of the foundations traditional focus on curing diseases like HIV, malaria and polio.

The more I speak my truth, the more I know its opening the way for other people to speak their truths, French Gates said in a Wall Street Journal report this year. Since the divorce, I just get more and more comfortable with it all the time. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Scott  the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos  didnt have this problem. She went her own way, with the Amazon stake worth $US38.3 billion ($55.5 billion) at the time of their divorce in 2019. In a post from her foundation late last year, Scott said she has made donations totalling $US14 billion ($20.3 billion) since 2019. Too big for Rotterdam? Jeff Bezos new superyacht. Bezos has also announced plans to give most of his money to charity, but is setting a slower pace while enjoying a few toys like his $US740 million ($1 billion) super yacht, with its own helipad and pool.

According to a Forbes report late last year, Bezos has donated around $US2.4 billion ($3.4 billion) to charity, and committed $US10 billion ($14.5 billion) to his own climate nonprofit, the Bezos Earth Fund, in 2020. If a 2019 interview offers any clues, Andrew and Nicola might continue to see eye-to-eye on their shared causes. We are outraged by injustice, and why should it continue? Nicola said. A lot of our initiatives are global and have to be tackled globally. Particularly around the oceans. Slavery, cancer, youre damn right, chimed in Andrew. We are not going to be fixing it at home without fixing it globally.
Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag is leaving politics. She is doing so, she said Thursday, because of the death threats she has received. My work puts a strain on my family and takes its toll, admitted the leader of the left-liberal D66 formation, who had been weighing her future for several months. I dont want to ask them to go through this again. They are my rock, Kaag, 61, said in reference to the early elections to be held in November following the resignation last week of the government headed by Mark Rutte, who is also stepping down.

The D66 leader burst onto the political scene in the Netherlands in 2017 as a rising star who was thought to have had the potential become head of the government. However, she has since lost steam, in part due to the somewhat distant image she projects. Kaag assumed that she had to win over her compatriots, who considered her an unknown. What she did not expect were the tight security measures that have accompanied her due to the threats she has received and the hate messages against her on social networks. The politician will remain in place until the next election.

Kaags decision has not come as a surprise, but it has caused uproar among her colleagues and political rivals because of the social tension and polarization that the harassment reveals. Jan Paternotte, president of D66, has been blunt: The garbage and threats that Sigrid Kaag has had to endure damage our democracy. We will never accept it, he wrote on his Twitter account. Rutte, the outgoing prime minister who last Friday forced the fall of the government over the cut to family reunification of war refugees, has praised his colleagues courage and her good cooperation and unwavering commitment to the country. But he also felt that Kaag has had to pay a heavy price in her private life.

The rest of her colleagues, inside and outside the opposition, have unanimously condemned the intimidation that has shaken Kaags family to the foundations. The far-right leader Geert Wilders, who has repeatedly called her a witch in the framework of his speeches, has reiterated that he is moving on despite living through similar situations. Wilders has been under protection for two decades because of his outspoken rejection of Islam. Ruttes security and that of Crown Princess Amalia of Orange has also been tightened, in her case due to threats from organized crime.

The outgoing deputy prime minister is married to Palestinian Anis al-Qaq, a dentist by profession who worked in the Palestinian Authoritys Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. They have four children betwe

The effect of that incident was evident on May 28, when Kaag ended up in tears en the ages of 18 and 25. In January 2022, a man carrying a lit torch stood in front of the familys home shouting slogans against them while broadcasting his activity live on the internet. The suspect was arrested and sentenced to five months in prison. A restraining order was also imposed on him, but Dutch media report that he has been seen near the Parliament building in The Hague.during a television program after her two daughters said they were concerned for her safety. They feared the political leader would end up like Els Borst, they claimed, in reference to the health minister murdered in 2014 by a man with mental health issues.

In Kaags case there has been racism as well as misogyny. Born in the city of Rijswijk, about six kilometers (four miles) from The Hague, where she now resides, her diplomatic work has taken her to countries such as Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria. She has worked for the United Nations in important positions related to refugees, migration, and development, and coordinated the joint UN and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW-UN) mission to eliminate the Syrian chemical arsenal. For the most part, her service record has been ignored by her Dutch compatriots, a portion of whom see her as an outsider (she returned from abroad in 2017), whose olive-skinned family was also raised abroad. In an interview with this newspaper last June, Kaag said of her situation: We live in a very polarized political climate, hijacked by radical right-wing extremist groups. It is a threat to democracy that we must take very seriously.

According to a 2021 study by Utrecht University and the Dutch magazine De Groene Amsterdammer, Kaag is the MP who receives the most hate messages in the Dutch Parliament: an average of 22% compared to 10% for her female colleagues.

This Thursday, in her farewell, Kaag hoped that her decision does not discourage Dutch girls and women from entering politics, which should be a team effort.

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size I did not expect to find Ebon Moss-Bachrach sitting on the corner of 52nd Street and Park Avenue in New York City just after 5.30 in the afternoon. Nor did I expect the star of the foodie comedy-drama The Bear to pull a home-made loaf of sesame rye from a cotton tote bag, but we will get to that. Yeah, this is not my normal milieu, so to speak, he says, laughing. But here I am, here we are. There he is. Talking over Zoom before he heads to dinner at lush fine dining restaurant The Grill with some of The Bear crew before the release of season two. I was told to wear a suit and I like to follow directions. Ebon Moss-Bachrach has turned one of The Bears more unsympathetic characters into a fan favourite. By any measure, The Grill (rib-eye, $US88) is a long way from the stuffed Italian sandwiches ($US14.50) of The Original Beef of Chicagoland, the shop at the heart of The Bear, the sweaty, stress-inducing series that became a hit last year and sent sales of its signature sandwich soaring throughout the US. Moss-Bachrach plays Richie, the not-related-but-well-call-him-that-anyway cousin to Jeremy Allen Whites Carmy Berzatto, a Michelin-star-winning chef who returns to his home town to run the old-school Italian sandwich shop left to him by his brother older Mikey, whose death shapes and clouds season one. When it premiered last year, The Bear was a shouty, sweaty, anxiety-inducing smash  critics loved it and chefs praised it for its realistic portrayal of stress-filled kitchen life.

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And while White received the majority of attention (and internet heat  think lusty variations on Yes, chef) hiding in plain sight was Moss-Bachrach, whose performance as the loudmouth and annoying Richie was compelling. He managed to turn someone who, on paper, was the most unsympathetic character in the show into its most sympathetic. Its a role Moss-Bachrach does so well, he was nominated for his first Emmy on Thursday, in the best supporting actor comedy category. Im a pretty quiet person, at least in my real life, Moss-Bachrach says. And Richie is mostly somebody that lives at a maximum volume. Somebody that doesnt try to  I think of myself as a very accommodating person  and Richie is very faithful and in his heart, he is maybe not accommodating, but he is certainly a caretaker. Very loyal, very loving. Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ricard Richie Jerimovich and Jeremy Allen White as Carmen Carmy Berzatto in season two of The Bear. Hes got a really strong moral code that involves family and love. I think he would do anything, literally, for the people that belong to him. But for me, personally, its nice to play somebody that maybe doesnt feel the need to censor themselves. Its nice to stop listening. What would Richie think of Moss-Bachrachs current uptown surrounds? Probably a lot of f---ing yuppies, he says, looking around. Season two of The Bear picks up a week or so after the end of season one. The Beef is closed and Carmy and his sous chef Sydney (the incredible Ayo Edebiri) have plans to turn it into a fine diner. The Beef is dead, long live The Bear. Theyve given themselves 12 weeks to do it, but are short on cash, time and have a building thats crumbling around them. What they do have, though, is purpose, which Richie does not. Im 45 and Ive been here a long time, you feel me? You know what the f--- youre doing. You love all this shit, he says to Carmy, gesturing to the restaurant. Its fun for you. I dont have that.

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Moss-Bachrach delivers the line with such quiet sadness that you feel deeply for him.Hes still lost and grieving, Moss-Bachrach says. And railing against the injustice of time and progress. But what he does have is a sledgehammer  and in taking down the walls of The Beef, Richie starts to drop his guard. Demolition is very therapeutic for him, Moss-Bachrach confirms. He challenges himself, his relationship with Carmy softens further and he even has a go at being friendly with Sydney. Whether he likes it or not  whether any of them do  Richie is the glue that holds The Bear together. And Richie, like all good underdogs, gets his redemption arc. Jeremy Allen White as Carmen Carmy Berzatto and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu. People come up to me and they express a lot of sympathy for him and love for him, Moss-Bachrach says. I mean, hes a frustrating character, for sure, but I also think hes deeply sympathetic in a really understandable way. His circumstances are so dire. Hes lost, hes lost so much  hes lost his family and his best friend  hes in freefall. Hes a very sympathetic character. I dont think everything he does is justified  he uses a big scary voice, he doesnt like Sydney  he does things that are 100 per cent not OK. But I think he is really well-meaning. Hes really soft and sweet. And thats what makes season two such a delight  where the first season was claustrophobic, Part II (as its called in the credits) is more open and lighter on its feet. The light is different, the music is different (although I dare you not to tear up when REMs Strange Currencies starts playing episode three). We see everyones lives grow outside the restaurant. Its a bold move for a show that was so attached to its location, but it never feels forced. If anything, itll make you hungry, especially when Sydney spends a day sampling Chicagos food scene, including Michelin-starred bakery Kasama.

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What we dont see much of though, is the sandwich that gave The Beef its name in season one. Its famous in the US, generally served with thin slices of roast beef and a dollop of giardiniera (an Italian relish) with a dipping sauce on the side. Loading Theyre not too common here  in Melbourne you can find something similar at Stefanino Panino in Brunswick and in Sydney, give Harveys in Parramatta a crack  but to me, any sandwich that requires dipping is just plain weird. Yeah, its weird to me, too, he says. And I would say, the most distinctive quality of the sandwich is not necessarily the taste, but the consistency. Theres a sort of race against time, where you have to dip the roll and the meat in this jus, and its literally falling apart from the time you get it. You really have to beat the clock. My brother was visiting me [in Chicago] and we shared a beef sandwich and he really loved it and wanted to take another one on a plane and I was like, Thats not physically feasible. Time is really working against you. Theyre a bit like a French dip sandwich. Do you have those in Australia? Not that I know of. Were more of a squirt-sauce-on-the-bun kind of people. OK. Its a kind of spicy roast beef. You can get them with sweet peppers, he continues. Everyone has their own. Chicago is a crazy place, you can get a beef sandwich with a sausage inside, with the shredded beef, just to get a glimpse into the maniacal carnivore culture they have here.

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The Bear was part of a golden run Moss-Bachrach had last year, along with roles in the Star Wars spinoff Andor and as a journalist in the Elizabeth Holmes drama The Dropout. Hes still best known for playing Marnies awful boyfriend in Desi in Girls, but Andor helped him scratch a childhood itch. I mean, Im born in 1977, when the first [Star Wars] came out, he says. It was hard. My first day on set, I had to talk about  Im forgetting the jargon  but I just had to say all this stuff. And I thought, Well, Im in this universe now and I had to pause and take a couple of minutes. The only bummer? In the manner of many a rogue in the Star Wars universe, you wont be seeing him again. Thats a little too soon, he says, laughing. Ill get there, Ill get there. I was ready to spend a little bit more time there. Now, about that bread he is carrying around. At home, Moss-Bachrach is a keen cook, which is one of the great ironies of The Bear  he was actively encouraged to stay out of the kitchen. He bakes a fresh loaf of bread every day, even before the pandemic started, and todays loaf is for one of The Bear crew. I just love it, he says. And I feel like even when I screw it up, its still pretty tasty. Its messy and dirty and for me, it works. I just love this pursuit of this elusive thing and Ill never get it right.

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Charges have been dropped against veteran journalist Steve Barrett five years after he was accused of taking part in a $5 million blackmail of members of the Plutus Payroll tax fraud scheme.

Barrett, 65, who formerly worked for Nines 60 Minutes and the Seven Network, faced trial in the NSW Supreme Court in 2021 after being accused of receiving cash payments to put pressure on the fraudsters and threaten to expose them in the media.

Steve Barrett pictured outside the NSW Supreme Court on Friday. Credit: Kate Geraghty

He maintained his innocence from the moment he was charged in 2018, telling the court he was chasing a bloody good story and had been in talks with a producer at A Current Affair.

The trial ended in a hung jury and Barrett had been due to face a retrial in September this year.
A man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing his ex-wife in Sydneys west on Tuesday night.

Police were called to a home on Alice Street in Rooty Hill about 8.15pm on Tuesday by a family member and arrived to find 53-year-old Christine Rakic dead.

Police also found her ex-husband Dusan Rakic, 50, with injuries to his throat and arms  believed to be self-inflicted. He was taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition under police guard.

He has since been charged with domestic-violence-related murder, contravening an AVO and breaching bail.
Short-stay city apartments are a curse on owner-residents and exacerbate the rental crisis. The owners selfish actions add enormously to depreciation by funnelling thousands of tourists throughout homes with no regard for other residents. Short-stay apartments unfairly run our apartment buildings into the ground, yet the owners pay no extra for their drain on the buildings.

Ban short-stays and Airbnbs in Docklands and fix two problems. Thousands of apartments will become available for renters who are desperate for somewhere to live, and Docklands (as well as city hotels) will fill with residents and flourish.

Tony Moore, Docklands Emergency accommodation via Airbnb control Could a solution to the housing crisis be for state and federal governments to do more to control Airbnbs? This includes requiring owners to register and pay annual licence fees which would be set at a level which might encourage them to go back into the private rental market. The fees could go towards emergency housing support.

Robert Freeman, Portarlington THE FORUM Our governments shame

Yet another report detailing the abuse of children in state care (The Age, 13/7) How many reports are required before governments act on them? And Victoria is not the only state to blame for such failures. Children around the country continue to be abused while they are in government care. What is particularly horrible is that in failing to protect those children, governments fail to take actions which the very laws they have passed, or are responsible for, require them to take. Given how governments pontificate about others who fail their legal responsibilities, the word hypocritical comes to mind. Perhaps that is too kind; it is vulnerable children whom they are failing.

Max Liddell, Coburg Pick on the little guys I am all for taxing private schools but I am against the obvious bullying of Andale School in Kew (The Age, 14/7). It is a tiny, special needs school which caters to a specific type of student and it cannot afford to push back against the government. Melbourne Grammar, Geelong Grammar, Scotch College  these schools have more than enough money to meet the new tax. They also have terrific supporters who can lobby on their behalf to the government. As usual, the government is out for the easy target; the big ones are just too hard. Leave Andale alone.

David Jeffery, East Geelong

Too precious to lose I was brought to tears of disbelief when I read that Andale School would be subject to the same payroll tax as some of Victorias most elite private schools.We enrolled my son, who has autism, at Andale after we were informed by his government school teacher that she could not accommodate his needs in her classroom. We struggled to pay the fees, but there were no educational alternatives for him at the time. We could not afford to pay for my other son to attend a private school. The majority of families of students attending the school were in the same financial position as us, and the staff did their best to support the students with very limited resources. I hope that this unfair decision will be reviewed.

Simone Whaling, Newport, Qld The invasion is coming Re While fire ants march, funding stalls (The Age, 14/7). Please, please, will you agriculture ministers come to a rapid agreement on the eradication funding program before it is too late. Have we learned nothing from the cane toads invasion which will be insignificant in comparison to red fire ants? We still have the chance to prevent losses to the environment, livestock, livelihoods and our way of life. Dont waste it.

Joanne OSullivan, Camberwell

Which road do I take? With the incredible number of roadworks going on in Melbourne and surrounds, why cant we have better, bigger, clearer road signs so we know where to go? That way I might have avoided a three-hour trip from Melbourne to Geelong.

Katriona Fahey, Alphington A serious risk for NATO Your correspondent (Letters, 14/7) is wrong to condemn NATO for its stance on Ukraines request to join it. Fulfilling President Volodymyr Zelenskys wishes would deny NATO the opportunity to act as an intermediary between the warring factions in any future negotiations  ie, in effect, NATO would be at war with Russia once Ukraine was admitted to the alliance.

Ivan Glynn, Vermont Fear of the dark days

To those who may criticise the Ukraine war as merely a US-Russia dispute and unworthy of our support, this is an apathetic view. Fortunately for them, they do not live in Eastern Ukraine or need to fear a return to life under a Soviet regime.

Denis Liubinas, Blairgowrie Our role in war crimes Australias authorisation of more military aid (30 more Bushmasters) to Ukraine (The Age, 13/7) was not contingent upon its cessation of using illegal cluster munitions. What is our government doing? Are the Australian people assisting with war crimes? Not all these bombs explode, and instead stay around until civilians and children come across them with tragic consequences. What is Labors policy on cluster munitions? Australia is a signatory to the UN Convention on cluster bombs so why are we approving more military aid to a country that is using them? I am outraged at our complicity.

Rosalie Hamilton, Morwell Resolve conflict first

Some members of the elite West need to be reminded of what exactly is at stake in Ukraine. A country and its people are being irrationally attacked and they need to defend themselves. There will be time for gratitude (The Age, 14/7) when the conflict is resolved. For now, unlimited support is needed to defend a rational world order.

Bill Cleveland, Kew When pragmatism wins Your correspondent (Letters, 13/7) wonders why Anthony Albanese, once so strongly anti-Vietnam War, is now so keen to help the Americans fight a war. The question could be extended to all former youthful idealists in the ALP who now work, or have worked, for large corporations and even the gambling industry. As Groucho Marx said, those are my principles and if you dont like them I have others.

David Fry, Moonee Ponds Celebration of all art Visiting the National Gallery of Victoria this week, I had the choice between the Bonnard and Rembrandt exhibitions. On this occasion I chose the Rembrandt. I was astonished by the depth of our collection of etchings given to us through the Felton Bequest. The beauty of Rembrandts character studies was set off by stark, black walls.

Rather than an insecure institution (Comment, 12/7), the NGV is a smart institution, embracing and celebrating art in all its forms. It is ok to be both serious and whimsical, low-brow and high-brow. Playing with forms does not diminish our intelligence as some people claim. Art is exciting precisely because we represent and interact in ways that are constantly evolving.

Anna Pianezze, Heidelberg Workers have missed out The full page ad protesting the governments industrial relations bill is funded by pro-business lobby groups. There has been no real wage growth because of the policies of the Coalition, fully supported by business. Also, the proportion of income going to wages has fallen as business profits have increased over the years. Business groups would gain more respect and credibility if they told us how they would right these wrongs. Maybe then the IR bill would not be necessary.

Barry Lizmore, Ocean Grove An admirable RBA leader According to Annika Smethurst, women who smash through the glass ceiling risk succumbing to the glass cliff (Comment, 15/7). I sincerely hope that Michele Bullock, the next governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, proves that theory wrong.

Sally Davis, Malvern East

Time to put people first Peter Dutton, when quizzed on whether Scott Morrison should leave parliament, said, Hell make the decision thats right for him. A perfect summary of Morrison. Personally I prefer some who makes decisions which are right for Australia.

Laurie Comerford, Chelsea Seeking some positivity Peter Dutton obviously does not understand that his role as leader of the opposition is not to be taken literally. He automatically and vociferously opposes every single idea, statement or policy the Albanese government proposes. His negativity is becoming boring.

Jill Rosenberg, Caulfield South Its long past time

The Voice is more than 235 years late. We exchanged Australia for a few baubles and mirrors and a pledge on paper in a language unknown. Surely we now have the knowledge and understanding to give this countrys original inhabitants formal acknowledgment and a say.

Mary Jenkin, Balwyn AND ANOTHER THING Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding Victoria Our state government provides funding for public schools so they can return part of it as payroll tax. Go figure that out.

Brian Marshall, Ashburton

The ice warning system on the Calder Freeway hasnt worked for weeks. Spend less on Dans Big build and more on road safety maintenance.

Geoff Oliver, East Malvern Drivers swing right before turning left (13/7) so they dont have to put a foot on the brake. I worry about being side-swiped.

Joan Peverell, Malvern Binfluencer  the neighbour you look to who consistently selects the correct bins for the weekly waste collection.

Robyn Carey, North Fitzroy Federal Perhaps the federal government should have appointed a crystal ball reader as the next RBA governor.

Garry Meller, Bentleigh

A question for the No campaign. How will not having the Voice improve the lives of First Nations peoples?

Michael Brinkman, Ventnor Peter Duttons idea of tough times: people buying meats or sausages instead of steak (14/7).

Bernd Rieve, Brighton If Scott (nothing to see here) Morrison resigns it will be a miracle.

Ron Slamowicz, Caulfield North How good was the robo-debt royal commission?

Peter Carlin, Frankston South Bang on, Cathy Wilcox, re Morrison (14/7). Trumps pretender, above it all and untouchable.

Tris Raouf, Hadfield
Australia is unlikely to follow a revolutionary healthcare measure introduced in the United States this week which will allow women to buy an oral contraceptive pill from a supermarket without seeing a doctor.

The US Food and Drug Administration has for the first time approved a non-prescription daily contraceptive drug that can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies, convenience stores, grocery stores and online.

Australia is not set to go down the US path with an over-the-counter contraceptive pill. Credit: Fiona-Lee Quimby

The authority said the milestone measure would expand access to contraception for millions of people, help avoid unwanted pregnancies and reduce barriers by removing the need to first see a healthcare provider.

Reproductive healthcare in Australia has come under a microscope this year with a Senate inquiry into the issue and a landmark decision to expand access to the medical abortion pill by cutting red tape for health practitioners to prescribe and dispense it.
The stage was different, and so was the tone. But the voice was unmistakable.

Fran Drescher, the owner of a distinctly nasal, Queens-inflected accent, made her name in Hollywood for her starring role in the sitcom The Nanny. On Thursday, she appeared before dozens of cameras as the president of the actors union that voted unanimously earlier in the day to go on strike, delivering a fiery argument depicting the stakes of the decision.

The eyes of the world and particularly the eyes of labor are upon us, Drescher said. What happens to us is important. Whats happening to us is happening across all fields of labor.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher speaks during a press conference announcing the strike in Los Angeles. Credit: AP

She shook her fists in indignation. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us! she continued. It is disgusting. Shame on them!
1973 Kenworth W925 Celebrated in Howes Hall of Fame

July 13, 2023 WALCOTT, IOWA ; Howes Products used the backdrop of the 44th Iowa 80 Truckers Jamboree in Walcott to announce its ninth member to be inducted into the Howes Hall of Fame. Representing restored trucks everywhere, aCherry Pie,a??? a 1973 Kenworth, along with owner and restoration enthusiast Kate Whiting, will be joining a distinguished list of inductees made up of people, places, and things that make the trucking industry so vibrant.

Members of the truck restoration community are a well-connected and, of course, well-traveled group. With hundreds of shows scattered across the country, there is never a shortage of beautiful, classic trucks on display, each harkening back to a special time in the history of the trucking industry. Exhibiting trucks that were featured in classic movies, to timeless models that served throughout the decades, these passionate, creative people draw crowds everywhere they show their vehicles. In many cases, their tireless workhorses are still active, pulling loads and logging miles as they continue to keep up with newer models.

aThereas just something so rewarding that comes from being able to bring these epic giants back to life,a??? said Kate Whiting, owner, and operator of Cherry Pie. aI know in my case, once I laid eyes on Cherry Pie, I could see her potential, her hidden charm. Over time, lots of time, and with the help of many other special people, I was able to get her back in action.a???

Originally owned by Mike Orton, who purchased the then brand-new Kenworth W925 in 1973, the truck worked hard for 30 years before itas retirement. It spent the next eight lonely years parked on the grass before Kate found it. Along with the help of friends and others inside the restoration community, she worked hard to get the truck where it is today. After showing it off for over two years, earning accolades and awards from shows across the country, including recent recognition from Kenworthas 100-year celebration, Kate has plans to put the truck back to real work. aCherry Pie will be heading back into service hauling livestock for me at my company KW Pony Express. We know sheas in great shape and her power has never been stronger!a???

Howes started its Hall of Fame in 2020, inducting notable members from the trucking and farming industries. The Howes family believes that the entire restoration industry is worthy of such acknowledgement and feels that Cherry Pie and Kate serve as fantastic representatives. aTraveling to shows large and small, we recognized quickly just how passionate truckers are about the beauty of restored trucks, their rich histories, and the unique stories that each one can tell,a??? said Rob Howes, President of Howes Products. aMeeting Kate and seeing the pride, camaraderie, and sheer talent she and others used to restore Cherry Pie was inspirational, but even more fascinating, was her appreciation and knowledge of where Cherry Pie had come from. Cherry Pieas story and Kateas role in her resurrection made both perfect representations of restored trucks and their restorers, respectively. Weare so excited that through them, we are able to pay tribute the restoration industry as a whole.a???

The Howes Hall of Fame showcases the stories of all its inductees in a fun and interactive digital environment. Anyone can visit by going to howesproducts.com/hof.

HOWES HALL OF FAME MEMBERS

* Ellen Voie a Women In Trucking

* Iowa 80 Truckstop

* Tony Justice

* Peterson Farm Brothers

* Truckers Against Trafficking

* Billy Stone

* Eric Harley

* Angelique Temple

For more information on the restoration community and truckingas rich history, visit the American Trucking Historical Society at https://aths.org/

ABOUT HOWESa

For over a century, Howes has been developing the highest quality additives and lubricants for a wide array of vehicles and equipment. Howes is committed to providing superior products that clean, protect, and always perform. Proven to work, and containing absolutely no alcohol or harmful solvents, Howes products are guaranteed to keep you moving. For over 100 years, Howes products continue to be Tested. Trusted. Guaranteed.aa
El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has found a landing strip in Colombia for his most controversial government policy: mega-prisons to fight crime. Diego Molano and Jaime Arizabaleta, pre-candidates for the mayoralties of Bogota and Cali, respectively, representing the conservative Democratic Center party, are advocates of authority and the iron fist approach as a solution not only to crime, but also corruption. Inspired by Bukele, they have proposed constructing mega-prisons if they win the October 29 regional elections.

The first to unveil the idea was Arizabaleta, who announced the joint proposal on his Twitter account Wednesday night: There will be two Bukele-style mega-prisons in Colombia, one in Bogota and another in Cali, that I will build for criminals and corrupt people, he wrote. Molano, a former Minister of Defense in the government of Ivan Duque, developed the idea on Thursday in an interview with Blu Radio: We need a prison in Bogota, a mega-jail to hold at least 3,000 criminals.

Neither Arizabaleta nor Molano have referred to the potential costs of their proposed mega-prisons, or the amount of time it would take to build them. However, it marks a first palpable manifestation of the admiration held by a broad sector of the Colombian right for the Salvadoran president. Bukeles name is increasingly heard in the streets, spoken by people who believe that a crusade like the one he undertook in El Salvador should be replicated in Colombia. This drift has also crept into polls such as one conducted in May by Datexco, in which 55% of the those asked if the country needs a president like Bukele answered in the affirmative.

Fernando Tamayo, a penal law and penitentiaries expert at the University of the Andes in Bogota, explains that the biggest problem these types of prisons pose is the difficulty of managing them: facilitating visits with all the controls these imply and guaranteeing security among inmates, and maintaining surveillance and order among such a huge prison population, requires a large number of guards. And in Colombian jails, Tamayo points out, there are not enough of them. What the Latin American experience of mega-prisons in El Salvador has shown us is that the rights of the population deprived of liberty do not matter directly, he tells EL PAIS via telephone.

The idea of importing Bukeles model is also an evident symptom of the absence of clear leadership in the Colombian right wing. Not even Maria Fernanda Cabal, who could be considered the most conspicuous conservative leader in the country, has contributed any novel ideas: she too has looked to Bukele for inspiration, sparing no complimentary adjectives for the Salvadoran president.

Former Defense Minister Diego Molano appears before the Senate on a no-confidence vote. May 2021. Leonardo Vargas / HANDOUT (EFE)

The proposal has had considerable impact in Colombia due to the insecurity being experienced in several parts of the country. In Buenaventura, which has been described by the government of President Gustavo Petro as a laboratory of total urban peace after understandings were reached with the gangs that operate there, terror has returned in recent weeks. In addition, skepticism towards negotiations with armed groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Central General Staff (EMC), a splinter group of the FARC, fueled by atrocities such as the murders of four indigenous minors in May, favors the idea of an iron fist.

However, authoritarianism has left a huge stain on Colombian history: the extrajudicial executions, also known as false positives, carried out during the administration of Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010), in which the military, encouraged to increase combat casualties, killed civilians and passed them off as guerrillas. In 2021, then-minister of defense Molano faced a no-confidence vote in Congress under opposition accusations of meting out warlike treatment in the repression of popular demonstrations against the government of Ivan Duque.

In El Salvador, the governments policy has also come under scrutiny. Under the state of emergency declared over a year ago by Bukele, the authorities have arrested more than 60,000 gang members in a country besieged for decades by criminal organizations. However, a Human Rights Watch report last January revealed that large-scale abuses have been committed, including due process violations, mass arrests, deaths in custody and overcrowding.

Jaime Arizabaleta poses with a portrait of Nayib Bukele in an image posted on his social media on May 12.

Overcrowding is another issue that arises from mega-prisons. Professor Tamayo recalls that in 1998, when an unconstitutional state of affairs was declared  a tool used by the Constitutional Court when certain requirements are met to address any serious situation  due to prison overcrowding, there were 33,009 prisoners in the country and an overcrowding ratio of 31%. Since then, more quotas have been created but there has been no solution: today in Colombia, overcrowding in prisons stands at 24%, and at times it has reached 50%. That idea of providing more quotas as a way to control overcrowding has been shown to be a failure, because the quotas are being created and are being filled, says Tamayo.

Tamayo acknowledges that it is difficult to discuss Molano and Arizabaletas proposal, as it lacks a clear structure, and the idea of social reintegration  which is the objective  remains difficult to achieve due to a lack of resources. However, he does venture an opinion, based on information gathered by several specialized studies: In general, the systems that bet on greater contact of persons deprived of liberty with the outside world, with their families, and with a greater possibility of reintegration into society, have a greater capacity for people not to reoffend.

Tamayo explains that the penal system awakens strong feelings among the public, derived from their fear of crime, insecurity, and violence. The big problem is that these projects have not shown that they are truly efficient in combating insecurity, he points out. He adds that many of these models appear efficient in the short term, because they generate positive figures in terms of convictions, imprisonment, and an increase in the prison population, which creates a feeling of greater security. However, he concludes: In the end, what they end up generating is more exclusion and greater social problems.

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A protester holds a sign calling for those behind the decision to block Bernardo Arevalo's party from the elections to be jailed outside the Public Ministry in Guatemala City. CRISTINA CHIQUIN (REUTERS)

The attempt to exclude the candidacy headed by Bernardo Arevalo from the second round of presidential elections in Guatemala has triggered alarms among the democratic forces of the Central American country. Representatives of the political opposition, jurists, international organizations, and the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden have rejected the court decision delivered Wednesday that disqualified the progressive Seed Movement, which obtained 12% of the votes in the elections on June 25, from the process. Arevalos party filed an appeal against the ruling and the Constitutional Court has granted a provisional injunction, which for the time being ensures Arevalos participation in the second round of voting. At the same time, the Electoral Tribunal on Thursday requested that the Constitutional Courts ruling be rescinded and the call for the presidential runoff, set for August 20, maintained. Until the Constitutional Court answers that petition, the threat of the partys disqualification persists. Arevalos center-left Seed Movement emerged in the heat of the 2015 protests against an institutional drift in Guatemala and now faces a criminal case for the alleged falsification of signatures of party affiliates promoted by Rafael Curruchiche, a prosecutor who has been sanctioned by the United States over allegations of corruption.

Guatemala is still one step away from a technical coup, in the opinion of former foreign minister Gabriel Orellana: A crude one, but a coup nonetheless, the lawyer said. Orellana reached his conclusion after examining the judges order that seeks to incapacitate Arevalo, who has filed a writ before the Constitutional Court to try to prevent the electoral authorities from carrying out an illegal and unconstitutional provision. To comply with the order of a judge who is interfering in the functions of the Electoral Tribunal is a breach of fundamental law, according to jurists consulted by EL PAIS. It is also illegal, because no party can be suspended during an electoral process. In this context, according to most analysts, the attempt to exclude Arevalo from the electoral process is designed to engineer a second round between the conservative former first lady, Sandra Torres, and a pro-government candidate, Manuel Conde, who represents President Alejandro Giammatteis conservative Vamos formation and came third in the opening round of voting with 7.83%.

Guatemalas electoral law prohibits the suspension of political parties between when an election is called and when it is held. With a second round of voting required because no candidate exceeded 50% of the vote, it appeared that Arevalos party could not be suspended.

Curruchiche, an anti-corruption prosecutor, said that Seed Movement had been suspended based on a May 2022 complaint from a citizen who reported that his signature was falsely added to the signature gathering effort of Arevalos party. After graphological studies, it was concluded that the signature and handwriting were falsified, Curruchiche said in a video statement, which was released while the country was waiting for the results of the vote to be ratified.

Concern over the political turmoil in Guatemala has extended to the U.S. State Department, which said that the countrys democracy was at risk. Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated Thursday that the U.S. government was deeply concerned by the actions of the Attorney Generals Office, which he said threatened the legitimacy of the electoral process. The will of the Guatemalan people, as expressed through the June 25 elections results, must be respected. In Guatemala, candidates on both the left and the right warned the government to let the voters prevail.

It was an outcome Giammattei likely did not expect when his administration decided to intervene in the June 25 election, which ended with Arevalo and Torres moving on to the August 20 presidential runoff. Torres, whose National Unity of Hope (UNE) party has been a key force in allowing Giammattei to advance his legislative agenda, said she was halting her campaign activities to protest the governments actions. It was likely that she realized Giammatteis missteps could sink her own candidacy.

We want to demonstrate our solidarity with the voters of the Seed party and also with those who came out to vote, she said. As a candidate, I want to compete under equal conditions.

Arevalo dismissed the governments actions as illegal and said he would file complaints against the lower court judge, attorney general and special prosecutor for trying to keep him out of the race. What they are trying to do is simply sow doubt about our honesty, he said at a news conference Thursday, adding that the raid and partys suspension had a clear political purpose. A former diplomat and academic, Arevalo has framed himself as the candidate who would bring change to the country, while portraying Torres as someone who would likely maintain the status quo of corruption and authoritarianism that has deepened under the Giammattei government. More than a hundred judicial figures, human rights defenders and journalists are in exile, while other former anti-corruption officials have been imprisoned, such as former prosecutor Virginia Laparra, whom Amnesty International has declared a prisoner of conscience.

In this context of authoritarian drift, more than 5.5 million Guatemalans went to the polls on June 25 and decided that the social-democratic UNE candidate, Torres (15%), and Arevalo (12%) would compete for the presidency in the second round. During the pre-campaign, three candidates with a chance of reaching the runoff were excluded by judicial decisions widely criticized as arbitrary and opportunistic. This was the case, for example, of the rancher Carlos Pineda: when he moved to the top of the polls, former congressman Manuel Baldizon, who served a sentence in the United States for money laundering, filed a legal action to remove him from the race.

Arevalo caused a shock by capturing 12% of the vote, an outcome that neither the polls nor analysts had predicted. That put the Seed Movement in the sights of the so-called Corrupt Pact, which is attributed with aligning to maintain control of the institutions and appointed by Giammattei or the alliance of deputies who hold a majority in Congress, and who respond to the interests of the president or of the ruling party. This pact is an informal alliance of politicians, a bureaucratic elite, and businessmen, plus some representatives of criminal networks, says former foreign minister and political analyst Edgar Gutierrez.

Thus, without a single tank in the streets or violence, a coup that is both sophisticated and crude has begun in Guatemala, Orellana told EL PAIS. Like the former foreign minister, dozens of jurists took to social networks to present their legal arguments, which reached a unanimous conclusion: the disqualification of a party with a second electoral round in progress is illegal, unconstitutional and puts Guatemala on the verge of a kind of technical coup detat.

Business collectives, social organizations, national and foreign electoral observers, students, and citizens also used social media to condemn what they consider an outrage generated by the Attorney Generals Office and which found in Judge Fredy Orellana the necessary endorsement to place Guatemalas fragile democracy at risk.

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Anna Hernandez was 46 years old and loved Greece. She was born in Cuba, but it was in her adopted country where she found her place in the world. While her life was never easy  she was Black, trans and poor  her friends remember her as a passionate, proud woman who never gave up.

Someone ended her life on Monday, July 10, stabbing Anna to death. Police have yet to identify any suspects. Her murder has shocked the LGBTQI+ communities in Greece  a collective in which Anna was very active and well-known.

On Monday night, Annas landlady, who had gone to collect the months rent, found her corpse. It was clear that she had been stabbed several times. Anna lived in Agios Panteleimonas, a neighborhood in northwest Athens that, a decade ago, was known as the stronghold of Golden Dawn: a neo-Nazi party, now outlawed as a criminal organization.

Anna arrived in Greece in 2017. At the height of the refugee crisis, she crossed the Balkans in the opposite direction of most refugees, with the aim of reaching northern Europe. She flew to Russia  one of the few countries where Cuban citizens dont need a visa  and then went from Moscow to Serbia. There, she stayed in the first of several refugee camps which she would pass through. After that, she went to North Macedonia, before finally arriving in Greece.

Jorge Andres is a Spanish photographer who, back then, was collaborating with a support group for LGBTQI+ refugees in Greece. Organizers asked him to meet with Anna, because she spoke Spanish. The connection was immediate. We met for a coffee and, without realizing it, we spent seven hours chatting. She told me about her arrests in Cuba [because of transphobia], her decision to leave, the trip to Russia and the Balkans. I felt that, from that day onwards, I had a new sister, he says by phone from Madrid.

The group that Jorge worked with was founded by the sisters Lia and Sofia Zachariadi. The association is called Emantes. Lia criticizes the fact that Greek law doesnt consider LGBTQI+ people to be a vulnerable population. Because they dont fall under this category, they face their asylum requests with an extra dose of difficulty when compared to heterosexuals. The complications begin from the very moment of registration in the system: trans people are required to use the name assigned to them at birth, instead of the one with which they recognize themselves. And refugee camps arent safe spaces for them. Sofia lists the reasons why: [The camps] dont cover the basic needs of decent accommodation. Theyre not accessible, nor safe. But the main problem continues to be that there are no legal and safe ways to access Europe to request asylum.

Ninoskha Sanchez, a Cuban friend of Anna Hernandez, moments before the start of a demonstration against transphobia in Athens. Hibai Arbide Aza

To receive asylum on the grounds of having been discriminated against in their home country, the applicant must provide proof of their gender identity or sexual orientation in their country of origin. In other words, they must show what  in most cases  theyve been hiding all their lives. Ninoskha, a friend of Annas who is also Cuban, had her asylum request rejected by Greece, despite the fact that she knows all the police stations in Havana. She was arrested many times for being a trans woman, facing transphobia from a very young age. I was the only [trans person] from my town, she says, with a half-smile. She has appealed the decision and now awaits a new resolution of her file.

The first police report  reflected in an agency cable that was later republished by the local press  spoke of Anna as a murdered man, despite the fact that she was, for all intents and purposes (and legally), a woman.

Greece is a very conservative country. Its near the bottom of the EU nations when it comes to respect for LGBTQI+ rights. In the southern European country, gay or lesbian couples cannot marry, nor can they register their partners children as their own, nor are they allowed to adopt children. The main advance occurred in 2017, when the government of the leftist Syriza party approved a law that depathologized trans identities and allowed for gender self-determination. Despite this, the extreme right wants to end the meager legislation that protects the rights of LGBTQI+ communities. In the elections that took place on June 25, three far-right blocs  all of which have an explicitly homophobic, transphobic and anti-LGBTQI+ discourse  achieved parliamentary representation.

Sofia Zachariadi notes that the consequences for LGBTQI+ people arent limited to the political debate: Weve already detected an increase in attacks after the elections. Its a very hard blow that completely changes our agenda compared to when we started in 2016, she tells EL PAIS. The insecurity that LGBTQI+ refugees experience also means that most of the attacks go unreported, adds Lia. They dont feel safe in the face of a police force that doesnt respect them, so when theyre attacked, theyre afraid to report it. Many trans people prefer not to reveal their identity in public out of fear. Ninoskha explains it in simple words: During the day, only trans Latina girls go out on the streets. You dont see the Greek [trans people] anywhere during the day.

Anna was exceptional in many ways. She never succumbed to the fear of being poor, Black and trans in a foreign country. She was a very positive example for our group, Sofia says. She had very limited opportunities, but she knew how to take advantage of them and wanted to stay in Greece. She fought very hard.

Annas passion was dancing. It was also her job. In Cuba, she received training in classical dance and salsa. She was a bit [like] Celia Cruz, Ninoskha proclaims. One of Annas great successes was dancing at Koukles, the most emblematic drag club in Greece, where important figures of the genre perform.

This past Tuesday afternoon, thousands of people gathered in Agios Panteleimonas square. Most belonged to LGBTQI+ communities, both local and migrant. Among them were Ninoskha, Lia and Sofia. The anger at what had happened was evident, both on the faces of those present and in the slogans they chanted. Harsh slogans, without euphemisms, which could be translated like this: Anger and rage, we miss Anna; Anna lives, lets hang the Nazis; Were standing together with the sex workers, lets deport the Nazis and the cops; Women and refugees, together, well hang the Nazis; For every [machista] and transphobe, theres a hottie with a tire iron.

A demonstration following the murder of Cuban refugee Anna Hernandez in Athens. Hibai Arbide Aza

The mobilization of about 2,000 people became a spontaneous demonstration and was later divided into three parts. The first group wound through Filis Street, where brothels and houses inhabited by migrants abound, towards Victoria Square. The second group of marchers stopped for a long time in front of the doorway of Annas house, where a flag of the trans collective was displayed alongside a candle. The third bloc  the most confrontational  headed to Patision Avenue, one of the main arteries of Athens. In the distance, the Acropolis could be seen, an ancient structure that receives a record number of tourists, who are oblivious to any local news. Groups of very young girls (with their faces covered) crossed barriers, ready to confront the police, who were watching the protest from afar. They chanted a defiant slogan: Let Greece die so that we can live. Fuck the family, fuck the country. Shortly afterwards, the protest dissolved without any major incidents.

LGBTQI+ collectives have called for new protests in the upcoming days. Sofia expects a powerful and diverse mobilization. Until now the queer movement has been mainly white. We want to [support] the refugee population, [so that they can] participate with force and have greater representation. Jorge believes that mobilizing is the only thing they can do: If we dont take care of each other, were at a disadvantage.

Being part of a group and being together in the street makes the grief more bearable. Yet, Ninoskha acknowledges that theres widespread fear in the community. Ive never been afraid, but Im terrified now, because we dont know who killed Anna. Hes on the loose.

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The president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, announced on July 13 that Nicolas Maduros government will not be allowing the European Union Observation Mission into the country to oversee the 2024 presidential elections. The usually moderate Rodriguez launched into a tirade during a legislative session, saying, We do not have time to consider the request. I am telling you directly, Josep Borrell [High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy], as long as we are the representatives of the Venezuelan State, you will not come. No mission from Europe is going to come here.

Having been careful to cultivate relations with Europe in recent years, Rodriguez was responding to the pronouncement of the European Parliament on the political situation in Venezuela. On July 12, the European Parliament voted heavily to condemn the ban from public office of Maria Corina Machado, the opposition leader who is ahead in all the opinion polls for the opposition primaries, expressing again its concern over the evolution of the Venezuelan regime and calling for the release of 280 political prisoners.

In recent months, Maduro and Rodriguezs more conciliatory attitude and willingness to engage in dialogue has cooled as they wrestle with their adversaries. The Chavist delegation that initially agreed to sit down at the negotiating table with the opposition in Mexico is now refusing to engage with the anti-Chavist leaders. The Venezuelan president has made any concession dependent on the release of businessman Alex Saab, who was imprisoned for money laundering in the U.S. He is also demanding the lifting of sanctions adopted by the U.S, Canada and the EU.

In the last few days, fears have increased among the opposition about the possibility that the countrys Supreme Court, which is heavily Chavist, may issue a ruling admitting the organization of the primaries, but forcing the opposition to deal with an entirely new board of the National Electoral Council (CNE), which has not yet been appointed. This ruling would not be in the oppositions favor, given it had already decided to organize the primaries without state support after the resignation of the previous CNE directive. A replacement dictated by the Chavists would in all probability generate new divisions within the opposition leadership.

The previous CNE directive was relatively neutral and the result of a political agreement with the opposition in 2021, but it unilaterally resigned before the National Assembly several weeks ago, without giving any official explanation. The opposition university rectors were also forced against their will to resign shortly after the opposition Electoral Commission requested their assistance in organizing the primaries.

On July 12, at the Andres Bello Catholic University, the debate between the 10 candidates for the primaries organized by the Unitary Platform through its Electoral Commission involved members of the public, and included Venezuelans who had left Venezuela in search of opportunities elsewhere. In a final address to the press, Machado, who claims she is seeking to bring the opposition together and overcome any unpleasantness with other candidates, refused to take the hand of her fellow aspirants to make the victory sign.

Although the Chavist elite generally avoid naming Machado, there is clearly concern at the rapid growth in popularity of the most intransigent and anti-communist figure in the opposition. It is a popularity that, according to analysts such as Felix Seijas of the Delphos firm, has doubled in little more than a month, giving her twice as many close followers who have a very committed voting intention.

Machados rise has forced a government that is struggling in the polls, and wrestling with the economy, to use all the powers at its disposal to eliminate her. But Machado has declared that her candidacy will continue until the end, and has declared that she will never abide by any measure forged by Chavist institutions.

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Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 58F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 58F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
In Woody Allens movie Deconstructing Harry, he brilliantly captures the thinking of people convinced theyre sick. The most beautiful words in the English language are not I love you, but Its benign. But our incessant Googling for self-diagnosis can cause even more anxiety, placing an additional burden on physicians. Now, imagine a world where this same company, already an indispensable source for car navigation and dinner reservations, becomes your go-to place for answers to lifes existential questions. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Google can now provide precise answers to your medical queries.

In a recent article published in Nature, a Google team presented Med-PaLM, a generative AI model similar to ChatGPT, which is trained on large databases and can organize information to provide meaningful (but sometimes inaccurate) responses. According to the study, version two of Med-PaLM achieved an 86.5% accuracy rate in multiple-choice exams similar to those taken by doctors for board certification, a 19% improvement over version one.

In the Nature study, the authors, primarily members of Google Research, conducted extensive testing of their models on large databases of medical questions and answers. These databases contained over 3,000 of the most frequently searched questions on the internet. One of the authors, Shek Azizi, highlighted that the system progressed from a modest level of expertise to an expert level within a span of three months. The models were evaluated based on their ability to provide accurate responses to the questions. A group of independent medical experts estimated that 92.9% of the comprehensive answers generated by Med-PaLM aligned with the scientific consensus, slightly surpassing the 92.6% agreement achieved by human doctors. The study also revealed that Med-PaLM generated a 5.8% rate of answers that may potentially lead to harmful outcomes, which was marginally lower than the 6.5% rate observed in responses provided by doctors. While these findings are indeed promising, the authors emphasize the need for further research before implementing these models in clinical care settings. According to Azizi, the system is not intended for autonomous use or to replace doctors.

Josep Munuera, Director of Radiology at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona and an expert in healthcare technology, believes that these models can be useful, but warns that doctors do more than just answer questions like the ones given to the AI system. Thorough exploration and attentive observation of nonverbal cues are imperative in order to provide an accurate diagnosis, he said. After the in-person consultation and examination, technologies such as Googles can save time and effort by generating a comprehensive patient report or therapeutic plan. It can also be valuable as a means of supporting the generation of diagnostic ideas and facilitating searches of scientific information in extensive databases. Nonetheless, its absolutely necessary to have humans verify the AIs suggestions and assume responsibility for the final decision, said Munuera. The doctors role has various facets, with profound reliance on human interaction. Our objective is to leverage AI to augment a doctors capacity to deliver improved treatment, said Azizi.

In an interview with EL PAIS, Regina Barzilai, an MIT scientist and expert in AI applications in medicine, says that these systems learn on their own from patterns provided to them, and can outperform humans in some skills. However, our capacity to detect errors in them is limited. We must adapt to a world where technology autonomously makes decisions beyond our direct oversight, said Barzilai. When using ChatGPT, weve seen how these systems can produce believable answers that sometimes contain inaccuracies. This can be challenging when the responses are well-expressed and harder to identify. In healthcare, where accuracy is crucial, not knowing the source of the answers produces uncertainty and doubt.

In certain applications that do not involve diagnosing patient diseases but instead focus on knowledge discovery, the artificially generated elements known as hallucinations in AI-generated texts may not pose an issue. Hallucinations and creativity are two sides of the same coin, particularly in applications like drug repurposing and gene-disease association. Such endeavors require a certain level of creativity, which in turn facilitates the process of innovation and discovery, said Azizi.

Jose Ibeas, a nephrologist at Parc Tauli Hospital in Sabadell (near Barcelona) and secretary for the Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, believes that this technology is the future and will greatly enhance medical treatment. However, he acknowledges that there is still much to learn. For instance, while information may be gathered from reputable sources, not all studies hold equal weight and there is a frequent scarcity of studies with negative data or failed experiments. AI generates text based on these sources, but the exact selection of content from each article remains unknown, potentially leading to biases, said Ibeas. A treatment may prove beneficial for a population group experiencing a specific disease in a particular environment, and fail to yield the same results for another population group.

Ibeas believes these AI models can be a valuable resource for doctors, but its crucial to establish their efficacy through rigorous verification processes, similar to the regulatory processes governing approval of other medical products. This can be achieved by comparing outcomes between doctors who regularly leverage this technology, he said. Ibeas also stressed the importance of applying this technology cautiously and wants to see comprehensive training of healthcare professionals. He also would like to limit their use to cases where the benefits are undeniable. This approach will help avoid the common pitfall of bowing to commercial pressures, which could produce mistakes that force people to abandon a genuinely beneficial medical technology.

An important aspect of generative language models is their ability to provide high-quality health information to people who previously lacked access. The authors of the Nature study say they compared the Med-PaLM results with highly skilled experts and found that the AI system performed well. This led some doctors to express concern that AI systems could lead to more resource cuts, while acknowledging the usefulness of models like Med-PaLM in overextended health care systems.

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Nearly 1,000% More COVID Cases in Public Service After Vaccine Mandate, Labour Board Hears

The West Block of Parliament Hill is pictured through the window of the Sir John A Macdonald building in Ottawa in a file photo. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Federal public service employees put on leave without pay for refusing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination told a labour tribunal that infections in the workforce rose tenfold after the mandate was implemented, citing the governments own data.

Why did people become sick in such great numbers in the public service if they were immunized? asked Bernard Desgagne, who represents two employees whose files are being adjudicated by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board.

The board is currently hearing its first case related to grievances from public servants whose salaries were withheld and employment insurance benefits denied for not complying with the vaccine mandate, which was in effect from October 2021 to June 2022.

Mr. Desgagne, a public servant himself and not a lawyer, put the question to Dr. Celia Lourenco who was being cross-examined on July 13. Dr. Lourenco, currently the acting associate assistant deputy minister with Health Canada, was formerly the the departments director-general of the Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate and as such had final authority on new vaccine approvals during the COVID crisis.

Mr. Desgagne presented official data showing that before the mandate was imposed, the government had tallied on average 321 cases of COVID-19 infections per month among public servants.

After the mandate came into force, that number jumped to 3,297 cases per month, a tenfold increase, or almost 1,000 percent. Some of the government data presented comes with the caveat that the total number of cases may not reflect an accurate count due to the lack of availability of tests.

Mr. Desgagne remarked that all of the public servants were vaccinated, so why such a huge number of people got sick with COVID?

Dr. Lourenco said she wasnt aware of that data and did not express an opinion on it. She said it would be a question for an epidemiologist to look at, by evaluating what variant was circulating or where the employees were located.

I wouldnt know otherwise why that would be, why youre seeing these numbers, she said.

Shortly after the mandate came into force in October 2021, the Omicron variant became dominant and the COVID-19 injections offered little protection. The governments own data contained in a now-public secret briefing said that the vaccines protection against infection was 20 percent or less in most studies by 6 months or more after vaccination.

Quebec provincial data also showed that vaccinated individuals were getting infected at a higher rate in early January 2022, and Ontario data showed higher infection rates in individuals who received a booster dose in the spring. Quebec stopped publishing the data in early January 2022 and Ontario stopped reporting on vaccination statuses in late June 22.

COVID-19 Dashboard from Quebec public health for Jan. 4, 2022, shows that the unvaccinated had a lower risk of getting infected. The next day, that data point was removed from the dashboard. (Sante Quebec)

Screenshot from the now defunct Ontario COVID-19 dashboard showing individuals who received the booster had higher infection rates in the spring of 2022. Ontario stopped publishing the data in June 2022. (Ontario COVID-19 data page)

Mr. Desgagne pressed Dr. Lourenco by noting she had testified that in order to surveil the product she had approved, she was constantly appraised by the Public Health Agency of Canada of what was being observed in the field.

They should have made you aware of that increase in infections after mandatory mass vaccination, he said.

This is not a scientific study, replied Dr. Lourenco, adding that raw data only tells a small part of the story. Without more information, conclusions cannot be drawn, she said.

Mr. Desgagne set up his line of questioning by addressing the issue of breakthrough infections through the presentation of different studies.

He cited one study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in August 2021 about breakthrough infections in Massachusetts. The paper said that 469 cases were identified among residents of the state who had attended public events in Barnstable Country, with 74 percent of cases occurring in fully vaccinated individuals.

Dr. Lourenco said she wasnt aware of the study but that she knew about breakthrough infections.

Shortly after the publication of the CDC study, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would fulfill his campaign promise and impose vaccination mandates on the public service and federally regulated sectors.

The top priority remains getting everyone their vaccine, he said in late September 2021 after winning the election. Getting vaccination rates up is the way to ensure not only were keeping our loved ones safe, but were keeping our health systems from getting overloaded, were keeping away from having to do further lockdowns in our communities, and were allowing our economy and normal life to get back as quickly as possible.

Dr. Lourenco was cross-examined in relation to the travel vaccine mandate lawsuit in June 2022, and at that time said the vaccines would have never been approved had they shown their current effectiveness to be less than 50 percent against infection. The health official said theyve been kept on the market for their protection against severe outcomes.

She acknowledged on July 13 that an increase in cases, as seen during the vaccine mandate period and the first Omicron wave, necessarily leads to more hospitalizations.
2024 Candidates Differ on Possible NATO Membership for Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden (L) delivers his speech as he is flanked by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky during an event with G-7 leaders to announce a Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine during the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12, 2023. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)

This week, President Joe Biden was at the NATO summit in Lithuania, where the topic of Ukraine being a future member of the 31-member alliance was front and center.

The 2024 presidential candidates are split on that possibility.

Mr. Biden, a Democrat, told CNN that Ukraine is not ready to join the Brussels-based group.

I dont think its ready for membership in NATO, he told Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired on July 9.

But heres the deal. I spent, as you know, a great deal of time trying to hold NATO together because I believe Putin has had an overwhelming objective from the time he launched 185,000 troops into Ukraine, and that was to break NATO, continued Mr. Biden. He was confident, in my view and many in the intelligence community, he was confident he could break NATO.

Mr. Biden went on to say that NATO membership for Ukraine now would present an undesirable reality.

So holding NATO together is really critical, he said. I dont think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war.

For example, if you did that, then, you know, and I mean what I say, were determined to commit every inch of territory that is NATO territory as a commitment that weve all made no matter what.

Nonetheless, during the NATO summit, Mr. Biden expressed that Ukraine would one day join the alliance.

Your resilience and your resolve has been a model for the whole world to see, he said. I look forward to the day when were having the meeting celebrating your official, official membership in NATO.

Meanwhile, the 2024 GOP candidates displayed divergent views on whether Ukraine should be part of NATO.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said she is for Ukraine being a NATO member.

The key is, there is no reason Ukraine should not be part of NATO, she said on Fox News on July 11.

NATO has been a 70-year success story at keeping Russia out. Theyve been a 70-year success story, theres been no inner conflict between all of those countries, continued Ms. Haley. Ukraine has shown their military might, theyve shown their power, and theyve shown they would be a fantastic asset to the alliance.

But more than that, Russia has never invaded a country that is part of NATO. They invaded Georgia; they invaded Moldova; they invaded Ukraine. Those were not countries that were part of NATO. This is when the alliance should have gotten together and said, Yes, were going to bring Ukraine in, because the way we end this war is for Russia to get out. Thats it.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, expressed opposition to Ukraine being a NATO member.

To say that we should be adding countries like Ukraine into NATO, you know, thats a non-starter for me, he told Blaze TV-Radio.

Because all youre doing is, youre putting more obligations on us to be able to defend [it], continued Mr. DeSantis. Why would we want to do things that are going to make it more likely that were going to get dragged into a war?

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy shut the door on Ukraine joining NATO were he to enter the Oval Office.

@JoeBiden needs to man up to his bully-friend [Volodymyr] Zelensky & clearly state that we are dead-set opposed to Ukrainian admission to NATO. This should be a hard red line, he posted on Twitter on July 8.

Its shameful that even Republicans like [Lindsey Graham] are now pushing for it. Stop marching us to the brink of nuclear war.

For all the hand-wringing about the 1994 Budapest Memorandum (on which the [United States] has more than fulfilled its commitments), the neocon-Democrat establishment is shockingly silent on James Bakers famous 1990 Not-One-Inch commitment to Gorbachev that NATO would never extend east of Germany, he continued, referring to the 1994 agreement where Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees.

NATO was created to deter conflict with the USSR, yet NATO has expanded most rapidly *after* the fall of the USSR [and] is now *worsening* the risk of nuclear war with Russia itself. This is sheer lunacy, Mr. Ramaswamy also posted on Twitter.

Former Vice President Mike Pence did not rule out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO but said it should not be contemplated during its war with Russia.

I honestly believe that its important as the leader of the free world and the arsenal of democracy that America continue to provide the Ukrainians what they need to fight and win and repel that unprovoked Russian invasion. But the question of NATO membershipand I spoke about this with President ZelenskyyI think should all wait [until] after the war is won, he said on CNN on July 11.

The campaign of former President Donald Trump did not respond to a request for comment.

Dan Berger, Janice Hisle, Lawrence Wilson and Nathan Worcester contributed to this report.
A Must-Read for Irvine Ranch History Aficionados

Commentary

Growing up in Orange County, I can still remember the trip in my high school years with my father to see the new University of California in Irvine. I saw barren rolling hills with newly built structures and minimal vegetation or trees.

Decades later, as a State Senator representing the 37th District, which includes UCI, I attended the 50th anniversary banquet and sat with the founding chancellor Daniel G. Aldrich, Jr.s (1918-1990) family, including his widow Jean and son Dan. So much had changed during the intervening years, and the history is compelling reading.

These memories and more would flash back as I read Transforming the Irvine RanchJoan Irvine, William Pereira, Ray Watson and The Big Plan by H. Pike Oliver and C. Michael Stockstill.

I recently shared about the very early history of the Irvine Ranch in The Last-Second Move That Determined the Fate of Irvine Ranch on July 29, 2022. It was sparked by another recent piece in The Epoch Times, Who Were the Irvines? The History of Irvine Ranch by Julianne Foster on July 22, 2022.

Transforming covers the time period from 1864 to 1977. I was pleasantly surprised with the number of individuals who were mentioned that I have met during my lifetime. Aside from co-author Mike Stockstill, there were, in alphabetical order, Robert Badham, Marian Bergeson, Philip Bettencourt, Paul Brady, Donald Bren, Phil Brigandi, Martin Brower, Gov. Jerry Brown, Walter Burroughs, Dennis Carpenter, Gil Ferguson, William Ficker, Lorin Griset, Gary Hunt, Robert A. Johnson, Jerry Kobrin, Michael Meyer, Thomas Nielsen, Stan Oftelie, Sally Anne Sheridan, David Sills, Jim Sleeper, Joan Irvine Smith, Morton Smith III, Jean Stern, Tim Strader, Jim Irvine Swinden, Bill Woollett, Jr., and Bill Vardoulis.

A student crosses a walkway on the University of CaliforniaIrvine campus in Irvine, Calif., on Sept. 25, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Those who enjoy big Orange County personalities, such as the late Joan Irvine Smiths involvement with the building of UCI, the formation of the city of Irvine, and the intrigue of her efforts to control the Irvine Foundation and its ownership and sale of The Irvine Company, will enjoy the drama she created.

For those who are longtime readers of The Daily Pilot newspaper, the founder, Walter Burroughs, whom I enjoyed time with at weekly Costa Mesa Rotary lunches, played a significant role in convincing the University of California to establish a campus in Orange County. Not bad for such a devoted Cal grad.

For those who want to learn about Eastbluff, Fashion Island, Turtle Rock, Promontory Point, and much more of the residential and related development of this area, then Transforming is a treasure trove.

For those who appreciate great architects, then the history of William Pereira and his many significant accomplishments should fit the bill.

For those who appreciate innovative and cutting-edge management opportunities, then Ray Watson and the team he assembled will be a big inspiration. For me, as a former Orange County Supervisor, I appreciated learning more about William Mason, for whom an Orange County Park is named.

The source documents are mostly from oral histories, Congressional records, and newspaper articles, which provide new insights not previously provided in other books on Orange County history. The scholarship will surely be relied upon for future works on Orange Countys history.

Irvine Regional Park in Tustin, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

For those who want to learn more about the naming of Jamboree Road, then the mention of the Boy Scout Jamboree on the plateau that would become the site of the Newport Center and Fashion Island, in July of 1953, 70 years ago this month, should be a fun read. To commemorate this anniversary, let me quote the late Orange County historian and friend Phil Brigandi:

The Jamboree campsite was nothing less than a temporary city  there were commissaries, trading posts, a hospital and fire crews, and about 30,000 tents.

Comedian Bob Hope would later dub the Jamboree the United Nations in short pants.

Celebrities who attended included Danny Kaye, Debbie Reynolds, Jane Powell, Lash La Rue, June Allyson, Rory Calhoun, Dick Powell, Roy Rogers, Will Rogers, Jr., and Vice President Richard Nixon.

It was observed that Myford Irvine welcomed the Scouts, recalling the event as the greatest moment of his life. A very pregnant Joan Irvine also attended the opening ceremonies on July 17th, giving birth to her first son two weeks later.

To enjoy a little OC history hunting, please visit the Katie Wheeler Library at 13109 Old Myford Road in Irvine, adjacent to the Tustin Marketplace. This was the original Irvine family home and would become The Irvine Companys headquarters until the first half of the 1960s. It was nearly destroyed by fire in 1965. It was named after Kathryn Katie Anita Irvine Wheeler, who was born on Feb. 27, 1920, in the original Irvine Family Ranch House.

The County of Orange rebuilt the home identically to the original. Joan Irvine Smith would call me when I was a new Supervisor and rave about how it reminded her of when she was a fourth grader. She was so pleased with the new building, including the basement stairs, which she recalled playing on as a child.

Joan was a mover and shaker even during the twilight of her life, sending me regular news clippings listings of what I should be aware of. Her appeal to me to extend Avenida La Pata was a project I strongly emphasized during my tenure on the Board of Supervisors.

The book is well written and has an excellent flow. It provides a wealth of new information about an amazing 100,000-plus acre ranch that was held together for many, many years. For OC aficionados, this is a must-have for your library.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Airport Security Fees Have Increased by One-Third, But Screening Wont Be Faster

An employee performs security checks of passengers and their carry-on luggage at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., in a file photo. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press)

Despite an increase of 33 percent in mandatory airport security fees, the National Airline Council says passengers should not expect faster airport screening.

Figures show that the new air passenger fees intended to cover the costs associated with airport security actually represent an annual profit for the federal government, according to Blacklocks Reporter.

The CEO of the Airline Council, Jeff Morrison, said that even though those fees have risen substantially, he cant confirm that airport security screening will see any improvement in terms of service level.

I wish I could say these increases in fees would lead to better service for both the airlines and passengers, Morrison told the Senate national finance committee. I cannot say that. For example, with the increase in the air security charge, that is money that goes into general revenue.

In the omnibus bill C-47, which passed June 22, cabinet raised the Air Travellers Security Charge (ATSC) retroactively to May 1 from $15 to $20 for round-trip domestic flights, it increased from $13 to $17 on flights to the United States and changed from $26 to $34 for international flights. Morrison confirmed to the committee that the revenue is not separated from the governments general revenue.

Morrison expanded on the question about whether passengers would see improved service for their extra investment. I wish I could say yes. Airlines wish we could say yes, but given that, we dont suspect thats the case. Unfortunately I dont believe so.

Thats a direct carry-over to the passenger, he said. In other words, that charge gets automatically added to the ticket price. In fact, when you pay for an airline ticket, you can see that carve-out and what that fare is. Airlines dont have a say in that.

Based on a May 9 report from the Budget Office, the 33 percent increase is expected to cost Canadians $264 million next year. This increase is on top of $872 million in annual security revenues generated in pre-pandemic years, Blacklocks reported.

Historically, federal regulators have generated more in security fee revenue than they have spent on airport security, this is the case despite a 2016 statutory review that recommended those passenger fees be charged at levels only necessary to cover security costs.

Canadian travellers already pay one of the highest aviation security fees in the world, said the review, Pathways: Connecting Canadas Transportation System To The World. The report recommended Parliament charge no more for air security than actual costs of passenger and baggage screening with light-touch regulations covering fees and charges to protect users.

Security charges have exceeded the cost of security screening by an average of 18 percent every year since 2010 and fail to recognize the national interest in a secure system, said the report.

The ATSC was originally introduced in 2002 to offset costs presented by airport security overhauls following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Currently, 89 federally regulated airports in Canada employ passenger screening protocols undertaken by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
House Passes Defense Bill Measure That Blocks Funds for Studios That Censor for CCP

Committee chairman Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) speaks during a House Homeland Security Committee about the U.S.-Mexico border on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 28, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

An amendment in the newly House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would bar the federal government from providing support to film studios that censor products at the request of Chinas communist regime.

The Stopping Communist Regimes from Engaging in Edits Now Act (SCREEN Act) was included in the House version of the FY24 NDAA as an amendment.

The amendment, first introduced in February 2022 and reintroduced to the current Congress by Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) in March, would prevent the federal government from assisting studios in Hollywood with the production of a film if that film is co-produced by a Chinese company.

The Chinese Communist Party is exporting its totalitarian censorship to Hollywood, demanding that Americas film industry kowtow to its agenda, Mr. Green told The Epoch Times.

The CCP has one goal: Silence any voice that exposes its illegal, inhumane, and malign activities. Thats why my SCREEN Act is so important, and why I am pleased it passed the House today.

The SCREEN Act would also require film companies receiving production assistance from the Department of State to report to Congress any previous films substantially edited by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and ban the federal government from assisting any studios that have edited a film for the regime.

The House version of the NDAA passed along party lines on July 14 but is unlikely to pass the Senate due to a number of Republican-introduced amendments that would bar payment for medical travel for soldiers seeking abortions.

SCREEN Act Takes Aim at CCP Censorship



The issue of CCP censorship and interference in U.S. media has become an increasingly contentious issue as relations between the regime and the United States continue to spiral downward.

Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the issue of taxpayer dollars intended for defense being used to help Hollywood productions of companies that frequently censor films for the CCP.

For decades, the Pentagon has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with Hollywood studios, allowing movies to be filmed on military bases, planes, and ships, in exchange for positive portrayals of its soldiers, which at times can even lead to recruiting booms.

In recent years, however, the CCP regime has increasingly used the allure of its massive film market to get Hollywood studios to censor or alter movies to promote communist values, a trend that jeopardizes free speech while sacrificing U.S. values and principles.

In response, the Pentagon updated a media production document in late June, declaring that the DoD would not work with film studios that tailor their movies to meet Chinas demands.

The [Department of Defense] will not provide production assistance when there is demonstrable evidence that the production has complied or is likely to comply with a demand from the Government of the Peoples Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, or an entity under the direction of the Peoples Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party to censor the content of the project in a material manner to advance the national interest of the Peoples Republic of China, a document shared with The Epoch Times (pdf) reads.

Mr. Greens SCREEN Act would take that sentiment further by prohibiting the whole of the federal government from funding any project by a studio that censors on behalf of the CCP.

It would also require Hollywood studios to provide written statements promising to not censor their films at the CCPs request before they receive any assistance from the Department of State.

I applaud the decision of the Pentagon to refuse government assistance to studios that censor American films at the request of the CCP, but we can do more, Mr. Green said.

I introduced the SCREEN Act to stop Communist China from using our film industry to spread its propaganda.

Studios Must Stop Kowtowing to Communist Ideology



The introduction of the SCREEN Act follows two recent examples in which the CCP has sought to quash the expression of American filmmakers.

The China release of last years childrens film, Minions: The Rise of Gru, featured an altered ending that supported the communist regimes policies. While the global version of the film ends with two anti-heroes riding into the sunset after a heist, the Chinese version ends with one character going to prison for 20 years and the other renouncing his evil ways. The latter then dedicates his life to raising three children, in an apparent reference to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinpings three-child policy.

The first two installments of the related film series Despicable Me were banned outright in China.

Similarly, 2022s Top Gun: Maverick featured a bomber jacket with Taiwanese and Japanese flag patches, which was featured in the original 1986 film. A trailer for the second installment showed both flags removed and replaced with fictional emblems, however, drawing speculation that the move was aimed at appeasing Beijing.

The flags were reinstated in the final version of the movie after significant public backlash, and the film was never cleared for release in China.

The SCREEN Act, according to Mr. Green, will help American media companies make similar decisions in the future by ensuring U.S. taxpayer dollars are never used to subsidize the CCPs anti-American ideology.

This amendment will make permanent changes to protect American taxpayers from subsidizing film studios kowtowing to the CCP, Mr. Green said.

Eva Fu and Frank Fang contributed to this story.
Appeals Court Upholds Catholic Schools Right to Fire Counselor in Same-Sex Marriage

A federal appeals court has granted a Catholic high school in Indiana the legal right to fire a guidance counselor because she was in a same-sex marriage.

A three-judge panel for the U.S. 7th Court of Appeals said in a July 13 ruling that Roncalli High School and the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis can refuse to renew Michelle Fitzgeralds contract for being in a same-sex marriage because it was contrary to the schools religious mission.

The ruling is based on a ministerial exception, which lets religious institutions dismiss certain types of employees for their personal beliefs. Initially, the exception applied to staff who worked directly on religious matters, but a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2020 expanded that to include teachers by ruling that religious schools are exempt from most employment discrimination claims.

The religious education and formation of students is the very reason for the existence of most private religious schools, and therefore the selection and supervision of the teachers upon whom the schools rely to do this work lie at the core of their mission, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the courts majority opinion.

Judicial review of the way in which religious schools discharge those responsibilities would undermine the independence of religious institutions in a way that the First Amendment does not tolerate, Mr. Alito added.

In 2018, after school authorities discovered Ms. Fitzgerald was married to a woman, they gave her several options, including resigning, being fired, or dissolving her same-sex marriage, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which is part of her legal team.

Ms. Fitzgerald refused to dissolve the same-sex marriage or resign, and so was placed on administrative leave and asked to stay away from the school campus. Her contract was later not renewed, prompting Ms. Fitzgerald to sue.

Her initial complaint (pdf) alleged wrongful and unlawful discrimination based on sex, while the school raised the ministerial exception as a defense.

A district court sided with the school and Ms. Fitzgerald appealed. Part of her argument against the school was that she was performing secular duties and was not hired to minister to students.

But on July 13, the 7th Court of Appeals affirmed the district courts ruling that the school had the right to fire Ms. Fitzgerald because she did, in fact, perform some religious duties and so could be dismissed for religious reasons.

Our precedent makes clear that Fitzgerald was a minister at Roncalli and that the ministerial exception bars this suit, wrote Circuit Judge Amy J. St. Eve, a George W. Bush appointee, in the panel opinion.

A fact-specific inquiry remains necessary in cases where the ministerial exception is asserted as a defense to balance the enforcement of our laws against the protections of our Constitution, Ms. St. Eve wrote.

Despite Fitzgeralds attempts to undermine her contributions, there is no genuine dispute that Fitzgerald participated in some of the religious aspects of the Administrative Counsel, the judge wrote, noting that Ms. Fitzgeralds participation in the group made her one of a handful of key, visible leaders at the school.

The ruling is the latest in a series of court decisions protecting the leadership choices of faith-based schools, including a 2022 federal court ruling against another Roncalli High School guidance counselor, whose contract was not renewed because she was found to have been in a same-sex marriage.

Reactions

The appeals court ruling drew mixed reactions.

Becket Law, a legal group that specializes in religious freedom cases, hailed the courts decision, saying that it confirms the prohibition of the government to interfere with a faith-based schools right to pick leaders who will impart religious teachings to students.

Religious schools exist to pass on the faith to the next generation, and to do that, they need the freedom to choose leaders who are fully committed to their religious mission, Becket Counsel Joseph Davis said in a statement obtained by The Epoch Times.

The precedent keeps piling up: Catholic schools can ask Catholic school teachers and administrators to be fully supportive of Catholic teaching.

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, denounced the decision, arguing that the ministerial exception is a court-created doctrine that circumvents civil rights laws and allows employers to unfairly discriminate against employees.

These religious extremists are trying to expand a narrow, commonsense rulemeant to allow houses of worship to select their own clergy according to their own faithinto a broad license to circumvent civil rights laws and to discriminate, Ms. Laser said in a statement.

Shelly Fitzgerald, like most employees at religious organizations, wasnt hired to minister to students or to preach the Catholic religion, Ms. Laser continued. She was hired to provide secular guidance to students seeking to get into college. She should not have lost her civil rights simply because the secular work she performed was done at a religious school.

The appeals courts decision comes after the Supreme Court last month ruled 63 in favor of a Christian website designer who said Colorados law requiring her to create websites to celebrate same-sex weddings infringed on her constitutional rights.

Artist and website designer Lorie Smith of 303 Creative complained she was being singled out by the Colorado human rights commission because, based on her religious faith, she does not support nontraditional marriage.

Ms. Smith took action when she discovered she was forbidden under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) to post a statement online explaining what content she was, and was not, willing to create.
Australian State Governments Data Posted on Dark Web

Highly sensitive data from the Victorian government has been published on the dark web after the information was stolen during a cyber attack on an affiliated law firm.

HWL Ebsworth, a top Australian law firm, said it became a target of cyberattack by a Russian hacking group earlier this year when a threat actor identified as ALPHV/BlackCat made a post on a dark web forum claiming to have infiltrated data from the firm.

Upon becoming aware of this threat, HWL Ebsworth immediately engaged McGrathNicol to investigate the incident and undertake containment and remediation actions, the firm said on its website.

The investigation indicates the threat actor had accessed and exfiltrated certain information on a confined part of the firms system, but not on our core document management system.

On 9 June 2023, we became aware that the threat actor had published on their dark web forum at least some of the data they claim to have taken.

The Victorian government announced that the leaked data include a number of files from the government and that it was still in the process of reaching a compromise.

We have been advised by HWL Ebsworth that information affected includes highly sensitive documents from legal files with state government departments and agencies, a government spokeswoman said on July 14.

We know this could be a distressing situation for the people affected, and we are working to notify all those affected as soon as possible.

Chief Security Officer Says IT Systems Safe

Victorias Chief Information Security Officer David Cullen assured Victorians that the cyberattack didnt directly target the state governments IT system.

We are taking this matter extremely seriously, and are working in partnership with the Commonwealth government, and can confirm that there has been no direct breach of Victorian government IT systems, Mr. Cullen said, reported 9News.

HWL Ebsworth is in direct contact with impacted departments and agencies to provide advice on the specific information that has been exposed.

He urged all suppliers to maintain strict cyber security measures to ensure their data is protected from hackers.

Departments and agencies will make direct contact with those impacted as soon as possible to provide tailored advice and support because we know data breaches can be distressing, especially when personal information is involved, the officer said.

Supporting impacted Victorians and their wellbeing, remains a top priority.

HWL Ebsworth, which has commercial and government clients in every state territory, said it is collaborating with Australia and New Zealands national identity and cyber support service IDCARE and subscription service Equifax Protect to support affected individuals.

The firm has insisted it would not give in to hackers demands for ransom.

Australias top cyber security co-ordinator Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie previously said several government entities had been impacted.

In June, the Tasmanian government said it had been contacted by the federal government about an illegal release of data stolen in the attack leaked on the dark web.

That was the same month hackers from Russia claimed to have published data stolen during the attack.

AAP contributed to this report.
Australian States Reach Agreement on Caged Eggs Ban, Sparking Price Hike Concerns

Eggs are seen at a grocery store in Washington, DC, on Jan. 19, 2023. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Caged eggs will be banned in Australia as part of a national agreement to improve animal welfare in the poultry industry.

While animal advocacy groups have welcomed the news, there are concerns that the new agreement will put eggs out of the reach of consumers.

During a meeting on July 13, state agriculture ministers endorsed the new Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry.

The new standards will significantly change the way farmers raise poultry, effectively banning the use of battery cages.

Battery cages are a housing system commonly used for raising egg-laying hens that involves putting together rows and columns of identical cages.

Many farms were reported to keep battery hens in cage areas less than the size of an A4 paper, causing them to be unable to perform normal behaviour for chickens like stretching their wings, perching, or scratching.

Animal welfare groups have long demanded battery cages be banned in Australia to protect chickens from cruel production systems.

While a consensus has been reached, states and territories will decide when to adopt the new standards themselves.

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said despite the difference in the pace of adoption, all jurisdictions were working towards phasing out battery cages by 2036.

Some states will be able to do it more quickly than others, and if some states are struggling, that is something we can discuss, Mr. Watt said.

The minister noted that the 2036 deadline would give the industry plenty of time to adjust to the changes.

Meanwhile, New South Wales has not committed to a specific timeline.

We will work to our own timeline to make sure that were working with industry in NSW to get the best outcome, NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said in comments obtained by AAP.

Were going to work with industry so that were not impacting supply, and were not worried about cost of living issues.

Egg Industry Pushes Back the 2036 Deadline

Following the agreement between state ministers, Bede Burke, the chair of Egg Farmers of Australia, a peak industry body, called for extra time to allow farmers to adjust financially to the new standards.

We want until 2046. Thats because it can take up to 30 years to pay off debt on an existing cage egg business, he said.

Any earlier time frame would financially impact on many family egg farms.

Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud also supported an extension to the supposed 2036 deadline.

Our egg farmers deserve support, not surprises, from state governments, Mr. Littleproud said.

Farmers have made investment decisions worth millions of dollars, predicated on the current guidelines, believing they had until 2046.

A Pakistani poultry worker feeds chickens on a farm in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 10, 2007. (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)

Egg Farmers of Australia warned that the agreement would cause the future of cage egg production to remain in limbo and prompt farmers to seek compensation from states.

Meanwhile, Australian Alliance for Animals policy director Jed Goodfellow expressed disappointment that a national timeline hadnt been reached.

This places the 2032-2036 timeframe contained in the national standards at risk and fails to provide the community, and the industry, with certainty, he said in a statement.

It is incumbent upon all state governments to now announce their respective phase-out timeframes so that all stakeholders know where they stand and can prepare for the future.

These timeframes should be as short as possible to ensure that millions of hens do not continue to suffer unnecessarily inside these outdated, barren cages.

Concerns about Skyrocketing Egg Prices

The agreement follows concerns that egg prices could soar to $15 (US$10.3) a carton from the current average of $7, keeping them out of reach of low-income Australians.

It was reported that the infrastructure required for caged-free egg production could cost as much as $4 million.

Farming experts said that farmers would be forced to pass these hefty costs on to consumers if states rushed to enforce the new poultry standards.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie warned that an early ban on battery cages would drive up the cost of eggs and other types of food made from eggs.

We eat 17 million of them every single day. And 40 percent of the eggs that are sold at every supermarket every day actually are caged eggs because they are an affordable option for so many families, she said.

To see them rise like were seeing when similar decisions made in other countries will just put the cost of delivering healthy food on the table every night so much harder.

Meanwhile, Mr. Watt has rejected the idea that egg prices would soar because of the battery cage ban.
Australias Largest Bank Embroiled in Dispute for Asking Workers to Return to the Office

People walk past a branch of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) branch in Melbourne, Australia, on Aug. 11, 2021. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

The financial services union has compelled Australias largest bank to face the workplace umpire after trying to change its work-from-home arrangements.

The Commonwealth Bank (CBA) must front up to a Fair Work Commission hearing after the Finance Sector Union (FSU) filed its dispute on July 12.

Management had notified their 49,000 employees that they needed to return to office by July 17 for at least 50 percent of their working time.

The FSU has spent a month trying to overturn the decision saying there was a lack of consultation.

We have asked the Fair Work Commission to intervene in this matter, said FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano in a statement. Instead of issuing edicts, we want the bank to engage in a consultation process with the FSU and affected staff in accordance with the CBA Enterprise Agreement.

The COVID-19 pandemic proved that remote work is a sustainable model and this is convenient for vast numbers of workers, she added.

Ms. Angrisano said CBA employees had complained that returning to the office would cost them more money and time because of commuting, as well as interfere with their family lives.

This change will have a financial, productivity, and engagement impact, one CBA employee is alleged to have told the union. I work in a different state from the rest of my team, Ill have to do all the commuting to simply sit in the office by myself on (Microsoft Teams) anyway.

Flexible Work Remains Available, CBA Says

In response, CBA management has refuted suggestions it did not consult staff.

Staff were advised of the new monthly in-office approach in May and have had two months to talk to their manager about the arrangements that will balance the needs of our customers, their teams, and their own personal needs, a CBA spokesperson said.

CBA respects and adheres to the terms of our 2020 Enterprise Agreement and those matters that require consultation.

He said the bank also met with the FSU last month for a cordial discussion about hybrid working and provided a written response.

Flexible working options remain available, as they always have, and well continue to give consideration to our people who require more tailored arrangements to suit their individual circumstances and in line with our enterprise agreement obligations.

The bank also confirms the change is to formally start on Monday, highlighting the fundamental role of connection and the ability to build and strengthen relationships in the workplace.

This approach gives the majority of our people access to the benefits of a physical workspace and the advantages of remote work, the spokesman explained.

Businesses Keen to See Workers At the Office, Unions Resisting

The dispute comes as major businesses continue calling on staff to return to the office while younger employees, in general, express a reluctance to return to pre-COVID arrangements.

Research from LinkedIn late last year found nearly three-quarters of Australian business leaders prefer staff to work from the office.

CEO Ross McEwan of the National Australia Bank (NAB) asked senior leaders to return to the banks headquarters five days a week to set an example for the staff or be prepared to leave the business.

Ross has long advocated for the need for teams to be together regularly to collaborate and problem solve for customers, a NAB spokesperson told The Australian newspaper

NAB is a relationship bank and those relationships are best delivered face-to-face.

Speaking on 3AW radio on July 11, ANZ chief executive, Shayne Elliott, revealed fewer than half of his staff came into the office on a good day, with just three-quarters of employees working onsite at any time throughout the week.

While conceding that working from home can be successful in most cases, he is worried younger workers may miss out on mentoring from more experienced colleagues.

In contrast, unions have fought to maintain the new status quo.

Just a day before FSUs action, the Australian Public Service Commission and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) struck a deal allowing government workers no limits on the number of days to work from home.

CPSU National Secretary Melissa Donnelly said the new rights were significantly improved and enforceable.
Australias Penny Wong Meets Beijings Wang Yi Over Trade, Security and Democracy Issues During ASEAN Meetings

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during a press conference after a joint meeting with her French counterpart at Quai dOrsay in Paris, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Stephane de Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images)

Penny Wong, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, met with Wang Yi, Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, on July 13 and raised her concerns over various issues, including trade impediments, consular cases, human rights, and Hong Kong.

During the meeting, which took place on the margins of ASEAN-related meetings in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wong called for faster action on Chinas unfair trade sanctions against Australia while raising her deep concerns over Hong Kongs pursuit of overseas pro-democracy activists, including two currently residing in Australia.

At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Jakarta, Wong also pushed for more trade activities between the two countries.

My view is were seeing some progress on trade; we would like to see more, she told reporters after the meeting.

While Australia and China enjoy a comprehensive Strategic Partnership, China, on the other hand, singlehandedly slapped trade sanctions on $20 billion worth of Australian products at the height of a diplomatic spat in 2020.

Even though China has since wound back restrictions on timber and coal imports, which China desperately needs for its power generation, steel making, and other industrial needs, other areas such as wine, meat, wool, seafood, dairy products, and other agricultural products are still under trade sanctions.

Diplomatic And Human Rights Issues

On diplomatic and human rights issues, Senator Wong said she had a frank conversation with Mr. Wang on the plight of two Australians still detained in China and recent bounties for foreign-based activists.

Senator Wong said that if both countries could manage their differences wisely, the Australia-China relationship would not be in so much contradiction while keeping each nations interests in mind.

We will speak in defence of human rights, the welfare of our citizens, the rights and freedoms of those who live in Australia, and our strategic, security and trade interests. On these, we will continue to engage and put forward frank and principled views, privately and publicly, said Wong.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, on March 2, 2023. (AAP Image/Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs)

The Australian people and the Australian government treasure freedom of expression, freedom of political expression, and the government will continue to support those Australian citizens and those in Australia who exercise their right to freedom of political expression, said Wong.

The ASEAN Regional Security Issues

When addressing ASEAN regional security issues, Senator Wong expressed that Australia looks to a region that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous, where sovereignty is respected and underpinned by the regions institutions, rules, and norms.

Senator Wong said to address the recent US-China diplomatic engagement: We welcome recent China-US engagements. We believe it is vital that China and the US arrive at a set of mutual understandings that will underwrite stability, including regular open communications and engagement at all levels.

Senator Wong stressed at the meeting that the sovereignty of a nation needs to be respected while aggression by any nation is condemned.

In addressing questions related to the recent policing pact signed between China and the Solomon Islands, Senator Wong said security issues in the Pacific region should be addressed by the nations in the region.
President Joe Biden applauds while standing in front of a sign calling for the release of Evan Gershkovich during the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, DC, US, on Saturday, April 29, 2023.

President Joe Biden on Thursday said hes serious about pursuing a prisoner exchange for a Wall Street Journal reporter who has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days.

The Kremlin earlier this month suggested that it was open to a possible prisoner exchange that could involve Evan Gershkovich, but it underscored that such talks must be held out of the public eye.

Speaking at a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, Biden made clear that the U.S. is interested.

Im serious on a prisoner exchange, said Biden, who was concluding a five-day visit to Europe that took him to the UK, Lithuania and Finland. And Im serious about doing all we can to free Americans being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter, and that process is underway.

Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip. He is being held at Moscows Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions. A Moscow court recently upheld a ruling to keep him in custody until Aug. 30.

Gershkovich and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained. His arrest rattled journalists in Russia. Authorities there have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed last week that there have been discussions between the two sides, but cautioned that there is not yet a clear pathway to winning Gershkovichs freedom.

Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Daniloff was released 20 days later in a swap for an employee of the Soviet Unions U.N. mission who was arrested by the FBI, also on spying charges.

In Washington, the Wall Street Journal and Gershkovichs family have sought to keep the spotlight on his detention.

At a National Press Club event on Thursday, Gershkovichs sister, Danielle, described the emotional toll from her brothers captivity. I just try to take it day-by-day. It still feels unreal sometimes. For my parents, its a full-time job.

She said she had received a letter from him just this week.

One silver lining of the 100th day marker, she said, was the publicity and attention for her brother.

Seeing Evans face in the news was just really heartening. At such a dark time, its wonderful to see his face again.

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BC Drops Facebook, Instagram Advertising in Response to Metas News Block, Says Eby

B.C. Premier David Eby speaks during an announcement in Delta, B.C., on May 2, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

The British Columbia government says it has stopped advertising on Facebook and Instagram to send a message to parent company Meta, which is blocking Canadian news from the social media platforms.

Premier David Eby says in a statement Metas decision to cut off news access for many people in British Columbia who use the social media sites is unacceptable.

Meta recently announced it will block Canadian news on its platforms in response to the new federal Online News Act, which became law on June 22, 2023.

The act, expected to come into force within six months, will require the largest digital platforms, including Meta and Google, to negotiate with Canadian news businesses and pay for the use of their content.

Ebys statement says B.C. wants to send a strong message to Meta that journalism is a vital public service and news access should not be blocked.

The statement says B.C will only advertise on Meta to provide the public with critical information related to public health and safety emergencies, including wildfire information.
Biden Announces $39 Billion Student Loan Forgiveness for Over 800,000 Borrowers

President Joe Biden is joined by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona as he announces new actions to protect borrowers after the Supreme Court struck down his student loan forgiveness plan in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on June 30, 2023. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Biden administration has announced a $39 billion student loan forgiveness plan for 804,000 borrowers as part of fixes in administrative failures that had held up relief for borrowers under their income-driven repayment (IDR) plans.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking another historic step to right these wrongs and announcing $39 billion in debt relief for another 804,000 borrowers.

By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans, Cardona added. This Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education.

An income-driven repayment plan for student loan borrowers sets the monthly payment amounts on a level thats affordable for the individual based on their income and family size.

There are four plans available that calculate payment amounts ranging from 10 to 20 percent of the persons discretionary income. Payments can also be as low as $0.

Based on the plan, debts are forgiven once payments have been done for 2025 years or after making 240 or 300 monthly payments. The 804,000 borrowers who have been provided relief are part of the repayment plan.

According to officials, loan borrowers were paying beyond their payment end-dates due to administrative oversight in tracking payments. Inaccurate payment counts have resulted in borrowers losing hard-earned progress toward loan forgiveness.

The latest action by the education department seeks to fix this error in repayment plans, and the amount is estimated to be $39 billion, which will be automatically discharged in the coming weeks.

Furthermore, the department will continue to identify and notify borrowers who reach the applicable forgiveness thresholds (240 or 300 qualifying monthly payments, depending on their repayment plan and type of loan) every two months until next year when all borrowers who are not yet eligible for forgiveness will have their payment counts updated.

As of today, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved more than $116.6 billion in student loan forgiveness for more than 3.4 million borrowers, said the statement.

SCOTUS Ruling and Biden Counter

On June 30, the Supreme Court voted in a 63 decision to strike down the Biden administrations controversial student loan forgiveness plan.

In what is widely considered a political move, President Joe Biden promised to cancel as much as $20,000 for around 40 million borrowers, resulting in a massive $800 billion commitment, with experts claiming it could easily cross the trillion-dollar mark.

Following the SCOTUS decision, Biden said, They said no, noliterally snatching from the hands of millions of Americans thousands of dollars in student debt relief that was about to change their lives, adding that, Todays decision has closed one path and now were going to pursue another.

Mr. Biden promised a new way to circumvent the decision.

The Department of Education then started to pave the way towards finalizing the most affordable repayment plan ever created using the authority found under the Higher Education Act. There were several programs put under this plan to support borrowers.

President Biden, Vice President Harris, and I will never stop fighting for borrowers, which is why we are using every tool available to provide them with needed relief. Earlier today, the Department of Education initiated a regulatory process to provide debt relief, so we can help the working- and middle-class borrowers who need it most, said Mr. Cardona during the time.

Despite the administrations insistence that low- and middle-income borrowers would benefit, expert critics have called out the programs to have negative effects for everybody, with some estimates putting the amount as much as $1 trillion in additional federal expenditures over the next decade.

We have a student loan system that assumes that people are going to pay their debt back, and instead, its just this massive government spending policy that has negative effects for everybody, said Caleb Kruckenberg, an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation to The Epoch Times.
Biden Criticizes Sen. Tuberville for Military Nominations DelayGOP Senator Hits Back at President For Refusing to Talk

U.S. President Joe Biden addresses a joint press conference with Finland's President after the U.S.-Nordic leaders summit in Helsinki on July 13, 2023. (Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden ridiculed Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on Thursday for slowing the process to handle military promotions and nominations, but the Alabama senator said the Democratic president has shown no effort to negotiate through their differences.

In December, Mr. Tuberville announced he would stop the Senate from approving large batches of military nominations after the Biden administration adopted a policy to fund travel and leave for military service members who elect to get an abortion but are legally constrained in the states in which theyre stationed. The U.S. Department of Defense adopted this abortion policy last year after numerous U.S. states began constraining abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

Mr. Tubervilles contention has been that the new DOD abortion policy conflicts with an existing U.S. law that bars the federal government from using taxpayer funds for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or pregnancies that threaten the life of the mother.

Mr. Tubervilles block prevents the Senate from approving military nominees in large batches through unanimous consent, instead requiring them to go through slower regular order procedures. The Alabama Republican has vowed to prevent this speedy process of approving military nominations until the DOD either withdraws the abortion policy or Congress changes its laws on whether federal funds can support abortions.

If Democrats cant pass legislation to authorize the abortion policy, then it shouldnt be the policy, Mr. Tuberville wrote in The Washington Post last month.

On Monday, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. David Berger retired and relinquished his position as Commandant of the Marine Corps. With Mr. Bergers retirement, the military branch is now without a senate-confirmed chief of staff. Gen. Eric Smith has assumed the commandant role in an acting capacity, amid the slowdown in the Senates military nominations process.

The ongoing impasse over military nominations provoked Mr. Biden to lash out at Mr. Tuberville on Thursday, during a press conference in Helsinki, Finland. Mr. Biden said Mr. Tuberville is jeopardizing U.S. security with his protest tactics against the DOD abortion policy.

The idea that we have all these promotions that are in abeyance right now, we dont know whats going to happen; the idea that were injecting into a fundamental foreign policy decisions what in fact as a domestic social debate on social issues is bizarre, the president continued. I dont ever recall that happeningeverand its just totally irresponsible, in my view.

President Doesnt Even Want to Talk: Tuberville

At the Helsinki press conference on Thursday, a reporter asked Mr. Biden if he would be willing to talk with Mr. Tuberville in order to end the impasse over the DOD abortion policy and the military nominations process. The president replied, Id be willing to talk to him if I thought theres any possibility he was changing this ridiculous position he has.

In an interview with Breitbart on Thursday, Mr. Tuberville pointed to Mr. Bidens comments as evidence that the president is not negotiating in good faith.

He can call me all the names he wants. Does that sound like anybody that wants to get anything done? Mr. Tuberville said.

Mr. Tuberville had raised opposition to the DODs abortion policy since July of last year, before the DOD had even formally submitted the policy decision covering leave and expenses for abortion-related travel and had been trying for months since to convince the DOD to either retract the policy or make the change through an act of Congress.

Weve got a White House and a Pentagon that is trying to legislate their own laws, and were not gonna allow them to do that, Mr. Tuberville said. Now theyre gonna change it with a memo? Thats not gonna happen, and I told him that.

Mr. Tuberville said he believes the reason the Democrats havent tried to change the policy on federal funding for abortion-related expenses is because they know theyd fail if they tried it that way.

Mr. Tuberville also took a shot at the Biden administrations negotiating skills, arguing the administration could have avoided the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine or ended it by now through negotiations.

We got a war going on in Ukraine right now, that if [Mr. Biden] were to get out there and negotiated, or maybe even after the war started, to negotiate with both groups, we can get this thing over. People are getting killed, but it seems like this White House has no negotiating skills whatsoever, the Alabama Republican said.

Senator, Defense Secretary Briefly Talk

Despite Mr. Biden and Mr. Tubervilles clash earlier on Thursday, the Alabama senator did speak with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin later in the day. Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the call had been brief, but that the two discussed the delays on processing military nominees.

A spokesman told The Hill that Mr. Austin explained to Mr. Tuberville the impact the holds are having to military readiness and uncertainty in the force, Mr. Ryder said the two agreed to speak again sometime next week.

Mr. Tuberville reportedly expressed gratitude for the cordial exchange and was open to continued discussion on the issue.

Military Nominations Could Still Proceed

Mr. Biden, members of his administration, and Democratic lawmakers have argued that Mr. Tubervilles decision to block the unanimous consent passage of bulk military nominations jeopardizes national security.

While Mr. Tubervilles hold on military nominations blocks the Senate from approving them all at once, nominations can still proceed one by one.

I am not stopping anyone from getting confirmed, and I am not stopping anyone from voting, he wrote in the Post last month. Democrats could simply put these nominations up for a vote, but they clearly dont want to. Instead they wasted hours of Senate floor time trying to harangue me into letting the nominations pass through unanimous consent. This tactic hasnt worked, and it wont work. I am more than happy to vote on these nominations, and I would probably vote for many, if not most, of them.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has backed Mr. Tuberville, arguing that Senate Democrats could still confirm military nominees.

Tuberville wouldnt agree to expedite Senate consideration of DOD nominees. (This is a move that doesnt halt the nominations in question, but makes the process for confirming them slower), Mr. Lee wrote on Twitter Wednesday. DOD carried out the plan anyway, and Dems are now furious with Tuberville for doing exactly what he said hed do if DOD ignored his warning.

From NTD News
Bureaucracy Around Private Spaceflight Must Be Tamed for US to Stay on Top, Experts Say

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon capsule and a crew of four private astronauts, lifts off from pad 39A, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 21, 2023. (John Raoux/AP Photo)

Experts in the growing field of commercial space flight say the United States must develop coherent policies and regulations to remain a leader in space.

They say American entrepreneurs have made significant progress in developing the equipment and practices to make commercial space travel safe and economically viable.

Still, there is more work to do.

The expiration of a learning periodwhich restricts federal regulation of the industryin late September could hamper further progress, said Karina Drees, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation,

It is a critical time for our industry, Ms. Drees said.

Ms. Drees and others in the commercial space travel business testified before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on July 13.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the lunar module Eagle during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. (NASA)

Commercial space travel was first outlined in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, according to a hearing charter released by the House committee. This multilateral agreement was hammered out by the only two space-faring nations at that time, the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union wanted the treaty to restrict space travel to nation-states only. The United States favored giving private enterprises a role in space exploration. They compromised in Article 6.

Article 6 of the treaty requires each signatory to bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space  whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities.

Private Space Flight Takes Off

Until Sept. 9, 1982, that passage was an academic statement that might be an issue in the future.

On that day, on Matagorda Island, Texas, Space Services Inc. launched Conestoga 1. It was the first privately funded rocket to successfully lift off and make it into orbit over the Earth. It was not the last.

It was also the first time commercial space travel companies encountered permitting and licensing issues.

Space Services Inc. spent a tremendous amount of time and money dealing with as many as 17 agencies to arrange that first launch.

Witnesses at the congressional hearing told the committee that not much has changed. But it needs to, they said.

Space is heating up, said John Dunstan, general counsel for Tech Freedom. Thats great for me as a practicing space lawyer. But highly dangerous for our country.

(Back, LR) Ali al-Qarni, John Shoffner, Rayyanah Barnawi, and Peggy Whitson, who traveled to the International Space Station on a privately owned space craft, pose for a picture with the stations residents on May 22, 2023. (NASA TV via AP)

According to its website, Tech Freedom is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank in Washington that promotes technological progress.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licenses commercial space flights. According to the committee, since 1989, over 560 launches and 38 reentries have been approved. More than 40 percent of them occurred between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal 2022. There were 80 licensed launches in the first nine months of fiscal 2023, more than in the previous year.

Congress established the learning periods as part of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004. These eight-year periods were to restrain government regulation so spaceflight entrepreneurs could innovate and find ways to make spaceflight safe and economically feasible.

The end of the current learning period at the end of September would set the stage for government agencies to begin writing regulations that could inhibit further innovation.

Informed Consent Required

The act also requires spaceflight providers to show informed consent from all passengers. They must also educate all participants on the hazards of spaceflight and provide their safety records before each launch.

Caryn Schenewerk, president of CS Consulting LLC, said that the learning period should be extended and the bureaucracy tamed to encourage more innovation. She said obtaining a license is a multiyear process that requires contacting a wide variety of agencies.

We have not yet achieved a one-stop shop approach, Ms. Schenewerk said.

Other countries have learned from the United States and have set up more efficient permitting and licensing systems, she said. Many of them still depend on U.S. and Russian technology.

Ms. Schenewerk said it is essential for the United States to address these issues before it loses its place as a leader in space.

Mr. Dunstan said part of the problem is that current law is written for Earth. He said that agencies like the FAA can regulate launches and reentries, and the Environmental Protection Agency can monitor spaceflight-related pollution, such as space debris that drops to Earth.

Still, there is little in the way of space law.

Risk Is Involved

Ms. Schenewerk agreed. She said there is insurance coverage for space vehicles, but individuals must understand the risk they take when they go into orbit.

If youre in space, youre accepting the risk of being in space, she said.

Josef Koller, co-founder of the Space Safety Institute, said that commercial spaceflight companies must also focus on safety. While significant work has been done to make the vehicles safe for launch and reentry, there is still one glaring gap.

Mr. Koller said the June 18 OceanGate tragedy, in which the Titan submersible imploded during its descent to tour the wreck of the Titanic, has one issue in common with current space vehicles. In an emergency, the crew and passengers are on their own.

We do not have anything in place for space rescue, Mr. Koller said.
California Puts Hold on Bill Requiring Big Tech to Pay for News Until 2024

A person watches on a smartphone Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveil the META logo in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2021. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

A California bill that would require big tech companies to pay news outlets a journalism usage fee has been put on hold until 2024.

Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), author of Assembly Bill 886, announced July 7 that the bill would be rescheduled to next year to allow more time for improvement.

Ive agreed to make AB 886 a two-year bill in order to ensure the strongest legislation possiblebecause getting this policy right is more important than getting it quick, Ms. Wicks said in a statement released the same day.

The proposed billalso known as the California Journalism Preservation Actwould require tech companies, like Facebook and Instagram, to pay such a fee if they sell advertising with their respective news feeds. It would also require publishers to devote 70 percent of these funds to create and maintain journalism jobs in the state.

The bill passed the Assembly floor with bipartisan support in June.

Under the state Constitution, bills introduced in the first year of Legislative sessions can be carried over to a second year if they pass their house of origin by Jan. 31.

The California State Capitol building in Sacramento, Calif., on April 18, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) also announced that he will hold an informational hearing this fall to further explore the bill and the issues it is trying to tackle.

This interim hearing underscores my commitment to protecting journalism, California journalists, and the access to a free and vibrant press that is essential to our democracy, Mr. Umberg said in a statement. My greatest concern is that we enact legislation that is fair, and that the benefits in this bill flow specifically to support local journalistsand in turn, all Californians.

The goal of the proposed legislation is to address the decline in the states local news industry.

However, it has received strong opposition from various tech groups including Facebooks parent company Meta, which released a statement in June threatening to remove news feeds from its platforms for California residents if the bill is signed into law.

If the Journalism Preservation Act passes, we will be forced to remove news from Facebook and Instagram rather than pay into a slush fund that primarily benefits big, out-of-state media companies under the guise of aiding California publishers, Meta Policy Communications Director Andy Stone wrote on Twitter in May.

The social media giant has been engaged in a battle regarding compensation for news publishers, both at the federal level in Congress and in various countries worldwide.

The company threatened, in December, to remove all news from its platform in the U.S. if Congress passes the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, which closely resembles the California bill.

Additionally, Meta announced last month the potential withdrawal of news content in Canada over similar proposed legislation.
Campaign Group to Sue Government Over Child Abuse Sex Education

Anna Loutfi, an equality and human rights barrister, during an interview with NTD's "British Thought Leaders" programme in London. (NTD)

Laurence Foxs campaign group is planning on suing the government over claims the Department of Education is failing to protect children from child abuse radical sex education from external providers.

The Bad Law Project, which was set up by actor and leader of the politial party Reclaim Mr. Fox, is planning on suing the Department of Education over sex education providers who they claim are acting unlawfully and criminally.

The case, announced at a House of Commons event on Thursday, is acting on behalf of multiple families who say that their children were taught extreme sex education without their knowledge or consent and claim, and as a result, that have either been harmed medically or psychologically.

The Bad Law Project said that personal, social, health, and economic education (PSHE) as practiced in British schools today is negatively impacting childrens mental and physical health, increasing childrens vulnerability to social, sexual, and political exploitation.

It said that this provides mechanisms through which third-sector groups actively promote harmful political ideologies in schools, in breach of the fundamental rights of children and their families.

Anna Loutfi, an equality and human rights barrister, during an interview with NTDs British Thought Leaders programme in London. (NTD)

Bad Law Project lawyer Anna Loutfi told The Epoch Times that as a matter of civil law, Were going to sue the Department for Education for negligence and failing to uphold their duty of care to protect children from being politically indoctrinated.

She added that they may also consider criminal action too, adding that what goes on with PHSE is child abuse.

Ms. Loutfi also said they think that some of the materials meet the criminal threshold for non contact child sex abuse.

She claimed that the Department of Education has totally failed to uphold safeguarding policies because teaching and promoting gender ideology, the idea that youre born in the wrong body is promoting self harm amongst children, and now its reached levels of social contagion.

Also what were seeing is an attempt to destroy the legal jurisdiction of the family, over the child and replace it with a state or with a corporate entity that is the education provider who is backed by state money, taxpayers money, said Ms. Loutfi.

What has been taught to children in school is criminal child abuse, Mr. Fox told The Epoch Times, adding that it needs to be abolished.

And then an urgent inquiry needs to be set up to find out how this vile indoctrination was allowed to enter our schools in the first place, he added.

The claim has not been filed yet and is currently being crowdfunded.

Laurence Fox (left) and Andrew Bridgen ahead of a Reclaim Party press conference in London, dated May 10, 2023. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Indoctrinates Children

In a report, The Bad Law Project said that PSHE encourages discrimination against teachers, children, and parents who hold the wrong views in breach of UK equality law and fundamental human rights.

It also said it could be undermining social cohesion and may be exacerbating racial, religious, and cultural tensions in our society, encouraging unhealthy resentment of the education system and a profound breakdown of trust between schools, parents, and wider communities.

The report also said that gender ideology is a recipe for child self-harm simply on the grounds that it encourages (sometimes very) young children to see their healthy bodies as wrong and sources of unhappiness.

Subtle techniques of coercive persuasion abound across PSHE curricula, through which the child is moved to regard their gender identity as the ultimate expression of who they are, making them different, special, and unique, it said.

The Bad Law Project said that this indoctrinates children to develop a mortal terror of puberty, the idea that it is OK to pause or block puberty is justified and that via PSHE, the third sector can effectively provide a gateway for children to a niche market in puberty-blocking drugs and chest binders which stunt adolescent growth with innumerable medical complications.

Damaging Materials

British MPs have in the past two years discussed how materials are being flooded into schools by external providers who are exposing children to deeply inappropriate, wildly inaccurate, sexually explicit, and damaging materials in the name of sex education.

A recent analysis, by the British think tank Civitas, urged parents to be vigilant over what children are being taught in classrooms by some self-declared experts.

The statistics, gathered by Deltapoll, found that just under a third of 16- to 18-year-olds say they have been taught a woman can have a penis.

One in five has been told that a man can get pregnant.

Miriam Cates MP speaks during the Northern Research Group conference at Doncaster Racecourse, England, on June 9, 2023. (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Conservative MP Miriam Cates has said that pupils were being subjected to relationships and sex education classes that are age inappropriate, extreme, sexualising, and inaccurate.

Graphic lessons on oral sex, how to choke your partner safely, and 72 genders. This is what passes for relationships and sex education in British schools, she said.

In a paper published in May, the London-based Policy Exchange think tank said that most secondary schools are failing to tell parents if their child wants to identify as another gender.

It found that schools are not reliably informing parents as soon as a pupil expresses the wish to change gender. This means that because of a schools Self-ID policy, the first time a parent is informed of their childs transition is on a letter home, where the childs new name is referenced.

Schools and external sex education providers have also been accused of hiding materials from parents.

In June, the founder of No Secret Lesson Plans In UK Schools, Clare Page, who wanted her daughters sex education lessons released publicly lost a case after the judge ruled that the commercial interests of the third-party sex provider outweighed the public interest of a parent requesting the materials.

The Epoch Times contacted the Department of Education for comment.
Canadian Government Unaware of Full Ecological Impact of Road Salt

Crews clean up during an early winter storm with heavy wet snow in Winnipeg on Oct. 11, 2019. (John Woods/The Canadian Press)

Environment and Climate Change Canada says it does not know to what extent road salt, an all-Canadian contaminant, is causing ecological damage in Canada.

Federal researchers estimate it poses a greater environmental threat than fracking, though tonnes of it are used yearly in Ontario and Quebec, according to Blacklocks Reporter.

Salt application for de-icing purposes has been recognized as a major source of contamination, said a department report. There is still room for improvement.

In 1995, the Environment Department placed road salt on a priority substance list. It did not, however, list the ubiquitous mineral as being toxic, although federal research undertaken in 2001 concluded salt did pose a risk to plants, animals, birds, fish and lake stream ecosystems and groundwater.

Almost all of the 4.9 million tonnes used on Canadas roadways each year are used in Ontario. Referring to accurate usage data in the country, the department said it was difficult to evaluate the quantity because neighbouring Quebec does not report usage data. The last figures submitted by Quebec in 2017 put salt usage in the province at 1.5 million tonnes annually.

Canada is the largest consumer of salt in the world mainly due to the demand for road salt for de-icing roads in winter conditions, said the new report, Review of Progress: Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts.

Approximately 90 to 95 percent of Canadas salt consumption is for de-icing and chemical production.

There are no comprehensive studies on chloride concentrations across Canada, said the report. Many recent studies investigating long-term trends in chloride concentrations in certain North American freshwater ecosystems have shown increasing chloride concentrations.

The government of Canada published an assessment report in 2001 on the impacts of road salts across the nation. The report concluded that the amount of road salts used in Canada was raising the chloride levels of both ground and surface waters and was having adverse effects on the environment.

A review of the report concluded that the assessment conducted in 2001 showed that the quantity of road salts used in Canada was  responsible for harmful adverse effects on aquatic species, terrestrial vegetation, wildlife mortality and soil chemistry. The implementation of best practices in the management of road salt is key to protect the environment from the negative impacts of road salts because appropriate salt application techniques vary from region to region and there is no one-size fits all solution for road salt application across Canada.

Canadian municipalities apparently use road salt excessively without regard for public safety or considerations about environmental damage, wrote researchers.

There is a societal expectation of bare pavement and sidewalks throughout winter, said researchers. Decisions around the application of salt, including how much to apply, are often driven by the perception of risk and liability and may lead to over-salting.

Besides road salt, several chemicals in everyday use, including farm fertilizer, are more hazardous to the environment than shale gas fracking, according to a 2013 Access to Information report acquired by the Department of Natural Resources.

In Canada, surface activities have been identified as posing the largest risks to groundwater, for example municipal landfills, industrial waste disposal sites, leaking gasoline storage tanks, leaking septic tanks, accidental spills, runoff from road salt, fertilizer, pesticides, livestock wastes, et cetera, said the 2013 report.

Hydraulic fracturing using the technologies employed in Canada and governed by Canadian regulatory requirements has not resulted in significant negative environmental impacts, said the report, Shale Gas Development in Canada: An NRCan Perspective.

The government Road Salts report presents a five-year review of the progress achieved through the implementation of the Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts, 2014 to 2019 (pdf).
Canadian Rangers to Help Evacuate Quebec Cree Communities Threatened by Wildfires

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on May 1, 2020, when the government announced a ban on over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

Ottawa is deploying Canadian Rangers to help evacuate northern Quebec communities threatened by wildfires.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said today the government will also help fly people to safety.

Quebecs forest fire agency says there are 134 wildfires burning in the province, including 93 in the zone that includes several Cree communities.

Canadian Rangers are part of the Canadian Army Reserve who live in remote, isolated and coastal regions of the country.

The Grand Council of the Crees said Thursday that several coastal communities in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory were in pre-evacuation mode due to fires that were causing poor air quality and cutting off road access.

The Cree nation of Eastmain, on the east coast of James Bay, declared a state of emergency late Thursday due to the fires and urged all residents to prepare for a full evacuation.

The Cree Health Board reported that the communities of Nemaska, Waskaganish and Wemindji had also started to evacuate vulnerable residents whose health could be at risk from the fires.
Canadians Trust in Military Preparedness Declining, Federal Study Shows

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are shown marching, in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh)

As the military endeavours to boost its recruitment and retention numbers, Canadians say their overall trust in the armed forces preparedness is declining, with fewer than 40 percent of respondents saying they have a high level of trust in the military, according to internal Department of National Defence (DND) research.

More than one in three respondents, 37 percent, trust the Canadian Armed Forces while an additional 40 percent were somewhat trustful, reads a report summarizing in-house research contracted by the DND, according to Blacklocks Reporter on July 14.

The report, titled Views Of The Canadian Armed Forces 2022-23 Tracking Study, says the number of respondents saying they have a high level of trust in the military declined from 43 percent in 2021 to 37 percent in 2023.

Among those who could reflect on the worst aspects of the Forces, many referred to it being underfunded and using antiquated equipment, the report said.

However, a few felt that the Forces were receiving too much funding and others referred to scandals, bad press, harassment, bullying, discrimination and abuse of power.

The reports findings were based on research conducted across 10 federal focus groups and questionnaires with over 1,000 people nationwide.

DND paid Quorus Consulting Group over $138,000 to conduct the research.

Overall impressions of the Canadian Armed Forces were predominantly positive with 64 percent describing their opinion as at least somewhat positive, it said.

Military Issues

The report found that most respondents said the militarys biggest challenges at the moment are either recruitment or retention (26 percent), budget or funding issues (18 percent), and carrying out operations with outdated equipment (12 percent).

In another recent internal report, DND said Canadas military is facing significant challenges regarding a number of factors that are threatening its ability to fulfill its mission.

Current deficiencies in key readiness areas related to Personnel, Equipment, Training and Sustainment pose a threat to both current and future readiness, said the report, Ready Forces Integrated Strategic Analysis, produced in March but only made public in June.

The report follows a recent DND briefing note that said the militarys recruitment numbers dropped by 35 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year.

In response to the issues, Defence Minister Anita Anand has said the government is focused on an overall reconstitution of the Canadian Armed Forces.

That is a priority because, as you know, we need to grow, she told reporters on July 12. Were down about 10,000 members. Part of my job as minister is to ensure that we are building a Canadian Armed Forces where everyone can serve.

Noe Chartier and Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.
By Kumiko Kanetomo, KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 13:05 | Feature, All

Japanese researchers and companies have joined forces to develop an innovative guidance robot called the "AI Suitcase" to help visually impaired travelers navigate their surroundings with ease.

The groundbreaking assistive technology recently underwent its first overseas public trial, garnering significant interest and sparking discussions about its future practical applications.

During the event in March at a hotel in Anaheim, California, the device's English voice from a smartphone declared, "System starts. Set destination."

Trial participant Hector Elias, a blind employee of a major U.S. financial institution, then grasped the handle of the small four-wheeled suitcase that would serve as his guide as he set off from a room on a guest floor of the hotel.

For the test, the development team set the destination as a guest room a few dozen meters away. By the time the suitcase becomes commercially available, they hope users will be able to operate it from their own smartphone apps.

To make a right turn down a corridor, a button on the right of the handle vibrated to alert Elias to change directions, and when a cleaner appeared ahead, the system sensed a presence and paused. Elias seemed happy with how the test went, saying, "Next time I want to try it at Disneyland near here."

The artificial intelligence suitcase was conceived by Chieko Asakawa, a top engineer at IBM Corp. and the current director of the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, or Miraikan, in Tokyo. Four companies, including Kyoto-based Omron Corp., are collaborating on development.

The AI Suitcase offers features that surpass those of traditional smartphone guidance systems, providing enhanced safety and environmental awareness. By staying one step ahead of the user, the self-propelled suitcase ensures seamless navigation, while its integrated sensors assess the surroundings.

Asakawa, who lost her eyesight at the age of 14 due to an injury, envisions a future when the visually impaired will be able to "walk around museums at their leisure and thoroughly enjoy traveling alone."

Amos Miller, president of an IT venture and a former Microsoft Corp. engineer who is also blind, was impressed. "The benefit of a system that guides you to your destination, especially in unfamiliar places, is great," he said after the event.

Asakawa and her development team have conducted a series of tests of the technology at locations including Miraikan and Coredo Muromachi, a busy commercial facility in Tokyo's Nihombashi.

Their decision to conduct public overseas trials stems from a sense of urgency to make the technology viable not only in Japan but also internationally.

"It is important to have people from all over the world understand the technology, so we go out and listen to what they have to say," she said.

Many opinions were shared during the trial, ranging from how individuals with diverse physiques can utilize the guidance technology to its operation in crowded spaces.

"There is still a lot of work to be done," Asakawa said.
Tucker Carlson, Mike Pence Spar Over Ukraine at Campaign Event

DES MOINES, IowaFormer Vice President Mike Pence strongly advocated for additional military aid to Ukraine despite challenges from Tucker Carlson about religious freedom under the Ukrainian government and pressing domestic problems facing the United States.

Anybody that says that we cant be the leader of the free world and solve our problems at home has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on earth, Mr. Pence said.

We can do both. And as President United States, we will secure our border; we will support our military; we will revive our economy, and stand by our values. And we will also lead the world for freedom under my administration. I promise you.

The remarks came after a tense exchange between Mr. Pence and Mr. Carlson on July 14 at the Family Leadership Summit, an event hosted by a conservative parental training organization.

Mr. Carlson served as a guest interviewer, grilling six of the 14 Republican presidential candidates in 15-minute segments.

Also interviewed at the daylong event were Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former U.N. Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Tucker Carlson speaks during the National Review Institutes Ideas Summit at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington on March 29, 2019. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Religious Freedom

Mr. Carlson noted reports of religious persecution in Ukraine and asked if Mr. Pence had raised the issue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a recent visit to the country.

I raised it with the leader of the Orthodox Church and asked him about concerns about religious liberty, Mr. Pence said.

He assured me that the Zelenskyy government of Ukraine was respecting religious liberty, even while recognizing that they were very small elements of the Russian Orthodox Church that were being utilized for the purpose of advancing the Russian cause in Ukraine, and that they were taking steps to hold them to account.

Mr. Zelenskyy issued a decree in December to introduce legislation prohibiting religious organizations that are affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation to operate in Ukraine, according to the U.S. State Department.

The Security Service of Ukraine also searched a number of sites associated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, citing the churchs collaboration with the Russians. Jehovahs Witnesses have reported assaults on their members that have not been prosecuted, according to the State Department.

Mr. Carlson pressed the point, citing the alleged arrest of priests who disagreed with the governments view. I sincerely wonder how a Christian leader could support the rest of Christians for having different views, he said.

When Mr. Pence repeated that he had raised the issue and received assurances that the Ukrainian government was not engaged in religious persecution, Mr. Carlson continued to argue the point.

The problem is that you dont accept my answer, Mr. Pence said.

Metropolitan Epiphanius I, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, at the compound of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 9, 2023. (Vladyslav Musiienko/Reuters)

I just told you that I asked the religious leader in Kyiv if it was happening. You asked me if I raised the issue, and I did. I also raised it with the Ukrainians. And I was told that there are religious leaders who have been working with the Russian military that is murdering people by the thousands, he said.

Mr. Pence added that, as president, he would not tolerate religious persecution in any nation supported by the United States.

In his view, the real threat in Europe is the aggression of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which would certainly lead to an incursion into a NATO country if not stopped in Ukraine.

Help at Home vs. Abroad

As Mr. Pence continued to press his case for supporting Ukraine, Mr. Carlson questioned the priority of sending arms overseas while the United States faces difficult domestic problems.

Every city in the United States has become much worse over the past three years, Mr. Carlson said.

Our economy has degraded, the suicide rate has jumped, public filth and disorder and crime have exponentially increased. And yet your concern is that the Ukrainians . . . dont have enough tanks, he said. Wheres the concern for the United States in that?

Mr. Pence then chided Mr. Carlson for mischaracterizing his position, saying, Tucker, Ive heard that routine from you before.

Im running for president of the United States because I think this countrys in a lot of trouble. I think [President] Joe Biden has weakened America at home and abroad, Mr. Pence said.

And as president United States, were gonna restore law and order in our cities. Were gonna secure our border; were gonna get this economy moving again. And were gonna make sure that we have men and women on our courts at every level that will stand for the right to life and defend all the God-given liberties enshrined in our Constitution.

Despite touching on a number of themes that are important to conservatives, Mr. Pence drew a tepid reaction, receiving only mild applause and even some boos after saying that U.S. interests were served by continuing to aid Ukraine militarily.

Even so, the former vice president did not adjust his stance. He continued to assert that he did not have the constitutional authority to invalidate the electoral college vote on Jan. 6, 2021, and that those who committed acts of violence on that day should be held accountable.

Nathan Worcester contributed to this report.
China Has US Over Climate Barrel

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry (L) gestures as he speaks next to China's special climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua (R), during a session at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switerland, on May 24, 2022. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

Commentary

Americas climate guy, John Kerry, is on his way to China. His battered reputation is again on the line. This time, its not just for falling off his bike. Mr. Kerry has to prove to Democratic voters, who foresee global catastrophe from climate change, that he can close a deal at COP28, the upcoming international climate conference in Dubai.

A big agreement at the conference, which would put Mr. Kerry on the front page of The Washington Post as a hero, can only happen with Beijings cooperation, since China is the worlds biggest polluter. If Mr. Kerry cant get a deal with Beijing during his trip there, July 16 to 19, he could be discarded by Democrat public opinion as a has-been negotiator-in-chief.

That makes him about as desperate for a deal as his Democratic constituency, which makes him a lousy negotiator.

Beijing knows it has Mr. Kerry over a barrel, because unlike Mr. Kerrys boss, President Joe Biden, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has no voters to whom he must answer. Deal or no deal, Mr. Xi will be in power after 2024. But without a deal, Mr. Bidens voters could turn against him, and out will be Mr. Biden, Mr. Kerry, and the rest of the Democratic administration, like Janet Yellen and Antony Blinken, that places so much faith in their engagement with Beijing.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (2L) and U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew (L) attend a session on Climate Change during the U.S.China Strategic and Economic Dialogues at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on June 6, 2016. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

Mr. Kerrys official title is United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Now age 79, he has been negotiating with the enemies of the United States since at least 1970, when he reportedly visited Paris and spoke with North Vietnams foreign minister about releasing its prisoners of war. He was then a U.S. Navy Reserve officer acting in a private capacity. He met with a North Vietnamese official a second time in 1971. After these apparently unsanctioned meetings with the enemy, Mr. Kerry testified before the U.S. Senate, where he pushed for an immediate, unilateral withdrawal of U.S. forces, according to Fox News.

Mr. Kerrys political career soared, and he is now the chief U.S. climate negotiator. Beijing smells opportunity and is attempting to use the climate issue to extort U.S. concessions on entirely unrelated matters, such as Taiwan, Xinjiang, and tariffs.

China Uses Climate to Leverage US

According to the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong paper ultimately controlled by the CCP, Washington is on the back foot in negotiations with Beijing as it tries to put a floor in the relationship.

The Morning Post quoted an anonymous mainland climate expert as referencing a visit by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Taiwan and saying, There is simply no way for climate change to stay insulated from the overall political ties, as Kerry and the US side have consistently requested.

Since Ms. Pelosis visit almost a year ago, Beijing has suspended cooperation on climate talks with the United States.

In other words, the CCP is going to let the world broil unless we cough up Taiwan. Thats extortion, clear and simple, and fits the CCPs gangster look.

Taiwan isnt the only concession Beijing seeks for closing down its coal-fired power plants.

In an article about Mr. Kerrys upcoming trip, China Daily cited tariffs and sanctions, including on the Xinjiang regions where there is an ongoing genocide, as stumbling blocks to an agreement.

The article cited a Chinese foreign ministry report that stated, Relevant US measures have not only impeded normal trade in PV [photo-voltaic] products and disrupted normal supply chains, but also undermined global efforts in countering climate change.

Only by correcting these wrong practices could the United States create an enabling environment for climate cooperation with China, according to the article.

The CCPs nationalist tabloid, the Global Times, raised additional issues in its reporting about the Kerry visit, including crackdowns on Chinese firms and the treatment of two-way investments fairly.

That Beijing would attempt linkage of these issues to climate negotiations, rather than the United States, should indicate that Beijing is in a better bargaining position on climate and so can use it to leverage other issues. But the opposite is true.

According to the World Bank, Chinas climate risk is higher than that of the United States because of higher than average projected temperature increases and very high exposure to flooding  including, riverine, flash, and coastal, and very high exposure to tropical cyclones and their associated hazards. Drought exposure and social vulnerability add to Chinas higher risks from climate change.

The uneven distribution of climate pain means that China stands to lose more than the United States and so should be more eager for a climate change deal. Mr. Kerry should have the upper hand in negotiations, but he projects the opposite, in another Biden administration trip to Beijing that makes the United States look the supplicant rather than the agenda setter.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinese Police Interrogate Associates of COVID-19 Whistleblower After Prison Release

Fang Bin (back, 4th from R) and friends gather for a meal on July 2, 2023. (Courtesy of source)

Chinese citizen journalist Fang Bin finally had his first meeting with friends and associates on July 2, over 2 months after the regime released him from a 3-year jail term and forced him to become homeless. However, his friends were targeted immediately after the meeting. At least 7 were summoned and interrogated by Wuhan police.

All participants were being interviewed, one after another, said Yiming (pseudonym), one of the participants, in an interview with the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times.

The police immediately visited one of the participants who had posted about the event online, warning him to keep quiet. The police also arrested another participant known as Qianqianwhose whereabouts remain unknown.

In the police interview, the questions included what was discussed at the dinner, and who had posted the news about the gathering. In addition, the police stressed that photos and videos of the gathering must be stopped from spreading, according to Yiming.

Chinas Concealment of the Pandemic

In the early days of the COVID-19 outbreaks, human-to-human transmission of the virus was reported as early as mid-December, 2019.

Around Dec. 25, 2019, the Department of Gastroenterology at Wuhans Fifth Hospital and the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese & Western Medicine both found abnormal cases of pneumonia, and admitted three patients from Wuhans South China Seafood Market.

On Dec. 31, 2019, Chinese media in Wuhan were restricted from reporting pneumonia-related news. The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission concluded that its investigations had found no obvious human-to-human transmission.

Despite the rapid and far-ranging spread of the disease in various hospitals in Wuhan, and the high rates of infection among medical staff, the authorities continued their claim that the virus was preventable and controllable.

The regime withheld the truth about the pandemic, and suppressed those who exposed the outbreaks.

Dr. Li Wenliang, for instance, was officially reprimanded by the police for spreading rumors when he tried to warn colleagues about the outbreaks in Wuhan in Jan. 2020. Dr. Li died that February after contracting the virus.

Mr. Fang, a Wuhan businessman, was the first person to bring to light the severity of the COVID-19 virus in the outbreak epicenter that was Wuhan City in early 2020.

Mr. Fang was disappeared on February 2 that year. Unofficial reports claimed that he had been secretly sentenced to three years in prison for picking quarrels and provoking trouble in 2021.

Another citizen journalist, Zhang Zhan, visited Wuhan in February 2020 to record and upload videos online about the epidemic there.

Zhang Zhan stands outside a shop during a visit to Wuhan in Hubei province, China, on April 11, 2020. (Courtesy of Melanie Wang via AP)

She was arrested in May 2020 and sentenced to four years in prison for picking quarrels and provoking troubles. Ms. Zhang is currently still in prison.

The suppression of voices that exposed the truth behind the pandemic eventually drew international attention.

On April 1, 2020, Congressman Jim Banks (R-Ind.) called on the U.S. State Department to investigate the disappearance of three Chinese citizen journalists who had sought to expose the epidemic in Wuhan, including Mr. Fang, Li Zehua and Chen Qiushi.

Suppression Continues

For Mr. Fang, the suppression did not stop after he finished his jail term.

After his release on April 30, he was sent to Beijing, where his son lives. However, local authorities rejected his stay in Beijing, and local police drove him back to Wuhan that night.

Under the pressure of the Wuhan authorities, however, his family in Wuhan felt they could not offer him accommodation either. On May 1, therefore, Mr. Fang was left to sleep rough on the streets of Wuhan City.

Yiming said that local authorities confiscated Mr. Fangs clothing company and warehouse, thus depriving him of his source of income.

Yiming also believes that the regimes suppression of Mr. Fang will only continue in order to prevent the outside world from learning the truth about the pandemic.

Two official memos dated April 7, 2022 were released on Twitter this year on April 23. The leaked confidential documents were confirmed to have been issued by the Political and Legal Committee of the CCPs Central Committee, according to the report by Radio Free Asia. The memos showed that a Wuhan court had handled Mr. Fangs charge and verdict under the instruction of the CCPs Political and Legal Committee.

Hong Ning contributed to this report.
Climate Envoy Kerry Wont Share Staff Names to Congress, Saying Its Not Required

U.S. Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry delivers a speech at the Congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 17, 2023. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

Climate Envoy John Kerry, who reports directly to President Joe Biden from a cabinet-level position in the State Department, would not disclose the names of various staff in his office when asked to do so on July 13 by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.).

Pointing to a mostly empty org chart labeled, Whos In Charge? Mr. Mast asked Mr. Kerry to share the names of staff under his authority.

Mr. Kerry provided the names of his two deputy envoys, Rick Duke and Sue Biniaz, before stopping short.

Im not going to go through all the names, he said, adding that such a disclosure in that setting to Mr. Mast would be a violation of our process in the State Department.

Im not going to go through them by name because that is not the required process of the State Department, he continued.

Rep. Brian Mast (R) (C) gives members of the National Guard a tour of the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images)

Mr. Mast said that a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about Mr. Kerrys office had been submitted in 2021. He told Mr. Bidens climate czar that the office had said the information wouldnt be provided until 2024a three-year delay.

An algorithm kicked out that date, Mr. Kerry said, seemingly in reference to the FOIA request.

Mr. Kerry appeared to lose patience with Mr. Mast when the Florida lawmaker said he was not going to argue with the climate czar, who served as Secretary of State under former President Obama and as a senator from Massachusetts for decades.

Dont just cut me off, Mr. Kerry said, reiterating that he intended to follow the process of the State Department, which is normally followed.

Nobody Voted For You

The heated exchange took place during a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committees oversight subcommittee. It comes as Mr. Kerry prepares to visit China for climate talks, following visits by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Mast noted that Mr. Kerry did not have to be confirmed by the Senate as the United States first special presidential envoy for climate. Standard cabinet-level positions typically have to be approved by that chamber.

Nobody voted for you in this body, Mr. Mast said.

Mr. Mast also asked Mr. Kerry about another oddity of his office; it lacks a clear online presence accessible to the American people, or even, apparently, to their representatives.

Can you direct me to your website, your landing page, your About Your Office section, mission statement section of your website? Mr. Mast asked, saying that he and his staff hadnt been able to find anything of the sort for Mr. Kerrys office.

I can direct you to the CN, the Congressional Notice, which had a very detailed chart, Mr. Kerry answered.

Mr. Mast pressed Mr. Kerry regarding the apparent absence of a designated, easily accessible web page for his office.

We use the State Department website, Mr. Kerry responded.

The podium at the State Department in Washington on April 11, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Kerry Rules Out Climate Reparations at COP28

Mr. Mast and Mr. Kerry had a less acrimonious exchange shortly afterward. Mr. Mast had pulled out another chart. This one concerned possible U.S. commitments during the United Nations climate conference that will be held later this year in Dubai, known as COP28.

Are you planning to commit America to climate reparations? Mr. Mast asked, referring to a redistributive policy akin to reparations for slavery. It has gained support among some American liberals, including at the influential Brookings Institution.

No. Under no circumstances, Mr. Kerry responded.

Yet, the two tangled over Mr. Kerrys answer on a possible cross-border carbon trading commitment by the U.S. The European Union and other political entities have implemented emissions trading systems.

Theres no current proposal or plan thats been agreed to which would require us to do that, he responded.

Were exploring with a lot of countries what the various approaches might be, and President Biden has charged us to examine cross-border adjustment mechanisms in order to understand how we can deal with the question of very carbon-intensive produced goods coming into our country, he continued.

Mr. Mast interpreted that answer as a maybe, prompting pushback from Mr. Kerry.

Youre playing games, he told the Floridian.

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) also took issue with Mr. Masts style of questioning.

Im not going to game show this, he told Mr. Kerry, stressing that the climate envoys office had always been helpful to him.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) likewise argued that Mr. Kerry had modeled transparency in his role.

You have consistently come back and talked to Congress, he said.

Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) chairs a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 10, 2021. (Ken Cedeno/Pool via Reuters)

Mr. Kerry told Mr. Crow that the climate transition is without doubt the largest economic opportunity the world has seen since the Industrial Revolution.

Ahead of Mr. Kerrys trip to Beijing, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) asked the climate diplomat why the United States wasnt attempting to decouple from Chinas economy.

Most economists, most investors, most people who have studied this issue very carefully, do not believe it is possible to totally decouple from China, Mr. Kerry answered.

It absolutely is, sir, Mr. Mills said, arguing that seabed harvesting and more oil and gas drilling could help the U.S. decrease its reliance on the giant across the Pacific.
Contrasting Crime Trends: Tennessee Sees Reductions in Violent Crime While California Faces Challenges

A San Mateo County Sheriff officer puts up police tape at a crime scene after a shooting in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Jan. 24, 2023. (Samantha Laurey/AFP via Getty Images)

In the midst of Tennessees legislative session in March, California Gov. Gavin Newsom took aim at the southern states Republican Governor Bill Lee for signing a bill passed by the states legislature limiting drag shows in front of young audiencesmaking the claim Lee should be focused on Tennessees eighth place ranking in states with the highest murder rates instead.

California, with a population over five times the size of Tennessees, has a lower rate of murder, but the highest total number of homicides in the nation, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Newsoms state had 2,495 murders, eclipsing Texas, which was the only other state with over 2,000 murders per 100,000 people. Tennessees rate was two times as high as California, but with a much smaller number of people affected per 100,000 people at 810 per 100,000 Tennesseans.

Newsom has even said on numerous occasions, while calling for stricter gun control measures, that mass shootings and gun violence are more of a problem in red states.

The National Criminal Justice Association calls into question how large of a role politics of a state play in their crime rates.

If politics plays a role, its a minor role, Tod Burke, a former police officer and professor emeritus in the Department of Criminal Justice at Radford University, told the NCJA.

In the past two weeks, both states released their crime data from 2022, and while murder has gone down in both states, other violent crimes have drastically decreased in Tennessee while rising in the Golden State.

Crime in Tennessee

The Crime in Tennessee report reveals some promising trends. Reported incidents of murder, rape, and kidnapping all experienced significant double-digit percentage decreases from 2021 to 2022.

Additionally, the report (pdf) highlights a decline in reported DUI arrests, suggesting potential progress in addressing impaired driving.

Murder in Tennessee was reduced by 14.55 percent, while crimes against persons fell 3.19 percent. Crimes against property rose in the state by 3.31 percent.

However, amidst these positive developments, there is also a concerning rise in reported Identity Theft victims, which increased by 25.55 percent from 2021 to 2022.

California Governor Gavin Newsom discusses the states plan for homelessness initiatives in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Even more alarming, the reported number of extortion/blackmail victims has increased a whopping 77.51 percent since 2020, according to the report, while motor vehicle theft increased 26.91 year over year. The number of reported burglary victims dropped by 18.21 percent.

TBI Director David Rausch expressed gratitude for the continued cooperation from Tennessees law enforcement community, which has contributed to the success of the Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System (TIBRS).

Rausch said the states program serves as a model for the nation and has enabled the collection of accurate and comprehensive crime statistics. Director Rausch reassured the public that TBI remains committed to providing the necessary training and technical assistance to ensure the collection of the most accurate data possible.

Crime in California

Meanwhile, in California, Attorney General Rob Bonta unveiled multiple reports (pdf) covering different aspects of criminal justice. The Homicide in California report highlights a 5 percent decrease in the homicide rate in 2022 compared to the previous year.

Although progress has been made, Bonta acknowledges the need for further action, particularly in addressing gun violence, which accounted for nearly three-fourths of all homicides in California in 2022.

The Crime in California report reveals a 6.1 percent increase in the violent crime rate and a 6.2 percent increase in the property crime rate from 2021 to 2022.

Despite remaining significantly below historical highs, property and violent crimes continue to have devastating consequences for communities across the state. The report also highlights a decrease in the total arrest rate and the lowest number of adults on active probation since 1980.

Another portion of the report focuses on patterns and trends related to recovered firearms used in or suspected of being used in crimes. The report highlights the need for stricter regulation as it unveils concerning statistics, including the association of certain firearm dealers with crime guns and an increase in the number of firearms recovered without serial numbers.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee attends The National Museum Of African American Music Grand Opening at The National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 18, 2021. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Both states reports underline the significance of reliable and comprehensive data for informed policy choices. Tennessees TIBRS program and Californias transition to the California Incident-Based Reporting System (CIBRS) demonstrate a commitment to improving data collection and analysis.

These advancements, the officials said, provide policymakers, researchers, and the public with more detailed information, aiding in the development of effective strategies to tackle crime and enhance public safety.
Cory Morgan: TrudeauSmith Calgary Stampede Meeting Significant as Neither Side Indicates Any Willingness to Compromise

Commentary

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made his usual appearance at this years Calgary Stampede, an event that draws over one million visitors to the rodeo and midway every year.

Although he often gets a chilly reception at the 10-day festival which draws politicians of all stripes out of the woodwork, Trudeau usually makes an appearance at the Stampede.

On the controversial side, the Stampede was dominated by pictures of Premier Danielle Smith and federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre posing with a man wearing a straight pride shirt. On a lighter side, a video of Trudeau messing up the flipping of a pancake at a Stampede breakfast went viral. Amidst the internet outrage and laughs over the follies of politicians was an important meeting between Trudeau and Smith, their first since her United Conservative Party was re-elected in May in a tight race.

The meeting was more congenial than their first in-person chinwag last winter, when their awkward handshake made national headlines. Both leaders made a point of being positive and diplomatic this time around.

While the meeting was civil, there were no concessions made by either party in their disagreement over emissions policy. In fact, both the premier and prime minister drew solid lines in the sand and indicated they werent willing to budge. The battle lines are being drawn in a jurisdictional battle that may impact federal/provincial relations nationwide.

Trudeau has hitched his wagon to emissions control. He wants his legacy to be that of the prime minister who tackled climate change. Carbon taxes, emission regulation, and erecting regulatory roadblocks for oil and gas development have been his prime policy tools. All those agendas negatively impact the energy industry in Western Canada. He has shown little interest in lightening up on those policies or extending the deadlines he has set for emission reduction targets.

Smith has steadfastly claimed the federal emission reduction targets are unrealistic and demands they be reconsidered. The federal plan is to have Alberta reach net-zero electricity generation by 2035 and for energy companies to reduce emissions dramatically by 2030.

Over 80 percent of Albertas electricity is generated through natural gas, and the province hasnt the large river systems it would take to replace that energy source with a non-emitting process. Large investments have been made in wind and solar generation but those sources still only fill a small part of the provinces energy demands. Its unlikely Alberta could reach the emission targets set, even if the provincial government was a willing participant.

Albertas oil and gas sector is mandated to reduce emissions to 42 percent below 2019 levels by 2030. Operations would have to be heavily cut back to reach those reductions. Some reports even claim it may lead to Canada becoming a net-oil importer as domestic sources are shut down due to emission controls, while consumer demand for petrochemical products remains high.

The federal government is unclear about what may happen if provinces or industries dont meet emission reduction targets. Will transfer payments be cut? Will licences for oil and gas companies be revoked? Will there be fines? Any actions punishing Alberta or its industries for not meeting emission targets will generate fierce opposition from the province.

Smith didnt mince words after meeting with Trudeau when she said, Our province will have no choice but to use alternative policy options to protect our rights independent of federal interference.

She is clearly referencing Albertas controversial Sovereignty Act which she campaigned on and brought into being shortly after winning the UCP leadership to become Albertas premier. The Sovereignty Act isnt terribly clear on what it could or would do if it was invoked, however. The act has been accused of being a form of soft separatism by some, while others have said it only protects provincial rights while supporting a united Canada. If a conflict between Alberta and the federal government leads to the invocation of the act, we can all be assured the battle will quickly move to the courts.

Every politician benefits from having a counterpart to campaign against. Trudeau will paint himself as the protector of the environment willing to stand up to those dastardly western Canadian oil and gas producers. Smith will take the stance of being a provincial saviour protecting Alberta from yet another Trudeau PM who wants to pillage the energy industry.

Both politicians will see increased electoral support from their bases as they clash with each other. That gives neither politician any incentive to compromise.

The Trudeau/Smith Summit at the Calgary Stampede didnt catch the eyes of the nation, but it was significant. Passive aggressive shots have been fired. Things will become less passive as the impasse continues between Alberta and Ottawa over emissions.

We are just seeing the beginning of this fight, as neither Trudeau nor Smith indicates any willingness to compromise.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Court Blocks Ruling That Barred Biden Admin From Demanding Social Media Censorship

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the East Room of the White House in Washington on June 8, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

A federal appeals court has handed the Biden administration a temporary victory by agreeing to put a temporary hold on an earlier ruling by a district court that prohibited a range of federal agencies and their staff from contacting social media companies with requests to censor constitutionally protected free speech.

On Friday, a three-judge panel for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans issued a decision granting the Biden administrations request to put the censorship-by-proxy ban on hold.

The temporary administrative stay will be in place until the case is referred to a different appeals panel, which will deliberate on the merits of a ruling that barred Biden administration officials from pressuring social media companies to censor free speech.

The DOJ told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that it was not providing any comment on Fridays decision.

Fridays decision is the latest chapter in a saga that was sparked by a censorship-by-proxy lawsuit brought by Louisiana and Missouri against Biden administration agencies and top officials after evidence emerged that various federal agencies and some of their senior staff pressured social media companies to censor Americans free speech.

Historic Ruling

On July 4, Judge Terry A. Doughty of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued a ruling (pdf) that various government agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the State Department, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are prohibited from taking a range of actions regarding social media companies.

Specifically, the agencies and their staff members are prohibited from meeting or contacting by phone, email, or text message or engaging in any communication of any kind with social-media companies urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner for removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech, per the injunction.

The agencies are also barred from flagging content on posts on social media platforms and forwarding them to the companies with requests for action such as removing or otherwise suppressing their reach.

Encouraging or otherwise egging on social media companies to change their guidelines for the removal, suppression, or reduction of content that contains protected free speech by the government also isnt allowed.

This could be arguably one of the most important First Amendment cases in modern history, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, one of the plaintiffs, told EpochTVs American Thought Leaders in an interview following the ruling.

If you look at the opinion that the judge lays out, he takes from our argument that this is basically one of the most massive undertakings of the federal government to limit American speech in the history of our country, Mr. Landry continued. The things that we uncovered, in this case, should be both shocking, appalling, and concerning for all Americans.

However, Mr. Doughty did make some exceptions in his order, allowing government officials to contact social media companies to alert them of criminal activity or threats to national security.

Also allowed are contacts notifying social media companies about posts intending to mislead voters about voting requirements or procedures, as well as communicating with companies about suppressing posts that arent protected free speech.

The injunction pertains to various named agencies as well as their agents, officers, employees, and contractors.

Biden Admin Appeals

A day after Mr. Doughtys July 4 ruling, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an appeal, asking the courts to overturn the social media contact ban, arguing that the injunction was too broad and difficult to implement, and could prevent federal agencies from engaging with social media companies for legitimate reasons like fighting crime.

On July 10, Mr. Doughty denied the DOJs request to stay his earlier ruling, rejecting the Biden administrations argument that the order could put a damper on law enforcement activity online.

Although this Preliminary Injunction involves numerous agencies, it is not as broad as it appears, Mr. Doughty wrote on July 10. It only prohibits something the Defendants have no legal right to docontacting social media companies for the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner, the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech posted on social-media platforms.

The judge further wrote that Republican attorneys general who brought the suit are most likely going to prevail in proving that federal agencies and officials significantly encouraged, coerced, or jointly participated in allegedly suppressing social media posts that included information critical of COVID-19 vaccines or questioned the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

In response, lawyers for the Biden administrations DOJ filed an emergency stay of the injunction at the 5th U.S. District Court of Appeals, arguing that Mr. Doughtys ruling was too vague and broad.

Afterward, the attorneys general for Missouri and Louisiana submitted a petition to oppose the DOJs motion to stay Mr. Doughtys initial ban on the Biden administrations ability to contact social media companies with requests to take down content featuring constitutionally protected speech.

Fridays ruling by the appeals court did not elaborate on the rationale for granting the temporary administrative stay against Mr. Doughtys initial injunction.
Cruz and Rubio Introduce Bill to Ban Woke Term Latinx From Federal UseHeres Why

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) unveiled a new bill on Thursday that aims to prohibit the use of the woke term Latinx from official federal use.

The Respect for Hispanic Americans Act (pdf), introduced by Mr. Cruz and Mr. Rubio, aims to address what has become a contentious issue in the Hispanic communitymost of whom oppose the term, data shows.

If successful, the bill would prohibit the use of the term Latinx in official government communication by federal agencies or employees, taking a stance against what the lawmakers argue is an unnecessary imposition on the language and identity of Hispanic Americans.

Hispanic Americans overwhelmingly oppose the term Latinx, and I want to make sure our government does not bow to woke activists in our federal departments or agencies by insisting on ridiculous terminology like this, Mr. Cruz said in a statement.

According to Mr. Cruz, the term Latinx has no place in official government communication, and he said hes proud to work with Sen. Rubio to keep it out.

Mr. Rubio echoed similar sentiments, describing the terms use by woke activists as an imposition on Latinos.

Hispanic Americans dont need fabricated woke terminology imposed on us, Mr. Rubio said. The term Latinx has no place in our federal agencys official communication as its a degradation tossed around by progressive elites.

The term Latinx has been used by some social commentators in recent years as a gender-neutral alternative to the Spanish words Latina and Latino. It originated in left-leaning social and academic circles under the umbrella of inclusivity. However, critics, including many Hispanic Americans, perceive the term as an unwelcome intrusion on their language and culture.

According to Maia GilAdi, an assistant professor of Latinx and Multiethnic Literature at Boston University, the term Latinx emerged in the 1990s from Latino and Latina youth and the LGBT community. The use of the x in Latinx represents a link to the indigenous heritage of many individuals.

The centuries-old Spanish language already used Latino as a default gender-neutral term, one Hispanic Democrat has argued.

The bill states that the term is unnecessary and inappropriate, and its use should be eliminated from official government communication. The bills sponsors believe that it is important to respect the wishes of Hispanic Americans, who they claim overwhelmingly oppose the term.

Similar Bills, Bipartisan Issue

Similar bills have been introduced by lawmakers from both parties in the House of Representatives and at the state level.

Earlier this year, Hispanic Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) presented the Reject Latinx Act in Congress. Additionally, Democrats in Connecticut have put forth their own legislation to ban the use of the term.

Five Hispanic lawmakers in Connecticut, all part of the states Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, proposed a bill to eliminate the term Latinx from official use in the state government in February.

Democratic state Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr. of Waterbury said the term Latinx is not a Spanish word, but rather a woke term that can be considered offensive to Connecticuts substantial Puerto Rican community. He described the term as personally offensive.

The other four members who oppose the term in Connecticuts legislature are Reps. Christopher Rosario from Bridgeport, Juan R. Candelaria from New Haven, Robert Sanchez from New Haven, and Minnie Gonzalez from Hartford.

The term has been officially rejected by Real Academia Espanola, a Madrid-based institution that governs the Spanish language, and by the League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest Latino civil rights group in the United States.

According to ThinkNow, a market research firm located in Burbank, California, its data challenges the prevalent usage of the term Latinx.

Its research from 2019 indicates that 98 percent of Latinos do not identify with the term and instead prefer to be identified as Hispanic. The preferred terms among respondents were Hispanic, followed by Latino/Latina, and then by their familys country of origin.

The term Latinx was only favored by 2 percent of Hispanics, with no individuals over the age of 50 expressing a preference for it. These findings align with a study conducted by Pew Research, which reported similar results regarding the percentage of Latinos and Hispanics who use the term.

In January, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders banned the term from official use within the state.
Dangerous Rhetoric: Hunter Biden Lawyers Tell Trump Cease and Desist Social Media Attacks

Hunter Bidens lawyers have issued a cease and desist to Donald Trumps legal team, demanding he not post about Mr. Biden anymore for fear of physical and violent action on the part of Mr. Trumps followers against Mr. Biden or his family.

I am a little surprised to have to send this because it would seem that Mr. Trump is currently facing enough legal problems that he would not want to create any more liability for saying and doing things that could result in harm and injury, and because it appears you have enough to do in defending your client in various arenas now and yet to come than to have to deal with one more legal issue and case, wrote attorney Abbe David Lowell, who represents Mr. Biden. The letter, sent Thursday, was first obtained by ABC News.

Mr. Lowell wrote that Mr. Trumps followers are easy-to-trigger and citing Jan. 6, 2021, events and their tragic, even fatal, consequences as a reason why something that would normally be a figure of speech cannot be considered so in Mr. Trumps case.

We have seen that what might pass as such a phrase when uttered by rationale people is heard by too many in this country as some terrible injustice for which they must take physical and violent action, Mr. Lowell wrote.

He compared Mr. Bidens situation with that of Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was attacked in his home last October. Federal officials alleged the attacker, David DePape, was a Canadian citizen who was in the country illegally after overstaying his visa and said he wanted to kidnap the Speaker.

Mr. Biden was also on that attackers hit list, Mr. Lowell wrote. This is not a false alarm.

He did not link the attacker to Mr. Trumps social media activity, but referenced another case where Taylor Taranto was arrested in the vicinity of former President Barack Obamas residence after reposting a post of Mr. Trumps, which contained what he claimed was Mr. Obamas address.

We are just one such social media message away from another incident, and you should make clear to Mr. Trumpif you have not done so alreadythat Mr. Trumps words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop, Mr. Lowell said.

Mr. Trump has invoked my clients name on his social media accounts to harass and incite his followers on a near daily basis since Mr. Trump himself was indicted (e.g., mentioning my client more than 20 times in posts in July alone), he wrote.

Texts to China

Mr. Lowell cited multiple times when Mr. Trump posted about or reposted and commented on news events that involved the Biden family.

On June 22, two days after Mr. Biden pleaded guilty to federal crimes, the House Ways and Means Committee unveiled the testimonies of two whistleblowers from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who had been part of the investigation into Mr. Bidens taxes.

The investigators had validated text messages Mr. Biden sent to a Chinese business partner demanding payment and threatening to use his fathers power and influence in retaliation.

I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled, the younger Biden wrote, according to Shapleys testimony.

Now means tonight, Biden said, warning that if anyone other than Zhao, Zhang, or the chairman tried to reach out about the matter, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.

On June 24, Mr. Trump took to Truth Social to post: When Hunter Biden harshly threatened the Chinese businessman, he and his father, Joe, were together in Joes house (even the ownership of the house, and rent paid, are questionable and now forgotten about by the Fake News Media!) where classified documents having to do with CHINA were stored . . . They took in millions of dollars from China  How much information was given. BIG STUFF! Joe is totally corrupt!!!

Two days later Mr. Trump reposted AMERICAN JUSTICE: 69-Year-Old Grandma with Cancer Given More Prison Time for Walking Inside US Capitol than Hunter Biden for Sharing Classified Documents with Foreign Regimes and Multi-Million Dollar Bribery Scheme with the comment HORRIBLE! and commented on the news of the U.S. Secret Service discovering cocaine in the White House, writing it was for use by Hunter, & probably Crooked Joe, in order to give this total disaster of a President a little life and energy!

Mr. Lowell wrote that Mr. Trump multiple times misled followers and was writing to demand a stop to this.

You know, if Mr. Trump does not, that Mr. Biden has neither committed nor been accused of the charges that your client is claiming (e.g., mishandling or even having access to classified information) and that the Biden family was not at the White House (let alone in the vestibule) in the period when the cocaine was found, he wrote. And, lets be clear: it was Mr. Trump, not Mr. Biden, who allegedly illegally shared classified documents with others and it is Mr. Trump who is accused of paying hush money (e.g., a bribe) to prevent publicity about his personal actions.
Delta Air Lines Is Soaring to a Record $1.8 Billion Profit as Summer Vacationers Pack Planes

Delta Air Lines soared to a record quarterly profit of more than $1.8 billion as summer vacationers packed planes, especially to international destinations, and the airline enjoyed a tailwind from falling fuel prices.

The results released Thursday beat Wall Street expectations, and Delta raised its forecast of full-year earnings.

Delta officials said strong demand for tickets has continued into the July-through-September quarter, when it expects revenue similar to the record second quarter.

I think its going to be more of the same, CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview. International bookings, which traditionally start to trail off into the fall, are still going to be at a higher level than normal.

Some analysts have urged caution after summer ends because business travel, which usually picks up in September, has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Mr. Bastian conceded that corporate travel is off sizably, especially considering recent economic growth. He remains confident, however, that it will grow steadily. At the same time, he said, some customers are taking advantage of hybrid work arrangements to take trips that combine work and pleasure.

A key part of Deltas strategy involves pursuing high-income travelers, whom it says account for three-fourths of all spending on air travel. Drawing on government and private research, Delta says high-income households have accumulated $27 trillion in wealth since 2019.

They have the means, and when we ask them where they are going to spend, their No. 1 priority is premium travel experience, Mr. Bastian said. Thats our bread and butter.

In the second quarter, Deltas revenue from sales of premium seats and services rose 25 percentbetter than the 18 percent gain in the main cabin.

Airlines need more revenue to remain profitable in part because they are facing sharply higher labor costs. Earlier this year, Delta pilots won a new contract that their union says will boost average pay 34 percent over four years and cost Delta more than $7 billion.

Across the airline industry, companies have hired aggressively to rebuild work forces that they shrunk after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in early 2020. Industry officials say all that hiring should help airlines run better than they did last summer.

Canceled flights have returned closer to historical norms2 percent of all scheduled flights since June 1, according to FlightAware. Deltas cancellation rate of 1.2 percent is better than average but well above Alaska and Southwest and slightly higher than rival American Airlinesand four times Deltas rate during the same period before the pandemic.

Mr. Bastian said the figures mostly reflected disruptions caused by storms along the East Coast last month. He said operations should be smoother the rest of the summer. He declined to join othersnotably, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby and JetBlue Airways President Joanna Geraghtyin blaming the Federal Aviation Administration, which is struggling to fix a shortage of air traffic controllers.

Entering the summer, he said, it was critical not to schedule too many flights. You have to respect your resource capabilities, including those things you dont control such as air traffic control.

Deltas profit compared with earnings of $735 million in the second quarter of 2022. The quarter broke Deltas previous record for net income, set in the second quarter of 2016.

The airline said adjusted profit, which excludes some one-time items, was $2.68 per share. Analysts expected $2.40 per share, according to a survey by FactSet.

Delta raised its forecast of full-year earnings per share by $1, to between $6 and $7.

Revenue rose 13 percent to $15.58 billion. Adjusted revenue, which excludes the companys oil refinery near Philadelphia, was $14.63 billion, enough to beat analysts prediction of $14.44 billion.

The average flight was 88 percent full in the second quarter, one point better than a year ago. Delta doesnt provide figures for average fares, but passengers paid 2 percent more per mile. Deltas revenue increased in every region, with international far outpacing the growth in domestic travel.

Labor was Deltas biggest expense, at $3.7 billion, a one-year increase of nearly $740 million.

However, that was offset by lower fuel prices, which saved Delta a little more than $700 million even though its planes burned 16 percent more fuel. The airline paid $2.52 a gallon in the latest quarter, compared with $3.82 a year earlier.

Airline stocks struggled last year but have bounced back in 2023. Delta shares were up 46 percent so far this year at Wednesdays closing price.

By David Koenig
KYODO NEWS - Jul 13, 2023 - 20:51 | World, Japan, All

Foreign ministers from Japan and ASEAN on Thursday shared their hope of strengthening relations at a special summit commemorating their 50 years of friendship later this year in Tokyo, aiming to upgrade their ties to more strategic ones.

At their meeting in Jakarta, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts confirmed that they will work together closely toward the success of the summit, according to Japan's Foreign Ministry.

Hayashi also said claims about maritime interests and activities should be made based on international law during a discussion on the situation in the East and South China seas, the ministry said, in a veiled reference to China's military and economic assertiveness.

The gathering came as Japan and ASEAN are expected to promote ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" from the current strategic partnership, in line with the United States and China, which have each done so as they vie for influence in Southeast Asia.

Hayashi said at the outset of the gathering that Japan and ASEAN aim to "jointly announce a vision that sets out the broad direction" of relations and cooperation during the commemorative summit to be held in Tokyo for three days from Dec. 16.

The upgrading of Japan-ASEAN relations may take place when leaders from ASEAN and its partners gather in Jakarta in September, according to a draft statement of an ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting recently obtained by Kyodo News.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of substantial cooperative ties, which began in 1973 with the establishment of a Japan-ASEAN forum on synthetic rubber.

For half a century, Japan and ASEAN have been working together "as true friends with heart-to-heart relations for peace, stability and prosperity in the region," Hayashi said.

Consisting of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, ASEAN upgraded relations with China to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021, and those with the United States and India to the same level last year.

Japan's foreign minister is attending a series of meetings with his counterparts through Friday involving ASEAN and partner countries, such as South Korea and China.

Japan has been seeking to step up its involvement with the 10-member regional bloc, and has called for "a free and open Indo-Pacific," with some ASEAN members increasingly becoming concerned about China.

Hayashi strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch on Wednesday, while airing serious concern over the situation in Myanmar following a February 2021 coup, according to the ministry.
Democrat Lawmakers Boycott of Israeli Presidents Address to Congress Antisemitic: McCarthy

House Democrat and GOP leadership diverged on July 14 on progressive Democrats who have said they will boycott Israeli president Isaac Herzogs speech next week before a joint session of Congress.

Reps. Jamal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) have confirmed they will not attend Mr. Herzogs address on July 19.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) criticized those skipping the speech.

Its unfortunate, he told The Epoch Times. And I think antisemitism shouldnt be anywhere [and it] especially shouldnt be inside Congress.

Mr. McCarthy added that boycotting the address is antisemitic.

However, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) appeared to give a pass to those who are declining to attend the speech.

Members make individual decisions, but I can tell you that I expect there will be an incredibly robust turnout and participation among House Democrats on Wednesday, he told The Epoch Times.

On the other hand, House Freedom Caucus chairman Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) gave a simple condemnation.

Look, I think their actions speak for themselves, and so Ill just let you leave you with that, he told The Epoch Times.

When asked by The Epoch Times on July 13 if hell be at the July 19 address, Mr. Bowman said, No.

I dont think Israel has gone far enough in protecting and uplifting Palestinian rights and Palestinian lives, he said.

The violence theres been escalating over the last couple of years, he said, adding that Palestinians are under occupation, even though many live are under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, not Israel.

Mr. Bowman noted he has been calling for full citizenship for the Palestinians in Israel and that there needs to be a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

And were nowhere near that, the New York congressman said, referring to the prospects for a two-state solution.

Pro-Israel groups slammed Mr. Bowman for announcing hell pass on attending Mr. Herzogs speech.

J Street is aligned with the anti-Israel fringe. J Streets champion @JamaalBowmanNY is boycotting the Israeli presidents speech to Congress. Undermining Democratic support for Israel  @jstreetdotorg is many things, but its not pro-Israel, posted the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Twitter.

J Street, a progressive organization highly critical of Israel, did not respond to a request for comment.

Far-left radical Democrat @JamaalBowmanNY will boycott Israeli President Isaac Herzogs speech to Congress, joining antisemite @IlhanMN, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) said in a tweet.

Remember when @USJewishDems congratulated Bowman and said they were confident he is committed to the priorities of Jewish voters? We do, continued the RJC, referring to the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA), which congratulated Bowman on winning his first primary in 2020, upsetting incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), who was a pro-Israel Democrat member of Israel.

The JDCA did not respond to a request for comment.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez told Axios she is not planning to be at the address. This development came after she declined to answer the question when asked by The Epoch Times multiple times.

No way in hell, said Ms. Omar when asked by the startup online publication The Messenger if she will attend the address.

Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) declined to answer if they will be in attendance for the speech. Like Mr. Bowman, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Ms. Omar have a record of being critical of Israel.

In addition, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) said she will not be at Herzogs speech.

The Israeli government is responsible for enforcing an apartheid state and rampantly abusing the rights of Palestinians, she said, according to the Israeli publication Haaretz.

Congress should not be giving a platform to the president of a country that shows no respect for human rights. I will not be attending his joint address, added Ms. Bush.

Mr. McCarthy announced Mr. Herzogs upcoming address on June 29.

Mr. Herzog is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden on July 18 in what has been seen by some in the pro-Israel community as a continuation of Mr. Bidens snubbing of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In March, Mr. Biden said he wouldnt invite Mr. Netanyahu to the White House in the near term because of Mr. Netanyahus attempt to change Israels judiciary, an effort thats opposed by Mr. Herzog. In response to Mr. Biden shutting the door on a meeting with Mr. Netanyahu in the near future, Mr. McCarthy said he would invite Mr. Netanyahu to Congress if Mr. Biden doesnt reverse course.

If that doesnt happen, Ill invite the prime minister to come meet with the House, Mr. McCarthy told the newspaper Israel Hayom.

Hes a dear friend, as a prime minister of a country that we have our closest ties with.

Mr. McCarthy visited Israel in May and became the second sitting speaker to address the Knesset, Israels parliament.
DOJ Says Trumps Motion to Delay Trial Until After Elections Borders on Frivolous

Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prepares to deliver remarks at a Nevada Republican volunteer recruiting event at Fervent: A Calvary Chapel in Las Vegas on July 8, 2023. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Justice Department (DOJ) special counsel Jack Smith, who was assigned to investigate Donald Trump days after the launch of the former presidents reelection campaign, has pushed back against Mr. Trumps request to schedule the trial until after the 2024 elections.

Assistant special counsel David Harbach wrote in the latest filing on Thursday that there was no basis for this delay, and requested a trial date of Dec. 11, 2023, and that a number of the defenses were legally meritless and borders on frivolous (pdf).

The demands of the Defendants professional schedules do not provide a basis to delay trial in this case. Many indicted defendants have demanding jobs that require a considerable amount of time and energy, or a significant amount of travel, he wrote.

Last month, Mr. Trump was arrested and charged with 37 counts, making it the first time a former or current U.S. president has been formally accused for violating federal law. Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty on all counts, and the first pretrial hearing before District Judge Aileen Cannon takes place in the afternoon on July 18.

Christopher M. Kise, attorney representing Mr. Trump, wrote in their request to delay trial, The Court now presides over a prosecution advanced by the administration of a sitting President against his chief political rival, himself a leading candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Therefore, a measured consideration and timeline that allows for a careful and complete review of the procedures that led to this indictment and the unprecedented legal issues presented herein best serves the interests of the Defendants and the public.

800,000 Pages of Discovery

The sheer amount of material in discovery was cited as one reason to delay the trial.

The Governments investigation into the matters at issue in the indictment has been ongoing for over a year. During that time, the Government collected many hundreds of thousands of documents, interviewed dozens of witnesses, and presented many witnesses before two separate Grand Juries. The Defendants will require ample time to fully study that entire process, Mr. Kise wrote.

But Mr. Harbach says although the government provided over 800,000 pages, the set of key documents was only about 4,500 pages.

He further added that a third of those 800,000 pages were email headers and footers, without content, and that the nine months of CCTV footage was not from nine continuous months.

The case began more than two years ago when the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requested Mr. Trump return certain documents, and NARA said it found documents marked classified, though Mr. Trump maintains he had declassified the materials as president. This led to the FBI searching Mar-a-Lago.

Mr. Kise had also argued that due to the sensitive nature of the discovery documents and the difficulty of selecting an impartial jury during a national presidential election it was prudent to wait.

Mr. Harbach dismissed the arguments, writing that the more time-consuming process of putting together this jury was a reason to start the trial sooner rather than later, and that the defense had enough time to review all materials.

DOJ in Other Cases

Mr. Trump is involved in several other ongoing cases.

On Tuesday, the DOJ stepped in on a civil lawsuit and said it would no longer shield him from a defamation case brought by columnist E. Jean Caroll.

The Department has determined that there is no longer a sufficient basis to conclude that the former President was motivated by more than an insignificant desire to serve the United States Government, it wrote.

Mr. Trump is also set to testify in a case brought against the DOJ by former FBI agent Peter Strzok, despite the DOJ repeatedly trying to block Mr. Trumps deposition.

Given the limited nature of the deposition that has been ordered, and the fact that the former Presidents schedule appears to be able to accommodate other civil litigation that he has initiated, the outcome of the balancing required by the apex doctrine remains the same for all of the reasons previously stated, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote.

Support Strong Despite Indictment

Despite the barrage of legal action, Mr. Trump continues to pull ahead in the polls, leading by around 30 points. Approval had surged with the announcement of his two indictments earlier this year, and supporters have continued to flock to his rallies in droves.

The former president remained undeterred, giving a speech the same night of his arraignment, and responding frequently on social media to various charges.

Im beating Biden in the Polls by the biggest margins ever. I assume that means therell be another Indictment & Arrest coming down the tracks very soon, he wrote on Truth Social Thursday.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misquoted a phrase from the motion. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Elon Musks X Corp Sues 4 Entities He Says Are Scraping Twitter Data

Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla gestures as he attends a conference at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France, on June 16, 2023. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo)

Elon Musks X Corp., the California-based company that owns and operates Twitter, has filed a lawsuit against four entities in Texas. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of data scraping from the social media site and causing issues for the platforms users.

The lawsuit was filed in a Dallas County District Court on July 6 and is seeking more than $1 million in damages (pdf). The filing comes just days after the social media companys recent policy change placing limits on the number of tweets a user can view each day.

Several entities tried to scrape every tweet ever made in a short period of time. That is why we had to put rate limits in place, Mr. Musk wrote on Twitter on Thursday, July 13, in a reply to T(w)itter Daily News about the lawsuit.

The lawsuit describes data scraping as a form of unauthorized data collection that uses automation and other processes to harvest data from a website or mobile application.

X Corp claims that the defendants unlawfully collected data on Texas residents and impaired the experience of Twitter users.

The volume of these requests far exceeded what any single individual could send to a server in a given period and clearly indicated that these automated requests were aimed at scraping data from Twitter, according to the complaint. These requests have severely taxed X Corp.s servers and impaired the user experience for millions of X Corp.s customers.

The lawsuit also alleges that the companies scraping the data are able to repackage and profit from the information they collected unbeknownst to the Twitter user.

Twitter users have no control over how data-scraping companies repackage and sell their personal information, the document states.

Last year, Mr. Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion. On Wednesday, July 13, he unveiled his latest venture, an artificial intelligence company called xAI. Mr. Musk also owns Tesla and SpaceX, among other companies, and is the richest person in the world, according to Forbes, with a net worth of $237 billion.

Who Are the Defendants?

The seven-page complaint states that X Corp. has been unable to identify the defendants in the case.

They are identified by the aliases: John Doe 1, John Doe 2, John Doe 3, and John Doe 4; and described as persons or entities associated with specified IP addresses.

To avoid detection, data scrapers deploy software and other technology to mask their identities and penetrate networks that would otherwise be private, the document reads.

The software used by data scrapers sends a massive number of requests, making them difficult to detect while causing the platform to become less stable.

What Are Twitters Rate Limits?

Mr. Musk announced Twitters temporary rate limits in a post on Twitter on Saturday, July 1.

To address extreme levels of data scraping [and] system manipulation, weve applied the following temporary limits:

 Verified accounts are limited to reading 6,000 posts/day.

 Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day.

 New unverified accounts to 300/day.

But the move sparked a backlash from some accounts run by informational agencies, monitoring services, and journalists who say they rely on the platform to review thousands of tweets a day.

The higher threshold allowed on verified accounts is part of an $8-per-month subscription service that was rolled out earlier this year. The fee was implemented in an effort to boost revenue, which has declined sharply since Mr. Musk took the helm.

At one point on Saturday, more than 7,500 users reported problems with their accounts, based on complaints registers on Downdetecter, a website that tracks online outages, the Associated Press reported.

Although thats a relatively small number of Twitters more than 200 million worldwide users, the trouble was widespread enough to cause the hashtag #TwitterDown to trend in some parts of the world.

Later the same day, Mr. Musk wrote that Twitter would soon update the limits to 8,000, 800, and 400, respectively.

And then, hours later, he updated the limits for a third time to 10,000, 1,000, and 500.

The company said it did not provide advance warning about the temporary change in an effort to identify the bad actors.

Any advance notice on these actions would have allowed bad actors to alter their behavior to evade detection, according to a notice on Twitter Business.

The site also requires users to log on to their accounts to view tweets and profiles, a change in its longtime practice that allowed anyone whether they had an account or not  to scroll through the feed and search profiles.

Twitter said the company is deeply committed to making Twitter a better place for everyone.
The number of children, teenagers, and young adults being rushed to hospital owing to cannabis-involved emergencies spiked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data published on July 13 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While cannabis-involved emergency department visits had already risen among young people up to the age of 14 prior to 2019, mean weekly cannabis-involved ED visits among all young persons under 25 years old were higher during 2020, 2021, and 2022, the CDC found.

The CDC used National Syndromic Surveillance Program data to examine changes in emergency department visits during 20192022, analyzing a weekly average of nearly 1,700 emergency departments that report to the program, as well as state and local health departments.

The findings were published in the health bodys Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Specifically, the health agency found that approximately 539,106 cannabis-involved ED visits occurred among persons aged 25 or under between Dec. 30, 2018Jan. 1, 2023.

During the pandemic, the average number of weekly cannabis-involved ED visits involving children under the age of 10 ranged from 30.4 per 10,000 visits to 71.5 per 10,000 visits. Prior to the pandemic, the average was between 18.7 and 23.2 visits.

Hospital Visits Soar Among Youth

Among children under 10, the mean weekly average of 71.5 per 10,000 visits occurred during the summer of 2022.

According to the CDC, such visits had initially begun to decline during the second half of the 202021 school year but then soared before reaching that summer 2022 peak and far exceeding pre-pandemic visit rates.

Among those aged 1114, the mean number of weekly cannabis-involved ED visits during the pandemic ranged from 69.8 in 2020 to 209.3 in 2022. Thats compared to a range of 90.5 and 138.5 in 2019 and early 2020, before the pandemic.

For this age group, the CDC noted a spike in hospital visits during the second half of the 202122 school year although such visits also increased notably at the start of 2020.

Customers shop for marijuana products at Catalyst Cannabis Dispensary in Santa Ana, Calif., on Feb. 18, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Researchers also saw an increase in cannabis-involved ED visits among older teens and young adults aged 15 to 24. On average, the weekly number of hospital visits due to cannabis during the pandemic ranged from 2,275.8 (2020, weeks 1223) to 2,813.2 (2021, weeks 1223). Thats compared with a weekly average of 2,117.5 in the first 11 weeks of 2019 to 2,531.1 in the first 11 weeks of 2020.

According to the CDC, more than 90 percent of the cannabis-involved ED visits by those under the age of 25 involved those between 1524 years. While the rates of cannabis-involved ED visits were elevated among this group from 2020 through summer 2021, they briefly returned to baseline during the first half of the school year in both 2021 and 2022, the CDC said.

Concerns Over Cannabis Marketing

It is unclear what prompted the increase in cannabis-involved emergency department visits, however a growing number of states37 in totalhave now legalized cannabis for medical use while 21 states allow recreational use of the drug.

Earlier this year, experts and public health advocates voiced their concerns about a rise in flavored cannabis products that appear to be marketed toward teenagers and young adults in states where recreational use of the drug has been legalized, such as New York.

Health professionals fear the flavored cannabis products, marketed under names such as peach dream, mad mango, and cereal milk could encourage teenagers and young adults to purchase them.

Other experts suggest growing use of the drug may be linked to pandemic-related stress as a coping mechanism.

The pandemic took an overwhelming toll on the mental health of youth, Doug Roehler, an epidemiologist at the CDCs Injury Center, told CNN. We know for some, substance use can be a coping mechanism to deal with stressful situations, especially among those already with a substance use disorder.

Cannabis-involved ED visits began increasing statistically significantly among all age groups except 1524 years several years before the pandemic potentially as a result of expanding state-level policies legalizing cannabis use, the CDC wrote in its recent report. Improving clinicians awareness of rising cannabis-involved ED visits might aid in early diagnosis of cannabis intoxication among young persons.

Further, increasing adults knowledge regarding safe cannabis storage practices, strengthening youths coping and problem-solving skills through evidence-based prevention programs, and modifying cannabis packaging to decrease appeal to youths might help prevent intentional and unintentional cannabis use, the CDC concluded.

What topics would you like to read about? Please let us know at health@epochtimes.nyc
Ex-CEO of Bankrupt Cryptocurrency Exchange Celsius Arrested, Charged With Fraud

A representation of the virtual cryptocurrency Ethereum is seen among representations of other cryptocurrencies in this picture illustration taken on June 14, 2021. (Edgar Su/Illustration/Reuters)

The former CEO of bankrupt cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network, Alexander Mashinsky, has been arrested and is facing a string of charges for allegedly misleading investors and manipulating the price of the companys crypto token, the Department of Justice announced on July 13.

Mr. Mashinsky was arrested Thursday and charged with securities fraud, commodities fraud, and wire fraud for defrauding customers and misleading them about core aspects of the company he founded, including Celsiuss success, profitability, and the nature of the investments Celsius made using customer funds, prosecutors said.

Additionally, Mr. Mashinsky and Roni Cohen-Pavon, Celsiuss former chief revenue officer, are charged with conspiracy, securities fraud, market manipulation, and wire fraud for illicitly manipulating the price of CEL, Celsiuss proprietary crypto token, all while secretly selling their own CEL tokens at artificially inflated prices.

New Jersey-based Celsius Network once managed $25 billion in customer assets and billed itself as the safest place for your crypto.

The platform announced in June 2022 that it was pausing all customer withdrawals owing to a liquidity crisis. At the time of the announcement, the company had around $4.7 billion worth of crypto assets on the Celsius platform but none of the customers were able to access their funds.

A month later in July, Celsius Network filed for bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of New York.

Mr. Mashinsky appeared in court Thursday where he pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $40 million bond, CoinDesk reported.

Mr. Cohen-Pavon, an Israeli citizen and resident, is currently abroad. His case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.

Over the course of the past year, we have worked quickly to get to the bottom of what led to Celsiuss collapse and to understand how a platform that advertised itself as the safest place for your crypto could have left investors holding billions of dollars in losses, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. Today we have the answer.

The U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington on June 28, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Scheme to Defraud Customers

Today I am announcing the unsealing of an indictment charging Celsiuss founder and CEO, Alex Mashinsky, with orchestrating a scheme to defraud customers of Celsius through a series of false claims about the fundamental safety and security of the Celsius platform, and for participating in a scheme with Celsiuss Chief Revenue Officer, Roni Cohen-Pavon, to inflate the price of Celsiuss proprietary token, CEL, Mr. Williams continued.

This case, like the others my Office has recently announced alleging fraud in the crypto economy, may appear complicated. But the message we send today is quite simple: if you rip off ordinary investors to line your own pockets, we will hold you accountable. Whether its old-school fraud or some new-school crypto scheme, it doesnt matter one bit. Its all fraud to us. And well be here to catch it, he said.

Prosecutors allege that Mr. Mashinsky repeatedly made public misrepresentations regarding core aspects of Celsiuss business and financial condition to customers in the United States and abroad in order to encourage customers to hand over their crypto assets to the company and continue to use its services.

Some of the alleged misrepresentations made by Mr. Mashinsky included the safety of Celsiuss yield-generating activities, its profitability, the long-term sustainability of Celsiuss high rewards rates, and the risks associated with depositing crypto assets with Celsius, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors further allege that Mr. Mashinsky and others working at Celsius embarked on a years-long scheme to mislead customers and market participants regarding the market value and interest in Celsiuss proprietary crypto token by manipulating and inflating its price by purchasing the crypto token in the open market.

In some cases, Celsius used customer deposits to fund the market purchases of CEL, prosecutors said.

As a result, Mr. Mashinsky lined his own pockets with approximately $42 million in proceeds from his sales of CEL, while Mr. Cohen-Pavon reaped at least $3.6 million in proceeds from sales of the tokens, prosecutors said.

Lawyers for Mr. Mashinsky told CoinDesk that their client vehemently denies the allegations brought and that he looks forward to vigorously defending himself in court against these baseless charges.

The Epoch Times has contacted Mr. Mashinskys attorney for further comment.

The seal of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seen at their headquarters in Washington on May 12, 2021. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

FTC, SEC Fine Celsius

Mr. Mashinskys arrest came on the same day that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it had reached a $4.7 billion settlement with Celsius and its affiliates.

As part of the settlement, Celsius is permanently banned from handling consumers assets or offering, marketing, or promoting any product or service that could be used to deposit, exchange, invest, or withdraw any assets in the future.

However, the $4.7 billion fine will be suspended to permit Celsius to return its remaining assets to consumers in bankruptcy proceedings.

The FTC also charged three former Celsius executives, including Mr. Mashinsky as well as co-founders Shlomi Leon and Hanoch Goldstein, of having tricked customers into transferring cryptocurrency onto the platform by falsely promising that deposits would always be safe and available.

The co-founders have not agreed to a FTC settlement and the case against them will proceed to federal court, the FTC said.

Celsius touted a new business model but engaged in an old-fashioned swindle, said Samuel Levine, director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. Todays action banning Celsius from handling peoples money and holding its executives accountable should make clear that emerging technologies are not above the law.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed lawsuits against Mr. Mashinsky and Celsius on Thursday for allegedly violating the registration and anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, making false and misleading statements to investors, and engaging in market manipulation of CEL.

The SEC complaint also seeks to bar Mr. Mashinsky from acting as an officer or director of a public company and seeks undisclosed monetary relief.

In a statement on Twitter, Celsius said it was pleased to have reached resolutions with the federal agencies as it continues to pursue a successful Chapter 11 Plan, adding that the resolutions are not expected to impact our Plan or our ability to return value to customers.
EXCLUSIVE: Slew of College Students Private Info Shared With 3rd Parties for Political Research

Students walk near Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles on April 23, 2012. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

There are no parent-teacher conferences in college.

If a parent wants to know their students grades, the status of their students meal plan, or if they have dropped out of school without telling anyone, the school needs signed permission from the student and a personal identification number from the parent. Without that, because of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the school can tell parents next to nothing.

Without explicit student permission, this strict privacy policy prevents parents from knowing what classes a student is taking, even if parents are footing the bill.

Yet many colleges are freely handing over troves of FERPA-protected information to be analyzed for political research, in exchange for a short report that measures the success of campus voter registration activities.

The report, released in federal election years, is called the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), and is a project of Tufts Universitys Institute for Democracy and Higher Education (IDHE) in Medford, Massachusetts.

Privacy Protections

According to FERPA, there are only three conditions under which a college or university can share personally identifiable information from a students education record without the students consent.

Disclosures are allowed if the information is being given to organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions to: develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; administer student aid programs; and improve instruction.

Nancy Thomas, IDHE director at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, told The Epoch Times via email that the NSLVE falls within the studies exception to FERPA.

Its purpose is to improve student learning, Ms. Thomas said. If you review our website, you will see dozens of documents about educating for democracy year-round, not just during an election season, and using elections as that teachable moment for students as responsible citizens in a democracy. We do other research on learning conditions for civic learning. We help campuses understand and use their NSLVE reports, but we always stress the educational value of this information.

A newly released report by Verity Vote says the study has a political purpose.

Verity Vote is a group of citizen volunteers with backgrounds in professional data research and investigation who started reviewing elections and election procedures throughout the country in 2020.

Within the last decade, the youth vote has emerged as a significant determinant in elections, the Verity Vote report says.

Youth turnout has been increasing and their support for Democrats is also growing. In 2022, the youth vote gave a +28 percent margin to Democrats. There are many factors that contribute to the disparity, but records show that Democrats could be gaining a systemic advantage through access to the best student data that money cant buy.

Personal Data on the Move

The most desirable of unregistered voters, young people are largely absent from commercial data files, the Verity Vote report says.

Young people are hard to find. They tend to be more transient, and many have no credit history and no utilities in their nametwo primary sources of commercial data. But lists of these potential, but unregistered, voters do exist.

In the enrollment process at a community college, trade school, or larger college or university, a student discloses a lot of personal information to the institution.

Heres how student data moves.

Institutions share student information with the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization that provides transcripts and financial aid services. Ninety-seven percent of post-secondary schools and more than 70 percent of high schools in the United States share data with the Clearinghouse.

Whats unexpected for most students is the NSLVE asking institutions across the nation to sign an authorization form (pdf) instructing the Clearinghouse to use the institutions collection of FERPA-protected student enrollment data for participation in the survey.

In total, 1,254 institutions have signed the NSLVE authorization. Tufts has an online database on which users can search for participating campuses.

Revealing Potential Voters

The current authorization form for schools has been extended to 10 years, meaning a 2023 authorization will last until 2033.

The authorization form informs institutions that IDHE has a contract with a third-party vendor that collects public voter registration and voting records nationally. The third-party vendor collects data such as whether an individual registered to vote, whether they voted, their voting method, and where they voted.

The third-party vendor that provides the voter registration lists is L2 Inc., a Washington State voter data and technology firm that provides a data mapping platform that helps local, state and federal campaign managers, candidates and consultants learn about their district and target the voters most likely to help them win, according to its website.

When the study launched in 2013, NSLVE used the company Catalist as its source for voting records, but it switched to L2 in 2018, Ms. Thomas said.

Once the Clearinghouse has two liststhe L2 voter registration list and the list of student data from most higher education institutionsit compares those lists; new data showing young people who have and havent registered to vote are revealed.

A list of young people who havent voted is valuable, Verity Vote says, because they were previously invisible to political data aggregators.

The authorization form for participation in the NSLVE describes how the data are used.

The Clearinghouse will follow IDHEs instructions in matching student name, date of birth, and address with public voter registration and voting records. The Clearinghouse will then append some or all of the following data elements, as reported by the institution in its Clearinghouse enrollment data, de-identify the resulting files, and send the de-identified files to IDHE for analysis: age at election, age eligibility flag, birth year, home zip code, class, program level, major  gender, race, enrollment status, degree-seeking status, school code, and campus city and state, the authorization form says.

IDHE will use this dataset to study student registration and voting rates, along with comparisons with appropriate reference groups.

Organization Says Personal Data Protected

Once the Clearinghouse compares the two lists, the NSLVE gets the datanow scrubbed of personal informationback from the Clearinghouse, and a report is written for each institution.

The authorization form also allows IDHE to provide access to its enrollment data obtained from the Clearinghouse, in de-identified form, to outside researchers to produce additional research regarding improving instruction, student civic learning, and engagement in democracy.

The authorization form describes how it will handle privacy concerns.

The Clearinghouse agrees to destroy all personally identifiable information (PII) received from the Institution when it is no longer needed for the purpose for which the study is being conducted, except for PII which is duplicative of other records which were already in the possession of the Clearinghouse prior to the NSLVE study. Such data destruction shall occur within one year after the final report under the study has been provided to the Institution, unless extended by mutual agreement between the Parties.

Ms. Thomas said that the process keeps student data protected.

Neither NSLVE nor Tufts University receives students personal data in this process, she said.

To match with a voter file, we need to use name, address, and date of birth. That process is managed by the Clearinghouse and L2. Once the match has been made, the data file is de-identified by the Clearinghouse before it comes to us. We do not receive any names or other information that would enable us to identify individual students. If what is called a cell size of data (meaning the number) is small, we receive an asterisk (*). To be clear, we do not want to know individual students, nor can we through this process.

The Report

Sharing all of this student data gets the institutions a custom NSLVE report.

The 2022 Washington State University report is 18 pages long. It looks at student voter participation rates for the campus from 20142020. In that time, Washington State had more students enrolled year-over-year, registered more students to vote year-over-year, and saw more students show up at the polls year-over-year.

Student voters are classified by race, voting method (such as in-person or early voting), age, gender, education level, and field of study.
Extreme Heat Wave Grills Parts of US, Forecasters Warn the Worst Is Yet to Come

Construction worker Fernando Padilla wipes his face as he works in the heat, in Nashville, Tenn., on June 30, 2023. (George Walker IV/AP Photo)

An extreme heat wave is grilling the southern United States, bringing scorching temperatures and putting over 100 million Americans under various grades of heat alerts, with forecasters warning that the worst is yet to come.

The heat is going to be expanding across California, Nevada, Arizona and all the way into west Texas into this weekend, and the core of the strongest heat seems to be setting up for Friday through Monday. So well be looking at records, said Tom Frieders, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix.

Over the past week or so, forecasters have been warning of a long and intense heat wave coming for the U.S. Southwest that could well rank among the most severe in recent history.

So far, NWS has issued excessive heat advisories, watches, and warnings for areas in which around 100 million Americans live.

A sign warns people of extreme heat in Death Valley National Park, Calif., on July 11, 2023. (Ty ONeil/AP Photo)

The sweltering heat comes at the tail end of a week that hit an average global record high temperature, according to the University of Maines Climate Reanalyzer project.

The focal point of the blistering heat in the United States is expected to fall mostly in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, as well as parts of Texas, with peak intensity expected on Saturday, according to NWS regional offices.

The Southwest is bracing for what could be deadly heat, with much of the region under an excessive heat warning.

Extreme Heat in Arizona

In Phoenix, there have been nearly 14 consecutive 110-plus-degree days, with forecasts predicting that the city will break its record of 18 straight days over 110, which was set all the way back in 1974.

Forecasters at NWS Phoenix said in an advisory that the long-duration heatwave is expected to persist through early next week, with the heat risk level rising to major and extreme levels on Friday and into the weekend.

Forecast highs for today through Sunday are generally in a 111-118 degree range across the lower deserts with temperatures likely peaking on Saturday when dew points are at their lowest, NWS Phoenix said in a forecast discussion.

Even though models updated on July 14 are predicting temperatures in Arizona to slowly decrease early next week, NWS Phoenix forecasters say that residents wont likely feel much relief because of increasing moisture and so in reality how hot it actually feels like may not be any different than over the weekend.

A lone motorcycle rider travels on historic Route 66 across the western Arizona desert on the approach to Oatman, Ariz., on July 12, 2003. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

Near record heat continued across Arizona on Friday, with an excessive heat warning in effect across the lower deserts.

Please limit outdoor activities due to the extreme heat, NWS Phoenix said in a statement on Twitter, urging residents to drink plenty of water, apply sunscreen, take regular breaks in the shade, and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to mitigate the effect of the scorching heat.

Parts of California Dangerously Hot

In California, inland temperature forecasts predict readings of 110 degrees or more in some locations on Saturday, with some areas showing a 90-plus percent chance of breaking daily records.

Over 50 percent of Californias population is currently under a heat advisory or excessive heat warning.

The long-duration heat wave will impact interior areas through Monday, spreading into the valleys closer to the coast on Friday, NWS Los Angeles said in an advisory.

Highs will peak between 100 to 110 degrees, and possibly higher, the agency said, adding that the most intense heat is expected over the LA County interior.

Saturday still looks to be the warmest day in most areas, NWS Los Angeles said in a forecast discussion.

Heat warnings and advisories blanket all non-coastal areas in California.

There is a possibility of a little cooling in coastal areas on Saturday and so NWS Los Angeles is keeping a heat advisory there rather than a full warning.

Though cooler, the temperatures will still be dangerously hot, the forecast said.

The San Antonio Fire spreads uphill west of Petaluma, Calif., on June 30, 2023. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)

Excessive heat warnings are in effect in inland parts of the Bay Area and the Central Coast, where hot conditions could cause life-threatening impacts, according to NWS San Francisco.

There is a high to very high risk for much of the population due to long-duration heat with little to no overnight relief, the agency said.

Prepare for dangerous heat, limit outdoor activities, it added.

The warmest inland locations are expected to be East Bay hills and valleys, southern Santa Clara Valley, northern Napa and Sonoma Counties, and inland Monterey and southern San Benito Counties, NWS San Francisco said in a forecast discussion.

The peak of the heat event arrives this weekend. This is when the combination of hot days and warm nights allows the HeatRisk to reach the moderate to high range for inland areas, the agency said.

Numerous Daily Record Highs in New Mexico

New Mexico is bracing for scorching temperatures across much of the state, while another round of strong to severe storms is expected across northeast New Mexico, NWS forecasters said.

Record to near-record heat will continue with most lower terrain areas at or above 100 today, NWS Albuquerque said in a discussion note on Friday.

A backdoor cold front will move across the eastern part of the state later on Friday, however, which is likely to bring with it cooler temperatures that are closer to the norm for mid-July.

More Heat Advisories are expected today along the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley, as well as in Chaves and San Juan Counties, NWS Albuquerque said in an alert on social media. Be sure to limit your time spent outside and stay hydrated!

Val Martin and Ashford Joseph rehydrate after climbing stairs in Eleanor Tinsley Park as temperatures hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Houston, Texas, on July 12, 2023. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)

Dangerous Heat Continues in Texas

All of south-central Texas will be under a heat advisory or excessive heat warning through 9 p.m. on Friday, according to NWS Austin.

There is an increased risk for heat-related illness for those spending extended time outdoors and not taking precautions, the agency warned.

Hot and dry conditions are expected across all of north and central Texas through next week, according to NWS Dallas.

Increased cloud cover should provide some relief on Sunday, however, the agency said in a forecast discussion.

High temperatures on Sunday should be closer to seasonal normals across North Texas due to the increased cloud cover with highs in the upper 90s, but Central Texas will still be hot with highs in the 100-104 degree range, the agency said.

It comes as the Earths average temperature set a new unofficial record high last week, according to data compiled by the University of Maines Climate Reanalyzer project.

Last Thursdays planetary average exceeded the 62.9-degree mark set Tuesday and matched on Wednesday.

It is certainly plausible that the past couple days and past week were the warmest days globally in 120,000 years, University of Pennsylvania scientist Michael Mann told The Associated Press.

High land temperatures have generally been matched by those on the sea, with warming intensified by an El Nino event, a natural cycle that adds more heat to the Earths system.

Warmer seas could also mean less wind and rain, leading to even more heat on land, some scientists say.

In order to cope with higher temperatures, NWS recommends drinking plenty of water, wearing light clothing, finding air conditioned places, avoiding strenuous activities, never leaving people or pets in cars, and watching for heat cramps, exhaustion, and stroke.
Suffolk County officials, representatives from the New York State Police, and FBI hold a press conference at 4:00 p.m. ET on July 14 to announce a significant development in the investigation of the Gilgo Beach Homicide.
Feds Have Reclaimed Over $2 Billion in Ineligible CERB Payments: Govt Document

The landing web page for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is seen in Toronto on Aug. 10, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini)

The federal government has reclaimed over $2 billion in Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) payments paid out during the pandemic to ineligible recipients due to inadequate verification methods, according to the Department of Employment.

The department said in a recent briefing note obtained by Blacklocks Reporter that over 1.1 million Canadians had fully repaid their CERB debts as of this past May, with all repayments totalling over $2.1 billion.

A balance of $1 billion remains unpaid, said the note, titled Canadians Waiting To Have Their CERB Eligibility Status Reviewed May Still Lose Money To Clawbacks.

The department said the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is responsible for collecting these debtsalthough CRA Commissioner Bob Hamilton previously said that verifying the billions of dollars in COVID wage subsidy claims paid out to potentially ineligible recipients wouldnt be worth the effort.

The CRA also said earlier this year in an Inquiry of Ministry that it had spent over $147 million auditing CERB claims and recovering ineligible payments amounting to as little as $7.

The House of Commons passed the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act in March 2020 shortly after the federal and provincial governments began implementing COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns across Canada.

CERB payments outlined in the legislation were intended to give $500 per weekcollectible for up to 16 weeksto Canadians who lost income either directly or indirectly because of COVID.

Parliament had originally budgeted the CERB program to cost around $24 billion, but the actual cost came in at around $81.6 billion.

Ineligible Payments

Auditor General Karen Hogan said in a December 2022 report that around $4.6 billion in CERB payments were released to ineligible recipients, with another $27.4 billion going to individuals whose eligibility status hadnt been confirmed.

Hogan said in her report that the high amounts of ineligible payments were due to the fact that federal departments prioritized sending out the payments quickly rather than ensuring applicants met the eligibility criteria.

The CRA also said in an Inquiry of Ministry in April that over 620,300 ineligible CERB recipients were yet to pay back any of that debt.

The agency added at the time that around 264,500 Canadians who had been deemed ineligible for the benefit had fully repaid their CERB debts, while just over 62,900 had partially repaid them.

However, the CRA also found that 20 of its employees had collected CERB during the pandemic despite being ineligible, and fired them as a result. The CRA is also investigating about 600 other employees who collected the benefit while working within the agency.

Matthew Horwood, Andrew Chen, and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
Former Peking University Professor Exposes Xi Jinpings Little-Known State of MindPart III: Former Premier Li Keqiangs Fall From Power

Chinese leader Xi Jinping (L) and Premier Li Keqiang arrive for the opening ceremony of the rubber-stamp legislatures congress in Beijing, China on March 5, 2016. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

Within the power hierarchy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), there has always been some who did not become the top party elites via nepotism. Instead, they ascended to the top of the CCP from low civilian positions in regional governments, including former Premier Li Keqiang, Wen Jiabao, and former Vice Premier Wang Yang.

However, such a group of commoners only had a fragile grip on power in the CCP and were all forced to retire after the 20th CCP Congress last year. Their retirement has been seen as leader Xi Jinping further consolidating his power within the party.

Yuan Hongbing, a former professor of law at Peking University who now lives in exile in Australia, analyzed the reasons behind Lis fall from power of former and the CCPs shadow asset manager Xiao Jianhua in a recent interview on Pinnacle View of The Epoch Times.

Exiled Chinese law professor and dissident writer Yuan Hongbing in an undated file photo. (Chen Ming/The Epoch Times)

Hu Jintaos FactionPawns to the Princelings

The princelings within the CCP generally refer to the descendants of party elites. Mr. Yuan said that the princelings see the tyrannical rule of the CCP as their private domain and refuse to allow outsiders access to such political and economic power, meaning that commoners who ascend to the top of the party will never be allowed to take actual power.

He revealed that Mr. Li, who came from former Chinese leader Hu Jintaos faction, had been considered the successor to Mr. Hu, but was eventually defeated by Mr. Xi due to the lack of support from the princelings.

Mr. Yuan also believes that the weakness and servility of those commoners caused them not to dare to seize power from the princelings.

Those people relied on sucking up to the rich and powerful, and they relied on this to climb the CCPs hierarchy. So they simply do not have a strong political will and dare not go against the princelings. Their eventual failure is inevitable, Mr. Yuan said.

Mr. Li did not fight back against Mr. Xi in their power struggle. Instead, he admitted defeat when Mr. Xi removed him and his allies from power at the 20th CCP Congress.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping waves during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing on July 1, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

Although Mr. Hus faction and the so-called commoners were subservient to the princelings, their policies toward the people were equally brutal. Mr. Yuan revealed in his book Assassination of the Buddha how Mr. Hu and Hu Chunhua killed the 10th Panchen Lama of Tibetan Buddhism to maintain the CCPs brutal rule over Tibet.

Li Keqiang the Opportunist

Mr. Yuan revealed that he and Mr. Li were fellow law students at Peking University once and that after law school, Mr. Li joined the CCPs Central Committee to start his political career. However, he lacked political experience and ambition.

Mr. Yuan said, Li Keqiang was basically an opportunist who climbed the CCPs hierarchy to gain power.

He said former Chinese leader Mr. Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao had intended for Mr. Li to succeed Mr. Hu as the CCPs General Secretary (partys top leader), but they could not overcome resistance from the princelings. The princelings believed that power must be in the hands of the political dynasties and not such a commoner.

According to Mr. Yuans observations, Mr. Lis inherent weakness made him lose his position as the future leader to the unexpected Mr. Xi and failed to resist.

Mr. Yuan further revealed the power struggle at that time, as he has connections with insiders.

Li Keqiang pretty much did not put up any resistance in the process where Xi Jinping came to power. He did not think that it would hurt him much to lose the position of the CCPs General Secretary. Instead, he was satisfied to take the position of premier and believed that he could retain his political power and influence this way.

Chinas Premier Li Keqiang speaks during a news conference following the closing of the second session of the 13th National Peoples Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People on March 20, 2018, in Beijing, China. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Mr. Yuan believes that Mr. Xi gave Mr. Li false promises before the 20th CCP Congress to consolidate power and get his unprecedented third term.

Mr. Xi essentially played Mr. Lis faction, which eventually led to all members of the group, including Hu Jintaos son Hu Haifeng, losing power. Mr. Xis goal was to rule for life; therefore, he wishes to remove anyone who might be standing in his way.

Financial Coup

Mr. Yuan also spoke about a Canadian-Chinese businessman Xiao Jianhua, who was abducted by the CCP from Hong Kong in January 2017.

Mr. Yuan said that Mr. Xiao was an extremely talented student who was admitted to Peking University in 1986 at the age of 15. Mr. Yuan was the grade director of Mr. Xiaos 1986 class at the time.

Mr. Yuans impression of Mr. Xiao then was that Mr. Xiao did not believe civilians like himself had a path in business. So Mr. Xiao wanted to work hard and gain a position in government. However, Mr. Xiao changed his mind after the Tiananmen Square Massacre and decided to go into business since the CCPs hardliners did not appear to be willing to give power to commoners and reformists.

Mr. Yuan said that Mr. Xiao managed the assets of the most prominent and powerful families within the CCP. As of June 2017, Mr. Xiaos Tomorrow Holding owned and participated in 44 financial institutions, with assets of approximately $444 billion.

People pass by the entrance to Four Seasons Hotel, where Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua was last seen on Jan. 27, in Hong Kong, China, on Feb. 1, 2017. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

Mr. Xiao, who controlled the CCPs financial assets, was finally taken down by Mr. Xi in January 2017 for challenging his Maoist policies and attempting to stage an economic coup.

After Xi Jinping came to power, his policies were returning the country to Maos fundamentalist communism. Mr. Xiao staged a financial coup intending to overthrow Xi Jinping, Mr. Yuan said.

In mid-June 2015, Chinas stock markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen plummeted simultaneously, eventually causing the CCP to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out the market. The stock market crash was officially defined as a financial crime, and Mr. Xiao was believed to be behind the operation.

In 2017 Mr. Xiao was abducted from Hong Kong by Chinese agents who had no jurisdiction and was smuggled to mainland China. In August 2022, Mr. Xiao Jianhua, a dual-citizen of Canada and the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda who held the right of abode in Hong Kong, was sentenced to 13 years in prison by the CCP. Canadian diplomats were denied access to his trial.

In addition, as a defendant, Tomorrow Holdings was fined 55.03 billion yuan ($8.08 billion), and in 2020, Chinas financial regulator took direct control of six financial institutions under Tomorrow Holdings.

To read part 1, click here, while to read part 2, click here.
By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 23:44 | World, Japan, All

Japan and China agreed Friday to closely communicate at various levels, but their top diplomats remained divided over Tokyo's plan to release treated radioactive water into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear power plant and China's increasing military activities.

During their one-hour talks in Jakarta, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and China's top diplomat Wang Yi reiterated their positions on bilateral issues, but they shared the importance of cooperation in areas such as the economy and people-to-people exchanges, the Japanese government said.

At the beginning of the meeting that was open to media, Hayashi told Wang, "The Japan-China relationship holds numerous potentialities, but at the same time, it faces many challenges and serious concerns, so we are in a critical phase."

Wang said he hopes China and Japan will enhance relations to meet "the needs of a new era" by taking an opportunity of the 45th anniversary of the conclusion of the 1978 bilateral Peace and Friendship Treaty.

Their meeting took place on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related ministerial gatherings in Jakarta.

The bilateral talks came as the two Asian countries aim to stabilize their relationship through dialogue, despite trading barbs over Japan's plan to discharge the treated water from the Fukushima disaster site into the Pacific Ocean sometime during the summer.

The International Atomic Energy Agency concluded in a report submitted to the Japanese government last week that the plan to release the water aligns with global safety standards and will have "a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment."

But China has urged Japan to desist, saying that the IAEA's safety review is not a "green light" for discharging what it calls "nuclear-contaminated water" into the sea. Beijing has hinted at tightening its restrictions on Japanese food imports.

Hayashi, who has accused China of disseminating "incorrect information," urged it to deal with the matter "from a scientific standpoint," while telling Wang that Japan is ready to communicate with its neighbor from such a perspective, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

At a press conference after talking with Wang, Hayashi said he also conveyed to China his objection to "politicizing" the planned Fukushima water release.

Wang said the nuclear-contaminated water discharge into the ocean is a matter of "human life and health," and Japan should "scientifically discuss various ways" to deal with the water accumulating at the Fukushima complex, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident was triggered by a massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011. The water is supposed to be released after undergoing a process that removes most of the radionuclides except tritium.

China had asked Indonesia, this year's ASEAN chair, to express its opposition to the water discharge in a statement on the group's regional forum on Friday, a diplomatic source said.

No ASEAN members, however, referred to the planned Fukushima water release during the forum, another diplomatic source familiar with the meeting said.

Hayashi, meanwhile, voiced "grave concern" about China's intensifying military activities, including near the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and drills jointly conducted with Russia near Japan, the Japanese ministry said.

Wang said that Tokyo regards Beijing as the biggest strategic challenge and is "playing up China's threat," which is inconsistent with the reality of Sino-Japanese relations, according to the Chinese ministry.

Moreover, Hayashi underscored the significance of peace and stability in the strait near Taiwan, it added, in a veiled expression of wariness against China's military pressure on the self-ruled democratic island that Beijing sees as its own territory.

Hayashi and Wang were visiting Indonesia's capital to join a series of foreign ministerial gatherings, including the ASEAN-plus-three talks on Thursday involving Japan, China and South Korea, and the 27-member forum, where U.S. and Russian delegates are also scheduled to attend.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang was absent from the multinational meetings due to health reasons. Wang, who is ranked above Qin in the Communist-ruled nation, participated in them.

Last November, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to seek "constructive and stable" bilateral relations at their meeting in Bangkok, the first face-to-face summit between the two countries since December 2019.

Related coverage:

Japan assures safety of Fukushima water at ASEAN-plus-3 talks
Fraud Victim Loses Supreme Court Case Against Barclays Over 700,000 Scam

Barclays cant be held responsible for a customers request to transfer 700,000 to fraudsters, the Supreme Court ruled in a closely watched case.

A lawyer said the landmark ruling may have stopped a flood of litigation against banks by victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, which has become one of the most significant types of fraud in the UK and globally.

It comes after the Payment Systems Regulator recently introduced a scheme, requiring banks to reimburse APP fraud victims in some domestic cases.

Explaining the judgement (pdf) on Wednesday, Judge George Leggatt said its a banks basic duty to comply with a customers instructions, and the bank shouldnt concern itself with whether the customers decision to make the payment is wise or foolish.

And the mandatory reimbursement scheme doesnt apply in this case, which involved international transfer.

But the judge allowed Fiona Philipp, the fraud victim, to pursue an alternative claim that Barclays had not taken adequate steps to recover the money afterwards.

Duty to Ignore Payment Instructions

Mrs. Philipp, a music teacher, and her husband Robin Philipp were tricked in 2018 by a fraudster who pretended to be working for the Financial Conduct Authority and the National Crime Agency.

Convinced that they had to transfer their money to safe accounts, the couple followed the fraudsters directions and transferred most of their life savings to Mrs. Philipps account with Barclays.

Mrs. Philipp then instructed the bank to make a 400,000 payment and a 300,000 payment to two companies in the United Arab Emirates.

At both times, she gave the instructions by visiting a branch, and the bank rang her for confirmation before making the payments, the judge said.

Mrs. Philipp sued Barclays in 2020, arguing the bank owed her a duty to ignore her instructions because it had reasonable grounds for believing that she was being defrauded, and the bank asked the court to dismiss the case, denying it owes Mrs. Philipp the alleged duty.

The High Court previously ruled in favour of the bank, while the Court of Appeal agreed with Mrs. Philipp.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously ruled that the bank didnt owe the alleged duty to Mrs. Phillip.

Mr. Leggatt said its up to legislators to decide who should be required to reimburse fraud victims. And as the existing mandatory reimbursement scheme doesnt apply to international payments, Mrs. Phillips claim was based on her contract with the bank, which didnt include terms requiring the bank to stop payments over fraud concerns.

Judges dismissed Mrs. Philipps argument that such duties are recognised or should be recognised by the common law as an implied term, saying it contradicts the banks ordinary duty to carry out customers instructions.

Mr. Leggatt said the claimants argument relied heavily on precedents that ruled banks owe customers a duty not to carry out instructions by a customers agent if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the agent is defrauding the customer, but it does not apply in Mrs. Philipps case as she had given the instructions personally.

James Levy, a partner at law firm Ashurst, told Reuters that the judgment closed the significant risk of what might otherwise have been a flood of litigation against the nations banks brought by customers who have been victims of APP fraud.

Alternative Claim

The Court allowed Mrs. Philipp to pursue her case against Barclays based on a fallback argument that said the bank didnt take adequate steps to recover the money.

According to the judgement document, Mrs. Philipp made the payments on March 10 and March 13, 2018. Three days after the second payment, Barclays froze Mrs. Philipp account after receiving a tip-off from the police, but didnt attempt to recall the payments until on or about May 31, 2018.

Mrs. Philipp alleged that if the bank had taken steps to recall the funds sooner, there was at least a substantial chance that the funds transferred would have been successfully reclaimed from the UAE banks.

According to UK Finance, British bank users have lost nearly 500 million to APP fraud in 2022, around 40 percent of all losses to fraud (1.2 billion).
FTC Appeals Again the Microsoft-Activision Merger

A Microsoft logo on a smartphone placed on a displayed Activision Blizzard logo in this illustration taken on Jan. 18, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is continuing to oppose the Microsoft-Activision merger with a last-minute appeal against a judges ruling, while the big tech companies were voicing their eagerness for the merger they say will not harm competition.

The FTC on Thursday night asked (pdf) the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from California and other states in the U.S. West, to issue a preliminary injunction that pauses the deal while the agency prepares to challenge it at a trial in August.

U.S. judge Jacqueline Scott Corley ruled on Tuesday that Microsoft can proceed with its planned acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard for $69 billion after the European Union (EU) approved the deal between the two gaming companies.

The FTCs bid must clear some critical hurdles to succeed, legal experts said.

A U.S. federal appeals court will have a number of options available to it as it weighs that appeal, but legal professionals noted the rushed timing and the need to prove any alleged error by the district court judge merits overturning her decision could hinder the antitrust enforcers effort.

In its appeal, the FTC said Judge Corleys order allowing Microsoft to move ahead with the deal incorrectly held the agency to a legal standard that was too high.

Some legal experts said the FTC had made a compelling argument, but also said there was no certainty for success. Such merger cases are also rare in the federal courts.

The entrance to the Activision Blizzard Inc. campus is shown in Irvine, Calif., on Aug. 6, 2019. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Judge Corleys temporary order prohibiting the deal expires at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, and so the appeals court will be expected to issue an order on Friday. Microsoft and Activision are set to close the deal on July 18.

The appeals court could administratively block the deal for at least a few days, allowing a panel of judges more time to study the dispute and to rule, several legal experts said.

The court alternatively could grant the FTCs request for an injunctionwhich could create a much longer pauseor outright deny it.

Kathleen Bradish, who oversees legal advocacy at the American Antitrust Institute, said the FTC certainly has valid grounds to question the trial judges order.

Bradish said any mistake by Judge Corley wont just have a bearing on this case, but has the potential to affect any vertical merger challenge in the foreseeable future. A vertical merger refers to a deal between two companies from different parts of the same supply chain.

Antitrust scholar Sean Sullivan, who teaches at University of Iowas law school, said an appeals court can modify or throw out a lower court opinion based on errors of law.

But not every alleged error is an actual error, Sullivan said. And not every actual error compels intervention.

The appeals court is expected to move quickly. But the race against the clock is the fault of the FTC, said Douglas Ross, who teaches antitrust law at University of Washingtons law school.

The FTC could have sued Microsoft in December in federal court, but instead filed a case at the agencys in-house forum, where an administrative law judge has no power to issue a preliminary injunction.

The appeals court may be less than sympathetic with the argument it needs to hurry up and do something when the blame for the emergency lies entirely with the FTC, Ross said.

In 2007, the FTC asked the District of Columbia Circuit to issue a preliminary injunction to block Whole Foods merger with Wild Oats. The court issued an administrative stay that lasted a few days, and then a panel dissolved its order and let the merger move ahead.

Although the FTC has raised some questions about the district courts decision, it has failed to make a strong showing that it is likely to prevail on the merits of its appeal,' the District of Columbia Circuit panel said in its order. Whole Foods later settled with the FTC.

Previous Developments

The FTC also filed for an emergency injunction last month, ahead of the deals July 18 deadline. It also sued to block the acquisition last December.

Britains Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) objected to the deal in April, arguing that it hurts consumers and that it was prepared to consider Microsofts proposals to resolve antitrust concerns in the United Kingdom.

The FTC says the deal should be blocked because Microsoft could gain access to a broad range of software and gaming titles and prevent other platforms or software companies from hosting them, thus dominating a large part of this market.

Microsoft and Activision say that the merger will not harm competition, as a best-selling gaming title will remain available for other gaming platforms in the next decade, but they did not address concerns over a wider range of software and business practices.

The federal government has not shown it is likely to succeed on its assertion the combined firm will probably pull Call of Duty from Sony PlayStation, or that its ownership of Activision content will substantially lessen competition in the video game library subscription and cloud gaming markets, Judge Corley wrote in the 53-page partially redacted opinion.

There was speculation that the FTC would drop the appeal after the courts decision, as was done in a similar situation in February, where the FTC dropped its in-house case against Metas proposed acquisition of Within Unlimited, a virtual reality startup after a different judge in the same court also declined to grant a preliminary injunction.

Microsoft president Brad Smith said on Twitter after the judges Tuesday decision that his focus would be on Britain. While we ultimately disagree with the CMAs concerns, we are considering how the transaction might be modified to address those concerns in a way acceptable to the CMA.

The decision came weeks after the United Kingdoms merger regulator stunned the gaming industry by vetoing the deal. The EUs analysis indicated that the acquisition would not harm competition, especially as Microsoft has committed to allow cloud rivals to offer popular games like Call of Duty on their platforms for the next decade.

Reuters and Elizabeth Dowell contributed to this report.
Governor General Billed $298K for Iceland Trip in Fall 2022: Documents

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon delivers the Throne Speech in the Senate in Ottawa on Nov. 23, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Governor General Mary Simons trip to Iceland in October 2022 cost over $298,000, according to internal documents, which show in excess of $70,000 spent on luxury travel.

Documents obtained through an Access to Information request by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) show that Ms. Simon and her entourage spent $71,000 on transportation provided by Icelimo Luxury Travel during her four-day visit to Iceland in the fall of 2022.

Some of the services listed on Icelimos website include late model chauffeur driven luxury cars of your choice and genuine luxury travel life experiences  crafted with flair and finesse entirely around your dreams.

Ms. Simon travelled to Iceland from Oct. 12 to 15, 2022, to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly, where she delivered a keynote address.

The governor general also met with Canadian delegates during her trip and participated in a panel discussion on gender equality and diversity in Arctic leadership, according to an October 11 press release from the Prime Ministers Office at the time.

The CTF said that the total cost to taxpayers of Ms. Simons trip equated to over $1,000 per hour in the nearly 70 hours she and her entourage spent in Iceland.

Mrs. Simons entourage included her immediate staff, Canadas ambassador to Iceland, a number of RCMP officers, two officials from Global Affairs Canada, and three officials from the Department of National Defence, according to her official itinerary.

Around $115,000 of the trips expense entailed hotel bookings and refreshment costs, while the entourage spent another $10,000 hosting a Friends of Canada Reception.

Travel Expenses

Also included in the trips overall cost was an $18,600 pre-visit to Iceland made by an unknown number of the governor generals staff in August 2022, ahead of Simons arrival in October.

Staff travelling on the pre-visit also spent $6,400 on transportation provided by Icelimo.

The governor general spent more on fancy rides in four days than the average Canadian makes in a whole year, said CTFs Federal Director Franco Terrazzano.

Were not saying the governor general should be hitchhiking, but surely she could have gotten around a small island for less than the price of a brand-new BMW.

Ms. Simon has previously come under fire for expensive travel decisions stemming from her week-long trip to the Middle East in March 2022, which cost taxpayers around $1.3 million, according to documents previously tabled with the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations. The documents showed that in-flight catering fees during the trip amounted to about $218 per meal for each person present.

Conservative MP Kelly Block previously proposed a budget amendment to a House committee that would have reduced the governor generals annual funding by around $136,000, but Liberal and NDP MPs opposed the motion.

The Liberal governments most recent budget proposes to spend $24.3 million at Rideau Hallthe governor generals residencein 2023.
While investigating the potential for variations in side effects from one batch of shots to another, these authors made a stunning discovery: 30 percent of the total doses given that year in this country had zero side effectssomething that only happens when a placebo is used. Did the regulators know?

Data show 1 in 3 Pfizer COVID -19 shots administered in Denmark were placeboand regulators must have known about it.

Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) definition, gene therapy covers two modes of operation. It either alters the biological properties of living cells, and/or modifies your genes. This means that even if the product does not modify your genes, its still a gene therapy if it modifies the properties of cells, which is what the COVID-19 shots do.

An alternative framework that could regulate mRNA shots would be Type1A pro-drug regulations, but theyre not being regulated as such either.

mRNA COVID-19 shots are gene therapy, but not regulated as such. By slapping a fraudulent vaccine label on gene therapies, they are being developed outside of the regulatory framework that governs them.

Since mRNA shots contain several novel technologies, they should be subject to more controls than conventional vaccines. Yet they arent. In fact, theyre not covered by any specific regulations.

While the COVID-19 shots are referred to as vaccines, they do not meet the classical definition of a vaccine. Health authorities needed to change the definition1 to accommodate the COVID-19 shots and shut down the argument that, as experimental gene therapies, they may be riskier than traditional vaccines.

Meanwhile, based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) definition2,3 of gene therapy theyre clearly gene therapies, and both Moderna4 and BioNTech5 acknowledge this in their Securities and Exchange Commission registration statements.

In a 2014 paper,6 BioNTech founder Ugur Sahin also stated that One would expect the classification of an mRNA drug to be a biologic, gene therapy or somatic cell therapy.

Publicly, however, drug makers, regulators and, of course, the media, have been going to great lengths to make sure people dont think of them that way. Now, a peer-reviewed paper7,8 has weighed in on the controversy, stressing that mRNA COVID-19 shots should be labeled as gene therapy.

mRNA Shots Are Gene Therapy, but Not Regulated as Such

As noted in this paper, published in the International Journal of Molecular Science, June 22, 2023:

COVID-19 vaccines were developed and approved rapidly in response to the urgency created by the pandemic. No specific regulations existed at the time they were marketed. The regulatory agencies therefore adapted them as a matter of urgency. Now that the pandemic emergency has passed, it is time to consider the safety issues associated with this rapid approval. The mode of action of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines should classify them as gene therapy products (GTPs), but they have been excluded by regulatory agencies.9 Some of the tests they have undergone as vaccines have produced non-compliant results in terms of purity, quality and batch homogeneity. The wide and persistent biodistribution of mRNAs and their protein products, incompletely studied due to their classification as vaccines, raises safety issues.

Post-marketing studies have shown that mRNA passes into breast milk and could have adverse effects on breast-fed babies. Long-term expression, integration into the genome, transmission to the germline, passage into sperm, embryo/fetal and perinatal toxicity, genotoxicity and tumorigenicity should be studied in light of the adverse events reported in pharmacovigilance databases.

The potential horizontal transmission (i.e., shedding) should also have been assessed. In-depth vaccinovigilance should be carried out. We would expect these controls to be required for future mRNA vaccines developed outside the context of a pandemic.

mRNA Shots Do Not Qualify as Vaccines

Banoun goes on to review the definitions of vaccine and gene therapy as listed by the FDA, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the World Health Organization, and the French Agence Nationale de Securite du Medicament (ANSM). Of these, the ANSM and EMA specify that a vaccine must contain one or more antigens.

Based on that definition, mRNA shots do not qualify as vaccines in France and Europe, because they dont contain antigens. The active substance that elicits a downstream immune response is mRNA. The mRNA instructs your cells to produce the antigen. The mRNA is not an antigen in and of itself. In the case of COVID-19, the antigen being produced downstream is a modified SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions updated definition,10 a vaccine is a preparation that stimulates an immune response against disease. The classical definition specified that a vaccine would result in immunity against the disease in question, but this specificity was removed to accommodate the COVID-19 shots.11

Still, the mRNA injections clearly fall under the FDAs definition of a gene therapy, because gene therapy:12

 seeks to modify or manipulate the expression of a gene or to alter the biological properties of living cells for therapeutic use. Gene therapy is a technique that modifies a persons genes to treat or cure disease 

Note that gene therapy covers two different modes of operation. A gene therapy is something that either alters the biological properties of living cells, and/or modifies your genes. This means that even if the product does not modify your genes, its still a gene therapy if it modifies the properties of cells, which is precisely what the COVID-19 shots do.

mRNA Jabs Remain Outside of Regulatory Definitions

The author of that International Journal of Molecular Science paper, independent researcher Helene Banoun, compares the controls required by regulations for gene therapy products to those applied to the COVID-19 shots, and the potential safety issues that arise due to the absence of these controls.

Importantly, Banoun points out that since mRNA COVID-19 shots contain several novel technologies, they should be subject to more controls than conventional vaccines. Yet they arent. Theyre not even covered by any specific regulations.

As noted in a May 2022 paper in Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews,13 The current guidelines either do not apply, do not mention RNA therapeutics, or do not have widely accepted definition. This, even though there are several highly relevant differences between conventional vaccines and mRNA therapeutics.

In other words, the mRNA shots are in a sort of limbo, from a regulatory point of view, still to this day. Health authorities are using them, promoting them and authorizing updated shots even though theres no regulatory framework to ensure their safety.

mRNA Shots Being Rolled Out Without Regulatory Guidelines

Clearly, this cannot be allowed to continue, seeing how vaccine manufacturers are now replacing a long list of classic vaccines with mRNA-based ones. Theyre also developing and testing so-called mRNA vaccines against noninfectious diseases such as cancer, and as noted by Banoun:14

We must be very vigilant about the term vaccine associated with therapeutic drugs, particularly with regard to the regulations that apply to them. These therapeutics are not vaccines against infectious diseases and must therefore continue to comply with GTP [gene therapy product] regulations.

In other words, by slapping a fraudulent vaccine label on gene therapies for noninfectious diseases, they can and are being developed outside of the regulatory framework that governs them. An alternative framework that could regulate mRNA shots would be Type1A pro-drug regulations, but theyre not being regulated as such either. As noted by Banoun:15

According to the FDA, mRNA vaccines correspond to the TypeIA of pro-drugs,16 which are substances that are converted by cells into active drugs. This pro-drug property could imply additional controls to those applied to vaccines. However, neither the FDA nor the EMA make any reference to these qualifications for mRNA anti-COVID-19 vaccines.

So, these shots are not being regulated as gene therapies, nor as pro-drugs, even though these are the only two definitions that correctly describe them. As research scientist Dr. David Wiseman explained in an interview with The Epoch Times:17

With a conventional vaccine, you have the antigen, and you inject it into a person, and that is the thing that your immune system looks at and says, ah ha, we need to make antibodies, T-cells, and other immune system components to whats being injected.

The prime reaction of an mRNA vaccine is that it instructs the body how to make the antigen of interest. So, its similar to a pro-drug, which is converted inside the body via metabolism and enzymes into the desired drug effect.

The substance youre injecting isnt doing the final action; it leads to the thing that does the final action. With a pro-drug, the molecule you inject does not get changed into the final molecule of the antigen, it simply provides instructions because its gene therapy.

Dr. Wiseman also noted that while the FDA can change or exclude whatever they want from regulatory guidance  it doesnt change the biologic definition of the product. And, since Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines meet the definition of gene therapy, they should be handled according to gene therapy guidelines.

COVID Jabs Bypassed Essential Studies

Because the COVID-19 jabs were not classified as gene therapy, tests required for this drug class were not performed, including tests to assess:

Genotoxicity.

Genome integration.

Germ-line transmission.

Insertional mutagenesis.

Tumorigenicity.

Embryo, fetal, and perinatal toxicity.

Long-term expression.

Biodistribution.

Environmental excretion, such as shedding through seminal fluid, sweat, or breast milk.

On top of that, the mRNA COVID-19 shots also failed to meet basic standards required for vaccines, such as product purity standards. Investigations have revealed massive contamination issues, as well as wild variations in strength and purity of batches.

Commenting on the lack of testing performed on the COVID-19 shots, Dr. Wiseman told The Epoch Times:18

Several studies should have been done but werent done because they fell under the auspices of vaccines. But if you read the guidelines, it doesnt say these studies are unnecessary, just that circumstances may deem them unnecessary.

We need laws for products that say you cant just exclude them from regulations because you feel like itbecause they are still gene therapies. We are hijacking the machines of our bodies to produce spike proteins in an uncontrolled, undefined waythere are too many things we dont know about.

Unregulated mRNA Shots Are a Pandoras Box

Banoun writes:19

The long-term safety monitoring of GTPs is required over several years whereas, for vaccines, it is generally only carried out over a few weeks. This should not be acceptable, given the persistence of the drug product and the expressed protein.

The known results of anti-cancer therapies and mRNA vaccines could lead us to anticipate problems of safety and efficacy. In the case of anti-cancer mRNAs, the vast majority of open-label clinical trials have been carried out on very small numbers of patients, with either unpublished or negative results.

Randomized studies also showed negative results, reporting more frequent adverse events in the treatment group. Concerning infectious diseases, two trials of mRNA vaccines encapsulated in LNPs [lipid nanoparticles] showed notable adverse effects.

A trial of an mRNA vaccine against rabies showed numerous adverse effects superior to those of the classic vaccine, which is already very reactogenic, notably lymphopenia (this effect was also found for anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccines).

An influenza vaccine trial showed severe adverse effects in humans (31 subjects were observed over only 43 days and at least 4 serious adverse effects were found)  According to another HIV trial of 15 participants against a placebo, immune responses were unsatisfactory and of limited duration.

The founder of BioNTech himself, Ugur Sahin, warned20 against the use of codon optimization, which can alter translation speed and lead to misfolding. He also underlined the potential toxicity of unnatural nucleotides. He also mentioned the wide biodistribution of mRNA injected intramuscularly. He reminded us that we should fear the appearance of anti-self mRNA antibodies in patients suffering from autoimmune diseases 

The WHO [World Health Organization] declared an end to the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of May 2023 but will continue to authorize the use of the Emergency Use Listed (EUL) procedure.

The emergency authorization of vaccines should be transformed into prequalification via a smooth transition. However, a wide-ranging public discussion should be opened on this transition to the routine use of mRNA vaccines, without them being subject to the controls required for GTPs.

One-Third of Pfizer Shots Were Placebo



In related news, Kim Iversen recently broke the bombshell story that 1 in 3 Pfizer COVID-19 shots administered in Denmark were placeboand regulators must have known about it. The data for this claim comes from a Letter to the Editor published in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation at the end of March 2023.21

The three authors decided to investigate the potential for batch-dependent variations in side effects. To do that, they examined the rates of suspected adverse effects (SAEs) between different BNT162b2 batches administered in Denmark, which has a population of 5.8 million people, between Dec. 27, 2020, and Jan. 11, 2022. What they discovered was shocking. As explained by the authors:

SAEs were counted on a batch level by linking individual SAEs to the batch label(s) of BNT162b dose(s) that the subject had received. The total number of SAEs associated with each batch was divided by the number of doses in the batch to obtain the rate of SAEs per 1,000 doses 

[H]eterogeneity in the relationship between the numbers of SAEs and doses per vaccine batch was assessed by log-transformation followed by non-hierarchical cluster analysis and general linear model (GLM) test for differences in SAE rates between batches 

A total of 10,793,766 doses were administered to 4,026,575 persons with the use of 52 different BNT162b2 vaccine batches (2340814,320 doses per batch) and 43,496 SAEs were registered in 13,635 persons, equaling 3.19  0.03 (mean  SEM) SAEs per person 

Batch labels were incompletely registered or missing for 7.11% of SAEs, leaving 61,847 batch-identifiable SAEs for further analysis of which 14,509 (23.5%) were classified as severe SAEs and 579 (0.9%) were SAE-related deaths.

Unexpectedly, rates of SAEs per 1,000 doses varied considerably between vaccine batches with 2.32 (0.093.59) (median [interquartile range]) SAEs per 1,000 doses, and significant heterogeneity was observed in the relationship between numbers of SAEs per 1,000 doses and numbers of doses in the individual batches.

Three predominant trendlines were discerned, with noticeable lower SAE rates in larger vaccine batches and additional batch-dependent heterogeneity in the distribution of SAE seriousness between the batches representing the three trendlines.

Compared to the rates of all SAEs, serious SAEs and SAE-related deaths per 1,000 doses were much less frequent and numbers of these SAEs per 1,000 doses displayed considerably greater variability between batches, with lesser separation between the three trendlines.

In the video above, Ms. Iversen shows the linear graphs referred to here, which makes it easier to comprehend the implications of these data. To summarize, the data showed that in the most hazardous batches (marked in blue), the side effect ratio was between 1 in 10 and 1 in 6. In moderately-hazardous batches (green), the side effect rate was about 1 in 400.

Strangely, some batches (yellow) had no side effects associated with them whatsoever. These batches accounted for about 30 percent of the total doses given that year. How could that be? The only time this happens is when you have a control group that is given as an inert placebo.

Regulator Didnt Test Placebo Shots

The plot thickens from there, because data also reveal that Danish regulators must have known that certain batches were placebo. How? As explained by Ms. Iversen, regulators must perform routine testing of batches at various times, and when another group of researchers compared the findings above with the batches tested, they discovered that:22

All of the most toxic batches underwent sample testing by regulators.

All but two of the moderately toxic batches were tested.

Only one of the placebo batches was tested.

They were experimenting on people  The only other thing thats possible is that they were covering up for the massive number of side effects  and the only way to mitigate it, to keep the public calm and to keep taking [the] injection, is to give a chunk of them a placebo.  Kim Iversen

As noted by Ms. Iversen on her show:

What are the chances that the group that had no side effects whatsoever, that looks like placebo, that looks like saline solution  that none of them were tested except one, when all of the others were tested? The regulators knew they didnt need to test the saline solution. It would have been a waste of their time, so they didnt  Thats what [it] looks like.

Hazardous Batches Contained Fewer Doses

Another factor that suggests the public was being experimented on is the fact that the most hazardous batches had far fewer doses per batch compared to the moderately-hazardous batches and the placebo batches.

They were experimenting on people. Theres no other way to slice it, Ms. Iversen says. The only other thing thats possible is that they were covering up for the massive number of side effects  and the only way to mitigate it, to keep the public calm and to keep taking [the] injection, is to give a chunk of them a placebo  This is criminal.

Early on, I and many others warned that everyone was in fact participating in an experimental study, not just those who signed up for the clinical trials. This evidence suggests thats exactly what happened. Some got a placebo and others got the real McCoy, but not the same formulation.

And, while this investigation only included people in Denmark, its quite possible the same kind of multidose or multiformulation testing was taking place in other countries as well. HowBad.info,23 for example has also shown that some batches are associated with far higher rates of serious and lethal side effects than others, and that some batches appear completely harmless.

Inexorable Rise in Excess Mortality

In closing, The Daily Sceptic24 recently reviewed data showing excess mortality is continuing to rise, post-rollout of the COVID-19 jabs, with no sign of stopping:

 core non-respiratory mortality (NRM) trends, which have been very stable over the last 10 years or so, can provide a useful yardstick to measure any kind of extraordinary change that might occur.

Since the vaccine rollout there have indeed been radical changes to this metric  Unfortunately there is still no evidence of any real slowdown of this alarming development.

Here is a chart which shows what has been happening with raw non-respiratory mortality data during the four COVID years. The years are each displayed with 13 data-points of four-weekly (monthly) aggregated figures.

Each year appears to be worse than the previous one, and but for the still unexplained spike in non-respiratory deaths at the very beginning of the pandemic, 2020 would have been broadly similar to the 20152019 average. Something therefore happened in 2021 that changed the picture radically.

As all four COVID years are showing some excess non-respiratory deaths relative to the 20152019 average, the cumulative excess NRM can be displayed like this.

Resources for Those Injured by the COVID Jab

If you got one or more jabs and suffered an injury, first and foremost, never ever take another COVID-19 booster, another mRNA gene therapy shot, or regular vaccine. You need to end the assault on your body.

The same goes for anyone who has taken one or more COVID-19 jabs and had the good fortune of not experiencing debilitating side effects. Your health may still be impacted long-term, so dont take any more shots. If youre lucky, perhaps you got saline, but I wouldnt count on it. Besides, if you play Russian Roulette long enough, youre bound to encounter a real bullet.

When it comes to treatment, it seems like many of the treatments that worked against severe COVID-19 infection also help ameliorate adverse effects from the jab. This makes sense, as the toxic, most damaging part of the virus is the spike protein, and thats what your whole body is producing if you got the jab.

So, eliminating the spike protein your body is continuously producing is a primary task to prevent and/or address post-jab injuries. The two preferred remedies for this are hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. Both of these drugs bind and thereby facilitate the removal of spike protein. Time-restricted eating and/or sauna therapy can also help eliminate toxic proteins by stimulating autophagy.

The Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) has developed a post-vaccine treatment protocol called I-RECOVER. Since the protocol is continuously updated as more data become available, your best bet is to download the latest version straight from the FLCCC website at covid19criticalcare.com25 (hyperlink to the correct page provided above). Additional detox remedies can be found in World Council for Health Reveals Spike Protein Detox.

Originally published

 References:
Hong Kong Exile Looks Forward to New Life in Canada, Vows to Keep Fighting for Freedom

Hongkonger Ms. Lilian has finally been granted the right to live in Canada after a long wait. (Josie Yang/The Epoch Times)

The Hong Kong protests ended abruptly in June 2020, with the implementation of the National Security Law. Many former Hong Kong protesters fled the city to seek refuge abroad, many of whom were persecuted for their actions during the protests. Ms. Lilian is one of them.

It was a difficult decision to leave the city she loves so much. Like her fellow protesters, she would never have wanted to leave Hong Kong if she had a choice. But she had to leave for her safety and future, to escape the CCP.

At first, she was a little confused about where to go. Then she heard from friends that Canada was a good country and that it seemed relatively easy to obtain refugee status.

So Ms. Lilian packed her bags and arrived in Canada with high expectations to get her refugee status in a few months and start a new life.

A Bumpy Ride

However, the application process proved to be lengthy for Ms. Lilian. Unlike many of her peers, Ms. Lilian experienced one setback after another as she went through the process.

First, it took Ms. Lilian six months to submit her application due to errors beyond her control.

Ms. Lilian left Hong Kong in a hurry, did not bring much cash or possessions with her, and six months was a long time for her to live on her limited savings.

After submitting her application, she had no idea how long it would take to hear from immigration. All she could do was wait. At times, she became discouraged and disappointed.

In the meantime, she could not work legally, her money was running out, and people around her wondered why she was not getting a job. She did not want people to know she had no work permit.

This made her first few months in Canada very stressful.

When it was finally time for her interview with immigration, Ms. Lilian missed it for unforeseen reasons.

Then her second attempt didnt go smoothly either.

She contacted her member of parliament in her riding and asked for help, but was told there was not much they could do about her case.

Ms. Lilian finally saw a silver lining when someone gave her the contact information for the Canadian refugee department. Two days later, she got a reply with a date for her hearing, which was a few months away.

At the hearing, the judge approved her application on the spot; she was then a protected refugee in Canada.

Almost 12 months after her application, Ms. Lilian finally received her work permit.

Despite the wait, Ms. Lilian is thrilled to have the legal status to live in Canada, where she feels safe and free. I really feel that it is a happy ending and worth celebrating, she said.

Never Give up; Keep Trying

Meanwhile, some of Ms. Lilians fellow protesters have had their applications rejected. Ms. Lilian has words of encouragement for them, Never give up. Keep trying.

Some of her colleagues may have been perceived as violent because of their criminal records, she thought. She encouraged them to appeal their cases and help the Canadian government understand their situation.

Although some countries, such as Canada, offer lifeboat programs to people from Hong Kong, things like financial resources and education can hold one back.

Ms. Lilian could not meet the eligibility requirements for either the Stream A or Stream B program offered by the Canadian government.

Ms. Lilian takes in the beautiful scenery around her. (Josie Yang/The Epoch Times)

Hong Kong Is Not the Same Anymore

With the National Security Law implemented, Hong Kong citizens are encouraged to inform and report on the opposition.

Authorities have set up several hotlines for citizens to report cyber crimes, such as someone speaking out against the government or police online.

Anything a Hong Konger says online or offline can be considered a crime, subversion, or sedition if the government considers it endangering national security.

Hong Kong is becoming a difficult place to live in for many people. Many Hongkongers, especially the young and educated, are voting with their feet and leaving the city and their comfortable lives behind.

Ms. Lilian sees more and more Hongkongers coming to her city in Canada. She noted that even those who were pro-CCP ended up emigrating for their childrens future.

Will Continue to Fight For Freedom

When asked if she regrets her involvement in the anti-extradition bill protests, Ms. Lilian said she would have done it again. She might have been more careful to avoid being arrested and be able to stay in Hong Kong to continue her fight for freedom.

The hardest part for her is not being able to return to Hong Kong, at least for now.

It has been four years since Ms. Lilian participated in the anti-extradition bill protests and more than a year since her arrival in Canada. Ms. Lilian is happy to be living in Canada. She said, Being in Canada is life. There is no life in Hong Kong. Only survival.

For example, she could not wear black without attracting the attention of the authorities in Hong Kong.

In Canada, Ms. Lilian no longer lives with the fear that she is under surveillance.

But her determination to fight for Hong Kongs freedom will never change. She also believes that Hongkongers in Canada who were freedom fighters in Hong Kong will continue to fight for Hong Kong no matter where they are.

She said to fellow Hongkongers who have just arrived in their new country, Contribute to the Canadian society, do not rely on government handouts.

Ms. Lilian believes that Canadians and Hongkongers share the same values and that Hongkongers will positively contribute to Canadian society, with their knowledge, resources, and international perspective.

Life in Canada

Since Ms. Lilian came to Canada, she has done a lot of volunteer work for the community. She feels that she should do something for Hong Kongers every day.

Through her perseverance, Ms. Lilian has successfully integrated into the local community. She said she was fortunate to have met many like-minded Hongkongers from all walks of life.

Ms. Lilian is also grateful for the help and guidance she has received from established Hongkongers. She wants to do her part to help Hongkongers and connect with Hongkongers in Canada.

At the same time, Ms. Lilian is working hard to understand Canadian culture and community issues as she settles down in Canada.

Ms. Lilian wants to remind her fellow Hong Kong protesters who feel alone and isolated, We are using this time to create hope so we can move forward.

She adds that Hong Kong people in Canada have been given a chance for a new life with endless opportunities. I hope everyone will do their best to strengthen the culture of Hongkongers in Canada and become part of the diverse community in Canada.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) challenged FBI Director Christopher Wray this week about a memo from the agencys Richmond, Virginia field office stating that surveillance of radical traditional Catholic communities presented an opportunity to mitigate extremist threat potentials. Wray conceded that the FBIs Richmond office had suggested deploying resources to infiltrate and spy on Catholic parishes, but insisted the memo did not result in any investigative action.
House Judiciary Committee Probing FBIs Possible Retaliation Surveillance of Multiple Republican Staffers

Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) speaks during John Durhams testimony in Congress in Washington on June 21, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is probing whether the FBI acted in retaliation when it spied on two Republican staffers while lawmakers were investigating the bureau for possible misconduct regarding the now disproven TrumpRussia collusion narrative.

In a July 13 letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Mr. Jordan said the committee is conducting oversight of the FBI.

In 2017, Google reportedly received subpoenas for private emails and records belonging to two Republican staffers of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) while HPSCI was investigating the FBIs misconduct, Mr. Jordan wrote.

These subpoenas only came to light in 2022 due to Googles policy of alerting customers five years after law enforcement takes such action. The timing of these subpoenas raise questions about whether the subpoenas were in retaliation for HPSCIs oversight of the FBI, the lawmaker continued.

The Epoch Times previously reported that the Department of Justice had allegedly used grand jury subpoenas in November 2017 to secretly access personal information belonging to the two House Republican staffers, including email communications, residential addresses, and cellphone data, while Republicans were probing the FBIs investigation into the Russia collusion allegations against former President Donald Trump.

The subpoenas (pdf) show that the DOJ requested that tech giant Google hand over personal information from former Intelligence Committee senior counsel Kash Patel, who was personally recruited by then-chair of the House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) to spearhead the investigation into the FBIs handling of the TrumpRussia probe, and another staffer who is yet to be identified.

(R) Kash Patel, then-National Security Council director of counterterrorism, stands with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in the White House in Washington on Oct. 29, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Concerns About FBI Misconduct

Google responded to the subpoena requests by Dec. 5, 2017roughly a month after they were issuedand granted the FBI and DOJ access to an array of private information including Mr. Patels and the other staffers addresses, including mailing addresses, residential addresses, business addresses, email addresses, phone records, and personal telephone numbers.

They were also able to see billing records from both Mr. Patel and the other staffer.

However, neither Mr. Patel nor the unnamed staffer was informed that the personal documents were handed over until 2022, in line with Googles five-year policy.

In his letter, Mr. Jordan noted Special Counsel John Durhams May report documenting the FBIs misconduct in opening and executing the Crossfire Hurricane investigation against then-presidential candidate Mr. Trump.

That report confirms many of the concerns about FBI misconduct advanced by HPSCI in 2017, Mr. Jordan said.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 8, 2023. (Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

Unlawful Surveillance, Snooping

Concluding his letter, the lawmaker requested the FBI hand over all documents and communications referring or relating to subpoenas issued to Google or any other email or telecommunications provider for records of members or staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence staff in 2017.

The FBI has until July 27 to turn over the requested documents.

Speaking to Just the News on July 13, Mr. Patel welcomed the House Judiciary Committee probe but called on Congress to do more, suggesting it directly subpoenas the FBI evidence.

I can definitively say it was an unlawful surveillance and snooping of me and it wasnt just me, he said. And I think its more than two people. And I think its more than just telephone and bank and phone records. I think they went further than that and got congressional records. So the House better step up right now. Because right now it affects them as much it affects me.

Congress needs to send out subpoenas, enough with the niceties and asking and put butts in the seat and get some answers to questions, Mr. Patel added.

The Epoch Times has contacted the FBI for comment.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance holds a hearing about Fixing FISA, Part II at 9:15 a.m. ET on July 14 toexamine the expansion of warrantless surveillance of Americans, the FBIs continued abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and its failure to implement meaningful reforms.

Witnesses:
House-Passed Defense Bill Unwinds Pentagons Woke Agenda: Freedom Caucus

The House has adopted its version of the proposed $886.3 billion fiscal year 2024 defense budget and dispatched it to the Senate, where many of the culture war amendments conservatives successfully attached to the must-pass annual appropriations package are likely to be rejected by the Democrat-led chamber.

Do so at your own risk, House Freedom Caucus members and associated Republicans warned after the chambers defense budget was adopted in a 219210 mostly partisan vote on July 14.

Over the span of two days, the Republican-led House repealed the Department of Defenses (DOD) abortion travel policy, prohibited DOD health care programs from providing gender-transition procedures, adopted a DOD Parents Bill of Rights, and introduced a host of other proposed add-ons targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs to a must-pass defense budget normally approved in bipartisan accord.

Business as usual is over with, and I hope senators would join us in holding up the woke unbelievable, crazy agenda that the Biden administration has imposed on the military, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told reporters at a press conference. Mr. Norman is a member of the 40-member House Freedom Caucus that spearheaded the drive to rid wokeism from the Pentagon.

The wait is over with, folks, he said. Its about one wordfreedom.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) (L) stands by as Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks to the press after meeting with President Joe Biden and other leaders at the White House on May 16, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Democrats: It Aint Over Yet

The Senate, where Democrats hold a 5149 advantage, will begin floor deliberations this week on its version of the defense budget, referred to as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Both chambers preliminary defense spending plans top out at the $886.3 billion requested in March by the Biden administration, but the Senate NDAA version doesnt include the House amendments targeting woke policies.

Differences between the adopted House defense budget and the version that the Senate will approve will need to be resolved in conferences between the chambers to present one NDAA for adoption, ideally before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

How those differences are ironed out and how many of the GOPs culture war amendments will be in that merged NDAA when it next appears on the House floor will be a closely watched backroom battle between the chambers.

House Democrats will continue to resist a woefully irresponsible defense budget more geared to imposing a right-wing agenda on the nation than helping the Pentagon gird for the military challenges presented by China, Russia, and other adversaries, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said during a post-vote press conference.

Extreme MAGA Republicans have hijacked a bipartisan bill that is essential to our national security and taken it over and weaponized it in order to jam their extreme right-wing ideology down the throats of the American people, Mr. Jeffries said, calling on Senate Democrats to shoot down the culture war add-ons and send a defense budget back to the House free of MAGA extremism.

We have to pass the National Defense Authorization Act in order to make sure that our military, the greatest military, in my view, in the history of the world, has everything that it needs to protect the safety and security of the American people, he said. We, as Democrats, look forward to working with President Biden, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans to do the responsible thing by the end of this fiscal year and pass a responsible National Defense Authorization Act.

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) listens during a hearing with the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Capitol Hill on July 11, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Tuberville the Inspiration

One of the amendments Republicans are unlikely to back down from is Rep. Ronny Jacksons (R-Texas) add-on that repeals a DOD policy instituted in October 2022 to reimburse expenses for service members who travel to obtain an abortion from a state where the procedure is restricted to a state where its permitted.

The measure, adopted in a near-total partisan vote, 221213, is among signal achievements cited by House Freedom Caucus members and Mr. Jackson, who argued the policy is in direct violation of Section 1093 of U.S. Code Title 10, which restricts funds made available to the DOD from being used for abortions.

House conservatives also said they were inspired to continue pushing for the measure in support of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who has blocked more than 250 flag-level Pentagon promotions in protest of the policy.

We joined our colleague Tommy Tuberville in the Senate, who stood strong for a long time by himself  to fight this fight, Mr. Jackson said during a pre-vote House Freedom Caucus press conference. And now hes got support. Hes got back-up here in the House to ensure that taxpayer money is provided to the DOD to provide for our national defense and international security, not to promote and support the Biden administrations radical immoral pro-abortion agenda.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told reporters, The conservative movement is getting fired up everywhere. We dealt a major blow to the Biden regimes efforts to politicize our military by defunding his policy of using DOD funds to traffic service members out of red states so they can receive taxpayer-funded abortions.

We have a ban on funding for drag queen shows, a ban on funding for critical race theory, abolishing the DOD chief diversity officer position, and powering military parents to know whats going on in on-base schools, establishing an inspector general to audit Ukraine funding, establishing a pathway for service members discharged under Bidens vaccine mandate to rejoin the military. Were here today to let the American people know that we are just getting started.

House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) called it a shame that 207 of 211 House Democrats voted against the proposed NDAA, as did four of the chambers 221 Republicans.

Its a shame that Democrats walked away from a 5 percent pay raise to our men and women in uniformwho deserve itbecause they wanted to defend a far-left woke indoctrination ideology, Mr. Scalise told reporters. I am proud of what our members did coming together in a difficult time to say, lets get that focus back where it needs to be on defending America and protecting our friends around the world and standing up to the bad actors, which there are, and theyre getting more and more aggressive. We need to be more and more focused. Thats what todays vote produced.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) talks to supporters during her election night party in Mount Pleasant, S.C., on Nov. 3, 2020. (Mic Smith/AP Photo)

Moderates in the Middle

Democrats said theyll continue lobbying against the amendments and that they believe public opinion is on their side.

What could have been a substantive, forward-looking piece of legislation has instead become a Frankensteins monster of far-right bigotry laced with racism and fear-mongering, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) told reporters after the vote, calling the adopted version of the NDAA sad for the country.

I think its a compilation of horrors. Every right-wing fantasy made its way into this billfantasies about abortion, abortion language, racial diversity language, you know, homophobia. And that has consequences for the country. Thats no way to govern. Shame on the majority for allowing it.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) told reporters, Hopefully, the Senate helps fix these flaws so that we can actually have a bill that the vast majority of Americans support, because this isnt it. The provisions with regard to restricting abortion have no place in this bill. I think that the kind of gratuitous provisions with regard to DEI and transgender individualsthe American people do not want to address this in a defense bill. And not only that, theyre wrong. We cant pass legislation like this.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is among self-described Republican moderates who are often critical of GOP leadership and the House Freedom Caucus. Shes among Republicans in swing districts who will have to answer to Democratsand need their votesto be reelected.

She said she voted for repealing the DODs abortion policy because it was only adopted in October 2022 in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision in June 2022 in Dobbs that overturned Roe v. Wade.

We had never reimbursed for travel for elective surgeries before, so I wanted to be consistent with that policy, Ms. Mace said, although she didnt particularly like Jacksons amendment.

While conservatives are celebrating an NDAA larded with wins while warning the Senate that their adopted defense budget reflects the majority will of the American people, Ms. Mace kicked a warning back to her Republican colleagues.

As a woman, as a suburban mom, as a girl mom, I am very frustrated with the lack of our ability to get things done for women after overturning Roe v. Wade. Weve had several different abortion bills and amendments that she said diminish women, which could come back to haunt the party.

Im pro-life, Ms. Mace said, but I also am pro-woman.

She said there are 14 states, including South Carolina, that dont have a single OB-GYN doctor that are banning abortion.

What are we doing to make sure that women who dont have access to abortions want to give their babies up for adoption? Ms. Mace said. Where are the resources and ability to do that? What are we doing to help women that need prenatal care? What about the women whove had abortions and assisting them and getting them maybe mental health counseling?

She said Democrats are going to use the House NDAA in currying support from women and that its going to be a difficult perception for the GOP to counter during the 2024 elections.

Weve had opportunities to show women we care, and we havent been able to, Ms. Mace said. And that, to me, is frustrating as a woman.

Jackson Richman contributed to this story.
House Votes Down Amendment Stopping Cluster Bombs Going to Ukraine

A Cluster Bomb Unit containing more than 600 cluster bombs sits in a field in the southern village of Ouazaiyeh, Lebanon, on Nov. 9, 2006. (Mohammed Zaatari/AP Photo)

The U.S. House of Representatives voted down an amendment that would have prohibited the transfer of controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine.

On Thursday night, the House voted 147-276 on an amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to stop the flow of U.S. cluster munitions to Ukrainian forces. The amendment, introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), came days after President Joe Bidens administration announced its approval for transfers of cluster munitions known as dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICMs) for Ukraine.

98 Republicans and 49 Democrats supported Ms. Greenes NDAA amendment. 121 Republicans and 155 Democrats opposed it.

After the Biden administration approved the DPICM transfers to Ukraine on July 7, several Democrats in the House Progressive Congress introduced an amendment that would have prohibited U.S. transfers of cluster munitions to any country. Ms. Greenes amendment was more narrowly geared toward stopping cluster munitions transfers to Ukraine.

Controversial Weapons

Cluster munitions are controversial because they release a spray of smaller bomblets, known as submunitions, that dont always explode as intended when theyre released. These unexploded submunitions can pose a risk of detonating years later, long after their intended use, potentially maiming or killing innocent civilians who stumble upon them later on. Human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch consider cluster munitions to be indiscriminate killers, and more than 100 nations have signed onto the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which prohibits their use.

The United States and Ukraine are not signatories to this international agreement opposing cluster munitions. The leaders of several U.S.-allied nations that are signatories to the CCM have criticized the Biden administrations decisions.

In a speech urging the passage of her amendment on Thursday, Ms. Greene characterized cluster munitions as brutal, inhumane weapons that cause lasting harm to civilians.

Whats next, chemical or biological weapons? Nuclear weapons? she asked.

Ms. Greene also argued that sending these weapons to Ukraine would continue to escalate the conflict with Russia rather than pushing the warring sides toward peace talks.

While announcing the decision to start transferring cluster munitions to Ukraine on July 7, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that the military had selected DPICMs with a dud rate of no more than 2.5 percent, meaning thered be a relatively low chance of submunitions failing to explode when theyre initially released. Mr. Sullivan said Russian forces have already been using cluster munitions against Ukraine and that their cluster munitions, by comparison, can have a dud rate of between 30 and 40 percent.

We recognize that cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordnance, Mr. Sullivan said. This is why weve deferreddeferred the decision for as long as we could. But there is also a massive risk of civilian harm if Russian troops and tanks roll over Ukrainian positions and take more Ukrainian territory and subjugate more Ukrainian civilians because Ukraine does not have enough artillery. That is intolerable to us.

Mr. Sullivan also offered assurances that Ukrainian forces would only be employing these cluster munitions within their own borders, where they are motivated to minimize risks to their own civilian populations. He said Ukraine is committed to post-conflict de-mining efforts.

Other Ukraine Amendments Fail

In addition to voting down the cluster munitions amendment, the majority of House lawmakers struck down other amendments geared toward constraining U.S. support for Ukraine.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) brought an amendment to prohibit all security assistance for Ukraine. That effort failed by a vote of 70-358 and only gained support from Mr. Gaetzs fellow Republicans.

Ms. Greene introduced another amendment that would have blocked $300 million in new Ukraine-related spending. She argued that the United States had not expended all of the funding it has already allocated for Ukraine and should not allocate more funding at this time. This amendment also failed by a vote of 89-341 and only garnered the support of Ms. Greenes fellow Republicans.

From NTD News
KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 02:18 | World, All

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed Thursday Washington's concerns over human rights in China as he met top diplomat Wang Yi in Jakarta amid an intensifying rivalry between the world's two largest economies, a senior U.S. official said.

In addition to expressing concerns regarding the Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang, as well as pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong, Blinken also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the official said.

In their second meeting in about a month, held on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings, the countries' top diplomats had "candid and constructive discussions" on various issues, including areas of disagreement and potential areas of cooperation, he said.

On the issue related to Taiwan, Wang warned the United States not to interfere in the domestic affairs of China during the meeting with Blinken, according to the country's official Xinhua News Agency.

The two sides agreed to maintain open channels of communication in the weeks and months ahead, with an eye toward holding a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden later this year.

As part of efforts to manage their differences responsibly and reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation, the two countries have been accelerating talks, with Blinken and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen paying separate visits to Beijing recently.

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry will travel to China Sunday, while the two countries are also discussing arranging a visit to the Asian country by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, according to Chinese state-run media.

But the official said Wang did not agree to reopen military-to-military lines of communication between the two countries.

Beijing cut the communication channels with Washington following a visit by then House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last August. Communist-led China views the self-ruled democratic island as its own.

Wang is representing China at the ASEAN-related meetings in the Indonesian capital instead of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who has fallen ill. Wang is ranked above Qin in the Communist-ruled country.
IN DEPTH: America Needs to Rebuild Its Manufacturing Power to Outplay the CCP: China Scholar

Jonathan Ward, author of "The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph Over China, speaks during an interview for American Thought Leaders in Washington, on June 26, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

To cut dependency on the Chinese economy, the United States needs to base its policies on two pillars: economic containment of communist China and rebuilding the industrial power in the United States, said Jonathan Ward, a China scholar and founder of the Atlas Organization.

American policy toward communist China was guided for decades by the general idea to have China rise with an expectation that as China grew richer, it would become a responsible stakeholderbut that assumption did not bear out, Mr. Ward said in an interview on Epoch TVs American Thought Leaders program on June 26.

The rise of China was made possible through U.S. engagement, access to American markets and American capital, the invitation to participate in the global financial system, as well as through the transfer of American technology, Mr. Ward explained.

The classic deal during the last couple of decades of the rise of China, especially in the early 2000s and 2010s, was a technology transfer for market access deal, Mr. Ward said, where very advanced technologies would wind up in the hands of Chinese state-owned or state-backed companies, and essentially allow [Chinese] massive technological advancement across the board that we did very little to control.

The Chinese economy is heavily dependent on export and Chinese government investment, Mr. Ward said. There were attempts to create a consumer sector to shift to consumption-led growth, but it has not gone as expected, he said.

To sustain Chinas economic growth, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has identified about 10 strategic industries that are targeted for investment and also intellectual property theft, Mr. Ward said, explaining that these two strategies can be leveraged to build state-owned or state-backed super companies that can compete on global markets and with domestic companies.

From the perspective of the CCP, the civilian and military economies are quite linked, Mr. Ward said, calling it a civilmilitary fusion. By bringing civilian industrial innovation into the military sector, the CCP can compete with the United States in terms of military modernization, key strategic industries, and emerging technologies, he added.

How to Decouple From China

Mr.Ward outlined a sound and economic strategy for victory that will lead to peace in the military dimension when coupled with a military strategy for real deterrence.

The strategy is based on two pillars: one is economic containment of communist China, and the other is rebuilding, reindustrializing the United States and the alliance system, Mr. Ward said.

The United States needs to realize that China depends more on the United States than vice versa, but certain sectors and certain companies are overexposed to China, Mr. Ward said.

The rise of China does not really continue, from an economic perspective, without access to Western markets, Western capital, and Western technology.

If were able to establish best practices on market access, on capital, investment, on technology transfer, across the entire alliance system, we would slow down their game very much, very quickly.

If were doing that in the 2020s, were going to be competing against a state thats not continually rising and innovating but one thats starting to stagnate, Mr. Ward said. This will create a geopolitical contest in which we can accelerate and gain new advantages, he pointed out. We can outcompete them in the long run.

The strategy proposed by Mr. Ward is focused on accelerating the American economy and slowing down the adversary, but he warned that if we do this as a joint economy  then our gains are their gains; our advantages become their advantages.

Mr. Ward likened this to driving a car with the adversary sitting next to the driver. No matter how fast the car is driven, the adversary will not be slowed down.

We have to do both, to start kicking them out of the car a little bit and, at the same time, focusing on the accelerants, Mr. Ward said.

Chinese Dependency on the West

The West, particularly the United States, must realize that it has a lot of leverage in economic relations with China, said Miles Yu, a policy adviser to former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, on another episode of Epoch TVs American Thought Leaders, on July 6..

However, Western countries do not use this advantage and believe they must rely on China, Mr. Yu said. Western businesses have to be confident when dealing with China, and sooner or later, China will realize this, he added.

Mr. Yu provided an example of a Chinese retaliatory ban on importing coal from Australia, which the Chinese regime eventually evaded due to energy shortages. China heavily relies on coal for its energy needs.

The Chinese regime imposed a ban on importing Australian coal in 2020 after then-Australian prime minister Scott Morrison suggested an independent investigation into the origin of the COVID-19 virus, according to the journal Mining Technology.

A year later, China started unloading a small number of Australian coal shipments despite the import ban, the Financial Times reported. In January, the Chinese regime partially eased the ban and lifted it completely in March, according to Mining Technology.

Reindustrialization

Mr. Ward envisions that America must maintain deterrence in the next 10- to 16-year period and start to restructure its economy to extricate itself from the dependence on the CCP.

Were gonna have to work through this sector by sector, company by company, insofar as they matter, technology by technology, market by market, and start to come up with a world in which we are outpacing them across the board.

Major companies play a big role in U.S.-China competition because economic power is built by business and commerce, Mr. Ward said.

The United States has been the largest economic power for well over 100 years, and the role that American companies played in prior strategic competitions such as World War II and the Cold War was very powerful, Mr. Ward said.

American companies helped the United States decisively win World War II by mobilizing their production capabilities to transition from peacetime to wartime economy like the sleeping giant that woke, Mr Ward said, citing the book Freedoms Forge, by Arthur Herman.

British historian Norman Davies wrote in his book, No Simple Victory: World War II in Europe, 1939-1945, that the wartime economy of the United States, after it entered World War II, achieved industrial expansion as the world has never seen.

When the order was given at the end of 1941 to put the peacetime economy on to a war footing, factories changed gear as if with effortless ease, Mr. Davies wrote.

Automobile plants switched to tank production. Shipyards turned from merchantmen to warships. Aircraft factories dropped airliners for fighters and bombers  Steelworks, coal mines, and railways responded energetically to the challenge. The tempo quickened. The numbers multiplied, Mr. Davies wrote, adding the surplus of armaments was shared with Americas allies.

Mr. Ward said that the United States also had amazing technological advantages that were put into play in the Cold War. Our innovation ecosystem absolutely included our ability to commercialize science and technology and use our massive market to create innovation.

We need Americas economic engines to ultimately be aligned to U.S. national security, Mr. Ward said.

Before becoming the arsenal of democracy in the Second World War, some well-known American companies collaborated with the Axis powers, Mr. Ward said.

They did the wrong thing until they did the right thing. But, ultimately, they did the right thing, and thats what matters.

Mr. Ward said he hopes that we dont need a Pearl Harbor for businesses to de-couple from China.

Thats why I wrote this book, Chinas Vision of Victory,' Mr. Ward said. Hopefully, ahead of any real catastrophe, were able to think, act and make a long-term strategy.

Risks and De-risking

Decoupling from China should be done on a corporate level through decisions made by leaders of corporations investing in China or using supply chains in China, Mr. Ward said. They need to recognize risks associated with their business policies, he argued.

The government can only set guardrails in terms of what can be done, but de-risking needs to be achieved by corporate decisions, Mr. Ward said.

Corporate leaders need some level of a reality check and need to realize that their business decisions related to China affect geopolitics, he said.

The more capital and technology are being transferred to China, the more supply chains that feed back the American economy are being based there, the more the country is being put at risk, Mr. Ward pointed out.

How companies engage with China economically determines the overall risk at the country level, so companies hold a fiduciary responsibility to the country for putting capital and business interests at high risk, Mr. Ward explained.

We have to start working through that together, figuring out how to do it, find new markets to diversify to new supply chains that are more secure, and new investment opportunities that come from the United States, Me. Ward said. Rebuilding this industrial base, securing our own supply chains, all of that will present opportunities.

Having a first-tier broad-spectrum industrial base is a necessity for national security, Mr. Ward said.

American manufacturing power needs to be revitalized and reimagined, and this could create a lot of jobs, a lot of real opportunities, and a lot of national security benefits from purely economic to things like supply chain security, Mr. Ward argued. We have to make [this] a number-one priority in this country.

The broader general industrial base, like the one the United States had at the time of World War II, will allow the country to wage peace through strength to prevent war by being prepared and deter any adversary from fighting against the United States, Mr. Ward said.
Iowa Signs Abortion Ban for 2nd Time Amid Legal Challenges

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber at the Iowa state Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 10, 2023. (Kelsey Kremer/The Des Moines Register via AP, File)

In front of a huge crowd on Friday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a measure banning abortion once cardiac activity is detected in the womb. It goes into effect immediately.

This is a worthy battle and one I will never concede, said Ms. Reynolds, signing the measure at the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, where most GOP presidential candidates were in attendance.

Earlier this week, Ms. Reynolds called for a special session in the legislature to come up with the measure after the Iowa Supreme Court was unable to reach a decision on a previous six-week ban Ms. Reynolds had signed back in 2018. Both the House and Senate have a Republican majority, and the bill was expected to pass expeditiously. Democrats were all opposed, and 10 representatives and one senator was absent; two senators and two representatives were opposed.

After seven hours of debate, the bill passed at the eleventh hour on July 11, as protestors became rowdy.

This bill protects unborn children in Iowa, said Republican state Rep. Shannon Lundgren. This bill sets a clear standard where the state has an interest in the life of the child: when the babys heart starts beating. Where there is a heartbeat, there is life.

Iowa had previously banned abortion after around the 20-week mark, and its 2018 six-week ban was never enforced.

Whats Changed?

I understand that not everyone will agree with this decision, Ms. Reynolds said in a statement after signing the bill in 2018. But if death is determined when a heart stops beating, then doesnt a beating heart indicate life? For me, it is immoral to stop an innocent beating heart.

Many did disagree with the decision: the law was challenged in court and ultimately resulted in a stalemate.

Abortion providers have already filed a lawsuit (pdf) to stop the new fetal heartbeat law, which includes exceptions in cases to preserve the life of the mother and for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Cardiac activity can usually be detected via ultrasound at around six weeks, so medical providers are expecting a six-week cap to abortion procedures.

In the lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, petitioners state that many women dont realize they are pregnant until the six week mark or later. If it is not enjoined, the Act will Decimate access to abortions in Iowa, it states.

Because the legislation is nearly identical to the blocked 2018 law, the petitioners argue it should not hold. They are seeking an emergency injunction to keep it from taking effect immediately.

The Iowa Supreme Court questioned whether this legislature would pass the same law they did in 2018, and today they have a clear answer, Ms. Reynolds stated after the bill was passed. The voices of Iowans and their democratically elected representatives cannot be ignored any longer, and justice for the unborn should not be delayed.

The 2018 court battle resulted in the law being blocked in the lower courts, with the state seeking a reversal when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. On the basis that a six-week ban would ban nearly all abortions, a judge ruled that the law would violate the Iowa Constitution. The state appealed this in the Iowa Supreme Court, which ruled that abortion was not protected by the state constitution, but came to a 33 stalemate on the original case.

Given that the state constitution was the original block, the post-Dobbs six-week ban could hold.

Candidates Respond

Republican primary candidates have been pressed for answers on their stances regarding abortion laws in the past week, and many attended the Family Leadership Summit where Ms. Reynolds signed the bill into law.

Former President Donald Trump, who did not attend the event, notably stayed quiet on this specific case. Despite that, he retains support from pro-life voters, even in Iowa. During a visit last week, he reminded a crowd that the U.S. Supreme Court justices he nominated helped overturn Roe v. Wade, giving power back to the states.

On Tuesday, Vivek Ramaswamy stopped by Iowas Capitol to meet with legislators and Ms. Reynolds during the special session. On Wednesday, former Vice President Mike Pence spoke with the Des Moines Register about the bill and how his nonprofit, Advancing American Freedom, spent $25,000 on ads and texts encouraging local citizens to show their support to their representatives.

I think life is winning in Iowa because of the principled leadership of Republicans in the House and Senate and Gov. Kim Reynolds, Mr. Pence said. And as a pro-life American, Im just grateful for their stand for the unborn.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had signed a similar bill in his own state.

Ms. Reynolds said on Friday that Democratic candidates should be pressed on abortion issues as well.

Like every pro-life candidate, theyre often questioned by the media about the issue of abortion. Thats perfectly appropriate; or at least it would be if similar questions were ever directed at the other side, Ms. Reynold said. Democrats President Joe Biden and candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had been invited to the summit but did not accept.

When is an unborn baby worth protecting? Or are there no limits? she said at the summit. For the media here today: if you think Im wrong, just ask them. Make no mistake, with almost no exceptions, Democrats believe in abortion on demand up until the very moment of birth.
Joe Bidens Public Approval Falls Near Lowest Level, Polls Show

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during an event about lowering health care costs in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

President Joe Bidens approval among Americans has slumped to one of its lowest levels while public disapproval has shot up based on recent numbers.

Mr. Bidens approval among Americans as of Thursday was 40 percent according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. This is one of his lowest approval rates since becoming president. Mr. Bidens disapproval rate stood at 54 percent, one of the highest levels. In all four regionsNortheast, Midwest, South, and WestMr. Biden received a higher disapproval rating than approval. Except for a narrow lead among non-White and college-educated populations, Mr. Biden received more disapproval across demographics based on race, education, gender, age, and income.

The presidents current rating is similar to that of his predecessor Donald Trump who had a 41 percent approval at this point during his presidency.

Mr. Bidens low approval rating comes as his 2024 presidential rival Mr. Trump is acquiring more supporters. According to a July 11 update from Morning Consult, Mr. Biden only had a narrow one-point lead over Mr. Trump in a hypothetical match-up among the general electorate.

Late last month, Mr. Trump carried a three-point lead over Mr. Biden, the first time that the GOP candidate bested the current president in the Morning Consult poll.

Mr. Bidens presidential campaign recently revealed that it raised more than $72 million for reelection between April 25 and the end of June. The funds came from nearly 400,000 donors, with 97 percent of donations under $200. Mr. Bidens 2020 campaign had raised $1 billion in donations.

In the Democratic primaries, Mr. Biden has a big lead over other candidates. According to a Fox News poll (pdf) from late June, 64 percent of respondents chose Mr. Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee. The second-ranked Robert Kennedy Jr. received 17 percent support while Marianne Williamson got the support of 10 percent of voters.

Besides Mr. Biden and Mr. Kennedy, the third candidate who has publicly announced her run for the 2024 presidential elections is Marianne Williamson. Her campaign was unsuccessful in 2020, during which she proposed large-scale financial reparations to black Americans.

Critical Youth Votes

A critical part of who wins the 2024 presidential race could fall on youth votes. In a June 15 blog post, John Della Volpe, an adviser to Mr. Biden, pointed out that when a Democrat presidential nominee garners 60 percent of the youth vote, Democrats win. Otherwise, its ugly for them.

In 2008, Obama won 66 percent of votes among 1829-year-olds. In 2012, he received 60 percent of their votes. In 2020, Mr. Biden also won 60 percent of the youth votes. Other candidates like Al Gore, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton failed to meet this target.

Mr. Volpe credits Mr. Biden with flipping five battleground states in 2020 in large part due to the combination of record-level turnout and youth support. Even though voters aged 45 and above in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin voted for Mr. Trump in the battle, Mr. Biden got support from the under-30 voters.

In 2022, Democrats once more lost voters aged 45 and above in these states, winning again due to the support among millennial and Zoomer voters.

Nearly every sign that made me confident in historic levels of youth participation in 2018, 2020, and 2022is now flashing red, Volpe wrote. He pointed out that fewer voters in the 18-29 group are now likely to vote or identify as Democrats or liberals.

Citing a Harvard youth poll, Mr. Volpe noted that the number of young men and women among the black community identifying as Democrats has fallen by a jaw-dropping 15 percentage points. Among young Hispanics, Democrats have given up 10 points, he said.

According to a July 4 tweet by interactivePolls, Mr. Trump has more support than Mr. Biden in swing states. While Mr. Trump received the support of 48 percent of voters, Mr. Biden lagged behind at 40 percent.

Trumps Promises For 2024

As part of his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump has promised to undo most of the leftist agenda pushed forward by Democrats once he is reelected to office in 2024.

Mr. Trump intends to cut federal funding for public schools that teach critical race theory (CRT) and gender ideology. During his presidency, Mr. Trump enforced a ban on CRT training for federal employees, which was rescinded when Mr. Biden became president.

The former president also intends to go after transgender participation in womens sports. We will not let men, as an example, participate in womens sports. Is that OK? No men. No men, Mr. Trump said in his inaugural campaign speech back in November. Weve had tremendous, tremendous problems, and its very unfair to women. Just very, very unfair.

During a speech at the 2023 National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action leadership forum in April, Mr. Trump promised to rescind Mr. Bidens executive orders that allow the federal government to target the firearms industry.

In an announcement in February, Mr. Trump vowed to protect free speech in America and take action against Big Tech censorship.

Once reelected, Mr. Trump will ban federal agencies from colluding to censor American citizens, ban taxpayer dollars from being used to label speech as mis- or disinformation, fire every federal bureaucrat who has engaged in domestic censorship, [and] order the DOJ to investigate all parties involved in online censorship regime and prosecute any and all crimes identified, the announcement said.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by California Parent Who Claims School District Socially Transitioned Child Without Notifying Her

An elementary school student writes in her notebook in Brea, Calif. on May 24, 2021. (John Fredricks/ The Epoch Times)

A federal judge recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by a California parent who claimed her childs school district failed to inform her of her daughters desire to change her pronouns and gender identity.

Aurora Regino sued the Chico Unified School District in January, claiming school officials began socially transitioning her fifth-grade daughter without notifying her.

Parents, not schools, have the right and responsibility to make major life decisions on behalf of their minor children, Ms. Reginos complaint (pdf) argued.

But in a July 11 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge John Mendez said the districts obligation to protect student privacy trumped parental rights.

The issue before this Court is not whether it is a good idea for school districts to notify parents of a minors gender identity and receive consent before using alternative names and pronouns, but whether the United States Constitution mandates such parental authority, Judge Mendez wrote. This Court holds that it does not.

The judges decision aligns with California Education Department guidance, which advises school officials not to disclose a students transgender status without the students permission.

District staff are not directed to force students to adopt transgender identities or keep their identities secret from their parents, Judge Mendez wrote in the ruling. Instead, district staff are directed to affirm a students expressed identity and pronouns and disclose that information only to those the student wishes, with an exception for the students health.

In a July 12 statement, Chico Unified acknowledged the ruling.

We know there are differing viewpoints as it pertains to this case, the district stated. Chico Unified appreciates the patience of our community as we worked through the legal process. More importantly, the resolution of this case allows Chico Unified to maintain our focus and financial resources on the education and support of the students in the [district].

Ms. Reginos complaint alleged that school staff didnt notify her of her daughters desire to transition at the girls initial request.

The complaint further alleged that a school counselor later actively discouraged her daughter from telling Ms. Regino about her desire to transition.

Harmeet Dhillon, Ms. Reginos attorney and founder of legal group Center for American Liberty, indicated her intention to appeal the case to the 9th Circuit in a July 13 Twitter post.

Parents have a fundamental right under the Fourteenth Amendment to direct the upbringing of their kidsat a minimum this includes being made aware of life-changing decisions being made at school, said a statement from the Center for American Liberty. And it would certainly prohibit a school guidance counselor from actively excluding a parent from such a decision, as was the situation here. [Ms. Reginos daughter] wanted to talk to her mom about her transition, but her guidance counselor manipulated her into keeping her mom in the dark.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Vow Reforms to Governments Secretive Surveillance Power

The sign outside the National Security Agency campus in Fort Meade, Md., in this undated file photo. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

The law authorizing warrantless searches of data on U.S. citizens by the federal government has been so consistently abused that it must be either thoroughly revised or allowed to expire this year, surveillance and privacy advocates say.

A law designed to provide tools to collect foreign intelligence and prevent terrorist attacks has been warped into a domestic spy tool that has been used millions of times over the past three years to target Americans, Chair Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) said at a July 14 hearing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance.

The hearing examined whether the lawSection 702 of the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA)should be revised to prevent future abuses or be allowed to sunset.

Families line up against the edges of the South Memorial pool during 10th anniversary ceremonies at the site of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

Witnesses testifying before the subcommittee and the members themselves appeared to unanimously agree that Congress must take some action on Section 702 to protect the privacy of U.S. citizens.

FISA prescribes procedures for the collection of information by the federal government on U.S. soil.

After the 9/11 attacks, the law was amended through the Patriot Act to guard against the threat of terrorism in the digital age. It was later amended in response to the 2005 revelation of the Stellar Wind operation, a domestic surveillance operation.

Those amendments established a Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) in 2007, and the addition of Section 702 in 2008 to authorize targeted electronic surveillance of overseas subjects.

That includes the collection of phone calls, text messages, and emails of foreign nationals overseaseven if those communications involve a U.S. citizenand the data can then be searched by U.S. agencies in connection with national security investigations.

Under rules approved by the FISC, any search of data involving a U.S. citizen must be for the purpose of retrieving foreign intelligence information or evidence of a crime, be reasonably designed to avoid unnecessarily retrieving information not related to the purpose, and be justified by a specific factual basis.

Those rules have often been violated.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) speaks at a House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee hearing in Washington on March 1, 2023, in a still from video footage. (House Judiciary Committee Youtube/Screenshot via NTD)

We know that the [National Security Agency] and [Department of Justice] have repeatedly reported the unauthorized use of backdoor searches of the 702 database, ranking Democratic member of the subcommittee Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) said.

And, as a release from the Brennan Center pointed out, internal oversight measures, hailed as robust, failed to prevent flagrant abuses, including 133 warrantless searches aimed at Black Lives Matter protesters and 19,000 searches for communications to a single congressional campaign.

In 2021, the FISC found widespread violations of the rules. Those violations included searches for the communications of government officials, journalists, political commentators, and a member of Congress.

FBI Director Christopher Wray implemented procedural changes for FISA queries in 2021 and 2022, which provided a 90 percent improvement in compliance.

The bureau is implementing further measures both to keep improving our compliance and to hold our personnel accountable for misuse of Section 702 and other FISA provisionsincluding through an escalating scheme for employee discipline, culminating in possible dismissal, Mr. Wray told the House Judiciary Committee on July 12.

Thats not good enough for Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), ranking Democratic member of the full Judiciary Committee.

Chairman Biggs and I agree on very little, but here is one place we agree, Mr. Nadler said at the subcommittee hearing. Whatever we think of the last administration, whatever we think of the current administration, we cannot count on the next administration to get this right.

We have to build a Section 702 regime that fully respects our privacy no matter whos in charge. Not 90 percent. All of our privacy.

Amend or Abandon?

One option for dealing with the law would be to allow it to sunset. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) favored that option.

The patient is not saveable, Mr. Gaetz said.

Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, said that was a viable option.

The question is whether Congress feels that these abuses are so serious that you want to use a rule that if you abuse it, you lose it, Mr. Turley said.

He noted that federal agencies have a history of promising to improve compliance without making meaningful changes.

Yet most speakers appeared to favor some version of reform rather than abandonment.

Mr. Nadler, who has never voted to renew Section 702, said he would entertain the possibility of doing so if the privacy issues could be adequately addressed.

Gene Schaerr, general counsel at Project for Privacy and Surveillance Accountability and former White House counsel, advised against allowing Section 702 to sunset.

You then have a statutory vacuum, which the executive branch loves, Mr. Schaerr said.

If theres no law prohibiting an action, a president is likely to claim the authority to act, he said.

One point of agreement was that Congress must do something other than simply reauthorize the law in its current form.

We will act. Congress must act, Ms. Jackson Lee said.

Possible Changes

The first order of business would be to insert a requirement that a warrant be obtained before searching the governments vast digital warehouse of information, according to Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center for Justice and Liberty.

The starting point for any conversation about reauthorizing Section 702 must be a requirement that the government obtain a Title I order or a warrant before searching Section 702 data for Americans communications, Ms. Goitein said.

That requirement would severely limit the FBIs ability to respond rapidly to security threats, Mr. Wray said in his earlier testimony before the Judiciary Committee.

A warrant requirement would amount to a de facto ban [on queries involving U.S. citizens] because query applications either would not meet the legal standard to win court approval or because, when the standard could be met, it would be so only after the expenditure of scarce resources, the submission and review of a lengthy legal filing, and the passage of significant timewhich, in the world of rapidly evolving threats, the government often doesnt have, Mr. Wray said.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) speaks at a House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee hearing in Washington on March 1, 2023, in a still from a video. (House Judiciary Committee Youtube/Screenshot via NTD)

Other proposed changes to Section 702 include strengthening oversight of federal agencies.

Any surveillance of Americans should be subject to have adequate mechanisms in both Congress and the judiciary, Mr. Schaerr said.

Currently, the review of 702 compliance doesnt involve Congress and is conducted only retrospectively.

Traditional oversight is not good enough because it always looks backward after the damage has been done, Phil Kiko, former chief of staff and general counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, said.

When an agency abuses statutory construct, whether intentionally or through malfeasance or through negligence, there need to be consequences for bad behavior. The lack of any consequences for these abuses compounds the lack of trust.

The law must also be amended to address the use of U.S. citizens data purchased by the federal government that it wouldnt otherwise be entitled to have without a search warrant, Ms. Goitein said.

FISA appears to require the government to obtain a court order to collect American cellphone location information, she said. But the government can, and does, obtain access to vast databases of this highly sensitive information by purchasing it from data brokers.

Congress reauthorized Section 702 for six years in January 2018. Itll expire on Dec. 31 without congressional action.
Lawsuit Filed to Stop Texas Ban on Child Gender Transition Surgery and Hormones

The Texas State Capitol is seen on the first day of the 87th Legislature's third special session in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 20, 2021. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas and Lambda Legal are suing to stop Texas from banning child gender modification hormones and surgery.

The lawsuit, filed July 12 in state district court in liberal Travis County, aims to block Senate Bill 14 before it can go into effect on Sept. 1.

This law would ban necessary and life-saving medical care for Texass transgender youth, cut off access to care for adolescent minors already receiving treatment, and require the state to revoke the medical licenses of physicians providing the best standard of care to their trans patients, according to a statement from ACLU Texas.

Texas GOP lawmaker Jeff Leach posted on Twitter that litigation was expected.

What should also be expected is the State of Texas vigorously defending this law that protects children from dangerous and irreversible modification and mutilation procedures. We will fight. And we will win, he wrote.

Three doctors and families with transgender children are plaintiffs in the 335-page lawsuit (pdf) claiming SB 14 violates the Texas Constitution by allowing discrimination of a group based on sex and transgender identity.

The GOP-dominated Legislature passed the ban this spring with fierce opposition from Democrats, who made multiple attempts to water down the bill by introducing almost 20 amendments.

Medical professionals attending the annual Pediatric Endocrine Society conference listen to detransition advocates as they use intercoms in San Diego, Calif., on May 6, 2023. (John Fredicks/The Epoch Times)

The bill prohibits treatment for childhood gender dysphoria, including surgeries that sterilize children, such as removing parts of their reproductive systems, mastectomies, and prescribing drugs that induce temporary or permanent infertility, such as cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers, or removing any otherwise healthy or non-diseased body part.

More than 20 Republican-led state legislatures have passed similar laws, with many facing legal challenges by the ACLU and other leftwing groups, according to Reuters.

The Texas lawsuit claims that if left untreated, gender dysphoria can have dire and serious consequences for the health and wellbeing of transgender people, including adolescents. In Texas, adolescents who experience gender dysphoria currently have access to medically necessary care and treatment, which allows them to safely address their gender dysphoria and live as their true selves.

Republican state Rep. Tom Oliverson helped shepherd the bill through the House.

Dr. Oliverson told The Epoch Times there is no high-quality scientific evidence that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgery help children overcome gender dysphoria.

Oliverson said that evidence of adverse outcomes for such treatment is growing.

Risks including bone demineralization, abnormalities of brain and cardiovascular development, strokes, blood clots, chronic pain, infertility, and incontinence are known to accompany these treatments for a lifetime, he said.

Plaintiff lawyers claim decades of clinical experience and a large body of scientific and medical literature support procedures on children.

Proponents of transgender procedures have argued that transitioning is safe and positively affects the mental health of those with gender dysphoria. Some claim that if parents deny a childs chosen identity, it can lead to suicide or worsening mental health.

Opponents say that children are not mature enough to make life-altering decisions that could lead to other medical problems without improving mental stability. They point to detransitioners who regret undergoing surgeries and hormones and experience continued psychological and physical repercussions.

Recently, a landmark Denmark study showed that transgender people in the country had 7.7 times the rate of suicide attempts and 3.5 times the rate of suicide deaths compared with the rest of the population.

Transgender people in Denmark died at younger ages than others, whether by suicide or other causes, according to the study.

Anti-trans activist Chris Elston, joined by his supporters, demonstrates against gender affirmation treatments and surgeries on minors, outside of Boston Childrens Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sept. 18, 2022. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

An Inconvenient Law

The lawsuit alleges that transgender youth are being discriminated against.

It says physicians can provide hormone treatments to youths with genetic disorders or other medical conditions but not transgender youth.

One mothers account in the lawsuit lamented that her 16-year-old daughter, who identified as a boy, had been on hormone blockers and was scheduled for a mastectomy but had to cancel the procedure because of SB 14.

Parents, both teachers, of a 15-year-old boy who identifies as a girl told his parents he was transgender when he was 12, according to the lawsuit.

His parents allowed him to go on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in 2022. They expressed frustration at the inconvenience the new law would impose on their family.

Because of SB 14, the family is considering whether and how to get  treatment out of state, which would either require them to split up their family or spend thousands of dollars on out-of-pocket medical treatment and travel.
Shops across the country are slinging old-fashioned drinks in nostalgic surrounds, keeping this piece of classic Americana alive

Take your medicine, Eric.

My mothers command from years ago rings in my ears as Jill Smith, co-owner of Colorados Salida Pharmacy and Fountain, explains why flavored sodas were invented in the 19th centuryand why most soda fountains were found in pharmacies.

An egg cream, an iconic New York drink, from Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain. Containing neither eggs nor cream, its essentially a chocolate seltzer. (Courtesy of Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain)

Back then, medicine was a liquid or a powder that tasted bad. Mix it into a soda, and it was far more palatable, Ms. Smith says.

I raise my glass of lime-hibiscus phosphate to salute this information and take a deep draught. Phosphates are very old-fashioned soda drinks made by mixing a flavored syrup (cherry is the standard) with carbonated water and a tangy powder or syrup of acid phosphate, which lends a tart element. The result is its own kind of medicinea unique, flavorful soda, in a charming little outpost of American tradition, in a bustling historic downtown in the Front Range of the Rockies.

The Shugsicle, housemade orange soda with vanilla ice cream, at Shugs Soda Fountain and Ice Cream in Seattle. (Courtesy of Shugs)

John Denver sings Rocky Mountain High on the sound system, of course, and a massive century-old mirror from a defunct pharmacy in Del Norte reflects the tradition embodied in this relatively new business, which combines an apothecary and a drinks fountain just as one wouldve found in most American towns before World War II. The atmosphere perfectly fits the soda, and vice-versa.

Tastes great. Less filling.

By that, I mean that the dominant flavor in fountain drinks such as phosphates isnt sugary sweetness, as in modern commercial sodaseven small-batch artisanal types such as root beer and ginger ale. Instead, the overall effect of a classic fountain drink is lighter, less overbearing, more refreshing. Ive never acquired the sucrose palate that most Americans havehigh fructose corn syrup just tastes bad to meso when I first discovered soda fountain phosphates years ago, I was delighted.

That was in a fabled fountain and pharmacy in Twin Falls, Idaho, called Crowleysthe subject of a million U.S. road trip Instagram postings. Alas, Crowleys closed a while back, and its demise induced fear that this quintessential slice of Americana was now history. Industry observers believe that the 1970s fast-food tidal wave, along with the hegemony of industrial sodas, have turned fountain sodas and soda fountains into anachronisms.

Not so fast.

Youd be surprised, Ms. Smith declares. Soda fountains are making a comeback, not just in pharmacies.

Soda Fountain Nostalgia

This trend is evident at Seattles Pike Place Market where, on a sunny 80-degree spring day, crowds line up out the door to place their order at Shugs, a stand-alone fountain on First Avenue opened in 2016 for nostalgic purposes. Its set up in charmingly retro fashion with stools along the fountain bar, Formica table sets, and a kids quarter-a-pop bronc ride called Ride the Champion tucked in a corner. Ray Charles and James Brown play on the sound system, and the whole effect is designed to take you back to Memphis in, say, 1966.

As with most soda fountains old and new, ice cream and sundaes are also on the menu; also available are espresso drinks and new-age adult concoctions, such as the Prosecco float, made with sorbet.

Ironically, blending in alcohol harkens back to the 19th century and the first heyday of soda fountains, when cocaine, laudanum, and caffeine were widely included in apothecary drink confections. By the 1880s, the widespread availability of devices that produced carbonated water and mixed them into drinks expanded the industry to small towns and big cities alike.

The soda fountain become a mainstream fixture of American life after Prohibition in 1923. No more bars meant a lack of places for people to gather and socialize. The soda fountain filled the gap. The bar is dead, the fountain lives, and soda is king! rhapsodized industry observer John Somerset in Drug Topics magazine in 1920.

The bad-tasting prescription medicine I endured as a boy came a century after the cocaine-and-opiate heyday of the 19th century, which ended when the Harrison Act of 1914 outlawed the over-the-counter dispensing of narcotics. By the time my mother had to admonish me to take a spoonful of Tedral, soda fountains had devolved into cinematic gathering places for American teens who couldnt go to bars, or for adults seeking nonalcoholic refreshment. Picture Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland on fountain stools with tall sundaes and sodas at hand. Today, Americans wishing to visit such iconic environs have to choose from perhaps 100 true soda fountains around the country.

Soda fountains can even bear iconic regional weight. The egg cream, for example, is the signature fountain drink of the Northeast United States, and reaches its greatest heights in New York, where it apparently originated around 1880. Essentially a chocolate seltzer, this one specialty alone is featured at a dozen or so vendors of various sorts around the Big Applemost notably at Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain, whose egg cream is widely acclaimed but whose menu, like many of its compatriots today, includes as many specialty ice cream sundaes as it does soda drinks. Opened in 2010, its housed in a restored 1920 building in which the floor-to-ceiling wood shelves exalt its early 20th-century life as a neighborhood apothecary. Servers in bow-tied chef shirts make your order by hand.

The interiors of Shugs Soda Fountain and Ice Cream in Seattle, Wash. (Charles Koh)

A Piece of Americana

That proves the most memorable facet of fountain patronage during my visit to Goodys, another stand-alone soda fountain and ice cream shop in a bustling, leafy neighborhood in Boise, Idaho. The ambiance here is full-on summer family fun. Moms and dads with kids in tow stroll the streets in balmy evening air and eye Goodys expansive menu with wonder.

The serversartisans who were called, a century ago, soda jerkspractice an artful form of customer service that includes answering many questions about whats what, including phosphates, which most Americans today vaguely imagine has something to do with fertilizer.

But my question is much more arcane than that.

Can I get a huckleberry phosphate?

Jenny, a young college student clearly working here on summer break, glances at her fellow soda jerk Amber, raising her eyebrows. Well, were awfully low on huckleberry syrup; you know there hasnt been much picking this year. Idahos signature fruit grows only in the wild and is harvested by foragers who roam the states mountains.

But, Amber says as she winks at me conspiratorially, I think I noticed a jug of it in the back this morning. Ill go look. We dont get many requests for a huckleberry phosphate.

I imagine not.

Five minutes later, when she hands me my huckleberry phosphate, Im exceptionally glad that I askedthe tangy but light drink represents a modern edition of an American tradition, where every confection is made to order by servers practicing a craft almost two centuries old. You may have to hit the road to sample a huckleberry phosphate, but I promise that its worth it in every way.

A huckleberry phosphate at Goodys in Boise, Idaho. (Courtesy of Goodys Soda Fountain)

Know Your Order: 4 Quintessential Fountain Drinks

Cherry phosphate: The best-known phosphate drink is a simple concoction made with soda water, phosphate, and cherry syrup. Simple it may be, but there is no bottled or canned example that tastes anything like a handmade cherry phosphate at a fountain counter.

The best-known phosphate drink is a simple concoction made with soda water, phosphate, and cherry syrup. Simple it may be, but there is no bottled or canned example that tastes anything like a handmade cherry phosphate at a fountain counter. Lime Rickey: Again, simplelime juice, soda water, sugar syrup, perhaps a fruit flavoring such as raspberry. Today, this is also a common mocktail in bars and restaurants whose workers and patrons likely have no idea of its fountain history.

Again, simplelime juice, soda water, sugar syrup, perhaps a fruit flavoring such as raspberry. Today, this is also a common mocktail in bars and restaurants whose workers and patrons likely have no idea of its fountain history. Egg cream: Whats in a name? Sometimes, nothing at all. One legendary soda fountain drink is the egg creama chocolate item that has neither eggs nor cream in it. No one can explain the name with any certainty, though theories abound. Its a chocolate seltzer, usually made with Foxs u-bet syrup that, if you want to try it at home, is available online.

Whats in a name? Sometimes, nothing at all. One legendary soda fountain drink is the egg creama chocolate item that has neither eggs nor cream in it. No one can explain the name with any certainty, though theories abound. Its a chocolate seltzer, usually made with Foxs u-bet syrup that, if you want to try it at home, is available online. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr Pepper: Though these are now longstanding mainstays of the mass-production pop business, lets give them honorable mention. All three were created between 1886 and 1893 by what were then called druggists in pharmacies in Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Exact formulas for all three remain secret to this day.

At Goodys Soda Fountain in Boise, Idaho, the ambiance is full-on summer family fun. (Courtesy of Goodys Soda Fountain)

At Goodys Soda Fountain in Boise, Idaho, the ambiance is full-on summer family fun. (Courtesy of Goodys Soda Fountain)

Fountains of Delight: Where to Go

Shugs Soda Fountain and Ice Cream

1525 First Ave., Seattle, Wash.

ShugsSodaFountain.com

Goodys Soda Fountain

1502 N. 13th St., Boise, Idaho

GoodysSodaFountain.com

Salida Pharmacy and Fountain

137 F St., Salida, Colo.

SalidaPF.com

Docs Soda Fountain

133 S. 2nd St., Girard, Ill.

DocsJustOff66.com

Clintons Soda Fountain

100 W. Maple Ave., Independence, Mo.

ClintonsSodaFountain.com

Elliston Place Soda Shop

2105 Elliston Place, Nashville, Tenn.

EllistonPlaceSodaShop.com

Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain

513 Henry St., Brooklyn, N.Y.

BrooklynFarmacyAndSodaFountain.com

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Major Insurer Drops Cover for Doctors Providing Hormone Treatment for Gender Dysphoria

A bathroom is set aside for transgender srtudents at the University of California Irvine, in Irvine, Calif., on September 25, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

One of Australias biggest medical insurers has pulled insurance coverage for doctors in private practice prescribing hormonal treatment for children and adolescents.

MDA National, which has 54,000 health professional members, has also dropped cover for private specialists who face court claims if they deem under 18-year-olds as suitable for gender transition.

We consider it appropriate that the assessment and initial prescribing for patients transitioning under the age of 18 years occurs with the support and management of a multi-disciplinary team in a hospital setting, MDA National said in an email to affected doctors.

The MDA National decision, effective from July 1, is expected to affect about 100 practitioners Australia-wide, including general practitioners, paediatricians, and endocrinologists providing gender-transitioning treatments.

The decision, seen by The Epoch Times, stated: We will not cover you or make a payment when the claim against you arises in any way out of: (a) your assessment that a patient under the age of 18 is suitable for gender transition; or (b) you initiating prescribing of gender-affirming hormones for any patient under the age of 18 years.

The MDA National said in a statement to The Epoch Times that it was aware there is growing criticism globally of the research that underpins medical and surgical transition of children in response to gender dysphoria.

Recent studies suggest the real rates of detransition or discontinuance are much higher than the previously reported 1 percent or 2 percent; and there has been a dramatic increase in demand for these services from children in Australia.

The medical insurer added, we appreciate this is a sensitive and complex issue however, we have made this decision by reviewing the medico-legal risks.

We have been deliberate and targeted in the areas of exclusion to ensure that we are focusing only on those areas that we believe present the greatest risk of future claims, and importantly are still supporting the treatment and care of gender dysphoria in patients under 18.

As you will appreciate, children are not able to transition without relying on the assessments of medical professionals.

Any comments that we have made are to explain our rationale when questioned, and we have never intended to offend.

MDA Nationals President Dr. Michael Gannon previously said the move was in response to legal cases overseas, including the high-profile inquiry into Tavistock Centre, Britains only childrens gender clinic.

Tavistock, which provides gender-affirming care to about 1,000 children, will close on March 2024 and be replaced by two regional hubs.

One of the problems with long tail insurance is that you might make a decision, or there might be a clinical matter thats dealt with, and then it takes five, 10, 15, 20 years before that turns into a clinical problem, Dr. Gannon told NewsGP.

Were talking about people who are making life-changing decisions. So, our feeling is that that is a very high level of risk for an individual GP to take on their own.

We are worried about the risk that it presents to these individual members and, more broadly, the rest of our members. So, were making no  moral judgments, no ethical judgmentswere making an insurance company decision based on our inability to price an area that we think might be high risk.

However, under the current MDA National policy, GPs will still be covered for prescribing gender-altering hormones in the following circumstances: if it is based on recommendations from a non-GP specialist as part of a multi-disciplinary team; prescription of puberty blockers with the expectation that it complies with Australian standards; or if it is provided along with counselling and general healthcare involving a patient with gender dysphoria.

Womens Rights Groups Support Move

Some womens groups have applauded MDA Nationals initial decision.

Medical insurers are all about risk and at the end of the day, how to pay out the least amount of dollars in claims, said womens rights group Binary, in a statement.

It is no surprise that one of the majors has recognised the risk and is withdrawing before a wave of claims are made by children who become adults and realise they were sold the lie that taking drugs would enable them to change sex.

The organisation also drew attention to the increasing number of minors being issued drugs from Australian doctors and gender clinics despite a lack of consultation and treatment for any underlying issues.

Trans regret stories are also increasing on social media where many claim they are not included in the statistics because they simply stop seeing their practitioners, the group said.

A Royal Commission is desperately needed for the sake of children in this country.

The insurers decision move comes after the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatristss (RANZCP) decided it too, would move away from a gender affirmative approach.

The RANZCP does not support the use of sexual orientation change efforts of any kind. There is no scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed. Sexual orientation change efforts risk causing significant harm to individuals, the group said in a 2019 statement.
Man Convicted of Teaching Bomb-Making to Target Authorities

A federal jury on Wednesday convicted a North Carolina man of instructing others how to build bombs with the intention of targeting federal law enforcement officers.

Christopher Arthur, 39, faces a maximum 20 years in prison, according to federal prosecutors. He was also found guilty of illegal possession of unregistered devices, including a short-barreled rifle, a silencer, three improvised hand grenades, and an improvised claymore sword, according to U.S. Attorneys Office in Eastern District of North Carolina.

Mr. Arthur, an Army veteran who returned to the United States in 2010 after his second deployment to Iraq, is the owner of Tackleberry Solutions, a company with the goal of teaching war time tactics to the everyday citizen.

Mr. Arthur was arrested in January 2022 after he provided instructions on how to construct bombs to a confidential source, referred to as Buckshot by federal prosecutors.

Buckshot initially contacted Arthur in May 2021 for help, claiming that agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had visited his home and he expected them to return.

Prosecutors played snippets of recordings made by Buckshot in which Mr. Arthur instructed him on a home defense strategy he called the spider web, which included putting improvised explosives around the home to maim or kill. Arthur described the spider web as a freaking death box.

Arthur also provided training materials to Buckshot in both PDF and video format. Within these, Mr. Arthur explained his belief as to why such training was needed. For example: When those [law enforcement officers] are trying to kick in your door, theres no more peaceful negotiations. The time is over. Thats the time for you to start putting lead down range.thats when you pick up that phoneto your fellow militia members and you say I need help! And thats when yall man the freak up, get out there and put boots up their ass, lead down range, and bodies on the ground!

Preparing for the Future War

United States Attorney Michael Easley said in a January 2022 press release: This type of behavior is criminal, it is unacceptable, and it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. Here in Eastern North Carolina, we will protect the brave men and women of law enforcement who are sworn to protect us. The Justice Department will aggressively investigate and prosecute those whose actions would further violence against those in uniform. Our public servants in law enforcement deserve nothing less.

Mr. Arthurs attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Ed Gray, urged the jury to consider the context under which Mr. Arthur was giving this information to Buckshot. He said Mr. Arthur believed a war was coming and that the collapse of the federal government was imminent.

Mr. Gray said that all of Mr. Arthurs wartime tactics and bomb-making manuals and videos were merely meant to empower individuals to better defend themselves and their homes.

What you have is someone dealing with fear, Mr. Gray said. Hes talking about preparing for the future war  hes not talking about today.

Mr. Arthur took the stand in his own defense to try and convince the jury that he had no issue with the current government. But in his videos he commonly referred to the tyrannical government, spoke openly of law enforcement and government as enemies, and that things had only worsened with recent events.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Kocher argued that Arthur knew exactly what he was doing, and that by teaching someone to make bombs to defend his home against federal agents, all law enforcement were put in danger.

When sentenced later this year, the Justice Department release notes that Mr. Arthur faces up to 95 years in jail, including a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for providing the explosives training knowing how it was going to be used, 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the seven counts relating to possessing unregistered devices, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Man Gets 15 Years in Prison for Setting up Smuggling Trip That Killed 13

SAN DIEGOA federal judge on July 13 sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for coordinating a smuggling trip in which two dozen migrants were stacked into a Ford Expedition that crashed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people outside a California desert town.

Jose Cruz Noguez pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges stemming from the March 2, 2021, crash near Holtville, about 125 miles east of San Diego. It was one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants smuggled into the United States.

Mr. Cruz Noguez also admitted to trying to still get payment for the smuggling trip from the survivors, prosecutors said. Neither Mr. Cruz Noguez nor his attorney could be reached for comment.

Cruz Noguez organized one of the most callous and inhumane smuggling attempts that law enforcement has responded to in this district, U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said. He and his co-conspirators treated these individuals like a worthless commodity.

Mr. Cruz Noguez arranged for the Ford Expedition and a GMC Yukon to be modified by removing the passenger seats so people could be stacked on top of each other, prosecutors said. He then drove the route north of the border to ensure no law enforcement were in the area.

At least 24 people were crammed into the Ford Expedition and another 19 were put in the GMC Yukon. A section of the border fence was then removed so the vehicles could drive across the Mexican border into California, prosecutors said.

Hugo Castro leaves crosses at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo)

Shortly after crossing the border, the Yukon caught fire and the driver fled, while the Ford Expedition continued on Interstate 8 towards Holtville. Just outside the town, it slammed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people.

When crews arrived at the scene, some passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled SUV. Others were wandering around the nearby fields. The big rigs front end was pushed into the SUVs left side, and two empty trailers were jackknifed behind it.

The passengers ranged in age from 15 to 53, and those who survived had injuries that were minor to severe, including fractures and head trauma, officials said. The driver was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, and was among those killed.

The 68-year-old driver of the big rig, who is from the nearby California community of El Centro, suffered moderate injuries.

The crash occurred around 6:15 a.m. under a clear, sunny sky at an intersection just outside the community of Holtville, about 11 miles north of the border. Authorities said the tractor-trailer was heading north on a highway when the SUV pulled in front of it from a road with a stop sign.

The crash happened in an area that became a major route for illegal border crossings in the late 1990s after heightened enforcement in San Diego pushed migrants to more remote areas.

Barely a mile from the crash, there is a cemetery with rows of unmarked bricks that is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 13, 2023 - 13:02 | All, World

North Korea said Thursday it successfully test-fired a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day that set "new records" in terms of altitude and flight time, with leader Kim Jong Un vowing a stronger military offensive to counter the United States and South Korea.

Kim oversaw the launch of the Hwasong-18 missile, which traveled up to a maximum altitude of 6,648.4 kilometers and flew a distance of 1,001.2 km for about 75 minutes before accurately landing in a target area in the Sea of Japan, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The launch of the Hwasong-18, propelled by a three-stage rocket system, was the second of its kind following a test conducted on April 13. It is viewed as capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

A solid-fuel missile does not require fueling prior to launch like a liquid-fuel missile, making it harder for adversaries to detect launch preparations and giving it a wider range of capabilities.

"All the new records confirmed through the test-fire proved the capability, reliability and military utility of the new-type strategic weapon system," KCNA said.

The report said the test was conducted at a time when the security situation on the Korean Peninsula has reached a "phase of nuclear crisis beyond the Cold War era" amid "unprecedented military provocations" against Pyongyang by the United States and its "vassal forces."

Kim warned that "a series of stronger military offensive will be launched until (the United States and South Korea)...admit their shameful defeat of their useless hostile policy" toward Pyongyang and give it up, according to KCNA.

The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Thursday on the North's latest missile launch at the request of Japan and the United States.

The ICBM fell some 250 kilometers west of Okushiri Island, just off Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido but outside Tokyo's exclusive economic zone. KCNA said the test had no negative effect on the security of countries that are neighbors to North Korea.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Thursday condemned the North's latest missile launch as "intolerable," saying it "endangers the peace and security" of the region. He pledged that Japan will closely work with the United States and South Korea to monitor the situation.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller criticized Pyongyang Wednesday for its "brazen violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions, saying the launch "needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region."

Video: Japanese Defense Ministry footage of what could be contrails from the North Korean ICBM

Related coverage:

Japan PM assures S. Korea of safety of Fukushima water release

North Korea fires ICBM, longest-ever flight time

Japan boosts cooperation with NATO, aid for Ukraine
Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for San Diego Murder, Attempted Murder

SAN DIEGOA man who pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder charges for his part in a 2018 South Bay crime spree that left one man dead and a woman paralyzed after she was shot multiple times was sentenced this week to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Cesar Alvarado, 44, admitted to fatally shooting Mario Serhan on April 11, 2018, who he and his co-defendants mistakenly believed was an undercover police officer surveilling them in Chula Vista. Mr. Alvarado also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of a woman whom prosecutors said was kidnapped, then shot multiple times at Sunset Cliffs.

Co-defendant Britney Canal, 34, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced last year to 30 years to life in prison.

A third defendant, Michael Pedraza, 33, remains charged with murder, attempted murder, and other crimes, while another co-defendant, 33-year-old Francisco Aranda, pleaded guilty to other charges and was sentenced to five years in state prison.

Prosecutors say Mr. Alvarado, Ms. Canal and Mr. Pedraza were in a car that followed Mr. Serhans SUV along Industrial Boulevard on the afternoon of April 11. Canal was driving the vehicle, which pulled up next to Mr. Serhan. Mr. Alvarado then shot the victim in the head, prosecutors say.

A woman who was in the backseat of Ms. Canals vehicle during Mr. Serhans murder was taken to Sunset Cliffs at about 2 a.m. on April 12, accused of being a snitch, then allegedly shot three times by Mr. Pedraza. The woman, who prosecutors said had been robbed and kidnapped by the defendants earlier that week, was shot in the head and hip, with a third bullet going through her neck and striking her spinal cord, paralyzing her.

The defendants were arrested a few days after Mr. Serhans killing following a police pursuit that stretched from San Ysidro to National City.

At the time, police and prosecutors also said the defendants were involved in a string of other crimes, including another shooting, a second kidnapping and multiple robberies.
Man Who Shot 2 Firefighters in Alabama Motivated by Personal Conflict With One of Them, Police Say

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.Investigators believe the man who shot two on-duty firefighters at an Alabama firehouse had a personal conflict with one of them, a police spokesman said Thursday.

Detectives are still trying to determine the basis for that conflict. They have not yet been able to talk to the firefighters, but believe only one of them was targeted, Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald told The Associated Press.

He said the two Birmingham firefighters, Jordan Melton and Jamal Jones, are expected to survive. They were taken to a hospital in serious condition and both underwent surgery, Mr. Fitzgerald said. Police have not released the name of a suspect.

The shooter entered the station early Wednesday through an open bay door, Birmingham police said previously. At least one other firefighter was in the station during the attack and was not hurt.

The shooting happened near the bay doors just after Mr. Melton and Mr. Jones started their shifts, police said.
Mark Zuckerbergs Threads App Sees Exodus of Users

Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on "An Examination of Facebook and Its Impact on the Financial Services and Housing Sectors" in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 23, 2019. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerbergs Instagram Threads, which some say could rival Elon Musks Twitter, has seen a drop-off in users and engagements in recent days after a relatively strong showing in early July, according to analytics companies.

The Threads launch really did break the internet, or at least the Sensor Tower models, Anthony Bartolacci, the managing director at Sensor Tower, a marketing intelligence firm, told CNBC.

Bartolacci added that in the 10-plus years Sensor Tower has been estimating app installs, the first 72 hours of Threads was truly in a class by itself.

In a statement, Mr. Zuckerberg said on July 10 that Threads was able to obtain about 100 million users in about a week. Thats mostly organic demand, and we havent even turned on many promotions yet, the Facebook founder said in a Threads post.

At the same time, Matthew Prince, CEO of internet infrastructure firm Cloudflare, shared a graph showing a similar trajectory in a tweet on July 10 and claimed Twitters traffic was tanking. But Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino wrote Monday that the platform last week had its largest usage day since February. Theres only ONE Twitter, she tweeted.

However, since Threadsbilled by some legacy news outlets as a Twitter killerlaunched on July 5, there has been a serious drop in user engagement, according to Sensor Tower.

For example, according to Sensor Tower, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Threads number of daily active users was down 20 percent from Saturday. More seriously, the time spent by a user was down 50 percent, from 20 minutes to 10 minutes in that same time period, the company told CNBC.

These early returns signal that despite the hoopla during its launch, it will still be an uphill climb for Threads to carve out space in most users social network routine, Mr. Bartolacci said. The backing of Meta and the integration with Instagram likely gives Threads a much higher flood than other services, but it will need a more compelling value proposition than simply Twitter, but without Elon Musk.

New data from SimilarWeb, another analytics firm that measures web traffic, also showed a decline of more than 25 percent in daily active users between July 7, when it peaked, and Monday, July 10. That accounted for Threads users on Android phones worldwide, the company told CNBC, adding that it has not produced data for iOS devices.

While there was intense interest in checking out the app initially, not every user has made a habit of visiting Threads as often as they might other social apps, David Carr, senior insights manager at Similarweb, told the business news website.

The Threads logo is displayed on a cell phone in San Anselmo, Calif., on July 5, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In response to the dropoff in engagement and users, a spokesperson for parent company Meta Platforms told news outlets that the app is in its early days and that the company is excited about the initial success of Threads.

We launched the app just over a week ago, and our focus now is on ensuring stable performance, delivering new features and continuing to improve the experience in the coming months, the spokesperson said.

The Epoch Times has contacted Meta Platforms for comment Friday.

Censorship?

When his platform was launched earlier this month, Mr. Zuckerberg suggested that Threads could be more successful than Twitter. The goal is to keep it friendly as it expands. I think its possible and will ultimately be the key to its success, he said.

Thats one reason why Twitter never succeeded as much as I think it should have, and we want to do it differently, he said earlier this month.

Although Threads appears to be an attempt to capitalize on some Twitter users negative sentiment against Mr. Musk over his political views, there have been reports of shadowbanning and algorithmic downgrading of some content and users. And some prominent social media executives, including former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, suggested that Threads is harvesting users data.

Within a few hours of launching, Threads was already secretly censoring users and not offering them the right to appeal, journalist Michael Shellenberger, who published a series of Twitter files reports about the companys previous management, wrote on his Substack page.

Because of its ownership of Facebook and Instagram, Meta is already too powerful, he argued. One company controls what much of the public is allowed to see. And if Threads succeeds, it will have 80 percent of the global market outside of Russia and China.

As such, its reasonable to expect that Meta will censor precisely the same way the large news media corporations, including the New York Times, and corporate advertisers want it to. More censorship is what the mainstream news media, big corporations, and their celebrity pitch people have been demanding, Mr. Shellenberger argued.

His post also noted that Threads collects user data on health [and] fitness, financial information, sensitive info, and other data.

Some other prominent Twitter users also complained that they were being censored on Threads after making only a few posts.

Just downloaded and signed up for the new Meta app Threads meant to imitate Twitter I posted once about wanting to expose Bidens corrupt government and theyve already flagged me for censorship, one wrote. Great platform Zuck.
Meta Vows to Deal With Hate Speech in Upcoming Vote on Changing Australias Constitution

A 3D-printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta and Facebook logo are placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration, taken on Nov. 2, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Mark Zuckerbergs Meta (formerly Facebook) will provide a one-off funding boost to third-party fact-checkers in the lead-up to a national referendum on whether to change the Australian Constitution.

The tech giant will work with RMIT CrossCheck to monitor misinformation trends leading up to the contentious Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposal, and will share guidance on combating false information with journalists.

At the same time, UNICEF will receive free credit to run advertising on authoritative information about the debate.

Meta has been preparing for this years Voice to Parliament referendum for a long time, leaning into expertise from previous elections. We will be using a comprehensive strategy to combat misinformation, voter interference, and other forms of abuse on our platforms, said Mia Garlick, director of Public Policy for Meta Australia.

When [the fact-checkers] rate something as false, we significantly reduce its distribution so fewer people see it. We also notify people who try to share something rated as false and add a warning label with a link to a debunking article, Ms. Garlick wrote on the Meta Australia blog.

Meta will also launch a media literacy program with the Australian Associated Press newswire service, building on previous experience with the federal election in 2022.

Later this year, Australians will go to the polls to vote in a national referendum that will decide whether to change the preamble of the Constitution to recognise Indigenous peoples, and embed a near-permanent advisory body in Parliament.

This body would have the power to make representations to the executive and legislative arms of government on all matters deemed relevant to Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

Advocates see The Voice as the latest advancement in reconciliation and dealing with chronic issues in Indigenous communities, such as unemployment, domestic violence, alcoholism, youth crime, and welfare dependency.

Amplify Voices in Support of Changing the Constitution

During campaigning for the referendum, Meta says it will work with the online support service ReachOut to provide mental health support to Aboriginal and Torres Islanders, as well as provide safety training on how to use Facebooks moderating tools to MPs and advocacy groups.

UNICEF Australia will also receive ad credits to promote their Voice-related media literacy program and support young Australians in support of The Voice.

In response, Katie Maskiell, head of child rights policy at UNICEF, said accurate information was critical in the debate over The Voice.

Metas lead in helping trusted sources like UNICEF Australia share information for voters, and the perspectives of our younger generations on this issue is a meaningful use of social media and valuable contribution during the debate, she said in a statement.

We recognise that hate speech can be offensive, even when implicit or veiled, said Metas Ms. Garlick. If hate speech is being used to attack, we remove it  We have dedicated teams in place to review and remove this content from our platforms.

Governments Pressuring Big Tech on Misinformation

Meta has faced pressure over how it monitors and controls content on its platform.

In the United States, the Biden administration currently faces a lawsuit alleging collusion with Big Tech over the censorship of alleged misinformation.

The states of Missouri and Louisiana claim that 67 members of the administration urged Meta, Twitter, and Google to suppress unfavourable viewpoints and user content on the COVID-19 issue.

In Australia, regulators are also taking action to pressure social media companies to do more on hateful content or disinformation.

In late June, the owner of Twitter, Elon Musk, was issued with a legal notice to explain what he was doing to deal with hate speech or face fines of $700,000 per day.

Australias eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she had received more complaints about online hate on Twitter in the past 12 months than any other platform and alleged an increasing number of reports of serious online abuse since Musk took over in October 2022.

Meanwhile, government ministers have adopted strong rhetoric in describing opponents of The Voice to Parliament.

The No campaign is being run by the group called Fair Australia. It is importing Trump-style politics to Australia, Indigenous Minister Linda Burney told the National Press Club on July 5. It is post-truth. And its aim is to polarise.
Mexico Replaces China as Americas Top Trade Partner, While Chinas Foreign Trade Continues to Decline

A part of the urban area in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, where Tesla could build a new electric car plant, in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2022. (Daniel Becerril/Reuters)

Mexico has become the largest trading partner of the United States, surpassing China and Canada, according to statistics released July 12.

The trade volume between the United States and Mexico reached $263 billion in the first four months of 2023, wrote Luis Torres, a senior business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in a post. Trade between the two countries accounted for 15.4 percent of goods exported and imported by the United States, which surpassed totals for U.S. trade with Canada and China, which were 15.2 percent and 12 percent respectively.

According to public data, China was the largest U.S. trade partner for most of the 2010s, until the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, when it was replaced by Mexico.

Mr. Torres said that the change shows the effect of the United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement, which was finalized during former President Donald Trumps tenure. It indicated a shift toward a nearshoring practice in global trade, which aims to bring supply chains for crucial goods to countries that are closer physically and politically. Such a practice not only reduces the pressure on the long-distance offshore supply chain, but also poses a challenge to Chinas world economic status because it reduces the worlds dependence on Chinese-made goods.

President Donald Trump signs trade sanctions against China in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, on March 22, 2018. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

Since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has been integrated into the U.S. economy despite not complying with economic and trade regulations. The United States has expressed concern about Chinas unfair economic practices; Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen voiced this concern during her recent visit to China.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and the Chinese regimes draconian lockdown measures, which severely disrupted global supply chains, began to accelerate the process of companies shifting their supply chains out of China.

Michael Burns, a managing partner at supply chain-focused investment firm Murray Hill Group, said that the recent shift by businesses to relocate production and supply chains closer to their markets isnt about deglobalization, but rather a shift of focus onto regional networks.

Chinas Foreign Trade Continues to Decline

Last month, Chinas exports fell 12.4 percent year-over-year, to the lowest level since March 2020. Imports fell by 6.8 percent year-over-year, which was a significantly steeper decline than expected, according to official data. The Chinese regimes official explanation for the drop in exports was that demand had declined in the international market.

However, many Chinese companies are also building factories in Mexicomoving production out of Chinawhich also has contributed to the rise of Mexican manufacturing, according to U.S.-based current affairs commentator Qin Peng on his talk show on NTD Qin Peng Observing.

Workers assembling toys at the Mendiss toy factory in Shantou, Guangdong Province, on May 20, 2020. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the average U.S. tariff on Chinese goods is 19.3 percent, far higher than the 9 percent level of other most-favored nations.

The tensions between the United States and China in recent years have led to the Wests derisking from China, which significantly affected Chinas foreign trade. Observers believe that this wont change in the foreseeable future despite recent visits to China by high-level U.S. officials.

On July 13, major Chinese finance media Caixin.com stated in an editorial that the differences between China and the United States are in multiple areas and deep-seated. No one expects that a few visits by high-level officials will bring the relationship between the two countries back on track. However, maintaining contact and strengthening communication can at least prevent the situation from getting out of control.

Zheng Xuguang, the host of Xuguang Times Review, told The Epoch Times on July 13 that the three components of Chinas GDPexports, investment, and consumptionare all declining.

Chinas economy is mainly driven by exports, Mr. Zheng said. In fact, judging from the figures in the first half of this year, Guangdong Provinces exports in the first half of the year were negative, while Jiangsu Provinces growth was probably less than 1 percent. Overall, Chinas import is even worse. I think Chinas current foreign trade is in a very dangerous situation because the crises are from the top and bottom.

The middle and low-end manufacturing is now being transferred to Vietnam, India, and Mexico. Not only are foreign companies moving, Chinese companies are also leaving. The high-end manufacturing is affected by the United States increased sanctions, especially the restriction on exporting high-end chips to China. This means that Apples mobile phones production in China may be finished, which is very bad for Chinas economy.
Milley Says Powerful Japan Could Help US Deter China, North Korea

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan and plans for future counterterrorism operations, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 28, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/Pool via AP Photo)

A top U.S military official on Friday praised Japans move to bolster its security, saying that having a powerful ally like Japan could help the United States deter threats posed by China and North Korea.

Japan sought to increase its defense budget for 2023 to a record 6.8 trillion yen ($50 billion), up 20 percent from the previous year. That includes 211.3 billion yen ($1.55 billion) for U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said that Japans military boost would aid in countering China, which has also increased its defense spending by 7.2 percent to 1.55 trillion yuan ($230 billion).

Mr. Milley warned that China potentially becomes the regional hegemon in all of Asia within the next 10 to 15 years, which could lead to a very unstable and dangerous security situation for the region.

He described North Koreas launch of a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as a clear indication of the regimes intent to develop a capability to strike the continental United States.

Given these threats, Mr. Milley believes that a militarily capable Japan with a close alliance with the United States and other countries will go a long way to deterring war in the region.

I have no doubt that the Japanese military could rapidly expand in scale, size, scope, and skill very, very fast, he told reporters.

Japans new spending target meets NATO standards and will eventually push its annual defense budget to about 10 trillion yen ($73 billion), making it the worlds third biggest military spender after the United States and China.

Japan Warns of Chinas World-Class Military

In a draft of its annual defense report, Japan warned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may be accelerating the timetable for its plan to build a world-class military by the mid-21st century.

Military vehicles carrying DF-21D intermediate-range anti-ship ballistic missiles participate in a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2015, to mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

The draft paper referred to China as Japans greatest strategic challenge and warned that the CCP could amass 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, Kyodo News reported on May 23.

The document also raised concerns about Chinas military cooperation with Russia. The two nations have carried out five joint bomber flights near Japan since July 2019, which Japan regarded as a show of force.

Japan warned that the international community has entered a new era of crisis following Russias ongoing war in Ukraine, which it said has disrupted the international order spanning Europe and Asia.

During the 2022 East Asia Summit in Cambodia, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida accused Beijing of threatening Japans sovereignty in the East China Sea and escalating tensions in the South China Seawhere Beijing is pushing its claims on neighboring countries despite a Hague Tribunal ruling against its claims in 2016.

There have been continued, increasing actions by China in the East China Sea that violate Japans sovereignty. China also continues to take actions that heighten regional tension in the South China Sea, Kishida said, while emphasizing the need to maintain stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Geo-strategists believe the impending situation cannot be resolved without America taking the lead in this regard.

The U.S. needs to fight against China in the front line. If the U.S. stays at the back  and asks Japan and Taiwan to fight, theyll not fight, Satoru Nagao, a non-resident research fellow with the Washington-based Hudson Institute, told The Epoch Times. For leadership to be effective, the leader fights in the front, Nagao said.

Venus Upadhayaya and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Newsom to Deliver Textbooks Rejected by Southern California School Board to Students

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2023. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

California will purchase and deliver copies of a social studies textbook to students in a local school district after district officials blocked the book because of inappropriate content, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Temecula Valley Unified School board in southern California first gained the governors attention in May when it rejected a social studies textbook containing references to LGBT activist and politician Harvey Milkwhom the boards president Joseph Komrosky called a pedophile based on reports that Mr. Milk had a sexual relationship with a minor.

In a July 13 Twitter post, Mr. Newsom threatened to send the books to Temecula students and to enact legislation that would fine the district if the board doesnt accept the textbook.

Were going to purchase the book for these students, the same one that hundreds of thousands of kids are already using. If these extremist school board members wont do their job, we will, and fine them for their incompetence, the governor said.

The debate centers around a book called Social Studies Alive, a textbook recently piloted in schools within the district and was brought before the board for official approval in May. While the textbook does not mention Mr. Milk in its main text, its optional supplemental material features him.

In a July 13 statement, Mr. Newsom also claimed Temeculas students would begin the school year on Aug. 14 without enough social studies textbooks for every student because of the school boards decision to reject a widely used social studies curriculum.

The governor said he would partner with lawmakers to pass Assembly Bill 1078 to prohibit local school boards from excluding books that contain diverse perspectives.

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said he supported Mr. Newsoms actions and likened the Temecula boards decision to book banning.

School districts should not ban books in California, especially as it harms students of color and LGBTQ+ youth, Mr. Thurmond said in a July 13 statement. [Assembly Bill] 1078 lays out the structure for todays action and I am proud to have sponsored this bill to protect our students from the harmful effects of book banning, exclusion of inclusive textbooks and discrimination.

In response, Mr. Komrosky said in a statement the same day that the board did not ban the textbook in question, but simply chose not to include it in the districts social science-history curriculum.

He added that board trustees are also concerned about not getting sufficient feedback from the community in the process of selecting books and ensuring the curriculum satisfies students with special needs.

What the governor has conveniently ignored is that members of the Board of Education expressed other significant concerns about the districts process, including whether it had adequately engaged the community regarding the adoption of curriculum, as well as whether the proposed curriculum adequately addressed the needs of English learners and special education students, he said in a July 13 statement.

Mr. Komrosky also called the governors claim that Temecula students would not have enough social studies textbooks by the start of the school year categorically false.

The board, he said, made arrangements with the publisher of its currently adopted social studies curriculum to ensure sufficient materials for all K5 students in the district should a new curriculum not be adopted before the start of the school year.

Mr. Newsom previously criticized Mr. Komrosky on social media after the latter referred to Mr. Milkreportedly the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in Californiaas a pedophile.

An offensive statement from an ignorant person. This isnt Texas or Florida. In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn, the governor wrote on Twitter June 3. Congrats Mr. Komrosky, you have our attention. Stay tuned.

Mr. Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta also released a joint statement on June 7 demanding the board provide information regarding its process for rejecting the curriculum.

In a press conference on the same day, Mr. Komrosky said his comment did not target Mr. Milks sexual orientation, but to reportsincluding a 1982 biography titled The Mayor of Castro Streetthat Mr. Milk had a sexual relationship with a teenage boy when he was 33 years old.

Ill ask you one simple question, governordo you approve of any 33-year-old person, regardless of their gender identity or sexual preference, having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old? Mr. Komrosky asked.
Not a Moment to Lose for UK to Realise Space Launch Ambitions, Say MPs

There is now not a moment to lose if the UK is to realise the full potential of its space launch sector, a Parliamentary committee has warned.

In a report published by the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on Friday, a cross-party group of MPs criticised the UKs disjointed approach to space policy.

The committee said the UK is on the cusp of establishing Europes first small satellite orbital launch capability, but the insufficient coordination among regulatory bodies is hampering launch potential.

Britains first attempt at satellite launchthe Virgin Orbit horizontal launch from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay on Jan. 9, 2023did not succeed. The LauncherOne rocket did not reach the required orbit and its payload of small satellites was lost.

Greg Clark MP, the committees Conservative chairman, said: The UK has huge opportunities in the burgeoning space and satellite industry.

But the sector is global and fast-paced, and to maintain our position the UK must act urgently to apply the lessons of the Cornwall disappointment to the regulatory system for satellite launch.

Time Is Running Out

The MPs said a UK satellite launch sector can help strengthen the countrys position in the design and manufacture of small satellites, but the government needs to act fast.

The report stated: Time is running out in this Parliament for the government to translate high-level ambitions into practical plans.

There is now not a moment to lose if the UK is to realise the full potential of this extraordinary sector, which is booming worldwide, and in which we have a world class capability and reputation.

Last year, the space sector added 7 billion in value to the UK economy, while turnover from space organisations reached 17.5 billion.

The global space economy market is valued at 355 billion and could grow to 760 billion by 2030.

Insufficient Coordination

The report also expressed concern about the licensing delays that led to the Virgin Orbit launch being postponed.

Virgin Orbit and some of its satellite customers were critical of the UK regulatory process, which was led by the Civil Aviation Authority.

But the committee concluded there was no evidence that the regulatory system contributed to the failure of Virgin Orbit.

The report did state, however, that there is insufficient co-ordination between the large number of regulatory bodies involved in licensing launches, and this continues to place unnecessary burdens of complexity and administration on companies.

The committee called on the government to convene all relevant bodies without delay to take steps now to improve the licensing system of UK satellite launch, and to examine whether regulations in the Space Industry Act 2018 need amendment in the light of experience in practice.

Disjointed Approach

The MPs also said the UK needs to publish its strategy on Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilitiesglobal navigation services needed for critical national infrastructure and defence purposes.

The report said: The government continues to delay key decisions that need to be made about the UKs critical Position, Navigation, and Timing capabilities.

It has long promised to update its PNT strategy but work on this topic has been passed between departments and teams and is yet to amount to any meaningful plan.

This demonstrates how the disjointed approach to leadership of the UKs space and satellite sector is hampering progress on important matters.

The MP said the government should not delay the publication of the strategy any further.

A government spokesperson said: The government remains committed to supporting the development of a dynamic UK spaceflight sector.

Our world-leading regulations are responsive to changing demands, and our 50 million investment is on track to deliver more orbital launches from next year.

All this work is designed to make the UK the leading provider of commercial small satellite launch in Europe by 2030, generating more jobs and growth across the country.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Officials in New Yorks Long Island on July 14 arrested a suspect in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killer case, authorities confirmed, as police sources have revealed the name of the alleged killer. In 2010 and 2011, officials found 11 sets of human remains along a beach highway in what was believed to be the work of a serial killer, sending shockwaves throughout Long Island. Previously, police said that some of the slain victims who were identified were possibly working as prostitutes or escorts via Craigslist.

The Biden administration announced a $39 billion student loan forgiveness plan for 804,000 borrowers as part of fixes in administrative failures that had held up relief for borrowers under their income-driven repayment plans. The decision comes after the Supreme Court voted last month to strike down the White Houses plan.

The House passed a sweeping annual defense bill that includes GOP-led amendments to restrict abortion coverage and transgender procedures, and eliminate diversity initiatives at the Pentagon.
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to end a Pentagon policy that pays for service members to travel out of state for abortions. Republicans also passed other amendments pushing back against Pentagon policies.

Whether its de-risking, de-coupling, or diversifying when it comes to China, Congressman Mike Gallagher says we shouldnt be funding our own destruction. NTD spoke to the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP after a June 13 hearing.

More than 100 million people across the United States are under some form of heat advisory, and doctors are warning about heat burnsbut not just from the sun.

Topics in this episode include:

1. US Heat Wave Causing Sunburn, Dehydration

2. White House Cocaine Probe Concludes

3. Actors Union Goes on Strike

4. How AI and Streaming Impact Actors

5. House Votes to End Pentagon Abortion Travel Policy

6. House Votes to Eliminate Pentagon Diversity Programs

7. House Select Committee on the CCP Holds Hearing

8. House Probes Religious Suppression in China

9. California Child Trafficking Bill Gets 2nd Chance

10. Senior Russian General Fired: Audio

11. Biden in Finland: Putin Already Lost War

12. Biden Authorizes Call-Up of 3,000 Reserve Troops

13. Wagner Mercenary Group Doesnt Exist: Putin

14. Germany Presents Long-Awaited China Strategy

15. Brawl Erupts in Kosovos Parliament

16. Airport Chaos: German Activists Block Runways

17. Transgender Person Wins Miss Netherlands

18. Angel Studios on Impact of Sound of Freedom

19. WHO Group Says Aspartame a Possible Carcinogen

20. CDC: 9% of Kids Have Developmental Disability

21. No Farmers No Food Documentary Panel Discussion

22. How to Make Wimbledons Iconic DrinkPimms!
KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 13:42 | Arts, Feature, All

Renowned Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's animation film "Kimitachi wa Do Ikiru ka" (How Do You Live?) was released Friday in Japan after a lack of promotion that had left fans guessing about his first feature film in 10 years.

The limited information available before the release of the latest Studio Ghibli Inc. film included a poster, revealed in December 2022, of a bird-like creature with white and blue feathers.

The 124-minute film by 82-year-old Miyazaki, who came out of retirement for it, features a boy who lost his mother in a fire in Japan during wartime.

He wanders into a mysterious world guided by a gray heron while looking for his father's expected new partner who has gone missing.

The film's title comes from a 1937 best-selling novel by Genzaburo Yoshino, an editor and writer of children's literature. The novel shows up in the film as a book read by the main character.

Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki said at a Tokyo event in late June that the decision to eschew advertising had been taken due to concern that over-promotion of previous movies may have led audience interest to "wane a bit."

But he also revealed that Miyazaki was worried about its lack of promotion.

Dozens lined up for the first screening at a movie theater in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward.

A 27-year-old company employee described the film as a "culmination" of Miyazaki's anime world. "I can't digest it by just watching it once and I feel like I want to watch it again immediately," he said.

As fans tried to learn more about the mysterious film before its opening day, interest in related printed works grew. Publishers of Yoshino's book and a comic book based on it said they had decided to issue reprints.

Miyazaki's works are popular in Japan and overseas. His fantasy movie "Spirited Away" won the prestigious Golden Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2002 and the American Academy Award for Animated Feature Film in 2003.

His other major works include the 1988 classic hit "My Neighbor Totoro," "Princess Mononoke" in 1997 and "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" in 1984.

The Japanese animator announced his retirement in 2013 as "The Wind Rises" was being screened, citing difficulties in making films due to his age. But he later retracted the statement.

Related coverage:

FEATURE: Asian fans flock to "Crash Landing" hit drama site in Switzerland

FEATURE: Anime "Slam Dunk," "Suzume" locations in Japan a magnet for tourists

FEATURE: Manga drawings preserved on "washi" for generations to come
The Biden administration says over 800,000 borrowers will have $39 billion in student debt wiped away in the coming weeksdue to administrative fixes that will result in more people passing the existing 20- or 25-year forgiveness threshold.

Illinois landlords will soon be required to rent their property to illegal immigrants who otherwise qualify, due to a bill signed recently by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Some lawmakers are advocating the reintroduction of the American Rescue Plan. They aim to restore the COVID-19-era monthly payments for young children.

Topics in this episode include:

1. Administrative Fixes Wipe $39B Student Debt

2. Democrats Seek to Expand Child Tax Credit

3. Suspect in Decade-Old Murders in Custody

4. Amendment Would End Military Abortion Policy

5. GOP Candidates at Family Leadership Summit

6. Dems Call to Stop Deepfake AI Campaign Ads

7. Good Bank Earnings Report: Strategist

8. Monday Is Deadline to Claim 2019 Tax Refund

9. Race-Based Hiring in Private Companies

10. Calif. Considers Making Wastewater Drinkable

11. Biden Administration Targets Refrigerants

12. Costco Adds Star of Death Mark to Bud Light

13. Cannabis Use Landing More Youth in E.R.

14. Law Bans Refusal of Illegal Immigrant Tenants

15. Lawmakers Question FEMAs Role in Immigration

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25. Cool Cat Heals Post-Traumatic Disorder

26. 2023 Comedy Pet Photo Awards

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28. Why Time on Your Own Can Be Good for You

29. Gerbers Photo Search Winner Is Adorable!
Oklahoma Murder Conviction Reversed Due to Sexual Relationship Between Judge, Prosecutor

Judge Timothy Henderson listens to testimony during the sentencing of Daniel Holtzclaw in Oklahoma City on Jan. 21, 2016. (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)

OKLAHOMA CITYAn Oklahoma appeals court on Thursday threw out a first-degree murder conviction because of a sexual relationship between the judge and a prosecutor in the case.

In a 32 decision, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a new trial for defendant Robert Leon Hashagen III, who was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2021. Mr. Hashagens attorneys later appealed after new evidence emerged of an undisclosed sexual relationship between the trial court judge, Timothy Henderson, and one of the prosecutors in the case.

The majority opinion found that the undisclosed relationship violated Hashagens due process rights.

Mr. Henderson resigned in March 2021 after three female attorneys came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

Mr. Henderson was never charged and has described the sexual involvement with two of the women as consensual.

My rulings were fair and supported by the evidence and facts presented by the attorneys, Mr. Henderson said at an evidentiary hearing in November 2021.

Mr. Henderson presided over a number of high-profile criminal trials as a judge, including that of ex-Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, who Mr. Henderson sentenced to life in prison in 2016 after he was convicted of raping and sexually victimizing women while on his beat in Oklahoma City.
Poilievre Pledges to Speed Up Housing Approval Following CMHC Report on Slow Times for Toronto, Vancouver

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 8, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Following a report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) saying Vancouver and Toronto have the slowest approval times for building new homes, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pledged to speed up the process of building homes in Canada.

Slow permits mean higher prices. Higher prices mean Canadians cant afford to put roof over head, Mr. Poilievre said during a press conference in Vancouver on July 14.

A Poilievre-led government will incentivize our cities to speed up and lower the cost of building permits to free up land so builders can build, build, build.

The CMHC and Statistics Canadas Municipal Land Use and Regulation Survey, released July 13, estimated that an additional 3.5 million new units (pdf) are needed by 2030 for affordability in Canada to be restored.

The report noted that long approval times for new developments can make building projects more costly, and that among the surveyed land use regulations, approval time for new projects is the most important survey factor to explain differences in housing affordability between regions.

The CMHC found that the Greater Toronto and Greater Vancouver Areas have the longest approval times in Canadaalmost four times as long as regions with more affordable housing. The approval delay index, which is normalized as 100 for the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, is used to compare the time it takes to approve new projects. It is 101 in Vancouver, and 60 for the rest of B.C. For Ontario, excluding Toronto, the index is 52.

Average Asking Rents in Canada Hits Record High

Mr. Poilievre also referenced a new report by Rent.ca, which found that average asking rents in Canada hit a record high of $2,042 in June 2023, which surpassed the previous record of $2,024 that was set back in November 2022 by 0.9 percent.

It now takes 25 years in Canadas biggest city to save up for a downpayment. It used to be, before Trudeau, 25 years is what it took to pay off a mortgage. Now its what it takes just to get a mortgage, Mr. Poilievre said. Nine in 10 of our young people believe they will never afford a home. This is the first generation of youth in Canadian history that has given up on homeownership.

Mr. Poilievre said he would require big cities like Vancouver and Toronto to boost home building permits by 15 percent per year or lose access to federal grants. He also repeated his promise to require every federally funded transit station to have high-density apartments built all around and sometimes even on top of them.

The Conservative leader pointed out that Squamish Nation has its own reserve land and doesnt have to follow the bureaucracy at Vancouver city hall. As a result, the nation is building the largest indigenous-led housing retail development in Canadian history, which will supply 6,000 housing units.

The gatekeepers are out of the way and the Squamish use common sense to get a project approved and shovels in the ground. Thats what were going to replicate, Mr. Poilievre said, highlighting his plans to sell off 6,000 federal buildings and thousands of acres of federal land to build more housing units.

The dream of homeownership, which was achievable only eight years ago, will be realized once again, he said.
Private-equity firms have been buying up individual physician practices at a rapidly increasing rate over the past decade and raising prices for millions of Americans, according to a study released this week.

The rise in acquisitions by investor groups of market share in the health care industry are leading to higher treatment costs, the study showed.

When private insurers pay higher prices, this in turn contributes to high insurance premiums, which patients are then forced to pay for through out-of-pocket expenses.

The joint report, Monetizing Medicine: Private Equity and Competition in Physician Practice Markets, was released on July by the American Antitrust Institute, the University of California at Berkeley, and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

The study focused on private-equity roll ups of private physician practices in which investors bought up several offices in a city to consolidate a significant share of the market to form larger companies, allowing the new owners to increase treatment prices.

The authors of the report used data on deals from a company called PitchBook, which they then matched with doctors in a health care claims database to calculate payments from private health insurers.

Investor Groups Buying Out Small Medical Practices

Private-equity firms, which gather funds from institutional investors and individuals to form investment funds, have long purchased companies using debt with the intent on reselling them in a few years.

The industry is now focusing on the health care sector as an investment and are purchasing private medical practices at a steady pace.

Private medical practices have been relatively small historically and are owned by the doctors themselves.

The old model has been rapidly declining as the medical business becomes more complex and health insurance companies, which negotiate with doctors over prices, have gained more bargaining power.

Were seeing a fundamental change in how medicine is being practiced in the U.S., Richard Scheffler, a professor of health economics and public policy at Berkeley and Director of the Petris Center, told The New York Times.

Nearly 70 percent of all doctors are employed by either a hospital or a corporation, as of 2021, according to a recent paper published by the Physicians Advocacy Institute.

Meanwhile, over 25 percent of local health care markets are now controlled by a single private-equity firm that owns more than 30 percent of medical practices in a given specialty in 2021. It was also found that in 13 percent of markets, privately owned health care providers employed more than half the local specialists.

Hospitals and insurance companies have also bought out many independent physicians practices.

Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, one of the nations largest insurers, now employs roughly 70,000 physicians.

Many physicians concede to having their practice being bought by a hospital or private equity firm since many gain financial relief in office administration and technological assistance.

Private Equity Acquisitions Causing Health Care Costs to Rise

The study further noted that health care costs rose in 80 percent of medical specialist areas after private-equity firms bought out existing practices.

Where these entities took over more than 30 percent of a local market, gastroenterology, dermatology, and obstetrics and gynecology costs increased by double digits.

Gastroenterologist prices jumped 14 percent, oncologists rose 16 percent, while ophthalmologists saw a 9 percent increase, the report said. The cost of care obstetrics and gynecology by 16 percent, and dermatology 13 percent.

Increased attention to the competition impacts of PE [private equity] in physician markets is urgently needed, the report said.

The pace at which PE is entering these markets and monetizing medicine makes a quick response imperative and that price increases associated with PE acquisitions are exceptionally high where a PE firm controls a competitively significant share of the local market.

However, private-equity firms argue that their investments in medicine have beneficially improved administrative efficiency and free up doctors to focus more on their patients.

Health care administrative costs are four times more than the average of other wealthy countries and about the same as spent on preventive or long-term healthcare.

Private investors are more prone toward eliminating inefficiencies and administrative waste in general as they cut into profits.

Private-equity investment is helping improve patient care and ensuring that residents have high-quality facilities in their local communities, Drew Maloney, president of the American Investment Council, a private equity industry group, told the The Washington Post.

By partnering with private equity firms, physicians have more time to focus on caring for patients and benefit from experienced management teams, better technology, and stronger networks, Mr. Maloney said.

Authorities Looking to Prevent Medical Sector Monopoly

The massive buyout of the American health sector by private equity is beginning to attract additional scrutiny from policymakers and medical associations.

House lawmakers have proposed new legislation, like the PATIENT Act of 2023, which requires health care companies to provide additional details on acquisitions by private firms, as these are currently hard to track.

Antitrust regulators at the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have also recently signaled concerns about the effects of private investment on the industry.

To the extent that private-equity transactions and conduct are focused on short-term gains and aggressive cost-cutting in the health care space, they can lead to disastrous patient outcomes, warned Deputy Assistant Attorney General Andrew Forman in a June 2022 speech.

The American Medical Associations (AMA) House of Delegates has also taken up the issue, as some members worry about the independence of their profession.

The AMA said it will study and clarify the ethical challenges and considerations regarding physician professionalism raised by the advent and expansion of private-equity ownership or management of physician practices and report back on the status of any ethical dimensions inherent in these arrangements, including consideration of the need for ethical guidelines as appropriate.

The report recommended eight immediate policy reforms, including improved monitoring of private-equity acquisitions of small medical practices, greater transparency about ownership, lower barriers to entry for health care providers, the elimination of regulatory loopholes, and toughen legal penalties for equity firms regarding the actions of their portfolio companies.

The authors further recommended improvements to the Medicare payment system for doctors by improving their ability to cover costs and making them less susceptible to acquisitions.

What topics would you like to read about? Please let us know at health@epochtimes.nyc
Proposed Defense Bill Mandates Investigation Into US Parts in Chinese Spy Balloon

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) holds a hearing to review the presidents fiscal year 2024 budget request for the National Guard and Reserve in Washington on June 1, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

A new amendment to critical national defense legislation would require the Biden administration to investigate how American technologies wound up in a Chinese spy balloon and how to prevent it from happening again.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), whos leading a Senate investigation into the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental United States in February, said that he would introduce the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which funds the years defense budget.

The amendment would require the federal government to assess how commercial technologies can be used by foreign espionage programs and how to prevent that from happening in the future.

Mr. Testers announcement of the amendment comes shortly after a report by The Wall Street Journal found that the spy balloon contained some parts that were originally manufactured in the United States.

This brazen incursion of the Chinese Spy Balloon into U.S. airspace was unacceptable, and we cant let it happen again, Mr. Tester said in a July 13 statement.

I was disturbed to learn the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took advantage of American technology during the incursion, and we need a full accounting of any and all commercially available technology that is being turned on Americans in foreign espionage programs.

China Used US Tech to Spy on Nuclear Facilities



The Chinese spy balloon first entered the airspace over the continental United States above Mr. Testers state of Montana. From there, it proceeded to fly over three sites associated with the United States nuclear program: Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Malmstrom contains 150 of the United States 400 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile silos. Offutt is home to U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the U.S. militarys nuclear arsenal. Whiteman operates the Air Forces nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bomber.

The White House confirmed that a spy balloon program linked to Chinas military targeted the United States and its allies for espionage. The Senate followed this by formally condemning the incident as an invasion of U.S. territory by Chinas communist regime.

The revelation that the device relied on U.S.-made technologies to conduct its mission has added to fears that the flow of advanced technologies from the nation to Chinas communist regime is continuing largely unabated.

The regime claimed that the balloon was a civilian airship.

Mr. Tester, who serves as chair for the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, said during a February hearing that he would hold to account those responsible for allowing the balloon to enter U.S. airspace.

Make no mistake about it, what China did last week was completely unacceptable and a real threat to American sovereignty, Mr. Tester said at the time. It deserves a real response from a united America.

I am prepared to hold anyone accountable, including the people seated before this committee today, to get real answers. This administration owes Americans answers not only on what happened this week, but on what steps theyre going to take to ensure that this never happens again.

Amendment Mandates Investigation, Congressional Report



Mr. Testers bipartisan amendment to the NDAA would also mandate that a report be made to Congress about its proposed threat assessment and would direct the Departments of Commerce, State, and the Treasury to use that report when modifying export controls.

By doing this, Mr. Tester believes that the administration can better ensure that American-made technology doesnt make its way into the CCPs hands.

To that end, on July 12, he also issued an open letter to key members of the Biden administration that demanded that the administration investigate how American-made technologies came to be used in the CCP spy balloon.

The fact that the Chinese Communist Party was able to use our technology in their spy program is extremely troubling and must be immediately analyzed, Mr. Tester wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

This is a clear demonstration that our current defense and technology export controls may not be adequately preventing or dissuading adversaries from using our own technology against us.

Mr. Tester is also seeking to increase the defense budget to ensure that the Pentagon can better address emerging threats from the CCP.

With that in mind, he wrote in his letter that the administration owed it to the American people to get answers as to how the whole incident was allowed to occur in the first place, and said that further increasing export controls to prevent the flow of technology to China is necessary.

Montanans want answers and the assurance this wont happen again, and this provision is a step in the right direction, Mr. Tester wrote.

I expect this Administration, and the individual departments you oversee, to take whatever necessary action is required to bolster our export controls so that this doesnt happen again.
Public Pressure Forces California Committee to Revive Child Sex Trafficking Bill

After a child sex trafficking bill was killed by the Assembly Public Safety Committee July 11, pressure from the public, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and the governor led to an abrupt about-face July 13, with the committee passing the measure in a tense, one-minute meeting.

Following a contentious debate on the floor about how to proceed, a change to the rules was made that allowed the committee to meet and reconsider Senate Bill 14authored by Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield)which would strengthen sentencing guidelines for those convicted of repeatedly sexually trafficking children.

Members of both parties, including the governor, welcomed the committees change of course.

Human trafficking is a sick crime. We must do more to protect vulnerable people, especially kids, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsoms office told The Epoch Times in a statement July 13. Its great to see SB 14 making progress, and we look forward to working with the Legislature on this.

Just a day ago, comments by Mr. Newsom suggested he was involved in discussions behind the scenes and potentially integral in the fast pace of the reversal.

I talked to Senator Grove about it  which is indicative of my desire to see what we can do, Mr. Newsom told reporters after the bill initially failed. I take it very seriously, and well be following up and will have something to say about it soon.

Calling the committees decision to pass her bill a major victory for child sex trafficking victims, Ms. Grove expressed her desire to see the bipartisan legislation move forward quickly.

Protecting victims of child sex trafficking should not be a partisan issue, she said in a press release July 13. Today is a victory for every survivor, but the battle is not over.

Before becoming embroiled in a partisan struggle in the safety committee, the bill cleared multiple other committees and the Senate floor with unanimous bipartisan support. Lawmakers reacted forcefully when the bill was originally killed July 11 by the Democratic members of the committeeMia Bonta (D-Oakland), Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City), Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), Liz Ortega (D-Hayward), Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), and Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles).

After voting against the bill, Ms. Ortega posted an apology on Twitter July 13, vowing to push for its passage going forward.

On Tuesday, I made a bad decision. Voting against legislation targeting really bad people who traffic children was wrong, she wrote. I regret doing that and I am going to help get this important legislation passed into law.

Assemblywoman Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) expressed relief at the eventual outcome.

This week the Assembly Democrats entangled themselves in a battle over whether the act of trafficking children should be considered a serious felony, Ms. Dixon said in a July 13 press release. I am relieved they reversed course and did the right thing for our State.

A committee member that supported the bill in its initial hearing said he was grateful to see the legislation clear the hurdle but suggested it should have never been held up.

I am very pleased this bill has been rescued and moved forward, Assemblyman Juan Alanis (R-Modesto)Public Safety Committee vice-chairtold The Epoch Times by email. It took two extra days for the right thing to get done, but it got done.

From the moment the decision to kill the bill was made Tuesday, public outrage has been palpable, as members of the audience immediately voiced their displeasure with cries of cowards and horrible, and constituents from across the state expressed their disbelief by calling their representatives and posting their thoughts on social media.

Lawmakers seeking to see the bill passed told The Epoch Times that support from the public was paramount in forcing the public safety committee to reconsider.

The understandable public backlash at the majority for blocking this bill, a bill which passed not just with bipartisan support, but unanimously in the Senate, helped to rescue this legislation and have it moved forward today, Mr. Alanis said.

Numerous phone calls and messages poured in to elected officials offices in response to the bills failure, with supporters of the measure saying the issue is more important than politics, and intense public scrutiny led to the quick response, according to lawmakers.

Its completely outrageous that a bill with such broad support would once again be stopped by this radical Public Safety Committee, Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) told The Epoch Times. The public backlash was heard loud and clear.

How the rules were changed on the Assembly floor proved to be a dramatic exercise, as Republicans intended to make a motion to withdraw the bill from the safety committee and bring it directly to the floor for a roll call vote. But Democrats superseded their plan by introducing a motion, which ultimately passed, to allow the safety committee to meet at the adjournment of todays floor session.

The quickly-convened Assembly Public Safety Committee meeting on Thursday lasted one minute and 18 seconds, with Mr. Jones-Sawyerthe committee chairoverseeing the short proceedings with no discussion or debate allowed.

Motions were subsequently called, and the votes were recorded, with the chair screaming aye into the microphonea distinct change from his comment two days prior that he was a no vote, now Im not voting.

Three other committee members also changed their minds, moving from not voting to ayesMs. Ortega, Mr. Santiago, and Mr. Zburthus allowing the bill to pass.

Audience members in attendance erupted in boisterous applause when the motion passed.

Two Assemblymembers, Ms. Bonta and Mr. Bryan, chose not to vote, and both walked out before the brief meeting concluded.

Following the approval by the safety committee, the proposal will next be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee once legislative meetings resume in August after the summer recess.

One member of the committee has already declared her intention to approve the bill.

I will gladly vote in support, Ms. Dixonrepresenting Newport Beachsaid.

Fellow lawmakers are anxious to see the bill proceed and stress the urgency of the matter.

We do have a crisis when it comes to human trafficking in California, as we have some of the highest rates, Mr. Gallagherthe assemblyman from Yuba Citytold The Epoch Times. Our children are in jeopardy, theyre being victimized, and there needs to be serious penalties, post haste.

This story was updated on July 13, 2023, to include the names of the Democratic members of the California State Assembly Public Committee in attendance at the July 11 committee hearing.
Companies buoying Chinas oppression: beware. A 12-year-old lawsuit against tech firm Cisco has now been revived by a California court.

Chinas exports are hitting a record decline. As its economy spirals, will the crisis reach the United States?

Tens of thousands have been evacuated. A bridge was caught overflowing with water. Severe floods are soaking regions across China.

An unusual U.S.China meeting takes place at the Pentagon. Is Beijing finally ready to address the silence between two of the worlds strongest militaries?

Topics in this episode:
Sam Bankman-Fried Attorneys Ask Judge to Remove Security Measures for Close Friends Visiting

Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, arrives on the day of a hearing at Manhattan federal court in New York on Jan. 3, 2023. (David Dee Delgado/Reuters)

Lawyers for Sam Bankman-Fried on July 13 asked the judge overseeing his criminal prosecution to allow close friends and colleagues of the former FTX founders parents to visit him at his home without a security guard having to be present or conduct security checks.

Mr. Bankman-Fried was extradited to the United States from the Bahamas in December 2022 and is currently confined to his parents home in Palo Alto, California.

He has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, commodities fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, and fraud against the United States in relation to the collapse of the cryptocurrency company.

The former businessman was placed under house arrest after being released on a $250 million bond.

However, as part of his bail conditions, visitors at Mr. Bankman-Frieds parents home must abide by certain security measures, according to a letter to New York District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan sent by lawyers representing Mr. Bankman-Fried.

These include signing an electronic visitor log when they enter the property and allowing a security guard present at the house to screen them for any electronic devices.

Currently, only those visitors who are pre-approved by the Court, including Mr. Bankman-Frieds lawyers and employees of his contracted law firm, are exempt from the security checks.

Close Friends, Household Help

The former FTX founders lawyers asked Mr. Kaplan for those exceptions to be extended to close friends and colleagues of his parents as well as household help that regularly visit the house.

These individuals are aware of and will abide by Mr. Bankman-Frieds bail conditions, including the prohibition on sharing Prohibited Electronic Devices with Mr. Bankman-Fried, the lawyers wrote.

The Government has reviewed the list of names and has no objection to the request, they continued. Accordingly, we respectfully request that the Court approve the list of people so that they are exempt from the security procedures referenced above.

The lawyers further asked the court to keep the list of names under seal, citing privacy and safety concerns which they said greatly outweigh any presumption of access to the list.

Previously, Mr. Kaplan ruled that Mr. Bankman-Fried cannot contact any current or former employees of FTX or Alameda Research while under house arrest.

FTX Downfall

Mr. Bankman-Fried once had an estimated net worth of $26 billion but suffered a spectacular downfall in November 2022 when FTX, once valued at $32 billion, filed for bankruptcy protection amid a liquidity crisis.

At the time of the collapse, it was revealed that FTXs sister hedge fund, Alameda Research, had been using FTX customer assets to keep itself propped up.

Prosecutors allege that Mr. Bankman-Fried engaged in a scheme to defraud FTXs customers by misappropriating customers deposits and using them to pay the expenses and debts of Alameda Research.

They also accuse him of making tens of millions of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to both Democratic and Republican candidates and campaign committees that were not under his name.

Court filings published in June by the companys new leadership alleged that Mr. Bankman-Fried and other senior executives had been lying to banks about the suspicious movements of customer and corporate funds as far back as 2020 so that they could use the funds instead to purchase luxury Caribbean real estate, and make political donations in order to bolster their power and influence.

Mr. Bankman-Fried has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the collapse of FTX.

A trial for Mr. Bankman-Fried was initially scheduled to begin on Oct. 2, but five of the charges he faces were subsequently split into a second trial that will begin on March 11, 2024.
3 Gang Members Plead Guilty in Fatal Shooting of LAPD Officer

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Michel Moore speaks at the funeral of LAPD Officer Fernando Arroyos at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, on Feb. 2, 2022. (Irfan Khan/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELESThree members of a street gang have pleaded guilty on the eve of trial to their roles in the robbery and fatal shooting of Los Angeles Police Department Officer Fernando Arroyos who was gunned down in January 2022 while off-duty and house-hunting with his girlfriend, officials announced on July 14.

The defendantsLuis Alfredo de la Rosa Rios, 29; Ernesto Cisneros, 24; and Jesse Contreras, 35each pleaded guilty on July 13 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which allows the government to punish criminals associated with gangs and crime organizations, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The trial was set to begin on July 11 in Los Angeles federal court for the three. A fourth defendant, Haylee Marie Grisham, 20, a gang associate who was Mr. Rioss girlfriend, entered her guilty plea to the charge in April.

According to plea agreements filed Thursday, on the night of Jan. 10, 2022, the defendants were driving around the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles looking for someone to rob when they came upon Mr. Arroyos, who was wearing gold chains around his neck.

Mr. Rios and Mr. Cisneros exited a black pickup and confronted Arroyos, a three-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, and his girlfriend as they were searching for a home to purchase in the area.

The two gang members pointed guns at the victims and removed property from both, including a wallet and two silver chains from Mr. Arroyos neck. At some point after Mr. Cisneros removed Mr. Arroyos chains, the off-duty officer and the gang members exchanged gunfire, according to court documents.

Mr. Arroyos sustained a single gunshot wound, ran from the area, and collapsed in an alley as the two defendants left the scene in the truck.

Funeral services for LAPD Officer Fernando Arroyos, who was shot and killed in January, takes place at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, on Feb. 2, 2022. (Irfan Khan/Getty Images)

Responding law officers found bystanders performing CPR on Mr. Arroyos. The officers loaded Mr. Arroyos into a patrol car and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives retrieved a loaded handgun from the scene belonging to one of the suspects, and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department received a report of a man suffering from a gunshot wound in the area of Junction Street and East 60th Street about a mile-and-a-half from the site of the shooting.

Investigators later determined the wounded man was Mr. Cisneros, who had sustained the gunshot during the shootout with Mr. Arroyos. Mr. Contreras was also found in the area hiding inside the garage of his residence in the 5900 block of Junction Street, where a second handgun was retrieved.

Mr. Rios and Ms. Grishamwho were then a couplewere later found and taken into custody at their home.

Mr. Rios and Mr. Contreras further admitted in their plea agreements to committing armed robberies against two victims outside a bar in the Florence-Firestone area earlier the same day.

The three gang members pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson, who scheduled sentencing hearings on Sept. 25 for Mr. Rios and Mr. Contreras, and an Oct. 16 sentencing hearing for Mr. Cisneros. As a result of their guilty pleas, each defendant faces up to life in federal prison. Prosecutors have agreed to seek terms of between 35 and 50 years in prison for Mr. Rios and Mr. Cisneros, and a term of 35 years for Mr. Contreras.

Ms. Grishams sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 11.

Fernando Arroyos. (Courtesy of Los Angeles Police Department)

This case starkly illustrates the devastating impact of gangs on our community, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement.

A young man who had achieved great success and returned to serve his community as a Los Angeles Police officer was murdered while shopping for a home in the city he took an oath to protect, said Mr. Estrada. These senseless tragedies are repeated too often. Our work in this case sends a message that we will aggressively prosecute violence against our community.

Former Sheriff Alex Villanueva indicated at the time of the arrests that he directed detectives to take the case to federal prosecutors because of his opposition to District Attorney George Gascons decision to no longer pursue sentencing enhancements in gang cases.

Those enhancements in a murder case can mean the difference between a life term with the possibility of parole and never being released from prison.
State AGs Tell Top 100 CEOs That SCOTUS Affirmative Action Ruling Applies to Them Too

AGs say companies must immediately cease any unlawful race-based preferences

State attorneys general from Tennessee, Kansas, and 11 other states put 100 of Americas largest corporations on notice that, following the Supreme Court decision against racial discrimination at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, private companies would be held to the same standard.

In a July 13 letter to CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, the AGs wrote that the Supreme Courts recent decision should place every employer and contractor on notice of the illegality of racial quotas and race-based preferences in employment and contracting practices.

If your company previously resorted to racial preferences or naked quotas to offset its bigotry, that discriminatory path is now definitively closed, the letter reads. Your company must overcome its underlying bias and treat all employees, all applicants, and all contractors equally, without regard for race.

The letter, authored by Kansas AG Kris Kobach and Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti, was co-signed by AGs from Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana.

They charged that the following companies, among others, had enacted racial hiring, promotion, or contracting quotas: Airbnb, Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, Lyft, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Snapchat, TikTok, Uber, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase. In all, they said, 27 banks, tech companies, and consulting firms set explicit racial hiring quotas, which courts have consistently ruled are illegal under U.S. law.

A Google sign at the companys office in San Francisco on April 12, 2023. (Jeff Chiu/AP Photo)

According to a Harvard Business Review 2022 survey, more than 60 percent of U.S. companies had a race or gender-based diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program. Following the 2020 death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of police officers, numerous companies, including Wells Fargo, United Airlines, JPMorgan Chase, Delta Airlines, Ralph Lauren, and Estee Lauder, announced race-based hiring and promotion policies.

In July 2021, Facebooks chief diversity officer Maxine Williams wrote that the company had exceeded its goal of increasing leadership roles held by people of color by 30 percent and would meet its goal of spending $1.1 billion on diverse-owned businesses.

Supreme Court Ends Race-Based Admissions

On June 29, the Supreme Court ruled that race-based admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment.

In rendering this decision, the justices wrote: Proposed by Congress and ratified by the States in the wake of the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment provides that no State shall deny to any person . . . the equal protection of the laws.

Proponents of the Equal Protection Clause described its foundation[al] principle as not permit[ing] any distinctions of law based on race or color, the justices wrote. Any law which operates upon one man [should] operate equally upon all  Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.

President Lyndon B. Johnson shakes the hand of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the signing of the Civil Rights Act while officials look on in Washington on July 2, 1964. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

While this ruling concerned university admissions policies, the Supreme Court also argued that U.S. civil rights laws were applicable, which would apply to private companies as well. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act bars racial discrimination for any entity that receives federal funds; Title VII bars discrimination in employment and applies to private companies.

In addition, a number of states, including New York, California, and New Jersey, have laws that mirror the Civil Rights Acts prohibition on racial discrimination in private employment. Some state laws allow for uncapped punitive damages to employees for racial discrimination, and a court in New Jersey awarded a white Starbucks employee $20 million in punitive damages in June, ruling that the company had fired her on racial grounds.

Gulf-Sized Race-Based Gaps Exist

In the dissenting opinion to the Supreme Court ruling, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote: Gulf-sized race-based gaps exist with respect to the health, wealth, and well-being of American citizens.

They were created in the distant past, but have indisputably been passed down to the present day through the generations, she stated. Every moment these gaps persist is a moment in which this great country falls short of actualizing one of its foundational principlesthe self-evident truth that all of us are created equal.

The states AG letter said that companies must immediately cease any unlawful race-based quotas or preferences.

Responsible corporations interested in supporting underprivileged individuals and communities can find many lawful outlets to do so, they wrote. But drawing crude lines based on skin color is not a lawful outlet.

Erin Wilcox, an attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, said that while some companies may choose to eliminate race-based policies following the Supreme Court ruling, others will continue to use racial criteria or use proxy policies that do not explicitly state racial terms but find other criteria that achieve the same goal.

The Supreme Court decision may accelerate a trend that the current economic downturn had already started, which is reducing corporate diversity programs. According to a February report by Revelio Labs, in collaboration with the Washington Post and Reuters, diversity programs are being hit hard by corporate layoffs in the finance and tech sectors.

Attrition rates for DEI roles have outpaced those of non-DEI roles at more than 600 US companies that laid off workers since late 2020, and have accelerated quickly in the last 6 months, the report stated. Further, over 300 DEI professionals have left from these companies in the last six months. Amazon, Twitter, and Nike have shed between 5 and 16 DEI professionals each, and Twitters infamous diversity team layoffs are not far behind.

The Epoch Times reached out to Airbnb, Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, Lyft, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Snapchat, TikTok, Uber, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase for comment regarding this article but did not receive a reply.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 13:39 | All, World, Japan

Japanese truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd. has pulled out of the Russian market as it was unable to resume production following a halt due to the war in Ukraine, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.

The company sold its stake in the business to Russian automaker Sollers, which has taken over Isuzu's factory and about 200 employees, the source said.

Isuzu was forced to halt production in Russia in March 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine disrupted its parts supply.

That caused the truck maker to book a special loss of 1.7 billion yen ($12 million) in the fiscal year ended March. The company had said in November 2022 that it was considering exiting the Russian market.

Isuzu's vehicle production in Russia, which commenced in 2008, accounted for only 1 percent of its global commercial truck output prior to the war.

The Russian unit produced about 3,700 vehicles in 2021, according to the company website.
Supreme Court Justice Responds to Claims That High Court is Getting Political

The Supreme Court held a special sitting on September 30, 2022, for the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States/Getty Images)

Justice Brett Kavanaugh pushed back this week against claims that Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices are engaged in a partisan war against justices who were appointed by Democrats.

In comments to an audience in Minnesota, Mr. Kavanaugh said that the nine justices often find common ground on a range of issues in their rulings. He delivered those remarks several weeks after the courts session ended in late June.

We have lived up, in my estimation, to deciding cases based on law, not based on partisan affiliation or partisanship, Mr. Kavanaugh, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, told a crowd. We dont caucus in separate rooms. We dont meet separately. Were not sitting on different sides of the aisle at oral argument, so to speak, on the bench. We work as a group of nineas Ive said before, as a team of nine.

The justice added that the Supreme Court is an institution of law and is not of partisanship, not of politics.

You might hear a lot about one, two, three, four cases a term, but were doing 6070 cases a term, Mr. Kavanaugh added. A lot of them are 90, but then there might be a lot of 72, 63s with all sorts of different lineups.  The relationships withstand that, I think, because we are working together on so many different cases.

Mr. Kavanaugh also estimated that the nine justices eat lunch together dozens of times per year, saying that there is a rule at lunch [that] you cant talk about work.

Its a good rule, he continued. It builds relationships and friendships and then when we have tough casesand we only really have tough casesyou have a reservoir of good will toward each of the other people.

The remarks he made in Minnesota are the first public comments that a Supreme Court justice since the court recessed over the summer after making a handful of major decisions. In a 63 ruling, for example, the court struck down affirmative action rules for college admissions and also rejected President Joe Bidens student loan forgiveness plan.

A number of corporate news outlets, pundits, and Democratic Party politicians assailed the Republican-appointed justices for their decisions in those cases. But Mr. Kavanaugh said that he understands these cases are contentious and that the Supreme Court faces intense scrutiny.

Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh attend the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Feb. 5, 2019. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

You shouldnt be in this line of work if you dont like criticism, he said, according to multiple reports. Because youre going to get it. And youre going to get a lot of it.

He added: I just think the tone of how we do things in the profession has a kind of cascading effect. We live in a very polarized society of course, with a lot of tension, and I think we need as judges and lawyers to be the calm in that storm as best we can.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kavanaugh only briefly mentioned ethics issues surrounding some of the justices, including Democrat-appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Republican-appointed justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito in recent months. Instead, he deferred to a prior statement that was made by Chief Justice John Roberts, who in May said that the justices are continuing to work on the matter.

Thats accurate, he said. Im not going to add anything to what the chief justice has said on that topic.

It comes a few days after the Supreme Court issued a rare public statement that defended Mrs. Sotomayor against allegations that her staffers prodded various colleges to purchase her books. Reports, including one from The Associated Press, that cited records claimed that the Obama-appointed justice amassed a net worth of millions of dollars since she took the bench more than a decade ago.

Judges, including Justices, routinely travel and speak to university, college and law school audiences and affiliated individuals and entities. Judicial staff play an important role in assisting on issues of ethics, travel, and security, the Supreme Courts statement said. Chambers staff assist the Justices in complying with judicial ethics guidance for such visits, including guidance relating to judges publications.

For example, judicial ethics guidance suggests that a judge may sign copies of his or her work, which may also be available for sale, but there should be no requirement or suggestion that attendees are required to purchase books in order to attend, the statement added.
Supreme Court May Be Conservative But It Does Not Serve Republicans, Panel Hears

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. (Front LR) Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan. (Back LR) Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

The Supreme Court may be ideologically conservative at the moment but contrary to what critics claim, it does not do the bidding of the Republican Party, panelists heard July 13 during a discussion between legal experts and legal journalists at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in the nations capital.

The discussion came after a report earlier this week claimed liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayors staffers pressured colleges to purchase her books that helped her earn millions of dollars since she was appointed to the court in 2009 by then-President Barack Obama. In an unusual move, the Supreme Court, which rarely comments on the justices behavior, issued a statement defending Ms. Sotomayor and her staff.

In light of Democrats ongoing concerns about the ethics of Supreme Court justices, the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on July 13 on a judicial ethics reform bill, but its chairman, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), said at a hearing that day that the committee vote would instead take place sometime next week.

The proposed Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act (SCERT) of 2023 (S.359), introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), would direct the Supreme Court to issue a code of conduct governing its own members. The bill, which is opposed by Republicans, would also create a system allowing members of the public to file complaints against justices for violating the code of conduct or for engaging in conduct that undermines the integrity of the Supreme Court of the United States.

The panel, which was moderated by GianCarlo Canaparo, senior legal fellow at Heritages Edwin Meese III Center, comprised Jennifer Mascott, assistant law professor and co-executive director of the C. Boyden Gray Center at Antonin Scalia Law School; attorney Kannon Shanmugam of Paul, Weiss; Robert Barnes, reporter at The Washington Post; and Jess Bravin, reporter at The Wall Street Journal.

Contrary to the expectations of many, on June 8, the court voted 54 to strike down Alabamas electoral map, finding the map drawn by Republican state lawmakers was racially discriminatory and, therefore, a violation of the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA).

In Allen v. Milligan, the GOP-dominated state asked the court to weaken Section 2 of the VRA, which forbids voting procedures that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or membership in a large language minority group. But the court declined to do so, much to the relief of Democrats and left-wing activists.

And in Moore v. Harper, the court ruled 63 against North Carolina Republicans who argued that state legislatures have sweeping authority to make the rules for federal elections in the states without interference from the courts. Three conservative-leaning justices were in the majority; the other three dissented.

On June 27, the Supreme Court rejected the independent state legislature doctrine, under which Republicans say that the Constitution has always directly authorized state legislatures alone to make rules for conducting federal elections in their respective states. Democrats say it is a fringe conservative legal theory that could endanger voting rights, enable partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process, and cause upheaval in election administration.

Mr. Barnes said if the court had gone the other way in the case, it would have been a huge change in election lawthat state legislatures have almost unlimited power to decide the rules of federal elections and draw congressional maps even if theyre extremely partisan without any interference from state courts.

Although the court rejected the doctrine, Chief Justice John Roberts added a caveat saying state courts do not have free rein and cannot transgress ordinary bounds of judicial review, but did not explain what he meant, Mr. Barnes said.

Theyll know it when they see it, he added.

Mr. Shanmugam said Allen v. Milligan was an interesting case because italong with Moore v. Harperdefies the narrative that the conservative side of the court achieves conservative results in every single case.

Lawyers and pundits see the two cases differently, Mr. Shanmugam said.

There is an interesting debate about how significant this is between those who actually litigate the cases and those who want to characterize the court as moving in a particular direction.

Mr. Bravin said one of the broad takeaways from Allen v. Milligan and Moore v. Harper, is that this is a very conservative court, but you cant say it is a partisan Republican court that acts uniformly in the immediate political interests of the Republican Party.

Whatever nuances or reservations there might be for those two decisions, the immediate effect of both of those cases is to deny an electoral advantage that the Republican Party was seeking for the 2024 election, Mr. Bravin said.

So it certainly doesnt take away from the courts overall trajectory to the right, but it does, I think, belie arguments that it is purely an arm of the Republican Party.

Mr. Shanmugam said the six Republican appointees on the court are much less monolithic in their jurisprudential approach than the three Democratic appointees  [who] voted together [in] something like 88 percent of the courts cases.

The number was much lower for the Republican appointees, and I think that that reflects the fact there are some meaningful jurisprudential differences.

The court is moving more incrementally than critics of the court would have one believe.

Few observers were surprised when the court struck down President Joe Bidens student loan forgiveness program on June 30.

The court held 63, with all six conservative-leaning justices voting to invalidate the program and all three liberal-leaning justices voting to uphold it.

Biden unveiled the plan in a move that critics decried as a constitutionally dubious attempt to help Democrats in the November 2022 congressional elections.

In Biden v. Nebraska, Mr. Roberts, a member of the courts conservative bloc, wrote that the government overreached when it invoked the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (HEROES Act) to grant debt relief en masse.

The government modified the cited provisions [in the statute] only in the same sense that the French Revolution modified the status of the French nobilityit has abolished them and supplanted them with a new regime entirely, Mr. Roberts wrote.

Mr. Bravin said it was interesting that the chief justice expressed a broader concern about the way that administrative agencies have been acting.

It seemed Mr. Roberts was signaling a philosophical or broader jurisprudential view about the bounds of the executives autonomy to apply statutes.

The chief justice didnt leave it at just student loans, Mr. Bravin said, adding that Mr. Roberts said there was a pattern here.

Who was he talking to when he brings in those broader concerns that are not directly related to statutory interpretation of this student loan relief plan?

Mr. Shanmugam said, I think the chief justice was speaking to the lower courts.

Weve now had two opinions in two years that have relied expressly on this major questions doctrine, he said.

Under the relatively new major questions doctrine, when interpreting statutes, courts will presume that Congress is not delegating issues of major economic or political significance to executive agencies such as the Department of Education unless it says so. Conservatives favor the doctrine as a way of reining in the administrative state and an executive branch that, in their view, has too much power.

And perhaps not coincidentally, thats occurring at a time when we have an administration that is in the process of deciding some enormously consequential issues through rulemaking, the attorney said.

And those rules are inevitably going to be challengedspoiler alertin part based on the major questions doctrine, and lower courts in short order are going to have to grapple with those arguments.

The student debt opinions reliance on the major questions doctrine was intended to put a little bit more by way of meat on the bones on this doctrine, Mr. Shanmugam said.

On June 30, the court ruled 63 in favor of a Christian website designer who said that Colorados law requiring her to create websites to celebrate same-sex weddings infringed on her constitutional rights.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis that Colorado may not force an individual to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance.

Ms. Sotomayor dissented, writing, Today, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class.

The case pitted the interests in free speech, First Amendment-protected interests, against the interests of LGBTQ individuals, Mr. Shanmugam said.

But the court skirted the issue of the free exercise of religion when it took pains to grant review only on the question of free speech, he said.

And that struck the issue of religion out of the equation, leaving for another day the question of whether the court may at some point provide some more or perhaps even greater protections for free exercise, the lawyer said.
Officials ID Suspect in Long Island Serial Killer Case

Crime laboratory officers arrive to the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New York's Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, in Massapequa Park, N.Y., on July 14, 2023. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo)

Officials in New Yorks Long Island on Friday arrested a suspect in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killer case, authorities confirmed, as police sources have revealed the name of the alleged killer.

Ive lived with the Gilgo Beach investigation for my entire tenure as county executive, and I can tell you that during that time, the focus for me, members of our team, have been on bringing justice for these victims and closure to these families who have suffered, Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone told reporters Friday in a Massapequa Park news conference, according to a live stream.

The top county official said that the arrest is a major step forward in doing exactly that, adding that he wants the public to know the message to the public is that we have never stopped working on this case.

In 2010 and 2011, officials found 11 sets of human remains along a beach highway in what was believed to be the work of a serial killer, sending shockwaves throughout Long Island. Previously, police said that some of the slain victims who were identified were possibly working as prostitutes or escorts via Craigslist.

The Suffolk County District Attorneys office on Friday released charging documents on Friday confirming that Manhattan architect Rex Heuerman was the suspected serial killer. Mr. Heuermann was taken into custody in connection to at least some of the Gilgo Beach killings, the documents said.

According to charging documents, travel records suggest that on July 8, 2009, Mr. Heuermanns wife departed the United States for Iceland before she returned to the U.S. on Aug. 18 of that same year. Meanwhile, his wife was out of the country during the time of victim Melissa Barthelemys disappearance, it added.

Based upon cellular telephone billing records, on June 4, 2010, the cellular telephone subscribed to by Defendant Heuermanns wife traveled from New York to Maryland. On June 8, 2010, the cellular telephone subscribed to by Defendant Heuermanns wife returned to New York from Maryland. Consequently, based upon cellular telephone records, the cellular telephone subscribed to by Defendant Heuermanns wife was out of New York State during the time of Megan Watermans disappearance, according to the court papers.

The papers further added, On September 5, 2010, the cellular telephone subscribed to by his wife returned to New York from New Jersey. Consequently, the cellular telephone subscribed to by Defendant Heuermanns wife was out of New York State during the time of Amber Costellos disappearance.

Neither a lawyer nor his company have publicly responded to the claims as of Friday morning. Its not clear if Mr. Heuermann has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf amid the intense media scrutiny.

Mr. Heuermann is a registered architect who has owned architecture and consulting firm RH Consultants & Associates since around 1994, according to his website. Throughout the years, Rex Heuermann has provided services to other city agencies, not for profit agencies, builders, developers and individual owners of buildings, it said.

Were happy to see that theyre finally active, the police, in accomplishing something. Lets wait and see what it all leads to, John Ray, the attorney for the families of two victims, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, told The Associated Press.

Crime laboratory officers arrive at the house where a suspect has been taken into custody on New Yorks Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, in Massapequa Park, N.Y., on July 14, 2023 (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo)

Officials told media outlets that investigators are now searching a home in Long Islands Massapequa Park as the New York Post and other outlets published photos of a significant police presence outside a home that was associated with Mr. Heuermann on Friday.

He seemed like a regular neighbor, said Barry Auslander, 72, who lives near Mr. Heuermann, according to the New York Post. I never thought he was anything but a businessman, average guy who had a family and went to work.

Another neighbor, Cheryl Lombardi, told The New York Times that after hearing about this case for so many years, its a shock to find out that your neighbor is a serial killer and you never knew it.

The case has drawn immense public attention. The mystery attracted national headlines for many years, with the unsolved killings were the subject of the 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls.

Determining who killed them, and why, has vexed a slew of seasoned homicide detectives through several changes in police leadership. Last year, an interagency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case.

Law enforcement personnel converged on a small red house that had been raided early Friday in the suburb about 40 miles east of midtown Manhattan. Dozens of residents mingled alongside police and media, watching as a half-dozen investigators in protective suits conferred outside the front porch, which was in disrepair, its roof propped up by 2-by-4s.

The home belonged to a family that had long kept to themselves, neighbors said, noting that the dilapidated property seemed out of place among rows of single family homes and well kept lawns in the small community.

This house sticks out like a sore thumb. There were overgrown shrubs, there was always wood in front of the house, said Gabriella Libardi, a 24-year-old teacher. It was very creepy. I wouldnt send my child there.

Mr. Auslander said the man who lived in the house commuted by train to New York City each morning, wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase. It was weird. He looked like a businessman, said Auslander, according to The Associated Press. But his house is a dump.

The arrest came after a spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office revealed on Friday that there was a significant development in the case. No other details were provided.

The Epoch Times has contacted RH Consultants & Associates for comment on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) read the history of The Epoch Times into congressional record on July 13. During his floor speech, Mr. Norman explained how the newspaper was started by its president, John Tang, in the basement of his Georgia home, and how it has been suppressed and targeted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) both in China and all over the world. In spite of such challenges, however, The Epoch Times has remained true to its motto of Truth and Tradition to become one of the fastest-growing newspapers in the United States, with editions published in 36 countries and 22 different languages. Folks, this is all about one word: freedom! Mr. Norman concluded.
Third Illegal Immigrant Bus Arrives in Los Angeles From Texas

Illegal immigrants carry their belongings to a bus after accepting relocation after being evicted from the Watson Hotel in New York City on Jan. 30, 2023. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

A third bus of illegal immigrants from Texas arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday, carrying 35 migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border sent by Gov. Greg Abbott amid a political battle between the two states.

Arriving downtown after a 30-hour journey, the illegal immigrants were met by paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department and representatives from the aid groups.

Volunteers with the L.A. Welcomes Collective, a network of nonprofit, faith, and immigrant rights groups, were waiting with a representative from the mayors office to greet the bus at Union Station when it arrived shortly before 1 p.m. They were alerted that the bus had left the border city of Brownsville early Wednesday.

A transport officer searches illegal immigrants before bussing them to a processing center after they crossed the border from Mexico in La Joya, Texas, on April 13, 2021. (John Moore/Getty Images)

They were then taken on a bright green DASH bus to St. Anthonys Croatian Catholic Church, where the Welcomes Collective set up a triage center for passengers arriving from Texas to reunite with family and access social services.

At the church, passengers disembarked with backpacks, a guitar, and water jugs. Some carried their children in their arms; others balanced tote bags on their shoulders.

Toczylowskis organization and others in the collective offered the illegal immigrants food, clothing, and legal consultations upon their arrival at the church. There, passengers also reunited with family members from around Los Angeles.

We are grateful to the City of Brownsville for sending information in advance about this bus so we can better prepare to welcome them, Lindsay Toczylowski, executive director of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, said in a statement. We will continue to work with our community partners to receive migrants with dignity and ensure their legal needs are met.

Mayor Karen Basss office said the city and county of Los Angeles have been working with the nonprofit coalition and faith partners according to a response plan put in place this year.

As we have before, when we became aware of the bus yesterday, we activated our plan, a spokesperson for Ms. Bass said in a statement.

Last month, Florida sent three dozen illegal immigrants from the U.S. southern border to California on private planes. All went willingly, disputing allegations by California officials that the individuals were coerced to travel under false pretenses.

Alecia Collins, a spokeswoman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said in a statement that through verbal and written consent, these volunteers indicated they wanted to go to California. She also shared a video compilation showing people signing consent forms and thanking officials for treating them well.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta investigated their conditions and arrival in California from Florida.

Today I met with over a dozen migrants who were brought to Sacramento by private plane, with no prior arrangement or care in place, Mr. Bonta said in a statement. We are investigating how these individuals were brought to California. We are also evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants.

The 118 illegal immigrants who have been sent to California are a small fraction of the 22,000 whom Texas has bused to Democrat-run cities, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, and Washington.

The first bus from Texas, carrying 41 illegal immigrants, arrived in Los Angeles. on July 1. Many illegal immigrants arriving in Texas prefer to go to New York and Washington.

Illegal immigrants who want to go into California mainly cross from Tijuana and into San Diego.
US Planning to Increase Spending, Manpower for Embassies in Pacific Nations

Ships are docked offshore in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, on Nov. 24, 2018. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

The U.S. State Department has notified Congress of its plan to ramp up engagement with Pacific islands, including increasing the number of diplomatic personnel and spending for U.S. embassies in the region.

Washington aims to hire 40 American and local staff for the new embassies in the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Kiribati over the next five years, according to a notice sent to Congress on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.

The department estimated that it would require at least $10 million to construct and design each of the embassies, as well as an additional $3.3 million per year for their maintenance and operating expenses.

It urged the United States to boost its presence in the region to counter China, which has established permanent diplomatic facilities in eight of the 12 Pacific island nations recognized by the United States.

The lack of a permanent U.S. diplomatic presence in more heavily populated [Pacific islands] undermines U.S. efforts to engage as an indispensable partner and Pacific power during a time of heightened strategic competition, the department stated.

To address this challenge, the United States has moved to dramatically increase its diplomatic and development engagement with the region, it added.

The department said that recruiting for new and existing positions will be difficult without offering a compensation package that matches the unique demands of the locations, citing the extreme weather phenomena, poor telecommunication systems, and inadequate medical and schooling facilities in the Pacific nations.

Rectifying this situation would require an investment in resources and creative solutions to attract and retain a cadre of Pacific experts, it stated. The United States needs to significantly increase staffing resources if it plans to robustly engage in the Pacific islands to preserve an open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

The notice came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Indonesia for a Southeast Asian regional security forum and planned an extended Pacific trip at the end of July.

USPacific Relations Back on Track

The United States has sought to boost its engagement in the Pacific region after Beijing signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last year, which many countries in the region fear could allow Beijing to station troops, weapons, and naval ships on the strategically important island.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (R) and Chinas Premier Li Qiang inspect the guard of honor during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 10, 2023. (Andy Wong/AFP via Getty Images)

Admiral John Aquilino, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander, spoke in March at an event hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore.

Adm. Aquilino said the Solomon IslandsChina security pact has served as a wake-up call for the United States and other nations to engage with Pacific island nations, Radio Free Asia reported.

I think it woke a number of us up to ensure we spend more time, engage with, provide assistance and support to Pacific islands, he said. Were back on track, I would say, and we continue to engage in ways that are meaningful and helpful for those nations.

The United States has signed agreements with Papua New Guinea, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia following Blinkens visit to the island nations in May to solidify their bilateral relations.

But the country has yet to renew its military contract with the Marshall Islands, which an analyst warned could block the free movement of the United States in the region.

Theres the potential for a real shift in the ability to rely on the Compact of Free Association to ensure U.S. freedom of movement across the region, which is what actually underpins a free and open Indo-Pacific, Indo-Pacific expert Cleo Paskal said in an interview for China in Focus on NTD, the sister media outlet of The Epoch Times.

Ms. Paskal is an associate fellow of the Asia-Pacific program at Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in London.

Under the Compact of Free Association established in the 1980s, the United States is obligated to provide economic aid to the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands in exchange for permission to operate defense bases there.

These three Pacific nations are referred to as the Freely Associated States.

Ms. Paskal said the failure to secure a deal with the Marshall islands could also impede trade routes in the region.

Once China has control over the trade routes  you cant get your goods in and out, they control who you can trade with, she said. Theres a reason why a free and open Indo-Pacific is important.

Hannah Ng and Tiffany Meier contributed to this report.
US Secretary of State Holds Candid and Constructive Talks With Beijings Director of Foreign Affairs

Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a press conference at the Beijing American Center of the US Embassy in Beijing on June 19, 2023. (Leah Millis/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held candid and constructive talks with Wang Yi, the director of Beijings Central Foreign Affairs Office, emphasizing the United States position on a number of issues, including peace and security across the Taiwan Strait.

Mr. Blinken spoke with Mr. Wang in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13 on the sidelines of a meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and partner countries. Mr. Wang was stepping in for foreign minister, Qin Gang, who was unavailable due to health reasons, according to Beijings foreign ministry.

The U.S. secretary of state also raised the issue of cyber attacks against 25 organizations, including at least two U.S. government agencies, by Beijing-based hackers.

The latest meeting follows earlier talks between Mr. Blinken and Mr. Wang last month that saw the U.S. secretary emphasize the importance of managing diplomacy and competition between the two powers.

During that meeting, Mr. Wang accused the United States of having a flawed perception of China, which allegedly resulted in the current strained state of relations, according to a statement from Beijings foreign ministry.

In a July 13 statement, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said the latest talks were used to advance U.S. interests and values.

The secretary and Director Wang had candid and constructive discussions on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including on areas of difference and potential areas of cooperation, said spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The secretary used the meeting to advance U.S. interests and values, to directly raise concerns shared by the United States and allies and partners regarding PRC actions, and advocate for progress on transnational challenges that affect people in the United States, the PRC, and around the world, Mr. Miller said.

Beijing Accused of Radio Silence Amid Heightened Tensions

The meeting between Mr. Blinken and Mr. Wang follows a rare meeting at the Pentagon by Beijings ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, on July 12 after the United States criticized Beijing for not engaging in military communications.

In a brief Pentagon statement, spokesperson Lt. Col Martin Meiners said Mr. Xie discussed defense relations and a range of international and regional security issues with Ely Ratner, a U.S. assistant secretary of defense.

Ratner also underscored the Departments commitment to maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between the United States and the PRC, Mr. Meiners said.

In May, Mr. Ratner said the CCP had a lot of difficulty engaging in communication with the U.S. military at every level, and refused numerous requests for meetings with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, several regional commanders, and civilian Department of Defense employees.

Mr. Ratner emphasized that maintaining open lines of communication between the two militaries, whose forces frequently have tense encounters in the Indo-Pacific region, was paramount to ensuring peace and stability.

Last month, Mr. Wang said Beijing had no room for compromise or concessions in relation to the Taiwan issue while demanding the United States lift its sanctions against China.

In recent years, the U.S. government has imposed trade restrictions against Chinese companies and entities, including adding 28 Chinese entities to a blacklist in March for their alleged ties to the Iranian military.

Meanwhile, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Siddharth Mohandas said in May that increasing the interoperability of U.S. forces with those of allies like Japan and Australia would help deter China from launching a war of aggression against Taiwan even if the regime continues to stonewall calls for talks.

We want to strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, and we believe we can do that by modernizing these alliances, by creating more capable allies, Mr. Mohandas said.

The United States is required by law to provide Taiwan with the means to protect itself but has maintained its policy of strategic ambiguity over whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan, which Beijing has refused to rule out.

Andrew Thornebrooke, Frank Fang, and Reuters contributed to this report.
The 7th NTD International Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Competition was in full swing in Upstate New York in Aug. 2022, with participants from around the world showcasing their skills in an enthusiastic atmosphere.

After three days of competition, however, it was announced that there would be no gold medal awarded that yeara first in the history of the competitionas the participants did not meet the standard required for the gold award.

Youfu Li, the head judge of the NTD competition, expressed his heartfelt sorrow for the unexpected outcome. Im very sorry that this happened. We never expected this could [be the] result. It saddens me greatly, almost to the point of tears, he said.

Let me tell you, traditional martial arts demand dedication and effort from us, Mr. Li said.

But the rise of contemporary martial arts in the wake of the Cultural Revolution in China has had a deleterious effect on the world of traditional martial arts.

The infiltration of contemporary martial arts is terrifying. We hope the martial artists are able to counter this infiltration and continue to inherit the traditional forms, Mr. Li said.

So, how can we rediscover truly traditional martial arts?

This film brings viewers on a captivating journey alongside martial artists in the world of traditional Chinese martial arts, as they seek to uncover its very essence. Their story will serve as a guide to martial artists and enthusiasts to ensure they can navigate their path successfully.
Make reconciliation of I-T and GST simple





Business Bureau

The trade and industry representatives raised various issues related to GST and Income Tax at the meeting of Regional Direct Taxes Advisory Committee (RDTAC) held recently here at Aayakar Bhavan, Civil Lines. The members said that the tax payers refunds should not be adjusted beyond 20 per cent of the demand where appeal is pending. They also requested the concerned authorities to allow and accept the application for settlement before 01/04/2021 and not to make retrospective amendment for discontinuing Settlement Commission. Further, the members highlighted that in genuine cases where PAN and Aadhaar is not getting linked, some other way out should be provided to assessee. In addition, return of income can be filed at PAN centres also and the reconciliation of Income Tax and GST should be made simpler.

The members felt that the authorities should take liberal view during prosecution. The limit of the prosecution in TDS were upto Rs 25 lakh be increased, so that in small cases by paying compounding charges, prosecution can be dropped. A liberal view should be adopted while granting registration of Charitable or Religious Trusts under Rule 17 and issues relating Rule 17. On the refunds under Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme (VSVS), the representatives said many assessees refunds have not been credited yet. Even though orders have been passed but refund is not issued to the assessee. Apart from this, many other issues were raised and discussed by the committee for the betterment of citizens. The Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax has assured that the issues raised will be resolved at the earliest and those issues which are national issues shall be sent to Chairman, CBDT.

Member of Parliament P Sunil Baburao Mendhe; Vasundra Sinha, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Nagpur; Sandeep Salunke, Commissioner of Income Tax (INCI), Manoj Moryani, representative of Income Tax Bar; CA Saket Bagadia, Past Chairman Nagpur Branch of ICAI; CA Kailash Jogani, representative of trade; Prafull Doshi, representative of industry, and Rajkumar Baitale, representative of banks, are the members of the RDTAC, who were present at the meeting. The objective of the meeting was to curb the difficulties faced by the tax payers.
Citys Saurabh Khekdestands 2nd in IIS exam





Staff Reporter

Nagpurs Saurabh Khekde stood second in the Indian Information Service (IIS) examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Saurabh is presently working with Hindi Daily Dainik Bhaskar, in city. Saurabh, a resident of Manewada, hails from Saunsar in Chhindwara district of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. While securing second spot in the IIS in the country, Saurabh scored 75 out of 100 marks. He missed first All India Rank (AIR) by only one mark as first topper Ankit Kumar scored 76 marks. Saurabh started his career in journalism in Nagpur in the year 2015. While in journalism for the last eight years, he has been covering several aspects of education, legal and human rights. He did graduation in Mass Communication, MA in Political Science and Bachelor of Law (LLB).

In the year 2019, Saurabh received late Satyapal Patait Best Youth award. He was also jointly honoured by Vidarbha Seva Samiti, Nagpur and Tilak Patrakar Bhavan for his outstanding work in journalism. His grandfather Bhaurao Chaudhary, a resident of Ramakona is a senior journalist working for Hindi Daily Navbharat. His father Vitthal Khekde is a businessman and mother Rekha Khekede is a housewife. Sharing his achievement with The Hitavada, Saurabh said, I was preparing for the examination for the last three years. The advertisement for this recruitment process was released in the year 2021. Nearly 2,000 candidates from across the country had applied. About 200 of them were invited to the UPSC headquarters in Delhi where the interviews were conducted from March 14 to March 19.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 20:44 | All, Japan

A Japanese court on Friday sentenced a 25-year-old man to 10 years in prison for scalding his girlfriend's toddler son to death with hot shower water at their apartment in Osaka Prefecture in August 2021.

Prosecutors had charged Takumi Matsubara with murder and assault, seeking 18 years, but the Osaka District Court found his actions only amounted to bodily injury resulting in death, noting that he had not intended to kill 3-year-old Orito Niimura.

The court convicted Matsubara of assault, recognizing that he hit the boy's head with a cushion.

Presiding Judge Hirotoshi Sakaguchi said the child suffered burns to more than 90 percent of his body, and that Matsubara left him in a running shower with the temperature set as high as 75 C.

But Sakaguchi deemed the evidence put forward by prosecutors about Matsubara's motive insufficient, establishing that it could not be said Matsubara was aware of the risk to the young child's life.

His legal team argued that Matsubara, who was having difficulty potty training the boy, wanted to punish him by shutting him in the shower room with the water running.

"(The child) must have cried and screamed in considerable agony. This was nothing other than cruelty," Sakaguchi said.

The boy's mother was not at home in the city of Settsu at the time of the incident.

She had consulted the local government in May of that year and alleged her boyfriend had been abusive to the child, but the city's consultation center concluded that the situation at the time did not warrant implementing protective measures.
IIT Mumbai team inspects Futala Lake fountain project





Staff Reporter

A team of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai visited Futala Lake, on Thursday, to explore reasons behind

algae infection that hampered the operation of the musical fountain installed at the picturesque site. According to the sources, private contractor Khalatkar Construction Company (KCC) had invited the team from IIT Mumbai to inspect the fountain and find out a solution. The KCC is carrying out the work on the musical fountain. The project, the brainchild of Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, is yet to be handed over to Nagpur Metro Region Development Authority (NMRDA) by the contractor. So far, only trials are conducted by the contractor. The actual handing over of the operation of the fountain show on regular basis to NMRDA will be finalised soon.
India clears procurement of 26 Rafale jets, three Scorpene subs





Delhi Bureau & Agencies

NEW DELHI,

INDIA on Thursday cleared proposals to procure 26 Naval variant of Rafale jets from France and three French-designed Scorpene class submarines on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a two-day high-profile visit to Paris. The procurement proposals were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Defence Ministry said. Four of the 26 Rafale-M jets, the naval variant of the deck-based platform, will be trainer aircraft, sources in the defence establishment said.

The delivery of the aircraft will begin within three years of signing of the contract, they said, adding it may take close to one year to seal the final deal as detailed price negotiations are to be undertaken. The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support for the Indian Navy from the French Government based on Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), the ministry said. It said price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French Government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries.

Further, integration of Indian designed equipment and establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) hub for various systems will be incorporated into the contract documents after due negotiations, it said in a statement. The defence procurement projects are expected to be announced following PM Modis talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. The DAC, which is the defence ministrys highest decision making body on procurement, also cleared a proposal for construction of three more Scorpene submarines in India.
Loan app fraud claims four lives





Staff Reporter

A man and his wife allegedly hanged themselves after poisoning their children in their home, said police. The tragic incident was reported near Neelbad area under Ratibad Police Station jurisdiction. The 38-year-old man, Bhupendra Vishwakarma, in a suicide note indicated that he was victim of a cyber fraud and he was under debt. The man and his 30-year-old wife, Ritu were found hanging in a room while bodies of their sons Rituraj (8) and Rishiraj (4) were found in the other room. Vishwakarma had clicked a selfie with his family before taking the extreme step. He sent that selfie to a relative and wrote a message that it was their last image. Earlier, the police received a call on Thursday morning about the familys suicide. A team reached the scene and brought bodies down. The bodies were sent for post-mortem and senior police officials reached the spot.

Sources said that the couple offered soft drink laced with poison to the children and they waited for their deaths and later they hanged them together. Police said that the man was working with some online company based outside India and was a victim of online loan app. In the suicide note he has mentioned that the company was now blackmailing him after accessing his contacts through hacking his mobile. Vishwakarma accused the company of sending obscene content to all his contacts to blackmail him, said his relatives. Police said that he had sent a message to his niece Rinki Vishwakarma early Thursday about their suicide. She read the message in morning and alerted her family members. However, they were all dead before any relative reached them. The suicide note was seized by the police and a special investigation team (SIT) was formed. The SIT includes Additional DCP Zone 1 Shahank, ACP TT Nagar Chandrashekhar Pandey, SHO of Ratibad and cops from Cyber Cell. Hs relatives claimed that the accused had sent such content to is relatives that he was feeling embarrassed.

Police Commissioner Harinarayan Chari Mishra said that the SIT investigation has been ordered into the incident.

He wrote that he was on verge of losing his job and there was no future for him. In the suicide note, he wrote that the company engaged him in job after offering him loan. The loan rose to an extent that he was unable to bear the burden. On the other hand the company was blackmailing him to repay the amount and later they shared his obscene images and other stuff with his family members. The man also wrote that his family is innocent and he fell into the trap. He has apologised to the family members in the suicide note.
Maha cabinet expansion unlikely before monsoon session





By Vikas Vaidya

Highly speculated in the political circles, cabinet expansion in Maharashtra may not take place before monsoon session of the State Legislature. According to high level sources, the power game is playing predominant role that is delaying the final decision on the cabinet expansion. The speculations about the cabinet expansion in the State have some reasons. The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party is in a hurry to get ministerial berths with a share in key portfolios like Irrigation, Finance, Energy, State Excise etc. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Rajya Sabha Member Praful Patel had been to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

According to sources, Shah has agreed to 90% demands of Ajit Pawar as far as allotment of portfolios in Maharashtra is concerned. Finance is to be given to Ajit Pawar faction for sure. Also, Ajit Pawar groups Aditi Tatkare is the front runner to become Women and Child Welfare Minister. Though Aditi is a first time MLA, she is the only woman face in the present Government. It is also being speculated that one more leader from Sharad Pawar camp may join Ajit Pawar faction. This is also a reasons for delay in the portfolio allotment. There is uneasy feeling in BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) camp as both are anxious as to which portfolios they would get. Presently, of the 105 members of BJP, only 8 are ministers. Of them, Wikhe Patil and Vijay Kumar Gavit are not the original BJP members. Obviously, the remaining BJP members are hopeful of getting ministry in the new cabinet. After Ajit Pawar faction joining Government, Shindes Sena or Independents have a little role to play. Ajit Pawar brought 45 MLAs along to form a solid foundation for this Government.

This may affect the bargaining power of Shindes Sena. The number of present ministers is 29. As per the rule, there can be 43 ministers which means, the Government can induct 14 more ministers. It is a game of calculation and the pressure will be on BJP as to whom to make the minister. There are several takers from Shinde as well as BJP camps. To add to the headache, Ajit Pawar also wants more MLAs from his camp in the ministry. The conflicts among the groups of Shinde Sena and BJP have already started at local level. This has to be handled properly by BJP and how Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tackles the complications will be interesting to be seen. Everybody in State is curious to know the final outcome of the cabinet expansion that may take place after the monsoon session.

Adv Wanjari stakes claim for LoP
Maoists issue release flaying Bastar IG, Gadchiroli SP





By Kartik Lokhande and

Mukesh Singh

COMMUNIST Party of India (Maoist), obviously disturbed over the major reverses it has suffered in the past some time despite executing some actions, has now resorted to criticising two top police officers of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra in a press release. Both the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have flayed the Maoists for resorting to such gimmicks. It shows that the strength of the Maoists is on the wane, the police officers said. The Central Committee, Central Regional Bureau of CPI (Maoist) issued a press release on Thursday hurling accusations against the IPS officers namely P Sundar Raj, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Division, Chhattisgarh; and Neelotpal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra. The proscribed organisation accused the police officers of circulating lies about weakening of the Left Wing Extremists. IG Sundar Raj Pattilingam is doing this to create confusion among people regarding Maoist movement. He resorts to spreading lies about revolutionary movement and misleading the people, read the statement. Besides, the Maoists accused Neelotpal of twisting the facts relating to Khedmarra fake encounter by releasing video of the incident. In the said release, the Maoists have also appealed to the intellectuals to refute the police statements. The outlaws also appealed to the media not to write stories that are far from reality. The said press release has been issued by the Maoists after their Central Committees letter to its cadres got leaked. In the said leaked letter, the Maoists had admitted to have suffered major reverses due to concerted action by the security agencies.

Asked about the latest press release of the Maoists and his name figuring in it, P Sundar Raj, Inspector General, Bastar Division, Chhattisgarh, told The Hitavada that the leadership of banned CPI (Maoist) was highly frustrated due to their fast eroding base area and depleting cadre strength, in the recent time. Losing many of their Central Committee and Politburo members in the last four years, the remainder of tired and ageing Maoist leadership is trying to run the show through sensational press releases and fabricated statements, he said.

According to P Sundar Raj, this only indicates that the atrocious and cruel Left Wing outfit responsible for death of more than 1,700 innocent native people of Bastar region is facing extinction. Maoists are devoid of any real issues and ideology and are trying to keep themselves relevant through propaganda gimmicks. Bastar Police and security forces deployed here are committed towards peace and development of the region and welfare of the local population. We are hopeful of witnessing the end of Left Wing Extremism sooner than expected, he observed. Neelotpal dubbed the Maoist press release mentioning his name as nothing but a desperate attempt by Maoists to boost the morale of their cadres. They are already losing ground in Gadchiroli for the past two to three years due to dwindling public support and excellent action on anti-Naxal front by Gadchiroli Police, he said. Also, the SP said that no such video of Khedmarra incident was released by Gadchiroli Police on the day of incident or subsequently after.
Markam to take oath as cabinet minister today





Staff Reporter

RAIPUR,

Kondagaon MLA Mohan Markam, who was recently removed from his position as Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President, is set to take on a new role as a cabinet minister in the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel government. This announcement comes just four months ahead of the states Assembly elections, adding an interesting dimension to the politics in State. The former cabinet minister, Dr Premsai Singh Tekam, has tendered his resignation from the School Education and Tribal Welfare Department. Dr Tekam sent his resignation letter to CM Baghel, who promptly accepted it and forwarded it to Raj Bhavan. Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan acknowledged and accepted Dr Tekams resignation. The swearing-in ceremony for Mohan Markam as the new cabinet minister has been scheduled, which will take place at Raj Bhavan on Friday at 11:30 am.

The official confirmation was provided by a senior official from the Raj Bhavan Secretariat. Following his resignation, Dr Tekam has returned to his constituency, Pratappur, located in Surajpur district. In a conversation with the media, Dr Tekam expressed that the decision to appoint a cabinet minister rests with the Chief Minister, and he was instructed by the party high command to resign. He further commented that a resignation is not given but taken. Prior to his departure for Janjgir-Champa district, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel addressed the media in the state capital. When questioned about an impending cabinet reshuffle, he advised everyone to be patient and wait for the changes. Regarding the change in CPCC President, Baghel revealed that Deepak Baij, a young leader, has been appointed as the new State Congress President.

This decision was made during the national convention of the All India Congress Committee, emphasizing the importance of providing opportunities for youth leadership. Baghel expressed optimism about positive outcomes in Chhattisgarh following the organizational change, suggesting that it could extend to the government as well. Mohan Markam, aged 55, previously served as the CPCC President from June 28, 2019, to July 12, 2023. He first became an MLA in 2013 and hails from the Makri block of Kondagaon district. Under Markams leadership, the Congress party achieved success in five assembly by-elections and witnessed impressive performances in civic bodies elections. His new role as a cabinet minister is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the government ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
Security challenges have evolved from dynamite to metaverse and hawala to crypto currency: Shah





GURUGRAM,

WARNING the global community about security challenges which have evolved from dynamite to metaverse and hawala to crypto currency, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday urged G20 countries to rise above conventional boundaries to act against such crimes. Speaking at the G20 Conference on Crime and Security in the Age of NFTs, AI & Metaverse, he underlined the threats emanating from cyber criminals using darknet, metaverse, deepfakes, ransomware and toolkit-based misinformation campaigns and strategic targeting of critical information and financial systems. The G20 has so far focused on digital transformation and data flow from an economic perspective, but now it is important to understand the aspects of crime and security, and find a solution, he said.

Shah said such activities are a national concern as they directly impact national security, law and order, and the economy. If such crimes and criminals have to be stopped, we have to think and act by rising above the conventional geographic boundaries, he noted. Shah suggested a slew of measures to act against cyber criminals operating across borders like bringing uniformity in laws of all countries, developing a response mechanism under different laws of the countries, harmonising bench marks, best practices and regulations, and greater coordination among cyber agencies of all countries. An integrated and stable approach to cyber security policies will facilitate interoperability, increase trust in information sharing, and reduce the agency protocol and resources gaps. The need of the hour is to share real-time cyber threat intelligence among member countries with active support to secure the nations critical infrastructure, he said.

Shah said our Internet vision should neither be one of excessive freedom threatening the very existence of our nations nor one of the isolationist structures such as digital firewalls. Although technology is a positive development in bringing human beings, communities, and countries closer, there are also some anti-social elements and global forces that are using technology to cause economic and social harm to citizens and governments, he added.
Several key areas flooded in Delhi as Yamuna breaches danger mark





NEW DELHI :

WITH Yamuna levels rising to a record high, several key areas in Delhi including the Secretariat housing the Chief Ministers office were flooded on Thursday, impairing normal life and traffic movement, as authorities scrambled to lead rescue and relief efforts. The Yamuna water level touched 208.53 metres at 10 am, breaking a 45-year-old record, officials said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the closure of schools near the river and the shutting down of water treatment plants, as people waded through knee-deep waters in low-lying areas to reach safer places. Curbs were also placed for the entry of vehicles into the national capital. Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena will hold a special meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday to discuss the flood situation in the city, officials said. Kejriwal, who is the vice-chairman of the DDMA, will also attend the meeting, they said.

The water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 208-metre mark Wednesday night and rose to 208.48 metres by 8 am on Thursday. It is expected to rise further, according to the Central Water Commission, which has termed it an extreme situation. As the Yamuna swelled, Kejriwal announced the closure of private and Government schools in inundated areas. Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants were shut down, which could affect the water supply in the national capital. As woes of people mounted, he also urged MLAs, councillors, volunteers and others to reach relief camps and provide all possible support to people there. Areas like Boat Club, Pandav Nagar, some parts of Gandhi Nagar, Bhajanpura were inundated with floodwaters. According to officials, locals in some areas showed reluctance in moving out even as water reached their homes.

The Delhi Secretariat housing offices of Chief Minister Kejriwal, his cabinet and other senior bureaucrats, was too flooded on Thursday. According to officials from the Public Works Department, they received information regarding flooding of the Delhi Secretariat. They said they were coordinating with the traffic police and other agencies on the situation. The road from Rajghat to Delhi Secretariat was also flooded. Officials said the Ring Road stretch between Kashmere Gate and Purana Lohe Ka Pul has been flooded and closed for traffic movement. An order by the District Magistrate (East) said Shamshan Ghat in Geeta Colony has been closed due to the extreme rise in water levels. Visuals of people wading through knee-deep waters and carrying their belongings in low-lying areas were seen.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 15, 2023 - 00:39 | World, All

Top diplomats from the Indo-Pacific region were divided over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and Russia's war in Ukraine at their meeting on Friday in Jakarta.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi voiced concerns over the situation in the East and South China seas, where China has been increasing its maritime assertiveness, at the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum, the Japanese government said.

His counterparts from like-minded nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, also brought up the same issue about China, according to diplomatic sources.

The rift between the U.S.-led major democracies and the China-Russia camp has been widening over the Ukraine war since February 2022 and China's intensifying military activities in the Indo-Pacific.

The Group of Seven countries have taken the initiative in implementing economic sanctions on Russia over the aggression against its neighbor. But China and most of the "Global South" countries, including India, have not joined in the measures.

The annual ARF gathering organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is one of the few multilateral events involving North Korea, although North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was absent, replaced by the nation's ambassador to Indonesia An Kwang Il, the sources said.

Pyongyang last sent its foreign minister to the ARF talks, known as Asia's largest political and security conference, in 2018.

The international meeting came two days after North Korea fired what its official Korean Central News Agency said was the "Hwasong-18" intercontinental ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, the second of its kind following a test on April 13.

The ICBM missile is viewed as capable of reaching the U.S. mainland if launched on a normal trajectory.

At the ARF event, Hayashi strongly condemned North Korea's ICBM launch as posing a threat to peace and safety of the international community, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

On Thursday, the G-7 foreign ministers condemned Pyongyang for the "brazen launch," calling it a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the country from utilizing ballistic technology.

China and Russia have been trying to defend North Korea, saying that the United States is fanning confrontation by criticizing the nation and conducting military drills with Japan and South Korea near the Korean Peninsula.

Fears linger that Pyongyang may be preparing its seventh nuclear test, which would be the first since September 2017.

Hayashi also strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, demanding the Russian forces' "immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal" from Ukrainian territory, and some other nations made similar remarks, according to the Japanese ministry.

As for Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water into the sea around this summer from the Fukushima nuclear complex, crippled by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011, no participants took up the issue, a Japanese government official said.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi criticized the water discharge plan at some other ASEAN-related meetings held in the Indonesian capital this week.

Later on Friday, Hayashi and Blinken held trilateral talks with their South Korean counterpart Park Jin, condemning the North Korean ICBM test while agreeing to further ramp up their three-way cooperation.
Shares of Vienna Insurance Group AG (OTCMKTS:VNRFY  Get Free Report) traded down 0.1% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $5.49 and last traded at $5.49. 100 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 50% from the average session volume of 200 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.50.

Vienna Insurance Group Stock Performance

The stocks 50-day moving average price is $5.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $5.46.

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Vienna Insurance Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 31st were given a dividend of $0.183 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 3.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 30th. This is a boost from Vienna Insurance Groups previous dividend of $0.17. Vienna Insurance Groups dividend payout ratio is 31.23%.

Vienna Insurance Group Company Profile

Vienna Insurance Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides various insurance products and services in life, health, and property and casualty areas in Austria and internationally. The company offers motor own damage, rail vehicle own damage, aircraft own damage, transport, fire and natural hazards, third party liability, carrier, aircraft liability, general liability, credit, guarantee, legal expenses, assistance, marine, aviation, and travel health insurance products, as well as sea, lake, and river shipping own damage and liability insurance products.

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Aviva plc (OTCMKTS:AVVIY  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 8,200 shares, a decline of 74.1% from the June 15th total of 31,600 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 132,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on AVVIY shares. HSBC upgraded Aviva from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, June 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Aviva from GBX 545 ($7.01) to GBX 535 ($6.88) in a research note on Thursday, May 25th. Finally, Berenberg Bank reduced their price target on shares of Aviva from GBX 546 ($7.02) to GBX 532 ($6.84) in a research report on Thursday, May 25th.

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Aviva Stock Performance

AVVIY stock traded down $0.25 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $10.07. 20,056 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 47,802. Aviva has a 1-year low of $8.05 and a 1-year high of $11.39. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $10.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.45.

About Aviva

Aviva plc provides various insurance, retirement, investment, and savings products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and internationally. The company offers life insurance, long-term health and accident insurance, savings, pension, and annuity products, as well as pension fund business and lifetime mortgage products.

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Benjamin Edwards Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 9,639 shares of the oil and gas companys stock, valued at approximately $473,000.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. AIA Group Ltd lifted its position in shares of Schlumberger by 10.7% during the 4th quarter. AIA Group Ltd now owns 13,037 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $697,000 after buying an additional 1,258 shares during the last quarter. Dorsey Wright & Associates purchased a new stake in shares of Schlumberger during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,352,000. Huntington National Bank lifted its position in shares of Schlumberger by 33.1% during the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 31,738 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,697,000 after buying an additional 7,887 shares during the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its holdings in shares of Schlumberger by 24.7% in the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 441,821 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $23,620,000 after acquiring an additional 87,463 shares during the period. Finally, Sigma Planning Corp increased its holdings in shares of Schlumberger by 59.3% in the 4th quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 32,351 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,730,000 after acquiring an additional 12,046 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.46% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on SLB. Raymond James lifted their target price on shares of Schlumberger from $64.00 to $65.00 in a report on Monday, April 24th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Schlumberger in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Susquehanna cut their target price on shares of Schlumberger from $68.00 to $65.00 in a report on Monday, April 3rd. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Schlumberger from $55.00 to $60.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 18th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Schlumberger from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the company from $48.00 to $66.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $64.44.

Schlumberger Price Performance

Schlumberger stock opened at $57.42 on Friday. Schlumberger Limited has a 52 week low of $30.65 and a 52 week high of $62.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $47.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $50.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $81.55 billion, a PE ratio of 21.35, a P/E/G ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.78.

Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 21st. The oil and gas company reported $0.63 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.61 by $0.02. Schlumberger had a net margin of 12.94% and a return on equity of 20.16%. The business had revenue of $7.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.46 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.34 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 29.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Schlumberger Limited will post 3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Schlumberger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 13th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, June 7th were issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 6th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.74%. Schlumbergers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.17%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Schlumberger

In other Schlumberger news, CFO Stephane Biguet sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.56, for a total value of $309,750.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 213,515 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,581,803.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 18,750 shares of company stock worth $874,563. Corporate insiders own 0.23% of the companys stock.

About Schlumberger

(Free Report)

Schlumberger Limited engages in the provision of technology for the energy industry worldwide. The company operates through four divisions: Digital & Integration, Reservoir Performance, Well Construction, and Production Systems. The company provides field development and hydrocarbon production, carbon management, integration of adjacent energy systems; reservoir interpretation and data processing services for exploration data; and well construction and production improvement services and products.

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By Donican Lam, KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 19:28 | All, World

A minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said in Tokyo on Friday that it is critical her administration and the Chinese government return to the negotiating table while the 14th Dalai Lama is still alive.

"(The current Dalai Lama) has the moral authority, he has the legitimacy, and whatever solution or resolution that could come about while he is alive, people give that stamp of approval," said Norzin Dolma, minister of the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration.

Speaking at an exclusive interview with Kyodo News during a goodwill visit to Japan, Norzin said that the Dalai Lama, who recently celebrated his 88th birthday, remains in good health, but stressed that dialogue is the only way to resolve the situation in Tibet.

While discussions have remained stalled following nine rounds of dialogue between the representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials from 2002 to 2010, "unofficially and informally, there have been some recent activities in backchannel communications," said Norzin.

In March 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India following a failed Tibetan uprising against China's control of the predominantly Buddhist region, located high in the Himalayas. He later set up the government-in-exile in Dharamsala, northern India.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent campaign for Tibetan freedom and democracy, but the Chinese government regards him as a dangerous separatist.

Norzin said that while she is certain the Chinese authorities will interfere in the selection process for the 14th Dalai Lama's successor, their efforts will likely prove futile now that the Tibetan spiritual leader has become a global figurehead.

"Even if (China) installs their own Dalai Lama, I don't think they have that acceptance and recognition from the international community. So this will, I think, defeat the purpose of their interference," said Norzin.

As part of the Chinese government's efforts to sinicize Tibet, Norzin estimates that around 1 million Tibetan children between the ages of four and 18 are currently enrolled by force in colonial-style boarding schools, where they are cut off from their own culture.

While the Chinese government had previously targeted Tibetan monks and nuns for ideological indoctrination, "the sinicization process has shifted to the children, because children have very impressionable minds, and they think that they are much more malleable," Norzin said.

But Norzin said her administration will continue to work toward restoring freedom to her people, with the Chinese government's attempts to legitimize their rule in Tibet so far proving ineffective.

"Even after all the different measures that they have undertaken to gain the trust and loyalty of the Tibetan people -- they have done economic development, they have used control, they have used brute force, but still the resilient spirit of Tibetan people are difficult to control," said Norzin.
Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (OTCMKTS:BHLL  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 13,300 shares, a decline of 84.3% from the June 15th total of 84,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 295,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days.

Bunker Hill Mining Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of Bunker Hill Mining stock traded up $0.00 during trading on Friday, reaching $0.15. 205,445 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 243,424. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $0.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $0.13. Bunker Hill Mining has a 1-year low of $0.07 and a 1-year high of $0.22.

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Bunker Hill Mining (OTCMKTS:BHLL  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 17th. The company reported ($0.05) earnings per share for the quarter.

About Bunker Hill Mining

Bunker Hill Mining Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, development, and mining of mineral properties in Canada and the United States. It focuses on exploring for zinc, lead, and silver ores. It holds an option agreement to acquire interest in the Bunker Hill mine located in the Silver Valley, Idaho.

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DAVENPORT & Co LLC reduced its holdings in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:DGRO  Free Report) by 0.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 239,138 shares of the companys stock after selling 647 shares during the period. DAVENPORT & Co LLC owned 0.05% of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF worth $11,955,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Breakwater Capital Group bought a new position in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $237,000. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. lifted its position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 0.5% during the first quarter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. now owns 53,653 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,682,000 after purchasing an additional 255 shares in the last quarter. Buffington Mohr McNeal grew its holdings in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 21.4% during the first quarter. Buffington Mohr McNeal now owns 5,964 shares of the companys stock valued at $298,000 after purchasing an additional 1,050 shares during the period. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC increased its position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 1.0% in the first quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 26,852 shares of the companys stock worth $1,370,000 after buying an additional 258 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Acorn Financial Advisory Services Inc. ADV raised its stake in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 12.3% in the first quarter. Acorn Financial Advisory Services Inc. ADV now owns 15,551 shares of the companys stock worth $777,000 after buying an additional 1,709 shares during the period.

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iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Stock Up 0.4 %

DGRO stock opened at $51.88 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $50.42 and its 200-day moving average price is $50.33. The stock has a market cap of $23.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.16 and a beta of 0.89. iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has a twelve month low of $43.67 and a twelve month high of $52.97.

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Profile

The iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Morningstar US Dividend Growth index. The fund tracks an index of US stocks that are selected by dividends, dividend growth and payout ratio, then weighted by dividend dollars. DGRO was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Deere & Company (NYSE:DE  Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report issued on Thursday.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Deere & Company from $537.00 to $517.00 in a report on Monday, May 22nd. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Deere & Company from $484.00 to $416.00 in a report on Sunday, May 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on Deere & Company from $440.00 to $392.00 in a report on Monday, May 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Deere & Company from $510.00 to $490.00 in a research note on Monday, May 22nd. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Deere & Company from $505.00 to $460.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 23rd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Deere & Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $457.10.

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Deere & Company Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE:DE traded up $1.85 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $409.52. The companys stock had a trading volume of 999,364 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,648,116. The stock has a market capitalization of $120.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.06. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $385.87 and a 200-day moving average of $400.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. Deere & Company has a 52-week low of $288.34 and a 52-week high of $448.40.

Insider Transactions at Deere & Company

Deere & Company ( NYSE:DE Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 19th. The industrial products company reported $9.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.57 by $1.08. The company had revenue of $16.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.87 billion. Deere & Company had a return on equity of 43.11% and a net margin of 15.00%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 33.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $6.81 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Deere & Company will post 31.85 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, CEO John C. May II sold 52,967 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $416.02, for a total transaction of $22,035,331.34. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 109,126 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $45,398,598.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Pentz Markwart Von sold 7,110 shares of Deere & Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.69, for a total transaction of $2,536,065.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 57,115 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,372,349.35. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO John C. May II sold 52,967 shares of Deere & Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $416.02, for a total value of $22,035,331.34. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 109,126 shares of the companys stock, valued at $45,398,598.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 88,010 shares of company stock valued at $35,230,351 in the last quarter. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of DE. Everett Harris & Co. CA increased its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Everett Harris & Co. CA now owns 3,003 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,240,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Deere & Company during the 4th quarter worth $252,000. Fenimore Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Deere & Company during the 4th quarter worth $204,000. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 16.1% during the 4th quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. now owns 3,785 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,671,000 after buying an additional 526 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 8.0% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 143,047 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $59,061,000 after buying an additional 10,584 shares during the last quarter. 71.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Deere & Company Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Deere & Company manufactures and distributes various equipment worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Production and Precision Agriculture, Small Agriculture and Turf, Construction and Forestry, and Financial Services. The Production and Precision Agriculture segment provides mid-size tractors, combines, cotton pickers and strippers, sugarcane harvesters, harvesting front-end equipment, sugarcane loaders, pull-behind scrapers, and tillage and seeding equipment, as well as application equipment, including sprayers and nutrient management, and soil preparation machinery for grain growers.

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Equinox Gold (CVE:EQX  Free Report) had its price target cut by Scotiabank from C$7.50 to C$7.00 in a report issued on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on EQX. Cormark upped their target price on Equinox Gold from C$5.75 to C$7.50 in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. National Bank Financial upped their price objective on Equinox Gold from C$7.25 to C$9.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. National Bankshares increased their price target on Equinox Gold from C$6.00 to C$7.25 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Desjardins dropped their price target on Equinox Gold from C$6.50 to C$6.25 in a research report on Friday, May 5th. Finally, CIBC raised their target price on Equinox Gold from C$4.70 to C$5.40 in a research report on Thursday, March 30th.

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Equinox Gold Stock Performance

Shares of Equinox Gold stock opened at C$7.88 on Monday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is C$7.88 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$7.88. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 64.28. Equinox Gold has a 52 week low of C$4.25 and a 52 week high of C$8.90. The firm has a market cap of C$892.46 million and a PE ratio of -43.54.

Equinox Gold Company Profile

Equinox Gold Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral deposits. The company's principal properties include the Aurizona project covering a total land package of approximately 223,160 hectares located in Maranhao State, Brazil; and the Castle Mountain property situated in California, the United States.

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FutureFuel Corp. (NYSE:FF  Get Free Report) shares passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $8.50 and traded as high as $9.15. FutureFuel shares last traded at $9.15, with a volume of 156,623 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of FutureFuel from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 28th. TheStreet upgraded shares of FutureFuel from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 23rd.

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FutureFuel Trading Up 0.1 %

The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $8.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $8.51. The stock has a market cap of $413.97 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.52 and a beta of 0.86.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

FutureFuel ( NYSE:FF Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The energy company reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. FutureFuel had a net margin of 11.38% and a return on equity of 17.26%. The firm had revenue of $74.18 million for the quarter.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky bought a new stake in shares of FutureFuel during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $55,000. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System bought a new stake in shares of FutureFuel during the 4th quarter worth approximately $87,000. Man Group plc bought a new stake in shares of FutureFuel during the 4th quarter worth approximately $88,000. Ritholtz Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of FutureFuel during the 4th quarter worth approximately $90,000. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of FutureFuel during the 1st quarter worth approximately $95,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 46.67% of the companys stock.

About FutureFuel

(Get Free Report)

FutureFuel Corp., through its subsidiary, FutureFuel Chemical Company, manufactures and sells diversified chemical, bio-based fuel, and bio-based specialty chemical products in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Chemicals and Biofuels. The Chemicals segment provides various custom chemicals that are used in the coatings, chemical intermediates, industrial and consumer cleaning, oil and gas, and specialty polymers industries; and performance chemicals, such as polymer modifiers, glycerin products, and various specialty chemicals and solvents.

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Kidoz Inc. (OTCMKTS:KDOZF  Get Free Report) was up 4.7% on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $0.30 and last traded at $0.21. Approximately 5,000 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 16% from the average daily volume of 4,307 shares. The stock had previously closed at $0.20.

Kidoz Stock Performance

The firm has a 50-day moving average of $0.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of $0.21. The firm has a market cap of $27.50 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.47.

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Kidoz (OTCMKTS:KDOZF  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 25th. The company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter. Kidoz had a negative net margin of 11.64% and a negative return on equity of 20.45%. The firm had revenue of $1.67 million during the quarter.

Kidoz Company Profile

Kidoz Inc develops and sells AdTech software products in Western Europe; Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe; North America; and internationally. The company also owns and develops mobile Kidoz safe ad network, the Kidoz kid-mode operating system, the Kidoz publisher SDK, the Rooplay edugames platform, and the Rooplay originals.

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StockNews.com started coverage on shares of MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU  Free Report) in a research report report published on Tuesday morning. The firm issued a hold rating on the utilities providers stock.

Separately, Bank of America raised MDU Resources Group from an underperform rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, June 1st.

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MDU Resources Group Stock Performance

Shares of MDU opened at $21.75 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $4.43 billion, a PE ratio of 11.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.75. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $23.94 and its 200-day simple moving average is $28.10. MDU Resources Group has a 12-month low of $19.40 and a 12-month high of $32.53.

MDU Resources Group Announces Dividend

MDU Resources Group ( NYSE:MDU Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The utilities provider reported $0.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.38 billion. MDU Resources Group had a net margin of 5.13% and a return on equity of 11.25%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 22.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.16 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that MDU Resources Group will post 1.3 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 13th were issued a $0.2225 dividend. This represents a $0.89 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.09%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 12th. MDU Resources Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.37%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MDU Resources Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. CI Investments Inc. raised its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 19.3% during the 4th quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 13,692 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $415,000 after buying an additional 2,219 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 46.0% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 354,376 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $10,752,000 after buying an additional 111,732 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 10.8% during the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 29,099 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $883,000 after buying an additional 2,838 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 4,409.7% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,398 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 1,367 shares during the last quarter. Finally, McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of MDU Resources Group during the 4th quarter worth $58,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.63% of the companys stock.

About MDU Resources Group

(Get Free Report)

MDU Resources Group, Inc engages in the regulated energy delivery, and construction materials and services businesses in the United States. It operates through five segments: Electric, Natural Gas Distribution, Pipeline, Construction Materials and Contracting, and Construction Services. The Electric segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and operates 3,400 miles of transmission lines, 4,800 miles of distribution lines, and 84 transmission and 294 distribution substations.

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New York State Teachers Retirement System reduced its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 1.1% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,074,976 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 23,679 shares during the quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement Systems holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $210,112,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% during the first quarter. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC now owns 30,788 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,118,000 after buying an additional 139 shares during the period. United Capital Management of KS Inc. grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. United Capital Management of KS Inc. now owns 38,371 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,885,000 after acquiring an additional 547 shares during the period. North Star Investment Management Corp. increased its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 7.1% in the 1st quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 66,711 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $6,755,000 after purchasing an additional 4,440 shares in the last quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. raised its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 10.1% in the 1st quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 69,952 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $7,083,000 after purchasing an additional 6,435 shares during the period. Finally, Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 0.9% during the first quarter. Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. now owns 11,743 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,291,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.08% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ABT has been the topic of several recent research reports. UBS Group raised their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $132.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $118.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Finally, Wolfe Research decreased their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $107.00 to $103.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $120.24.

Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

In other news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total value of $5,551,000.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 6,825,316 shares in the company, valued at $757,746,582.32. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In other news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total value of $5,551,000.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 6,825,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at $757,746,582.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.56, for a total value of $909,466.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,786,409.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Abbott Laboratories stock traded down $0.37 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $107.37. The company had a trading volume of 456,994 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,035,357. The company has a market capitalization of $186.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.74, a P/E/G ratio of 4.79 and a beta of 0.68. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $93.25 and a 12-month high of $115.69. The companys fifty day moving average is $106.29 and its 200-day moving average is $106.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $9.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.64 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 22.36% and a net margin of 13.98%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 18.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.73 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.39 EPS for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 14th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.90%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.01%.

Abbott Laboratories Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK  Get Free Report) saw some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Investors purchased 13,814 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 66% compared to the typical volume of 8,299 call options.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nokia Oyj

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. RFP Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Nokia Oyj in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Nokia Oyj in the first quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. boosted its position in Nokia Oyj by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 6,120 shares of the technology companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 3,060 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Nokia Oyj during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Romano Brothers AND Company acquired a new position in Nokia Oyj in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 6.51% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

NOK has been the topic of several recent research reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Nokia Oyj from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, June 16th. TheStreet cut Nokia Oyj from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Monday, June 12th. Finally, Raymond James decreased their price target on Nokia Oyj from $7.00 to $6.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Nokia Oyj has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $5.73.

Nokia Oyj Price Performance

Shares of NOK stock traded down $0.40 on Friday, hitting $3.95. 27,831,702 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 16,969,639. Nokia Oyj has a 12 month low of $3.91 and a 12 month high of $5.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.28. The company has a 50 day moving average of $4.10 and a 200 day moving average of $4.47. The stock has a market cap of $22.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.97.

Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The technology company reported $0.06 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.09 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $5.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.74 billion. Nokia Oyj had a net margin of 16.78% and a return on equity of 11.57%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.08 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Nokia Oyj will post 0.44 EPS for the current year.

Nokia Oyj Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 25th were issued a dividend of $0.0329 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, April 24th. This is an increase from Nokia Oyjs previous quarterly dividend of $0.02. This represents a $0.13 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.33%. Nokia Oyjs dividend payout ratio is 11.39%.

Nokia Oyj Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Nokia Oyj provides mobile, fixed, and cloud network solutions worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Network Infrastructure, Mobile Networks, Cloud and Network Services, and Nokia Technologies. It offers products and services for radio access networks and microwave radio links for transport networks, and solutions for network management, as well as network planning, optimization, network deployment, and technical support services.

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Commercial International Bank (Egypt) S.A.E (OTCMKTS:CIBEY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 19,100 shares, a decline of 76.4% from the June 15th total of 80,900 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 75,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.3 days.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of Commercial International Bank (Egypt) S.A.E from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, May 26th.

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Commercial International Bank (Egypt) S.A.E Stock Down 0.8 %

CIBEY stock traded down $0.01 on Friday, reaching $1.17. 240,811 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 118,602. Commercial International Bank has a 12 month low of $1.07 and a 12 month high of $1.80.

About Commercial International Bank (Egypt) S.A.E

Commercial International Bank (Egypt) SAE provides retail, corporate, and investment banking services in Egypt. The company operates in following segments: Corporate Banking, Investment, Retail Banking, and Others. It offers current and saving accounts, easy accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit; and personal/overdraft/mortgage, educational, solar, travel, car finance, and unsecured personal loans, as well as revolving overdraft salary upfront services.

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KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 16:39 | All, Japan

A Tokyo court on Friday sentenced a 37-year-old man to 19 years in prison for stabbing three passengers in a random knife attack on a Tokyo commuter train in 2021.

Yusuke Tsushima, who had admitted to the charge of attempted murder of the three victims, "attacked passengers randomly one after another with a strong intent to kill," said the ruling handed down at Tokyo District Court.

"There was a high risk of threat to life and it was extremely vicious," the ruling said.

In the trial, prosecutors had demanded 20 years in prison for the defendant, while his defense team requested 15 years, arguing his intent to murder was insufficiently strong.

According to the indictment, Tsushima seriously injured a then 20-year-old university student by stabbing her several times in the chest and back and also injured a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s on an Odakyu Electric Railway train on Aug. 6, 2021.

He was also accused of shoplifting groceries and other items at several stores in Tokyo and neighboring Kawasaki before the stabbing incident, according to the indictment.

In trial proceedings, Tsushima, who was unemployed for several months prior to the incident, said he had long harbored a desire to commit random mass murder and fantasized about killing women he perceived as "successful" in life, such as those looking happy with their partners.

He also said he considered himself "unlucky" and "always had a sense of inferiority and a jealousy-like feeling, which could only be transformed into hatred" toward other people.

The knife rampage took place a few months before another man dressed in a Joker's costume stabbed a man and started a fire onboard a Tokyo train in October 2021.

In his first trial at the Tokyo District Court last month, prosecutors said the defendant, Kyota Hattori, conceived the attack on the Keio Line train after seeing media reports about the knife attack on the Odakyu commuter train.

Related coverage:

Man admits to stabbing passengers in 2021 random Tokyo train attack
KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 13:52 | All, Japan

A Japanese Epsilon S small rocket engine exploded during a test Friday, in the latest setback for the country's space agency.

No one was injured in the explosion at the Noshiro Testing Center in Akita Prefecture, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The incident occurred about one minute after the ground test for the second-stage engine began.

The agency is developing the Epsilon S as the successor to the current Epsilon series to enhance the country's competitiveness in the growing satellite launch market.

The first rocket in the series blasted off in 2013 and there were successful launches of five models before an Epsilon-6 was ordered to self-destruct in 2022 after it deviated from its intended trajectory.

The failure led the agency to postpone the launch of the Epsilon S from fiscal 2023 to fiscal 2024 as it uses the same fuel tank as the Epsilon-6.

Epsilon series rockets utilize solid fuel, simplifying launch preparations compared with those that use liquid propellants.

JAXA's new flagship H3 rocket was also ordered to self-destruct in March minutes after its second-stage engine failed to ignite.

Related coverage:

Japan space agency to delay H2A rocket launch after next-gen failure

Japan's new flagship H3 rocket launch fails, ordered to self-destruct

Japan's H3 rocket launch aborts after glitch detected
One of the most exciting teachings I received during my formative years was the lessons on prophecy. It was during my catechism class as a Catholic Christian, and prophecy as a topic posed a huge but thrilling challenge to me. On that day, at that time and in that place, the Catechist (teacher) told the class that prophecy is the certain foretelling of a future event by a person supernaturally informed of it and supernaturally moved to announce it. This, he added, comes in two ways; prophesy of foreknowledge and prophesy of denunciation.

While the prophecy of foreknowledge, according to him, deals with what is certain to come, prophesy of denunciation tells what is to come if the present situation is not changed; both acting as information and warning respectively.

This knowledge gained years ago however came flooding recently while reading a media report where Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, among other painful remarks emphasized that Nigerians experienced the worst type of corruption during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari than any other before him.

Kukah who stated this while presenting a keynote speech titled: The Future of Constitutional Democracy in Nigeria: Imperative of a New Constitutional Order, at the 60th call to bar anniversary of Aare Afe Babalola on in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on Monday, July 10, 2023, an event that had Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo as Chairman, argued that the country is shared its sovereignty with bandits and terrorists, and submitted that even though corruption did not start during Buharis tenure, it was amplified morally, financially and in other terms in the last administration.

Though he said it in a different way, venue and time, in the real sense of it, this piece believes that Bishop Kukah may not have said something new or different from what Nigerians have been worried about all these years. In fact, endemic corruption in the country has been a reality many Nigerians of goodwill worried about in the past 8years of President Buharis administration.

Analysts have also in the past expressed worries that within the years under review, no nation best typified a country in dire need of peace and social cohesion among her various sociopolitical groups than Nigeria as myriads of sociopolitical contradictions conspired directly and indirectly to give the nation an unenviable tag of a country in constant search of social harmony, justice, equity, equality, and peace.

It is an open secret that under President Buhari's administration, Life in Nigeria, quoting Thomas Hobbs, became nasty, brutish, and short. Nigerians never had it that bad.

Intrinsically, a higher echo of concern in my view, arising from Bishop Kukahs latest observation is that if Nigerians either by omission or commission allow the ills pointed out by the erudite cleric to thrive and blossom, If President Tinubu led Federal Government allows the new awareness go with political winds or fails to draw 'intricate' correctional lesson from the tragic experience and situation left behind by former President, it will elicits two separate but similar possibilities.

First and very fundamental, it will definitely lead to a situation in the country whereby corruption would spread its wings across the nation, destroying whatever necessary virtue left behind for human and infrastructural development. Secondly, if the current Federal Government fails to arrest the drifting 'culture of corruption' as spotted in the previous administration, Kukahs speech shall in no distant amount to a prophesy of denunciation that foretold what is to come if the present situation is not changed-but was ignored.

To further understand where this piece is headed, It is worthy of note that none of the current challenges; political, socioeconomic and corruption started with Buharis administration. They have long existed in the country.

Corruption according to reports is, but a human problem that has existed in some forms. Its fights also date back to Colonial governments as they (Colonial Overlords) sufficiently legislated against it in the first criminal code ordinance of 1916(No15 of 1916) which elaborately made provisions prohibiting official bribery and corruption by persons in the public service and in the judiciary.

Also at independence on October 1, 1960, it was recorded that the criminal code against corruption and abuse of office in Nigeria were in section 98 to 116 and 404 of the code.

But while the situation then may look ugly and challenging, what happened under former President Buharis administration was frightening and amply qualifies as a crisis. More specifically, Nigerians with critical minds were particularly unhappy that the President who rode to power by the favour of his fellow citizens and orchestrated integrity could not effectively tame corruption in the country but allowed it to take both nepotistic and supportive forms.

As we know, while nepotistic corruption involves unjustified and often unqualified appointment of friends or acquaintances to public offices in violations to the established norms (federal character), supportive corruption on its part refers to actions undertaken to protect the existing or already done corrupt practices particularly when the person(s) involved belong to the same ruling party.

Compounding the ugly reality is that at a time the countrys economy was showing its inability to sustain any kind of meaningful growth that promotes the social welfare of the people, corruption became even more entrenched as scandal upon scandal completely laid bare the anti-corruption stance of Buharis administration and those who were initially deceived by the governments alleged fight against corruption suddenly came to the conclusion that nothing has changed.

This situation becomes even more appreciated when one remembers that the list of actions not taken by the now rested administration to confront corruption which made Nigerians face actual and potential difficulties remained lengthy and worrisome.

Chiefly among these was the former Presidents failure to objectively make the fight against corruption a personal priority for him or those who report directly to him. This particular failure presented the former President as one that started off with high moral standards, strong conviction and determination to beat down corruption but has neither lived up to that good intention nor dealt with all transgressors without exception.

Aside from the fact that while ordinary Nigerians diminish socially and economically within the period under review, aggravating the challenge is the consciousness that the privileged political class flourished in obscene splendor as they pillage and ravage the resources of our country at will. This malfeasance at all levels of governance led to the destruction of social infrastructure relevant to a meaningful and acceptable level of social existence for our people. It was clear that adequate investment in this area was not their priority.

Again, separate from the unwarranted, senseless, premeditate, well organized and orchestrated killings across the country-from Benue to the Plateau, Taraba to Zamfara, Enugu to Ebonyi, Kogi to Edo, Ekiti to Ondo, where Nigerians were cut down at will, which characterized the administration, another ill that plagued President Buharis administration, faded its integrity light and mirrored it as a central threat to the nations attainment of social progress was the former President's penchant for following self-made tracks without keeping entirely to the tracks or opinion of the masses. This particular failure and failing on the part of the former President prompted many to conclude that there was something deeply troubling with his disdain for rule of law.

In Education sector, 10.5 million children, going by reports were out of school in under the former administration, the highest in the world. Our industries bore the brunt of a negative economic environment. As a result, job losses and unemployment continue to skyrocket, creating a serious case of social dislocation for the vast majority of our people.

The result of this poor leadership judgement was further signposted in the grinding poverty in the land and amplified by a report from Brookings Institute; which said that Nigeria has overtaken India as the country with the largest number of extremely poor in early 2018 in the world. That was at the end of May 2018; Brookings institutes trajectories also suggested that Nigeria had about 87 million people in extreme poverty, compared with Indias 73 million.

This result cannot in any ramification be judged as a scorecard of a good leader. To Buhari's administration, fight against corruption was more of a well said, than a well done assignment.

No wonder Chinua Achebe in his book the trouble with Nigeria stated that Nigerians are corrupt because the system under which they live today makes corruption easy and profitable; they will cease to be corrupt when corruption is made difficult and inconvenient. The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership and Nigeria can change today if it discovers leaders who have the will, the ability, and the vision.

To therefore change the narrative and win in race to stamp out corruption in the country, the present Federal Government must recognize that there is nothing more difficult to handle, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating such changes as the innovator will make more enemies of all those who prospered under old other. But any leaders that do, come out powerful, secured, respected and happy.

This piece holds the opinion that stamping out corruption in Nigeria is an opportunity that President Tinubu must not miss.

Utomi Jerome-Mario is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via;[email protected]/08032725374.
Barely a day after a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered the release of suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, another court declared his arrest and detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) null and void.

Emefiele sought the courts intervention against the Incorporated Trustees of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Inspector General of Police, the State Security Service, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The judge ruled that Emefieles arrest and detention were in violation of previous rulings by Justice M. A. Hassan.

Emefieles counsel, Peter Abang, requested the court to invalidate his clients arrest and detention, arguing it was in defiance of Justice M. A. Hassans ruling delivered on December 29, 2022.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Bello Kawu agreed that the arrest and detention violated Justice Hassans standing orders.

The court also nullified any arrest warrant obtained by the DSS and ordered Emefieles release from custody.

Following the ruling, Emefieles counsel hailed the courage of Nigerian judges and urged the DSS to comply with the court order promptly.

He noted that Emefieles health had suffered during his one-month detention and insisted he should be allowed to tend to.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has constituted the members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2023 Igbo Day Celebration to be hosted by the government and good people of Enugu State on Friday, September 29, 2023. The choice of Enugu is obvious because, apart from being the Igbo capital, it offers the required ambience, cultural hospitality, peace and security. The theme of the 2023, Igbo Day, according to the LOC is Igbo Kunie. The logic behind this theme is that it is a clarion call for the Igbo to arise and fulfill their lofty destiny; a charge for the Igbo to awaken to the philosophy of Akuluo-uno; to galvanize Ndigbo towards unity; to rediscover and embrace our core traditional family values of one in brotherhood; to have a rethink on the security situation in Igbo homeland and a call for Ndigbo to rise to the challenge of self-destruction through the sit-at-home syndrome.

The Igbo Day Celebration is in commemoration of some remarkable events that have impacted the Igbo history. The Igbo Day is rather a chain of events that have been compacted into one, and observed on September 29, every year.

Why the Igbo Celebration? One may ask. The reason is not only fundamental and sentimental, it is also very symbolic. A trip into history informs that Nigeria gained independence from the British on October 1, 1960; and attained a republican status on October 1, 1963. Unfortunately, from 1961 to 1966, several events suggested that Nigeria was still in a flux about democratic governance and even the independence itself. Some of the crises that unfolded shortly after the independence include the high level of electoral malpractices which gave rise to destruction of properties, maiming and killings in what was known as Operation Wetie of the Western Nigeria in 1962; the census controversy of 1963; creation of Midwest Nigeria, treason charges and imprisonment of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, amongst others. The British Commander of the Nigerian Army, Major General Christopher Earle Welby-Everard withdrew from the Nigerian Army and handed over to Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi in May 1965.

Based on the foregoing crises, a group of Army Officers widely believed to have been led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, staged a bloody coup d'etat on January 15, 1966. On May 29, 1966 over 3,000 Igbos were massacred in Kano as a consequence of what was considered an Igbo coup of January 15, 1966. Two months later, July 29, General Aguiyi-Ironsi, the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces was killed along with his host the Military Governor of the Western Region, Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi by the Northern military officers in what was tagged a counter coup. Several other Igbo officers were located at various military formations and killed on the same day. As if that was not enough, on September 29, 1966, another major ethnic cleansing took place in which about 30,000 Igbos were killed in the entire Northern Nigeria.

Based on the above backdrop, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has set aside September 29 every year as a special day. Why celebrate the Igbo Day? One may ask. The reason is not only fundamental and sentimental, it is also symbolic.

In the first place, it is a day of sober reflection on one hand, and a day to celebrate the Igbo resilience, ingenuity, entrepreneurial skills and frontier spirit, on the other. Without sounding immodest, all Nigerians affirm that the Igbo are endowed with the highest human creative potential, perhaps in the whole Africa. Therefore, we celebrate the innate capacity and perseverance in the Igbo to break some imposed physical boundaries to achieve incredible results where most fail. We celebrate that we passed through the valley of the shadow of death and bounced back in splendour; passed through the belly of the whale; traversed turmoil and hell and bounced back in glory. We celebrate the courage, tenacity and adaptability-to live and thrive in all parts of the world. We celebrate the promise of God that he fights for the oppressed and that history will vindicate the just.

How come that an ethnic group that has suffered various kinds of injustice, alienation and relative deprivations have undauntedly remained afloat in the academia, corporate world, transportation, tourism, commerce and industry, etc.? So, instead of mourning, we have chosen to celebrate the Gods love and kindness towards the Igbo.

Ndigbo are happy that a jinx-breaker, business icon, moral edifice, mobilizer, harmonizer of diverse interests and an accomplished achiever in the person of Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, CFR (Ahaejiagamba) is at the helm of affairs as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. Since he assumed office a few months ago, Iwuanyanwu has deployed his wealth of experience and contacts to chart a paradigm shift for Ndigbo. Chief Iwuanyanwu has developed a philosophical framework that has lifted Ohanaeze Ndigbo far away from its familiar habitat and provenance to an enviable pedestal. He has embarked on a rigorous developmental agenda; some of them include (a). Solution to the Insecurity in the South East; (b).The need for an Education Trust Fund; (c). Need for a Cultural Re-orientation; (d).Resuscitation of Ailing Industries and Home-ward Industrial Renaissance; (e) Youth Empowerment; among others. Iwuanyanwu sees September 29, 2023 as a turning point in Igbo history. It is a convocation of some sorts; a re-enactment of the Igbo pragmatic communalism, oneness and shared values.

While thanking His Excellency, Barr. Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mbah, the Governor of Enugu State for his kind gestures for hosting the 2023 Igbo Day, Chief Iwuanyanwu informs that the subsequent venues for Igbo Day Celebrations will be rotational amongst the Igbo States and that the 2024 Igbo Day event is open to any state that first indicates insurable interest to host.

The members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) include:

Professor Fred O. Eze, PhD----------------- (Chairman)

Malachy Chuma Ochie, PhD------------(Secretary)

Dr. Mrs Selina Ugwuoke-Adibuah----- Member

Hon. Chiedozie Alex. Ogbonnia, PhD- Member

Barr. Peter Aneke, PhD ------------------- Member

Mazi Ambrose Obioha -----------------------Member

Chief Mrs. Odibeze Amaka Anajemba Member

The members of the Central Planning Committee (CPC) will be announced later.

E-Sign

Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia (National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to depart for Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday, July 15, to participate in the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5th MYCM) of the African Union (AU).

Dele Alake, the presidential spokesperson, made this known in a statement issued on Friday.

He said that the President as the Chairperson of ECOWAS will join Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers of the AU Member-States, and high-level dignitaries at the mid-year meeting which will take place on Sunday, July 16.

President Tinubu would present a report on the status of regional integration in ECOWAS, highlighting actions carried out during the period under review by ECOWAS institutions, member-states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to deepen integration through trade, free movement of persons, investment promotion, infrastructure development, peace, security and stability, the statement said.

The statement added that the 5th MYCM, which is convening under the AUs theme for 2023 christened Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation, will bring together the Bureau of the AU Assembly, comprising the Heads of State and Government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, and Senegal, as well as the leaders of the eight RECs.

It addded that these regional economic communities include ECOWAS chaired by Nigeria, the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Community of SahelSaharan States (CEN SAD), the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

Mr Alake said the meeting will also involve the African Union Commission and the RMs.

President Tinubu, who will be accompanied by senior government officials, is expected to return to the country at the conclusion of the meeting.
Delivery pickup slams into Heroines Monument barrier

PHUKET: The driver of a delivery pickup truck that slammed into the steel barricade protecting the Heroines Monument early this morning (July 14) has been charged with reckless driving causing damage to government property.

transportSafetyaccidentspolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 14 July 2023 11:18 AM

Lt Col Noppadol Tonemanee of the Thalang Police said officers were informed of the accident at 3:30am.

Police and rescue workers from the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation arrived at the scene to find the Bangkok-registered Toyota pickup fitted with a refrigerated box on its tray stopped halfway across the barrier installed to protect the monument from invading vehicles.

The entire front of the pickup truck had been destroyed by the impact.

The driver, named by police as Sanphet Rao, 21, was at the scene of the accident, police noted.

Sanphet had escaped the accident with no injuries.

Police said that Sanphet was travelling northbound along Thepkrasattri Rd when he fell asleep at the wheel, leading to him slamming into the monument barrier.

The pickup was taken to Thalang Police Station and Sanphet was charged with reckless driving causing damage to government property, police confirmed.
Move Forward in Phuket calls for peace, hope for the future

PHUKET: A group of about 30 people turned out at the Mingmongkol Statue (Dragon Statue) at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town yesterday evening to call for peace and maintain their support for Pita Limjaroenrat, the Move Forward Party prime ministerial candidate who was declined the position of prime minister by a House of Representatives and Senate combined vote yesterday (July 13).

politics

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 14 July 2023 09:29 AM

The Move Forward Party leader received 324 votes in his favour, 182 votes against and 199 abstentions in the first prime ministerial vote. The result left him 51 votes short of his target, reported the Bangkok Post.

Wearing orange shirts, the colour of the Move Forward Party, people at the gathering held small placards accusing members of the Senate of being cheats and criticising the vote to deny Move Forward leader Mr Pita the position of prime minister.

Larger, similar gatherings were held in Bangkok last night.

The gathering was peaceful, but watched over by police at the scene. There were no incidents, and the gathering soon dispersed.

Move Forward won all three Phuket MP seats in the May 14 election, with each seat won by clear strong margins.

Nantawat Saeng-ngoen, Deputy Assistant to Chalermpong Saengdee, the elected MP for Phuket District 2, urged people to be peaceful and maintain hope for the future.

Those who havent voted yet [abstained], if you didnt vote today, it doesnt mean you wont vote for us next time. It depends on how the party understands how to negotiate or talk, he said.

The House and Senate will convene again on July 19 to vote again for a prime minister to lead the next government.

"Everyone needs to comes together to cheer each other up and not create hate, not cause trouble, Mr Nantawat said.

Do not insult anyone, respect each other, because everyone came for democracy and we want all the people in the country to be happy. This is our main goal, Mr Nantawat concluded.
Officials present B226mn floodworks plan for Phuket Town

PHUKET: Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas presided over a public hearing yesterday (July 13) to present a drainage system construction project costing B226 million to help protect the Phuket Old Town area from repeated flooding.

constructionweatherdisasters

By The Phuket News

Friday 14 July 2023 10:14 AM

At the hearing, held at Royal Phuket City Hotel, Mr Saroj explained that Phase 1 of the project was to install and improve the drain network from around the Phra Aram Bridge to Soi Ton Pho.

The need to improve the drain network was made clear with the repeated flooding of the area, Mr Saroj said.

Heavy continual rainfall on Nov 15-16 last year resulted in floodwaters of one to 1.5 metres deep, which cars would not drive through and causing damage to many properties, he said.

One month earlier, in October last year, Phuket Town suffered its worst flooding in 30 years.

The goal is to let people in the area know about Implementation of a drainage system construction project to solve the flooding problem in the Old Town area, Mr Saroj said.

The project will install new drains and improve old drains covering a distance of 1,610m. The project will cost B226mn, he added.

Mr Saroj said the public hearing was to inform local residents of the project, and to gather any opinions and suggestions from local residents on hos the project might be best carried out.
Parliament to hold next PM vote on July 19

BANGKOK: Thailands parliament confirmed today (July 14) it would vote again on a new prime minister next week, after pro-royalist lawmakers foiled liberal frontrunner Pita Limjaroenrats bid for the top job.

politics

By AFP

Friday 14 July 2023 11:36 AM

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat speaks to reporters after he failed to win a majority vote from parliament for his premiership yesterday (July 13). Photo: Pornprom Sarttarpai

Deputy house speaker Pichet Chuamuangphan told AFP that the ballot would take place next Wednesday. Pitas Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most seats in May elections, buoyed by young Thais eager for progressive reforms after nine years of army-backed rule. But the Harvard-educated millionaires campaign to lead the next government was knocked back yesterday by the legislatures military-appointed senators, who consider his pledge to reform the kingdoms strict royal defamation laws a red line. Pita was the sole candidate in yesterdays ballot but fell 51 votes short of the 375 lawmakers he needed to secure his appointment. Pichet, also a lawmaker for the MFPs coalition partner Pheu Thai, said it remained unclear whether Pita would be renominated or whether he would face any additional candidates in the next ballot. We still have to talk about it first, he said. For now, its gathering opinions and feedback from the people.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 14, 2023 - 23:00 | All, World, Japan

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Indo-Pacific talks to highlight division over North Korea, Ukraine

JAKARTA - Talks by top diplomats from the Indo-Pacific region are expected to highlight their division over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and Russia's war in Ukraine at their meeting on Friday in Jakarta.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his counterparts of like-minded nations including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will likely bring up China's maritime assertiveness in the region at the 27-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, according to a Japanese government official.

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Japan, China agree on communication, but at odds on Fukushima water

JAKARTA - Japan and China agreed Friday to closely communicate at various levels, but their top diplomats remained divided over Tokyo's plan to release treated radioactive water into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear power plant and China's escalating military activities.

During their one-hour talks in Jakarta, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and China's top diplomat Wang Yi reiterated their positions on bilateral issues, but shared the importance of cooperation in areas such as the economy and people-to-people exchanges, the Japanese government said.

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Indonesia says "mistrust and uncertainties" holding Indo-Pacific back

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told a regional meeting Friday that the Indo-Pacific is wasting an opportunity to unlock its potential due to ongoing "mistrust and uncertainties," in a veiled criticism of the impact of the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry on the region.

Retno told the foreign ministerial session of the East Asia Summit in Jakarta, part of which was open to the media, "Some say the Indo-Pacific is experiencing symptoms of a Cold War in hot places," implying the hostility could snowball into conflict.

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U.N. Security Council remains split over N. Korea ICBM test

NEW YORK - The U.N. Security Council remained split Thursday over how to address North Korea's recent test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, with a Pyongyang envoy defending the act in a rare appearance at a session of the panel.

At an emergency meeting convened by the 15-member council, the United States, Japan and European countries criticized the launch of what North Korean state media claimed was a Hwasong-18 ICBM.

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Pita refuses to give up fight for Thai PM post

BANGKOK - Pita Limjaroenrat, the head of an alliance of liberal parties in Thailand, has said he will not give up seeking to become the country's prime minister following his failure to win a majority in a parliamentary vote Thursday, pinning his hopes on another vote expected next week.

The 42-year-old leader of the Move Forward party won 324 votes, falling short of 375 needed to be elected prime minister by the 749 members of the lower and upper houses, amid opposition to his attempt to amend the country's harsh law against insulting the monarchy.

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China, Tibet must resume talks while Dalai Lama lives: exile gov't

TOKYO - A minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said in Tokyo on Friday that it is critical her administration and the Chinese government return to the negotiating table while the 14th Dalai Lama is still alive.

"(The current Dalai Lama) has the moral authority, he has the legitimacy, and whatever solution or resolution that could come about while he is alive, people give that stamp of approval," said Norzin Dolma, minister of the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration.

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U.N. rights body to probe Johnny's sex abuse claims in late July

GENEVA - A working group of the U.N. Human Rights Council said Thursday it will visit Japan from late July to early August, with sources indicating it will investigate sexual abuse claims against Johnny Kitagawa, the late founder of Japan's top male talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc.

During the visit from July 24 to Aug. 4, the Working Group on Business and Human Rights is expected to conduct interviews with people formerly linked to the agency who say they were abused by Kitagawa, who died in 2019.

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Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's new anime film released, 1st in decade

TOKYO - Renowned Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's animation film "Kimitachi wa Do Ikiru ka" (How Do You Live?) was released Friday in Japan after a lack of promotion that had left fans guessing about his first feature film in 10 years.

The limited information available before the release of the latest Studio Ghibli Inc. film included a poster, revealed in December 2022, of a bird-like creature with white and blue feathers.

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Video: International concourse at Haneda's Terminal 2 revealed
Pita: Im not giving up

BANGKOK: I accept it but Im not giving up, was Pita Limjaroenrats first reaction after he failed to win a majority vote from parliament for his premiership yesterday evening (July 13).

politics

By Bangkok Post

Friday 14 July 2023 09:07 AM

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat ponders in the parliament chamber after failing to win a majority vote from the House and the Senate to become prime minister last night (July 13). Photo: Chanat Katanyu

The Move Forward Party leader received 324 votes in his favour, 182 votes against and 199 abstentions in the first prime ministerial vote. The result left him 51 votes short of his target, report the Bangkok Post.

After the vote result was announced, Mr Pita told reporters that there were a lot of pressures on senators because many of them were absent from the joint sitting of representatives and senators yesterday.

There were pressures and several incentives, he said without elaborating. They were not allowed to vote in line with the people.

More than 30 senators were absent from the meeting. Some had gone abroad and others left the chamber, said the leader of the election-winning party.

I thank the 13 senators who voted in favour. I will find the reasons why many of them were absent, Mr Pita said.

He said he accepted the vote result but was not giving up. He said he would try to find strategies to gather enough support in the next round of the prime ministerial vote.

Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has scheduled the second and third rounds of voting for July 19 and 20. It is not known yet if Mr Pitas name will be put forward on one or both days.

Before the vote yesterday, several parliamentarians attacked the Move Forward Partys policy to amend the lese-majeste law.

Some commentators have suggested that if the party decided to compromise and drop plans to change the law from its policy pledges, Mr Pita might be able to win a majority in the next round of voting.

After yesterdays vote, reporters asked Mr Pita if his party would change its stance on the law, Section 112 of the Criminal Code.

It will remain the same, he insisted. Today we had a lot of chances to explain the matter to the parliament and that was a good development.

Asked if he was prepared to be in the opposition if things dont go his way, Mr Pita said he was focusing for now on preparing for the second round of the prime ministerial vote.

There would be time enough to figure out what happened yesterday to get ready for the next round, he said.
Rawai accident leaves rescue vehicle out of operation

PHUKET: A rescue vehicle belonging to Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket was out of operation for several hours today (July 14) and will have to be left in a repair shop for a full day or more after a minor accident and a prolonged dispute with a foreign motorcyclist in Rawai.

accidentsSafety

By The Phuket News

Friday 14 July 2023 04:45 PM

The Rawai accident was reported by Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket at around 10am today (July 14), but this time, one of the parties involved was Vincent Modell, a long-term Phuket expat and one of a handful of foreign rescue volunteers on the island.

According to the report posted on Facebook at 10:49 am, a rescue vehicle in a green and yellow livery slowed down at Soi Houpru to let another vehicle turn when it was rear-ended by a red Yamaha Grand Filano scooter driven by a foreign man allegedly from Eastern Europe or Russia.

The motorcycle rider initially denied responsibility for the accident and blamed the rescue vehicle for causing the incident by braking too hard. However, he later agreed to compensate for the damage.

It took four hours to settle the dispute, including both parties going to the Chalong Police Station and negotiating in the presence of police officers.

"The damage on the car denotes the bike was already on the ground before collision. [It is] all lower body damage, this indicates the driver braked hard at the last minute," explained Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket on their official Facebook page.

Both vehicles had only minimal damage and remained drivable. None of the individuals involved sustained any serious injuries.

The main loss was the loss of time, as the dispute took four hours to settle, explained Vincent Modell, the driver of the rescue vehicle involved in the accident.

"Both the rider and his wife who arrived later were of the opinion that the accident was a result of me braking hard, which was not the case. I couldnt say why he hit my car, but I can assume he was traveling too closely. The bike dropped before hitting the car," Mr Modell told The Phuket News.

"For four hours of time that I should have been on duty, I had to deal with people who were not sorry about the collision, only sorry that they had to pay," he added.

The case was settled without being officially recorded by Chalong Police, although an agreement was reached at the Chalong Police Station.

Speaking to The Phuket News, Mr Modell said he was unable to provide any information about the other party, as neither the Filano rider nor the woman introduced themselves to the rescue worker.

Mr Modell concluded his story with a humble request to people to respect rescue workers time, as the very nature of first-responders work assumes that time is crucial.
Tough to operate sans AFSPA Politics over the Army Act

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Playing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) card. Just one day after Manipur recalled the day that Thangjam Manorama was picked up, ravaged and riddled with bullets by troops of Assam Rifles way back in 2004 and which led the then Congress Government under O Ibobi to roll back the Disturbed Area status from the Municipal areas of Imphal which automatically made the Army Act redundant, came the report, quoting defence officials as stating that letting the troops perform their duty in areas where AFSPA has been withdrawn is proving to be difficult. Presence of a Magistrate mandatory to perform their duty is the one line explanation that has been put forward. The difficulties faced by the Central security personnel is understandable for this is not exactly a conventional war where the enemy is clearly marked. However an interesting point has been delivered and making it more so is the fact that the difficult to operate sans AFSPA story has been leaked to the press by unnamed officials and this is something which would not have escaped the attention of all those who have been at the forefront in making their positions known against the Army Act. One wonders how the Army or the other Central security personnel operated when the Army was called out in places which have never ever come under the Army Act at any point of time. Perhaps the unnamed officials may have a better answer or give a better version of their understanding on the ongoing ethnic clash but it should not be forgotten how AFSPA was repealed from the Municipal areas of Imphal in 2004. A look back at the story of Thangjam Manorama may be in line here. On July 11, 2004 the young lady was picked up from her house by troops of 17 Assam Rifles which were then housed at Kangla and her brutalised, assaulted and bullet riddled body was recovered the following day. What happened after the brutalised body of the young lady was recovered is an event that has gone on to make up an important chapter in the story of Manipur in the 21st century. The nude protest at Kangla on July 15, 2004, which then housed the 17 Assam Rifles took Manipur to the front page of all major newspapers in India and across the world. It spun numerous stories worldwide on the role of Manipuri women in society and prompted the then Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh to personally fly down here and announce in front of the media at Raj Bhavan the constitution of the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission to look into the said Army Act. A more humane Act is needed-these were the words used by the former Prime Minister of India.

In line with the demand of the time and the prevailing situation in Manipur, the then Congress Government under O Ibobi scrapped the Disturbed Area tag in the Municipal areas of Imphal. It was only later in 2022 that the BJP led Government at Delhi rolled back the Army Act from areas that come under 15 police stations in Manipur. It is against this background and the ongoing ethnic clash, that some unnamed defence officials have asserted that operating in the given situation is proving to be difficult. Not said but what can be inferred from the observation of some of the defence officials is they want the Army Act back if the troops are to more effectively deal with the situation. Whether the said Act can make the Army more efficient in dealing with the present situation is a long call, but it should not be forgotten that after the whole of Manipur came under the said Army Act in 1980, the number of armed organisations only mushroomed. It further alienated the people from all that the Army stands for and this can be understood via the Heirangoithong massacre, RIMS killing, Tonsen Lamkhai, Malom incident which gave birth to the crusader in Irom Sharmila and many more. This is certainly not the time to play politics with AFSPA. Concentrate on the job at hand and if the Army can be called out in places where AFSPA has never been imposed, then the argument that it cannot function well without the Army Act here in Manipur sounds lame and tepid.
Confusion to ConfessionTales of Plastic Surgeons

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Dr Indranil Dutta, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Shija Hospitals

Doctor, Doctor! screamed a young man holding his amputated right thumb in a packet running to our department in hope to rejoin it. And yes after 6 hours of tenuous surgery the thumb was successfully reimplanted.

Young boy due to motorbike accident, lost half of the sole, came to us if we can do something so that he can walk again. Yes, we did Microvascular Free Tissue Transfer and within 3 months he started walking.

Yes, you might think it as a fairytale story, you might think of a magician who performs all this surgery. No, we are not magicians; we are Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons.

Unlike other super-specialties such as Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery and Urology, Plastic Surgery has no adhesion to a specific organ system. Plastic surgeons operate in all areas of the body from head to toes- to restore your functional loss; to beautify you.

We are all proud as its all started in India in 600 BC with Sushruta  Father of Plastic Surgery. Every year, 15th July is celebrated as World Plastic Surgery Day.

Plastic surgeons improve quality of life in people who experience severe injuries, life-changing illnesses and congenital defects. They use a variety of surgical techniques to enhance appearance and improve function in affected areas. Plastic surgeons also specialize in cosmetic surgery to improve appearance for aesthetic purposes.

What is a plastic surgeon?

Plastic surgeons repair injuries and congenital (present at birth) defects affecting appearance or function. They use reconstructive and cosmetic techniques to restore areas impacted by major illnesses such as cancer. They also perform procedures to enhance physical features for aesthetic reasons.

Their areas of expertise include Breasts and chest; Extremities, such as your arms, legs, hands and feet; External genitalia; Facial structures, like your mouth, face, ears, head and neck; Skin.

What conditions do plastic surgeons repair or restore?

Birth/Congenital Defects: Cleft lip and palate; Congenital hand differences; Craniosynostosis; Hypospadias; Microtia (Deformed Ear); Syndactyly (webbed fingers or toes).

Trauma: Burns; Complex wounds; Cuts involving delicate tissue, such as your hands, feet, lips, eyelids, nose, genitals or nerves; Maxillo-Facial fractures; Scars & Contractures that limit natural movement.

Cancer reconstruction: Head and neck cancer; Breast cancer; Colorectal cancer; Gynecologic cancer; Skin cancer.

Gender dysphoria: Plastic surgery to treat gender dysphoria is for transgender individuals whose physical appearance doesnt reflect their gender identity.

Is a plastic surgeon the same as a cosmetic surgeon?

Cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery are both sub-specialties of plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgery is a part of all plastic surgeons training. Cosmetic Surgical procedures should be done by Plastic surgeons as per NMC, India.

What do plastic surgeons do?

Plastic surgeons use various techniques to treat severe injuries, improve function and restore a natural-looking appearance.

 Microsurgery involves the use of a microscope to help surgeons carry out complex procedures. You may need microsurgery to reconnect tiny blood vessels or nerves.

 Skin Grafts are sections of healthy skin that surgeons shave off and attach to a different area of your body. After surgery, the graft survives by connecting to existing blood vessels. Skin grafts help repair large wounds, including burns.

 Flaps & Free flap surgery. A flap uses a persons own tissue to repair defects caused by cancer resection or trauma. Skin, fat and sometimes muscle are often moved from another area.

(To be contd)


Transfer and posting

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IMPHAL, Jul 14 : The State Government has issued a transfer and posting of four IAS officers, 20 MCS officers, one MSS and one SDC.

As per an order issued by Deputy Secretary Ph Bhavananda Sharma, MH Khan (IAS) has been assigned as Additional Chief Secretary (TA & Hills/Forest, Environment & Climate Change/Relief & DM/RD&PR/AR) & DG/SAT and OSD Manipur Bhawan, Delhi in addition while Thaithuilung Pamei (IAS) has been posted as Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Sericulture).

Dr Shailesh Kumar Chourasia (IAS), on the other hand, has been entrusted as Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Power) & Member Secretary (MANIREDA) & Officer-in-Charge, Public Grievances Redressal & Anti-Corruption Cell, Chief Minister's Office in addition.

Another IAS Officer N Bandana Devi has been posted as Special Secretary (Edn-S) & Director (MSAUD) & SMD/MSRLM in addition.
A female motorbike rider waits for customers in Lusaka, Zambia, July 11, 2023. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)

LUSAKA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- As formal jobs continue to elude many young people in Zambia, some young people have decided to find alternative ways of earning incomes through the informal sector.

Some have since joined the highly growing business of providing courier services using motorbikes, which is slowly gaining popularity in Lusaka, the country's capital.

A visit to Downtown Mall, one of the popular shopping malls in the city, found a group of young people at the back of the mall with their motorbikes waiting for customers.

Some of the young people own motorbikes while others have been employed by people to provide motorbike courier services.

With increased congestion on roads in Lusaka, motorbikes are proving to be the fastest way to travel as they can easily meander through the congestion, a situation that is making the motorbike courier business a success.

The bikers deliver goods, clothes, food and any other thing the client wants delivered, with the fees depending on the distance.

"We have many bikers now because people feel that this is the business to enter. People now prefer using motorbikes because they are cheap to maintain, fast and not affected by congestion," Steven Hang'andu, the vice-chairman of the Downtown Bikers, said in an interview.

Gift Nyirongo, who started riding a motorbike in 2021, said he was forced to join after finding challenges of getting his salary where he was working.

"So I decided to join this industry so that I can start pushing certain things for my personal development," he said, adding that he does not regret the decision because it has changed his life.

According to Nyirongo, he is now able to not only take care of his family but also send his children to school and support other people in need of assistance.

Asked how they get customers, Nyirongo said a biker is supposed to build trust in his first customer and build a relationship where the customer will be calling each time when there is an errand.

"This business is about trust. Once the customer trusts you, they will start sending you to deliver goods for them. They will even recommend you to other customers," he added.

For Vincent Siachiyasa, it is time young people stopped complaining about the lack of jobs and find something meaningful to do instead of waiting for the government.

"I started riding a bike six months ago after facing challenges of finding a job, as you know jobs are hard to find in this country," he said.

Siachiyasa said he is so far happy as he is able to make money and take care of himself even if he is working for someone.

Acras Mapulanga, who has been riding a bike for the past one year and five months, however, appealed to the government to help the riders deal with scammers who usually scam them when it comes to online payments.

The riders have also appealed to the government to assist them with loans to get motorbikes as some of them were just working for other people.

The motorbike courier business has increased in the Zambian capital and the business has also attracted companies that provide ride-hailing taxis, with some buying motorbikes and employing people to do deliveries.

Diana Mwangala is a woman bike rider working for Titume, an e-transportation and logistics company.

Mwangala, who started riding a bike in March this year, says she decided to join the company because she likes riding, adding that so far the business has been okay. 

A motorbike rider waits for customers in Lusaka, Zambia, July 11, 2023. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)

Motorbike riders wait for customers in Lusaka, Zambia, July 11, 2023. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)

Motorbikes are seen at the back of a mall in Lusaka, Zambia, July 11, 2023. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)
A tourist boat passes by the Haoyun (Good Luck) Bridge over the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 16, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

This photo taken on July 8, 2023 shows a view of the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

People enjoy an evening picnic by the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 14, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

People enjoy paddleboarding on the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 23, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

An European oil painting exhibition is held along a section of the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 16, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

This photo taken on June 14, 2023 shows a view of the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

People watch an evening performance by the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 23, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

A biker rides past a western restaurant named "La Seine" by the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

This photo taken on June 21, 2023 shows the Youyi (Friendship) Bridge over the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

People take part in "Paris Plages," a beach festival by the Seine River in Paris, France, July 17, 2019.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A biker passes by the Seine River in Paris, France, June 28, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A man takes a rest by the Seine River as a tourist boat passes by him in Paris, France, June 28, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A jogger runs along the Seine River in Paris, France, July 4, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A fashion show is held by the Seine River in Paris, France, July 4, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A couple from China poses for wedding photos by the Seine River in Paris, France, June 27, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

People take part in "Paris Plages," a beach festival by the Seine River in Paris, France, July 19, 2019.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A tourist boat sails along the Seine River in Paris, France, July 17, 2019.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A marriage proposal takes place by the Seine River in Paris, France, June 27, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

A couple takes a rest by the Seine River in Paris, France, June 28, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

This photo taken on June 18, 2020 shows a view of the Seine River and a cityscape of Paris, France.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

People take a walk along the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 23, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

This photo taken on June 20, 2023 shows a bridge over the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

A man runs along the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 20, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

People enjoy paddleboarding on the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 17, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Tourists take an evening tour along the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 14, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

People have fun by the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

This photo taken on June 20, 2023 shows SOLANA, a shopping complex by the Liangma River, in Beijing, capital of China.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Tourists enjoy the view of Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 23, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Tourists take an evening boat tour along the Liangma River in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2023.

The Seine River, the second largest river in France, meanders through the heart of Paris. Flowing from west to east, it divides the city into the iconic "Left Bank" and "Right Bank". The Left Bank is defined by an artistic ambiance, adorned with cafes, theaters, and bookstores, creating a haven for the literary circle and a cultural paradise. On the other hand, the Right Bank houses prestigious landmarks such as the Louvre, the former royal palace, and the Elysee Palace, the current presidential residence, establishing itself as the political center of Paris.

Beijing's Liangma River used to be a place where caravans would cleanse and refresh their horses before entering the city. Originating from the moat of Beijing, it flows from west to east, eventually merging into the Ba River. The Liangma River traverses diverse areas, including foreign embassies, international hotels, department stores, and trendy commercial streets, connecting various international business districts in Beijing. In 2019, the city's Chaoyang District embarked on a waterfront project along the Liangma River. After two years of development and environmental improvements, the Liangma River has transformed from a mere waterway into a captivating aquatic landscape, which consists of "one river, two lakes, 24 bridges, and 18 scenic spots". It has now become a must-visit destination in Beijing.

During scorching summer days, the riverbanks in cities often serve as the perfect urban "living room". Paris and Beijing, despite their differences, share the same leisurely activities along their respective riverbanks amid the summer heat. The waterside living scenes along both rivers reflect a common pursuit of quality life in Nature's embrace. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)
SYDNEY, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The health department of Western Australia (WA) state on Friday issued a warning over Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) in the Kimberley region, as an infected traveler is currently staying in hospital for treatment.

"The Department of Health is urging residents and travelers in the Kimberley region to take extra precautions to prevent mosquito bites following unseasonal rainfall and ongoing human cases of the mosquito-borne Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) in the region," the authority said in a statement.

It also noted that the state records its worst season for the virus in 12 years.

According to the statement, two people lost their lives to the disease earlier this year. Four others have been infected in the Kimberley region over the last 12 months, with the most recent case confirmed in late June.

WA Department of Health Managing Scientist Jay Nicholson said that recent unseasonal rainfall in the Kimberley has extended breeding conditions for mosquitoes, increasing the risk of people being exposed to the MVE virus and a range of other mosquito-borne viruses, including the Japanese encephalitis virus.

"Murray Valley encephalitis virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, and while the risk of being infected and becoming unwell is low, the illness caused by the virus can be severe and potentially fatal, as we have seen in two cases this year," Nicholson said.

Given that the Kimberley region is in its peak holiday season, the scientist advised coming visitors to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, because it is the only effective protection against infection. 
BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China saw about 2.24 million passenger vehicles sold in June, of which 1.2 million were domestic brands, accounting for 53.7 percent of the domestic market.

The market share of domestic brands in June rose from 45.1 percent in the same period of last year, and surpassed joint ventures and foreign counterparts, according to statistics from the China Passenger Cars Association (CPCA).

Targeted policies and frequent promotional activities, including auto shows and consumer vouchers, among others, launched by Chinese authorities, are effectively stabilizing and expanding automobile consumption, especially in rural areas.

"The rise of Chinese domestic car brands indicates the high-quality development of China's automobile industry, particularly more competitive new energy vehicles," said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the CPCA.

China has been leading the world in new energy vehicle production and sales for eight consecutive years, and currently enjoys more than 60 percent of the global market share.

Statistics from the CPCA also show that China exported 1.68 million passenger vehicles in the first half of 2023, a 92 percent year-on-year increase. In June this year, 70,000 new energy vehicles produced by Chinese domestic brands were sold overseas, up 185.3 percent year on year. Purely electric vehicles accounted for 89 percent of the total number of new energy vehicles exported last month.

At the beginning of this month, China's 20 millionth new energy vehicle rolled off the production line, underlining China's huge new energy vehicle market scale.

Since 2012, China has followed a national strategy to develop new energy vehicles. Policies and targeted measures at all levels and innovations from within the industry have promoted the development of domestic new energy vehicle industry, according to Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology. 
The West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) have cancelled polls held in 20 booths, two days after results of 10th three-tier panchayat elections were announced on 11 July. Re-polls in the 20 booths will be held after the commission announces a fresh date. Polls in the 20 booths were cancelled on the grounds of ballot papers being damaged. The booths include three blocks, Habra-II in North 24- Parganas, Sankarail in Howrah and Singur in Hooghly. Sankrail block in Howrah has the highest number of 15 booths where polls were cancelled by the commission. But the most interesting among the 20 booths is Bharkunda village in HabraII block, where CPM candidate had alleged that his rival Trinamul contestant Mahadeb Mati had swallowed in ballot papers of the former fearing defeat when counting of gram panchayat elections were held on 11 July.

According to the allegation, Mahadeb who was trailing by four votes against the CPM candidate in Booth 31 at Bharkunda village had swallowed the papers. The commission inquired the matter and found allegations raised on such counts justified. Hence, it has ordered fresh polling for these 20 booths, a commission official said. But Mahadeb denied the charge saying he was never trailed by votes. He was trolled in the social media soon after the allegation brought against him was telecast in news channels.

Meanwhile, while in a case related to destruction of ballot papers, Justice Amrita Sinha observed that victory in panchayat polls seems to be equivalent to five years of ensured job and income and hence so much violence and bloodshed is prompted over it. Justice Sinha also questioned the commission on why violence is continuing in different pockets of the state even after the elections process and counting are over.

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NotabIy, it was Justice Sinha only, who had earlier observed in the court that rural civic body elections should be stopped if there is much violence and loss of human lives over it.
Trinamul Congress is gearing to make the 21 July rally a grand success and senior party leaders feel that there will be a historic gathering this year. Mamata Banerjee was the then president of Youth Congress in 1993. She called for Writers Buildings march on 21 July demanding no polling without voters identity card and other issues like unleashing red terror and failure of the state government to control price hike. The police opened fire killing 13 Youth Congress supporters.

After setting up Trinamul Congress, Miss Banerjee is observing the day as Martyrs Day. Preparations started to construct the main podium opposite The Statesman House on Chittaranjan Avenue. There will be two stages, one for the main speakers and dignitaries and the second one for the media. Senior city police officers visited this morning.

Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee went to his office in Kalighat this morning and held a meeting regarding the programme. Party workers from distant districts of north Bengal will come from the districts and will be put in different dharamshalas and makeshift camps. Senior party leaders, including Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Snehasis Chakraborty among others will look after the stay and hospitality of the party workers from the districts. Rallies will come from Howrah and Sealdah stations. Political experts said this years meeting is very important.

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The overwhelming success in the panchayat election has given Trinamul Congress a gush of adrenaline. Miss Banerjee and Abhishek will attend the twoday conference of the opposition parties in Bengaluru on 17 and 18 July. Miss Banerjee is likely to give a clarion call to the party workers to work together to oust the BJP from the Centre. Senior party leaders are working on the names of the speakers who will address the gathering on 21 July. The key speakers will be Miss Banerjee and Abhishek. Party leaders remain tightlipped on whether leaders from other states will come to attend the rally.
Unbridled violence in Bhangar, hotbed of political clashes flared up again today with 10 more persons being injured at Chaltaberia.

The injured, reportedly belonging to Indian Secular Front (ISF), sustained injuries when crude bombs blew up inside a house at Chaltaberia in Bhangar in the afternoon. The incident occurred while one of them was making bombs. According to local sources, the 10 ISF workers sustained severe burn injuries and the condition of four of them is stated to be critical. The critically injured were rushed to the state-run Calcutta National Medical Hospital (CNMCH) through Basanti Highway later in the afternoon.

All the victims are aged between 23 and 30. Policemen of Leather Complex police station intervened when the injured were being taken to the CNMCH and made necessary arrangements so that they could get emergency treatment at the hospital.

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On Wednesday night, two ISF personnel and a villager were killed following a clash that broke out between the police and ISF supporters at Kanthalia near Bhangar in South 24-Parganas. Another youth was also killed on the same day in the area. According to local sources, the youth was not associated with any political party. Apart from this, a police officer and his bodyguard were severely injured during the incident.

Meanwhile, the visiting BJPs fact-finding team, headed by former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, visited the violence-hit Bhangar and several other areas since Wednesday to take stock of post-poll law and order situation in the state. The team also met the Governor CV Ananda Bose at Raj Bhavan on Thursday and briefed him about the ongoing widespread poll violence, allegedly sponsored by the ruling Trinamul Congress in the state. We would expose the deteriorating law and order situation under Mamata Banerjees rule in Bengal before the world.

How innocent people are being killed by Trinamul Congress miscreants, Mr Prasad alleged. Why is there so much violence in Bengal? Why so many murders? Democracy in Bengal is ashamed, he said. He further said, I have heard that there has been pressure on the winning candidate to join the Trinamul. Otherwise, it has been said that the certificates will not be given. Taking a dig at chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Ravi Shankar Prasad said, I respect Mamata Banerjee as a fighting political leader, no matter how much our ideologies differ. Arabul Islam, former Trinamul Congress MLA and party strongman from Bhangar told The Statesman, ISF men, led by their leader Naushad Siddiqui have unleashed a reign of terror in Bhangar. They were making bombs today at Chaltaberia to create terror again. Mr Siddiqui was not available for comment.
Business nowadays is not just using raw material and producing goods for profit but rather what one gives to your environment and surrounding, prioritizing sustainable business models for long-term success. Sustainable practices while contributing to the efforts to save Planet Earth attract the customers who value positive contributions.

To highlight this evolution of business and emphasise that modern cost accounting goes beyond profit reporting, the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) organised the Global Summit 2023.

The aim of the Global Summit 2023 was to underscore the importance of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) principles in corporate decision-making.

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Held at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, the summit focused on leveraging data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) to drive ESG strategies.

During the event, the ICMAI highlighted the evolving role of cost accountants in providing crucial data and statistics to management for informed decision-making.

The two-day event, with the theme Unlocking Sustainability: G20 Presidency Paves the Way for an ESG-driven New World Order, explored Indias G20 presidency theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or One Earth, One Family, One Future. The focus was on implementing ESG strategies to achieve this vision.

In his presidential address, CMA Vijender Sharma, President of the ICMAI, underscored the significance of ESG practices for corporate governance. He stated, The ultimate objective is different now as we are responsible for the environment, society, and governance. Participants from various sectors, including the public and private sectors, government, and regulatory bodies, are discussing and updating themselves on ESG trends and market developments.

Speaking to The Statesman, Sharma shared his commitment to achieving sustainable and enduring profitability for long-term survival. He underlined that we have inherited resources from our ancestors, which we must repay as a debt to future generations, making us their custodians. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure the optimal utilization of these resources.

To promote sustainable agriculture, the ICMAI has introduced diplomas that teach farmers new farming techniques. Sharma acknowledged the resistance that traditional farmers may have towards changing their methods but stressed that adaptation is beneficial for their own well-being.

Additionally, it provides training to retired army officials who desire to work on their farmland. The organization aims to reduce rural-to-urban migration by offering employment opportunities within the village.

Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Union Minister of State for Education, addressed the summit virtually and stressed the importance of sustainability and ESG in achieving a sustainable future.

He noted that educational institutions also play a vital role in promoting ESG principles through environmental education, social responsibility, governance, and ethical standards.

Lieutenant General Samir Gupta, Director General, Financial Planning, Indian Army, stressed the significance of considering the environment and sustainability for financial growth. The ICMAI provides cost accounting training to the Indian Army, offering better employment opportunities to soldiers after retirement. The institute has also supported the Agniveer scheme and actively promotes sustainability initiatives.

Atul Sobti, Director General of Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), praised Indias Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) for their sustainable practices and contribution to GDP growth. He highlighted that a significant majority of Indian PSUs, about 76 per cent, are profitable compared to the US, where over 50 per cent of PSUs operate at a loss. He stated that the summits primary vision is to create awareness and contribute to achieving one of the six G20 goals, namely Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG). India, being the top performer among G20 countries in terms of Nationally Defined Contributions, is expected to successfully make the corporate world and MSMEs sustainable, aligning with long-term objectives.

CMA H Padmanabhan, Chairman of GS2023 and Former Vice-President of the ICMAI, among other distinguished guests were present on the occasion.

The ICMAI is a statutory professional body established under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, dedicated to regulating and developing the profession of Cost and Management Accountancy.
This photo taken on July 11, 2023 shows an interior view of the Sidi Aich Tunnel, part of the Bejaia Highway that starts from the Bejaia port and connects to the East-West Highway, in Sidi Aich, Algeria. (China Railway Construction Corporation Limited/Handout via Xinhua)

ALGIERS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Sidi Aich Tunnel, part of the Bejaia Highway project built by the China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) in northern Algeria, has opened to traffic.

An inauguration ceremony was held on Thursday evening, attended by Lakhdar Rakhroukh, the Algerian minister of public works, Kamel Eddine Karbouche, governor of Bejaia Province, and Zhuo Lei, chairman of CRCC International Ltd.

The 100-km six-lane highway, starting from the Bejaia port in the north, connects to the East-West Highway, the country's economic artery, in the south.

The operation of the Sidi Aich Tunnel, which covers 84 km of the entire highway, will improve traffic flow in the key sections connecting Bejaia to the rest of the country.

In his speech at the ceremony, Rakhroukh thanked all parties, including CRCC, for their efforts to open the tunnel.

The minister said the tunnel construction has overcome various challenges and its opening would obviously alleviate the traffic congestion that has long plagued Bejaia residents and benefit people in neighboring provinces as well.

Bejaia Governor Karbouche said the tunnel's opening would bring convenience to nearby citizens by cutting the one-way travel time between Takeriet and Timezrit from one and a half hours at most to only 15 minutes.

Karbouche also reassured CRCC that the local government would fully support the company in completing the remaining sections of the Bejaia Highway.

Zhuo Lei, for his part, said that his company, since entering the Algerian market 17 years ago, had participated in the construction of the East-West Highway and the Bejaia Highway, among others.

While building the bridges and roads that enhance the friendship between the two peoples, CRCC has been firmly committed to its social responsibilities and contributed to engineer training, emergency rescue and disaster relief, and fighting the epidemic, he added. 
Normal life was disrupted in Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area due to incessant rain since last night. More than 12 wards were under water due to congestion in drainage systems.

A vast low lying area, from ward no 30 to 41 in SMC was badly affected. Several people had to shift their necessary belongings when several houses were inundated. Several lanes are still under water due to waterlogging.

Due to heavy rain rural belt in the Jalpaiguri district was affected. Authorities had to release water from dams through Mahanda Barrage. Teesta was in spate following rain in the Hills including Sikkim.

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Several rivers were in spate in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar following heave rain in Bhutan. People in Alipurduar and Coochbehar districts have witnessed flood like situation since yesterday. Alipurduar district administration took help from Army yesterday to rescue some families after Kaljani river broke its banks.
General Manoj Pande, Chief of Army Staff, on Friday called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar. They had an extensive discussion on various security issues.

The Army Chief was accompanied by Lt General Upendra Dwivedi, GOC-in-C, Northern Command and Lt General Rajiv Ghai, GOC 15 Corps.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for successfully launching Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.

Propelled by an LVM3-M4 rocket, the Chandrayaan-3 mission lifted off at 2:35 pm from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Taking to Twitter, the President said: India successfully launches Chandrayaan-3 marking another significant milestone in space exploration. Heartiest congratulations to the @ISRO team and everyone who worked relentlessly to accomplish the feat! It demonstrates the nations unwavering commitment to advancement in space science and technology. My best wishes for the success of the lunar mission.

The Vice-President congratulated the team at ISRO for the historic launch of Chandrayaan-3.

Congratulations to the team at #ISRO for the historic launch of Chandrayaan-3! This extraordinary feat highlights the advancement the country has made in space science & research. This milestone in Indias stellar space journey makes every Indian proud! @isro, Dhankar said in a tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the relentless dedication of Indias scientists on the launch of ISROs lunar mission Chandrayaan-3.

Sharing a tweet by ISRO, Modi tweeted: Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in Indias space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!

Earlier today through a series of tweets, the Prime Minister, who is currently on a two-day visit to France, had sent his best wishes to the third lunar mission of ISRO.

Best wishes for the Chandrayaan-3 mission! I urge you all to know more about this Mission and the strides we have made in space, science and innovation. It will make you all very proud, the Prime Minister had tweeted.

14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as Indias space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation, Modi said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said with the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India today embarked on its historic space journey.

India today embarked on its historic space journey with the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3. My heartfelt congratulations to the @ISRO scientists whose tireless pursuit has today propelled India on the path of scripting a remarkable space odyssey for generations to cherish, Shah tweeted.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota as per the scheduled launch time on Friday.

The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth.

Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after the US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the countrys abilities for safe and soft landing on the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3 is the ISROs follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives.
Himachal Pradesh High Court has taken serious note of the denial of admission to the MBBS course, against the vacancy arising as a result of the cancelation of the admission of two students who forged their NEET Mark sheet.

The court has ordered the National Medical Commission, New Delhi, and Atal Medical and Research University, Nerchowk, Mandi, to pay Rs two lakh each, as compensation to the petitioner, within four weeks for making the petitioner lose one full academic year.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, passed this order on a petition filed by one Sanjna Thakur.

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The two students, who were granted admission to Pt, Jawahar Lal Nehru LN Government Medical College (JLNGMC), Chamba and IGMC Shimla respectively, had their NEET mark sheets forged and admission granted to them was canceled on the ground that the documents submitted by them did not match the available information on the National Medical Counsel Portal.

Thus, two seats in the Undergraduate MBBS course became vacant in IGMC, Shimla, and in Pt. JLNGMC, Chamba. The Registrar, Atal Medical and Research University, Nerchowk Mandi, wrote to the National Medical Commission, New Delhi, on January 17, to grant the necessary permission or directions to it to fill up those two vacant seats at the earliest.

The petitioner contended that the she is next rank holder in the General Category, so, she should be given the vacant seat in the General Category, which has fallen vacant in the PTJLN Government Medical College, Chamba.

After complaining to various authorities, including the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, the petitioner filed the instant writ petition on January 28, 2023.

The Court was shocked to note totally callous nature and irresponsible behavior on the part of the above-mentioned respondents, as no reply was filed by the respondents in the matter of admission to the MBBS Course, for which the Academic Session had commenced in November 2022.

The court observed that the petitioner is undoubtedly meritorious and is immediately next in the merit list of the candidates prepared after the Second Round of Counseling of 2022 and is entitled to be admitted in the General Category MBBS Seat available in the PTJLN Government Medical College, Chamba.

The Court held that in the instant case, no fault is attributable to the petitioner and that she had pursued her rights and legal remedies expeditiously and without delay.

The Court has ordered to grant admission to the petitioner in PTJLN Government Medical College, Chamba in the Academic Year 2023-2024, to the MBBS Course and the respondents have been directed to increase the number of seats allotted to the said College by one seat for that academic year.

The Court has directed above named respondents to pay compensation to the tune of Rs two lakh each, and also to pay the cost of Rs. 10,000 each to the petitioner.
As the state is worst affected due to the natural calamity struck by rain fury, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet along with the Congress legislators have decided to contribute their one-month salary to assist the state in the hour of crisis.

This was stated by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while addressing media persons here on Friday.

He said that his government would also reach out to the opposition leaders for similar contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund.

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He appealed to all the people of the state to contribute generously towards the Disaster Relief Fund- 2023 that has been created.

Indian Administrative Services (IAS) Officers Association Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HAS) Officers Association and various Employees Unions have also volunteered to donate their one-day salary towards the relief fund which is appreciable.

It is for the first time in the history of the state in 50 years that the state was battered with heavy rains for 72 hours continuously that has led to widespread damage across the state, he said.

According to the reports available out of 75,000 tourists, so far 67,000 stranded tourists have been evacuated to safer places. Around 12,000 vehicles have been removed from Manali. Even though many tourists in Kasol and Thirthan Valley are safe, they will be evacuated soon, he added.

So far loss to the tune of Rs 4000 crore has been estimated, which can even cross beyond Rs 7000 crore, he said, adding that all the Deputy Commissioners have been asked to submit their report on other losses as soon as possible.

He said, ever since the disaster struck between July 7 and July 11, the state government from its own resources released a first installment of Rs 75 crore which has been provided to all the Deputy Commissioners of the districts, and on Friday another installment of Rs188 crore has been notified to be provided to all the Deputy Commissioners.

We have so far not received any relief package from the central government. However Centre has assured to provide the same, he said.

The disaster has taken a toll of 37 lives in four days, and 16 are still missing he said, adding that during this monsoon season so far since 24 June 103 deaths have been reported.
The Supreme Court on Friday extended till July 17 the interim protection from arrest granted to a woman lawyer Deeksha Dwivedi, who has been booked under various charges including sedition after three-member fact-finding team of CPI-affiliated National Federation of Indian Women General (NIFW) visited violence hit Manipur and later in a press meet concluded that ethnic conflict under way in the state was state-sponsored violence.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Manoj Misra extended the protection granted to the woman lawyer as it (bench) was told that the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will be appearing for the State of Manipur and the Centre and he was not currently available.

The bench in its order said: To enable the court to have the benefit of the submissions of the respondents (State of Manipur and the Centre), list on Monday (July 17). The interim order dated July 11, 2023 is extended till the next date of listing.

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On July 11, the top court had ordered that no coercive action be taken against advocate Deeksha Dwivedi until 05.00 pm on July 14.

Dwivedi approached the top court after the Manipur Police registered an FIR against her, CPI leader and NIFW secretary Annie Raja and Nisha Siddhu.

The FIR has been registered against them for the charges including alleged provocation with intent to cause a riot, waging war against the country, intentional insult, imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration, and promoting enmity between different groups.

The FIR was registered by the Manipur Police on July 8, 2023.

The FIR was registered at the Imphal police station in Imphal West District on July 8, based on a complaint received from 53-year-old resident S Liben Singh.

The fact-finding team of the NFIW had visited Manipur between June 28 and July 1, following which they held a press conference to share their report on the situation in Manipur.
President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said that peoples representatives should work keeping in mind the spirit of my country, my people and my society instead of I and mine.

Addressing the first day of 8th session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly here, the President called upon MLAs to strengthen the tradition of inclusive development and public interest, enhance parliamentary dignity through Vidhansabha and work for the overall development of Rajasthan.

She said: The peoples representatives are elected and sent by the people with great love. In such a situation, their chaal-chalan-vyvahar-acharan (act, character, behavior and thoughts) should be in sync with the interest of the people.

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President Murmu said that the peoples representatives should keep in mind the current needs of the public and the wider public interest while making law. She further called upon to work for the spirit of social justice and fraternity by adopting the ideals of the freedom struggle.

She expressed her happiness that the Speakers of both the Houses of present Parliament  Om Birla and Jagdeep Dhankhar  come from Rajasthan. It is a matter of pride for the state.

She said that under Article 168 of the Constitution, the provision of constitution of Legislative Assemblies came into force in the state. She said that the first assembly in Rajasthan came into existence in 1952, but with the unification of the state in 1956, the present form of the assembly began to be determined.

She said that the tradition of republic could be seen in Rajasthan since ancient times, where there was a republic of the Yaudheya tribe till the 5th century in the territory of northern Rajasthan.

The President started her speech by congratulating everyone in Rajasthani language. Describing the construction of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly and its historical journey as important, she said: Rajasthan is unique in its glorious traditions, architectural and craft heritage. Jaipur is being given the status of a historical city by UNESCO.

In her 15 minutes speech she discussed all aspects including the glorious history of Rajasthan, bravery, civilisation, culture, literature and hospitality of Padharo Mhare Desh.

President Murmu remembered the literary contributions of Mahakavi Magh, Chandravardai, Meerambai, while she also remembered Prithviraj Chauhan, Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap as well as their associate Rana Poonja.

Recalling the contribution of tribal girl Kalibai of Dungarpur in the freedom struggle, she described Govind Guru as a great freedom fighter and said that the people of Rajasthan have a strong sense of self-respect.

Describing the Child Marriage Restraint Act (Sharda Act) as important, she also spoke on the work done in the state to remove social evils.

Governor Kalraj Mishra called upon the legislators to work for the empowerment of democracy while maintaining the decorum of the House. He said that if the legislature works effectively, then it has a direct impact on the executive.

In his welcome address, Assembly Speaker Dr CP Joshi said: It is the specialty of Indian democracy that someone coming from an ordinary family reaches the highest position of the President of the country.

Referring to the development in the country and the state through parliamentary democracy after independence, Dr Joshi said that democracy inspired people to work for equality and justice.

The President who arrived here yesterday is staying at Raj Bhawan. After attending the assembly event, she went to pay obeisance at the Khatushyamji Temple. She will leave for Delhi tomorrow.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said state government will compensate people in flood affected areas for loss of every single penny.

Mann, who visited village Nihala Lavera in Ferozepur to oversee flood relief operations, said a special girdawari will be conducted to ascertain the loss of crops, houses and others due to heavy rainfall in the state.

He said that detailed instructions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioners to immediately carry out girdawari in the areas lashed by rains to ascertain damage caused to crops, houses, animals and others on priority.

Advertisement Mann said special thrust is being laid to ensure relief in the worst affected areas of the state so that people do not face any sort of problem. He said priority is being given to carry rescue and relief work in the badly affected areas of the state.

The CM said all the dams in the state are safe and water is flowing below the danger mark. He said due to heavy flow of water the paddy crop in many fields have been destroyed.

He, however, said to safeguard the interests of the farmers the state government will soon provide free saplings to the farmers of high yielding varieties of paddy. The CM said these saplings will be ready in another four-five days after which it will be disbursed free of cost to the farmers.

The CM said the flood water has affected around 15 districts of the state where these saplings, if needed, will be distributed to the food growers. Mann said water is receding fastly in the state due to which relief and rescue works are getting impetus.
Critics of Singapores tightly-controlled political system will see in the corruption investigation into activities of a serving Minister, signs of cracks in the armour of the Peoples Action Party which has ruled without a break since independence in 1965. But the announcement that Transport Minister S Iswaran has been asked to assist in the probe and told to take leave of absence is also suggestive of the seriousness with which the island republic views suggestions of wrong-doing, especially by those in positions of authority. The countrys Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) announced that Mr. Iswaran is assisting inquiries, a polite way of stating he is under the scanner.

A statement by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that the government would be upfront and transparent and would not not sweep anything under the carpet, even if they are potentially embarrassing or damaging to the PAP (Peoples Action Party) and to the Government suggests the matter is serious. The decision by the anti-graft body to interview Mr. Iswaran came after clearance was given by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last week. These troubles come in the wake of other recent embarrassments for the government. Recently, two other senior ministers, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, came under the CPIB scanner for alleged irregularities in the manner they had leased bungalows managed by the Singapore Land Authority, a statutory body under the former. Both were cleared of wrongdoing, but the accusations did cause some red faces within the ruling party. Soon after, Parliament Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin was caught on microphone using an expletive to describe an Opposition MP.

These setbacks for the ruling party come at a time when it is in a process of transition, with Prime Minister Lee set to hand over the reins to his deputy sometime before 2025, when the next election is due. Political observers believe it will be important for the government to be seen as transparent, and to ensure that its reputation for probity remains unscathed. Corruption allegations against ministers are rare, and the last known case involving a minister dates back to 1986 when Teh Cheang Wan, who served under the late Lee Kuan Yew, was investigated for corruption but committed suicide before he could be charged.

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There is little doubt that the way in which the government and the ruling party manage the crisis will be crucial politically. In the 2020 election, the PAP had seen its support drop ~ from 69.9 per cent of the vote in 2015 to 61.2 per cent. While the party won 83 of the 93 parliamentary seats, the election saw the emergence of the Workers Party as the largest Opposition presence ever in the countrys postindependence history. The PAP therefore has incentive to ensure that the probe into Mr. Iswarans activities is conducted in a credible and open manner. Far more is at stake than an individuals career.
The disasters that have laid low two of Indias hill states ~ Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand ~ are attributable as much to the vagaries of nature as they are to the depredations wrought by man. The countrys two principal political parties ~ the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress ~ have by turns been at the helm of affairs of the two states, having ruled for almost equal lengths of time in the past 40 years in Himachal, and the past 23 in Uttarakhand.

Thus, while those in power blame unprecedented rains directly and climate change obliquely for the death and devastation seen this year, the fact is that in both cases, disasters were waiting to happen because of rampant deforestation, thoughtless construction and erosion of river banks. In effect, man threw down the gauntlet and Nature responded with fury; the two parties at the helm must share the blame in equal measure. Flooding and landslides are common in the hill states, but when as many as nine people are crushed by boulders in a single incident, as reported from Uttarakhand a few days ago, questions must be raised on why this should have happened. Such events occur when the fragile Himalayan eco-system is tampered with, as has been done in both states in the name of development. A few years ago, the recently expanded Kalka-Shimla highway saw disruptions after a relatively minor downpour, because the road had been widened without effectively strengthening embankments. As a report in this newspaper has pointed out, more than 1,300 road blockages have been reported in Himachal and 40 major bridges have been damaged in the past week. It is well acknowledged that northern Indian hills, especially those above a latitude of 28 deg N are environmentally fragile and that unplanned development to cater for the aspirations of local people, and the increasing pressure of outsiders, has caused widespread damage.

Slopes are at angles higher than 35 and 40 degrees, which means monsoon waters stream down at pressure, eroding slopes already denuded of trees. Unrestrained construction, often flouting building codes, in these areas increases the threat to life and property. More than a decade ago, a report of the erstwhile Planning Commission had recommended that the balance between natural resource exploitation and conservation should tilt in favour of the latter. The report had identified zones in the hill areas, and suggested protection of alpine and sub-alpine areas at all costs; strict protection of natural water zones, including glaciers, and a ban on construction in areas having a slope of more than 30 degrees. As the recent disasters, not just the ones this year, have shown us, many of these recommendations were junked not long after they were made.

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Shavkat Mirziyoyev attends an inauguration ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 14, 2023. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan/Handout via Xinhua)

TASHKENT, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday.

Uzbekistan is entering a new era, Mirziyoyev said after taking an oath at an inauguration ceremony held in the capital city of Tashkent. The coming period will be a time of profound, crucial changes and huge transformation in the political, socio-economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres of the country, he added, stressing the need for new ideas, initiatives and achievements.

Uzbekistan held an early presidential election on July 9, with four candidates, including Mirziyoyev, who was nominated by the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.

The Central Election Commission of the country confirmed the election results on Tuesday, with Mirziyoyev garnering 87.1 percent of the vote.

The early presidential election came after a referendum held in April over a new constitution. After approving the referendum results, Mirziyoyev announced on May 8 that the country would hold a snap presidential election.

Mirziyoyev previously won presidential elections in 2016 and 2021. 

Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Front) attends an inauguration ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 14, 2023. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan/Handout via Xinhua)

Shavkat Mirziyoyev (C) attends an inauguration ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 14, 2023. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan/Handout via Xinhua)

Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Front) attends an inauguration ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 14, 2023. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan/Handout via Xinhua)

Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Front) speaks at an inauguration ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 14, 2023. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan/Handout via Xinhua)

Shavkat Mirziyoyev (C) attends an inauguration ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 14, 2023. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was sworn in as Uzbek president on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan/Handout via Xinhua)
The launch of Chandrayaan 3 mission by ISRO from Sriharikotas Satish Dhawan Space Centre has garnered immense interest and excitement from the common man and scientists alike. The event having scientific, geopolitical and strategic importance has one very special participant  Indias very own rocket woman, Ritu Karidhal Shrivastava.

An ISRO scientist, Ritu Karidhal is the mission director of the Chandrayaan 3 mission, Indias third lunar exploration mission. A native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, she was also a part of the Mangalyaan mission and the deputy director of the Mars mission.

Leading the important space mission Chandrayaan 3 mission, Ritu Karidhal was born and raised in Lucknow. She did MSc in Physics from Lucknow University. She went on to study at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and got an opportunity to work for Indias space agency, ISRO, where she has been working since 1997.

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Specialising in aerospace, she earned the epithet of being the Rocket Woman of India.

Ritu has numerous awards in her kitty like Young Scientist Award, ISRO team award, ASI team award, Society of India Aerospace Technology and Industries Aerospace Woman award etc.

She has than 20 papers to her credit which have been published in both international and national journals.

Chandrayaan 3 will complete the journey to the moon in 50 days. It will land on the southern pole of the moon and India will become the first country in the world to land a spacecraft on Moons south pole.

If successful, India will enter the elite club of countries that have conquered Earths natural satellite. Chandrayaan 3 will carry six payloads including lander, rover and propulsion module.

Not carrying any orbiter this time, the Rs 615 crore Chandrayaan 3 will have an indigenous propulsion module. Chandrayaan-3 will launch at 2:35 pm IST on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It will be carried by the Launch Vehicle Mark III rocket towards the Moon.
Former Gujarat Minister and ex-chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy, Vipul Chaudhary, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a court in Mehsana. The verdict comes in a case where Chaudhary and 14 others were found guilty of cheating and causing a loss of Rs 22.5 crore to the dairy in 2014. They had supplied cattle feed to Maharashtra without following proper procedures.

Chaudhary, who is also the former chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the Amul brand, has been a prominent figure in Gujarats cooperative sector. He held a ministerial position in the Shankarsinh Vaghela government in 1996.

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Mehsana, Y R Agrawal, convicted Chaudhary and the other accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including cheating, breach of trust, and forgery. Jail terms ranging from one to four years were awarded to the accused.

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The case was registered in 2014 when Chaudhary was serving as the chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy and the GCMMF. He was subsequently removed from both positions over allegations of corruption in cattle fodder procurement.

According to the FIR, Chaudhary took the decision to send cattle feed to drought-hit Maharashtra without proper authorization. The state government alleged that this decision was made without bringing it up in the dairys board meeting or issuing any tender.

Other individuals who have also been sentenced to seven years imprisonment include former board members of Dudhsagar Dairy, Jalaben Thakor, the former vice chairperson, and Nishith Baxi, the former managing director.

The verdict by the Mehsana court marks a significant development in the case, holding the accused accountable for their actions that caused financial loss to Dudhsagar Dairy.
On the second day of his visit to France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the Bastille Day Parade as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of President of France Emmanuel Macron on Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Modi tweeted: On this historic occasion of Bastille Day, joined the parade in Paris. My heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome and honour received.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, a 241-member tri-Service Indian armed forces contingent led by a military band also participated in the parade.

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The Indian Army contingent was led by the Punjab Regiment and included the Rajputana Rifles Regiment. Rafale Jets of the Indian Air Force from the 101 Squadron from Hashimara formed a part of the flypast during the parade.

The Indian military contingent marched to the beats of Sare Jahan Se Accha. The Punjab Regiment led the march and was followed by the Indian Navy and then the Air Force.

The Punjab Regiment was led by Captain Aman Jagtap while the Indian naval contingent was led by Commander Vrat Baghel. The Indian Air Force contingent was commanded by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was at the event as the Guest of Honour, took the salute from the Indian contingent as they marched at Champs-Elysees. In a moment to savour for India, the IAF Rafales streaked the skies over Champs-Elysees, leaving the audience in awe.

The French President, First Lady Brigitte Macron, topped the dignitaries attending the Bastille Day Military Parade.

The French fighters, which led the flypast, left a trail of smoke in the colours of the French national flag  red, blue and white, leaving the skies of Champs-Elysees bathing in its afterglow.

Both the Indian and French troops marched with trumpets and drums.

Macron received the Guard of Honour upon his arrival ahead of the military parade.

Ahead of the parade, PM Modi and the French President shared a warm hug as the latter arrived for the Bastille Day parade at Champs-Elysees in Paris. Champs-Elysees was gilded in the colours of the French Flag.

The 14th July marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July, 1789 during the French revolution that symbolizes the democratic values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, the central theme of both Indian and French Constitutions.

In a tweet, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said PM @narendramodi & President @EmmanuelMacron witnessed the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. On this special occasion, a tri-service Indian armed forces contingent participated in the parade. PMs participation in the Bastille Day celebrations is emblematic of the strength of India-France ties.

The Prime Ministers engagements for the day included a lunch hosted by President of National Assembly Ms. Braun-Pivet, followed, later, by a meeting with various thought leaders. Delegation level talks and a press statement were scheduled next.

Around midnight IST, the PM will visit the Louvre Museum where he will also attend a Banquet dinner. The Prime Minister and President Macron will view a fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower.
Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6)

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Cloudy with showers. High around 75F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Mainly clear. Low around 60F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
The cemetery had been shuttered to most of the public since January, with a brief reprieve on Mothers Day, and hundreds of bodies lie in cold storage awaiting ground burial, with the grounds grossly overgrown and resembling more a wild field than Canadas largest and most storied cemetery.
Celebrating a decade of seamless travel! Hangzhou East Railway Station continues to welcome countless travelers. Find out modern technology that has made this station a major transportation hub in China's Yangtze River Delta.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
A Long Island architect has been arrested in connection with three of the long-unsolved killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders
Daniel O. Jamison is a retired attorney. The Fulcrum covers whats making democracy dysfunctional and efforts to fix our governing systems. The Fulcrum is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news platform.
ISTANBUL, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Turkiye next month for talks on several issues.

"We are preparing to host Putin in August," Erdogan told reporters after Friday prayers at an Istanbul mosque.

According to Erdogan, one of the key issues expected on the agenda of the two leaders' talks is whether the Black Sea Grain Initiative will be prolonged.

The deal, brokered by Turkiye and the United Nations that allows Ukraine to export grain and other agricultural products from its Black Sea ports, will expire on July 17.

Erdogan called for extending the deal last week, stressing that poor African countries in particular are in desperate need of grain shipments from Ukraine.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched in July 2022 to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports. 
TRIPOLI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concerns over the continued abductions, arbitrary arrests, and disappearances of citizens and public figures by various security actors in Libya.

The country's former Finance Minister Faraj Boumtari was reportedly detained at Mitiga Airport and taken to an undisclosed location on Wednesday, while five members of the High Council of State have been reportedly banned from traveling at the same airport on Thursday.

"These acts create a climate of fear, promote tensions between communities and tribes, and have serious implications for the unification of national institutions," the UNSMIL said in a statement.

Such conduct is neither conducive to the holding of transparent and inclusive elections nor national reconciliation, it added.

The UNSMIL called on the Libyan authorities and security entities to release all those arbitrarily detained, ensure independent investigations for all alleged extra-legal detentions and abductions, and bring the perpetrators to justice.

"They must remain calm, maintain restraint and avoid any unilateral actions. Libya cannot afford further division and deterioration," the statement said. 
TOKYO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A Tokyo court on Friday sentenced a 37-year-old man to 19 years' imprisonment for stabbing three passengers in a random knife attack on a Tokyo commuter train in August 2021.

Tokyo District Court said in its ruling that Yusuke Tsushima, who had admitted to the charge of attempted murder of the three victims, "attacked passengers randomly one after another with a strong intent to kill."

Prosecutors had sought a 20-year prison term for the defendant, while his defense team requested 15 years, arguing his intent to murder was insufficiently strong. In his final statement at the trial, however, Tsushima said he was convinced by prosecutors' call for a 20-year sentence, and apologized.

According to the indictment, Tsushima seriously injured a then 20-year-old university student by stabbing her several times in the chest and back and also injured a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s on an Odakyu Electric Railway train on Aug. 6, 2021. 
The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses of the CBI and the ED by July 28 on interim bail pleas of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case.



A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan took into consideration the submission of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, that his wife is suffering from an extreme medical condition and is hospitalised.



The bench said it will consider the interim bail application and for that it is seeking response of the CBI and the ED.



At the outset, the bench said that normally the court does not interfere with policy decisions but here is a case of making of policy for extraneous reasons.



Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI and the ED, said interim bail application was also rejected by the trial court.



The bench, however, asked Raju to file response on behalf of investigating agencies.



On July 10, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had agreed to hear the pleas of the former Delhi deputy chief minister on July 14.



Sisodia, who held the excise portfolio among many that he handled as the deputy chief minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 for his alleged role in the "scam". He has been in custody since then.



The ED arrested him in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar jail.



Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.
A picture, it has been said, speaks a thousand words. Prime Minister Narendra Modis photograph with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima spoke volumes. This was the first time the two leaders met since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began. This, and Indias recent high-level visit of Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, to Kiev for the ninth round of India-Ukraine Foreign Office Consultations signal that India will be more visibly neutral when it comes to the country.



The ministry of external affairs issued a statement on the foreign office consultation stating the two sides reviewed bilateral ties in their entirety and also exchanged perspectives on the ongoing conflict and peace efforts. Global and multilateral issues of mutual interest were also on the agenda.



Verma also met Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the Parliament. Stefanchuk is known to be close to Zelenkskyy and was an ideologue for the President during the elections. The two discussed the ways to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.



The foreign office consultation comes close on the heels of India participating in a peace conference in Copenhagen in June. The meeting in Denmark was attended by 15 countries and under secrecy. Apart from the West, the conference also brought the neutralsincluding China, Brazil and South Africatogether. Interestingly, India did not choose to keep the attendance under wraps, tweeting Vermas participation. Verma represented India at the conference too.



The First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova said, "Happy to greet@SanjayVermalFSin #Kyiv for Foreign office consultations. We discussed areas of our mutual cooperation & elaborated on #PeaceFormula of@ZelenskyyUa to ensure just and lasting peace. Confident Ukraine-India relationship will continue to prosper." Dzhaparova was the first Ukrainian minister to visit India a few months ago. She had appealed to India to invite Zelenkskyy to the G20. Indonesia had him join virtually. No invitation has been issued, however.



While there has been an increasing visibility of the engagement with Ukraine in the past month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN conference on July 13. In a read-out sent by the Russian foreign office, the two discussed a number of topical issues and cooperation in various areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to President Vladimir Putin after the Wagner mutiny.



Modi has been vocal about the need for peace. The war in Ukraine is a huge issue for the entire world. It affected the world in several ways, but I don't consider it a political or economic issue.I assure you that India, and I personally, would definitely do whatever is in our capacity to resolve this situation," PM Modi can be heard saying to Zelenskyy in a video clip of the meeting shared by news agency ANI.








Two months of deadly clashes and violence, more than a hundred deaths, but weapons still floating around in Manipur- the present situation is not only alarming but also shows the disarray that has set within the state which refuses to break the cycle of violence soon.



After ethnic clashes broke out between the Meiti and Kuki communities in Manipur on May 3, nearly 4,500 weapons were looted from police armouries in the valley. The valley is a Meiti-dominated area. These weapons consist of Insas rifles, mortars, AK47s, even bulletproof jackets and soon after they went missing, deadly violence erupted in the state that is today grappling for essential services and commodities to reach the common man.

State authorities told THE WEEK that out of the nearly 4,500 missing weapons, around 1,150-1,200 have been recovered. But another 3,000 weapons- sophisticated arms and ammunition meant to arm the police forces- are missing within the state. Officials said it is unlikely these weapons have gone out of Manipur, which also makes the situation worrisome as the movement of people from valley to hill areas and back is restricted, which leaves a small population within a limited geographical area still holding arms and ammunition which can lead to more violence and keep the pot boiling for some time.

It is being estimated that nearly 500 weapons made their way into the hands of the Kuki militant groups but a large portion is suspected to be floating within the Valley where the involvement of militant groups is not being ruled out.

With the peace talks still a far cry as distrust grips both sides, the Biren Singh government is focussing on two things- maintaining essential supplies to the state, especially far-flung areas that have been cut off and trying to ensure the people are able to go back to farming activities and daily lives. Manipur gets its LPG, fuel, grains and other essential supplies like baby food and even cement from Assam, which also comes in from Dimapur in Nagaland, but with the blocking of the main national highway, the movement of some of these supplies has been shifted to alternate routes. Sources said the essential supplies are reaching the people, which is good news for the state administration that has virtually lost its feet on the ground for now.

The focus is also that no more violence erupts in the state but before that, there is another issue the state government is trying to address. The state government is trying to identify illegal migrants based on certain biographic and biometric details as intelligence agencies suspect that large cache of arms are being supplied using the Myanmar route and illegal migrants entering Indian territory taking advantage of the free movement regime on the border.

Security officials said around 68,000 illegal migrants entered Manipur and Mizoram in last 3-4 years and Manipur may have around 26,000 illegal migrants. There is concern within the security agencies about these migrants indulging in illegal poppy cultivation in hill areas and running a drug mafia in the state which becomes a deadly concoction of arms and drugs, that can be used by inimical forces impacting national security.

However, state officials conceded that the direct links of illegal migrants and militant groups - both Kuki and Meiti- in fuelling the recent violence can only be established when there are arrests of members of armed groups, who can then shed light on the suspected cross border nexus and the conspiracy of the militant groups within, to keep Manipur on the boil.
The joint teams of the Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR) and the state Tiger Strike Force (TSF) have arrested two persons in connection with the beheading of a tiger in the core area of the reserve and found that the tribal man who had died by suicide after being questioned was the main accused.



The two accused arrested are Kamal Kumre and Suban Singh Bhallavi, both residents of Dhansai village. They confessed to having been involved in the beheading, hiding of the tiger head in a pond, and later throwing it on a culvert near the village on the border of the STR core area, director of the reserve L. Krishnamoorthy told THE WEEK.



He said Kamal confessed to having accompanied the main accused, Aneesh Uikey, who cut the head of the tiger after getting information about the carcass lying in the Dabra Dev beat of Churna range of the STR. The headless and decomposed carcass had been found on June 25.



The other accused, Suban Singh, had knowledge of the beheading and hiding of the head in a pond and later throwing it in the culvert. The head had been recovered on July 5.



Uikey had died by suicide on the night intervening July 1 and 2 and his uncle had alleged while speaking to THE WEEK that he might have felt pressured after being questioned by the forest officials on July 1.



Krishnamoorthy, however, said Uikey was not questioned or interrogated but simply called in to get information like many other locals including guards, grazers and those involved in traditional healing practices. Uikey, who worked as a driver in gypsy vehicles operated by private tour operators, was also involved in such healing practices. The director said this was the first crime of the accused and the confession of those arrested made it clear that it was a local operation.



Deputy director Sandeep Fellows said the trade routes (of tiger skin and other body parts like teeth) to Nagpur and Mumbai had been sealed and it became clear that no international gang of smugglers was involved in the case.



The director also reiterated that the initial assessment of the department that the tiger had died of natural causes was confirmed after the confession of the accused, who said they had beheaded the dead tiger. The accused had taken out the teeth of the tiger, which along with the axe used for beheading, were recovered.



There was no evidence of electrocution and poisoning and thus it is evident that it was natural death. We are awaiting the forensic test reports for further confirmation, Krishnamoorthy said.



Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, who had demanded CBI inquiry into the tiger death and a judicial probe into Uikeys suicide, continues to raise questions on the entire incident. On Friday, he said in a tweet, Hunters found a dead tiger in the core area, cut and took away its head after two days and kept it back again in the core area. My question is that when hunters were engaging in all these activities in the core area, where was the STR staff patrolling team missing? Where is the postmortem report?



The director said the village Dhansai of the accused was right on the border of the core area of STR and the villagers here used to frequently visit their relatives and acquaintances in two-three villages that remained inside the core area till about a year-and-a-half ago. The villagers therefore were well-versed with the terrain. He further said the accused confessed that the carcass of the tiger was seen by some villagers who went inside the core area to collect some forest produce and the information got shared.
With the water level of Yamuna increasing after a slight dip on Thursday night, the low-lying areas in Delhi continued to witness severe flooding. Waterlogging had submerged the areas near Rajghat, and ITO making it almost impossible to wade through for the commuters.

Taking stock of the situation in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Home Minister Amit Shah from France.

"PM@narendramodi ji spoke to Union Home Minister @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna river." said the tweet from home minister's office on Thursday night.

PM @narendramodi Ji spoke to Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna River.



UHM Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch   , HMO India (@HMOIndia) July 13, 2023

"Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch on the situation along with the Lt Governor (of) Delhi. A sufficient number of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations and help the people in need," it added.

On Thursday night the Yamuna water levels stood slightly lower. According to the Delhi Flood Control Department, the water level of Yamuna was recorded at 208.42 metres at 8 am on Friday. While it was at 208.66 metres at 8 pm on Thursday night.

However, the Central Water Commission has predicted that the water level is likely to fall by noon.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted light to moderate rainfall for the next 4-5 days in Delhi.

With the water level crossing the danger mark, around 23,600 people were evacuated from areas nearby the riverbanks.

A low-lying flooded area near the swollen Yamuna river, in New Delhi | PTI

In the wake of the rising water levels, the metro trains were crossing the four Yamuna bridges with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as precautionary measure.

The Yamuna Bank Metro Station on the Blue Line has been temporarily closed due to the rising water levels.

Key areas including secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister as well as his cabinet colleagues, and Supreme Court were flooded.

#WATCH | Delhi: Severe waterlogging on ITO road due to rise in water level of Yamuna River pic.twitter.com/wz3ZXBA3IS  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

Meanwhile, Delhi cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of damage to the regulator and resolve the problem.

"Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at regulator of drain no 12 near WHO building. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The Govt has directed Chief Secretary to take it up on highest priority," he said.

Delhi CM said that this breach is causing floods of ITO and surroundings. This breach is causing flooding of ITO and surroundings. Engineers have been working whole nite. I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently, tweeted Arvind Kejriwal.

Kejriwal also added that he will inspect the damaged regulator of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department at Indraprastha bus stand.

With the closure of three water treatment plants--Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla, drinking water shortage hit the city.

Meanwhile, schools and colleges will remain closed till July 16.

Traffic movement is affected on Vikas Marg towards ITO due to waterlogging. Commuters were advised to avoid this stretch and take route of NH 24 via Akshardham-Nizamuddin-ITO.
TOKYO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The average number of flu patients per medical institution in Japan in the seven-day period through Sunday remained above the threshold of 1.0 per hospital, indicating an epidemic, government data showed Friday.

The health ministry said the average number of flu patients reported by some 5,000 regularly monitored hospitals across the country came to 1.66, up 0.4 from the preceding week.

The figure had never remained above the threshold in July since the current counting method began in 1999, said the ministry.

By prefecture, the per-hospital number of flu patients was the highest in Kagoshima at 27.31, followed by Nagasaki at 9.13 and Miyazaki at 8.83, all in the Kyushu southwestern region. 
Bastille Day guest of honour Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in France, and security has been stepped up, as India and France gear up to celebrate 25 years of strategic partnership, here's a look at what Bastille Day is.



This year, Bastille Day celebrations will include the participation of the Indian armed forces. The Indian contingent will consist of 77 marching personnel from the Army and 38 from the band. Captain Aman Jagtap will lead the Army contingent, the Navy contingent by Commander Vrat Baghel and Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy will lead the Air Force contingent. Three Rafale fighter jets of the Air Force will also be taking part in the flypast over Avenue Champs Elysees with French jets.

The Indian army's association with its French counterpart dates back to World War I, when approximately 13,000,00 Indian soldiers served, of which 74,000 died. Ahead of the Bastille Day celebrations this year, the Indian contingent marched to the song, 'saare jahan se accha'.

#WATCH | Paris: Indian Tri-services contingent holds practice session in France for the Bastille Day parade on July 14



The contingent is marching to the tune of 'Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan Humara'



At the invitation of France President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi will be the pic.twitter.com/1Xd458XE4w  ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2023

The storming of the Bastille has been commemorated in France for more than a century. One of the revolutionary days in the nation's history, it is celebrated with solemn marching, dancing and fireworks. Known as La Fete Nationale, it marks the fall of Bastille, the military fortress, a political prison, which was at the time-- 1789-- considered the symbol of monarchy and armoury.



The Republican Guard takes position before French President welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a working dinner, Thursday, July 13, 2023 at the Elysee Palace, in Paris | AP

This day marks the beginning of the French Revolution against the harsh rule of the monarchy. After storming the Bastille, people picked up ammunition to fight the royal troops. They then released the handful of prisoners held there. This signified the first victory of the people against the Old Regime, an edifice, which was eventually razed to the ground in the following months.

Benjamin Raspail, a Deputy for the Seine Department, moved that July 14 be named the national holiday of the Republic, and Parliament passed an act to that effect on July 6, 1880. The emphasis was the holiday was to be patriotic and military in nature, especially in the wake of France's recovery from the defeat of the 1870 Franco-Prussian war.

Each locality had its own way of celebrating, usually a torchlight parade on the evening of the 13th. The next morning, church bells or gun salutes announced the military parade, followed by a luncheon, spectacles and games, with dancing and fireworks ending the day.

Today, in the capital city of Paris, a meticulously planned traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysees takes place. Then, dancing and fireworks displays or special illuminations are organized all over the country.

In 1974, when Giscard dEstaing became president, he re-routed the military parade, marching the troops from the Place de la Bastille to the Place de la Republique. In 1980, the parade returned to the Champs-Elysees. In 1989, for the bicentenary of the French Revolution, the "La Marseillaise" night-time parade organized by graphic designer Jean-Paul Goude under president Francois Mitterrand was attended by various foreign heads of state.

In 1994, German soldiers serving in the Eurocorps participated in the parade to symbolise reconciliation between the two nations.





In 2007, for the first time, soldiers from 27 European countries participated in the parade. In 2009, Indian soldiers took part in the military parade and in 2010, fourteen African countries participated in the parade.

About 9,500 soldiers take part in the parade-- about 7,800 on foot; then there are 380 vehicles, 240 horses and over 80 planes and helicopters. Only twice there was a break in Bastille Day celebrations-- during the German occupation from 1940-1944, then in 2020, when the parade was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview, said that he had offered the Wagner group a chance to serve in the Russian army. The mercenary group had launched a mutiny against Russia's military leadership last month. Following this, the group's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was in exile briefly in Belarus. Prigozhin returned to Russia on July 6 and reportedly met with Putin.



Putin, when interviewed with a Russian newspaper Kommersant said that serving the army was one of several offers he made at a meeting with approximately three dozen Wagner fighters and their founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, five days after the mutiny.

Putin's offer let the group serve under their current commander. Putin reportedly offered them options for the future. All of them could have gathered in one place and continued their service, Kommersant quoted Putin as saying.

And nothing would have changed. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all that time, Putin added. According to Kommersant, Prigozhin disagreed with Putin. He also said there is no possibility of the group remaining in its current form.

The Wagner group played an important role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They especially played a crucial role in capturing the city of Bakhmut in May.

In the meantime, a retired US military commander has claimed that Prigozhin is likely dead or jailed. General Robert Abrams, who served as the commander of US Forces Korea also said that Prigozhin's meeting with Putin following the mutiny of the group was probably fake. I think hell either be put in hiding, or sent to prison, or dealt with some other way, but I doubt well ever see him again, Abrams told ABC News.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was accorded a red-carpet welcome upon his arrival in Paris, addressed the Indian diaspora on Thursday evening and announced several initiatives to improve collaboration between both countries. In an hour-long speech at the La Seine Musicale in Paris, Modi stressed on India's role in the world that is moving towards 'a new order'.

Be it climate change, supply chains, counter-terrorism or counter-radicalism, the world is looking to India, he said.

Key takeaways from Modi's address:

UPI in France

Heartened by the warm welcome from the 'mini India' in France, Modi announced that the India's payments system UPI will now be used in France too. In the coming days, it will begin from the Eiffel Tower, which means Indians tourists will now be able to pay in rupees,  he said. This makes financial transactions easier for Indians travelling to France, cutting the need to carry forex cards or foreign currency. France is not the first country to adopt India's Unified Payment System (UPI). The UAE, Nepal and Bhutan have adopted the system. Early this year, UPI signed an agreement with Singapore's PayNow, allowing users in either country to make cross-border transactions. The National Payments Corporation of India international is in talks to extend the UPI services in the US, European countries, and West Asia. Speaking of remittances, Modi said India is first country in world where remittance from its diaspora has crossed $100 billion.

Extension of post-study work visa for Indian students

Another key announcement was that Indian students pursuing master's degrees in France will now be given a five-year post-study work visa. So far, Indian students were given two-year work visa. The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France will be given a two-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Master, will be given long-term study visa of five years, he said.

New consulate in Marseille

Modi also announced that India will open a new consulate on Marseille, France. He also added that a statue of Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar will also be established in France.

OCI issues

Modi also said that issues regarding the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards in Reunion Island have been resolved. He said that OCI cards are being issued there and the government is now trying to resolve the issue in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

The Prime Minister also appealed to the Indian community to invest in a big way in India as it makes rapid strides to emerge as a developed nation. Today every rating agency is saying that India is a bright spot. You invest in India now. This is the opportune time. Those who invest early will reap benefits, Modi said.

Modi is in Paris on a two-day visit during which he will hold wide-ranging talks with President Emmanuel Macron and join him for the French National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour. Modi began his visit to France with "fruitful" meetings with his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne and Senate President Gerard Larcher.

Modi was also conferred with the highest honour of France, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, by President Macron.
Prime Minister Modi is in France for a two-day visit. The Prime Minister was received warmly by his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne. He then joined the ranks of greats like Nelson Mandela, King Charles, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and Boutros Boutros-Ghali among others when he was conferred with France's highest civilian and military honour, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.



Modi, on the day he arrived, addressed the Indian diaspora at the iconic La Seine Musicale. He was also hosted by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron for dinner at the Elysee Palace for a private dinner. At the dinner, Modi was presented gifts holding cultural and historical linkages.

PM Modi was given a facsimile of the photograph A Parisian presenting flowers to a Sikh, dated July 14, 1916. The image shows a French woman giving flowers to a Sikh officer from the Indian Expeditionary Force (IEF) deployed in France. Indian soldiers had fought alongside France during World War I. At the time the picture was taken, the Battle of the Somme, in which the IEF were fighting, had already begun. The photograph was taken by a reporter from the Meurisse news agency on the Champs-Elysees during the military parade of July 14, 1916.

He was also presented with the reproduction of the Charlemagne chessmen. The set represents the Indian origins of chess and the long history of trade between India and Europe. This is also a callback to PM Modi being a chess enthusiast, who in 2010 attended the world record event for the most games of chess played simultaneously in one location, in Ahmedabad. The Charlemagne chessmen are stored at the Cabinet des Medailles at the National Library of France.

Modi was also presented with historic and renowned works of French literature-- Marcel Proust, Le temps retrouve (Time Regained), Pleiade and the english edition of A la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time). A la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) is a series of novels by Marcel Proust published between 1913 and 1927.
HYDERABAD, India, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ICFAI Business School (IBS) has been at the forefront of management education across its nine campuses. ICFAI Business School (IBS) offers MBA programs at its campuses in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Dehradun, and Jaipur. The rest of its five campuses offer the Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM). With a strong commitment to merit and excellence, ICFAI Business School (IBS) has successfully nurtured over 66,000 students who have achieved remarkable success in India and abroad.



ICFAI Business School (IBS) follows a distinctive teaching approach, emphasizing 100% case-based learning. The faculty comprises experienced academicians and industry professionals who possess a passion for teaching and bring real-world insights into the classroom.

Maintaining an impressive placement record, ICFAI Business School (IBS) consistently ensures that a minimum of 96% of students secure placements every year. Graduates find opportunities in various sectors, including Banking, Financial Services, IT/ITES, Consulting, Insurance, and Manufacturing. Additionally, ICFAI Business School (IBS) has a notable track record of placing students in international companies.



To facilitate admissions, ICFAI Business School (IBS) conducts the MBA Entrance Exam known as ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test (IBSAT-2023) in the month of December. Qualified candidates proceed to the selection process, which includes group discussions and personal interviews. Admission offers to IBS' 9 campuses are made based on performance, and campus preferences.



IBS Hyderabad, with its prestigious accreditations such as AACSB, stands out as a leading institution in management education. It has achieved an impressive NIRF ranking of 27 in 2021 and holds an NAAC A++ ranking. Admissions for the MBA/PGPM and PhD programs at ICFAI Business School (IBS) are based on IBSAT, followed by group discussions and interviews. The IBSAT 2023 test window is scheduled for the 4th week of December, 2023, while the group discussions and personal interviews will take place in February/March 2024.



Eligibility requirements for the programs include a minimum of 50% marks in graduation in any discipline, with English as the medium of instruction. Applicants should have completed a minimum of 15 years of regular education (on a 10 + 2 + 3 or 10 + 2 + 4 basis), Final Year students are also eligible to apply.



The important dates for IBSAT 2023 are as follows:



 Application Submission: July 01, 2023 - 3rd Week of December 2023



 Test: 4th week of December 2023



 Results: 1st Week of January 2024



 Selection Briefings: 2nd Week of January 2024



 Selection Process: February/March 2024



For more information please visit https://ibsindia.org/



Click Here to apply for IBSAT 2023.



Contact Details:

ICFAI Business School Admission Office

Plot No. 65, Nagarjuna Hills

Punjagutta, Hyderabad - 500082

Telangana

Ph: 040-23440963 (5 lines)

Toll-Free: 1800 425 55 66 77

E-mail: ibsat@ibsindia.org



Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1023356/2013045/IBS_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

PWR
Udupi (Karnataka), Jul 14 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Narendra Modi government has provided several tax benefits to middle class people, including income tax exemption for those earnings up to Rs 7.27 lakh per annum.

Asserting that no section of the society has been left out by the government, she mentioned about skepticism in certain quarters when it was decided to provide income tax exemption for those earnings up to Rs 7 lakh in the Union Budget for 2023-24.

The skepticism was about what will happen to those earnings little more than Rs 7 lakh, she noted.

"So, we sat as a team and went into the details (to find out) at what stage you pay tax for every additional Re 1 you earn... (for instance) for Rs 7.27 lakh, you don't pay any tax now. It is only at Rs 27,000 that the break even comes. After that you start paying tax.

"You have a standard deduction of Rs 50,000 also. Under the new scheme, the grievance was that there was no standard deduction. It is given now. We have brought in the simplicity in the paying rate and the compliance side, Sitharaman said.

Speaking about the achievements of the government, she said the total budget for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has increased to Rs 22,138 crore for 2023-24 compared to Rs 3,185 crore in 2013-14.

This is a jump in budgetary allocation by almost seven times in nine years, symbolising the government's unwavering commitment to empower MSME sector, she said.

Under the 'Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises' scheme, she said 33 per cent of the total procurement made by 158 Central Public Sector Enterprises has been from MSMEs and that is the highest ever till date.

"We launched the TReDS platform (Trade Receivables Discounting System) so that the MSMEs and other corporations do not have to face any liquidity crunch due to non-payment by their buyer," she said.

Sitharaman said the ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) has enabled MSME businesses to reach out to a larger potential customer base and added that the world appreciates that India has set up a public platform comparable to the 'Amazons of the world'.

Pointing out that India's efforts to improve the ease of doing business are being acknowledged on the global stage, the minister said the country's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index surged from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019.

"We have reduced unnecessary compliance burden by repealing more than 1,500 archaic laws and nearly 39,000 compliances. Decriminalisation of the Companies Act has happened," she noted.

The Finance Minister also inaugurated the Common Facility Centre (CFC) at the Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery (IIGJ) in Udupi.

In 2017, while serving as the Commerce and Industries Minister, Sitharaman had laid the foundation stone of IIGJ in Udupi. The facility has been set up with her MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds as well as support from the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council & National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.

The institute will provide training to the youth in the region in various aspects of hand-crafted jewellery making.

Earlier in the day, Sitharaman visited Adamar Mutt and Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi.
London, Jul 14 (PTI) Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has donated GBP 500,000 towards the refurbishment of the maternity unit of a north-west London hospital, marking the 75th anniversary of the state-funded National Health Service (NHS).

The 92-year-old House of Lords peer delivered the cheque earlier this month as a significant contribution towards a fundraising campaign for the improvement of the Northwick Park Hospitals maternity unit. He said the donation was in memory of his late wife who died aged 86 last year.

The maternity unit donation is made in honour of my dear late wife, Lady Aruna, who gave me my four darling children, said Lord Paul.

There are few things as important as helping bring a new life into the world. That is why I wanted to support the midwives and staff who do such wonderful work here at Northwick Park, he said.

Lord Paul was introduced to the hospital by a local parliamentarian friend, Labour Party MP Barry Gardiner, who suggested it as a worthy cause to the philanthropist.

The maternity service has improved so much in recent years and women need a building that reflects the amazing quality of care they will find inside, said Gardiner.

The donation will go towards improving the facade of the building and making improvements to the main entrance. The hospital is part of the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), which provides hospital and community services to the people of Harrow, Brent and Ealing areas in London.

Northwick Park Hospital said its maternity unit serves one of the most diverse communities in Britain and delivers more than 4,000 babies a year. It is one of the first units in the country to offer a 24/7 translation service for pregnant women whose first language is not English.

We are grateful to Lord Paul for his generous donation. I started my career as a midwife so I know how important it is to make women feel safe and comfortable in a maternity service. It is a place where they are putting their trust in the NHS to safely care for them during pregnancy and birth, said Pippa Nightingale, Chief Executive of LNWH.
Paris, July 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Global CEO of French luxury group Chanel Leena Nair and discussed ways to enhance skill development among artisans and to make Khadi more popular.

Modi was here to attend the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

"Met the Global CEO of @CHANEL, Mrs. Leena Nair. It's always a delight to meet a person of Indian origin who has made a mark at the world stage. We had a great conversation about ways to further boost skill development among artisans and to make Khadi more popular," the prime minister tweeted.

After her meeting, Nair said the prime minister was very keen to support other women and girls in businesses.

"Prime Minister is really interested in ensuring that India is investment hub for everyone," she said.

The Modi-government has taken several steps to boost the sale of Khadi products.

He also met Aerospace Engineer and Astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

"When it comes to motivating youngsters towards science and space, Thomas Pesquet's name figures prominently. It was a delight to meet him and exchange views on a wide range of subjects. His energy and insights are very valuable. @Thom_astro," the prime minister tweeted.

Congratulating India on launching Chandrayan 3, Pesquet said that space is used in navigation systems, disaster relief, for urban planning and the prime minister is focused on these things.

"India is on the right track. He is taking good decisions. He is using space for his people. It's very difficult to send people into space. India is doing that at incredible speed," Pesquet added.

The ISRO launched its third lunar mission Chandrayaan 3 on board the heavy-lift LVM3-M4 rocket from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday.
Kathmandu, Jul 14 (PTI) US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu on Friday met Nepalese Foreign Minister N P Saud and assured continued American assistance to the Himalayan nation as it graduates from the list of the Least Developed Countries.

During the meeting at Singhdurbar here, Lu and Saud discussed the implementation of USD 500 million MCC-Compact, which marks a new chapter in the US-Nepal Partnership aiming to increase the availability and reliability of electricity, improve roads, and facilitate power trade across South Asia, a statement from Nepal's Foreign Minister Secretariat said.

The two leaders also "discussed Nepals graduation from the list of LDC (Least Developed Countries) as well as bilateral interests of the two countries'', the statement said.

The US official assured Saud of the US governments continued assistance to Nepal.

"The US government will, as an old development partner, continue its assistance to Nepal in future too, the statement quoted Lu as saying.

According to the UN, Nepal is scheduled to graduate from the group of Least Developed Countries on 24 November 2026.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is an innovative and independent US foreign assistance agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty.

The MCC-Compact aims to maintain road quality, increase the availability and reliability of electricity, and facilitate cross-border electricity trade between Nepal and Indiahelping to spur investments, accelerate economic growth, and reduce poverty.

Lu, who is on a day-long visit to Nepal, also appreciated the achievements made by a larger community of Nepalese residing in the US and their contribution to the US economy.

The two leaders also shed light on the importance of the exchange of high-level bilateral visits between the US and Nepal in the light of enhancing relations between the two countries.

The US Embassy in Kathmandu in the statement said: US Assistant Secretary Lu is here in Nepal as part of his regular diplomatic engagement in the region.

Lu met with Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda and expressed condolences on the demise of his wife Sita Dahal, the US Embassy said.

With Saud and former prime ministers K. P. Oli and Sher Bahadur Deuba, Lu discussed Nepals achievements on its Summit for Democracy commitments, the recent bolstering of human rights protections in Nepal, and the progress of the MCC-Compact to date, which will commence implementation in August and within the next five years provide essential electrical infrastructure, improve capacity for roads maintenance and creating thousands of jobs, the statement said.

During his regional tour, Lu also visited Bangladesh and India besides Nepal.

High-level diplomatic engagements are a routine part of strengthening both US- Nepal and regional partnerships in furtherance of a more secure, sovereign, prosperous, and democratic world, said the US Embassy statement.
Paris, Jul 13 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in this European nation, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation.

Addressing the Indian community at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on an island in river Seine, Modi said very soon Indian tourists will be able to make rupee payments using UPI from atop the Eiffel Tower.

In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI...It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower, the prime minister said.

In 2022, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation that offers UPI services, signed an MoU with France's fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra.

In 2023, UPI and Singapores PayNow signed an agreement, allowing users in either country to make cross-border transactions.

The UAE, Bhutan, and Nepal have already adopted the UPI payment system.

The NPCI international is in talks to extend the UPI services in the US, European countries, and West Asia.

Amid chants of Modi, Modi and Bharat Mata ki Jai, Modi also said in a few weeks or months from now a statue of great Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar will be built in the Cergy Prefecture.

Modi said France has decided to grant long-term five-year visas for students pursuing a masters degree in France.

The Prime Minister also appealed to the Indian community to invest in a big way in India as it makes rapid strides to emerge as a developed nation.

Today every rating agency is saying that India is a bright spot. You invest in India now. This is the opportune time. Those who invest early will reap benefits, Modi said.

Modi also recalled a personal connection with France dating back to at least four decades when he had become the first member of Alliance Francaise Centre in Ahmedabad way back in 1981.

My attachment to France is quite old, and I can never forget it. Around 40 years ago, a cultural centre of France was started in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and the first member of that very centre is today talking to you, the prime minister said.

Modi said India is the mother of democracy and the mother of diversity.

This is our greatest strength. In India, there are more than 100 languages, 1,000 dialects. More than 32,000 newspapers get published every day in these languages, the prime minister said.
COLOMBO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said on Friday that the country has recorded a primary surplus of 53 billion rupees (167 million U.S. dollars) up to May 2023.

Talking to journalists in Colombo, he said that this was accomplished by measures to increase revenue and strict expenditure controls.

Revenues and grants grew by 38.1 percent in the same period, compared to 2022, Siyambalapitiya said.

Meanwhile, the total tax revenue, at the same time, was 1,029 billion rupees and non-tax revenues were 91 billion rupees, Director General of the Fiscal Policy Department of the Finance Ministry Kapila Senanayake told a press conference on Thursday. (1 U.S. dollar equals 316 Sri Lankan rupees) 
Hyderabad, Jul 13 (PTI) Infra major Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd along with its Chinese partner BYD Co proposes to set up an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Telangana with a joint investment outlay of USD one billion (Rs over 8000 crore), sources said on Friday.





The proposal is with the government, which is looking into all aspects, they said.





Officials of MEIL, a USD 5 billion conglomerate, could not be reached for their comments.





The proposal is with the central government. Once the proposal is cleared, the activity will pick up, the sources told PTI.





With a growing demand for electric buses, Olectra Greentech Ltd, an MEIL Group company, has already acquired 150 acres of land from Telangana government to establish a state-of-the-art, fully automated robotics manufacturing plant which will be able to make 10,000 buses per year with an expanded capacity.

The company is also planning to expand its product line to tippers, trucks, LCVs, three-wheelers and other EV products.





Once the necessary approvals are in place, the BYD and MEIL combine may approach the state government for necessary land and other facilities, the sources added.





BYD is currently a technology partner to MEIL's Olektra.
Lucknow, Jul 14 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday asked mango farmers to focus on quality and avoid shortcuts for taking the fruit from the state to every corner of the world. The markets of Europe are waiting for the mangoes of Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister said, adding that "we must take the mangoes from here to every corner of the world.

Adityanath made the remarks at the inauguration of the three-day 'Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival 2023' at Avadh Shilpgram here on Friday, the UP government said in a statement.

Adityanath asked the farmers to avoid shortcuts, prioritize quality, and prepare their products in accordance with market demands. Our government is working on 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach to increase the income of farmers, he said.

"We have to explore the global market for horticulture crops, and through Indian Missions Abroad, we should organize exhibitions showcasing agricultural products related to Uttar Pradesh," he said.

He also stated that the mango festival is a platform to increase the income of farmers.

"Our government has built four pack houses in the state. Recently, we got the opportunity to send two tonnes of mangoes to Dubai from the pack house in Varanasi, and we will have to organize similar programmes from the Saharanpur, Amroha, and Lucknow pack houses," Adityanath said.

He added that in order to bring horticulture crops to the international market, agricultural scientists and officers of the Horticulture Department will need to work together.

"Only then will we be able to explore new avenues and give the agricultural and horticultural products of Uttar Pradesh a different identity," he said.
Budgam (JK), July 14 (PTI) Tomato farmers in Budgam district have seen their income double this year, thanks to a sharp rise in the crop's prices and the modern farming techniques they have employed, leading to a bumper harvest.

Khursheed Ahmad Bhat, who set up a tomato farm in Narkara village of Budgam district more than a decade ago, said this year he is not having to worry about whether his produce will fetch him the right price.

There is a scarcity of tomatoes in the market, and people have been directly approaching me to buy them. I have been offered a higher price since tomatoes are in short supply, but I am selling at a fixed price of Rs 150 per kg, Bhat told PTI.

Bhat said apart from the current market scenario surrounding the crop, the department of agriculture deserves a fair share of the credit for the profits he is earning now.

I have been into farming for over 10 years. Four years ago, I underwent a training session in Bengaluru that was organised by the department of agriculture. I learnt about modern techniques such as polyhouse farming," he said.

"In 2020, shortly after I returned, Covid-19 hit, and I started implementing the new techniques on a trial basis. In my very first trial, one plant yielded 4-5 kg of tomatoes. After seeing the results, I built more polyhouses. In the first year, I built a 2500-square feet polyhouse which helped me earn around Rs 1 lakh. This was far more than the Rs 25,000-30,000 I used to earn in a kanal (5,440 square feet), following traditional farming methods, Bhat said.

This year, because of the unavailability in the market, tomato prices have sky-rocketed. But my tomato produce is booming and I am earning good profits, he said.

Javid Mohiuddin Dar, circle officer, Budgam district, department of agriculture, said Bhat was among of the farmers who followed a 'holistic agriculture programme' of which high-tech polyhouse farming is a part.

Many farmers are enrolling themselves under the project. Bhat adopted high-tech vegetable farming techniques while farming tomato crops. In this method of farming, one plant yields 15 kilograms of tomatoes as these are of hybrid quality. One polyhouse consists of 850 plants, Dar said.

Mohammad Shameem Akhter, who works at Bhat's farm, said while the crop yield this year was good and the demand has also been high.

I have been working in farms for 15 years. Thanks to high-tech farming methods, the yield is higher as compared to previous years. As there is a deficiency of tomatoes in the market, people come directly to the farm and purchase in bulk, he said.

Khursheed Ahmad Dar, who had come to purchase tomatoes at Bhat's farm, said, Tomatoes are costly and not easily available now. The tomatoes I bought here are of good quality.
Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI) Streaming service Netflix on Friday announced its new series "Kaala Paani", a survival drama that marks filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker's return to acting.

Set in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the series is described as a "a grounded story about the fight for survival and questions audiences on how far they would go to survive", a press release stated.

The cast also includes Mona Singh, Amey Wagh, Sukant Goel, Arushi Sharma, Radhika Mehrotra, Vikas Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar and Poornima Indrajith.

As an actor, Gowariker is best known for featuring alongside Shah Rukh Khan in television series "Circus", "Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa" and "Chamatkar". His most recent acting project was 2016 Marathi movie "Ventilator".

He made his directorial debut with 1993's "Pehla Nasha" and then directed critically-acclaimed and commercially successful movies such as "Lagaan", "Swades" and "Jodhaa Akbar".

"Kaala Paani" marks the second collaboration between Netflix and Posham Pa Pictures after the 2022 film "Jaadugar".

It comes from Sameer Saxena, who had directed "Jaadugar". He serves as a showrunner and co-director on the project.

Saxena said "Kaala Paani" explores a fresh and uncharted genre in Indian storytelling.

"The series is a survival drama featuring an ensemble of characters who are all trying to escape the wrath of nature, as the vast sea confines them for thousands of kilometers. In this invisible battle between humans and nature, these individuals discover that their destinies are intertwined, not just with each other, but also with the

environment," he added.

Tanya Bami, Series Head at Netflix India, said the streamer is always on the lookout for "fresh distinct ideas that have a wide appeal for our large audience base."

"We are extremely excited to announce 'Kaala Paani', a first of its kind survival drama, with compelling characters and deeply emotional storylines. This will be our second collaboration with Posham Pa Pictures, bringing the signature style of its

immensely talented creator Sameer Saxena to our members," she said.

"Kaala Paani" is co-directed by Amit Golani, who also produces alongside Saxena, Biswapati Sarkar and Saurabh Khanna.
London, Jul 14 (PTI) Two British Indian men have been sentenced to a total of over six years imprisonment for smuggling seven Indian migrants, including women and children, into the UK in the boots of two cars.

Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, was handed a three and half years sentence for assisting unlawful immigration and co-accused Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, was jailed for three years and two months on the same charge at Canterbury Crown Court in south-east England on Thursday.

Both the Londoners had pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration in a case dating back five years.

Todays sentencing sends a clear message to those abusing our laws and borders: we will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people into the UK, said Chris Foster, Deputy Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the UK Home Office.

I would like to pay tribute to the hard work of my team, and their tireless efforts to tackle this type of crime. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to disrupt people smuggling gangs and make sure those who break our laws face the consequences, he said.

According to the Home Office, Phull was stopped at the UK border in Dover in July 2018 and three Indian nationals claiming to be Afghan Sikhs were found in the boot of his hire car. Four days after Phull was arrested, Dhaliwal was stopped at the same border and four Indian nationals also claiming to be Afghan Sikhs were found hiding in the boot of his car.

The suspects were found to be linked via mobile phone records following an investigation by the UKs Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) unit.
Lahore, Jul 14 (PTI) Seventy per cent of child abuse victims in Pakistan's Punjab province during the first five months of 2023 were boys, an official report said on Friday.

A report by the Punjab government's Home Department said that there has been a 'significant increase' in child abuse crime rate in the province of 120 million people, mostly against boys.

During the first five months of this year, around 1,400 incidents of child abuse (rape) were reported in Punjab and of them -- 965 (70 per cent) victims were boys and 435 (30 per cent) girls, the report said.

It said that of the perpetrators facing trial in courts, 55 per cent are neighbours of the victims, 32 per cent are strangers, and 13 per cent are relatives.

Child sexual abuse is influenced by a range of social factors in Pakistan, and patriarchal norms, power imbalances, poverty, illiteracy and social inequalities contribute to the vulnerability of the children, the Dawn newspaper said, citing the report.

The report noted that a number of cases remain unreported due to fear and cultural taboos. Besides, the unwillingness of the parents to subject their children to the medico-legal process is also a deterrent in this connection.

Lack of support from family members, friends and the community leads to the isolation of the victims, making them hesitant to share their experiences about the abuser.

The victim-blaming attitudes and a lack of awareness about child rights further compound the challenges faced in addressing and preventing this crime, the report said.

However, effective implementation, enforcement, and coordination among relevant agencies are crucial to ensure justice for victims and punishment for the perpetrators, the newspaper cited the report.
Paris, Jul 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron for hosting a private dinner for him at the Elysee Palace here.

Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived in Paris on a two-day visit on Thursday. He will join Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.

"I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the Elysee Palace this evening, Modi said in a tweet and shared pictures of him with the Macrons at the palace, the official residence of the president of France.

Earlier, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted photographs of Modis arrival at the palace, saying, A rendezvous with a close friend. PM @narendramodi warmly received by President @EmmanuelMacron for a private dinner at the historic Elysee Palace. An occasion for the two leaders to further strengthen their bonds of friendship and to cherish the deep-rooted ties.

On Thursday evening, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora here and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation in cashless instant payment.

In his nearly an hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale -- a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine -- Modi outlined India's fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India's strength and role is also changing very quickly.

Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas.

Noting that France is celebrating its national day, Modi said he has been to the country many a time but it was special this time, as he lauded its support to India and the strength of ties between the two countries, which mark the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

Describing people-to-people connect as a key foundation of the India-France partnership, he also asked the diaspora members to invest in India, noting that global experts are recognising the country's attractiveness as an investment destination and the country is taking rapid strides in development.
Jerusalem, Jul 13 (AP) Thousands of protesters gathered outside the main U.S. diplomatic office in Tel Aviv Thursday night, calling upon the US to condemn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the country's judiciary.

The gathering came days after President Joe Biden called members of Netanyahu's far-right government extreme and said that supporters of Israel's West Bank settlements were part of the problem.

Netanyahu's allies, who comprise the most far-right Israeli government ever, have proposed a series of changes to the Israeli legal system aimed at weakening what they say are the excessive powers of unelected judges.

The proposed changes include giving Netanyahu's allies control over the appointment of judges and the power to overturn court decisions they do not support. Protesters say the plan will destroy the country's fragile system of checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of Netanyahu and his allies.

Protesters, who are now in their seventh month of demonstrations, fear that Netanyahu's plans will strain Israel's close alliance with the U.S. Standing outside the U.S. Embassy Branch Office, they waved American flags and LGBTQ+ pride flags and brandished signs reading SOS and Mayday!

The overhaul has drawn consternation from Biden and American Jews. On Sunday, Biden told CNN that Israel's current government has some of the most extreme members he has ever seen and criticised their support for West Bank settlements, built on occupied lands sought by the Palestinians for a future state. He also urged Netanyahu to show moderation with the judicial overhaul.

Israeli hardliners rejected Biden's criticism. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a firebrand settler leader, said that Israel is no longer another star in the American flag.

Biden has so far declined to invite Netanyahu to the White House, normally a standard courtesy extended to Israeli leaders.

Israel's figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, is set to visit Washington next week, and has been invited to address a joint session of Congress on July 19 to celebrate Israel's 75th anniversary.

Thursday's protest in Tel Aviv was joined by others across the country, including at Netanyahu's home in Jerusalem and his seaside villa in the town of Caesarea.

The Israeli parliament's vote on Tuesday to move forward with a bill that would limit the Supreme Court's oversight powers has given new momentum to the protests, which have swept the country since January. Protesters this week blocked major highways and disrupted operations at Israel's main airport, and more protests are planned this weekend.

Wide swaths of Israeli society, including reserve military officers, business leaders, LGBTQ+ and other minority groups, have joined the protests.

Netanyahu's government says it wants to pass parts of the legislation by the end of the month. (AP)



NSA

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New York, Jul 14 (AP) Slain at the hands of strangers or gunned down by loved ones. Massacred in small towns, in big cities, inside their own homes or outside in broad daylight.

This year's unrelenting bloodshed across the US has led to the grimmest of milestones: The deadliest six months of mass killings recorded since at least 2006.

From January 1 to June 30, the nation endured 28 mass killings, all but one of which involved guns. The death toll rose just about every week, a constant cycle of violence and grief.

Six months. 181 days. 28 mass killings. 140 victims. One country.

What a ghastly milestone," said Brent Leatherwood, whose three children were in class at a private Christian school in Nashville on March 27 when a former student killed three children and three adults. You never think your family would be a part of a statistic like that.

Leatherwood, a prominent Republican in a state that hasn't strengthened gun laws, believes something must be done to get guns out of the hands of people who might become violent. The shock of seeing the bloodshed strike so close to home has prompted him to speak out.

"You may as well say Martians have landed, right? It's hard to wrap your mind around it," he said.

A mass killing is defined as an occurrence when four or more people are slain, not including the assailant, within a 24-hour period. A database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University tracks this large-scale violence dating back to 2006.

The 2023 milestone beat the previous record of 27 mass killings, which was only set in the second half of 2022. James Alan Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, never imagined records like this when he began overseeing the database about five years ago.

We used to say there were two to three dozen a year," Fox said. "The fact that there's 28 in half a year is a staggering statistic.

But the chaos of the first six months of 2023 doesn't automatically doom the last six months. The remainder of the year could be calmer, despite more violence over the July Fourthholiday weekend.

Hopefully it was just a blip," said Dr. Amy Barnhorst, a psychiatrist who is the associate director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

There could be fewer killings later in 2023, or this could be part of a trend. But we won't know for sometime, she added.

Experts like Barnhorst and Fox attribute the rising bloodshed to a growing population with an increased number of guns in the US. Yet for all the headlines, mass killings are statistically rare and represent a fraction of the country's overall gun violence.

We need to keep it in perspective, Fox said.

But the mass violence most often spurs attempts to reform gun laws, even if the efforts are not always successful.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, had urged the General Assembly in the wake of the Nashville school shooting to pass legislation keeping firearms away from people who could harm themselves or others, so-called red flag laws, though Lee says the term is politically toxic.

Getting such a measure passed in Tennessee is an uphill climb. The Republican-led Legislature adjourned earlier this year without taking on gun control, prompting Lee to schedule a special session for August.

Leatherwood, a former executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party and now the head of the influential Southern Baptist Convention's public policy arm, wrote a letter to lawmakers asking them to pass the governor's proposal.

Leatherwood said he doesn't want any other family to go through what his children experienced at the time of the shooting when they were in kindergarten, second grade and fourth grade. One of his kids, preparing for a recent sleepaway camp, asked whether they would be safe there.

Our child was asking, Do you think that there will be a gunman that comes to this camp? Do I need to be worried about that?' Leatherwood said.

The Nashville shooter, whose writings Leatherwood and other parents are asking a court to keep private, used three guns in the attack, including an AR-15-style rifle. It was one of at least four mass killings in the first half of 2023 involving such a weapon, according to the database.

Nearly all of the mass killings in the first half of this year, 27 of 28, involved guns. The other was a fire that killed four people in a home in Monroe, Louisiana. A 37-year-old man was arrested on arson and murder charges in connection with the March 31 deaths.

Despite the unprecedented carnage, the National Rifle Association maintains fierce opposition to regulating firearms, including AR-15-style rifles and similar weapons.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' constant efforts to gut the Second Amendment will not usher in safety for Americans; instead, it will only embolden criminals," NRA spokesman Billy McLaughlin said in a statement. "That is why the NRA continues our fight for self-defence laws. Rest assured, we will never bow, we will never retreat, and we will never apologise for championing the self-defence rights of law-abiding Americans.

Tito Anchondo's brother, Andre Anchondo, was among 23 people killed in a 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. The gunman was sentenced last week to 90 consecutive life sentences but could face more punishment, including the death penalty. The prosecution of the racist attack on Hispanic shoppers in the border city was one of the US government's largest hate crime cases.

Andre Anchondo and his wife, Jordan, died shielding their 2-month-old son from bullets. Paul, who escaped with just broken bones, is now 4 years old.

Tito Anchondo said he feels like the country has forgotten about the El Paso victims in the years since and that not nearly enough has been done to stem the bloodshed. He worries about Paul's future.

I hope that things can drastically change because this country is going down a very, very slippery slope; a downward spiral, he said. It's just a little unnerving to know that he's eventually going to go to school with kids that also may bring a gun to school. (AP)



GRS

GRS
Washington, Jul 14 (The Conversation) The thought of living near an active volcano probably sounds like an unimaginable risk to you  and rightly so. An active volcano is never safe and can turn a forested hillside into a lifeless wasteland in a matter of seconds. From molten avalanches of rock to razor-sharp lung-shredding ash, volcanoes threaten peoples lives and property.

Yet 500 million people worldwide live and work under the shadow of active volcanoes. As a geologist whos studied many volcanoes over the years, Ive come to realise its naive to ask, Why dont these people just move to less risky places?

Their motivations range widely. For some, strong cultural beliefs and traditions keep them in place. For others, volcanoes offer significant economic opportunity. For the most vulnerable, poverty traps them in dangerous locations.

Whatever the reason, many peoples lives and welfare are so intimately linked with a volcano, moving elsewhere is unthinkable.

Centers of identity

Numerous cultures and Indigenous peoples revere volcanoes as places of worship, ritual and tradition that are celebrated for their power over fertility, life and sustenance.

For a number of religious traditions, Mount Fuji in Japan is a place where ancestral spirits congregate. It has been a symbolic and sacred site of pilgrimage for centuries. Every summer, thousands of people ascend through the clouds to reach the summit.

For the Tenggerese people on Java, Mount Bromo is a deeply sacred site  the abode of gods. Every year they hike up the volcano carrying agricultural products and livestock to be sacrificed during the Yadnya Kasada festival. Pilgrims gather at the rim to express gratitude and seek blessings with prayer, chanting and sacred offerings.

In Ecuador, the Quechua people follow a religion that combines pre-Columbian and Catholic elements. Local people see the Tungurahua volcano as a familiar but unpredictable matriarch who can offer support and guidance.

Economic opportunity

The land surrounding volcanoes often offers significant economic opportunity.

Volcanic soils are among the most fertile in the world. They contain essential minerals and nutrients such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and trace elements that are essential for plant growth. They also have high organic matter content, good pH balance, high porosity and strong water retention, making them ideal for agriculture.

In addition, volcanic terrains often create unique microclimates that are ideal for growing high-value crops such as grapes, coffee and bananas.

Striking landscapes, unique geological features and the thrill of proximity draw tourists to active volcanoes worldwide. Visitors to sites like the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on Java, Mount Kilauea in Hawaii and Mount Etna on the island of Sicily can boost local economies and significantly enhance the livelihoods of residents.

Volcanic landscapes can also offer rich mineral resources such as gold, silver, amethyst and more. For example, the rich volcanic landscape around El Misti in southern Peru is valued for its industrially mined copper and other metals.

On Java, in Indonesia, miners still excavate bright yellow sulfur deposits from the active Kawah Ijen volcano crater floor using simple hand tools. They then carry the heavy blocks up the volcanos steep walls to its rim.

Such extraction can stimulate economic growth and create jobs, but often the wealth is exported and lost to local communities that struggle financially.

Low-cost land

Not everyone who lives next to a volcano does so by choice. Poverty can push and trap people there.

At Mount Merapi in Indonesia and Mount Mayon in the Philippines, two of the worlds most active volcanoes, subsistence farmers live and work on the steep slopes. Because they live closest to the eruption sites, these communities are particularly vulnerable, making rapid evacuation unlikely.

In 2010, 250 people were killed by searing gas clouds during an eruption of Mount Merapi. Despite the tragedy, many people who did survive stayed put because leaving their crops behind would mean financial ruin.

As scientists get better at predicting eruptions and likely paths of destruction, sometimes the danger of volcanoes can be mitigated with good communication and solid evacuation plans. Even so, life beside a volcano is a complex interplay of risk and reward  and one many cannot avoid. (The Conversation) MRJ

MRJ
Members of Kwandosu Multipurpose Cooperative Society hold calabashes and brooms derived from wild plants in Chongwe district, east of Zambia's capital city Lusaka, July 7, 2023.(Photo by Lillian Banda/Xinhua)

CHONGWE, Zambia, July 13 (Xinhua) -- In Zambia, a nine-year-old cooperative has been committed to preserving the culture of the southern African country despite challenges by reviving tools used in the olden days.

Led by Esther Nyirenda, the Kwandosu Multipurpose Cooperative Society from Kapete, a rural area in the Chongwe district, east of the country's capital city Lusaka, is paving the way for promoting the traditional way of life.

With 20 women as members, the cooperative makes a broom-like plant, locally known as Chitchuto growing by rivers, into various household tools. It also advocates for the use of different types of calabashes and clay pots as cutlery and as ornamental objects.

"We believe that we can foster a deeper connection with our roots by encouraging the use of tools used by our forefathers," Nyirenda said.

She revealed that the demand for household tools used by the past generations has provided a source of income for the cooperative members to support their families.

Prisca Maseneko, a 48-year-old woman living in the Chongwe district, said the items she made with Chitchuto have enabled her to learn more about her background.

"The beauty about tools used in the olden days is that they always carry a message that enriches one's understanding of their heritage," she said.

The Kwandosu Multipurpose Cooperative Society also promotes indigenous food, showcases the diverse range of local food to the public, and conducts workshops and educational programs aimed at imparting traditional knowledge, particularly to the younger generation in Chongwe and surrounding districts. The efforts have yielded results. More and more people are becoming interested in exploring their cultural roots and traditional practices.

Layson Nyendwa, 72, a resident of Lusaka, lauded the cooperative for its role in advocating for the preservation of cultural traditions through the revival of useful traditional tools. The tools were also exhibited by the cooperative at an agricultural show held in the Chongwe district earlier this month.

"Understanding your heritage is the pathway to tangible growth. If you do not know your history, you will not know what you want," Nyendwa said. 
Jakarta (Indonesia), Jul 14 (AP) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met China's top diplomat on Friday to discuss thorny issues as part of efforts to nurture talks on the sidelines of regional diplomatic meetings in Indonesia, whose president called on rival powers to avoid turning the region into a competition arena".

Blinken stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns by Washington and its allies over China's actions in his late-Thursday meeting with Wang Yi, who heads the ruling Communist Party's Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, US officials said.

"The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication to clarify US interests across a wide range of issues and to responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"This is what the world expects of the United States and the PRC, Miller said, using the acronym for the People's Republic of China.

Blinken made a two-day trip to Beijing last month to meet Chinese leaders and restore top-level ties in a visit he said then was meant to address misperceptions, miscalculations and to ensure that competition doesn't veer into conflict.

But Washington and Beijing remain deeply suspicious of each other's actions and intentions.

Blinken used the meeting with Wang in Jakarta to advance US interests and values, to directly raise concerns shared by the United States and allies and partners regarding PRC actions, Miller said.

He made clear that the United States, together with our allies and partners, will advance our vision for a free, open, and rules-based international order."

US officials informed some allies in the region of Blinken's meeting with Wang Yi ahead of their talks in Jakarta with an assurance that Washington would not waver on its commitment to fight for the rule of law and against coercive actions in the region, a senior Southeast Asian diplomat told The Associated Press.

The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

Blinken and Wang, along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, were attending the Jakarta meetings with counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation regional bloc that is often pinned between competing interests of the two leading world powers over a range of issues, including tensions over Taiwan and the long-seething territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The three, along with other Western and Asian foreign ministers whose countries regularly engage with ASEAN, paid a call on Friday to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who delivered a pointed message.

"Your presence at the ASEAN foreign ministerial meetings and post-ministerial conference is to find solutions to regional problems, to world problems, not the other way around, let alone exacerbate problems, Widodo said.

"ASEAN should not be a competition arena and should not be a proxy for any country, and international law must be consistently respected, the Indonesian leader said.

The recriminations, however, persisted in closed-door meetings.

Following meetings with Wang and some of his ASEAN counterparts, Lavrov told reporters on Thursday in Jakarta he had stressed that Russia and China respect the principles of ASEAN's central role in the region. But he accused the United States and its NATO allies of trying to undermine ASEAN, claiming that they are pushing this idea that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible, and noting that the alliance had invited Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea to participate in recent summits.

The United States and their allies are trying to replace the ASEAN-centric security architecture here in the eastern Asian region that was built for decades, he said, speaking through a translator.

They want to replace it with their Indo-Pacific strategy, they want to introduce the NATO bloc into the region.

Western officials have stressed there are no plans to create an Asian NATO".

Speaking earlier this year after meeting with Japan's foreign minister, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was becoming more involved with partners in the region because what happens in Europe matters for Asia, for the Indo-Pacific, and what happens in Asia and the Indo-Pacific matters for Europe, calling security a global issue.

In a separate meeting between ASEAN's foreign ministers and their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea on Thursday, Wang raised concerns over Japan's plan to discharge treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi played down Wang's remarks and gave assurances his country was taking all safeguards in relation to the plan, according to the Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meetings.

Dino Patti Djalal, a former Indonesian ambassador to Washington who now heads a Jakarta-based foreign policy think-tank, said efforts by the US and China to resume direct talks would be a welcome change for ASEAN, which has long feared that the rivalry could veer out of control.

But, he added, there should be no misplaced expectation  Rivalry still dominates the relationship.

I think they're still a long way from establishing meaningful trust, Djalal told the AP. He said there was a need for a great deal of cooperation between the two sides, which we're not seeing at the moment. (AP) PY

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Jakarta, Jul 14 (PTI) In a veiled reference to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday urged the members of the ASEAN Regional Forum to adopt a "uniform, unified and zero-tolerance" approach on the issue of terrorism, including dismantling the sanctuaries and financing networks.

Addressing the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting here in the capital of Indonesia, he underlined that India was responding to global challenges by promoting global cooperation and delegitimisation to counter-terrorism.

"On terrorism, emphasised that ARF members must adopt a uniform, unified and zero-tolerance approach. This includes dismantling sanctuaries and financing networks, countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism," the minister said in a tweet.

India has been pressing Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism emanating from that country.

Jaishankar, who is visiting Indonesia for the Foreign Ministers Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format -- ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, also pressed for "diplomacy to address conflicts".

He also spoke about the issue of contributing to the diversification of supply chains for economic resilience and advocating expanded resource access to help the Global South.

The minister during his address focused on three current issues -- maritime matters, Myanmar, and terrorism -- and applauded Indonesias leadership in ensuring a strong and united commemoration forum statement.

On maritime issues, Jaishankar stressed the primacy of UNCLOS 1982 and support for ASEANs position that it is the basis for determining entitlements.

"We are concerned about activities undermining peace and stability. Any Code of Conduct must not prejudice the rights and interests of third parties," the minister told other ARF members, in an apparent reference to China, which has maritime disputes with many countries in the region.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it.

Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, also known as the Law of the Sea, is an international agreement that establishes the legal framework for marine and maritime activities.

It is the only international convention which stipulates a framework for state jurisdiction in maritime spaces. It divides marine areas into five main zones -- Internal Waters, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the High Seas -- providing a different legal status to different maritime zones.

"On Myanmar, conveyed that India will take into account the views of ASEAN, advance the projects of India-ASEAN connectivity, and ensure stability and security in our border areas," Jaishankar said.
Cape Town, Jul 14 (AP) South Africa deployed the army in four of its provinces on Friday after at least 21 trucks carrying goods were set on fire in various parts of the country in the span of five days.

The move came amid concerns of more violent unrest over a court decision that could send former president Jacob Zuma back to jail, although authorities denied the two issues are connected.

The deployment of soldiers to support police in some parts of the country came a day after South Africa's apex Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma's early release from prison on medical parole in 2021 was invalid.

The Department of Corrections has not said if it will order Zuma back to jail to serve the remainder of a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court, but his initial jailing two years ago sparked a week of violent protests that left more than 350 people dead in some of the worst violence South Africa had experienced in 30 years.

Police said they had no evidence that the torching of trucks was connected to the 2021 unrest or Zuma, but the decision in Zuma's court case clearly put the country on edge.

The truck burnings appear to have started on Sunday, the second anniversary of the start of the 2021 protests.

Zuma, 81, was not in South Africa and had traveled to Russia for medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, Mzwanele Manyi, a spokesperson for the former president, said in a statement on Friday. Manyi gave no date for Zuma's return.

Authorities haven't established the motive for the truck attacks, nor if they are connected to each other as they took place in various parts of the country.

But Police Minister Bheki Cele said there is a possibility that the truck burnings are economic sabotage against South Africa and police are hunting for at least 12 people believed to be linked to the attacks.

In many instances, armed men have forced drivers out of their trucks and then set them alight in the middle of major roads, according to media reports.

These are organised and sophisticated operations," Cele said in a statement released by the South African government's official news agency.

Authorities haven't reported any deaths or serious injuries related to the torching of trucks.

Trucks have previously been burned in South Africa as a form of protest against the government for failing to provide basic services for people, although the number torched this week was unusually high.

Zuma's case was back in the headlines Thursday, when the Constitutional Court upheld a ruling that his early release from prison on medical parole was improper and the former leader should serve the remaining 13 months of his 15-month sentence.

With 2021 in mind, South Africa braced itself for more unrest over the decision. There was no sign of problems early on Friday.

The 2021 riots shook Africa's most developed economy, seen as a bedrock of democracy on the continent. It was the worst instance of civil unrest since the end of apartheid in 1994, with authorities still investigating two years later who was behind what appeared to be an orchestrated attempt to unsettle the government.

The Department of Corrections hasn't said if it will order Zuma back to jail after his appeal failed or if the time he spent on medical parole will count as him having served his sentence. The department was studying Thursday's court ruling, it said.

Zuma spokesperson Manyi said the ex-president had served his time inside and outside prison and the court ruling was just to anger people for no reason.

Zuma is also on trial in a major corruption case related to an arms deal the South African government signed in the late 1990s, before he was president but when he was an influential politician on the rise.

Zuma was forced to resign as president in 2018 after a series of corruption allegations, but has been seen as central in a political faction allegedly working to undermine current President Cyril Ramaphosa, the man who replaced him as South Africa's leader and vowed to bring those guilty of graft to justice.

On Friday, soldiers were deployed in the northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal where Zuma is from, and the central province of Free State. The army would support police in their response to the truck attacks, the South African Department of Defence said.

Cele said that 21 trucks had been burned down since Sunday in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

No matter the motive, the country's law enforcement remains on high alert, Cele said.

Cele also said police continue to investigate the 2021 riots and are looking to make more arrests. At least 67 people have been arrested over what police call the insurrection two years ago that happened in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.

I wish to take this opportunity to allay any fears that what transpired in July 2021 will repeat itself, Cele said. We have a capable state that has learnt from the past. The security apparatus is working in unison and the security cluster is in a better state to respond to any eventuality. (AP) PY

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London, Jul 14 (AP) British antitrust regulators on Friday extended their deadline to issue a final order blocking Microsoft's USD 69 billion plan to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, allowing them to consider the US tech giant's detailed and complex submission" pleading its case.

The Competition and Markets Authority had rejected the deal  the biggest in tech history  over fears it would stifle competition for popular game titles like Call of Duty in the fast-growing cloud gaming market.

But the UK watchdog appears to have softened its position after a judge thwarted US regulators' efforts to block the deal.

The authority says it has pushed its original deadline back six weeks to August 29 so it could go through Microsoft's response, which details material changes in circumstance and special reasons why regulators shouldn't issue an order to reject the deal.

The watchdog's decision could be a good sign for Microsoft and Activision as they battle to close the agreement signed nearly 18 months ago.

Microsoft had appealed the UK rejection to a tribunal that was due to hear the case on July 28. But both sides said this week that they jointly asked to put that hearing on hold while Microsoft works on revamping the deal to appease regulators.

That announcement came right after the US Federal Trade Commission lost its court attempt to stop the deal, handing Microsoft a big victory. The FTC has appealed. (AP) PY

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Jakarta, Jul 14 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi and discussed outstanding issues relating to peace and tranquillity in border areas.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting here.

Just concluded a meeting with Director Wang Yi of the Office of the CPC Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, Jaishankar said on Twitter.

Jaishankar said he discussed outstanding issues related to peace and tranquillity in border areas.

Our conversation also covered the East Asia Summit/ARF agenda, BRICS and the Indo-Pacific, he said.

India has been locked in a military standoff with China for more than three years, with Jaishankar claiming it to be the most complex challenge in his long diplomatic career.

Wang, a former Chinese foreign minister, is attending the ASEAN plus meetings in Jakarta as the incumbent foreign minister Qin Gang is unwell.
United Nations, Jul 14 (AP) North Korea's UN ambassador defended his country's recent long-range missile launch in a rare appearance at the UN Security Council on Thursday where he also accused the United States of driving the situation in northeast Asia to the brink of nuclear war.

Kim Song told the council that Wednesday's test-flight of the developmental Hwasong-18 missile was a legitimate exercise of the North's right to self-defence.

He said the United States was raising regional tensions with nuclear threats and deploying a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea for the first time in 14 years.

Kim said the missile launch had "no negative effect on the security of a neighbouring country, pointing to Japan's announcement that the ICBM  which flew at a steep angle  landed in open waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

South Korea's UN Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook countered, asking: How can an ICBM launch ever make neighbouring countries appear safe?

Diplomats said Kim's appearance was the first time a North Korean diplomat addressed the Security Council since 2017.

Hwang said each of North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches allow the country to advance its technology toward its goal of having an arsenal of nuclear-armed weapons.

Immediately before the meeting, a statement from nine council members including the US and Japan, joined by South Korea, was read to reporters condemning the launch in the strongest possible terms and stressing that it was the 20th ballistic missile launch this year in blatant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions banning such tests.

In Pyongyang, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, slammed the UN Security Council for convening a meeting to pick a quarrel with her country's self-defence step while ignoring the US push to increase the danger of a nuclear war.

In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong called the council a new Cold War mechanism totally inclined to the US and the West.

She also warned that the United States would pay a price for its hostility toward the North. I do not conceal the fact that very unlucky things will wait for the US, she said without elaborating but reiterated her country's push to build up its nuclear deterrence capability.

The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Korea's first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking  so far unsuccessfully  to cut funds and curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The last sanctions resolution was adopted by the council in December 2017, and China and Russia vetoed a US-sponsored resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The two veto-wielding permanent members have blocked any council action including statements to the media since then.

The statement by the 10 countries said the Security Council cannot remain silent in the face of so many North Korean provocations and must send a message to all proliferators that this behaviour is unlawful, destabilising, and will not be normalised.

It also called on all countries to confront North Korea's illicit activities to generate revenue such as cybercrime.

But Russia and China remained opposed to any council action.

China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun took note of the latest missile test but criticised the heightened US military pressure on North Korea and its deployment of strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

He said the long-time view of the US and other countries that North Korea poses a security threat and their obsession with sanctions put North Korea under existential pressure, while the country's own legitimate concerns have never been addressed.

Zhang said history since the 1990s clearly shows that dialogue and negotiation are the only way to ease tensions, and he urged the US and North Korea to resume talks.

The statement from the 10 countries said they remain committed to diplomacy without preconditions. Song made no mention of talks, which have been stalled since 2018. (AP) PY

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Jakarta, Jul 14 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly during which he underlined the need to firmly combat incitement to violence and ensure the security of Indian diplomats in Canada amid a spate of anti-India activities by Khalistani supporters in the country.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting here in the capital of Indonesia.

"Met Canadian FM @melaniejoly in Jakarta Discussed the Indo-Pacific and our economic cooperation," Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.

"Underlined the importance of ensuring the security of our diplomats. And the need to firmly combat incitement to violence," he said in the tweet.

The meeting comes days after Canada assured India of the safety of its diplomats following the circulation of Khalistani posters online.

India has asked its partner countries such as Canada, the UK and the US not to give space to extremist Khalistani ideology as it is not good for relations.

The radical, extremist Khalistani ideology is not good for India or its partner countries such as the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, he told reporters on the sidelines of a BJP outreach campaign in New Delhi early this month.

Last month, India slammed Canada after visuals surfaced on social media of a tableau in Brampton that reportedly celebrated the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Canadas response to the Khalistani issue appeared to be constrained by its vote bank compulsions and India will have to respond if the activities impinge on its national security and integrity, Jaishankar had said on the issue.

The Khalistani issue has impacted ties between the two countries in many ways in the last few years, he had said.

India has been asking Canada against giving space to pro-Khalistani separatists and extremist elements, Jaishankar had said.
Paris, Jul 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met the President of the French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet and the two leaders highlighted the shared values of democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity.

Modi is in France on a two-day official visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Modi met Braun-Pivet and the senior leadership of the Assembly over lunch at her official residence, Hotel de Lassay.

The two leaders highlighted the shared values of democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity. They discussed ways to further increase cooperation between the two Parliaments, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

The French side expressed admiration for India's vast electoral process. Discussions also covered various pillars of the strategic partnership including trade and economy, environment, technology and culture. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues, it said.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi met Gerard Larcher, President of the French Senate and highlighted the significance of the shared values of democracy, freedom and equality, forming the foundation ethos of the India-France partnership.

The discussions focused on a wide range of areas including India's G20 priorities, democratic values in technology usage and cooperation between the two Upper Houses. Regional and global issues of mutual interest.

France has a bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the National Assembly.
Nicosia (Cyprus), Jul 14 (AP) Cyprus police investigations support claims by Israel's Mossad spy service that an Iranian-backed hit squad planned to kill Israelis and other Jews in the east Mediterranean island nation, an official said on Friday.

The security official told The Associated Press that Cypriot police had tracked an Iranian national identified as Yusef Shahabazi Abbasalilu following information from friendly intelligence services.

Subsequent probes into his activities indicated there was a plot for such killings, with at least one person on a hit list, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigations.

According to the official, Abbasalilu initially attempted to set up base and recruit others in the ethnically divided island's breakaway Turkish Cypriot north, where its internationally recognised authorities have no access.

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkiye invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. No country recognises a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence apart from Turkiye, which maintains 35,000 troops in the island's northern third.

The fact that the breakaway north isn't a part of the international legal order is a concern for domestic and foreign security services, according to the security official.

Cypriot authorities were on Abbasalilu's trail in the island's southern part when he snuck into the north through a crossing point along the 180 km (120 mile) United Nations-controlled buffer zone. Turkish Cypriot authorities then identified him as a potential security risk and deported him to Iran.

It's the first time that a Cypriot official has backed Mossad's claims of the alleged plot.

The Mossad said last month said that its agents inside Iran seized Abbasalilu who allegedly gave investigators a detailed confession. Released footage showed Abbasalilu saying on camera that he received his orders from Iran's powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Abbasalilu also said that he had scoped the target and took photos of the target's home in Cyprus before fleeing the island. It was not clear if the man spoke under duress.

Israel considers Iran its greatest enemy, citing the Iranian government's calls for Israel's destruction and support for hostile militant groups. It also accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb  a claim that Iran denies.

An Azeri man holding a Russian passport is on trial in Cyprus, a close Israeli ally, on suspicion that he planned to carry out the contract killings of Israelis living in Cyprus.

The Azeri man also used a similar plan of action as Abbasalilu, the intelligence official said. (AP) PY

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Cape Town (South Africa), Jul 14 (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to attend an economic summit in South Africa next month and the country is desperately trying to persuade him to stay away to avoid the legal and diplomatic fallout over his international arrest warrant, South Africa's deputy president said in an interview with a news website on Friday.

As a signatory to the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, South Africa is obliged to arrest Putin on an indictment the court issued against the Russian leader in March for war crimes involving the abduction of children from Ukraine.

Moscow has dismissed the warrant. South African authorities are likely to breach the treaty and not arrest Putin, but some opposition parties, rights groups and legal activists have said he should be arrested and have threatened to do it themselves, raising security issues for the BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

Having already decided not to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, South Africa faces the prospect of further straining relations with the West if it allows Putin to freely attend the summit of the BRICS emerging economies bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Putin hasn't yet travelled to a country that is a signatory to the court treaty since the arrest warrant against him was issued.

The Kremlin has not said that Putin will attend and the brief rebellion in Russia by the Wagner private military group appeared to make it unlikely he would travel after such a serious threat to his rule.

But Russia does want Putin to attend alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the other presidents, South Africa Deputy President Paul Mashatile said in the interview with News24, a top South African news outlet. All the leaders were invited to the summit before the indictment against Putin was issued, South Africa has said.

It's a big dilemma for us. Of course, we cannot arrest him," Mashatile said. It's almost like you invite your friend to your house, and then arrest them. That's why for us, his not coming is the best solution. The Russians are not happy, though. They want him to come."

Mashatile was put in charge of finding a solution by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Russia has rejected the alternatives, which included moving the summit to China, holding a virtual summit or Russia being represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Mashatile said.

Ramaphosa will now attempt to convince Putin not to travel to South Africa when they meet at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg at the end of this month, Mashatile said.

We've now decided to leave this matter with the president, who is talking to Putin, Mashatile said. The president is going to the Russia-Africa summit later this month, so they will continue to talk. We want to show him the challenges that we face because we are part of the Rome Statute and we can't wiggle out of this.

South Africa has history on the issue after failing in 2015 to arrest then-Sudan President Omar al-Bashir on a visit to South Africa when he was wanted by the ICC tribunal for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Allowing Putin to attend the BRICS meeting would put more pressure on South Africa's relations with the US and its other important Western diplomatic and trade partners.

US-South Africa relationships are already under strain after the US accused Africa's most developed country of providing weapons to Moscow for the war in Ukraine on a Russian cargo ship that visited South Africa's main naval base near Cape Town in December.

South Africa has denied there was any weapons transaction but Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the visit of the Lady R ship, which is under US sanctions for allegedly transporting weapons for Moscow. (AP) PY

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BERLIN, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Climate activists from the Last Generation environmental group staged nationwide protests in Germany on Friday against the government's transport policy by disrupting traffic in 26 cities.

The members of the group are known in Germany as Klimakleber (climate stickers) as they are frequently gluing themselves to roads and infrastructure to block traffic and gain attention. In the capital Berlin, for example, the main traffic circle around the Victory Column was blocked in this way.

The activists accuse the government of "breaking its own climate law," arguing that the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) refused to present an emergency climate protection program as required by German law.

While Germany met its overall emission reduction target in 2022, the transport sector slightly increased its emissions compared to the previous year, according to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).

Internationally, transport is also failing to deliver on climate change mitigation, as global decarbonization measures would currently only lead to a 3 percent reduction in emissions in the sector by 2050, according to the International Transport Forum (ITF).

The transport sector would "miss by a wide margin the reduction needed to keep climate change in check," the ITF warned in May.

To meet the Paris Agreement's net-zero target by 2050, transport-related CO2 emissions would need to fall by at least 3 percent annually until 2030, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned.

The activists' measures are not supported by a majority of Germany's population, sometimes even provoking violent reactions. Earlier this week, a truck driver drove into an activist. Although no one was injured, the driver could now lose his license.

On Thursday, the group already blocked two major airports in the middle of the summer vacation season, preventing flights from taking off or landing for hours. With this, the activists were "doing massive damage to the cause of climate protection," Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said.

This form of protest is not right, the minister told the German news agency dpa. "If you really want to stand up for climate protection, you have to take social acceptance into account," he said. 
Lahore, Jul 14 (PTI) Pakistans former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of Punjab Police and recorded his statement in 10 terrorism cases registered against him in the wake of attacks on military installations on May 9 in Lahore.

According to the police, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief appeared before the JIT headed by Lahore Investigation DIG Kamran Adil and quizzed him for 45 minutes.

On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan by paramilitary Rangers in Islamabad. His party workers vandalised over 20 military installations and government buildings, including the 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. Khan was later released on bail.

Khan is accused of aiding the attackers who set the Lahore Corps Commander House on fire.

Talking to reporters, PTI leader Asad Umar said Imran Khan has recorded his statement at the DIG investigation headquarters office and responded to all queries of the JIT members.

He said that Khan was in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when the military and state buildings came under attack. Khan is facing over 150 cases related to terrorism, murder, blasphemy and inciting the public to violence.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday restrained the Punjab police from taking coercive action against Khan in the May 9 related cases wherein he had not been nominated.

Justice Amjad Rafiq passed the interim stay order on a petition of Khan challenging the consolidation of all the cases of the May 9 riots against him and his implication based on the supplementary statements of the arrested suspects.

Justice Rafiq adjourned the hearing till July 21.
Washington, Jul 13 (AP) Cluster munitions provided by the United States have now arrived in Ukraine, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The munitions  which are bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets  are seen by the US as a way to get Kyiv critically needed ammunition to help bolster its offensive and push through Russian front lines. US leaders debated the thorny issue for months, before President Joe Biden made the final decision last week.

US leaders have said the US will send a version of the munition that has a reduced dud rate, meaning fewer of the smaller bomblets fail to explode. The unexploded rounds, which often litter battlefields and populated civilian areas, cause unintended deaths. U.S. officials said Washington will provide thousands of the rounds, but provided no specific numbers.

Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of operations for the Joint staff, told reporters on Thursday that cluster munitions have indeed been delivered to Ukraine at this point. But it wasn't clear if Ukrainian troops have used them yet.

Biden described the decision to provide the projectiles as very difficult, citing their record of killing civilians. Over 120 countries across the world  but not the U.S., Russia or Ukraine  have signed on to an international convention prohibiting the production of cluster munitions and discouraging their use. Both Moscow and Kyiv have deployed the munitions during the war, and Ukrainian regional officials have regularly accused Russian forces of using them to target civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday thanked Biden for the U.S. military aid, and said shipments of controversial cluster munitions would help Ukraine's fight against Russia. The two met during NATO's summit in Lithuania, where Western nations made fresh pledges of weapons and ammunition to fight Russia's invasion. (AP)



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Bhopal, Jul 14 (PTI) Terming online child sexual abuse an organized crime, experts dealing with the menace on Friday said contribution of the whole society is needed to put an end to it.

The India Child Protection Fund (ICPF) in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), Madhya Pradesh, had organised a `consultation program' on the issue here.

It is high time we made the issue of online child sexual abuse our priority. With the advent of Internet in villages, cases of online sexual abuse of children have also increased rapidly, former CBI director and ex-Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh Rishi Kumar Shukla said.

It is commendable that ICPF is working on this extremely challenging issue and taking it to the states. But now we need the whole society's contribution to fight this battle, Shukla said.

Emphasizing the importance of such collaboration across the country, CEO of ICPF and former DGP of Uttar Pradesh O P Singh noted that online child sexual abuse is growing exponentially.

"It is an organised crime and should be seen on the same lines as terrorism," he added.

Our children are exploited by predators sitting in different locations including international areas and there is huge involvement of monetary transactions. Therefore it is important to have quality and time-bound investigation and prosecution, Singh said..

Multi-pronged strategies needed to tackle the growing threat of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in Madhya Pradesh was discussed at the conference.

One of the major challenges is decoding CSAM cases from the source data received in CD format, said Bhopal Police Commissioner Offices' deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Vineet Kapoor.

Normally, e-CD has 600-800 cases of CSAM, (and) as we don't have any technical mechanism to extract data from the CD, it has to be done in a manual way which leads to delay in investigation and affects the mental health of the person working on it.



Therefore, there is a pressing need to have specialised software to speed up identification and timely investigation of cases, he added.

As per a report released by the ICPF on the sudden rise in CSAM in India post-COVID-19 in April 2020, the demand for child pornography was an average of 5 million searches per month in 100 cities and only on the public web.

Vishal Nadkarni, joint director, Women and Child Development department said it will support ICPF in all the future workshops and endeavours in the state so that awareness about CSAM can be generated at the grassroots level.
Aurangabad, Jul 14 (PTI) A group comprising underprivileged and divorced women is being imparted training in the art of weaving traditional Himroo fabric in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city to enable them to earn a living by learning this skill.

Himroo is a fabric made of silk and cotton and its origin in Aurangabad can be traced back to medieval India.

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and a city-based family involved in this traditional art of Himroo weaving have joined hands to offer this two-month long course.

"The art of Himroo weaving was brought to Aurangabad during the period of Mohammed Bin Tughlaq when he shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (14 km from Aurangabad). This art went on to become one of the identities of the city. But powerlooms hit this hand weaving craft," Imran Qureshi, the owner of a Himroo cloth factory located in Nawabpura area, told PTI.

"SIDBI, INTACH's Aurangabad chapter and our factory came together to offer training in the art of weaving Himroo shawls. A total of 17 participants, including 13 underprivileged and divorced women as well as four men, are learning this art during this programme that began 10 days ago," he said.

Himroo fabric is famous in foreign countries, including Spain, France, Japan, the USA, Qureshi said, adding that tourists visit Aurangabad to buy hand-woven Himroo shawls or scarves.

By learning this art, they can earn for themselves, he said.

Maheveesh, a woman participant, said, "We had heard a lot about this art, but never got a chance to learn it. I am now learning it with others and I wish to start a business after this training programme gets over."

Another participant Deepak Karke said he always wanted to learn Himroo fabric weaving.

He also said that he plans to start a business after the session.
Thane, Jul 14 (PTI) A 46-year-old woman was killed and her four daughters injured when a portion of the ceiling of their flat collapsed on them in Maharashtras Thane district on Friday, an official said.





The incident took place around 4.15 am at a residential building in Patan Bunder area of Uttan town, the official from the district disaster management cell said.

The victim Sunita Borges died on the spot when the plaster from the ceiling of her flat fell on her, while her four daughters in the age group of 12 to 25 years were injured, he said.



Firemen from the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) cleared the debris and evacuated the house, the official said.



The injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital, he said, adding that a case of accidental death has been registered.



The local police and civic officials are probing the incident, the official said.
Guwahati, Jul 14 (PTI) The flood situation in Assam worsened on Friday with a population of over 67,000 affected in 17 districts of the state as the water level of the major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, flowing above the danger level at several places, an official bulletin said. A population of 67,689 have been affected as against the previous day's 41,000 but no death was reported during the day and the toll remained at seven in the current wave of floods, according to the bulletin of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

The number of affected districts have also gone up to 17 as against the previous day's 10 and these include Baksa, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpuyt, Majuliu, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Tamulpur and Tinsukia.

The rivers flowing above the danger mark are the Brahmaputra at Dhubri and Tezpur, Beki, Buridihing and the Sankosh at Golakganj.

The districts in Western Assam bordering Bhutan have been put on an alert after excess water was released early morning.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had tweeted earlier in the day that excess water is being carefully redirected through the gates to control flow but with the improvement in the upstream neighbouring country, the amount of water released may not be huge.

The district authorities have set up 78 relief camps and distribution centres with 4,531 inmates taking shelter in the camps.

A crop area of 2,770 hectares has been damaged while 49,535 animals were also affected.

An embankment was damaged in Majuli and 18 roads were damaged in Barpeta, Chirang, Dhubri, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Sivasagar and Sonitpur districts.

Large-scale erosion was also reported from Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Sivasagar, and Tamulpur, the bulletin added.
Bhubaneswar, Jul 14 (PTI) As the world keenly waits for the launch of Indias Moon Mission Chandrayaan-3 on Friday, technicians and students at the Central Tool Room and Training Center (CTTC) here are equally anxious to see the successful soft landing of the vehicle on the moons surface.

The members of the CTTC, Bhubaneswar, are anxious as this institute has supplied critical components for the mission.

We are anxious and feel like a student waiting for the examination results. We are highly optimistic that this time India would make history, said L Rajasekhar, general manager of CTTC Bhubaneswar.

From among the 23 CTTCs across the country, the Bhubaneswar centre was roped in by the ISRO for its records of completing task with utmost precision and accuracy. Due to dedicated efforts of the technicians, CTTC Bhubaneswar could get the rare opportunity to become part of the mission, Rajasekhar said.

The Bhubaneswar-based central PSU has manufactured several flow control valves used in LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-III), sensors and regulators for the Chandrayaan-3 launch vehicle.

The centre has also supplied gyroscopes, propellant walls and parts, and sensors. The CTTC also manufactured some links and components of the wheel mechanism of Moon Lander for its soft landing on the moons surface later next month.

Rajasekhar said ISRO has made certain changes on the vehicle lander after the partial failure its soft landing at the moons surface during Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.

He said the new components were tested several times before they were used in the space mission. More than 150 technicians worked day and night for last two years to manufacture over 50,000 critical components used in the lunar mission, he said.
Port Blair, Jul 14 (PTI) Corbyn's Cove Beach in Port Blair is all decked up with wildflowers, showpieces made of coconut shells and corals to celebrate the much awaited 'Monsoon Festival' on July 15-16.

The joyous celebration was planned carefully keeping the vibrant culture of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in mind - where visitors can not only get a chance to enjoy exotic coastal cuisines but they can also experience live music and rain dance competition along the coconut-palm fringed Corbyn's Cove beach, which is nearly six-kilometre away from Port Blair.

"We are organising the Monsoon Festival in association with all line departments of the administration and stakeholders. This will be the first festival of this season where tourists and visitors can enjoy various activities starting from 4 pm to 9 pm," Jatinder Sohal, Director Tourism Department, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, told PTI.

He said, "There will be a rain dance (backed by a Disc Jockey) and rain photography competitions which will be organised by our department. The winners will be judged based on their creativity, choreography, synchronization of movements, and costumes. We will put their work on social media and participants will be awarded based on the number of likes. I would like to thank all the stakeholders for their cooperation in shaping all the events."

During the festival, participants can perform individually, in pairs and in groups keeping the traditional elements and their respective cultures in their moves.

There will be live music, percussionists, recorded soundtracks to lift the atmosphere, energy and mood of the performers and viewers.

"In the Rain Photography Competition  we have invited participants to submit their photographs revolving around rain-related themes. They were requested to submit their photographs in digital format, adhering to specific guidelines set by us. This is open to all from amateurs to professional photographers," Sohal said while adding the best three entries will be suitably awarded with cash prizes in each competition.

For the convenience of the people visiting the festival, the transport department has made special arrangements to reach Corbyn's Cove Beach.
Sambalpur (Odisha), Jul 14 (PTI) Senior Odisha BJP MP Suresh Pujari on Friday claimed that the 543-page charge sheet filed by the Crime Branch in the murder case of health minister Naba Kishore Das is nothing but waste paper and the agency tried to hide the truth.

Assistant sub-inspector of police Gopal Das gunned down Naba Kishore Das on January 29 in stable mind due to some personal grudge and anguish, the Crime Branch which is investigating the case said in the charge sheet filed in a Jharsuguda court on May 26.

After studying the charge sheet thoroughly, I feel that the Crime Branch had put in considerably less effort to uncover the truth behind the murder than they did to conceal it, Pujari told a press conference here.

He said he got a copy of the charge sheet only on Thursday.

Several critical gaps exist in the charge sheet which will help the accused come out. The investigation is a futile effort and the charge sheet is waste paper, Pujari said.

The crime branch has mentioned three incidents, including an altercation between the accused and Naba Dass followers, to support its claim that the police officer had a grudge against the minister.

These reasons are insufficient to drive someone to commit a crime like murder, said Pujari who is also a lawyer.

He said the investigating agency is yet to trace the bullet that killed the minister.

The Crime Branch has not also verified the call record of the accused. Had they done it, the direction of the investigation would have changed. If the conspiracy angle in the case is investigated, big criminals can be brought to justice, the BJP leader said.

The police officer had allegedly opened fire at the minister at Brajrajnagar Gandhi Chowk when he was on an official visit to Jharsuguda district.
Dehradun, Jul 14 (PTI) The government is planning to begin a mega enrolment drive under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and has urged the states and Union Territories to register 100 per cent of the people eligible under the scheme.

The drive was announced on the first day of the two-day long Swasthya Chintan Shivir -- the 15th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare -- being held here.

As he announced the drive, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged states and UTs to strive for a universal coverage roping in healthcare workers at grassroots level.

He said that India cannot adopt health models of other countries because its diversity compels us to employ tailor-made solutions.

The deliberations at the conclave focused on the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and gaps in their coverage, owing to diverse local conditions and digital health literacy in the country.

Launched in 2018, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY aims to achieve a universal health coverage with access to free and affordable healthcare services to the people living in the remotest of the areas.

The scheme aims to provide free and cashless healthcare services up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families with the number of beneficiaries running up to more than 53 crore.

More than 4.34 crore hospital admissions worth more than Rs 51,749.40 crore have been authorised under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY so far, according to government data.
Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (R) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday said China and Russia will jointly promote world multi-polarity and greater democracy in international relations.

When meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said that in the face of major changes unseen in a century, China and Russia firmly support each other in safeguarding their legitimate interests and adhere to the path of harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation.

The two sides should follow the important consensus reached between the two heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges, and strengthen strategic communication and coordination, Wang said.

Both sides should demonstrate their responsibilities as major countries, safeguard their respective national interests and dignity, and uphold international fairness and justice, he added.

Noting that both China and Russia are ASEAN's dialogue partners, Wang said strengthening cooperation with ASEAN countries is conducive to converging regional consensus on development, promoting multilateralism, and boosting regional prosperity and stability.

China is ready to work with Russia to support ASEAN centrality, guard against interference from external forces, support ASEAN countries in upholding the correct direction of East Asia cooperation and safeguard the hard-won peace and stability in this region, Wang noted.

For his part, Lavrov said Russia is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, further strengthen strategic coordination and deepen cooperation in various fields.

He called for efforts to promote world multi-polarity, oppose hegemony and power politics, and jointly support ASEAN centrality.

The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. 
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Congress on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on Manipur and alleged that it seems he has taken a "vow of total silence" on the violence in the northeastern state.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was good to hear that the prime minister has shown concern over the flood situation in Delhi, asserting that he should also show interest in Manipur, which is still burning.

"Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi. It is good that he showed such concern. Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning," he asked on Twitter.

"Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is in France. But looks like he's taken a vow of total and complete silence on Manipur," Ramesh alleged.

The Congress has been seeking a response from the prime minister on Manipur, which is facing ethnic violence since May 3 and has seen many lives lost and loss of property.
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Congress on Friday alleged that the electoral bond scheme was designed to favour the ruling party and demanded a transparent system of electoral funding.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said more than 52 per cent of the BJP's political donations of Rs 5,271.97 crore between FY 2016-17 and FY 2021-22 came from electoral bonds as against Rs 1,783.93 crore received by all other national parties according to a new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms.

"This effectively implies that the Modi government's controversial, corrupt and contrived electoral bonds scheme is a money whitening scheme, which converts black money to white," he said at a press conference.

"Cash, crony capitalism and corruption is the new 'chal, charitr and chehra' of the BJP," Khera said.

The Congress, he said, wants a transparent system of electoral funding.

"We will keep on exposing the corporate money greed of the Modi government and the BJP," Khera added.

The Congress in its 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto and the 85th Plenary Session in Raipur earlier this year promised to scrap the opaque electoral bond scheme that is designed to favour the ruling party, he said.

"Instead, we promised to set up a national election fund to which any person may contribute," the Congress leader said.

He added that the funds will be allocated at the time of elections to recognised political parties in accordance with criteria laid down by law.

"We believe that the electoral bond scheme results in financial monopoly of the ruling party on electoral funding and is detrimental to creating a level-playing field, which is a prerequisite of a thriving democracy," Khera noted.

"Destroying democracy, discarding transparency and demolishing electoral practices is the sole objective of the Modi government," he alleged.

In his view, the electoral bonds scheme imposes an uneven burden on institutions such as the State Bank of India (SBI) that are expected to remain impartial implementers. But in reality, he claimed, they would succumb to political pressures.

Moreover, while electoral bonds provide no details to the citizens, the said anonymity does not apply to the government of the day, which can always access the donor details by demanding data from the SBI, Khera argued.

"This implies that the only people in dark about the source of these donations are the taxpayers," Khera said.
Jhajjar (Haryana), Jul 14 (PTI) Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal on Friday said that the National Cancer Institute at Badsa here has emerged as a leading cancer treatment centre catering to patients not only from the state but also from across the country and SAARC nations.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is a speciality tertiary healthcare institute dedicated to cancer care. It is a part of the AIIMS-II campus.

Presiding over a joint meeting with officers of the district administration and NCI AIIMS, Kaushal reaffirmed the state government's commitment to improving connectivity for seamless travel to the institute, according to an official statement.

The chief secretary said the construction work of the over-bridge to connect the medical complex with the residential complex will start on July 21.

Patients from all over the country and even from SAARC countries seek treatment at NCI, Kaushal added.

During the meeting, NCI Head Dr Alok Thakkar said 42 per cent of Haryana's patients avail treatment facilities at this hospital, which has 710 beds.

The institute is equipped with 16 modular operation theatres and state-of-the-art surgical robots to facilitate advanced surgical procedures, the statement said.

During his visit to Jhajjar, Kaushal also inspected the vertical drainage project initiated by the Irrigation and Water Resources Department along the Beri-Bahadurgarh road here.

The effective implementation of the vertical drainage system has provided relief to farmers, resolving issues related to waterlogging and bean cultivation, the statement said.

Kaushal was apprised by Deputy Commissioner Shakti Singh that the 43 solar-powered tubewells have been installed for the drainage system in Beri at a project cost of about Rs. 5.29 crore, it added.

Kaushal said the vertical drainage system will make approximately 1,000 acres of land cultivable in the adjoining villages, the statement said.


Chandigarh, Jul 14 (PTI) The Punjab Police on Friday said they have arrested a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and his three accomplices.

In a joint operation of the anti-gangster task force and Bathinda police, Baljinder Singh alias Bindri, a member of the gang was arrested, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Three of Singh's accomplices were also arrested, the DGP said.

In a major breakthrough against trans-border illegal arms smuggling networks, #AGTF in a joint operation with @BathindaPolice arrested Baljinder Singh @ Bindri, a member of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang along with his 3 operatives, Yadav in a Tweet.

They have a criminal history with a number of cases registered against them, related to extortion, kidnapping, Arms and NDPS Act, he tweeted.

During the preliminary investigation, Bindri had revealed that he used drones to smuggle arms and narcotics via the Indo-Pak border, Yadav said.

A Chinese pistol, five cartridges and 270 grams of heroin have also been recovered from them, police said.
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) As Chandrayaan-3 began its journey towards the moon on Friday, space sector start-ups are looking forward to international collaborations in space exploration as well as commercial lunar payload services which could be available on account of India signing the Artemis Accords.

Grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST), the Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century. It is an American-led effort to return humans to the moon by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.

"The Artemis Accords will itself bring a lot of opportunities to contribute to NASAs programme. There is something called commercial lunar payload services, where NASA will be giving out contracts to multiple countries to enable delivery of robotic spacecraft to the moon," Pawan Goenka, chairman, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) said.

Goenka said the signing of the Artemis Accords could also open the doors for doing joint projects with US companies and access American markets.

Lt Gen A K Bhatt (retd), director general of Indian Space Association (ISpA), which represents the space sector industry, said the Artemis Accords permit signatory nations to participate in various activities related to the lunar economy.

"India becoming a signatory to the Artemis Accords opens opportunities in the US and all other countries also. This is also not limited to the government but also the private sector," he said.

Founder and CEO of Bengaluru-based space start-up Pixxel, Awais Ahmed, said the signing of the Artemis Accords opens up opportunities for Indian space startups to also look at future space exploration opportunities.

"The US is the largest market for space products and businesses and specifically the US Government at that. The US government procurement has been limited to US companies and allied countries. With the relationship blossoming, there is the possibility of that market opening up to Indian companies which is not the case now," said Ahmed.

Pixxel has bagged a five-year contract with the National Reconnaissance Office of the US for supply of earth observation imagery for its satellites.

Skyroot co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana said the recent signing of the Artemis Accords and joint mission between the US and ISRO to send Indian astronauts to the International Space Station will give India access to both technology and the US market.

"This is a boost for the Indian space industry as the US is the world's largest market in the space sector," Chandana told PTI.

According to Euroconsult, a global strategy consulting firm specialising in the space sector, the global space economy was pegged at USD 424 billion in 2022 and expected to rise by 80 per cent to USD 740 billion by 2031.
Chandigarh, Jul 14 (PTI) The Haryana government has asked the Centre for a permanent battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to deal with "disaster situations", an official statement said here on Friday.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard. Haryana was battered by heavy rains over the past few days with floods reported from several parts of the state.

In his letter, Chautala said that with the availability of a permanent battalion of the NDRF in Haryana, immediate relief can be provided at the time of disaster.

He said that land for the battalion could be provided by the state government near the Hisar airport.

Chautala said that there are 1,149 jawans in a battalion and in such a situation, Haryana will become more capable to deal with floods, earthquakes or other crisis situations.

At present, NDRF teams have to be called from other states in case of any disaster, he wrote.
Kochi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Kerala High Court has stayed trial proceedings in a case registered against staffers of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad office for allegedly causing damage to a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi kept inside the office.

Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan issued an interim order staying the proceedings at a local court against four staff members of Rahul Gandhi in the case which was registered last year.

In June last year, the student wing of the CPI(M) had allegedly vandalised the office during a protest and later a case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a lawyer claiming that the photograph of Mahatma Gandhi was damaged by unnamed persons.

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala had alleged that it was Rahul Gandhi's personal staff who had damaged Mahatma Gandhi's photo to put blame on SFI activists.

The court, in an order dated July 13, also issued notice to the complainant in the case registered in 2022.

The petitioners claimed that they were added as accused, and a final report was filed by the police.

Advocate T Asif Ali, who appeared for the petitioners, said none of the witnesses have attributed any role to the four staff members in damaging Mahatma Gandhi's photo at the office.

The alleged incident was reported when a protest march of the SFI against the Congress leader turned violent.
Jaipur, Jul 13 (PTI) The body of an 18-year-old woman, who was allegedly abducted and attacked with acid, was found in a well in Rajasthan's Karauli district, police said on Thursday.

Opposition BJP leaders, including MP Kirodi Lal Meena, and the woman's family members staged a sit-in outside the hospital where the body has been kept for postmortem.

The family members have demanded immediate arrest of the culprit and compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a government job.

Nadauti SHO Babu Lal said the woman, a resident of Mohanpura of Todabhim area, had gone missing on Wednesday. Her family members in a complaint has said that she was kidnapped and later murdered, the officer said.

While speaking to reporters, BJP leader Meena claimed that the woman was abducted, raped and killed.
Poonch/Jammu July 13 (PTI) The State Investigation agency (SIA) on Thursday took the custody of Mohd Rafiq, who is named in cases related to anti-national activities and narcotics seizure, from jail authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, official sources said.

The agency intends to interrogate the accused in connection with several cases related to drug recovery and hawala racket, they said.

Rafiq, arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA), is named in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases as well as cases-related to anti-national activities, the sources said.

He was arrested on March 3 following an operation by security forces in Sathra (Dana Dohian) in Mandi's police station jurisdiction.

During the search operation, information was received regarding the presence of narcotics, arms, ammunition, and illegal cash at Rafi's residence, they said.

The search was conducted in the presence of an executive magistrate, lambardaar, chowkidaar and member of the panchayat and it yielded a significant seizure, including seven kilograms of heroin, one pistol with a magazine containing 10 rounds, seven rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one khokri (a traditional knife), and Rs 2.30 crore, the sources said.

Following this, a case was registered and transferred to the SIA. Today, the SIA team has taken custody of Rafiq from the district jail authorities, they said.
Jaipur, Jul 14 (PTI) Two brothers, Amandeep Jat and Kuldeep Jat, both accused of being involved in the murder of a man in police custody were arrested from Agra on Friday after an encounter, police here said.

Two other men, Vishnu and Bablu, who were with them and got hurt during the encounter, too were arrested, said Bharatpur Police.

Amandeep Jat and Kuldeep Jat were arrested for being involved in the killing of Kuldeep Jaghina in police custody and attacking another man, Vijaypal, in a bus at Amoli toll plaza in Bharatpur, police said.

After the incident police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 on information leading to their arrests.

Robin Jat, Pankaj Jat, Lokendra alias Loki Gurjar, and Devendra Jat, are the four other people named as accused in the same incident, Bharatpur Superintendent of Police Mridul Kachhawa said.

Each of them carries a reward of Rs 25,000 on information leading to his arrest, he said.

Kachhawa said Sourav and Dharamraj Jat, who were earlier arrested, have been produced in the court and taken on police remand for five days.

Three separate criminal cases were registered in the matter at Halaina and Rudawal Police Stations.
UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday warned against military pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

China's position on the Korean Peninsula question is very clear. China is committed to the denuclearization of the peninsula, maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, and the political settlement of the issue through dialogue, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"China has taken note of the DPRK's recent launch. Meanwhile, we are also concerned about the heightened military pressure and repeated dispatches of strategic weapons by a certain country to carry out military activities on the Korean Peninsula," Zhang told the Security Council.

None of the incidents have happened in isolation; should this vicious circle persist, the Korean Peninsula question will not only be intractable, but the situation will further escalate, he warned.

As a legacy of the Cold War, the Korean Peninsula issue persists to this very day. It is, in essence, a political and security issue, and its crux lies in the absence of a peace mechanism, said Zhang.

The United States and other countries have long regarded the DPRK as a security threat and are obsessed with sanctions and applying pressure on it, which has put the DPRK under an enormous security threat and existential pressure. Also, the DPRK's legitimate security concerns have never been addressed, he said.

In particular, since the beginning of this year, the United States and other countries have carried out joint military exercises on the peninsula on an unprecedented large scale, featuring highly targeted and provocative drills. The Washington Declaration, which upgrades "extended deterrence," was issued. Such an approach will only intensify confrontation and tensions, as demonstrated by the current events, said Zhang.

The history of the progression of the Korean Peninsula issue since the 1990s clearly shows that dialogue and negotiation are the only correct and effective way to ease tensions on the peninsula and promote a political settlement. As long as the United States and the DPRK resume dialogue and negotiations and meet each other halfway, the situation on the peninsula will remain stable and there is hope for a political settlement, he said.

The United States, rather than accusing others of preventing Security Council action, should come up with practical plans and take meaningful steps to respond to the DPRK's legitimate concerns and translate its posture of "unconditional dialogue" into action, he said.

The point of departure for the Security Council's handling of the Korean Peninsula issue should be to defuse the situation and promote long-term peace and stability, rather than simply imposing sanctions and exerting pressure, still less should it become a tool for certain countries to achieve their own geopolitical interests, he said.

Promoting political solutions and strengthening solidarity and mutual trust are the keys to maintaining the prestige and the authority of the Security Council. All parties should implement the DPRK-related council resolutions in a comprehensive manner. The provisions relating to the resumption of dialogue and political settlement, in particular, should not be selectively ignored, he said.

The starting point of the DPRK-related draft resolution jointly sponsored by China and Russia is to send a positive signal of goodwill, create conditions for the resumption of dialogue and a turnaround of the situation and promote the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue. Those council members that demand Security Council action should seriously consider this draft resolution, said Zhang. 
Eluru (Andhra Pradesh), Jul 14 (PTI) A 42-year-old stepfather was arrested on Friday for allegedly impregnating his 17-year-old stepdaughter and sexually exploiting her younger sister at Eluru in Andhra Pradesh, police said.

Police identified the impregnated girl to be 17 years of age and her sister16 years.

"Instead of playing the role of a father, that person (stepfather) has committed sexual assault on both girls," a police official told PTI.

According to police, the man married the girls' biological mother in 2010 after her first husband passed away. Incidentally, both are closely related and the woman's family belongs to Visakhapatnam.

Based on the complaint lodged by the minor girl, police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and arrested the mother and the stepfather. Further probe is on.
Man pleads guilty to fraudulently getting disaster relief loans during the pandemic

A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain more than $450,000 in federal disaster relief loans during the COVID-19 pandemic
A New Jersey lawyer already charged in connection with a series of sexual assaults in Boston about 15 years ago has pleaded not guilty to new charges stemming from a different series of sexual assaults in another area of the city that occurred at roughly the same time
Connecticuts attorney general has filed a civil lawsuit against a for-profit nursing school and its owner Thursday seeking millions of dollars in restitution for students and penalties after the school abruptly closed its three campuses in the state in February




Shamelessly anti-Semitic Rep. Ilhan Omar told reporters that there is no way in hell she will attend an address to Congress from Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog this coming week. Her comment has unleashed a wave of outrage, as it exposes  again  Omars hatred not for individual actors in Israel, but for the Jewish State itself.

Among the many members of Congress who have spoken out against Omar and/or in support of Israel is Rep. Mike Lawler, the House representative for New Yorks 17th District, which has a large and growing Jewish population.

Rep. Ilhan Omars anti-Israel diatribe is exactly why I supported Speaker McCarthys decision to remove her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee at the beginning of this Congress, Lawler said. Israel is one of our closest allies and its leaders are always welcome here. I look forward to attending President Herzogs address to a joint session of Congress next week to commemorate Israels 75th anniversary.

In stark contrast, Rep. Lawlers most likely challenger in the race for the NY-17 House seat in 2024, former Rep. Mondaire Jones, has been conspicuously silent. Jones had previously held the seat now occupied by Lawler, but his reelection plans were thwarted by redistricting. Now, he wants it back, but wont say a word to assure the districts tens of thousands of Jewish constituents that he has Israels back.

Why is Mondaire Jones silent?

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




After a historically wet winter and a cloudy spring, Californias summer was in full swing Thursday as a heat wave thats been scorching much of the U.S. Southwest brings triple digit temperatures and an increased risk of wildfires.

Blistering conditions will build Friday and throughout the weekend in the central and southern parts of California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned.

Midday highs were mostly expected to be above 100 degrees (37.7 C), and desert areas could reach 120 (48.8 C), forecasters said. Little relief was expected overnight, when temperatures could remain in the 80s (above 26.6 C). An excessive heat watch was in effect through Sunday for interior Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Please plan accordingly, this is not the time to be hiking or be outside for long durations, the weather services LA office said on Twitter. If you need to work outside, shift hours to the early morning, take frequent breaks and hydrate!

Employers were reminded to adhere to regulations that require outdoor workers are given water, shade and regular breaks to cool off. The state will be performing spot checks at work sites to make sure the rules are being followed, said Jeff Killip with the Division of Occupational Safety & Health.

Across the U.S., more than 111 million people were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings, mostly in the Southwest, the National Weather Service reported Wednesday.

Forecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous, especially for elderly people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas. In Arizona, temperatures have hit 110 degrees (43.3 C) for more than a dozen consecutive days.

Horse racing events were canceled at the California State Fair near the state capital over concerns for animal safety.

Meanwhile, Californias wildfire season was ramping up amid the hot, dry conditions with a series of blazes erupting across the state this week, said Secretary Wade Crowfoot of the Natural Resources Agency.

As we get deeper into the summer and vegetation that grew up during the wet spring dries out, we are seeing an uptick in wildfire activity, Crowfoot said Wednesday during a state media briefing.

Crowfoot said global climate change was supercharging heat waves. California has instituted a $400 million extreme heat action plan to protect workers, help vulnerable communities and assist local communities in opening cooling centers.

The plan, announced last year as an update to state recommendations made a decade earlier, has a broad range of near- and long-term goals. Elements include increasing public awareness through targeted communication, statewide public health monitoring to identify heat illness events early on, and developing codes and regulations to protect everything from schools to water supplies from extreme heat.

Officials said the states power system, which was strained to the point of widespread blackouts in recent years, has been fortified and should be able to withstand the latest heat wave. The California Independent System Operator, which runs the electricity grid, said battery storage capacity reached 5,600 megawatts on July 1  enough to power more than 3.8 million homes for up to four hours before recharging.

The batteries being added to the grid are charged during the day, when solar power is abundant, and dispatched primarily in the evening hours when demand is still high and the sun is setting and solar capacity diminishing, Cal ISO said in a statement.

(AP)




Swedish police have granted permission for a public gathering to take place outside the Israeli embassy, where a Sefer Torah will be burned rl. The controversial event is scheduled for Shabbos and has stirred up strong reactions both domestically and internationally.

According to Swedish media reports, a man in his 30s submitted the request, claiming that this act is a response to the burning of the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm last month. The individual argued that it is a symbolic gathering in support of freedom of expression.

The burning of the Quran had ignited anger throughout the Muslim world, leading to widespread protests and even the storming of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. In light of the recent request to burn sifrei kodesh, Israels ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kulman, expressed shock and horror.

This is clearly an act of hatred that must be stopped, Ambassador Kulman expressed on Twitter earlier this month.

Israels President, Isaac Herzog, also voiced his condemnation of the Quran burning, emphasizing the importance of respecting the sacred texts of various religions.

I condemn to the utmost this shameful act against what is sacred to our brothers and sisters, children of Avraham who believe in God. These actions are absolutely contrary to the values of brotherhood between religions which we as a people and state strive for, President Herzog stated.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




As the six-month sprint to the Iowa caucuses begins, the sprawling field of Republican presidential candidates is facing growing pressure to prove they can become serious challengers to former President Donald Trump.

The urgency is particularly acute for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who entered the race in May with expectations that he would quickly become Trumps top rival. For now, however, he has struggled to generate the level of enthusiasm that Trump commands from the GOP base, contributing to uncertainty that DeSantis will become the threat to the former president that he was once billed to be.

Thats what DeSantis wanted to be. Its possible he may be that still, said Gentry Collins, a seasoned Iowa and national Republican strategist who ran Mitt Romneys 2008 caucus campaign. But it sure doesnt look like that to me  its become clear that there isnt room for another alternative to Trump.

DeSantis is among six White House hopefuls who will be in Iowa on Friday to appear at the Family Leadership Summit, one of many events that will be held in the state in the coming weeks as voters begin to more seriously consider their options. Trump is not attending, opening him to criticism from some Republicans that hes ignoring the forums that are a staple of Iowa presidential politics.

Trump has swung through the state multiple times in recent weeks and will return Tuesday.

Theres still time for any of the contenders to mount a more robust challenge to Trump. But the Iowa Republican Partys recent announcement that the caucuses would take place on Jan. 15  weeks earlier than the past three open contests  reinforced the reality that candidates aiming for a turnaround are on a timeline.

Beyond DeSantis, Tim Scott is being closely scrutinized. The South Carolina senator has impressed many with an agenda that is every bit as conservative as the one offered by Trump or DeSantis. But some say Scott is distinguishing himself with an aggressive outreach strategy paired with an upbeat message.

The reason (Scott is) making inroads is hes doing the real hard work of retail politics in Iowa, doing small groups with pastors and churches and leading to bigger and bigger meetings and venues, said Mike Demastus, a Des Moines evangelical pastor who has met several times with Scott and sat in on private meetings between other candidates and politically active clergy. Thats why the needle is moving for him.

LaTomah Hauff, a retired speech pathologist who lives in Sioux City, is not ready to commit to a candidate. But she is a regular attendee at candidate events in her part of western Iowa and has added Scott to her short list of favorites.

Hes very passionate about what he believes, she said. And there is hope and optimism in what he says.

Still, Trump is the undisputed leader in Iowa, similar to the grip he holds on Republicans nationally. That makes Iowa particularly crucial for anyone hoping to stop the former president. Given the relatively early date of the caucuses next year, a strong win by Trump in Iowa could put him in a commanding position heading into the following contests.

Theres no question Donald Trump is winning Iowa right now, said Josie Albrecht, a former top Iowa GOP Statehouse communications adviser who is advising the state party but is neutral in the 2024 campaign. I think there has been a lot of support for him for many years, and thats a hard wall to crack.

Trump is eagerly embracing the lofty expectations. His campaign is bullish on Iowa, banking on his longstanding support in a state he easily carried twice in general elections, combined with an aggressive digital outreach that includes a focus on nontraditional conservative voters.

Yet Trump faces some vulnerabilities, including a feud with Iowas popular governor, Kim Reynolds, over her refusal to formally endorse his campaign. And while many in the party view recent indictments in New York and Florida as politically motivated, they nonetheless risk becoming a liability that rivals may try to exploit.

In a memo shared last month with donors to the influential network started by Charles and David Koch, Michael Palmer, who leads the groups data and polling operation, argued against what he called the myth of Trump inevitability. He wrote that a significant number of Trump voters remain open to a Republican alternative, while citing public polling that indicates DeSantis may be a stronger general election candidate against Biden.

But a central challenge for Republicans is to hone a message that resonates with voters who back have backed Trump, but are open to others in 2024.

Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the Koch brothers operation, is working to explicitly undermine Trump in Iowa and other early-contest states. Since February, an army of AFPs paid staff and volunteers has been knocking thousands of doors a week in Iowa raising questions about Trumps chances in a general election, the groups state director Drew Klein said.

That approach has concerned some in the GOP. Cedar Rapids Republican Bernie Hayes, chairman of the GOP in Iowas second most populous county, said he was shocked when Klein told people last week they shouldnt back Trump in the caucuses.

Why would you speak against him where theres a big percentage of people who support Donald Trump? said Hayes, who is also a member of the state Republican Party central committee and publicly neutral. That message is going to lose big time.

Candidates who are the most blunt in knocking Trump arent making inroads in Iowa. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for instance, hasnt visited the state as a 2024 candidate and is not among the summit speakers Friday. He is instead focusing his energy on the more libertarian voters in New Hampshire.

The super PAC supporting DeSantis, meanwhile, has prioritized promoting the governor without attacking Trump, which advisers say turns off his past supporters.

DeSantis appears to be shifting his early-state strategy to some degree. After largely holding journalists at bay, hes holding whats being described as a press conference Tuesday in South Carolina.

While multiple candidates are hoping for comebacks, DeSantis may ultimately be best positioned for a long slog against Trump. He will almost almost certainly have the resources to stay in the nomination fight long after Iowa Republicans cast their votes. His campaign said he raised $20 million in the first six weeks after his announcement; the super PAC claimed $130 million over the same period.

And while some would-be DeSantis donors have raised concerns, others are moving away from Trump in favor of the governor. They include Tim Michels, the 2022 Republican candidate for governor in neighboring Wisconsin. The construction magnate, who was endorsed by Trump ahead of his midterm loss last fall, attended a DeSantis fundraiser in a Milwaukee suburb Tuesday, according to three people who were at the event but werent authorized to speak for Michels.

Michels, through a spokesman, didnt return a message for comment.

The fundraiser hosts included Republican mega-donors Dick and Liz Uihlein, who raised money for Trump in Wisconsin and donated to efforts to get him elected in 2016 and 2020. Neither attended the fundraiser, but they were listed on the invitation, among many other locally notable Republicans.

But any recovery for DeSantis will almost certainly be grounded in a strong showing in Iowa. And some in the state say he has the opportunity by continuing to stoke conservative outrage related to rights for transgender people and racial equality.

People like what they hear from him, said Demastus, the Des Moines pastor. He is speaking evangelical love language, protecting our children, pushing back against the woke ideology.

(AP)




An article by The Wall Street Journals editorial board on Thursday evening excoriated President Joe Biden for his treatment of the Israeli government and accused him of empowering Israels enemies as well as allowing China to gain power in the Middle East.

The article, entitled: What Does Biden Have Against Israel?  The President Treats The Governing Coalition In Jerusalem Worse Than He Does Iran begins by asking: Why does President Biden go out of his way to snub, criticize and give marching orders to the government of Israel? the article began. At least rhetorically, the President and his Administration treat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his governing coalition worse than they do the ruling mullahs in Iran.

The effect of this piling on is for Israelis to see that the U.S. sides with their opposition parties. This is no way to treat a democratic ally and no way to pursue U.S. interests while Mr. Netanyahus Likud Party is in power, as it has been for most of the past 25 years.

The article then moves on to slam Bidens aid to anti-Israel entities. The Presidents Israel policy has been counterproductive. US aid to anti-Israel international bodies has resumed, and all of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is treated as occupied territory. This is now a liberal article of faith, but how does it advance peace to indulge Palestinians in the belief that Jews are interlopers in Judea and at the Western Wall?

While Mr. Biden undermines the Netanyahu government, Hamas and other Iranian proxies are gaining power in the West Bank, activating another front against Israel. The new wave of terrorism against Jewish civilians will set back the Palestinian cause but advance Irans.

WSJ also takes aim at Bidens abandonment of the Abraham Accords, his treatment of Saudi Arabia, which led to the kingdoms embrace of China, and his failure to address the Islamic Republics provocations, including its nuclear program.

While Tehran escalates its proxy wars and whittles down US nuclear demands, Mr. Biden carries out diplomatic offensives against Saudi Arabia and Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




Israeli authorities are currently conducting an investigation to determine whether the reported abduction of a 79-year-old Israeli man in Ethiopia was, in fact, an elaborate hoax orchestrated by the alleged victim himself.

Francis Adbabayis family members had previously received a distressing recorded message in which he appealed for their assistance in securing his release. The purported kidnappers also sent photos and a brief video showing Adbabayi bound and guarded by an armed individual.

Adbabayi, a resident of Rishon Lezion, had recently traveled to Ethiopia, his country of origin, with the intention of staying for approximately one month. He was scheduled to depart from Ethiopia on Monday.

Authorities have refrained from disclosing the specific reasons behind their suspicions that the reported abduction may have been staged. The investigation aims to unravel the truth surrounding this perplexing incident and shed light on the circumstances surrounding Adbabayis disappearance.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
HEFEI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Since the establishment of a public charging station in Wushan Township in June, Yang Shuquan, a rural resident living in east China's Anhui Province, only needs to drive 4 kilometers to charge his electric car.

"It is incredibly convenient," said Yang, noting that he used to drive more than 20 kilometers to the city for charging.

"I have seen many villagers, including my nephews, buying electric vehicles (EV) this year. The younger generation lives and works in the cities on weekdays and returns to the town on weekends. They can now charge their EVs at the station," Yang said.

The newly constructed public charging station in Wushan Township is part of an expanding charging infrastructure network in rural areas across the province, which aims to meet the growing demand for EV charging in such areas.

China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has experienced rapid development in recent years. The output and sales of China's NEVs reached 3.78 million and 3.74 million units, respectively, in the first half of 2023, up by 42.4 percent and 44.1 percent year on year, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows.

However, compared to urban areas, the NEV market in rural areas has not been fully tapped. In 2022, only 4 percent of total auto sales in rural areas were NEV sales.

To address the imbalanced development in the NEV market between urban and rural areas, a slew of supportive policies have been carried out to promote NEVs sales and enhance charging infrastructure.

Official figures show that, as of May this year, China had established more than 6.35 million charging piles nationwide, although most of them are located in urban areas.

To improve the situation, Anhui Province has been taking concrete action to increase the number of charging stations in rural areas.

In 2022 alone, Hefei, the provincial capital, invested 340 million yuan (about 47.5 million U.S. dollars) in upgrading its rural power grid, including the expansion of transformer capacity and changing power lines, to support the building and operation of more charging facilities.

"We have built 50 such stations at local power supply centers in Hefei's rural regions, with a total of 196 charging piles. We have also set up 717 charging piles in rural public transport hubs, tourism spots and large communities in accordance with requirements," said Wu Wei, marketing director of Anhui Hefei Power Supply Company of the State Grid.

Charging infrastructure remains one of the primary concerns for NEV buyers. Apart from building public charging stations, power companies are facilitating the installation of private charging piles for rural customers.

"We have cooperated with over 20 NEV shops, offering one-stop services to consumers when they purchase NEVs," said Wu, adding that the number of private charging pile applications in rural Hefei rose by over 50 percent this year.

Anhui has set the goal of building itself into an NEV-friendly province. It plans to provide charging facilities to cover 75 percent of all townships in the province by 2024, achieving full coverage by 2025. 
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In 2005, a group of philanthropists embarked on a profound question: If given $100, what is the most impactful way to utilize it? Should it be a one-time gift or an investment that transcends its initial value, expanding far beyond its core?

Their inquiry persists as the years unfold and times evolve. With unwavering focus, they seek to address a pressing concern: How can we effectively assist the thousands of financially struggling Charedi, Bnei Torah families in Eretz Yisroel?

Traditional acts of Tzedakah might offer short-term relief, but they risk perpetuating a cycle of dependency. Seeking a transformative solution, the answer materialized in the form of Temechan extraordinary organization with a vision to provide sustainable and dignified employment for Charedi women, ensuring their spiritual values remain intact.

From Obstacles to Revolution:

Temechs inception in 2005 faced formidable hurdles. The vast cultural divide between secular and Charedi Israelis made the prospect of Charedi women entering culturally insensitive workplaces unimaginable. Furthermore, the economic landscape in Eretz Yisrael was dire, with studies indicating that less than 50% Charedi women were employed. Most of them in low paying jobs.

Now, after 18 years, an extraordinary revolution has taken place. Recent statistics reveal that a staggering 80% of Charedi women are currently part of the workforce.

The Power of Temech:

Temech, driven by its profound belief in the potential of Charedi women to support their esteemed families while upholding their spiritual values, embarked on a mission to forge partnerships with Israeli companies. These partnerships involve training and employing groups of Charedi women in workplaces that adhere to Halachic and Hashkafic guidelines.

The journey that began with employer-based training has evolved into a multifaceted approach. Temech now offers the Jerusalem Hub, a shared workspace for Charedi women, internship programs, networking groups for freelancers, conferences, professional courses all with a focus on monetizing skills while nurturing spiritual growth.

A Strategic Mission Trip:

This week, American philanthropists R Avi Schron, Chairman of Temech, R Itche Rosenbaum, and R David Simkowitz, representing the American board of Temech, embarked on a strategic mission trip to Eretz Yisroel. Together with Temechs Israel board members, including founder R Shmuel Bloom, board member Mrs. Aviva Weiss, and CEO Mrs. Gvira Milworm, they worked tirelessly to reinforce Temechs goals, ideals, and achievements.

During the mission trip, the delegation engaged in meaningful discussions with government officials, professionals, seminary principals, and revered figures such as Gedolei Yisroel Harabonim Hageonim Rav Dov Landau shlita, Rav Boruch Soloveitchik shlita, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita, and Rav Shraga Shteinman shlita. These conversations delved into important questions: Should Temech continue its mission? How far does our responsibility extend in guiding Charedi women entering the secular workforce? How can we navigate the technological challenges of today? The Gedolim offered their blessings and reaffirmed their support for Temechs mission.

A Touching Dedication:

A highlight of the mission trip was the touching dedication ceremony of Temech in memory of the esteemed Mrs. Marta Schron, mother of Temechs chair, R Avi Schron. The event gathered friends, family, ministers, and Knesset members, with Rav Yaakov Hillel shlita delivering a poignant speech on the importance of hachzakas haTorah through Temechs work. R Avi Schron expressed his gratitude, emphasizing his mothers commitment to supporting Torah and her pride in Temechs accomplishments.

Continued Commitment to Sustainability:

Temechs pursuit of sustainability extends beyond the mission trip. The organization maintains its focus through:

Lucrative employment opportunities, networking, and conferences that align with Temechs evolving goals and the changing times.

Ongoing guidance and insights from Gedolei Yisroel, who provide invaluable support as new opportunities and challenges arise.

Ensuring that every Charedi woman, whether an employee or an entrepreneur, has the necessary resources and support to succeed and provide for her family within an elevated environment.

The Impact of Temech:

Thanks to Temechs unwavering efforts, thousands of Charedi women across Eretz Yisroel are now utilizing their skills to earn meaningful livelihoods and propel their own businesses to new heights. The organizations work resonates with the timeless wisdom embedded in our prayersthere is nothing more sustainable than providing livelihood opportunities for Bnei Torah and their wives.

Temechs journey, from confronting obstacles to spearheading a revolution, exemplifies the transformative power of empowering Charedi women for sustainable livelihoods. By bridging the cultural divide, leveraging partnerships, and nurturing spiritual growth, Temech has catalyzed a fundamental shift in the landscape of Charedi womens employment and continues to do so. Sustainably.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEMECHS INCREDIBLE WORK HERE.
Burberry's financial year has kicked off with strong sales, supercharged by the reopening of China, and growing demand for its iconic trench coats and leather bags.

Store sales increased 18 per cent to 589million in the three months to the end of June, with revenues in mainland China, its biggest market, jumping 46 per cent.

The luxury fashion group, whose products are beloved by celebrities including Jodie Comer and Stormzy, stuck to its full-year guidance but told investors it could see a larger-than-expected hit from currency exchange rates.

British rapper Stormzy wearing custom Burberry looks at the 2022 Met Gala

Sales in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa surged 17 per cent thanks to the return of tourists, but the Americas continue to show weakness with revenues down 8 per cent.

Japan sales also jumped by 44 per cent, while South Asia Pacific revenues climbed by 39 per cent over the period.

Continued strong demand for Burberry's heritage raincoats helped drive sales of outerwear by 36 per cent.

Leather bags also sold well, particularly the vintage check bags and Frances bag, with leather goods sales up 13 per cent.

'We look forward to building on this when Daniel Lee's debut runway collection launches in stores in September,' the group said.

Lee, former creative director at Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta, replaced Riccardo Tisci in September.

Burberry said it has continued with the revamp of its stores, refurbishing a further 19 shops in the quarter and remaining on track to refurbish more than 50 per cent of its store network by the end of the financial year.

Its flagship New Bond Street store in London, which reopened in June, promises an 'immersive' shopping experience, according to the group.

Chief executive, Jonathan Akeroyd, said: 'We have made good progress in the quarter delivering high teens comparable revenue growth led by the ongoing recovery in Mainland China.

'We saw continued strength in our core outerwear and leather goods categories and are excited about Daniel's product arriving in stores in September.

'While mindful of the uncertain macroeconomic environment, we are confident of achieving our FY24 and medium-term guidance.'

Burberry shares were up just 0.1 per cent to 21.07 in morning trading on Friday.

They hit a record high in April but have lost 18 per cent of their value in the last three months amid concerns that an economic slowdown in China will hit sales.

However, the stock has gained 27 per cent over the last year.

Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: 'Apart from any question marks over the strength of the Chinese economy, Burberry is undergoing something of a quiet revolution at a time when other luxury brands such as LVMH and Richemont are consolidating their own leading positions.

'There is an element of risk to this strategy, although some insulation is provided by the fact that the typical high-end luxury consumer tends to be rather less affected by the wider economic pressures of the day.

'The continued reinvention of the business also comes with an inevitable cost, although with revenues flowing through the door as evidenced in this update, the strategy is perhaps on track.

'In all, this update represents a strong base for the year on which Burberry can build.'
Vermilion Energy (TSE:VET  Get Free Report) (NYSE:VET) had its price target reduced by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$24.00 to C$22.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Royal Bank of Canadas price target suggests a potential upside of 23.87% from the companys previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on VET. National Bankshares dropped their price objective on Vermilion Energy from C$29.00 to C$26.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. Scotiabank reduced their target price on Vermilion Energy from C$29.00 to C$26.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$29.00 to C$28.00 in a research note on Monday, April 17th. TD Securities reduced their price target on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$21.00 to C$19.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$37.00 to C$31.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Vermilion Energy has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$26.25.

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Vermilion Energy Trading Down 1.2 %

Vermilion Energy stock opened at C$17.76 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 25.92. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is C$16.23 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$18.02. Vermilion Energy has a 12 month low of C$14.55 and a 12 month high of C$39.21. The company has a market capitalization of C$2.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -0.02 and a beta of 2.92.

Insider Activity

Vermilion Energy ( TSE:VET Get Free Report ) (NYSE:VET) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 3rd. The company reported C$1.04 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$0.75 by C$0.29. The company had revenue of C$552.70 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$550.97 million. Vermilion Energy had a return on equity of 46.15% and a net margin of 44.58%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Vermilion Energy will post 3.1124567 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In related news, Director Myron Maurice Stadnyk purchased 4,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of C$15.68 per share, with a total value of C$62,720.00. Insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock.

Vermilion Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Vermilion Energy Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company owns 82% working interest in 796,648 net acres of developed land and 85% working interest in 384,237 net acres of undeveloped land in Canada; 149,043 net acres of land in the Powder River basin in the United States; 96% working interest in 258,125 net acres of developed land and 100% working interest in 106,993 net acres of undeveloped land in the Aquitaine and Paris Basins in France; 53% working interest in 1,604,206 net acres of land in the Netherlands; 107,351 net developed acres and 1,549,929 net undeveloped acres in Germany; 975,374 net acres land in Croatia; 614,625 net acres land in Hungary; and 97,907 net acres land in Slovakia.

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TransAlta Renewables (TSE:RNW  Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at ATB Capital from a sector perform rating to a tender rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a C$13.00 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of C$14.00. ATB Capitals target price would indicate a potential downside of 2.33% from the stocks current price.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on RNW. CSFB upgraded shares of TransAlta Renewables from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. TD Securities boosted their target price on shares of TransAlta Renewables from C$12.00 to C$12.50 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, May 8th. National Bankshares reduced their price target on shares of TransAlta Renewables from C$13.00 to C$12.50 in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, Atb Cap Markets downgraded shares of TransAlta Renewables from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Sunday, May 7th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$14.50.

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TransAlta Renewables Price Performance

TSE RNW opened at C$13.31 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 44.52. The stock has a market capitalization of C$3.55 billion, a PE ratio of 45.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a 50 day moving average price of C$12.13 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$12.06. TransAlta Renewables has a 12-month low of C$10.63 and a 12-month high of C$18.45.

About TransAlta Renewables

TransAlta Renewables ( TSE:RNW Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 5th. The company reported C$0.17 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$0.15 by C$0.02. TransAlta Renewables had a net margin of 14.55% and a return on equity of 4.12%. The company had revenue of C$119.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$134.80 million. As a group, equities analysts predict that TransAlta Renewables will post 0.7003155 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

TransAlta Renewables Inc owns, develops, and operates renewable and natural gas power generation facilities and other infrastructure assets in Canada, the United States, and Australia. The company operates through Canadian Wind, Canadian Hydro, Canadian Gas, US Wind and Solar, US Gas, and Australian Gas segments.

Further Reading

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Suncor Energy (TSE:SU  Get Free Report) (NYSE:SU) has been assigned a C$48.00 price objective by research analysts at UBS Group in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock. UBS Groups target price indicates a potential upside of 22.89% from the companys current price.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on Suncor Energy from C$52.00 to C$51.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 29th. National Bankshares dropped their price objective on Suncor Energy from C$60.00 to C$57.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. CSFB dropped their price objective on Suncor Energy from C$60.00 to C$56.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Scotiabank dropped their price objective on Suncor Energy from C$50.00 to C$47.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Suncor Energy from C$61.00 to C$58.00 in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$52.07.

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Suncor Energy Stock Down 0.3 %

SU stock opened at C$39.06 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 42.16. The companys 50 day moving average is C$39.06 and its 200 day moving average is C$41.89. The stock has a market cap of C$51.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 1.67. Suncor Energy has a 1-year low of C$36.38 and a 1-year high of C$50.37.

Suncor Energy Company Profile

Suncor Energy ( TSE:SU Get Free Report ) (NYSE:SU) last issued its earnings results on Monday, May 8th. The company reported C$1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$1.26 by C$0.10. The business had revenue of C$12.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$10.57 billion. Suncor Energy had a return on equity of 20.92% and a net margin of 14.37%. Sell-side analysts predict that Suncor Energy will post 5.9282371 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

Suncor Energy Inc operates as an integrated energy company in Canada and internationally. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; and Refining and Marketing segments. The Oil Sands segment explores, develops, and produces bitumen, synthetic crude oil, and related products. This segment also engages in syncrude oil sands mining and upgrading operations; and marketing, supply, transportation, and risk management of crude oil, natural gas, power, and byproducts.

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Cenovus Energy (TSE:CVE  Get Free Report) (NYSE:CVE) had its target price cut by stock analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$28.00 to C$27.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Royal Bank of Canadas price target would suggest a potential upside of 16.23% from the companys current price.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on CVE. UBS Group set a C$26.00 price objective on shares of Cenovus Energy and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. National Bank Financial cut their price objective on shares of Cenovus Energy from C$38.00 to C$33.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Desjardins cut their price objective on shares of Cenovus Energy from C$34.00 to C$33.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Cenovus Energy from C$27.00 to C$26.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. Finally, Scotiabank lowered shares of Cenovus Energy from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, April 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$30.75.

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Cenovus Energy Stock Performance

Shares of CVE opened at C$23.23 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 41.11. The stock has a market cap of C$44.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.51, a PEG ratio of 0.09 and a beta of 2.87. The company has a 50-day moving average of C$22.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$23.77. Cenovus Energy has a 12-month low of C$19.90 and a 12-month high of C$29.99.

About Cenovus Energy

Cenovus Energy ( TSE:CVE Get Free Report ) (NYSE:CVE) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The company reported C$0.32 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$0.30 by C$0.02. The business had revenue of C$12.26 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$13.31 billion. Cenovus Energy had a net margin of 8.67% and a return on equity of 20.77%. As a group, research analysts predict that Cenovus Energy will post 3.9664311 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

Cenovus Energy Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, refines, transports, and markets crude oil and natural gas in Canada and internationally. The company operates through Oil Sands, Conventional, Offshore, Canadian Manufacturing, and U.S. Manufacturing segments. The Oil Sands segment develops and produces bitumen and heavy oil in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

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Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB  Get Free Report) had its price target increased by analysts at National Bankshares from C$39.00 to C$51.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. National Bankshares price target would indicate a potential upside of 20.25% from the companys current price.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on LB. Veritas Investment Research reiterated a buy rating on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada in a report on Wednesday. CIBC decreased their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$40.00 to C$37.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. CSFB decreased their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$35.00 to C$32.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$36.00 to C$34.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$43.17.

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Laurentian Bank of Canada Stock Down 0.1 %

TSE LB opened at C$42.41 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of C$32.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$33.00. Laurentian Bank of Canada has a 12-month low of C$28.23 and a 12-month high of C$48.23. The firm has a market cap of C$1.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.18, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.17.

Laurentian Bank of Canada Company Profile

Laurentian Bank of Canada ( TSE:LB Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, June 1st. The company reported C$1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$1.14 by C$0.02. The company had revenue of C$257.17 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$261.70 million. Laurentian Bank of Canada had a net margin of 21.97% and a return on equity of 7.69%. Equities analysts expect that Laurentian Bank of Canada will post 5.0972389 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

(Get Free Report)

Laurentian Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services to personal, business, and institutional customers in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Capital Markets. The Personal Banking segment offers financial services, such as financial advisory services to financial intermediaries; and operates digital direct-to-customer platform to retail clients.

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Aritzia (TSE:ATZ  Get Free Report) had its price target dropped by stock analysts at CIBC from C$44.00 to C$30.00 in a report released on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. CIBCs price target suggests a potential upside of 10.99% from the stocks previous close.

ATZ has been the topic of several other research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price target on shares of Aritzia from C$65.00 to C$50.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Aritzia from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and dropped their price target for the company from C$60.00 to C$50.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. TD Securities dropped their price target on shares of Aritzia from C$62.00 to C$50.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Bank of America cut shares of Aritzia from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and dropped their target price for the stock from C$47.00 to C$30.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Aritzia from C$60.00 to C$57.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of C$36.13.

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Aritzia Price Performance

ATZ stock opened at C$27.03 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$2.43 billion, a PE ratio of 17.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.62. The companys 50-day moving average is C$35.67 and its 200-day moving average is C$40.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 112.57, a current ratio of 1.47 and a quick ratio of 0.19. Aritzia has a 1 year low of C$24.50 and a 1 year high of C$55.56.

Aritzia Company Profile

Aritzia ( TSE:ATZ Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The company reported C$0.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$0.30 by C$0.08. Aritzia had a net margin of 8.54% and a return on equity of 30.84%. The business had revenue of C$637.58 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$574.70 million. Equities research analysts expect that Aritzia will post 1.4561037 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(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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ResMed Inc. (NYSE:RMD  Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the nine ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $263.43.

A number of research firms have weighed in on RMD. StockNews.com lowered ResMed from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Mizuho began coverage on shares of ResMed in a report on Thursday, April 13th. They issued a buy rating and a $255.00 price target on the stock. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on ResMed in a research note on Monday, May 22nd. They set a buy rating and a $290.00 price objective for the company.

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Insider Buying and Selling at ResMed

In other news, COO Robert Andrew Douglas sold 1,500 shares of ResMed stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.65, for a total value of $336,975.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 256,526 shares in the company, valued at $57,628,565.90. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, COO Robert Andrew Douglas sold 1,500 shares of ResMed stock in a transaction on Monday, April 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.65, for a total value of $336,975.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 256,526 shares of the companys stock, valued at $57,628,565.90. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Michael J. Farrell sold 5,675 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, April 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.23, for a total transaction of $1,272,505.25. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 436,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $97,966,087. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 30,976 shares of company stock worth $7,010,245 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.39% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

ResMed Price Performance

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of RMD. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. grew its position in shares of ResMed by 53.8% in the 4th quarter. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. now owns 3,148 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $655,000 after buying an additional 1,101 shares during the last quarter. ING Groep NV purchased a new position in ResMed during the 4th quarter valued at $4,648,000. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its holdings in ResMed by 8.3% in the 4th quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 2,147 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $447,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund lifted its position in shares of ResMed by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 52,361 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $10,898,000 after purchasing an additional 1,074 shares during the period. Finally, Kentucky Retirement Systems boosted its stake in shares of ResMed by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems now owns 11,512 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $2,396,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 63.58% of the companys stock.

Shares of NYSE:RMD opened at $218.69 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $32.13 billion, a PE ratio of 37.26, a P/E/G ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a quick ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 3.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $219.76 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $219.11. ResMed has a twelve month low of $202.04 and a twelve month high of $247.65.

ResMed (NYSE:RMD  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The medical equipment provider reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.58 by $0.10. ResMed had a net margin of 21.49% and a return on equity of 25.82%. The business had revenue of $1.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.32 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 29.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that ResMed will post 6.5 EPS for the current year.

ResMed Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 11th were given a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.80%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 10th. ResMeds payout ratio is presently 29.98%.

ResMed Company Profile

(Get Free Report

ResMed Inc develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets medical devices and cloud-based software applications for the healthcare markets. The company operates in two segments, Sleep and Respiratory Care, and Software as a Service. It offers various products and solutions for a range of respiratory disorders, including technologies to be applied in medical and consumer products, ventilation devices, diagnostic products, mask systems for use in the hospital and home, headgear and other accessories, dental devices, and cloud-based software informatics solutions to manage patient outcomes, as well as provides customer and business processes.

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Alpha Cubed Investments LLC lessened its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL  Free Report) by 20.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,978 shares of the companys stock after selling 772 shares during the period. Alpha Cubed Investments LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF were worth $369,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 12.6% in the 1st quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,499,180 shares of the companys stock valued at $284,806,000 after buying an additional 279,142 shares in the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 10,421.6% in the 1st quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 2,444,809 shares of the companys stock valued at $303,315,000 after buying an additional 2,421,573 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 1,914,390 shares of the companys stock valued at $218,116,000 after buying an additional 50,720 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 15.0% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,608,064 shares of the companys stock valued at $216,494,000 after buying an additional 209,476 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ARGI Investment Services LLC grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 10.3% in the 4th quarter. ARGI Investment Services LLC now owns 1,502,830 shares of the companys stock valued at $171,262,000 after buying an additional 139,816 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Price Performance

Shares of BATS QUAL opened at $137.18 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $129.97 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $123.97. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a one year low of $71.96 and a one year high of $88.63. The firm has a market cap of $31.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.30 and a beta of 1.03.

About iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF

The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector.

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BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China's securities regulator said it had approved the registration of synthetic rubber futures and options at the Shanghai Futures Exchange.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission will urge the Shanghai Futures Exchange to get well-prepared across the board, ensuring the smooth launch and sound operation of synthetic rubber futures and options, the regulator said in a statement on Friday. 
Securian Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET  Free Report) by 1.4% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 21,046 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 281 shares during the quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Arista Networks were worth $3,533,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Tiedemann Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Arista Networks during the first quarter worth approximately $594,000. Geneva Partners LLC purchased a new position in Arista Networks during the 1st quarter valued at about $548,000. Vestor Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Arista Networks by 3,182.7% during the first quarter. Vestor Capital LLC now owns 24,226 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $11,139,000 after purchasing an additional 23,488 shares during the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC bought a new stake in Arista Networks in the first quarter worth $204,000. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC grew its position in Arista Networks by 409.0% during the 1st quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,393,186 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $233,860,000 after purchasing an additional 1,119,475 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.80% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have commented on ANET. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a buy rating and issued a $175.00 target price on shares of Arista Networks in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on Arista Networks from $146.00 to $151.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Arista Networks from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Arista Networks from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, April 14th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Arista Networks in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $174.35.

Arista Networks Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ANET opened at $168.61 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $155.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $146.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $51.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.13, a PEG ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.23. Arista Networks, Inc. has a 52-week low of $94.90 and a 52-week high of $178.36.

Arista Networks (NYSE:ANET  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 1st. The technology company reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.31 billion. Arista Networks had a net margin of 31.24% and a return on equity of 31.33%. The companys revenue was up 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.78 EPS. Analysts forecast that Arista Networks, Inc. will post 5.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Arista Networks

In other news, SVP Marc Taxay sold 1,044 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.55, for a total transaction of $167,614.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Arista Networks news, COO Anshul Sadana sold 35,358 shares of Arista Networks stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $163.04, for a total transaction of $5,764,768.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 72,460 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,813,878.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Marc Taxay sold 1,044 shares of Arista Networks stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.55, for a total value of $167,614.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 164,186 shares of company stock valued at $26,399,419. 18.99% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Arista Networks Company Profile

(Free Report)

Arista Networks, Inc develops, markets, and sells cloud networking solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The company's cloud networking solutions consist of extensible operating systems, a set of network applications, as well as gigabit Ethernet switching and routing platforms.

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Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. raised its stake in General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS  Free Report) by 1.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,169,086 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 21,872 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. owned approximately 0.37% of General Mills worth $185,370,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of General Mills by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC now owns 5,683 shares of the companys stock valued at $486,000 after purchasing an additional 206 shares during the period. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. increased its position in shares of General Mills by 15.9% in the first quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 25,814 shares of the companys stock worth $2,206,000 after acquiring an additional 3,543 shares in the last quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Mills in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $2,622,000. CVA Family Office LLC boosted its stake in General Mills by 6.4% in the 1st quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 8,193 shares of the companys stock worth $700,000 after purchasing an additional 492 shares during the period. Finally, Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC raised its stake in General Mills by 5.7% during the 1st quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 5,146 shares of the companys stock valued at $451,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.73% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. 888 reissued a maintains rating on shares of General Mills in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of General Mills from $81.00 to $83.00 in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of General Mills from $77.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. UBS Group increased their price objective on General Mills from $88.00 to $96.00 in a report on Monday, March 27th. Finally, Bank of America dropped their target price on General Mills from $88.00 to $82.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $82.24.

General Mills Price Performance

NYSE:GIS opened at $74.79 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $82.63 and a 200 day moving average price of $82.30. The stock has a market cap of $43.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.35, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.69 and a quick ratio of 0.40. General Mills, Inc. has a one year low of $72.16 and a one year high of $90.89.

General Mills (NYSE:GIS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, June 28th. The company reported $1.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.07 by $0.05. General Mills had a return on equity of 24.47% and a net margin of 12.91%. The business had revenue of $5.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.18 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.12 earnings per share. General Millss quarterly revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.5 earnings per share for the current year.

General Mills Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Investors of record on Monday, July 10th will be paid a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 7th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.16%. This is a boost from General Millss previous quarterly dividend of $0.54. General Millss payout ratio is presently 54.76%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CAO Mark A. Pallot sold 4,081 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.32, for a total value of $368,595.92. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 13,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,185,088.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, insider Jacqueline Williams-Roll sold 18,517 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.47, for a total transaction of $1,656,715.99. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 47,163 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,219,673.61. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Mark A. Pallot sold 4,081 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.32, for a total transaction of $368,595.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 13,121 shares in the company, valued at $1,185,088.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 25,607 shares of company stock valued at $2,297,897 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock.

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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LS Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 27.7% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 3,143 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after acquiring an additional 682 shares during the quarter. LS Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,485,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Chelsea Counsel Co. bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Freedom Wealth Alliance LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Investors Research Corp lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 51.1% during the 4th quarter. Investors Research Corp now owns 71 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Bourgeon Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 192.3% in the 4th quarter. Bourgeon Capital Management LLC now owns 76 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Institutional investors own 92.61% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on UNH. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $627.00 to $564.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $610.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, April 17th. Raymond James reaffirmed a strong-buy rating and set a $630.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, April 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $616.00 to $561.00 in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Loop Capital boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $590.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, April 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $586.80.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $447.45 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $479.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $486.42. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $445.68 and a one year high of $558.10. The firm has a market cap of $416.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 0.66.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 14th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.26 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.24 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $91.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $89.77 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 27.05% and a net margin of 6.16%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 14.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $5.49 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.79 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 19th were given a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.68%. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Groups previous quarterly dividend of $1.65. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 15th. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 34.39%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Andrew Witty sold 6,160 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.49, for a total transaction of $3,002,938.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 86,564 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,199,084.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,684 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $488.46, for a total value of $822,566.64. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 8,675 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,237,390.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Andrew Witty sold 6,160 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.49, for a total value of $3,002,938.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 86,564 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $42,199,084.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 8,852 shares of company stock worth $4,313,962. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About UnitedHealth Group

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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S. R. Schill & Associates lowered its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 11.4% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,161 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 407 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group comprises about 0.7% of S. R. Schill & Associates holdings, making the stock its 20th largest position. S. R. Schill & Associates holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,494,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in UNH. LS Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 27.7% in the 1st quarter. LS Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,143 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $1,485,000 after acquiring an additional 682 shares during the period. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 4.5% in the 1st quarter. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,607 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $2,650,000 after acquiring an additional 241 shares during the period. Employees Retirement System of Texas increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Employees Retirement System of Texas now owns 145,645 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $68,830,000 after acquiring an additional 2,549 shares during the period. Destiny Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 6.9% during the 1st quarter. Destiny Wealth Partners LLC now owns 664 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $314,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the period. Finally, First American Trust FSB increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. First American Trust FSB now owns 1,100 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $520,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.61% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Andrew Witty sold 6,160 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.49, for a total transaction of $3,002,938.40. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 86,564 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $42,199,084.36. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,008 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $484.58, for a total value of $488,456.64. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 10,359 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,019,764.22. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Andrew Witty sold 6,160 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.49, for a total value of $3,002,938.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 86,564 shares in the company, valued at $42,199,084.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 8,852 shares of company stock valued at $4,313,962. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.9 %

UNH opened at $447.45 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $416.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a 50-day moving average of $479.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of $486.42. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $445.68 and a 12 month high of $558.10.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 14th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.26 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.24 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $91.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $89.77 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 27.05% and a net margin of 6.16%. The companys revenue was up 14.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $5.49 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.79 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 19th were paid a $1.88 dividend. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Groups previous quarterly dividend of $1.65. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.68%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 15th. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is currently 34.39%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $616.00 to $561.00 in a research note on Thursday. Truist Financial lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $580.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 14th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $610.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, April 17th. SVB Securities lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $625.00 to $560.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 14th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered UnitedHealth Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $586.80.

UnitedHealth Group Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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ISTANBUL, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police launched a counter-terror operation against alleged members of the Islamic State (IS) group and detained more than two dozen suspects, the local NTV broadcaster reported on Friday.

The police raided 15 hideouts of the suspects in the districts of Basaksehir, Esenyurt, and Beylikduzu in Istanbul, and detained 28 foreign suspects, without revealing specific countries of origin.

Turkiye declared IS a terror group in 2013 following a string of deadly bombing attacks from the group in the country, killing and injuring scores of people.

Since then, there have been regular arrests and detentions of suspected IS members by security forces in several cities. 
This photo taken on July 13, 2023 shows the scene of an energy thematic side event at the UN headquarters in New York. An energy thematic side event held Thursday at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York called for global energy interconnection through building a zero-carbon energy system for sustainable development. (Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- An energy thematic side event held Thursday at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York called for global energy interconnection through building a zero-carbon energy system for sustainable development.

The meeting on "Jointly Building a Zero-Carbon Energy System to Further Advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" was co-hosted by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), the Latin American Energy Organization, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition.

GEIDCO released a report titled "Global Energy Interconnection: Pathway Towards 2030 Sustainable Development," which points out that the current extensive exploitation and use of fossil energy have brought about resource, climate, environmental, and health problems, which are major obstacles to sustainable development.

"It is urgent to accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of energy," the report said. "The construction of a global energy interconnection will generate nine benefits, which will fully align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and play a key role in achieving the seven goals, including Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), and Goal 13 (climate action)."

The report proposes 10 actions and six mechanisms for the implementation of the global energy interconnection to support global sustainable development.

The meeting also issued a joint initiative "Building a Zero-Carbon Energy System for Sustainable Development," advocating for green development, consensus on energy transition, open collaboration, the construction of a zero-carbon energy system, innovation-driven development, accelerated energy technology revolution, and the common development of humankind.

Participants believed that building a global energy interconnection, and accelerating clean energy development and grid interconnection will contribute to green, low-carbon, and sustainable development, playing a key role in solving crises and securing a better future for humanity.

The side event was held on the sidelines of the ongoing UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. Representatives from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Meteorological Organization and other institutions participated in the meeting.

Established in March 2016, GEIDCO is the first international organization initiated by China in the field of energy, aiming to promote the construction of a global energy interconnection to meet global electricity demand in a clean and green manner. 
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Jose Vinals, chairman of Standard Chartered Group, in Beijing, capital of China, July 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Jose Vinals, chairman of Standard Chartered Group, on Friday in Beijing.

China and Britain are highly complementary in trade and enjoy broad prospects for economic and trade cooperation, Han said. He said that China is committed to the path of reform and opening up, building a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and supporting foreign companies, including British companies, to achieve better development in China.

The Chinese central government fully supports Hong Kong in maintaining its unique status and advantages in the long run, and fully supports the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government in advancing the development of an international financial center and maintaining long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, Han said.

He noted that China welcomes Standard Chartered Group and other international financial institutions to actively participate in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and make new contributions to consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international financial center.

Vinals thanked the Chinese government for its strong support to Standard Chartered Group and said that the group will continue to firmly engage in the Chinese market, actively participate in the Belt and Road cooperation and construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and promote the mutually beneficial cooperation between Britain and China to achieve more results. 

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Jose Vinals, chairman of Standard Chartered Group, in Beijing, capital of China, July 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has accused Sinn Fein of weaponising social media, in a remark charecterised by the opposition party as nonsensical.

Mr Donnelly was speaking to reporters about abuse politicians face online and in person.

It follows reports that his colleagues raised concerns at the Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting over the safety of politicians, particularly over the Kildare Street entrance to Leinster House.

Asked if he shared those fears, Mr Donnelly said there was a general concern across western democracies about the safety of politicians.

Weve seen murder in the UK. Theres a general sense that there is a level of hostility now towards elected representatives that probably hasnt been seen in a very long time.

Its a very concerning trend.

In his long, wide-ranging response to the question, he also said there were a lot of questions about Sinn Feins use of social media.

Ive no problem saying that I believe Sinn Fein have weaponised social media.

I believe they have had a very sophisticated campaign for many, many years now. We know that their Facebook pages were administered out of Eastern Europe and there were all sorts of questions people asked about that.

He later added: Its not all Sinn Fein, obviously.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said the comments were ridiculous.

These are nonsensical comments. Stephen Donnelly is well aware that Sinn Fein politicians have not alone faced serious threats, but have been the subject of serious attacks.

Ridiculous remarks like this should be beneath a government minister.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Donnelly said there was a need to look at online messaging and how targeted advertising works.

The fact that there is very little log of what individuals see, theres very little ability to verify what people see.

And ultimately, people are engaging with each other in a way online that simply didnt happen before.

He said members of the Oireachtas had received death threats and female politicians in particular had called out abuse they face.

Its not acceptable, so I think there is a role for the Oireachtas to step up for this.

Mr Donnelly added that social media companies have a role to play in combatting the abuse.

However, he added: I would question how seriously some of them take that responsibility in allowing the sort of hatred and violence and threats happen.

I think, therefore, the concerns that are being expressed in terms of the real world  my belief rightly or wrongly  is that is largely influenced, it is reality now [imitating] the online world.

He said talk around Leinster House from all political parties is that there is concern of the impact on people they want to run for local elections next year.

They are taking a look, seeing a level of abuse online. Theyre seeing hostility now in the real world at a level that certainly hasnt been seen in a long time.

We need to be very careful about it.
[July 13, 2023] Arlon Graphics, a global leader in the Graphic Materials Industry, Announces New Executive Roles Tweet

PLACENTIA, Calif., July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Arlon Graphics, a leading global manufacturer of graphic materials, announces the promotion of three key executives to new positions within the company's leadership. These newly created roles reflect the company's approach to promotions from within, its unwavering dedication to continued rapid growth, expanded market presence worldwide, and its valued customer relationships. Arlon Graphics, a leading global manufacturer of graphic materials, announces the promotion of three key executives. The following individuals have been appointed to these new executive positions effective immediately, reporting to Andrew McNeill (President and CEO): 1. Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)  Chad Russell: Known as an industry expert with an impressive track record for delivering results, Chad has been instrumental in the company's sustained growth. As CCO, Chad will spearhead the strategic direction of the company's commercial operations, overseeing sales, marketing, product, sustainability, new market opportunities, and ensuring Best Products and Best Service remain at the forefront of the company's mission. 2. Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO) & SVP Transformation  Morgan Ebin: Having consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of manufacturing processes, Morgn has played a crucial role in optimizing the company's production capabilities while achieving outstanding quality standards. As CMO, Morgan will be responsible for leading the global manufacturing operations, streamlining processes, implementing innovative technologies and transformative processes, as well as driving operational efficiency across the organization. Morgan also oversees the Finance, Information Technology and Security functions, ensuring strategic transformation in alignment with our company goals and core values.



3. Chief Operating Officer (COO)  Lynne Kemp: With a proven track record of business operational excellence and strategic vision, Lynne has been a driving force behind the company's expansion and scalability. As COO, Lynne will oversee the evolution of global infrastructure, people and legal functions including risk and compliance globally, Arlon China oversight, strategic planning, corporate communications and organizational processes. Lynne's leadership as COO will ensure seamless coordination between various departments, enabling the company to efficiently meet customer demands and capitalize on emerging market trends. Commenting on these promotions, Arlon Graphics' President and CEO, Andrew McNeill, stated, "These appointments reflect our commitment to empower our top talent to lead the business to deliver the highest level of performance for our shareholders, employees, industry partners and our customers. I have every confidence that Chad, Morgan and Lynne will excel in their new roles and drive our company's continued contribution to the global graphic materials industry."

About Arlon Graphics:

Arlon Graphics, LLC is a graphic materials manufacturing company in the business of creating innovative products for visual expression. Founded in 1958, Arlon Graphics manufactures and markets high-quality pressure-sensitive materials for the fleet, architectural, digital imaging, and signage markets. Through more than 180 distribution partners across the globe, a growing number of strategically positioned sales offices and warehouses, and customer-centric operations, Arlon is recognized as a global leader in graphic materials. Join the Arlon Graphics conversation and follow us at @arlongraphics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. For more information, visit arlon.com. For further information on all Arlon products, visit arlon.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arlon-graphics-a-global-leader-in-the-graphic-materials-industry-announces-new-executive-roles-301877082.html SOURCE Arlon Graphics

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[July 14, 2023] ITRI Celebrates Golden Jubilee: 50 Years of Empowering Industry through Innovations Tweet

HSINCHU, Taiwan, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITRI celebrated its historic 50th anniversary on July 5. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen attended the anniversary ceremony and commended the Institutes significance in empowering Taiwans industries through innovations. Over the past five decades, the Chairmen and Presidents of ITRI have spearheaded Taiwans transformation from a technology follower to emerging as a Top 100 Global Innovator. Going forward, ITRI will continue to tackle future challenges and build sustainable industries according to its 2035 Technology Strategy and Roadmap. At the golden jubilee ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen presented commemorative trophies to the Chairmen and Presidents of ITRI as a token of appreciation for their dedication over the years. President Tsai gave a speech at the ceremony, highlighting the instrumental role of ITRI in transforming Taiwan from a labor-intensive economy to a technologically advanced country. She acknowledged that many of Taiwans pioneering products, which have attained global recognition, stemmed from ITRIs innovations. During her visit, President Tsai attended a tech exhibition that showcased ITRIs recent groundbreaking R&D accomplishments. She commended the Institute for its successful efforts in industrializing innovative technologies. One notable achievement was AI Aquarium, an honoree of this years CES Innovation Awards. Recognized by Interesting Engineering as one of the top five futuristic technologies showcased at CES 2023 AI Aquarium has been installed at the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology in Taiwan.



50 years ago, ITRI was founded as the first applied technology research institution in Taiwan, remarked ITRI Chairman Chih-Kung Lee. Throughout the years, ITRI has made significant contributions to driving the growth of emerging industries in various sectors, including semiconductors, ICT, materials and chemicals, machinery, biomedicine, and green energy. To commemorate ITRIs role in advancing Taiwans industrialization, Lee announced the inauguration of an ITRI museum as part of the anniversary celebration. The museum exhibits hundreds of historical documents and objects that bear witness to Taiwans industrialization progress and technological milestones over the past five decades, including Taiwans first commercial integrated circuit in 1976 and the worlds first 2-layer flexible copper clad laminate developed in 1996. As the driving force across industries, ITRI has successfully transitioned Taiwan from a technology follower to a global innovator over the years, noted ITRI President Edwin Liu. To navigate the dynamic global landscape, Dr. Liu declared the rollout of ITRIs 2035 Technology Strategy and Roadmap. This initiative aims to foster market-oriented development and support industries in four key application domains: Smart Living, Quality Health, Sustainable Environment, and Resilient Society. Dr. Liu highlighted the Institutes support in net-zero transition and digital transformation for industries, which are crucial for enhancing Taiwans global competitiveness. Leveraging its technological capabilities, ITRI is also deepening partnerships with global allies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Europe, and many others, positioning Taiwan as a trustable partner among the international community.

About ITRI

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is one of the worlds leading technology R&D institutions aiming to innovate a better future for society. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwans industries from labor-intensive into innovation-driven. To address market needs and global trends, it has launched its 2035 Technology Strategy and Roadmap that focuses on innovation development in Smart Living, Quality Health, Sustainable Environment, and Resilient Society. Over the years, ITRI has been dedicated to incubating startups and spinoffs, including well-known names such as UMC and TSMC. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan, ITRI has branch offices in the U.S., Europe, and Japan in an effort to extend its R&D scope and promote international cooperation across the globe. For more information, please visit https://www.itri.org/eng. Media Contact

Alex Chang

Office of Marketing Communications, ITRI

+886-3-591-8165

[email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1cb09a94-73e0-43bd-8c77-c9ddc1567445



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[July 14, 2023] Global Leaders Set To Highlight Revolutionary Digital Solutions in Healthcare At Global Digital Health Summit 2023 Tweet

Scheduled to take place on September 1-2 at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai . Approximately 1,000 industry professionals from 40 countries to attend the event

Global leaders to talk about groundbreaking digital solutions for various healthcare specialties, such as Cardiology, Gynaecology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, and Consulting Physicians.

The conference will address various topics in the realm of healthcare, including the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, the influence of robotics and generative AI on healthcare, the effective management of chronic patients in the digital era, and the emphasis on healthcare professionals and the transformation of small hospitals into smart hospitals.

Notable speakers include Dr. Karen DeSalvo , Chief Health officer at Google, Ms. Ann Mond Johnson , CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, Dr. Rajeev Raghuvanshi , Drugs Controller General of India , CDSCO, Government of India , Mr. Bakul Patel , Senior Director of Global Digital Health Strategy & Regulatory at Google and Mr. Sanjiv Navangul , Managing Director & CEO of Bharat Serums & Vaccines Limited. MUMBAI, India, July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Digital Health Summit 2023, an eminent event in the healthcare industry, and an SBU of Digital Health Associates, is set to unveil cutting-edge digital solutions that are transforming the landscape of healthcare. The summit will emphasize medical specialties, the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, and the conversion of small hospitals into smart hospitals. This event will serve as a platform for networking, collaboration, and fostering innovation. Scheduled to take place on September 1-2, the summit will be held at the prestigious Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai. It will bring together visionary leaders who are at the forefront of driving digital transformation in healthcare. By attracting global delegates and industry experts, this event provides a unique opportunity to explore the potential of the Indian market and engage in discussions about the future of healthcare. The summit's agenda features a series of sessions that delve into digital solutions for various healthcare specialties, including Cardiology, Gynaecology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, and Consulting Physicians. Additionally, topics such as the digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, the impact of robotics and generative AI on healthcare, and the management of chronic patients in the digital age will be discussed. Approximately 1,000 industry professionals from 40 countries are expected to attend the summit. The second edition of the Global Digital Health Summit will attract senior leaders from both the public and private sectors in healthcare and life sciences. Moreover, the event's impact wil extend beyond the physical attendees through the comprehensive Summit Outcomes Report, which will highlight the showcased solutions and provide a platform for global recognition.



By being highlighted in the Summit Outcomes Report, the participants will get significant exposure, providing an excellent chance to connect with international markets. Through the summit's vast array of international partners, this report will get widespread distribution, maximising awareness and encouraging cooperation. Advancing the adoption and integration of DTx solutions for better patient outcomes, the Asia Pacific DTx Leadership Alliance will be launched as a collaborative platform to foster innovation, drive adoption, and lead the advancement of Digital Therapeutics across the Asia Pacific region. It will give solution providers a fantastic opportunity and assist the healthcare sector in navigating the fascinating possibilities of digitising healthcare. The Smart Clinicians' Suite and Smart Hospitals' Suite will also be launched at the summit. These platforms will aid hospitals and medical professionals in selecting the best solutions for digitising their operations. Experts will review the technology offered on these platforms, which is likely to accelerate the implementation of digital health across the nation.

Looking forward to the summit, Dr. Rajendra Pratap Gupta said "We at Digital Health Associates are working to digitise the healthcare system in the country and provide solutions, not only to the patients but to clinicians and the whole healthcare fraternity. This decade will see a disruption in healthcare, and we will continue to be at the forefront of that revolution. The Global Digital Health Summit offers a forum for leaders in technology and healthcare to network and debate game-changing ideas for all forms of healthcare transformation. This will assist doctors and healthcare facilities in accelerating the adoption of digital health." As an annual gathering of healthcare pioneers, the Global Digital Health Summit aims to address challenges, foster collaboration, and ideate innovative solutions. Building on the success of the 2022 summit, which focused on achieving "Digital Health for All by 2028," this year's event is poised to propel India's journey in digital health forward. For more information on attending, exhibiting, at the Global Digital Health Summit, please visit the official website at http://www.globalsummit.health/. About Digital Health Associates: Digital Health Associates (DHA) is founded by Dr. Rajendra Pratap Gupta, a public policy expert who has been contributing to policymaking for over a decade and a half across sectors. He was an ex-advisor to the Ministry of Health, Government of India & is currently Chairman of the Dynamic Coalition on Digital Health at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Dr. Gupta has worked with some of the largest organizations across the world and was nominated to the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum for 2012-2014 in recognition of his work. The organization is working towards improving and transforming the healthcare sector in India with the help of digital initiatives. These initiatives are being executed under four verticals  Digital Health Academy; International Patients Union; Global Digital Health Summit & Health Parliament. Global Healthcare leaders from across the world are part of the DHA board. Some of them include - Mr. Bakul Patel who was the Founding Director of the Digital Health Center of Excellence at the US-FDA, and Former Chief Digital Health Officer- Global Strategy and Innovation at US-FDA. He is currently, the Senior Director, Global Digital Health Strategy & Regulatory Health at Google Inc; Mr. Ashish Srivastava, an innovator and technology strategist, who has overseen the development of AI & data-driven products and solutions in Telecom, Consumer-Goods, Manufacturing, Health, and Retail. Other imminent personalities associated with DHA include Dr. Thomas Zeltner, Chairman- WHO Foundation, Dr. Jay Sanders, Founding Board Member and President Emeritus of American Telemedicine Association, Mr. Brian O'Connor, Chairman of the European Connected Health Alliance, Ms. Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of American Telemedicine Association, amongst others. Websites and links: Digital Health Associates: www.digitalassociates.health

Health Parliament: www.parliament.health

Digital Health Academy: www.digitalacademy.health

Global Digital Health Summit: www.globalsummit.health

International Patients Union: https://internationalpatientsunion.org/ View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/global-leaders-set-to-highlight-revolutionary-digital-solutions-in-healthcare-at-global-digital-health-summit-2023-301877314.html

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[July 14, 2023] Centripetal Launches Inaugural Cyber Threat Intelligence Summit with Leading Threat Intelligence Experts Tweet

Centripetal, the global leader in intelligence powered cybersecurity, today announced the inaugural Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Summit, a consortium of threat intelligence experts committed to advancing the role of threat intelligence in modern cybersecurity strategies. To be held on July 18, this first-of-its kind Summit features speakers from leading threat intelligence vendors including ESET, GreyNoise Intelligence, IBM X-Force, Recorded Future and Sophos. Together, this community of expert thought leaders provides a forum to share valuable insights, discuss current trends, and showcase innovative approaches to leverage threat intelligence more effectively. According to Dave Ahn, Chief Architect, Centripetal, "In today's rapidly evolving digital world, cyber threat intelligence is foundational to any strong cyber defense against adversaries. Possession of this critical knowledge can be fragmented within and among organizations, creating gaps that can be exploited by malicious actors. We must close these gaps by embracing education, knowledge sharing and collaboration. Our vision for the CTI Summit is to foster this community by bringing together diverse expertise in cybersecurity and intelligence to learn from each other and empower ourselves to be resilient against he changing cyber threats around us."



The CTI Summit is a must-attend event for anyone interested in exploring how threat intelligence can enhance their cybersecurity programs and fortify their organizations against emerging threats. It offers attendees practical knowledge, real-world experiences, and tactical direction to fortify their organizations and revolutionize the way they protect their assets. Agenda topics include measuring the effectiveness of your organization's threat intelligence, creating actionable intelligence using AI/ML, and mapping intelligence to risk. What: The Inaugural Cyber Threat Intelligence Summit

The Inaugural Cyber Threat Intelligence Summit When : July 18, 7:00 am - 11 am PT/10 am - 2 pm ET

: July 18, 7:00 am - 11 am PT/10 am - 2 pm ET Where : Virtual event

: Virtual event Registration: Free and open to all; agenda and registration details are found here. Centripetal believes that cyber threat intelligence has the power to change how enterprises secure and protect their businesses. The Company partners with over 250 threat intelligence providers that together generate over 112 billion indicators of compromise used to help protect customer networks around the world.

ABOUT CENTRIPETAL Centripetal, a global leader in intelligence powered cybersecurity, is operationalizing the world's largest collection of threat intelligence, in real-time, to protect organizations from every known cyber threat through its innovative patented technologies. Through its CleanINTERNET service, Centripetal delivers a highly effective solution leveraging the latest computing technology and skilled intelligence operators at a significantly lower cost. We are experts in intelligence, with a team comprised of cryptologists, and security operators from the U.S. Intelligence & Defense community who have protected the most sensitive assets in the world. Centripetal is based in Reston, VA with offices in Portsmouth, NH and Galway, Ireland. For more information, visit www.centripetal.ai. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714758444/en/

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BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods monitored by China's statistical authorities registered higher prices in early July compared with late June, official data showed Friday.

Of the 50 major goods classified in nine categories, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer, and some chemicals, 35 reported higher prices in the period, 12 saw price declines, while the prices of three remained unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Specifically, the price of liquefied natural gas went up 0.5 percent in early July compared with late June, while the price for liquefied petroleum gas decreased by 1.6 percent.

During the same period, the hog price rose 2.2 percent, NBS data also revealed.

The figures, released every 10 days, are based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions across the country. 
[July 14, 2023] BPROTOCOL DEADLINE: ROSEN LAW FIRM Encourages Bancor v3 Liquidity Providers With Losses in Excess of $100K to Secure Counsel Before July 14 Deadline in Securities Class Action Against BProtocol Foundation, Bancor DAO, and Individual Defendants Tweet

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds U.S.-based investors, also called liquidity providers ("LPs"), in Bancor Version 3 ("Bancor v3") between May 11, 2022 and May 11, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important July 14, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline. The lawsuit is against BProtocol Foundation, Bancor DAO, Galia Benartzi, Guy Benartzi, Eyal Hertzog, and Yehuda Levy (together, "Defendants"). SO WHAT: If you invested, or provided liquidity, in Bancor v3 during the Class Period and are a U.S. resident you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Bancor v3 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16271 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 14, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or parter with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.



DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Defendants violated the federal securities laws and various state laws by offering and selling investment contracts to Bancor v3 liquidity providers, without registering under applicable federal securities laws as an exchange or broker-dealer, and without a registration statement in effect for the securities offered and sold. The lawsuit also alleges that the Defendants concealed and misrepresented material information concerning the risks associated with providing liquidity to Bancor v3. To join the Bancor v3 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16271 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230714498418/en/

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Again . . . This is worth repeating . . .

BEFORE HIS ARREST THE KANSAS CITY "CHIEFSAHOLIC" TWEETED HIS PHONY CELEBRATION OF HUSTLE CULTURE TOUTING HIS HARD WORK!!!

Sure, robbing a bank isn't easy but it takes a lot less dedication than working a 9-5 gig.



Accordingly . . . And with respect to the increasingly pricey tickets . . . Here's a worthwhile update:



A Kansas City Chiefs superfan known for attending nearly every home and away game in recent years had been funding his fanatic lifestyle through a series of bank robberies across the Midwest, federal authorities alleged this week.



With new court documents unsealed Monday, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Missouri announced that Chiefs superfan Xavier Babudar  better known to fans as ChiefsAholic on Twitter  is facing charges for bank theft and transporting stolen property across state lines.



Babudar, 28, is accused of robbing seven banks between April and December 2022 in Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee and Oklahoma, as well as two attempted robberies at credit unions in Minnesota.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
We wanted to quote this note in full because there are a few points worth considering . . .

- The Exec wants to focus on low-income tax relief . . .

- He seems to be looking for cooperation to pass something quickly . . .

Here's the note and more info as the conversation moves forward . . .



JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE CALLS FOR ACTION TO IMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BILL



KANSAS CITY, Mo.  County Executive Frank White, Jr., has issued a call to action for the immediate implementation and improvement of Senate Bill 190 (SB 190), a newly enacted legislation that allows counties to provide a homestead exemption to senior citizens.



SB 190 provides an opportunity to give much-needed financial relief to seniors facing rising healthcare, food, and housing costs. However, it has certain shortcomings that need to be addressed. As it stands, SB 190 overlooks the needs of senior renters who often face financial instability. It does not distinguish between affluent homeowners and those most in need, and it fails to include benefits for many retired civil servants like teachers, firefighters, and other first responders. These shortcomings have led to opposition from key state organizations, including the Missouri Municipal League, the Missouri Association of Counties, and the Missouri School Board Association.



In an effort to better implement and improve upon SB 190, Executive White plans to issue an emergency contract to engage a third-party consultant. This consultant, yet to be identified, will bring in the necessary expertise and resources to expedite the review and effective implementation of the bill. Their responsibilities will include conducting a thorough legal analysis, developing suitable language for the county's code of ordinances, engaging with impacted taxing jurisdictions, creating a customer-friendly program, and identifying opportunities for improving the current law.



"We are on the clock. Our seniors cannot afford to wait," the County Executive stated. "Unless a written objection is received from a member of the County Legislature by the end of next week, I plan to proceed with identifying a qualified contractor immediately. If any objections arise, we will follow the formal procurement procedures outlined in Chapter 10 of our Code of Ordinances."



Executive White is earnestly requesting the support of the legislature for the issuance of this emergency contract, and for the passage of an ordinance to secure the necessary funding.



"We need to come together to make the most of SB 190 while advocating for its improvement. I look forward to us collectively addressing this pressing issue and truly making a difference in the lives of our senior citizens," stated Executive White.

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And here's more RELATED NEWS amid this ongoing discussion . . .

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

'Our seniors cannot afford to wait': Jackson County executive calls for implementation of Senate Bill 190 at local level Jackson County Executive Frank White said the bill has shortcomings that need to be addressed at the local level.

JaxCo Exec. Frank White calls for passage of bill freezing property taxes for seniors The bill aims to provide relief to seniors on fixed incomes as living expenses continue to rise by issuing property tax credits.

Former Jackson County BOE member suggests asking for evidence in property assessments Preston Smith worked on the Jackson County Board of Equalization for 14 years. During that time, he said he heard 10,000 appeals. Now, he's using that knowledge to help.

Developing . . .
Here's a culture war announcement lasting out against quotes whilst evoking civil rights language which is a nice flex that many conservative don't have the patience to practice with skill . . . Check-it . . .



AG Kobach co-leads multistate coalition educating companies about racially discriminatory employment practices



TOPEKA  (July 13, 2023)  Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a 13-state coalition to raise awareness of laws prohibiting racially discriminatory employment and contracting practices with Fortune 100 companies.



The time has come for Martin Luther King Jr.s dream to reflect reality. All Americans should be judged based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin, Kobach said.



The letter explains the significance of the U.S. Supreme Courts recent ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College and addresses the racial discrimination commonplace among Fortune 100 companies.



The letter states, the Supreme Courts recent decision should place every employer and contractor on notice of the illegality of racial quotas and race-based preferences in employment and contracting practices.



The letter was sent to the leaders of every company on the Fortune 100 list. Generals Kobach and Skrmetti were joined in signing the letter by state attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia.

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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Shots rang out this evening near the East side of Midtown . . . Police to continue to investigate the scene after a fatality was recorded.

Again . . . The 30% homicide spike continues in KCMO year-to-date as we remain on pace to break the all-time homicide record set in 2020.

Here's the first report . . .



Homicide Linwood and Forest

This evening around 530pm, officers were patrolling the area of Linwood Blvd and Forest Ave when they were flagged down by an adult female standing outside a vehicle who stated someone had been shot. The female summoned officers to her vehicle where they located an adult male unresponsive inside the vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.



EMS was in the area as officers were flagged down, and stopped to render aid to the victim. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.



Additionally, at about the same time, additional officers were dispatched to the area of E 42nd St and Walnut Ave. on a sound of shots call.



A possible crime scene was located in that area, however, detectives are investigating if it is involved with this incident.



Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel have responded to the scene. They will be processing the scene to recover any evidence and speaking to any potential witnesses.



The investigation is ongoing.



Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 816-234-5043. Or if you wish to remain anonymous you can do so by calling the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information provided to TIPS which leads to an arrest in the case.



We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency.



We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents.

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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Man dies in shooting in Midtown Kansas City Thursday afternoon A man died in a shooting that unfolded Thursday afternoon in Midtown KCMO. According to police, the man was shot at east 41st and Walnut Streets.

Shooting victim discovered in car at Linwood and Forest in Kansas City dies in hospital The fatal shooting happened at Linwood and Forest in Kansas City.

KCPD investigating fatal shooting at Linwood & Forest The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that happened on Thursday evening.

Developing . . .
Here's the latest flex from 12th & Oak . . .

The Mayor is moving away from a metro system and seeks to establish a bit of local tech independence.



Here's the word . . .



The citys own 911 call center would presumably allow the city to rely less on MARC, who coordinates the system the city uses, along with cities in 11 other counties in Kansas and Missouri.



Lucas says MARCs not making strides fast enough while Motorola, which makes the system MARC uses, sees if it can add a prompt for the city only, without impacting suburban cities.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Kansas City mayor criticizes MARC, calls for own 911 call center Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas fires back at the group that coordinates Kansas City's 911 system.

Confused by Jackson County's property-assessment process? Here's how Missouri's system works Roughly 30,000 appeals of Jackson County property tax assessments remain pending midway through July, but many taxpayers still have questions.

During discussions, multiple options emerge to address, fix Kansas City's overwhelmed 911 system Multiple options emerged Thursday to either fix or start over with Kansas City, Missouri's overwhelmed 911 system.

Developing . . .
For the record . . .

Most of the cartoons we've watched through the years depict fans of the symphony as snooty and elitist until Bugs Bunny gets the better of them . . . Sadly, that's about the extent of my knowledge on musical high art.



Meanwhile . . . The Pitch provides a detailed account of hardships confronted by a local percussionist in a worthwhile narrative:

While Jones feels the Kansas City Symphony has failed the community, his experience is indicative of the widespread discrimination and lack of diversity among American symphony orchestras. And he has advice.



They should be invested in obtaining and retaining people of color in their orchestras, Jones says. Be open to the change the community wants.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
There's a lot to catch up on tonight as hottie mom & reality TV star Kim inspires our peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Tiny Inferno Inside The Loop

KCFD: Sprinkler system puts out small fire on 21st floor of Kansas City's One Light Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters are crediting a sprinkler system for quickly turning back a small fire in an apartment on the 21st floor of the One Light apartment building downtown.

Double Down On Highway Tragedy

2 dogs die, 2 people injured in crash on Interstate 670 at Genessee Street in Kansas City Two dogs were killed and two people were injured in a four-vehicle crash on Interstate 670 at Genessee Street in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday afternoon.

Tradition Restarts

Made in KC's trolley cafe gets a new driver: Iconic Kansas City brand set to reopen space in August The Made In KC Trolley in River Market - a full service cafe within a vintage, refurbished Kansas City streetcar - is winding down its run this weekend; next aboard the repurposed artifact of local history: Donutology.

JoCo Fights Freebie Food

Growth of Tiny Pantry Times in Overland Park sparks traffic concerns among neighbors What started as a small pantry off of west 71st Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park may soon be too much for a residential yard.

Missouri Air Disaster Aftermath

2 die, 1 injured in small plane crash at Lake of the Ozarks; victims identified The Osage Beach Fire Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol are investigating a plane crash.

Rock Chalk Power Struggle

Kansas customers sound off on Evergy's proposed rate increase Evergy has asked state regulators to approve new rate hikes for Kansas customers. If approved, the new rates could go into effect later this year.

News Now Begs For Money

Scott Canon named as The Beacon's first editor-in-chief, bolstering nonprofit journalism in Kansas and Missouri Scott Canon brings local journalism experience and a track record for building news networks to The Beacon's mission of community-centered reporting in Kansas and Missouri.

Union Against Kim K Glam

Fran Drescher Defends Photo With Kim Kardashian From Days Before SAG-AFTRA Contract Deadline: 'It Was Absolute Work' The SAG-AFTRA president explained she was in Italy on a contract job with Dolce & Gabbana when the photo with the reality star was taken

WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES AMID WAR IN EUROPE!!!

Biden orders 3,000 reservists to be ready for Europe deployments It's not clear whether the troops will actually be deployed, but it suggests the U.S. military presence in Europe is under strain.

GOP Preps Future Plans

How MAGA Republicans plan to make Donald Trump's second term count They think they know how to banish the chaos and frustrations of his first four years | Leaders

2nd Place Disclosure

DeSantis' campaign is "brutally honest" about trailing Trump in presidential race, donors say Trump has led DeSantis in nearly all early 2024 polling. Donors say DeSantis is still confident in the path to the GOP nomination.

Nose Candy Coverage Concludes

Cocaine in the White House? Buried to be one of history's supposed mysteries We're somehow supposed to believe the men and women charged with protecting the president can't find out who dropped an 8-ball in the West Wing? No. Way. In. Hell.

Vlad's Strongest Opt Out?!?

Wagner forces no longer significant in Ukraine, US says The Pentagon comments come three weeks after the mercenaries' failed mutiny in Russia.

Cartel Conflict Also Escalates

Mexico: IEDs kill four police officers and two civilians in 'brutal' cartel ambush Another 14 wounded after seven improvised devices set off in attack by organized crime group in Tlajomulco, Jalisco state

Far East Out Of Work???

'China has changed.' Germany unveils strategy to cut reliance on world's no. 2 economy | CNN Business Germany announced Thursday that it would reduce its dependence on China in "critical sectors" including medicine, lithium batteries used in electric cars and elements essential to chipmaking.

Fun & Games Volley Reported

Adult film star Teanna Trump visits Wimbledon to cheer on American Eubanks P*RN STAR Teanna Trump was in attendance at Wimbledon to support American Christopher Eubanks. The adult film actor, 27, shared clips of compatriot Eubanks walking out onto Court 1 for his quarter-...

Enjoy Good Life In Silence

The quiet luxury trend is taking over KC The fun, maximalist trends of last year have seemingly subsided, and quiet luxury is taking their place.

EPIC Prices Confront Old School

Retired Grain Valley, Missouri couple sees property assessment increase by over $500,000 since 2021 Their new assessment increased the value of their home and property north of Grain Valley 451 percent.

Pride Before The Fall

Chiefs win ESPY award for 'Best Team' Kansas City earned the top honor - and Patrick Mahomes swept the evening.

Losing Next Season Agenda Disclosed

Royals unveil 2024 schedule The Royals open next season at home against the Twins

Forecast For Now . . .

Another chance for storms arrives Friday Thursday will close out with relative calm ahead of continued storm chances in the coming days.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
So, we thought ceremonial honors would soon be bestowed upon council lady Andrew Bough but it looks like there might be a change of plans.



Here's word from inside 12th & Oak . . .



"Kevin O'Neill is planning that he will be mayor pro-tem so he's making staff take away a conference room on the 22nd floor and turn it into Club O'Neill to have 'parties' after Thursday Council Sessions."

Now, we legitimately can take issue with interior decorating . . . However . . .



Of course we all know that booze isn't allowed inside city hall . . . So these "parties" might not be very lively affairs.

Then again . . . Insiders know that a 'secret stash' is easily available for council members and guests who are a quart low . . . We won't assign ownership of the hooch if only because "the curse of the Irish" can mean a great many things in KC Proper.

Don't worry . . . It gets worse . . . From the top council fundraiser in the recent election . . .



COUNCIL DUDE KEVIN IS NOW TELLING PEOPLE THAT HE MIGHT EVEN BE KANSAS CITY'S NEXT MAYOR!!!

Imagine that for a moment.

And then have another drink . . .

Developing . . .
Greece has "committed itself to contribute constructively and in a European-friendly way in all the Brussels debates relating to the future of EU's economic management"

Greek Minister of National Economy & Finance Kostis Hatzidakis stressed on Thursday the Greek government's commitment to implement all necessary reforms to make the country's economy ever more competitive and dynamic, ANA reports.

Speaking at the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels, he added that this can be achieved by taking advantage of Greece's progress over the last four years, he said. "The last four years Greece was a positive surprise for Europe."

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Tilemahos Efthymiadis
NEW DELHI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed due to lightning in India's eastern state of Bihar, officials said Friday.

Heavy rains and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning strikes lashed the state on Thursday. Officials said most of the victims were farmers working in the fields when the lightning struck.

Last week, 12 people were killed and several others injured due to lightning and rain-related incidents in the state.

Every year with the onset of the monsoon season, hundreds die in lightning incidents in India. Local media reported that 907 people were killed in 2022 due to lightning strikes across India. 
Anishinabek Nation welcomes federal court decision on First Nation policing

'First Nation policing services are vital to the safety of our communities'
Aileen Zangouei is the newsrooms breaking news reporter. She takes on investigative reporting at times, and writes about fun things to do around York Region.
Andrew Palamarchuk is a reporter with Metroland Media Toronto and toronto.com. He has been covering the crime beat since 2002 and has a passion for giving a voice to those affected by tragedy and looking at societal issues that may have contributed to it.
'Rolling out now': Tim Hortons selling new products at No Frills, FreshCo, Metro, Food Basics, Sobeys, Walmart and other grocery stores across Canada for coffee-loving shoppers
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.

Karleen Pendleton Jimenez says the very blandness of AI answers might help us to remember the beauty and value of diversity (and humanity).
A Pakistani expert has expressed concern over Japan's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
The Opposition UNC says the Prime Minister is wrong to say the THA is subject to a lesser pr
A Turkish police arrests a suspect over links to the Islamic State (IS) group in Mersin, south Turkiye, on July 14, 2023. The police arrested five suspects over links to the Islamic State (IS) group in southern Turkiye, semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Friday. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

ANKARA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The police arrested five suspects over links to the Islamic State (IS) group in southern Turkiye, semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Friday.

The police forces conducted an anti-terror operation backed by drone in the southern province of Mersin, in which five suspects were arrested for alleged involvement in activities linked to the IS group, such as connections with overseas IS members, Anadolu said, citing security sources.

On Monday, Turkish police arrested 22 foreign suspects affiliated with the IS group in an anti-terror operation across the capital Ankara.

Turkiye declared IS a terror group in 2013 following a string of deadly bombing attacks from the group in the country, killing and injuring scores of people.

Since then, there have been regular arrests and detentions of suspected IS members by security forces in several cities. 
Craig Georges remarkable northern legacy

Photo by Ned Rozell

Craig George leads Ned Rozell on a snowmachine trail north of Utqiagvik in May 2010.

I was sad to learn recently that Craig George was missing and presumed dead when a raft he was floating upon hit a logjam in the Chulitna River on July 5. The Chulitna flows south from Broad Pass in the Alaska Range. George had run that river many times.

George, 70 at the time of the accident, was an icon of northern science, having lived much of his life in Barrow, now Utqiagvik, the northernmost community in the United States. The retired biologist with the North Slope Borough was a world expert on bowhead whales who had the respect of scientists worldwide and the residents in his adopted town.

I once visited Utqiagvik to research a book about a permafrost scientist. After George answered my questions about Kenji Yoshikawa (who once arrived there in a sailboat from Japan), George asked me if I wanted to go count whales with him.

He then toted me by snowmachine over the infinite sea ice, carrying me the farthest north Ive ever been and giving me my first glimpse of a polar bear.

Following is a story I wrote about that trip  and that exceptional man  in 2010:

Photo by Ned Rozell

Craig George looks at polar bear tracks near an observing perch he and other biologists built on sea ice north of Utqiagvik in May 2010. The canvas on top is wrapped around two-by-fours to break the wind.

OFF POINT BARROW  Were a long ways offshore, Craig George says. The water beneath us is about 180 feet deep.

In late May, a chilly breeze cuts from the west as we stand on a platform of bluish white sea ice. The Perch, a whale-watching tower located on a snowmachine cul de sac at the top of North America, is a small castle made of ice chunks and an impressive amount of labor.

George, fellow biologist Leslie Pierce and I are at the ragged edge of sea ice that clings to the northern coast. Eiders, sea ducks almost as large as geese, bark in the cool air above the open water a few hundred yards ahead of us; the first loons to arrive this far north zip by on their way to summer.

George, a biologist with the North Slope Borough, located the Perch here so he and other biologists could count bowhead whales as they arc over the continent while migrating from the Chukchi to Beaufort seas. He and Pierce are pulling a four-hour watch from the Perch for the final time in a spring season during which Barrow whaling teams have harvested 14 bowhead whales.

Bowheads are magnificent creatures that may reach 100 tons and spend their long lives in cold northern waters. As discovered by George and others, some bowheads swimming by today may have also been passing this point when Thomas Jefferson slept in the White House.

Few people know as much about Balaena mysticetus as George. He migrated to Barrow in the late 1970s and has studied the creatures since 1980, a time when scientists knew little about bowheads. The animals are so important for northern Indigenous cultures that people evolved around using bowhead bodies for food, bowhead oil to light their lamps and bowhead bones to build shelters from the cold and constant wind.

George  tanned, solid and rugged as a walrus  recently completed his doctorate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. With his 168-page thesis, he has condensed three decades of accompanying Inupiat hunters while they harvested whales and has refined his experiences into insights on bowhead biology. Here are a few highlights:

Bowheads can go without eating for more than one year (1,000 times longer than a mouse, he notes).

Bowheads can live to 200 years old in part because the whales evolved in cold water without much food. These stressors may have led to slow growth, delayed maturity and subsequently extended longevity to ensure reproductive success, George wrote.

So efficient is the bowheads foot of blubber insulation that bowhead skin temperatures are about equal to the surrounding frigid ocean, while their internal temperature remains about 33.7 degrees Celsius (92.7 degrees F).

Bowheads have an incredible system for shedding excess heat that involves the flukes of the tail, the roof of the mouth and a bowheads pickup truck-size tongue. The body temperatures for pursued whales . . . were not elevated. In fact, the lowest temperature was for the whale pursued (by whale hunters) the longest, George wrote.

Photo by Ned Rozell

Craig George talks on a cellphone with his wife Cyd Hanns while he takes a break from glassing for migrating bowhead whales north of Utqiagvik in May 2010.

Back on the Perch, it is a slow day for bowhead watching. Curtains of fog open and close above the open water through which the bowheads are swimming. George, Pierce and another watcher saw 18 whales yesterday, along with a polar bear that padded within a few dozen feet of the Perch before wandering off. We see neither whales nor bears at the Perch today (though the bears will appear for us later at a pile of whale bones near Point Barrow).

After deciding to dismantle the canvas windbreak material from around the Perch, George scribbles the days result in his notebook. On ice steps sprinkled with gravel to enhance grip, George and Pierce descend from the Perch for the final time in 2010 (they often complete the spring whale count in late May). Soon, the sea ice that supports it will melt, and that impressive structure will vanish.

In a few hours, George will return to his office north of Barrow and enter his data from another year of routing snowmachine trails through sea ice, building towers from ice blocks, shooing off polar bears and standing in greasy boots alongside village whaling captains as they process their catch. For all his knowledge on bowhead whales, George in his thesis wrote that he would have learned much less without the people whose ancestors were hunting the whales right here when Jesus Christ was walking the other end of the planet.

The Eskimo whale hunters, captains and crews deserve great credit  perhaps singular credit  as without their support this research would have been impossible. They supported me in the field, fed me maktak (blubber), offered ideas and supported the Departments seemingly esoteric research for 30 years. They taught me more whale biology than I will ever teach them.

Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
Following Russias overnight attack on Kyiv, the fragments of enemy drones landed in four districts of the capital city. Two people were taken to hospital.

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, rescuers extinguished a fire on a balcony on floor 5 in the 16-storey residential building. Two civilians were found poisoned by combustion products there, but they refused to go to hospital. One more person was rescued and taken to a safe distance.

In another location, the facade of a 25-storey residential building was damaged on the top floor level without subsequent fire. Two civilians received shrapnel injuries and were taken to hospital.

Additionally, a one-storey inoperative building caught fire with a total area of 20 square meters. Rescuers promptly extinguished it, as well as the debris on fire in the green space of the building adjacent grounds.

A total of 95 professionals and 19 equipment units of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service were involved in rescue works.
British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons has reacted to a Russian drone attack on Kyiv, calling the night of July 13 "pretty nasty."

According to Ukrinform, the diplomat reported this on her Twitter account.

Simmons said that Iranian-made drones attacked Kyiv, including the district where she lives.

"Pretty nasty night. Russian UAV attacks on Kyiv from several directions, reportedly, including the district I live in and its neighbor. No wonder things got so loud. This morning I'm grateful for Ukrainian air defense and for my windowless shelter. Now time to get some air," she wrote.

Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed about ten enemy drones in the Kyiv area during a nighttime drone attack on Ukraine.

In total, on the night of July 12 to July 13, Russian invaders attacked Ukraine with 20 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack drones.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that the Russian leadership should be afraid of a Ukrainian soldier, not F-16 aircraft which will be delivered on schedule.

Ukraines top diplomat made a relevant post on Twitter in response to Moscow's statement that it would consider fighter jets sent to Ukraine as a "nuclear" threat. Russia's only threat is a Ukrainian soldier. This is whom Putin & co should be most afraid of. Ukraine will receive F-16s on schedule. Russia will swallow it despite Lavrovs tongue-rattling, Kuleba noted.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow would consider F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine as a "nuclear" threat.
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed how artillerymen of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroy Russian invaders with self-propelled artillery systems "Caesar".

That's according to the General Staff's video on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"Artillerymen of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are performing fire missions from the 155-mm self-propelled artillery system "Caesar", according to the description of the video.

The General Staff emphasized that the paratroopers successfully destroyed the enemy, having combat experience gained in battles with the Russian aggressor, as well as training in the Kingdom of Denmark.

As Ukrinform reported, soldiers of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade stopped an attempt to break through Russian vehicles in one of the frontline areas, resulting in the destruction of nine infantry fighting vehicles along with the invaders.
Ukrainian forces have already received cluster munitions from the United States, but they have not used them yet.

General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Tavria operational grouping of troops, said this in an interview with the American TV channel CNN, Ukrinform reports.

"We just got them, we haven't used them yet, but they can radically change [the battlefield]. The enemy also understands that with getting this ammunition, we will have an advantage. The enemy will give up that part of the terrain where it is possible to use this," he said.

Tarnavskyi said the senior leadership of the Ukrainian army would decide on the "areas of territory where it can be used," noting that "this is a very powerful weapon."

Tarnavskyi emphasized the restrictions on the use of clusters, saying their use is prohibited in heavily populated areas, even if occupied by Russian forces.

"The Russians think that we will use it on all areas of the front. This is very wrong. But they are very worried," he added.

As reported, the U.S. Department of Defense last week announced a new $800 million security assistance package to Ukraine, which includes cluster munitions.
Cluster munitions intended for Ukraine have already arrived in the country, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed on Thursday.

Lieutenant General Douglas Sims, the director of operations for the Joint staff, stated this, speaking to journalists, Ukrinform reports, referring to AP.

Cluster munitions have indeed been delivered to Ukraine at this point, he said.

However, the senior Pentagon official did not specify if Ukrainian troops have used them yet.

As Ukrinform reported, General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops, said in an interview with CNN that Ukrainian troops had received a batch of cluster munitions from the United States. At the same time, he emphasized that the munitions can radically change the situation on the battlefield.
The Government of Bulgaria has endorsed a decision to join the European Defence Agencys (EDA) Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition project in support of Ukraine, which is now involving 24 EU Member States and the Kingdom of Norway.

The relevant statement was made by The Sofia Globe, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Bulgarias government has decided that the country will become a full member of the European Defence Agencys (EDA) Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition project, which will create a new good opportunity for the supply of ammunition and services at favorable terms, in addition to national framework agreements and initiatives within NATO, the report states.

The project allows EU Member States and Norway to follow two paths: a two-year fast-track procedure for 155mm artillery rounds and a seven-year project to acquire multiple ammunition types.

In full respect of sovereign national decisions and without prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of any EU Member States, the project may be used to replenish Member States national stockpiles and/or aid Ukraine.

Earlier, Bulgarian Defence Minister Todor Tagarev announced that Bulgaria would like to join the EU initiative on the supply of 1,000,000 artillery rounds to Ukraine within 12 months.
Bulgarian authorities announced on Thursday that they transferred 100 armored vehicles to Ukraine as part of the largest military aid package.

That's according to Euractiv, Ukrinform reports.

"The Ukrainians will ensure this technique is useful to them," said Bulgarian MP from the Democratic Bulgaria party Ivaylo Mirchev.

This is the first official Bulgarian decision to provide Kyiv with heavy equipment, the government noted.

The military equipment provided to Ukraine was purchased by Bulgaria 40 years ago to carry out the so-called Revival process, namely the totalitarian regime's attempt to assimilate Bulgarian Turks by changing their names.

The decision on the armored vehicles was announced a week after President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited Bulgaria.

The provision of the infantry fighting vehicles by Sofia was the first military aid package to be made public. Before that, all reports of military supplies from Bulgaria to Ukraine were unofficial.

Bulgaria is one of the few NATO member states that has a large number of Soviet weapons and equipment, as well as ammunition, which are used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported, Germany handed over another military aid to Ukraine.

Photo: Tamas Vasvari/EPA/EFE
UNITED NATIONS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the warring parties in Sudan to cease hostilities.

The armed conflict in Sudan has carried on for three months, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, noting that fighting has continued despite the two parties having reached multiple temporary truces.

China hopes that all parties in Sudan will prioritize peace and the well-being of its people, seek dialogue and cease hostilities to avoid a greater humanitarian crisis, Dai said.

China supports the efforts of regional organizations and countries to promote peace talks, he told the Security Council.

"China hopes that the United Nations and international partners will support the efforts of regional organizations and cooperate with them. We encourage the regional organizations to strengthen coordination with all parties in Sudan and form synergy to promote an early de-escalation of the situation and avoid greater spillover effects," Dai said.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan's Darfur region has recently deteriorated. He noted that the Darfur issue has a long history and involves complex factors such as intercommunal clashes, resource competition and external interference.

China believes that the top priority right now is to encourage all parties to enforce the Juba Peace Agreement and assist the Sudanese authorities in fulfilling their duty to safeguard civilians. He said that China calls on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, fulfill their responsibility to protect civilians, curb violence and ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance in Darfur. 
The actions of Ukrainian troops during the counteroffensive and signs of complications for the Russian occupation army may indicate that Ukraine can expect a major success at the front in the near future.

The relevant statement was made by Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center Margo Grosberg, according to ERR, Ukrinform reports.

At a briefing at the Ministry of Defense on July 14, Grosberg talked about the Ukrainian Armed Forces' tactics of destroying Russian command posts and logistics centers with precision strikes, successes in the areas near Bakhmut, and the words of a Russian general indicating that Russian reserves are being depleted.

"All this shows that the Ukrainians are close to success of a larger sort," Grosberg said.

The preparatory offensive operations currently being conducted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are aimed at trapping Russian units in narrow areas and finding weaknesses for a breakthrough. To this end, important transportation hubs, logistics points and command centers of the Russian army in the rear are being attacked, the colonel explained.

He also said that Ukrainian units near Bakhmut managed to capture key areas to the north and south of the city, which makes it possible to conduct artillery shelling of the city, which is held by Russian troops, and control the roads leading to it. This, according to Grosberg, makes it difficult for Russian troops to get supplies.

In addition, the fact that the Russian airborne troops stationed in Bakhmut since spring are still tied to the city, suffering losses and unable to be redeployed or withdrawn to reserve is a major factor. Given that the paratroopers are an elite Russian unit with high morale, this attrition tactic is certainly affecting their motivation. "There should be more success at some point," Grosberg said.

On the southern front, in the area of Zaporizhzhia and Velyka Novoselivka, Ukrainian forces have increased the area of territory liberated and are destroying key Russian targets in the area with precision strikes, Grosberg continued. He particularly noted the strike on a hotel in Berdiansk that killed Russian Deputy Commander of the Southern Military District, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, this week.

The expert also drew attention to the dismissal of Russian General Ivan Popov, allegedly because of his criticism of the General Staff and the leak of records on the situation of the 58th Army under his command. Grosberg cited Popov's claims that units have been on the front line for a very long time and have not been replaced, and that soldiers are dying en masse due to enemy artillery.

"All this is demonstration of the fact that Russian reserves are running out, as units cannot be rotated from the front," Grosberg stated.

The colonel also noted that in the northeast, at the Svatove and Kupiansk directions, Russian troops, although they have launched the largest number of attacks and achieved some success, are still far from a tactical breakthrough. The purpose of the pressure there is to force Ukraine to move troops from near Bakhmut and other places where they have been successful, Grosberg explained.

As reported, in total, Ukrainian soldiers eliminated 550 Russian invaders yesterday, destroyed 5 tanks, 9 armored combat vehicles, 24 artillery systems, 2 MLRS, 2 air defense systems, 31 operational and tactical UAVs, two cruise missiles, 24 vehicles and 10 units of special equipment.

Photo: General Staff
In June, the Russian army shelled Ukraines northern border areas three times more intensively than in May.

"Russia has been taking such actions every day since April of last year when the enemy was first pushed back in the direction of Chernihiv and Sumy regions, then part of Kharkiv region was de-occupied. Recently, the intensity of enemy shelling has been increasing. For example, in June, the intensity of shelling tripled compared to May. Since the beginning of this year, Chernihiv region, Sumy region, and Kharkiv region have been hit by the enemy more than 1,000 times," Andriy Demchenko, the spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, told a briefing at the Ukraine Media CenterUkrinform.

According to him, the situation on the northern border is tense due to constant shelling by the aggressor.

As noted, the majority of strikes account for Sumy and Kharkiv regions. In addition, the enemy actively uses UAVs to drop explosive objects and carry out reconnaissance. According to Demchenko, border guards shot down four enemy drones last day.

As for the situation on the border with Belarus, the spokesman noted, no group has yet been identified in the territory of the neighboring republic which could carry out a repeated invasion of Ukraine. Russia now uses Belarus as a training ground for its units.

"The number of Russian troops stationed in the territory of Belarus has decreased. Until recently, we recorded up to 2,000 service members, but then there was rotation and almost all Russian troops were withdrawn from the territory of Belarus," Demchenko said.

According to him, Russian mercenaries from private military companies have not been brought to the territory of Belarus either.

In addition, recently there have been no recorded provocations on the border with Belarus.

Demchenko informed that the state border of Ukraine is being reinforced, including with the construction of engineering and fortification structures, the arrangement of anti-transport and anti-tank ditches, embankments, barriers, in particular minefields, etc.

As reported by Ukrinform, 16 strikes on the border territories of Chernihiv and Sumy regions were recorded during the day.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi is determined to reclaim the temporarily occupied Crimea as soon as the necessary means are available.

The relevant statement was made by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi in an interview with The Washington Post, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As soon as I have the means, Ill do something. I dont give a damn  nobody will stop me, Zaluzhnyi said.

According to the publication, Ukraines top commander isnt shy about his intent to de-occupy Crimea, even as some Western officials privately worry about what Putins response would be if Ukrainian troops ever reached the peninsula.

Additionally, Zaluzhnyi stressed Ukraines need for ammunition, while partners struggle to meet the demand.

The more Ukraine can fire, pinning down Russian forces, the fewer casualties it will suffer, Zaluzhnyi noted as cited by the publication.

A reminder that, according to the Ukrainian intelligence, Russians have been thoroughly preparing for the defense of Crimea for months and set up a multi-layered defense in several lines, including fortifications, engineering structures, and multi-kilometer trenches. However, Russian invaders in the temporarily occupied Crimea are considering different scenarios, and one of them is to retreat from the peninsula.
The Ministry of Defense of Denmark handed over drones for mine scanning as part of the aid package for Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of Denmark has provided 6 drones for mine scanning as part of their aid package for Ukraine. These drones are used for non-technical inspection of territories, including water bodies, for explosive ordnance. It is the latest innovative approach to inspecting territories. Im grateful to our Danish friends and especially to my colleagues Morten Bdskov and Troels Lund Poulsen! Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov posted on Twitter.

The Ministry of Defense of Denmark has provided 6 drones for mine scanning as part of their aid package for Ukraine.

These drones are used for non-technical inspection of territories, including water bodies, for explosive ordnance. It is the latest innovative approach to pic.twitter.com/aKhS50nQDr  Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) July 14, 2023

As reported, Ukraine and Denmark signed a memorandum on cooperation in the field of renewable energy sources, in particular wind energy.

Illustrative photo
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he extend a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of grain from Ukraine in return for connecting a subsidiary of Russia's agricultural bank to the SWIFT international payment system.

That's according to Reuters, Ukrinform reports.

Guterres has proposed to Putin that Russia allow the Black Sea grain deal to continue for several months, giving the EU time to connect a Rosselkhozbank subsidiary to SWIFT, two sources familiar with discussions said.

According to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Guterres sent a letter to Putin on Tuesday proposing a way forward to further facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports and ensure the continued Black Sea shipments of Ukrainian grain.

"The objective is to remove hurdles affecting financial transactions through the Russian Agricultural Bank, a major concern expressed by the Russian Federation, and simultaneously allow for the continued flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea," Dujarric told reporters.

He gave no further details on the proposal, but added that Guterres was engaged with all relevant parties on the issue and was willing to further discuss his proposal with Russia.

An EU spokesperson said in May the EU was not considering reinstating Russian banks.

However, the EU is considering connecting to SWIFT a subsidiary of Rosselkhozbank to allow specifically for grain and fertilizer transactions, three sources familiar with discussions told Reuters.

On July 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky that the Turkish authorities were working to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative and making every effort to extend its duration for two years.

The Black Sea grain deal expires on July 17. Russia has already stated that it does not intend to extend the agreement and demands that part of the sanctions be lifted.
South Korea will offer comprehensive support from both the public and private sectors for Ukraine's USD 52 billion reconstruction projects.

According to Ukrinform, Yonhap reported this.

"Ukraine has requested the involvement of Korean companies in approximately 5,000 construction projects, estimated at $20 billion, through an intergovernmental cooperation channel in May," Choi Sang-mok, Economic Secretary to the President of South Korea, said.

In his words, the government will start assessing construction sites for modular homes to quickly provide housing for people, as well as schools and hospitals.

He added that the inspection of these sites will be carried out with official development assistance funds.

The South Korean government also plans to support Ukraine by providing technical assistance to restore water infrastructure, complementing the humanitarian aid already provided after Russians blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam.

Choi Sang-mok noted that the specialized support will be extended to private sector-led reconstruction projects, which are currently estimated at approx. USD 32 billion.

Read also: Zelensky calls on South Korea to provide Ukraine with air defense systems

The projects cover a variety of sectors, including small modular reactor nuclear power plants, airport reconstruction, construction equipment, rail transport, and information technology.

"Even as the conflict continues and the reconstruction effort is in the early stages, we will prepare for our role in the reconstruction project as diligently as the Ukrainian government desires," he said.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Poland and South Korea signed an agreement on cooperation in rebuilding Ukraine.
Ukraine plans to increase the number of humanitarian demining programs and return up to 35% (470,000 hectares) of potentially contaminated 170,000 square kilometers of agricultural land this year.

First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko stated this at an online meeting with the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme Cindy McCain, Ukrinform reports, citing Ukraine's Ministry of Economy.

"Ukraine is interested in increasing the number of humanitarian demining programs and expanding existing ones initiated by international institutions. Wed want to scale up the joint project of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) to demine the lands of small farmers and support agricultural producers," Svyrydenko said.

She noted that the government is working to strengthen the capacity of demining operators. An account for humanitarian demining has been opened on the United24 platform for support of Ukraine.

Cindy McCain, in turn, emphasized that WFP fully supports Ukraine's desire to clear the area as soon as possible and will continue to help, including demining.

It is important that Ukrainian farmers do not lose another season, the WFP executive director said.

Read also: Enemy mining critical infrastructure in occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region

As reported, a pilot project of WFP, FAO, and FSD was launched in June in Kharkiv region. It involves the clearance of explosive ordnance from the lands of small farmers whose land area does not exceed 300 hectares. It is planned to expand the project to Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. The USD 100 million project requires USD 90 million in funding. According to FAO and WFP, the economic benefits of the project could be up to USD 60 million per year.
In Vilnius, on July 11-12, the NATO Summit took place, in which the Ukrainian delegation headed by President Volodymyr Zelensky participated.

Following the results of the first day of the Summit, an agreed position of the participating states was voiced: Ukraine will be admitted to NATO under a shortened procedure, that is, without the implementation of the Membership Action Plan. A decision was also adopted on a package of political and practical support for Ukraine and the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council; the first meeting took place on July 12.

On the eve and during the Summit, Russian propaganda attacked the information space with fakes and manipulations to undermine trust between partners. The Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security collected five main fakes that were spread by Russia about the Summit and Ukraine.

Fake: The most popular British publications ignored the NATO Summit and the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in it.

Russian Telegram channels and pro-Kremlin Telegram users distributed a selection of photos of the first pages in popular British publications on July 12, the most popular topic being a sex scandal involving a BBC journalist. This was the reason to once again declare that the West is tired of Ukraine.

Fact: the selection includes tabloids The Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, and other publications that traditionally prefer the yellow topic. Instead, the most popular and authoritative socio-political media The Times, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, and The Guardian devoted extensive materials to Ukraine and the NATO Summit, and three of them placed the announcements of these articles on the front page.

Fake: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is disappointed with the results of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the South.

Russian media spread the news that the NATO Secretary General allegedly acknowledged serious problems in the hyped offensive of the Ukrainian Defence Forces in the South in an interview with Politico. By spreading this statement, the propaganda is trying to prove that Western partners do not believe in Ukraines success.

Fact: In the aforementioned interview, published on the eve of the Vilnius Summit, the NATO Secretary General optimistically assessed the prospects of the Armed Forces in the South and noted that despite the difficulties, Ukrainian troops are moving forward. Russian propaganda invented a quote of Stoltenberg and attributed to him words that he did not say.

Fake: Ukraine did not receive an invitation to NATO at the Vilnius Summit due to an unsuccessful counteroffensive.

Russian Telegram channels are actively writing about the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and explain that precisely because of the lack of high-profile military victories on the eve of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Ukraine did not receive an invitation to the Alliance.

Fact: the participants of the Summit did not give any comments on the results of the operation of the Defence Forces of Ukraine in the South, and earlier, the NATO Secretary General positively assessed the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Vilnius adopted a decision on Ukraines accession to NATO in the future under a simplified procedure, without a Membership Action Plan, and the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

Fake: The Russian army does not use cluster munitions in Ukraine

During the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Russian media published an interview with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu with his comments on the prospects of Ukraines membership in NATO, fighting in the South, and Western military assistance to Ukraine. Shoigu claims that the Russian army allegedly refrained and refrains from using cluster munitions in Ukraine. But it will be forced to do so after the AFU begin to use American cluster munitions.

Fact: Russia actively uses cluster munitions both during the hostilities and terrorist attacks on Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and other Ukrainian cities. The report of the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, published in May 2022, mentions the use of at least six types of cluster munitions by the Russian army in Ukraine. On April 8, 2022, the Russians struck the Kramatorsk railway station with a Tochka-U ballistic missile with a cluster warhead, killing 54 adults and seven children. 121 people, including 16 children, were injured.

Fake: The U.S. recognizes Ukraines strategic defeat and will block Ukraines NATO accession to avoid war with Russia

On social networks, Russian propagandists actively spread an excerpt from the speech of U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, who said that the war was a strategic failure for Ukraine. A number of anonymous Telegram channels claimed that Miller allegedly stated that Ukraines accession to NATO during the conflict would mean a U.S. war with Russia and that this will not happen under President Biden.

Fact: Miller used the words strategic failure (which the Russians incorrectly translated as strategic defeat) in relation to Ukraine accidentally. He immediately apologized for the slip and clarified that he meant the strategic failure of Russia. This is recorded both in the video of the briefing and in the transcript published on the website of the State Department.

The words about the U.S. war with Russia because of Ukraines accession to NATO, which will not happen under President Biden, are a fiction of Russian fake creators. Miller did not make such statements.

Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security
The level of trust of Ukrainians in Russian media, according to sociological studies, is at the level of statistical error.

However, Russian disinformation and propaganda are finding ways to penetrate the Ukrainian information space. It is thanks to the Russians posing as someone else that Ukrainians learn about the death or the wounding of the most famous Ukrainian generals, the Israeli passport of the first lady, or the radioactive cloud due to the explosion of depleted uranium shells. Fact-checkers and government agencies promptly refute the most dangerous hostile fakes and manipulations. But because of its mass nature, even the most ridiculous and absurd ones still get their audience.

The Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security recalls the 10 most brazen fakes of Russian propaganda that turned out to be a failure.

Death of Ukrainian military leaders

For more than a month, the Russian disinformation campaign concerning the highest military leadership of Ukraine has been underway. Fake stories about the injury, death, or just a mysterious disappearance of the commander-in-chief of the AFU Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, and other generals are regularly spread on the Internet. Even the federal media and Putin personally joined the spread of fakes and rumours.

Fakes of Russian propaganda are regularly denied by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The generals themselves have repeatedly done this in quite an elegant way. The non-statutory chevron with Baby Yoda and Budanovs new hairstyle turned into real memes of Ukrainian social networks.

Fake: Zaluzhnyi, Budanov, and other Ukrainian generals are periodically killed and injured.

Fact: Zaluzhnyi and Budanov exercise military leadership and regularly appear in the information space.

Radioactive cloud is approaching Western Europe

Kremlin propaganda insists that the depleted uranium munitions provided to Ukraine by the UK are supposedly nuclear weapons.

After the missile attack on Khmelnytskyi on May 13, the Russians claimed that they managed to hit the warehouse with this type of ammunition. Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Patrushev said that a radioactive cloud was moving towards the West, a significant increase in the radiation level had already been recorded in Poland, and in the near future, the cloud would affect France, Germany, Switzerland.

The reports about the new Chornobyl were spread not only by the Russians, but also by the media of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Tasnim), India, and some European countries.

The Russian fake was quickly refuted by the Polish State Atomic Energy Agency (Panstwowa Agencja Atomistyki | PAA) and European fact-checkers.

Institutions monitoring the level of radiation in Ukraine, Poland, the EU (PAA, EU Joint Research Centre) did not record significant changes in the background.

Fake: Due to explosion at ammunition depot in Khmelnytskyi, Western Europe is threatened with radiation contamination.

Fact: No specialized monitoring institution in Ukraine and the EU has recorded an increase in the level of radiation.

Senator Graham rejoices at the death of Russians

At the end of May, one of the leading stories of Russian propaganda was the meeting of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The video was cut in such a way that the two phrases of the senator, said in different contexts, were put one after the other: Yes, the Russians are dying and Best money weve spent, giving the impression that they are part of a single logical construction.

The hosts and guests of Russian shows, Putins spokesman Peskov, and Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova were outraged by Grahams words. Head of the Investigative Committee of Russia Bastrykin instructed his subordinates to initiate a criminal case against Graham, and Secretary of the Security Council Medvedev reminded the senator about the fate of Robert Kennedy and other American politicians who were killed.

The Presidential Office of Ukraine promptly provided journalists with a full version of the video, which showed that Grahams statements about the death of Russians and the spending of American money did not follow each other. The phrase of the senator Best money weve spent was a response to the words of gratitude to Zelensky for the assistance to Ukraine from the United States.

Rheinmetall shares fall amid reports of Leopard tanks destroyed during Ukrainian offensive

On June 12, a number of Russian media and Telegram channels reported a sharp drop in the share price of the German concern Rheinmetall. The concern produces Leopard 2 tanks, which Western partners supply to Ukraine.

The author of the publications spread the same photo of the destroyed tank and predicted that Western arms manufacturers would think hard whether to provide their products to Ukraine. To confirm their own words, they even published a part of the exchange chart, where a decrease in the share price was recorded in mid-May  early June 2023.

In fact, the fluctuation of the course in the specified period did happen. But since March 2022, there has been a steady trend in the growth of the Rheinmetall share price. The exchange rate difference between the share price on March 1, 2022, and June 21, 2023, was +62.8%.

The concern is increasing production, and the demand for its products against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war is only growing.

Fake: The share price of the German concern Rheinmetall plunged due to destruction of Leopard tanks during the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Fact: The Russians presented a short-term fluctuation in the exchange rate as the plunge. For more than a year, there has been a steady trend in the growth rate of Rheinmetall shares. From March 1, 2022 to June 21, 23, they rose in price by 62.8%.

Anti-Semitic attacks against Volodymyr Zelensky

Russian propaganda branded Ukraine as a Nazi state. At the same time, the Kremlin does not hesitate to make openly anti-Semitic statements and speculate on the ethnic origin of Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with an Italian media: So what if Zelensky is a Jew. I may be wrong, but even Hitler had Jewish blood. And he added that the fiercest anti-Semites are usually Jews.

Putin, speaking at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on June 16, called Zelensky a disgrace to the Jewish people.

The reaction to the statements of the Russian leaders was immediate. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, head of the Yad Vashem Institute pointed out to Lavrov the inadmissibility of statements based on a long-exposed conspiracy theory. The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine responded harshly to Putins accusations against Zelensky. As an illustration to the statement, a photo of the Menorah destroyed by Russian artillery on the territory of the Drobytskyi Yar memorial near Kharkiv was chosen; it was the place of mass executions of Jews during the Nazi occupation.

Fake: Ukraine is a Nazi state that Russia is trying to denazify.

Fact: Russian leaders make anti-Semitic statements and try to attack Volodymyr Zelensky for his ethnic background. Russian artillery struck the graves of Holocaust victims.

Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security
Israeli passport of Olena Zelenska

During June 20-22, Russian media spread a fake that the wife of the President of Ukraine Olena Zelenska had Israeli citizenship. This allegedly indicates the preparation of the presidents family for escape from Ukraine. A photocopy of the first page of the first ladys Israeli passport was presented as evidence.

However, the falsification turned out to be of really low quality. As a basis, the creators of the fake took a template of an Israeli passport, which can be easily found on the Internet. They took the photo of Olena Zelenska from one of the publications on the social networks of the first lady.

They also confused the date. The date of issue of the document is indicated as 19/06/2023, and the expiration date is 18/06/2023. That is, the passport was issued after it lost its validity.

The attack can be considered part of a dirty anti-Semitic campaign directed against the president of Ukraine and his family.

Fake: The wife of the President of Ukraine Olena Zelenska has Israeli citizenship

Fact: The photo of the Israeli passport is a gross forgery

Manipulation of losses of Western equipment

The military assistance provided to Ukraine by Western partners is a serious problem for Russia. Therefore, the Kremlin is making great efforts to discredit and disrupt this process. One of the most common methods is regular statements about the poor quality of Western equipment and its destruction on a huge scale.

Among the most recent examples is Putins statement about five Patriot complexes allegedly destroyed by the Russians near Kyiv.

In fact, Ukraine received two divisions of Patriot (from the United States and Germany), each consisting of a command post, a radar station, and several launchers. The Pentagon confirmed the damage to one Patriot system as a result of a massive missile attack on May 16. It was promptly repaired and returned to combat duty. Putins statements indicate that he does not quite understand what the Patriot complex is made of.

Fake: The Russians destroyed five Patriot complexes in Ukraine

Fact: Putin announced the destruction of more systems than Ukraine has. Ukraine regularly receives ammunition for Patriot in military aid packages from the United States, which indicates the successful combat use of these complexes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russian security forces and propagandists are actively promoting the statements about the massive loss of armoured vehicles, in particular Western. On June 21, Putin said that the soldiers destroyed 245 tanks.

To get such statistics, the Russian military resort to outright falsifications. On June 6, the Russian Defence Ministry reported the destruction of two Leopard tanks and published a video confirmation. The footage clearly shows wheeled equipment  John Deere 4830 self-propelled sprayer.

It is worth mentioning that reports from the Russian Ministry of Defence about the destroyed Leopard appeared even before their combat use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Fake: Russians destroy Leopard tanks in huge quantities

Fact: The Russian military passed off agricultural machinery for the destroyed tanks

Combat mosquitoes from American biolaboratories

The long-running topic of American biolaboratories in Ukraine is one of the Kremlins main scarecrows, which it began to promote to Russian and foreign audiences even before the start of the full-scale invasion. The nonsense about the Ukrainian combat mosquitoes at the meeting of the UN Security Council was voiced by the representative of the Russian Federation Nebenzia.

On June 28, Chair of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matvienko stated that a report of the commission to investigate the activities of American biological laboratories in Ukraine had been sent to all parliaments of the world. The document refers to the development of combat mosquitoes, ticks and lice, experiments on the military and pumping soldiers with drugs.

The report is the most extensive description of the conspiracy theory, which until 2020 was promoted exclusively by marginal pro-Russian activists. The Russians do not provide any evidence of the facts set out in the Russian report. But this does not prevent them from bringing blatant conspiracy to the international level, enhancing it with the authority of the upper house of their parliament.

Fake: Americans are breeding combat insects in Ukraine and drugging the Ukrainian military.

Fact: The Russian parliament is promoting evidence-free conspiracy at the international level.

Ukrainians destroyed Mariupol

The Russian military is damaging the cities and villages of Ukraine, destroying cultural monuments, killing and torturing locals. This does not prevent propaganda from portraying armed aggression and seizure of territories as liberation and accusing Ukrainian defenders of their own crimes.

On May 20, the head of the occupation administration of Mariupol, Oleg Morgun, during the celebrations on the occasion of the first anniversary of seizing the city (which propaganda calls liberation from Nazi occupation), accused the Armed Forces of Ukraine of destroying and killing civilians.

These events intersect with the distant 1943 year, then, under the onslaught of the liberating Red Army, the fascists, fleeing from the city, sought to destroy its infrastructure, take out all the valuables and food, significantly reduce the number of able-bodied population that could begin to rebuild the country. After almost 80 years, it almost happened again, he said.

Morgun did not mention the fact that it was the Russian army that, during the full-scale invasion, stormed the city for three months and destroyed it using artillery and aviation. Strikes on the maternity hospital and the drama theatre, with civilians and children hiding in the basement, became symbols of Russian barbarism and the tragedy of Mariupol, where more than 20,000 residents died as a result of the Russian invasion.

Fake: Mariupol was destroyed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, not by Russian aviation and artillery.

Fact: Russia is engaged in outright victimblaming, shifting responsibility for crimes from the aggressor to the victim of aggression.

Ukraine claims inheritance of Berlusconi

After the death of Italian politician and businessman Silvio Berlusconi, pro-Russian resources promoted an outright fake about Ukraines claims to his inheritance. The messages were based on a completely fictional statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba. He allegedly said that Berlusconi was a friend of Putin, and therefore Europe should confiscate all the property of the deceased and give it to Ukraine as compensation for the war crimes of Russia.

Of course, Kuleba did not make such statements and Ukraine did not put forward any claims on Berlusconis property and assets. The purpose of the fake is to promote the statement that Ukraine is supposedly a black hole, where European funds disappear, and therefore assistance to it needs to be stopped.

Fake: Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba announced Ukraines claims to Silvio Berlusconis inheritance.

Fact: Russian propaganda invented Kulebas statement and spread a fake to discredit Ukraine in Italy and other EU countries.

Ukraine exports valuables from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to Europe

On June 26, Russian media spread a statement by the chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia, Sergei Naryshkin, that Ukraine planned to export valuables, including the relics of saints, from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to France, Germany, Italy, and the Vatican. Allegedly, the return of the relics to Ukraine is not planned.

Naryshkins statement was promptly refuted by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. The Ministry reminded that the main threat to the Ukrainian cultural heritage was the armed aggression of Russia. No relic will leave the territory of Ukraine. Russia will have to return everything it stole, the ministry stated.

The Russian special services spread the fake about the preparation for the export of sacred valuables from Ukraine to provoke an interfaith confrontation in Ukraine. It is for this purpose that the message mentions the Vatican: to strengthen the narrative of the seizure of Orthodox relics by Catholics and schismatics. In addition, using the information noise, Russia seeks to hide its own crimes against the cultural heritage of Ukraine: the robbery of museums and theft of archaeological artefacts in the occupied territories, the destruction of ancient churches, architectural monuments in the combat zone and the blow-up of the Kakhovka HPP.

Fake: Ukraine plans to take valuables from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra state reserve to the EU and leave them there.

Fact: The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Naryshkin spread lies to conceal the crimes of Russia against the Ukrainian cultural heritage and provoke confrontation in Ukraine on religious grounds.

Pizzeria in Kramatorsk turned out to be a military facility

On the evening of June 27, the Russians launched a missile attack on the Ria Lounge pizzeria in the centre of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast. As a result of the strike, 12 people were killed, 65 were injured.

Russian propagandists traditionally accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the attack.

But later, the official version was a high-precision strike on the temporary deployment point of the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It was voiced by the Russian Ministry of Defence on June 28. The next day, the ministry announced that two generals, 50 officers, and 20 foreign mercenaries had been killed.

The strike on the catering facility once again proved that the assurances of the Russian authorities that the Armed Forces of Russia did not strike civilian targets was a cynical lie.

In Kramatorsk, three teenage girls were killed, an eight-month-old baby was injured. During the shelling, Colombian MP Sergio Jaramillo, writer Hector Abad, and reporter Catalina Gomez were injured. All of them, according to Russian propaganda, turned out to be officers of the Armed Forces or Western mercenaries.

Fake: The pizza place in Kramatorsk, which was visited by both civilians and the military, turned out to be the location of the AFU unit.

Fact: The Russian military carried out the terrosist attack, killing civilians, including children. The assurances of the Russians that they are targeting exclusively military facilities are a lie.

Disinformation is part of the aggressive war that Russia is waging against Ukraine. Fakes and manipulations are spread in the information space in a non-stop mode to demoralize Ukrainians and affect the level of support of our state by international partners. The mechanism for the spread of these fakes is coordinated information campaigns mainly on social networks.

The Russians are systematically working to drive a wedge between Ukrainians and Western partners and among Ukrainians, to undermine the level of trust in the military and political leadership of Ukraine.

Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security
The ongoing, record-setting series of wildfires in Canada is another lesson in the toll of climate change.

Experts are calling for international collaboration in mitigating wildfires and combating climate change.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service 
Russian propaganda used a pro-Russian politician from Slovakia to discredit Ukrainians

The Kremlin mass media and z-Telegram channels disseminate information that the citizens of the Czech Republic and Slovakia are outraged that Ukrainians fleeing the war "go to Ukraine on vacations massively." Bus tickets are allegedly sold out a month in advance. Propagandists write that these "facts" cause indignation among local residents, who allegedly do not understand how it is possible to have vacations in a country where the war is going on.

This is fake and manipulation. The news, which is referred to by Russian information sources, was published on the Hlavne spravy website. This site is pro-Russian and broadcasts Kremlin narratives. A few days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad began to publicly speak out against the mass media that spread misinformation. In particular, at one of the press conferences, when asked by a journalist from Hlavne spravy, Nad said that he would not answer questions from the Russian embassy. Sanctions were imposed on Hlavne spravy in Slovakia, and there was even information about the closure of the media outlet.

The basis for its publication was a Facebook post by pro-Russian politician Marek Kurta. All images and words about dissatisfaction with refugees from Ukraine, which are given in the Hlavne spravy publication, are direct quotes from his post.

That is, the material referred to by the Russian state media is entirely based on the personal opinion of a pro-Russian politician from Slovakia.

But that's not all. In addition to the words about Ukrainian refugees, Marek Kurta added to his post a screenshot from the website of the Czech online media outlet TN Nova. Journalists of this mass media really shot a story about the fact that many Ukrainians working in the Czech Republic are going to travel to Ukraine for summer vacations.

In its publication, TN Nova used the manipulative headline "Ukrainians filled bus and railway stations. But they go to the Motherland only on vacation."

Journalists of the Czech fact-checking agency Manipulatori paid attention to the manipulation. Fact checkers report that in the video itself, Ukrainians say that they are using their legally allowed paid leave to see relatives who remained in Ukraine and fight at the front.

Manipulatori journalists emphasize that it is hardly possible to rest in Ukraine because of the war. They write that the resorts on the Sea of Azov coast near the occupied Mariupol have been destroyed, and the Black Sea resorts are closed due to the danger of mines and Russian ships blockade.

It is worth noting that our citizens are a significant part of the Czech economy. According to Labor Minister Marian Jurecka, legally employed Ukrainians paid taxes and fees equivalent to $376 million for 2022.

Previously, Russian propaganda spread a fake that Olena Zelenska allegedly received an Israeli passport.

Andriy Olenin
The leaders of the Nordic countries have pledged to remain unwavering in their support for Ukraine.

They said this in a joint statement on support for Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"We, the leaders of the Nordic countries, remain unwavering in our support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders," the statement reads.

It adds that the leaders also undertake to support Ukraine as long as necessary: "To this end, we welcome the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine," the leaders of Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden said.

The leaders of the Nordic countries also pledged to support initiatives to train the Ukrainian military.

"Together and with partners, we intend to build on the framework of commitments and arrangements  considering the wide range of needs from provision of modern military equipment to training initiatives and support for resilience. We will do so in order to contribute to Ukraine's long-term security, deter future Russian aggression, strengthen Ukraine's economic stability and resilience, and provide technical and financial support for Ukraine's immediate needs," the statement reads.

The leaders of the Nordic countries said they are committed to support Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, rebuilds its economy, protects its citizens, and advances its reform agenda, as it pursues its integration into the Euro-Atlantic community.
U.S. President Joe Biden has confirmed that Ukraine's allies have agreed to guarantee Ukraine's security before it joins the Alliance.

President Biden of the United States said this on Thursday during a trip to Finland at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We're also made clear to President Zelensky that we're not waiting for NATO membership to be finalized to commit to long-term security of Ukraine," Biden said.

He reminded that the G7 leaders issued a new joint declaration of support for Ukraine."The declaration I was glad to see the Nordic nations (of Europe) immediately welcome to support," he said, adding that any country could join "to negotiate bilateral security agreements with Ukraine until they're officially members of NATO".

Biden noted that NATO nations have reaffirmed "unwavering support for the brave people of Ukraine, as they defend their country against Russia's brutal and inhumane attacks".

According to him, the U.S. allies and partners around the world understand that "this fight is not only a fight for future Ukraine, it's about sovereignty, security, and freedom itself".

"I want you to think about what happened if we didn't do anything," he said.

The allies also agreed to waive the NATO Membership Action Plan, which is normally required for accession, "and just created a path of membership for Ukraine," he said, noting Kyiv's progress on democratic transformation.

Biden reiterated that no country can join NATO while it is at war, otherwise, NATO would also be at war.

As reported, the NATO summit was held in Vilnius on 11-12 July. The G7 countries signed a declaration on security support for Ukraine and assistance in the reforms necessary for membership in the Alliance.

Photo: Office of President
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting on the results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius.

I held a meeting on the results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius. Our team of international relations experts, the Government, the Office, the Head of State posted on Telegram.

Zelensky noted that each agreement reached for Ukraine with partners in Vilnius is now transforming into concrete steps to ensure that all agreements become concrete results.

The President expressed the belief that a good summit should yield good results.

We are preparing the content for the work of the NATO-Ukraine Council. We are preparing to sign agreements with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine on the way to NATO. We are preparing the basis for the next NATO Summit in Washington. It is already impossible to imagine NATO without Ukraine, and we will constantly add more strength to our cooperation, Zelensky stressed.

As reported, G7 agreed on the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Vilnius.

The framework document provides an opportunity for concluding further bilateral agreements with guarantor states.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS summit in South Africa. The country's authorities assure that the summit will be held in offline mode.

That's according to Eyewitness News, Ukrinform reports.

Amid speculation about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the BRICS summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to be held in South Africa in August, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the event will be held in the personal presence of the participants.

Ramaphosa announced at a meeting of the BRICS Business Council in Sandton on Thursday evening.

Following the arrest warrant for Putin issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), there was speculation that the event could take place virtually.

But Ramaphosa said this would not happen.

"There were rumours that this too could become an online summit - no. It is going to be face to face, eyeball to eyeball," the South African president said.

On the same day, Stavrous Nichalouw, chairman of the BRICS Business Council, assured that all the leaders would participate in person. These are the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

"Expect a number of heads of State. But importantly, the five BRICS heads of State will attend the forum," Nichalouw emphasized.

Read also: Zelensky discusses preparation for Global Peace Summit with President of South Africa

As reported, the BRICS summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is scheduled for August 22-24. Earlier, The Times reported that South Africa offers Putin to join the BRICS summit online so that he does not have to be taken into custody under an ICC warrant.

South Africa, as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC), is obliged to arrest Putin if he takes part in talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China in connection with the arrest warrant for the deportation of children from Ukraine.

On March 17, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova. The Russian president and his commissioner are suspected of war crimes - deportation and illegal displacement of the population, including children, from the occupied territory of Ukraine.
Ukraine is in constructive relations with the Vatican in the context of humanitarian issues.

Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak said this during a conversation with journalists, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Yermak emphasized that Ukraine does not need mediation with the Russian Federation, but the Ukrainian authorities welcome the Vatican's desire to help resolve humanitarian issues, in particular, the return of captured citizens and deported children to Russia.

The Head of the Presidential Office reminded that the Pope's envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, visited Ukraine in early June and discussed humanitarian cooperation between the two countries with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zuppi then visited Russia, after which, according to Yermak, the Pope's envoy said that the Vatican was ready to assist Ukraine in returning captured and deported children.

"Today we have constructive (relations - ed.)," Yermak summarized.

As reported, earlier the Pope said that the Vatican is involved in a so-called peacekeeping mission to try to put an end to Russia's war against Ukraine.

In May, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Vatican and met with the Pope. They discussed, among other things, the Ukrainian Peace Formula.

Photo: Office of President
A decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the case of Russia versus Ukraine, which is expected to be delivered on July 18, 2023, will be in writing.

The relevant statement was made by Commissioner for the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Margarita Sokorenko in a commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague.

In accordance with the press release of the ECHR, the decision is expected to be published on July 18, 2023 on the website, where all of its decisions in cases are posted. Hence, it will be in writing, unlike in previous interstate cases, where there was a public announcement. Generally, it is logical, taking into account the very history of Russias claim against Ukraine in the ECHR, and Russias refusal actually to cooperate with the court from March 2022, Sokorenko told.

Regarding Ukraines chances in this case, Sokorenko noted that the decision would be pleasing.

In her words, the ECHR became more active in considering cases related to Russia, both individual and international.

In particular, this refers to the interstate cases, such as Ukraine v. Russia (re Crimea); Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia regarding violations of human rights in the temporarily occupied areas since Russian armed aggression started in February 2014 and since Russias full-scale invasion started on February 24, 2022. A number of important procedural steps will take place as soon as this autumn, Sokorenko said.

Most importantly, the ECHR continues to consider cases even in the absence of any cooperation from Russia since March 2022. For this purpose, the court has adopted the appropriate algorithm of actions and follows it. This is an important signal to Russia and, generally, any state, which decides to defiantly and cynically violate international commitments, that responsibility cannot be avoided. Despite the fact that the wheels of international justice do not turn as fast as all Ukrainians would like them to, they are inevitably leading to the international legal responsibility of the Russian aggressor, Sokorenko concluded.

A reminder that, on July 18, 2023, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will announce a decision in the case of Russia versus Ukraine, where Russia is accusing Ukraine of the MH17 tragedy, because Ukraine did not close its airspace.

Russia also claims that Ukraine has allegedly engaged in administrative practices of murder, kidnapping, forced relocation, interference with the right to vote, restrictions on the use of the Russian language, attacks on Russian embassies and consulates, and cutting off water supplies to Crimea.
In Ukraine, at least 190 medical institutions are contracted under the emergency response package and are ready to receive patients in the event of a radiation accident at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"We have at least 190 hospitals contracted under the NHSU Emergency Preparedness Package ("Readiness of a health care facility to provide medical care in emergencies" - ed.) These hospitals have been contracted for the second year, previously it was a COVID-19 package, now it is an emergency preparedness package. It stipulates that a medical facility is ready to respond to chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear risks. It sets out a minimum list of medicines to provide medical care to patients who are admitted or may be admitted to such a facility. The selection of these medical institutions, their contracting and work are tied to the relevant territory to be able to hospitalize those patients who may appear there in the event of either the use of weapons of mass destruction or an accident," Kuzin said.

According to him, these medical facilities are now being additionally provided with appropriate medical devices and personal protective equipment, including through the humanitarian aid received by Ukraine.

These hospitals and their staff are also involved in exercises and practicing certain mechanisms and algorithms of interaction with other institutions in case of emergencies.

In addition, medical workers are trained in the specifics of providing medical care in the event of radiation, nuclear, chemical or biological threats.

Deputy Minister noted that each region has approved routes for patients to follow in the event of a threat.

Regarding the cases in which patients will be hospitalized in such medical institutions, Ihor Kuzin noted that this applies to emergency medical care during evacuation or in urgent conditions.

"In the event of a hypothetical accident, if an emergency occurs, a decision may be made to evacuate the population of a certain part of the territory. The decision to evacuate is made by local authorities depending on the forecast of a particular emergency. The nearest healthcare facility contracted under the disaster preparedness package will receive all patients seeking emergency medical care - heart attacks, strokes, or any injuries that occurred during evacuation activities. This assistance will be provided in full. In the event of a chemical threat, all patients in need of emergency medical care will be hospitalized in such a medical facility," the Deputy Minister explained.

At the same time, according to him, in the case of radiation threats, the Ministry of Health does not expect a significant influx of patients to such hospitals.

"Any degree of radiation sickness does not develop within one or two days, but at least within two weeks. Depending on the type, the nature of the accident, we will understand which hospitals we will need to include to provide medical care for patients with radiation sickness. And there are several options here. For a mild, moderate degree, medical institutions that are contracted under the emergency preparedness package will be involved. For extremely severe or severe degrees, the Center for Radiation Medicine, a medical institution of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, which is specialized in radiation threats and risks, will be used," Ihor Kuzin said.

Read also: Russian amy sets up hospital in kindergarten in Tokmak

As Ukrinform reported, on March 4, 2022, Russians seized the ZNPP.

On June 22, 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Russia's plans to stage a terrorist attack at the plant.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine was carefully preparing for any scenario around Zaporizhzhia NPP.

On June 30, the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate reported that the Russian contingent was gradually leaving the territory of the plant.

At the end of June, large-scale exercises were held in Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro regions to train emergency services to overcome the consequences of a possible terrorist attack at the plant.

On July 4, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially warned of a possible provocation at ZNPP by Russian invaders.
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has allocated UAH 573.883 million to complete the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide.

Holos Party MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

He said that 312 lawmakers had supported the adoption of Law No. 9437 introducing amendments to Annex No. 3 to the Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2023."

According to the explanatory note, the money will be used to reconstruct the first stage and build and commission the second stage of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide.
KHARTOUM, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government on Thursday expressed keenness to work with all parties on finding solutions to end the conflict in Sudan.

"The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are ready to stop military operations immediately if the rebel militia commits to stopping attacks on civilian homes, neighborhoods and government facilities, as well as looting," Sudan's Sovereign Council said in a statement.

The Sudanese government welcomed the outcomes of the Sudan Neighboring Countries Summit held earlier in the day in Egypt's capital Cairo, the statement said.

It also stressed the need to initiate a political dialogue as soon as the violence stops in order to form a civilian government during a transitional period.

Earlier on Thursday, a summit was held in Cairo to discuss solutions to end the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The leaders from Sudan's neighboring countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, Eritrea, Central African Republic and Libya, as well as officials of the Arab League and African Union Commission, attended the meeting.

As stated in a final communique, the summit participants rejected foreign intervention in Sudan's conflict and urged immediate and comprehensive talks between Sudan's rival factions.

It noted that a ministerial mechanism will be formed to formulate an executive action plan to end the fight in Sudan and its first meeting will take place in Chad.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 15, which have so far left over 3,000 people killed and 6,000 others injured, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry. 
Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (7th R) attends the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea should strengthen their cooperation and jointly meet challenges, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday.

When attending the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said the APT is one of the most mature mechanisms for East Asia regional cooperation.

He called on the regional countries to push for economic recovery. China has provided support for economic and technological cooperation under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and helped ASEAN countries enhance their abilities to implement the RCEP free trade deal.

Wang urged the regional countries to promote sustainable development. China has provided medical supplies as well as help for emergency rice reserves and poverty alleviation cooperation.

He also appealed to the regional countries to resume personnel exchanges. The senior Chinese diplomat called for an increase in commercial flights between countries in the region and an orderly resumption of inbound tourism.

Wang put forward three proposals for the next stage of APT cooperation.

First, adhere to openness and cooperation, and accelerate the process of regional integration. Taking the full entry into force of RCEP as an opportunity, Wang called for supporting Hong Kong's accession to RCEP as one of the first batch of members. He also said China supports the construction of a stable, smooth and comparative advantage-based regional production and supply chain system.

Second, adhere to common security and continuously improve the effectiveness of crisis response. China will continue to donate funds to the APT Emergency Rice Reserve mechanism, strengthen the ASEAN food security information system and better safeguard regional food security.

Wang noted that the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan into the ocean has a bearing on the safety of the marine environment and the health of human lives. It is a matter of great importance and thus should not be conducted without authorization.

Third, adhere to innovation's leading role and fully tap the potential of sustainable development. Wang said China supports ASEAN's statement on the development of the APT electric vehicle ecosystem and it will continue to promote cooperation in the areas of poverty alleviation, village official exchanges and rural development.

The foreign ministers of Japan, South Korea and ASEAN countries said that the APT mechanism has continued to expand its areas of cooperation, which is becoming increasingly effective.

The mechanism has played a key role in helping regional countries to achieve speedy recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainable development, and has become a solid and reliable anchor of stability, they said.

All the parties support an open and inclusive ASEAN-centered regional cooperation framework, adhere to multilateralism, and maintain regional peace, stability and prosperity.

They also agreed that the APT mechanism should keep pace with the times, give full play to the role of the APT Emergency Rice Reserve mechanism, actively push forward the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation Agreement and promote high-quality implementation of RCEP.

In addition, they agreed to create new growth areas such as digital economy, innovation and technology, energy transformation, and electric vehicles to inject new impetus into regional connectivity and resilience and help ASEAN become a global growth center. 
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jul, 2023 ) :Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar here on Friday chaired a meeting on the establishment of Pakistan Sovereign Wealth Fund.

The meeting deliberated upon technicalities involved, finalized the draft law and decided to send it to Ministry of Law and Justice for legal opinion and further necessary action, said a press statement issued by the finance ministry.

The establishment of the fund is authorized under the Public Finance Management Act- 2019, the statement added.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Finance, Tariq Bajwa, Chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Akif Saeed and senior officers from Finance Division and SECP attended the meeting, according to press statement issued by the finance ministry.

As announced by the Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in his budget 2023-24 speech in the Parliament, the meeting reviewed the draft bill for the establishment of Pakistan Sovereign Wealth Fund.

It would facilitate optimal leveraging and better management of government assets in the country in line with international standards, policies and practices.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2023) Japanese automaker Isuzu has left Russia and transferred shares of its subsidiary to the Russian company Sollers, Japanese media reported on Friday.

Sollers received a plant with about 200 employees. The production has been since stopped last March, however, due to problems with the supply of spare parts amid the Ukrainian crisis, and now the company does not see any prospects for its resumption, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported, citing sources.

The report said that the plant was opened in 2008, and in 2021 it produced 3,700 vehicles, which is about 1% of Isuzu's truck production.

Sollers is a Russian automobile company working in partnership with Ford, Mazda and Isuzu. The company owns production sites where various cars are manufactured.

Sollers confirmed the purchase of 100% of Isuzu's subsidiary assets and said it would restart operations at the Isuzu Rus JSC production site in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk to save jobs and ensure the use of existing production facilities.

"Sollers PJSC announces the closing of the acquisition of 100% of shares of Isuzu Rus JSC. Under the acquired legal entity Sollers Group will supply spare parts for Isuzu trucks in order to fulfill warranty obligations to customers and provide service support," the company said in a statement.

In March, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade included 12 foreign car brands, including Isuzu, on the list of parallel imports.
MOGADISHU, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned the latest attack on a health facility in a disputed city in Somalia's Somaliland region, where dozens of people were killed and injured, including healthcare workers and patients.

The WHO said that Tuesday's fighting in Las Anod also resulted in the destruction of two ambulances.

"In situations where healthcare systems are already fragile, attacks on health care have devastating consequences going beyond the loss of lives of health workers and the patients they might have saved," said Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO representative for Somalia, in a statement issued Thursday evening in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

According to the WHO, this is the fifth time that the facility has been hit since the violence in Las Anod erupted last year.

Malik said thousands of people will die every year not because they are direct victims but because the healthcare facilities become dysfunctional, and the environment becomes too dangerous for effective health care to be delivered.

"I, therefore, appeal to all to protect healthcare facilities and health workers, and ensure access to health care for everyone irrespective of their involvement in the conflict," he said.

The UN health agency extended its sincere condolences to the families of those healthcare workers who have been killed and injured in this attack.

Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, urged all parties in conflict to respect the neutrality of health care and the obligations of the health community to the duty of care. 
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Belarus said Friday that instructors from the Russian mercenary force Wagner were training its troops, following weeks of uncertainty about the future of the group after its failed mutiny in Russia

Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jul, 2023 ) :Belarus said Friday that instructors from the Russian mercenary force Wagner were training its troops, following weeks of uncertainty about the future of the group after its failed mutiny in Russia.

The short-lived rebellion was ended by a deal under which some Wagner fighters and their outspoken leader Yevgeny Prigozhin were supposed to move to Belarus.

But Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had cast doubt on the deal when he said earlier this month that no Wagner fighters had moved to the country yet.

The Belarusian defence ministry appeared to confirm that at least some Wagner fighters had arrived.

"Near Asipovichy, units of territorial defence troops are undergoing training," the defence ministry said in a statement.

"Fighters of the Wagner private military company are acting as instructors in a number of military disciplines," it said.

- Countdown for grain deal - The Wagner group, which recruited extensively from Russian prisons, played a key role in the Ukraine offensive.

A video released by the Belarusian defence ministry showed masked fighters as instructors in the drills for soldiers living in a nearby tent camp.

A group of foreign reporters earlier this month was shown a camp near Asipovichy where Belarusian officials said the mercenaries could be based.

The latest development came as the clock ran down on a UN and Turkey-mediated deal with Russia to allow Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea -- a vital supply route for the developing world.

The deal, signed five months after Moscow's all-out assault on Ukraine, is set to expire on Monday, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened not to renew it because of obstacles to Russian exports.

"We are preparing to welcome Putin in August and we agree on the extension of the Black Sea grain corridor," Erdogan told reporters.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti: "There were no statements on this subject from the Russian side".

- 'Bakhmut will be ours' - In Ukraine, Kyiv's much-hyped counteroffensive, which began last month, ground on with only very gradual advances.

This has created tensions with the ex-Soviet country's Western supporters, who have sent billions of Dollars in military aid.

Ukraine has blamed the slow delivery of promised arms, calling on allies to send long-range weapons and fighter jets.

Ukraine said on Friday its forces had moved forward 1,700 metres (just over a mile) on the front line in the south over the past seven days.

Ukrainian troops are advancing despite "dense" minefields and shelling, Mykola Urshalovych, a senior representative of the National Guard, told reporters.

There have also been some advances to the north and south of Bakhmut, a city which was captured by Russian troops in May after a battle lasting nearly a year.

The aim of Ukrainian forces is to surround the eastern city in a pincer movement.

Masik, a drone operator taking part in the new battle for Bakhmut, said he was confident Ukraine would be victorious.

"Bakhmut will be ours," he told AFP from a trench hidden by trees just two kilometres from Russian lines, along a field marked by craters from frequent shelling.

The head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andriy Yermak, admitted that Kyiv's troops were advancing "not so quickly".

"If we are going to see that something is going wrong, we'll say so. No one is going to embellish," he told reporters.

Yermak also said that Ukraine would not consider talks with Moscow until Russian troops had left.

"Even thinking about these talks is only possible after Russian troops leave our territory," he said.

Ukraine's air force said on Friday it had downed 16 Iranian-made drones launched by Russian forces overnight, in the fourth consecutive night of aerial attacks by Moscow.
HARBIN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jul, 2023 ) --:The images and footage of a wild Siberian tiger have been captured recently in the Muleng forest area in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, local authorities said on Wednesday.

In the footage, the tiger walked leisurely in front of the camera.

Zhao Yue, a research assistant at the Feline Research Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said that the wild Siberian tiger was captured by camera in April. It was identified as the tiger that was rescued in April 2021 and then was released in the wild on May 18, 2021, in the area.

Apart from the tiger, two infrared cameras also captured the footage of two Amur leopards, a large one and a small one, shuttling through the forests, patrolling their territory, and looking for food. The images of other wild animals, such as roe deer and sika deer, have also been captured by cameras in the Muleng forest area.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2023) House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul sent a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting a briefing on matters related to US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, who was reportedly placed on unpaid leave amid an investigation into his handling of classified information.

Although Malley is under investigation by the FBI and has reportedly had his security clearance revoked, the State Department has failed to provide lawmakers with substantive information on the situation, the letter, dated Thursday but released Friday, said.

"As a senior Department official charged with a highly sensitive role, Special Envoy Malley enjoyed access to critical intelligence and numerous senior State Department, Executive Branch, and foreign officials. It is alarming that the Department chooses to withhold even the most basic of details from Congress, such as the timeline of Special Envoy Malley's leave, clearance status, accesses, and foreign contacts," the letter said.

The letter requests arrangements for a classified briefing with two State Department officials no later than July 17. The committee is prepared to compel the appearance of requested witnesses should they refuse to cooperate, the letter added.

The committee will not tolerate obstruction of its oversight into a national security matter, the letter said.

The State Department on Friday transferred its official Special Envoy for Iran Twitter account to Deputy Special Envoy Abram Paley.

"The Office of the Special Envoy for Iran and the entire team at the State Department remain engaged in implementing our policy in Iran," Paley said in a tweet on Friday, with many replies asking about Malley's whereabouts.

The Special Envoy for Iran page on the State Department's website only includes its mission statement, although Malley's personal biography is still on the site.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee has sought Malley's testimony on Iran policy for months, the letter said. However, the State Department has cited personal leave as cause for Malley's unavailability, and never informed lawmakers about his security clearance being suspended.

The lawmaker also expressed concerns to Blinken that the State Department may have misled Congress and the public about the situation, according to the letter.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2023) A legislation regarding the status of private military companies (PMCs) in Russia will be under consideration, Kre,lin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the status of private military companies in Russia is not easy, adding that this issue should be discussed by lawmakers and the government.

"Answering a question from a Kommersant correspondent yesterday, the president said that de jure such a legal entity as PMC Wagner does not exist and did not exist. this is a question for study, consideration of an additional, rather complex issue in general about the legal status of such companies, which should be studied," Peskov told reporters.

When asked if it is possible to expect some kind of legislative act in this area, Peskov said that 'this issue will be under consideration at least."
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2023) The format of the BRICS summit has not been fully decided upon, so discussions continue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa noted that the BRICS summit will be held in person.

"The format has not been fully decided upon yet, discussions are continuing. After the final decision is made, we will inform you about it," Peskov told a briefing.
UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2023) The United Nations says that the missile fired by North Korea on Wednesday landed within the Russian Federation's Exclusive Economic Zone and was possibly the longest ballistic missile launch, the UN Assistant Secretary-General, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Khaled Khiari said on Thursday.

"The missile was launched on a lofted trajectory from the Pyongyang area at 10:00 am local time and reportedly flew for 1,001.2 km and to an altitude of 6,648.4 km before falling into the sea, inside the Russian Federation's Exclusive Economic Zone. The flight was reportedly around 74 minutes, potentially making it the DPRK's longest ballistic missile flight duration," Khiari told Security Council members.

North Korea increased its missile launch activities in 2022-2023, firing more than 90 launches using ballistic missile technology, he added.

The UN official was also concerned over the lack of unity within the UN Security Council.

KCNA also confirmed Pyongyang test-fired the new-type Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday, which reached a maximum altitude of 6,648.4 kilometers (4,131 miles) and flew a distance of 1,001.2 kilometers for 4,491 seconds.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2023) The Russian Embassy in the United States said Thursday that it has noted the Pentagon's statement about the delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine and slammed US officials' statements that Kiev would use these weapons accurately as a "clumsy attempt to justify their own provocative actions."

"We have noted a Pentagon's announcement that cluster munitions have been delivered to Ukraine. We have also taken note of statements by the Administration's officials about some 'promises,' given by the Kiev regime to use these weapons with 'the highest incentive to limits' and in 'appropriate places.' Such statements by U.S. officials are a clumsy attempt to justify their own provocative actions," the Embassy said on Telegram.

The Embassy said that "anyone who follows the conflict knows that Kiev has been using U.S. security assistance to hit civilian targets in the hope of intimidating us and 'killing as many Russians as possible,'" adding that residential areas with no military facilities have been targeted in these strikes.

"There is no doubt that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not abide by any 'restrictions' in selecting their targets since they are desperate due to the colossal losses as well as inability to achieve successes on the front," the Embassy said, adding that it was "hard to imagine how many civilian casualties there will be, including Ukrainians, when the Kiev criminals start using U.S. cluster munitions."

Joint Staff Director for Operations Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims said earlier on Thursday that cluster munitions provided by the United States and other countries have already been delivered to Ukraine, adding that there were cluster munitions in Ukraine provided by third-party countries prior to Washington's delivery of the weapons.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine would use cluster munitions provided by the US only against military targets.
ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2023) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the decisions taken at the bloc's summit in Vilnius in a phone call, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"Today (on July 14), Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had a phone call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, while he was in Jakarta to participate in the 56th meeting of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) foreign ministers. During the conversation, the implementation of decisions of the NATO summit in Vilnius was discussed," the ministry said in a statement.

It gave no details, however, as to what specific decisions had been on the agenda.

On Monday, Stoltenberg said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to transmit Sweden's long-awaited NATO membership bid to the Turkish parliament and to work closely with lawmakers to ensure its ratification. However, no information has been provided so far with regard to the ratification deadline.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2023) The United States urged the government of Sierra Leone to create an independent mechanism to investigate the election process in the country, the Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Friday.

"We call on the government to institute an independent, outside investigation of the elections process and integrate observer recommendations to improve the electoral modalities for future elections," Miller said in a statement.

Sierra Leone held both parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24. The election commission announced several days after incumbent President Julius Maada Bio as the winner in the presidential election. However, his key rival from the opposition, ex-Foreign Minister Samura Kamara, has challenged the result.

The US expressed concerns about irregularities in the election results announced by Sierra Leone's authorities, according to Miller's statement.

"We are also disturbed by the reports of intimidation - including death threats - against domestic and international observers, civil society organizations, and Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) personnel. We call on all actors to exercise restraint and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve disputes," the statement said.

The US also called on all parties to strengthen democratic institutions to better protect the rights and reflect the aspirations of the people of Sierra Leone, it added.
Araceli Martinez Ortiz

Araceli Martinez Ortiz, who serves as the director of PREP, joined UTSA in April 2022 as the Microsoft Presidents Endowed Professor and a professor of engineering education in the UTSA Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering. She is a leading voice in engineering education.

Born in Mexico City and raised in Detroit, Ortiz and her five siblings were immersed in STEM-focused educational experiences. During their childhood, they explored STEM through science and math clubs, pre-engineering Saturday and summer programs. As a teen, Ortiz participated in the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program, a prestigious program much like PREP.

When it came time to apply to college, Ortiz received a scholarship to enroll at the University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelors in industrial engineering. Additionally, she completed her masters degrees at Kettering University and Michigan State University, and she earned her doctoral degree in engineering education at Tufts University.

Ortiz has built a career spanning more than 30 years in engineering and in engineering education. To support her work, she has secured more than $40 million in funding from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Education and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She is now a professor and director of graduate programs in engineering education at UTSA.

I grew up in Detroit, dreaming mostly of the fascinating places I learned about through my ferocious reading and in finding enterprising ways to help my family make a little bit more money to feel security and joy. Discovering how exciting engineering could be, how satisfying it was to solve technical problems and actually becoming an industrial engineer and later a professor of engineering changed my life, said Ortiz. This career has broadened my technical and business expertise, it has provided a comfortable life and by interacting with so many people in my many projects, I have realized that how we invite, motivate and guide students in their educational journeys matters tremendously.

She added, It is critical that more engineering educators value the diversity of experiences that students bring and that, as professors and teachers of engineering, we commit to doing the best job possible. We are not only preparing future generations of engineers; we are often also changing lives.

Retired mathematics professor Manuel P. Berriozabal founded the PREP program at UTSA in 1979 and, in its early days, sought funding from national, state, local and private sources to provide PREP to youth at no cost. Over the years, the program has grown to include more than 125 school districts across Texas.

Today, PREP has more than 50,000 Texas alumni, with over 65% of participants identifying as Hispanic and 53% as female. Equally as important, the program has become so well regarded that colleges and universities across the country have adopted the model. PREP now exists at 33 sites in 25 cities and seven states.

The PREP programs curricula, a four-leveled approach, draw on the cultural background and experiences of students to build their knowledge and awareness of STEM principles.

Level 1: Engineering Design, Logic and Algebraic Reasoning introduces students to the engineering design process, problem solving and an awareness of how STEM challenges impact their lives and communities.





introduces students to the engineering design process, problem solving and an awareness of how STEM challenges impact their lives and communities. Level 2: Engineering Physics and Integrated Algebra provides a greater focus on real-world engineering challenges, integrating core concepts such as electrostatics, energy and motion.





provides a greater focus on real-world engineering challenges, integrating core concepts such as electrostatics, energy and motion. Level 3: Probability and Statistics/Technical Writing helps students develop knowledge and skills in basic probability theory, analytical statics, proper usage of technical language and reporting results.





helps students develop knowledge and skills in basic probability theory, analytical statics, proper usage of technical language and reporting results. Level 4: Innovations in Engineering challenges students to explore some of the latest trends in engineering science, with a focus on materials science and nanotechnology. Students in this advanced course have an opportunity to visit UTSA research laboratories.

An optional fifth year of PREP prepares students with an introduction to engineering research content and skills and the opportunity to serve as high school research interns for two additional weeks in the summer. PREP V students earn a stipend and a marketable addition to their resume. This also qualifies most students for unique PREP Alumni scholarships, should they choose to apply and be admitted to the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (Klesse College) when it comes time to go to college.

The PREP program offers a comprehensive, engaging and inclusive STEM program for students throughout the San Antonio area, said Eric Brey, interim dean of the Klesse College. Through the program, students gain knowledge of the impact of STEM on their lives and communities, develop a deeper sense of appreciation for STEM and become more confident in their own abilities and voices.
UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday stressed the importance of advancing the political process in Haiti.

Haiti is deeply mired in multiple political, security, development and humanitarian crises, and the situation continues to deteriorate. The fundamental solution lies in advancing the political process, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

He made the statement in an explanation of vote after the Security Council adopted a resolution to extend the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti for a year.

The resolution just adopted calls on Haitian parties to engage in inclusive dialogue, reach the broadest possible consensus on political transition arrangements and set a timetable and a roadmap for holding free, fair and credible elections as soon as possible, he said. "We call on all parties and factions in Haiti, as required by the resolution, to truly shoulder their responsibilities and advance the political process with an absolute sense of urgency in the fundamental interests of the country and its people."

The most urgent task for now is to stabilize the security situation in the country, said Geng.

The flooding of weapons and ammunition into Haiti from abroad is an important factor fuelling the rampant gang violence. No amount of support for Haitian police will make any difference unless the flow is stopped, he said.

At China's repeated insistence, Friday's resolution strongly urges all countries to immediately stop supplying arms and ammunition to Haitian gangs and their supporters and to take all measures to curb arms trafficking and smuggling. China calls on members of the Security Council to implement the call in earnest and take a legally binding decision in this regard when considering the renewal of Resolution 2653, which provides for sanctions against Haitian gangs, he said.

China supports the United Nations in providing more assistance to Haiti. At the same time, it always believes that the key to resolving the Haitian conundrum is in the hands of the Haitian people themselves, said Geng.

The 30-odd years of UN practice in Haiti have shown that quick fixes implemented from the outside often failed to deliver long-term results or help Haiti truly emerge from the crisis. Before taking the next step, the United Nations should fully learn from the past, fully listen to the views of all parties and fully consider the will of the Haitian people, he said. 
Dave Rapaport, U.S. research and collaboration management head at Seimens, said the firms partnership with CyManII will help bring industry and infrastructure online.

To do this successfully, cybersecurity is an integral part of Siemens mission and Siemens Technology is at the forefront of developing innovations that strengthen the nations competitiveness in the critical area of cybersecurity for manufacturing, he said.

Formlabs and Humtown are joining CyManII as collaborative members. Formlabs, a leader in the development of 3D printing polymer systems, will support the research and training missions within the Cyber for Manufacturing (C4M) hub. Humtown is one of the worlds largest providers of sand cores and molds in the additive manufacturing industry and will contribute valuable additive manufacturing knowledge and experience to the institutes R&D initiatives.

The addition of Formlabs and Humtown opens the gateway to additive manufacturing, an industry that utilizes the digital thread for part production, Grimes said. Their input into the Additive Manufacturing (AM) supply chain will enable our team to accelerate the development of embedded solutions for manufacturers.

Speaking on CyManIIs impact in the industry, Humtown CEO Mark Lamoncha stated, Before you build a digital highway you need CyManII as the digital foundation to lay it on.

Formlabs Chief Revenue Officer Nick Graham added that his firm was committed to creating easy-to-use industrial 3D printers that help manufacturers design better products, withstand supply chain disruptions and streamline production.

Our partnership with CyManII will support its mission to secure and sustain advanced manufacturing in the U.S., Graham said.
JAKARTA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China rejects hegemony of navigation in the name of freedom of navigation, said Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi on Friday.

Wang made the remarks while attending the series of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meetings, expounding China's principled position on the South China Sea issue.

The South China Sea is currently one of the safest and most open waters in the world for navigation, Wang said, noting that China and littoral countries of the South China Sea abide by international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

China has always advocated the peaceful settlement of disputes through friendly consultations among countries directly concerned, which is a principle that has also been written into the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, Wang said.

Wang noted the completion of the second reading of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) text, pledging to work together with relevant countries to promote the COC to become an effective, substantive and lawful regional rule to better safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and effectively guarantee the lawful rights and interests of countries outside the region.

Wang hoped that countries outside the region would respect the efforts made by China and ASEAN, and play a positive role in maintaining regional stability instead of the opposite.

China and ASEAN do not need condescending instructors, but have full confidence, wisdom and capability to properly resolve the South China Sea issue through joint efforts, he added.

The South China Sea arbitration is clearly a political manipulation, deviating from the original intention of the UNCLOS, Wang said.

From the very beginning, China did not participate in the arbitration and will never accepted it, said Wang, warning against practice of certain countries to reverse history and hype up "old tricks". 
Suspected al-Shabab militants killed two police officers and a teacher early Friday morning in an attack on the Wargadud police camp in the Mandera South area, in Kenya's northeast, Kenyan authorities say.

The militants also carjacked a police vehicle and destroyed two communications towers.

Security officials declined VOA's request for a comment. However, Mandera South Member of Parliament Abdul Haro confirmed the incident.

"I can confirm last night there was a terror attack in my constituency in a place called Wargadud and there are some casualties. Also, there was another attack a few kilometers away in a place called Iresuki and a probing attack in Elwak," Haro said.

The incidents took place as Kenya's defense secretary, Aden Duale, is touring the northeastern region to meet security officials and residents. Addressing residents in the border town of Diif, in Wajir County, Duale said Kenya will fight militants within and outside Kenya to secure its territory.

"We will fight al-Shabab along our borders. We will fight and take the war to them in Somalia because Kenya has a moral responsibility to bring peace and stability along the countries in the horn of Africa," Duale said.

Last week, Kenyan security forces killed 23 suspected al-Shabab militants during an ambush at the Orgene area, in Kenya's Mandera County. The encounter also left six Kenyan soldiers dead and eight others injured.

Duale said Kenya will use all possible means to flush terrorists and their sympathizers from the region.

"I'm talking to the leadership of al-Shabab, wherever you are: prepare yourself. We will use our land forces, we will use our air force, we will use our navy, we will use our special forces to hunt you down," Duale said.

Earlier this year, Kenya announced plans to reopen its border with Somalia that has been closed for over a decade, but has now suspended those plans following increased attacks by the militant group.

The militant group has in the past carried out a spate of attacks in Kenyan cities and towns in an attempt to drive Kenya to withdraw its troops from African Union-led peacekeeping forces in Somalia.
Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations again condemned the violence in Myanmar, triggered by the military junta's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy opponents. At a summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought support to counter China's support for the junta and Beijing's aggression in the South China Sea. VOA Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
REVELSTOKE, British Columbia  Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid tribute Friday to a young firefighter killed while battling a forest blaze in British Columbia, as wildfires continued to rage across the country and the western province requested an extra 1,000 international firefighters.

The British Columbia General Employees' Union announced the death of the firefighter late Thursday. The woman had been tackling a fire outside the town of Revelstoke, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) northeast of Vancouver, the union said.

Revelstoke Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the woman, 19, had been clearing brush in a remote area where a small fire had started. She lost contact with her team and was discovered caught under a fallen tree. The woman was airlifted to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries, the police statement said.

"The news from British Columbia  that one of the firefighters bravely battling wildfires has lost her life is heartbreaking. At this incredibly difficult time, Im sending my deepest condolences to her family, her friends and her fellow firefighters," Trudeau said on Twitter.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said in a statement the death was a "tremendous loss for everyone involved with the BC Wildfire Service at an already challenging time."

Canada is on track for its worst wildfire season with fires also raging in large swathes of eastern Canada, while wildfire emissions have hit record highs.

In Quebec, the Canadian military is being deployed to help with emergency evacuations in the north of the province, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said Friday.

In British Columbia, some 2,000 firefighters are battling more than 350 fires.

Authorities have requested an extra 1,000 international firefighters to help tackle blazes that have burned 1.2 million hectares (2.9 million acres) of forest in the province so far this year, far above the 10-year average of 76,000 hectares (187,800 acres).

Lack of rain in recent months has left much of British Columbia parched, in what officials say is an "unprecedented" level of drought for this early in the year.

Hot weather is forecast to persist across much of the province and thunderstorms are likely to bring more lightning strikes that will spark more fires, Cliff Chapman, director of provincial operations for BC Wildfire, said in a media briefing Thursday.

"We have seen more fire on the landscape in terms of number of starts than in previous years at this point in time," Chapman said, adding there have been 51,000 lightning strikes in the last week alone.
Pakistan held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for what will be its largest civil nuclear power plant  constructed by China  that will contribute 1,200 megawatts of electricity daily to the national grid and is estimated to cost at least $3.5 billion.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior Chinese officials attended the televised event in the central city of Chashma, dubbed the birthplace of China-Pakistan nuclear energy cooperation.

Over the past 30 years, Beijing has installed four nuclear power generation units in Chashma, collectively generating about 1,300 megawatts, with China providing enriched uranium for fuel.

"This mutual cooperation to promote clean, efficient, and comparatively cheaper energy is a gift of friendship between the two countries and a model for other countries to emulate," Sharif said at the ceremony.

The plant, known as Chashma-5, or C-5, will feature what China says is its domestically developed third-generation pressurized water nuclear technology, the Hualong One or HPR1000, with "advanced safety and foolproof security features."

Raja Ali Raza, the head of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, said the nuclear plant project will be completed by 2030.

"C-5 will be Pakistan's largest generation-III plus nuclear power project," Raza said. "This project has brought PAEC one step closer to its envisaged goal of production of 8,800 megawatts electric cheap and clean energy."

Beijing has previously supplied the HPR1000 technology for two nuclear power stations, each with a 1,100-megawatt generation capacity, built and operationalized in the last couple of years in the southern port city of Karachi, enhancing Pakistan's nuclear energy production to more than 3,500 megawatts a day.

Analysts see China's accelerated civil nuclear cooperation with Pakistan as part of efforts to globally find more lucrative buyers for its HPR1000 reactors developed by state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation or CNNC, the country's second-largest nuclear power producer company.

"HPR1000 is a homegrown nuclear technology of CNNC and a flagship of China's advanced equipment manufacturing," Yu Jianfeng, the CNNC chairman, told the ceremony. He noted that more than 17 units of HPR1000 are currently under construction in China.

"Today's groundbreaking for the C-5 project is a significant milestone for HPR1000's global journey and a new start for the China-Pakistan nuclear energy cooperation," Yu stated. "Our cooperation in nuclear energy has become an integral part of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and a shining example of international nuclear energy cooperation."

Under its global Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing also has built and put into commercial operation 14 mostly coal-fired power plants in Pakistan in the last 10 years, with a total installed capacity of 8,000 megawatts daily.

The projects are part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, which has also built road networks, highways, ports, and industrial zones with direct Chinese investment and "soft loans," expected to increase to about $62 billion by 2030 when the mega undertaking is due to be complete.

Critics blame CPEC for contributing to Pakistan's deepening economic troubles and depleting foreign exchange reserves, making it difficult for the country to catch up with its foreign debt repayments.

Pakistan owes more than $1.3 billion (350 billion rupees) to Chinese power plants. The amount keeps growing, and China has refused to defer or restructure the payment and CPEC debt repayments.

All the Chinese loans  both government and commercial banks  make up nearly 30% of Islamabad's external debt. Pakistani and Chinese officials reject the criticism, saying CPEC has stimulated the economy and produced nearly 200,000 jobs for locals since it was launched a decade ago.

On Friday, Sharif thanked China for rolling over several billion dollars' worth of loans in recent weeks to help his country tackle declining foreign exchange reserves and avert default.

"The Chinese government and commercial banks rolled over amounts back to Pakistan to the tune of more than $5 billion. This is not a small contribution by a great friend at a time that was one of the most difficult times Pakistan was facing," Sharif told the gathering in Chashma.

Fears of default on external payments and deteriorating economic conditions forced Islamabad to negotiate and secure a much-needed $3 billion bailout with the International Monetary Fund late last month. The global lender finally approved the bailout this week, bringing relief to the embattled Pakistani government.

China's defense partnership has also significantly deepened with nuclear-armed Pakistan over the past decade but both countries maintain their nuclear cooperation is limited only to civilian purposes.

Pakistan and officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency say the country's civilian nuclear plants work in line with the global watchdog's safety guidelines.
Chinas official internet regulators are tightening control over unofficial grassroots online activities by blacklisting people who stoke hot social issues to gain followers and holding some platforms responsible for the authenticity of information in their posts.

The target group, so-called self-media, are social media accounts that publish news and information but are not government-run or state-approved. Most of the content released by self-media avoids politically sensitive information.

The Central Cyberspace Administration of China, which was a sub-unit of the official propaganda apparatus, the State Internet Information Office, until 2014, established new regulations on July 5.

Authorities now require the grassroots-level self-media internet platforms to deal promptly with all violations. The regulations cover unofficial media that produce and spread rumors, hype hot social issues, or disseminate what the government deems illegal and harmful information.

Penalties include blacklisting by the Central Cyberspace Administration, which is also authorized to shut down platforms for repeated violations.

All self-media that produce and publish rumors, speculate on social hotspot events, or spread illegal and bad information in a matrix manner that have a bad impact, shall be shut down, included in the platform's blacklist account database, and reported to the Internet Information Department, according to the regulations. The authorities can also cancel interactive functions.

The new regulations also require self-media to mark the source, shooting time, location, and other relevant information for pictures, videos and related content.

An anti-forgery requirement means self-media accounts must manually review account information that contains the names or logos of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Chinese government and its military agencies, and official news media.

Wei-feng Tzeng, assistant professor at the Graduate Institute of China Studies at Tamkang University in Taiwan, told VOA Mandarin in a telephone interview on Tuesday that this move was triggered by self-media postings during recent accidents and disasters. The authorities worried that the information released by the self-media, especially Internet celebrities, had the potential to cause social unrest, he said.

Authorities believe the new regulations are necessary to strengthen official control of self-media, he added.

"Internet celebrities all ran to film large-scale disasters, such as the gas explosion in Yinchuan earlier this year, police beatings, earthquakes and traffic accidents, said Tzeng. They livestream to attract traffic. But for the CCP, it is spreading uncomfortable messages, and the CCP will believe that these messages are incorrect."

Tzeng said people in China tend to accept information from the media without question.

"China is relatively closed. Chinese people feel that this information (on self-media) has been screened by the government and is unlikely to be fake. Relatively speaking, they completely trust the information provided by the media. They are incapable of critical thinking," he said.

Yachi Chiang, president of Taiwan Law and Technology Association, told VOA Mandarin in a telephone interview this week that in the past, accounts belonging to the CCP, government and military organizations, and news media were forged.

"We have also seen that some information seems to be deliberately sent through self-media, she said. Why does it target accounts that contain the names or logos of the Party, government and military agencies, news media, and administrative divisions? Don't the authorities already control these accounts?"

This is not the first crackdown on online speech by the Central Cyberspace Administration of China, which is worried about self-media even though the posters dont cover politically sensitive information, according to Chiang.

"In the past, [posting] these issues that seemed to be related to people's livelihood and relatively irrelevant to politics showed the power of the internet and might lead the direction of public opinion quickly, she said.

The authorities would think that the Internet can quickly increase the heat of speech and discussion on some topics they do not want to see. These issues may not seem related to core political issues at first glance, but you can't control people using the internet to discuss topics related to politically sensitive issues in the future," she said.

The Cyberspace Administration claims it is cracking down on self-media that "hypes up hot social events or disseminates illegal and harmful information, but there are no clear guidelines, which will inevitably have a chilling effect, she added.

"Such unclear standards will cause everyone to panic, said Chiang.

Tzeng questions whether Chinas internet regulators can effectively implement the regulations, even with the assistance of little pinks or xiao fenhong, as young super-nationalists are known.

He said, "Although the government claims to have a large-scale internet army, plus many little pinks or internet administrators, now online information flows so fast with so many information sources every day, it is hard to regulate online information by relying only on the government's power. Authorities are now asking online platforms to self-censor first, but the point is, it can't really touch the most grassroots level."
Exiled Hong Kong democracy activists say an intensified new campaign authorities launched this month to silence those overseas could have a chilling effect going forward. It is also forcing those in exile, they say, to consider additional precautions as security risks increase for themselves and their families still in Hong Kong.

A little more than a week ago, Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants and offered a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong dollars  about $128,000  apiece for eight prominent activists overseas. After that, four men in Hong Kong were arrested and accused of providing those in exile with support.

And then on Tuesday, national security police raided exiled activist Nathan Laws family home in Hong Kong and took away his parents and older brother for questioning. They were later released.

A Hong Kong Police Force spokesperson told VOA that Laws parents and brother were suspected of assisting persons wanted by police to engage in activities that endanger national security. The spokesperson also said an investigation is underway and added that further operations, including arrests, may be made.

Law has denied that his family provided him with financial support.

Family ties

Although the eight who have bounties on their heads are in the United States, Australia and Britain, which do not have extradition treaties with Hong Kong, the moves have clearly raised the stakes.

Nathan Law has told the BBC that his life has now become more dangerous.

Alex Chow, a prominent Hong Kong activist and board chair of the Washington-based nonprofit organization Hong Kong Democracy Council told VOA that the new approach could extend intimidation to people who have nothing to do with the advocacy work done by overseas activists.

Chow added that Hong Kongers now need to consider some precautions to try to protect loved ones who are still in Hong Kong.

This is a tough situation for activists abroad because their family members could be used by Hong Kong authorities to pressure them, he said.

Given the bounties and arrest warrants, some overseas Hong Kongers have even begun to contemplate whether it is still safe for them to engage in activism.

The diaspora community may feel some pressure and choose not to attend pro-democracy protests abroad, said Michael Mo, a former district councilor in Hong Kong who now resides in the U.K.

Secure activism

Others are already looking for ways to continue to be a part of Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement and make sure that their participation in activism is more secure.

I know a lot of groups are exploring different ways by adopting secure precautions, both digital and physical, said Maya Wang, the associate Asia director for Human Rights Watch. She added that compared to other diaspora communities, Hong Kong people are already more adept at taking precautions to ensure their security.

Former District Councilor Michael Mo told VOA that one thing some organizers of demonstrations can do is to try to get as many volunteers as they can to help identify whether there are suspicious individuals or too many cameras nearby when protests are held overseas.

Volunteers need to be prepared for any kind of intimidation and if they think things are not right at the scene, they should inform organizers immediately, he said.

To offer participants enough protection, organizers sometimes hand out masks so activists can avoid being photographed by unknown strangers, Mo added.

Other measures that Mo said he thinks overseas activists could adopt include always participating in events as a group and trying to avoid publicly announcing plans to attend events ahead of time.

Some activists only share information or photos of events that theyve joined afterward because it minimizes the chance of alerting pro-China individuals or anyone who might want to follow their whereabouts, he told VOA.

Digital threats

Chung Ching Kwong, the Hong Kong campaigns coordinator for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said that since a lot of threats that overseas Hong Kongers may face are connected to their technology, they should use different tools, including end-to-end encryption and password security to protect themselves and those they are in contact with.

I see efforts from the diaspora community to educate each other about the importance of digital security, but not enough works have been done and there arent enough resources and people with enough know-how to share their knowledge, Kwong added.

Host government support

Some experts think foreign governments also have a role to play to ensure Hong Kong diaspora communities freedom of speech and freedom of assembly will continue to be protected.

If the host governments cant assure protection of these basic rights, the diaspora community may still think they can be intimidated by Hong Kong authorities, especially if they still have family members back there, said Eric Lai, a visiting researcher at the Dickson Poon School of Law at Kings College in London.

Over the past year,there have been several cases of Chinese nationals assaulting Hong Kong activists that live in the U.K. In June, British police began an investigation after video footage showing pro-Hong Kong demonstrators attacked by a group of Chinese nationals in Southampton.

Last October, a Hong Kong protester was attacked on the grounds of the Chinese Consulate in Manchester. The incident pushed British police to launch an investigation and resulted in Bejing removing six Chinese diplomats who were allegedly involved in the assault from the U.K.

Kwong says that more training, education, or information should be provided to frontline civil servants in countries that host large Hong Kong diaspora communities because it will help them understand the severity of the problem facing overseas Hong Kongers, and in turn, they may develop a better understanding about what they can do as well.
Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 14, 2023. The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution unanimously to extend the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for a year, till July 15, 2024. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution unanimously to extend the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for a year, till July 15, 2024.

Resolution 2692 decides that BINUH's police and corrections unit will include up to 70 civilian and seconded personnel to serve as police and corrections advisors and to scale up its strategic and advisory support to the training and investigation capacities of the Haitian National Police.

The resolution reiterates the need for all Haitian stakeholders to continue to facilitate a Haitian-led, Haitian-owned political process to permit the organization of free, fair and credible legislative and presidential elections, and further requests all Haitian stakeholders to urgently reach an agreement on a sustainable, time-bound and commonly accepted roadmap for elections.

It encourages continued close collaboration and enhanced coordination between BINUH, the UN Country Team in Haiti, regional organizations and subregional organizations and international financial institutions with a view to helping the Haitian government take responsibility to realize the long-term stability, sustainable development, food security, and economic self-sufficiency of the country.

It encourages member states, international financial institutions, and other entities to contribute to the Basket Fund for security assistance to Haiti, and further encourages member states and relevant international organizations to provide Haiti with capacity-building, technical support, and the training of national customs, border control, and other such relevant authorities.

It encourages member states to provide security support to the Haitian National Police in response to the appeal from the Haitian prime minister and the UN secretary-general, including through the deployment of a specialized force, upon consultation with Haitian stakeholders.

It calls on UN member states to prohibit the supply, sale, or transfer of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition to non-state actors engaged in or supporting gang violence, criminal activities, or human rights abuses in Haiti, as well as to prevent their illicit trafficking and diversion. It demands cooperation between member states to prevent illicit arms trafficking and diversion, including through inspecting cargo to Haiti, as necessary.

The resolution emphasizes the importance of allowing and facilitating unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need, and the full protection, safety and security of medical and humanitarian personnel and assets.

BINUH, a special political mission established by the UN Security Council in 2019, is tasked to advise the Haitian government in promoting and strengthening political stability and good governance, preserving and advancing a peaceful and stable environment, and protecting and promoting human rights. 

Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 14, 2023. The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution unanimously to extend the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for a year, till July 15, 2024. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)
China's attempt to strike peace between Israelis and Palestinians is likely to fail but could create an image that U.S. influence in the region is waning, experts said, even as Beijing is optimistic it could resurrect talks that have been stalled for nearly a decade.

China brokered a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March that restored diplomatic ties that were severed in 2016. Now Beijing is trying to replicate the achievement with Israel and the Palestinians, whose U.S.-brokered negotiations have been frozen since 2014.

"I believe China is ready to play a positive role in promoting peace talks" between Israel and Palestinians, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOA Korean Service on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on June 27 that Beijing has invited him for an official visit on an unspecified date this month.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang previously offered to broker peace talks in telephone calls to Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad al-Maliki in April.

"Beijing was emboldened by the Saudi-Iran detente, which had been underway for months," said Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center's Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Project.

"But the Saudis used China to send a message to, and increase leverage with, the U.S. So Beijing attained a kind of status in the region as a credible neutral broker. [China] had to be as they get oil from both Saudis and Iran," said Manning.

"One explanation for this hopeless Israeli-Palestinian effort [by Beijing] is to make a statement to the U.S. that U.S. hegemony in the Middle East is fast fading," Manning added.

Saudi-U.S. relations had soured over the Biden administration's accusing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of approving the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a dissident journalist who fled Saudi Arabia and continued to criticize the government as a Washington Post columnist.

In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a proposal for a peace talks with Israel when he was in Beijing. Xi said he supports a two-state solution.

Included in the proposal was "the establishment of an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders and with east Jerusalem as its capital."

During the Six Day War of 1967, Israel occupied large land areas including the West Bank and Gaza Strip, home to millions of Palestinians who consider them part of their territory.

Palestinians have been seeking to establish the West Bank and Gaza as an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but continues to occupy the West Bank, expanding its settlements into the area while calling all of Jerusalem its capital.

In a two-state solution, thousands of Jewish settlers in the West Bank would have to leave, relinquishing portions of the land to Palestinians.

"The circumstances of the Israeli-Palestinian standoff have not changed, and China simply will not succeed," said Dennis Wilder, who served as National Security Council director for China from 2004-2005 and is currently a senior fellow for the Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues at Georgetown University.

"The chance of China brokering a peace agreement are between zero and 5%. There have been many attempts by the United States and others over the decades to find a solution acceptable to both parties and all of these attempts have failed," continued Wilder.

Last week, Israeli forces launched the largest attack on a Palestinian refugee camp since 2002 in Jenin.

Jenin is a city administered by the Palestinian Authority since the 1990s in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Program at Chatham House, said for China to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it needs to have a deeper knowledge of the region than Beijing may have.

She continued, China doesnt have many Middle East experts compared to experts on the U.S. foreign policy or European studies," and that Beijing must come across as being a neutral player.

China has been maintaining good ties with Palestinians. Beijing was one of the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and its self-declared state of Palestine, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The PLO opened a diplomatic office in Beijing in 1965 followed by an embassy in 1974.

According to Benjamin Ho, assistant professor for the China Program at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, "the perception of China in the Middle East is a relatively positive one" after "a reservoir of goodwill" was created when Beijing sent COVID-19 vaccine to the region.

Experts said Beijing's interest in brokering peace talks with Middle Eastern rivals is motivated by its need for oil imports and deepening economic ties through its Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure project stretching across the globe.

Wilder said, "It is to China's advantage to have a stable situation in the Middle East as almost half of China's oil supply comes from the region."

Wilder continued, "China's Belt and Road Initiative requires a peaceful environment. China's ambitions in the Middle East are to build extensive economic ties, and it has had success in this realm."

However, he added, "China has no ability to replace the United States as the security guarantor in the region, and there is no evidence it is seeking that role."
On July 11, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausedas proposal to establish permanent military NATO bases near the Russian border, claiming that Russia never moved its military infrastructure westward:

It seems that the Europeans do not understand this mistake, here, it is very important to be aware that the Russian military infrastructure has never moved toward Western Europe, there has always been a movement in the opposite direction.

That is false.

Over the last two decades, Russia has built dozens of new military bases and reactivated Soviet army installations along its borders with Western Europe. In 2014, Russia began a clandestine military operation in eastern Ukraine and in 2022 launched a neocolonial war against Ukraine, attempting to expand Moscows military westward. In 2023, Russia began deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which borders three NATO countries  Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

Below is a brief catalog of Russian military progress in Europe.

Kaliningrad region, Russia

Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave located 370 kilometers away from the rest of the country, is Russias westernmost region.

Since 2016, Russia has significantly militarized Kaliningrad, transferring troops and weapons and forming the 11th Army Corps.

According to CNA, a U.S. government-funded research and analysis organization based in Virginia, from the 1990s through early 2016, the 11th Army Corps composite ground force units had a nominal strength of 12,000 to 18,000 troops, including T-72 tanks, BTK armored personnel carriers, mobile rocket launchers, and artillery.

Kaliningrads high degree of militarization makes it possible for the Kremlin, if Kaliningrad is the target of a Western sanctions blockade, to seize part of Polands Suwalki Corridor, a strip of land less than 80 kilometers long that separates Belarus from Kaliningrad.

Ukraine

After Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in February 2014, the Russian Defense Ministry seized Ukrainian military bases on the peninsula, reactivated old Soviet bases and built new ones.

Object-100 Utes is one of the restored Soviet military bases in Crimea. This complex of coastal missile positions is located in the mountains near Sevastopol. In 2017, cruise missiles were launched from this base during military training exercises.

Russia has also reestablished a network of Soviet radar stations in Crimea's mountains, from which its armed forces can monitor the Black Sea, including the movement of Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish ships.

NATO countries perceived this westward movement of Russian military infrastructure as an open threat.

In September 2016, then British Defense Minister Michael Fallon said that London was concerned about the Russian military buildup in Crimea and the militarization of the Black Sea region generally, adding that Bulgaria and Romania felt very threatened."

Russia has expanded the capabilities of its air force in Crimea by turning the formerly civilian Belbek airport into a military base. Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has been using air bases in Crimea to bomb Ukrainian cities.

By November 2021, Russia had built ten military bases in Ukraine's partially occupied Lugansk and Donetsk regions. Russias military deployed tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and other weaponry to those bases and used that weaponry in its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

By early July 2022, Russia had established temporary and permanent military bases in two other partially occupied Ukrainian regions  Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Belarus

Russias armed forces in Belarus, which borders three NATO countries  Poland, Lithuania and Latvia  are currently at their highest level since the fall of the Soviet Union. Russia has two military bases in Belarus (near the cities of Baranovichi and Vileyka).

The Russian military presence in Belarus allowed Moscow to supply the Lukashenko regime with weapons and equipment to suppress the Belarusian protests of 2020-2021.

In February 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraines Kyiv and Chernihiv regions from Belarus. According to the European Parliament, Belarus also provides its territory for Russian missile strikes and unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against Ukraine.

As noted above, since June, Moscow has begun deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Moldova

In Moldova, Moscow stationed the Operational Group of Russian Forces in Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), a breakaway region not recognized by U.N. member states. The operational group, created in 1995, was based on the Russian armed forces' 14th Army, which had been part of the Soviet Union's armed forces.

At the 1999 Istanbul Summit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Russia made a commitment to complete withdrawal of the Russian forces from the territory of Moldova by the end of 2002.

Russia failed to keep its promise, and the Moldovan authorities repeatedly called for a withdrawal of Russian troops and their replacement by international civilian observers.

In June 2018, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on Russia to withdraw its troops from Moldova's Transnistrian region.

The number of Russian troops in Transnistria in 2015 was estimated at 1,000-1,500. Since then, the number of Russian troops illegally present there has more than doubled. Ukraine estimated in June 2020 that some 3,500 Russian soldiers were stationed in Transnistria.

Serbia

In 2011, Moscow opened a Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center in the southern Serbian city of Nis, which a 2020 Institute of New Europe report identified as a Russian military base:

Russian troops, including engineering troops, helicopters and fighters, are stationed there. The Center operates within humanitarian and ecological issues. However, it plays a double role and is also used by the Russian security services.

The Russian and Serbian armies regularly conduct joint military exercises in Serbia. In 2019, Russia's Defense Ministry announced plans to build a Russian air defense base in Serbia.

In August 2022, Russia's Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko openly referred to the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center as a Russian military base.

Georgia

After the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, the Russian military opened the 7th Military Base in Gudauta, located in Georgias occupied Abkhazia region. According to the InformNaplam website, this Russian military base, located in a country bordering Turkey, a NATO member, hosts 4 mechanized infantry battalions, a tank battalion, two artillery battalions, a rocket artillery battalion, a sniper company, a drone company, a reconnaissance battalion, as well as a number of other separate combat and logistics units.

In 2010, Vladimir Komoyedov, the former commander of Russias Black Sea Fleet, told the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta that the Federal Security Service, Russias successor agency to the Soviet-era KGB, had been given control over Abkhazias Sukhumi and Ochamchira ports, and that those ports had become an additional base for Black Sea Fleet ships:

From now on, the Black Sea Fleet will be more dispersed and therefore less vulnerable. Plus, the task of protecting the sovereignty of Abkhazia from the sea is being solved.

On February 1, 2009, the Russian military established the 4th Guards Military Base in South Ossetia, another Russian-occupied region of Georgia. That base, which hosts as many as 5,000 Russian military service members, is mainly located in the city of Tskhinvali, but separate units are spread across South Ossetia.

In 2022, units from the Russian military bases in Georgia took part in Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Following the NATO summit U.S. President Joe Biden has returned home to the United States, but not before declaring that Russia has already lost the war with Ukraine. Aberystwyth Universitys Jenny Mathers shares her analysis. Plus, a new documentary filmed during Russias invasion of Mariupol.
Guatemala sank deeper into political turmoil Thursday as an effort by prosecutors to discredit a progressive presidential candidate prompted his conservative opponent to suspend her campaign, citing a playing field that was no longer even.

The government's actions against candidate Bernardo Arevalo  first suspending his Seed Movement party, then raiding the country's election tribunal offices after it certified election results  sparked other objections as well, from within and outside Guatemala. U.S. officials called them a threat to the country's democracy.

By Thursday afternoon, those actions appeared to have backfired.

The Constitutional Court  Guatemala's highest  granted a preliminary injunction to the Seed Movement, blocking its suspension. Meanwhile, candidates left and right warned the government to let the voters prevail.

'Clear political purpose'

It was an outcome President Alejandro Giammattei likely did not expect when his administration decided to intervene in the June 25 election, which ended with Arevalo and conservative candidate Sandra Torres moving on to an August 20 presidential runoff.

Arevalo dismissed the government's actions as illegal.

"What they are trying to do is simply plant doubt about our honesty," he told a news conference Thursday, adding that the raid and party's suspension had a "clear political purpose."

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal issued an angry statement declaring that it would safeguard Guatemala's democracy in the face of "any attempt to interfere with the electoral process."

Torres, whose UNE party has been a key force in allowing Giammattei to advance his legislative agenda, said she was halting her campaign activities to protest the government's actions. It was likely that she realized Giammattei's missteps could sink her own candidacy.

"We want to demonstrate our solidarity with the voters of the Seed party and also with those who came out to vote," she said. "As a candidate, I want to compete under equal conditions."

She called on the president to show his face.

Giammattei's office issued a statement saying that it respects the separation of powers and would not be involved in any judicial processes. It also said that in line with the law, it would make presidential security available to the presidential and vice presidential candidates participating in the runoff. Giammattei is prohibited by Guatemalan law from seeking reelection.

Arevalo was a surprise winner in the June 25 election, garnering 11.7% of the votes. In the days before the vote, he had polled below 3% and was not among the top six or seven candidates, all of whom were considered to be on the conservative end of the political spectrum. Torres obtained 15.8% of the vote. No candidate came close to exceeding the 50% threshold necessary to win outright, necessitating the August runoff.

Pledge of change

A former diplomat and academic, Arevalo has framed himself as the candidate who would bring change to the country, while portraying Torres as someone who would likely maintain the status quo.

Arevalo also promised to bring back prosecutors and judges who were critical to the nation's fight against corruption but were forced out of the country under Giammattei's administration.

As the wait dragged on for certification of the election, anxiety grew that the government was looking for a way to change the results. First, several losing parties waged a legal challenge, leading the Constitutional Court to suspend the certification and order a review of hundreds of challenged polling place tallies. The review concluded with no change in the results.

Then late Wednesday, anti-corruption prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche announced the Seed Movement's suspension, an action that appeared to violate Guatemala's election laws, which prohibit suspending parties during an ongoing election. Curruchiche said the party allegedly violated the law while gathering the signatures it needed to form.

The day began Thursday with prosecutors raiding the offices of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal just hours after it certified the election results. The Attorney General's Office said Thursday that the purpose of the raid was to seize evidence from the office responsible for voter rolls and party registration. A raid had also been expected to take place at the Seed Movement's party headquarters Thursday but that appeared unlikely after the high court's injunction.

The U.S. State Department recently accused Curruchiche and his boss, Attorney General Consuelo Porras, of obstructing corruption investigations in Guatemala, and put them both on its list of undemocratic actors.

Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Thursday that the U.S. government was "deeply concerned" by the actions of the Attorney General's Office, which he said threatened the legitimacy of the electoral process. "The will of the Guatemalan people, as expressed through the June 25 elections results, must be respected," he said.

A U.N. spokesperson said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was watching developments in Guatemala with concern and urged all those involved to act responsibly and impartially.
The House passed a sweeping defense bill Friday that provides an expected 5.2% pay raise for service members. But the bill strays from traditional military policy with Republican additions that block abortion coverage, diversity initiatives at the Pentagon and transgender care that deeply divided the chamber.

Democrats voted against the package, which had sailed out of the House Armed Services Committee on an almost unanimous vote weeks ago before being loaded with the GOP priorities during a heated late-night floor debate this week.

The final vote was 219-210, with four Democrats siding with the GOP and four Republicans opposed. The bill, as written, is expected to go nowhere in the Democratic-majority Senate.

Efforts to halt U.S. funding for Ukraine in its war against Russia were turned back, but Republicans added provisions to stem the Defense Department's diversity initiatives and to restrict access to abortions. The abortion issue has been championed by Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, who is singularly stalling Senate confirmation of military officers, including the new commandant of the Marine Corps.

"We are continuing to block the Biden administration's 'woke' agenda," said House lawmaker Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican.

Turning the must-pass defense bill into a partisan battleground shows how deeply the nation's military has been unexpectedly swept into disputes over race, equity and women's health care that are driving the Republican Party's priorities in America's widening national divide.

During one particularly tense moment in the debate, Democratic lawmaker Joyce Beatty of Ohio, a former chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke of how difficult it was to look across the aisle as Republicans chip away at gains for women, Black people and others in the military.

"You are setting us back," she said about an amendment from lawmaker Eli Crane, an Arizona Republican, that would prevent the Defense Department from requiring participation in race-based training for hiring, promotions or retention.

Crane argued that Russia and China do not mandate diversity measures in their military operations and neither should the United States.

"We don't want our military to be a social experiment," he said. "We want the best of the best."

When Crane used the pejorative phrase "colored people" for Black military personnel, Beatty asked for his words to be stricken from the record.

Friday's vote capped a tumultuous week for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, as conservatives essentially drove the agenda, forcing their colleagues to consider their ideas for the annual bill that has been approved by Congress unfailingly since World War II.

"I think he's doing great because we are moving through  it was like over 1,500 amendments  and we're moving through them," said House lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia. She told reporters she changed her mind to support the bill after McCarthy offered her a seat on the committee that will be negotiating the final version with the Senate.

Democrats, in a joint leadership statement, said they were voting against the bill because Republicans "turned what should be a meaningful investment in our men and women in uniform into an extreme and reckless legislative joyride."

"Extreme MAGA Republicans have chosen to hijack the historically bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to continue attacking reproductive freedom and jamming their right-wing ideology down the throats of the American people," said the statement from House lawmakers Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California.

The defense bill authorizes $874.2 billion in the coming year for defense spending, keeping with President Joe Biden's budget request. The funding itself is to be allocated later, when Congress handles the appropriation bills, as is the normal process.

The package sets policy across the Defense Department, as well as in aspects of the Energy Department, and this year focuses particularly on the U.S. stance toward China, Russia and other national security fronts.

Republican opposition to U.S. support for the war in Ukraine drew a number of amendments, including one to block the use of cluster munitions that Biden just sent to help Ukraine battle Russia. It was a controversial move because the weapons, which can leave behind unexploded munitions endangering civilians, are banned by many other countries.

Most of those efforts to stop U.S. support for Ukraine failed. Proposals to roll back the Pentagon's diversity and inclusion measures and block some medical care for transgender personnel were approved.

GOP Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas, who served as a White House physician, pushed the abortion measure that would prohibit the defense secretary from paying for or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services.

Jackson and other Republicans praised Tuberville for his stand against the Pentagon's abortion policy, which gained prominence as states started banning the procedure after the Supreme Court decision last summer overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade law.

But it's not at all certain that the House position will stand as the legislation moves to the Senate, which is preparing its own version of the bill. Senate Democrats have the majority but will need to work with Republicans on a bipartisan measure to ensure enough support for passage in their chamber.

Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee, led by lawmaker Adam Smith of Washington state, dropped their support because of the social policy amendments.

Smith lamented that the bill that the committee passed overwhelmingly "no longer exists. What was once an example of compromise and functioning government has become an ode to bigotry and ignorance."
The International Criminal Court on Friday confirmed a more than $30 million reparations package for thousands of victims of Democratic Republic of the Congo warlord Bosco Ntaganda, including former child soldiers.

Named "the Terminator" for his reign of terror in the vast African country in the early 2000s, Ntaganda was jailed for 30 years in 2019 for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Judges afterward awarded $30.3 million in reparations, but last year ordered a review, saying the number of victims was unclear.

But on Friday "the chamber unanimously assesses Mr. Ntaganda's liability for reparations at USD $31,300,000," the Hague-based court said in a statement.

Although Ntaganda is liable for the payment, the ICC found that he did not have the funds, which would now be paid from the Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC.

Judges asked court officials to "continue exploring whether Mr. Ntaganda possessed any undiscovered assets" and monitor his finances "on an ongoing basis."

Judges added that based on available information, there were an estimated 7,500 direct and indirect victims of violent attacks, as well as 3,000 direct or indirect victims of crimes against child soldiers.

No financial amounts were given for specific victims, but payment would include about $11 million in socioeconomic support and $5 million for mental care resulting from "psychological harm" suffered during the attacks.

Rehabilitation of former child soldiers was estimated at roughly $4,000 per person.

The ICC in 2021 upheld a 30-year sentence on appeal for war crimes against Ntaganda.

"The chamber reiterates that Mr. Ntaganda's conviction is final and his liability to repair the harm caused to the victims of his crimes is under no discussion," the judges stressed in Friday's order.

"The chamber will continue striving to advance these reparation proceedings in the most efficient and effective manner possible ... ensuring that the victims of his crimes receive the reparations they are entitled to, and for which they have waited for more than two decades, without further delay," they said.

The Rwandan-born Ntaganda, 49, was convicted of 18 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, sexual slavery, rape and using child soldiers.

Ntaganda was the first person to be convicted of sexual slavery by the court.

Many of the other charges related to massacres of villagers in the mineral-rich Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
An Indian rocket hurtled into space Friday to land a robotic rover on an unexplored area of the moon  a challenging feat India was unable to accomplish on a mission four years ago.

Only three countries, the U.S., China and Russia, have made what is called a soft or controlled landing on the lunar surface. If the Indian Space Research Organization, or ISRO, is successful this time, some observers say the mission will establish Indias position as one of the worlds leading space powers.

Millions around the country watched a live telecast of the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft from Sriharikota in southern India and thousands packed a viewing gallery in the launch sites vicinity.

Congratulations India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey toward the moon, ISRO Chairman Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said, after the launch, as scientists at the mission control center clapped and shook hands.

The missions real test will come some 40 days from now when the lander equipped with a robotic rover will separate from the main spacecraft to land on the lunar surface on August 23 or August 24.

This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation," Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting France, tweeted ahead of the launch.

Fridays launch by the ISRO is the country's first major space mission since the failed attempt in 2019 when scientists lost contact with the lander minutes before it was scheduled to descend on the lunar surface. It was later established that it had crashed.

Chandrayaan-3 also will deploy a rover near the lunar South Pole, where it is expected to run a series of experiments for 14 days focusing on the composition of lunar soil and rocks. Chandrayaan means "moon vehicle" in Sanskrit.

India is hoping to become the first country to conduct studies of the South Pole, where no mission has ventured, and which scientists say has a different geology from the equatorial regions of the lunar surface.

There is an expectation the South Pole has ice deposits in the depths of craters, as well as minerals.

Scientists at the ISRO expressed optimism about Chandrayaan-3 achieving its goal of a soft landing, saying the mistakes that led to the failure of the previous mission have been rectified.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is crucial for India  even though its space program is much more modest than that of countries like the U.S. and China, the country wants to showcase its technological prowess amid its ambitions to be seen as an emerging global power.

It is indeed a moment of glory for India and a moment of destiny for all of us, Indias minister for science and technology, Jitendra Prasad, said after the lift-off of the spacecraft.

Entering a small elite club, or becoming one of the pioneers of certain efforts, such as those in space, will continue to be a major indicator of skill, talent, capability and sound organization that decision-makers are able to utilize and leverage in politics, Tomas Hrozensky of the European Space Policy Institute told VOA in emailed comments.

Indias space program, built largely on its own proprietary technology, has long been a source of pride for the country. Its first mission to the moon helped establish the presence of water on the moon.

Although the second mission was unsuccessful in making a landing, it placed an orbiter around the moon that continues to relay data. An unmanned mission to Mars in 2013 marked the countrys first interplanetary mission. The ISRO is now developing a spacecraft to take astronauts into orbit, probably in 2025.

India has also for decades launched its own satellites and those of other countries with its space program focusing heavily on low-cost access to space.

Experts also say the price tag of Indias current mission, $75 million, also underlines Indias prowess in conducting space exploration at a modest cost.

Exploring the moon has reemerged on the radar of many countries in recent years. The U.S. space agency NASA has announced that a four-member astronaut crew will carry out a planned test mission around the moon next year. In addition, India and the U.S. are collaborating to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station next year.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the guest of honor at this year's Bastille Day celebration Friday in Paris.

Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will watch the spectacle together as French and Indian soldiers march down the Champs Elysee.

French-manufactured Rafale fighter jets that India purchased a few years ago will also participate in a flyover of the Arc de Triomphe.

Modi's guest of honor status in the annual event marking France's national holiday comes after India's recent approval to purchase 26 Rafale jets and three Scorpene-class submarines from France for India's military.

Macron said Thursday at a dinner for Modi held at the Elysee Palace that India is "a giant in the history of the world that will have a determining role in our future" and "is also a strategic partner and friend."

Meanwhile, also on Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for "human rights to be integrated into all areas of the EU-India partnership, including in trade." The resolution called on member states "to systematically and publicly raise human rights concerns" at the highest level.

In addition, an assortment of personalities urged Macron, in a commentary in Le Monde, not to forget Modi's dismal human rights record and to "encourage Prime Minister Modi to end repression of the civil society, assure freedom of major media (outlets) and protect religious liberty."

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The National Unity Government of Myanmar, led by opponents of the ruling junta, has criticized a recent meeting between Thailand's top diplomat and Aung San Suu Kyi, saying that it may complicate ASEAN's efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.

Thailand's foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, has revealed that he met with the ousted Myanmar leader on July 9, and that she expressed her willingness to discuss with him further the issues in her war-torn country.

Zin Mar Aung, the foreign minister of the NUG, expressed her disapproval, saying the Thai minister's actions were an attempt to parallel ASEAN's role in resolving the crisis. She said the Thai official's move calls into question the existing arrangement in which Western powers and the U.N. Security Council have pushed for ASEAN to play a central role in resolving the conflict, which has escalated since a military coup in February 2021.

Five-point proposal

Indonesias foreign minister, whose country is the current chair of ASEAN, stated at an annual meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers this week in Jakarta that ASEAN would continue to prioritize its five-point peace proposal. The proposal, developed in 2021, calls for a cessation of violence and brokered dialogue between the parties. The junta has faced widespread criticism for failing to implement its terms.

Thailand's foreign minister is the only international official who has been granted access to Suu Kyi since the coup. He assured ASEAN officials at the meeting in Jakarta that Suu Kyi was in good health.

In a statement released Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Myanmars military regime to implement ASEANS five-point consensus and to support a return to democratic governance.

For more perspectives and insights, VOA conducted an interview with the NUG's Zin Mar Aung, via Zoom, on Thursday. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

VOA: Did Thailand's foreign minister discuss his secret trip to Myanmar with the NUG? According to multiple media outlets, he briefed his ASEAN colleagues about his meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday in Myanmar during the bloc's foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta. Has the NUG approached him directly about these matters?

Zin Mar Aung, NUG foreign minister: No. We didnt receive any direct communication from the Thai foreign minister regarding his meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi. The NUG has attempted to contact both the foreign minister and the Thai special envoy on Myanmar, but have received absolutely no response. We have often attempted diplomatic communication with Thailand's foreign minister on issues such as Myanmar's refugee crisis and the arrest and detention of migrant workers. The Thai foreign ministry has yet to respond to the NUG officially on any of these issues but continues to communicate with the junta regularly.

VOA: According to Japans Kyodo News, Aung San Suu Kyi told the minister that she supports "dialogue without any preconditions" to address her country's ongoing issues. What is NUG's opinion on this?

Zin Mar Aung: The first thing I'd want to point out is that the Thai foreign minister's comments about conveying Aung San Suu Kyi's views are inherently one-sided. She is a political prisoner with no freedom to communicate with the outside world. There were only two people at the meeting, so we have to take only his word for what was said. That is why we are skeptical that the Thai foreign minister or the junta would accurately convey messages from her that dont fit their agenda.

VOA: How does this meeting affect the NUG?

Zin Mar Aung: The main issue is, due to the Thai foreign minister's visit, both ASEAN and the international community have become more confused when dealing with the Myanmar issue. Thailand stated that because it is Myanmar's ASEAN neighbor, it bears greater responsibility for the Myanmar issue. However, they actually try to go around the five-point consensus, rather than helping to implement it. Thailand's parallel track, outside of official channels, violates the ASEAN common agreement. Western countries and Myanmar's neighbors, such as India and China, have pushed for ASEAN centrality in resolving Myanmar's problems. NUG also have criticisms of the ASEAN, and we feel that ASEAN alone is no longer enough; however, the Thai foreign ministers actions only serve to weaken it further.

VOA: Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, while attending the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, stated that he would focus on attempting to end the crisis in Myanmar. However, there is also focus on the South China Sea dispute between China and ASEAN countries. So, do you think the U.S. is effectively putting pressure on ASEAN on the Myanmar issue?

Zin Mar Aung: I must respond that it is ineffective. In the case of Myanmar, there is an ASEAN centrality policy that states that only ASEAN should take the lead in addressing the issue. It arose because powerful countries do not want to conflict with one another on the Myanmar issue. They went to ASEAN to avoid their conflicts. The Myanmar issue is simply one of several for world powers and ASEAN members. There are also regional issues, such as the South China Sea problem. There are also Indo-Pacific concerns to consider. For the U.S., Myanmar is simply a small component of their overall strategy; similarly, exerting pressure on ASEAN is only a small element of their overall strategy. As a result, the United States cannot exert significant pressure on ASEAN.
Pakistan reiterated a call for Afghanistans Taliban authorities Friday to rein in terrorists plotting assaults across their shared border after insurgents killed at least 12 Pakistani soldiers this week.



Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit an effective response from the security forces of Pakistan, a military statement said without elaborating. The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed.



The stern warning came two days after insurgents raided an army base in Baluchistan and ambushed security forces elsewhere in the southwestern province, which borders Afghanistan. The violence Wednesday killed at least 12 soldiers and a civilian, making it the deadliest day for the military in recent months.



The armed forces of Pakistan have serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP in Afghanistan, the military said.



It referred to the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, waging terrorist attacks against the Pakistani state. The group is an offshoot and close ally of the Afghan Taliban. Pakistani officials say TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, has moved its operational bases to Afghanistan and stepped up cross-border attacks since the Taliban regained control of the neighboring country in August 2021.



Baluchistan and the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan have experienced much of the resurgent violence. Insurgent suicide bombings and attacks reportedly have killed more than 400 Pakistanis, including security forces, nationwide since the beginning of 2023.



The Pakistani military has lost at least 120 officers and soldiers in militant attacks in the first six months of the year. TTP and the so-called Baluch Liberation Army, both designated as global terrorist organizations by the United States, have claimed responsibility for plotting most of the bloodshed.

It is expected that [the] interim Afghan government would not allow the use of its soil to perpetrate terror against any country, in the real sense and in line with commitments made in the Doha Agreement, the Pakistani military said Friday.



The statement referred to the February 2020 deal the United States negotiated under the Trump administration with the then-insurgent Taliban in Doha, the capital of Qatar.



The landmark understanding paved the way for all U.S.-led NATO troops to depart Afghanistan just days after Taliban insurgents seized power, ending two decades of U.S. involvement in the war. The Taliban, in turn, pledged they would not allow terrorist groups to threaten other countries from Afghan soil.



The Taliban government did not immediately respond to Fridays allegations by Pakistan. Taliban leaders have maintained they do not allow TTP or any other groups to threaten neighboring countries, including Pakistan, from Afghan soil.



Pakistani officials say they have found evidence that fighters of the Afghan Taliban joined hands with TTP to carry out attacks.



The rise in TTP attacks has strained Islamabads relations with the Taliban-led government in Kabul. The Taliban brokered and hosted talks between Pakistan and the TTP in June 2022, leading to a cease-fire. But the insurgents unilaterally ended the truce last November and resumed their terror campaign against the Pakistani state.
NAIROBI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN Human Rights Office on Friday called on Kenyan authorities to investigate circumstances in which 23 people were killed and dozens of others injured in the demonstrations over the high cost of living.

Jeremy Laurence, the UN Human Rights Office spokesperson, expressed concern about the widespread violence, and allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, including the use of firearms, by police during protests in Kenya.

"We call for prompt, thorough, independent, and transparent investigations into the deaths and injuries. Those responsible must be held to account. Effective measures to prevent further deaths and injuries must be adopted," Laurence said in a statement.

The statement came as Azimio la Umoja (Resolution for Unity)-One Kenya Alliance Coalition announced Friday it would hold protests for three consecutive days from Wednesday to Friday next week.

The coalition said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that due to public demand, it had reviewed its earlier plan to have the protests only on Wednesday.

"Further to the communication issued yesterday (Thursday) on the Third Wave of peaceful protests scheduled to start on Wednesday next week, and following overwhelming requests from all sectors of the Kenyan Public for the need to intensify these demonstrations, the coalition hereby wishes to announce a revision of the calendar," it said.

The opposition's statement came despite a strong warning by Kenyan President William Ruto who has vowed not to tolerate the protests which has left property of unknown value destroyed.

Laurence, however, appealed for calm and encouraged open dialogue to address social, economic, and political grievances, to identify lasting solutions in the interests of all Kenyans.

In light of calls for further protests next week, Laurence called on the authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution and international human rights law.

He said the policing of protests must seek to facilitate peaceful assemblies, and any use of force must be guided by the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination, adding that firearms should never be used to disperse protests.

The government, in a bid to raise more revenue to cut external borrowing, sought to implement various taxation measures among them increasing tax on fuel products from 8 percent to 16 percent and imposing a housing levy of 1.5 percent for all employed citizens.

While the High Court has temporarily blocked the new law or the Finance Act, the new fuel tax was implemented leading to an increase in commuter fare and prices of various basic commodities, which has worsened the plight of citizens. 
Foreign ministers of two dozen countries meet in Indonesia on Friday with U.S.-China rivalry, the war in Ukraine and North Korean missiles set to dominate roundtable talks in Southeast Asia's annual security gathering.

Top diplomats from China, the United States and Russia were among those set to join Friday's ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), where broad-based agendas are typically hijacked by the week's geopolitical flare-ups, offering a theater for fierce rebukes, superpower squabbles and occasional walk-outs.

In opening remarks to foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), chairman Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the gathering aimed to seek solutions rather than exacerbate regional and global problems.

"We, the ASEAN members that are developing, need the understanding, wisdom, support from developed countries, from our neighboring countries, to leave the zero sum approach and take a win-win solution approach," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held "candid and constructive" talks with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Thursday in Jakarta, according to the State Department, the latest in a series of interactions it said are aimed at managing differences between the two superpowers.

U.S.-China sparring dominated last year's ARF, which came a few days after then U.S. house speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, enraging Beijing, which launched live-fire drills around Taiwan and halted numerous channels of dialog with Washington.

Thursday's meeting was part of ongoing efforts to keep channels of communication open and "responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Wang told Blinken the key to bringing the relationship back on the right track was adopting "a rational and pragmatic attitude," China's foreign ministry said.

On Thursday, Chinese fighter jets monitored a U.S. Navy patrol plane that flew through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, as China carried out military exercises south of the island, which it claims as one of its provinces.

Lavrov: Western 'domination'

The 10-member ASEAN hosts an East Asia Summit on Friday morning before holding a separate meeting with Blinken.

They will be joined in the afternoon by foreign ministers of Russia, Australia, Japan, Britain, South Korea, and more, for the closed-doors ARF, which is expected to address Pyongyang's launch this week of its latest Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile, which it defended on Thursday at the United Nations Security Council.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also in Jakarta, where he gave an interview saying the war in Ukraine would not end until the West "gives up its plans to preserve its domination," including its "obsessive desire" to defeat Russia strategically.

China's Wang also met with Lavrov, and said the two sides would "strengthen strategic communication and coordination."

Western nations are also expected to condemn Myanmar's ruling military for its alleged atrocities against the civilian population, as the junta cracks down on its opponents and deploys fighter jets and heavy artillery to flush out an armed pro-democracy resistance movement.

ASEAN member Myanmar has been barred from the bloc's meetings over the junta's failure to honor a two-year-old deal with the grouping to end hostilities and start dialog. ASEAN's unity has been tested over how to approach the crisis.

The bloc late on Thursday "strongly condemned the continued acts of violence, including air strikes, artillery shelling, and destruction of public facilities" in its customary communique, which was issued more than 30 hours after foreign ministers concluded their meeting, a delay that in previous years has indicated discord over its contents.
Latest developments:

The British Defense Ministry said Friday that Russia's recent announcement that its nuclear-powered submarines will not participate in the Navy Day fleet review in St. Petersburg on July 30 is "likely primarily due to" maintenance and availability concerns. The ministry added, though, there's "a realistic possibility that internal security concerns, since Wagner Group's attempted mutiny, have contributed to the decision."

European Union finance ministers on Friday unanimously backed extra funds for Ukraine. The European Commission has proposed increasing the EU's budget until 2027 by $74.11 billion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address Saturday, The Russian forces on our southern and eastern lands are investing everything they can to stop our warriors. He said, Everyone who goes on the offensive, everyone who repels enemy attacks, are doing a great job, and I am grateful to each of our warriors.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is still waiting for a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin on a proposal to extend a deal allowing Ukraine grain exports safe passage through the Black Sea corridor, a U.N. spokesperson said Friday, Guterres wrote to Putin on Tuesday asking him to extend the Black Sea deal in return for connecting a subsidiary of Russia's Agricultural Bank, Rosselkhozbank, to the SWIFT international payment system, sources told Reuters, but had not received a reply.

Discussions are being had, WhatsApp messages are being sent, Signal messages are being sent and exchanged. We're also waiting for a response to the letter," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters when asked about the negotiations.

Earlier Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to extend the Black Sea grain deal, which is set to expire on Monday.

"If Moscow follows through on its threat, developing countries including in the region will pay the price, including quite literally with higher food prices, as well as greater food scarcity," Blinken told reporters after the Southeast Asian talks ended in Jakarta. Top diplomats from China, the United States and Russia were among those who gathered for diplomatic discussions.

So far, Russia has not made any statements regarding an extension of the Black Sea grain deal, the Interfax news agency reported Friday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said Friday that he agreed with Putin that the grain export deal should be extended. However, Reuters reported that Erdogan's comments had been misconstrued as suggesting an extension deal was reached when there was no confirmation of that.

Russia has said it would agree to extend the deal only if its conditions are met regarding its implementation.

During the news conference Friday at the ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta, Blinken also said Russia is showing no indication of backpedaling on the course of its war on Ukraine.

The U.S. secretary of state said there was no indication that Russia was willing to engage in meaningful diplomacy on the war it launched on its neighbor in February 2022.

"I didn't hear anything from Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov that suggested any change in direction when it comes to what Russia is doing in Ukraine." He noted that instead, Russia was focused on blaming the U.S. for the world's problems.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said separately that Lavrov had "aggressively" rejected a call to withdraw troops from Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Lavrov said the war would not end until the West "gives up its plans to preserve its domination," including its "obsessive desire" to defeat Russia strategically.

Wagner Group

Belarus said Friday that fighters from the Wagner mercenary group were training Belarusian soldiers at a military range southeast of Minsk.

Two sources close to the fighters told Reuters the mercenaries have been stationed near the Belarusian capital since Tuesday. This is the first indication that at least part of a deal to end a mutiny in Russia may be in effect.

To secure Wagner fighters' loyalty after their aborted revolt against the Kremlin's brass, Putin offered the military company the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under a commander, Andrei Troshev.

He is a retired military officer who has played a leading role in Wagner since its creation in 2014 and has faced European Union sanctions over his role in Syria as the group's executive director. Troshev goes by the call sign "Gray Hair." Putin made these comments Friday in an interview with top Russian newspaper Kommersant.

Putin previously said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to neighboring Belarus, or retire from service.

There has been no news about Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin's whereabouts since the short-lived revolt on June 24, though a private jet linked to him has moved between Belarus, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said the United States was unsure where Prigozhin was but joked that the mercenary chief should be cautious.

"If I were him, I'd be careful what I ate. I'd be keeping my eye on my menu," Biden said, according to White House. "But all kidding aside  I don't think any of us know for sure what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia."

Ukrainian counteroffensive

Russia is doing all it can to stop Ukrainian forces from advancing in the east and south of the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his nightly video address.

"We must all understand very clearly, as clearly as possible, that Russian forces in our southern and eastern lands are doing everything they can in order to stop our soldiers," Zelenskyy said after chairing a meeting with top commanders.

"And every thousand meters we advance, every success of every combat brigade deserves gratitude. Everyone who goes on the offensive, everyone who repels enemy attacks, are doing a great job, and I am grateful to each of our warriors! said the Ukrainian president.

Russian strikes

Russian attacks killed at least three Ukrainian civilians and wounded another 38, Ukraine's presidential office reported Thursday.

The government in Kyiv said Russian forces targeted 13 cities and villages under Russian control in the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region with airstrikes, missiles and heavy artillery.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said their air defenses shot down 20 Iranian-made drones fired by Russia that targeted the Kyiv region. But they said wreckage from the drones fell on four districts of the capital early Thursday, hospitalizing two people with shrapnel wounds and destroying several homes.

The latest wave was the third consecutive night in which the drones were used in attacks on Kyiv.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Sudanese activists are calling for an investigation into reports of rape, sexual assault and other gender-based violence during the fighting in Sudan.

Activists say they have credible information that members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, have been carrying out such abuses in Khartoum and the West Darfur region.

Sudan's Gender-Based Violence Unit has documented nearly 90 cases of sexual assault and rapes of women and girls since fighting began three months ago between the paramilitary RSF and the Sudanese armed forces.

Suleima Ishaaq Al Khalifa, who leads the unit, told VOA there's a much larger number of cases going unreported because of fears of being stigmatized within communities.

The people are not reporting very much because of the lack of health services available nearby," she said, adding that victims "dont want to expose themselves, their family members, to their communities.

Various Sudanese womens groups say they have collected credible accounts from survivors who identified the perpetrators as RSF fighters.

'Horrible' abuse

Sumeya Musa, an advocacy and human rights team officer with the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, shared with VOA an account of one of the victims of sexual violence in West Darfur state, who said women there are struggling to access emergency contraception and medication that can prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

"I sat with a lady who expressed that she has never had an experience worse than rape since she was born," Musa said. "She has been raped before her young daughter, and she described the incident as horrible.

Amira Saleh, 26, fled Khartoum over the past week to the eastern town of Port Sudan. She told VOA the fighting had trapped her and many other women and girls inside houses in southern Khartoum for more than 75 days.

Saleh said that during this period, they were not allowed to go out at all. She said they were afraid that if they did go out and were seen by the Rapid Support Forces, they would be exposed to rape or sexual assault. She said it was a deliberate tactic used by the RSF against women.

Any sexual assault is punishable under Sudanese law, said Salwa Abdulmajeed, an advocate and a human rights defender.

Abdulmajeed said rape is one of the crimes listed in the Sudanese penal act, outlined in Article 149. It is punishable with 100 slashes and an imprisonment period not less than 10 years. He also says it is listed as a crime against humanity that can lead to a death penalty.

Yousif Ezzet, political adviser to the RSFs commander, denied the allegation, saying there have not been widespread sexual attacks committed by the RSF.

We have received reports of incidents, but not widespread incidents, he said.

On Thursday, the U.N. accused the RSF of carrying out massacres of civilians in West Darfur after finding mass graves with at least 87 bodies, including women and children.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the killings and called for a prompt, thorough and independent investigation, saying that those responsible must be held to account.
Countries at this year's U.N. climate summit must face up to how far behind they are on climate change targets and agree to a plan to get on track, the United Arab Emirates' incoming president of the event said on Thursday.

In a speech laying out the country's plan for the COP28 summit, to be held in Dubai in November, Sultan al-Jaber said the event should also yield international goals to triple renewable energy as well as double energy savings and hydrogen production by 2030.

"We must be brutally honest about the gaps that need to be filled, the root causes and how we got to this place here today," Jaber told a meeting in Brussels of climate ministers and officials from countries including Brazil, China, the United States and European Union members.

"Then we must apply a far-reaching, forward-looking, action-oriented and comprehensive response to address these gaps practically," he said.

The COP28 summit will be the first formal assessment of countries' progress towards the Paris Agreement's target to limit climate change to 1.5 Celsius (34.7 Fahrenheit) of warming. The current policies and pledges of countries would fail to meet that goal.

"We can't afford a meaningless stocktake. This is about accountability of our previous, present and future updates," Canadian Climate Minister Steven Guilbeault told Thursday's meeting.

The assessment at COP28  known as the Global Stocktake  will increase pressure on major emitters to update their actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Jaber said all governments should update their emissions-cutting targets by September, which the UAE did last month.

Fund for poorer countries

The UAE, a major OPEC oil exporter, has been under pressure to lay out its vision for the COP28 summit and guide preparations among the nearly 200 countries expected to attend.

A round of preparatory United Nations climate negotiations in June yielded little progress. Countries spent days wrangling over issues including whether to even discuss urgent CO2-cutting action  known in U.N. jargon as the "mitigation work program."

Jaber, who is also the head of UAE state-owned oil company ADNOC, said the COP28 summit also aims to establish a promised fund to compensate poorer countries where climate change is inflicting irreparable damage.

Countries finally agreed at last year's U.N. climate talks to form the "loss and damage" fund, but left the toughest decisions for later, including which countries should pay into it.

Finance has dominated recent climate negotiations, as poorer nations demand greater support to both invest in low-carbon energy and cope with spiraling costs from droughts, floods and rising sea levels.

Jaber called for a "comprehensive transformation" of international financial institutions to unlock more capital to tackle climate change  echoing ideas put forward by climate-vulnerable nations including the Barbados-led "Bridgetown Initiative" to reform multilateral finance institutions.
Ugandas president is blaming poor intelligence gathering for the army's struggle to stop rebels from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

President Yoweri Museveni blames members of the Allied Democratic Forces rebel group for a June attack on a school that killed 41 people.

In a security address Thursday, Museveni told Ugandans that the ADF had been wiped out, but that it was allowed to regroup and grow by the previous DRC leadership.

The Congo government of his excellency [former President Joseph] Kabila, supported by some regional and international actors, gave them free tenancy in North Kivu and Ituri," he said. "They were mining gold, selling timber, harvesting peoples cocoa, collecting taxes, extorting money from people, et cetera.

Museveni said ADF's members have operated in the DRC as individuals instead of a group since 2007 and have connected with other terrorist groups like al-Qaida. He said that since the ADF's defeat in Uganda 16 years ago, ADF had planted 34 bombs in the country.

He said that in recent years. the Uganda People's Defense Forces have built an antiterrorism capacity that ensures the rebels wont take control of any part of Uganda.

Where are the rebels?

Still, he said, the Ugandan forces face an intelligence problem. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has allowed the UPDF to enter Congo and fight the ADF, but the Ugandan troops "need to know where [the rebels] are in Congo and what they are planning."

Museveni added that some people have suggested he close the border with the DRC. Such a move would be costly, since Uganda earns millions of dollars in cross-border trade.

Musevenis address came almost one month after the ADF attacked the Lhubiriha Secondary School near the Mpondwe border crossing with the DRC. Thirty-eight of the 41 people killed were students.

Security analyst Solomon Asiimwe of Nkumba University says it is time for the Ugandan government to look at other ways to neutralize the ADF.

"Terrorism cannot be defeated just through only military," he said. He noted that the ADF leader, Jamil Mukulu, had been arrested and imprisoned, "but ADF has not stopped. Maybe its high time [the] government also finds a way of talking to ADF. Because they are Ugandans, they have a reason why they are fighting.

Museveni said the countrys young people need to be empowered and to rise out of poverty instead of being manipulated by the ADF.

The Ugandan security council chaired by Museveni is expected to meet within a week to discuss options for ending ADF attacks.
Editor's note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch.

Guterres writes to Putin about grain deal

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter Tuesday to Russian President Vladimir Putin outlining a proposal aimed at removing hurdles affecting financial transactions through the Russian Agricultural Bank, while allowing for the continued flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea grain deal. The deal could expire on July 18 if Moscow decides to pull out, as it has repeatedly said it is not benefiting enough from the nearly year-old initiative.

Food security report shows unprecedented hunger

Hopes of ending hunger by the end of this decade have all but evaporated as multiple crises  climate change, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, including the war in Ukraine  have pushed more than 122 million people into hunger since 2019 to reach an unprecedented high of 735 million.

Russia uses veto to block aid to millions of Syrians

On Tuesday, Russia vetoed the continuation of a U.N. aid operation that is a lifeline to more than 4 million Syrians living in areas outside government control. U.N. aid trucks stopped rolling through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing between Turkey and northwest Syria at midnight on Monday when the Security Council authorization expired. On Thursday, the Syrian government announced it would allow the U.N. to use Bab al-Hawa for six months  removing the need for council authorization. Not everyone was pleased. Some aid groups and Western diplomats said this would mean that control of the crossing (and the aid that goes through it) would now shift from a neutral party  the United Nations  to the Syrian government, which is responsible for much of the suffering in northwest Syria. The U.N. says it is studying the Syrian offer and, as of Friday, had not moved any aid through the crossing.

Global public debt hit $92 trillion in 2022

The secretary-general warned Wednesday that nearly 40% of the developing world is in serious debt, as public debt reached a record $92 trillion last year. "Some 3.3 billion people  almost half of humanity  live in countries that spend more on debt interest payments than on education or health," Guterres said, calling for reform of the international financial system.

Rights chief slams Russias costly, senseless war in Ukraine

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine as a costly, senseless war that has killed or injured thousands of civilians and violated the human rights of millions. Turk presented an oral update on the situation in Ukraine and Crimea on Wednesday to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In brief

 The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Thursday that his office is investigating reports that at least 87 people were found in a mass grave in Sudans West Darfur state. The U.N. human rights office said the dead, including women and children, were found outside El Geneina and included members of the Masalit ethnic group. The U.N. said there is credible evidence that Sudan's Rapid Support Forces and an allied militia were responsible for the killings.

 The U.N. childrens agency said Friday that in the first six months of this year, approximately 11,600 children are believed to have made the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe and nearly 300 have died. Both figures are double those from the same time last year, making the Mediterranean one of the deadliest migration routes in the world for children. UNICEF said the deaths are preventable and called for safe, legal and accessible pathways for children to seek protection and reunite with their family members.

 It is possible to end AIDS by 2030 if countries demonstrate the political will to invest in prevention and treatment and adopt nondiscriminatory laws, UNAIDS said in a report Thursday. Of the estimated 39 million people living with HIV globally, 29.8 million are receiving lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. UNAIDS says prevention and treatment must be scaled up and sustainable and adequate funding is needed.

 A peacekeeper from Rwanda was killed Monday when his patrol came under attack by an armed group in the Haute-Kotto prefecture in the northeastern Central African Republic. Sergeant Eustache Tabarao, 39, was on his second deployment to the C.A.R. with the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission known as MINUSCA.

 The United States officially rejoined the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on Monday. Under the Trump administration, Washington pulled out of UNESCO, citing what it said was its anti-Israel bias and need for reform. In June, the U.S. informed the Paris-based organization that it wanted to rejoin as a full member and would pay about $619 million in arrears over several years. On June 9, members voted 132 in favor and 10 against to readmit the United States. Washingtons return will boost UNESCOs bottom line, as it funds 22% of the organizations regular budget.

Good news

Preparatory work for the transfer of a million barrels of oil from the decaying floating supertanker FSO Safer onto a rescue vessel off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea has begun, the United Nations said Monday. The transfer should start next week and be completed by early August, allaying fears of a potentially catastrophic oil spill.

Next week

On July 18, the U.N. Security Council will hold its first meeting on artificial intelligence. While the technology has the potential to benefit humanity, experts are also raising alarm about grave potential dangers. The council will hear from briefers, including Guterres and two AI experts, on how to harness international cooperation for its safe and responsible use.
U.S. lawmakers Thursday charged the Chinese Communist Party is using coercive economic practices to achieve worldwide dominance over the United States.

The accusations came at a hearing of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party days after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with Chinese officials in Beijing to discuss the nations economic relationship.

Yellen said that while the United States was taking targeted national security actions, a decoupling of the world's two largest economies would be disastrous for interests for both countries and destabilizing for the world, and it would be virtually impossible to undertake. We want a dynamic and healthy global economy that is open, free and fair.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been tense since the U.S. downed a Chinese spy balloon earlier this year. Witnesses told the House panel Thursday U.S. companies are facing increasing threats operating inside China.

There's no such thing as a private company in China, a raft of legislation like the updated counterespionage law, the data security law, the anti-foreign sanctions law has codified what was always true. China reserves the right to swipe any data, to seize any assets and take IP that it wishes, committee Chairman Mike Gallagher said.

According to committee members, Chinas restrictive environment is resulting in a so-called brain-drain of its own business people, turning China into the top country in the world for the departure of wealthy individuals, fleeing what they fear is the Communist Partys ability to arbitrarily seize assets.

Witnesses testified the environment in China is becoming increasingly restrictive for American companies and individuals.

In the last few months, PRC authorities are now charging any domestic or foreign businessperson with espionage simply for providing any services using PRC information to grant or give to third-country-based customers, Piper Lounsbury, chief research and development officer at Strategy Risks, a risk management firm for companies doing business in China, said.

European companies have also complained about a worsening climate for business. In June, a survey by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China reported a record-high 64% of surveyed China-based European companies reported that doing business in China became more difficult in 2022.

The crackdown on consulting businesses, the enhanced data, secrecy laws and the flow of PRC information just highlight the negative symmetry that we have with China. This means that even companies now can't even do due diligence in advance of any sort of business transaction, Lounsbury, said.

The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry pushed back against criticism of its business practices Monday in response to a U.S. State Department travel advisory issued this month warning Americans citizens of the risk of wrongful detention.

China is a country under the rule of law. The decision of relevant departments to carry out security review of foreign companies according to law is based on laws and facts. China welcomes citizens and enterprises from all over the world to visit China and do business in China, and protects their safety and legitimate rights and interests in China, including freedom of exit and entry, said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry.

Chinas constitution explicitly makes individual rights subordinate to the interests of the ruling Communist Party, which directly controls both the legislative process and the courts. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, told VOA Mandarin that Washington is focusing on trying to convince Beijing to change policies, not to hold the countrys economy back.

Our quarrel isn't with the Chinese people. We want them to realize their legitimate economic aspirations, but the CCP needs to change its behavior. I mean, you can't have a system without a rule of law, and that's what a lot of people are observing right now in China, Krishnamoorthi said.

Witnesses told the committee that American businesses face a restrictive environment led from the top down by President Xi Jinping, potential intellectual property theft and the constant threat of seized assets.

The issue is how much do I need to lose to have access to the market, so its a balancing act, said Desmond Shum, a businessman whose ex-wife, Whitney Duan, was arrested by the Chinese. Shum, the author of Red Roulette: An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Todays China, told U.S. news program 60 Minutes that he and his then-wife participated in corrupt business practices in China.

In its latest report to Congress in 2022, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, set up by Congress in 2000 to monitor and report on the national security implications of the U.S.-China economic relationship, as well as make recommendations, said U.S. businesses and investors are reevaluating their reengagement in China.

China has subverted the global trade system and moved further from the spirit and letter of its obligations under its WTO accession protocol, the report said. Chinas subsidies, overcapacity, intellectual property theft, and protectionist nonmarket policies exacerbate distortions to the global economy. These practices have harmed workers, producers, and innovators in the United States and other market-based countries.

The commission went on to say the United States ability to overcome harmful trade practices was undermined by the lack of a coherent strategy.

VOA Mandarin reporter Yi-hua Lee also contributed to this report.
A barter of Iranian natural gas for Iraqi oil as described by the Iraqi prime minister this week would likely violate U.S. sanctions on Tehran unless the U.S. issued a waiver permitting it, three former U.S. officials said on Thursday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Tuesday said Iraq would begin trading crude oil for Iranian gas to end recurring payment delays to Tehran due to required U.S. approval for such transactions.

Sudani said Iran had cut gas exports to Iraq by more than half as of July 1 after Baghdad failed to secure U.S. approval to disburse owed funds, but Tehran had now agreed to resume gas exports in exchange for crude oil.

There are few details available about the potential barter, which could help defuse a political problem for Sudani since power cuts are unpopular during the sweltering Iraqi summer when temperatures can top 50 Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).

However, three former U.S. officials said a barter would likely run afoul of U.S. sanctions.

"It would be a violation of U.S. sanctions to conduct this kind of a barter transaction with Iran absent a U.S. national security waiver being issued," said Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank.

"This would be prohibited under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, which prohibits any transaction related to energy with Iran," added Goldberg, who served on the Trump administration national security council staff.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a 120-day waiver on March 21, a State Department official said, allowing Iraq to pay Iran only for electricity imports, not for natural gas to fuel Iraqi domestic power generation.

"The March 2023 waiver, granted by the Secretary, allows Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran. Nothing else," said the official on condition of anonymity. That waiver was announced by the State Department on March 31.

There has been speculation the waiver might be amended to allow barter, an issue the official declined to address.

"We are not in a position to preview any future decisions related to the waiver. We have no comment at this time regarding reports of a barter arrangement between Iraq and Iran," the official said.

The Iraqi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Former U.S. officials said the Treasury Department, which oversees most U.S. sanctions against Iran, defines the term "transaction" so broadly that it would cover a barter exchange.

"The test is whether it's a 'significant' transaction. The test is not whether it's denominated in one currency or another or whether ... it's a barter," said a former senior Treasury official on condition of anonymity.

The former official said that could provide "enough wiggle room ... for the U.S. to look the other way, but that is a political decision, that's not a legal question.

"As far as a strictly legal question, it absolutely does violate U.S. sanctions," he added.
The Biden administration is concerned about a recent Chinese hack targeting the websites of U.S. federal agencies but will keep the lines of communication open, John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said in an interview Thursday with VOA White House correspondent Paris Huang.

Kirby also elaborated on President Joe Bidens comment Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost the war in Ukraine, and he voiced strong concerns about reports of a mass grave found in volatile Sudan.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: Chinese hackers recently hit several federal agency sites, including the U.S. State Department. Is the White House concerned about the hacks, and what actions will the administration take?

John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications: Well, of course we're concerned about this intrusion. We took it seriously from the get-go, took actions immediately to protect our systems and to mitigate the damage here. It's under FBI investigation, so I'm not going to get into anything more specific on that.

VOA: What actions are you going to take if you can pinpoint who did this?

Kirby: We are constantly reevaluating our posture in cyberspace and in cybersecurity, and constantly making changes. I mean, our systems are attacked every single day from state and nonstate actors. We're going to continue to do what we need to do to protect ourselves.

VOA: How will this hack affect future high-level U.S. engagement with Beijing? As we know, after the Chinese spy balloon incident, Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his trip to Beijing.

Kirby: Again, this particular intrusion is under investigation. I'm not going to get into the topic of attribution at this point. What I would tell you is Secretary Blinken had a good set of discussions when he went to Beijing. [Treasury] Secretary [Janet] Yellen did, as well. As you know, special envoy for climate John Kerry will be going next month. We're going to try to keep these lines of communication open. We believe that that is the most responsible way to manage this very, very consequential relationship.

VOA: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visits the White House on July 27. A White House statement said President Biden will talk to her about closer transatlantic coordination regarding the People's Republic of China. What areas of coordination are we talking about?

Kirby: I'm not going to get too far ahead of the meeting ... you can expect that they will talk about the full range of national security issues affecting both our countries. Italy is a very valuable NATO ally, and Italy has security challenges of their own there in southern Europe. And they, too, like so many NATO allies, have concerns about what the PRC is doing  whether it's unfair trade practices, whether it's cybersecurity, whether it's the growing economic influence they're trying to have in the Global South. We share a lot of the concerns that Italy has, and the president is looking forward to talking about all that.

VOA: North Korea just launched another missile and threatened to shoot down U.S. reconnaissance aircraft. How concerned is the White House that North Korea seems to get better and better in its missile technology?

Kirby: Clearly, we are concerned about North Korea's burgeoning ballistic missile program. And with each test, whether it succeeds or fails, they learn, and they try to improve. And that's a challenge. That's a growing threat to the peninsula, but also to our allies and our partners throughout the region. We continue to urge [Korean leader] Kim Jong Un to take us up on the offer of talks with no preconditions, to address the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. ... Short of that, President Biden has made it clear that we're going to continue to revitalize, reinvigorate, restore the strength of our alliances and partnerships, particularly with South Korea and Japan, improving our trilateral and their bilateral cooperation with one another so that we have the requisite military capability in the region to protect our interests and to protect our allies and partners.

VOA: President Biden just said he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost the war. What assessment from the White House made him say that?

Kirby: If you just take a look at any of the strategic goals that President Putin said he was after: He wanted to wipe Ukraine as an independent country right off the map. He wanted to take out the [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy administration. He wanted to subjugate Ukraine and make it part of Russia as some sort of province. And he's achieved none of that. The other thing he wanted to do  and the president talked about this, as well  was divide the West, fracture NATO, show that there's disunity among the United States and our allies. And of course, he's gotten the opposite of everything. ... And as for the West, NATO is now two countries stronger ... and that's a real testament not just to Putin's activities, but to President Biden's leadership on the world stage.

VOA: In the language from the G7 Declaration, we notice that it doesnt say guarantees but assurances for the security to Ukraine. Will the G7 leaders guarantee security assistance to Ukraine until they [Ukraine] join NATO?

Kirby: What we will do, G7 leaders, is provide security commitments to Ukraine for the long haul. And they [Ukraine] will be on a path to NATO membership. I can't give you a timeline for that. But in between the time, well, actually starting now until they become NATO members, those security commitments will continue, yes.

VOA: Can you talk about the mass grave found in Sudan?

Kirby: We are deeply troubled by reports that we're seeing that the Rapid Support Forces near West Darfur slaughtered and then buried in a mass grave more than 80 civilians, 80 innocent people. This is completely unacceptable, and the United States will be obviously taking this up with our allies and partners and with the U.N. But we condemn it. It's completely horrendous and unacceptable, and the Rapid Support Forces, they need to be held to account for this.
South Africas Constitutional Court has ruled that former President Jacob Zumas early release from prison because of claimed medical conditions was unlawful.

In 2021, Zuma was released from prison less than eight weeks after beginning a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. That came after he refused to testify in an anti-corruption inquiry conducted while he was in office.

Zumas medical parole was granted by the prison service, led by Arthur Fraser, an ally of the former president.

It was not immediately clear after the ruling Thursday whether the former presidents return to prison was imminent.

More than 300 people died in riots sparked by Zumas arrest.
MOGADISHU, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Four people, including three Somali security officers, were killed in heavy fighting between al-Shabaab militants and regional forces after militants captured a military base in southern Somalia.

Al-Shabaab fighters took over the Gariley military base in Jubaland State, which was recently handed over by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) as part of the drawdown of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops.

Ibrahim Guled Aden, governor of El Wak District in the southern region of Gedo, confirmed that several people were injured in the fighting that finally led to the fall of the base into al-Shabaab control.

"Al-Shabaab fighters attacked our forces at Geriley base and captured it. They are in full control after defeating our forces who were in a small number, but we are working on plans to retake control of the base," Aden said.

The Geriley military base, which is located about 12 kilometers from the border with Kenya, was handed over to the Somali security forces on June 29.

Last week, Mohamud Sayid Aden, deputy president of Jubaland State, expressed concern over the ATMIS drawdown in the region, describing it as a hurried plan.

ATMIS withdrew 2,000 troops by June 30, and another 3,000 is expected to be withdrawn in September in compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2628 and 2670, which mandates ATMIS to also hand over security responsibilities in agreed areas to Somali security forces. 
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi was welcomed in Zimbabwe on Thursday by people singing songs criticizing the West as he made his last stop on a three-nation Africa trip aimed at finding new trade alliances to soften the impact of U.S. sanctions on his nation.

Raisi was greeted at Harare's international airport by Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa and dozens of supporters waving Zimbabwe and Iran flags and holding placards with Raisi's image.

Both countries are under U.S. sanctions and Raisi's trip to Africa, which has already included stops in Kenya and Uganda, highlights Iran's efforts to counter those heavy economic punishments.

Iran and Zimbabwe already have a joint permanent commission on political and trade relations and officials on Thursday signed 12 new memorandums of understanding, including agreements on agriculture, pharmaceuticals, telecoms, gas, energy and education.

Iran also signed agreements with Kenya and Uganda on Wednesday.

"Our cooperation with Zimbabwe and our cooperation with the African continent, which is a continent full of potential, could help us for mutual advances, Raisi said in translated comments in Zimbabwe.

Raisi has recently reached out to other nations struggling under U.S. sanctions, including on his first visit to Latin America last month, when he went to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

It is critically important that we, the victims of Western sanctions, are talking to each other," Mnangagwa said. "The authors of these sanctions would not want us to talk to each other. But because we are both victims it is equally important that we show them that we are united.

Iran has been subjected to a new bout of sanctions by the United States for allegedly supplying Russia with drones that have been used to devastating effect in the war in Ukraine.

The U.S. and European Union sanctions on Zimbabwe go back 20 years and are largely due to allegations of human rights abuses under former president Robert Mugabe. Some of those EU sanctions are being eased.

Iran and Zimbabwe also share historical ties and Mnangagwa thanked Raisi for Iran's help in a liberation war in the 1970s that eventually led to the southern African nation breaking free of white minority rule.

When we went to war, Iran was our friend. I am happy you have come to show solidarity, Mnangagwa said earlier in brief remarks on the tarmac at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport named after the late Zimbabwean leader Mnangagwa helped oust in a coup in 2017.

At the airport, supporters sang songs criticizing the West as white masters intent on interfering in Zimbabwe and Raisi inspected an honor guard by Zimbabwes military.

On his visit to Uganda on Wednesday, Raisi sharply criticized Western nations' support for homosexuality and LGBTQ+ rights, calling it one of the dirtiest things. He said Uganda's recently-passed anti-gay legislation and Western criticism of it was another area of cooperation for Iran and Uganda.

Zimbabwe also has anti-gay laws, and homosexuality and same-sex marriages are illegal.

However, Mnangagwa has not attacked homosexuality, unlike his predecessor, the late Mugabe, who described gays as worse than dogs and pigs.

The last visit by an Iranian leader to Zimbabwe was in 2010 by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
MARYLAND - Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill or the so-called Patriotic Bill, which imposes severe penalties on citizens who wilfully injure the sovereignty and national interests of the southern African nation.

Misheck Sibanda, chief secretary of the president and cabinet made the announcement in an extraordinary gazettee, noting that the president also accented to the Labour Amendment Bill of 2023.

International and local human rights groups and opposition parties say the move is designed to curtail most freedoms ahead of the August 23 council, parliamentary and presidential elections.

The new law prevents citizens from holding meetings with foreigners in which they criticize Zimbabwe and call for the imposition of some restrictive measures against the country's leadership and or nation.

Offenders face the death penalty if they are convicted of attempting to overthrow the government.

In cases where a citizens is deemed to have willfully injured the sovereignty and national interests of Zimbabwe, one can get a lengthy jail term or lose citizenship.

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change's deputy spokesperson, Felix Magalela Sibanda, said, "This is the worst thing that has happened to ZImbabwe. Zanu PF does not want to be opposed by anyone as they want a one-party state.

"This is mind-boggling. This law will oppress Zimbabweans in the manner Hitler oppressed his own people. Zimbabweans should resist this new law as it will curtail their freedoms."

Chairperson of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Peter Mutasa, said the new law will oppress Zimbabweans.

"This is tragic for Zimbabwe," he said, noting that the country is degenerating into a police state.

But Zanu PF's Bulawayo regional leader, Admire Masikati, said this is a good law.

Masikati said, "... Many people don't like their own nation. The law was passed at the right time as this will make Zimbabweans to love their country."

Several local non-profit organizations also condemned the new law saying it will result in gross human rights violations.

VOA Zimbabwe Service was unable to reach Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who was not reachable on his mobile phone. He was quoted soon after the Bill was passed by Senate as saying there is nothing wrong with the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill.

VOA Correspondents Mlondolozi Ndlovu and Godwin Mangudya contributed to this article
Mqondisi Dube

GABORONE, BOTSWANA  Leaders at the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Botswana have urged renewal of the long-standing Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA).

The trade deal gives some African countries preferential or even tax-free access for their exports to the U.S. market. The agreement is due to expire in 2025, and African delegates at the summit want the deal renewed.

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, addressing delegates gathered in Gaborone for the summit, led the pleas to Washington to renew the arrangement.

Since it was put into place in 2000, AGOA has been credited with creating more than 46,000 jobs in Africa and bolstering exports to the U.S.

It is also our earnest hope that in consonance with the letter and spirit of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the Biden administration will renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative, which expires in 2025," he said. "The AGOA renewal now, with expanded mandates, will give a strong signal and confidence to the markets and serve as a catalyst for Africa's industrialization and inclusion into the global value chains."

Florie Liser, chief executive and president of the Corporate Council on Africa, which organizes the U.S.-Africa Business Summit, said there is a need to examine AGOA in light of an agreement known as the African Continental Free Trade Area.

"A lot has changed" in Africa and beyond since AGOA came into being, she said. "The advent of the African Continental Free Trade Area is fostering much closer economic and commercial integration on the continent, which will spur the creation of regional and continental value chains and increase value added across key sectors. In many ways, the question is how best we can support this development.

The Atlantic Council Africa Center produced a report titled The Future of U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment, which analyzes the future of the AGOA. The report was issued Wednesday at the U.S.-Africa Business Summit.

Frannie Leautier, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the reports lead author, said, "On extending or renewing AGOA, the idea is to realize the potential of AGOA for long-term development through greater certainty, planning and skilled up support for capacity development and investment flow. The first [recommendation] is straightforward: just extend it. The second one is to provide longer-term certainty about AGOA eligibility, because investors are waiting for that. Nobody is going to invest now if they think AGOA is not going to be extended.

Not all African countries benefit from AGOA. Some, like Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea, were barred because of coups and human rights violations. South Africas eligibility is being reviewed over the alleged sale of arms to Russia.



Meanwhile, Scott Nathan, chief executive of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, who is leading the U.S. government delegation at the summit, pledged continued support for Africa.

[The] United States is focused on what we will do with African nations and people, and not for African nations and people," he said. "We work to deepen and understand our partnership, amplify African voices and support the empowerment of Africans.

The summit has drawn more than 1,300 delegates, including leaders from Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Niger and Zimbabwe.
The University of Minnesota is taking steps to boost security across campus. University officials have announced that police staffing will be increased on campus. The Minnesota Legislature's most recent budget included $10 million dollars to be used to help with campus security.
Photo: (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

The Screen Actors Guild is going to be joining its WGA sisters-in-arms. It was announced at 3 p.m. on July 13 that SAG-AFTRA will be going on strike beginning midnight on July 14. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity, SAG president Fran Drescher said at the unions press conference. I am shocked by the way that the people we have been working with us are treating us. The list of demands by SAG for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers included minimum pay raises and a reestablishment of new media (a.k.a. streaming) residuals. Outside finances, there were worries about how AI is developing, especially regarding payment if their work is being used to train AI, and the methodology of casting, specifically in regards to self-tape auditions. At some point you have to say no, Drescher said of the production companies. You people are crazy.

I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things, The Nanny star continued. How they plead poverty, that theyre losing money left and right, while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history at this very moment. Earlier this month, actors including Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence signed a letter to SAG-AFTRA leadership informing them of the measures they are willing to take in order for actors to get fair contracts (read: Theyre ready to go on strike). The Writers Guild has been on strike since May 1, and Drescher specifically invoked other unions in her speech. We stand in solidarity, in unprecedented unity  our union, our sister union, and unions around the world are standing by us, as well as other labor unions, she declared. Because at some point, the jig is up.

This is a developing story.
Photo-Illustration: Vulture. Photos: Paramount Pictures; Murray Close/Getty Images

Through the myriad tonal shifts and personnel changes of the Mission: Impossible films, one element has remained consistent: the power of its self-contained action sequences. Some are distinguished by their intricate disguises, miraculous computer work, and split-second timing; others are noteworthy for what can only be described as the death wish of producer-star Tom Cruise, whose dangerous stunt work and on-set injuries have become as much a part of the seriess promotional lore as in the golden age of Jackie Chan.

With the seriess seventh installment, Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One, in theaters, we revisited the entire series to select the absolute best of its big set pieces so far.

12. Rome car chase, Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One

Even when a Mission: Impossible movie indulges in what seems like a typical action sequence  in this case, our intrepid hero, Ethan Hunt (Cruise), and his reluctant ally, Grace (Hayley Atwell), leading cops, killers, and spooks on a car chase through the streets and stairways of Rome  the filmmakers will throw in a clever change-up to turn a familiar situation into something new. Here, they give us two: Grace is a thief, not a stunt driver, so shes a lot more dangerous behind the wheel than Ethan is (his nervous instructions are a comic highlight), and they change vehicles mid-scene, from a standard police car to a comically small yellow Fiat, which also creates a striking contrast to the oversize, tanklike Land Rover thats in hot pursuit. And while the sequence is wisely played mostly for laughs, director Christopher McQuarrie (helming his third M:I picture) uses breathless cutting and camerawork to give it the thrilling, ground-level intensity of similar scenes in Ronin and The Bourne Identity.

11. Paris chase, Mission: Impossible  Fallout

In the kind of double-twist false identity setup that the M:I series does so well, Mr. Hunt must masquerade as a dangerous international criminal and lead a mission to break another dangerous international criminal out of a tightly controlled police motorcade. Hes presented with a plan, which involves a lot of casualties, so he comes up with an alternative. McQuarrie uses gliding camerawork and razor-sharp cutting to heighten the excitement of Hunts improvisation, which results in a car-and-truck chase down the very narrow streets of Paris, followed by some white-knuckle motorcycle work by Cruise; his ride through a roundabout, seemingly sliding within inches of dozens of other vehicles, is truly terrifying.

10. Bridge ambush, Mission: Impossible III

J.J. Abramss third installment seems to take genuine pleasure in deflating the achievements of its baroque set pieces  the extraction of Agent Farris (Keri Russell) goes like gangbusters, yet she dies during the getaway, and though Ethan and his team pull one of their most elaborate ruses to kidnap super-villain Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the bad guys manage to steal him right back in this breathtaking sequence. Abrams, meanwhile, puts any questions of his big-screen bona fides to rest, throwing in choppers, explosions, gunplay, void leaps, and a Cruise fast-run thats exhilaratingly interrupted.

9. Motorcycle chase/beach fight, Mission: Impossible II

John Woos 2000 sequel is widely acknowledged as the least successful film in the series, and its hard not to agree  the pacing is choppy, the villain is weak, and theres a sense, in some of the action scenes, that Woo is just going through the two-gun motions (though, to be fair, theyre still pretty entertaining). But his climactic action sequence is energetically bonkers, tossing aside all precepts of logic and physics in pursuit of a cool visual, and there are plenty of them: Hunt shoots a guy off of a flying motorcycle, rides away from flames in slow motion, and executes a move where he pulls a front wheelie, spins around, shoots a pursuing cars gas tank, and flips it. Even better, his pursuit of villain Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) culminates in an honest-to-God motorcycle joust, in which each man leaps from his bike in midair (leaving the bikes to crash into each other and, obviously, explode) so they can engage in a fierce bout of hand-to-hand combat on a conveniently handy beach. To be clear, its ridiculous. But its a lot of fun.

The best of the IMF operation sequences tend to follow a particular pattern. First, we marvel at the clockwork efficiency of the teams planning and execution, as everything seems to fall into place. Then, we share in their horror as it all goes down the tubes, thanks to an unexpected complication or the failure of a piece of technology. And then we can gasp at the cleverness with which they improvise their way out of it. Thats certainly the construction of this tip-top sequence in 2015s Rogue Nation, in which Benji (Simon Pegg) attempts to infiltrate a high-security computer lab as Ethan and Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) perform a complicated swap-out maneuver in an underwater computer facility (sure, thats a thing) that will enable Benjis entrance. And then  well, as Ilsa puts it, No no no no no no no. Cruise reportedly held his breath for six full minutes during the shooting of the scene, and thats the kind of wide-eyed promotional tidbit that, if its not true, should be.

7. Kremlin infiltration, Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol

The mission is simple: retrieve a file from an archive room. The (to put it mildly) highly secure location is what makes it impossible. The setup recalls the Langley heist in the first Mission: Impossible (see below), and Ghost Protocol director Brad Bird certainly seems to have studied the earlier sequence, borrowing its patient approach and risky but wildly effective decision to forgo musical underscoring. The central device, a projection screen that hides Hunt and Benji from the eyes of the archives security guard, is jaw-dropping in its ingenuity  and the source of a huge laugh, when Benjis big ol face unexpectedly splashes across the screen. Peggs presence is the primary addition here, and its a good one; Benjis nerves, and his enthusiasm about working with Hunt (Its a bit of a dream for me!) adds a welcome bit of human interest and comic relief to the sequence.

6. Vatican extraction, Mission: Impossible III

Swiping arms dealer Owen Davian isnt an easy job  hes rarely seen in public, and never without his security detail  so Ethan and the IMF team determine their one shot will come during a benefit at the Vatican. This requires the team to sneak in surreptitiously (or, in the case of Maggie Q, glide in with all eyes on her), make a mask of Davians face, and knock him out in the bathroom so Ethan can replace him. Theres much to love about this one: the way Ethan repels in, arms out, a la the Langley heist; the tick-tock precision of their arrivals and disguises; the logistical details (for the first time, we see how they make those magnificent masks). But the cherry on top is the deadpan exchange between Ethan and Luther (Ving Rhames) at its conclusion: Whats up? Nothin. Whats up with you? Nothin. All in a days work.

5. Train climax, Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One

As you can guess from the title, Dead Reckoning Part One is a to be continued situation, so one can only imagine the glee with which McQuarrie and his team crafted a literal cliffhanger for the climax. Its a killer set piece even before that, and also feels like a mulligan for the dud train climax of the first film (a movie that Dead Reckoning seems especially connected to, as seen in the return of Henry Czernys Kittridge). That sequence, criminal considering the eventual direction of the franchise, looks laughably fake, sunk by not-ready-for-prime-time CGI; this one, to put it mildly, does not look fake. Cruise, making like McQueen in The Great Escape, rides a motorcycle off a mountain so he can parachute across a valley onto a moving train, making his entrance with the split-second timing of a great silent comedian; the top-of-the-train fistfight that follows feels genuinely scary. But thats all just a warm-up for the agonizingly drawn-out cliffhanger, which is just one damn crazy thing after another, an expert filmmaker both thrilling us and winking at us all at once.

4. Vienna Opera House, Mission: Impossible  Rogue Nation

McQuarrie pays elegant homage to Hitchcocks The Man Who Knew Too Much with this marvelous mid-movie sequence, in which Hunt and Benji attempt to foil the assassination of a head of state, a mission complicated considerably by Ilsa, whose motivations and allegiances are still unclear. Cruise leaps across ropes and fights in catwalks, Ferguson dominates some of the sexiest images of the franchise, and Pegg again provides ample comic relief from the lighting booth, and while some of the most memorable Mission sequences make artful use of silence, McQuarrie masterfully orchestrates the events to the music onstage (Puccinis Turandot) to give the scene a properly operatic feel.

3. Kashmir climax, Mission: Impossible  Fallout

The top picks here may be more elegant or more daring, but nothing has yet topped the sheer holy shit theyre doing THAT quality of the sixth films closing stretch, which includes a helicopter chase, mountain climbing, and not one but two ticking bombs. Its the seriess most delightfully over-the-top set piece to date, and the sheer relentlessness of the sequence, the manner in which McQuarrie cheerfully keeps piling on complications, stretching out time, and turning the entire situation upside down, becomes an act of sly self-awareness. They know what were expecting out of the franchise by now, and theyll be damned if theyre not going to give us our moneys worth.

2. Langley heist, Mission: Impossible

Relax, Luther, Ethan says with a smile. Its much worse than you think. And indeed it is  getting to the file they need from CIA headquarters requires voice ID, changing numerical codes, a double electronic key card, and a retinal scan, all to get into a secure room with heightened sound and temperature sensitivity. And so Hunt is lowered in, by rope from an air duct (an homage to the classic 60s heist picture Topkapi), in whats really the opposite of what we think of as an action sequence: Theres no gunplay, no explosions, no fisticuffs, and no pounding score to juice up the excitement. In fact, director Brian De Palmas decision to play the sequence in total silence makes it more involving for the viewer; its so quiet, and the stakes are so high, the audience is afraid to make a sound as well. De Palma, playing his audience like a piano (as his hero Alfred Hitchcock used to say), stretches the suspense as far as he can, snaking in to tight close-ups of Ethans rope, Jean Renos hands, that single bead of sweat  and then the rat shows up.

The camera circles it lovingly, like the phallic object it most certainly is: the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai skyscraper that stands a mind-boggling 2,722 feet, and the setting for the seriess best single sequence (so far). In order to pull off an elaborate double-deception, the team has to access the buildings server, and as Benji explains, We can get to it from the outside. And thus Tom Cruise, one of the biggest stars in the world, goes out the damn window and climbs 11 stories on the outside of the tallest building in the world, using only a pair of climbing gloves (one of which fails almost immediately). In this tight-fisted scene, director Brad Bird has our hero both engaging in a horrifyingly dangerous stunt and racing a ticking clock to their targets door knock (The countdown is not helping! he notes), forced to cut and then kick through glass, finally resorting to running down the building before leaping into an open window. Full disclosure: this viewer saw Ghost Protocol on a giant IMAX screen, and suffers from a pretty severe case of vertigo, so that mightve made the experience a bit more vivid. But that caveat aside, the Burj Khalifa (and the fights, shoot-outs, sandstorm, and high-speed running that follow) is everything you want from a Mission: Impossible movie: death-defying stunt work and ingenious improvisation, played with tension, wit, and precision.

HONORABLE MENTION: Prague embassy mission goes sideways (Mission: Impossible); Atrium dive (Mission: Impossible II); Berlin extraction, Shanghai skyscraper climb (Mission: Impossible III); Moscow jailbreak, Mumbai takedown, robotic parking garage fight (Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol); Airplane jump, Morocco car/motorcycle chase (Mission: Impossible  Rogue Nation); Halo jump, bathroom fight, Paris rooftop pursuit (Mission: Impossible  Fallout); Abu Dhabi airport interception, Venice knife-and-sword fights (Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One).
One thing television has taught me is that usually when someone is being hypercritical of someone else, its because they feel threatened by whatever it is theyre harping on. We learned this when Roxxxy Andrews derisively called Jinkx Monsoon a comedy queen on season five of RuPauls Drag Race. And we learn it again in A Night Out With the Guys.

As the episode opens, Laszlo is lifting his leg (proverbially, in this instance) and marking the vampires next-door neighbor Sean as his territory. Laszlo is one of the guyyyyyyyys, as he explains with much vocal fry, and his wit, wisdom, and charm allow him to spend time with humans as a psychological comedian without having to resort to the cheap tricks of vampire hypnotism. This, he says, makes him superior to Nandor, whos so awkward that he has to rely on hypnosis to cover for all the times he makes an ass of himself in front of humans.

Laszlos not wrong when it comes to his and Nandors respective ability to charm the snake, to use another suggestive turn of phrase. But his posturing does indeed turn out to be a cover for Laszlos insecurity about his own hypnotic abilities. We learn this when their classy night out at a Staten Island wine bar with Sean and the boys ends with the boys resting their slicked-back, wine-drunk heads against the cool surface of a holding cell toilet.

Nandor and Laszlo are fine because they never drink  wine. (The episode was so close to another Dracula quote here, but decided to pull back, which I respect.) It might seem odd that immortal raconteurs who have witnessed (and enthusiastically participated in) debauchery beyond all human imagination are essentially outpartyed by a bunch of suburban wife guys in this episode  unless youve partied in the suburbs. #NotAllWifeGuys, of course, but some of those dudes live to get blackout drunk as quickly as possible. Its awesome, in the stunned mixture of fear and horror sense of the word.

Anyway, everything turns out for the best when Laszlo finally admits that hes jealous of Nandors hypnotic abilities and asks for help. Nandor obliges, convincing the NYPD that he and Laszlo are Captain Sully Sullenberger and Thomas Selleck from the television program Blue Bloods in the process. It was fun to see how calm and confident Laszlo was when surrounded by mortal authorities  and why should a vampire be scared of a cop? Sure, cops have guns. But vampires have super-speed and shape-shifting abilities that make them difficult to hit. And thats before the mind-control abilities come into play.

Laszlos turning out to be the boroughs greatest detective, too, squeezing the truth out of Guillermo without really trying at the end of this episode. As expected, Laszlo thought Guillermo was upset because he had diarrhea  why are the vampires so obsessed with poop? Is it because they dont do it anymore?  and never expected Gizmo to take such radical action in pursuit of his vampire dream. But whats done is done. Guillermos secret is out, and now his fate is in Laszlos hairy little hands.

The main plot of episode two wrapped up in a satisfying (and funny!) manner, as did Guillermo and Dereks visit to the Pine Barrens to consult the Baron and the Sire (always nice to see those cuties again) on what to do about their friends half-vampiric dilemma. But the episodes other subplot, involving Nadja and the Guide, felt unresolved by comparison. I can see the thematic through line between Laszlo recognizing his pettiness and insecurity, and Nadja refusing to see hers when it comes to her friendship with the Guide. But there were still lots of questions remaining about the hex  not a curse, a hex  as the episode ended and Nadja and the gang sat around chatting at the diner in Little Antipaxos. Was there actually a hex? If so, who placed it, and why?

If it was the Guide, I sympathize. She and Nadja were so close last season, and now all of a sudden Nadjas off the blood-bottle and doesnt have time for her sidekick anymore. They had matching outfits! It was a whole thing! The Guide is clearly hurt that Nadja has forgotten about her so quickly and so drastically  and it seems like Nadja will never change because even after that stupid picture frame spelled out to her exactly what she needs to do to change her fortunes, she still doesnt get it. The only consolation I can give the Guide is that it isnt personal. Shes like this with everyone. Just ask Guillermo.

Craven Mirth

 Im here for the Quebec slander in this episode, if only because French Canadians are sensitive about not actually being French, and to quote Marie Knodo, I love mess.

 Speaking of France, the wine bar where Laszlo, Nandor, and the boys begin their evening is called Gare de lEst Brasserie  also the name of a major train station in Paris. (Gare de lEst just means East Railway Station.)

 In a Laszlo-centric episode, giving Line Reading of the Week to Matt Berry is a given. The two gems this week, IMO, were the steep upward inflection of Much as it pains me to say THIS! and everything about Lay off the breakfast burrit-ahs.

 The joke about the Greeks taking Antipaxian cuisine and passing it off as their own was very funny, given that Im pretty sure they just used the Greek alphabet to stand in for Antipaxan.

 So much cheap crap and old fish! Its like looking out the window of my childhood home!

 Ill have the taki-taki without the yogurt. Colin is a menace.

 The Sire building a cathedral out of Popsicle sticks was adorable.

 I actually gasped when Jonathan the vampire (sorry, wampire) neighbor exploded like a water balloon full of blood. Cheers to the VFX department for creating that one.
MOGADISHU, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has committed 10 million U.S. dollars to tackling the triple challenges of desertification, climate change, and biodiversity losses.

The commitment will be part of the country's allocation from the adaptation fund in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mohamud said while officially launching the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Thursday.

"Somalia's succession to the GGWI is a significant milestone in our country's commitment to addressing climate change and environmental degradation that has caused so much suffering to our people," he said, according to a statement released on Friday.

The GGWI, a pan-African flagship program of the African Union established in 2007 to tackle desertification, climate change, and loss of biodiversity through a broad belt of green projects from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, is expected to boost the "'Re-greening Somalia' Initiative," which was launched in October 2022 to plant 10 million trees in the country.

Hillary Sao Kanu, police commissioner of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) who represented Mohammed El-Amine Souef, the special representative of the chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia, said the AU mission will continue to support the government in its efforts to re-green the country.

He said ATMIS has resolved to integrate environmental issues in all its operations in line with the commitment made by ATMIS and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) early this year.

"ATMIS with the support of UNSOS has already pledged to plant 30,000 trees around some 58 Forward Operating Bases before our final exit next year," Kanu said.

Somalia now becomes the latest member state of the African Union to join the GGWI, which already has 36 countries from the Sahara, Sahel, Horn of Africa, and southern African drylands.

Somalia's Minister for Environment and Climate Change Khadija Al-Makhzoumi said the initiative would go a long way to solving climate-related challenges facing Somalia, including deforestation and the climate crisis.

Elvis Tangem, coordinator of the GGWI at the AU Commission, described the launch as historic, noting that Somalia was joining its neighbors, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Eritrea - founding members of the initiative - to combat the effects of climate change.

Through the GGWI, the African Union hopes to restore a total of 910 million hectares of degraded land by 2063, with a midterm vision of restoring 100 million hectares, sequestering 250 million tons of carbon, and creating 10 million green jobs by 2030 across the Sahel region and drylands of the continent. 
NAIROBI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan Ministry of Health on Friday launched a national cancer control strategic plan to guide the prevention and control of the non-communicable disease.

Susan Nakhumicha, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, said the 2023-2028 cancer control strategy will ensure the country tame a disease that is to blame for straining public health systems and negatively impacting economic growth.

"My ministry in this new plan will also prioritize improving public awareness and knowledge on cancer as well as strengthening the health system to better address the burden of the disease right from the community level," Nakhumicha said during the launch of the plan in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

She said the government has prioritized public awareness of cancer and its risk factors while fighting stigma, myths, and misconceptions that have contributed to the low uptake of cancer screening services.

Abdourahmane Diallo, World Health Organization country representative to Kenya, revealed that about one-third of deaths from cancer are due to lifestyle activities such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, low fruit and vegetable intake, and lack of physical activity.

Diallo said cancer-causing infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis, are responsible for approximately 30 percent of cancer cases in low- and lower-middle-income countries. He stressed that partnerships are capable of promoting healthy lifestyles, preventing cancer, and putting measures in place for early detection of the disease.

According to Patrick Amoth, acting director general for health in the Ministry of Health, cancer is the third leading cause of death in Kenya after infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

He said going by the current trends, it is projected that there will be an estimated 58,000 new cancer cases in Kenya in the year 2028, rising to an estimated 95,217 cases by 2040 due to population growth, increased life expectancy, urbanization, and an increase in risk factors for cancer. 
ITA Airways cancels 133 flights on Saturday due to strike.

Air travellers in Italy face major disruption on Saturday 15 July due to a nationwide strike by airport ground staff, with baggage handling and check-in services scheduled to stop from 10.00 to 18.00.

The eight-hour strike action has been called by airport workers in protest over a failure to renew their contract which expired six years ago.

Pilots with Malta Air, which operates Ryanair flights, will be striking on Saturday from midday until 16.00, with Vueling pilots and flight attendants also set to strike from 10.00 to 18.00.

ITA Airways says it has been "forced to cancel 133 domestic and international flights" due to the strike, with a list of the cancelled flights available on its website.

However the Italian airline stresses that it has limited the disruption by rebooking as many passengers as possible on the first available flights, meaning that "40 per cent will be able to fly on the same day".

A seguito dello sciopero nazionale dei lavoratori del comparto aereo e delle societa di Handling di sabato 15 luglio siamo costretti ad effettuare alcune modifiche al nostro operativo, cancellando 133 voli.

Qui la lista dei voli coinvolti: https://t.co/Xd78YGM82y pic.twitter.com/sPDGg0ue6y  ITA Airways Risponde (@ITAAirways) July 12, 2023

Italy's civil aviation authority ENAC assures travellers that flights are guaranteed during strikes from 07.00-10.00 and 18.00-21.00.

The ENAC website also contains a list of international and domestic flights that are guaranteed to take off on Saturday.

Transport minister Matteo Salvini has said he is working to resolve the situation, calling for "common sense" to prevail and arguing that Italy's summer travel season "cannot be ruined by strike after strike".

The scheduled industrial action on Saturday comes two days after railway staff in Italy staged a nationwide strike, causing train cancellations and delays across the country.

For official information about upcoming strikes in Italy see transport ministry website.
Young people can explore Lazio for free by bus and rail.

The Lazio region around Rome is offering its residents aged 16 to 25 the chance to travel for free on regional Cotral buses and Trenitalia trains this summer.

The Lazio on Tour for Free 2023 initiative, in effect from 21 July until 15 September, is available to 16- to 25-year-olds resident in Lazio and is designed to encourage young people to explore their region by public transport.

Regional authorities say they hope the measure will encourage young people "to explore our beautiful region, so rich in villages and nature, which they will be able to visit without transportation costs."

The offer is available to Lazio residents registered on the Lazio Youth card app, entitling the user to free travel for 30 consecutive days between 21 July and 15 September.

The Leonardo Express shuttle train to Fiumicino airport and the Trenitalia Civitavecchia express service are not included in the initiative.

For full details see Regione Lazio website.
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BELGRADE, Serbia  Serbian authorities on Friday allowed into the country a Russian antiwar activist who was previously denied entry and had spent more than one day at the Belgrade airport. Peter Nikitin said he received no explanation from the authorities for what happened. A fierce critic of Russias President Vladimir Putin, Nikitin told Serbian media he believed Moscow was behind his ordeal.

I have no idea how I became persona non grata. The only explanation is that this was done on Putins order, he said. This is an illustration how big an influence Russian regime holds here.

Though it formally seeks European Union membership and has condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has maintained friendly relations with Moscow and refused to impose Western-backed sanctions over the aggression.

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Serbias pro-Russian intelligence chief Aleksandar Vulin this week was sanctioned by the United States for alleged crime and corruption and for aiding Russian malign influence. Serbian media have reported that Vulin wiretapped a Russian opposition meeting in Belgrade in 2021, which he has denied.

Nikitin holds both Russian and Dutch citizenship and has a residence permit for Serbia, where he and his family have lived for years.

He was turned back early on Thursday upon returning from a trip abroad and told to return to Frankfurt, Germany, from where he had flown in. Nikitin refused this and stayed at the Belgrade airport until he was allowed into the country on Friday.

Nikitin is well known as an outspoken critic of Putin and of Russias invasion of Ukraine. He was one of the organizers of antiwar and pro-democracy protests in Serbia called for by Russians and Ukrainians living in the country.

Some 200,000 Russian citizens have moved to Serbia since the start of the war in Ukraine as the Balkan country requires no entry visas for Russians and is a fellow-Slavic nation. Many have fled being drafted into the army or moved their businesses to a sanctions-free country.

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The world is getting hot. Last month was the planets hottest June on record, according to an analysis from the European Unions Copernicus Climate Change Service, with substantially higher-than-usual temperatures recorded on land and sea. The highest average daily global temperature was reached on Monday, July 3, smashing a record held since 2016. A new highest-ever was reached the next day, then broken yet again two days later.

Considering were only in very early El Nino, a naturally occurring warming weather pattern, we can expect more heat records to come. Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has warned that the recent spate of broken records is a sign that climate change is out of control.

Indeed, we are racing toward the 1.5C warming target set in Paris in 2015. As the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) made clear at the end of last year, theres still no credible pathway to 1.5C in place. Ideally we never get to that point, and we must take radical, urgent action to limit warming as much as possible. But we also need to start adapting to the world that lies beyond 1.5C.

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This means leaders must start thinking about sustainable cooling, which has so far been a blind spot in net-zero strategies and in the UNs sustainable development goals. A new study, published in Nature Sustainability, took a look at how going to 2C from 1.5C of warming would affect cooling demand, and found stark lessons for us all.

The paper looked at increases in cooling degree days, a widely used indicator to examine warming and quantify the demand for cooling. CDDs are calculated by comparing the mean daily outdoor temperature with a standard temperature, in this case 18C. A day with a mean outdoor temperature of 28C, for example, has 10 CDDs. The more CDDs, the hotter the place.

The countries with the largest absolute increase in cooling demand between 1.5C and 2C are the ones that are already really hot  Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali. There will be huge implications for human health and livelihoods in these regions that are already bearing the brunt of climate change and lack the resources needed to adapt. Thats a climate justice issue: As of 2021, Africa had contributed just 2.8% of the worlds cumulative CO2 emissions. Yet heat will be a huge barrier to its development. A 2022 study found that extreme heat has already suppressed economic growth by more than 5% a year in tropical countries such as Mali.

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But that doesnt mean developed nations are insulated from the heat. The research also found that the UK, Ireland and Switzerland will face the highest relative increases in uncomfortably hot days, excluding extreme events such as heat waves. With life and architecture in these countries traditionally steered toward staying warm, a huge adaptation challenge lies ahead as people will increasingly need to keep cool.

Last years heat waves across Europe really brought home how ill-prepared we are for hot days. A paper, published on Monday, revealed that more than 61,000 heat-related deaths occurred in Europe between May 30 and Sept. 4, 2022. When the mercury in the UK breached 40C for the first time in July 2022, the London Fire Brigade had their busiest day since World War II.

Though heat planning has advanced since 2003s devastating summer, its clearly not kept pace with climate change, and plenty of infrastructural issues remain, such as the proliferation of overheating houses and care homes.

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Our concern is that the go-to solution will be air conditioning, says Radhika Khosla, co-author of the CDD paper and an associate professor at the University of Oxfords Smith School. As Ive written before, air conditioning is a disaster for the planet, containing coolants with more global warming potential than CO2 and drawing on precious energy resources which  in fossil-fuel reliant grids  only leads to a vicious cycle of more warming and more air-conditioning demand.

Better options are more passive solutions, some of which have been used in traditional architecture for a long time, such as artificial or natural shade, building features such as wind catchers and solar chimneys to create sufficient ventilation, and new innovations including ultra-reflective paint. If we do use air conditioning, Khosla tells me, its important that the units are of the most efficient standard and powered by renewable energy, in combination with passive and low energy options.

But those interventions will take time to roll out, and the problem is that sustainable cooling hasnt really been widely discussed yet. Much of the focus in the UKs net-zero strategy has been on decarbonizing heat. Though the heat and building strategy does acknowledge the potential future demand of cooling, it doesnt lay out any associated policies. Meanwhile, on the global stage, demand for cooling doesnt appear in the UNs 2030 sustainable development agenda, its 17 goals or 169 targets. Considering the established links between heat and its negative impacts on well-being and economies, thats a major oversight.

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The good news is that the tide appears to be turning. On July 3, the Environmental Audit Committee opened an inquiry into UK heat resilience and adaptation strategies. The UNEP also hopes to make cooling a priority at COP28, launching a Global Cooling Stocktake Report alongside developing a Global Cooling Pledge with conference host the United Arab Emirates.

Its reassuring to see focus shifting toward sustainable cooling, but theres no time to waste. In many countries, the heat is already here.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Corporate Bankruptcy Wave Will Get Even Uglier: Chris Bryant

 A Made in Germany Solution to a Climate-Crisis Problem: Javier Blas

 Meet the $4 Billion AI Superstars That Google Lost: Parmy Olson

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Lara Williams is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering climate change.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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WINDHOEK, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's anti-poaching and crime prevention initiatives managed to apprehend 75 suspects in 106 cases related to rhinoceros poaching in Namibia during 2022, according to a report released Friday.

The year 2022 saw the most rhinoceros poached in the country since 2015 when the first major poaching wave in independent Namibia peaked, the National Report on Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement in Namibia revealed.

The report is based on data compiled via the Integrated Database of Wildlife Crime in Namibia, as well as related firsthand information and observations by personnel from the Blue Rhino Task Team, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, the Namibian police, and the Office of the Prosecutor-General.

The report noted that the number of rhinoceros known to have been poached in Namibia during 2022 increased by 97.9 percent from 2021, reaching the highest losses since 2015.

"Anti-poaching and crime prevention initiatives form the front line for our rhino ranges," the report noted, adding that to counter the unprecedented threat of ongoing, highly organized poaching of high-value species, the Namibian Defense Force continues to play a unique role within its mandate of defending the state and its resources against threats.

According to the report, rhinoceros are not the only resources being targeted.

"Elephant ivory and pangolin products continue to be trafficked, and we are experiencing an expansion in the criminal onslaught into new sectors, such as trafficking of our rare and endemic plants. In all, 693 suspects were arrested in 430 wildlife cases in 2022. Meat poaching continues to make up around half of all registered cases," the report said.

The report said while crime prevention is the ultimate goal, the prosecution of suspects, leading to appropriate sentences for perpetrators, is the immediate aim of law enforcement in response to crimes that have been committed.

The report also noted that the finalization of rhinoceros cases remains frustratingly low. "Only four rhino cases were finalized during the past year. To compound matters, suspects released on bail in drawn-out rhino trials have been re-arrested in new cases."

On the positive side, the report said, the sentence passed in one prominent rhinoceros-poaching case finalized in 2022 is highly commendable, making a loud and clear statement that wildlife crime will not be tolerated, regardless of whether it is perpetrated by influential individuals or the rural poor.

Meanwhile, in April this year, Namibian authorities arrested eight suspects in connection with rhinoceros poaching incidents in the country's flagship Etosha National Park and surrounding areas. 
A Stability AI co-founder has sued the company, claiming he was tricked into selling his stake for $US100 ($145) months before the British artificial intelligence start-up hit a $US1 billion ($1.5 billion) valuation.

Cyrus Hodes said he sold his 15 per cent stake in Stability AI to another co-founder, Emad Mostaque, in two transactions in October 2021 and May 2022, according to a federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco. Hodes alleges that Mostaque had led him to believe the company was essentially worthless.

Cyrus Hodes said he sold his 15 per cent stake in Stability AI to another co-founder in 2021 and 2022.

By August 2022, Stability AI had unveiled Stable Diffusion, an image creation tool, and announced $US101 million in venture capital funding, vaulting the start-up to the forefront of the red-hot generative AI sector, according to the suit. Hodes accused Mostaque, whos also the companys chief executive officer, of violating fiduciary duties.

In an act of self-dealing by a faithless fiduciary, Mostaque brazenly deceived Hodes about the core business of Stability AI that Mostaque was developing, its likely valuation, and its fundraising, according to the lawsuit.
Former Celsius Network chief executive officer Alex Mashinsky was accused by US prosecutors of pumping up the price of his firms cryptocurrency to entice customers to the platform  all so he could line his pockets to the tune of $US42 million ($61 million).

Mashinsky, who was arrested and charged with wire fraud and other crimes, waged a years-long scheme to mislead customers before Celsius collapsed last year with more than $US1 billion in debt, according to prosecutors. He pleaded not guilty at a hearing Thursday in New York.

Prosecutors alleged Celsius staff were forced to change rosy public comments Alex Mashinsky made about the platforms financial health during his weekly question and answer session because the statements were false and misleading. Credit: Bloomberg

Celsius was one of several high-profile crypto firms that imploded last year. The company gained popularity paying high interest rates on digital-asset deposits. But following the collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin and a downturn in the digital-asset markets the company was unable to meet an influx of customer withdrawals.

Over the course of the past year we have worked quickly to get to the bottom of what led to Celsiuss collapse, Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a press conference. To understand how a platform that advertised itself as the safest place for your crypto could have left investors holding billions of dollars in losses. Today we have the answer.
The Australian film and TV sector will be hit hard by the strike action in Hollywood, with a number of productions shooting or about to shoot here likely to grind to a halt as actors join writers in downing tools from this evening.

The Sam Neill/Annette Bening drama Apples Never Fall, currently in production in Queensland with an estimated budget of $79 million, will be one of the biggest shows locally to be affected by the industrial action, which has been sparked by concerns over residual payments from streamers and a refusal to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the industry.

Annette Bening will fly back to the US on Friday, well short of the end of shooting on Apples Never Fall. Credit: AP

Writers are concerned that AI could be used to generate script ideas or even entire screenplays, while actors fear that studios and producers have begun to envisage a time when they can pay a day rate to an actor while having perpetual rights to use their virtual likeness in any way or format they choose.

Both are seen by many in their respective fields as existential threats to their future employment and earning abilities.
With her commanding presence and unmistakable New Zealand accent, Rachel House is a serial scene-stealer on Australian television and film. Whether its grossing out the sex-ed class as Principal Woodsy in Heartbreak High, or appearing opposite Sam Neill and Miranda Otto in The Portable Door, she exudes the strength and comic timing of her breakthrough screen work in Taika Waititis Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

In Marta Dusseldorps ABC thriller Bay of Fires, set in Tasmanias north-west, Australias favourite Kiwi actress once again makes us quake and grin, this time as a mysterious authority figure.

With her finely tuned comic performances, Rachel House has been regularly stealing the spotlight on Australian TV.

Airinis a well-drawn character, says House, from Sydney, where she is shooting the second season of Heartbreak High. I wasnt surprised because [co-creator and prolific Australian television writer Andrew Knight] is such a legend. Airinis formidable and her hearts in the right place.

House appears early in the eight-part series, which sees Dusseldorps mother of two, Stella, descend from Melbourne boss lady to fugitive in the inhospitable community of Mystery Bay (the former copper mining town of Queenstown). A saga of government cover-up and corporate greed spanning decades unravels, as Stella navigates the eccentric locals (among them Pamela Rabe, Emily Taheny, Roz Hammond, Stephen Curry, Toby Leonard Moore and Kerry Fox).
The submarines barely rated a mention, however, at the forum itself, and Indonesia has notably softened in its official public commentary, with Widodo telling this masthead in an exclusive interview on the eve of his Australian trip: This decision from Australia, I must respect it. Indonesian President Joko Widodo with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney last week. Credit: James Brickwood We made a big effort to engage deeply and early, which is quite different to the way in which the Morison government did on the issue ahead of the [initial AUKUS] announcement, Wong said in an interview on the sideline of the gathering in Jakarta, which culminated with Fridays East Asia Summit for foreign ministers, at which her counterparts from the United States, China, India, Russia and Japan were also present. I think the region understands better our motivations and the detail of whats occurring. The region is very aware that they are in the centre of a great deal of strategic competition. And they want assurances about how we are approaching that and what this means for that.

And then there is the nuclear confusion. Stressing that Australias new submarines were being pursued to replace an existing capability  and would be nuclear-fuelled, not armed  the government was also careful to bring non-AUKUS members into the loop before unveiling further details of the security agreement in March, making as many as 60 phone calls to world leaders, including those in South-East Asia where trepidation has been most acute. As well as taking issue with the transfer of nuclear technology, Indonesia had been particularly put out by not being consulted before the original AUKUS announcement in September 2021. And while then prime minister Scott Morrison defended the extreme secrecy surrounding it as necessary, Wong indicated it had been a mistake to leave regional neighbours in the dark. I think we only have to look at how it was received to make a judgment that it could have been handled better, she said. And I think our view about how it should have been handled was the way in which we handled the subsequent announcements.

I think its always a problem in diplomacy if you blindside people. The Albanese governments focus on South-East Asia, as well as the Pacific, where China has also sought to broaden its influence amid its rivalry with the United States, signing a controversial police cooperation agreement with Solomon Islands this week, was evident from the outset last year. Albanese himself ventured to Jakarta to see Widodo less than two weeks after taking office, making it his first bilateral visit, and Wong, who joined him and made a splash by speaking in Indonesian, began a flying frenzy on which one of the first stops was Kota Kinabalu, the Malaysian city where she was born. I think [South-East Asian governments] have welcomed the elevation in engagement at senior level, leader level and minister level. I think that they have heard us, I hope, when we talk about ... our commitment to making our partnership with them as strong as possible, Wong said. Im from the region, and I knew the region well, and before I became foreign minister, wed had a very long time in opposition to think about how we might approach the region.

There are myriad challenges ahead in maintaining and advancing links with a patchwork of nations with varying political landscapes and priorities, most of whom are determined not to have to choose between Washington and Beijing. At the same time, they are unapologetic for a rising economic dependence on China. Wong was welcomed back to the Malaysian city of her birth, Kota Kinabalu, last year. Credit: Jeremiah Chan Indonesia, this years ASEAN chair and by far its largest country, has called for Australia and groups such as AUKUS and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, comprising Australia, the US, Japan and India, to be more inclusive. The obstacles for democracy, meanwhile, are laid bare in particular in mainland South-East Asia, where Myanmar is controlled by the junta, Thailands military and royal establishment has resisted the election of a progressive new leader and Cambodia will hold elections next Sunday, which the main opposition party has been barred from contesting. Asked about the approaching polls in Cambodia, whose democratic transition Australia played a central role in three decades ago, Wong said: The constriction of political space is something weve commented on, and made representations about publicly and privately.

So its opposition parties, freedom of speech, and so forth: This is one of the challenges in the region, isnt it? That we live in a region where there are many countries that dont share our values and our views about how to organise democracy and how to progress that. Loading We have to continue engaging and continue dialogue but at the same time also be true to who we are and to put our views about the nature of what we consider are universal rights, such as freedom of expression and freedom to participate in political expression in particular. Yet while there is a strong contrast in world views in that respect, Wong said she had found closer alignment between Australia and governments around South-East Asia when it came to securing their future in turbulent geopolitical times. The countries of the region ... we have different political systems, we have different histories, different cultural heritage, those who are members of the non-aligned movement, were a US ally etc, she said.
Freeman set about bringing that experience to London, beginning with mobile baristas who operated coffee carts on eco-bikes out of the ground floor of Londons skyscrapers, including inside the distinctive Gherkin building. Her first barista was Australian-Italian. He was exactly the culture, she said. [We were] baking banana bread after banana bread in our flat overnight and packing it up warm to take on the tube across London at 5am. By 6:30am, when our makeshift cafe was ready and the queues formed, it was the first moment of finally somethings going right. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits Bondi Green cafe in London. Credit: Domenico Pugliese Freemans next major break came via her former job at UBS, the third-largest employer in the Square Mile, when the tenant in the buildings kiosk moved out. While the space was a shoebox, it was right in the middle of the action and we were serving 1500 coffees a day, she said. I think thats when we had the first feeling of what were doing [was working]  but it was tiny.

The coffee outlets served as a launch pad for their first cafe, Daisy Green, which they opened in April 2013 in Londons Marble Arch. Loading Freeman hasnt looked back. Daisy Green is now in 15 locations across London and the business has always been profitable, with turnover reaching 25 million ($48 million). To fund their rapid expansion, they sold 20 per cent of the company to around 1000 investors, crowdfunding from fans, supporters and friends, many of whom were former UBS colleagues. But the couple have kept 100 per cent control. Daisy Greens popularity is such that they are now being approached to open in new developments, with their most ambitious venue  the 10,000 square-foot venue Paradise Green (inspired by Surfers Paradise) at Bishopsgate, near the Gherkin skyscraper.

And then there is the most recent success  winning the tender to run a cafe, restaurant and bar in Londons newly reopened and revamped National Portrait Gallery. Daisy Green was this evolution. Daisy flowers physically open in the morning and close in the evening, Freeman explained. But we also wanted to signify the green credentials of what we were doing by serving healthier, greener food. Freeman serves treats at the Audrey Green cafe at Britains National Portrait Gallery. Credit: Melisa Coppola The last decade hasnt been without challenges. Unlike Australia, Britain never had a strong brunch culture.

Wed open at 7am and sometimes we wouldnt get people until 11am, recalled Freeman, who credits food bloggers for helping Daisy Green first get noticed. Within six weeks the brunch was a sellout and the weekend brunch took off. We always thought it would be about the weekdays, but suddenly the weekend became the bigger part of the business. Freeman with her Daisy Green gourmet frozen yoghurt van. Freeman describes the food Daisy Green serves as big with bold flavours, quality ingredients and layers of texture. I think of it as food you could do at home if you tried, but you just dont want to do it, and its easier to go out, she said.

Across the various Daisy Green venues there are constants on all menus including smashed avo, shakshuka, a fancy bacon roll, The Bondi (big breakfast) and Golden Gaytime pancakes. But no two venues look the same. Loading Freeman works with 25 artists, commissioning installations for new venues. The Bondi Green venue in Paddington, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited earlier this year, features a 3D felt Aussie supermarket wall by artist Lucy Sparrow that pays tribute to Australian foods, like Redskins, Milkos, Violet Crumbles, Tim Tams and Vegemite. It is Sparrows only work on permanent display. Scarlett Green in Soho, which is ranked second on Trip Advisors Top Restaurants in London index, brings the beach to life with huge over-exposed aerial photographs of the Bondi waters.

This month Freeman opened the crowning jewels in the Daisy Green collection at the Portrait Gallery  Audrey Green and Larrys. On the gallerys ground floor, Audrey Green pays homage to the West End  where Audrey Hepburn began her career on stage. The interiors are elegant and chic with curved velvet-lined booths set against the natural lines of the rooms cupola. Audrey Green cafe. Credit: Melisa Coppola But even in this most British institution, there are subtle nods to Australia. The bench at the back of the cafe is made from cement but fashioned to look like corrugated iron  a reference to Prues upbringing on a farm in Victoria. And downstairs at Larrys  cocktail a bar created in underground vaults never previously opened to the public  portraits of Australian icons including the late Barry Humphries and Kylie Minogue hang on the exposed brickwork alongside other greats of global popular culture.

The two venues manage to bring retro, classic and classy all in one and place Australian food and coffee at the heart of one of Britains most important cultural institutions. Loading Freemans success is no surprise to Jeffrey Young from Allegra Group, which began the London Coffee Festival in 2011. He has been observing the antipodean takeover of Londons coffee scene for a quarter of a century. Theyve got a real sparkle about them, he said. Theres an antipodean cheekiness to Daisy Green where theyve said I dont have to play the rules  Ill make them. Theyve scaled up boutique, theyve got a pizazz with the art, and what theyve done by getting into the Portrait Gallery is really something and shows how far theyve come.

Freeman now employs 500 people but admits this has been challenging, with fewer Australians travelling to the UK and available for hire since the pandemic began. Loading If we can, I do, yeah, prefer to employ Australians. Theyre just fun and they do the job, she said. Wed love to get some more Aussies in. She is confident that the new working holiday visas announced in the Australia-UK trade deal will see an influx of young Australians to London. And for those inspired by her success, Freeman has this tip: My advice would be to have an idea and just go for it. Sometimes the best decisions are made on a shoestring and with a level of ignorance.
As Putin is the armys commander-in-chief, he seemed to be implying that they would remain within the Russian military, although he did not say that explicitly. Loading Many of them nodded when I said this, Kommersant quoted Putin as saying. However, Prigozhin disagreed, it reported. Prigozhin  said after listening: No, the boys wont agree with such a decision, Kommersant quoted Putin as saying.

Wagner fighters played a key role in the Russian armys advance into eastern Ukraine and were the driving force in the capture of the city of Bakhmut in May after months of battles. Loading But Prigozhin constantly accused the military of failing to back his men, and Wagner fighters unhappy with the defence ministrys conduct of the war took control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don on June 23 and began moving towards Moscow. They halted their advance the next day after being offered a deal under which they could resettle in Belarus, along with Prigozhin. Any notion of pressing charges against Prigozhin was dropped. Putin told the newspaper there was no possibility of Wagner remaining in its current form.

Wagner does not exist, Putin told Kommersant. There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesnt exist. In a sign of fissures in the military command following the brief rebellion, a Russian general in charge of forces in southern Ukraine has been relieved of his duties after speaking out about problems faced by his troops. Major General Ivan Popov. Credit: AP Major General Ivan Popov, the commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, which is a focal point in Ukraines counteroffensive, said in an audio statement to his troops released Wednesday night that he was dismissed after a meeting with the military brass in what he described as a treacherous stab in the back to Russian forces in Ukraine. Popov said the military leadership was angered by his frank talk about challenges faced by his forces, particularly the shortage of radars tracking enemy artillery, which resulted in massive Russian casualties.

The top officers apparently saw me as a source of threat and rapidly issued an order to get rid of me, which was signed by the defence minister in just one day, he said. The Ukrainian military has failed to break through our armys defences, but the top commander hit us in the rear, treacherously and cowardly beheading the army at this most difficult moment. Popov, who uses the call name Spartacus, addressed his troops as my gladiators in the audio message released by retired General Andrei Gurulev, who commanded the 58th army in the past and currently serves as a lawmaker. The 58th army consists of several divisions and smaller units. The 48-year-old Popov, who has risen from platoon commander to lead a large group of forces, has encouraged his soldiers to come directly to him with any problems  an easygoing approach that contrasted sharply with the stiff formal style of command common in the Russian military.

Russian military bloggers say hes widely known for avoiding unnecessary losses  unlike many other commanders who were eager to sacrifice their soldiers to report successes. Loading I faced a difficult situation with the top leadership when I had to either keep silent and act like a coward, saying what they wanted to hear, or call things by their names, Popov said. I didnt have the right to lie for the sake of you and our fallen comrades. Many military bloggers argued that Popovs dismissal eroded troop morale at a time of relentless Ukrainian attacks.

News of Popovs dismissal added to the blow that Russian troops received when another senior officer, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, was killed Tuesday by a Ukrainian missile strike. Loading Popovs remarks about the need to rotate his exhausted troops who have been fighting the Ukrainian counteroffensive since early June reportedly angered General Staff chief General Valery Gerasimov, who shrugged them off as panicky and promptly ordered his dismissal. Gerasimov was shown meeting with military officers on Monday in a video released by the Defence Ministry, the first time he was seen since last months abortive rebellion by Prigozhin, who had demanded his ouster. The uproar fuelled by Popovs dismissal could further erode the position of Gerasimov, who has faced broad criticism for his conduct of the fighting in Ukraine.

Pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Markov noted that Popovs statement echoed criticism of the top brass by Prigozhin. However, he added that the generals statement wasnt a rebellion, but instead a call for intervention by Putin. Loading Such public disputes at the top of the Russian army isnt a show of force, he said. Speaking in Helsinki on Thursday after a NATO summit, US President Joe Biden said he is not certain about what fate awaits Prigozhin. Im not even sure where he is, Biden said. If I were he, Id be careful what I ate, Id be keeping an eye on my menu. But all kidding aside  I dont know. I dont think any of us know for certain what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (L) receives a memento at the inauguration ceremony of a China-funded sewage treatment plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 13, 2023. The Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant in Bangladesh, which was funded by China and built by Chinese enterprises, was inaugurated at a ceremony held here Thursday. Hundreds of guests attended the event, including Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Bangladeshi Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Md Tazul Islam. (Xinhua)

DHAKA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant in Bangladesh, which was funded by China and built by Chinese enterprises, was inaugurated at a ceremony held here Thursday.

Hundreds of guests attended the event, including Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Bangladeshi Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Md Tazul Islam.

The Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant, financed by the Export-Import Bank of China and constructed by PowerChina Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited, is the first large-scale modern sewage treatment plant in Bangladesh.

It is also the largest monolithic sewage treatment plant in South Asia to date, which has developed key technologies for the construction of large-scale sewage treatment plants in the Ganges Delta.

With patented technology from China's Tsinghua University, the project has become the first modern sludge incineration plant in Bangladesh, featuring for the first time the technology and equipment developed with China's intellectual property right.

The project's construction provided over 1,000 job opportunities for local people and significantly stimulated local trade, including the supply of materials and equipment. Its completion will provide modern sewerage service to about 5 million people in Dhaka.

Noting that various sewage treatment plants and associated sewage collection networks will be constructed in line with the government's "Smart Bangladesh" framework, Hasina said that the implementation of the Sewerage Master Plan started with the construction of the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant project.

This sewage treatment plant will play a special role in improving and protecting the water quality of canals and rivers around Hatirjheel and Balu rivers, she said, adding that the sewage of Dhaka and its related areas will be treated in this plant.

For his part, Yao said the completion of this project reflected the commitments of the leaders of China and Bangladesh to improve the well-being of the two peoples.

Mentioning this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, Yao stressed that the projects undertaken by Chinese companies in Bangladesh have created about 550,000 jobs and billions of U.S. dollars in investment for the South Asian country.

Islam told Xinhua after the event that China is helping Bangladesh realize its dream and the Chinese government has provided financial support for the country.

Chinese contractors can often have their projects completed on time, he said. "That's why our journey with them will be faster and stronger." 
The WCO organised a Leadership and Management Development workshop for 18 senior managers of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Manila from 5th to 16th June 2023. The Workshop took place under the auspices of the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, funded by the United Kingdoms His Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC), as part of its multi-year Mercator partnership with the BOC for effective implementation of the WTOs Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The workshop was opened by Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, who thanked the WCO and the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme for their continued work. The Commissioner was accompanied by Atty Vincent Philip C. Maronilla, Assistant Commissioner, who shared his positive experience of the LMD Top Executive Retreat, and also Atty Vener S. Baquiran, Deputy Commissioner.

The objective of the ten-day workshop was to support the senior managers of BOC Philippines in strengthening their leadership and management skills and, ultimately, the leadership culture within the Administration.

The LMD is the second core component of the WCO LMD programme that supports senior managers in Customs Administration in developing modern leadership skills, attitudes and behaviours. The workshop was delivered on the philosophy of knowing yourself, managing yourself, really understanding others and positively impacting others.

Through a mix of presentations, dialogues, deep personal reflection and exercises, various concepts and theories of modern leadership and management were discussed. One of the biggest takeaways for the participants was that true leadership involved enabling and nurturing capacity and greatness throughout the organisation, thereby creating leaders at all levels. Participants especially enjoyed and benefited from the various exercises designed to increase mindfulness and self-awareness on the personal level and strengthen team building, people management and better negotiation on the organisational level. The importance of emotional intelligence was another important takeaway for the participants.

In an emotional and enthusiastic feedback session from all participants, one stated, This event proved to be incredibly valuable in unexpected ways. While I anticipated gaining insight into global perspectives on management and leadership, the programme actually facilitated a much deeper introspective learning experience. It provided me with the opportunity to better understand myself, my colleagues, and the dynamics within my organisation. This personal growth and organisational insight have exceeded my expectations and undoubtedly contribute to my professional development and our organisations.

The workshop was closed by Michael C. Fermin, Acting Deputy Commissioner, on behalf of the management of BOC, who thanked the United Kingdoms HMRC, the WCO LMD facilitators from India and Ireland, and the WCO.

For more information on the WCO Leadership and Management Development Programme, please contact Capacity.Building@wcoomd.org

For more information on the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, please see here.
From 3 to 5 July Mali Customs organized, with the support of WCO experts, a new tailor-made workshop dedicated to the commitment of Malian private sector actors in the anti-corruption and integrity promotion approach defined in the strategic plan of the General Directorate of Customs (DGD) of Mali and in the Project Information Document (PID) for Mali Customs, which was drafted in 2020 following the scoping phase of the WCO A-CIP Programme.

Driven by the firm desire to continue to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation between economic operators and customs, the General Directorate of Customs (DGD) of Mali invited, for this activity, a group of about forty participants composed of senior executives customs and representatives of the private sector and employers, with the aim of intensifying relations, continuing the dialogue between the various actors on the basis of active listening, a clear and sincere expression of expectations, factual identification of strengths and areas for improvement, and this by applying a pragmatic method of seeking efficient and shared solutions.

Thus, with the conviction that no organization can succeed alone in meeting the challenges of the fight against corruption and the promotion of integrity, the A-CIP Programme team of the Customs of Mali, with the support of experts from the WCO's Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion Programme (A-CIP) created the conditions for a constructive exchange based on key sequences relating in particular to the conclusions of the analysis of the Customs Integrity Perception Survey (CIPS) of Mali, the identification of the real expectations of each of the actors and the development of a common action plan.

Facilitated in collaboration with the management of the WCO Regional Capacity Building Office for West and Central Africa, the workshop also enabled all participants to become aware of the importance of communicating regularly with all stakeholders to assess progress against commitments made and maintain a high level of engagement. More specifically, the activity made it possible to appropriate good practices for developing and leading an operational action plan, common and aligned with the strategy of the customs administration and with that of the organizations representing the private sector in Mali.

The contributions and exchanges between customs executives and representatives of the private sector have highlighted the importance of making ambitious and realistic commitments and of establishing a shared calendar of actions in order to organize joint discussion times on a bilateral and multilateral basis, respecting the availability of each of the actors.

As the DG of Customs of Mali pointed out in his closing speech, "Talking about corruption is no longer a taboo today and the dialogue between Customs and the private sector now makes it possible to act effectively against this scourge" .

At the end of the three-day workshop dedicated to stakeholder engagement, the Malian Customs A-CIP programme group and experts from the WCO A-CIP Programme continued the activities by implementing a specific two-day workshop aimed at building the capacity of the Mali Customs Training and Development Center in terms of educational content on the fight against corruption and the promotion of integrity.

The WCO A-CIP Programme currently supports over 20 WCO Member administrations, with funding from Norad and Canada. For more information, please contact: capacity.building@wcoomd.org.
YANGON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 200,000 stimulant tablets in Thazi Township of Mandalay Region in central Myanmar, according to a statement from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Thazi Township of Mandalay Region on Wednesday and confiscated the drugs, the statement said.

The seized narcotics are worth approximately 300 million kyats (over 142,857 U.S. dollars), it said. Five suspects were arrested for the case, it said.

The suspects were charged under the Southeast Asian country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were underway, it said. 
SYDNEY, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Police in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have charged five men, executed 13 warrants, seized 15 million Australian dollars (about 10.3 million U.S. dollars) worth of drugs, and frozen 8 million Australian dollars (about 5.5 million U.S. dollars) worth of assets in a two-day blitz.

In a statement released on Friday, NSW Police Force noted that the operation targeting transnational organized crime syndicates was conducted between Wednesday and Thursday.

Detectives executed a search warrant on Bridge Street in Erskineville, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, at about 7:20 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

During the search, they seized approximately 25 kg of ketamine, 10 kg of imported amphetamine, nine kg of cocaine, 4.5 kg of methylenedioxy methylamphetamine (MDMA), two kg of cannabis, approximately 580,000 Australian dollars (about 399, 579 U.S. dollars) in cash and mobile phones.

The combined street value of the drugs seized was estimated to be more than 15 million Australian dollars (about 10.3 million U.S. dollars).

Police officers then executed search warrants at addresses in Canterbury and Kingsgrove, where they arrested three men, aged 27, 28 and 29.

On Thursday, eight simultaneous search warrants were carried out across Berala, Granville, Lidcombe, Bankstown, Potts Hill, Burwood, Haymarket, and Sydney's central business district.

Two men, aged 51 and 26, were taken to the police station, with assets to the value of 8 million Australian dollars (about 5.5 million U.S. dollars) frozen. 
NEW YORK  It's not just you. Sriracha is hard to come by these days  at least for one popular brand.

The shortage of Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha, the beloved red hot sauce packaged in those green-capped bottles, isn't new  with the company pointing to a scarcity of chile pepper supply for several years now. And as frustrated fans continue to face store shelves missing the Huy Fong name, third-party resellers are punching up prices.

Huy Fong Sriracha, which used to go for under $5 or $10 a bottle, is now selling for shocking amounts in some listings posted to sites with vast third-party marketplaces  including Amazon, eBay and Walmart. Many are simply sold out.

For those still in stock, prices range depending where you look. Ads for a single 17-ounce bottle on eBay this week stretched from around $20 to a whopping $150  contrasting significantly from the price tags of other hot sauce brands, who don't appear to have the same level of supply troubles.

Huy Fong said it continues to be beset by shortages of raw materials, echoing a similar scarcity last year when the company temporarily suspended sales of Sriracha and other popular products like Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek.

Huy Fong said Wednesday that "limited production" resumed recently, although the California company didn't specify by how much or provide an estimate of when it believes suppliers will be able to deliver an adequate number of peppers.

"Because we do not sell directly to retail/market levels, we cannot determine when the product will hit shelves again and/or who currently has the product in stock," Huy Fong said in a statement.

Here's what you need to know:

Why is there a Huy Fong Sriracha shortage?

Experts say Huy Fong's shortage is partially a consequence of climate change  pointing to weather shifts and extreme drought in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, where Huy Fong sources all of its chile peppers.

"The main culprit here is a shortage of their primary ingredient, the red jalapeno chile pepper," said David Ortega, a food economist and associate professor at Michigan State University. "And that's due to climate change and the mega drought."

These peppers are typically grown under irrigation, with a lot of water drawn from the Colorado River  which has reached unprecedented low levels over recent years, Ortega said. The region has suffered insufficient rainfall and reduced run-off from snowpack.

Huy Fong's troubles with chile supply aren't new. When the company suspended sales last year, it pointed to a 2020 email warning of a chile pepper shortage, noting that a lack of supply had become more severe due to recent weather conditions.

But while climate change continues to have significant impacts on agriculture as a whole, it's "not whole story" for the current Huy Fong Sriracha shortage, extension vegetable specialist and professor at New Mexico State University Stephanie Walker said. She speculates that Huy Fong may not have enough suppliers with different farmers  and could be looking to build relationships with new growers.

Prices skyrocket from resellers

The erosion of available supplies has rocked the prices of Huy Fong Sriracha that is still available. In many places, the bottles are simply sold out  giving leverage to resellers listing the now hard-to-find and highly sought-after product.

Another market force at play is consumer behavior: in this case, hoarding. The panic around potentially losing access to a desired product leads many people to buy more than they would typically need,  much like what was seen with toilet paper at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where does Huy Fong get its chile peppers?

Huy Fong, which was founded decades ago by David Tran, currently sources its chile peppers from various farms in California, New Mexico and Mexico.

Before sourcing from these farms, California-based Underwood Ranches was Huy Fong's sole supplier for nearly 30 years. The partnership collapsed in 2017 following a financial dispute. Two years later, a jury determined that Huy Fong breached its contract with Underwood Ranches and also committed fraud  awarding Underwood $23.3 million.

Underwood Ranches, which sells its own Sriracha sauce, has not had trouble getting jalapenos from Mexico, owner Craig Underwood told The New York Times this week  while also pointing to "huge demand for our product from Huy Fong's former customers." The Associated Press reached out to Underwood for further comment on Thursday.

Are other hot sauces facing shortages?

There's a myriad of hot sauces, including other of Sriracha-style products, that remain easy to find at reasonable prices. Tabasco, for example, has created a page dedicated to helping customers find nearby stores that sell its brand of Sriracha.

There are a few possible explanations for this, experts say. Again, some speculate that Huy Fong may issues with its current chile suppliers. Other brands could also use different pepper variants and source from farms that haven't been hit as hard. Some might also be in a position to tinker with recipes  but perfecting sauces take a long time, as would finding a new variant, experts say.

"Growing the crop in an area less affected by extreme weather or breeding new variants of the peppers that are more tolerant to heat and require less water, if possible, at all, would take years," Richard Howells, a supply chain expert at SAP, wrote in a blog post earlier this week.

Experts also underline that climate change will impact produce and food across the board, not just chile peppers.

"We saw the price of lettuce skyrocket earlier this year, again as a result of these extreme temperatures and related factors like the spread of disease (in plants)," Ortega said. "I would not be surprised to learn about other product shortages that are due to failed crops or just a significant decrease in production because of climate change."
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

A stray evening shower or t-storm, mainly in the Poconos; skies becoming mostly clear overnight with lowering humidity..

Tonight

A stray evening shower or t-storm, mainly in the Poconos; skies becoming mostly clear overnight with lowering humidity.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration said Friday it is making available $20 billion from a federal green bank for clean energy projects such as residential heat pumps, electric vehicle charging stations and community cooling centers.

Two programs, worth $14 billion and $6 billion, respectively, will offer competitive grants to nonprofits, community development banks and other groups to invest in clean energy projects, with a focus on disadvantaged communities, the White House said. The investments follow a $7 billion Solar for All program launched last month for residential and community solar projects in low-income communities.

All three programs will be overseen by the green bank, formally known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which Congress created in last years climate law.

Vice President Kamala Harris called the grant programs announced Friday the largest investment in financing for community-based climate projects in our nations history,'' adding: Its a good day.''

Speaking at Coppin State University, a historically black university in Baltimore, Harris said green bank investments would dramatically accelerate work to lower planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions while boosting tens of thousands of climate and clean energy projects across America.

The federal investments mean that developers who build affordable housing in cities such as Baltimore will now have the capital they need to install energy-efficient appliances in new units, to lower energy use and help tenants save on their electric bills,'' Harris said. Small business owners also will be able to receive zero-interest loans to purchase electric delivery trucks, reducing pollution and saving on gas, she said.

When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles, more of our children can breathe clean air and drink clean water,'' she said. When we help folks upgrade their heating and cooling systems, we lower the cost of electricity, so working parents have more money for groceries and home repairs and school supplies. And think of all the jobs these investments will create.''

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, whose agency oversees the $27 billion green bank, called it a way to tackle the climate crisis and reshape the economy'' at the same time. The three programs will offer "transformational resources'' for many disadvantaged communities that often are passed over by commercial banks and investors, he said.

These communities have been left behind in this transition, and its going to be a strong signal to the market for us to pull private capital off the sidelines'' in urban and neglected areas, Regan told The Associated Press in an interview.

Applications under the program are due this fall, with grant awards expected next year.

The $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund will provide grants to up to three national clean financing institutions, enabling them to partner with states and the private sector to provide affordable financing for tens of thousands of clean technology projects nationwide, the EPA said.

The $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, meanwhile, will provide grants for up to seven nonprofits that will work with other groups to provide access to investments needed to deploy clean technology projects. Hundreds of community lenders, credit unions, housing finance agencies and other institutions will finance clean technology projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities, the EPA said.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who first introduced legislation to create a national green bank 14 years ago, said the grants will accelerate deployment of clean energy in underserved communities such as Baltimore that have been disproportionately harmed by pollution and climate change.

These funds will serve as a force multiplier for private investment in clean energy projects to cut emissions and promote environmental justice in underserved communities across the country,'' said Van Hollen, who attended the ceremony at Coppin State with Harris, Regan and other officials.

The green bank could help finance cooling centers in urban areas suffering from extreme heat, as well as charging stations for electric vehicles, retrofitting buildings and installing efficient heating and air-conditioning systems, Regan said.

This is really about ensuring that every person in this country is experiencing the best quality of life as possible with clean energy technology providing that landing,'' he said.

The green bank  modeled after similar banks established in states such as Connecticut, New York and California  is expected to unlock billions of dollars in private investment, Regan and other officials said.

Republicans in Congress have criticized the green bank, calling it a taxpayer-funded slush fund ripe for abuse.

A GOP energy package that passed in March would repeal money allocated to the green bank. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., said the fund would benefit Wall Street firms but would not "lower the cost of heating for American families.

House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said the green bank was rushed into law with no accountability or oversight necessary for taxpayer stewardship.''

Regan disputed that, saying officials "spent a lot of time designing this fund.''

He pledged a very rigorous reporting system on how these grantees are investing this capital,'' adding: Its all designed to be tracked with investments in low-carbon strategies, especially for those who otherwise would not be able to participate.''
PARIS (AP)  India is close to buying new French warplanes and submarines and played a starring role in Frances Bastille Day celebrations Friday. But for all the camaraderie on display this week between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, their two countries remain sometimes-awkward allies.

Macron skirted around concerns about threats to rights and freedoms under Modis Hindu nationalist government.

Modi called for peace efforts in Ukraine to end Russias war and resulting grain shortages, and India has increased imports of sanctioned Russian oil; Macrons France is boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine for its counteroffensive.

During a two-day visit that included a banquet at the Louvre, Indian troops marching down the Champs-Elysees and a high-octane speech by Modi to Indians from around Europe, the two countries released a raft of agreements tightening cooperation in areas where they agree.

The biggest step is a preliminary Indian accord to buy 26 more Rafale fighter jets and three more Scorpene French- and Spanish-made submarines, on top of a prior deal for 36 Rafales and six Scorpenes. Price details still need to be worked out.

Cooperation in defense is the basic pillar of our relationship, Modi said ahead of meetings with Macron. Be it a submarine or a navy ship, we want to work jointly not only for ourselves but other friendly nations too.

Macron is keen on tightening alliances in the Indo-Pacific against an increasingly assertive China, and his office unveiled a roadmap'' with India for cooperation in the region.

This convergence stretches to our strategic interests," he said. We are defending together the same vision of the Indo-Pacific, an area that must remain open and free from all forms of hegemony.''

Modi said India also wants to increase cooperation with France in space, after India launched a spacecraft toward the far side of the moon Friday. France houses the European Space Agencys main launch site, in French Guiana.

The two leaders also announced new initiatives to cooperate on renewable energy, hydrogen projects, artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

A small clutch of activists held a rally in Paris against Modi's visit on Thursday, accusing him of eroding Indian democracy and encouraging discrimination against religious minorities. Modi, who governs the worlds largest population, has said that democracy runs in our veins and insisted that there is absolutely no space for discrimination.

Modi was welcomed by U.S. President Biden last month, and heads next to the United Arab Emirates.
ROME (AP)  Commuters and tourists alike were stranded by a major train strike across Italy on a sweltering Thursday, with cancellations affecting even high-speed lines that are usually guaranteed during Italy's frequent work stoppages.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini signed a decree ordering the two-day strike be cut in half, but even that truncated stoppage forced the cancellation of service up and down the peninsula on a weekday, at the height of Italy's booming high tourist season.

At Milans main rail station, for example, eight of 20 scheduled Trenitalia trains scheduled between 10:30-11:30 a.m. were canceled.

State-run Trenitalia warned of the likelihood of a significant impact on service that would involve the partial or total cancellation of service on the high-speed Frecce lines, Intercity and regional trains, and cause delays after the official end of the strike. Private Italo listed the trains that it guaranteed would be operational on its website.

Roberta Riccitiello was in Rome for work and was hoping for guaranteed high-speed train service back to her home in Naples.

But actually we arrived this morning and they canceled all the trains, Riccitiello said at a sweltering Termini train station, as Rome temperatures outside hit 34 degrees C (93F). She said she was considering a slower regional train service instead of the high-speed line she had originally booked, even though it would add nearly 3.5 hours onto the trip.

Five hours to get home. Im not on vacation, I was at work and I have to go back to work, she said.

Italys main unions called for the strike of Trenitalia and Italo workers, complaining about staffing shortages and excessive overtime, minimum salaries and other work conditions.

In general theres a need to restart a serious and constructive confrontation within the rail transport sector to concretely improve work conditions and make them responsive to the needs of all the personnel, said a statement from the UIL union.

Salvini said in a video statement early Thursday that he had just signed a decree cutting the strike in half, saying he took action because leaving a million Italians  commuters and workers  stranded on a Thursday in July with temperatures of up to 35 degrees was unthinkable.

He promised to facilitate a meeting between companies and unions to give satisfaction to Italian railway workers, without, however, stranding hundreds of thousands of Italians who bear no blame.

Philip Rially, visiting Rome from Scotland, was sanguine about the strike, saying work stoppages were part of life and would eventually end.

And so, like all these other people from all over, we just have to wait patiently, he said.

Associated Press reporter Luca Bruno contributed from Milan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he offered the Wagner private military company the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under their same commander after their short-lived rebellion, while some of the mercenaries were shown Friday in Belarus, possibly heralding the group's relocation there.

Putin's comments appeared to reflect his efforts to secure the loyalty of Wagner mercenaries, some of the most capable Russian forces in Ukraine, after the groups brief revolt last month that posed the most serious threat to his 23-year rule.

The fate of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin remains unclear since the June 23-24 armed rebellion and new cracks have appeared in the Russian military as the war grinds through its 17th month and Ukraine presses a counteroffensive against the invading forces.

In remarks published Friday in the business daily Kommersant, Putin for the first time described a Kremlin event attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including Prigozhin, on June 29, five days after the rebellion. He said he praised their efforts in Ukraine, deplored their involvement in the mutiny  which he previously denounced as an act of treason  and offered them alternatives for future service.

Putin told Kommersant that one option would see Wagner keep the same commander who goes by the call sign "Gray Hair and has led the private army in Ukraine for 16 months. The commander, Andrei Troshev, is a retired military officer who has played a leading role in Wagner since its creation in 2014 and faced European Union sanctions over his role in Syria as the group's executive director.

All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve, Putin told the newspaper, And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along.

Putin said many Wagner troops nodded in approval at the proposal, but Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and didn't see their reaction, quickly rejected it, responding that the boys wont agree with such a decision.

Putin didn't mention where and in what numbers Wagner could be deployed under his offer, or say what proposal the forces eventually accepted, if any. He said nothing about Prigozhin's role.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to elaborate on Wagner's future while speaking with reporters Friday.

Putin has previously said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to neighboring Belarus or retire from service.

Speaking to Kommersant, Putin emphasized that rank-and-file soldiers of Wagner have fought honorably in Ukraine, adding that its a cause for regret that they were drawn into the mutiny.

Putin's remarks were to a Kommersant reporter who has special access to the president. They appeared to be part of efforts to denigrate Prigozhin while trying to maintain control over Wagner mercenaries and secure their loyalty.

Putin previously denied any links between the government and Wagner, and acknowledged after the mutiny that Prigozhin's company has received billions of dollars from the state. He noted that investigators would probe whether any of the funds had been stolen, a warning to Prigozhin that he could face financial crimes.

State-controlled media have posted videos and photos of Prigozhins opulent mansion in St. Petersburg, including stacks of cash, gold bars and fake passports. The images appeared to be part of a smear campaign against the Wagner chief, who has portrayed himself as an enemy of corrupt elites even though he owes his wealth to Putin.

Putin also said Wagner has operated without legal basis.

There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesnt exist, he told Kommersant, adding that the government and the parliament have yet to discuss the issue of private military contractors.

In the revolt that lasted less than 24 hours, Prigozhins mercenaries quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot, before driving to within about 200 kilometers (125 miles) of Moscow. Prigozhin called it a march of justice to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who demanded that Wagner sign contracts with the Defense Ministry by July 1.

The mutiny faced little resistance and fighters downed at least six military helicopters and a command post aircraft, killing at least 10 airmen. Prigozhin ordered his mercenaries back to their camps after striking a deal to end the rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for him and his men, and permission to move to Belarus.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered the deal, has said Prigozhin was in Russia while Wagners troops were in their field camps. He didn't specify the camps' location but Prigozhins mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine before their revolt and also have bases in Russia.

Lukashenko said his military could benefit from the private army's combat experience, and Belarusian state TV broadcast video Friday of Wagner instructors training Belarusian territorial defense forces at a firing range near Asipovichy, where a camp offered to Wagner is located. A Belarusian messaging app channel alleged Prigozhin spent a night at the camp this week and posted a photo of him in a tent.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry didn't say how many Wagner troops were in Belarus or specify if more will follow. Lukashenko has previously said it was up to Prigozhin and Moscow to decide on a move to Belarus. The Kremlin has refrained from comment.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said most mercenaries have remained in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, but added that at this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine.

While the fate of Prigozhin remains cloudy, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Wagner was completing the handover of its weapons to the Russian military. That appeared to show attempts by Russian authorities to defuse the threat posed by the mercenaries and also seemed to herald an end to the groups operations in Ukraine.

At the same time, new fissures have emerged in the military command. Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, a focal point in Ukraines counteroffensive, said he was dismissed after speaking out about problems faced by his troops in what he described as a treacherous stab in the back.

Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, refused to comment on Popov's remarks, referring questions to the Defense Ministry that also hasn't commented.

In the latest fighting, Ukraine said it shot down 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched overnight from Russias southern Krasnodar region. The presidential administration said at least four civilians were killed and 10 wounded since Thursday.

In southern Russia, three drones were destroyed late Thursday while approaching the city of Voronezh, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said, adding there were no injuries or damage.

A drone also crashed and exploded in Kurchatov, where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located, without causing any damage to key facilities, said regional Gov. Roman Starovoit.

And three people were wounded when a car exploded in a residential area of Belgorod, near the Ukraine border, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to suggestions this week by British Defense Minister Ben Wallace that Ukraine could show more gratitude for Western military aid. The remark was an unfortunate misunderstanding on the part of the British minister, Kuleba said.

No one has any reason to accuse us of any ingratitude. But the truth is that, sorry, we are at war, he said. When we win, then I will say, thank you, the weapons were enough, but while the struggle continues, the weapons are not enough.

Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed.

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
SHOEMAKERSVILLE, Pa.- Several people lost their homes and belongings in an early morning fire in Shoemakersville.

The four-alarm fire spread quickly, destroying an apartment building on Main Street.

By the light of day, the devastation was clear.

"I didn't think it was going to hit me," said Michael Kahm. "My daughter slept in that room, my son was in that one," he said, fighting back tears. "Their daughter was in the room next to it and their son was in the room next to that."

Kahm moved out of the apartment building just weeks ago. He said his heart is broken for his friends and neighbors who lived in the other units.

"Everybody's alright and everybody's okay. [That] is the only reason this is bearable," said Kahm.

One person did go to the hospital for some burns. Those on scene say he was a former fire volunteer himself.

"It's a total loss and it's very devastating, especially for the families," said Amanda Barlet, a friend of the victims and former volunteer firefighter. "It's hard to see them go through that."

Firefighters say it is too soon to determine the cause or where exactly the fire started because of how much damage was done and how quickly it spread.

"It was hard to tell when we first got there because the fire was extended everywhere in front of the whole apartment building," says Asst. Fire Chief David Rubright with the Shoemakersville Vol. Fire Company.

The four-alarm fire took at least two hours and around 100 firefighters from at least 20 different companies to tackle.

The state police fire marshal is investigating.

"I wish them luck and hopefully that the community can come together to help them," Barlet said.
BERKS COUNTY, Pa.  Humane Pennsylvania is seeking help in collecting pet food donations.

The organization is working in support of its Spikes Pet Food Pantry and County Animal Response Team, which provide relief for disasters and emergencies impacting animals.

Due to emergency efforts in response to the catastrophic flooding of July 9, Humane Pennsylvanias pet food supply is running dangerously low and they are accepting donations of unopened wet and dry dog and cat food.

The organization has contributed pet food and other supplies to residents with pets that have been affected by the flooding. Officials say these efforts ensure that pets and caretakers stay together,

Those who wish to donate are asked to grab a bag or two while at the grocery store or visit Humane Pennsylvania's Amazon wish list to send a donation to them.

Donations can also be dropped off or shipped directly to:

Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving  1801 N. 11th St., Reading, PA 19604

Lancaster Center for Animal Life-Saving  2195 Lincoln Hwy. E., Lancaster, PA 17602
NEW DELHI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Indian government has rejected a resolution adopted by the European Parliament over the prolonged violence in India's northeastern state of Manipur, calling it an "interference in India's internal affairs."

Spokesman for India's External Affairs Ministry Arindam Bagchi described the European Parliament's resolution as "unacceptable," saying it reflected "a colonial mindset".

Nearly 150 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the violence that has continued in Manipur since May 3. 
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Stemming gun violence is a personal and political mission for Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis. He touted his Safer Communities tour Friday as a means to do so.

After showing off his trademark affable style inside Allentown's Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley, Davis soon got serious.

"We can't thrive as a Commonwealth unless we are meeting that basic need of safety and security," he told a crowd of people which included other Democratic state legislators, Allentown and Easton's mayors, as well as members of the community.

Davis, who heads Pennsylvania's Commission on Crime and Delinquency, is highlighting initiatives funded by the department, that focus on curbing gun violence in communities across the state.

It's a mission Promise Neighborhoods, a community-based nonprofit focused on inner-city youth, shares.

"We hire staff, credible messengers. We employ people who, it's hard for them to find a job, they have relatable, livable experience," said Director of Operations Jennie Garcia.

Garcia is part of that experience. She lost her 17-year-old son to gun violence in 2012.

The organization, along with Lehigh Valley Health Network, has received over $4 million in PCCD grants since 2021 to help with community-based programs to obviate gun violence.

"There is not going to be a magic recipe to solve this problem. It's going to take us coming together, elected officials, community leaders," Davis said.

Currently, elected officials are far apart on gun reform.

The state House passed a series of gun reform bills, including red flag laws, expanded background checks for all guns, and closing the gun show loophole. The bills haven't made it out of the Senate's State Government Committee.

Despite his disappointment, Davis remains optimistic.

"It's going to be a comprehensive approach, it's not going to be just the laws," he said.

Republican state Sen. Jarrett Coleman said he does not support the gun reform bills, as he feels they infringe on people's Second Amendment rights.

One thing Republicans and Democrats do agree on is $40 million in the budget for gun violence prevention and intervention programs, which Promise Neighborhood represents.

According to Gun Violence Archive, there have been 365 mass shootings so far this year across the country, with more than 22,000 people dying from incidents involving guns.

In Allentown, police say 25 shootings have happened in the city, compared to 26 all of last year and 47 in 2021.
SHENANDOAH, Pa. - The sale of a water system owned by Shenandoah in Schuylkill County can now move forward.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission said it approved a joint settlement Thursday in a case seeking commission approval for Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. to acquire the assets of a water system in Schuylkill County owned by the Borough of Shenandoah and the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah.

The Shenandoah system provides water service to approximately 2,900 customers in the Borough of Shenandoah and parts of surrounding municipalities (West Mahonoy Township, Mahanoy Township, Butler Township and Girardville Borough, according to a news release from the PUC.

The commission voted 5-0 Thursday to approve the joint settlement and adopt the recommended decision of PUC Administrative Law Judge Jeffrey A. Watson, as modified by Thursdays order, and approve Aquas application.

Aqua will provide information about its customer assistance programs  in both English and Spanish  as part of their welcome letter to Shenandoah area customers and will work with community-based organizations to provide information about Aquas assistance program and enroll eligible consumers, the PUC said.

In addition to existing commitments, Aqua agreed to contribute $45,000 to the companys Hardship Grant program to further assist Aqua customers, according to the PUC.

Upon closing of the system sale, the Shenandoah system will be integrated into Aquas customer-owned lead service line replacement program, and Aqua will explore low cost or no cost financing for lead service line replacement in the Shenandoah territory, the PUC said.

Aqua will also review the high level of unaccounted for water in the Shenandoah system and submit an audit report for the system using guidelines from the American Water Works Association  providing copies of that audit report to the PUC and the Office of Consumer Advocate and Small Business Advocate, according to the news release.

The PUC says Aqua has noted plans to invest $23 million in the Shenandoah system for main replacements and other system needs to minimize future water loss and improve service.

The settlement requires Aqua to install water meters at the four fire companies in the boroughs service territory that do not currently have meters, within 60 days of the closing, according to the news release. The settlement also directs Aqua to file an amended Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan, to include eligible Shenandoah assets in that plan.

Per the settlement, Aqua will continue to provide free water service to eight fire companies that received free service from MABS until Aquas next base rate proceeding before the PUC, according to the news release.

At the time of Aquas next base rate case before the PUC, Aqua will propose to charge rates for water service to all entities in the Shenandoah territory, the PUC said.
PARIS (AP)  French fighter jets trailed red-white-and-blue smoke over Paris monuments, families held picnics and firefighters hosted holiday balls around France to celebrate Bastille Day on Friday, a moment of much-needed festivity after mass protests, riots and political divisions that have riven the country this year.

Not everyone was feeling the spirit of liberty, equality and fraternity that the holiday aims to embody. Traditional fireworks displays were banned in some towns, and trams and buses halted after dark across France to prevent new unrest in underprivileged neighborhoods. And an exceptional 130,000 police were deployed around the country to maintain order.

This year, the celebrations marking the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789 come in the wake of the nations most serious urban violence in nearly 20 years, following the fatal police shooting of a teenager with North African roots that laid bare anger over entrenched inequality and racial discrimination.

Fighter jets and military helicopters whooshed Friday above the site where 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was killed last month, on Nelson Mandela Square in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, on their way toward the Arc de Triomphe and the VIP guests watching the grandiose Bastille Day parade. Nanterre's streets were unusually quiet as local residents gathered to watch the flyby.

Just a few kilometers (miles) away, crowds lined the Champs-Elysees to watch the annual parade, which included 6,500 people marching, 94 planes and helicopters, 219 ground vehicles, 200 horses and 86 dogs this year.

India was the guest of honor, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi watching alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. About 240 Indian troops led the march, and French-made Indian warplanes joined the aerial display. France often showcases international partners on Bastille Day.

Russia's war in Ukraine  central to last years Bastille Day celebrations  echoed in this years events as well. Vehicles on display included the Caesar anti-missile batteries that France is providing to Ukraine, and Ukrainian officials were invited to join Macron in the VIP seats. Macron gave a posthumous Legion of Honor award to French journalist Arman Soldin, killed in Ukraine earlier this year.

Concerts, parties and parades are held in towns and cities around France to commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 that marked the start of the French Revolution, and Friday's events were largely festive.

Even in Nanterre, site of last month's police killing, some residents who gathered to watch the holiday flyover saw reasons to celebrate.

Its a moment of pleasure, said Aurelie V., 38, who accompanied her newborn infant to watch the parade. She spoke on condition her last name not be used because of continued tensions in her neighborhood. I came here to share this with my son, to show the strength of our country.

But signs of malaise remained.

The roses on a roadside memorial to Merzouk had long withered by Fridays Bastille Day celebrations. A nearby Monoprix supermarket was still boarded up, and the walls near the intersection where the police shot the teenager were still tagged with words of anger: Vengeance for Nahel, anti-police slogan ACAB, and Death to the king, an apparent dig at what is seen as Macrons out-of-touch leadership.

The fatal shooting of Merzouk at point-blank range during a traffic stop, captured on video, sparked several days of clashes with police, the burning of hundreds of buildings and vehicles and the looting of stores in cities and towns around France.

A group of activists and immigrants defied a ban on political gatherings Friday and demonstrated in eastern Paris against a proposed immigration bill that would facilitate deportations.

Theres no equality when we kill a 17-year-old for traffic violations or when we let teenage immigrants sleep in the streets, said Aimee Kiamenga, a 19-year-old activist with the group SOS Racisme. France has lost its values, and its system is becoming more and more repressive.

The protesters also called for an end to police brutality, which advocates say often targets people with African origins. Many people living in neglected housing projects who trace their roots to former French colonies, like Merzouk, struggle with lack of opportunity and day-to-day racism.

Macron hasn't directly addressed the issues raised by the killing of Merzouk, focusing instead on supporting the exceptionally large number of towns hit by violence and boosting police presence to restore calm. A presidential aide said that the unrest violence had no impact on the Bastille Day parade, but noted that the celebrations come at a time when it is necessary to reaffirm national cohesion.

The holiday comes after months of mass protests and strikes earlier this year over a law raising the retirement age to 64, which led to a showdown in parliament when Macron's government used special powers to force it through without a vote. Many voters remain angry over the bill and Macron's tactics.

Because unrest tends to spike every year around Bastille Day and because France remains on edge, the government deployed an exceptional 130,000 police Thursday and Friday.

Overnight Thursday to Friday, the Interior Ministry reported 97 people arrested in urban violence and 218 cars set alight around the country. That was slightly lower than last year.

Bounab reported from Nanterre and Paris.
GUATEMALA CITY (AP)  Guatemala sank deeper into political turmoil Thursday as an effort by prosecutors to discredit a progressive presidential candidate prompted his conservative opponent to suspend her campaign, citing a playing field that was no longer even.

The government's actions against candidate Bernardo Arevalo  first suspending his Seed Movement party, then raiding the country's election tribunal offices after it certified election results  sparked other objections as well, from within and outside Guatemala. U.S. officials called them a threat to the countrys democracy.

By Thursday afternoon, those actions appeared to have backfired.

The Constitutional Court, which is Guatemala's highest tribunal, granted a preliminary injunction to the Seed Movement, blocking its suspension. Meanwhile, candidates left and right warned the government to let the voters prevail.

It was an outcome President Alejandro Giammattei likely did not expect when his administration decided to intervene in the June 25 election, which ended with Arevalo and conservative candidate Sandra Torres moving on to an Aug. 20 presidential runoff.

Arevalo dismissed the government's actions as illegal and said he would file complaints against the lower court judge, attorney general and special prosecutor for trying to keep him out of the race.

What they are trying to do is simply sow doubt about our honesty, he said at a news conference Thursday, adding that the raid and partys suspension had a clear political purpose.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal issued an angry statement declaring it would safeguard Guatemalas democracy in the face of any attempt to interfere with the electoral process.

Torres, whose UNE party has been a key force in allowing Giammattei to advance his legislative agenda, said she was halting her campaign activities to protest the government's actions. It was likely she realized Giammatteis missteps could sink her own candidacy.

We want to demonstrate our solidarity with the voters of the Seed party and also with those who came out to vote, she said. As a candidate, I want to compete under equal conditions.

She called on the president to show his face.

Giammatteis office issued a statement saying it respects the separation of powers and would not be involved in any judicial processes. Giammattei is prohibited by Guatemalan law from seeking reelection.

Arevalo was a surprise among the 22 candidates in the June 25 first-round election, getting 11.7% of the votes. In the days before the ballot, he had polled below 3% and was not among the top six or seven candidates, all of whom were considered to be on the conservative end of the political spectrum. Torres led the field with 15.8%. No candidate came close to exceeding the 50% threshold necessary to win outright, necessitating the August runoff.

A former diplomat and academic, Arevalo has framed himself as the candidate who would bring change to the country, while portraying Torres as someone who would likely maintain the status quo.

Arevalo also promised to bring back prosecutors and judges who were critical to the nation's fight against corruption but were forced out of the country under Giammatteis administration.

As the wait dragged on for certification of the election, anxiety grew that the government was looking for a way to change the results. First, several losing parties waged a legal challenge, leading the Constitutional Court to suspend the certification and order a review of hundreds of challenged polling place tallies. The review concluded with no change in the results.

Then late Wednesday, anti-corruption prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche announced the Seed Movement's suspension, an action that appeared to violate Guatemala's election laws, which prohibit suspending parties during an ongoing election. Curruchiche alleged the party violated the law while gathering the signatures it needed to form.

The day began Thursday with prosecutors raiding the offices of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal just hours after it certified the election results. The Attorney Generals Office said Thursday that the purpose of the raid was to seize evidence from the office responsible for voter rolls and party registration. A raid had also been expected to take place at the Seed Movements party headquarters Thursday but that appeared unlikely after the high court's injunction.

The U.S. State Department previouslyr accused Curruchiche and his boss, Attorney General Consuelo Porras, of obstructing corruption investigations in Guatemala, and put them both on its list of undemocratic actors.

Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Thursday that the U.S. government was deeply concerned by the actions of the Attorney Generals Office, which he said threatened the legitimacy of the electoral process. The will of the Guatemalan people, as expressed through the June 25 elections results, must be respected, he said.

A United Nations spokesperson said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was watching developments in Guatemala with concern and urged all those involved to act responsibly and impartially.

Katya Salazar, executive director of the Due Process Foundation, a Washington-based nongovernmental group, said events playing out in Guatemala were the result of real fear among those in power that an Arevalo victory could threaten the impunity they enjoy.

That impunity comes from co-optation of the justice system, by appointing judges and an attorney general they trusted and chasing those in the justice system who had investigated corruption out of the country, she said.

If you dont control the justice system, there is always going to be the concern that they open an investigation against you, she said.

On Thursday afternoon, several hundred people gathered outside the Attorney Generals Office to protest attempts to suspend the Seed Movement.

Rosmarie Movil, a 76-year-old vendor, said she came because she was tired of the government trampling the peoples will.

What we want to say more than anything is no to corruption, enough already, she said. It makes you embarrassed to be Guatemalan because they steal from us, theres no justice, theres no health (care) and on top of it they want to take the democracy. Let there be spring now.

Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Edith M. Lederer in New York and AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
As the July 4 holiday approached, a local news report in Alabama warned of a deadly TikTok challenge that involved jumping from a speeding boat.

"Last six months we have had four drownings that were easily avoidable," Jim Dennis, captain of the Childersburg Rescue Team, told the local ABC affiliate station in Birmingham, Alabama, in a story that aired July 3. "They were doing a TikTok challenge."

National and international news outlets snapped up the report, cautioning about the trend. But Alabama's main public safety agency says while there have been boating fatalities this year, no such deaths have been reported. A spokesperson for TikTok also says no boat jumping challenge is trending on its platform.

Here's a closer look at the facts.

CLAIM: Four people attempting a viral TikTok challenge have died jumping from moving boats in Alabama recently.

THE FACTS: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which oversees the state's public safety agencies, tweeted on Monday to dispel the viral rumors.

The agency said its Marine Patrol Division had "no records of boating or marine-related deaths that could be directly linked to TikTok or a trend on TikTok."

On Monday, July 3, a news story was shared regarding first responders warning against a deadly boating TikTok trend after recent drownings in Alabama. However, please be advised the information released to the news outlet was incorrect.  Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (@ALEAprotects) July 10, 2023

It noted that one person was fatally injured after jumping from a moving boat in 2020 and a similar case happened in 2021, but that neither death was linked to TikTok.

In a follow up email to The Associated Press, the agency provided details about six water-related deaths marine patrol investigated so far this year. None of the incident reports mentions TikTok or any such challenge.

On July 8, for example, a 79-year-old man drowned after falling off his boat without a life vest while fishing overnight on a river. A day earlier, a 65-year-old man drowned after he got off a pontoon boat to help a dog in a lake.

The other fatalities included a 19-year-old who crashed his jet ski into a tree in May and a man who apparently drowned in January after the vessel he was on struck a bridge and capsized.

People magazine, the New York Post and a number of other major outlets that initially reported on the TikTok challenge deaths have since updated their stories to include the state's response.

But social media users, in English and in Spanish, are still sharing the claims as accurate. Some even include videos purporting to show the victims.

"Police say at least 4 people have died doing the TikTok boat jumping challenge," wrote one Twitter user in a widely shared post that included various video clips of people diving off moving boats. "When they jumped out of the boat, they literally broke their neck ... instant death."

Meanwhile Dennis, the local first responder quoted in the original story, walked back his comments after state officials weighed in this week.

He told AL.com, another local news outlet in Alabama, that his remarks during an interview about boating safety were taken out of context, but he maintained that his organization has responded to reports of people who jumped off boats this year.

"It got blown way out of proportion," said Dennis, who didn't respond to requests for additional comment this week.

The ABC affiliate in Birmingham also declined to comment, but in a story Monday about the state's response, the station included Dennis' full, unedited interview.

Ben Rathe, a spokesperson for TikTok, stressed "boat jumping" has never trended on platform, echoing a statement the company's office in Mexico City previously provided in Spanish.

TikTok also said it does not comment on things that are "not part (of the platform) / are not trending on the platform."

Like other social media companies, TikTok has seen any number of "challenges" go viral over the years, from the potentiallyhazardous and destructive to the outright criminal and deadly.

Elizabeth Losh, an American Studies professor at William & Mary, a university in Williamsburg, Virginia, who has studied TikTok trends, confirmed some posts featuring people jumping off boats are visible on the site -- including one from 2019 with the hashtag #boatjumpchallenge -- but don't appear to be particularly viral or widespread.

She also noted TikTok has placed warning labels over some of the posts.

The social network's community guidelines prohibit users from showing or promoting " dangerous activities and challenges," which includes "dares, games, tricks, inappropriate use of dangerous tools, eating substances that are harmful to one's health, or similar activities that may lead to significant physical harm."

___
BANGKOK, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's parliament will hold its second vote for a new prime minister on July 19 after the previous nomination failed to secure majority support, National Assembly President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha confirmed on Friday.

This came after Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, the only candidate nominated as prime minister in a joint sitting of parliament, received only 324 votes in favor on Thursday, short of the simple majority required to become prime minister.

Pita's coalition commands more than 310 seats in the House of Representatives, but he was unable to persuade enough senators who overwhelmingly voted abstain.

On Friday, Move Forward Party members submitted a draft constitution amendment to Wan Noor, who is also the Speaker of the House of Representatives, aiming to exclude senators from taking part in prime minister selection.

Under Section 272 of the Thai constitution, a prime ministerial candidate requires the approval of more than half of the bicameral parliament, which empowers the 250-member Senate to jointly elect the prime minister with the 500-member House of Representatives.

Move Forward Party Secretary-General Chaithawat Tulathon said the purpose of the amendment is to return the power of selecting the prime minister to the House of Representatives, which is elected by the people. 
A worker tastes coffee at a coffee factory in Yangon, Myanmar, July 18, 2023. Myanmar annually produces over 9,000 tons of coffee, including over 7,000 tons of Arabica coffee and over 2,000 tons of Robusta coffee, according to the Myanmar Coffee Association.

Myanmar exported coffee beans to over 10 foreign countries, including Britain, the United States, Japan, China, Thailand, and Australia. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

YANGON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar annually produces over 9,000 tons of coffee, including over 7,000 tons of Arabica coffee and over 2,000 tons of Robusta coffee, U Myo Aye, the chairman of the Myanmar Coffee Association, said on Friday.

Out of the over 9,000 tons of coffee, about 1,500-1,700 tons were exported to foreign countries, he told Xinhua.

"We are always striving to expand our coffee market, and we connect with international coffee organizations and importers and organize exhibitions by inviting traders. In our country, we conduct coffee festivals and coffee forums," U Myo Aye explained about the activities of the Myanmar Coffee Association to expand the coffee market.

Myanmar has cultivated coffee since 1885. However, during that period, exporting Myanmar coffee to foreign nations was infrequent. "We adopted modern technologies from other countries. Initially, our production was limited to regular coffee, which we mainly sold to neighboring countries. However, in 2015, we expanded our market reach and began exporting to foreign countries as well," he said.

Eighty percent of the coffee plantations in Myanmar are Arabica coffee. Most of the coffee plantations in the country are in Shan State, he said.

Myanmar exported coffee beans to over 10 foreign countries, including Britain, the United States, Japan, China, Thailand, and Australia.

In addition, countries such as Japan, China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates offer import tariff exemption benefits for Myanmar's coffee, according to Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization, local media reported. 

Workers pack coffee at a coffee factory in Yangon, Myanmar, July 18, 2023. Myanmar annually produces over 9,000 tons of coffee, including over 7,000 tons of Arabica coffee and over 2,000 tons of Robusta coffee, according to the Myanmar Coffee Association.

Myanmar exported coffee beans to over 10 foreign countries, including Britain, the United States, Japan, China, Thailand, and Australia. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

Workers pack coffee with paper bags at a coffee factory in Yangon, Myanmar, July 18, 2023. Myanmar annually produces over 9,000 tons of coffee, including over 7,000 tons of Arabica coffee and over 2,000 tons of Robusta coffee, according to the Myanmar Coffee Association.

Myanmar exported coffee beans to over 10 foreign countries, including Britain, the United States, Japan, China, Thailand, and Australia. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
Wits honours Gates

A brilliant intellectual with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, Prof. Jim Gates shattered boundaries and unlocked secrets of the Universe.

Professor James Sylvester Gates (Junior), commonly known as Jim Gates, is a renowned physicist and mathematician whose groundbreaking contributions have significantly influenced the fields of supersymmetry, supergravity, and superstring theory, and shaped our understanding of the Universe.

Born in 1950, in Tampa, Florida, Gates' exceptional career spans several decades and has earned him global recognition. In acknowledgment of his outstanding intellectual contributions to science, and his remarkable leadership in African scientific communities, Professor Jim Gates was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Wits University on 14 July 2023.

This accolade acknowledges his lifelong commitment to advancing knowledge, his exceptional leadership, and his role as an ambassador for science.

Gates expressed his surprise and immense pride for receiving an honorary doctorate from Wits, remarking, "First, I was so surprised, now I'm just so proud. I try to make a contribution to science and technology in different ways." During his address, he imparted words of wisdom to Wits graduates, saying, "I commend this class and encourage you to do acts of kindness and work for the good of others - go ahead and create your trail."

Professor Jim Gates played a crucial role in the development of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and made significant contributions to many large-scale scientific projects in physics, astronomy, and cosmology. He has published 217 highly cited peer-reviewed papers, authored four books, written 24 book chapters, and edited two books and nine invited review articles. As a brilliant teacher and mentor, he has supervised over 20 PhD students to graduation, nurturing the next generation of scientific minds.

His remarkable contributions to science have been recognised through eight honorary doctorates from prestigious institutions worldwide. Professor Gates holds honorary positions as Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland, Winthrop Professor and Professor-at-Large at the University of Western Australia, and Fellow at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies in South Africa.

"I like to do things to try and make sure that people of African descent are engaged in science and technology because our future depends on science - we are tied up in science. I am part of Africa, and Africa is part of me," he said, emphasising his deep connection to the continent and his commitment to fostering scientific engagement among diverse African communities.

Gates has played a vital role in promoting and advancing physics and science in Africa, particularly in South Africa. His expertise in shaping the future of physics in South Africa led to his involvement in the establishment of the National Institute for Theoretical Physics, with Wits hosting one of its three nodes. He has delivered hundreds of colloquia, seminars and non-technical lectures, as well as made numerous media appearances and contributions to international scientific reports. His efforts in the Public Understanding of Science have been widely acclaimed.

Gates' contributions to public life and the scientific society at large have garnered numerous accolades and awards. He was inducted as a Fellow of the South African Institute of Physics for his exceptional contributions to physics in Africa. In 2020, the University of Maryland College Park honoured him for research excellence. In 2013 he was awarded the National Medal of Science by former President Barack Obama, the highest honour bestowed by the United States Government upon scientists, engineers and inventors, in a memorable ceremony at the White House where an iconic photo was captured, showcasing former US president Barack Obama and Gates sharing a joyous moment.

Professor Jim Gates was accompanied to the Wits graduation ceremony by his wife, Dr Dianna Abney, and his children, Sylvester James Gates III and Delilah Elizabeth Abney Gates. Reflecting on the occasion, Sylvester James Gates III expressed his joy and pride, stating, "It's an amazing moment. It is always great when other people recognise his excellence. As a family, it just brings us all a lot of joy and pride to celebrate these moments with him."
Fitell Corp. (FTEL) is planning to raise $15 million in an IPO on the week of July 17th, IPO Scoop reports. The company plans to issue 3,000,000 shares at $4.00-$6.00 per share.

In the last twelve months, Fitell Corp. generated $8.2 million in revenue and $10,000 in net income.

Revere Securities and R.F. Lafferty & Co. acted as the underwriters for the IPO.

Fitell Corp. provided the following description of their company for its IPO:  Founded in 2007 and headquartered in New South Wales, Australia, GD Wellness Pty Ltd (asGDat) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fitell Corp., a Cayman Islands company. **Note: GD in the companys name stands for its brand, Gym Direct. (Incorporated in the Cayman Islands) We are an online retailer of gym and fitness equipment both under our proprietary brands and other brand names. Fitellas mission is to build an ecosystem with a whole fitness and wellness experience powered by technology to our customers. GD has served over 100,000 customers with large portions of sales from repeat customers over the years, which we believe to be a testament of our product quality and brand loyalty. Our brand portfolio can be categorized into three proprietary brands under our Gym Direct brand: Muscle Motion, Rapid Motion, and FleetX, in over 2,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs). In addition to our all-around fitness equipment portfolio to individual and commercial customers, we launched three new business verticals with integration of technology in 2021: Smart Connected Equipment  Initiated in May 2021 and still in development, our smart fitness equipment is a natural extension of our core business. It includes interactive exercise bikes and workout mirrors. We expect commercial launch in November 2022, with retail products available in December 2022. 1FinalRound: Our AI-powered interactive platform with our proprietary online training content and capability to be interactive with personal trainers as well as capability to follow members and track workout progress.A Boutique Fitness Clubs Licensing: Leveraging our years or experience in the fitness and wellness industry servicing both businesses and individual customers, we launched our licensing business in late 2021. mYSTEPS Training Clinic, a new concept fitness club chain, is our first licensee, dedicated to helping fitness-savvy and health-conscious consumers (usually ages 28-55) with higher disposable incomes achieve a motivating and healthy lifestyle with an engaging and dynamic fitness community in both online and offline settings. A We market and sell fitness equipment and related products as well as serve as a one-stop shop for business setup from personal training studios to commercial gyms. Our full spectrum of product coverage is exemplified by the following three proprietary brand names, which represented over 85% of our revenues in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022: A aZ OurA Muscle MotionA brand is a supplier of home gym and commercial strength-training equipment. Products have an emphasis on weights, bars, power racks, benches, and gym machines. A aZ OurA Rapid MotionA brand features similar products as Muscle Motion but with a stronger focus on commercial items. A aZ OurA FleetXA brand focuses on cardio equipment, including products such as rowing machines, exercise bikes, treadmills and more. All of these items are available in both home and commercial-grade quality. A In our fitness equipment business segment, we sell our products directly to customers through online or offline platforms. Revenue from our own e-commerce website accounted for approximately 83.68% of our total sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, with the remaining sales derived from commercial sale orders, our showroom and phone orders as well as third-party channels such as Amazon and eBay. **Note: Revenue and net income figures are for the year ended June 30, 2022. (Note: Fitell Corp. cut the size of its IPO by 25 percent by removing the 1 million shares offered by the selling stockholders in an F-1/A filing dated May 8, 2023: The IPOs size is now 3.0 million shares at $4.00 to $6.00 each to raise $15.0 million. Background: Fitell Corp. disclosed terms for its IPO in an F-1/A filing dated Nov. 29, 2022: 4.0 million shares at $4.00 to $6.00 each. The company is offering 3.0 million shares. Selling stockholders are offering 1.0 million shares; the company company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of those shares. Fitell Corp. filed its F-1 on Oct. 7, 2022.) A .

Fitell Corp. was founded in 2007 and has 17 employees. The company is located at 23-25 Mangrove Lane Taren Point, NSW 2229 Australia and can be reached via phone at +612 95245266 or on the web at https://gymdirect.com.au/.

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Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. lifted its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 0.9% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,743 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the period. Roman Butler Fullerton & Co.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,291,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted 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 purchasing an additional 4,886,954 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 30,598,624 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,352,840,000 after acquiring an additional 537,808 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 104,649.4% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,247,436 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,320,866,000 after acquiring an additional 30,218,560 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,893,715,000. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 12,089,085 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,312,781,000 after acquiring an additional 197,018 shares during the period. 73.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

In related news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total transaction of $5,551,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,825,316 shares in the company, valued at $757,746,582.32. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.56, for a total transaction of $909,466.56. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,786,409.12. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total transaction of $5,551,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,825,316 shares in the company, valued at approximately $757,746,582.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

Shares of ABT stock traded down $0.03 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $106.82. The company had a trading volume of 1,230,421 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,042,726. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $106.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $106.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.68. The firm has a market cap of $185.75 billion, a PE ratio of 32.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 0.68. Abbott Laboratories has a one year low of $93.25 and a one year high of $115.69.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $9.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.64 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 13.98% and a return on equity of 22.36%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 18.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.73 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Investors of record on Friday, July 14th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.91%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.01%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $127.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. BTIG Research lifted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, April 17th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 19th. SVB Leerink raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $90.00 to $102.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, March 31st. Finally, Raymond James raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $123.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.26.

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Annex Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 48.9% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 116,243 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 38,158 shares during the quarter. Annex Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $8,057,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in BMY. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,873,696,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 114,228.7% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 21,469,785 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,544,751,000 after acquiring an additional 21,451,006 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners boosted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 35.7% during the 4th quarter. Boston Partners now owns 13,794,089 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $992,048,000 after acquiring an additional 3,627,705 shares during the last quarter. Edmp Inc. boosted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 6,884.3% during the 4th quarter. Edmp Inc. now owns 3,343,588 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $46,471,000 after acquiring an additional 3,295,715 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vontobel Holding Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 91.9% during the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 3,527,985 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $244,525,000 after acquiring an additional 1,689,785 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.57% of the companys stock.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of BMY traded down $0.18 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $62.10. 3,340,472 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,084,694. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1 year low of $61.57 and a 1 year high of $81.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $130.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.16, a PEG ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.43. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $65.25 and its 200-day moving average price is $68.60.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.98 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $11.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.50 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.75% and a net margin of 15.95%. The businesss revenue was down 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.96 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Investors of record on Friday, July 7th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 6th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.67%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is 66.47%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, EVP Rupert Vessey sold 50,385 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total value of $3,378,818.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 47,751 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,202,182.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on BMY. StockNews.com began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Daiwa Capital Markets began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Wednesday, June 28th. They issued an outperform rating and a $70.00 target price for the company. Barclays dropped their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $65.00 to $64.00 in a research report on Tuesday. 51job restated a maintains rating on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, SVB Securities began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday. They issued a market perform rating and a $66.00 target price for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $75.44.

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, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report).

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Bahamas Petroleum Company plc (LON:BPC  Get Free Report)s stock price passed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 0.33 ($0.00) and traded as low as GBX 0.31 ($0.00). Bahamas Petroleum shares last traded at GBX 0.33 ($0.00), with a volume of 182,969,264 shares traded.

Bahamas Petroleum Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 3.82, a current ratio of 3.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 0.32 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 0.33. The firm has a market capitalization of 16.21 million and a PE ratio of -1.63.

About Bahamas Petroleum

(Get Free Report)

Bahamas Petroleum Company plc engages in the oil and gas exploration activities in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Bahamas Petroleum Company plc was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Douglas, the United Kingdom.

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HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC  Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the ten analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $735.00.

HSBC has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on HSBC from GBX 630 ($8.10) to GBX 680 ($8.75) in a report on Friday, July 7th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on HSBC from GBX 775 ($9.97) to GBX 800 ($10.29) in a research note on Wednesday, May 10th. Barclays raised their target price on HSBC from GBX 840 ($10.81) to GBX 900 ($11.58) in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. Berenberg Bank upgraded HSBC from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on HSBC from GBX 695 ($8.94) to GBX 675 ($8.68) in a research note on Wednesday.

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HSBC Stock Up 1.1 %

Shares of HSBC opened at $40.55 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $163.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.27, a PEG ratio of 0.33 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 0.98. HSBC has a 52 week low of $24.77 and a 52 week high of $40.59. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $38.52 and a 200-day moving average of $36.58.

HSBC Cuts Dividend

HSBC ( NYSE:HSBC Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Monday, May 1st. The financial services provider reported $2.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.85. The business had revenue of $20.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.10 billion. HSBC had a return on equity of 11.52% and a net margin of 32.20%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that HSBC will post 6.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 12th were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 11th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.93%. HSBCs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.46%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in HSBC. Syverson Strege & Co bought a new position in HSBC in the first quarter valued at $26,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new position in shares of HSBC during the first quarter valued at about $34,000. Column Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of HSBC by 40.1% during the first quarter. Column Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,006 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 288 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its stake in shares of HSBC by 286.7% during the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,102 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 817 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ridgewood Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HSBC during the first quarter worth about $42,000. 1.37% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

HSBC Company Profile

(Get Free Report

HSBC Holdings plc provides banking and financial services worldwide. The company operates through Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Global Banking and Markets segments. The Wealth and Personal Banking segment offers retail banking and wealth products, including current and savings accounts, mortgages and personal loans, credit and debit cards, and local and international payment services; and wealth management services comprising insurance and investment products, global asset management services, investment management, and private wealth solutions.

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Shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (TSE:BIP.UN  Get Free Report) (NYSE:BIP) passed below its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$48.23 and traded as low as C$45.89. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners shares last traded at C$46.07, with a volume of 184,237 shares.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 135.41, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market cap of C$21.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 476.00, a PEG ratio of -2.12 and a beta of 0.88. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$48.21 and a 200 day moving average price of C$46.58.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, energy, and data infrastructure businesses. The Utilities segment operates approximately 2,000 kilometers (km) of natural gas transportation pipelines in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Minas Gerais; approximately 2,200 km of electricity transmission lines in North and South America; and approximately 6.6 million electricity and natural gas connections and 1.1 million smart meters, as well as operates metallurgical coal export terminals.

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Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Capricorn Energy (OTCMKTS:CRNCY  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, Marketbeat reports.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on CRNCY. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on Capricorn Energy in a research report on Friday, March 24th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Barclays lifted their target price on Capricorn Energy from GBX 250 ($3.22) to GBX 275 ($3.54) in a research report on Monday, June 12th.

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Capricorn Energy Stock Up 1.3 %

Shares of OTCMKTS CRNCY opened at $5.11 on Monday. Capricorn Energy has a 1 year low of $4.36 and a 1 year high of $5.11. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $6.87 and its 200-day simple moving average is $10.86.

Capricorn Energy Announces Dividend

Capricorn Energy Company Profile

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 7th. Investors of record on Monday, May 15th were issued a $2.8298 dividend. This represents a yield of 44.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 12th.

(Get Free Report)

Capricorn Energy PLC, an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of oil and gas. It holds a portfolio of exploration, development, and production assets in the United Kingdom, Israel, Egypt, Mauritania, Mexico, and Suriname. The company was formerly known as Cairn Energy PLC and changed its name to Capricorn Energy PLC in December 2021.

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ISTANBUL, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police have launched a sweeping operation in Istanbul against smugglers of historical artifacts over the last month, seizing a large number of coins and copies of the Bible and Old Testament, local media reported on Friday.

The police detained five suspects during the raids in eight districts, including Fatih, Kartal, and Umraniye, the Demiroren news agency reported, adding that the suspects are facing the charge of "violating the law on the protection of cultural heritage."

They also seized more than 4,000 coins dating back to the Greek, Roman and Ottoman empires, and copies of the Bible and Old Testament with Hebrew inscriptions, according to the agency.

Turkiye is home to a rich cultural and historical heritage. Its police forces have launched frequent operations against the illicit trade of artifacts, especially in Istanbul, the country's largest city. 
StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine (NYSEAMERICAN:CVR  Free Report) in a research report report published on Tuesday. The firm issued a sell rating on the stock.

Separately, TheStreet downgraded Chicago Rivet & Machine from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Tuesday, June 6th.

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Chicago Rivet & Machine Trading Up 1.7 %

CVR opened at $24.89 on Tuesday. Chicago Rivet & Machine has a one year low of $23.65 and a one year high of $32.94. The firm has a market cap of $24.14 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.38.

Chicago Rivet & Machine Dividend Announcement

Chicago Rivet & Machine ( NYSEAMERICAN:CVR Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 8th. The company reported ($0.60) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Chicago Rivet & Machine had a return on equity of 9.41% and a net margin of 8.52%. The business had revenue of $8.73 million during the quarter.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 5th were issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 2nd. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.54%. Chicago Rivet & Machines dividend payout ratio is presently 29.63%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine by 8.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,696 shares of the companys stock worth $363,000 after acquiring an additional 1,005 shares in the last quarter. Cannell Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine by 16.2% in the 4th quarter. Cannell Capital LLC now owns 11,486 shares of the companys stock worth $329,000 after acquiring an additional 1,600 shares in the last quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine in the 4th quarter worth approximately $43,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in Chicago Rivet & Machine by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 68,710 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,771,000 after purchasing an additional 576 shares during the period. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new position in Chicago Rivet & Machine during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 22.36% of the companys stock.

Chicago Rivet & Machine Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co operates in the fastener industry in North America. The company operates in two segments, Fasteners and Assembly Equipment. The Fastener segment manufactures and sells rivets, cold-formed fasteners and parts, and screw machine products. The Assembly Equipment segment manufactures and sells automatic rivet setting machines and assembly equipment, as well as parts and tools for related machines.

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Cornerstone Community Bancorp (OTCMKTS:CRSB  Get Free Report)s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $27.27 and traded as low as $26.75. Cornerstone Community Bancorp shares last traded at $26.75, with a volume of 300 shares trading hands.

Cornerstone Community Bancorp Stock Performance

The firms 50-day simple moving average is $26.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $27.26.

Cornerstone Community Bancorp Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Cornerstone Community Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Cornerstone Community Bank that provides commercial, industrial, agricultural and personal credit, and other banking services in Tehama, Shasta, Butte, Glenn counties, and the surrounding areas in California. The company offers personal banking products comprise personal checking and savings accounts that include standard and gold savings, money market, health savings, individual retirement accounts, and certificate of deposit; debit and personal credit cards; and personal loans, such as personal secured and unsecured term loans, savings and CD secured loans, personal lines of credit, auto loans, home equity lines of credit, and residential construction loans.

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Shares of Crest Nicholson Holdings plc (LON:CRST  Get Free Report) passed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 235.16 ($3.03) and traded as low as GBX 176.50 ($2.27). Crest Nicholson shares last traded at GBX 179.70 ($2.31), with a volume of 248,279 shares traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on CRST shares. UBS Group upgraded Crest Nicholson to a neutral rating and boosted their price target for the company from GBX 210 ($2.70) to GBX 245 ($3.15) in a research note on Monday, June 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Crest Nicholson from GBX 200 ($2.57) to GBX 150 ($1.93) and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 4th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Crest Nicholson from GBX 334 ($4.30) to GBX 346 ($4.45) and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, June 22nd. Finally, Barclays reiterated an equal weight rating and set a GBX 245 ($3.15) price target on shares of Crest Nicholson in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of GBX 246.57 ($3.17).

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Crest Nicholson Trading Down 3.2 %

The firm has a market cap of 469.14 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 553.33, a PEG ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 1.83. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 226.23 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 234.48. The company has a current ratio of 3.73, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.66.

Crest Nicholson Cuts Dividend

Crest Nicholson Company Profile

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 21st will be issued a GBX 5.50 ($0.07) dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 21st. This represents a dividend yield of 2.21%. Crest Nicholsons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 5,151.52%.

(Get Free Report)

Crest Nicholson Holdings plc builds residential homes in the United Kingdom. The company develops and sells apartments, houses, and commercial properties. The company was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Addlestone, the United Kingdom.

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Crown (NYSE:CCK  Free Report) had its target price lowered by Bank of America from $106.00 to $101.00 in a report released on Monday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. StockNews.com downgraded Crown from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Sunday, June 25th. Citigroup reduced their price target on Crown from $104.00 to $102.00 in a report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Crown from $86.00 to $79.00 in a report on Monday, March 27th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price objective on Crown from $103.00 to $108.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $97.20.

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Crown Stock Performance

Shares of CCK stock opened at $88.95 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $84.01 and a 200 day moving average of $83.66. Crown has a 52 week low of $66.00 and a 52 week high of $102.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.51, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84.

Crown Announces Dividend

Crown ( NYSE:CCK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 24th. The industrial products company reported $1.20 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.15. Crown had a return on equity of 31.41% and a net margin of 4.81%. The company had revenue of $2.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.01 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Crown will post 6.28 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 25th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 11th were issued a $0.24 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 10th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.08%. Crowns payout ratio is currently 18.90%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Crown news, Director James H. Miller sold 9,300 shares of Crown stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.86, for a total transaction of $789,198.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 19,801 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,680,312.86. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.90% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Crown

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Crown by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 11,764,656 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,471,641,000 after acquiring an additional 143,049 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in Crown by 6.2% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 7,052,732 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $583,332,000 after buying an additional 410,225 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its stake in Crown by 8.1% during the first quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,645,714 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $384,247,000 after buying an additional 347,405 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Crown by 1.1% during the first quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,966,350 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $328,057,000 after buying an additional 43,186 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nomura Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Crown by 202.1% in the first quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. now owns 3,019,873 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $249,774,000 after purchasing an additional 2,020,200 shares in the last quarter. 90.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Crown

(Get Free Report)

Crown Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies rigid packaging products in Pennsylvania and internationally. It operates through Americas Beverage, European Beverage, Asia Pacific, and Transit Packaging segments. The Americas Beverage segment manufactures recyclable aluminum beverage cans and ends, glass bottles, steel crowns, and aluminum caps.

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Kinsale Capital Group (NYSE:KNSL  Get Free Report) and Everest Group (NYSE:EG  Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, valuation, earnings, institutional ownership and profitability.

Profitability

This table compares Kinsale Capital Group and Everest Groups net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Kinsale Capital Group 20.44% 28.34% 7.67% Everest Group 5.34% 12.98% 2.79%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings for Kinsale Capital Group and Everest Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Kinsale Capital Group 0 2 3 0 2.60 Everest Group 0 0 0 1 4.00

Valuation and Earnings

Kinsale Capital Group currently has a consensus price target of $359.00, indicating a potential downside of 0.93%. Everest Group has a consensus price target of $450.00, indicating a potential upside of 27.21%. Given Everest Groups stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Everest Group is more favorable than Kinsale Capital Group.

This table compares Kinsale Capital Group and Everest Groups top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Kinsale Capital Group $819.20 million 10.25 $159.11 million $7.90 45.89 Everest Group $12.06 billion 1.15 $597.00 million $16.86 20.98

Everest Group has higher revenue and earnings than Kinsale Capital Group. Everest Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Kinsale Capital Group, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Dividends

Kinsale Capital Group pays an annual dividend of $0.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.2%. Everest Group pays an annual dividend of $6.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.9%. Kinsale Capital Group pays out 7.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Everest Group pays out 39.1% 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. Kinsale Capital Group has increased its dividend for 7 consecutive years.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

86.4% of Kinsale Capital Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 94.4% of Everest Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 6.0% of Kinsale Capital Group shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.4% of Everest Group shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

Kinsale Capital Group has a beta of 0.91, indicating that its share price is 9% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Everest Group has a beta of 0.6, indicating that its share price is 40% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Kinsale Capital Group beats Everest Group on 10 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Kinsale Capital Group

(Get Free Report)

Kinsale Capital Group, Inc., a specialty insurance company, provides property and casualty insurance products in the United States. The company's commercial lines offerings include construction, small business, excess and general casualty, commercial property, allied health, life sciences, energy, environmental, health care, inland marine, public entity, and commercial insurance, as well as product, professional, and management liability insurance. It markets and sells its insurance products in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands primarily through a network of independent insurance brokers. Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

About Everest Group

(Get Free Report)

Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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Forterra (LON:FORT  Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from GBX 245 ($3.15) to GBX 214 ($2.75) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price objective would suggest a potential upside of 27.53% from the stocks current price.

Separately, Peel Hunt reissued a buy rating and issued a GBX 250 ($3.22) target price on shares of Forterra in a research report on Tuesday, May 16th.

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Forterra Trading Up 0.4 %

Forterra stock opened at GBX 167.80 ($2.16) on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.39. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 179.04 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 194.41. The firm has a market capitalization of 357.08 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 645.38, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.22. Forterra has a 52-week low of GBX 137.80 ($1.77) and a 52-week high of GBX 301 ($3.87).

About Forterra

Forterra plc manufactures and sells building products in the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Bricks, Blocks, and Bespoke Products. The company offers bricks; aircrete and aggregate blocks; and bespoke precast products comprising jetfloor, hollowcore, beam and block and flooring, box culverts, omnia bridge decks, and retaining walls; chimneys, roofing, and fuel system; special shaped bricks; paving; and facade system, including lightweight, brick slip cladding system, wonderwall, quickwall, and surebrick.

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Global Payments (NYSE:GPN  Free Report) had its price target upped by Barclays from $125.00 to $135.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on GPN. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on Global Payments in a research note on Friday, May 5th. They set a $116.00 target price for the company. 51job reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Global Payments in a report on Thursday, May 4th. Mizuho reduced their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $110.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Monday, June 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Global Payments from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $127.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 12th. Finally, Oppenheimer decreased their price target on shares of Global Payments from $123.00 to $122.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and eighteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Global Payments has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $144.33.

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Global Payments Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE GPN opened at $112.34 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.92. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $101.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $105.34. Global Payments has a one year low of $92.27 and a one year high of $136.88. The firm has a market cap of $29.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -239.02, a P/E/G ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 0.99.

Global Payments Announces Dividend

Global Payments ( NYSE:GPN Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Monday, May 1st. The business services provider reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.31 by $0.09. Global Payments had a positive return on equity of 10.67% and a negative net margin of 1.58%. The company had revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.01 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.97 EPS. Global Paymentss quarterly revenue was up 6.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Global Payments will post 9.62 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 15th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.89%. Global Paymentss payout ratio is -212.76%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Global Payments

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of GPN. Penserra Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Global Payments by 6.4% in the first quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 1,389 shares of the business services providers stock worth $190,000 after buying an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its stake in Global Payments by 25.7% in the 4th quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 465 shares of the business services providers stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems lifted its stake in Global Payments by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems now owns 21,791 shares of the business services providers stock worth $2,164,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Global Payments by 7.9% during the 1st quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 1,331 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $140,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rock Point Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Global Payments by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Rock Point Advisors LLC now owns 29,306 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $3,084,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.68% of the companys stock.

Global Payments Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Global Payments Inc provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through three segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions, and Consumer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization, settlement and funding, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security, and consolidated billing and reporting services.

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HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO  Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by Wells Fargo & Company from $48.00 to $52.00 in a research report report published on Monday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on DINO. Mizuho decreased their price target on HF Sinclair from $69.00 to $56.00 in a research note on Friday, May 19th. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on HF Sinclair from $50.00 to $44.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on HF Sinclair from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on HF Sinclair from $73.00 to $59.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, HF Sinclair currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $59.00.

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HF Sinclair Trading Up 1.2 %

HF Sinclair stock opened at $47.02 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 2.10, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $43.37 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $47.77. HF Sinclair has a 12 month low of $37.12 and a 12 month high of $66.19. The company has a market capitalization of $9.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.40.

HF Sinclair Dividend Announcement

HF Sinclair ( NYSE:DINO Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported $2.00 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.48 by $0.52. HF Sinclair had a return on equity of 32.56% and a net margin of 8.13%. The business had revenue of $7.57 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.99 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that HF Sinclair will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 18th were given a dividend of $0.45 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 17th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.83%. HF Sinclairs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.34%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HF Sinclair

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DINO. Bornite Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in HF Sinclair during the first quarter valued at approximately $13,947,000. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. purchased a new position in HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter worth $241,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought a new stake in HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter valued at $13,169,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter valued at $1,823,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE bought a new stake in HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter valued at $292,000. 90.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

HF Sinclair Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

HF Sinclair Corporation operates as an independent energy company. It produces and markets gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, specialty lubricant products, specialty chemicals, specialty and modified asphalt, and others. The company also owns and operates refineries located in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; and markets its refined products principally in the Southwest United States and Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, and in other neighboring Plains states.

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Interfor Co. (OTCMKTS:IFSPF  Get Free Report)s stock price shot up 0.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $19.04 and last traded at $19.04. 1,202 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 81% from the average session volume of 6,320 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.90.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on IFSPF. CIBC decreased their price objective on Interfor from C$31.00 to C$30.00 in a report on Thursday, April 20th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Interfor from C$35.00 to C$32.00 in a report on Monday, May 8th.

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Interfor Price Performance

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $16.96 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.96.

About Interfor

Interfor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells wood products in Canada, the United States, Japan, China, Taiwan, and internationally. It offers decking, fascia and board, framing, v-joint paneling, paneling, and siding products, as well as appearance, structural, studs, timbers, and machine stress related products.

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International Distributions Services plc (LON:IDS  Get Free Report)s stock price shot up 6.8% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 253 ($3.25) and last traded at GBX 250.40 ($3.22). 3,507,750 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 37% from the average session volume of 2,551,572 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 234.50 ($3.02).

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have weighed in on IDS shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a sell rating and issued a GBX 160 ($2.06) price objective on shares of International Distributions Services in a research note on Thursday, May 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating on shares of International Distributions Services in a research report on Monday, June 19th. Finally, Barclays reissued an equal weight rating and set a GBX 250 ($3.22) price target on shares of International Distributions Services in a research report on Friday, May 19th.

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International Distributions Services Price Performance

The business has a 50-day moving average of GBX 215.91 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 225.47. The firm has a market capitalization of 2.39 billion, a P/E ratio of -263.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 1.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.07.

International Distributions Services Company Profile

International Distributions Services plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a universal postal service provider in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company offers parcels and letter delivery services under the Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide brands. It also provides services for the collection, sorting, and delivery of parcels and letters.

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Jakarta: On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underscored the profound significance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a vital pillar underpinning India's Act East Policy. During his address at the opening session of the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference in Jakarta, EAM emphasized the crucial role played by ASEAN in the dynamic evolution of the Indo-Pacific region.

Highlighting ASEAN's pivotal role in India's Act East policy and its broader vision for the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar stressed the paramount importance of a strong and unified ASEAN in shaping the emerging dynamics of the Indo-Pacific. India unequivocally supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

Engaging with the Indian community, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar drew attention to the striking parallels between India and Indonesia concerning their struggle for independence and subsequent development. He highlighted the shared historical timeframe during which both nations fought for freedom and experienced significant mutual empathy and support within their respective societies.

Moreover, S Jaishankar acknowledged the existence of a deep emotional bond that characterizes the relationship between India and Indonesia.

"As we gaze upon each other, India and Indonesia, there exists a profoundly natural sense of attachment. This emotional connection, in many ways, serves as a remarkable asset in strengthening this relationship," added Jaishankar.

India's active participation in the ASEAN-centric regional architecture exemplifies its unwavering commitment to upholding ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific region.

Following his visit to Jakarta, the External Affairs Minister will subsequently travel to Bangkok, Thailand, to partake in the 12th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16, 2023.

The Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) stands as a longstanding mechanism in the lower Mekong region, guided by India's Act East Policy.

S Jaishankar Highlights India Indonesia's Shared Struggle for Freedom, Natural Bond

Dr Jaishankar meets Maldives FM, hails 'warm and productive' talks

EAM Jaishankar Visits Indonesia, Thailand; What's On Focus
Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals (NYSE:VTN  Get Free Report)s share price crossed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $10.26 and traded as low as $10.19. Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals shares last traded at $10.19, with a volume of 20,552 shares changing hands.

Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals Price Performance

The firms 50-day simple moving average is $10.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $10.26.

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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 17th will be given a $0.0331 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 14th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.88%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals

About Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Credit Suisse AG purchased a new stake in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $96,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP bought a new position in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $109,000. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. bought a new position in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals during the 1st quarter worth approximately $136,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its stake in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals by 12.9% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 15,336 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $155,000 after acquiring an additional 1,750 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $244,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 22.21% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, Invesco Canada Ltd., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, and INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States.

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Canadian National Railway (TSE:CNR  Free Report) (NYSE:CNI) had its price objective cut by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from C$171.00 to C$167.00 in a report issued on Tuesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Desjardins upgraded shares of Canadian National Railway from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$180.00 to C$177.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$184.00 to C$192.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 25th. Scotiabank boosted their price target on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$169.00 to C$172.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 4th. Finally, ATB Capital boosted their price target on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$175.00 to C$180.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Canadian National Railway currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of C$167.47.

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Canadian National Railway Stock Performance

TSE:CNR opened at C$155.51 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 81.35. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of C$157.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$159.49. The company has a market cap of C$103.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.68. Canadian National Railway has a 52 week low of C$143.70 and a 52 week high of C$175.39.

Canadian National Railway Cuts Dividend

Canadian National Railway ( TSE:CNR Get Free Report ) (NYSE:CNI) last issued its earnings results on Monday, April 24th. The company reported C$1.82 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$1.70 by C$0.12. The firm had revenue of C$4.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$4.25 billion. Canadian National Railway had a net margin of 30.60% and a return on equity of 25.38%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Canadian National Railway will post 7.5847047 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 9th were issued a $0.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 8th. This represents a $3.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.03%. Canadian National Railways payout ratio is 40.10%.

About Canadian National Railway

(Get Free Report)

Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in rail and related transportation business. The company offers rail services, which include equipment, custom brokage services, transloading and distribution, business development and real estate, and private car storage services; and intermodal services including temperature controlled cargo, port partnership, transloading and distribution, logistic parks, customs brokerage, trucking, and moving grains in containers.

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Janney Montgomery Scott began coverage on shares of NET Power (NYSE:NPWR  Get Free Report) in a research note issued on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm set a buy rating and a $36.00 price target on the stock. Janney Montgomery Scotts price objective would suggest a potential upside of 191.97% from the companys current price.

Several other research firms also recently commented on NPWR. Capital One Financial began coverage on NET Power in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. They issued an overweight rating for the company. Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of NET Power in a research report on Wednesday, July 5th. They issued a neutral rating and a $15.00 price target for the company.

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NET Power Price Performance

NYSE NPWR opened at $12.33 on Friday. NET Power has a fifty-two week low of $9.35 and a fifty-two week high of $17.19.

NET Power Company Profile

NET Power Inc, a clean energy technology company, develops and licenses technology that provides on-demand natural gas power with life cycle emissions. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.

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NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE:NS  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the six research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation and three have assigned 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 $18.33.

A number of analysts have issued reports on NS shares. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of NuStar Energy from $19.50 to $21.00 in a report on Thursday, May 11th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of NuStar Energy from $19.00 to $18.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 18th. Mizuho dropped their target price on shares of NuStar Energy from $18.00 to $17.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 11th. Raymond James upgraded shares of NuStar Energy from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $20.00 target price for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of NuStar Energy from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, June 23rd.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On NuStar Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in NS. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in NuStar Energy in the second quarter worth approximately $194,000. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in NuStar Energy by 3.7% in the second quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 104,251 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,787,000 after purchasing an additional 3,680 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in NuStar Energy by 84.4% in the second quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 82,794 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,419,000 after purchasing an additional 37,904 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in NuStar Energy by 14.2% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,752,770 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $27,413,000 after purchasing an additional 217,417 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its holdings in NuStar Energy by 15.1% in the first quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 23,743 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $370,000 after purchasing an additional 3,116 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 55.89% of the companys stock.

NuStar Energy Stock Performance

NYSE:NS opened at $17.50 on Friday. NuStar Energy has a 12-month low of $12.80 and a 12-month high of $17.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 17.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.94 billion, a PE ratio of 14.71 and a beta of 1.82. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $16.78 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.36.

NuStar Energy (NYSE:NS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The pipeline company reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.08. NuStar Energy had a net margin of 18.98% and a return on equity of 151.56%. The firm had revenue of $393.87 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $374.40 million. Research analysts anticipate that NuStar Energy will post 1.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NuStar Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 12th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 8th were issued a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 5th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.14%. NuStar Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 134.45%.

About NuStar Energy

(Get Free Report

NuStar Energy L.P. engages in the transportation terminalling and storage of petroleum products and renewable fuels, and transportation of anhydrous ammonia in the United States and internationally. It operates through Pipeline, Storage, and Fuels Marketing segments. The Pipeline segment engages in the transportation of refined products, crude oil, and anhydrous ammonia.

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PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (OTCMKTS:BKRKF  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a decline of 99.4% from the June 15th total of 17,600 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 211,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days.

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk Trading Down 1.4 %

BKRKF traded down $0.00 during trading on Friday, reaching $0.35. The firms 50 day moving average price is $0.36 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $0.33. PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia has a 52 week low of $0.25 and a 52 week high of $0.39.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently commented on BKRKF. HSBC cut PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, May 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk in a report on Tuesday, May 2nd. They set a buy rating on the stock.

About PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk provides various banking products and services in Indonesia, the United States of America, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The company offers savings, time deposit, and current accounts; mortgage, working capital, investment, franchise, and cash collateral loan, as well as supply chain financing and bank guarantee; and micro, consumer, small and medium, program, and other loans.

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Rogers Communications Inc. (TSE:RCI.A  Get Free Report) passed below its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$62.78 and traded as low as C$61.52. Rogers Communications shares last traded at C$61.57, with a volume of 286 shares traded.

Rogers Communications Stock Down 0.4 %

The stock has a market cap of C$6.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.04, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 364.52, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 1.91. The firms 50-day simple moving average is C$62.49 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$64.14.

About Rogers Communications

(Get Free Report)

Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communication services to individual consumers, businesses, governments, and other telecommunications service providers; postpaid and prepaid wireless services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands; and wireless devices, services, and applications to consumers and businesses.

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Sentinel Pension Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWA  Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 52,500 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $1,212,000. Sentinel Pension Advisors Inc. owned approximately 0.06% of iShares MSCI Australia ETF as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of EWA. Raymond James & Associates acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $812,000. US Bancorp DE purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 12.0% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 20,771 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $549,000 after buying an additional 2,219 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,032,000. Finally, Citigroup Inc. boosted its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 25.7% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 15,008 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $397,000 after buying an additional 3,067 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 48.18% of the companys stock.

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iShares MSCI Australia ETF Stock Performance

EWA stock traded down $0.07 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $23.36. The companys stock had a trading volume of 480,582 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,985,472. iShares MSCI Australia ETF has a 52-week low of $19.19 and a 52-week high of $25.22. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $22.66 and a 200-day simple moving average of $23.06.

iShares MSCI Australia ETF Profile

iShares MSCI Australia ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, of publicly traded securities in the Australian market, as represented by the MSCI Australia Index (the Index).

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China YiBai United Guarantee International Holding, Inc. (OTCMKTS:CBGH  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 300 shares, a decline of 81.3% from the June 15th total of 1,600 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 38,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days.

China YiBai United Guarantee International Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS CBGH traded up $0.00 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $0.03. 11,931 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 93,252. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $0.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $0.01. China YiBai United Guarantee International has a twelve month low of $0.01 and a twelve month high of $0.03.

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About China YiBai United Guarantee International

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China YiBai United Guarantee International Holding, Inc, a development stage company, provides financial services to small and medium enterprises in China. It provides equity pledge guarantee, and energy-saving and emission-reduction related financial projects. The company also provides financial consultancy services in the areas of accounting, mergers and acquisitions, business planning, and domestic and international financing.

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Southern Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR  Free Report) by 6.2% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 31,274 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 1,827 shares during the quarter. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF comprises approximately 2.2% of Southern Capital Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest holding. Southern Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF were worth $3,024,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of IJR. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. boosted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 8.3% during the 1st quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 78,641 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $8,484,000 after acquiring an additional 6,036 shares during the last quarter. United Bank boosted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 27,546 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,972,000 after acquiring an additional 1,456 shares during the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 67.2% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 52,705 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $5,686,000 after acquiring an additional 21,177 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 4.8% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 24,791 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,674,000 after acquiring an additional 1,128 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 19.7% during the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 8,847 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $954,000 after purchasing an additional 1,455 shares during the period.

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iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Price Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA IJR traded down $1.13 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $101.14. 1,957,245 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,111,711. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.11 and a beta of 1.15. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a 52 week low of $86.40 and a 52 week high of $108.24. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $96.49 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $97.65.

About iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market.

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Spotify Technology (NYSE:SPOT  Get Free Report) had its target price increased by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $180.00 to $250.00 in a research note issued on Friday, FlyOnTheWall reports. Wells Fargo & Companys price target would suggest a potential upside of 46.16% from the companys current price.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on SPOT. Benchmark lifted their price objective on Spotify Technology from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, April 21st. VNET Group reiterated a maintains rating on shares of Spotify Technology in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Spotify Technology from $165.00 to $185.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on shares of Spotify Technology from $160.00 to $175.00 in a research note on Monday, June 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Spotify Technology from $111.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Spotify Technology currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $153.24.

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Spotify Technology Price Performance

Shares of SPOT stock opened at $171.05 on Friday. Spotify Technology has a 1-year low of $69.29 and a 1-year high of $173.11. The company has a market cap of $32.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -37.43 and a beta of 1.76. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $153.10 and a 200-day simple moving average of $129.59.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Spotify Technology ( NYSE:SPOT Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 25th. The company reported ($1.24) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($1.01) by ($0.23). The company had revenue of $3.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.39 billion. Spotify Technology had a negative return on equity of 33.54% and a negative net margin of 6.49%. Analysts anticipate that Spotify Technology will post -3.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SPOT. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Spotify Technology by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,046,153 shares of the companys stock valued at $611,049,000 after buying an additional 241,026 shares during the period. Alecta Tjanstepension Omsesidigt grew its stake in Spotify Technology by 29.3% during the 4th quarter. Alecta Tjanstepension Omsesidigt now owns 3,925,600 shares of the companys stock worth $309,848,000 after purchasing an additional 890,000 shares in the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in Spotify Technology by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,733,909 shares of the companys stock worth $215,843,000 after purchasing an additional 10,302 shares during the period. SRS Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Spotify Technology in the 1st quarter valued at about $294,683,000. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of Spotify Technology by 140.8% during the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,694,044 shares of the companys stock worth $226,358,000 after buying an additional 990,485 shares in the last quarter. 55.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Spotify Technology

(Get Free Report)

Spotify Technology SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides audio streaming services worldwide. It operates through two segments, Premium and Ad-Supported. The Premium segment offers unlimited online and offline streaming access to its catalog of music and podcasts without commercial breaks to its subscribers.

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Washington: The White House announced on Thursday that US President Joe Biden will meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House on Tuesday to discuss Russia's military ties with Iran and Israel's regional integration.

Biden will discuss how to advance equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis, according to a statement from White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre. "Biden will stress the importance of our shared democratic values, and discuss ways to advance equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis," the statement read.

Herzog's visit, which will commemorate Israel's founding in 1948 and be largely ceremonial, will take place on that occasion. A major honour in Washington is Herzog's invitation to speak before a joint session of the US House of Representatives and Senate.

Also Read: Nepal Bans 'Non-Essential' Helicopter Flights After Tragic Crash

His visit comes in the wake of an uptick in violence in the occupied West Bank, where President Biden's administration has criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist administration for resuming Jewish settlement construction.

Despite being elected to an unprecedented sixth term in November, Netanyahu has yet to be welcomed at the White House. In a Sunday interview with CNN, Biden refrained from confirming whether Netanyahu would receive an invitation.

Also Read: Canada Reopens Talks with Turkey on Export Controls After NATO Deal

In the interview, Biden called Netanyahu's government "one of the most extremist members of cabinets that I've seen," adding, "I think (Netanyahu) is trying to... work through his existing problems in terms of his coalition."

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Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's hard-right security minister, tweeted in response to Biden's comments on Sunday, asking, "What exactly about me is extreme?"

"President Biden needs to understand that we are no longer a star on the American flag," Ben-Gvir continued.
Star Group, L.P. (NYSE:SGU  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, July 13th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 24th will be given a dividend of 0.1625 per share by the pipeline company on Monday, July 31st. This represents a $0.65 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.13%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 21st.

Star Group has increased its dividend by an average of 6.8% per year over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 11 consecutive years.

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Star Group Stock Down 2.2 %

Shares of SGU stock traded down $0.28 on Friday, hitting $12.66. 6,089 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 62,427. The business has a 50-day moving average of $13.84 and a 200 day moving average of $13.01. Star Group has a fifty-two week low of $8.00 and a fifty-two week high of $15.22. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $450.70 million, a P/E ratio of 126.61 and a beta of 0.47.

Insider Activity

Star Group ( NYSE:SGU Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The pipeline company reported $1.42 EPS for the quarter. Star Group had a return on equity of 5.18% and a net margin of 0.71%. The firm had revenue of $737.62 million during the quarter.

In other news, major shareholder Bandera Partners Llc sold 15,588 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.09, for a total transaction of $235,222.92. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 3,446,072 shares in the company, valued at $52,001,226.48. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 20.36% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Star Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Star Group by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 88,978 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $988,000 after purchasing an additional 1,108 shares during the last quarter. Credit Suisse AG increased its stake in shares of Star Group by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 31,978 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $293,000 after purchasing an additional 1,345 shares during the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in shares of Star Group by 4.8% in the 1st quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 31,837 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $353,000 after purchasing an additional 1,455 shares during the last quarter. UBS Group AG increased its stake in shares of Star Group by 50.7% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 6,584 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 2,216 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC increased its stake in shares of Star Group by 17.6% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 18,927 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $245,000 after purchasing an additional 2,831 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 32.47% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Star Group in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company.

About Star Group

(Get Free Report)

Star Group, L.P. sells home heating and air conditioning products and services to residential and commercial home heating oil and propane customers in the United States. It also sells diesel fuel, gasoline, and home heating oil on a delivery only basis, as well as provide plumbing services; and installs maintains, and repairs heating and air conditioning equipment.

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Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE:SU  Get Free Report) (TSE:SU) saw unusually large options trading activity on Wednesday. Investors acquired 28,315 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 2,998% compared to the average volume of 914 put options.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Scotiabank cut shares of Suncor Energy from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Suncor Energy in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Suncor Energy from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday. National Bank Financial upgraded shares of Suncor Energy from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Suncor Energy in a research report on Wednesday. They set a buy rating on the stock. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $56.67.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Suncor Energy

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management lifted its position in shares of Suncor Energy by 143.5% during the 4th quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management now owns 789 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 465 shares in the last quarter. Arlington Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Suncor Energy during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Delta Asset Management LLC TN purchased a new position in shares of Suncor Energy during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp lifted its position in shares of Suncor Energy by 42.9% during the 4th quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 1,000 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Suncor Energy during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 56.82% of the companys stock.

Suncor Energy Stock Performance

SU opened at $29.81 on Friday. Suncor Energy has a 52-week low of $26.42 and a 52-week high of $37.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The company has a market cap of $38.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.27. The firms 50-day moving average price is $29.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $31.11.

Suncor Energy (NYSE:SU  Get Free Report) (TSE:SU) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 8th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.93 by $0.08. Suncor Energy had a net margin of 14.25% and a return on equity of 26.90%. The company had revenue of $9.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.87 billion. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Suncor Energy will post 3.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Suncor Energy Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 5th were paid a dividend of $0.384 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 2nd. This represents a $1.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.15%. Suncor Energys payout ratio is 33.85%.

About Suncor Energy

(Get Free Report)

Suncor Energy Inc operates as an integrated energy company in Canada and internationally. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; and Refining and Marketing segments. The Oil Sands segment explores, develops, and produces bitumen, synthetic crude oil, and related products. This segment also engages in syncrude oil sands mining and upgrading operations; and marketing, supply, transportation, and risk management of crude oil, natural gas, power, and byproducts.

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Stock analysts at StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE:GHL  Get Free Report) in a report released on Wednesday. The firm set a hold rating on the financial services providers stock.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on GHL. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from $9.50 to $8.50 and set a sell rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. JMP Securities downgraded shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Tuesday, May 23rd. TheStreet downgraded shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from a c rating to a d+ rating in a report on Wednesday, May 31st. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from an underperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Monday, May 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $11.83.

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Greenhill & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of GHL opened at $14.74 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $12.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $11.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $270.04 million, a PE ratio of -21.68 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.09. Greenhill & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $5.64 and a 52-week high of $14.97.

Institutional Trading of Greenhill & Co., Inc.

Greenhill & Co., Inc. ( NYSE:GHL Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The financial services provider reported ($1.27) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $49.68 million during the quarter. Greenhill & Co., Inc. had a negative net margin of 3.02% and a negative return on equity of 13.14%.

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Toroso Investments LLC lifted its stake in Greenhill & Co., Inc. by 5.5% during the first quarter. Toroso Investments LLC now owns 25,892 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $230,000 after buying an additional 1,360 shares in the last quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP lifted its stake in Greenhill & Co., Inc. by 18.4% during the first quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 73,341 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $651,000 after buying an additional 11,412 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in Greenhill & Co., Inc. by 198.4% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 56,692 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $503,000 after buying an additional 37,695 shares in the last quarter. Delphia USA Inc. purchased a new stake in Greenhill & Co., Inc. during the first quarter valued at about $122,000. Finally, Corton Capital Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. in the first quarter worth approximately $151,000. 63.50% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Greenhill & Co., Inc.

(Get Free Report)

Greenhill & Co, Inc, an independent investment bank, provides financial and strategic advisory services to corporations, partnerships, institutional investors, and governments worldwide. The company offers advisory services related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, financings, private capital raising, and other similar transactions.

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StockNews.com cut shares of Primo Water (NYSE:PRMW  Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Monday.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on PRMW. TheStreet lowered Primo Water from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Friday, March 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Primo Water from $17.00 to $16.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $19.33.

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Primo Water Stock Performance

PRMW opened at $12.93 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $2.06 billion, a PE ratio of 47.89 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $13.05 and a 200-day simple moving average of $14.22. Primo Water has a fifty-two week low of $12.15 and a fifty-two week high of $16.47.

Primo Water Announces Dividend

Primo Water ( NYSE:PRMW Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. 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 $546.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $534.04 million. Primo Water had a net margin of 1.88% and a return on equity of 7.46%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Primo Water will post 0.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 14th. Investors of record on Friday, June 2nd were given a dividend of $0.08 per share. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 1st. Primo Waters dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 118.52%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Primo Water

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PRMW. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in shares of Primo Water by 24.7% in the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 11,600,023 shares of the companys stock valued at $145,580,000 after acquiring an additional 2,296,515 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Primo Water during the 4th quarter worth $22,126,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in Primo Water by 135.1% during the 1st quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 2,097,036 shares of the companys stock worth $32,190,000 after acquiring an additional 1,205,031 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Primo Water by 9.8% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 11,581,085 shares of the companys stock valued at $165,030,000 after buying an additional 1,031,066 shares during the period. Finally, Legion Partners Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Primo Water by 54.0% in the 1st quarter. Legion Partners Asset Management LLC now owns 2,393,465 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,740,000 after buying an additional 839,150 shares during the period. 82.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Primo Water Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Primo Water Corporation provides pure-play water solutions for residential and commercial customers. It offers bottled water, water dispensers, purified bottled water, self-service refill drinking water, premium spring, mineral water, sparkling and flavored water, filtration equipment, and coffee. The company offers its products under the Primo, Alhambra, Crystal Rock, Mountain Valley, Deep Rock, Hinckley Springs, Crystal Springs, Kentwood Springs, Mount Olympus, Pureflo, Sierra Springs, Sparkletts, and Renu brands in the United States; Canadian Springs, Labrador Source, and Amazon Springs brands in Canada; and Decantae, Eden, Eden Springs, Chateaud'eau, and Mey Eden brands in Europe and Israel.

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Strategic Investment Advisors MI increased its stake in Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH  Free Report) by 21.1% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 7,041 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,227 shares during the quarter. Strategic Investment Advisors MIs holdings in Laboratory Co. of America were worth $1,615,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of LH. Roundview Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 7,793 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,055,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management boosted its stake in Laboratory Co. of America by 1.2% in the first quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 34,800 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $9,175,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp grew its position in Laboratory Co. of America by 105.7% during the first quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 1,654 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $441,000 after acquiring an additional 850 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America during the first quarter worth approximately $213,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 18.9% in the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 89,167 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $23,543,000 after acquiring an additional 14,186 shares during the last quarter. 87.75% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have issued reports on LH shares. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a research report on Saturday, July 8th. They set a buy rating for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Laboratory Co. of America from $265.00 to $240.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 26th. Mizuho reduced their price target on shares of Laboratory Co. of America from $277.00 to $257.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 16th. Citigroup reduced their target price on Laboratory Co. of America from $260.00 to $235.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 26th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price target on Laboratory Co. of America from $285.00 to $275.00 in a research note on Monday, May 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $273.50.

Laboratory Co. of America Stock Performance

NYSE LH traded down $0.14 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $211.60. The companys stock had a trading volume of 79,332 shares, compared to its average volume of 619,653. Laboratory Co. of America Holdings has a 12 month low of $200.32 and a 12 month high of $263.13. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $221.41 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $231.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 1.63 and a quick ratio of 1.46. The company has a market cap of $18.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.21 and a beta of 1.06.

Laboratory Co. of America (NYSE:LH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 25th. The medical research company reported $3.82 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.99 by ($0.17). Laboratory Co. of America had a net margin of 6.78% and a return on equity of 15.56%. The company had revenue of $3.78 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.70 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $6.11 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Laboratory Co. of America Holdings will post 16.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Laboratory Co. of America Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 8th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 8th will be given a $0.72 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 7th. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.36%. Laboratory Co. of Americas payout ratio is 26.13%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Laboratory Co. of America

In related news, CEO Paul R. Kirchgraber sold 4,300 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $216.91, for a total value of $932,713.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 12,946 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,808,116.86. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Laboratory Co. of America news, COO Mark S. Schroeder sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $216.77, for a total value of $325,155.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 6,687 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,449,540.99. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Paul R. Kirchgraber sold 4,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $216.91, for a total value of $932,713.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 12,946 shares in the company, valued at $2,808,116.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 6,012 shares of company stock worth $1,308,748 in the last three months. 0.65% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Laboratory Co. of America

(Free Report)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics and Labcorp Drug Development.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH  Free Report).

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Strs Ohio cut its stake in Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:FMX  Free Report) by 7.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 460,978 shares of the companys stock after selling 35,000 shares during the quarter. Strs Ohios holdings in Fomento Economico Mexicano were worth $43,880,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in Fomento Economico Mexicano during the first quarter worth $209,000. Caprock Group LLC increased its position in Fomento Economico Mexicano by 5.1% during the first quarter. Caprock Group LLC now owns 4,272 shares of the companys stock worth $407,000 after buying an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Fomento Economico Mexicano during the first quarter worth $221,000. Ritholtz Wealth Management acquired a new position in Fomento Economico Mexicano during the first quarter worth $738,000. Finally, Solstein Capital LLC increased its position in Fomento Economico Mexicano by 7.0% during the first quarter. Solstein Capital LLC now owns 27,172 shares of the companys stock worth $2,587,000 after buying an additional 1,778 shares during the last quarter.

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Fomento Economico Mexicano Stock Performance

NYSE FMX opened at $108.11 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $105.14 and a 200 day simple moving average of $94.51. Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. has a twelve month low of $58.73 and a twelve month high of $113.59.

Fomento Economico Mexicano Increases Dividend

Fomento Economico Mexicano ( NYSE:FMX Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The company reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.40. Fomento Economico Mexicano had a net margin of 10.38% and a return on equity of 10.53%. The business had revenue of $9.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.88 billion. As a group, research analysts forecast that Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. will post 4.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 18th. Investors of record on Friday, May 5th were paid a $1.0138 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 4th. This is a boost from Fomento Economico Mexicanos previous semi-annual dividend of $0.85. Fomento Economico Mexicanos dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.66%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. HSBC raised shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano from a reduce rating to a hold rating and increased their target price for the stock from $84.00 to $112.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 7th. Barclays raised their price target on Fomento Economico Mexicano from $103.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Fomento Economico Mexicano in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Fomento Economico Mexicano from $102.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Fomento Economico Mexicano presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $109.05.

Fomento Economico Mexicano Company Profile

(Free Report)

Fomento Economico Mexicano, SAB. de C.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as a bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. The company produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

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The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. (NYSE:ASR  Free Report) from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research report report published on Monday morning, Marketbeat reports.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Barclays upgraded Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. from an underweight rating to an overweight rating in a report on Monday, May 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $255.00.

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Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. Trading Up 2.7 %

Shares of ASR opened at $291.72 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 3.58 and a current ratio of 3.58. The firm has a market cap of $8.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 1.06. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. has a fifty-two week low of $179.01 and a fifty-two week high of $314.48. The business has a 50-day moving average of $285.28 and a 200 day moving average of $283.34.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. Cuts Dividend

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. ( NYSE:ASR Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Monday, April 24th. The transportation company reported $4.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.51 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $345.57 million during the quarter. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. had a return on equity of 21.65% and a net margin of 39.70%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. will post 20.44 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 12th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 30th were issued a $5.6528 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 26th. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V.s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.86%.

Institutional Trading of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 17.6% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 39,482 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $8,749,000 after purchasing an additional 5,900 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 13.5% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,090 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $463,000 after purchasing an additional 248 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE boosted its position in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 7.1% during the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 766 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $170,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its position in Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 3.4% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 7,059 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,538,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. by 10.0% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 360,238 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $79,830,000 after acquiring an additional 32,860 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 16.11% of the companys stock.

About Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V.

(Get Free Report)

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S. A. B. de C. V. holds concessions to operate, maintain, and develop airports in the southeast region of Mexico. The company operates airports that are located in the cities of Cancun, Cozumel, Merida, Huatulco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Villahermosa, Tapachula, and Minatitlan.

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Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER  Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $50.00 to $55.00 in a note issued to investors on Friday, FlyOnTheWall reports. Jefferies Financial Groups target price would suggest a potential upside of 20.50% from the stocks current price.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on UBER. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $46.00 price target on shares of Uber Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, March 28th. Loop Capital upped their price target on Uber Technologies from $42.00 to $48.00 in a report on Friday, June 9th. Bank of America raised their price objective on Uber Technologies from $44.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday. BTIG Research upped their target price on shares of Uber Technologies from $50.00 to $55.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 28th. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies raised their price target on shares of Uber Technologies from $41.00 to $43.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Twenty-eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $50.64.

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Uber Technologies Stock Up 2.5 %

Shares of NYSE:UBER opened at $45.65 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. Uber Technologies has a 52-week low of $20.59 and a 52-week high of $45.94. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $40.88 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $34.64. The firm has a market cap of $92.38 billion, a P/E ratio of -26.38, a PEG ratio of 20.00 and a beta of 1.21.

Insider Activity at Uber Technologies

Uber Technologies ( NYSE:UBER Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The ride-sharing company reported ($0.08) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.10) by $0.02. Uber Technologies had a negative net margin of 9.95% and a negative return on equity of 43.94%. The business had revenue of $8.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.71 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted ($0.18) EPS. Uber Technologiess revenue was up 28.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Uber Technologies will post 0.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In related news, insider Jill Hazelbaker sold 644 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.00, for a total transaction of $26,404.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 128,916 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,285,556. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Uber Technologies news, insider Jill Hazelbaker sold 644 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.00, for a total value of $26,404.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 128,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,285,556. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Tony West sold 8,334 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.75, for a total transaction of $347,944.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 181,357 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,571,654.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 138,143 shares of company stock worth $6,047,399. Corporate insiders own 3.84% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Uber Technologies

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. increased its position in shares of Uber Technologies by 1.7% in the first quarter. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. now owns 17,655 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $560,000 after purchasing an additional 296 shares during the last quarter. Telemus Capital LLC grew its stake in Uber Technologies by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter. Telemus Capital LLC now owns 7,371 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $318,000 after buying an additional 296 shares in the last quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division increased its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 15,137 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $653,000 after buying an additional 304 shares during the last quarter. Sandy Spring Bank raised its position in shares of Uber Technologies by 36.4% during the 4th quarter. Sandy Spring Bank now owns 1,240 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 331 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies by 11.8% during the 1st quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 3,183 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $101,000 after acquiring an additional 337 shares during the last quarter. 73.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Uber Technologies

(Get Free Report)

Uber Technologies, Inc develops and operates proprietary technology applications in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia excluding China and Southeast Asia. It operates through three segments: Mobility, Delivery, and Freight. The Mobility segment connects consumers with a range of transportation modalities, such as ridesharing, carsharing, micromobility, rentals, public transit, taxis, and other modalities; and offers riders in a variety of vehicle types, as well as financial partnerships products and advertising services.

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Uni-President China Holdings Ltd (OTCMKTS:UNPSF  Get Free Report) shares were down 4.8% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $0.84 and last traded at $0.84. Approximately 500 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 90% from the average daily volume of 5,200 shares. The stock had previously closed at $0.88.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Uni-President China from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, May 18th.

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Uni-President China Stock Performance

The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $0.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $0.79.

Uni-President China Company Profile

Uni-President China Holdings Ltd., an investment holding company, manufactures, sells, and trades in beverages and food in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through Beverages, Food, and Others segments. It offers instant noodles, tea drinks, juices, milk tea, coffee, bottled water, and bottle can drinks.

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StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Xinyuan Real Estate (NYSE:XIN  Free Report) in a research note published on Tuesday morning. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the financial services providers stock.

Xinyuan Real Estate Stock Performance

Shares of XIN stock opened at $3.41 on Tuesday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $3.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $4.17. Xinyuan Real Estate has a 1 year low of $2.95 and a 1 year high of $9.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.87.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Xinyuan Real Estate

An institutional investor recently bought a new position in Xinyuan Real Estate stock. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. bought a new position in shares of Xinyuan Real Estate Co., Ltd. (NYSE:XIN  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 478,629 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $536,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. owned 0.90% of Xinyuan Real Estate as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Institutional investors and hedge funds own 1.62% of the companys stock.

Xinyuan Real Estate Company Profile

Xinyuan Real Estate Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in residential real estate development and construction in the People's Republic of China, the United States, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. The company develops residential projects, such as multi-layer apartment buildings, sub-high-rise apartment buildings, high-rise apartment buildings; auxiliary services and amenities, such as retail outlets, leisure and health facilities, kindergartens, and schools, as well as office, mixed-use, and commercial properties.

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New Delhi: Climate change is intensifying El Nino events, which are a natural and sporadic warming of a portion of the Pacific Ocean that alters global weather patterns.

A world still reeling from the effects of the war in Ukraine is expected to be negatively impacted by warmer, drier weather brought on by an El Nino that arrived earlier than usual. This will affect global food security.

Climate change is intensifying El Nino events, which are a natural, sporadic warming of a portion of the Pacific Ocean that alters global weather patterns. This one was announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in June, which is a month or two earlier than usual. This allows it time to develop. There is a one in four chance, according to scientists.

Also Read: PM Modi to hold talks with Macron, Bastille Day celebrations, Guest of Honour

A strong El Nino typically results in less rainfall for the thirsty crop, which is bad news for rice farmers, especially in Asia where 90% of the world's rice is produced and consumed.

El Ninos in the past have caused extreme weather, from drought to floods.

Rising rice prices as a result of production shortfalls are already "alarm bells," according to Abdullah Mamun, a research analyst at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). In Thailand, the cost of 5 percent broken white rice was on average about 16 percent higher in June than it was in June of the previous year.

Because of devastating floods in Pakistan, a major exporter of rice, global stocks of the grain have decreased significantly since last year. El Nino this year could exacerbate other problems for nations that grow rice, like the war's effect on fertiliser availability and some nations' restrictions on rice exports. According to a recent report by research company BMI, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Nepal are particularly at risk.

Also Read:Kamala Harris makes history with tie-breaking votes in US Senate

Over the horizon, there is uncertainty, Mamun said.

The average temperature across the globe recently surpassed records. By the end of June, the monsoon rains over India were less intense than usual. On Monday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged his ministers to prepare for a protracted dry season. Additionally, in the Philippines, water is being carefully managed by the government to safeguard vulnerable areas.

A few nations are preparing for a food shortage. After less rain than anticipated and a historic heat wave scorched wheat, India decided to limit rice exports last year amid concerns that domestic food prices would soar. Indonesia was among the countries hardest hit by this decision.

India announced last month that it would provide Indonesia, Senegal, and Gambia with more than 1 million metric tonnes (1.1 million US tonnes) of grain to help them meet "their food security needs."

Another key factor is fertiliser. Fertiliser exports were among those hit by sanctions against Belarus, a Russian ally, for violating human rights, so China, a major producer, restricted exports to keep domestic prices in check. Fertilisers are not specifically mentioned in the sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but the conflict has disrupted shipments of the three main chemical fertilisers: potash, phosphorus, and nitrogen.

Although many nations are still looking for new sources, Bangladesh was able to replace lost potash shipments from Belarus by finding suppliers in Canada.

The amount of fertiliser available to farmers like Abu Bakar Siddique, who cultivates 1.2 hectares (3 acres) in northern Bangladesh, was sufficient to maintain his yields last year. However, with less rainfall, he had to rely more on electric pumps for his winter harvest at a time when there was a power shortage brought on by a lack of diesel and coal due to the war.

This raised my expenses, he claimed.

Beau Damen, a natural resources officer with the Food and Agriculture Organisation based in Bangkok, Thailand, said while each El Nino is unique, historical patterns indicate that the lack of rainfall in South and Southeast Asia will dredge the soil and have cascading effects in the coming years. According to him, some nations, such as Indonesia, may be more susceptible in the early stages of the phenomenon.

According to Kusnan, a farmer in East Java, Indonesia, rice farmers have attempted to prepare for this by planting earlier so that when the El Nino strikes, the rice might be ready for harvest and require less water. Like many Indonesians, Kusnan goes by one name only and expressed his hope that the high yields from the previous year would help make up for any losses this year.

Joko Widodo, the president of Indonesia, has emphasised the importance of water management in the coming weeks, warning that a number of factors, such as export restrictions and fertiliser shortages, may combine with the El Nino to "make this a particularly damaging event."

In the Punjab state of northern India, 52-year-old farmer Baldev Singh is already concerned. He usually plants rice from late June to mid-July, but the paddies must then be flooded by the monsoon rains. Early this month, less than a tenth of the usual rainfall had fallen, and then floods ravaged northern India, destroying recently planted young crops.

Also Read: The Beijing Ghost Bus: An Insight into an Urban Legend

Even though farmers like Singh typically don't eat rice and irrigation of rice fields has drained the area's aquifers, the government has encouraged Punjab farmers to grow rice alongside their traditional wheat crops since the 1960s. But he continues to expand it, relying on the security of fixed-price purchases from the government.

Given the lack of rain, Singh might need to drill wells. He dug down 200 feet (60 metres) last year to find water.

Our ruin has been caused by rice. I have no idea what the future holds," he said.
Duan Yiran, a young Chinese woman of the Bai ethnic group, has been promoting tie-dyeing in London, the United Kingdom, since she established Yicrafts, a craft workshop, in 2019. She says the best part of making crafts is not finishing the work, but using the crafts to connect people from different cultural backgrounds.

Duan is from Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, the province with the largest number of ethnic minorities in China. There are 25 ethnic minority groups in Yunnan. More than half of the population in the prefecture is ethnic Bai.

In 2019, after she graduated from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, where she majored i n costume design, Duan established her studio, Yicrafts, to teach traditional Chinese crafts, such as Bai tie-dyeing, embroidering and knitting.

Only a few people visited her studio initially, and most of those people were her former teachers or classmates. Duan produced a video demonstrating Bai tie-dyeing, and she offered online courses  on social media platforms in the UK  to introduce the craft.

Her efforts have paid off; Yicrafts has gained recognition, and popularity, among people in London, and in other countries.

Since she established Yicrafts, Duan has organized hundreds of workshops, and she has at tracted thousands of people, from more than 10 countries, to attend courses on traditional Chinese crafts.

The studio has maintained stable, cooperative relationships with schools, enterprises and institutions in London. For example, the studio has organized workshops for University of London and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

"In 2021, Walt Disney Animation Studios invited us to give a workshop on bamboo weaving for its team behind the Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), as the animated film involved a scene involving bamboo weaving," Duan says.

The slogan of Yicrafts is "Craft, Culture and Slow Living." Duan conveys a calm, relaxed attitude toward everyone who visits her studio.

When asked why she chose to pursue a career in Chinese crafts in London, Duan says it had much to do with her family, and the environment in which she was raised.

"When I was designing Victorian-age costumes, I used the embroidery needlework and knotting techniques I had learned from my grandmother. My teachers thought this was very interesting, and they said I was their first student to make fabrics using the craft of an ethnic group," Duan recalls.

Duan was born and raised in Zhoucheng, a village in Xizhou, a town in the prefecture. The village, known as the "Hometown of Bai Tie-dyeing," is famous for the tie-dye techniques of the Bai ethnic group. The tie-dyeing techniques date back to the end of the MingDynasty (1368-1644) and the early period of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).

In 2006, the tie-dyeing craft of the Bai ethnic group was among the first grouping of national intangible cultural heritage items approved by China's State Council.

Duan's family has been inheriting the tie-dyeing craft for four generations. As her family operated a tie-dyeing workshop, Duan began helping  by completing simple tasks  her family make tie-dyeing crafts when she was very young.

"Almost all of the households in my village are engaged in tie-dyeing, with most of the practitioners being elderly people. I watched them making tie-dyeing crafts every day during my childhood, and I often learned to do tasks myself," says Duan.

Duan's grandfather used to run a tea house in the prefecture, and his tea house was popular with domestic and foreign tourists. Later, Duan's father transformed the tea house into a restaurant. As she watched the elders in her family as they received people from different cultural backgrounds, especially in a friendly and open manner, Duan grew to realize cultural exchanges were meaningful, and helped foster mutual understanding.

Duan believes making traditional crafts is a form of cultural exchange. "In my studio, people experience the fun of making traditional Chinese crafts, through which they begin to have a new, and better, understanding of traditional Chinese culture. My studio provides an opportunity for them to learn more about China, and the cultures of ethnic groups in China," Duan says.

People can perceive the beauty of crafts without having to describe the beauty in words. With exquisite knitting, magnificent colors and mysterious patterns, the Chinese crafts embody the traditional aesthetic philosophy of Chinese people.

Duan says the aspect of her business that gives her the greatest happiness is bringing together people with different skin colors, languages and cultural backgrounds. They follow Duan's lead as they make tie-dye and other works, and they experience the charm of traditional Chinese crafts, and the spirit and value contained in Chinese traditional culture.

When they make tie-dye works, ethnic Bai people often create patterns that highlight their pursuit of beauty, convey good wishes, and keep records of the ethnic group's history.

"Many people may focus on techniques and neglect the cultural connotations of the handiworks," says Duan, adding she first discusses the cultural background of the patterns on the handiworks before she teaches the tie-dyeing techniques.

During her tie-dyeing classes, Duan explains how to make a butterfly pattern, and she also introduces the connotation of butterflies in Chinese culture.

"Butterflies often symbolize love in Chinese culture. For example, the Butterfly Lovers is a classic Chinese love story, from ancient China. Butterfly Spring is a well-known scenic spot in my hometown. My grandparents told me young people would go to the spring to sing songs if they had crush on each other," Duan tells her students.

Duan has designed courses based on the different traditional Chinese festivals, such as paper-cutting classes for Spring Festival and lantern classes for Mid-Autumn Festival.

Duan uses the crafts to help her explain the unique values and life philosophy of Chinese people to people participating in her courses. "I don't want to make all of my students become experts on Chinese culture. I just want to open a door for them, so they can learn about China and the East, and become interested in our culture. That's what I want to do," Duan says.

She also sells various products made by ethnic minority groups, such as tie-dyeing and embroidering, clothing, and bags and accessories, on her studio's website. Most of the products are made by craftspeople of the ethnic groups in the prefecture.

By selling the products, Duan hopes to help people around the world understand the value and significance of original ethnic crafts, and, in turn, help create connections between cultures.

Duan plans to take her students to the prefecture for a cultural exchange between them and inheritors of Chinese intangible cultural heritage. She also plans to invite masters of the traditional crafts to give lectures in the UK. "I want to spread more wonderful Chinese stories to the world," Duan says.

(Women of China English Monthly June 2023 issue)
New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic development, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has passed a resolution recognizing Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The resolution, which received bipartisan support, reaffirms the strong and strategic partnership between the United States and India and highlights the importance of respecting international borders and territorial integrity.

Arunachal Pradesh, a northeastern state of India, shares its borders with China, Bhutan, and Myanmar. The region has been a subject of territorial dispute between India and China for several decades. China claims the state as part of its own territory, calling it "South Tibet." However, India has consistently maintained that Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of its sovereign territory.

Also read:Don't forget to visit these top 5 places in Udaipur

The passing of this resolution by the U.S. Senate Committee is seen as a significant move that bolsters India's position and sends a clear message of support for its territorial integrity. It also comes as a positive step towards strengthening the bilateral ties between the United States and India.

Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, expressed his support for the resolution, stating, "Recognizing Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India reaffirms our commitment to the principles of international law and supports the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region."

The resolution acknowledges the historical, cultural, and economic ties between the people of Arunachal Pradesh and the rest of India. It recognizes the democratic processes and institutions that have been established in the region and the rights of its citizens.

Also read:Foxconn to Collab with New Tech Giants to setup Plant in India

Indian officials have welcomed the resolution and expressed their appreciation for the United States' support. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, "We appreciate the U.S. Senate Committee's recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. This step further strengthens the close partnership between our two countries."

The resolution also underscores the importance of peaceful resolution of border disputes and encourages continued dialogue between India and China to find a mutually acceptable solution. It recognizes the significance of stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region and the need for cooperation among like-minded countries.

The passing of this resolution comes at a time when the geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region are evolving rapidly. China's assertive territorial claims and actions in the region have raised concerns among several countries, including the United States and India. The resolution reflects the shared concerns of both nations regarding China's expansionist ambitions.

Also read:PM Modi eases visa policy for Indian Students in France, Details Inside

The recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India by the U.S. Senate Committee is expected to have broader implications in the international arena. It is likely to encourage other countries to reaffirm their support for India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As the resolution moves forward to the full Senate for consideration, it is anticipated that it will receive widespread support. If passed, it will serve as a significant diplomatic victory for India and further solidify the strategic partnership between the United States and India.

In conclusion, the U.S. Senate Committee's resolution recognizing Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India sends a strong message of support for India's territorial integrity and reinforces the importance of respecting international borders. This development is expected to have far-reaching implications in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, as countries rally behind India and its stance on the issue of territorial disputes.
Crime laboratory officers arrive at a house on July 14 as sources said a suspect has been taken into custody in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings on New York's Long Island.
On 11 May, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at the Ruhr University Bochum held an event against the war in Ukraine.

In leaflets, posters and at the event itself, we strongly condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine. But we also strongly rejected the pro-war policy of the German government, which is using the war in Ukraine as a pretext for the biggest rearmament since Hitler, is deliberately fuelling the war and rejects any diplomatic solution. The government not only accepts the death and maiming of hundreds of thousands of young people from Russia and Ukraine but is also prepared to bring the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation.

We are opponents of NATO, which is pursuing the same geostrategic and economic interests in the war against Russia as it did in the criminal wars against Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. We have made it clear that there is only one way to end the butchery in Ukraine: Building a powerful anti-war movement that unites the working class and youth worldwideincluding in Ukraine and Russiaand linking the struggle against war with the struggle against its cause, capitalism.

The IYSSE is the only youth movement whose members around the worldin the US, Canada, Germany, France, England, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and Ukraineare conducting a common struggle against war. That is why we are hated by the rulers on both sides of the front.

We expected that we would not meet with approval from some at the Ruhr University Bochum. Our meeting aimed to initiate a serious debate about the causes and background of the war in Ukraine. But some of those who support the war want to prevent such a discourse by all means; they are demanding the suppression of freedom of expression, censorship and event bans.

On Monday, Steven S. from the Archaeology Student Council and Robin W. from the Green-Alternative Students Bochum (GRAS) brought a motion to the Ruhr University Student Council (FSVK) calling on the university administration to ban IYSSE events at the university as well as socialist and anti-militarist positions from the campus. The motion is to be put to a vote next Monday. We call on all students and all WSWS readers to protest to the FSVK against this attack on a fundamental democratic right.

The motion is full of insinuations, insults, and baseless accusations against the IYSSE. In the one and a half pages there is not a single quote or other evidence from the meeting or our extensive published materials. The worst slander is that we have called for violence.

In reality, the authors are seeking to ban any opposition to the war from campus. The IYSSE should not be given a platform, its statements have no place on campus and the university should not provide it with resources, i.e., rooms for events, those moving the motion demand. This call for censorship is obviously not only directed against the IYSSE, but against socialists and all opponents of war.

The justification used by the authors is that the IYSSE is engaged in divisive pro-Russian propaganda. The only evidence they provide for this shameless slander is our condemnation of the Maidan coup of February 2014 in Ukraine, which was proven to be based on fascist forces such as Svoboda and Right Sector and was actively supported by the German government.

In this way, the authors equate any criticism of NATO and German militarism with a defence of the Putin regime. The same construct was used to defame opponents of war in this country during the two world wars. Karl Liebknecht was accused of advancing the cause of the Russian tsar because he opposed mass slaughter in World War I, declaring, The main enemy is at home!

The authors leave no doubt that they are also seeking to suppress socialist positions. They claim that the call for a mass revolutionary movement against capitalism is a call for violence, and the call for Russian and Ukrainian soldiers to fraternise is an attack on the self-determination of Ukraine. They claim the IYSSE is an enemy of liberal democracy because of its anti-militarist and socialist stance. What they find worst of all is that we refer positively to the October Revolution in Russia and the November Revolution in Germany, which ended the mass slaughter of the First World War.

The last time these socialist positions were banned from German universities was between 1933 and 1945, under the Nazis.

Socialists are not enemies of democracy but consistent defenders of basic democratic rights. In the Kaisers empire, the social democrats, who were still in a Marxist party at that point, had fought for basic democratic rights with its revolutionary programme. In the 1930s, the Trotskyists were the only ones to advocate a united front of the Social Democrats (SPD) and Communist Party (KPD) that could have blocked Hitlers path to power. In the Stalinist Soviet Union and German Democratic Republic, members of our party, the Fourth International, were persecuted for fighting for internationalism and workers democracy.

A revolution is precisely what is needed to bring about real democracy. Only when the vast majority actively intervenes in political events, breaks the power of the banks and corporations, and places them under democratic control, can the urgent problems of humanity be solved. This is shown today particularly clearly by the rapid development towards a Third World War, the mass slaughter in Ukraine and the strengthening of far-right and fascist parties in numerous Western countries.

To defame this perspective as a call to violence comes straight from the moth-eaten rags of anti-communism. Steven S. and Robin W. are now reviving this in order to suppress any criticism of the German governments pro-war policy.

This is not simply a matter of a bumbling tract by these two individuals or the possible decision of a subordinate student body. The demand for a ban on anti-war events at the university and the suppression of an official student group is part of a broad offensive to turn universities back into centres of militarism.

At Humboldt University in Berlin, the IYSSE group has been fighting for years against the trivialisation of Nazi crimes and the rehabilitation of German militarism by professors like Jorg Baberowski and Herfried Munkler. We will not allow universities to be misused again for the ideological and technical preparation of war, as they were before the First and Second World Wars. At Humboldt University, the university management has tried in vain to deny us rooms and to suppress our work in the student parliament.

Professors at the Ruhr University Bochum are also working on the ideological justification of rearmament and war. For example, Professor Jorg Schimmelpfennig, who holds the Chair of Economics, agitates against the dream of a rules-based world order and instead advocates the massive rearmament of the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces). Peace, according to the professor, can only be enforced militarily.

A Student Council that claims to represent students should oppose such militaristic positions and defend student criticism of them, instead of supporting the university administration in acting against those who are critical. Therefore, we call on all students and all WSWS readers to protest to the FSVK against the passage of this motion. Send an email to fsvk@lists.ruhr-uni-bochum.de and a copy to iysse@gleichheit.de.
People on bridge across River Beas swollen due to heavy rains in Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. [AP Photo/Aqil Khan]

Torrential downpours over the past fortnight have led to the deaths of more than 100 people and unleashed havoc across northern India in what climate scientists describe as the countrys worst monsoon in decades. The deadly monsoon comes as several other countries grapple with similar extreme weather.

Himachal Pradesh, Indias most northern state, was the worst affected by the heavy rains. Authorities reported that over 1,300 roads were damaged, resulting in a total estimated damage bill in the state of 40 billion Indian rupees (approximately $US486 million). Other impacted states include Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

New Delhi, the national capital, recorded 153 mm of rain in 24 hours on July 10, the highest in a single day in July since 1982. The water levels of the Yamuna River in Delhi hit an all-time high, breaching the previous record level of 207 metres (over 680 feet) in 1978. Schools, houses and other buildings have been inundated and shut down.

Delhi, Punjab and Himachal have received 112 percent, 100 percent and 70 percent more rainfall than usual so far in this years monsoon, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The extreme rainfall follows blistering heat waves in Northern India that began in June and saw temperatures soar to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in large parts of the country. More than 170 people died from the heat, most of them in the north.

Extreme temperature and rainfall events, droughts, rising sea levels and intense cyclones are recurring events across the sub-continent and clear signs of climate change with deadly consequences.

In India, 959 people were killed by floods in 2020 and 656 in 2021. In 2018, it was reported to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the national parliament, by the Central Water Commission that 107,480 people had died from extreme rainfall and floods across the country between 1953 and 2017.

Heatwaves have claimed more than 17,000 lives in the past 50 years in India, according to a paper authored by M. Rajeevan, former secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with four other scientists. While Indias main summer monthsfrom April to Juneare always hot, temperatures over the past decade have become much more intense and dangerous.



The IMD reports a 24 percent increase in the number of heat waves in 20102019 compared with 20002009. The mortality rate from high temperatures increased by 62 percent between 2000 and 2019.

Even though these disasters are projected in the media as natural calamities, they are, in reality, mainly produced by the destructive drive for profits by big business and are, hence, man-made. Unplanned urbanisation and development along with haphazard burning of fossil fuels are key factors.

Last year, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organisation that tracks extreme weather events, released its State of Indias Environment Report 2022.

It revealed that the country experienced extreme weather events on 314 out of the 365 days, meaning that at least one extreme weather event was reported in some part of India on each of these days. The report concluded that these events caused over 3,000 deaths in 2022, affected some 2 million hectares of crop area, killed more than 69,000 livestock and destroyed around 420,000 houses.

Extreme weather events claimed 233 lives and damaged 950,000 hectares of cropland in the country in the first four months of this year (2023), according to a recent study led by the CSE.

These recurring calamities impact most heavily on the poorest sections of society. They always produce crocodile tears from political leaders and the media and grossly inadequate compensation payments.

On July 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modis office issued a cynical tweet declaring that local administrations are working to ensure the well-being of those affected by floods while the PM took stock of the situation.

Aggrieved farmers and flood victims have angrily spoken out about the devastation. One social media video showed an elderly woman in Haryana slapping Ishwar Singh, a parliamentarian from the Jannayak Janta Party which is part of the BJP ruling alliance. Why have you come now? she asked.

While climate change and global warming are drastically changing weather patterns, Modi and his Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, like its Congress Party-led predecessor, has refused to take any real action to mitigate the devastating impact of these catastrophes or to provide adequate relief.

Instead, it spends billions of dollars upgrading the Indian armed forces in pursuit of the ruling elites geo-political ambitions while giving major tax incentives and other assistance to big business.

For decades Indias ruling elites have failed to act on warnings made by climate scientists. They have refused to build the necessary infrastructure to prepare for these disasters.

Addressing the threat posed by climate change and global warming requires a global solution. Protection from floods, heatwaves and a reversal of the imminent global calamity posed by climate change requires coordinated international collaboration and planning. This can only be attained through the establishment a Union of Socialist Republics of South Asia as part of a world socialist federation.
New Delhi: In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash that claimed several lives, the Nepalese government has issued a ban on "non-essential" helicopter flights. The decision, aimed at ensuring aviation safety and preventing further accidents, reflects the government's commitment to addressing concerns surrounding air travel in the country.

The ban comes after a recent helicopter crash in the mountainous region of Nepal resulted in the loss of several lives, including that of a prominent political figure. The incident raised concerns about the safety of helicopter operations and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.

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The Nepalese Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has deemed it necessary to temporarily suspend "non-essential" helicopter flights until a comprehensive safety review is conducted. The ban includes tourist flights, recreational flights, and other non-essential helicopter operations that do not serve critical purposes such as emergency medical services, search and rescue, and transportation of essential supplies.

The move has been welcomed by aviation experts and safety advocates who have long highlighted the need for enhanced regulations and safety measures in Nepal's aviation sector. They argue that the ban on non-essential helicopter flights is a crucial step toward ensuring the safety and well-being of both passengers and crew.

Nepal, known for its rugged terrain and challenging weather conditions, poses unique challenges to helicopter operations. The country's mountainous landscapes and unpredictable weather patterns demand utmost caution and adherence to strict safety protocols. The ban serves as a proactive measure to address these challenges and prevent further accidents.

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The Nepalese government has also announced plans to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent helicopter crash to determine the cause and identify any lapses in safety procedures. The findings of the investigation will help shape future regulations and ensure the implementation of measures to prevent similar incidents.

As part of the ban, the CAA will collaborate with helicopter operators, industry experts, and stakeholders to develop comprehensive safety guidelines and regulations. These will include strict protocols for maintenance, pilot training, weather monitoring, and operational procedures to enhance safety standards in the industry.

The ban on non-essential helicopter flights is expected to have an impact on Nepal's tourism sector, which heavily relies on helicopter services to transport tourists to remote and inaccessible areas. However, the government has emphasized that safety remains a top priority and that measures will be taken to minimize the impact on tourism while ensuring the well-being of visitors.

Also read:Monsoon Devastates Northern India, Killing Over 100

Nepal's commitment to aviation safety and the implementation of stricter regulations is essential for the sustainable development of the country's tourism industry. The government aims to rebuild trust among tourists and aviation stakeholders by demonstrating its dedication to ensuring safe and secure air travel.

The ban on non-essential helicopter flights will remain in effect until the completion of the safety review and the implementation of enhanced safety measures. It is a temporary measure taken to address immediate concerns and pave the way for a safer and more secure aviation environment in Nepal.

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In conclusion, Nepal's decision to ban non-essential helicopter flights in the aftermath of a deadly crash reflects the government's commitment to aviation safety and its determination to prevent further accidents. The move highlights the country's proactive approach to addressing concerns in the aviation sector and reinforces its dedication to protecting the lives of passengers and crew. As the government conducts a comprehensive safety review and introduces stricter regulations, Nepal aims to enhance the overall safety standards and rebuild trust in its aviation industry.
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, told the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that Israels 56-year occupation of the Palestinian territories has turned the West Bank into an open-air prison for Palestinians.

Albanese, a legal expert, made this statement as she presented her Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 to the UNHRC Monday.

The report describes her teams concerns over the widespread and systematic arbitrary deprivation of liberty in the occupied Palestinian territory and declared [it] cannot capture the scale and extent of the arbitrary deprivation of liberty in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Nor it added, can it convey the suffering of millions of Palestinians who have, directly or indirectly, been affected.

Israeli security forces take position during an attack on Palestinians demonstrators at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, April 15, 2022 (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, she said that the high number of criminal convictions for Palestinians stems from violations of international law and criminalization of ordinary acts of life. There is no other way to define the regime that Israel has imposed on the Palestinianswhich is apartheid by defaultother than an open-air prison.

Gaza is often referred to as an open-air prison because of the 16-year-long blockade imposed by Israel, aided by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypts brutal dictator, and the Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas. Albanese has extended this description to the occupied West Bank.

Her report explains that Israel has framed the entire Palestinian population living in the occupied territories as a security threat, often presumed guilty, and punished with incarceration even when trying to exercise fundamental freedoms. Furthermore, By deeming all Palestinians as a potential security threat, Israel is blurring the line between its own security and the security of its annexation plan.

Palestinians are presumed guilty without evidence, arrested without warrants, detained without charge or trial very often, and brutalised in Israeli custody, she added, outlining Israels detention practices that could amount to international crimes.

Albanese found that since 1967, more than 800,000 Palestinians, including children as young as 12, had been arrested and detained by the Israeli authorities. She pointed out, My report does not condone any acts of violence committed by Palestinians while living under an unlawful occupation or in their pursuit to end it. However, we must acknowledge that most Palestinians have been convicted through a series of violations of international law, such as discrimination, persecution, and breaches of due process and for ordinary acts of life and in the exercise of legitimate civil and political rights.

She concluded that Israels array of laws, procedures and techniques of coercive confinement, transforms the occupied Palestinian territory into a constantly surveilled open-air panopticon.

Albanese said Israel had built illegal settlements, segregated roads, walls, checkpoints, and physical infrastructure that rests in the hands of the Israeli military, which writes, enforces, and reviews these martial laws that only apply to Palestinians, acting as an arbitrary deprivation of liberty. At the same time, Israel applies its own domestic laws to Jewish-Israeli settlers who live in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in contravention of international law. This dual legal system is the pillar of Israels apartheid regime. The presence of the Palestinian Authority does not change this reality, nor does it alter Israels obligations under international law, she said.

While the State of Palestine had invited the Special Rapporteur, Israel refused to allow her to enter the Palestinian territories to take evidence. Instead, she was forced to rely on virtual meetings and tours, as well as witness statements and a comprehensive review of primary and public sources.

The corporate media of the major imperialist powers, including the New York Times and the nominally liberal Guardian, have maintained silence on the report, with only some of the Middle East press and the Qatar-funded Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye reporting the Special Rapporteurs comments.

Albaneses report comes just one week after 1,000 Israeli soldiers, protected by armed helicopters and drones, raided the northern West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, home to 14,000 Palestinians, in one of the largest military operations in the occupied West Bank in 20 years. The troops carried out the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity supplies and healthcare facilities. They killed at least 12 Palestinians, including four teenagers, injured more than 100 and forced one-quarter of the camps population to flee.

This UN report by a legal expert on humanitarian law has highlighted the criminal reality of Israels occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, explaining how the Palestinian Authority (PA), established under the 1993 Oslo Accords, has added an extra layer of repression. The PA coordinates with the Israeli authorities in what amounts to a revolving door policy whereby Palestinians face arrest, interrogation, detention and often ill-treatment by first one and then the other.

It notes that since 1967, Israel has passed 2,500 orders controlling every minutiae of Palestinians life, including public order and security, natural resource management, education, transportation, administration of justice, fiscal administration, taxation, planning and zoning. These measures, along with the plan to annex the West Bank, are aimed at the de-Palestinianisation of the occupied territory and the elimination of the Palestinians right to exist as a national entity.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition of right-wing parties, including outright fascists with a large base in the illegal settlements on the West Bank, is preparing for the forcible displacement of millions of Palestinians and the incorporation of the West Bank into Israel.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israels finance minister and leader of the fascistic Religious Zionism party, has expressed this quite explicitly. In his One Hope plan, he sets out his blueprint for war, annexation, ethnic cleansing, settlement and apartheid rule. He calls for a full-scale war against the Palestinians to extinguish all hope of establishing their own state. Such a war would be more economical in the long run than trying to manage the conflict. Israel will establish a Jewish State from the [Jordan] river to the sea, and by imposing sovereignty on all Judea and Samaria [West Bank], expanding and building new settlements and encouraging tens and hundreds of thousands of residents to come live in Judea and Samaria, establishing an irreversible reality on the ground.

The Palestinians should be encouraged to emigrate, while those that remain should be confined to six municipal areas around Hebron, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, Nablus and Jenin, each with their own local government, possibly affiliated to Jordan. He stresses that he has few substantive differences with Netanyahu, who would rather maintain the fiction that the PA, not the six townships, is in charge of Palestinian affairs.

When PA officials tried to attend the funerals of the slain Palestinians in Jenin last week, they were ejected with shouts of Out! from the angry crowds.

In the six months since taking office, the Israeli government has approved the building of 13,000 new settlement homes and legalized nine settlement outposts previously deemed illegal. It has passed legislation enabling settlers to return to four settlements dismantled in 2005 and the government to revoke citizenship or residency from those (Palestinians) who have committed acts of terror and deport them to the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. It is to introduce legislation granting soldiers immunity for acts committed during military activity and allowing children under the age of 14 convicted of terror-related chargessuch as throwing stones at soldiersto be jailed.

At the same time, the governments fascist ministers have encouraged settlers to attack the homes and property of Palestinians in the West Bank, with Smotrich calling for the town of Huwara, the scene of a pogrom-like attack in February, to be wiped out.

The funding of the governments Jewish Supremacist State agenda will entail a massive onslaught on social and economic conditions within Israel that can only be accomplished by a brutal dictatorship, imposed not just on the Palestinians but Israeli workers and their families. This is what is driving Netanyahus judicial overhaul aimed at eliminating the judiciarys limited ability to curb his governments powers and stuffing it with his own appointees.

The self-proclaimed leaders of the mass protest movement opposed to Netanyahus judicial coup are no less committed to the Zionist state and its oppression of the Palestinian people than Netanyahus far-right government. The central task is to develop within the mass protest movement a political consciousness and an understanding of the need to connect this struggle with the fight against the occupation and suppression of the Palestinians and against inequality and exploitation.
Socialist Equality Party Assistant National Secretary Larry Porter conducted an interview with Gary Tyler on the occasion of his exhibition opening. See, Video: Gary Tyler reflects on his frame up and the fight for his freedom, at solo art exhibition in Detroit

Gary Tyler stands in front of one of his artworks at the Detroit Library collective at the opening of his exhibit "We are the willing"

An extraordinary event was held in Detroit on Saturday, July 8the first solo gallery showing of the artworks of Gary Tyler. The exhibit entitled We Are the Willing was hosted by the downtown Detroit gallery Library Street Collective (LSC) and curated by Allison Glenn. It will be on display through September 6.

As a 16-year-old high school youth, Tyler was framed, convicted and sentenced to die in the electric chair in Louisiana for a crime he did not commit. After the Supreme Court ruled that Louisianas death penalty law was unconstitutional, Tyler spent almost 42 years behind bars in the notorious Angola State Penitentiary. He became a national and international symbol of the brutal injustice of the American government, winning support from tens of thousands worldwide.

The Workers League (WL) and Young Socialists (YS), forerunners of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), organized a national and international campaign for his release. They made repeated visits to Tyler in prison and his family in Destrehan, Louisiana.

The WL/YS demanded Labor must free Gary Tyler and won wide support at factory gates and in working class neighborhoods in Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and across the US. Garys mother, Juanita Tyler, and his brother, Terry, spoke at a YS conference in 1976 in Detroit. They lent their support to a nationwide petition campaign and a march through Harlem, which mobilized hundreds later that year. A young leader of the Workers League, Tom Henehan, was assassinated in 1977 at a fundraising event for Gary Tyler.

Because of the tremendous support Tyler received in Detroit, he and others described the exhibit opening as a homecoming. Indeed, the warmth and enthusiasm with which he was greeted by so many who participated in the fight for his freedom made the gathering both celebratory and inspiring.

The appreciative audience applauding at the opening of Gary Tyler's one-man show, "We are the willing," July 8. 2023 [Photo by Breann White, courtesy of the Library Street Collective]

The Library Street Collective venue was overflowing, as dozens waited in line due to occupancy limits. Detroit fiber artist Carole Harris joined Tyler for an artists talk before the opening. Both discussed their quilting and aesthetic techniques with moderator Allison Glenn.

Tyler explained to the audience that quilting ran in his family, but at Angola he completed a diploma program in graphic arts. He then learned to sew applique and volunteered for the Angola Prison Hospice program. There he and other inmates created quilts to support men with terminal conditions. These men had become family, he said, and the group wanted them to die in comfort. After the men passed, the quilts were given to the families in remembrance.

Allison asked Tyler about the change in his artistic work after his release from prison. She explained to the audience that Gary Tyler had created all of the quilts on display from photographs taken of him while incarcerated. He explained the complex challenges he faced reintegrating into society, paying tribute to the help of fellow artist Robert Moreland and Morelands wife, who supported him. Only in the past year did he begin to create representational work from his time in Angola.

One of Gary Tyler's quilts representing himself in his prison cell.

Allison also asked Tyler about his Detroit connection. He said, When I arrived on death row in 1975, some of the guys asked if I had support. They asked what organizations supported me, Do you have support from the people? I didnt know what they meant at the time.

The inmates told me to write letters, which I did by hand, over and over again. The men gave me stamps and gave me what I needed. Within three or four weeks, I started getting support from all over. People begun visiting my mother.

My mother had the opportunity to come to Detroit [for the 1976 Young Socialists conference], and it was one of the best things that happened to her. She realized she wasnt the only one fighting the cause to free her son. Detroit had become the hub of support. It resonated. It kept my family going.

Lawrence Porter and Gary Tyler at the event in Detroit, July 8, 2023

Until she died, she spoke highly of the trip to Detroit. It was an honor to meet [Socialist Equality Party Assistant National Secretary] Larry Porter and his wife yesterday, who picked my mother up from the airport. These were young people saying, Enough is enough. They gave my family hope; they fought that battle along with them. I know others in this room were part of that fight. Among those in attendance who embraced Gary Tyler warmly were the former Young Socialists National Secretary DArtagnan Collier, WSWS Labor Editor Jerry White and Workers League/SEP leader Helen Halyardall of whom had traveled to Louisiana at various points to support Tyler and his family.

Tyler concluded, Although it took 40 years, those years were not wasted. It took 40 years to change the hearts and minds of those responsible for sending me prison. Even though they didnt have the courage to undo the wrong they did to me, their sons and daughters have, he said to enthusiastic applause.

Gary Tyler's quilt depicting hard labor at Angola Penitentiary

Leah Rutt, Director of Operations at the LSC, told the WSWS, The weekend was truly a celebration of his life and this new phase of his art practice. It was wonderful to see how many traveled in for the exhibition. It was certainly one of the most well-attended artist talks we have hosted at our gallery.

The attendees spanned generations, many of whom were involved in the case as well as friends and co-workers who flew in from across the country. His wide network really speaks to his authenticity and impact as a person and an artist.

From a technical standpoint, Gary is incredibly skilled. The quilting technique of applique is something I personally see being embraced by younger quilters, so its very interesting seeing him utilizing that technique as well. His use of linework, texture, pattern of fabric to achieve a sense of depth, movement and emotion in the imagery is remarkable.

Garys work is quite painterly actually. I know he grew up with quilting in his life, and he learned many skills while in Angola, but this [artistic skill] is clearly just within him. I also think its interesting to see the change in his practice over the years. When he was incarcerated, his work mostly represented butterflies, birds or other organic shapes. Only since his release has he made work that depicts images of himself. This is a reflection, I think, of where Gary is at with processing that experience.

Curator Allison Glenn with Gary Tyler and Library Collective Director Leah Rutt [Photo by Breann White, courtesy of the Library Street Collective]

The WSWS also spoke with curator Allison Glenn, whose extensive work includes a groundbreaking exhibition Promise, Witness, Remembrance (2021) on the life of Breonna Taylor.

At first I didnt know what to expect when the Library Street Collective approached me [as a possible curator for his exhibit]. I didnt know about Garys artwork, and I didnt know what to expect. But hearing about his life and making sense of its connections to Detroit, it was an absolute yes for me [to curate]. Allison herself is a Detroit native and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Wayne State University.

The experience was phenomenal. Gary has a certain perspective on life and an attitude that is contagious. It felt amazing to be in that room with so many people who had been supporting Gary and his efforts for freedom and justice for over four decades.

His time incarcerated is longer than my lifetime. Making sense of that amount of time floors me. Its just inconceivable. I felt, in a sense, that it was like a homecoming for him, all these intergenerational people.

It makes me so proud to be from Detroit, part of this legacy. You cant grow up here without family in the Big Three. Its a city that holds high ethics, organizing beyond the plants. And not just for Garys freedom.

D'Artagnan Collier and Gary Tyler, July 8, 2023

DArtagnan Collier traveled to Angola prison to visit Gary when he was less than 20 years old and then-national secretary of the Young Socialists. He said, I was excited to be able to see him for the first time in nearly 40 years. I am so glad he is alive and free after being incarcerated for so long. He worked to develop himself as a cultured human being despite the repressive, inhuman and barbaric conditions he was subject to.

I believe he was sustained by the perspective given to him by the Workers League and the Young Socialists, as well as other anti-injustice people who fought for his freedom and opposed his frame-up. He was able to place his incarceration in a political context. We said at the time that the attack on Gary was an attack on the democratic rights of the working class.

As Gary said, the struggle has not ended. We can see that with the attacks on Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange. People are being persecuted and hounded for standing up for human rights. There are still a lot of people who are being framed up for things they did not do.

A montage of some of the photos presented to Gary Tyler in advance of his Detroit exhibit of "We are the willing."

Among an important section of young people attending the exhibition opening were two Flint autoworkers. They expressed their deep appreciation for Garys artwork and his insistence that they should not back down in their fight for decent living conditions for the working class.

One of the workers sent this statement to the WSWS: It was an amazing and important event for me meeting Gary and seeing his art. I thought it was remarkable and a testament to his character that after all that happened to him there was not any bitterness in what he had to say. Rather, in personal conversation, he was absolutely uplifting. He acknowledged what happened was a severe injustice but one that can and must be fought for, for both him and others facing the same conditions.

Gary spoke with sincerity. He said that neither I nor anyone truly fighting against these injustices and the plight of others should feel discouragedWe should never feel hopeless or wrong. I greatly admire Gary for coming out of his circumstances such a strong fighter and who has conveyed his message and experience through his unique art that is not only aesthetically wonderful but clearly portrays deeply felt and real life experiences.

I think everyone should try and see his artwork and learn about Gary. It is something both personally touching and broadly relevant for the world we live in today.
We are publishing below a statement issued by the Colombo Port Workers Action Committee yesterday (July 13) in support of Canadian dockworkers.

Colombo port workers walking out on 30 January, 2023, to join lunchtime demonstration against the government's income tax increases.

From July 1 Canadian dockworkers at 30 British Columbia ports, including major ports such as Vancouver and Prince Rupert, have been engaged in a courageous strike with an unwavering determination. The function of all those ports has been paralyzed as a result showing the workers power in struggle.

The struggle of our Canadian class brothers immensely encourages us, as Sri Lankan port workers. The Colombo Port Workers Action Committee (CPWAC) supports the Canadian dockworkers strike and appeals to other sections of workers in Sri Lanka to come forward and express their solidarity with it.

The CPWAC condemns the combined conspiracy of the administrations of Justin Trudeau in Canada and Joe Biden in the US, together with the BC Maritime Employers Association break the strike action. The leadership of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union is centrally involved in this reactionary effort.

In Sri Lanka, the entire working class, including port employees, are facing similar attacks under the savage austerity measures being implemented by the President Ranil Wickremesinghe government. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has dictated these measures, providing a bailout loan of $US3 billion.

The government has decided to restructure 430 state enterprises including the Sri Lanka Port Authority. This will severely affect the jobs, wages and working conditions of hundreds of thousands of workers. Colombo port workers opposition is developing against these attacks.

In the past four decades, the workforce at the Colombo Port has been reduced from 24,000 to 9,000. Recently, as the Pay-As-You-Earn tax has been increased, and after various deductions, we receive a monthly income that is insufficient to cope with the rising cost of living. Under another austerity measure recently imposed by the government, we will also lose a considerable portion of our pension fund.

There are several trade unions in our harbour, many controlled by bourgeois parties such as the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. These unions have formed an alliance in the name of fighting to defend our rights. Instead, they only call limited protest actions, including strikes, when employees opposition develops but then finally betray them. This is our repeated experience. Trade unions and their bureaucracies do not represent our interests. Their role is now helping the government to implement the IMF policies, including privatisation.

We understood it was necessary to form a workers action committee (rank and file committee) to fight for the genuine interests of workers. That is why we established the CPWAC and are fighting to win support among other brothers and sisters in the port.

We also understand the need for a unified international struggle of port and dockworkers to defend our rights. Solidarity among us must be built, not only in words but in action. The CPWAC once again appeals to other port and dockworkers in Sri Lanka and internationally to support and defend the Canadian dockworkers struggle:

* Boycott Canadian Container Shipping

* Boycott the loading and unloading of Canadian ships

* Build an alliance of action committeesrank-and-file committeesof port and dock workers independent of the union bureaucracy throughout the world

Send letters in any language of your choice expressing your full support for the strike by Canadian dockworkers to the address below.

Victory for the striking Canadian dockworkers in British Columbia!

Jotipala Dadigama

Convener, Port Workers Action Committee

716 1/1, Kotte Road

Ethulkotte, Kotte

Telephone number: 094 773562327

Email address: cpwac.port@gmail.com
In his latest incitement of violence against political opponents, ex-President Donald Trump denounced the US attorney that he himself appointed for making a plea deal with Hunter Biden on tax evasion and weapons charges that fell short of executing President Bidens son.

Referring to David Weiss, appointed by Trump as US Attorney for the federal district covering the state of Delaware, Trump wrote on his social media outlet, Truth Social: Weiss is a COWARD, a smaller version of Bill Barr, who never had the courage to do what everyone knows should have been done 

He gave out a traffic ticket instead of a death sentence. Because of the two Democrat Senators in Delaware, they got to choose and/or approve him. Maybe the judge presiding will have the courage and intellect to break up this cesspool of crime. The collusion and corruption is beyond description. TWO TIERS OF JUSTICE!

Former US Vice President Joe Biden, center, his son Hunter Biden, left, and his sister Valerie Biden Owens, right. [AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu]

The reference to executing Hunter Biden cannot be dismissed as mere Trump bluster. He knows exactly what he is doing. The fascist ex-president has frequently suggested to fascist foot soldiers that various political opponents deserve violent attack, and they have frequently responded.

It was one such supporter who broke into the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and beat her 82-year-old husband Paul Pelosi within an inch of his life. Capitol Police bodyguards were with the Speaker, who was out of town at the time.

Another such attacker was recently arrested outside the Washington home of former President Barack Obama, with a large weapons stash in his car and indications that he was taking action based on Trumps posting of Obamas home address. Secret Service agents prevented the attack.

Taylor Taranto, 37, participated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol and was being sought by the Justice Department for prosecution when he read the message from Trump giving Obamas address, reposted it and drove with his weapons to that neighborhood. He was arraigned before a magistrate last week who expressed regret over Tarantos actions and said the military veteran was simply taking orders.

Perhaps the most notorious action targeting an individual was Trumps demand that police agencies find and kill Michael Reinoehl, an activist who had participated in the 2020 protests against police violence in Portland, Oregon, and had shot and killed a right-wing thug who was threatening the protesters.

Trump tweeted a demand for retribution for this act of self-defense. Only minutes before police agencies located Reinoehl and ambushed him in the parking lot of an apartment building where he had fled in Lacey, Washington, Trump tweeted an implicit order to kill him, writing, Do your job, and do it fast. Everybody knows who this thug is. Earlier this week, a lawsuit alleging unlawful killing was filed against the cops who carried out the street execution, on behalf of Reinoehls estate.

On a much broader scale, Trump invited thousands of his supporters to come to Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021 and disrupt the congressional certification of his election defeat, tweeting that the event will be wild. He addressed the crowd at a rally outside the White House, demanding that they fight to overturn the election, then directed them towards Capitol Hill. In the ensuing violence, five people died, and many more narrowly escaped, including Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Pelosi, and numerous senators and representatives.

The corporate media has generally not reported Trumps remark about Hunter Biden. However, Trump has millions of followers on his proprietary Truth Social platform, where the message was posted and broadcast.

The media silence is part of the more general pattern of covering up, on the part of the Democratic Party and the media, the increasingly headlong shift by Trump and the Republican Party towards fascism. The WSWS has pointed out Trumps repeated calls, in recent campaign speeches, to deport US citizens who are socialists or Marxists or to round them up and apply unspecified repressive measures.

These fascistic calls for violence and repression, on an explicitly ideological basis, go beyond his incessant demonizing of his opponents, whether in the Democratic Party or in the working class and among youth and students. He is seeking to appeal to anticommunism and whip up fear of socialism among his supporters, a process that will generate individual acts of violence today, and more systematic, organized violence tomorrow.
The following statement of greetings was sent from British Royal Mail workers in the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee to the founding meeting of the UPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee in the United States last weekend.

Subsequently, on Tuesday, the Communication Workers Union bureaucracy announced the ratification of its sellout contract with Royal Mail. This came after a sham vote, delayed repeatedly to bleed off workers opposition, and under conditions where the union was already enforcing the terms of the contract. This has provoked outrage among Royal Mail workers, who are continuing their struggle in the aftermath of the announcement.

To contact the UPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee, email upsrankandfilecommittee@gmail.com or fill out the form at the bottom of this article.

UPS workers leaving during shift change at the Worldport air hub in Louisville, Kentucky

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We send greetings to your meeting, which comes at a critical time. The outcome of a fight pitting 340,000 UPS workers against the largest postal and shipping company on Earth will be felt by workers far beyond the borders of the United States.

Here at Royal Mail, 115,000 colleagues have been locked in a yearlong battle against the gutting of our pay, terms and conditions. After delivering 2 billion in profits during the pandemic, the company repaid us through brutal revisions to workloads, backed by management bullying, that has driven 10,000 postal workers from Royal Mail during the past year. At least 400 reps and other workers who opposed this regime were victimised, suspended and sacked.

Looking at the demands of UPS and the US Postal Service, alongside those of Royal Mail, it is clear the postal and logistics companies are engaged in a coordinated offensive against the workforce. They want maximum exploitation and profits as they compete for global market share. They must deliver the holy mantra of increased returns year on year to shareholders and investors. It is a never-ending race to the bottom.

Here at Royal Mail, our verdict against the companys diktats was near unanimous in three separate strike votes. But the Communication Workers Union curtailed and then suppressed our mandate outright, entering closed-door talks with the company.

We say to our brothers at UPS: Seize the initiative. Do not allow the Teamsters leadership to wear down your fight with empty talk about concessions won through pressure. The writing is already on the wall. Why else would Teamsters officials sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement on their talks with UPS, while refusing to state any strike demands that address workers concerns?

At Royal Mail, workers were thrown onto the back foot after the CWU announced a joint union-company Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Agreement in April, giving the company everything it wants: a two-tier workforce, longer hours and impossible hikes to workload; the gutting of sick pay; introduction of pay-per-parcel; and a performance management regime using PDAs to monitor our every working minute.

CWU officials have insisted the agreement is a victory. This is because it protects their cosy positions on a raft of company-union working groups helping to enforce Royal Mails attacks.

On Tuesday, the results of a membership ballot on the agreement will be announced. But the CWU has made clear our vote is meaningless. They are implementing the agreement already, issuing directives to local union reps to work with managers on productivity checklist items and to identify workers deemed surplus to requirements.

The CWU head office faced a massive rank-and-file backlash from April through June. The officials feared they would lose control. But the CWU pressed their two main advantages: They are organised, and they have a worked-out strategy with Royal Mail that is backed by the Conservative government and the opposition Labour Party. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has threatened to expel any MPs who visit picket lines. He declares there is no magic money tree for health and education, while he commits billions to NATO under a future Labour government.

The task facing workers is to organise our own class strategy to fight back. Rank-and-file committees, run by workers, must be built at every workplace to shatter the influence of the pro-company bureaucracy and transfer power to the union membership.

We are part of a global logistics workforce that produces $8.6 trillion a year and which accounts for 5-10 percent of the planets entire workforce. In China alone, the sector employs 17.8 million workers. The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) is providing the platform for workers around the world to plan a strategy and program to fight. We stand with UPS workers in this common struggle.

The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (UK)
On July 8, Gary Tyler visited Detroit for a gallery showing of his artwork at the Library Street Collective (LSC). As a 16-year-old youth Tyler was framed, convicted and sentenced to die in the electric chair for a crime that he did not commit. After the Supreme Court ruled that Louisianas death penalty law was unconstitutional, Tyler spent almost 42 years behind bars in the notorious Angola State Penitentiary.

The Workers League (WL) and Young Socialists (YS), forerunners of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), organized a national and international campaign for his release.

In this video, SEP Assistant National Secretary Lawrence Porter speaks with Tyler about his experiences and the conclusions that he has drawn.

Gary Tyler reflects on his frame up and the fight for his freedom, at solo art exhibition in Detroit
A man receives a COVID-19 test in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in September 2022. [AP Photo/Mark Baker]

An administration worker at a large New South Wales (NSW) regional public hospital has contacted the WSWS and the Health Workers Rank-and-File Committee (HWRFC) about the state Labor governments sudden closure of front screening desks and masking requirements in non-clinical areasentrances, corridors and other spacesof public hospitals.

Front screening desks were established during the pandemic to provide hospital visitors with masks. Far from being over, COVID-19 infections, hospitalisations and deaths continue to rise. There have been just under 4,000 recorded COVID-19 deaths in Australia this year.

The let it rip offensive has been accelerated under the federal Labor government. In the 418 days since it took office, 13,959 COVID-19 fatalities have been recorded, compared with 8,097 in 813 days under the previous Liberal-National government.

Elected in March this year, NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns government has deepened the attack on public healthcare. In April, it closed all of the 164 temporary Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing sites across the state. This is in line with the federal Labor governments cuts to healthcare spending, including by $11 billion in two years, primarily due to the termination of COVID-19 safety measures.

These policies were supported by the trade unions, including in the health sector, which have endorsed the profit-driven ending of basic public health measures. In 2022, Health Services Union (HSU) national president and NSW state secretary Gerard Hayes was at the forefront of demands for the scrapping of COVID isolation requirements for health staff, because of the impact of such elementary measures on the economy.

These attacks underscore the need for health workers to take matters into their own hands and organise through rank-and-file committees, controlled by workers themselves, to take forward a fight to eliminate the pandemic, for decent jobs, wages and conditions and high-quality public healthcare.

***

The worker, who will remain anonymous, explained the role of front desk screening staff at hospitals: My job was to ask people a series of questions, including whether theyd had COVID recently and to give them a mask. Front desk screening administration staff have also taken up a lot of work that the main reception desk had previously. This meant helping people who come into the hospital looking for directions and keeping visitors out of the wards before one oclock.

Two weeks ago, administrative staff who worked on the front screening desk received an email declaring that the desk was closing from July 1 and that all those shifts had been cancelled without being replaced. Staff had only been notified two days before on June 29.

All I received was an email, the administrative worker said. They gave us no notice, they just said that all our shifts were cancelled. I lost four shifts. When I got that, I emailed back asking if there was potential for other work. The message back was that there some potential for other shifts in emergency.

I dont really like working in emergencyits more risky because there are more people coming through and youve got to escort them into the wards. Theres around 120 beds for patients all lumped in together and theres no proper ventilation.

I was also offered two training shifts, so training to do other sorts of work, but my workload went from four shifts to only two training shifts. Losing these front desk shifts is going to cause hardship for a lot of people.

All of the people doing this job were casual administration workers, and so because of that Im very conscious of the fact that Im vulnerable; if I speak up too much, they will just stop giving me shifts.

At the same time, they need casuals, especially with staff getting sick all the time. Every day Im getting messages offering additional shifts as a ward clerk because someones away sick. But we dont have any job security and on Thursday, they told me that my shifts are gone, just like that.

The administrative worker discussed the consequences of closing the front screening desk: This will have a profound impact on the rest of the hospital. The nurses and main desk staff are going to get bombarded with people. When I was doing the job, there would be queues forming but now these people are just going to be streaming through the hospital door and going straight to the wards.

The nursing staff in particular fought to keep the front screening door because we sort of manage the flow of people coming to see patients. Also, the main reception desk staff are on the phone the whole time in their role. Now theyre going to be answering so many enquiries and its going to mean a lot of extra work. This is a cost-cutting measure and Im sure is related to the federal governments cutting of COVID funding in the budget.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the hospital only provided surgical masks to visitors and administration staff, rather than P2/N95 masks which are demonstrated to be effective against airborne pathogens.

We were only distributing surgical masks so I had to bring my own N95. If they were really serious about protecting people they would provide N95 respirators, the worker continued.

There also wasnt really formal training given to me or the other admin staff about COVID. There was no discussion about the airborne nature of the virus or the type of masks that were needed. They did the minimum to make it look like they were protecting people against COVID but now theyve even removed that. This will definitely mean more infection and more deaths.

The hospital is packed with people who are vulnerable. Most of the people who are coming in for treatment at the hospital are frail, aged people and theyre highly vulnerable to COVID.

Even before deletion of the front screening desk, the government created a complacent culture, where people would say when we gave them a mask, Are you still doing that? This is because, nowhere else in society are people being asked to wear masks. Hospitals were the last line of defence where people were being asked to don a mask when they come in. So the government have even undermined any concept that COVID is still there and still an issue. It just heightens the culture of its all over, nothing to worry about and other ideas people have because of the way that governments have handled this.

The worker spoke about the broader context.

The hospitals were in crisis before COVID and they threw a bit of money at it in the initial stages but since the end of 2021 theres been a let-it-rip policy. After Labors election, Prime Minister Albanese has led the charge to implement a mass-infection strategy. Everything theyve done has been designed to infect as many people as possible, continuously. These cuts are of a piece with that.

Apparently the Labor governments now got a surplusmining royalties and other taxations and business profitsbut theyve made a conscious decision to cut health and education spending. Its a further attack on the working class. Theyve decided to let the virus spread, and its been driven by the need to maximise profits. Theres no other explanation. The Labor government is there as part of the state to defend capitalism and that means the defence of profits.

I havent heard a word from the union. I emailed the HSU organiser shortly after the management email, and said: Weve had our jobs cut, what is the union going to do about it? Theyve not gotten back to me which is not surprising because the unions were at the forefront of demanding the ending of COVID mitigation measures.

Based on what HSU secretary Gerard Hayes previously said when he pushed for the ending of COVID isolation, I imagine hed be in total agreement. There was no concern there for workers health and safety.

In May and June, HSU members in public health took part in work bans and sporadic stoppages across the state, in opposition to a real-wage slashing 4 percent nominal pay rise offer from the state Labor government.

The HSU bureaucracy kept this action as limited and isolated as possible, before shutting it down completely on June 23, and is now seeking to impose a divisive new union-government deal that will mean even deeper cuts for a large section of the workforce.

The worker commented: The work bans at my hospital were work to rule, so just doing the work that we should be doing anyway. It was pitiful. Then the union came back after two weeks of work bans and said the government has come to the table to talk to us and that this was a victory. We havent had meetings at the hospital on the award. They dont want to get staff together to talk about this.

Thats why the development of rank-and-file committees, separate from the unions, is so important. I think workers need to mobilise independently of the unions and of Labor, thats the only way were going to get out of this crisis.
On Tuesday, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, led by Republican Representative Brad Wenstrup, a podiatrist and former US Army reservist, interrogated two leading authors of the research note titled Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2, published in March 2020 and well known in the scientific community for being the first significant investigation into where the virus which causes COVID-19 came from.

The purpose of the hearings was intended to discredit Dr. Kristian Andersen, professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research Institute, and Dr. Robert Garry, professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane Medical School, by claiming they vilified and suppressed the lab leak theory in pursuit of a preferred, coordinated narrative that was not based in truth or science.

Wenstrup claimed that he had evidence that the conclusions championed by the co-authors of Proximal Origin are not only inaccurate but were crafted to appease a stated political motive. This involved a supposed cover-up of the real source of the virus, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), in which the scientists engaged at the direction of two top health officials, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Francis Collins.

The Republican-based scenario, initially advanced by fascist Trump counselor Steve Bannon, insists that Fauci and Collins had pushed to publish the paper showing a natural origin of SARS-CoV-2 to escape responsibility for creating the virus. They feared that otherwise they would be implicated in offering millions in grants to EcoHealth Alliance, a US-based global nonprofit scientific research organization, which worked with the Chinese lab to conduct studies on bat coronaviruses.

Dr. Kristian Andersen testifying before the House Oversight Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on July 11, 2023. [Photo: C-SPAN.org]

Dr. Andersen addressed this right-wing conspiracy theory in his prepared testimony to the hearing. He declared, The title of this hearing, Investigating the Proximal Origin of a Cover-Up, is directly targeted at our March 2020 peer-reviewed study in Nature Medicine titled The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2.

He continued:

It has been alleged that our paper was initiated and orchestrated by Dr. Anthony Fauci to disprove, dismiss, and cover up a lab origin of SARS-CoV-2 as directed at a February 1, 2020, conference call. ... It has also been suggested that a $8.9 million federal WARN-ID grant awarded in 2020 to myself and colleagues from five different countries was a quid-pro-quo we received for changing our conclusions about the likely origin of SARS-CoV-2. Let me categorically say that these allegations are absurd and false.

Throughout the hearing, the two scientists gave calm and measured testimony rebutting the conspiracy theory at every point and arguing that proponents of the lab leak had not offered a shred of factual evidence. The Republicans howled and preened before the television cameras, appealing to Donald Trump and his fascist supporters.

And the Democrats contented themselves with a few for the record statements of support for the scientists but otherwise did nothing to interrupt the display witch-hunting worthy of Senator Joe McCarthy at his worst. They are far more concerned with maintaining bipartisan support for the war in Ukraine than in fighting a conspiracy theory launched by fascists like former Trump counselor Steve Bannon.

During the hearing, Representative Ronny Jackson (RepublicanTexas) told Andersen and Garry, What a lot of people think is going on here is that Dr. Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins realized that they had been implicated in the creation of the virus, and they were doing everything they could, including getting both of you to come on board as tools or vehicles, to undermine that theory.

These are, based on accumulated evidence acquired over the last three years that include their own intelligence reports on the subject, bald-faced lies that perpetuate the conspiracy first raised by Bannon and his cronies to shift the blame for Trumps criminal response to the pandemic onto China.

Dr. Andersen is an internationally renowned researcher whose main work has focused on understanding the complex relationships between human hosts and infectious pathogens. He has conducted extensive work in the genetics of these interactions, as well as field work and computational biology to better elucidate these natural processes. More so, he has been the lead investigator in many international collaborations that not only included SARS-CoV-2, but also the Zika virus, Ebola virus, West Nile virus and Lassa virus.

In late January 2020, after a preliminary review of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, Dr. Andersen and colleagues Dr. Robert Garry and Dr. Edward Holmes (leading researcher on the evolution and emergence of infectious diseases) had contacted Dr. Fauci to discuss their concerns over the mutation seen at the furin site of the coronavirus spike protein, which they felt was a possible indicator of bioengineering.

Fauci and the scientists and other health experts discussed this possibility and asked Andersen to get a group of scientists together to examine carefully the data to determine if his concerns were validated. Specifically, Fauci had told Andersen then that if you think it came from a lab, you should write this up as a peer-reviewed paper.

In others, the email record shows the diametrically opposite of the right-wing conspiracy theory. The scientists were initially concerned about the possible creation of a bioweapon, which would have enormous implications both politically and in terms of health care, and they were tasked with investigating the issue.

Fauci and Collins were merely facilitators in organizing the international investigation without once indicating any particular conclusion should be arrived at or forced. This was an open collaborative process free from any form of coercion, deceit or ill intentions. A February conference call among leading scientists demonstrated this, as Andersen noted in his testimony:

There is clearly much to understand in this. This call was very helpful to hear some of our current understanding and the many gaps in our knowledge. I do not believe this is a question of a binary outcome, it is more a question of What are the evolutionary origins of 2019-nCoV, important for future risk assessment and understanding of animal/human coronaviruses. We on this call are not the only ones with scientific expertise in this area, and this was an ad hoc group that came together to air some thoughts. It is clearly not the sole group to take this forward, that will need a broader range of input and a respected international body to ask an expert group to explore this, with a completely open mind. In order to stay ahead of the conspiracy theories and social media, I do think there is an urgency for a body to convene such a group and commission some work to Understand the evolutionary origins of 2019-nCoV, important for this epidemic and for future risks assessment and understanding of animal/human coronaviruses. In other words, a completely open minded and neutral question bringing the best minds and under the umbrella of a respected international agency. I hope this is a reasonable approach, please send any thoughts or suggestions.

In a matter of a few days in February 2020, after studying the viruss genome and the available literature on coronaviruses in bats and their spillover into human populations, and entertaining various lab leak accident scenarios, Andersen and his colleagues arrived at an agnostic consensus, stating in their Letter published in Nature Medicine: Although the evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 is not a purposefully manipulated virus, it is currently impossible to prove or disprove the other theories of its origin described here [various hypotheses of how the virus made its way from the animal reservoir to human beings]. However, since we observed all notable SARS-CoV-2 features, including the optimized RBD [Receptor Binding Domain] and polybasic cleavage site [Furin Cleavage Site], in related coronaviruses in nature, we do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible.

They added, More scientific data could swing the balance of evidence to favor one hypothesis over another. Obtaining related viral sequences from animal sources would be the most definitive way of revealing viral origins.

Since that publication, the weight of the evidence has only given further support to their proximal conclusions. Four publications in particular are relevant to the examination of these and have been linked here for the readers review:

And these are only a few in a long list of publications in high visibility journals that include most recent evidence of SARS-CoV-2-like viruses have emerged as well as bat coronaviruses that harbor FCS and most recently work by Dr. Edward Holmes and his group that found a recombinant SARS-1-like and SARS-2-like viruses [that has] a receptor binding domain that is as close as any to SARS-CoV-2.

On the side of the lab leak conspiracy, not one piece of even circumstantial evidence has come to light in defense of their hysterical allegations. Not even the US intelligence services, with a vested interest in spreading anti-Chinese propaganda, have been able to reach any consensus or offer more than a low confidence assessmentlittle more than speculation.

As the World Socialist Web Site noted last month after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released its report on the potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and the origin of COVID-19, Not only does the ODNI report offer not one shred of evidence in support of the fascistic right-wing Wuhan lab leak conspiracy, but it goes far to corroborate the earlier statements made by the WIV scientists and the WHO officials on the topic.

Despite the oft inflammatory remarks made by various Republicans, including the outright fascist Marjorie Taylor Greene, not once did they offer any evidence to the allegations that Andersen and colleagues changed their views from a bioengineered to zoonotic origin hypothesis because of political coercion or bribery. Nor could they refute the science as it was presented during the testimony.

As Andersen quietly observed, unfazed by the attacks, [it seems we are] pawns in a political game. Despite these, he continued to patiently explain when he was given an opportunity to get a word in edgewise. I think its important that we take a step back and focus on whats possible versus what is probable.  We conclude that the virus very likely emerged as the result of a zoonosis, that is, a spillover from an animal host. This remains the only scientifically supported theory for how the virus emerged. If convincing new evidence were to be discovered, suggesting otherwise, we would, of course, revise our conclusions. This is science.

Later he noted, If there were any new evidence that were to be unearthed suggesting that this could potentially have been associated with a lab, of course, we will consider that.

Dr. Andersen explained that the threats to himself and his colleagues had reached a fever pitch, so much so that he has found his name on various kill lists posted by right-wing Trump supporters and other fascists.

As Wenstrup brought the hearings to an end, he defended the two federal agencies that supported the lab-leak hypothesisthe FBI and the Department of Energyfor their positions, and he warned that he was going to investigate the other intelligence units for not reaching similar conclusions. This is McCarthyism in a nutshell.

One can assume that Eco Health Alliance and Dr. Fauci will be next on the subcommittee hit list. These proceedings only underscore the deeply reactionary and degenerated state of US politics and global capitalism, where science is deeply maligned and mistrusted if it does not adhere to the demands placed on it by political reaction.
On Wednesday, more than two weeks after the June 25 presidential elections, the Guatemalan electoral court (TSE) certified the results and declared that a second round will take place on August 20 between former first lady Sandra Torres of the UNE party and ex-diplomat Bernardo Arevalo of the Semilla Movement.

Bernardo Arevalo and Sandra Torres [Photo: Javier Arango and Carlos Sebastian CC BY-NC-SA 4.0]

Simultaneously, a criminal court announced that it had suspended the legal status of Semilla in support of a fraudulent public prosecution alleging false signatures and illegal campaign financing. In a Solomonic ruling the following day, the Constitutional Court ordered both the second round to proceed as planned and the prosecution to go forward.

The ruling acknowledges that the attempt to suspend the legal status of Semilla amid ongoing elections was unconstitutional, but it allows the prosecution and the court to continue an investigation aimed at fabricating a pretext to repeal a popular election and consummate a coup.

The Constitutional Court was responsible for the initial delay, ordering on July 1 a review of ballot box reports in favor of a lawsuit filed by several right-wing parties, including Vamos of incumbent President Alejandro Giammattei, which placed third.

Ominously, heavily armed police, with their faces covered and dressed as civilians, raided TSE headquarters in Guatemala City on Thursday, allegedly to look for documents that can incriminate Semilla. Under the pretext of an innocuous excursion, military students were deployed to the National Palace, the former seat of power, where social protests have concentrated in recent years. This followed repeated mobilizations by fascist groups tied to the military denouncing an electoral fraud.

Only scattered demonstrations, mainly of Semilla supporters, took place on Wednesday and Thursday to protest the coup attempt. The criminal attempts by Semilla to sow complacency and the moves by the pseudo-left to align themselves behind Arevalo have only emboldened the coup plotters.

In media interviews and statements at rallies Arevalo warned of an attempted technical coup and a rupture of the constitutional order by forces aligned with the current administration. However, he appealed for calm and for the unity of all sectors of society, independently of their ethnic, political, religious or any background. He also made reassurances that the TSE will simply disregard this illegal injunction, ignoring that it had already obeyed the initial illegal intervention by the Constitutional Courtonly the Supreme Justice Court could challenge an election.

Moreover, the first round revealed, above all, overwhelming opposition to the entire political establishment, with more than half of the electorate abstaining or casting null or blank ballots. Torres and Arevalo combined won the support of only 1.5 million out of 9.36 million voters.

While the corrupt clique in power seeks to defend its privileges, Washington has repeatedly backed the electoral results, which favor their preferred candidate, Arevalo. Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Brian A. Nichols plainly declared in a tweet on Thursday: We expect a free and just runoff in Guatemala on August 20 between Sandra Torres and Bernardo Arevalo.

The Semilla Movement, whose constituency is limited to the universities, NGOs and other sections of the upper-middle class, has demonstrated that it will do the bidding for US imperialism.

This was most clearly demonstrated by its pressures on the Giammattei government to support sanctions against Russia and Russian companies in Guatemala over the US-NATO war in Ukraine. Arevalo even opposed the buying of Sputnik V vaccines, and has made clear that he does not plan to switch diplomatic relations from Taiwan to Beijing.

The party was created in 2015 by former ministers, diplomats and others belonging to the political elite in support of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). The commission was created by the UN with direct orders and financing from Washington to employ select criminal investigations to pressure local political and business leaders. At the time a lobbying group, Semilla took the first steps toward becoming a party under marching orders from US officials, particularly after corruption charges brought by CICIG against then president Otto Perez Molina and Vice-President Roxana Baldetti triggered mass protests and forced their resignations.

One of the partys main founders, Alberto Fuentes Knight, a finance minister under UNE later convicted for corruption, has openly acknowledged: before making the jump from a social to political [organization], we traveled to America to consult with Democrat and Republican representatives on whether it was the right or wrong decision.

The open secret that Semilla operates as a US State Department puppet should be a warning to workers in Guatemala. It is mortally hostile to the working class and will work to suppress any mass mobilization of workers in defense of democratic rights, including its own popular election.

An Arevalo administration will not present any challenge to the super-exploitation of Guatemalan workers and natural resources by US corporations and finance houses and their local partners. Amid a global resurgence of the class struggle against social austerity and attacks on living standards, Arevalo would respond to any struggle by Guatemalan workers through repression and a shift to dictatorial forms of rule, just like every so-called progressive government currently in power across the region has done.

Semilla will only further drag the country and the region into a future global maelstrom, with the Pentagon already requesting Latin American governments to send military aid to Ukraine.

The recent history of Guatemala, including in the 1980s when Arevalo was climbing up the diplomatic ranks, has been marked by brutal dictatorships backed by US imperialism that crushed any opposition to social inequality and the unfettered operations of foreign capital.

In June 1954, the CIA orchestrated and launched a military attack from Honduras to overthrow the elected Jacobo Arbenz administration, which had carried out limited agrarian and social reforms. The US provided pilots, warplanes, napalm, Green Berets and organized paramilitary groups that would form death squads in the following decades. Their methods of disappearances of left-wing activists largely helped pioneer those used by the dictatorships in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.

Arbenz and his predecessor, Juan Jose ArevaloBernardo Arevalos fatherhad been backed by the Stalinist Guatemalan Workers Party (PGT), which was chiefly responsible for betraying the struggle against imperialism and the defense of democratic rights. At the time, its advisers entered the government and openly advocated the development of capitalism, while promoting Mayan Marxism, seeking to present the predominantly indigenous peasantry as the revolutionary force in Guatemala and their naturalist beliefs as Marxist. At the time, the rich Indians largely backed the CIA coup and consistently conspired against the poorest layers. In the 1960s, the PGT dissolved into Castroite guerrillas that were swiftly crushed by the fascistic military, which during the 1980s also waged a genocidal campaign against the Mayan population.

On December 5, 1982, US President Ronald Reagan visited Guatemala to meet General Efrain Rios Montt, who had recently taken power in a military coup and used the courtshistorians still dont know who the judges wereto sentence oppositionists to death. Reagan described him as a man of great personal integrity who was totally dedicated to democracy. During the following three days, the countrys elite platoon killed 162 people in the village of Las Dos Erres, including 67 children. The women were raped and buried alive, with placentas and umbilical cords found scattered on the ground. Such massacres by the troops trained and armed by the United States were widespread, when the military did not simply bombard the villages.

US imperialism depends more today than ever before on anti-democratic methods and its influence in the local militaries to guarantee its hegemony and compensate for loss of economic dominance relative to geopolitical rivals, mainly China. The only road to oppose imperialism and its venal client bourgeoisie in Guatemala is the independent political mobilization of the working class under a socialist and internationalist program.
After over a week of protest from the family and their supporters, on July 12, the Orlando Police Department (OPD) in Orlando, Florida, publicly released the body camera footage from the July 3 police murder of 26-year-old Derek Diaz. The footage confirms that Diaz was unarmed, legally parked, and sitting in his car listening to music, when he was shot at least once by Orlando police officer Jose Velez.

Orlando Police officer Jose Velas (left) seconds before he shot and killed Derek Diaz. [Photo: Orlando Police Department]

OPD confirmed that Velez has been with the department for three years and is currently on paid administrative leave pending the completion of an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.



Body camera footage shows multiple cops riding bicycles in a well-lit area of downtown Orlando at approximately 1:50 a.m. on July 3. For reasons unknown, one of the bicycle cops approached Diazs parked car from the passenger side and shone his flashlight inside, while another cop, Velez, approached from the drivers side.



Velez immediately began issuing commands to Diaz, ordering him turn off his car, and his music, followed by demands to hand over what appears to be tin foil and a small plastic bag. Velez then ordered Diaz to put his hands on the steering wheel, which he did. Throughout the interaction, Diaz was constantly apologizing to Velez, saying, My bad. Im sorry.



After ordering Diaz not to move, one of the cops opened the drivers side door. As the cop opened the door, Diaz took his right hand off the steering wheel and opened the center console. Velez screams frantically, Put your hands on the steering wheel! PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL!! and immediately pulled out his pistol and fired at least one shot at Diaz while backing away.

Orlando Police officer Jose Velez shooting Derek Diaz while he sits in his car in Orlando, Florida, July 3, 2023. [Photo: Orlando Police Department]

Diaz was struck by the bullet and remained in an upright position in the front seat. The gun shot appears to have narrowly missed another cop and passed through Diazs back and chest. Diaz immediately began moaning in pain; Did you shoot? one cop asks, I did another replies.



Turning their attention back to the dying Diaz police issued more commands, Hands! Show me your hands! After waiting over 30 seconds, police began to move back towards the car to administer first aid to Diaz. After a minute police finally pulled Diaz from the vehicle and began CPR.



More than ten days after the shooting, police have yet to claim that any weapon was found on Diazs person or in his car. Seeking to justify their extrajudicial execution of the unarmed and apologetic Diaz, the police released an edited version of their body camera footage which zoomed in and slowed down on an object police allege Diaz threw from the car as he was being shot. They have claimed that this object was a narcotic.



Lawyers for the Diaz family have confirmed that Diaz, a father to a five-year-old girl, had a medical marijuana prescription for anxiety.

Derek Diaz with his daughter. [Photo: The family of Derek Diaz]

In an emotional press conference held Wednesday after the release of the video, the family of Diaz, including the mother of his child, Sonja Nava, denounced not only the murderous actions of the police but the ongoing cover-up of the killing.



All we know from that video is that Derek was sitting in his car. He was not doing anything wrong, Nava said. She confirmed that police did not allow the family to view the video more than once before releasing it to the public. The cops have so far also refused to provide the family with the police report from the incident, or answer any questions from the family as to why police engaged with Diaz in the first place.



They wouldnt let us rewatch it. They said we had to leave and that was it, Nava said.



The video was so sickening to watch, she added. I threw up while watching it. Speaking on the impact of the police murder on their daughter, Nava said, She was upset, she did cry. She is five years old, I think she is taking it a little bit better than the adults. I want to get her counseling.



According to Mapping Police Violence, Diaz is one of at least 602 people that have been killed by police so far this year. While this figure is slightly below the 646 people killed by police at this time last year, it is still on pace to exceed 1,000 killings, or roughly three a day. As of this writing, Mapping Police Violence has recorded only 11 days in 2023 in which police have not killed someone in America.



In a statement released after the body camera footage, Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith claimed the officers who killed Diaz had been proactively on patrol. Smith said these proactive patrols, like the murderous SCORPION unit responsible for murdering Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, earlier this year, were deployed to high crime areas to remove illegal drugs and crime guns off our streets.



As in the killing of Nichols, an African-American, it appears that the officer that shot and killed Diaz, Velez, was also Hispanic, again refuting racialist explanations proffered by Democratic Party-aligned liberals that police violence is an expression of white supremacy that can be reformed through training and funding.



In a June 2023 article on police recruitment from Spectrum News, OPD Recruitment Sergeant Yong Hall boasted that diversity within the department had grown tremendously since he started in 2007. According to OPD figures provided by Spectrum News, as of May 2023 the department had nearly 900 police officers, with just under half, 448, identifying as white while nearly a quarter, 214, were Hispanic or Latino and 112 were African American.



In 2022, the budget for the Orlando Police Department increased by 7.5 percent, to $210 million, representing 30.5 percent of the general fund expenditures for the entire city. The 2022 budget for the Orlando police is nearly 10 percent more than that of the fire department and over 150 times more than the 0.2 percent allocated for housing and community development.



Aggressive proactive patrols are not limited to large police departments in Memphis and Orlando. This past June, audio recordings of police radio transmission in Canton, Ohio, revealed police boasting about terrorizing the city after a cop was injured on the job.



On the recording, posted by @ServeThePeopleAkron, a male cop is heard saying, I guess what Im trying to say is, you know obviously they shot Herrera, so Ill bring 50 bodies and we can, we can terrorize the city if thats what they want ...

The police do not exist to serve and protect the majority of the population, but to protect the wealthy and their private property. In order to end police terror, workers and youth must take up the fight for socialism and build a mass movement which will end the capitalist system, the source of police terror.
Washington: Despite a thorough FBI crime lab analysis of the cocaine baggie discovered in a White House lobby last week, neither fingerprints nor DNA were discovered there, and surveillance video of the area failed to identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press. On the person who brought the drugs into the building, there are no leads.

During a routine sweep of the White House on July 2, US Secret Service agents discovered the white powder in a busy West Wing lobby where staff members come in and out and tour groups congregate to leave their phones and other belongings.

Secret Service officials stated in the summary that the investigation would not be able to identify a person of interest from among the hundreds of people who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was found without physical evidence.

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Republicans criticised and questioned the White House's use of cocaine, and they asked for a briefing on the investigation on Thursday. President Joe Biden, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, thought it was "incredibly important" for the Secret Service to figure out how the drugs got into the White House.

When the discovery was made, Biden wasn't present. He spent the long weekend at Camp David with members of his family.

The moment the white powder was discovered, the complex was briefly evacuated as a precaution. The substance was immediately tested for hazard by the fire department, and the results showed that it was not a biohazard but that cocaine was present.

The White House's security is the responsibility of the Secret Service, which is also in charge of the investigation. The bag was sent to a different lab for a more delicate analysis. The item was examined for any biothreats by the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Centre of Homeland Security. The results of tests carried out at the facility were negative, officially confirming that the substance posed no biological threat.

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Staff-led West Wing tours are also available in the lobby and are scheduled for weekends and evenings when there are no scheduled working hours. For friends, family, and other visitors, the White House staff leads those tours, which are only available by invitation. The majority of complex employees are able to request a time slot for an evening or weekend tour, but there is frequently a long wait list. On the day the drugs were discovered, a Sunday, as well as the two days before, there were tours.

The FBI's crime laboratory conducted additional forensics testing on the cocaine and packaging, including cutting-edge fingerprint and DNA analysis, according to the summary. The FBI also conducted chemical analyses.

Secret Service investigators compiled a list of several hundred people who might have had access to the location where the drugs were found in the interim. Before entering, visitors to the White House are required to provide identification and go through security.

Also Read: ASEAN 'can't be a proxy' for any nation, the Indonesian president cautions

However, since latent DNA or fingerprints were not discovered in the lab, agents are unable to compare anything to the list of potential suspects. Staff at the White House undergo fingerprinting, but visitors to tour groups do not.

The Secret Service claimed that video taken at the lobby entrance on West Executive street did not identify the subject or yield any reliable leads for further investigation.
Introduction

The Sahara Desert, renowned as the largest hot desert in the world, covers a vast expanse across North Africa. Its sheer size and remarkable landscape make it a captivating subject of study and exploration. In recent years, scientists have discovered a concerning trendthe Sahara Desert is expanding at a rate of about 0.8 kilometers per month. This article delves into the causes and consequences of this expansion, shedding light on the environmental, social, and economic implications.

1. The Sahara Desert: A Brief Overview

The Sahara Desert stretches across 3.6 million square miles, encompassing several countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudan. Its arid climate, scorching temperatures, and vast sand dunes have captivated explorers, scientists, and adventurers for centuries. However, recent studies have indicated a worrisome trendthe Sahara Desert is expanding at an alarming pace.

2. The Expanding Sahara: Causes and Factors



2.1 Climate Change and Global Warming

Climate change, fueled by human activities, is considered one of the primary causes of the Sahara Desert's expansion. Rising global temperatures result in shifts in rainfall patterns and alterations in weather systems, leading to the desert's encroachment into previously habitable areas.

2.2 Natural Climate Cycles

Natural climate cycles, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), can influence the expansion of the Sahara Desert. These cycles cause variations in rainfall distribution, leading to prolonged droughts and the desert's gradual expansion.

2.3 Human Activities

Human activities, particularly unsustainable land use practices and overexploitation of resources, exacerbate the expansion of the Sahara Desert. Deforestation, overgrazing, and improper agricultural practices contribute to soil degradation and desertification, further accelerating the desert's growth.

4. Environmental Implications



4.1 Loss of Biodiversity

The expansion of the Sahara Desert poses a significant threat to the region's biodiversity. As the desert spreads, it engulfs once fertile lands, displacing unique ecosystems and endangering numerous plant and animal species. This loss of biodiversity has far-reaching consequences for the delicate balance of the ecosystem and the overall health of the planet.

4.2 Soil Erosion and Desertification

The relentless expansion of the Sahara Desert leads to soil erosion and desertification, rendering vast areas uninhabitable and unsuitable for agriculture. The loss of fertile soil deprives communities of their livelihoods, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity in the affected regions.

5. Social and Economic Consequences



5.1 Displacement of Communities

As the Sahara Desert encroaches on previously habitable areas, communities are forced to relocate in search of more favorable living conditions. The displacement of communities disrupts social structures, strains existing resources in host regions, and gives rise to conflicts over limited land and water resources.

5.2 Impacts on Agriculture and Livelihoods

The expansion of the Sahara Desert threatens agricultural productivity and undermines local economies. Dwindling water sources, reduced arable land, and increased sand encroachment pose significant challenges to farmers and pastoralists, leading to decreased crop yields and livestock productivity.

6. Managing Desertification

Efforts to combat desertification and mitigate the expansion of the Sahara Desert are crucial for the well-being of affected communities and the preservation of the environment. Several strategies can be implemented to address this pressing issue:

6.1 Reforestation and Afforestation

Planting trees and restoring forests in vulnerable regions can help stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and create microclimates that facilitate the return of vegetation. Reforestation and afforestation projects provide habitats for wildlife, enhance biodiversity, and contribute to carbon sequestration.

6.2 Sustainable Land Management Practices

Implementing sustainable land management practices, such as terracing, contour plowing, and agroforestry, can help prevent soil erosion, improve water retention, and restore degraded land. These practices promote sustainable agriculture, safeguard livelihoods, and support the resilience of communities in the face of desertification.

7. Conclusion

The expanding Sahara Desert presents a formidable challenge with far-reaching consequences for the environment, society, and economy. Climate change, natural climate cycles, and human activities contribute to the desert's relentless growth. It is essential to prioritize sustainable land management practices, reforestation efforts, and effective policies to mitigate the expansion of the Sahara Desert and protect the livelihoods of millions of people in the affected regions.

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Ukrainian Army welcomes transfer of US cluster bombs to Ukraine - senior officer 14 July, 12:42 PM The Pentagon has already confirmed the delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine (Photo:Sofiia Gatilova/Reuters)

The Armed Forces of Ukraine welcomes the transfer of cluster bombs from the United States as they provide the opportunity to adequately respond to Russias use of these weapons, Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said on July 14.

The Russians constantly use cluster munitions in fighting against Ukraine, he said on national television.

This is a common practice for them, the officer said.

Starting with the war against Ichkeria (Chechnya), in Syria, with the start of the hybrid war (in Ukraine) in 2014, and then the full-scale invasion in 2022. Now its payback time.

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First of all, they (Russians) launch them (cluster bombs) from such multiple launch rocket systems as Smerch and Uragan.

They hit our positions and peaceful cities with cluster bombs. Therefore, payback time comes for everything. Thanks to our partners, well also have the opportunity to adequately respond to them.

On July 7, Washington announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine, which included Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional bombs (DPICM), also known as cluster bombs. U.S. President Joe Biden later clarified his decision to supply these bombs was made in light of the Ukrainian militarys dwindling artillery stocks.

The United States decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions is a stopgap measure driven by a shortage of conventional artillery shells, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on July 11.

Ukraine has already received cluster bombs from the United States, General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi confirmed on July 13.

We just got them, we havent used them yet, but they can radically change the situation on the battlefield, Tarnavskyi said.

The provision of this ammunition to Ukraine provoked different reactions around the world. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that the supply of such weapons would help compensate for the Ukrainian armys shell deficit.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance does not influence the decisions of individual countries to supply such weapons, while the United Kingdom and Spain said they disapproved.

Russia claims that the supply of cluster bombs to Ukraine will not change anything, while Cambodia warned against the use of these bombs because of the risks to the civilian population.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on July 12 that the Armed Forces would use cluster bombs exclusively to engage military targets in the occupied territories.

Will you support Ukraines free press? Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations. As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility  to amplify Ukraines voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation. Its the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine. If youre willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda. Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd. If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly. There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting. We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If youre willing to stand up for the truth  consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.

Will you help tell Ukraines story to the world? Twenty years ago, most people hadnt even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyones lips and everyones headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of  from music and culture to technology. We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If youre willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
Ukrainian military getting closer to significant success, says Estonian intelligence chief 14 July, 05:31 PM Ukrainian servicemen fire from a small rocket salvo system (Photo:REUTERS/ )

The Armed Forced of Ukraine can soon expect greater success in their counter-offensive, Estonian news outlet ERR quoted Colonel Margo Grosberg, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center, as saying on July 14.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Defense in Tallinn, Grosberg talked about the tactics used by Ukrainian forces to destroy the command posts and logistics centers of the Russian armed forces with precision strikes, success in the areas bordering the war-torn town of Bakhmut, and the descriptions of the Russian general, which give an idea of the end of the Russian reserves.

Video of day

All this shows that the Ukrainians are close to success of a larger sort, Grosberg said.

Ukraines current preparatory attacks are aimed at concentrating on Russian units in narrow sections, and finding weak points where breakthroughs can be made. To the same end, vital Russian army transport hubs and logistics points and command centers in the rear are under attack, he explained.

The colonel also discussed how Ukrainian units have been able to capture key areas to the north and south of Bakhmut, giving them the ability direct artillery fire at the town, which itself is still in the hands of Russian troops, and to gain control of the roads leading into the town. This has caused resupply problems for Russian units located there, Grosberg said.

In addition, the presence of Russian airborne troops, who have been in Bakhmut since the spring and are therefore still tied up in the town and suffering losses without scope for withdrawing them, is also exerting a major impact. Considering airborne forces are generally the Russian militarys elite, with a higher morale, aggression etc. than many other troops, their motivation will nonetheless eventually be sapped, Grosberg added.

There should be more success at some point, he added.

On the southern front, in the region of Zaporizhzhya and Velyka Novosilka, Ukrainian units have increased their occupied zones and are destroying important targets in the region with precision strikes, Grosberg said.

He singled out the attack on the Berdyansk hotel this week, in which deputy commander of Russias Southern Military District Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov was reportedly killed.

Grosberg also highlighted the dismissal of General Ivan Popov, which was apparently precipitated by criticism Popov had for the Russian General Staff, the leaked recordings in which he outlined the situation of the 58th Army under his command.

According to Popov, units remain in the frontline for a very long period of time, but do not get replaced. If and when Ukrainian artillery hits them hard, his units then do not have the ability to respond, he said.

All this is demonstration of the fact that Russian reserves are running out, as units cannot be rotated from the front, Grosberg went on.

Grosberg also pointed out that in the northeastern direction, in the Svatove and Kupyansk districts, Russia has been on the offensive the most and achieved some success, though is not yet close to any sort of tactical breakthrough. The purpose of the pressure there is to force Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the vicinity of Bakhmut and elsewhere where they have been successful, the colonel added.

The success of the Ukrainian army counter-offensive is yet to come, Ukraines Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on July 7.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated another 9 sq. km in the east and 28.4 sq. km in the south in one week, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on July 3.

In total, Ukraines Defense Ministry announced the liberation of nine settlements in the south and east in June.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine also confirmed the liberation of Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, which had been under Russian occupation since 2014.

Earlier, on June 28, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that opinions expressed in the West that Ukraines counter-offensive is going slower than expected anger him.

This is not a show, Zaluzhnyi said.

Its not a show where the whole world is watching and betting on or anything. Every day, every meter, is paid for with blood.

Will you support Ukraines free press? Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations. As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility  to amplify Ukraines voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation. Its the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine. If youre willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda. Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd. If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly. There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting. We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If youre willing to stand up for the truth  consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.

Will you help tell Ukraines story to the world? Twenty years ago, most people hadnt even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyones lips and everyones headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of  from music and culture to technology. We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If youre willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
Mercedes technical director James Allison believes the benefit of the new front wing introduced by the team at Silverstone will become more apparent in next week's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Mercedes modified the front wing on its W14 black arrow, changing the chord distribution of the wing's elements and the profile of the component's endplate to achieve a cleaner air flow to the car's bodywork and floor.

But Lewis Hamilton admitted at Silverstone that he expected bigger gains from the update.

"We were all very hopeful of the step that we were going to hopefully take," he said. "To our disappointment it didnt take us that step, unfortunately."

In Mercedes' post-race video on YouTube, Allison elaborated on Hamilton's comments and explained why the revised wing will prove more of a benefit next week in Hungary.

"The new front wing, of course its designed to make us go faster, thats why we do all our things," Allison said.

"But the specific characteristics of this new front wing that were excited about is it should improve the balance and performance of the car through the slower range of the corners.

"Now, Silverstone is famous for lots of things, but lots and lots of slow corners is not one of them. So what we took as a comfort from Silverstone is that in the slower parts of the track we were looking pretty decently competitive.

"So thats a tick in the box for this new front wing.

"I guess it will only be when we get to Hungary, which is a track made up almost entirely of slower stuff, that well get to know for sure.

"But early signs are promising, the new front wing seems to do what we expected, and hopefully it will bring us more at tracks which have a wider range of slow corners."

One might question the merits of extending a development programme for a car that can lo longer bridge the gap with Red Bull.

Yet more updates are in the pipeline at Mercedes, and Allison explained why the Brackley squad isn't "throwing good money after bad".

"Theres still plenty more development to come in these cars," he said.

"All of the teams will, of course, be turning their attention to next year and that will sort of de-fang all of us a little bit in terms of the rate at which we can improve our cars.

"But for each of us, and for us absolutely, there are improvements that we would like to make on the current car that we know well also carry into next year.

"So it doesnt feel like sort of throwing good money after bad. It feels like youre investing in both seasons with those upgrades."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter</a
The League of Women Voters has been protecting voters rights for over 100 years. We are stalwart defenders of democracy, and we want all voters to exercise their right to cast a ballot.

Since the 2020 presidential election, we have watched the integrity of our voting process be attacked and misrepresented. While no North Carolina county results, races or voter eligibility was disputed in the 2020 election, forces in the election denier movement have decided that our election laws need to be changed  and those changes will inevitably make voting more difficult in North Carolina.

Jennifer McMillan Rubin

Our analysis of the two North Carolina Senate bills (SB747 and SB749) and N.C. House Bill 772 shows that the outcome of these pieces of legislation will be to gum up a process that was working well. In other words, this anti-voter legislation is designed to address problems that do not exist. And these new laws have the potential to confuse, alienate and disenfranchise voters.

As the N.C. House takes up these bills in the next few weeks, we are likely to see even more changes, all of which will make voting more confusing and difficult for voters. Recent reporting on the Voter/Photo ID requirement has only added to this confusion.

Heres a round-up of election law changes and the hurdles we see:

 Voter ID is coming to North Carolina. The first election in which voters will have to show ID is the 2023 municipal elections, which begin in September. But most voters are unaware of many of the details of Voter ID. They may need help getting an acceptable ID and they do not know how to get their ballot accepted if they dont have an acceptable ID.

 Same-day registration and early voting are critical to the way voters access the polls. New legislation will put restrictions on same-day registration that may result in legitimate ballots being designated as provisional and risk being rejected before final votes are certified.

 Voting absentee will not only require a two-witness/notary requirement, but voters will need to attach a photocopy of their ID. Not only is this a cumbersome additional step, but it is not clear how these copies  which include dates of birth and other identifying information  will be kept private. This opens absentee voters up to potential identity theft.

Story continues

 Eliminating three-day grace period for receiving absentee ballots, as SB 747 would, will invalidate many absentee ballots.

 Proposed legislation also gives a green light to individuals and groups to challenge any voters absentee ballot and question that persons right to vote. It also allows anyone who wants to observe absentee ballot counts to do so. This is all an affront to voter privacy.

 In Senate Bill 749, legislators plan to restructure how North Carolinas State Board of Elections members are appointed, setting up a partisan split with the tie-breaking vote given to the legislature. This is clearly a process designed to circumvent normal checks and balances.

 House Bill 772 loosens regulations for polling place observers, adding another element of management and training to local boards of elections, whose funding is being cut. Further, voters will have difficulty distinguishing between authorized election officials and partisan political workers.

The proposed voter legislation has so far evaded a process of extensive public input. And while most people dont think much about voting until elections are upon them, confusion, intimidation, long lines and more, will occur if these bills become law.

We must speak out against these proposals, which will make it much harder for people to vote and damage our democracy. Changing election laws based on groundless claims of fraud can discourage people from voting and will sow distrust between the governed and their government. The citizens of North Carolina deserve better.

Jennifer McMillan Rubin is president of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina. She lives in Durham.
The News

GABORONE, Botswana  African trade ministers are urging the United States to overhaul the sweeping trade deal that has opened the US market to African products and renew it this year rather than waiting until the duty-free pact expires in 2025.

Renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act AGOA immediately would remove uncertainty about the future of the pact and allow for suppliers and partners to better plan and maintain investments in African economies, ministers said during this weeks U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Botswana.

We are speaking with the same voice that AGOA should be extended, said Botswanas trade minister Mmusi Kgafela at a summit panel on Wednesday. He said he and other African ministers want an indefinite period for the act. This would do away with the uncertainty involved around the current 10-year renewal cycle.

There is a compelling case to reauthorize the AGOA , wrote Daniel F. Runde and Thomas Bryja for the Washington DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in a new paper on calling for AGOA to be renewed.

Atlantic Council fellow Frannie Leautier, who launched an AGOA report on Wednesday said the act should be renewed by the US Congress for at least a ten-year period as soon as possible.

There was also a call by ministers yesterday for the AGOA rules to be streamlined and made less cumbersome in order for more countries to be able to benefit more from the program.

Yinkas view

The uncertainty around the future of AGOA has a real world impact on the decisions made by businesses and economies trying to take advantage of its preferential terms to gain entry to the worlds largest economy. Africas share of global textile manufacturing has doubled under AGOA  but producers plan two years in advance, and could shift production to Southeast Asia if the treatys future is in doubt, CSISs Runde and Bryja point out.

This week South Africas opposition party Democratic Alliance made news by saying it has started a process to lobby for the countrys continued inclusion in AGOA in a bid to save the countrys ailing economy. The DA claims the ANC-led governments non-aligned position on the Russia-Ukraine war could see the collapse of the car manufacturing sector in South Africa if the U.S. excludes it from AGOA as punishment.

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While the DA might have been grandstanding to put pressure on the frantic government of President Cyril Ramaphosa, they are pressing the right buttons. As Africas most advanced economy, South Africa has been the biggest beneficiary of the 23-year old AGOA act in monetary terms, largely thanks to the car sector. The South African media has also reported that Ramaphosa sent senior members of his cabinet to Washington this week to discuss the future of AGOA.Even Botswana will be nervous. It works closely with South Africa under the AGOA act to supply components for U.S. cars. Their success is our success, said Botswanas trade minister Kgafela.

After all is said and done, the final decision on AGOAs renewal will be up to U.S. Congress for approval. On the one hand, African matters are one of the few topic areas where there is almost always bipartisan support. On the other, African matters are often not a priority which could mean were still here in September 2025 waiting for renewal.

The View From Zambia

Zambias trade and commerce minister, Chipoka Mulenga, said his country had benefited from the trade agreement but remained at the bottom of the benefits of the AGOA platform due to a lack of the industrialization needed to produce more value-added products rather than merely exporting raw materials such as minerals or agricultural produce.

If they [U.S. government] want to see AGOA succeed in Africa, they must support African countries to industrialize to give value addition.

Room for Disagreement

Mokhethi Shilele, trade minister from Lesotho cautioned against a complete revamp of AGOA for fear of delaying the acts renewal. There is a sentiment that AGOA should be reformed or changed but Im indifferent to that because if we push for that how are we going to get it renewed this year?

Notable
Andrea Evans, the two-time Daytime Emmy nominated actor who rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s as the troublemaking teen Tina Lord on the ABC soap One Life To Live, died Sunday of cancer. She was 66.

Her death was announced by casting director Don Carroll.

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Following her signature role on One Life To Live, Evans went on to play Patty Williams on CBS The Young and the Restless, Tawny Moore on CBS The Bold and the Beautiful, Rebecca Hotchkiss on NBCs Passions and Patty Walker on Amazon Primes The Bay.

Born in Aurora, Illinois, Evans had appeared in beauty pageants and regional theater when she appeared as an extra in Brian De Palmas 1978 horror classic The Fury. That year she also appeared in miniseries The Awakening Land, and soon drew the attention of legendary soap casting director Mary Jo Slater, who tapped her for the coveted role of Tina Lord, One Life To Lives answer to All My Childrens Erica Kane.

Evans One Life co-star Robin Strasser remembered the actor as a woman who was super smart & energized a heat seeking missile. Thats a compliment. You knew when you worked with her, itd be like going head to head with a champion. I admired her daring. I hate the disease that took her.

Evans bad-girl portrayal was a quick success with viewers, and she remained in the role until 1981, when she left to portray Patty Williams on The Young and the Restless from 1983 to 1984. She returned to One Life in 1985, and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 1988.

Andrea Evans, Erika Slezak, One Life To Live (1979)

Two years after her Emmy nomination, she abruptly quit the show and remained out of public view for almost 10 years, only later revealing the cause: She had been the victim of a stalker.

In a 2008 People magazine interview, Evans said she abandoned her career and New York City when the stalkers actions grew increasingly violent. She revealed that in 1987 shed been accosted in the lobby of One Life to Lives Manhattan studio by the stalker and that the man soon thereafter slashed his wrists on the front steps of the studio. Taken to a psychiatric hospital, the man listed Evans as his next of kin, and began sending her death threats written in blood.

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A few years after the incident, the man was detained outside the Secretary of States office in Washington, D.C., carrying a meat cleaver and a picture of Evans, according to People. The fear, she said, forever changed me. She eventually began accepting acting roles, but remained terrified of participating in public events.

She returned to One Life To Live and her most famous role in 2008 and again in 2011, saying, Its time to give the audience what they want. And its time for me to get closure on why I left in the first place.

Evans received her second Daytime Emmy nomination in 2015 for her performance in the web series DeVanity.

Primetime credits include Circus of the Stars and Hollywood Squares. She had recently completed work on her forthcoming memoir My One Life To Live.

In addition to her professional ventures, Evans devoted considerable time to various animal rescue organizations and for City of Hope.

She is survived by husband Steve Rodriguez and daughter Kylie.

Our deepest condolences on the passing of Andrea Evans who graced Y&R with her talents as "Patty Williams" from 1983-1984. #OLTL #boldandbeautiful #Passions pic.twitter.com/8W4dqiNjQ0  Young & The Restless (@YRInsider) July 10, 2023

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Anna Ivankova, a Black transgender woman from Cuba who was also known as Anna Hernandez and Ivanka, was found dead in her apartment in Athens, Greece earlier this week. She was 46 years old.

According to information released by Greek police, Ivankovas body was discovered by her landlord, who had come to collect the rent. She had been repeatedly stabbed with a sharp object and died of hemorrhagic shock early in the morning on Monday, July 10. Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

Although police referred to Ivankova as a person in their news releases, the Athens News Agency misgendered her as a man in initial coverage  a mistake other Greek news outlets copied, spreading misinformation about her identity and death, according to reporting by the independent Greek fact-checking organization Ellinika Hoaxes.

Anna was a trans woman with multiple vulnerabilities as, in addition to her gender identity, she was a refugee, Black, and occasionally [a] sex worker, wrote the Transgender Support Association, a Greek trans advocacy group, in a press release translated from Greek. Ivankova had joined the association in 2017, they wrote, after fleeing her native Cuba and seeking asylum in Greece; activists with the group had been assisting Ivankova with her claim.

She was active in the artistic field of the LGBTI+ community, the release continued, while in recent years she worked as a dancer-performer. Many LGBTQ+ Athenians knew Ivankova from the popular nightclub and drag venue Koukles, where she regularly took the stage, per her Instagram.

Organizers added that, to their knowledge, Ivankova's death was the first recorded murder of a trans woman refugee and sex worker in our country.

Ivankovas friends remember her as a passionate, proud woman who never gave up, according to El Pais. As the outlet reported, she left Cuba after being arrested multiple times by transphobic police, fleeing first to Russia, then to Serbia, Macedonia, and finally landing in Greece. But Greece itself is a deeply conservative country, with voters sending a concerning slate of anti-LGBTQ+ politicians to parliament in last months elections. Weve already detected an increase in attacks after the elections, said Sofia Zachariadi, co-founder of the LGBTQ+ refugee advocacy group Emantes. Its a very hard blow that completely changes our agenda compared to when we started in 2016.

Story continues

An 18-Year-Old Trans Man Was Killed in South Carolina

Police have charged a man Jacob Williamson met through the internet with first-degree murder.

Greece scored just 52 out of 100 possible points for LGBTQ+ equality in a 2022 ranking of EU nations published by IGLA-Europe, an independent LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

On Tuesday, the day after Ivankovas murder, El Pais reported that thousands of people assembled in the square of Agios Panteleimonas, the district where Ivankova lived. The tone was a mixture of grief and fury, especially directed at the Greek far right. Protestors carried signs with slogans like Anger and rage, we miss Anna, Anna lives, lets hang the Nazis, and for every machista and transphobe, theres a hottie with a tire iron. Organizers say more protests are on the way, hopefully bringing change to the streets of Greece.

Until now the queer movement has been mainly white, Zachariadi added. We want to [support] the refugee population, [so that they can] participate with force and have greater representation.

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While the SECURE Act 2.0 made strides to help Americans save for a more secure retirement, the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) has called for further action. In a letter written on July 12, the IRI asked President Joe Biden to consider four bipartisan bills that it highlighted in its 2023 Federal Retirement Security Blueprint. If they become law, these bills could give those eligible for workplace retirement plans benefits such as access to guaranteed lifetime income options and automatic savings plan enrollment.

See: Can Millennials Afford To Retire If They Never Own a Home?

Find: 3 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Retirement

The Lifetime Income for Employees Act calls for changing the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974. If employees dont otherwise make selections, retirement plan sponsors would be able to act on their behalf to put up to 50% of employees contributions toward annuities with delayed liquidity features. Along with providing better potential returns, these annuities would give retirees the peace of mind of having a guaranteed income stream during retirement.

Affecting those with 403(b) plans, the Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act of 2023 makes changes to federal securities laws. Plan participants working for public schools or covered charities would be able to invest in less expensive options such as a collective investment trust (CIT). They could also benefit from guaranteed lifetime income options for a more stable retirement.

The General Account Products Classification Act of 2022 supports the availability of principal preservation funds and stable value funds and offers protection for insurers offering these products. As the IRI explained in the letter, These general account products allow participants to shield all or a portion of their account balances from the risk of loss while providing income that accrues at a steady, predictable rate to retirement plan providers.

Lastly, the Automatic Retirement Plan Act would mean that many employers would need to place employees in retirement savings plans by default, although workers may opt out. In addition, the bill includes a provision for retirement plan participants who have at least $200,000 saved. The IRI wrote that employers would need to let such participants receive up to 50 percent of their vested balance in the form of a protected, guaranteed lifetime income product.

Related: What Is the Average Social Security Benefit at Every Age?

While these bills could help more Americans enter retirement with a guaranteed lifetime income stream, the IRI is concerned about a possible roadblock. A proposed Department of Labor rule for August 2023 could make it harder for many Americans to receive the affordable professional guidance they need for effective retirement planning.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Will 4 New Bills From Biden Help Americans Save For Retirement?
Dinosaurs have always been fascinating to Rob Ambrose.

The earliest memory I have is sitting as a tiny, tiny kid with my mother and my newborn baby brother on a chair in our living room, reading a book about dinosaurs, he said. I can remember the exact picture in the book and the exact page.

So, its fitting that Ambrose, a science teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, created a book of his own about dinosaurs.

"Dino Style: Dinosaurs & Graffiti", which published in June and has already sold 200 copies, educates children on 16 different types of dinosaurs, with an illustration on one page and fun facts about the prehistoric creatures on the opposite.

'Dino Style', created by Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School teacher Rob Ambrose, teaches children about dinosaurs through the use of graffiti art.

But Ambroses book doesnt feature your typical childrens illustrations. Instead, Ambrose drew his dinosaurs in the style of graffiti art, linking two pieces of his childhood, from when his parents would take him to museums in New York City.

That just stuck with me, seeing these crazy large and loud and colorful paintings and not really knowing what they said, but looking like cartoon characters, he said. Id recognize them and be like, What is that? Who did that? How did they paint that there? And it just really captured my imagination.

Also see: Succession meets Downton Abbey' in the first book on Thomas Edison's wife

The book started out as sketches Ambrose drew at home; large colorful depictions of the creatures he was obsessed with. Then, with the encouragement of his wife Kate, an art teacher, he decided to combine them into a book, scanning his drawings and pairing them with rhyming stanzas.

The book features, among others, the iguanodon, tyrannosaurus rex and the favorite of Ambroses 6-year-old daughter Maya, ceratosaurus.

I think that's because in the book that dinosaur is yellow, and she likes Pikachu, Ambrose said with a smile.

Dino Style teaches children about dinosaurs through the use of graffiti art.

Ambrose doesnt use computer software to create his art, unlike many artists today. Everything he makes begins in his sketchpad.

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It felt more legit to the nature of the kind of art I was doing here, he said. Graffiti is very hands-on, and it's done in graffiti artists sketchbooks with some markers, and you sit down and you come up with something. I wanted it to be real.

Ambrose said he hopes the book sends a message to his younger audience that what they put out into the world has a lasting impact. Its also something he tries to ingrain in his students, by assigning them projects that use graffiti art to spread positive messages.

I see my daughter and her friends and then my students, they are drawn to this style of art because it's these loud, colorful letters that are saying something to them, and their eyes are just drawn to it, he said. And what I'm really trying to do is say, Well, let's take this thing that these kids are drawn to and let's have it say something positive.

Dino Style teaches children about dinosaurs through the use of graffiti art.

Ambrose also said that by publishing a book, hes sending a message to his students about what theyre capable of.

I told my kids when the book came out, If there's something you want to do, just go for it, he said. Don't let people tell you that you can't do that. If you really want to do it, you can make it happen, and it might be really successful. You might fall flat on your face, but to put yourself out there and really try, there's something to be said for that.

"Dino Style" can be purchased on Amazon.

Sal DiMaggio is an intern reporter at MyCentralJersey.com. He covers features, news and more. Email him at sdimaggio@mycentraljersey.com.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Bridgewater-Raritan NJ teacher writes, sketches children's book
In a press conference Thursday morning, the California Legislative Black Caucus demanded answers from Hollywood studios about the exodus of several Black female Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) executives, which the group described as a troubling pattern.

Watch video of the press conference here.

They were referring to a wave of sudden exits of executives that kicked off June 20 when Disneys chief diversity officer and senior vice president Latondra Newton, left, according to Disney to pursue other endeavors.

Then on June 28 Netflix announced that Verna Myers, head of inclusion strategy, will leave the role in September after five years in the job in order to focus attention on her consulting company, The Verna Myers Company.

The next day, Warner Bros. Discovery laid off SVP of diversity, equity and inclusion Karen Horne, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences EVP of Impact and Inclusion Jeanell English stepped down. Horne joined WBD in March 2020, while Englishs role was created by Academy CEO Bill Kramer in July 2022.

One executive removal could be a fluke, but four more? And were hearing more are to come. This is a troubling pattern. A pattern that suggests diversity, equity and inclusion is no longer a priority at the highest levels of the film industry, where decisions are made and institutional change happens, Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) said.

Also Read:

Diversity Fatigue? Hollywood Loses 4 DEI Leaders in Less Than 2 Weeks

Smallwood-Cuevas also said it was troubling that many of the exits happened after the California legislature extended he film and TV tax credit.

It is a slap in the face of not only women. Its a slap in the face for people of color, Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson), said.

Also present were Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), Senator Dave Min (D-Orange County), Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley), Assemblymember Phil Tin (D-San Francisco), and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood).
Matthew Straw at the podium

Matthew Straw recounts two of the moments in his life when music arrived with an almost sacred power.

Growing up in Columbia, he and his father, well-known local music educator Michael Straw, would spend Saturdays taking in live Metropolitan Opera transmissions via KBIA, absorbing the sound and setting their imaginations free.

"It was kind of like going to church, but for music," the younger Straw said. "... I realized that music could really speak to us in ways that words can't."

That same power  to describe the indescribable  came home again in 2017 when Melissa Straw, his mother and another dynamic local music educator, died. By happenstance, he was listening to Mahler's third symphony the day the news came, a piece of music which concludes with the movement "What Love Tells Me."

"It became this hymn for me," Straw said, the music filling in spaces around the words of even the most well-spoken, well-intentioned mourners, and offering a different sort of consolation.

Defining moments like these, and a hundred other small wonders experienced in Columbia, set the 2015 Hickman High School graduate down his current path.

He now considers himself an "evangelist for music," a purpose he will realize in his new role as assistant conductor of the Utah Symphony, as well as in opportunities that keep springing up  to travel the globe, learning and leading as a musician.

How Straw's musical passions were shaped in Columbia

"I think everybody is a product of their community," Straw said, and he owes mid-Missouri a debt for stoking his curiosity across subjects.

Straw speaks of high school math and humanities classes as much as his musical education, evidence of an expressed desire to become the most well-rounded person he can. He pursued philosophy and religious studies alongside his conservatory training at Oberlin College, before migrating to another renowned institution, the Eastman School of Music, for graduate studies.

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Taking in, and taking advantage of, what Columbia offered on the musical front helped Straw choose between many passions.

"I was just around so many people that loved what they do and that showed me the power of music ... it inspired me to the point where thats what I decided I wanted to do with my life," he said.

Straw's Columbia inheritance also distinguished him from a significant segment of his classmates, who grew up in larger cities, often on the coasts. He brought a characteristic Midwestern humility to his programs, as well as a certain hunger, he said.

When the world's best musicians play in your neighborhood on a regular basis, it's easy to take the privilege for granted, Straw added. He sought the most in every opportunity here, to make music or to enjoy a concentration of classical music during the Missouri Symphony's annual summer festival.

"Not having that same access, paradoxically, it made me so much hungrier," he said.

Moving to a historic musical state in Utah

Straw will move from one "really unique musical community" to another, working in and around Salt Lake City. Established in 1940, the Utah Symphony came into its bonafides early.

In its first decade of operation, Maurice Abravanel, formerly of the Met, became the symphony's music director, arriving with the intent to create something lasting, Straw said.

And he did. The Utah Symphony is among the country's few 52-week-a-year orchestras, Straw said, and wears its name seriously. Musicians radiate through the entire state, performing educational programs for young audiences.

The gig will keep Straw nimble. He will direct around 75 concerts a season, he estimated, whereas most assistant conductors helm somewhere between 10 and 20.

Among them, many of the educational concerts  which, certainly, will draw on his evangelistic nature as an artist  as well as classical programs, film scores and more. This weekend, as part of a full summer slate in Park City, Utah, Straw will conduct the symphony when it performs with the Beach Boys.

"That was my road trip band growing up," he said with a mix of awe and enthusiasm.

'An instant feedback loop'

The best gift Straw can give the Utah Symphony, or any ensemble he directs, is his authentic self, he said.

World-class musicians could start and stop without his hand, but Straw brings to the podium what any dedicated artist does  a unique perspective, a sense of interpretation no one else can touch or imitate.

To conduct well, Straw must internalize more than just the score. He wants to "tap into" the original intent and energy of a composer, then radiate that energy to the ensemble. Once he transfers that spirit, they can too  to every corner of the concert hall. Facial expressions, eye contact, it all matters as does the ability to truly express the music in an embodied way.

"How do I make this moment special for everybody in the room?" he asks himself.

To truly harness the power of music, Straw must keep learning and developing. He is excited to learn from the Utah Symphony's players; the connection between conductor and orchestra offers "an instant feedback loop" and gauge of communication, he said.

Growth comes both naturally and through opportunity. One of Straw's mentors, the Romanian conductor Cristian Macelaru, told him it takes 10 years to hear well at the podium and he is moving along that timeline.

And Straw continues tuning to musical chances both past and present. In conversation, he looked back to lessons learned through an assistantship in Belgium  and forward, at lessons yet to learn when he attends a leading festival in California later this summer. A relationship with the agency Maestro Arts, and Rachel van Walsum, promises to only grow what and where is possible for Straw.

"I'm really trying to think of myself as a person that goes to different communities, and tries to be this catalyst," Straw said. "... That changes people's lives, or makes their lives a little better, just gives them a cathartic experience, gives them an exciting experience, a thought-provoking experience."

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Hickman grad Matthew Straw taking musical passions to Utah and beyond
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Studio executives were having a grand old time surrounded by other moguls in Sun Valley, Idaho, as SAG-AFTRAs national board unanimously agreed to go on strike from all Hollywood productions on Thursday. But to see how the execs carried on, it would seem the news hadnt arrived to the resort.

Yes, studio leaders are currently living the dream at the Sun Valley Lodge for the Allen & Co. conference while their talent strikes against them and the companies they lead.

Negotiations between the Actors Guild and the AMPTP, which represents the studios, broke down late Wednesday night leaving SAG-AFTRA without an agreement on a new deal, promptly leading to a strike implemented on Thursday. For the first time in more than 60 years, SAG-AFTRA will join the WGA in the first double strike since Ronald Reagan led the Guild. It will shut down all film and TV productions that were still moving forward despite the WGA strike, including all promotional events for films and TV shows premiering now or in the near future.

But back in Sun Valley many of the leaders of those same studios are attending an annual conference that has them flying in on private jets that create a life-sized version of Tetris for the local Friedman Memorial Airport, riding in golf carts from one part of the resort to another, biking into town and being chauffeured in black Escalades.

Double E Pictures founder and CEO Eric Eisner bikes Sun Valley (Getty Images)

Media, technology, and finance moguls have been gathering in Sun Valley since 1982 in a week-long retreat funded by family-run investment bank Allen & Company. By putting on the conference, the firm is able to cultivate lasting relationships with corporate leaders while fostering dealmaking connections between attendees. A laundry list of blockbuster deals has sprouted from the seeds planted by Allen & Co. at the conference, including Comcasts acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2009 and the sale of the Washington Post to Jeff Bezos in 2013.

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The invite-only annual conference has been dubbed summer camp for billionaires, with Allen & Co. bringing in tons of infrastructure to cater to their high-profile guests. Attendees at this years conference include Disney CEO Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who all should be feeling the strain of a double strike.

That, however, doesnt seem to be the case.

By all accounts (and photos from the event), attendees appear to be luxuriating with a stunning mountainscape.

Also Read:

Sun Valley Welcomes Back a Chastened Class of Media Moguls

I have been in Sun Valley long enough to have experienced the prequel to the annual conference. The plot of which included a seemingly overnight buildup of an entire day camp area for attendees kids that my inner child is deeply envious of, the vetting and training of a massive force of additional staff to make sure guests every need is catered to, and the shuttering of some businesses in town for a brief summer hiatus for those who clearly dont want to partake in the performance.

Throughout the conference, attendees can be seen mingling with each other, hiking the trails of Sun Valley, or taking serene bike rides into town, which includes an array of boutique storefronts and restaurants of a quality that resembles a sprawling metropolis rather than a quaint ski town.

Some even go to the shooting range like David Zaslav, accompanied by film producers Brian Grazer and Jason Blum looking entirely unbothered by the strike announced just hours earlier, in a photo shared on Twitter and then promptly deleted by Blum.

Jason Blum, right, doing target practice with Warner Bros. Discover CEO David Zaslav, left, and film producer Brian Grazer, right. (Twitter)

Studio execs smile and wave to the camera, debuting matching red windbreakers gifted by their generous hosts, looking incredibly happy to be facing an enormous strain on the industry.

Those black Escalades (also provided by Allen & Co.) crowd the driveway of the Sun Valley Lodge with drivers ready to whisk attendees away to wherever they desire. Moguls are ushered into the car to avoid having to interact with anyone outside of their exclusive circle (and the reporters ambling around the resort and in town hoping to capture a moment with the industry scions).

Meanwhile, during SAG-AFTRAs press conference on Thursday, guild president Fran Drescher called out the AMPTP for not taking their demands seriously. Shame on them, Drescher said in a fiery speech. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity.

Disney CEO Bob Iger joined CNBC at the crack of dawn Thursday for an interview with the sprawling Sun Valley mountains in the background, where he expressed his distaste for the expectations of Hollywood talent. Iger called the double strike disruptive, disturbing, and not realistic while enjoying the endless amenities provided by Allen & Co.

This is the worst time in the world, to add to the disruptive forces like the aftermath of COVID already at play in Hollywood, he continued.

Iger received intense backlash for his harsh comments about the double strike. It didnt help that he bashed the WGA and SAG-AFTRA from the place of ultimate privilege.

Love that this interview was given at the Sun Valley Conference of billionaires where they all flew in on their private jets. Yeah, we're the unreasonable ones for demanding fair compensation for our work. #WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAstrong #Solidarity https://t.co/67vuk46P5b  Susan Hurwitz Arneson  Sony AM Lot Coordinator (@batdorkgirl) July 13, 2023

He's not doing this interview in Sun Valley, Idaho, at what's often called "billionaire summer camp" is he?



Haha no way that would be so silly of him. https://t.co/AQUVaMGP5O  Stop Cop City (@JoshuaPHilll) July 13, 2023

Well if nothing else, Bob Iger giving this quote to CNBCs Squawk Box from Sun Valley is putting Hollywood satire writers out of business. https://t.co/SBc3VsvZ40  Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) July 13, 2023

The Disney CEO telling CNBC that hes disappointed with the double strike while soaking up the rays with some of the richest people on earth perfectly exemplifies why both Hollywood writers and actors are picketing. Iger took home $15 million in compensation, David Zaslav $39 million, and Ted Sarandos $50 million in 2022.

The disparity between high-level executives and talent is severe and it has never been more evident than this year, with moguls basking in wealth and their talent back home calling simply for fair treatment by their employers.

Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, Blumhouse and Double E Pictures didnt immediately respond to TheWraps requests for comment on criticism and whether their executives are planning to leave the conference early.

Regardless, their escape from reality will soon come to a close. Saturday, the studio execs will sit in an absurdly long queue for their private jet to take them home to the crisis that awaits them.

Also Read:

A Once-in-a-Generation Reckoning': How the Actors Strike Changes the Game


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Spending time with your future in-laws in their home can be intimidating. But if we were in then-23-year-old Jackie Kennedys shoes, we wouldve been utterly intimidated. A new account of Jackies time spent with the Kennedy family at their Hyannis Port compound is shedding light on the early days of her romance with John F. Kennedy, and theres one detail about her time in Hyannis Port we cannot stop thinking about.

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In her new biography White House by the Sea: A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port, writer Kate Storey relates Jackies first time in Hyannis Port. Following her engagement to JFK, Jackie went to the noted family home on the coast of Massachusetts. The couple spent time with Jacks mother Rose, who was immediately taken with Jackie, per Storeys biography. Jackie also spent time getting used to things, Storey writes, per an excerpt from Vanity Fair. She tried to make herself comfortable in Rose and Joes home. Quiet and observant, she seemed to be soaking in the house. Jack smiled when she came downstairs more dressed up than anyone else.

Jackie Kennedy's big day was reportedly not the fairy tale she dreamed of. https://t.co/SVo5sFORj8  SheKnows (@SheKnows) July 11, 2023

Days were spent on the water and photographers hounded the young couple. But through it all Jackie seemed as poised as ever. By the time her trip to Hyannis Port came to an end, the future First Lady of the United States wrote a thoughtful note to Jacks mother. She thanked Rose for the hospitality shed shown her that weekend. But then she started to think about what it was going to be like to be a part of the big family shed just gotten to know, Storey writes.

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White House by the Sea: A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port by Kate Storey

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Price: $30.00 $25.15

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It seems to me that very few people have been able to create what you havea family built on love and loyalty and gaiety, Jackie wrote. If I can even come close to building that with Jack I will be very happy.' Despite the knowledge of how the story ends, during their time as a young family in the White House, JFK and Jackie made a Camelot of their own; a pristine model of 1960s glamour, elegance, and culture. Who would have considered it may have started all the way back to that influential trip to Hyannis Port.

Before you go, click here to see Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoffs big blended family.



Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris

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Fox News Jeanine Pirro, one of the more Hunter Biden-obsessed hosts on a network notorious for its wall-to-wall coverage of the first sons exploits, said Thursday that she is fed up with the way he is in our face all the time.

Pirro made the ironic statement while reacting to news that the Secret Services investigation into a baggie of cocaine found at the White House earlier this month had been closed without identifying a suspecta turn of events that rankled several congressional Republicans, as well as their counterparts on the right-wing network. After the drug was found in a cubby in the West Wing, some a number of conservative commentators and politicians suggested without evidence that it belonged to the presidents son.

Pirros colleague, Jesse Watters, continued to go down that path on Thursday.

Our sources say that Hunter has been living at the White House. He has been living there for quite some time, Watters said. This looked like a drop. This little cubby was a drop. And the key was missing. So either Hunter has the key or this guy who brought it in has the key. We believe Bicycles is the name of the dealer.

After listening to the wild hypothetical, Pirro went on to complain that Biden is taking up too much space in the news.

Why is Hunter Biden always in our face? Why is this guy at the White House? Why is he on Air Force One? Why is he in Ireland? Why is he at State Department dinners? Pirro huffed. This guy is either a drug addict or a reformed drug addict. We shouldnt have to deal with him constantly in our face. And if Joe has to always take care of his son, maybe he ought to teach his son to take care of his seventh granddaughter and his own child.

A search for Hunter Biden with the television database TVEyes shows more than 1,300 occurrences on Fox News over the past month, compared with just under 300 on both CNN and MSNBC.

Pirro also lambasted the Secret Service investigation as a Biden cover-up, adding that its a slap in the face to every American who was ever arrested, prosecuted, convicted and went to jail for cocaine possessionespecially a Black American.

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In a press release Thursday, the agency cited lack of physical evidence for its decision to close the probe. According to a summary of the Secret Services findings obtained by the Associated Press, the baggie of drugs was examined in an FBI crime lab but yielded no fingerprints or DNA. Surveillance footage of the area where it was found was also inconclusive.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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After 2023 Gulf Coast Jam saw the largest crowds in its history, it's expected that next year will be even bigger after some of the biggest names in the country have been announced to headline in 2014.

Rising country singer Jelly Roll is set to join Morgan Wallen as one of the top-billed headliners for Gulf Coast Jam 2024, already seeing a surge in excitement from festival goers from the announcement.

The rapper-turned-country artist has been rising in the country ranks since 2020 and gaining the attention of country music fans, celebrities, and social media scrollers alike. Within the last year, he's sold out stadiums, won multiple awards, and released a documentary on his life.

Want to learn about Jelly Roll's lore before watching him hit the stage in Panama City Beach next year? Here's what you need to know:

Jelly Roll talks success: Jelly Roll documentary 'Save Me' offers message of salvation greater than music

Who is Jelly Roll?

Jason Bradley DeFord is a Nashville-born singer who has become one of the fastest-rising stars in rap and country-rock music within the last few years. At the 2023 CMT Music Awards in April, he took home three awards  male video of the year, breakthrough male video of the year, and digital-first performance of the year.

He has gained popularity for his songs addressing his criminal past and his journey to sobriety. According to a profile in the New York Times, he grew up in Antioch, a culturally diverse working-class suburb south of downtown Nashville. His father was a meat salesman with a side hustle as a bookie, while his mother struggled with her mental health and addiction.

He was first arrested when he was 14, spending the next decade in and out of juvenile centers and prison for charges including aggravated robbery and possession with intent to sell. Throughout his youth, he has said he had an interest in music and sought inspiration from Southern rappers like Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and 8ball & MJG.

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The culture I was first exposed to was hip-hop. Not even just music, but the culture  breakdancing, graffiti, freestyling, the clothing, Jelly Roll said in a Billboard interview. I didnt know there was this other country music culture in town. You just knew the culture you were exposed to.

After the birth of his daughter in 2008, he began to pursue music more seriously and began releasing several mixtapes as a rapper. Years of touring followed and after he built up a solid fanbase with word of mouth, he blew up recently on social media once he leaned into country and southern-rock style melodies.

This year, his song Dead Man Walking went to No. 1 on rock radio while the song Son of a Sinner topped the country radio chart. Jelly Roll held the No. 1 spot on Billboards emerging artist chart for 25 straight weeks, the longest run in that rankings history.

How did he get his stage name?

He said publicly said his stage name came from his mother, giving him the silly name when he was a young and chubby kid."

Been fat my whole life. I spent the next 30 years trying to grow into the name, I think Ive done it, he joked on The Bobby Bones Show. I obviously look the partIt just stuck.

He also said one of his classmates in high school, who went by the nickname One-Arm Clay, started calling him Jelly Roll without knowing thats what his mother called him.

Why did Jelly Roll go to jail?

Jelly Roll has opened up to several publications about his past and how he's been arrested for aggravated robbery, adding the painful time in his life inspired a lot of lyrics in his music. At 16, he was seeing a potential 20-year sentence for the charge, though he ultimately served over a year for the charge, followed by more than seven years of probation.

"I never want to overlook the fact that it was a heinous crime, he told Billboard. This is a grown man looking back at a 16-year-old kid that made the worst decision that he could have made in life and people could have got hurt and, by the grace of God, thankfully, nobody did.

The charge is still on his record and still affects him to this day, as he cannot vote, volunteer at most nonprofits, or own a firearm. He also could not get a passport until this year, which affected his ability to tour internationally.

What is the meaning behind his tattoos?

The singer has an abundance of tattoos across his body, including a series of designs covering his arms and on his face. Jelly Roll admits he's not the fondest of them all but says his tattoos serve as a reminder of some of the struggles he has faced and overcome in his lifetime, including his tear drops for his stints in jail.

Jelly Roll performs during the 14th annual Darius Rucker and Friends concert at the Ryman Auditorium Monday, June 5, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. The event unofficially kicks off the week of CMA Fest in Nashville and has raised more than three million for the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

My tattoos are not a reflection of who I am at all, Jelly Roll said in his 2015 interview with The Boot. But theyre a very good description of who I was. I never thought Id be what I am now."

How did he get his start in the music scene?

Before his transition into country music, Jelly Roll launched his career in hip hop during a 2010 collaboration "Pop Another Pill" with Memphis rapper Lil Wyte. The song reached over 6.3 million YouTube views.

The song led to the album Year Round by the hip-hop group SNO, of which Jelly Roll was a member. Over the next few years, he would release many mixtapes and independent solo albums including collaborations with Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, Haystak, and Tech N9ne.

Jelly Roll's 2013 mixtape Whiskey, Weed, & Women was released, originally named Whiskey, Weed, & Waffle House. It was changed after the restaurant threatened legal action over the use of its name and logo on the cover.

When did he transition into country music?

It wasn't until his 2020 song Save Me, was written and published that his move to country began. The intense country ballad exploded online, seeing more than 179 million as of July 14.

A pinned comment by the artist says "I know this is a little different for me, but Im wondering if this should make the album or not. Yall let me know below." The song did end up making his 2020 album, Self-Medicated, with a feature from fellow country artist, Lainey Wilson.

Who is Jelly Roll married to?

Jelly Roll is married to Bunnie DeFord, known on TikTok as 'Bunnie XOXO.'

Bunnie is a social media personality, vlogging on Tiktok and hosting her 'Dumb Blonde Podcast' to millions of listeners. She has gained a loyal fanbase of her own with 1.8 million followers on the video-sharing app, as well as 1 million on Instagram.

The couple first met back in 2015, when Bunnie watched Jelly Roll perform at Sin Citys Country Saloon in Las Vegas. The two would end up marrying a year later.

We hit it off. She said she fell in love with the saddest eyes in the room, the country star said during a Taste of Country Nights interview back in 2022. Im not going to act like I shot my shot. She kind of shot hers. We had mutual friends. She said, Yo. Just plug me in with Jelly. And I hit her on some other st. I was like, Yo. Im going to be coming out to shoot some content and video stuff. She was like, Yeah! Cmon! I was like, Cool, well Im living in my van, so Ill leave now.

Does Jelly Roll have any kids?

Jelly Roll has one daughter and one son from a previous relationship.

His 15-year-old daughter, Bailee Ann, has been able to step into the limelight herself. He brought her out on stage as a guest during select concerts, including one at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Texas as part of a tour that included Shinedown and John Harvie. The two performed a duet to the song Tears Could Talk from Jelly Rolls 2010 A Beautiful Disaster album.

What is his current album?

Jelly Rolls seventh studio yet debut country album Whitsitt Chapel" was released this past month on June 2. He told Billboard that several songs address his past struggles head-on, many detailing the internal struggle to find peace and balance after battling addiction.

The thing about the addictive personality is that everything is in [extremes], he told reporters. Ive woken up hungover and told myself a thousand times that Im never going to drink like that again, he said. And then you go get drunk that night or a few nights later. With this album, especially songs like Son of a Sinner, Im trying to say that there can be a balance.

His 44-date 'Backroad Baptism Tour' kicks off July 28 in Southaven, Mississippi, and will wrap the tour up in the following Florida cities:

Jacksonville - Oct. 13

Tampa - Oct. 14

When is Gulf Coast Jam 2024?

The 12th Annual Gulf Coast Jam is scheduled to take place on Panama City Beach from Thursday, May 30, 2024, through Sunday, June 2, 2024.

How can I get tickets?

Although VIP packages for the 2024 Gulf Coast Jam have already sold out, there is still a chance to secure your spot with:

General admission - $229

First responder and medical personnel admission - $209

Military admission - $209

College student admission - $209

More headliners will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets can be purchased online on the Gulf Coast Jam website.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Tiktok-beloved country star Jelly Roll to headline Gulf Coast Jam 2024
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York

HBO Serial killer Richard Rogers

There are murders in HBO's Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York  at least five, probably more. But the other crime at the heart of this powerful and infuriating true-crime documentary is why it took decades and countless pleas for help from the LGBTQ+ community to capture the man responsible for so much death.

This thoughtful, well-paced series from director Anthony Caronna weaves together illuminating social and historical context, loving explorations of the victims' lives, and a gripping criminal mystery to create an emotional and educational odyssey that transcends the standard boundaries of true crime.

In 1991, a maintenance worker in Lancaster County, PA found a dismembered male body  that of Peter Anderson, a 54-year-old banker from Philadelphia  in a rest stop trash can. Then came Thomas Mulcahy, 57, a married father of four, whose dismembered body was discovered in 1992 by maintenance workers in Woodland Township, New Jersey. Anthony Marrero, a 44-year-old sex worker, was next, found in the woods of Ocean County, NJ in 1993, followed by Michael Sakara, a 56-year-old typesetter, whose partial remains were found by a hot dog vendor in Rockland County, NY. Though the men didn't know one another, all of them had one thing in common: They were last seen in New York City, in areas and bars frequented by gay men.

Based on the nonfiction book by Elon Green, Last Call hones its focus on the many ways these murder investigations  which remained separate for years, due to jurisdictional issues and sub-par communication between law enforcement agencies  were hindered from the start by implicit and overt police bias. "More often than not the police back then were either indifferent or hostile" to the LGBTQ+ community, says Matt Foreman, a former director at New York City's Anti-Violence Project, which was founded in 1980 after a rise in bias attacks.

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Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York

HBO Serial killer Richard Rogers

As a result, the cops themselves knew nothing about the community whose help they would need to stop the killer. "You know, it's just a different world," says Nick Theodos, a former NJ State Police detective who was brought in to work the Mulcahy case. Using interviews with community organizers, archival footage, and news reports from New York's Gay USA public-access broadcast, Last Call composes a vivid illustration of the distrust and suspicion that divided the city's gay community from law enforcement at the time. Because queer New Yorkers felt safer reporting crimes to groups like AVP than the police, the detectives investigating these murders were also less likely to connect them to the ongoing rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes.

The series is particularly successful at revealing how this barrier  and other issues facing the LGBTQ+ community at the time  persist to this day. At the conclusion of his interview with Anthony Caronna, former Pennsylvania State Police corporal Carl Harnish asks the director, "Why is the emphasis on the gay part?" Jay Musser, Harnish's former partner on the Peter Anderson murder, repeatedly insists that the victim's sexuality was "irrelevant" to the investigation, adding, "I don't know anything about the community." In the next episode, Caronna interviews a man who was drugged and taken back to his apartment in 1992 by a man who had a duffle bag containing rope. He escaped but didn't call the NYPD. "What are they gonna do?" he scoffs. "Nothing!"

It took 10 years for police to locate and arrest the perpetrator, Richard Rogers, a 51-year-old nurse at New York's St. Vincent's hospital  but as Last Call reveals, the story only gets more devastating from there. Thankfully, Caronna balances the agony of the myriad injustices with attentive and affectionate interludes devoted to the men who were murdered. Through interviews with friends, former partners, children, and family members, Last Call carefully constructs portraits of Anderson, Mulcahy, Marrero, and Sakara that celebrate them as men who loved and were loved. And Marrero's great-nephew, Antonio Marrero, reveals that his own parents disowned him when he came out as bisexual  which made him even more determined to keep his uncle's memory alive and break the cycle of shame in his family.

Antonio's story dovetails effectively with Last Call's overarching message: Every hard-fought victory for the LGBTQ+ community is built on a mountain of setbacks, and the prize of progress, though essential, is never perfect. Grade: A-

The first episode of Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York is streaming now on Max. New episodes air Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.

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Here Are All The Movies Affected by the SAG-AFTRA Strike From Deadpool 3 to Mission: Impossible 8 (Photos)

Hollywood has officially been shut down as SAG-AFTRA formally announced its first film and television strike since 1980 at a press conference at its Los Angeles headquarters on Thursday. While the WGA has been on strike since May and certainly impacted a number of productions  particularly in television  the work stoppage from the actors will grind Hollywood to a complete halt. Some major films were still in production at the time of the strike, from Marvel sequels to huge franchises, but those are now on pause, putting their release dates in jeopardy depending on how long the SAG-AFTRA strike will last. Here are all the movies currently being affected by the strike.

Deadpool 3 (Marvel Studios)

Ryan Reynolds set the internet on fire when he released the first pic of Hugh Jackman in his classic Wolverine suit. However, the production of the third Deadpool movie will be affected as the superhero film still had weeks to go to with production initially scheduled to wrap in September.

Beetlejuice 2 (Warner Bros. Discovery)

The highly anticipated sequel starring Michael Keaton and Jenna Ortega had wrapped its UK portion of the production however, the strike will affect the US portion of the sequels production.

Juror No. 2 (Warner Bros. Discovery)

Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette star in a legal drama directed by Clint Eastwood about a juror who begins to suspect that he may have caused the victims death.

Gladiator 2 (Paramount)

Aftersun star and Oscar Nominee Paul Mescal is starring in the Gladiator sequel directed by Sir Ridley Scott which is pausing production in Malta due to the strike. The film also stars Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Connie Nielsen.

The Amateur (20th Century Studios)

Rami Malek stars in the 20th Century Studios thriller Amateur which centers on a CIA cryptographer who loses his wife in a London terrorist attack. After his bosses refuse to take direct action, he blackmails his own agency into training him to allow himself to do the job himself. Production in the UK will hit pause.

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Wicked Part 1 (Universal)

John M. Chu directs the adaptation of the Broadway muscial which stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The film is scheduled to be released on Christmas next year and will resume production after the strike is settled.

Twisters (Universal)

Where the Crawdads Sing star Daisy Edgar-Jones stars in the sequel to 1996s Twister which centered on storm chasers. Given the combined storm of both the WGA and SAG strike, production will resume once that storm has passed.

The Killer (Universal)

Nathalie Emmanuel, best known for her roles as Ramsey in the Fast & Furious franchise and Missandei in HBOs Game Of Thrones, stars in John Woos reimagining of his 1989 film The Killer for Universal Pictures. Peacock announced The Killer as one of three upcoming original films from Universal Pictures and is tentatively scheduled to premiere on the service this year.

Untitled Monster Movie Directed by Radio Silence (Universal)

After successfully reviving the Scream series at Paramount, the horror movie team at Radio Silence has signed on to direct and produce a new horror film for Universal which will pause production due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

It Ends With Us (Sony)

The film adaptation of Colleen Hoovers novel It Ends With Us starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni previously halted production in the wake of the WGA writers strike. Now the film adaptation will also pause due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Baldoni also directs.

Bad Boys 4 (Sony)

The fourth entry in the Bad Boys franchise starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence was in the midst of production with only a few weeks left to wrap principal photography when the SAG strike authorization was called.

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 2 (Paramount)

The eighth and final installment in the Tom Cruise mega franchise was supposed to start up production again after the promotional window for Mission 7 was done. Even Ethan Hunt would currently find the mission impossible to bridge the gap between the AMPTP and the Hollywood labor guilds.
Meet Me at Metro: 40 Years of Chicagos Most Iconic Indie Venue

Artists often describe the recording process as a battle, but for guitarist Peter Buck, making R.E.M.s unlucky 13th album, Around the Sun, was more like war. A very specific war, in fact, and one the band had publicly criticized for years. It was kind of like the war in Iraq, he told SPIN in 2008. We dont know why we got in there, we dont know how to get out, and we dont know what were trying to accomplish.

Thats a pretty succinct description of how good bands make blah albumsin this case, how one of the most respected bands of the 80s and 90s created what many consider to be the only blemish on their catalog.

More from Spin:

R.E.M. was a flagship act that, over a 30-year career, weathered the transition from the American underground to the global mainstream, which means fans have a range of very different albums to claim as their best. However, pretty much everyoneincluding Buckcites Around the Sun as a low point. As with other Worst Albums By Great Artists (St. Anger, Rock and Roll Heart, Down in the Groove), theres something fascinating about this kind of failure and what it reveals about a band renowned for its egalitarianism and longevity. Its still their worst album, but with R.E.M. defunct now for more than a decade, worst means something very different in 2023 than it did in 2004.

Nineteen years ago, the band was past its 90s heyday but had weathered enough storms to remain a global superpower, especially in Europe. They had soldiered on after founding drummer Bill Berry left in 1997, and they succeeded precisely because they used that shakeup as an opportunity to tinker with their sound and redefine themselves as a band. 1998s Up, their first album as a trio, was a collection of experiments, a backwards glance at some of their favorite music of the 20th century: Brian Eno, the Beach Boys, glam rock, and southern soul. Reveal, their 2001 follow-up, was more focused: a breezy summer album, a collection of backyard reveries. Both have been targets of naysaying but hold up remarkably well for a band in transition.

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With Around the Sun, however, R.E.M. and producer Pat McCarthy lost all perspective, first by getting too far away from the material and then by getting too close. They started recording in early 2002, and in March 2003 released a rough cut of Final Straw as a free single on their website, days after the invasion of Iraq. Those sessions were cut short early that year so the band could tour and promote In Time, a new compilation of their Warner Brothers output. In addition to readying two new singles and videos, they launched a world tour that started with a sprint through Europe before heading back to North America. Shortly after their last date, they flew down to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to finish up songs that were already more than a year old, then they moved up to Miami to start mixing. It was a tedious process, with Michael Stipe and Mike Mills commandeering the mixer and a frustrated Buck reportedly skipping town.

As a result, Around the Sun is a staid affair, overthought and unfocused, far too slick but also weirdly austere, as though theyd left most of the instruments on the cutting-room floor. Theres no lushness here, nothing like the tight interplay on their early albums or the weirdness of Out of Time or Automatic. Every song strikes roughly the same tempo and tone; there isnt one true rocker. A few songs, notably Boy in the Well, try to rev things up, but cant muster the momentum or disrupt the albums plodding pace. Also, theres very little of Bucks guitar on these songs, presumably because he bailed during mixing and couldnt advocate for himself. He shows up here and there, providing acoustic flourishes on Final Straw and I Wanted to Be Wrong, but he never feels fully present. It was almost like R.E.M. had lost another band member.

When Around the Sun met the worst reviews of R.E.M.s career, it must have felt like the end of the world as they knew itand that sense of doom amplified the albums faults. It became an albatross, a scandal the band members had to address and explain in subsequent interviews. But, as Stipe sings on the albums title track, Hold on, world, cause you dont know whats coming. Their follow-up, 2008s Accelerate, sounded like a direct response to the criticisms they had faced. It had heavier riffs, odder lyrics, actual rockers, andmost cruciallya sharper dynamic between the band members. It was everything Around the Sun wasnt: loose, weird, imaginative, joyful, fun. They built on that foundation with 2011s Collapse Into Now, which became their swan song, even though it doesnt have the solemnity of a farewell.

R.E.M.s endas well as its afterlifechanges how Around the Sun plays in 2023. Now that we know how the bands story concludes, its easier to disregard the albums lows and appreciate the highs: The chorus of Boy in the Well sounds more sour in its accusations, the synths cut through Final Straw to create a more intense friction, Stipes vocals sound more daring on Electron Blue, and the Spanish-style guitar solo on High Speed Train sounds like a nod to Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. Its still too long, too shapeless, but a different kind of energy emerges from these songs, a different kind of rising action that starts with Electron Blue and culminates in the bouncy Wanderlust. Theres a logic to these songs and their sequencing, even if its partially obscured by the production and mixing.

Perhaps because it starts with a song called Leaving New York, Around the Sun sounds like their New York album. The city has always been a boomtown for Athens bands, including the B-52s, Pylon, and the Drive-By Truckers, and Stipe in particular found inspiration in the city when he first visited in 1979. There are moments throughout the album that suggest these songs are set in that metropolis, or the band is speaking directly to its inhabitants, or sketching its street corners and skyline, or simply walking along its sidewalks and down its alleyways. Its an affectionate valentine, a gentle reassurance to a city still reeling even three years after 9/11. Perhaps this is an album meant to be played on headphones while walking around Manhattan, no destination in mind, choosing your route based on which street might hold the most delights. Maybe the musics austerity is just space for you to add your own sounds.

R.E.M. is reissuing most of its post-Berry albums on vinyl this year, but Around the Sun, more than anything that came before or after, demands a sprawling box set, one that digs deep into the vaults and unearths old demos, discarded takes, unused mixes, and weird studio experiments. Some of their best songs didnt even make the final tracklist, like Im Gonna DJ, which started as a dirge before they livened it up on 2007s Live and again on Accelerate. That set would tell a very different kind of storya saga of fragmentation among friends rather than an epic of creativity and collaboration.

Failure can be just as compelling as success, especially for a band that took frequent risks but rarely stumbled. Around the Sun remains singular in R.E.M.s catalog, which means it still has new stories to tell us, new corners for us to explore.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.

The post Meet Me at Metro: 40 Years of Chicagos Most Iconic Indie Venue appeared first on SPIN.
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Being self-employed has major appeal, such as the financial freedom to expand your business on your own terms; opportunity for partnerships or acquisition; and the freedom to wear pajama bottoms all day. However, its not all wine and roses  or coffee and flannel  for that matter. Youre the boss now and no one is going to take care of you but yourself. There are some major mistakes that could be made, and failing to adequately plan for retirement is one of them.

Im a Financial Planning Expert: 9 Things You Should Never Buy If You Want To Retire Early

Learn: 3 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Retirement

Only 13% of self-employed Americans who run a single-person business have a workplace retirement plan, with around $50,000 saved in it on average. Those are some frightening numbers, but not nearly as terrifying as entering retirement without any savings to support you.

If you are self-employed, squeezing extra money out of your budget can be tough. Your income might be unpredictable and cash flow might be tight. It can be hard to prioritize retirement when you are trying to build a business, and the various retirement plans offered can be overwhelming.

The most common retirement accounts for the self-employed are SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual 401(k)s. Keogh plans are also available, but they are less common. All of these plans have up-front tax breaks and tax-deferred savings. Here is a summary of the four plans to help you decide which is best for you.

Solo 401(k)

A solo 401(k), also known as a solo-k or uni-k, is a one-participant 401(k) plan; you are the administrator and the contributor. Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis and you can contribute up to $22,500 in 2023 with an additional $7,500 in catch-up contributions if you are over 50 years old. This plan is best for self-employed people with high incomes and no other employees (except a spouse), or older self-employed people who are behind in their retirement saving and need to catch up.

What makes these plans particularly appealing is that in addition to the $22,500 maximum contribution, you can also contribute up to 25% of your net self-employment income. If your spouse is an employee (they must work for the business and be paid a reasonable salary), he can also contribute the same amount, essentially doubling your investment. Finally, for self-employed people who receive an inheritance or windfall, a solo 401(k) can act as a tax shelter.

Find Out: What Is the Average Social Security Benefit at Every Age?

There are some drawbacks, though. If you hire employees other than a spouse, you are no longer eligible for a solo 401(k) and will have to convert it to a regular 401(k). Finally, if your solo 401(k) has over $250,000 in it, you will have to go though the hassle of filling out additional paperwork with the IRS.

Solo 401(k) plans are offered by most major financial firms and are fairly easy to set up. You can withdraw from a solo 401(k) under certain circumstances but not all firms offer this option, so make sure to ask. There is also a Roth version of this plan but you wont get an up-front tax break, although the money will continue to grow (and eventually be withdrawn) tax-free.

Tip: Some financial experts recommend using a separate federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your solo 401(k) to simplify your taxes. You can get one from the IRS website.

Simplified Employee Pension IRA (SEP IRA)

This is perhaps the most simple self-employed retirement plan available: its a great choice for business owners without employees or moonlighters (regular workers with self-employed income on the side). You can have a SEP IRA if you have employees, but there are strict conditions for an employee to be eligible. The 2023 maximum contribution for a SEP IRA is up to 25% of your net self-employment income or $66,000, whichever is less.

The SEP IRAs flexibility is what makes it particularly attractive: you can wait to fund the plan until you file your taxes, in case your income is higher than expected, and then make a larger contribution to avoid a higher tax bill. If you make less than you expected, you can scale back your contribution.

You can also open a SEP IRA any time before your business tax-filing deadline  it does not have to be opened before the first of the year. You can also take longer to contribute to your SEP IRA by filing for an extension. Some business owners do this regularly to give themselves more time to contribute money to the plan and maximize the tax benefits.

There are a few disadvantages: The contribution limits of a SEP IRA are lower than a solo 401(k). Remember a solo 401(k) allows you to contribute up to the 20% net profit plus an additional $22,500. Also, with a SEP IRA there are no catch-up contributions allowed. So if you are nearing retirement and just starting to save, this might not be the best option for you. Finally, loans from SEP IRAs are not allowed but you can withdraw the money at any time. You will pay penalties, so its not a decision to take lightly.

Tip: Treat your SEP IRA contribution like a regular bill and schedule automatic payments directly into the plan.

Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE IRA Plan)

A SIMPLE IRA is a type of traditional IRA for small business owners with 100 or fewer employees, and the self-employed, with aspirations of growing their businesses. The contribution limits max out at $15,500 for 2023 (plus an additional $3,500 if youre 50 or older). You also cannot maintain any other retirement plans, including SEP IRAs or qualified plans. Unlike the SEP IRA, there is no income restriction  you can put a full 3% of your net self-employment income into the plan.

What really makes the SIMPLE IRA stand out is that the employer is required to make a contribution on the employees behalf in one of the following ways: either dollar for dollar, up to 3%of the employees salary or a flat 2% of pay, regardless of whether the employee contributes to the account. You, the employer, will benefit from major tax deductions, both from your own contributions and employee deferrals. You will also have the added benefit of attracting and retaining quality employees.

This might sound a little complicated, but SIMPLE IRA plans really are, well, simple. They are generally easier and cheaper to start up and maintain when compared to qualified plans. Employees can contribute through regular paycheck deductions and are not required to provide annual financial reports.

You can open a SIMPLE IRA between Jan. 1 and Oct. 1 of each year. If you become self-employed after Oct. 1, you can set up a SIMPLE IRA plan for the year as soon as administratively feasible after your business starts. Loans from SIMPLE IRAs are not allowed but you can withdraw the money at any time with penalties. The penalties are severe, however: 25% if made within the first two years of participating in the plan.

Tip: Make sure your employees are eligible before starting a SIMPLE IRA plan.

Keogh Plan

Keogh plans were once popular for the self-employed but have now been largely replaced by SEP IRA plans. Until 2001, Keogh plans allowed for larger annual investments than other retirement plans, which is what made them appealing to many business owners. Now, the contribution limits for both Keogh plans and SEP IRAs are the same.

The Keogh is also more difficult to set up, making it a less-desirable plan for the self-employed, and you cannot participate if you qualify as an independent contractor. Keogh plans are still an option for self-employed individuals who own their own unincorporated businesses (sole proprietorships, partnerships and LLCs), but the SEP IRA is usually recommended over this plan.

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Sam DiSalvo contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 4 Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed
Ryan Goslings daughters, whom he shares with fellow actor Eva Mendes, were apparently a bit confused about their fathers decision to play Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie.

Speaking with People ahead of the Los Angeles premiere of Barbie on Sunday, the actor explained that his kids were skeptical because they just arent that into the Ken doll.

I think theyre confused as to why I would want to play Ken, he said. They have no use for Ken.

Gosling said that he didnt play with Barbie dolls growing up and that his daughters, Amada and Esmeralda, were the ones who introduced him to the brand. He noted that their familiarity with Barbie ultimately helped him film a scene in the movie that he didnt go into much detail about.

My kids were around for the months at home as I was prepping for it, he said. So they, inadvertently, were prepping for it too.

He added, And they came to set that day and were a huge sense of support and doing it with me off-camera.

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie at the premiere of

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie at the premiere of "Barbie" in London, United Kingdom on July 12, 2023. The actor recently shared that his daughters were confused as to why he was cast as Ken in the film.

Amada and Esmeraldas skepticism about the Ken role isnt the only time Goslings casting has come into question.

In May, Gosling responded to fans on social media who had criticized his casting for the role, telling GQ: If people dont want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with.

It is funny, this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #notmyken, he later added. Like you ever thought about Ken before this?

Director Greta Gerwig, however, has made it clear that Gosling as Ken was the only Ken in her mind.

Well, it was only ever Ryan Gosling, and it was a long journey, she told Rolling Stone earlier this month. Margot and I just wouldnt take no for an answer.

She continued, From the moment that Margot came to me and I knew we were making this for Margot, I equally knew we were making this for Ryan. And I did not know Ryan at all. Id never met him. I just was sure, and as soon as I thought of it, it made me so happy. Who else could do this?

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Its some combination of Marlon Brando meets Gene Wilder meets John Barrymore meets John Travolta, she added.

Barbie, which stars Margot Robbie in the titular role, hits theaters on July 21.

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Members of SAG-AFTRA, the Hollywood actors union, on Friday joined picket lines where members of the Writers Guild of America have been demanding better working conditions for weeks.

Day 1 of the actors strike saw Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis picketing alongside crowds of other performers and scribes whose names roll by at the end of well-loved TV shows and films.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists represents around 160,000 people  not just major stars but lesser-known working actors who say the streaming era has made it increasingly difficult to make a good living. They share similar concerns about residuals payments, artificial intelligence and other developing technologies with the writers union, which began its strike in early May.

Production in Hollywood has essentially frozen in time as the workers demonstrate outside major studios in Los Angeles and New York City, including Netflix, Paramount, NBCUniversal and others.

The strike could last for weeks or months; studio executives have threatened to drag out negotiations with the unions to inflict maximum economic damage on their members.

Scroll on for scenes from the picket lines.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher speaks on Day 1 of the strike. On Thursday, Drescher gave a rousing speech against the trade group representing the studios, saying at one point: They plead poverty, that theyre losing money left and right, while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher speaks on Day 1 of the strike. On Thursday, Drescher gave a rousing speech against the trade group representing the studios, saying at one point: They plead poverty, that theyre losing money left and right, while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them."

Actor Jason Sudeikis is seen behind a

Actor Jason Sudeikis is seen behind a "believe" sign  a reference to "Ted Lasso"  while picketing NBC outside Rockefeller Center on Friday in New York City.

A demonstrator in Los Angeles holds a sign reading,

A demonstrator in Los Angeles holds a sign reading, "I will only memorize lines written by a person!"

Writer Dayna Lynne Northe and

Writer Dayna Lynne Northe and "Insecure" actor Kendrick Sampson record a video outside Warner Bros.

Striking writers and actors rally outside Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles.

Striking writers and actors rally outside Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles.

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Actor Frances Fisher holds a sign that says

Actor Frances Fisher holds a sign that says "AI is not art" at a rally outside Paramount studios.

Actor Allison Janney joins the picket line outside Warner Bros. Studios. Her sign reads,

Actor Allison Janney joins the picket line outside Warner Bros. Studios. Her sign reads, "Name your favorite movie without actors."

Josh Gad (left), who voiced Olaf in

Josh Gad (left), who voiced Olaf in "Frozen," and actor Rory O'Malley join demonstrators outside Fox Studios in Los Angeles.

"Mandalorian" actor Rosario Dawson holds a sign reading "SAG-AFTRA on strike" outside Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on Friday.

Members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA picket outside Rockefeller Center.

Members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA picket outside Rockefeller Center.

"Saturday Night Live" player Chloe Fineman and writer-actor Sydney Steinberg picket Warner Bros.

Outside Paramount Studios, a demonstrator holds a sign that reads,

Outside Paramount Studios, a demonstrator holds a sign that reads, "Pay us!"

A demonstrator holds a sign reading

A demonstrator holds a sign reading "where the fuck is Ben Affleck" alongside striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA members.

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Stanley Tucci is opening up about how he nearly broke up with his now-wife Felicity Blunt because he was concerned about their 21-year age gap.

The Searching for Italy star, who first met Felicity after starring in The Devil Wears Prada with her sister Emily Blunt, revealed during a recent episode of BBC Radio's Desert Island Discs that he was "afraid to get into a relationship" after his first wife Kate Tucci's death in 2009.

"I kept trying to break it off," he said about the early days of his relationship with Felicity. When asked why, Tucci explained, "I'm 21 years older than she is and I didn't want to feel old for the rest of my life! But I knew that this was an incredibly special person."

Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci attend the Soho House Awards at Soho House on September 01, 2022 in London, England

Karwai Tang/WireImage Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci

Despite his initial reservations, the couple went on to tie the knot in 2012 and share two children together: son Matteo and daughter Emilia. Tucci is also dad to twins Isabel and Nicolo and daughter Camilla from his first marriage.

During the interview, Tucci praised Felicity's ability to be a supportive figure in both his life and the lives of his children. "Felicity has been so incredible, taking on a widower and three children whose mother died. That's a huge thing at a very young age too," he said. "If anybody made things better for all of us, it's her. She's the one."

The Spotlight actor also opened up about his "horrible" experience battling oral cancer at the same time that he and Felicity were expecting their daughter in 2017.

"It was horrible for everybody. Felicity was pregnant with Emilia and so we went to New York to have the treatments done," he recounted. "Millie was born in the same hospital  I remember walking over to the delivery room and I was there and then she had the baby and then I was like, 'That's such a beautiful baby. I have to go to bed now.' And then I left, but Emily was there and yeah, it was really, really hard. It was a terrible, terrible time."

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The experience changed his perspective on life. "It humanizes you," he said. "I wasn't fully aware of my mortality, even after Kate's death and so many friends have passed away from cancer or whatever. I just didn't now I get it."

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Artificial intelligence robot and binary - Credit: Getty Images

Hollywood is officially a Black Mirror episode come to life.

That was the sentiment several members and non-members of SAG-AFTRA shared with Rolling Stone following Thursdays announcement that the 160,000-member union would join the WGA union on the picket lines after failing to secure a new contract with movie studio and streaming service executives.

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The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) had been negotiating with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP) for the past month, but the already extended deadline expired late Wednesday night. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher delivered a bruising and rallying speech decrying the AMPTPs shameful and disgusting treatment toward the union, saying, You cannot keep being dwindled and marginalized and disrespected and dishonored.

Both SAG-AFTRA and WGA  which has been on strike since May 2  marks the first time since 1960 that both unions have been on strike simultaneously. One of the major points of contention for both groups has been the rapid development and implementation of AI and fears of how it could potentially replace writers and actors.

And their concern was justified, as chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland laid bare the AMPTPs so-called groundbreaking AI proposal, which holds the potential to wipe out an entire pathway to breaking into the industry, as well as a reliable source of income for many. The reported proposal hinged on the ability for background actors to be scanned, get paid for one days pay and for that company to own that scan of their image, their likeness, and to be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation.

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It literally was all of our worst fears confirmed when we heard that, actress Jamie Miller tells Rolling Stone. Its kneecapping people from the start.

How can I start a career when one of those options is essentially selling my soul? asks actor Patrick McCann.

The thing is, as a working actor you are often, and worse, expected to be in a place where you need the money, says New York-based actress Megan Rae Ruskey. And because the state of the industry is already at a precious tipping point, being an actor is kind of like accepting something else will pay the bills  and hoping youre wrong.

The gravity of the consequences of AI effectively replacing background actors cant be overstated. Background actors serve as the backdrop of busy scenes and crowd shots in film and TV projects, filling up otherwise empty restaurants, the passersby on streets, the raucous partygoers; the peripheral characters on period shows dressed in appropriate garb.

Background work serves as a pathway for actors looking to break into the business, allowing them to learn how a set operates, meet fellow actors and industry connections, and eventually can lead to qualifying for SAG-AFTRA membership, which in turn can help land bigger roles. The daily rate for union members is under $200 a day  for days that can stretch up to 16-18 hours. Some background actors can fully support themselves with such work, while others book shows here and there to pad out bank accounts in-between gigs or seek work in other industries.

Its crazy, its wrong  its taking money out of peoples pockets, says one Chicago-based actor. The studios are getting away with one thing after another.

It will make it impossible to break into the industry, Miller adds. If you dont have that stepping stone to get in, if you dont have connections already and you dont come from wealth  you start at the bottom and work your way up from background work. To eliminate that is a tragedy. Think about all of the actors that wont be able to make it in the industry because its eliminating the first step.

The idea that studios could pay an actor less than $200 and own that persons image forever to use in any project at any time is terrifying, several actors tell Rolling Stone, particularly when it comes to not knowing what your image is being used for.

Theres been a lot of conversation about consent on set  AI is just another way to get around consent from actors, particularly actors assigned female at birth, one New York-based background actor says. If for some reason they use my face and they put me in a situation that I did not consent to, that is very troubling.

The practice could potentially restrict how much someone can work, McCann points out. If an actor does background work for a specific company, theres a good chance for that company to draw from its AI database and use that previously filmed footage or scanned data for another show instead of hiring that actor again  even if its years later. My career has ended before its even started, he says. It is taking any sort of agency and power we have as performers and saying, Well, its not worth anything.

Limiting roles and opportunities for background actors would also do untold damage to other production departments, such as costume, hair and makeup, and assistant positions, as big projects often have whole teams solely dedicated to overseeing and handling background roles.

In the hours leading up to the SAG-AFTRA deadline, reports exposed the cruelty and the by-any-means-necessary approach the AMPTP was gearing up for when it came to the WGA union, with insiders saying the plan was to let it bleed out and not go back to the negotiating table until late October. The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses, Deadline reported one studio executive saying.

The cinematic-villain trope the studio insiders have adopted has only infuriated and unified both members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. It shouldnt be surprising but its pretty wild to see at the same time, says one West Coast working background actor.

The major studios have made it clear that profit is their only motive in this business and that they have no problem trying to exploit the resource of background actors. Its a disappointing time for the industry.

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FRAMINGHAM  Diners looking for a fully automated experience have a new option in MetroWest, with Kura Revolving Sushi Bar bringing its Japanese-style sushi belts to Shoppers World.

One step inside Kura and what separates it from other area restaurants immediately becomes obvious. Instead of a wait staff, food is delivered to customers on a continuous conveyor belt of plates. There's no need to place orders; instead, sushi and other traditional Japanese cuisine options are readily available for pickup on the belt, with customers simply grabbing the plates they want as they come by.

"You walk in and it's really an eater-tainment experience," said Robert Kluger, chief development officer for Kura Sushi USA. "It can be almost overwhelming  you see the conveyor belt running across the entire store, you see the express belt on top of the conveyor belt, there are tablets at every table, we have robots running around serving drinks."

Diners enjoy lunch at the new Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Shoppers World in Framingham, July 6, 2023.

Most plates are small and contain a few rolls, or a small portion of seafood, vegetables or fruit. Once diners finish their plates, they put them into a slot at the end of their table and are charged based on the number of plates that go through the slot.

The system allows for customers to sample many aspects of the restaurant's 140-item menu, without committing to one dish  something that can help welcome curious diners who have never tried sushi.

'Keep people interested': La Cantina in Framingham purchases high-tech robots to help stay well staffed

"The great thing about Kura is that if you don't really like sushi, we have tempura, we have ramen, we have oden  something for anyone to sample while everyone else can eat sushi," Kluger said.

Customers can also custom order any food on a digital menu that is available at all tables  if a customer wants a specific item, they can order it and the kitchen will send it out on the conveyor belt.

Sushi arrives on the conveyer belt at the new Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Shoppers World in Framingham, July 6, 2023.

Due to the automation and the infinite nature of the sushi belt, running the restaurant requires tight coordination between chefs in the kitchen, who are constantly restocking the belt with new dishes, and a staff of bussers who clean dishes, tables and check on guests. The restaurant even uses an automated robot to deliver drinks, similar to those used at another Framingham restaurant, La Cantina Italiana on Waverly Street.

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Kura opened June 24 in Framingham. It's the second such location to open in Massachusetts, after Watertown. The chain has 62 restaurants, most of which are in California and Texas. Kura Sushi USA is a division of a Japanese company, Kura Sushi Japan, that opened in Japan in 1977. The Framingham location is at 1 Worcester Road, within a new plaza where TGI Fridays was formerly located.

"The customer profile for Framingham is very much aligned with the sushi-eating customer  a little more affluent, a little more educated, understands what sushi is and and understands the value you get with sushi," Kluger said.

Sushi aficionados praise authentic Japanese experience

John Connor and Stefanie Wong, of Natick, had visited Kura's Watertown restaurant and were excited to have an option closer to home.

"It's very nice to have this new, hot thing closer to home," Wong said. "We've been to the Watertown location and it was lovely, so it's great to have one here."

Connor, who said he has visited similar eateries in Japan, said Kura provided a more authentic experience than most Japanese-American restaurants.

"It's definitely more similar to the experience you have in Japan," he said. "In Japan, they have the revolving plates, and a tablet you can order from, it's very cool. We have taken our kids to the location in Watertown and they love it."

MacKenna Hibbard, 4, of Millis, enjoys sushi with her mom, Carrie, at the new Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Shoppers World in Framingham, July 6, 2023.

The high-tech nature of the restaurant is popular with children, who can grab their food right off the conveyor belt and interact with robot wait staff.

"The robot said hi!" MacKenna Hibbard, 4, of Millis, said while dining with her mother, Carrie Hibbard.

"We were just up in the area for a mommy/daughter day and she loves sushi, and we saw this place and I had no idea it was a revolving bar," Carrie Hibbard said. "I've seen revolving bars before but never dined at one like this. It's very interesting and she really likes it."

The new Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Shoppers World in Framingham, July 6, 2023.

Diners who deposit a minimum of 15 plates in a slot receive a prize, in this case a collectible from the Cartoon Network series "We Bare Bears," which rolls out of a gumball-style machine that rises above every table.

"It's a great tool, it creates this huge desire to get to 15 plates," Kluger said. "If you are sitting at 13 plates, you are so close to getting a prize, I don't care if you have kids at the table or you are a bunch of people in their 20s out to lunch, you are going to get that prize. It's very rare where people are close and they do not get that 15th plate."

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Kura Revolving Sushi Bar offers hi-tech Japanese dining in Framingham
Former White House adviser Neil Patel is working with Tucker Carlson in his effort to raise funds to start a new media company. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the business could potentially use Twitter as its backbone, citing people familiar with the matter.

Carlson, fired by Fox News in April in the wake of the $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over spreading misinformation following the 2020 election, has been airing commentary in videos posted to Twitter since May.

But the opportunities for turning millions of views into cash are limited, particularly since the actual engagement he is getting in terms of likes and retweets is far lower. A lengthy interview with controversial influencer Andrew Tate posted Tuesday, for instance, got a purported 72.9 million views, but just 373,600 likes and 93,400 retweets.

Twitter reportedly started paying content creators this week, with some influencers pulling in $10,000 or more, but that pales in comparison to the up to $20 million a year Carlson was getting from Fox.

Carlson and Patel are aiming to drum up hundreds of millions of dollars to back their venture, which would ultimately be driven by subscriptions, The Journal reported.

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Like many other ventures that rely on social media distribution, the concept would be for Twitter and other platforms to offer free, short versions of Carlsons show, along with interviews and documentaries, but would need a subscription to access all of the content he offers, The Journal said. Eventually, the company would add additional hosts and shows, featured on its website and mobile app as well as social media.

Patel, the co-founder and publisher of the far-right news site Daily Caller, who worked in the George W. Bush White House in various roles, ending with chief policy advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, has a long history with Carlson that dates to their college days, when they were roommates at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

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The Journal reported that they have lined up financiers, lawyers and media strategists to work on the new company, citing people familiar with the effort. Carlsons team also met with Twitter in recent weeks to discuss the plans, the report said.

Carlsons new company would enter a crowded field, competing not only with other sites launched by high profile personalities, including Glenn Becks Blaze Media, where today he is slated to host a series of interviews with five Republican presidential candidates, and other established right-wing sites like Daily Wire, the Washington Times and Breitbart News, but also with his former employer, Fox, and growing networks like Newsmax.

The Journal noted that any association with Twitter could serve as a test for owner Elon Musks video ambitions for the site.

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A connection with Carlson could also ruffle the feathers of potential advertisers who are contemplating returning to the site after rushing for the exits following Musks takeover. New Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino, recruited from NBCU to try to lure advertisers and creators back, recently met with Carlson producer Justin Wells, The Journal reported.

While at Fox, Carlsons show had suffered from a mass exodus of advertisers thanks to his highly charged content.
One of dozens of abandoned mines that were recently closed off in Utah County. | Utah Department of Natural Resources

Utah mining crews recently completed a project that closed off dozens of abandoned mines across southwestern Utah County, including a mine shaft where the bodies of a Utah couple were recovered five years ago.

The project focused on closing off abandoned mines on private land near Eureka, located just outside of Utah County. In all, crews capped 56 abandoned mine openings within the once-bustling Tintic Mining District, according to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.

All of the mines were "easily accessible" and close enough to popular off-highway vehicle trails, which caused possible safety concerns, said Steve Fluke, manager of the division's Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program.

"Safeguarding these mines ensures that future risks are minimized or eliminated, improving public safety," he said in a statement Tuesday.

The most notable of the newly closed mines is Tintic Standard Mine No. 2, where the bodies of Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson and Riley Powell were recovered in 2018 after they had gone missing months prior. Jerrod Baum was convicted of murder in the case last year and sentenced to four consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A permanent memorial was erected to honor Otteson and Powell just outside of the mine, where people have left photos, stuffed animals, flowers and other objects over the years.

Amanda Hunt, right, visits a permanent memorial for her niece, Brelynne Breezy Otteson, and Ottesons boyfriend, Riley Powell, near the Tintic Standard Mine No. 2 near Eureka, Juab County, on Feb. 4, 2021. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

The district was a popular mining hub during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It produced a "substantial" amount of lead, silver, gold, copper and zinc, the mining database Mindat.org wrote.

Safety issues arose after the mine became abandoned.

The Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining announced a day before Baum was convicted that it would close off Tintic Standard Mine No. 2 as part of a larger project. Fluke said crews used backfills, rebar grates, walls and polyurethane foam to close off the openings while also protecting "features of historical significance" and animal habitats.

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The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program has closed about 7,000 openings since it was created 40 years ago. However, state mining officials said Tuesday that there are still an estimated 17,000 abandoned mine openings located across Utah.

Almost all of these were abandoned before the 1970s. Utah legislators passed a law in 1975 that makes it illegal for companies to abandon mines without reclamation work first.
Vybz Kartel received a new provisional date with the United Kingdoms Privy Council set for April 2024. According to DanceHall Mag, the Jamaican artist will have a final shot to gain his freedom from behind bars and overturn his murder charge when he stands before the court from April 16-18, 2024.

Bert Samuels, the attorney for Shawn Shawn Storm Campbell, who is also charged with murder, stated that they would be readying their arguments to be made for the quartets appeal.

This date is not permanent. It may be changed, but were happy to know that finally, these matters will be heard by the highest court, the Privy Council we hope that the appeal will be heard and that we will be victorious, Samuels said.

Along with Campbell, Kartel, ne Adidja Azim Palmer, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John were all accused of murdering Clive Lizard Williams in 2011. In April 2014, the men were handed life sentences for the killing.

Vybz Kartel poses for a photo backstage during MTVs Tempo network launch celebration October 16, 2005 in St. Mary, Jamaica.

Since being locked up, Vybezs prison stint has been rough, with the musician reportedly facing a life-threatening illness. According to Fox 5 News, his private doctor expressed that his Graves Disease and heart condition have worsened under inhumane prison conditions in solitary lockdown in June 2023. Isat Buchanan, the superstars human rights attorney, disclosed that his condition could be fatal if he doesnt get the help he needs soon.

Mr. Palmers illness is actually life-threatening, Buchanan expressed. Hes in a cell, and if you can picture a brick oven, because thats how those cells are built, the ventilation is next to none.

His neck was swollen, if you think of a shirt that is about 18.5 inches in the neck area, you couldnt close the collar on his neck, and thats how bad it is in this moment. His face is actually swollen. And one other thing. He always wears glasses; in this condition, that causes his eyes to protrude.

His human rights attorney continued, voicing unease for Palmer succumbing to his illness before a potential appeal. Fighting for his life, yes, because it can be dangerous. We do not want to get a phone call to say that because he was under this 23-hour lockdown and unable to breathe, he succumbed to his illness, he said.

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Vybz Kartel performs onstage during MTVs Tempo network launch celebration October 16, 2005 in St. Mary, Jamaica.

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From left, SAORI Worcester owner Mihoko Wakabayashi instructs Teagan Kuder, of Whitinsville, on how to use a weaving loom, as her brothers, Camen and Jalen Kuder, look on, during the Weaving Community opening night on June 29.

WHITINSVILLE  A handcraft from yesteryear meets modern day in a new exhibit, Weaving Community, now on display at the Spaulding R. Aldrich Heritage Gallery at Alternatives Whitin Mill.

Presented by ValleyCAST, the arts and culture arm of Open Sky Community Services, the exhibit opened on June 29, in conjunction with the organizations summer concert series, and features work from numerous weavers and businesses.

Its about the weaving community and how people come together, Director of Community Outreach Cristi Collari said about the exhibit, which is free and open to the public through Sept. 30.

Morgan Tartakoff, of Uxbridge, weaves sunflower wall hangings and decorations, which are on display at ValleyCASTs Weaving Community exhibit.

Collari, who is charge of the rotating gallery exhibits, said this particular idea had been in the works for about a year and a half, after she viewed a weaving display at Worcester State University. She thought it would be a perfect accompaniment to the looms in storage at ValleyCAST that were once used for classes. She began reaching out to artists, including Jeri Golovin Gillin, who had a weaving piece hanging in the Worcester State display.

Gillin makes wall hangings, scarves and shawls and kitchen textiles inspired by the Maine landscape and is one of several artists from the SAORI Worcester studio featured in the Weaving Community exhibit. The studio specializes in the SAORI technique, a specialized contemporary style that was developed in Japan and focuses more on improvisation.

Rosemary Dziubinski, standing by one of her quilts and holding a basket she made, is one of the artists featured at the ValleyCAST Weaving Community exhibit.

I liked the philosophy of SAORI weaving, said SAORI Worcester owner Mihoko Wakabayashi, explaining that it does not really follow a pattern and is more in the moment.

Born and raised in Japan, Wakabayashi has been weaving for about 30 years. She learned the craft by working with young students in that country who had difficulties in school. In Japan through special education programs, the art of SAORI particularly includes people with physical and developmental disabilities.

The exhibit also offers some history about weaving, such as this display by Susan Johnson, who makes pot holders and bags using a metal loom.

After studying the SAORI method, Wakabayashi opened her studio  the first of its kind in the United States  in 2000 in Worcester. In addition to offering classes and workshops, she hosts numerous exhibits and participates in community events such as stART on the Street. She also developed the SAORI Bridge Project, a banner installation that was on display at Elm Park for two months in 2021 and was funded by The Greater Worcester Community Foundation.

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Wakabayashi was invited to participate in the exhibit by Collari, who recently trained at SAORI Worcester. Its a nice variety of different kinds of weaving, Wakabayashi said of the work on display.

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A highlight of Weaving Community is the floor-to-ceiling loom that was created specifically for the exhibit after Collari saw a picture of a similar one. The loom was constructed by herself and Stephen Paulson, an Upton resident who is an ArtsWorcester and the New England Sculpture Association artist who also works with stained glass and creates found object sculpture. I had a single picture and a big idea, and he and I built it together, Collari said.

Those who attend the exhibit can try weaving on the floor-to-ceiling loom or one of the other looms on display. I always try to put something more approachable and accessible so people can engage with it, especially for the summer concerts because there are so many people here, Collari said.

For exhibitor Morgan Tartakoff, that interactive connection is what she loves about the exhibit and weaving itself, and she is happy to share her knowledge with others. I feel weaving is almost one of those lost arts. I really love the community aspect of it, she said.

Tartakoff, a relief printmaker from Uxbridge, weaves bright and colorful sunflowers. She had always tried to replicate sunflowers with printmaking, but never liked the outcome. When a friend challenged her to try something new, Tartakoff taught herself to weave through YouTube videos and starting making sunflowers.

Isaac and Ava Tartakoff practice weaving on the floor-to-ceiling loom, an interactive part of the Weaving Community exhibit.

I absolutely fell in love with it, specifically the circular weaving, said Tartakoff, who will offer a two-part sunflower workshop on Aug. 1 and 8. "It really isnt that hard. Time-consuming, meditative, but fairly easy once you get the basics figured out.

Her aunt, Rosemary Dziubinski, who resides in Columbia, Connecticut, and is an avid painter and quilter, also has weaving of a different type on display  baskets interlaced with colorful strips of fabric. She originally began basket weaving a number of years ago through an adult education class and loved creating something useful from just a few simple supplies, like willow or poplar. Later, she began to combine her love of painting and quilting with weaving to make her unique baskets.

I just thought it would be fun to put some different things together, she said, estimating that it takes about 10 to 12 hours to make one basket, including dyeing the reeds and weaving the fabric into it.

Rounding out the exhibitors are Flying Shuttles Studio, a nonprofit gallery and shop in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, that was founded by The Arc of Blackstone Valley in 1984, to support artists and weavers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Susan Johnson, who makes potholders and bags on a metal weaving loom and will lead a workshop on Aug. 2, in conjunction with the exhibit.

Weaving Community is open during regular gallery hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until the end of September, and also every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. during the free concert series, which runs until Aug. 31.

Upcoming performances, held at the Dennis H. Rice Community Plaza at Alternatives Whitin Mill, include Chuck & Mud and the Hole in the Dam Band, LeMixx Band, Country Wild Heart Band, Blackstone Valley Bluegrass Band, Claflin Hill Summer Winds, Dynamite Rhythm and The Eagles Experience.

For more information about the exhibit or the summer concert series, or to register for the workshops, please visit https://www.openskycs.org/news-events/events/.

This article originally appeared on Worcester Magazine: ValleyCAST's 'Weaving Community' on display at Whitin Mill gallery
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Twelve Republican state attorneys general are asking a federal court to side with Florida in a legal challenge to a new state law barring land ownership by some Chinese people.

And in a related development, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer on Wednesday said his Chinese immigrant clients and a real estate firm that caters to Chinese people already are facing illegal discrimination under the new law.

Florida is heading into a hearing July 18 on the ACLU's request to block the new law sought earlier this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The U.S. Department of Justice in late June told U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor that the Florida law is discriminatory and therefore violates the U.S. Constitution and federal Fair Housing Act, though the DOJ has not formally intervened in the case.

But the Republican attorneys general told the court late last week that Florida is one of at least 24 states that legally restrict foreign ownership of land along with numerous other countries.

Led by Idaho Attorney General Raul R. Labrador, the Republicans argued in an amicus brief filed July 7 that such state laws are not preempted by federal laws despite such claims by the DOJ and ACLU.

Florida and these other states and countries are not driven by 'racial animus as the Plaintiffs charge," the Idaho attorney general's office wrote. "They are instead fulfilling their most basic state functions by exercising sovereignty over their soil."

Florida and other states also are protecting their citizens from foreign real estate investments that threaten to drive up the price of farmland and housing, the brief said.

Idaho did not list the other 23 states, but a footnote in the brief cited some state statutes including a new Virginia law that prohibits agricultural land ownership by any "foreign adversary" as determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

DeSantis and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said earlier this year the new law was needed to protect Florida's farmland and food supply from the Chinese Communist Party.

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DeSantis, who is running for president, in late June accused the DOJ of siding with the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP.

"As governor, I prohibited CCP-tied entities from buying land in Florida," DeSantis tweeted. "As president, I'll do the same."

Florida officials argued in a court brief last week that Chinese immigrants who claim they face discrimination under the new Florida law are not domiciled in China and therefore are not subject to restrictions. The state says the immigrant clients of the ACLU therefore lack legal standing to sue.

In a response brief filed Tuesday, the ACLU said the state's arguments don't protect its clients from discrimination or prosecution under the new law but do demonstrate how the law is unconstitutionally vague.

Under the law, anyone in Florida buying agricultural land or property within 10 miles of a military base, installation or designated "critical" infrastructure must sign an affidavit saying they are not prohibited under state law from doing so.

The law, which took effect July 1, labels eight nations as a "foreign country of concern": China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela.

According to the law, anyone "domiciled" in those nations who are not "lawful" U.S. residents may not purchase agricultural land after July 1.

The new law, which passed as SB 264 (23R), specifically prohibits those from China from owning additional property or buying more than a single parcel of two acres and that it must be at least five miles from a military installation.

The ACLU reply brief filed Tuesday included emails to ACLU plaintiff client Multi-Choice Realty of Clermont from two lending firms that said they no longer will finance real estate transactions for Chinese citizens because of the new state law.

"We are already seeing the devastating effects for homebuyers and real estate businesses, and we look forward to being in court next week to explain why this unconstitutional law must be halted, Patrick Toomey, deputy director of ACLUs National Security Project, said in a statement Wednesday.

The other states that joined Idaho in filing the brief are Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah.
5 Unexpected Costs of Living Abroad  and How To Save on the Move

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Whether youre moving for business or pleasure, deciding to leave the U.S. and live abroad is a huge change that can come with a lot of expenses. Youve likely thought about general cost of living expenses, such as housing, transportation and food, but theres more than that to consider.

Im a Millionaire: Why Im Not Passing Generational Wealth to My Kids

Learn: How To Get Cash Back on Your Everyday Purchases

The last thing you want with your big move is for it to put you in debt, so you need to be aware of other costs you may face. Heres a look at five unexpected costs of moving abroad you might not be aware of and how to navigate them.

Local Port and Government Fees

Many unexpected costs for international moves often arise at the destination, according to Ross Sapir, founder and CEO at Roadway Moving.

While most people focus on customs clearance, the actual challenges lie in various fees imposed by the local port and government, he said. There can be up to ten different types of fees, such as charges for utilizing port computer systems, printers and other services.

Therefore, he advised conducting thorough research before your move to identify any additional  and sometimes artificially imposed  fees in your new country of residence.

Im a Travel Agent: 7 Costliest Mistakes People Make When Planning Vacations

Additional Moving Costs

Getting your belongings to your new country might only be part of your concern. Sapir said physically moving into your new residence could be trickier than you think.

Pay particular attention to cities in Europe where shuttles or small vans may be required for transportation due to narrow stairs and doors, he said. In many European cities, moving items through windows is necessary due to space constraints.

In fact, he has personal experience with this type of situation.

We encountered such a situation during a move in Italy, where horses were employed and the same was true in Barcelona, he said. When selecting your destination, be mindful of these factors, provide the exact address to the moving company and request upfront and detailed cost explanations, including any optional charges.

He said this level of transparency will allow you to make informed decisions and effectively manage your budget.

Visa Run

You might not currently be familiar with the term visa run, but depending on your visa status, this could become a regular part of your life. Essentially, this involves you having to take a trip out of the country at certain intervals  which vary by country  so you can receive a new visa upon arrival.

Jarrod Partridge, founder of Best in Bali and an expat who has been living in Canggu, Bali, Indonesia for around six years, said this is an often overlooked rite of passage when dreaming of living in paradise.

While we sip coconut water watching the Balinese sunset, the realities of immigration rules may feel a distant concern, he said. Yet, this quirk of expat living can be as rhythmic as the crashing waves.

In his case, he has to take a trip out of the country twice a year. The visa run could be seen as an inconvenience or a spontaneous holiday, he said. Its all about perspective.

However, he said this involves hidden caveats that go beyond the cost of booking a cheap flight to the nearest country.

Beyond travel expenses such as airport transport, flights and accommodation, consider potential lost income due to work disruption, the need to maintain your residence in Bali while youre away, plus, theres the re-entry fee back into Indonesia, he said. However, the visa run is more than just an administrative routine  its a symbol of adaptation, the embodiment of the flexible spirit required to make a new country home.

Health Insurance

The biggest mistake you may make when moving is forgetting to make sure you have health insurance that covers you in your new country, said Joe Cronin, president of International Citizens Group. If your employer has you on a plan, you need to check what is covered, [as] it may be a different level of coverage than what you are used to.

He said not to assume your existing health insurance plan will provide coverage in your new country. Without insurance a minor injury could cost you thousands, while a major uninsured injury could cost you tens of thousands of dollars, he said.

Therefore, he said to consider purchasing an international health insurance plan.

Coverage usually includes in-patient, out-patient, wellness, evacuation, dental and vision treatment, along with premium other benefits, he said. Global policies are often renewable annually for life or until your specified termination date.

Tax Payments

A common mistake that people moving to a new country make is neglecting to file your tax returns in your original home country after moving to another country, Cronin said. This can result in tax return obligations increasing every year with fines and interest.

Additionally, he said you also need to consider tax laws in your new country.

If you are originally from the United States, you can claim a tax credit on your U.S. tax return for some of the taxes that you pay in your new host country, he said. However, these tax credits can only be applied if you pay the same kind of tax in both countries.

Depending on your situation, he said you might also want to consider moving your money to a different type of bank.

If you are dealing with unfavorable tax laws, abnormal inheritance laws or an unstable currency, opening an offshore bank account is an option worth exploring that can save you money, he said. Offshore bank accounts are a great way to keep your savings secure, while also limiting taxes paid on bringing large amounts of money into a country.

Moving abroad is a life-changing experience. Do everything you can to make it enjoyable by learning as much as possible about all costs associated with relocation, so you dont find yourself strapped for cash in your new home country.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Unexpected Costs of Living Abroad  and How To Save on the Move
These are our readers' top-rated recipes from the French chef and restaurateur.

 Maura McEvoy

As Jean-Georges Vongerichten celebrates 50 years of cooking, we're looking back at some of his best recipes in Food & Wine, from fresh salads and starters to flavorful mains, plus a kumquat condiment and cocktail. Channel the chef and restaurateur's French techniques, Asian ingredients, and American influences with shrimp toast, sesame chicken salad, steamed red snapper, and grilled sirloin with a homemade soy sauce. Take it from the entrepreneur behind more than 50 restaurants around the world, these dishes are ideal for entertaining.

Ginger, Green Apple, Sweet Onion, and Coconut Salad

 John Kernick

Start any meal with this tart and sweet salad. The recipe includes Vongerichten's Lemon Verbena Oil and tips for grating your own coconut.

Get the Recipe

Crab Balls with Grapefruit Salad

 Tina Rupp

This dish is inspired by crab and grapefruit tossed with cold glass noodles at the former Spice Market. Vongerichten reconfigured the flavors into crab balls rolled in panko and sesame seeds. The side salad is a fabulous mix of tart (grapefruit), spicy (Thai chile) and sweet (ginger syrup).

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Sesame Chicken Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

 Frances Janisch

Vongerichten prepares a version of this salad with raw bluefin tuna at his flagship restaurant Jean Georges in Manhattan. Here he replaces the fish with chicken breasts crusted with sesame seeds, pan-roasting them until golden and juicy, and drizzling with a dressing brightened by ginger-lime syrup.

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Zucchini Carpaccio

 William Meppem

This simple zucchini, arugula, and Parmesan starter or side takes just 15 minutes, and is mixed with olive oil and lemon juice.

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Spicy Lobster-Noodle Salad

 Cedric Angeles

This cellophane-noodle salad, with creamy avocados, crunchy peanuts, and a chile-honey dressing, is an excellent showcase for lobster. Caribbean spiny or rock lobsters are sweet but can be slightly dense, while Maine lobsters are more tender and just as delicious.

Story continues

Get the Recipe

Chicken with Riesling

 Jim Franco

For this meal, quarter a chicken and simmer it in a skillet with Cognac, Riesling, and shallots. Serve with a creamy mushroom sauce and noodles, spaetzle, rice, or boiled potatoes as desired.

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Steamed Red Snapper with Mushrooms and Ginger

 Lucy Schaeffer

Vongerichten steams snapper fillets in foil packets with a piquant mix of ginger, lemongrass, green Thai chiles, miso, fish sauce, tarragon, scallions, and orange zest. The blend can be made ahead of time and used to flavor other meats like chicken and pork.

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Grilled Sirloin with Shallot Soy Sauce

 Maura McEvoy

The combination of soy and butter is superb. The base for the sauce needs to be refrigerated overnight to develop its flavor fully, so plan accordingly.

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Molten Chocolate Cake

Jennifer Causey

This is the original, supremely rich version of the iconic molten chocolate cake, created by Vongerichten at JoJo. Serve it with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you like.

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Shrimp and Water Chestnut Toasts

 Tina Rupp

At 66, Vongerichten's former luxe Chinese restaurant in downtown Manhattan, he identified this crunchy toast as "New York Chinese." "Shrimp toast doesn't exist in China," he says. "You don't find spaghetti and meatballs in Italy, either." Adding a tiny dice of water chestnuts to the rich shrimp topping makes it extra juicy.

Get the Recipe

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans and Avocado

 Con Poulos

Vongerichten first created this side dish as an all-green one, using pistachios. When I tried it with pecans, though, it was even better, he says. The unconventional combination plays with textures (crisp roasted sprouts, creamy avocado) and flavors: When you roast brussels sprouts, they get sweeter; but when you warm avocado, it gets a little more bitter.

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Kumquat and Pineapple Chutney

 Armelle Habib

Vongerichten's bright, tropical, citrusy condiment can be served with pork or veal chops, duck breasts, cold leftover roasts, cheese plates, or terrines and lasts for a week in the fridge.



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Poached Eggs with Parmesan and Smoked Salmon Toasts

 Tina Rupp

Vongerichten wraps smoked salmon around half of the toasts and sprinkles the rest with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, so it melts and forms a salty crust when baked. He says dipping a French mouillette (crispy toast finger) in a soft egg yolk has to be one of life's great pleasures, and remembers loving this as a kid.

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Slow-Cooked Sweet-and-Sour Pork Shoulder with Pineapple

 Michael Turek

Inspired by the retro combination of ham and pineapple, Vongerichten created this tropical centerpiece by mixing the pineapple with vinegar for a sweet-sour effect and marinating pork shoulder with hot paprika and Sriracha chile sauce.

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White Asparagus and Ham Gratin

 David Prince

Like a frugal Alsatian, Vongerichten uses the asparagus peels to make a fragrant broth. When he adds them to boiling water, their characteristically grassy aroma emerges almost immediately.

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Toasted Coconut Custard Tart

 Cedric Angeles

Vongerichten loves this tart from his friend Maya Gurley of Maya's Restaurant in St. Bart's. The soft custard filling and the caramelized shredded coconut topping have the creamy-crunchy texture of a coconut macaroon. He serves it with a Kiwi, Banana, and Passion Fruit Salad.

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Red Wine Risotto with Mushroom "Marmalade"

 Ellie Miller

An intensely fruity wine like an Amarone boils down to something so rich, it's almost meaty. Vongerichten reduces the Italian red with thin slices of earthy mushrooms, then swirls the purply sauce into a risotto.

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Lemongrass Chicken

 Lucy Schaeffer

This is a good place to start experimenting with fresh spices: The pungent paste is incredibly easy to make, even though it needs a couple of hours to fully flavor the chicken.

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Spinach-Shiitake Bread Puddings

 Lucy Schaeffer

Vongerichten's ramekin-sized treats are a nice touch for any brunch spread. Bake and broil the earthy, cheesy bread pudding in an hour and a half.

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Grilled Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms with Sesame

 Michael Turek

"Hen-of-the-woods are often shredded and sauteed, but when you cook them whole, they become crispy outside and meaty and moist inside," Vongerichten says of his preferred method of preparing the coral-like mushroom. "I'm a purist when it comes to beautiful ingredients, so serving the mushrooms in big clusters keeps them the way they grow in the woods."

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Dark-Chocolate Pudding with Candied Ginger

 Michael Turek

"For me, ginger should be everywhere," says Vongerichten, who garnishes dark-chocolate pudding with candied ginger. "It's as good in marinades and vinaigrettes as it is in dessert."

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Steamed Bass with Onion, Ginger and Scallion

 Alice Gao

Versions of this steamed fish are made all over China, and in Shanghai the recipe always contains a little aged soy sauce. When Vongerichten adapted the dish for his former restaurant, 66, he couldn't find aged soy in New York, so added caramelized onions for sweetness and depth of flavor.

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Kumquat Mojitos

 Lucy Schaeffer

Classic mojitos are made with rum, muddled mint, and limes; Vongerichten keeps things interesting by swapping the limes for tart kumquats and kalamansi concentrate, the frozen juice of the sour Asian citrus fruit.

Get the Recipe

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Read the original article on Food & Wine.
Hawaiian Airlines increases flight frequency this summer, and it plans to receive its first new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and unveil Leihoku business class later this year.

Chad Slattery/Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines A Hawaiian Airline A330 flying over Tunnels Beach in Kauai County, Hawaii

Travel + Leisure readers just named Hawaiian Airlines their favorite domestic airline in our World's Best Awards for the second year in a row, lauding its reliable service, friendly staff, and good onboard food. And while the airline is already considered top dog, it's about to get even better.

This summer, Hawaiian has increased its domestic flight schedule, adding extra weekly flights from Austin, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Pago Pago, American Samoa, to meet increased travel demands. And in August, the airline will boost its routes to several Japanese cities; its route between Honolulu and Osaka will have more flights per day through October. What's more, Hawaiian just launched its first nonstop route from Honolulu to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, making it easier than ever for U.S.based travelers to visit the remote Pacific nation.

ROBERT FERGUSON/Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines The Extra Comfort seats in the Main Cabin on board Hawaiian Airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Later this year, Hawaiian will receive its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, of which the airline has ordered 12 to be delivered through 2027. The aircraft will begin service in early 2024. The most fuel-efficient plane in the Hawaiian fleet, the Dreamliner will introduce a new business-class cabin dubbed Leihoku, which means "lei of stars." This cabin will have 34 lie-flat seats with doors, above which is a simulated sky that includes stars at night, paying homage to the Polynesian wayfinding tradition. Throughout all cabins, the ceiling will be illuminated in colors matching sunrise, sunset, and soft daylight. The cabin design will also feature nature-derived elements inspired by Hawaii, like native plants and black volcanic sands.

ROBERT FERGUSON/Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

ROBERT FERGUSON/Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines The Leihoku Suites in the Premium Cabin on board Hawaiian Airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliners

"The combination of our evocative cabin design and unparalleled service will make our 787 the most relaxing and enjoyable choice for travel to and from Hawaii," Avi Mannis, chief marketing and communications officer at Hawaiian Airlines, said in a statement. "We take pride in sharing our home with our guests, and the design and details of this product truly reflect what it means to be the flagship carrier of the Hawaiian Islands."

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ROBERT FERGUSON/Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

And finally, Hawaiian is making strides toward its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The airline has agreed to purchase 50 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a lower-emission biofuel, from Gevo, Inc., with the first deliveries expected in 2029. Hawaiian has also partnered with Conservation International to allow passengers to offset their flight's carbon footprint, as well as with Jason Momoa's water company Mananalu to remove 284,000 plastic bottles annually from premium cabin service.

Hawaiian Airlines might already have a devout fan base, but with these improvements, travelers have plenty more to look forward to in the coming years.



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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
Did you know you can skip U.S. customs when returning home by instead clearing American customs at the Dublin Airport?

Getty Images

If time is money, the Dublin Airport may provide savings on both when returning back to the United States from a European vacation.



The airports Terminal 2 features a unique U.S. Preclearance facility which allows passengers to clear both U.S. Security (TSA) and U.S. Customs before flying back to the United States. The Dublin Airport and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol both say that travelers can save two hours by using the service.



An informational video that explains the process hosted by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Port Director of U.S. Preclearance at Dublin Airport, Tish Lagerwey, describes the process as simple and fast."

Getty Images

The process requires passengers go through a security screening from the TSA and Customs. Passengers present both their passport and boarding pass. Similar to how Customs operates at international arrival airports, such as JFK or Atlanta, passengers are required to declare purchases made abroad (i.e. watches or purses), possession of more than $10,000 in currency, and any agricultural products (fruits, seeds, or meat).



After clearing the security area, passengers then go through the Duty Free shopping area. Those who have enrolled in the Global Entry program may also use this service within the Dublin Airport for flights returning to the United States, while non-Global Entry passengers will be screened through the traditional U.S. Customs process.



Frequent travelers find the process to be convenient and a huge timesaver.



"Youre treated as domestic arrivals once you arrive in the U.S., meaning you don't have to go through immigration. You just pick up your bags and go.  says Sarah Dekola, a travel expert who goes by MillennialWealthSarah, in a recent social media post summarizing the experience.



EMBED:: https://twitter.com/sarahadekola1/status/1661436559952936960



Travelers should note that the U.S. Preclearance does require (minimal) additional time and planning, as there are a few extra steps before departure. The airport recommends arriving three hours before a scheduled international flight, and allowing more time if a passenger is checking luggage.



While the time savings is helpful for busy travelers, Dublin Airport has also been ranked as one of the most affordable airports to fly out of from Europe to the United States by travel search engine Hopper and CheapFlights. The Dublin Airport reported a total of 28.1 million passengers in 2022, according to airport data. `

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
Its the peak of summer travel, and planes, trains, and hotels are booked to capacity. But that doesnt mean you cant find a good travel dealespecially by using your miles and points. Whether you are booking a last-minute getaway (there are some bargains still to be had) or planning ahead, dont miss these opportunities to multiply your loyalty balance, amplify your credit card perks, and maximize the value of your next big adventure.

Fly to Europe or the Maldives for next to nothing

This month, Air France and KLMs Promo Awards from Flying Blue are available for reservations made by July 31 for travel any time before the end of the year. Among some of the best deals are flights from Boston or Chicago to various cities in Europe like Paris or Amsterdam for as few as 11,250 miles in economy class, each way. Flights from Denver to Europe start at 15,000 miles each way, while those from Austin, Texas, begin at 18,375 miles.

Elsewhere, Qatar Airways currently has wide-open business class space on flights next year to the Maldives, Middle East, and many Asian cities. This includes the airlines highly coveted Qsuites, but youll have to book quickly in order to score one. You can use 70,000 American AAdvantage miles or Qatar Avios points in each direction or 85,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles for one-way redemptions from many of Qatars North American gateways. Using Cathay Pacific Asia Miles from the East Coast? Its only 75,000 miles each way. The best availability is for May and June of 2024, but space is limited and not available on every date or route.

Score bonuses just for creating a loyalty account

Experts will tell you to never bypass signing up for a loyalty program. You never know when you will fly or stay with a brand again, or when that program may merge or create reciprocal perks with another. For example, IHG One Rewards and Iberostar Beachfront Resorts just launched a new partnership; this means any IHG member is eligible to earn points and benefits when staying with Iberostar across its portfolio of hotels in Brazil, the Caribbean, Mexico, Morocco, and Spain, among other destinations. This includes free room upgrades, late checkout, and welcome amenities.

And sometimes, just joining a program can save you cash, too. Between now and July 14, Azamara Circle members can book a cruise and receive double the traditional member discount. This 20% savings offer can be stacked with another bonus for a $600 onboard credit and three free nights available on select sailings. This offer is available just for joining the program.

Leaders Club offers anyone that joins the program free breakfast for two as well as late checkout and early check-in considerations plus potential room upgrades. This can yield several hundred dollars in value since its properties are considered the creme de la creme of hotels (think: Ritz Paris, La Mamounia in Marrakech, and Hotel Fasano in Sao Paulo).

Purchase a cache of miles and pointsthats actually worth the cost

Is it ever a good idea to buy points and miles? Short answer: Yes. But only if you have plans in place to use them. Be sure to compare the cost to buy any miles or points with what the flight or hotel would otherwise cost in cash. In many cases, this roundabout strategy to buy miles and points can slash overall travel spending in half (or even more) if you find the right deal and can confirm that award space is available.

Some valuable promotions that would be worth considering this month include World of Hyatts offer fo a 25 percent bonus when you buy at least 5,000 points between now and Aug. 11. You can then redeem those points for potentially more value at world-famous hotels like the Park Hyatt Tokyo (before it closes in the spring of 2024 for a year-long renovation) or Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort. For $2,640 (including the bonus), you would receive 137,500 points. At the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, a beach villa goes for $750 plus tax per night on many nights in July. With World of Hyatt, it would cost 25,000 points per night. You could redeem 125,000 points for five nights or pay around $4,000 in cash. In this scenario, using points can save some serious cash.

Frequent flier programs offer similar deals. For instance, with the latest offer from Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, you can earn as much as a 60 percent bonus before the end of the month when buying points. If you buy between 3,000 and 19,000 points, the bonus is only 20 percent, but buying at least 100,000 points will yield a 60 percent bonus. Dont forget that you can redeem Virgin Atlantic points on SkyTeam partners like Delta and KLM among others, often at a far better value than redeeming from those airlines own programs. Want to make a reservation using points between the US and the UK using Flying Club points? You can save 30 percent off a redemption for trips completed by before September 30. Reservations must be made before July 24.

Refill your points balance as you travel this summer

There are plenty of ways to pad your loyalty accounts with more points as you vacation this month, thanks to a host of promotions from hotels, credit cards, and airlines.

Members of Leaders Club, the loyalty program for The Leading Hotels of the World, can earn more points with each stay this summer. Between now and September 5, members can earn bonus points based on every subsequent stay. The offer starts with the second stay, which awards 1,000 bonus points. The third stay earns 2,000 extra points; the fourth stay, 3,000 bonus points. You can then redeem those points at world-class properties like Villa La Massa near Florence or Reverie Saigon in Vietnam.

Qantas is offering double points for members using any remaining travel credits from the past three years to make a reservation before July 31 on a Qantas-coded flight. The 200 percent bonus offer is available for travel through July 18, 2024. Be sure to register for the offer before booking the trip this month.

Transferring American Express Membership Rewards points to British Airways or Iberia Avios accounts will net a 30 percent bonus for transactions made before August 31. You can then use these points any time for redemptions on Oneworld alliance flights.

If youre more of a Chase Ultimate Rewards fan, Chase cardholders can move points from their credit card account to Air Canadas Aeroplan and receive a 20 percent bonus if completed before the end of July.

Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler
(Photo Credit: Kathleen Reeder Wildlife Photography / Getty Images)

An 11-year-old dog named Rosie survived a mountain lion attack in Questa, New Mexico, KRQE reports. The attack occurred on July 7, 2023. Soon afterwards, Rosie  a Pit Bull Terrier  was rushed to Taos Veterinary Clinic. Once there, she underwent a seven-hour surgery and received more than 100 stitches.

Sharon Borges runs the animal rescue Run Around Dog Town in Costilla. She initially thought Rosie had been in a dog fight. It was later that she realized the bite and claw marks were consistent with a mountain lion attack. Borges said, I started looking at her, and I picked her chin up. She had claw marks like she was filleted. She had  bite marks.

Questa Police say that Rosie may not be the only victim of the mountain lion. Authorities have received reports of other dogs going missing in the area.

A GoFundMe Is Set Up To Help

Chris Williams, who also works with Run Around Dog Town, said that donations helped pay for Rosies $1,400 medical bill. The organization has created a GoFundMe page in case someone else becomes a victim of a mountain lion attack.

After a recent mountain lion attack on a local dog, we decided to try and create a fund to help offset the cost of vet bills for local pets in this low income area, Williams said. Many beloved pets in the area arent getting the care they need after an accident or in this case, an attack simply because most residents in this rural community simply cannot afford it. In an attempt to reduce the number of pets being put down or shot because no other option is available, were going to start this fund. Hopefully with the help of all you large hearted pet lovers out there.

What To Do If You See a Mountain Lion

If you see a mountain lion, do not approach it.

Mountain lions are on the list of wild animals that will attack your dog.

According to the USDA Forest Service, if you encounter a mountain lion, do not run. Attempt to remain calm and back away slowly while you keep eye contact. Their advice is to do all you can to appear large. The service suggests you stand upright, raise your arms, raise your walking stick, open your jacket. They further caution people to never bend over or crouch down, avoid looking like a four-legged prey animal.

If you believe your pet has been attacked by a mountain lion or any other wild animal, contact your local animal control agency or wildlife officials immediately.

The post Dog Survives Mountain Lion Attack appeared first on DogTime.
Cairo Egypt

Egypts Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recently announced that Egypt welcomed over seven million tourists in the first half of 2023. The number sets a new record, surpassing the figures of the previous year by a significant margin.

Ahmed Issathe, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, commended the efforts of the tourism private sector and the Permanent Council for Hotel and Resort Permits for their role in attracting visitors. In a routine meeting with the council, Minister Issathe emphasized the collaboration between the private sector and relevant authorities, which has placed Egypt in a well-deserved competitive position among the worlds major tourism destinations.

The minister also highlighted the ongoing cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to increase the number of available seats from countries that contribute a significant number of tourists to Egypt.

Egypt Expects 15 Million Tourists in 2023

A statement from the ministry emphasized the diversity and consistency of tourism markets, with a notable increase in the number of visitors and nights spent in the country. As the government had projected 15 million tourists to visit Egypt in 2023, the country remains on track to achieve this target if its performance in the second half of the year aligns with the impressive numbers from the first half.

In April, Egypt experienced an extraordinary influx of tourists, welcoming a record-breaking 1.35 million visitors. The total number of tourists in 2022 amounted to 11.7 million, marking a substantial 46.2 percent increase compared to the previous years figure of eight million.

The North African country relies heavily on the tourism industry. Both the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict had a negative impact on the industry. Tourism from Russia and Ukraine is significant to Egypts economy. Egypts diverse attractions, including ancient ruins, stunning beaches, and vibrant cities like Cairo and Luxor, continue to draw tourists from around the world.
Fur sales are in steady decline, but according to the head of the industrys international trade organization, it has little to do with animal rights activism or changing mores about killing animals.

Instead, Mark Oaten, CEO of the International Fur Federation, says the chief culprits are a declining Chinese economy, Russias invasion of Ukraine, global warming and Covid, which on top killing 7 million people worldwide, resulted in the culling of 17 million mink when the virus infected 200-plus farms in Denmark and cost the industry more than $2 billion.

More from Sourcing Journal

I understand why the government panicked that way. The rest of Europe took a different view on it, but I dont overly criticize them because I realize there were tough choices to be made, Oaten told Sourcing Journal. That was just a bad call.

Oaten said fur was a $33 billion business in 2018, down from a near record-high of $44 billion in 2017. The slowest growth rate for the Chinese economy since the fall of the Berlin Wall began furs downfall in 2018, and by the time Covid erupted, it had fallen below $20 billion.

We came out of Covid and had a huge boom of what the luxury industry calls revenge buying, said Oaten, who estimates furs current global value at $20 billion. Then, we saw the market dip again because a lot of our business is done in and around Russia.

Russia is also the worlds largest source of prized sable fur, with some coats going for as much as $100,000.

Oaten blames even warmer weather ahead of the animal rights movement for furs recent decline.

If we get a very mild winter in New York or Beijing, that has much more of an impact on our sales than a PETA campaign, Oaten said. The one counter I would say to that is that if PETA and others persuade a Macys or Bloomingdales to drop fur, then obviously that reduces the opportunity for the consumer to buy at those shops, but it doesnt stop the consumer from wanting [fur].

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Nick Pologeorgis, whose father opened Pologeorgis Furs in the Garment District of Manhattan in 1960, said activists have been successful in bullying department stores out of carrying furs. He has a storefront in Greenwich, Connecticut, and an eighth-floor showroom on 29th Street in Manhattan.

The consumer really hasnt changed their mentality; its the stores that dont want to be bullied, Pologeorgis told Sourcing Journal. I have people coming in from all over the country now that cant find [fur] within their normal channels.

Simon Cheisomaleitnis at Furs by George said the industry misses the days before the anti-fur movement compelled virtually every department store besides Dillards to go fur-free.

An advertising sign featuring former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath promotes fur products in the Manhattan in 2019.

No ones doing the volume they did back then. If theyre doing a million dollars a year [now], they were doing $5 or $6 million back then, Cheisomaleitnis told Sourcing Journal.

Cheisomaleitnis traces the decline of fur to globalization of the 1980s.

The Koreans were allowed to enter the market and undercut us with labor drastically, he said. So a coat that would cost us $5,000 to make, they would sell retail for $3,500. That really put the nail in the coffin.

Cheisomaleitnis said these days hes seeing a change in the fur coat buyer. What used to be a 99 to 1 female-to-male ratio of coat customers is now closer to 50/50.

Were shooting our new catalog and were having male models do it, he said.

Pologeorgis said hes seeing female customers migrate toward smaller fur pieces, as well as throw pillows and other housewares. He said coat wearers gravitate toward shearlings, which is to say sheepskin with the wool still attached. Macys and many other department stores that have parted ways with fur, still carry shearling, even though it, too, requires killing the animal. The use of the animal for food in addition to its skin allows shearling to be called ethically raised.

Pologeorgis sees that distinction as hypocritical, along with faux furs made from eco-unfriendly polyester, modacrylic and acrylic fibers.

[Anti-fur activists] can say whatever they want, theyre destroying the environment slowly, Pologeorgis said, questioning the sustainability of microfiber-shedding faux fur products.

Oaten said one of his biggest failures is not promoting fur as sustainable. He contends fur is a friend to the planet, and says many trapped animals likely would be culled according to government conservation plans. It really bugs me when you see a brand like Versace saying theyre giving up fur because they want to be more sustainable and then they switch to a plastic, fake alternative, he said.

Anti-fur advocates counter that a majority of the harvested animals are caged on farms where pollution and overfeeding create a higher carbon footprint. Richard Bissett with Respect for Animals, Britains leading anti-fur organization, calls furs conservationist play a desperate canard.

Having lost the argument on animal welfare, the fur industry tries to present itself as green, Bissett told Sourcing Journal. However, this amounts to nothing other than greenwashing of what actually is a resource-intensive, highly polluting industry, which has little regard for its impact on biodiversity and the environmentand no plan to reduce this impact.

Oaten said animal welfare activists cause fashion executives to panic, but he insists the anti-fur movement is not the reason for falling sales.

LVMH are big supporters, Fendi, Dior and others report anecdotally very strong sales in New York, he said. Sothe very high luxury end seems to be doing really well. I would say the mid-market level is struggling a little bit, but thats probably due to people having less cash in their pockets.

Demonstrators from In Defense of Animals holds a sign as police officers block the entrance to Neiman Marcus in San Francisco in 2022 for an anti-fur protest.

Bissett doesnt buy that take either. Respect for Animals research shows that more than 70 percent of people in North America and Europe oppose killing animals for their fur, including 71 percent in the U.S. and 79 percent in Canada. Russia was the only country polled that did not have a majority opposing fur at 48 percent with France a close second at 51 percent.

There are strong ethical reasons for doing this due to the inherent cruelty involved in the fur industry, but also it makes sense for brands to go fur free for economic reasons: consumers dont want fur products, Bissett said. Ultimately, though, we need legislators to take the key step to outlaw fur farming and fur trapping, as well as the trade in these cruel and unnecessary products.

One major legislative victory for the anti-fur movement came this year when California enacted a statewide ban on the manufacture and sale of new furs that previously only applied to the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. In 2019 there were attempts to pass similar bills in New York City and at the state level, but both ultimately failed due to strong cultural connections to fur in the Black and Jewish communities, and, as Cheisomaleitnis points out, perhaps also due to the New Yorks long fur history and a longtime workforce that still exceeds 1,000. He questions what would happen to people who work in the fur business if the industry dries up.

A bill before the New York state assembly since March 2021, sponsored by Democratic Senator Jabari Brisport of Brooklyns 25th Senate District, has yet to make it out of committee.

Cheisomaleitnis, whose family has been in the fur business for more than 75 years, said Furs by George had planned on opening a warehouse in California before the statewide ban was enacted.

As much as I can understand both sides, its just slowly, slowly dying, Cheisomaleitnis said. Boutiques that take individual orders will soon all be thats left of fur in the Garment District, he added. But running stores out of business wont curb the global demand for fur, as stores selling cheaper versions from China will take his place.

Bissett said the European Union is on the fast track to going fur-free. There, 1.5 million signatures were recently collected asking the government to forbid fur products in all member nations. In Lithuania, a bill to ban fur harvesting passed its second reading. Europe is the destination for much of the worlds imported fur.

Bissett said that government regulations aside, economic forces are driving fur farmers to grow strawberries or brew beer to make ends meet, another sign of how outdated the fur industry really is.

Saga Furs recently held an auction, the largest of its kind in the world. Of the 5 million mink pelts and half-a-million fox and finnraccoon skins up for bid, 76 percent of the former were purchased and 60 percent of the others for $101 million total, down from $132 million at the auction three months earlier.

Shockingly, there were over 5 million skins offered at just one auction, which is a shocking number, and further highlights that these animals are cruelly raised or trapped and then killed just for a product we dont really need, Bissett said. Those of us who campaign across the cruel fur trade do so in the full knowledge that we are working to put ourselves out of a job. Thats something we would happily take if it meant a fur-free world.

Oaten said he believes people will still be wearing furs in 50 years.

As long as we continue to keep our standards high, and if we can try to get our messaging across about it being a sustainable item, as opposed to a fast fashion item, I think we have a good, long and healthy future, he said. But if I want to be critical of my organization and myself, its that weve struggled with that message at times.

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Its the end of the red carpet  for now.

The star-studded cast of Oppenheimer walked out early from the London premiere on Thursday night, as Hollywood went on strike at midnight in its biggest labor action since 1960.

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The dressing credits still went out. Florence Pugh wore a fiery red Valentino gown, and Cillian Murphy a menacing-looking black suit, transparent shirt and bolo tie by Saint Laurent. But they may be the last celebrity red carpet dressing communiques from luxury brands for a while.

On Friday, actors joined writers in shutting down Hollywood with the unions taking action against streaming services pay, the future use of AI in production and more.

The strike means talent cannot walk the Venice and Toronto red carpets, take part in Emmy For Your Consideration campaigns or the upcoming Comic-Con convention. Negotiations, auditions, rehearsals and fittings are also banned, according to SAG-AFTRA strike rules.

(L to R) Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh at the U.K. Premiere of Oppenheimer at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on Thursday in London. (Photo by Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage)

Lisa Rinna, who was slated to cohost a store opening party with Philipp Plein on Friday night in L.A., canceled, perhaps to avoid the appearance of partying with the famously glitzy designer on the first day of the strike, while actors are fighting for their livelihood. Over the weekend, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher landed in hot water for glamming it up with Kim Kardashian in an Instagram post from Dolce & Gabbanas ultra-luxe Alta Moda show in Italy.

But the celebrity fashion social swirl isnt going quiet.

According to industry sources, under strike rules, actors can still do any commercial or fashion campaign, and do press for those brand partnerships. But they cannot answer questions that are in promotion of TV or film projects. Talent can go to events for a fashion brand, to fashion shows and dinners, but any media questions on the sidelines of the Givenchy cocktail party on Rodeo Drive next week, for example, will have to be light and airy  or pertain to theater, music, podcast or book projects.

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Several luxury brands are hosting events here in the coming days, including Givenchy and Hermes, and time will tell whether it becomes difficult to get talent to attend because of optics (not to mention getting people to shop for Birkins, though Hollywoods highest rollers are not likely to feel the financial pinch).

Stars are hitting the picket lines at Netflix, Amazon, Paramount, Disney, Fox and more, and perhaps, like Writers Guild of America members who have been striking since May, their looks will be documented on the Instagram style account @PicketFits. (It wouldnt be surprising to see a tone-deaf PR blast go out about what theyre wearing on the picket line, either.)

Much of the Hollywood image-making machine will shut down, too.

A press tour is a no-go for Haunted Mansion, the film based on the Disney theme park ride, which promised to be a menswear bonanza, with stars Jared Leto, LaKeith Stanfield, Ryan Gosling and Owen Wilson.

Disney chief executive officer Bob Iger called the unions demands unrealistic. Its very disturbing to me. Weve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges were facing, the recovery from COVID[-19] which is ongoing; its not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption, he told CNBC.

Without major events to dress for, many stylists will be out of work; hair and makeup people, too.

Behind the scenes at talent agencies, however, fashion dealmaking is already accelerating.

Agents who negotiate commercial deals have been more active than ever in recent months, trying to open up new streams of revenue for talent making diminishing returns on film and TV. The pressure is on to score mega deals like United Talent Agencys Timothee Chalamet Bleu de Chanel ambassadorship, and get talent more creative roles at brands, like Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton and Future at Lanvin.

Without work in the immediate future, clients who been selective in the brand space may be more inclined to make deals and attend fashion shows. After all, while strike rules prevent talent from promoting projects, they dont say anything about promoting themselves. Giving an interview on a daily beauty regimen or love of dogs may suddenly become a lot more attractive (and media outlets will need the content). There could be a return to pandemic-era, at-home social media fashion shoots, too. And everything promotion-wise that has already shot is embargoed, so those September magazine covers pegged to movies and TV will still be a go.

Fashion and Hollywood could get even cozier if rumors first reported by Bloomberg are true that Kering chairman and chief executive officer Francois-Henri Pinault is taking a majority stake in Creative Artists Agency, the agency that represents his wife Salma Hayek.

The Kering luxury group already has a foothold in Hollywood as a major sponsor of the Cannes Film Festival, with its Women in Motion program showcasing female actors, filmmakers and producers. Kering brand Gucci is the longtime sponsor of the LACMA Art + Film gala in L.A., and Saint Laurent recently launched a film production subsidiary headed by artistic director Anthony Vaccarello, releasing Strange Way of Life by Pedro Almodovar, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.

CAA would not comment, Kering denied any involvement of the group, and a spokesperson for Francois-Henri Pinault and his investment company Artemis declined to comment. But if the deal goes through, CAA clients would likely have a leg up on deals and campaigns for Kering brands.

Of course, WME has had a piece of the fashion world since 2013, when the agency bought IMG Worldwide and its runway events, including New York Fashion Week.

WMEs newly organized fashion division brings the companys representation and management areas together with its events business. When the spring 2024 shows roll around in September, stars may find they have more time on their hands to attend  or even design. Get ready, Angelina Jolie is already whipping up her first collection with Chloe.

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Click here to read the full article.
A shot of a double bed in a room in the hotel NoMad London. Sparkling wine sits in an ice bucket on a side table in the forground, and in the background is one of NoMad's signature double beds

Theres nothing like a great sleep in an incredible hotel. But it doesn't come down to the beautiful room, a stunning view, or the fresh breeze blowing in off the sea. Most likely, it's thanks to one specific thing: the hotels bedding of choice.

Thats why I turned to a few beautiful hotels from around the world for inspiration. I heard from top hoteliers and hotel managers about the sheets and mattresses they use in their gorgeous rooms. Even better, I also managed to wheedle them into giving up a few style tips for making a hotel-quality bed at home.

I've also gone back through our top tested bedding content so you can recreate the looks for yourself. Whether you've got expensive taste or need bedding on a budget, there are a few ways you can get that hotel quality in your home with the best bed sheets and the best mattresses.

From London to Florida to the tropical beaches of the Maldives, this is how the pros make luxurious sleepscapes.

Its all about the thread count

A bed at NoMad London next to two bedside tables decorated with antique lamps and flowers

According to Christopher Perone, General Manager of NoMad London, the truest secret to success when it comes to a luxury bed is picking the best bedding material. That's why quality bedding with a high thread count is key.

At NoMad London, we use linen from Gailarde's Coze Linen with a 300 thread count, says Perone. Thread count isn't everything, however. Thread count is just the number of threads per square inch. That means that some bad sheets have a really high thread count - they use thin fibers, and can fit much of these per square inch, so they technically have a really high thread count. However, they aren't actually comfortable. 300-500 is a good rule of thumb.

Best cotton bed sheets overall

Brooklinen Luxe Core Sheet Set

Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King

Material: 100% long-staple cotton sateen

Colors: 13

OEKO-TEK certified: Yes

+ Luxurious 480 thread count

+ Beautiful limited-edition colors and patterns

- Prone to wrinkling

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Soft, smooth, and incredibly cozy, the Brooklinen Luxe Sateen bed sheet set excelled on test. Simple, with no fluffs or overcomplicated designs, it has a high-end quality feel thanks to a 480 thread count.

Softest cotton bed sheets

Beddable Beige Core Bedding Set

Sizes: Twin, queen, king

Material: 100% long-staple cotton

Colors: 14

OEKO-TEK certified: Yes

+ Soft to the touch

+ Washes well

- Needs ironing

Beddable bedding sets are the softest our bedding expert Louise has ever slept under, and are the sheets she reaches for in the winter. They launder well with no pilling, and they have a 400 thread count.

Go for a relaxed vibe

While some hotels pride themselves on crisp corners and perfectly tucked duvets, Perone points out that this doesnt exactly work with the NoMads overall relaxed aesthetic. In fact, it probably wouldnt work in your home, either.

At NoMad, we maintain a more residential approach for making our bedsnot tucking the duvet in all around, he says. This helps achieve this more elegant relaxed visual.

The headboard sets the stage

A bed at NoMad Lonon, showing the detail on the leather headboard

Of course, mattresses and linens and pillow firmness are all key to consider when creating the perfect bed. But Perone says theres one thing NoMad London also takes into careful consideration: their headboards.

Our headboard is an embossed, distressed leather with nailheads, he says. Its both comfortable and a signature design element that has travelled across all NoMad Hotels.

'Hotels aspire to create a sleep sanctuary

A bed in an ette Hotel True King Suite

Alex Ekbatani, CEO of the Florida-based ette Hotel, says the true mark of a great hotel is one that prioritizes the sleep of its guests. Hotels aspire to create a sleep sanctuary for guests filled with luxurious comfort, leaving an indelible mark on their overall experience, he says.

For ette, this means their bedding partnership with the brand Frette is a mustand its one that expands even further than their pillowcases. As Ekbatani explains, the pair created everything from bed and bath linens to pool and gym towels, robes, slippers, and table linens. We're yet to put Frette to the test, but their Grace Sheet Set looks incredible - though for $1575 a set you might be better off with other sateen sets like Ettitude's Signature Sateen Sheet Set - it's $1400 less expensive.

Its all in the details

If you picture the perfect hotel bed, you probably envision something crisp, white, and impossibly fluffy. But as Ekbatani explains, its so much more than that.

From fabrics to design and the overall feel of textures, it's all in the details, he says, specifically citing the choice of fabrics, design, and the tactile qualities of textures. The meticulous selection of cotton sateen linens, adorned with an elegant saddle white rim of embroidery and featuring the distinctive Ette logo on the pillows, speaks to the commitment to excellence.

Dont forget the accent pieces

Sometimes, what really sets a hotel bed apart are the finishing touches. To get a similarly polished look at home, Ekbatani says its important to embrace the chance to add some personality and playfulness to your own bed. Think colorful throw pillows like this accent pillow at Nordstrom or a patterned throw like this at Anthropologie.

These vibrant additions not only serve as an expression of personal style but also provide the freedom to switch them seasonally, effortlessly transforming the mood and ambiance of the bedroom, he says. Discover the joy of adding that final touch, breathing new life into your bed with each passing season.

Use a mix of soft and firm

An image of a True Queen suite at ette

At ette, Ekbatani reveals that the secret to their bedding success is all in striking the right balance.

We advocate for a balanced blend of soft and firm pillows, tailored to meet the unique preferences of each client, he says. The firm pillows serve as an ideal canvas for showcasing the artful display of decorative shams and other design embellishments.

Beyond the decorative pillows, though, is what Ekbatani calls the real heart of their bedding: the linens. [These are] meticulously crafted from luxurious 100% cotton sateen, which effortlessly combines comfort and elegance, he says. In addition, our robes and towels also boast the same exceptional quality, enveloping you in the embrace of pure cotton softness.

Aim for softness, support, and durability

A shot of a Sunset Over Water Villa at St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort

If your true goal is to parallel the most upscale resort option available, then youll want to follow the advice of Vincent Pauchon, General Manager at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.

According to Pauchon, the reason their beds are so incredible is all thanks to the commitment to quality at each and every level. This includes mattresses that combine memory foam and pocket springs, cotton linens that were selected for their softness and durability, and pillows made with a variety of filling options, from goose down to hypoallergenic materials.

The mattress should provide ample support and comfort, says Pauchon. The linens should be made with high-quality materials that are soft and breathable, and pillows should be available in a variety of filling options to suit different preferences.

Incredible bedding is a worthy investment

A A John Jacob Astor Estate King Suite Bedroom at Sunset at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort

If youre working with a budget, Pauchon says to focus your bedding investments on the key elements: sheets, pillows, and mattress.

Consider investing in high-quality linens made with cotton or silk, he says. Look for pillows with different filling options to find one that suits your needs. A quality mattress is also essential for a good night's sleep.

At St. Regis, this means 400 thread-count cotton sateen linens, pillows with a variety of filling options, and mattresses designed to offer support and comfort. And yes, you can buy the full St. Regis bed online. This includes the official St. Regis mattress, featuring a plush euro top, as well as the complete bedding set by Frette. However, a queen will set you back $3,900. If you want to save a lot more, try our favorite-ever mattress. The Saatva Classic is more than half that, bringing luxury without the price tag.

Best mattress overall

Saatva Classic Mattress

The Saatva Classic ranks top of our best mattress guide. It brings true luxury at a more reasonable price point than other top-end mattresses.

Read the full Saatva Classic Mattress review to find out more.

Best value hybrid mattress

Dreamcloud Luxury Hybrid

Because of their high-tech design, hybrid mattresses can get expensive. This Dreamcloud mattress is much cheaper than most hybrids on the market, but just as comfortable.

Find out more in our Dreamcloud luxury hybrid mattress review

Best memory foam mattress

Nectar Original foam mattress

To save even more money, Nectar's Original mattress is usually around the $700 mark. It's best for aches and pains and though it's only anecdotal, lots of people have found it helped their back pain.

More details in our Nectar original foam mattress review

Whether you follow one specific hotel's guide for the ultimate bedding experience or you aim for a luxurious mix of all of the above, one thing's for sure. A great night of sleep is in your future.
That summer road trip with the family doesnt need to be stressful. One travel writer, and a father of two, shares his secrets to pulling off a successful  and screen-free!  drive.

ILLUSTRATION BY FERNANDO COBELO

Maybe its my own childhood that makes me so wary of screens in a car. Back then, my family and I would be packed into a 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle, the dog and the hamster cage in our laps in the back, for epic 1,000-mile journeys between New York and Florida. Yet I have joyful memories of those long slogs, which left me with a lifelong lust for the window seat.

Today, my family takes our road trips in a full-featured minivan, which even has a screen for each passenger that drops down from the ceiling. Not that my two kids, aged four and six, know theyre there. Since 2020, weve logged thousands of miles on road trips from our home in Charleston to places as distant as Montana and Baja California, Mexico.

These trips with little ones in tow mightve been easier with a stream of PBS Kids, but my wife and I have resisted the urge to switch on the screens. After all, we put reasonable limits on their TV time at home, usually around an hour per sitting. Why not in the vehicle, too?

So far, its worked. Heres a closer look at the bag of tricks we pack in the space between our captains chairs up front.

Hands-on activities

Weve found that variety is the key to keeping our kids engaged. Coloring books are a go-to, with sets of Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils, which are self-sharpening (and dont leave me having to wipe marks off the vans interior). We also like the series Paint by Sticker from Workman Publishing Co., which lets kids create masterpieces as they match stickers with their numbered spots. Scratch & Sketch books are another fun alternative, as are the choices for both pre-K and elementary-school kids from Highlights Hidden Pictures.

On past trips, Ive learned the hard way how difficult it is to recover a small toy part thats fallen between seats. These days, we pack toys without detachable pieces. Magnatab, for example, has a variety of boards that let kids practice letters or numbers, or simply draw, with a magnetic stylus and metal beads that wont go missing. We go for nostalgic classics, too: I think every family car should have an Etch A Sketch, a Magna Doodle, and a Wooly Willy.

Story continues

Family games

On more scenic stretches of road, we find the best way to inspire wonder and appreciation is a family game focused on looking out the window. Travel bingo boards from Regal Games have hardly changed in decades but are still a hit; we carry both the interstate version and the classic edition. We also swear by the traditional Alphabet Game, in which players have to find all 26 letters, in order, on passing signs. (In our van, we only allow letters from license plates if theyre on vanity tags!)

Story time

Audio can fill the hours while still allowing little eyes to watch the world pass by  and its a good choice for kids who might otherwise get motion sickness. Ours are obsessed with Maked Up Stories, a podcast by a dad who takes a prompt from his kids and spins a yarn for 10 minutes or so. NPRs But Why is another good one that helps parents by answering questions like Why do pigs oink? and Are seeds alive? Wondery has a wide range of kids podcasts, for both young children and tweens, on all sorts of topics.

Tonies characters are more hands-on: theyre programmed with 16 to 50 minutes of songs and stories, and they work in concert with a fabric-wrapped speaker box that also has a headphone jack. Kids are in control of their story choices, whether its with a classic character such as Peter Rabbit or Red Riding Hood, or a contemporary Disney favorite such as Elsa or Moana. (We pack a headphone splitter that lets both our kids listen at the same time.)

Rest-stop game plans

We rely on a big-picture strategy when it comes to taking breaks. Even if the days goal is to drive 500 miles, well need to pull over plenty for restrooms. We try not to waste our time milling around anonymous gas-station parking lots. Instead, we search for worthwhile attractions on Atlas Obscura, which chronicles quirky and intriguing places around the world, such as the roadrunner statue made from old bric-a-brac right off I-10 just west of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Other road-trip-friendly examples include the Archway, an attraction that spans I-80 in Nebraska, or the incredible City Museum, a hands-on institution off I-70 in St. Louis. Atlas Obscura also spotlights hundreds of locations important to Black and Indigenous history, including many in North America.

A well-stocked library

Because our kids enjoy reading in the car, we always visit the library before departure to stock up on new books. And while it tests the boundaries of screen-free, well use the Libby app to download e-books, too.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline No iPad Required."

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
FILE - A JetBlue Airbus A320 taxis to a gate after landing, Oct. 26, 2016, as an American Airlines jet is seen parked at its gate at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Fla. JetBlue on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, said it won't appeal a judge's ruling against its partnership with American Airlines, effectively dropping the deal in an effort to salvage its purchase of Spirit Airlines. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

NEW YORK (AP) 

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways will end their partnership in the Northeast next week, after a judge ruled that the deal violates antitrust law.

JetBlue said Friday that it will end codesharing  the practice of selling seats on each others flights  and reciprocal frequent-flyer benefits on July 21.

Customers who already bought a ticket through the partnership will have until that date to add their frequent-flyer number to the booking to get points in their account, the airline said.

A federal judge in Boston ruled in May that the airlines must disband their agreement, called the Northeast Alliance. The Justice Department sued to kill the deal, which began in early 2021 and is focused on flights in New York and Boston, saying it would limit competition and hurt consumers by driving up prices.

American plans to appeal the ruling, but JetBlue announced last week that it would not appeal and would instead turn its focus to saving its proposed $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines. The Justice Department has also sued to block that deal, and a trial is scheduled for October.
Indian paramilitary soldiers inspect the site of a car bomb explosion in Kwakta, some 50 kilometers from Imphal, capital of the northeastern Indian state of Manipur on June 22. Manipur is caught in a deadly conflict between two ethnic communities that have armed themselves and launched brutal attacks against one another. The clashes, which have left at least 120 dead by the authorities' conservative estimates, persist despite the armys presence. Credit - Altaf QadriAP

The Indian state of Manipur is on the verge of civil war. In the last few weeks, more than 250 churches have been torched, more than 100 people killed, and more than 40,000 people displaced. Yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasnt said a single word in public about itlet alone visited the conflict-ridden region.

The world has largely remained silent about the unrest in Manipur between the predominantly Hindu Meitei, who form a bare majority in the state, and the mostly Christian Naga and Kuki tribes.

My organization, Hindus for Human Rights, is doing all we can to wake the world up to the crisis in Manipur and the broader threat to democracy in India. We mobilize Hindus to draw on the pluralistic teachings of our faith and oppose the Hindu nationalism of Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. We co-led a protest at the White House during Modis visit to the United States last month, at which members of the heartbroken Manipuri diaspora asked, Modi, Biden, are you listening? Is anybody listening?

Dozens of houses are seen vandalized and burnt following ethnic clashes and rioting in Sugnu, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur on June 21. Altaf QadriAP

It is for these reasons that we are encouraged by the European Parliaments decision on Wednesday to urgently discuss the crisis in Manipur, with a vote on a resolution expected on Thursday. This is a welcome development at a time when French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to roll out the red carpet for Modi in Paris during his state visit from July 13 to 14 to mark Bastille Day, and following weeks of silence from world leaders as Modi traversed the globe with trips to Australia, Egypt, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and the U.S.

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For those unfamiliar with the current crisis in Manipur, it reflects the complex dynamics at the heart of Indias easternmost state. Manipur joined India in 1949, over the objections of many Manipuris, especially in the Naga community. It has experienced secession movements, ethnic rivalries, and serious human rights violations by Indian security forces and the military ever since then.

Residents of Churachandpur take part in a silent march while carrying dummy coffins to commemorate all the tribal people who lost their lives in the ethnic clashes in Manipur on June 23. Biplov BhuyanSOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

While Hindu nationalism was not the original cause of Manipurs problems, its certainly exacerbating things now. The most recent wave of violence came in April after Manipurs High Court upheld a BJP-led state government policy to grant Meiteis Scheduled Tribe status. This policy would grant the non-tribal community constitutional rights reserved for the minority Naga and Kuki tribes, especially access to land. Naga and Kuki community leaders fiercely oppose this proposal, and argue that it would defeat the purpose of acknowledging historically marginalized groups.

Over the past two months, protests against this policy have spun into a series of violent attacks, reprisals, and even calls for war. Neither the BJP-led state government nor the central one has provided meaningful support to the countless Manipuris caught in the violence.

Now, in response to the European Parliaments deliberations on Manipur, the Indian government has retained a European lobbying firm, which has urged the European Parliament to discuss the matter with India before any resolution is passed. Modi neither wants to publicly discuss Manipur nor have Europe discuss it.

Zuan Vaiphei, 32, left, an armed tribal Kuki, keeps a watch on rival Meitei community bunkers, along a de facto frontline which dissect the area into two ethnic zones in Churachandpur, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur on June 20. Two months ago, Vaiphei was teaching economics to students when the simmering tensions between the two communities exploded. Altaf QadriAP

Thats why Macron should raise the matter during Modis visit to Paris. The European Parliaments deliberations add political cover to Macron for a diplomatically sensitive visit. And raising the matter is in the spirit of Bastille Day, which marks the beginning of the French revolution and Frances transition to liberal democracy.

Promoting liberte, egalite, and fraternitethe motto of the French revolutionis the non-negotiable duty of every French leader. Macron, who is on shaky ground over the police killing of a teenager and ramming through an unpopular hike in the retirement age, has a chance to demonstrate his commitment to liberalism and democracy by pushing Modi to end his silence on Manipur. The ball is in Macrons court on Bastille Day.
If he could have it his way, the chef would open a restaurant every month.

Courtesy of Jean-Georges Restaurants

Its July 14, 1973, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten is washing dishes to kick off an apprenticeship at Auberge de l'Ill in Alsace, France. Its not a grand entrance into the industry. The only thing I wanted to do was leave my parents house. I wanted to live my life, he says half a century later, grinning from the window booth at Happy Monkey.

The Latin restaurant with live music, margaritas, and stellar seafood debuted in Greenwich, Connecticut, in May 2022, followed just two months later by the chefs massive Tin Building marketplace in Manhattans Seaport District  a project with 12 dining concepts and four bars. Thats more than a dozen debuts last year.

After opening 50 restaurants worldwide by his 50th year of cooking milestone, Vongerichten still says that first day in Alsace is when hed made it. Right away I knew, this is it. Im out. I can do whatever I want.

Related: 23 Jean-Georges Vongerichten Recipes

And he did, cooking on a ship in the French army and then for his mentor Louis Outhier and Paul Bocuse at three-Michelin-starred L'Oasis in the South of France, followed by Eckart Witzigmann in Munich. Reuniting with Outhier at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, Vongerichten would open the chef's restaurants around Asia from 1979 to 1985, when he moved to Boston to cook at Le Marquis de Lafayette. There he hired Pierre Schutz, who would join Vongerichten in New York, eventually as his chef at Vong for 15 years and The Mark Restaurant for the last 13 years.

A core team is crucial

Working with Vongerichten for decades is not uncommon. Jean-Georges Management president and CEO Lois Freedman left a desk job for culinary school and went from the back of the house at Lafayette to the front of the house at 66 and Spice Market to running the restaurant group, where shes worked since 1986.

Vongerichten met Happy Monkey executive chef Ron Gallo at Lafayette in the Drake Hotel in 1987. The former New York City restaurant  where he'd also met Freedman  is where Vongerichten made a name for himself and his style of cooking while helming the kitchen for Outhier from 1986 to 1991.

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Quality ingredients, market-driven, all organic food. Nothing processed, is how he defines it. People come and eat, and they realize that they feel good the next day.

Gregory Brainin lights up one night when I ask why hes worked for Vongerichten for more than 20 years. The executive vice president of culinary development for Jean-Georges Management bought Vongerichten's Simple Cuisine cookbook in 1990 and never looked back. He says his connection with the chefs cooking philosophy and concept of having three elements to each dish is how they work together so well on the culinary side. As a child, Vongerichten imagined being an architect or designer, and he puts that passion for colors, layers, and textures onto the plate.



Courtesy of Jean-Georges Restaurants Jean-Georges Vongerichten (left) with his mentor Louis Outhier

Pushing boundaries opens doors

Vongerichten did get a hand in design with his first open kitchen. In 2012, he blogged about how revolutionary the format was in 1986. When The Drake hotel management expected him to prepare fine dining for 500 rooms from the same kitchen as its casual cafe, the chef expected a second kitchen would be constructed. The propertys only space was in Lafayettes dining room, and Vongerichten reasoned that the kitchen should be open if it was going to be that close to the guests anyway.

I had come up in the classic French system, where we cooked behind closed doors. But I started moving away from tradition, both in my cooking and in my conception of what a restaurant could be, he wrote. Diners loved it, begged for seats by the kitchen, and watched us cook as if we were on TV. I learned quickly that we had to be as choreographed as a ballet. It was the first time I cooked with total transparency between the diner and chef. I made sure all my cooks were well groomed and we dropped the habit of tasting with fingers and only ever used clean spoons. Plus, I had to keep the noise level down. No screaming cooks in my house.

Vongerichten was breaking new ground, wrote The New York Times in 1991, when he opened his own restaurant, JoJo, on Manhattans Upper East Side where it continues to thrive. The chef combined his familiarity with Asian ingredients and French training for an early interpretation of fusion cuisine. His preference for oils  basil, chive, tomato  over butter or cream earned him a reputation for lighter food amid the prevailing low-fat food era of the '90s, but not for lack of pleasure. JoJo is afterall where Vongerichten pioneered molten lava cake and more timeless dishes.

After 25 years, the decor and menu were refreshed in 2017, and 14 items were kept among daily specials: a tuna spring roll with soybean coulis; steamed black sea bass with carrot confit, cumin, and orange; tuna tartare with avocado and spicy radish and a ginger marinade. "He has a blissful way with acidity and chilli heat," Jay Rayner wrote in The Guardian years later.

We did something different: wine that people had never heard of from small producers in France; I was going to the market really cooking for the neighborhood; and the first night there was a line outside, he says. You have to really think and not just open to open, you have to be smart about it.

That mentality delayed his eponymous restaurants debut in 1997, but his flagship Jean-Georges has stood the test of time, winning the James Beard Awards for Best New Restaurant in 1998 and Outstanding Restaurant in 2009. It maintained three Michelin stars for more than a decade, with two today; and garnered four stars from The New York Times. Both landmark restaurants cemented the chefs signature French technique with Asian influences and fresh, quality ingredients. Vongerichten can still be spotted at the Union Square Greenmarket in the early mornings.

Courtesy of Jean-Georges Restaurants Jean-Georges Vongerichten cooking with his son Cedric

He went on to open eight restaurants in the next 10 years and more than 25 restaurants in the following decade. Farm-to-table ABC Kitchen was Esquires 2010 Restaurant of the Year and won the 2011 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. The rustic Inn at Pound Ridge scored a 10 from Greenwich Time and was named as one of the Hudson Valleys best new restaurants in 2014 by Hudson Valley magazine. In 2017, two years after the New York Post headline, Can a meatless restaurant make it in New York City? abcV opened, and today its first on the Michelin Guides list of best vegetarian restaurants in NYC.

Some good things come to an end

Its not all success, we close some as well, Vongeichten says. Some places we lose leases, some places it doesnt work out, we have to do something else, walk away from it.

New Yorkers remember his former restaurants fondly. When Mercer Kitchen closed after 25 years, Time Out New York credited the restaurant known for celebrities and the concept of communal tables with shaping New York's gastronomic scene. When Spice Market shuttered after 12 years, Eater called it a focal [point] of the Meatpacking Districts clubstaurant scene. The Gayot dining guide described the food at Vong as perfect fusion, layering French and Thai flavors in an exquisite presentation before it closed in 2009 after 17 years of service.

You have to start fresh again, Vongerichten says. Once you know the formula you know what to do: a good space, good design, good lighting. Be in touch with the zip code. Go to the market. Be excited about product. Watch people eat. Be in touch with whats happening. Its simple; its about pleasing guests. Make sure the staff is happy. Bring something unique.

Courtesy of Jean-Georges Restaurants

Success is fleeting

Throughout his 50-year career, the only time Vongerichten truly feared his fate was all-too-unsurprisingly during the pandemic. For 10 days my entire life stopped when they shut down everything in New York on my birthday, March 16, 2020, he says. In Asia, they reopened everything on the 25th of March. So from the 16th to the 25th, I had no restaurants. What the hell am I going to do now? he reenacts asking, clutching his chest.







"I came with my suitcase as an immigrant in New York. When thats in you, you take all the risk."







In the back of his mind, Vongerichten always knew that everything could collapse tomorrow, even as his group expanded to Tokyo, Kyoto, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, because he braved opening JoJo amid the Gulf War and a recession.

Its very fragile, I always think, as a vagabond, he explains. I came with my suitcase as an immigrant in New York. When thats in you, you take all the risk. A suitcase away. Just a flight away to somewhere else, a new adventure.

Over time, his exploration has evolved from traveling to Indonesia and Italy to experience ingredients, cuisines, and regions first-hand, as well as researching with books in libraries, to accessing everything he needs to learn on his phone and watching AI generate a JG scallop thats pretty accurate. But Vongerichtens greatest adventure is still opening new restaurants.







"If I could have it my way the rest of my life, I would open a new concept a month and then after that Id give you the key to take care of it for the next 20 years."







If I could have it my way, 100%, I would open a restaurant every month, he says. After one month, it becomes routine. Its exciting to come up with the vision, the menu, and you can never repeat your first month. It gets better as it goes, the restaurant, but the first month is the best. If I could have it my way the rest of my life, I would open a new concept a month and then after that Id give you the key to take care of it for the next 20 years. I think thats why we have [so many] restaurants.

And he's open to more. Whats important is that its only food, Vongerichten says. Writing a book is harder because its in print forever. A menu, you can rip it up tonight and start fresh tomorrow. I love it. Thats the best part of it. Restart every morning fresh.

Longevity is reinventing yourself, says the chef of Asian, French, Latin, steakhouse, and vegan concepts in a dozen countries. 50 years, and I still run to work, he beams. Im just warming up.



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Read the original article on Food & Wine.
The Jewel ThiefPhoto courtesy of Hulu

It's hard to believe that Gerald Blanchard was capable of executing his many elaborate heists, considering that they all sound like something straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Known as the "most creative" criminal in modern history, Blanchard orchestrated several frauds across three continents. Blanchard's early crimes took place in his home country of Canada, where he robbed several local banks and franchises. There was the time Blanchard stole millions of dollars worth of electronics from a nearby Radio Shack, eventually wiping the entire store clean. Another time, he managed to escape from police interrogation by hiding in the ceiling tiles. For Blanchard, engaging in crime was an "addiction" that ultimately pushed him to carry out his biggest  and most legendary  heist ever.

Blanchard's felonious past is narrated in Hulu's "The Jewel Thief," an true-crime documentary that features Blanchard himself. Alongside Blanchard are his family members, close friends and accomplices along with the police officers and detectives who worked tirelessly to catch him. By the end of the documentary, viewers are left to decide whether they believe Blanchard, who claims he's left behind his criminal antics for good, or his most ardent opposers, who all beg to differ.

Related

17 of the most unusual heists in history

"It's tempting, but my feeling is the police know my MO, so if I were to do anything, I would have to change it up," Blanchard recently told Rolling Stone about his heisting past. "I still have five or six different MOs I could easily do to off throw the banks. But I live this comfortable life now, and don't need to worry about committing crimes. . . . [But] you can never say never. It's a spur of the moment decision, [and] things are always there."

Here are the six most shocking revelations from the documentary:

01 Blanchard says he's always had a "grudge" against the banks

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The Jewel Thief

The Jewel Thief (Photo courtesy of Hulu)

Blanchard was adopted when he was six years old and lived with his mother Carol Phegly and stepfather in "a nice house" in Canada. His living situation, however, quickly grew rough when his mother and stepfather broke up, forcing Phegly and Blanchard to move to Omaha, Nebraska.

"Omaha, Nebraska, is not the nicest place to live. It's actually one of the worst, and only the strongest survive," said Blanchard in the documentary. He recalled hearing his mother cry while on the phone with the bank, desperately asking them to not foreclose the house she lived in with Blanchard and his sister.

"So I've always had this grudge against the banks," Blanchard continued. "We didn't have milk for the cereal. And I'm not exaggerating, I used to use ginger ale for milk  that's how bad it was. So I had to go steal milk from the neighbors."

"Things weren't good for us until I learned going to the store, I could steal food from the store, which got my addiction to my life of crime," he added.

02 As a teenager, Blanchard robbed a Radio Shack on Easter

RadioShack

A view of a RadioShack storefront in the Chelsea neighborhood, March 9, 2017 in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

During the '80s, Radio Shack was America's hottest and most popular store ever, making it an attractive target for Blanchard and his friends.

"We literally took so much stuff from the store, millions of dollars every year. And what ended up happening was Easter Sunday, we actually cleared out the whole entire store," said Blanchard. "We disconnected the alarm. We took everything out with a moving truck. I just became too confident."

At age 15, Blanchard was charged with Grand Theft and released after just three months.

"I mean I didn't know what to do," said Phegly. "I was totally dumbfounded. I could not even fathom that my son was this person they were talking about. He ended up living a double life. So he kept that life away from his family, the people he cared about."

03 Blanchard's "ingenious" robbery of a Winnipeg bank

British High Street Bank

British High Street Bank (Getty Images/Craig Hastings)

In 2004, Blanchard carried out an astonishing robbery of a Winnipeg CIBC branch in which he stole $500,000 from the bank the day before its grand opening.

"This is a very sophisticated type break-and-enter; this is not something we saw every day  never saw it in 27 years of my career," said Mitch McCormick, an officer with the Winnipeg Police Service. The robbery was so brazen that the Winnipeg Police Service launched Project Kite, a task force solely dedicated to catching Blanchard.

As for the execution of his "sophisticated" robbery, Blanchard said it all happened when he flew to Winnipeg to visit family. His grandmother had told him that her bank, the soon-to-be Winnipeg CIBC branch, was slated to close soon.

"She said they're closing all the little smaller branches and putting seven or eight smaller branches into this one big mega branch," explained Blanchard. "And that piqued my interest."

Members of Project Kite explained that outside of the closed bank was a large sign that read, "Future Home of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce." At that time, the bank had no security or alarm systems.

To enter the bank, Blanchard posed as a construction worker. He said he went to Home Depot to buy a construction vest and a hard hat. He also bought a $50 baby monitor from ToysRUs, which he hid inside the bank and used to secretly monitor when the ATMs would be brought inside. Blanchard also found a way to bypass the safes in the bank.

"Gerald found a way to manipulate a very sophisticated, well-engineered lock by just manipulating some of the screws that held that lock in position," said Larry Levasseur, a police officer with the Winnipeg Police Service. "It was ingenious. It was absolutely ingenious."

04 Blanchard had more than 20 different aliases

The Jewel Thief

Gerald Blanchard in "The Jewel Thief" (Photo courtesy of Hulu)

Blanchard said his crimes quickly became an addiction, so much so that he felt compelled to rob every single ATM he came across in Canada. At the time, Blanchard became a person of interest. But he was also able to get away with his crimes due to his various aliases.

"He was interviewed and then released on what we call a promise to appear on paper," explained McCormick. "And he used an alias, so his true identity never ever came out  until later, when we started running names and doing background."

A few names that Blanchard went by included Evan C. Howland, James A. Gehman, Danny Anderson and Daniel Wall. It was revealed that Blanchard had at least 22 aliases. Blanchard and the Winnipeg Police soon fell into this cycle, where Blanchard would be caught and then released because the police department didn't have records for his many false identities.

05 Blanchard parachuted onto the roof of an Austrian palace for a jewel heist

Empress Elisabeth

Empress Elisabeth (1837- 1898) wearing a velvet dress and her dog "Houseguard" 1865/66. Photography. (Imagno/Getty Images)

Also known as the Koechert Diamond Pearl, the famed Sisi Star was one of many jewel pins that Empress Elisabeth "Sisi" of Austria wore in her hair. At the time of the theft, the jewel was on display for a special exhibit at Vienna's Schonbrunn Palace. Although Blanchard initially planned on stealing a crown from the palace, he eventually settled on stealing the jewel, saying he "just thought it was pretty" and inconspicuous enough to easily snatch.

Blanchard claimed he had parachuted onto the roof of the palace, climbed down its side, entered through a window he unlocked while visiting the palace during the day, stole the jewel and replaced it with a gift shop replica. It took officials two to three weeks to realize that the diamond left behind was a fake.

Blanchard eventually pleaded guilty at the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba on Nov. 7, 2007 to 16 charges of robbery and fraud in Canada and additional countries. He had been sentenced in the U.S. and faced a maximum of 164 years in prison for the 16 charges. Ultimately, he was sentenced to just eight years in a Canadian prison.

Blanchard never disclosed who his accomplices were, so only Blanchard was the one to serve prison time. About five months after Blanchard's arrest, Winnipeg police discovered the Sisi Star in Blanchard's grandmother's basement amid a raid of her house.

06 The self-described "former criminal mastermind" is still stealing

The Jewel Thief

Gerald Blanchard in "The Jewel Thief" (Photo courtesy of Hulu)

"In my experience, it's my belief that reform has no place in Gerald Blanchard's life," said Sheilla Leinburd, a prosecuting attorney. "I don't think he's reformed. I don't think he ever will be. I think he is the king of man who revels in this type of behavior. And I don't think, frankly, he could live without this kind of behavior."

On March 22, 2017, Blanchard and an accomplice were arrested for stealing Playstations from a Best Buy in Burlington, Ontario. Investigators were able to identify Blanchard as a suspect because a car at the scene was rented under his name.

"The Jewel Thief" is currently available for streaming on Hulu. Watch a trailer for it below, via YouTube:

Read more

about recent documentary lists:
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

According to a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner on Thursday, Lisa Marie Presley's death in January at the age of 54 was caused by a small bowel obstruction  concluding that she died from natural causes. Per reporting from TMZ, the obstruction was caused by "adhesions that developed during bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) years ago. This is a known long term complication of this type of surgery."

Presley's autopsy indicates that she "complained of abdominal pain on the morning of her death," and was later taken from her home in Calabasas, California to a nearby hospital, suffering cardiac arrest.

A toxicology report released moments after the news of her official cause of death indicates that "there were therapeutic levels of Oxycodone in her blood," along with a second opioid called Buprenorphine, used to treat opioid overuse. These medications are tied to a cosmetic procedure she'd had a few months before her death and it's noted that "she had a history of 'overmedicating,' and was known to forget she had taken her meds and would take them again." Per TMZ, "The coroner says there was no drug paraphernalia or narcotics found at her home when she was rushed to the hospital [in January]. Her urine toxicology screen was negative." Lisa Marie was the only known child of Elvis Presley, who died in 1977 after also suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 42.
There's no better time than now to indulge in a cold treat at the Delaware beaches.

The lines at The Ice Cream store on Rehoboth Avenue block the sidewalk at this time of year. Kids with melted ice cream running down their chins fill the boardwalk. Even President Joe Biden has been known to enjoy an ice cream cone when in Rehoboth Beach.

Maybe you're in the mood for a snow cone, Italian ice or a popsicle. There's nothing like ice to beat the heat and fruity flavorings to satisfy your tastebuds. Sometimes, the brain freeze is worth it.

The Delaware beaches have no shortage of places to get a cold treat in the summertime, but there's always room for more. Here are three new places to satisfy your sweet tooth when the mercury is moving up the thermometer.

Vince Failla offers a sundae from the window of his Cup 'r Cone ice cream truck.

Cup 'r Cone

Vince Failla has always wanted an ice cream business.

He's from the York, Pennsylvania, area, where Bonkey's Ice Cream originated. A friend of the family that owns Bonkey's, he started scooping for them as a teen before coming to Bethany Beach to help them expand, he said, and learned to make ice cream.

"After eight years of working for them, they were like, 'Hey, you cost too much,' and gave me the kick in the butt that was like, 'It's time to do your own thing,'" the 28-year-old Failla said.

The Cup 'r Cone ice cream shack at the corner of Rehoboth and Lake avenues in Rehoboth Beach, across from the Cultured Pearl.

He's had the Cup 'r Cone ice cream truck for three years now, but when his girlfriend's family bought what is now Crusher's restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, they proposed he take over the tiny, grandfathered-in shack at Rehoboth and Lake avenues.

"It was a no-brainer," Failla said. "It's been a hit down there."

Cup 'r Cone's flavors run the gamut. There are your staples, such as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. There's "Bigfoot," which is vanilla with peanut butter sauce, cookie dough bits and "scooter crunch." There's "minty leprechaun," a mint ice cream with smashed peppermint patties and fudge throughout, which Failla said is a "fan favorite." Then there are flavors like lemongrass basil.

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More: What to do on a rainy day at Delaware beaches

Failla's 50 flavors are rotated throughout the summer, with about 20 available at a time. The truck offers milkshakes, sundaes and more, while the 49-square-foot shack is strictly "Cup 'r Cone."

Prices start at $5 a scoop. The shack is open 6 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check Facebook or Instagram for truck dates.

Marigold Creamery

Marigold Creamery offers small-batch ice cream from a food truck at The Station on Kings in Lewes.

Laura McKeown used to be the pastry chef at The Station. When the COVID-19 shutdown began in 2020, she had a lot of ingredients she needed to use. She opted to make ice cream and it sold well in the early days of the pandemic.

The Marigold Creamery trailer is located in the parking lot of The Station On Kings in Lewes.

The 37-year-old McKeown wanted to spend more time with her kids and thought moving into a strictly ice cream role would help her achieve that.

"It has not," she said with a laugh. "We just opened in April and it has been fast and furious ever since."

Part of Marigold's appeal is its trendy, modern aesthetic, which applies not only to its Instagram-worthy food truck but its flavors. They include dark chocolate, vanilla bean and fresh mint chip, as well as creations such as lavender Earl Grey with Mandarin jam. McKeown's most popular flavor is coffee toffee, she said. She uses local ingredients whenever possible.

More: Mid-July at the Delaware beaches: Your weekend guideon what to know and do

Marigold rotates about eight flavors at a time. Ice cream is available in cups and cones. A few other items are offered, such as milkshakes and root beer floats.

Marigold Creamery is open Thursday 2 p.m. through Sunday noon to 9 p.m.

Fusco's Italian Water Ice

Fuscos Italian Water Ice has been sold from an Italian flag-painted stand in Wilmington since the 1950s. Fourth-generation owner Joseph Staffieri expanded the business this year and now offers his familys signature Italian ice from a food truck in Lewes.

The Fuscos trailer is located across from the Lewes Dairy Queen, at Savannah Road and Cape Henlopen Drive, along with numerous other food trucks this summer. It offers one flavor: all-natural lemon.

"People have been pleasantly surprised to see not only water ice but old-fashioned, authentic Italian water ice," Staffieri said. "We do not use any high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients. It's fresh-squeezed lemon, sugar and water."

Fusco's offers water ice sized from 4 ounces to a gallon, ranging in price from $4 to $40. The Lewes food truck is open seven days a week during the summer, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

More: After 66 years, Fusco's Italian Water Ice expands statewide, including at Blue Rocks games

Next year, look for new flavors: organic mango and imported Maraschino cherry. Staffieri is also looking into a brick-and-mortar location at the beach, he said.

Interested in something a little more adult? Check out Big Oyster Brewerys Italian Ice Shandy, made with Fuscos Italian Water Ice. Pick up the beer at Big Oysters Lewes restaurant at 1007 Kings Hwy.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 3 new places to get cold treats in the summer sun at Delaware beaches
Three years ago, the way supply chains operated around the globe changed dramatically as the Covid-19 pandemic shut down factories, halted production and created shipping and logistical logjams that would persist for nearly two years.

In the time since, many of those pandemic-related issues have resolved, but geopolitical events such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the growing tensions between China and Taiwan have created new problems for those sourcing abroad.

More from Sourcing Journal

These events, coupled with other factors, have led many companies to explore reshoring their production to the United States or nearshoring to neighboring areas such as Mexico and Latin America. Deloitte estimated in November that American companies were expected to reshore 350,000 jobs in 2022. And for the apparel industry in particular, some experts believe the benefits of making such a move could far outweigh the costs of relocating production from Asia.

Driving factors

One of the biggest lessons many companies learned during the pandemic was the importance of a diversified supply chain. As Covid shutdowns in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries persisted long after the U.S. began reopening, factories supplying product to American brands fell far behind, leaving empty store shelves and panic for both manufacturers and retailers.

And once production finally ramped back up, clogged shipping lanes and portsalong with astronomical transit rate increasesfurther complicated the problem for importers. Now those problems have mostly abated, but a variety of other issues make Asian productionparticularly in Chinaless attractive than in the past.

No matter whos president in the United States, U.S.-China relations are going to continue to deteriorate, said John Hyatt, founding partner, The Mexico Strategic Sourcing Alliance. And people dont want to do business in China because of, one, IP theft. Two, if things overheat with whats going on in Taiwan, companies are going to be up the creek without a paddle again, just like they were during the logistics crisis 18 months ago.

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Though they havent been as widely discussed as several years ago, the tariffs enacted by the Trump administration, which have not been rolled back by the Biden administration, continue to add to costs for U.S. companies importing from China.

People forget that importers are still silently suffering from 25 percent tariffs if they import from China, said Raine Mahdi, founder, global sourcing platform Zipfox. Although rates in China are usually cheap, its still a large part of their cost.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine also has created impacts for importers in the form of fuel price increases. Sanctions on Russia, which is a major fuel exporter, rattled the global oil market at the start of the war and continue to make Russian fuel more expensive.

Theres a new level of geopolitical instability that did not exist five years ago, said Jag Lamba, CEO, risk compliance software company Certa.

Compliance with environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals also plays a role for some companies. Particularly for cotton grown and processed in the Xinjiang region of China, questions remain as to whether that product is being produced with the use of slave or child labor. By moving the supply chain closer to home, brands can more easily monitor every point in the production process to ensure no violations to ESG policies occur.

Its easier to monitor and meet ESG standards in the U.S. and vicinity versus trying to manage something in a country where you dont speak the language, you dont understand the local customs and you dont really understand fully how the business is done, Lamba said. You want to meet those goals and avoid the negative publicity if youre found negligent on sustainability or human rights issues, which could be the standard of doing business in another country, not the standard of doing business here.

Attractive alternatives

With this array of issues, finding alternative supply chains and production facilities has become increasingly important for many American brands. And Mexico and Latin American countries such as Peru, Colombia and Brazil have become increasingly viable alternatives, particularly since several major apparel brands already produce product south of the border.

Apparel is already a large export category for Mexico, and brands like Levis, Nike, Patagonia, Adidas and more have been producing a portion of their goods there for a long time, Mahdi said.

One of the biggest advantages Mexico and Latin America offer is simply geographic proximity. When a brand needs product quickly, be that for an introduction or restocking, sourcing from a supply chain closer to home drastically reduces lead times.

When they can source out of Mexico or Latin America, that cuts that lead time about a third, compared to lead time from Asia, Hyatt said. Youre looking at a 10- to 14-day lead time as opposed to six weeks on the water from Asia.

And while labor costs may still make it prohibitive to move production back to the U.S., Mexico and Latin America offer a more affordable alternative without many of the potential humanitarian risks.

The average cost of labor in Mexico is less than the average cost of labor in China, Mahdi said. This means there is room for pay increases to lure more people into Mexicos manufacturing labor pool.

But Hyatt said the region works better for products that require more hands-on production.

The more automated a manufacturing process is, the less likely it will be competitive out of Latin America, he said. The more labor-intensive, the more competitive. If youre just looking for cheap automated stuff, you should just stick with Asia.

Cultural considerations

Hyatt said that while shifting business to Latin America or Mexico can be a better longterm alternative to Asia, its important for American companies to understand the cultural mores before attempting to set up shop.

Latin America has a risk-averse business culture, he said. If they do not know you and like you and meet you in person, they will not work with you. They are a relationship-based culture.

Something that may take one or two onsite visits in the United States will take at least two or three in Latin America, he continued. Final concessions are always done in person and usually over meals.

Hyatt said things tend to move slower, and business partners who try to accelerate the process too quickly may appear desperate.

From a strategic standpoint, youre going to want to draw things out from those initial meetings, he said. The decision-making process in Latin America is not turnkey.

And that slower pace allows companies that ability to make thoughtful, well-vetted decisions about who to partner with and how products should be made.

Start early to give yourself enough time to request samples, Mahdi said. Then start with a smaller purchase order to check quality and consistency.

Ultimately, reshoring and nearshoring dont mean that production will entirely leave Asia. Rather, it allows brands to avoid the mistake of keeping all their eggs in one basket, making them less vulnerable to the next supply chain disruption.

I think clients are looking more for diversification at this time, Jag said. So the rough numbers that Ive seen and heard are around shifting about 15- to 20 percent of production nearshore or reshore. Because it also does take fine-tuning when you set up a new manufacturing facility or any sort of sourcing facility.

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Bluesign is working to move the denim supply chain toward cleaner, greener denim production.

The Swiss Madewell partner and champion of sustainable manufacturing introduced Bluesign Denim: A Sustainable and Responsible Choice, an initiative it hopes will encourage mills, textile manufacturers and laundries to adopt ethical, eco-friendly practices.

More from Sourcing Journal

The concept of Bluesign denim is that so far, weve only focused on the fabric side of things when it came to denim [but] denim is wicked in the sense that there is a whole other step after the fabric manufacturing, which is the laundry step, Kutay Saritosun, Bluesigns director of brand services and partnerships in the EU and U.S., said. Were really excited to approach this as the whole two-step production process is what makes the denim industry a lot more demanding with regards to resources and chemistry, so were happy to look at it from a bigger perspective in the sense that weve been talking about fabric, but what about laundry processes?

Bluesign is broadening its pool of possible partners, starting with the denim sector.

To join the program it soft-launched at Kingpins Amsterdam, denim mills, fabric manufacturers and laundries must meet certain criteria, including undergoing a Bluesign assessment, becoming a system partner and using Bluesign-approved chemistry. Brands and retailers must also complete the evaluation and be a system partner, as well as comply with the trademark agreement for Bluesign denim.

Each one of these [denim mills and laundries has] to be a Bluesign system partner and thats important for us because that also gives you the traceability of not just the materials but also traceability of the chemistry from the garment all the way to the chemical suppliers, Saritosun said.

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Production sites must also denim-specific criteria, such as only using Bluesign-approved indigo, establishing a phase-out plan for the toxic bleaching agent hypochlorite, abiding by the sandblasting ban, and forming a plan to replace pumice stonewashing with other techniques such as enzymes biopolishing or synthetic stones.

Bluesign-certified denim must adhere to other standards as well. Though the criteria will likely change in the coming weeks as the organization tweaks the program, qualifying denim production process cant use chlorine bleach, powder-based enzymes or potassium permanganate (PP).

Bluesign has launched Bluesign Denim, which is promoted as a move toward greener chemistry and more eco-friendly denim production.

With the launch of this concept and with early adopters, I think that will really help catapult the industry toward working more with Bluesign, Saritosun said. My expectation is, throughout this process [of] getting more denim mills becoming Bluesign system partners, more laundries becoming Bluesign system partners, they can then promote Bluesign-certified denim to the brands globally. I think there will be a lot of interest from the denim industry to adopt it and become a partner.

With the EU Green Deal and other pending legislation, denim mills and laundries have extra incentive to begin implementing greener supply chain practices to get a head start on what will be mandatory in the coming years.

Bluesign said it will announce new denim partners in the weeks ahead.

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WHEN SIMON Pegg appeared in 2006's Mission: Impossible IIIhis first of now five outings as IMF Agent Benji Dunn in the long-running action franchisehe was, in his own words, "fairly out of shape." Sure, he'd already played a ruthless police constable protagonist in one of history's greatest action comedies (2007's Hot Fuzz), but it was only when the opportunity for Benji to go from the guy at the computer to a proper gun-toting field agent came in 2011's Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol that his attitude toward personal fitness really changed. He started taking his training as seriously, as, well, an IMF field agent would.

Pegg learned about Benji's new, more physically intensive job responsibilities, and started his training on the job, making evident progress throughout filming. The next time you're rewatching Ghost Protocol, pay particular note to an early moment where Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and Benji are in Russia, walking through Red Square, before the scene cuts to the interior of the Kremlin.

"In that edit, I lose about 20 pounds," he says with a hearty laugh. "I was training on the job, and ever since then, really, its been a huge part of my life to stay as fit and healthy as I possibly can. In that respect, Mission really turned my life around."

Fitness has continued to be part of Pegg's daily routine in the 12 years since Ghost Protocol's release, and he continues to this day to spend time working out with Cruise, including in the star's traveling on-set gym that he calls "the pain cave." Pegg has seen Cruise's equipment go from fairly barebones and bodyweight-focused early on to now the less physically-demanding ARX machines, which create constant resistance but create less wear and tear on the body. "I wouldnt say its good for him getting older, because he doesnt seem to get older," Pegg says. "But its good for me getting older."

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Paramount

At this point, Benji has been on missions with Ethan Hunt and the IMF for well over a decade and he's a seasoned agent by the time we get to the newest film, Dead Reckoning Part One. And given all the time put in, it makes perfect sense that Benji can keep up with the world's greatest secret agent/stuntman. In an interview conducted before SAG-AFTRA began its strike on Thursday, Pegg talked all things Mission: Impossible, his history with the franchise, and the power of Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie.

Men's Health: Part of what makes the Mission: Impossible movies so much fun is that the action sequences all feel so realprobably because they basically are. Whats the most important part, prep wise, getting ready to be part of that?

Simon Pegg: Aside from the fact that being a field agent would require being in good shape, we never quite know what, exactly, were going to be doing when we shoot the movie. Theres the script, and theres the story, but theres also a lot of room for improvisation along the way. I dont mean dialogue, but, like, why dont we do this, or why dont you do that.

Its really good just to be match fit generally when you enter into a Mission shoot, and be ready for anything. So, that requires you to just be in tip-top shape, really, because you never quite know what youre going to get asked to do.

How has Tom Cruise impacted your view on fitness? Do you ever work out with him on- or off-set?

Yeah! He famously has what we call the pain cave on set, which is the gym he uses when hes at work; he lets us all use that.

We used to train together on Rogue Nation because we were all staying at the same hotel. Me and Tom and Rebecca would all train together, and it was always really, really fun. Laterally, on this one, because he was so busy all the timehed finish work and hed have to go off and speak to, like, diplomats and shit, to get us permission to shoot during the pandemicwe didnt get the opportunity to work out so much. But hes really inspiring in that regard. You look at him, hes 61, and hes in incredible shape. Hes just a testament to the fact that if you do put in the hours, you dont have to give up when youre 40. You can stay in shape, and you can keep your body trim, and that invariably increases your sense of well-being, I think.

Don Arnold - Getty Images

Ive heard stories from productions past that when Tom isnt engaged by the idea of a stunt, hell kind of just yell "BORING!" Can you vouch for that story?

[LAUGHS] Generally what Tom says, script wise, is, I dont get it. Hes got this incredible capacity to see the movie from total objectivity. So, hell see it through the eyes of a 12-year-old kid sitting in a multiplex in Wyoming, or something, and be able to empathize with their experience, and know why something isnt working at a certain time.

One thing Ive realized with Tom is that the reason he is the way he is, the reason hes the only person, really, to be able to do this kind of stuffhes the last great movie star, in the judicial senseis because he just puts the hours in. I mean, he is utterly, utterly dedicated. I dont think I can do that. I think I have other things that distract me from doing that, like, you know, just playing Minecraft with my kid, or whatever. But thats something you look at, and you just think OK, it can be done. But its not easy.

But he is his own industry. Hes a walking industry, and to keep that industry running, and to keep that industry at its optimum effectiveness, he has to do what he does. Im not Tom Cruise, thankfully.

Ive also heard stories from back when you were first entering the franchise, that Ricky Gervais was actually the original pick to play Benji. Do you know if that's true?



No, thats actually a myth. I think J.J. [Abrams] had spoken to Ricky about a part in the Berlin sequence at the beginning of the film, and that didnt work out. But as far as I know thats not the case.

So you were always Benji?

I think so. J.J. had seen Shaun of the Dead, and called me up, and just offered me the role. He didnt go through any of my representatives or anything. It was just, straight, man-to-man, which is very, very J.J. Hes a very can-do guy, so he just got my number, called me, and said Hey, do you want to come and do this? And I was a bit flummoxed by it! He did the same thing with Star Trekand I love that about him.

And now its been 17 years and counting. When J.J. first gave you that call, did you have any inkling that this journey would turn into what its become?

Not at all. I thought it was just a little bit of stunt casting. I felt like it was going to be a little cameo, one for fans of Shaun, and I had no idea that it would continue. And then I got a call a year or so after MI:3 came out, saying How do you feel about Benji becoming a field agent? And, again, I was like, Sure, OK! And that was that.

The series entered the second half of its life, in a way, which is this incredible collaboration between Tom and Chris McQuarrie, because Chris came on board while we were shooting Ghost Protocol with Brad Bird, who did such a great job with that movie, and really introduced the team dynamic, which is persistent since then. But Tom and McQ had already started their creative romance before that with Valkyrie, and it just seemed really logical that McQ come on and direct Rogue Nation. And I think because that went so well, Tom felt like this guy is my lucky charm. And so the back half of this series has had this different kind of feel to it. The first four were all directed by different directors, and sort of self-contained episodes with their own character, and ever since Ghost Protocol onwards, its become much more of a continuance.

Paramount

I love that about them. Even in this movie, you get all sorts of references to past movies, like John Lark and Fallout. I think the way they connect makes them even more fun.

Oh yeah. And McQ [Christopher McQuarrie] is really good at that. Getting Henry Czerny back to play Kittridge again, and that link to the first Mission: Impossibleit really gathers the entire story together into an ongoing saga. And that only gets moreso with Part Two of Dead Reckoning.

Having played Benji for so long at this point, does he feel like a fully-formed person within you that you can tap into at any point? Or do you still find yourself taking influence from elsewhere?

The privilege Ive had in being in these movies for so long is that Ive been able to build Benji as a character with each successive installment. So, I always had the feeling that in Mission: Impossible 3, when he was directing Ethan through Shanghai, he got this sort of thrill of exhilaration, and decided to enlist in the field agent program. Then we see him in the field for the first time in 4, and every time we do another film, I build on what Benjis been through before. And so by the time we meet him in Dead Reckoning Part One, hes a really experienced, much more of a journeyman agent than he ever has been. Hes been through a lot. Hes saved the world a few times. Hes been hung, hes killed people, and you just try to pile that experience onto the character you already have, but at the same time retaining his truth and authenticity as the most human of the team. Hes the one that actually takes stock of the situation, looks around him, and says What the hell is going on?

You need that. Because Ethan is all about being this kind of unstoppable super agent, and as human as he is, he always just gets the job done. He never questions anythingand Benjis the one who does. Its sweet, because I think Benjis the only character in the series who can actually shout at Ethan, and Ethan listens. Which is really fun to play.

Benji is usually the one on the other end of the phone with Ethan incredible moments, whether its jumping through a window or off a cliff on a motorcycle. And a key part of those moments is you nailing the chemistry of the back and forth in the conversation that comes just before and after. What goes into that?

I think weve just developed that chemistry over the years, as weve become friends. We have a very easy off-screen relationship as well; its very fun and playful. We make each other laugh a lot. If, ever, I can be there for the B-side of a scenelike, I was up there on the mountain, behind the camera, doing the lines back to him when he was on the bike.

I remember the first day of shooting Mission: Impossible 3, and I was shooting the scene in the afternoon where I was guiding him through Shanghai, and he said Do you want me to stay? Ill stay behind this aftternoon. I was going to go train, but if you want me for off-lines. I was very British about it, and I said Oh, no no. Dont be ridiculous, of course not. But he meant it, you know? And so were always trying to make sure that if its possible, then were there for each other to make sure that the banter between them sings.

I love the car chase in Rogue Nation. Specifically the part where you and Tom crash into Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames, and you have that little moment.

Yeah! I love that.

Was that improvised? How did you come to that little friendly moment within such an intense sequence?

I remember thinking that it would be really funny if Benji was just like Hey! Its those guys! That whole thing really made me laugh. Just the shared chemistry that we had, between myself, Jeremy, Ving, and Tom, enabled us to have that moment. Its one of my favorite bits.

Im going to jump in with some Mission: Impossible rapid fire questions now. Whats your most rewatched Mission: Impossible movie?

Funny enough, its Dead Reckoning: Part One, because Ive already seen it five times. Ive seen it more than Ive seen the others on release, just because it still boggles my mind when I watch it. Obviously, Ive seen 1 many times. I saw that at the cinemas a long time ago. I showed it to my daughter recently and she loved it. But I think in terms of pure repeated viewings, its probably this one.

Whos your favorite villain?

The villain in the new one is so special, so Im going to exclude Dead Reckoning Part One from this. I would say I love Sean Harris as Solomon Lane. He was so brilliant, and so creepy and menacing, but in real life hes just the sweetest guy.

Favorite filming location?

I have to exclude stuff weve already done for Two. I would probably say Morocco, when we shot that. Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakesh. That was a lot of fun.

Favorite scene partner not named Tom Cruise?

Rebecca Ferguson. I love her dearly.

One character from the past youd like to see return to the series?

Thats interesting, because I know things you dont know [LAUGHS]. Id like to see Maggie Q come back. I thought she was really cool in Mission: Impossible III, that little team they had going there. She was great.

You know, the minute I start picking on that thread, Ill say Paula, or Renner, or loads of those people.

Dream cast addition?

Scarlett Johansson recently said that she would love to work with Tom, so it would be lovely to have Scarlett join the franchise in whatever form. Ive always admired her as an actor, and she certainly can kick buttbecause Ive seen her do it in Black Widow.

Paramount





Obviously you cant say much. But what can you tell us about Dead Reckoning  Part Two to get us excited?

Its bigger and more ambitious than Dead Reckoning  Part One. If youve seen the pre-marketing, the pre-press for Dead Reckoning  Part One, then youll understand what that means. It does get more crazy. There are things that Tom does in that movie that make the motorcycle stunt seem fairly tame. Its going to be incredible.

I love the fact that its coming out soon. Im really proud of the fact that Tom and McQ managed to create a Part One that didnt feel incomplete. It didnt feel like anyone was left hanging at the end, but the Part Two will certainly continue the story, and be extremely satisfying.

What's your favorite Mission: Impossible stunt?

Oh, man. Ive been there for so many of them. I was there when he was scaling the Burj Khalifa in Abu Dhabi, and we were going up to see him, and leaning gingerly out to look at him down there, just having the best time. I was there when he was hanging onto the side of the A400, and I was there for the motorcycle stunt.

I think one of the most memorable times, for me, just because I was right there in the thick of it, rather than just observing, was when we did the car chase in Morocco, and he and I were just bombing around in these alleyways. And I remember saying to the stunt coordinator, Wade, foolishly, Whos going to be doing the driving on this? And he said, Oh, its Tom. Hes the best driver Ive got.

And it was just so, so exciting. We were literally hurdling at breakneck speed around this tiny little zoo in Casablanca. And it was hard not to just woop and laugh all the time, because it was just so fun [LAUGHS]. I think that was my most memorable one.

But being there for all of them its almost more nervewracking when youre not involved, because youre completely helpless. You cant do anythingyou can only just watch and marvel at it. Particularly with the motorcycle stunt, I put a film I took on my phone of it up on my Instagram this morning, and you can see how hysterical we all are when it happened. Just utterly wired. Its terrifying!

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Portland drag show sets record

While the art of drag is under attack in some parts of the U.S., Portland, Ore., is celebrating it and setting world records ahead of International Drag Day on July 16.

The city this week hosted the worlds longest continuous drag performance, clocking in at 48 hours, 11 minutes, and 30 seconds. Drag-a-Thon was held from Monday to Wednesday at the famed Darcelle XV Showplace nightclub, and it was certified as the longest by Guinness World Records. The previous record was 36 hours, 36 minutes, and 40 seconds, set six years ago in Melbourne, Australia.

The show featured performances from more than 120 queens, kings, and emcees, with more than 600 songs and 700 set changes. Participants included such famous performers as Peppermint, Eureka O'Hara, and Lala Ri. The event raised about $290,000 for the Trevor Project, which assists LGBTQ+ youth in crisis, including $50,000 donated by producer Wildfang.

RuPaul sent a congratulatory video that was played for the crowd. My goodness. This is spreading the love and the joy of drag throughout the world, RuPaul said in the video, according to Portland TV station KATU. Oh, my goodness. Big kiss from Mama Ru.

This event has been a historic testament to the power of self-expression, Emma McIlroy, founder and CEO of Wildfang as well as the producer of Drag-a-Thon, said in a press release. Ive produced a lot of shows over my career, but nothing like Drag-a-Thon. Were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Portland community  theres no other city in the world where we could have pulled this off.

Additionally, she told local TV station KGW, The only place that people are going to come out at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. to watch a drag show is Portland. More than 2,500 people attended.

The show was a demonstration of support for drag artistry at a time when right-wing politicians are seeking to ban drag performances, especially in publicly funded venues or where theyre accessible to young people. More than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures around the nation this year, and some restrict drag shows. A federal court recently ruled Tennessees anti-drag law unconstitutional, but the state plans to appeal. Last week, a coalition of organizations, businesses, and individuals in Montana filed suit challenging that states anti-drag statute.

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This is the time for us all to stand together, let the world know that in America, we are free to be exactly who we are, performer Bolivia Carmichaels told KGW.

The nightclubs founder, drag queen Darcelle XV (offstage, Walter W. Cole Sr.), died in March at age 92 but had already approved the Drag-a-Thon. Darcelle XV was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2016 as the worlds oldest drag performer, and the club is the longest-running drag club west of the Mississippi. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is now run by Coles son, Walter W. Cole Jr. The Portland City Council recently announced plans to rename a public square for Darcelle XV.

Darcelle was proud of so many things, but mostly her Guinness World Record, drag queen Poison Waters told KATU. When she was in the hospital, she said, Poison, I didnt retire. She never wanted to retire. She was so proud of being the oldest working drag queen in the world. And of course when she passed away, the record went to somebody else. So the fact that we have a new one now that is still in her club, she said, Don't let them forget me. How could we ever? And she said, Remember, my names on the door. And now we have a new record to go right by hers.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat who represents a U.S. House district that includes Portland, issued a statement praising the record-setting performance. Congratulations to Darcelle XV Showplace and every drag queen who participated to break the world record for the longest continuous drag performance, he said. It is only fitting Darcelles legendary showplace brings home this historic recognition.

Despite hateful attempts to restrict or even ban drag performances across the country, in Portland drag is not going anywhere. We are proud to celebrate this incredible performance art and the entire LGBTQ+ community today and every day. Congratulations to all!
A U.S. Military soldier from Massachusetts has been accounted for after going missing during World War II, military officials said.

Wing O. Hom, a 20-year-old from Boston, went missing while his unit was fighting against German Forces near the town of Cisterna di Latina, Italy, according to a July 11 news release by the United States Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

German forces hadnt reported Hom as a prisoner of war in 1945, and the War Department issued a finding of death early that year.

A year later, investigators recovered a set of human remains about 3 miles from where Hom was last seen. The remains were thought to be Hom, but investigators couldnt positively identify them.

For years, the remains were interred at what is now the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery. Historians determined one of the unidentified remains must have belonged to Hom.

In 2021, the remains were sent to a lab in Nebraska for analysis and identification, according to the release.

Scientists used anthropological DNA analysis, and Homs body was identified in April 2023, officials said.

He will be buried in New York in October, officials said.

Homs name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Nettuno, Italy, along with others still missing from WWII, officials said in the news release. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

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David criticised Abbott for not "acting as quickly as they could have done" and said he was considering using a rival product

People with diabetes using a popular app have lost their usual way to check blood sugar, after an update caused it to stop working on some Apple devices.

Users wear a small sensor inserted in their body, which sends data to an app.

Abbott, which manufactures the FreeStyle Libre device, says it is the top sensor-based glucose monitoring system used worldwide.

But its app has stopped working on some Apple devices, and it has now been withdrawn from the App Store.

The NHS says there are 200,000 people using these types of sensors in the UK.

Abbott told the BBC the issue was only affecting customers in the UK, and it expected the app would be made available again soon.

But there has been a backlash online from people who rely on the technology for their wellbeing.

David Burchell, who has type 1 diabetes, told the BBC it was "very scary".

"This equipment is supposed to save your life," he said. "I woke up yesterday morning, went to check my sensor thing... and basically it broke, just showing a white screen and I had a panic.

"I've spoken to [Abbott] many times as this sort of thing has happened before. They told me to delete the app, turn the phone off and on and reinstall but when trying to redownload it they'd taken it off the App Store so I couldn't download it.

"I was left without an active test, other than the fingerprint testing. Pricking your finger 100 times a week is a nightmare, so the app and the sensor is really helpful."

Sonja Sleator from Belfast said the app was "so important" to her and she was concerned about not being able to use it.

"Knowing I don't have that constant check, it feels like going back to when I was first diagnosed and having to finger prick a few times a day," she said.

What is it?

The LibreLink app, developed by Abbott, connects to a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) - a white disc covering a needle inserted under the skin of the user, typically in the arm or belly.

People with Type 1 diabetes use the CGM to monitor their blood glucose levels - or blood sugar - around the clock, meaning they don't have to constantly take blood samples by pricking their fingers for readings.

By monitoring glucose levels in real time, people can make better-informed decisions about when to eat or exercise.

Critically, it can also alert the user or their family members when their blood sugar level is too low or too high.

Sonja Sleator says the app has given her more flexibility

Abbott has come under fire after its Libre 2 CGM stopped interacting with the LibreLink app of some Apple users.

Abbott said the problem emerged after it updated the LibreLink app to give users a significant quality-of-life improvement, removing the need to manually scan the disc with a device.

Instead, the new update would allow the CGM to send the app data continuously, removing the need for a scan. Abbott's competitor Dexcom already allows this.

But an issue with the update has caused some Iphone users to report the app has stopped working for them altogether, leaving them unable to monitor their blood sugar levels.

'Working on solutions'

David told the BBC he was "luckily" able to continue testing himself, as he happened to also have a manual sensor, athough this does not provide data to other peoples' devices.

People without these sensors have had to resort to taking between four and 10 finger-prick tests per day to monitor their levels.

"I was able to recover the app after seeing someone on Twitter giving suggestions to go to 'purchased history' and download it from there," he said.

"It was people helping people online that fixed it, rather than the actual company. But not everyone is an active user on Twitter or Facebook.

"The data also goes to my wife, so if something happened she'd know, but I don't know if that is going to happen at the moment. I'm sure there are going to be people who aren't getting critical alerts about their loved ones."

Abbott said it had temporarily removed the FreeStyle LibreLink app from the App Store while working on solutions to improve it.

It said affected users should contact its customer service line: "Customers experiencing issues with the iOS app should uninstall and reinstall the app.

"People using the [app] without issue can continue to use it as normal. The Android version of the [app] continues to be available for download in the UK. No other countries are impacted."

Sonja said the app had made her life "more easy and flexible".

"I'm now going to have to set alarms to wake me up because I'm going to have to get up during the night to test," she said.

"Thankfully I found an old monitor in the back of my drawer, old test strips and an old pen to prick my finger - so it's just about keeping an eye on it."
Cory monteith

Sadly, it was Cory Monteith's tragic death 10 years ago today that first brought him to my attention. I was not a Glee fan, but our daughter? Now that is a completely different story.

From my limited acquaintance with Monteith and his work, I understand that he was a talented performer and greatly loved by the fans of the program. It is even more tragic in some ways that someone who seems to "have it all" has to die as a result of addiction.

Of course, Cory Monteith is not the only victim of addiction.

In the United States, alcohol is responsible for around 140,000 deaths per year. There are 106,000 drug overdose deaths each year. That is equivalent to losing the entire population of a city like Richmond, Virginia (population around 229,000) every year. And, since every addict's life affects at least 4 other people, that equates to a city the size of Austin, Texas (population 974,000) being affected every year; one-fifth dead, the rest grieving.

We have all seen the sci-fi movies where crisis is averted: if these towns were to be infected, instead, by a deadly strain of virus, everything that could be mobilised in aid would be. The town would be quarantined, the president (undoubtedly Morgan Freeman) would bring in the best biologists and medics, the antidote would be found and everyone would be immunised before our popcorn ran out. Then we would all go home, having been a little bit scared but comfortable in the knowledge that with a bit of good old American knowhow and inventiveness, no problem is too big that we cant overcome it. So where is that spirit and gumption when it comes to addiction?

RELATED: Is There A Glee Curse? The Tragic Young Deaths Of Cast Members Naya Rivera, Cory Monteith & Mark Salling

Is the unacceptable loss of life through addiction any less of a national  even global  emergency? Surely we dont think that these losses are acceptable.

Should we not be bringing together our best brains so that we can start immunising our population against addiction? OK, you might say this is not Hollywood; this is real life and I could not agree more. This is real life, ask anyone who is involved in addiction. We need to acknowledge this problem and deal with it.

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So how do we immunise a population against addiction? We tried prohibition and it didnt work. We have been waging a global war on drugs and it isnt working. This type of model, aimed at disrupting the supply of substances, tends to create more harm than it prevents. To start, it creates business opportunities for criminals who will continue to meet the demand that people have for substances that take the edge off the pressures of life. And, perhaps paradoxically, the people who have the greatest pressure are the unemployed, the poor and the people who have little hope in their lives.

RELATED: 7 Devastating Truths About Loving An Addict

If we are going to immunise society against addiction, we need to inject it with a powerful antivirus  and the most powerful antivirus of all is hope.

It is hope that stops us from giving up when things get tough. It is hope that makes the difference between success and failure. It is hope that makes us strive and grow as people who want to build a better future for our children. Where there is no or little hope, people do not respect themselves or others and addiction tends to flourish.

So where does Monteith fit in here? After all, he had it all: money, fame and an adoring public.

Lea Michele pays tribute to Cory Monteith on the 10th anniversary of his death:



We miss you every day and will never forget the light you to brought to us all. I miss you big guy. I hope you found Taylor up there and are playing the drums together. pic.twitter.com/tH1bJMSW84  The Film Base (@TheFilmBase) July 13, 2023

Agreed, he certainly does not seem to fit the addict model, but we know that poverty and hopelessness comes in many forms. Many years ago the sociologist Durkheim showed that there was a high rate of suicide among people who seemed to be very successful. In explaining this apparent anomaly he coined the phrase "anomie" to account for the no-mans land that successful people can find themselves. This is a place where they are no longer comfortable with old friends (who may be jealous of their success) and new friends (who use them for their own ends). So, the anomie they experience is a poverty of the spirit.

RELATED: To The Man Who Chose Drugs Over Me

How do we inject hope into our society? I wish I could say read on and this article will provide all the answers. It wont because we dont have them all. What we do have are lots of questions that will help start the conversation. Here are some of them:

Why do we persist with policies that dont work? Why dont our politicians address the root causes of addiction? And it isn't just politicians; society itself does not truly help. Why do we reduce hope further still by continuing to spread the myth that "you cannot help an addict until they are ready to change"? If this really is true, we might as well close all treatment centres, as they are wasting their time. However, this myth flies in the face of all the research and treatment practices of the last 30 years.

If you live with an addict and have been trying for years unsuccessfully to get them to change, you might say it is not a myth at all. "You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink."

While we agree to some extent, the point that we make continually is that "you can gallop the horse and make him thirsty." What that means is that maybe we cant actually make someone change, but we can most certainly exert a powerful influence that will make them much more likely to change. We need to teach people the correct way to help their loved ones and friends; to show them that interventions, planned and skilfully applied, are much more powerful and successful than random confrontations.

RELATED: The 5 Excruciating Stages Of Loving An Addict (As Told By His Ex)

We want to end this article with one suggestion, one we hope that Monteith would have liked.

If you live with an addict or have a friend that is showing signs of alcoholism or addictive behaviour, don't ignore them.

Make a resolution to say to them every day for a week, "I love you but Im scared. I don't want to lose you."

If it saves just one person, then that is the most fitting epitaph for Cory Monteith; to be remembered as an agent for recovery rather than as an addict.

Goodbye Cory. We hope you have found peace, and a place in a new and even better choir.

RELATED: 'Glee' Curse Death Theory: Naya Rivera, Cory Monteith, & Mark Salling Sang About Their Deaths Before They Happened

John McMahon has a PhD in Psychology and was senior lecturer on the MSc course on alcohol and drug studies. Lou Lewis is a Counselor and author of the book 'No Easy Answers',.

This article originally appeared on YourTango
Skopelos Island, where Mamma Mia was filmed

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, Mamma Mia! (2008) is based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, also directed by Lloyd. The inspiration for both movie and musical came from the 1999 book Mamma Mia, written by Catherine Johnson. Mamma Mia! is a romantic comedy musical about what happens when the past resurfaces. It tells the story of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), a bride-to-be that desperately wants to be walked down the aisle by her father, whom she has never known. So, where was Mamma Mia! filmed?

Mamma Can Be Found Among the Greek Islands

Sophie is the daughter of Donna (Meryl Streep), the owner of a local hotel. Sophie decides to read her mothers private journals to find her father in time for her upcoming nuptials. When Sophie contacts the three men she believes are paternity candidates, she invites the men for a blast from the past. Antics naturally ensue when Mom is caught off guard by her former lovers sudden, surprise return to her life. The musical takes classic songs by the 1970s pop band ABBA and introduces them to a new generation of fans. It simultaneously stirs the musical memories of the generation that first enjoyed popular songs like Dancing Queen (1976). Mamma Mia! is a charming, though some might say campy, middle-aged love story that will have you dancing and singing until the end.

Besides the mesmerizing musical numbers, expect to be enchanted with Mamma Mia! by the breathtaking beauty of the beaches and landscapes of Greece. Many travelers think of the Mykonos Islands when the country Greece comes to mind, and they mistakenly believe the film was produced there. However, it will take a visit to the islands of Skopelos and Skiathos in Greece, where Lloyd primarily filmed, along with some beaches of Damouchari, to bask in the relaxing scenery depicted in Mamma Mia!

Skopelos Island, Film Location for Mamma Mia!

Skopelos is as close as you will get to the fictional island of Kalokairi, where Mamma Mia! takes place. Skopelos was the location where the majority of outdoor scenes were filmed. It is located in the Western Aegean Sea and is one of several islands that make up the Sporades Island group. Skopelos and Skiathos are both part of the Sporades Islands, which inhabit the Pelion Peninsula. The Kastani Beach of Skopelos was the location of several song and dance performances, including, I Have a Dream, Lay All Your Love on Me and Does Your Mother Know? The tiny church featured at the end of Mamma Mia!, Agios Ioannis Kastri, is in the Northern section of Skopelos. It has 199 steps that lead to it, with a sandy beach beneath its cliff.

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Three Men, a Baby, and Glysteri Beach

The scene where Sophie and her three dads jump into the crystal blue waters below was filmed at Glysteri Beach. The location of the fictional Donna Villa hotel, managed by Donna, is also said to be located there in the area of Nisi.

Mamma Mia! was shot in 2008, but there was a scene in the movie that supposedly takes place in 1980. Damouchari was the only island the producers found that still had the charm of the 1980s, with few skyrises, traffic, modern enhancements, or other tourist traps. That is why Damouchari was chosen as the location of the scene where Donna dances through a village and down to a harbor. Its been said that all the inhabitants of Damouchari island were recruited to be extras in this scene. Damouchari is a small port on the Eastern coast of Pelion Peninsula, not far from Skopelos and Skiathos. It can be reached by boat from Agios Ionnis and Mylopotamos. It can also be reached by walking the road from Tsagarada or Mouressi.

Skiathos Island, an Entry Point to Skopelos

Skiathos is the only island of the Sporades group that has its own airport. It is, therefore, the most efficient way to reach both Skopelos. Athens is the nearest major airport and it is 20-30 minutes flight to Skiathos Airport from there. Skopelos is a 30-minute ferry ride from Skiathos port. Besides flying into Skiathos Airport from the mainland, there are 4 ports that offer ferry services to the Sporades islands at Volos, Mantoudi, Agios Konstantinos, and Thessalonik. Volos port has the fastest ferry, the Aegean Flying Dolphin, which can reach Skiathos in an hour and 25 minutes and Skopelos in an hour and 55 minutes.

Though the various locations where Mamma Mia! was filmed were once lesser known, they became popular thanks to the movie. The increased tourism led to an unprecedented need for hotel accommodation and increased prices at restaurants and bars on the tiny islands of the Aegean Sea. However, many local Greeks recognize the potential that film tourism has to boost the local economy.

When visiting the locations where Mamma Mia! was filmed, dont be surprised to find ready-made tour packages that lead directly to where the scenes were filmed.
Tattoos are one of the most popular trends among Americans, yet women and non-binary tattoo artists find a lack of diversity in the field. More than one-third of 18-29 year olds have tattoos, making them a popular form of self-expression for young adults.

More often than not, tattoo artists are cisgender white men. As of 2010, only one in six tattoo artists were women. However, in 2012, there were more tattooed women than men. Gender-diverse and minority tattoo artists can be hard to find, which at the very least, can make the tattoo industry a less welcoming place for women, queer people, and people of color.

The problems within the tattoo industry dont end with representation issues. The culture within the industry can also be very toxic. Entering the industry as an artist has its own set of barriers, relevant to getting an apprenticeship and finding welcoming shops, which can limit diversity in the field.

It is valuable and important for the industry to be reflective of the communities it serves, especially since tattooing is rooted in self-expression. While the tattoo industry continues to be male-dominated, there is movement to change industry norms. Individual artists and popular shops have made it their mission to make space for new voices in tattooing, acting as trailblazers in changing the makeup of the field.

Gender-Diverse Shops

Jackalope Tattoo,a shop based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is made up entirely of gender-diverse artists. Shortly after they started tattooing in 2010, M was invited to join the team at Jackalope. [The previous owner] inquired about me coming over to Jackalope. At the time, it was an all-womens shop and I was not out as trans-non-binary, they explain. [The tattoo industry is] a very misogynistic type of industry and it was a lot worse even 10 years ago, so coming over seemed like a good spot for me to go.

Tattoos continue to be a popular form of self expression and shops like Jackalope and its owner M, aim to make non-binary artists and clients feel more welcome in the industry.

In 2017, after the prior owner showed interest in selling the shop, M became the owner of Jackalope. It was at this point that the shop began to shift from a women-run shop to a more gender diverse space.

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When I came out, two of my co-workers also came out shortly after and so it kind of just morphed into this other [version of the shop], M reflects.

As Jackalope became more recognized as a gender-diverse shop, M and other artists built more of a community aligned with their mission. Letting folks know that we were actually a marginalized gender shop and just changing that verbiage, it attracted a lot more artists that were aligned with our values and clientele, M shares.

Today, Jackalope is a community of 13 queer, non-binary, trans, or women-identified artists and staff.

Jackalope is unique in that the shop focuses on diversity across many different spectrums, including race, gender, ability, and more. However, as a field that can promote toxic masculinity, there are many other tattoo shops that have dedicated themselves to encouraging more women to enter the field.

Noodle Vue is an independent tattoo artist in Minneapolis. She formerly worked at Sacred Siren, an all-women tattoo and piercing shop in Minneapolis. She explains that she saw women use more open body language and feel less self-conscious in shops where they were represented in the staff.

In a shop where its all-female, [women clients] feel more safe, they feel more comfortable being heard when they walk in[and] they dont have to be self-conscious about guys judging them, so it helps a lot, she voices.

On the importance of women and non-binary led spaces in tattooing, she reiterates that representation is vital for clients, in order to build better trust and relationships with their artists. It creates a safe space for non-binary people because theyre getting tattooed by someone in their community and they feel like they can relate, she states. [It goes] back to feeling safe and not being judged by a person who doesnt understand where [youre] coming from.

The Problem with Apprenticeships

BetsyK Evans started tattooing nearly five years ago and is currently an artist at Jackalope. Even now, she remembers the difficulties of breaking into the tattoo industry.

You dont get paid while youre an apprentice and its a lot of time and you have to pay for all your equipment and materials, Evans emphasizes. If you arent familiar with the process to become a tattoo artist, states often mandate that aspiring artists do apprenticeships with tattoo shops, to get hands-on experience and training before getting licensed themselves. However, there is no formal program to connect artists with shops. Therefore, for artists, getting an apprenticeship typically involves visiting shops with their art portfolio and hoping that the shop will take them on as an apprentice.

I was very lucky in that I only had to go to, I think, three shops before I found an apprenticeship, Evans reflects. However, she explains that the two other artists who were doing apprenticeships at the same shop had to go to a lot more. One of them went to seven shops before they found one and one of them went to eleven and thats very very normal.

Vue also experienced barriers to getting an apprenticeship, especially considering that many shops are male-owned. It's still a male-dominiated field so a lot of people didnt really want to take me seriously, she states. Because the tattoo industry lacks community and support for tattoo artists with diverse identities, it was harder for Vue to network and make connections in the field. I feel like it was harder for me to get an apprenticeship because mosttattoo shop owners are male, she asserts. When I walk in, most of the time they deny me versus when a male walks in, [it's] easier for them to connect.

Women and gender-diverse artists face barriers to getting apprenticeships when entering the tattoo field, Noodle Vu is one of those in the industry.

In addition to how difficult it can be to secure an apprenticeship in the first place, the apprenticeship itself can also be a toxic experience.

M describes negative experiences with their apprenticeship, at a time when the tattoo industry was even less welcoming and diverse than it is now. At the time when I started tattooing, the amount of folks that were not cisgender males, you could probably count it on both your hands, they reflect. It was like a hazing process. Coming in, it was really kind of scary, you kind of had to just put a shell on and keep your head down, they explain.

For M, Jackalope was an escape from this toxic environment, which was the norm in the industry at the time. Now, as the owner of the tattoo shop themself, M is supporting and participating in the movement toward better industry practices. The shops like that definitely exist [and] theyre not gone, but I think that people are being more vocal about how that kind of treatment and getting into the industry isnt okay anymore.

Toxic Masculinity in the Tattoo Industry

Jessica Elliott, known as Yolk in the tattoo world, also had obstacles to breaking into the tattoo industry. However, having grown up in a family of tattoo artists, her challenges differed from the other artists experiences. They are currently a tattoo artist at Jackalope.

My brother and dad really wanted me to be almost perfect, they didnt want me to mess up. Theyre very traditional [and] very old school, she shares. Ive had a lot of personal mental health issues and in tattooing, you cant cry. [Its very] leave your feelings at the door.

They add that because of these norms in the industry that their family perpetuated, it was difficult to find their voice as an artist, being around a traditional tattoo environment and not being able to separate her personal and family life from work. [Its] kind of a hard spot to be in when youre around your family and [not knowing] how to separate the two, she asserts.

Along with gender diversity, shops like Jackalope are working to be more accessible for neurodivergent people. As someone who lives with bipolar disorder, autism, and ADHD, Elliott feels a sense of community at Jackalope. Its great to be at Jackalope because theres a lot of other folk there who are just as neurodivergentits a very supportive environment in that way, she expresses.

Even after breaking into the industry, women and non-binary artists often continue to face challenges, especially in spaces that continue to be less diverse. I definitely have experienced sexism in the workplace, especially from male artists I was working with or shop owners, Evans states. [Other artists] would make comments to me or to other female artists about [how] the only reason we were so successful is because we were girls and everybody just wants to be tattooed by a pretty girl.

Ironically, women dont tend to be the ones getting special treatment in the workplace. As Evans explains, it can be infuriating to feel like your experiences with gender bias are not being seen. I think women in essentially any field can say that if youre told that the only reason youre successful is because youre a woman, it can get pretty frustrating because there are definitely a lot of things that you deal with as a woman in any workplace thatnot [everyone] has to deal with, she emphasizes.

Being a Woman or Non-Binary Artist in the Workplace

Its no secret that women and non-binary people face obstacles in the workplace, which is not exclusive to the tattoo industry. However, in a male-dominated field with a history of misogyny, gender minorities in the field often experience being singled out.

Elliott explains her experiences at a previous job, where they had witnessed a fellow non-binary artist being harassed. After that artist left the shop, the microaggressions and harassment started being targeted at her. All the little things that I was doing [were] wrong, I could see somebody rolling their eyes across the room[another artist would be] picking on me in front of my clients [and] making it uncomfortable for me, or picking on my client, they reflect.

Along with blatant harassment like Elliott describes, there are also inequities in the industry for gender minorities, one of which is relevant to parenthood.

Being a female tattoo artist, Evans recalls experiencing gender discrimination surrounding pregnancy at a shop she was previously employed at. I do remember very specifically being told that if [becoming a mother] was something we were looking to do, [the owner] didnt know what we were planning onand it was always implied that by choosing that, you were probably going to be giving up your space in that shop, Evans shares.

As a mom of twins now, Evans emphasizes the value of having a supportive workplace, both during pregnancy and postpartum. I was able to take that time off and know I was going to come back to a job. Not only that, but I have a place that is not in front of everybody where I can sit and pump at work and that is not something that I take for granted in this industry, she describes. I dont know if I would have been ready to have kids if I hadnt moved shops.

Change is Coming

There is still a long way to go to make the tattoo industry a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone. But with shops like Jackalope and an increasing number of gender diverse artists entering the field, the industry is headed in the right direction.

As a shop community, we are trying to really take a different perspective on the way that were doing things, M states. We try to keep bright colors and lighter music and[try] to encourage folks to not have to feel like theyre intimidated by walking in our door.

Its important to note that gender is not the only diversity that the tattoo field lacks. Black and Brown artists are also underrepresented in the industry. Additionally, there are misconceptions among artists that melanated skin cant be tattooed in certain ways, which has caused further exclusion from the tattoo community.

For the longest time, I was the only person of color and Im mixed, so really, we are a very visibly white shop and thats something were working really hard on, M explains. Were trying to use the opportunity to grow and diversify our staff so that when our clientele is looking to come work with us, that theyre also seeing themselves represented in the artists, in both gender and race.

Along with making efforts to bring on Black and Brown apprentices, Jackalope is making sure that their team is as educated and inclusive as possible. Were all working together to further educate ourselves. Ive been putting artists through [anti-racism] training, and also working on trauma informed tattooing and pushing my artists to all have varying skin tones in their portfolios, M explains.

Evans adds that its powerful to be a part of a movement towards change. Were trying to do more with our community and were also trying to improve ourselves, she says. [Were] working to create something, to make an impact to change what the industry looks like and how it impacts people who want to participate in it.

Building Community in a Male-Dominated Field

In entering and diversifying any male-dominated field, a major barrier is the lack of community. This is why even when identities are underrepresented in a field, its important to connect with colleagues you identify with, in order to build a system of support for yourself and encourage new voices to enter the industry.

Make Connections

If you dont feel like you fit in with the community you are working withtry to reach out to others who might come from your type of community, even if theyre far away, and just see if you can start a dialogue, Evans recommends. Making connections is a great way to start building a support system to lean on. Especially in an industry where you are underrepresented, having people who understand your identity and experiences can be very helpful and reassuring.

Avoid Negative Energy

Try not to be so focused on all the outside noise because it can be very very loud, Elliott emphasizes. It can be hard to be one of the only people in the room and even more difficult to stand up against inequities. However, remember that your voice is important and not everyone will support change, even when it's for the good of your workplace or industry.

Dont let negativity get you down and remember that you come first. As Elliott states, I cant help anybody if Im not taking care of myself.

Keep Working

At the end of the day, perseverance and determination will be a key part of your career, no matter what industry youre in. Just keep trying [and] get better at your craft, just to prove to yourself that youre worth it and you can make it, Vue voices.

It takes a community of folks to be able to make those changes, M reminds. The more people that are trying to push for these changes, [the industry has] no choice eventually, but to change and to listen.



Hailey Dickinson (she/her) is a creator passionate about using writing and digital platforms to build community, make connections, and ignite positive social change. She is a Communications Major with a social media emphasis at the University of Minnesota and will graduate in December 2023.
A first-term Republican lawmaker referred to African Americans as colored people on the House floor Thursday, prompting outrage from Democrats and a quick rebuke from the chambers presiding officer.

Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) was reprimanded after he took to the floor to promote an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that he says will rein in Defense Department wokeness  a racially charged concept that has divided the parties and the country in recent years.

During debate over the amendment, Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio)  the former head of the Congressional Black Caucus  railed against the measure, arguing that Republicans were setting us back.

Im old enough to remember when Black officers, when women, were not allowed to serve, Beatty said. You are setting us back. On this floor on both sides of the aisle we have people of color, we have people who have served.

Crane, a former Navy Seal, shot back after Beatty concluded her remarks, arguing that his amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or Black people or anybody can serve.

It has nothing to do with color of your skin, he continued, ignoring an interruption from Beatty.

Once Crane wrapped up his comments, Beatty asked that his words colored people be stricken from the official record, calling it offensive and very inappropriate.

I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words of referring to me or any of my colleagues as colored people, she said.

Crane initially responded by asking to amend his comments to say people of color. But Beatty wasnt satisfied, asking again that his words be stricken, not altered. The lawmaker presiding over the near-empty chamber consented.

Hours later, in a statement, Crane said he misspoke while debating his amendment.

In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of ones skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke, he told The Hill. Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal.

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The contentious exchange came during debate over the annual NDAA, which, this year, has been highly controversial for a number of proposed amendments related to culture-war issues like abortion, transgender rights and diversity and inclusion initiatives in government.

Cranes amendment would bar the Pentagon from requiring participation in trainings that teach what many conservatives would call woke concepts, specifically prohibiting topics related to race.

He argued that his amendment was not divisive at all, adding whats divisive is how the military is becoming a political, a social experiment. At another point, he said the military was never intended to be inclusive.

We need to have a military that continues to be the strongest military in the world because of standards. Because the people that we have there are the best of the best. The military was never intended to be, you know, inclusive. Its strength is not its diversity, its strength is its standards. And diversity can be a great thing, but that should not be our focus, he said.

But it was his colored people remark that got most of the attention, drawing sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, including the Congressional Black Caucus, which called the comment unconscionable.

This is a shameful moment on the House floor, the group wrote on Twitter.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said it was troubling to watch this roll off the tongue of a Congressman so easily.

This kind of racist language has no place in the U.S. House of Representatives. Or anywhere else, he added on Twitter.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), a member of the caucus, was more terse.

Rep. Eli Crane just referred to Black service members as colored people. You cant make this up. This is who these people are, and who theyve always been, she said in a tweet.

Crane is not the only Republican to become embroiled in a race-based controversy this week. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) sparked a firestorm earlier in the week when he told CNN that a white nationalists are not inherently racist.

The remarks were widely condemned by senators in both parties. Tuberville later reversed course, stipulating that white nationalists are indeed racists.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Blacklist season 10 spoilers ahead.

Raymond Reddington met a wild end in the series finale of The Blacklist this week.

Season 10 of the NBC crime thriller gave fans a two-hour send-off, with James Spader's FBI informer on the run from the Strike Force team and politician Arthur Hudson (played by Toby Leonard Moore of Billions).

Halfway through, Red came face-to-face with his hunter, who shot down the fugitive's bodyguard-turned-agent Dembe Zuma (Law and Order's Hisham Tawfiq) before receiving a fatal bullet in return.

Fernando Marrero/ SONY/ NBC

Related: Why was The Blacklist cancelled?

The congressman's death led special agent Jordan Nixon (Derrick Williams) to vow revenge on Red, but this only created tension between himself and assistant director Harold Cooper (Henry Lennix).

By this point, Red had successfully made it to Spain, where he spent some time browsing the fruit and vegetable aisle of a local market. Here, he also made one final phone call to his granddaughter Agnes (Sami Bray) while checking up on the hospitalised Dembe.

Fernando Marrero/ SONY/ NBC

Related: The Blacklist confirms date for final episode

The Strike Force remains one step behind Red, who's soon enjoying the pleasures of a picturesque countryside.

In arguably the show's biggest twist yet, he's then preyed upon by a massive bull, who studies the criminal before charging towards him in a slow-motion rage. The horrific scene cuts to a helicopter bound for landing, with the squad's Donald Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) looking down on Red's battered corpse.

Could this ending become viewed as one of the greatest, akin to Walter White's machine-gun downfall in Breaking Bad?

The Blacklist season 10 aired on NBC in the US.

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Lets end the week with a bit of good news for our future as a species on this floating ball of dirt. Brimstone, a major player in the industrial decarbonization field, just announced that its decarbonized cement has passed a crucial third-party strength test, bringing the dream of net-zero construction one step closer to reality.

The companys proprietary portland cement met the American Society for Testing and Materials' (ASTM) C150 standards for building products, indicating that it can do everything traditionally-made portland cement can do with regard to construction projects. This is a big deal, as portland cement is not some niche product, as it comprises 95 percent of all cement produced in the United States. Chances are, if you are in a building made from cement, youre surrounded by ordinary portland cement (OPC).

Brimstone says the carbon-negative cement is identical in all respects to OPC, including performance, safety, and overall chemical composition. The only difference is that it wasn't manufactured using the conventional, carbon-intensive methods. The company also notes that its strength, workability, durability, and compatibility with steel and other materials make it an ideal choice to build structures safely and efficiently.

There are plenty of other alternative building materials out there, but this is actual portland cement, so adopting Brimstones product wont force millions of construction workers to get retrained to use a new material, according to CEO Cody Finke. He also touts that the product will be equal or lower cost to other options and will slash carbon emissions.

Being as this is the same industry-standard portland cement used for over 150 years, the company wont have to jump the usual regulatory hurdles when developing a new building material, with the company boasting the same buildings, bridges and roads being built today can be built tomorrow without carbon.

How did it manage such a feat? Conventional cement production involves heating limestone to ultra-high temperatures, which releases large quantities of CO2 embedded in the rock. Brimstone went with carbon-free calcium silicate rock, so theres no CO2 to release. As a matter of fact, the process generates trace magnesium compounds that absorb pre-existing CO2 from the air, making this concrete carbon-negative.

Its no secret that traditional cement is a major contributor to the worlds climate problem, as cement production accounts for 7.5 percent of global CO2 emissions and 5.5 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. All told, the construction and real estate industries account for 40 percent of global carbon emissions, so this step toward net-zero construction could drastically reduce that number.

Of course, this is a brand-new manufacturing process and Brimstones cement has yet to be widely adopted by the industry. The company hopes to scale up production so they can sell its portland cement for the same price as conventionally-made materials. Brimstones constructing a manufacturing plant in Reno, Nevada and has already started negotiating with construction companies, real estate companies and various corporate partners.
Chinas military has been on a surge of activity around Taiwan this week, sending dozens of warplanes past the median line of the Taiwan Strait and into the key regions of the islands air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) activity has a range of implications, none of them positive for Taiwan or cross-strait stability, analysts say.

According to figures from Taiwans Defense Ministry, 38 PLA aircraft were detected around the island in the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday, 33 in the same period Thursday and 30 during the same period Friday.

Over those 72 hours, 73 PLA aircraft either crossed the straits median line  an informal demarcation point that Beijing does not recognize but until recently largely respected  or entered the southeastern or southwestern parts of the islands ADIZ.

Chinas ruling Communist Party claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its territory despite never having controlled it, and has spent decades trying to isolate it diplomatically. Beijing has not ruled out using force to take control of the island.

The PLA aircraft detected this week included fighter jets, H-6 bombers, anti-submarine warning aircraft and reconnaissance drones, Taiwans Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said it tasked combat air patrol warplanes, naval vessels and land-based missile defense to monitor the PLA aircraft, along with nine Chinese warships that were present around the island.

Their response underscores the problem that increased PLA activity poses to Taiwan, said Carl Schuster, a Hawaii-based analyst and former director of operations at the US Pacific Commands Joint Intelligence Center.

When Taiwans military responds to PLA operations, it taxes the islands systems and equipment.

Constant use creates a maintenance headache that reduces readiness until (spare) parts are delivered and installed, he said. Also, air frames and hulls require inspection and refurbishment as certain age and stress times are reached.

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He also says surges in PLA activity are aimed at wearing down the mental ability of Taiwans people to resist a potential takeover by Beijing.

Beijing hopes Taipei will just accept unification as inevitable and allow Chinese forces in without resistance. They are trying to diminish if not destroy the Taiwan populations will to resist, he said.

But even if that tactic does not work, the continued presence of large numbers of PLA warplanes and ships around Taiwan can lull the islands defenders  both the Taiwanese military and any potential external reinforcements  into complacency, he said.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, Washington has agreed to give Taiwan the ability to defend itself, largely through weapons sales, although President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that US troops would defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Either way, with US equipment or even fighting troops, it may become too late for Washington to come to Taipeis rescue if large amounts of PLA planes and ships are already on station around the island.

The longer the delay in reacting to PLA buildups, the less time available to match or counter that buildup. The US margin of advantage is too slim to achieve success if its forces move too late, Schuster said.

From the PLAs perspective, sustained drills are a necessary part of readiness to execute any move on Taiwan, the former US Navy captain said.

PLA forces need constant training since such skills are perishable and exercises offer both training in those skills and opportunities to rehearse and examine some aspects of war plans, he said.

Military operations are complex, like American football. The plays and drives require constant practice and rehearsal to be conducted effectively, Schuster added.

A Chinese fighter jet refuels during military exercises near Taiwan on April 12, 2023. - Xinhua/AP

US flight in Taiwan Strait

China last held three days of intensive military drills around Taiwan in April, exercises the PLA said comprehensively tested joint combat capabilities of its integrated military forces under actual combat situation.

Forces in the command is ready for combat at all times, and will resolutely destroy any type of Taiwan independence separatist or foreign interference attempts, a PLA statement after the April drills said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

As for this weeks drills, a report in the state-run Global Times said they aim to safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Such drills are becoming more combat-oriented and more intensive in order to deter and prepare for interferences from external forces, the report said, citing Chinese experts.

Meanwhile, the activity in and around the Taiwan Strait in the past few days hasnt been limited to the PLA.

A US Navy P-8A reconnaissance jet transited the strait on Thursday, according to a statement from the US 7th Fleet in Japan.

The aircrafts transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows, the statement said.

On its English-language website, the PLA accused the US military of hyping the situation, and a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command said PLA troops tracked and monitored the US plane.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told CNN Thursday that he doesnt see confrontation between the US and China involving Taiwan as imminent or unavoidable.

But having said that its my job to make sure that we have to continue to maintain a credible deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, he said. The most credible deterrent is a combat capable force and thats what we have today.

CNNs Zahid Mahmood contributed reporting.

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Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer identified the man shot and killed by Harrison County Sheriffs deputies Thursday night as 38-year-old Jeremiah Ladner of Saucier.

Ladner was pronounced dead on the scene from multiple gunshot wounds, Switzer said. He said Ladner was the suspect in a burglary of an unoccupied dwelling.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said in a news release the sheriffs department was called to a burglary in progress about 9 p.m. on Mississippi 53 in Gulfport. Deputies responded to the call and said a suspect pointed a weapon at deputies.

Switzer said he did not know what kind of weapon Ladner had.

One officer fired the fatal shots, Switzer said. He added that there were at least two officers on the scene and none were injured.

MBI has launched an investigation and their agents gathered evidence on the scene Thursday night.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, Switzer said.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) walks into a vote flanked by reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

WASHINGTON  Republicans on Friday rammed through the House a deeply partisan defense bill that would limit abortion access, transgender care and diversity training for military personnel, setting up a showdown in the Senate that could imperil the crucial annual measure to provide a pay raise for troops, set defense policy to counter U.S. adversaries and sustain Pentagon programs at a time of rising threats.

The House passed the measure on a vote of 219 to 210 with nearly unanimous Republican support, a significant victory for the far-right faction that forced a reluctant Speaker Kevin McCarthy to open the bill to an array of social policy prescriptions by threatening to block it if they did not get their way. But the move left the fate of the measure deeply in doubt, advancing a bill that has little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate and raising questions about whether a compromise can be reached that could be enacted into law this fall.

And the outcome suggested even more intense battles ahead on Capitol Hill to avert a government shutdown. Mr. McCarthys capitulation to the right, despite knowing it could cost him critical Democratic support for the must-pass bill, was a gamble that could become a playbook for the coming fight over federal spending, where hard-liners are pressing to impose similar socially conservative policies governmentwide.

Some Republicans, particularly those in competitive districts, could also pay a political price for embracing legislation that would restrict the rights of women and transgender people and downplay problems of racism in the military. Democrats were already attacking them for having done so, highlighting the measure as a prime example of their argument that the Republican Party is extreme and out of step with the values of mainstream voters.

In the shorter term, the addition of partisan policy requirements is expected to drastically complicate the usually bipartisan process of negotiating a final defense bill in Congress. Senators are expected to vote this month on a competing version of the defense bill, setting up what promises to be a difficult set of talks as the two chambers hash out their differences. Congress has not failed to agree on and produce an annual defense bill in six decades.

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On Friday, ultraconservative House Republicans warned they were in no mood to accept a compromise with the Senate.

We are not going to relent, we are not going to back down, were not going to give up on the cause that is righteous, Representative Scott Perry, Republican of Pennsylvania and the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters. He said his members were going to use every single tool at our disposal to defend the socially conservative changes to the bill, calling them a huge victory.

What were not willing to do is just look for bipartisanship or look to compromise our principles to get their vote, he added.

Democrats denounced the bill, accusing Republican leaders of having turned what began as a bipartisan measure into a hyper-politicized salvo in a wider culture war to please a small, right-wing faction of their party. They warned that the changes would alienate women, transgender people and minorities from enlisting, worsening recruiting challenges and compromising the militarys ability to defend the country.

Whether youre talking about women, whether youre talking about trans people, whether youre talking about people of color  this bill says that were going to make it more difficult for you to get a fair shake in the military, Representative Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said on the floor on Friday morning. We are opposed to this bill because it is our firm belief that it will undermine our ability to meet the national security objectives of this country.

At stake was an $886 billion bill that would grant a 5.2 percent raise to military personnel, include programs to counter aggressive moves by China and Russia, and establish a special inspector general to oversee U.S. aid to Ukraine.

The Republican-led House, prodded by right-wing lawmakers, attached a provision to undo a Pentagon policy that was adopted last year after the Supreme Court struck down abortion rights to provide time off and travel reimbursement to service members who must travel out of state to obtain an abortion. Hard-line members said on Friday that the measure demonstrated the Houses solidarity with Senator Tommy Tuberville, Republican of Alabama, who has been blocking the promotions of all senior military generals and admirals  including the nominees to serve as Joint Chiefs of Staff  in protest over the policy. Mr. Tuberville has said, however, that he does not want to settle his dispute with the Pentagon in the defense bill.

Republicans also added measures prohibiting the military from offering health coverage for gender transition surgeries  which currently require a waiver  and related hormone therapies. They included language that would eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion offices at the Pentagon, as well as the positions attached to them.

They adopted a measure barring the Pentagons educational arm from buying any book that contains pornographic material or espouses radical gender ideology. And with the help of nine Democrats, they approved an amendment that would prohibit Defense Department schools from teaching that the United States or its founding documents are racist.

Just before passage on Friday, the House also voted 218 to 210 to adopt a proposal by Representative Jim Banks, Republican of Indiana, to prevent the Defense Department from using affirmative action policies in admissions decisions at the military service academies. The House also voted 217 to 216 to block the Pentagon and the military from carrying out President Bidens executive orders on climate change.

But while Mr. McCarthy and mainstream Republicans resisted the right-wing push to use the defense bill to pick fights on cultural issues, they ultimately sided with the most conservative members of their party, who argued that it was entirely appropriate.

It is core and fundamental to defense that we stop making the Defense Department a social engineering experiment wrapped in a uniform, Representative Chip Roy, Republican of Texas and one of the ultraconservative ringleaders, said on the floor on Thursday. The American people Ive talked to back home dont want a weak military; they dont want a woke military; they dont want rainbow propaganda on bases; they dont want to pay for troops sex changes.

Nearly all Republicans voted for a measure to restrict funding for service members to travel to obtain abortions, which the House adopted 221 to 213, and for another denying transgender troops coverage for gender transition surgeries and hormone therapy, which passed 222 to 211. A measure by Representative Ralph Norman, Republican of South Carolina, that would eliminate all of the Pentagons diversity offices and employees, eked through by a narrower margin, 214 to 213.

The House defeated a broader measure by Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, that would have prohibited the Pentagon from spending any money on diversity training whatsoever. That measure failed on a vote of 210 to 221.

The votes came amid a heated floor debate in which Republicans and Democrats feuded over issues of race, sex and gender. Representative Eli Crane, Republican of Arizona, at one point made a reference to colored people while defending his amendment to keep diversity training from becoming a condition for obtaining or keeping Defense Department jobs. Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, a Democrat who is Black, demanded that his comments be stricken from the record. Mr. Crane later said in a statement that he misspoke.

Later in the evening, Representative Jill N. Tokuda, Democrat of Hawaii, admonished her Republican colleagues for the tenor of the debate.

From the backwards, racially insensitive comments spoken on this floor, it seems D.E.I. training would be good right here in the halls of Congress, she said.

The one point of bipartisan consensus on Thursday, it seemed, was widespread opposition to Republican efforts to reduce or eliminate military assistance and weapons shipments for Ukraine.

On a vote of 276 to 147, the House rejected a proposal to ban the Biden administration from sending cluster munitions to Ukraine, with two lawmakers voting present. The administration announced last week that it would be sending the weapons to Kyiv, despite bipartisan concerns that they posed too great a danger to civilians.

The amendment was offered by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, who also failed in her effort to strip a $300 million program to train and equip Ukrainian soldiers that has been part of the defense bill for almost a decade. The House rejected that effort by a vote of 341 to 89, alongside a similar proposal by Mr. Gaetz to prohibit Congress from appropriating any more money for Ukraines war effort, which was defeated 358 to 70.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
Angelica Hernandez, left, an employee for the last 20 years at a McDonald's restaurant in Monterey Park, and Anneisha Williams, right, an employee for the last 10 years at a Jack in the Box restaurant in Los Angeles, join other fast-food workers from across L.A. in a rally outside the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The rally was held to raise awareness of their push for better working conditions. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Scores of Los Angeles fast-food workers spent their Thursday protesting for higher pay and better working conditions, even as labor's latest legislative pushback against the restaurant industry has stalled.

Wearing bright red shirts and carrying signs, more than 100 local fast-food workers and union organizers crowded on the steps of the downtown Los Angeles building housing the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in the morning with plans to protest at individual restaurants later in the day.

"We are fighting for ourselves to live," one worker said as the crowd cheered.

In Sacramento, however, that fight stalled, at least for now. That's because one facet got stuck in a state Senate committee.

Assembly Bill 1228 aims to hold fast-food corporations responsible for ensuring their franchisees comply with labor laws, and would make franchisee violations of employment laws enforceable against franchiser and franchisee equally. The International Franchise Assn. and others in the restaurant industry have strenuously opposed the measure, saying it would hurt the small-business operators that own franchises of big companies, such as McDonald's.

Read more:'I feel duped': Inside the fast-food industry's push to dismantle a new California labor law

It's highly contentious legislation, introduced this year, that represents the latest iteration of a multiyear battle between organized labor and fast-food businesses over control of workplace standards.

But Senate Judiciary Chair Tom Umberg said in a session Tuesday that the bill had been pulled from the agenda by its proponents.

The decision to pull the bill was made to give opponents more time to speak with the authors, according to Service Employees International Union California, a major proponent of the bill. Umberg said he plans to reintroduce it at a hearing in August or September.

The bill's author, Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) said the decision to reschedule the bill's judiciary hearing was "a positive one."

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"I respect the space that is being provided for deeper vetting and look to serve as a resource for clarity, not only as a former franchise owner myself, but also as a Legislator whos sat down with fast-food workers across our state," he said in an emailed statement. "We have the opportunity to create a safer and more respectable work environment for these workers while enhancing the industry as a whole, and that is what we are working toward.

The union said its pushing for the bill to go up for a vote sooner  in August  rather than later.

Californias leaders have listened to fast-food workers, who have been speaking out about the exploitative and abusive conditions in the industry for years, said David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU United Service Workers West. We are confident that the Legislature and the Administration are fully committed to bringing greater accountability to this industry.

Opponents of the bill have derided AB 1228 as "a drastic bill" that would "fundamentally destroy" the franchise model in California by forcing national fast-food companies to exert more control over local franchised restaurants.

It would mean "turning locally owned and operated restaurants into corporate run restaurants and stripping local restaurant owners of their authority as small business owners," according to a statement by Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants coalition, made up of fast-food corporations and trade groups.

The California Chamber of Commerce has labeled AB 1228 and many other employee-focused bills as job killers.

The union organized a series of rallies on Thursday for fast-food workers who are "fed up" with rampant labor law violations in their industry, according to a Thursday news release by SEIU, and don't have time to wait for a fraught legislative process to play out.

Trey McGuire, 19, who works at a Lancaster location of hot dog fast-food chain Wienerschnitzel, said it's frustrating and difficult to work 12-hour shifts and still make so little. He's under pressure to make enough to provide for his 20-month-old child  and another kid on the way, with his partner six months pregnant.

McGuire and his family rolled up to the protest outside the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce decked out in matching red "FAST FOOD WORKERS UNIDOS" T-shirts distributed by the union.

It definitely doesn't help workers feel valued, McGuire said, that the owner of the store he works at seems to own two Teslas.

"He drives up to work three days a week always in different cars," McGuire said. "It makes us want to push harder and fight for what's ours."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Bloomberg) -- ASML Holding NV, the leading provider of chipmaking equipment, is facing tighter restrictions on its ability to work with Chinese customers, a further escalation in the technology clash between Washington and Beijing.

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Dutch export control rules will forbid ASML from maintaining, repairing and providing spare parts for controlled equipment without government approval, people familiar with the matter said. Those restrictions are related to new regulations the government published in June that prohibit ASML from shipping some so-called immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machines, its second-most capable machinery, to China without a license beginning in September.

In addition to the Dutch controls, the US is expected to bar ASML from selling even older DUV lithography gear to about half a dozen of Chinese plants without approval from Washington, said the people, asking not to be named because the rules arent yet public. Among the China plants the Biden administration is targeting is one operated by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., one of the countrys leading chip companies.

The dual curbs come on top of sweeping export restrictions President Joe Biden administrations imposed on China last year and threaten to degrade the Chinese semiconductor companies capabilities over time. The Communist Party has reacted furiously to the technology curbs, filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization and arguing the US is trying to keep China subservient.

The Dutch regulations are an official stake in the ground that the Netherlands does not want China to be able to produce the most advanced semiconductors, said Dylan Patel, founder of the research group SemiAnalysis. Without access to these machines, Chinese chip companies will be at a significant disadvantage in the global market for advanced logic and memory chips.

ASML is the leading producer of the lithography equipment needed to produce semiconductors for the most advanced smartphones, computers and other tech gear. The restricted DUV models include the TWINSCAN NXT:2000i and more sophisticated machines. Such equipment is capable of crafting chips as advanced as 5-nanometer, a technology that first became available in 2020.

I anticipate that the new restrictions will significantly impact Chinese chip companies future plans, Patel said. They will likely be forced to delay or cancel the development of certain future leading-edge process technologies.

ASML has never been able to sell its most advanced chipmaking machines to China, which use extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography. Thats because the US and its allies are worried these technologies could be used to advance Chinese military capabilities.

The Biden administration will impose the new curbs on ASML by invoking the Foreign Direct Product Rule, which allows it to limit foreign-equipment suppliers sales if their products contain even a small amount of American components, the people said. Reuters previously reported some details of the new US moves to limit ASMLs China business.

Previously, Donald Trumps administration adopted the FDPR measure to prevent chipmakers using any US tech companies from providing manufacturing services to Huawei Technologies Co. without approval. That move essentially kneecapped the Chinese telecom giants once lucrative smartphone business.

The US may also ban ASML from providing maintenance and repair services and supplying spare parts for the restricted machines installed at the six targeted plants without a license, according to one of those people. It is unclear when the US will move ahead with these additional restrictions, the people said.

While the Netherlands had earlier resisted US efforts to apply extra-territorial controls on ASML, the administrations of Biden and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte reached an understanding about the national security necessities of additional restrictions, the people said. The new Dutch regulations are not expected to be affected by the recent collapse of the countrys coalition government.

Representatives for the Dutch government, the US Department of Commerce and ASML declined to comment. Separately this week, ASML said it plans to slow hiring this year due to a downturn in the chip industry and a massive recruiting drive in 2022.

In addition to deterring China from upgrading its semiconductor technology, the new US-Dutch controls may reduce Chinese firms existing production capacity for relatively advanced chips over time. The country has limited domestic alternatives for repairing or replacing broken foreign equipment. ASML has a virtual monopoly on critical lithography gear thats required to make both advanced and legacy chips around the world.

The Biden administration imposed similar controls on the maintenance and repair of American chipmaking with its original export control rules in October. Those restrictions affected ASMLs US peers, including Applied Materials Inc.

--With assistance from Ian King, Jenny Leonard and Amy Thomson.

(Updates with analyst comments from fifth paragraph)

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MUNCIE, Ind.  Federal prosecutors want a Muncie police officer awaiting trial for obstruction of justice jailed following his driving-while-intoxicated arrest in Kokomo.

In the federal case, Corey Posey is accused of filing a false report in 2018 after fellow officer Chase Winkle physically assaulted an arrestee.

The 31-year-old Posey  free on his own recognizance since being indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2021  stood trial on the federal count of obstruction of justice last month, but a mistrial was declared when jurors were unable to agree on a verdict.

He is scheduled to stand trial a second time, in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, beginning Sept. 11.

On July 7, Posey was arrested following a rear-end collision on U.S. 31 near Markland Avenue in Kokomo.

The Muncie officer told authorities he "came up too quickly on the car driving in front of him."

He also reported he had been "falling asleep while driving," according to a police report. The collision was reported about 5 a.m.

A witness told Kokomo police that before the collision, he had been traveling at 70 mph on U.S. 31 when Posey passed him "at a high rate of speed" while "swerving all over the roadway."

A test reportedly measured the Muncie officer's blood-alcohol content at 0.087. In Indiana, motorists with a BAC of 0.08 or higher are considered intoxicated. Posey was released after posting bond at the Howard County jail.

On July 10, the Muncie officer was charged in Howard Superior Court 3 with driving while intoxicated, a Class A misdemeanor carrying up to a year in jail. His trial in that case is set for Dec. 15.

In the wake of the Kokomo arrest, the U.S. Attorney's office filed a motion asking that Posey be held in federal custody until his obstruction-of-justice trial in September.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has scheduled a hearing on that request for July 18.

Muncie Police Chief Nate Sloan issued a statement indicating his department was investigating the Kokomo arrest of Posey, who is on administrative leave,

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"Once this investigation is complete, the matter will be forwarded to the Muncie Police Merit Commission per procedure and in accordance with Indiana state law," Sloan said.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Feds want Muncie police officer detained after DWI arrest in Kokomo
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Floridas Republican attorney general, in a Thursday letter to the Justice Department, shot back at California Democrats who urged the DOJ to investigate the state over migrant flights to California and Marthas Vineyard, contending that the transfers were legal.

California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom and his states attorney general have called Floridas transport of migrants from New Mexico to Sacramento cruel and a political stunt. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has responded by labeling a decision by Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta to ask federal authorities to investigate both the California and Massachusetts flights not a legal request and called their actions a political stunt.

Moody on Thursday sent a three-page letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland outlining why he should ignore the request from California officials.

Californias letter requesting that the U.S. Department of Justice investigate Florida is a ridiculous political stunt, Moody said in a statement. Our voluntary immigration relocation program is lawful, and Californias request fails to identify any violation of federal law. As an Attorney General who leads hundreds of highly-qualified lawyers and has led dozens of legal challenges against this administration, it is jarring that California is not competent enough to articulate even a minimal legal basis for its request.



Moody, in her letter to Garland, also questioned why Newsom and Bonta were only requesting an investigation of the DeSantis administration and not GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott or Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams over their migrant relocation efforts.

Abbott has bused more than 20,000 migrants to Democrat-led cities like Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago while Adams has transported migrants to Florida, Texas, Delaware and as far away as China. By comparison, DeSantis in total has flown about 85 migrants to Marthas Vineyard and Sacramento.

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[Newsom and Bonta] take aim at the State of Florida because Floridas governor is running for president and is among the front runners to be nominated to run against the current president, Moody wrote. The two most senior elected Democrats in California evidently do not believe that the current president can win re-election against Gov. DeSantis. Instead, they hope that DOJ can be improperly utilized, yet again, against a Republican presidential candidate during an election.

Bonta's office did not immediately responded to a request for comment. The DOJ declined to comment.

The letter to Garland also revealed that California law enforcement officials have already traveled to Florida to investigate the migrant flights to Sacramento but did not provide any additional details.

Moodys office did not immediately answer questions as to who California authorities may have talked to or if they came to Tallahassee. Bontas office in mid-June submitted a lengthy public records request to both DeSantis office and the Division of Emergency Management, which has oversight of the private vendors that have been hired as part of the multi-million migrant relocation program.



The letter from California officials to Garland noted that Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat, concluded "that individuals were induced to accept free travel based on false representations that they would be transported from San Antonio to Marthas Vineyard and receive housing, education, and employment opportunities.

Moody, who was reelected last year and is seen as a potential 2026 candidate for Florida governor, has been a steadfast, reliable ally of DeSantis and has endorsed his campaign for president. She has sued the administration of President Joe Biden multiple times over immigration policy and has been as sharply critical of the president.

Floridas first round of migrant flights from Texas to Marthas Vineyard last September sparked angry denunciations as well as lawsuits and an investigation by a Texas sheriff and the U.S. Department of Treasurys inspector general. State legislators tweaked the program earlier this year to undercut one lawsuit from a Democratic state senator who contended it did not properly follow budget guidelines and state policies.

The letter sent last week from California officials to Garland noted that Salazar asserted that individuals were induced to accept free travel based on false representations that they would be transported from San Antonio to Marthas Vineyard and receive housing, education, and employment opportunities.

Moody said in her letter to the Department of Justice that the states emergency management division has stated that all the flights were voluntary and that the migrants gave verbal and written consent and were transported to a third-party charity group in California.

Moodys office did not immediately respond to questions about whether or not DeSantis office requested that the letter be sent to Garland. The attorney generals office also did not answer a question on whether it requested and received information about the flights before sending the letter to the Department of Justice.
A Manhattan architect and married father-of-two has been arrested on suspicion of being the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer responsible for up to 11 murders on Long Island.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which sent fear through the shorelined community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago, sources told News 12 Long Island. Multiple other outlets including NBC News also identified the architect as the suspect arrested in the case.

On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park  which is located just a 10-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims.

Neighbours told News12 that Mr Heuermann was a family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children.

One woman said that it was ming-boggling that the quiet 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork.

Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan  where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive  as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates.

According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport.

A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke.

In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was born and raised in Long Island but had been working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time.

It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches.

Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday (RH Architecture)

However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island.

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Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning or Mr Heuermanns identity to The Independent, but have announced a press conference for Friday afternoon citing a significant development in the high-profile case.

The Gilgo Beach murders have long stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway.

The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a clients house on foot near Gilgo Beach.

She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again.

During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman.

Rex Heuermann in a video about architecture posted on YouTube (Bonjour Realty)

Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by.

By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler.

Gilberts body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the clients home.

However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered.

Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers.

Four victims are still yet to be identified more than 10 years on from the discovery of their bodies.

Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings.

Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years.

Map showing where victims bodies were dumped (Suffolk County Police Department)

An attorney representing two of the victims families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent.

John Ray, who represents the families of Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest.

But, he said that they were not too optimistic  given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade  and had not been told anything official.

Were pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this, he said.

Were pleased that something is finally occurring, because weve been frustrated.

News of the shock arrest comes after Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice when he was appointed to the role in early 2022.

From L: (top) Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman (bottom) Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, John Doe (Suffolk County Police Department)

I want to make a commitment to the residents of Suffolk County as well as the family members, Mr Harrison, a former NYPD chief said in his first press briefing in his new role at the Long Island beach at the center of the murders in January 2022.

We will not rest until we bring those accountable to justice.

He added: Theres a commitment, a relentless pursuit to identify the individuals and bring them to justice. Thats for the family members to hear, to let them know that we will not rest, and we will make sure we do everything we have to do to hold them accountable.

The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with a set of fresh eyes, he had faith that he could get the cold case across the finish line. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case.

Four months later, police released the 911 call made by Gilbert on the night that she disappeared  something that Ms Gilberts family had been calling for for years.

In the call, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that somebodys after me.

BREAKING NEWS: Multiple sources confirm to News 12 Long Island that #SuffolkCounty police have a suspect in custody in connection with the #GilgoBeach murders. pic.twitter.com/FdizTtllW6  News12LI (@News12LI) July 14, 2023

Later in the call, she is heard arguing with a man  who she refers to as Mike  who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car.

At one point, Gilbert is heard asking if he is going to kill her.

These people are plotting to kill me, she tells the dispatcher.

It is not clear if the release of the 911 call after all these years helped lead law enforcement to the suspect.
WASHINGTON  House Republicans passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Friday after GOP leadership made several concessions to the right flank of the party in a big gamble.

The legislation passed 219-210.

Members of the House Freedom Caucus, some of the most conservative lawmakers in the chamber, pressured Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to hold last-minute floor votes on several contentious amendments, ranging from targeting the Pentagons abortion policy to reeling back climate change initiatives. Despite the infighting, House Republicans managed to push through the NDAA without much Democratic support.

The amendments endangered final passage of the legislation, a must-pass defense bill that sets the Pentagons policy agenda and authorizes how the Defense Department uses federal funding. The NDAA has traditionally passed with bipartisan support, but some conservative amendments have alienated Democratic lawmakers from supporting the final version this year.

I shy away from appease, assuage and all this stuff, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told reporters Wednesday, dismissing the idea the amendments could have scared away crucial votes. Every member of the body has the right to offer amendments.

U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to reporters as he walks to his office in the U.S. Capitol Building on July 13, 2023 in Washington, DC.

What amendments were House conservatives trying to push?

Among some of the pain points for House conservatives:

Abortion: An amendment offered by Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas , would dismantle a Pentagon policy reimbursing out-of-state travel for service members who receive abortions. This was one of the most popular amendments among House conservatives, with over 70 co-sponsors. Republicans passed the measure on a mostly party line vote of 221-213.

Ukraine spending: A vocal minority of House GOP lawmakers who have expressed skepticism about continued U.S. assistance to Ukraine have filed amendments aimed at restricting military aid. The majority of lawmakers in both parties support sending funds to Kyiv. An amendment from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., that sought to pull back $300 million in funding to Kyiv was defeated by a bipartisan vote of 89-341.

Anti-trans provisions: Some amendments targeted transgender health care policies in the Pentagon. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mo., offered an amendment limiting gender-affirming care for transgender service members. Republicans passed this on a mostly party line vote of 222-211.

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Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, questions Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 28, 2022.

Senate to vote on own version of defense bill

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced on the Senate floor Tuesday that the upper chamber will vote on its own version of the NDAA.

Both versions of the legislation include President Joe Bidens proposed 5.2% pay raise for federal workers and military members. The two bills also are close to Bidens recommended budget of $886 billion for the Department of Defense.

The House's version, which reels back the Pentagon's abortion policy, will likely be a key point of negotiation between the two chambers as they seek to consolidate their versions of the bill.

Conservative House members reel back Pentagon abortion policy

A key victory for the House's most conservative lawmakers was the passage of an amendment dismantling the Pentagon's abortion policy reimbursing travel expenses for service members who travel out of state to receive abortions.

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told the Washington Post Monday he had specific concerns about extreme right-wing amendments that have been filed, specifically those related to abortion, guns, the border, and social policy and equity issues.

Even Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of the most outspoken lawmakers on the right, said earlier before the abortion vote he had doubts as to whether the amendment would make it in the bill.

I dont believe we have a pro-life House, Gaetz told reporters Thursday, adding he still thought it was important to have lawmakers vote on the record on the policy.

Why is the NDAA so important?

The NDAA is a common battleground for policy debates, but this time around House conservatives heavily pushed to see their demands met. Since the House passed the debt ceiling deal brokered between McCarthy and Biden earlier this year, far-right lawmakers have threatened to stall legislative action.

Whats the rush? Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., chair of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters Tuesday night on the timing of final passage, adding that he did not see a reason why the NDAA had to be finished the week lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill.

The NDAA does not provide funding but authorizes how money can be spent. Officials from the Department of Defense for several years have urged Congress to act timely to maintain national security. The NDAA is a first-step toward new funding for the military  something Congress will have to deal with later in the year.

The best way that Congress can ensure our strategic advantage is with an on-time appropriation, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee in May.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a meeting with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House vote passes Defense bill after clashes over 'wokeism'
White House climate envoy John Kerry said the U.S. would under no circumstances pay reparations to other countries ravaged by climate change in testimony Thursday before the House Foreign Affairs Committees oversight subcommittee.

During the hearing, subcommittee chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) directly asked Kerry whether the U.S. would pay reparations, to which Kerry responded in the negative.

Im glad to hear you say that, Mast replied.

The exchange between Kerry and Mast marked a solicitous moment in a hearing that saw frequent fireworks between the former secretary of State and the panels other Republicans. Reps. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) made repeated references to Kerrys familys ownership of a private jet, prompting Kerry to say he does not own a private jet and flies commercially in the course of his duties.

Another Republican on the subcommittee, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), accused Kerry and world leaders who signed onto the Paris Climate Agreement of grifting.

Kerry testified before the subcommittee ahead of a scheduled visit to Beijing for another round of climate negotiations with Chinese officials. China is the worlds largest single emitter of carbon dioxide but has been classified as a developing nation by the United Nations, due to the relatively recent growth of its economy compared to other major emitters.

At last years COP27 climate summit in Egypt, the U.S. joined other nations in committing to a loss and damages fund for developing countries affected by climate change.

However, unlike a reparations program, that fund is not considered compensatory and does not involve specific countries conceding legal liability, a distinction that advocates for reparations have been quick to point out. The COP27 agreement does not specify who would pay into the loss-and-damages fund, and the U.S. and other Western powers heavily lobbied for excluding legal liability for historic emitters from the text.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meeting in Kyiv in May 2023

Nato, the West's defensive alliance, has confirmed Ukraine can join, but has not said when.

Speaking during the Nato summit in Lithuania, the Ukrainian President Zelensky said the lack of clarity was "unprecedented and absurd".

Which countries are in Nato?

Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - was formed in 1949 by 12 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and France.

The organisation has two official languages, English and French. In French, the alliance is known as Otan, Organisation du Traite de l'Atlantique Nord.

It currently has 31 members across Europe and North America.

They agree to help one another if they are attacked.

Nato member states, including those which have joined since 1997 (Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) and those applying to join now (Sweden, Ukraine, Georgia, Bosnia & Herzegovina) (map used from July 2022)

Nato's original goal was to block Soviet expansion in Europe after World War Two.

After the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, many Eastern European countries joined the alliance: Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Will Ukraine join Nato?

Nato said in 2008 that Ukraine could join at a future date, but declined its September 2022 request for "fast-track" membership.

Under article 5 of Nato's charter, if one member is attacked, the others must come to its defence.

Were Ukraine to join during the current conflict with Russia, all Nato member countries would also have to declare war on Russia.

At the Vilnius summit in July, Nato said that it will invite Ukraine to become a member "when allies agree and conditions are met".

It also said that Ukraine could skip a step in the entry process called the Membership Action Plan.

However, Nato has not set out a timeframe for Ukraine's entry.

Ukrainian President Zelensky accepts his country cannot join Nato while it is at war with Russia, but wants it to happen as soon as possible after fighting ends: "Nato will give Ukraine security. Ukraine will make the alliance stronger."

Russia has consistently and strongly opposed the idea of Ukraine joining Nato, fearing it would bring the alliance's forces too close to its own territory.

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Which other countries are joining Nato?

Sweden applied to join Nato in April 2022, along with Finland.

Finland has a 1,340km (832 mile) land border with Russia. Both countries were concerned about growing Russian aggression following the Ukrainian invasion.

Map of Sweden and Finland with 1,340km (830 mile) border highlighter (July 2023)

Finland joined Nato in April 2023, but for many months Turkey and Hungary refused to approve Sweden's application.

Turkey accused it of hosting its enemies, including pro-Kurdish groups.

However, before the latest summit, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said that Sweden had addressed "Turkey's legitimate security concerns", and that the Turkish government would ask its parliament to approve membership.

He said Hungary would do the same.

However, it is not known when the Turkish and Hungarian parliaments will vote, or when Sweden might officially be admitted.

What weapons are Nato countries supplying to Ukraine?

The US is sending Ukraine cluster bombs - weapons containing so-called "bomblets" which explode across a wide area.

The bombs are controversial, because of the harm they might do to civilians.

The US is also supplying Ukraine with 31 Abrams tanks. The UK has sent 14 Challenger 2 tanks, while Germany and other Nato countries have donated dozens of Leopard 2 tanks.

The US and UK have provided missiles such as Himars, which have been used to hit targets behind Russia's front lines.

A Himars launcher under tree cover in eastern Ukraine

Nato countries are also supplying air defence systems to shoot down Russian cruise missiles and drones over Ukraine.

The US has said it will support the delivery of American fighter jets, such as F-16s, to Ukraine by Nato allies. Nato countries are teaching Ukrainian pilots how to fly them.

However, the US is not providing its longer-range missiles, called Advanced Tactical Missile Systems. It thinks these could be used to attack targets inside Russia - which could provoke a direct conflict between Russia and the West.

For the same reason, Nato countries are not sending troops to Ukraine, nor using their air forces to impose a no-fly zone.

At the Nato summit, the G7 members ratified a wide-ranging security pact with Ukraine, which will deliver more defence equipment, training and intelligence sharing.

What is Nato's defence plan against Russia?

Nato commanders have agreed a new plan for countering Russian aggression.

It spells out how forces should be deployed if Russia attacks in any of three zones: the Arctic and north Atlantic; central Europe; or the Mediterranean region.

Nato currently has 40,000 troops which can be mobilised at short notice. There is a proposal to have 300,000 troops ready for action within 30 days.

Nato also wants member countries to update their military equipment, to stockpile more ammunition, and to spend a minimum of 2% of their GDP on defence.
This story was originally published by Source NM.

In the first two months since New Mexico started disenrolling people from the states safety-net health insurance program for the very poor, nearly 60,000 New Mexicans lost their health insurance.

And almost every one of them lost their only way to afford health care, not because their income changed and they became ineligible, but because of paperwork.

Thats according to data for April and May released by the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD), which oversees the states Medicaid program.

A requirement for continuous health care coverage during the public health emergency helped stop the periodic Medicaid churn, where people get kicked off the rolls but quickly reapply because they still need care.

That requirement ended when state and federal officials declared the public health emergency for SARS-CoV-2 over. At that time, there were 990,982 New Mexicans enrolled in Medicaid.

The federal government gave the state one year to check whether all of those people still qualify for Medicaid.

Part of the Santa Fe field office of the New Mexico Human Services Department is shown on July 11, 2023.

In the first two months, the state human services department processed renewals for 138,080 people, deemed 79,258 of them still eligible, and let them keep their health insurance.

In that same period, HSD purged 58,822 people from the rolls, leaving them uninsured.

Importantly, out of all the renewals the human services department reviewed, it found only 768 people to actually be no longer eligible. In general, Medicaid eligibility is based on income, residence and citizenship.

The remaining 58,054 people  more than 98%  had their benefits terminated for failure to respond, according to data provided by the NM Human Services Department.

All of those people have been disenrolled from Medicaid, said HSD Spokesperson Timothy Fowler.

However, if someone who has been disenrolled resubmits their application within 90 days, they can get retroactive benefits to pay for any health care they got after their effective termination date, Fowler said.

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For example, someone who lost their health insurance effective May 1 has until July 31 to resubmit, and they will get retroactive benefits for any health care they receive after May 1, he said.

But if those people do not resubmit by July 31, then they will pay out of pocket for any of that health care they received after May 1, he said.

The department released data for April and May in response to a request from Source New Mexico. It does not appear on any state website. Fowler said he would send the June data as soon as it is published.

The number of people losing their health insurance is unprecedented in the history of New Mexicos Medicaid program, according to Gabriella Rivera, policy and communications director for Health Action New Mexico.

I dont think weve seen anything like this, Rivera said. Its an unprecedented drop of people being covered, it really is.

Nationally, at least 1.6 million people have been purged from the rolls as of July 5, according to data from 28 states and the District of Columbia collected by KFF.

As many as 17 million people could eventually lose coverage, KFF has projected.

HSDs customers are our highest priority, and we are processing renewals as quickly as possible, Fowler said. Any individual who has submitted a renewal maintains their coverage until their application is fully processed.

Some wiggle room from the feds

New Mexicos Medicaid program is overseen by the federal government through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

A CMS spokesperson said the agency is working with states to ensure they comply with all federal rules and keep people on their insurance, based on eligibility.

So far, CMS has approved six waivers for New Mexicos Medicaid program, allowing for people to keep their health insurance if they already receive food benefits, have no income, have no verifiable assets, are also enrolled in a managed care plan, have moved and their address can be verified through USPS, or ask for a fair hearing.

CMS cares about keeping all people covered through any health insurance option for which they are eligible, the spokesperson said. The agency will not hesitate to take compliance action and to use all the levers that Congress has given to ensure compliance with federal Medicaid requirements.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote to governors on June 12 urging them to do everything they can to minimize avoidable insurance losses.

CMS remains deeply concerned with the numbers of individuals losing coverage due to red tape, and is calling upon states to adopt the full range of strategies CMS has offered to prevent or mitigate avoidable coverage losses, the agency said.

Churn harms people

Medicaid is the public health insurance program of last resort. It is meant for the poorest residents of the United States who otherwise cannot afford coverage.

Besides the fact that COVID-19 continues to hospitalize, disable and kill people, how many are purged from the rolls and why are important because numerous studies, before and during the pandemic, have shown a gap in health care coverage has disastrous social effects.

Researchers last month found when more people are enrolled in Medicaid, fewer who get out of prison end up back in a cell, more have jobs and people use more health care. Earlier research has shown getting kicked off Medicaid results in delayed medical care, fewer preventive visits and periods of uninsurance.

New Mexicans dropped from the rolls will now have to pay for their own medications, said Barbara Webber, executive director of Health Action New Mexico.

Were right in the middle of a heat crisis, where people need their asthma inhalers more than ever, she said. If youve got three kids with asthma, and youre having to pay full price for three inhalers, you cant do it.

Fewer people going to private plans than anticipated

Webber said she met with staff from BeWellNM, the states Affordable Care Act exchange, who told her that out of the 58,822 people purged from the rolls, only 1,000 have found new insurance plans through the exchange.

They were anticipating much higher numbers, Webber said. Thats the other option, and thats not being utilized as well.

BeWellNM did not respond to an email and a voice message seeking comment. We will update with any response.

Fowler said people who lost Medicaid coverage should contact the exchange by going to bewellnm.com or calling 1-833-862-3935 to learn what private health insurance is available to them.

Only 3% of people nationwide who were disenrolled from Medicaid or CHIP in 2018 enrolled in exchange coverage within a year, according to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, a nonpartisan congressional policy and data analysis agency.

Backlog predates end of public health emergency

Rivera said shes concerned the proportion of uninsured New Mexicans will spike, however, she said it is difficult to calculate because the redeterminations are ongoing and the state government was already behind.

There are 74,827 applications that the state could not get to in April and May, according to HSDs data.

The agency has 153 contract staff processing Medicaid applications and renewals, Fowler said, with more in training.

We are working to have 250 contract staff by the end of July to support the existing workload as well as exercising overtime for state employees to tackle the backlog, he said.

New Mexico has been under a consent decree since August 1990 requiring it to process Medicaid applications accurately and on time.

A federal court assigned a special master who continues to monitor New Mexicos Human Services Department for compliance. U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Gonzales wrote on May 22 that the state agency still has compliance issues in need of resolution.

The state is supposed to renew peoples Medicaid without requiring paperwork to the very greatest extent possible, according to Sovereign Hager, legal director at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, one of the plaintiffs in the case.

We do think the state has made some strides in improving the automated renewal process, Hager said in an interview.

However, she said before the public health emergency ended, the state was already behind in processing renewals, apparently because of a lack of caseworkers.

The state is understandably overwhelmed with the renewal processing, she said, but it did not cause the backlog.

It predated any of this, even with the state being able to extend Medicaid and not process paperwork because of the public health emergency, Hager said.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Nearly 60,000 New Mexicans purged from the Medicaid rolls (so far)
When Ocean City Police officers approached 34-year-old Denzel Elam-Ruff on Thursday, July 6, for vaping on the Boardwalk, what followed was an incident that was filmed for evidence of possible police brutality.

When police ordered Ruff to stop as vaping is banned, he continued to use his device, at which time a number of officers detained him, the incident escalated, and they brought him to the ground. In a video taken of the incident and posted to YouTube by a Ruff family member, one of the officers is seen striking Ruff once officers were on top of him.

Following the incident, Ruff was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting/interfering with an arrest, second degree assault and failure to provide proof of identification, which are all misdemeanors.

More on other sentencing Worcester man sentenced to 40 years in prison in 2022 West Ocean City murder

"Our officers are permitted to use force, per their training, to overcome exhibited resistance. All uses of force go through a detailed review process. In this instance, the use of force will go through a multi-level examination by the Assistant Patrol Commander, the Division Commander and then by the Office of Professional Standards. This is an active investigation," the Ocean City Police Department stated in a statement on the incident.

Past incidents with police on Ocean City Boardwalk

The Washington, D.C. native was not the first individual to be detained by such means by Ocean City police.

In 2021, two black teenagers were detained for vaping, leading to a violent arrest. A lawsuit was threatened over the use of such force, but was never filed.

MORE ON PAST INCIDENTS: Ocean City Boardwalk viral video arrests: What happened next

"We want to make sure everyone gets fair treatment, and we need to know what triggered (officers) to handle it in this way," said the Rev. James Jones, convener for the Caucus of African American Leaders on the Eastern Shore. "We feel this didn't constitute the roughness police used with this gentleman. Our goal is to reach out to the Ocean City mayor, City Council and police department to explain cause for this situation."

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Jones added that vaping ban violations are misdemeanor offenses and noted they are requesting data tracking how many minority and nonminority individuals are stopped by police.

"We only see this type of treatment happening to people of color and enough is enough," Jones said.

More on the new SPD Chief Meet Salisbury's acting police chief, a Parkside graduate and Air Force veteran

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Ocean City police filmed in questionable use of force in vaping arrest
In case you were busy with everyday life, we put together the Palm Beach Post's top stories from the first week of July. Enjoy this brief summary of Palm Beach County's most important news and events. If you would like to stay active within your community, check out the top events that are going on near you this weekend, you don't want to miss them.

Our featured stories range from cost-saving tips to cut down your electric bill and how to save on homeowners insurance to a disbarred Palm Beach County attorney and a local lawyer charged with killing his father in Boca Raton.

Money Savers:

The higher the AC; the more money in your pocket

Four years ago, the EPA recommended residents set their thermostats to 78 Degrees to save money and electricity in the summer. Today, the EPA's Energy Star program doesn't recommend a specific temperature however does suggest that in any season the closer the thermoset is to the temperature outside, the less it will run. Altogether, this will save energy and keep money in your pocket.

Eight insurance plans to cover you in times of chaos

A resident makes repairs on his trailer home at Briny Breezes.

If you just bought a home and are looking for the best protection from natural storms, accidents and crimes. We put together eight types of insurance plans that can keep you covered during times of chaos. This list breaks down what is included in each plan, find out which is best suited to you.

Legal Troubles:

Florida Supreme Court disbarred Palm Beach County attorney

The Florida Supreme Court recently disciplined four Florida attorneys, including one from Palm Beach County. Brett Elam, who was admitted to practice in 2002, was permanently disbarred for a variety of actions including continuing to practice law while he was disbarred.

Palm Beach School Board member suspended from law practice for 10 days.

Edwin Ferguson

Palm Beach County School Board member and lawyer, Edwin Fergueson was suspended from practicing law for up to 10 days for failing to act on the behalf of a disabled minor. According to the complaint, he admitted to the Bar that he violated its rules on communication, diligence and misconduct.

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Palm Beach County lawyer charged with murder of his father

Paul Labiner, a Boca Raton attorney

Brandon Labiner is charged with first degree murder of his father. Paul Labiner was found with multiple fatal gunshot wounds to the head, chest and torso in the garage of his law office on July 5. His son was barricaded in his nearby law office, authorities said.

For these stories and more, please consider a Palm Beach Post digital subscription to stay up to date with local news and community events.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach Post best news: electric bill savings; homeowners insurance
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the private military contractor Wagner Group does not exist in a Thursday interview, accusing its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin of rejecting a proposal to keep the mercenary group intact.

Putin reportedly met with Prigozhin and about three dozen Wagner commanders days after the group launched and stepped back from a short-lived rebellion in the country last month.

Putin told the Russian newspaper Kommersant on Thursday that the fact ordinary Wagner fighters who fought with dignity were brought into the incident was regrettable, which is why he arranged the meeting.

A reporter asked Putin whether Wagner will remain a combat unit in the country, to which Putin replied, Well, PMC Wagner does not exist! We dont have a law on private military organizations! It just doesnt exist!

There is no such legal entity, he said.

During the meeting, Putin said he proposed that a senior Wagner mercenary known as gray hair take over command of the fighters.

Putin said many Wagner commanders nodded in approval of his proposal for their future, but Prigozhin rejected it.

Reuters identified gray hair as Andrei Troshev, a senior Wagner commander.

Prigozhin led the rebellion late last month following months of criticism of how Russias military leadership was conducting the war in Ukraine. He had said the rebellion was intended to remove Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from power.

The troops started moving toward Moscow before agreeing to stand down and Prigozhin consenting to go to Belarus, as part of a deal to have charges dropped. But he and other Wagner commanders met with Putin in Russia for about three hours just days later.

Putin gave Wagner forces the option to join the Russian military, go to Belarus or retire from service following the rebellion.

He told the Russian news outlet Wagner exists but not legally. He said the question of legalization for the group and private military contractors should be decided in the State Duma, part of the Russian legislature.

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The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Wagner was concluding its handover of weapons to the military.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FILE PHOTO: The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney

By Byron Kaye

SYDNEY (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB), the No.3 lender, reached a deal that lets employees work from home, a union said on Friday, one of the world's first to give private-sector staff legal protection for remote work.

As part of a broader deal that guarantees pay rises for 80% of the bank's 32,000 staff, NAB must show "support of and encouragement of working from home arrangements" with limitations on the grounds for the employer to refuse a request, according to the Finance Sector Union (FSU).

The deal breaks new ground in a global standoff between corporations and their staff since bosses started calling an end to home-working arrangements that were precipitated by COVID-19. This week the Australian federal body that sets public sector wages also agreed to a union request for uncapped work from home days.

But the pressure point has gone largely unresolved in the private sector, including an unsuccessful class action lawsuit by employees of Amazon.com requesting repayment of expenses related to working from home after it ordered a return to the office.

Some of Australia's biggest companies, including NAB and larger rival Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), have set minimum office attendance requirements. But the country's capital city office vacancies remain around one-sixth, far higher than pre-pandemic levels, amid entrenched resistence.

The FSU said in a statement the agreement was a win for thousands of bank workers, adding that it would pressure other large Australian banks to match the new benchmark set by NAB.

A NAB spokesperson said the deal reflected the bank's guidelines since 2021 of at least two or three days a week in the office but highlighted "the option for colleagues to apply for flexible working arrangements" as defined in the country's workplace laws.

The deal comes two days after the FSU took CBA, the country's biggest bank which has 49,000 staff, to the industrial regulator to object to a directive to return to the office 50% of the time from this month.

In its complaint to the Fair Work Commission, the union said CBA's return-to-office directive would force staff to spend more money on commuting and child care and lose two to three hours a day travelling to and from work.

A CBA spokesperson said the bank respected its existing union agreement "and those matters that require consultation".

"Flexible working options remain available, as they always have, and we'll continue to give consideration to our people who require more tailored arrangements," the spokesperson added.

No. 2 bank Westpac and the FSU are currently negotiating a new enterprise deal which includes the question of whether to allow work from home, the union said. (This story has been refiled to correct syntax and add a dropped word in paragraph 10)

(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Jamie Freed and Lincoln Feast.)
A woman has reportedly been arrested in connection with the death of Robert De Niros grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.

The child of Roberts daughter Drena, Leandro, 19, was an actor who appeared in A Star is Born and Cabaret Maxime in 2018.

His death was announced on 2 July by Drena, who shared a picture of Leandro with a caption paying tribute to his life on social media.

Robert, 79, subsequently released his own statement saying that he was deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo.

While an official cause of death is yet to be announced by authorities, Drena, 51, claimed last week that Leandro died after being sold fentanyl-laced pills. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, with only two milligrams having the potential to be lethal.

According to a report by The New York Post, a woman was arrested on Thursday (13 July) in connection with Leandros death.

She is accused of selling Leandro drugs shortly before his death, and was reportedly arrested as part of an undercover sting operation by the NYPD.

Sources told the Post that the woman has been federally charged with distributing narcotics, with investigators still conducting a search of her home.

The Independent has contacted the NYPD for comment.

Announcing Leandros death earlier this month, his mother Drena wrote on social media: My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life.

I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I dont know how to live without you but Ill try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy.

Drena later claimed that fentanyl-laced drugs were responsible for his death, writing: Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him so for all these people still f***ing around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever.

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In his own statement, Robert said: Were greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.

In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP
South Dakotas lone House Representative is continuing his fight against adversarial foreign governments buying United States agricultural land.

Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson is supporting a bill, introduced Wednesday by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, that would give the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. greater power to control land purchases by foreign governments deemed to be adversarial and to consider U.S. food security in its national security review.

In the bill, adversarial governments include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela while President Nicholas Maduro continues to be in power.

The Secretary of Agriculture would also be able to vote in CFIUS reviews involving farmland and agriculture technology, according to the bill.

The bill is the latest step addressing the threat Congress believes the Chinese Communist Party poses to the U.S. Johnson, who sits on the Select Committee, said the work of the bipartisan committee is supported by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY.

More: Chinese companies in the crosshairs as South Dakota officials call for supply chain reforms

They told us the threat from the Chinese Communist Party is too real for us to play partisan games with, Johnson said.

He added he believes the work of the committee is gaining momentum and the new bill could make it out of the House.

This bill makes so much sense and its going to be broadly supported, he said. It doesnt have to catch a ride on a bigger bill, it can stand on its own merits.

What else has been done to target adversarial foreign government purchases of U.S. land?

A bill known as the PASS Act, Promoting Agricultural Safeguards and Security Act, was introduced in February by Sen. Mike Rounds, R-SD, that seeks to ban adversarial foreign governments from investing in U.S. agricultural land and reporting the risk of foreign takeovers and investment in the U.S. agricultural industry. A similar bill had been introduced by Johnson last year but did not make it out of the House.

Story continues

The 2022 PASS Act proposal came on the heels of a Chinese company, Fufeng Group, purchasing land near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. That event also inspired Gov. Kristi Noem to push for legislation in the 2023 Legislative Session that wouldve created an independent state-run board similar to CFIUS. That legislation ultimately failed.

More: Sen. Mike Rounds introduces Senate version of PASS Act

But, a new South Dakota law that went into effect on July 1 bans the state from doing business with prohibited entities from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia or Venezuela.

What else does the proposed federal legislation do?

In a press release from Johnsons office, five additional actions from the legislation were outlined.

Those actions included giving CFIUS jurisdiction over all rural and non-single housing unit land purchases by foreign governments, requesting CFIUS consider U.S. food security in national security reviews, establish a presumption of non-resolvability and raise the approval threshold for transactions near sensitive sites, mandatory CFIUS filing for foreign adversarial entities making land purchases near sensitive sites and requiring the organization to expand the list of sensitive national security sites to military facilities, national laboratories and more.

More: Noem inks bill banning certain foreign government from doing business with SD

Johnson explained that currently if a foreign government wants to do business with CFIUS, the deal has to meet CFIUSs standards and if the deal doesnt, then CFIUS can make recommendations to the foreign government so they can meet the standard. The new bill would make that harder.

We want to do here is instead say, no, change your default  start with a presumption that you cant make little changes to resolve these conflicts, Johnson said. In essence, the burden of proof is on the other side and we better be sure that we have proved that American interests are not injured by approving Chinese investments.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: SD Rep. Dusty Johnson pushes for control of foreign farmland purchases
The fatal police shooting of 23-year-old Sylville Smith set off days of civil unrest along with a police crackdown in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood in 2016.

More: A night of conflict, chaos and courage in Sherman Park

Seven years later a federal jury in Milwaukee is being asked to decide whether police violated the constitutional rights of Benetria McGowan and Jarrett English when they arrested them on the night of Aug. 30, 2016, when they both arrived in the area of a makeshift memorial to Smith at the same time as police chose to clear the area around the memorial.

The unusual trial in which a Milwaukee alderman has been called as a witness against the city he represents began this week and is scheduled to last for days.

At issue in the trial is whether police violated the plaintiffs' First Amendment right to assembly, as well as their Fourth Amendment rights by using excessive force to conduct unlawful arrests.

The trial has featured the presentation of detailed body camera footage from officers and the testimony of several witnesses called by the plaintiffs including Ald. Jonathan Brostoff, a close friend of Englishs who was detained by MPD the same night.

I love my city and I love the First Amendment and I want a city that has the rule of law that respects the First Amendment, Brostoff said of his decision to testify. I think this is an important step in that direction and want to tell the truth and help as best as I can.

English and McGowan are being represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, while the defendants, officers Andrew Wilkiewicz, Nesrodene Ghassoul and Rebecca Wallich, sergeant Raymond Brock, along with the city, are represented by Jennifer Williams, a deputy city attorney.

As in other cases, the Milwaukee City Attorneys Office has assigned a series of attorneys to the case. The office has struggled with turnover since City Attorney Tearman Spencers election in April 2020.

Story continues

More: Two Milwaukee residents sue police over arrest at memorial after Sherman Park unrest

Brostoff and English recounted a 'violating' arrest

Brostoff, who at the time was a member of the state Legislature and not a member of the city's Common Council, described how he had arrived at the corner of North Sherman Blvd. and West Auer Avenue between 8 and 8:15 p.m. that night after hearing how police had closed down the area around the memorial.

Jonathan Brostoff (D - Milwaukee)

He described how English eventually joined him on that corner, where he live-streamed the scene on Facebook in his role as a legal observer for the ACLU.

There was agitation of the handling of people by the police, Brostoff testified. I would also say frustration.

After police cleared the area around the memorial, body camera footage presented to the jury showed them pulling up to the corner where English and Brostoff were standing, jumping out of a van in riot gear and telling the small group of people gathered on the corner that they needed to disperse.

English crossed the street and began walking across the field, back toward where he had parked his car.

The video then shows Brock yelling give me two, give me two, which Larry Dupuis, the ACLU's legal director, contended meant he wanted two people arrested. Within seconds, three officers descended on English, pushed him to the ground and arrested him, saying it was for disorderly conduct.

I'm just standing on the sidewalk, an incredulous English replied in the video.

I remember just trying to not make any sudden moves, for better or worse, things happen when people like me do that in this country sometimes, testified English, who is Black.

English described the experience as violating, and said that since he had been complying, he thought the officers were just going to talk to him, not push him to the ground and arrest him.

The comment prompted a line of questioning by Williams that was rerouted multiple times by Judge Brett Ludwig. The attorney seized on English's description of feeling violated that a video of his arrest that was captured by TV cameras was available on the internet.

Williams cited other instances of Englishs case being covered in the press, including in a Facebook post by ACLU Wisconsin about the lawsuit's progress, and asked English why he did not feel similarly violated by that coverage of his arrest.

While he was being taken to the ground, English called out for Brostoff. When the state representative turned to film his friend being arrested, he was also arrested. Both men were put in the back of a police van for approximately 20 minutes.

When Williams asked what drew his attention away from following police orders, Brostoff sharply responded screams for help.

Brostoff also described how once he was released, he told police that he would not be leaving until English was released as well, saying that the arrest of English was not warranted. He had done nothing wrong. Police released the men after about 20 minutes

English also testified that within two days of being arrested, he received a call from then-Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn apologizing for the encounter and describing the arrest as unlawful.

Attorney says McGowan was humiliated by police

Dupuis said McGowan had arrived at the memorial that night to pray and support the youth, something she also did in her work as a crisis intervention specialist. McGowan was also going to visit the grandmother of her children, who lived near the memorial site, before heading into work.

More: Memorial for Sylville Smith removed by city officials

In body camera footage shown to the jury, Wallich and Ghassoul approached McGowan on Burleigh Street and told her that she needed to leave the area. Since several roads, including Sherman Blvd.. were blocked off by police, the video shows McGowan asking how to leave and get to North 46th Street to see her kids' grandmother.

McGowan was then arrested for disorderly conduct, handcuffed, and taken to a police station downtown for processing, where McGowan alleges she was held for two hours.

The entire interaction  from the moment police approached McGowan to the moment they handcuffed her  lasted about 22 seconds.

McGowan was eventually released but alleges that she lost her job in part because of her absence that night. Dupuis told the jury that she was humiliated and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the arrest.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sherman Park unrest reverberates in a court room 7 years later
Stark County is expecting to receive $1.6 million in opioid settlement funds over the next two years, officials say.

ALLIANCE  Stark County is expecting $1.6 million in opioid settlement funds over the next two years.

Local leaders have been discussing the county's share during a series of public forums, and how the funds can be spent. The first forum took place last month in Canton. The latest assembly was Thursday night in Alliance at the University of Mount Union.

The final forum is July 27 in Massillon.

"We're just trying to be transparent to the public," said Frank Forchione, Stark County Common Pleas Court judge and Stark County Region 6 Opioid Board president, "so that they have information about how to apply for grants and when this funding may be available."

Frank Forchione, a Stark County Common Pleas Court judge, is president of the Stark County Region 6 Opioid Board.

Opioids: Adolescents and young adults lost more than 1.25M years of life to drug overdose deaths in a 4-year period, study finds

Payments will be over an 18-year period.

Stark County has been working with OneOhio Recovery Foundation, the Ohio nonprofit corporation governing the state's $808 million share of settlement. There are 19 regions, with Stark County in Region 6; Summit County in Region 5; and Mahoning County in Region 7 with Trumbull County.

Forchione briefed local officials on the timeline for the grant process and fund allocations. He said the first distribution could be early 2024, but a couple lawsuits against OneOhio Recovery have stalled the process and caused "disarray" with the state process.

For example, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in May that OneOhio Recovery is a public entity and must make records available. Harm Reduction Ohio, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent overdose deaths, had sued the foundation, which claimed it was a private entity.

When the funds become available, "I would encourage everyone to apply, whether you're a government (entity), nonprofit, even a school board. I think the parameters that I outlined show that it's very broad," Forchione said after the forum.

The parameters for programs that could receive funding include that they:

Story continues

Expand the availability for treatment for individuals affected by substance use disorder.

Develop, promote and provide evidence-based substance use prevention strategies.

Provide substance abuse avoidance and awareness.

Decrease the oversupply of licit and illicit opioids.

Support recovery from addiction services performed by licensed professionals.

"That opens the door," Forchione said, for a variety of uses.

Alliance Mayor Alan Andreani said the forums are geared to "make sure people in Stark County" are aware of the settlement funds available to them. "Judge Forchione wants to be very upfront on how it's going to work," he said.

Alan Andreani, mayor of Alliance, has served three terms. In his fourth term, he's retiring Aug. 1.

"I'd love to see some nice, new and creative approaches that will help tackle this problem," Andreani said after the forum. "(Fentanyl) is an issue everywhere. We have not had the kind of things that have happened in other places, but fentanyl is a small pill and they make it for cents. It's deadly."

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County to receive $1.6 million to fight opioid addiction
Chicagos community-led public safety commission sent its three top picks for police superintendent late Thursday to Mayor Brandon Johnson, who must now decide who will lead the long-troubled department as it works through high crime, endemic street violence, low morale and court-ordered reforms.

The three finalists selected by the commission are Chicago Police Department Chief Larry Snelling, CPD Chief Angel Novalez and Shon Barnes, the chief of police in Madison, Wisconsin.

Johnsons permanent superintendent will succeed former Mayor Lori Lightfoots hand-picked top cop, David Brown, who came to Chicago from Dallas and oversaw a period of high crime while being criticized as out of his league. Who leads the Police Department, and whether theyre successful, will have major implications for the city, which is still reeling from 2020s civil unrest and subsequent crime spikes, even as shooting and homicide totals have fallen from highs not seen in two decades.

While reducing street violence and arresting criminals will be front and center, the next police superintendent will also need to rebuild trust with community members who have experienced unconstitutional policing and are eager to see a more respectful approach to residents. The selection process itself is a nod in that direction, as Lightfoot joined activists in 2021 to create the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability to oversee the recommendation process in hopes of building public trust and community relationships.

This is the commissions first time leading the selection process, which began in March after Brown announced one day after Lightfoot lost her reelection bid that he was stepping down.

Although Johnson campaigned on the need to address root causes of crime, the police superintendent will be responsible for addressing violence in the near term, and the mayors political success will depend greatly on his administrations handling of public safety. All three finalists have ties to Chicago, a departure from Brown, whose status as an out-of-towner rankled the rank and file as well as some residents and stakeholders.

Story continues

Heres a look the candidates:

A lifelong South Sider, Larry Snelling joined the CPD in 1992. He was promoted last October to chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, which oversees the narcotics and gang divisions, as well as SWAT teams. Before that, he was a tactical officer, lieutenant and then commander of the Englewood District. Snelling oversaw the district during the fraught summer of 2020, when civil unrest gripped cities across the country following George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer. Considered one of the departments use of force experts, Snelling was previously assigned to CPDs training academy. He also testified about the importance of accuracy in officers incident reports; that was part of Chicago Police Board proceedings against four officers accused of exaggerating the circumstances that led up to the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014.

Angel Novalez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Chicago with his family in the 1970s. He joined the Police Department in 2001 and was previously assigned to the Near West District, the training academy, Area 4 and the Grand Central District on the Northwest Side. After he was shot in the line of duty, Novalez quickly rose through the ranks to oversee much of CPDs community-building efforts, including the CAPS program. He now serves as chief of the Office of Constitutional Policing, which works to develop and implement internal department policies that adhere to the citys consent decree, though the CPDs compliance has been slow.

Of the three finalists, Shon Barnes has the fewest direct connections to Chicago and the CPD. Before he was hired as the chief of police in Madison in 2021, Barnes was the director of training and professional development for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the body that investigates use of force incidents by CPD officers. Prior to his time at COPA, Barnes was the deputy chief of police in Salisbury, North Carolina, and a captain in the Greensboro, North Carolina, police department.

Johnson now has 30 days either to choose one of the three finalists, whod then need approval from the City Council, or order the commission to start the application process over again.

The new mayor called Thursdays announcement an important milestone in the search. In a written statement, Johnson thanked the applicants and the commission and said hes confident that Chicagos next superintendent will inspire trust, foster collaboration, and lead with integrity.

Just before the finalists were announced, the commission president, Anthony Driver Jr., again highlighted the public outreach efforts undertaken by the committee  a far cry from the previous superintendent selection process that was helmed by the Chicago Police Board.

This is not public engagement for the sake of checking a box. This is public engagement for the sake of checking in with the community, Driver said. Thats a community that encompasses many different races, religions, neighborhoods and cultures. However, at our core, we all want the same thing. And that is to be and feel safe and to be respected. And that starts at the top

After the announcement, Driver told reporters that each finalist performed particularly well in their hours-long interviews with the commission.

They knocked every question out of the park, Driver said. Questions directly from the community. Questions from sworn rank-and-file Chicago police officers. From the lieutenants, from the sergeants. From the faith community, the labor community. We developed a rubric and a criteria based on that and we put these folks through the ringer.

Like so many of his predecessors, the next CPD superintendent will be faced with entrenched violent crime, largely concentrated in the citys most underserved neighborhoods; poor officer morale; and a host of consent decree obligations that, to this point, the department has largely failed to meet.

Throughout April and May, the community public safety commission hosted seven public meetings across the city to solicit feedback from residents about what qualities they want in the next leader of the CPD. The tenor of each meeting varied by location, but one characteristic received near-universal support: The next superintendent should come from within the CPD and have strong ties to Chicago.

There were 54 applicants for the job. Thirty-two of them  including Snelling and Novalez  had experience working within the CPD.

Driver had repeatedly told meeting attendees that their comments and questions would be posed to the candidates who advanced to the interview stage.

As the interview process continued in late June, 19 members of the City Council released a letter declaring their disappointment and dismay at the commissions decision to not offer a follow-up interview to Brian McDermott, CPDs chief of patrol and a 28-year department veteran.

The consequences are the old Chicago Way, where weve seen time and time again where you have a very clout-heavy city, where people do favors for folks and people get positions through political influence, and it hasnt worked, Driver later said of the letter. Our city has done this, has operated in the same way for decades, and we have not had good results.

Before the finalists were announced, John Catanzara, the local president of the Fraternal Order of Police who was a frequent critic of former Superintendent Brown, thanked the commission for including rank-and-file officers in the search process. He too praised the new selection process.

This process is 100 times better than what it was when the police board was conducting it, Catanzara said. It is much more fair and inclusive and I want to just say Thank you on behalf of the 17,000 members I represent in the FOP for giving our members a voice in this process and explaining to you what is important to them in the boss whos going to lead them forward.

The process for selecting a permanent superintendent was previously spearheaded by the Chicago Police Board, the nine-person body that doles out punishments in the most severe cases of police misconduct. In previous searches, members of the board  all of whom were appointed by the mayor  would submit three finalists for the mayor to choose from.

In early 2016, as the city was still reeling from the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel disregarded the three finalists compiled by the police board, which was led at the time by future mayor Lori Lightfoot. Emanuel ultimately selected Eddie Johnson, CPDs chief of patrol, even though Johnson never applied for the job. Murders and nonfatal shootings steadily declined over the next few years, but Lightfoot fired Johnson in late 2019 following an embarrassing incident in which he was found asleep in his car near his home in Bridgeport.

After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020, the police board presented Lightfoot with three finalists for the permanent job: Brown, the retired Dallas police chief; Kristen Ziman, the chief of police in Aurora; and Ernest Cato III, a CPD veteran who at the time was a deputy chief.

Lightfoot selected Brown for the job a day after the police board named its finalists. His introductory news conference was held a few hours after the CPD announced its first officer death due to the coronavirus.

Browns tenure was hallmarked by a spike in violent crime, especially carjackings, as well as widespread civil unrest and low officer morale. Brown announced his resignation one day after Lightfoot failed to qualify for the runoff election.

After he was sworn in as mayor, Brandon Johnson selected Fred Waller, CPDs chief of patrol under Eddie Johnson, to serve as interim superintendent. Waller, who remained popular with officers and department supervisors after his retirement in 2020, did not apply for the permanent job.

The superintendent search process changed drastically two years ago when a new city ordinance wrested authority from the police board and handed it to the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Whats more, the new law also created 66 new district councilor positions  three for each of the CPDs 22 patrol districts. Those district councilors serve as liaisons between the districts officers and residents, but they will also play a larger role in future CPD superintendent searches.

This is a great moment because now the people  the people  have a democratic option to say who polices their communities and how their communities are policed, Frank Chapman, a longtime police reform activist and director of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression, said after the first class of district councilors was sworn in earlier this summer. Thats the first time in the history of this country that this has happened, here in Chicago. And the reason why it happened here in Chicago is because we have so many great challenges.
 Kelly Wilbanks has lived in Terrace Heights with her husband and three daughters since 2014. She loves exploring Yakima on a budget with her family in tow, whether thats a wine-down Wednesday, thrifting thriftily, or going on a local library scavenger hunt. Wilbanks submits Explore columns when the occasion strikes.
What to know about seeing the northern lights from WA
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The Biden administration announced Friday that will wipe out a total of $39 billion in federal student debt for more than 800,000 borrowers.

The Department of Education said that the loan forgiveness is the result of administrative fixes made to properly account for qualifying payments in income-driven repayment plans. The administration says that some prior payments were not properly accounted for, impeding borrowers progress in qualifying to have their debt discharged.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans. This Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education.

The Department of Education says that until next year it will continue to identify and notify borrowers who hit the forgiveness thresholds, which stand at 240 or 300 qualifying monthly payments depending on the loan and repayment details.

The latest plan comes two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down President Bidens controversial action to forgive up to $20,000 in debt for millions of borrowers. Biden promised to pursue additional debt relief measures after the court ruling. His administration says it has now approved nearly $117 billion in student loan forgiveness for more than 3.4 million borrowers.

Federal student loan payments, which have been paused because of the pandemic, are set to resume in October.

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Accident pe o sosea din vestul tarii, a fost solicitat elicopterul SMURD

Accident de circulatie in aceasta dimineata, pe DN 7, la iesirea din Pecica spre Arad, unde o masina si un TIR au intrat in coliziune. La fata locului a intervenit echipajul medical SMURD al Punctului de lucru Nadlac, cu sprijinul SVSU Pecica si o ambulanta [citeste mai departe]
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- Romania to receive EU funds worth EUR 400 million for spending with Ukrainian refugeesThe government debated, on Thursday, in the first reading, a draft ordinance on the basis of which Romania will receive European funds worth 400 million euros for the expenses of the Ukrainian refugees, informed

- Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu received on Friday at the Victoria Palace of Government the Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, who is on a working visit to Bucharest.The two high officials will have a one-on-one meeting, which will be followed by talks in the plenary of the two official delegations.

- Gov't rotation/Iohannis to PM Ciolacu: There are many problems that need solving. President Klaus Iohannis told Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Thursday that there are many problems in Romania that need solving, told Agerpres. CITESTE SI Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and his team of ministers

- IGPF: Over 114,000 people enter Romania on Thursday, of whom approximately 12,000 Ukrainians. The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs that, on Thursday, a number of 114,167 people entered Romania through border points, of whom 12,074 were Ukrainian citizens, told Agerpres.

- About 82K persons enter Romania on Thursday, including almost 9K Ukrainians. The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPR) informs that on Thursday 81,619 people entered Romania through the border crossing points, including 9,523 Ukrainian citizens, told Agerpres. CITESTE SI Health trade

- IGPF: Over 77,000 people enter Romania on Thursday, of whom 8,400 Ukrainians.The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs that, on Thursday, a number of 77,439 people entered Romania through border points, of whom 8,436 were Ukrainian citizens, told Agerpres. CITESTE SI Annual

- IGPF: Almost 71,000 people enter Romania on Tuesday, of whom over 7,300 Ukrainians.The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs that, on Tuesday, a number of 71,127 people entered Romania through border points, of whom 7,338 were Ukrainian citizens, told Agerpres. CITESTE SI PM

- The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPR) informs that on Thursday 85,969 people entered Romania through the border crossing points, including 8,863 Ukrainian citizens. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help
800,000 student-loan borrowers will soon get $39 billion in debt relief through new repayment reforms

Joe Biden. Eraldo Peres/AP Images

804,000 student-loan borrowers will get $39 billion of automatic debt relief through reforms to income-riven repayment.

The Education Department said it will begin notifying borrowers in the coming weeks.

This announcement comes after the Supreme Court struck down Biden's broad relief plan.

After the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's broad plan for student-loan forgiveness, his administration just announced a new form of relief for borrowers.

On Friday, the Education Department said it will be automatically canceling $39 billion in student debt for 804,000 borrowers as a result of changes to the department's income-driven repayment plans. Income-driven repayment plans were intended to forgive borrowers' debts after at least 20 years of qualifying payments, but flaws in the system  like administrative errors and difficulties tracking payments  have left many borrowers in repayment far longer than necessary.

Friday's announcement applies to borrowers who have "accumulated the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years of qualifying months," according to the press release.

"At the start of this Administration, millions of borrowers had earned loan forgiveness but never received it. That's unacceptable," Under Secretary James Kvaal said in statement. "Today we are holding up the bargain we offered borrowers who have completed decades of repayment."

Borrowers receiving notices of forgiveness in the coming days are those with direct student loans or loans in the Federal Family Education Loan program  all loans held by the Education Department  who have reached the necessary forgiveness threshold during any of the following periods:

Any month when the borrower was in repayment status, regardless of whether the loans were partial or late

Any period when the borrower spent 12 or more consecutive months in forbearance

Any month in forbearance when borrowers were in forbearance for 36 or more cumulative months

Any month in deferment before 2013

And any month spent in economic hardship or military deferment on or after January 1, 2013.

Any those months spent prior to loan consolidation into the federal direct loan program will also be counted toward forgiveness, the department said.

The Education Department said that discharges will begin 30 days after it sends emails to eligible borrowers, and borrowers who want to opt out of the relief have to contact their student-loan servicer. Eligible borrowers will also have repayment on their loans paused until the relief is processed.

The news comes shortly after the Supreme Court on June 30 struck down Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers. While the high court ruled that the law Biden used for that relief was an overreach of authority, the department announced it is beginning the process of getting relief to borrowers using the Higher Education Act of 1965, which will take longer than the first time around due to the negotiated rulemaking process.

"For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement, adding that "this Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Commentators suspect that the US President didnt know whom he chose for that handshake while joining the on-camera family photo event at the NATO summit in Vilnius.

In a hint at the tense relations between the two governments, Mandiner jokingly quotes a famous sentence from the legendary wartime movie Casablanca: This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship  but adds a question mark to the quote.



On 444, Mark Herczeg adds one single sentence to the news and the accompanying photo: It is unclear if President Biden knew whom he was shaking hands with.



In his Badog blog where he posts even sharper remarks than in his highly opinionated Magyar Nemzet columns, Zsolt Bayer takes Herczegs comment as an admission even by 444 that the President of the United States is a demented old man. They had to admit that, he writes, otherwise, how could they continue to describe PM Orban as unpresentable?



Video available here
The European Union is rife with corruption, and the champions of the rule of law should learn to take care of their own affairs before lecturing member states, Fidesz MEP Balazs Hidveghi said at a plenary debate on a report on access to public documents between 2019 and 2021 that cases of corruption were abundant in Brussels.

Discussions on the adherence to rule of law in the European Parliament and European Commission and other EU bodies are few and far between, Hidveghi told the plenary.



The state of the rule of law there is rarely discussed, he added. Meanwhile, in the past months, we witnessed the largest corruption case of all time, where a Vice-President and a member of the EP was lead off in handcuffs, he said.



Other top EC officials were also discovered to have abused their power, he insisted. Those officials accepted gifts and financial contributions in an unacceptable and indefensible manner, he said.



The EU has no legal basis or credibility to lecture others on the rule of law or fighting corruption until it tackles the problems in its own back yard, he said.



They should account for all funds and abide by regulations, he said.
Summer in Hungary means spritzers. A refreshing, heat-beating combination of wine and soda, froccs is the order of the day almost everywhere you go, Budapest, Balaton or by the banks of the Tisza.

Derived from the onomatopoeic Hungarian word for splashing, froccs, pronounced frurtch, is the generic term for this type of drink  hence, for example, the prominent Froccsterasz terrace bar on central Erzsebet ter.



Ask for a froccs and your friendly server will immediately ask, What kind? or Which measure?, needing to know much wine you require compared to soda. And here is where you enter the big colourful world of Hungarian spritzers, their names and combinations as deeply embedded in Magyar culture as, say, varieties of coffee in Italy or rain in Scotland.



With this little guide, you can order away like a native, safe in the knowledge that youre about to sip a gentle, mildly intoxicating bubbly drink before a hands-off date or guzzle a get-me-there-quick lagoon of booze just as the partys getting started.



The choice is yours  now at least youll know the ground rules, dont say that we didnt warn you.



One last thing: while in the UK at least, measures of wine are consigned to the small print, and concepts such as small and large are as long as bits of string, in Hungary, everything is by the deci (detsi), ie one tenth of a litre.



Ask for a froccs and your server might ask by way of confirmation: Ket deci bor, egy deci szoda? (2dl of wine, one 1dl of soda?).



Once affirmed, they will wield their trusty syphon and attack a substantial glass of white wine with a satisfying hosing down of soda. Red wine is not really in this whole equation  thats a story for another day.







Sportfroccs: As its name suggests, this is a small drop of wine in an ocean of soda water. Drivers should be warned that its zero tolerance in Hungary, ie no alcohol whatsoever should be consumed before getting behind the wheel, so not even a humble sportfroccs can be imbibed. When up before the beak, the sportfroccs wont save you. 1dl wine, 4dl soda.



Kisfroccs: Again as its name suggests, kis (kish) meaning small, this drink errs on the side of caution, an equal measure of wine and soda allowing you to taste the former while letting the latter keep you on the straight and narrow. Its also the smallest choice by volume, meaning less answering the call of nature. 1dl wine, 1dl soda.



Hosszulepes: The long step hints at the roundabout route to your inevitable destination, with twice as much soda concealing the demon drink. Ideal for heat waves as it means youre taking in the required volume of liquid without bumping into lampposts afterwards. 1dl wine, 2dl soda.



Froccs: Heres where things start to get interesting, also because this standard measure is referred to in certain circles as a nagyfroccs (big, as opposed to kis), a scone-scone type of deal.



As your server will invariably ask you your exact requirements, you can specify what you mean by froccs. If you havent learned your Hungarian numbers by now, the universal finger-measuring thing should do the trick. 2dl wine, 1dl soda.



Nagyfroccs: Many take the idea of nagy seriously, putting the big in Big Spritzer by insisting its three-quarters wine, one quarter soda. You can even express your order it in a manly fashion to labour the point.



Again, your loyal server should confirm your choice back to you in pure deci terms, while assuming youre on a mission to oblivion. 2dl wine, 1dl soda or 3dl wine, 1dl soda.



Hazmester: Now were talking. No-one in any residential building in Budapest is more important than the hazmester, the all-seeing caretaker whose remit extends to compulsive snooping while making sure that the bins are taken out on time. Janitor is a lowly station in life, house master is omnipotent.



Ergo, this combination of plentiful wine and lashings of soda, good enough for interview-length conversations before having to trot up to the bar again. 3dl wine, 2dl soda.



Vicehazmester: One down from the housemaster, a substantial drink that says, I mean business, without having everyone around your table thinking youve been taking lessons from Shane MacGowan. In practice, its rarely ordered  most cut to the chase and glug down a hazmester. 2dl wine, 2dl soda.



Polgarmester: Another drink that probably only exists in untranslatable Hungarian novels, the Mayor takes us into Mr Creosote territory, a whole litre of liquid dominated by the best part of a bottle of wine. 6dl wine, 4dl soda.



Krudy-froccs: Some context is required here. Imagine if you ordered a Coleridge-sized laudanum or a Bukowski measure of scotch.



Such is the Krudy-froccs, referring to the great Budapest novelist and bon vivant who spent his relatively short career (a) drunk, (b) in the throes of divorce, (c) devouring entire herds of cattle and (d) broke.



He died at the age of 54, in his beloved Obuda. To raise a glass in his honour, a big, big glass at that, this is what you should order. Dont plan on doing too much the next day. 9dl wine, 1dl soda.



Words by Peterjon Cresswell for Xpatloop.com

Peterjon has been researching the byways of Budapest for 30 years, extending his expertise across Europe to produce guidebooks for Time Out and his own website liberoguide.com
Business association VOSZs measure of business confidence fell to 56 points in the second quarter from 61 in Q1, Akos Kozak, the co-founder of the Balance Institute, which helps prepare the index, said.

The index, which moves on a scale of 0 to 100 points, is based on responses from over 400 businesses.



Among the sub-indices of the VOSZ Barometer, the measure of business sentiment fell to 59 points from 62 and the gauge of propensity to make investments fell to 41 points from 49.



The sub-index based on businesses assessment of their financial situation dropped to 70 points from 74.



Businesses said declining purchasing power, higher prices, unpaid invoices and a fall in orders were among their biggest challenges.



One in six businesses said they could cut headcount.



Industrial Output Down 6.9% in May



Output of Hungarys industrial sector fell by an annual 6.9% in May, 4.6% when adjusted for the number of workdays, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said.



Month on month, output rose by a seasonally and workday-adjusted 1.6%. The detailed data show output declined year on year in the majority of manufacturing branches but increased in vehicle manufacturing and the electrical equipment segment.



Output of vehicle manufacturing, Hungarys biggest manufacturing sector, rose by an annual 10.5% in May. The segment accounted for 26% of manufacturing output during the month.



The electrical equipment segment, which made up 12% of manufacturing output, grew by 13.4% year on year.



Output of the computer, electronics and optical equipment segment, accounting for 9% of manufacturing, fell by 6.9%, albeit at a slower pace than in April.



Output of the food, drinks and tobacco segment, which made up 12% of manufacturing output, declined by 16.7%.



Export sales edged up 0.3%. In the January-May period, output fell by 4.8% year on year.
Bolt HTX, the Hungarian subsidiary of the international platform-based taxi company, declared on Wednesday that it acts in accordance with Hungarian legal regulations in all cases, fully complies with them and co-operates with the competent authorities in all respects, after the Taxi Association questioned its legality and asked the city of Budapest to cancel its licence.

The company said it has registered brand protection and trademarks for protected words and phrases.



Bolt also added that it fully complies with Budapests taxi regulations.



The Taxi Association argued that Bolt has not protected its logo but only the name.



Brand expert Gyorgy Pintz told Index that the phrase Bolt Taxi is a distinctive part of the logo used by Bolt, so the use of the current image would presumably be considered a legal trademark by a court.
On Saturday, youth and their families participating in the All Together Now Summer Reading Program had front row seats to observe and learn about our national bird at Kilgore Memorial Library.

The library hosted the Edgerton Explorit Center that provided a Raptorology Program to educate youth on raptor identification, conservation, and what steps humans can take to protect wildlife. This weekend, a Screech Owl, an American Kestrel, a Swainsons Hawk and a Bald Eagle were front and center.

The Raptorology Program began in 2019 under the leadership of Edgerton Educator Deb Miller. Prior to becoming an educator, Miller was a participant in the Nebraska Master Naturalist Program in 2013. It is a volunteer program for people to engage in 60 hours of in-depth training covering Nebraskas ecosystems, plants, animals and conservation biology.

From there, Miller worked for the Raptor Conservation Alliance that provides care for injured and orphaned raptors. Miller noted that the alliance rescues over 500 birds a year.

Miller said, With that experience, I started my job here (Edgerton Explorit Center) in 2015 as a part-time educator and began doing programming. In 2019, I started the Raptorology Program and we partnered with Fontenelle Forest where we had the three birds  the hawk, the kestrel, and the owl.

In November of 2022, Miller received a call from the Raptor Conservation Alliance about an injured Bald Eagle found near Omaha with a broken wing. There was a choice to be made. The wing either had to be amputated and the eagle was to be in put a safe space or the eagle was going to be put to down. It could not return to the wild.

Miller said, I took what I heard to my director at the center and she said Yes, lets go for it. That led us into getting Altair (the Bald Eagle).

Before Altair was acquired, the center had to go through a long, extensive process to obtain an eagle permit. Edgerton had to fill out an application, letter of recommendation, and had to follow enclosure requirements. As the educator, Miller had to complete over 300 hours in handling large birds.

Another requirement was to have an endowed eagle fund that would go towards feeding and providing care for the eagle. The center received an eagle endowment from Hamilton Telecommunications in Aurora. As part of the deal, Hamilton Telecommunications was given the right to name Altair. Altair is named after the brightest star of the Aquila Constellation. According to theplanets.org, Aquila means eagle in Latin. Aquila is ranked as the 22nd largest constellation, lying next to the celestial equator. It consists of three bright stars, one of them being Altair. Miller said, The name is most certainly fitting.

March 22nd was when Altair arrived at the Edgerton Explorit Center. Miller said, Altair is the only educational Bald Eagle we have in the state. We have other Bald Eagles on display at Fontenelle Forest, the Lincoln Childrens Zoo and the Omaha Doorly Zoo, but they dont do traveling programs like we do with Altair. Altair is what we call an Educational Ambassador, so he is off display. His job is to travel and be an Educational Ambassador.

Miller and her crew of four, fine-feathered friends have traveled the state, providing programs to educate families on raptorology.

With Altair, weve already completed 14 programs, said Miller. One time we saw over 600 students at a school. On average we see at least 150 to 200 people at every program.

Miller said, I think our programs spark a little interest in the kids from the hands-on learning. They dont get to touch the birds, but they are able to touch the feathers and look at artifacts.

Miller hopes the programs will inspire future generations to preserve and protect animals and their natural habitats. Miller said, Its not always nature that injures these animals, but sometimes its man. Sometimes they are sick, sometimes they hit a powerline or a car. The solution is not, let nature take its course when these things happen. We need to write that wrong by fixing the animals and putting them back into nature because they do serve a great purpose.

The event was sponsored by Friends of the Library. Kilgore Library staff member Carol Baker said, Edgerton always has excellent programs that go along with the librarys theme. We thank them for bringing all the wonderful birds and educating the York community.
New Delhi: Neha Narkhede is an American businesswoman of Indian descent. She was a co-founder of Confluent and its CTO before joining the board in 2020. Neha was featured by Forbes in 2019 as one of America's Self-Made Women.

Who Is Neha Narkhede?

American entrepreneur, counsellor, and investor Neha Narkhede were born in India. She was a co-founder of Confluently and its CTO before joining the board in the year 2020. She is an Indian woman entrepreneur and a self-made millionaire.



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Neha Narkhede immigrated to the United States from India in 2006. In 2007, she started working at Oracle as a software developer. She then began working for Linkedin after that. Neha collaborated with a few of her Linkedin coworkers in 2014 to launch Confluent, a streaming service. That business is currently worth $2.55 billion.

Neha Narkhede is one of the richest self-made female entrepreneurs in the world, according to Forbes. She thinks that the main inspiration for her accomplishment was her father. He used to read her novels as a child about courageous women who had achieved success in their vocations.

These tales empowered her, taught her valuable lessons, and helped her see herself as successful. She currently works as a consultant and investor for numerous technology firms.

Neha Narkhede: Education

In 1984, Neha Narkhede was born in Pune, India. She studied at the University of Pune after graduating from the Pune Institute of Computer Technology. She earned a bachelor's degree in engineering.

After earning her degree, she relocated to the US and attended Georgia Tech to earn her master's in technology. She made the decision to remain in the country and was subsequently granted citizenship. She began working at Oracle as a software engineer after completing her further schooling.

Neha Narkhede: Career

In 2011, Neha relocated to work for LinkedIn, and in 2014, she and her partners started Confluent. She wrote a book titled "Kafka: The Definitive Guide" in 2017 with Gwen Shapira and Todd Palino about her expertise in the field.

It is highly accepted by readers who want to know more about the history of its creation from all around the world. She is currently employed by this company as a board member. In 2019, it raised $125 million, bringing its total capital to $206 million.

It had already reached a new financial milestone of $250 million in April 2020, valuing it at $456 million, with an anticipated initial public offering (IPO) date planned for June 1st, 2021.

Since they filed for one in March 2017 (estimated at about $10 billion), businesses including Goldman Sachs, Netflix, and Uber have started leveraging their platform to construct data-driven applications.

Neha Narkhede: Net Worth

With a net worth of $490 million, Narkhede was ranked 57th on Forbes' list of America's Richest Self-Made Women in June 2022. In 2019, Confluent sponsored the Apache Kafka Summit in London, where Narkhede claimed that 60% of the Fortune 100 firms were utilising Apache Kafka.

In an interview, she claimed that "even today, the new companies that get created digitally use it as a basis for their business." Neha Narkhede has an estimated net worth of 4,700 crores and is ranked 336 on the Hurun India Rich List.

According to reports, Neha Narkhede was one of the top 10 richest Indian women, ranking eighth. With a net worth of 13,380 crores, she is the most recent addition to the list of India's richest women.
New Delhi: When you search the internet for a company's address or phone number, the results appears on the screen in the click of a mouse. VSS Mani is the man behind Just Dial, the local search engine that provides local search-related services to users.

Started in 1996 by VSS Mani with a capital of Rs 50,000 Just Dial has today become a multi-million dollar company. However, the journey of Just Dial from a startup to India's no. 1 local search engine was never a smooth one. Founder Mani experienced several failures before seeing success, much like all entrepreneurs.

In today's success story, we'll get up close and personal with VSS Mani, the founder and CEO of Just Dial, who built the local search engine platform from scratch at the age of 29 into a major player in the online search industry.



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Early Life And Career Of VSS Mani

Venkatachalam Sthanu Subramani Mani was born in Jamshedpur in 1996. Mani wanted to pursue higher studies but was unable to do so because of financial constraints. His collegiate career was so ended.

Mani worked for a yellow pages company United Database India when he harboured the dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

The Birth Of Just Dial

During his employment at United Database India Mani thought of creating a programme that could look for pertinent information online. He came up with the concept of creating software that would connect buyers and sellers by bringing them together. The customer may choose from a variety of sellers, and the sellers could receive information about the customers. With this idea, he founded a company called Ask Me, but it failed because phones weren't widely available at the time.

Mani set up Just Dial in 1996 with Rs 50,000 at the age of 29 and a vision to transform the nation's ecosystem for information search.

In 1996, the Telecom Liberalisation Policy was introduced by the Indian government. Just Dial expanded along with the growth of landlines. The popularity of mobile phones in India further led to a massive expansion of Just Dial's business. Just Dial became the leader in local search. People would swiftly grab their phones and dial Just Dial's number if they needed a doctor or information on restaurants in the area. It became the people's lifeline.

Just Dial gradually introduced new products to boost sales. It underwent a transformation by Mani to become a search plus engine and now people could search for what they are looking for and then buy it right away using the search plus engine. In 2007, the official Justdial website, www.justdial.com made a debut. JD Omni, an all-inclusive business management solution for SMEs was later released. JD Social, a platform for official social sharing that will give users selected content on the most recent events and JD Pay, a novel way for users and merchants to make speedy digital payments, was also introduced. In 2021 Mukesh Ambani's Reliance acquired shares in Just Dial.

Goal Of Mani's Visionary Idea  Just Dial

VSS Mani is providing an e-strategy and an e-tool for firms who don't have websites so they may operate successfully.

Just Dial And Mukesh Ambani Connection

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Retail in 2021 said it has acquired sole control of 25-year-old search and discovery firm Just Dial. The firm's subsidiary Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd had in July that year announced a deal to buy a controlling stake in Just Dial for Rs 3,497 crore.
PARIS: The Indian military contingent marched to the beats of Sare Jahan Se Accha even as a compliment of Rafale fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) participated in a flypast over the Champs-Elysees at the Bastille Day Parade. The Punjab Regiment led the march and was followed by the Indian Navy and then the Air Force as the left their mark at the annual parade to mark the historic fall of the Bastille in 1789. The Punjab Regiment was led by Captain Aman Jagtap whie the Indian naval contingent was led by Commander Vrat Baghel. The Indian Air Force contingent was commanded by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was at the event as the Guest of Honour, took the salute from the Indian contingent as they marched at the Champs-Elysees. In a moment to savour for India, the IAF Rafales streaked the skies over Champs-Elysees, leaving the audience in awe.

French President Emmanuel Macron, First Lady Brigitte Macron, topped the dignitaries attending the Bastille Day Military Parade on Friday. The French fighters, which led the flypast, left a trail of smoke in the colours of the French national flag  red, blue and white, leaving the skies of Champs-Elysees bathing in its afterglow.



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Both the Indian and French troops marched with trumpets and drums. Macron received the Guard of Honour upon his arrival ahead of the military parade. Ahead of the parade, PM Modi and the French President shared a warm hug as the latter arrived for the Bastille Day parade at Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Champs-Elysees was gilded in the colours of the French Flag.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution.

This year the Bastille Day Parade had 6,300 soldiers in various marching contingents. This included a tri-services contingent of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The Indian Army was represented by the Punjab Regiment. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both World Wars, having been awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours in the first war.

The Punjab Regiment participated in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in France in September 1915 during World War One. The regiment also won 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours in the Second World War. Earlier, the Ministry of Defence, in a press release, stated, "The Indian Army contingent comprising of 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the Band is being led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Indian Navy contingent is being led by Commander Vrat Baghel and the Indian Air Force contingent is by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy. The Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will also form part of the flypast during the parade."

It added, "The Army contingent is being represented by the Punjab Regiment which is one of the oldest Regiments of the Indian Army. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both the World Wars as well as the post-independence operations."
Passive investing in index funds can generate returns that roughly match the overall market. But the truth is, you can make significant gains if you buy good quality businesses at the right price. For example, the Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX) share price is up 56% in the last five years, slightly above the market return. We're also happy to report the stock is up a healthy 41% in the last year.

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.

View our latest analysis for Boston Scientific

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

Over half a decade, Boston Scientific managed to grow its earnings per share at 48% a year. The EPS growth is more impressive than the yearly share price gain of 9% over the same period. Therefore, it seems the market has become relatively pessimistic about the company. Having said that, the market is still optimistic, given the P/E ratio of 89.71.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

We know that Boston Scientific has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? If you're interested, you could check this free report showing consensus revenue forecasts.

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Boston Scientific has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 41% in the last twelve months. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 9%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. 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. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Boston Scientific (of which 1 is significant!) you should know about.

But note: Boston Scientific may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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.

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NOIDA: The controversy surrounding Seema Ghulam Haider, the Pakistani woman who crossed borders along with her four children and entered India illegally to stay with her Noida-based lover Sachin Meena. Haider, who is now being referred to as the Pakistani Bhabhi, has become the talk of the town ever since she was arrested for an illegal stay in India along with her lover Sachin Meena on July 4 and granted bail by a local court three days later. Interestingly, the woman claims to have come in contact with her lover Sachin in 2019 through the PUBG Mobile gaming app and fell in love with each other.

While some say that the Pakistani woman, who is reportedly fluent in English and knows how to operate a computer, is actually a Pakistani spy agency agent and has been planted in India as part of a big conspiracy by its notorious spy agency ISI, others call it a case of cross-border love.

Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh told a private TV news channel that Seema Haiders case should be thoroughly investigated by the police and the intelligence agencies. Questioning how an ordinary Pakistani woman can cross borders along with her four children without a valid visa and come to live in Noida without being detected by Indian agencies.



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Ex-DGP Vikram Singh wondered if it is possible for an Indian to go to Pakistan without a valid visa and stay there freely. The former top UP cop said it is strange that just after three days of questioning the Pakistani lady has been let off and she is now living freely in Greater Noida where she is being welcomed by the local residents.

Singh said several questions still remain unanswered and the Indian investigators should contact her estranged husband Ghulam Haider, who stays in Dubai, over video-conferencing for more information about the woman. While calling for the need to fix the loose ends in India's intelligence gathering mechanism, Singh also called for a probe to ascertain who helped Seema Haider in crossing the Indian border via Nepal to come to Noida.

I Am Not A Terrorist: Seema Haider

Seema Haider has meanwhile categorically denied allegations of being an ISI agent. Speaking exclusively to Zee Media, Seema Haider denied speculations about being a Pakistani spy agent who has been planted by the ISI in India. She told Zee Media that she is deeply in love with Sachin, who has taken great care of her children ever since they first met and got married in Nepal.

Seema Haider also claimed that she was getting death and rape threats from Pakistan and that she fears for her life. Making an emotional appeal to the Government of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Noida Police, Seema said that she is a simple woman who wants to live in India. I am not a terrorist. I am an ordinary woman. I appeal to the government of India not to send me back to Pakistan otherwise I will be killed. I have changed my lifestyle. I have embraced Hinduism. I love Indian culture and want to live here forever. Seema also accused her Gulam Haider, who stays in Saudi Arabia, of spreading misinformation to defame her.

Seema Haider-Sachin Meena Love Story

For the unversed, Seema fell in love with Greater Noida's Sachin Meena over the online gaming platform PUBG and later crossed multiple international borders ''illegally'' to live with him. She has now become a vegetarian and is quickly learning to adapt herself to Hindu traditions and customs  all for love. Ever since she came from Pakistan, Seema Haider is in awe of the Indian culture and lifestyle. Not only has she converted to Hinduism, Seema has also given up her favourite food - chicken biryani, meat and fish. The Pakistani Bhabhi is trying hard to wholeheartedly embrace Indian culture and doing everything to assimilate herself into Indian society.

According to media reports, Seema Haider has converted to Hinduism and wears a Radhe-Radhe strap around her neck. She can be seen greeting guests with folded hands, seeking blessings by touching the feet of elders, and engaging in prayer. Seema, 30, said that she has adopted a vegetarian lifestyle like Sachins family and wants to live here in India for the rest of her life.

The Pakistani woman grabbed a lot of eyeballs after she and Sachin Meena, 25, were arrested by the authorities on July 4. While Seema was charged with illegally entering India, Sachin was booked for sheltering the illegal immigrant. Seema was accused of illegally entering India without a valid visa via Nepal with her four children, all aged below seven years, to live with her lover Sachin. The two were granted bail by a court in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida on Friday.

How Did Seema & Sachin Met?

The couple's love story is as intriguing as a typical Bollywood potboiler. The two fell in love with each other while playing the online game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) during the Covid-19 pandemic. They met in Nepal earlier this year in March and got married.

Narrating her story to reporters after walking out of jail, Seema said, "It was such a long and gruelling journey. I was very scared too. I first went from Karachi to Dubai, where we waited for 11 hours and couldn't sleep. We then flew to Nepal, before finally taking the road to Pokhara, where I met Sachin."

While she then went back to Pakistan, Sachin returned to India from Nepal. Upon reaching Pakistan, Seema, who claimed discord with her husband, sold a plot for Pakistani Rupees 12 lakh and arranged flight tickets and a Nepal visa for herself and her four children.

In May, she reached Nepal via Dubai and spent some time in the tourist city of Pokhara in the Himalayan nation. Then she took a bus to Delhi from Kathmandu and reached Greater Noida on May 13 with her children where Sachin had made arrangements for her to stay in a rented accommodation without disclosing her Pakistani identity.

How Did Their Love Story Come To Fore?





Their cross-border love story hit a dead-end after they were arrested on July 4 and put in jail. After getting bail from the court, Seema said that she will now focus on the paperwork to make her move to India official. She also said that she does want to go back to Pakistan and cited the stringent rules for women back in her country and a possible threat to her life.

"No one has brought me to India by persuasion, I have come here of my own free will for the sake of love," Seema said. In an interview with the BBC, Seema Haider said that she would rather slit her throat or consume poison than return to her homeland. Seema also revealed that she was forced to marry her Pakistani husband Gulam, who works in Dubai, at a very young age.

In his turn, Sachin, who works at a grocery store, said that he wants to live with Seema and her children in Greater Noida only. The duo also said they would contact lawyers to find out a way to legalise her stay in India. Seema said she will accept Hinduism. Sachin told reporters that they would soon take a dip in the holy Ganga together for her to embark on their new journey.

Twist In Seema & Sachin's Love Story

Seema Haiders first husband Gulam Haider has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government to send his wife and children back to Pakistan. Gulam Haider, who is currently residing in Saudi Arabia, has released a video in which he alleged that his wife Seema was lured and manipulated into leaving him and coming to India through PUBG.

Gulam Haider appealed to the Modi government to ensure a safe return of his wife and children to Pakistan. He also thanked the Indian media for their unexpected support. I express my gratitude by joining hands with the Indian media, through whom I could find the whereabouts of my wife and children, Gulam said.
CHENNAI: In a big setback to Tamil Nadu's ruling party DMK, the Madras High Court on Friday said that Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji's arrest by Enforcement Directorate is valid. The High Court also upheld the judicial custody of the jailed Tamil Nadu minister, saying the probe agency is entitled to keep him in its custody. Justice CV Karthikeyan held that ED has a right to take V Senthil Balaji into custody. "I would align myself with the reasoning given by Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy so far as this point is concerned,'' the Judge said.

The Madras High Court further said the time spent by Balaji in a hospital will be excluded from the custody period and referred it to a division bench of the high court. Balaji, who was arrested last month, is currently in jail amid criminal proceedings in an alleged cash-for-jobs scandal. Interestingly, he had been retained as a minister without portfolio by Chief Minister M K Stalin, a decision that Governor Ravi had decided to unilaterally override.

Reacting to the HC ruling, DMK leader A Saravanan said, "This judgment is diametrically opposite to the view of the Supreme Court. A bench of the Supreme Court is going to hear all these appeals. Our appeal is listed before Supreme Court on July 24."



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It may be noted that in June, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi dismissed V Senthil Balaji, accused in a money laundering case, from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect. However, hours later, the Governor took back his contentious order to dismiss the jailed DMK Minister. Sources claimed that the Governor decided to keep the dismissal order in abeyance till further communication and also informed Chief Minister M K Stalin about it.

CM Stalin Hits Out At Governor



Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin slammed Governor RN Ravi over the dismissal of jailed minister Senthil Balaji, saying he does not have the right to do so and his government will proceed legally in the matter. The minister had been arrested in connection with a cash-for-jobs scam case. Speaking to reporters in the wake of the arrest of the fellow DMK leader, CM Stalin said, "Governor doesn't have the right (to dismiss a sitting minister) and we will face this legally."

Also lashing out at the Governor, DMK leader A Saravanan accused the Governor of undermining the Constitution, saying that the order, dismissing Balaji from the state's council of ministers, is not even worth the paper it was drafted on.

"Who does the Governor thinks he is? Does he have the constitutional authority (to dismiss Senthil Balaji)? The Governor is undermining the constitution. He is catering to the Sanatan Dharma. The law of the land isn't determined by the Sanatan Dharma. For a Governor, the constitution should be the Bible, Gita, and Quran. He is acting like a clown, trying to appease his political masters. His order isn't even worth the paper it was drafted on. It must be consigned to the dustbin," the DMK leader said.

Former Union minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari, too, slammed the dismissal of the jailed minister, tweeting, "Article 164 of COI" The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister... Since Ministers are appointed on the advice of the CM they can be removed ONLY on the advice of the CM. Unconstitutional Gov."

However, BJP welcomed the Governor's decision.
NEW DELHI: In our lives, we come across people several people  some born with a silver spoon in their mouth, while a few others who are born in acute poverty and face extreme hardship till their last breath, yet they never give up and leave an indelible impression on our minds through their determination, hard work and contribution to the society.

One such man is Haldhar Nag, a man who barely went to school, lost his parents at an early age, did menial jobs for a living, sells raga chana (spicy chickpeas) and has been awarded a Padma Shri for his contribution to the field of Odiya literature in 2016.

Who Is Haldhar Nag?

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Born in 1950 to a poor family in the Bargarh district of Odisha, Haldhar Nag is a famous Odiya folk poet of the Kosli language, who despite receiving a formal school education, has five Phd theses on him. A true embodiment of simple living and high thinking, Nag lost his parents at the tender age of 10. Due to the poor financial condition of his family, Nag was forced to quit his studies when he was in class 3. He spent several years at a dhaba serving the customers and dishwashing in order to survive.

With the help of a village head, he worked as a cook in a local school for the next 16 years. A few years later, he took a bank loan of Rs 1000 to set up a small-scale stationery shop near the school. Though he is barely educated, he did not let his passion for writing die and kept writing small pieces.

First Poem

In the year 1990, Nag wrote his first poem 'Dhodo Bargach' (The Old Banyan Tree). Luckily, his poems and compositions were published in a local magazine and with the passage of time, he became famous as a folk poet of the Kosli language. His poems, popularly known as Lok Kavi Ratna in Odiya, revolve around nature, society, mythology and religion.

Through his writings, Nag also promotes social reforms. He is renowned for his work Kavyanjali, an anthology of English translations of his selected poetry.

Selling Raga Chana

This 74-year-old dark-complexioned legendary Odiya poet can be easily spotted selling Raga chana (spicy chickpeas) during Rath Yatra in his village in Bargarh every year. His Raga Chana is a favourite among the visitors and devotees who come to witness the Rath Yatra every year. However, he has no aversion to selling chickpeas and says that it is his occupation and he earns his livelihood from it. He further says that he has been selling it since his youth and cant stop selling it for the fact that he is a Padma Shri recipient.

Padma Shri

In 2016, the Government of India decided to honour him with a Padma Shri for his invaluable contribution to the field of literature. Nags simplicity could be understood from the fact that when he received a call confirming the governments decision to award Padma Shri to him, he pleaded, Sahib! I do not have money to come to Delhi, please send the award (Padma Shri) by post.

Nag grabbed a lot of eyeballs when he came to receive the award barefoot wearing a spotless white dhoti skirt and vest from then-President Pranab Mukherjee. In yet another proof of this mans simplicity and greatness, Nag donated the Padma Shri allowance of Rs 10,000 to an orphanage.

Nag, who writes in the Kosli language, has penned 20 epics and numerous poems. In recognition of his accomplishments, a compilation of his writings Haldhar Granthavali-2, has been made part of the syllabus in 'Sambalpur University' of Odisha.
New Delhi: Even though Yamuna's water level began to recede, areas in ITO and Rajghat were submerged on Friday as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage near Indraprastha, exacerbating the already dire situation. The floodwaters even reached the Supreme Court, located in the Tilak Marg area in the central part of the city.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of the damage to the regulator on priority and resolve the problem. "Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at the regulator of drain no. 12 near the WHO building. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The government has directed the chief secretary to take it up on highest priority," he said in a tweet.



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The compromised regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back toward the city areas. Yamuna's water level at 8 am stood at 208.42 meters. The flooding in ITO and Rajghat areas has led the authorities to impose curbs on the movement of traffic.

#WATCH | Delhi: Severe waterlogging on ITO road due to rise in water level of Yamuna River pic.twitter.com/wz3ZXBA3IS  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

"No vehicular traffic will be allowed on Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover due to overflow of drain water near WHO Building. Commuters are advised to avoid the stretch," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.

Commuters battled problems as they navigated through the waterlogged ITO Road, a key stretch connecting East Delhi to Lutyens's Delhi. People going to their offices and New Delhi Railway Station will face hardships while navigating through the stretch.

#WATCH | Delhi: Commuters face problems due to Severe waterlogging on ITO road after rise in water level of Yamuna River pic.twitter.com/f1qxRXQO8R  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

Traffic movement was also closed on Bhairon Road due to an overflow of drain water near the Railway Under Bridge. Some people could be seen dragging their vehicles through the waterlogged ITO stretch. A commuter going towards Noida said, "Till now, we were feeling that the floodwater is only entering low-lying areas. But now the threat feels so closer as the nerve center of Delhi has been flooded."
New Delhi: Health insurance, considered a vital financial safety net, shields people and families from the escalating expenses of medical care. It's crucial to recognise that claim denials and disputes might happen, which puts consumers through needless worry and financial hardship. By following some key tips, one can maximise the chances of his or her health insurance claims being accepted and resolve any dispute that may arise.

Aftab Chaz, Associate Director and Business Head at Elephant.in discussed some of the essential points on claim denials and disputes related to health insurance with Reema Sharma of Zee Media.

Navigating health insurance claim rejections and resolving disputes can be challenging, but by following the a few tips, one can increase the chances of a successful claim settlement. One should remember to provide accurate information, understand policy terms, maintain transparency, and submit all necessary documents on time. By being proactive and well-informed, consumers can protect their rights as policyholders and ensure smooth healthcare financing through their health insurance coverage, added Aftab Chaz.



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Chaz shares 6 Expert Tips for Avoiding Claim Rejection and Resolving Disputes in Health Insurance

Providing accurate information during policy purchase

When buying a health insurance policy, it is imperative to provide accurate and complete information. Consumers should disclose all pre-existing medical conditions, previous surgeries, medications, and any other relevant details. Failing to disclose the requisite information may lead to claim rejection or policy cancellation later.

Understanding policy terms and conditions

Consumers should thoroughly read and understand the terms and conditions of the health insurance policy. One should pay close attention to coverage limits, waiting periods, exclusions, and claim filing procedures. At times, consumers avoid reading policy documents because of the heavy information and terms and conditions mentioned. They realise they missed reading the important information during the time of claim settlements. By that time, it is too late to even make changes to the policy; as a result, many consumers have to pay out of their own pockets, which could have been taken care of by the insurance company. Thus, being well-informed about the policy will help one avoid surprises and make informed decisions.

Maintaining transparency during claim filing

During the claim filing process, consumers should ensure transparency by providing all necessary documents, medical reports, bills, and prescriptions. It is suggested that you double-check so that all information is accurate and up-to-date. Any inconsistencies or missing details may result in the claim being rejected.

Timely submission of claim documents

Consumers should submit claim documents within the scheduled time frame specified by the insurance provider. Late submissions can lead to delays or even rejection. Consumers should also keep track of deadlines and promptly provide the required paperwork to expedite the claim settlement process.

Seeking clarification from the insurer

If a consumer has any doubts or concerns regarding the claim process, policy coverage, or claim rejection reasons, he or she should reach out to the insurance provider. Consumers should not shy away from seeking clarification and guidance from their customer support team or a designated claims officer. Understanding the requirements and procedures will help them address any potential issues proactively.

Maintaining records and receipts

Another important parameter that consumers often overlook is maintaining a record of all medical reports, bills, and receipts and communicating the same with the insurance company. These records serve as evidence in the event of any dispute or claim rejection. Keeping organised documentation will not only strengthen the case but also facilitate a smoother resolution process.
New Delhi: Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, has declared a 42 percent Dearness Allowance for state government employees, matching the amount given by the Centre for employees of the federal government. CM Chauhan made the initial announcement of an MP 4 percent DA increase for state government employees last month in a Twitter post.

The specifics of the Madhya Pradesh DA hike's implementation were disclosed by the MP CM on Friday.

We have always had a government that values its workers. In the best interests of the staff, we have made a number of ground-breaking choices. I recently declared that we will provide state employees with dearness allowances on par with those of the federal government. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, said in a video address, "We will pay 42 percent dearness allowance from the month of January itself.



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The 4 percent Dearness Allowance (DA) increase in Madhya Pradesh, which will take effect in January, is intended to help the workers and recognise their important role. The July pay, which will be paid out in August, will include the additional DA. Additionally, the DA arrears from January to June 2023 will be split into three equal payments.
New Delhi: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme 14th Installment update:-- The Central government is all set to roll out the 14th instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan Yojana) with media reports quoting that it could be tomorrow.

Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme (PM-KISAN), the central government provides benefits of Rs 6,000 every financial year to farming families by directly transferring the money to the their bank accounts.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojna 14th Installment to be released On July 15?

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However, these are just initial media reports, as there is no official confirmation yet on the disbursal of the 14th Installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme.

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi 14th installment Status Check

-Visit official PM KISAN website https://pmkisan.gov.in/ Portal

- You will see the map of India under Payment Success tab.

- On the right hand side, there will be a yellow coloured tab called "Dashboard"

- Click on Dashboard

- After clicking, you will be taken to a new page

- On the Village Dashboard tab, you will have to fill your complete details

- Select the state, district, Sub-District and Panchayat

- Then click on show button

- After this you can choose your details

We had earlier reported that farmers awaiting payment under PM Kisan might not receive it at all because of a minor mistake on their end.

Farmers who want to benefit from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana can link their bank account with their Aadhaar card and submit their completed e-KYC on PM Kisan's official website, http://pmkisan.gov.in, according to a tweet from the program's official advertising and marketing agency.

If you are looking to complete the PM-KISAN e-KYC process, you can check out the step by step process below.

- Visit the official PM Kisan website https://pmkisan.gov.in/

- In the right hand side, below the home page, you will see Farmers Corner

- There is a box just below Farmers Corner that mentions e-kyc

- Click the e-kyc

- A page will open that facilitates Aadhar Ekyc

- Now, you will have to enter your Aadhar number and then the Captcha code shown and click on the search button

- After that, you will have to enter your mobile number linked to your Aadhar card and click on Get OTP button

- The OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number

- Punch in the OTP and click on the Submit For Authentication button

- As soon as you click Submit For Auth button, your PM KISAN e-KYC will be successful

Here Is How To Link Aadhaar With Bank Account In 3 Easy Steps Using Mobile App

- Sign in to your bank's mobile app

- Navigate to the "Services" page of the "My Account" section and select "View/Update Aadhaar card details."

- Enter your Aadhaar number twice and then press the submit button.

- You will receive notification that your bank account has been successfully linked to your Aadhaar card.

PM KISAN Scheme Details

PM KISAN Scheme was launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2019, aims to provide income support to all landholder farmer families across the country with cultivable land, subject to certain exclusions. Under the Scheme, an amount of Rs 6000 per year is released in three-monthly instalments of Rs 2000 each directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. While lakhs of eager farmers are waiting for the disbursal of Rs 2,000 in their account, there are several farmers who are not eligible for the PM KISAN Scheme.

Those excluded from the PM-KISAN include institutional land holders, farmer families holding constitutional posts, serving or retired officers and employees of State or Central government as well as Public Sector Undetakings and Government Autonomous bodies. Professionals like doctors, engineers and lawyers as well as retired pensioners with a monthly pension of over Rs 10,000 and those who paid income tax in the last assessment year are also not eligible for the benefits.
New Delhi: In the upcoming months, OnePlus is anticipated to release its first folding device. According to recent reports, the company may decide to use the name OnePlus One rather than the previously speculated OnePlus V Fold for the product. SmartPrix predicts (through tipster Arvind) that the OnePlus folding phone may go on sale on August 29.

This would be over a month after the release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. Other than that, there are no other recent details. The same publication released OnePlus One or V Fold renders based on a rumoured design last month.

The form factor of the OnePlus folding phone will be comparable to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Google Pixel Fold. It is yet unknown if OnePlus will think about releasing a flip-folding phone as well. There is already an Oppo Find N2 Flip available from OnePlus' sibling company, Oppo, part of the BBK Group.



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A leather back and a sizable external display with thin bezels are hinted at in the renderings. The selfie camera has a hole-punch cutout in the centre of the external display. On the primary display, there might be an additional selfie camera.

Three Hasselblad-tuned camera sensors are most likely on the rear. A circular module, like the one in the OnePlus 11, may house the camera. The location of the LED flash is also extremely distinct.

In contrast to typical smartphones, which either put the flash outside or inside the camera module, the renders place the back LED light in the top-left position. The OnePlus logo can be found underneath the camera module.

With the power button, there might be yet another significant alteration. The power button is shown in the images to be perfectly integrated with the body. A fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication may also be integrated.

Furthermore, a cutout in the shape of a periscope houses one of the back cameras. On the OnePlus 12, OnePlus is anticipated to utilise a comparable camera.

The yet-to-be-announced Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 SoC, a 2K 120Hz AMOLED (LTPO) display, and a 4800mAh battery with 100W SuperVOOC charging are anticipated to be among the features of the OnePlus One or OnePlus V Fold. Because it's a flagship, the device might possibly feature wireless charging, which is unusual for OnePlus devices.

Although the cost of the OnePlus One or OnePlus V Fold is unknown, we may anticipate that it will exceed Rs 1 lakh. Samsung currently holds a monopoly on the folding phone industry thanks to its Galaxy Z Fold line. The base 256GB version of the Samsung folding phone costs Rs 1,54,999 in India.
The newly constructed Shivamogga Airport is likely to become operational from August 11 and all the pending works would be completed by July 20, Karnataka Large Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil said on Thursday. The Minister chaired a review meeting of new airports in the state today. "Ambulance and other vehicles need to be deployed and a coffee cafe is yet to be opened. Apart from these, some technical and non-technical staff need to be hired. The Airport will be set for commercial operations by July 20, by meeting all these requirements," Patil said.

The Directorate of Civil Aviation has permitted Karnataka State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) to conduct the operation and maintenance of this airport, he said, adding that "with this Shivamogga Airport would become the very first airport to be maintained by an institution of the state government."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27 had inaugurated the Shivamogga airport with a lotus-shaped terminal.



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According to Patil, during the campaigning for the state assembly elections, as many as 20 air buses landed at this airport and that fetched an income of Rs 12 lakh.

"If everything goes as planned, the first flight will take off from Bengaluru to land at Shivamogga Airport on August 11. Prominent people including public representatives will be invited to be part of the historic moment on that day," he informed.

The Minister also reviewed the progress of the ongoing works at Vijayapura Airport.

Expressing his dissatisfaction about the airport not being provided the night landing facility, he directed the concerned officials to take steps to incorporate it.

"The original plan did not include the night landing facility. So far around Rs 350 crore has been spent and an additional Rs 12 crore will be needed to include a night landing facility. Runway work has been completed and all structure-related works will be finished in three months. Simultaneously, installation of the equipment will be taken care of," Patil said.

The minister also examined the progress of ongoing airport projects in Hassan, Raichur and Karwar.

Later, he also discussed construction of airstrips at Dharmasthala, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru, which were proposed in the recent state budget, his office said in a release.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has been given Finance And Planning while Chhagan Bhujbal has been allocated Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Ministry as Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde approved the portfolio allocation in the state. Dhananjay Munde has been given Agriculture Ministry.

Bringing an end to the political impasse, the nine MLAs from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) who recently joined the Maharashtra state cabinet have now been assigned their respective portfolios. Dharamraobaba Atram will be responsible for the Drug and Administration (FDA) portfolio. The Cooperation Department will be under the guidance of Dilip Walse Patil, and Dhananjay Munde has been given the Agriculture Ministry. Hasan Mushrif will manage the Medical Education department, and Anil Patil will lead the Relief and Rehabilitation as well as Disaster Management departments. Aditi Tatkare will oversee the Women and Child Welfare department, while Sanjay Bansode will be in charge of the Sports and Youth Welfare, as well as Port portfolios.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has kept General Administration, Urban Development, Transport Department, Social Justice, Climate Change and Mining Department with him. Apart from this, he is also handling the Ministry of Information and Public Relations including Information and Technology.



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Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will manage the Home, Law and Justice Department. Apart from this, Fadnavis also has the Department of Water Resources, Profit Sector Development, Housing, Energy, Royal Courtesy.

The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, split on July 2 after his nephew Ajit Pawar and nearly three dozen legislators joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in power. During this period, Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers.
burberry store london

Wealthy tourists should be offered vouchers to come to Britain as compensation for higher taxes on shopping than in the EU, the fashion house Burberry has suggested.

It revealed it was in talks with ministers over how to lure spending back to London following the decision by then-chancellor Rishi Sunak to scrap VAT-free shopping for foreigners.

Burberry said the ongoing dialogue with the Government included assessing alternative incentives.

Ian Brimicombe, finance chief at the FTSE 100 raincoat maker, said: Wed love to attract more people to London and to Britain generally.

He said that options being discussed included a replacement scheme which would provide tourists with a similar incentive  that could take different forms of cash, voucher, credit, whatever it might be.

Luxury retailers have warned that more wealthy international shoppers are avoiding London in favour of cities including Paris and Milan.

Prior to 2021, visitors to Britain from outside the European Union could claim back the VAT on their shopping for an effective 20pc discount. Mr Sunak scrapped the arrangement as chancellor to raise 2bn a year for the Exchequer.

Because the tax-free shopping scheme is still in place in the EU, tourists can save thousands of pounds on designer handbags and clothing if they buy them elsewhere in Europe.

Mr Brimicombe said Burberry was even seeing British shoppers shift their spending away from London.

He said: Thats disappointing, but London will be a source of strength for us as our home market. And hopefully we can fix that anomaly of the VAT scheme at some point. Were not really on a level playing field at the moment.

It comes after Burberrys chairman Gerry Murphy confronted the Prime Minister with his view that the tourist tax was a spectacular own goal.

So far, the Government has refused to back down amid claims it would be too costly.

It said earlier this year: Tax-free shopping is already available for all non-UK visitors who purchase items in store and have them sent directly to their overseas address. Extending the scheme to EU nationals could cost British taxpayers around 1.4bn a year, meaning taxes would need to go up to pay for it at a time when weve already taken difficult decisions to get debt falling.

Burberry has been among the most vocal luxury companies to criticise the policy. Harrods and Selfridges have also piled pressure on ministers to reverse the decision, following figures which show a surge in luxury purchases elsewhere in Europe.

According to data company Global Blue, US spending on luxury goods in France and Spain more than tripled in the first three months of the year compared with pre-pandemic levels, compared with a 1pc increase in the UK.

It came as Burberry posted an 18pc rise in sales for the three months to July, compared with a year ago. This included a major boost from the return of Chinese shoppers following the lifting of Covid restrictions.

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SRIHARIKOTA: The wait is over as the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle lifted off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time. The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth. Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the countrys abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface.

LVM3 M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission:

LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.  ISRO (@isro) July 14, 2023

Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO's follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives. Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory after the orbit-raising manoeuvres. Covering a distance of over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments onboard will study the Moons surface and enhance our knowledge.



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Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a lander, a rover and a propulsion module. It weighs around 3,900 kilograms. Moon serves as a repository of the Earths past and a successful lunar mission by India will help enhance life on Earth while also enabling it to explore the rest of the solar system and beyond. July 14, 2023 will always be etched in golden letters in the annals of Indias space sector history, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the launch of the much-awaited Chandrayaan-3, Indias third lunar mission.

This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation, PM Modi had tweeted earlier. Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world, PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body. Now, it is seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice, he added, asserting it might be potentially inhabited in the future. Chandrayaan-2 was equally pathbreaking because data from the Orbiter associated with it detected the presence of chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing. This will also provide more insights into the moons magmatic evolution, PM Modi stated.

The key scientific outcomes from Chandrayaan-2 include the first-ever global map for lunar sodium, enhancing knowledge on crater size distribution, unambiguous detection of lunar surface water ice with IIRS instrument and more. The mission has been featured in almost 50 publications. Extending best wishes for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, PM Modi urged people to know more about this lunar mission and the strides India has made in space, science and innovation. It will make you all very proud, he added.

Chandrayaan-3s development phase commenced in January 2020 with the launch planned sometime in 2021. However, the Covid-19 pandemic brought an unforeseen delay to the mission's progress. K Sivan, former director of ISRO, told ANI that the success of mission Chandrayan-3 will give a morale boost to programmes like Gaganyan, India's first manned space mission.

Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, who has been instrumental in the countrys space sector innovation, said on Thursday the Chandrayaan-3 mission is going to be successful and a game-changer event for India. "Chandrayaan-3 will definitely be a game changer for India and I hope it will be successful. India will become an inspiration to the entire world. Let's wait for the launch and pray for the best," Nambi Narayanan told ANI.

I'm assuming, and I hope that it will be a successful mission. Because whatever the problem in Chandrayaan-2, actually, we corrected the whole thing. From the failure, we have understood all mistakes (on our part), Narayanan, the recipient of India's third highest civilian honour, Padma Bhushan, told ANI.
GURUGRAM: An Uzbek woman was arrested after police busted a sex racket being run from a flat in the Sector-67A area here, an official said on Thursday. The arrest was made on Tuesday night after a raid was conducted on the basis of information received at the Sector-65 police station, the senior police official said.

Kilicheva Aziza (46) said that she arrived in India in 2015 on a tourist visa and was part of the sex racket, according to the official. Her visa was valid till April 2015 and since then she has been living here illegally, police said.

They said that a city court had in November last year declared Aziza a proclaimed offender. A case was registered against the woman under the Immoral Trafficking Act and the Foreigner Act, police said.



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JULY: Less than a month after the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, a Congressional Senatorial Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The resolution was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen on Thursday.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the People's Republic of China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC's increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

The resolution will go to the Senate floor for a full vote. America's values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world -- especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision, said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.



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Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India -- not the People's Republic of China -- and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners, he said.

Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific, it's critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region -- especially India and other Quad countries -- and push back against the CCP's broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific.

As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, said Senator Cornyn.

This resolution would reaffirm that the US recognises the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay, he added.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses of the CBI and the ED by July 28 on interim bail pleas of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan took into consideration the submission of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, that his wife is suffering from an extreme medical condition and is hospitalised.

The bench said it will consider the interim bail application and for that it is seeking response of the CBI and the ED. At the outset, the bench said that normally the court does not interfere with policy decisions but here is a case of making of policy for extraneous reasons.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI and the ED, said interim bail application was also rejected by the trial court. The bench, however, asked Raju to file response on behalf of investigating agencies.



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On July 10, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had agreed to hear the pleas of the former Delhi deputy chief minister on July 14. Sisodia, who held the excise portfolio among many that he handled as the deputy chief minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 for his alleged role in the "scam". He has been in custody since then.

The ED arrested him in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar jail. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.
PARIS: In a historic moment, French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (local time). It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi becomes the first Indian PM to receive this honour.

PM Modi thanked French President Macron for the honour on behalf of the people of India. The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace where Macron hosted PM Modi for a private dinner.

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, on 13 July 2023, by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the Ministry of External Affairs said in the statement.



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Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet stated, "A warm gesture embodying the spirit of India-France partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron."

In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has been received by select prominent leaders and eminent personalities from across the world. These include the former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, among others.

This honour given by France is yet another one in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on PM Modi. These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019, Order of St. Andrew award by Russia in 2019, Order of Zayed Award by UAE in 2019, Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan by Afghanistan in 2016 and Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud by Saudia Arabia in 2016.

Earlier on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted PM Narendra Modi for a private dinner at his official residence, Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (local time). PM Modi was received by French President Emmanuel Macron and French First Lady Brigitte Macron.

The Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport.
PARIS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Paris on Thursday, will join French President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day celebration in Paris as the Guest of Honour. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Taking to Twitter, Macron said, "India and France are celebrating 25 years of strategic partnership made of trust and friendship, which are only getting stronger with time. Dear @NarendraModi, welcome to Paris."

An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while three Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets, as part of the military contingent, are also set to participate in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees, Paris. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution.

This year the Bastille Day Parade will have about 6,300 soldiers in various marching contingents. This includes a tri-services contingent of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The Indian Army is being represented by the Punjab Regiment. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both World Wars, having been awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours in the first war.



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The Punjab Regiment participated in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in France in September 1915 during World War One. The regiment also won 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours in the Second World War. Earlier, the Ministry of Defence, in a press release, stated, "The Indian Army contingent comprising of 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the Band is being led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Indian Navy contingent is being led by Commander Vrat Baghel and the Indian Air Force contingent is by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy. The Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will also form part of the flypast during the parade."

It added, "The Army contingent is being represented by the Punjab Regiment which is one of the oldest Regiments of the Indian Army. The troops of the Regiment have participated in both the World Wars as well as the post-independence operations."

PM Modi's visit is expected to herald the next phase in the India-France Strategic Partnership by setting new and ambitious goals for our strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, and economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries, the official statement read.
PATNA: Frenzied protests by members of the opposition BJP in both Houses of the legislature in Bihar over the death of a party leader, which they blamed on a police lathi-charge, led to adjournment till 2 pm within minutes of the commencement of proceedings. BJP members had come to the legislature wearing black badges, while some of them even dressed in kurtas or had 'gamchas' of the same colour wrapped around their necks, on the last day of the monsoon session.

Marshals evicted Lalganj MLA Sanjay Kumar Singh who rushed into the well and clambered atop the table meant for reporting staff. The MLA tore off his black kurta in a display of frustration even as other BJP members stood inside the well, trying to upturn the table and trading barbs with legislators of the ruling RJD, well after Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary announced that the House would reassemble after lunch.

Similar uproarious scenes were witnessed in the upper house where little business could take place after Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary tabled the supplementary budget. The BJP, which organised a 'Vidhan Sabha march' on Thursday, alleged that its Jehanabad district general secretary Vijay Singh died because of injuries sustained in a "brutal" lathi-charge by the police.



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#WATCH | Patna: BJP MLA Sanjay Singh marshalled out of Bihar Assembly pic.twitter.com/jmi52qe5lf  ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2023

The administration, however, claimed that CCTV footages showed that the deceased was not at Dak Bungalow crossing when "mild" use of force was resorted to and doctors at the hospital, where he breathed his last, found no injury marks on his body.

The BJP on Friday said the death of its Jehanabad district general secretary Vijay Singh in alleged police lathi charge in Patna was "a pre-planned conspiracy" of the Nitish Kumar government to stop people of the state from demanding their rights and justice. BJP leader and Union minister Nityanand Rai said the "brutal" lathi charge and use of tear gas shells by the police on the BJP leaders and workers during their protest against various decisions of the Bihar government was a reminder of the British Raj.

"Police lathi charge on BJP workers was a pre-planned, state-sponsored conspiracy to stop people of Bihar from demanding their rights and justice," the Minister of State for Home Affairs told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here. "It's Jungle raj 3.0 in Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav," he added The BJP demands that the Bihar government rollback all decisions taken against the interests of farmers, students and teachers, Rai said.

The BJP also demands the arrest of those who killed Vijay Singh, he added.
A Woman from a small town in Rajasthan survived unimaginable odds and emerged as a famous folk dancer making a mark on the world stage by enchanting audiences globally. Gulabo Sapera, a Kalbelia (folk dance of Rajasthan) dancer was born in 1973 in Rajasthan's Pushkar.

Spaera, born in a nomadic family in Rajasthan, was buried alive just an hour after her birth. She was rescued by her aunt and mother only to become a sensational folk dancer and become the pride of the country.

Gulabo Sapera's Real Name And Story

Gulabo was born Dhanvantari. She got this name due to being born on the auspicious day of "Dhanteras" which marks the 13th lunar day of the Hindu calender's Month of Kartik in Krishna Paksha. At the time of her birth, she was taken away by the midwives and buried alive in the woods as her mother already had 3 daughters and the people of her community were against the little girl's life.



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Gulabo's mother was not even informed about the sex of the child and when she came to know that her newborn was taken away, she begged the members of her community to tell the little girl's location. Gulabo's aunt told her mother her location and both the sister went to the jungle to rescue the newborn.

Beginning of Gulabo Sapera's Famous Kalbelia Dance

Gulabo, who grew up around snakes and saw snakes dancing to the tunes of her snake charmer father, was just 2 years old when she also started dancing. When she grew up, she was taken to various places to perform by some women in her community to earn money. However, their behaviour towards her remain cruel and she was treated badly by the member of the community despite being at the centre of attraction.

Gulabo's fate took a turn in 1981 when she grabbed the attention of a government official at a fair where she was performing the Kalbelia dance with her group. However, as soon as the people of her community came to know about her recognition by the officials and her performance in the fair, her father was called by the panchayat members and told to get his daughter married. After this episode, Gulabo who was just 9 years old, was engaged to a man who was 35 years of age. However, the man called off the engagement after he saw that Gulabo was too much into Kalbelia dance.

After 10 -15 days of this incident, Gulabo was called to perform at Jaipur's Ram Bagh and the rest is history. In 1985 Gukabo performed on the international stage in Washington. In 2016, Gulabo was honoured with Indias fourth-highest civilian award Padma Shri for her outstanding contribution to enhancing Indias folk dance culture.
Mumbai: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch Indias third lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-3, on Friday. Ahead of the much-anticipated launch, actor Anupam Kher took to his social media and extended best wishes to the ISRO scientists for Chandrayaan 3 launch. Taking to Instagram, the 'IB-71' actor shared a post and captioned it, "India all set for its 3rd mission on the moon. Wishing our scientists at #ISRO all the very best for the launch of #Chandrayaan3. Jhanda Uuncha rahe hamaara. Jai Hind."

The GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle, which will release the moon lander and rover into space, will lift off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradeshs Sriharikota at 2.30 pm. The countdown for the launch began on Thursday at 14:35:17 IST, ahead of the lift-off on Friday. Chandrayaan-3 will be ISRO's follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its mission objectives.

Also Read: This Actress Was Superstar, Worked With Salman Khan, Aamir Khan; Career Was Hit Due To Bold Scenes In 1993 Film?

The 'Launch Rehearsal' simulating the entire launch preparation and process was concluded earlier by the ISRO. Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a lander, a rover and a propulsion module. It weighs around 3,900 kilograms.

Also Read: Alia Bhatt Bags YRF's First Female Spy Film, Shoot To Begin In 2024

Meanwhile, on the work front, Anupam will be next seen in director Anurag Basus upcoming anthology film MetroIn Dino. The film also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal and Neena Gupta in pivotal roles and is all set to hit the theatres on March 29, 2024. Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' is also his in his pipeline.
New Delhi: Prime Video's 'Jee Karda' narrates the story of seven childhood friends who grow up and realize that life at 30 is nothing like what they had imagined it to be. A month after its premiere, the series continues to garner love and appreciation from the fans and viewers. As the series resonated with the young adults, the lead actor of the series, Tamannaah Bhatia decided to celebrate 'Jee Karda', at her alma mater RD National College. The actress surprised the faculty and students as she made a grand entry dancing to the beats of dhol.

During her visit, Tamannaah expressed her gratitude towards her alma mater for shaping her into the person she is today and for providing her with a strong foundation in her pursuit of acting. She fondly reminisced about her college days and shared anecdotes from her time as a student, creating an atmosphere filled with warmth and nostalgia. The actress also took the opportunity to interact with the students, offering them words of encouragement and advice on pursuing their dreams.

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Also Read: Hindu Gods and Their Vaahanas

Coming back to her college and acknowledging the overwhelming responses for Jee Karda, Tamannah Bhatia expressed, "I am so thrilled and elated to witness the love and appreciation we have received for Jee Karda. Playing Lavanya has been super cool, I love how I get to celebrate this moment at my college with the students and teachers. It makes me so happy that Jee Karda became a fan favorite instantly and still continues to shine. Its been an incredible journey and a heartfelt gratitude to all who were a part of this beautiful experience."

Also Read: This Actress Was Superstar, Worked With Salman Khan, Aamir Khan; Career Was Hit Due To Bold Scenes In 1993 Film?

Directed by Arunima Sharma and produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films, 'Jee Karda' is co-written by Hussain Dalal, Arunima Sharma and Abbas Dalal. Jee Karda features Tamannaah Bhatia, Aashim Gulati, Suhail Nayyar, Anya Singh, Hussain Dalal, Sayan Banerjee, and Samvedna Suwalka in pivotal roles and is currently streaming on Prime Video in more than 240+ countries and territories.
Leon County Commissioners approve multiple initiatives to fight homelessness. Eleven intersections will be decorated with new blue signs encouraging organizational donations.

Several business groups are standing behind Leon County's latest move to deter panhandling by installing signs that urge residents to "not give" and seek other ways to help.

Like other cities, Tallahassee's homelessness ballooned amid the coronavirus pandemic. The increased presence spilled onto city streets and, for some, into and near businesses and caused a direct economic impact to businesses and unsettled patrons.

In May, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce received more than 220 responses for its survey asking members about how unhoused residents impact their business.

The survey, spearheaded by the Chamber's Business Advocacy Group, found nearly 60% of respondents said the homeless situation in Tallahassee has risen and that owners have "experienced negative impacts to their business or business practices such as hours of business, trash and litter, safety protocols, fewer clients, etc."

Sue Dick moderates a panel during the Tallahassee Chamber conference on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 at the Ritz Carlton at Amelia Island.

Chamber President and CEO Sue Dick said the survey was prompted by member concerns, adding many business owners support nonprofits and groups providing direct services to the homeless community in various ways.

"I thought that was an important distinction because somebody said to me, 'Well, the businesses are just complaining.' It's like, no," Dick said. "They are bringing up a crisis that they're seeing that is affecting their business and safety."

Some of the survey findings include:

Nearly 40% of the respondents have taken specific measures to deter theft or damage due to homelessness.

More than 55% of the respondents indicated employees or customers have been concerned about their safety as a result of homeless individuals in the vicinity of the business.

More than 62% of the respondents indicated they have participated in support efforts to help the homeless population.

Nearly 40% of the respondents have called the police or crisis hotline due to homeless incidents in the past year.

Instead of giving money to a panhandler, the county's new signs feature a link directing residents to donate to the Big Bend Continuum of Care, which provides pathways for combating homelessness in Leon County and surrounding counties.

Faces of homelessness in Tallahassee: Meet 15 people living on the streets or in shelters

Critics say the initiative falls short of addressing the larger issues leading to homelessness and dehumanizes desperate people.

The county's new signage amassed both support and criticism from residents and community leaders, including County Commissioner David O'Keefe (who voted against the measure) and Tallahassee City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who said the signs merely aim "to solve the problem of panhandlers making people feel uncomfortable."

Minority chamber, business advocacy group weighs in

Other groups representing the business community appear to support the new signs.

There appears to be a heightened presence of panhandlers in some areas of Tallahassee's south side, said Antonio Jefferson, president of the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce.

Jefferson said he's experienced it firsthand while patronizing his barber shop, adding panhandlers may come into businesses or approach customers as they're coming or going in.

"It's a problem," Jefferson said. "Whether they're homeless or not, that's the question ... It's just the general nature of these individual panhandlers out there. Asking for money is a disruption to those businesses that are located in those areas when that activity is frequent."

While the members of the Network of Entrepreneurs & Business Advocates haven't taken a formal stance on panhandling, Board Chairman Don May said the number of pedestrian-related fatalities over the last year are "alarming."

Don May, board chairman of the Network of Entrepreneurs & Business Advocates.

"Just like the typical resident, small business owners in Tallahassee want pedestrian traffic to be safe," May said. "You want to feel safe at an intersection. You don't have to worry about hitting somebody. There's avenues to help folks other than giving out money and intersections."

What business owners said on the Chamber survey

Its one of the toughest issues there is, but the impact on the viability of cities is immense.

This is a dire situation that has gotten worse over the years. We need a lot more resources and service providers to be able to serve the ever-growing population.

I have lived in big cities with serious issues; given TLHs size and spirit, we should be able to do better than many other jurisdictions.

We need to stop trying to hide this problem and invest instead into tackling it head on with compassion and determination.

I realize that some are homeless by choice, but there is a large majority that are homeless due to job layoffs, mental health issues, and more. Our community and our country is lacking in providing affordable mental health services.

Homelessness is a symptom of a greater failure of the community to provide for its least vulnerable. Do not focus on it without addressing the raft of multiple issues that create poverty and deny opportunity to the vulnerable in our community.

Success in reducing homelessness in Tallahassee is dependent on a deep and meaningful collaboration of government, private, and nonprofit sectors.

We need a combined plan or direction for the business community and the members of the Chamber that we want to provide so many dollars/man hours of support for both sides a.) the organizations/nonprofits that support those that are homeless that want to improve their lives/circumstances. b.) As well as how we can support our officers and giving them the tools they need to handle the part of the homeless community that doesnt want to improve and those whom negatively affect residences and businesses in our community.

Instead of doling out what we think they need, we need to ask THEM what they need. Accessing benefits and services is too complicated! We cant punish and shame people into hope and self-respect. CareerSource and FarmShare are great examples of simply providing services to whoever asks.

Source: Chamber's Homelessness Statement and Research Results, May 2023

Contact Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 'A crisis': Tallahassee business groups back county panhandling signs
Mumbai: In the latest episode of 'Bigg Boss OTT 2', a fight erupts between housemates Pooja Bhatt, Jiya Shankar and Avinash Sachdev. It all happened after a sponsor task when Pooja was having a conversation with Avinash, where she dragged Jiya and slammed her for her backstabbing methods.

Pooja labelled Jiya a fraud, volatile, and demanding. Jiya, on the other hand, insulted the filmmaker, prompting Pooja to curse her.

In that task, when Manisha Rani asked Pooja to change her vote for Elvish, then Jiya said: "Aap vote kaise change kar sakti ho."

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To which, Pooja taunted her and said: "Jaise aapne captaincy me kia ".

Pooja feels that Jiya has two faces: a whiney girl and an abusive side. And that her relationships always change according to her convenience.

After the facade between her and Pooja, Jiya was talking to Avinash, wondering why Pooja is coming at her. Jiya said "Why Pooja is commenting on my career and family, getting personal. No matter what I say, I get passive-aggressive."

'Bigg Boss OTT 2' airs on Jio Cinema.
DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad (KLSE:DKSH), is not the largest company out there, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the KLSE, rising to highs of RM5.50 and falling to the lows of RM4.62. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad's current trading price of RM4.76 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhads outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad

Is DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad Still Cheap?

Great news for investors  DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad is still trading at a fairly cheap price. My valuation model shows that the intrinsic value for the stock is MYR6.59, which is above what the market is valuing the company at the moment. This indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhads share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its true value, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once its there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.

Can we expect growth from DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. However, with a relatively muted profit growth of 4.1% expected over the next couple of years, growth doesnt seem like a key driver for a buy decision for DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad, at least in the short term.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Even though growth is relatively muted, since DKSH is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on DKSH for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its future outlook isnt fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means its not too late to buy DKSH. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed buy.

If you'd like to know more about DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Key Insights

The projected fair value for Capricorn Metals is AU$8.78 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Capricorn Metals' AU$4.71 share price signals that it might be 46% undervalued

The AU$4.92 analyst price target for CMM is 44% less than our estimate of fair value

In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX:CMM) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

Check out our latest analysis for Capricorn Metals

The Calculation

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$94.5m -AU$102.6m AU$178.5m AU$215.7m AU$244.0m AU$264.7m AU$282.0m AU$296.6m AU$309.1m AU$320.0m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x4 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ 8.50% Est @ 6.54% Est @ 5.16% Est @ 4.20% Est @ 3.53% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 8.7% AU$86.9 -AU$86.8 AU$139 AU$154 AU$161 AU$160 AU$157 AU$152 AU$146 AU$139

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$1.2b

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.0%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.7%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = AU$320m (1 + 2.0%)  (8.7% 2.0%) = AU$4.8b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$4.8b ( 1 + 8.7%)10= AU$2.1b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is AU$3.3b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of AU$4.7, the company appears quite good value at a 46% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

Important Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. 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 Capricorn Metals as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.138. 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 Capricorn Metals

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Australian market.

Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%.

Threat

Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

Moving On:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Capricorn Metals, there are three further elements you should assess:

Risks: For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Capricorn Metals that you should be aware of. Future Earnings: How does CMM's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Australian 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.

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It's not a stretch to say that Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad's (KLSE:MHB) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.5x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Energy Services industry in Malaysia, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.7x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

View our latest analysis for Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad

How Has Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad Performed Recently?

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. It might be that many expect the uninspiring revenue performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/S ratio from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad?

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 12%. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 50% overall rise in revenue, aided somewhat by its short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing revenues over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should demonstrate the company's robustness, generating growth of 44% as estimated by the six analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the broader industry is forecast to contract by 3.3%, which would indicate the company is doing very well.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad's P/S trades in-line with its industry peers. Apparently some shareholders are skeptical of the contrarian forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

The Key Takeaway

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its growth forecasts are potentially beating a struggling industry. Given the glowing revenue forecasts, we can only assume potential risks are what might be capping the P/S ratio at its current levels. Perhaps there is some hesitation about the company's ability to keep swimming against the current of the broader industry turmoil. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future revenue could see some volatility.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad, and understanding should be part of your investment process.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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China, ASEAN reaffirm commitment to advance comprehensive strategic partnership

Xinhua) 08:16, July 14, 2023

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (5th L) attends the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have vowed to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership at the China-ASEAN (10+1) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held here Thursday.

China and ASEAN have actively implemented the purposes and principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and expanded mutually beneficial cooperation on all fronts, blazing the right path of forging long-term good-neighborliness while achieving common development and prosperity, said Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi at the meeting, which is attended by foreign ministers of ASEAN member countries, ASEAN observers and ASEAN secretary general.

Both sides have worked together on building a community with a shared future and the Belt and Road, while jointly promoting regional economic integration, and consolidating the foundation of peace and stability, said Wang.

China will be committed to high-quality development and provide new opportunities for all countries with Chinese-style modernization. It is ready to strengthen solidarity and coordination with ASEAN to advance the modernization process in Asia, said the senior Chinese diplomat.

China will work together with ASEAN to advance the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and make new contributions to peace and prosperity in the region, he said.

The ASEAN parties thanked China for supporting ASEAN centrality and community building. They appreciated China for taking the lead in expressing willingness to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.

In addition, they looked forward to seeing the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership advance to a new level and make new achievements.

The meeting adopted a joint statement on the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the TAC and a guideline document for expediting the conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

During the meeting, Wang met with foreign ministers of Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, Russia and Australia.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the floor of the NYSE in New York

(Corrects 2nd paragraph to make it "June 2022" instead of "last month")

By Curtis Williams

(Reuters) - Chevron Corp is comfortable with buying U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) on long-term contracts rather than constructing its own U.S. domestic export facility, said Freeman Shaheen, the company's head of global gas.

The second largest U.S. oil and gas producer in June 2022 signed agreements with LNG developers Cheniere Energy and Venture Global LNG for a combined 4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of the super-chilled natural gases. The deals will give it more gas and diversify its risk, he said.

Chevron owns stakes in LNG projects in Angola, Australia and has taken early steps with partners to advance a floating LNG project off the coast of Israel that would process gas from the Leviathan field.

The Cheniere and Venture Global LNG deals will provide an outlet for natural gas flowing from its Permian Basin shale holdings in West Texas and New Mexico. The company holds about 2.2 million acres in the largest U.S. shale field.

As Chevron's production in the Permian has grown, it has had to decide how much gas output would stay in the U.S. and how much should be exported, said Shaheen. It opted not to build an export terminal in the U.S., where several major plants are already under construction.

The company had to balance the investment needed to build an LNG facility in the U.S. against drilling more oil and gas wells in the Permian, or investments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Argentina or West Africa, Shaheen said.

Shaheen said startup problems at Venture Global LNG's Calcasieu Pass plant that sparked disputes with other major gas producers over the delays in receiving their commercial cargoes has not unduly worried Chevron.

"That is always a concern with any project that you do. ... So we have to weigh that in the balance in terms of how we manage our sales and our portfolio," Shaheen told Reuters at the LNG 2023 conference this week.

Top LNG traders Shell (SHEL.L) and BP (BP.L) separately filed for arbitration against Venture Global LNG for failing to supply contracted cargoes, even as it sold to non-contract customers as prices soared last year.

(This story has been refiled to say 'June 2022' instead of 'last month' in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Curtis Williams in Houston; Editing by Josie Kao)
China Nonferrous Gold Limited's (LON:CNG) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.1x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the Metals and Mining industry in the United Kingdom, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 1.3x and even P/S above 4x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

View our latest analysis for China Nonferrous Gold

How China Nonferrous Gold Has Been Performing

For instance, China Nonferrous Gold's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/S is low because investors think the company won't do enough to avoid underperforming the broader industry in the near future. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for China Nonferrous Gold, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, China Nonferrous Gold would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 4.8%. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow revenue by an impressive 39% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing revenue over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to decline by 6.3% over the next year, which puts the company's recent medium-term positive growth rates in a good light for now.

With this information, we find it very odd that China Nonferrous Gold is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can maintain its recent positive growth rate in the face of a shrinking broader industry.

What Does China Nonferrous Gold's P/S Mean For Investors?

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

Looking at the figures, it's surprising to see China Nonferrous Gold currently trades on a much lower than expected P/S since its recent three-year revenue growth is beating forecasts for a struggling industry. One assumption would be that there are some underlying risks to revenue that are keeping the P/S from rising to match the its strong performance. Amidst challenging industry conditions, perhaps a key concern is whether the company can sustain its superior revenue growth trajectory. It appears many are indeed anticipating revenue instability, because this relative performance should normally provide a boost to the share price.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for China Nonferrous Gold that you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of China Nonferrous Gold's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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(Bloomberg) -- Citigroup Inc. has heavily cut back on its business of lending to buyout firms as part of the Wall Street giants broader push to improve returns across its institutional business.

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The Wall Street giant pretty significantly reduced its portfolio of subscription credit facilities, Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason said Friday. The moves came after New York-based Citigroup took a close look at the profitability of some of the facilities it had extended and the fact that some of the clients werent using the banks other products, he said.

Where those returns are low or subpar, and the prospect for doing more has proven to be fruitless, we take it down, Mason said on Citigroups second-quarter earnings conference call. Thats what weve done with a large part of that book.

Private equity funds use subscription credit facilities as a form of short-term borrowing that allows them to do deals without having to hit up investors for more capital. For banks, its long been viewed as a low-margin business that gives them better access to buyout firms.

The moves are all part of Citigroups plans to improve its ratio of revenue to risk-weighted assets  a key measure of profitability  inside the institutional business. The bank has successfully reduced risk-weighted assets by $120 billion in the past two years alone, Mason said Friday.

As part of those efforts, Citigroup has been requiring some of its least-profitable trading clients to post more collateral. The bank has said it would even drop some of them to help boost returns in the markets business.

Where those promises for higher relationship returns arent manifesting themselves, weve not renewed those loans, Mason said. We juxtapose it against other opportunities to use balance sheet where clients are taking advantage of the broader franchise and therefore are generating higher returns.

Citigroups work will take on new meaning in the coming months as investors largely expect regulators to saddle the bank with even higher capital requirements as a result of the implementation of the so-called Basel III requirements and a separate push by the Federal Reserve to rework its own supervision efforts in the aftermath of the collapse of four US banks this year.

Read More: Banks Face Growing Capital Scrutiny With Stress Tests Up First

Citigroup is already readying itself for a higher Common Equity Tier 1 capital requirement of 12.3% in October. The bank ended the second quarter with that metric at 13.3%.

As we think about pending regulatory changes, Mason said, proactively making these efforts becomes critically important.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Costco just planted the 'death star' on Bud Light cases  a sign that it won't restock the beer amid controversy, plummeting sales. Wild speculation or 1 more devastating blow to the brand?

Shoppers at Costco have noticed an asterisk on the price tag for Bud Light beer across the beverage aisle. Experienced Kirkland members have seen the sign before and call it the death star. It could be an indication that one of the largest retailers in the country may be considering not restocking the troubled beer brand.

Heres a closer look.

Don't miss

The star of death

Casual shoppers would barely notice a small asterisk on a price display above a shelf. These days most of the attention is on the price. However, Kirkland members believe the asterisk has special significance for Costcos supply chain decisions. The asterisk is often associated with items that are being discontinued.

These items are usually marked down to get rid of supply on the shelves. Its a subtle sign to Costco employees not to restock an item after the inventory is depleted. Devoted shoppers look for the asterisk to spot deals and have even nicknamed it the death star on the Facebook page Costco Fans.

Now the star is being spotted over cans of Bud Light. Is it just meOr am I the only one who noticed that Costco has applied their infamous 'Star of Death' on Bud Light being sold! said one Twitter user.

Shoppers believe it means the Bud Light cans could soon be taken off Costcos shelves.

The company hasnt acknowledged these claims directly. But if true, BudLight sales could see a significant impact. Costco is one of the top three mass retailers in America, based on sales volume per store. Its a critical part of any major consumer brands distribution network. Losing a spot on Costco shelves isnt good news.

Costcos move could potentially trigger other big retailers to follow suit.

Read more: 3 big mistakes people make with cash back credit cards that cost them every time they swipe

Brewing controversy

Bud Light sales have been plunging since spring after an ill-fated social media marketing campaign caused political backlash. Data from Bump Williams Consulting and NielsonIQ suggests the brand sold 28.5% fewer beer cans in the week ended July 1. The week before, sales plunged 27.9%.

In response, Anheuser-Busch has initiated a temporary rebrand of the Bud Light product. Aluminum bottles of the beverage will feature camouflage prints and images evoking the Folds of Honor program that offers special educational assistance to the spouses and children of disabled and deceased U.S. Army veterans.

What comes next?

Bud Lights marketing woes are undeniable. However, the parent companys marketing efforts could stem the tide. Meanwhile, Quora user Dimitri Vulis believes Costcos so-called Death Star isnt as dramatic as its name suggests.

Some items that have received the death star in the past have been brought back into distribution at a later date. Its also worth noting that Costco itself has never acknowledged the death star or elaborated on its purchase decisions.

Meanwhile, researchers at Cornell University believe the impact of politically-motivated boycotts is often temporary. Sales and brand reputation take a hit initially but recover over the long run as the media cycle turns and public attention moves on.

However, industry insiders disagree. Catarina Tucker, the founder of Barnastics, a bartending service, told Fox News that the brand has seen a significant shift in consumer preferences. She believes the sales dip could be permanent as consumers move on to other beer brands.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
The collapse of FTX Trading Ltd. in November took the cryptocurrency market by storm, shaking up the already fragile sector.

Industry experts have referred to the crypto exchange's bankruptcy as its "Lehman moment," alluding to the historic 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers Inc., which triggered a worldwide recession. FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which alleged that he engaged in a "massive, yearslong fraud."

Talks Of A Reboot

In the aftermath of Bankman-Fried's arrest, attorney John Jay Ray III, who specializes in restructuring insolvent companies, took over FTX last November. Ray stated that "[FTX] has begun the process of soliciting interested parties to the reboot of the FTX.com exchange," despite significant hurdles arising from stricter regulatory oversight and the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. A revival of FTX is being discussed with potential investors.

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The discussions include joint-venture arrangements and the possibility of compensating specific existing customers with a stake in the reorganized entity. People familiar with the matter said that Figure Technologies, a blockchain technology company, has expressed interest in supporting the revival of FTX.

Despite the regulatory challenges and criminal fraud allegations against FTX, Ray stated in January that customers and stakeholders believed in the fundamental viability of FTX's business model, prompting the establishment of a task force to explore the revival of the exchange.

To stay updated with top startup news & investments, sign up for Benzinga's Startup Investing & Equity Crowdfunding Newsletter.

Restructuring Requirements

The restart plan offers some hope for creditors, as reboots generally provide better outcomes compared to liquidation. For FTX, reviving the exchange is crucial for the distribution of FTT tokens, the platform's in-house token used by customers for transactions and trading. Without a restart, the FTT tokens may become worthless. FTX still needs to resolve its dispute with Bahamian liquidators who seized a substantial number of FTT tokens from the exchange's accounts.

The success of FTX's relaunch is also contingent on the recovery of approximately $11 billion worth of misspent customer funds, which could be used to reimburse customers who believed their funds were securely held by the exchange. After taking over, Ray launched a comprehensive investigation into FTX's activities that revealed new details of how customer funds were spent without their knowledge, including investments in companies like Robinhood Markets Inc. and Modulo Capital. Recovering the misappropriated funds has proven to be a challenge, with a forensic audit revealing $9 billion owed to customers.

FTX has been selling assets and attempting to recoup investments made with customer funds, but the value of many of the investments has declined significantly, creating additional obstacles to fund recovery. FTX recently received approval to sell LedgerX for a fraction of its original purchase price, and efforts to sell Embed are projected to yield minimal returns.

To stay updated with top startup news & investments, sign up for Benzinga's Startup Investing & Equity Crowdfunding Newsletter

The restructuring efforts, along with the associated litigation, have resulted in substantial costs for FTX. As of April, the company had accumulated approximately $200 million in professional fees, which are required to be paid before any distributions to compensate customers can occur. FTX plans to present a formal reorganization plan in July that is expected to include initial assessments of creditor compensation.

Thomas Braziel, a partner at 507 Capital, which invested in FTX after its bankruptcy, remains skeptical about the feasibility of restarting FTX because of recent regulatory actions against U.S. crypto companies and the significant damage to FTX's reputation.

"I find the restart of FTX a pretty tall order given the recent enforcement actions against U.S. crypto companies and the major reputational damage FTX has suffered," Braziel said.

Navigating The Regulatory Challenges

FTX's efforts to relaunch its flagship exchange come at a time when U.S. regulators are intensifying their crackdown on the cryptocurrency industry. Recent actions, such as the SEC's lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase for allegedly operating as unregistered securities exchanges, further complicate the regulatory landscape.

Although many cryptocurrency exchanges operate in offshore jurisdictions, U.S. regulators can assert jurisdiction over foreign operations if there are connections to individuals or entities in the United States. This potential jurisdictional reach by the SEC could impact FTX's ability to operate  even if it restarts abroad and facilitates trades solely among non-Americans.

"Securities laws can be applied and enforced to the extent that there is a connection to people or entities based in the United States," said Todd Phillips, a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute think tank. "Even if FTX restarts abroad and is only facilitating trades between non-Americans, if the SEC determines that a token traded on the exchange is a U.S. security, that could impact its ability to operate."

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This article From Crisis To Comeback: FTX's Collapse And The Road To Redemption originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Crypto Market Is Celebrating SECs Setback in Ripple Suit. But the Case Is Far From Settled

Crypto Market Is Celebrating SECs Setback in Ripple Suit. But the Case Is Far From Settled

(Bloomberg) -- A US Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit against Ripple Labs Inc. has kept crypto on edge since 2020 by raising the prospect that digital tokens are securities that fall under the agencys strict regulatory purview. Yet even as a ruling Thursday seemed to undermine the watchdogs case, the issue is far from settled.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The judge in the proceedings ruled that the XRP token linked to Ripple was a security when sold directly to institutions but not when offered to the public on exchanges. The industry rejoiced in the implication of potential limits to the SECs power to extend a crackdown on a sector it argues is replete with risky practices.

XRP and a range of smaller tokens  so-called altcoins  surged on bets that a regulatory overhang is receding and opening the way to more demand. The industry also views the court decision as a challenge for the SECs other cases, such as a June lawsuit targeting the largest US digital-asset exchange Coinbase Global Inc. for allegedly offering unregistered securities.

While the case is a blow to the SEC, its first and foremost about San Francisco-based Ripple. The SEC accused the company, co-founder Christian Larsen and Chief Executive Officer Bradley Garlinghouse of misleading investors in XRP by selling more than $1 billion worth of the tokens without registering them.

US District Judge Analisa Torres in New York opined that $729 million worth of XRP was indeed a security when sold to institutional investors, but that the chunk bought by retail investors on exchanges didnt meet the Howey test for an investment contract under federal law.

I have heard from hundreds of people throughout the industry, theres just broad enthusiasm and excitement, this is the first time the SEC lost a crypto case, Garlinghouse said in an interview on Bloomberg TV. The SEC has been a bully.

Howey Test

Under Howey, an investment contract  which would be considered a security  exists if theres an investment of money in a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profits to be derived from the efforts of others.

The rationale for the duality in the Ripple ruling is that in many instances retail buyers had no idea where their money was going or what it was being used for, in contrast to sophisticated institutions. One big question is whether that logic will survive possible appeals or gain ground in other legal battles.

We have to remember that this is just one judges application of the facts and circumstances to the applicable law, not precedent for other cases in which the facts and circumstances may be different, and where the judge may have a different interpretation of the law, said Richard Levin, chair of the fintech and regulation practice at Nelson Mullins.

There are also complexities in Torress ruling. A footnote in the judgment says the ruling doesnt address whether secondary sales of XRP constitute investment contracts  and the status of such secondary-market sales is at the heart of the SECs case against Coinbase, a suit the company says lacks merit.

Read more: Did Ripple Win or Lose in Court Today? Yes: Bloomberg Crypto

Courts generally only explicitly address the issues presented by the parties and the parties here didnt address secondary market sales because the SEC didnt charge those, said Bloomberg Intelligences Senior Litigation Analyst Elliott Stein. But he added that the courts logic likely applies even more strongly to purchases undertaken by the public via digital-asset exchanges.

Investor Protection

One concern is that the Ripple ruling threatens to strip retail crypto investors  who typically buy and sell tokens on exchanges  of the extra protection that comes with the securities tag and SEC oversight.

The XRP judgment is counterintuitive, said Hilary Allen, a law professor at American University Washington College of Law. If we think about why the securities laws exist, the primary purpose is to protect retail investors. To offer protections to institutional investors and deny them to retail investors  to me that seems inconsistent to the purposes of the securities laws.

For example, SEC chair Gary Gensler has warned that crypto companies frequently combine activities  such as custody and exchange services  that are normally performed by separate regulated entities, imperiling investors.

This ruling could make it harder for the SEC to protect retail investors from purveyors of cryptocurrency-related products and services, possibly including cryptocurrency exchanges, said Eswar Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell University.

The SEC brought 24 crypto-related enforcement cases between January and early June alone, according to Cornerstone Research, including against exchanges Binance, Coinbase, Kraken and Gemini.

The ongoing legal uncertainty around tokens may also change how institutional investors such as venture capitalists fund crypto projects. While in the past venture firms often got tokens of a project in exchange for funding, now they may be even more likely to snap up equity, said Robert Le, a crypto analyst at data firm PitchBook.

Relisting XRP

In its lawsuits, the agency has also deemed a range of digital assets to be unregistered securities, prompting exchanges to delist some of the tokens. In the wake of the Ripple judgment, platforms including Coinbase, Kraken, Crypto.com, Bitstamp and BitGo said they would make XRP available to US investors, while Gemini tweeted that it would explore the step.

The industry says the SEC has overstepped its authority, and many US crypto businesses have begun moving or expanding overseas, worried that local business would largely be limited to Bitcoin, which regulators currently view as a commodity.

The legal process for Ripple is still playing out, with the SEC likely to appeal and the final decision potentially months away, according legal experts. The case against Ripple will still proceed on the institutional-sales claims, though any trial may be delayed by the expected appeals.

The SEC is reviewing the ruling, and spokesperson Scott Schneider said the agency is pleased that the court found that XRP tokens were offered and sold by Ripple as investment contracts in violation of the securities laws.

Allen from American University Washington College of Law said the ruling by Torres is a precedent, but its a precedent with caveats.

Its a setback to the SEC, but I dont think its a deathblow, Allen said. This is the first case the SEC hasnt won on crypto as far as I am aware. But I dont think you can say this one judge has torpedoed the SECs enforcement strategy.

--With assistance from Sidhartha Shukla, Emily Nicolle, Malathi Nayak, Muyao Shen and Matthew Miller.

(Adds comment from Ripple CEO.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Key Insights

Cyclopharm's significant retail investors ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public

A total of 6 investors have a majority stake in the company with 51% ownership

Institutions own 16% of Cyclopharm

To get a sense of who is truly in control of Cyclopharm Limited (ASX:CYC), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are retail investors with 44% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).

Meanwhile, private companies make up 25% of the companys shareholders.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Cyclopharm, beginning with the chart below.

See our latest analysis for Cyclopharm

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Cyclopharm?

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 Cyclopharm 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. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Cyclopharm's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Hedge funds don't have many shares in Cyclopharm. Our data shows that Anglo Australian Christian And Charitable Fund, Endowment Arm is the largest shareholder with 14% of shares outstanding. Barings Acceptance Limited is the second largest shareholder owning 12% of common stock, and Chemical Overseas Ltd holds about 9.8% of the company stock. In addition, we found that James McBrayer, the CEO has 5.4% of the shares allocated to their name.

On further inspection, we found that more than half the company's shares are owned by the top 6 shareholders, suggesting that the interests of the larger shareholders are balanced out to an extent by the smaller ones.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

Insider Ownership Of Cyclopharm

The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

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.

Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Cyclopharm Limited. As individuals, the insiders collectively own AU$17m worth of the AU$204m company. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but we usually like to see higher insider holdings. It might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

With a 44% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Cyclopharm. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Private Equity Ownership

Private equity firms hold a 7.1% stake in Cyclopharm. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Sometimes we see private equity stick around for the long term, but generally speaking they have a shorter investment horizon and -- as the name suggests -- don't invest in public companies much. After some time they may look to sell and redeploy capital elsewhere.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 25%, of the Cyclopharm stock. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Cyclopharm better, we need to consider many other factors.

I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find 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.

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Disney CEO Bob Iger (DIS) said Thursday he would take an "expansive" look at the entertainment giant's traditional TV assets, signaling the potential for strategic options that could include a sale.

The problem? Analysts have questioned who a potential buyer would be given the secular declines in linear television networks amid escalating cord-cutting trends.

"Every media company is facing cord-cutting, shifts of television advertising to connected TVs and other platforms," Rich Greenfield, media and technology analyst at LightShed Partners, told Yahoo Finance Live. "The linear TV business is just under a lot of pressure, and investors are already asking me, 'Well, who are they selling it to?' 'Who wants to buy a linear TV business?'"

Iger, who made the comments in a lengthy interview with CNBC on Thursday morning, a day after the company announced it will be extending his contract through 2026, admitted the current distribution model is "definitely broken."

He explained Disney's linear TV assets, which include broadcast network ABC and cable channels FX, Freeform, and National Geographic, "may not be core" to its strategy any longer.

"That's what's really challenging," Greenfield noted. "It's one thing to say you want to get rid of ABC or get rid of FX. But who exactly is the buyer of those businesses? I don't have a great answer for that."

Photo by: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx3/13/17Bob Iger at the premiere of "Beauty And The Beast" in New York City.

Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich  who has a Buy rating on the stock and a $135 price target  added there are still longer-term questions regarding a sale, although she is encouraged by Disney's "best in class" brands and "very strong" executive team.

"While it is unclear what partners/structure these assets will ultimately find as Disney reassembles its business mix, it remains to be seen what the implications will be of these transformative actions on the longer-term earnings power and growth trajectory," she wrote in a note on Friday.

Other industry watchers said a possible asset sale is likely necessary to protect the business' future but only with the right buyer.

"We agree that asset sales are a good idea, but our best advice would be to sell all (or all the content assets) of DIS to AAPL, AMZN, or another company that never needs to make money from creating content," Needham analyst Laura Martin wrote in a note to clients on Friday morning. "If they don't sell, DIS will be competing against those companies in an industry with deteriorating economics (because they never need to make money from content), we believe."

Disney CEO Bob Iger said Thursday he would take an "expansive" look at the entertainment giant's traditional TV assets, signaling the potential for strategic options that could include a sale. (Randy Holmes via Getty Images)

Martin added the timing of Iger's announcement was likely a strategic one given the executive's attendance at the Allen & Company Sun Valley conference. The conference has historically yielded notable M&A media deals, including Comcast and NBCUniversal's merger in 2009 and Jeff Bezos's acquisition of the Washington Post in 2013.

"Hanging a 'for sale' sign on assets owned by DIS today is clever from a timing point of view because a key goal of the Allen & Company Sun Valley conference is M&A. The media business needs to consolidate, and Iger's announcement puts every CEO at the conference on notice that if they want to purchase any DIS assets, now is the time to pull Iger aside for a discussion," Martin wrote.

Wells Fargo also voiced optimism following Iger's comments. Analyst Steven Cahall, who reiterated his Overweight rating and $147 price target, wrote on Thursday that divesting non-core assets would bring in cash and improve Disney's earnings growth.

"As strong (but wrong) DIS bulls we like the potential action of divesting non-core Linear assets, which would improve the growth and multiple," he said. "Bigger picture is DIS seems to be taking increasingly bold actions. ...Linear cash flows are in marked decline, but there's a price for everything."

Disney stock is down about 2% on the year and has fallen nearly 5% compared to this point last year.

Alexandra Canal is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @allie_canal, LinkedIn, and email her at alexandra.canal@yahoofinance.com

Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks

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Shares of Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) are trading at 52-week lows as investors adjust to the companys pursuit of a candidate for a weight loss pill, marking its entry into the competitive obesity drug market.

The Street responded critically. JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) analysts called the news a setback for the company. Lotiglipron  the disregarded candidate  was expected to be the stronger contender.

Meanwhile, SVB Securities labeled the decision incrementally negative, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Still, Pfizer is pressing on with its plan to advance the twice-daily pill while also researching a once-daily variant. And Pfizers dividend yield stands out  a robust 4.56%.

Check out:

Investing in real estate just got a whole lot simpler. With as little as $100, average investors are becoming landlords thanks to this Jeff Bezos-backed startup.

This REIT just teamed up with the company that built Elon Musk's tiny house to develop affordable housing communities. Here's how you can be among the first to buy shares.

So, how can investors exploit its dividend yield to pocket a regular $500 monthly?

To earn $500 per month or $6,000 annually from dividends alone, you would need an investment of approximately $131,579, or 3,635 shares. For a more modest $100 per month or $1,200 per year, you would need $26,315, or 727 shares.

To calculate: Divide the desired annual income ($6,000 or $1,200) by the dividend yield (0.046 in this case). So, $6,000 / 0.0456 = $131,579 ($500 per month), and $1,200 / 0.0456 = $26,315 ($100 per month).

Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time.

How that works: The dividend yield is computed by dividing the annual dividend payment by the stock's current price.

For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and is currently priced at $50, the dividend yield would be 4% ($2/$50). However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield drops to 3.33% ($2/$60). Conversely, if the stock price falls to $40, the dividend yield rises to 5% ($2/$40).

Similarly, changes in the dividend payment can impact the yield. If a company increases its dividend, the yield will also increase, provided the stock price stays the same. Conversely, if the dividend payment decreases, so will the yield.

Read next:

Image: Shutterstock

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This article How To Earn $500 A Month From Pfizer Stock originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
As Excellerate's expands, brings 200 jobs into Little Chute, here are 4 things to know

LITTLE CHUTE - Last year, Excellerate announced its expansion into Little Chute, adding to its presence in Wisconsin with a facility visibly seated north of Interstate 41.

Mike Jansen, CEO of Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI)  of which Excellerate is a division  said the company's roots in the state made Little Chute a natural choice for the expansion.

"The reason why I'm excited about Little Chute is basically because of the people," Jansen said after the expansion was announced last year. "I know what we can drive to our customers, nationally, through the great work ethics and care factors that our employees have, and the people of the Fox Valley."

To staff the expansion, Excellerate will hire on about 200 new staff, including several with on-the-job training.

Here are four things to know about the project, including how to apply for one of the new jobs.

More: Excellerate expanding to Little Chute, adding over 200 jobs

What is Excellerate?

Excellerate, a division of FTI, manufactures products nationwide, with a stronger focus on electrical assemblies and modular solutions.

FTI, headquartered in Menasha, is comprised of construction, engineering, manufacturing and renewable energy experts, and considers itself a national leader in those fields, with future-focused products and processes.

It has locations in Appleton, Neenah, and Milwaukee, with it's largest facility in Olathe, Kansas.

Where will the expansion be located?

The company is expanding its electrical component manufacturing and assemblies company to Little Chute. Construction began in November 2022 and is expected to be completed in late fall.

The 385,000-square-foot building is under construction at 2125 W. Evergreen Drive, and will be used to manufacture microgrids, modular builds, e-houses and specialty engineering.

How many jobs will it bring?

Excellerate's expansion is expected to bring up to 200 jobs to the area.

The company is accepting entry-level applicants, and is willing to teach skills of trade such as manufacturing, logistics and construction. Additionally, there will be professional level jobs for engineers and project managers.

The "ground up growth" jobs allow applicants with little-to-no experience to apply and be trained in skills of their choice while working.

"We're looking for individuals that are hardworking, honest and dependable. When you join our team, you open the door to redefining what's possible," said Paul Keckhaver, regional leader with Excellerate. "Whether your goal is beginning in a career in the trades, growing into field leadership, joining our team of talented engineers, and more. We also have a very strong culture and our Culture of Care program is at the forefront of everything we do."

The hiring process has already began and the company is looking to hire:

licensed journeymen/journeywomen electricians,

material handlers,

production planners,

constructability managers,

carpenters,

preproduction engineers, and

entry-level workers and apprentices.

The company will be hiring now through June 2024 to fill the 200 open positions, Keckhaver said.

Those interested in applying can visit either Excellerate's website or Faith Technologies' website.

How will this expansion impact Little Chute?

The director of community development for Little Chute, Dave Kittle, said the expansion is expected bring a minimum of $20 million to the area.

"This (expansion) is going to be helpful for a plethora of reasons," Kittle said. "Helping to distribute that tax burden as well as helping the village to be able to continue redeveloping parts of the roads and other infrastructure."

Kittle said the hope is that the expansion will help not only the village of Little Chute but also the whole Fox Valley region.

"This is going to help attract a lot more of those secondary businesses to help support some of the items that they're going to need for that facility," Kittle said. "We're really hoping that this kind of helps to draw in more businesses in support of this."

However, Kittle said, it could take a few years after the expansion is complete for the region to start seeing the economic benefit from it.

Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-226-4241 or jburns1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Excellerate brings 200 jobs to Little Chute with a new facility
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FBS, an international broker with a presence in over 150 countries, demonstrates its commitment to building self-sufficient and resilient communities by donating over $62,000 to 7 charitable organizations in developing countries. The funds were raised during the holy month of Ramadan and will support approximately 5,000 people from underprivileged communities in Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, and Yemen.

"Aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), FBS aims to contribute to creating a more prosperous and equal society. Since 2014, FBS has been actively engaged in charitable activities during Ramadan, raising and donating around $1.3 million to more than 30 organizations in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, positively impacting thousands of lives. By leveraging the support of our clients, FBS encourages meaningful changes in the world," says Ksenia Molodkina, Strategic Marketing Director FBS.

More than 29,000 traders from 17 countries worldwide participated in the FBS Trade & Aid Ramadan charity promo 2023. The funds were utilized by these organizations to improve the lives of local citizens, including families, students, and seniors.

For instance, the Malaysian branch of MyCare Foundation used FBS's contribution to establish a freshwater fish farm site, empowering the community to generate sustainable income. This project aims to support urban-poor groups in the Bandar Tasik Selatan area of Kuala Lumpur.

"With FBS' invaluable support, we have established a pioneering fish farming project that promises immense benefits for the community. The project's vision is simple yet transformative: as our fish population flourishes, the community will reap the rewards of increased sales. The profits generated from the fish sales will be channeled into communal savings, a visionary financial resource that serves as a catalyst for economic growth within our community, enabling individuals to access funds for various business ventures or personal needs," said Haji Kamarul Halim Sakrani, the representative of MyCare Foundation Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the FBS charity program with Ramadan Memo, an Islamic organization in Nigeria, targets over 3,000 beneficiaries from vulnerable groups, such as widows, orphans, elementary pupils, and students from higher institutions who are financially handicapped. "FBS partners with Ramadan Memo to share food items to the less privileged, donate relief materials to orphanage homes, distributed clothe boxes to widows and children in slum communities and educational materials to primary school pupils for aiding grassroots education, as well as aid Higher institution entrepreneurs to enhance their businesses," said Giwa Habeeb A. from Ramadan Memo.

FBS remains committed to supporting charitable initiatives that contribute to social welfare and economic empowerment in developing countries. These efforts are in line with the national development plans of the participating countries, such as the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 in Malaysia, Indonesia's 2045 Vision, and Nigeria's National Development Plan 2021-2025. They are striving for a prosperous and equal society, and each stakeholder, including private companies such as FBS, can play their part to achieve those national agenda.

To learn more about how FBS charitable initiative went, please watch the video report.

About FBS

FBS is a licensed worldwide broker with over 14 years of experience and more than 75 international awards. FBS is steadily developing as one of the market's most trusted brokers, with its traders numbering more than 27 000 000 and its partners exceeding 500 000 throughout the globe. The annual trading volume of FBS clients is over $8.9 trillion.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/fbs-donates-over-62-000-to-charitable-organizations-in-seven-countries-around-the-world-301877257.html

SOURCE FBS Trading
Good morning. Heres whats happening:

Prices: Inflation data barely stirred crypto markets, but a partial Ripple victory on Thursday sent bitcoin and other major digital assets sailing higher.

Insights: While the number of large bitcoin holders increases, bitcoin sent to exchanges continues to fall.

Prices

CoinDesk Market Index (CMI)

1,309

+72.0  5.8%

Bitcoin (BTC)

$31,328

+974.6  3.2%

Ethereum (ETH)

$1,993

+122.1  6.5%

S&P 500

4,510.04

+37.9  0.8%

Gold

$1,965

+8.4  0.4%

Nikkei 225

32,419.33

+475.4  1.5%

BTC/ETH prices per CoinDesk Indices, as of 7 a.m. ET (11 a.m. UTC)

Crypto Prices Sail Way Upward

A partial legal victory for Ripple in its fight with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday did what encouraging inflation data couldn't do the previous day: push bitcoin and other major digital assets significantly higher.

The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was recently trading at $31,328, up 3.2% over the past 24 hours. Bitcoin shot as high as $31,700 near the close of traditional markets, a more than one-year high. With a few blips, BTC had been languishing between $30,000 and $31,000 for the past three weeks as some investors fretted over potential banking missteps to cure inflation and awaited a significant price catalyst.

The Ripple decision offered that spur, at least temporarily. The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York ruled that the sale of its XRP tokens on exchanges and through algorithms did not constitute investment contracts. The court also ruled that the institutional sale of the tokens violated federal securities laws.

XRP rose 96% at one point to change hands at 93.6 cents, its highest level since March 2022. It was recently trading at 74 cents, still up more than 73%. XRP is the native cryptocurrency of XRP Ledger, an open-source, public blockchain that is designed to facilitate faster, cheaper payments.

Read More: Ripple, Crypto Industry Score Partial Win in SEC Court Fight Over XRP

In an email to CoinDesk, Dave Weisberger, the co-founder and CEO of crypto algorithmic trading platform CoinRoutes, saw a significant upside in Thursday's event. The ruling in the Ripple case is important as it specifically renders secondary market trading of utility tokens outside SEC jurisdiction, while preserving their jurisdiction over institutional fundraising," Weisberger wrote. "This is very good news for crypto exchanges and investors regarding a wide range of tokens identified by the SEC in the Coinbase and Binance lawsuits."

The agency has accused the two exchange giants of violating securities law and mentioned more than a dozen of the largest tokens in value, including those of smart contracts platforms Cardano (ADA) and Solana (SOL). Those native cryptos dipped sharply in the immediate aftermath, but on Thursday they were skyrocketing with ADA and SOL recently up more than 20% and 17%, respectively. And MATIC, the token of layer 2 blockchain Polygon, which the SEC also flagged, rose more than 16%.

Weisberger wrote that Thursday's ruling "relieves pressure" on these tokens, "and it would not be surprising to see a rally that recovers the initial losses and more."

Ether, the second largest crypto in market value, jumped past $2,000 for the first time in three months before retreating slightly below this threshold but was still up over 6.5% from Wednesday, same time. The CoinDesk Market Index, a measure of crypto markets performance, was up a rousing 6.1%.

Equity indexes rose more modestly with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 climbing 1.5% and 0.8%, respectively. Cryptos and stocks have traveled in increasingly different directions over the past seven months, although investors savored another small jolt of encouraging inflation news as the Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures wholesale price activity, increased by its smallest increment year-over-year in almost a year.

Read More: Bitcoin, Ether Maintain Their 2023 Decoupling from Traditional Finance

CoinRoutes Weisberger believes that that the SEC and Coinbase are now more likely to resolves their differences positively, which should provide additional tailwinds to the market." Is it a speculative bull market just yet?" he wrote. "Probably not. But the foundations for one have certainly been laid.

Joe DiPasquale, the CEO of crypto fund manager was similarly upbeat about the prospects of multiple spot bitcoin ETF applications filed last month by some of the financial services industry's biggest brands. "At this point, Bitcoin ETF applications also appear to have promising prospects, and we would be surprised if BTC or other major cryptocurrencies revisit recent lows in the short-term," DiPasquale wrote.

He added: "I spoke with multiple crypto hedge fund investors today who were excited about the favorable legal clarity that the ruling brings."

Biggest Gainers

Biggest Losers

There are no losers in CoinDesk 20 today.

Insights

A Calm Among Short-Term BTC Holders

Bitcoins relatively calm trade behavior in recent weeks has likely removed the motivation for shorter term holders to sell their asset, contributing to its recent support around $30,000. (BTC surged past $31,000 on Thursday after Ripple won a partial victory in a federal court decision, but the rally's staying power remains uncertain.)

According to Glassnode, the percentage of short-term bitcoin holders in profit exceeds 83%, a decline from 99% in profit to begin July, but far higher than its percentage in January.

Short-term bitcoin supply is BTC purchased within the most recent 155 days. The direction of short- term bitcoin supply, and the extent to which its holders are in profit is important to monitor as a signal about investor sentiment and motivations.

While long-term holders of BTC are likely to maintain their positions in the asset, shorter term traders tend to have less patience for price fluctuations, liquidating their positions in response.





(Glassnode)

This article was written and edited by CoinDesk journalists with the sole purpose of informing the reader with accurate information. If you click on a link from Glassnode, CoinDesk may earn a commission. For more, see our Ethics Policy.

Important events.

3:00 p.m. HKT/SGT(7:00 UTC) EcoFin Meeting

5:00 p.m. HKT/SGT(9:00 UTC) European Commission releases Economic Growth Forecasts

8:30 p.m. HKT/SGT(12:30 UTC) Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (July)

CoinDesk TV

In case you missed it, here is the most recent episode of "First Mover" on CoinDesk TV:

Coinbase Heads to Court Against the SEC; Threads Hits 100M Users in Less Than a Week

Coinbase and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission were slated to meet in court Thursday in a pre-motion hearing. Former SEC enforcement branch chief and Braganca Law attorney Lisa Braganca shared her expectations. Threads was gaining traction against rival Twitter, after hitting 100 million users in less than a week. Bitcoin (BTC) has failed twice this week to breakout above $31,000. Forex.com global head of research Matt Weller shared his crypto markets analysis.

Headlines

Ripple, Crypto Industry Score Partial Win in SEC Court Fight Over XRP: Institutional sales of the tokens violated federal securities laws, but programmatic sales did not, a court ruled.

Argentina's First Bitcoin Futures Contract Officially Goes Live: The product was approved by the South American countrys National Securities Commission in April.

Zero-Knowledge Rollup ZKM Sets Out to Make Ethereum 'Universal Settlement Layer': With funding from the foundation that oversees development of the Metis layer-2 Ethereum protocol, ZKM is developing a hybrid rollup that combines an Optmistic rollup and Zero-Knowledge rollup into one.

Celsius Networks Alex Mashinsky Is Arrested as SEC, CFTC, FTC Sue Bankrupt Crypto Lender: The U.S. Department of Justice has accused the former CEO of Celsius of orchestrating a "years long scheme to mislead customers."

Ethereum Tops New Crypto ESG Ranking, Bitcoin Slammed for Heavy Energy Usage: Crypto data firm CCData released the first institutional-grade scoring system that evaluates digital assets focusing on environmental, social and governance aspects.
CRESTVIEW  On July 15, FLUENT Cannabis Care is set to officially open its third location within Okaloosa County and its fourth branch in the area. The company aims to increase convenience and expand the education of the Florida cannabis field. Here is what we know:

What is FLUENT?

FLUENT Cannabis Care is a nationally recognized medical cannabis dispensary that got its start in South Florida. July 15 will officially mark the opening of its northernmost location within the state and its 32nd medical cannabis dispensary overall in Florida.

In the past two years, the company went from being the 14th biggest dispensary to now being in the Top 6, with over 550 people employed across the state.

Why a store in Crestview?

Currently, FLUENT has two locations in the southern end of the county: Mary Esther and Fort Walton Beach. The company said Crestview was the next logical move.

"Northwest Florida is a new market for us," FLUENT Director of Sales Victor Bindi said. "About two years ago, we felt like there was an opportunity for us here."

Bindi hopes the new Crestview location is convenient for residents in the surrounding area. With the close proximity to the interstate, Bindi said, FLUENT believes that the Crestview location will be a success.

Bindi went on to say that the community of Crestview has already welcomed them with open arms. Bindi stated that the soft opening of the location happened two weeks ago. With the sales numbers on Opening Day, Crestview ranked within the Top 3 in the state.

Back to School: Okaloosa School Board launches annual 'Stuff the Bus' campaign for upcoming school year

How is the shopping experience?

The new dispensary will provide customers with a shopping experience that Binid describes as "clean."

"The store looks like an Apple Store," said Bindi. "With the ability to have express orders, a drive-through, and self-serve kiosks, we made the shopping experience feel great to the customer."

What will the grand opening plans look like?

To celebrate the occasion, FLUENT Crestview will host a grand opening event on July 15 featuring a local vendor market, food trucks, a live DJ, and on-site physicians who are local to the area and can educate the public about the available products and Florida's medical cannabis program.

During the grand opening weekend, customers can take advantage of a special promotion, with all products being discounted by 50 percent.

After the grand opening weekend, customers can find deals on a daily basis that offer promotions on various products within the store.

Location and Hours

FLUENT Cannabis Care is at 2385 S. Ferdon Blvd. in Crestview. The store will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. For information, call 833-735-9368 or visit https://getfluent.com/

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Medical marijuana dispensary opening in Crestview.
Early rendering of proposed shell-only building for a potential grocery store or retailer that provides fresh foods at 1309 Alabama St. in the Griffin Heights Neighborhood.

An open house to gather input on plans for redeveloping a vacant parcel into a fresh food grocer within Griffin Heights is being met with questions and tension.

Residents long discussed a need for a store at the 1309 Alabama St. property. However, based on questions and comments posed at this week's open house event, there was an apparent disconnect between what was presented and what residents want.

Some residents, like Rodney Landers, feel the proposed plan missed the mark. Comments about potential uses, including grab-and-go meals, felt forced and out of character for what the primarily Black neighborhood wanted, Landers said.

This was the second community engagement meeting on how to transform the area. Landers said residents previously offered suggestions on how to utilize resources, which he said were not all considered.

Rodney Landers, chairman of the Griffin Heights Community Action Team, an outreach of the city's Neighborhood First Plan.

"All boats float when the tide rises, okay? So what I'm saying to you is that until the City of Tallahassee staff gets it, that we all are in this together, this is not you telling us what to do," said Landers, chairman of the Griffin Heights Community Action Team, an outreach of the city's Neighborhood First Plan. "This is not 1945, okay? This is the people of this community who live and serve here."

The Neighborhood First Plan offers a blueprint for revitalizing the neighborhood, including a $1 million allocation toward redeveloping the Alabama Street property, where a vacant, shabby green building stands that once was a neighborhood corner store and now a magnet for drug activity.

The sales tax-funded Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency voted to purchase the quarter acre lot for $170,000 in April 2022 and effectively handed it over to the City of Tallahassee. City and county commissioners who sit on the board agreed to the land deal as residents complained that the neighborhood had become a food desert after the closing of a nearby Winn-Dixie and Lucky's supermarket.

The Rev. Rudy Ferguson, who pastors New Birth Tabernacle Of Praise on Harlem Street, grew up in Griffin Heights. He remembers the neighborhood's old and longtime local grocer at the same address, Bennett's Store, and laments the property's current dilapidated state. He, too, sensed frustration among those at the open house.

Rev. Rudy Ferguson speaks during a community engagement meeting on July 11, 2023, regarding details tied to a small grocery store concept within Griffin Heights.

"The frustration in the room and tension is that, of course, the scope is changing," said Ferguson, who's running as a candidate for the City Commission held by Commissioner Jack Porter. "Every time the scope changes with ideas and suggestions, it takes us away from the original plan."

"It was originally going to be a neighborhood grocery store, a grocery store because we are food desert," Ferguson said. "Everyone who's made suggestions aren't Griffin Height residents. They aren't ... It's going to be brand new, and we look forward to it being spectacular. However, the makeup should reflect the community."

What's proposed for the Alabama Street property

After the open house, those responsible for the conceptual design said they didn't have "clear direction" residents wanted a grocery store prior to the meeting.

"We thought there might be some other desires like a restaurant or some cafe, which is kind of the same thing," said Cam Whitlock, a partner at Architects: Lewis + Whitlock, located on Virginia Street in downtown Tallahassee. "It's good to know that it's a grocery store. That gives us the clear path to move forward and plan the building."

When asked how the grocery store option was not presented as the primary use, Whitlock said, "I can't answer that."

"We just understood that it was fresh food," he said. "It wasn't necessarily a grocery store. So fresh food can mean different things for different people."

Early rendering of proposed shell-only building for a potential grocery store or retailer that provides fresh foods at 1309 Alabama St. in the Griffin Heights Neighborhood.

The city hired the firm for $31,000 to complete a study. The 50-page document recommends the run-down building be razed and allow for a new shell-only, 2,500 square-foot build-out.

At an open house in November, residents offered a range of potential uses for the property. The study listed a laundry list based on written and oral feedback that includes the following:

Replace the building from the ground up

Additional land for parking

Continue to be Black-owned

No cigarettes, no beer, no drugs

Well-lit site

Decent marquee and signage

Grocery store with meat and vegetables (smoked meat), rice, pasta

A bakery or deli

Community store that also sells personal hygiene items

Small shopping carts with security measures

Cooked food (Prepared meals)

Traffic control devices in surrounding areas

Additional sidewalks

Flashing lights for pedestrian crossing

Housing as opposed to commercial use

When asked if the proposed space is viable as a grocer, Whitlock said he couldn't say with certainty since he doesn't specialize in grocery store design.

"It's hard for me to tell you whether or not that's what I think can work, but it's going be a small community market," he said.

After this story published online, Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox said the grocery goal for the project remain unchanged.

"This was the vision from the beginning and continues to be the mission and the expected outcome," she said in a text. " We have heard our community loud and clear, and we are focused on curing a food desert that will meet the needs of providing good food choices for our neighbors."

Project's redevelopment restrictions

To the chagrin of many at the open house, the proposed size is about half of the existing one-story, 4,900 square-foot structure built in 1953.

The redevelopment calls for up to 10 parking spaces and ample lighting for added security. Whitlock and city staffers at the event said the redevelopment had to stay within the $1 million budget.

Early rendering of proposed shell-only building for a potential grocery store or retailer that provides fresh foods at 1309 Alabama St. in the Griffin Heights Neighborhood. The "pink" shaded area indicates where the proposed 2,500 square-foot building would be located on the property.

Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson attended the open house and listened to what was shared. Overall, he said it was "good feedback" and also sensed tension in the room, adding, "I didn't think that was necessary."

The point of the event, he said, was to hear from residents and that's what the firm and city staffers did.

"I think that people will leave here feeling that it's not a done deal," Richardson said. "I think what they heard is that the architects, city staff earnestly want their input, and it will be acted upon. There will still be other opportunities to give that input."

Richardson also said the city wants to move swiftly and noted restrictions associated with the redevelopment, particularly the budget.

"It is a hard figure. They have to work within that budget, because there are other things in the community that the residents have said they want to see happen," he said. "For instance, they've asked for improvements to the Riley Park, adjacent to Riley Elementary School, landscaping and streetscaping."

Snapshot of Griffin Heights

The neighborhood resides in the 32304 zip code, the poorest zip code in the state. It's considered a food desert since residents, especially those who depend on public transportation, are forced to drive several miles to access a grocery store.

Northwest of downtown Tallahassee, the Griffin Heights neighborhood is located north of Florida State University and west of the neighboring historic Frenchtown neighborhood. According to the city, over the past four to five decades, Griffin Heights has expanded from the core streets of Abraham and Birmingham and a few connecting streets; it now encompasses multiple new streets and dwellings, including the Griffin College Heights subdivision.

Northwest of downtown Tallahassee, the Griffin Heights neighborhood is located north of Florida State University and west of the neighboring historic Frenchtown neighborhood. According to the city, over the past four to five decades, Griffin Heights has expanded from the core streets of Abraham and Birmingham and a few connecting streets; it now encompasses multiple new streets and dwellings, including the Griffin College Heights subdivision.

The neighborhood has a population of roughly 5,470 residents with a median age of 23.8 and a median income $24,959.

For several years, Griffin Heights residents pushed for a viable option for the store. The city's Neighborhood First Plan, outlined in a 50-page document, says the proposal site was one of two mom and pop stores that operated in the neighborhood years ago: Haywards and Davis on Birmingham Street and Bennetts Store on Alabama Street.

"The grocery stores were little mom and pop stores, where youd go in to buy your popsicles and your lollipops and your two for a penny cookies; they sold crackers and cookies and that kind of stuff," said Delmas Barber, in a 2019 oral history interview about the neighborhood.

Contact Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Plans for Tallahassee Griffin Heights grocery store draws mixed review
Good morning, Broadsheet readers! A new over-the-counter birth control pill is on the way, diversity jobs are disappearing, and the SAG strike is just the beginning. Have a great weekend.

- On the picket line. Hollywood is on strike. SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents performers, joined the Writers Guild of America yesterday in striking against Hollywood studios after contract talks failed. Film and television production will now come to a standstill around the world, as will press tours, social media promotion, and more.

It's the first time in 43 years that actors have gone on strike. Last time writers and actors were on strike together, Ronald Reagan was president of the Screen Actors Guild. This time around, the guild's president is Fran Drescher, star of The Nanny. And Drescher gave a barn-burning speech yesterday shaming studios for failing to reach an agreement.

"I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us. I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things, how they plead poverty, that theyre losing money left and right while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs," Drescher said. "It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history at this very moment. (She also responded to criticism that she went to a fashion event in Italy last weekend amid strike talks; she said it was a work event for a brand deallike many performers in SAG haveand she was on Zoom late into the night trying to reach a deal.)

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher speaks during a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Thursday, July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 1960 that actors and writers will picket film and television productions at the same time. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Studio bosses like Disney's Bob Iger have said they're disappointed by the strike which "ad[d] to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing."

The Hollywood strikes are being watched across industries. A central issue is the streaming business model that has left writers and actors without meaningful residuals for their projects, even as those projects continue to earn money for companies, as this New Yorker piece about the 10-year anniversary of Orange Is New Black outlines.

The other sticking pointwith even greater implicationsis A.I. Studios, writers, and performers have not agreed on how their work and likenesses could be used to develop A.I.-based content. In a press conference, SAG negotiators said that while studios said they'd offered a "groundbreaking" A.I. proposal, that proposal would have allowed studios to scan the likenesses of background actors and use them in future projects, with no expiration date, without requiring the actor's consent or additional compensation.

As companies across sectors wrestle with what A.I. will mean for their businesses and workforces, the WGA and SAG negotiations provide a preview. Business leaders say that bringing people along on the journey to an A.I.-powered future is the hardest part of this once-in-a-generation transition. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the trade organization representing Hollywood bosses, has so far failed to convince its labor force to buy into its vision of the future.

As Drescher said in her speech: "The eyes of the world and, particularly, the eyes of labor are upon us."

Emma Hinchliffe

emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com

@_emmahinchliffe

The Broadsheet is Fortune's newsletter for and about the world's most powerful women. Todays edition was curated by Joseph Abrams. Subscribe here.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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(Bloomberg) -- The US Federal Trade Commission urged an appeals court to delay Microsoft Corp.s $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc. while the agencys challenge to the largest-ever gaming deal is pending.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The FTC wants the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to overturn a lower-court judges July 10 order that cleared the companies to proceed toward their July 18 closure deadline.

Consummation of the proposed deal would irreversibly alter the status quo and, if done before the merits of the FTCs appeal are heard, would irreparably harm the FTCs ability to order effective relief for the public should the deal prove to be in violation of the antitrust laws, FTC lawyers wrote in the filing Thursday.

US District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley earlier Thursday rejected the FTCs request that she extend a pause on the deal while the appeal proceeds. Barring action by the appeals court, Microsoft and Activision can complete the deal as of 11:59 p.m. in San Francisco on July 14.

The FTC isnt backing down in the antitrust fight that represents a major test of its ability to block big tech deals in court after the agency lost a challenge to an acquisition by Meta Platforms Inc. earlier this year.

FTC Chair Lina Khan defended the agencys decision to appeal the ruling earlier Thursday during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. Republicans criticized the FTCs record of merger losses, asking if she was losing on purpose to influence Congress to pass antitrust legislation.

We fight hard when we believe there is a law violation, she said. When we get an adverse ruling, our teams look closely at the text of opinion and see if there are errors on matters of law that warrant an appeal.

Read More: FTCs Khan Branded Bully in GOP Attack Over Deals, Ethics

The appeal creates another legal hurdle for Microsoft is it pushes to close a deal that would help expand its presence in mobile gaming and vault itself to the No. 3 position in the global gaming market after Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Sony Corp.

The FTC is angling to move ahead with an administrative antitrust challenge to the deal that was scheduled to begin early next month. Microsoft also remains stuck in limbo with the UKs Competition and Markets Authority after that agency vetoed the deal in May.

Read More: Microsoft Cleared to Buy Activision in US as UK Pauses Fight

After Corleys decision came down, the CMA said its willing to reassess proposals from Microsoft and agreed to pause the companies appeal before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. That hold gives the firms a chance to suggest potential fixes aimed at easing UK concerns that the takeover would stymie competition. But a restructuring of the deal could also trigger a new investigation by Britains antitrust watchdog.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Lawyers for disgraced crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried are requesting a judge ease conditions on some visitors to his parents home in the run-up to his criminal trial.

In a filing submitted to Manhattan federal judge Lewis Kaplan on Thursday, Christian Everdall, a lawyer for Bankman-Fried, asked that Kaplan grant permission to a list of guests to visit his familys home in Palo Alto, California where he currently is under house arrest.

Bankman-Fried is facing prosecution for his role in the collapse of his crypto exchange, FTX, and trading firm, Alameda Research last November. He is facing a litany of allegations, which include wire fraud, money laundering, and campaign finance violations.

Everdall filed the list of potential guests under seal, but he said it includes close friends and colleagues of Bankman-Frieds parents and household help. He added that the guests have already agreed to play by the rules.

These individuals are aware of and will abide by Mr. Bankman-Frieds bail conditions, including the prohibition on sharing Prohibited Electronic Devices ," wrote Everdall. Those devices include smartphones, tablets, computers and any video game platforms or devices that allow chat and voice communication.

Sam Bankman-Fried's Legal Team Can't Figure Out How to Install Spyware on His Parents Smartphones

Per Bankman-Frieds bail agreement, a security guard needs to be present to scan visitors for prohibited devices and ensure they sign an electronic visitor log. These conditions can only be waived if someone has been granted pre-approval from the court.

Since being released into his parents custody, authorities have been cautious about what kind of access to the outside world should be permitted to Bankman-Fried.

In February, Kaplan granted permission to federal prosecutors to forbid Bankman-Fried from using the encrypted-messaging service Signal due to its auto-delete function for fear of potential witness tampering. Prosecutors have also pushed to install spyware on the phones of Bankman-Frieds parents, something that proved difficult for Bankman-Frieds legal team.

Sam Bankman-Fried Could Have Some Charges Dropped to Honor Extradition

But Everdell told Kaplan in his filing that the government consents to his visitor request, and raised no objections to filing the guest list under seal. He argued that privacy considerations outweighed any public interest in denying the motion.
Greystone

NEW YORK, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone, a leading national commercial real estate finance company, has provided a $42,257,000 Fannie Mae Delegated Underwriting & Servicing (DUS) loan for a 286-unit multifamily property in Louisville, Kentucky. The financing was originated by Anthony Cristi, Managing Director at Greystone, on behalf of 800 City Apartments LLC.



Constructed in 1963, 800 Tower City Club Apartments in Jefferson County is a 29-story high-rise building offering studios, as well as one- and two-bedroom units. The $42,257,000 non-recourse, fixed-rate financing carries a ten-year term and 30-year amortization, with three years of interest-only payments.

At Greystone, we work through the nuances of every project to ensure that our clients get financing that helps them achieve their vision for their property, said Mr. Cristi. Greystones extensive multifamily lending platform and industry expertise means we deliver solutions where others fall short.

Our Greystone teams creativity and diligence resulted in a financing solution that addressed all of our needs, said Mr. Mordichai Weiss, principal of the borrower. The experience was exceptional at every phase of the transaction and we look forward to working with them in the future.

About Greystone

Greystone is a private national commercial real estate finance company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Company LLC, Greystone Funding Company LLC and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greystone.com.

PRESS CONTACT:

Karen Marotta

Greystone

212-896-9149

Karen.Marotta@greyco.com




House Republicans attempt to limit China's shipping market power in NDAA. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a defense spending bill on Friday that included a provision limiting Chinas ability to monitor the flow of ocean containers into and out of the U.S.

The provision, backed by Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., prohibits U.S. ports that take federal grant money from using Chinas state-supported National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics, known as LOGINK.

The provision was included as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the chamber along a party-line vote.

More [than] 90% of traded goods are carried through ocean shipping, Johnson said after attaching the provision to the NDAA last month.

LOGINK provides massive amounts of monitoring, data, and logistics infrastructure to the [Chinese Communist Party]  its imperative we keep LOGINK out of American ports. China already competes unfairly in the global shipping arena. Blocking their access to American port data is one small step to keep this advantage to a minimum.

LOGINK has helped give China unrivaled visibility into global shipping container flows, according to researchers at Rice University, who estimated that visibility at roughly half of the worlds container trade lanes as of 2020.

Beijing can quietly feed insights from LOGINK to preferred PRC [Peoples Republic of China] logistics firms at preferential prices, a key competitive advantage in a third-party logistics market that a recent study by the U.S.-China Security and Economic Review Commission estimates to be worth $1 trillion annually, according to the universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Giving PRC firms such an information edge would help them to systematically underbid foreign competitors and would drive even more data flow over LOGINK at the expense of other systems, further cementing Beijings informational advantage.

As passed by the Republican-controlled House, the NDAA, an annual defense spending bill, has a tough road ahead in the Democratic-controlled Senate, according to political analysts, given a raft of social policy amendments attached to the legislation over the last several days by hard-right-leaning Republicans.

Related articles:

Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher.

The post House passes defense bill with ban on Chinese shipping platform appeared first on FreightWaves.
Key Insights

Advantage Energy's estimated fair value is CA$17.18 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of CA$8.70 suggests Advantage Energy is potentially 49% undervalued

The CA$11.83 analyst price target for AAV is 31% less than our estimate of fair value

Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Advantage Energy Ltd. (TSE:AAV) as an investment opportunity by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Advantage Energy

Crunching The Numbers

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (CA$, Millions) CA$131.0m CA$245.0m CA$241.0m CA$239.7m CA$240.2m CA$241.8m CA$244.2m CA$247.2m CA$250.7m CA$254.5m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x9 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -0.52% Est @ 0.18% Est @ 0.66% Est @ 1.00% Est @ 1.24% Est @ 1.41% Est @ 1.53% Present Value (CA$, Millions) Discounted @ 9.2% CA$120 CA$205 CA$185 CA$168 CA$154 CA$142 CA$132 CA$122 CA$113 CA$105

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CA$1.4b

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.8%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 9.2%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = CA$255m (1 + 1.8%)  (9.2% 1.8%) = CA$3.5b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CA$3.5b ( 1 + 9.2%)10= CA$1.4b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is CA$2.9b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of CA$8.7, the company appears quite good value at a 49% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

dcf

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Advantage Energy 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 9.2%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.252. 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 Advantage Energy

Strength

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Opportunity

Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%.

Threat

Annual earnings are forecast to decline for the next 2 years.

Moving On:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Advantage Energy, we've put together three additional factors you should further research:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Advantage Energy you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for AAV's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Canadian 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.

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Italy's luxury groups set aside rivalries to keep it local

Italy's luxury groups set aside rivalries to keep it local Italian knitwear brand Fedeli shop in Milan

By Elisa Anzolin

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's luxury fashion groups, which for decades jealously guarded their independence, have started teaming up to protect their supply chains and the Italian roots of smaller companies, showing a new spirit of collaboration.

Control of the supply chain has become increasingly important for luxury brands, ensuring products get to shops on time and avoiding reputational risks linked to sourcing of raw materials or labour conditions.

Italy's patchwork of specialist artisan workshops and family-owned labels offer particularly rich pickings for larger companies with the cash to cement relationships through investment.

In this spirit, Prada and fellow Italian fashion brand Ermenegildo Zegna in June acquired a minority stake in knitwear company Luigi Fedeli e Figlio, based in Monza, just north of Milan.

The family-owned company, which has a focus on cashmere and jumpers, was founded in 1934 and is distributed in 13 own-brand boutiques and around 400 multi-brand stores worldwide.

Prada and Zegna had previously invested jointly in Filati Biagioli Modesto S.p.A. in 2021, acquiring a majority stake in one of their suppliers, specialised in the production of cashmere and other luxury yarns.

"We invested in Biagioli to relaunch a company that was in crisis, while for Fedeli it's a case of helping the company to grow," Patrizio Bertelli, leading shareholder and chairman of Prada Group, told Reuters.

Bertelli, 77, added that smaller Italian companies have in the last two decades had to juggle the handover from one generation of the family to the next with more complex issues such as expanding in new markets.

"Italian brands have wanted to go it alone for too long, and then suddenly they realise you can't always go it alone and you start to look around," he added.

SMALL MANUFACTURERS APLENTY

Italy is home to thousands of small manufacturers that cover 50-55% of the global production of luxury clothing and leather goods, consultancy Bain calculates.

"Biagioli and Fedeli are two different examples of caring about 'made in Italy' and helping to strengthen the Italian supply chain either directly or indirectly," said Gildo Zegna, 67, chairman and CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna.

"Bertelli and I want to preserve the 'made in Italy' jewels and keep the know-how in the country," Zegna added.

The Italian groups are facing competition from French luxury giants such as LVMH or Gucci-owner Kering, which have also bought suppliers in Italy over the years, especially in the leather industry.

LVMH announced in May it had taken a majority stake in Nuti Ivo Group, an Italian company that has specialised in making leather products since 1955.

Private equity firms have also sensed an investment opportunity and started combining suppliers into larger entities.

Kering managing director Jean-Francois Palus said the luxury group is increasingly looking to bring production in house.

It's an issue of traceability but also of quality, sourcing of materials, shorter lead times to produce goods and get them to the market and competition for specialist artisans among brands, he said.

FORGING CLOSER RELATIONS

There have also been other examples of Franco-Italian cooperation such as a deal whereby Chanel bought a stake in cashmere yarn company Cariaggi Lanificio in partnership with Brunello Cucinelli.

"Italy has not created a (major) luxury hub, but we have entrepreneurs who have the ability to activate the right relationships at the right time," said Stefania Lazzaroni, general manager at Italian luxury industry association Altagamma.

"The approach has changed, (it is) much more collaborative - to face more complex challenges," she said.

Indeed, Prada and Zegna's decision to invest together was born out of a friendship strengthened by recent hard times.

"We got to know each other better during the COVID pandemic, in a difficult moment for the industry, when we needed to support each other," Zegna said, adding that a fundamental role was played by the meetings held at industry body Camera Nazionale della Moda.

Roberto Costa, head of Global Luxury Investment Banking for Citigroup, said closer working ties reflected a more confident and outward approach from Italian brands.

"Italian groups are now more managerialised, more organised and also stronger, which makes them more open to thinking together," he said. But he did not necessarily see big deals in the offing.

"There is a greater ability to talk to each other, but this does not mean that there will necessarily be mergers," he added.

Zegna and Bertelli now sit together on the board of Fedeli and Biagioli, leaving scope for more investments lower down the supply chain.

"If new opportunities arise we will grab them. Whether we do it together or not remains to be seen," Zegna said.

(Reporting by Elisa Anzolin, additional reporting by Silvia Aloisi, editing by Keith Weir and Jane Merriman)
(Bloomberg) -- JPMorgan Chase & Co. is looking to sell a loan backed by Manhattans HSBC Tower as banks face heightened pressure from regulators to reduce exposure to office real estate.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The bank has approached potential buyers to take over its roughly $350 million loan on 452 Fifth Ave., according to people familiar with the matter.

To sweeten the deal, the bank has offered financing with cheaper-than-market rates to the potential buyer, the people said, asking not to be named because the matter is private.

The move comes just one year after JPMorgan refinanced the debt on the building, owned by Israel-based Property & Building Corp. The loan matures in 2024, with potential extension options, according to Property & Buildings financial statements.

A JPMorgan spoksperson declined to comment. A representative for Property & Building didnt immediately reply to a request for comment.

Banks are seeking ways to manage their exposure to commercial real estate as risks mount and regulators ramp up scrutiny. Office buildings in particular face challenges as borrowing costs increase and demand shifts with the rise in remote work and layoffs.

Read more: JPMorgan, Wells Fargo Bulk Up Reserves for Office Loan Losses

The 30-story, 865,000-square-foot (80,361-square-meter) building has struggled in the past year. HSBC Bank USA announced plans last year to downsize and move its headquarters from 452 Fifth Ave. to the far west side of Manhattan in early 2024. The owner, Property and Building, will have to find tenants to fill the space, at a time when demand is still relatively low and vacancies are high across the city.

The firm has explored selling the HSBC Tower since 2021 and gone through at least two failed processes recently.

According to news reports, Innovo Property Group agreed to buy the building for $855 million in late 2021 but couldnt secure the equity to close the deal. A second potential deal to sell the tower also failed to close, Property & Building said in a filing.

Property & Building reported that the value of the tower fell to $720 million in September 2022, after securing the refinancing from JPMorgan.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Bitcache, a crypto project founded by political activist and founder of the now-defunct file hosting service Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, has begun a liquidation process in New Zealand due to unpaid legal fees by the company.

The business formerly known as Bitcache has been liquidated because a law firm that offered to work for shares in the company decided years later to invoice the company for past legal fees, tweeted Kim late Thursday. He pointed out that he was the evangelist for the business and supports the liquidation of the company.

The controversial tech entrepreneur has been fighting extradition to the U.S. to face copyright infringement charges for years. In 2012, the FBI alleged that his now defunct service, Megaupload, earned millions by helping people illegally share files.

Despite news of the liquidation, Kim Dotcom tweeted on Thursday that the project will continue under a new name, Fileshop. He added that its been developed from scratch with a completely new code base and without any of the Bitcache IP. He said hes also working with some friendly previous investors and partners.

The good news is that the project is now called FileShop, has been developed from scratch with a completely new code base and without any of the Bitcache IP. Very happy to announce that friendly previous investors and partners have not been forgotten and that this app is coming.  Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) July 13, 2023

The new project, says Dotcom, aims to become a Bitcoin Cash killer app.

The Bitcache blockchain, was touted by Kim as a disruption in how online content creators will be able to monetize their content. It was built as a subscription-as-a-service that would allow for Bitcoin to be used for micro-paymentsreceiving substantial funding through the well known investment firm, BnkToTheFuture.

According to a report from Newsroom, a New Zealand media outlet, the platform failed to launch in early 2017, due to unexpected hiccups Kim Dotcom said at the time. Dotcom, says Newsroom, was named as an evangelist due to his ongoing disputes with the US government over the now-defunct website MegaUpload.

Kim Dotcom 'Officially' Joins the Bitcoin Cash Movement

Although Kim Dotcom took heavily to Twitter throughout 2017-2018claiming his company would introduce millions of new users to Bitcointhe project never came to fruition. In late 2022, after years of silence, Dotcom announced the project never got the software right.

Newsroom reported that Auckland lawyer and former Bitcache director Phil Creagh applied for liquidation last month.

Its pretty straightforward, there are fees owed and not paid. The company has not taken any steps so far to avoid being placed in liquidation, Creagh told the news outlet. Well put it in liquidation and see what, if anything, can be recovered.
Larry Fink isn't saying 'ESG.' But he is urging investors to stay focused on climate.

BlackRock (BLK) CEO Larry Fink on Friday kept to his pledge to no longer use the acronym ESG. But he also made it clear that investors would be wise to keep their focus on climate concerns.

In its quarterly earnings announcement, BlackRock announced that assets under management rose to $9.4 trillion while net income rose and revenue fell. Then, in a conference call, Fink seized on a question about transition investing, which is loosely defined as putting money beyond the transition to a carbon-free economy.

He didn't refer to ESG  an acronym he believes has been "weaponized" by the left and the right  but called transition investing "probably one of the greatest opportunities in the world today." ESG stands for investing with environmental, social, and corporate governance principles.

"We're having more and more conversations with more and more corporations about how they think about their platform related to decarbonization," he added.

Fink has become a prominent face in the debate about ESG in recent years as Republicans in Washington now look to limit do-good investing.

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City in April. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

"One of the concerns I've got is the fiduciary responsibility of these investment groups like BlackRock," Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican from Missouri, said at a Congressional hearing this week.

Luetkemeyer is one of the leaders of the anti-ESG efforts expressing worry that "political agendas overshadow sound financial management."

'There's not a government that is not focused on this'

BlackRock has garnered much of the political attention because of its outsized power across the economy and the proxy voting power it holds at nearly every major S&P 500 company.

Fink is certainly not shying away from his focus on climate issues. He traveled earlier this week to the United Kingdom for a climate-themed event at Windsor Castle that featured King Charles III and President Joe Biden as well as other business leaders like Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Britain's King Charles III enter a climate engagement with philanthropists and investors at Windsor Castle on July 10. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)

Fink on Friday emphasized that government actions around climate change represent much of the opportunity for investors in the years ahead.

"There's not a government that is not focused on this, [and] how do they successfully navigate their economy and energy and power is becoming one of the dominant conversations."

BlackRock itself has also taken an increasingly direct role in the energy transition by providing funding to companies looking to raise capital for energy projects.

On Friday, Fink touted a recent $700 million investment in Australian battery storage and a carbon sequestration project in the US.

For Fink, a focus on the climate will clearly be a long-term focus, saying, "We look at this as a multi multi-year growth opportunity."

Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.

Click here for politics news related to business and money

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
SSH Communications Security Corporation

Helsinki, Finland  14 July 2023 - SSH and a leading Financial Services Institution in APAC region have signed an Enterprise Licence Agreement (ELA) for its entire corporate network.

This three-year contract is based on SSHs subscription business model. The total contract value is approximately one million USD. Additionally, SSH provides Professional Services. The client has been utilizing SSH solutions for several years, and this agreement shows their continuing trust in Tectia. This ELA provides secure remote login/access for their privileged users and facilitates smart, secure file transfer (SFTP).

Proven in use and future-proof secure file transfer, remote access & tunneling

Secure Shell (SSH) protocol enables online connections and file transfers between systems handling critical data. Tectia is the original commercial implementation of the SSH protocol, providing maximum security for an organizations data in transit with industry-leading reliability, efficiency, and speed. Improved into a future-proof solution, Tectia is now offered as Tectia Quantum-Safe Edition, Tectia Zero Trust Edition, or IBM z/OS edition.

We have numerous major customers in the FSI sector that have used Tectia in their critical infrastructure worldwide and expanded the use of Tectia. SSH develops and continuously improves the Tectia product line as part of our Zero Trust Suite, which offers future-proof solutions in the areas of Zero Trust, Operational Technologies, and Post Quantum Safe computing. The key success factors were Tectias performance, versatility, scalability, and high-level expertise in SSHs support and professional services, said Dr. Teemu Tunkelo, CEO of SSH.

Learn more about Tectia: Tectia SSH Client/Server

For more information on Post Quantum effect on FSI customers, please visit: Why financial institutions should protect themselves with Quantum-Safe cryptography

For further information, please contact:

Teemu Tunkelo, CEO, tel. +358 40 5499605, email Teemu.Tunkelo@ssh.com

Jussi Rautio, Zero Trust Suite Product Manager, email Jussi.Rautio@ssh.com

Distribution:

Major media

www.ssh.com

About SSH

SSH is a defensive cybersecurity company that safeguards communications and access between systems, automated applications, and people. We have 5,000+ customers worldwide, including 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies and major organizations in the Finance, Government, Retail, and Industrial segments. We help our customers secure their business in the age of hybrid cloud and distributed IT and OT infrastructures. Our passwordless and keyless Zero Trust solutions reduce costs and complexity while quantum-safe encryption keeps critical connections future-proof. Our teams and partners in North America, Europe, and Asia ensure customer success. The companys shares (SSH1V) are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.ssh.com.




Magna International's (TSE:MG) investors will be pleased with their decent 31% return over the last three years

Investors can buy low cost index fund if they want to receive the average market return. But in any diversified portfolio of stocks, you'll see some that fall short of the average. For example, the Magna International Inc. (TSE:MG) share price return of 21% over three years lags the market return in the same period. Zooming in, the stock is up a respectable 7.8% in the last year.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

View our latest analysis for Magna International

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 flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

Over the last three years, Magna International failed to grow earnings per share, which fell 20% (annualized).

So we doubt that the market is looking to EPS for its main judge of the company's value. Since the change in EPS doesn't seem to correlate with the change in share price, it's worth taking a look at other metrics.

It may well be that Magna International revenue growth rate of 4.5% over three years has convinced shareholders to believe in a brighter future. If the company is being managed for the long term good, today's shareholders might be right to hold on.

You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

Magna International is well known by investors, and plenty of clever analysts have tried to predict the future profit levels. If you are thinking of buying or selling Magna International stock, you should check out this free report showing analyst consensus estimates for future profits.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of Magna International, it has a TSR of 31% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

Magna International shareholders have received returns of 11% over twelve months (even including dividends), which isn't far from the general market return. That gain looks pretty satisfying, and it is even better than the five-year TSR of 3% per year. Even if the share price growth slows down from here, there's a good chance that this is business worth watching in the long term. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Magna International better, we need to consider many other factors. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Magna International (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Canadian 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.

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What Is Maximal Extractable Value (MEV)? What Blockchain Miners Need To Know

One of the points of greatest interest for crypto miners and validators in recent months has been MEV, or maximal extractable value (the term can also stand for miner extractable value). Sometimes MEV is referred to as the invisible tax miners collect from participants in a crypto economy by reordering and manipulating transactions in the validation process. But what exactly is MEV, how does it work, and what are some of its potential impacts on crypto ecosystems?

Profit in Transaction Manipulation

In a cryptocurrency system, regardless of the type of consensus mechanism used to confirm transactions, pending transactions are held in what is known as the mempool, a waiting area that is visible to the public. Miners or validators in the system then select transactions, order them, and make a block, which is subsequently validated and added to the blockchain.

In 2014, an algorithmic trader using the handle Pmcgoohan predicted that miners might be able to manipulate the transactions in a mempool in order to derive a profit. They wrote that miners can see all the contract code they runand the order in which transactions run is up to individual minerswhat is to stop front running by a miner in any marketplace implementation?

Origin of the Term MEV

Phil Daian and a team of smart contract researchers wrote a 2019 paper, Flash Boys 2.0, which coined the term miner extractable value. For Daians team, MEV signified the total amount of ETH miners can extract from manipulation of transactions within a given time frame. MEV in this case was coined in the context of proof-of-work consensus mechanisms, in which miners govern the order of and whether or not to include transactions in a block. When Ethereums blockchain shifted to proof-of-stake during The Merge in 2022, the term shifted to maximal extractable value to reflect a wider group of methods miners and validators used.

How Does it Work to Extract MEV?

In theory, network miners or validators should receive the entirety of the MEV available for a given transaction. In actuality, though, independent network members known as searchers have increasingly used bots to detect MEV opportunities and automate the extraction process. This is not entirely a negative thing for miners, who tend to receive gas fees from searchers keen to have their transactions included in a block for validation.

Some of the techniques used to extract MEV include:

Liquidation: In a DeFi lending space, users must deposit crypto to be used as collateral. If a user isnt able to repay their loans, the protocols often allow other participants the chance to liquidate the collateral and gain a liquidation fee from the borrower. Those searching for MEV opportunities may compete to find borrowers primed for liquidation so that they can gain the liquidation fee for themselves.

Front-running: A bot known as a generalized front-runner is able to search the mempool for transactions that could be profitable for a searcher. Upon discovering a candidate, the bot replicates the original transaction but with a higher gas price, prompting miners to choose that transaction over the first one.

While front-running may disrupt the overall flow of the transaction validation process, there are some participants in crypto systems that seek to find something positive in the goals of front-runners. A number of services now exist to allow miners and Ethereum users to communicate with one another about preferred transaction orders in a block. This helps to more fairly distribute MEV extraction and also minimizes the effectiveness of the front-running technique described above.

DEX arbitrage: Decentralized exchanges may list different prices for the same tokens as a result of different levels of demand. A wide price discrepancy may be an opportunity for MEV extraction. Bots can exploit these situations by buying tokens at a lower price at one exchange, turning around and selling them on a second exchange at a higher rate.

Arbitrage in this way is increasingly competitive, but it has the added benefit of helping to align token prices across exchanges and making the broader DeFi market more efficient.

Sandwich attack: A so-called sandwich attack is a technique used to manipulate the prices of crypto tokens. A searcher who finds a large trade that is pending on a DEX may attempt to sandwich that trade between his or her own. The searcher places a trade using the same token immediately before and another right after the large pending trade in an attempt to benefit from the temporary (and artificial) price discrepancy. The searcher thus pumps up the token price for the unwitting trader, who ends up paying a higher rate, and then sells tokens into the pool at that higher price to gain a profit on the difference.

What is the Impact of MEV Extraction on a Crypto Market?

Extracting MEV can be a complicated process that has a similarly complex impact on the crypto market more broadly. While sandwich attacks and front-running have the potential to cause delays to the processing time for other transactionsand to cost users more due to higher gas fees and artificially manipulated token pricesdecentralized exchange arbitrage has a benefit in that it makes exchanges more aligned and the market more efficient. And some may argue that extracting MEV through DeFi liquidation is simply capitalizing on the system in a way that all participants knowingly sign up for when they borrow. Still, some MEV searchers may find themselves with a bad reputationor even facing a ban from participating in certain crypto markets.

Cheat Sheet
By Valentine Hilaire

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The Mexican government is no longer interested in purchasing Citigroup's local retail arm, known as Banamex, a government spokesperson said on Thursday, adding that the U.S. bank "chose a different path" for its unit.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador floated the idea of purchasing the bank in May, right after Citi announced plans to pursue an initial public offering of the business instead of an outright sale.

Deputy Finance Minister Gabriel Yorio told Reuters at the time that Mexico could pursue a total or partial acquisition of the unit.

Government spokesperson Jesus Ramirez did not immediately respond when asked which path the U.S. bank is taking.

Citi did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Before Citi's decision to list Banamex, banking sources said mining conglomerate Grupo Mexico had been eyeing the unit for around $7 billion.

The deal to sell Banamex to Grupo Mexico fell through after tensions flared between the conglomerate, controlled by business mogul German Larrea, and Lopez Obrador following a government move to expropriate a section of one of Grupo Mexico's railway lines.

Foreign financial firms such as Spain's Banco Santander and local banks like Grupo Financiero Banorte were among a robust list of potential bidders when the sale was first announced in January 2022.

(Reporting by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Jamie Freed)
Photo: Pixabay Mars, known as the Red Planet, does not have "canals."

Throughout history there must have been many cases where mistranslation from one language to another led to dramatic consequences.

A simple mistranslation in an astronomy report led to consequences that lasted almost 100 years. It started with Giovani Schiaparelli, an Italian astronomer with a strong interest in Mars. He had an excellent observing opportunity in 1877, when Mars and Earth passed close by one another.

Although Mars is a conspicuous, red, starlike object in the night sky, it is tricky to observe. It appears small, so high magnification is needed to see detail, which makes what you see very sensitive to air movement in our atmosphere, which causes the image to shimmer and shake, like looking at a coin at the bottom of a stream.

Consequently, getting a really clear view of Mars requires luck and patience. Through small telescopes Mars appears as a reddish disc with white polar caps and some darker patches. Over many hours of observation Schiaparelli gradually put together a drawing showing the larger surface features. In addition he noted some elongated structures he called channels.

Today, our orbiters, landers and rovers show Mars has many of these, due to erosion by water billions of years ago, when Mars was wetter and warmer than it is today.

Of course, Schiaparelli took his notes in Italian, in which the word for "channels" is "canali". However, when his report reached the English-speaking world, someone mistranslated "canali" as "canals". This turned Schiaparelli's naturally-formed channels into objects made by engineers. Mars had to be inhabited by intelligent, technically-advanced beings, in societies capable of undertaking major, global engineering projects, including massive works to manage water on a dying, drying planet. This understandably excited a lot of interest in the English-speaking world.

One of the most intrigued was Percival Lowell. He was a highly successful businessman, who had become wealthy enough to indulge his strong interest in astronomy, especially his fascination with the planet Mars.

So he funded the construction of an observatory on a hill near Flagstaff, Arizona. It was completed in time for him to observe the close approach of Mars to Earth in 1894. He produced drawings showing the Red Planet's disc, crossed by narrow, straight lines, which he said were canals, and the dark blobs where the canals intersected he called oases.

He proposed these waterways were constructed by a technically-sophisticated race of Martians to manage the water supply on a drying, dying world. Public interest was huge, especially among many writers.

In 1898, writer H.G Wells published his book "War of the Worlds", which described an attempt by Martians to leave their dying planet and take over ours. Another writer, Edgar Rice Burroughs, took Lowell's vision of Mars and populated it with honourable, brave warriors, despicable villains and beautiful princesses, eking out their lives on a dying world. Books and movies about Martian invasions continue to appear today.

Over the following decades astronomers found, over and over again, that with good instruments, used under the best observing conditions, there were no signs of those canals. They only showed up when observing conditions were poorer, when one's eyes strained for flashes of elusive detail.

That aroused suspicions that the canals were wishful thinking. However, that thinking persisted to the point where Lowell's images still appeared in space travel and astronomy books into the 1960's.

The Mars delusion was firmly ended in 1965, when the spacecraft Mariner 4 made a close fly-by of Mars and sent back pictures of a cratered desert. There were no signs of canals, cities, warriors, princesses, or any other forms of advanced life.



 Venus and Mars lie close together very low in the west after sunset.

 Saturn rises during the evening and Jupiter around midnight.

 The Moon will reach first quarter on July 25.

Ken Tapping is an astronomer with the National Research Council's Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory near Penticton.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
(Reuters) -Microsoft Corp and Activision Blizzard are considering giving up some control of their cloud-gaming business in the UK to appease regulators so they can complete their $69 billion merger, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

The deal, the largest in the history of the video game industry, was also struggling in Britain until this week. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority, which had opposed the transaction, said on Wednesday a restructured deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard could satisfy its concerns, subject to a new investigation.

The sale could involve the cloud-based market rights for games in the UK to a telecommunications, gaming or internet-based computing company, the Bloomberg report said, citing people familiar with the matter. A private-equity company might also be interested, according to the report.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had requested a temporary halt to the deal, but a U.S. court on Thursday rejected the request.

Microsoft and Activision did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

The two U.S. companies had agreed to a deal deadline of July 18, with Microsoft liable to pay a $3 billion breakup fee if it fell through. Still, with the larger $69 billion deal back on track, the two sides are now focused on modifying the deal to obtain regulatory approval.

(Reporting by Lavanya Ahire in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
What the most powerful people in tech and media are discussing at 'summer camp for billionaires'

Apple CEO Tim Cook pictured arriving at Allen & Co.'s Sun Valley conference. Getty/Kevin Dietsch

This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter. Sign up here.

Power players like Apple's Tim Cook and Disney's Bob Iger have descended on Idaho's Sun Valley Lodge for the annual and ultra-exclusive Allen & Co. conference.

Deals are likely taking center stage in the discussions happening behind closed doors.

It's one of the biggest conferences of the year that almost no one is allowed to go to.

Allen & Co.'s annual conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, often referred to as "summer camp for billionaires," is a who's who of the biggest players in media and tech. This year's attendees include Disney's Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery's David Zaslav, Apple's Tim Cook, and OpenAI's Sam Altman.

The event even got the "Succession" treatment.

Unlike other high-profile conferences like Davos or Milken, Sun Valley isn't open to the press. But just because we're not there doesn't mean we can't speculate on what the biggest topics of discussion might be.

I talked to Alison Brower, our LA bureau chief, and Alistair Barr, Insider's global tech editor, about what some of the most powerful people are talking about behind closed doors.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Multichain (MULTI) bridge protocol announced today that it has shuttered operations due to a lack of operational funds and information about its CEO Zhaojun, who is in the custody of Chinese police.

Problems afflicting Multichains cross-chain bridge began back in late spring after users flooded Multichains Telegram complaining that certain pending transfers were stuck.

At the time, there were rumors that Chinese authorities had arrested several Multichain executives, including CEO Zhaojun. The protocol later confirmed on Twitter that the CEO was missing and that he had sole access to the blighted servers responsible for the delays.

1. On May 21, 2023, Multichain CEO Zhaojun was taken away by the Chinese police from his home and has been out of contact with the global Multichain team ever since. The team contacted the MPC node operators and learned that their operational access keys to MPC node servers had  Multichain (Previously Anyswap) (@MultichainOrg) July 14, 2023

Todays announcement confirmed Zhaojuns arrest.

The Multichain team also wrote that police confiscated all of Zhaojuns devices, crypto hardware wallets, and mnemonic phrases, essentially impounding all of the teams funds and forcing them to shutter operations.

Zhaojuns sister also arrested

On June 4, Zhaojun's family accessed the cloud server using historical information on his home computer. They allowed Multichain team engineers physical access to the desktop to fix technical issues with two routers.

The following day, Multichain partially resumed operations.

A month later, using login information obtained on the cloud server from an IP address in Kunming, Zhaojuns sister accessed customer assets that were locked on multi-party computation (MPC) wallets, transferred them into wallets under her control, and subsequently notified the team.

At the time, the transactions, which totaled at least $200 million in crypto, were thought to be the work of exploiters.

On July 13, Zhaojuns family informed the team that the CEOs sister was also taken into custody by Chinese police. She has now also dropped out of contact and the status of the secured assets is uncertain.
An $18.5 million investment is coming to Shreveport. On Friday, July 14, SLB announced it would be establishing a manufacturing facility in the once General Motors assembly plant in Caddo Parish.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said, "this is one of the most significant economic revitalization projects that we have announced in North Louisiana and really quite frankly anywhere in the state for a very long time."

SLB is a global technology company that works to provide innovative energy that decarbonizes industries and develops new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition.

According to Louisiana Economic Development, this new facility will leverage the global technology company's capabilities in contract manufacturing, system integration and industrialization of digital infrastructure equipment.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux, left, shakes hands with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards at the Remington Garage moments before Edwards announced the $18.5 million investment by SLB at the old GM plant that is expected to result in more than 1,300 new jobs on Friday afternoon, July 14, 2023.

SLB's core mission is to provide energy innovation for a balanced planet.

With this investment, SLB is expecting to create 596 new direct jobs, and an additional 749 indirect jobs, totaling at 1,345 new jobs in Northwest Louisiana. "SLB has a long history of doing business in Louisiana, and currently employs over 2,000 people across the state," said Bruce Miller, SLBs Vice President of Industry Affairs for North America.

More: Major job announcement coming for Shreveport's former General Motors plant

Miller said that SLB will be hiring 200 people within this year. "Because of our aggressive timeline, we will actually start hosting recruiting events almost immediately," said Miller. "The reason that we chose Shreveport for this new facility is multi-faceted. The first reason is that the talent pool actually exists here and that enables us to quickly hire a large number of skilled employees. The second reason is the facility itself."

According to Louisiana Economic Development, SLB signed a seven-year lease agreement with the Shreveport Business Park earlier this month. SLB plans to renovate and occupy the 1 million-square-foot GM plant that has sat vacant since 2012.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards shakes hands with officials at the Remington Garage moments after announcing the $18.5 million investment by SLB at the old GM plant that is expected to result in more than 1,300 new jobs on Friday afternoon, July 14, 2023.

"On behalf of the city we love to welcome this new venture by SLB to Caddo Parish and the great workforce of Northwest Louisiana," said Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux. "We will not let you down."

This project was secured in Shreveport following the state's offer of a competitive incentives package which includes the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart and a $4.5 million performance-based grant for building and infrastructure improvements upon meeting investment and employment targets.

This win was made possible by the collaborative efforts of many groups and individuals, said Justyn Dixon, President and CEO of North Louisiana Economic Partnership.

Read: New business coming to former GM plant in Shreveport

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Over 1,300 new jobs coming to Shreveport with SLB facility
Generally speaking long term investing is the way to go. But along the way some stocks are going to perform badly. For example, after five long years the q.beyond AG (ETR:QBY) share price is a whole 53% lower. That's not a lot of fun for true believers. And it's not just long term holders hurting, because the stock is down 33% in the last year. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 14% in the last three months.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

See our latest analysis for q.beyond

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 way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

Over five years q.beyond's earnings per share dropped significantly, falling to a loss, with the share price also lower. At present it's hard to make valid comparisons between EPS and the share price. But we would generally expect a lower price, given the situation.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here.

What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We've already covered q.beyond's share price action, but we should also mention its total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. q.beyond's TSR of was a loss of 51% for the 5 years. That wasn't as bad as its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

A Different Perspective

Investors in q.beyond had a tough year, with a total loss of 33%, against a market gain of about 17%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 9% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand q.beyond better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for q.beyond you should know about.

Of course q.beyond may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on German exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

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If you are building a properly diversified stock portfolio, the chances are some of your picks will perform badly. But the last three years have been particularly tough on longer term Anexo Group Plc (LON:ANX) shareholders. Unfortunately, they have held through a 56% decline in the share price in that time. The more recent news is of little comfort, with the share price down 54% in a year. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 42% in the last 90 days.

So let's have a look and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.

View our latest analysis for Anexo Group

To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

Although the share price is down over three years, Anexo Group actually managed to grow EPS by 0.3% per year in that time. This is quite a puzzle, and suggests there might be something temporarily buoying the share price. Alternatively, growth expectations may have been unreasonable in the past.

After considering the numbers, we'd posit that the the market had higher expectations of EPS growth, three years back. But it's possible a look at other metrics will be enlightening.

We note that, in three years, revenue has actually grown at a 23% annual rate, so that doesn't seem to be a reason to sell shares. It's probably worth investigating Anexo Group further; while we may be missing something on this analysis, there might also be an opportunity.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. So we recommend checking out this free report showing consensus forecasts

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. In the case of Anexo Group, it has a TSR of -54% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 5.8% in the last year, Anexo Group shareholders lost 53% (even including dividends). However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 8% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. 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. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Anexo Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them can't be ignored.

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 British 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.

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The main aim of stock picking is to find the market-beating stocks. But even the best stock picker will only win with some selections. So we wouldn't blame long term Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd (KLSE:PETRONM) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 41% over a half decade.

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.

See our latest analysis for Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During the five years over which the share price declined, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 3.9% each year. This reduction in EPS is less than the 10% annual reduction in the share price. So it seems the market was too confident about the business, in the past. The less favorable sentiment is reflected in its current P/E ratio of 4.12.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

We know that Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd's TSR for the last 5 years was -31%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 11% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. Notably the five-year annualised TSR loss of 6% per year compares very unfavourably with the recent share price performance. The long term loss makes us cautious, but the short term TSR gain certainly hints at a brighter future. 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. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) you should know about.

But note: Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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.

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CTF/FCE

OTTAWA, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heidi Yetman, former President of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT), began her two-year term as President of the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF/FCE) following the Annual General Meeting in Ottawa.

Yetman succeeds outgoing President Sam Hammond.

I am truly humbled to be stepping into Sam Hammonds shoes as President of the CTF/FCE, says Heidi. Sam has been an extraordinary leader and a strong voice for the Federation, and I am honoured and excited to be able to continue the incredible work. Education across this country is facing significant challenges and our Federation will have an important role to play in ensuring that quality publicly funded public education becomes a true priority. I look forward to working with this talented Executive and amazing staff team to provide the best possible representation for teachers from all provinces and territories of Canada.

Before becoming QPAT President, Heidi was president of the Pearson Teachers Union in Montreal after teaching Science and Art for 23 years at the high-school level. She has served as a Vice-President of the CTF/FCE from 2018 to 2019 and again beginning in 2021 before being elected as President-Designate in July 2022. From 2021-2023, she held dual roles of Executive liaison for the CTF/FCEs Advisory Committee on the Status of Women and Advisory Committee on French as a First Language.

In addition to various committee work, Heidi attended the Education International (EI) 2019 8th World Congress in Bangkok, Thailand where she facilitated a womens caucus session. Her journey has also led her to moderate the 2019 AGM Womens Caucus and a womens panel at the CTF/FCE Womens Symposium. In 2020, Heidi was a keynote speaker at the Manitoba Teachers Society Womens Symposium.

The following newly elected CTF/FCE Vice-Presidents will join President Heidi Yetman and Executive Director Cassandra Hallett to form the Executive team:

Anne Vinet-Roy, Vice-President (Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens)

Justin Matchett, Vice-President (Nunavut Teachers Association)

Connie Keating, Vice-President (New Brunswick Teachers Association)

Karen Littlewood, Vice-President (Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation)

Jenny Regal, Vice-President (The Alberta Teachers Association)



In addition to the newly elected slate of Vice-Presidents, Shelley L. Morse, a member of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and a former president of the CTF/FCE, was elected as the CTF/FCE candidate for EIs Executive Board at next years 10th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

About the CTF/FCE

Founded in 1920, the CTF/FCE is a national alliance of provincial and territorial teachers organizations that represent over 365,000 teachers and education workers across Canada. The CTF/FCE is also an affiliate of Education International, which represents more than 32-million educators.

Media Contact

Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs

Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF/FCE)

nquintao@ctf-fce.ca

Mobile: 613-606-7809




Returns At New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZSE:NZO) Are On The Way Up

Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZSE:NZO) so let's look a bit deeper.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for New Zealand Oil & Gas, this is the formula:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.12 = NZ$27m  (NZ$257m - NZ$25m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

Therefore, New Zealand Oil & Gas has an ROCE of 12%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 14% generated by the Oil and Gas industry.

See our latest analysis for New Zealand Oil & Gas

roce

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for New Zealand Oil & Gas' ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating New Zealand Oil & Gas' past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Are Returns Trending?

The fact that New Zealand Oil & Gas is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. Shareholders would no doubt be pleased with this because the business was loss-making five years ago but is is now generating 12% on its capital. In addition to that, New Zealand Oil & Gas is employing 40% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can tell us that the company has plenty of reinvestment opportunities that are able to generate higher returns.

Our Take On New Zealand Oil & Gas' ROCE

Long story short, we're delighted to see that New Zealand Oil & Gas' reinvestment activities have paid off and the company is now profitable. And since the stock has fallen 31% over the last five years, there might be an opportunity here. That being the case, research into the company's current valuation metrics and future prospects seems fitting.

On a final note, we've found 3 warning signs for New Zealand Oil & Gas that we think you should be aware of.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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There wouldn't be many who think W T K Holdings Berhad's (KLSE:WTK) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.4x is worth a mention when the median P/S for the Forestry industry in Malaysia is similar at about 0.8x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for W T K Holdings Berhad

How Has W T K Holdings Berhad Performed Recently?

Revenue has risen firmly for W T K Holdings Berhad recently, which is pleasing to see. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this respectable revenue growth might not be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders probably aren't too pessimistic about the future direction of the share price.

We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on W T K Holdings Berhad's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, W T K Holdings Berhad would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 16%. Still, revenue has fallen 8.0% in total from three years ago, which is quite disappointing. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenues over that time.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 7.4% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that W T K Holdings Berhad's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh on the share price eventually.

What Does W T K Holdings Berhad's P/S Mean For Investors?

It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

The fact that W T K Holdings Berhad currently trades at a P/S on par with the rest of the industry is surprising to us since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term, all while the industry is set to grow. Even though it matches the industry, we're uncomfortable with the current P/S ratio, as this dismal revenue performance is unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.

Having said that, be aware W T K Holdings Berhad is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those can't be ignored.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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The summer has just begun, but so far its been another year of extreme temperatures, record wildfires from coast to coast, tornados, droughts and flooding. Its hard to ignore that we are living the effects of climate change. And those effects are costly.

Last year alone, insured damages from extreme weather events in Canada were over $3 billion dollars, and the 2021 heat dome and atmospheric river events caused more than $5 billion in damages in British Columbia.

These annual costs have more than quadrupled over the last 15 years and all the projections are that they will continue to increase until we manage to eliminate our carbon emissions. While many individuals and governments seem reluctant to make sufficient investments in climate action to reduce those emissions, it seems they are also reluctant to acknowledge the cost of inaction.

For most of us, the direct impact of climate change may be limited to annoying inconveniences such as smoky summer days or stifling heat that keeps us indoors. But for many Canadians the impacts are life changingthe loss of homes to fire or flood, or the loss of crops and income from drought.

But all of us will see rising costs as climate change intensifies, and one sector that will lead the way is home insurance. As insurance companies face higher claims year over year, they will have little choice but to increase premiums, and that has already started to happen.

Even more concerning is the increasing trend in the United States to simply not offer home insurance at all. In California, major companies such as Allstate and State Farm have stopped selling new home insurance policies because of the frequency of catastrophic fires. Similarly, in Florida, insurance companies are not taking on new customers or renewing existing policies because of flooding associated with higher sea levels and stronger storms, and those that can get insurance are paying an average of $4,000 per year.

I met with the Insurance Bureau of Canada recently, and they pointed out that its becoming difficult to buy a home in fire-prone areas of the country during the summer. Most companies simply wont provide new insurance when there is an active wildfire close to a home (25 to 100 km in some cases), and in many recent years that impacted sales in several parts of British Columbia.

Its also becoming harder to get flood insurance on homes, in fact over 10 percent of homes in Canada are considered to be in high flood risk areas and cant be insured. The federal government is planning on rolling out a flood insurance program that will backstop insurance companies providing affordable coverage to Canadians living in flood-prone areas.

Climate change impacts arent limited to fires and floods. Ive been talking with the wine industry in the Okanagan Valley about the effects of last winters early hard frosts that will likely cut this years grape harvest in half and killed many vines outright. The federal government came up with supports through the AgriRecovery program to help Ontario and Nova Scotia vineyard owners hit with similar winter kill a year ago, and Im hoping we can find support from both the federal and provincial governments to keep this important industry thriving in B.C.

Its clear that we must recognize the devastating impacts of climate change on the lives of Canadians. And to reduce the human and financial costs of these extreme weather events, we must make bolder investments to reduce our emissions and to prepare our homes, businesses and communities for future challenges.

Over the coming years these investments will save ten times their costs in avoided damage and loss of personal property, and will also allow us to live healthier, longer lives.

Richard Cannings is the NDP MP South OkanaganWest Kootenay.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
If not for Federal Judge Analisa Torres, Coinbases first pre-trial hearing in its battle against the Securities and Exchange Commission might have garnered more attention.

But Torreswho sits in the same Southern District of New York where Coinbases SEC case will be heardstole the spotlight when she issued a partial ruling on the SEC v. Ripple Labs case Thursday morning.

The court ruled that Ripples XRP sales through digital asset exchanges are not securities transactions, Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal told Decrypt in a written statement. The relevant aspects of those XRP sales operate the same way the majority of digital asset trading operates on exchanges like Coinbase.

And that has cast doubt on some of the allegations Coinbase faces in its own court battle against the SEC, a person familiar with the case told Decrypt.

So the court rulingthis thing blows a hole in the entire theory of the SEC when it comes to claims like the ones they've made against Coinbase, the person said. And, you know, I get it. It's one judge. It's one case. A different judge might think differently. This thing is gonna have a massive effect.

Coinbase only just had its first pre-trial hearing this morning for its court battle with the SEC. Last month the U.S. securities regulator alleged the San Francisco-based crypto exchange should have registered as an exchange, clearing house, and broker and that it sold unregistered securities through its staking service.

Why Coinbase Thinks the SEC Lawsuit Should Be Dismissed

But now that a federal judge has ruled that in most cases XRP was not sold as a security, Coinbase has reversed its January 2021 decision to fully suspend trading in XRP."

On Thursday, Coinbase said it would again allow XRP trading on its exchange.

Our XRP-USDT and XRP-EUR trading pairs are now in full-trading mode on Coinbase Exchange, Coinbase Pro and Advanced Trade, the company wrote from one of its Twitter accounts just before 9 p.m. EST on Thursday. Limit, market and stop orders are all now available.

Per data from CoinGecko, XRP is now the industry's fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, having risen nearly 67% over the past 24 hours. It's currently trading hands at $0.78.
Ship locations as of Friday of tankers loaded with Russian crude. (Map: MarineTraffic)

The price of Russian Urals crude, exported from ports in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea, is now at or above the $60-per-barrel price cap set by the Group of Seven nations and the European Union. If it stays there or rises further, European tanker owners and their U.K. insurers will not be able to legally participate in this lucrative shipping trade.

The breach [of the] price cap could have significant ramifications for Russia-origin oil continuing to be carried on international tonnage, said ship brokerage Braemar on Friday.

The price cap was put in place on Dec. 5. Urals flirted with $60 in April but global prices fell in the following months, pulling Urals back from the brink. This month, oil prices have risen at the same time the discount of Urals to the global benchmark, Brent, has shrunk.

Urals has topped $60 by a few cents since Wednesday, the first time it has done so since the cap plan was implemented, according to data from price-reporting agency Argus. (Russian ESPO crude loaded in the Pacific has always been over the cap.)

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Argus)

The question for Western governments is: Will there be sufficient non-Western tanker tonnage available to maintain Russian export flows, preventing a further rise in global oil prices that negatively impacts consumers?

The questions for tanker markets: Will an exodus of European tankers from Russian trades weigh freight rates in non-Russian trades by injecting more tonnage? And will new restrictions on Russian trades mean that non-Western tankers  the so-called shadow tankers  earn an even higher premium?

Shock could be less dramatic than expected

If the price persists above $60 per barrel, the players moving Russian crude may have to increasingly rely on the shadow fleet, Sheel Bhattacharjee, head of European freight at Argus, told FreightWaves.

This is likely to widen the freight spread between Russian cargoes and the general market. However, the shadow fleet can expand if the incentives are there. So, there may be enough vessels to carry Russian volumes, especially following the recently announced cuts to Russian oil production.

As a result, said Bhattacharjee, the initial shock could turn out to be less dramatic than some may expect, and the market is likely to rebalance itself again even if the Urals price remains above the cap long-term.

According to data from Kpler, Russian seaborne crude exports averaged 3.4 million barrels per day (b/d) in June, down 12% from May to the lowest monthly volume since December. Seaborne exports in the first half of July have averaged 3.2 million b/d, down 7% from June.

Even so, Russian crude export flows are still above pre-invasion levels. Average seaborne exports this June and July are up 4% from those in June-July 2021.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Kpler)

Moscow has promised a further 500,000 b/d cut to exports in August, said the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Thursday. IEA data shows that virtually all Russian crude exports continue to move to just two countries: China and India.

Crude tanker owners earning huge premiums in Russia

Russian crude is loaded aboard Aframaxes (tankers that carry 750,000 barrels) or Suezmaxes (1 million-barrel capacity). They sail either directly to India or China, or they do ship-to-ship transfers to very large crude carriers (2 million-barrel capacity) that handle the long-haul leg.

If the price of Urals exceeds the cap for an extended period, forcing Western tankers out of the trade, the non-Western tankers that remain could reap higher premiums. Russian freight premiums are already very high. Average freight rates for Aframaxes and Suezmaxes have been declining globally since April. Rates for Aframaxes and Suezmaxes carrying Russian oil have fallen less, increasing the freight spread.

Argus launched a new product this year that compares weekly Russian crude export freight rates to a non-Russian baseline. It shows that in the first week of July, an Aframax loading 80,000 tons of Russian Urals in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk for delivery to western India earned $3.68 per barrel more in freight than a baseline tanker. Thats a premium of 90%  meaning an Aframax is earning almost twice as much in this Russian trade as it could elsewhere.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Argus)

The cost of transporting 140,000 tons of crude aboard a Suezmax from Novorossiysk to northern China was $3.17 per barrel higher than the baseline, a premium of 76%, according to Argus data.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Argus)

In the Baltic Sea, the freight cost for a 100,000-ton cargo of Russian Urals loaded on an Aframax in the first week of July at the port of Primorsk for delivery to western India exceeded the non-Russian baseline by $3.89 per barrel or 87%.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Argus)

Urals-Brent spread cut in half since January

The breaching of the price cap occurred as global oil prices were rising. Brent just topped $80 per barrel for the first time since late April. Cuts by the OPEC+ producers could put further upward pressure on crude prices. So far, [OPEC+ cuts] have not led to a steep decline in global supply. That may be about to change, said the IEA. Supply should shift toward a lower trajectory in the coming months as Riyadh [Saudi Arabia] implements steeper cuts.

As the price of Brent has risen, the discount of Russian Urals compared to Brent has declined. That is not a positive trend for Western policy: The whole point of Western sanctions is to force Russian exports to sell at a steep discount, reducing revenues to the Kremlin.

The narrowing of the Urals-Brent spread is an example of the broader market trend toward a lower discount of medium-sour crudes to light-sweet crudes. (Medium and light refer to crude gravity; sweet and sour refer to sulfur content.) Medium-sour crude pricing is rising more than light-sweet pricing. Russian Urals is medium-sour. Brent is light-sweet.

David Fyfe, chief economist at Argus, told FreightWaves: We have real physical tightness in medium-sour crude, in part because of the diversion of Russian crude long-haul into Asia. More crude on the water equates to tighter prompt supply.

In addition to Saudi and Russian supply curbs in July and August, weve had disrupted Canadian crude production and several months of shuttered Iraqi Kirkuk exports. So, prices of medium-to-heavy-sour crude have appreciated versus light-sweet benchmarks.

According to Argus data, the discount of Russian Urals compared to Brent skyrocketed from almost nothing to around $40 per barrel in the days following the invasion of Ukraine. After falling in mid-2022, the discount again rose to $40 per barrel in January following the EU ban on Russian crude imports and the G-7 price cap. Since then, the discount has been cut in half, to $20 per barrel.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Argus)

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The post Russian crude prices have breached the G-7 price cap. Now what? appeared first on FreightWaves.
(Bloomberg) -- Sasol Ltd. was castigated by South Africas national air quality officer for failing to cut pollution as its bid for an exemption to sulfur dioxide emission limits at a giant petrochemical complex was denied.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The exemption at the Secunda plant was refused because Sasol hadnt demonstrated an effort to curb emissions of the toxin, is already benefiting from a 10-year postponement and is breaching legal levels for other pollutants, Patience Gwaze said in her decision. The decision was sent to South Africas biggest company by revenue on July 11 and seen by Bloomberg.

The company, which generates the pollutant from its 17 coal-fired boilers at Secunda in eastern South Africa, was granted a one-time exemption from limits for a decade in 2015 and is expected to comply with new maximum levels as of April 1, 2025.

Sasol and state power utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. are the countrys two biggest sources of sulfur dioxide, which has been tied to acid rain, respiratory disease, heart attacks and strokes. The areas in which they operate their coal-fired plants have some of the worlds worst air pollution. The government was last year ordered by the High Court to compel the two companies to comply with pollution regulations.

Sasol Secunda has failed to demonstrate steam plants previous reduction, measures and direct investments implemented towards compliance with sulfur dioxide limits, Gwaze said in her ruling. Referring to the one-time postponement already granted to Sasol, Gwaze said to permit such indulgence into perpetuity would defeat the objective of pollution limits.

Sasol is also in breach of limits for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions and had been granted an exemption for those pollutants, Gwaze noted.

The company, South Africas biggest by revenue, had applied to have its sulfur dioxide emissions measured in terms of the total tonnage emitted over a period of time rather than the industry standard of concentration of the toxin.

Sasol, which is appealing the decision, has a different interpretation of the requirements of the law to the air quality officer, spokesman Alex Anderson said in a response to queries. He declined to comment beyond a statement on Wednesday noting that its bid had been rejected. In that Sasol said it complied with most emission limits and has spent 7 billion rand ($391 million) curbing pollution over the last five years.

Your Lungs

Sasol wanted an average with periods of very concentrated emissions, Eugene Cairncross, a professor emeritus in chemical engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, said in an interview. Your lungs dont operate in that way, you breathe every few seconds. What they had proposed represented a significant slackening of the limit.

The most effective way of cutting sulfur-dioxide pollution is through the installation of flue-gas desulfurization units that both Sasol and Eskom have previously said could cost billions of dollars to install and would need significant supplies of lime and water.

For the fiscal year through June 2022, Secunda produced 137,300 tons of sulfur oxides and 49.2 million tons of climate warming carbon dioxide, or its equivalent, according to the companys sustainability report. Thats more greenhouse gases than either Norway or Portugal. Sulfur dioxide, which is produced alongside greenhouse gases, doesnt warm the planet.

Secunda is the eighth-biggest source of sulfur dioxide in South Africa after seven coal-fired power plants owned by Eskom.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate says he was paid $20,000 under Elon Musk's content-creator plan

Andrew Tate faces criminal charges in Romania. Ceocast/YouTube

Andrew Tate says he's been paid more than $20,000 by Twitter.

The payment was part of Elon Musk's scheme to reward content creators on the platform.

Musk announced the plan in June and said the first round of payments would total $5 million.

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate says he's been paid more than $20,000 under Elon Musk's new scheme to reward content creators.

Tate, who is facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania, shared a screenshot of the payment notification on Thursday saying: "Every penny goes to tatepledge.com."

The funds are paid out through Stripe, according to the screenshot, and represent a share of Twitter's ad revenue.

Tate has only been back on Twitter since November when his previous ban was lifted by its new owner, Elon Musk.

The British influencer was banned from Twitter in 2017 after being found to violate its terms of service with inflammatory tweets. Tate was one of several banned accounts that were restored to the platform under Musk.

Representatives for Twitter did not respond to Insider's request for comment with a reply that addressed the query.

Musk first announced the new payment scheme for content creators in June.

In a Twitter post, the billionaire said that "X/Twitter will start paying creators for ads served in their replies" with the first block of payments totaling $5 million. However, creators that want to participate must be verified on the platform.

According to The Washington Post, some of the first beneficiaries of the scheme appeared to be high-profile far-right influencers. For example, right-wing blogger, Ian Miles Cheong was among those boasting about their earnings.

The news left some Twitter users questioning how the beneficiaries were selected.

"My Twitter account generated 61 million impressions since Feb 3rd, 2023," Matt Navarra, a social media analyst, said on Thursday. "It's pretty lame there is no payout coming my way."

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Tom Westbrook, Rae Wee and Hannah Lang

SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bitcoin was hovering near its highest so far this year on Friday after crypto investors took encouragement from a legal victory in which the cryptocurrency XRP was ruled not to be a security.

A U.S. judge said on Thursday that Ripple Labs Inc did not violate securities law by selling its XRP token on public exchanges.

The case marks the first win for a cryptocurrency company in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the decision was specific to the individual case, it unleashed a wave of optimism among crypto investors that more cryptocurrencies may also not be deemed securities.

Still, the enthusiasm for some was tempered by a report from the Wall Street Journal that Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has laid off more than 1,000 people in recent weeks. The lay-offs are ongoing and could result in the exchange losing more than a third of its staff, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Coinbase also announced on Friday that it would limit its crypto staking services for retail customers in California, New Jersey, South Carolina and Wisconsin, pending proceedings several states initiated against the exchange last month, claiming that the program violated securities laws.

Bitcoin hit its highest price since June 2022 earlier, touching $31,818, before edging down to trade around $30,091 at 2009 GMT on Friday.

Second-biggest token ether had its best session since March on Thursday and XRP, which the U.S. judge ruled could be legally sold on public crypto exchanges, soared 73% on Thursday and held most of these gains on Friday.

"The regulatory environment is changing," said Matthew Dibb, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Astronaut Capital. "And by what we have seen in the last 24 hours, it could be for the better."

Justin d'Anethan, head of business development in Asia at Keyrock, a digital assets market maker in Hong Kong, said finding that XRP tokens sold on public crypto exchanges were not securities under law "probably serves as a precedent".

"Ripple stakeholders were waiting for some regulatory clarity. Yesterday the court seems to have provided just that," he said.

Following the decision, several major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Coinbase and Bitstamp, resumed trading of XRP on their platforms, after having suspended trading of the token in 2021 due to the SEC's lawsuit. Binance.US said on Friday it had also enabled XRP trading on its exchange.

Coinbase, which was sued by the SEC last month for alleged securities laws violations, saw its shares surge nearly 25% on Thursday as investors hoped that the ruling in the Ripple case would bode well for Coinbase.

SLOW RECOVERY

Cryptocurrencies have staged a gradual recovery so far this year, after prices fell sharply last year and a series of bankruptcies at major crypto firms, including crypto exchange FTX, left investors with heavy losses.

The collapse of FTX added momentum to global regulatory efforts at reining in the sector, especially to protect small investors lured by fast returns.

China has all but banned crypto. U.S. investigators raking over FTX have accused founder Sam Bankman-Fried of multibillion-dollar fraud, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Alex Mashinsky, the founder of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius, was charged with fraud for misleading customers and artificially inflating the value of the company's token, according to a U.S. indictment unsealed on Thursday. He pleaded not guilty.

Meanwhile, Coinbase and bigger rival Binance face lawsuits, which they are contesting, from the SEC and in Binance's case from other regulators as well.

A top SEC official said last month the industry has "an ethos built around non-compliance".

At Binance, the lay-offs as reported by the Wall Street Journal are occurring as a string of executives have recently departed the company, including Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann. Hillmann confirmed on Twitter that he was leaving the exchange, citing personal reasons.

Still, crypto investors have taken encouragement from the world's biggest asset manager, BlackRock, filing to launch a bitcoin exchange traded fund last month. Earlier in July exchange operator Cboe refreshed its filing for a similar fund to be run by asset manager Fidelity.

As a risk asset, cryptocurrencies could also stand to gain from a weaker dollar.

"We'd gone through this long period of just consistently negative news to make the space look pretty grimy," said Chris Weston, head of research at brokerage Pepperstone in Melbourne.

"For the first time in a while, it's been consistently positive news coming though and that means you've got momentum."

(Additional reporting by Vidya Ranganathan in Singapore; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, Alex Richardson and Josie Kao)
Update: (Saturday, July 15) Liftoff! SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 with 54 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:50 p.m. EDT Saturday, July 15, followed by a drone ship booster landing in the Atlantic Ocean.

Update: (Friday, July 14) SpaceX teams are now targeting no earlier than 11:50 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 15, for the launch of this Falcon 9 Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The company posted to social media Friday afternoon that a static fire of the rocket's main engines would need to be performed, suggesting unspecified hardware issues.

SpaceX's latest attempt at launching another batch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was scrubbed just seconds before liftoff early Friday.

Originally set to fly during an hour-and-a-half long window that opened at 12:10 a.m. EDT, the mission to send 54 of the flat-pack satellites to low-Earth orbit was aborted forty seconds before liftoff from Launch Complex 40. No reason for the scrub was immediately provided by SpaceX.

Rocket launch schedule: Upcoming Florida launches and landings

SpaceX's next opportunity to launch the 230-foot rocket on a southeasterly trajectory is early Saturday, July 15, at 12:15 a.m. EDT.

If it launches on time, the Space Coast's 35th mission of the year will thread between Florida and the Bahamas. A few minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster will target a landing on the Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. No local sonic booms are expected to wake anyone up with this one.

For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Look for FLORIDA TODAY's live launch coverage to begin 90 minutes before the liftoff at https://www.floridatoday.com/space/.

Contact Jamie Groh at JGroh@floridatoday.com and follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.

Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.

Launch Saturday, July 15:

Company / Agency: Internal SpaceX mission

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Launch Window: 11:50 p.m. EDT

Trajectory: Southeast

Weather: 85% "go"

Landing: A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

About: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the company's latest batch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX Starlink launch scrubs seconds before liftoff; set for weekend
Key Insights

The projected fair value for Stanmore Resources is AU$5.09 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Stanmore Resources is estimated to be 50% undervalued based on current share price of AU$2.57

The average premium for Stanmore Resources' competitorsis currently 1,356%

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Stanmore Resources Limited (ASX:SMR) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Stanmore Resources

What's The Estimated Valuation?

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, 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 ($, Millions) US$376.6m US$330.6m US$304.8m US$290.0m US$281.8m US$277.9m US$276.8m US$277.7m US$279.9m US$283.2m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -7.80% Est @ -4.87% Est @ -2.82% Est @ -1.39% Est @ -0.38% Est @ 0.32% Est @ 0.81% Est @ 1.16% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 10% US$341 US$272 US$227 US$196 US$173 US$154 US$139 US$127 US$116 US$106

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$1.9b

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.0%) 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 10%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$283m (1 + 2.0%)  (10% 2.0%) = US$3.5b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$3.5b ( 1 + 10%)10= US$1.3b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$3.1b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of AU$2.6, the company appears quite undervalued at a 50% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

dcf

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Stanmore Resources 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 10%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.405. 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.

Next Steps:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching 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. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Stanmore Resources, there are three essential items you should consider:

Risks: You should be aware of the 1 warning sign for Stanmore Resources we've uncovered before considering an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does SMR'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 Australian 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.

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The start of a second outerbelt? Planners eye bypass around Johnstown to connect 70 and 71

The future of Johnstown businesses, such as the Dashing Diner, might change as regional planners grapple with the growth in the Licking County city. The Dashing Diner, shown here Wednesday, is just three doors down from routes 37 and 62, which are expected to change dramatically when the Intel chip manufacturing facility opens.

The New Albany Co. has asked transportation officials for a road through Licking County to connect Interstate 71 north of Columbus and I-70 east of Columbus, according to a Licking County official.

There is no route planned yet, said Matt Hill, technical study director with the Licking County Area Transportation office.

He said The New Albany Co., which has led the growth and development of the city of New Albany and its International Business Park in Licking County, requested the connector because companies in the business park ship really expensive stuff all over the world, and they want quicker access to I-71, in particular.

The request came to light this week when a map showing proposed road projects in Licking County appeared on a county website. The map has since been removed from the website.

Kristy Hawthorne, program administrator for the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District, based in Newark, said the map was meant for internal use and should not have been posted on the agencys public website.

Johnstown, shown here April 10, is a city experiencing rapid growth as the Intel chip manufacturing plant is being built just south of the city.

More: A second outerbelt? Intel growth forcing Ohio transportation execs to think big

A red line on the map showing a possible connector road running from the north of Johnstown toward Newark but then curving southeast just outside of Johnstown near where Intel is building the worlds largest computer-chip factory, and then traveling south between Alexandria and Granville toward I-70 in the vicinity of Etna or Kirkersville.

From the Soil and Water standpoint, it (the path depicted for a connector road) is not accurate and there is no meat behind it, Hawthorne said, after fielding calls from property owners in western Licking County who were concerned about how close to their homes such a road might run.

People have called in tears, she said.

While the web page on which the map was displayed cited numerous local government sources and other specific resources for details on the map, it also included a disclaimer that said, This map depicts road improvements that are not guaranteed, and this map should not be used as a reference for what projects are happening, but instead what projects could happen going forward, based on local government planning documents.

Hawthorne said the path shown for a connector came from informal conversations and was not based on information from any agency or plans currently in process.

But the concept is being discussed, Hill said.

Theres no specific plan and no timeframe for it, he said.

In an emailed statement, Tom Rubey, Director of Development for The New Albany Company, said that public infrastructure enhancement and investment is being analyzed by numerous public entities including the state of Ohio, ODOT, Franklin, Licking and Delaware counties, and a multitude of cities and municipalities.

New Albany Company is an advocate of comprehensive regional planning that will accommodate the continued growth and economic investment in the region, which is expected to grow from 2 million to 4 million people in the next 20-30 years, he said.

The New Albany Co. has a successful track record when it comes to road projects, including the widening of Rt. 161 to four lanes from I-270 to Granville and the interchanges at Beech and Mink roads that serve the New Albany International Business Park.

I know this: If New Albany Company is behind it, it will be done, said Stephanie Taylor, an Alexandria resident who is helping lead a grassroots campaign against placing two asphalt manufacturing plants along Raccoon Creek and Route 37 on the edges of the village.

She said she is very concerned about the changes a connector road would bring to the area.

Jim Lenner, former Johnstown city manager and now president of Neighborhood Strategies consulting, is working with some communities in western Licking County. He said that he is aware of discussions of concepts of a connector, but it is unclear at this point whether it would be a new road or the widening of existing roads.

I think its a possibility, he said. Ive seen maps conceptually showing a connector continuing south of I-70 to connect with Rt. 33.

An outer-outerbelt around the Columbus metropolitan area has been discussed for decades.

If a connector road were built between I-71 and I-70 around Johnstown, it could be the start of another ring freeway around Columbus and its suburbs.

And with it, Lenner said, would come more development.

There is so much development heading our way  that would only exacerbate it, he said. With a major transportation corridor, it would only bring more development.  It would change the character of the area. No doubt about it.

It depends on who you talk with about whether thats positive or negative, Lenner said.

He encouraged local residents who might be concerned about growth and development to attend meetings of local government officials and talk with their state representatives.

Alexis Fitzsimmons, executive director of Grow Licking County, an economic development organization, said she is aware of a consultants work to study the feasibility of an outer-outerbelt.

That came up several months ago, but Im not aware of a formal request, she said.

She said that traffic on existing main routes in the Johnstown area  the intersection of Rts. 62 and 37 in Johnstown, in particular  is beyond capacity.

Im sure that a creative solution is needed, she said. The movement of people and goods in an efficient manner is always good.

Alan Miller writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison Universitys journalism program, which is funded in part by the Mellon Foundation. thereportingproject@denison.edu

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Intel growth prompts look at Licking County Johnstown bypass
FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump's White House chief strategist Steve Bannon arrives to surrender at the New York Criminal Courthouse

Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn must answer questions in Smartmatic US defamation case FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump's White House chief strategist Steve Bannon arrives to surrender at the New York Criminal Courthouse

By Jack Queen

(Reuters) - Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn, two allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump, must answer questions under oath in voting technology company Smartmatic's defamation lawsuit against right-wing media outlet Newsmax, court records showed on Wednesday.

Florida-based Smartmatic served subpoenas on Bannon, who served as a White House strategist under Trump, and Flynn, who briefly served as national security adviser, on Wednesday, according to documents filed in Delaware state court.

Bannon and Flynn, both of whom have faced their own legal woes, were two of the most vocal boosters of Trump's false claims that the 2020 U.S. election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud, and they could have information on the spread of these claims that might help Smartmatic in the litigation.

Smartmatic has accused Newsmax of knowingly spreading false claims that the voting software maker was part of a scheme to rig the election against Trump, who was seeking re-election, and in favor Democratic rival Joe Biden, who won.

The company is seeking a total of $2.7 billion in damages across five cases, including against Fox, several of its hosts and former Trump lawyers. Smartmatic's case has played out alongside a similar defamation lawsuit against Fox News and Fox Corp by Dominion Voting Systems, which settled on the eve of trial in April for $787 million.

Bannon and Flynn representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did Smartmatic and Newsmax.

A trial date has not yet been set in the Smartmatic case. Representatives of both companies previously have declined to say whether they are in talks over a possible settlement.

Bannon, an influential figure on the American right, worked on Trump's 2016 campaign and later in the White House. He now hosts a podcast. Bannon last year was convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee that investigated the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

Bannon separately was charged in 2020 with defrauding donors to a private fund-raising effort to boost Trump's project to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Trump pardoned Bannon before that federal case went to trial. Bannon now is set to go on trial next year on state criminal charges related to the wall scheme.

Flynn is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who served as Trump's first White House national security advisor until he stepped down after only a few weeks on the job amid revelations that he misled then-Vice President Mike Pence about his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

Trump also pardoned Flynn, who had twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the federal investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

(Reporting by Jack Queen; Editing by Will Dunham)
New Stratus Energy Inc. (CVE:NSE) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 32% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Still, the 30-day jump doesn't change the fact that longer term shareholders have seen their stock decimated by the 50% share price drop in the last twelve months.

Although its price has surged higher, New Stratus Energy may still be sending buy signals at present with its price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.4x, considering almost half of all companies in the Oil and Gas industry in Canada have P/S ratios greater than 1.8x and even P/S higher than 7x aren't out of the ordinary. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.

View our latest analysis for New Stratus Energy

What Does New Stratus Energy's Recent Performance Look Like?

Recent times have been quite advantageous for New Stratus Energy as its revenue has been rising very briskly. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/S ratio. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for New Stratus Energy, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as New Stratus Energy's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company's revenues underwent some rampant growth over the last 12 months. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been anywhere near as strong with three-year revenue growth being relatively non-existent overall. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to decline by 6.6% over the next year, which puts the company's recent medium-term positive growth rates in a good light for now.

In light of this, it's quite peculiar that New Stratus Energy's P/S sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders believe the recent performance has exceeded its limits and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

The Bottom Line On New Stratus Energy's P/S

New Stratus Energy's stock price has surged recently, but its but its P/S still remains modest. It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our examination of New Stratus Energy revealed that despite growing revenue over the medium-term in a shrinking industry, the P/S doesn't reflect this as it's lower than the industry average. There could be some major unobserved threats to revenue preventing the P/S ratio from matching this positive performance. Amidst challenging industry conditions, perhaps a key concern is whether the company can sustain its superior revenue growth trajectory. It appears many are indeed anticipating revenue instability, because this relative performance should normally provide a boost to the share price.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for New Stratus Energy you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on New Stratus Energy, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Photo: The Canadian Press

Police in eastern Ontario say they are watching for possible retaliatory violence between two motorcycle clubs after a violent brawl erupted in one city and a clubhouse burned down in a suspected arson in another.

Provincial police, as well as officers in the eastern Ontario cities of Cornwall and Brockville, have warned the public not to engage with members of the Loners and Outlaws motorcycle clubs as they investigate.

Two people were stabbed, one person was shot and five people were arrested in Cornwall after a fight in a parking lot Saturday between approximately 30 suspected members of the two motorcycle groups, local police said.

"The one thing that is alarming is how brazen this was in daylight hours, and the fact that guns and weapons were used ... which is striking," Cornwall police Insp.Chad Maxwell said in an interview.

"We have heard ... there has been an increase in violence over the past few years, involving these groups. This is the first incident that I'm aware of taking place this summer."

Following the parking lot brawl, investigators say the Loners' clubhouse in Brockville, Ont., located an hour drive west of Cornwall, burned to the ground a day later. Police suspect arson.

Ontario Provincial Police, Cornwall police and Brockville police are investigating whether the two cases are connected.

When asked about the prospect of retaliation related to the recent violence, Maxwell said police were bracing for that possibility.

"I can say that is a concern," he said.

A spokesperson for the Outlaws said in an email the group has "no comment at the moment since the investigation still going on."

Maxwell, of Cornwall police, said the brawl that took place last weekend should be a reminder to the public not to engage with members of motorcycle gangs or wear gang-related paraphernalia.

He added that biker gangs have historically exploited Cornwall's unique geographical location, as it shares a border with Quebec and the United States, and criminal motorcycle groups have been involved in human trafficking, drug smuggling, and murders in rural areas.

One Ontario professor said history indicates that a spike in violence between motorcycle groups could signal a turf war is brewing in the area.

"This power struggle could be motivated by the eastward expansion of the Loners who were founded in Woodbridge in the York Region in 1979," said Antonio Nicaso, a professor at Queen's University who has written 30 books on mafia and mafia-type organizations.

"They are a powerful organization with international ramification (in the U.S. and Italy) so they should by no means be underestimated. They are looking for more space and more markets."

He said the Outlaws, who have American roots and were established before the Loners, have maintained a strong hold in Cornwall since their birth in the 1940s.

The clubs claim that 99 per cent of their members are law-abiding riders who claim to do a lot of charity work, Nicaso said. But, he said, one per cent are typically known to be outlaws.

He said people typically join the groups for brotherhood, comradery and financial gain.

Nicaso said motorcycle club members engaging in criminal activity typically operate outside large cities.

"There is a demand for drugs, gambling, prostitution or firearms everywhere, so instead of competing over turf in big cities they like to move in the rural areas or in the smaller cities where they face less competition," he said.

Nicaso said what shocked him most about the recent cases was that arson was suspected in the clubhouse fire.

Historically, "even if you touched their vest that will trigger the reaction, so imagine if you are burning down a clubhouse," he said. "I can't predict the future but I think that will trigger for sure more violence."
Henrik Montgomery/TT/Shutterstock / Henrik Montgomery/TT/Shutterstock

The Biden administration announced on Friday, July 14 it would cancel $39 billion of debt for 804,000 student loan borrowers. This follows the June 30 Supreme Court 6-3 decision, which struck down President Joe Bidens student loan forgiveness program.

Discover: An Ancient Rule Allows Biden To Forgive Student Loan Debt  No Matter What the Supreme Court Says

Learn: What To Do If You Owe Back Taxes to the IRS

Today, the Department of Education has started notifying 804,000 student loan borrowers that they will have $39 billion in Federal student loans automatically discharged in the coming weeks, the department tweeted.

The Department of Education explained in a statement that the discharges are a result of fixes implemented by the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure all borrowers have an accurate count of the number of monthly payments that qualify toward forgiveness under income-driven repayment (IDR) plans.

Borrowers are eligible for forgiveness if they have accumulated the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years of qualifying months, the department added.

For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in the statement. By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans.

The department will inform eligible borrowers as of July 14 that they qualify for forgiveness, without further action on their part, and discharges will begin 30 days after emails are sent.

These include borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the Department (including Parent PLUS loans of either type) who have reached the necessary forgiveness threshold as a result of receiving credit toward IDR forgiveness for any of the following periods:

Any month in which a borrower was in a repayment status, regardless of whether payments were partial or late, the type of loan, or the repayment plan;

Any period in which a borrower spent 12 or more consecutive months in forbearance.

Any month in forbearance for borrowers who spent 36 or more cumulative months in forbearance.

Any month spent in deferment (except for in-school deferment) prior to 2013.

Any month spent in economic hardship or military deferments on or after January 1, 2013.

In addition, the months described above that occurred prior to a loan consolidation will also be counted toward forgiveness.

The Department added that it will also notify borrowers who reach the applicable forgiveness thresholds  240 or 300 qualifying monthly payments, depending on their repayment plan and type of loan  every two months until next year when all borrowers who are not yet eligible for forgiveness will have their payment counts updated, according to the statement.

Student loan interest will resume starting on Sept. 1, 2023, and payments-which paused during the pandemic- will be due starting in October.

Will Sealy, co-founder and CEO of Summer, said that today is the latest in a series of announcements that make IDR an even more appealing avenue for borrowers who will struggle with monthly payments when they resume this fall.

This long-promised relief, in addition to the hugely beneficial SAVE plan coming soon, means that borrowers should have even more confidence that enrolling in IDR plans is a viable path to manage and eventually be free of student debt, said Sealy. We cant wait to continue our work making sure borrowers get enrolled in the plans and repayment strategies that benefit them the most, and IDR in particular.

Find Out: New Student Loan Forgiveness Rule Simplifies Process  Who Qualifies?

Student Loan Forgiveness: 10 Expenses To Cut From Your Budget When Payments Resume

A few hours after the Supreme Courts decision on June 30, the administration announced it was seeking an alternative path to debt relief, and also announced it finalized the most affordable repayment plan ever created, ensuring that borrowers will be able to take advantage of this plan this summerbefore loan payments are due.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Student Loan Forgiveness: Biden Cancels $39 Billion of Borrower Debt  Do You Qualify
When close to half the companies operating in the Auto industry in Malaysia have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") above 1.1x, you may consider Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad (KLSE:TCHONG) as an attractive investment with its 0.2x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

View our latest analysis for Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad

What Does Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad's Recent Performance Look Like?

Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. Perhaps the market is expecting the current trend of poor revenue growth to continue, which has kept the P/S suppressed. If this is the case, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

Keen to find out how analysts think Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

How Is Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad's Revenue Growth Trending?

Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 7.0%. However, this wasn't enough as the latest three year period has seen an unpleasant 24% overall drop in revenue. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the six analysts covering the company suggest revenue growth is heading into negative territory, declining 4.1% over the next year. That's not great when the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 17%.

With this information, we are not surprised that Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as the weak outlook is weighing down the shares.

What Does Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad's P/S Mean For Investors?

Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

With revenue forecasts that are inferior to the rest of the industry, it's no surprise that Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad's P/S is on the lower end of the spectrum. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on Thursday signed onto a letter to the CEOs of Fortune 100 companies criticizing diversity policies and "race-based preferences in employment and contracting."

Skrmetti and 12 other Republican attorneys general sent the letter to all Fortune 100 CEOs on Thursday, two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admission policies in colleges and universities. The attorneys general argued that the principles behind that decision apply equally to corporations and that racial preferences in hiring were similarly unconstitutional.

The letter took aim specifically at a few companies' hiring and contracting practices, including Microsoft's plans to increase the number of Black leaders within the company and the number of Black-owned suppliers with which it works. Microsoft's hiring programs were probed by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2020 and cleared a year later.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on March 2, 2023.

Such programs, the letter argues, are an "inversion of the odious discriminatory practices of the distant past" when Black Americans were systematically kept out of corporate America, and as unlawful as those practices were.

"Well-intentioned racial discrimination is just as illegal as invidious discrimination," the letter states.

Skrmetti said in a news release about the letter that companies "have many avenues to help disadvantaged people and communities of all races without resorting to crude racial line-drawing."

The Supreme Court's decision against affirmative action in college admissions does not have a direct effect on corporations. But The New York Times reports that many experts predict it will discourage them from putting in place ambitious diversity policies or cause them to "rein in" existing policies.

The letter ends by warning the companies that they should "know that you will be held accountable  sooner rather than later" if they keep treating people differently based on the color of their skin.

Sen. London Lamar on Feb. 28, 2023.

A top Democratic leader in the Tennessee legislature said the letter was an attempt to undermine Black workers and business owners.

Senate Democratic Caucus Chair London Lamar, D-Memphis, called Skrmetti's action an abuse of power.

"There is an appalling lack of representation in corporate America. For instance, there are only eight Black CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies  and thats a record high number, Lamar said in a news release Thursday afternoon. "If Tennessees Republican attorney general succeeds in bullying companies into ending their programs to hire and work with Black Americans, the consequences will be devastating."

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanMealins.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee attorney general: Race-based hiring policies unconstitutional
You may think that with a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x American Strategic Investment Co. (NYSE:NYC) is a stock worth checking out, seeing as almost half of all the Real Estate companies in the United States have P/S ratios greater than 2x and even P/S higher than 14x aren't out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for American Strategic Investment

What Does American Strategic Investment's Recent Performance Look Like?

American Strategic Investment could be doing better as its revenue has been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive revenue growth. It seems that many are expecting the poor revenue performance to persist, which has repressed the P/S ratio. If this is the case, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on American Strategic Investment.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as American Strategic Investment's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 9.6% decrease to the company's top line. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 10.0% in aggregate. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the one analyst covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 2.3% over the next year. With the industry predicted to deliver 7.2% growth, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

In light of this, it's understandable that American Strategic Investment's P/S sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.

What We Can Learn From American Strategic Investment's P/S?

Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

As we suspected, our examination of American Strategic Investment's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior revenue outlook is contributing to its low P/S. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in revenue isn't great enough to justify a higher P/S ratio. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 4 warning signs for American Strategic Investment (2 are significant!) that we have uncovered.

If you're unsure about the strength of American Strategic Investment's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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One simple way to benefit from the stock market is to buy an index fund. But if you pick the right individual stocks, you could make more than that. For example, the Power Corporation of Canada (TSE:POW) share price is up 49% in the last three years, clearly besting the market return of around 30% (not including dividends). However, more recent returns haven't been as impressive as that, with the stock returning just 19% in the last year , including dividends .

So let's assess the underlying fundamentals over the last 3 years and see if they've moved in lock-step with shareholder returns.

View our latest analysis for Power Corporation of Canada

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. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During the three years of share price growth, Power Corporation of Canada actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) drop 2.3% per year.

Based on these numbers, we think that the decline in earnings per share may not be a good representation of how the business has changed over the years. Therefore, it makes sense to look into other metrics.

We note that the dividend is higher than it was preciously, so that may have assisted the share price. Sometimes yield-chasing investors will flock to a company if they think the dividend can grow over time.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

It's probably worth noting we've seen significant insider buying in the last quarter, which we consider a positive. On the other hand, we think the revenue and earnings trends are much more meaningful measures of the business. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on Power Corporation of Canada

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Power Corporation of Canada the TSR over the last 3 years was 77%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Power Corporation of Canada has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 19% in the last twelve months. That's including the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 11% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Power Corporation of Canada better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Power Corporation of Canada .

Power Corporation of Canada is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Canadian 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.

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(Bloomberg) -- Chinas top-performing mutual fund is positioning for a recovery in onshore equities, with artificial intelligence stocks as its main bet.

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The onshore market is trading in a triple bottom, with the worst over in terms of polices, earnings and valuations, with relatively little downside risk, the Soochow Mobile Internet Flexible Allocation Mixed Fund said in a first-half filing. It plans to maintain a high exposure to stocks versus cash for the rest of the year.

The funds top holdings as of the end of the first half included electronics supplier Luxshare Precision Industry Co., auto components maker Huizhou Desay Sv Automotive Co., and Will Semiconductor Co. The vehicle also increased its exposure to Iflytek Co. and Suzhou TFC Optical Communication Co. in the three months ended June.

Investors are debating if Chinese equities have hit a bottom as signs of further policy support and the end of a crackdown on the tech sector fuel hopes of a recovery. Global funds bought the most local shares since January on Thursday, in a possible sign that the tide may be turning for the market.

The Soochow Mobile fund delivered a 75% return this year, a performance that helped it beat over 2,000 other vehicles, according to East Money Information Co., a fund tracker. In comparison, the CSI 300 Index has climbed less than 1% since end-December.

Managers of the Soochow Mobile fund, which oversees the equivalent of $38 million, are of the view that the onshore stock market will enter a tech era in the next three to five years. AI and the policy drive for a digital economy will fuel a new growth engine, they said.

The fund remains upbeat on semiconductors for the next six months, on expectations that fundamentals will improve. ChatGPT applications may bring about smarter hardware, and spur a cycle of replacements in consumer devices, according to the filing.

--With assistance from Mengchen Lu.

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(Bloomberg) -- A top buyer of Russian oil is bracing for trading trouble as the price of Urals, the countrys main export grade, breaks through a $60-a-barrel cap set by Western nations to curb Moscows revenue.

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India and China have been the two dominant buyers of Russian crude since the invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago prompted others to shun the OPEC+ producer. As Urals climbs above the limit set by the Group of Seven, however, importers will face greater scrutiny on their purchases.

Officials from three Indian refiners said they are preparing for tougher talks with local banks involved in the financing of their Russian oil cargoes, including a lot more requests for evidence verifying the purchase price. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as theyre not authorized to comment publicly.

The price cap was designed to keep Russia oil flowing and prevent a global supply shock, while crimping the Kremlins revenue and its ability to fund the war in Ukraine. Importers are unable to use Western services such as insurance and shipping if crude is purchased above the $60-a-barrel limit. Thats led to the emergence of a large fleet of shadow tankers to bypass sanctions.

Asian buyers regularly use this flotilla to import crude from Russian and other nations such as Iran. Officials from two Chinese refiners said their purchases of Russian oil over recent months have mostly been executed without the use of Western financial, insurance and shipping services.

Different Currencies

According to price reporting agency Argus Media, Urals topped $60 a barrel on Wednesday at its port of load on a free-on-board basis. For Asian buyers, there is still some consolation. While these assessments are widely referenced by oil traders across the world, they provide a good gauge but do not exactly predict purchase prices paid by buyers.

Most Russian cargoes bought by Asian refiners are on a delivered basis, which takes into account the price of crude at the loading port plus shipping and other miscellaneous costs and not on an FOB basis, which is used for the price cap. This delivered price is comprised of a formula that typically includes a privately-negotiated discount to the month-average of global benchmarks such as Brent or Dubai oil during the month of loading  which leave some room for maneuver when it comes to valuing the net-back cost of cargoes.

One Indian official said his refinerys purchases of Urals for loading in July could now be priced above the cap  depending on how Brent and other benchmarks perform for the remainder of this month. He said the company may need to consider the use of different currencies.

Indian refiners have tested the use of other currencies such as dirhams, rubles and rupees for Russian crude cargoes. More recently, Russian sellers of crude to India have been increasingly interested in using yuan.

Disruptions to Russian crude flows to India could ripple across global oil markets, coinciding with reduced supply from Moscow and Riyadh and an expected tightening of the market. The South Asian nation currently imports almost half of its oil from Russia, with Urals making up the bulk of the barrels. Indian refiners may need to seek more cargoes from West Africa, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia or Iraq, should it see a major impact to its imports.

Not all Russian oil deals in Asia will be altered as Urals is pushed higher. A huge chunk of Russias seaborne flows to China is comprised of ESPO Blend, a higher-quality grade typically priced above the $60 a barrel cap. Due to its consistently-high price, exports of the grade from ports in eastern Russia already rely on the shadow fleet and insurers willing to handle such trades.

Indian and Chinese refiners cautioned the final price for most Russian cargoes loading in July, for example, will only be known at the end of the month, leaving many to wait and see. One Indian official said buyers will focus on negotiating bigger discounts in order to reduce and bring the final FOB cost under $60 a barrel, should Brent or Dubai rise. The benchmarks make up the biggest pricing component.

--With assistance from Sarah Chen and Sharon Cho.

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U.S. District Court Judge Analisa Torres ruled on Thursday that Ripple Labs programmatic sales of its XRP cryptocurrency did not qualify as financial securities, or the offer and sale of investment contracts.

This decision came after over 30 months of legal back-and-forth between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple, and provided some relief to XRP and crypto investors worldwide.

The price of XRP soared about 85% to US$0.8777 after the decision was announced, although it has since come down to US$0.7833 at 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong.

Although this is a U.S. ruling on the XRP token specifically, its impact will be felt across the Alts category (non-bitcoin) around the world, as it was considered a test case for other tokens, Caroline Bowler, CEO of Australia-based crypto exchange BTC Markets, told Forkast in an email. This result has been a boon for crypto trading which is slowly coming out the other side of its prolonged bear market.

This decision came after over 30 months of legal back-and-forth between the U.S. SEC and Ripple. Image: Canva, Envato Elements

Solana rose by 30%, Cardano gained 25% and Polygon added 18% in the last 24 hours  which Hong Kong-based crypto market maker Keyrocks Justin dAnethan said is bolstered by the sentiment that we now have some regulatory confidence that the projects wouldnt be labelled securities.

The three cryptocurrencies saw double-digit losses in token value in early June when the SEC categorized the tokens as financial securities in its lawsuit against Coinbase and Binance.US exchange.

U.S. Republican congressman and Majority Whip for the House of Representatives Tom Emmer welcomed the court decision, tweeting that it is a monumental development in establishing that a cryptocurrency is separate from an investment contract that constitutes a financial securities contract.

Cardano co-founder Charles Hoskinson retweeted Emmers comments, in which the congressman said he intends to push regulatory clarity further with his bill, the Securities Clarity Act.

But experts say Ripple is not yet out of the woods, even with the court ruling. Image: Flickr

While it appears that the U.S. courts decision was a big win for Ripple and crypto, Ripple is not totally out of the woods yet, experts say.

The court concluded that Ripples direct sales of XRP to institutional clients, such as hedge funds, constituted the unregistered offer and sale of investment contracts, violating the securities law.

There will be further court proceedings on that part  It is also not yet known if the SEC will appeal to the ruling, BTC Markets Bowler said. Potential for more insecurity ahead for Ripple.

Townsend Lansing, the head of product at European digital investment group CoinShares, said the courts conclusion of classifying XRPs direct institutional sales as securities marks a considerable victory for the SEC and sets a precedent for the agencys future legal actions against other crypto.

The lack of [regulatory] clarity serves nobody, particularly, after today, the SEC Lachlan Feeney, founder of Australian blockchain developer Labrys

It is important to note that institutional investors who purchased directly from Ripple may find themselves subject to class-action litigation as potential underwriters, Lansing said in an emailed statement. This is an area to watch closely, especially if big-name venture capitalists were involved.

Lachlan Feeney, founder of Australian blockchain developer Labrys, said the case highlighted the absurdity of the regulatory unclarity seen in the largest economy of the world.

It has never been more evident that we need pragmatic regulatory clarity  based on collaborative discussion between industry and policymakers, Feeney commented via email. The lack of clarity serves nobody, particularly, after today, the SEC.
(Bloomberg) -- The United Arab Emirates suspended the accreditation of one of its biggest gold refineries over concerns that its owners had ties to alleged money launderers.

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Emirates Gold DMCC  which has operated in Dubai for more than 30 years  was last week suspended from the UAEs Good Delivery List, according to a government website.

The Emirates Gold Bullion Committee, which is chaired by the Economy Ministry, removed the refinery due to concerns its owners were connected to alleged money launderers, according to people familiar with the thinking behind the decision. An official from the committee said in a statement it could not comment on specific cases but expected accredited members to apply the highest international standards.

The London Bullion Market Association, which regulates the UK capitals precious metals market, followed suit on Friday and suspended the refinerys affiliate membership after a due diligence review. It said it takes very seriously any breaches of the rules, without giving details.

A spokesperson for Emirates Gold said earlier this week the company operates to the highest industry standards for responsible sourcing and anti-money laundering, and has a long history of compliance audits to show that. Any matters relating to the authorities remain private, the spokesperson said.

According to the people familiar with the UAE decision, two of the ultimate beneficial owners of Emirates Gold are relatives of Zimbabwean businessmen Simon Rudland and Howard Baker. A documentary by Al Jazeera earlier this year alleged that the two men were involved in money laundering through the UAEs gold sector. It didnt name any specific UAE refiner in connection with them.

In response to the Al Jazeera documentary Rudland denied involvement in money laundering. Baker didnt respond to the channel when asked for comment.

Emails and phone calls by Bloomberg to Rudland and his company Gold Leaf Tobacco went unanswered. Baker couldnt be reached for comment.

The suspension of one of the most storied names in the UAEs gold business comes as authorities crack down on suspected illegal practices in the sector. The Gulf nation has been implementing tough new laws to curb money laundering, levying large fines on non-compliant firms.

Read more: UAE Ramps Up Extradition Pacts in Bid to Fight Dirty Money

The UAE created its Good Delivery list as a standard for top firms. To maintain that accreditation, refiners must undergo annual audits to ensure theyre complying with anti-money laundering and responsible sourcing laws.

The clean-up of the gold sector is part of the UAEs bid to rehabilitate its financial reputation, after being added to a watch-list by a money laundering watchdog last year. The Paris-based Financial Action Taskforce named the UAEs gold industry as a cause for concern before adding the country to its gray list.

Emirates Gold was sold last year to a consortium that included relatives of Rudland and Baker, after the death in 2021 of its founder Mohamad Shakarchi, an Iraqi-born precious metals merchant, according to the people familiar with the situation.

The firm was one of just three UAE-based refineries with the nations Good Delivery accreditation, making it a top player in the Middle Easts biggest gold market. Other accreditation programs are also used by other refiners in the country.

Read more: UAE Says Escape From Gray Listing Hinges on Policy Effectiveness

--With assistance from Abeer Abu Omar and Godfrey Marawanyika.

(Adds statement from Emirates Gold Bullion Committee in third paragraph.)

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'Would you want this in your backyard?': SouthCoast Wind and Prysmian plans in Somerset

SWANSEA  Two companies planning to bring the wind industry to Brayton Point held a public meeting in Swansea on Wednesday to address questions on topics like noise levels, construction impacts and the scope of the projects.

I would ask you, would you want this in your backyard? said Swansea resident Ann Seery, of Save Our Bay Brayton Point, who stepped in to help moderate during Wednesdays meeting. Our homes are our most important and valuable properties that we have.

Around 70 people, mostly Swansea and Somerset residents, crowded into a room at the Swansea Council on Aging for the meeting.

Brayton Point used to be home to the Brayton Point Power Station, formerly the largest coal-fired power plant in New England. The power plant shuttered in 2017. Now, two different projects connected to the growing wind energy industry are planning to build on the 300-acre site. SouthCoast Wind intends to build a substation for its planned nearby offshore turbines and Prysmian Group plans to build a manufacturing plant that will produce undersea cables for use in turbine projects.

A presentation on Wednesday in Swansea at the COA showed area residents what Prysmian and SouthCoast Wind plan for the Brayton Point site in Somerset.

Plans for the SouthCoast Wind substation

SouthCoast plans to build a 65-foot-tall substation that will occupy around 10 acres on Brayton Point. Cables will travel there from an offshore wind turbine farm they plan to build around 30 miles south of Marthas Vineyard, bringing onshore power that will then be plugged into National Grids energy grid. National Grid already has a hook-up at Brayton Point because of the former power station.

Trees and other plants in the area will likely shield most of the substation from view for Somerset and Swansea residents, with the exception of lightning rods that will stand at around 85 feet tall, Kelly Smith, Onshore Package Manager for SouthCoast Wind, said during Wednesdays meeting.

Ann Seery right of Save the Bay Brayton Point, left, and residents listen at a town meeting addressing wind power.

National Grid already operates a separate electrical substation on Brayton Point.

Itll look a lot like the utility infrastructure thats already on the site, Smith said.

Noise levels from the substation

SouthCoast plans to begin construction on the Somerset substation in early 2025 and take around two years to complete.

Locals have raised concerns that the substation and its construction will generate unwelcome noise in the area, a worry echoed by attendees at Wednesdays meeting.

Peter Roberts, of Portsmouth, R.I., ask questions at the meeting Wednesday to hear Prysmian and SouthCoast Wind's plans for Brayton Point in Somerset.

The company anticipates that it will stay within state regulations and local bylaws in Somerset regarding noise levels, Smith said. The substation, which SouthCoast representatives have previously described as a low hum, will likely add 10 decibels of noise to the existing ambient noise levels.

SouthCoast wants to rebid contracts

Earlier this summer, SouthCoast Wind revealed in a filing submitted to the Rhode Island Energy Facility Board that it plans to terminate its contracts with energy providers in the state to provide wind-generated electricity. The developer has said economic pressures mean its no longer able to provide power at the rates included in the original contracts and it now wants to rebid its contracts, called power purchase agreements, under new terms.

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and the state's electrical companies are currently soliciting bids for potential wind energy projects. SouthCoast says it plans to bid again for the project during the current bidding cycle.

Kelsey Perry, community liaison coordinator for SouthCoast Wind, pointed out that other wind projects besides SouthCoast have backed out of existing contracts because of economic pressures. This includes Avangrid, the developer behind another turbine farm planned for off of Cape Cod and projects in New York and New Jersey.

Speaking after the meeting, she said the company is working off the same construction timeline as before it announced it would withdraw from its original contracts.

Its a nice to have, of course, we want that guarantee that we have a buyer when were injecting this power, but were able to move forward with the permitting process without this power purchase agreement, Perry said.

Prysmians plans for the site

Prysmian intends to construct a 47-acre manufacturing plant on Brayton Point that will produce high-voltage cables used to bring electricity generated by offshore wind turbines on to shore.

The plant will include the manufacturing facility itself, a dock for ships picking up the completed cable, a few other smaller buildings such as testing laboratories and a tower that it will be used to coat the cables with insulation.

The tower would be 600 feet tall and around 80 feet wide. The former Brayton Point Power Station included two cooling towers that were each around 500 feet tall and 300 feet wide. Unlike the former cooling towers, Prsymians tower would not release exhaust.

Will there be noise from the Prysmian plant?

Like with the SouthCoast project, residents have raised concerns that Prysmians facility will cause too much noise pollution. Somerset and parts of Swansea across the water from Brayton Point spent decades dealing with noise and air pollution from the power station, then problems like noise, dust and airborne metal scraps from a scrap metal company that moved in after the power station closed.

You guys are going to totally disrupt our lives and destroy our home value that we worked so hard for, just like the people in Somerset did, Swansea resident Krissy Burke said.

Later this month, the company plans to present a video of a similar facility in Finland to the Somerset Board of Health to give them a sense of how loud the Brayton Point plant would be.

Paul Vigeant, a local consultant for the project and a Westport resident, said the company operates a similar plant in the busy city of Naples, Italy.

They understand what it means to be where people live, he said. I remember the scrap metal ships. This is not that.

For the most part, Vigeant said, Prysmian anticipates that it will operate within Somersets local regulations governing noise levels. The one exception would be a 40-day period when workers are laying the foundation for the tower. According to a study the company performed, they would go past the noise limits if every piece of equipment on the construction site was running at once and they did not use any sound barriers. But, Vigneant said, they plan to use barriers around loud machinery like trucks and take other steps to mitigate noise.

Ships will dock near the Prysmian plant

Ten or 12 times a year, ships will dock near the plant for around two weeks at a time to load up completed cables. At previous meetings, Somerset residents have objected to the companys plan to use ship-to-shore power, which would involve running the ships engines continuously, to load the cables.

Scott Lindgren, an engineer with firm VHB who is working with Prysmian on the project, said the company is currently building a new ship for its fleet that would be equipped to use shore-to-ship power to load cables, while also retrofitting an existing ship to do the same thing. Some ships from the company would not be able to utilize shore-to-ship power, but the company plans to use ships that can as much as possible, he said.

Prysmian is committed to utilize, when they can, shore power and not have engines running for those 10 or 15 days, he said.

Could Prysmian back out?

Some residents asked whether Prysmian would change its plans to build the facility given that multiple wind turbine projects have moved to change their contracts. Representatives for both SouthCoast Wind and Prysmian both stressed that the two projects planned for Brayton Point are not connected as Prysmian Wind is not making the cables that will be used by SouthCoast Wind.

Prysmian is committed that they are coming here no matter when is happening with the offshore wind industry, Lindgren said.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Swansea and Somerset hear plans for SouthCoast Wind and Prysmian
Photo: The Canadian Press

UPDATE 10:50 a.m.

Police have released a few details on the death of a BC Wildfire Service firefighter on Thursday.

RCMP say they were notified at 3:30 p.m. on July 13 about the fatality.

RCMP say that a 19-year-old woman, identified by her union as Devyn Gale, was working alongside a team clearing brush within a remote area where a small fire had started.

Upon the firefighting team losing contact with their fellow firefighter, they discovered her caught under a fallen tree. They immediately began first aid.

She was airlifted to Queen Victoria Hospital where she had succumbed to her injuries.

The events surrounding her death are being investigated by the RCMP, BC Coroners Service, WorkSafeBC and the BC Wildfire Service.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family, friends, and fellow firefighters of this young firefighter who tragically lost her life serving her community, says Cpl. James Grandy, Southeast District RCMP spokesperson.

Its a reminder of the inherent risks first responders face working tirelessly to protect our communities.

OIRGINAL 10 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the death of a wildland firefighter in British Columbia is "heartbreaking," and he sends his deepest condolences to the woman's family, friends and fellow firefighters.

Trudeau made the comments on social media, reflecting similar statements issued late Thursday by Premier David Eby and the BC General Employees Union.

Devyn Gale died while battling a fire in southeastern B.C., just outside Revelstoke.

Her death is the fourth linked to B.C. wildfires since 2010.

Sixty-year-old John Phare was killed in 2015 while working on a blaze on the Sunshine Coast, north of Vancouver, and two Conair airtanker pilots, Tim Whiting and Brian Tilley, died when their plane went down south of Lytton in July, 2010.

The latest death comes as the BC Wildfire Service says tens of thousands of lightning strikes over the last seven days have sparked hundreds of new fires in British Columbia, but with temperatures closer to average and some rain expected next week, a slight reprieve might be on the way.

"We must never forget the risks these heroes take every time they run toward the danger," Trudeau's statement said.

"To firefighters in British Columbia and across the country who are doing just that to keep us safe: Thank you."

Eby's statement called the firefighter's death a "tremendous loss for everyone involved with the BC Wildfire Service at an already challenging time."

The statement said the tragedy serves as a heartbreaking reminder that firefighters are often putting their lives on the line to keep people and communities safe and offers condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the woman on behalf of all British Columbians.

The death came as the province put out a call for national and international help to fight the hundreds of active fires across B.C.

The province has requested 1,000 additional foreign firefighters to join 160 from Mexico and the United States already in B.C., as well as more federal resources, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Bowinn Ma said Thursday.

The wildfire service says the total number of active fires has topped 360, while the number of threatening or potentially damaging blazes has jumped to 17, all but one of them in woodlands from west of Quesnel to the Fort Nelson area.

Lightning is forecast through Saturday in many parts of northern B.C. and the southern and southeastern Interior, but Environment Canada is calling for showers and more seasonal temperatures to start next week.
What's planned for the four-acre site at Church and 15th? Here's what we know.

Canadian-based Bosa Properties, which operates in Nashville as IPB Properties, has readied the former Dairy Farmers of America site at 15th and Church in downtown Nashville for one of midtown Nashville's newest mixed-use developments.

The yet-to-be named property will be built in two phases and will ultimately consist of three residential towers housing 1,400 apartment units, 50,000 to 60,000 square feet of commercial space and a 12,000-square-foot freestanding space suited for a third-party grocer or fitness facility. Amenities planned for the residents include a co-working space, outdoor pool deck, fitness and wellness space, dog wash and media room.

David McCutcheon, vice president and head of IPB Properties told The Tennessean the South Phase of the project will begin construction in the fourth quarter of this year.

This rendering shows the North phase of an upcoming mixed-use project at 1401 Church St. in downtown Nashville. The towers will be built in phases and developers expect to begin construction 4Q of 2023.

"The South Phase will be a single-point tower with approximately 500 units that will average around 750 square feet," he said. "There will be a mix of studios, one- and two-bedrooms as well as three-bedroom townhouses and penthouses on the 44th floor. The 45th floor will house our rooftop amenity."

He expects the first phase to have about a 40-month buildout and that the second phase wouldn't start until the first phase is complete. He anticipated construction of the North Phase would start in 2027 and be completed sometime in 2030.

This rendering shows the ground-level view of a new mixed-use project expected to begin construction during Q4 of 2023 at 15th and Church St.

The North Phase is slated to have approximately 650 units spread across the two towers. It will have between 30,000 and 40,000 square feet of commercial space and both towers will have rooftop amenity spaces similar to the South Phase tower.

McCutcheon said IPB identified that many high-rise dwellers in Nashville constantly find themselves on the go.

"We wanted bring an offering that allowed residents to park their car on a Friday afternoon and be in a community where they have everything they need outside their doorstep," he said. "We wanted to build a community with walkability that gives a sense of home. We saw that missing in a lot of developments."

This rendering shows the street-level view of one of the apartment towers that will be part of a new mixed-use development coming to downtown Nashville at 1401 Church Street.

IPB worked with Nashville-based Hastings Architecture to design the buildings and create a cohesive community on the four-acre site.

David Bailey, principal with Hastings said this particular site is one his company has looked at for years as a future opportunity for a gateway site that frames the entry into downtown.

"IPB has a fantastic history and portfolio of work theyve done that looks at urban conditions and how to make a great place for their residents and their customer and add value to a neighborhood," Bailey told The Tennessean. "Thats something we love. Placemaking. Creating designs that tell a story and convey a concept."

Neighboring development: Longstanding Beaman dealerships moved out of downtown. Here's what to know.

Small but mighty: Small piece of SoBro land with big potential listed for $2.25 million

The project, which sits between 14th and 15th avenues and Grundy and Church streets, will also include a realigning of 15th street to include bike lanes and widened pedestrian walkways.

"This location, density and focus on multi-modal mobility helps create true walkability from this site to Asurion, Amazon and Nashville Yards," Bailey said. "Its proximity to St. Thomas, Vanderbilt and other major employers make this development unique in the ability to live in the downtown area and access so many destinations very easily and quickly, whether by foot, bike or car."

McCutcheon declined to specify what IPB paid for the three-parcel site, citing as part of the agreement with the sellers, he couldn't disclose a purchase price. He added that while IPB currently leases a small office in Nashville for one full-time staffer, there are plans to ramp up a Nashville office once the project is under construction.

Melonee Hurt covers growth and development at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK  Tennessee. Reach Melonee at mhurt@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Here's what we know about IPB Properties' first Nashville mixed-use project
Workers at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Michigan Avenue  the largest Starbucks in the world  are seeking union representation.

Starbucks employees who work at the companys Reserve Roastery, a 35,000-square-foot store at 646 N. Michigan Ave., filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday.

The prospective bargaining unit includes about 230 baristas and mixologists who serve elaborate coffee-based drinks and cocktails, bakers who make pastries in-house, and operations leads who work in retail and customer service at the five-story caffeine emporium, according to the workers union filing.

People who work roasting coffee at the Roastery are not retail employees and are not included in the unit.

The Chicago Roastery was the sixth in the world when it opened in 2019, and the third the company had opened in the U.S. The other two American roasteries, in Seattle and New York, unionized last spring.

In interviews with the Tribune, Chicago Roastery employees raised concerns about wages, inconsistent scheduling and store managements responses to safety issues at the Roastery.

Theyre constantly being like, This is the only place like it in the world, we have to make like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, its the largest Starbucks in the world, said Lucy Polkinghorne, an operations lead at the Roastery. If we were being paid in a way where we were treated like that important, it would be different.

Starbucks said prospective bargaining unit workers at the Roastery are paid between $18.75 and about $30 an hour. Casey Moore, an organizer and spokesperson for Starbucks Workers United, said most bargaining unit members make $23 or less an hour.

The second that you ask for a little bit of respect, or the pay that you deserve, whether it be 60 more cents an hour, a dollar more an hour  anything like that  its treated like youre asking for the whole world, said Jamie Williamson, an operations lead working in retail who has worked at the Roastery for close to a year.

Employees raised concerns about overcrowding and fire safety at the Roastery, which is a tourist magnet, particularly during the summer.

Its not safe for the workers, its not safe for the space. But the management only cares about the money, said Kyra Supnet, a barista at the Roastery who was recently promoted to mixologist. There have been so many times where we wish we could have had a say in whether or not they should hold the line at the door.

Supnet said the store had also experienced nitrogen gas leaks from tanks used to make nitro cold brews and gelatos. Employees also pointed to being expected to continue working throughout recent tornado warnings in Chicago.

We continued working throughout the entire thing, said Williamson, 22. I feel like part of the reason for that was there was a giant Wells Fargo event happening on the fourth floor that they didnt want to have to move down or evacuate. And that was their main priority.

Starbucks spokesperson Andrew Trull said the company remains committed to supporting our Chicago Roastery partners.

Our partners and their safety are core to our operation, Trull said in a statement. We work with urgency to address any reported issues that may impact the well-being of our partners and the experience we offer at our Chicago Roastery.

The company said it adheres to fire code and capacity requirements at the Roastery and said all food service equipment in the store is cleaned and inspected regularly to ensure adherence with health and safety standards.

Supnet, 21, said she hoped a union would allow Roastery workers to have more of a say in how issues at the store are addressed.

The biggest thing we want to see is just being able to make a decision with management, she said. Hopefully they can see that they no longer have this upper hand over us all the time.

As of Friday, 340 Starbucks cafes had unionized nationwide, according to the NLRB. The count includes just over a dozen stores in the Chicago area.

As of Friday, Starbucks Workers United had notched a win rate of just over 80% in the more than 400 union elections that had been held nationwide, though the unionized stores represent only a fraction of the companys approximately 9,300 company-owned cafes in the U.S.

Though the first Starbucks cafes unionized in late 2021, no store has secured a first contract. The union has accused Starbucks of refusing to bargain in good faith with baristas; the company has said it is the union that refuses to do so. Regional directors for the NLRB have issued complaints against the company alleging it has failed to bargain in good faith with the union at numerous cafes around the country. Starbucks denies the allegations.

Starbucks has been found in violation national labor law numerous times by administrative law judges over the course of the campaign, including in Chicago, where a judge found the coffee giant had illegally fired a Hyde Park barista who led the union campaign at his store and threatened workers at two cafes over their union activity. Starbucks is appealing that ruling; the coffee giant has generally denied accusations and findings of lawbreaking.

In May, a worker at the unionized New York Roastery filed a decertification petition with the NLRB. A decertification petition, which a worker can file one year after unionization if they do not have a contract, seeks to force a second union election during which employees must vote on whether to remain unionized.

The employee who filed the decertification petition was represented by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, an organization opposed to compulsory union membership.

A hearing in the decertification case has been postponed indefinitely because of complaints issued against Starbucks alleging violations of labor law at the New York Roastery, according to NLRB filings.

The next step in the Chicago Roastery workers union campaign will be to vote in a union election held by the labor board in Chicago. If a majority of workers vote to unionize, they will form a union represented by Starbucks Workers United.
(Bloomberg) -- One of Brandon Johnsons first moves as Chicago mayor was to buy himself time to address the citys biggest financial problem: the more than $35 billion owed to its pension funds.

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Just days after his May inauguration, Johnson persuaded state lawmakers to shelve legislation that wouldve added billions to the pension debt, while pledging to establish a working group to come up with solutions by October.

Now, the clock is ticking for the progressive Democrat to fix the worst pension crisis among major US cities.

Just as Chicago reels from a spate of shootings and carjackings, inequities exacerbated by the pandemic and high-profile corporate departures, its pension gap creates a financial burden that threatens its recovery and the mayors agenda.

The situation makes for a cautionary tale for municipalities across the country facing long-neglected contributions and funding shortfalls. Already, the third-largest US city spends roughly $1 of every $5 on pensions, while more than 80% of property-tax dollars go toward retirement payouts.

That presents a political vise for a mayor who notched a surprise victory by campaigning on promises that require more spending, including reopening mental health clinics and increasing funding for community-based public safety measures.

Next week, Johnson plans to hold town hall meetings with constituents to get their input for his first budget, which will have to take the pension predicament into account. A failure to shore up the pension system could have ripple effects beyond city limits: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said in an interview that hes eager to help Chicago with this issue because its the economic engine of the state.

Competing Interests

Johnsons working group, which held its first meeting in June, consists of city budget and finance officials, state legislators, union and labor representatives and outside pension experts. It doesnt have any members from the business community, though the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce wants to offer up ideas for consideration.

The pension groups task is exceedingly complicated because of all the competing interests. Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, won office in part thanks to support from labor groups that might have varying priorities. Pension benefits are also protected by the state constitution. So, finding new revenue may be one of the only solutions.

During his campaign, he proposed a tax plan to generate about $800 million with new levies  including on big businesses, airlines and the ultra-rich  to address the structural deficit. Johnsons transition committee wasnt united behind these solutions, and support from state lawmakers is hardly a sure thing.

One obvious tactic, raising property taxes, would be a political lightning rod. Johnson pledged not to hike them during his campaign, and many Chicagoans are already frustrated by recent major increases in these levies.

But sticking to that campaign pledge could upset investors fragile faith in the citys municipal bonds. In November, Moodys Investors Service raised Chicagos rating by one notch, an upgrade that meant the city had no junk ratings for the first time since 2015.

It seems short-sighted to take property taxes, one of the citys primary and stable revenue sources, off the table if continuing to address Chicagos structural deficit is a priority, said Molly Shellhorn, senior research analyst for municipals at Nuveen, the largest holder of Chicago debt. Failing to raise property taxes for decades is one of the main reasons Chicagos pension funding fell so behind in the first place.

Meanwhile, securing new revenue streams to funnel more money to the pension system leaves Johnson with fewer levers to pull as he tries to find dollars for his key policy ideas  shoring up homeless services and violence prevention efforts, for example, or investing in youth employment.

I am committed to protecting both the retirement security of working people, as well as the financial stability of our government so we can achieve our goal of investing in people and strengthening communities in every corner of the city, Johnson said in a May statement.

Financial Drag

The annual payments toward Chicagos four systems that pay benefits for retired firefighters, police officers, municipal office workers and laborers peaked this year at $2.6 billion, and are projected to total $2.4 billion in 2024.

Pension debt, in the most dire circumstances, has driven high-profile municipal bankruptcies such as those of Detroit and Stockton, California.

State law doesnt allow Chicago to file bankruptcy. But alarms have sounded in recent years that indicate how bleak the situation is. In 2015, the state supreme court ruled against plans to curb costs, and Moodys quickly cut its rating for the city to junk.

In 2022, for the first time, the city put in an actuarially calculated contribution for all four pensions funds  a step that helped it shed the junk rating.

Johnsons predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, signed an executive order before leaving office that would funnel a projected $698 million surplus from 2022 and 2023 to chip away at the massive pension liability until revenue from the citys first casino starts flowing in 2026.

The surpluses are likely to end soon, however, as the last of its federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act runs out this year.

State Representative Kelly Burke, the chair of the Illinois House revenue and finance committee who is also a member of Johnsons working group, acknowledged the scale of the challenge of figuring out how to pay for rising costs and boosting the funding levels of the four pension funds.

Its a heavy lift to get these on good fiscal footing, Burke said in an interview. Its time to get creative.

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(Bloomberg) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping finally appears to be extending an olive branch to private businesses battered in recent years by regulatory crackdowns and the worlds most restrictive Covid-19 policies.

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Officials have made a series of high-profile actions designed to telegraph the Chinese governments backing for private firms, as the nations post-pandemic recovery risks being caught in a confidence trap. The Chinese leader has vowed to treat foreign investors better and called for greater opening up in recent weeks.

That mission has seen top officials roll out the red carpet for Elon Musk and other executives, draw a line under a tech crackdown that tanked the worlds biggest IPO, and even visit US-based Bain & Companys Shanghai office in an apparent end to immediate worries about a probe into consultancies that spooked global investors.

The Hang Seng Tech Index is on track for its best week this year following Beijings positive signals to the sector, although the gauge fell about 0.2% Friday afternoon in Hong Kong.

Chinas outreach comes as the nations post-pandemic recovery loses steam. The nations property market is showing signs of weakness, exports are shrinking and deflationary risks loom. Without the lure of a rapidly growing economy, Chinas is finding it difficult to attract Western business, said Diana Choyleva, chief economist at Enodo Economics, a London-based research firm focused on China.

Deflationary signs add to the impression of a troubled economy, making it harder for Beijing to recruit foreign capital to its efforts to counter US power, she added.

Perhaps Chinas clearest signal of a shift in attitude toward the private sector was the praise heaped this week on tech companies, which have seen billions in market value wiped out due to Xis regulatory crackdown.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang called Internet firms the trailblazers of the era in a meeting on Wednesday with senior executives from Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and ByteDance Ltd. Meanwhile, the nations top economic planning agency praised major online platforms for supporting the nations technological innovation.

Chinas efforts to convince investors the tech sector is open for business will be hampered by recent moves to insert Communist Party officials on boards and reduce big firms market shares, said Andrew Collier, a managing director at Orient Capital Research Inc.

Investors know there are sharp limits on growth for tech firms and, therefore, investing in them is highly risky, he said. There will be some opportunities for new listings and short-term trading options but the overall sector is no longer as attractive as it once was.

Still, the recent gestures at least imply authorities want to help create more jobs, bolster the real economy and drive the countrys competitive edge internationally, said Willer Chen, an analyst at Forsyth Barr Asia.

Another sign of encouragement for foreign investors: Chinese financial regulators have invited some of the worlds biggest investors to a symposium next week, Reuters reported, citing three unidentified people.

Renewed Exchanges

China has already removed one major barrier to international business exchanges in the form of Covid controls that closed borders for three years. Members of Chinas powerful Politburo met with Musk and Jamie Dimon, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co., in May, signaling that the return of such executives is welcome.

Business delegations from Japan and France have also visited this year, while the chief executive officers of Intel Corp. and Mastercard Inc., as well as senior representatives from Western Digital Corp. and Qualcomm Inc., are in China this week, according to an agenda seen by Bloomberg News.

Xi himself greeted US billionaire Bill Gates in Beijing last month calling him the first American friend Ive met in Beijing this year. That warm message contrasted with the tougher meetings the Chinese leader and other officials had with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken days later.

The worlds largest economies are locked in a trade war thats seen both sides impose export controls. A survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in China earlier this year found that the Asian giant is no longer a top three investment priority for a majority of US firms, as geopolitical tensions simmer.

There are some early signs frictions are easing. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing last week had put ties on a surer footing. Still, Yellen told her counterparts in Beijing that coercive and punitive actions against US firms in China were a major concern for businesses.

Earlier this year, China conducted a series of raids on consultancy firms relied on by foreign investors. US consultancy Bain & Company said this week it had warmly welcomed a visit by top Shanghai officials days before Yellens trip. That marked officials first known visit to the firm since a wider probe of the industry over national security concerns.

Despite Chinas efforts Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief Asia Pacific economist at Natixis, said private sector confidence has clearly not been restored. She identified three main lingering problems: muted domestic demand, tighter national security regulations and the US and European Union stepping up exports controls to China.

Being present in China is becoming a liability  rather than an asset  as far as global investors reactions are concerned, she added.

Tian Xuan, a Tsinghua University professor, said the government should formulate red lines so companies can operate with confidence in a frontpage article Wednesday in the state-run Securities Times.

Distilling what was at stake for Xis government, Tian said: What is the most important problem in the private economy now? Its the lack of confidence among private entrepreneurs.

--With assistance from Charlotte Yang and Lucille Liu.

(Updates with report about next weeks symposium.)

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Bitcoin and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gained in Friday afternoon trading in Asia. The gains come after Ripple Labs achieved a partial victory on Thursday when a U.S. court ruled that Ripple Labs programmatic sales of the XRP cryptocurrency did not qualify as the offer and sale of investment contracts. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2020 accused Ripple of offering XRP as an unregistered security. The judgment marks a significant milestone in the three-year legal tussle between the San Francisco-based payments firm and the U.S. regulator. XRP rallied over 62% in the past 24 hours.

See related article: What is XRP and what is Ripple?

XRP leads crypto market rally

Bitcoin, the worlds largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, gained 2.46% to US$31,115 in 24 hours to 4 p.m. in Hong Kong, and increased 3.69% on the week, according to CoinMarketCap data. Ether strengthened 6.46% to US$1,991 and rose 7.26% in the last seven days.

Boosted by the ruling on the SEC-Ripple case, XRP led a rally in the crypto market on Friday, rising 62.71% to US$0.7674 and bringing its weekly gains to 65.47%.

In a summary judgment on Thursday, New York Southern District Court Judge Analisa Torres ruled that Ripples programmatic sales of the XRP token on public exchanges do not constitute securities, but the verdict also said that Ripples XRP sales to institutional investors violated securities laws.

The SEC first sued the San Francisco-based financial technology firm in 2020 on the grounds that XRP constituted a security.

Ripples chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty called the judgment a huge win in a tweet on Friday. The only thing the Court found constitutes an investment contract is past direct XRP sales to institutional clients. There will be further court proceedings only on these institutional sales per the Courts order, Alderoty said.

Maybe we can now start a rational conversation about crypto regulation in this country.  Stuart Alderoty (@s_alderoty) July 13, 2023

Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the U.S., said in a tweet that it is reopening trading of XRP. Other crypto exchanges like Crypto.com also tweeted that it is enabling XRP trading, while Kraken Pro said on Twitter that XRP is back in full-trading mode on its platform.

This can be considered a win because XRP is one of the more centralized foundations, with a prominent figurehead who offered standard sales via exchanges, and formal distribution programs. If XRP is not considered a security, nearly nothing sold via exchanges is, Vincent Chok, CEO of Hong Kong-based consultancy First Digital, told Forkast in an emailed response.

If the court states that XRP is not a security, it strengthens the case for many other tokens that the SEC considers a security. The SEC has tried the regulation by enforcement tactic, but this ruling might make it think twice about its past approach, Chok added.

However, according to Ben Caselin, vice president and chief strategy officer at Dubai-based crypto trading platform MaskEX, the courts ruling might be cause for some relief among investors, but this tug-of-war is far from over.

Due to their peer-to-peer and digital native nature, cryptocurrencies do not easily allow for regulation in the traditional sense, but, going forward, if projects and companies who issue tokens want to deal with the general public and institutional investors, they might want to practice more caution compared to a few years ago, Caselin told Forkast in an emailed response.

XRPs 24-hour trading volume soared 1,743.38% to US$13.27 billion, while its market capitalization strengthened 64.52% to US$40.85 billion.

The verdict on the Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit also boosted prices of all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

Cardanos ADA token gained 22.88% to US$0.3526, bringing its weekly gains to 25.91%. Solana increased 31.98% to US$28.75 and is up 47.96% on the week. Polygons Matic token strengthened 17.96% to US$0.8555 in 24 hours and 29.4% on the week.

The three cryptocurrencies saw double-digit losses in early June when the SEC labeled the tokens as financial securities in its lawsuits against crypto exchanges Coinbase and Binance.US.

The resolution of the lawsuit could lead to increased investor and market confidence in XRP [which] could attract new investors and drive greater liquidity and trading volume for XRP, Minal Thukral, executive vice-president of growth and strategy at CoinDCX, Indias first crypto unicorn, said in an emailed statement on Friday.

The total crypto market capitalization rose 5.59% to US$1.25 trillion, while market volume increased 131.39% to US$70.53 billion in the past 24 hours.

Forkast 500 NFT index gains

The indexes are proxy measures of the performance of the global NFT market. They are managed by CryptoSlam, a sister company of Forkast.News under the Forkast.Labs umbrella.

In the non-fungible token (NFT) market, the main Forkast 500 NFT index edged up 0.27% to 2,706.85 in 24 hours to 6.45 p.m. in Hong Kong.

Forkasts Ethereum and Solana indices also gained in the same period.

Total NFT sales volume on Ethereum blockchain gained 8.95% in the past 24 hours to US$17.07 million, according to data from CryptoSlam.

By collections, Ethereum-based Bored Ape Yacht Club recorded the highest 24-hour sales volume, rising 2.76% to US$2.09 million.

NFT sales volume on the Bitcoin network declined 22.49% in 24 hours to US$2.68 million. Bitcoins $FRAM BRC-20 NFTs ranked the second-highest among collections.

CryptoPunks are gaining traction after Twitter users started speculating that a new cryptocurrency would be launched by an influencer named Pauly, who has been active in the Phunks community, according to Yehudah Petscher, NFT Strategist at Forkast Labs, the parent company of Forkast.News.

I AM creating a token.



There is no next $pepe.



Be early. You will thank me later. pic.twitter.com/bCUE7Sh6bJ  PAULY (@Pauly0x) July 9, 2023

Pauly is known as a co-defendant in the Yuga Labs vs Ryder Rips BAYC collection lawsuit, and also as potentially a co-creator of Yuga Labs $APE Coin, Petscher added.

Ethereum-based CryptoPunks gained 9.01% in sales volume to US$927,929 in the past 24 hours, ranking it the fourth biggest collection.

Asian equities, U.S. futures gain; European bourses mixed

Image: Envato Elements

Asian stock markets mostly rose on Friday after the Peoples Bank of China deputy governor Liu Guoqiang said that Chinas central bank will step up countercyclical adjustments to aid recovery of the worlds second-largest economy. The central bank would use monetary policy tools such as the reserve requirement ratio, medium-term lending facility, and open market operations to boost economic growth.

Chinas Shanghai Composite, Hong Kongs Hang Seng, South Koreas Kospi strengthened while Japans Nikkei dropped.

Indias annual wholesale price index-based inflation declined for the third straight month to 4.12% in June compared to 3.48% in May. The decline was mainly due to lower prices of food products, mineral oils, crude petroleum and natural gas.

Indias Sensex index at the Bombay Stock Exchange gained 0.77% at the close of trading hours on Friday.

Earlier this month, Goldman Sachs said the worlds most populous country would become the worlds second largest economy by 2075, surpassing not only Japan and Germany but also the U.S.

As Indias population of 1.4 billion people becomes the worlds largest, its GDP is forecast to expand dramatically. Goldman Sachs Research projects India will have the worlds second-largest economy by 2075. https://t.co/CFFM0JsmEL pic.twitter.com/xHruyuSFex  Goldman Sachs (@GoldmanSachs) July 6, 2023

U.S. stock futures strengthened as of 8 p.m. in Hong Kong, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, the S&P 500 futures, and the Nasdaq 100 Futures all in the green.

The U.S. producer price index (PPI) released Thursday recorded a 0.1% year-on-year rise for June, down from 0.9% in May. The June figure is the smallest increase since August 2020. The data is also well below analyst expectations of a 0.4% annual increase.

The latest U.S. consumer price index, a key inflation indicator, slowed to 3% in June, beating market expectations of 3.1%. It was also the smallest annual increase since March 2021, and brought inflation rates closer to the Federal Reserves target of 2%.

Jeff Feng, co-founder of Sei Labs  a contributor to the Sei blockchain focused on trading  and a former Goldman Sachs analyst said that cooling inflation will be a boost to crypto markets.

This economic thaw doesnt merely spell relief from the spiraling prices but is also poised to breed bullish sentiment across markets, especially for risk-on assets like cryptocurrencies. As the fear of inflation recedes, investors, buoyed by the healthier economic outlook, may be more inclined to channel their resources toward such assets, Feng wrote.

The Federal Reserve meets on July 26 to discuss its next move on interest rates which are currently between 5% and 5.25%.

We will still see a rate hike in July. The debate will intensify though, and we do not expect a move in September, Keith Wade, chief economist and strategist at Schroders, said in an emailed statement on Friday.

The next move should prove to be the last hike in this cycle with cuts following thereafter, Wade added.

European bourses traded mixed on Friday as the benchmark STOXX 600 gained while Germanys DAX 40 dropped during Friday afternoon trading hours in Europe.

(updates with equities section.)
Embarc is one of three cannabis dispensaries suing the city of Ventura for permits to open. The company is preparing to open its midtown storefront, but can't actually open until the city issues a permit.

Its been nearly three years since Ventura voters approved a ballot measure that city leaders said would lead to licensed cannabis dispensaries in town, and nine months since the city picked three dispensaries to receive the first permits.

But Ventura still lacks a legal retail outlet for cannabis, and neither the dispensaries that were chosen nor the ones that were passed over are happy.

The five finalists that didnt win last year's competitive licensing process appealed the citys decision, and the appeal process has dragged on for more than six months. In late June, the three businesses that won filed a lawsuit against the city, asking for a court order that would end the appeals and force the city to issue them permits.

In the meantime, those three operators are moving toward opening, with coming soon and now hiring signs up in one locations windows, though they cant actually open until they have their permits in hand. The other five dispensary operators are in talks with the city over potentially expanding the initial round of permits.

Ventura city officials would not comment on the matter, citing the pending lawsuit.

The city always planned to issue five retail permits, with the first three in the non-coastal areas of Ventura, and another two later in the coastal zone, if the California Coastal Commission agrees. In December, the City Council considered licensing five dispensaries right away, which would have allowed two of the companies that missed out to obtain permits, but ultimately voted to keep the total at three for now.

One of the initial three winners was The Artist Tree, which operates six other dispensaries in California, including the first one to open in Oxnard. In Ventura, The Artist Tree has a lease on a building at the Five Points intersection in midtown, near Community Memorial Hospital. The shop plans to start renovating it as soon as it has its city permit.

Laura Fontein, the chief compliance officer at The Artist Tree and one its owners and founders, said the process was much smoother in the other cities where the company operates, including Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Fresno.

Ventura and Oxnard are in kind of a tie for the most cumbersome and time-consuming permit process, she said. Both cities had the same problem: an inability to resolve appeals quickly and award permits once the decision had been made.

In Oxnard, applicants weren't always told there was an appeal process, so the city ended up scrapping its first round of permit awards and starting over. In Ventura, The Artist Tree and the other two winners  dispensary companies called Embarc and Wheelhouse  are suing to prevent something like that from happening.

"Its not that were trying to stifle competition, but the city put in place a process where they had an application and we had to do a lot of things to qualify, and we believe they did a good job in selecting the top applicants," Fontein said. "We followed the rules they set out, and its frustrating when cities try to change the rules down the road.

Artwork and cannabis share space in The Artist Tree cannabis dispensary in Oxnard. The company was one of three selected in Ventura but has waited years for its permit to operate.

Measure I passes

Ventura's road to legal cannabis sales began in 2020, when Measure I passed with 72% of the vote. It set a city tax of 8% on retail cannabis sales  on top of the standard sales tax and state-level cannabis taxes  and the City Council promised that if voters approved it, the city would allow a limited number of dispensaries.

The process the city adopted after Measure I passed called for applicants to demonstrate their plans for security, business success, legal compliance, a suitable location, local ownership partners and community involvement, among other factors. An outside consultant scored the applications on a point system and picked the finalists. The city held a public hearing with the finalists, and then-City Manager Alex McIntyre chose the three winners.

The other five finalists appealed, and the city sent their appeals to the California Office of Administrative Hearings, a state agency that uses administrative law judges to settle disputes involving state and local agencies.

In the lawsuit by the three original winners, they allege that the appeals and negotiations with the five runners-up do not conform to the process established by the City Council and have taken much longer than the time allowed under the city's ordinances.

The losing companies that appealed also claimed the city did not follow its own procedures.

One objected to some of the winners being close to schools and other "sensitive uses." Another cited a faulty audio system during its presentation in the public hearing. A third company pointed to the fact that McIntyre did not choose all of the companies that ranked highest on the point system, and that McIntyre resigned in December after the City Council placed him on paid leave.

The city did not disclose why he was placed on leave, but an independent audit found problems with city spending and credit card use under McIntyre's leadership. A report to the City Council from City Attorney Andrew Heglund in November, when McIntyre was on leave but before he resigned, said the leave was "unrelated to the cannabis application process."

Story continues below.

Yearslong process

Dispensary operators have now been honing their Ventura plans for nearly three years. If permits are handed out to the original three winners, the first one to open is likely to be Embarc, in the midtown stretch of Main Street, about a mile west of the proposed Artist Tree location.

Embarc is doing relatively minor work in its leased building and should be ready to open within weeks after getting its permit, said Lauren Carpenter, the founder and CEO of the company.

"Hammers are swinging, and we're actively hiring," she said. "We're full steam ahead, though, of course, we will not open until we have full approval from the state and local governments."

Embarc already has eight dispensaries, in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley and the Lake Tahoe area.

"We've been first to market in nearly all of the communities where we operate, and I'm really proud of that," Carpenter said. "One of the biggest promises we make to communities when we go through these processes is that we will work quickly and collaboratively with local government and with the community at large to bring access to legal cannabis to the community."

The Artist Tree, on the other hand, has extensive renovation work to do and probably couldn't open until about six months after it gets a permit, Fontein said. Its building is now occupied, but the landlord has agreed to end the current tenant's month-to-month lease as soon as The Artist Tree is ready to move in, she said.

The third winner in last year's selection process was Wheelhouse, which also has dispensaries in Port Hueneme and Venice.

Wheelhouse bought a building in Ventura 2 years ago, in a commercial and industrial stretch of Market Street, said founder and CEO Zahur Lalji. It's been empty for more than a year, so the company has had to pay the mortgage with no rent or revenue coming in.

Lalji said he thinks Ventura will be a good market for at least three dispensaries, judging by how many Ventura residents visit the Port Hueneme store or order for delivery.

"We have a good customer base, so as long as we don't screw it up, they won't go somewhere else," he said.

But the industry as a whole has had its issues. There has been consolidation among both wholesale and retail companies, and some major operators have left California. The state has higher taxes than other states with legal cannabis, and legal dispensaries face competition from the black market as well as regulatory hurdles and delays.

"At one time, people thought maybe all of these cannabis businesses are raking in the money, but that isn't the reality," Fontein said.

Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Marijuana dispensaries still waiting to open in Ventura
Yellow shed some 6.3% of its head count from 2012 to 2022. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Larry Stewart is a unionized truck driver  just like his father and grandfather before him. He knew, when he became a truck driver 36 years ago, that it wouldnt be an easy way to make a living.

You sacrifice your life, said Stewart, who lives in Edwardsville, Illinois, some 30 miles outside St. Louis. The money was good for the family, the kids and the wife, but they didnt see me a whole lot.

Union trucking jobs arent easy to come by, but Stewart managed to get one when he started at Holland in 1999. Holland was acquired by Yellow in 2005, when Yellow bought Hollands parent company US Freightways. Stewarts job began changing shortly after that.

Stewart expected to retire in his late 50s or early 60s and enjoy similar pension benefits to his father and grandfather. That plan would be delayed.

From July 2009 to June 2011, Yellow suspended payments into Teamsters pension funds as the trucking fleet careened towards bankruptcy. In 2011, Yellow resumed funding pensions at 25%. That means Stewart and the other approximately 22,000 Teamsters members employed at Yellow must work four years to earn an additional $100 per month when they retire. Until the Great Recession, they had to work just one year to receive that benefit.

If Stewart retired after 33 years at Yellow, as he originally planned, his pension would pay him $3,300 a month. However, under the current structure, he would receive only $1,650 a month.





They screwed us over for the rest of our life with our pension, Stewart said.

Yellow acquired Holland in 2005 as part of its acquisition of US Freightways. The cost of this acquisition totaled $1.47 billion. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Nearly 700 miles east, another Yellow truck driver named Brent Skeens has been worried about his future, too. Yellow had said they had the potential to run out of cash by July. Skeens wasnt sure where exactly he would work next.

During a recent week of vacation time, he said he spent every day looking at trucking jobs available on Indeed and calling local companies. In Roanoke, Virginia, where he lives, the options were limited  and nonexistent for union gigs.

Ive always supported the union, but it seems like the union is turning its back on us right now, Skeens said.

He had worked for another unionized trucking giant, Consolidated Freightways, until 2002, when it went bankrupt.

I love working for the union companies, Skeens said. But this could be two times in 21 years that my company has gone bankrupt. It kind of kicks you in the teeth.

Yellow is the third-largest trucking company in the less-than-truckload sector. Its also a fleet with a lot of issues. Since 2009, Yellow has nearly gone bankrupt five times. The most recent was avoided on July 7, when Yellow and its lenders signed a waiver of covenant with a group of lenders and the U.S. Treasury.

In May, the Teamsters rejected Yellows proposals to further modernize its network, which would change key work rules. A Yellow spokesperson told FreightWaves it wants to meet with Teamsters immediately to resolve this issue and potentially increase employee wages. Yellow previously said Teamsters representatives have refused to meet.

A Teamsters spokesperson told FreightWaves that the union intends to adhere to its collective bargaining agreement that expires next spring. In a fact sheet, the union said it is currently engaging in its normal membership survey process and previously told Yellow it could begin conversations in August.

FreightWaves spoke with 17 current Yellow employees  one mechanic and 16 truck drivers, who work over-the-road or locally  to learn more about the rank and files reaction toward this brawl. Five drivers were connected to FreightWaves through Yellows spokesperson, who remained on the phone with each interview.

Heres what we learned 

Enough is enough: Teamsters rank and file split on how union should approach Yellow

Eight of the 17 interviewed by FreightWaves disagreed with OBriens choice to not negotiate with the Teamsters on the change of operations. The other nine said they supported OBriens approach.

I am going to speak the truth  I love it, said Louie, a Yellow truck driver based in California who asked to not have his last name printed so he could speak more freely. Enough is enough. Weve been giving up so many things from 2008 to now and we dont see the company moving forward. We dont see them in a better position than they were back in 2008.

Yellow acquired Roadway for $966 million in 2003. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Yellows network is currently a mishmash of several trucking fleets it acquired in the early 2000s. Those networks were never fully integrated.

A 2019 labor contract enabled Yellow to consolidate those networks in an initiative called One Yellow. Yellow integrated networks in the western U.S. last year. In its next phase of integration, Yellow wants to convert nearly 1,000 truck drivers into a new job called utility driver; this may reduce their pay and would substantially change their job duties.

The Teamsters union is blocking further consolidation. Yellow claimed that the unions refusal to continue negotiations on One Yellow changes put the companys financial future in jeopardy. OBrien said a Yellow shutdown was out of our control and refused to budge on the operational changes.

Yellow filed a $137 million lawsuit against the Teamsters on June 27 for blocking the companys change of operations. In the suit, Yellow claimed it would run out of cash by mid-July if the Teamsters did not approve these plans.

The Teamsters said in a June 27 press release responding to the lawsuit that the union has diligently adhered to the terms of its current collective bargaining agreement. A union spokesperson said the change of operations that Yellow is requesting would violate that agreement.

The company is misleading our members and the public, the spokesperson said in a statement to FreightWaves. We have a contract with Yellow that expires March 31, 2024, and Teamsters are living up to it. Yellows management knows theyve failed this company and their workforce because they can no longer live up to the terms they once agreed to. Yellow has proven time and again it cannot manage itself.

On July 7, an imminent bankruptcy was averted when Yellow and its lenders signed a short-term agreement around certain requirements on its debt. The agreement will last one quarter for the Treasury, which holds a 30% stake in Yellow following a controversial $700 million loan in 2020, and two quarters for the lender group.

Starting in March, Teamsters has declined to negotiate further with Yellow concerning the proposed change of operations. All five Yellow truck drivers who were connected to FreightWaves via the companys spokesperson said they wanted the Teamsters to sit down with Yellow and hash out these proposed changes.

A lot of us out here do not like the animosity thats going on between the union and the company, said a truck driver based in the Midwest, who was connected to FreightWaves through Yellows spokesperson and asked to not have his name printed to avoid retribution from the union. Its not 30,000 jobs  its 30,000 families who are in need of things to go forward.

Two additional Yellow truck drivers agreed. Dan Ferenczi, who is based in South Bend, Indiana, said theres been poor communication from both Yellow and Teamsters. He would rather the two sides communicate to keep the company afloat.

Im not going to bad mouth someone who put my kids through school, said Ferenczi, who has worked at Yellow for three decades. I just want them to get to the table and communicate a bit. But nobodys really come out and communicated really well.

Most employees were concerned that Yellow could go bankrupt. Three expressed that they had given up on Yellow and did not care if the company shut down. Brian Atchley, a Yellow mechanic in St. Louis, is one of them.

Were beyond the point that we care, he said. On one hand, its a decent job with a steady income, but on the other hand, how much do you let them get away with this?

Twelve said they wanted their jobs to be saved. A Yellow truck driver in Wisconsin said he wanted to see union jobs be available for the next generation. He asked for his name to not be printed to avoid retaliation from Yellow.

I would like this to be here for the next group of people, said the Wisconsin driver. Ive always had a good home. Ive always made a good life. I just want to maintain it for the next corps of people.

Still, the Wisconsinite, who has been a truck driver for 40 years, said hes been disheartened by Yellows comparatively low pay, reduced pension benefits, and a one-week reduction of vacation time that applied to long-time employees from 2010 to 2019.

Thats why our union is standing up and saying not anymore, the driver said. As Sean OBrien stated, the concession stand is closed. Weve done our part to try to keep the company going and moving forward.

A Yellow spokesperson said the Teamsters halted our business plan, causing uncertainty and concern among everyone at Yellow. We need to meet with IBT to resolve this immediately so we can implement One Yellow and get back to focusing our full attention on our customers.

A June 12 fact sheet from Teamsters said Yellow is misleading employees with false information. The union said it would traditionally begin negotiations on a new contract at the end of the year and must gather membership feedback before bargaining.

We do not intend to bargain without membership input, the Teamsters fact sheet read. The Teamsters explained to Yellow that negotiations are a two-way street, and that Yellow would have to provide immediate significant economic increases for the members if it wanted to reopen the contract early.

We have a lot of people who cant retire now: Yellow truck drivers frustrated with pay and pension

All but four Yellow employees expressed the need for increased wages and pension contributions. The four who did not were connected to FreightWaves by Yellows spokesperson.

We want the same thing our employees want, and this is exactly why we have been attempting to negotiate with the IBT to discuss wage increases and changes to our existing contract, a Yellow spokesperson said in a statement concerning the demand for increased compensation. We have to meet in order to resolve this immediately.

Teamsters countered in a June 12 fact sheet that the companys proposed changes could result in unionized Yellow employees again making concessions for the company. Yellow wants to establish a one-way street that allows it to get everything it wants up front and early, the fact sheet read. The company wants our members to wait to see what happens down the road, even if it means workers are once again left holding the bag.

During the Great Recession, the Teamsters granted Yellow a 15% wage cut and agreed to forgo pension contributions. Those wage concessions were extended in the 2014 contract as a way to keep Yellow in business.

Teamsters-represented employees at Yellow won an 18% wage increase in their 2019 contract, which is the current agreement.

Yellow reached a July 7 agreement with a group of its lenders to waive certain covenants around its debt obligations. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Thirteen employees told FreightWaves they would like the upcoming agreement to address pension funding specifically.

We have a lot of people who cant retire now, said Pete Boese, a South Bend-based truck driver at Yellow. The pension is a pretty big deal.

Glenn Lowe, a Tampa, Florida-based truck driver, is one of those Yellow drivers whose retirement plans were shafted. When Lowe joined Roadway in 1997, he recalled that retirees from his terminal said they would earn a pension of $3,500 to $4,000 a month. (Yellow acquired Roadway in 2005.)

After 30 years of working, when Lowe planned to retire, he should be eligible for around $3,000 per month. Instead, his pension will more likely be around $1,500 per month, in part because he was laid off from 2008 to 2012 due to economic conditions.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based driver David Crisp and Ferenczi of South Bend estimated separately that their monthly pension payouts would be at least $1,000 higher if Yellow had fully funded pensions since 2010.

A Yellow spokesperson said its retirement benefits are greater than those offered by nonunion LTL trucking firms. The representative added that Yellow is prepared to negotiate changes to retirement benefits.

The Wisconsin-based Yellow truck driver and Rick Cole, a St. Louis-based driver, said their terminals struggle to recruit new talent because the pay and benefits compare poorly to unionized and nonunion carriers. The Teamsters union claims Yellow has at least a $5-per-hour cost advantage over ABF Freight, another union LTL fleet.

A Yellow spokesperson countered in a statement: Engaging in negotiations that lead to a stronger compensation package will better enable us to recruit and retain talent. The Teamsters said in the fact sheet it intends to honor the current contract and begin negotiations later this year.

Yellow employees interviewed by FreightWaves noted that the companys insurance policy was unusually good  and kept several of them at the company. We do have the best insurance in the industry, said Skeens, the Roanoke-based truck driver.

Some Yellow drivers said their trucking fleet was better before the Yellow takeover

Six Yellow employees said their previous employers moved freight more efficiently before Yellow began to integrate with them. Three  two who had worked at Roadway and one who had worked at Reddaway  said they noticed no major changes. One, who previously worked at Reddaway, said she noticed issues at first but they went away.

These changes, in some cases, have resulted in a long-term reduction of freight at individual terminals, six employees said. A Yellow spokesperson declined to confirm these claims based on the information provided.

The claims may be limited to certain regions. Yellow saw an uptick in revenue from 2012 to 2022 of about 8.1%. On the other hand, other LTL players saw a much larger increase in revenue over that same period. Old Dominion Freight Lines revenue increased by nearly 200%, SAIAs by 154.8% and unionized ABFs by 131.5%.

A Yellow spokesperson said modernizing the fleet through the One Yellow business plan would enable the company to be faster, more consistent and easier to work with. In some areas, customers may be serviced by terminals that are next to each other but with separate workforces. Teamsters said these changes in operations would would violate nearly every contract supplement nationwide by changing the job duties for nearly 1,000 drivers.

A Yellow truck driver based at the South Bend Holland terminal, who asked to not have his name printed, said inbound freight was typically around $800 to $900 bills a day in the early 2020s. But shortly after the terminals switch to Yellow in March 2022, freight volumes were cut by roughly half. Two other South Bend Holland truck drivers also said their terminals volumes sharply declined following the switch to Yellow.

Prior to becoming part of Yellow, the anonymous South Bend truck driver said Holland offered 9 a.m. guaranteed deliveries, which is no longer the case. He said he believes that is one reason why theyve lost customers.

Four employees based in different states who began their careers at Holland said their previous computer system allowed customers to track trailers. The current one from Yellow does not.

The company also moves freight in a way that is different from how the regional companies operated. Six employees based in cities across the country said that the way that Yellow runs freight has resulted in delays and frustrated customers.

The Yellow truck driver based in Wisconsin said Holland, where he originally worked, had a kick and pick freight system where a linehaul driver would pick up freight and drop it off along their route. Yellows network is much larger than Hollands, which the driver said resulted in some inefficiencies.

Today, things go to a velocity center or a break bulk center, the driver said. Things get docked and moved on from there, instead of us kicking and picking along the way. Freight could go 100 miles in the wrong direction, then back to where it would have gone.

A Yellow truck driver based in Tacoma, Washington, said that following Reddaways integration with Yellow, its become more common for freight to be incorrectly shipped to Alaska, then return to the Lower 48, then back to Alaska. Some freight has been shipped by rail by accident. This has resulted in a loss of customers in her terminal, she said.

A Yellow truck driver based in the Mountain West, who was connected to FreightWaves through a Yellow spokesperson, said there was initially a backlog when Yellow and Reddaway merged, but it has since cleared up. She said Yellow was behind around 15 trailers per day when the merger happened.

A Yellow spokesperson said One Yellow is key to modernizing operations and improving customer experience, though merging may at first be challenging.

Merging operations in any business is complex work and requires significant planning and execution, the spokesperson said. Change can be hard at first, and it is not uncommon to see initial challenges as employees adapt to a new way of doing things. However, all companies must evolve to meet increasing customer demands in order to keep up with the competition.

Yellows revenue grew by 8.1% from 2012 to 2022. However, some of its competitors revenues more than doubled during that period. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Several truck drivers said the changes in Yellows brand, including recently renaming the regional LTL carriers it acquired in the early 2000s, have also confused customers and led to freight volume decline.

A Yellow spokesperson countered in a statement: This is exactly why we need one company operating as One Yellow, not four separate regional outdated companies. Yellow will become more efficient and recognizable by name under One Yellow. Our modernized network will enhance the customer experience, which will lead to growth in freight volumes for many years to come. No other LTL carrier has four different brands and neither will we once One Yellow is implemented.

Managers fleeing some Yellow terminals

Following the integration of Yellow and these regional trucking companies, five employees nationwide said their terminals lost employees and managers.

Annual filings reflect anecdotal reports of fewer employees. Yellow shed some 6.3% of its head count from 2012 to 2022.

Other LTL players have not seen the same reduction in staff. ODFL increased head count by 80.3% over that same period, while SAIA (44.7%) and unionized ABF (42.7%) also saw an increase.

The Yellow representative said One Yellow will allow the 99-year-old company to better compete in a dynamic, fast-paced marketplace.

We are in the final stages of the transformation, and we need the IBT to come to the table to make it a reality for our employees, shareholders and customers, the representative said.

Teamsters said in the fact sheet that it will not grant the concessions Yellow is currently seeking.

Yellow has shown that it doesnt deserve and cannot be expected to continue under its current structure, the fact sheet said. The Teamsters cannot and will not keep bailing out this company with concessions. We are not interested in helping its corporate executives save face. It is not left to the Teamsters to save this company. Our members have given enough.

Louie, the California truck driver, said that from 2008 to today, his terminal (previously Roadway) has seen eight terminal managers. It was the same person from 1999 to 2008.

An Oregon-based truck driver connected to FreightWaves through Yellow PR said around 60 drivers worked at his terminal as of 2019. Now, its around 30.

Lowe, the truck driver based in Tampa, said his terminal has had four managers since 2016.

A Yellow representative declined to comment on these claims and noted the average tenure of a union employee at Yellow is 14 years.

Lowe said hes not a gung-ho union guy  but hes baffled by Yellow already claiming the company is out of cash. Thats making him more amenable to Teamsters blocking Yellows attempted change of operations.

I dont disagree with the Teamsters at this point, he said. There have been so many givebacks by the Teamsters membership that for Yellow to be coming with their hands out again, asking us to bail out the company for the good of keeping the doors open, seems like a lot to ask  especially after having gotten a bailout from the government.

What do you think about the standoff between Yellow and Teamsters? Comment below or email rpremack@freightwaves.com.

Be sure to subscribe to MODES for weekly dispatches on freight transportation.

The post Yellow truck drivers sound off on troubled fleet, Teamsters appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yours for 6,500: Simpsons in the Strand to auction off historic trolleys

Simpsons in the Strand had initially been known as the Grand Divin chess club and coffee house when it opened in 1828 - Simpson's in the Strand

Restaurant enthusiasts are being offered the chance to own a piece of history, as the 200-year-old Simpsons in the Strand puts its silver carving trolleys under the hammer.

The restaurant, once the favoured haunt of Arthur Conan-Doyle and Charles Dickens, is auctioning thousands of items from across the restaurant, including 19th century Waterford crystal chandeliers, fireplaces, Wedgewood crockery and grand pianos.

The establishment, which has been closed since the start of the pandemic, will also be selling off its silver carving trolleys that are seen as almost as much of an institution as the restaurant itself.

Simpsons in the Strand had initially been known as the Grand Divin chess club and coffee house when it opened in 1828, but in 1848 it struck a deal with caterer John Simpson.

The carving trolleys were rolled out as a way to serve chess players without disturbing them mid-game, by keeping meat warm during play.

These carving trolleys have an opening price of 6,500 and 2,200 respectively - Simpson's in the Strand

The starting price for its silver trolleys during the auction varies by design, with the cheapest having an opening price of 1,500 while another was put online with a price of 6,500.

A spokesman for the Savoy, which owns Simpsons in the Strand, said: While the stories, history and foundation of Simpsons remain, a select few items will be available to purchase as it enters a new chapter.

The Savoy will be affording buyers a chance to own a piece of this legendary establishment and eagerly awaits the opportunity to share the exciting plans for its future.

Both Simpsons in the Strand and The Savoy are part of the Fairmont hotel group.

The sale of thousands of pieces of crockery, furniture and paintings comes after years of the doors remaining shut at Simpsons in the Strand.

The Savoy reopened quickly after lockdown rules were changed. However, it was only recently that the Savoy said it would be announcing reopening plans for Simpsons in the Strand in 2024.

It comes despite the restaurant having previously endured wars and rationing. At one point during the First World War, Simpsons had to bring in a meat free day due to limits on meat rations, while potatoes were only available one day a week.

Simpsons in the Strand went through a refurbishment in 2017, at the time saying it was all about enhancement to make guests feel as though its always been like this, which will more than meet their expectations in terms of service and style.

This included retaining the location of the dining table which was favoured by Winston Churchill, next to the fireplace at the far end of the restaurant. Figures including King Charles and Peter OToole have also been pictured in its dining room.

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A world-class ecological research and education center envisioned for Fredericksburg could become a game changer for the Rappahannock River and the region.

Thats the dream of Henry Buck Cox, a retired environmental engineer and entrepreneur who grew up in Fredericksburg. Hes created a nonprofit called the RIVERE Center, hired staff, assembled an advisory board and tapped experts for advice. Efforts will begin soon to raise the $7 million to $12 million needed to make the center a reality on a site next to the old Embry Power Station on Caroline Street.

We hope to put a shovel in the ground by the end of 2024, Cox said. We have a lot of hills to climb with the city first.

RIVERE will focus on watershed research, conservation, education and ecoculture. Those were the recommendations of Wipfli, a consulting and accounting firm. It did a study of about 100 organizations that might be interested in working with the center and found theres a need in the research community for real-time data about watersheds, said Lori Blanc, RIVEREs environmental consultant.

Monitoring waterways for such things as phosphorus, nitrogen and sediments is increasingly important worldwide as population and industrialization growth strain demand for freshwater resources. Having readily available data can help researchers predict pollution impacts in various scenarios, which the public and government officials can then use for planning purposes.

So, based on [Wipflis] advice, and then the input from potential collaborators, we decided to focus more narrowly on technology, emerging technologies that can be used to enhance water quality monitoring, education and outreach, Blanc said. But our focus is on technology, and that way we fit this little niche here in the area that has a lot of opportunity.

Plans call for RIVERE to be located in a building that would be erected on about an acre of land donated by the Whelan family, which owns the vacant power station property. Part of the center would be leased as co-working and laboratory space to environmental companies, related government agencies and nonprofits that want to collaborate on national water research priorities. For example, such companies could include piloting and testing smart technology water sensors in the Rappahannock, which Cox says has been called a Goldilocks river.

Its not so big and complicated like the James that has hundreds of different contaminants and industrial runoffs, said Cox. The Rappahannock, by comparison, is a simple river. Its not so small that if you try to demonstrate a treatment technique for the river that you cant demonstrate success for that particular technique. If you used the James, it would be difficult to separate the problems.

RIVERE could help with research on new sensor technologies through a collaboration with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation and its Virginia Smart Community Testbed initiative in Stafford County. Its also in touch with professors at Virginia Tech and the University of WisconsinMilwaukee who are working on developing low-cost phosphate sensors that could be deployed and tested in the Rappahannock.

If it works, this kind of thing can start to bring technology companies into the area to manufacture these kinds of devices, test those devices on the Rappahannock and take them to market, Cox said. This is an area that really needs to be expanded because there are lots of needs for various types of sensors.

RIVERE is also partnering with Virginia Techs Artificial Intelligence Assurance and Applications lab on possibilities for improving water quality data and data security. Any resulting data generated through the center would be publicly available for research globally and used to create virtual and augmented reality immersive learning experiences for the public and government officials so they can make better-informed decisions regionally.

An example would be projecting 100 years from now, with projected growth rates upstream, what might that look like in terms of increased potential for flooding or increased potential for sedimentation, what that might look like in their backyard, said Blanc. Its one thing to read about it or hear about it, but if you can have an immersive experience where you come in, and then you can see the changes over time, and you can walk around and you can engage with it? And then you can adjust and say, well, what if we dont develop this area? What if we protect this area? Keep it forested? And how would that change what this part looks like down the road?

Plans also call for the center to have both indoor and outdoor spaces for environmental education lead by Friends of the Rappahannock and ecoculture initiatives and outreach done in collaboration with the Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Patawomeck Tribal Center in Stafford County.

All this will take money, and Cox and his team will be reaching out to prospective donors and are considering applying for grants, including one from GO Virginia Region 6. GO Virginia is an initiative to foster private-sector growth and job creation through state incentives for regional collaboration between business, education, and government.

If we get the right kind of horsepower behind this, we believe we can get to the halfway point, said Cox. Thats our objective. And then, after that, we could basically finance the center subject to us getting folks willing to sign up to [lease space].
Pastor Mike Petersens call to ministry came not with fanfare, but during a tender time.

It was a powerful thing that happened that really solidified for me that God wanted me to do this, he said.

Petersen had been praying about becoming a pastor and even preached on rare occasion at First Congregational Church, UCC, in Fremont.

One day, an elderly congregant, who was passing away in a hospital, asked her son to call Petersen. So he went to see her.

The prayers with the precious woman helped confirm Petersens call to serve Christ and others. Local residents may know Petersen as a Lincoln Premium Poultry employee and member of the Fremont Public Schools (FPS)board of education.

Petersen, who also served in Army National Guard, helped hurricane victims in the Caribbean and was among guardsmen protecting buildings in the nations capital after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Throughout his life, hes been part of various community service endeavors. But a couple years ago, hed embark on yet another path of service.

Petersen remembers visiting the hospitalized congregant.

Weve been without a pastor and I really love it when you preach and I was hoping youd sit and pray with me awhile, the elderly woman said.

Petersen prayed with her for a couple hours. That night, he learned shed died. Back then, Petersen wasnt a licensed pastor in the United Church of Christ, but got to assist with her funeral.

That was really a moment for me when I realized that what you do at that pulpit is only a small piece of what it is to be a pastor or to show care, Petersen said. It really validates my fundamental belief in the priesthood of all believers.

Petersen cites the Scripture 1 Peter 2:9, which describes Christians as a chosen people and a royal priesthood.

I wasnt a licensed pastor, but in that moment I got to be part of the priesthood of all believers, Petersen said. We are all ministers and its important to remember that. The idea of the priesthood of all believers empowers your congregation and it empowers you as the leader.

Petersen has undertaken many leadership roles.

A 2008 Fremont High School graduate, Petersen earned his bachelors degree with a history major and religion minor from Midland University in 2012 and his masters degree in business administration with an accounting emphasis from MU in 2014.

He was a meat cutter and then assistant meat market manager at Bakers grocery store while in college. Petersen ran for State Legislature for District 15 in 2012. He didnt win the election and continued working in the grocery industry.

Petersen married his wife, Kayla, in 2014. They have a daughter, Amelia, 7, and son, John, 5.

In May 2015, he went to boot camp for the U.S. Army.

I have been very driven my entire life to service, Petersen said. I want to serve and help people. I want to make the community a better place and so I joined the Army and I served six years. I was in the National Guard, so it was one weekend a month and two weeks a year, except for when they activated me.

In 2017, two Category 5 hurricanes hit in the Caribbean within a week of each other. Petersen spent 30 days in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and a little time in Puerto Rico, when they were without running water and power.

He recalls how guardsmen tried to get food and water to civilians in St. Croix. Many homes were destroyed. He remembers all the chickens and goats walking the streets, because the buildings where their owners had kept them had been destroyed as well.

Petersen was activated for flood relief in Nebraska in 2019. Although living in Fremont, he was part of the 128th Engineers in Columbus and served there instead. He guarded a highway to keep people off it.

Petersens last mission was when he was among National Guard troops activated due to the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. in 2021. Petersen was there in the insurrections aftermath.

He helped guard the Vice Presidential mansion and the Capitol.

We slept in the parking garages of the Congressional Office buildings and we had a security perimeter around the Capitol, he said.

He and other guardsmen helped make sure the insurrection didnt re-erupt. By the time of the Presidential Inauguration, Petersen was among thousands of guardsmen working the area.

While in the National Guard, Petersen continued to work at his civilian jobs. He was a territory manager covering the Kansas City and Omaha areas for Golden Plump Chicken of St. Cloud, Minnesota, from 2015-2018.

He worked for the Peter Kiewit Company as a purchasing agent from 2018-2019. In January 2020, he went to work for Lincoln Premium Poultry, where he is the business analytics and reporting program manager. He reports on all the data regarding plant operations.

Im big fan of numbers and data and spread sheets, he noted.

In the meantime, Petersen has served on the FPS board of education since he was elected in 2018. Many projects  all part of the $123 million voter-approved bond issueare underway as part of the FPS improvement plan.

Petersen got out of the military in April 2021 and wanted to rejoin, but health issues prevented him from doing so.

Ive always been a person of faith and I began to seek new ways of serving in a way I was hoping would be even more profound, Petersen said. I think a lot of the problems I observed during all my years of doing community service  the core of them is spiritual. Its not political. Its spiritual and its raw and its very human and earthy.

So I began to connect my service with my faith journey.

Petersen joined First Congregational in 2015. The church has been without a called pastor since 2019. Retired pastors filled the pulpit on occasion and Linda Newman, a licensed minister, did a fantastic job, he said.

She helped hold us together during the COVID closure, Petersen said. She would preach and Id video the service and put it on Facebook. We really owe her a debt of gratitude.

Petersen began to feel the call to ministry about three years ago. Hed fill the pulpit when ministers werent available.

Thats when I began to realize this could be another avenue of service for me, he said.

Petersen prayed about it for a year. Two years ago, Petersen formally said he wanted to be the churchs pastor. He began the denominations process which took two years.

About a month ago, he was authorized and licensed by the UCCs Living Waters Association. The Fremont church voted him in as pastor on June 25.

The church has about 125 members. Weekly attendance is increasing. About 20 attended when the church reopened after COVID. Approximately 40 attend now.

Its good to see some life coming back after COVID, he said.

Petersen is a bi-vocational pastor. He maintains his job at LPP, but has regular church office hours. He commends his spouse for her support.

I have an incredibly understanding wife, who lets me do all the things I want to do for the community, Petersen said. She is a saint. I love her more than anything.

Petersen loves the church.

I think we do really good things for the community, he said.

He believes the National UCC mission statement: United in spirit and inspired by Gods grace, we welcome all, love all and seek justice for all.

Petersen plans to continue to receive more education and training and working with his mentor.

Its my hope in ministry to teach and articulate the priesthood of all believers, the need to build Christs kingdom on earth and show each other grace, he said.
A desire by Mayor Joey Spellerberg and city officials to stop big rigs and semi-tractor trailer vehicles from driving on Broad Street from Military Avenue to 23rd Street was met with resistance and opposition from several local business owners.

The proposal  which at the moment is an idea that has yet to be implemented  was presented for the first time to the public and city council during the Tuesday, July 11, meeting of the Fremont City Council. No action was taken on the issue on Tuesday.

The ban on big rigs and semi-tractor trailer vehicles on the several-mile stretch of Broad Street has been discussed for several months since the State of Nebraska relinquished control over the former U.S. Highway 77  which included several miles of Broad Street inside the Fremont City limits.

Jurisdiction over the former section of highway was shifted to the City of Fremont due to the construction and eventual opening of the U.S. Highway 77 Southeast Beltway, which has a goal of diverting heavy truck traffic around the city instead of through it.

On Nov. 29, 2022, the city council unanimously voted to accept an agreement with the State of Nebraska which would shift the jurisdiction of the 3.4-mile segment of U.S. Highway 77 from the intersection of the highway and Cloverly Road to the intersection of the highway with Judy Avenue and Judy Drive north of 23rd Street.

The Broad Street corridor is still an officially designated truck route under city ordinance and any change to that would require council approval over three readings and votes.

Justin Zetterman, the citys director of public works, provided an update to the council on the proposal in July 11, telling the seven members present that the citys Utilities and Infrastructure Board had recommended not changing the route until the Bell Street viaduct/bridge construction project is completed  estimated completion is in November.

When do we no longer allow heavy trucks from Military (Avenue) to 23rd (Street)? Zetterman asked. Our recommendation is to wait 'til after the viaduct is opened.

Zetterman also stressed to the council that changing the truck route during harvest season was not a good decision due to the number of farm and agricultural vehicles that utilize Broad Street.

Spellerberg said since the item appeared on the council agenda, hed received numerous letters from local business owners who opposed the change. Spellerberg asked that the letters be entered into the public record, which the council approved 7-0, and they be read by the council.

In addressing the concerned business owners, Spellerberg said he fully understood and valued their concerns and also noted that his goal in prohibiting big rig and semi-tractor trailer traffic on that stretch of Broad Street was aimed at out-of-town, non-Fremont heavy vehicles.

Some of the concerns is we do have local businesses that have been here for decades that do need to get in and around town. We are really talking, in my view, about out-of-town trucks, Spellerberg said. I think the council needs to take that into consideration if approving an ordinance tonight.

Ward 3 Council Member James Vaughan also chimed in, expressing his concern about local businesses who have heavy truck traffic and need to use the road. Vaughan asked Zetterman to consider amending the proposal so that local trucks would be allowed on the segment of Broad Street.

These are local businesses  we could put up a sign that says local truck traffic only, Vaughan said.

Zetterman told Vaughan that he was not sure of the legality of a local trucks only carve out in the proposed ordinance, but said he was open to discussion and proposals on the idea.

We are not trying to stop somebody who is going just north of 23rd Street to a business on Military, Zetterman replied.

Local attorney David G. Hartmann of the Yost Law Firm in Fremont spoke on behalf of his client, Sawyer Construction on Cloverly Road in Fremont. Hartmann said he appreciated concerns from Spellerberg and Vaughan about allowing local trucks to use the route.

The mayor is right  we have businesses that have been in Fremont and served the surrounding communities for years and years. Sawyer construction has been around 68 years or so, with a location at Cloverly and Broad. It has been there since 1959  they run their trucks from South Broad (Street) to North Broad (Street), and the most efficient manner is a straight line on Broad (Street), Hartmann said. ... restricting these local businesses from driving their trucks from Military to 23rd Street is a bad thing. That really adversely impacts these businesses. Trucking is a big deal. It costs a lot of time and money to run trucks. A lot of expense is involved. These big trucks are essential to the businesses and economy.

Hartmann said finding a compromise to allow local trucks to use the Broad Street route was the solution for local businesses.

Several other local business owners also addressed the council, reiterating the concerns expressed by Hartmann and stressing that not allowing them to drive big rigs on Broad Street would harm their profits and increase business expenses.

Michael Arps, president and co-owner of Arps Red-E-Mix, Inc. in Fremont, also spoke against the proposal. Arps said his business has been in Fremont since 1964.

Our trucks are on Broad Street every single day. A lot of times, our deliveries require travel north from Military (Avenue) to 23rd (Street). If we could not take that route, it would be detrimental to our business, Arps said. It will require us to travel needlessly on the beltway and increase expenses. I request that before you shut down Broad Street, you assess the impact.

Ward 2 Council Member Dev Sookram said he was in favor of not acting on the item at this time and further exploring options.

Council President Mark Jensen said he lives on Military Avenue, and that since the Southeast Beltway opened in June, hes noticed a decrease in heavy truck traffic. Despite that, he admitted, local businesses need to use the route along Broad Street.

There are trucks that have to go that way, they just have to, Jensen said.

Vaughan asked Zetterman to continue researching options about how to allow only local trucks on the route and bring the issue back to the council at a future meeting.

The item was not acted on, with the council voting to table the issue for the time being.
Gunnison County's coroner provided additional information about the badly decomposing bodies of three people were found in a remote mountain camp in Colorado.

A hiker found a first body near Gold Creek Campground on Sunday, with law enforcement finding two more Monday.

Gunnison County Undersheriff Josh Ashe described the campsite where the bodies were found as particularly developed, expressing his suspicion that it could have been being used for long-term, off-grid living.

Gunnison County Coroner Michael Barnes has since added to that description, providing details about when the three may have gotten there, what their plans were, and what likely killed them.

According to Barnes, it appears as if the three had started camping in mid- to late July of 2022. Evidence at the site suggested that the campers had plans to live at the spot permanently, staying there through harsh winter months.

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The start of 2023 saw particularly heavy snowfall and low temperatures in the region.

While the official cause of death hasn't been released, the coroner said he suspects the three died from malnutrition and/or exposure at some point over winter.

Foul play is not suspected at this time, Ashe said.

As of Wednesday night, the coroner was still confirming the identity of the three individuals.

Gold Creek Campground, found on Gunnison County Road 771, is currently listed on the U.S. Forest Service website as "closed due to inaccessibility." It's located next to the southeastern boundary of the Fossil Ridge Wilderness Area, near Fairview Peak and Fossil Ridge in Gunnison National Forest.

There are some small towns and rural development near the campground, and the city of Gunnison is about 20 miles southwest of the site.
A former caretaker at a Grand Junction assisted-living facility has pleaded guilty to neglect in the 2021 death of an 86-year-old resident, according to a Friday news release from the Colorado Attorney General's Office.

Letticia Martinez, 28, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 100 hours of community service, and three years probation for her culpability in the death of Hazel Place, a resident at Cappella Assisted Living and Memory Care. Place died on June 14, 2021, after being left outside in the heat for six hours.

A joint investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Colorado Department of Law and the Grand Junction Police Department determined that Martinez and two other caregivers were responsible for Places death, the release stated. Jamie Johnston, 31, and Jenny Logan, 52, also were charged with neglect. Their cases are still pending, according to the AGs office.

This caretaker broke the trust of a vulnerable Coloradan in her care, Attorney General Phil Weiser said. Caregivers have a moral and legal responsibility to those under their supervision, and my office will continue holding accountable those complicit in such negligence.

Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of caretaker neglect and a deferred sentence of negligent homicide, which is a Class 5 felony.

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Places death showed similarities to a 2020 elder-neglect case that took place in a now-defunct care facility in Colorado Springs.

In February 2020, Margarita Sam, 88, walked unsupervised out of Union Printers Home and was found dead of hypothermia, 40 yards outside the facility. Caretakers Rosalie Warren, Asia Murray and Taquenis Eldridge were charged with neglect in Sams death, but the charges were subsequently dropped. The nursing home permanently closed its doors in March 2020 after the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment suspended its license.
This article is the final in a series of reports on the war in Ukraines effect on Eastern European countries. It is written by two Colorado College students traveling through the region.

BATUMI, Georgia  This seaside port city on the country's western edge is about 100 miles south of Russian-occupied territory. Colloquially dubbed Las Vegas of the Black Sea, Batumi is home to rocky beaches, grand hotels and numerous casinos.

But since the war in Ukraine began, Batumis demographics have shifted. Within the last year, Russian, not Georgian, has become the most commonly heard language as waves of Russians fleeing south have flooded into the city.

Batumis streets reflect this influx. Currency exchange shops, becoming more and more necessary for Russian citizens withdrawing money in the wake of Western financial sanctions, are commonplace throughout the city. All offer transactions for Russian rubles.

Vendors, too, cater to the new market. As a bus from Tbilisi arrived in the city square, taxi drivers, shopkeepers and landlords surrounded its exits, eagerly offering their services in brisk Russian to the disembarking passengers.

While the city is renowned for its tourist appeal, its newer visitors are not necessarily temporary. As Vladimir Putin continues pushing his forces into Ukraine, the city has become a permanent destination for migrant Russians looking to establish a steady life abroad amid chaos at home.

They are finding and creating their economic niche in the country  opening their cafes, their restaurants, especially in Batumi, said David Matsaberidze, professor of international relations at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. According to Matsaberidze, this new economic wave is the latest component of a gradual Georgian shift toward overdependence on the Russian economy.

But in addition to a dependency on Russian goods, Matsaberidze says, the economy is now becoming dependent on Russian people.

As for getting jobs, its basically jobs that they are creating for themselves, said Matsaberidze.

But while Russians fill an economic role in the country, it comes at a price. With a relatively small economy, Georgia was not prepared for a significant population influx, and negative impacts of the Russian migration have become more and more apparent as the conflict continues.

I would say that it became a difficult country to live in the moment the Russians arrived, said Daria Polkina, a Russian woman now living in Georgia. Its a country thats difficult to live in mostly for the locals, sadly. And this is also why the Russians encounter negativity. Because the rent went skyrocketing; because the prices in shops skyrocketed.

Even amid rising costs, Polkina has found an indefinite home in Georgia. I am very grateful for the fact that they even allow us to live here.

But while citizens, businesses and government institutions are generally accepting of the incoming population, some experience anti-Russian sentiment, reporting xenophobic comments in bars and at bus stops. Some businesses do not even allow Russians inside. On one occasion, according to Polkina, local police intended to ticket a group for jaywalking until the authorities realized the perpetrators were not, in fact, Russian.

Coming south and renouncing the Kremlin has not necessarily paved an easy path.

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However, inside Georgia and its eastern neighbors, Armenia and Azerbaijan, some residents nostalgia for the Soviet Union manifests in pro-Putin sentiments. In Armenia, one Russian man, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, was held at gunpoint until he praised Putins leadership.

Even with economic and social challenges, many of the Russians living here do not consider returning home.

Of course I have dear memories of my childhood there. Of course I have friends there, family there, said Polkina. But when it comes to the government and the politics, and when it comes to what, right now, has become of Russia, I hate it.

I was scared to actually be in Russia, said one Russian man, who now lives in Georgia. Although he had long-ago filed documentation about medical conditions that made him ineligible for military service, Russian authorities claimed to have lost the records and added him to the list of potential draftees.

They can do whatever they want with the documents you have to make you go to war," he said. "They can pull up stuff like that, he said.

But even after fleeing their home country, expatriates find themselves caught in the middle of a distinct political conflict within Georgia, where Russian influence battles Western ideals.

Russian forces occupy 20% of the country. Meanwhile, the Georgian legislature mandates that the European Union flag hangs from every government building despite the fact that Georgia is not a member of the political and economic bloc.

After the nation applied in March 2022, the EU listed political and economic reforms Georgia would need to undergo in order to gain union status. The highlighted areas of improvement included government transparency, judicial accountability and mechanisms to ensure free elections.

As Georgia tries to better understand its place in the international sphere, Russian migrants attempt to do the same amid a fast-growing diaspora. Many Russians raised on pro-Kremlin propaganda are now experiencing the West for the first time. And some, while they have enjoyed the benefits of living outside of Russia, remain underwhelmed by life outside its borders.

Its sad, said the Russian man. Sometimes it is not as safe here as I could have thought it could be.

Even so, Russias continued militarism, both domestically and abroad, has led many expatriates to rethink their national identity. Some are looking to gain their Georgian citizenship and have no intentions of returning to their homeland.

Russia is going to hell, said the Russian man.
A pickup driver is at large after leaving a traffic crash in south Colorado Springs Thursday, police said.

Shortly after noon, police arrived to a crash in the 1600 block of South Nevada Avenue, just south of Interstate 25. Police said a vehicle had been traveling north when a vehicle turning left into a business parking lot from the southbound lanes crashed into it and caused it to hit a second vehicle.

The driver of the northbound vehicle was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, police said.

The truck, identified as an "older model dark colored Ford F150," making the left turn reportedly fled the scene before police arrived.

No arrests have been made in the crash.
By Mike Scarcella

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) bid to temporarily block Microsoft's $69 billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard must clear some key hurdles to succeed, legal experts said.

U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to the largest-ever gaming industry deal, rejecting the Biden administration's contention that it would hurt consumers, but prompting the FTC to appeal.

A U.S. federal appeals court will have a number of options available to it as it weighs that appeal, but legal professionals noted the rushed timing and the need to prove any alleged error by the district court judge merits overturning her decision could hinder the antitrust enforcer's effort.

The FTC on Thursday night asked the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from California and other states in the U.S. West, to issue a preliminary injunction that pauses the deal while the agency prepares to challenge it at a trial in August.

In its appeal, the FTC said Corley's order allowing Microsoft to move ahead with the deal incorrectly held the agency to a legal standard that was too high.

Some legal experts said the FTC had made a compelling argument, but also said there was no certainty for success. Such merger cases are also rare in the federal courts.

Corley's temporary order prohibiting the deal expires at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday (0659 GMT on Saturday), and so the appeals court will be expected to issue an order on Friday. Microsoft and Activision are set to close the deal on July 18.

The appeals court could "administratively" block the deal for at least a few days, allowing a panel of judges more time to study the dispute and to rule, several legal experts said.

The court alternatively could grant the FTC's request for an injunction - which could create a much longer pause - or outright deny it.

Microsoft President Brad Smith has called the FTC's lawsuit "a demonstrably weak case," and he said the company "will oppose further efforts to delay the ability to move forward."

Kathleen Bradish, who oversees legal advocacy at the American Antitrust Institute, said the FTC "certainly has valid grounds" to question the trial judge's order.

Bradish said any mistake by Corley "won't just have a bearing on this case, but has the potential to affect any vertical merger challenge in the foreseeable future." A vertical merger refers to a deal between two companies from different parts of the same supply chain.

Antitrust scholar Sean Sullivan, who teaches at University of Iowa's law school, said an appeals court can modify or throw out a lower court opinion based on "errors of law."

"But not every alleged error is an actual error," Sullivan said. "And not every actual error compels intervention."

The appeals court is expected to move quickly. But the race against the clock is the fault of the FTC, said Douglas Ross, who teaches antitrust law at University of Washington's law school.

The FTC could have sued Microsoft in December in federal court but instead filed a case at the agency's in-house forum, where an administrative law judge has no power to issue a preliminary injunction.

The appeals court "may be less than sympathetic with the argument it needs to hurry up and do something when the blame for the emergency lies entirely with the FTC," Ross said.

In 2007, the FTC asked the D.C. Circuit to issue a preliminary injunction to block Whole Foods' merger with Wild Oats. The court issued an "administrative" stay that lasted a few days, and then a panel dissolved its order and let the merger move ahead.

"Although the FTC has raised some questions about the district court's decision, it has failed to make a 'strong showing that it is likely to prevail on the merits of its appeal,'" the District of Columbia Circuit panel said in its order. Whole Foods later settled with the FTC.

(Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by Mark Potter)
Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R-FL) presidential campaign has moved to stave off any doubts about his bid for the White House amid increasing chatter that he is failing to live up to the hype and being left behind by former President Donald Trump.

A confidential campaign memo obtained by NBC News outlines the future strategy for the DeSantis team as the 2024 presidential race heats up. The internal message is dated July 6 and is labeled "confidential friends and family update" with the words "not for distribution."

SOCIAL SECURITY: DIRECT PAYMENT WORTH UP TO $4,555 GOES OUT TO MILLIONS IN SIX DAYS

The memo explains that the campaign does not yet intend to invest in Super Tuesday states like Tennessee and Alabama because they don't want to take resources away from New Hampshire. Super Tuesday is on March 5, 2024.

"While Super Tuesday is critically important, we will not dedicate resources to Super Tuesday that slow our momentum in New Hampshire. We expect to revisit this investment in the Fall," the memo reads.

The super PAC Never Back Down, which backs DeSantis, is planning to put 80 field operatives in California, a Super Tuesday state, the PAC's chief operating officer, Kristin Davison, told the outlet.

The campaign memo also takes shots at several of DeSantis's rivals, in particular Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).

"While Tim Scott has earned a serious look at this stage, his bio is lacking the fight that our electorate is looking for in the next President. We expect Tim Scott to receive appropriate scrutiny in the weeks ahead," the memo reads.

"We've found low to no interest in Vivek [Ramaswamy], [Doug] Burgum, and Nikki [Haley] while far too many voters will not consider [Mike] Pence and [Chris] Christie for them to feel remotely viable," the memo says about other GOP candidates, some of who will likely qualify for the first primary debate in August, which DeSantis said he'll attend.

The memo emphasizes that Trump, the GOP front-runner, and DeSantis are the two viable candidates that could hold the Republican nomination, with both contenders outranking other Republican presidential hopefuls in primary polls.

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The campaign will continue to hold town hall events, stating DeSantis's message is well received at such gatherings. The memo says DeSantis plans to hold events "that feature cookout styled, backyard activities targeting primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The memo describes a clear guideline of topics DeSantis plans to focus on in the coming months, including boosting his plans to secure the southern border, which were focused on in June, details of how to strengthen the economy coming in July and August, visions regarding foreign policy and China in August, and gearing up for the first GOP primary debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.

"More to come in the Fall of 2023...including woke military, the deep state; School choice and beyond," the memo said.

The Washington Examiner reached out to the DeSantis campaign for comment.

Original Location: 2024 election: DeSantis leaked memo outlines future focus on New Hampshire

Washington Examiner Videos
Several actors showed approval of their union's vote to strike in various statements and actions Thursday.

The announcement from the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Thursday happened to come on the same day as the London premier of the film Oppenheimer. As a result, its cast, including Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Olli Haaskivi, Robert Downey Jr., and more walked out as soon as the news broke.

FTC INVESTIGATING CHATGPT OVER ALLEGATIONS IT HARMED CONSUMERS BY PUBLISHING FALSE INFORMATION

"Nobody wants a work stoppage," Damon said ahead of the walkout in a red carpet interview with Deadline Hollywood. "If our leadership is saying that the deal isn't fair, then we gotta hold strong till we get a deal that's fair for working actors. It's the difference between having healthcare and not for a lot of actors, and we gotta do what's right by them."

"If the actors go on strike, we won't be allowed to post anything promoting our work until things are resolved," Haaskivi wrote on Instagram Wednesday. "I'll be excited to say more and show more once we get the deal we deserve."

"As people outside the business may not know and those people in the business do know, the work of SAG-AFTRA is on behalf of the rank-in-file performers, the 95% of people in the union who either, A  Don't make a living doing this or B  They barely make a living and work paycheck to paycheck," Alec Baldwin explained in an Instagram video. "Only 5% of people in this business are highly paid and make a good living doing this."

The actor went on to congratulate SAG-AFTRA and lauded that it "gets tough" on salaries for all of its 160,000 members. Baldwin acknowledged that nobody wants a strike.

"I became an American citizen the same day my union authorized a strike and I received my new Union card. Took 13 years of visas to get here and I've been a member of @sagaftra for 13years," actress Lesley Ann Brandt wrote on Instagram. "It's the most American of days today. Feeling proud."

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"We stand in solidarity with our writers and fellow union members across our industry and others," transgender actor Lavern Cox wrote on Instagram.

"If we must strike THEN WE SHALL STRIIIIIIIKEEEEEEE!!!" actor Jack Quaid, son of Dennis Quaid, captioned the SAG-AFTRA logo he posted to his Instagram profile.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

This is the first SAG-AFTRA strike in 43 years. Now it joins the Writers Guild of America, which has remained on strike for over 70 days, in what includes some 11,500 writers. WGA has come to a head with the same group of studios, networks, and streamers over higher wages. SAG-AFTRA is fighting for wages as well, but also for protections against artificial intelligence

The last time WGA and SAG-AFTRA were simultaneously on strike was in 1960, with Ronald Reagan at the helm before he ran for president.

Original Location: A-list actors rally in support of SAG-AFTRA strike: 'We have to get tough' in support of 'rank-and-file' workers

Washington Examiner Videos
The Biden administration recently proposed cutting back on short-term, limited-duration insurance plans for healthcare, which it derides as "skimpy" coverage.

The Trump administration had expanded that form of coverage, making it an effective workaround of the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement. The 2018 Trump administration federal rule allowed insurance companies to offer healthcare coverage outside the ACA framework.

MONTANA GOP SENATE CANDIDATE WINS RUBIO ENDORSEMENT IN BID TO UNSEAT JON TESTER

Now the Biden administration aims to scale these plans back. Cabinet agencies have dropped a rule in the regulatory pipeline to that effect. The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury jointly issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on July 7.

If finalized, the new rule would "limit the length of the initial contract period to no more than three months and the maximum coverage period to no more than four months," the departments said in a news release.

That would be down significantly from what is currently allowed. Short-term, limited-duration insurance health insurance contracts currently start at under one year and can be extended for up to three years total with one insurance provider.

Healthcare experts gave this proposal a mixed review.

"For equivalent premiums, [short-term, limited-duration insurance] plans have lower out-of-pocket costs, broader networks, and higher satisfaction rates than plans available on Obamacare's exchange," Chris Pope, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told the Washington Examiner. "It's not clear how forcing people off their insurance plans after a few months is going to achieve anything but leave them worse off."

Nidhi Hegde, a director at the American Economic Liberties Project, cheered the Biden administration's attack on "junk insurance" and "junk fees."

"The president's latest crackdown on junk fees and deceptive practices across healthcare sends a clear message: Working families come before corporate profits," Hegde said in a statement. "From exposing hidden facility fees to leading an interagency effort to protect patients from unfair medical debt and risky medical credit cards, it's clear this administration is working to make sure big corporations can't abuse their market power to cheat consumers."

Matthew Fiedler, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy, told the Washington Examiner that the rule change would be a mixed bag.

"The proposed change will reduce the extent to which the short-term, limited duration and fixed indemnity markets can serve as parallel individual markets subject to fewer rules," Fiedler said. "There are trade-offs here, but I generally see this as the right direction for policy to be moving."

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The shift to Obamacare will take some getting used to for some users, Fiedler admitted, but he thinks that it will ultimately have knock-on good effects.

"One effect will be to shift some people who currently buy these types of plans into the ACA-compliant market," he said. "Some of the enrollees who shift over will find that they are better off, as many people who buy short-term, limited duration or fixed indemnity products are likely doing so without realizing how limited the benefits are."

Fiedler added, "Others, generally higher-income and healthy enrollees, will be worse off in the ACA-compliant market, but their presence in the ACA-compliant market will reduce premiums and, in turn, federal subsidy costs and costs borne by unsubsidized enrollees."

Fiedler noted, "That shift of cost burdens away from the federal government and unsubsidized enrollees and toward higher-income healthy enrollees is generally desirable, in my view."

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There are also risks that this rule change could mean more people go without health insurance.

"One potential concern with this policy is that some enrollees currently in these types of plans will become fully uninsured instead of obtaining ACA-compliant plans," Fiedler said. "In practice, given the relatively generous subsidies that now exist for people who buy coverage on the marketplaces, I think these types of shifts will be relatively rare."

Original Location: Are short-term health insurance plans 'skimpy' as the Biden administration says?

Washington Examiner Videos
The Biden administration announced it will relieve $39 billion in student loan debt, weeks after the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's initial student loan plan.

The plan was first announced last week, but with more details being announced by the Department of Education on Friday, here is everything to know about Biden's new student loan forgiveness plan.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $39 BILLION IN STUDENT DEBT RELIEF AFTER SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LAST PLAN

What is the plan?

The plan fixes "past administrative failures" regarding calculations for those with income-driven repayment plans for their student loans. Under the Higher Education Act, borrowers with these eligible plans can have their loans forgiven after making 240 or 300 monthly payments.

The Department of Education will now be counting months where the borrower made the payment in part or late, had certain periods of consecutive months in forbearance, had months in deferment prior to 2013, or had "economic hardship or military deferments on or after January 1, 2013," toward this figure.

The changes will move a significant number of borrowers into the threshold to have their loans forgiven, per the Department of Education.

Who is eligible?

Those eligible for the forgiveness are those who have been paying their federal income-driven repayment plan student loans for the required 240 or 300 monthly payments, depending on the plan, who had months that previously were not counted.

"For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness," Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said Friday. "By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans. This Administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education."

The department said it would begin notifying eligible borrowers, including those who took out Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the department in "the coming days."

Eligible borrowers who are contacted by the department about qualifying for forgiveness will not have to take any further action and discharges will take start 30 days after they are contacted.

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How many people are affected?

The Department of Education says that an estimated 804,000 borrowers will be notified that they will have their debt forgiven in the coming days.

How does this differ from Biden's previous plan?

Biden's original plan, unveiled in August 2022, would have canceled up to $20,000 in student loan debt for people holding federal student loans. The president's legal rationale for the program was the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003.

That plan was to have been more broad and applied to all federal borrowers, rather than certain groups of borrowers. It was estimated that the original plan would have eliminated an estimated $400 billion in student loan debt.

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The Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's original student loan forgiveness plan last month.

Biden vowed to take additional action shortly after that decision was released, echoing early campaign promises he made in 2020 to ease student debt for millions of borrowers.

Original Location: Biden student loan forgiveness: How the White House is trying to cancel $39 billion in debt

Washington Examiner Videos
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) suggested the lack of answers concerning the White House cocaine investigation is indicative of a "lax atmosphere" within the Biden administration.

On Thursday, Secret Service agents told House lawmakers that their investigation into the cocaine found at the White House on July 2 had been closed due to a lack of physical evidence.

NINE TAKEAWAYS FROM FBI DIRECTOR WRAY'S TESTIMONY

Donalds told Jesse Watters Tonight that he "got that vibe" that the Secret Service was not being completely forthcoming.

"There's a lot of things that are happening in there, not totally aware of," Donalds said. "But the thing that's lost on me is with all the surveillance that we have at our capability, we don't know who left a dime bag of cocaine in the White House. Like, we can't even like narrow it down? That's the most frustrating thing overall."

The Florida congressman said his understanding is that Secret Service will hand over the investigation to the FBI because "there is nothing of destructive power."

Donalds, however, noted that if cocaine were found in his residence, the investigation and the liberal media's coverage would look very different.

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"The big media, The View, and all these commentators would never let it go," Donalds said. "It would be the scandal of the moment until they found their next scandal of the moment." And that's what will be happening from a media perspective."

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So, the reason why we take this as serious as we are and we are pressing for questions and answers is because this is important," he continued. "In some respects, it speaks to the lax atmosphere that exists at this White House. And if these things are kind of just traipsing through the White House, that's of serious concern with respect to foreign policy and domestic policy here in the United States."

Members of the House Oversight Committee who attended the briefing by the Secret Service on Thursday said they were told the list of who could have left the bag of cocaine in the West Wing had been narrowed down to about 500 people.

Original Location: Byron Donalds says White House cocaine investigation speaks to lax atmosphere of Biden administration

Washington Examiner Videos
While union votes and union influence steal headlines this summer, the overall trend away from organized labor has not changed under President Joe Biden.

Biden dubs himself the most pro-union president in the nearly 250-year history of the United States, plugging labor groups and often being introduced by union members at speaking engagements.

WALL OF WASTE: CAN TRUMP'S SIGNATURE BORDER ISSUE DELIVER HIM A SECOND TERM?

"When I say every job in America should be a good job, including a free and fair choice to join a union, I mean it," Biden said to applause at a South Carolina manufacturing firm on July 6. "Every venture to manufacture clean energy technology would be made stronger by collective bargaining relationships. But that's up to you to decide."

The data indicate that fewer workers are choosing a collective bargaining relationship, a trend that has continued for almost 70 years.

This summer marks the five-year anniversary of the Janus v. AFSCME decision, in which the Supreme Court ruled that government employees cannot be forced to pay union fees to cover the costs of collective bargaining.

Data from the Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank, found that the nation's top unions in aggregate have lost 733,745 members, or 10% of their total membership, in the years since. Some unions, including AFSCME itself, are now at their lowest membership level on record.

It will be an uphill battle to reverse that trend, even with a vocal ally in the White House.

Overall union membership fell from 35% in the 1950s to 20.1% in 1983 and to 10.1% in 2022. Private sector union membership is down to just 6%, though roughly one-third of government employees remain unionized.

Union members do not always agree with Democrats on policy matters. Biden's own green energy agenda is coming up against labor resistance, with organized auto workers prepared to strike over the hazards and lack of benefits in electric vehicle production. Biden must also work to keep blue-collar union members from slipping into the Republican column as candidates like former President Donald Trump play up American manufacturing and the virtues of import tariffs.

But more recent headlines showcase unions fighting their traditional battles over pay, benefits, and worker protections.

UPS is struggling to stave off its first worker strike since 1997 as the newly emboldened Teamsters union seeks higher pay for both full- and part-time workers. The Atlanta-based shipping giant is by far the U.S.'s largest private unionized employer, with some 340,000 Teamsters delivering 24 million packages a day.

The stakes are high all around.

Sean O'Brien became Teamsters president last year, ending the 23-year tenure of labor scion James Hoffa after campaigning on a promise to get tough in negotiations. The Teamsters voted by a 97% margin to authorize a strike, which would begin Aug. 1 if a deal isn't reached.

"It's strictly down to economics," O'Brien said in a recent Bloomberg interview. "They know what we want and they know what we need. They know what our members deserve."

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But UPS business could quickly shift toward nonunion Amazon and FedEx trucks in a work stoppage, cutting business for UPS and membership for the union. UPS officials point to an average pay of $93,000 for drivers and pensions for full and even part-time workers as evidence that it is more than a competitive employer.

"No one wins in a job action, including the employees, who lose wages, and our customers, who lose critical services," company spokesperson Natasha Amadi said. "We believe we will find common ground and reach a deal that is a win for our employees, the Teamsters, UPS. and our customers before Aug. 1."

Biden administration officials are not involved directly, though they are in touch with both sides and signaling support for the Teamsters. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told Bloomberg that "a fair contract is something that workers choose."

But Biden's labor boasting may be more show than substance, argues Duke University fellow Dan Bowling.

"He pays a lot of lip service to the unions but then does very little," Bowling, who teaches labor and employment courses, said.

Bowling argues there is now a disconnect between the unions' political actions and the views of most blue-collar workers, which is evidenced by the kinds of workplaces now unionizing, including Starbucks stores, Washington, D.C., think tanks, and even hospital physicians.

But that lip service is for a reason: Labor unions bring in substantial dollars for Democratic candidates. Biden launched his 2020 presidential campaign at a Teamsters hall in Pittsburgh, with labor organizations contributing $27.5 million to his White House bid.

Organized labor's big money influence means unions still hold major sway over Democratic elected officials.

Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) reversed course on a $100 million school voucher program after facing heavy opposition from teachers unions, even though the program had been a campaign promise.

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Other high-profile examples include a controversy over the American Federation of Teachers effectively lobbying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over school reopening guidance and the subsequent revelation that AFT President Randi Weingarten had the direct phone number of CDC head Rochelle Walensky.

"Democrats still jump when unions call," Bowling said. "That's where a lot of their funding is."

Original Location: Despite President Joe Biden's repeated boasts, union membership continues to fall

Washington Examiner Videos
Senate Republicans are narrowing down their list of preferred candidates to take on Democratic incumbents in key swing states, with party leaders looking to give businessman David McCormick a second shot at flipping a Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

McCormick has not announced whether he intends to launch a Senate bid, but the businessman is expected to make a decision by early fall, sources told Reuters. McCormick previously ran for Senate in Pennsylvania during last year's midterm elections but lost to Dr. Mehmet Oz in the GOP primary.

David McCormick, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, meets with attendees during a campaign stop in Lititz, Friday, May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

FIVE CONTROVERSIAL AMENDMENTS COMPLICATING MCCARTHY'S JOB OF PASSING THE NDAA

Oz later went on to face Democratic candidate John Fetterman, who ultimately won and flipped the seat blue  marking a major win for Democrats and helping the party win a slim majority in the upper chamber. Republicans have since pointed to Oz's candidacy as a reason for their loss, citing "candidate quality" problems that cost them the Senate majority.

GOP leaders are seeking to learn from past mistakes by endorsing candidates early on in the primary elections as a way to elevate stronger candidates to the top of the ballot. As a result, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines (R-MT) has already made a number of endorsements in key Senate races, including those in Montana, West Virginia, and Nevada.

Now the Montana Republican is turning his eyes to Pennsylvania, where he hopes McCormick will throw his hat in the ring.

"I'm very pleased to see Dave give this serious consideration," Daines told Reuters. "He's got to get in the race first. But I think Dave would be a great candidate."

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"I want to see candidates that can win not only a primary election, but importantly can win a general election and appeal to independent voters," he said. "David McCormick would fit that profile."

Should he run, McCormick would face Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), who is seen as one of the most vulnerable senators up for reelection in 2024. The race is expected to lean Democratic, but the state has emerged as a key swing state in recent years after former President Donald Trump narrowly won by 0.72 percentage points in 2020.

Early polling shows Casey with an advantage over McCormick in a hypothetical matchup 45% to 35%, according to an April survey by Franklin and Marshall College. Casey also benefits from strong fundraising numbers after raking in more than $4 million during the second quarter, marking a record high for the incumbent.

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There are 34 Senate seats up for grabs in the 2024 election cycle. Of these, Democrats must defend 23, compared to just 11 for Republicans  putting the GOP in a strong position to flip some crucial Senate seats that could easily shift the balance of power in the upper chamber.

Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, with the advantage of having Vice President Kamala Harris as a tiebreaker vote if needed. As a result, Republicans only need to flip one Senate seat to win the majority should they win back the White House in 2024. If they don't regain the Oval Office, the party needs to secure two extra Senate seats.

Original Location: GOP leaders court David McCormick as best candidate to clinch Pennsylvania Senate seat

Washington Examiner Videos
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. will step down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the civil rights organization whose predecessor he founded over 50 years ago, his son's congressional office said on Friday.

Rep. Jonathan Jackson's (D-IL) team confirmed that the congressman's father, 81, intends to hand the reins of the day-to-day operations of Rainbow PUSH to a successor that the civil rights icon will announce at the annual Rainbow PUSH convention in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday. Vice President Kamala Harris will keynote the event. The senior Jackson, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017, started Rainbow PUSH in 1996 to pursue social justice and civil rights issues.

SOME HOUSE GOP LAWMAKERS PUSH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT, BUT LEADERSHIP IS CAUTIOUS

"He's had physical challenges, but he never stopped fighting," the younger Jackson said of his father. "He's been fighting for civil rights since 1961. He didn't give up when there were forces against the Voting Rights Act, or forces against the Equal Rights Amendment or addressing priorities at home or peace abroad."

Rainbow PUSH is the product of a merger Jackson spearheaded of Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition, two nonprofit organizations he founded in 1971 and 1984, respectively. The ordained minister rose to prominence working alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who became his mentor. Jackson led scores of protests to desegregate theaters, restaurants, and other establishments.

Jackson started Operation PUSH through King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Operation Breadbasket, a coalition of black ministers and businessmen. King founded the organization in 1962, and appointed Jackson the group's first director in Chicago.

He founded the National Rainbow Coalition shortly after his 1984 presidential bid in an effort to seek equal rights and lobby the federal government for social programs, voting rights, and affirmative action for Americans left out of "Reaganomics," the Rainbow PUSH website says.

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Jackson has stayed engaged in civil rights and politics and remains a familiar face in both scenes.

He has led a number of protests against racial injustice in recent years and continues to stay engaged in Beltway politics through his son, whom he traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this year to be with as he was sworn in as a member of the House.

Original Location: Jesse Jackson to retire from longtime civil rights leadership role

Washington Examiner Videos
The 2016 Republican primary debates provided a stage for political fireworks, and their 2024 counterparts have the potential to be as fiery.

But with former President Donald Trump, the race's front-runner, threatening not to attend as his rivals protest the Republican National Committee's required loyalty pledge, the debates may not be as helpful as they have been in the past to candidates hoping to break out from the crowded field or to voters seeking to make more informed decisions.

NINE TAKEAWAYS FROM FBI DIRECTOR WRAY'S TESTIMONY

Debates typically present opportunities and challenges, according to University of Iowa politics professor Timothy Hagle, though they tend to shape primaries when candidates make "huge mistakes."

"It's hard to really make gains in a debate-type of situation, although if you're really good and it turns out that you're not well known and all of a sudden come up with some really good, eloquent points that you'll get a little bit more attention," Hagle told the Washington Examiner. "But the thing is often that if you do something and really screw up, that that's going to hurt you a lot. So whether it happens to be forgetting something or saying something that's wrong, or whatever it happens to be, that maybe that will make a difference."

When former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced his campaign last month, much was made of his possible impact on the debates, citing his interaction with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in 2016 when he criticized the senator for his "30-second memorized speeches" as an example of how Christie could confront Trump. Rubio contests the categorization.

"So Christie's itching, of course, to get on the stage with Trump to maybe do the same thing to him, but we'll see how that goes if he qualifies and if Trump actually decides to participate, which he may not," Hagle said. "The problem with all this is is Trump is just  it's a different sort of scheme with him. He's not a traditional politician."

Christie announced this week he had 40,000 unique donors, with at least 200 each in 20 different states or territories, meeting one of the RNC's three criteria for candidates to take part in its first debate in Milwaukee on Aug. 23.

Christie, who launched his campaign last month, was joined by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) in announcing this week he had 53,00 donors, raising $6.1 million during the second quarter of 2023 for $21 million cash on hand since embarking on his bid in May. Christie has not shared his fundraising numbers before Saturday's disclosure deadline for the quarter ending June 30.

Other candidates who have satisfied the RNC's debate donor criterion include Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and biotechnology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Former Vice President Mike Pence remains the only second-tier candidate who has not yet announced he has met the donor threshold, despite launching his campaign a day after Christie. Those candidates and others, such as former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, now have until Aug. 21 to notch at least 1% support in three qualifying national polls, or two national surveys and one state one. They additionally have to pledge that they will be loyal to the eventual nominee.

Morning Consult released the first qualifying poll this week, finding Trump has 56% support to DeSantis's 17%, Ramaswamy's 8%, Pence's 7%, Christie, Haley, and Scott's 3%, and Hutchinson's 1%. The poll captured the relatively static nature of the race, indicating DeSantis will likely be the No. 1 target at the debates if Trump does not take part. But the DeSantis campaign is adamant the governor, who told reporters this week that Trump "needs to step up" and participate because nobody is "entitled" to the nomination, is prepared.

"Trump couldn't even beat Joe Biden in a debate. No wonder he's afraid of Ron DeSantis," DeSantis campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said.

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The RNC did not respond to inquiries regarding whether Christie would be permitted to take part in the debates if he declines to sign the loyalty pledge. Hutchinson, too, has bristled at the idea.

Meanwhile, also-ran candidates, including Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, are resorting to novel fundraising strategies to boost their donor numbers and qualify for the debates. Suarez's super PAC, SOS America, announced Thursday that donors to his campaign would have the chance to win free college tuition for a year, though critics question whether the tactic is legal in Florida.

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SOS America's strategy comes after Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), another candidate and former entrepreneur who is estimated to be worth $1 billion after selling his Great Plains Software company to Microsoft in 2001, announced the first 50,000 donors to his campaign would receive a $20 Visa or Mastercard gift card. Pitched as relief from so-called Bidenflation, critics, again, contend the gift card tactic is akin to an illegal straw donor scheme.

Businessman and author Perry Johnson started the gimmick fundraising trend last month by selling $1 T-Shirts, including ones printed with "I stand with Tucker" after TV personality Tucker Carlson was fired from Fox News.

Original Location: Republican debate stage starts to take shape as deadlines draw near

Washington Examiner Videos
The Supreme Court has been tapped to take up a petition over a case challenging New York City's rent stabilization law, arguing the recently enacted measure has a "detrimental effect on owners and tenants alike."

The plaintiffs in the case include the Rent Stabilization Association of NYC (RSA) and the city's Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), arguing the Rent Stabilization Law (RSL) violates the takings clause of the 5th Amendment.

SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENT WORTH UP TO $4,555 GOES OUT TO MILLIONS IN SIX DAYS

FILE - The sun sets behind the New York skyline, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, as seen from Calvary Cemetery. New York will move forward with its first-in-the-nation plan to charge drivers extra in tolls to enter the core of New York City, part of an effort to reduce congestion, improve air quality and raise funds for the city's public transit system. The program is expected to begin in spring of 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File) Julia Nikhinson/AP

"What New York has essentially done is commandeered these apartments and said they're going to be rental properties effectively in perpetuity," Andy Pincus, a partner at Mayer Brown who has argued 30 cases before the high court and is representing CHIP and RSA, told the Washington Examiner.

The recent petition stems from the groups' 2019 lawsuit asserting that the RSL violates the due process rights of property owners and affects both physical and regulatory takings of property that it regulates.

The RSL has had a "detrimental effect on owners and tenants alike and has been stifling New York City's housing market for more than half a century," the plaintiffs wrote in their high court petition, adding that it "appropriates owners' right to exclude and other property rights."

After being dismissed at the district court level, the case moved to the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in late 2020, where it affirmed the lower court decisions.

The petition pending before the Supreme Court, known as Community Housing Improvement Program v. City of New York, is supported by 14 amicus briefs, marking a notable level of interest in a case that has yet to be taken up by the court.

The high court could decide whether to take the case as early as this fall.

The Cato Institute wrote in a brief that the high court's 2021 decision in Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid cast a skeptical view on RSL's legality because the measure appropriated building owners' right to exclude and gave it to third parties. That decision struck down a California law that gave union organizers the right to enter farm property and speak with agriculture workers.

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Plaintiffs point to the Supreme Court's "right to exclude" holding in Cedar Point as one of their primary bases for why the RSL constitutes a physical taking, Michael Johnson, communications director for CHIP, explained to the Washington Examiner.

But the 2nd Circuit disagreed with the notion that the Cedar Point decision does not negate the long-standing history of upholding laws regulating landlord-tenant relationships, such as the rent-stabilization law against, saying that's due to landlords voluntarily entering into rental agreements with tenants.

The appeals court also disagreed that rent increase limits create a regulatory taking, a theory that was floated in a dissent by justices Antonin Scalia and Sandra Day O'Connor from the 1988 decision in Pennell v. City of San Jose, arguing that notion had never been adopted by a majority of the court.

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The plaintiffs suggest their case should be ripe for review, in part because of a split between the 2nd Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

That 8th Circuit ruling struck down a COVID-19 eviction moratorium in Minnesota because it infringed upon the "right to exclude existing tenants" from private property, holding it was a physical taking.

Original Location: Supreme Court asked if 'detrimental' NYC rent control law violates takings clause

Washington Examiner Videos
The White House slammed Republicans on Thursday in a memo sent to "Interested parties," accusing GOP lawmakers of being silent on Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-AL) blockade of hundreds of military promotions.

"Right now, a Republican Senator is choosing to erode military readiness and abuse military families in the pursuit of an unrelated and extreme anti-freedom agenda  with barely a sound from his GOP colleagues," the memo, written by White House communications adviser Andrew Bates, reads.

FIVE CONTROVERSIAL AMENDMENTS COMPLICATING MCCARTHY'S JOB OF PASSING THE NDAA

Bates added that Tuberville is "exploiting service members as pawns" and "even subjecting the families who serve with members to excruciating uncertainty, like not knowing where children will go to school or where spouses can work."

While Biden and Democrats have chastised Tuberville for his protest, Thursday's memo paints the senator's blockade as a Republican action broader than one man's stance.

Tuberville's grievance is with a Pentagon policy implemented this year that gives female service members stationed in states or overseas locations where abortion is banned paid leave and travel expenses to obtain abortions in states where they are still available.

His hold, blocking the routine promotions of some 260 general and flag officers, disrupts military readiness and will adversely affect the talent in the armed forces, Democrats, as well as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden's nominee for the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Q. Brown Jr., have argued.

But many on the right see the issue differently and have echoed Tuberville's sentiment. The way they see it, the true disrupter to the preparedness of the military are leftist policies that are more focused on cultural agendas than preparing the armed forces to protect the United States from its foes.

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Bates lauded Biden's recent record in his text, extolling how "NATO is the biggest and strongest in its history," the economy is on an upswing, and "unauthorized border crossings are down."

Additionally, Bates made sure to admonish Republicans for certain hard-line stances in support of Russia, "trickle-down tax giveaways for rich special interests," and efforts to sabotage Biden's "successful" border strategy.

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The memo comes as lawmakers consider their vote for the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes controversial Republican-backed amendments that many Democratic lawmakers have taken issue with, including reversing the very abortion travel policy that Tuberville is protesting.

Democrats were signaling this week that they would not vote for the bill as it stands, and Democratic House leadership confirmed that stance in a scathing letter released Thursday night.

Original Location: White House attacks Republicans for being silent on Tuberville's military blockade

Washington Examiner Videos
Black children matter. Brown children matter. LGBTQ-plus children matter. We need all children to succeed for the sake of society.

We hear this  the platitude that all children matter  routinely in various iterations of the theme. Sadly, what we say and do in Colorado are two different things. Hopefully, a new pledge by the Daniels Fund might put substance behind our states professed concern for the children.

Helping Black children, Brown children  helping children of any demographic identity  means preparing them for the future. It means Colorado adults taking responsibility to ensure the school system leaves no one behind, much less entire demographics of children who deserve to grow up and enjoy the potential fruits of knowledge and hard work.

Colorado schools generally fail to prepare children for the future, especially non-White students classified as Black or Hispanic. This is not an observation upon which reasonable minds may disagree. State data tells us all we need to know.

In 2022, only 34% of Colorado public school students were proficient in reading and writing and only 29% achieved grade-level proficiency in math. Those numbers drop to 22% and 13% respectively for Black children and 24% and 15% for Hispanics. Data have been this way for years, and nothing suggests a looming turnaround.

For most students, the only solution to a poor-performing school is a higher-performing alternative. Thats why we have state and national movements toward school choice.

More schools to choose from means more competition for results and more options for the endless variety of learning challenges presented by children from limitless backgrounds and circumstances.

No one wants a one-size-fits-all choice in restaurants, homes or cars, so its probably not a good idea in K-12 education.

Despite three decades of school choice progress in Colorado, too many children remain stuck in attendance centers that work for some but not all. That means we need more alternative classroom space to create more options for more children.

The Daniels Fund  a legacy of former Denver cable TV magnate Bill Daniels  has given more than $1 billion in the past 20 years to help children and the schools they attend.

The funds board of directors announced this month a plan that will take this dedication to a new level. The organization will fund an additional 100,000 school choice seats in Colorado by 2030. Given Colorados dedication to school choice, we can expect other private donors and foundations to assist this effort.

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Adding 100,000 school choice seats in less than seven years could be a game changer for Colorado. The funds will help secular or religious private schools, public charters and microschools.

Money will not go directly to children. The Daniels Fund plans to give millions directly to schools to pay the cost of expanding classroom space and to scholarship programs that help families afford private tuition.

When parents and kids get to make a choice about the school they attend, theyre usually more engaged, said Daniels Fund CEO Hanna Skandera, as quoted by Colorado Public Radio.

The Center for Research on Education Outcomes recently completed a five-year study on charter schools and found 83% of students perform better than their traditional-school peers in reading, and 75% do better in math. Mounds of other evidence suggests children who fall behind in traditional public schools do better in charter or private-school settings.

The United States has increasingly moved in the direction of more schools and more school choice since the Supreme Court desegregated schools with its 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Before that ruling, too many Black children were stuck in low-performing schools and given no alternatives.

We no longer have forced school segregation in the United States, but we have segregation by default. Wealthy children from stable households have seemingly unlimited school choice, while children of low-income parents typically have no access to schools beyond their local attendance centers. They often lack the transportation, let alone the money needed for tuition or other costs associated with exercising school choice.

In the United States, poor people are not guaranteed all the amenities available to the wealthy. Yet, that should not mean low-income children  individuals who have no role in determining their socioeconomic status  deserve whatever schools they get.

A happy, healthy, free and successful country should not let young minds go to waste. We must, publicly and privately, work to liberate everyone to seek and find knowledge.

The Daniels Fund is acting, and we hope others will support this effort. Lets make Colorado the most inclusive, diverse and liberated state in which to educate children.

The Gazette Editorial Board
Colorado's U.S. House delegation split Friday as the chamber narrowly approved a massive defense bill containing Republican-sponsored amendments on divisive social issues, including measures targeting the military's policy on abortion and diversity.

Republican U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn and Lauren Boebert voted in favor of the legislation, while their GOP colleague U.S. Rep. Ken Buck joined the state's five House Democrats voting against it.

The $866 billion bill passed on a near-party line vote of 219-210, with four Republicans  including Buck  voting no and four Democrats voting yes.

Known as the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual military policy and spending bill typically passes on wide, bipartisan margins and emerged weeks ago from the House Armed Services Committee with near unanimous support.

But a series of controversial amendments, many approved by razor-thin margins amid heated debate late Thursday, turned Democratic lawmakers against the package. The additions aren't expected to survive the Democratic-controlled Senate, which takes up the legislation next week.

Lamborn and Boebert on Friday cheered the bill's inclusion of a 5.2% base pay raise for military personnel  the largest in decades  and celebrated provisions Boebert said "push back against the Biden administration's woke agenda."

While Democrats derided the bill's final version, saying Republicans had "hijacked a bipartisan bill," Buck said he couldn't support the package because it includes too much spending.

Lamborn tweeted that House Republicans had "ensured the largest uniformed pay raise in 20 years, codified the Space National Guard, & stopped the left from infiltrating our military with their radical social agenda."

The Colorado Springs Republican, who chairs a key subcommittee on the armed services panel, noted that the bill contains more than 50 of his provisions, most of which were added in committee before the bill made it to the House floor.

In a statement, Lamborn said the bill "prioritizes hypersonic development, bolsters Americas nuclear deterrent, and advances missile defense capabilities while addressing the pacing challenges posed by our adversaries. This legislation also strengthens Americas military space capabilities to protect our most valuable space assets and ensure American dominance."

Boebert claimed "many victories" at a press conference Friday.

"When we use the leverage the American people have given us, we can deliver on the conservative promises we all got here on," she said.

The night before, the House adopted her amendment to ban military schools from buying or stocking pornographic and radical gender ideology books in their libraries.

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"This is the most conservative NDAA that I've ever had the pleasure of working with," Boebert said.

Buck explained his opposition to the bill in a statement on Friday.

"While I fully support funding our national defense and agree with several amendments to this bill, I cannot in good conscience vote for its $875.4 billion price tag," the Windsor Republican said. "Our country is careening toward fiscal ruin, and Congress continues to turn a blind eye by passing these massive spending packages with no attention to their cost or efficacy."

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, an Aurora Democrat and decorated Army Ranger combat veteran, said on Thursday that he would vote against the bill for the first time.

The only military veteran in Colorado's congressional delegation, Crow cited a Republican amendment to prohibit the Pentagon from providing time off and reimbursing travel expenses for service members who travel to other states to obtain abortions.

"House Republicans voted to restrict abortion access for our troops," Crow tweeted. "Ive spent my adult life defending our nation and learned our values & national security go hand-in-hand. Every year, Ive negotiated a bipartisan defense bill that protects our nation and supports our troops. Republicans chose a different path with this extreme measure."

Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver also voiced her opposition to the amended bill.

"House Republicans caved to the extreme demands of the far-right & loaded the traditionally bipartisan annual defense bill with poison pills  including attacks on LGBT servicemembers & provisions that put access to abortion out of reach for those in need," she tweeted.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Britanny Pettersen of Lakewood and Yadira Caraveo of Thornton both said they supported the legislation before Republicans added amendments both called unacceptable.

Every year this Congress successfully passes a bipartisan package in support of our servicemembers and our national security interests here and abroad," Caraveo said in a statement. "Sadly, Mr. McCarthy is now bending to the will of his most extreme members with this poison-pill-filled package that limits abortion care, decreases troop readiness, and hurts our national security,

She added that she hopes "cooler heads in the Senate will prevail" and produce "a commonsense package we can all support."

"The bills attacks on women and transgender service members, as well as the destruction of efforts to promote diversity and equality, will have devastating effects on the militarys recruitment and retention crisis," Pettersen said in a statement.

Republicans are choosing to fight culture wars instead of supporting and equipping the brave individuals who defend us in actual wars. While I support many of the provisions in the bill, I could not vote yes on the full legislation because when you weaken the rights and freedoms of our service members, you weaken our military readiness and ultimately the security of our nation.
Ciara Fox, left, and Hannah Fogarty lead picketers in chants outside the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Michigan Avenue on July 14, 2023. (Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune)

Workers at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Michigan Avenue  the largest Starbucks in the world  are seeking union representation.

Starbucks employees who work at the companys Reserve Roastery, a 35,000-square-foot store at 646 N. Michigan Ave., filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday.

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The prospective bargaining unit includes about 230 baristas and mixologists who serve elaborate coffee-based drinks and cocktails, bakers who make pastries in-house, and operations leads who work in retail and customer service at the five-story caffeine emporium, according to the workers union filing.

People who work roasting coffee at the Roastery are not retail employees and are not included in the unit.

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The Chicago Roastery was the sixth in the world when it opened in 2019, and the third the company had opened in the U.S. The other two American roasteries, in Seattle and New York, unionized last spring.

In interviews with the Tribune, Chicago Roastery employees raised concerns about wages, inconsistent scheduling and store managements responses to safety issues at the Roastery.

Theyre constantly being like, This is the only place like it in the world, we have to make like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, its the largest Starbucks in the world, said Lucy Polkinghorne, an operations lead at the Roastery. If we were being paid in a way where we were treated like that important, it would be different.

Starbucks said prospective bargaining unit workers at the Roastery are paid between $18.75 and about $30 an hour. Casey Moore, an organizer and spokesperson for Starbucks Workers United, said most bargaining unit members make $23 or less an hour.

The second that you ask for a little bit of respect, or the pay that you deserve, whether it be 60 more cents an hour, a dollar more an hour  anything like that  its treated like youre asking for the whole world, said Jamie Williamson, an operations lead working in retail who has worked at the Roastery for close to a year.

Employees raised concerns about overcrowding and fire safety at the Roastery, which is a tourist magnet, particularly during the summer.

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Kyra Supnet, a barista at the Roastery who was recently promoted to mixologist, speaks during a protest outside the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Streeterville, July 14, 2023. (Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune)

Its not safe for the workers, its not safe for the space. But the management only cares about the money, said Kyra Supnet, a barista at the Roastery who was recently promoted to mixologist. There have been so many times where we wish we could have had a say in whether or not they should hold the line at the door.

Supnet said the store had also experienced nitrogen gas leaks from tanks used to make nitro cold brews and gelatos. Employees also pointed to being expected to continue working throughout recent tornado warnings in Chicago.

We continued working throughout the entire thing, said Williamson, 22. I feel like part of the reason for that was there was a giant Wells Fargo event happening on the fourth floor that they didnt want to have to move down or evacuate. And that was their main priority.

Starbucks spokesperson Andrew Trull said the company remains committed to supporting our Chicago Roastery partners.

Our partners and their safety are core to our operation, Trull said in a statement. We work with urgency to address any reported issues that may impact the well-being of our partners and the experience we offer at our Chicago Roastery.

The company said it adheres to fire code and capacity requirements at the Roastery and said all food service equipment in the store is cleaned and inspected regularly to ensure adherence with health and safety standards.

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Supnet, 21, said she hoped a union would allow Roastery workers to have more of a say in how issues at the store are addressed.

The biggest thing we want to see is just being able to make a decision with management, she said. Hopefully they can see that they no longer have this upper hand over us all the time.

Jon Gamache, of St. Louis, pickets with members of Starbucks Workers United outside the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Streeterville on July 14, 2023. (Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune)

As of Friday, 340 Starbucks cafes had unionized nationwide, according to the NLRB. The count includes just over a dozen stores in the Chicago area.

As of Friday, Starbucks Workers United had notched a win rate of just over 80% in the more than 400 union elections that had been held nationwide, though the unionized stores represent only a fraction of the companys approximately 9,300 company-owned cafes in the U.S.

Though the first Starbucks cafes unionized in late 2021, no store has secured a first contract. The union has accused Starbucks of refusing to bargain in good faith with baristas; the company has said it is the union that refuses to do so. Regional directors for the NLRB have issued complaints against the company alleging it has failed to bargain in good faith with the union at numerous cafes around the country. Starbucks denies the allegations.

Starbucks has been found in violation national labor law numerous times by administrative law judges over the course of the campaign, including in Chicago, where a judge found the coffee giant had illegally fired a Hyde Park barista who led the union campaign at his store and threatened workers at two cafes over their union activity. Starbucks is appealing that ruling; the coffee giant has generally denied accusations and findings of lawbreaking.

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In May, a worker at the unionized New York Roastery filed a decertification petition with the NLRB. A decertification petition, which a worker can file one year after unionization if they do not have a contract, seeks to force a second union election during which employees must vote on whether to remain unionized.

The employee who filed the decertification petition was represented by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, an organization opposed to compulsory union membership.

A hearing in the decertification case has been postponed indefinitely because of complaints issued against Starbucks alleging violations of labor law at the New York Roastery, according to NLRB filings.

The next step in the Chicago Roastery workers union campaign will be to vote in a union election held by the labor board in Chicago. If a majority of workers vote to unionize, they will form a union represented by Starbucks Workers United.
A Denver man owes a Colorado Springs man $27,500 from a bet the two placed on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, Colorado's second-highest court agreed on Thursday.

Richmond Lee Meyer and Jason Vanstrom were friends for several years through their mutual interest in gambling and the cannabis industry. Prior to election day 2020, they agreed to bet $27,500 on the results. Vanstrom, of Colorado Springs, believed President Joe Biden would win. Meyer, of Denver, bet on former President Donald Trump.

Upon Biden's victory, Meyer declined to pay, insisting Trump actually won and the election was "rigged." Vanstrom then sued for breach of contract.

Case: Vanstrom v. Meyer Decided: July 13, 2023 Jurisdiction: Denver Ruling: 3-0 Judges: Anthony J. Navarro (author) Jaclyn Casey Brown David H. Yun Background: Far too little vote fraud to tip election to Trump, AP finds

Following a short trial in which Meyer represented himself, Denver District Court Judge David H. Goldberg agreed the debt was valid. He found both men were "sophisticated, financially sound and politically astute risk takers," and a "social gambling debt" is enforceable in Colorado.

As for Meyer's insistence that the 2020 election was fraudulent, "This Court takes judicial notice that President Biden was elected president," Goldberg wrote.

Meyer turned to the Court of Appeals, accusing Goldberg of "bias," "abuse of power," and "excessive mistreatment" of him. Still representing himself, Meyer advanced several arguments, without evidence, attempting to call the election's integrity into question.

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In disputing the outcome, he pointed to "voter suppression" and "strict ID laws," which Democrats have historically taken issue with, as well as "illegal immigrants" and "dead voters," which are concerns Republicans generally raise.

"There is no evidence of an election taking place  the data has been deleted," Meyer wrote without elaboration.

Finally, he referenced his unsuccessful attempt at trial to call as a witness Tina Peters, the Republican former clerk of Mesa County who is herself facing criminal charges for allegedly tampering with election equipment.

A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals rejected Meyer's arguments for overturning Goldberg's ruling.

"(T)o the extent Meyer argues that the court should have given him more time to locate other evidence of alleged election fraud, we disagree," wrote Judge Anthony J. Navarro in the July 13 opinion. "Even assuming that such evidence existed, Meyer had plenty of time to procure it."

The panel also determined Meyer was not entitled to a jury trial, as he only requested a jury on the day the trial was scheduled to happen. Further, it declined to invalidate the bet on the basis that Vanstrom was allegedly a "professional gambler," rather than a "social" one.

The case is Vanstrom v. Meyer.
The news this week that two House Democrats are suing their leadership and that of Republican lawmakers over failure to comply with the state's open meetings law has been met with both cheering (from reporters) and grimaces (from lawmakers).

Capitol M (me, Marianne Goodland) has been covering the General Assembly for a variety of publications since 1998, missing only the 2012 session.

As a lifelong political junkie, raised in a family where politics was the family pastime, the opportunity to cover the legislature was a dream come true.

But over those 25 years, most particularly in the last decade, one problem has stood out like a sore thumb: lack of adherence by the General Assembly to the state's open meetings laws.

The law approved by voters with a 60% margin in 1972 is simple: Wherever two or more lawmakers are gathered to discuss public business, that's an open meeting, with minutes to be taken and provided to the public.

During the last legislative session, when lawmakers went behind closed doors to discuss some issue with a bill, a staffer for the Senate Democratic caucus insisted that there had to be a vote taken in that meeting in order for it to be considered a public meeting. When Capitol M pointed out his interpretation was wrong, at least in how it applied to the legislature, his response was, "They do it all the time."

That does not make it right.

Capitol M has stood outside the Capitol's south side numerous times as Democratic lawmakers walked over to the First Baptist Church, usually on Mondays around noon, to hold their weekly caucus meetings. Notices for those meetings are never published.

Republicans have the same meetings, sometimes in the Capitol, sometimes in offices outside of the Capitol complex. No notices are published on those either, despite claims that the public and press are invited to attend. During 2023, House Republicans held their caucus meetings on Monday morning in one of the lawmakers' offices, and members of the press did attend from time to time.

What happens in those closed door meetings, according to the lawsuit filed by Reps. Bob Marshall and Elisabeth Epps, is that vote counting takes place, in addition to formulating strategy.

What that means is that by the time a hearing takes place on most bills, votes have already been counted and the hearings are often little more than just for show. It should make all of you boiling mad, as citizens, taxpayers and voters who care about and pay for how government operates.

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So, how often do these closed doors meetings take place? It's not just caucuses.

Every time you hear the words "senatorial five," that's a discussion among lawmakers that you, the voters of this state, are not being allowed to hear. Every time you see lawmakers gathered in the front of the House or Senate but away from the microphone, that's a discussion among lawmakers that you, the voters of this state, are not allowed to hear.

When lawmakers leave the floor in the middle of the day's business, as was the case on the last day of the 2023 session, when lawmakers huddled in the governor's office to try to figure out a way to keep his land use bill from heading to the scrap heap, you're not allowed to hear what's being negotiated. Those could be conversations and decisions that affect every single Coloradan. You have a right to know.

How often does it happen? On average, it likely occurs every single day of the 120-day session and beyond.

Those of us in the Capitol press corps know about it, and we don't challenge it enough.

When we find out about one of these closed-door meetings, which is harder than it sounds, we try to get into those meetings. But learning about it is a rarity, often reserved for when a lawmaker is annoyed enough to tip us about it.

Frankly, we aren't doing our job to the best of our abilities if we aren't being your eyes and ears on the legislature, including when lawmakers go behind closed doors that they are not allowed to keep us, and you, out of.

The question, then, is why we don't challenge it?

The press corps does talk about these things pretty regularly. Sometimes, those discussions take place in a part of the House or Senate chambers where reporters are not allowed to go. Sometimes, it is about preserving relationships with lawmakers because good relationships mean access. Another is concern that marching into these closed door meetings  sometimes referred to as "storming the gates"  could prevent lawmakers from having "candid" discussions about policy.

Should that be our concern? Maybe, but that's not what the open meetings law says. If two or more are gathered, that's public policy that affects your life and business that they're discussing.

The solution  how to keep you as best informed as we can, including when lawmakers go off in the corner somewhere to talk about things they don't want you, or us, to know about  is not an easy one.

But loosening the law so that lawmakers can continue to conduct business as usual, however, is not a solution that reporters or voters should be willing to agree with.
The lawyer for a Greeley police officer backed down from his plans to ask for qualified immunity on Thursday, after a federal judge suggested the request to end the illegal detention lawsuit was premature.

Officer Kody Brunnemer faces allegations that he violated the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures when he detained, then arrested Victor Trevizo-Gonzalez for standing outside an abandoned home at night.

Two weeks after U.S. District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez declined to dismiss the claim against Brunnemer, his attorney indicated he would file a motion for summary judgment. That would enable Rodriguez to end the lawsuit in his favor without a trial if the key, undisputed facts showed Brunnemer was not liable for a constitutional violation.

But Rodriguez was skeptical of the plan.

"I just ruled on a motion to dismiss," she said at a hearing on Thursday. "My concern here is not whether you get to file a summary judgment motion. You do. Im not not even gonna tell you when. Im gonna tell you: You get one."

Brunnemer's planned motion would have invoked qualified immunity, a judicial doctrine that shields government employees from civil liability unless they violate a person's clearly established legal rights. Based on a list of undisputed facts about the encounter between Brunnemer and Trevizo-Gonzalez, plus video and police documents, the defense believed it was ready to ask for immunity.

"We are confident that this will result in a resolution of the entire case and will save all the parties and the court from considerable proceedings down the road," said Michael J. Axelrad with the Greeley City Attorney's Office.

"I can tell you, from the statement of undisputed facts," Rodriguez warned him, "Im not as convinced as you are that this will resolve all of the issues in the case."

The parties agree that on the night of Feb. 4, 2021, Brunnemer saw two men outside a house in the 2100 block of 5th Ave. The prior week, Brunnemer had responded to a call at the same location, involving "transients and suspicious activity" at the abandoned property.

One of the men outside the house was Trevizo-Gonzalez. Brunnemer stopped his vehicle and began to talk with them. He then decided to detain both men to run a criminal check. Brunnemer wrote in his police report that Trevizo-Gonzalez began "inching his bicycle down the driveway" and performed a "felony glance" indicating an intent to flee.

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When Brunnemer approached the men again, Trevizo-Gonzalez pedaled away. Brunnemer grabbed him and Trevizo-Gonzalez fell to the ground. Brunnemer's commands to stop and stay put were in English, which Trevizo-Gonzalez did not understand well. While Brunnemer and another responding officer handcuffed him, Trevizo-Gonzalez yelled that his finger felt broken.

Earlier this year, U.S. Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter recommended that some of Trevizo-Gonzalez's civil rights claims be dismissed. Although Trevizo-Gonzalez had credibly stated an excessive force claim, for example, the "problem" was that he had attempted to flee on his bicycle. Brunnemer was entitled to immunity for using force to stop him, Neureiter wrote.

At the same time, Neureiter believed the illegal detention claim should proceed, as Trevizo-Gonzalez alleged he was merely outside the house with no indication he was involved in a crime at the time Brunnemer stopped him. Neither party objected to the recommendation and Rodriguez approved it on May 16.

On May 30, Brunnemer indicated he would file a motion for summary judgment, again seeking qualified immunity.

Rodriguez acknowledged at the hearing that qualified immunity is a defense against lawsuits and should be addressed as early as possible. But she believed Trevizo-Gonzalez is still entitled to further evidence  namely, a deposition of Brunnemer himself.

"Based upon the concerns that the court has expressed today, we will defer on filing a motion for summary judgment," responded Axelrad. After taking additional evidence, "we will file the motion and get rid of this case."

Trevizo-Gonzalez's attorneys indicated they would depose Brunnemer and also explore what information was available to him about the abandoned property, in order to establish whether Brunnemer was justified in detaining Trevizo-Gonzalez.

"What he knew, what he reasonably knew, is in bounds," Rodriguez agreed. "All the other stuff he had no knowledge of, not so much."

The case is Trevizo-Gonzalez v. Brunnemer.
A Colorado lawmaker along with a national advocate for the elderly have called on Gov. Jared Polis and the states health department to do more to protect vulnerable assisted living residents following revelations by The Gazette of underreported deaths and a lack of substantial consequences to facilities after tragedies.

State Sen. Jessie Danielson, D-Jefferson County, said this week she was deeply saddened, angry and disgusted not only by the number of preventable  and often horrific  deaths, but also by the lack of accountability that followed.

I cannot see how anyone could not be disturbed after reading this, she said.

On July 6, The Gazette published an investigation that examined nearly five years of occurrence reports submitted by assisted living facilities to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. That investigation found not only 110 documented deaths categorized by the state as unexplained or suspicious, but also three dozen additional assisted living deaths in the records classified as something other than a death. There were other deaths never reported at all.

The Gazette further revealed that even cases of fatal neglect or abuse rarely resulted in criminal charges, and that the fines levied by CDPHE, the regulatory agency that is supposed to investigate violations and issue penalties, were often minimal.

Under current state law, the maximum fine is $2,000 per facility per year no matter the number of violations  an amount even the industry acknowledges is low and equates to roughly a weeks rent at some facilities in the state.

The Gazette found, though, that even in death cases, CDPHE has issued less than the maximum and sometimes no fine at all.

Danielson faulted CDPHE for not levying the maximum fines in the most serious cases. But she also said ultimate responsibility rests with the governor, who oversees the state agency.

The governor and CDPHE need to fulfil their responsibility to hold these places accountable, she said.

The governors heart breaks for those who have lost family members and deeply values the contributions older Coloradans have made to the Colorado way of life, a Polis spokesperson told The Gazette in an emailed statement in response to the publications investigation and the resulting call to action.

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The spokesperson pointed to the governor signing into law SB-154 last year, a measure that, in part, will increase possible fines against assisted living facilities.

The measure, first introduced by Danielson, initially proposed no limit on the amount facilities could face. But in a compromise before passage, the bill was rewritten to say fines could rise to as much as $10,000 per incident with the possibility of more in especially serious cases of neglect and abuse.

Set to go into effect next year, the final details of the law are still being reviewed by the state. It remains unclear how it will be implemented.

The governors office said in its statement that he is open to exploring additional ways to hold those who care for older Coloradans accountable for outcomes. The spokesperson declined to elaborate what that might include.

In an emailed statement, a CDPHE spokesperson said, fines are only one of the tools we use to ensure facilities are providing acceptable levels of care. The agency further said that while the current fine of $2,000 is low, it is an effective enforcement tool, and we must strategize how we apply it.

Even in situations where the deficiencies are egregious, we balance whether to use the entire fine amount for one occurrence or to reserve the ability to leverage fines for potential future violations, the statement said.

Leah McMahon, the Colorado long-term care ombudsman, acknowledged in an emailed statement that families have been let down, adding the lack of funding to the state agency (CDPHE) to hire more surveyors and lack of enforcement of the regulations speaks to the value that has been placed on the lives of vulnerable adults and that needs to change.

Bob Blancato, national coordinator of Washington DC-based Elder Justice Coalition, said The Gazette investigation has been shared widely among national advocacy groups and prompted alarm particularly as the assisted living industry has grown into an estimated $96 billion market nationwide and continues to be unregulated by the federal government.

An unregulated $96 billion market should not be allowed in this day and age especially when it involves the care of vulnerable older adults, he said this week. It is time for the relevant agencies at the local, state and national level to discharge their responsibilities in making sure that admission into an assisted living facility is not a death sentence.

Danielson, while hopeful the increased fines next year will prompt change by hitting the industry in the wallet, said we dont need to wait for the new law. Something needs to be done now.

As for the growing number of Colorado families who have a parent, spouse or grandparent in an assisted living facility, she said: We owe it to them to do better.
Earlier this week, the Colorado Republican who lost one of last year's closest congressional races announced that she was passing on another run for the seat.

State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer declared that she plans to seek another term in the legislature  her Weld County-based seat is up in 2022. Shell run for that seat rather than seek a rematch with U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the Thornton Democrat who barely edged past Kirkmeyer to win Colorado's newest congressional district, the evenly divided 8th CD in Adams, Weld and Larimer counties.

After falling less than a percentage point short  Kirkmeyer trailed Caraveo by just over 1,600 votes, for a 0.69% margin  Kirkmeyer has been facing calls to give it one more try.

Repeat candidates for major office, especially those who kept it close, can come with built-in advantages over fresh faces. Those usually include higher name ID, a seasoned campaign team, a proven list of donors and experience navigating the rocky shoals of a modern campaign.

Kirkmeyer says she gave it "careful consideration and deliberation" but ultimately decided to run for reelection to the legislature, where she's become one of the most effective voices of the opposition at the statehouse.

There's no shortage of potential candidates for the GOP nomination in the battleground district, though only one has made it official so far. Almost immediately after Kirkmeyer made her intentions known, Weld County Commissioner Scott James threw his hat in the ring. Another half dozen or so Republicans  including current and former county and legislative officials  are mullling bids.

After coming down to the wire last time, the district is expected to be home to one of the hardest-fought congressional races in the country next year, drawing millions in outside spending for whoever wins the chance to challenge Caraveo, who will likewise have plenty of resources.

On the other side of the state, the Democratic candidate who lost an even closer congressional race last cycle took the opposite tack from Kirkmeyer, declaring just weeks after conceding defeat that he wanted a rematch.

Adam Frisch, a former Aspen city councilman, failed to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District by just 546 votes, for a margin of 0.16%, close enough to compel a recount and inspire the also-ran to run again.

It helps that Boebert is one of the most prominent members of the MAGA wing of House Republicans, hardly going a day lately without landing in the news, energizing fans and foes alike.

At this point, Frisch faces only nominal opposition for the nomination, and while a couple of other Democrats are rumored to be considering getting in the race, the repeat candidate's eye-popping fundraising totals could scare off most serious competitors. Bolstered by the ability to pitch himself as the one who came this close to unseating Boebert, against all odds, Frisch plans to report raising $2.6 million for the most recent quarter, bringing his total haul since declaring his second campaign to $4.4 million  a record-setting sum in an off-year.

Frisch has plenty of company nationwide this cycle, as the analysts at Sabato's Crystal Ball point out.

"Retreads abound in House races," reads the headline in the July 13 edition of the nonpartisan election experts' Notes on the State of Politics.

"A theme of recent House reporting has been a flood of unsuccessful 2022 candidates coming back for more in 2024," report J. Miles Coleman and Kyle Kondik, who note that just this week eight House candidates who lost last cycle have declared that they're back in the saddle and want another chance at the office that eluded them last time around.

It isn't an uncommon phenomenon, Coleman and Kondik note, adding that repeat candidates arguably provided the edge that won Republicans the majority in the House in the last election.

Since both the GOP's current House majority and the one enjoyed by Democrats in the last Congress have been "razor-thin," they observe, "all of these candidate choices are magnified, because its not impossible that a single blown race could decide the majority." That could encourage both parties to court candidates they know over ones they don't  "at least when the known is not known to be weak."

The same climate, they add, could also motivate candidates to run again if they're confident they can correct errors and seize opportunities they missed last time  with the added possibility that they might wind up in the majority.

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If he pulls it off, Frisch will join one of the most sparsely populated categories of Colorado politicians: those who successfully turned the tables and won in a rematch.

Rematches have been rare in Colorado's modern political era. Across every election for top federal and statewide office since the 1970s, only one candidate who lost the first time around has managed to come out on top in a do-over.

That candidate was Scott Tipton, the Cortez Republican who cut his political teeth in the legislature before losing and then winning races in the same 3rd CD Boebert currently represents.

Tipton tried to depose U.S. Rep. John Salazar in the San Luis Valley Democrat's first run for reelection in 2006 but went down hard, losing by 25 percentage points in a year that favored Democrats. Four years later, however, buffeted by the 2010 Republican wave  fueled largely by a slow economy and a backlash to the Affordable Care Act  Tipton unseated Salazar by just under 5 percentage points.

After easily winning reelection four times, in 2020 Tipton was surprised in the GOP primary by a long-shot, first-time candidate named Lauren Boebert, who is seeking her third term next year.

Plenty of candidates for top-tier Colorado offices tried to accomplish what Tipton achieved, but fell short in their subsequent attempts. Among them are Republican Ed Scott, who ran against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Wirth twice, in 1976 and 1978, but lost both times; Democrat Tom Strickland, who went up against Republican Wayne Allard twice for the U.S. Senate, in 1996 and 2002, winning neither time; Republican Casper Stockham, who challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in 2016 and 2018, losing by wide margins; and Democrat Ike McCorkle, who failed to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck twice, in 2018 and 2020.

A couple of politicians have been the major party nominee for the same top office more than once but lost, though they faced different opponents each time. Those include Republican Bob Beauprez, a former congressman, who ran for governor twice, in 2006 and 2014, losing the first time to Bill Ritter and the second time to John Hickenlooper. Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush ran unsuccessfully against Tipton in 2018 and Boebert in 2020.

In addition to his singular distinction of coming back from a loss to win a rematch, Tipton is also one of only a handful of Coloradans in the modern era who both deposed a congressional incumbent and later lost their own bids for reelection.

Since the 1970s, his compatriots in that category include Democrat Floyd Haskell, who beat an incumbent GOP U.S. senator in 1972 only to lose to another Republican six years later; Democrat Betsy Markey, who removed a Republican from the 4th Congressional District seat in 2008 but lost her bid for reelection two years later to Republican Cory Gardner; and Gardner, who beat Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014 but lost his campaign for a second term to Democrat John Hickenlooper in 2020.

Colorado candidates for major statewide and congressional offices have been more successful at pulling off the rematch's cousin, the rebound.

Buck, the Republican who is serving his fifth term in Congress, bounced back from a narrow loss to Democrat Michael Bennet in the 2010 U.S. Senate race to win the 4th Congressional District seat left open by Gardner in 2014. He's won reelection by wide margins since.

Democrat Roy Romer, however, might have set the bar for Colorado comebacks.

The former state lawmaker from Holly lost a run for the U.S. Senate by a wide margin in 1966 to Republican incumbent Gordon Allott, but just over a decade later Romer was appointed state treasurer after Democrat Sam Brown resigned midterm. Romer won reelection twice as treasurer and then went on to be elected to three terms as governor, becoming the last Coloradan to serve more than two terms in that office, before term limits were established.

Ernest Luning has covered politics for Colorado Politics and its predecessor publication, The Colorado Statesman, since 2009. He's analyzed the exploits, foibles and history of state campaigns and politicians since 2018 in the weekly Trail Mix column.

Colorado's track record picking White House nominees is far from super | TRAIL MIX

Contours of Colorado's 2024 election seem clear, but some surprises could be in store | TRAIL MIX

Lauren Boebert takes another run at impeaching Joe Biden, this time over immigration | TRAIL MIX
Commentary: Why Yellen's visit to China wins recognition from both countries

Xinhua) 08:22, July 14, 2023

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testifies during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 28, 2021. (Matt McClain/Pool via Xinhua)

The similar tone of both sides' evaluations reflects their shared emphasis on strengthening such communication and their common need to improve China-U.S. relations.

BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently concluded her visit to China, summarizing conversations during the four-day trip as "direct, substantive, and productive." The Chinese side also described the interaction as "candid, pragmatic, in-depth, and constructive."

The similar tone of both sides' evaluations reflects their shared emphasis on strengthening such communication and their common need to improve China-U.S. relations.

Overall, as recognized by both sides, this round of interaction has injected positive elements for stabilizing China-U.S. relations because it characterizes three keys to improving bilateral ties.

The first key is to deepen communication.

During her visit, Yellen expressed the willingness to implement the understandings reached by the two heads of state in Bali last year and strengthen communication between the two sides. As for China, it has always shown utmost sincerity in resolving differences with the United States through dialogue.

However, since the meeting between the two heads of state in Bali, the United States had not shown any restraint in smearing and suppressing China, severely poisoning the atmosphere for dialogue, and compelling the delay of the interactive agenda set by the two heads of state.

As Yellen said at a press conference before concluding her visit, the bilateral meetings during the visit, which totaled about 10 hours, "served as a step forward in our effort to put the U.S.-China relationship on surer footing."

Given the current state of China-U.S. relations, restarting communication is not an easy task, but what matters most is to sustain it based on mutual sincerity.

The United States should know that communication is not a one-time deal: it requires creating a favorable atmosphere beforehand, building consensus during the process, and solidly implementing them afterward.

This photo taken on Aug. 16, 2022 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

To achieve more effective and meaningful interactions, the U.S. side should actively follow up on each dialogue and earnestly implement the consensus and outcomes reached during the discussions.

The second key is to address mutual concerns.

The aim of establishing communication channels is to facilitate a clear and smooth expression of major concerns and basic positions by both sides.

In recent years, the United States has imposed a string of economic sanctions and measures against China, which have undermined the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese market entities and eroded the popular support for bilateral relations.

During meetings with Yellen, the Chinese side reiterated its concerns regarding issues such as the removal of tariffs on China, cessation of suppression against Chinese companies, fair treatment of bilateral investments, relaxation of export controls on China, and lifting the ban on products related to China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In response, Yellen said that the United States is willing to listen to China's concerns, does not seek to decouple from China, and has no intention of hindering China's modernization process.

In the current lowest point of China-U.S. relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties, this kind of constructive interaction is conducive to stabilizing and reversing the downward spiral in the bilateral relationship.

The third key is to seek consensus.

As the world's largest developing and developed economies, China and the United States have built their economic relationship over several decades.

Strengthening cooperation is a pragmatic necessity and the right choice for both nations. Through open and sincere communication, the two sides should seek consensus on important economic issues, injecting stability and positive energy into their economic relationship.

A container ship of China's COSCO Shipping docks at a container terminal of the Port of Long Beach in California, the United States, Aug. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Shan)

Currently, global challenges such as macroeconomic and financial destabilization, climate change, and debt issues are escalating. Effective responses to these global challenges require coordination and cooperation between China and the United States, which aligns with their common interests.

Yellen said during the visit that the United States does not seek to decouple from China as it would be disastrous for both countries and create instability globally, and it has no intention to force countries to take sides.

"The world is big enough for both of our countries to thrive," Yellen said at the end of her visit.

This round of interaction between the two countries brings positive expectations for bilateral relations. However, it is necessary to be wary of the United States' habitual double-talk on issues concerning China.

Just as Yellen visited China, Bloomberg reported that the U.S. government is preparing an executive order to restrict American investments in China, suggesting that the next test for the bilateral relationship may come soon.

Regardless of whether the United States is playing a double game or not, China never places its destiny in the hands of other countries, and remains focused on its own development. The autonomy over its own fate provides China with both the determination and confidence in handling all international issues, including China-U.S. relations.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Demonstrators in favor of cancelling student debt outside the Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

More than 800,000 borrowers will have $39 billion in federal student loan debt eliminated under a government effort to remedy years of mistakes by the loan servicers that collect payments on the governments behalf.

Millions more people will have their loans adjusted as part of the program.

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The relief will go to those with federal loans owned directly by the Education Department and who enrolled in income-driven repayment plans. Those plans cap the payments that borrowers owe to a percentage of their income. Under those plans, borrowers must make payments for a term that is typically 20 or 25 years. At the end of that period, any remaining balance is forgiven.

More than 8 million people use income-driven repayment plans, but for decades, many of the companies that bill borrowers made extensive mistakes in tracking payments and in guiding borrowers through the payment process. Those errors put millions of borrowers further behind by years in their quest to pay off their loans.

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For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system, Miguel Cardona, the education secretary, said on Friday.

The planned move comes two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Bidens plan to eliminate $400 billion in student loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers. The court ruled that the president lacked the authority to eliminate debts so broadly without explicitly congressional authorization.

But the far smaller adjustment on Friday, which is separate and has not led to court challenges, falls more squarely within the education secretarys power to administer loan repayment programs.

The debt elimination  which will happen in the next few weeks, the Education Department said  is part of a plan the Biden administration announced last year to address the problem of servicers mistakes. The department decided to automatically and retroactively credit millions of borrowers for late or partial payments and for long stretches of time before the pandemic with their payments in forbearance.

The 804,000 borrowers whose balances will be eliminated are those who, after the adjustments, have made the required 240 or 300 monthly payments (depending on their payment plan) to have their remaining debt forgiven.

So-called forbearance steering was a particularly glaring issue, the department said last year. Low-income borrowers can qualify for monthly bills of $0 through income-driven payment plans, but loan servicers often placed struggling borrowers on forbearance  a move that kept their loans in good standing but meant that interest continued accruing, inflating borrowers balances.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2017 sued Navient, which was then one of the governments largest student loan servicers, over such tactics. The lawsuit is still in progress, but Navient no longer services federal loans: It got out of the business in 2021.

Borrowers eligible for relief will not have to apply  their debts will be automatically discharged. By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, Cardona said.

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Some 45 million borrowers owe the government, the largest lender to Americans for higher education, a total of $1.6 trillion. Their loan payments have been paused since March 2020  a move initiated under President Donald Trump as a pandemic relief measure, and extended multiple times by Biden  but that pause will soon end. Borrowers will have to resume making payments again in October.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
A child weeps while on the bus leaving The Covenant School following a mass shooting at the school in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 27, 2023. (Nicole Hester/AP)

Slain at the hands of strangers or gunned down by loved ones. Massacred in small towns, in big cities, inside their own homes or outside in broad daylight. This years unrelenting bloodshed across the U.S. has led to the grimmest of milestones: The deadliest six months of mass killings recorded since at least 2006.

From Jan. 1 to June 30, the nation endured 28 mass killings, all but one of which involved guns. The death toll rose just about every week, a constant cycle of violence and grief.

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Six months. 181 days. 28 mass killings. 140 victims. One country.

What a ghastly milestone, said Brent Leatherwood, whose three children were in class at a private Christian school in Nashville on March 27 when a former student killed three children and three adults. You never think your family would be a part of a statistic like that.

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Leatherwood, a prominent Republican in a state that hasnt strengthened gun laws, believes something must be done to get guns out of the hands of people who might become violent. The shock of seeing the bloodshed strike so close to home has prompted him to speak out.

You may as well say Martians have landed, right? Its hard to wrap your mind around it, he said.

A mass killing is defined as an occurrence when four or more people are slain, not including the assailant, within a 24-hour period. A database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University tracks this large-scale violence dating back to 2006.

The 2023 milestone beat the previous record of 27 mass killings, which was only set in the second half of 2022. James Alan Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, never imagined records like this when he began overseeing the database about five years ago.

We used to say there were two to three dozen a year, Fox said. The fact that theres 28 in half a year is a staggering statistic.

But the chaos of the first six months of 2023 doesnt automatically doom the last six months. The remainder of the year could be calmer, despite more violence over the July Fourthholiday weekend.

Hopefully it was just a blip, said Dr. Amy Barnhorst, a psychiatrist who is the associate director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

There could be fewer killings later in 2023, or this could be part of a trend. But we wont know for sometime, she added.

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Experts like Barnhorst and Fox attribute the rising bloodshed to a growing population with an increased number of guns in the U.S. Yet for all the headlines, mass killings are statistically rare and represent a fraction of the countrys overall gun violence.

We need to keep it in perspective, Fox said.

But the mass violence most often spurs attempts to reform gun laws, even if the efforts are not always successful.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, had urged the General Assembly in the wake of the Nashville school shooting to pass legislation keeping firearms away from people who could harm themselves or others, so-called red flag laws, though Lee says the term is politically toxic.

Getting such a measure passed in Tennessee is an uphill climb. The Republican-led Legislature adjourned earlier this year without taking on gun control, prompting Lee to schedule a special session for August.

Leatherwood, a former executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party and now the head of the influential Southern Baptist Conventions public policy arm, wrote a letter to lawmakers asking them to pass the governors proposal.

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Leatherwood said he doesnt want any other family to go through what his children experienced at the time of the shooting when they were in kindergarten, second grade and fourth grade. One of his kids, preparing for a recent sleepaway camp, asked whether they would be safe there.

Our child was asking, Do you think that there will be a gunman that comes to this camp? Do I need to be worried about that? Leatherwood said.

The Nashville shooter, whose writings Leatherwood and other parents are asking a court to keep private, used three guns in the attack, including an AR-15-style rifle. It was one of at least four mass killings in the first half of 2023 involving such a weapon, according to the database.

Nearly all of the mass killings in the first half of this year, 27 of 28, involved guns. The other was a fire that killed four people in a home in Monroe, Louisiana. A 37-year-old man was arrested on arson and murder charges in connection with the March 31 deaths.

Despite the unprecedented carnage, the National Rifle Association maintains fierce opposition to regulating firearms, including AR-15-style rifles and similar weapons.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris constant efforts to gut the Second Amendment will not usher in safety for Americans; instead, it will only embolden criminals, NRA spokesman Billy McLaughlin said in a statement. That is why the NRA continues our fight for self-defense laws. Rest assured, we will never bow, we will never retreat, and we will never apologize for championing the self-defense rights of law-abiding Americans.

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Tito Anchondos brother, Andre Anchondo, was among 23 people killed in a 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. The gunman was sentenced last week to 90 consecutive life sentences but could face more punishment, including the death penalty. The prosecution of the racist attack on Hispanic shoppers in the border city was one of the U.S. governments largest hate crime cases.

Andre Anchondo and his wife, Jordan, died shielding their 2-month-old son from bullets. Paul, who escaped with just broken bones, is now 4 years old.

Tito Anchondo said he feels like the country has forgotten about the El Paso victims in the years since and that not nearly enough has been done to stem the bloodshed. He worries about Pauls future.

I hope that things can drastically change because this country is going down a very, very slippery slope; a downward spiral, he said. Its just a little unnerving to know that hes eventually going to go to school with kids that also may bring a gun to school.
A Mason City man arrested in April for allegedly having methamphetamine and drugs in his apartment has been federally indicted.

According to court records, 46-year-old Andrew Earl Lofton was charged with a felony controlled substance violation and three counts of control of a firearm by a felon by the state of Iowa. He was facing up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Those charges have been dismissed to allow for the federal indictment.

The affidavit states that a search warrant was executed around 8:30 a.m. April 20 at Loftons residence. During the search three handguns were allegedly found and a backpack was located outside Loftons bedroom window containing approximately 22 one-ounce-sized bags of methamphetamine. The third gun was found in the backpack as well.

An unspecified amount of currency, packaging material and a digital scale were also allegedly found in the apartment. A trial date has not been set as of Thursday.

Celebrity Birthdays: July 13 Aya Cash Cameron Crowe Colton Haynes Deborah Cox Fran Kranz Gil Birmingham Harrison Ford Hayley Erin Ken Jeong Leon Bridges Patrick Stewart Roger McGuinn Steven R. McQueen Tom Kenny Will Champion Yadier Molina
The Central Springs Community School District School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to set a vote on a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) on Sept. 12.

According to a press release, the district is seeking the funds to improve school safety, playgrounds, career and technical education equipment, transportation, technology and other improvements.

Providing a high-quality education for all students is our highest priority, said Darwin Lehmann, superintendent. To do that, we need to continually ensure our buildings are safe and updated to provide the optimal learning environment for students. This funding will allow us to do that and address several projects over the next 10 years including playground updates on both campuses, a shop expansion and a potential greenhouse to support the growing CTE and vocational agriculture programs and a new wrestling room.

Over the next eight weeks, residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the ballot question and the proposed funding to support the projects. The district will host community informational meetings:

6:307:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 16, at the Nora Springs campus, 509 Iowa Ave.

6:307:30 p.m. Monday, August 21, at the Manly campus, 105 S. East St., Manly.

Voters will be asked to approve the PPEL for an amount not to exceed $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed property value with an income surtax for the next 10 years.

Central Springs is one of the 52 of 327 districts in Iowa to not have a voter approved PPEL (VPPEL) and all of our surrounding districts have voter approved PPEL. These funds will be an important piece of ensuring a high-quality learning environment for current and future students, concluded Lehmann.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease eight years ago, is stepping down from the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the influential Chicago-based civil rights organization he founded through its predecessor, Operation PUSH, more than 50 years ago.

After ceding day-to-day operations last year, Jackson, 81, is formally handing the reins to his successor, the Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, a senior pastor of friendship at West Baptist Church in Dallas. Haynes appointment is expected to be announced this weekend at the annual Rainbow/PUSH convention, sources said Friday.

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Haynes said its an honor to be chosen for this role. I confess that when he first approached me about doing this, I was blown away, he said.

The Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III speaks during the National CARES Mentoring Movement 4th Annual For The Love Of Our Children Gala, Feb. 11, 2019, in New York City. (Bennett Raglin/Getty)

Haynes said he has long been a student and follower of Jacksons. One of the things that I am quick to say is that of all of the degrees I may have, I must also confess that Ive studied at the University of Jesse Jackson, he said. I first heard him as a college student at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, and I was just blown away because I was trying to find my way in ministry. ... Through the years, my formation in justice work had everything to do with Rev. Jackson.

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With the new leadership in place, Jackson is quick to admit his future plans.

Im not retiring at all, Jackson said Friday. I want to focus a lot more on economic justice, peace in the world. Im just pivoting to a different platform.

According to Jackson, pivoting means he will spend the majority of this time teaching about how to fight the nonviolent fight when it comes to injustice.

I want to teach more, all what Ive learned, to other preachers: How do you fight the nonviolent fight, focus on affirmative action, loan debt, focus on pulling gun shops down, Jackson said.

Jackson will offer his guidance in academic settings as well as in the field. He said he will double efforts to get reparations for the three remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. A lawsuit filed by survivors was recently dismissed by an Oklahoma judge.

[ Highlights in the life of Rev. Jesse Jackson: Minister, civil rights advocate, politician, intermediary, social justice proponent and COVID-19 survivor ]

Jackson said he deliberated for a while on his decision to step down as president of Rainbow/PUSH.

Its been very difficult to find people who have the ability to step into the fire, Jackson said. But after speaking with Bishop Tavis Grant, national executive director of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, as well as the Rev. Al Sharpton and Jacksons son and longtime Rainbow/PUSH national spokesman Rep. Jonathan Jackson, the elder Jackson made the decision.

Noting his less-than-frequent travel these days, and his decades in the struggle for justice, Jackson said now is the time for a transfer of leadership. With someone managing the staff of Rainbow/PUSH, he can focus on fundraising and helping the new leader acclimate to the role. Jackson said the reversal of affirmative action, the continued attack on the Voting Rights Act, and the high cost of college are all on his agenda. He also wants to spend more time getting people out of foreign jails, including in Syria, Kuwait and Kosovo.

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The Supreme Court is setting the agenda  affirmative action, health care for women, rights in education  but we cant afford that. Theyre trying to take back the rights that protect the right to vote, Jackson said. The agenda is set by the opposition. I want Rainbow/PUSH to survive in that struggle and we have to have leadership help us.

Haynes said it is a lot of pressure to take up the mantle after Jackson, but he said its a good heavy.

I feel real good about what it is Im called to do and because of my relationship with him, that is even more helpful, he said. Ill be honest, the response Im receiving from around the country has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive because ... we dont know life without PUSH and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. ... What he was doing in 63, we need in 23.

Headquartered in a former temple in the Kenwood neighborhood on the South Side, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition has long been Jacksons national advocacy platform to promote economic, educational and political change, including two groundbreaking campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1980s.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition headquarters July 14, 2023. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, Jackson gained national prominence during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s after attending Chicago Theological Seminary. The city became his home for six decades, and the center of operations for the organizations he would lead and grow into a movement.

Jackson met the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965, and the following year became the head of the Chicago chapter of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference aimed at promoting employment for the Black community.

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Following Kings assassination in 1968, Jacksons stature in the Civil Rights Movement grew, helping to fill the leadership void. In 1971, Jackson resigned from the SCLC and founded Operation PUSH in Chicago, expanding the mission of education and economic empowerment for people of color.

Jackson ventured into national politics in the 1980s, delivering a stirring speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention and placing third in the nomination for president behind Walter Mondale and Gary Hart, garnering more than 3 million votes. In 1988, Jackson made a second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, winning the Michigan primary before losing to the eventual candidate, Michael Dukakis.

In 1996, Jackson merged two of his initiatives, creating the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, which he continued to lead into the new millennium.

Other civil rights leaders are already weighing in on Jacksons legacy and his impending retirement.

The resignation of Rev. Jesse Jackson is the pivoting of one of the most productive, prophetic and dominant figures in the struggle for social justice in American history, Sharpton said in a statement Friday. It was my honor, since my mother brought me to him at 12 years old, to serve as the youth director for the New York chapter of Operation Breadbasket, down through the last decade, to have been a student and protege of his.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 58 Mahalia Jackson, left, sings "We Shall Overcome" with civil rights leaders the Rev. Martin Luther King, third left, Jesse Jackson, second from right, and Albert Raby, right, on Aug. 4, 1966. The event happened at 844 W. 71st St. in Chicago. (Ray Foster / Chicago Tribune)

The annual Rainbow/PUSH convention runs through Wednesday, and will feature Vice President Kamala Harris as guest speaker Sunday.

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is slated to appear at a convention luncheon Tuesday, also expressed his appreciation to Jackson as a mentor, friend and civil rights icon.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is an architect of the soul of Chicago, Johnson said in a statement Friday.

Grant calls Jacksons pivot a tremendous development. He thinks the new leadership under Haynes is in line with the historical track of the Rainbow/PUSH organization and a good fit for continuing what Rev. Jackson has spent the last 50-plus years working and developing.

Grant added that the change comes at the point when Jackson can be a full participant in the transition. It writes a different history for us in the civil rights community, Grant said of the move.

[ Chicago civil rights legend Jesse Jackson turned 80. Heres a look back at his legacy. ]

Jacksons eldest daughter, Santita Jackson, said given that her father has been focused on the local and global fight for injustice for so long, she is grateful that God has given him the length of years to deliver breadth and depth of service.

Very few people are able ... have the grace and space to serve in public life at this level of intensity and exposure, and with such a high profile for 60 years, she said. But hes been able to do that. And quite frankly, weve not seen leaders who are Black live this long. They dont get gray; they get a grave.

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Jonathan Jackson said hes proud of his father.

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He has never stopped fighting for civil rights, for human rights, he said. He has worked alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and carried on in his tradition and in his activism. From having seen the creation and passing and the demonstration, to ultimately passing the Voting Rights Act to now seeing it be dismantled  hes never stopped fighting. Others thought it was the past and civil rights had been achieved. He knew better. He had eternal vigilance.

He said his father has always had two professions  minister and civil rights fighter  and both are professions from which one never retires.

Hell give this transition his all, as he always has done, he said of his dad. He knows his strengths, but he will never stop. Its his lifes calling.

Haynes said he feels welcomed by Chicago and sees Rainbow/PUSH continuing its mission.

For me, Rev. Jackson has always been the person to show up. I call it an emergency responder, Haynes said. So that when things broke out, we knew that he was going to be Jesse on the spot  providing the wisdom, the leadership, the direction in and out of the crisis. I dont see those things changing. I see those things as what PUSH has been about and what PUSH will continue to be about.

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drockett@chicagotribune.com

rchannick@chicagotribune.com
Chris Albrecht, senior vice president and general manager for Caesars Virginia, has been named to the board of directors of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

He is one of 18 members of the board who direct policy for the chamber.

Albrecht came to Danville in September to oversee the operations of Caesars new casino.

It has been a pleasure getting involved in the community since moving here, he said. I am excited for the future of Danville and Pittsylvania County and look forward to contributing to its continued success through my involvement with the chamber.

Albrecht previously worked in casino operations for Caesars in Philadelphia and Hammond, Indiana.

The chambers goal is to accelerate business growth by connecting its 530 member organizations and 21,000 member employees to resources and networks.

The chambers primary goal is to help area businesses of all sizes grow and prosper.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the ministers of 16 EU countries today signed expressions of intent for the EIB EU for Ukraine Fund in support of Ukraine's agenda for recovery and reconstruction. Announced in spring 2023 as a part of a larger EU for Ukraine initiative, the EIB's EU4U Fund will help rapidly scale up support for Ukraine's most urgent infrastructure needs and sustain the economy.

MFIN Group photo

Luxembourg pledges 1.3 million euros to support the EIB EU for Ukraine Fund.

The decision comes on top of pledges from Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, the Netherlands to the Fund which total 383.3 million euros.

Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, and Greece also announced support to the Fund, with the amounts to be finalised.

The size of the Fund is expected to grow further with future commitments.

The member countries announcing their intention to contribute to the Fund include Belgium (up to 6 million euros), France (100 million euros), Ireland (7 million euros), Italy (100 million euros, announced in April), Latvia (7 million euros), Lithuania (10 million euros), Luxembourg (1.3 million euros), Poland (25 million euros), Slovakia (5 million euros), Spain (up to 70 million euros), the Netherlands (52 million euros). In addition, a number of Member States confirmed their support and their intention to contribute to the Fund with the amounts to be finalised. These include Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia and Greece. The size of the Fund is expected to grow further with future commitments.

The Fund will enable the EU bank to sustain its support for Ukraine and will serve as a temporary bridge solution until longer-term EU measures become available.

The Fund will facilitate deployment of both public and private sector projects, with the main focus on municipal infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, transport networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities, digital and cybersecurity capability, and improved access to finance for Ukrainian entrepreneurs.

The EIB offered immediate relief to Ukraine right after the outbreak of the war, disbursing 1.7 billion euros of financing in 2022 to help finance emergency repairs to the country's infrastructure ravaged by Russian bombing. The EU Bank also provided a 4 billion euros credit line to support the integration of refugees from Ukraine in EU countries. Through the EU for Ukraine initiative and its Fund, the Bank remains committed to stepping up its activities in Ukraine, in line with the mandate given by EU leaders and in close cooperation with the European Commission, European Parliament, EU Member States and international partners.

Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg Minister of Finance, said: "This is not the time to spare our efforts. It is our common duty to continue supporting Ukraine to help it cope with the humanitarian, economic and social consequences of this unjustified and unjustifiable war. Luxembourg therefore welcomes the launch of the EIB's 'EU4U' trust fund and is pleased to announce a pledge of 1.3 million euros to this initiative. Going forward, we need to make sure that collectively as EU Member States we provide the necessary political support and firepower to the EIB to continue deploying its much-needed support for Ukraine and its people."

EIB President Werner Hoyer said: "Given the sheer scale of needs in Ukraine, the international community has a financial imperative to provide additional support for immediate needs and reconstruction. I am deeply grateful to the EU Member States that have already made pledges to the EIB EU for Ukraine Fund as well as to all those that expressed their support today. These and future pledges will help Ukraine's economy and its staunch resistance to the Russian invasion. The support expressed today will also help pave the way for the country's EU membership. We have rebuilt before, and in solidarity with Ukraine and our fellow EU and international partners, we will rebuild again!"

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said: "Ukraine urgently needs international support in financing a rapid recovery. In particular, we have identified energy, housing, critical social infrastructure and the private sector as priorities. We count on the support of the EIB and its shareholders, the EU Member States, in restoring critical infrastructure. We are grateful to our partners for their quick and timely assistance during the war."

Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis said: "We warmly welcome the financial pledges from EU Member States for this new EIB Fund to support Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction and bring it to scale. This funding will be crucial to implement a strong pipeline of projects under the EIB's Ukraine support package to address Ukraine's vast needs. It will also complement the EU guarantee that allows the EIB to provide 100 million of new loans under this initiative. We hope that more Member States will commit to this initiative to assist Ukraine with its most urgent infrastructure needs and maintain its macro-financial stability in the face of Russia's relentless aggression."

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska, who is responsible for operations in Ukraine, said: "Since the beginning of Russia's war, we have moved fast to support Ukraine, and we are not slowing down. The EU for Ukraine Fund will enable us to sustain and intensify our support for Ukraine in advance of the establishment of additional longer-term EU measures. We cannot wait until after the war to help Ukraine reconstruct its infrastructure and relaunch its economy. This has to happen now."

Press release by the Ministry of Finance and the European Investment Bank (EIB)
GREENSBORO  There arent many stores where you can find over 100 customers lined up outside on a Friday morning. In Greensboro, there might only be one: Treasure Hunt Liquidators on Bridford Parkway.

Consumers to the citys newest thrift store might find the idea way too good to be true. Welcome to a place where you might find a Dutch oven, new Nike sneakers and a hair dryer  all for $10 apiece.

Like its name implies, Treasure Hunt Liquidators buys overstocked inventory and returned items from big-box retailers such as Amazon, Costco, Target and Home Depot.

And on Fridays, it all goes on sale to a salivating public.

Residents arrived as early as sunrise until a line stretched its way through the neighboring strip mall. Some stood. Some sat. One lady closed her eyes as she rested on a yoga mat. Wily flea market dealers were mixed among families as they both leaned against storefronts and cement columns, waiting to ravage the insides of the store.

People get to be like wild animals, said Savannah Fields, a Greensboro native. They start throwing things around and it gets pretty intense.

Walking into the warehouse feels like youve been transported into a giant bazaar. Dumpster-sized bins hold hundreds of random packages. At the front of the store, you can find packaged clothes from Carhart, Levi, Wrangler and Nike. Near the back, power tools are jumbled together with car parts and motors. Even farther back are two bins filled with electronics in cardboard packaging.

Searching for a blender or a worn-yet-reliable pair of Turtlebeach headphones has never been a more spellbinding experience. Within five minutes of the store opening at 10:00 a.m., a river of red shopping carts flooded the aisles.

Some of the people digging through the bins carried bottles of hand sanitizer in fanny packs. The only words spoken were excuse me and behind you, which interrupted a silent, almost mechanical focus on finding a great deal.

And while people pressed the flesh, somewhere in the store, there was a man smiling. His name is Mo Smaki.

Smaki, the Greensboro manager of Treasure Hunt Liquidators, usually strolls the aisles between bins and keeps a close eye on employees. At one moment he could be reminding them to restock a certain bin. Or he could be leaning back against the wall, looking out proudly over the bustling marketplace.

This is something you would get for $27, said Smaki on a recent day, picking up a pipe cutter from one of the bins. Its $2 today.

Although most of the action occurs on Friday, there is still a steady stream of customers all through the week.

If you show up on Saturday, items are $8 and decrease by $2 until Wednesday  when items are priced at $1. Its practically free! a sign on the side of the store declares.

The whole idea began awhile ago in Raleigh, where a man named George Milano bought truckloads of overstocked merchandise and returns from retailers. Since then, Milano has brought the Treasure Hunt concept to Goldsboro, Norfolk, Va. and, now, Greensboro.

Just as a range of stuff can be found across the emporium, there is also a variety of customers to encounter within its aisles. One person might be coming in for a deal on an expensive phone case while another might come in looking to resell from the reseller. Smaki calls the latter his VIPs.

One VIP, Kimberly Dinkins, probably wouldnt miss a question on The Price Is Right. She spends $4,000 to $5,000 a month on her side hustle: buying items from liquidator stores and reselling them on an eBay account.

I can look at things and tell their value, said Dinkins, who works in consulting. But you dont want to be a hoarder so you sell it.

VIPs and other resellers tend to go for the stuff near the register. Among smart watches, cellphones and old laptops there are two mystery boxes that contain an assortment of higher-end products. Experienced customers buy these boxes for around $1,000 and make a profit when the contents are resold.

As the customers roll through the line at the register, Smaki is still out there smiling.

To him, it isnt all just stuff. Hes also selling the experience.

Our philosophy is not to be making the most money, Smaki said. We try to provide the best value for the customer.

Photos: People shop for deals at liquidation store
Hurry up and wait: Medicaid expansion is unnecessarily delayed

Seize the day! ... Or not.

When it came to culture war bills, tomorrow wasnt soon enough in the General Assembly.

In the mad rush to roll back gun-safety rules and ratchet up abortion restrictions, warp speed seemed too slow. It was now or never.

As for legislation that affects the day-to-day lives and well-being of North Carolinians, well, not so fast.

Our Republican-dominated state legislature will get around to it  eventually.

Maybe next month. Maybe not. Itll come when it will come.

Particularly frustrating is the unnecessary wait for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, which, after a 10-year delay, was finally approved nearly five months ago, but still has yet to take effect.

Thats because Republicans insisted that expansion be tied to the passage of the state budget.

Gov. Roy Cooper signed a bill expanding Medicaid expansion into law on March 27. But nothing happens, per the GOP, until a new state budget is approved.

So, as Republican lawmakers, who hold veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the legislature, dither among themselves, as many as 600,000 North Carolinians continue to go without health care.

To say that for some people that this could be a matter of life or death is not an exaggeration.

Also being held up are raises for state employees, including teachers. The timing on teacher raises is especially critical as local districts  many of which are shorthanded to begin with  attempt to hire new teachers before the next school year begins.

But no one in the GOP appears to be in that much of a hurry.

Its a cold-hearted way to do the peoples business.

And, for their part, Democrats have wasted no time in pointing that out. In a Raleigh news conference on Wednesday, state Attorney General Josh Stein and other House Democrats complained about the leisurely pace of the budget process.

Theres nothing on our side to stop anything from going through for a budget, House Minority Leader Robert Reives of Chatham County told reporters. But yet were still waiting for school personnel to get raises, state employees to get raises, for critical funding for a lot of the needs that we have going on throughout the state.

As for health care, a federal law that banned states from removing some peoples Medicaid coverage has expired. With Medicaid expansion, Reives noted, some North Carolinians would be able to maintain that coverage.

This month alone, we have 9,000 people who will lose Medicaid coverage that would otherwise keep it, Reives said

Is some of whats going on here politics? Actually, quite a bit of it is. Stein is running for governor and will doubtlessly tweak the Republican majority every chance he gets.

Even so, the Democrats have a valid complaint. This is what it is.

And the holdup on the budget has nothing to do with partisan gridlock. It has to do with Republicans not being able to agree among themselves.

Among the issues being debated are how much to cut taxes and how to spend unspent funds and whether the state should permit nontribal casinos.

There are strong positions and strong arguments among the two chambers here, but progress is being made, House Speaker Tim Moore said later Wednesday on the House floor.

Incidentally, the new budget was due on July 1. Until one is passed state agencies will by law be required to operate at base spending levels.

The House budget committee chairman, GOP Rep. Jason Saine of Lincoln County, told The Associated Press that a strong budget takes time.

To get to a good agreement, sometimes its better to wait, Saine said, adding that a final budget may not be completed until mid-August.

What Saine didnt address is a very simple and practical solution to Medicaid expansion: Remove the wholly unnecessary language in the law that ties its activation to the passage of the budget, as the governor has requested.

Saine did, however, make time to accuse the Democrats of political grandstanding.

To be fair, when Democrats were in control, budgets also often violated the July 1 deadline. And we took them to task for it.

But its Republicans who are especially fond of saying that government should be run like a business.

Well, guys, businesses have deadlines. And yours passed two weeks ago. Urgent needs are going unmet.

Get on with it.
Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, Kaushambi announced its collaboration with HaystackAnalytics, to bring state-of-the-art genomics solutions right to the comfort of consumers homes in Delhi NCR. The strategic partnership aims to provide the city with unparalleled access to advanced diagnostic capabilities. With the advent of advanced technology and the growing concerns for preventive healthcare, HaystackAnalytics has empowered the medical practitioners at Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, Kaushambi to extend its reach beyond the confines of the traditional hospital settings and deliver advanced medical care, diagnostics, and consultation services directly to consumers' homes.Dr Anirvan Chatterjee, CEO, HaystackAnalytics said, These collaborations allow HaystackAnalytics to showcase the growing acceptance and preference of genomics for preventive and primary healthcare. Post the success of launching the first-ever genomics-based comprehensive preventive health solution test in Mumbai in collaboration with Wockhardt Hospital and Godrej Memorial Hospital, now we are paving our way into the capital through diverse collaborations, to Yashoda Hospital, the pioneers in healthcare services. Together, we can unlock the immense potential of genomics for the benefit of patients.Smart Gene Plan is a completely automated AI-based bioinformatics platform used to create consumer-focused wellness products. The programme aims to give people a personalised, circuit view of preventative healthcare, including early identification of potential future health issues using pathological and genetic studies. It is the first-of-its-kind genome test for preventative healthcare that examines the entire exome, the introductory cost of the test is Rs 21,000 which encompasses more than 7000 genes, close to 9000 mutations, and significant blood parameters to determine the underlying disease predispositions.Dr Upasana Arora, CEO & Director, Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, Kaushambi said, In India, the need for preventive healthcare has become more critical than ever before. By prioritising preventive measures, we can proactively address health concerns, promote wellness, and create a healthier nation. And by harnessing the power of genomics, we will be able to achieve the knowledge of understanding valuable insights into an individuals genetic predispositions, enabling personalised preventive strategies.Addressing the gathering, Dr Aparna Bhanushali, Head of Growth and Scientific Support, HaystackAnalytics stated, According to a recent report by the International Diabetes Federation, India is currently home to the most people with diabetes in the world, numbering around 77 million, and the report also indicates that this number is projected to rise to 134 million by 2045. This is an alarming statistic that highlights the urgent need for preventive measures. In addition, India also witnesses a significant number of premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease, which accounts for a quarter of all deaths. This is where the Smart Gene Plan is equipped to provide a comprehensive solution to this crisis, by allowing for early identification of health issues and providing necessary treatment to those in need.This collaboration between Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, Kaushambi and HaystackAnalytics signifies a significant step forward in the integration of genomics into mainstream healthcare. By incorporating genomic data, healthcare providers will gain a deeper understanding of genetic variations, disease risks, and potential treatment responses, leading to more personalised and effective healthcare interventions.
Levi Brandborg, an 8-year-old from Missoula who is partially deaf and was born to deaf parents, thanked the state of Montana and Gov. Greg Gianforte at a ceremony Thursday afternoon in front of the Capitol commemorating the signing of a bill that in part will provide support for Montana students who are deaf or partially deaf.

House Bill 619, with a short name of "Generally language assessment laws for deaf and hard of hearing children," was co-sponsored by Rep. Connie Keogh, D-Missoula, and implements language testing of deaf or partially deaf Montana students in both English and American Sign Language as well as requiring school districts report the results to the state and parents.

HB 619 establishes a temporary language development advisory committee that will work with Montana's Office of Public Instruction and Department of Public Health and Human Services to create parent resources; language developmental milestones for both English and American Sign Language; and a list of appropriate language assessments for deaf or partially deaf children from birth to age 9 for both languages.

Furthermore, the bill not only requires schools to administer the tests, but also report the results.

Brandborg's mother, Rita, said in an interview via ASL interpreter Dana Walls she is "looking forward to a better system."

"It can be hard to know what these kids need," Rita Brandborg said. "Down the road, we'll be able to see the data and know what needs to be changed, which districts need more interpreters."

She said she also hopes the bill and the extra attention it affords deaf students will help to better educate those involved in "mainstream schools" about the needs of those students.

Keogh said she sponsored the bill because she thought "it was a good one." HB 619 passed through the Senate on a 50-0 vote, and Keogh said it benefited from bipartisan support.

Keogh said only about 5% of children born deaf are born to deaf parents.

The National Association of the Deaf reports 72% of parents with deaf children do not know sign language.

"If children do not acquire those language skills early in life, they often fall behind their peers," said Keogh, who has a background in special education. "This creates a pathway for deaf children to be successful in their academics."

She said the state's school districts are enrolling an increasing number of deaf students, including an increase in medical interventions during pregnancy and simply an increase in population.

Shawn Tulloch, who is deaf and a member of the more than 100-year-old Montana Association for the Deaf, also spoke during the ceremony through interpreter Walls.

"None of this would have been possible without the groups of parents of deaf and hard of hearing children, our sign language interpreters and members of the deaf community," Tulloch said.

Gianforte, who signed the bill in May, sent a prepared statement to Thursday's event.

"Our focus in education is and has always been advancing common sense reforms to empower parents and help each unique student reach his or her full outstanding potential," Gianforte said.

Rita Brandborg thanked those who helped make the bill a law during her speech to the attendees.

"I am so incredibly grateful to see this happening and the growth of this here in Montana," she said. "It's a tremendous improvement for the deaf and hard of hearing children in our state."

Editor's note: This story has been revised from a previous version to correct the name of the bill.
Chicagos community-led public safety commission sent its three top picks for police superintendent late Thursday to Mayor Brandon Johnson, who must now decide who will lead the long-troubled department as it works through high crime, endemic street violence, low morale and court-ordered reforms.

The three finalists selected by the commission are Chicago Police Department Chief Larry Snelling, CPD Chief Angel Novalez and Shon Barnes, the chief of police in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Johnsons permanent superintendent will succeed former Mayor Lori Lightfoots hand-picked top cop, David Brown, who came to Chicago from Dallas and oversaw a period of high crime while being criticized as out of his league. Who leads the Police Department, and whether theyre successful, will have major implications for the city, which is still reeling from 2020s civil unrest and subsequent crime spikes, even as shooting and homicide totals have fallen from highs not seen in two decades.

While reducing street violence and arresting criminals will be front and center, the next police superintendent will also need to rebuild trust with community members who have experienced unconstitutional policing and are eager to see a more respectful approach to residents. The selection process itself is a nod in that direction, as Lightfoot joined activists in 2021 to create the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability to oversee the recommendation process in hopes of building public trust and community relationships.

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This is the commissions first time leading the selection process, which began in March after Brown announced one day after Lightfoot lost her reelection bid that he was stepping down.

Although Johnson campaigned on the need to address root causes of crime, the police superintendent will be responsible for addressing violence in the near term, and the mayors political success will depend greatly on his administrations handling of public safety. All three finalists have ties to Chicago, a departure from Brown, whose status as an out-of-towner rankled the rank and file as well as some residents and stakeholders.

Heres a look the candidates:

A lifelong South Sider, Larry Snelling joined the CPD in 1992. He was promoted last October to chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, which oversees the narcotics and gang divisions, as well as SWAT teams. Before that, he was a tactical officer, lieutenant and then commander of the Englewood District. Snelling oversaw the district during the fraught summer of 2020, when civil unrest gripped cities across the country following George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer. Considered one of the departments use of force experts, Snelling was previously assigned to CPDs training academy. He also testified about the importance of accuracy in officers incident reports; that was part of Chicago Police Board proceedings against four officers accused of exaggerating the circumstances that led up to the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014.

Angel Novalez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Chicago with his family in the 1970s. He joined the Police Department in 2001 and was previously assigned to the Near West District, the training academy, Area 4 and the Grand Central District on the Northwest Side. After he was shot in the line of duty, Novalez quickly rose through the ranks to oversee much of CPDs community-building efforts, including the CAPS program. He now serves as chief of the Office of Constitutional Policing, which works to develop and implement internal department policies that adhere to the citys consent decree, though the CPDs compliance has been slow.

Of the three finalists, Shon Barnes has the fewest direct connections to Chicago and the CPD. Before he was hired as the chief of police in Madison in 2021, Barnes was the director of training and professional development for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the body that investigates use of force incidents by CPD officers. Prior to his time at COPA, Barnes was the deputy chief of police in Salisbury, North Carolina, and a captain in the Greensboro, North Carolina, police department.

Johnson now has 30 days either to choose one of the three finalists, whod then need approval from the City Council, or order the commission to start the application process over again.

Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability member Remel Terry announces the three nominees for the Chicago Police Department superintendent job at Kennedy-King College on July 13, 2023. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

The new mayor called Thursdays announcement an important milestone in the search. In a written statement, Johnson thanked the applicants and the commission and said hes confident that Chicagos next superintendent will inspire trust, foster collaboration, and lead with integrity.

Just before the finalists were announced, the commission president, Anthony Driver Jr., again highlighted the public outreach efforts undertaken by the committee  a far cry from the previous superintendent selection process that was helmed by the Chicago Police Board.

This is not public engagement for the sake of checking a box. This is public engagement for the sake of checking in with the community, Driver said. Thats a community that encompasses many different races, religions, neighborhoods and cultures. However, at our core, we all want the same thing. And that is to be and feel safe and to be respected. And that starts at the top

After the announcement, Driver told reporters that each finalist performed particularly well in their hours-long interviews with the commission.

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They knocked every question out of the park, Driver said. Questions directly from the community. Questions from sworn rank-and-file Chicago police officers. From the lieutenants, from the sergeants. From the faith community, the labor community. We developed a rubric and a criteria based on that and we put these folks through the ringer.

Like so many of his predecessors, the next CPD superintendent will be faced with entrenched violent crime, largely concentrated in the citys most underserved neighborhoods; poor officer morale; and a host of consent decree obligations that, to this point, the department has largely failed to meet.

Throughout April and May, the community public safety commission hosted seven public meetings across the city to solicit feedback from residents about what qualities they want in the next leader of the CPD. The tenor of each meeting varied by location, but one characteristic received near-universal support: The next superintendent should come from within the CPD and have strong ties to Chicago.

There were 54 applicants for the job. Thirty-two of them  including Snelling and Novalez  had experience working within the CPD.

Driver had repeatedly told meeting attendees that their comments and questions would be posed to the candidates who advanced to the interview stage.

As the interview process continued in late June, 19 members of the City Council released a letter declaring their disappointment and dismay at the commissions decision to not offer a follow-up interview to Brian McDermott, CPDs chief of patrol and a 28-year department veteran.

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The consequences are the old Chicago Way, where weve seen time and time again where you have a very clout-heavy city, where people do favors for folks and people get positions through political influence, and it hasnt worked, Driver later said of the letter. Our city has done this, has operated in the same way for decades, and we have not had good results.

Before the finalists were announced, John Catanzara, the local president of the Fraternal Order of Police who was a frequent critic of former Superintendent Brown, thanked the commission for including rank-and-file officers in the search process. He too praised the new selection process.

This process is 100 times better than what it was when the police board was conducting it, Catanzara said. It is much more fair and inclusive and I want to just say Thank you on behalf of the 17,000 members I represent in the FOP for giving our members a voice in this process and explaining to you what is important to them in the boss whos going to lead them forward.

The process for selecting a permanent superintendent was previously spearheaded by the Chicago Police Board, the nine-person body that doles out punishments in the most severe cases of police misconduct. In previous searches, members of the board  all of whom were appointed by the mayor  would submit three finalists for the mayor to choose from.

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In early 2016, as the city was still reeling from the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel disregarded the three finalists compiled by the police board, which was led at the time by future mayor Lori Lightfoot. Emanuel ultimately selected Eddie Johnson, CPDs chief of patrol, even though Johnson never applied for the job. Murders and nonfatal shootings steadily declined over the next few years, but Lightfoot fired Johnson in late 2019 following an embarrassing incident in which he was found asleep in his car near his home in Bridgeport.

After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020, the police board presented Lightfoot with three finalists for the permanent job: Brown, the retired Dallas police chief; Kristen Ziman, the chief of police in Aurora; and Ernest Cato III, a CPD veteran who at the time was a deputy chief.

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Lightfoot selected Brown for the job a day after the police board named its finalists. His introductory news conference was held a few hours after the CPD announced its first officer death due to the coronavirus.

Browns tenure was hallmarked by a spike in violent crime, especially carjackings, as well as widespread civil unrest and low officer morale. Brown announced his resignation one day after Lightfoot failed to qualify for the runoff election.

After he was sworn in as mayor, Brandon Johnson selected Fred Waller, CPDs chief of patrol under Eddie Johnson, to serve as interim superintendent. Waller, who remained popular with officers and department supervisors after his retirement in 2020, did not apply for the permanent job.

The superintendent search process changed drastically two years ago when a new city ordinance wrested authority from the police board and handed it to the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Whats more, the new law also created 66 new district councilor positions  three for each of the CPDs 22 patrol districts. Those district councilors serve as liaisons between the districts officers and residents, but they will also play a larger role in future CPD superintendent searches.

This is a great moment because now the people  the people  have a democratic option to say who polices their communities and how their communities are policed, Frank Chapman, a longtime police reform activist and director of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression, said after the first class of district councilors was sworn in earlier this summer. Thats the first time in the history of this country that this has happened, here in Chicago. And the reason why it happened here in Chicago is because we have so many great challenges.
SPRINGFIELD  The Diocese of Springfield has released a documentary, "God is Alive," featuring stories of faith and miracles in Central Illinois.

Andrew Hansen, editor of "Catholic Times," and the Rev. Michael Trummer, parochial vicar of St. Boniface Parish in Edwardsville and chaplain at Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, shot the documentary with phones and cameras as they traveled to five communities in the diocese to meet people and hear their stories.

If you are full of faith, clinging to faith, or have lost hope in faith, we invite you to watch this one hour documentary that will make you laugh and cry, but most importantly, get you inspired, move you to hope, and fall in love with faith in a whole new way, Hansen said. We set out to find jaw-dropping stories of miraculous events and people  who despite the walls of pain or struggles closing in  found light and joy in unexpected ways. Miracles still happen, and they are happening in Central Illinois.

"God is Alive" takes viewers to Jerseyville, Springfield, Peoria, Quincy and Decatur and features Hansen and Father Trummer traveling to each city and discussing certain aspects of faith and their own marriage and priestly vocation stories, followed by a feature on the miraculous event/person of faith, and then the two of them reacting to each story. Father Trummer discusses how each story can help people in their own faith journey.

It's available on the diocese website, dio.org/documentary/.

Close Johanna Rutta, 13, of Rosholt, pauses at a casket containing the remains of Catholic St. Maria Goretti during an open veneration Friday at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison. Thousands came to view the casket on its first U.S. tour. According to Catholicism, God acts through relics such as the skeleton of a saint, especially in terms of healing. On Friday, visitors pressed photos and rosary beads against the casket of St. Maria Goretti in Madison, seeking mercy. A visitor to an open veneration of Catholic saint Maria Goretti carries a prayer card and rosary while waiting to view a casket containing her remains at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal To keep the line moving, each visitor was limited to 15 seconds in front of the casket holding the remains of St. Maria Goretti at her namesake parish Friday in Madison. Thousands of people visited the remains of Catholic St. Maria Goretti over 22 hours at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison. Anne Rogan, 16 of Stratford, Wis. pauses at a casket containing the remains of Catholic saint Maria Goretti during an open veneration gathering at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal A visitor to an open veneration of Catholic saint Maria Goretti holds a rosary near a casket containing the saint's remains at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal A painting of Catholic saint Maria Goretti is pictured beside a casket containing her remains during an open veneration of the saint at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal Visitors wait in a line Friday outside St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison to offer reverence to the remains of St. Maria Goretti, the youngest canonized saint in the Roman Catholic Church. Photos: Catholic saint venerated in Madison Thousands are drawn to a public viewing of a casket containing the remains of Roman Catholic Saint Maria Goretti during an open veneration at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison. Johanna Rutta, 13, of Rosholt, pauses at a casket containing the remains of Catholic St. Maria Goretti during an open veneration Friday at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison. Thousands came to view the casket on its first U.S. tour. According to Catholicism, God acts through relics such as the skeleton of a saint, especially in terms of healing. On Friday, visitors pressed photos and rosary beads against the casket of St. Maria Goretti in Madison, seeking mercy. A visitor to an open veneration of Catholic saint Maria Goretti carries a prayer card and rosary while waiting to view a casket containing her remains at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal To keep the line moving, each visitor was limited to 15 seconds in front of the casket holding the remains of St. Maria Goretti at her namesake parish Friday in Madison. Thousands of people visited the remains of Catholic St. Maria Goretti over 22 hours at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison. Anne Rogan, 16 of Stratford, Wis. pauses at a casket containing the remains of Catholic saint Maria Goretti during an open veneration gathering at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal A visitor to an open veneration of Catholic saint Maria Goretti holds a rosary near a casket containing the saint's remains at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal A painting of Catholic saint Maria Goretti is pictured beside a casket containing her remains during an open veneration of the saint at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison, Wis. Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. JOHN HART -- State Journal Visitors wait in a line Friday outside St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison to offer reverence to the remains of St. Maria Goretti, the youngest canonized saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
DECATUR  After 32 years, Gods Shelter of Love staff continues to welcome homeless women and children into their home.

Its a really nice, old house, said Executive Director Dan Watkins. When you come in, it doesnt seem like a homeless shelter at all.

Members of the community gathered at the house, located at 929 N. Union St., on Thursday to honor the anniversary as well as to discuss its history and connection with the other agencies.

Even with the limited resources, the goal for the faith-based shelter is provide a comfortable and homey place to rest and rehabilitate, the executive director said.

You get this passion and you know you have to do something in the community, Watkins said about the volunteers and staff at Gods Shelter of Love. So you step out in faith. God has always provided for us.

The interior was updated two years ago by volunteers and donations.

Darsonya Switzer, Dove, Inc. chief executive officer, attended the gathering and praised the group for the support to provide to the community and the clients of organizations like hers.

Gods Shelter of Lovehelped to provide the stability (our clients) need. We are very thankful to have this resource in the community,

How the US compares to other countries on policies that could mitigate homelessness How the US compares to other countries on policies that could mitigate homelessness The relative dearth of US housing stock is a primary impediment to aiding the unsheltered homeless America has traditionally been a house-centric society, which presents a distinct hurdle to advancing the housing of the homeless The US lags behind most other developed nations in public housing Overburdened housing costs create inequity for low-income residents
Flavoring is driving teenagers to use vaping products and a new Ohio State University study show teens would stop if they did not have multiple flavor choices available to them.

Nearly 71% of survey participants between the ages of 14 and 17 would quit vaping under a tobacco-only product standard, researchers from the Ohio State University found in the new study. Under a tobacco and menthol standard, nearly 39% of the participants said they would quit.

The current U.S. Food and Drug Administration flavor ban only applies to cartridge electronic cigarette devices. If you look behind the counter at your local gas station, you'll see dozens of devices with different flavors available to purchase. Since the FDA began enforcing the flavor ban in 2020, sales for disposable e-cigarettes have increased from 24.7% to 51.8%.

"Our data add to an expanding body of evidence showing that youth have a preference for sweet flavorings that make vaping easier for novice users of e-cigarette products, priming them for a potential lifetime of dependency to nicotine," said Alayna Tackett, senior author of the study and a researcher with the Center for Tobacco Research, which is part of OSU's Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Researchers from the Center for Tobacco Research at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center surveyed 1,414 individuals between the ages of 14 and 17 regarding their e-cigarette use and behaviors. The study was published in the Journal of Studies on Addiction and Drugs.

Health risks from vaping

The high nicotine content is part of what is concerning to health experts.

"The nicotine content in these products are a record high," said Bruce Barcelo, senior program coordinator at Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS). Adolescents and youth may not realize the e-cigarettes they are using contain more nicotine than combustible cigarettes, like Marlboro.

Nicotine makes smoking difficult to quit, but it can also impact brain development in adolescents. In addition to the nicotine, doctors say vaping causes users to ingest other dangerous chemicals that can cause harm to the lungs.

With the liquids in the vapes, there is an oil that is sent through a heating element, which turns it into basically an aerosol, King said.

Some of the oils in the flavor enhancers in vape products can also cause a condition called popcorn lung. Popcorn lung is when small airways in the lungs become inflamed, damaged, and then scarred because of inhaling toxic substances or from infections, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

"It's very, very similar to what emphysema is to an adult patient who's smoked for 50 years," King said.

Different flavors reaching younger audiences

Health providers also say the different flavors of the e-cigarettes are appealing to kids.

"In the early 2000s, the younger folks weren't latching on to the tobacco products. They didn't like the smell of it, they didn't like the taste of it, and then when the first e-cigarette was invented, it was supposed to be marketed for a quit smoking aid. Then cigarette companies and tobacco companies got ahold of that, and they've tweaked it into what it is now," King said.

Adolescents and young adults using flavors with cooling additives, such as "fruit ice," reported higher odds of discontinuing use under a tobacco-only product standard compared with users who preferred menthol flavor only, said Tackett.

The "fruit ice" flavor refers to e-cigarette flavors with a fruit base characterizing flavor with a cooling additive such as menthol or a synthetic cooling agent.

"Menthol cools the harshness of any tobacco product," Barcelo said. "If it's less harsh, doesn't burn their throat, has great taste-that's more than likely going to keep them coming back."

Helping kids

Parents should take day to day opportunities to educate their children on vaping, Barcelo said. Parents also shouldn't put their kids on the spot.

"It needs to be conversational and not punitive," Barcelo said. "We need to provide education."

Parents should reserve judgement, he said, and talk to their pediatricians if their child has become addicted to vaping.

In talking to schools, Barcelo said they should avoid using suspension as a first resort to a student caught vaping, instead offering education and possible cessation classes on the first couple of offenses. Dayton Children's also offers a cessation program, which includes classes on the dangers of vaping, as well as teaches new coping skills and stress management.

"Let's help with their addiction," Barcelo said.
DECATUR  A Decatur woman who formed a romantic attachment to a 13-year-old boy that turned into a sexual relationship was sentenced to 24 months probation Thursday.

Christiona C. Behnke, 20, appeared in Macon County Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to committing aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony.

The sentence was part of a plea deal negotiated by Behnkes attorney, Chief Public Defender Michelle Sanders. Judge James Coryell agreed to go along with Behnkes punishment after considering the contents of a confidential sex offender evaluation report which had examined Behnkes life and character.

A sworn affidavit from Decatur Police Detective James Knierim said the situation had come to light in February when police were called to Decatur Memorial Hospital to interview the child. The boy told officers he had been in a sexual relationship with Behnke whom he had first met in December.

Behnke is quoted as telling police the boy told her he was 15 and she had sex with him in the first week of January when the child had a birthday and she thought he had just turned 16.

Presenting the police evidence in court, Macon County States Attorney Scott Rueter said even if the child had been 16, that still would not make it legal to have sex with him.

Knierim said in the affidavit that Behnke later admitted being told by her own mother that the boy was only 13. She said her mother had arrived at her house and took the boy back to his family on Feb. 2.

Christiona advised after learning he was only 13-years-old, she arranged and paid for an UBER to come and pick him up from his home and transport him back to her house on February 3, Knierim added.

(The boy) stayed with her until the morning of February 4.

That was the day the child had been interviewed at the hospital and Behnke was arrested.

Christiona admitted to having sexual intercourse with (the boy) approximately five times, Knierim stated in the affidavit.

Imposing sentence, Judge Coryell also ordered Behnke to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life.
DECATUR  A heated discussion at the Macon County Board meeting ended when Chairman Kevin Greenfield abruptly adjourned the meeting.

During board discussion items, board member Karl Coleman asked the board to issue a formal proclamation of apology for the 1893 lynching of Samuel Bush. He asked for the same thing at the June meeting, a few days after a memorial plaque was placed at the Macon County Courthouse near the spot where the lynching took place.

Coleman said Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe had issued such a proclamation but so far, the county board and sheriff have not. Several community members also made the same request during public participation prior to board discussion.

I want to see us find ways to get along instead of ways to divide us, Greenfield said. No one, he added, would dispute that the lynching of Bush was a horrible act, and he said he is sorry it happened, but the responsibility is with those who committed the crime, not with people who were not yet born when it happened. He also said he was not informed the plaque was being placed nor what it would say, and that the plaque paints the community of Mount Zion poorly.

No item had been placed on the board's agenda, either in June or this month, asking the board to vote on such a proclamation.

You give the impression that we failed to act, board member Linda Little said to Coleman. Shame on you.

Coleman said he is not accusing anyone of wrongdoing, but wants the board and the sheriff to make the proclamation to acknowledge that people who served in those positions in 1893, when the incident occurred, bear responsibility for Bush's death, and that descendants of Bush have asked for such a proclamation.

State's Attorney Scott Rueter said Coleman had contacted his office to ask how to submit such an item for the county board agenda and he would provide that information to Coleman shortly.

However, the exchanges between Greenfield and Coleman grew more heated after Coleman said the lack of such an apology was part of a pattern of the community pushing Black people's concerns aside.

Your ancestors did this (lynching), Coleman said, looking around the room at the other board members and audience.

As tempers flared, Greenfield abruptly called for a motion to adjourn and ended the meeting.

You can't do that, Coleman said, to which Greenfield replied, Yes, I can.

Bush, a 30-year-old Black man from Mississippi, was accused of assaulting two white women in the Mount Zion area in two separate incidents. He was found on a Moultrie County farm and taken to the Macon County Jail. With rumors flying of a possible lynching, three prominent Black citizens offered to guard him but the offer was declined by then-Sheriff Peter Perl, according to Macon County Historian Mark Sorensen. Perl said deputies could handle anything that might arise.

In the early morning hours of June 3, 1893, a mob charged the jail and took Bush out, while deputies stood by. The mob took Bush to the corner of Wood and Water streets and, according to newspapers at the time, Bush knelt and prayed to Jesus to take his soul and forgive the men who were murdering him.

The mob forced a naked Bush onto the top of a carriage and hanged him from a utility pole, handing out pieces of the rope to the estimated 1,500 spectators afterward as souvenirs.

Despite community outrage, including from then-Gov. John Peter Altgeld, a grand jury declined to indict the perpetrators.

Explaining the new federal anti-lynching law The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act What is lynching? Why does the law matter? Are there recent examples of lynching? Why pass a federal anti-lynching law right now? Who was Emmett Till?
SPRINGFIELD  The FBI's Springfield office is warning Central Illinois residents to be wary of fraud from suspicious callers in what is "commonly referred to as a grandparent scam."

While there are many variations of the scam, the one seen recently in Central Illinois involves a caller claiming to be a relative or loved one "who has been in an accident with a pregnant woman and is being detained by law enforcement," according to a news release.

After this initial call, the victim receives another call "from a purported attorney who claims that due to a gag order the case cannot be discussed further, and requests money for their loved ones release."

The scammer will then set up an in-person money drop, sending an accomplice to the victim's home to collect the money.

The FBI is warning people to remain vigilant with their online information and to be wary of unsolicited calls. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be a family member or loved one, hang up and call your loved one to verify the story.

The news release said 400 victims ages 60 years and older in the U.S. were defrauded of nearly $3.8 million last year using information gathered in "grandparent scams."

The FBI listed the following safety tips:

Be careful what you post online. Scammers can use details shared on social media platforms and dating sites for targeting purposes.

Be suspicious of telephone calls that require you to immediately take action and that request bail money for a family member in distress.

Be careful with caller IDs that look familiar. Scammers may use technology to disguise the actual number they are calling from and make it appear as a trusted number.

Never give personal identifiable information or money to anyone you have only communicated with by telephone or online.

If you suspect that you or a loved one has been a victim of elder fraud, contact the FBI Springfield office at 217-522-9675.
CHICAGO  Vice President Kamala Harris plans three visits to Chicago over the next month for appearances with key constituencies, including audiences of Black, Latino, women and young voters, the White House said Thursday.

Harris, the first woman, Black and South Asian to be elected vice president, is scheduled to kick off her travel schedule on Sunday with a visit to the annual Rainbow-PUSH convention, which this year is paying homage to founder Rev. Jesse Jackson and the 35th anniversary of his 1988 presidential run.

The vice president is scheduled to return eight days later for the UnidosUS annual conference, one of the nations largest gatherings of Latino leaders. That event is being held at McCormick Place.

Harris is also set for a third visit to Chicago on Aug. 11, where she is scheduled to attend Everytown for Gun Safety Gun Sense University, an annual national gathering of the gun control and anti-gun violence group that includes Moms Demand Action.

The visits mark Harris first trips to Chicago since January, when she appeared at an outdoor event on the Southeast Side to promote Calumet River bridge upgrades as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Chicago is scheduled to play host next year to Harris and President Joe Biden for their renomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

The White House said Harris is embarking on an increased travel schedule with visits to Indiana, Florida and Massachusetts as part of an effort at ensuring communities and constituencies not only have their voices heard, but that they have a seat at the table in the Biden-Harris administration.

Harris extensive travel this summer also is expected to include fundraising for the presidential reelection ticket.

Biden late last month was in Chicago boosting his reelection campaign as he promoted his economic initiatives as president to build up Americas middle-class and branded the efforts Bidenomics. He also raised funds in Chicago for his reelection campaign.
Did everyone not disciplined the first time around just feel as though theyd skated? Similar to a mother catching one childs misdeed and another getting away with something worse?

Abuse uncovered by investigative reporting ProPublicas Local Reporting Network in partnership with Lee Enterprises, along with Capitol News Illinois, prompted an outcry over conditions at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. The State of Illinois proposed moving residents to similar facilities in the state.

Problem solved? No, the problem was ignored despite a lot of words being devoted to making changes. Since September, when the news organizations began publishing stories about abuse and neglect of patients at Choate, there have been 465 new complaints to the inspector generals hotline for reporting maltreatment. Nearly half of those were made after the states March 8 announcement that it would begin moving some residents out of Choate. Fresh reporting reveals the state kept on administrators at who were in charge during some of the facilitys most troubled years.

New reporting shows the problems at Choate are common throughout the statewide system. People with developmental disabilities living in Illinois publicly run institutions have been punched, slapped, hosed down, thrown about and dragged across rooms; in other cases, staff failures contributed to patient harm and death, state police and internal investigative records show.

The Illinois State Police division that looks into alleged criminal wrongdoing by state employees has opened 200 investigations into employee misconduct at these developmental centers since 2012  most of them outside of Choate.

Illinois continues to face concerns that have caused many other states to downsize or shut down their state-run institutions. Illinois has about the same number of people living in them as do California, Florida, New York and Ohio combined.

Between 2013 and 2022, the Illinois Department of Human Services inspector general investigated nearly 4,000 allegations from the developmental centers  with the most recent five years seeing a 45% increase in allegations compared with the earlier part of the decade.

Allan Bergman, a consultant who advises clients and governments across the U.S. on disability policies and programs, made the damning observation that This is one of the most backward states in the nation on everything we know how to measure when it comes to the care of people with developmental disabilities,

Obviously, the issue is widespread and problems have been ignored. The state must have a serious discussion with taxpayers and guardians of those in mental health and developmental centers. Workers and residents are entitled to their conditions being as safe as possible.

The system is presently failing at meeting that condition.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Near record high temperatures. High 102F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 78F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Accused of grooming and raping a Chicago Public Schools student, a senior security officer at Farragut Career Academy High School was arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault this week.

During the 2022-23 school year, the security guard, Romel Campoverde, 43, allegedly began Snapchatting with the 15-year-old student and meeting her outside of school, buying the student alcohol and shoes and giving her money, prosecutors said in bond court Wednesday. According to the Cook County states attorneys office, Campoverde met the student again in late June and, after giving her multiple tequila drinks, brought the girl to an RV where he sexually assaulted her.

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The student told an after-school program employee the day after the alleged assault, and police subsequently found two of the students press-on nails in Campoverdes RV, prosecutors said.

Campoverde remained in custody as of Thursday evening, according to the Cook County sheriffs office website. His lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Judge Ankur Srivastava set Campoverdes bond at $100,000 and ordered him to have no contact with the student, her family members or any juveniles and to undergo electronic monitoring if he is released on bond while awaiting trial.

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Chicago Public Schools provided a copy of a letter that Farragut Principal Tonya Hammaker recently sent parents. The letter didnt identify Campoverde by name, but Hammaker wrote that a non-teaching staff member had been accused of engaging inappropriately with a student and removed from the school, adding that the CPS Office of the Inspector General had begun investigating the incident.

Based on the information learned during the OIGs investigation, a final determination will be made regarding whether it is appropriate for this individual to return to Farragut, Hammaker wrote. Please know that we are taking this situation seriously, and we remain committed to providing your children with a safe, positive learning environment where they can reach their full potential.

The new accusations come after years of reckoning over what federal officials deemed in 2019 to be appalling, district-wide failures in CPS handling of sexual abuse allegations. After investigating more than 3,000 complaints filed over four years, involving 400 CPS schools, the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights entered the district into a legally binding agreement, mandating reforms and federal monitoring through the end of the 2021-22 school year.

Amid the scandal, the OIGs office formed its now 30-member Sexual Allegations Unit, after a Chicago Tribune report exposed conflicts of interest in investigations formerly helmed by the CPS Law Department. The OIGs office now investigates all adult-to-student sexual misconduct complaints, referring cases involving other forms of student harassment to CPS Office of Student Protections.

In a presentation before the Board of Education in January, Deputy Inspector General Amber Nesbitt, head of the Sexual Allegations Unit, said adult-to-student sexual misconduct was the most common complaint received by the agency in the prior year. The more than 300 complaints substantiated by the Sexual Allegations Unit since its 2018 inception include a finding of systemic sexual misconduct at Marine Leadership Academy, involving 12 employees and one volunteer; and four other cases that have resulted in criminal charges, involving two high school teachers, a JROTC instructor and an elementary school teacher.
The sale of recreational marijuana in Virginia will remain prohibited so long as Gov. Glenn Youngkin is in the Executive Mansion, members of his administration said earlier this month.

Marijuana sales were expected to begin in 2024 after former Gov. Ralph Northam signed the 2021 Cannabis Control Act. Provisions in that law, however, required additional action from state lawmakers that was blocked by Republicans in the House of Delegates in 2022 and again in 2023.

Governor Youngkin has stated that he is not interested in any further moves towards legalization of adult recreational use marijuana, said Joseph Guthrie, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, during a recent Virginia Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council meeting. So I wouldnt expect that during his administration.

This doesnt mean that Youngkin plans to repeal the Cannabis Control Act.

However, the sale of recreational marijuana and marijuana products, plants and seeds which the law said shall be permitted on and after January 1, 2024, is not to be; there are no current licensing and regulatory provisions that would even allow existing dispensaries to begin selling recreational products.

The 2021 legislation, which also decriminalized possession, consumption and personal cultivation of marijuana, included reenactment clauses in multiple sections. That means that the General Assembly had to approve additional parts of the law in a subsequent legislative session, in this case specifically provisions on licensing.

In the past two years, bills that tackle licensing, regulatory authorities and the establishment of a retail market have been killed by the Republican-controlled House. And without those provisions, dispensaries and retailers wont be able to sell recreational marijuana, even though sales technically become legal in 2024, according to Karen OKeefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project lobbying group.

The law as it stands was internally ambiguous, OKeefe told The Daily Progress. There was language that said sales are legal. But all of the details about taxation, equity and licensing havent moved forward. The governor made it clear that it wasnt a priority of his.

For several years, Youngkin has avoided getting involved in this important policy debate that needs leadership, state Sen. Adam Ebbin, a Northern Virginia Democrat, told The Daily Progress. Ebbin was the chair patron for Senate bills in 2022 and 2023 that would have successfully established a retail market for recreational marijuana. [Youngkin] seems to avoid trying to take public positions on issues that he knows hes out of step with the public on.

Youngkin told Virginia Business in December 2021 he is not against commercialization and has no intention of overturning the Cannabis Control Act. He later told Virginia Public Media in February 2023 that Ive looked to [lawmakers] for sending me bills, but declined to say if he would sign legislation on the issue.

That is, until two weeks ago, when an appointed member of his administration said that Youngkin was not interested in moving forward with recreational marijuana.

Asked for further detail on the governors position on the matter, Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter said only this:

As it stands, retail marijuana sales in Virginia are illegal and would require legislative action for that to change.

So Virginians lining up at dispensaries without a medical marijuana card on Jan. 1, 2024? Theyll have to try again in a few years  likely once Youngkin is no longer governor in 2026.

I dont expect Governor Youngkin to sign a reasonable adult-use regulatory bill, which is a shame, because adults deserve the ability to have a tested, safe product, Ebbin said. The governor ought to want to keep these things out of the hands of minors by allowing for adult sales that are carefully and safely regulated. And the governor should want to collect the taxes due on adult use of cannabis, rather than proliferate a black market.

Opposing an adult-use retail sales bill is an active choice to continue emboldening Virginias illicit market, according to JM Pedini, executive director of the Virginia chapter at the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

By failing to take legislative action, lawmakers are electing to continue driving consumers to the unregulated, underground market, Pedini wrote to The Daily Progress in an email. If public safety is a priority of the Youngkin administration, then legislation enacting legal access and providing regulatory oversight ought to be a top issue in the 2024 session.

It is possible someone could file suit and point out the laws ambiguity, which has happened in similar situations in other states, according to OKeefe. Medical dispensaries could decide to sell to an adult, and if acquitted after litigation, could force the hand of legislators to set up a retail market.

But whos gonna want to take that risk? Its very much a gray area, OKeefe said.

The only other way to set up legal sales in Virginia would be for Democrats to take control of the house and the governorship, OKeefe said. Or, for leadership to have a change of heart in the remaining two years of Youngkins tenure.

I think that probably the only way it would happen is if [Governor Youngkin] didnt stand in the way, OKeefe said. But I dont know if its very likely that we would see that kind of turnaround.
Editors Note: The following is an Editorial Comment from the editors of Hoards Dairyman.

Dairy exports are an impressive story as the U.S. has grown by leaps and bounds, moving from a nonplayer three decades ago to exporting nearly 18% of our milk production via dairy products. To make the next leap, however, we need to step up our customer service and cater to new customers in ways they want to consume dairy. That will include meeting the halal requirements.

Halal comes to the forefront in Southeast Asia, Americas second-largest dairy export market. The region is home to over 600 million people and the worlds fourth most populous country, Indonesia. Among those 600-plus million consumers are 300 million Muslims, nearly the same number of citizens found in the U.S. Being faith-based, those 300 million people follow their cultural teachings, and that includes halal.

Halal is a universal Arabic term meaning lawful or permissible. Halal not only encompasses food and drink but all matters of daily life for a Muslim. It connotes purity, cleanliness, safety, and quality. Hence, for food and beverage manufacturers, restaurants, and retailers catering to Muslim consumers, its akin to kosher for those who are in the Jewish faith.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, all dairy ingredients must be halal certified with Indonesia requiring the halal label on all consumer foods by October 2024. The good news is that most U.S. dairy processors and their products may already be meeting halal requirements without knowing it and would simply need to be certified by a third party to obtain and communicate halal certification.

Additionally, some U.S. exporters are already halal certified. However, unlike suppliers from other countries, some U.S. manufacturers dont call it out to Southeast Asia customers. As for those that do, it builds customer confidence and opens doors to expanded business opportunities. At a trade show in Indonesia, one U.S. business had halal certification clearly displayed on their banner and customers came to the booth like bees to honey.

Halal food trade is rapidly expanding in non-Muslim countries throughout Asia, partly because incomes are rising and people can afford to buy nutritious dairy products. To that end, Japan and South Korea also have begun requiring halal certification from imported ingredients, so they, in turn, can export products to Muslim customers, particularly in Southeast Asia. Japan and South Korea rank among the top 10 U.S. dairy customers.

Halal has become the gateway to doing business not just in Southeast Asia but also throughout North Africa and other halal-conscious regions. This means that halal certification is increasingly critical for U.S. dairy export success. For companies that export dairy products, the days are numbered for picking and choosing potential customers to avoid halal certification.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2023

July 13, 2023
For most family-owned businesses, to be in operation beyond a generation is pretty impressive. To still be going strong through seven generations, with no signs of slowing down?

That is incredibly rare. And thats exactly where the Cook Cattle Farm finds itself, having been continuously operated by the Cook family in Concord since at least 1860.

Its that consistency and longevity that makes owner Bryan Cook most proud about the business, which began with his fourth great-grandfather Mathias Cook. It is one of more than 800 farms across North Carolina to qualify as Century Farms, having been around for at least 100 years.

Cook Cattle was also recently named the Conservation Farm Family of the Year for Cabarrus County.

Were one of the older farms in the area for sure, Cook said.

At its height, the farm had at least 1,500 acres, with land going back all the way to Concord High School, Cook said. It currently has around 300 acres.

Having focused predominately on producing cotton during its early years, the farm, at 1331 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, switched to cattle in the 1940s, Cook said.

Troy Cook and his brother, William, expanded the cattle operation and oversaw the farm for many decades until Troy was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1996. The farm had close to 400 cattle during that time, said Cook, who was Troys grandson.

Following Troys death, his son Aaron managed the farm for several years before Cook, 33, took over around 2010.

Working on and maintaining the farm has been a love of Cooks for most of his life, dating back to when he was a child, helping his grandfather.

Youve got to love to do this, you really do, he said, noting a farm can easily get neglected if not constantly looked after. Youre always striving to do better and better and better.

Much of what Cook has learned about managing the farm has been through simple trial and error.

Theres been a lot of things Ive had to learn the hard way, Cook said.

Cook, who works for the city of Concord, said his favorite part of being a farmer is watching things grow.

My main passion is in the springtime, planting corn and cutting hay, he said.

Another interest of Cooks has been building up the cattle herd. Always looking to improve genetics, he looks to buy the best bulls and keeps the best heifers. He estimates there are typically around 160 to 170 cows on the farm at any one time.

Diversifying and growing the farm

Looking to diversify the business, the farm transitioned from selling cows at local stockyards to opening a meat market in 2018.

Aside from numerous beef products, including brisket, burgers, and an assortment of steaks, the market also sells pork and poultry products. (Cook gets his chickens from Alana Finley, an 18-yer-old who operates Green A Acres and recently graduated from Mount Pleasant High School.) The farm also sells hay and corn.

Cook runs the market with his wife, Hannah, along with their parents.

We wanted to have more control over what we got for those animals, Cook said. We sell everything that we raise through this store.

Hannah, who began dating Cook in 2011 before marrying him three years later, said she never envisioned herself marrying a farmer. That changed when she met Cook. Hannah said she was attracted to Cooks confidence and dedication to the farm.

Having known very little about farm life before meeting Cook, Hannah said she has appreciated learning what it takes to run the farm. She asks questions all the time because Im learning something new every day.

Hannah has enjoyed the success of the meat market, especially the chance to help teach others about the farm.

Its nice, to me, having the meat market to be able to educate other people who might not be familiar with farm life, Hannah said.

Looking to the future

Cook also is looking to acquire more land, in order to further grow the farm.

He wants to make sure the farm is as healthy and profitable as possible, in order to someday hand off the business to his 2 1/2-year-old son Landon, just like he took over from his father.

I feel like thats tradition and thats kind of my duty, he said. Its on my shoulders now to make the farm better than the generation before me. I want to make it even better for Landon.

Landon, who already knows more about tractors than most adults, often acts as Cook's shadow, following him around the farm. He enjoys riding tractors with his dad and helping feed the cows.

He calls them (the cows) to get them to come in, Hannah said.

I can see his love of farming already, Cook said. I think thats something that is really important. Im really not doing this for me anymore, Im doing this for Landon.

Only two miles from downtown Concord, Cook also wants to grow the farm to protect it against possible development in the future.

If I could preserve this for another generation, that would be my ultimate goal, he said.

When Landon is able to take over, hes going to have so much of an advantage because hes so far ahead of where I started.

The meat market, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
CONCORD  The Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation is hosting its third annual Christmas in July Toy Drive from July 16-29 to support the Jeff Gordon Childrens Center at Atrium Health Cabarrus.

This year, the Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation has partnered with Jeff Gordon Childrens Foundation, Toy Mania, and Rooms to Go in Concord to help replenish the toys for its smallest patients.

This summer, the community, families, businesses, and organizations are invited by Jeff himself to participate by donating new toys that will be given to local children seeking medical treatment at the hospital and surrounding childrens clinics during the summer months.

For more than a decade, its been a Christmas tradition for me and my family to deliver toys to kids at Jeff Gordon Childrens Center. But we all know kids get sick year-round, and hospitals dont just need toys, games and blankets during the holidays, said Jeff Gordon, founder of Jeff Gordon Childrens Foundation and vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports. I hope the community will join me in spreading a little holiday cheer this summer for the first-ever Christmas in July Toy Drive to ensure kids still get to feel like kids whenever they need to be hospitalized.

The communitys support is always great at Christmas time, but by the summer months, items are almost depleted to hand out to children as they come in for their medical care. Each year the Jeff Gordon Childrens Center sees 3600 children.

Where and how to donate

This summer, toys can be dropped off at these local businesses below:

Concord:

Rooms to Go

8520 Quay Road, Suite A

Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Charlotte:

Toy Mania

242 S. Sharon Amity Road

Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Toy Mania began partnering with us in 2021 and Rooms to Go  Concord is our newest drop off location and partner. We are thankful for these partners and for their support in our efforts to replenish the toys for our pediatric patients.

The community is invited to purchase these items using the QR code or make a monetary donation on Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation website at www.cabarrushealthcarefoundation.org or scan the QR code for more information.

Items that are needed

The items that are needed to help replenish the toys include: coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, markers, playing cards, stuffed animals, blankets, crossword books, hygiene items, small LEGO kits and stress balls.

All items donated during this years toy drive will be given to children seeking medical treatment at Jeff Gordon Childrens Center during the summer months.

We are grateful to Jeff Gordon and his foundation for the incredible partnership since the Jeff Gordon Childrens Center was built in 2006. Each year the center touches the lives of thousands of children in our community who need specialized care and treatment close to home. The center is a gem for our community and each toy donated will put a smile on every child we see this summer and throughout the year. Jeff and his family are truly angels to the children of Cabarrus County, said Asha Rodriguez, facility executive and vice president for Atrium Health Cabarrus.

For more information or to participate in the Jeff Gordon Childrens Center Christmas in July Toy Drive, contact the Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation at CHFoundation@atriumhealth.org or call 704-403-1369.
Freed-Hardeman University Announces Spring 2023 Presidents, Deans Lists

HENDERSON, TN  Freed-Hardeman University has released the names of students who made the Presidents and Deans Lists for the Spring 2023 semester. To be on the Presidents List, a student must be full-time and have a 4.0 grade point average. Students on the Deans List have earned a minimum 3.4 grade point average for the semester.

The following students from the local area have received this honor:

Drew Fortson, of Concord, has been named to the Deans List. Fortson is earning a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with emphasis in Exercise Science.

Thomas Yukich, of Davidson, has been named to the Presidents List. Yukich is earning a Bachelor of Arts in Preaching.

Thaddaeus Lankford, of Granite Quarry, has been named to the Presidents List. Lankford is earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Analytics.

The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, FHU offers bachelors, masters, specialists and doctoral degrees.
Local students on Miami deans list

OXFORD, Ohio  Miami University students who are ranked in the top twenty percent of undergraduate students within each division for the spring semester 2023 have been named to the deans list recognizing academic excellence.

Students are:

Charlotte  Katie Masa.

Concord  Sriya Kakarala.

Huntersville  Tommy Frye, Hailey Matthews.

Poropatic graduates from Rensselaer

TROY, N.Y.  On May 20, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) awarded a total of 1,988 degrees  152 doctoral degrees, 390 masters degrees, and 1,446 bachelors degrees  to 1,957 students, some of whom earned multiple degrees.

Michael Poropatic of Concord graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics.

Of the undergraduate students receiving bachelors degrees, 18 earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Among them was Jacob Gardiner Harris, who received the J. Erik Jonsson Prize, which was established by J. Erik Jonsson (22) to honor the senior who has achieved the highest academic record in the class.

Locals make Freed-Hardeman honors lists

HENDERSON, Tenn.  Freed-Hardeman University has released the names of students who made the presidents and deans lists for the Spring 2023 semester. To be on the presidents list, a student must be full-time and have a 4.0 grade point average. Students on the deans list have earned a minimum 3.4 grade point average for the semester.

The following students from the local area have received this honor:

Drew Fortson, of Concord, has been named to the deans list. Fortson is earning a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with emphasis in Exercise Science.

Thomas Yukich, of Davidson, has been named to the presidents list. Yukich is earning a Bachelor of Arts in Preaching.

Thaddaeus Lankford, of Granite Quarry, has been named to the presidents list. Lankford is earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Analytics.
Microsoft is coming under increasing pressure from both the security community and the US Government after it was disclosed that the company's cloud platform was breached and emails stolen from a number of government agencies, allegedly by Chinese attackers.

Adding to the pressure on the Redmond software giant is the fact that the breach itself was discovered by employees of the US State Department who then informed Microsoft about it.

In a blog post about the breach, the Microsoft Security Response Centre wrote: "The actor used an acquired MSA key to forge tokens to access OWA and Outlook.com.

"MSA (consumer) keys and Azure AD (enterprise) keys are issued and managed from separate systems and should only be valid for their respective systems.

"The actor exploited a token validation issue to impersonate Azure AD users and gain access to enterprise mail.

"We have no indications that Azure AD keys or any other MSA keys were used by this actor. OWA and Outlook.com are the only services where we have observed the actor using tokens forged with the acquired MSA key."

I'm looking at the word "acquired" here with a level of wordsmithing respect ? pic.twitter.com/FcXqOjrsUe  Ryan Naraine (@ryanaraine) July 14, 2023

The MSRC post added: "We have continuously improved the security of the MSA key management systems since the acquired MSA key was issued, as part of defense in depth, to ensure the safety and security of consumer keys."

This raises the troubling possibility that the key management system was breached by the attackers.

The Washington Post on Wednesday quoted US National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodges as saying: "US Government safeguards identified an intrusion in Microsofts cloud security, which affected unclassified systems.

Officials immediately contacted Microsoft to find the source and vulnerability in their cloud service. We continue to hold the procurement providers of the US Government to a high security threshold.

Steven Adair, a security expert at Volexity, told Reuters on Thursday that he could not find out details about a client's breached email account because of a lack of logs.

The news agency said Adair's client had not forked out what Microsoft demands for its premium security suite, and hence detailed forensic data was unavailable.

Adair thus could not discern what had happened. "We basically became a spectator at that point," he said.

Reuters quoted US Senator Ron Wyden as saying that Microsoft should offer all its customers full forensic capabilities, saying that "charging people for premium features necessary to not get hacked is like selling a car and then charging extra for seatbelts and airbags".

Asked about the claims that alleged Chinese attackers were involved and targeting government agencies in western Europe, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media conference in Beijing on Wednesday: "We noted the reports saying that the spokesman for the White House National Security Council claimed that US officials found hackers linked to China took advantage of a security weakness in Microsofts cloud-computing to break into unclassified email accounts of the US, and the US has notified Microsoft about this.

"I would like to say that in the past, it was usually the worlds No.1 hacking group  the US National Security Agency, which also serves as the US Cyber Force Command  that released such kind of disinformation. This time, it was the US National Security Council that made a public statement. Whatever agency spoke, it does not change the fact that the US is the worlds biggest hacking empire and global cyber thief.

The industry accepts MS can't protect your OS which is why people buy EDR/etc. However MS doesn't license your OS logs and telemetry for more money. The cloud shouldn't be any different additional logging isn't a paid feature its a core product function.  Justin Elze (@HackingLZ) July 16, 2023

"Since last year, cyber-security institutions from China and elsewhere in the world have issued reports to reveal US government cyber attacks against China over the years, but the US has yet to make a response. It is high time that the US explained its cyber attack activities and stopped spreading disinformation to deflect public attention."

In March last year, the Global Times, a Chinese newspaper which has a pro-government tilt, reported details about a spying tool, claimed to be developed by the NSA and able to reside in a Linux machine in order to steal information.

And in March 2020, a Chinese security firm accused a group known as APT-C-39, which it claimed is affiliated to the US Central Intelligence Agency, of hacking into Chinese Government agencies and companies over the previous 11 years.
COMPANY NEWS: Kyndryl, the worlds largest technology infrastructure services provider, today announced that more than 500 global enterprise customers are operational on Kyndryl Bridge, with more than 1,000 customers expected by fiscal year-end.

Kyndryl Bridge is the industrys first open-integration technology services platform and seamlessly integrates artificial intelligence (AI), operational data and Kyndryl expertise to provide customers with a new way to operate their systems and deliver improved business outcomes.

As the No 1 provider of infrastructure implementation and managed services globally, Kyndryl is integrating AI and machine learning (ML) at scale into mission-critical systems. The Company also leverages its expertise, including intellectual property, patents, skills and deep industry experience, to accelerate the delivery of new innovations and services as customers look to gain value from emerging technologies to transform their operations.

Kyndryl Bridge is estimated to have already helped enable early adopters to avoid more than $1 billion in annual costs, including:

$670 million in annualised cost avoidance as a result of preventing thousands of incidents before they occur.

$370 million in annualised cost avoidance as a result of reducing required maintenance windows.

Kyndryl Bridge reinvents the way CXOs manage their increasingly complex technology estates, said Kyndryl chairman and CEO Martin Schroeter. This differentiated, AI-powered, open-integration services platform accelerates automation, drives efficiencies, and creates a more sustainable operation  helping companies advance their growth objectives and deliver stakeholder value.

"Kyndryl Bridge is a welcome solution that helps organisations manage their complex IT estate, and capitalises on AI to do so. It gives them a single view and simple but effective tools to manage it, and is already being used by many of our customers in Australia and New Zealand," said Kyndryl ANZ chief technology officer Jim Freeman.

"The sustainability intelligence assessment has new capabilities and tooling that will help our customers measure, analyse and present reliable data on energy consumption and emissions, backed by actual data, not models. This will enable them to make meaningful changes across their IT estate."

Integrated platform accelerates digital transformations

Kyndryl Bridge was launched in September 2022 as part of Kyndryls Advanced Delivery initiative, which is one of its central Three-As strategies. The platform was formed from the Companys decades of expertise managing enterprises complex, mission-critical environments, and is an "as-a-service" operating environment that includes a single marketplace, an operational management console and an AI and ML analytics engine.

The need for a multi-cloud management platform to control all on-prem and cloud resources is paramount for enterprises in migrating and modernising technology to the cloud while transforming their businesses, said IDC vice president outsourcing and managed cloud services David Tapper. Leveraging a multi-cloud management platform such as Kyndryl Bridge that can support public cloud providers, automate development and deployment processes, accelerate generating business outcomes and provide comprehensiveness of visibility into technology operations while using both AI to drive efficiencies and align consumption with user-specific needs and FinOps to optimise spend across cloud resources, map costs to business units and forecast spending and budgeting should help achieve these objectives.

Alliance Partners co-Innovate on Kyndryl Bridge

Additionally, Kyndryl and its technology alliance partners are collaborating to accelerate and deliver real-time insights and innovation across IT estates.

We are co-innovating with Kyndryl to develop new solutions that enable customers to gain greater visibility and value from their existing data estates and technology investments, said AWS general manager of global systems integrators Chris Niederman. By combining the longstanding expertise of Kyndryls applied intelligence with the vast scale of AWS data lake and machine learning services, we are working to better serve joint customers and help them more effectively leverage the data within their organisation for more informed business decisions that drive business transformation.

We are working with Kyndryl to simplify and accelerate transformation for our customers, said SAP senior vice president head of business and data transformation solutions Steffi Kuebler. Starting with new migration techniques and automation to reduce project timelines, we are providing a holistic view of SAP and non-SAP workloads from a single pane of glass that helps customers gain important insights and understandings from their enterprise data.

The combination of Kyndryl Bridge Services and the Red Hat OpenShift and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform helps customers more efficiently design, deploy and accelerate their cloud transformation projects. This also enables customers to more easily tap into a robust ecosystem of capabilities that enable them to gain greater application visibility, control and cost management. Together, Red Hat and Kyndryl are helping customers unlock the value of their technology investments faster for real business outcomes, said Red Hat senior vice president partner ecosystem success Stefanie Chiras.

Accelerated expansion of services

With nearly 190 digitally enabled services slated to be available on Kyndryl Bridge by the end of the current fiscal year (March 2024), the company is driving AI innovation and expanding the depth and breadth of services so that customers can realise better business outcomes, such as:

Achieving AI-driven outcomes  A growing number of services that will help unlock greater opportunity for our customers, manage and model data, and deliver industry-specific outcomes  from enabling smart industry 4.0 manufacturing practices and reducing production quality risks to identifying new markets to develop and sell products at scale.

Becoming more cyber resilient and compliant  New services that will optimise an organisations security investments  from integrating data to preventing cyber threats, managing security incident workflows, and considering local and global data compliance requirements.

Meeting net zero goals  The AI-powered sustainability intelligence and carbon footprint calculator will measure real-time energy consumption and emission data to help customers analyse, simulate, forecast and generate actionable recommendations to improve energy efficiency across an entire IT estate.

Learn more about Kyndryl Bridge.

About Kyndryl

Kyndryl is the worlds largest IT infrastructure services provider, serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages, and modernises the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day.
A mob supporting U.S. President Donald Trump breaks into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

A Chicago man who entered then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis private office during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and stole a staffers wallet as well as a cherished photo of the speaker with the late civil rights icon John Lewis was sentenced Friday to more than four years in federal prison.

Kevin Lyons, 40, an HVAC technician from the Gladstone Park neighborhood, was convicted in a stipulated bench trial earlier this year of all six counts against him, including disorderly conduct, entering a restricted building, unlawful demonstrating in the Capitol and obstructing an official proceeding.

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The 51-month sentence handed down in Washington, D.C., by U.S. District Chief Judge Judge Beryl A. Howell was the harshest punishment yet for the more than three dozen Illinoisans who have been arrested on charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.

According to a statement of facts signed by Lyons, he publicly posted his car route from Chicago to Washington the day before the riot, writing, Im heading to DC to STOP THE STEAL.

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On Jan. 6, he recorded himself throughout the day and texted updates to others while weathering tear gas and flash-bangs as rioters broke into the building after a rally hosted by then-President Donald Trump, according to the statement.

Were storming the Capitol building, he said, according to the statement. I guess were all going to jail.

He called the riot an (expletive) revolution as he ascended stairs to the Capitols Senate Wing doors, court records show. Once inside, the man goaded politicians hiding nearby while sharing chants with the mob.

Nancy, where are you? he said, referring to the California representative who then led the Democrat House majority.

He then found her ransacked office on the second floor and called out her name again, stopping to take a photo of the plaque outside the door, the statement said. He posted the photo to Instagram with the caption, WHOS HOUSE?!?!? OUR HOUSE!! but took it down after about an hour.

Inside Pelosis office, Lyons walked around and caught his own image reflected in a mirror, screenshots shared on the court records show. He saw a gray, wool coat hanging from a coat rack as a news show on a television screen covered the mob storming the Capitol.

Anyone need a coat? he said.

According to court records, he reached into the coats pockets and pulled out a brown, leather wallet belonging to one of Pelosis staffers. The wallet contained about $50, a TSA PreCheck card, two bank cards and a drivers license. Lyons never returned it, according to the statement.

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[ From January 2021: Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosis office ]

Lyons entered Pelosis personal office next, the statement of facts said. There, he removed a framed photograph of Pelosi with Lewis, the late U.S. representative. He texted a friend a picture of the photograph to someone else, telling them he was now a felon.

A photo from a federal court filing from the U.S. attorney's office allegedly shows Kevin Lyons holding a photo of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with civil rights icon John Lewis that Lyons stole from Pelosi's desk during the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol. (U.S. Attorney's Office)

I took this off Pelosis (expletive) desk, he said. He then snapped another picture of himself with the stolen photo as he left the Capitol in an Uber, according to the statement.

When Lyons was interviewed by the FBI in Chicago two days after the riot, he was evasive about whether hed been at the Capitol, saying hed had a dream where people were being herded by a mob and there was a lot of banging on doors and paper being thrown about, court records show.

Agents then confronted him with a photo hed posted to Instagram and then deleted showing the nameplate outside Pelosis office.

Wow you are pretty good, that was up for only an hour, Lyons said to investigators, according to the complaint.

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At the request of the agents, Lyons uploaded the videos hed taken of the incident to YouTube and later sent a link to investigators.

Hello Nice FBI Lady, Lyons emailed a special agent on Jan. 9, 2021, according to the complaint. Here are the links to the videos. Looks like Podium Guy is in one of them, less the podium. Let me know if you need anything else.

Podium Guy was an apparent reference to Adam Johnson, who was charged with participating in the riot after he was allegedly caught on camera carrying the House speakers lectern.

In asking for a sentence of home incarceration, Lyons attorney, Lawrence Levin, wrote in a recent court filing that his client is a father of two boys with no significant previous criminal record.

The defendant is a good, hardworking man who made an extremely poor choice and regretfully participated in a serious criminal offense, Levin wrote. He knows his conduct was wrong and he is ashamed of what he has done.

Prosecutors, however, asked for an enhanced sentence of 56 months, writing in a court filing that Lyons actions inside the Capitol were of the utmost seriousness, particularly the theft of the photograph, which had enormous sentimental value to Pelosi and was stolen while she was forced to shelter in place due to the mob Lyons was participating in.

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The photograph was never found.

After the attack, Lyons repeatedly made light of the events on social media, including multiple repulsive references to the Nazi regime and the Holocaust, which he consistently directed at police officers who were protecting the Capitol Building, the lawmakers and staffers inside of it, and the democratic process in operation on that day, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean McCauley and Jason Crawford wrote.

Lyons, as a member of that mob, was not merely disrespecting the law, he was an active participant in an attack on the bedrock principle of our republic: the peaceful transition of power between democratically elected commanders-in-chief, the prosecutors wrote.

At least 38 Illinoisans have been charged so far in the Capitol breach, an ongoing investigation that has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal investigation in the countrys history.

Last month, a different judge gave a little more than three years in prison to James Robert Elliott, of Aurora, a former member of the Proud Boys militia group who assaulted police outside the Capitol with a flagpole.

More than 1,000 people have been arrested, including arrests in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

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 The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration reported that arrests for drunk driving are way down the last two years. These roadside sobriety tests are getting ridiculous. Last night the Beverly Hills police set up a sobriety checkpoint on Sunset and they made me fold a fitted sheet.

 Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg launched a rival to Twitter called Threads with a hundred million downloads already. His employees in Menlo Park arent that plugged into the real world. Yesterday I got a warning on my FB page not to accept any friend requests from Hormel Foods, it might be Spam.

 President Biden attended the NATO Summit held in Lithuania Wednesday where he managed to get Sweden voted into NATO in exchange for Turkey entering the EU. MSNBC pundits actually compared Joe Biden to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Well, come to think of it, neither one could walk up stairs.

 President Biden nixed admitting Ukraine into NATO on Monday. Russian troops now occupy the Russian sectors Stalin and Khruschev gave Ukraine in the 1950s. In an interview Friday, Biden gave a hint that Ukraine-Russia peace talks may be at hand when he admitted that the U.S. is out of ammunition.

 The New York Times reports Vladimir Putin hosted a secret Kremlin meeting with the renegade militia leader Yevgeny Prigozhin five days after he canceled his coup threat. They are old friends. It appears that Putin just cant get enough Prigozhin, even though it causes sleepless nights and diarrhea.

 President Biden was the subject of an article about how often he loses his temper and swears in the Oval Office, but the article added profanity may be forgivable when the country is at its most divided since the Civil War. President Lincolns wife was called a crazy bitch. Biden says he stands by the tweet.

 Congressman George Santos, whos under federal probe for making up his resume to run for Congress including fabricating his college education and past career work, caused a firestorm by comparing himself to Rosa Parks. There is no comparison whatsoever. George Santos is under the bus.

 Leslie Van Houten was paroled fifty-four years after the Manson family murder spree in L.A. The family was a cult of hippies who took LSD, which allowed them to obey murder commands from the hypnotic, neo-Nazi Charles Manson. If only to out-crazy Manson, last month California legalized LSD.

(COMMENT, BELOW)
SHELBYVILLE  The Shelby County Board is facing increased scrutiny after a stand down order from one board member earlier this week left the fate of the county dive team in limbo.

Members of the public lashed out at the county board during a raucous five-hour-long meeting on Thursday, one day after board member Sonny Ross, R-Windsor, told the lake rescue teams commander to cease any and all operations until further notice.

In an email sent to the dive team Wednesday morning  a screenshot of which was shared to the dive teams Facebook page  Ross told Commander Austin Pritchard the dive team wasnt covered by the countys insurance policy as previously understood because the group was, apparently, illegally formed.

Due to a lack of proper and legal formation, the members, its (sic) equipment, etc. have no insurance coverage which places the County of Shelby at an unnecessary risk of exposure, Ross, the dive team chairman, wrote. We will address this matter and work to solve it as quickly as possible.

The email followed a Monday night meeting between the county boards unofficial dive team committee and dive team members. Ross and the dive team were in disagreement over a June incident involving an Illinois State Police request to use some of the dive teams equipment for an ongoing investigation.

Because the Shelby County Dive Team did not have a mutual aid agreement with either the state police or the county where its investigation was taking place, Pritchard requested funds in exchange for the equipments use. This was per the groups standard operating procedure, Pritchard said.

Ross and other county board members thought Pritchard should have loaned the equipment anyway. In a post on her personal Facebook page, board member Martha Firnhaber, R-Shelbyville, said it was Insanely sad that Shelby County Dive Team Commander had an opportunity to assist ISP and a grieving family and for the love of greed opted not to.

Some dive team members on Thursday said the stand down order felt like retaliation for the ongoing tensions.

On Monday, Mr. Ross was embarrassed. On Wednesday, the dive team was on stand down, said Nicholas Quick, one of the dive teams administrative commanders. ...Somebodys going to end up getting hurt, and it's this board that's responsible for it.

A lot of people are mad right now because, yeah, stuff happened on Monday. And this feels a lot like retaliation, said Summer Barrix, another dive team volunteer. And we just need to get people together, get heads together, clear heads and go forward from it.

Concern over the dive team dominated the public comment portion of the meeting, which lasted for over an hour and a half and included arguments between elected officials and private citizens and calls for more than one board member, including Ross, to resign.

In a conversation with the Herald & Review on Friday, Ross called the comments a crucifixion and reduced much of the dive teams criticisms to hatred and misinformation.

Ninety percent of what you heard last night is a fabrication in every sense of the word, he told a reporter.

Ross said he had no choice but to indefinitely shut down the dive team. His reasoning hinges on the status of the dive teams founding documents, which are missing, or were destroyed, or never even existed at all, depending on which county board member one asks.

No matter the reason why, if the dive teams founding documents can't be located, then the county cant prove the group was legally formed, which makes insurance coverage void, Ross argues.

In a statement issued later on Wednesday, Ross said the founding document issue was recently brought to (his) attention. The dive team will cease operations until proper formation documents are created and insurance coverage is acquired, he said.

But some have questioned Ross ability to order the dive team to cease operations without consideration by the full board.

Again, how does  its been asked already  how does Mr. Ross have the authority to tell us to stand down? Pritchard asked Thursday night.

After being yielded time from multiple members of the public, Pritchard closed his over 10 minutes worth of comments with a scathing message delivered directly to Ross: Get over it. You're not King Sonny. Nobody's going to bow down and kiss your ring. It's not gonna happen.

Tensions over the dive team were so high one volunteer quit in front of the board.

Sonny Ross' conduct toward Austin Pritchard, his rude and unprofessional texts and conversations is unacceptable as well, said Mark Shanks, a public safety diver for the Shelby County Dive Team. How can the dive team go forward knowing the head trustee has this vehement attitude towards the commander and the team that he's charged with overseeing?

At the tail end of his comments, Shanks tendered his resignation and asked Ross to do the same.

Ross told the Herald & Review it was disheartening that dive team leaders called for his resignation and said all parties just need to work together.

Im the only one trying to fix this and recognize the need, and Im the one catching all the flak for it, he said.

According to some, criticism comes with the job.

You guys work for us. And, you don't, none of you act like it, said Shelby County resident Charlotte Watton. A few of you do, excuse me. Not all of you. Most of you do not act like you work for this public body right here.

The Shelby County Board will meet for a special board meeting on the future of the dive team at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, in Courtroom A of the Shelby County Courthouse.
A clinic that provides services for children with learning disabilities is moving into the former Childrens Museum building at the corner of S. Liberty Street and Brookstown Avenue in downtown Winston-Salem, following the purchase of the building from Kaleideum.

Compleat Kidz, a pediatric clinic that now has 14 locations around Piedmont North Carolina, offers behavioral, occupational, speech and physical therapy, according to Bob Fremgen, the vice president of marketing for the company. A large portion of its services are provided to children on the autism spectrum, he said.

Fremgen said Compleat Kidz will be offering its services in its new Winston-Salem location as soon as Monday. Fewer than a dozen staff will be at the site at first, but since the clinic works one-on-one with children, as many as 100 to 125 staffers may be eventually be employed there as new children begin receiving services.

Kaleideum is in the process of building a new center in downtown Winston-Salem and is now operating only in its site on Hanes Mill Road in northern Winston-Salem. Kaleideum was formed by the merger of the Childrens Museum and SciWorks, which operated its museum on Hanes Mill Road.

Fremgen said that because Compleat Kidz works with children, the former Childrens Museum is a great site because there are very few things we have to change in there.

Winston-Salem people have been reaching out, saying please come there, Fremgen said. We could not get a more perfect place to move into. A lot of the physical setup wont change.

A corporate entity affiliated with Compleat Kidz, called Kare Partners Piedmont LLC, bought the former Childrens Museum building on July 10 for $2.95 million.

Elizabeth Dampier, the executive director of Kaleideum, said the sale may allow the museum to finance a bridge loan to finish up the building under construction downtown, while the nonprofit waits for outstanding pledge donations to come in. Longer term, she said, Kaleideum hopes to establish an endowment fund.

After the 2016 merger of the Childrens Museum and SciWorks, Kaleideum operated at both sites of the merger entities. Kaleideum began pursuing a new site in downtown Winston-Salem that is under construction overlooking Merschel Park downtown.

Dampier said Kaleideum moved out of the old Childrens Museum building in April, in preparation for the sale. She said construction on the new building is going well. By this fall, she said, Kaleideum should be ready to begin installing exhibits in the new building. The last event at Kaleideum North  the former SciWorks building  will take place on Dec. 31, New Years eve.

After a soft opening at the turn of the year, a grand opening is planned for the middle of February.
Glorious Friday. Even with rain forecast as vacation begins in a few hours.

Homer Sides was never one to get wound up, no matter the situation or occasion.

He never got too excited, said Loretta Shore, Sides daughter, except maybe for a new field of trees or the birth of a child.

Odd as that may sound, it makes sense.

Sides loved trees since he was a kid growing up in Winston-Salem. He recognized very early on their value, especially around the holidays.

Family lore has it that after hunting with his dad one blustery December morning, 10-year-old Homer couldnt stop talking about the mistletoe, holly and cedar trees hed seen in the woods that day.

He told his father that he thought they could sell them at a local farmers market, said Mike Haynes, Sides son-in-law. He remembered the exact day  Pearl Harbor Day  because he and his father stopped in a store and all the old men in there were really angry.

It obviously left quite an impression on him because years later, as a young married man starting a family, Sides began cutting (and selling) cedar trees at the old City Farmers Market.

Hed always wanted to be in business for himself, family members said, and set off on a path that would help chart the course for the Christmas tree industry in North Carolina now worth some $100 million annually.

He progressed from selling local trees at the Farmers Market to setting up his own lot at Five Points. To meet demand, Sides and his brother Bruner also started growing their own trees in Davie County.

As the business grew, he immersed himself in learning everything he could about trees and farming them. No detail, such as the fact that it takes 13 years to grow a Christmas tree from a seed, was too small.

He always did his research, said daughter Debra Haynes.

His biggest honor  the highest for any tree farmer  was having one of his Fraser firs selected as the official White House Christmas tree in 1972.

His whole family, wife Bonnie and their three daughters went with him. A photo of the extended Sides clan standing in the Blue Room is a treasured family heirloom.

(Nixon) was very warm and gracious with us, Shore said. His wife, too.

Homer Talmadge Sides, a visionary farmer and shrewd businessman who saw opportunity in native tree species, died July 6. He was 92.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years Bonnie Sides, daughters Loretta Shore and Debra Haynes, their spouses; four grandchildren.; and nine great-grandchildren. A third daughter, Brenda Nelson, passed away before him.

$30 billion disagreement

RALEIGH  The official end of the states fiscal year passed June 30 and North Carolina still doesnt have a new budget in place.

Not that its shocking or unprecedented. Weve been there, done that.

What is new this year is that the hold-up over the states roughly $30 billion spending plan is disagreements between the state House and Senate, both of which are controlled by Republicans with veto-proof majorities.

In past years, standoffs that stretched into late summer were because Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and Republicans in the General Assembly, couldnt find common ground and the GOP couldnt just steamroll his veto.

Disagreements between the House and Senate this year are over the size of proposed tax cuts, how to spend (or save) a roughly $3 billion surplus and new federal funding coming to the state with Medicaid expansion.

Its a lot to digest and a lot to work through. Dont look for the impasse to be resolved anytime soon, either.
By a 5-3 vote, the Winston-Salem City Council on Friday chose William Patrick Pat Pate of Manassas, Va., as the next city manager of the city.

The board split reflected the desire of some city council members to elevate current Assistant City Manager Patrice Toney to the citys top administrative job.

Council Member D.D. Adams, who made the motion to extend the job offer to Pate, said he checked all the boxes.

He could articulate the business of different departments, Adams said. He could give us examples of what hed already done, or what they are working on, or what he has learned, or how he would handle a certain situation. We had great candidates. All of them had great resumes, bios, all of that.

Toney, who would have become the citys first female and first Black person to become city manager, said the city missed what would have been a historic vote.

As a woman, and a Black woman, we have to do 10 times more to prove ourselves and show that we are capable of leading, Toney said. This decision reflected that they are just not ready for a woman leader. I am qualified and I have proven myself.

Other council members who voted for Pate were saying Friday that they picked the candidate they felt was best for the job.

If the qualifications had been even close, I would have favored a home-grown female African American over another candidate (from outside), said Council Member Jeff MacIntosh, who was among the council majority voting for Pate. MacIntosh said his favorite candidate, at an earlier stage before council members interviewed contenders, had been another Black female applicant.

Pate is not quite over the finish line: The citys offer is conditional on Pate passing background checks and signing a contract with the city. Mayor Allen Joines said Pates salary and starting date would be among the items in the contract negotiation, but thinks the new manager could be on board by the middle of August.

Pate was among three finalists for the job. Assistant Manager Ben Rowe and Toney also made the final three.

The council voted to extend the job offer to Pate at a short meeting Friday morning that had the selection of a city manager as the only item on the agenda. Former City Manager Lee Garrity retired near the end of June after 17 years as city manager here.

On Friday, Council Member Barbara Burke made an impassioned plea for Toney, saying she had proven her worth and ability by taking on jobs that the city manager would ordinarily do. A lot of people in the audience applauded when Burke called Toney the one the board should choose:

She has over 25 dynamic and progressive years within local city government in the city of Winston-Salem, Burke said. Im voting for her because she is the best candidate. She is the most experienced candidate, and she is the most qualified for this job. Patrice has the most experience living in Winston-Salem. She was born and raised right here. She has the most experience working for the city of Winston-Salem. In fact, she has spent her entire career dedicated to serving and working in this community.

Voting in favor of Pate, who formerly worked for the city in its budget office, were council members Adams, Robert Clark, John Larson, MacIntosh and Kevin Mundy.

In addition to Burke, council members Annette Scippio and James Taylor were in support of Toney.

Pate has worked for the city of Manassas since 2013. Before that, he worked for the city of High Point as assistant city manager from 1999 to 2013. He was the budget and evaluation director for the city of Greensboro from 1990 to 1999, and budget and research manager there from 1987 to 1990. He held three positions with the city of Winston-Salem  lead budget and evaluation analyst in 1987; budget and evaluation analyst from 1986 to 1987 and budget and financial analyst intern from 1985 to 1986.

Pate has a bachelors degree in political science and religion, and a masters of public administration, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Larson said Pates wide experience in different North Carolina cities played to his advantage, as did his 10 years experience as city manager.

I think we had three very good candidates, Larson said. All three had a lot of credentials.

The city worked with Developmental Associates in Chapel Hill in its search for the next city manager. Each council member filled out a survey about what they were looking for in the next city manager. Citizens, as well as city staff, were also asked for their feedback.

A job description was developed from that process, and the mayor and City Council narrowed a list of 30 candidates from across the country to 15. Consultants conducted phone interviews with each candidate. From those interviews, the pool was narrowed to five candidates.

The five candidates went through a day-and-a-half assessment where they discussed their approaches to hypothetical situations. George Redd, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County, former Mayor Martha Wood and the Rev. Tembila Covington, the former president of the Ministers Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity were among those who participated in those assessments.

Based on those assessments, three finalists were selected, each of whom had their own interviews with the mayor and council members.

I will simply say that we looked at 30 candidates, and I picked the best one that I thought would do the job for Winston-Salem, Clark said. He added it was not true that Toney had to prove herself more than any other candidate.

Scippio acknowledged that had Toney been picked, it would have been a historic move for a city she described as still struggling  for equity. Scippio said it was Toneys competence and not her race or sex that made the assistant city manager her choice for the top job. But she added that Toney, as a Black woman, would be able to bring perspectives that others could not.

Toney said shes committed to making a difference in the community, but would not say whether that means staying in her job with the city.

I would need to explore whats next, she said.
The N.C. House rejected by a 102-0 vote Wednesday a fast-track Senate attempt to de-annex three tracts from the Village of Clemmons.

Members of Forsyth Countys House delegation said Tuesday they would oppose Senate changes to House Bill 5 that added the de-annex language.

Rep. Jeff Zenger, R-Forsyth, said Wednesday during his floor recommendation to not accept Senate changes for two primary reasons: an out-of-county legislator  Sen. Steve Jarvis, R-Davidson  submitted the amendment to HB5; and protests from the property owners and the eight mayors in Forsyth.

HB5 was changed June 27 by Jarvis to insert language that would serve to de-annex 1520, 1526 and 1532 Lewisville-Clemmons Road. The three properties are owned by Lindsay Vogler Jr. and Robert Vogler.

The 1520 tract of 0.35 acres has Mad Greek Grill as a tenant, while the 1526 tract is 0.97 acres and the 1532 tract is 0.43 acres and contains a 1,508-square-foot residence.

Jarvis could not be reached for comment on his involvement with the HB5 amendment.

Zenger told the House that the Clemmons de-annex language was not popular with his constituents.

On Tuesday, Zenger said he had spoken to all the players involved and expect (the Clemmons de-annex language) to be removed and for Rep. Erin Pares bill to advance.

The initial version of HB5 filed by Pare, R-Wake, addresses a de-annex request in Fuquay-Varina.

It is typical for legislators to approve most local bills with little, if any, scrutiny in an I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine manner.

The Voglers sent a letter to the Forsyth legislative delegation saying they are 100% opposed to our propertys inclusion in this bill.

We have never requested de-annexation and those who indicate otherwise have no authority to do so, the Voglers wrote.

We view this action as a forceful taking of our property. We do not consent. This action will almost certainly harm our property value.

Whats at stake

The three Clemmons properties also were at the heart of a 2019 de-annex legislation attempt related to a proposed 38-acre mixed-use project by local developer Stan Forester near the intersection of Styers Ferry and Lewisville-Clemmons roads.

The proposed legislation in 2019 was derailed separately in the House and Senate amid a vigorous protest at the legislature by Clemmons village officials.

Forester could not be reached for comment on whether he or Paragon Properties has revived the development plans and are again pursuing the de-annexation approvals.

Once the Clemmons de-annex language was inserted, HB5 was fast-tracked through the Senate Finance committee on June 27, Senate Rules and Operations committee on June 28 and then cleared the Senate by a 46-0 vote on June 29.

Both Forsyth senators  Republican Joyce Krawiec and Democrat Paul Lowe  voted in favor of the latest version of HB5.

In the joint letter, the mayors said that we were startled to learn of the late insertion of this provision into an unrelated local bill.

The mayors cited the opposition from the landowners and Village of Clemmons officials, as well as Jarvis involvement that occurred without consulting the Forsyth delegation first.

This process has not met the high standards of the Forsyth County legislative delegation for advance public review of a controversial local action, according to the letter. We urge you to lead the House in rejecting the amended bill.
Ridiculous irony

On July 12 Republicans of the House Judiciary Committee accused Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, of weaponizing the FBI by targeting conservatives, particularly Donald Trump. Wray, a Republican himself, was appointed by ... Donald Trump.

The charges against Trump are backed by indisputable evidence of crimes that put our national security at risk  crimes that would have landed any ordinary citizen in jail by now, and crimes that could not be ignored by an FBI that is doing its job.

The Republican Party once labeled itself as the law-and-order party. Now the MAGA party attacks its own presidents appointee and the FBI itself with no evidence and for the purpose of scoring points with the MAGA base. The accusations are ridiculous, stupid, destructive irony.

These same congressmen and women advocate defunding the FBI! This move is further irony, given the history of the far lefts deplorable proposal to defund the police, a proposal that these same congressmen and women derided and used as campaign fodder.

Evan Ballard

Elkin

Unwanted

The editorial Angels and monsters in last Sundays Journal (July 9) highlighted the epidemic of child abuse and neglect in our area and society. You are right in noting that so many remain unwanted because there are not enough people willing to adopt them for various reasons. They go from one foster family to another often, or spend most of their childhoods at orphanages like the Childrens Home Society, where they age out into a world they are not prepared for.

There are many other American children who I fear are suffering as well from a lack of attention and affection that they deserve from parents and others too busy trying to get ahead of everyone else and acquiring more stuff or just trying to make ends meet. They are struggling with their feelings of poor self-worth, loneliness, depression and, if they are different in some way, bullying from their peers, all of which affects their physical and mental health. This, in turn, may lead to their taking their anger and aggression out against their communities, becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol, and sadly taking their own lives in desperation.

Meanwhile, we have politicians everywhere who oppose any programs that would give parents the support they need to be better caregivers  programs such as maternity and paternity leave at the most critical stage of child development, child endowment and universal child care that other, more humane and caring nations already offer.

Tim Miles

Mount Airy

Make more!

I see reports that sending weapons to Ukraine has depleted Americas stocks.

Whats wrong with our administration and Congress? Turn on the American industrial machine! Make more!

Divert some of what theyre spending on giveaways that arent really proper government functions anyway to something that is: national defense. Most of what theyre doing isnt needed  theres a labor shortage  anyone who wants a job can go to work. Apparently weapons supplies are needed.

Michael Woods

Kernersville

Words to live by?

Have you ever been to Liberty Island and read this?

Give me your tired, your poor

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

Did the hair on the back of your neck and arms stand with pride?

Well, press your hair back down. We dont do that anymore.

Our birth rate is falling and our seniors are living longer, Social Security is running out of money. But heres a thought: Maybe we should let dreamers and refugees in to help pay for the boomers. Just a thought.

Paul Herger

High Point
Kathy Disney has a favorite tagline to describe the First Flight Festival, an annual showcase of local playwrights: It doesn't take a village to put on the festival, the celebration of theater is a village.

Eleven playwrights. Ten directors. Twenty-nine actors. Five front-house staff.

"That's close to 50 people," said Disney, the producer of the festival put on by the Angels Theatre Company and featuring the work of the Angels Playwrighting Collective, a group of local playwrights who meet monthly to discuss and work on plays.

The First Flight Festival, now in its eighth year, is an opportunity for that village to come together to put on the short plays, running anywhere from four minutes to 20, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Temple Building.

The festival, which kicked off Thursday, is split into two flights over the next two weekends. Flight A  the first six plays of the 11 featured  will be performed Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The last five works  Flight B  will be performed July 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and July 23 at 2 p.m.

The festival was started in 2015 by Judy Hart, who helped established the Angels Theatre Company as a means of showcasing the work of the company's Angels Playwrighting Collective.

"Judy said if you're going to write these plays, we have to produce these plays," Disney said.

This year's festival will showcase the new, original works of 11 playwrights that cover the gamut from plays, monologues and, for the first time, a musical.

"This is just a great venue for average people to develop that talent and see their work on stage," Disney said. "The playwright collective is a very supportive, encouraging environment for people to develop playwrighting skills that, frankly, if you're not 'in the club'  it's hard to find a place to develop that talent outside of academia."

Playwrights featured include: Ben Arenz, Robin Buckallew, Jamie Bullins, Cecilia Burjhart, John Burkhart, Jillian Carter, Steve Enersen, Clay Farris Naff, Linda Howard Cooke, Adrien Loehring and Elbert Traylor.

IF YOU GO

First Flight Festival

WHAT: An annual playwrighting festival featuring plays, monologues and even a musical from the Angels Playwrighting Collective.

WHEN: Flight A, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday; Flight B, 7:30 p.m. July 20-22, 2 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: Studio Theatre, University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Temple Building, 1209 R St.

TICKETS: $20 per evening or $35 for a festival pass for both flights. Available at EventBrite via the Angels Theatre Company's website at www.angelscompany.org, or at the door.

PhotoFiles: Stuart Theater's long history in Lincoln Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater Stuart Theater
The Miracle Club" is a road movie of sorts as it follows three Irish women from working-class Dublin on a 1967 pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, where the trio  who arent exactly devout Catholics  are each seeking miracles.

For Lily (Maggie Smith), the miracle, as it were, would be to be relieved of the burden of the death of her 19-year-old son Declan some 40 years ago. For Eileen (Kathy Bates), the miracle is more straightforward: Shes discovered a lump in her breast and fears the worst.

For Chrissie (Laura Linney), who has returned to Ireland for the first time since she was banished 40 years earlier to attend her mothers funeral, the miracle would be reconciliation with Lily and Eileen four decades after their painful separation.

That shes on the bus trip, via ferry and highway, is the result of the urging of Father Byrne (Mark OHalloran), who tries to keep the pilgrims together, even as they seem to spar with each other over nothing.

"The Miracle Club," which wants to be a dramedy, makes most of its comic relief from the men of the oh-so-paternalistic parish who are left behind by their wives. That includes Eileens husband (Stephen Rea), who has to deal with a brood of children and grandchildren for the first time, and the husband of Dolly (Agnes O'Casey), who has told her not to return home if she takes her son, who doesnt talk at age 5, on the trip to hopefully find the miracle of speech.

But the comedic scenes, which arent that funny, jarringly change the tone of the intensely personal drama that is playing out between the three older women and Dolly and her son.

Once it spins out the reasons for the estrangement between Chrissie and the women she left behind, the movie is pretty predictable as it moves toward its sentimental conclusion when the bus gets back to Dublin.

The picture is, however, very well acted. Smith and Bates each are Oscar winners and Linney has been nominated three times, qualifications of a sort for them to perfectly inhabit each of their characters (A bit of a warning here: Smiths Irish brogue is a little hard to understand early on and Bates accent comes and goes).

And The Miracle Club, directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan, is a visual gem, with the cinematography of John Conroy exquisitely capturing the pilgrims in the intimate scenes, the bustling Dublin church and the famous French cathedral and its environment.

The acting and the cinematography combine to overcome the uneven, predictable storyline and a sometimes wobbly script to make The Miracle Club watchable, and likely satisfying for the right audience.
A former unit administrator at a community corrections prison in Lincoln was sentenced this week to six months in jail and fined $1,000 for inappropriate contact with an inmate.

Nikki Peterson, 33, pleaded no contest to unlawful acts in the Department of Corrections, a felony.

As part of the sentence, Lancaster County District Judge Kevin McManaman also gave her a year of post-release supervision following her release.

In April 2022, an inmate came forward with allegations that Peterson, a unit coordinator at the Community Corrections Center-Lincoln, was having sexual relations with an inmate and provided him money to help him rent an apartment because he was nearing parole.

Nebraska Department of Correctional Services investigators also learned she had communicated with the inmate via text using her personal cell phone.

The Nebraska State Patrol arrested her later that month and she resigned.

Peterson had worked for the prisons since November 2008 and had been promoted to unit coordinator at Lincoln's community corrections center in November 2020.

Incarceration rate demographics in Nebraska 2022 Incarceration rate demographics in Nebraska
In the 50 years Anthony Harris has admired astronomy, he said hes seen the northern lights in Chicago only about five times. Its unlikely hell add to his total this week.

Id say probably once every 10, 20 years youll get an aurora thats bright enough to see in the city. It used to be more frequent, but Chicagos light pollution with the new LEDs is overwhelming, said Harris, the vice president of the Chicago Astronomical Society.

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While scientists previously forecast that people in more than a dozen states including Illinois could this week glimpse an aurora borealis, also called the northern lights, an updated forecast shows that the picturesque display is unlikely here. The lights would have been visible low on the horizon in Chicago but more challenging to spot due to light pollution, according to the earlier forecasts.

Astronomy lovers and experts across the city say this development isnt surprising. Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at Chicagos Adler Planetarium, called the original forecasts from the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, which were three days out, an eternity for aurora predictions.

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Not surprisingly at all, the strength of the forecast geomagnetic storm is lower than before, so the prediction area does not now include Illinois, Nichols said, adding that the lights probably wont be visible in southern Wisconsin either.

According to the Geophysical Institute, particles from the sun colliding with gas molecules in Earths atmosphere cause the northern lights. The altitude of the collisions, type of gas molecule and intensity of the energy determine the lights color, which can include anything from green to pink to blue.

Aurora strength is measured using Kp numbers. While zero is calm, a Kp of five or above means theres a geomagnetic storm. Nine is a major geomagnetic storm.

According to the Geophysical Institute, dark, clear skies are optimal for seeing the lights. They were most recently seen in Illinois in April.

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Unless its really going to be high off the charts and a really intense display, its very unlikely that youre going to see the aurora borealis in the city, Harris, of the astronomical society, said.

For people who might be interested in aurora chasing or stargazing, Harris recommends heading out to Green River State Wildlife Area, a wildlife restoration area about two hours west of the city. He said a comfortable lawn chair, planetarium app, binoculars and warm clothes are essential supplies for the trip.

Plan for a night of stargazing and sharing with friends, he said. If youre lucky youll see an aurora, if the aurora is a no-show, then youve spent a night under the stars with friends and family.

Harris isnt the only astronomer who was disappointed, but not shocked that the northern lights arent making an appearance in the city. While attending the University of Chicago, Aster Taylor made weekly trips to the roof of Ryerson Hall to observe the stars and galaxies through a telescope as president of the schools Ryerson Astronomical Society. One time they even observed the Andromeda Galaxy  the nearest large galaxy  on the South Side during winter.

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Taylor, 22, who is living in California before attending the University of Michigan this fall to pursue a graduate degree in astronomy, is sad to miss what could have been an incredible event that you almost never see.

A silver lining, Taylor said, is that some people seemed to become more interested in astronomy this week.

You have no idea how many times I have told somebody that I study astronomy and they go Oh, so whats your star sign, Taylor joked. I think its a good thing for people to have a better understanding of the world they live in.
An 18-year-old man who Omaha police said threatened to shoot at responding officers and kill himself outside of Westroads Mall in Omaha was taken into custody Wednesday night.

Police, including a SWAT team, went to the west parking lot at 7:11 p.m. after the North Platte man called 911 on himself. An Omaha Police Department spokesman said the man shot a gun outside the mall but did not shoot at anyone.

Shoppers inside the mall were evacuated to a safe location, police said. There was no threat to anyone inside the mall.

Police said the man was holding a handgun. The man eventually put the handgun down and he was taken into custody without incident. Police said they found several spent shell casings outside the mall and a vehicle damaged by gunfire.

The man is in the Douglas County Jail.

Chief Deputy Douglas County Attorney Brenda Beadle said the man will be charged with multiple offenses including terroristic threats, use of a weapon and discharge at an occupied building. Beadle said the man is scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon.

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
Kelli Lepler, who faces 43 theft charges involving her Grand Island monument business, was arrested Thursday afternoon in Wentzville, Mo.

A warrant for Leplers arrest was issued July 3 in Hall County.

There will be an out-of-state extradition process that will take place prior to her return for arraignment, a Thursday news release from the Grand Island Police Department said.

The theft charges relate to the 45-year-old Leplers business, Monument Advisors. She is accused of not delivering on paid monument orders.

Of the 43 theft charges, 36 are felonies and seven are misdemeanors. In court documents, Leplers earliest charge dates from Sept. 21, 2020, and the most recent charge is from Feb. 9 of this year.

After an investigation, the Grand Island Police Department turned the case over to the Hall County Attorneys Office in early June.

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
Two men have announced plans to run for the District 23 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Dennis Fujan, a farmer from Prague, and Jared Storm, a small-business owner and pilot from David City, are seeking the seat held by Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, who is term limited. The district encompasses Saunders, Colfax and part of Butler counties.

Fujan, a Republican, is a fourth-generation farmer living on his familys original farm outside Prague, where he grows soybeans, corn and hay. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and has been a leader with the Nebraska Soybean Association.

He listed his priorities as fighting for family farmers, growing rural communities, lowering property taxes, defending gun owner rights, safeguarding veterans benefits, protecting innocent life, supporting parental rights and local control of schools.

Storm, also a Republican, founded a company that does aerial application for farmers and seed corn companies, as well as aircraft maintenance and parts manufacturing.

He said he would fight to reduce taxes, protect women's rights against "the woke left" and ensure children have access to quality education, while describing himself as "pro-life" and a supporter of the Second Amendment.

According to the Nebraska Examiner, a third candidate, Jacob Wolff, also has announced plans to run, but he does not currently live in the district.

Wolff, a Navy veteran who is registered to vote in Omaha as a nonpartisan, told the Examiner that he has always intended to move to a rural area and is negotiating on a commercial/residential property near Wahoo, which is in District 23.

Nebraska law requires that candidates live in the district for which they are running for office for at least one year, which means Wolff would need to move into District 23 by early November.

Photos: 2023 Nebraska legislative session
WASHINGTON  A retired Army colonel has reached a court settlement of nearly $1 million in a sexual assault lawsuit against Air Force Gen. John Hyten, who led the Offutt-based U.S. Strategic Command from 2016-19 before serving as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The settlement with the U.S. government ends more than four years of investigations, reviews and congressional digging into the matter, which delayed  but ultimately did not defeat  Hyten's nomination for vice chairman in 2019. He served two years and did not seek a second term.

Army Col. Kathryn Spletstoser, who served as Hyten's aide in 2017 at StratCom, filed the lawsuit, and in the settlement reached in U.S. District Court in California on Wednesday, the federal government will pay her $975,000.

"It is my sincere hope that the successful outcome in my case will embolden other survivors of military sexual violence to come forward  no matter how high ranking the perpetrator," she said in a statement Thursday.

Spletstoser had received positive reviews for her work at StratCom but was forced out after an internal investigation concluded that she had been responsible for creating a "toxic" work environment.

After Hytens nomination was announced, Spletstoser came forward with accusations that he had made a series of unwanted sexual advances by kissing, hugging and rubbing up against her in 2017 while she was one of his top aides. She said that she repeatedly pushed him away and told him to stop and that he tried to derail her military career after she rebuffed him.

Hyten vigorously denied her allegations during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in July 2019, with his wife seated behind him and Spletstoser looking on from a short distance away.

"I want to state to you and to the American people in the strongest possible terms that these allegations are false, Hyten testified at the time. Nothing happened, ever.

An internal Air Force investigation determined there was insufficient evidence to charge him or recommend discipline. And a senior Air Force official said at the time that investigators also found no evidence Spletstoser was lying. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

It is not uncommon for the U.S. government to pay out large sums of money to settle lawsuits, but a sexual assault case against such a high-ranking military officer is far more rare.

The number of reported sexual assaults in the military has increased nearly every year since 2006. And while the services have made inroads in making it easier and safer for service members to come forward, it still remains a highly unreported crime.

Hyten's nomination was delayed for months while senators pored over thousands of pages of documents and interviewed the general and Spletstoser. The eventual Senate vote of 75-22 to confirm him reflected a bit more opposition than most military nominations, which usually get near-unanimous support.

Ten of the "no" votes came from female senators, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who was then a senator from California, and Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a survivor of sexual assault while in college and the only Republican to vote against him.

Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer voted to confirm Hyten, calling him "a strong person for the position."

Spletstoser's attorney, Ariel Solomon, said in a statement Thursday that the legal payout "stands out as the only known settlement paid by the government for a sexual assault case brought against a member of the United States military."

Top Journal Star photos for July 2023
1. Yes. Voters across the city filled the seat in the first place. Voters should decide again.

2. Yes. An election is much preferable to back-room decisions among council members.

3. No. The charter calls for the council to fill the vacancy by appointment. Follow the rules.

4. No. An election would be expensive, both for the city and for the potential candidates.

5. Unsure. An election seems more transparent, but its not the perfect answer.

Vote

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KEARNEY  It all started on a Tilt-a-Whirl at the Buffalo County Fair.

Thats where Jerry and Edith Marlatt had their first date 71 years ago, but the ride made Jerry sick, so he went home.

But a second date followed, and a third.

On July 2, the Marlatts celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Four of the six members of their wedding party were on hand for an festive open house for friends, followed by a family dinner with their five children, 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

The celebration doubled as a 90th birthday party for both Jerry and Edith, who hit that milestone in the last six months.

But back to that Tilt-a-Whirl.

It was 1952. Jerry was working in a 4-H booth at the fair, and Edith was working in a booth next to it. The pair, both out of high school, knew each other casually because Edith grew up in Kearney, and her married sister lived close to Jerrys family in rural Odessa.

That fateful evening, Jerry and a buddy asked Edith and a friend to ride the Tilt-a-Whirl, but after the second spin on that ride, Jerry got sick and had to go home. A few weeks later, he called Edith and asked her out.

That date has faded from memory, mostly. Where did we go? To a movie, probably. I thought he was awfully cute, Edith said.

I guess I liked her looks. Her smile, I guess. She was nice, Jerry said.

Nevertheless, The relationship took off right away, Edith said. They were married 11 months later on June 21, 1953, at the Evangelical United Brethren Church, now Faith United Methodist Church on Central Avenue.

The early years

Shortly after the wedding, Jerry was drafted, so he and Edith spent the next two years at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Edith had studied rural education at Kearney State College, but because she lacked a Texas history class, she couldnt get a teaching license, so she got a job as a file clerk on the Navy base.

After Jerry was discharged, he studied welding for a year at Central Community College in Milford, then worked in Gothenburg for eight months.

In 1956, they returned to Kearney. Jerry fulfilled a lifelong dream and opened the Marlatt Machine Shop at 1818 Central Ave. In 1972, he built the current building at 19 W. 19th Street.

Their first address in Kearney was at East 26th Street and Seventh Avenue just north of the old Bobs Superstore.

There were no houses to rent in Kearney, but that house was empty, so we asked the neighbors about it. They said, Its owned by some school teacher in northern Nebraska. She just comes back in the summer, Jerry said.

That teacher allowed the Marlatts to rent it for three months. That gave them time to find a house at Third Avenue and 15th Street in southeast Kearney, around the corner from Kenwood School. They lived there for five years.

Edith had taught briefly but became a stay-at-home mother after their first daughter, Debra, was born while they lived in Milford.

In 1961, they built a house at 451 Linden Drive. By then, they had three children. Life was good, but Jerry had grown up in the country and wanted horses. Edith agreed to move beyond the city limits as long as I could see the town from there.

Searching for a place to build, they found a perfect spot on 30th Avenue, north of West 56th Street. They built a one-story brick house in 1980 and have lived there ever since.

The metal swing set and wavy slide that Jerry built for the children still stand.

Edith keeps busy

While Jerry worked at the machine shop, Edith did all the things working mothers are now too busy to do, she said. She raised five children: Debra, Sondra, Janell, Jill and Jeff.

They had joined First United Methodist Church, and Edith taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and led the youth fellowship. She worked for the Red Cross Bloodmobile and supported the high school band.

Jerry served as a Boy Scout leader. Jeff became an Eagle Scout.

Every year, Jerry always made sure we took a vacation, Edith said. The family camped in Colorado, South Dakota and Washington state. Theyve skied in Breckenridge, Keystone and Steamboat Springs.

The kids enjoyed traveling. They never wanted to stay home. When we were driving, if they wanted to read a plaque by the side of the road, we stopped and read the plaque, Edith said.

One year, the Marlatts took a six-week road trip to Alaska with three of Jerrys brothers and their families. Each family took its own camper.

They drove north to Fairbanks and came down through Denali National Park, Anchorage and Seward, closer to the coast. By the time it was all over, everyone was still speaking to each other, Jerry quipped.

Since becoming empty-nesters, the Marlatts have traveled extensively. Theyve ridden camels in Egypt. They have taken a safari in Kenya and a bus trip through Europe.

Theyve sailed around the tip of South America, cruised the Amazon and the Nile and the Yangtze River in China. Going down the Mississippi is the one thing we havent done, Edith said.

She said the travels made her realize how happy I was to live in the United States. Jerry echoed that. Theres a lot to see in the world, but I wouldnt want to live anyplace besides home.

Habitat for Humanity

Jerry is one of four Kearney men who founded Habitat for Humanitys Kearney chapter in 1992.

Jim McKenzie and I were friends and we decided we wanted to help people. We did a few repair jobs, but we decided that wasnt enough, Jerry said.

Then we heard about Habitat. Jim called Jimmy Carter himself. He didnt get through, but eventually, the four of us started Habitat in Kearney, he said. The two others were Bill Ballou and Joe Methe.

Jerry has been Habitat's construction superintendent ever since. Edith served as president of the Kearney affiliate for two years and then did hospitality.

A Kearney neighborhood of Habitat homes is named the Marlatt Addition in gratitude.

Jerry has visited Habitat builds around the world and has chatted with Jimmy Carter at builds in Vietnam and South Dakota. I really think its one of the best helping programs there is, he said.

Looking back

Cooperation has been key to their happy marriage. We never made any big decisions without considering what the other person might have said, Edith said.

Looking back on their 70 years together, Jerry fears that he spent too much time working, but Edith softened that.

He did make time for us. He never worked on Sunday, and we always took a vacation, she said. He retired in 2005.

He had open heart surgery in 2009, but the day after that operation, his friends brought him Habitat plans to examine.

Now, the Marlatts find the most joy with their family  daughters Debra Ritter, Sondra Nelson, Janell Stobough and Jill Besanceney and son Jeff. They are spread out from Omaha to Nebraska City to Lees Summit, Kansas, and Minnetrista, Minnesota.

They love coming home, Edith chuckled. If one says theyre coming home, eventually theyre all here, she said.
President Joe Bidens trip to Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, this week was not just routine.

Given Russias invasion of Ukraine, Bidens first stopped in Britain, underscoring our special relationship. The last stop on the itinerary was Finland, NATOs newest member.

When Britains Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently visited the United States, some criticized the absence of a state dinner. However, Britain became part of our transatlantic family in World War II. Formalities are not required.

Early in that war, Finlands military fought invading much larger Soviet forces to a draw.

The eve of the summit brought significant news: Turkeys opposition to Sweden joining the alliance has ended.

NATO is a remarkably durable alliance. Nations led by the United States and Britain signed the NATO treaty in Washington D.C. in April 1949. By contrast, alliances lasted on average only five years during the long Napoleonic wars of two centuries ago.

Our present alliance began in direct response to Soviet expansionism during and after World War II. By 1949, the Cold War was on. Today, the organization pursues various diverse missions, including humanitarian relief.

The collapse of East Europe communist regimes, followed by the Soviet Union, ended the Cold War but not conflict in Europe. In 2008, Russian troops invaded a portion of Georgia, following an attack by Georgian troops on South Ossetia. Russia encouraged and fostered these breakaway efforts. In 2014, Russia intervened in eastern Ukraine and annexed the territory of Crimea.

Conclusion of the Cold War was a great victory for the policy of restraint and deterrence, termed Containment. Every United States president from Harry Truman, when the Cold War commenced, to George H.W. Bush when that conflict ended, supported this foundation security policy.

NATO endured for various reasons. Bureaucracies instinctively seek self-perpetuation, and modern militaries represent potent political lobbies. However, the strategic realities of a now dangerously aggressive, expansionist Russia under President Vladimir Putin is the most important incentive and has reenergized the alliance.

Putin continually probes for ways to separate allies from the U.S. Also present is the danger of renewed violence among ethnic groups in Southeastern Europe.

NATO today has a range of missions including but going beyond self-defense narrowly defined. Forces have operated well beyond the North Atlantic region, including notably in Afghanistan. Humanitarian work has included transport and other support missions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This in turn opens the door to a range of positive and productive activities beyond traditional military defense and security. With further expansion of economic development in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and more widely, demand for better education, health care and related humanitarian activities also will grow.

This could lead to further development of the alliances capacities and involvement beyond purely military dimensions.

Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. The 9/11 terrorist strikes on New York and Washington D.C., and in the sky over Pennsylvania, triggered this clause, for the first time.

After final defeat of Napoleon, Britain spearheaded cooperation among Europes nations to keep the peace. This maintained general stability on the continent for a century.

Today, NATO performs roughly the same strategic role, The Russia-Ukraine war provides a different test, not the relative stability of the long Cold War.

The Vilnius summit provides one gauge for evaluation.

Learn More: Henry A. Kissinger, The Troubled Partnership and his other books.
WHITEHALL, Wis.  Rural health care is about to get an upgrade for about 20,000 residents in central Trempealeau County.

The new 68,000-square-foot, 31-bed Gundersen Tri-County Hospital, full of up-to-date technology and modern medical services, will open its doors to the public July 24.

The $51 million project, which will double the hospitals patient capacity, also includes remodeling the existing 17,000-square-foot clinic.

The project was made possible with donations, federal funds and a large bond, said Gundersen Tri-County Hospital and Clinics administrator Joni Olson.

She said that the project is a huge spend and a big commitment to rural Wisconsin.

Olson said the new hospital that will offer state-of-the-art patient care services not available in the previous building.

The new hospital replaces a facility originally built in the 1960s that was renovated in the 1990s.

Work to build the new hospital began in 2019. Construction crews broke ground in March 2022.

Olson said it was not easy working on the project during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she credits her team for being able to get the project done and keep to the original timeline set.

Health care has so many technological needs that were not able to meet or adapt to in an older building, Olson said. Everything is built in and planned around those technology needs in this new facility.

Staff said patients will benefit from the improvements.

Were really looking forward to all of the advances well be able to make in patient care, said Gundersen Tri-County Hospital and Clinics emergency department supervisor and ambulance service director Bri Rotering.

Rotering has worked at the Whitehall location for almost 10 years. She said the larger space will improve workflows for staff.

Our rooms are going to be much better equipped than they are now, she said. It was really hard in the old hospital. There was a lot of old fittings, old fixtures and we made the best do. But with all the new modern technology that were going to have here, its really going to make it much easier to care for our patients.

Olson said one of the largest improvements in the emergency department will be two dedicated, state-of-the-art trauma bays, which will be set up to allow for more specialized care.

Another large advancement that will benefit patients throughout the hospital are fully private rooms  something that wasnt possible in the previous building.

This includes patients in pre- and post-operation rooms, who will receive their procedures in new state-of-the-art operation rooms, Olson said.

A helipad landing zone near emergency services and an ambulance and maintenance building will also be added to the facility.

The new space will allow improvements to other services offered at Gundersen Tri-County, like specialty services, inpatient care and rehabilitation services.

A solar installation built with $1 million in federal funds will support about 50% of the hospitals electrical needs.

I cant wait till people get in and come see this place. I think theyre really going to be surprised, Rotering said. Its just a beautiful, beautiful building with a lot of beautiful workspaces, so I think people are just really going to love it.

After July 24, the old hospital will enter a decommissioning period that will continue into September, when it will be demolished in a way that protects the environment and community.

After that, parking  which will include hookups for electric cars  and landscaping will be completed before the projects end date of Nov. 1.
LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP)  Residents of an island polluted with PFAS chemicals have filed claims demanding more than $40 million from a western Wisconsin city they say is responsible for the contamination.

Municipalities across Wisconsin are grappling with pollution from PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The man-made chemicals are present in a range of products, including cookware, firefighting foam and stain-resistant clothing. The substances don't break down naturally and have been linked to a host of health issues in humans.

As of June 2021, more than 500 wells in the town of Campbell on French Island tested positive for the chemicals, with some wells registering levels thousands of times higher than federal recommendations.

Attorneys representing hundreds of Campbell residents filed claims against the city of La Crosse in June demanding a total of $42.4 million to compensate them for diminished property value resulting from the contamination, WKBT-TV reported.

The city lies just across the Black River from French Island. The city's airport is located on the island; the claims allege that firefighting foam used for training at the airport beginning in the 1970s caused the contamination. The claims also allege that the city learned PFAS levels in island groundwater exceeded federal recommendations as early as 2014 but didn't inform residents.

If the city denies the claims the residents would be free to file a lawsuit. The city's attorney, listed on the city's website as Stephen Matty, didn't immediately return a voicemail seeking comment Friday.

The city sued nearly two dozen chemical companies in 2021 alleging they knew PFAS were toxic since the 1960s. The case was transferred to federal court in South Carolina were it became part of a sweeping lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers involving thousands of plaintiffs, including state and local governments. Several manufacturers have settled portions of the larger case for billions of dollars.
Gov. Tony Evers on July 10 announced the release of the Governors Task Force on Broadband Access third annual report.

Building upon findings from the previous two reports, the 2023 report provides an update on efforts under Evers and the Evers Administration to expand access, adoption, and affordability of high-speed internet across the state.

The third annual report makes recommendations for the state to continue building on this progress and prepare to capitalize on increased federal investments through the Internet for All initiative under President Joe Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

For three years, the Task Force on Broadband Access has played an important role in the states ongoing efforts to bridge Wisconsins digital divide, and together, we have found ways to improve internet access, affordability, and adoption in our state, Evers said. The recommendations in this report will continue to help guide our work as we work to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to every part of Wisconsin.

Since 2019, Evers has allocated more than $345 million in state and federal funds to expand high-speed internet, including the largest state investment in state history, ensuring that more than 395,000 homes and businesses will have new or improved service. Even still more work remains as, according to the 2023 report, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates there are more than 246,000 locations that are unserved in the state and more than 217,000 that are underserved.

The 2023 report provides several recommendations to ensure the state continues building upon progress made expanding access to reliable, high-speed internet, including:

Recognize and emphasize the importance of other sources of funding beyond the BIL. Advocate for increasing those funding sources to complement the BIL. Continue to find ways to braid BIL funds with funds from other sources such as local, state, private, philanthropic and other federal programs.

Support local communities through technical assistance efforts and ensure their involvement and participation in the rollout of federal funds.

Ensure a sufficient and trained telecommunications workforce for internet service providers, contractors, and subcontractors to construct, operate, and maintain current and new broadband infrastructure.

Improve mapping and data efforts by supporting local communities in their efforts to pursue, collect, and make meaning of local data.

Continue outreach and promotion of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to reach the highest possible levels of participation in Wisconsin.

Public participation has been  and always will be  vital to our work of connecting all in Wisconsin to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband, said Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) Chairperson Rebecca Cameron Valcq. The recommendations in this and previous reports present a path forward as we work to meet the challenges of connecting all in Wisconsin to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband internet.

Evers created the Task Force on Broadband Access through Executive Order #80 in July 2020 to advise the governor and state legislature on broadband actions, policies, and strategies to successfully expand high-speed internet in Wisconsin. Since its inception, the Task Force has brought together a diverse group of members with experience in this field to learn from outside experts, hear from the public, and identify forward-looking broadband policies and initiatives that aim to close the digital divide in the state.

The 2023 report can be found at https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/WIGOV/2023/07/07/file_attachments/2548445/2023GovernorsTaskForceOnBroadbandAccessReport.pdf.

More information about the Governors Task Force on Broadband Access, as well as the 2021 report and the 2022 report, can be found on the PSC website at https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/ServiceType/Broadband/BroadbandGovernorsTaskForce.aspx.

IN 65 PHOTOS: The historic Pabst brewery in downtown Milwaukee Former Pabst Brewing Co. Bottle House, 1125 N. 9th St., Milwaukee The Brewery District sign of the redeveloped former Pabst Brewing Co. complex at North 10th Street and West Juneau Avenue in downtown Milwaukee The Brewery District sign on the redeveloped former Pabst Brewing Co. campus Grand stairway in the circa-1882 former Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., Milwaukee Brewhouse Inn and Suites lobby at the former Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., Milwaukee Exterior view of Brewhouse Inn and Suites at former Pabst brewery in downtown Milwaukee Copper Pabst brew kettle and King Gambrinus stained glass window inside the former Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., Milwaukee Circa-1890s King Gambrinus stained glass window inside the former Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., Milwaukee Circular staircase inside the former Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., Milwaukee West-facing interior view of the circa-1882 Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St. in downtown Milwaukee East-facing interior view of the circa-1882 Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St. in downtown Milwaukee Pabst Brewing Co. Building 24 in The Brewery District, downtown Milwaukee Pabst Building 28 in The Brewery District, downtown Milwaukee Weathered statue of Captain Frederick Pabst at the former Pabst Brewing Co. brewery, downtown Milwaukee View of The Captain's Courtyard outdoor beer garden at Best Place on the former Pabst Brewing Co. campus in downtown Milwaukee Old World architecture at the former Pabst Brewing Co. brewery in downtown Milwaukee Sternewirt courtyard with Guest Center sign and King Gambrinus statue at Best Place, part of the historic Pabst Brewing Co. campus in downtown Milwaukee Exterior view of stained glass architectural detail on the circa-1880 General Offices building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Detail view of King Gambrinus statue at Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W. Juneau Ave. in downtown Milwaukee King Gambrinus statue at Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W. Juneau Ave. in downtown Milwaukee Pabst Gambrinus stained glass window at Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W. Juneau Ave. downtown Milwaukee Detail of the King Gambrinus Window in the former Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., in downtown Milwaukee Preserved vintage Pabst Brewing Co. signage at the former Pabst Brewing Co. complex in downtown Milwaukee Historic memorabilia on display at Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W. Juneau Ave. in downtown Milwaukee Pabst skywalk and sign over West Juneau Avenue in downtown Milwaukee, linking the Malt House (left) and Brew House Street scene of the former Pabst Brewing Co. flagship Milwaukee brewery along West Juneau Avenue King Gambrinus statue at Best Place on the historic former Pabst Brewing Co. campus in downtown Milwaukee Pabst Brewing Co. logo detail at the history former Pabst brewery campus in downtown Milwaukee Pabst Brewing Co. Building 27, the circa-1880 General Offices building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Old World architecture at the former Pabst Brewing Co. gift shop on the historic Pabst brewery campus in downtown Milwaukee Stained glass Pabst Breweries logo at the former Pabst Brewing Co. gift shop in downtown Milwaukee Stained glass window of monk tapping a beer barrel at the historic former Pabst Brewing Co. brewery in downtown Milwaukee Tavern-themed stained glass window at the historic Pabst Brewing Co. campus in downtown Milwaukee Reverse view of Pabst logo stained glass window in the former Pabst Brewing Co. General Office Building Christmas decor at Best Place in the historic former Pabst Brewing Co. campus in downtown Milwaukee German language wall mural in the former Sternewirt (Tap Room) guest tour center at the former Pabst brewery in downtown Milwaukee Vintage Pabst Blue Ribbon advertising signage at Best Place in the historic former Pabst brewery in downtown Milwaukee The Sternewirt (Tap Room) guest center at the historic Pabst Brewing Co. brewery in downtown Milwaukee Sternewirt (Tap Room) guest center at the historic Pabst Brewing Co. brewery in downtown Milwaukee Decorative roofline detail of the National Register-listed circa-1890 Pabst Brewing Co. Boiler House Vintage bar in The Great Hall inside the former Pabst Brewing Co. General Offices Building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Interior view of the entryway to the circa-1880 Pabst Brewing Co. General Offices Building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee The Great Hall in the circa-1880 former Pabst Brewing Co. General Offices Building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Reverse view of entryway stained glass window in the circa-1880 Pabst Brewing Co. General Offices Building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Roofline ornamentation of the former Pabst Brewing Co. Bottle House, 1125 N. 9th St., Milwaukee Captain Frederick Pabst's desk in the 1880 General Offices Building, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Captain Frederick Pabst's Office at the former Pabst Brewing Co. General Offices, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee The 42, former Pabst Brewing Co. Distribution Center, downtown Milwaukee Mixed use development ELEVEN25 at Pabst, 1125 N. 9th St., Milwaukee, in the former Pabst Bottle House Central Waters brewery on the former Pabst Brewing Co. campus Former Pabst Brewing Co. grain silos at The Brewery District, 1220 N. 11th St., Milwaukee International Business Machines (IBM) wall clock inside the former Pabst Brewing Co. General Offices Building, 923 W. Juneau Ave. Brewery District's Juneau Avenue streetscape on the former Pabst Brewing Co. campus in downtown Milwaukee Pabst bridge sign over Juneau Avenue in downtown Milwaukee View of The Brewery District along North 9th Street, including the former Pabst Bottle House Circa-1882 Pabst Brewing Co. Brew House, 1215 N. 10th St., Milwaukee Pabst bridge sign over Juneau Avenue in downtown Milwaukee Former Pabst Brewing Co. Malt House and Brew House, North 10th Street and West Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee Pabst Professional Center, 1036 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Pabst Brewing Co. stained glass window inside The Great Hall, 923 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Decorative weathervane atop the former Pabst Brewing Co. visitor center, 917 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Former Pabst Brewing Co. 1890 Boiler House, 1243 N. 10th St., Milwaukee Former Pabst Brewing Co. Malt House, 1009 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee Decorative Pabst logo manhole cover at The Brewery District in downtown Milwaukee Pabst neon bridge sign, North 10th Street and West Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee
Starting the club's new 2023-2024 program year, members of the nonprofit Geneva Lake West Rotary Club unanimously approved its new slate of officers at their July 6 noon lunch meeting at Abbey Resort in Fontana.

Club Executive Secretary Don Vandello oversaw the annual election.

Club officers of the 52-member service organization for 2023-2024 are Rich Hildebrandt, president; Bill Ring, vice president; Heidi Alten, president-elect; and Mary Hinske, treasurer. On an interim basis, the club's secretary position will be filled by a committee of Vandello, Alten and Hinske until the vacancy can be filled on a permanent basis.

Hildebrandt was sworn in by Rotary Internantional District 6270 Assistant District Governor Dawn Heath-Fiedler, of Elkhorn.

"This is a great honor to install your new president," she said.

"Rich Hildebrandt, you have been selected by the members of the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club to guide its affairs during the coming year," Heath-Fiedler told Hildebrandt. "You have been entrusted with an important responsibility that will help shape the club's future and it is an expression of confidence in your leadership. This year will be significant for Rotary, as we celebrate more than a century of the Rotary Foundation in doing good work in the world and continue our fight to end polio throughout the world and undertake new objectives like clean water, etcetera.

She then administered the oath of office to Hildebrandt.

"If you agree to accept the responsibility of leading the club and serving the club members, raise your right hand and respond with 'I will" to this pledge of office," Heath-Fiedler said. "Do you solemly swear that you will faithfully execute the officer of president of the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club, and that you will, to the best of your ability, give support and assistance to the district governor and to Rotary International, and that you will uphold the constitution and the bylaws of this club."

Answered Hildebrandt, "I will."

With the election Hildebrandt and his pledge of office, Phill Klamm becomes the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club's immediate past president.

Manitowoc-based District 6270, birthplace of Rotary International founder Paul Harris, encompasses 59 Rotary clubs in 14 southeastern Wisconsin counties  Walworth, Kenosha, Racine, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Marquette, Waushara, Fond du Lac, Winnebago and Green Lake counties.

Learn more

Based in Evanston, Ill. in north suburban Chicago, Rotary International, founded in 1905, encompasses more than 1.4 million members in more than 46,000 clubs around the world. Rotary is a humanitarian service organization bringing together business and professional leaders to provide community service, promote integrity, and advance goodwill, peace and understanding in the world.

For more information, visit https://www.rotary.org.

Information about the Geneva Lake West Rotary Club is available at https://rotary6270.org/clubinfo/geneva-lake-west-rotary or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GLWRClub/.

In 18 Photos: Delavan-Darien Rotary Club Artisan Festival Author Gregory Lee Renz, of Lake Mills, exhibiting at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club artisan festival Authors Judith Rolfs and Becky Melby greet fairgoers at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club artisan festival Family entertainer and balloon artist Anna Sass at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club artisan festival Facilitated drumming circle at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club's artisan festival Flower balloon hats Giant bubbles at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club's artisan festival Guitarist LaMont Prospect performs at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club artisan festival Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Specialist Patty Stritesky Delavan-Darien Rotary Club presidents Katherine Gaulke and member Carol Paur Delavan-Darian Rotary Club artisan festival at Congdon Park, Delavan Delavan-Darien Rotary Club artisan festival children's activities area Delavan-Darien Rotary Club Peace Garden waterfall feature at Congdon Gardens, Delavan Juggler and family entertainer Ryan Freeman Delavan-Darien Rotary Club historic shield Delavan-Darien High School String Choir perform at Congdon Gardens Honey vendor Renee Michals of Lyons at the Delavan-Darien Rotary Club artisan festival
This article appears in the July 14, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

January 6, 2002

Continue the American Revolution!

[Print version of this article]

Editors Note: This article first appeared in EIR Vol. 29, No. 2, Jan. 18, 2002, pp. 2227.

As announced, on January 24th, a two-and-a-half-hour-long international webcast will be broadcast from a conference held at a Washington, D.C. hotel. It will begin with my opening, keynote address, with the title, And Now, A Year Later, and will feature participation both from members of the audience assembled there, and also from participants calling in from among listeners in various parts of the world.

That address and discussion will be devoted to an open intellectual and moral challenge to the governments, leading political parties, and prospective heads of state and government of the worlds leading nations, especially my own. The focus of that challenge will be the crisis which now confronts each and all nations and their incumbent and prospective heads of state and government.

My presentation and the ensuing discussion will be focussed on todays four most urgent, interrelated topics:

1. The global implications of the way in which the presently accelerating breakdown of the worlds present monetary-financial system, provides a unique confirmation of each and all of my published long-range economic forecasts and assessments, for both the U.S. economy and the international system. The world is gripped, at this moment, by what I had forecast as a generally accelerating collapse of most of the worlds physical economy. This economic collapse expresses the terminal phase of that international, floating-rate monetary-financial system which was introduced in August 1971. Unless that bankrupt, present monetary-financial system is put through what I have prescribed as a reorganization-in-bankruptcy, conducted under the authority of sovereign nation-states, the general economic and social situation will soon become a more or less hopeless one.

2. This economic collapse is accompanied by the threat of a global clash of civilizations war. That is the world war proposed by those often identified in the relevant professional literature as utopian strategists, who follow, still today, the doctrine set down in 1928, in H.G. Wells The Open Conspiracy. These utopians are typified inside the United States by the Smith-Richardson, Olin, and Mellon-Scaife Foundations, and by the circles of Harvards late Professor William Yandell Elliott. Those fanatics have taken increasing control of United States and other nations military and foreign-policy doctrines, during a period of approximately fifty years to date. Their ideology, against which leading U.S. patriots, such as President Dwight Eisenhower, General Douglas MacArthur, and Senator William Fulbright, had warned, has pushed the planet to the brink of an immediate plunge into a world-wide, genocidal convulsion, akin to the more limited religious warfare which almost destroyed central Europe during the interval 16181648.

3. There are well-defined, proven precedents from modern history, which would provide a model for safe passage out of both of those two threats to civilization. This, however, defines a most crucial third problem. This combination of existential crises of civilization as a whole, catches western Europe and the Americas in an unfortunate posture. Today, most among the leading political parties and present governments, including the leading political parties of the U.S.A., exhibit a lack of the capacity to devise, adopt, and implement the specific kinds of clearly defined measures, which are needed to free their nations from the monetary-financial policies which have brought the planet as a whole to the brink of chaos.

4. The fourth and most relevant issue of the present world crisis, is the matter of the role of the worlds most powerful nation, the U.S.A. How should we now assess the past, and possibly continuing role in world history, which the American Revolution of 17761789, and of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, continues to represent, even under the present conditions of threatened descent of the world into a new dark age of humanity? Is it likely, that the needed global economic and related reforms could be made in a timely fashion, unless the U.S.A. were to assume the role implicit in what Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton defined as the American System of political-economy, and unless it carried out that role in a manner consistent with the qualities of leadership of Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt, in great crises of the past?

Or, to restate the point, what role should other leading nations of the world wish the United States to adopt, in face of the three threats to global civilization which I have summarily identified here? Could civilization survive, were the United States to fail to adopt that role of primus inter pares within the community of nations?

I speak for that American intellectual tradition typified as the legacy of Franklin and Lincoln. That is also the legacy of then Secretary of State John Quincy Adams definition of a community of principle among a multi-polar array of sovereign nation-state republics. I define what I mean by the phrase, The Continuing American Revolution, the thematic topic which unifies the continuing discussion of the four issues I have identified above.

I now turn your attention to two crucial lessons from the history of the United States, lessons which point to those issues which will, most probably, determine whether or not world civilization will escape the threatened collapse looming before us.

1. The Roots of the Revolution

The past 1,100 years of what is now a globally extended European civilization, were dominated by a struggle of those reformers who sought to define what became the modern sovereign nation-state. This was a struggle against the imperial globalizers of that time. Then, as now, the would-be globalizers sought to subject many nations and peoples to an arbitrary imperial authority, which was chiefly modelled, then as now, upon the traditions of ancient imperial Rome. About 600 years ago, came the first significant, if qualified success for those reformers, in the Fifteenth-Century Renaissances attempt to establish the form of sovereign nation-state based upon that principle of natural law known variously by the names the general welfare or common good.

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EIRNS/Stuart Lewis

That principle of natural law signifies that no government has the moral authority to reign, except as it is efficiently committed to promoting the general welfare of all of its population and that populations posterity. No government has the moral authority to lead other nations, unless it is as zealously devoted to the general welfare of the community of nations, as to its own. This quality of government, the general-welfare principle, which was adopted as the fundamental constitutional law of the U.S.A., in the Preamble of the Federal Constitution, defines the only moral form of government. This is a form of government which has repudiated such abominations as the Roman Empire; whereas, contemporary U.S. utopians, such as Zbigniew Brzezinski and Samuel P. Huntington, base their perverted model of soldier and state, on their intention to establish a form of government, by beasts, reigning over hunted or herded human cattle.

Typical of the qualified success of the Renaissance, was the leading role of Nicholas of Cusa in defining the need to establish a community of principle among sovereign nation-states (Concordantia Catholica), and Cusas leading role (e.g., De Docta Ignorantia) in defining the principles of modern experimental physical science. The role of Cusa in launching that policy of trans-oceanic exploration, which resulted directly in Columbus using the knowledge supplied by Toscanelli to reach the Americas, and the great impetus to modern science given by Luca Pacioli and Leonardo da Vinci, are typical. Also typical, is the combined impact of the leadership shown by Frances Jeanne dArc and Jacques Coeur, in making possible the creation of modern France, under Louis XI, and by the England of Henry VII and Thomas More.

However, the enemies of the Fifteenth-Century Renaissance, led by the hegemonic imperial maritime power of that time, Venice, struck back, plunging Europe into a series of devastating religious wars, during that 15111648 interval, which some historians have rightly defined as a little new dark age. It is that interval of evil, of Venices policy, and that of its Habsburg accomplices, which is parodied by the present homicidal madness of the clash of civilizations policy of Professor Elliotts Golems, Samuel P. Huntington and Zbigniew Brzezinski.

The Europe which returned to sanity, under the peace established through the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, turned to the European colonies in the Americas, especially the North American English colonies, as the only likely place in which to reestablish a new precedent for that principle of sovereign nation-state republicanism associated with Renaissance figures such as Louis XI and Henry VII. The leadership of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, under the Winthrops and Mathers of the Seventeenth and early Eighteenth Century, provided the seed-crystal around which the future United States was built. Europeans linked, directly or indirectly, to the leading influence of Gottfried Leibniz, played leading roles from early in the Eighteenth Century, in building up the foundations of what became the future United States, in colonies such as Pennsylvania and Virginia.

It is of crucial importance, today, that our U.S. citizens and their children understand the role which the greatest patriots of England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, and elsewhere in Europesuch as Leibniz and the networks which he createdplayed, in acting to bring our North American republic into existence. Their conscious intent, as typified by the case of the Marquis de Lafayette, was to bring forth in our new republic what Lafayette described as a temple of liberty and beacon of hope for all mankind.

Our victory in 17821783, and our escape from chaos, with the Philadelphia draft Constitution of 1787, struck terror and rage in those enemies of humanity ensconced in the British monarchys East India Company and the Habsburg-centered, imperial interest of the Central European princely powers. Thus, the Jacobin Terror was launched by London-directed agents of the British Foreign Offices Jeremy Bentham, to prevent the implementation of the Constitution adopted under the leadership of Bailly and Lafayette. Five years of Jacobin terror, the reign of Barras, and the first fascist tyranny, that of self-proclaimed Caesar Napoleon Bonaparte, eliminated the earlier role of that France which had been the crucial strategic supporter of the cause of our independence. France was thus transformed into our enemy for that time.

Metternichs Congress of Vienna established the domination of all Europe by two rivals, the British monarchy and the Metternich-led Holy Alliance, who were united in one cause: their hatred of, and determination to destroy both the image and actuality of the United States.

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Mathew Brady

Under the strategic conditions associated with these developments of 17891815, the United States of the time of Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, became relatively culturally pessimistic and significantly corrupted. During the gloomy decades up to 1863, patriots such as the American Whigs, who were rallied around Clay, the Careys, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams, saved the U.S.A. from dismemberment; but, the expansion of slavery and the spread of the related forms of corruption typified by Martin Van Burens and August Belmonts Democratic Party of Jackson, Polk, Pierce, Buchanan, and McClellan, were the principal political correlatives of the continued, combined moral and strategic weakness of the nation. This weakness prevailed up to the time of what has been justly called The Second American Revolution, President Lincolns great victory over the British monarchys puppet, the Confederacy.

Despite the assassination of Lincoln, the victory over the Confederacy and the development of the U.S.A. as the worlds leading nation in agricultural and industrial development, over the 18611876 interval, caused the spread of the intellectual influence of the American System of political-economy through much of the world. This was to be seen, in such exemplary cases as Germany in 1877, Czar Alexander IIs and Mendeleyevs Russia during the same period, in Meiji Restoration Japan, and throughout the Americas and, into the emergence of Sun Yat-Sens leadership of China.

Thus, as the 1890s approached, France, Germany, Russia, and many other nations, were coming into cooperation around transcontinental railway developments, and related cooperation. This was inspired by the image of the achievements of the Franklin, Hamilton, Lincoln, Carey American System of political-economy, as the obvious alternative to the rival, parasitical, British system.

During the 1890s, the United States enemies, centered around the Prince of Wales, the later Edward VII, launched a global operation which was called geopolitics. This was a British scheme which was intended to end the cooperation among those nations, by putting France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and others at one anothers throats. Such were the wars and similar disruptions which erupted over the interval 18941917.

The hoax of the Dreyfus indictment in France, the launching of Japans wars against China, Korea, and Russia, during 18941905, and Fashoda in 1898, were parts of this process leading into what became known as World War I.

The most significant blow against civilization in general, was the successful assassination of U.S. President McKinley in 1901, which put into the U.S. Presidential mansion a Theodore Roosevelt who was, like Woodrow Wilson later, not only a whelp of the Confederacy, but, like his notorious mentor and uncle, a fanatical devotee of that specifically pro-Confederacy form of adoration of the British monarchy.

Thus, during the sweep of the Twentieth Century, excepting the 19331945 role of President Franklin Roosevelt, the United States has been dominated, since the 1901 assassination of McKinley, by the influence of a commitment to shared Anglo-American imperial domination of the world at large. This has been accompanied, under Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Coolidge, Truman, Nixon, Carter, and also the influence of Eisenhowers unfortunate Arthur Burns, by efforts to uproot even the vestiges of the American System of political-economy, and to introduce radically irrational extremes of liberal ideology into our schools, universities, and mass media, ideologies which are inimical not only to the sturdy republicanism of our traditional patriot, but to the very idea of truthfulness.

That is not to suggest that the role of the United States became all bad under these variously failed or soiled Presidencies. The post-War economic reconstruction of the U.S.A. and Western Europe, for example, under the 19451963 Bretton Woods system, was a marked success, relative to the later decadence of approximately thirty-five years of the long wave of economic-self-destruction launched by Nixon and greatly accelerated by Carter.

Thus, as the U.S. economy now crumbles, the best features of the past history of our republic, and the related, best features of our past relations with Europe, the Far East, and within the Americas, beckon to us, telling us to return to the American intellectual tradition, which inspired Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt during those memorable past moments, when that tradition was all that saved our republic from a threatened descent into oblivion. It is time to renew and continue the American Revolution.

2. The Role of Leadership

The cases of Benjamin Franklin, John Quincy Adams, the Careys, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt, illustrate a principle of decisive importance for any people whose nation is gripped by an existential crisis, such as that facing the world today. National leadership in time of great crisis, like leadership in fundamental scientific progress, is a quality which, in known history thus far, has been specific to the kind of exceptional individual personality who leads a people once again out of a recurring condition of habituated moral and intellectual mediocrity, the awful condition into which nations and their peoples have retreated, not inevitably, but repeatedly, as now.

On that account, the most deadly threat to our republic today, comes precisely from those who delude themselves into assuming that the weight of that mediocrity called variously popular opinion or mediaocracy, ought to be the governing principle of national leadership. No nation was ever in danger from within, unless its prevalent popular opinion had sponsored that crisis. No nation was ever self-destroyed, except by the persisting error of its ruling institutions, and by the acquiescence, if not the consent, of its own prevalent and decadent popular opinion.

Therefore, consider the figure of Socrates. Consider the person, like the ancient Solon of Athens, who shocks the conscience of his people into recognizing and abandoning those opinions which have misled them to the brink of destroying themselves. Thus, Franklin Roosevelt, in his election-campaign, and his first crucial acts as President, succeeded in inducing a majority of popular opinion to abandon the fickle fashions of the age of the Flapper and The Charleston, those popular fashions which had misled the foolish consent of the majority of the nation into the great economic catastrophe which Coolidge had bequeathed to his luckless successor.

Those qualities which distinguish a Solon, a Socrates, a Benjamin Franklin, a Lincoln, or a Franklin Roosevelt, are sometimes called inner-directedness, or simply conscience. Sometimes, but not always, this quality of leadership is associated with exceptional qualities of true intellectual genius; but, it always reflects a stubborn toughness of personal character, as we see in the case of the great post-War Chancellor of Germany, Konrad Adenauer. In all cases of an effective leader for a time of existential crisis, the difference which sets the true leader, genius or not, apart from the ordinary politician, is a sense of unshakeable devotion to the future, rather than the moral mediocritys customary sense of immediate interest in nothing but that pathetic state of intellectual and moral littleness, the littleness of blind devotion to the so-called harsh local realities of the here and now.

Indeed, it is precisely that moral weakness of most citizens today, the tendency to fear the risks of offending a popular opinion, which deprives their motives of the morally indispensable quality of truthfulness. This cowardly submission to fear of a mediocre popular opinion, has often deprived a people of its competence to discover and act in a necessary way. At a time of existential crisis, such as this one, a society would certainly destroy itself, if the only solution available to society were widely rejected merely because that solution is considered contrary to popular opinion.

So, the great poet and tragedian, Friedrich Schiller, looking at the horror of the Jacobin Terror in France, said of France, a great moment has found a little people. The narrowness and the short-sightedness of a popular opinion obsessed with what it perceives to be its most immediate and short-term interests, is that form of moral mediocrity which is the most frequent cause of the horrors which a nation may bring upon itself. A similar rampage of mediocrity among our people, has become the greatest source of danger to our nations today.

Therefore, history reminds us: the necessary leader for a time of existential crisis, is always the person who challenges popular opinion: We can escape this crisis, if you are willing to face up to the fact, that it was popular opinion which brought this nation into the present disaster! The leader must be essentially correct in his criticism, but he or she must deliver it, and that forcefully, or, like Shakespeares Hamlet, prove worthless as a leader for that nation in its time of crisis.

For example, a terribly foolish U.S. popular opinion, praised that new economy which has now proven itself the lunacy it was all along. How many Americans who could ill-afford the loss, wasted their resources in investing in the new economy hoax?

How many Americans swallowed the fairy-tale, which said that shipping our work-places to cheap-labor markets abroad, would bring prosperity and security here, inside the U.S.A.?

How many swallowed the fairy-tale, which insisted that free trade, by lowering the prices of goods, democratically, below the physical cost of their production, would make life better?

How many believed, that the measure of national prosperity was the price of so-called shareholder values on financial markets, even if those values were based on the predatory financier practices which have now led to chain-reactions of plant closures, loss of health-care and pensions, accelerating mass-firings from places of employment, and, now, the immediately ongoing threat of chain-reactions of national bankruptcies among nations?

The list of those follies goes on, and on, and on.

Keeping in mind what I have just written on the subject of leadership, look at the typical governments and leading political parties of today. Do you hear a murmur of foolish, often repeated slogans such as You cant put the toothpaste back in the tube; You cant turn back the clock? That kind of foolishness, is precisely the kind of habituated behavior to be seen in most leading political parties around the world.

Does that not remind you of the fabled lemmings diving off the cliff en masse, each murmuring to the others, We must go along, to get along; this is our way of life! Should the performance of such party leaderships not remind you, often, of the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, who led the foolish children of that town off to some place from which they never returned?

To save a civilization which, at this moment, is plunging toward the biggest depression in modern history, and the endless slaughter which religious wars unleash, we must inject a new factor of leadership into the political processes of our own U.S.A. and other nations, more or less as Franklin Roosevelt did in 19321933, or Lincoln before him.

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EIRNS/Stuart Lewis

Whether either the Republican or Democratic party, or both, could survive the present crisis, is uncertain. Those who have studied the history of parties under conditions of great crises similar to the one gripping us now, would estimate, from those parties recent behavior, that both parties are veering near to the brink of self-disintegration, if they cling to their presently ingrained habits.

My estimate is the following. It is possible, perhaps even probable, that both the Democratic and Republican parties will soon begin to disintegrate, because they have shown themselves stubbornly incapable of the kinds of reforms which must occur to make them useful once again. I do not know whether or not they will survive during the months ahead, and neither do any among you. It is notable that similar conditions of decadence exist presently among parliamentary forms of government in most of the world.

We in the U.S.A. can be certain, if we understand the perils of anarchy, that we must organize the political process in the United States around its best traditions, traditions such as that of President Lincoln in his century, and Franklin Roosevelt during the century which has just expired. We must proceed as Mathew Careys The Olive Branch led the way to the emergence of the U.S. Whig Party, at a time when both leading parties existing at that moment were politically and morally bankrupt. We may be certain, that the only hope for the preservation of our Constitutional form of government, under these perilous conditions, will be a regrouping of existing political forces, as the Whig leaders did, and as Franklin Roosevelt made something good and necessary out of the Democratic Party he led.

Amid all the uncertainties of the U.S. republics presently decadent political-party processes, one thing is certain. For Democrats, in particular, the road we must travel, wherever that takes us, must bring the best of the Democratic Party back to the Franklin Roosevelt standard, and let the fight to bring about that change, become the way in which we sort out who stays, who goes, and who comes in from other quarters. For this effort, we must not think of a partisan electoral victory as a fight for shareholder values, but as a way of organizing the national dialogue through which we sort out the arrangements made to constitute a government of which future generations need not be ashamed.

In the United States right now, we must have at least one leading political party which is the servant of truth, rather than a continuation of the recent pasts decadent practice, of making mere popular opinion the instrument of party. We must have political leadership in the American intellectual tradition, a leadership which puts the truthful promotion of the general welfare of present and future generations, back into the saddle again. For that purpose, I am, at this moment, your Solon and your Socrates; help me to save you!
This article appears in the July 14, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this article]

H.E. Lu Shaye Chinas Role for Peace and Development

This is the prepared text as edited of the presentation of H.E. Lu Shaye to Panel I, Peace in the World Through a New Security and Development Architecture for Each and Every Country: The Indispensable Strategic Autonomy of European Countries, of the Schiller Institutes July 89 conference, On the Verge of a New World WarEuropean Nations Must Cooperate with the Global South! H.E. Lu Shaye is the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to France. Subheads have been added.

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Schiller Institute H.E. Lu Shaye

Madam President Helga Zepp-LaRouche,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all, I would like to thank the Schiller Institute for inviting me to Strasbourg, the second capital of Europe, to share my thoughts on the international situation.

At present, changes unseen for a century are taking place at an accelerated pace, giving rise to unprecedented transformations of our world, our times and history. The ongoing conflict on the European continent is attracting worldwide attention. More than a year after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, where does the outcome lie? The answer to this question is being sought not only by the countries involved in the conflict and the European countries with a close interest in it, but also by peace-loving people the world over.

Depending on the positions and interests of the various parties, there are two diametrically opposed options: the first is to continue hostilities until one side prevails over the other; the second is to promote peace talks to find a solution acceptable to both antagonists.

The world is thus divided into two camps: the pro-war camp, led by the United States, which, under the guise of defending justice, is prolonging the war by constantly supplying arms and other forms of military assistance to Ukraine; and then the pro-peace group, which is actively engaged in shuttle diplomacy in favor of reconciliation and peace talks.

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict highlights two ways of thinking in todays world, pitting two strategic choices against each other: that of confrontation and conflict versus that of dialogue and cooperation, or that of the zero-sum game versus that of mutual benefit and win-win. Moreover, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is itself the disastrous consequence of Americas obsession with the logic of bloc confrontation after the end of the Cold War, reflected in NATOs continued eastward expansion to restrict Russias strategic space and drive it into a corner.

And today, the U.S.A. is trying to launch a new Cold War against China. On the political front, it is sticking ideological labels on other countries, calling China an authoritarian dictatorship and rallying value allies under the banner of defending democracy to launch a new crusade against China. On the military and security front, the U.S. is busy creating little clans: from bilateral military alliances to the trilateral partnership (AUKUS), from the quadrilateral dialogue (Quad) to the Five Eyes alliance, via the Indo-Pacific version of NATO. On the economic, commercial and technological fronts, projecting its own model onto China by assuming that any great power practices hegemony, the U.S. is building little courts surrounded by high walls, and seeking to decouple and break supply chains in order to crack down, comprehensively, multi-sectorally, intensively and continuously, on Chinas high-tech enterprises and critical industries such as semiconductors.

European countries have been forced to choose sides. On the Russian-Ukrainian issue, from participation in sanctions to the current dispatch of fighter jets and pilot training, Europe is becoming more involved in the conflict by the day, while the prospects of resuming dialogue with Russia and rebuilding a new European security architecture grow ever more remote. As for relations with China, the United States is deliberately linking China to Russia and playing on the false narrative of todays Ukraine, tomorrows Taiwan, fanning anti-Chinese hatred in Europe and poisoning Sino-European relations.

Against this backdrop, its worth noting that some European countries have demonstrated a stronger commitment to strategic autonomy, refusing to choose sides between China and the U.S.A. They have stressed the need to defend their strategic and economic sovereignty on the basis of their own interests, to maintain channels for dialogue and to play a role as a balancing force between China and the United States.

Developing countries have also largely refused to fall into the logical stereotypes and discursive traps of bloc politics and confrontation of camps. They reject the blind wave of condemnation and sanctions against Russia, and pursue their policy of friendship towards China. Peace and cooperation remain the aspiration of the peoples and the general trend.

At the same time, confusion and anxiety on all sides are far from over. Some countries, anticipating an escalation of confrontation and an eventual war between China and the U.S.A., are betting on both sides geopolitically, and economically, they are erecting trade barriers and practicing investment screening, industrial relocation and blocking of critical technologies vis-a-vis China, insisting on dependency reduction and derisking.

A Community of Shared Future for Humanity

In a turbulent world, China remains as clear-sighted and determined as ever. Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping innovatively put forward the vision of a community of shared future for humanity and the Belt and Road Initiative, and since 2021 he has successively presented the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. These are Chinese proposals for solving global development problems, meeting international security challenges, and promoting mutual enrichment between civilizations.

An African proverb says: Alone we go faster, together we go further. Those who ignore the interests of others will never get far, those who want to rely solely on their own strength by getting rid of others are living in illusion, and those who think only of blocking the development of others will not be able to fundamentally solve their own problems.

In presenting the Global Development Initiative, China advocates solidarity and cooperation. Aimed at rapid implementation of the UNs 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the initiative identifies eight key areas of cooperation, including poverty reduction, food security, development financing and the digital economy. It has received the support of over 100 countries, as well as the United Nations and other international and regional organizations, as it corresponds to the broad common interests of the international community.

Thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, the Global Development Initiative has come to fruition very well, with many early results to the benefit of different peoples. For example: mechanisms such as the Special Action to Promote Food Production, the Global Alliance for the Development of Technical and Vocational Education, the International NGO Cooperation Network for Poverty Reduction, the China-Africa Alliance for Poverty Reduction, the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Action Cooperation Center, and the Center for the Promotion of Global Development; more than a hundred concrete cooperation projects are on the Initiatives project list, benefiting nearly 40 developing countries, and offering more than 20,000 training places via 1,000 capacity-building projects; China has launched the worlds first scientific satellite dedicated to the 2030 Agenda, shared its data with the rest of the world, and donated several data products to the United Nations.

As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been signed, generating almost $1,000 billion in investment, creating 420,000 jobs and helping almost 40 million people out of poverty. The facts prove that what the world needs is not decoupling or broken supply chains, but open, inclusive, win-win cooperation. China is ready to continue sharing development opportunities with Europe and other countries around the world to promote common prosperity.

Chinas History of Peace and Concord

Attached since ancient times to the primacy of peace and concord between all states, the Chinese nation has no genes in its blood for aggression or hegemony; on the contrary, it has always sought peace, harmony and concord. Faced with a profoundly restructuring international landscape and complex security challenges, China advocates a common, integrated, cooperative and sustainable security concept, and pursues a new security path based on dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance, and win-win rather than zero-sum game.

Last February, China published the Concept Paper on the Global Security Initiative, which lists 20 priorities for cooperation, including: firmly supporting the central role of the United Nations in security governance; promoting consultation and healthy interaction between major powers; actively promoting the peaceful resolution of burning issues through dialogue; effectively addressing conventional and unconventional security challenges; and continuously strengthening the worlds security governance system and capacity development.

On the question of Sino-American relations, we have no intention of challenging or supplanting the United States, nor of becoming a new United States, nor of waging a new Cold War of bloc confrontation. Recently, when he received U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that the world needs an overall stable Sino-American relationship, that he is confident that the two great powers can overcome all difficulties to find the right way to get along in mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, so as to stabilize and improve the Sino-American relationship.

On China-EU relations, China and Europe have no fundamental conflict of interest. On the contrary, we both benefit from each others development, both advocate strategic autonomy and multilateralism, and we have a broad consensus on global issues such as the fight against climate change. China and Europe should strengthen mutual trust, remove doubts through fruitful cooperation, and work hand in hand to inject stability, certainty and positive energy into the world.

On the question of Ukraine, in the document entitled Chinas Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukrainian Crisis published last February, China put forward 12 points of proposals, including respect for the sovereignty of all countries, rejection of the Cold War mentality, cessation of hostilities and the opening of peace talks. These proposals take into account the concerns of all parties and can constitute the highest common denominator for negotiations. China has also made concrete good-offices efforts to promote reconciliation and peace talks. We are convinced that there is no winner in an armed conflict and that the only viable response to the crisis is dialogue and negotiation. We hope that the EU will work with us to promote the earliest possible launch of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, so that peace can be restored to the European continent as soon as possible.

The Beauty of Mutual Enrichment

As a Chinese saying goes, the secret of making a good dish is knowing how to combine flavors. The beauty of our world lies in the mutual enrichment of civilizations. China is against the dualism of black versus white, and the distinction between superior and inferior civilizations. Through the World Civilization Initiative, we advocate respect for the diversity of civilizations, promotion of humanitys shared values, commitment to the transmission and innovation of civilizations, and the strengthening of intercultural exchange and cooperation. We respect all civilizations in their differences, and support their right to development. We are convinced that individual countries can find their own development paths and institutional models adapted to their national conditions, and that through human and cultural exchange and cooperation, the radiance of all civilizations will produce a magnificent symphony of splendors.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Humanity is a community of destinies, sharing both good times and bad. More than ever, nations are interconnected and interdependent, and more than ever, they are called upon to work together to meet challenges and achieve progress.

Europe was the main battleground of the two world wars and is the scene of the current conflict. Europe should therefore have a more direct experience and a deeper understanding of the importance of peace and development. As we stand at a critical new crossroads in history, I hope that Europes far-sighted leaders will engage in deep reflection, actively play their part and contribute their wisdom and strength to lead their respective countries and the whole of humanity to make the right choice.
This article appears in the July 14, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this article]

H.E. Ilia Subbotin

What Russia Really Wants in Its Relations with EuropePeace or War?

This is the prepared text as edited of the presentation of H.E Ilia Subbotin to Panel I, Peace in the World through a New Security and Development Architecture for Each and Every Country. The Indispensable Strategic Autonomy of European Countries, of the Schiller Institutes July 89 conference, On the Verge of a New World WarEuropean Nations Must Cooperate with the Global South! Mr. Subbotin is the Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in France. Subheads have been added.

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Russian Embassy in France H.E. Ilia Subbotin

Dear participants of todays international conference, organized by the Schiller Institute,

Dear Ms. Zepp-LaRouche, Dear Mr. Cheminade,

Dear friends,

Im stressing the word friends, because I really hope that this morning I speak in front of people, who are at least ready to listen and who do not have a pre-cooked vision of the international reality, like the one broadcasted by the mainstream Western media.

From what I was able to nd in open sources about the Schiller Institute and its founder Lyndon LaRouche, I conclude that this audience will be able to think critically and to make its own conclusions.

The topic of todays panel is Peace in the world through an architecture of security and mutual development, to the benet of each and every country. I will present to you a view, based on the ofcial position of my country and on my personal experience, including 23 years of diplomatic service.

I remember vividly my rst contacts with the U.S. high school students in 199091, during the last years of existence of the Soviet Union. There was a program called Friendship Caravan, under which young Americans were visiting Soviet schools, spending several days in Russian families. After decades of the Cold War, it was a breath of fresh air. We were happy to make new friends. The future seemed bright and marvelous.

In July 1989, the then President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, visited Strasbourg and spoke in front of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). In that historic speech he put forward the idea of the common European home and called to substitute the geopolitical balance by the balance of interests in order to create the wide economic space from Lisbon to Vladivostok. I see here the link to the point seven of Helgas Ten Principles for tomorrows world.

That was the turning point of the Russian foreign policy. For 30 years after that speech, my country spared no efforts to build the common humanitarian, legal and economic space, which would cover Greater Europe. Russias membership in the Council of Europe from 1996 until March 2022 was the most visible proof of that course.

The Dissolution to the Soviet Union

Before I continue on the track of European integration, allow me to draw your attention to one circumstance, which is key for an understanding of the later developments. After the failed coup detat of August 1991, in December of the same year, the Soviet Union was peacefully dissolved. Let me stress the two opposite versions of what happened. The U.S. leadership (namely President Bush the father) already during the 1992 electoral campaign started to talk about the victory in the Cold War, and the collapse of the USSR because of that victory. For us in the former Soviet Union the perception of the events was radically different.

We never felt we had lost the Cold War. In fact, it was our President who stopped it. The disintegration of the USSR became kind of collateral damage of the titanic shift in Russian policy. And, believe me, when it was happening, almost nobody understood what exactly was happening. Most of the people in the former Soviet republics, except the Baltics and Georgia, wanted to continue living together. And I remember very well the feeling of the rst months of 1992 that some kind of new union of the same republics would emerge very soon. The reality unfortunately turned out to be different. [We saw] deep economic crisis, unemployment, criminality, interethnic conicts in a number of post-Soviet republics.

With all these difculties Russia still stood rm in its desire to become a part of the Western world. In 1996 we joined the Council of Europe with its Court of Human Rights and many other institutes and instruments. In 2002 the NATO-Russia council was created. As from 2003, we agreed with the European Union on the creation of four common spaces, which would cover economic issues, issues of freedom, security and justice, external security and, nally, research and education.

Meanwhile, in 2000 I graduated from the MGIMO University, the well-known Russian diplomatic school, and was appointed to my rst diplomatic post in Chile.

A Turning Point in European History

Here I would like to recall one more personal episode from the late 1990s. In spring 1999, I was doing a Masters in international relations in Madrid, Spain. I lived in a shared at with some other students, including a Yankee boy, called Stephen. We were going along quite well until NATO started to bomb Yugoslavia. For me this was another turning point in the European history of the last 30 years. Russia today is accused of bringing the war back to Europeas if the aggression against Yugoslavia never took place! On the night when Russian paratroopers took control of Pristina airport, we had a physical ght with my U.S. neighbor. He started the ght, shouting something about Russian pigs. The U.S. might have been successful in Yugoslavia but not in [that] Madrid at.

In terms of Russia-West relations, the Kosovo crisis is well known by the U-turn of Prime Minister Primakovs plane over the Atlantic (24 March 1999) and the beginning of a U-turn in global Russian politics. Although, as we know now, it took my country 20 more years to do the complete U-turn. The former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Primakov was a truthful partisan of the concept of a multipolar world. In his active years in politics, he advocated for the multipolar system, which is becoming reality before our eyes now.

In 2007, I was for the rst time appointed to Strasbourg, to the Russian Permanent Mission to the Council of Europe (CoE). Since then, I have been dealing with the CoE le in different capacities. On February 10, 2007, President Vladimir Putin delivered his landmark Munich speech. He spoke about the indivisible nature of security, of the failure of the unipolar world (maybe it was too premature, but seen from today, that was the right conclusion), of the excessive use of force by the U.S. and NATO.

Recalling the events of the late 1980s President Putin stated clearly: The fall of the Berlin wall became possible thanks to the historic choice of the Russian people in favor of democracy, freedom, openness and sincere partnership with all members of the big European family. And of course, he was advocating for a more balanced system of security. (Point 1 of Helgas principles: for an international security and development architecture as a partnership between sovereign nation-states.)

The West Ignores President Putin

Was my President heard in Munich? Judging by the events which followed he was not. In August 2008 Georgian leader Saakashvili attacked civilians and Russian peacekeepers in Tskhinvali. Together with my colleagues, I spent long hours of discussions in the Committee of Ministers to prove the obviousthat the attack was started by the Georgian side.

An international inquiry commission, headed by the Swiss Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, came to the same conclusion. However, none of these conclusions was able to correct the fact that an armed conict between the Russian army and a U.S. trained and equipped Georgian armed forces took place. Luckily, the war lasted only a few days and, as we see now, became a very good vaccine for the Georgian society and leadership against any future attempts to start an armed conict with Russia.

In 2009 we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the Council of Europe. The former President Gorbachev was invited to pronounce the main speech at the solemn ceremony. On that occasion, I was lucky to spend three days with the man who changed history. He is often seen in my country as too pro-European, but allow me to quote some key messages from his 2009 speech: Europe hasnt xed the key questionnamely, creation of the solid basis for peace of the new security architecture. [This was] President Gorbachev, not Putin, 2009. Another quotation: The roots of actual problems are in the wrong assessment of the events, related to the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Sorry for the prolonged excursion into modern history, but Im deeply convinced that to understand todays reality we must have a clear picture of what happened yesterday.

In 20122015 I was working as a seconded political advisor of the Council of Europe Brussels ofce. It was a unique chance to learn the Brussels bubble. Moreover, it was a period of time when foundations for the current Ukrainian crisis were laid. You might remember that the EU and Ukraine were negotiating an Association Agreement with a free trade zone, which would enter into conict with the already existing free trade zone between Russia and Ukraine.

My close colleague and friend was among the top negotiators on our side at the EU-Russia talks to nd a way out of the dead end. According to him, there was no will on the EU side to come to a mutually benecial agreement during these talks. The refusal by President Yanukovich to sign the Association Agreement was used to spark the Maidan coup detat, which led to the civil war in Ukraine. And again, we witnessed the unwillingness of the Western leaders to implement the Minsk agreements, which stopped the open hostilities from 2015 till 2022.

The Treachery of the West

Now we all have heard the confessions of [French Prime Minister] Hollande and [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel that they had no intention to implement the Minsk package and the only goal of the deal was to give Ukraine more time to rearm and conquer the rebel regions by force. What was the intention of the Russian leadership? For me, the answer is quite clear: my President, supported by the political class, wanted a genuine peace deal, of course on decent conditions, where the key is recognition of Russias leading role in providing security in Europe. The guys in Washington, D.C. apparently did not see such a role for my country. To a large extent, this explains why were still at open conict.

Let me go back to 2017. I took the post of Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Russia, responsible for the Council of Europe le. My biggest headache was the institutional crisis. The Russian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was deprived of its key rights, and consequently our authorities decided to stop paying our contribution to the CoE budget until these rights were fully restored.

By summer 2019, working closely with the Secretary General, [Thorbjrn] Jagland, and the reasonable part of the members of PACE, we were able to x the problem. The Russian delegation returned to the Assembly with full rights. The Russian contribution to the CoE budget was fully paid. Would all this be possible without the genuine desire of my President, of our political class, to keep Russia as part of the Greater Europe? Definitely not! We were also lucky to have at that moment of history, responsible and independent leadership in the CoE (Jagland).

What happened next? Russia realized that the United States, in Ukraine, was preparing the worst scenario. We made a last effortthe diplomatic offensive of December 2021January 2022. It happened that I was able to discuss these events personally with two main Russian envoys: Deputy Minister Ryabkov (he worked with the U.S.) and Deputy Minister Grushko (he was in charge of the NATO track). The parallel conclusion of both esteemed colleagues: there was no wish on the U.S.-NATO side to seek any compromise with Russia.

In these circumstances, the special military operation became the just and non-alternative step to guarantee Russias security and to protect Russian people, whom the Kiev regime wanted to deprive of their language, religion, culture, values.

Will the West Join the Multipolar World?

What was the reaction of the West? Hatred and mantra, that the only way out is a strategic defeat of Russia on the battlefield. And no effort is spared to reach this aim. According to open sources, $150-plus billion have already been spent to arm Ukraine. By the way, a couple of years ago the G20 agreed to accumulate $100 billion to help the green transition of the developing countries. This commitment has never been implemented!

Let me stress that it was not Russia that broke the relations with Europe. (That was exactly the case with our withdrawal from the Council of Europe.) The breakup was the initiative of the Western countries (second part of the title of our session: Essential Strategic Autonomy of the European States). I will not discover America if I say that now there is no such autonomy and that the European political class is almost totally controlled by the U.S. Can this situation change? I hope so. And the fact that such an organization as the Schiller Institute exists makes this hope stronger.

The multipolar world is emerging. Its a fact of life. New centers of economic growthChina, India, Brazil, Turkey, Gulf countriesare here. Their nancial power and political inuence go along with their economic success. The share of the G7 in the world GDP is already less than that of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).

The hegemon who loses its dominance reacts maliciously. By staging internal conicts and wars between brotherly nations, like those in former Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. Will Washington be able to change the course of history? I do not think so. I am sure most of the politicians in the West understand this. The open question is, when will EuropeGermany and France primarilywake up and free [themselves] from the shackles of U.S. control? When and if this happens, Russia will be ready for mutually benecial dialogue of equals, on the basis of our fundamental interests. We are not looking for self-isolation.
This editorial appears in the July 14, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this editorial]

EDITORIAL

International Peace Coalitions Fourth Meeting Charts Path to New Paradigm

On Friday, June 30, the International Peace Coalition (IPC) held its fourth meeting with approximately 60 organizers from Argentina, Germany, Guinea, Nicaragua, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the United States, and other nations participating in the proceedings. The meeting could be best characterized as a strategy session on how to expand the IPC through various means of direct action such as street organizing, social media, political interventions, and classes, with the goal of not only preventing the immediate threat of global thermonuclear war but laying the foundation for a durable peacea New Paradigm.

Moderated by Anastasia Battle of the Schiller Institute, the meeting began with a very concise strategic overview by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder and leader of the Schiller Institute and initiator of the IPC, outlining the heightened danger of war between Russia and NATO in the wake of the mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries against the Kremlin. Apparently Western intelligence agencies had advance knowledge of the eventan event which could have led potentially to chaos in the largest nuclear powerbut made no effort to alert the Russian leadership. Mrs. Zepp-LaRouche contrasted this to the support President Putin had offered to the Bush administration after the 9/11 attack. Would it really be preferable to have the strongest nuclear power fall into chaos with potentially catastrophic consequences?

She also pointed out that there are now voices in Russia such as Prof. Sergey Karaganov, head of the Russian Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, who are calling for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Karaganovs colleague, Prof. Dmitri Trenin, at the same time is warning that Western elites have lost the fear of nuclear weapons, and with that the sense of the consequences of their policies. Zepp-LaRouche then laid out the root cause of the conflicta geopolitical showdown between two systems: one systemthe unipolar systemwhich clearly has gone under, and the rise of a new system represented by the nations of the Global South asserting in a very legitimate way their right to economic development.

This was demonstrated recently at the June 2223 Summit for a New Global Financing Pact hosted by President Emmanuel Macron in France, where President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa asserted that if the West is serious about helping the nations of Africa, it should finance the Inga Dam project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which would bring electricity to 12 to 15 countries. Africa currently has 600 million people without electricity. Zepp-LaRouche ended her opening remarks by emphasizing the urgent necessity of a New Security and Development Architecture which allows the development of all countries on the planet as the only means to address the current disarray.

Much of the ensuing discussion centered on IPC plans for a peace rally at the United Nations scheduled for August 6, the 78th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. A flier will be produced for the event as well as a unique website listing all of the participating groups. Plans are also in the works for sister events everywhere possible both leading up to and on the day of the event.

A suggestion was made that the IPC should strive to get at least one person from every country in the world to make a video in support of the peace rally, which could be posted on the website. Several participants highlighted the importance of bringing more young people into the peace process through campus organizing and other means. There were also many useful suggestions of various social media platforms that could be used for expanded outreach, and suggestions of numerous peace groups that should be contacted for networking purposes. Generally participants were very enthusiastic about the opportunity to strategize with like-minded people on concrete actions necessary to bring about a lasting peace.

Rev. Dr. Terri Strong proposed that the IPC draft a policy paperto be presented to world leadersdetailing the detrimental effects of massive spending on military ventures, thereby draining money and other resources away from social programs which would benefit their own populations. The example of Germany was mentioned where, because of budget cuts, the healthcare system is in a state of collapse. Were a fraction of military expenditures used instead for healthcare, this problem could be resolved. It was decided that a social policy paper be drafted specific to the needs of each country in the form of a petition to be presented to the leaders of these various nations.

Mrs. Zepp-LaRouche ended the discussion by answering a question posed to her about gun violence in the United States. She made the point that violence in the small and violence in the large are interconnected. The U.S. currently experiences a mass shooting every fourteen hours, which is insane. But where does this come from? She then went through the history of how the U.S. military used various methods to break down the natural resistance humans have to using weapons to kill other humans, ultimately resulting in point-and-shoot video games which were subsequently marketed to the general publicincluding children who are now being turned into mass killing machines.

Her solutiontotally coherent with the goals of the IPCis to launch a campaign among schools, churches, teachers, parents, etc. to start a mass movement centered on the idea that the basis of humanity is love. President John F. Kennedys June 10, 1963 Peace Speech should be used as a pedagogical device along with aesthetical education to help people discover the true nature of what it means to be human. This is necessary to move civilization to a New Paradigm of international relations, without which we will not succeed in keeping humanity alive.
GOP Congressman Wants Financial Accountability for Ukraine War

July 13, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) has proposed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires a clear definition and assessment of the Biden administrations war strategy, including a diplomatic pathway ... by which the United States can facilitate a negotiated cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. The proposed amendment also requires appropriate Congressional committees to provide a briefing on the United States strategy with respect to Ukraine and the plans for the implementation of such strategy.

The expectation is that by autumn, Congress is somehow going to have to approve more military assistance for Ukraine. Since February 2022, the U.S. has spent $40 billion in military assistance. Davidsons amendment also calls for an assessment of what the continued conflict would cost, projected one, five and ten years into the future. And, unless this unclassified report is delivered to Congress within 90 days of the amendments passage, and lawmakers are briefed, no funds will be forthcoming. On two earlier occasions, in May and in December 2022, Davidson voted against major aid packages for Ukraine.

Its notable that Davidsons amendment has backing not only from such conservative groups as the Concerned Veterans for America, but also from progressive groups like Peace Action and the Friends Committee for National Legislation, which are attracted to the call for a diplomatic solution or at least the demand to have an honest debate on ending the war.

Davidson told Responsible Statecraft in an interview published July 12 that the main condition is no mission, no aid. If you cant tell me what the mission is, I cant tell what Im funding. He also indicated he has no interest in funding a regime-change war that aims to grind down the Russian army with no real endgame. In that case, youre grinding down the Ukraine army, too, and frankly the entire nation of Ukraine. To state the obvious, he is a making a frontal attack on the support Ukraine as long as it takes litany.

This week, the House version of the NDAA will start to consider 1,500 amendments, ultimately heading toward a full chamber vote. The restrictions indicated in his amendment apply only to aid provided in the NDAA each year through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative but wont affect the main bulk of money that might be passed in a supplemental package.

Davidson emphasized that if you really want to commit to some mission that says, no Russians left in Ukraine at the pre-January 2022 borders, then thats the kind of debate that this is supposed to focus on. Lets have that actual debate. He explained, A lot of people are like, if you are willing to do nothing then that means youre okay with (the invasion). But that lets the people off the hook who are supposed to define the mission and hold the executive branch accountable for accomplishing itthe Secretary of State, the President, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Secretary of Defense. Thats how you get George W. Bush on the deck of an aircraft carrier with a mission accomplished banner and everyone knew the mission wasnt accomplished.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR FRIDAY JULY 14, 2023

If You Want To Avoid Nuclear War, Start a Peace Movement

July 13, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)During an interview with Russian online daily Lenta.ru, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the sobering point that the deployment of Western F-16s into Ukraine will be perceived by Russia as a nuclear threat. We have informed the nuclear powers, Lavrov said, that Russia cannot ignore the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons. No amount of assurances will help here. It is known that F-16s can be equipped to carry B-61 gravity nuclear bombs, yet a distant observer, namely Russia, will have no way of discerning whether one is so armed. In the course of combat operations, Lavrov continued, our servicemen are not going to sort out whether each particular aircraft of this type is equipped to deliver nuclear weapons or not. We will regard the very fact that the Ukrainian armed forces have such systems as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere.

What does this mean, you might ask? It means you must do everything in your capacity to activate a peace movement in the United States and Europe right nowthe lives of everyone around you will likely depend on it. Western and NATO governments have created a situation identical to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, where the slightest miscommunication, or miscalculation, could trigger a global, civilization-ending war. And if you think this is an exaggeration, and that theyll never let that happen, think again. This is their explicit policy, as has been stated repeatedly: Stop worrying about Putins red linespush the envelope and call his bluff.

At the same time, the ostensibly united Western alliance is looking more and more absurd by the day. Despite the fact that the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, concluded with heavy security and economic guarantees for Ukraine, it wasnt without a fair amount of footwork to keep open brawls from breaking out. The Ukrainians reportedly infuriated many at the NATO summit with their insults that NATOs failure to grant Ukraine membership shows they are absurd and lacking political will. Consider also the news that Ukraines sponsors cannot reach an agreement on how to repair the vaunted Leopard battle tanks from Germanyequipment previously seen as a game-changer for Ukraine on the battlefield. No one can agree on who should pay for it, so the tanks sit there, unusable.

As Lyndon LaRouche long insisted, the danger of war comes from the collapse of the Western nations economic/financial systems. As Biden said himself in an interview that aired July 9 with CNN, the decision to deploy cluster bombs to Ukraine was not made simply out of a crazed obsession to destroy Russia (though this is certainly true), but rather because the U.S. cannot keep up with needed production rates and has run out of regular ammunition. However that little nugget of truth slipped out we may never know, but it is serving to ignite new opposition to the immorality of the current policy of war, showing the lie to the so-called thriving Western democracies versus the weak and desperate autocracies.

Mankind is at a crossroads such as it has never experienced before, the resolution of which cannot be extrapolated from any previous political or historical period. There may be similarities, or metaphorical correlatives, but there is nothing to ground oneself upon, so as to ride through the tumult of today. Only assertions of principleas applied and fought for by courageous leaders of todays new peace movementwill work to usher the nations of the world into a new paradigm. This is the importance of Helga Zepp-LaRouches Ten Principles for today, as stated, for example, in her tenth point: The basic assumption for the new paradigm is, that man is fundamentally good and capable to infinitely perfect the creativity of his mind and the beauty of his soul. This principle is the basis for optimismand of creating peaceeven among widely-differing peoples and nations.
Planet Earths recent record-breaking heat is causing concern for scientists and others worldwide. In the United States, experts question if American cities are safe for their populations during heat waves.

A heat wave is a period of higher-than-normal heat that lasts for many days in a row.

In 1995, a heat wave in Chicago killed more than 700 people. Most of the deaths were in poor and majority Black neighborhoods. Many homes in those areas were without air cooling equipment.

And, the citys electric power grid was unable to keep up with air cooling demands as well. Electricity outages resulted. Temperatures stayed close to 40 degrees Celsius for a week.

Chicago has made major changes since then. New operations include a huge public communication and relocation effort. They tell people when hot weather is coming and move them to safer, cooler living spaces when necessary.

Other cities in the country have established similar operations, including Los Angeles, California and Miami, Florida. A local chief heat officer leads planning and response efforts in those cities and others.

But some scientists and city planning experts worry that existing measures and policies are not enough.

Eric Klinenberg is a social sciences professor at New York University who wrote a book about Chicagos deadly heat wave.

I dont know a single city that is truly prepared for the worst-case scenario, he said.

In Chicago, city leaders worked to identify people who are in danger on very hot days. Those people get text messages and other warnings when hot weather is coming.

But a system that works in one place may not work in another, says anthropologist Bharat Venkat. He directs the Heat Lab program at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Venkat said many places suffer from what is called thermal inequality. He said cities should spend money to protect their workers and people. That may sound costly, but doing nothing will be even more costly, he said.

Cities in France, Germany and India all have new systems to keep people safe during heat waves. The changes came after heat events caused thousands of deaths in recent years.

Ladd Keith is a professor at the University of Arizona. He said the east coast city of Baltimore, Maryland, has a good heat warning system. Others such as Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix, Arizona do, too. But he said, there are still over 19,000 cities and towns without them.

Inkyu Han is a health scientist at Temple University in Philadelphia. He said cities should make low-cost cooling units available to people who do not have much money. But there are simple things to do that can lower the temperature of cities, he added. Cities can plant trees and establish more green spaces, for example, especially in the areas where poor people live.

Han is one of a number of people who discussed the problems low-earning people face during very hot days.

Kate Moretti is another. She is an emergency doctor in the New England state of Rhode Island. The Atlantic Ocean helps keep summer days from getting too hot there. But when it does get hot, she said, people who are older, poor, work outside or those who are homeless put a strain on the system. The hospitals see more people than they can handle for heat-related problems.

Robin Bachin is a history professor at the University of Miami. Bachin said laws keep utility companies from shutting off heat on very cold days.

However, when it is hot, there are not similar requirements. For example, she noted that there are not often rules requiring owners provide air cooling systems for renters.

She said the lack of protection from heat was extremely dangerous.

Klinenberg said throughout history, the heat waves in the U.S. have been short. But there could be problems in the future if it gets hotter and out-of-date electrical systems cannot keep up.

He noted that poor areas were most affected by Chicagos heat wave in 1995.

Noboru Nakamura is a professor of atmospheric sciences who studies extreme weather at the University of Chicago. He listed the citys improvements since 1995 but he said resource inequity is something you cant really get rid of overnight. And we still have the same issue that we had back then, today. He called it a big, big, big unsolved problem.

Im Dan Friedell. And I'm Faith Pirlo.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by The Associated Press.

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Words in This Story

grid n. the network of power centers and power lines that deliver electricity to homes and buildings

relocation n. the act of moving something from one place to another

scenario n. a description of what might happen

anthropologist n. a person who studies humans and human culture

thermal adj. having to do with heat

unit n. one item of a product

strain n. stress or something that is hard to manage

utility n. a company that provides essential services such as power, water and gas

renter n. a person who lives in a building or home owned by someone else

inequity adj. describing something that is not balanced or fair

get rid of v. to eliminate or end

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An Indian spacecraft traveled to the far side of the moon Friday.

Indias space agency said it is a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago. The mission was to land a space vehicle, called a rover, on the moons surface.

Chandrayaan-3, the word for moon craft in Sanskrit, took off from Sriharikota in southern India. It included an orbiter, a lander, and a rover in a demonstration of Indias growing space technology. The spacecraft will take a little more than a month before landing on the moons surface later in August.

Engineers and scientists from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) celebrated as they watched the launch of the spacecraft at mission control at Satish Dhawan Space Center. Thousands of Indians cheered outside the center and waved the national flag as they watched the spacecraft rise into the sky.

Congratulations India. Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon, ISRO Director Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said shortly after the launch.

A successful landing would make India the fourth country  after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China  to do so.

Dr. Jitendra Singh is an Indian official for Science and Technology. He said part of Chandrayaan-3 has equipment that would provide data to the scientific community on the scientific makeup of moon soil and rocks.

Several countries and private companies are in a race to successfully land a spacecraft on the moons surface. In April, a Japanese companys spacecraft is thought to have crashed while attempting to land on the moon. An Israeli organization tried to do something similar in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on hitting the moon.

With India becoming the worlds fifth-largest economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government is ready to show off the countrys strength in security and technology.

India is using research from space and elsewhere to solve problems at home. Its space program has already helped develop satellite, communication and remote-sensing technologies. And it has been used to measure underground water levels and predict weather in the country.

This is a very critical mission, said Pallava Bagla. He is a science writer and co-writer of books on Indias space exploration. He added that India will require soft landing technology if it wants to attempt more missions to the moon.

India is also looking forward to its first mission to the International Space Station next year. It will be working with the United States as part of agreements reached between Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House last month.

Bagla said the visit by an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station will not slow down Indias own program. The program aims to launch an Indian astronaut from Indian soil on an Indian rocket in late 2024.

As part of its space program, active since the 1960s, India has launched satellites for itself and other countries, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014.

Singh said that based on the current path of growth, Indias space industry could be a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Aijaz Rahi And Ashok Sharma reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

craft  n. an airplane, helicopter, or spacecraft

journey  n. an act of traveling from one place to another

critical  adj. extremely important

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For Rima Yaremenko, the 5,000-kilometer journey to escape Russian occupation ended within sight of where it started. The 68-year-old Ukrainian woman crossed three countries over six days only to settle across the river from her seized hometown.

She came a long way by bus through Russia, Latvia, and Poland to be this close. From the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson, where she now lives, the outline of Oleshky can be seen. But the community with a prewar population of 25,000 may as well be a world away.

Yaremenko lived under Russias rule for 15 months. She dealt with the sounds of war just to be near her home. In June, the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam caused massive flooding and reduced her home to dirt.

She faced a difficult choice: Be homeless as the war continues nearby or take the only way out  a long and unclear journey through Russia. We didnt want to go, but once we were flooded, I decided theres nothing to stay for, she said.

Hundreds of others left too. They left their flooded homes to travel long distances of occupied land, past checkpoints, and through Russian cities, all to reach the borders of the European Union.

Now beyond the reach of Russian officials, escapees told The Associated Press about their lives under Russian occupation and their escape.

Continuous shelling became too much for those already struggling with homelessness and limited drinking water. Most did not have the money to rebuild. Occupation officials offered $100 to deal with the flooding.

Lana, 43, left Oleshky on June 19 and arrived in Kherson a little over a week later. She said, My house was unlivable. She added that water pipes were broken and dirty and there was human waste. She said, It was impossible to breathe.

At first, Ukrainians in occupied territories hoped the Ukrainian military would free them. But the longer they remained, the more they feared pressure to get Russian passports.

The AP spoke to nine people who left Oleshky from June 13 to July 1. The only way out of the occupied part of the Kherson area was through Crimea, which Russia took from Ukraine in 2014.

Travelers had to be processed in the town of Armyansk. Phones were inspected, and email passwords were collected. Those suspected of working with Ukrainian forces were questioned or detained, in some cases never to be seen again.

Nelly Isaeva is the director of Helping to Leave, an organization that works remotely to help Ukrainians who want to escape Russian occupation. She said some are unable to pass simply because they lost their documents and have no money.

A woman who remains in Oelshky said life under occupation has become harder over time.

The Russians began to act more harshly than before, she said. She did not give her name out of fear for her safety. Russian soldiers now check the documents of locals, for example, when visiting the market.

For that reason, the woman and her family avoid leaving the house. Many people get by on the food that remains after others leave. They give us their stocks, she said.

Im Caty Weaver.

Samya Kullab and Hanna Arhirova reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

journey  n. an act of traveling from one place to another

checkpoint  n. a place where people or cars are searched by someone (such as a police officer) before being allowed to continue

access  n. a way of being able to use or get something

harshly  adj. severe or cruel

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China, Russia jointly promote world multi-polarity, greater democracy in int'l relations: Wang Yi

Xinhua) 08:43, July 14, 2023

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (R) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday said China and Russia will jointly promote world multi-polarity and greater democracy in international relations.

When meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said that in the face of major changes unseen in a century, China and Russia firmly support each other in safeguarding their legitimate interests and adhere to the path of harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation.

The two sides should follow the important consensus reached between the two heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges, and strengthen strategic communication and coordination, Wang said.

Both sides should demonstrate their responsibilities as major countries, safeguard their respective national interests and dignity, and uphold international fairness and justice, he added.

Noting that both China and Russia are ASEAN's dialogue partners, Wang said strengthening cooperation with ASEAN countries is conducive to converging regional consensus on development, promoting multilateralism, and boosting regional prosperity and stability.

China is ready to work with Russia to support ASEAN centrality, guard against interference from external forces, support ASEAN countries in upholding the correct direction of East Asia cooperation and safeguard the hard-won peace and stability in this region, Wang noted.

For his part, Lavrov said Russia is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, further strengthen strategic coordination and deepen cooperation in various fields.

He called for efforts to promote world multi-polarity, oppose hegemony and power politics, and jointly support ASEAN centrality.

The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
An expo in Macau on environmental protection topics that is traditionally three days in duration will have an additional day this year, the organizer announced in a statement yesterday.

From Aug. 17 to 20, the Macao International Environmental Cooperation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF) will return to the Venetian Macaos CotaiExpo.

According to the statement, it is hoped that the extension will facilitate more matching, discussion and negotiation, as well as attracting exhibitors and visitors to extend their stays in Macau, to actualize the MICE+Tourism tactic of tourism promotion.

Tourism+ has in the past year or so become a key strategy of the Macau government in drawing visitors to Macau through non-tourist events, such as meetings and exhibitions.

This years event will revolve around the theme of building an ecological civilization through innovative initiatives. Highlights include the continuation of professional exhibitions on carbon neutrality; forum discussions; matching sessions and public visitations to promote a diversified development strategy, four major industries in Macau, the joint development of Macau and Hengqin, as well as professionalization of eco-friendly industries.

The first of these events was held in 2008. The brand secured accreditation from The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI).

The event is organized by the Macau government, with support from the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment. It is co-organized by the governments across the Pearl River Delta.
China and Southeast Asian nations agreed yesterday to try and conclude within three years a long-delayed nonaggression pact aimed at preventing the frequent territorial spats in the busy South China Sea from turning into a major armed conflict.

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed yesterday during a meeting between the 10-nation blocs foreign ministers and Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta to guidelines to complete their code of conduct negotiations before fall 2026, a Southeast Asian diplomat involved in the meetings told The Associated Press.

The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly ahead of the official announcement of the agreement.

China and four of ASEANs member states  Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam  along with Taiwan have been locked in a decades-long territorial standoff in the disputed waterway, a key passageway for global trade that is believed to be sitting atop vast undersea deposits of oil and gas.

The contested territory has long been feared as an Asian flashpoint and has become a sensitive front in the U.S.-China rivalry in the region.

A joint working group by China and ASEAN should endeavor to conclude the negotiation of an effective and substantive code of conduct, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea, within a 3-year timeline or earlier, according to the guidelines, a copy of which was seen by the AP.

The guidelines called for more meetings between the two sides and the start of negotiations for the most contentious issues, including whether the regional code should be legally enforceable and its geographical scope.

Washington lays no territorial claims in the South China Sea but has said that freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of the disputes were in the United States national interest. It has challenged Chinas expansive territorial claims in the region and Beijing has angrily reacted by warning the U.S. to stop meddling in what it calls a purely Asian dispute.

China and ASEAN signed a nonbinding 2002 accord that called on rival claimant nations to avoid aggressive actions that could spark armed conflicts, including the occupation of barren islets and reefs, but violations have persisted.

About 10 years ago, China turned seven disputed reefs into what have become missile-protected chain of islands in the Spratlys, the most hotly contested part of the South China Sea, sparking alarm from rival claimant states and the U.S. and its allies. With tensions rising, ASEAN and China had agreed to negotiate for a code of conduct. But the talks were delayed for years, including during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and because of major differences between China and rival claimant states.

Chinese negotiators have proposed that the code of conduct restrict the presence and activities of foreign forces in the disputed waters. Southeast Asian diplomats have said that U.S. allies involved in the talks were opposed given their stance that Washington serves a crucial role as a counterweight to Beijing in the region.

NINIEK KARMINI & JIM GOMEZ, JAKARTA, MDT/AP
Following the death of a police officer from the Public Security Police Force (PSP) after feeling unwell during a 1.8 km run, lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho has once again called for the improvement of the health care system for Macau civil servants.

The matter has already been addressed at the Legislative Assembly recently with the lawmakers linked with the Macau Civil Servants Association (ATFPM) calling for an improvement of the Civil Servants Medical Center, which he claims is an obsolete service due to the non-allocation of enough resources to pay support on time to public workers.

Pereira Coutinho added that the pandemic also led to many civil servants stopping or delaying their medical check-ups.

In mid-April, Che Sai Wang called on the government to enforce a regular and standardized medical examination for all civil servants to protect their health and, consequently, the services they provide the public, he said in a written inquiry. RM
The European Unions top diplomat yesterday expressed opposition to Myanmars upcoming role as the overseer of relations between the 27-nation bloc and Southeast Asian nations and reasserted its non-recognition of the strife-torn countrys military government.

The comments marked the latest diplomatic fallout from the Myanmar armys forcible seizure of power from Aung San Suu Kyis elected government on Feb. 1, 2021 that plunged the country into deadly chaos.

Josep Borrell, the EUs high representative for foreign affairs, raised the concern in a meeting with foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. The 10-nation ASEAN includes Myanmar and Indonesia, which leads the regional group this year.

We face a challenge related to the potential of Myanmar assuming the role of ASEAN coordinator for relations with the European Union, Borrell told his ASEAN counterparts at the start of their meeting.

We dont recognize the military junta and perhaps you will find a solution to overcome this issue, he said.

There was no immediate reaction from the foreign ministers but a Southeast Asian diplomat attending the meetings told The Associated Press that the concern raised by the EU was being discussed within ASEAN to prevent any disruptions in the robust trade and geopolitical relations between the two regional blocs.

The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

The EU, the United States and other Western governments have imposed sanctions on Myanmars military government and demanded an immediate end to violence and the release of Suu Kyi and other political detainees.

ASEAN assigns a member state to oversee trade, political and security relations with each world power it has ties with, including the EU, for three years. The Philippines currently coordinates ASEAN-EU relations and is scheduled to be succeeded by Myanmar next year.

Among the options being considered by the ASEAN ministers was to assign Laos, which will hold the regional groups rotational chairmanship next year, to coordinate ties with the EU, the diplomat said.

ASEAN also does not recognize Myanmars military government and has barred military-appointed representatives from attending the groups top-level meetings, including those being hosted this week by Indonesia.

More than 3,750 civilians, including pro-democracy activists, have been killed by security forces and nearly 24,000 arrested since the military takeover, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights group that keeps tallies of arrests and casualties.

ASEAN officials barred the military government from attending its ministerial meetings and summits of heads of state after Myanmars generals refused to meaningfully comply with a five-point emergency plan that called for an immediate end to the violence and the start of talks among contending parties that could be brokered by the groups special envoy.

Myanmars leaders have not given ASEANs special envoy access to Suu Kyi but Thailands foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, told his counterparts in the bloc and the media that he met with Suu Kyi on Sunday and that she conveyed her openness to engage in talks to resolve the crisis gripping her nation.

The Thai minister is the only government official outside of Myanmar known to have met Myanmars democracy icon since she was detained with other officials after the army forcibly took power in 2021. He told his ASEAN counterparts Wednesday that Suu Kyi was in good health when he met with her for more than an hour.

She encourages dialogue, he told reporters in Jakarta when asked what message Suu Kyi conveyed to him. Obviously were trying to find a way to settle with Myanmar.

Its too early to tell if the access to Suu Kyi granted by Myanmars military government would lead to further talks between her camp and the ruling generals. EDNA TARIGAN & JIM GOMEZ, JAKARTA, MDT/AP
* Lost in tourism

 Trip.com: No marketing strategy behind mainland hotels appearing amongst Macau searches

* World Press Photography | Often challenging to bring exhibitions to China: Foundation

* Taste of Edesia

* Leaders of the Macao Chinese Civil Servants Association call for a 3.3% pay raise this year amid rising costs of living

* Macau arranging flight check-in for HZMB incoming passengers

* High times in Thailand: New weed laws draw tourists from across Asia

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Friday, July 14, 2023  edition no. 4287
The German government yesterday presented a long-awaited strategy for relations with China that points to a systemic rivalry with the Asian power and a need to reduce risks of economic dependency, but highlights Berlins desire to work with Beijing on global challenges such as climate change.

The 64-page document approved by Chancellor OIaf Scholzs Cabinet builds on Germanys first national security strategy, issued a month ago, which didnt go into detail on foreign policy. Scholzs three-party coalition had pledged when it took office in late 2021 to draw up a comprehensive China strategy.

Germany has Europes biggest economy and is the 27-nation European Unions most populous member. It is keen to maintain good ties with China, its biggest trading partner in recent years, despite wariness over Beijings growing assertiveness and refusal to criticize the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In its strategy, the government said it is committed to ensuring that economic cooperation with China becomes fairer, more sustainable and more reciprocal. It noted that whereas Chinas dependencies on Europe are constantly declining, Germanys dependencies on China have taken on greater significance in recent years.

It is not our intention to impede Chinas economic progress and development, it said. At the same time, de-risking is urgently needed. However, we are not pursuing a decoupling of our economies. The message echoes that delivered in May by the Group of Seven leading industrial powers, including Germany.

The new strategy made clear that Germany wont be deterred from doing business with self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province. Germany has close and good relations with Taiwan in many areas and wants to expand them, it said.

The status quo of the Taiwan Strait may only be changed by peaceful means and mutual consent, it said. Military escalation would also affect German and European interests.

The strategy was released a few weeks after Scholz and about half his Cabinet hosted a delegation led by new Chinese Premier Li Qiang, whose visit to Berlin was his first foreign trip since becoming Chinas No. 2 official in March. MDT/AP
An agreement signed between Macau and Portugal will help facilitate greater cooperation between the regions, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) said in a statement.

On Jul. 12, the bureau signed the agreement with the Coordinating Council of Higher Polytechnic Institutes in Portugal, a day after Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong met with a delegation from the entity.

Earlier this year, Ao Ieong visited Portugal to seek cooperation in the areas of medicine and healthcare, as well as education and culture.

The DSEDJ noted that the agreement aims at constructing a framework for strategic partnership.

According to the bureau, the implementation of the agreement will result in constant communications and mutual education data sharing between the Portuguese council and itself. This will help provide more appropriate and multifaceted information to Macau students who want to pursue further education in the European country, the education bureau highlighted.

Meanwhile, the agreement will also foster cooperation and exchange between Macaus higher education institutions and their counterparts under the Council. This will help elevate the internationalization level of Macaus higher education, the DSEDJ underlined, adding that more opportunities will also be made possible to local students.

According to the bureau, it has been diligent in cultivating people with talent in Portuguese for Macau, through apparatus such as organizing relevant activities and competitions, supporting higher education students in Macau and Portugal to organize their own events, as well as assisting local students overseas education in Portugal.

In the past decade or so, the Macau government has identified the cultivation of Portuguese talent in Macau as a key policy. AL
A Japanese tourist reaches into a baggie of cannabis hes just bought in a central Bangkok weed shop, pulling out a gram of buds to chop down in a small black grinder, before rolling them neatly into a joint.

Only the slight spillage onto the smoking lounges table  and his cough as he lights up and inhales deeply  betray the fact that until two weeks ago, hed never tried marijuana.

Most Asian nations have strict drug laws with harsh penalties, and Thailands de facto legalization of marijuana last year has brought a wave of tourists from the region like the visitor from Japan, intrigued by the lure of the forbidden leaf.

I was curious about how I would feel after smoking, said the 42-year-old tourist who spoke on condition that his name not be used, for fear his experimentation in Bangkok could lead to legal issues at home.

I wonder why Japan bans it? he pondered. I wanted to try it.

Even as more countries around the world legalize marijuana, Thailand has been the outlier in Asia, where several countries still have the death penalty for some cannabis offenses. Singapore has already executed two people this year for trafficking marijuana and its Central Narcotics Bureau has announced plans to randomly test people returning from Thailand.

Japan does not have the death penalty for drug offenses, but has warned that its laws on cannabis use may apply to its nationals even when they are abroad.

Chinas embassy in Thailand has warned that if Chinese tourists consume marijuana abroad and are detected upon returning to China, it is considered equivalent to using drugs domestically. As a result, you will be subject to corresponding legal penalties. It issues similar warnings for travel to other countries where marijuana is readily available, such as the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.

On a recent flight from the Chinese city of Shanghai, passengers were cautioned not to accidentally try marijuana in Bangkok, with an announcement that in Thailand some food and drink can include cannabis, so please pay attention to the leaf logo on the package of food.

Neither Chinese nor Singaporean authorities would detail how frequently they test citizens returning from countries where marijuana has been decriminalized, responding to queries from the AP simply by reiterating their previously announced policies.

Its no wonder that weed dispensaries in Bangkok say that customers from Singapore and China are among the most cautious, asking questions about how long traces of the drug remain in the system and whether there are detox products.

But many remain undeterred, and Thailands cannabis industry has grown at lightning speed, with weed dispensaries now almost as common as the ubiquitous convenience stores in some parts of the capital. Through February, nearly 6,000 licenses for cannabis-related businesses have been approved, including more than 1,600 in Bangkok alone, according to official figures.

There are no government figures on how many tourists come specifically to smoke marijuana, but Kueakarun Thongwilai, the manager of a weed shop in central Bangkok, estimates at least 70%-80% of his customers are foreigners, primarily from Asian countries like Japan, Malaysia, China and Philippines, and some from Europe.

Most cannabis shops, including his, now only hire employees who speak English, the lingua franca of the industry.

You dont need to speak perfect English, but you need to communicate with foreigners, Thongwilai said.

About half of his customers are first-time weed users and most of them are Asians, he said.

Some want to try edible cannabis products, but Thongwilai said he tries to steer them toward smoking.

Edibles take more time to take effect, and during that time people may eat more and more, leading to an excessive experience for beginners, he said.

Not all are new to the drug, said Thongwilai, remembering a Malaysian customer who snuck away from a meal with his wife and daughter at a nearby restaurant. The man said he smoked marijuana secretly at home, but had heard the Thai product was better quality and wanted to try it.

He bought the cheapest weed in our shop and tried it in a mall, and then he came back and bought more, Thongwilai recalled.

Not far from Thongwilais shop at Dutch Passion, a newly opened retail branch of a Netherlands seed distributor that has been in business for more than three decades, about half the customers are also first-time users, said Theo Geene, a Dutch shareholder in the business.

Cannabis has been available in coffee shops in the Netherlands since the 1970s, and Geene said he has used his experience to train his staff how to serve those unfamiliar with the drug.

For beginners, its not good to use a bong, he said. Its too much for them. We dont want anyone to pass out here.

Most customers refused to talk about their experiences, with the Japanese tourist in Geenes shop the only one who agreed to  and only on the condition his name not be used.

Most of the shops Asian customers are similarly discreet, choosing to smoke their purchases inside rather than on the streets like many Westerners do, which is common but a violation of Thai regulations, Geene said.

They are more cautious and afraid, he said. They dont want to be seen when they smoke weed.

Before he embarked on his trip to Thailand, the 42-year-old Japanese tourist said he researched extensively online and determined that while customs might randomly check bags and luggage for marijuana being smuggled into Japan, there was no testing going on in line with government policy.

Since his first puff two weeks ago, he said hes been smoking every day, visiting different shops, comparing prices and trying different strains.

Dispensary staffers taught him how to grind buds and roll a joint and hes been having fun perfecting the technique.

I practice it every day, he said, looking down at the joint he was rolling and repeating the word practice twice before bursting into laughter. YUCHENG TANG, BANGKOK, MDT/AP
A Burmese person was caught on camera by social media users walking naked along Avenida de Horte e Costa on Wednesday evening. Following the viral video, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) disclosed that a related report was received at about 8:45 p.m. the same evening. Police officers intercepted the man, aged in his forties, on Estrada de Coelho do Amaral. He admitted to having consumed alcoholic beverages and taking his shirt off, but could not remember how he came to be roaming the streets without any clothing. He was then fined by the police pursuant to the General Regulations Governing Public Places.

Related
Some travelers to Macau have been surprised by offers made by the online booking platform Trip.com after searching for accommodation in Macau. In a direct email from the company, the operator was offering the travelers many options located across the border, either in Hengqin or Gongbei areas in the neighboring city of Zhuhai.

In response to a Times inquiry, Chen Si, Global Public Relations for Trip.com Group explained via phone that these emails are automatically generated and take into account different factors. She explained that there is no marketing strategy behind the offering of hotels in the mainland instead of in Macau, noting that the results might come from user data, related to the time and popularity of searches, searches from others users, among others factors.

Questioned by the Times whether price played a role, as the hotels on offer presented prices about 60 to 70% below the average prices in Macau, Chen said that such a factor might play a role but reaffirmed that offers are always the result of multiple factors attempting to cater to the needs of the users.

Still, in the information that the Times had access from several readers, as well as a personal experience from a Times reporter who tested the system, the majority of offers are for hotels located in the neighboring city of Zhuhai, a fact that might confuse particularly non-Chinese tourists attempting to book.

In searches performed by the Times, there were several hotels in Zhuhai featured on the first page of Most Popular choices for hotels in Macau, appearing side-by-side with hotel units located in Macau.

The Times also noticed that most of the hotel units appearing in Macau are referenced in the Trip.com web platform as Near Gongbei Port [Border Gate], a fact that might explain why they were being offered to those searching for hotels in Macau, although the company did not claim this.

MGTO: Macau searches only deliver Macau

hotels options

When questioned on the same matter, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has said in a written reply to the Times that if a user searches for Macau hotels on the OTA platform (e.g Trip.com), only Macau hotel information will appear, although as mentioned previously, several searches done by the Times on different occasions over the past few days have proven this information to be not completely accurate as, if the users opt for a search taking into account the most popular hotels (the default option), several hotels located in Zhuhai do appear also in a direct search.

Questioned on the partnership that MGTO has announced on several occasions to maintain with the Trip.com platform to promote Macau as a destination, the same office said to be cooperating with several Online Travel Agencies (OTA), noting that such cooperation is not an exclusive partnership.

For some users who have not made a reservation after searching, the platform may push promotional emails or onsite advertisements according to certain algorithms, and the pushed content varies according to the users browsing preferences and the platforms promotional content, MGTO concluded, adding that the platform mentioned [Trip.com] provides an option for the user to not receive promotional emails.

To understand the opinion of the local hospitality industry, the Times contacted at least two tourism and hospitality local associations. As of press time, the Times had not received any comments from representatives of any of those sector groups.
Samantha Leach has plenty of similarities with countless college students: They need plenty of money to pay for college, theyre worried about going into debt, and they need to make time to look for scholarships.

Hard work, but worth it, said Leach, who starts graduate school this fall at Clemson University seeking her masters in engineering with a focus on biomedical engineering. Her student-loan debts?

Zero.

She has paid for college completely with free money  a mix of scholarships and grants  along with state grants and money from Clemson. In addition, she expects to pay for graduate school with funds in her 529 college savings account and fellowship money, meaning shell likely start her career after college debt free.

While many students arent in the same comfort zone as Leach, dissecting her story shows what can be done with focus, determination and resilience that allowed her to press on after scholarship rejection letters.

Not that Leach didnt have hurdles to overcome. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, she was raised by her mother and grandparents after her father passed away when she was young. However, Leach didnt feel comfortable asking them to help pay for her college education.

So before starting her senior year of high school, she got serious and started the hunt for money. While her research wasnt totally digital, she did rely on online scholarship clearinghouse tools such as Scholarship.com, Niche.com, FastWeb and the National Society of High School Scholars.

She wound up applying for about 50 scholarships, basically anything that I thought I met the criteria. She applied for local and state scholarships, regional scholarships and some of the big national, highly competitive awards.

My mindset was if I didnt get the scholarship, it was mostly because I didnt fit what they were looking for, said Leach, 22. Id finish a few more applications, then go look for a few more. It was not worth stressing.

Of 50 applications, she was selected for about 10 scholarships, including several that automatically renewed if she maintained good grades. One organization awarded her $5,000, and several others were in the $1,500 to $2,000 range.

While Leach counts herself fortunate, she wants other students to have that same feeling.

Here is some of her advice for scholarship success:

Come up with a research plan that suits you.

There is not a one-path track that works, said Leach.

For example, Leach created spreadsheets that allowed her to easily track application deadlines, contact information and other details.

She likened the research and application process to adding an additional class her senior year of high school.

Get your ducks in a row early. The summer before senior year of high school is as good a time as any to research scholarship applications and deadlines.

Network.

Talk to friends and people in grades above you to see what worked for them, Leach said. Share knowledge about scholarship programs.

Be authentic in your application. Scholarship committees want to know who you are and why you want the scholarship, Leach said.

Dont be afraid to try for large scholarships, but understand the competition can be intense. On the other hand, she said, many small awards are available from organizations in your own backyard  often with little competition.
WASHINGTON  The Army officer tapped to be the service's next chief of staff outlined for senators on Wednesday his plan to fix what he described as the service's top challenge  rebuilding recruiting  as it becomes clear the Army will again fall short of its enlistment goal.

Gen. Randy George, the vice chief of staff of the Army, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the service is looking at short and long-term ways to improve how recruiters are chosen and deployed around the country, and to better tailor marketing to attract young people.

Gen. James McConville, the Army chief of staff, will step down Aug. 4, but George's confirmation is uncertain at best, due to a Senate dispute over military nominations.

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama is blocking confirmation of more than 260 senior military officers to protest a Defense Department policy that pays for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care.

George is a highly decorated Army infantry solider, who commanded at all levels and did multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was commissioned at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1988 and recently served as commander of I Corps at Joint Base Lewis McChord. He also was the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Rumor has it teenagers worry only about their phones and their friends. But what if they worry about money, too? Research from the 2022 Junior Achievement Teens

& Personal Finance Survey found that over 54% of teens feel unprepared for their financial futures. One way parents could help their kids feel more prepared is by addressing their money fears.

Uncover your teen's money fears

There are several ways to learn about your teen's money fears, but a good place to start is by looking at yours.

"(Parents) have to look at their own issues because what you bring to the table is what your kids are going to pick up, even if you tell them to do the opposite," says Michele Paiva, a Downingtown, Pennsylvania-based licensed psychotherapist whose work focuses on trauma recovery and financial education and therapy.

Get introspective about what your feelings about money are and how that might show up in your home. For instance, if you're always arguing with your partner about their or your spending habits, this could contribute to your teen developing insecurities about their ability to manage their finances.

Once you've looked within, explore learning about money as a family. Paiva says playing Monopoly is a fun way to spark money-related conversations: "Do I want to spend all of my money on property? If I land on someone, do I have enough money for rent? If I go to jail, do I have enough money to get out of jail?"

Conversations can go beyond a Monopoly board to asking scenario-based questions. Ask them what they'd do if they had $100 today, suggests LaQueshia Clemons, an accredited financial counselor and licensed clinical social worker in Middletown, Connecticut.

"Use those types of questions to kind of gauge where they're at, and then, based on (the) child, go a little deeper to have that conversation with them," she says.

Understand common money fears

Timmesha Butler-Davis holds a doctorate in social work and is a licensed independent clinical social worker who owns Mastery Counseling and Consulting in Ewing, New Jersey. She works with teens at a trauma-informed group in Camden, New Jersey, and they discuss money fears often. A common one she comes across is teens  especially kids who are growing up in poverty  having fears about not having enough to keep up with peers in terms of affording the same things.

"There is a lot of stress and worry and fears and feelings of judgment when it comes to kids who are currently living in poverty," Butler-Davis says. "And it really nificant impact on the way that they feel about themselves, and so it affects their levels of self esteem."

Butler-Davis also says teens have fears about not being able to make enough to sustain themselves. This money fear often comes from poverty as a form of chronic trauma, she adds. Chronic trauma happens when you're repeatedly exposed to traumatic events. In this instance, it may relate to trauma caused by a lack of financial security.

"Oftentimes that trauma can lead into phases of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), where you see kids grow up to either have severely detached relationships with money or severely insufficient or maladaptive relationships with money," Butler-Davis says. This can lead to people hoarding their money so they don't end up like their parents or spending it all, she adds.

Develop a healthier relationship with money

Reversing your teen's money fears won't happen in a day. However, with time and effort, you might help them turn those fears into confidence.

One way is through affirmations, which is a form of encouragement, says Clemons.

"Being a therapist, I'm all about affirmations," she says. "One thing I love is, 'I am in control of my success,' and what success means for every person could be different." She suggests exploring what success looks like for your child and reminding them they're in control of that success.

Depending on what your child's money fears are, another way to help them is by providing them with financial literacy, says Butler-Davis. This could help a child who is worried about how they'll pay for college or keep up with expenses when they become an adult. Being actively engaged could look like taking them to open a savings account or teaching them about credit cards. You could also practice budgeting with them and let them shadow financial-planning activities you do.

Finally, for kids who are afraid they aren't valuable if they don't have tons of money, you can help them by reorienting how they determine their value.

"The biggest thing is knowing that you as a person are valuable no matter what you have but also that your value is not placed in the money that you have," Paiva says.

"(Parents) have to look at their own (money) issues because what you bring to the table is what your kids are going to pick up, even if you tell them to do the opposite."

Michele Paiva, a licensed psychotherapist who focuses on financial education
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UKRAINE

VILNIUS, Lithuania  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed fresh pledges of weapons and ammunition to fight Russia's invasion along with longer-term security commitments from the West on Wednesday even as he expressed disappointment over the lack of a clear path for his country to join NATO as the alliance wrapped up its annual summit.

"The Ukrainian delegation is bringing home a significant security victory for the Ukraine, for our country, for our people, for our children," he said while flanked by U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders from the Group of Seven most powerful democratic nations.

A joint declaration issued by the G7 lays the groundwork for each nation to negotiate agreements to help Ukraine bolster its military over the long term. Zelenskyy described the initiative as a bridge toward eventual NATO membership and a deterrent against Russia.

"We will not waver," Biden vowed after the summit in Lithuania ended. "I mean that. Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken. We will stand for freedom today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes."

The Ukrainian and American presidents also met privately along with their advisers, and Biden acknowledged that Zelenskyy is sometimes "frustrated" by the pace of military assistance.

Zelenskyy thanked Biden, saying that "you spend this money for our lives," and said shipments of controversial cluster munitions would help Ukraine's fi ght against Russia.

It was a marked shift in tone from Zelenskyy's complaints a day earlier, when he said it was "unprecedented and absurd" to avoid setting a timeline for Ukraine to join NATO.

Biden said Zelenskyy understands that whether his country is formally in NATO is "not relevant as long as he has commitments" such as security guarantees. "So he's not concerned about that now."

Seeking consensus

On the final day of NATO's summit, the alliance launched a new forum for deepening ties with Ukraine: the NATO-Ukraine Council. It's intended to serve as a permanent body where the alliance's members and Ukraine can hold consultations and call for meetings in emergency situations.

The setting is part of NATO's effort to bring Ukraine as close as possible to the military alliance without actually joining it. On Tuesday, the leaders said in their communique summarizing the summit's conclusions that Ukraine can join "when allies agree and conditions are met."

"Today we meet as equals," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference with Zelenskyy. "I look forward to the day we meet as allies."

The ambiguous plan for Ukraine's future membership reflects the challenges of reaching consensus among the alliance's current members while the war continues.

"The results of the summit are good, but if there were an invitation, that would be ideal," Zelenskyy said through a translator. He added that joining NATO would be "a serious motivating factor for Ukrainian society" as it resists Russia.

"NATO needs us just as we need NATO," he said alongside Stoltenberg.

'Balancing act'

Ukraine's future membership was the most divisive and emotionally charged issue at this year's summit. In essence, Western countries are willing to keep sending weapons to help Ukraine do the job that NATO was designed to do  hold the line against a Russian invasion  but not allow Ukraine to join its ranks and benefit from its security during the war.

"We have to stay outside of this war but be able to support Ukraine. We managed that very delicate balancing act for the last 17 months. It's to the benefi t of everyone that we maintain that balancing act," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander DeCroo said.

Symbols of support for Ukraine are common around Vilnius, where the country's blue-and yellow flags hang from buildings and are pasted inside windows. One sign cursed Russian President Vladimir Putin. Another urged NATO leaders to "hurry up" their assistance for Ukraine.

However, there was caution inside the summit itself, especially from Biden, who has explicitly said he doesn't think Ukraine is ready to join NATO. There are concerns that the country's democracy is unstable and its corruption remains too deeply rooted.

Under Article 5 of the NATO charter, members are obligated to defend each other from attack, which could swiftly draw the U.S. and other nations into direct fighting with Russia.

Continued support

Defining an end to hostilities is no easy task. Offcials have declined to define the goal, which could suggest a negotiated cease-fire or Ukraine reclaiming all occupied territory. Either way, Putin would essentially have veto power over Ukraine's NATO membership by prolonging the conflict.

To repel Russian attack, the major powers promise "swift and sustained security assistance, modern military equipment across land, sea and air domains, and economic assistance." They also vow to slap more sanctions on Russia.

For now and into the future, they say, they will provide weapons and military equipment, including combat air power, as well as more training for Ukraine's beleaguered army. Zelenskky has asked that these assurances last at least until Ukraine joins NATO.
CHICAGO  A tornado touched down Wednesday evening near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, prompting passengers to take shelter and disrupting hundreds of flights. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

A confirmed tornado was on the ground around 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Chicago.

"This tornado has been touching the ground intermittently so far and is moving east. There are additional circulations along the line south of O'Hare. Seek shelter if in the warned area," it said.

By 8 p.m. the weather service said the Chicago forecast area was "currently tornado warning free." It said the storm was moving east toward Michigan, where tornado warnings were issued.

Video from TV stations showed hundreds of people taking shelter in an O'Hare concourse. Some 169 flights were canceled and nearly 500 were delayed, according to the flight tracking service Flight Aware.

The National Weather Service issued two tornado warnings for portions of the city Wednesday evening. Tornado sirens sounded at least twice across Chicago, warning people to take cover and ringing through the city's buildings.

Lynn Becker, a longtime Chicago resident, posted video to Twitter with the sirens sounding out across the city's iconic skyline.

"I'm in a 60-story apartment building so my options are somewhat limited," he said. "We have to, I assume, go into the core of the building."

Becker said news of the storm was featured across local media.

"There's a certain panic when you're watching a TV screen and everything is in red ... but the hope is that the damage is minimal," he said.

Local news outlets said warehouses were reported damaged near O'Hare.

The weather service quoted an unidentified emergency manager as saying a roof was blown off in the community of Huntley in McHenry County and a trained weather spotter saying trees were uprooted and roofs blown off in Cook County, where Chicago is located.

Earlier Wednesday, the weather service's Storm Prediction Center had said there was an enhanced risk for severe weather, including tornadoes in northern Illinois, including Chicago.

Many tornadoes have struck in the Chicago metropolitan area, and several have hit within the city limits of Chicago, according to the National Weather Service. Between 1855 and 2021, the weather service recorded 97 significant tornadoes in the Chicago metro area.

The deadliest formed in Palos Hills in Cook County on April 21, 1967. The twister traveled 16 miles through Oak Lawn and the south side of Chicago, killing 33 people, injuring 500 and causing more than $50 million in damage, according to the weather service.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Iowa's new ban on most abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy was challenged in court on Wednesday, launching what will likely be a lengthy and emotional legal battle just hours after the Legislature approved it in a late-night vote.

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said she'll sign the bill into law on Friday. It would take effect immediately.

The bill was passed with exclusively Republican support in a rare, one-day legislative session lasting more than 14 hours. There were vocal  and sometimes tense  objections from Democratic lawmakers and abortion advocates protesting at the Capitol.

The challenge, brought by the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic, requests that a district court temporarily put the soon-to-be law on hold as the courts assess its constitutionality.
MLB

SEATTLE  Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined Vladimir Sr. to become the first father-son duo to win the All-Star Home Run Derby, beating Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena 25-23 in the final round on Monday night.

Guerrero defeated Julio Rodriguez 21-20 in the semifinals after the Mariners star hit a record 41 in the first round in front of his hometown fans.

Batting against Blue Jays manager John Schneider, Guerrero was the last semifinalist to swing and the first finalist, setting a final round record for homers to top Pete Alonso's 23 two years ago. Vladimir Guerrero Sr. won the 2007 derby in San Francisco while with the Los Angeles Angels, beating the Blue Jays' Alex Rios 3-2 in the final.

Arozarena, batting against Tampa Bay field coordinator Tomas Francisco, started his final 30-second segment with 21 homers and quickly got to 23 before lining and popping up on his final swings.

Arozarena overcame Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox 35-22 in the semifinals. Robert hit the longest drive of the night, a 484-foot shot to left in the second round.

Trying to become the youngest Derby winner at age 22, Rodriguez knocked out two-time champion Alonso, who hit 21. Rodriguez beat Corey Seager 3224 in the first round last year at Dodger Stadium, then knocked out Alonso 31-23 before losing to Juan Soto 19-18 in the final.

Arozarena beat Texas' Adolis Garcia 24-17 in the opening pairing before a crowd of 46,952 at T-Mobile Park. Garcia is the godfather to Arozarena's daughter, and the two jumped into each other's arms during warmups.

Robert knocked out Baltimore's Adley Rutschman 28-27 in the opening round. Rutschman hit 21 lefthanded, and the switch hitter then turned around to the right side and hit six more right-handed during a 30-second bonus round.

Guerrero, back for the first time in four years, defeated Mookie Betts 26-11 in the first round.

Alonso was trying for his third title in four years. Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr. is the only three-time winner, taking the title in 1994, '98 and '99.
The Queen of Hearts went out with a $140,410 bang.

Just shy of a year after it started, a Mount Horeb bars progressive-pot raffle came to an abrupt end this week, after someone tipped off the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Tuesday night marked the end of The Dog House Bar and Grills Queen of Hearts raffle, which had amassed a jackpot of well over $100,000 because no one had won it in 50 weeks.

Each Tuesday night, patrons could purchase raffle tickets, and whichever ticket was drawn, its owner could flip one of 54 cards. Flipping over the queen of hearts netted someone 70% of the pot, with the remainder going to charity.

Week after week, though, no one won. And because each card remained flipped over, every week the chances of finding the winning queen got better.

With no winners in almost a year, the pot got big  and so did the crowds.

Tuesday night was a very slow night for us and right off the bat (when we started having a raffle) the night improved dramatically for a weekday night for the bar sales-wise, bar owner Nathan Faust said. By the end of it, I mean, we just had some of the best sales nights weve ever had.

Typically, the bar would see sales of $4,000 to $5,000 on busy nights, such as holidays.

Gross sales on Tuesday, which marked the last Queen of Hearts raffle, totaled $7,653.

Alas for the business, two DOJ agents recently showed up on Fausts doorstep, paperwork in hand, to tell him his raffle was illegal.

The papers, which also were given to the Mount Horeb Police Department, cited Wisconsin Statute 563.03, which outlines legal processes, selections and drawings in raffles. By the time the Department of Justice was notified, the raffle had amassed just under $112,000.00.

While Faust was aware of Wisconsin gambling laws, he said he thought raffles like the ones hed been hosting for the last year and a half were legal if a portion of the profits went toward a charitable organization.

Theyre not.

In joining efforts with Felicia Diny, the founder and CEO of Felicias Donation Closet, a Madison-based nonprofit serving women and children seeking shelter from domestic violence, Faust said he thought the raffle was in good legal standing.

Obviously I was wrong, he said. Its just illegal all the way around.

Diny had been a former coworker and provided much of the impetus in getting the raffle off the ground, approaching Faust about the raffle shortly after he purchased the bar.

As the leader of a nonprofit, Diny is well-versed in the necessary legal channels, licensing and government forms that go along with fundraising. Even so, Diny says she, too, thought the raffle was legal for a couple of reasons, including that it benefited her 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Its extremely hard to get grant money and I saw an opportunity on a way to raise money for my cause, she said.

Final raffle

Faust and Diny said that the agents who notified them of the statute violation were kind: The pair didnt face any legal penalties, and in fact, were allowed to finish out the raffle on Tuesday night, with some restrictions.

A letter from the Wisconsin Department of Administration said Faust had to give the grand prize, 70% of the pot, to the first ticket drawn. Word spread and the bar swelled with participants and spectators.

A grand total of $140,410 was distributed, with a grand prize winner boasting more than $90,000, a handful of small prize winners totaling a combined $5,000, and Felicias Donation Closet receiving $42,123.

Its the most money Diny has raised in more than three years working for her cause.

To date, Felicias Donation Closet has helped 83 mothers and 132 children, furnishing their living arrangements with everything from mattresses to dish sets, she said. As the nonprofit expands, the funds from this raffle will make a big impact on the services it can provide.

Having this kind of money means that we could go and purchase brand new items for the families if we dont have it donated through the community, she said. Its going to be huge.

While Diny and Faust look into legal ways to run raffles and other fundraisers, theyve drafted up a petition aimed at changing Wisconsins raffle laws, which Faust says already gained traction at Tuesday nights final raffle event.

I get having the gambling laws and stuff but I just, I feel like in situations like this, I mean, its not hurting anyone, its good for small business, obviously its good for the charity, and people seem to come out and enjoy it, Faust said. I just dont see the harm in it.

Counties with the highest unemployment in Wisconsin Counties with the highest unemployment in Wisconsin 50. Grant County 49. Portage County 48. Clark County 47. Walworth County 46. Richland County 45. Shawano County 44. Waupaca County 43. Manitowoc County 42. Lincoln County 41. Vernon County 40. Juneau County 39. Kenosha County 38. Milwaukee County 37. Green Lake County 36. Wood County 35. Rock County 34. Racine County 33. Price County 32. Oconto County 31. Florence County 30. Langlade County 29. Dunn County 28. Trempealeau County 27. Waushara County 26. Pierce County 25. St. Croix County 24. Ashland County 23. Marquette County 22. Door County 21. Marinette County 20. Pepin County 19. Oneida County 18. Barron County 17. Menominee County 16. Rusk County 15. Crawford County 14. Washburn County 13. Chippewa County 12. Jackson County 11. Vilas County 10. Buffalo County 9. Taylor County 8. Sawyer County 7. Douglas County 6. Forest County 5. Polk County 4. Iron County 3. Bayfield County 2. Burnett County 1. Adams County
Three Madison men were charged Friday with being parties to first-degree intentional homicide for the shooting death last month of a member of a rival gang on the citys Near East Side.

A criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court charged Keyonta C. Blaney, 20; Nathaniel R. Douglas, 24; and Julius D. Jones, 18, with the early morning June 18 shooting death of Nicholas G. Taylor-Washington, 20, of Madison, in the 600 block of East Dayton Street.

In the complaint, two witnesses said Douglas fired multiple shots, one of which struck Taylor-Washington. Interviewed after his arrest on June 28, Douglas told police he believed one hundred percent that Jones had stepped out of the car and fired the shots, though he said that while he had seen Jones with the gun, he did not actually see Jones firing.

The complaint states a witness who was in a car with the three told police earlier this week that Jones had pulled a gun from a backpack during a car ride to what was said to be a party on East Dayton Street, and that Blaney held the gun for a time before the group got out of the car where the party was supposed to be.

After getting back into the car, the complaint states, the witness said Douglas drove a short distance before Jones said, There they go, causing Douglas to stop the car. The witness said Blaney handed the gun to Douglas, who got out, assumed a two-handed firing stance, and rapidly fired seven times, according to the complaint.

After firing, Douglas got back into the car, handed the gun to Blaney and they drove away, the witness told police.

The witness said Blaney, Douglas and Jones are all affiliated with a gang called MBK, while the people Jones had spotted were from the OTG gang.

Jail records indicate that Blaney was arrested on June 21 and was being held on a probation violation. Police said Jones was arrested on Wednesday. In court, Assistant District Attorney Matthew Moeser said Jones was found by police in the Madison area, hiding in some type of room or closet.

Blaney, Jones and Douglas all appeared in court Friday, where bail for each was set at $1 million.

According to the complaint:

Police were sent to the 600 block of East Dayton Street around 3:45 a.m. on June 18 after reports of gunshots fired. An officer was rerouted to Meriter Hospital after learning that a victim of the shooting, later identified as Taylor-Washington, had been taken there by a friend.

That friend told police he had gone with a woman to the East Dayton Street area for a party, and that Taylor-Washington also went there in a vehicle with another woman. Once there, he said, he and Taylor-Washington were outside of the vehicles when he heard what sounded like firecrackers. Taylor-Washington tried to run back to the vehicle he had arrived in. The friend followed, he told police, then saw that Taylor-Washington had been shot.

The friend got into the car and drove it to Meriter.

The woman who had arrived in the car with Taylor-Washington told police Taylor-Washington had gotten out of the car and went to talk with someone. She heard sounds like fireworks, and Taylor-Washington ran back to the car, put it into drive and then collapsed on the woman. Taylor-Washingtons friend then got into the car, pushed Taylor-Washington onto the woman and drove to Meriter.

At Meriter, a police officer helped put Taylor-Washington onto a stretcher, but he was pronounced dead at 4:08 a.m.

A second witness who was in the car with Jones, Douglas and Blaney told police she had gone to find the party but saw there was none. She was trying to get a ride home, she told police, and got into a car with a person she identified as Lil Nate, later confirmed to be Douglas. She said Jones was in the car as well.

Douglas was driving, the witness said, and made a U-turn, and then she heard all of them say, There they go, there they go.

She said those in the car were members of the MBK gang, and the others they were referring to were OTG gang members.

She said when the shooting happened, she was certain Douglas was the shooter and was the only one firing. The others in the car, she said, had been passing the gun around before Jones handed it to Douglas.

The other witness who was in the car, she said, did not seem to be involved at all in the shooting.

That witness told police on Wednesday that when the group went to where the party was supposed to be, a woman who had also gone there to find there was no party got into the car with them. After that, he said, Jones pulled the gun from a backpack, and it was passed around before Douglas stopped, got out and fired it.

Police found 11 shell casings at the scene and found that, in addition to the bullet that struck Taylor-Washington, bullets also had hit at least three nearby vehicles.

Close A fire truck makes its way on Baxter Road to a house fire in the town of Cottage Grove on Wednesday morning. Plumes of smoke billow into the sky. Firefighters pour water on a town of Cottage Grove home engulfed in flames Wednesday. Little remained from a home that caught fire Wednesday in the town of Cottage Grove. Fire and rescue crews from nine departments responded Wednesday to the fire. A water truck from the Marshall Fire Department backs its way down a driveway Wednesday as a home burns in the town of Cottage Grove. A home was engulfed in fire Wednesday when firefighters arrived on Baxter Road in the town of Cottage Grove. One person died at the scene. A crew from Alliant Energy, right, looks on as a home burns in the town of Cottage Grove. Firefighters walk down Baxter Road after battling Wednesday's house fire. With no nearby hydrants, water trucks provided water to fight a fire Wednesday in the town of Cottage Grove. Investigators from the Dane County Medical Examiner's Office work at the scene of a fire in the town of Cottage Grove. Photos: Town of Cottage Grove house fire A fire on Wednesday destroyed a home on Baxter Road and sent huge plumes of smoke over Interstate 94. One person died in what authorities believe was a suicide. A fire truck makes its way on Baxter Road to a house fire in the town of Cottage Grove on Wednesday morning. Plumes of smoke billow into the sky. Firefighters pour water on a town of Cottage Grove home engulfed in flames Wednesday. Little remained from a home that caught fire Wednesday in the town of Cottage Grove. Fire and rescue crews from nine departments responded Wednesday to the fire. A water truck from the Marshall Fire Department backs its way down a driveway Wednesday as a home burns in the town of Cottage Grove. A home was engulfed in fire Wednesday when firefighters arrived on Baxter Road in the town of Cottage Grove. One person died at the scene. A crew from Alliant Energy, right, looks on as a home burns in the town of Cottage Grove. Firefighters walk down Baxter Road after battling Wednesday's house fire. With no nearby hydrants, water trucks provided water to fight a fire Wednesday in the town of Cottage Grove. Investigators from the Dane County Medical Examiner's Office work at the scene of a fire in the town of Cottage Grove.
Three teenagers were arrested following a stolen vehicle pursuit Wednesday.

The chase began when Monona Police were alerted to a stolen Jeep near Pflaum and Stoughton roads at 6:53 p.m. Other agencies joined, including Dane County deputies, who deployed spike strips while the Jeep traveled on the Beltline, according to Madison Police. The Jeep came to a stop on Mineral Point Road, where the suspects abandoned it and fled.

Police found 17-year-old Isaiah D. Christian and 18-year-old Christopher R. Morrissette walking nearby, and arrested both. Christian faces charges of party to a crime operating a motor vehicle without an owner's consent and resisting. Morrissette was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle without an owner's consent, eluding and resisting.

An unnamed 15-year-old was later arrested by a group of officers who formed a perimeter. He was taken to the Dane County Jail's Juvenile Reception Center.

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Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, who arrived in the city two years ago, has been named one of three finalists to become Chicagos next top cop.

The final three recommended by Chicagos Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability now go to Mayor Brandon Johnson for a decision, the Chicago Tribune reported. The mayor then has 30 days to name one of them superintendent, and the City Council has 60 days to confirm his choice, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The other two finalists, Larry Snelling and Angel Novalez, are both current chiefs with the Chicago Police Department.

Barnes was named a semifinalist for the Chicago superintendent position in late June along with with five others out a pool of 54 applicants.

Before coming to Madison, he spent about a year as director of training and development for Chicagos Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA. Prior to that he was deputy chief in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Barnes was sworn in to the Madison job on Feb. 1, 2021, and in October 2021, the newspaper Isthmus reported that Barnes family continued to live in the Chicago suburbs, raising questions about how long he intended to stay in Madison. His wife is dean of the College of Science and Health at DePaul University in Chicago.

Madison is where I am and where I want to be, Barnes told the newspaper in October 2021. Im here for the long haul and you should print that. ... I love Madison. I love this community. Im not going anywhere.

Barnes declined to comment Thursday on being named a finalist, saying he wanted to respect the hiring process.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, City Council President Jael Currie, independent police monitor Robert Copley and the head of the citys Police and Fire Commission did not respond to requests for comment last month about Barnes being named a semifinalist for the Chicago job and had not responded to requests for comment Thursday night.

Editor's note: This story was corrected on July 14, 2023, to remove reference to Madison's Public Safety Review Committee, the leader of which was not contacted for comment.
A dispute between two groups of males in which more than 60 shots were fired Thursday afternoon at a Far East Madison apartment complex has left a 20-year-old man dead, Madison police said Friday.

The targeted shooting at about 3 p.m. in a parking lot of the Harmony at Grandview Commons, 116 Milky Way, stemmed from an interpersonal conflict, Police Chief Shon Barnes said.

We had multiple buildings that were struck by gunfire, Barnes said. We had multiple vehicles that were struck by gunfire, and it is truly, truly a blessing that no one else was actually hurt in this incident.

The victim, whose name had not yet been released by the Dane County Medical Examiners Office, died Thursday after being taken to a hospital. Barnes said it wasnt clear if he was a resident of the apartment complex and declined to comment on how many times he was shot.

Police have so far not released any information about any suspects, other than that they were males, and asked that anyone with information about the shootings contact police. Barnes said witnesses on the scene Thursday were cooperating with police in what he called a very active and ongoing investigation.

On Thursday, shortly after the victim was taken by ambulance to the hospital, police taped off an area around part of the parking lot as residents watched. Multiple people at the scene declined to comment.

The shooting is Madisons eighth homicide this year. There were six last year and 10 in 2021, according to police records.

The city of Madison declared the Harmony, a 94-unit low-income housing complex, a chronic nuisance three years ago, only a year after it opened. It had been plagued by complaints about noise, disturbances and occasional violence almost since its opening in March 2019, but Assistant City Attorney Jennifer Zilavy on Thursday said its been at least a year since that declaration was vacated.

Barnes said Friday police had not been regularly seeing problems at the complex but that, prior to the shooting, police had scheduled a meeting with people at the complex for Friday to discuss safety concerns there.

Anyone with information about the shooting can contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or P3Tips.com.
More than 50 local artists are stepping into classrooms and gymnasiums this summer to teach dancing, drawing, drumming and more to Madison School District students.

From ballet and hip-hop dance to photography and theater, the aim of the summer arts academy is to expose students to a range of art and movement forms, while expanding access to the arts in Madison as a whole.

District educators also hope to build long-term partnerships with arts organizations, with the goal of incorporating more arts curriculum into the regular school year.

You dont really know the power of movement, the power of holding a paintbrush, the power of using your voice or creating a poem until youve tried it and done it, said Randy Swiggum, the districts teacher leader for fine arts curriculum and instruction. We want to give kids as many of these experiences as possible.

In its second year, the academy works with organizations such as Madison Ballet, Madison Circus Space, Black Star Drum Line and Madison Area Technical Colleges theater program to provide free arts education for students. The artists spend a few hours each day in summer school classrooms teaching students the fundamentals of their art forms.

Along the way, students also learn so-called soft skills, like strength and resiliency.

The cost, time commitment and location of art extracurriculars can put them out of reach for some families in the district, Swiggum said. By having artists work with students already enrolled in summer school, many of those barriers are removed. Art teachers already in the district also help teach classes for the academy.

Now we have all these kids already in school and were just plugging in all these arts experiences into their summer school experience, Swiggum said.

The district is particularly pushing dance education this summer. Most school districts around the country, including Madison, struggle to implement dance education into their yearlong curriculum.

For the short-term summer arts academy, Swiggum said the district went gung ho and tried to bring in as many movement artists as possible.

Ja Malik is one dance artist taking part in the summer academy by teaching students the basics of ballet technique. As the artistic director and interim executive director of Madison Ballet, expanding access to the arts is at the core of Ja Maliks mission. He said ballet can still be viewed as old, elitist art by some, rather than a fun form of expression.

We dont expect all the students to leave the camp wanting to be professional dancers or even wanting to continue with ballet, Ja Malik said. We want students to be able to walk away and say it was a cool experience. Its all about exposure.

Communication and resilience

In addition to teaching the art forms, much of the summer arts academy programming also builds interpersonal skills in students.

At Madison Circus Space, students learn physical comedy, aerial arts and acrobatics. But theyll also take away valuable lessons about creativity, teamwork and navigating their personal autonomy, said Stephanie Richards, a board member and aerial instructor with Madison Circus Space.

Were looking to instill a love of movement and learning to work together with peers, Richards said.

Swiggum echoed this, noting how the arts build resilience and self-discipline in students. He said the switch to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic made it easier for students to avoid facing challenges in the classroom.

It was just too easy during the pandemic when something got hard to just push mute or turn off the camera and just check out  thats the problem with screens, he said. What the arts do is say, No, you cant check out just because its hard or youve hit a wall or it feels boring. Youve got to stick with it.

Arts programming also helps keep students in school and drives attendance, he said. Even if a student is struggling in math or literacy, a new arts experience can be the motivation a student needs to go to school that day.

If they know theyre going to be doing this cool hip-hop or street dance with a teacher on Thursday, they dont want to miss that, they want to be there, Swiggum said.

Robust arts programming at the high school level can create career interests in some students as well, sometimes in a field they may not have heard of before. MATCs theater camp gives students a behind-the-scenes look at rigging a stage, sound and lighting design and wardrobe for theater.

Black Star Drum Line instructs summer arts academy students on basic drumming technique. Learning these skills can be rigorous, but founder Joey B. Banks said he hopes his passion for teaching translates to his students.

Every teacher wants a student to love it as much as they do, Banks said.

Continuing partnerships

Swiggum said the district hopes the summer arts academy will act as a starting point for long-term relationships with local artists. With these partnerships in place, the district can begin to pursue some of its longer-term arts goals, such as building dance education into schools yearlong curriculum.

With this in mind, Swiggum said, the district intentionally cultivated a wide range of artists and instructors from around Madison, particularly artists of color.

Madison has a lot of dynamic artists of color in the performing and visual arts, and we want to leverage as many as we possibly could, he said.

The summer arts academy is funded by $150,000 in ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds that provided financial aid to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding will expire at the end of the 2023-24 school year, but Swiggum said the district will likely plan to pursue other funding to continue the summer arts academy.

Its definitely going to continue in some form or another next summer and ongoing, he said. Its pretty easy to see the value of it, and I think district leadership has said theyll find the funding.

Photos: Art Fair on the Square
UW-Madison insect researcher Patrick Liesch spent more than a decade studying the emerald ash borer  an invasive, ash-tree killing beetle the size of a grain of rice  before he finally saw it in person.

I recognized what it was right away, Liesch said, pointing out the adult animals bright green body and coppery, rounded abdomen. Im an illustration of how this insect can be hard to actually detect.

First detected in the United States in southeastern Michigan in 2002, likely arriving on wood-packing ships from China, the emerald ash borer has devastated the countrys ash tree population, causing the destruction of tens of millions of trees and billions of dollars in economic damage, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The beetle travels effortlessly in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees by way of human movement, hidden inside of firewood, logs and nursery stock. Detection can take years.

Since the bug was first confirmed in Wisconsin in 2008, it has been found in all but four of the states 72 counties. The most recent detection was in Polk County on May 17.

Madison has spent more than $7 million fighting the beetle, chopping down nearly half of the citys 21,000 roadside ash trees and treating the remaining half on a rotating schedule every three years, said Craig Klinke, forestry operations supervisor.

Most experts say the beetle is here to stay, unless new scientific breakthroughs emerge.

Its really going to be wreaking havoc for years and really decades to come, Liesch said.

But all is not lost.

Extremely effective

Briana Frank is the owner of Tree Health Management, a Madison-based private tree care company. She has been helping people deal with the ash borer since it reached Wisconsin and has closely followed the beetles journey.

Without management, ash trees targeted by the pest can die within two to five years as the beetle slowly eats the tissue under the tree bark. In the process, starving ash trees become brittle and easily breakable, susceptible to falling and potentially harming pedestrians walking below their branches. The canopy thins as the tree is able to support fewer and fewer leaves.

Frank said the first lines of defense against ash tree death is prevention and early detection.

Studies have shown that if a tree has lost more than half of its canopy due to an infestation, its probably too far gone to be saved.

But as long as the trees vascular system  which moves nutrients, water and other supportive materials throughout the plant  is in good condition, injecting insecticides has shown great promise, Frank said.

A licensed pesticide applicator drills through an ash tree and injects the insecticides, which kill the beetles larvae.

Its extremely effective if its done properly, and its done in a good candidate, Frank said.

Treatment costs about $220 for a 14-inch diameter ash tree and should be applied every one to three years.

The most successful protocols have been on trees before they had a high level of infestation, she said. Thats always the most challenging part, because I think as humans, we notice things we (can) see.

Not all trees are treated, though, and larger trees often cant be. If targeted ash trees surpass a critical threshold of thinning of its canopy  the layer of leaves, branches and stems that cover the ground when a tree is viewed from above  the situation becomes irreversible and incurable, Frank said.

In those cases, the last option is removal, which can cost thousands of dollars depending on the trees size, cause home valuations to drop, and change the aesthetics of a neighborhood.

If all of a sudden your entire side of the street doesnt have ash trees on it, and the next street over has large mature trees, that really changes the look and feel of a neighborhood, Liesch said.

Up to now

After Dutch elm disease destroyed most of Wisconsins elm trees in the mid-20th century, ash trees were chosen as replacements, applauded for what was believed to be their sturdy and contagion-resistant nature. Madison planted hundreds of ash trees, and by the 21st century, about a third of the citys privately owned trees were ash trees.

Flash forward to summer 2008, when the borer made its way to Wisconsin.

Quarantines were imposed in individual counties with emerald ash borer detections, making it illegal to move many ash forest products and hardwood firewood from a quarantined county to a non-quarantined county.

But still, by 2018, the situation escalated to such an extent that Wisconsin was forced to impose a statewide quarantine, requiring businesses that wanted to move restricted wood around the state to follow certain regulations.

Firewood restrictions are enforced on state and federal lands, and its strongly encouraged to either use certified or local firewood to prevent the emerald ash borer, as well as other pests and diseases, from further spreading.

After the beetle was found in Wisconsin, Madison established an Emerald Ash Borer Task Force.

The forestry department began by manually taking inventory of the number of ash trees lining Madisons streets, Klinke said. About 22,000 ash trees were ultimately discovered, comprising about a fifth of the citys street-side tree population. About 50,000 more ash trees were suspected to be on private and park properties at the time.

We knew about it, Klinke said. We knew it would likely become a problem in Madison. On a fall day in Warner Park on the North Side in 2013, the beetle was officially confirmed to be in Madison.

At its peak in the 2010s, Madison was spending about a million dollars annually on managing the emerald ash borer, Streets and Urban Forestry Division Superintendent Charlie Romines said.

We hit it hard as soon as possible to move past it as soon as possible, he said.

The citys widespread removal of ash trees, an expensive endeavor, is over.

Now, the city is focused on treating the ash trees that remain, which costs about $200,000 each year, Romines said. To help with the cost, the city has tapped into urban forestry special charge funds, a monthly cost of about $6 Madisonians incur in their municipal services bill to support forestry initiatives.

Kline said the city also is experimenting with newer treatment methods, such as cordless injections, and spending less money on borer-related matters.

We always want to try out whatever is available and see what works best for our ambiguous situation, he said.

Additionally, Madison is planting a wider diversity of vegetation and taking inventory of street trees to be prepared if another pest makes its way to the Great Lakes region.

There are other glimmers of hope that might yield broader solutions in the future.

In Michigan, where the pest was first detected, some ash trees have shown signs of survival, a phenomenon known as lingering ash. In these cases, a small subset of untreated trees stays healthy even as the ash around them die as a result of the emerald ash borer. It is still unknown exactly why, how and when it happens.

I think it does offer hope that, in the long run, we might be able to take some surviving trees and perhaps reintroduce some sort of tolerant or resistant ash to repopulate areas, Liesch said.

Scientific efforts are underway by government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to mitigate the pest using biological control, the method of introducing highly specific natural enemies from a pests homeland to lessen its presence.

Wisconsin has experimented with biological control against the beetle for more than 12 years, but it could be decades before the strategy proves effective, if at all, Liesch said.

So, for now, for a beetle that can barely be seen, the emerald ash borer is certainly making its presence known.

We dont really know what the end game is going to look like with this, he said. These pests are really changing what forests, natural forested areas but also urban forests, look like. Its night and day.

10 states with the highest levels of tree cover loss 10 states with the highest levels of tree cover loss The United States lost 8.2% of its tree cover between 2011 and 2021 #10. Oregon #9. North Carolina #8. Florida #7. Louisiana #6. Mississippi #5. California #3. South Carolina #2. Georgia #1. South Dakota
HELSINKI  President Joe Biden said Thursday he and other NATO leaders showed the world that the military alliance emerged "more united than ever" this week as he capped a European trip meant to demonstrate the force of the international coalition against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The allies "understand that this fight is not only a fight for the future of Ukraine," Biden said, noting that it's also about sovereignty, security and freedom throughout eastern Europe and the world.

Though Ukraine's demand for an explicit path to NATO membership remained elusive, Biden emphasized that agreements with other countries in the alliance would support Kyiv's long-term security even without its entry into NATO.

At a news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Biden pledged that the United States' commitment to NATO would not waver, despite tumultuous domestic politics underscored by a potential return of Donald Trump to the White House, as well as a growing sense of isolationism in the Republican Party.

"I absolutely guarantee it. There's no question," Biden said, answering a question on whether the U.S. will remain a reliable NATO partner. "There's overwhelming support from the American people, there's overwhelming support from members of Congress, both House and Senate."

"Nobody can guarantee the future. But this is the best bet that anyone can make," he added.

Earlier Thursday, Biden met with the leaders of other Nordic nations including Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Sweden is poised to be admitted as NATO's 32nd member country after it pledged more cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism efforts while backing Ankara's bid to join the European Union. Finland gained NATO membership this year.

Both Finland and Sweden abandoned a history of military nonalignment and sought to join NATO alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

Biden's brief stop in the shoreline Finnish capital is the coda to a tour that was carefully orchestrated to highlight the growth of a military alliance that the president says has fortified itself since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finland's admittance to NATO effectively doubled the alliance's border with Russia.

Biden arrived in Helsinki after what he deemed a successful NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where allies agreed to language that would further pave the way for Ukraine to also become a future member.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the summit's outcome "a significant security victory" for his country but nonetheless expressed disappointment at not getting an outright invitation to join.

Biden and other administration officials also held what aides said were pivotal conversations with Turkey before that country dropped its objections to Sweden joining NATO.

"We accomplished every goal we set out to accomplish," Biden told reporters Wednesday before the flight to Finland.

The U.S. president's trip this week played out almost five years to the day since then-President Donald Trump infamously stood alongside Putin in Helsinki and cast doubt on his own intelligence apparatus.

That was just days after Trump tore through a NATO summit where he disparaged the alliance and from which he threatened to withdraw the United States.

In contrast, Biden has heartily embraced the tenets of multilateralism that Trump shunned, speaking repeatedly of having to rebuild international coalitions after four tumultuous years led by his predecessor.

The garrulous former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman is in his element at summits abroad, and speaks of how his background in international policy is proof positive that decades of experience on the world stage has mattered for the presidency.

Biden is the sixth U.S president to visit Finland, a country of 5.5 million that has hosted several U.S.-Soviet and U.S.-Russia summits. The first involved President Gerald Ford, who would sign the so-called Helsinki Accords with more than 30 other nations in 1975.

But Charly Salonius-Pasternak, senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, noted that Biden's visit marked the first time a sitting U.S. president came to Finland to honor the country itself, rather than as a neutral location for meeting Russian leaders or other similar reasons.

"The fact that Biden has chosen to go specifically to Finland for Finland is symbolic and, in some ways, very concrete," he said. "It's a kind of deterrence messaging that only the United States can do."

In the Cold War era, Finland acted as a neutral buffer between Moscow and Washington, and its leaders played a balancing act between the East and West, maintaining good relations with both superpowers.

Finland and neighboring Sweden gave up their traditional political neutrality by joining the European Union in 1995 but both remained militarily nonaligned, with opinion polls showing a clear majority of their citizens opposed to joining NATO. That changed quickly after Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
PRISTINA, Kosovo  A brawl erupted in the Kosovo parliament Thursday after an opposition lawmaker threw water on Prime Minister Albin Kurti while he was speaking about government measures to defuse tensions with ethnic Serbs in the country's north.

Kosovo opposition parties criticized Kurti's policies in the north that strained relations with key Western allies.

Violence broke out in May after police-backed ethnic Albanian mayors took office following an election that the ethnic Serb majority in the area widely boycotted. The United States and European Union pressured Kurti to help calm the situation.

Dozens of people have been injured in clashes between local Serbs and Kosovo police and NATO-led peacekeepers, fueling fears of a conflict similar to the one in 1998-99 that killed more than 10,000 people.

On Wednesday, Kurti announced he would reduce the number of special police officers stationed outside four municipal buildings in ethnic Serb-majority areas in northern Kosovo, and hold new mayoral elections in the towns.

A number of special police forces withdrew from the municipal buildings. The move angered the opposition, who argued that Kurti "experimented" for months and jeopardized Kosovo's international position only to back down later.

Lawmaker Mergim Lushtaku from the Democratic Party of Kosovo approached Kurti while he was speaking and threw water at him, triggering the brawl. Earlier, Kurti's deputy Besnik Beslimi tore up a drawing mocking Kurti that the opposition gave to the prime minister.

Local media said Kurti was escorted out of the assembly hall during the chaos.

Kurti said he was applying law and order in northern Kosovo with the deployment of police and new ethnic Albanian mayors. The U.S. and EU urged him to keep the mayors in different locations away from the north until the situation is resolved.

When the parliament session resumed after four hours, the opposition prevented governing lawmakers from taking the floor and held up mocking posters of Kurti and another lawmaker. Another brief scuffle followed, quickly halted by security guards.

Kosovo's parliament sessions have often been disrupted. When Kurti's Self-Determination Movement party was in the opposition, its lawmakers used tear gas and other violent acts to disrupt sessions about a border deal with Montenegro and an association for the ethnic Serb-dominated areas.

Kosovo is a former province in Serbia whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade does not recognize. Most ethnic Serbs in Kosovo also refused to acknowledge Kosovo's statehood, which is backed by the U.S. and most EU nations but not Russia and China.

Serbia heightened army combat readiness and threatened a military intervention in response to tensions in the north, which borders Serbia. Belgrade pulled out of Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombed the country to stop the onslaught against ethnic Albanian separatists.

The EU told both countries they must reach a solution to their dispute through an EU-mediated dialogue in order to join the bloc.

Western officials stepped up efforts to bring the two sides closer together, fearing further instability in Europe as Russia's war continues in Ukraine. NATO sent additional troops to its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo to boost security.

U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier said "violence is never an acceptable means to express disagreement" and urged Kosovar lawmakers to resolve their differences "through discourse  a fundamental purpose of any democracy's legislature."
MOSCOW  Mercenaries of the Wagner Group are completing the handover of their weapons to the Russian military, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday, a move that follows the private army's brief rebellion last month that challenged the Kremlin's authority.

The disarming of Wagner reflects efforts by authorities to defuse the threat it posed and also appears to herald an end to the mercenary group's operations on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The actions come amid continued uncertainty about the fate of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and the terms of a deal that ended the armed rebellion by offering amnesty for him and his mercenaries along with permission to move to Belarus.

Among the weapons turned over were more than 2,000 pieces of equipment, including tanks, rocket launchers, heavy artillery and air defense systems, along with over 2,500 metric tons of munitions and more than 20,000 firearms, the Defense Ministry said.

The statement follows the Kremlin's acknowledgment Monday that Prigozhin and 34 of his top officers met with President Vladimir Putin on June 29, five days after the rebellion.

Putin has said Wagner troops had to choose whether to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, move to Belarus or retire from service.
TWIN FALLS  Love it or hate it, hot weather is here.

This weekend could see the Magic Valleys hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures on Sunday expected to crest 100 degrees in places around the region. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for portions of south-central and southwest Idaho.

A strong high-pressure system over the desert southwest has resulted in a ridge of upper-level high pressure over Idaho, which will result in higher-than-normal temperatures through the weekend, before returning to normal early next week.

When the temperature climbs into the upper 90s, hundreds of people each day beat the heat with a trip to the pool.

Twin Falls Aquatics Manager John Pauley told the Times-News that, although the summer swimming season started off slow with cooler weather for much of June, hot weather always brings out the crowds.

For the end of June and early July, as it got hotter we saw usage go way up, Pauley told the Times-News. And when you get into the 100s, then you start to see a type of usage that is considerably higher than a busy day.

July is the busiest month of the year for the pool, with more visits than October, November and December combined.

This year, pool attendance is on track to surpass last years numbers any day now. Pauley said the spike in visits in the past two weeks has pushed the pool up to more than 60,000 visits this fiscal year, which is measured from October through September.

Last fiscal year, the pool had about 63,000 visits.

The pool staff has routines to respond to hot weather, such as keeping areas of the pool deck wet so it doesnt burn peoples feet.

Keeping lifeguards cool is one of Pauleys main concerns during hot weather since the lifeguards rarely get in the water to cool off.

Lifeguards have shade umbrellas, with spare umbrellas kept close by in case one gets damaged.

The National Weather Service office in Boise has said areas around the region could see record-high temperatures up to 10 degrees warmer than normal through the weekend, before returning to more normal numbers by early next week.

Its definitely above normal for what the climatology has shown, National Weather Service meteorologist Sophie Adams told the Times-News in a phone call. But  because it isnt longer-lasting, were not especially concerned about it.

Adams said the National Weather Service will continue to monitor forecasts and make several updates throughout the day. She encouraged people to check frequently, in case the heat advisory is changed, or upgraded to a heat warning.

During high heat, the weather service recommends people drink plenty of water, check on their neighbors  especially older neighbors  if they dont have air conditioning, wear sunscreen, and check the forecast for any changes throughout the day.

PHOTOS: Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance Sizzling summer temps bring higher pool attendance July is a busy month for the pool as people try to beat the heat
A Twin Falls woman has agreed to a plea deal after being charged in January with attacking her husband and a woman with a knife, court records say.
Idahoans are buzzing with excitement as renowned journalist and Republican political figure, Kari Lake, prepares to join the Idaho Republican Party at a highly anticipated event in Meridian on Friday, July 28.

With a distinguished background in journalism and a passion for grassroots involvement, Lakes appearance serves as a catalyst for energizing local grassroots Republicans.

Kari Lake is a familiar name to many, having spent over two decades as a trusted news anchor, most notably in Arizona. Her career has been marked by excellence, integrity, professionalism, and dedication to providing the public with accurate and balanced reporting.

What sets Lake apart is her commitment to the grassroots of our party and her understanding of the importance of engaging with local communities. She firmly believes that our nation thrives when citizens are actively involved in the political process. This belief resonates strongly within the Treasure Valley, home to our state Capitol, and known for its engaged community members who take pride in shaping the future of Idaho.

Lake has solidified her prominence as a leading figure in the fight for election integrity, raising critical concerns about the transparency and fairness of our electoral system. Her steadfast commitment to ensuring free and fair elections has garnered widespread support from those who believe in upholding the fundamental principles of our Republic.

Lake emerged as a prominent leader in Arizonas fight for conservative values, spearheading a movement that resonated with countless individuals.

With her deep commitment to defending individual liberties, she fearlessly challenges the heavy-hand of big government. By raising awareness and advocating for a balanced approach, she empowers the community to question government overreach and demand accountability from elected officials. Her unwavering dedication to promoting open dialogue has made her a beacon of hope for those who feel their voices are not being heard. Her leadership inspires others to join the fight and ultimately paves the way for a more informed and balanced approach to navigating the challenges America faces.

MAIN STREET IDAHO: A presidential caucus isnt right answer for our state MAIN STREET IDAHO CAUCUS: All Idahoans deserve an opportunity to cast a vote and select their candidate for president in 2024. Our job is to fix this problem.

Lake embodies the spirit of an active citizenry that is vital in the lead-up to the Idaho Republican Presidential Caucus in 2024. Ours is the party of the working men and women of Idaho, where people take time from their jobs and their families to make Idaho and our nation freer. Idaho is poised to make a significant impact on the national stage, and weve got a busy year ahead.

The event on July 28 offers an exceptional opportunity for individuals to come together, exchange ideas, and lay the groundwork for Republicans to be successful working together to maintain Idahos conservative values. Local activists, party members, and concerned citizens are eagerly anticipating the chance to hear from Lake.

Come connect with fellow Republicans, as we work toward a common goal of preserving Idahos conservative identity. As the event draws near, the excitement continues to build. It promises to be a memorable gathering. Join us at Capital Church. Seating is limited so be sure to purchase your tickets soon at www.idgop.org/karilake.
In a 2019 survey, one in five Idaho students reported being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug in the past 30 days. Today, our children are increasingly likely to get offered fentanyl.

Illegal fentanyl comes in powder and pill form. Recently, two drug busts on Highway 93 near Twin Falls confiscated 15 pounds of fentanyl. That quantity is enough to kill every man, woman, and child in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Fentanyl deaths are rising in Idaho. Fifty times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, this synthetic opioid plays a growing role in drug overdoses. The most recent Idaho data shows 353 overdose deaths in 2021, with 152 of those deaths connected to fentanyl. We must stop the trafficking of fentanyl in Idaho.

We need better education for our families, our schools, and our communities about the dangers of drugs, and increased risks associated with fentanyl. The Idaho Legislature can support those efforts with legislation that adds fentanyl to the list of the drug trafficking mandatory minimums. During the last session, this proposed legislation failed. Many of the people who testified against these efforts came from other states and ignored that Idahos mandatory minimums have made our state very unattractive for the trafficking other illegal drugs.

Quote Clearly, were not a state that welcomes drugs. Fentanyl, the deadliest of the current drugs, must be added to our mandatory minimum code.

Drug trafficking is a very serious crime. In Idaho Code 3727-39(b), it states, The legislature hereby finds and declares that trafficking in controlled substances in the state of Idaho is a primary contributor to a societal problem that causes loss of life, personal injury and theft of property, and exacts a tremendous toll on the citizens of this state.

Clearly, were not a state that welcomes drugs. Fentanyl, the deadliest of the current drugs, must be added to our mandatory minimum code.

Some are opposed to mandatory minimums because they take away a judges discretion. Opponents claim were throwing people in jail just for possession under these laws. However, the proposed drug quantities to qualify as drug trafficking do not come close to being a judgement call. Clear and certain mandatory minimum sentences can deter fentanyl trafficking.

When someone is indicted on trafficking charges, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The burden rests with the prosecution to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the individual is guilty of trafficking, as defined in Idaho Code. A simple possession of illegal drugs does not constitute trafficking. The trafficker must have huge quantities of the drug to qualify for mandatory minimum punishments.

Lives lost to fentanyl overdoses represent the leading cause of death in people ages 18 to 45. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to save Idahoans. Our mandatory minimums for other drugs have proved to be a deterrent, We have jail recordings and cell phone messages showing that traffickers do not want to come to Idaho due to our mandatory minimums. Currently, there is no deterrent for fentanyl traffickers in Idaho.

The only punishment available for this deadly street drug comes nowhere close to accounting for the social costs to Idaho. Education is vital, but so are deterrents to the traffickers. This coming January, we have an opportunity as a Legislature to address the rising fentanyl problem right here in Idaho.

I encourage you to call or email your Idaho legislators. Please let them know if you support adopting mandatory minimums for fentanyl. Together, we can fight the scourge of fentanyl.

Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly, serves District 24 in the Idaho House. The Main Street Idaho Caucus is a group of dedicated Idaho legislators committed to fostering economic growth, championing free markets, and expanding Idahos economy. Guided by common-sense conservative principles, we govern thoughtully, striving to deliver tangible benefits to the citizens of Idaho. Our mission is to support and empower small business owners, promote economic and individual prosperity, support constitutionally mandated education and ensure accountabilty within government.
The Philippine banking system is joining the global fight against climate change, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said during the Philippine economic briefing held in Toronto, Canada on July 13, 2023.

Remolona said in a presentation the BSP plays a vital role in slowing climate change and proposed 11 strategies, including encouraging banks to disclose the environmental, social and governance impacts of specific assets.

He said that under the Reporting Climate-Related Disclosure, banks would be asked to report specific assets that are good, not so good, bad and very bad for climate.

The BSP will work with scientists to develop a taxonomy of bank assets and examine whether these are beneficial or harmful to the environment, Remolona said.

The 11 sustainability strategies proposed by the BSP are vulnerability assessment, enhanced disclosure, climate stress testing, E&S risk in prudential policy, climate change in monetary policy, incentives for green lending, sustainability in BSPs portfolio and risk management, task force for inclusive green finance, reporting climate-related disclosure, sustainability in BSPs operations and capacity building.

Remolona attributed the Philippines outstanding recovery from the pandemic to the resiliency of the banking system that maintained around 16 percent capital adequacy ratio.

He said Philippine banks maintained an impressive 188-percent liquidity coverage ratio, exceeding the global standard of 100 percent.

The BSP reported that the domestic banking industry remained resilient in 2022, marked by the sustained growth momentum in assets, deposits and profit.

The banks asset growth, funded mainly by deposits, enabled the banking system to continue to support the economys recovery through improved credit activity, the BSP said.

Total assets of the banking system last year grew by 10.7 percent to P23.04 trillion, faster than the 7.0 percent recorded in 2021.

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The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said Friday it approved $2.73 billion of public sector foreign borrowings in the second quarter of 2023.

It said the figure was $810 million, or 23 percent, lower than the $3.54 billion it approved in the same period last year.

The second-quarter borrowings consisted of three project loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to fund various railway projects of the government.

Under Section 20, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution, prior approval of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, through its MB, is required for all foreign loans to be contracted or guaranteed by the government.

Letter of Instructions No. 158 dated January 21, 1974 also requires all foreign borrowing proposals by the national government, government agencies and government financial institutions to be submitted for approval-in-principle by the MB before commencement of actual negotiations.

This is to ensure that external debt requirements are at manageable levels to support external debt sustainability.

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UNITED NATIONS, United StatesThe Covid-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and the war in Ukraine have pushed 165 million people into poverty since 2020, the United Nations said Thursday, calling for a pause in debt repayments for developing countries.

Because of these shocks, 75 million people will have fallen into extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15 a day, between 2020 and the end of 2023and 90 million more will fall below the poverty line of $3.65 a day, according to a study published by the United Nations Development Program.

The poorest suffer the most and their incomes in 2023 are projected to remain below pre-pandemic levels, the report said.

Countries that could invest in safety nets over the last three years have prevented a significant number of people from falling into poverty, UNDP chief Achim Steiner said in a statement.

A man searches food inside a trash can where discarded fruits and vegetables are deposited at the Central Market in Buenos Aires, on May 12, 2023. AFP

In highly indebted countries, there is a correlation between high levels of debt, insufficient social spending, and an alarming increase in poverty rates.

The report called for a debt-poverty pause in economically struggling countries to redirect debt repayment towards financing social expenditures and countering the effects of macroeconomic shocks.

The solution is not out of reach for the multilateral system, the report said.

According to another UN report published on Wednesday, some 3.3 billion people, nearly half of humanity, live in countries that spend more on paying interest on debt than on education and health.

And developing countries, despite having lower levels of debt, are paying more interest, partly because of higher rates.

According to the report, the annual cost of lifting the 165 million newly poor people out of poverty would be over US$14 billion, or 0.009 percent of global output and a little less than 4 percent of total public external debt service in 2022 for developing economies.

If the income losses among the already poor prior to the shocks are also included, the mitigation cost would reach some US$107 billion, or 0.065 percent of the worlds GDP and around a fourth of total external public debt service, the reports authors estimated.

There is a human cost of inaction in not restructuring developing countries sovereign debt, Steiner said. We need new mechanisms to anticipate and absorb shocks and make the financial architecture work for the most vulnerable.

Earlier this week Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has been pushing for a reform of international financial institutions, denounced our outdated global financial system, which reflects the colonial power dynamics of the era when it was created.

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The Senate Committee on Public Services recently ordered Maxim Taxi Philippines Inc., a Russian-owned transport network service, to stop its operation as a passenger motorcycle taxi service pending the approval of their application with the government transport regulating agency.

Committee chair Sen. Grace Poe said Maxim motorcycles are only allowed to operate in the country to deliver cargo but not as passenger taxis, thereby undercutting the market and violating their permit.

A Maxim representative tried to explain the company already has its application with the MC Technical Committee to be included in the governments motorcycle taxi pilot project.

But according to the committee, they are still studying the application for only three MC taxi players who are currently allowed under the program.

Committee member Sen. Raffy Tulfo accused Maxim of operating as a colorum (illegal service) for ferrying passengers.

Apart from putting in danger the security and safety of your passengers for you are not registered and have no insurance, you are also being unfair to other legitimate riders, Tulfo said.

Another committee member, Sen. Nancy Binay, ordered Maxim representatives to immediately take down or disable their app after it was proven during the hearing that the transport service company was actually accepting passenger bookings.

The Senate committee, on the other hand, praised Joyride, Angkas, and Move It MC taxi transport companies, which pioneered motorcycle riding services in the country, for aiming to professionalize their sector.

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Exports grew for the first time in six months in May, led by the recovery of the electronics sector, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual said Friday.

Pascual said that merchandise exports rose 1.9 percent to $6.44 billion in May from $6.32 billion a year ago, based on preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

It was the first monthly growth of exports since November 2022.

The DTI said the Philippines outpaced the export growth of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in May.

The rebound in export sales for the first time since November last year could be attributed to the electronics exports which have picked up by 6.7 percent after plummeting since December last year. This makes us optimistic that the slump has bottomed out and we can expect for a sustained growth in electronics exports in line with our overall export growth target under the new Philippine Export Development Plan, Pascual said.

The sub-sectors of the electronics industry recorded double digit growth rates in May, particularly components and devices or semiconductors (15.91 percent), other electronics (34.53 percent) and consumer electronics (27.28 percent).

Quicker improvements in operating conditions across the countrys manufacturing sector were observed in May supported by faster growth in both orders and output. According to S&P Global Philippines, the Philippines PMI rose to 52.2 from 51.4 in April 2023.

We hope to sustain the growth of our PMI as we prioritize addressing challenges to create a more stable and sustainable manufacturing industry, which we recognize as critical in order to increase the countrys competitiveness in the global market and maintain its position as a trusted supplier of goods, Pascual said.

He said 12 of 48 Philippine export commodity groups continue to drive the resurgence of the countrys export sector, reflecting consistent increases in export sales compared to the years of 2022, 2021, 2020 and pre-pandemic average from 2017 to 2019.

These export commodity groups include electronics, other mineral products, coconut oil, gold, copper concentrates, pineapple and pineapple products, travel goods and handbags, processed tropical fruits, seaweeds and carrageenan, Christmas decor, fertilizers and nickel, he said.

The electronics sector remained the Philippines biggest export, accounting for 57.5 percent of total exports in May 2023 with export sales value of $3.7 billion.

This months top electronic exports are components/devices (semiconductors), electronic data processing, consumer electronics, and control and instrumentation. Electronic exports increased by $231.53 million compared to the same period last year.

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NATO is a specific alliance to the region in the North Atlantic

The US proposal to expand the membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to include countries in Asia and the Pacific has been interpreted by sensible political analysts as more of desperation of the US to corral than to entice its allies in its unpopular bid to contain China.

There is a big flaw why NATO should not be allowed to expand and operate an alliance when by its nature, such a geo-political grouping should operate in different political spheres, and each seeking to achieve different interests and objectives, which, as one would put it, anachronistic to the purpose of NATO.

NATO is a specific alliance to the region in the North Atlantic.

To recruit countries outside of the area already constitutes a violation of the treaty.

The US itself keeps on repeating this principle that an attack on a member-state will invite immediate and prompt retaliatory action from the members.

The preposterous thing about this policy is the repeated use of the so-called rule-based policy as if to remind countries not to mess with NATO; that should a non-member country violate the territorial integrity of a member-state, it could result in a retaliatory and punitive action by NATO under Article V of the alliance, meaning that an attack to a member will be construed as an attack against all of the members.

If one has to ask, what rule-based principle must they observe?

Has it been declared by an international organization like the UN?

Even before an announcement was made by NATO secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, that NATO plans to put up an extension branch in Asia to accept members in the region, that already constitutes a violation of the concept of the geo-political alliance which accepts member- countries located in the North Atlantic.

The term North Atlantic is specific and can never be interpreted otherwise.

The acceptance of Japan as member of NATO is a glaring example of US bullying; that Japan could either not refuse the US invitation or use it as bargaining leverage to intimidate China on its dispute over Diaoyu or Senkaku islands and with Russia over its claim on the Kuril Islands.

The US wants to take advantage of the fact that Japan was a defeated country and now wants to pressure Japan against its objective of wanting to isolate China and Russia.

Both the US and Japan are using their interests to advance their position in the region.

With Japan as a de facto member of NATOs Asia branch, it will surely help in advancing US interest in Asia.

The approach made by the US to entice countries in Asia to join NATO amounts to gradual mental conditioning; that keeping such breach in the geo-political alliance dormant and uncontested would appear like seeming tolerance by Asian countries to allow Japan to operate as NATO member and acting as caretaker of the region, but in truth is interceding on behalf of US and European interests.

The existence and membership of Japan as member of NATO if not questioned for a time could result in acquiescence of it as illegal regional grouping.

The US and other NATO members would be defending it like an original member.

Some could even interpret that this so-called Asian version of NATO as illegal and cannot co-exist with the original NATO.

In fact, the meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania already raised the alarm bell on the determination of NATOs expansion to Asia.

Aside from Japan, NATO already invited South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.

The only problem to the invitation to join NATO is it has not formally announced the name of the alliance, for possibly, such could trigger an uproar and protest for the existence of an Asian edition of NATO.

It is this possible backlash that most strategic policy planners are compelled to act with great hesitation and caution.

Allowing NATO to open a branch office in Asia is like opening another front similar to what NATO and the European Union did to wage a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.

A war similar to what is happening now in Ukraine becomes a likely possibility.

By then, the US has already managed to get lackeys willing to spend and die for its cause in the Taiwan Strait.

Most disturbing is that some countries located outside of Asia are acting as though they are members of the alliance which in fact do not exist and are allowed to exercise as members to openly violate Chinas territorial waters like crossing the Straits of Taiwan in the guise of freedom of navigation.

We would like to cite participation of UK, Australia, Canada and India.

Most of these countries have only collateral alliance with countries in Asia, meaning their alliance is merely collaterally attached with the US or UK which in turn exercises hegemony for them to exercise their right.

In other words, none of them should be allowed to operate using NATO as their passport to secure their own security.

As far as the geo-strategic jurisdiction consideration is concerned, NATO should not be allowed to operate in Asia.

Moreover, the term Indo-Pacific denotes another sphere of geo-political jurisdiction and just a concoction of the US to expand its sphere of influence to legitimize the inclusion of India and the Pacific Ocean.

The idea of floating NATO in Asia is most unpopular and unwelcome.

Right now, only Japan and South Korea are the two Asian countries willing to broker the US-agitated proxy war against China.

Both countries are noticeably indebted to the US with Japan being occupied during WWII and South Korea during Korea War in 1950s.

This, aside from a number of US military bases embedded in their respective countries.

([email protected])

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Daryl Hatcher dropped out of the sheriffs race Wednesday after one of his opponents, Del Mills, promised him the chief deputys job.

Hatcher was one of three candidates running for the top law enforcement position in Henry County; Mills and Wayne Davis are the other two.

Candidates for the Henry County Sheriffs elections, Del Mills of Bassett, and Daryl Hatcher of Fieldale have decided to combine their efforts to win [the] election in November, a release sent by Hatcher stated.

During the course of campaigning, numerous voters have expressed their desire that change is needed and that they are unhappy with the way the former Sheriff stepped down so that Wayne Davis could be appointed interim sheriff, Mills said in the release. We share a common goal so it makes sense to combine our efforts. If we continue to campaign and run separate races for sheriff it only splits the vote in November and reduces our chance of success.

Lane Perry retired as Henry County sheriff July 1 and Davis was appointed to serve as sheriff through the end of the year.

The announcement that Hatcher will withdraw from the Henry County sheriffs race and support Mills doesnt change anything about my campaign, Davis stated in a release Wednesday afternoon. My campaign to be elected sheriff in November has never been about any specific challenger. The foundation of my campaign focuses on two things: my continuing dedication to the Sheriffs Office and the citizens we serve daily, and my training and experience. These facts remain the same regardless of the challenger.

Hatchers release said he had to withdraw in order to have his name removed from the ballot in November, but he would continue to campaign by merging his efforts with that of Mills.

We put our egos aside and took a strategic look at our strengths. We are putting service before politics, Hatcher said in the release. Based on what we found, we know our best strategy moving forward will be for Del Mills to remain the sheriffs candidate, with me agreeing to serve as chief deputy.

Davis said regardless of whether Mills and Hatcher ran independently against him or joined forces, they both still lacked Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services certification that both he and his administrative team have and maintain.

Modern law enforcement and corrections changes daily; being certified by the DCJS ensures you maintain regular training and are up to date with current laws and best practices.

Mills is retired from the Henry County Sheriffs Office and Hatcher is head of security at Sovah Health in Martinsville. All deputies currently serving in that capacity in Virginia are required by law to be certified by the DCJS.

Hatcher and Mills admitted the move to combine forces is aimed at uniting the voter base among those that desire a change in leadership.

This greatly improves the chance of winning the election in November, the release stated.

The public is tired of politicians with empty promises of transparency that dont have the publics best interest in mind. Combining our efforts and forming a team that is solely focused on improving public safety is the core of this agreement, Mills said in the release. Everyone wants to live in a safer community, to have safe schools for our children, eliminate drug abuse, and a sheriffs office that is responsive and responsible to the public.

In his release, Davis reminded voters that he has placed a school resource officer in all schools and returned the D.A.R.E. program to Henry County after a 20-year hiatus.

Said Davis in his release: As the Sheriff of Henry County, I will continue to promote public safety and operate a safe and humane correctional facility. I will work hard to keep Henry County safe by making public safety my number one priority.

We want to let all of [the] voters that supported Daryl Hatcher for sheriff know that their vote for Del Mills in November will be a vote for the strongest leadership team with a combined 68 years of experience in public safety and law enforcement, Hatchers release stated.

The first day of in-person early voting is Sept. 22 and the deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration is Oct. 16. The deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to you is Oct. 27 and Election Day is on Nov. 7.
No highway noise here! The beauty of nature abounds as you travel to this lovely one acre lot above the the quiet, Cattail Creek community. Take in the long-range winter views (year-round views possible with selective trimming) while listening to the sounds of the natural waterfall at the property's edge. Enjoy the quiet life in the mountains, yet live only 20 minutes to downtown BurnsvilleLandUndisturbed and wooded, one acre lot in quiet mountainside community. Small waterfall above the property boundary adds to the serene mountain getaway feel. Region & ClimateBurnsville, NC is a gem of a mountain town in western North Carolina featuring fresh air, outdoor activities, and a quaint downtown experience. Burnsville is also home to Mt. Mitchell-the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. Fishing opportunities abound amongst the South Toe, North Toe, and Cane rivers that run through Yancey county. LocationThis peaceful one acre lot is located 20 minutes from downtown Burnsville, one hour to Asheville, and 50 minutes to ski resorts.

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By an 8-1 vote, the McDowell County Board of Education stated its opposition to proposed legislation in the state General Assembly that would take billions of dollars away from the public schools and give it to private schools in North Carolina.

During the regular Monday, July 10, meeting, the McDowell Board of Education considered adopting a resolution opposing the HB 823/SB 406, Choose Your School, Choose Your Future legislation now in the Republican-led General Assembly.

The resolution states Whereas, the North Carolina State Constitution guarantees the opportunity to a sound basic education for all children in our state and according to Article 9, the General Assembly shall provide by taxation and otherwise for a general and uniform system of free public schools, which shall be maintained at least nine months in every year, and wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for all students 

The resolution also states the legislation would create a universal voucher program which is scheduled to direct billions of dollars of available public funds to private schools and these private schools are not equally available to all students and have no objective oversight process for how they use public dollars.

In addition, the private schools, unlike public schools, can reject students based on discriminatory criteria established by that private school. It would also provide public dollars to three separate schooling options and would not provide a uniform system of education for all students, according to the resolution.

Whereas, the vastly different mechanisms for oversight and operation of these three education options create an uneven playing field; and whereas, access to the various education options is limited to many students based on factors such as, but not limited to, availability of transportation, the need for special education instruction, the ability to provide breakfast and lunch, purchase school supplies, and parental engagement, reads the resolution.

It goes on to state the North Carolina Office of State Budget Management projects McDowell Countys school district will see its state funding drop significantly by fiscal year 2026-27 if this universal voucher program is enacted.

Whereas, when state funding decreases, the percentage of per pupil funding going towards fixed costs, which includes electricity, water, sewer, gas, internet, fuel, etc., increases and the amount of per pupil funding going towards educating students decreases, reads the resolution.

It also states that the new program proposed by both chambers of the state Legislature removes all income caps and high-income families can already choose to attend private schools and do not need a public school voucher.

Now therefore be it resolved, that the McDowell County Board of Education opposes any voucher bill or budget provision that does not include a household income limit as part of eligibility criteria and does not meet the North Carolina State Constitutional obligation to provide a free and uniform system of public education to ALL students; and, be it further resolved, the North Carolina General Assembly should create a new allotment to cover the fixed costs to operate school buildings that are not included in the per-pupil funding formula  reads the resolution.

In the statement, the McDowell Board of Education encourages parents, students, and other community members to contact their North Carolina legislators to implore them to abide by their oath to uphold the North Carolina State Constitution.

During the meeting, the Board of Education members discussed their feelings on this issue.

Board Member Beth Silver, who had asked the others to consider this resolution, said she and the other members took an oath to protect the interests of the children in McDowell County Schools. If this legislation were passed, it would take money away from the public schools in McDowell and the other 110 districts across the state and give it to private and charter schools.

We take all kids, said Silver. We take from all the places that they come. We offer them the same education. Private schools and charter schools are not held to those same guidelines. Private schools and charter schools are not tested under the same guidelines that our students and staff have to endure every year. This is why other school systems are doing similar resolutions.

Member Terry Frank said, We have got to do the very best job we can do in selling our schools and giving people opportunities and make people want to come to the public schools  We offer things we dont even blow our horn loud enough about. Our CTE program is second to none in the state. You can get a certificate as a welder making 70-plus thousand dollars a year right out of high school.

Frank added the school board members are going to be an advocate for the public school system.

We are going to sell our system because weve got the best system, he said. We have got to show people we have the best system but I dont want money taken away from our system because we are going to be in trouble. We dont need to keep losing teachers. We need what we have got  If we cant sell our schools then, hey, we dont deserve to be here. None of us.

Board Member Chuck Abernathy had a different opinion. He said when he ran for the Board of Education in 2022, he stated he supported school choice.

I am not sure it is a zero sum situation or that it has to be, he said. I am not sure that the private schools dont add greatly to the community. I am not sure that competition doesnt make us better. I am not sure that safe, clean schools with numbers that are on the upswing are not what we should be striving for and we are. I am not sure that the private schools dont help us do that.

People choose to send their students or their children to private school because of their faith. God is in the school system. Hes not absent but the federal government and the Supreme Court system has taken away a lot of the public schools ability to educate children using that mechanism and that is why some people choose to send their children elsewhere and I am very sympathetic to that.

Board Member Michelle Curtis-Pupoh said this bill in the General Assembly says there are issues in the states public school systems that need reform but we are doing the best with what we got.

Before voting on the resolution, Board Chairman Terry English said the proposed legislation would remove the income qualifications and anyone could use this voucher program.

English said he understands the local private schools are at capacity and therefore families would have to go somewhere else if they want something different than public school education. If enacted, this program means money that could have gone to McDowell and other rural school systems in North Carolina will go instead to more affluent families in more metropolitan settings, where there is more opportunity for private choices.

That really burns me, said English. I just wish the Legislature could have considered this further before making some move towards legislation. Just my two cents.

After Englishs remarks, the Board of Education voted 8-1 to affirm this resolution that opposes the legislation. Only Abernathy voted dissented.

The resolution is nonbinding but numerous other Board of Educations in North Carolina have stated their opposition to HB 823/SB 406, Choose Your School, Choose Your Future.
To meet local workforce development needs, McDowell Technical Community College announced last week the addition of new continuing education classes to begin later this month in the culinary and restaurant services field.

Maggie Prass, who was hired earlier this year to teach part-time culinary classes, will also teach the newly scheduled classes.

Maggie is a great teacher, said Stacy Buff, associate vice president for workforce development. Her cake decorating classes have filled up each time we offered them over the last few weeks. Its time now though, for us to branch out and offer more classes that prepare students to work in restaurants, catering and related areas where there is such a strong demand.

Beginning cake decorating

MTCCs new culinary classes are the result of a partnership with Foothills Food Hub in Marion, located at The Hub, a nonprofit facility started by Nebo Crossing Church. Currently all classes in the colleges culinary program are being offered in the new kitchen at Foothills Food Hub and this is where Prass office is located.

Foothills and McDowell Tech will work closely with local farmers and local restaurants to offer culinary classes that focus on local produce and locally sourced meats. Prass and staff from Foothills have met with local farmers to plan how to incorporate their offerings in the new curriculum. Having been in 4-H for 12 years, she was already acquainted with many of these producers, and she looks forward to having a new working relationship with them as an adult. 4-H is a youth development organization that frequently promotes agriculture awareness and education.

MTCC will also soon restart offering ServSafe certification courses, as North Carolina law requires every foodservice establishment to have a certified manager on duty at all times.

Prass is a graduate of McDowell High School and Johnson and Wales University, known worldwide for their expertise in high-end culinary programs. As a McDowell High student, Prass also took general education classes in the college dual enrollment program, Career and College Promise, at McDowell Tech. She holds both an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts and an Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry from Johnson and Wales. She is currently finishing her last two classes in Johnson and Wales bachelors program in food and beverage entrepreneurship. She is considering a masters degree in hospitality management in the future.

The daughter of Tim Clark and Amy Washburn and stepdaughter of Joe Washburn, Prass grew up in Marion, so beginning her job at McDowell Tech is a homecoming of sorts for her. Prior to returning to Marion, she worked at Best Impressions Catering in Charlotte as a chef attendee and pastry chef. She was also deli manager for an Earthfare store in Charlotte. Currently, she works at Earthfare in Asheville, in addition to teaching classes at McDowell Tech. Since 2012, Prass has also worked at Quality Adult Care, where she continues to work in a local group home as needed.

Maggie and her husband, Clay Prass, have also been part of the Marion Craft Stroll, selling baked goods, fresh bread, cupcakes and cookies. Sourdough bread is one of her specialties.

Although the college will offer a variety of culinary classes, Prass first love will always be baking and pastry.

I love how technical it is and the intricacy of some of the designs used in decorating baked goods and pastries. People eat with their eyes first, she said. Im really good at plating and decorating, visual elements in the culinary world.

The popularity of her cake decorating classes is proof of her expertise in this area.

We look forward to growing the colleges culinary offerings with our partners at Foothills Food Hub, said Dr. Brian S. Merritt, MTCC president. We are glad that Maggie has come home to Marion to share her expertise with our students and help us build our local workforce in the restaurant and catering world. I look forward to enjoying more locally-sourced foods and regional cuisine in local restaurants as our program expands and places graduates in these businesses.

To register for upcoming classes or get more information about future Continuing Education classes, visit www.mcdowelltech.edu/ce.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, has asked the countrys authorities to provide details on the use of the recovered millions of dollars embezzled by former President Sani Abacha.

The verdict, handed down last week, requires a detailed report on the reinstated money that was embezzled by former leader Sani Abacha. The court asked for precise information about the amounts returned to Nigeria, and how they were used.

Judge James Kolawole Omotosho insisted on details of the projects financed with these funds, their location across the country, and the names of the companies and contractors associated with these projects. He also demanded information on the specific role played by partners such as the World Bank and other entities in the implementation of these projects.

The court, hearing a case brought by the NGO Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which campaigns for transparency in public management, ruled that the organizations request concerning the use of the funds was meritorious. Consequently, Justice Omotosho ordered the Ministry of Finance to provide this information within seven days of his ruling.

The Ministry of Finance, which had argued before the court that it had no interest in allowing SERAP access to this information, suffered a major setback.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved 10 million aid to Cape Verde to support the countrys school canteen program and food security, the Cape Verdean Government said Thursday.

In a statement, the executive said that the support takes place within the framework of the African Food Production and Emergency Facility tool.

The support follows the request made in the framework of measures to mitigate the impacts of rising food and fuel prices, and aiming at greater resilience of the food system in the country.

The Government of Cape Verde commends the rapid response of the AfDB to the food crisis in African countries, following Russias invasion of Ukraine, through the launch of the African Food Production and Emergency Facility, in order to avert an imminent crisis on the African continent.

The Government noted that Cape Verde is one of the countries in a good position to receive resources from this financing tool, in the form of sector budget support.

The amount will be channeled to strengthen the Support to the School Canteens and Food Security Program project, which is also supported by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It will make it possible to support the most vulnerable families, the government emphasized, pledging to work with the AfDB and Luxembourg to tackle the food crisis in Africa.

Four months ago, the government announced that the AfDB, which has already financed Cape Verde with 610 million, will open an office in the archipelago, where it currently has four projects underway, totaling around 70 million. A mission from the institution was in the country in March, as part of the annual visits of administrators to African countries.
More than 200 Burkinabe expelled from neighboring Ghana

More than 200 Burkinabe, including women and children, have arrived in the south-west of Burkina Faso after they were expelled from neighboring Ghana, the regional governor and returnees told reporters on Thursday.

Since 11 July, we have started registering compatriots repatriated from Ghana, said Boureima Sawadogo, the governor of South-West Burkina Faso, the region bordering Ghana that is hosting the displaced persons.

On Tuesday, 54 people were received, according to the governor, who added that a census was still underway. More than 200 people have already been received in the commune of Ouessa, the first town over the border, where a transit centre has been set up to receive these displaced persons, he said on Thursday morning.

Seydou Tall, a man in his seventies who had returned to Ghana three months earlier, told local media that he and others had been asked to leave the country, where some had lived for more than ten years. We dont know what were being accused of, he lamented.

Concerned by reports of expulsions of hundreds of Burkina Faso citizens, mainly women and children, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a statement on Wednesday calling on the government of Ghana to put an end to these expulsions, which constitute a violation of the principle of non-refoulement, and to guarantee access to the territory and asylum to Burkina Faso nationals seeking international protection.

Burkina Faso faces regular jihadist attacks over much of its territory, forcing people to flee. In a statement published on Thursday, the Ghanaian Ministry of National Security refuted these allegations, explaining that a temporary reception centre, with a capacity of 2,100 people, has been set up in the border region of Burkina Faso and is housing around 530 Burkina Faso refugees.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important in drug discovery. Advances in the use of Big Data, learning algorithms and powerful computers have now enabled researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) to better understand a serious metabolic disease.

Cystinosis is a rare lysosomal storage disorder affecting around 1 in 100,000 to 200,000 newborns worldwide. Nephropathic (non-inflammatory) cystinosis, the most common and severe form of the disease, manifests with kidney disease symptoms during the first months of life, often leading to kidney failure before the age of 10.

"Children with cystinosis suffer from a devastating, multisystemic disease, and there are currently no available curative treatments," says Olivier Devuyst, head of the Mechanisms of Inherited Kidney Disorders (MIKADO) group and co-director of the ITINERARE University Research Priority Program at UZH.

The UZH researchers worked with Insilico Medicine, a company that uses AI for drug discovery, to uncover the underlying cellular mechanism behind kidney disease in cystinosis. Leveraging model systems and Insilico's PandaOmics platform, they identified the disease-causing pathways and prioritized therapeutic targets within cystinosis cells.

Their findings revealed a causal association between the regulation of a protein called mTORC1 and the disease. Alessandro Luciani, one of the research group leaders, explains, "Our research showed that cystine storage stimulates the activation of the mTORC1 protein, leading to the impairment of kidney tubular cell differentiation and function."

Promising drug identified for treatment

As patients with cystinosis often require a kidney transplant to restore kidney function, there is an urgent need for more effective treatments. Utilizing the PandaOmics platform, the UZH research team therefore embarked on a search for existing drugs that could be repurposed for cystinosis. This involved an analysis of the drugs' structure, target enzymes, potential side effects and efficacy in the affected tissues. The already-licensed drug rapamycin was identified as a promising candidate for treating cystinosis.

Studies in cell systems and model organisms confirmed that treatment with rapamycin restored the activity of lysosomes and rescued the cellular functions.

Olivier Devuyst and Alessandro Luciani are optimistic about future developments: "Although the therapeutic benefits of this approach will require further clinical investigations, we believe that these results, obtained through unique interdisciplinary collaboration, bring us closer to a feasible therapy for cystinosis patients."

The research is published in Nature Communications.

More information: Olivier Devuyst et al, Lysosomal cystine export regulates mTORC1 signaling to guide kidney epithelial cell fate specialization, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39261-3 Journal information: Nature Communications
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CT-scan in a sagittal section showing a mucosal swelling and obstruction of the maxillary sinus due to anaspergilloma (Contrast medium enhancement). Credit:Oncoscience (2023). DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.576

A new research perspective was published in Oncoscience, titled "Think outside the boxatypical infections in chronic sinusitis."

Inflammations of the paranasal sinuses represent a common clinical picture. The annual prevalence of chronic sinusitis in Europe is up to 10%. Sinusitis can be divided into acute and chronic forms. In particular, the chronic forms (>12 weeks duration) are often challenging in the context of therapy.

Generally, all ventilation disorders of the paranasal sinuses (concha bullosa, nasal septal deviations, etc.,) represent risk factors for the development of any form of sinusitis. In addition, an immune deficiency or systemic diseases relevant to the immune system predispose to infections with atypical pathogens. Most sinusitis are caused by viruses, sometimes bacteria and, in rare cases, fungal infections. Furthermore, sinusitis can be differentiated with regard to the affected paranasal sinuses.

In addition to conservative treatment options for chronic sinusitis (glucocorticoid nasal sprays, antibiotics, antimycotics, immunotherapy), surgical procedures (functional endoscopic sinus surgery) can also be considered. However, chronic sinusitis tends towards a high rate of recurrences. Therefore, in many cases only symptom control is achieved. Credit: Impact Journals LLC

In their recent research perspective, researchers Florian Dudde, Kai-Olaf Henkel and Filip Barbarewicz from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Army Hospital Hamburg discuss treatment refractory forms of chronic sinusitis with unclear etiology. The authors note that these cases require interdisciplinary diagnostics and treatment, which they were able to demonstrate clearly in their recently published article.

"Fungal infections are a rare cause of sinusitis. A detailed anamnesis and clinical examination of the patient should be carried out, particularly in the case of therapy refractory forms of chronic sinusitis. It is also important to consider atypical causes and disease connections (root canal treatment, aspergilloma) when dealing with chronic sinusitis. Interdisciplinary diagnostics and therapy are crucial for the successful treatment of this rare entity," say the researchers.

More information: Florian Dudde et al, Think outside the boxatypical infections in chronic sinusitis, Oncoscience (2023). DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.576

Provided by Impact Journals LLC
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(A) Depicts the proportion of time infants watched the show (live vs. recorded). (B) Depicts the average length of attention bouts before interruption (seconds) during the live and recorded audience conditions. (C) Depicts the proportion of time infants watched the show in their homes. (D) Depicts the average length of infants attention bouts watching from home. Credit: Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts (2023). DOI: 10.1037/aca0000597

When infants watch a live performance of a baby opera, their heart rates synchronized and they were significantly more engaged than babies who watched a recording of the same showeven though the recording was identical to the live version.

"Their heart rates were speeding up and slowing down in a similar fashion to other babies watching the show," says Laura Cirelli, assistant professor in the department of psychology at U of T Scarborough and co-author of a new study.

"Those babies were dealing with all these distractions in the concert hall, but still had these uninterrupted bursts of attention."

The findings suggest that even babies feel the impact of being at a live show, through both musicians' interactions with an audience and the social experience of being in a crowd. Cirelli recalls moments during the performance when a calm would sweep over the babies, and other times when a change in pitch or vocal riff would excite them all.

She says this may offer insights into why humans are hardwired to consume music and attend live shows in the first place.

"If there's something happening that we collectively are engaging with, we're also connecting with each other. It speaks to the shared experience," says Cirelli, director of the TEMPO Lab, which studies how infants and children respond to music.

"The implication is that this is not necessarily specific to this one performance. If there's these moments that capture us, then we are being captured together."

It's well established that socialization is crucial during early childhood developmentan infant's brain is laying the groundwork for future life skills and abilities as it grows. Cirelli says music can play a powerful part in making those important bonds. She points to research finding infants are more likely to socialize with someone after hearing them sing a familiar song or dancing to music with them, and that infants have strong emotional reactions to music and song even before their first birthday.

"We consistently find that music can be a highly social and emotional context within which infants can foster connections to their caregivers, other family members and even new acquaintances," she says. "This audience study shows that even in a community context, infants are engaging with the music and connecting to their fellow audience members."

For the study, published in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, researchers examined 120 babies ages six to 14 months as they watched a children's opera performed at a concert hall that doubles as a research facility at McMaster University (61 babies watched in person, the other 59 watched a recorded version).

The researchers meticulously broadcast the recording so the performers were at the same size, distance and volume as the live version. The babies' responses were tracked through heart monitors and tablets mounted on the backs of concert seats, and then afterward student research assistants combed through the footage to note when babies were looking at the stage versus when they looked away.

The live performance captured their attention for 72 percent of the 12-minute show while the recording held their attention for 54 percent. The live show also had them continually watching for longer bouts of time.

"Even little babies who may or may not have experienced music in a community context before are already engaging more when it's delivered this way," Cirelli says. "That's one question we have as music cognition researchers: What is it about the live experience that's worth it? Why would people go if there's not something fundamental about that live music experience that's above and beyond listening to music by yourself?"

That's not to say babies find virtual performances boring; after the onset of the pandemic, the researchers virtually studied one group of babies as they watched the same recording in their homes over Zoom. Those babies paid about as much attention as the ones who attended the live showwatching about 64 percent on averagebut they were more likely to get distracted throughout and have shorter bursts of attention.

"The babies watching at home didn't have the distraction of being in a new place, they were in their comfort zone. But even without distractions the quality of their attention was still not nearly as strong as the audience in the live condition."

The study, which was co-authored by former TEMPO Lab postdoc Haley Kragness, now an assistant professor at Bucknell University, will also feed into some of Cirelli's other work. In a different study, she and a team of researchers are exploring whether a live performance over Zoom has the same impact on engagement as a live performance in person, and whether musicians' interactions with an audience can play a similarly powerful role in capturing attention.

Another study will investigate whether live performances impact their memory of the event and how watching a live performance versus a recorded version affects how they feel about the performer.

"If a baby is frequently brought to these kinds of events, will that shape their foundation for engaging in music and the community later in childhood?" Cirelli says. "It speaks to why we even engage with music at all."

More information: Haley E. Kragness et al, An itsy bitsy audience: Live performance facilitates infants' attention and heart rate synchronization., Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts (2023). DOI: 10.1037/aca0000597
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Call it a hand signal of sorts.

New research from Germany shows that the common nerve disorder carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may be a harbinger for heart failure among older folks. In a study of 164,000 people, those 60 years or older who had the condition, which causes pain, weakness and numbness in the hand and wrist, had nearly a 50% higher risk for heart failure.

But the association between the two is just that, said study author Karel Kostev, a senior scientific principal for epidemiology with IQVIA in Frankfurt. There is no proof that one causes the other, and the findings should not cause patients with carpal tunnel to panic.

Their findings were published July 12 in JAMA Network Open.

"These two diagnoses are very different," Kostev said, "and there is no direct link between them." As of now, he added, there is "no reason to check for heart failure only [based on] having carpal tunnel syndrome" or any other inflammatory disease involving an extremity.

Still, the identified association between CTS and heart failure is of interest because both are relatively common, and both are potentially serious. CTS affects between 3% and 6% of adults, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

"Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful disorder of the hand, caused by pressure on nerves that run through the wrist usually due to inflammation," Kostev noted. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent hand dysfunction, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons notes.

Just over 6 million adult Americans have heart failure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kostev explained that it develops when the heart doesn't pump enough blood for the body's needs.

"In most cases, heart failure develops slowly and occurs in elderly people," he said. Absent intervention, it significantly raises a person's risk for premature death.

This spotting of a link between CTS and heart failure is not new, Kostev said. A Danish study was the first to report the association in 2019.

To further explore the relationship, Kostev and a team led by Dr. Mark Luedde, of the Cardiology Joint Practice Bremerhaven at Christian Albrechts-University of Kiel in Bremerhaven, looked at about 82,000 German patients who were first diagnosed with CTS between 2005 and 2020 and the same number without CTS. The average age of both groups was 53. About two-thirds were women.

All were then tracked for about a decade to identify which patients also ended up being diagnosed with heart failure. In the end, no risk association of any kind was seen among patients under age 60, although Kostev noted that it's difficult to put much stock in that finding given that heart failure is very rare among younger patients.

The research team did, however, find a clear risk among patients 60 and up. In that age group, 6.2% of non-CTS patients were ultimately diagnosed with heart failure, compared with 8.4% of CTS patients.

The risk association was similar among both men and women, suggesting that seniors with carpal tunnel may face a roughly 50% greater risk for developing heart failure than seniors who do not have the hand disorder.

What's unknown is why. One theory: "CTS may be an early symptom of a disease called amyloidosis," Kostev said, describing that as a rare disease that occurs when a protein called amyloid builds up in organs, causing them to work improperly.

But given that "not each CTS case is linked to amyloidosis, and not each amyloidosis causes heart failure," Kostev said the amyloid theory may not fully explain the connection researchers identified.

Even so, the potential role of amyloidosis may be significant, noted Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center in Los Angeles, who reviewed the findings. He noted that amyloidosis is "an under-recognized" cause of heart failure that's often diagnosed at a very late stage among heart failure patients.

Fonarow noted that past research has indicated that amyloidosis patients "may present with symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome approximately 5 to 15 years prior to cardiac impairment and a heart failure diagnosis."

He said that suggests a CTS diagnosis could be a useful early indicator of a potential uptick in heart failure risk.

Given that the vast majority of CTS patients do not develop heart failure, however, Fonarow cautioned that "the role for routine systematic cardiac screening of those diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome requires further study."

More information: Mark Luedde et al, Association Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Subsequent Heart Failure Among Adults in Germany, JAMA Network Open (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23091 The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on carpal tunnel syndrome. Journal information: JAMA Network Open

2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Over the past two decades, conditional cash transfer programs have led to a 24% reduction in child mortality in Brazil, Mexico and Ecuador, equivalent to more than 700,000 child deaths averted, according to an impact evaluation study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. The results, published in JAMA Network Open, also show that expanding these programs could save more than 150,000 lives by mitigating the effects of the current economic crisis.

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs are one of the most consolidated poverty-reduction policies. They were designed to break the cycle of poverty by giving money to low-income families in exchange for meeting certain health and education requirements for their children.

There are currently 30 such programs in Latin America, a region with some of the largest income and health inequalities in the world. "Countries have reported various health benefits of these programs, but we lacked evidence of their impact across countries and during the current period of multiple global crises," says Davide Rasella, ISGlobal researcher.

In this study, an international team coordinated by Rasella evaluated the health impact of these programs over the past 20 years and predicted their impact in future scenarios. The research team linked CCT coverage to health and socioeconomic data from 4,882 municipalities in three countries: Mexico, which launched the first nationwide CCT program (Progreso) in 1997; Brazil, which has the world's largest program (Bolsa Familia); and Ecuador, whose Bono de Desarrollo Humano costs the most in percentage of gross domestic product.

Reduction of poverty-related diseases

The retrospective analysis shows that, between 2000 and 2019, consolidated municipal CCT coverages were associated with a 24% reduction on overall mortality in children under five years, corresponding to 739,919 child deaths averted in all the three countries over the same period. The higher the coverage of CCT, the greater the impact on child mortality and hospitalization, particularly for poverty-related diseases such as malnutrition, diarrhea, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections and malaria.

"We believe that this effect is mostly due to better socioeconomic conditions, such as better nutrition and housing, rather than to conditioning the income on the use of basic health services," says Daniella Medeiros, from the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil, and first author of the study. This may explain why the stronger effect was seen on postneonatal and under-five mortality, which is more dependent on socioeconomic conditions, compared with neonatal mortality, which depends more on health care services.

Expand coverage in response to economic crises

The forecast analyses considered three potential economic crisis scenarios (short, medium and long) and three alternative responses in terms of CCT coverage (mitigation, baseline and fiscal austerity). In the medium crisis scenario, mitigation (i.e. expanding coverage to include the "new" poor) would reduce child mortality by up to 17% and prevent 153,601 child deaths in the three countries by 2030.

Rapid expansion of CCT programs during economic crises is therefore an effective policy to mitigate the health impact and save children's lives.

"Poverty remains one of the main drivers of disease and death in low- and middle-income countries, but sometimes we focus on other risk factors and overlook its predominant role, even though it is a determinant on which we can effectively act from multiple perspectives," concludes Rasella.

More information: Evaluation and forecasting analysis of conditional cash transfer an child mortality in Latin America, 2000-2023, JAMA Network Open (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23489 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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If taken within 72 hours of condomless sex, the common antibiotic doxycycline drastically reduces the risk of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia among transwomen and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, a recent study shows.

Using doxycycline like this is a form of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), or medicine taken after you've been exposed to a disease to help protect you from illness. Doxy-PEP is a new approach tested in part by Annie Luetkemeyer, MD, professor of infectious diseases at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and UCSF, alongside colleagues from the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the University of Washington.

Scientists hope that offering doxy-PEP can stem rising rates of these STIs. More than 2.5 million STI cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2021 alone. We asked Luetkemeyer what people need to know about doxy-PEP.

Who can take Doxy-PEP?

Doxy-Pep is an option to reduce the risk of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia for transwomen as well as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men and who have had at least one of these STIs in the past 12 months. Clinicians can also consider prescribing doxy-PEP to these folks if they haven't had a recent STI but if they feel they are at risk of one because they have multiple sexual partners.

In addition, clinicians can consider doxy-PEP for straight, cisgender men who are at risk of STIs, although there are no studies yet looking at use in this population. Doxy-PEP was not effective in the only study to date conducted in cisgender women so more research is needed before doxy-PEP's use after vaginal sex is recommended.

How do I take Doxy-PEP?

Take a single dose of doxycycline as soon as possible but no more than 72 hours after having condomless sex to reduce the risk of three STIs: syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Doxy-PEP is usually given as two,100-milligram pills or one 200-milligrams tablet.

Doxycycline should be taken with a glass of water and you should not lie down for 30 minutes after taking the pills.

How well does Doxy-PEP work?

In several studies, doxy-PEP reduced the risk of gonorrhea by about 55%60% and decreased the chances of developing chlamydia and syphilis by about 80% or more.

How can I get Doxy-PEP?

You need a prescription, so speak to a health care provider. You don't have to go to your primary care provider for a prescription, however. There are sexual health clinics that provide medicine to prevent HIV infection before or after sex, STI testing and Mpox vaccination. Many of these clinics also provide doxy-PEP.

How much does Doxy-PEP cost?

Some clinics provide doxy-PEP for free. But even if someone needs to purchase it, it's typically pretty cheap and often covered by insurance.

Does Doxy-PEP have any side effects?

Doxy-PEP can upset your stomach and may make you more sun sensitive, so people who have fair skin or live in a very sunny climate might want to use sunscreen. Occasionally, people can get an allergic reaction or a rash to doxy-PEP.

Very rarely, people can have more serious side effects like a bad headache or vision changes. If you experience this, contact your health care provider. You should know that hearing and vision changes can be syphilis symptoms and may be a sign you should get tested.

What if I've had sex without a condom and think I might have been exposed to HIV?

Doxy-PEP does not protect against HIV or other viral infections, like herpes or the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts. If you think you have been exposed to HIV, you can take HIV post-exposure prophylaxis within three days to help reduce your risk of contracting HIV.

If you think you need HIV PEP, call your provider, go to an emergency room or call a local PEP hotline. In San Francisco, local HIV PEP providers include San Francisco City Clinic and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

It is important to know that HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)HIV medication taken before sexis a highly effective way to prevent HIV.

Can Doxy-PEP protect me from Mpox?

Doxy-PEP does not protect against Mpox. If you have unprotected sex with someone who develops Mpox symptoms or is diagnosed with Mpox, there's a vaccine you can take up to 14 days after you may have been exposed to reduce your risk of contracting MPox.

The best prevention for Mpox is getting vaccinated before you're exposed. The Mpox vaccine is a two-dose jab. The second dose should be given a month after the first injection. People should get both doses for the best protection.

I've heard it's bad to take antibiotics when you're not sick because it can lead to antibiotic resistance. Will taking Doxy-PEP put me at risk of developing drug-resistant STIs in the future that are harder to treat?

So far, there is no concerning data that shows the use of doxy-PEP increases drug resistance in the patients that researchers have followed for about a year. However, drug resistance is possible so scientists are continuing to monitor it.
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A new study suggests that sight loss in people over 71 years old may be linked to dementia. The study was published on July 13 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

The researchers at the University of Michigan in the US analyzed data from nearly 3,000 US citizens over 71 years old, who were part of a larger study, the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). This larger study tested the participants' eyesight and recorded their scores for short-distance vision, long-distance vision and how well they were able to distinguish objects against different backgrounds. They also found out whether the participants had dementia from the NHATS study data.

What they found was that participants with sight loss were more likely to have dementia compared to people with no problems with their vision.

Up to 40% of dementia cases could be influenced by 12 risk factors which we may be able to prevent or influence, such as smoking, high blood pressure and hearing loss. Sight loss is not currently one of these 12 important risk factors, but the new evidence published today suggests that there is a link between sight loss and dementia.

Dr. Susan Mitchell, Head of Policy at Alzheimer's Research UK, said, "This is a crucial time for dementia research, as evidence builds about how factors such as sight loss are linked to dementia. Studies like this are crucial for identifying possible new dementia risk factors and ultimately working out how to potentially prevent some cases of dementia from happening in the first place."

"This new study provides important new evidence linking sight loss to dementia and ties in with previous studies. But this isn't definitive, and it will be important for future studies to find out precisely what is causing this apparent link, as this will determine what, if any, potential there is for prevention."

"There are several possibilitiesfor example, diabetes is a key risk factor for dementia, and this condition can also cause vision problems. Or it might be that there are shared pathways in the brain that cause both vision loss and a decline in memory and thinking abilities.

"Some cases of sight loss are preventable, and others can be treated successfullyif this link is confirmed, this could mean people who take steps to minimize sight problems as they get older could also help reduce their risk of conditions like dementia."

"In the meantime, we can all take action to protect our brain health, from keeping our hearts healthy to enjoying new activities and social interactions. If you want to know more about how your own lifestyle checks out in terms of keeping your brain healthy, you can take Alzheimer's Research UK's 'Think Brain Health check-in' by visiting https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/brain-health/check-in/ "

More information: Olivia J. Killeen et al, Objectively Measured Visual Impairment and Dementia Prevalence in Older Adults in the US, JAMA Ophthalmology (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.2854 Journal information: JAMA Ophthalmology
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The UK government's leveling up agenda is set to fail in its mission to address inequalities unless it tackles the root causes of poor health, according to a new study.

The research, led by the University of Bristol and University of Bath, presents policy recommendations to tackle the root causes of poor health which hold the key to overcome inequalities.

The study, published in the journal Contemporary Social Science, used data from interviews with 132 key government and industry professionals to assess if the 12 "missions" published in the Leveling Up White Paper will achieve better quality of urban living to improve public health.

The study is part of TRUUD, a transdisciplinary research project led by the University of Bristol, which aims to reduce non-communicable disease (such as cancers, diabetes, obesity, mental ill-health and respiratory illness) and health inequalities linked to the quality of urban planning and development.

Using seven principles that could underpin a successful leveling up strategy for healthy urban developments, researchers recommend how the Government might address the wider determinants of health in the implementation of its ambitions.

These include establishing a cross-government commitment for health, led by the Prime Minister's office, further local devolution of powers, simplified means of funding, and increased use of evidence from local communities and health sources for decision-making.

Sarah Ayres, Professor of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Bristol, said, "Preventing poor health through tackling the wider determinants is critical to 'level up' the country but this requires a change in current funding, increased local powers and greater attention to local voices alongside health evidence.

"We know, from our large-scale, qualitative and transdisciplinary dataset alongside a review of the literature on health and the urban environment, that ambitions to reduce inequalities and improve life-expectancy are unlikely to be met. Our recommendations give seven clear actions to help achieve better health outcomes through better quality of urban developments."

The seven recommendations are:

Articulate a clear commitment to health prevention and tackling the wider determinants of health



Health prevention must be designed as a cross-cutting agenda in Whitehall with clear accountability for delivery



Engaging with local actors, including members of the public, is critical to understanding local health needs



Local government needs policy autonomy to adopt a systems approach to addressing health inequalities



Greater flexibility in local government funding is required to enable the integration of health with other policy areas



Place sensitive approaches are essential for places that suffer the worst health outcomes



Local health data needs to be used more effectively in urban development to highlight local health priorities.

Daniel Black, Program Director for TRUUD, said, "TRUUD is testing interventions across multiple parts of the urban development system. Though change takes place in fast growing cities, national level engagement is critical given how centralized we are in the UK and the central role of the private sector.

"Evidence supporting these fundamental messagessuch as health prevention being a pan-Governmental issueare vital if we are to tackle these root cause issues upstream."

More information: Sarah Ayres et al, What needs to happen to 'level up' public health?, Contemporary Social Science (2023). DOI: 10.1080/21582041.2023.2232765
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One 10 ml vial of 1000 mg ketamine. Credit: Psychonaught/Wikipedia

A low-cost version of ketamine to treat severe depression has performed strongly in a double-blind trial that compared it with placebo.

In research published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry, researchers led by UNSW Sydney and the affiliated Black Dog Institute found that more than one in five participants achieved total remission from their symptoms after a month of bi-weekly injections, while a third had their symptoms improve by at least 50 percent. The study was a collaboration between six academic clinical mood disorder units in Australia and one in New Zealand and was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

"For people with treatment-resistant depressionso those who have not benefitted from different modes of talk-therapy, commonly prescribed antidepressants, or electroconvulsive therapy20 percent remission is actually quite good," lead researcher Professor Colleen Loo says.

"We found that in this trial, ketamine was clearly better than the placebowith 20 percent reporting they no longer had clinical depression compared with only 2 percent in the placebo group. This is a huge and very obvious difference and brings definitive evidence to the field which only had past smaller trials that compared ketamine with placebo."

How the trial worked

The researchers recruited 179 people with treatment-resistant depression. All were given an injection of either a generic form of ketamine that is already widely available in Australia as a drug for anesthesia and sedationor placebo. Participants received two injections a week in a clinic where they were monitored for around two hours while acute dissociative and sedative effects wore offusually within the first hour. The treatment ran for a month and participants were asked to assess their mood at the end of the trial and one month later.

As a double-blind trial, neither participants nor researchers administering the drug were aware which patients received generic ketamine or placebo, to ensure psychological biases were minimized. Importantly, a placebo was chosen that also causes sedation, to improve treatment masking. Midazolam is a sedative normally administered before a general anesthetic, while in many previous studies the placebo was saline.

"Because there are no subjective effects from the saline, in previous studies it became obvious which people were receiving the ketamine and which people received placebo," Prof. Loo says.

"In using midazolamwhich is not a treatment for depression, but does make you feel a bit woozy and out of ityou have much less chance of knowing whether you have received ketamine, which has similar acute effects."

Other features of the recent trial that set it apart from past studies included accepting people into the trial who had previously received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

"People are recommended ECT treatment for their depression when all other treatments have been ineffective," Prof. Loo says.

"Most studies exclude people who have had ECT because it is very hard for a new treatment to work where ECT has not."

Another difference about this trial was that the drug was delivered subcutaneously (injected into the skin) rather than by drip, thus greatly reducing time and medical complexity. The study is also the largest in the world to date that compares generic ketamine with placebo in treating severe depression.

Much more affordable

Apart from the positive results, one of the standout benefits of using generic ketamine for treatment-resistant depression is that it is much cheaper than the patented S-ketamine nasal spray currently in use in Australia. Where S-ketamine costs about $800 per dose, the generic ketamine is a mere fraction of that, costing as little as $5, depending on the supplier and whether the hospital buys it wholesale.

On top of the cost for the drug, patients need to pay for the medical care they receive to ensure their experience is safewhich at Black Dog Institute clinics, comes to $350 per session.

"With the S-ketamine nasal spray, you are out of pocket by about $1200 for every treatment by the time you pay for the drug and the procedure, whereas for generic ketamine, you're paying around $300-350 for the treatment including the drug cost," Prof. Loo says.

She adds that for both S-ketamine and generic ketamine treatments, the positive effects often wear off after a few days to weeks, so ongoing treatment may be required, depending on someone's clinical situation. But the prohibitive costs of the drug and procedure make this an unsustainable proposition for most Australians.

"This is why we're applying for a Medicare item number to fund this treatment now, because it's such a powerful treatment."

"And if you consider that many of these people might spend many months in hospital, or be unable to work and are often quite suicidal, it's quite cost effective when you see how incredibly quickly and powerfully it works. We've seen people go back to work, or study, or leave hospital because of this treatment in a matter of weeks."

The researchers will next be looking at larger trials of generic ketamine over longer periods, and refining the safety monitoring of treatment.

More information: Colleen Loo et al, Efficacy and safety of a 4-week course of repeated subcutaneous ketamine injections for treatment-resistant depression (KADS study): randomised double-blind active-controlled trial, The British Journal of Psychiatry (2023). DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2023.79 Journal information: British Journal of Psychiatry
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

As a teenager attending Chrysalis Therapeutic Boarding School for Girls, a private, alternative therapeutic program in Eureka, Montana, from 2001 to 2004, Meg Applegate was subjected to emotional abuse and not given medical care for injuries from physical labor such as baling hay, chopping wood, and moving rocks, she said. Yet she couldn't communicate what she was going through to her parents because she was not allowed unmonitored phone calls with them for over a year.

Applegate, along with her parents, and other students who attended similar alternative, for-profit behavior modification programs in Montana have testified about their experiences to help pass a new law that aims to bolster protections for teens in programs that are part of what is commonly referred to as the "troubled teen industry."

The law increases the state Department of Public Health and Human Services' oversight of such programs by requiring weekly, unmonitored video calls between program attendees and their parents, more inspections, and a 24-hour child abuse hotline for program residents.

"If we knew then what we know today, my wife and I would never have made the decision to send our daughter to a residential treatment boarding school in Montana," said Richard Gochnauer, Applegate's father.

Like other states, Montana has struggled to fund and regulate options for behavioral health care for adolescents. Those are not only private, for-profit programs in the state, where allegations of abuse and neglect went unchecked for years, but also Medicaid-funded treatment programs in other states where Montana kids are sent, some of which have also faced allegations of abuse.

Advocates for teens have called for national oversight of alternative treatment programs. Celebrity Paris Hilton is among those working to introduce federal legislation to better regulate programs nationwide on the basis of her experience in Montana as a teen. Until federal regulations exist, some states, including Utah, California, and Oregon, have aimed to regulate the industry within their borders. In many other states, though, little to no oversight exists.

"One of the things that has been really tough as we shine light on these programs is that the bad actors in the industry condition and prime parents to not believe their own children, and children aren't able to tell their parents what's going on," said state Rep. Laura Smith, a Democrat who sponsored the Montana measure. "So, I wanted to ensure that kids have a way of reporting abuse."

The new Montana law, which takes effect in October, adds protections for youths attending private, for-profit alternative therapeutic programs in the state. It increases the number of unannounced inspections by state officials to two a year, and requires that at least half the kids be interviewed at each inspection, in addition to their weekly unmonitored video calls. It also allows the state health department to review and approve each program's policies.

Megan Stokes, executive director of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, said her group supported the measures included in Montana's new law, such as increased inspections. However, she said she also would like the state to remove its exemption for faith-based programs from those rules.

"It's a loophole a program could go into and then they're unlicensed," Stokes said. "There's no oversight, and that's a concern."

The measure had gotten a boost by the appearance of Hilton, the hotel chain scion who visited Montana and met with senators to impart that a lack of open communication in programs stifles reports of abuse and neglect. Hilton alleged that she experienced abuse, including being strangled by staffers, while attending a program in Montana.

"It really gave my colleagues in the legislature a real picture of what happens in these programs, because if these programs can be so secretive that they can violently assault a Hilton, what are they doing to foster kids and everyday people?" Smith said.

This law is meant to bolster program oversight, which the state health department took over following an investigation by the Missoulian in 2019 that exposed long-standing problems. Previously, the programs were overseen by a board composed mostly of program owners that dismissed 58 complaints submitted to the board over a decade.

Smith was deputy director of the health department when oversight was transferred in 2019. Within a month of the department taking on the new regulatory duties, it removed 27 children from Ranch for Kids near Eureka and permanently revoked the program's state license based on allegations of children being hit, kicked, and spat on.

In 2021, Reflections Academy for Girls voluntarily closed after the state found the program had mishandled the case of a 17-year-old girl who died by suicide. According to reports, state inspectors found that staffers did nothing to supervise the girl after she told employees she felt suicidal on the day of her death, instead dismissing her statements as manipulation. She was found dead in a bathroom several hours later.

In the time since oversight was transferred, 11 of the 19 programs that existed under the previous board have closed, changed licensure, or moved to other states, according to program licensing records. Now seven programs are licensed in Montana, according to the department's website.

Corey Hickman, executive director at Chrysalis, said that he supports the new law and that it won't be very consequential for his program. He said the structure for weekly calls to parents is already in place, though he said he'll need to figure out the logistics to have a phone available for students to call an abuse hotline.

He said he was uncertain about the events during Applegate's time at Chrysalis, given he and the current owners took over the program nearly a decade after her attendance. Hickman said rules governing access to medical care were added once the health department assumed licensing.

"I'll be the first one to own it's never perfect," Hickman said. "And we always have to be better and more client-centered."

Other programs did not respond to requests for comment about the law for this article.

Applegate, now 37 and the CEO of Unsilenced, a group that advocates for reform and transparency in the troubled teen industry, said it would have helped to have unmonitored calls during her time at Chrysalis. Yet she said she worried the state may not have the capacity to enforce the new law.

"Even if it's not monitored and a child is experiencing what they believe to be abuse and say, "I need to use the phone unmonitored," that is enough for retaliation," Applegate said.

Jen Shaw, a former teacher who worked at Clearview Girls Academy, a private residential treatment program, said she thinks Montana's new law will help the state hold more programs accountable. The measure includes "basic health and safety standards with actual oversight so that more kids don't die," Shaw said, referring to the suicide at Reflections Academy.

Smith said other aspects of the industry still need improvement, including addressing deceptive marketing practices, a lack of adequate educational services within some programs, and inconsistent professional qualifications required for staff members.

The high demand for treatment of children with behavioral and substance abuse problems and the limited care options in Montana have led state health officials to spend Medicaid funds to send kids to residential programs in other states with less stringent oversight. Some of those programs have been accused of abuse and mistreatment.

Shipping those kids out of state for treatment comes with a high price tag for taxpayers, and often the children's issues are not resolved or grow worse. To reduce the need to send kids out of state, Shaw said, Montana will need to focus on community-based care within its borders.

For years, Montana's medical professionals have struggled because of reimbursement rates that don't cover all their costs for providing care to patients covered by Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides health coverage for low-income people. This legislative session, state lawmakers finally raised providers' Medicaid reimbursements, which may keep more kids in state for treatment.

"This has been under-resourced for a very long time," said Lauren Wilson, a pediatrician and the president of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "This isn't a huge windfall for any of these programs, but it will help them meet their costs, which is a start."

2023 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Buprenorphine Hydrochloride. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The most effective science-based treatment for opioid use disorder is medication. Methadone and buprenorphine prevent intense cravings and other symptoms of withdrawal, while naltrexone works by blocking the effects of opioids.

Despite abundant research showing these medications reduce the risk of relapse and overdose, many people, no matter their relationship with opioids or with people who use them, are still hesitant to support the use of these medications. And the majority of people who would benefit from such treatments do not have access to them.

We study opioid use disorder and the attitudes that surround it. To better understand hesitancy around the use of medication to treat opioid use disorder, we and our colleagues conducted focus groups with three populations intimately involved in the opioid crisisthose in recovery, their friends and family and their health care providersas well as with community members with no direct connection to opioid use disorder. We spoke with 101 people in all across rural and urban locations in Indiana.

We asked what they thought about using medication to treat opioid use disorder. We found all four groups had negative opinions about using medication. No matter who they were, participants voiced an underlying belief that opioid use disorder results from moral weakness that can be overcome with willpower and commitment to behavior change, despite research-based evidence that overwhelmingly shows that opioid use disorder is a chronic brain disease best managed with medication.

Across all four groups, we heard three myths about using medication for opioid use disorder. Research reveals these stigmatizing beliefs are counter to reality.

Medication isn't trading one drug for another

Many of our participants expressed the belief that using medication is the same as using opioids to get high. This misperception is likely rooted in the outdated idea that recovery is defined by total abstinence from all substances, except perhaps caffeine and nicotine. As one service provider working with people in recovery declared, "If you're on Suboxone or you're on methadone and you're not being tapered down, you're using."

The truth is, taking medication is not the same as using prescription or street opioids to get high. These medications do not produce the same experience of euphoria or high as heroin, morphine or other opioids. In different ways, methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone all reduce cravings and allow people to remain sober and to work, raise their children and engage in activities of healthy productive livingall challenges for people to do well when using opioids to get high.

Medication is an important part of long-term recovery

We found that people's overall discomfort with the idea of using medication to treat opioid use disorder led to a belief that such treatment should be used only as a steppingstone on the way to sobriety. A community member we spoke with said, "It's a way of weaning them off everything. I think that's just one of the steps they have to take to get clean."

The belief that medication should be used for only a short time runs counter to research showing higher rates of relapse after tapering. Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services discourage rapid tapers and affirm that long-term use is the best way to prevent relapse, overdose and death.

Long-term treatment counts as success

Many of our study participants voiced the belief that long-term use of medication means the treatment did not work. As one family member put it, "If you're on it for 10 or 15 years, then that's not really helping you."

The myth that long-term use of medication means the medicine is ineffectiveor has failedruns counter to both the life outcomes of those on maintenance treatment and the physiological reality that such drugs may remain necessary to normalize brain function for the person in recovery.

Just as those with high blood pressure or diabetes may need to remain on medications for the long term, so might some people with opioid use disorder. Keeping people in treatment and alive through use of medications is treatment success, not failure.

An estimated 3 million Americans have had or currently struggle with opioid use disorder. The latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates nearly 83,000 deaths in 2022 involved opioids.

Methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone are lifesaving medications. Myths associated with their use cause avoidable relapse, overdose and death by keeping people from using the most effective tool for entering into and maintaining recovery.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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The generic drug trilemma, depicted above with related policy reforms. A better understanding of the policy trade-offs could help ease supply shortages, SIEPR scholar Lisa Ouellette says. Credit: Stanford University

Prescription drug shortages, a longstanding issue for patient care in the United States, are reportedly reaching all-time highs. Safety lapses at manufacturing sites, razor-thin profit margins, and stiff competition have all been blamed in recent months as doctors scramble to find chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and other potentially life-saving therapies now in short supply.

As the Biden administration and members of Congress weigh what to do, Lisa Larrimore Ouellette, a Stanford Law School professor, argues that policymakers need to think differently about solutions to the crisis. In a recently published analysis, she details a new approach to understanding the underlying problemsand makes the case for how it supports new forms of drug manufacturing and a crackdown on deceptive practices within the industry.

The analysisby Ouellette, who is also a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), and Daniel Hemel of New York University School of Lawcomes amid calls for government-mandated reforms that get to the root of the country's persistent drug shortages. Earlier this year, Robert Califf, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told federal lawmakers measures that stop short of fixing the "core economics" of the prescription drug market ultimately won't work.

One strategy is to tackle what Ouellette and Hemel call the generic drug trilemmaa situation that pits the dynamics of costs, supply, and quality against each other.

"There's no perfect solution to the problem of drug shortages, but we think our framework will help policymakers avoid Band-Aid fixes that merely create different problems for other parts of the drug supply," says Ouellette, the Deane F. Johnson Professor of Law, whose research looks at the interplay between innovation policy and intellectual property law.

Ouellette and Hemel say that drug shortages stem from a common misconception of what makes for effective policies when it comes to prescription medicines. Much of the attention in policy circles and in research around prescription drugs focuses on brand-name medications that are protected by patents, they write. Yet it's generic medicinesalternatives to brand-name drugs whose patents have expiredthat comprise more than 90 percent of prescription medications dispensed in the United States.

And the policy objectives for regulating patented medications versus their generic versions are not the same, Ouellette says.

"Designing policies for the prescription drug market entails trade-offs that are different for patented drugs than for off-patent medications, or what we think of as generic drugs," says Ouellette. "Our analysis suggests that you can reduce the severity of drug shortages through policies that better account for these differences in trade-offs."

Ouellette's and Hemel's paper was published in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy.

The 'unintended consequences' of existing policies

Consider, the authors say, the chief goals of patented drug policy. One is to encourage the development of new medications by rewarding the scientists and companies who discover them with a patent, which essentially establishes a 20-year monopoly that can lead to higher prices. The other is to try to ensure that patients can pay for the new drug treatment. The best policies strike a balance between the two, often called the "innovation-access dilemma."

Generic drug policymaking, in contrast, aims to serve three primary purposes: to keep prices down, encourage sufficient supplies, and ensure that off-patent medicines are safe and effective.

Ouellette and Hemel argue that generic drug policy faces a "trilemma" in that it can never meet all three objectives at once. Policymakers can achieve one or two goals, but always at the expense of the third. For example, they can guarantee higher prices, which would likely reduce shortages, and maintain rigorous safety standards, but these policies necessarily increase prices. Or they could cap prices without addressing manufacturing costs, but that would come at the expense of supply.

For a real-world example of the price-quantity-quality trilemma, Ouellette and Hemel point to a program that Congress created 30 years ago that offers vaccines to more than half of U.S. children at no cost to their families. In designing the policy, lawmakers capped prices without addressing quality costs. This hurt manufacturers' profit margins so they cut supplies. A decade later, routine pediatric vaccines were in such short supply that 35 states lowered their immunization requirements for school-age children.

Congress made a mistake, Ouellette says, in overlooking the role of pricing. Vaccines had been around for so long that lawmakers were no longer concerned about rewarding manufacturers for supplying them.

"The Vaccines for Children program illustrates how policies that don't account for the trilemma can have unintended consequences, creating more problems down the road," says Ouellette, whose recent work with Hemel also includes an examination of flaws in drug pricing.

Reforms under the 'trilemma' approach

Using the trilemma framework allows policymakers and researchers to better understand the trade-offs in addressing drug shortagesand to respond more effectively, according to Ouellette and Hemel. The key is to recognize that fixing two sides of the trilemma will negatively affect the third, but that the harm can be less than the overall benefit.

The authors explore three possible policy moves. One is to step up antitrust enforcement, and they detail the many ways that brand-name and generic manufacturers game the system. Brand-name manufacturers, for example, exploit the fact that prices for off-patent drugs are unregulated and that generic manufacturers have to clear high government hurdles to market a drug.

Another possibility is for government to play a larger role in supplying medicinesas it has done during the COVID-19 pandemic by contracting with vaccine makers to provide free immunizations. Ouellette and Hemel say that the federal government could become an additional source of medicines by manufacturing generic drugs itself or contracting with other producers to do so.

A third option proposed by the authors is to dramatically cut the amount of time it takes to make a medication, without compromising on safety or quality. Currently, the vast majority of medicines are produced in batches and follow a sequence of time-consuming steps. By contrast, a process known as "continuous" manufacturing operates like an assembly line: at any given time, medicines are in different stages of production. As of early 2022, the FDA had approved six drugs that are produced by continuous production, but policymakers could provide incentives for all manufacturers to invest in the process, according to Ouellette and Hemel.

The major downside to these reformsor any that are likely to significantly reduce drug shortagesis that they are costly, notes Ouellette.

"And none of these policies in and of themselves can eliminate the trilemma," Ouellette says. "But they could do a lot to alleviate the persistent problem of scarcity in the pharmaceutical drug supply."

More information: Daniel J. Hemel et al, The Generic Drug Trilemma, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy (2023). DOI: 10.1086/723235
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, opening the door for millions of people who previously struggled to access contraception to be able to get it without a prescription.

The Opill, or nogestrel, was originally approved for prescription use in 1973 and uses the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy. Stores and online retailers will begin carrying it in early 2024, with no age restrictions, according to drugmaker Perrigo.

The news comes just over one year after the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, allowing states to outlaw abortion and fueling even more urgency on the part of reproductive rights advocates to make birth control easier to access.

Amanda Stevenson, an associate professor of sociology, studies how access to contraception impacts women's lives. CU Boulder Today spoke with her about the FDA decision, and what comes next.

What do you make of this decision?

This is great news, because it indicates that the FDA is finally following the long-established evidence that people can decide on their own whether their circumstances make it safe for them to use oral contraception. Oral contraception is one of the most commonly used medicines in the world, and about 100 other countries provide it without a prescription. Unnecessary barriers, like having to go to doctor's appointments each year, make it harder for people to manage their sexual and reproductive lives in ways that are the best for them.

How might people's lives be impacted?

We know from our own research that access to the ability to control your fertility improves people's lives more broadly, enabling them to achieve their educational, relationship, financial and other goals. For instance, we found in our research that when women in Colorado were given easier access to all of the methods of contraception, including Intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, they were as much s 12% more likely to obtain a four-year college degree, less likely to drop out of high school and less likely to live in poverty.

In another long-term study in Bangledesh, colleagues from CU and other schools found that women given greater access to birth control had fewer children spread further apart, more of whom survived, and were able to invest more time and resources in the children they did have.

Studies show about one-third of U.S. women who have tried to get a prescription for the pill had trouble. Why is it so hard?

Anyone who has tried to go to a physician in the past three years knows that getting health care appointments for anyone is difficult. For people who have less access to money, no insurance, are undocumented or have less ability to control their physical circumstances, like teenagers, the unnecessary barrier of a prescription is even greater.

There are also a lot of barriers that people in foster care face. One study by a colleague here found that only about one-third of eighth- and ninth-graders involved with the child welfare system in Colorado have even received information on birth control, and fewer than half know how to access it. And physicians themselves can sometimes be barriers to care, since sometimes doctors have their own ideas about what methods of contraception are best.

Some critics have said that making it over the counter would be dangerous to women's health. Will it?

Everything that can go wrong with oral contraception that someone has accessed without a visit to a physician could have gone wrong if they had visited a physician before they got the pills. For instance, people who get pills over the counter are no more likely than those who go to a physician to use oral contraceptive pills when they have a medical contraindication.

And everyone who uses oral contraceptive pills could take their pill at the wrong time or store it inappropriately. Contraception is so much safer than being pregnant. The American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Academy of Pediatrics all support people having better access to contraception because it is such a fundamental healthcare need.

This ruling only covers Opill. What do reproductive healthcare advocates hope will happen next?

The hope is that all oral contraceptive medications would soon be available over the counter. The scientific evidence is there to support that.

But will people be able to afford this?

Affordability is definitely still an issue, and today's decision doesn't do much for most people. Our complicated system of healthcare finance and delivery means that there are many different kinds of cost barriers. Some of them might be addressed by Biden's June Executive Order on Strengthening Access to Ccontraception, but it depends on how the order is implemented.

For example, the Affordable Care Act already mandates that private insurance companies cover all FDA-approved methods of contraception, but we know that many insurers never complied and the mandate has never been enforced. Whether the executive order is followed up with action and enforcement will determine whether it helps people get the contraceptive healthcare they need.

Why is this such an important decision right now?

Because getting an abortion in America is much harder than it used to be for pretty much everyone. Even if you live in a state that hasn't introduced bans, like Colorado, substantial barriers exist because people from the states where abortion has been banned are now coming to your state for care. For that reason, people are especially concerned about their ability to control whether they get pregnant. So, contraception is key.

This ruling aside, you have expressed that contraception is under threat in the United States. What makes you say that?

The organizations and individuals who have been advocating for restrictions and bans on abortion have in recent years ramped up their rhetoric and advocacy against contraception, particularly against methods such as IUDs, which they wrongly paint as abortifacients.

We've already seen this in the form of explicit policy positions taken by organizations that oppose abortion rights and now oppose the use of contraception, as well as in social media discourse arguing that contraception is physically unsafe, which is false. Some states have introduced bills suggesting bans.

Until Dobbs, the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted liberty to include the right to privacy, and the right to privacy to include the right to use contraception. So all that Dobbs did was formally was remove abortion from the right to privacy. The fact that a right could be removed in that way indicates that the court is willing to reconsider rights of this kind. We should be worried.

What can we do to preserve access to contraception?

We can preserve access to contraception by arguing against false claims that contraception is harmful, which are the basis of efforts to ban some methods like IUDs and pills. We can defend and expand publicly-subsidized contraception programs like Title X, which has never received as much money as it needs.

We can also highlight the benefits of access to contraception, for example by emphasizing how much richer our nation and culture are because women are engaged in civic, social, and economic life. And we can talk about how contraception is part of almost every woman's life in this country, allowing us to build the families we want on our own terms.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Radiation planning CT after axillary lymph node dissection. The arrow shows the clips at the upper border of axillary dissection. No surgical changes are noted behind the pectoral minor muscle, suggesting only partial axillary dissection of level 1 without level 2. Credit: eClinicalMedicine (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102085

Researchers from Heidelberg University Hospital and the University of Lucerne as well as international scientists, patient representatives and European cancer societies have pooled scientific data and their expert knowledge on the surgical management of lymph nodes in breast cancer. Recommendations aim to avoid unnecessary removal of lymph nodes and spare patients chronic lymphedema. The findings have been published in the open access journal eClinicalMedicine.

Preoperative chemotherapy for breast cancer can significantly shrink tumor size and metastatic lymph nodes by the time surgery is performed. As a result, breast surgery has the potential to avoid complete excision of axillary lymph nodes and reduce the risk for distressing side effects such as arm lymphedema.

A multidisciplinary consortium of European cancer societies, international medical institutions with Heidelberg participation, and patient representatives, addressed the challenges of clinical axillary lymph node management in early breast cancer. Leading experts voted on all major issues and formulated recommendations for clinical application.

A total of five work packages were developed, following the patient's journey from diagnosis to local axillary therapy and addressing specific clinical scenarios.

"The benefits of preoperative chemotherapy in breast cancer are not always sufficiently realized. Published data describe that mastectomies and complete lymph node removal are still performed too frequently. Reduced surgical removal of lymph nodes is only partially implemented even with good preoperative results," reports Professor Dr. Peter Dubsky, head of the Breast Center at the Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna in Lucerne, titular professor at the University of Lucerne and lead investigator of the consortium.

"Removing fewer lymph nodes in the axilla reduces the risk of harming lymphatic drainage from the arm," he said. To complement existing guidelines, the international working group has therefore created a new medical concept with practical recommendations to prevent unnecessary surgical removal of lymph nodes that can be quickly integrated into clinical practice," said Dr. Andre Pfob of Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and joint first author of the publication with Dr. Orit Kaidar-Person of Tel Aviv, Israel.

At a conference in Lucerne in September 2022, it was possible to achieve unity in a previously controversial debate and to develop a far-reaching practical guide. Participating subject matter experts voted on 72 statements and reached consensus (agreement of 75% or more) in 52.8%, a majority (51% to 74% agreement) in 43.1% and no decision in 4.2%.

"According to the voting results, imaging and standardized pathology of the lymph nodes should be a prerequisite for planning local and systemic therapy in breast cancer patients. Removal of all axillary lymph nodes could be replaced by targeted removal of a few lymph nodes, such as the sentinel lymph nodes, in the majority of scenarios discussed in the consortium," Dr. Pfob said, summarizing the results.

"The outcome of lymph node surgery has complex implications for subsequent radiation and chemotherapy or hormone therapy. These should be tailored to the individual patient." To monitor the success of the recommendations for individual women, the risk of cancer recurrence and side effects are recorded and evaluated.

The summary of recommendations is called "The Lucerne Toolbox." The project was sponsored by the Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna in Lucerne. The first edition of The Lucerne Toolbox was published as early as 2021, which addressed the issue of mastectomy.

More information: Orit Kaidar-Person et al, The Lucerne Toolbox 2 to optimise axillary management for early breast cancer: a multidisciplinary expert consensus, eClinicalMedicine (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102085 Journal information: EClinicalMedicine

Provided by Universitatsklinikum Heidelberg
Do thousands of dollars in Realtor contributions pouring into the Missoula mayors race violate Montana campaign finance rules?

Thats what the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices will evaluate next week after a Missoula Ward 4 constituent filed a complaint against a committee with ties to city councilor and mayoral candidate Mike Nugent. The spending in question concerns $125,000 given by the National Association of Realtors and another $10,000 from the Missoula Organization of Realtors.

The complaint, mailed this week from Missoula, accuses the Missoula Mayor committee that amassed $135,000 in Realtor contributions of misrepresenting itself as an incidental committee and failing to disclose which specific candidate the committee supports.

Although the C2 form instructions and state regulations clearly state that the committee purpose must include the name of the candidate it is supporting or opposing, Missoula Mayor fails to disclose the name of the candidate for which it is spending money in support, the complaint reads. A search of this committees expenses, and public statements by officers however, clearly indicate that it is spending money in support of mayoral candidate Mike Nugent. As seasoned political operatives, the officers should know better.

MOR has publicly endorsed Nugent, who is a member of the organization and an agent at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in Missoula. Realtors are licensed real estate agents belonging to the NAR.

I knew nothing of this, Nugent said Thursday of the committee's campaign account. I did not ask for this. I am focused on running my campaign.

Legally, candidates cannot coordinate with independent committees. According to finance reports, the six-figure donations have so far been used to erect two billboards promoting Nugent in Missoula.

I like to face things head on, Nugent went on, and I had no control over this.

Nugent has already raised more than $62,000 for his campaign. He noted his fundraising lead  which topped second-place fundraiser Mayor Jordan Hess by about $20,000 in June  negated the need for additional money to support his race.

Nugent also said the implications of the Realtor money have clouded the message of his campaign, which he said focuses on pragmatic but positive change for Missoula, where the candidate has lived his entire life.

Its a distraction, he said. It allows people to label us in a way that I dont think is fair.

He urged Missoula voters to ask around the community for more accurate portrayals of his character, since he has lived here for almost 40 years.

I think that in a local race, he said, outside money is hard to have an impact because we know each other."

Candidates react

But the other candidates in the running for mayor disagree.

This is what people call dark money, said Homeword Executive Director Andrea Davis, who trails Hess and Nugent in fundraising with about $19,850 raised through mid-June. I think that what many of us are concerned about is we have everyday Missoulians contributing to the other candidates. This kind of contribution that is meant to persuade voters and sway elections drowns out local voices.

Davis, who works full-time on housing issues locally, worried about the impact of a national real estate organization investing in the Missoula race. She said she wants to make sure the next mayor isnt beholden to any kind of special interests.

I know they have an interest in the attainability and affordability of homes, she said of the NAR. At the same time, however, she noted Realtors havent cut their fees even with the skyrocketing cost of houses. Does this industry, will they do anything to curb the escalating cost of housing?

Hess, too, was adamant about keeping special interests out of local races.

I believe money in politics is a corrupting influence in politics, he said. Its a problem throughout our system in the U.S. Its extraordinarily disappointing to see the problem and that corrupting influence come to the local level.

Hess  who voted for more housing as a Ward 2 councilor against the urging of many of his Grant Creek constituents in 2022  said he strives to avoid that corrupting influence in his public service, even though MOR also supported his city council race in 2021.

Ive always tried to have a north star of doing whats right, what I think is right, what I think my constituents would want or believe in, Hess said. Im elected based on who I am and so being true to my constituents in that way.

At the bottom of the pack for mayoral fundraising are Shawn Knopp with $2,854 and no fundraising for Brandi Atanasoff.

Jim Bachand, deputy treasurer of MOR, which requested the $125,000 contribution from the NAR, wanted to temper fears about the expectations that accompany a major investment from an out-of-state group. Bachand said MOR asked for the funds in a blind process that kept the national association from knowing whom the money would support.

And of the idea that Nugent would be beholden to Realtor interests because of the incidental committees investment, he said, thats not true. We need somebody with the voice and leadership skills to lead this community. Mike is a longtime member of the Missoula community. He is a big advocate for housing, all types of housing. He understands and believes in this community.

He added, Its not dark money.
The Missoula Housing Authority is actively seeking tenants for the Trinity and Villagio affordable housing developments as the pair of complexes that offer rents below market rate get closer to opening.

These openings are some of many solutions the city and its partners are pushing as they strive to address the increasing challenge of homelessness in Missoula. But barriers are challenging the citys efforts.

Were operating without a plan right now, said Houseless Programs Manager Emily Armstrong. (We are) without a strategy as our 10-year-plan ended.

Armstrong said the two most significant challenges to houselessness work are social service capacity and sustainable funding. One out of 14 active projects has sustainable funding: the Blue Heron Place development. In addition, four of the 14 have full capacity to operate and maintain programs for people in need.

Another challenge the team working on these issues encountered involves the difficulty of incorporating input from the people that team members seek to serve. A survey of unhoused Missoulians is expected in early August, but convening the unsheltered in the community to get their feedback has proven tricky.

City councilors this week pointed to the demonstrated need for more shelter space to house those individuals, but they also acknowledged the time, funding and capacity constraints inherent in that initiative. Eran Pehan with Community Planning, Development and Innovation explained the city hopes to reopen the Johnson Street shelter as soon as possible and make a plan for a permanent long-term secondary shelter.

The end goal is housing, Armstrong reminded council. Shelter space is just a stopgap measure on the way to securing stable housing.

In the meantime, some on council would like to see the city provide basic resources. Armstrong and her colleagues likened that idea to the Authorized Camping Site, which the city has deemed a failure since it closed last year.

We cannot do it without a provider whos interested in owning and staffing it, Armstrong said. Human trafficking, lack of running water and weather concerns all contributed to the closure of that site.

Luckily, we didnt have a bad wildfire year last year, said Armstrong, but if we had, knowing that folks were outside during unhealthy weather or air quality would have been terrible. With the Poverello Center and the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space at capacity, many of the dozens of people who stayed at the ACS are now living unsheltered outside.

City staff also outlined unique challenges that prevent Missoula from replicating ideas from other municipalities, like Austin, Texas Community First! Village. Armstrong pointed out Austin has criminalized homelessness since it isnt subject to the 9th Circuit ruling against such an action. On the other hand, Austin community leaders there have partnered with the city to commit $515 million over three years to address their homelessness crisis.
Here's some business news in the Missoula area:

There's some news in the world of baked goods and cookies in Missoula:

Grant Melton, a former culinary producer who worked for celebrity chef Rachael Ray, has opened a bake shop called Bake Sale in Missoula. He's selling his baked goods at the Clark Fork Market on Saturdays and the Tuesday evening market at the north end of Higgins.

Also, Mary's Mountain Cookies has gotten a permit for a new business inside Southgate Mall at the former Caffe Dolce location near the main mall entrance. The chain also has a location in downtown Missoula.

Since its existence along the historic Mullan Road, West Front Street has been dubbed Missoulas "red light district," implying that the district remained a place of vice, sin and corruption influenced by the radical reformist religious movements of the late 19th century.

While some in Missoula are familiar with the name Mary Gleim or the brief history of West Front Street, many of the districts stories remain untold, including that of Gleim and her businesses.

A new tour offered by the Unseen Missoula program of the Downtown Missoula Partnership uncovers these stories and explores the district through storytelling. The tour, named Carnal Enterprises, changes the narrative from red-light district (a hotbed of seediness leading people down a path of immoral corruption) to a restricted district that was home to an ostracized community of people separated from the mainstream culture due to class, race, sex, and/or occupation.

From 1889-1917, West Front and West Main Streets became home to a vibrant "restricted" community of working women, Chinese laborers, African American soldiers, and lower-class immigrants who built the environment that Missoulians have come to love today.

The opportunity to offer this tour is important with respect to the implementation of the Downtown Heritage Interpretive Plan, said Brandon Dewey, program director for the Downtown Missoula Partnership. This tour helps us tell the history of minorities in our community and share the stories of how they lived here at the end of the 19th century and into the 20th. Guests will enjoy learning about the characters that were deeply integrated into the neighborhood along with the fascinating, and sometimes humorous, stories of how they lived.

After taking the tour, guests will have a new understanding of restricted districts in the American West, particularly in western Montana. In addition, guests will understand that these districts histories are just as important to Western narratives and to Montana history as the stories of people like Christopher Higgins and Andrew Hammond.

Tour author and Unseen tour guide Sophia Etier noted that acknowledging the stories of those from the restricted districts is crucial.

We are able to live in this beautifully-built historic environment and learn about our heritage because of the work they did and the experiences they endured, Etier said.

Unseen Missoula, a program of Heritage Missoula from the Downtown Missoula Partnership, offers education-based, guided walking tours to showcase Missoulas unique history. The program aims to connect Missoulians and guests to our community, foster cultural identity, and promote heritage experiences for all.

Carnal Enterprises kicked off on July 1, and will be offered weekly in addition to the existing Unseen Missoula guided walking tours. Tours are $15 per person and can be purchased online at missouladowntown.com/tours/unseen-missoula.

For more information, contact Program Director Brandon Dewey via email at brandon@missouladowntown.com or via phone at (406) 543-4238.

Nicole Toone, vice president of commercial lending at First Security Bank in Missoula, has been named MoFis Montana Lender of the Year for 2022. MoFi, a Missoula nonprofit, presents the award annually to its most prolific commercial lending partner, an individual who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to meeting the needs of small-business owners and entrepreneurs across Montana.

Many successful Montana businesses struggle to get the financing they need to grow, according to MoFi. Toone has been recognized for helping connect small-business owners and entrepreneurs with a resource to meet that need  flexible, responsible capital that sees them through short-term growth and prepares them for a longer-term bank loan. That capital comes from MoFi, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution that provides financing and consulting services to small-business owners and entrepreneurs who are unable to receive a traditional bank loan.

Toone has lived in Missoula for more than 25 years and worked at First Security Bank for more than 16 years, starting as a teller and rising to her current role as vice president, commercial lending. In 2022, she referred 14 businesses to MoFi, with 11 of them receiving financing.

I really enjoy working with small businesses in the Missoula community and am always looking for the best options to help my customers, Toone said. MoFi has greatly benefited my business customers, and I never hesitate to reach out to them to discuss potential financing opportunities. MoFis entire team is responsive and helpful, and I highly value their partnership and expertise. I would recommend MoFi to any other lender as an extremely useful resource.
BROWNING  Rayola Grant's family has been searching for a Certified Nursing Assistant to care for a relative with dementia for more than a year.

Grant, a nursing instructor at Blackfeet Community College, said she and her family aren't alone. In rural and tribal communities, she said the need for nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants is exponential.

Now, thanks to a partnership among state and tribal entities, Blackfeet Community College in June graduated 22 new Certified Nursing Assistants in a unique program that aims to address health care needs.

People who need hospice, they just dont get it, she said of patients in Browning. They can do pain management, but its nothing like what hospice can offer them.

As the new CNAs weave into community service, they can help families of the dying stay closer to home. While Great Falls offers hospice care, Grant said, especially when it comes to end-of-life needs, individuals prefer to stay closer to home and be with family  not 200 miles away.

Tara Tatsey was one of the students to graduate from the program. She works for the Blackfeet Tribal Health Department and had been wanting to attend nursing school, so when she heard about the two-week accelerated course, she jumped at the opportunity.

This really opened the door for me, she said. I loved the instructor. I dont know how to explain it, but I just learned so much from the training. It was intense, but I learned things Ive never known before.

Tatsey previously assisted the health department with COVID-19 testing and mitigation, and now she specializes in community outreach, providing education on syphilis, NARCAN, addiction and other things.

The need

COVID-19, which disproportionately affected tribal communities, exacerbated the nursing shortage. Grant said during the pandemic, CNAs in the tribal community became burned out.

They found different places to go, she said. CNAs dont typically make much money. So they can go to McDonalds and make more money than working as a caregiver.

Grant said a lack of housing on the reservation can also be a barrier in hiring new nurses and CNAs. She added that being a CNA is often unglamorous, as it can involve handling bowel movements, helping people shower, transferring patients and providing other types of care.

Indian Health Service, the federal agency responsible for providing health care to federally recognized tribes, has long been criticized for being understaffed, underfunded and under-resourced. A recent report from the agency states that past funding for Indian Health Service (IHS) addressed an estimated 48.6% of the health care needs for the population it serves. The agency also struggles with staffing. In the Billings IHS area, which includes service units in Montana and Wyoming, there is a 51% medical officer vacancy rate, 51% nurse vacancy rate and 44% physician assistant vacancy rate.

Staffing shortages and limited resources can be especially dire, as Native Americans face persistent health and health care disparities. As a result of harmful U.S. policies and discrimination, Native Americans have a lower life expectancy and a higher likelihood of dying from COVID-19, diabetes and other unintended injuries compared with the rest of the U.S. population. Native people also face high rates of infant mortality, alcohol and substance use disorder, mental illness, suicide, diabetes and obesity.

Blackfeet Councilman Lyle Rutherford told Lee Montana newspapers in June that IHS services are bare minimum, and because of staffing shortages, appointments are hard to come by.

People get discouraged, he said in June. They try once or twice to get an appointment. And if they cant get one, they just go home and try to deal with it at home as much as possible. If theyre on Medicaid and want to go someplace else, there are transportation barriers.

New course

To address the care shortage, for the first time, statewide health entities like the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Montana Area Health Education Center and Montana Health Network, partnered with tribal entities, including the Blackfeet Community College, Blackfeet Care Center, Tribal Health Department and others, to offer an affordable, accelerated two-week CNA course in Browning.

The two-week course served mostly Native students, though it was open to all, and students learned fundamental skills, like maneuvering patients safely, taking vital signs and assisting with activities of daily living, among others. Students also spent between 40 and 50 hours in the classroom attending lectures and eventually took a CNA exam to become certified. Students also learned how to provide care for people living with dementia, Alzheimers and other conditions.

Grant said because CNA courses are labor intensive, they often require a lot of time and resources to host. As a result, she typically teaches a maximum of eight students in these courses. But this course, she said, was different, as no student was turned away.

CNA courses can sometimes cost $1,000, not including exam fees or additional textbooks. Additionally, most CNA programs are between four and 12 weeks long, requiring people to take time away from work or child care for an extended period. But because this two-week course involved unique partnerships across the state, Grant said every student received funding to participate and anyone who wanted to enroll, could.

Tatsey put her new certification to use shortly after the program ended at the tribes Extreme Warrior Race," which involved a run, bike, swim and canoe.

It was really cold that day and people had to swim, she said. So we took blood pressure, and I knew what to watch for. The class really helped me out. It made a big difference.
A Flathead County jury on Thursday evening found 37-year-old Jonathan Douglas Shaw guilty of deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide in the September 2021 death of Matthew Hurley, the former manager of a Kalispell fitness center, and the shooting of gym patron William Keck in the parking lot of Fuel Fitness and Nutrition.

The verdict came in at about 7:40 p.m. following more than four hours of deliberations. Shaw was remanded to the custody of the Flathead County Sheriffs Office. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21.

Judge Dan Wilson presided over the Flathead County District Court trial that began July 10. Evidence and testimony in the case spanned four days and wrapped up a day earlier than scheduled, with Shaw testifying as the defenses only witness.

Closing arguments ended on Thursday afternoon, with deputy Flathead County attorneys Ashley Frechette and John Donovan maintaining that Shaws actions were not justified when he shot two people on Sept. 16, killing Hurley and injuring Keck.

Throughout the trial, they pointed to Shaws aggressive demeanor toward gym managers Hurley and Matthew Underhill when he fired his loaded 9 mm pistol after hearing a message he didnt want to hear, when the Fuel Fitness employees approached him to revoke his membership and refund his fees. Prosecutors also said that the defendant fired five shots at Keck, the gym member he engaged in a shootout with, and intended to kill him.

The defendant testified that this was a war zone, Frechette told jurors. He likened it to a combat incident. This incident was a war zone of the defendants own making.

Defense attorneys Colin Stephens and Paul Simon maintained throughout the trial that Shaw acted in self-defense, feeling threatened when Hurley and his assistant Underhill aggressively approached him in the parking lot, where the defendant, having recently been evicted from his Kalispell apartment, had been sleeping overnight in a parked trailer. Shaw told the jury that he thought the employees were reaching for weapons during the confrontation, prompting him to shoot Hurley four times. He later admitted he never saw any weapons.

He was mistaken, and his actions were reasonable in light of the circumstances, Stephens said.

Shaw also testified during the trial that Keck fired the first shot during the parking lot shootout and that he acted in self-defense.

The jury, however, sided with the county prosecutors who emphasized that the last words that Hurley heard before Shaw shot him four times was youre gonna die and that his intent was to kill him when he discharged the firearm. They were also convinced that Shaw shot Keck with the intention of killing him.
Are you looking for that place to call home? Then look no further. This home is conveniently located off Hwy 321 located in the subdivision of Sagemeadow Circle. This Dan Grogan built home features four bedrooms and four bath and is move in ready. No detail was over looked in this high quality construction as displayed by the trey ceilings, three piece crown moldings, arched doors, hardwood floors and ceramic tile. First floor features guest bedroom/bath and kitchen that is open to the living room and breakfast area. Sunroom located off of living room. The primary bedroom is a spacious oasis that includes walk-in-closet and primary bath with jetted tub and walk- in- shower. Second floor also offers two additional bedrooms which share a hallway full bath. The finished portion of the basement has a great T.V. and exercise space with its own full bath. The unfinished side features a workshop/extra storage space. Two car side load garage also has floored attic space above.

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The Atlantic Ocean is warmer than usual off of the Outer Banks this month, but a marine heat wave hasnt yet set in, a federal oceanographer told The News & Observer Thursday.

As of noon Thursday, this months average water temperature from NOAA stations between Beaufort and Duck were all at least 1 degree Fahrenheit above average. Buoys in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach were either at or below average.

Heres what that looks like:

Duck: 73.5 degrees this month, 70.3 July average

Oregon Inlet Marina: 82 degrees this month, 80.3 degree July average

USCG Station Hatteras: 82.4 degrees this month, 81.1 degree July average

Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab: 83.8 degrees this month, 82.5 degree July average

Wilmington: 83.6 degrees this month, 83.4 degree July average

Wrightsville Beach: 81.7 degrees this month, 81.9 degree July average

A marine heat wave is defined as an event where a region is experiencing, over a five-day period, the highest 10% of all recorded temperatures. They can be caused by warm air, weak winds or displaced currents, among other events, Sutara Suanda, a University of North Carolina Wilmington coastal physical oceanographer, told The News & Observer.

Dillion Amaya, a research physical scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the warmest waters in the mid-Atlantic region are further off coast, roughly where the Gulf Stream normally flows. That area, Amays said, seems to either feature a warm current that has bobbled east or west or to be taking more water than usual from around the Caribbean islands and moving it northward.

NOAA says theres a better than even chance of a marine heat wave setting in off of the North Carolina coast by October. As the Gulf Stream moves warm water northward, Amaya said, areas along the Eastern Seaboard could start to warm up.

To the extent that climate change will make for more extreme conditions and larger swings of atmospheric patterns, there is a strong likelihood that we will have more uncharacteristic ocean patterns with climate change, Suanda said.

The Earths oceans have absorbed as much as 90% of the human-caused warming that has taken place in recent years, according to NASA. When heat enters the ocean, Suanda said, it doesnt stay in one place.

That heat in the ocean is not always trapped at the surface. Strong winds can deliver that heat to deeper ocean regions. Ocean currents also can move abnormally warm waters from one location to another, he said.

A warmer Atlantic means more energy for hurricanes to develop and grow. Hotter-than-usual conditions have already caused Colorado State University researchers to increase the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes they are forecasting this year.

Those warm waters can also affect fish and aquatic plants that live in the ocean. Florida scientists, for example, are worried about fish kills and bleaching of coral reefs with water temperatures in the Keys and around the southeastern corner of the state breaking 91 degrees Fahrenheit this week.

Janet Nye, a fisheries ecologist at UNC Chapel Hills Institute of Marine Sciences, studies how climate change affects fish.

When the waters warm, cold-blooded fish respond by becoming more active. They need to eat more, with fish that are usually near the top of the food chain more likely to turn into prey. And they need to find cooler water, if they can..

Theres different kind of heat waves but the ones that last a long time tend to be from top to bottom so theres not much that they can do if they try to move deeper, Nye told The News & Observer.

Until the last five years, Nye said, those effects were largely confined to the northern Atlantic. But warmer temperatures have started to show up further south, including off North Carolina, and Nye thinks the region might be entering its own transitional period.

This year has been really, really warm and certainly weve seen many, many more heat waves in the Atlantic in the last 10 years, Nye said. We probably should anticipate that these things are going to keep happening.

This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work.
Actions to tackle the effects of climate change will adequately receive Government support, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.

Speaking during the launch of the Parliamentary Caucus on climate change on Thursday, DP Gachagua said such projects aimed at addressing climate change are critical solutions to solving the crisis.

Climate Change is a real threat to our existence. Therefore, every initiative geared towards supporting our programmes to combat this challenge will receive adequate support from the Government, Said Gachagua.

Gachagua called on all elected leaders to make a contribution in mitigating the effects of climate change by joining the governments initiative to plant 15 billion trees.

We have to deal with negative effects of climate change and we must think smart and change the way we do things. We must move away from rain fed agriculture to irrigation. Observed the DP.

We must double our efforts in water harvesting and strengthen our resilient measures especially in Arid and Semi-Arid areas, he said.

Last year, President William Ruto launched a tree restoration program in an effort to combat the effects of climate change in the country.

The initiative, which aims to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, will work to reduce greenhouse emissions, stop and reverse deforestation, restore 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes through the African Landscape Restoration Initiative.
Hamisa Mobetto is one happy woman, who is not only madly in love but is riding in a brand-new German machine.

The Tanzanian beauty has been unable to keep calm on social media as she celebrated her new blessings with her over 10 million followers on Instagram.

Hamisa started by showing off her new Range Rover Velar in a video that shows her flying private with her entourage to collect the swanky ride.

Okay, so guys, I initially intended to enjoy my new baby in private, but then I thought, Why not spread the love? I worked really hard for this , so I might as well show it off a bit. Congrats to me   KUNA RANGE ALAFU KUNA VELAR  GodDiiiid! she wrote.

Hamisa mentioned that she is in a new chapter of her life called EVERYTHING I PRAYED FOR & MORE  .

Hours after stunning her fans with her new Range, Hamisa was at it again as she finally gave her fans a glimpse of the lucky man in her posh life.

While she kept his face concealed, leaving her fans more curious than before, Hamisa gushed over him and professed her undying love.

To this man right here, I love you beyond words. And I hope you will always feel that even when am not around to tell you so, Hamisa wrote.

The half-reveal comes weeks after Hamisa went public about her love affair with the mystery man.

For the first time, Ive found someone that I can actually speak the same language, and everything is so easy with him. Everything is so perfect. I wanna marry him. I wanna marry my man. I wanna cook for him, she effused.
The Government is creating a friendly environment that will attract more foreign investments to Kenya.

President William Ruto said the Government will also routinely refine its policies to make it more facilitative for businesses to operate in the country.

We will keep engaging with investors so as to make our laws more pro-business. This will spur their growth.

He was speaking on Thursday at State House, Nairobi, during the Kenya-Saudi Arabia business delegation meeting.

Led by the Saudi Arabia Minister of Investment Khalid Al Falih, the delegation  made up of 30 major firms  is one of the largest single business group ever to undertake a visit to Kenya.

President Ruto noted that Kenya is strategically located, making it easy for businesses to access the lucrative markets in the region and Africa in general.

He said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), of more than 1.4 billion, also offers broader opportunities for their goods and services.

The President further told the meeting that Kenya has a democratic system with a sound footing of the rule of law that protects investors.

This means when you set up in Kenya, markets for your products are limitless. You will get value for your investment.

He cited ICT, leather, transport, renewable energy, housing, blue economy, agriculture, among others, as some of the ripe investments in the country.

The Head of State explained that the current balance of trade favours Saudi Arabia.

That is why I encourage you to participate in enabling Kenya correct this imbalance by locating more industries here.

Cabinet secretaries Moses Kuria (Minister for Investments, Trade and Industry), Davies Chirchir (Energy) and Florence Bore (Labour) omong other officials were in the meeting.
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A Napa native imprisoned for murdering his former girlfriend nearly two decades ago will get another chance to seek early release later this year.

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Eric Nathaniel (Nate) Marum, 43, will appear before a state parole panel Nov. 2 at Folsom State Prison, according to a hearing schedule posted by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Marum has been held at Folsom since pleading guilty to the 2005 slaying of Nicole Sinkule at her home in Oceanside north of San Diego.

The parole bid will be the third by Marum, who was arrested after Sinkule was bludgeoned to death with a claw hammer on Oct. 16, 2005. Marum pleaded guilty to her murder in October 2006 and was sentenced to 16 years to life behind bars.

Marums initial parole application was rejected in 2019. In November 2021, two members of the Board of Parole Hearings recommended freeing Marum, but Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the release in March 2022, arguing that Marum had not yet proven he would not be a danger to women.

While crediting Marum  who attended Vintage High School and UCLA  for receiving treatment for psychological and drug problems since his arrest, Newsom, in a statement, concluded Marum must do additional work to mitigate his risk for intimate partner violence before he can be safely released.

At his 2021 hearing, Marum told the parole board of a worsening methamphetamine addiction that he said fueled his violence against Sinkule during their year-long relationship. When Sinkule tried to leave him, his meth use drove him into a psychosis on the night he killed her, Marum said at the time.

Prosecutors, as well as Sinkules relatives, rejected Marums expression of remorse as a way to minimize the violence of his behavior in the months before the murder. Family members have continued to fight Marums further efforts to go free, starting an online petition to keep him jailed and giving multiple interviews about the case to news outlets.
A Fairfield woman faces weapon- and theft-related allegations after her arrest during a vehicle stop Thursday morning, according to American Canyon Police.

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Shortly before 9:30 a.m., officers stopped a stolen 2019 Nissan Sentra on southbound Highway 29, the department said in a news release. During the stop, the driver, identified as 39-year-old Sabrina Yvonne Annal, refused to leave her car or follow officers commands, and police temporarily closed a section of the highways southbound lanes north of Donaldson Way West as a safety precaution, the department said.

Using a Napa County Sheriffs Office drone, police observed the driver reaching into a wooden box instead of exiting the Nissan, according to police spokesperson Nicol Dudley, who said the box contained a Taser.

Finally, less-lethal bean bag rounds were fired toward the car, whose windows were closed, Dudley said. Annal exited the car and was detained without injury, police said.

Annal was booked into the Napa County jail on a felony allegation of vehicle theft and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and illegal stun gun possession by a felon. She also faces felony warrants in Solano County for vehicle theft, evading police, and leaving the scene of an accident, police reported.

Photos: Napa Valley Faces and Places, July 9, 2023
Public libraries will be available on Saturday as places to spend time in cool conditions as extreme heat settles over much of California, Napa County officials have announced.

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Residents can visit the Napa County Librarys four branches during their regular hours on Saturday, when temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees Upvalley, the county said in a news release Thursday afternoon.

Library hours are as follows:

Napa, 580 Coombs St.: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

American Canyon, 300 Crawford Way: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

Yountville, 6516 Washington St.: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

Calistoga, 1108 Myrtle St.: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

Residents of Napa County and the North Bay are under an excessive heat warning, which the National Weather Service has declared from 11 a.m. Saturday to 11 p.m. Sunday.

Vulnerable populations to extreme heat include young children, older adults, people with chronic diseases, those who are pregnant, unhoused people and outdoor workers. Warning signs of heat-related illnesses may include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache, nausea or vomiting, paleness, tiredness or dizziness.

High temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-90s in Napa during the weekend, but exceed 100 degrees Upvalley. The city of Calistoga earlier announced it would open a cooling center Friday, Saturday and Sunday at its Community Center at 1307 Washington St., with the doors open from noon to 9 p.m. (or 8 p.m. if fewer than eight people are present at that hour).
Gov. Gavin Newsom and California legislative leaders are trying to broker a deal over a Republican bill strengthening penalties for child sex traffickers after Democrats killed the measure in committee.

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Senate Bill 14 from Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, on Tuesday failed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee after all six Democrats abstained from voting. The two Republican Assembly members on the committee, Juan Alanis of Modesto and Tom Lackey of Palmdale, both voted in support.

Her legislation calls for classifying the human trafficking of a minor as a serious felony under state law. A key provision of the measure would make child sex trafficking a strike under Californias Three Strikes law  a controversial sentencing strategy that significantly increases prison sentences for repeat offenders of serious felonies.

Following the vote, the committee unanimously granted Grove reconsideration, meaning she is able to bring the bill back for another hearing. But lawmakers are facing a Friday deadline for getting their bills out of policy committees, so Grove typically would have been out of time for the year.

However, the bill caught the attention of Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, both of whom told reporters they had reached out to Grove about the measure.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Newsom said he was surprised by the outcome of Tuesdays committee meeting. The governor said he spoke with Grove on Wednesday morning and told her that he was working to see what we can do.

Well be following up on that and have a lot more to say on that shortly, he said, adding that he was still trying to understand what happened with the vote.

Rivas said on Wednesday during a Sacramento Press Club appearance that he was very much engaged with the bill. He said he had messaged Grove and planned to connect later in the day.

Were addressing it, Rivas said. Well have more to announce about that, and youll know as soon as I do as far as the action that were going to take.

Republicans push floor vote

Grove on Wednesday told reporters she met with committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, and called their discussion very productive. She said he hoped to find a way to bring SB 14 straight to the Assembly floor.

There was nothing decided at that meeting, Grove said. We kind of laid out the situation, and I really do feel like it was a productive meeting. And so were still waiting for results of that meeting.

Jones-Sawyer said in a statement on Wednesday that he understood the authors intent but recognized this bill needs considerable work.

In the meantime, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher of Yuba City announced his partys members will attempt to force the entire body to vote on SB 14 on Thursday. The Assembly and Senate will each hold floor sessions in the morning before departing for a monthlong summer recess that begins Friday.

Immediately following the committee vote, the California GOP used the result to attack Democrats, saying they (delivered) a banner day for criminals.

Thanks to Gavin Newsom and California Democrats, you can consider the Golden State a criminals paradise, the party wrote in an emailed news release.

Republicans clash with Democrats over sentencing

Groves bill is hitting up against an Assembly Public Safety Committee that has spent the entire year striking down bills that would create more stringent penalties for various crimes.

The bill last month sailed through the Senate with a unanimous vote and strong bipartisan support.

However, Jones-Sawyer and other Democrats on the Assembly Public Safety Committee have consistently opposed bills that would keep people in prison longer. They cite the mass incarceration of Black and brown Californians that occurred after the state tightened its sentencing laws in the 1980s and 1990s.

Opponents of the measure, including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, argue the Three Strikes measure disproportionately harms Black, Latino and Indigenous people and should be repealed rather than expanded.

Studies from the National Institute of Justice have found that increased punishment is generally ineffective in deterring criminals from committing offenses and may even exacerbate recidivism and public safety issues.

But Republicans say people convicted of certain crimes deserve to stay in prison longer, and they insist more stringent sentencing is needed to send a message about the heinous nature of specific acts.

In recent months, Democrats and Republicans have also clashed over bills that would add prison time for fentanyl dealers. Jones-Sawyer in March held a special hearing to consider fentanyl-related bills after protests from Republicans and some moderate Democrats. However, none of the penalty-related bills advanced from the committee.

I want to want to be able to make sure its right before it leaves here, Jones-Sawyer said of SB 14 during the committee hearing. Well be able to make sure that the Three Strikes law doesnt become a problem in the community that I represent and a lot of members on this committee represent.

How wildfires have worsened in recent decades How wildfires have worsened in recent decades The number of wildfires is decreasing, but more acres are burning Wildfire seasons are getting longer Wildfire suppression costs have risen by billions of dollars Lightning fires are causing more damage in the West California's wildfires continue to set records
California voters will have the chance in November to remove language from the state constitution that says marriage is only valid between a man and a woman.

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After the legislation passed the Senate on Thursday, voters will decide whether to accept ACA 5, introduced by Assemblymember Evan Low, D-Campbell, to remove the language from the state constitutions Declaration of Rights. The revision requires a vote on a ballot proposition from a majority of voters in California.

The language stating that marriage is only valid between a man and a woman was added in 2008, when California voters passed Proposition 8 with 52.2% voting in favor.

This proposed constitutional amendment removes this scar from the California Constitution & affirms all Californians fundamental right to marry, co-author Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, tweeted Thursday.

Prop. 8 was deemed unconstitutional, first by a federal court ruling in 2010 and then by the U.S. Supreme Courts Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015, which ruled same-sex marriage as protected by the 14th Amendment.

In the 15 years since voters passed Prop. 8, Californians stance on same-sex marriage has shifted: According to Equality California, an LGBTQ advocacy group, 71% of Californians support the legality of same-sex marriage.

This amendment represents a progression, a really long progression, said Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz. A lot of times what we do in the Legislature is to catch up with where the people are.

ACA 5 passed the Senate 31-0. Some Senate Republicans abstained from voting, including Sen. Brian Dahle, R-Bieber.

Todays vote for me is about my faith, said Dahle, the only Republican who spoke on the Senate floor during the vote. My heart is with my Lord and savior. (This is) not about whether I judge you or not.

LGBTQ advocates insecure in rights since Dobbs decision

Though the constitutional language currently holds no legal power because of the court decisions ruling it unconstitutional, marriage equality advocates still do not feel secure.

In their opinions on the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade last year, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito wrote that the high court should reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges, saying it lacks constitutional grounding.

If the Court was willing to overturn five decades of precedent guaranteeing the right to abortion (as they did with the Dobbs decision last year), it cannot be assumed it will uphold less than a decade of precedence protecting marriage equality, said Tony Huang, executive director of Equality California.

The possibility inspired Congress to pass the Respect for Marriage Act last year, a law requiring all states to recognize same-sex, interfaith and interracial unions.

But Equality California says this law does not go far enough. If Obergefell were to be overturned, it does not mandate that states issue marriage licenses to same-sex or interracial couples.

California leads the way in LGBTQ+ protections and cutting-edge pro-equality legislation and our constitution should reflect those values, said Low.

From Stonewall to today: 50+ years of modern LGBTQ+ history From Stonewall to today: 50+ years of modern LGBTQ+ history 1969: Stonewall Riots 1969: Gay Liberation Front forms 1972: Sweden allows people to legally change gender 1972: UK has first Pride parade 1973: Lambda Legal forms 1973: Homosexuality is no longer classified as a mental illness 1974: First openly lesbian officials elected 1977: First openly gay man elected 1978: The rainbow flag is created 1979: First national LGBTQ+ march 1981: Norway enacts anti-discrimination laws 1981: Gay men affected with 'rare cancer' 1982: Wisconsin passes LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination law 1983: BiPOL forms 1984: HIV discovered 1986: Bowers v. Hardwick 1986: New York passes anti-discrimination bill 1987: UK opens first HIV/AIDS clinic 1987: Barney Frank comes out as gay 1987: ACT UP 1988: National Coming Out Day starts 1989: Denmark legalizes same-sex unions 1990: First Pride parade in South Africa 1994: 'Don't ask, don't tell' enacted 1994: American Medical Association opposes conversion therapy 1995: Gay and lesbian workers can get government security clearance 1996: President Bill Clinton signs Defense of Marriage Act 1996: High schooler starts Gay-Straight Alliance 1997: Ellen DeGeneres comes out 1998: Bisexual flag created 2000: Vermont recognizes same-sex unions 2000: Netherlands recognizes same-sex marriage 2002: New York City passes LGBTQ+ rights law 2003: US legalizes consensual same-sex acts 2004: Massachusetts performs first same-sex marriage 2009: Hate Crimes Prevention Act 2010: Same-sex marriage legal in Iceland 2011: 'Don't ask, don't tell' repealed 2012: First openly LGBTQ+ senator 2013: Supreme Court recognizes same-sex marriage 2014: Transgender students get federal protection 2014: First transgender person nominated for Emmy 2015: US legalizes same-sex marriage 2016: Ban lifted on transgender troops 2017: First openly transgender state legislator elected 2018: 'Rainbow wave' in politics 2019: Taiwan passes same-sex marriage 2019: Transgender troops banned from military 2019: Mayor Pete runs for president 2019: Being transgender no longer a 'disorder' 2020: NYC Pride March canceled by coronavirus 2021: Biden reverses Trump-era ban on transgender people in the military 2021: Gender-affirming care for minors is blockedthen overturned 2021: Switzerland and Japan make strides toward marriage equality 2022: Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in US states 2022: First openly lesbian women elected governor 2023: Gender-Affirming Care
Lake Tahoe is known around the world for its pure, blue waters, but a new study shows that the wondrous lake is full of something else these days: microplastics.

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Of the 38 lakes and reservoirs from six continents tested by researchers, Lake Tahoe came in third for the highest concentration of microplastics, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The research shows that we are not immune from the plastisphere, and that the plastics we use are going all over the globe, and into the lakes in our backyard, said Sudeep Chandra, a professor and director of the Global Water Center at the University of Nevada, Reno who helped conduct the study.

Researchers found the presence of various microplastics to at least some degree in all 38 lakes, even those that have been mostly undisturbed by humans. But the levels of measured microplastics in Lake Tahoe and two other lakes  Lakes Lugano and Maggiore on the Swiss-Italian border  were higher than those measured in the oceans gyres, or the currents where decades' worth of plastic waste have formed into massive floating garbage patches.

That surprised the researchers, who expected Lake Tahoe to have comparatively lower levels of plastics than the other lakes, since it is less densely populated and does not have sewage flowing into it like some of the other lakes.

This study as a whole shows that even pristine environments, or the ones that are the most remote, have plastic in them, and to a high degree like Lake Tahoe, Chandra said.

The research was led by Veronica Nava, a visiting postdoctoral scholar at UNR from the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy, who worked with Chandra and other colleagues around the world to collect samples from dozens of lakes located in 23 countries that cover a range of different environmental conditions and human interaction.

What scientists still dont know is how those plastics got into the freshwater lakes, and particularly Lake Tahoe, where wastewater has been exported for half a century and numerous policies have been put in place to protect the lakes waters from human effects.

The mechanism of transport of these plastics is not clear, especially when we talk about very small fragments or textile fibers, Nava said in a news release. We are wearing a lot of synthetic clothes, the majority of which are made of polyester, and they end up in aquatic systems. Even from far away, there can be atmospheric circulation and patterns that can carry these plastics a long way.

Nava also believes single-use plastics are playing a major role in the spread of microplastics at Tahoe and other freshwater lakes, such as people leaving plastic water bottles on the beaches.

Its an issue that local officials are working to address. The South Lake Tahoe City Council last fall passed a ban on the sale of single-use plastic water bottles that will go into effect in April 2024, the Tahoe Daily Tribune reported.

While not part of the recent study, Chandra said he hopes to look into exactly where the plastic is coming from and how to keep it from building up inside the lake, as well as what the high levels of microplastics are doing to the surrounding ecosystems and whether they are infiltrating the regions drinking water.

He said he hopes to work with Nava and scientists from Desert Research Institute to evaluate those impacts.

And that work is already underway. Chandra said they have started designing the next experiments that also will look at other lakes in Northern California, Oregon and Italy.

While he understands why some may see the research as depressing, Chandra remains hopeful that the situation can turn around.

We can take actions to reduce plastics that are all around us, and that reduction should benefit the environment, Chandra said. Its very tangible.
According to a tweet published by WarshipCam on July 12, 2023, the Algerian National Navy's training ship Soummam visits the HM Naval Base Devonport.

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Chinese-built training ship Soummam. (Picture source: Sohu)

Unprecedented cooperation in defence and military fields between Algeria and Britain has been noted since the start of the year. This has been exemplified by the recent visits of two senior British officials, including Minister of State in charge of the Armed Forces, Stephen Heppey.

These interactions focused on enhancing military relations between the two nations and addressing global and regional security challenges. Both sides have expressed readiness to further develop bilateral military cooperation in various fields, promoting a dynamic of cooperation based on frank exchange and a pragmatic vision.

About the training ship

Soummam measures 132 meters in length and has a beam of 16.4 meters. With a displacement of 5,500 tonnes, the ship ensures stability and accommodates various onboard systems.

Propulsion is provided by two MTU 12V-538-TB92 diesel engines, which deliver a total power output of 3,800 kW. This enables the ship to achieve a maximum speed of 22.22 knots (41 km/h).

The armament of the Soummam training ship includes an AK-176 76mm gun, two Chinese Type-76A twin 37mm guns, and two AK-630 6x30mm guns.

The ship is equipped with several electronic systems, including a Type 360 radar, a Type 363 radar, a Type 347G weapons control system, a Type 344 weapons control system, a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) system, and two optronic systems.
In order to protect the rights and ensure the security of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Stepanakert should start conducting negotiations with Baku. Sargis Khandanyan, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and member of the ruling majority Civil Contract Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, said this during a talk with reporters in the NA Friday, answering the question of how Yerevan reacts to the rallies in Artsakh and the deepening humanitarian crisis there

According to the MP, the Armenian side raises this matter in meetings with international partners, and Armenia's partners realize that the time has come for targeted actions.

"Nevertheless, our position is unchanged; in particular, the issue that refers to the protection of the rights of Artsakh Armenians and ensuring their security. However, a dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku is necessary. The issue should be discussed from that angle so that it receives an international response," said the Armenian politician.

In his opinion, the provisions of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020 should be strictly adhered to by everyone, and Azerbaijan should immediately implement the decision of the UN International Court of Justice.

"The task of the Armenian side is to voice these matters on various platforms; for example, at the UN Security Council," said the Armenian lawmaker.

Khandanyan expressed a belief that Armenia and Artsakh should reach decisions which will be followed by specific steps and actions. Such can be, for example, a broad international presence in Artsakh. In his view, this can guarantee the protection of the rights and the ensuring of security of the people of Artsakh.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, who is in Portugal on an official visit, on Friday met with his Portuguese colleague, Joao Gomes Cravinho, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The interlocutors commended the activation of bilateral political dialogue in recent years and emphasized the importance of high-level mutual visits to uphold positive dynamics. The intensity of direct contacts on multilateral platforms thus far was emphasized, as well as the significance of regular political consultations between the ministries of the two countries.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Joao Cravinho discussed the possibilities of expanding the Armenian-Portuguese agenda and deepening cooperation in areas of mutual interest. They touched upon prospects of activating the trade, economic and business ties as well as investment programs, expressing readiness to take the steps towards more effective use of the existing potential.

The areas of high technologies, education, tourism, and renewable energy were indicated as promising directions for cooperation. Views were exchanged on the implementation of both ongoing and new joint projects.

The interlocutors focused also on issues of multilateral agenda. The Armenia-EU partnership and cooperation within the framework of international organizations was discussed.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Portugal thoroughly touched upon international and regional issues. Ararat Mirzoyan briefed his Portuguese counterpart on the situation in the South Caucasus, the latest developments in the normalization process of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, as well as the serious security and humanitarian challenges in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that Azerbaijans illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, which has persisted for over 7 months, and, consequently, the deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh did not contribute to efforts to establish sustainable peace. Minister Mirzoyan also stressed the imperative to implement the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6, lift the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and prevent ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan. In this regard, he also highlighted the importance of clear actions by international actors.

Minister Mirzoyan also stressed the importance for Baku to renounce maximalist approaches, rhetoric and aggressive actions, as well as address the rights and security issues of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The day before, during the official dinner organized in honor of the visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia, a wide range of issues of mutual interest was also discussed. The issues of the Armenia-EU partnership were discussed in detail, in particular, the EU's continued assistance in strengthening the agenda of democratic reforms and institutional capacities of Armenia, as well as the activities of the EU civilian monitoring mission in Armenia. The important role of the EU mission in strengthening stability on the international border of Armenia and Azerbaijan was emphasized.
The rally of the Nationwide Movement continues in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The people, who had assembled at Renaissance Square in capital Stepanakert early Friday morning, marched to Ivanyan village, where the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh is located. They are going to pitch tents and wait there until they are received by the Russian peacekeepers.

Before this, the participants of the aforesaid rally marched to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Stepanakert office, where they demanded the ICRC to present the whole reality regarding the situation in Artsakh to all international organizations.

The Nationwide Movement started in Artsakh Friday morning.

Thousands of Artsakh residents assembled at Renaissance Square of capital Stepanakert. Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan also participated in the rally.

Artsakh Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan on Thursday announced the start of this movement.

Later, former Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan issued a video message and announced that he was joining the movement.

The objective of this movement is to achieve the unblocking of the Lachin corridor, the lifeline of Artsakh, which Azerbaijan has blocked.
From now on, taking into account as well the reasonable demand of our people and our future steps, the Russian peacekeepers have been obligated to transfer information to the Russian Federation on a daily basis, and they have been obligated to accept that they have work to do to immediately settle the situation and eliminate the humanitarian crisis. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan informed this to the participants of the protest outside the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh, after his meeting with the commander of this contingent, Aleksandr Lentsov.

He added that their arrangement is in force, the residents of Artsakh capital Stepanakert will be returning to Renaissance Square to continue their demonstration there, and the residents of Askeran town will be setting up tents outside the headquarters of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh.

The Nationwide Movement started in Artsakh Friday morning.

Thousands of Artsakh residents assembled at Renaissance Square of capital Stepanakert. Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan also participated in the rally.

Artsakh Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan on Thursday had announced the start of this movement.

Later, former Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan had issued a video message and announced that he was joining the movement.

From Renaissance Square, the participants in the aforesaid rally first marched to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Stepanakert office, where they demanded the ICRC to present the whole reality regarding the situation in Artsakh to all international organizations.

Then, they marched to Ivanyan village, where the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh is located, to presented their demands to the Russian peacekeepers and meet with their commander.

The objective of the Nationwide Movement is to achieve the unblocking of the Lachin corridor, the lifeline of Artsakh, which Azerbaijan has blocked.
Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan has taken decisive action by sending letters to heads of all UN Security Council member states, the UN Secretary General, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the President of the European Council, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, as well as the Prime Minister of Armenia, urging them to fulfill their international obligations and promptly implement effective measures to halt the illegal and complete blockade imposed on Artsakh by Azerbaijan, and to put an end to the systematic mass crimes and acts of terrorism against the people of Artsakh.

The letter not only conveyed the expectations of Artsakh from each recipient, but also provided an overview of the current situation, noted the office of the Artsakh President. The main part of the letter reads as follows:

"As the President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), I urgently appeal to the international community on behalf of the government and people of Artsakh. I wish to draw your attention to the escalating security and humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, which is rapidly evolving into a full-blown disaster. This dire situation is a direct result of the following criminal actions committed by Azerbaijan:

- On December 12, 2022, as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin (Kashatagh) Corridor, which connects Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world, approximately 120,000 residents of Artsakh found themselves under siege. Furthermore, about 30,000 citizens of the Republic of Artsakh were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their right to return to their homeland;

- Since then, humanitarian movement of people and cargo through the Lachin Corridor has been exclusively carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeeping forces, with very limited capacity and certain periodic disruptions, while the movement of vehicles belonging to the residents of Artsakh has been completely prohibited;

- Since January 9, 2023, Azerbaijan has disrupted the supply of electricity through the sole high-voltage line between Armenia and Artsakh, which has caused significant energy and humanitarian problems in Artsakh over the past 185 days. There have been daily six-hour power outages, a 48% decrease in electricity consumption, and depletion of local electricity production and supply systems. Starting from December 13, 2023, Azerbaijan periodically, and since March 21, almost continuously, has been interrupting the only gas supply from Armenia to Artsakh (for a total of 148 days), thereby deepening the energy and humanitarian crisis;

- On April 23, Azerbaijan established an illegal checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor at the border between Artsakh and Armenia, officially and openly imposing strict and arbitrary military control over all movements;

- Since June 15, Azerbaijan has imposed a complete blockade on the Lachin Corridor, prohibiting the transportation of any individuals or goods (including food, medicine, hygiene items, and fuel) in both directions even by the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers;

- From June 25 to July 10, the transportation of patients with urgent medical needs to medical centers in Armenia, along with the import of some medicines into Artsakh, were resumed in a very limited capacity only through the Red Cross. However, starting from July 10, the movement of the Red Cross has been blocked again;

- Throughout this entire period, Azerbaijan has been using force and the threat of force against the people of Artsakh, with clear manifestations of ethnic hatred and terrorism, and with the evident goal of ethnic cleansing;

- By using force and the threat of force, Azerbaijan continues to obstruct agricultural activities on approximately 10,000 hectares of land adjacent to the contact line, which constitutes a significant portion of the total cultivated land;

- The suspension of all humanitarian supplies since June 15, coupled with the utilization of limited domestic stocks, has resulted in a worsening humanitarian situation, in particular: The food shortage is worsening, especially considering that prior to the blockade, around 90% of all consumed food was imported from Armenia;

Due to the diminishing availability of fuel and other essential resources, approximately 70% of planned agricultural work has been halted, while the impact on other sectors of the economy is even more significant;

Due to the same reason, internal public transportation has been reduced by approximately 50%, while private transportation has nearly come to a standstill;

The growing shortage of medications, medical supplies and hygiene items, coupled with the ban on transporting medical patients to Armenia, poses an increasing threat to people's lives and well-being; Daily power outages and fuel shortages have severely impacted the operation of medical equipment, leading to a decrease in the volume and quality of healthcare services;

Due to the lack of essential food and vitamins, approximately 2,000 pregnant women and around 30,000 children are struggling to survive under conditions of malnutrition.

The daily power outages, fuel shortages, and lack of other essential items are causing significant disruptions in water supply and telecommunication infrastructure in many populated areas.

The blockade and disruptions in the supply of electricity and gas have rendered over 12,000 people unemployed and deprived of their livelihoods, which represents over 60% of the private sector workforce.

The complete blockade of the Republic of Artsakh and its isolation from the outside world, pursued with the intermediate goal of forcibly subjugating the people of Artsakh, deepens the humanitarian crisis and sets the stage for the transformation of Azerbaijan's ongoing crimes against humanity into the crime of genocide. Through these actions, Azerbaijan deliberately creates unbearable conditions for the people of Artsakh, with the clear intention of depopulating the region and annihilating its people.

The aforementioned and many other security and humanitarian issues pose an increasing threat to the survival of the people of Artsakh. The current situation is highly volatile and has the potential to rapidly transform into a full-fledged catastrophe, not only for the people of Artsakh but for the entire region.

Regrettably, Azerbaijan continues to demonstrate a willful disregard for its international obligations, repeatedly violating the provisions of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, the ruling of December 21, 2023, from the European Court of Human Rights, the orders issued by International Court of Justice on February 22 and July 6, 2023. Azerbaijan's actions persist despite the demands and appeals of numerous international organizations and states. Furthermore, Azerbaijan's aggressive and criminal activities have been fueled by the prevailing sense of impunity within the international community."
The authorities of Armenia understand the civilian steps aimed at making the consequences of the deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, as a result of the illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor, and the policy of ethnic cleansing conducted by Azerbaijan more visible to the international community. Nazeli Baghdasaryan, the press secretary of the Prime Minister of Armenia, told this to Armenpress, and referring to the movement that started in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) capital Stepanakert early Friday morning, and with the demand to stop the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan.

"The government of Armenia itself is making efforts in this direction. The international community should take effective measures to implement the legally binding decisions of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6 on the unblocking of the Lachin corridor," Baghdasaryan added.

"In this respect, the government of Armenia emphasizes also that a Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, with the agenda of the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of the international mechanism, is a necessity," stressed the press secretary of the PM of Armenia.

The Nationwide Movement started in Artsakh Friday morning in the capital Stepanakert's Renaissance Square.

From Renaissance Square, the participants in the aforesaid rally first marched to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Stepanakert office, where they demanded the ICRC to present the whole reality regarding the situation in Artsakh to all international organizations.

Then, they marched to Ivanyan village, where the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh is located, and presented their demands to the Russian peacekeepers and met with their commander.

The objective of the Nationwide Movement is to achieve the unblocking of the Lachin corridor, the lifeline of Artsakh, which Azerbaijan has blocked.